Graphic by Brian Hwu.

Madison Ford

Entertainment Editor

A feeling I had never experienced before overwhelmed me as I sat clutching the water color painting, waiting to for my mother to pick me up. My stomach felt as if it had flipped on its side, and no matter how hard I tried I could not help smiling.

I stole another glance at the painting and I recognized the name of the boy I could not stop thinking about: Louis. My first crush was upon me.

From the time we are little girls, we dream about love. At least I did. So my peers and I were enthralled with the Disney princess films. From The Little Mermaid to Beauty and the Beast, these movies captivated our imaginations with tales of adventure and love.

However, in recent years, these movies have come under much criticism. The assertion has been made that they are demeaning to women and promote bad behavior. Upon hearing these claims, to say I was surprised would be an understatement. I had never seen this apparent underlying hurricane of moral treachery and antifeminist messages.

I can understand the points those with this mindset are making. They believe these movies teach young girls they need a man (i.e. the gallant prince/love interest) to rescue them from their troubles, or we should sacrifice things about ourselves, such as our voice or our freedom, in order to find love, or even that poor behavior can benefit us in the end.

While it is easy to understand where these ill sentiments are coming from, it is also easy to see that they are an exaggeration. These films are not simply tales of hopeless love; they teach lessons, and valuable ones at that. I learned that we should value what is on the inside rather than appearance from Beauty and the Beast. I learned that we should stand up for what we believe in from Pocahontas. I learned to value nature (Snow White), to dream big (The Princess and the Frog), and to never give up on something once you set your mind to it (Tangled).

The values taught in these films are more than I can say for other children’s television shows and movies nowadays, which seem to promote fame and fantasy more than anything else. It is true that Disney princess movies center on falling in love, but so do many other films. Throughout our lives, we will watch an enumerable number of movies centered on love.

In regards to the argument the movies teach young girls the wrong lessons about love, this is completely untrue. Yes, in these stories the prince often comes to the rescue of the princess. But why must we take a negative message from this act? We are constantly trying to teach upcoming generations of women to demand respect and kindness from their partners, so why is a movie about a man who would strive to protect his love something to hide from children?

I was an avid watcher of Disney princess films, yet I have never felt like I was dependent upon men to succeed in life. I have, however, created a standard of respect I expect in relationships.

It seems as if this slander toward Disney princess films is somewhat of a stretch. We can obviously take a negative message from the films if we are looking for it; we can do this with any film, whether it is produced by Disney or otherwise. What a child takes away from a story, whether it is via a movie or a book, is what they glean from the discussions that follow, as well as the morals promoted within their homes growing up.

If we blame low self-esteem in women on a Disney film intended to entertain children with stories of love and adventure, then we are simply making excuses for poor education of morals in the real world.

When I reflect on the Disney princess films of my past, or even when I watch them today, I am not affronted as a woman, but rather I am filled with joy. They remind me of the potential for a pure love, of that fluttery feeling you get in your stomach like I did with my first crush. It reminds me of all the potential the world around us can have. And while I am aware that life is not a fairy tale, that does not mean we cannot dream of a life full of magic.

Graphic by Lauren Ussery

A cultural plague has fallen upon the halls of CHS, leaving few unaffected by its symptoms. For the past few years, opposition to mainstream media has become airborne, leading to grotesque transformations of average students into hipsters.

At least, this is how people appear to feel about this cultural phenomenon. As more and more students opt to listen to independent artists rather than Lady Gaga, more and more people become quick to classify these individuals as “hipsters.”

But I am here to boldly say that there is no such thing as a hipster. Rather, every student at CHS is afflicted with some strain of the alternative virus; it just manifests itself to different extremes in varying cases.

It all comes down to the idea of originality.

It is human nature to want to be stand out in a crowd, to not be just another faceless and mindless student shuffling through the hallways. Nobody can honestly say they are OK with being categorized as “just another Coppell girl/guy.” However, how people respond to this stimulus reflects how far they are willing to go to maintain their individuality.

For some girls, it is as simple as borrowing one of their dad’s oversized sweaters and coupling it with a pair of hiking boots. For guys, all they have to do is get rid of the Bieber flow and put on some wide-rimmed glasses. There are definitely worse things you could do.

But for some reason, these large sweaters and bulky glasses incite a sort of witch-hunt. Some students are so opposed to these apparent “hipsters” that they classify them as such and never take a look at their own rationale. From what I have seen, those who are so offended by “hipsters” display an inordinate number of hipster-symptoms.

Such symptoms include: listening to alternative music, loudly referencing the fact that you don’t watch Glee, wearing any of the aforementioned articles of clothing, detesting brand names and carrying around an oversized camera. I have not met one “hipster-hunter” who did not exhibit at least one of these qualities. This leads us to the conclusion that everyone, no matter how much they protest, wants to be “hipster” to a certain extent.

Every time I hear my friend (who coincidentally shows all five of the “hipster” symptoms written above) say things like, “I can’t stand that girl. She thinks she’s so hipster,” what I really hear is, “I wish she would stop trying to take away the only thing that makes me unique.”

I will be the first to admit that I have been infected by the Hipster Plague, but I will not concede that it is in any way a bad thing. One should not be penalized for trying to form a semblance of an identity – we are all trying to find ourselves, and it can be more than slightly confusing. So if someone is comfortable listening to basement artists and wearing clothes from the 80s, then they should be allowed to do so without fearing the judgment of their peers.

To me, the word “hipster” is synonymous with “original,” and everyone has a right to maintain their own originality. We would all do well to embrace it.

Graphic by Brian Hwu.

By Dyer Whitt
Staff Writer

The ability to drive a car serves as an escape, adventure and privilege for most teenagers. However, the process in which one obtains a drivers license is a bit less enjoyable.

For most teenagers, their 16^th birthday marks the day they can solely and legally drive an automobile. Unbeknownst to them, this also marks the day of their first encounter with the Department of Motor Vehicles or DMV.

According to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, “The Department of Transportation budget is 50 percent less than what it was in 1965.”

This statistic alone can be used to explain the treacherous conditions in most DMV offices.

Firstly, it appears they appoint one front desk employee who is in charge of managing every single person that walks through the door. This person, usually bearing a snarky attitude is the most unhelpful person in the whole building. They never actually know what forms you need for your specific goal and either rudely dismiss you or refer you to their outdated website.

The problem with this scenario is that if someone forgets a form needed for their objective, the front desk manager will have to sit there and explain why they need it, how they can get it, and if worse comes to worse contain a confrontation that is provoked by a customer not getting their way.

If you come bearing the right information and make it past the front desk troll, then you are really in for the ride of your life, or let’s just say the sit of your life.

You will then be given a number; this number is in fact your one fate, as you wait in the most uncomfortable setting of your life. While waiting for your number to be called by the monotone speaker you will discover that your back becomes stiff in the agonizingly painful chairs they have.

In addition to the scoliosis inflicting chairs, you can forget about a stable temperature. Without a doubt the DMV is either frigidly cold or swelteringly warm. Be prepared by bringing layered attire unless you want to be miserable during your wait game.

By far the most irritable part of your trip to the DMV will be the wait. Regardless of what you hear from friends, family or the department employees themselves, you will have to wait for at least two to three hours.

Don’t mind anyone who tells you to, “get there early,” or to wait for a certain time or day of the month.

Be prepared to waste a good amount of your day if you plan on going to the DMV. If you have the mindset that renewing your license should be a quick errand, then forget about it. It will take the majority of the day whether you get there early or not.

The government needs to do something about the service at the DMV and with that I propose we have more funding for these types of departments.

This will help civilians not to pull their hair out every time they visit the DMV and also make employees more susceptible to doing their job correctly.

In addition to funding, people just straight up need to be prepared. Have your money, ID, social security card or whatever the authorities want ready.

Do not wait until you are up to bat to warm up your swing; be courteous to others in line and even that incredibly annoyed front desk worker because, whether we like it or not, they are the dictator of that department and have total rule.

Unfortunately the DMV is a must for all drivers, but one thing is for sure, bring a book, iPod, phone or anything to make the wait more bearable. Trust me, you will thank me later.

Graphic by Brian Hwu.

My copy of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden is a thick little book I am not prepared to read entirely, but what I find through reading bits and pieces are simple truths; truths that could further our understanding of our deepest desires and ourselves in a wildly materialistic world.

Walden, published in 1854, is Thoreau’s reflection of his discoveries as he spent a course of two years living in a cabin he built near Walden Pond in Massachusetts. The idea was to be immersed in nature, and unveil the truths of living life.

When I say deepest desires, I refer to our wanting for love and to be loved. For whatever reason being, whether religious or not, we have this desire implanted in our hearts and this desire for love endeavors to guide us, but our music binds us and deceives us, and social networking, certain TV shows, the 21^st century’s use of sexuality and social pressures increase our risk to settle and lower our expectations, further carrying us from what is genuine and true.

“Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand . . . keep your accounts on your thumbnail . . . Simplify, simplify. Instead of three meals a day, if it be necessary eat but one.”

I honestly do not believe that he reduced his daily meals to one, and perhaps shoved three meals worth in his mouth during one time frame. I read it as a metaphor. Instead of reading three news articles a day, being a CNN news junky, I read one. But this is not out of my obsequiousness for Thoreau. In fact, I am not sure I agree with some of his points, but it is for me, who is a little too empathetic and who’s day can be altered in some way if I read much about death tolls in Iraq.

By easing off of my regular indulgences, including Facebook, of which I cancelled the account at the start of the new year, I increased my self-discipline and found that I had more time away from studying the crazy world to studying myself and my own desires. Introspection, according to Thoreau, is as fundamental to personal success and happiness as you need bread to make a sandwich.

Which brings me to the topic I am most eager to talk about; family. I found that making my life simpler than it was brought me closer to my family. As teenagers, there is this constant pressure to always be out with friends, or being out in the crowd. If we are not as social as society demands of us, then we are outcasts. This is in no way true, and it is certainly acceptable to want different things. But I must admonish that family routes us into the world, and it is better to nourish it.

Of course your teachers will be glad that you have more time to focus on schoolwork. You may find that your mind has been cleansed of unneeded circumstances.

Schoolwork gets crazy, I know. But I once was one that tended to forget that schoolwork is not life, and I drowned in a lot of school pressure.

When my choir went to Italy last year, walking throughout cities like Rome and Venice was like a breath of fresh air to see that a lot of these people lived simply, but smiled because they were alive. You do not have to be a straight A IB student and a National Merit Scholar to be happy. It took me awhile to discover this among high school traffic.

The best thing to do around the end of your day or after school is shut off all of the noise.  I am not speaking for just the natural peace seekers, but for everyone and anyone who should look inward and take a break from the vivacity of the media or just needs a quiet place. Embrace nature while you’re at it. Of course, Thoreau was always in favor of that.

Take a stroll in our community garden, walk your dog in the park and remember to always stop and smell the roses. But we must always remember that generations before us lived differently. Many used to live in pure quiet places and many lives in bustling cities.  How we are living now is not the only way to live.

I encourage you to try to simplify your life. The less complicated things are, the more you will grow happy with the simple pleasures and they will have more meaning, other than some of our constant routines of business.

CISD is currently investing into remodeling Coppell High School’s classrooms to create a 21st Century learning experience for it’s students. Mr. Rohloff’s room is one of the few classrooms at CHS that have already been remodeled. The remodeling included the installment of new desks, seats, couches, smart boards, paint for the walls, etc. Photo by Trevor Stiff.

As the world continues to spiral into a more technological and communicative time period, its education systems are taking the liberty of transforming their students into 21^st century learners.

In the last 10 years or so, methods of education have changed drastically along with society. Along the way, they have blended in, being masked by the public’s new sense of normalcy.

Top-notch school districts such as Coppell ISD have always been known for their unique opportunities that make for an award-winning learning environment. They accomplish this by providing the optimum experiences to keep up with today’s technology and expectations.

After a decade of attending CISD schools, I have noticed the changes the district has made to prepare students for their future. Ten years ago, “advanced technology” in schools included chunky Dell laptops and using overheads to teach. Fast-forward a decade, and students have access to MacBook Pros and Smart boards in most classrooms. The world is always changing and frequently has new demands. This is where 21^st century learning comes in.

The goal of 21^st century learning is to utilize today’s technology and discoveries to prepare the students for their future. The world is always changing, and in the transition into the 21^st century, there has been a shift in skills that need to be acquired for ones future.

According to p21.org, education systems will see a lot more curricula based on life and career skills, media and technology skills, and the Four C’s: critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication. They will also raise the standards for standardized testing, instruction and learning environments. After thinking about these elements of a 21^st century learning environment, I realized how many changes CISD has made to the typical school experience in order to fit these qualifications.

CISD is already in the process of implementing many of these elements into its schools through various methods. They have launched Academies for career focuses, incorporated new blended classes into their curriculum, and initiated classroom makeovers that give a more modern feel to the school in order to adapt their class curriculum to develop the Four C’s in their students.

Three years ago, in an attempt to help prepare students interested in media, public services and engineering for their futures, CISD launched the Academies. In these Academies, students are in a smaller, separate learning environment that focuses core and elective curriculum on the career path of the academy.

So far, it appears that these Academies are beneficial to the students who are enrolled in them because of their career-centered classes and opportunities for a hands-on experience. They even allow students to utilize some of today’s top technology in their classrooms.  Students who want to do well in this program do, but the thought of focusing in on one career path scared some off. For those who enjoy the selected career paths, the Academies at CHS are a very good method of education, allowing them to communicate, collaborate and think critically about applying what they learn to what is going on in the real world. They are an overall good experience that will expand into the future.

This year, Coppell High School has piloted a new way of learning called Blended Learning. They have developed new curriculum for core classes that act more as an independent learning environment. This is pretty close to the way New Tech’s curriculum is set up. In them, students spend a total of two or three days in the classroom learning, and the rest of their learning is self-directed through the use of critical thinking. For the 2012-13 school year, there will be a total of four blended classes, and in the future there will most likely be even more.

Students, myself included, are very excited about the idea of taking one of these classes next year and experiencing the direction that learning is going in the 21^st century firsthand. Hopefully these classes will be interesting, productive and look good on college applications. It will be interesting to get away from the typical curriculum of a high school class and explore the materials creatively and independently.

For all of my school life, I have sat in standard desks, chairs and tables. Now CISD is looking forward and changing even these things in their schools. There is now a definite look for a 21^st century learning environment. There are more colors in classrooms to stimulate the mind, and all furniture looks more modern. These rooms are very eye catching in a typical school.

By next year, CHS alone will have three rooms that have been updated to this new look. One is an environment which elective classes use for collaboration. They will all incorporate different desks, chairs and colors never before seen in a normal classroom environment. Most furniture is made from the same company including the node chairs, which are taking over the standardized desk. These chairs are round, pivot 360 degrees around, and have desks attached to the top of them.

In Brian Rohloff’s history classroom, I have the interesting privilege to sit in them everyday. The chairs prove to be beneficial in organization and position. They have a large basket underneath for student backpacks, which keeps the floor clutter free, and they also have curved backs that allow students to improve their posture. The 360-degree rotation allows students to freely move their chair around in any direction, which proves beneficial when the teacher is talking or you are trying to write notes, and the attached desks rotate to any desired position that is comfortable for the student.

As schools update their looks to have more of a modern feel, they are projected to look like this. Although it is different, it is definitely something that I could get used to.

The future is a scary thing, if you think about it. Not knowing what is coming next or what will become of what you know now. Maybe 10 years from now what I think is normal will be incredibly outdated, and what I think is strange now will be normal; it is just going to look a lot different. Ultimately, moving education into the future will be a good thing for students, preparing them appropriately for their world post-high school. It is just going to take some adjusting and getting used to in between.

Graphic by Lauren Ussery.

America is one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world—all because millions have been fortunate enough to embark upon a piece of land with such immense potential it is labeled the “the land of opportunity”.

Some might argue this opportunity has been abused, that those who fought to build us up gave us too much freedom. To be frank, too much freedom for non-American citizens. We should not ignore the topic—illegal immigration is a controversial topic heating up in time. A topic that hundreds of years later, has the American youth at the most uneducated state in history.

As a Hispanic, I have been asked the dreaded question: are you illegal? Is your family illegal? I’ve seen others be patronized over race with vulgar questions over their documentation in the states.

Yes, these have all been within the high school barriers. But these children must be getting their ideas from somewhere. Is it the news? Is it from home? We might never know the answer. The scary thing about this is that even if these people are able to set their facts straight, their beliefs will always be a part of them and influence them in the future.

We’ve found ourselves in aware against illegal immigrants and their economic repercussions, (undeserved) benefits, negative economical impact and unpaid taxes. However, Americans for the most part fail to stop and see the other side of the story: the ones of the illegal immigrants.

Before you get the wrong idea—I am not here to preach to you that I believe we should be accepting of illegal immigrants. This column serves to establish the fine line that America has crossed between “concerned” and ignorant.

Contrary to popular statements, The New York Times reported that of the 312 million population, only 11 million illegal immigrants reside in the United States. This is about four percent of the population.

How is that mere four percent, composed of minimal low-wage manual labor workers, supposed to be responsible for the economic turmoil that our nation is facing?

Growing up in South Texas, I experienced Hispanic heritage and influence. Needless to say, moving to Coppell was a catastrophic racial jump. In South Texas there is a stronger emphasis in Hispanic culture, due to its proximity to the border. This is evident everywhere, from the elective courses that the schools offered to the food you bought at the local grocery store.

In Coppell, there is a 12 percent Hispanic population at the high school. Caucasians make up 60 percent. I say that not to make it seem as though they abuse this advantage, or that Hispanics are in any way inferior, but to show comparisons to the nation as a whole.

Thousands of people migrate to the United States for a fresh start to exhort the unalienable rights the American Constitution entitles them to. The trek may be a long and tedious one, but these people cross only with the intention to create a better life for themselves and their families.

Truth is, these people are coming in and taking lower waged jobs that Americans are less willing to hold. We should in response, devise plans that could help our economy by having both cheap labor and taxes paid by those being employed in the country.

Republican Presidential candidate and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has proposed a new idea within his campaign that could be key in the illegal immigrant issue. The Krieble Foundation created a system of work permits for illegal immigrants, “red cards” that Gingrich has expanded on and has exhorted to the American people. With these permits, illegal immigrants would be able to legally work in the United States however they would not be receiving as many benefits as a legal citizen.

Employment agencies would proceed by matching illegals with American jobs and cardholders would be permitted to live in the country as long as they paid taxes, such as Social Security. However, they would not receive any social security benefits and would not be eligible to vote or be on the path to citizenship.

If the American people would be more open to an idea like this and we make an effort as a nation to stop incidents leading to racial prejudgment and we educate our youth properly we could help put a lid on the ignorance.

How would you feel if you had nothing and you wanted everything for your family? What if I told you that you couldn’t have this for another 10 years? What if you’re only chances of a better life is to cross the border and live in another country illegal?

Immigration keeps our country strong; it exposes us to different cultures, which combine to make us one of the leading world powers. Illegal immigrants should not be overlooked, but integrated into society if they show good intentions and have made an effort to contribute something to our country. We should find ways to help these people and live up to our moral, as the land of the free; the land of opportunity.

America was established by immigrants with the intent of making a better life for themselves and their families. America today is one of the most medically and technologically advanced countries in the world. Who would not want to have a chance to prosper in a country as great as ours?

However, this opportunity does not give people the right to illegally come to America just because they do not want to have to wait the appropriate amount of time, or cannot meet the qualifications to enter the country. Even in 1921 immigrants were required to provide a passport, visa, and pass a literacy test.

Even after the immigrants provided the correct information, a certain person could be refused if they had mental illnesses, or a criminal; it should not change now just because certain group of immigrants does not fulfill the requirements.

Graphic by Lauren Ussery

As a major issue, immigration is a touchy subject for some, and a fight for others. In some cases, illegal immigration has brought discrimination and racial comments from native-born citizens, and the most common targets are Mexican immigrants.

Only four percent of citizens in America are illegal including the Hispanic population; but they must suffer the consequences that come with breaking the law. Since not all the illegals can be caught, it is hard to enforce a proper trial. However, when they come to this country, they have not passed a literacy test, most likely meaning they cannot speak English; it is because of this that they get menial jobs.

More and more students in Texas are taking Spanish as their second language due to the increase in the Hispanic population in the United States. I do not believe it is correct for the people who live legally here in the United States to have to speak Spanish in order to get a job. I believe it should be the other way around. The point of the literacy test is to have new immigrants speak English so they may adjust better to American ways, also better job opportunities come to those who are fluent in English.

I believe if a person, of any culture or country, wishes to become a citizen of the United States, they must legally wait for their turn. Mandarin Chinese is the language of the business world; all businessmen that work overseas and for other countries are capable of speaking their native language as well as Mandarin including American citizens. So why do the illegal immigrants not do the same?

The Hispanic culture does not cause any harm to American culture per se; however, some of them do have difficulty adjusting and Americanizing. This is not necessarily a problem. It is the people who refuse to have their children learn English that are hurting their children’s chances of advancing in this country.

What people do not realize is the complexity of the issue of immigration. All cultures that are new to America experience discrimination.

There is no one answer to this problem. It could be lessened if people became more accepting, but I do not see that happening. Until the problem of illegal immigration is solved, there is going to be more and more hostility between heritages. I do not believe illegally immigrating is acceptable and something must be done to prevent it.

There are people in Britain, China and other countries will live in the United States for five years on a green card before they get their apply for citizenship, and when the five years is up it could take an additional six months to two years to become a legal citizen. It is not fair for those moral citizens to wait while others illegally come to America and abuse the opportunity.

Graphic by Brian Hwu.

With drool stains on his T-shirt and boogers running from his nose, I was rejected on my preschool playground by my first crush. In that gut-wrenching moment, I realized everything does not end in happily ever after.

For the majority of my life, I searched for a Cinderella-type romance. I thought having high standards meant waiting to be chased, saved and swept off your feet by Prince Charming.  These ideas were put into my mind by none other than my preschool pastime: Disney.

Aurora, otherwise known as Sleeping Beauty, spends the entire movie waiting to be rescued by a prince. Snow White’s goal is to have a prince take her to his castle, which is accomplished only after she foolishly takes a bite from a poison apple. And, although in the beginning of the movie, Ariel wants to go on land to find gizmos and collect objects, once she meets Prince Eric, her only goal is to be united with him.

In all of these movies, the female character’s only priority in their life is to find love. It makes women out to be dependent and lacking ambition and drive. Disney manipulates young girls into thinking a man will solve their problems and that being alone is simply not acceptable.

In this fantasy land where animals talk and breaking out in song is socially acceptable, there is an underlined meaning of what love and beauty is that can change a child’s views of the world at a very young age.

Maybe that is what makes Disney so appealing. It sets an unreachable standard of love. Real-life couples fight about money, time and communication. Disney couples struggle with spells, dragons and monsters. It is so extreme and exciting it makes real love seem dull and not “special” by comparison.

Although my father always claimed I was a princess, I realized very early on that I did not look like one. Disney portrays princesses as flawless. They have a golden voice, perfect skin and luscious hair. My freckled face and unruly mane never fit the Disney image.

It is odd to say I am jealous of fictional characters, but in some ways I am. It is disappointing that love is not the way Disney portrays it. It is a shame that the majority of relationships end in tears, pain and dysfunction.

Disney is the best at cutting off the story of their princesses at the ideal moment. They never truly explain the most vital part of the whole love story: What happens after happily ever after?

In today’s times, where couples dispose of each other once things get boring and claim it is because of irreconcilable differences, there is no doubt in my mind that the media, movies in particular, play a role in this.

Disney sets girls up to be disappointed. That sounds harsh, but in many respects it is true. I am not saying love should be boring, but I know an average day for me does not consist of being whisked away on horseback into the sunset or having a wicked spell casted on me. Girls get so caught up in the characters of these movies they forget that it simply is unrealistic to strive for a perfect life.

In Disney films, the princess always gets saved no matter how close she is to dying or carrying on heavy consequences. In real love, however, there can be consequences to each decision you make, and you cannot always rely on a man to fix your problems for you.

It was fun to play pretend when I was a young girl, but love is no longer a game of pretend.  Even though it is not always easy to admit, Prince Charming is out there – he is just not what Disney had in mind.

I love the media. #unpopularopinion.

I think the media is the only industry that works more than it does not. I think it is the most fulfilling profession of all time and I completely understand why so many people despise it. I think the media is a perfectly reasonable thing to hate.

There are plenty of reasons that normal, sane people want to throw a shoe at media personalities every time they write another column or open their mouths, but there are an equal number of reasons as to why journalism is the most necessary field in the world.

Journalism is a public dialogue. The people who work in journalism dedicate their lives to discovering how humanity and the world work. A common complaint among media critics is journalists are all flaming liberals, and 90 percent of the time they are right. But they are right for valuable reasons.

One of the hardest things for media critics to understand is that journalists are not like you. Media people are generally liberal for the simple reason that if good writers did not feel like there needed to be a change in the world, they would not have gone into journalism. They would have gone into advertising to make twice the money and work half as hard.

The media is an essential part of the survival and functioning of our nation’s democracy. The everyday citizen needs journalists to wade through all of the misleading fluff, the political code-words and candy-coated problems – and resurface with valuable and truthful information.

Often in the world of journalism, supposedly unbiased writers and broadcasters are faulted for shoving their personal viewpoints down the throats of their audiences, but the opinion of the writer often plays little role in the development of a true news story. And I am not being naïve when I say this – it is true.

Journalists are paid to cover the news and the most interesting and eccentric events are what usually make the front page, and this is where the true fault in the media profession lies. The only crime that all media outlets are guilty of is catering too much to their audiences.

Often times the latest faux pas of popular social and political figures get more coverage than worldly and vital information, leading to a misbalance in the news. This misbalance can lead to an under informed audience who is then forced to suffer the consequences of missing out on some of the most meaningful public record.

While the media industry may not be perfect, its imperfections must be accepted because of the vital role it plays in every part of our society. The media does an outstanding job of linking the entire world to one another. Journalists have a unique way of pointing out all of the obvious ways we are different and all of the subtle ways we are exactly the same, and for that reason alone I am able to safely say that the media’s accomplishments far out weigh its imperfections.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK--May 18, 2009--Comedian Stephen Colbert's late night faux political talk show has been gaining momentum with Emmy voters, giving him the statuette over his one-time boss Jon Stewart.

In true Man of the Year fashion, comedian Stephen Colbert announced on his show that he will enter the GOP race for a shot at becoming president.

In 2006, Robin Williams starred in a hit film called Man of the Year, where a comedian on a network television show announced he would be running for president as an independent. While it began as a joke, he joined the debates, showing he knew the issues and had a plan to fix them. The public related to him, and he won the election. This same situation is beginning to unfold before us in the form of Stephen Colbert’s campaign.

While most everyone assumes Colbert’s campaign is nothing more than a stunt designed to gain attention and viewers to his television show, I believe his campaign could receive some legitimacy. He was not allowed to join the race for the South Carolina primarybecause they received his application too late. He is now clear to campaign if he so chooses, and he has mentioned many times he plans on it.

He continues to air “campaign commercials” on his show, The Colbert Report, which airs four nights a week on Comedy Central. While most of them are humor-based, he does show a deep understanding for the issues. He shows that he knows what he’s talking about. With some luck, Colbert has a shot at becoming a legitimate candidate.

When you look at the candidates who remain in the race, they poll almost as low as President Barack Obama. Being a Republican, I would have a tough time sending any of these GOP candidates to the final election. After Obama’s State of the Union Address, and how high quality that speech truly was, none of the current candidates are going to be able to win over the public to beat him. At this point in the race, Obama is the best candidate. No matter how unfortunate that may be, it is the truth.

When you think about the President of the United States, you think of a wealthy politician who won a popularity contest. It is time we had an average man become president. Stephen Colbert is that man. It makes sense. He has a show on television, giving him a free way to campaign. He knows the issues, and his solutions actually make sense. Most important, he is a genuine and like-able guy. He knows what he is doing.

The people in this country have a tough time relating to a man who won his office based on being the highest bidder. I know I have a tough time respecting any man who used his financial well being to win his office. We need a man we can relate to. Colbert is that man.

Colbert has put himself in quite the situation in this election. While it may have started as joke, just as it did in Man of the Year, Colbert could become a legitimate candidate. If he does, then he has a shot at becoming the winner of the GOP race. If he wins the GOP, I have a hard time believing that he cannot win the office of the President of the United States of America.