The Final Goodbye :(

To begin with, I have to honestly thank God that I didn’t look at ratemyprofessor.com when selecting my first semester of classes. That site was completely wrong when it came to this class. There was undoubtedly a tremendous expectation and workload in this class, however it helped me a great deal. From the start, when Natasha said, “she plans on giving us the workload as if I were only taking her class,” she wasn’t kidding haha. I honestly enjoyed the class a great deal, and it significantly improved my writing abilities. I use rhetoric strategies and look past what the text implies, for a deeper meaning. Sure, there were days where I would dread coming to class, however I know that this class helped me in so many more ways than I could have ever imagined. It was more than an ENC 1102 class, it was a class that helped you to succeed in your career and life!
If I have to pick, just one instance, that I enjoyed the most in class, I would have to go with the section on reading literally vs. literarily. Hearing people’s interpretations showed me that things are not always black and white, as they may seem, but so much more. Looking at a story, with different aspects or different backgrounds, showed me that once I believe I know something is considered vague, I should question it and look at it from a different view point. I also enjoyed the final presentations where we had to raise awareness of seriously exploited groups in society. I learned a great deal from all of the presentations. My least favorite activity was writing the rhetorical paper. From the start, I felt lost on the situation on how to attack the paper. Even though, I didn’t enjoy that part of the class, I still learned a great deal. I now know how to attack a piece of writing and look for fallacies, and look to see how credible this piece of work is. In addition, I learned not to take everything at face value. I know that I need to question and dissect an issue before I believe something or someone.
Sadly, one of the things that I enjoyed very much, we didn’t do more than once. I loved when we had to put on a skit that dealt with different scenarios which reached out to audiences. I also enjoyed our class debate on juicy campus. I never knew about that website, but now at least I will have an idea on what the matter is next time it is ever discussed. I would have enjoyed the class more if we had done more of these activities. Overall, I enjoyed the class a great deal and would even recommend it to my friends. I won’t lie to them, the work load is extremely challenging and difficult, but the final outcome is highly rewarding. I know for a fact, that I grew as a writer, and that this class will definitely help me in my future. So on this note, I want to thank you Natasha for pushing me to the brink, and helping me grow!

On Skid Row

Watching “On Skid Row” came as a shock to me when I watched it in class. I always had a heart for the homeless, tossing spare change to them when I caught a red light at an intersection. The video helped a lot in clearing up a stereotype that is placed on the homeless. The generalized stereotype is that those who are homeless hit a serious problem that caused them to lose their money and now they have given up and don’t want to try anymore. Their spirits are broken and now they want others to fix it for them, instead of giving their all. The video took a different approach on the travesty escalating in Los Angeles. It really hit home and made me want to go out and voice an opinion on the matter. You see human beings suffering beyond belief! For God’s sake there are little children starving in the street! If this doesn’t scream intervention, then I don’t know what does. I loved how it had that piece on the teenager that gave his story on the matter. It was extremely nice to see that sponsors bought the boy a camera so that he can record behind the scenes on skid row and the life he lives day in and day out.
The author of “On Skid Row” effectively targeted the issue as a serious concern and one that needs to be addressed asap. The purpose of the video was to address the turmoil that the homeless and economically poor are suffering in south LA. The genre being used in this video is a documentary. The audience that is trying to be reached is those living on the rich side of LA. The documentary shows how on one side of LA you see huge corporations and tall buildings and just down the street you see buildings and people in shambles. You can even make the argument that the audience also was for those who seek to help out those in need. Any agency that works on providing care to those in need would be their target so that awareness can be raised on this terrible matter.
The rhetorical triangle is used in full effect in this video. From the start you logos being used when statistics on how New York and Los Angeles are compared. The argument is that these two cities were statistically the same years back, however now they are not. Due to New York’s plan to clean up the streets, they have significantly reduced the number of homeless on the street. In Los Angeles, however, the number has significantly grown since. The video uses pathos when it shows clips of how the children are suffering and the environment they are growing up in. A prime example of this is when you take the little boy who witnessed a murder from the window sill next to him. It is hard to fathom as a young adult what that could do to me, let alone an 11 year old boy. Lastly, he uses ethos when he named organizations that were trying to help the situation. He interviewed people living in these predicaments and got a first-hand experience of what it was like.
All in all I found the video to be very persuasive and effective. The video’s strongest arguments were those of logos and pathos. Using statistics from the start to support its claim were very intelligent. From the onset, you had the emotions showing clips of these poor children suffering in dire need of help. It gave me a feeling of guilt and helplessness, like I wasn’t doing enough to help justify this cause. The video brought awareness to a cause that needed attention extremely bad.

Amendment #2

Wow, there are so many ways to target this issue on today’s blog. I guess the best way to start this one off is by pointing out where I stand against gay marriage. Personally, as being raised a Catholic my whole life and going to a Catholic school, I am against it. That really isn’t what this article is about. The point is, if you go by what your religion is telling you, mine being Catholic as stated, then to males or to females should not be allowed to get married. In doing so, this disallows them to have the same rights as heterosexuals. That leaves me with another question. If we are supposed to be preaching morals and ethics to our children, based on the church, how can we discriminate against those who are different than we are? The argument is still raging on, as to how someone turns out to be gay. At this point, we still do not know exactly how one becomes a gay individual. The question is, does one become this way due to genetics, or is it a matter of how they were raised. As far as we know, the individual may not have had any choice as to whether or not he or she is heterosexual or homosexual. Like Natasha’s blog stated, “there are no sources to show that heterosexuals provide a safer home or a home where growing up, is better than a homosexual home. I have an uncle who is gay; and when he is with his boyfriend he is so ecstatic. Who are we to strip someone of their happiness? This is one of main factors the Declaration of Independence professes. People should have the right to the pursuit of happiness!
I do have to state that even though there is no concrete proof as to which home provides a better environment, I do feel having a male and female present provides a different and more wholesome atmosphere. No matter what you want to say about equal rights, the way a man approaches a problem is different than a female. The woman will definitely be more nurturing than the male. She will always tend to be gentler of “mothering” to her children than a male. Even in the animal kingdom, it is the mother who protects their chicks, cubs, etc… We are supposed to be at the highest level of the animal chart
To play devil’s advocate though, from the church’s standpoint, the reason why a marriage is to be strictly sacred between a man and woman is because that is how God intended it to be. When he made Adam and Eve he made them with a purpose to pro-create and to populate the land. One of the MAIN reasons for a marriage is to pro-create. Marriage is for the bonding of two people to become one and produce a son. Now ask yourself, if God wanted for homosexuals to be together, wouldn’t you think he would make it so that they could reproduce together if they got married…hmm. The reason why you have to get the church involved in this is because it is an ethical issue. Now most people are saying “separation between church and state.” The truth is there is that nowhere in the Constitution does it state for a separation of church and state. During the time of Thomas Jefferson you had a letter being sent to him at night to add it to the Constitution, but it got lost and therefore was never added. So essentially that statement has no bearing on the case and should bring the Catholic church involved into this matter. . I believe that gays and lesbians should have equal rights. I just do not believe they should be married.

Education is imperative

What an “ideal” world we would have, if all our children could receive the same, quality education. You have to be living in a dream world if you think that everyone is treated equally and fairly. The quality of education is so far apart, when you compare those children who live in the ghetto and those children who live in the upper class area. Do you really think your best and most qualified teachers are sent to Bed-Sty or Harlem? I don’t think so.
When Bush enacted the “No child left behind ACT,” in 2002, he may have had a good idea, but the results surely point a different way. The teacher who presented her argument, clearly stated all the ills of the bill. She was oh so right when she stated that one cannot learn in an atmosphere of fear. This is exactly what this ACT is promoting. The entire testing system is so flawed. The state tests comparing children of the fifth grade to the year before is totally absurd. Nothing good has come from this ACT that President Bush put into action. I have to agree with the teacher, that nothing good has come from this ACT.
As far as the poet is concerned, Lamont Carey is 100% correct. When we give our children an I for incomplete and adjust the grades so everyone gets promoted, what benefit does that children get? It is a well known fact that children in the poorer areas do not receive the same education as those in the so called, “better areas.” What Mr. Carey is trying to point out is that we cannot just give these children grades without merit. What kind of society would we have if all children are not given the same opportunity? They start to give the kids I’s instead of grades. How is that going to prepare them for the future? They can’t possibly get good enough scores on their SAT’s at this rate.
As the article just opened up, it stated how important education is for the future of our country. How is it that as far as education is concerned, we are one of the worse counties in the world? This type of grading is a type of Affirmative Action for children. It promotes those who are in a lesser category, just to meet a quota. What kind of self-esteem can this be for that particular individual? He cannot feel that great about himself if he gets promoted even if he is not qualified. We all know how well Affirmative Action worked. Not so good!
I have to say, both of these articles really brought to light how poor the education system is in America. Our future depends on the children. If we take such a nonchalant attitude about such a serious matter, the United States will surely lose all credibility throughout the world. We really should make sure that education gets pushed up to a higher priority than it is today.

Obama: Candidate of choice

There is one issue, which I feel quite strongly about, and that is Roe vs. Wade. I feel that it is very important, that this decision by the Supreme Court should not be overturned. Too many women have died in the past when abortion was not legalized. If we revert to the old way, I am afraid many women will be subjected to butchers once again. Although I am not in favor of abortion whatsoever, I do feel it is the right of any woman to decide whether or not she should have an abortion. McCain made it quite clear that he would appoint judges to the Supreme Court who would overturn this landmark decision. John McCain believes that “Roe vs. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned.” He wants to return the issue of abortion to the individual states. I cannot vote for a man, whom I believe will commit such a travesty. Barrack Obama however, will even go as far as signing a bill called “The Freedom of Choice Act.” This Act would guarantee that abortion remains legal, even if Roe vs. Wade is overturned. I don’t think we should revert back to the times when women went to butchers who were not doctors, to receive an abortion. So many women died, under the knives of men and women who did not know what they were doing.
Another important issue is the healthcare issue. Obama would require healthcare coverage for all children. He promises to offer guaranteed eligibility similar to the Federal Employee Healthcare Benefits. McCain on the other hand is opposed to any universal coverage. McCain does not provide any indication on how he plans to lower health costs. Obama has provided us with a 50-65 billion dollar plan which would be financed by the healthcare system. Most revenue would come from ending tax cuts for those with incomes more than $250,000.
As you can see, I do believe Obama is the candidate of choice. Even though the video states no man is a “superman,” I cannot continue to support a party who has brought us back to a state worse than when we were in the Great Depression.

What can we believe?

The blog, which we were all asked to expand upon this week, is tied into our feelings about zeitgeist. Every time I watch the bombing of the twin towers, I am reminded that my mom could have been killed that same day. You see, she worked on Wall Street. My mom always tells me of how she could have died. Luckily, we moved to Florida in 1995. What has humanity come to? Zeitgeist definitely expresses the true spirit of certain factions of society.
The segment on 9/11 does raise certain questions as to whether or not it could be possible that the attack on 9/11 was pre-planned. This could not have been the result of the two suicide bombers only. If our government was involved in this despicable act, it only goes to show the zeitgeist of America. Another documentary, which ties in to the US being connected to that memorable day is entitled Truth and Lies behind 9/11 by David Icke. After looking at that clip, it brought back to mind another incident which the American government took part in, that was the bombing of Pearl Harbor. In order for us to get involved in WWII, our president had to make sure that American soil was attacked. The American people did not want to enter into the war. President Roosevelt thought we should. This was later uncovered as one of FDR’s scandals. Is it possible that our government is again part of another humiliating scandal? When I first heard of the FDR scandal I was appalled. Upon further research, I now believe he was part of the bombing. This too, was the sign of the times. We are engulfed by this spirit. Our government is involved in so many unthinkable scandals.
Zeitgeist depicts what we have become. Society as a whole has become so corrupt. This only shows that we can no longer trust anyone. When society wants to get rid of “In God we Trust,” we know we are headed for a downward spiral. We are headed for a major collapse.

The kids have been influenced!

Anyone who believes that the media has no influence on people, must be living a dream world. The media affects all people. Now as far as to the degree of influence, that might have some room for discussion. Weight, for example, is a very important issue to all Americans. We have become a culture where, God forbid, you are overweight, you are considered an outcast. Our society does not accept overweight people. Our society does not accept overweight people. The television makes this quite clear with all its advertisements for the various reducing programs. You have different celebrities who promote the different weight loss programs. You have different people for weight watchers, the Atkins diet, Jenny Craig, and Jarod for subway. Now you even have a television program called, “The biggest loser.” From the minute kids go to school, they are teased about being fat.
You must agree that all those programs continue to make the American public think that being overweight is a cardinal sin. I truly believe that this is one of the main reasons why there are so many anorexic young adults in America. All these television advertisements, magazine articles and radio announcements take a toll on you. At first glance, sure, one listens to what is on t.v. and says,” no way” I don’t need to lose weight. Then as time goes on, you start to look at yourself in another light. Who do you have to blame for this? The answer is, the media, no matter what the issue maybe. Pokemon used to be a real big show when I was young. I remember the t.v. was flooded with all kinds of Pokemon gadgets, ranging from cards to all kinds of toys. I would drive my mom crazy. I think back at how much t.v. had to do with my obsession with Pokemon. Pokemon was all over my house. The way things are presented has a great deal with influence on all of us. It is the advertising people who prey on our work defenses. Every aspect of our life is subjected to the media. At any given time we will cave in to something that hits our weakest point. Even the way things are packaged, influences our way of buying food. The more appealing the package looks, the more likely we are to buy the product. The media advertises these products on t.v. and in the paper, this we are tempted to buy.

Poor Souls

Looking at these photos can only bring back to mind another devastating period of time, the Holocaust. The photographer has captured the full impact of this crushing blow that the island of Haiti had to endure. The look of despair, hopelessness, and misery is rampant throughout the entire nation. Just as the Holocaust wiped out an entire population of Jews, so has this hurricane to a certain extent. These people now are totally stripped of any ounce of dignity. As they wallow through the muck and mud they are faced with the reality that they have nothing. What more can these poor individuals lose? I also ask myself, why has God chosen to continuously pound this country with natural disasters. They are already a nation full of political strife. Must they also suffer the cruelty of nature? The photographer, undoubtedly, has a great deal to do in capturing the audience’s emotions. These photos definitely invigorate me. They tend to wake up rebellious side of me. After seeing these conditions, I want to open the eyes of everyone. I want all to see this despair as I do. Why is it that we cannot allow the Haitians to have the same opportunity as the Cubans have? If they land on our soil they too, should be granted freedom. In no way do I wish to diminish the anguish that the Cubans feel. On the contrary, I wish to have both situations be treated in the same manner. Maybe, this was God’s way of making our government open their eyes to the tragic situation that the Haitians are going through. Maybe, now they may grant those individuals the same freedoms that they grant the Cubans once they touch American soil. There is so much pain and suffering in the world, I wish I could be more of an activist in promoting peace throughout the world. These photos have touched my inner being, in such a way, that I want to go out and do anything I can to bring us closer to aiding countries in need.

To lead or follow?

It is funny how when you are growing up, you are always told to be a leader and not a follower. In today’s society, however, when it comes to important events, one tends to stray towards their parents beliefs. I do question, what if you like following what your friends do, if you believe this is correct. Are you wrong for following if you see it as ok, but society may not? I am not referring to illegal or reckless activities, but maybe just simple pleasures that are harmless. When you do stand up for yourself and become a leader, you put yourself out there to be either praised with admiration or shunned by your peers. Teenagers have it rough. You strive your entire life to bring success to your family’s name by succeeding them and their achievements. At the same time one is dealing with other daunting tasks such as: school, relationships, friends, etc. A good topic for discussion at the dinner table may be questions on politics or religion. In, my house we discuss everything that would be considered unusual in most families. Hell, nowadays it is impossible to have a family eat together. Either dad is coming home late from the office or mom cannot spare the time to make a home cooked meal. The common thing to do is to order out and everyone eats when they want to. It is sad that today you have to have a designated day to sit down and have a meal as a family. “Nick at Night,” suggested the idea to have this one-day where the family sits down to have a family night. They made this a national day. How absurd is that! Is it possible that society has come to this point? How can it be that families have drifted so far apart that they need a “National Family Day,” to bring them together.


I just want to touch on the male and female titles that try to keep us in a gender bubble. I for one am against it. Break the bubble! Finally, you have women branching out and breaking out of the stereotypical housewife. They too, have their own careers. The roles are often switched. Today, you can see a man cooking a warm meal for his family. I do wonder why when these roles are switched, society tends to have a dim view on the male subject. If the woman is successful and loving her job and the man is at home cooking and cleaning, society labels him as “lazy” and not manly. This is all due to the fact that he is not the one bringing home the, “bread.” I love the fact that women are involved in politics. This year history will be made, whether it be Obama as president or Palin as VP. The glass ceiling effect is finally weakening. No matter what gender, race, or religion you are, any job could be seen fit for you.

Thoughts on blogging

When one gets an assignment for school, such as homework problems for math or even a group project for history, dread and stress come to mind. This is how I felt when I started school and how most students feel when they hear that. The main problem, for some, is the fact that they question whether or not they are doing this right. The student will also question himself by asking if this is what the teacher is asking for? Blogging is merely a notation of one’s feelings. The strange thing about blogging however, even though it is considered an assignment to do it, really is not one. The first thing that came to mind, when I heard that I had to do a blog, was actually the opposite. I saw this as an opportunity to get my thoughts out of my head and actually onto paper. This is my first blog that I have ever written because through high school I tended to keep to my parents and myself when it involved personal things or opening up secrets. I have found that blogging is quite cathartic.



Being that this is my first blog I wonder if I am doing this right which adds stress. The odd thing is that there is a sense of relief that comes with writing a blog. I am supposed to be asking myself questions on how I feel in doing this. The truth is I get mixed feelings. I tend to be very uneasy when opening up to new people. I love to have a good time, but opening up my thoughts is unsettling at times. It is like getting back stage passes to see your favorite artist perform, but when the time comes you freeze and get nervous. The anticipation that you build to see the guy is enormous just as the possibility of opening up your thoughts and ideas to others, but when the time comes to go and do it, you second guess yourself and have doubts.