End Homophobia: Marriage is a basic
human right
By Patricia Rolon
Chicago Student
No one knows exactly when or how homosexuality entered into human history, but one sure
thing is that homosexuals come from all racial, ethnic, economic and religious backgrounds.
They are lawyers, athletes, film stars, television personalities, teachers and co-workers.
Many of them are forced to hide “in the closet” and are told that it is wrong and dirty to have
homosexual feelings; therefore, some homosexuals disguise their true feelings, causing them to
feel like lost souls. Some may feel like something is terribly wrong with them, because that is
what everybody is saying. They fear being found out, being called names and maybe even
assaulted.
Society is afraid of change. For most people, heterosexual relationships are the norm, both in
society and in nature. Homosexual relationships are considered abnormal and unnatural. They are
unfairly excluded from the companionship, stability and other goods of marriage and rights. The
freedom to marry is a basic human right that belongs to each individual, not the state. The government
should not be in the position of arranging marriages.
Art is participating in the
intensification of violence
By Theodulf Adegbidi
Chicago Student
In today’s news, it’s hard not to notice the increase of violence in our society. Violence dominates
the minds of many people today, mainly the youth. The reasons for this violence are diverse,
but I’ve come to realize that art has a big role in it. Art has seen an incredible development in so
many areas, such as video games, comic books, and cartoon animations. Although art is not the origin
of violence, I deeply believe that art is now participating in the intensification of violence and
the destruction of moral values in our society.
Art wasn’t founded for this purpose. As artists of the 21st Century, we ought to remember what
our predecessors believed in. They fought for the freedom of art to express, and to denounce the
immoral acts that the government system was imposing on its people. We need to honor this purpose
by using art to create peace, rather than using it as a weapon that will cause destruction. Today,
people use art for almost everything, even for things that oppose our moral values. How are artists
of the 21st Century making the world a better place? That is the ultimate question.
If you see what I do and you believe that it is time for a change, you recognize the value of
human life and that it should be protected at all costs. We can’t change the whole world, but we can
influence our community through messages of peace, unity and non-violence through art in schools,
colleges and public places. We should bring ideas together, and work together as one!