humanity
Humanity topics include pieces on the real lives of politicians, legislators, activists, women in politics and the everyday voter.
What Would Jesus Do?
It's hard to pin-point the moment that my disbelief really began. Like most who don't affiliate with a religion, it wasn't necessarily a specific moment as much as it was a series of moments in conjunction with my environment that lead me to where I am now. Having said that, I do remember moments in my childhood that shifted my paradigm. Small cracks in the veneer of my youthful suspensions of disbelief. The shooting massacre at Columbine occurred four days before my tenth birthday. It was a Tuesday and that night I remember my parents trying to explain what had happened in whatever way you explain something that horrible to a kid that age. Later that week, I remember sneaking into the TV room late one evening after my parents had gone to bed, I watched re-run news coverage and I just sat there; stunned, confused, and scared.
By Patrick O'Neill9 years ago in The Swamp
November 9, 2016
I was at work when the weight of reality began to tip the scales. It was a Tuesday. Considering the current events, it was a Tuesday we’d known would be slower than most. So, I had my laptop perched on a table in the back of the bar, and between zesting manhattans or pan frying scallops, each of the employees and myself would find small moments we could go and peak at the screen, away from prying eyes. As the early evening drifted into the dinner hour, the crowd appeared to dwindle instead of grow. The normal rush hour traffic, usually buzzing around 1st Avenue, was quiet. The white-haired man on my laptop was hurriedly pressing boxes on a wall length touchscreen, appearing confused and panicked as he tried to explain what we were all seeing. By this time, we’d usually be busy taking orders and 86’ing dishes, but the place was almost empty, just a couple people sitting over drinks, scrolling screens by themselves.
By Patrick O'Neill9 years ago in The Swamp
4:28
It all happened in a blur. In a crowded mall, surrounded by hundreds of people, a couple days before Christmas. No one expected it. 4:28 PM, gunshots are fired. Everyone in the mall panics. Everyone is running in different directions, trying to make it out alive. Right when I think I made it out, hear the loudest noise I have ever heard. I scream as I feel the most excruciating pain when a bullet pierces through my skin. I fall to the floor, bleeding.
By Melissa Schwolow9 years ago in The Swamp
Gentrification: My Take
Gentrification has affected almost all people of all ethnic backgrounds in the United States. The most popular to date has been in the hispanic communities located in Los Angeles, California. Gentrification is a very controversial topic in 2017-18 due to the recent changing of areas such as Echo Park, Highland Park, and now Boyle Heights. Although gentrification is an action with good intentions, it is also one being frowned upon. The uprising of gentrification has caused lots of tension between people in communities affected by gentrification. This action has forced many people to move out of their apartments or sell their homes because they cannot afford to pay for the now expensive rent. This has created lots of division and conflict in the communities of certain areas and the people around them.
By Alí González9 years ago in The Swamp
A Call to End Gun Violence
Yesterday, after the news broke out about the mass casualty school shooting, I was taken back to when I was in the sixth grade and I heard about the first mass casualty school shooting at Columbine High School and ever since then, school shootings have happened again and again. Also, ever since Columbine, there has been a call to end gun violence and to have gun legislation put in place. There has also been a call for more to be done on mental health detection. But still, we keep hearing about these sad events.
By Faerie Rose Press9 years ago in The Swamp
Homelessness
Imagine yourself having to live on the street, sleeping on cold concrete with nothing for warmth or protection. You wonder where your next meal will come from. You have to constantly watch what little you have in order to make sure no one takes it when you aren’t looking. Think about your town installing barriers and spikes, so that you can’t sleep in your usual spot, or being turned away from a shelter because it’s already full. Meanwhile, we are in our cozy houses, complaining about it not being warm enough. So, we simply go and turn the heat up.
By James Howell9 years ago in The Swamp
