Final Blog ..yaaaaayyyy!

As I looked ahead to the extra credit assignment next week I was forced to reflect on what I did right in this class, and what I should have fixed. This course was without a doubt my toughest course I have taken at AVC. I can’t be sure if it was the work load itself, or if it was being required to be able to balance and evenly distribute the workload to meet the deadline without meeting in a classroom. The first 4 weeks or some of this class I did not understand the idea of setting smaller deadlines to meet the larger deadlines. It became easier for me to handle what I needed to in this class and my other classes if I set up some goals every week. For example, I tried to complete my blog as soon as I got the prompt on Monday, and with reading the Essays and answering the critical thinking questions I made sure I had those done before the weekend so that I could use the weekend to close up and loose ends I had not finished.
In my opinion, what I got the most out of this class, besides a stronger grasp on time management, was the ability to put myself into an assignment further than I have before. Some of these assignments, like the bias in a news paper article or the timed essays on “On Bullshit”, brought out a passion I did not realize I had. The reason I was so passionate and remember these assignments specifically could possibly be due to the fact that both of these topics somewhat offended me. I came to realize that having to deal with and discuss topics that are not agreeable to me and upset me in a way bring out a better writer in me; a writer with more conviction because I care more. This could help me in the future if I am given a choice of topics or the chance to create my own; I now know that the best choice for me would be a topic that lights a bit of a fire inside me.
I cannot lie or sugarcoat it, this class, at times, brought out an ugly side of me and had me cursing the computer. But after my tantrums and after I had completed the assignment I felt a sense of accomplishment (and foolishness for throwing the tantrum). This class made me rise to a level I have not been challenged to achieve yet, not necessarily with the amount of work, but with the demand of time and effort.
To my classmates who remain: obviously we achieved something here that about twenty of our fallen classmates did not feel they could do. I am grateful I had intelligent people to critique my papers and exchange opinions and ideas with. Congratulations on the completion of this class and thank you for all your help! Good luck with every endeavor each one of you takes on.
Finally, thank you to Professor Gross (Jennifer, sorry I still struggle with the informal thing, but I think it’s cool), thank you for always being available to answer all my questions and for forcing us to rise to the challenge of Online English 103.

Critical Thinking (again)

Critical thinking is a very broad term with multiple sub components that go into it. First, after taking this class I realized that critical thinking was more than just thinking; it’s understanding as well. You cannot fully analyze and think critical about something if you only have a slight grasp on the subject being considered. In my first blog I wrote that I was capable of weighing the pros and cons of subjects, I still feel this is true, but my process of weighing pros and cons has definitely matured form this class. Now I know I must pay attention to the sources of information I receive, note bias in information, and understand that there are different opinions and views on everything.
Regarding critical thinking, this class also helped me to understand flexibility on a subject. Through group projects I was able to witness and communicate many different positions on different topics which sometimes would affect my position on the same topic. This helped me to realize that critical thinking is not just scrutinizing and dissecting something, it’s talking about it with others and getting all the information and ideas possible before coming to a decision when a position can be assumed.
I never paid much attention to how often critical thinking is used in everyday life until I understood it. In conversations with my dad (who I sometimes am afraid to have conversations with because he is both bright and opinionated, making him a great and frustrating debater) I know find myself more comfortable with speaking on current events that I have an opinion on. I am able to find the relevant information and points of the subject and focus on those and ignore matters on the subject that are irrelevant. I believe being capable of sorting relevant information from irrelevancy is also a component of critical thinking. For example, a bullshitter  could go on for hours about irrelevant topics and if we as an audience do not have the ability to sort through useless information we will accept everything a bullshitter says is true. To sum it up, critical thinking protects us from bullshit!
The first time I responded to this prompt I hoped that this class would “improve my critical thinking skills by showing me the necessary tools to apply when considering something objectively”, which is exactly what I got out of this class. I also hoped that improving my critical thinking skills would improve my ability to be open minded. I know for a fact I have become more available to alternative options and opinions to ideas I already may hold. I feel my thought process hit a maturity level that has not been required of me before. This was definitely my most challenging class to date, and I am sure I can expect to see that same sort of demands from University classes. I would like to think that this class has tested my thought process to the point where I can advance and succeed in similar classes I may encounter in my educational future.

The Research Project

Oh, the research project. How I wish I would have read these books differently. When I read this assignment I was a little frustrated that it was on Reading Lolita in Tehran because it’s probably the book I read the most lackadaisically. The idea of using this book which has a lot of hidden meaning and symbolism to then compare to a theme from another book is overwhelming to say the least. I still have not started it; I just finished filming a video project for part of my history final, and am for some reason, facing a lot of tests in my other classes. It’s not procrastination-just time management (that’s we will sugar coat it as.) 
My first step was to choose a project, my obvious choice for me was the Great Gatsby because it’s the only book I have already read and felt I had some knowledge on, reading it again would only make it easier to understand. Boy was I wrong; looking for the idea of “reinvention” of Gatsby seemed to be quite a stretch. I actually considered Gatsby to be a rather inflexible man who could not see any other side of life than what he lived. I guess that’s the point of research projects right, to dig a little deeper? I can only hope I found a good path to lead in my paper and that it will be in keeping with the topic. I always fear when writing papers that I will completely miss the topic and not meet the criteria of the prompt.
After reading The Great Gatsby again I thought I would get ahead by making an appointment in the writing center, you know, be on top of things. I was told I could not make it more than a week in advance, not that big of a problem, but just frustrating! I am not an organized person and I do not normally do things ahead of time, so this little bump in the road didn’t help motivate me to get ahead on more things. Fortunately, when the time comes and I have to buckle down, I will find a way. It always makes me angry with myself I live my life and do my work this way but it has not changed in years and I don’t see it changing in the future.
When I saw the prompt for this blog I sort of had to vent to myself a little bit about how much it sucked, how much time it’s going to take, how much work it’s going to be. But when I relax and think about it this is what I signed up for and this is what I will need to master for my future education and career. I hope I can turn out a great last essay and really finish the semester and this class of strongly. I wish the best of luck to everyone and if anyone else is feeling overwhelmed-you got a friend in me!

WA question #1 Page 253

In a world over run with electronic communication we must always be aware of the paper trail we leave behind us. With websites like MySpace and Facebook taking over the internet, more and more people are divulging their private lives online. I think it is very important for people who are members of these sites to think twice about every word they type and every picture they post.
Fortunately, I have been very careful about everything I do online to avoid being embarrassed by something I should not have posted online, however I have made the mistake of viewing things other people have posted on their networking sites and misinterpreted them to a negative light. For example, I once got into a two month fight with a friend because she had posted a picture of her and I and put a caption that was not flattering to say the least. On this situation I may not have exactly misinterpreted anything, but I definitely overreacted and was too sensitive about a joke one of my good friends had made. It’s possible that the fact that this picture with the vulgar caption underneath was open for all to see bothered me more than the words my friend typed.
One experience that my older sister had was a negative experience for her, but turned out to be a good lesson and affected me positively. My sister is twenty eight, pretty, and a softball coach at a University. She is still young enough to be involved in these networking sites which are pretty much public, while they can be set to private, there is always some sort of loophole. My sister had posted a picture of her with my family, on a cruise, sitting at a table with a glass of wine. The picture was not distasteful or offensive and did not even show her drinking the wine. The University my sister teaches at is very academic and very expensive to attend, the students, parents, and faculty is very serious about their education. About five days later after posting this picture, my sister was called into the Athletic Director’s office. The school had set up a program that could monitor any public web pages their faculty used, including my sisters. She was told the picture needed to be removed immediately because it “showed the use of alcohol by a member of the staff at this pretentious University”. She was shocked at how strict this seemed, but also realized as a softball coach these girls look up to her and she needs to be extra cautious at how she represents herself. This was a good lesson for her and me to remind us that there is always someone watching and you make your life public with everything you put on a networking site.
MySpace and Facebook are great tools to connect people all over the world and give people a place to speak their minds, share their opinions and stories, and let others know about who they are. However the world can be dangerous and judgmental and so can other people. So a good rule of them is to always allow yourself time to think over what you are going to put on a public website so that you can be assured it will never come back to bite you in the you know what.

Writing Improvements

Writing has always been something I have enjoyed, but never felt truly confident about. I cannot say I am completely confident in my writing now, but I do have more faith in my writing after ten weeks of this class. When this semester first started, one of our assignments in this class was to write about what we would like to get out of this class and what skills we think we are going to gain from the course. If I remember correctly I was hoping to improve my researching skills and prompt writing ability. After the entire process of the many drafts and comments that surrounded the first essay submitted (the rhetorical essay) I realized that I was even shallower on research paper writing than I had even realized. I am hoping that my second and third essays will show improvement and I will start to fully understand the process behind writing one research that has been obtained and combined.
I believe what has improved after this class is my ability to think critically. After the various group projects and different assignments, I have found that my ability to “think outside of the box” has improved. One reason why I believe I can attribute this to the group projects is because I was given the opportunity to see different points of view from my group members. There were many times I would read a response a member of my group had and absolutely felt their response was better than my own. I enjoy being able to try and see many different perspectives on the same subject.
My writing has definitely improved in one way, and that’s development organization. By development I mean I am now aware of creating a thesis statement and elaborating further on it. Organization has improved in the way that I am now focused on the set up of pieces I write, ensuring I have an opening, a conclusion, and a strong body that does not go off subject and establishes my position when necessary. This could be due to the essays and critical thinking responses we do every week. In many of the critical thinking questions the reader is asked to identify certain things in an essay and explain why these parts are important to the author and the development of the essay. Having to critically consider these essays by professional writers can only help a person improve their own writing.
This class has definitely been a challenge for me. English has always been a strong subject for me, but as the courses get tougher as I continue my education, I realize I have much more to learn and master. I think the writing required in this class will give me the skills I need to carry me through the rest of my education and then onto my career. Writing is something that can always be changed and improved and I think this class has provided the opportunity to challenge the writing I became comfortable with producing to make it stronger and more comprehensive.

Offensive Political Cartoon

Politics is a world of criticism, scrutiny, and dirty tactics. One tool used by people to support their personal political philosophy or agenda is political cartoons which negatively portray the target of the cartoon’s scrutiny to promote the artists personal beliefs. I was once sent a like to a cartoon through an E-mail from my very democratic and outspoken uncle. While I am not a fan of President George W. Bush, there are some things that are very inappropriate and can in fact be damaging to the advancement of our nation.
The cartoon I received came after Hurricane Katrina struck the Southern states of our country and was associated to the backlash President Bush received for how he handled the response to the hurricane’s victims. The cartoon portrays President Bush in Louisiana standing out front of an Air Force One helicopter in water about up to his knees. He has is hand on the shoulder of what is drawn to be a darker man which what seems to be his wife and baby look on. While the cartoon is meant to be comical, even the drawing of the wreckage the hurricane caused is saddening and makes the cartoon that much more distasteful. The cartoon only has one blip of speech, but this one quote is very powerful and painful. The quote coming out above president Bush reads “If you had been rich, you would have lost much more”; a mean and cold-hearted attack on the people of Louisiana who were in a great time of suffering.
The cartoon is so offensive to me because it strikes certain people in America at a very dark time. While many people feel president Bush did not respond correctly to this specific crisis, people living in the hurricane-hit areas were so deeply and traumatically affected I do not feel that this cartoon is appropriate nor comical. This cartoon specifically targeted people of America who may be less fortunate or who lives in poverty-stricken areas. These people were already struggling before the hurricane hit and were suffering even more when they lost everything to Hurricane Katrina. To then point out the fact that these people are poor and even make a joking suggestion that they were not treated as well as rich people would have been is simply putting salt in a very large open wound. It’s hard to even tell if the author is bashing President Bush, or if he is being prejudice and nasty to people in poverty.
I feel that political cartoons should be used to express personal opinions in a humorous was that does not stand to hurt innocent people. Political cartoons are a part (ugly as it may be) of the political community and have been for centuries. A politician is prepared and anticipative of being slammed by opposition, but it is very important that the target of these cartoons remain the politicians themselves who choose to involve themselves in the political world, they should not affect everyday citizens of the United States.

Pg 493 Question #1

If I were told that the leader of a known hate group was coming to speak at my school, I would feel very uneasy and unsure on how to deal with that leader speaking inflammatory racist language. Having to anticipate what a person who thinks so differently from me will say would make me very uncomfortable and nervous. If I were to sit there and try to listen what this person had to say, I would find it very hard to keep myself engaged and understanding to a person who is being unfair towards a race. Just because this person was invited to speak does not mean I, as a student of the school, should be forced to listen. Or does it? While the first amendment allows a person to speak freely, I believe we are allowed the choice to be or not be an audience.
I would in no way defend the person’s right to address the student body. Call me closed minded, call my actions unfair, I would not be capable of accepting the thoughts of a known racist being forced upon me. I feel that if this person feels they have the right to voice their opinion, I will have the right to voice my disapproval and disappointment of my school allowing a racist to address the campus, and the right to leave. I feel that a known outspoken racist should be left for discussions in a sociology or related class. The person should not be invited, and given the power, to spread their racist and absurd thoughts.
Unfortunately, if a school decides to invite a person to speak to their students, the school is then forced to accept what the person decides to speak about because of the first amendment. The law of the first amendment makes the school responsible for knowing and understanding that this person is going to speak inflammatory racist language. It is not the racist’s responsibility to hold back on what her or she says, if the person is invited by the school, they are privileged to the first amendment. That is, the freedom of speech. Just as you and I are given the right to freedom of speech, “bad” people are promised the right of freedom of speech.
A racist is a way of thinking. This thought process, I believe, is one that the majority of the people of this great nation have evolved to overcome and now disagree with. Unfortunately, racists are people and are protected under the first amendment. People all across the country have said things that are unpleasant; speaking out against the president or other leaders, judging certain career fields, putting down women, etc, even the most painful and disheartening: negatively speaking about us personally or people we love. These are experiences we, sometimes unconsciously, deal with everyday of our lives. As a part of this country we are forced to accept that people have the right to say what they want and we in response have the same right, or the right to stay silent and allow the negative speaker to make them themselves appear foolish.

Happiness or Self-Respect?

Asking to decide which is more important between happiness and self-respect is like asking which tastes better: ice cream or apple pie? In my opinion, a person needs the right balance of both in order to be at peace with themselves. How can a person be truly happy if they do not respect themselves and everything that they stand for as a human being? How can a person respect themselves if they are not happy in life? These two feelings go hand in hand.
The problem becomes finding the right balance that fulfills a person. We all can identify a person we have come across in our lives that buries themselves in their schoolwork or career. A person who works so hard at what they do can have many motives, but more often than not, a motivation is the self respect they gain out of their success. For some people, the self-respect they gain can lead to their happiness. However, there are people out there who are so focused on gaining respect (both from themselves and from others) that they lose those things that really make a person happy such as family, friends, and hobbies. When a person is too focused on self-respect, the pursuit of happiness takes a back seat.
On the other side, a person who only seeks pleasure, or happiness, can often forget the maintenance of self-respect. I believe that happiness is more dependent on self-respect than self-respect is on happiness. A person can be happy by the self-respect they acquire through hard work, but I feel that some self-respect is necessary before happiness can come. The absence of self-respect will never result in a sense of happiness. I feel that a person who only seeks happiness without seeking self-respect can sometimes lead to an impulsive or irrational person. Happiness is something I believe every human being hopes and strives for, but in our quest to achieve it we cannot forget to stay true to ourselves and our beliefs which in turn, will maintain self-respect.
One problem with finding a balance between happiness and self-respect is that sometimes we don’t know how to go about achieving these feelings. The reason there is some much trouble is because what makes us happy and respectful of ourselves differs between every person. For some, self-respect comes from how they interact with others, their family or co workers, or even teammates. For others, self-respect may come from how much they achieve and their success in different areas in life. The road to achieving happiness differs even more between different people. Every person has their own opinion on what aspects of life are most important. I think that if a person can achieve happiness in their own important aspects of life, the happiness can spread through the other areas of their lives.
Self-respect and happiness are not necessarily one in the same, but are dependent on each other. There are people who go their entire lives finding the right balance to achieve a feeling of contentment. All we can do is continue our journeys through life finding what fulfills us as individuals because it will be different for each and every person, and no one else can find it for us.

(Pg. 319 Question #4) Non Verbal Cues

In my opinion, non verbal cues have the power to speak louder than spoken words. The expressions people show and the body language they display make it hard to hide their feelings from receptive onlookers. There is obviously some reason why moms are constantly grounding their teenagers for a simple body movement; eye rolling. Rolling one’s eyes is the perfect example of how powerful verbal cues are. Without opening their mouths a person can show disagreement, disgust, anger, disbelief, and many other feelings with a simple eye roll.
I personally feel that every individual has their own non-verbal language, not just body language but facial expressions as well. When I read this question and it said to analyze myself, I took the next interaction I had and paid attention to what my natural non-verbal actions and reactions were in conversation. The first action I realized is a favorite of mine is narrowing of my eyebrows; I use this action to portray confusion or disagreement. What I then wondered was why do I not just come out and verbalize my feelings? This pondering moment made me come to the conclusion that non-verbal cues, such as narrowing my eyebrows, I use to portray any sort of negative feeling take the place of confrontation. I realized that I use non-verbal cues when I have a negative feeling towards something, but am not passionate enough to argue about it. I find that this is a release of my true feelings, while avoiding an argument that is unnecessary.
Another favorite non-verbal cue of mine is the old fashioned, never gets old, always appreciated, smile. For me, a smile is my go-to expression. Obviously if I am happy or pleased, a smile is an automatic reflex. But I also use a smile when I am uncomfortable, or can feel someone else is uncomfortable, when I am grateful, when I am excited or eager, and of course, when I am flirting (which is a whole different language in itself, right girls?) A smile is a universal communicator of peace and friendliness. Anyone who wears a smile is more approachable and inviting to others than a person who I scowling or even has no expression. I only hope that I am smiling more often than I am narrowing my eyebrows.
Non-verbal cues are relevant in our world. There are even careers such as body language experts who claim to have the ability to interpret a person’s mood by only a picture. Personally, I try to read the body language of people when I feel what they are saying is important. I will look for the non-verbal cues of people such as politicians, doctors, teachers, parents, significant others, or anyone else who I either respect or am trying to learn more about. Taking a look at my own personal non-verbal cues made me realize that I would like to be more aware of my non-verbal language. I would hate to send the wrong vibe by accident because I was portraying a negative body language or facial expression.

The Globalization of English (pg. 211 #2)

When asked how the globalization of English impacts the language itself I can’t help but think of an experience I had when I was thirteen on a trip to Brazil with me Spanish club. We had all brought a backpack filled with school supplies to take to a small school in the outskirts of Sao Paulo, I fell in love with the mot adorable seven year old girl (when I say fall in love, please understand I am using that term in a very different, non-creepy way) and spent the day playing dolls and coloring with her. While I couldn’t communicate back she would talk a lot in Portuguese. I was only in my second year of middle school Spanish and could pick up some of what she said (Portuguese is similar to Spanish), but did not have the talent to respond. When it was time to go she gave me a hug and said “I love you”. I honestly do not believe that she knew what she was saying exactly, but she knew this was what we say in English to show gratitude and care. This little girl was in the first grade and was living in a very rural, poor part of the country where English was not common. How did she know how to say and when to use the phrase “I love you”?
Some historians say Old English can be traced back to the fifth century. If our language is that old how could it not have become globalized? The United States of America is a powerhouse of the world; many people from other countries want to live the “American Dream”. The American language is English. In my opinion, other countries are teaching their new generations the English language to help their people in their quest to fulfill the American dream. I want to be clear that I am not dense to the fact that we are not the only country to be predominantly English; I am aware that in fact many countries have more English speakers than we do.
I believe this globalization has a both positive and negative impact on the English language. Positively, English the language has been influenced by other parts of the world, our language has been introduced to new words and sounds that have force their way into the English language. For example the words “alcohol” is an Arabic word that came from “alchemists”. Perhaps it’s the ability to introduce new words into our language that has globalized English. Our language has grown because of the many different places it has been. Negatively, however, I feel our language has been altered by the many different tongues that speak it. Some accents can so greatly alter a word that it is no longer recognizable as part of the English language. Also, in other countries words are often used incorrectly when they are not fully understood which can give the word an entirely different meaning from its English definition. (This is simply about the language of English. For our planet I believe the globalization of English shows unity in a way, but the question is specific the English language.)
The globalization of English is undeniable, it will not stop. Hopefully, and I think it will, this globalization will help our language to grow and improve its lasting power. We speak a great language, which is made clear by the many countries that speak it. I think our language will be what our time here on this earth is remembered by in the far future of our planet and human race.

Two Articles, Same Toopic; Very Different Stories

I feel that the way the media portrays people is becoming somewhat comical. I must admit that I am a sucker for those trash tabloid magazines such as Us Weekly and People. However I take everything I read in these magazines with a grain of salt. These are plain and simple entertainment. There are sources we all know cannot and should not b e trusted and sources which we can rely on a bit more.
I doubt there are many people in this country unaware of who actress Angelina Jolie is. In what I observe about this particular celebrity is that she carries many associated words with her name, words such as “sex symbol” or “Mrs. Pitt”; but how far down if the word “activist”? I have read many articles in my beloved tabloid magazines regarding Angelina Jolie’s large number of children, mostly adopted, or her marriage to Brad Pitt, or articles about her body. The comical thing about all of these varieties of articles is how contradictive they are of one another.
For this blog I chose to compare the language between a tabloid magazine discussing Angelina Jolie’s marriage and the theory that it is “in trouble” and an interview she did in Time magazine raising awareness and assistance for the sad crisis in Cambodia, where she adopted one of her children.
In the tabloid article, the author described the status of Angelina Jolie’s marriage as tumultuous and portrayed the actress herself as a dark, bizarre, evil woman. This article was absolutely playing up to the entertainment value and trying to promote shock value. The language this author used was slick and quite immature in my opinion. The article was filled with words that are used in language today by teenagers and young adults. The article never once stated a fact, but continuously quoted an “anonymous source”. The fact of using an anonymous source allowed the person to be quoted word for word without requiring a check on how reliable and accurate their so-called personal accounts were.
The Time magazine on the contrary, was much more information filled. The language of the Time article was articulate, but fluent. The article described all of the great work Angelina Jolie has done for multiple third-world countries in crisis, the awareness she has raised about hunger and disease, and broke down the millions of dollars she herself has contributed to similar causes. The Time magazine article quoted only one person, Angelina, the person who the story was about, obviously a very reputable source. This article actually swayed my opinion of this woman and allowed me to see her as more than simply an actress. In my opinion, the power to sway an opinion is the sign of strong language and a powerful article.
Like I said, these tabloid magazines are simply entertainment and they aim for that revenue. But taking the time to compare articles with the same topic makes one compare the strength of the language and the assembly of the writing. I believe most people are very careful to not believe everything they read, I hope we can all learn to truly consider the source.

Indifference and Silence

Martin Luther King and Elie Weisel are different men with different experiences from different times; however their message is very similar. Both men are very passionate in what they speak on because the subject comes from personal experience, one from prejudice because of race, the other from prejudice of a belief. Both of these men are very powerful speakers with a strong message that jumps out from the paper. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is a call to action; he is trying to provoke people to get involved to make a difference. Elie Weisel’s “The Peril’s of Indifference” is somewhat of a discussion of the negative effects that come from not getting involved to make a difference.
Both King and Weisel are using their words to deal with prejudice. Both men are, in the same way, trying to address prejudice by expressing their views regarding the prejudice they have felt against themselves. They both share the feeling that prejudice against a particular race is unjust and morally wrong. Both of these men also seem to agree that the people who are promoting the prejudice are actually small in number and specifically a minority of a small population. In both situations these men were witnessing small groups of people bringing fear and turmoil to others. I think this goes to show how controlling evil can be. When a small group can cause such an impact on history and a civilization of people it’s clear that the fear of that minority must have been great.
When Martin Luther King and Elie Weisel talk about indifferent and silent, they are talking about bad people. However these bad people are not the prejudice people doing these heinous acts, but they are the people not stepping in. These people that are indifferent and silent are people of a majority sitting back watching these smaller groups (minority groups) treat others unjustly simply because they are of a different race or background. Both of these men agree that when a majority is indifferent and silent, it allows a minority to invoke its will, sometimes wrong/prejudice, onto a group of people. These small groups are given so much power by the unwillingness of larger groups to get involved in a conflict. They also both ask of those with power to step in; they ask why these people of power are being silent and indifferent when such acts of prejudice are going on right in front of them.
Personally, I feel being indifferent is not the same as being silent. To me, feeling indifference is not feeling a passion towards something. Indifference to me indicates not having a preference or opinion. But if someone is silent, I do not believe they are indifferent. Silence to me is not standing up for yourself or your beliefs. Silence is always a good tool when practicing self-restraint, but no one should be restrained about their passions. Knowing something is wrong and watching it happen without stepping in is being silent, not caring about what is happening; that is indifference. The question is: Is it better to not care at all, or to care, and not help?

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech

Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech, I Have a Dream” is not just an example of “Language that inspired change”; in my opinion it is the epitome of language that inspires change. This speech does not only ask the people of America to fight back against oppression, but provokes the listeners by reminding them of what promises were broken. His speech also inspires change because it is a uniting speech. He asks his followers to unite and “always march ahead”. I believe March ahead means to never back down from what you believe is right and fair, to continue to fight for what you have been promised, and never given. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech was written to inspire change. The way he repeats ‘I have a dream’ then follows with a very powerful thought provokes a feeling of empowerment and strength in people. Finally when he recites the words to Land of Liberty after giving the powerful speech, the song inspires change by the lyrics grabbing a hold of you with a whole new meaning. Every line of that song can be related to a part of King Jr.’s speech and what he dreams of for the future. This speech inspired the change of the future with words, words of encouragement, empowerment, and unity.

The fact that Martin Luther King Jr. gave his speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial speaks volumes. Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Lincoln shared similar dreams, while now Lincoln’s dream still seems very oppressive, at his time of office almost 150 years ago the idea he had was ground breaking. His idea then made Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream a possibility in 1963. Abraham Lincoln’s emancipation proclamation could be compared to the “I Have a Dream” speech of his time.
I don’t believe that another location would have spoken as the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Symbolically, it could almost be the leader of the beginning of the fight for freedom meeting, the ultimate leader of the fight. While the location would not have affected the power of Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech (it will always, no matter where or when, be an awe-inspiring speech), the location he chose did raise the symbolic power of unity and courage. The location also could have been representative of a reminder of what they were fighting for and how long this fight had been going on.

Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech is a piece of history that can never be forgotten. While the fight he lead lasted many years, that moment, those minutes when he spoke in Washington, are what make our country so great. This man lead a great fight for what he knew in his heart was right. His speech brought to life everything that was worth fighting for. Every component of this speech is what made it so historical and world-changing. The man who was speaking the words he spoke, the location he spoke these words at, all of these aspects of that moment made the speech “I Have a Dream” a piece of language that inspired change.

Language and Freedom

Language is a powerful tool that almost every person possesses. Language allows us to communicate with one another to express ourselves, whether our emotions are joyous, sad, despaired, worried, anxious or excited, there are hundreds of feelings we can express through our language. I believe simply being able to express one’s feelings is a sign of freedom.
The most important expression language allows us to portray is unhappiness. Language gives us the freedom to disagree with something we feel is not right. If we feel we are being mistreated in a way, Language provides us a means to let our feelings of dissatisfaction be known. To really understand how powerful language is, think of a baby and how they show their sadness or anger. The only tool a baby has is a scream or a wail. While most mothers will do whatever they can until they find out what the problem is, the baby cannot be taken care of right away because the caretaker cannot be sure of what the baby is saying without language.
One personal experience that I can think of that portrayed the freedom language provides happened when I was in San Diego. I was on a very Southern beach in the San Diego area, so it was very close to the Mexican border, with my boyfriend at the time who was bilingual (Spanish and English). We were sitting in a restaurant in a village-type area full of little shops when an elderly woman began raising her voice. When we finally found where the commotion was coming from, this woman was yelling at a young boy who appeared to be Mexican. The story we gathered was that the little boy’s family had eaten at this restaurant and had not paid enough money to cover their bill. It soon became clear that the young boy was the only member of his family of four that could somewhat understand and speak English, however the boy could only have been about eight and his English was not very strong. While there were many people around. It was clear that it was much divided; people were either completely English speakers, or complete Spanish speakers. My boyfriend realized this and went to help the situation, as soon as he was able to explain, in Spanish, what the woman’s complaint was, the father of the family pulled out his wallet and gave the right amount, making the elderly woman appear to feel quite embarrassed.
This story really stands out to me showing the freedom language gives you. I can only imagine that the Mexican family was very confused and sad that this woman was yelling at them, when in their eyes they had done no wrong. Language was what gave them the freedom to correct what was wrong and make a decision after understanding the problem. Even though the language came from an outside source, when they were assisted and given the tool of language the problem was quickly resolved. I can only hope that people will recognize the power of language in similar situations before they get upset or frustrated and realize that the only problem may actually be the language itself.

The Power of Language

I believe the power of language is displayed everyday in life, whether it’s on television, in a classroom, or simply a conversation between friends. When another person has the ability to make an impression on me using only words, I feel that is showing the power of language. Being able to communicate productively with a co-worker, classmate or teammate also demonstrates the power of language. For example, back in kindergarten when we were told if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all, we as children were being shown the power of language by trying to explain to us how hurtful words can be to others.
When I think about a defining moment when I felt the power of language, my mind always goes to certain sermons I have heard in church. One that specifically sticks out to me happened on a Sunday like any other Sunday, except for the fact that I was especially down and seemed to have had a very bad week. I was not interested in being at church and couldn’t wait to be able to go back to bed. As a Christian it’s hard for me to admit I was not fully engaged in this sermon, but I must be honest, I was rather agitated my parents had forced me to go. The service began as it always did, opening with worship songs which we all stood as a congregation and sang together, I was relaxing a bit more, but still wanted to get through the day’s service quickly.
We all took our seats and the pastor took his position at his pulpit and opened with this question, “Who is having a bad day?” Immediately I wondered if he had seen me pouting out in the rows and was nervous he was going to call me out personally on it. Fortunately, it was a question to the entire congregation and about fifty hands went up in response to his question. The pastor then went on to tell a story that was related to God’s undying forgiveness to his followers. He spoke about a man who basically spent his time speaking out against God and the bible until Jesus appeared to this man to ask him why. The man responded by saying that his whole life had been a disaster and he didn’t believe in God because he never helped him. God responded by saying “how can I help you if I don’t exist in your heart?” The story went on and ended with this man taking God into his heart and he went on to become a happier man. Not a better man with a better life, just a man who had faith on his side.
As I sat there and let this story play through my head I felt the largest wave of guilt flow over me. As a faithful person I had let my own petty problems take over and block my eyes from what was important. I believe the pastor’s words that day were meant for me and showed the power of language by verbalizing the work of God. The power of language is a great thing that we all need to be understood and keep our ears open to, because we never know what is being said specifically for us as individuals to hear.

Critical Thinking

To me, critical thinking is an act of judging and considering something objectively. The ability to critically judge something can be a great strength in learning. I think for me, I often become a critical thinker and don't notice it. Whether it's a book, a television show, a new idea, or just someone else's opinion, I am quick to weigh the pros and cons of what I am judging; noting the good and the bad of every thought. Unfortunately, my critical thinking skills only come at times where I am calm and careful. I find that my ability to rationalize an idea or thought and weigh my options goes out the window when I act in the moment and become impulsive. On the positive side, this sort of impulsive behavior never comes out when I am in a learning environment.
One area of my life where critical thinking is always a great tool is money. I could be called frugal, but I prefer the term "smart" with money. While I have yet to hold down a house and manage true finances I have already found out that I am cautious with money and carefully weigh out the necessity of each purchase. I believe this is a good example of critical thinking, as it requires a person to look at both sides of an "argument". When a person applies critical thinking to an idea or an issue, it is necessary that they put away opinions that have already been embedded in their heads so that they can objectively look at the issue at hand in order to consider it completely and thoroughly. The same can be said for critically thinking regarding money, while it may be set in my head that I need a new Coach purse, I must have the ability to look at my financial situation and objectively decide if that purchase would be appropriate or not.
In my day to day life I do find myself analyzing many different things that sometimes do not necessarily affect me. One thing I find myself analyzing a lot is what the public is being told by the media; what the television shows, magazine articles, and internet wants us to believe. If we as an audience do not take the time to really think about what is being spoon-fed to us by the media, we will be pulled in different directions without any idea of how we truly feel. The same can be said for politics. Without critical thinking, how could we the people ever know how to choose the right politician for us? We are always being told what we want to hear, so without critical thinking we would never be able to sift through the propaganda and empty promises to get to the real solution.
I am hoping that this class will improve my critical thinking skills by showing me the necessary tools to apply when considering something objectively. I think I will be given many things that I will be required to consider and discuss that through a lot of critical thinking practice I can become a more open minded and intelligent person. I also hope that with these skills I will be able to see the positives about other people’s opinions and also negatives my own opinions may hold.