In 2011, U.S. Government-led Wildlife Conservation Will Suffer Largely- Please Help Stop This

The natural welfare of Earth is in dire shape, and the planet needs human intervention  more than ever, instead of the ongoing human mutilation. The under-represented voice of wildlife conservation advocates such as myself must be heard, and the current deplorable ecological preservation is a crucial threat to the prosperity of Earth and we, as human beings, are actively destroying the astounding beauty found within  the natural world.  I implore you to help counteract this tragedy. 

In 2011 Republicans have estimated the party will slash billions in federal funding towards wildlife conservation programs. Please contact your political representatives and urge them to support wildlife conservation; furthermore, encourage your congressional and state representatives to draft powerful legislation that gives incentives to people who and company's that commit to wildlife preservation. As with most pressing issues, the first step is raising awareness. Even something simple such as using the pre-created support letters at wwf.org to take action against the ongoing global horrors will make a difference. If nothing else, forward my letter to your e-mail contacts; create an annoying chain letter. Eventually someone will read it and choose to create a difference. I'm not trying to clog anyone's e-mail inbox; simply attempting to use a digital tool to raise awareness to an issue I find valuable. 

Illegal animal trade, big business interests, and sheer ignorance have plagued this nation, and our planet for far too long. I have attached two hyperlinks below describing different ongoing environment dangers on international and localized levels. The first to a video that illuminates one of the greatest environmental threats to society today, it was created by Photojournalist Patrick Brown; the second link is to a news article written by myself that discusses the need for greater conservation efforts- for although wildlife preservation is actively taking place, an estimated one-fifth of vertebrates are continually heading towards extinction. 

http://www.mediastorm.com/publication/black-market

http://www.statepress.com/2010/11/02/wildlife-diversity-decreases-despite-phoenix-zoo-global-efforts/

I ask of you to please heed my words and take my message to heart. The essence of life, as mankind currently experiences it, is not an eternal value. Why should the often disgraceful self-interest of human beings be achieved at the cost of an animal’s expense?

 As a fellow global citizen, I hope you will help end wildlife genocide.

Thank you for a moment of your valuable time. I earnestly hope you make the correct choice by raising awareness and help create a beautiful future. 

Sincerely,

Travis McKnight

The Ignorance of Failure

Success is a non-existent and unattainable measurement of experience without the alternative consequence of failure. Every choice an individual acts upon has two opportunities, the triumphant outcome he or she desires or less sought after conclusion of defeat. Reflecting upon my introduction into the public school system in 1995, to my current sophomore year at Arizona State University, I recognize a worrisome conclusion that public education in the United States of America has raised a generation of un-acknowledging failures.

The K-12 education system in the United States has transformed from delivering an actual education, to being a government mandated baby-sitting service. No longer is the average student sophisticated enough to properly function in society once he or she graduates from high school- if the student graduates at all. According to a report by the Alliance for Excellent Education, as of February 2009, 1.2 million American students annually drop out of high school. But why wouldn’t they? These students are raised in a society that propagandizes the perception that failure doesn’t exist. Throughout their grade school career students are encouraged to be creative and expressive individuals. Mathematical command and the basics of comprehensive writing and reading appear to barely qualify as educational endeavors; in consequence, schools inadvertently deprive students of societal success and prepare only a future of failure.

In the YouTube video featuring Mr. Michael Goodwin, “Goodwin on the Freedom to Fail,” the speaker raises several vitally important points discussing the real threat for American students, who he claim lack freedom to fail. While I feel Mr. Goodwin’s argument has multiple valid topics, his presumption that students lack the freedom to fail is erroneous. The prevalence of failure and success in a person’s daily routine is astounding; everyone fails, it’s an unavoidable consequence of choice and the American education system is simply manipulating students into ignorant fools by sheltering them from this reality.

Throughout my experience in the United States’ K-12 public education system instructors  attempted to weave an idyllic utopia in which everyone, regardless of effort put forth, is successful; alas, once one leaves the protective womb of high school this fantasy quickly diminishes. When students discover the failure they are already taking part of daily is an all too real event, societies’ “system” has already beaten them. The American public school system needs to be reformed, otherwise the poorly educated citizens of the country will crumble into oblivion.