Liberty-Double Standard?

Liberty – a Double Standard?
An Analysis of the Founding Fathers and Slavery

In order to establish ‘Liberty’ at any cost, the founding fathers utilized slavery to form the fledgling nation that would embody this dream, labeled the land of liberty and the home of the brave - America. As inhabitants of America we can choose to believe that America was and continues to be a land of just laws and equality for all. In so doing, we must ignore or rationalize the whole period of history of slavery as a necessary evil, a means to justify the end. We can even justify this action as following some natural law, for indeed it has been a part of the collective history of mankind. In reality, slavery is a brutal system. Some believe without slavery America, as a country would not have been possible. Today, we write off the actions of the past, attributing them to people who didn’t understand what they were doing was wrong. Although saddened by the past, many people have accepted the notion that in order for us to live free today, a certain group of human beings had to be exploited. These unfortunate people were not allowed to possess the very thing our forefathers were fighting for. Today, we glorify and marginalize these people who suffered unbelievable hardship, seeing them now as simple casualties in the war for true freedom.

As the founding fathers mustered support throughout the British colonies, not yet the U.S.A., to rise up against the tyranny of the British yoke, their rhetoric focused on the natural, God-given rights of liberty and equality of men. As the forefathers fervently spoke out on ‘natural rights’ passions were roused as the idea jarred the sensibilities of the common man to awake to action. At the same time, the colonists and those rousing them to action were keeping thousand of African men, women and children as slaves to further their own economic gains. The British were quick to notice this paradox on the part of the founding fathers. The question then becomes why didn’t the colonies notice this paradox, and if they did, why didn’t they change their present course of action?

Un Llanto al Mundo

UN LLANTO AL MUNDO

Para poder pensar que todo esta bien es necesario encontrar el equilibrio de todas las cosas.
Y el equilibrio de todas las cosas se encuentra en un solo lugar; en lo que hay en común.
En la angustia de la desesperación, en la soledad de la tristeza, en toda la angustia del miedo,
hay un llanto que se le hace al mundo. Un llanto de almas entristecidas que gritan y piden auxilio; entre ellas me encuentro yo. Este llanto nace de la angustia y nace de una manera violenta.

Foreign Policy

"Foreign Policy Afcionado" the magazine

This is a helpful website which I end up using often for any grammar issue.
Hopefully someone else can find something helpful in it as well.

Respond to essay “America the Beautiful: What We’re Fighting for” by Dinesh D’souza

This was a great essay to wrap up the semester!

I really like the way the author compares the Islamic culture and the American culture. The Islamic fundamentalist wants to govern their people by means of violence and oppression in the name of Allah; whereas, the American culture, gives the people the freedom to choose their own destiny. In the American culture, the government and religion are kept separate to avoid abuse of power; while, the Islam wants to be the government and the religion as well. Even though the American culture is new compared to the Islam, it has evolved a lot faster for the benefit of the people. I try not to judge a culture, which I do not really understand, but a feeling of indignation overruns me when I read or see how women are treated in some of those Islamic countries. Women have no rights and are like properties of their husbands.

I really like the way the author defines freedom as the liberty to do good or evil. However, by this definition, freedom implies the liberty of doing good or bad things, so does this mean that there are bad people in our culture? Well, the answer is yes, but the good news is that even bad people are protected in our culture; everyone has rights in America. America is not perfect; however, it is the best the world has to offer. It is the job of our generation to make America a better place for generations to come. We cannot let our founding fathers down nor our sons and daughters. The future seems bleak for the American culture to coexist with the Islamic culture but, we have to be optimistic and hope for the best and at the same time be ready to defend our America from its enemies.

Modes

For my research paper, I will be writing about the U.S. foreign policies toward Latin-America and the political changes going on in many Latin-American countries as of result of those policies. The modes which I intend to use for writing this research paper are exemplification mode and descriptive mode. Exemplification mode requires the writer to use examples to back up his claims. And I intend to use some Latin-American countries where some U.S. policies are having negative effects as examples. The other mode which I might use is description mode. This mode gives the writer the freedom to try to appeal to the reader's senses, including Pathos, Logos and Ethos.

“Amor” by Pablo Neruda

Ay, amar es un viaje con agua y con estrellas,
con aire ahogado y bruscas tempestades de harina:
amar es un combate de relámpagos
y dos cuerpos por una sola miel derrotados.

Todo tu cuerpo tiene
copa a dulzura destinada a mí.

Amor mío, si muero y tú no mueres,
amor mío, si mueres y yo no muero,
no demos al dolor más territorio:
no hay extensión como la que vivimos.

Para mi corazón basta tu pecho,
para mi libertad bastan mis alas.
Desde mi boca llegará hasta el cielo
lo que estaba dormido sobre tu alma.

"Love" by Pablo Neruda
Translated by Felipe Navas

Ah, love is like a journey with water and stars,
with asphyxiated air and sudden storms of flour:
To love is a combat of lightening
and two defeated bodies for the same honey.

All of your body is a cup of sweetness destined for me.

Love of mine, if I die and you don't,
Love of mine, if you die and I don't,
Let's not give sorrow a moment:
There is no affection like the one we are living.

For my heart your chest is enough,
for your liberty my wings should set you free.
From my mouth I will deliver a message
of what once slept over your soul
and it should reach the sky.

“Framing Class, Vicarious Living, and Conspicuous Consumption” by Diana Kendall

Do you agree with Kendall's claim that the media distort our perceptions of social inequality?

Yes, I do agree with Kendall. The American dream has been altered by the media; perhaps, not with bad intentions but the result of this distortion of reality, has been critical. Many people find themselves caught in the web of deception fed to us by the media every day. The most vulnerable is the youth, who seem to be the focus of the media. From a business point of view, this behavior makes perfect sense. The media is investing in their future. Once the youth is addicted to their product the media has secured their own future. The media thinks for us and manipulates us through distortion of reality. They tell us what we should wear, drive and who we should look up to. We have become like puppets and the media is in charge of our strings. We get an education and learn to think critically and yet, we still allow the media to think for us through the magic of television. The definition of happiness has been lost somewhere in time thanks to the media. Now the new definition of happiness is: make as much money as possible even if you have to step on somebody else's toes. The objective in life is money; people are just means to an end. However, the land of opportunity still exists; get a few credit cards and use them to buy stuff that will make you look like your favorite star and then spend the rest of your life paying for it. Your idol will appreciate your support even if he never knows who you are. The executives of the credit card corporation will appreciate your interest as well. And when you are too old to work and can't help support their life style, don't worry, your children are well on their way to replace you in this vicious cycle.

“Serving in Florida” by Barbara Ehrenreich

What is the point of Ehrenreich's experiment?

To experience the struggle of people who by choice or by lack of opportunity ended up with low paying jobs.

What do you think she was hoping to learn by stepping down the economic ladder and what can you learn as her reader?
She was hoping to understand the people in these conditions; and understand who and why some people end up in these conditions. As her reader, I learned that she made an extreme effort to make her point.

Explain why you find her approach more or less effective than one that provides economic data and analysis.
The author could have given us statistics or some kind of report with numbers about how difficult it is to make ends meet when one is at the bottom of the economical ladder. But, this approach would have been just plain boring. Instead, she chose a more effective way of communicating with her audience. She definitely went the extra mile to get her message across. She left a more comfortable life behind to live in a trailer park and quit her job as a journalist (temporarily) to become a waitress and a hotel maid. This approach was more effective because throughout the vivid narrative the author helps her readers see the harsh condition which someone without a college education has to endure every day. A huge advantage the author had was that to her it was just an experiment which she knew she could abort when the pressure got to be too much. However, there are millions of people who cannot simply abort these conditions, they simply have to endure until they either retire or die.

Learning to Read by Malcolm X

Even though it was not an assignment, I was flipping through the pages of our book, and I noticed this essay by Malcolm X. Curiosity took over and slowly, I found myself enjoying it; I found it inspiring. I don't need to imagine the frustration of not being able to express myself because it is just a reality in my life. I struggle with English every single day of my life; if it wasn't because I like it so much, I would have given up a long time ago. In essays like this one, "Learning to Read" by Malcolm X, I find inspiration. However, I have also found out that inspiration alone is just not enough; it also needs to be accompanied with effort and dedication to whatever it is that one is trying to achieve. Nevertheless, inspiration is a good prelude to begin ones journey.

Some people condemn Malcolm X for his means to bring equality to the African-American community. History has proven Malcolm X a necessary man, at a crucial time, for an extremely needed people. His ways might have been rough but, one needs to understand that he was just a product of his environment. I find it interesting how he taught himself while in jail. Reading, coping, and studying dictionaries is an example of tremendous dedication. I wish I had this kind of focus. In this essay (pg.231-14) there is a statement which really caught my attention and it is as follows: "… if you started with a black man, a white man could be produced; but, starting with a white man you never could produced a black man—because the white chromosome is recessive. And since no one disputes that there was but one Original Man, the conclusion is clear." This is crazy! Really interesting isn't it?

I took Biology not too long ago and I don't know what to think of this! Can anybody help? Anybody!

Response to Essay by Tannen

I found the essay, "The Roots of Debate in Education and the Hope of Dialogue" by Tannen, interesting. According to Tannen, "one reason so many teachers use the debate format to promote student involvement is that it is relatively easy to set up and the rewards are quick and obvious." However, the author claims that this "agonistic" approach to the pursuit of knowledge is disadvantageous for females; not because females are less smart than males but, because by nature females are less willing to debate. Besides that, when one is searching for the truth, an argument is not the answer because it does not take one closer or farther away from the truth; it only helps defend one's own point of view whether right or wrong. The author favors the approach that the Chinese and the Indians had about this dilemma. According to Robert T. Oliver, "the preferred mode of rhetoric was exposition rather than argument. The aim was to 'enlighten an inquirer,' not to 'overwhelm an opponent.'" In Asia, "rhetoric was devoted not to devising logical arguments but to explicating widely accepted propositions."

I agree with the author in that the adversary in the educational system between males and female is unnecessary; it does not create better students instead it isolates some. So what is the benefit of this practice?

The story on page 227 is a great example of agonistic attitude gone terribly wrong. As critical thinkers, we should always question authority; however, there are "proper channels" which we must observe to keep the order. The student in this story could have approached the teacher after class and talked to him about the mistake he thought the teacher made. I am sure the teacher would have appreciated it more if this student would have been prudent about it. I guess the urgency to prove his teacher wrong in front of the class was stronger that the respect the student had for his teacher.

"The standard way of writing an academic paper is to position your work in opposition to someone else's, which you prove wrong. This creates a need to make others wrong, which is quite a different matter from reading something with an open mind and discovering that you disagree with it." I could not agree with this statement any more. I have learned that keeping an open mind whenever one is about to read something is the best way even if one is about to read something from a controversial figure. If one allows biases of any kind to invade the mind, unconsciously one has already rejected whatever one is about to read. So, why read it?

 

    

Response to “I Just Wanna Be Average”

In the essay, "I Just Wanna Be Average" by Mike Rose, I find it incredible the amount of determination the author had as a child. Most people in the same type of conditions would have quit school in their early years. There was so much abuse from his teachers. Most of his former teachers would end up in prison or shot by a parent in our time. To make matters worse, the author not only had to endure verbal abuse but physical abuse as well. From the beginning of this essay, I was able to recognize a strong appeal to emotions in the manner the essay was written. As I read about his former teachers I was trying to decide who the worst one was. His English teacher, Mr. Mitropetros, was not even qualified to be a teacher, actually, none of them were qualified to be teachers. Brother Dill, who supervised his homeroom was "a troubled and unstable man who also taught freshman English." His physical education teacher was "a stubby ex-lineman who had played old-time pro ball in the Midwest" was also terrible. However, the title of the worst teacher goes to, the Spanish teacher Mr. Montez.

"The teachers had no idea of how to engage the imaginations of us kids who were scuttling along at the bottom of the pond." To me, this is strong statement. An unskilled teacher can unknowingly hurt a kid for the rest of his life and derail him from getting an education. I find it amazing how a word in a phrase can all of the sudden change the life of a boy. "I just wanna be average." These words, spoken by the author's friend, were the ones that changed his life forever. His struggle has not been to be average; he has been trying to be the best he can.

What I find really cool about this essay is that even though the author lived in a really tough situation, he never gave up trying to learn. He managed to hang on until his savior came to his rescue. "Jack MacFarland couldn't have come into my life at a better time." Unskilled teachers almost lost the boy to the labyrinth of life; but an excellent teacher saved him from a hard life that was waiting for him, had he not received an education. This essay is definitely a roller coaster of emotions. I really enjoyed it.

Response to “Against School”

In the essay "Against School" by Taylor Gatto, I find it sad that after 30 years of teaching this former teacher is so disappointed with the school system that he thinks that there is conspiracy against the people. "The Prussian Conspiracy" is where only the elite were allowed to pursue a higher education. Perhaps, it is not a conspiracy. Maybe, it is just how things ought to be. Just like natural selection in the animal kingdom (according to Darwin). Maybe, the process of "diagnostic and directive function" is not too bad after all. Besides that, school is not for everybody; some people are happy not going to school.

However, equal opportunity for everybody that wants to go to school should be available. I wonder what "revolution" James Bryant Conant was talking about (pg 156). Does anybody know? I found the six basic functions of the modern school system interesting. (1) The adjustive or adaptive, (2) The integrating function, (3) The diagnostic and directive function, (4) The differentiating function, (5) The selective function, (6) The propaedeutic function. These six points explain the conspiracy that Gatto talks about in his essay. I have to give the author some credit because after one reads on, one feels as if there is a conspiracy going on. Maybe there is and I am just living in denial. Besides that, what can one do about it? "Prussian system was useful in creating not only a harmless electorate and a servile labor force but also a virtual herd of mindless consumers." This quote describes so many people from nowadays that it sounds as if Gatto really has a point here. So, is our educational system a huge conspiracy? " We don't need Karl Marx's conception of a grand warfare between the classes to see that it is in the interest of complex management, economic or political, to dumb people down, to demoralize, them, to divine them from one another, and to discard them if they don't conform." This sure sound like a conspiracy, doesn't it?

The quote on page 158 that begins "Theorist from Plato to Rousseau to our own Dr. Inglis knew that…" is an excellent example of the appealing to authority fallacy. I was nervous when I first began to read this essay but when I finally finished it, I felt much better because Gatto not only came up with the theory conspiracy but he also advises us how to avoid becoming victims of it. His advice to avoid becoming a victim is as follows: "Now for the good news. Once you understand the logic behind modern schooling, its tricks and traps are fairly easy to avoid. School trains children to be employees and consumers; teach your own to be leaders and adventures. School trains children to obey reflexively; teach your own to think critically and independently. Well-schooled kids have a low threshold for boredom; help your own to develop an inner life so that they will never be bored. Urge them to take on the serious material, the grown-up material, in history, literature, philosophy, music, art, economics, theology--- all the stuff school teachers know well enough to avoid." Therefore, to avoid becoming victims of the conspiracy, we have to be educated.

Grammar Post

Transitions between Ideas

" The most convincing ideas in the world, expressed in the most beautiful sentences, will move no one unless those ideas are properly connected. Unless readers can move easily from one thought to another, they will surely find something else to read or turn on the television...."

I was just navigating the web and came across these attention grabbing sentences, which I thought were pretty nice. This web site is full of all kinds of information for all types of grammar issues that one might have.

Idiot Nation by Michael Moore

The best way to approach this essay, like any other essay, is with a complete open mind. I found out that it helps to get rid of our biases before engaging in a new reading adventure. After having read "Idiot Nation," I realized that I had discovered the Rush Limbaugh of the extreme left. Even though we all know that these two men have opposite ideologies, I can see they have something in common; they both feed on controversies and are loyal to their biases. As to answer his question, "Do you feel like you live in a nation of idiots?" Without a doubt, my answer is NO! Because personally I know so many intelligent people (like all of my classmates and my professor); and I know of so many brilliant Americans as well. Such as Franklin Chang Diaz, John Forbes Jr., and Bill Gates, just to mention a few. However, Mr. Moore makes some points that are hard to disagree with. For example, he mentions that our educational system is in urgent need of overhaul; this argument is backed by some studies, which have been done independently by various groups. Thus, Mr. Moore leaves the reader no option but to agree with him. At least this is how I felt. Do any of my classmates feel different about this point? However, he has done what he does best; he has exaggerated the facts, or has only focused on the negative. Why? Some of you may ask. Because, this way it creates controversy, which Mr. Moore uses to feed his propaganda machine. Nevertheless, after reading his essay, it is clear to me that Mr. Moore has a soft spot for some teachers of this nation. Finally, I found something positive in this essay full of so much negativism. But as I read on, I was not sure if teachers really want this kind of kindness. I mean, he is for getting the teachers some more money for the work they do, which is thoughtful of him. I am sure teachers all over this nation could use an extra income. However, at the same time, he advises students to make teachers lives a living hell. So, is he advocating getting teachers a better pay, or is he trying to make teachers feel like they have to tolerate nonsense because they are making enough money?

Hello everyone!

does anybody remember which essay we are suppose to read this week?
I would appreciate if somebody lets me know. thanks!

Never mind our professor posted the assignments and with it, she answered my questions.

Response to essays

"Looking For Work"

In the essay "Looking for Work" by Gary Soto, the author shows his excellent writing skills; the way he takes us back in time to his childhood through the magic of words is outstanding. There is no doubt in my mind that the influence of television is a strong subject on this essay. Soto's skills as a writer are without a question great. In this essay, Soto the adult has managed to write a vivid story of his childhood. "In July, while killing ants on the kitchen sink with a rolled newspaper, I had a nine-year-old vision of wealth that would save us from ourselves," this is how the author began his story. Later on, Soto explains how a nine-year old had a plan that would help his family overcome poverty. In addition, the plan would also help with social struggles common at that time such as racism and intolerance.

Soto has managed to inject humor even though the matters that the essay deals with could not be more important to our society as a whole. I cannot image trying to get my family to imitate another family from a television show. However, this is exactly what the author did as a child. Soon he found out that it would be an impossible task. As we continue reading, we find out exactly where his ideas of "the perfect family" come from. His ideas came from television shows such as "Leave It to Beaver and Father Knows Best." These shows had filled Soto's young mind with erroneous ideas of how a "perfect family" should be.

As a child, Soto was not able to differentiate between reality and role-playing on television. He was confused but he did not know it. Something that was clear on his mind was that if he wanted to succeed, he needed to develop a work ethic sooner rather than later. Therefore, he began looking for work around his neighborhood. He offered to "rake leaves" but it was summer so, there were no leaves to rake. A woman asked him to go buy her a Coke but instead, she got a Pepsi. He did not do his job well but he had begun to accumulate wealth or so he thought. "I tried to convince them that if we improved the way we looked we might get along better in life. White people would like us more. They might invite us to places, like their homes or front yards. They might not hate us so much." As I read this, I understood that all of Soto's efforts were not necessarily to get rich but to gain acceptance in society; a society that, had altered the meaning of "the perfect family" through the magic of television. Actually, this was no magic. This was more a tragedy than anything else.

"What We Really Miss About The 1950's "

"What We Really Miss About the 1950's" by Stephanie Coontz, is an essay that tries to break a myth that has been part of our culture for many years. The myth was that the 1950's were the ideal years to live in. I think that the author's aim has been achieved, at least in my case. I no longer think that the 1950's was a great decade to live. Perhaps, I am easily persuaded. However, the truth is that after reading the essay, it is very clear to me that the people who enjoyed prosperity were only a few. These few were the ones that years later, after the 1950's, created the myth of this "perfect time."

The difference between Soto's and Coontz essay is that in Soto's essay the victim of distortion of facts was only a boy; whereas, in Coontz's essay the victims of misrepresentation are generations. I think that the birth of this myth is the nostalgia that a few people had for this period, perhaps because they had enjoyed some kind of advantage. "The contrast between the perceived hopefulness of the fifties and our own misgivings about the future is key to contemporary nostalgia for this period," the author wrote. "We need to develop a historical perspective on where that hope came from," the author also points out. Having read that, I do agree that the 1950's were a better time to live in than the two previous decades. However, I still disagree that the 1950's were better than nowadays. Many of the rights and privileges that we enjoy as a society now were not even thought about in the 1950's. Therefore, for me to somehow wish I were living in the 1950's, would be like wishing to take a giant step backwards.

We have come a long way since the 1950's. The equality that we enjoy in the present time was a ridiculous idea back then. The economic ladder was full of obstacles for minorities including white females. Sexism was a normal practice. Bigotry was a common practice and not against the law. Racism was acceptable and not punishable by the law. "Sexual morality was preached about while practicing social immorality such as racism and waging illegal wars." In many cases, acts like incest, sexual abuse, and physical abuse went unpunished because they were not even considered crimes. So, my finale conclusion after having read this well written essay, is that for no reason would I ever change living in the present time; and that a man who would wish that he were living in the 1950's , is self-centered, and probably suffering from a severe case of narcissism. We all have the right to choose what we think is best for us. However, I am almost sure that after having read this essay, most people would not choose the 1950's as the best time to live.

The way I interpret these two excellent essays, I believe the authors are trying to place "a wake up call" to the readers "to not to go with the flow." As critical thinkers, we should always do our own research, especially, when it comes to matters of popular beliefs that could distort the reality of facts. In these two essays, it seems to me, that the authors don't really critique the real life families. Instead, the authors warn us about "the fictitious American families" and "the perfect decade of the 1950's." I think the authors challenge us to investigate, to research, and to find out the truth behind the myths.

Some Interesting points about the essays are: Soto never mentions his dad through out the whole paper. I wonder why?

In Coontz essay, there is so much information to disregard the 1950's as the ideal decade and yet, some people still think it would be an enjoyable experience. What are they thinking?

Grammar Post

Hello everyone!

For my grammar post for this week, I have found this nice web site on effective writing. It is called, "The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation." I think it can help some of us who sometimes struggle writing effectively. Here it is.

To see more click here.

To see more click here.

Conjugating Verbs into the Past Tense

If you think that you are having trouble with English, try it as a second language. It really gets difficult then!

One of the rules I struggle with is conjugating irregular English verbs to the past tense. In most cases, all you have to do to change a verb to the past tense is to add an "ed" at the end of the verb and it becomes a past tense verb. However, when you are dealing with irregular verbs the rule goes out the window. The only way to remember how an irregular verb is spelled in the past tense is to memorize each one.

This web site that I found a few days ago has more information on past tense verbs and how to conjugate them.

What it Means to Me to be an American Citizen

What does it mean to me to be an American citizen?

It is an honor and a privilege to be a citizen of the U.S.A.. It also means that I am part of one of the last true democracies in the world; a democracy that gets better everyday. By being a citizen of the U.S.A., I am part of a country where dreams can still be achieved. Where stories like that of Chang Diaz and Barack Obama inspire many people like myself to believe that the U.S.A is still the land of opportunity and where the impossible is only a state of mind.

However, being a citizen also implies that I have responsibilities as well. Such as, exercising my right to vote in the wisest way possible to ensure that we elect only those working toward the best interest of the U.S.A. and its people. It also means that I have to be willing to defend our country if need be. The next statement might get a little confusing for some people, if so, write me and I will explain more. I became a citizen of the U.S.A. by way of naturalization but, I have always been an American by birth.

How will this text challenge or complicate my opinions?

I am really looking forward to any challenges that this text might bring. But, what I really hope to get out of this text when this class is over, is to be able to identify fallacies in my thought process; and to help me stop looking for fallacies where none exist. I also hope to become a better writer, thinker, communicator, and a better citizen. I don't think that this text will complicate my opinions because I am willing to admit when I am mistaken. I am ready to learn.