I am responding to “Open-and-shut case” (Feb. 16 Cleanup Cruise). This taught me a lesson: Never have a messy locker. One of my friends older sister is in junior high, and her locker is very, very neat. Her best friend always turns in papers late or loses them. You wanna know why? It is because her locker is really messy. She always stuffs her homework in there between classes and forgets about them. Then when they are due, she can never find them because they are buried in so many papers in her locker! So take my advice: If you wanna have good grades, have a neat locker. It will help you in some odd way.
— Sheena D., 11
Why homework works
On your March 9 Tough News page, there was an article concerning how much homework kids get (“Homework? Think again!”). I happen to enjoy homework when it’s a fair amount. It gives me time alone in my room to learn and practice that day’s studies or notes. Sometimes kids take forever to do their homework and are up late at night with it because they are always getting distracted or find it difficult.
When kids said that teachers find it appropriate to give loads of work, I agree to a certain point. At my school, teachers don’t know what other assignments you have. If you reason with them, you can get them to postpone it to a later date. Of course, the kids in my class think I’m nuts, and it could be that I just enjoy it because teachers at my school don’t give as much work as teachers in other schools do. I’m just trying to get my point across.
— Elena L., 11
Uniform success
In response to Allis Y. (Feb. 23 Backtalk): I think you are absolutely wrong. Dress codes are cool, because if you’re wearing practically nothing, you won’t be able to concentrate. I mean, you’ll just be making sure everyone notices how “coolly dressed” you are. Plus, that is developing a bad attitude.
I go to a private school where we wear uniforms. I like that, because if someone is poor or not as “money-filled” as others, no one would be able to notice you don’t have nice clothes, because you’re wearing what everyone else is wearing.
— Monika K., 12
Turning to Tinky Winky…
“Uh oh!” -Tinky Winky’s famous words of wisdom…
In response to Jack C. and Tom L. (March 9 Backtalk): I have to say that on several points, you have come off as purely ignorant. First off, purple is NOT the gay-pride color. The closest it came to such was through sitcoms. The gay-pride flag is the six-color rainbow. Yes, it DOES include purple, as well as red the AIDS awareness color. That alone is cause for outrage. (Catch the sarcasm?) The upside-down triangle is a pride symbol – when it is pink. Go read Nashville music theory. You’ll be convinced that all musicians are gay.
Toddlers, as well as adolescents and adults, tickle each other. It’s not sexual. And seeing how a female was the one who touched Tinky Winky’s rear, I am forced to wonder how this could imply homosexuality. Tinky Winky did not dress in drag – he played with a “magic bag” and tried to walk in heels, something a lot of toddlers do, both male and female, some who grow up to be hetero and some not. And, of course, there are those children who won’t touch drag, but still find romantic comfort with the same gender.
Sexuality is not a choice. Sexuality cannot be imposed on you. People are constantly harassed and ridiculed for their sexuality; why would they choose this over the “norm”?
Finally, if Tinky Winky’s creator intended for him to be gay, what is so horrible about teaching children to tolerate?
— Name Withheld
I’m sorry. I’m getting so annoyed with kids writing in to Backtalk and not knowing what the heck they’re talking about! Which brings me to Tinky Winky.
Tinky Winky is probably not intended to be a gay-pride Teletubby. If “Teletubbies” is meant for gay viewing, why is it for children? Also, the Teletubbies were created in Europe, and cigarettes over there are considered “fags”!
The people in Europe most likely didn’t find anything wrong with Tinky Winky, and they probably thought we wouldn’t either! But with the U.S. being as stereotypical as we can be when it comes to being gay, people take every little flaw about something and twist it into something it’s not!
— Margaret O., 14
Responding to Jack C. and Tom L.: What’s wrong with you? My friend’s favorite color is purple, so she wears a lot of it. Does that mean she’s gay? I think not! How do you know it isn’t a coincidence that Tinky Winky has a triangle antenna and is purple? If he were orange with a triangle antenna, no one would care!
I don’t see what’s wrong with gay people being proud or using a certain color and shape to demonstrate it. What are you afraid of? That a kid will think he’s gay because purple’s his favorite color? Well, that kid should realize that there’s nothing wrong with being gay, and just because someone else says he is, that doesn’t mean it’s true.
I’m not gay, but I do recognize that people don’t realize there’s nothing wrong with it. People who can’t accept that must be lower life forms, like vegetable or mineral.
— Name Withheld
Backtalk is a place where kids can express all sorts of opinions, whether we at KidNews agree with them or not. Everyone needs a place to let his or her voice be heard. Besides, exposure to different views helps people better understand their fellow human beings.
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