Lance should be forgiven not forgotten !

“Give Lance another chance,” organized by CNN.com with opinions by lots of people. They give their opinions on if Lance Armstrong should be forgiven, on if he should be able to cycle again, and on him finally confessing he used performance-enhancing drugs.

Opinions were used in this article. The opinions of Frida Ghitis, Randy Cohen, Roxanne Jones, Jeff Pearlman, Kevin Powell, and Shawn Klein were used in this article. Half of them think he should be forgiven, and the other half just can’t get over what he did. I was surprised he lied about it for a decade. He was lying to everyone to keep his secret, but now he finally comes out and says the truth. Why today? Why right now?

I think with this topic it is very hard to pick sides. I feel yes its bad he lied about it for so many years, but if everyone around him is taking them why not also take them to become better and beat your opponents? I think everybody deserves second chances, he is still inspirational. He is still helping kids with his Lance Armstrong Foundation, this should not be forgotten.

This Lance Armstrong article reminds me of something I read about the professional baseball player Barry Bonds. They both went years of denying using drugs. It took them years to finally confess. But I’m confused why confess now, if they been denying it for so long?

Syria Wants U.S. To Mind Their Business

"Civil War in Syria Raises Questions About when To Intervene" written by Ja'anai Delaney is about the war that is currently happening in Syria and if the U.S. should step in. The war in Syria is within the country, protest fighters against their president Assad.

They are fighting because they would like to kick Assad out of office and establish a democracy in Syria. The U.S. does not want to intervene for it may escalate into something bigger, killing more people than need be. But the U.S. will intervene if Assad uses chemical weapons.

The article contains quotes about what’s happening right now in Syria and quotes by secretary of state Hilary Clinton. Hilary Clinton is talking on the U.S. getting involved in the Syria War.

The Syria war is taking place in Aleppo. Since the war "major civilization massacres" as Ja'anai Delaney calls it has been happening in the towns of Homs, Houla and Darayya.

Assad warns the U.S. that if they got involved they will drop chemical and biological weapons on us and its own people.

I think the whole war is reasonable; they want a better government over in Syria and will fight to get it. I agree with the U.S. policy they want to protect their people and the civilians of Syria. They don't want to make it a blood bath when it doesn't have to be.

I can connect this to when U.S. had a war with Iraq. They spent all that money and all that time on the war when it could have went to something else. So now they make sure that if they have a war it’s for a reasonable reason.

The Cause of Children Depression and Anxiety

"All Work and No Play: Why Your Kids Are More Anxious, Depressed" written by Esther Entin is about kids being anxious and depressed because of the declining in free play. She points out why having free play benefits children. Free play benefits children because they learn to think for themselves, learn what they like to do, how to control their emotions, how to play with other kids, to solve problems on their own, and to how to be happy.

The article has facts and quotes by Peter Gray. A surprising fact was that free play is a major part of children lives. I would have never thought of not having free time could make a child anxious and depressed. That it could make them also have problems with attention and self-control.

I think children should definitely have free time especially after reading this article. As a child, I was able to have a lot of time to play. I was able to learn how to solve problems on my own and how to control my emotions.
A lot of parents should read this article and start giving their kids more free time so they will not be depressed and/or anxious when they get older. It also taught me how to play with others equally.

My little brother also has a lot of time to play freely. Without being interrupted, being able to do things on by himself.    

This article will help parents help their children have a better and happier life.

37 Schools Shutting Down

Philadelphia Superintendent Identifies Schools He Intends to close" written by Kristen A. Graham is about the School District Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. wanting to close down schools because they are losing money and they are failing academically. Negatives about the schools closing or emerging is the money used to purchase trans passes and the fighting that could happen between the students going to different schools.

The article contains quotes from William R. Hite Jr, Jerry Jordan, and Michael Nutter. A surprising fact is only 193 students is going to Shaw Middle School when the school can fit 1,071 students. Where are the other 878 students? Why is Shaw not able to fill their school? Why are they not filling their school, but are denying people to get into their school?

I am hot and cold about this topic. I feel as though it’s for the good, but it’s bad because of what could happen soon as the school merges. Schools merging there could be more fights. Some kids might stop coming to school because they now have to travel longer distances.

One of my friends could be affected by this if it goes through with the school district. She goes to Paul Robeson now, but next year she will have to go to Sayre. Sayre is her neighborhood school, but that’s not a school that she wants to go to.