Fair and Square

In the contemporary society people live in today, different controversies emerge amidst the chaos brought about by conflicts. Each individual judges the issue with his own viewpoint. He takes a stand and voices out his beliefs, as each person is entitled to his own opinion. It is a given that not everyone has the same position on ideas; an issue then has always two sides – one side concurring with it and the other disagreeing with it.

A good writer knows how to maintain balance and stability in his compositions. He is aware that good writing always comes hand in hand with good strategies and techniques. The dialectic thinking strategy is a crucial element to writing a paper. A writer achieves the dialectic thinking strategy in three steps. First, a writer must present a thesis statement. The thesis is the writer’s own argument; it is an idea that he truly believes in. After developing the claim in a logical manner, the writer presents the antithesis. The antithesis is a counterargument to the thesis. This way, the writer weighs both the pros and cons in the issue. This is where the last step of the dialectic thinking strategy comes in – the synthesis. Synthesis is only achieved when contrasting ideas are combined to create an intelligible comprehension of the topic.

The dialectic thinking strategy is an essential ingredient to writing position papers. When taking a stand on a controversial issue, one must always be open to hearing other sides of the story. How does a writer inject the dialectic thinking strategy to his position paper?

First of all, the controversial issue must be well-defined. The writer must present that it is clearly arguable. The introduction must present the scope and limitations of the debate. It must emphasize important points and facts in the topic. After providing a good definition and background of the issue, the writer should state his position in the issue. In the paper, this is where the dialectic thinking strategy of the writer starts – the position he takes is his thesis. The writer’s stand on the issue must be stated and explained clearly. The position must be supported with relevant reasons and evidence.

To further discuss the controversial issue, the antithesis is presented after the thesis. The other side of the issue is given light at this point. The opposition must be presented fairly to modify the thesis accordingly. Evidence and reasons should also support these counterarguments to show a good angle of the topic.

At this part of the position paper, the writer refutes the counterarguments. He goes back to his thesis and uses the evidence presented to prove that the antithesis is faulty. Synthesis is achieved here because there is already a good grasp of the controversial issue, weighing up both its pros and cons.

Albeit the writer is taking a position on a controversial issue, both angles of the matter must be discussed thoroughly. This is how one becomes fair and square in writing.

Reading between the Lines

A table cannot stand on its own without its legs. The computer cannot function without the monitor or the Central Processing Unit (CPU). A business cannot operate well without a manager and his employees. Big things come from small things; these tiny parts make up the structure of the big things. Without these elements, a certain system or item will never be complete. Like a table and its legs or the business and its employees, an expository essay needs certain elements to make its structure complete.

Expository writing aims to explain the essence of an idea, process or thing. It seeks for a better understanding and appreciation of a concept through in-depth research and reasoning. Several important elements should make up the structure of an expository essay so that it becomes effective to its readers. Some of these components are explicitly stated in the piece while others are only implied.

A logical plan is crucial in the making of an expository essay. The first step is always planning. It is divided into two parts – the pre-writing process and the outlining process. In pre-writing, the writer has several techniques to choose from: clustering, questioning, brainstorming and free-writing. Making the outline of the essay is like creating a game plan. The writer must be aware of his goal in writing and his plans in attaining it.

Every essay has a subject to talk about. This subject is presented in the form of the thesis statement. The thesis is the central idea of the essay. It is the opinion of the writer and not a mere statement of facts. It suggests the direction and flow of the essay, defining the limits and scope of the discussion. It can be developed through illustration, comparison and contrast, classification, narration, description and definition. Relevant and logical evidence must be presented to support the claim of the writer. For complete understanding of the topic, counterarguments must also be shown in the essay. These counterarguments make up the antithesis. Corresponding evidence that oppose to the thesis are stated here. The positive and negative sides of the matter, therefore, are both presented, reaching synthesis.

Organization of the composition must be clear and clarified so as readers can follow it easily. The division of information must be parallel; they must not overlap. The sequence of information is also important as the most important information receives proper emphasis. The essay must be rich with facts and evidence, provided that the sources are properly acknowledged. The piece’s introduction must be appealing to capture the attention of its readers. Likewise, the conclusion must be equally powerful to leave a lasting impact on its readers. After writing the first draft, revision and copy reading are done to improve the essay until it becomes presentable enough to be published.

Like small things that make up big things, an expository essay cannot be accomplished without its little but essential parts. If the readers read between the lines, they will surely find them.

The Debate on Celibacy and Marriage

In the early days of the Catholic Church, priests were still allowed to marry. But the time came when the leaders of the church forbid the priests to marry in order to stop the property, money and land of the church from being "inherited" away from the church. That is, from priests leaving money and land to wives and children when they died. Celibacy was implemented whether the priests liked it or not.

Until now, marriage is forbidden from a priest’s life. But the times are changing; technology is improving. Freedom of speech is highly practiced and voicing out opinions is not restricted anymore. The issue on the priests being celibate and unmarried is still open, and people are still debating about it. 

Majority of the people still believe that priests should not be allowed to marry for the primary reason that having a family will hinder a priest from executing his responsibilities well. The priest is a representative of God on Earth and it is expected that he should live as Jesus did. An old adage goes, “A man cannot serve two masters.” It is pointed out in this issue that a man cannot serve both his family and God because once a priest takes his vows, he must consecrate his life entirely to God and detach himself from earthly possessions. It is indeed true that it is difficult to run a church and a house at the same time.

            However, there are two sides in every pancake. People are more liberal nowadays, and being open-minded is a must, especially in an issue like this. There is nothing in the bible that states a priest should not be allowed to marry. Jesus’ apostles are priests but most of them were married. The primary reason why priests cannot marry was, as aforementioned, the fear of the Catholic leaders that the properties be “inherited” away from the church. This reason is shallow. Is it considered as enough foundation to ban them from having a family of their own? 

Geoffrey Cant, a citizen from Upper Marlboro, shared a story in a post from the website of The Washington Post. He said that once, a student from his kid’s Religion class asked their teacher why priests are not allowed to marry. The teacher replied, “Because a family would be a distraction to him." This story is quite amusing since Catholics are known to be pro-family. The family is an inspiration, not a distraction. Priests are humans, too, and they deserve the right to raise and have a family of their own. 

Another reason why priests are not allowed to marry then was because of the belief that sexual intercourse makes a person "unclean." This is because of another belief that women are less pure than men and hence constitute a form of ritual contamination. This is, in plain sight, discrimination to the females. Ask a priest if he’s lonely and he will surely answer yes. Because of this loneliness, he is driven to take advantage of the temptations around him. Scandals of a priest having a wife and a child are common to our society already. Is this not more unclean than doing it the right way?

The debate on celibacy and marriage of the representatives of God is never-ending. Absorbing every bit of information, I believe that priests should be allowed to marry. We keep upholding our rights and privileges as human beings. It is about time to let the priests have a taste of these rights.

The Real Deal

Corazon Aquino, husband of Benigno Aquino Jr., is best known as the Mother of Democracy for leading the People Power Revolution and the liberation of the Filipino people from the authoritarian regime of Ferdinand Marcos. This is the primary reason of her inclusion in Time Magazine’s “The 25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century” list. But the question extracted from this issue is whether the late president deserves to be enlisted in such list.

Although a self-proclaimed housewife, Cory surprised the masses with effective leadership.  Despite having no political background, she was a skilled campaigner and a strict legislator. She administered the restoration of democracy in the country and the promulgation of a new constitution, limiting the powers of the presidency and establishing a bicameral legislature. Her administration focused on human rights, peace talks and dialogues with communist rebels and Muslim secessionists. She centered her reform on the economy of the country by focusing on creating a market-oriented and socially-responsible economy. 

On the contrary of everything that has been said, there are certain flaws that can be inferred from her administration. The government paid off $4 billion of the country's unsettled debts to redeem good international credit ratings. However, it also borrowed an additional $9 billion, increasing the national debt by $5 billion within six years time since the coup of the Marcos administration in 1986. During her presidency, electric blackouts were common in Manila. The administration knew for years that the power plants were failing, but they did not act to solve the problem. Some people cannot help but think that she was only a substitute to her husband; she is not really the one responsible for the democracy of the Philippines.

Weighing up all the evidence, what is the real deal in the situation?

Worthy or Not?

After the assassination of her husband, Benigno Aquino Jr., Corazon Aquino was voted by the Filipinos President of the Republic of the Philippines. She took the place of Ferdinand Marcos, liberating the Filipino citizens from the merciless and contemptible Marcos regime; thus, making her known in the Philippines, as the Mother of Democracy. In the recent issue of Time Magazine, she was included in the “The 25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century” list. She is the only Filipino, one of the three Asians, who made it to the list which was released last November 18. She was even proclaimed as a National Hero last 2009. 

But amidst all the support and admiration given to her, a question is thrown into focus: Is she worthy enough to be considered as one of the most powerful women of the century? What makes her belong to those women? Does she deserve to be branded such?

            Cory Aquino is a big influence to the Philippine nation. She is idolized by many people. Ask any Filipino you pass by the street; ask him if he knows Cory Aquino and he will surely answer yes. She is forever embedded in the history of the country. She is known to be an honest leader, a loving mother, a devoted wife, a faithful Catholic and a supportive friend. 

            Her legacy, as they say, continued to live despite her death last August 2009. Many came to her funeral. Even those who were mere spectators cried when Cory was taken to her last destination. Even until today, she is remembered through remembrances of her like shirts, key chains and even wallpapers. 

            Having said all these, is it safe to conclude now that Cory Aquino is worthy to be enlisted in Time’s Most Powerful Women list?

Not Just Another Case of Parental Negligence

 

Not all parents are protective of their children. Some of them are even the reason why their children are hurt and abused today.

It is a natural dictum that parents love and care for their children. It is a conviction that people have confidence in. Of course, who would not believe in that? They are the reason why the basic unit of the community exists. The father is known to be the stronger person in the family; he is the guide, inspiration and disciplinarian of the basic unit of the community. The mother conceives their child for nine months, gives birth to it and nurtures it into adulthood. Without them, a family will never be called and considered complete.

In the contemporary times, however, this statement is a failure in proving its essence. Cases of child abuse, sexual assaults and physical and emotional brutality are rampant in the society today. The alarming part in all these is that some of the cases involve the parents of the victims, not as complainants, but as culprits.

Negligence is defined in the Oxford dictionary as the failure to give somebody or something enough care or attention. Put it together with the word parental and it could be inferred from here that it is the failure of a parent to give his/her child enough care and attention. Nowadays, plenty of children around the world are harassed and abused by their parents. This is not just a case of simple parental negligence. It depicts an even bigger conflict in the society today.

In a survey conducted by Child Protection Unit Network posted in childprotection.org.ph last 2007, the largest part of the pie of the child abuse cases in the Philippines is comprised of the 77% Sexual Abuse element. Other parts of the graph were Physical Abuse (16%), UVA (4%), Physical with Sexual Abuse (2%) and Neglect (1%). The age group with the most number of victims belonged to those aged 13-15. The more perturbing part here was that 306 of the victims were aged 0-3 years old. Infants, innocent little newborns, were victims, and in some cases, fatalities in the crime. The 2007 UNICEF report on child abuse declared that the probability of a child being injured or killed is because of parental drug or alcohol abuse, weak family ties, single-parenthood, low maternal education, low maternal age at birth, poverty, and poor housing. In most cases, the young father or stepfather was the perpetrator.

The norms and beliefs of the people define and control the society. But when these standards fail to prove themselves, it creates an atmosphere of confusion and disorganization in the society. Child abuse is one example of standards that continue to disprove themselves. It must not be ignored. It is a case to give attention to and not an issue, like the children, to neglect.

Revised Edition of Counting Airplanes

Counting Airplanes

With eyes impassive and an expression so unreadable, I stare at the enigmatic soul sitting by my side in a hanging swing beneath the moon and the stars. The thumping of my heart is very much deafening that I swear he could hear it from inches away.  I move a little to the right and feel his hand brush against mine. Even in the cold January wind, this mere touch generates an electrifying rush all over my body. The sensation feels familiar, so familiar that I cannot be inaccurate about it; it is that same exact feeling I had thirteen months ago.

He was my block mate in College.  Fresh from High School, I was as timid as a five year old child crossing the highway at the first day of our classes. I kept my head bowed but when he passed by my seat, I cannot help but take a glance at him. He had evocative eyes; eyes powerful enough to let my gaze stay longer than a minute. He had an adorable nose, dark skin and contagious smile. He was only a few inches taller than me – this is a surprise to me for I am typically attracted to those with towering heights. He was good-looking in general and I knew that day that I had this thing they call a crush on him.

As the days passed by, I became closer and more attached to him. He was a trustworthy friend, an open-minded listener and a light-hearted companion. He was also good in the English language and I had a weakness for fluent tongues. Every moment spent with him was like riding a rollercoaster – exhilarating, invigorating and thrilling. I knew that there were other people waiting in line to take the ride, too, but I was selfish. I wanted to keep the ride to myself; I wanted to keep him to myself. The desire to call him mine was just too intense, too passionate that I was willing to do anything to have him.

I kept admiring the way he makes everyone feel comfortable with his jokes. I liked talking to him in the wee hours of the morning albeit there is a 7:00 AM class later that day. I kept seeing him everywhere – even in my dreams and my imagination, places he should not be dwelling in. I avoided missing him in every possible way, but I raised the white flag eventually.

It was bizarre the way he would cross my mind a billion times a day. It was even stranger when I started drawing hearts on any kind of paper within my reach. In time, he made me fall faster than a meteorite crashing down on earth. He made me feel superhuman - I could do anything I wanted to do just as long as his hand was holding mine.

When he finally told me one day that he felt the same way that I do, I was plain ecstatic and euphoric. Images of bliss and affection started weaving at the back of my head. The future looked brighter just knowing that he was finally here to fill the empty seat beside me.

I was very happy until he changed his mind. Impermanence was a term I strongly avoided but a proposition he decided on without me. He gradually grew cold towards me until he said goodbye. I got disappointed in the end. He gave me false hopes and I ended up with nothing. I got hurt but I was thankful. He taught me to put up walls around me so I could discern reality from expectations. I became a stronger, wiser and rational person.

Tonight, he might be coming back in my life for unknown reasons, but I am sure of one thing. This time, I am using my head to save my heart from wounds and bruises. Who knows, maybe a second chance is coming for us. Until then, I am staying here, counting airplanes with him.