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Show TEMPLAR TRUMPET, OCTOBER fff 1998 PAGE 12 Editorials Just be yourself The most popular Halloween costumes this year are, M&Ms. Barbie. Rugrats. Zorro, Superman, and Teletubbies. Kids seem willing to go to any extreme just to be able to have the opportunity to be one of these admired characters for one day. Although most of us have out grown the desire to have the cool costume or dress up at all on I lalloween, it seems as if a lot of us still feel the need to strive to be someone were not on a daily basis. Student body, class, and club officers, athletes, drill team members and cheer leaders. They seem to have been labeled some of the "cool" or most popular" people to be this Dont get me wrong, these students are great, but theyre year. not the only ones. It takes every single member of our student body here at Ml IS to make our school what it truly is. the best. Think about it for a minute, would the MI IS football team play as well as they do now without all of the fans cheering them on? Would the fans cheer so much if it wasn't for the cheer leaders? Would all of the cheerleaders ha e tried out for the squad ifit wasn't for their friends encouraging them? Probably not. We all need each other, and we all need to be famous musician. She was simply herself, and we all ourselves. admired her for it. Every student attending MHS needs to feel accepted by I challenge all of you to set the goal of acceptance and put forth a special effort to be their peers. Some students want so badlv to make friends w ith a certain group of people that they are willing to do just about anything to accomplish their goal, even if it means saying or doing things that they wouldn't normally. If you spend all of your time acting the way you think everyone else wants you to then youre robbing yourself from the chance of expressing your own ideas and feelings, in return you'll never feel truly accepted for being you. You'll feel accepted for acting like someone else. of Manti. Ephraim, and Sterling. I hope that it doesn't happens a lot. but it still happens too much. I hope that none of us. as students of Manti I ligh, have ever done this to anyone. Do you remember Are You A Candy Thief? were A few small children when trick-or-treati- suddenly some teenagers ran up to them, shoved them down, and took off with their candy bags. I had the opportunity to get to know a girl who never held back when she had a comment or an idea, she was always willing to express herself and stand up for what she believed in. no matter what. She was truly her own person, and definitely not ashamed of it. This girl scented to be looked up to by a lot of other students. She was a role model for her peers. She wasn't a movie star, a professional athlete or a That doesn't necessarily mean saying or doing whatever you want, its yourself. important to maintain respect for others. We are only given four short years here at MHS, take advantage of your time! Don't be a traitor to yourself! Let your personality' shine above the rest! Reach out to fellow Templars, give them an opportunity to get to know y ou. build and strengthen friendships and ride high with Templar pride!" Senate debates bill that would require schools to filter the Internet Teach-I- n set to encourage safe surfing. A bill is under consideration in the Senate that would require schools and libraries to install systems to block or filter some matter on the Internet. The "Internet Library Act" was sent to the Senate floor from the Committee on Commerce. Science and Transportation in June 1998. The bill would direct the Federal Communications Commission to study filtering systems and then to assist in requiring schools to util ize the filters. This move would dramatically restrict the First Amendment rights of Internet users. If Congress approves this bill, some materials that are legally available in bookstores and in libraries would be illegal if posted on the World Wide Web. This bill would transform the Internet from the freest communications medium to the most heavily regulated communications medium in the United States. The bill would require schools to provide safe Internet access to students. However, another approach is encouraging parents and students to willingly avoid the obscenities and pornography posted in cyberspace. A national Internet Teach-In- " is scheduled for Sept. and is designed to help parents, teachers and children learn how to use the Internet safely and productively. Local libraries, schools and community centers will participate in demonstrating the Internet, how it works and explain online issues every parent, teacher. librarian and child should know. participating schools, During the week of the Teach-Ilibraries and cononunity organiza- - tions across the country will open their doors so that everyone can leam how to have an educational, safe and rewarding experience online. Adults and children alike can take advantage of free tutorials to Icam the basics about the Internet, tools that promote safe, rewarding online experiences, information about good quality content and how to use it and ways families can safely navigate their way around this new medium. This campaign is a commitment that was made at the 1997 Internet-Onlin- e Summit: Focus on Children" to find safe solutions for America's children online. The summit was a gathering of industry, public interest it advocacy organizations, organizations, educators and officials find ernment to solutions to safety concerns gov organized created by the Internet. While this campaign may have good intenfions in teaching how to use the new medium, it also leans toward blocking out the potentially harmful messages contained in cyberspace. Some feel that any restriction on free speech is against the Bill of Rights and should not be considered. n. In the small towns P"ki Nuttall Last year Censorship in cyberspace when you were a little squirt, when you spent the entire week, or more, before Halloween anticipating the few hours you would spend dressed-u- p As a child, I always felt like I worked hard for my candy. I used to go out in the freezing cold wearing some light g. costume. was always a dancer, princess, or anything I that was really girly, so not only was it cold outside but my costumes didnt have any pants to keep my legs warm either. As much help as my thick, itchy, long socks were, they werent half as warm as pants. When I w ent out the only tiling that kept me out was the thought of having candy every day till Thanksgiving! If I wouldn't of made it home with my bag of would have been candy, devastated. I believe that it hurts a kid's pride to steal from I them. They look up to us so much. All they want is for us to like them as much as they like us. So this 1 lalloween when a little voice in your head says to take that cute little kids candy, just don't do it! Enjoy your Halloween and let them enjoy theirs!! non-prof- From the Scholastic News Service |