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[15 Nov 2006|01:02am] Throughout civilizations today there are many types of government that define who we are as a society and as people. It is hard to say that any kind of government will be considered a utopia, or any kind of perfect society. Marina Wright Edelman, “Standing Up For Children,” is a short story, that describes the effect of what today’s form of government is doing to society, mainly illustrating, poverty stricken citizens, the uncared for children, and the main fact that as all citizens work hard for a good life, as the poor work harder and harder they see half the reward as the upper class. Edelman makes it clear that she is explaining that the society she is describing conforms more to a participatory government, rather then a pluralist form of government, and makes it understandably evident that serious changes need to occur, to make the society equal and fair, as a whole. In today’s society one in six children are poor and are living in poverty. In the story “Standing Up For Children” by Marian Wright Edelman, she explains that in today’s society we are not helping the children of tomorrow learn and grow into well educated adults; instead we are leaving them behind leaving the rich to prosper and the poor to suffer. Instead of taking care of our nation’s children, we are cutting children’s programs like after school care, from the poverty stricken communities that need them the most. By cutting expenses that go to after school programs and child development centers, we are neglecting our children who will be the leaders of tomorrow. “We have the know-how, and we have the responsibility to ensure to all children what we now provide for some children. God did not make two classes of children and will hole us accountable for every one of them”. (Edelman, Marian 2004, p.37). The United States has also cut funds that support public schools in the nation and instead funded billions of dollars fighting a war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Also, after September 11, 2001 billions are being spent on new programs in the newly created Department of Homeland Security instead of focusing on the war happening everyday in on our cities and streets. and educating and protecting our children. In the United States children are living in some of the most poverty stricken communities filled with gang violence, drugs and the high percentage of teen pregnancy to date. Since 1979, firearms have killed 90,000 children in our homes, schools, and neighborhoods, more than the toll of all our combat in Vietnam. Instead of solving this problem, we are a nation ravaged by race, ethnicity and class division. Instead of fixing the issues dividing are nation’s people, we are taking care of wealthy Americans. “Something is awry when the net worth of the world’s 476 richest billionaires exceeds the combined income of the poorest 2.5 billion people and when the income gap between the top and bottom fifth of the world’s population has more than doubled in the last generation,” Edelman states. (Edelman, Marian 2004, p.38). The United States has a growing number of millionaires and billionaires and a steady decrease in the living standards for the poorest of our children. Poverty stricken children are not getting the resources they need, the right schooling, clothing and nutrition in order to succeed in everyday life. Edelman believes we should focus more of our attention and money on the children who will shape the future of tomorrow no matter what political or economic war we are fighting. The author states the wealthy Americans are getting richer and the American tax dollar is not being spent properly. Rich neighborhoods, communities and schools in contrast to those living in poverty stricken areas have cleaner, safer and fully stocked facilities available to them unlike the urban areas in which the schools are crowed and filled with violence and low paid, unskilled teachers. The Children’s defense fund is supporting a bill which seeks $75 billion per year to ensure that every child has enough to eat, provide access to better education and give more children a place to call home. “The bill would also expand tax relief to help low-wage working families escape poverty and support other initiatives aimed at giving each and every child a safe, fair and healthy start in life.” (Edelman, Marian 2004 p.40). Edelman also believes we need to put pressure on our political leaders to change the values and priorities in America. “Less than the 2001 Bush administration tax breaks alone will give to the wealthiest one-in-a-hundred Americans each year.” (Edelman, Marian 2004 p.40). The author believes we must hold them accountable for the changes that must be made in the way we are taking care of our children, and by not being silenced about this issues and that we will prevail. The model of Democracy that best advocates the story “Standing Up For Children”, by Marian Wright Edelman, is the Participatory model. The Participatory does not assume apathy is normal, but sees “apathy as a result of the lack of opportunities for participants.” The solution is to create opportunities to participate. “Don’t be intimidated or silenced by budget experts or political spin masters”, states Edelman. Like the Participatory model Edelmen is trying get people actively involved in fixing a tremendous issues facing our nation today. The author is trying to tell people you don’t have to be smart to know it’s wrong to say “No Child Left Behind,” while leaving children behind in poverty, crumbling schools and no after school care programs, and that something must be done about it. The Participatory government believes that there should be economic, political and social equality. In relation to this story the author wants to inform people of the inequality’s are children today are facing and the poverty stricken areas that are being overlooked by our governmental leaders today. “Unless we reverse our course, the recent lavish tax cuts for the wealthy, huge military increases, and the war in Iraq will starve our National Government of the resources needed to serve our vulnerable young, and disable and to sustain our public infrastructures for decades to come.” (Edelman,Marian 2004 p.42). The Participatory model of Democracy believes that interest groups do not represent everyone and everyone does not have equal access. The citizens and the children living in rural areas do not have the same opportunities as wealthier citizens to have there voices heard and are not as likely to have there issues addressed by our government. “Workers should be able to participate democratically in the running of their factories, students and faculty their schools and universities, and welfare recipients the welfare department”. (Hudson, 2006, p.17). If citizen’s who are on welfare and living in poverty stricken areas begin to voice there opinions and begin to participate in these environments, then they will begin to become effective and have a voice in influencing the government. Unlike the Participatory model, the Pluralist model of Democracy believes that interest groups represent everyone, and citizens play a minor role. The story “Standing Up For Children,” does not define the pluralist model, because the voice of the children and poor people are not being heard. In the pluralist type of Democracy elites seem to be in control, and the poor people who are struggling to survive in their unhealthy environments are uniformed on the decisions being made that directly affect them. The role of the Pluralist Democracy is that of a passive citizen, the author is trying to persuade citizens who are affected in a negative way by the prosperity of wealthy Americans and those who are being ignored by there government to fix the issues facing their neighborhoods and schools, and to become an active participant. “Average citizens were far from equal in their ability to influence public officials…” (Hudson, 2006 p.12). In the Pluralist model interest groups represent the people; the story does not represent this thought because if interest groups were representing the people the children and poor people would be able to have their voices be heard in the government and their need would be carried out. “Something is awry when, in the United States, the combined income of over 9 million families was less than that of a single health insurance executive last year”. (Edelman, Marian 2004 p.38). All political leaders today are extremely wealthy therefore; they do not understand what it is like to poor therefore they don’t know what needs to be done in order to change the way our lower class societies are being treated today. In our government the rich have an overwhelming power in where money is going and how taxes are are being divided, therefore there is no diversity of interest groups. In essence, a Participatory form of government requires that the interest groups and lobbyists not have too large of an influence on the course of the government and legislation and that the people’s rights given under the constitution are protected and not erode. The story “Standing Up For Children,” demonstrated how the rights of the poverty stricken citizens and of our nations children have had looked over and ignored. The author Marian Wright Edelman discusses that “it is time to change the course of this behavior and give the power back to the citizen’s and to stop the cutting of funds going to the children who are the future of this nation”. “If our nation and world are fit for children they are fit for everyone”. (Edelman, Marian 2004 p.45). The citizens are given the opportunity and responsibility to participate and with equal access to their government by voting. Their vote gives them an equal voice in determining the direction of legislation affecting the country, state and communities. In essence it seems that all that can become clear of this is that a definite change is needed in our government today. We must strive everyday to achieve the kind of democracy similar to that of a Pluralist Democracy where people of all kinds have someone to represent their needs and wants as citizens, and all people no matter what race, age gender or social class will be treated fairly in all aspects of life. Edelman states the truths about today’s society quite clearly, and it is obvious in more then one way that a indefinite change is crucial to the well being of all people. Such changes however must start within the people themselves. Don't know my name

[24 Jun 2006|09:01pm] graduated and now of to cabo tomorrow holy shit im excited!!! me, sara,linds,andy,jeremy,drew,nico,jenna,surnea,jeff,max,matt, and zach off to cabo we go!!!! Don't know my name

[29 May 2006|05:52pm] +beach all day +sun +tan +bbq with the hommies +friends = the best day ever<3 1 Don't know my name

[19 Mar 2006|09:55pm] man all i gotta say is... and i'm sure alot of u will agree is dam i love CPY and i'm gonna miss it alot... i <3 everyone involved with this delegation!! Don't know my name

[11 Feb 2006|09:05pm] [ mood | crazy ] IM AM IN BIG BEAR RIGHT NOW IN A CABIN FOR SAMMIE'S 19TH B-DAY... W. NICK, MATT, SAMMIE, ARUN, KYLE, KIM, SAMANTHA, ERIN, SCOTT, MEJIA, ALLI, RYAN AND ME!!!!...AND LET ME TELL U EVERYONE HERE INCLUDING ME ARE DRUNK AS FUCK!!!!... WELL PEACE OUT AM I AM GONNA FININSH OF MY BOMBY WEEKEND RIGHT!!!... WHOOO HOOO Don't know my name

[08 Jan 2006|05:53pm] [ mood | annoyed ] wow school starts tomorrow and now i have to start waterpolo again... ewwww i hope monday never comes!!!!!....last night was the worst night to end a break on nothing happened deff. not BOMBY! Don't know my name

[07 Jan 2006|07:03pm] [ mood | chipper ] wow i don't wanna go back to school one more night to party... i'm gonna make the best of it!!!... BOMBY!!... see everyove at school!!! 1 Don't know my name

[27 Dec 2005|04:49pm] i got me some true religon jeans, 2 hollister shirts, a volcom sweater 200 bucks and some other stuff... man do i love christmas... <3 Don't know my name

[06 Dec 2005|05:31pm] [ mood | cheerful ] i haven't written in this forever.. but let me just say i absolutely cannot wait for christmas vacation.. and today at are waterpolo games vs. calabases i made 3 goals.. whoohoo i so happy.. what up suckas!!!!! 2 Don't know my name

[13 Nov 2005|09:36pm] how ironic is is that when i  get home  from bob my mom goes your the best... and i'm like "your the best around, no ones every gonna bring your down!"...i love y&g  i had the bombiest time every.. luv to everyone who was there!!! 4 Don't know my name

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