Freedom of Religion

In the article I chose it discussed whether or not prayer should be allowed at graduation ceremonies. I believe that at all public school ceremonies should not have prayer as part of the process because not all students at public schools share the same religious beliefs.  One idea discussed in the article was to have prayers from different religious leaders so that all religions would be represented. I believe that this is not a very good idea and is still unfair because people would have to participate in prayers for other religions that they do not practice. However, if the school is private and is known for a certain religion attending, for example Loyola, which is a catholic school, then I believe prayer, should be allowed in the ceremony. The article provided examples for both sides which helped me make my own opinion. 

9/11 Film

I truly enjoyed watching this film because I feel that it truly gave a great representation of the emotion and the thought process of people who had a firsthand experience to the attacks.  One part that stood out to me was the filming of the thick cloud of smoke barreling down streets. I thought it was very interesting how after this happened the smoke turned the city from day into night and was thick enough to block the sun. This is one of the best films I have seen that has dealt with this topic and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in the topic. 

Speech Codes. What the Hell are Those?

Speech codes restrict language that most people know not to use already. The First Amendment grants you the right to freedom of speech but not all speech is acceptable and appropriate in certain situations. It is inappropriate to call somebody names or display hate towards one another in a public place because people need to feel safe and comfortable in certain environments. I believe that speech codes are unnecessary because people should know how to act properly and be respectful of others. Most speech codes restrict hate speech and these rules seem redundant because people know that it is wrong to direct hate towards somebody and make them feel uncomfortable. Overall, I think that the principles behind speech codes are necessary but these principles should be taught throughout the course of learning and childhood.