Illegal Immigration And Parties

Words by Diego Torres
San Fernando High School
You know how you cannot get into a party without being invited? Well, that is pretty much America. The US is this really great party and just about everybody wants in, but like previously mentioned, you have to be invited.

That is exactly the problem with this party, not everyone is invited. It just so happens that some people want to get in by any means necessary, so they find some way in. For the sake of argument and to hold some relevance to the title, let’s say it is an illegal way.
The host would not want people who were not invited to get into the party. As a result we get things like gates, velvet rope, locks, and bouncers to prevent the uninvited from getting in.

So, let’s say you threw a raging rave, 48 hours of nonstop partying. You obviously did not invite everybody in town, but word has spread about your grand ol’ party, and everybody is looking for a way in. The security is not the most efficient, and you can tell because by the 22nd hour of the party the number of invites does not match the number of people.

Time to act. Maybe you could’ve avoided the situation by getting more security in the first place, but it is not the time for maybes.

You have a budget of only $5,000, a problem inside and out, and a party to run. What are your options? In a perfect world, you would have enough money to hire enough security and take out the many who have already gotten inside. Also you would be able to increase security so that it stops happening. (If you are wondering what would happen in a perfect world, there would be no need for security in a perfect world. Everyone would be invited). Sadly, your party is not in a perfect world, not even in a pseudo-perfect world, so it is time to get cost affective. Hiring enough staff to get all the people who do not belong in the party would cost far too much (about $10,000) compared to just buffing up security outside so that people could stop finding ways to get into the party (about $5,000).

You decide to call the operation Hectic Rave. The initial HR plan was to get more security and take out the ones that got in illegally. The best (and most practical) solution however, seems to be that you be cool with those that have already gotten into the party and increase security outside to stop any further unwanted entrance. Operation HR would cost about $4,437.

So now you’re “cool” with those that got in without an invitation from the 16th hour and below. Instead of “cool,” let’s call it… oh, “amnesty” sounds good. Then you set operation Hectic Rave into motion, which will cost you $4,437. Let’s call that HR 4437 for short. And then we all have fun at the party.

... click here to read the full article

Not sure yet, sorry.

Words by Juan Pedro Muñoz
Sylmar High School

The 1st amendment allows us to voice our opinion. We as a society must learn to respect the beliefs and opinions of others and not disrespect those who do not agree with our beliefs or opinions. There are times when we are misinformed or misunderstand what others believe. An example can be seen in how people’s beliefs of humans came to exist, creationism and evolution. Though some believe in one theory, they must understand and respect those that believe in the opposing theory.

Just because one side thinks the other is wrong does not make it so. It also does not give them the right to oppress the others. Understanding and respecting the opinions of others will make us a more tolerable society.

There are many religions in the world and many of them have there own creation theory. The following theory is based on the Judeo-Christian and Islamic beliefs. Creationists who follow this theory believe that a deity known as God created us and the world in which we live. The Book of Genesis in the Bible explains how God created everything in six days. For example, on the first day, God created day and night. The following days, God continue to create land and sky, the sun and stars, plants and animals. On the sixth day God created man. The life that was created by God was created in a way that was perfectly adapted to its environment. The rest of the book goes on to describe the origin of sin, the story of Noah, and God’s covenant with Abraham.

Evolutionists, on the other hand argue that life was formed through natural means and had no divine intervention. According to this theory, the universe was created when the planets, stars, and elements were formed. This phenomenon continued until life appeared on Earth. Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection states that animals and plants evolved from common ancestors. This is why many plants and animals belong to the same species. Humans and apes are believed to be descendants of a common ancestor which would explain why our DNA is almost identical to apes. This does not mean that humans are apes or vice versa. It means that humans and apes are closely related because we came from the same ancestor.

... click here to read the full article

The Fight for the South Central Farm

Words by Gaby Sibrian
Discovery Prep Charter High School

“La gente unida, jamas sera vencida.” Women, men, and children, of all ethnicities chanted this phrase defiantly in front of City Hall on March 24th, 2006. Supporters of environmental justice, cultre, and The South Central Farm united in protest. To some observers the fight for a piece of land may seem unimportant. To the 300 people who depend on the fruits and vegetables that a piece of land produces, it is a critically important cause for which they’ve been fighting for years.

The 14 acre piece of land was not always known as The South Central Farm. The city purchased the land under eminent domain from businessman Ralph Horowitz in the mid 1980’s in order to build a trash burning plant. The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and South Central residents protested until city officials finally agreed not to build the incinerator. They allowed the space be used for the community. In 1992, the land which was once an abandoned, littered, and unused space in an industrial area was founded as The South Central Farm with hopes of creating a productive green space. In 2002, Horowitz sued the city as an attempt to buy back the property. In an out of court settlement, the City Council sold the land to Ralph Horowitz at an unbelievably low price and an eviction notice for South Central farmers was posted on March 2, 2006.

The South Central Farm is one of the only green spots present in South Los Angeles and it is tended by local farmers who work to produce vegetables and fruit. It is an essential resource to many local low income families.

In fact, the need for affordable and healthy food is the main reason why The South Central Farm was created and why people have been fighting to maintain it. “I think one of the first steps we need to do is to provide food.” said Andrew Claycomb who was present at the protest outside of City Hall. “There are families who live in this community who are starving.” says South Central farmer Tezozomoc.

Still, the City Council has no interest in preserving The South Central Farm. Supporters are looking toward Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa who once visited the farm with his family for help. However, as of yet, nothing has been done to solidify the farmers’ right to stay on the land. The best solution seems to be to buy the land from Horowitz, who is willing to sell. This would end further legal battles and insure the land remains for the farmers.

People who are interested in aiding the South Central Farm are welcome to visit the site, assist in protests, or make donations. Awareness of the South Central Farmer’s plight is an important step in this struggle to protect the rights of the community.

It is certain that until a solution is reached there will be many more protests. The fight for The South Central Farm is not over! For more information please contact the South Central Farmers at 818 255-1483 or visit www.southcentralfarmers.com

*** Unfortunately, since the writing of this article, The South Central Farm has been bulldozed. The initial asking price was raised through various funding, but Ralph Horowitz insisted that the land was worth much more and raised his asking price. Consequently, on June 13th a number of supporters were arrested when police and bulldozers arrived at the farm to clear the land. Since this confrontation many have managed to keep the hope that the farm will be saved, and a protest was planned for July 12th. Although the odds are against the continuation of the 360 plots of community land that make up The South Central Farm, there is still a chance. Those who would like to help are encouraged to call the SCF Hotline at 1-888-SCFARM-1 for more information. Our best wishes go out to those fighting for the South Central Farms,
Si Se Puede!

... click here to read the full article

Youth Driven News?

Words by Marcos Reyes
San Fernando High School

This newsletter was created to give the youth of Los Angeles, and maybe the world, a different version of reality. As we grow older it is harder for us to delineate between what others want and what we want for ourselves. “For the Record” will give you, “The People of America,” a way othinking about your life and the alternative beliefs of others. Though it only may be a small group of young people writing for this newsletter we want to showcase that there are youth out there whose intelligence is not at the level of monkeys but people who creatively express their opinions and antagonize the media’s image of what they call the “echo generation,” in other words, a generation who follows the same mistakes their parents committed. For what its worth, here is our take on the world.

... click here to read the full article