****REVISED,AGAIN****
Brock Kawana
Professor Harrison
English 101
14 April 2009
Come Together Right Now, Over Me
Bob Dylan was once quoted, “The times they are a-changing.” (Import Images) Now in his later years in life, I would be a betting man in saying he is now looking through his dark, shaded glasses knowing that all along he was correct. The times as we know them will always unquestionably change as he said, but I wonder if Bob Dylan would have foreseen a president with the slogan speaking in his own words “Change.” The coming together of a country to put a president in office is what the voters should be viewing as a country.
The United States was built as a country by people who did not want to live under a higher authority telling them what to do. Those very same people who helped build this country did not want to listen to a Queen telling them what to do. The ones who left Europe in search of a new life believed in what I take for granted now a days; freedom. They fought, killed, and died for this right of freedom. Our first amendment proclaims our freedoms. It is what built The United States of America.
There were times in this country, not long ago, when segregation was real and accepted as a common standard. United States citizens could not even use the same bathroom, ride in the same cars, and use the same water fountains, because of their difference of skin color. The people of the United States did not look at this country as who shared it, but our vision was through that of racist eyes. This produced such activist leaders like Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and, The Birmingham Six. These were all people who decided that they would not just give up their right to their freedom and fall in line, but instead to fight with their minds and the power of group organizations. It provoked a struggle with a meaningful cause. Minorities in this country were not being treated equally and there was not any justice behind it. The Jim Crow laws are what antagonized this rebellion. I personally laugh at these rules, but only fifty years prior to me writing this, they were followed as if they were laws written in stone.
Stetson Kennedy formatted the rules that Blacks were supposed to follow according to the Jim Crow Laws:
1. Never assert or even intimate that a White person is lying.
2. Never impute dishonorable intentions to a White person.
3. Never suggest that a White person is from an inferior class.
4. Never lay claim to, or overly demonstrate, superior knowledge or intelligence.
5. Never curse a White person.
6. Never laugh derisively at a White person.
7. Never comment upon the appearance of a White female. (216)
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands: one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” (Douglas)
After reading those seven Jim Crow rules does that really imply liberty and justice for all? It seemed as if the United States was crawling back into the dark hole that the country tried so hard to get out of earlier. Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, and all the countless efforts of people to end slavery had disappeared. The United States as a country was not accepting equal rights, which stood against everything they worked so hard for in the beginning. My outlook on the situation would be that freedom should go to the ones who believe in it, who deserves it and everybody in the country that believes in freedom and stands up and fights for it, deserves that very same right. A freedom is a right in the constitution of our very own government, not a privilege that is optional.
In Diane Ackerman’s book, “A Natural History of The Senses”, she exclaims, “The color we see is always the one being reflected into our eyes. The color we see is always the one being reflected, the one that doesn’t stay put and get absorbed.” (252) Ackerman’s words speak about our natural instinct as human beings more than anything. Human beings see things in color. If I were to break it down in a literal sense, humans are nothing but a rejected color. A pigment in our skin which the sun hits and makes us darker or lighter but all humans are the same.
November 4th, 2008 will be a day that the United States never forgets. It was a day in history when an African-American man would win the presidential election. Immediately I just said African-American man. The media has turned this into a race issue more than anything else. That should not even matter at this point; voters should be viewing him as just another man. Why does the United States still view it is as black, white, brown, yellow, purple, or red? That is the powerfulness of a group striving for a common goal and then in turn achieving that goal.
The time was around 10:15 when it was declared that Obama had won the presidential election. I could hear the people rushing out of our small Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s towers of Scranton and Lawrence Halls. I saw a pure expression of achievement in real life. It all starts with one person who believes in the cause, then turns into a thousand people and so on.
With a quick glance as I look at my picture it shows a riot once Obama had been elected as president. Instead of seeing it as a bunch of college kids acting up, look at it with open eyes. The students in this picture were part of a common goal: It is being an eighteen year old and finally having that ability to vote. There is no pitch here to persuade a vote for one person or the other. The fact is this president is going to be running the country that all U.S. Citizens reside in for the next four years. The United States allows its citizens to pick this person. There is not a punishment for voting, there is no wrong or right and it the voter’s freedom to choose. It is a constitutional right, the right to vote along with such other important ones as the right to bear arms, freedom of speech, freedom of press and freedom of religion.
When a citizen votes it is a statement. The voter is using their mind to decipher who they would like to run the country for the next four years. Every vote counts towards a voter’s own opinion. The power is all in the voter’s own hands. Nobody can tell a voter that their decision is wrong because it is their own decision.
When President Obama won the election, it was a milestone in history. To think back when the United States was one day discriminating against every race or ethnicity other than white. Now look how far America has come as a country and changed its very own ways. Once Obama won, not only did the U.S. celebrate as the picture displays, but the news stations would show other countries celebrating for America as well. There has to be a reason for their happiness. These other country’s citizens do not live in the United States. Those citizens in other countries do not follow our laws. However these other countries around the world can see the change that America is going through. It puts hope that one day maybe one day other countries around the world can change also.
I want to live in a place where the world does not look at each other as separate countries and start wars, but to come to the realization that all living things share the very same world. Every country on this planet is different. Instead of looking at it as countries, as living things we all share one big Earth. The more humans fighting one another, the more humans waste time. Homo sapiens are all bonded together on this community known as the world through having the same opportunities. I believe that the main goal is peace; peace of mind, peace of soul, peace of inner-being, peace to the person next to you. “Now that all the smoke is gone, and the battle is finally won. Victory is finally ours. History is so long, so long, so long.” – Shawn Carter
**************REVISION***************
Brock Kawana
Professor Harrison
English 101
23 February 2009
Come Together Right Now, Over Me
Bob Dylan was once quoted, “The times they are a-changing.” Now in his later years in life, I would be a betting man in saying he is now looking through his dark shaded glasses knowing that all along he was correct. The times as we know them will always unquestionably change as he said, but I wonder if Bob Dylan would have foreseen a president with the slogan speaking in his own words “Change.”
A philosopher may say that a mind is a beautiful thing to waste. What about when there is a group of minds, all striving for the same goal? All of these intellectuals come together at once and there is no other reason but to accomplish that one main goal. There is no judging of this or that. The only thing that matters is if the group meets the needs of their goal. Then when that group of people comes together, I would say there is the potential to have the ability and potential to accomplish anything. Thus my proposal is; forming of continuity is a beautiful thing to waste.
There were times in this country when segregation was real and accepted as a common standard. United States citizens could not even use the same bathroom, ride in the same cars, use the same water fountains, everything was segregated through race. The people of the United States did not look at this country as they were all people that share it, but our vision was through that of racist eyes. This produced such people like Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and, The Birmingham Six. These were all people who decided that they would not just give up their right to their freedom and fall in line, but instead fight with their mind and group organization. To fight with a cause, a bond of brotherhood because they all knew they were right. The Jim Crow laws are what antagonized this rebellion by so many people, it was a set of rules that now a days would get laughed at.
Stetson Kennedy formatted the rules that Blacks were supposed to follow according to the Jim Crow Laws:
1. Never assert or even intimate that a White person is lying.
2. Never impute dishonorable intentions to a White person.
3. Never suggest that a White person is from an inferior class.
4. Never lay claim to, or overly demonstrate, superior knowledge or intelligence.
5. Never curse a White person.
6. Never laugh derisively at a White person.
7. Never comment upon the appearance of a White female. (Kennedy)
These laws in their own right were enough to show the discrimination in this country alone. It was as if our country was crawling back into the dark hole that they tried so hard to get out of earlier. The work that Abraham Lincoln had done to free the slaves, the ancestors of these very same people were still being treated unequally. A freedom is a right in the constitution of our very own government, not a privilege that is optional.
In Diane Ackerman’s book, A Natural History of The Senses, she exclaims, “Lovers want to do serious touching, and not be disturbed. So they close their eyes as if asking two cherished relatives to leave the room.” (230) Ackerman’s words speak about our natural instinct as human beings more than anything. It does not matter who the person is or what color their skin is. The body’s immediately tells the mind to close the eyes. Each part of the process builds after the other.
November 4th, 2008 will be a day that the United States never forgets. It was a day in history when an African-American man would win the presidential election. Immediately I just said African-American man. The media has turned this into a race issue more than anything else. Although that should not even matter at this point, as people we should just be exclaiming another man. Why does the United States still view it is as black, white, brown, yellow, purple, or red? The coming together of a country to put a president in office is what we should be viewing as a country. That is the powerfulness of a group striving for a common goal and then in turn achieving that goal.
The time was around 10:15 when it was declared that Obama had won the presidential election. I could hear the people rushing out of our small Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s towers of Scranton and Lawrence Halls. When I saw the look on somebody’s face, who had worked so hard to achieve their own goals, it is just pure relief as an expression they show. When that one person turns into a group of over one thousand, those very same people have to show their appreciation for their work and hard effort somehow.
By looking at my picture it shows a riot over Obama being elected as president. Truth is told there is much more to that picture than perceived. Instead of seeing it as a bunch of college kids acting up, look at it with open eyes. The students in this picture were part of a common goal. It is being an eighteen year old and finally having that ability to vote. There is no pitch here to persuade a vote for one person or the other. The fact is this person is going to be running the country that all U.S. Citizens reside in for the next four years. Go out there and vote. It is a constitutional right, the right to vote along with such other important ones as the right to bears arms, freedom of speech, freedom of press and freedom of religion.
Even one vote is part of an addition of all the votes from other people who believe in the same cause. While the common thinking of an ignorant person would be for them to say how their vote does not matter, or if they do vote and their president elect does not win then it was all a waste of time. The fact is, there is no wasted time. At least there was an attempt at trying to be productive, to go out there and say I believe in this for these reasons. Then put the pen to the paper and vote away. Hoping that a cause along with others is strong enough together to form a pull on the United States and get the more suitable president elect into office.
When President Obama won the election, it was a milestone in history. To think back when the United States was one day discriminating against every race or ethnicity other than white. Now look how far America has come as a country and changed it’s very own ways. When Obama had won not only did the U.S. celebrate as the picture displays, but they would show other countries celebrating for America as well. There has to be a reason for their happiness. They do not live in the United States. They do not follow our laws. However these other countries around the world can see the change that America is going through. It puts hope that one day maybe one day their countries can change also.
I want to live in a place where the world does not look at each other as separate countries and start wars, but to come to the realization that all living things share the very same world. Every country on this planet is different. Instead of looking at it as countries, as living things we all share one big Earth. The more humans fight ourselves, the more humans waste time. Homo Sapiens are all bonded together on this community known as the world, so I believe that the main goal which is peace. Peace of mind, peace of soul, peace of inner-being, peace be to the man next to you. “Now that all the smoke is gone, and the battle is finally won. Vicotry is finally ours. History is so long, so long, so long.” – Jay-Z
Revision Statement
When I was revising my paper I listened to what Marlen always teaches me. I could hear his voice when I was circling mistakes, “Society, who is society?” I want to make my paper have more of a flow for the persuasion that I was trying to represent. I want to grasp the reader’s attention with my intro by giving them a Bob Dylan quote and combining it with President Barack Obama’s own slogan. I think that they are two different ends of the spectrum, which will intrigue people to continue on reading. Also I edited my sentences a lot more. Instead of just bullshitting through my work, I took time to sit down and read each part. I went back and tried to make sure everything was perfect.
It is hard to get a paper returned to you with a capital “R” on it, knowing that you have failed. I never knew there was such a thing as “shitty first drafts” until I had this class. Honestly, I wish I always would have known about them. It lets you be more creative and is an ego-check for you as well. Reminding me that I am not the greatest writer on this face of the planet, we all have to write again and again.
Brock Kawana
Professor Harrison
English 101
1 February 2009
Come Together Right Now, Over Me
Bob Dylan was once quoted, “The times they are a-changing.” Now in his later years in life, I would be a betting man in saying he is now looking through his dark shaded glasses knowing that all along he was correct. The times as we know them will always unquestionably change as he said, but I wonder if Bob Dylan would have foreseen a president with the slogan speaking in his own words “Change.”
They say that a mind is a beautiful thing to waste. What about when you have a group of minds, all striving for the same goal? When all of you come together at once and there is no other reason but to accomplish that one main goal. There is no judging of this, that, where you are from or how you look. The only thing that matters is if you are in the group with everybody else striving to accomplish what is at hand. Then when you have a group of people coming together, I would say you have the ability and potential to have the power to accomplish anything. The forming of continuity is a beautiful thing to waste.
There were times in this country when segregation was real and accepted as a common standard. United States citizens could not even use the same bathroom, ride in the same cars, use the same water fountains, everything was segregated through race. We did not look at this country as we are all people that share it, but our vision was through that of racist eyes. This produced such people to the likes of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and, The Birmingham Six. These were all people who decided that they would not just give up their right to their freedom and fall in line, but instead fight with their mind and group organization. To fight with a cause, a bond of brotherhood because they all knew they were right. The Jim Crow laws are what antagonized this rebellion by so many people, it was a set of rules that we would scoff at now a days.
Stetson Kennedy formatted the rules that Blacks were supposed to follow according to the Jim Crow Laws:
1. Never assert or even intimate that a White person is lying.
2. Never impute dishonorable intentions to a White person.
3. Never suggest that a White person is from an inferior class.
4. Never lay claim to, or overly demonstrate, superior knowledge or intelligence.
5. Never curse a White person.
6. Never laugh derisively at a White person.
7. Never comment upon the appearance of a White female. (Kennedy)
These laws in their own right were enough to show the discrimination in this country alone. It was as if our country was crawling back into the dark hole that they tried so hard to get out of earlier. The work that Abraham Lincoln had done to free the slaves, the ancestors of these very same people were still being treated unequally. A freedom is a right in the constitution of our very own government, not a privilege that is optional.
In Diane Ackerman’s book, A Natural History of The Senses, she exclaims, “Lovers want to do serious touching, and not be disturbed. So they close their eyes as if asking two cherished relatives to leave the room.” (230) Ackerman’s words speak about our natural instinct as human beings more than anything. It does not matter who the person is or what color their skin is. Your body immediately tells you to close your eyes no matter what your mind may be thinking.
November 4th, 2008 will be a day that our country never forgets. It was a day in history when an African-American man would win the presidential election. Immediately I just said African-American man. The media had turned this into a race issue more than anything else. Although that should not even matter at this point anymore, we should just be exclaiming another man. Why do we as a country still view it is as black, white, brown, yellow, purple, or red? The coming together of a country to put a man in office is what we should be viewing as a society, now that is the powerfulness of a group striving for a common goal and then in turn achieving that goal.
The time was around 10:15 when it was declared that Obama had won the presidential election. You could hear the people rushing out of our small Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s towers of Scranton and Lawerence. When you see the look on somebody’s face, when they worked so hard to achieve their goal and it is just pure relief they are going to be excited when they accomplish that goal. Now when that one person turns into a group of over one thousand, those very same people have to show their appreciation for their work and hard effort somehow.
By looking at my picture you might think to yourself that we, when I say we I too was part of the Obama riots of IUP, were just a bunch of hopped up kids trying to cause a ruckus and just craving for attention. In all actuality that was farther from the truth than ever imagined. It is being an eighteen year old and finally having that ability to vote. There is no pitch here to persuade you to vote for one person or the other, but the fact is you should go out there and vote. It is one of your constitutional rights, the right to vote along with such other important ones as the right to bears arms, freedom of speech, freedom of press and freedom of religion.
Your one vote is part of an addition of many other votes from other people who believe in the same cause as yourself. While the common thinking of an ignorant person would be them saying how their vote does not matter, or if they do vote and their president elect does not win then it was all a waste of time. The fact is, there is no wasted time. At least you were trying to be productive, to go out there and say you believe in this for these reasons is all you can do, then you put the pen to the paper and vote away. Hoping that your cause along with others is strong enough together to form a pull on the American society and get your president elect into office.
When President Obama won the election, it was a milestone in history. To think that our country was one day discriminating against every race or ethnicity other than white, and now look how far we have come as a country and changed our ways. When Obama had won not only did the U.S. celebrate as you can tell by the picture, but they would show other countries celebrating for us as well. There has to be a reason for their happiness, they do not live in the United States, they do not follow our laws, but they can see the change that our country is going through and puts hope that one day maybe their countries can change also.
I want to live in a place where the world does not look at each other as separate countries and start wars, but to come to the realization that we all share the very same world. We are all our own separate countries but it is true that we all share the same thing known as the world, yet we still fight one another and destroy what we share. The more we fight ourselves, the more we waste time. We are all bonded together on this community known as the world, so we all strive for the same goal which is peace. “Now that all the smoke is gone, and the battle is finally won. Vicotry is finally ours. History is so long, so long, so long.” – Jay-Z
Revision Statement
When I revised my paper for the second time, I really had to leave my ignorance behind and learn from my mistakes. It was hard for me to take out some of what I had written, but then I realized it brought a better flow to my paper. I wanted to make my paper more entertaining for the reader and get my point across in the beginning of my paper to add a rising action towards my climax. I had to fix all my grammatical errors along with my cited work within the paper. I like to take it as more of a challenge than anything. I wanted to overcome my shitty drafts and make a one that I can be proud of.
I want to show Marlen that I do care about my work and that I want to receive a better grade to improve my own grade in his class. When I was revising my own paper I started to realize some of the shit I wrote was just fucking bullshit and had no reason to be there. In my own experience that seems to work better though. When I add all the shit I can in the first draft then seep through the paper again and pull out all the intriguing parts of the paper to make a final draft. I love it.
