I admire Gov. Ryan. Even though I am of the opinion that the death penalty should be abolished, his decision to stop executions for the time being (Feb. 8 Tough News) is a step in the right direction. Studies show that most people on Death Row are minorities or people with disabilities. I don’t think a group of 12 people, who may possibly have biased opinions, should decide whether or not a person should live. People aren’t perfect, and until they are, they shouldn’t be able to hold someone’s life in their hands.
Statistics also show that the death penalty is not a deterrent to crime. In most states where capital punishment is used, the crime rate is as high as or higher than states without the death penalty.
I believe, and rightfully so, that the death penalty is a barbaric form of revenge. It has nothing to do with justice. It’s a release of anger. The government has a right to be angry, but it should not have the right to kill somebody because of that anger.
— Kaye W., 13
PHIL FAN
In response to Brandon F. (Feb. 8 Backtalk), I think that Phil Jackson is a phenomenal coach. He was one of the first coaches that used the triangle offense effectively and successfully. He also had to teach this offense to the whole team so it always worked. He trained MJ and Scottie Pippen since their rookie years!
Anyway, if he is so bad, then why do many teams in the NBA want him as head coach of their team? Right now, Phil is with the Los Angeles Lakers, an organization with plenty of talent and b-ball skills. However, the team is full of rookies. I’m sure that’s why he was chosen by the Lakers to teach the newcomers his infamous offense.
Out of the nine years he coached the Bulls, he helped win six championships. He deserves a great deal of credit for his efforts. Phil also deserves the money. Although he has moved to L.A. , I admire him for his outstanding achievements as a Bulls head coach.
— Vidur G., 13
WRONG MOVE, WRESTLING PROS
I think it’s great that World Wrestling Federation wrestlers are promoting milk products (Feb. 1 Backtalk). But shouldn’t they be more concerned about kids doing wrestling moves to each other in their back yard than getting money for milk promotions? They should be giving speeches about wrestling to kids and saying things like, “Leave it to the pros.” Stuff like that will help kids stop jumping off the rooftops of their houses. There have been so many incidents of kids getting hurt.
— Ryan O.
BUNDLE UP!
The story on “Battling big, bad winter” (Feb. 1 Tough News) shows why it is important to bundle up during the winter. Some people are dumb enough not to care if their children aren’t wearing a hat or gloves. I always make sure my sisters are bundled up after my mother does. We don’t need to be going out in such bad weather. I believe that parents should try to keep their children home as much as possible.
Also, I believe it is very dangerous to take the risk of getting frostbite because small children’s and women’s skin is very sensitive. I also think the children who do go outside to play in the snow should go inside often to get warmed up. There should be laws about how children are dressed on cold days.
I also believe parents overdo it and put too much stuff on their children to keep them warm. The children should dress according to how the weather is. Remember, keep warm! Parents, why risk it? Keep your kids nice and cozy.
— Lauren B.
STEER CLEAR OF STEREOTYPES
In response to Reina and Matt talking about pervs (Feb. 8 Backtalk), I really have to say, live with it. It is normal for guys our age to be constantly thinking about sex, women, etc. There’s not a whole lot you can do about them thinking it. But actually acting on sexual desires is sexual harassment, and I know from experience you can get a person in a lot of trouble if you report it. But just the fact that they think or just say things once in a while is common. Chill.
And, in response to C. (Feb. 8 Backtalk), how stereotypical. Many of my close relatives are over 50, and they drive extremely reasonably. My 23-year-old relatives, now that’s another story. You shouldn’t put the blame on elders. Hey, they’ve had many more years to practice it than 30-year-olds.
— Rebecca, 13
I would like to respond to all the people who have written in about the guys in their classes being perverts. There’s a big difference between sexual harassment and boys just being boys. Although I am older than the kids mentioned, I know what they’re going through. But it’s a way of life. The boys are just getting into puberty; therefore, they’re starting to get aware of the opposite sex, and they may not always know the appropriate way to show it. Usually, girls are more mature than boys. I’m in 8th grade now, but, yes, I lived through it. Rather than fight it off, you can just turn it into a joke. My best guy friends are obsessed with sex, but I just joke right back with them. It starts to not be as annoying when you get older.
— J. N.
AL CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT HEAD
I’d like to respond to Alicia F. (Feb. 8 Backtalk). How in the world do you get off saying that (wrestler) Al Snow needs the (mannequin) head like a bird needs wings? At the risk of sounding totally stupid, a bird needs wings in order to… well, survive. You don’t see too many wingless birds around, do you? On the other hand, Al needs that head to draw attention to himself, and thereby make him more money. The fact is, regardless of what the head really is, it is glorifying abuse of women. The head is one of the most sexist, stupidest ideas I’ve ever seen. The message implied is: “Hey, look at me! I beat up a woman and tore her head off! Aren’t I great?!” I, for one, am very glad to have absolutely nothing to do with wrestling at all.
— Niles E., 15
I think the Al Snow figure is a bad example for younger kids. I like wrestling, but who’s going to play with a doll with a plastic head in it! The toy is stupid. It should be taken off the market and out of the stores.
— Matt O., 11
CELEBS AND DRUGS
I know some people think the fans make celebrities turn to drugs and alcohol, but I don’t think that is true. The celebrities put pressure on themselves! Yes, I do agree that the fans may overreact when they see the talented celebrities. That is no excuse for their use of drugs. They should be thankful that people admire their work so much, because if it weren’t for the fans, they wouldn’t be where they are today. If they don’t like it, then they should have thought of the consequences before they decided to reveal their talented and admired work to make a living.
No one is forced to do drugs. If the celebrities’ use of drugs is anyone’s fault, it’s their own!
— Lisa C., 13
PARENT TRAP
I totally agree with Regina B. (Feb. 1 Backtalk). If parents have problems with their parents, they should work it out! I don’t think kids should be punished if their parents are too immature to talk about it.
— Caitlin D., 11
POKMON PROS, CONS
I know that Pokmon will never go out of business, because you can’t walk in a store today and not see a sign saying “Pokmon here.”
Other people say that the card game for Pokmon is stupid, and others say you can never get the whole collection. Well, guess what? I have all the cards. The rules for the cards game are a little stupid. But you can do a lot more than trading. For example, if you walk into a store that’s holding a big thing on Pokmon cards, like trading and stuff, you can make a couple of friends by trading.
The Game Boy game Pokmon is great, plus the three versions make it even better. The movie for Pokmon was cool. On a scale of one to 10, I give it an 11.
And Pokmon might help people in school. For some kids, learning all of the 150 Pokmon names and how to spell them is like learning to spell 150 spelling words.
Even if Pokmon comes near its end, they’ll just come out with another 150 characters, and the whole Pokmon craze will start all over.
— Matt Z., 10
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