Thanks to the help of their faculty advisor, Ms. Lee Pinkas, and the leadership of their senior Co-Editors-in-Chief, an assortment of high school writers and artists were able to put together yet another edition of York Prep's school newspaper, The Paw. Filled with insightful opinion editorials, interviews, and comics, this student paper strives to reflect York ideals by providing accurate reporting and compelling points of view. Though it is created for the students by students, The Paw provides social commentary and covers matters like terrorism and politics, that people of all ages will enjoy reading. So take a look at this latest issue and keep your eyes peeled for the next one in the fall.

1. THE YTHE YTHE YTHE YTHE YORK PREPORK PREPORK PREPORK PREPORK PREPARAARAARAARAARATTTTTORORORORORY SCHOOL NEWSPY SCHOOL NEWSPY SCHOOL NEWSPY SCHOOL NEWSPY SCHOOL NEWSPAPERAPERAPERAPERAPER
VVVVVOLOLOLOLOLUME 10, ISSUE 1, APRIL 20, 2015UME 10, ISSUE 1, APRIL 20, 2015UME 10, ISSUE 1, APRIL 20, 2015UME 10, ISSUE 1, APRIL 20, 2015UME 10, ISSUE 1, APRIL 20, 2015
THEPAW
Restless leg tapping, chewing on thumbnails,
nervous twitching—these are all symptoms of the
weary and worried students about to apply for colleges
and waiting to hear from schools, But they need not
fear: the College Guidance Program here at York
helps students to
become more inde-
pendent and grown
up through a dynamic
and detailed process.
I sat down with
Ms. Rooney, Co-
director of College
Guidance, to discuss
this process. She said,
“The college guid-
ance class helps and
encourages York Prep
students to start
thinking about the
college process. The next four years is a $200,000
investment, so it’s an important thing to start thinking
about.”
Mrs. Stewart and Ms. Rooney feel strongly that the
student is the client. Stressing independence, the
college guidance program expects students to register
for standardized tests on their own, make appointments,
and learn to schedule interviews. Too much parent
involvement can create more stress and a lack of the
independence that they will greatly need in college.
Ms. Rooney continued, “I think the College
guidance program really helps the students understand
where they fit in outside of York Prep and in
the world—who they’re competing against for accep-
tances. It also helps them understand their level of
writing, and it motivates them to work harder.”
As Ms. Rooney explained, the success stories that
everyone expects to hear are not about the kids who
have gotten into Harvard or other Ivy League schools—
though, yes, they’ve
accomplished this as
well—rather they are
about the children
who find their match
at a college that suits
their needs, prefer-
ences, and goals for
later in life.
Students who
wish to function and
socially integrate in
the outside world
need not be afraid if
they have a learning
disability; rather, it is these types of children who tend
to work harder than other students and eventually
find great academic success. For the younger students
in 9th and 10th grades, at the present moment
it is imperative they focus on grades and
being involved in the community.
Other important factors include a sense of reality—
knowing about the other students applying to the same
colleges, actual GPA and SAT/ACT scores, and so on.
Even though many students are frequently bombarded
with stress and anxiety from other students and
parents about getting into a good college, the anxiety
and the stress is generally unnecessary. A good college
is all about the match, not about the best “brand name”
school.
It’s Not About theIt’s Not About theIt’s Not About theIt’s Not About theIt’s Not About the
HarHarHarHarHarvvvvvard Bumard Bumard Bumard Bumard Bumper Sper Sper Sper Sper Stictictictictickkkkkererererer
Max Skidelsky, 11th
Grade
INSIDE: Toys Will Be Toys, For the Love of Books, Mockingbird Sequel, Boyhood Playlist,
Top 7 Shows, Seeing the Spot of Demonstration, Women in the Arab World, Terrorism
Reinvigorated, Je Suis Cartoonist & The Possible Future of Tech
York Prep Seniors show off college gear

2. SOCIAL CSOCIAL CSOCIAL CSOCIAL CSOCIAL COMMENTOMMENTOMMENTOMMENTOMMENTARARARARARYYYYY
PAGE 2 THE PAW
We live in a world of classification. To us, every little
thing about who we are has to be classified: sexuality, race,
gender preference, personality. Within each of these cat-
egories, groups exist to allow individuals to find kinship with
others. But perhaps this has gotten out of hand. It used to be
that toys like Legos, the building blocks that were literally
the foundation of my own childhood, were gender neutral
and could be played with by boys and girls alike. But while
boys and girls still play with Legos, now more than ever,
they are segregated from playing with the same sets of toys.
Furthermore, if a girl were caught playing with “boy toys”
or worse, if a boy were caught playing with “girl toys,” he
or she would be ostracized in a society where toys are gravi-
tating away from the center and becoming both more mas-
culine and feminine.
This is dangerous, but perhaps not for the reasons one
might think. In a past filled with more gender neutral toys,
boys and girls could discover for themselves what it meant
to become men and women, applying their experiences with
toys to the real world. Nowadays, gender-specific toys are
superficial, and give our children dreams of unattainable
and unsustainable livelihoods. Toys marketed towards boys
are often filled with superheroes and giant transforming
robots, while toys marketed towards girls depict a life where
they’ll never have to work, forever caught up in the “party
lifestyle.” These superficialities make it easier for us to pick
out people who don’t quite fit the mold and ostracize them.
Nevertheless there are those who believe that gendered
toys are the way to go. From a business standpoint, toy lines
like “Lego Friends,” a new division of Lego that caters ex-
clusively to girls, has been twice as successful as the com-
pany had originally anticipated. That being said, it is com-
mon knowledge that when a company finds a way to make
more money, it is unlikely that they will halt that formula
just out of the goodness of their own hearts. And backing
them up are the people who believe that toys should re-
main segregated. In an article in The Telegraph, Toby Young
explains that toys serve to assist the “conditioning of chil-
dren from an early age.” This means that there are many
stereotypes within our society that tend to dictate who we
are as men and women, and gendered toys help kids to con-
form to those stereotypes. Or do they? Young also demon-
strates the “boys will be boys” point explaining that some
boys, if given less than masculine toys like a dust bin, will
declare it to be a fort. Furthermore, if those same boys were
given a Barbie doll, they would probably find some way to
fit it into their “war game” rather than playing with it in
the way that the doll was meant to be played with.
TTTTToooooys Will Beys Will Beys Will Beys Will Beys Will Be TTTTToooooysysysysys
The other argument is that we are who we are, and we
shouldn’t try to force things on our kids that they aren’t
naturally inclined to want to use. So what if a girl wants to
build a skyscraper? Or a Death Star? So what if a boy wants
to play house? (A girl forced me to play house with her one
time and it felt like torture, but that is just my experience.)
People are different, and our society seems to be oblivious
to that fact. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world,
and those who sway from the norm are ostracized because
of their differences. The argument is that if toys were more
gender blind, kids would be free to do whatever they please,
and differences wouldn’t be emphasized like they are now.
There is just one problem: we don’t live in a perfect world.
Personally, I believe that it is important to teach our
boys and girls masculine and feminine values, but not like
this. Children get unrealistic expectations from the toys of
today, their heads filled with thoughts of intergalactic battles
and everlasting rainbows with unicorns flying under them.
This isn’t the real world, and it promotes an unrealistic view
of the world we live in. It is almost as if we are trying to
shield our kids from the harsh world that lies ahead rather
than prepare them. But giving them delusions of grandeur,
however fun those delusions are, is unsafe at best.
While it is important that boys and girls learn what it
means to be men and women, it is imperative that we as
adults are able to draw the line between men and women,
and warriors and princesses.
Other articles consulted for research: Kate King, The Courier
Mail, “Opinion: No one needed pink Lego then…”; Elizabeth
Sweet, NYT Sunday Review, “Guys and Dolls No More?”
Micco Sarno, 12th
Grade

3. INTERINTERINTERINTERINTERVIEWSVIEWSVIEWSVIEWSVIEWS
APRIL 20, 2015 PAGE 3
Oh, For the Love of Books!
The smell of cigar smoke permeates the air on the south-
east side of 68th
and Columbus. If you follow it, the first
thing you will most likely see is a mountain of books stacked
on, against, and beneath a table, along with a couple of old
records, the kind of records your grandfather would play to
show off his record player. This is the stand of one Charles
Mysak, a purveyor and lover
of old books and music.
You will see all kinds of
genres, from non-fiction to
science fiction, sitting on that
table, and maybe if you are
lucky, you may find a hidden
treasure among the slightly
roughed up gems of knowl-
edge. Mysak and his books
make a daily commute from
Brooklyn to get to the spot
where he sets up his small
stand surrounded by the
many stores and restaurants
that line Columbus Avenue.
His love for books has
been around for as long as he can remember, and he has
been a part of the business of buying and selling books ever
since he was a child. He did not start his own business until
after the closing down of one of his favorite book stores,
Acres of Books, in Trenton, New Jersey. Mysak used to go
to this book store all the time. There, the books were stacked
in wooden food crates for anyone to pick up and buy. When
the owner died, Mysak talked with his son who offered to
sell all of the books in the store to him. With Mysak’s love
of books, he could not resist. It was then that he decided to
begin selling books on his own. He first started on Central
Park West but soon moved to where he is today.
As I spoke with Mysak, I found that the life of selling
items from a stand can be tough. For one, weather is “the
eternal enemy,” as he put it. On nice days, work is simply
sitting on a chair and waiting for people to come by and
pick up a book, but on days when the weather begins to
change, that is when Mysak springs into action. When it
rains or snows, he has to set up a large tarp at least an hour
in advance to protect the books from the oncoming water
damage. And it is not just rain or snow that could keep cus-
tomers away from Mysak’s modest stand. If the tempera-
ture is too hot, people are less inclined to go outside and,
therefore, there are fewer customers. If the temperature is
too cold, the same is true. The battle between Mysak and
the weather is never-ending.
Then there is the problem with maintaining energy.
Of course some would think that running a stand would be
rather easy, but at times, it
can get difficult. If he needs
to get food or use the
restroom, he cannot leave his
stand alone, for that would
invite thieves. Luckily,
Mysak has a friend, a young
man who runs a stand that
sells cellphone accessories,
who watches both stands si-
multaneously when Mysak
needs a break. Mysak returns
the favor when his friend
needs a break. They share a
symbiotic relationship as
they sell their goods to the
people of the Upper West
Side.
There is also the problem of new technology such as
eBooks and tablets. When I asked Mysak about it, he sim-
ply called it another revolution for books. Just like
Guttenberg’s invention of the printing press, the eBooks and
tablets have revolutionized how we read. However, people
will always long for the traditional experience of reading
books. As Mysak told me when I asked about the issue,
“When you get down to it, it’s all about knowledge.” As
long as the information gets to you, then that is fine by him.
The problem, he believes, is that these tablets are both
a blessing and a curse. Even though the tablets are capable
of downloading books, people do not always use them for
that purpose. Nowadays, Mysak explained, everyone is too
involved in playing games on these tablets to even take a
look around at their surroundings. These people miss out
on all of the valuable information and treasures they could
see if they just picked up a book.
If you want to learn more and maybe buy a good book,
hop around the corner and talk with Charles Mysak. He
will hook you up. He is not just a purveyor of books but also
an intellectual who will not steer you wrong.
William Magee, 12th
Grade
Senior William Magee interviews Mr. Charles Mysak

4. In February it was announced that the sequel to Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird will
be released in July. Students and readers around the country were anxious to get closure on
the characters that many of them have known for decades. However, concerns have arisen
about why Lee released her novel now, 50 years after its penning, some thinking that Ms. Lee
was forced into releasing her novel by her publisher, lawyer, and/or literary agent.
Lee, who is 88, apparently struggles with short term memory loss, which is why it is
unclear whether she fully approved the publication of the new book, Go Set a Watchman.
This was revealed when she was interviewed by the New York Times. When she was asked
about the release of her new novel, she responded, “What novel?” Others such as Wayne
Flynt, a friend of Ms. Lee, claim that she is mentally fit, and she is able to repeat lengthy
passages of literature. Also, Marcella Harrington, an aide who sits regularly with Lee, said that Ms. Lee is aware of the book and is
lucid. When Ms. Lee’s sister, Alice, who lived with her in her later life, was interviewed by the writer Marija Mills before her death,
Alice said, “She’s surprised at anything that she hears because she doesn’t remember anything that’s ever been said about it.” The
state of Alabama is investigating elder abuse because it is unclear if Ms. Lee is competent mentally and whether her publisher,
lawyer or literary agent forced her into publishing Go Set a Watchman.
When my ninth-grade English class was interviewed about their thoughts on the novel’s publication, seven out of the thirteen
students said that the book should be published. Among those in favor, Sarah Warshavsky said, “This book should be published
because I want more closure with To Kill a Mockingbird.” Grant Paulus said that, “it would be interesting to see how the characters
developed.”
Some students disagreed, however, arguing that the publication of the book should be one hundred percent Harper Lee’s
decision. Although many of these students said they would like to read her new novel, they do not want it to be released for the
wrong reasons. Amina Potts said, “It would be nice to have a second book… but if it is being published for the wrong reasons, it
should be Harper Lee’s choice.” Talya Lubit said that “it is a violation of her privacy” due to the fact that it is unclear whether it was
Lee’s choice to release the book. Max Bernstein added, “I undoubtedly believe that the prequel shouldn’t be published due to the fact
that Ms. Lee is not ‘all there’ mentally.”
Although most of the students want to see the latest novel, some thought that it should not be published because of the contro-
versy. The release date for Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman is July 14th
, and many young readers look forward to enjoying her latest
work.
A Dilemma of Literary Proportions
Harper Lee, 86, being
asked about her new book
Zachary Everett, 9th
Grade
Get excited, York Prep. Here is my playlist called
Boyhood, inspired by the movie Boyhood, which tracks a
boy and his family over a thirteen year period of time. The
playlist starts with the theme song of the movie and then
develops from there.
1. Hero by Family of the Year1. Hero by Family of the Year1. Hero by Family of the Year1. Hero by Family of the Year1. Hero by Family of the Year. It’s so good you’ll want to
hear it twice. This song is the theme song of the movie,
which is a great way to segue into the playlist. This song is
easy and fun to play on the guitar. Speaking of easy, the
second song on the playlist is…
2. Easy by MOTHXR2. Easy by MOTHXR2. Easy by MOTHXR2. Easy by MOTHXR2. Easy by MOTHXR. This song is the debut song of a new
band called MOTHXR, an alternative band from Brooklyn
with band members Penn Badgley (Dan from Gossip Girl),
Jimmy Giannopoulos, Darren Will, and Simon Oscroft. That
band shares a member, Jimmy with another band,
LOLAWOLF. This is a very laid back song with a cool back beat.
BOYHOOD PLAYLIST
3. Drip Drop feat. Yazz by the Empire Cast.3. Drip Drop feat. Yazz by the Empire Cast.3. Drip Drop feat. Yazz by the Empire Cast.3. Drip Drop feat. Yazz by the Empire Cast.3. Drip Drop feat. Yazz by the Empire Cast. This song is
from one of my new favorite TV shows about music -
Empire. This TV show is on Wednesdays on Fox, but you
can always binge watch it on demand.
Having just travelled to London I chose one of my
favorite British artist, Ed SheeranEd SheeranEd SheeranEd SheeranEd Sheeran with his song 4. Thinking4. Thinking4. Thinking4. Thinking4. Thinking
Out Loud,Out Loud,Out Loud,Out Loud,Out Loud, which is another really cool song to play on
guitar. The link to the chords can easily be found online.
Finally, the playlist ends with 5. Girl by Beck.5. Girl by Beck.5. Girl by Beck.5. Girl by Beck.5. Girl by Beck. I chose
this song for two reasons. First, Beck won the Grammy for
Record of the Year and I listened to this song all the time
when I was 6. Boyhood!
Jacob Lorge, 9th
Grade
PAGE 4 THE PAW
LITERARLITERARLITERARLITERARLITERARY NEWS & MUSIC VIEWSY NEWS & MUSIC VIEWSY NEWS & MUSIC VIEWSY NEWS & MUSIC VIEWSY NEWS & MUSIC VIEWS

5. Khari Derrick, 9th
Grade
ARARARARARTS & ENTERTS & ENTERTS & ENTERTS & ENTERTS & ENTERTTTTTAINMENTAINMENTAINMENTAINMENTAINMENT
APRIL 20, 2015 PAGE 5
Art by Ava Kuslansky, 12th
Grade

6. CARCARCARCARCARTTTTTOONSOONSOONSOONSOONS
PAGE 6 THE PAW
Kelly Nam, 9th
Grade
Inspired by Art Spiegelman’s Maus, Kelly Nam interviewed her mother about the 1987 demonstrations in South Korea.

7. CLCLCLCLCLUB NEWS & INTERUB NEWS & INTERUB NEWS & INTERUB NEWS & INTERUB NEWS & INTERVIEWSVIEWSVIEWSVIEWSVIEWS
APRIL 20, 2015 PAGE 7
Women in the Arab World
This year, York Prep has been lucky to have a new club
called Women in the Arab World led by French teacher
Ms. Ostrow. In Ms. Ostrow’s words: “I created this club to
raise awareness and foster understanding of the status of
women living in the Arab world. I am gratified that a num-
ber of students have participated enthusiastically in discus-
sions, engaged with our guest speakers, and have been able
to compare and contrast the situation of those women to
women in the Western world.”
I have been fortunate to be part of this dynamic and
engaging group. During one meeting, a friend of a student
in our club came to speak to the group. Her experience is
unique because she is American. She lived in Saudi Arabia
for a number of years for work in Behavioral Therapy.
After her presentation, I had a chance to interview her, and
here is part of our conversation:
Q:Q:Q:Q:Q: What was your impression of Saudi laws and customs?What was your impression of Saudi laws and customs?What was your impression of Saudi laws and customs?What was your impression of Saudi laws and customs?What was your impression of Saudi laws and customs?
A:A:A:A:A: There are laws that are slightly oppressive, but I do think
that’s changing. For the most part my Saudi friends did not
feel oppressed. They did not mind wearing the hijab; for
them it was a custom they were brought up with. It is part
of their religion, and they love their religion. The women are
the same here and there.
The media here has led people to think [Saudi Arabia is
oppressive]. The media always portrays women as com-
pletely covered, while talking about something that is
oppressive.
Q:Q:Q:Q:Q: How have things been changing?How have things been changing?How have things been changing?How have things been changing?How have things been changing?
A:A:A:A:A: When I first moved there, there were few options for
women who wanted to work. I lived there for five and a
half years. The only profession available to women was
teaching. Now more and more women are working.
The new generation has access to media and is not so
closed off, so they know what is going on in the rest of the
world. The older generation didn’t know how women were
treated and what opportunities they had, and now they are
starting to see that.
Q:Q:Q:Q:Q: What are some rules that you feel really need to change?What are some rules that you feel really need to change?What are some rules that you feel really need to change?What are some rules that you feel really need to change?What are some rules that you feel really need to change?
A:A:A:A:A: A general change in the attitudes of men. It’s a very male
dominated society. I want [women’s] voices to be heard. I
believe Saudi Arabia is the only place where women are
not allowed to drive. My Saudi friends think it’s great that
they don’t have to. What they are not ok with is that it’s not
their choice. Many people from the media have a miscon-
ception that all Saudi families are very, very wealthy. It’s
not true. There are many women who can’t afford a driver.
If you’re a woman from a poor family, and your son or uncle
won’t drive you, you’re stuck.
Q:Q:Q:Q:Q: Was there anything else that surprised you?Was there anything else that surprised you?Was there anything else that surprised you?Was there anything else that surprised you?Was there anything else that surprised you?
A:A:A:A:A: How people deal with marriages. There are a lot of
arranged marriages. Also, if a boy likes a girl, then the
mother calls the other mother to set up a meeting, and if
the boy still likes the girl, then they set up another meeting.
If the girl doesn’t like the boy, the parents can force the
relationship. Not likely vice versa. The meetings can be just
1-2 hours. Not among my friends, but there are forced
marriages. It is becoming less common, but it certainly does
happen. The boy and the girl are allowed to go out once
they’re engaged, but they can’t be alone.
Q:Q:Q:Q:Q: Was there anything you experienced there that simplyWas there anything you experienced there that simplyWas there anything you experienced there that simplyWas there anything you experienced there that simplyWas there anything you experienced there that simply
would not or could not happen in America?would not or could not happen in America?would not or could not happen in America?would not or could not happen in America?would not or could not happen in America?
A:A:A:A:A: It was with the religious police. I was in the mall shop-
ping, and six religious police asked me to cover my hair. I
said ok and I covered my hair. They didn’t think I covered
my hair well enough, and they followed me throughout the
mall, yelling at me. I tried to cover my hair as best as I could,
the way I knew how to. Maybe a little bit of my hair was
showing, but I think that no matter what way I covered my
hair they still would’ve yelled at me. That was very uncom-
fortable. I just went into a store where men were not
allowed. They followed me for about a half hour. I think
they were trying to make an example of me, so other women
in the mall would look. I certainly think it has something
to do with the fact that I am American. I don’t really know
what they wanted. Maybe they wanted me to react so they
could say here is this women yelling at us and not respect-
ing our laws.
Talya Lubit, 9th
Grade
Members of the Women in the Arab World club at their weekly meeting

8. WWWWWORLD VIEWSORLD VIEWSORLD VIEWSORLD VIEWSORLD VIEWS
PAGE 8 THE PAW
Terrorism Reinvigorated:
What Attracts Young Muslims to ISIL’s Cause
and What the World Can Do to Stop It
The emergence of ISIL in the past couple of years
has certainly shocked the world as well as the landscape
of global politics. Within a short span of time, ISIL, The
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, an Islamic extrem-
ist rebel group, has swiftly over-run large and impor-
tant regions in the Middle East. The bigger story that
has emerged from the
ISIL conflict is the in-
volvement of young
Muslims in the West-
ern, democratic hemi-
sphere. Young Mus-
lims have begun to
flee their homes in Eu-
rope and the United
States to join ISIL and
fight on the frontlines
against Arab and Ira-
nian military forces.
The question that has
begun to arise is why
would these young
Muslim men and
women leave the
comfort of Europe and the United States to go fight in
the arid Middle East?
The answer to that question is that the deadly com-
bination of racism, a lethargic economy, and hopeless-
ness are all factors that influence young Muslims to seek
a start in ISIL. The European economy has struggled
within the past couple of years, and when the economy
begins to ail, the ideas of nationalism and racism begin
to flourish. People who suffer in a slow economy, in
a form of self-defense, look for scapegoats to
blame. In the case of Europe, these are African and Ara-
bic immigrants. Now these immigrants feel more
estranged in Europe and begin to feel isolated.
Miles Golzer-Liu, 12th
Grade
In an attempt to search for unity and hope, young Mus-
lims turn to ISIL for a sense of reinvigoration of iden-
tity.
Now that the United States involvement in Iraq has
essentially created ISIL, it is time for the problem to be
solved. The United
States’ plan of imple-
mentation of democ-
racy in the Middle East
has failed tremen-
dously. The Arab
Spring, in a mission for
freedom and democ-
racy, has actually left
many Arab countries
in the hands of disor-
ganized, radical reli-
gious groups. The fail-
ure of the Arab Spring
has shown us that
maybe that region isn’t
ready for democracy.
The lack of strong
central governments in the Middle East has left the re-
gion in the grasp of terrorist organizations like ISIL and
Al-Qaeda.
What the international community needs to do in
order to regain control of the Middle East is to form a
coalition with the sole goal of restoring order in the
region. Though U.S. actions led to the formation of ISIL,
they cannot be held solely responsible for policing the
Middle East. Nor should nations in the Middle East be
left to deal with the problem alone. Powerful nations
like China and Russia also need to recognize the grow-
ing danger of ISIL. ISIL is not an Arab world problem;
it’s a world problem.
President Obama gives a speech to the U.N. General Assembly
calling for a global response to ISIL extremism

9. WWWWWORLD VIEWSORLD VIEWSORLD VIEWSORLD VIEWSORLD VIEWS
APRIL 20, 2015 PAGE 9
Je Suis Cartoonist
On January 7, 2015, two masked men attacked the of-
fices of Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical magazine famous
for its cartoons, killing 11 people and injuring 11 more. This
news shocked the world, as many were surprised that a
magazine intended to make people laugh could be the source
of so much bloodshed. Certainly, the news surprised me.
Seeing as I am a cartoonist myself, it definitely made me
both worried and fascinated by how simple drawings on
paper could lead to something like this.
For those who don’t know, Charlie Hebdo’s cartoons
are generally designed to provoke. Many of their cartoons
depict taboo subjects: inappropriate sexual references, jokes
aimed at religious figures, and several covers depicting the
Islamic prophet Muhammad (“100 lashes if you are not dy-
ing of laughter!” he says on one of them).
Of course, there have been many cartoonists in the past
whose cartoons have been designed to provoke strong emo-
tions. According to Cartoon Brew, as far back as 1831,
Honore Daumier drew a portrait of the French King Louis-
Philippe entitled “Gargantua,” which showed the king as a
Goliath-like beast swallowing sacks of money fed to him by
his subjects. The cartoon was prevented from being printed,
and both Daumier and his editor, Charles Philipon, were
sentenced to jail time and had to pay a fine. But by then,
word had already gotten around about the drawing, and its
notoriety led to Daumier and Philipon finding work again.
Another notable cartoonist to rebel against the system
was Ralph Bakshi. Bakshi was an animator for the anima-
tion studio Terrytoons in the 1960s before moving on to
make independent feature films. His first, Fritz the Cat, based
on the underground comic by R. Crumb, became the first
animated feature to earn an X rating. Bakshi’s films tended
to be about New York City and the goings-on of its seedier
denizens. One of his most notable films depicted three black
characters leaving the South and coming to Harlem, only to
be confronted by oppression and discrimination. The film
was wildly controversial upon its release, with the Con-
gress of Racial Equality protesting its release and the film’s
original distributor pulling out, despite the fact that the film
was meant to satirize ethnic stereotypes, not to reinforce
them. But sometimes the public does not agree about inten-
tions when provocative art is offered to them.
So why do I bring up Daumier and Bakshi? Because
their cartoons may have provoked many people, but they
still had an overall point. Daumier was making a point about
how the king was getting wealthy off of his citizens’ hard-
earned money, and Bakshi was showing the injustice of
racism. The Charlie Hebdo cartoons, to the untrained eye,
seem to do little but provoke for the sake of provoking, and
maybe draw out a laugh now and then. Is there any under-
lying message in these cartoons? Or are they just there to
provoke?
Luz, a cartoonist who survived the attacks, stated in
Vice News that “Since the ‘60s, [it] has always sought to
break taboos and shatter symbols and every possible type of
fanaticism.” In that sense, there’s nothing wrong with what
the Hebdo cartoonists do. Certainly, fanaticism of any type
could be taken down a peg, and cartoons have forever been
a way to take the high and mighty and bring them down to
the level of the common man (although it is ironic that a
magazine intended to attack fanatics was then attacked by
fanatics). It puts a face behind the cartoons, and, to some, it
stops the cartoons from being completely mean-spirited at-
tacks on religious and social beliefs.
Frankly, I think everyone has a right to speak their mind
about certain subjects. That’s what freedom of speech is all
about, right? So, in that sense, the Charlie Hebdo cartoon-
ists have every right to continue making their cartoons. But
the question is, should they? You see, a cartoon depicting
Mohammed isn’t just offensive to the Islamic radicals who
burst into the offices. They’re offensive to anyone in the
Muslim faith as their law strictly dictates that none can
create depictions of their prophet [not to mention anyone
who has respect for other peoples’ customs]. By not just
drawing the Prophet, but also drawing him in very degrad-
ing positions, they don’t seem to be doing much more than
pointing and laughing, like schoolyard bullies. They have a
right to do it under free speech, but it still feels pretty in-
sensitive toward an entire religion.
Does this mean that the shooters were justified? Abso-
lutely not. Whether or not the cartoons were offensive, vio-
lence is never the answer, and killing people just for their
art is an example of stifling freedom of speech. Though the
cartoons can be considered offensive, the cartoonists still
had the right to make them. But, like I said before, it does
get you to thinking when simple strokes of pencil or pen on
paper can lead to reactions like these.
Joe Newman-Getzler, 10th
Grade
Gargantua by Honore Daumier

10. PERSPECTIVES & POLITICSPERSPECTIVES & POLITICSPERSPECTIVES & POLITICSPERSPECTIVES & POLITICSPERSPECTIVES & POLITICS
PAGE 10 THE PAW
A Tech Idea That Could
Happen in the Next 75 Years:
The Breath Print
Computers and phones should develop a technology to
sense breath waves. This way, the phone is sensing your
genetic code, and that cannot be impersonated. The
simple act of breathing can unlock your phone in a
matter of seconds. This advancement would be revolu-
tionary to the protection industry. To push things
further, we could even make breathing the new passcode
for door locks, car keys, wallets, and credit cards. And
to make the technology even safer, the wallet or credit
card could display contact information of the owner
when it senses non-valid breathing.
This would allow people to stop worrying as much
about theft. Every day, about every five steps, I reach
into my pocket to make sure I have my wallet, which
includes my debit card and cash. I believe that this idea
could lower the stress levels of people because they
would always know that absolutely nobody could get
into their information. This breathtaking idea could
revolutionize the way people protect themselves and
their privacy.
The York Preparatory School newspaper strives to reflect the ideals of the
school through accurate reports and thoughtful opinion pieces. The editing
staff maintains professional standards as its basis. Bylined opinions refllect
the views of the individual writers. All other articles attempt to provide
the school community an impartial account of the facts.
Letters to the editor may be submitted to any staff member or mailed to
The Paw, Attn: Lee Pinkas, 40 W. 68th St., New York, NY 10023.
The Paw reserves the right to edit letters containing libelous or obscene
material and to omit certain sections for space limitations as long as the
original meaning remains unchanged.
THEPAWWriters and Artists:Writers and Artists:Writers and Artists:Writers and Artists:Writers and Artists:
Khari Derrick, 9th
Grade, Zachary Everett, 9th
Grade
Jacob Lorge, 9th
Grade, Tayla Lubit, 9th
Grade
Kelly Nam, 9th
Grade, Joshua Schwam, 9th
Grade
Joe Newman-Getzler, 10th
Grade, Max Skidelsky, 11th
Grade
Miles Golzer-Liu, 12th
Grade, Ava Kuslansky, 12th
Grade
Editors:Editors:Editors:Editors:Editors:
William Magee, 12th
Grade - Editor-in-Chief
Micco Sarno, 12th
Grade - Editor-in-Chief
Faculty Advisor:Faculty Advisor:Faculty Advisor:Faculty Advisor:Faculty Advisor:
Ms. Lee Pinkas
Nowadays, people put passwords on their techno-
logical devices to protect private information from get-
ting into the wrong hands in the event of a theft. These
passcodes consist of words, and/or numbers, but there is
illegal software that can sense waves where a person
touches the phone. The software runs through a list of
ten trillion passwords, and in a matter of seconds comes
up with the key to your privacy.
My suggestion to the world of software developers
is not as much revolutionary as it is, well, breathtaking.
Joshua Schwam, 9th
Grade
The Scales of Politics
A Max Skidelsky Cartoon