Twelve Worlds, One Book

by Buffy Hamilton

  The other side argues that people don’t even need and it is almost impossible to check background before buying a gun, “It is written in the 2nd amendment as a right for every US citizen to own a gun for self-protection. It is virtually impossible to use new background check or waiting-period laws to prevent dangerous people from getting guns. Those that cannot buy, they will steal or borrow” (Overton). There should be some restrictions on any kind of gun. Specially to people with mental illness, people who are in the list of terrorist or in the list of not get in a flight, and also veterans with a bad record or background after serving army. According to Los Angeles Times, “Each day, on an average, 13 children under the age of 19 are killed by gunfire and more are injured. Homicide it's the No.1 cause of death. Most youth homicides are committed with firearms, especially handguns.” (Wilson). This means every single person has the freedom to carry a gun whenever they want but this needs to be in constant control because nobody knows what is happening through the people’s mind, what their intentions are, maybe they want to carry a mass shooting in a school or maybe they just are on their way to hunting at the forest. New gun control laws will bring these suspicions and violence down, regulating the use of any kind of gun on the possession of anyone in United States.

  The other side has been arguing that United States doesn’t need any gun control laws. But the truth is that these days mass shootings had been carried by normal people that can easily go to a gun shop and buy this little machine that can kill and destroy lives in seconds. Violence and guns are very good friends if they fall in the wrong hands. This country really needs to have control and background checks on every single citizen that tries to buy a gun, no matter what their intentions could be because they are not getting a toy, they are getting a small gun with a great power. Gun control laws will bring peace for those kids that are studying quietly in a classroom, thinking school is the safest place where they could be and for those parents that are actually working but without thinking the possibility that a man or even a child could enter for the front door and start taking some lives away, lives that could be saved with just passing some gun control laws. Do people won’t stand up and stop this national and uncontrollable problem?. Hopefully The United Sates will react as soon as possible and won’t let more bullets penetrate and destroy more innocent people’s lives.

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  Violent Video Games

  Tom Kastoryano

  Have you ever played a violent video game? If you did. Did it encourage you to go outside and kill someone? Because if you did you might be insane. But let's say you’re not. A lot of people criticize violent games as something bad to the world and that they should be banned because they cause bad impact on our teenagers. But is it really true? Is it true that violent games and violence in the real life have connection between them? Is it true that violent video games cause aggression and bullying? The answer is no. The Supreme Court ruled that the connection between violent video games and real life violence is flawed ("Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association,"). Video games is not a major or a factor in violence between teenagers and adults.

  The studies which claim a connection between video games violence and real life violence are flawed. According to Dmitri Williams & Marko Skoric and their research about violence and video games, “Many studies failed to control for factors that contribute to children becoming violent, such as family history and mental health, plus most studies do not follow children over long periods of time. Video game experiments often have people playing a game for as little as ten minutes, which is not representative of how games are played in real life"(Williams and Skoric). But from the other side of the conflict, people are arguing that violent video games do have a connection between the game's violent & real life violent. According to a research done by Mediators and Moderators of Long-term Effects of Violent Video Games on Aggressive Behavior," bullying, and fighting. 60% of middle school boys and 40% of middle school girls who played at least one Mature-rated (M-rated) game hit or beat up someone, compared with 39% of boys and 14% of girls who did not play M-rated games. Several peer-reviewed studies have shown that children who play M-rated games are more likely to bully and cyberbully their peers, get into physical fights, be hostile, argue with teachers, and show aggression towards their peers throughout the school year"(Jaccarino). This research is flawed. The Supreme Court ruled that violent video games do not cause people to act aggressively. Justice Antonin Scalia said: “have been rejected by every court to consider them, and with good reason: They do not prove that violent video games cause minors to act aggressively"( "Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association.") . When there isn’t an agreement if violent video games actually move through real life violence, one solution might be to restrict the age when you can buy violent video games. But in my opinion there's nothing to change. Everyone can enjoy video games without getting bad effect from it.

  The other side of the argument states that many of the people who been involved in school shootouts were playing violent video games before the shootout. Katherine S. Newman, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and American author. Said: “The teenage shooters in the 1999 Columbine High School massacre of 13 students played violent combat games. Many mass shootings have been carried out by avid video game players: James Holmes in the Aurora, Colorado movie theater shooting (2012); Jared Lee Loughner in the Arizona shooting that injured Rep. Gabby Giffords and killed six others (2011); and Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in Norway (2011) and admitted to using the game Modern Warfare 2 for training"(Jaccarino). But there are a lot of other reasons for why people choose to do mass shootouts. Playing violent video games does not cause kids to do mass shootouts. There are 150 million Americans in today's world which are playing video games. And 71% of them are teens. But there were only 71 mass shootouts in the United States between 1982-2015 (Newman). These events were tragic. But only 9.8 of the people who have committed these shootouts were 18 or younger. (Mark Follman, Gavin Aronsen, and Deanna Pan,). A report made by the US Secret Service and US Department of Education have examined 37 incidents of targeted school violence between 1974 and 2000. Of the 41 attackers studied, 27% had an interest in violent movies, 24% in violent books, and 37% exhibited interest in their own violent writings, while only 12% showed interest in violent video games. The report did not find a relationship between playing violent video games and school shootings, (United States Secret Service website, July 2004.) By those percentages, violent video games might have a very, very small impact on mass shootouts. Compared for books, movies, and people's choice. People which are doing those mass shootouts are mentally insane or ill. Mass shootouts have many causes and reasons for them. Violent video games is a very small one.

  The other side of the argument has argued that violent video games are not good to anyone, that it makes us all violent and aggressive and it causes people to do mass shootouts. But think of it for a moment. If violent video games are "so violent" why do we still have them all over the world? Simply playing them doesn't make you a killer that walks down the street and shooting people. Hopefully one day people in the United States will understand that violent video games doesn't have an effect on real life violence. And people will enjoy those games without getting criticized.

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  Character Biographical Sketch for the Play, Seeking Justice

  Vrajna Patel

  Vrajna Patel is a smart police officer. She is thirty years old. She wears typical clothes. She does not like to dress up every day. She stands straight also she usually plays with her hair when she is short and tiny that's why her friends call tiny. When she is speaking she makes face expression and make hand gesture.

  She likes to spend money whatever amount she had in her hand. She is a wealthy but not much. She is a good and helping police officer. She grew up with her parents in India and her parents are supportive. She believed in all religion because she says that there is one
god but different way to please the god. She likes to dance but when she start dance everybody goes out of stage because she hit everybody with her hands and legs movement. She does not like to make food but she loves to eat food.

  She is the person who makes decision with the help of her friend and parents but sometime she never take help and take decision by herself. Her goal was to take job in FBI and she did it. She gets a lot of support from her parents. She is an easy going person. She does not care about much stuff. She has a fear of snake. When she was a kid she went to garden and while she was playing snake come and she got scared, after then she scared of snake. She always imagines things which could not happen. She has bad habit to overreact and she always starts crying when somebody scolds her. Her biggest fear is ghost; she always thinks that ghost is behind her. So this is how she is.

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  At Playground

  Matthew Jeong

  When I was ten years old, every 2 p.m. playground was crowded by me and my friends. We laughed, whining, someday we fought each other. I want to go back to these days. I didn’t have anything to worry or getting nervous. Everyday gave me a lot of fun and enjoyable. Sometimes I miss these days a lot. I always remain this memory in my mind.

  The weather was nice and warm. It was good to play. The wind was blowing like a weak level of electric fan. Birds were singing like opera. There was a sand castle. It was made by me and my friends. All my friends were playing card game each other. They all have their own cards because card game is very popular when I was ten. Some of my friends were playing soccer. There was no goal post, flag, and referee in the playground. But it did not matter to us at all. We could make ourselves to use sand or stone. Our faces were covered with dirt. Our hands and feet were covered with sand.

  I did not play soccer or card game. I always played hide and seek. Hide and seek was very familiar with me. Also, i was famous that I am very good at hide and seek in my hide and seek group. There were groups of each play style. Soccer group, baseball group, sand castle group, card game group. However, I included in hide and seek group. We were going to eat something after we played done. It was kind of reward of played hard.

  I began to play hide and seek with my friends. The number of my friends and me were total seven. All of my friends hid somewhere that they wanted to hide. Tagger was me so I had to find all of my hidden friends. I found five friends very easily because they always hide in same place. I think they were really pure. Anyhow, I wandered to found my two of my friends. They were really hard to find. I even walked outside from the playground to find them. I finally found one friend at behind the chair. Therefore, I had one friend left. However, I could not find him. So all of my friends tried to find him. We called his name very loudly, we yelled. Also, we asked passersby. Nevertheless, they even said they did not have any ideas. Eventually, my friends and I were come back to home due to time was too late. I scared but I did not know what I was supposed to do.

  Next day, my friend who I could not find came to playground. I was so mad at my friend. The reason why I was so mad at my friend is he did not tell us where he went. I asked him with angry talking.

  “What? Where have you been yesterday? I and my friends tried to find you until late at night.

  But why didn’t you tell us anything? We were very worried about you!!” I said to him

  “Oh, I am really sorry about that. My mom caught me and took me to my home. Because actually I didn’t do my homework at all.” he replied.

  “How!! Oh my God. Okay, okay we will understand. I know how your feel was.”

  I was very absurd. I thought it was ridiculous. However, finally I and my friends forgave him. At the moment, his mom came to us and she ordered pizza and chicken. She wanted to request reconciliation instead of her son. Even though we said, “No thanks”, she just ordered. We enjoyed pizza and chicken and we laughed especially to him. We all said, "Don't do that from now on. You must to tell us that where have you been. Could forgive you because of this pizza and chicken.” We joked.

  We were all laughed and talked funny thing. Also, we heard about his funny episode that he caught and took by her mom. All other group envy us that we ate chicken and pizza. The smell of chicken and pizza were going to upside toward dark sky. This day was really nice and fun ever. This day became my unforgettable memory.

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  Bye, Everything

  Shuai Zheng, Feng

  People with their family took long distance bus from city to county. They talked and laughed past me. I wore a black jacket, packed a bag, and griped my trunk, stood in the crowd. Looked back at my grandparent's house.

  "It's time to get on the bus," Mom said.

  "I will." I turned back my sight and got on the bus. I sat alone by myself and in front of the bus. I looked out the window and enjoyed the scenery. I always take the short distance bus go to my grandparent's house. But, this time the scenery is more beautiful than before.

  Forty minutes later, the bus traveled in front of my middle school. My right hand instantly pushed on the window and some pictures went through my eyes. I followed them to remember all these memories. I couldn't feel I was crying, until a tear dropped down on my wrist. The bus keep going, I turned my head try to see it one more time. When I cannot see it, I turn back my head and close my eyes to wait the bus arrive the stop.

  When I opened my eyes, the bus almost bus station, I looked at the clock where it near the driver and twinkle the red light. It's 3:20 p.m. I slept about 4 hours. I stretch my body and use hands to clean tear path. And kept look out the window. The wind's sound, people's sound, and vehicle horn all couldn't bother me. In my mind, only have the memoir about I play with my friends every moment.

  The bus reach the bus station. Uncle Lin waited for us and picked us up to a hotel rest for two days. During these two days, I visited the trade center of China-- Shang Hai. It gives me feel this city is so powerful.

  After two days, we went the airport. Before my family and I went to lounge, everything is fine.

  In the airport lounge, I looked for a seat and put off the bag next to me. Suddenly, my cell phone was ringing. I thought maybe from my friends. I was so exacting took out my cell phone. When I open it, I was disappointed, it's from my cell phone company. Instantly, I want to trash my cell phone. But, I didn't do it. I open my contact, it's all my friends' phone number. I began call one of them. When I hang up, I feel sorrow.

  "We need go," My brother continued," And you need turn off you phone."

  I put my cell phone away and answered. "I got it. I will meet you, give me a little bit more time."

  My brother nodded and went meet my mother. I used short time to send a message to my all friends to parting. Then, followed my brother to get on the airplane. We had taken two airplanes. First one, it went to Seoul. And waited two hours take second plane to U.S.A.

  The plane was flying above the Seoul. I watched out the window. It's beautiful. In the night, so many light make together, just like Milky Way Galaxy. The plane left Seoul, the Mikey Way Galaxy was gone. My heart fall down. I closed the shade and slept. In my dream, I met my friends again. We played together, laughed together, and traveled together. That dream was pleasant.

  When I opened the shade, it' still night. But, I know I arrived in the U.S.A. I looked at this unknown city, a sense rose my mind, and it were happiness and interest. My family and I followed people pass the customs. I listened them speak English, even though, I cannot understand, my mind still was excited.

  Went out of the airport, my father picked up us to our new house. First time, I thought this world is so big and so small. When I saw building same beautiful as ShangHai's building, I knew I need grow up. I need say "Bye" to my history, and say " Hello" to my future.

  I opened the window and yelled, "U.S.A, I'm coming.

  And my family said together, "Are you crazy?"

  I just smiled and told myself, " Bye, everything."

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  Disneyland<
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  Danyah Iqbal

  The cool breeze was all I could feel. The soft white fluffy snow was falling from the sky. It was winter holidays and this year I was super exited. I had always told my parents that I wanted to go to Disneyland in Paris and now we finally got to go.

  London is pretty close to Paris by driving, so instead of wasting about 400-500 pounds on a flight to Paris, we decided to drive.

  The drive to Paris was pretty long, but we got through it. One hour into the trip, we had to take a type of train called a shuttle that has two levels and goes under water, so my dad got a break from driving and we had lunch.

  As I opened the box with my lunch in it, my mouth fell wide open. My mum had packed us each a chicken leg. It was huge; she made it extra spicy just the way I like it. It was red and when I saw the red chicken, I knew what kind it was, it was chicken thika, one of my favorite kinds of chicken in the whole world. It was warm because my mum kept it in a hot pot. As I bit into it, my mouth became little watery. It was so good; my mum always makes the best chicken!

  When we crossed the border and got out of the shuttle, the sun was shining bright, but it was still very cold outside. That’s why we all brought our extremely thick winter coats.

  This vacation we were staying twenty minutes away from Disneyland. We were staying in a three bedroom villa. It was really big for a holiday home.