Mr. Williams taught global studies, a class designed to give students a view of life beyond the United States. Thinking globally, what group of people might be represented by the birds flying far overhead and what group of people might be represented by “those of us whose wings have been clipped” or “those of us who dwell in unknown spaces, those of us who are beautiful beyond belief but that sometimes exist in environs too deep and murky to be seen from any stable surface.”

Constructing an argument: in modern american society, the legalization of marijuana continues to be controversial and hotly debated. some people find it contradictory that certain "drugs"—such as tobacco and alcohol—are legalized even though they pose proven health risks, while marijuana, which has many medicinal applications, continues to be illegal by the federal government. what reasons do you think the federal government gives for outlawing marijuana, and do the reasons support the conclusion?