Season of Giving Reminds Community to Reach out by AMOL NARANG As the Days Get Shorter and Shorter with Easy to Take Things for Granted
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December 19, 2000 Gilman School www.GilmanNews.com Volume C, No. 4 Season of Giving Reminds Community to Reach Out BY AMOL NARANG As the days get shorter and shorter with easy to take things for granted. Never do we For many years, Gilman has also shared not as blessed. Many of us do not deserve the arrival of winter, our anticipation of the have to worry about having our next meal. in the charitable spirit of the holidays by to go to a good school and to live in a big holidays grows larger and larger. The ex- Never do we have to worry about being able giving food, clothing, and toys to the Echo house. Never did we earn any part of our pected relaxation of winter break, mixed to find warm clothes. Instead, for many of House soup kitchen. The bond between lavish lives. It is by pure luck that we live with the surprise of presents, provides for us, our greatest concern is whether or not our Gilman and Echo House existed many years in comfort. The same holds true for the an irresistible time of year. Moreover, as parents will give us the right gift. However, before Mr. Anton Vishio took over the less fortunate. They do not deserve to won- we migrate to our warm houses and our if we all take a couple minutes to reflect upon loving families, it is often easy to lose sight our good fortune, we would realize that giv- of those less fortunate than ourselves, those ing is synonymous with the holiday season. who do not have a warm house or a loving For those who wish to help the needy, there family to help them celebrate the holidays. are many opportunities in Baltimore City and Indeed, for some of them, the coming of at Gilman to help those less fortunate. winter signifies a huge Christmas dinner One such organization is known as with the family but also colder and windier Samaritan’s Purse, which is actually an in- weather. Considering that most Gilman ternational organization. The idea behind folk come from affluent backgrounds, it is this organization is simple. Shoeboxes filled with gifts are donated to the organization, which then redistributes them throughout the world. Last year, over three million shoeboxes were collected and distributed Inside...Inside... throughout more than 60 countries world- wide. Moreover, the organization focused on “bringing joy and hope to the unfortu- News: nate children of Kosovo to allow them to Gilman School President celebrate the true meaning of the holidays.” critiques the quality of The sight of men and women in Santa Clause outfits ringing their bells and kindly SAGE service- page 5 asking for donations is a familiar one. They are all members of a nationwide organiza- tion known as Volunteers of America Side- Op/Ed: walk Santa. For one hundred years, this or- Ken Kiyota comments on ganization has succeeded in allowing home- the sad state of American less, elderly, and neglected children of America to have a happy Christmas. The Christmas tradtions -page 3 members of the Volunteers of America Side- walk Santa believe donations will “bring Israeli-Arab conflict rages love, compassion, and comfort to millions across the nation.” Furthermore, it provides as 2nd Intifadeh takes hold the opportunity for many to directly help the - page 3 community. Not only does this organization collect money, but it has also set up numer- ous local programs around the country to Arts: help those in need. Even closer to home is the Catholic Chari- BY BEN PIVEN Center Stage’s “Fall” a ties organization, Maryland’s largest private Matt Turner (‘01) and Teddy Wiles (‘02) take a break from tree decorations. thrilling production- page 6 provider of human services. Based in Balti- Christmas food drive almost 30 years ago. der where their next meal is going to arise. more, this organization serves more than According to Mr. Vishio, “the tradition Yet, by some inexplicable reason, these 60,000 clients every year. It provides a vast started out of the desire for the school to poor men, women, and children have to Sports: array of programs - from housing services share the abundance of its constituency with suffer through hardships foreign to many to programs for the disabled. As the organi- those who are not as blessed.” Mr. Vishio of us at Gilman. It should therefore be out Sorry to say good-bye to zation relies on volunteers to help carry out further captured the true meaning of the of compassion, love, and sorrow that we Oriole Pitcher Mike its mission, the organization is always ap- holiday season when he exclaimed that he give donations and try to make the lives of Mussina - page 11 preciative of anyone who could help. The felt bad when Echo House showed their the needy better. Nobody should ever have Director of the Catholic Charities organiza- gratitude towards Gilman. “They shouldn’t to solicit us for donations. Instead, we tion was disappointed last year at the lack of have to say thanks,” commented Mr. Vishio, ought to take the initiative. This holiday Varsity Basketball rises in help he received from American teenagers: who believes that helping the needy is a season, think about how truly lucky we are, metro-area standings with “I was truly surprised at the lack of help from basic human duty. and how unlucky many others are. Let’s kids. Kids can be really helpful, but it’s too Mr. Vishio is right. It is our duty to pro- do all we can to make the season merrier stellar victories - page 12 bad many would rather watch T.V. than do vide basic necessities such as food, hous- for all people. It will surely make our own something productive.” ing, and clothes to fellow humans who are holiday season much more enjoyable. Page 2 The Gilman News • December, 19 2000 Editorial ERY vote in the state of Florida isn’t re- Gilman to be. No one was forced to sign counted. Who’s in charge, here? No one the poster. If signing was an “empty ges- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR knows because nobody wants to be. ture,” that is the fault of the person sign- I say give each and every state an equal ing. However, we chose the word RE- say in an election, regardless of population. SPECT carefully to try to allow for a range Dear Editor, based on population? How fair is that? Think Allow each state to feel important and nec- of interpretation, depending on the situa- A refrain I heard from virtually every about it. Do you think Wyoming is happy to essary in the process of selecting a presi- tion. At best, respect can mean honor or street corner I happened by and on almost only be able to send 3 electors to D.C. on dent. One state, one elector. Then let’s see esteem; some members of the Gilman com- every bus I stepped onto in Baltimore, in December 18th, just because fewer people live how much time the presidential candidates munity deserve that. On a less noble level, the days following the election ‘tie’, was, in Wyoming as compared to Texas? Do you spend in Maryland. Or Wyoming. respect means acceptance or proper cour- “I am SO glad I voted this year. This elec- think the people in Big Sky country feel they There are short-sighted nay-sayers who tesy, which most people at Gilman deserve. tion proved that my vote really does have a ‘say’ in a national election, compared will argue up one side of you and down the At its most basic, respect means simply count!” Give me a major break. to Florida or some of the other ‘big ticket’ other that the electoral system as we now leaving someone alone. When it comes to Maryland’s pitiful 10 electoral ‘votes’ did states? Not after this election. It’s not as if know it will not be altered because it’s matters of racial, religious, ethnic, gender, nothing to get Al Gore any closer to the the citizenry of this country had a say in how CONSTITUTIONAL. I wish to bring to age, size, sexual, or socio-economic differ- White House than before I pulled that dingy its borders would be drawn, so why should the attention those of this ilk, three salient ences, EVERYONE at Gilman deserves at curtain behind me at the voting station. these smaller states be punished because of facts: 1. When the CONSTITUTION was least that. No? I got it all wrong? Let’s break this something as innocuous as a census. Why ratified, there were no provisions for slaves We never had any thought that the poster down to simple math. Sans Florida’s 25 should the larger states be dealt all the trump to hold the right to vote. 2. When slaves would “impress visitors.” Our sole moti- ‘all world’ electoral votes (can you see cards every four years? were freed, under the CONSTITUITION vation was that the poster would be a posi- where I’m going with this?) Gore stood at This election has finally exposed the they were still not granted the right vote. 3. tive gesture. And many people signed it in 267 votes with Bush at 246, with 270 elec- weakness in this archaic system we call the As a descendant of slaves, I voted on No- the spirit for which we intended it. Unfor- toral votes being the magic number. You ‘electoral college’. We finally have the ‘tie’ vember 7th as provided by the CONSTITU- tunately, some students, who could have think Maryland’s votes make a difference? that politicos have been bantering about for TION.