Psychology of racism
By: The Patriot Press Staff
Racism often stems from exclusive groups that fail to diversify themselves. According to psychologytoday.com, when in a group, people see themselves as positive or significant. However, when someone looks or acts differently, the group can sometimes have a negative attitude towards them. Psychology Today explained, that people lean towards others who share a similar “identity” and this identity may be “religious, political, social, and even racial.”
This bias can go back to tribal times, when different tribes would compete with one another for resources. Psychology Today states, that in the modern world, this competition does not apply, but psychologists believe the human instinct to hold a negative attitude towards the other “tribes” or groups still pertains. This competitive nature can cause a feeling of superiority, and this feeling can often cause strife between people.
Racism can also derive from a person’s background or environment. Dr. Priscilla Dass, a psychologist, told The Huffington Post that racist attitudes can come from environments, upbringings, people, or maybe from nothing. When living in an environment that promotes racism, most people start to believe it. For example, in places like South Africa the church would often teach that whites have superiority over blacks, and this caused divisions. This displays how when a society teaches superiority to one group, the people in the society adopt this way of thinking.
Racial discrimination can have negative effects on mental and physical health as well. A study found the African Americans and Hispanic youth facing discrimination have higher levels of cortisol, according to the newrepublic.com. This hormone, along with many others, happen to be incredibly important in regulating and maintaining immune, reproductive, and cardiovascular health. This means enduring racial discrimination can affect the immune system's ability to fight infections, or even the reproductive system’s ability to become pregnant. A study found that pregnant women who faced race based discrimination gave birth to significantly low weight babies.
Mr. Greene, AFHS counselor, wants students to make sure to reach out to anyone if someone feels targeted by their peers. He suggests to start with a trusted adult such as counselors or teachers. Taking action will be the most important part to leading to change.
“We need to promote unity. We want to treat each other as human beings.” states Mr. Greene. He encourages all students to treat each other how Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “By the content of their character, not the color of their skin.”
Helping to end racism and overcome racist behavior can be as simple as starting a club. High school students in Boca Raton, Florida, created a club called ‘We Dine Together’. The goal of the club had been created to ensure that no student sits alone at lunch. Allie Sealy, one of the creators of the club, says, “Meeting someone who actually cares and listens to what you have to say really makes a difference, and that could happen at lunch”, according to huffingtonpost.com. An easy and small action, such as sitting with a student that appears to be alone can bring people together to create unity and prevent students from feeling excluded.
Other small gestures can lead to a big impact on ending and preventing racism. Offering friendly greetings to people regardless of race, gender, age, or even ability, can put a smile on a stranger's face. Simply learning about racism, taking time to understand it, and attending events that encourage equality prove as great ways to show support and promote diversity for the community.
This bias can go back to tribal times, when different tribes would compete with one another for resources. Psychology Today states, that in the modern world, this competition does not apply, but psychologists believe the human instinct to hold a negative attitude towards the other “tribes” or groups still pertains. This competitive nature can cause a feeling of superiority, and this feeling can often cause strife between people.
Racism can also derive from a person’s background or environment. Dr. Priscilla Dass, a psychologist, told The Huffington Post that racist attitudes can come from environments, upbringings, people, or maybe from nothing. When living in an environment that promotes racism, most people start to believe it. For example, in places like South Africa the church would often teach that whites have superiority over blacks, and this caused divisions. This displays how when a society teaches superiority to one group, the people in the society adopt this way of thinking.
Racial discrimination can have negative effects on mental and physical health as well. A study found the African Americans and Hispanic youth facing discrimination have higher levels of cortisol, according to the newrepublic.com. This hormone, along with many others, happen to be incredibly important in regulating and maintaining immune, reproductive, and cardiovascular health. This means enduring racial discrimination can affect the immune system's ability to fight infections, or even the reproductive system’s ability to become pregnant. A study found that pregnant women who faced race based discrimination gave birth to significantly low weight babies.
Mr. Greene, AFHS counselor, wants students to make sure to reach out to anyone if someone feels targeted by their peers. He suggests to start with a trusted adult such as counselors or teachers. Taking action will be the most important part to leading to change.
“We need to promote unity. We want to treat each other as human beings.” states Mr. Greene. He encourages all students to treat each other how Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “By the content of their character, not the color of their skin.”
Helping to end racism and overcome racist behavior can be as simple as starting a club. High school students in Boca Raton, Florida, created a club called ‘We Dine Together’. The goal of the club had been created to ensure that no student sits alone at lunch. Allie Sealy, one of the creators of the club, says, “Meeting someone who actually cares and listens to what you have to say really makes a difference, and that could happen at lunch”, according to huffingtonpost.com. An easy and small action, such as sitting with a student that appears to be alone can bring people together to create unity and prevent students from feeling excluded.
Other small gestures can lead to a big impact on ending and preventing racism. Offering friendly greetings to people regardless of race, gender, age, or even ability, can put a smile on a stranger's face. Simply learning about racism, taking time to understand it, and attending events that encourage equality prove as great ways to show support and promote diversity for the community.
What's Next?
By: Braylin Campbell
Whether a freshman or a senior, every student has questioned their future. If not, others have. Students constantly get confused wondering what college they want to attend, or what career/major do they want to go into?
According to Youth Truth, about 45% of students actually feel positive in their college choice and career readiness. The other 55% still remain undecided. When considering a major, considerations such as salary, competition, job trends and more can differ the student’s perspective or choice. According to the University of La Verne, 50 to 70% of students change their major at least three times before they graduate. Even after college, more than 50% of alumni go into careers that don’t relate to their major.
For students struggling to find a major, seek help. Getting tips from school counselors can be beneficial for finding careers that match one’s interest and even colleges that provide good programs for the students choice of career. According to usnews.com, exploring one’s options such as taking classes in an area of interest to the student helps pinpoint career options. Being proactive in school life such as clubs, helps students network career connections and understand the interested career.
The world has many opportunities for students to pursue. For more information, schedule an appointment with a school counselor or visit cfnc.org, bestcolleges.com, and more.
According to Youth Truth, about 45% of students actually feel positive in their college choice and career readiness. The other 55% still remain undecided. When considering a major, considerations such as salary, competition, job trends and more can differ the student’s perspective or choice. According to the University of La Verne, 50 to 70% of students change their major at least three times before they graduate. Even after college, more than 50% of alumni go into careers that don’t relate to their major.
For students struggling to find a major, seek help. Getting tips from school counselors can be beneficial for finding careers that match one’s interest and even colleges that provide good programs for the students choice of career. According to usnews.com, exploring one’s options such as taking classes in an area of interest to the student helps pinpoint career options. Being proactive in school life such as clubs, helps students network career connections and understand the interested career.
The world has many opportunities for students to pursue. For more information, schedule an appointment with a school counselor or visit cfnc.org, bestcolleges.com, and more.
Adopt a Friend
By: Riley Smith
If planning on adopting a pet in the near future, definitely keep in mind the animals that need their forever home. According to the ASPCA, around 6.5 million animals get put into a shelter nationwide every year, with 33 million being dogs and 3.2 million being cats. When people don’t adopt from the local shelters that just increases the amount of animals that have to be euthanized.
Around 1.5 million shelter animals have to be put to sleep each year according to the ASPCA. Fortunately, this statistic has been declining due to pet adoptions and pets being returned to their owners. When deciding to get a pet, the shelter always will be a smart option because of being at capacity. The process of pet adoptions can be a long one. A lot of factors go into whether the pet may be suitable for the home. The environment of any home can make or break if the animal will be allowed to stay with the family. The adoptive family has to have a stable home prepared for them. An unsuitable scenario would be trying to adopt a dog into a home with cats even though they don’t get along with cats. According to The Humane Society forcing an animal into a painful situation should be avoided. Doing a home check will be a part of the process especially if adopting from a rescue group. Home checks make sure that all the necessities that the animal needs in order to thrive and feel comfortable in the home get put into place before adopting them. The animals need to be compatible with any other animals or children in the home.
When considering adoption try looking into local organizations like the Wake County Animal Shelter, SPCA of Wake County, Best Friends Pet Adoption, and The Goathouse Refuge. All of these places have available animals that have been looking for their permanent homes. Check it out and you may find your forever frie
Around 1.5 million shelter animals have to be put to sleep each year according to the ASPCA. Fortunately, this statistic has been declining due to pet adoptions and pets being returned to their owners. When deciding to get a pet, the shelter always will be a smart option because of being at capacity. The process of pet adoptions can be a long one. A lot of factors go into whether the pet may be suitable for the home. The environment of any home can make or break if the animal will be allowed to stay with the family. The adoptive family has to have a stable home prepared for them. An unsuitable scenario would be trying to adopt a dog into a home with cats even though they don’t get along with cats. According to The Humane Society forcing an animal into a painful situation should be avoided. Doing a home check will be a part of the process especially if adopting from a rescue group. Home checks make sure that all the necessities that the animal needs in order to thrive and feel comfortable in the home get put into place before adopting them. The animals need to be compatible with any other animals or children in the home.
When considering adoption try looking into local organizations like the Wake County Animal Shelter, SPCA of Wake County, Best Friends Pet Adoption, and The Goathouse Refuge. All of these places have available animals that have been looking for their permanent homes. Check it out and you may find your forever frie
Save the bees
By: Julia Uhlman
Those who regularly use the internet, or have recently bought some Honey Nut Cheerios, may be aware of the sudden decline in the bee population. While everyone claims the bees happen to be dying, this may not actually be the case. According to slate.com
Dave Hackenberg discovered ten years ago bees had been disappearing. Researchers found that the bees had not been dying, only disappearing. Hives had been abandoned, but no bee bodies had been found.
Many blame a new class of pesticides, called neonicotinoids, which make bees more susceptible to parasites according to the EPA. Many pesticides have been restricted due to regulations recently passed to lessen these effects. Jeff Pettis, an entomologist, told slate.com that in the past 3 to 5 years the bee population has not been in decline. It seems that the bees had been in decline in the past, but with recent regulations and the queen bee’s abilities to produce thousands of eggs a day, the bee population appears to be slowly, but surely, increasing.
This doesn't mean people should forget about the bees. Bees happen to be vital for the pollination of many of the fruits and vegetables humans consume, as well as the crops livestock consume. So while the bees do seem to be doing better, they could still use help. Queenofthesun.com recommends “Planting bee-friendly flowers and plants in the yard and straying away from pesticides and chemicals in the yard to help the bees bounce back.” Prototypes for “bee drones” happen to currently be experimented with, according to TIME magazine, in case a threat to the population occurs again, but the current designs have been created for purely educational purposes, and for raising awareness about the loss of bees. “Local bees are our primary pollinators,” explained Mr.Trull, a science teacher here at AFHS, “and without angiosperms being pollinated, it would wreak absolute havoc.”
Dave Hackenberg discovered ten years ago bees had been disappearing. Researchers found that the bees had not been dying, only disappearing. Hives had been abandoned, but no bee bodies had been found.
Many blame a new class of pesticides, called neonicotinoids, which make bees more susceptible to parasites according to the EPA. Many pesticides have been restricted due to regulations recently passed to lessen these effects. Jeff Pettis, an entomologist, told slate.com that in the past 3 to 5 years the bee population has not been in decline. It seems that the bees had been in decline in the past, but with recent regulations and the queen bee’s abilities to produce thousands of eggs a day, the bee population appears to be slowly, but surely, increasing.
This doesn't mean people should forget about the bees. Bees happen to be vital for the pollination of many of the fruits and vegetables humans consume, as well as the crops livestock consume. So while the bees do seem to be doing better, they could still use help. Queenofthesun.com recommends “Planting bee-friendly flowers and plants in the yard and straying away from pesticides and chemicals in the yard to help the bees bounce back.” Prototypes for “bee drones” happen to currently be experimented with, according to TIME magazine, in case a threat to the population occurs again, but the current designs have been created for purely educational purposes, and for raising awareness about the loss of bees. “Local bees are our primary pollinators,” explained Mr.Trull, a science teacher here at AFHS, “and without angiosperms being pollinated, it would wreak absolute havoc.”
Feel Sick? Blame climate change
By: Sierra Sanchez
What's in your Easter Basket?
By: Katelyn Bohn
The Easter bunny became a tradition in America centuries ago, according to history.com, when the German immigrants coming to America brought their Easter traditions with them. However, the exact origins of where the bunny’s original creation came from remain a mystery, according to Time Magazine. One theory suggests that the name “Easter” came from the Pagan word “Estore”, a goddess of fertility, which the Easter egg also represents.
People have adapted another tradition that likely comes from Pagan
origins, called “Easter egg hunts”. The egg has always been symbolic of new life for the Pagans, in their celebrations of spring, but to the Christians, eggs represent Jesus’ emergence from the tomb, according to history.com.
The decoration and coloration of eggs likely comes from the 13th century. The prohibition of them during the Lent season most likely had to be the reason for their lovely designs. People would paint them beautifully and wait until Lent ended, eating them on Easter day as a celebration.
Chocolate eggs, jelly beans and marshmallow Peeps all became associated with Easter in America, making it the second best-selling holiday to Halloween for candy. However, many don’t know that hot cross buns and pretzels also originated during the holiday. European monks used to give hot cross buns to the poor during the Lenten season, and the twists in pretzels used to be thought of looking like two arms crossed in prayer Many companies also change their products to fit with the Easter theme, such as Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs and M&M’s created in pastel colors. According to infoplease.com, it used to take 27 hours to create a marshmallow Peep in 1953, but now it only take six minutes. Americans buy as many as 700 million of them every year.
Every year New York City hosts an Easter parade and Bonnet Festival. According to gonyc.about.com, this march doesn’t involve the usual parade festivities such as floats and marching bands, instead thousands of people walk around Fifth Avenue with their bonnets and Easter wear. Many groups enjoy coordinating their outfits to look alike, and there seem to be a lot of pastel and sunset colors, making the march very beautiful.
The traditions people have obtained come from varying origins, with some we have yet to identify. No matter what way Easter will be celebrated this year, it represents a time for people to come together and celebrate new beginnings.
People have adapted another tradition that likely comes from Pagan
origins, called “Easter egg hunts”. The egg has always been symbolic of new life for the Pagans, in their celebrations of spring, but to the Christians, eggs represent Jesus’ emergence from the tomb, according to history.com.
The decoration and coloration of eggs likely comes from the 13th century. The prohibition of them during the Lent season most likely had to be the reason for their lovely designs. People would paint them beautifully and wait until Lent ended, eating them on Easter day as a celebration.
Chocolate eggs, jelly beans and marshmallow Peeps all became associated with Easter in America, making it the second best-selling holiday to Halloween for candy. However, many don’t know that hot cross buns and pretzels also originated during the holiday. European monks used to give hot cross buns to the poor during the Lenten season, and the twists in pretzels used to be thought of looking like two arms crossed in prayer Many companies also change their products to fit with the Easter theme, such as Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs and M&M’s created in pastel colors. According to infoplease.com, it used to take 27 hours to create a marshmallow Peep in 1953, but now it only take six minutes. Americans buy as many as 700 million of them every year.
Every year New York City hosts an Easter parade and Bonnet Festival. According to gonyc.about.com, this march doesn’t involve the usual parade festivities such as floats and marching bands, instead thousands of people walk around Fifth Avenue with their bonnets and Easter wear. Many groups enjoy coordinating their outfits to look alike, and there seem to be a lot of pastel and sunset colors, making the march very beautiful.
The traditions people have obtained come from varying origins, with some we have yet to identify. No matter what way Easter will be celebrated this year, it represents a time for people to come together and celebrate new beginnings.
Defunding Planned ParentHood
By: Kierney Leonard
Power has transferred from a Democratic President to a Republican President. A lot of talk has circulated the United States since the transition of power, and the defunding of Planned Parenthood has been one of the most recent topics of conversation. A lot of people remain unaware of what the Planned Parenthood organization does, why the government wants to defund it, and what the effects may be.
Planned Parenthood offers reproductive healthcare for people across the United States, and throughout the world. More specifically, plannedparenthood.org explained that it offers contraceptives, provides STI/STD testing and treatment, supplies sexual education, gives general health care, and offers reproductive cancer screenings. Many people mistakenly believe that Planned Parenthood only provides care for women, but it actually provides care for men and teens as well. Teens can access Planned Parenthood’s website to find information about their anatomy, learn about birth control, and receive information about relationships.
The main reason for the defunding of Planned Parenthood comes down to one word: abortion. The organization provides women with abortion options, and this upsets a lot of pro-life supporters. Sean Spicer, President Trump’s spokesperson, said, “Trump wants to stand up for all Americans, including the unborn.” Trump has also signed the Mexico City Policy. This policy, which has been continuously put into place and suspended by previous presidents, stops the federal funding of international abortions in third world countries, including The International Planned Parenthood Federation, according to lifesitenews.com.
The defunding has caused an outcry because this organization makes healthcare affordable. Statistics from plannedparenthood.org revealed that 75% of their 2.5 million patients “have incomes at or below 150% of the federal poverty level.”
By defunding Planned Parenthood, many of these people will lose access to affordable healthcare. The New York Times revealed that health experts have not found a decline in abortions in developing nations from the Mexico City Policy. In fact, it revealed that research has found that abortion rates have increased due to the closing of health clinics because of the lack of funding. The New York Times said, “Others say the restriction only heightens the risk of illegal and often unsafe abortions.”
Donald Trump stated in a speech, “[The government is] not going to fund [Planned Parenthood] as long as you have the abortion going on at Planned Parenthood.” The healthcare organization revealed that out of all of its services, only 3% deals with abortions. When it comes down to these numbers, should Planned Parenthood be subject to defunding
Planned Parenthood offers reproductive healthcare for people across the United States, and throughout the world. More specifically, plannedparenthood.org explained that it offers contraceptives, provides STI/STD testing and treatment, supplies sexual education, gives general health care, and offers reproductive cancer screenings. Many people mistakenly believe that Planned Parenthood only provides care for women, but it actually provides care for men and teens as well. Teens can access Planned Parenthood’s website to find information about their anatomy, learn about birth control, and receive information about relationships.
The main reason for the defunding of Planned Parenthood comes down to one word: abortion. The organization provides women with abortion options, and this upsets a lot of pro-life supporters. Sean Spicer, President Trump’s spokesperson, said, “Trump wants to stand up for all Americans, including the unborn.” Trump has also signed the Mexico City Policy. This policy, which has been continuously put into place and suspended by previous presidents, stops the federal funding of international abortions in third world countries, including The International Planned Parenthood Federation, according to lifesitenews.com.
The defunding has caused an outcry because this organization makes healthcare affordable. Statistics from plannedparenthood.org revealed that 75% of their 2.5 million patients “have incomes at or below 150% of the federal poverty level.”
By defunding Planned Parenthood, many of these people will lose access to affordable healthcare. The New York Times revealed that health experts have not found a decline in abortions in developing nations from the Mexico City Policy. In fact, it revealed that research has found that abortion rates have increased due to the closing of health clinics because of the lack of funding. The New York Times said, “Others say the restriction only heightens the risk of illegal and often unsafe abortions.”
Donald Trump stated in a speech, “[The government is] not going to fund [Planned Parenthood] as long as you have the abortion going on at Planned Parenthood.” The healthcare organization revealed that out of all of its services, only 3% deals with abortions. When it comes down to these numbers, should Planned Parenthood be subject to defunding
The Symbolism of a Clover
By: Julia Uhlman
Photo By: Kierney Leonard
According to the Irish, each leaf of a four leaf clover symbolizes a different characteristic of luck. Centuries ago, Celtics believed carrying a three leaf clover or shamrock would allow one to see evil spirits, and give a chance to escape, according to bhg.com. A four leaf clover represented a Celtic charm, offering magical protection and warding off bad luck.
Today, four leaf clovers symbolize luck because of their rarity. The odds of finding a four leaf clover equals one in 10,000, according to the dailytelegraph.com. Their rarity comes from four leaf clovers not being natural. Four leaf clovers actually come from a genetic mutation of the natural, three-leafed clover. According to bhg.com, legend says that Ireland has more four leaf clovers than anywhere else, “giving meaning to the phrase, ‘the luck of the Irish’.”
Today, people think of clovers as weeds or pests. But why does this weed symbolize luck and good fortune? Should clovers be considered weeds? Actually, clovers have a lot of benefits. Clovers may be the weed of need. They happen to be drought tolerant, almost entirely immune to disease, and discourage many insects from lawns. According to spruce.com, clovers fall under the legume classification, meaning they take their own nitrogen from the air. This means they don't need fertilizer. They also have a low growth habit, meaning they don't need to be mowed like grass.
Four leaf clovers, or shamrocks, tie to St. Patrick's Day because legend says St. Patrick used one to illustrate the doctrine of Trinity. According to goodlucksymbols.com, four leaf clovers represent hope, faith, love, and luck. With this in mind, we might want to start looking for some good luck.
Today, four leaf clovers symbolize luck because of their rarity. The odds of finding a four leaf clover equals one in 10,000, according to the dailytelegraph.com. Their rarity comes from four leaf clovers not being natural. Four leaf clovers actually come from a genetic mutation of the natural, three-leafed clover. According to bhg.com, legend says that Ireland has more four leaf clovers than anywhere else, “giving meaning to the phrase, ‘the luck of the Irish’.”
Today, people think of clovers as weeds or pests. But why does this weed symbolize luck and good fortune? Should clovers be considered weeds? Actually, clovers have a lot of benefits. Clovers may be the weed of need. They happen to be drought tolerant, almost entirely immune to disease, and discourage many insects from lawns. According to spruce.com, clovers fall under the legume classification, meaning they take their own nitrogen from the air. This means they don't need fertilizer. They also have a low growth habit, meaning they don't need to be mowed like grass.
Four leaf clovers, or shamrocks, tie to St. Patrick's Day because legend says St. Patrick used one to illustrate the doctrine of Trinity. According to goodlucksymbols.com, four leaf clovers represent hope, faith, love, and luck. With this in mind, we might want to start looking for some good luck.
Living in a Hologram
By: Julia Uhlman
Researchers from the UK, Italy, and Canada found what they believe to be evidence that people live in a complex hologram. The Guardian describes a hologram as a flat, two dimensional surface, that appears to have a third dimension, giving it the appearance of depth. According to The Guardian, “The holographic principle suggests that the contents of the universe originate as mathematics encoded on a boundary surrounding the entire cosmos.” The principle states that our 3D perception of the universe may be contained on a 2D surface.
This incomprehensible theory can be thought of like a 3D movie. Science Daily explains that watching a 3D movie gives the illusion of objects having height, width, and depth on a flat surface. Although in our current reality, we can touch the objects. Professor Skenderis, of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Southampton, says, “Einstein's theory of general relativity explains almost everything large scale in the universe very well, but starts to unravel when examining its origins and mechanisms at quantum level.”
The phenomenon of black holes contradicts the Law of Conservation of Mass. Many theories state that when matter falls into a black hole, the matter will be crushed out of existence. This contradicts the theory that nothing can be created or destroyed, but the holographic principle solves this. If the universe exists as a hologram, nothing will be destroyed.
“Be aware that we don’t know much about black holes,” says Mrs. Cattrell, AFHS Astronomy/Chemistry teacher, “matter may be destroyed in black holes, or they may be wormholes.” She mentioned the new James Webb Telescope being launched in 2018. This new telescope along with all the advances in science and technology can help us find out a lot more about our universe. “There is so much we don’t know,” Mrs. Cattrell emphasized. This theory may not be observable, but scientists have found that mathematically, the holographic principle works.
This incomprehensible theory can be thought of like a 3D movie. Science Daily explains that watching a 3D movie gives the illusion of objects having height, width, and depth on a flat surface. Although in our current reality, we can touch the objects. Professor Skenderis, of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Southampton, says, “Einstein's theory of general relativity explains almost everything large scale in the universe very well, but starts to unravel when examining its origins and mechanisms at quantum level.”
The phenomenon of black holes contradicts the Law of Conservation of Mass. Many theories state that when matter falls into a black hole, the matter will be crushed out of existence. This contradicts the theory that nothing can be created or destroyed, but the holographic principle solves this. If the universe exists as a hologram, nothing will be destroyed.
“Be aware that we don’t know much about black holes,” says Mrs. Cattrell, AFHS Astronomy/Chemistry teacher, “matter may be destroyed in black holes, or they may be wormholes.” She mentioned the new James Webb Telescope being launched in 2018. This new telescope along with all the advances in science and technology can help us find out a lot more about our universe. “There is so much we don’t know,” Mrs. Cattrell emphasized. This theory may not be observable, but scientists have found that mathematically, the holographic principle works.
