January 2016 | Colt Nation

Why Gun Control is For the Birds

Posted on February 27, 2016 by WJHS Colt Nation

Olivia Mohr

Since when do criminals obey the law? There are laws against stealing…yet people steal. The same would be true with gun control; if there were laws against guns in the U.S., criminals would still obtain them and there would still be murders. We do not live in a perfect world. Yes, the concept of no guns and peace on earth is great and all, but it is far too idealistic. Gun control would be largely ineffective.

Of course, not all gun control means no gun ownership whatsoever. Some who believe in gun control want it applied purely to assault weapons or to people with mental illnesses. They could also support the idea of background checks. In theory, these ideas have some merit, but there are holes in them.

Some claim that there is no reason to own assault weapons, but the fact is that assault weapons are not drastically different from semi-automatic weapons. Assault weapons fire only one bullet per one pull of the trigger just like semi-automatic weapons. They are not like machine guns. Assault weapons differ from semi-automatic weapons due to their “military-like features” only; they are not more powerful.

As to those with mental illnesses, the federal law already says that those who have been found in court to be mentally unstable or those who have involuntarily been put in mental hospitals cannot buy guns. This, of course, is perfectly reasonable. However, we start playing with fire when it comes to people with possible mental illnesses who do not fit this description. Yes, the idea of anyone who may be mentally ill carrying around weapons with killing potential is unnerving, but we would have a hard time acquiring data on those people due to the fact that many of those involved in mental treatment believe that disqualifications could keep those who need treatment from seeking it and that the disqualifications would have a negative effect on therapeutic relationships.

Background checks have also come up as a possible solution to gun-related violence. The idea is great; theoretically, background checks could keep guns out of the wrong hands. This concept too, however, has its faults. The U.S. does not have a registry of firearms; therefore, if a gun-related crime occurred, it would be impossible to verify who the seller was and when the sale happened. It would also prove ineffective due to the fact that criminals would still get ahold of guns through the black market, from other criminals, or from gun owners. In addition, Canada had a registration program that was revoked due to noncompliance from gun owners, dispute, and cost overruns.

In our country, Obama has argued for gun control using England and Australia as examples. England bans guns in homes and Australia has a buyback program (which the U.S. would not be interested in because its citizens are not interested in selling their guns to the government). Even though those countries have those gun control laws, the U.S. would not function in the same way due to the conflict of interest with the Constitution, the 2nd Amendment, and Supreme Court decisions guaranteeing the right of Americans to keep and bear arms in homes for self-defense and legal use (District of Columbia v. Heller, McDonald v. Chicago). Furthermore, in spite of the gun control laws in the U.K., there is still murder and gun-related crime.

On the surface, gun control seems like a great idea. But in the U.S., there has in fact been a decrease in violent crime and gun crime since the early 1990s even as the number of firearms has increased by approximately 10 million per year. This just goes to show that the media dramatizes the rates of gun-related crime in the U.S. by making them look much higher than they actually are.

What makes the U.S. different from other countries in the world? We are given more rights. And when one right is taken away, it has the potential to cause a domino effect; more and more rights could be taken away from us…starting with just one. Yes, that sounds a bit dramatic, but think about it. It rings true.

And when it comes to the effectiveness of gun control, think of mass shootings in schools, malls, churches, or other places where there are a lot of unarmed people in one place. They are hotspots for shootings. Why? If more people were armed in those places, criminals wouldn’t mess with them as much. The Amarillo school district in Texas recognizes this concept and so the entire faculty and staff is armed to protect against possible attackers. Even though we don’t necessarily have to adopt the same principles as the Amarillo school district, we don’t want our nation to be a hotspot for crime. Criminals would gain access to guns no matter what, so doesn’t it make sense to defend ourselves?

A Criminologist’s Case Against Gun Control

10 Arguments Against Gun Control

WJHS Basketball Schedule

Posted on February 27, 2016 by WJHS Colt Nation

Lauren Stocker

Boys Varsity Basketball Games Boys JV Basketball Games

Date Opponent Site Time Date Opponent Site Time
02/02 Boyle County Home 7:30 02/02 Boyle County Home 6:00
02/05 East Jessamine Home 7:45 02/03 East Jessamine Home 7:45
02/06 Garrard County Home 3:30 02/06 Garred County Home 3:00
02/09 Woodford County Away 7:30 02/09 Woodford County Away 6:00
02/12 Wayne County Away 7:30 02/12 Wayne County Away 6:00
02/16 Paul Dunbar Away 7:30 02/16 Paul Dunbar Away 6:00
02/18 Pulaski County Home 7:30 02/18 Pulaski County Home 6:00
02/22-26 46th District Tourn. *46 Districts Game
@ Harrodsburg Away TBA Boys freshmen basketball games
03/02-08 12th region Tourn. Date Opponent Site Time
@ Pulaski County Away TBA 02/03 East Jessamine Home 6:30
03/16-20 KHSAA State Tourn. 02/04 Tates Creek Away 7:00
@ Rupp Arena Away TBA 02/08 Henry Clay Home 7:30
*46th district Game 02/10 Lexington Catholic Away 6:00
02/13 12th Region Freshman Tourn.
TBA TBA
*46 district game

Girls Varsity Basketball
Girls JV Basketball

Date Opponent Site Time Date Opponent Site Time
02/01 Burgin Home 7:00 02/03 East Jessamine Away 6:30
02/05 East Jessamine Home 6:00 02/09 McCreary Central Home 6:00
02/06 St. Patrick Away 2:00 02/12 Pendleton Away 6:00
02/09 McCreary Central Home 7:30 02/13 Moore Home 3:00
02/12 Pendleton County Away 7:30 02/18 Bethlehem Home 6:00
02/13 Moore Home 4:30
02/18 Bethlehem(Sr. Night Home 7:30
02/22-28 46th District Game TBA TBA

Turning Green

Posted on February 27, 2016 by WJHS Colt Nation

Kaili Carson

Those of you who went to Nicholasville Elementary school probably remember the once-lustrous greenhouse there on campus that now lies in shambles. It has been useless to the students and staff for the past several years and is a constant reminder of the wasted potential that the building has to offer. Having recognized this problem, West Jessamine High School’s Awaken Leadership class has decided to take initiative in order to revamp the NES greenhouse program.

Awaken has named the project “Turning Green”, and has set a series of short and long term goals in order to promote ecological awareness and youth engagement in the community. Obviously, their first and most pertinent objective is to get the greenhouse up and running again. They hope to accomplish this by mid-February, and will couple the completion with an unveiling event for the entire community. However, Turning Green will not be limited to the maintenance of the greenhouse. Members of the Awaken class that are participating in this impactful project envision a club and community garden in the future of the movement. Fundraising for Turning Green will begin very soon, so if you would like to support this worthy cause keep in mind that any contribution helps! Keep your eyes and ears open for updates on the progress of this project that will doubtless make Jessamine County a healthier, greener community to live in.

WJHS Student Council Minutes

Posted on February 27, 2016 by WJHS Colt Nation

• Sadie Hawkins Dance is to be held in February and the tentative theme will be Celebrity/Movie Characters. Funds raised from the dance will be split in thirds and go to the Cystic Fibrosis Fund (Reece Kemp’s Charity), The Jessamine County Animal Shelter, and the Student Council.

• Dance blue will be held on January 30th and will be at R.J. Corman’s hanger.

• New classes will be offered next year and we will have a survey to see what the students of WJHS would be interested in taking.

• Courtyard is scheduled to be refurbished in the spring

• Senior Trip T-shirts are in the making

• Spent last several minutes figuring out how to set up Group Message for the Student Council so that we can communicate outside of meetings

Parents, Students Unite in Demands for Rain-Cancelled NTI Days

Posted on February 27, 2016 by WJHS Colt Nation

David Madill

Using logical arguments and assigning responsibility where it is obviously due, parents have begun a campaign to end school-related activities on rainy days. Citing what are commonly known as “cold days,” where a school day is cancelled or delayed because of low temperatures in mornings, when kids stand outside at bus stops, parents are complaining that rain is also perilous to their children’s health.

A well known doctor, whose Yelp reviews establish a longstanding, multigenerational tradition of excellence, agreed, saying that “exposure to rain has something to do with ‘catching a cold,’ as [his] grandmother always told [him].” Such was his confidence in his diagnosis that he tried to prescribe me three different types of antibiotics throughout the interview, obviously believing that I was there because of a slight breeze that had happened earlier that morning.

Parents are joining their hands with students in something they are both good at: complaining about education. “My son had to stand outside in the rain for three minutes while waiting for the bus,” one parent complained. “By the time he got to school, he was drenched because he opened the window on the bus to wave at me, like I always make him.”

Her son said, “I always open the window so that I can pretend to throw things at passing cars and make the bus driver mad.”

Parents like these, and many others, are furious that their precious children are being placed in potentially dangerous situations, such as anywhere without a controlled climate and fluorescent lighting. “They simply aren’t used to harsh environments where the only things alive are grass and trees and wildlife. There’s a reason it’s called wildlife. It’s wild! And my child isn’t wild at all. He shouldn’t be subjected to this, especially when there are such chemicals as aqueous dihydrogen monoxide falling from the sky. I should homeschool him!”

Another group of parents is investigating the frequency of such chemically diverse precipitation in relation to carbon emissions.

At the end of the day, the parent-student union called “Call of Duty,” after how they plan to utilize their NTI free time, is making great strides. Making inroads into both the bus garage, where drivers say they too would “prefer less school, especially if it isn’t made up at the end of the year,” and social media, where their page is liked by thousands of gamers, they are building a passionate and supportive coalition of school haters. They even got one senator, from New Mexico, to join their cause. “Even though it doesn’t rain in my state at all,” he said, “I still feel it is my duty as an American senator to weigh in on the subject of both rain and education.” When further questioned, he also boasted that he had no experience in education, claiming that it “made him perfect for educational reform.”

School authorities are carefully considering their options in the face of such an analytical and reasonable protest. What they are debating, however, isn’t even to do with rainy days. “Our school district likes to be out in front of progress when it comes to human rights issues. Is it a student’s right to remain at home when they don’t want to come? We’d rather avoid a Supreme Court case on that one,” a representative said. “In America, freedom is the key word, and school is the main thing standing in the way of true freedom for these poor, enslaved students.”
The homeschool co-op says it doesn’t expect any increase in registration.

Principal Interview: Mr. McConnell

Posted on February 27, 2016 by WJHS Colt Nation

Rockwell Hamilton

This past week, I got to speak with Mr. McConnell, one of the assistant principals here at West Jessamine. He shined a little light on where our school is heading this coming year of 2016. The six-period day transition is better for most students, allowing them to stomach more classes and reduce the school day fatigue, but it also opens up more options for what students can do. However, there are some problems in classes with a lot of content, such as AP classes. Because classes have fifteen minutes less a day to cover content, the workload outside of school may increase. While there is no immediate solution to remedy this, they are going to look at the performance of students at the end of this year and see how this impacted them. Another problem that McConnell shared was the inconsistency of cell phone use in class. The school policy is that if it is out and not being used as a learning device, it is to be taken away. However, not all students follow this rule appropriately. Also spawning of this inconsistency are students who will not allow their teacher to take their phone, and it turns a simple issue with their phone being a source of defiance. So solve this problem, the administration is trying to make a clearer rule.

With the coming of a new year, there are programs already in the works. For example, in February, they are implementing a new phrase called Focus and Finish. While this is mainly aimed at seniors with F’s, this applies to everyone. Mr. McConnell and the rest of West administration plan to help get F’s up to passing grades so that we can have higher GPAS and more students walking at graduation. Thank you for the update, Mr. McConnell!

The Broken Powerball Promise

Posted on February 27, 2016 by WJHS Colt Nation

Kaili Carson

Just a few short weeks ago, the Powerball jackpot reached 1.5 billion dollars, the largest lottery prize in history. Millions of hopefuls lined up to purchase their ticket, happily ignoring the fact that the odds were nearly 1 in 292,000,000. Many of those who splurged on a chance to win the cash justified their decision by assuring themselves that the money would be going towards education. In fact, many state lotteries across the country promise that the profit made from the lottery will be used to promote the schooling of our youth. “Fueling imagination, funding education,” does this slogan ring a bell? It probably should, because it is the very one that is used in every lottery advertisement in the Commonwealth. We too claim that the funds garnered by the lottery go towards education and, like most other states, this is not the entire truth.

According to KRS 154A. 130, after operating costs are factored out, lottery revenue is to be divvied up in the following way:
1. An initial three million dollars must go to state literacy programs.
2. 45% of the remainder is to go towards the Kentucky Education Excellence Scholarship (KEES) Fund. KEES are merit based scholarships that are awarded to students that achieve exemplary Grade Point Averages throughout their high school career.
3. 55% of the revenue remaining must go towards CAP and KTG, which are needs-based higher-education grants.

Although the state literacy programs and KEES are consistently receiving their statutory share of the lottery revenue, over the past several years funding to CAP and KTG has very quietly been cut. Going back to the absurdly large, history-making Powerball jackpot of a couple weeks ago, approximately the same amount has been diverted from these programs. That’s right, almost one billion dollars that were supposed to go towards needs-based aid have been diverted to other areas of the budget. For the students that receiving financial aid could mean the difference between going to college and stopping at their high school diploma, this unlawful misappropriation is crippling.

One such student is Kyla Lockett, a Junior at STEAM Academy in Lexington KY. She told the Student Voice Team, ” I have no idea how I am going to afford [college].” With the help of one of her teachers, she is seeking out scholarships that she qualifies for. “Hopefully I get them,” she said. Unfortunately, students like Kyla have the odds stacked against them. Due to the depletion of the CAP, KTG, and similar grant funds, it has become increasingly difficult to receive state financial aid. Fulfilling their dreams of going to college and receiving higher education seems to be just out of reach.

According to the Student Voice Team’s analysis of the Kentucky State Budget over the Fiscal Years of 2012-2016, the problem is getting worse. In FY (fiscal year) 2012 the CAP and KTG were underfunded by 24 million dollars, but most recently, in FY 2016, these programs were underfunded by a whopping 34 million dollars. If left unattended this number could easily increase over the next few years and leave more and more Kentucky students without the financial help that they need.

Here is where I leave this problem to you students, teachers, parents, and even just patrons of education. You have the power to make an impact on the next generation of Kentuckians by refusing to this problem to go unanswered. Become informed, spread the word, compose an editorial, begin a committee, write to your legislator, do anything you can to ensure that your voice is heard. This is an opportunity for the Commonwealth of Kentucky to become a national leader by simply following its own laws and funding needs-based aid to the degree that has been promised.

With the help of leaders like you, we can ensure that the futures of thousands of low-income students in Kentucky are not left up to chance.

NFL Playoffs and Future Predictions

Posted on February 27, 2016 by WJHS Colt Nation

Daniel Simon

Upcoming this week are four match-ups that will determine who will watch the playoffs from the couch or continue on towards the Super Bowl. For each playoff week, I will predict a winner of each matchup, even including the Super Bowl.

Divisional Playoffs:

Packers vs. Cardinals
The Cardinals faced the Packers and beat them on Week 16 38-8. Now, both sides are beat up from injuries. But the game might be a repeat unless the Packers find a spark. Until that happens the winner: Cardinals

Patriots vs. Chiefs
Like every matchup, it isn’t very predictable. With Tom Brady injured but looking to start against the Chiefs, Kansas City might put one up on the Patriots. But, the Patriots have some good players still. Winner: Patriots

Seahawks vs. Panthers
This is a rematch from Week 6 where the Panthers won 27-23. The Seahawks will look to get back with their ferocious defense. The Panthers will, of course, find the Seahawks tooth and nail. The Seahawks are impressive on both sides of the field, but they lost at home in Week 6, and this time the fight is in the Panther’s hometown. Winner: Panthers

Steelers vs. Broncos
This match looks to favor the Broncos, should Peyton Manning have even a halfway decent game. The Steelers have injured players in Big Ben and his top receiver, Antonio Brown. Look for the Broncos to dominate this game. Winner: Broncos

Conference Championship:

Patriots vs. Broncos
This matchup is between two quarterbacks who have had many good years in the league.
Unless Tom Brady gets injured, low chance since he has not been injured despite taking 38 sacks, the Patriots might just edge the Broncos over. Winner: Patriots

Panthers vs. Cardinals
Unlike the Pats vs. Broncs, a win here could snap a Super Bowl drought that both teams have had for a while. The last time the Cardinals went, it was in 2009 and the Panthers went in 2003. This fight will be brutal. But the Cards hold the advantage with the better defense. Winner: Cardinals

Super Bowl: Patriots vs. Cardinals
Very close. The Patriots are impressive as a team and you can bet that Belichick will come up with a plan. Carson Palmer and the Cards will spare nothing because a win could be their first Super Bowl since it started. Should the Patriots win, it will be their 5th Super Bowl win, which brings them even with the Dallas Cowboys and one below the Pittsburgh Steelers with the record. The Patriots look better than the Cards and, preventing injury, will win. Winner: Patriots.

Letter from an Editor

Posted on February 27, 2016 by WJHS Colt Nation

Judianne Speach

Dear West students and teachers,

It’s cold, we are snowed in, NTI work is out the roof…meanwhile, your fellow Colt Nation writers are working busily to construct January’s edition.

Reason number 1 for Why You Should Read the Colt Nation News: support your classmates.

Speaking of NTI, I’m glad we won’t be stuck in school in the month of June, but am I the only one who enjoyed shoveling the entire driveway more than sitting inside and doing homework? …because that’s how these snow days have gone.

So, why else should you read this newspaper? Well, it has all kinds of updates, whether they pertain to the school, the country, and sometimes the world. You’ll get a glimpse of your classmates’ opinions and you can better support your own ideas as a result. Plus, maybe you’ll end up reading about an interesting movie, or get an update from a sports event you missed, or read a recipe that makes your mouth water. Plus, if your teacher does not require you to read it and you get bored during class, it can be an excellent alternative to social media (which, let’s face it, sometimes you may scroll through the same pages multiple times…so why not change things up and read a few articles instead?).

Okay, okay, I know. It’s a newspaper and newspapers=reading and I can’t try to equate a compilation of student-written articles to the World Wide Web. I can, however, tell you that you’ll probably learn something new about the school, the school’s students, or the nation, and for that reason alone, please do more than read this one article. I’m actually pretty impressed that you’ve read this far because who cares to read an article about reading an article?

This leads me to my next point: the Colt Nation is currently packed with awesome pieces, but we want it to stay this interesting…which is why we need YOU! Writing for the Colt Nation does much more than fill a blank on a college application; it allows you to develop your opinions and ideas, discover and extend your interests, and improve your writing skills. Believe it or not, writing is very important, and the best way to perfect this skill is to practice. Plus, being on the Colt Nation writing team includes donuts. And who doesn’t love donuts? Last week, we even had an option: glazed or powdered. It may have been a harder decision than choosing which article to write (just kidding, I just ate both kinds).

All in all, just read the Colt Nation. We work hard to provide accurate and interesting articles just for you all. And, if you’re interested, contact any of the editors or Ms. Landon if you’re interested in writing!!

History Corner: Gummy Bears

Posted on February 27, 2016 by WJHS Colt Nation

David Madill

Hans Riegel Sr. invented gummy bears in 1922 as a small treat that was relatively cheap so that even poor families or children could enjoy them. This was in Germany, a country that was recently the loser of World War I and the victim of a vindictive peace conference in Paris. During what is known as the “roaring twenties” in America, Germany underwent insane inflation as the German government spit out cash to pay war reparations. You’ve heard stories of German Marks being used as wallpaper and hauled around in wheelbarrows to buy single loaves of bread- one US dollar was worth 4 trillion marks at the peak of the inflation in 1923. But all the while, gummy bears, or Gummibärchen, remained (relatively) cheap, affordable for a country that was imploding on itself.

Likewise, although in an opposite economic state, when Henry Ford used his assembly line to begin production of the Model T, he made it cheap enough so that every household could purchase an automobile. This allowed the car to descend from the pedestal of a “luxury item” and enter the world of common use. In fact, one could create a fairly comprehensive definition of progress by looking at luxuries that became commonplace. Airplanes, sugar, running water, purple cloth, more recently computers and cell phones; all these things were once inefficient and expensive, but as they became more reliable and useful they also decreased in price.

One of my favorite examples, and probably one of the most extreme, is the Polio vaccine. When Jonas Salk refused to patent his vaccine, he potentially forfeited a lot of money. (Whether or not a patent would have been granted is beside the point- Salk believed his research should go towards the edification of humanity.) In doing so, he separated money and progress into separate categories, prioritizing the many lives his vaccine saved and helped above the immense wealth he would have gained. Just as the simple pleasure of a gummy bear was kept affordable for those struggling through hard times, Salk’s vaccine was kept available to save lives without the financial burden of paying for a patented prevention. Would you see the same thing today?

Most of us have heard of or played a game called Plague Inc. (or something similar), in which you design and release a super germ onto the world in hopes of killing everyone. In the game, the world eventually bands together to produce a cure for your disease, and once it is completed it is quickly distributed to everyone. Would that happen in real life? Or would the various countries of the world bicker and fight throughout both the production and distribution of the antidote, limiting or even negating its effectiveness? Would Americans trust an antidote invented by someone from North Korea? Would parents trust scientists enough to vaccinate their babies? Perhaps even the dark scenario presented by such a videogame is optimistic.

It doesn’t just have to be disease, either. It could be any number of things, some of which we actually face today. Climate change, nuclear weapons and waste, and cancer all spring to mind. These are global issues that will take a global effort to resolve. But maybe it all starts with one or two people, choosing to sell gummy bears for a little less than they could.

There’s a place to make money, a place for inventions to allow their inventors to enjoy the benefits of their great idea. That’s capitalism. But there is also a responsibility on each of us to contribute to the concept of progress in whatever way we are able, be it large or small. Everyone, from Fortune 500 to “fortunate to have $500,” has this responsibility. It’s part of being human.