Gambling on anonymity

So, I'm the feature editor for my school newspaper, which is all fun and good. The only tricky thing with my section is my insistence on choosing controversial topics, but hey what are you gonna do? Anyway, for our upcoming issue, it was suggested to me that I report on kids who gamble (it's illegal to gamble the way they're doing it, mind you) at my school.

Alright, so of course I jumped on this opportunity. However, being a gal who knows absolutely nothing about gambling, I was able to find someone a bit more knowledgeable than myself (at least in the basics of playing cards) to write the story.

We secured sources and looked at the law in preparation for this spread. And while it is quite obvious that if everyone is careful about what they say, nobody could get into serious trouble, (but if we were stupid or careless, this could be considered a serious misdemeanor.) So, of course I don't want to see any of these people get hurt, and although I oppose their decision to go against the law, I chose to use anonymity for the sources.

"So, what's the problem?" you're probably asking. Well, the thing that infuriated me enough to write a whole post about it happened when I went to talk with the athletic director of our school about what would happen if an athlete were caught gambling.

It started out innocently enough, he listened intently to my spiel about the story and my question, and then he turned on me. He insisted, no demanded would probably be a more accurate word, that I keep the sources anonymous. (Why? Probably because he didn't want the suspension of one of his players due to their illegal activities to hamper our sports season.)

Are you kidding me? Now, after his stern lecture about how getting people in trouble would be bad, I didn't even want to tell him that I planned to keep the sources anonymous, so I just didn't. But really, wouldn't you think that a good, honest athletic director would be more concerned with the fact that his athletes are blatantly braking the law on a regular basis than whether they get caught for breaking the law? And furthermore, I think that in rebuttal to his comment to me I should have told him how I felt; how if people are dumb enough to break the law and then talk to a newspaper about it, they should probably know what's coming to them (because when we contacted the sources, we didn't specifically guarantee them their anonymity), but instead I was silent.

But I guess what I'm getting at is this: isn't this one of those double standard things? People aren't supposed to break the laws, but because these people are successful athletes (like the gods of this athletic director's pathetic life or something) it's only applicable as long as they don't get caught. Yeah, that's just stupid.

Nice try (still-a-senator) McCain

In life, there are always disappointments, and John McCain suffered the most public and difficult of them all; losing a presidential election.
Handling it gracefully, like the true gentleman I'm sure he his, however, Senator McCain delivered a remarkable concession speech at the Phoenix Biltmore Hotel. He commended the democratic process and thanked his supporters, his running mate, Governor Palin, and above all his family.
But, the most profound piece of his speech, was his response to the boos from the crowd. It was to these that he called upon all Americans, whether republican or democrat, to come together as a people in support behind our new President Elect, Barack Obama. And now, a quote from his concession speech:

"Tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Senator Obama, I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president.
And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties but to believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.
Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history, we make history."

It is said that when people speak from the heart, it often comes out well. Thus, I believe that by John McCain's beautiful delivery of this speech, that it was from the pit of his soul.

And so, it is with that speech, that I thank John McCain for running in this race, providing a formidable opponent to Barack Obama, and providing a wonderful voice for the Republican Party ideals.
He has been a great servant to our country and has provided us as Americans with many of the freedoms that we perpetually take for granted. I think that Barack Obama said it best in his acceptance speech at Grant Park, Chicago:

"I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead."

Yes, Senator McCain, thank you for all that you have helped us to accomplish and for aiding us to be the flourishing society that we are today. Your service will forever be indebted.

Mr. President

If I may, a quote from our President Elect, Barack Obama:

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer."

Hearing the acceptance speech at the Chicago Grant Park, I began to tear up. It took me back, 21 months to my high school gymnasium, where I hear Barack Obama speak on his first stop after declaring his candidacy. It took me back to the caucuses, where I watched people flock with a newfound political vigor. It took me back to sitting in the nose bleed seats in the U.S. Cellular Center, watching Oprah and Obama rally up the crowd.
My first experience watching Obama speak was the one that made me believe that he would be our next President of the United States. He had this power, it seemed, to make me feel something that I had not yet experienced; pride for my country.
I think that this is true with many Americans too, that's why Obama-fever was so contagious. He promised change, something that we all knew we needed, but something that had been promised by so many leaders before his time it had made us numb. However, you could tell that he was different; the passion he spoke with and his courage of conviction were infectious.
Many people think that Barack Obama was elected simply because he was black, but that isn't true. While his race may have played a part, his ability to speak from the heart and touch peoples' lives were really the factors that made him the best choice. His differences from past presidents opened our eyes as Americans, and truly proved how far we have come as a nation; forty years ago, it was legal in some states to kill a person because of the color of their skin, now look at us.
If anyone truly deserves this position, I believe, and I think that it has been shown that the American public believes, it is Barack Obama. This historic election has touched people from all parts of the globe, as it should, hopefully teaching us all a lesson in tollerance, hope, and above all, change. Barack Obama said it best in his speech at Chicago's Grant Park:


And so I leave you with a simple phrase: "Yes we can."