Piss In A Cup!

Recently I recieved an e-mail from a friend in Perth. It was one of those little joke emails that you're supposed to send along. Normally I ignore them, but the title: "Piss In A Cup" attracted the attention of Jamie, who demanded that I read it.
The contents of the letter made a lot of sense to me.

The man says that he goes to work, five days a week as a fireman. He gets paid, and pays taxes, which end up in the pocket of homeless/jobless people.
The man complains that every few years he is required to "piss in a cup" for drug-and-alcohol testing. He complains that, in order to keep his job he must pass each drug-and-alcohol test, however his taxes pay the government-aid of those that do not have a job, whom statistically, will probably use the money to sustain a drug addiction.

He implies in this e-mail that, in order for people to get governement-aid, they should piss in a cup and clear drug-and-alcohol testing.

I grew up with a heroin-addict mother, and this I believe would be both a pro and con in combatting the spending of government aid, specified for looking after young children, on drugs. My mother would have found other means of earning money in order to feed her addiction. I fear that it would have involved either the selling of her own, or Heaven forbid, my own body.
However, I also believe that this would both save the government and country money and possibly even reduce tax costs. It MIGHT also reduce the illegal use of narcotics.

I'd like to know other people's opinions. Pro or con?

Should people be required to piss in a cup in order to qualify for Government Aid?

My opinion? Yes. Yes they should.

Response

Today, I got a response on my letter to the principal, on facebook. The response was not from Mrs Prime, but a man I am friends with on the profilic website. The man said to me; "To claim you are experiencing inequality as a result of Aboriginal students' free attendance at the formal is far from open-minded.

How am I expected to keep an open mind if there is blatant favoritism being thrown in front of me?

Cultural and lingual preservation is vital and the only way that can be achieved is if educational institutions, trade industries and governments maintain social I cousins policies and procedures.

Exceptions are made under guidance of the educational system to encourage the participation and attendance of Aboriginal an Torres Strait Islanders.

So ... People in extreme financial difficulty are not helped to encourage participation, but Aboriginal students, on top of their $450 a fortnight, recieve free formal tickets, school uniforms, and even extremely cheap driving lessons. That's NOT social inclusion, that's social isolation.

I'm sorry, but if I'm declared racist because I find it unfair that people that struggle for money receive little or no help from the schools and government. If a non-aboriginal person doesn't look for work whilst on the dole, their payments are cut off. If an aboriginal person doesn't look for work, they are still given money to buy goon sacks.

How is that fair?

Letter to the Principal

I'm a year twelve student and it's nearing the end of the year. What does that mean for me? Mother fucking Formal and Schoolies is what!
I'm really looking forward to formal, hey? Finally get to dress up and look all pretty and shit. Get to spend, possibly the last day ever with all my school friends before we all leave and go do our own things. There are some people I'll REALLY miss, and some people I'll be thankful never to see ever again.

So ... This year I paid $130 for mine and Jamie's formal ticket which is to be held at the Stamford Grand in Glenelg (yeah, the school is letting me take a boy to formal). I also would have paid, if I could afford it [hey, I work at McDonalds casual and most of my pay goes to my car] $72 for my year twelve jumper that I would have something personal printed on [Probably He's Electric or something like that] the front, and all my classmate's names on the back, in alphabetical order.

I was at school one day, when the topic came up of Formal. It was brought up in the conversation, which made my ears prick up that the Aboriginal students at my school acquired their tickets FREE of charge. This made me really angry. So what did I do? I got home and wrote an angry letter to the principal.

Whenever an issue comes up for me at the school, I do not hesitate to write a letter to the principal with my opinion bluntly being told. I do not pull any punches in my words.

So ... This is my letter. Read it guys, and let me know your opinions, yeah? Tell me if I was being ostentatious, or if I'm right, etc.

Also, I'll let people know the Principal's reply when I get it.





To whom it may concern,

I am a year twelve student at your school, who has been a very public member of the student body, and am well known in the school yard by both faculty and students.
Mine and my partner’s formal ticket cost me $130. My year twelve jumper, had I bought one—however couldn’t due to being unable to afford it—would have cost me $72. I am on the student card, as my family lives off of the old age pension. This constitutes of $440 a fortnight and this is all we survive off of and I am forced to work part time, plus my government benefits of Youth Allowance goes towards household keeping. This means that my family of three survives off of $350 a week to cover bills, food, and household expenses.

It has recently come to my attention that the Aboriginal students of Salisbury High School received both their year twelve formal tickets and year twelve jumpers free of charge. This, to me and many others in my situation is highly unfair.
I am personally all for human equal rights, however I do not see the equality of this, when students that do not come from an indigenous background are required to pay full amount for their year twelve expenses that are sentimental to them.
I am aware that it is a government decision to give those of an Aboriginal background extra financial benefit, however I do not see how it is equal. I do not see how it is equal for schools to be teaching students of different racial diversities that the Aboriginal students have everything high costing handed to them on a silver platter, but those that are Caucasian, Asian, African, American, etc have to pay full price for their schooling.

I myself, having missed out on my year twelve hooded jacket am outraged that they receive this without cost, but I, because of financial difficulty could not and do not have anything to show for year twelve except for year twelve formal photos, which I will have to purchase anyway through Event Photography. It is no doubt that the Aboriginal students will probably receive these for free, if not discounted.
Each winter day that I attended during my time as a year twelve student, I felt a slight sadness that I could not wear a jacket with my personal nickname/own name and have all my friend’s names written on the back, just to find out at a later date that if I were an Aboriginal student, I would have been handed this straight away without cost.

It is not my intention for action to be taken, just that these words be taken into consideration.

I am open to cultural diversity, and their rights as human beings, however I am strongly against special treatment because of skin colour. To me, this is racism saying that because these kids are of Indigenous background, they acquire special treatment and favouritism, however other students are expected to pay full amount.
Special treatment towards these students if, in my personal opinion racism. In my personal opinion, racism is not negative comments/actions towards those of a different cultural background, but the differential treatment of different cultures. Allowing those of Aboriginal descent cheaper or no costs with their year twelve formal tickets and jumper is treatment unique to this culture, which in effect is racism.

Thank you for listening to my concerned opinion,
James Mattin,

Year twelve student, SRC president, and same-sex attracted student. Where’s my special treatment for being gay?

Let's get to know ME

Yo, wassup?

Names James Mattin. James Michael Mattin.
I'm seventeen years old and I live in a socially-small city called Adelaide.
I live a pretty chill life.

I am homoflexible. "What does that mean!?" you ask? Well.
It means that I like boys, but if a girl comes along that is uber awesome, I'd probably give it a go.
However, at the moment, I am in a relationship with a wonderful boy named Jamie. ^_^

I'm a highly opinionated person. I have an opinion on just about everything, and I like to be listened to.

I love my music. :D Music is great. Don't you think?

I have a wide variety in taste of music. Eveything from Evanescence, Metallica, Creepshow, Fort Minor, Hey Monday, etc.

I talk to myself a fair bit ... Don't you, James? Yes. Yes I do.

I do archery. So I'll have a couple of posts about that!

I often look on Google news for stuff that's interesting.

I vent through writing, so if I'm angry about something, I'd rather write about it, than talk about it.

I have some AMAZING friends!

I aspire to be either an english and drama teacher, or film director. Either would be totally cool!

I drive a lovely little vroom vroom. ^_^ VS Commodore Acclaim. '95 model. It's my love-child! ^_^

Anyway guys, that's the basics on me. Pretty sure you'll learn more about me from my posts than this.