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?
The Equal Rights Amendment: Why women are still not full citizens
by: Cassie Terry - printed on 09-25-2002
Some questions on citizenship: are you a native-born American (not a green card holder)? Is your criminal record free of felonies? Can you vote? Can you run for office? Can you sue or be sued? Are you male? If you answered no to any of these questions, your rights are not being protected by the constitution. Yes, that is right, girls. The law of the land does not afford you equal rights. In fact, the only women’s right formally protected by the constitution is your right to vote. Only recently has the law recognized a woman’s right to equal protection.
A vision of peace
by: Hank Smith - printed on 03-27-2002
People who win the Nobel Prize for Peace are considered individuals of special talent and passion. They are seen as builders of a new world free of hate and war and murder. Books are written about them, television programs chronicle their lives, and their words are studied in classrooms throughout the world. These peacemakers, we think, are truly special people.
Yet do these Nobel laureates think of themselves as having more influence than other individuals? Do they see themselves as unique people with a special talent for peace building? The answer, gathered from their words, is a resounding no.
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.
Siesta Lessons
by: Brooke Anderson - printed on 02-28-2001
Siesta. A time to think, to reflect, to slow down, to relax . . . moreover, a time to simply breathe. When I first arrived in Spain, I wasn’t aware how deeply ingrained siestas were in the Spanish culture. I had heard the term before, but never considered it a practiced tradition in any country. I quickly learned that in the south of Spain, a siesta was not only a tradition, but a daily ritual. At exactly 2:00 every day, the stores pulled down their chain-link barriers, offering a sign that the siesta was approaching.
‘That’s the thing about Christmas in Ghana’
by: Isaac Vanderburg - printed on 01-31-2001
It is an organic story, really. In 1969 two Peace Corps volunteers went to Ghana, West Africa. They taught English to the Twi-speaking children of villages called Aducrom and Laarte. They ate fufu and banku and redred and nkatiekwein. They did all the things that volunteers do: teach, travel, work, wander, laugh and cry. Of course, they couldn’t help but to love the kids they taught, love the work they did, and love most of Ghana in general.
What you may not know about health care providers
by: Kelly Maggi - printed on 10-10-2001
Anyone who is familiar with health care should be familiar with the terms “primary care physician” or “primary care provider.” The idea behind their creation was a wonderful one - why don’t we have one physician who manages the care of each person? This idea was meant to reduce the number of drug interactions and provide more complete care for each individual. Unfortunately, there was another motive.