When You Have to Shoot First response

After reading this, I totally agree with what the author is trying to portray. It seems wrong initially to kill someone point blank when they have done nothing wrong. But, also security measures and orders have to be followed, or the safety of civilians is at risk. In the case of the incident at Lebanon, the author thought at first killing the wounded attacker was wrong. Although he still had use of his hands which posed him as a threat. I could not imagine having to make a decision whether or not someone dies. It is wrong to take the life of others, because it's not our say. But if it is a threat to you or the people around you, it is your duty to ensure the safety of others. When I read the two incidents, I can completely understand why the people had to carry out their orders. It is better to be safe than sorry. It is sad to think that the suicide bombers have families that love them, but not everyone is brought up to do the right thing. I am glad that our country has so many people willing to risk their lives for our safety every single day.

Iraqi Kids Playing War Games response

I found this article to be very interesting while I was reading it. I never knew how much of an impact the Iraqi war had on the children living there. It doesn't affect us as much in the United States because we don't see the terrorists and suicide bombers in day to day life. That terrible life is all that surrounds those poor kids. I could never imagine growing up in such circumstances. The part about the toy store owner shocked me. He said about 95 percent of the toys he sells are guns. This number is absolutely staggering. The kids come in looking for "the biggest and most harmful toy guns." It is even more surprising that some of the parents think this is totally normal and harmless. If all the violence is what the kids are soaking up, they are more likely to become violent towards everyone else around them. In the end of the article, the author talks about how the children are frustrated and refuse to do their work. This is because they think that they will have the same fate as so many others before them: getting displaced or killed. In my opinion, the parents of these children need to realize that these "games" are having no positive effect. I would never sit back and let my child go to the extreme to make up that they are killing others. They need to be reinforced of all the people that love them and are trying to help them escape that terrible life. I would never stand for my child to act out more violence than they are already exposed to.

The Butterfly Effect Response

When I initially read this article, I didn't agree with almost everything it had to say. I understand that everything we do has an effect on our surroundings, but a butterfly flapping its wings? I just don't see how this would cause a tornado in Texas. It sounds ridiculous to me. Maybe this is only an analogy but it sounded like the author was dead serious. I know that things we do have a ripple effect and it only spreads out. I agree with the author when he begins to talk about what humans are doing to the ecosystem. We are causing massive amounts of pollution, which in turn, has terrible effects on the world. The air we breathe becomes contaminated, along with our water supply. This is partly due to dumping trash into the ocean. Everything we do in life has a chain reaction, whether it be positive or negative. Many things are preventable, and there are increasing efforts to better the world we live in. Although the butterfly effect is far fetched in my opinion, I do agree that everything we do has an impact on something or someone.