Wise Monkey News is here to provide young people an opportunity to discuss the issues that affect their lives. We hope that, through your participation, this website serves as a forum for the development, exchange, and expression of ideas that will prepare us to assume our positions as the leaders of tomorrow's world. Have something to say?
Disney Perpetuates Gender Stereotypes
by: Marcilla Lucero-Miner - printed on 09-25-2002
What is worrisome is the values those heroes, princesses and villains represent. Using DisneyÂ’s most famous animated motion picture, Cinderella (1950), as an example, the way in which Disney characters are continually cast in traditional gender roles becomes clear.
Nuclear proliferation and the threat of nuclear war
by: Peter Andrews - printed on 03-06-2002
Since the end of the Cold War, the US has continued develop its nuclear weapons program. The funding for these programs stands at 5 billion and is scheduled to increase by one billion over the next three years. The funds will be used to refurbish existing weapons, rebuild facilities used to manufacture nuclear warheads and to step up our readiness to again conduct underground testing in Nevada. America's nuclear forces have played an important role in the military’s strategy since the end of World War II and the threat of nuclear war has acted to deter major conflicts over the last half century.
It's time to stop short sighted policies
by: Ryan O'Connor - printed on 04-11-2001
The environment has no checkbook. Polar bears cannot vote. The ozone is unable to write an incensed letter to the editor.
Given this it is remarkable that two of the three major presidential canidates in last fall’s election were considered friends of the environment. A stark change from any previous election—last year’s campaign featured discussion of the Kyoto Treaty on Global Warming, tax credits for polluters, the fate of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and the horrible symptoms of our nations addiction to fossil fuels.
“Don’t ask, don’t tell” an archaic notion
by: Emily Marie Dinges - printed on 03-28-2001
Discrimination. That’s an icky word. It is defined as “treatment based on class or category rather than individual merit.” Unfortunately, that’s exactly what the United States military is doing today: discriminating against gays and lesbians.
Before 1993, gays and lesbians were barred from serving in the military. President Clinton worked to change this and the compromise solution, “Don’t ask, don’t tell” was born.
The birth of a monkey
by: Eduardo Mono Vergara - printed on 04-25-2001
It was probably one of those Saturday afternoons, when Ryan and I used to try to solve the problems of the world with not much success. It was under the Chilean rain, navigating down south, were everything started. We wanted to integrate college students from all over the world and have a place for them to discuss issues that affect their lives. The idea did not sound that hard, but we were still in college and it was a project that was maybe going to take a few years.
Importance of Gender
by: Kevin Damore - printed on 09-25-2002
When I was first asked to write a piece about gender issues for this fine publication I figured that it was about as good an idea as giving a four-year-old pyromaniac his first Bic lighter.