Welcome to the Tiger Times!

Wanna submit an answer to our Monthly question? Click here!

Analy High School’s student-run newspaper offers students, staff, parents, and the community of Analy High School a monthly publication about the topics that are important to us. You can check out our most recent issue and our past issues at the links above.

Students interested in submitting an article for publication can send it to the Tiger Times editor, Natalie Ambrosio, at tigertimes.ed@gmail.com or through the “Submit Articles” link above, and are encouraged to attend weekly meetings on Thursdays at lunch in room 205.

Local businesses interested in advertising in the newspaper can contact the faculty adviser Joel Stickel at jstickel.ahs@wscuhsd.k12.ca.us. or click on the “Advertising” link above.

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Kernels of Wisdom with Wally the Walrus

Bored in a class? Pick a word or phrase your teacher says often and make it a game to see how many times you can catch him or her saying it during the period.

 

Find yourself making lots of powdered drinks? Skip the mess and wait-time by freezing ice cubes saturated with your drink mix and then throw these in your drink when you’re ready. You won’t make a mess and won’t need extra ice cubes!

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Advanced Class Testimonials

Wondering whether or not to take an AP or other advanced course? Look no further! Read what current and past students have to say about the classes in question:

Social Sciences:
AP World History

Mariana Leal: Take AP World! It’s super fun, you learn lots and lots, and the work load isn’t bad–only about four to seven hours a week (if you don’t procrastinate, you can spread it out). AP World is totally doable if you are taking Honors Chemistry, English 10A, and/or Algebra 2A.
Larissa Birthelmer: The Advanced Placement World History course is quite a bit of work, however, the class is fun, and teaches one so much. Not only do students learn about the history of the world, a fascinating subject, but also about themselves. Students are able to learn how to study best, how to scan documents for information and so many other valuable skills that can be used throughout their educational carrier. The homework does take time; it is about twenty pages of reading a week, however, it is well worth it. Mr. Forslund makes the class so much fun by filling it with enjoyable projects and laughter. Students who choose to take the AP World History class they are in for a fun year.
AP United States History
Larissa Birthelmer: This is by far one of the best classes I’ve ever taken, and history isn’t even my favorite subject. AP US History is a real college class. Independence is huge. There is little homework. While a little unorganized, Mr. Carpenter encourages the exchange of ideas and genuinely wants his students to understand the material. There are a lot of Socratic seminars, open discussions and lectures, again, a lot like a college class. Through these you not only begin understanding the past but the deep connection history has with the present.  And just a word of advice for those who haven’t taken AP classes before: in a class full of intelligent students a big ego doesn’t get you very far, especially this class, where debate is popular.
AP US Government and Politics
Josh Fandel: This is a semester long class; there’s little to say about it other than that students certainly learn a lot about how the government functions, which is exactly what is supposed to happen. Mr. Carpenter is continually full of knowledge about how portions of the government work, and also consistently brings in recent real-world examples of the topics that are being covered. Students do fly pretty quickly through the textbook, but it is definitely smaller than the AP Micro textbook, and it hardly feels like you’re reading through it all. The work load is not difficult to manage at all. The longest assignments are probably the external (not from the textbook) reading passages that are occasionally assigned. Learning occurs smoothly for me in this class, and although it is a much more in-depth look at the United States government, it still essentially builds on things that everyone has already been taught. So long as you’ve gone to school, you’ll be prepared to take this class.
AP Microeconomics
Gina Hervey: I would highly recommend this class for anyone either interested in economics and/or anyone interested in taking an advanced class to see what it’s like. The course is not a large time commitment; however some of the concepts can be difficult to apply. The class is primarily composed of lectures, so one must be good at note-taking. I would recommend reading the textbook, and getting a thorough study guide book to help master the concepts. The textbook is a bit confusing, but a good detailed start. Mr. Ellwood will also go over most of the basic, key concepts in class; however, an additional study guide is a more approachable text for reviewing before a test. The keys: do your current events on time, and make sure you understand all graphing and vocabulary.
David Hua: A one semester course, this class has been different than any other social science class I’ve taken. Lectures take up a majority of the period, and Mr. Ellwood moves at a slow enough pace so that people generally understand what he’s trying to teach. But if you fall asleep, you might just miss some extremely important concept (or an extremely funny story). The graphs and economic concepts may be hard to grasp at first, but after seeing them repeatedly both in class and in the book, you’ll be good friends with them soon enough. There is not that much homework for the class (generally one or two problems from the textbook), but make sure to read the textbook and notes before tests.
English:
Accelerated English 10
Vanessa Mendez: This is an amazing class. Homework is almost always assigned. The homework is not very hard, but it is a lot. I recommend this class to anyone who wants to give it a try.
AP Rhetoric
Alyssa Mintz: A class to fulfill your English requirement in college! IT ACTUALLY EXISTS! Mrs. Williamson and Mrs. Leach have done an amazing job with the curriculum—even creating a model for other teachers in the AP Rhetoric program. This class is a great way to not just read about an issue, but to voice your own opinion about it. Instead of writing about the symbolism of a poem, this class finally allows you to choose your own topic, write an essay and make a speech that becomes the best of your high school career. There is more difficult reading than sophomores usually face, but the teachers do a thorough job of pointing out significant things to remember and preparing your language composition for the AP test.
English 11 Honors
This is a unit based class, where at the beginning and middle of each of the units, you read the books, and at the end you have a group presentation and separate project. Units take approximately 5-6 weeks. In addition there are several in-class essays (and also some vocabulary quizzes).
AP Literature
Gina Hervey: This class is a delight, if one enjoys reading into stories…a lot. The class primarily consists of annotating, note-taking, group work, and class discussions. To excel, it helps to be a quick reader, and someone good at making connections to outside sources (finding allusions in a text). There is a fair amount of writing, but Ms. Fadave usually allows for plenty of time to edit and revise multi-draft essays. The key: don’t procrastinate, ask a lot of questions during poetry presentations, and write absolutely everything down when annotating a piece of literature. I would highly recommend the class if you enjoy novels, history, and critical thinking.
Sciences:

Honors Chemistry
Kate Stewart and Alya Bohr: It’s conceptually difficult, but if you like science, it’s a fascinating class that covers many topics. It consists mainly of lecture and occasional labs. Compagno does assign homework every night, but it’s generally not TOO long (unless you have to take a while figuring out the concepts involved) and he rarely collects it. There are tests every few weeks and they’re pretty hard, but if you’re willing to dedicate time to study and make sure you understand the topics, it can be a great experience.
AP Physics
Natalie Ambrosio: This is certainly the hardest yet most rewarding class I’ve taken at Analy. Goldberg is a great teacher who is accessible and keeps the material fun. Homework is collected regularly and helps one’s grade as long as it’s done correctly. As someone who didn’t grasp the concepts easily I found that success on tests came for me after attending tutorial, having study sessions and doing homework problems repeatedly the day before the test.
Adrian Zamudio: Well you should definitely take this class. The material learned in Physics is unlike that learned in any other class, as you get to learn about things that actually apply to your daily life. Mr. Goldberg’s Physics teaching is impeccable; through his conversational language he is able to explain concepts in simple ways and make lectures intriguing. I’m not going to lie, the course itself does have a good amount of homework and difficult tests; however, for me, AP physics has been one of the most fun AP classes that I have ever taken. It is definitely the type of class that I would take again.
Advanced Biology
Alyssa Mintz: We’ve moved on from dissecting worms or owl scat. Advanced Biology is an in-depth class about the anatomy and physiology of the human body. Students explore all of the organs, bones, blood, and systems of the body and even get to blood type, dissect brains and sheep eyes. There is an annual fieldtrip to Yosemite or Monterey (depending on the year), as well as to see the cadavers at the Santa Rosa Junior College. Mr. Sherron loves what he does and really cares about his students’ success, making it easier for students to ask for help and understand the material.
AP Biology
Natalie Ambrosio: This class is not for those who don’t love science, reading dense textbooks, and listening to long lectures. Most of the learning comes from reading the textbook and I find that the only way I retain anything is to take in-depth notes. In order to succeed it’s necessary to do the reading (even if you don’t have to for the homework). While the class is reasonably curved to enable a fairly good grade without too much work, in order to feel prepared for the AP test your sincere effort and motivation is necessary.
Mathematics:
Accelerated Algebra 2
Vanessa Mendez: This is one of my favorite classes. There is homework due every math period. The teacher is able to explain concepts very well. Groups are set up so that you can ask your group members any questions. It is a great class to take.
Ashton Fandel: While the assignments can get a tad lengthy, the problems themselves are generally not that difficult. For the ones that are, there is adequate time dedicated to going over them in class. Tests are not very formiddable, as long as you understand the concepts presented in the lessons. This class is manageable if you are taking Honors Chemistry, AP World, and English 10A, or any combination of those.
Honors Trig/Pre-Calc
Adrian Zamudio: Honors Trig was pretty cool. It was the first advanced math course that I took, as I did not take Geometry A or Algebra 2A. If you’re in the same situation, don’t worry, you’ll survive. Although, the material in this class is some tricky business, or should I say “triggy” business. But seriously, it’s no joke. There is a lot of homework and difficult and long tests. Mr. Shea does a terrific job at teaching the subject. The class goes into depth in the concepts that we are exposed to. I was surprised how in this class it’s no longer a matter of simply using an equation, but a matter of understanding why we use equations and what the logic behind them is. Overall, the general thing that seemed to draw people away from appreciating the class is the fact that many of the topics taught in the course are very random and seem to have no logical connection to each other. But, it still was a great source for knowledge and I’m glad that I took the class, as I feel it prepared me well for AP calculus.
AP Calculus
Natalie Ambrosio: Though its name tends to put a sense of doom into those not privy to its glory this class is probably my favorite class this year. It is true that a sense of determination and willingness to work some is necessary, but neither the workload nor the concepts are overwhelmingly difficult. Also, I must say that Ms. Amirkhan is not as scary as many think. It’s true that she expects much from her students, but she only pushes us to do the best we can do, she’s exceedingly reasonable as long as you talk to her, and she is also quite hilarious. If you have any interest in math and/or have worked through the trials of Analy’s advanced math classes you owe it to yourself to take this class.
Gina Hervey: This class is rewarding, if you are willing to work. The homework is not awful, nor the concepts outrageously difficult to grasp. However, the class moves quickly, and thus falling behind is somewhat deadly to one’s grade. If you keep up on the work, and make sure you understand everything taught in previous classes, it is not impossible to get an A. The class is geared toward scoring high on the AP test, and thus you will feel very prepared when the test comes. Though stressful at times, try not to get overanxious, too worried, or behind, and you will do fine.
Languages:
Honors Spanish 4
Gina Hervey: The class is worth the wait. Very different from previous Spanish classes because it has no textbook and the course is divided up onto units by themes organized by Ms. Isabeau. The focus is on verb conjugations and grammar rather than vocabulary (there are very few vocabulary tests). There are no “pop quizzes,” but rather Ms. Isabeau will tell you of any tests or quizzes in advance. With a lot of practice in class, and a reasonable amount of work outside of class the time commitment is not large. Aside from weekly “paquetes”, and the occasional worksheet there is little homework. The key: do your weekly “paquetes” (correctly!), study for tests/quizzes, participate in class, and turn your journals in on time.

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Leadership Updates

My, oh my, is the year already wrapping up?

Haven’t bought your ticket for Prom yet?! What are you doing?! Prom tickets are on sale now for $145 (plus $30 for the charter bus, with limited tickets remaining), but only until Friday!

Thursday the 25th will be a Rally Schedule for the Prom Rally.

Prom is on April 27th this year! If any guys still need a tux, if you get them at The Men’s Wearhouse in Santa Rosa, Analy Leadership will receive money!

Class Election Rallies will be held on May 2nd.

The last Student Senate of the Year will be May 7th, SSR, Choir Room. The next Tiger Transition Training will be held May 9th, SSR, Small Gym. The Last Tiger Transition will be held May 14th, SSR, Large Gym.

www.analy.org/activities

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Eco2school

What:
Eco2school Challenge. Bike, walk, carpool, or skate to school. Go online and log your trips at Analy.eco2school.org

When:
Extended for the whole month of April (because April is Earth Month).

Benefits:
Weekly Prizes. Grand prize for an individual is a new bicycle. History class teams can win an ice cream party.

Purpose:
Reduce greenhouse gasses.

Competition:
Analy history class periods are competing against each other. Other schools are also participating in the Eco2schoool Challenge, including El Molino, Windsor, Healdsburg, Casa Grande, Montgomery, Maria Carrillo, and Santa Rosa. Let’s show them that Analy can be the best!

More info: www.eco2school.org

Frequently Asked Questions:
• Does riding the bus count as carpool?
Yes

• How many people do I need in a carpool?
2 people going to school (even siblings count)!

• Can I really win a new bike? Yes and the more trips you log the better chance you have at winning prizes (and the more greenhouse gasses you reduce)!

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DIY Prom Flowers

If you are going to Prom, you are no doubt excited. The ladies might be endlessly poring over dress options, color schemes, and hair ideas. Or maybe it’s just me. In any case, you may have come across boutonnieres and corsages. For those who don’t know, it is a custom for the gentleman to give his date a corsage (which can be affixed to the bodice near the neckline or tied around the wrist) and for the lady to give her date a boutonniere (which she pins to the gentleman’s jacket lapel). For those of you who have begun looking into Prom flowers, you may have been shocked at the price—I have seen corsages for as much as $20 to $45! But never fear—it is simple and cheap to make your own.

Now, the supplies for this lovely little project (it might make a nice date for you and your gent or lady on the Friday before prom) are easily found on a high schooler’s budget. The Dollar Tree claims to be the place for flora supplies, and at one dollar each for a bundle of floral wire, floral tape, and a spool of ribbon, it’s hard to beat. Also, near Ochoa’s in Sebastopol, there is a crafting thrift store: the Legacy. You can get floral supplies for a couple bucks (even pretty little doodads) and the proceeds go to the Senior Center, so your Prom flowers can support a good cause.
 
1.   Assemble your Prom flower supplies: focal flowers (the big, central ones), filler (leaves and smaller flowers), doodads like feathers or rhinestones, floral wire, floral tape, ribbon, and wire cutters. Make sure your flowers are dry or the tape will not stick (this will be important later).

2.   Take a focal flower (good ones include roses, camellias, and other large flowers with herbaceous stems), cut the stem to about ¼ inch long and push piece of floral wire through the stem. With the wire cutters, cut the wire down to a size length you like for the new stem.

3.   Cut a piece of floral tape about 4 inches long and begin winding it around the wire “stem” beginning at the top, where the wire pierces the stem. Make sure to pull tight on the tape and to try to get it to go on smoothly.

4.   Now, it’s time to add the trimming! Try different groupings of leaves, other filler, and any thingamajigs that you like, to see which way looks the best. Remember to look at it head on so you can see what it will look like on someone’s lapel.

5.   Tape these other flowers, leaves, and assorted beautifying doohickeys to the focal flower securely.

6.  Wrap the floral-tape covered “stem” with pretty ribbon (it can match your clothes or it can be a complementary color). You may want to use a dab of glue gun glue to keep the ribbon on securely. I finished my boutonniere by tying the loose ends in a bow.

7.    Your boutonniere is done! I am sure it is lovely!

8.    Now on to the corsage: choose your focal flower(s)—I used 2 camellias, but 3 or 4 or more look nice, too—and pierce them with the wire as in step 2.

9.   Take the flowers and arrange them in an eye-pleasing way looking top-down (this corsage will be worn on the wrist and so it is important that it looks nice from the top rather than the side), twist the wires into a single “stem”, and tape your new stem. (Alternatively, you can glue gun your focal flowers to a piece of felt that matches your ribbon.)

10.  Now is time to add the trimmings to the corsage. A corsage can handle more bulk than a boutonniere, so feel free to be a little more creative here—use loops of ribbon, other flowers, leaves, feathers and anything else you fancy. Then, tape it all down. (If you glued the focal flowers, you could glue your trimmings to the felt).

11.  Now, curl the stem into a circle and either tie the ribbon to the circle (if the corsage is small and light) or glue this circle to a piece of felt. If you are using felt, orient the corsage to how you want it to look on the wearer’s wrist (assuming her arm is extended directly in front of you). Then, on the left-right axis, cut a slit just as wide as your ribbon in the felt on either side. Slip your ribbon through the two slits and it is done!

Now that your corsage and boutonniere are finished, you need to keep them each in a large Tupperware container (with plenty of room so that neither will get squished) in the refrigerator until show time so that the flowers don’t wilt.

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Swimming their Way to Victory

The Analy swim team is coached by Lehla Irwin. The swim team is composed of Analy students; some who have swam for years in club, some who are testing out the waters of a new sport, and everyone in between. The girls swim team has dominated so far, with a mix of club and high school swimmers all dedicated to working hard and improving their times. The boys have had few losses; the meets that they did lose were due to their small numbers, but their future is still promising as they work on improving their times in practice. The Analy swim team hopes to dominate SCL and that drives their fierce motivation, and the motivation is what drives them to go to morning practice at 5:30 am. The feeling of accomplishment after a morning practice is rare. The satisfaction does not come from waking up at five in the morning, but from perfecting one’s stroke and shaving seconds of time off.

The swimmers on the team all have different goals, reasons for doing swimming, and fun memories from swimming. Jordan Jayne, a sophomore on the Analy swim team, has the genes for swimming, considering her grandpa went to the Olympics. She enjoys swimming because “half the time you don’t even realize you’re working out and you get to enjoy being in the water with your friends.” Sara Soares, a breast stroke swimmer, swims with both the high school team as well as her own team. “Swimming club and high school together is tiring. High school swimming is more about having fun and teaching others about swimming. Club is competition-filled.” Sara loves swimming, and has begun to coach the JV team during morning practices on Wednesdays. Michala Roan enjoys swimming and her favorite memory was SCL “Just because everyone was so spirited, extremely excited to swim, and we did really well.” Michala has been swimming since she was young and just kept with it. Jon Knox, who is best at back stroke and freestyle, hopes to place within the top eight at NCS. Rebecca Baxley said, “I swim because I love cold water at 5 am on a rainy day. I think the reason I’ve stuck with swimming for so long despite the early mornings is the feeling of accomplishment. All of us put so much time and effort into practicing everyday, and the minute it pays off in a race, it becomes addicting. I always have room for improvement and I can always be better–that is the best part.” All these swimmers have a fierce determination and love of the sport.

The Analy swimmers agree that as the swimming season goes on everyone becomes like a family, and that in itself is one of the best parts about swimming. Also, it is a good way to relieve stress, and as soon as they dive into the pool all their worries seem to melt away with the water and nothing but the stroke is important. The team hopes that the Analy student body can come out and watch them on a Thursday at Ives to see the magic happen.

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Where Are They Now

This month I sat down with one of our school counselors Ms. Carol DeBello and talked to her about Angelo DeBello. DeBello was the Drama and Art teacher during his years at Analy High School.
In my interview with Ms. DeBello she expressed to me that when she was a teacher’s assistant and Angelo was the Drama teacher they were crazy about each other. As we talked more and more I could see the love she had for him in her eyes and how she talked about his experience at Analy.

On January 24, 1985, Mr. DeBello passed away peacefully after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Here is Angelo’s story:

1. When did he first become a staff member at Analy?
1958

2. What was his position?
He was the Drama and the Art teacher.

3. What did he do after his retirement?
We bought Giovanni’s Italian Delicatessen one year after he retired.

4. What do you think he would always remember from Analy?
I think he would have remembered the staff, friends, and the love for the kids. The one thing that he loved the most were the after game parties.

5. What did he love about his job?
Everything that has to do with the kids; he also loved seeing the kids’ love for the arts. He also liked meeting me.

6. What was his favorite memory of Analy?
I recall a story Angelo told me of a student who dropped a bottle of alcohol in class and it shattered all over the floor. He was so proud of how he managed to keep his cool the entire time. But when he shared the story with me, he started laughing hysterically over the nerve of the student bringing the bottle to class.

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Why Should We Go to Prom?

We were fortunate enough to catch an anonymous Analy senior, as it was leaving the local Donuts and Water shop up the road last Thursday night to ask it some questions about its experience at Prom last year. We hope this better informs you about your decision to attend Prom:

1. Why did you choose to attend Prom last year?
To be completely honest, all the work was weighing me down, so I just felt like dancing it all out. And there’s the whole tradition side of it, and I wanted to be part of that.

2. Are you going this year, why or why not?
I believe I am, but I haven’t purchased my ticke- wha-, who’s that? (David Hua suddenly appears from within the shop, addressing both of us):
David:

“You better purchase your tickets now, as they are $145 this week, plus another $30 if you’re taking the charter bus.”

3. What was the most exciting part of the night?
It was hands down, bursting into a three-man impromptu singing of “Every Breath You Take” by Sting.

4. How was the food?
The food was amazing; especially these little lemon cookie things that I ate far too many of.

5. What transportation did you use to get to prom?
I personally took the charter bus, which was most comfortable. However, the ride back was painful due to eating an excessive quantity of the lemon cakes.

It ran off shortly after this last question, muttering about how it was going to try that new noodle place in town.

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April Horoscopes

Aquarius
January 20 -February 18
This month good ideas will flow through your head and many, wonderful, unpredictable surprises will come your way.

Pisces
February 19 -March 20
Your humor and cheery spirit will bring you magnificent luck this month, but make sure to be yourself.

Aries
March 21 -April 19
This month will soon bring you excitement, and inspiration will strike when you least expect it.

Taurus
April 20 -May 20
Your confidence may deteriorate quickly this month, but don’t lose hope—things must get worse before they get better!

Gemini
May 21 -June 20
This month you will come upon a secret that will be very hard to keep. It is important that you keep it because you will gain the trust of someone very important.

Cancer
June 21 -July 22
Your life will take an exciting new turn this month. Make sure to keep focused and good fortune will come your way.

Leo
July 23 -August 22
Out with the old, in with the new…The time has come for a wonderful new change in your life. It will bring happiness and good luck in all your endeavors.

Virgo
August 23 -September 22
This month a wonderful new opportunity will come up if you are willing to take it—say yes to things you wouldn’t normally agree to!

Libra
September 23 -October 22
A ladybug will soon land on you and bring good luck, if you keep a positive attitude.

Scorpio
October 23 -November 21
This month you will gain a new confidence you have been lacking. Be courageous to avoid missing out on the many upcoming opportunities headed your way.

Sagittarius
November 22 -December 21
This month is a good time to start relaxing and giving yourself a break. Try to let go of your worries and your month will be fabulous.

Capricorn
December 22 -January 19
You will soon find yourself involved in an unexpected mix-up. Have the courage to tackle the challenge and help solve the dilemma.

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Prop 8: Yea or Nay?

Is the Supreme Court ready to make a decision on such a new and societal question?

On March 26, the Supreme Court heard the hour-long argument concerning the constitutionality of Proposition 8 or the ban on same-sex marriage in California. This case, Hollingsworth v. Perry, was filed in 2009 by Theodore B. Olson and David Boies. The court hearing was argued by Charles J. Cooper for the defense of Proposition 8 and Mr. Olson, representing the couples who were challenging the ban. The following are the highlights of the case:

Concerning Injury
The justices seemed skeptical of whether they should even be hearing the case. After all, because California officials did not defend Proposition 8 five proponents of the law stepped in. The Justices believed that those advocates had no personal injury in the case and therefore had little to lose regardless of the conclusion.
Mr. Cooper rejected this statement with the assertion that the injury was “to the state” and that those promoters present represented the state’s interests.

Too New to View
The newness of same-sex marriage was a heavy topic of debate. Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. showed concern that those opposing the ban were too early to approach such a new matter.
He asserted that marriage had been around for thousands of years, but same-sex marriage had only existed since the beginning of the century. (The first same-sex marriage bill was signed into law in the Netherlands in 2000.)
He said, “You want us to step in and render a decision based on an assessment of the effects of this institution which is newer than cell phones or the Internet?” He went on to emphasize the importance that such a novelty matter be addressed by legislators or the people through initiatives instead of the Supreme Court. “…there isn’t a lot of data about its effect. And it may turn out to be a good thing; it may turn out not to be a good thing…We do not have the ability to see the future,” he said.

Crossed the River
Justices butted heads at one point in the proceedings concerning whether the case should be presented at all. Justice Sonia Sotomayor contended that after the Supreme Court let racial segregation “perk” for half a century, why reacting so quickly to same-sex marriage is a good idea.

Justice Antonin Scalia retorted that it was too late to ask that question. The court had already granted an order to review a lower court decision, also known as a certiorari, in the case. “…we have crossed that river, I think,” he said.

A Matter of When
A question of when same-sex marriage had ever been prohibited arose with Justice Antonin Scalia. He therefore asked Mr. Olson to give him a point at which this had been sanctioned. “How am I supposed to know how to decide a case, then if you can’t give me a date when the Constitution changes?” he said.
Mr. Olson suggested that the question wasn’t relevant; after all, the question had never been asked by the Courts before.

Procreation
Proposition 8 supporters contended that the state of California had an interest in “responsible procreation.” Judges, including Justice Elena Kagan, responded that there are numerous opposite-sex marriages granted in which no children are ever to be procreated, whether it be due to fertility or age. This argument soon erupted in laughter when the ability of procreation at an advanced age was discussed in length.

The Children
Because of his resounding opinions of past homosexual rights cases, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy could have played a critical role in this hearing. He showed concern of the plaintiff’s right to sue, but he equally demonstrated real apprehension for the children of same-sex couples in California. “There are some 40,000 children in California…that live with same-sex parents, and they want their parents to have full recognition and full status. The voice of those children is important,” he said.

Inconsistency
Donald B. Verrilli Jr., the solicitor General, who supported the strike down of Proposition 8 on the grounds that it violated the Constitution’s equal protection clause to relinquish all the benefits and burdens of marriage on same-sex couples through civil unions but steadfastly withholding the label “marriage,” was cited for an inconsistent position by Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. concerning the topic of children.

He argued that Mr. Verrilli claimed children were happy in same-sex couple homes and there is no evidence of harm. He also argued that Proposition 8 harms the children of same-sex couples by not allowing their parents to get married. “Which is it?” he asked.

Mr. Verrilli returned with the idea of an emotional cost, “…what Proposition 8 does is deny the long-term stabilizing effect that marriage brings,” he said.

Labels
The idea of “marriage” as just another label was introduced by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, who suggested that California has already provided equal rights to same-sex couples and only the word, “marriage” itself remained. He contended, “…all you’re interested in is the label and you insist on changing the definition of the label.”
Mr. Olson counteracted this argument with the assertion that calling something a label should in no way minimize the importance of that word and that the label “marriage” is indeed, “very, very critical.”

The supreme court has not made a ruling as of yet, but both sides agree a yes or no decision rests on two extremes and expectations are not high concerning a victory on both sides. The court appears to have an all-or-nothing choice: either a requirement of all 50 states that same-sex marriage be allowed or that every state may do as they wish concerning the matter at hand.

On Tuesday, six justices indicated that they might vote to dismiss it. “I just wonder if the case was properly granted,” said Justice Anthony M. Kennedy.

Works Cited:
The New York Times
The Huffington Post

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