리틀팍스

"Class! All in your seats," Mr. Johanson declared from the front of the classroom.

  The students scrambled to their seats as Amy Declan fumbled on her loose shoe lace.

  "Oh, please shoe! Can't you hold still for only a minute? I have to tie your shoelace! This thing doesn't go in! Urgh!" she mumbled as she frantically pulled on her shoe lace.

  "Amy," Mr. Johanson said, "We're waiting."

  "Sorry!" Amy said, finally finishing her shoe lace. "Speeding back to my seat!"

  Mr. Johanson's eyes followed Amy as she finally ploped on her seat.

  "Okay class. You'd probably know that we've recently reached a point in our studies where it would benifit for all the class to join, without snoozers, soul dislocationers, and bathroom runners." he said.

  Nobody said a word as Mr. Johanson fixed eyes with most of the students in his class. They all knew he was right. They knew that they, or at least most of them, haven't paid much attentioned to Mr. Johanson's class. 

  "So," he continued. "I've decided to hold a debate every once a week. Every week, everyone will write down at least one topic in that box and every week I'd read every topic and decided the best topic to be in our debate. Also, there will be prizes to the people who wrote down the picked topic.

  "Today's topic is...eating dog meats." 

  Florance Georgia raised her hand. "What exactly do you mean by eating dog meats?" she asked. "I mean, do we eat dogs?"

  "Good question, Florance. In America, we don't usually eat dogs. We usually keep them as pets. However, not every country or people in the world don't eat dogs like the U.S. Many countries eat dogs. For example, Vietnam eat dogs and cats like they're just plain meat, like we eat cows and pigs and chicken. They don't understand why we think eating cows and pigs and chickens are okay, while eating dogs and cats aren't okay."

  Harin Lee raised her hand. "That's so barbaric! How can they even think of it?" she said, angry. "How can they think of eating Mew-Ow? She's my cat, by the way."

  "Harin, that isn't a good way to look at this problem. I understand how you feel, and how you're angered by the people who eat dogs and cats. However, you shouldn't have such stereotyped thoughts about people, especially if they're different from you. You could learn something from those people. And Harin, not every Vietnam is like I said. I should apologize to the Vietnams for that since some of them don't favor dogs and cats for eating. Vietnams are just like you, just that they have a different way of thinking."

  Harin sighed. "Okay."

  Theo Robinson raised his hand. "Um...Mr. Johanson?"

  Mr. Johanson nodded. "Yes, Theo?"

  "When are we starting debate?" he asked.

  "Good question. Now we're going to start the debate, but first, we should divide you into two groups. The Yes Group and the No Group to eating dog meat. The No Group will opose to the idea, and the Yes Group will agree to the idea. Now I'm going to separate you into two groups randomly. Florance Georgia, yes. Harin Lee, no. Theo Robinson, no. Jack Pebble, yes. Caroline Thatcher, no. Beatrace Wilson, yes. Norah A. James, yes. Jina de Luna, no. Leon Puky, no. Denia Justinl, no. And Amy Declan, yes."

  The students moved their seats into a form of two squares facing each other. Then Mr. Johanson gave them time to think. Finally, the thinking time was over.

  "Now, the yes team starts first." Mr. Johanson said and sat down on his chair. 

  The two teams stared at each other as silence fell apon them. They all hesitated before Harin spoke up. 

  "I deny the idea of eating dogs for these following reasons," she said in a calm voice. "First, dogs are animals. They are live, living animals. Eating dogs is like eating human."

  Jack shot up. "But don't you eat cows and pigs and other animals? Aren't they animals as well as dogs too?"

  Harin bit her lower lip. "Well," she hesitated. "Dogs are pets. We love them, so we raise them. But cows and pigs and other barn animals are raised to be eaten. Also, they're not pets."

  Beatrace raised her hand. "I think I could refute that idea. My grandma owes a barn, and she raises chicken and cows to get eggs and milk. Talk about eating them, and you'll be dead as a tree."

  "Yeah, and pigs could be pets too. My friend. Jeremy has a mini pig in his house named piggy. He adores piggy, and he'll kill you at the idea of eating him." Norah put in.

  "By the way, some dogs are raised to be eaten too." Amy added.

  Harin gulped as her eyes began to water. "Well, well," she stammered. "I don't know!"

  Caroline stood up. "Then I'll continue," she said. "Harin's point is that dogs were close to humans for a long time, for their loyal and faithful behavior toward their owner. So eating dogs, is like eating your body-guard."

  The yes team hesitated as Harin smiled at Caroline. Caroline was so good at talking, and being a good friend.

  Finally, Amy spoke up. "I agree to your idea, but you didn't got the point here. Dogs are faithful, yeah, that's true. But as Beatrace and Norah said, we eat cows and pigs too. They could protect us, And not all the dogs are faithful to their owner. They often attack, or even harm their owner. There are many people in the past who got killed by a dog. So what's the difference?"

  Harin stood up. "You're the one who isn't getting the point here! Dogs attack people? Yeah, right. But if you count the times they actually saved people, it's-"

  "You are such a stuck up fool head! You don't understand-" Amy shouted.

  "Are you a fool? Then, will you kill every dog in your path and make them into a, well, dog meat?!"

  "You are talking nonsence! If that's what you're talking about, will you kill every animal in your path and eat them?!"

  "You are just being stubbo-"

  "Harin! Amy! Both stop arguing!" Mr. Johanson yelled. "This class is for uniting, and sharing ideas, not for arguing, fighting, and yelling! Come to my office after school. We got some things to talk about."

  Harin glared at Amy and Amy glared back as they sat down. 

  Mr. Johanson put his head in his hand and stayed like that for a minute and looked up. "That's it for today," he said. "Now pack your bags. And Harin and Amy, come with me." he said, and left the classroom.