Dear Dean David V. Powers,
This is a letter in response to the issue of keeping the Communication and Journalism Department autonomous, but with cuts to certain areas of the department.
You may think that the journalism field is slowly dying and that a the Communication and Journalism department is in jeopardy of becoming a useless department on its own, however, you must agree with me when I say that the advantages of having a communications department provide us students with an enormous range of opportunities. The communication department is split between journalism, strategic, PR, and others and with all these various majors, students have found mass opportunities in the real world, especially online opportunities.
So, I propose this solution to keeping the department autonomous and expanding the realm of online journalism and communication in the department. You should know that the majority of internships and jobs that communication majors get are through online companies and internet based communications.
To re-state, my proposal is to keep the department as is, but an expansion is crucial. Journalism majors especially need to keep our print journalism classes to gain knowledge of feature and profile writing. However, there are classes that seem to overlap each other and therefore i would compromise to the cut backs of certain classes in print journalism. However, a more expanding online journalism wing would be desirable and effective in preparing journalists and other communication majors for jobs and internships.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Tuition
One solution, and it is expressed in the Seattle Times article, is to lower the salaries of top administrators. Even in a struggling economy, some deans make over $300,000 and the University is more than capable of capping them off at a certain level. Also, lowering the Presidents compensation package will help the cost of tuition not go up.
Letter to Landlord
Dear Michael,
As or landlord I feel I must repeat the letter I sent to you three months ago for the problem seems to be getting worse. As I hope you recall, our house had been broken into early in the morning in January. The man who entered the house through one of the windows in the living room had busted out the screen from the outside and slid the window open. He had believed that everyone was gone from the house, but I was the only one there and had to walk out in the living room as he was holding a computer, my wallet, and an ipod. I asked him to put them down and leave, and thankfully that is what he did. As you know, the police did come and make a report and I attached a copy of that to you in the last letter.
I am writing to you again because a similar situation almost happened last week. A woman who somehow was able to open the gate to the stairway walked up and tried to open the door. All of us were inside and wondered why the door was being played with and when we looked outside we saw a homeless woman trying to get in. I write this because you did not respond to the last letter or the phone call made by Christina. I would like to again inform you that we take every precaution to lock our windows and doors, but are continuously feeling we need more safety. We hope, as our landlord, you can provide that safety with perhaps bars over the window or a new lock on the front gate. Please respond to this letter as it is the third time we have attempted to get a hold of you on this issue.
Sincerely,
Mathew
As or landlord I feel I must repeat the letter I sent to you three months ago for the problem seems to be getting worse. As I hope you recall, our house had been broken into early in the morning in January. The man who entered the house through one of the windows in the living room had busted out the screen from the outside and slid the window open. He had believed that everyone was gone from the house, but I was the only one there and had to walk out in the living room as he was holding a computer, my wallet, and an ipod. I asked him to put them down and leave, and thankfully that is what he did. As you know, the police did come and make a report and I attached a copy of that to you in the last letter.
I am writing to you again because a similar situation almost happened last week. A woman who somehow was able to open the gate to the stairway walked up and tried to open the door. All of us were inside and wondered why the door was being played with and when we looked outside we saw a homeless woman trying to get in. I write this because you did not respond to the last letter or the phone call made by Christina. I would like to again inform you that we take every precaution to lock our windows and doors, but are continuously feeling we need more safety. We hope, as our landlord, you can provide that safety with perhaps bars over the window or a new lock on the front gate. Please respond to this letter as it is the third time we have attempted to get a hold of you on this issue.
Sincerely,
Mathew
Monday, March 8, 2010
WW8: Sarah Palin Opinion
Sarah Palin is absolutely everywhere, even though she has barely stepped foot out of the United States. This being a former vice presidential nominee and a supposed “world negotiator.” Well, it seems the world has taken notice and Palin has no need to leave her fame hungry, pistol swinging, red, white, and blue America.
To get straight to the heart of the Palin issue, we must begin with her incredible appeal to America. She is a balls out, over voiced, critical, and prudish woman. However, this is a good thing. Appealing to mainly the southern ladies and gents of working class America whom really need a leader who can fight for the rights of the everyday American. The everyday American being those who “are all about family, faith, and freedom,” as she so happily put it on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno just last week.
Palin doesn’t only appeal to those Americans sitting on their front couch drinking beer and cleaning their gun collection. No, she appeals to those who absolutely despise her as well. Democrats and republicans alike hate Palin. According to republican ----, Palin is “a complete embarrassment to our views for a better country. Those who believe in freedom and American values will not make a mockery of their own political party.” Strong words, but nothing compared to what democrats throw at her on a daily basis.
Thanks to Fox News’ need to lean even further to the right in their reporting, they have brought on new correspondent Sarah Palin. A wise choice for those looking for a new hilarious facebook quote to put above Jessica Simpson or an excerpt from textfromlastnight.com. The thing is, Palin appeals to her haters because no matter what, they cannot get enough of her. She is like a slithering worm in the rain. Even though you cut her in half, she keeps moving divided into even more creations.
So again, to summarize the heart of the Palin issue is quite simple. She truly is a hardworking American who truly does believe in faith, family, and freedom. Her personal life as of late already has enough information for Going Rogue Again. A fitting title because Mrs. Palin is going to be around for a very long time. For the haters, and I include myself in this group, they get to have more fun with Palin and those crazy things that comes out of her mouth. Hey, I read the book, granted my free wheeling independent Alaskan mother purchased it, but I thought the pictures were great. A true Alaskan and a true American. Hate her or not, you won’t find anyone better.
To get straight to the heart of the Palin issue, we must begin with her incredible appeal to America. She is a balls out, over voiced, critical, and prudish woman. However, this is a good thing. Appealing to mainly the southern ladies and gents of working class America whom really need a leader who can fight for the rights of the everyday American. The everyday American being those who “are all about family, faith, and freedom,” as she so happily put it on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno just last week.
Palin doesn’t only appeal to those Americans sitting on their front couch drinking beer and cleaning their gun collection. No, she appeals to those who absolutely despise her as well. Democrats and republicans alike hate Palin. According to republican ----, Palin is “a complete embarrassment to our views for a better country. Those who believe in freedom and American values will not make a mockery of their own political party.” Strong words, but nothing compared to what democrats throw at her on a daily basis.
Thanks to Fox News’ need to lean even further to the right in their reporting, they have brought on new correspondent Sarah Palin. A wise choice for those looking for a new hilarious facebook quote to put above Jessica Simpson or an excerpt from textfromlastnight.com. The thing is, Palin appeals to her haters because no matter what, they cannot get enough of her. She is like a slithering worm in the rain. Even though you cut her in half, she keeps moving divided into even more creations.
So again, to summarize the heart of the Palin issue is quite simple. She truly is a hardworking American who truly does believe in faith, family, and freedom. Her personal life as of late already has enough information for Going Rogue Again. A fitting title because Mrs. Palin is going to be around for a very long time. For the haters, and I include myself in this group, they get to have more fun with Palin and those crazy things that comes out of her mouth. Hey, I read the book, granted my free wheeling independent Alaskan mother purchased it, but I thought the pictures were great. A true Alaskan and a true American. Hate her or not, you won’t find anyone better.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
WW7:
I think i can demonstrate good character and sense through the Sarah Palin debate because I have been analyzing both sides of her appeal. I have tried to make myself not focus on the paparazzi side of Palin and instead on her political appeal. Also, my personal experience of being an Alaskan and meeting Palin (though it was just a hand shake) will contribute to my good character and sense in writing about this topic. I will be able to use my reason and voice to really demonstrate both sides of the issue.
In "The Sarah Palin Blog" found online, there is a post dated 2/21/2010 and is entitled "Sarah Palin and Intelligence. The blog runs down the line of what America finds is intelligence in a President and how there has been a "class war" in this country where the middle and lower class believe all republicans are dumb and all democrats are intelligent. The blog then goes into just why Sarah Palin is labeled as not intelligent due to her remarks and views and why America finds Obama very intelligent.
The replies to this post are angry. Out of the 30 comments left, 2 of them made jokes about the post and that the author "nailed America on the head." The other 28 simply negated the post by saying that Obama is on a "ego trip" and not intelligent at all based on his speeches and lack of support from his own party. Some others claim Palin is the most intelligent woman in the world and just taking her haters for a ride. The post ends and many comments agreed that "intelligence is the most over-rated word in use today."
All the comments do not go along with the stasis theory because none really get to the heart of any debate that the post was attempting to make. All the posts are filled with emotion and this is mostly anger. There was at once a back and forth between two people arguing and reasoning about the word "intelligence" and how a President should or should not be as intelligent as an everyday person. However, all comments expressed a good amount of voice in their responses. It seemed that not everyone who followed the Sarah Palin Blog were supporters of her, but wanted to express their concern for the possible future 2012 President hopeful.
In the end, did these comments have good sense and character? No, not really. The more you scroll down, the more they became angry words. Only a few would relate the topic of intelligence and presidency back to Lincoln and how he did not attend high school or other examples of less educated leaders of the world. The comments were intended to make both sides of Palin angry. There were haters and there were lovers of Palin and it became a almost like a fist fight between the two.
In "The Sarah Palin Blog" found online, there is a post dated 2/21/2010 and is entitled "Sarah Palin and Intelligence. The blog runs down the line of what America finds is intelligence in a President and how there has been a "class war" in this country where the middle and lower class believe all republicans are dumb and all democrats are intelligent. The blog then goes into just why Sarah Palin is labeled as not intelligent due to her remarks and views and why America finds Obama very intelligent.
The replies to this post are angry. Out of the 30 comments left, 2 of them made jokes about the post and that the author "nailed America on the head." The other 28 simply negated the post by saying that Obama is on a "ego trip" and not intelligent at all based on his speeches and lack of support from his own party. Some others claim Palin is the most intelligent woman in the world and just taking her haters for a ride. The post ends and many comments agreed that "intelligence is the most over-rated word in use today."
All the comments do not go along with the stasis theory because none really get to the heart of any debate that the post was attempting to make. All the posts are filled with emotion and this is mostly anger. There was at once a back and forth between two people arguing and reasoning about the word "intelligence" and how a President should or should not be as intelligent as an everyday person. However, all comments expressed a good amount of voice in their responses. It seemed that not everyone who followed the Sarah Palin Blog were supporters of her, but wanted to express their concern for the possible future 2012 President hopeful.
In the end, did these comments have good sense and character? No, not really. The more you scroll down, the more they became angry words. Only a few would relate the topic of intelligence and presidency back to Lincoln and how he did not attend high school or other examples of less educated leaders of the world. The comments were intended to make both sides of Palin angry. There were haters and there were lovers of Palin and it became a almost like a fist fight between the two.
LOI
February 25, 2010
Mathew Lohr
Organization
Address
Seattle, WA, 98122
Dear Ford Foundation:
Seattle University seeks support of $250,000 from the Ford Foundation for general support of our HIV/AIDS awareness campaign. We think this project is very much aligned with the Ford Foundations goals of human rights and HIV/AIDS awareness and discrimination.
Founded in 1891, Seattle University is guided by its mission: Seattle University is dedicated toe educating the whole person, to professional formation, and to empowering leaders for a just and human world. Our organization was founded at Seattle University in 2010 and contains 30 active employees. The project will make a difference in the lives of those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS and also raise awareness and support in the Seattle area.
The project will take the $250,000 and create campaigns and protests around campus and the city. We will organize conferences and awareness programs open to campus and city. We will also use the $250,000 to fund a local documentary on HIV/AIDS awareness and will focus on those living with the disease and how t prevent and treat it.
We invite you to visit the project and we will call to arrange your visit. We will be glad to submit a full proposal with additional information for your further review.
Sincerely,
Mathew Lohr
Mathew Lohr
Organization
Address
Seattle, WA, 98122
Dear Ford Foundation:
Seattle University seeks support of $250,000 from the Ford Foundation for general support of our HIV/AIDS awareness campaign. We think this project is very much aligned with the Ford Foundations goals of human rights and HIV/AIDS awareness and discrimination.
Founded in 1891, Seattle University is guided by its mission: Seattle University is dedicated toe educating the whole person, to professional formation, and to empowering leaders for a just and human world. Our organization was founded at Seattle University in 2010 and contains 30 active employees. The project will make a difference in the lives of those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS and also raise awareness and support in the Seattle area.
The project will take the $250,000 and create campaigns and protests around campus and the city. We will organize conferences and awareness programs open to campus and city. We will also use the $250,000 to fund a local documentary on HIV/AIDS awareness and will focus on those living with the disease and how t prevent and treat it.
We invite you to visit the project and we will call to arrange your visit. We will be glad to submit a full proposal with additional information for your further review.
Sincerely,
Mathew Lohr
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Women's ski jumping
It seems odd to me that this is the only sport that women cannot COMPETE in at the 2010 Olympics, but are free to test ride off of. Lindsey Van holds the record for both men and women off the normal jump, which says to me that this is a competitive sport that women are surely capable of. From the medical standpoint the article so briefly mentioned, it didnt state why it was in fact a medical debate. Also, to the issue of overloading athletes rooms, I am sure that such an enormous city can maintain them and if the sport was added, Vancouver would have easily been able to accommodate the under 100 women.
Is it sexist? Yes, i feel that it is. I feel that the IOC does not give substantial reasoning for the exclusion of the sport. The fact that womens snow cross was added when it is a FAR NEWER sport seems utterly ridiculous to the fact that Ski Jumping has been around since the very first winter games.
Is it sexist? Yes, i feel that it is. I feel that the IOC does not give substantial reasoning for the exclusion of the sport. The fact that womens snow cross was added when it is a FAR NEWER sport seems utterly ridiculous to the fact that Ski Jumping has been around since the very first winter games.
Debate response
I definitely side with Nick on the issue of public schools and private schools. I feel he touched on the fact that there should be the choice no matter what for parents and kids to attend whichever school they feel appropriate. I like that he touched on the fact that there are a range of private schools for different social classes and also that there are private schools devoted to not only just education, but also a religious education as well. I think I wanted to hear more from both sides on the issue of smaller learning environment and how private schools really have the advantage there. From the other side of the debate, there should have been argument on the over crowding of public schools and a less individualistic education. I graduated from a class of 800 people and had classrooms of up to 60 people. It was rather difficult for the teacher to connect with everyone in the room. Overall, however, I believe private schools are important to our economy and our stance as a democracy. There are difficult debates about how only the rich can send their children to private schools, and I think that debate deserves more time.
Major Analysis Paper: Final Draft
Major Analysis Paper
The Palin Issue
Mathew Lohr
A recent Harris Poll asked 2,634 adults in America to name the one person they consider an American hero. On the top of the list were Barack Obama and Jesus Christ, but the public sat in awe as number 21 on the list was former vice president hopeful, Sarah Palin. The vibrant Alaskan has been the subject of every American at some point in the past year. With her new memoir out, Going Rogue, and a new commentary spot on Fox News, Palin is getting more attention than ever. So the question comes to mind, just why is America so fascinated with Sarah Palin? Also, since this is a political conflict, one must also argue if Palin is good or bad for America.
To be good or bad for America can mean different things for different people and there are always two sides when it comes to politics. On one side, conservatives and others praise Palin for her charismatic approach to right wing politics. She combines politics and religion in a way that is tasteful and useful to everyday Americans. Her supporters also argue that she is the one true force for the 2012 presidential election and that she is a hardworking, plain-speaking American patriot, and a true hero.
On the other side of the Palin debate, democrats and Palin haters describe her as a complete embarrassment to the entire country. She has made a joke out of the American voting system and has made a mockery out of America to foreign leaders and governments. Many people say she was far too inexperienced to run for any official office and has used her media appeal to gain power in Washington.
The Palin issue, as I will refer to it from here on, warrants analysis because of the way Palin is changing politics and overall, changing America. If Palin is good for America, then our country prospers and a true icon and role model for the rest of the country to follow. If Palin is bad for America, then she is hurting our credibility and with such a huge ego, America cannot afford any more shame from the rest of the world at this time. The audience around the Palin issue is huge. Seeing that there are about 300 million people in the United States the Palin issue is on everybody’s mind because she is such a force to be reckoned with.
Palin is most recently back in the spotlight with her memoir Going Rogue. The interesting thing about the book is that the majority of her angry writing is directed at the McCain campaign. This is a bold move for it attacks her own party, but as Michiko Kakutani writes in his article for The New York Times, Memoir Is Palin’s Payback to McCain Campaign, Palin is “a self-reliant frontierswoman who knows hot o field dress a moose; a feisty gal with lots of moxie and pep; a former beauty queen with a George W. Bush-like aptitude for mangling the English language (Kakutani).” According to Kakutani, Palin is a real woman and a real American and people can relate to her.
The people of America need someone they can relate to. According to Paul Harris of The Observer, it is God who has chosen Palin to lead our country. Harris preaches that “America is succumbing to the foreign ideology of socialism, and the lifeblood of the free market is being squeezed by Big Government. Who could possibly save America from such a fate? Sarah Palin of course (Harris).” The fact that Palin has never held a office position above her two years of governing Alaska points to an astonishing achievement of being able to stay in the hearts of many Americans. Last year, her loss for vice president could have buried her political career, but even when she is not holding office she is still the most talked about person in politics.
The appeal of Palin is her commonality. Her values are threefold: “faith, family and flag.” She relates to religious social conservatives as her views about gay marriage and abortion center on morality and that she is strongly against both. Her faith helps her shine in the political spectrum because she shares the same religion as the majority of America. Her family also makes her shine. Her son Trig was born with Down’s syndrome and Palin, who is strongly against abortion, is praised for sticking to her beliefs. “I am so happy that she brought that child into the world. That is such a statement (Harris).” As for her patriotism, Palin cannot get enough of America. She worships the military, believes Islam hates American freedom, and thinks America is by far the greatest God blessed country in the world. Of course following the September 11th attacks, the majority of the country is still on patriotic overload.
With the image of a patriotic everyday woman, it is obvious to see why Palin lovers want her to be the next President. She jokes and points to a possible run to the white house, but it is her combination of politics and celebrity that has turned her into a cultural phenomenon. She is more like a Paris Hilton now and less like a Hillary Clinton. This is a good thing for modern republicans who see her celebrity as collecting more power over Americans. That power has brought tens of thousands of people flocking to Palin on her recent book signing tour. Those people could completely change the way the next election goes because people will be wanting Palin’s causes in the white house. It can even be said that the Palin movement has overtaken the Obama movement. As she puts it simply, “In a funny way, we needed someone like Barack Obama to be elected to wake us up (Harris).”
The Obama movement certainly was the highlight of 2008, but do democrats truly believe Sarah Palin is more popular? Most certainly not, and on the other side of the Palin issue lie the left wing extremists, modern democrats, and even more republicans. During Palin’s bid for vice president, democrats began criticizing her for not being qualified enough to hold office that is so close to the presidency. Many thought that Senator McCain’s pick for running mate was an insult to America’s intelligence and a sour attempt to get the workingwomen’s vote. As Palin began her campaign with McCain, America began to figure out just what the left side of politics was referring to.
The McCain camp wanted to paint Palin as a reformer and a pioneer for the American public. However, in a series of interviews, especially the infamous Katie Couric interview, she started feeling the pressure from an unsure America. The Couric interview read like a question to question back and forth interview. By this I mean that Palin was unable to answer any question with valid evidence or substance. One of the questions that became a huge mockery for Palin was her answer to “you’ve cited Alaska’s proximity to Russia as apart of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that (“Sarah Palin CBS Interview”)?” Palin’s answer became a huge laugh fest as she responded by saying Alaska and Russia are merely next-door neighbors which makes Alaska and Russia’s proximity a national security issue. The joke began to spread to late night sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live” where Tina Fey portrayed Palin in a very humiliating way. Palin began to feel the pressure and mockery from America and the McCain team also started to get very annoyed with Palin’s lack of respect for politics. She even stated that she had no idea what a vice president did, but she was up for the task of learning.
After Palin lost the run to the white house, her opposition hoped she would disappear forever. This definitely did not happen. She again became a mockery in the state of Alaska after she unexpectedly resigned from her governor position after just 2 years of serving. Many believed it was because her personal life, her ex-son-in-law Levi Johnston became a very talkative man to the tabloids, and that she just couldn’t face the pressure from an embarrassed state. Soon, it wasn’t only America, but also the world that was making fun of Palin. Bill Press talks about Palin not only as a national joke but also as a world joke. He writes, “Since Palin believes so true heartily that she is the image of hard working women, the entire political world now looks at us with disgust (Press).”
Disgust is not in Palin’s vocabulary, however, and at the release of her book she wanted to attack all the haters. Her biggest mistake was attacking her own party for they were the ones giving her the chance to shine. On a rebuttal to the book, the McCain team said that Palin’s attack on McCain is “in poor taste to a woman who does not hold true to her own ideologies.” Democrats also attack Palin’s book by responding to allegations that Obama will inevitably destroy the American economy. Bill Press responds by saying “For such a patriotic ‘pioneer’ she truly has lost faith in a country that has made her what she is today. How ungrateful.”
The allegations from anti-Palin Americans are that she is a complete embarrassment to such a great country and over-all is bad for America. She has made a mockery of American politics and government. She has used celebrity to insult the intelligence of a voting nation and on the world scene has put America in the top spot of humiliation.
In her most recent stint in politics, Palin has personally initiated the “tea party.” It is a coalition that wants the growth of government to stop as well as more budget control and are firmly anti-Obama. Palin did the key note address at the first formal convetion and she talked about a limited government and strict adherence to the Constitution. What is so fascinating about her approach to the tea party is that she is going against the two major parties at the same time. She denounces both democratic and republican beliefs. Some could say she is pioneering her way through a new form of politics and others will believe she is just jumping on the next bandwagon to keep her name in the papers.
It is interesting to note how one person can be seen as either good or bad for an entire country’s image, but when you have accomplished as much as Sarah Palin has in the past two years you see just why this is a major debate. The Palin issue centers on her strong followers and fans that believe she is truly the hardest working woman in America and that she contains the elements of a true American hero. Her politics are centered on family, faith, and democracy, which is exactly the image people want for the country they live in. On the other side, there is a sense of embarrassment when Palin’s face is plastered all over the place. She has barely any political experience, is a mockery to America and its citizens, and puts a bad image out to the rest of the world that she could actually hold the top political position.
The best way to debate about the Palin issue is to open dialogue about the future of Palin. We cannot change the past and so we must focus on the future. We must ask each side what Palin can do for America in a good way. Some may say nothing, while others will want her to go away completely. To further discussion, there must be dialogue about Palin’s appeal to those who follow here. Is she merely another celebrity or does she really have the drive and beliefs of pursuing the white house? Then, there must be discussion toward the reasons of why she is good or bad for the most powerful job in the country and with that knowledge we can figure out the outcome of the Palin issue. It will be challenging to engage in discussion from both sides because of the strong stance that many feel Palin is embarrassment to the stance that many feel Palin is a hero. Her complexity is what has kept her in the forefront of American politics. It seems, just like in politics, that there are mild to wild extremists in this issue. Whatever the case it seems for now Palin is here to stay, whether for the good or the bad.
Work Cited
Greenbaum, Mark. "Sarah Palin and Fox News: a match made in heaven." Christian Science Monitor 11 Jan. 2010: n. pag. Web. 8 Feb 2010.
Harris, Paul. "God has chosen her to lead our country." Observer (2009): n. pag. Web. 6 Feb 2010.
Kakutani, Michiko. "Memoir is Palin's Payback to McCain Campaign." New York Times (2009): n. pag. Web. 6 Feb 2010..
Press, Bill. "Sarah Palin: A national joke." WorldNetDaily (2010): n. pag. Web. 6 Feb 2010.
"Sarah Palin is a Hero." The Sarah Palin Blog. 23 Feb. 2009. Web. 8 Feb 2010.
"Sarah Palin CBS interview." youtube.com. Web. 2 Feb 2010..
Saturday Night Live. Tina Fey/Sarah Palin Sketch.
Shapiro, Walter. "How Palin Could Win the 2012 GOP Nomination." Politics Daily 16 Nov. 2009: n. pag. Web. 3 Feb 2010.
Thomas, Evan. "Gone Rogue." Newsweek 14 Nov. 2009: Print.
The Palin Issue
Mathew Lohr
A recent Harris Poll asked 2,634 adults in America to name the one person they consider an American hero. On the top of the list were Barack Obama and Jesus Christ, but the public sat in awe as number 21 on the list was former vice president hopeful, Sarah Palin. The vibrant Alaskan has been the subject of every American at some point in the past year. With her new memoir out, Going Rogue, and a new commentary spot on Fox News, Palin is getting more attention than ever. So the question comes to mind, just why is America so fascinated with Sarah Palin? Also, since this is a political conflict, one must also argue if Palin is good or bad for America.
To be good or bad for America can mean different things for different people and there are always two sides when it comes to politics. On one side, conservatives and others praise Palin for her charismatic approach to right wing politics. She combines politics and religion in a way that is tasteful and useful to everyday Americans. Her supporters also argue that she is the one true force for the 2012 presidential election and that she is a hardworking, plain-speaking American patriot, and a true hero.
On the other side of the Palin debate, democrats and Palin haters describe her as a complete embarrassment to the entire country. She has made a joke out of the American voting system and has made a mockery out of America to foreign leaders and governments. Many people say she was far too inexperienced to run for any official office and has used her media appeal to gain power in Washington.
The Palin issue, as I will refer to it from here on, warrants analysis because of the way Palin is changing politics and overall, changing America. If Palin is good for America, then our country prospers and a true icon and role model for the rest of the country to follow. If Palin is bad for America, then she is hurting our credibility and with such a huge ego, America cannot afford any more shame from the rest of the world at this time. The audience around the Palin issue is huge. Seeing that there are about 300 million people in the United States the Palin issue is on everybody’s mind because she is such a force to be reckoned with.
Palin is most recently back in the spotlight with her memoir Going Rogue. The interesting thing about the book is that the majority of her angry writing is directed at the McCain campaign. This is a bold move for it attacks her own party, but as Michiko Kakutani writes in his article for The New York Times, Memoir Is Palin’s Payback to McCain Campaign, Palin is “a self-reliant frontierswoman who knows hot o field dress a moose; a feisty gal with lots of moxie and pep; a former beauty queen with a George W. Bush-like aptitude for mangling the English language (Kakutani).” According to Kakutani, Palin is a real woman and a real American and people can relate to her.
The people of America need someone they can relate to. According to Paul Harris of The Observer, it is God who has chosen Palin to lead our country. Harris preaches that “America is succumbing to the foreign ideology of socialism, and the lifeblood of the free market is being squeezed by Big Government. Who could possibly save America from such a fate? Sarah Palin of course (Harris).” The fact that Palin has never held a office position above her two years of governing Alaska points to an astonishing achievement of being able to stay in the hearts of many Americans. Last year, her loss for vice president could have buried her political career, but even when she is not holding office she is still the most talked about person in politics.
The appeal of Palin is her commonality. Her values are threefold: “faith, family and flag.” She relates to religious social conservatives as her views about gay marriage and abortion center on morality and that she is strongly against both. Her faith helps her shine in the political spectrum because she shares the same religion as the majority of America. Her family also makes her shine. Her son Trig was born with Down’s syndrome and Palin, who is strongly against abortion, is praised for sticking to her beliefs. “I am so happy that she brought that child into the world. That is such a statement (Harris).” As for her patriotism, Palin cannot get enough of America. She worships the military, believes Islam hates American freedom, and thinks America is by far the greatest God blessed country in the world. Of course following the September 11th attacks, the majority of the country is still on patriotic overload.
With the image of a patriotic everyday woman, it is obvious to see why Palin lovers want her to be the next President. She jokes and points to a possible run to the white house, but it is her combination of politics and celebrity that has turned her into a cultural phenomenon. She is more like a Paris Hilton now and less like a Hillary Clinton. This is a good thing for modern republicans who see her celebrity as collecting more power over Americans. That power has brought tens of thousands of people flocking to Palin on her recent book signing tour. Those people could completely change the way the next election goes because people will be wanting Palin’s causes in the white house. It can even be said that the Palin movement has overtaken the Obama movement. As she puts it simply, “In a funny way, we needed someone like Barack Obama to be elected to wake us up (Harris).”
The Obama movement certainly was the highlight of 2008, but do democrats truly believe Sarah Palin is more popular? Most certainly not, and on the other side of the Palin issue lie the left wing extremists, modern democrats, and even more republicans. During Palin’s bid for vice president, democrats began criticizing her for not being qualified enough to hold office that is so close to the presidency. Many thought that Senator McCain’s pick for running mate was an insult to America’s intelligence and a sour attempt to get the workingwomen’s vote. As Palin began her campaign with McCain, America began to figure out just what the left side of politics was referring to.
The McCain camp wanted to paint Palin as a reformer and a pioneer for the American public. However, in a series of interviews, especially the infamous Katie Couric interview, she started feeling the pressure from an unsure America. The Couric interview read like a question to question back and forth interview. By this I mean that Palin was unable to answer any question with valid evidence or substance. One of the questions that became a huge mockery for Palin was her answer to “you’ve cited Alaska’s proximity to Russia as apart of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that (“Sarah Palin CBS Interview”)?” Palin’s answer became a huge laugh fest as she responded by saying Alaska and Russia are merely next-door neighbors which makes Alaska and Russia’s proximity a national security issue. The joke began to spread to late night sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live” where Tina Fey portrayed Palin in a very humiliating way. Palin began to feel the pressure and mockery from America and the McCain team also started to get very annoyed with Palin’s lack of respect for politics. She even stated that she had no idea what a vice president did, but she was up for the task of learning.
After Palin lost the run to the white house, her opposition hoped she would disappear forever. This definitely did not happen. She again became a mockery in the state of Alaska after she unexpectedly resigned from her governor position after just 2 years of serving. Many believed it was because her personal life, her ex-son-in-law Levi Johnston became a very talkative man to the tabloids, and that she just couldn’t face the pressure from an embarrassed state. Soon, it wasn’t only America, but also the world that was making fun of Palin. Bill Press talks about Palin not only as a national joke but also as a world joke. He writes, “Since Palin believes so true heartily that she is the image of hard working women, the entire political world now looks at us with disgust (Press).”
Disgust is not in Palin’s vocabulary, however, and at the release of her book she wanted to attack all the haters. Her biggest mistake was attacking her own party for they were the ones giving her the chance to shine. On a rebuttal to the book, the McCain team said that Palin’s attack on McCain is “in poor taste to a woman who does not hold true to her own ideologies.” Democrats also attack Palin’s book by responding to allegations that Obama will inevitably destroy the American economy. Bill Press responds by saying “For such a patriotic ‘pioneer’ she truly has lost faith in a country that has made her what she is today. How ungrateful.”
The allegations from anti-Palin Americans are that she is a complete embarrassment to such a great country and over-all is bad for America. She has made a mockery of American politics and government. She has used celebrity to insult the intelligence of a voting nation and on the world scene has put America in the top spot of humiliation.
In her most recent stint in politics, Palin has personally initiated the “tea party.” It is a coalition that wants the growth of government to stop as well as more budget control and are firmly anti-Obama. Palin did the key note address at the first formal convetion and she talked about a limited government and strict adherence to the Constitution. What is so fascinating about her approach to the tea party is that she is going against the two major parties at the same time. She denounces both democratic and republican beliefs. Some could say she is pioneering her way through a new form of politics and others will believe she is just jumping on the next bandwagon to keep her name in the papers.
It is interesting to note how one person can be seen as either good or bad for an entire country’s image, but when you have accomplished as much as Sarah Palin has in the past two years you see just why this is a major debate. The Palin issue centers on her strong followers and fans that believe she is truly the hardest working woman in America and that she contains the elements of a true American hero. Her politics are centered on family, faith, and democracy, which is exactly the image people want for the country they live in. On the other side, there is a sense of embarrassment when Palin’s face is plastered all over the place. She has barely any political experience, is a mockery to America and its citizens, and puts a bad image out to the rest of the world that she could actually hold the top political position.
The best way to debate about the Palin issue is to open dialogue about the future of Palin. We cannot change the past and so we must focus on the future. We must ask each side what Palin can do for America in a good way. Some may say nothing, while others will want her to go away completely. To further discussion, there must be dialogue about Palin’s appeal to those who follow here. Is she merely another celebrity or does she really have the drive and beliefs of pursuing the white house? Then, there must be discussion toward the reasons of why she is good or bad for the most powerful job in the country and with that knowledge we can figure out the outcome of the Palin issue. It will be challenging to engage in discussion from both sides because of the strong stance that many feel Palin is embarrassment to the stance that many feel Palin is a hero. Her complexity is what has kept her in the forefront of American politics. It seems, just like in politics, that there are mild to wild extremists in this issue. Whatever the case it seems for now Palin is here to stay, whether for the good or the bad.
Work Cited
Greenbaum, Mark. "Sarah Palin and Fox News: a match made in heaven." Christian Science Monitor 11 Jan. 2010: n. pag. Web. 8 Feb 2010.
Harris, Paul. "God has chosen her to lead our country." Observer (2009): n. pag. Web. 6 Feb 2010.
Kakutani, Michiko. "Memoir is Palin's Payback to McCain Campaign." New York Times (2009): n. pag. Web. 6 Feb 2010.
Press, Bill. "Sarah Palin: A national joke." WorldNetDaily (2010): n. pag. Web. 6 Feb 2010.
"Sarah Palin is a Hero." The Sarah Palin Blog. 23 Feb. 2009. Web. 8 Feb 2010.
"Sarah Palin CBS interview." youtube.com. Web. 2 Feb 2010.
Saturday Night Live. Tina Fey/Sarah Palin Sketch.
Shapiro, Walter. "How Palin Could Win the 2012 GOP Nomination." Politics Daily 16 Nov. 2009: n. pag. Web. 3 Feb 2010.
Thomas, Evan. "Gone Rogue." Newsweek 14 Nov. 2009: Print.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Hook-Up Culture
Jack Grimes wrote an interesting article that I think every college student is aware of. He used a lot of imagery in his writing to describe not only the male approach to hook-up culture but also the girls who are active players in it. It did almost sound like his writing was coming off a little bitter, however. The tone of the article made it not only seem like Grimes was bitter, but also ashamed at how college students are behaving. Saying that there is no connecting in hook-ups and that it is almost useless to find a substantial relationship anymore. It makes a reader wonder what happened in his past.
Valentines Day (Singles Awareness Day)
Instead of celebrating Valentines Day, two friends and I decided to rename the Hallmark Holiday to Singles Awareness Day. It was our attempt to make it known to the world that we were single and wouldn't prefer it any other way.
The day began as we ventured around the city shopping for clothing that would make everyone's head turn. Then, into a happy hour to start our celebration. Three or four, maybe even five, drinks later we left our happy hour feeling beyond happy and headed home to get into our evening outfits and to let the night begin.
The outfit change was reminiscent of a 90's movie montage where we had to try on everything possible to see the best combination. The music was blasting to the point where we couldn't tell each other yes or no, but nodded while we sang and danced. Then, after some wine, it was time to head out to make our singleness aware. First stop, Moe bar.
At Moe Bar, we met up with two more singles and with our forces combined we were set to rule the world. The next place to go was downtown to a very lovely bar known as NocNoc. This is where we singles danced the night away and by 1 am, we still were not satisfied with the amount of awareness we were projecting. So, whats a single to do? Head back up to Capitol Hill and continue the party.
Like every good single, we stay out until 4 or 5 am because there's nobody on our arm telling us its time to go home, and as long as Lady Gaga was blaring at some location we singles were not dying down. The night did have to come to an end though, and by 5 am all the singles went their separate ways and fell into our beds all alone like a good single would.
The day began as we ventured around the city shopping for clothing that would make everyone's head turn. Then, into a happy hour to start our celebration. Three or four, maybe even five, drinks later we left our happy hour feeling beyond happy and headed home to get into our evening outfits and to let the night begin.
The outfit change was reminiscent of a 90's movie montage where we had to try on everything possible to see the best combination. The music was blasting to the point where we couldn't tell each other yes or no, but nodded while we sang and danced. Then, after some wine, it was time to head out to make our singleness aware. First stop, Moe bar.
At Moe Bar, we met up with two more singles and with our forces combined we were set to rule the world. The next place to go was downtown to a very lovely bar known as NocNoc. This is where we singles danced the night away and by 1 am, we still were not satisfied with the amount of awareness we were projecting. So, whats a single to do? Head back up to Capitol Hill and continue the party.
Like every good single, we stay out until 4 or 5 am because there's nobody on our arm telling us its time to go home, and as long as Lady Gaga was blaring at some location we singles were not dying down. The night did have to come to an end though, and by 5 am all the singles went their separate ways and fell into our beds all alone like a good single would.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Major Analysis Paper: Rough Draft
Major Analysis Paper: Rough Draft
The Palin Issue
Mathew Lohr
A recent Harris Poll asked 2,634 adults in America to name the one person they consider an American hero. On the top of the list were Barack Obama and Jesus Christ, but the public sat in awe as number 21 on the list was former vice president hopeful, Sarah Palin. The vibrant Alaskan has been the subject of every American at some point in the past year. With her new memoir out, Going Rogue, and a new commentary spot on Fox News, Palin is getting more attention than ever. So the question comes to mind, just why is America so fascinated with Sarah Palin? Also, since this is a political debacle, one must also argue if Palin is good or bad for America.
To be good or bad for America can mean different things for different people and there are always two sides when it comes to politics. On one side, conservatives and others praise Palin for her charismatic approach to right wing politics. She combines politics and religion in a way that is tasteful and useful to everyday Americans. Her supporters also argue that she is the one true force for the 2012 presidential election and that she is a hardworking, plain-speaking American patriot, and a true hero.
On the other side of the Palin debate, democrats and Palin haters describe her as a complete embarrassment to the entire country. She has made a joke out of the American voting system and has made a mockery out of America to foreign leaders and governments. Many people say she was far too inexperienced to run for any official office and has used her media appeal to gain power in Washington.
The Palin issue, as I will refer to it from here on, warrants analysis because of the way Palin is changing politics and overall, changing America. If Palin is good for America, then our country prospers and a true icon and role model for the rest of the country to follow. If Palin is bad for America, then she is hurting our credibility and with such a huge ego, America cannot afford any more shame from the rest of the world at this time. The audience around the Palin issue is huge. Seeing that there are about 300 million people in the United States the Palin issue is on everybody’s mind because she is such a force to be reckoned with.
Palin is most recently back in the spotlight with her memoir Going Rogue. The interesting thing about the book is that the majority of her angry writing is directed at the McCain campaign. This is a bold move for it attacks her own party, but as Michiko Kakutani writes in his article for The New York Times, Memoir Is Palin’s Payback to McCain Campaign, Palin is “a self-reliant frontierswoman who knows hot o field dress a moose; a feisty gal with lots of moxie and pep; a former beauty queen with a George W. Bush-like aptitude for mangling the English language (Kakutani).” According to Kakutani, Palin is a real woman and a real American and people can relate to her.
The people of America need someone they can relate to. According to Paul Harris of The Observer, it is God who has chosen Palin to lead our country. Harris preaches that “America is succumbing to the foreign ideology of socialism, and the lifeblood of the free market is being squeezed by Big Government. Who could possibly save America from such a fate? Sarah Palin of course (Harris).” The fact that Palin has never held a office position above her two years of governing Alaska points to an astonishing achievement of being able to stay in the hearts of many Americans. Last year, her loss for vice president could have buried her political career, but even when she is not holding office she is still the most talked about person in politics.
The appeal of Palin is her commonality. Her values are threefold: “faith, family and flag.” She relates to religious social conservatives as her views about gay marriage and abortion center on morality and that she is strongly against both. Her faith helps her shine in the political spectrum because she shares the same religion as the majority of America. Her family also makes her shine. Her son Trig was born with Down’s syndrome and Palin, who is strongly against abortion, is praised for sticking to her beliefs. “I am so happy that she brought that child into the world. That is such a statement (Harris).” As for her patriotism, Palin cannot get enough of America. She worships the military, believes Islam hates American freedom, and thinks America is by far the greatest God blessed country in the world. Of course following the September 11th attacks, the majority of the country is still on patriotic overload.
With the image of a patriotic everyday woman, it is obvious to see why Palin lovers want her to be the next President. She jokes and points to a possible run to the white house, but it is her combination of politics and celebrity that has turned her into a cultural phenomenon. She is more like a Paris Hilton now and less like a Hillary Clinton. This is a good thing for modern republicans who see her celebrity as collecting more power over Americans. That power has brought tens of thousands of people flocking to Palin on her recent book signing tour. Those people could completely change the way the next election goes because people will be wanting Palin’s causes in the white house. It can even be said that the Palin movement has overtaken the Obama movement. As she puts it simply, “In a funny way, we needed someone like Barack Obama to be elected to wake us up (Harris).”
The Obama movement certainly was the highlight of 2008, but do democrats truly believe Sarah Palin is more popular? Most certainly not, and on the other side of the Palin issue lie the left wing extremists, modern democrats, and even more republicans. During Palin’s bid for vice president, democrats began criticizing her for not being qualified enough to hold office that is so close to the presidency. Many thought that Senator McCain’s pick for running mate was an insult to America’s intelligence and a sour attempt to get the workingwomen’s vote. As Palin began her campaign with McCain, America began to figure out just what the left side of politics was referring to.
The McCain camp wanted to paint Palin as a reformer and a pioneer for the American public. However, in a series of interviews, especially the infamous Katie Couric interview, she started feeling the pressure from an unsure America. The Couric interview read like a question to question back and forth interview. By this I mean that Palin was unable to answer any question with valid evidence or substance. One of the questions that became a huge mockery for Palin was her answer to “you’ve cited Alaska’s proximity to Russia as apart of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that (“Sarah Palin CBS Interview”)?” Palin’s answer became a huge laugh fest as she responded by saying Alaska and Russia are merely next-door neighbors which makes Alaska and Russia’s proximity a national security issue. The joke began to spread to late night sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live” where Tina Fey portrayed Palin in a very humiliating way. Palin began to feel the pressure and mockery from America and the McCain team also started to get very annoyed with Palin’s lack of respect for politics. She even stated that she had no idea what a vice president did, but she was up for the task of learning.
After Palin lost the run to the white house, her opposition hoped she would disappear forever. This definitely did not happen. She again became a mockery in the state of Alaska after she unexpectedly resigned from her governor position after just 2 years of serving. Many believed it was because her personal life, her ex-son-in-law Levi Johnston became a very talkative man to the tabloids, and that she just couldn’t face the pressure from an embarrassed state. Soon, it wasn’t only America, but also the world that was making fun of Palin. Bill Press talks about Palin not only as a national joke but also as a world joke. He writes, “Since Palin believes so true heartily that she is the image of hard working women, the entire political world now looks at us with disgust (Press).”
Disgust is not in Palin’s vocabulary, however, and at the release of her book she wanted to attack all the haters. Her biggest mistake was attacking her own party for they were the ones giving her the chance to shine. On a rebuttal to the book, the McCain team said that Palin’s attack on McCain is “in poor taste to a woman who does not hold true to her own ideologies.” Democrats also attack Palin’s book by responding to allegations that Obama will inevitably destroy the American economy. Bill Press responds by saying “For such a patriotic ‘pioneer’ she truly has lost faith in a country that has made her what she is today. How ungrateful.”
The allegations from anti-Palin Americans are that she is a complete embarrassment to such a great country and over-all is bad for America. She has made a mockery of American politics and government. She has used celebrity to insult the intelligence of a voting nation and on the world scene has put America in the top spot of humiliation.
It is interesting to note how one person can be seen as either good or bad for an entire country’s image, but when you have accomplished as much as Sarah Palin has in the past two years you see just why this is a major debate. The Palin issue centers on her strong followers and fans that believe she is truly the hardest working woman in America and that she contains the elements of a true American hero. Her politics are centered on family, faith, and democracy, which is exactly the image people want for the country they live in. On the other side, there is a sense of embarrassment when Palin’s face is plastered all over the place. She has barely any political experience, is a mockery to America and its citizens, and puts a bad image out to the rest of the world that she could actually hold the top political position.
The best way to debate about the Palin issue is to open dialogue about the future of Palin. We cannot change the past and so we must focus on the future. We must ask each side what Palin can do for America in a good way. Some may say nothing, while others will want her to go away completely. To further discussion, there must be dialogue about Palin’s appeal to those who follow here. Is she merely another celebrity or does she really have the drive and beliefs of pursuing the white house? Then, there must be discussion toward the reasons of why she is good or bad for the most powerful job in the country and with that knowledge we can figure out the outcome of the Palin issue. It will be challenging to engage in discussion from both sides because of the strong stance that many feel Palin is embarrassment to the stance that many feel Palin is a hero. It seems, just like in politics, that there are mild to wild extremists in this issue. Whatever the case it seems for now Palin is here to stay, whether for the good or the bad.
Work Cited
Greenbaum, Mark. "Sarah Palin and Fox News: a match made in heaven." Christian Science Monitor 11 Jan. 2010: n. pag. Web. 8 Feb 2010.
Harris, Paul. "God has chosen her to lead our country." Observer (2009): n. pag. Web. 6 Feb 2010.
Kakutani, Michiko. "Memoir is Palin's Payback to McCain Campaign." New York Times (2009): n. pag. Web. 6 Feb 2010..
Press, Bill. "Sarah Palin: A national joke." WorldNetDaily (2010): n. pag. Web. 6 Feb 2010.
"Sarah Palin is a Hero." The Sarah Palin Blog. 23 Feb. 2009. Web. 8 Feb 2010.
"Sarah Palin CBS interview." youtube.com. Web. 2 Feb 2010..
Saturday Night Live. Tina Fey/Sarah Palin Sketch.
Shapiro, Walter. "How Palin Could Win the 2012 GOP Nomination." Politics Daily 16 Nov. 2009: n. pag. Web. 3 Feb 2010.
Thomas, Evan. "Gone Rogue." Newsweek 14 Nov. 2009: Print.
The Palin Issue
Mathew Lohr
A recent Harris Poll asked 2,634 adults in America to name the one person they consider an American hero. On the top of the list were Barack Obama and Jesus Christ, but the public sat in awe as number 21 on the list was former vice president hopeful, Sarah Palin. The vibrant Alaskan has been the subject of every American at some point in the past year. With her new memoir out, Going Rogue, and a new commentary spot on Fox News, Palin is getting more attention than ever. So the question comes to mind, just why is America so fascinated with Sarah Palin? Also, since this is a political debacle, one must also argue if Palin is good or bad for America.
To be good or bad for America can mean different things for different people and there are always two sides when it comes to politics. On one side, conservatives and others praise Palin for her charismatic approach to right wing politics. She combines politics and religion in a way that is tasteful and useful to everyday Americans. Her supporters also argue that she is the one true force for the 2012 presidential election and that she is a hardworking, plain-speaking American patriot, and a true hero.
On the other side of the Palin debate, democrats and Palin haters describe her as a complete embarrassment to the entire country. She has made a joke out of the American voting system and has made a mockery out of America to foreign leaders and governments. Many people say she was far too inexperienced to run for any official office and has used her media appeal to gain power in Washington.
The Palin issue, as I will refer to it from here on, warrants analysis because of the way Palin is changing politics and overall, changing America. If Palin is good for America, then our country prospers and a true icon and role model for the rest of the country to follow. If Palin is bad for America, then she is hurting our credibility and with such a huge ego, America cannot afford any more shame from the rest of the world at this time. The audience around the Palin issue is huge. Seeing that there are about 300 million people in the United States the Palin issue is on everybody’s mind because she is such a force to be reckoned with.
Palin is most recently back in the spotlight with her memoir Going Rogue. The interesting thing about the book is that the majority of her angry writing is directed at the McCain campaign. This is a bold move for it attacks her own party, but as Michiko Kakutani writes in his article for The New York Times, Memoir Is Palin’s Payback to McCain Campaign, Palin is “a self-reliant frontierswoman who knows hot o field dress a moose; a feisty gal with lots of moxie and pep; a former beauty queen with a George W. Bush-like aptitude for mangling the English language (Kakutani).” According to Kakutani, Palin is a real woman and a real American and people can relate to her.
The people of America need someone they can relate to. According to Paul Harris of The Observer, it is God who has chosen Palin to lead our country. Harris preaches that “America is succumbing to the foreign ideology of socialism, and the lifeblood of the free market is being squeezed by Big Government. Who could possibly save America from such a fate? Sarah Palin of course (Harris).” The fact that Palin has never held a office position above her two years of governing Alaska points to an astonishing achievement of being able to stay in the hearts of many Americans. Last year, her loss for vice president could have buried her political career, but even when she is not holding office she is still the most talked about person in politics.
The appeal of Palin is her commonality. Her values are threefold: “faith, family and flag.” She relates to religious social conservatives as her views about gay marriage and abortion center on morality and that she is strongly against both. Her faith helps her shine in the political spectrum because she shares the same religion as the majority of America. Her family also makes her shine. Her son Trig was born with Down’s syndrome and Palin, who is strongly against abortion, is praised for sticking to her beliefs. “I am so happy that she brought that child into the world. That is such a statement (Harris).” As for her patriotism, Palin cannot get enough of America. She worships the military, believes Islam hates American freedom, and thinks America is by far the greatest God blessed country in the world. Of course following the September 11th attacks, the majority of the country is still on patriotic overload.
With the image of a patriotic everyday woman, it is obvious to see why Palin lovers want her to be the next President. She jokes and points to a possible run to the white house, but it is her combination of politics and celebrity that has turned her into a cultural phenomenon. She is more like a Paris Hilton now and less like a Hillary Clinton. This is a good thing for modern republicans who see her celebrity as collecting more power over Americans. That power has brought tens of thousands of people flocking to Palin on her recent book signing tour. Those people could completely change the way the next election goes because people will be wanting Palin’s causes in the white house. It can even be said that the Palin movement has overtaken the Obama movement. As she puts it simply, “In a funny way, we needed someone like Barack Obama to be elected to wake us up (Harris).”
The Obama movement certainly was the highlight of 2008, but do democrats truly believe Sarah Palin is more popular? Most certainly not, and on the other side of the Palin issue lie the left wing extremists, modern democrats, and even more republicans. During Palin’s bid for vice president, democrats began criticizing her for not being qualified enough to hold office that is so close to the presidency. Many thought that Senator McCain’s pick for running mate was an insult to America’s intelligence and a sour attempt to get the workingwomen’s vote. As Palin began her campaign with McCain, America began to figure out just what the left side of politics was referring to.
The McCain camp wanted to paint Palin as a reformer and a pioneer for the American public. However, in a series of interviews, especially the infamous Katie Couric interview, she started feeling the pressure from an unsure America. The Couric interview read like a question to question back and forth interview. By this I mean that Palin was unable to answer any question with valid evidence or substance. One of the questions that became a huge mockery for Palin was her answer to “you’ve cited Alaska’s proximity to Russia as apart of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that (“Sarah Palin CBS Interview”)?” Palin’s answer became a huge laugh fest as she responded by saying Alaska and Russia are merely next-door neighbors which makes Alaska and Russia’s proximity a national security issue. The joke began to spread to late night sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live” where Tina Fey portrayed Palin in a very humiliating way. Palin began to feel the pressure and mockery from America and the McCain team also started to get very annoyed with Palin’s lack of respect for politics. She even stated that she had no idea what a vice president did, but she was up for the task of learning.
After Palin lost the run to the white house, her opposition hoped she would disappear forever. This definitely did not happen. She again became a mockery in the state of Alaska after she unexpectedly resigned from her governor position after just 2 years of serving. Many believed it was because her personal life, her ex-son-in-law Levi Johnston became a very talkative man to the tabloids, and that she just couldn’t face the pressure from an embarrassed state. Soon, it wasn’t only America, but also the world that was making fun of Palin. Bill Press talks about Palin not only as a national joke but also as a world joke. He writes, “Since Palin believes so true heartily that she is the image of hard working women, the entire political world now looks at us with disgust (Press).”
Disgust is not in Palin’s vocabulary, however, and at the release of her book she wanted to attack all the haters. Her biggest mistake was attacking her own party for they were the ones giving her the chance to shine. On a rebuttal to the book, the McCain team said that Palin’s attack on McCain is “in poor taste to a woman who does not hold true to her own ideologies.” Democrats also attack Palin’s book by responding to allegations that Obama will inevitably destroy the American economy. Bill Press responds by saying “For such a patriotic ‘pioneer’ she truly has lost faith in a country that has made her what she is today. How ungrateful.”
The allegations from anti-Palin Americans are that she is a complete embarrassment to such a great country and over-all is bad for America. She has made a mockery of American politics and government. She has used celebrity to insult the intelligence of a voting nation and on the world scene has put America in the top spot of humiliation.
It is interesting to note how one person can be seen as either good or bad for an entire country’s image, but when you have accomplished as much as Sarah Palin has in the past two years you see just why this is a major debate. The Palin issue centers on her strong followers and fans that believe she is truly the hardest working woman in America and that she contains the elements of a true American hero. Her politics are centered on family, faith, and democracy, which is exactly the image people want for the country they live in. On the other side, there is a sense of embarrassment when Palin’s face is plastered all over the place. She has barely any political experience, is a mockery to America and its citizens, and puts a bad image out to the rest of the world that she could actually hold the top political position.
The best way to debate about the Palin issue is to open dialogue about the future of Palin. We cannot change the past and so we must focus on the future. We must ask each side what Palin can do for America in a good way. Some may say nothing, while others will want her to go away completely. To further discussion, there must be dialogue about Palin’s appeal to those who follow here. Is she merely another celebrity or does she really have the drive and beliefs of pursuing the white house? Then, there must be discussion toward the reasons of why she is good or bad for the most powerful job in the country and with that knowledge we can figure out the outcome of the Palin issue. It will be challenging to engage in discussion from both sides because of the strong stance that many feel Palin is embarrassment to the stance that many feel Palin is a hero. It seems, just like in politics, that there are mild to wild extremists in this issue. Whatever the case it seems for now Palin is here to stay, whether for the good or the bad.
Work Cited
Greenbaum, Mark. "Sarah Palin and Fox News: a match made in heaven." Christian Science Monitor 11 Jan. 2010: n. pag. Web. 8 Feb 2010.
Harris, Paul. "God has chosen her to lead our country." Observer (2009): n. pag. Web. 6 Feb 2010.
Kakutani, Michiko. "Memoir is Palin's Payback to McCain Campaign." New York Times (2009): n. pag. Web. 6 Feb 2010.
Press, Bill. "Sarah Palin: A national joke." WorldNetDaily (2010): n. pag. Web. 6 Feb 2010.
"Sarah Palin is a Hero." The Sarah Palin Blog. 23 Feb. 2009. Web. 8 Feb 2010.
"Sarah Palin CBS interview." youtube.com. Web. 2 Feb 2010.
Saturday Night Live. Tina Fey/Sarah Palin Sketch.
Shapiro, Walter. "How Palin Could Win the 2012 GOP Nomination." Politics Daily 16 Nov. 2009: n. pag. Web. 3 Feb 2010.
Thomas, Evan. "Gone Rogue." Newsweek 14 Nov. 2009: Print.
Friday, February 5, 2010
WW5
In the Guardians article “God has chosen her to lead our country,” Palin is praised for her right wing politics of “saving” America from communism, gay marriage, and gun control. It is quite obvious that this article is aimed directly at right wing conservatives. The author of the article, Paul Harris, likes to refer the impact of Sarah Palin as a Palin World. The citizens of a Palin World believe in “real democracy where big government is not squeezing the life out of free market.” Well, Palin is everywhere and her audience definitely believes in her strict values.
This article captures a practical audience. Because this is a political issue, and a very strong political pull to the right, there is definitely a practical audience being drawn in. The people who go see Palin on her book signing tour believe in her and what she stands for. They are hardcore believers in the values of a Palin World and stand by her through controversy and harassment. What is so astonishing is that Palin hold no office currently and could have completely ended her entire career when she ran for Vice President. However, to conservatives, her success is from “her intense charisma that makes her very exciting and attractive. She will be a force.”
Harris applies to the loci of quantity in this article because what is the greatest good for the greatest number of people in his audience is Palin. She has all the answers and is a force to be reckoned with. In this articles value hierarchies, I would imagine that loci of quantity and loci of the person are at the top. At the bottom, I think that loci of existent stay there because the argument is that Palin will save America. Not how she will save it, but she will in some way. It puts the questionable in front of the concrete.
On the other end of the argument, Palin is criticized for her controversial and questionable policies. Bill Press writes in his article “Sarah Palin: A national joke” that he is tired of Republicans trying to “spin McCain’s selection of Palin in the most positive possible light.” He believes that Palin insults our intelligence as Americans. I think this article is for a universal audience because it not only addresses left wing democrats who feel the same way, but also wants to instill ideals into conservatives who may be brainwashed by Palin and her supporters.
I think that Press puts the loci of essence at the top of his hierarchy of values. I think his article really wants to instill what is at the core of the Palin issue and not what is surrounding it because what is on the fringes is what people follow. The fact that Palin is this huge impact on the GOP is what people are concerned about, but they have no idea why or how she became such an impact.
This article captures a practical audience. Because this is a political issue, and a very strong political pull to the right, there is definitely a practical audience being drawn in. The people who go see Palin on her book signing tour believe in her and what she stands for. They are hardcore believers in the values of a Palin World and stand by her through controversy and harassment. What is so astonishing is that Palin hold no office currently and could have completely ended her entire career when she ran for Vice President. However, to conservatives, her success is from “her intense charisma that makes her very exciting and attractive. She will be a force.”
Harris applies to the loci of quantity in this article because what is the greatest good for the greatest number of people in his audience is Palin. She has all the answers and is a force to be reckoned with. In this articles value hierarchies, I would imagine that loci of quantity and loci of the person are at the top. At the bottom, I think that loci of existent stay there because the argument is that Palin will save America. Not how she will save it, but she will in some way. It puts the questionable in front of the concrete.
On the other end of the argument, Palin is criticized for her controversial and questionable policies. Bill Press writes in his article “Sarah Palin: A national joke” that he is tired of Republicans trying to “spin McCain’s selection of Palin in the most positive possible light.” He believes that Palin insults our intelligence as Americans. I think this article is for a universal audience because it not only addresses left wing democrats who feel the same way, but also wants to instill ideals into conservatives who may be brainwashed by Palin and her supporters.
I think that Press puts the loci of essence at the top of his hierarchy of values. I think his article really wants to instill what is at the core of the Palin issue and not what is surrounding it because what is on the fringes is what people follow. The fact that Palin is this huge impact on the GOP is what people are concerned about, but they have no idea why or how she became such an impact.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Think Before You Speak Argument
I truly do like the idea that "Think Before you Speak" is trying to put out there. I like how they have a lot of situated proof. My favorite part is the counter on the side of the website that says how many times certain words are used on twitter. I find this ingenious actually. They also provide real proof from people who sign a pledge or make their own movies and post them. Obviously, for people to take so much time as to create their own PSA, there must be a very strong following to this cause.
The impact of celebrities is somewhat affective here, but their PSA's were not exactly what I was hoping for. They overhear groups using the phrase "that's so gay" and then tell them to use another word and pretty much insult the group that said it. Insulting someone who is using insulting language is kind of a double standard and hypocritical.
The impact of celebrities is somewhat affective here, but their PSA's were not exactly what I was hoping for. They overhear groups using the phrase "that's so gay" and then tell them to use another word and pretty much insult the group that said it. Insulting someone who is using insulting language is kind of a double standard and hypocritical.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Aesthetics
In her article, The Aesthetic Imperative, Virginia Postrel argues that today's Americans are not living in a futuristic world with flying cars and pills for food, but in a world where everything must meet our aesthetic requirement of a beautiful world. She argues that we like our appliances shiny, our computers colorful, designer coffee on every street corner, and our clothes must be glamorous. We are living in a world of creativity and expect nothing less than the most creative thing possible. Aesthetic does not have to represent beauty, however, it can represent horror, relief, happiness, and sadness. As long as we feel sophisticated in a visual way, we feel accomplished.
In regards to value hierarchies in Postrels argument, lets first look at loci of quantity. In this article, the greatest good for the greatest number of people is not truly important. There is a massive quantity of things that we do not need. Do we truly need every single color of computer known to man? Do we really need to have the refreshing feeling that in the next block there will be a Starbucks and now you want one?
Loci of quality is questionable in a aesthetic world like this as well. If we are making things just to make them, how good are they? However, when things are better or look better, we seem to feel more prone to buy or visit those things.
Loci of the person can seen faded as well in an aesthically pleasing world. The dignity of the person is being taken advantage of. Because something looks pretty and pleasing is what gets people to move toward those things. We wanna dress like the richest stars and live in the best houses. I have a friend who will only shop at Wholefoods because the store is the nicest and she will not even think of stepping into a QFC because they are dirty.
Loci of the existent looks at the concrete over the possible. Well, anything is possible right? What is concrete gets removed from what is possible. The example of clothing comes to mind when Postrel says that colors are in and black and gray are out.
Loci of essence values what is at the core of a group or class rather than what is on the fringes. Years ago, many people especially men did not really worry about what clothes they would wear. Some would wear the same ones over and over again. Today, what was on the fringe years ago is now part of the core. People love clothes and love impressing others with the clothes they buy. If you don't look good, you don't leave the house.
So, are we only concerned with aesthetics and what is pleasing to us. For now we are. Aesthetics is why you buy something. You can admit or not, but what looks good to you and primarily to the masses is what you strive for. Postrel writes in her article that "aesthetics is the way we communicate through our senses. It is the art of creating reactions without words, through the look and feel of people, places, and things." I agree fully with Postrels position. Just the other day, I bought a pair of shoes that were bright green and gold and thought to myself "those will stand out and make people look." Things are appealing to us for a reason. As babies, we grow up fascinated by the colorful and fascinating things that we see and want to know what they are right away. Well, it seems like the argument of aesthetics is that it wants to keep us as babies and fascinate us with color and brilliance.
In regards to value hierarchies in Postrels argument, lets first look at loci of quantity. In this article, the greatest good for the greatest number of people is not truly important. There is a massive quantity of things that we do not need. Do we truly need every single color of computer known to man? Do we really need to have the refreshing feeling that in the next block there will be a Starbucks and now you want one?
Loci of quality is questionable in a aesthetic world like this as well. If we are making things just to make them, how good are they? However, when things are better or look better, we seem to feel more prone to buy or visit those things.
Loci of the person can seen faded as well in an aesthically pleasing world. The dignity of the person is being taken advantage of. Because something looks pretty and pleasing is what gets people to move toward those things. We wanna dress like the richest stars and live in the best houses. I have a friend who will only shop at Wholefoods because the store is the nicest and she will not even think of stepping into a QFC because they are dirty.
Loci of the existent looks at the concrete over the possible. Well, anything is possible right? What is concrete gets removed from what is possible. The example of clothing comes to mind when Postrel says that colors are in and black and gray are out.
Loci of essence values what is at the core of a group or class rather than what is on the fringes. Years ago, many people especially men did not really worry about what clothes they would wear. Some would wear the same ones over and over again. Today, what was on the fringe years ago is now part of the core. People love clothes and love impressing others with the clothes they buy. If you don't look good, you don't leave the house.
So, are we only concerned with aesthetics and what is pleasing to us. For now we are. Aesthetics is why you buy something. You can admit or not, but what looks good to you and primarily to the masses is what you strive for. Postrel writes in her article that "aesthetics is the way we communicate through our senses. It is the art of creating reactions without words, through the look and feel of people, places, and things." I agree fully with Postrels position. Just the other day, I bought a pair of shoes that were bright green and gold and thought to myself "those will stand out and make people look." Things are appealing to us for a reason. As babies, we grow up fascinated by the colorful and fascinating things that we see and want to know what they are right away. Well, it seems like the argument of aesthetics is that it wants to keep us as babies and fascinate us with color and brilliance.
A conversation with WBC? I don think so
The Westboro Baptist Church, or cult, focus their own values around the teachings of the Bible. Well, for them the teaching of the bible makes them preach against the "ungodly" acts of divorce, fornication, remarriage, and homosexuality. They firmly believe that the universal beliefs that "God loves everyone" and "Jesus died for our sins" are inaccurate assumptions formed by people who do not read the Bible. Their values begin with the claim that "God Hates America" and it is up to them to preach the appropriate ways of the Bible and to clean those with ever-dying souls. Their offensive picketing is seen at military funerals, gay pride parades, and at terrorist attacks. They belief that God is punishing America by killing troops in Iraq for their commitment to an evil nation. Sadly, these protests include small children who are mindfully being brainwashed into the same values and beliefs as their elders have installed on them since 1955.
As for me? Well, I cringe at the very thought of the Westboro Baptist Church. I grew up learning respect and tolerance as values. On the religious side of things, I never experienced church as a child and did not know the "teachings of the Bible." However, I know what is right from wrong. I think of also the values of the country we live in and the country they claim is evil. The First Amendment gives them every right to do what they are doing, so perhaps this country is doomed for all eternity.
To start a conversation with any one of these people would be like starting a conversation with a banana. Pointless and fruitless, no pun intended. Obviously, they are firm believers in their practices and it would be almost impossible to argue or even start up a friendly conversation without them telling me I am going to hell. I wonder what they believe they have sinned in and if they are saved from Gods wrath?
As for me? Well, I cringe at the very thought of the Westboro Baptist Church. I grew up learning respect and tolerance as values. On the religious side of things, I never experienced church as a child and did not know the "teachings of the Bible." However, I know what is right from wrong. I think of also the values of the country we live in and the country they claim is evil. The First Amendment gives them every right to do what they are doing, so perhaps this country is doomed for all eternity.
To start a conversation with any one of these people would be like starting a conversation with a banana. Pointless and fruitless, no pun intended. Obviously, they are firm believers in their practices and it would be almost impossible to argue or even start up a friendly conversation without them telling me I am going to hell. I wonder what they believe they have sinned in and if they are saved from Gods wrath?
Friday, January 29, 2010
WW4: Argument
In Joe Hargrave’s article, The US minimum wage debate is bogus; his ultimate question is “is it wrong for the government to decide what employers out to pay?” Hargrave does not really answer his own question, but moves around it with multiple examples. He writes that minimum wage has garnered a high percentage of support from both ends of the political spectrum. However, it can be noted that only 2% of the workforce in this country makes minimum wage, which could make the whole debate irrelevant.
Hargrave writes that minimum wage is in place to regulate the power of businesses over workers and of “employment and management over workers and their wages.” Basically stating that those you know more should control those who don’t know as much. However, workers are well aware that what employers want is “more work for less pay, and they will use the means at their disposal to reverse the trend.” He continues with his next bit of evidence by saying that there has been a 50-year consensus, and it has only been disrupted in the mid 90s, that minimum wage caused unemployment and contributed to a falling economy. However, in those 50 years America had a gradual increase in minimum wages and managed to grow and prosper. The reason for the disruption, Hargrave argues, is that other policies got in the way. Policies such as “totally deregulating the financial sector.”
His wrap up includes the direct position that “raising the minimum wage is a not a solution to anything.” He expresses his deepest wish to American workers is that they begin to organize themselves as “partners in cooperative enterprises.” Saying this, I believe he means that everyone should become an owner and for everyone to have more control over their economic fate.
My big issue with Hargrave’s article is that I do not feel his warrants explain his claim very well. I think he should have mentioned the impact of unions in workplace when he mentioned putting all workers as owners. How have unions benefited minimum wage. Also, in the 50 years of not changing the minimum page policies and then a most recent bump in the road, I think that what is broken should be fixed. I argue that we need to know the benefits of having any minimum wage or getting rid of it altogether.
On the other end, speaking of owners, it can be said that changing the minimum wage law can exclude low cost competitors from labor markets. Over all, could be the result of more poverty and unemployment. Also, changing minimum wage laws can reduce profit margins of business owners employing minimum wage workers, which could encourage a move to businesses that do not employ low-skill workers.
Hargrave writes that minimum wage is in place to regulate the power of businesses over workers and of “employment and management over workers and their wages.” Basically stating that those you know more should control those who don’t know as much. However, workers are well aware that what employers want is “more work for less pay, and they will use the means at their disposal to reverse the trend.” He continues with his next bit of evidence by saying that there has been a 50-year consensus, and it has only been disrupted in the mid 90s, that minimum wage caused unemployment and contributed to a falling economy. However, in those 50 years America had a gradual increase in minimum wages and managed to grow and prosper. The reason for the disruption, Hargrave argues, is that other policies got in the way. Policies such as “totally deregulating the financial sector.”
His wrap up includes the direct position that “raising the minimum wage is a not a solution to anything.” He expresses his deepest wish to American workers is that they begin to organize themselves as “partners in cooperative enterprises.” Saying this, I believe he means that everyone should become an owner and for everyone to have more control over their economic fate.
My big issue with Hargrave’s article is that I do not feel his warrants explain his claim very well. I think he should have mentioned the impact of unions in workplace when he mentioned putting all workers as owners. How have unions benefited minimum wage. Also, in the 50 years of not changing the minimum page policies and then a most recent bump in the road, I think that what is broken should be fixed. I argue that we need to know the benefits of having any minimum wage or getting rid of it altogether.
On the other end, speaking of owners, it can be said that changing the minimum wage law can exclude low cost competitors from labor markets. Over all, could be the result of more poverty and unemployment. Also, changing minimum wage laws can reduce profit margins of business owners employing minimum wage workers, which could encourage a move to businesses that do not employ low-skill workers.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Seattle University Haiti Press Release
Physically far from the rubble, are the effects of the massive earthquake in Haiti, in which Seattle University and its students are committing to respond to the disaster educationally, humanly, and spiritually. The support coming from Seattle University is similar to the support we shared to New Orleans in the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina disaster. The Haiti earthquake is by far on the same level as the tragedy that our country faced just 6 years ago.
"Each of us, I am sure, has known that the Haitians are citizens of the poorest country of our hemisphere, but this tragedy brings home to us their reality as our sisters and brothers in dire need," said Seattle University President Father Stephen V. Sunborg.
Students and faculty at Seattle University have been organizing response dialogues and teach-ins to inform the campus of the situation in Haiti. Last week SU's Global African Studies Program presented a teach-in on Haitian history and gave background on the current earthquake disaster. This week, OMA's Diversity and Equity Education Program (DEEP) will be hosting a display entitled "Before and After the Earthquake: Giving Haiti Context" in hopes of creating dialogue on what is happening currently in Haiti and developing plans of action for the future.
Father Sunborg is also appointing Sean Bray, Social Justice Minister in Campus Ministry, as the point person to help coordinate our response and communication to Haiti. Students and faculty are encouraged to contact Bray with any suggestions, donations, or requests that they may have regarding the crisis.
Finally, as a prominent Jesuit institution, Seattle University would like to done its spiritual help to the people of Haiti by holding multiple Masses offered for the people of Haiti. For the next two Sundays, Masses will also be given to the Catholic Relief Services and Jesuit Refugee Service for their emergency work with the people and country of Haiti.
"Each of us, I am sure, has known that the Haitians are citizens of the poorest country of our hemisphere, but this tragedy brings home to us their reality as our sisters and brothers in dire need," said Seattle University President Father Stephen V. Sunborg.
Students and faculty at Seattle University have been organizing response dialogues and teach-ins to inform the campus of the situation in Haiti. Last week SU's Global African Studies Program presented a teach-in on Haitian history and gave background on the current earthquake disaster. This week, OMA's Diversity and Equity Education Program (DEEP) will be hosting a display entitled "Before and After the Earthquake: Giving Haiti Context" in hopes of creating dialogue on what is happening currently in Haiti and developing plans of action for the future.
Father Sunborg is also appointing Sean Bray, Social Justice Minister in Campus Ministry, as the point person to help coordinate our response and communication to Haiti. Students and faculty are encouraged to contact Bray with any suggestions, donations, or requests that they may have regarding the crisis.
Finally, as a prominent Jesuit institution, Seattle University would like to done its spiritual help to the people of Haiti by holding multiple Masses offered for the people of Haiti. For the next two Sundays, Masses will also be given to the Catholic Relief Services and Jesuit Refugee Service for their emergency work with the people and country of Haiti.
Friday, January 22, 2010
WW3: Minimum wage debate
In discussion of minimum wage, one controversial issue has been that having a minimum wage allows employers to pay what they feel is necessary for a days work. On the one hand minimum wage was established to ensure fair compensation for a days work. On the other hand, employees would argue that artificially raising wages ends up hurting the people your trying to help. Employers who can't afford the higher wages, will have to reduce the number of employees. Others even maintain that unions have forced up wages and look what's happening to their jobs, others will work for less. My own view is that minimum wage increases the standard of living for the poorest and most vulnerable class in society and improves work ethic. I still must decide however, how minimum wage should be controlled.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Rogerian argument
Dear Christina:
You have expressed your desire to get married to since you were 18. It has been such a funny conversation every time we talk about it because our humor matches so perfectly that we can point to any guy on the street and give reasons why you would love to marry them.
Now, here we are four years later still laughing about your dedication of marriage. You are now dating Brandon, who has said he loves you just 2 months into your relationship. I know you are happy, but I know that you have changed. You tell us about what changes you are making and what Brandon expects out of you. Just last week, you sat down with Jess and I and told us that Brandon informed you of what would make a good wife. The list of things he gave you included "Informing your husband of everything you do, not making him jealous, and knowing how to make him happy." With such a list like this, I find it easy to imagine why the topic of marriage has still been around, and why it is no longer comical.
Relationships have never been my strong point, but I can see right through this one. You have changed as a person to conform to a guy you have only been dating for 5 months. You no longer are able to come out with your friends and enjoy everyone's company because it makes your boyfriend jealous that he is not having fun with you. he puts too much guilt on you, and I don't find this as a part of a healthy relationship and neither do your other friends. We have been told we are a bad influence on you, and you seem to agree.
I feel like your relationship is creating an enormous gap in your relationships with your friends. We do not see you anymore and whenever we do, you are on the arm of Brandon. We miss you and wish you could return to your old self. Yes, we have all grown up, but we do not need to conform to some fantasy of what "a good wife should be" because you are 21 years old and in a relationship I and many others deem unhealthy.
Last night, when you made the plans to attend Jen's birthday party and then decided to come out because you felt guilty, we had a blast. There should be no worry in feeling guilty about hanging out with your friends. You have done it all of your life. You do not need a hand to hold every time you leave the house.
I hope this letter finds you in a place where you will not feel ambushed or mad at your friends, but hopefully understand where we are coming from.
Sincerely,
Mat
You have expressed your desire to get married to since you were 18. It has been such a funny conversation every time we talk about it because our humor matches so perfectly that we can point to any guy on the street and give reasons why you would love to marry them.
Now, here we are four years later still laughing about your dedication of marriage. You are now dating Brandon, who has said he loves you just 2 months into your relationship. I know you are happy, but I know that you have changed. You tell us about what changes you are making and what Brandon expects out of you. Just last week, you sat down with Jess and I and told us that Brandon informed you of what would make a good wife. The list of things he gave you included "Informing your husband of everything you do, not making him jealous, and knowing how to make him happy." With such a list like this, I find it easy to imagine why the topic of marriage has still been around, and why it is no longer comical.
Relationships have never been my strong point, but I can see right through this one. You have changed as a person to conform to a guy you have only been dating for 5 months. You no longer are able to come out with your friends and enjoy everyone's company because it makes your boyfriend jealous that he is not having fun with you. he puts too much guilt on you, and I don't find this as a part of a healthy relationship and neither do your other friends. We have been told we are a bad influence on you, and you seem to agree.
I feel like your relationship is creating an enormous gap in your relationships with your friends. We do not see you anymore and whenever we do, you are on the arm of Brandon. We miss you and wish you could return to your old self. Yes, we have all grown up, but we do not need to conform to some fantasy of what "a good wife should be" because you are 21 years old and in a relationship I and many others deem unhealthy.
Last night, when you made the plans to attend Jen's birthday party and then decided to come out because you felt guilty, we had a blast. There should be no worry in feeling guilty about hanging out with your friends. You have done it all of your life. You do not need a hand to hold every time you leave the house.
I hope this letter finds you in a place where you will not feel ambushed or mad at your friends, but hopefully understand where we are coming from.
Sincerely,
Mat
Friday, January 15, 2010
WW2: Palin Opinion
In this weeks Seattle Spectator, Fernando Sioson wrote an opinion article on former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin. His views represent Palin’s recent accomplishments as an author and her vice presidential campaign run. Sioson also points out Palin’s criticisms, such as her resignation as Alaskan governor and her latest job as a correspondent on Fox News. His writing looks primarily at who still supports Palin in her new political adventures. This includes her fans on Facebook, her colleagues, and also her family.
I see a lot of truth in Sioson’s opinion article. He compares Palin’s journey through politics as a three-ring circus. I can see exactly where he is coming from when he writes that Palin should lay under the radar and rebuild her credibility and not be on the same level as Jay Leno and do late night comedy. I agree fully that Palin has become a worldwide joke and she is just putting a bad label on the entire Republican Party. She has resulted in childish antics of criticizing others politics when her experience in politics has been very short.
I look at Sioson and his argument as just an attack. There are a lot of emphases on the now and what Palin is currently doing. What about the past? Palin did get Alaskans an extra thousand dollars from oil revenue. Also, Palin opened up doors for women in politics for being the closest women to the Vice President position. Also, he does not look at if the future will be better than Palin’s past. Her position on Fox News could re-establish her as a prominent political figure. The truth of the matter is, Sioson’s personal attack on Palin only warrants the now and what she is currently doing. She was nominated for Vice President for a reason.
Fernando Sioson wrote this article in a very left sided liberal stance. He clearly was on the anti-Palin bandwagon since day one. He is probably not one of Palins 1.1 million Facebook followers, as he emphasizes in his article. He brings a fair amount of knowledge that the rest of the world is already in the know about. I do believe that Sioson wrote this more as a comical attack than knowledge based political opinion. I wish he could go into what Palin can do to get her out of being the butt of the countries joke. However, I find that as a student, he needed to demonstrate his writing skills and left sided comical approach to political attack.
Link to article:
http://www.su-spectator.com/opinion/sarah-palin-going-rogue-on-fox-news-1.1010704
I see a lot of truth in Sioson’s opinion article. He compares Palin’s journey through politics as a three-ring circus. I can see exactly where he is coming from when he writes that Palin should lay under the radar and rebuild her credibility and not be on the same level as Jay Leno and do late night comedy. I agree fully that Palin has become a worldwide joke and she is just putting a bad label on the entire Republican Party. She has resulted in childish antics of criticizing others politics when her experience in politics has been very short.
I look at Sioson and his argument as just an attack. There are a lot of emphases on the now and what Palin is currently doing. What about the past? Palin did get Alaskans an extra thousand dollars from oil revenue. Also, Palin opened up doors for women in politics for being the closest women to the Vice President position. Also, he does not look at if the future will be better than Palin’s past. Her position on Fox News could re-establish her as a prominent political figure. The truth of the matter is, Sioson’s personal attack on Palin only warrants the now and what she is currently doing. She was nominated for Vice President for a reason.
Fernando Sioson wrote this article in a very left sided liberal stance. He clearly was on the anti-Palin bandwagon since day one. He is probably not one of Palins 1.1 million Facebook followers, as he emphasizes in his article. He brings a fair amount of knowledge that the rest of the world is already in the know about. I do believe that Sioson wrote this more as a comical attack than knowledge based political opinion. I wish he could go into what Palin can do to get her out of being the butt of the countries joke. However, I find that as a student, he needed to demonstrate his writing skills and left sided comical approach to political attack.
Link to article:
http://www.su-spectator.com/opinion/sarah-palin-going-rogue-on-fox-news-1.1010704
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Commonplace and Police Shootings
In reference to the three types of commonplace examples in article, the first that I came across was conjecture.
When Rahr was explaining the effect that the shootings will have on regular people in the street who will approach police officers, the reaction they will give will be much different than in the past. Instead of a friendly hello back to the citizens, the police officers will have to check their hands for weapons and be very cautious.
In regards to degree, when Rahr talks about the overwhelming amount of support that police officers are getting and the patriotism that is shown by people who stand at funerals holding American flags is so much greater than the event that happened. Also, the people who sang "Silent Night" to an officer and those who just greet friendly with the phrase "Thank you for your service."
What has been made possible is the knowledge of what police officers go through and how much they are valued in this society. Rahr references back to 9/11 throughout the editorial and of the lessons that were learned and what became possible after the attacks. It is similar to imagine what has become possible after the police shootings and I think the biggest thing is that "we are united behind a set of values and ideals."
When Rahr was explaining the effect that the shootings will have on regular people in the street who will approach police officers, the reaction they will give will be much different than in the past. Instead of a friendly hello back to the citizens, the police officers will have to check their hands for weapons and be very cautious.
In regards to degree, when Rahr talks about the overwhelming amount of support that police officers are getting and the patriotism that is shown by people who stand at funerals holding American flags is so much greater than the event that happened. Also, the people who sang "Silent Night" to an officer and those who just greet friendly with the phrase "Thank you for your service."
What has been made possible is the knowledge of what police officers go through and how much they are valued in this society. Rahr references back to 9/11 throughout the editorial and of the lessons that were learned and what became possible after the attacks. It is similar to imagine what has become possible after the police shootings and I think the biggest thing is that "we are united behind a set of values and ideals."
Cafe Vita
Cafe Vita has it all. Great coffee, a friendly staff, and a wonderful atmosphere. Vita is situated in a perfect location, just 2 blocks away from Seattle University campus and right in the heart of capitol hill. It is a two story coffee house that provides free wireless and excellent study music. You can also view into the back room that is filled with bags of their coffee beans. However, the best part of Cafe Vita must be the fun designs that the staff make out of the coffee foam.
Friday, January 8, 2010
MIchelle Obama's DNC Speech
In her address to the Democratic National Convention, Michelle Obama declared that she “loved this country” but her speech settled primarily around the thing she found most important in life, family. She addressed the rambunctious onlookers by declaring first that she was there as a mother, daughter, sister, and wife. She shared her family values and her goals for her family, and also the reasons of why her husband Barack was running for president. She spoke with elegance and charisma, but never really riled up the crowd, nor did she have to.
In Michelle Obamas address, it is easy to point out the four rhetorical tenets in the speech.
1.) Advisory:
Michelle Obama shared her worldview and her values to all of America in this speech. First, she used the address to silence the rumors that she lacked patriotism by softening her voice and repeating her patriotism over and over again throughout the speech. She proclaimed her values growing up and why she still has them today. Values such as, “you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say you’re going to do; that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don’t know them, and even if you don’t agree with them.” Not only were she and her husband’s values mentioned, but she also wanted to make sure that the working class would be taken care of because she grew up just like everyone in the audience.
2.) Addressed:
Michelle Obama knew she would be addressing the American people in this speech and did a wonderful job at speaking to them as a citizen. She compared herself to all mothers and of herself growing up to the everyday working man. The expectations of the audience was to hear a real woman who was a mother and who was a worker and who believed in her husband full heartily.
3.) Situational:
Obama addressed the needs of the present by not excluding any person who was under scrutiny. She addressed the military families, young people, and politicians like Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. She relayed back to the audience that she and her husband shared the same belief that “the world as it is just won’t do – that we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be.”
4.) Stylized
Her performance seemed effortless. I didn’t think she wanted to be overly energetic or rile up the audience. She wanted to speak gracefully and when needed, raise her arms up in triumph. I think there was a high level of poise in the way she addressed the crowd who were all holding “Michelle” signs.
Michelle Obama really achieved her goal in this speech. She went out there ready to announce that she loved America and that her husband was the best person for the role of president. She cleared up Barack Obama’s unusual name and referred to him as an everyday American just as she is. She praised the youth, military, and other politicians for their hard work, but also noted that the world needed to be fixed. The audience was enthusiastic toward her and I think, got exactly what they wanted.
In Michelle Obamas address, it is easy to point out the four rhetorical tenets in the speech.
1.) Advisory:
Michelle Obama shared her worldview and her values to all of America in this speech. First, she used the address to silence the rumors that she lacked patriotism by softening her voice and repeating her patriotism over and over again throughout the speech. She proclaimed her values growing up and why she still has them today. Values such as, “you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say you’re going to do; that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don’t know them, and even if you don’t agree with them.” Not only were she and her husband’s values mentioned, but she also wanted to make sure that the working class would be taken care of because she grew up just like everyone in the audience.
2.) Addressed:
Michelle Obama knew she would be addressing the American people in this speech and did a wonderful job at speaking to them as a citizen. She compared herself to all mothers and of herself growing up to the everyday working man. The expectations of the audience was to hear a real woman who was a mother and who was a worker and who believed in her husband full heartily.
3.) Situational:
Obama addressed the needs of the present by not excluding any person who was under scrutiny. She addressed the military families, young people, and politicians like Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. She relayed back to the audience that she and her husband shared the same belief that “the world as it is just won’t do – that we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be.”
4.) Stylized
Her performance seemed effortless. I didn’t think she wanted to be overly energetic or rile up the audience. She wanted to speak gracefully and when needed, raise her arms up in triumph. I think there was a high level of poise in the way she addressed the crowd who were all holding “Michelle” signs.
Michelle Obama really achieved her goal in this speech. She went out there ready to announce that she loved America and that her husband was the best person for the role of president. She cleared up Barack Obama’s unusual name and referred to him as an everyday American just as she is. She praised the youth, military, and other politicians for their hard work, but also noted that the world needed to be fixed. The audience was enthusiastic toward her and I think, got exactly what they wanted.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Ideas of class problem/issue
Ideas of problem/issue
1. Minimum wage. State or National
2. Political Campaigns. Public money limit vs. politician money
3. Pros and Cons of having a credit card
4. Where should SU money go? Athletics or academic?
5. Gay marriage rights
1. Minimum wage. State or National
2. Political Campaigns. Public money limit vs. politician money
3. Pros and Cons of having a credit card
4. Where should SU money go? Athletics or academic?
5. Gay marriage rights
First exercise response
In "They Say/I Say" Graff and Birkenstein talk about how academic writing follows templates that allow a writer to engage in critical thinking throughout their writing. They also emphasize the importance of not only expressing ones own ideas in their writing, but having those ideas be a response to some other persons or groups conclusion or belief. In your course description of rhetoric, the main focus is taking different forms of media that focus on arguments and evaluate them with our own interpretation of those arguments and then conducting our own positions on the issue. There is overlap in Graff and Birkenstein and your argument of rhetoric in that both look at the importance of listening to others ideas and arguments and using them to conduct our own position on the topic.
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