IT CAN COST MILLIONS TO RUN FOR CONGRESS. WHERE DOES IT COME FROM? WHAT DOES IT BUY?
Why do you want to live in America?
Student 1:
America is a free country now, because maybe years ago there was still slavery in some of the states. I’m glad there’s none here.
Student 2:
Well, I think America’s the land of opportunities. So, a lot of people come from all over to follow their dreams. I think it’s one of the best countries for following your dreams, because you can do a lot of things here, like sports, acting, music, stuff like that. And then, also, we have a lot of good schools here.
And then, we’re able to get scholarships and stuff. And the main reason is because of opportunity.
Why is America called the “land of opportunity?”
Student 2:
Here it’s just something about it. Like, if you come here, and you follow your dreams here, you know, there will be a lot of opportunities to go to a certain school if you like something there. And you can achieve it.
And along the way, people will be there to support you and help you. And other countries, you could do a lot of good things there. But here, a lot of people want to come here because they think they can find better jobs here and live a better life.
What kind of government do we have? Do you know anything about democracies?
Student 1:
Well, a government is used to help pay for school funds, to me. And, that’s why they collect taxes. That’s why some people don’t have much money, sometimes. And, they’re struggling with financial problems.
What do you have to say about our government? What’s so special about our government?
Student 2:
Well, Americans, they support their country, and stuff. But, I’m not very happy with the government now, because of the war that’s happening. And a lot of people are getting hurt and dying each day because there’s a war. So, I think that if we can change that, as a country we’ll be stronger.
And learn how to love one another, like more unity and respect for other countries instead of fighting. Because the world is coming to an end soon, so . . .
It is?
Student 2:
Well, I mean, the world isn’t going to be here forever. And we’re not either. So, I think we should learn how to work together, so when a time of need comes we’ll know how to work together and figure the things out that we need to do.
What is this war about? Know anything about that?
Student 2:
No. I think it’s terrorism and stuff like that. Like, incidents like 9/11 and the Pentagon, I think. Because people are coming from different countries, and doing bad things to us. They’re fighting back. But, I don’t think it’s going to resolve anything.
What’s your favorite food?
Student 1:
Pizza.
How much does Pizza cost?
Student 1:
Around $8 to $12.
How much does it cost to become President? Is there money involved?
Student 2:
Well, I don’t know. I think maybe, there might be money involved. But, I also think that if you’re following your dreams to be a President or a Senator, I don’t think it should cost to do that.
Why?
Student 2:
Well, I think, once you become President, then I think they pay you some type of fee or something. But I think that once you become President, you shouldn’t worry about money. You should worry about helping your country and fighting for your nation.
Do you have any desire to become President?
Student 1:
Well, no.
Student 2:
No. I don’t want to become President, because if I make the wrong mistake, it won’t be very nice. So, yeah, and I’m not very political, either.
What does “political” mean?
Student 2:
I think my definition for being political is being fair. And, to also be very savvy on democratic issues.
Student 1:
I wouldn’t use the word “hate,” but I would use “strongly dislike” war, because that’s how little [U.N.] babies or children lose their families. Mostly, their fathers go off to war, and their mothers stay there to protect their children, and lately, they’ve been trying to stop it and bring it to an end.
And I hope it ends soon.
Why are we at war?
Student 1:
Because of territorial problems, and well, I don’t know how to describe it, but that guy who was put to exile for war crimes. I think his name was Saddam Hussein.
Would you like to be a leader or Senator?
Student 2:
I don’t really want to be in that category. I would like to play sports when I grow up.
What’s your definition of a politician?
Student 2:
My definition of a politician is a person that’s fighting for the rights of many other people, and a person that could help the environment, a person that’s fair, a person that cares about the other citizens of the United States, and not just the Congress, but wants to be fair and wants to just help the nation become stronger, and, you know, more happy as a family. And will help the President, too, for whatever he needs to do.
Student 1:
Yeah, well, there are different types of politicians. Like, [signing] a politician not to tear down a building, signing a politician that has a right for someone not to have a certain physician and a job.
What do you think about money?
Student 1:
Well, money isn’t everything. Some people just use money in a case of greed, and money is important to some people that are more poor. But some people that are poor are thankful for what they have, and when people that have more money, sometimes it can get to them and they can turn greedy, and they’ll want more.
And the next thing you know, they’ll become poor, too, out of the greed that’s been brought out by money. Sometimes you shouldn’t fight over money, you should just be thankful for what you have.
Student 2:
Well, I think that money comes and goes. So, it’s Friday, right, you just got paid, next thing you know, it’s gone, the money. Maybe some people, they think money is everything, because you could buy stuff with it. And buy other stuff with it. Money, to me, is something that you use to buy material objects, and I don’t think material objects are that much important.
If you fight over material objects, it’s just going to cause more of a problem and stuff. And also, fighting over money is a waste in time, because like Isaiah said, they’re greedy for money. All they think about is money. So money is not what we need to fight over. We have more problems. But, money is just a material object.
Would you run for Student Body President?
Student 2:
Well, it depends of how the school is. I won’t like to run for President for this school, because I don’t see any problems that I want to improve here.
Student 1:
Well, to me it depends on what you’re running on President for. Maybe President of a certain type of club.
Is that anything that you’d want to do?
Student 1:
No, but also, sometimes when you run for President, sometimes they just want to win so much they bribe people just to get their vote.
Really, they bribe them?
Student 1:
Well, I’m just thinking, some people could do that. And, I wouldn’t want to do that, if that was me.
Student 2:
Well, you were saying about the favorite food. Well, my favorite food is, I’m just going to give you one. Probably a burrito, or a pizza. So, pizza costs, like $4.48. And is there tax on food? So, probably, yeah, $4.48 plus tax, probably, dollars. Or something like that.
How much doses it cost to run for President?
Student 2:
I guess that it costs a great deal of inspiration, and maybe I’ll guess a hundred dollars, or maybe ten thousand dollars. I mean, I haven’t been in that situation before.
Student 1:
My guess of how much money it costs to be President, maybe, well, just to start your campaign, probably about a million dollars. And to keep on going, the million dollars you first pay will keep on going up and up, because the President sometimes has to pay for, what are those called . . .
Television ads?
Student 1:
Yeah, pay for television ads, pay for a news crew to come, if they have something to say. Pay for a newspaper company, pay the government so they can keep on collecting taxes and that’s it.
What if I told you it was going to cost $350 million?
Student 2:
Okay. Well, $350 million, well, like I said about money, money comes and goes. So, like, it’s a big risk, because you spend all that money. And first of all, where did they get all that money? Are they rich before they start? Or, are they like, Senators or something like that?
Like, that’s a big question for me, because where do they get all that money? And also, to start, I think you need a lot of money, but you also need a lot of inspiration, friends and family to talk to.
Student 1:
Well, maybe, for instance, you keep on raising up to a different rank in society. First, you can start as just a normal businessman. Then you could become mayor, Senator, Governor, then President.
Where is the money coming from, though?
Student 1:
Well, maybe 300 of that $350 million may come from inheriting it, and maybe a business, a company that you think could make a good future for you. And as Barkley said, money can come and go. And then, when you become President, you get a few years, but soon you’ll have to raise more money.
Sometimes you have to make some fundraisers.
Why would a business give somebody money?
Student 1:
Well, because if you inherit it, if that company goes down, your money will bring it back up, and you get part of the fee that they make every time they, maybe have a big sale. They may have a fundraiser, sometimes malls have season sales.
Student 2:
Well, you say, money coming from a business, well, all those ads he paid for to put in the newspapers and stuff, somebody may have read a newspaper, or watched a commercial, and said, “Oh, I want to help this guy out.” He probably was putting out a nice measure, or saying that he would help the schools, or end war, stop fighting, and stuff like that. Somebody might have saw it and said, “Well, I want to help this guy out. I think he has what it takes to become the President of our nation.”
Why is America special?
Student 3:
America is special because people in America are free, and because in some countries, if you’re a woman, you don’t have all the rights, but in America everybody has equal rights. And there’s a lot of different things, too, you’ll be able to do in America. And also, American, in some countries you don’t get to pick, like, your President. But, in America you do.
Student 4:
America is special to me because, like Bacardi said, everyone’s free, and you have the right to do a lot of things that you can’t do in other countries. And a lot of people come here for opportunities, because they see that in America there’s a lot of opportunities.
And they come, and they can get jobs, and they can vote, and stuff. And in other countries, women stay at home while the men go off to work. But, that’s really different out here.
What is a democracy?
Student 3:
A democracy is with type of government that allows the people to choose their government officials, and kind of choose how they want the country to shape out, and choose what the country is going to be like.
Who gets to participate in democracy?
Student 3:
All American citizens get to be in a democracy.
Student 4:
A democracy to me is the right for a citizen to live in the country that they want to live in, and to make it the way that they want to be, and have the right to do what they want to do.
What is your favorite food?
Student 3:
My favorite food is cookie dough ice cream.
How much does that cost?
Student 3:
Cookie dough ice cream in a gallon costs probably, like, $3, $4.
How much does it cost to be President of the United States?
Student 3:
$350 million, about.
What’s your favorite food?
Student 4:
Probably Doritos.
How much are Doritos?
Student 4:
Probably about $4, $5.
How much do you think it costs to be Senator?
Student 4:
To become a United States Senator, it probably costs around $2 million or something.
Do you think it should cost so much to be come a President of the United States?
Student 3:
No, because even though big [gas] companies give you millions of dollars, you’ve still got to be kind of rich yourself.
All right, so, let’s just say that somebody who was really poor had good ideas, and they were a really, really good President, then they probably wouldn’t be able to get their campaign going because not enough people would vote for them. So, I think it’s kind of unfair.
Student 4:
I don’t think that’s good, because a lot of people have good ideas, and stuff. Like, that want to become President. And, like, the President, they have to take a lot of risk, because if you want to become President you still have to pay for different stuff, the normal people kind of, you know?
When you’re President, you get a little bit more free stuff, because you’re the President. But, I don’t think it’s fair to other people, that you have to be rich or have to spend all this money just to become a leader.
What is the government?
Student 4:
The government to me is people who try to make things better for other people, but sometimes they don’t succeed, but that’s just my opinion. But the government to me are people who basically just want to try to make things better for the nation.
Student 3:
I think the government is sort of the people who run the country and are making sure that everything is going smoothly in the country, and try to make the country a better place to live in.
And try to make sure the country has everything it needs.
What’s oil for?
Student 4:
Oil is an element that comes from out of the ground, from the fossils? Yeah, something like that. It’s used for a lot of things, like, to make stuff not squeaky, like doors and stuff. It’s also used for gasoline and stuff like that.
Tell us about oil.
Student 3:
Oil is a natural resource that is found in fossils from the ground. And it can be used for cars. It can be used to power stuff. It’s used to lubricate stuff.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Student 3:
I want to be two things, because one of them you can’t be for a whole long time. I want to be a basketball player, and I want to be President.
What would you do if you were President?
Student 3:
If I was President of the United States, I would probably try to make the United States friends with a whole bunch of other countries. So, that way the U.S. wouldn’t go to war with those countries. And I would probably try to make the United States safer, and I’d probably try to make, the U.S. is free right now, but even a little more free.
Where are you going to get $350 million to be President?
Student 3:
Well, let’s see. See, if I played in the NBA, like I wanted to before, then I’d probably know a lot of people, and I’d probably be able to make, my voice would probably be a little more powerful. So, I could try to get companies to donate to me, and it would give them more of a reason to donate it to me.
If corporations give you money, would you do them special favors?
Student 3:
Well, I wouldn’t want to do them special favors, but probably to get the money I’d think they’d make me like, once I got into office, they’d probably try to make me pass a bill saying, like, if it was a gas company, saying that the gas prices could go really, really high or something, so they could make more money.
If you ran for President and corporations asked you for favors, what would you do?
Student 4:
Well, it depends on the favor, but if a corporation gave me money for my campaign, I would definitely try to give back to that corporation if their corporation is a good corporation. But I would probably choose a good corporation to get the money from. But I would probably give back the money, or something.
How do laws get made?
Student 4:
Well, first, it’s up to the government and then it has to be passed through all of the whole House of Representatives, and all those people, and then they pass it, and then they take a vote, and then if everybody disagrees, they say, “All in favor?” And if everybody agrees on a law, they pass a law. If some people disagree more than people agree, they can’t pass the law.
What is money?
Student 3:
Money is used to buy stuff in America. Money is there so that we didn’t [wonder] if we’re working hard. And also, if there’s a whole bunch of corn, if there wasn’t money then the person would have to go and you could just take as much as you needed.
Some people, even though they might not need it, they might take all the corn, even though they didn’t need it.
Student 4:
Money is used to buy things, not just in America, but all around the world. And it’s used to get your things that you need. And that’s basically it.
Student 5
What is government?
Government is something that you construct to help organize the country. And not to have too much power in the people.
Do you think things are fair in America?
Well, America, they have a lot of different things that you can be. The government isn’t too overpowering, because ordinary people can run for President, and it doesn’t stay in one family, where with kings, and queens, and stuff like that.
How can ordinary people have $350 million to run for President?
They can get it from maybe businesses that they worked at, family members, or friends. People who want to really support them and their dreams of becoming President.
Why would a business want to give someone who’s running for President a big bunch of money?
A business might want to give somebody who’s running for President money because the President can mention that business’s name in maybe their speech, or something. Maybe their acceptance speech. And then, some people might look up to the President, so they might want to be like him. So, they go to that business and give them a lot of, you know, business.
So that way, the business gets money, too.
Would you want to run for President?
Not really.
How come?
I don’t really think I have a lot of leadership skills.
What is the main reason why you want to live in America?
The main reason I would want to live in America is, they have a lot of advanced technology that you can use to maybe reach other people. Like, you might have family members in other
states, and in some countries you can’t reach them by, maybe telephone, because they don’t have electricity.
And there’s been a lot of inventions in this country.
Is there ever a problem with food? Where does it come from?
Food comes from animals and plants. And some food is processed, maybe. I think American cheese is. It’s not actually, not like cheese that comes from maybe Italy, or something like that.
Is there someone you look up to and admire?
I admire my dad, because he really loves and takes care of us, and stuff. He works hard to feed us and stuff. I think that’s very important, that you actually care for your family.
Does he talk about politics, government?
I think he talks to my mom about it, not so much to us.
Are they happy with the way things are?
I’m not sure.
Have you ever been to a farm? Have you ever worried about pesticides in food?
I’ve heard of hormones and stuff that they put in maybe, like, cows?
Is that a problem?
Well, my dad told me something about it. It helps the cow produce more milk. So, then the people won’t have to go through many cows. They can stay with one cow, maybe.
Is all of our food safe?
I don’t think there’s really any kind of food that can harm you unless you’re maybe allergic to it.
Do you like it here at Northern Lights?
Yep.
Why?
Because it’s a good school.
Do you feel the same way about the United States of America?
America is a good place to live, because of the national parks. There’s just so much beauty around us. There are waterfalls, especially in California. There’s Half Moon Bay with all its creatures. There’s the redwood forests. And there’s the big open plains that might seem kind of boring at first, but are actually full of life. And deserts, with cacti. And the oceans, with octopuses and all sorts of little fishies.
Are there problems?
Yeah, pollution, people pollute those beautiful places I was talking about. And that kills the animals that live there. And it kills people, too, if there’s too much of it, like air pollution and water pollution. It gives out [cholera], or something like that, that disease. And lung cancer, because so many people smoke, and it just kills the environment.
Where is the pollution coming from?
Humans.
How do humans make pollution?
We use cars too much. We just don’t care how well we put out our trash. We just throw it anywhere. And, let me see — we smoke. We do stuff that’s really bad for our body, and now, it pollutes the environment. And we have huge factories that pollute the air. And if that was all taken away, then America would be really beautiful.
What kind of government do we have?
It’s supposed to be a democratic government, but it might not really be that, I think.
Why?
I don’t think our democracy is working very well, because not everyone gets a vote. Most people get a vote, but not everyone. Like, homeless people, and people who were once in jail, and other people like that.
What does it take to elected to Congress or the White House?
You need to have what people want. You need to have the skills to raise enough money to be able to get elected. And you need to have good arguing skills for debates. And you need to have really, really good leadership skills, if you want to lead America.
And you have to have a really big patience, because so many people are angry at America for what we’ve done in the past.
Talk to us about money-raising skills.
I don’t really know why you need a bunch of money to get into the running, but you do fundraisers, and you get it from friends, or its your own money. And you have to save up about — I think the highest was maybe $50 million or something like that.
If someone gives you money, do you have to give some of it back?
Well, the concerns are that after giving you money, people want you to do things for them. Well, sometimes it might be free. Like, here you go, no need to repay me. But most of the time, it’s like, here you go, here’s some money, now vote this way with me and I’ll be your friend forever and I’ll give you bunches of money.
Is that good for government?
I don’t think it’s good for government, because it’s bribing. Here’s a bunch of money, now, you know, now do this, as I say. I think that would be bribing.
Do you have any desire to get into politics?
Oh, yeah. I want to be either the President or a lawyer, because if I was President then I could stop all the wars. I could make America a much better place. I could get rid of all the pollution. And if I was a lawyer, then I could free the unjustly-imprisoned, and I could put into jail the ones who did do the crime.
How much money does it cost you to become President?
I think it costs maybe $10 or $9 million to become President.
Where will you get that money?
I’m going to do a bunch of fundraisers, and ask my parents, if they’re still alive, and my friends. And maybe I’ll use my inheritance.
How are you going to get the money at fundraisers?
I’m going to raise money for my Presidential candidacy by doing a song on piano, and charging maybe about $5 for admission, and get a bunch of people to come.
What are you going to sing about?
I don’t know. I’m going to choose a Beatles song. I love the Beatles.
What’s the deal with money? Why does everything revolve around money?
Because once you get a little bit, you want more and more, and you think that you don’t have enough yet.
Do you think the candidate who has the most money wins?
No, not always. I think that the candidates that have the best ideas should win, but most of the time candidates with the most money win. I think that a candidate shouldn’t be elected because of what they own, but because of their ideas, and what they say they’re going to do with America.
Who’s your role model?
Hillary Clinton is my role model, because even though she’s a woman she’s still running for President in the Democratic Party — well, she’s running to be a candidate, but close enough. And if she becomes President, then she’ll be the first woman President. And I think that’s really amazing. And there has never been a woman who’s been President before.
What do you want to be?
I want to be a brain surgeon or a lawyer.
Why?
Because a lot of my cousins are brain surgeons, and a lot of my cousins are lawyers, and yeah, and they do really good.
So you’d open someone’s head up?
Yeah . . .
My uncle thinks rich is better than poor. What do you think?
It’s not that rich is better than poor, I think it’s about how you make it yourself. You don’t judge where rich is poor better, you judge if you think you’re doing better than if you would do somewhere else.
What do you think about living in America?
I think living in America is good, but there are some things we could change about it. Like, there’s a lot of pollution in America, and there’s a lot of violence, like, just on the street, and, yeah.
Why?
Because a lot of Americans don’t really care what they do with their stuff. And violence, it’s because a lot of Americans aren’t really, they don’t care what they do, because they don’t think they’re going to get caught doing anything. And there’s a lot of people that do things anyway.
What would you do if you were President of the United States?
I’d try to lessen America’s dependency on oil, and I’d try to help make less wars on different things. And I would try to help some people have houses over their heads, so they don’t have to live on the street. And try to get better enforcement, just on the streets of America, so there was less violence.
What’s the one thing that you would really try and make happen?
If I woke up and I was President, I’d probably try to lessen the dependency on oil as much as I could. Because, right now in Iraq, we’re in a war for oil, most likely. I can’t say exactly because I don’t know all the circumstances. But to the best of my knowledge, I believe we’re in a war for oil. And oil, it pollutes the environment, and it destroys a lot of nature, and it kills a lot of animals.
And there’s a lot of other things we can use instead of oil, that are less polluting, I think it’s ethanol.
Why do many people in power disagree with you?
Because a lot of people in high positions, the oil companies might pay them, and they might make a lot of money off of oil, to keep the oil companies in business. Because a lot of people use oil for their cars and their machinery. So, the oil company gets a lot of money, and then they might give some of their money to the people in high power. And the people in high power get money, so they want to keep making money and not lose their money.
How much do you think it costs to run for President?
Millions of dollars.
Where do they get those millions?
They might get them from people that are like, “If I give you this money, you’ll do what I say, and I help you, and I’ll give you money, but you’ll also do what I say.” Like, and some of the money might be there own, because the only Presidents we’ve had so far are rich people.
How is someone with just really good ideas going to become President?
You’d have to become President by not just relying on yourself or relying on people that want to change the country and into their way but not to everybody’s way, not to the majority’s way. But just to their way, so they can make more money, but to the majority’s way, so everyone can make more money.
Wou would ask your friends to help you, you wouldn’t try to do it all on your own, and you’d ask your friends, and you’d ask close relationships, and people that want to change America for the better, not for the worse.
If you become a brain surgeon, could you make everybody smarter?
I don’t know . . . Maybe.
Where does our food come from?
Well, it depends on what kind of food. Because some food comes from animals, and other food comes from farms, but most of our food comes from farms. And that food is most of the time packaged, and then we eat the food, but sometimes we leave the food. And then, the packages, they just go to a landfill. And the landfills take up a lot of the space of the world, and all the animals die around them, because they either choke on plastic wrappers, or they can’t live in the conditions, because there’s a lot of pollution.
When you go with mom or dad to the store, do you guys worry about what’s on the fruit and vegetables? Some people go to an organic foods store.
Yeah, me and my mom or my dad, we usually do, sometimes we can’t, though, because sometimes it doesn’t say what it has on it. Or, pesticides, if it has pesticides in it.
And it should always label if it does or does not. I know the ones that don’t usually do, but the ones that do, they usually say nothing about it because they don’t want people to know they have pesticides in their food.
Someone you really admire?
Probably Martin Luther King, because he didn’t have a lot of money, he didn’t have a powerful position in the government, yet he still changed things, just by asking his friends to help, and asking people that really did care to help him. And he did change everything.
How do you like living in America?
It’s a mixed blessing. We are fortunate not to be in a poor Third World country, in Africa or the Middle East, but then again, Europe and Canada are much better places to live. Mainly because you don’t have to register for the draft if there ever is one. There’s better medical care, which is paid for by taxes. There’s better education than what we have.
In fact, during American studies, we were tested along with studies from Europe. And the European students did better. And when they were talked to afterwards, they said, everyone knows that Americans are stupid. And they didn’t say, they actually meant that. There’s such poor education in this country.
What is one of the better things?
For one thing, we aren’t living in fear of being killed in some areas. In other areas, you are. In different parts of the country, a few parts of the country are actually peaceful. Most aren’t, though.
Talk about our government.
It never was for the people, and by the people. The people just cast votes for electors to elect, who then vote on whom they want for President. They do the real voting, let’s just say. Yet we don’t really have very much say in it. Though, we boast about being a democracy, we aren’t.
Then again, the Athenians, it was only free white males could vote, and at the beginning of this country, like that. Finally, almost everyone got the vote, but it still doesn’t count very much.
What do you know about electoral politics with regards to money?
Politics, usually the candidate that spends the more money wins the election with smearing ads, that smear the opposing candidates.
What do you think about smearing ads?
Like, the Swift Boat ad, commercials. I hate them. I’m so disgusted with them, I don’t even watch them anymore.
How do laws get made?
Well, the legislative branch writes the laws, and they send it to the President for approval. If he agrees with it, or if he doesn’t think it’s a threat to his power, he signs it, and it becomes law. But if not, he vetoes it, and sends it back to the legislative branch, the House of Representatives and the Senate, Congress.
If two thirds of the majority votes to overrule the veto, it becomes law anyway, but that won’t happen anytime soon. The Democrats and Republicans despise each other, and it’s divided about 51-49 in favor of the Democrats.
Is there hope for improving our democracy?
For one thing, we need to amend the Constitution, which is very difficult, especially with the two rival political parties we have right now. George Washington warned if little parties [conferring] they would destroy the country. And he was right, they’re teaching the country apart, into red states and blue states, with a few independent votes in between.
How much does it cost to become President?
Oh, millions, millions, for propaganda, hiring speech writers to write long speeches in which you smear the other candidates and boast about what you’re going to do if elected. And saying you’re the “people’s candidate,” or acting like you’re Clint Eastwood like, the President.
Do both your parents work?
Both of my parents work, for the IRS Office of Chief Counsel. My mom is a paralegal, my dad is a computer technician.
What do you know about taxes?
Taxes. They supposedly help. In Canada, they help pay for public services, and public welfare, social security, Medicare. But, these days, in fact, I think all are just used to, especially the completely useless income tax — it’s even more useless, because the rich have tax exemptions.
Just especially income tax, they rob and cheat you blind through taxes, the government, I mean.
Do we have a government of the people, for the people, and by the people?
No, we don’t. It’s a government of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich. I mean, the Caucasian rich. Even the minority rich don’t matter as much to the Caucasians, the lovely Caucasians.
Who’s someone you admire?
I really admire Martin Luther King, Jr., for trying to unite the whole country, no matter what race or gender, but through peaceful means. And not backing down despite death threats and attacks on him. It’s a pity that someone took his life, especially since he had actually, in a way, predicted he was going to die.
“[Because I know about], reaching the Promised Land, but I will not be with you. I will not reach it with you.”
What do you want to do when you grow up?
I think it’s too early to think about that. I haven’t made my mind up, yet.
If you were President, what would you do?
Hope that some Supreme Court justices died so I could elect more liberal ones and to hope that Congress tries to pass liberal bills, so I can sign them. Otherwise, I can’t do much. And besides, I might be able to call off the war, if it was still going on.
But there’s very little chance of that happening, anytime soon, because I’m not rich. Only the rich get elected, or the people who become rich, with the exception of a few people.
You have to be able to get campaign donations?
Or, claw your way to the top. Clawing your way to the top, through smearing — for example, if you own a big corporation, like Rockefeller, buying out everything, until you control the entire industry. Or, like, Carnegie, with the Iron Minds, and buying the steel companies, those that process [and] making the steel, until you own the whole industry.
And then you get lots and lost of money, and maybe if there’s still competition, you can pull a Bill Gates and sue the competition.
Why is America special?
Because I can do what I want, well, my parents can tell me what to do, but I’d have to be bossed around by a whole bunch of people. I don’t have to live in a poor community. I can do whatever I want. I can be whatever I want.
What kind of government do we have?
I think we have a government pretty much based on money, just, money. Well, it’s not really for us. We don’t really get much say — our government, they pretty much want the rich people to get the say, because that’s where they get the most money from.
How do you get elected President?
In order to be President of the United States, you have to have a lot of money, and you have to have the power.
Who will give you that money?
Well, I really don’t know how to say it, really, but you’ve just got to . . . I don’t really know.
What does the President do?
I would say, he pretty much, like, passes laws and stuff, and he makes sure that the country is in order. If it’s like, a really good President, he makes sure that all his people are free, and actually, like, have the right and say in government, and all that kind of stuff. Which I really don’t think is happening now.
What does our government actually do?
Well, first of all, two houses of Congress, they make bills and they get passed into laws, sometimes, by the President. And they try to keep things like, in order, sometimes.
Are farmers important?
I think they’re important, because they grow crops and things like that. Because we need food, and corn, and stuff like that. I think they’re important.
Do you think most politicians are honest?
Dishonest, probably. Because I don’t think they really want the thing that will get them the most money, like, if they want people to be for them, they have to kind of lie their way to it. They don’t always have to be true to what they say.
Do you worry about our government?
I worry about our government, because I think it doesn’t care too much. I think it’s more of pretty much based on money, as I said before. So, I don’t think they really care too much.
If you could say one thing to the President?
I’d say, stop the war, because that’s the thing that bugs me the most. Well, there’s reason for us to be there, not really, because he just wants the oil, because he gets money from oil companies, and chemical companies, and stuff like that. We could just use natural resources, and stuff like that.
So, we don’t really have any business being there.
Who is your hero?
Probably my mom. Just because she’s actually the administrative director of this school, and she accomplished so much, even though people said that she couldn’t do a lot of things, she did it anyway, and she accomplished her dreams.
How important is it that our food is safe?
It’s important that our food’s safe, because we need healthy food, and if things aren’t grown correctly, or there’s something wrong with them, then that can affect our bodies when we eat the food.
How safe is the food?
It’s probably not that safe, because we have a lot of things like McDonald’s, and Taco Bell, and they’ve got a lot of fat and grease and all that kind of stuff that’s not really good for us. So, our food isn’t really that healthy.
Do you have friends or family that have cancer?
My aunt died from breast cancer, and I don’t know any other family members that have cancer.
Do they talk about why people get cancer?
Sometimes — not really, they don’t talk about that kind of stuff. We avoid that kind of subject most of the time.
Tell me about why America is special.
To me America is special because we have a democracy where we are able to speak our mind, and be able to do things that we want to do. And not be controlled by the government. We have a say in what we do. And also especially, because we have a lot of money, because we can do things have extra programs that other kids don’t have in other countries.
Talk about a democracy.
Okay. Well, to me, a democracy is a form of government that you’re able to not be controlled by that central government, but everybody controls it, and say what you want to say. And it’s like, a state of mind, where you just have control over what you do in your community, and things that go on or happen to you.
What does it take to become President?
To me, what it takes to become President is a lot of money, billions of dollars, and it also takes to have people that back you up, big supporters, such as people like lobbyists or things like that.
Do you think that’s fair?
No, I think it is unfair, just because people might be a good person, but they don’t have as much money as others to become President. So, I think that it should be on your personality and what you can bring to the country.
Who is your hero?
My grandmother is my hero. She’s my hero because she gives me strength and she tells me that I can do anything. And she’s a kind-hearted person and helps me through things that are going on in my life.
If you could tell the President one thing?
I would say to the President that I think he should think about how his decisions, how they’re going to affect others, before he does them. Such as the war in Iraq. Because it’s hurting a lot of people. I know he’s been saying it’s about oil, but I think it’s hurting a lot of people. A lot of people, they’ve been killed for no reason. And people, when they come back from the war, they’re not the same.
Do your parents talk about politics?
Not very much, every now and then maybe when people are getting elected, and things like that, they might say little things about how they feel about the people.
Where’d you learn all this stuff?
Mostly from our school, when our school history — I pay attention a lot in class — and about history. Yeah, that’s basically from school. And I watch the news.
What’s your favorite news station?
ABC. I watch that every morning.
What’s on?
Actually, when I get from bed, I turn the TV on, and then I go and make my lunch and watch it. Like, I listen to it, basically.
Do you think money is important?
I think it can be important, but I think it shouldn’t be the main thing that people get elected for. Because, 30-second commercials, people judge them on that, and say, “Oh, I think this is a good candidate.” But I think money shouldn’t be the most important thing. I think, yeah, you have to have money to go to the places and look for other people. I know that [Dan Foil], he tried to pass a bill, the H-bill, the Presidency before last.
Money wasn’t that important, that you couldn’t use money in the election. And it was almost passed. So, I think that’s an important thing, that it should be a law that money is not that important — it shouldn’t be the main key to being elected.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Well, I haven’t really decided, but I think I love to help people and I love children, so I would like to be a pediatrician or a nurse.
What do you use oil for?
I think you can use oil for lots of things, cooking, and for your car. Well, the gasoline, oil for your car, and for heated stoves, and for your heater. And you can use oil for lots of things. It’s a universal product. People use it on their cars, and things like that.
What do you think about our food right now?
I know a lot of meats are very processed, so I try to stay away from that. And about the fruits, and different vegetables, I make sure that I clean them, just in case. You never know. It might accidentally have got in here, or something like that. And sometimes I feel comfortable with certain fruits, but if it’s not that season I’m kind of skeptical about it.
Why?
Because I think that it comes from different countries, and you don’t know what they’ve been doing there, or has it been inspected? Or things like that.
What might be on the fruit?
I know e coli was on it, a couple of months ago. There was — not the fruit, the vegetables — and pesticides, and just dirt, yes.
Do you think our government should protect us from those things?
Yes, I think that’s something that people have shared with the government, but they haven’t really done anything about it. I think the government should protect all of its people.
Why doesn’t our government protect all of its people right now?
I think sometimes at points we’re selfish, and we’re shoveling all of our money into the war in Iraq. And I also think that mainly the President does things for his people, the people that support him, and the big people in Washington, and things like that.
If people give money to support the President, then he helps them out?
I think that Senators pass bills because sometimes they are sponsored by other big companies or big people to do something, such as, I know that in China, there is a company that did dog collars and things like that. And they try to pass a bill for a tariff, so that countries here wouldn’t lose money. And they did it on the side.
So, I think a lot of times, that lobbyists try to give certain Senators money so they can pass bills to help them out.
Do you think that’s fair?
No, I think that is unfair. I think it should be what people really think, not because they’re getting money to do things.
Some people get elected because they have lots of money. How could you change that?
I think that we can use some of our tax dollars to do that, so a certain amount of tax dollars would be split up equally to all the candidates who are trying to run for President, or a different electorate position. And that it could be split up and they could each have an equal amount of money, and they would use that money wisely to whatever things that they’re trying to do.
Such as commercials, or going around to see the people in different states.
If you’re running for President, what would you say?
I think he should vote for me because I’m a person who, um, cares about the people, not what, um, I’m going to do things for the people, and not for my, like, people who sponsor me. I’m going to make sure that you have equal healthcare, that you have healthcare, that you have good jobs, that the minimum wage is higher than it is, that we have no more troops in Iraq, that all of our borders are secure.
And that you just have a good life in America.
Who do you want to win for President in ’08?
I have a cross between Hillary Clinton and Obama. I like them both and I think they’re both good candidates. I really like Obama, because he’s not going to avoid a question. He’ll say what he really feels about it and just put it out there.
Are you going to run for office someday?
I would think about it.
Why do we celebrate the Fourth of July? Why do you think it’s supposed to be so special?
It’s the Independence Day, like when we got our independence; I think we got our independence from the British.
Why does everyone think America is a special place?
I think people think America’s a special place because we have democracy, so we get to vote who we want to lead us, who we think is the best. And that we can all stand together and be as one in a country.
A lot of people say we’re better off here than maybe in some other places.
I think actually we probably are better here because, well, actually, we could probably be anywhere else like England or something, or Asia, but I think we are better off here than anywhere else because being here, well, we can stand each other and have people who we will listen to each other and we can say what we have to say. And in other countries we probably couldn’t do that.
What do you think about people running for president? What does it take to be president?
Actually, I learned at my old school that you have to be over 30 years old and, well, not necessarily a good person, but you have to be born in the United States.
How about money, is money important to the whole thing, do you think?
If I ran for president, I really wouldn’t need money, I really just wouldn’t need it.
Why?
Because money, it’s not really anything. It’s just a piece of paper that stands for something.
Why do you think everyone thinks it’s so important?
Because, nowadays, people just get really greedy over it and they think that they need a lot. They don’t really.
If I told you that the person that raises the most money usually is the person who wins an election, what would you say to that?
I would say you’re not — that’s not true. Because people who have the most money are just the ones that the most greedy, ’cause they always think that they need money so they always get it, get money somehow.
It seems like people that run for president find ways of getting the money they need to put on television ads and stuff like that. That’s why they say it’s so important, because if you don’t have enough money, you can’t get your message out.
Well, I guess you could probably like use a little bit of money when you’re president, but you don’t need like millions and millions.
Do you think it’s fair, because what seems to happen is people who have millions of dollars run and they usually win, people who don’t have as much money usually lose. Is that fair?
That’s not fair. Because if you do that, that’s just saying that they just have more money so they’re better. Really that’s all they’re saying.
Earlier you said you might consider running for president someday.
Yep, I really want to be president because I want a change in the world. And I really wouldn’t start any wars or anything. I would start on the stuff that we really need, like hunger, hunger in the world and stuff, and like hurricanes and tornadoes. Stuff like that. Stuff that actually happened, not that is going to happen or that needs to be done. Well, people say it needs to be done, but it doesn’t really.
Like what?
Like dropping a bomb, like Hiroshima, dropping a bomb on Japan. That didn’t need to be done, but they did it anyways.
What do you think government does?
When we pay taxes, the government pays for public stuff like the parks and public libraries and public schools and stuff like that, like stuff we really need.
Do you know anything about how are laws made?
Yeah, we learned about laws a little bit in our social studies. They pass laws by some people think about the laws and then they give it to the mayor, and then the mayor confirms the laws and then tell it to the police officers and stuff and that’s a new law.
Do you think all the food in the market is safe to eat? Do you think all the fruits and the vegetables, do you have to worry about the food in the market?
Me and my mom and my uncle and my grandparents, we go to the farmer’s market or we go to this place called Trader Joe’s, and that’s all organic stuff so yeah, that’s safe to eat. And it has fresh honey and everything like that. So that’s good to eat.
If you had to say why organic is safe compared to regular produce, what would the reason be? Do you know?
Well, organic stuff is actually made and it comes from the earth and everything. But some food in regular markets, some of those they don’t come and they have, like, processed stuff and they have dyes or dye number two and stuff.
What’s a pesticide? Have you ever heard of pesticides?
I’ve seen it on some things. I think it’s some sort of oil or something.
Our movie is all about changing how much money it takes to get elected, and making something so that everybody has the same amount of money to run for office. What do you think about that?
That’s actually a good idea, because if everybody had the same amount of money, which we don’t really need it, if everybody had the same amount, then they wouldn’t be able to say, oh, he has more money so he gets elected. You wouldn’t be able to say that because he doesn’t. He has the same amount as everybody.
Do you like the Fourth of July, and if you do, what do you celebrate about it?
I celebrate, like the fireworks and how America is really good and how we should keep it clean to make it a better place, and just like enjoy the holiday.
So what is so good about America?
The government and how we have such a clean state, how we have a clean state and a good governor.
What is good about our government?
We have a good governor and he takes care of the public and pays for things like public parks and libraries and, like, he just takes care of the community.
How about money, what do you think about money? If you’re going to run for president, they say you need a lot of money to run for president. What do you think about that, can you tell us what you know about money and politics?
Well first of all, money’s cool, it’s good. It’s good to have it, too, and to give it to less fortunate people too, so they can keep on going and going and be a part of our community.
There’s an election coming up. Do you know much about the money it takes to run for president?
Not really. But I know that it does take money to be president or governor.
What do your parents think about the government? Do they talk about politics much?
Not really. They just say that we have a good governor and they don’t really think that it’s fair to have wars on different countries.
What makes America different from other countries?
Government. Well, it’s constantly being destroyed by like wars or literature and it’s just falling apart by all this.
Would you like to be president someday?
Yeah. Because I think I would help everyone and they would be happy, and everyone should be happy.
Does anything worry you about our country?
I worry about, like tornadoes and hurricanes, and that someday they would come. Because I watch the History Channel and they talk about how there will be, like, a massive earthquake or a equator coming towards here in a really long time.
It’s very expensive to run for president, and often the person with the most money wins and the one with less money loses. What do you think of that?
I think it’s not fair.
What’s not fair?
It’s not fair. It doesn’t matter about money, just how good you are, how good you would be to the country to stop literature or wars and just keep everyone happy.
Is money a big part of your life? What do you think about money?
Well, you do need money to live, but if you want to be president you don’t need money to just win. But you do need money for food and shelter and to pay the rent.
How about you? What do you need money for?
A lot of things. Like food, and I’m aiming for a new bike and things.
Fourth of July is coming up; what’s so special about the Fourth of July?
It’s Independence Day.
What are we independent of?
The day United States was made.
So they’re happy about it because it’s the birthday of our country?
Yes.
What’s special about our country?
That everybody’s nice to each other.
In other places it’s not that way?
Sort of.
What do you know about democracy?
I know it means freedom and that you can vote and nobody rules us.
Why is that good?
Because we need to be our own person.
No one can tell us what to do so much?
Yes.
What’s great about freedom?
Well, that you can do most of the stuff that you want and, well, you can be with who you want to be.
Pretty soon there’s going to be an election. Do you know anything about that?
Yes.
What do you know about it?
Well, voting is that people think that someone should be president because they’re a good person.
Sometimes they say people become president or a senator just because they have a lot of money. Do you think that’s fair?
Well, not really. Anybody can. That’s what I think. Everybody can be president or something.
How about you?
I want to be president, maybe. I might want to be president.
Tell us why.
Because I want to make peace and for everybody to be friends and no racism.
Do you ever worry about anything about our government or our country?
Sometimes if something’s bad going to happen. Like people being killed or wars happening.
Why do we have wars?
Maybe because people want more land or they want money or they’re jealous of the country.
Anything else you’d like to say about living in America, what you like or don’t like about it?
Well, one thing that I kind of like, that most people are friends and there isn’t many racist people.
Are you going to have a fun Fourth of July? What are you going to do?
Yes. I’m going to wear a shirt that has the American flag on it and I’m going to do fireworks and have fun.
For you personally, what makes America a special place?
Just the freedom of speech that we have, and knowing that it’s okay to voice your opinion because there’s no one that’s going to come against you. Like, yes there’s going to be people who oppose your opinion, maybe, but you don’t have to worry, oh, oh my gosh, is my life at risk because of this.
What’s so great about our democracy?
Because it allows people to voice their opinion and really, truly state how they feel, and if, like I said earlier, if someone has a problem with it they can confront them one on one.
What else is great about America? To you, what’s good about democracy, government of the people, for the people, by the people?
The good it brings out, let’s see. Like I said, it keeps coming up for me that everyone does have the same, like, they can say what they feel and don’t have to worry. But you know that the government may not listen to you and you have to be aware of that, but you have to be able to be strong and put your point out there and not give up.
Do you think there’s anything in place that makes sure our government really represents people? What’s special about our government?
That we have freedom of speech and we have the ability to confront each other on stuff and go and voice our opinion and just be prepared for everything. Impossible is nothing.
Do you think the government represents us? Who’s the government? What’s going on in our country that’s different from other places?
Well, the government here, it’s more higher and had, in my opinion, more of the richer people in society, and the people who really have something to say are more on the middle-class, poor level.
Why is it that our politicians and leaders are often wealthier?
Because they, in my opinion, they have the money to do elections and pay for ‘em and get all the campaign stuff together while, more poor people, they don’t have that ability to purchase such and such or this and this to become in that area.
Is that a fair thing?
I really don’t like it because it limits a lot of people to different things, because I know in Oakland that there are a lot of poor people that do have good opinions, in my opinion, and I feel that it’s not fair that just the rich people, in a way, who may not have such great ideas can get into office or be in the White House and that kind of stuff. But they don’t have ideas to back up what they say.
Anything else worry you about our government or the way things are?
Yeah. The people who have no money or they feel that their opinion doesn’t count, and that, oh, well since they’re poor, I’ll listen to them but I don’t have to take it into consideration. And that is totally not fair, and that’s why we have to keep pushing and doing our best to make sure we get heard. Not just basing it on our financial situation.
Why is that?
Maybe because, I guess, that they feel if a person doesn’t have money or have certain things that they have, that they’re not worth to their standards and they may not be smart or educated, whatever you want to call it. But there are a lot of people who may not look the part but act the part. And so.
Do you have any ambition to be president or any elected office?
I really don’t want to become president, but I feel if I had the opportunity I would, because I feel that I would take more time out to listen to the people who don’t necessarily have “a voice” instead of listening to these other people who may have “a voice.” Because I strongly feel that the people who don’t have a voice know what’s really going on in the world today.
What do you think are the obstacles to you winning office?
People with money, they outdo you, they have a commercial, where you might just have a billboard or something, I guess. And more people watch TV, so it’s just getting your words out there the way they do it. And they might put you down and say oh, well this person may not have the financial ability to do what our country needs, and stuff.
So it’s not fair that the people with the most money win?
Right.
How would you change that system, how would you make it fair?
I would make it fair, in a way limiting them to what they can and cannot do, and not always using money as an object. Like, everyone would have the same amount of “commercial thingies” they can do or something, and just make it equal on both ends and see how the turnout is, and we will see if the person with more money does better with it or the person without.
There’s a whole movement to publicly finance elections so that everyone would have the same amount of money. You have any more thoughts you’d like to voice on that overall subject?
No not really, but that I know we — the “poor people” — will overcome and we will get our voices heard.
What’s the Fourth of July all about? What’s so great about America?
Overall, I believe that most people get a good chance to do what they want to do, where in other countries you have certain ways that the country makes you run. And so America you get your own opinion, even though some people might have a disadvantage ’cause of, maybe, their race or skin color or something like that. But overall, everybody gets a chance.
Are you glad about that? All in all, are you pretty happy about the way things are?
Overall, yeah.
What’s your take on how people say our government is so special in the U.S.?
I don’t really agree with our government because it’s seems like they do a lot of cover up and stuff, and I think the founding fathers were trying to build a country that would, like, be around the people, while it seems like that we’ve made it that there’s the people and then there’s the men in power, and then they have their own world. And then they control something else and then they give us what they want us to hear. And that’s how they run it.
What did the founding fathers intend?
I believe they intend to have a country where they want to give everybody an equal chance, and it was like the people ran the country, but also, there was certain laws that you had to follow, which is why they made the government. But, they wanted to make it so that the people overall kind of knew what they wanted for the country and they got to choose what they wanted for their country.
Can you say what you think about why things aren’t that way anymore?
I mean, ’cause, the government nowadays, they know all the information and they cover up what they don’t want you to and they give you what they really want you to know, ’cause then it gives them more power and you don’t notice what’s happening, and you just think that everything’s good, and then later on you find out, like if somebody discovers something, that this is happening. And then you’re like, this happened in my government? And then it seems like they kind of run their own world and we’re not really a part of it, which I don’t think that’s what our country was built upon.
You said they’re running things the way they want to, we’re not really a part of it. So what is it about that, that things are different than what the founding fathers intended?
The people in power, they run it the way they want it, and we’re not really a part of it, and that’s not what our country was founded upon.
How does that make you feel? How are we going to change things?
I feel like we need to get some great leaders that notice what’s happening and need to, like, go out there and tell people that you can make a stand, you can make a difference. Because it seems as of today, there’s only a few people that truly believe that if they stand up that they’re going to make a difference. And one by one you can do something different, but it’s going to be much more powerful if you have a group.
Over 90 percent of the time the person who wins office has the most money. What do you think about that?
I believe that that’s not a very good way of running the state because, I mean, you could just have a bunch of really unwise smart, uh, rich guys in office, and now we’re being ran by a bunch of rich, unwise guys, you know. There’s many more candidates that could best benefit the country. Yet if they don’t have the money then that means that they’re basically not going to win. Or they have a very slight chance.
What do you think about that?
It’s a really bad to way to run a government because, as you see today, it seems like a lot of the way our government is ran is by money and not by the people, and it doesn’t seem like they care much about their people, because, like, there’s a lot of tragedies happening in America and yet we’re over doing stuff in Iraq, talking about oh, they have nuclear weapons, yet we haven’t found anything. And like, we have people in America starving and there’s people in Africa starving, there’s AIDS epidemic, and yet we don’t hear the president talking about how he’s going to spend billions of dollars on that. Yet he can go and shoot people in Iraq because he feels like there’s a weapon.
What are you going to do with your life?
Actually, I am one of the people that want to help America become better, because I know, like, there’s a lot of people in America that are starving or not making it. And, like you said there’s 90 percent of the candidates that have a lot of money win. Well, I want to make it so that, uh, people that aren’t rich have a chance, an opportunity to do things like become president. And so I hope to become somebody that has a lot of wealth that can help others that are less fortunate do something with their life.
Do you think there could be a way to elect people where money isn’t so important? Why is it that our electoral system basically says to anyone who wants to become president that you better raise a lot of money if you want to lead?
I think the reason that it’s done that way is ’cause publicity, and that the more publicity you get and the better you can make yourself look, is the easier you’re going to be elected as president or senator or whatever you want to become. And I think there should be a better way to do it, but I don’t know at the moment.
Do you want to run for office?
I’m not very into politics. I really don’t like politicians, ’cause like I said, I don’t feel like they do what’s best for the people. And so if I was to run for politic, I don’t know if I would be able to fit in, ’cause people probably would disagree with me a lot and I would probably get aggravated really easily because I would be more worried about the people and they would be more worried about the money and how they’re ideal of what it should be like.
Any idea of how much it costs to become president of the United States?
I would assume, like, 5 million dollars, 6 million dollars. Something like that.
Just to get nominated they say it’s a minimum of 100 million, just to get nominated. Where do you think some of that money comes from?
Companies, like oil companies that, they give you money and then you tell them that you’re going to let them do things to help their company. Which I think is kind of happening right now, like, our government is allowing certain places to do certain things that are illegal or something, and then they’re getting paid for it.
If you were to change the way people get elected, what would you do?
First of all, today it seems like politicians, you don’t ever get to really get to know them. I mean, the rich people know them, but the people that are electing them don’t really know them, so I think that you should get a life story of the politician or something, or have them sign a contract or something on what they’re going to do or something. Because it seems like a lot of politicians make promises and they don’t follow through.
If you would change the system where people who have the most money win, what would you do?
I guess, it should be focused on who has the best ideal for the country and not who has the most money to get elected.
Fourth of July is coming up. What’s it all about? For you, what makes America so special?
America, to me, it’s pretty much freedom. I have a parent who kind of tells me what to do, but other than that, I feel free. I can do my own thing and know that somebody’s not watching and trying to criticize me. Like I can be free and I can just do what I want as long as it’s constitutional.
What makes our government special? We’ve got this democracy that’s so highly esteemed.
I think that the government, there’s ups and downs, no country can be perfect. But I think that it’s doing pretty well, because I just feel like every time there’s another president, like every four years or eight years, I just feel like they make the society even better for us. Not only as adults, but as kids too, because if our parents get more freedom then so do we, and I just feel like every time there’s a new president they learn more and more about how to make it better. So it helps.
What do you think about money and politics? Like how the people running for president have to raise millions and dollars.
Well, not so much, but I do know a little bit. I think that she’s doing a good job, but I think that sometimes, money overpowers the government. Like, you can really get your way if you have money, and if you don’t, you just have what you have to say; you’re not as important. And so I wish that we could balance that out a little bit more by the people who have money maybe give us some or have the government, even though we don’t have as much money as the others do, we could all have our say.
What do you know about the founding fathers, and what they intended for our country?
Yes, I do. That America was supposed to be free, so I know during the time there were still slave states, and America was a kind of like a place where everybody could be free and we could all become equal. And today, it’s not so much the case, because I know that there’s no more slavery or anything, but I feel sometimes that certain nationalities overpower others and sometimes we don’t get our say all the time. And so, I guess people have gotten used to it, but like when I get older, I want to be able to have my say in how things go. Well, I don’t want to run everything, but I just want to be a part of how things go in America.
So you might run for office sometime?
Maybe. Well, I don’t know what I want to do in office, like what part I want to do, but I just want to kind of show, like, like, what the difference is between having money all your life and just climbing your way up by yourself and not having money to stand behind you. So I just kind of want to show that there’s always people in power that have money, and I just want to show that just because you have money doesn’t mean that you know what’s best for everybody else, because you haven’t had that experience to be on both sides, to have all the money and the glory and to just be normal and go paycheck to paycheck.
Is there anything that concerns you or worries you about what’s going on in our country?
What worries me is that we’re still in a war and everything, and at Northern Light we kind of talk about peace, I know the teachers are trying their best to show us that peace is the right way, but sometimes it’s kind of hard to think that peace is always the right way because the president chose and the government chose that war was good in this situation. So how are we supposed to know when peace needs to come in and when war needs to come in? So it’s kind of hard to figure out what time it’s supposed to come.
How do you think we can set up something that would be more fair to elect people?
Well, I think first it’s kind of America’s fault, like the states’ fault for picking people who only have money and power. I think America’s scared to show that money doesn’t need to power the world. And that’s how it’s been for a long time. I think people are just afraid of showing that you don’t need money to have your voice heard.
Do you ever feel proud to be an American? For you, what is there to celebrate on the Fourth of July?
Well, since I’m black, I’m happy that in America there’s no slavery, like that’s kind of ended, and I’m happy that I have freedom and everything, and I do have my right to say sometimes. I’m just a kid so I don’t always have my say, but I feel that I have as much say as I possibly could as a teen. And that’s what I celebrate the Fourth of July. Because I’m just happy that I’m here and that I get the freedom that I want.
Is there anything else you want to say?
I just want to say that there are ups and downs in America, like I said before, no country’s perfect. But just that if we could show the world that the world doesn’t revolve around money, I think that we could help the society better. Because it doesn’t have to necessarily be, like, a specific person, but it could just be anybody. Like you could just be a person from paycheck to paycheck, and then all the sudden you’re in the government, and so you could show the world that you don’t need money to have your voice heard. And I think that’s how the world has revolved around. Sometimes it’s good, because you do need money to be heard sometimes, but others, all you need is your say and you could change the world.
Student 17 and Student 18
Why do you want to live in America?
Student 17:
Why do I want to live in America? Because it’s a free country. The government doesn’t tell you to do anything. That’s why I like this country.
What kind of government do we have?
Student 17:
We have a democracy government, don’t we? Democracy I think means that this is a free country. Well, we do have laws, except that you can do anything that you want and the government doesn’t tell you what to do. That’s what I think democracy means.
Who is the government?
Student 17:
They sort of work for President Bush, too. They’re like, one equal family. President Bush and the government goes together.
Do you agree with that? Anything to say?
Student 18:
Democracy is majority rules.
How much do you think it costs to become President?
Student 17:
Because, I was told you have to pay people to work for you. You have to pay them to work for you. But you don’t have to pay if you want to be President, because my thing right now, is to be President right now.
If I don’t get that job, I would try to be a mechanic.
You’re going to run?
Student 17:
Yes.
When you get there, what are you going to do?
Student 17:
When I get there, if I have most of my free time, I’ll try to help raise money for schools, like, maybe if I have extra money in my pocket, I would give it to the schools to help communities, and I would try to stop the violence in Oakland, California, because mostly you hear on the news somebody got shot in Berkeley, or anywhere.
So, that’s what I’m trying to stop. And I think, because, you know how you listen to rap music? Like, some people think, when you’re on the street, they think that’s real. Like, when they hear the guns and all that stuff, they think that’s real. But, this is what they need to learn — it’s not. When they just rap, they’re just doing it because they want to.
It doesn’t mean that they really did it. They just make up lyrics.
How about you? Do you want to be President?
Student 18:
Yeah. He said that all the girls in his class were going to be his chef.
Student 17:
Well, maybe if I’m Vice-President . . .
Do your parents ever talk about government?
Student 17:
Well, I think my parents sometimes talk about politics, sometimes, in our classroom, sometime when we’re in circle we talk about politics and all that stuff. And I think sometimes my parents do talk about politics.
Student 18:
Sometimes mine do, too.
Do you guys worry about what’s going on in the world?
Student 18:
What I’m worried about is all the violence in the world, and the poor.
Student 17:
And what I’m worried about is, when kids walk down to get to school, I’m sometimes worried that they’ll maybe get shot. Because we were watching this Oprah show, this girl was in a dangerous neighborhood. They said, two people got shot right in front of their door.
And I feel like sometimes, kids are like, seeing stuff, and they’re acting like it, because one time I went to the store, I saw some kids smoking. They could be like, 11 or 12.
How rich do you have to be to work for the government?
Student 17:
I don’t think it doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, because I know some people in the world is poor, and I know my family is not poor, we’re sort of rich. I can’t say we’re rich, but I think we’re sort of. But I think to be a President or the governor, you don’t have to pay. You don’t have to pay. You should just, like, vote on people.
Student 18:
Well, you don’t have to be rich to get in the government, or anything, at least, that you have money to get in.
Do you think you have to have rich friends?
Student 18:
No.
Is oil important?
Student 17:
Yes. Oil is important for everything, even in this room, because oil I think starts electricity, sometimes.
Student 18:
Keeps this running.
What do you think about oil?
Student 18:
About oil, well, a lot of people use it a lot. Sometimes they use it in their cars, when the oil is low.
Do you worry about the food you eat?
Student 17:
Yeah, sometimes me and my friends, we don’t drink the water on the backyard, because we think that one’s dirty because we always see stuff in it. So, that’s why we don’t drink out of that one.
Do you have anything to say about democracy? Why do you want to live in America?
Why I want to live in America is because there are no rules that you have to be a certain color to get in a school, or drink out of a water fountain.
What’s a law?
A law is something you obey. Like, say you see a sign on the freeway that says, no littering, a fine. If you do litter, you get a fine sometimes, most of the time. So, that’s a law.
How do laws get made?
By the government, so we can keep our-the world safe.
Who should be able to go to the doctor?
I think who should be able to go to the doctor is probably people that are very sick or ill, and that’s. Most people that are ill.
Some people, maybe not?
If you’re not ill, then you shouldn’t just go there, to the doctor.
Who’s your hero?
My hero is my dad, because he’s raised me since I think I was 4 because my mom went to Boston, and is now [old], since probably I was four, I visit her sometimes. And she’s sort of ill, she’s got this thing where she can’t really work or she’ll get frustrated or stuff like that. And I just think that he’s my hero, because he’s just a person that does really good stuff.
Are you worried about the world?
I’m concerned about all the littering and fighting, and just that I don’t think it’s right.
What are they fighting about?
I know about the Iraq war, I think I know, is that what happened was, that we thought that they had a nuclear weapon, and they said they didn’t, and then we got in a fight, and then in the war and so, we’re in the war right now.
Who’s your hero?
Well, my family is my hero. They help me out a lot on homework, and they do kind things for me. They’re the people who help me out a lot.
Have you heard the word “democracy?”
No.
Have you heard of the President?
Yes.
What’s the President?
It’s like, the person who’s sort of in charge of the state. Like, sort of makes everything, George Washington — he helped the world. He was the first President of the United States. And it makes this a bit more fair when, like, when the President says a speech.
What is your favorite food?
My favorite food is, I would have to say, soup with noodles. Soupy noodles, Ramen.
How much does Ramen cost?
I don’t really know. Maybe one. But one dollar for each bag, maybe? Like, if you’re buying three bags of Raman, it would cost three dollars.
How much do you think it costs to become President?
Maybe, like, maybe one hundred.
Why do you want to live in America?
Well, because I have a family here, most things are fair here, and there’s like, pretty cool things to see.
Do you know how laws get made?
No, not really.
Who do you think should be able to go to the doctor?
People who are ill, and sick, and if you’re throwing, up, and you’re at home, and it’s at night, you can call the doctor and see what to do. They can tell you what to do so you can feel better.
Should there be anyone who can’t go to the doctor?
No, no, because lots of people can get sick in many ways. Like, if you stay out in the cold too much without a jacket. And if you’re sometimes if you drink a lot of milk, sometimes you can throw up.
And you can throw up very easily. And there’s lots of ways to get sick.
Have you heard of oil?
Yes, oil.
What do we use it for?
Well, sometimes we use oil to make our skin feel a bit softer, lotion, but oil can also be used for your car. Your car needs oil in, I think the front part, so that your car can move.
Do you think all the food in the shopping store is safe to eat?
No, not all food. Like, sometimes there’s a snack aisle, and there’s lots of cookies for snack, a cookie, it’s a sweet thing. It’s something that’s sweet, and you don’t want to eat too many.
What happens?
Sometimes, you can get sick. And, sometimes you can start throwing up. And if you eat too many sweet, sometimes you can get a tummy ache.
Where do you live?
I live in Antioch, and it’s a little unsafe for me, because me and my sister always stick with my mom, but if my dad’s there we would run up to the door. Because there’s kidnappers at our house. So, say, if they kidnap me, they would say, give me a thousand dollars or I’ll kill your son.
You guys lock the door?
Yeah. And it’s a good thing we have a safety door.
Who is your favorite super hero?
Spiderman.
Why Spiderman?
Because when I was little, when I saw the first movie, I put spiders on me and let them bite me, to see if the next day I had Spiderman’s powers.
How did that work out?
Pretty good, except my mom got really scared.
Why is America a special place?
I think America’s a special place because of hamburgers. Yeah, and the soda.
What is the job of the President of the United States?
The President’s job is to make good laws for people so they can vote for him.
Who votes for the President?
Citizens of America.
What is a democracy?
I’m not sure what democracy is.
Tell us a little bit about the government.
The government is someone who makes the laws, so, some people pick on him, but if they don’t pick on him, they might pick on someone else.
Are the laws fair?
Sometimes they are, but if people don’t pick on them — probably they’re not fair to them — because that’s their decision, too, not just the other people’s decision who picked for them.
Do your parents like the government?
Well, my mom doesn’t, and I’m not sure if my dad doesn’t.
How do laws get made?
Laws get made by the government because if he doesn’t make laws, they don’t know why to take them, because there’s no reason to.
Do you ever worry about anything in the world?
I’m worried because there’s a lot of war going on. So, I feel like I could stop that, if I were President I would say there is no more guns in America forever.
Have you heard of oil?
Yeah. Oil is a type of liquid that helps your car move, because if the front part of your care doesn’t have oil, then how is it going to move? And if you forget to put oil, you’re just going to ask for a new car, because you’re going to think it’s broke down.
Who do you think should be allowed to go to the doctor?
Only ill people or people that are sick, but if you’re going there just for a checkup, or to get your shots, it’s fine.
Should everybody go if they’re sick?
Only if they’re sick or if they’re having a checkup.
What do you think about America?
Well, I like America because there’s lots of fun places, and sometimes it’s safe for people, but sometimes it’s not really safe.
Why?
Because sometimes research a little bit of war.
What’s that about?
War is like, fighting, and mean stuff they do to people.
Like what?
Like, they always have guns, and they be mean, and they say cuss words.
You want to talk about the government?
I’ve heard of the government, but I don’t really know what it means.
Do your parents talk about the government?
Sometimes they talk about the government, but not that much.
Who’s your hero?
I think Batman. Because he can fly, and he’s a real person, and it’s like, a bat.
How about the President?
Sometimes he makes rules to be nice, and not be mean. And I don’t really know about the President that much.
What’s the Fourth of July about?
The Fourth of July is about, I know it’s about something about United States of America, because they always have the red, white, and blue flag with the 50 stars on it. And I know what the 50 stars means. It means, all the 50 states. And my birthday is in July.
What do you know about money?
It’s for paying stuff, and sometimes you can use it to buy stuff with, like, if you’re going to a carnival, you might need some tickets, but you can’t get them for free. You have to pay for tickets. You almost have to pay for everything.
What’s oil?
Oil, sometimes that helps your car, and sometimes you can use it for plants, sometimes.
Where does food come from?
Food comes from the sun.
Who makes it?
I think God.
What does a farmer do?
He gardens stuff, like fruits and vegetables.
Are farmers important?
I think farmers are important, because they’re healthy. They make stuff healthy, and they have cool animals.
How important is clean water?
I think clean water is better to drink.
Is America a great place for you?
America is a good place for kids to grow up, but then some places are kind of dangerous, where people live. [Because I live in Vallejo,] where it’s different, so there’s some things going on in Vallejo, but it’s different every place else.
What do most people think is special about America?
Us being free, and us doing anything that we want to do, and not having to worry about what other people say about it. Like, say, oh, you can’t do this because you’re this type of race, or you can’t do this because you’re too young, or whatever, or too old. So, you can do kind of whatever you want to do.
What else is special about democracy?
In democracy, you can do anything, in that you don’t have people on your back saying, oh, yeah, you have to do this, you have to do this. You can kind of roam around, see different things, and stuff like that.
Who is the government?
It’s the President, and the Senate, the Congress, all the federal people.
Who are these people?
They’re regular people, but they have more power than we do. So, they can kind of control us, and what we have to do — like, the law and everything — so, it’s just like that. They make the laws, or they pass the laws, and everything.
Does money have anything to do with it?
Yes, it has a lot to do with it.
Tell us about that.
From what I know, the money is helping the war in Iraq, which me personally, I don’t believe that we should be Iraq. And it helps for like, the oil, and the cars. Money is like, a big, big thing in the government, and for people, because without money, what would you have? So, money is a very, very important thing in society right now.
They say that in 90% of elections, the person that has the most money wins.
I think that’s not fair, personally, because it should be on how the person is, and what they want to do to change the world, and not just because, oh, this person has a certain amount of money that they can do this. They should, you know, just be able to be elected because of who they are, and not because of, you know, just because they have a certain amount of money or anything like that.
What do you think about that?
I feel, it’s not how I feel, but like, the other person, I would feel kind of, like, used, because I tried my best to do something, and just because I didn’t have a certain type of money, that I wasn’t able to be elected, just because, oh, this person has this certain amount of money that I don’t. It’s like, I have more experience than the other person, but just because this other person has more money, that I can’t get into it. Because maybe I know more politics, I may know more people and what they’re going through, than this person does.
Do you have political ambitions?
Not really. Me, personally, I want to be a hair stylist, because I like doing hair. But, politics, I don’t quite like politics that much.
Why?
Because, my cousin wants to be a lawyer, and I go for her on that, but I don’t want to be a lawyer. I just don’t. I don’t have the passion to be a lawyer.
What do you think of politicians in general?
It really depends on what they go for or what they go against. Because some politicians go for the war on Iraq, some politicians don’t. So, me, I would go for the politicians that they go against because my cousin, she’s there, so I don’t want her to get hurt, and I don’t want any other person to get hurt because of the reason that we’re in Iraq.
I don’t know why we’re in Iraq, really, but, it’s kind of weird that we’re there.
Do you worry about your cousin?
Yeah. I don’t know her that well, but I just like to care of people and my family.
How do laws get made?
Well, I know that the President has to make up a law, and then he has to pass it by the Senate and Congress, I believe, and then if they say yes or no to it, that it overpowers it, but then if the President says, well, since I’m the President I can overpower you, then he can over-veto it and overpower that. And then the law won’t be passed.
Do you have worries about our government? What’s the biggest one?
The war in Iraq and the money, and the gas prices, I think, are going up and up. Personally, I don’t understand why, because it seems like we spent a lot of money already to the war in Iraq, so there’s not point of bringing more money to it, because shouldn’t they already have what they need? And so, then, bringing up the gas prices, almost like, five dollars, like, what’s up with that? That’s weird and it’s different.
Why do people become politicians?
I don’t know, really. Sometimes because they want to have power, some people just want to have power and say, oh, yeah, I could do all this. Or, maybe it’s just because they want to change the world, maybe, in different ways, and see if this person is doing this, I want to see if I can change their mind a little bit, and see if they can change their mind and go in another direction, and go in the good way instead of the negative way, and things like that.
Are most politicians good or bad?
I don’t follow politics that well, so I wouldn’t know, but it depends on who the person is. Because maybe they really are a good person, but just because of where they are, they have to make these decisions — so, for me to fit in, I have to be this type of person, I have to do this, and not kinds of stuff like that.
Where do you think the money for elections comes from?
From us, and us paying the taxes, and bills, and everything, even the gas, or something like that. Because we spend a lot of money on, like, taxes, and the bills. So, most of that can goes to them. Or, maybe just the money they’ve raised to make all these commercials and these ads to become President, or a politician, or whatever.
What’s so special about America?
There a lot of things that are special about it, because we’re different than other countries, but a lot of our beliefs and stuff are the same as other countries. So, I really don’t think there’s much of a difference.
What’s your take on this democracy?
Democracy is like having people decide what their future is here, instead of having a whole bunch of other people decide it for them. We have a democracy, but not a great one. Some choices we get to choice, but others, not really.
In over 90% of elections, the person with the most money wins. What do you think about that?
You know, it’s kind of hard to say, because I don’t think just people with money should be the only people that run for President or be President, because there are people who have pretty strong views, and can rule a country, and they don’t have lots of money.
How much money do you think you need to win the nomination for the Presidency?
12 million? 2 million? I don’t know.
Where does that money come from?
I really don’t know, because it’s a lot of money. I don’t know how.
If you borrowed money from somebody, would you owe them a favor?
Yeah, I think that, like, I’d feel weird if someone gave me a whole bunch of money and I didn’t give it back later on. That’s just how I am. If I borrow money from my mom, I have to pay her back. That’s just how it works with me.
What happens if someone borrows money from oil companies or banks?
I think, to maybe protect the companies, so that they don’t go out of business.
Do you worry about our government?
Yes. I have a lot of concerns, like the war. I don’t it’s reasonable, because they’re mainly there for oil, and they want oil to fuel cars. But, there are other ways we can replace oil. Because, the oil companies give George Bush money, so he wants to keep the oil companies going by getting more. And he went to Iraq to get more.
How does that make you feel?
I don’t really feel that proud of my country right now, because we have a lot of resources here. I don’t think we’re using those to our greatest ability. I’m just not proud of our country right now.
What do you like about America?
I’ve never really been any other places, so I don’t really know, but I like the feeling of sometimes being secure. I feel kind of safe here, more than I do in a different country that has different rules.
Who is the government?
Well, they’re like us, but most of them, they’re people like us, but they have more money, and they’re sort of like us, but not really, though.
Are people with money able to represent us any longer?
Well, I think what they’re doing is doing it in their best interests, how they can make money, instead of helping us more. They are concerned with themselves, more, than us, at times.
Would you consider running for office?
I don’t really know. That’s never really been one of my goals, or anything, but I guess so.
What are your goals?
I want to be a musician and artist, when I get older.
What would you make songs about?
The good things, instead of the bad, make people focus on better things. People have a negative attitude more, nowadays, to have more of a positive attitude about everything.
What do you think the people who founded this country had in mind, with our democracy?
I think they thought that it was supposed to be a place where people could voice their own opinions, it didn’t work out like their vision was. It’s still like that, but not completely.
What’s special about America?
I think America’s special because lots of people immigrate from different countries, and I guess it seems like a land of freedom, and a lot of religious people, if they weren’t allowed to do their religion in other countries, they would come here.
Is our government different than in other places?
I think our government kind of is trying to do the best they can, but I guess, you have room for improving, but, nobody’s perfect.
What is democracy, to you? Do you think we have one?
I guess democracy to me is having a leader, and having them make choices for the country, but still having people [who are being heard] and stuff. And I guess we sort of have a democracy.
You’re not sure?
I personally don’t like the form of government, like, I don’t think it’s bad, but I think it could be better.
How?
I guess, choices, that our President makes, I think the war in Iraq is wrong, and it’s not our land, and we just want oil. It’s their land.
Our President says we’re there to spread democracy.
Not really.
It takes a lot of money to run for President. Can you speak to that?
I do agree with like, the money, and people with loyalties who win, and I think that the President, if they’re not wealthy, that they have connections, or maybe relatives that are connected to people. And I think that people that aren’t as wealthy should be able to run, and I’d like to see, like, maybe, like, not a wealthy person, but like, maybe somebody from like, a low-income community be President someday.
Why?
Because we’ve never really had one, I guess. Like, in modern days, I would say.
How can someone who doesn’t have a lot of money run for President?
I’m not sure of, if somebody of, low income should raise money to do a campaign, and it takes a lot of money to run. And I don’t think that it would be able to happen at the moment.
If people borrow money, will they owe favors at the end of the election?
I think it’s true, and I think that if you try to, like, if you were a person of low income, and you had, like, money raised, through campaign funds and stuff, I think it would be kind of difficult, you’d probably have to pay it back at the end, or owe people lots of favors. People could hold that against you.
Do you want to get into a leadership role?
I never really wanted to be, like, into politics, or a government job. But I always thought I wanted to be a lawyer. But, I’m not sure. I guess that it would be kind of cool, now that I know more about government. I guess, to have, like, a government job.
What would you do?
I would maybe want to be like, a Senator, and work my way up, maybe [I could be] President.
If you were President, what difference would you make?
I would want to have equality, and people even of different races, have a fair vote, and a fair say in what goes on this country, even though they may not be a citizen, they still have a say. And, yeah, I would really want to work on nationality, and stuff.
Talk about the food that you buy.
I think it’s not as safe and healthy as people in America. They hire migrant works and stuff. And the migrant workers, we read about them a little bit. They live in little shacks. I think that they, the migrant workers, should get more resources, housing, and cleanliness. Because they have to dig the plants and the food, and if they are not able to wash their hands, they don’t have access to running water, then that wouldn’t be good, because of the e coli.
Where do you go to the market to get fruits and vegetables?
My mom really likes the Berkeley Bowl, and we go to Trader Joe’s a lot.
Does she have concerns about getting organic?
She does usually [bought into] organic and healthy and all natural things. You know, like, processed meat or foods, and stuff.
There’s a program to establish money for campaigns for people who don’t have money. What do you think of that?
I think that’s a good idea. I think raising money and establishing funds for people that don’t have enough money to run for office, I think that’s a good idea, and I think it gives people a fair chance.
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