Writing Prompt: Freedom of Speech and Press

     Was President Obama right to come out and tell the public to stop listening to Rush Limbaugh? What does this say about his fear of criticism? Is he really that paranoid?  What does this say about his opinion on the intellect of Americans?

Something to think about:
     John Milton, 17th Century Poet said, “Let all with something to say be free to express themselves.  The true and sound will survive.  The false and unsound will be vanquished.  Government should keep out of the battle and not weigh the odds in favor of one side or the other “.  His principles of the “self-righting process” and “open marketplace of ideas” were promoted by Thomas Paine, and Thomas Jefferson took it to heart and argued that, “any government which can not stand up to published criticism deserves to fall”.-1   Further Thomas Jefferson who was highly scrutinized by the press said, “The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers and be capable of reading them.” –Thomas Jefferson to Edward Carrington, 1787. ME 6:57″. -2 

  Sources:

1-  Terror on the internet, The New Arena, the New Challenges; Gabriel Weimann. 2006.  Chap. 7 Balancing Security and Civil Liberties, pg. 232.  also available online for preview: http://books.google.com/books?id=19iCbNOoYmIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Thomas+Jefferson+a+government+that+could+not+stand+up+under+criticism+deserved+to+fall&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PPP1,M1 

2-  Thomas Jefferson on Politics & Government- Freedom of the Press: http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/jeff1600.htm

Writing Prompt: Mentoring

Writing Prompt: Write a few creative ways you can mentor a child so that they will have the opportunity to get ahead in life?
Will you teach them manners? How to eat right and exercise. How to capture their history and keep their heritage alive for generations. Do you know how to sew? How to write? How to play a sport? Do you have a special talent? If you have something to share then you can be a mentor.

Writing Prompt: President Obama’s Generation – S (Service)

 

Yesterday at noon Eastern Time Zone our 44th President took his oath of office. President Obama has stirred the emotions and won the hearts of the American people.  After watching Oprah’s show on the eve of the inauguration with Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Usher, and the musical artist who performed the “America’s Song”, plus yesterdays inauguration speech, I am full of hope for America despite the adversities we are facing.  I have always been proud to be American, and only disappointed by those who do not know the meaning to its fullest extent.  We have a sense of duty to helping others way beyond the political spectrum.  Get inspired!  Have hope!  I am reminded of those famous words spoken by past President John F. Kennedy.  ”Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”  President Obama has the same inspirational agenda that brings a country together for the good of all. 

Generation S explained… “Usher was interviewed while coordinating volunteers for an organization called Service Nation.  The group was renovating a Washington, D.C., school.  “We call this group ‘Generation S’ or service-minded youth leaders, because we have to be the change,” said Usher of his fellow volunteers”.- Billboard.com article written by Hillary Crosley .  Even though she quotes, I do not recall him limiting the the title to only the Service Nation group.  I recall him using it as a title and message of change for the entire American population.

Writing prompt:  Generation S stands for service.  Write a top ten list of things you feel are important to change for you, your fellow man, America, and the world.  Then take the most important issue on your list and write a plan of action that will help change America for the better.  How will you inspire others to service? 

(Please adapt this prompt for children’s writing.  Children learn by the inspiration and actions of adults in their lives.  Be that inspiration and lead by example.)

Martin Luther King Jr. Represents Equality. Are There Times When Prejudice is Vital to Survival?

Today we celebrate the day that paved a deeper path from racial prejudice toward racial equality.  Although there is more than racial prejudice that plagues the world.  Nothing was more inspiring to equality than the words of Martin Luther King Jr.  “I have a dream….”  We remember his words of emotional struggles that faced the Black population in America.  This year would make the martyr proud to be American. 

A personal reflection of where race laid during the 1980’s, while I was a strong headed open minded teenager living in a rural community… I was raised in an era where my parents were not prejudice they had introduced the concept of the evils of prejudice when I was very young.  They had a dear friend that was Black and we knew he was by the color of his skin, we were blind to it since he was such a wonderful inspiration and kind person.  But my grandparents were marked by a time where Blacks seemed inferior to the white race.  I remember asking my grandmother, whom I respected and loved dearly and still do beyond her passing, if she would have issues should I date a Black male.  She said, “If you do he will never be welcome in my home”.  I was appalled yet not entirely surprised by her reaction. 

My best friend in high school was dating a Black male and she struggled with her parents acceptance of the mixture.  Today the couple are still married and they have six of the most beautiful children I’ve ever laid eyes on.  For me, all that ever mattered was her happiness.  If she loved him that was her choice and I supported her for it.  The last thing I expected was to have to confront her parents when they objected to the relationship at the onset.  They were much older than my parents and still held an old mindset.  The conversation began with an expression of my love for the best friend I’d ever had and if I could love her enough to want her happiness, they as her parents should love her even more.  Support is vital to any situation, and regardless of what you would do differently there comes a time when you have to just let the other be who they truly are.  In our rural area the population had 90% Whites and about 2% Blacks.  Her boyfriend was Bi-racial, his father was White and his mother Black.  He was raised by an elderly White couple through his elementary- high school years.  His parents fought for their relationship during the harder times of racisim, and unfortunately they were unable to weather the storms.  I do not feel that it was a matter of inter mixing, but I’m sure it didn’t do anything to help the relationship. 

I firmly believe that love changes the world and if more people loved we would be better off.  I am proud to celebrate and reflect on the history of Martin Luther King Jr. and the strength of our nation to overcome such adversity.  Martin Luther King Jr.’s words have helped me through the years to realize that prejudice has no place in the hearts of man.  The struggles of race, creed, religion, disability, and sex can be overcome if we care enough to make it a serious point to look beyond the differences and welcome what is unique about each person.  Martin Luther took up his cross and fought the good fight until his last breath, he makes me proud to be a human being. 

I had a situation when I was living in California, where diversity is celebrated.  Being a female, and mother I am hardwired to be protective especially in questionable scary situations.  I’d never thought twice about being worried for the safety of my children and myself when strangers came too close to my comfort zone.  If someone approached me and I felt the slightest tinge of danger it was a natural reaction to be on the defense.  However, there was a time when a young nicely dressed Black male approached me out of nowhere after I parked my car in the driveway at my home.  First off he scared the hell out of me since I didn’t see him until he was at my driver side door.  I chewed the young man a new one.  Explaining to him that he should never approach a female when she has pulled up in a car alone.  Later I felt guilty and seriously made a big deal about whether I over reacted as such because he was Black.  After beating myself up for weeks I came to the conclusion that regardless of his color I would have snapped.  Why?  Simply if feel threatened in situations with any male whether White, Latino, Black, Asian I am going to react with predjudice.  I was taught to be mindful of my surroundings and to feel threatened by strangers in certain situations. 

The biggest situation I felt threatened by was an experience I had at a target store after dark.  A White male came too close for comfort pleading for some money to buy a new belt for his car.  He had the broken belt in his hand which to me was a visible weapon.  I told him to back off and quickly found safety behind the locked door of my car.  I’d never fought so quickly to get my car started and out of danger.  As a woman I have to be mindful of predators and what struck me was how little guilt I had for the way I responded to him.  Telling anyone to stay back is hard to do as humans we want to think the better of others, but there are times when we have to think the worst for our own protection.  When all men stop raping, and killing woman I will feel safe enough to let go of that reactive mechanism to be prejudice toward my safety from them.  Till then that is the one form of prejudism I will never stop having when I am alone and feel threatened.

Writing Prompt: Emotion

Writing Prompt:  Write a paragraph that shows an emotion rather than tells an emotion.  

________

Example of telling:

Bill’s brother, Dan, was murdered two days ago.  As he looked through old photos of Dan he felt angry, betrayed, and broken hearted.  It hurt him deeply, and he wanted someone to pay for it.  God had taken his brother, and now he was left to live with the guilt of it for the rest of his life.  Drinking dulled the pain, but couldn’t extinguish the lust Bill had for revenge.

Example of showing:

Bill sat in his room pouring through old photos of his brother, Dan.  Racing memories of their childhood, parties, late night calls for advice, and petty squabbles swam in and out of Bill’s drunken state.  He tucked the photos back into the album and chucked an empty bottle of liquor.   As it violently cracked into shards against the wall it bounced every framed picture off its nail with it.  He stared at the scattered pile of debris that rested on the floor.  Then as if struck, Bill jerked his twisted face up toward Heaven and groveled with fervor.  “Dan please come back”.  The tears soaked through his soul trying to drown the burning questions.  “Dan, why?  Who?”  He pleaded for the answers, he needed to find Dan’s killer.

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Happy New Year!  To a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2009 for all!!