Investigation. Inquiry. Imagination. Here, we'll explore America and what it means to be American by studying its people, ideas, and manifestations through literature. Welcome.
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How do you view celebrities? Do you think of the type of enviornment they were in that allowed them to live out their dreams; or do you just picture them in your favorite movie or singing your favorite song? America is a well established place that encourages you to try and live out your dreams. If you lack money or need help in any way America will put the effort in to help you. For instance if you need money for education theres scholorships, if your dream is to own your own house, boat, car,etc. theres loans. They even provide state health care for people that can't afford it, and unemployment for people who are out of jobs because they were laid off. If your in any situation and you feel you deserve something and your striving for it, America will give you that extra push. Theres always another way.
I was watching T.V. the other day and thought how amazing it would be to have my own T.V. show. I wondered how did all these celebrities get to have their own show. What standards did they have to meet, and could I meet them too. What was holding me back from living my dream? Then it came to me, being in the right place at the right time. I just have to be in the right place and be what they are looking for. I just need to make the audition and they'll give me acting lessons, singing lessons, whatever I need to fulfill my dreams. All these celebrities started off just like me so why can't I end up just like them.
Right then and there I realized if they started off just like me then many other people may be dreaming big like me or have other dreams of their own. I thought if I really want to live out this dream I have to act out upon it before anyone else does. Everyone has the choice to be who they want to be. America will continue to provide the opportunities or decsions for you to make, its just based on you to pursue them. If your dream is to be home for your family on the holidays you need to work as hard as you can to make that happen. If your dream is to own a home to keep a roof over your family's head then so be it, its your choice as to weather you will put in one-hundred and ten percent effort into everything you do in order to make your dreams come true.With that America is more willing to help you live out your dreams knowing that you will do whatever it takes.
If you work hard for what you want America provides the enviornment, and gives you the opportunity to be who you want to be. Many peple have such kindness in their hearts and form charities, food banks, shelters, etc. For people whose dreams are to just have food in their belly and a roof over their head. No matter how big or small your dream is America will help you to achieve your goals. America shows you that they want to help and they want you to succeed by doing all these charitable things. America is known to help people when they are in need of assistance. They strive to help people that strive to help themselves. Just like anyone else America does not want to help someone thats looking for a free ride with no effort, sacrafice, or time commited.
You should never underestimate the limit you can reach. Don't ever think that you can't do something. "If theres a will theres a way" meaning if your willing to do something then no matter what, you will find a way to do whatever you need to be done. If you can put in any amount of effort into anything you do you will come out with amazing results. As long as you try your hardest and give your all America will provide for you what you can't provide for yourself. If you think of it as a loop hole, in order to get what you want you must try as hard as you can. You find the loop hole by showing your effort. America will see your effort and be willing to help you. If you don't try or give any attempt for what you want, your dreams will be harder to achieve. Nothings too far out of reach you just need to believe.
If you ask students why they want to get good grades in school they would most likely respond by saying to get into college, and they want to go to college to get a good job, and they want a good job to have lots of money. We do need money to live a good lifestyle, but is that what people really need to value? People value money way too much. There is a famous saying, “money can’t buy you everything.” Money can buy you a house but not a home. Money can buy you a book but not knowledge.
The things that people should value are family and friends. When you are in deep, they are the people you will turn to. The people that care about you is what is truly vital in your life. A wise man once said, “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.” (Charles Schultz). Love is very important in life and the “chocolate” could be interpreted as money. You need love in life and if you have money that is just the icing on the cake.
People in America are constantly taking things for granted. Even the littlest things make a big difference in our lives. For example our country has good pure water. Other countries are not nearly as fortunate as the United States and yet we don’t cherish the things we do have. We just expect to have things like that and over time we forget how lucky we really are.
I’ll admit it, I too value things that may not be so meaningful and I forget what is really meaningful in life. For example I sometimes take for granted my family. I took my uncle for granted until something terrible happened to him and he ended up in a coma for a month. He woke up the same day they were going to pull the plug. To this day I still believe it was a miracle he survived. I never really realized how much he meant to me until this happened. This made me appreciate family and that it is crucial to always stick by them no matter what. When you are in deep they are the people you are going to turn to.
Zachary Perry 10/3/09 Ms. Robidoux In America doing what is right means obeying the law. What is right means everything that’s not wrong. Treating other people properly the way you want to be treated, helping out other people and also doing everything your suppose to do by not breaking the law. I agree that what is right means obeying the law because the law is considered wrong and it’s not just the government laws it could be the laws at school, home, and anywhere else.
America is somewhere where you won’t get in trouble for doing the right thing. If some one is volunteering at a homeless shelter they wouldn’t get arrested for it they would be looked at as a help to the society. People who help out in society and doing what is right are doing so because they know that it is what should be done. Even the littlest things can make the difference in right and wrong.
For example if some one litters and gets caught the will receive a fined but if they don’t and use a trash can no one will be there to congratulate them but its still the right thing to do. If everyone followed that America would be a lot better place today. The sides of the roads would be cleaner there also wouldn’t be as much pollution relating to our ozone becoming almost ruined.
In America doing what is considered right means following the laws. Whether it’s the laws of government, parents, schools or anywhere else you may be. The law is what considers something wrong and that’s how you can tell what is right. Anything that is not breaking the law is doing what is right. People who live by law are doing the right thing and people who break the law are doing the wrong thing.
The United States is considered on of the best and the most powerful country in the world. The government is for the people and by the people, it is their duty to make the decisions that will affect the entire nation. The government is based around one very old and important document that is still used today, the Constitution. The Constitution is the basic laws of the government and of the people. Every man is entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Not even the government has the power to take away those basic rights. Even though the Constitution says that every man is equal, it does not mean Americans have followed that law, or natural right. Or in the business world, you can not be turned away or fired from a job because of your race, it is completely unjust and unconstitutional. The law is meant for all people, no congressman, senate, governor, mayor is exempt from the punishments of their crimes. Everyone is equal in front of the law, you will be tried fairly. And the same goes for power, the color of your skin does not determine the power of said person, everyone is entitled to the same thing. A statistic in my 11th grade American Literature class shows that 0/20 people believe everyone is equal in America. But these students are probably looking at these equality issues the wrong way. The media can really influence the young adult's mind. A police show in the inner city might show more blacks or Hispanics defying the laws and their punishments, but really whites are committing the same exact crimes and are getting into trouble as well. Money is one of the most powerful objects to humans; it can corrupt us, turn us bitter with greed,or make us realize the real world in a new perspective. Some people have more money than others, are really money is the key to power. With money comes a lot of opportunities and privileges. For example, all people have the right to an education, Jim whose family is fairly wealthy, has the opportunity to go to a better private school and get a better education. The other kid, Steve, who does not have the wealth to go to a nice private school, misses out on the private school educations. In the end, both Jim and Steve have the right to an education.
The constitution says that we are all created equal, but are we all really equal? Nowadays it seems like people with more money are more important than other people. Celebrities and other famous people get special privileges that many other people don’t. There was an incident were once were a celebrity was pulled over for speeding, but since they were famous they got off without a ticket. At the same time lots of other people, that are just normal everyday people like you and I, get reprimanded for speeding like we are supposed to. The heads of big businesses seem to be more important as. They have hundreds of people at their disposal. If someone tries to sue them they can hire an army of lawyers with their mounds of money, were as lower income families may only be able to afford one. This makes big businesses almost immune to laws. There is also discrimination in America that prevents people from being really equal. People can be discriminated against because of their race or gender. For instance it was found that women make about 77% of the salary that men make. Differences like that make me question weather we are all equal in the United States or if we are just told that to make everyone feel special. The debate still raises the question; are we all really equal?
Personal Essay Samuel Whatley Mrs. Robidoux 10/4/09
When has a person came to America and said “I can’t succeed it’s impossible, no matter how hard I try I just can’t because I’m not from America?” I can’t think of one. America is a place where anyone can come along and say I’m going to apply myself and succeed in this place and if they put their minds to it they can live their dreams. Usually in America people will hire you if you work hard and try to succeed, so anyone no matter who you are can succeed. For example my neighbor was trying to become a US citizen for 5 years and when she did she opened up a housecleaning business to support her family and it was her dream to do so. She came from the Philippines as a poor single mother and is now married and has a job to support her family. They call America the “melting pot of the world”. This is true because, in America we have people from all over the world working their dream job and living their dream, even though they are not from here, they still can succeed in if they apply themselves. For instance, we have had many presidents but this year we have an African American president. This goes to show how no matter whom you are or where you come from you can live the dream and succeed. Lastly, in America people can go from a low class working family to a prosperous family if the parents apply themselves and strive to succeed. I heard a story once about this man who came to America with a nickel he had been given on his voyage here by a kind sailor and he had always wanted to start a toy company so he took out a loan and started what today is a multi million dollar company that produces super balls and other kids toys that are sold around the country. In America people can always live the dream if they put their minds to it and work hard. People may argue that not everyone can do well in America but I disagree. If you put your mind to it and work at it sooner or later you will succeed in this country, you would have to not try to not succeed. Finally success isn’t just handed to some people they use their gifts and their dreams and work hard to do well and it is always possible to achieve success.
In school I was always taught that everyone is created equal. But over time I found that this statement is false, in fact in some places there are people who are still racist and in favor of slavery. And there are other examples of people not being treated as equals. Such as in the work place minorities are not treated as equal and the social ladder the upper level people are treated as they are famous and the lower class is the poor people are treated like they don’t even matter. And I have a personal experience that demonstrated that minorities aren’t equal. I will explain further and show you what you should already believe. In the work place minorities such as African American people, women, and Mexicans are not treaded as equals, they get treated as they aren’t as good as the other people. And the boss gets the best treatment and the people under him get treated like they aren’t as good. And everyone should be treated as equals and not be bossed around by higher power. People in the social ladder are not considered equal. The rich people are treated like they are famous and they get people kissing up to them because they want their money. The people who are poor and cant afford nice clothes and things get treated like they don’t matter and its kind of disappointing that that happens. I recently read a good book titled “to kill a mocking bird”. And this book was about an African American male that is being framed for rape of a Caucasian woman. His attorney is a Caucasian male who believes he is innocent and he fights for his right. In the end the African American man who was frames was proven innocent and the group of white men killed him anyway because they we angry. The story is a example that people are not treated as equals. Although since we became an independent society over 200 years ago when the Declaration of Independence was signed we have made a lot of progress in equality but we aren’t there yet but before another 200 years we should all be equal in everyone’s eyes. But the U.S. made a huge step towards total equality when Barrack Obama has been elected as president. But as you can see we aren’t all treated as equals but we will be soon enough.
When was the last time you weren’t compared to someone else or when others didn’t influence you? Most likely this has happened to you more than once. All around you anywhere you go you’re looking at how other people look, act or vice versa. If you’re not comparing yourself to others, they will be comparing themselves to you. My generation has grown up to believe that everyone is equal and that no one should be judged. I believe that should be the case, but unfortunately in society today it’s not. When you think about inequality what comes to mind? Racism? Religion? Sex? Everything possible in the world from the way your parents treat you, to teachers and their rules, or to the color of your skin isn’t equal. I believe everyone should be treated the same. Everyone in America should be familiar with the story of Rosa Parks. She fought for her rights to sit in the front of the bus as an African American woman. She resisted racial segregation which was unheard of at that time and became a role model in history. When you look back in time you see people fighting against racism because of the color of their skin or their religion. Citizens of the United States are blind if they think segregation is gone today. People everywhere are still getting judged because of their color or their religion. The United States just elected their first black president and some people today still have a problem with it. We are supposed to be an equal country and those problems regarding equality should be behind us. Racism shouldn’t even be an issue today but it is still present in our society. We’ve had wars about it and still people are being judged. Being equal doesn’t just involve what’s happened in our past but it also involves what’s happening in our present. Parents and teachers are also part of not treating others equally. When you step into a classroom you are advised to follow the teacher’s rules. You need to do what they say or you will get in trouble. That’s a form of inequality. Teachers are treating the students as inferior to them and controlling them just like parents do. Parents have to tell children what to do all the time. I know from experience that your parents have complete control over you and you that you have to do what they say. I’ve been grounded plenty of times from not listening to my parents. I know I’m supposed to obey them but why do I have to? Why do teachers and parents have control over everything you do and how you act? I don’t think that’s right. As Americans we are all supposed to have freedom of speech but in these cases we don’t. The world today is still separated by upper and lower classes and by appearances. Everyone wants to be wealthy and if they aren’t they will judge those who have more money than they or those who have none at all. People who are “rich” are viewed as snobs or stuck up. People who have little money will be called “poor” and be treated with little respect. It’s also not right how people are treated just because of how they look or act. Whoever doesn’t wear the right clothes or hang out with the right people will be judged and discriminated against because of their appearance and how they want to act. You’re always being compared to someone. If you’re not doing the right thing you’re either “weird” or an outcast. To live in a perfect America you always need to say or do the “right” things. In America I believe everyone is not equal. I think society wants us to be but we all know we are not. If we are all equal there would be no such thing as racism. The United States is a strong country but not when it comes to being equal. Everyone in the world is equal to me but to other people they aren’t. America is only equal on paper, not in its actions. I believe that America will never be an equal country. We are all too stubborn to realize what’s right and what’s wrong. For now though we will just have to deal with the inequality of the United States.
How many times have you heard “ we are all equal?”. I know that ever since I was in kindergarten my teacher always told me to share because we are all the same and nobody is superior to one another. When America separated from Britain and we turned into our own country, everybody came here for freedom and to be treated equal. America says we are all equal under god, but really how equal are we?
In highschool, I can tell you that the first thing that you notice is that highschool is full of cliques and groups. Highschool is no where near equal, “preps” feel superior when they spend $100 on a pair of jeans. In society today, people are very judgmental. If you don’t wear what’s in, or if your not pretty or handsome enough, then it makes people feel less superior to them just because they look better or have better clothes. Even in celebrities, why should they get to go to clubs and get away with breaking the law? What makes them so much better from average society? They are normal people just like us. Sure they have talents, but don’t we all? America just needs to focus on treating people equal, other than giving power to those who don’t necessarily deserve it.
Have you ever heard a racist joke or racial comments come from somebody’s mouth? Racism is still HUGE, and is in my opinion getting worse. People are very stereotypical and believe blacks have less freedom than a white person, why should that be? Why should they be punished because they have dark skin? Even since the early America’s, racism has had a big impact on society. We used to use them as slaves, and soon we let them free, and considered them “equal.” Martin Luther King was dark skinned, and he wanted things to change because he felt society wasn’t treating them fairly. He got killed for what he believed in, just because he had dark skin. Our society today is sick and I really don’t think that we have really gotten over racism and overcome them being equal. For example, In sophomore year I heard some white guys calling these other boys the “N” word. No matter what color, we are still to this day racist towards one another. One of the biggest unfairness’ would be the equality between a man and a woman. Men are very skeptical about women, and they love to feel superior to women. For example, have you ever seen a woman president? I sure haven’t. Hillary Clinton was going to run, but she knew she was never going to win against two men so she dropped out of the campaign. Back in the early America’s women were considered property. Their husbands could boss them around, and they couldn’t vote, nor could they run for any political office. They simply had to sit at home while their husbands got to go out and explore the world. It was only recently that women had the right to vote. On August 26, 1920 the 19th amendment was finally created allowing women to vote. That’s not very long. I believe we still have a lot to work on before we can really become “equal”.
America’s founding fathers would love to believe that everyone is equal, however we are far from it. In the constitution we have freedoms, to ALL people, why don’t we follow the rules of our mother country? I believe that maybe someday, America will be equal. However, we are a long journey away from becoming a free, equal, and non-judgmental society.
I disagree with this statement. It's the 21st century, and we do not value what we use to. In this case, our society values mostly all the wrong things.Us people care too much of what the future brings and what new inventions genius people are making for us.
The things that we should be valuing in life, are the things that we abuse the most. A lot of people these days are all about the material things, and all the new trends. People would do whatever they can do be noticed, or for people to hear their voices. With that being said, people value the wrong things to get to that point. Whether it's drugs, alcohol, orthe most expensive clothes/jewelry. This is the type of "value" that i'm focusing on. In our country, it's the most common.
There's a variety of different people in our country, there's the high class , middle class, and low class people. The high class people, usually most likely get whatever they want. If they ask their parents for something, they obviously will get it. For example if a high class girl got an ipod, then a week later it broke ; the parent would get them a new one. On the other hand, a middle class girl gets an ipod, and then breaks it they might not get a new one, they might have to wait, or buy themselves a new one. A lower class girl, might not even get an ipod. The high class girl probably isn't even appreciative about the fact that if something happens to something of hers she can get a new one, where as a middle or lower class girl is lucky to even get a new one or get one at all. People need to stop and think, and be greatful for what he/or she has in life, because there's people out there who are just lucky enough to have a roof over their heads.
Personally, I am ungreatful sometimes, and don't stop and appreciate what i have. I get something, say thank you to whoever gets it for me then that's that. If i can't get something that i want, i get kinda mad. I forget that i'm lucky to have what i have, and i don't appreciate the fact that i have things that some people might not. When i think about it, it shows how greedy i can be, and how i should appreciate what my parents do for me. I should value the right things in life instead of the wrong. I shouldn't let material or electronic things take over me. I should be greatful and appreciative of the fact i have a roof over my head, food to eat, a place to sleep, and a great family. The new high tech things we have kinda take over all of that. Maybe reading this will get you to think, that we're really lucky.
Overall, the word "value" has many different definitions. It's the way you define value that can change the way you look at different things about life an society. In this case, it's material things, and being able to be greatful for what you have. This topic can go in many different directions, but this is the most common topic of value that we have in America.
Is America the best nation? I believe America is the best nation, well I believe it is, and I’m going to tell you why.
America has the most freedom such as the freedom of speech, the freedom to be who you want to be, and do what you want to do. You also have the right to say America isn’t the best nation, I have never understood this and don’t understand why people who say this continue to live here, but that’s a different story. In America you have the right to diss what ever you believe, weather it be from the government, to religion, to anything you feel you dislike, or don’t agree with, in other countries saying you hate the government would get you thrown out or killed, in other countries you can’t speak your mind.
Thought my years of History lessons, I have learned of the U.S. and other countries, from what I have learned the U.S. has overcome most of the problems that have faced other countries. Such as the right to vote and Women’s rights, in Communist countries such as Cuba, China, and North Korea. I remember years ago, I heard on 60 minutes about a cowardly U.S. solider who abandoned his squad and went over to North Korea, in other words a traitor, he lived there most of his life, until he was very old, and was able to come back to the U.S. In the interview with 60 minutes, he told them about the conditions of how North Korea treated him as a citizen, not a prisoner because he went there on his own freewill, they told him when to have sex, when to do anything, where as in the U.S. you decide when to have sex and when to do anything when you feel its right. I know this is a long story and you may not see right away where I’m coming from but what I mean, is that this guy had his rights violated, he was getting told what to do and when to do it, and its not like it was his boss telling him to do something in work, it was the North Korean government telling him when to eat, when to have sex, when to do any thing, that over here is a right, and these are rights that you do when you feel like it at you own discretion.
The last reason for America being the best nation is, our Government has kept the U.S. together, an example of that would be the civil war, if not for wining this who knows what the county would be like today, and allowing the draft dodgers to return after they ran the country so they couldn’t go into the war, also they have helped other countries, fight for their revolution, countries such as Vietnam, South Korea, France, Poland, as well as other countries. Now what is your opinion?
These are some of the many reason, I feel The United States Of America is the best nation.
Is America the best nation on Earth? Well, I think this is a great question because there really is no actual answer. There is no book or website out there that can tell us what the best nation on Earth is, because it’s more of an opinion than a fact. Some people may feel that it is because we have more opportunities then people in other countries, while many other people feel that not everyone is equally entitled to those opportunities. There are many different ways to prove, and disprove this theory, which is why it’s such a difficult subject; there is no possible way to come to a true conclusion.
“We boarded the ship with high hopes for this new country; we’ve been dreaming of streets paved in gold.” The quote is from a book I read as a child, about people immigrating to America from Europe. The people were expecting America to be perfect, to be “the best” nation in the world. They were disappointed, because the streets were obviously not made of gold, and they were treated very unfairly because of the fact that they were immigrants. They learned that things do not just get handed to you because you are in a new country, that you have to work hard for everything you earn, and that sometimes even when you do work hard, you get absolutely nothing in return. On the other hand, the country they had come from at the time did not even give them the right to practice their own religion, or to even hold a steady paying job; two things that America did offer them. Either way, it was a very bittersweet situation. Most stayed in this new country and hoped for the best.
“America the beautiful…” is a quote from a patriotic song written by Katherine Lee Bates. Judging by the lyrics in the song, they make quite an accurate picture of America, but not in all areas. There are definitely parts of this country that are filled with blue skies and green grass, and beautiful mountains and lakes, and other things that make America beautiful. But then there are big cities filled with drug dealers, trash in the streets, homeless people sleeping in parks, prostitutes on every corner; things that most definitely do not define the term “beautiful” or “best” in any way, shape, or form. A country defined as the “best” should be a place where all citizens of that country at least have a right to be happy. Nobody in his or her right mind could be surrounded in crime and disease, and be happy at the same time.
All in all, though America may very well not be a perfect nation, it is about as close to the best as the world can get. This country is full of problems, but what country isn’t? The people that make up America are only human, and make mistakes and bad decisions just like everyone else. We may be surrounded by disease, but unlike other countries, we have the medicine and health care to take care of the people that are sick. We may have a problem of obesity, but people in other countries are so starving and food deprived, they’re dying in the streets. America is not the best nation on earth, but if you really had to decide between staying in America and possibly getting swine flu, or moving to the poorest village in Africa and definitely getting AID, which would you choose?
American...fair-minded? Is the answer really yes or no? to hard to see? There really isn’t an answer for a question like this; it’s all just a matter of opinion. Some people would say that people from the US are disrespectful, rude and selfish. Others like Americans can say that people from Britain are ignorant, pompous, and stubborn. No nobodies perfect and everybody makes mistakes.
People are always going to think of any in either a positive or a negative way and there’s really no way to stop it. You could go and be nice hoping that changes their opinion about you or you could just go out and be a real ass to them because they think something about you and that pisses you off. Those people are just rude and obnoxious to go out and be a jerk to someone that doesn’t like you or thinks a certain way about you. Maybe if you stopped caring that would show them that, “aw this guy is cool he doesn’t care what people think about him I was wrong I’m going to be nice to him now.” Yeah there’s a lot of those people that look at America as the glass being half full, “there’s freedom, everybody’s equal, it’s a new start there, etc.”
Then there are you “Debbie Downer” sort of characters, the ones who look at America with discomfort and anger. Why do they hate us? Who knows they think we are rude but they are just as rude too. Are they jealous? We really can’t answer that question it’s because its everyone’s own opinion. Now let’s go back to the core question “Are Americans Fair-Minded?” My opinion is undecided, because there are way to many people in America that are either fair-minded or not. It would be a lie if I agreed with the statement. It’s not fair for all the kind fair-minded Americans out there trying to be real helpfully to one another and not getting the full credit for it. Everyone has there own opinion on things and this question cannot be classified into a yes or no answer.
“America is a place where all kinds of people can live out their dreams.” Many people may agree with this statement, not going to lie I even believed it was true for years. Right when you think America words that come to mind are freedom, equality, and a strong government. Well I had a change of heart about a week ago. The books and the TV will say “Everyone is equal in America.” That is even what my generation have been taught in school. Everyone sees things differently my brain isn’t the same as yours, as in our beliefs. America has a majority of different kinds of people, and none are treated the same way. The other week in history class I heard a story that made me think about how ridicules the media a can be. Mr. Yip (my history teacher) was sharing a story about how a Muslim woman wanted to be in politics I believe it was a senator. The media was so cruel to her. She was placed in newspapers and on the internet as a spy for her country, it was ridiculous the things Mr. Yip said the media did. Her component in my opinion seemed to be an idiot , he was a Caucasian man. The media said nothing about him though. Even when this man did or said something odd they seemed to ignore it and talked very positive about him. That woman on the other hand, went through so much and at the end even lost the election. The man ended up being a terrible senator and lost the state a lot of money. When I heard this story I couldn’t stop thinking about that woman’s situation. That woman that Mr. Yip described to the class seemed to be like she would be such a better senator then that man so it made me even more angry. The media can say anything to make a good story. Well in this situation it blew up in their faces they look so stupid and racist. This poor woman’s dream was to be a senator, and no one even heard what she wanted for the state, or the interesting ideas she had all she cared about was the color of her skin, her religion and where her great ancestors were from. Can you imagine what that woman went threw? All because she is Muslim. I thought we were all equal herein America? I guess not.
I no longer see America as I did. Don’t get me wrong we have come a very long way but there is still need for improvement. Segregation is still here, and probably will stay here for many years to come. Those situations happen every second all over. Not as public as that woman’s situation but it does happen. This was the situation that really just made me think a lot about how ridiculous it is to judge someone by their looks. we are all human and everyone should be treated equally.
As a child I was always told that America is the greatest country on earth. I believed it for years but once I started watching the news I saw the truth. Our country is a mess, our economy is one of the worst in the world, the Obama Administration is failing, and the people are in crisis. Now I was told America is the greatest, but how can a country in this much trouble possibly be the best? In the year 2001 we suffered a devastating terrorist attack. The country has never recovered and wont anytime soon. To this day people walk into an airport scared. After this attack our nation jumped into a war, that we clearly didn’t think through. Our troops are still over seas making little to no progress and the end of the war is still no where in sight. The war has destroyed our economy, the war in Iraq has cost over $688,000,000,000, and the war in Afghanistan cost us over $228,000,000,000. Americans are losing jobs at an alarming pace. 9.8% of Americans are unemployed, the highest it has been in over ten years. People used to come to America because is was the land of opportunity but if you came here now you wouldn’t be able to find a job. To get a good job in America you need a college degree and even that’s not good enough sometimes. People are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on schooling and then they cant even get a job when their done. I’ve seen a lot of people that think America is the greatest country on earth, but how can they possibly say that looking at the problems we have. China is a country rising to the top, they have all the money they need and one of the greatest armies in the world. America is in trouble. Our government needs to make some decisions about where our country is headed. Is it possible for America to ever rise to the top again?
Laura-i think what happened to that women in your article is horriable. She nor anyone else deserves to be treated like that. I'm glad that changed the way you think now about america living out their dreams. It changed the way i know think too about that topic. Tyler P- what you said about americans being equal is similiar to what my essay was about. I liked how you put the example though about the story how to kill a mockingbird i would have never even thought of that.
Joey I agree yet disagree, I feel our nation is a mess at times, but our Country being the size that it is, and the consumers that we are, makes other countries rely on us, also many other countries are doing far worse then we are.
Tara I do agree 100% with your statement, but really its a sign of the times, the more technologically inclined you are the more likely you distance your self from every one are around you.
Zack I do agree with you, how ever some of the laws in this country are ridiculous, ex: someone slams on there brakes right in front of you, you can't stop so you get in trouble, and gotta pay them, or if someone breaks in to your house and your dog bites them, they can sue you.
Sam W I agree with Sam, America is a glorious place of opportunity. If you think about it, a majority of our families immigrated to the states, they were all looking for a better life. But what gets me pissed off is the low-lives that do get into the country and live off the government, or basically it is us paying for them. But in the end, who's to say you can't do something? And the whole "president is black" is so irrelevant, who cares what color he is, we made him president of this country because we believe he could be a strong leader.
Tyler P I completely disagree with your opinion. In today's society money is power. The rich can get what they want as long as they pay for it, like everyone else. Maybe they worked extremely hard for it, and are enjoying it now. And maybe sometimes Mexicans and African Americans maybe treated different, but THEY may be the reason why they didn't get a job. For Example: A Mexican guy wants a job as a telemarketer in the U.S. If he can't speak English then he is out of luck, he needs to learn the language fluently before he can become a telemarketer. And the book "To Kill A Mocking Bird" was a fictional story, it never happened, its not real proof, it might have been influenced by an event, but its really irrelevant. And just because Obama has been elected as president does not mean he has fixed a "problem" that wasn't broken in the first place. Just because his skin is darker doesn't mean he is gonna be a good leader.
19 comments:
Sarah D
Personal Essay
How do you view celebrities? Do you think of the type of enviornment they were in that allowed them to live out their dreams; or do you just picture them in your favorite movie or singing your favorite song? America is a well established place that encourages you to try and live out your dreams. If you lack money or need help in any way America will put the effort in to help you. For instance if you need money for education theres scholorships, if your dream is to own your own house, boat, car,etc. theres loans. They even provide state health care for people that can't afford it, and unemployment for people who are out of jobs because they were laid off. If your in any situation and you feel you deserve something and your striving for it, America will give you that extra push. Theres always another way.
I was watching T.V. the other day and thought how amazing it would be to have my own T.V. show. I wondered how did all these celebrities get to have their own show. What standards did they have to meet, and could I meet them too. What was holding me back from living my dream? Then it came to me, being in the right place at the right time. I just have to be in the right place and be what they are looking for. I just need to make the audition and they'll give me acting lessons, singing lessons, whatever I need to fulfill my dreams. All these celebrities started off just like me so why can't I end up just like them.
Right then and there I realized if they started off just like me then many other people may be dreaming big like me or have other dreams of their own. I thought if I really want to live out this dream I have to act out upon it before anyone else does. Everyone has the choice to be who they want to be. America will continue to provide the opportunities or decsions for you to make, its just based on you to pursue them. If your dream is to be home for your family on the holidays you need to work as hard as you can to make that happen. If your dream is to own a home to keep a roof over your family's head then so be it, its your choice as to weather you will put in one-hundred and ten percent effort into everything you do in order to make your dreams come true.With that America is more willing to help you live out your dreams knowing that you will do whatever it takes.
If you work hard for what you want America provides the enviornment, and gives you the opportunity to be who you want to be. Many peple have such kindness in their hearts and form charities, food banks, shelters, etc. For people whose dreams are to just have food in their belly and a roof over their head. No matter how big or small your dream is America will help you to achieve your goals. America shows you that they want to help and they want you to succeed by doing all these charitable things. America is known to help people when they are in need of assistance. They strive to help people that strive to help themselves. Just like anyone else America does not want to help someone thats looking for a free ride with no effort, sacrafice, or time commited.
You should never underestimate the limit you can reach. Don't ever think that you can't do something. "If theres a will theres a way" meaning if your willing to do something then no matter what, you will find a way to do whatever you need to be done. If you can put in any amount of effort into anything you do you will come out with amazing results. As long as you try your hardest and give your all America will provide for you what you can't provide for yourself. If you think of it as a loop hole, in order to get what you want you must try as hard as you can. You find the loop hole by showing your effort. America will see your effort and be willing to help you. If you don't try or give any attempt for what you want, your dreams will be harder to achieve. Nothings too far out of reach you just need to believe.
Tyler F
Do you really value what is important in life?
If you ask students why they want to get good grades in school they would most likely respond by saying to get into college, and they want to go to college to get a good job, and they want a good job to have lots of money. We do need money to live a good lifestyle, but is that what people really need to value? People value money way too much. There is a famous saying, “money can’t buy you everything.” Money can buy you a house but not a home. Money can buy you a book but not knowledge.
The things that people should value are family and friends. When you are in deep, they are the people you will turn to. The people that care about you is what is truly vital in your life. A wise man once said, “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.” (Charles Schultz). Love is very important in life and the “chocolate” could be interpreted as money. You need love in life and if you have money that is just the icing on the cake.
People in America are constantly taking things for granted. Even the littlest things make a big difference in our lives. For example our country has good pure water. Other countries are not nearly as fortunate as the United States and yet we don’t cherish the things we do have. We just expect to have things like that and over time we forget how lucky we really are.
I’ll admit it, I too value things that may not be so meaningful and I forget what is really meaningful in life. For example I sometimes take for granted my family. I took my uncle for granted until something terrible happened to him and he ended up in a coma for a month. He woke up the same day they were going to pull the plug. To this day I still believe it was a miracle he survived. I never really realized how much he meant to me until this happened. This made me appreciate family and that it is crucial to always stick by them no matter what. When you are in deep they are the people you are going to turn to.
Zachary Perry
10/3/09
Ms. Robidoux
In America doing what is right means obeying the law. What is right means everything that’s not wrong. Treating other people properly the way you want to be treated, helping out other people and also doing everything your suppose to do by not breaking the law. I agree that what is right means obeying the law because the law is considered wrong and it’s not just the government laws it could be the laws at school, home, and anywhere else.
America is somewhere where you won’t get in trouble for doing the right thing. If some one is volunteering at a homeless shelter they wouldn’t get arrested for it they would be looked at as a help to the society. People who help out in society and doing what is right are doing so because they know that it is what should be done. Even the littlest things can make the difference in right and wrong.
For example if some one litters and gets caught the will receive a fined but if they don’t and use a trash can no one will be there to congratulate them but its still the right thing to do. If everyone followed that America would be a lot better place today. The sides of the roads would be cleaner there also wouldn’t be as much pollution relating to our ozone becoming almost ruined.
In America doing what is considered right means following the laws. Whether it’s the laws of government, parents, schools or anywhere else you may be. The law is what considers something wrong and that’s how you can tell what is right. Anything that is not breaking the law is doing what is right. People who live by law are doing the right thing and people who break the law are doing the wrong thing.
The United States is considered on of the best and the most powerful country in the world. The government is for the people and by the people, it is their duty to make the decisions that will affect the entire nation. The government is based around one very old and important document that is still used today, the Constitution. The Constitution is the basic laws of the government and of the people. Every man is entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Not even the government has the power to take away those basic rights.
Even though the Constitution says that every man is equal, it does not mean Americans have followed that law, or natural right. Or in the business world, you can not be turned away or fired from a job because of your race, it is completely unjust and unconstitutional. The law is meant for all people, no congressman, senate, governor, mayor is exempt from the punishments of their crimes. Everyone is equal in front of the law, you will be tried fairly. And the same goes for power, the color of your skin does not determine the power of said person, everyone is entitled to the same thing.
A statistic in my 11th grade American Literature class shows that 0/20 people believe everyone is equal in America. But these students are probably looking at these equality issues the wrong way. The media can really influence the young adult's mind. A police show in the inner city might show more blacks or Hispanics defying the laws and their punishments, but really whites are committing the same exact crimes and are getting into trouble as well.
Money is one of the most powerful objects to humans; it can corrupt us, turn us bitter with greed,or make us realize the real world in a new perspective. Some people have more money than others, are really money is the key to power. With money comes a lot of opportunities and privileges. For example, all people have the right to an education, Jim whose family is fairly wealthy, has the opportunity to go to a better private school and get a better education. The other kid, Steve, who does not have the wealth to go to a nice private school, misses out on the private school educations. In the end, both Jim and Steve have the right to an education.
Are we all equal?
The constitution says that we are all created equal, but are we all really equal? Nowadays it seems like people with more money are more important than other people. Celebrities and other famous people get special privileges that many other people don’t.
There was an incident were once were a celebrity was pulled over for speeding, but since they were famous they got off without a ticket. At the same time lots of other people, that are just normal everyday people like you and I, get reprimanded for speeding like we are supposed to.
The heads of big businesses seem to be more important as. They have hundreds of people at their disposal. If someone tries to sue them they can hire an army of lawyers with their mounds of money, were as lower income families may only be able to afford one. This makes big businesses almost immune to laws.
There is also discrimination in America that prevents people from being really equal. People can be discriminated against because of their race or gender. For instance it was found that women make about 77% of the salary that men make.
Differences like that make me question weather we are all equal in the United States or if we are just told that to make everyone feel special. The debate still raises the question; are we all really equal?
Personal Essay
Samuel Whatley
Mrs. Robidoux
10/4/09
When has a person came to America and said “I can’t succeed it’s impossible, no matter how hard I try I just can’t because I’m not from America?” I can’t think of one. America is a place where anyone can come along and say I’m going to apply myself and succeed in this place and if they put their minds to it they can live their dreams. Usually in America people will hire you if you work hard and try to succeed, so anyone no matter who you are can succeed. For example my neighbor was trying to become a US citizen for 5 years and when she did she opened up a housecleaning business to support her family and it was her dream to do so. She came from the Philippines as a poor single mother and is now married and has a job to support her family.
They call America the “melting pot of the world”. This is true because, in America we have people from all over the world working their dream job and living their dream, even though they are not from here, they still can succeed in if they apply themselves. For instance, we have had many presidents but this year we have an African American president. This goes to show how no matter whom you are or where you come from you can live the dream and succeed.
Lastly, in America people can go from a low class working family to a prosperous family if the parents apply themselves and strive to succeed. I heard a story once about this man who came to America with a nickel he had been given on his voyage here by a kind sailor and he had always wanted to start a toy company so he took out a loan and started what today is a multi million dollar company that produces super balls and other kids toys that are sold around the country. In America people can always live the dream if they put their minds to it and work hard. People may argue that not everyone can do well in America but I disagree. If you put your mind to it and work at it sooner or later you will succeed in this country, you would have to not try to not succeed. Finally success isn’t just handed to some people they use their gifts and their dreams and work hard to do well and it is always possible to achieve success.
In school I was always taught that everyone is created equal. But over time I found that this statement is false, in fact in some places there are people who are still racist and in favor of slavery. And there are other examples of people not being treated as equals. Such as in the work place minorities are not treated as equal and the social ladder the upper level people are treated as they are famous and the lower class is the poor people are treated like they don’t even matter. And I have a personal experience that demonstrated that minorities aren’t equal. I will explain further and show you what you should already believe.
In the work place minorities such as African American people, women, and Mexicans are not treaded as equals, they get treated as they aren’t as good as the other people. And the boss gets the best treatment and the people under him get treated like they aren’t as good. And everyone should be treated as equals and not be bossed around by higher power.
People in the social ladder are not considered equal. The rich people are treated like they are famous and they get people kissing up to them because they want their money. The people who are poor and cant afford nice clothes and things get treated like they don’t matter and its kind of disappointing that that happens.
I recently read a good book titled “to kill a mocking bird”. And this book was about an African American male that is being framed for rape of a Caucasian woman. His attorney is a Caucasian male who believes he is innocent and he fights for his right. In the end the African American man who was frames was proven innocent and the group of white men killed him anyway because they we angry. The story is a example that people are not treated as equals.
Although since we became an independent society over 200 years ago when the Declaration of Independence was signed we have made a lot of progress in equality but we aren’t there yet but before another 200 years we should all be equal in everyone’s eyes. But the U.S. made a huge step towards total equality when Barrack Obama has been elected as president. But as you can see we aren’t all treated as equals but we will be soon enough.
When was the last time you weren’t compared to someone else or when others didn’t influence you? Most likely this has happened to you more than once. All around you anywhere you go you’re looking at how other people look, act or vice versa. If you’re not comparing yourself to others, they will be comparing themselves to you. My generation has grown up to believe that everyone is equal and that no one should be judged. I believe that should be the case, but unfortunately in society today it’s not. When you think about inequality what comes to mind? Racism? Religion? Sex? Everything possible in the world from the way your parents treat you, to teachers and their rules, or to the color of your skin isn’t equal. I believe everyone should be treated the same.
Everyone in America should be familiar with the story of Rosa Parks. She fought for her rights to sit in the front of the bus as an African American woman. She resisted racial segregation which was unheard of at that time and became a role model in history. When you look back in time you see people fighting against racism because of the color of their skin or their religion. Citizens of the United States are blind if they think segregation is gone today. People everywhere are still getting judged because of their color or their religion. The United States just elected their first black president and some people today still have a problem with it. We are supposed to be an equal country and those problems regarding equality should be behind us. Racism shouldn’t even be an issue today but it is still present in our society. We’ve had wars about it and still people are being judged.
Being equal doesn’t just involve what’s happened in our past but it also involves what’s happening in our present. Parents and teachers are also part of not treating others equally. When you step into a classroom you are advised to follow the teacher’s rules. You need to do what they say or you will get in trouble. That’s a form of inequality. Teachers are treating the students as inferior to them and controlling them just like parents do. Parents have to tell children what to do all the time. I know from experience that your parents have complete control over you and you that you have to do what they say. I’ve been grounded plenty of times from not listening to my parents. I know I’m supposed to obey them but why do I have to? Why do teachers and parents have control over everything you do and how you act? I don’t think that’s right. As Americans we are all supposed to have freedom of speech but in these cases we don’t.
The world today is still separated by upper and lower classes and by appearances. Everyone wants to be wealthy and if they aren’t they will judge those who have more money than they or those who have none at all. People who are “rich” are viewed as snobs or stuck up. People who have little money will be called “poor” and be treated with little respect. It’s also not right how people are treated just because of how they look or act. Whoever doesn’t wear the right clothes or hang out with the right people will be judged and discriminated against because of their appearance and how they want to act. You’re always being compared to someone. If you’re not doing the right thing you’re either “weird” or an outcast. To live in a perfect America you always need to say or do the “right” things.
In America I believe everyone is not equal. I think society wants us to be but we all know we are not. If we are all equal there would be no such thing as racism. The United States is a strong country but not when it comes to being equal. Everyone in the world is equal to me but to other people they aren’t. America is only equal on paper, not in its actions. I believe that America will never be an equal country. We are all too stubborn to realize what’s right and what’s wrong. For now though we will just have to deal with the inequality of the United States.
How many times have you heard “ we are all equal?”. I know that ever since I was in kindergarten my teacher always told me to share because we are all the same and nobody is superior to one another. When America separated from Britain and we turned into our own country, everybody came here for freedom and to be treated equal. America says we are all equal under god, but really how equal are we?
In highschool, I can tell you that the first thing that you notice is that highschool is full of cliques and groups. Highschool is no where near equal, “preps” feel superior when they spend $100 on a pair of jeans. In society today, people are very judgmental. If you don’t wear what’s in, or if your not pretty or handsome enough, then it makes people feel less superior to them just because they look better or have better clothes. Even in celebrities, why should they get to go to clubs and get away with breaking the law? What makes them so much better from average society? They are normal people just like us. Sure they have talents, but don’t we all? America just needs to focus on treating people equal, other than giving power to those who don’t necessarily deserve it.
Have you ever heard a racist joke or racial comments come from somebody’s mouth? Racism is still HUGE, and is in my opinion getting worse. People are very stereotypical and believe blacks have less freedom than a white person, why should that be? Why should they be punished because they have dark skin? Even since the early America’s, racism has had a big impact on society. We used to use them as slaves, and soon we let them free, and considered them “equal.” Martin Luther King was dark skinned, and he wanted things to change because he felt society wasn’t treating them fairly. He got killed for what he believed in, just because he had dark skin. Our society today is sick and I really don’t think that we have really gotten over racism and overcome them being equal. For example, In sophomore year I heard some white guys calling these other boys the “N” word. No matter what color, we are still to this day racist towards one another.
One of the biggest unfairness’ would be the equality between a man and a woman. Men are very skeptical about women, and they love to feel superior to women. For example, have you ever seen a woman president? I sure haven’t. Hillary Clinton was going to run, but she knew she was never going to win against two men so she dropped out of the campaign. Back in the early America’s women were considered property. Their husbands could boss them around, and they couldn’t vote, nor could they run for any political office. They simply had to sit at home while their husbands got to go out and explore the world. It was only recently that women had the right to vote. On August 26, 1920 the 19th amendment was finally created allowing women to vote. That’s not very long. I believe we still have a lot to work on before we can really become “equal”.
America’s founding fathers would love to believe that everyone is equal, however we are far from it. In the constitution we have freedoms, to ALL people, why don’t we follow the rules of our mother country? I believe that maybe someday, America will be equal. However, we are a long journey away from becoming a free, equal, and non-judgmental society.
In America, we value the right things.
I disagree with this statement. It's the 21st century, and we do not value what we use to. In this case,
our society values mostly all the wrong things.Us people care too much of what the future brings and what
new inventions genius people are making for us.
The things that we should be valuing in life, are the things that we abuse the most. A lot of people these days
are all about the material things, and all the new trends. People would do whatever they can do be noticed, or
for people to hear their voices. With that being said, people value the wrong things to get to that point. Whether
it's drugs, alcohol, orthe most expensive clothes/jewelry. This is the type of "value" that i'm focusing on. In our
country, it's the most common.
There's a variety of different people in our country, there's the high class , middle class, and low class people.
The high class people, usually most likely get whatever they want. If they ask their parents for something, they
obviously will get it. For example if a high class girl got an ipod, then a week later it broke ; the parent would get
them a new one. On the other hand, a middle class girl gets an ipod, and then breaks it they might not get a new
one, they might have to wait, or buy themselves a new one. A lower class girl, might not even get an ipod. The
high class girl probably isn't even appreciative about the fact that if something happens to something of hers she
can get a new one, where as a middle or lower class girl is lucky to even get a new one or get one at all. People
need to stop and think, and be greatful for what he/or she has in life, because there's people out there who are
just lucky enough to have a roof over their heads.
Personally, I am ungreatful sometimes, and don't stop and appreciate what i have. I get something, say thank you
to whoever gets it for me then that's that. If i can't get something that i want, i get kinda mad. I forget that i'm lucky to
have what i have, and i don't appreciate the fact that i have things that some people might not. When i think about it,
it shows how greedy i can be, and how i should appreciate what my parents do for me. I should value the right things
in life instead of the wrong. I shouldn't let material or electronic things take over me. I should be greatful and appreciative
of the fact i have a roof over my head, food to eat, a place to sleep, and a great family. The new high tech things we have
kinda take over all of that. Maybe reading this will get you to think, that we're really lucky.
Overall, the word "value" has many different definitions. It's the way you define value that can change the way you look
at different things about life an society. In this case, it's material things, and being able to be greatful for what you have.
This topic can go in many different directions, but this is the most common topic of value that we have in America.
Is America the best nation? I believe America is the best nation, well I believe it is, and I’m going to tell you why.
America has the most freedom such as the freedom of speech, the freedom to be who you want to be, and do what you want to do. You also have the right to say America isn’t the best nation, I have never understood this and don’t understand why people who say this continue to live here, but that’s a different story. In America you have the right to diss what ever you believe, weather it be from the government, to religion, to anything you feel you dislike, or don’t agree with, in other countries saying you hate the government would get you thrown out or killed, in other countries you can’t speak your mind.
Thought my years of History lessons, I have learned of the U.S. and other countries, from what I have learned the U.S. has overcome most of the problems that have faced other countries. Such as the right to vote and Women’s rights, in Communist countries such as Cuba, China, and North Korea. I remember years ago, I heard on 60 minutes about a cowardly U.S. solider who abandoned his squad and went over to North Korea, in other words a traitor, he lived there most of his life, until he was very old, and was able to come back to the U.S. In the interview with 60 minutes, he told them about the conditions of how North Korea treated him as a citizen, not a prisoner because he went there on his own freewill, they told him when to have sex, when to do anything, where as in the U.S. you decide when to have sex and when to do anything when you feel its right. I know this is a long story and you may not see right away where I’m coming from but what I mean, is that this guy had his rights violated, he was getting told what to do and when to do it, and its not like it was his boss telling him to do something in work, it was the North Korean government telling him when to eat, when to have sex, when to do any thing, that over here is a right, and these are rights that you do when you feel like it at you own discretion.
The last reason for America being the best nation is, our Government has kept the U.S. together, an example of that would be the civil war, if not for wining this who knows what the county would be like today, and allowing the draft dodgers to return after they ran the country so they couldn’t go into the war, also they have helped other countries, fight for their revolution, countries such as Vietnam, South Korea, France, Poland, as well as other countries. Now what is your opinion?
These are some of the many reason, I feel The United States Of America is the best nation.
Is America the best nation on Earth? Well, I think this is a great question because there really is no actual answer. There is no book or website out there that can tell us what the best nation on Earth is, because it’s more of an opinion than a fact. Some people may feel that it is because we have more opportunities then people in other countries, while many other people feel that not everyone is equally entitled to those opportunities. There are many different ways to prove, and disprove this theory, which is why it’s such a difficult subject; there is no possible way to come to a true conclusion.
“We boarded the ship with high hopes for this new country; we’ve been dreaming of streets paved in gold.” The quote is from a book I read as a child, about people immigrating to America from Europe. The people were expecting America to be perfect, to be “the best” nation in the world. They were disappointed, because the streets were obviously not made of gold, and they were treated very unfairly because of the fact that they were immigrants. They learned that things do not just get handed to you because you are in a new country, that you have to work hard for everything you earn, and that sometimes even when you do work hard, you get absolutely nothing in return. On the other hand, the country they had come from at the time did not even give them the right to practice their own religion, or to even hold a steady paying job; two things that America did offer them. Either way, it was a very bittersweet situation. Most stayed in this new country and hoped for the best.
“America the beautiful…” is a quote from a patriotic song written by Katherine Lee Bates. Judging by the lyrics in the song, they make quite an accurate picture of America, but not in all areas. There are definitely parts of this country that are filled with blue skies and green grass, and beautiful mountains and lakes, and other things that make America beautiful. But then there are big cities filled with drug dealers, trash in the streets, homeless people sleeping in parks, prostitutes on every corner; things that most definitely do not define the term “beautiful” or “best” in any way, shape, or form. A country defined as the “best” should be a place where all citizens of that country at least have a right to be happy. Nobody in his or her right mind could be surrounded in crime and disease, and be happy at the same time.
All in all, though America may very well not be a perfect nation, it is about as close to the best as the world can get. This country is full of problems, but what country isn’t? The people that make up America are only human, and make mistakes and bad decisions just like everyone else. We may be surrounded by disease, but unlike other countries, we have the medicine and health care to take care of the people that are sick. We may have a problem of obesity, but people in other countries are so starving and food deprived, they’re dying in the streets. America is not the best nation on earth, but if you really had to decide between staying in America and possibly getting swine flu, or moving to the poorest village in Africa and definitely getting AID, which would you choose?
ARE AMERICANS FAIR-MINDED?
American...fair-minded? Is the answer really yes or no? to hard to see? There really isn’t an answer for a question like this; it’s all just a matter of opinion. Some people would say that people from the US are disrespectful, rude and selfish. Others like Americans can say that people from Britain are ignorant, pompous, and stubborn. No nobodies perfect and everybody makes mistakes.
People are always going to think of any in either a positive or a negative way and there’s really no way to stop it. You could go and be nice hoping that changes their opinion about you or you could just go out and be a real ass to them because they think something about you and that pisses you off. Those people are just rude and obnoxious to go out and be a jerk to someone that doesn’t like you or thinks a certain way about you. Maybe if you stopped caring that would show them that, “aw this guy is cool he doesn’t care what people think about him I was wrong I’m going to be nice to him now.” Yeah there’s a lot of those people that look at America as the glass being half full, “there’s freedom, everybody’s equal, it’s a new start there, etc.”
Then there are you “Debbie Downer” sort of characters, the ones who look at America with discomfort and anger. Why do they hate us? Who knows they think we are rude but they are just as rude too. Are they jealous? We really can’t answer that question it’s because its everyone’s own opinion. Now let’s go back to the core question “Are Americans Fair-Minded?” My opinion is undecided, because there are way to many people in America that are either fair-minded or not. It would be a lie if I agreed with the statement. It’s not fair for all the kind fair-minded Americans out there trying to be real helpfully to one another and not getting the full credit for it. Everyone has there own opinion on things and this question cannot be classified into a yes or no answer.
Laura Piluri
October 4, 2009
English Class
“America is a place where all kinds of people can live out their dreams.” Many people may agree with this statement, not going to lie I even believed it was true for years. Right when you think America words that come to mind are freedom, equality, and a strong government. Well I had a change of heart about a week ago. The books and the TV will say “Everyone is equal in America.” That is even what my generation have been taught in school. Everyone sees things differently my brain isn’t the same as yours, as in our beliefs. America has a majority of different kinds of people, and none are treated the same way.
The other week in history class I heard a story that made me think about how ridicules the media
a can be. Mr. Yip (my history teacher) was sharing a story about how a Muslim woman wanted to be in politics I believe it was a senator. The media was so cruel to her. She was placed in newspapers and on the internet as a spy for her country, it was ridiculous the things Mr. Yip said the media did. Her component in my opinion seemed to be an idiot , he was a Caucasian man. The media said nothing about him though. Even when this man did or said something odd they seemed to ignore it and talked very positive about him. That woman on the other hand, went through so much and at the end even lost the election. The man ended up being a terrible senator and lost the state a lot of money. When I heard this story I couldn’t stop thinking about that woman’s situation.
That woman that Mr. Yip described to the class seemed to be like she would be such a better senator then that man so it made me even more angry. The media can say anything to make a good story. Well in this situation it blew up in their faces they look so stupid and racist. This poor woman’s dream was to be a senator, and no one even heard what she wanted for the state, or the interesting ideas she had all she cared about was the color of her skin, her religion and where her great ancestors were from. Can you imagine what that woman went threw? All because she is Muslim. I thought we were all equal herein America? I guess not.
I no longer see America as I did. Don’t get me wrong we have come a very long way but there is still need for improvement. Segregation is still here, and probably will stay here for many years to come. Those situations happen every second all over. Not as public as that woman’s situation but it does happen. This was the situation that really just made me think a lot about how ridiculous it is to judge someone by their looks. we are all human and everyone should be treated equally.
As a child I was always told that America is the greatest country on earth. I believed it for years but once I started watching the news I saw the truth. Our country is a mess, our economy is one of the worst in the world, the Obama Administration is failing, and the people are in crisis. Now I was told America is the greatest, but how can a country in this much trouble possibly be the best?
In the year 2001 we suffered a devastating terrorist attack. The country has never recovered and wont anytime soon. To this day people walk into an airport scared. After this attack our nation jumped into a war, that we clearly didn’t think through. Our troops are still over seas making little to no progress and the end of the war is still no where in sight. The war has destroyed our economy, the war in Iraq has cost over $688,000,000,000, and the war in Afghanistan cost us over $228,000,000,000.
Americans are losing jobs at an alarming pace. 9.8% of Americans are unemployed, the highest it has been in over ten years. People used to come to America because is was the land of opportunity but if you came here now you wouldn’t be able to find a job. To get a good job in America you need a college degree and even that’s not good enough sometimes. People are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on schooling and then they cant even get a job when their done.
I’ve seen a lot of people that think America is the greatest country on earth, but how can they possibly say that looking at the problems we have. China is a country rising to the top, they have all the money they need and one of the greatest armies in the world. America is in trouble. Our government needs to make some decisions about where our country is headed. Is it possible for America to ever rise to the top again?
Laura-i think what happened to that women in your article is horriable. She nor anyone else deserves to be treated like that. I'm glad that changed the way you think now about america living out their dreams. It changed the way i know think too about that topic.
Tyler P- what you said about americans being equal is similiar to what my essay was about. I liked how you put the example though about the story how to kill a mockingbird i would have never even thought of that.
Joey I agree yet disagree, I feel our nation is a mess at times, but our Country being the size that it is, and the consumers that we are, makes other countries rely on us, also many other countries are doing far worse then we are.
Tara I do agree 100% with your statement, but really its a sign of the times, the more technologically inclined you are the more likely you distance your self from every one are around you.
Zack I do agree with you, how ever some of the laws in this country are ridiculous, ex: someone slams on there brakes right in front of you, you can't stop so you get in trouble, and gotta pay them, or if someone breaks in to your house and your dog bites them, they can sue you.
Sam W
I agree with Sam, America is a glorious place of opportunity. If you think about it, a majority of our families immigrated to the states, they were all looking for a better life. But what gets me pissed off is the low-lives that do get into the country and live off the government, or basically it is us paying for them. But in the end, who's to say you can't do something? And the whole "president is black" is so irrelevant, who cares what color he is, we made him president of this country because we believe he could be a strong leader.
Tyler P
I completely disagree with your opinion. In today's society money is power. The rich can get what they want as long as they pay for it, like everyone else. Maybe they worked extremely hard for it, and are enjoying it now. And maybe sometimes Mexicans and African Americans maybe treated different, but THEY may be the reason why they didn't get a job. For Example: A Mexican guy wants a job as a telemarketer in the U.S. If he can't speak English then he is out of luck, he needs to learn the language fluently before he can become a telemarketer. And the book "To Kill A Mocking Bird" was a fictional story, it never happened, its not real proof, it might have been influenced by an event, but its really irrelevant. And just because Obama has been elected as president does not mean he has fixed a "problem" that wasn't broken in the first place. Just because his skin is darker doesn't mean he is gonna be a good leader.
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