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My dear Whyvillans,
I am not a regular writer. But the news I come to you with today, I bring with a heavy heart. As my great grandmother, may she rest is peace, my grandmother, and my mother, have always said, "The world is going to hell in a hand basket." When I was young I never did take on the full meaning of those words and I believe I never did until now.
As I sat downstairs making lunch for my brother and I, watching the news with my mother, I was happy. I was leaving in a week or so to see my cousins, and, of course, it was a warm summer day. But as I watched Shepard Smith report the news, I did something I don't do often, and that thing is listen. Shepard, the dear reporter to me whom I watch every day of my life, was reporting on the death of an eleven year-old and thirteen year-old girl. They were randomly shot and killed. Both were shot multiple times with separate guns, in the chest and in the face. They were later found dead by their grandfather.
Suddenly! Breaking News! One thousand criminals, about, had escaped from a jail in Afghanistan, about four hundred believed part of the Taliban terrorist group, leaving the jail almost empty.
Next, came the story of corrupt police officers, who told several students that their friends had been killed in a car accident. Many students began to cry, some reaching the point of hysteria. But soon after their grief turned to anger as they learned that their friends were alive and well, and the story was merely meant to be part of the scared straight program.
Next, several families were being told to leave their homes in Iowa, their things, and everything that have known and loved for year, and flee rising flood waters as several counties in the state of Iowa become unrecognizable.
And, last, but certainly not least, the cherry on top of this horrible string of events dear Shepard Smith was reporting, was the death of Tim Russert. In addition to a Shepard Smith regular, during the summer, I was also a regular of watching Tim Russert. As this new piece of breaking news was broadcasted, video clips and pictures of Tim, killed by a heart attack, began to play. He was a wonderful father, who has written several books about fatherhood, and also NBC News' Washington bureau chief. I watched as Brian Williams, reporting from Afghanistan, the very place being terrorized by one thousand escaped criminals, almost began to cry as he reported the death of his close friend, mentor, and colleague.
My fellow people of Whyville, I bring you this news not to depress you, or get an article in the Times, but to share with you the death and destruction the world currently faces. And I ask you, please, fellow Whyvillans, please, be grateful for what you have! Listen to your father and mother, because, even though you may not want to admit it, they are right! Do not fall prey to the things you see on T.V. And, I know that every encouraging adult tells you that you, YOU have the power! We are the future of the United States; the next generation, and we have the power to change things . . . perhaps not in Afghanistan, perhaps not natural disasters in Iowa, but what you do have the power to do is to be an influence. I know that several of you, including myself, have been influenced by someone in your life at some time. You can be that person. You can be an influence.
-ashley409
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