Bad Religion-Frank Ocean

One of my favorite songs is Bad Religion by Frank Ocean. Bad Religion is a song about one of Frank Ocean's experiences/struggles of growing up being attracted to the same sex. He says in the song how it is a "bad religion" to be in love with a boy or a man when you are a boy or a man. Throughout the song he is saying that he can't trust anyone because if he tells anyone they will look at him as if he is going against religion and god. He also shares that he will never be able to find love with someone who will love him back. He is trying to run from the truth, and avoid telling everybody who he really is.

In the song Frank says "taxi driver you're my shrink for the hour" he is saying he is talking to the taxi driver who is a man who doesn't know him or anything about him. Frank decides to talk to the driver about his concerns of "coming out of the closet". The cab driver gives him a prayer but, Frank still sees himself as a person with a "bad religion". He then says "if it brings me to my knees, it's a bad religion." saying that he has tried to use religion to get out of the pain of hiding all of these secrets from all of these people but nobody will except him. He also says "it's rush hour, take the streets if you want to, just outrun the demons, could you?" saying that even though there might be traffic it's okay because he will have more time to speak to the taxi driver and when he says demons he is referring to his lies he is keeping from everyone. He wants to avoid it all.

This song really made me think deeper about people who are holding in the truth about themselves, because they feel as if they are not excepted. Nobody should feel like they should hold back their true feelings because they are afraid of how they will appear to other people. Frank Ocean put out there that it is hard to be able to trust people because you aren't sure if they will frown upon you. Or in his case looked at as if he has a "bad religion".

Change a Big Problem, Do a Small Action

I read the article "Animal Abuse- Enough is Enough" by Ricardo Contreras. The main idea in this article is that people need to start acting to help out to stop animal abuse. If not stop then at least try. Ricardo states a couple of ways you can do this like donating money to a company that helps prevent any harm done to animals around the world. These charities are not much money at all so it wouldn't hurt to reach into your pocket and pull out a dollar or even less.  Or teaching younger kids that animal abuse is wrong so they can learn at a earlier age. Although all of these are very good ideas for if you witness animal abuse but Ricardo tells us that the best thing to do in this situation is to report it. This way you let other people know and the situation going on can be handled immediately.

Contreras is purposely trying to make us feel pity for these animals. He wants us to feel pity for them so there is something to make us realize that there is cruel things happening to these living creatures and we can make a change and help. These innocent animals are being manipulated and harmed by inhumane people. He stated all of these possible ways to help in his articles to show us that we can make a huge change by doing something so small. These animals are being physically and mentally abused and its in our hands to stop it.

I agree with the author because this is such a huge problem in our world today. We can help by doing the smallest actions. It's up to us to solve this problem. After we do everything we can to help tell other people to help also. Tell friends and family and neighbors. Let people know what is happening to these animals. Because the more people that help the more the problem will be solved.

Non-Fiction

I read the article Animal Abuse-Enough is Enough! by, Ricardo Contreras.  The main idea about this article is that everyone needs to find a way to try to help stop animal abuse. According to the article you can do this by, donating money to a company that helps prevents any harm done to living animals, or teaching younger kids this so that they know it's wrong at an earlier age. The author also adds that many of the charities for animal cruelty are little money. So there is no reason for any of us not to be able donate a dollar or even fifty cents. Although all of these are good ideas, Contreras says "reporting animal cruelty is the best thing you can do to help stop it." He adds that this is because you can help the animal that is currently being abused, and any animals that could be abused after that.

Conteras is trying to make the audience of this article feel bad for these animals. He is trying to show you that these animals need help. They need to be saved from any people who might think it's okay to manipulate innocent animals. He stated all of the possible ways that you can help the animals and how easy it would be if we just made a phone call or donated some money. More and more animals are being abused around the world and it's up to us to stop it.

Role Model

Jolly is a mother of two children and is very young. She works very hard for her children and she works hard to have them happy. LaVaughn, Jolly's babysitter for her kids, goes to Jolly's house quite often after school. When she gets home her mother says how Jolly is a bad influence and how Jolly is not a good person to be around so often. I disagree with her mother. I believe that Jolly is a good person to look up to. I think this because Jolly was able to take on the difficult challenge of having her own children at such a young age.

Jolly is a hard working mother of two young children. She is living all by herself with the responsibility of having to take on the lives of two other people. Jolly is only seventeen and she has one son named Jeremy who is two years old, and one daughter named Jilly who is an infant. Jolly works for the factory. It's not an easy job and the pay isn't that good, but she is working for her children. She's working so they can have a better life.

In conclusion, Jolly should be thought of as a role model. She has gone through so much and she hasn't given up she has took care of her kids. She is still working hard at her job. She is still trying to be a good mother. She is a seventeen year old girl going through all of this at once. She is strong independent and hard working.