Essay 3.3:Baby Steps to Fire Safety: Teach the Children

I remember learning about fire safety in Mrs. Pratt’s third grade class. My class was taught not to play with fire, the importance of a smoke detector, how to come up with an evacuation plan in case of a home fire, and how to stop drop and roll. Do you remember when you first learned about fire safety? Emergencies and dangerous situations can occur at any given time. In an article from the Journal of Community Psychology, William O. Dwyer says that most of the time the children that die in fires are under the age of five (McConnell 213). I think that teaching fire safety at a young age is very important. If kids are taught how to avoid fires and the process of escaping from a dangerous fire, then more young lives can be saved. I’m glad that I learned about fire safety at an early age, because it became an important piece of my childhood.

I was an eight year old third grader; of course I would be terrified when danger was around me. On the afternoon of June 23, 2000, I didn’t understand how dangerous fire was before that day, but I clearly understood its dangers soon after. That afternoon, my little sister and I decided to take a nap together in my older sister’s queen sized bed, while my grandmother remained upstairs in the kitchen to fix dinner. To us, my older sister’s downstairs bedroom seemed like the safest place to snuggle up during a huge summer thunderstorm. About a good twenty minutes into our naps, we were awakened by what we thought was the noise of the loudest crack in the sky known to man. With a sniff of the smoky air, I realized something was wrong. Then I noticed that before I went to sleep, the house was slightly dark and gloomy since all the lights were out and the clouds heavily covered the sunlight, but now there was a sudden brightness to the house. I realized that the bottom of my house was hit by a powerful rod of lightning and caught on fire; my six year old sister, my grandmother and I needed to leave our home as soon as possible.

The first thing that I could think to do was get up off of the bed. Quickly I got my sister to follow me out of the room. When I held her quivering hand I could tell that my sister also knew that something was wrong and she was frightened as well. When we reached the doorway I could see the bright huge flames flashing in my family den, and burning away many of my family’s possessions. Luckily the fire had not spread past the family den so there was a chance that we were able to go up the stairs to the front door. I could feel the heat of the blaze hit my side as I approached the steps, and I knew that if my clothes caught on fire that we needed to stop drop and roll. I jolted up the steps and pulled my sister along; when we got up the stairs I glanced in the kitchen I saw that my grandmother was still in the kitchen. “Granny, quick get out the house, it’s on fire, it’s on fire,” I yelled up to her direction. “Oh Lord,” she yelled and quickly got up out of the wooden kitchen chair she was sitting in; she headed toward the front door where my sister and I stood. I remembered learning to check doorknobs making sure they were not too hot to handle. When I touched the doorknob, it was slightly warm but not too hot to grip on to. I opened the front door so we could all get out of the house; I looked back to see the progress that the fire might have made and saw that it had already started coming up the stairs. Once we were all safely out of the house we were spotted by our neighbors who had seen the fire coming from our house; they happened to be running to the house to help us out. Thankfully our neighbors already called 911 and the firefighters and ambulance arrived about two minutes after my family and I evacuated. During all the action that was taking place outside, I was taken into my neighbors’ home to call my mother, who was at work the whole time.

Before this incident, my family never sat down at the table and discussed a proper fire escape plan for us to follow if a fire was to happen. There is a clear lack of fire safety and prevention in the home and at the schools. In The New York Amsterdam News article, “Kids at risk with lack of fire safety education”, students proclaim that their schools lack in teaching fire safety (Barsky). The kids in these schools are upset that they truly don’t know how to properly escape a fire; they are aware that their lives can be at risk at anytime. It would be better if fire safety and prevention programs were started in preschools. Evidence found in McConnell, Leeming, and Dwyer’s study titled Evaluation of a “Fire-Safety Training Program for Preschool Children,” provides support that it is beneficial to train preschoolers in fire safety because it prevents injury to the children in the near future (McConnell). Ideas like this need to be implemented so our youth can live long joyful lives. A parent really does not want to receive the news that their child is no longer alive; parents do not want to outlive their children.

In most cases, coming together as a family and preparing for the dangers of a fire can be absolutely beneficial. There are some situations that can cause a child to die in a fire. Donna Miller’s article “7-year-old boy dies in Medina house fire; mom and 4 siblings escape,” from October 26 2009, describes an incident that occurred near Cleveland, Ohio (Miller). The death of the 7-year old boy in the house fire was most likely due to his family not being prepared for this dangerous situation (Miller). “As of 11 a.m., investigators had not found a smoke detector in the rubble,” this family didn’t implicate fire safety in their home (Miller).If a smoke detector was in the house the child could have survived; he would have been awakened from his sleep and have been able to try to escape. Too many children are losing their lives in house fires, they need to be better prepared. I could tell that my sister was scared when my house was on fire but she had no idea what to do to escape the danger on her own.

Not only did the firefighters and ambulance come to put out the fire and help anyone that was hurt, but CBS 6 News was also on the scene. The day turned into my first news appearance; I thought this was the coolest thing ever at that moment. I got to be on TV, the mic was turned on I was able to tell Richmond, Virginia my story about how my family and I were able to survive my first dangerous encounter with fire. I feel like I made a lot of viewers that tuned into the 6 o’clock news that day proud. I was a young hero, and my family was safe and secured.

My niece, who just turned seven, actually had the same Mrs. Pratt as her first grade teacher at the same elementary school that I attended. The day that she learned about fire safety she came home very excited. She had received a coloring book with a cute Dalmatian dog in a huge red fire truck on the cover. “Hey look what I can do, Auntie Key,” she yelled and then she started the motion of stopping, dropping, and rolling. I was grateful that she had received that knowledge at her age. “Yeah, that’s how you do it,” I said, and then we were rolling across the floor together until we got hot.

Works Cited

Barksky, Michael and Negron, Elizabeth. “Kids at risk with lack of fire safety education.” The New York Amsterdam News. 26 Mar. 2009: Web

McConnell, Charles F., Leeming, Frank C., Dwyer, William O. “Evaluation of a Fire-Safety Training Program for Preschool Children.” Journal of Community Psychology. Vol. 24 Issue 3 (1996): 213-217. Web

Miller, Donna. “7-year-old boy dies in Medina house fire; mom and 4 siblings escape.” Cleveland.com. 26 Oct. 2009: Web

Class Reflection

When I entered this class earlier this semester I had a love for writing. Now its the end of the semester and I can truly say that I have a passion for writing. In this class I was given the chance to learn and eaxperiment with all the different elements of creative writing. I liked all of the arguments that we had to write, they were so much fun to write. During the course of the semester i developed a new process of writing. First, I make sure that I am going to write about a creative topic that I can relate to and make sure that whatever I am writing about can be backed by research. Now I plot out my main points that I want to address. Before this class I would start off writing without brainstorming, and more than likely in the end I would have to cut out so much uneeded information. I found that having a process is so much easier beacuse I get to address all of my main points easier and at a faster rate since I have it all planned out in the beginning. I also learned how to accept harsh comments from my peers, I also was wanting them to always tell me what they thought was not good. The workshops and conferences that we had in this class were very helpful and a good way for the class to reflect on each others papers. I really enjoyed the idea of keeping a blog as well, it was a really cool way to turn in papers and to save trees. : )

Comment for Breeze Article

I am a JMU student that will more than likely never be caught at a party or consuming alcohol.I was very aware of the "partying" that went on at JMU when I applyed to come here, I just didn't think it would affect me in any way that was serious. I agree that maybe it would be a good idea to have better control of the alcohol consumption here at JMU. We all remember having to take part in and pass Alcohol Edu before we got here, so everyone has the knowledge and capability to be safer drinkers.Lets make better decisions from now on so this won't happen again.

Reflection 3.2

I made a alot of changes in my second draft this time. I switched the order of some of my paragraphs to make it flow a lot better. A better conclusion was added to wrap up my paper, I brought it back around to show the modern teachings of fire safety. I'm not sure if people will think that my conclusion is okay or if it will start another story to them. I do feel that my story is taking up to much space in my paper though and that my argument is still unclear. My goal for my next draft is to add more research and make my argument stronger.

Essay 3.2:Baby Steps to Fire Safety: Teach the Children

I remember learning about fire safety in Mrs. Pratt’s third grade class. My class was taught not to play with fire, the importance of a smoke detector, how to come up with an evacuation plan in case of a home fire and we also practiced how to stop drop and roll. Do you remember when you first learned about fire safety? Emergencies and dangerous situations can occur at any given time. In an article from the Journal of Community Psychology, William O. Dwyer says that “Children under the age of 5 are 2.5 times more likely to die from fire than any other childhood age group.” (McConnell 213). I think that teaching fire safety at a young age is very important. If kids are taught how to avoid fires and the process of escape a dangerous fire, then more young lives can be saved. I’m glad that I learned about fire safety at an early age, because it became an important piece of my childhood.

I was an eight year old third grader; of course I would be terrified when danger was around me. On the afternoon of June 23, 2000, If I didn’t understand how dangerous fire was before that day then I clearly understood its dangers soon after. That afternoon, my little sister and I decided to take a nap together in my older sister’s queen sized bed, while my grandmother remained upstairs in the kitchen to fix dinner. To us, my older sister’s downstairs bedroom seemed like the safest place to snuggle up during a huge summer thunderstorm. About a good twenty minutes into our naps we were awaken by what we thought was the noise of the loudest crack in the sky known to man. With a sniff of the smoky air, I realized something was wrong. Then I noticed that before I went to sleep the house was slightly dark and gloomy since all the lights were out and the clouds heavily covered the sunlight, but now there was a sudden brightness to the house. The bottom of my house was hit by a powerful rod of lightning and caught on fire; my six year old sister, my grandmother and I needed to leave our home as soon as possible.

The first thing that I could think to do was get up off of the bed. Quickly I got my sister to follow me out of the room. When I held her quivering hand I could tell that my sister also knew that something was wrong and she was frightened as well. When we reached the door way I could see the bright huge flames flashing in my family den, and burning away many of my family’s possessions. Luckily the fire had not spread past the family den so there was a chance that we were able to go up the stairs to the front door. I could feel the heat of the blaze hit my side as I approached the steps, and I knew that if my clothes caught on fire that we needed to stop drop and roll. I jolted up the steps and pulled my sister along, when we got up the stairs I glanced in the kitchen I saw that my grandmother was still in the kitchen. “Granny quick get out the house, it’s on fire, it’s on fire” I yelled up to her direction. “Oh Lord”, she yelled and quickly got up out of the wooden kitchen chair she was sitting in, she headed toward the front door where my sister and I stood. I remembered learning to check doorknobs making sure there not too hot to handle. When I touched the doorknob, it was slightly warm but not too hot to grip on to. I opened the front door so we could all get out of the house, I looked back to see the progress that the fire might have made and saw that it had already started coming up the stairs. Once we were all safely out of the house we were spotted by our neighbors who had seen the fire coming from our house, they happened to be running to the house to help us out. Thankfully our neighbors already called 911 and the firefighters and ambulance arrived about two minutes after my family and I evacuated. During all the action that was taking place outside, I was taken into my neighbors’ home to call my mother who was at work the whole time.

Before this incident, my family never sat down at the table and discussed a proper fire escape plan for us to follow if a fire was to happen. In most cases coming together as a family and making these plans can be absolutely beneficial. In the New York Times article, Arson Suspected as Girl Dies in Brooklyn Fire, details are given about the death of a 17-year old girl that was unable to escape a fire in her home (Schmidt). A parent really does not want to receive the news that their child is no longer alive, parents do not want to outlive their children.

Not only did the firefighters and ambulance come to put out the fire and help anyone that was hurt, but CBS 6 News was also on the scene. The day turned into my first news appearance, I thought this was the coolest thing ever at that moment. I got to be on TV, the mic was turned on I was able to tell Richmond, Virginia my story about how me and my family were able to survive my first dangerous encounter with fire. I feel like I made a lot of viewers that tuned into the 6 o’clock news that day proud, I was a young hero, and my family was safe and secured.

My niece who just turned seven actually had the same Mrs. Pratt as her first grade teacher at the same elementary school that I attended. The day that she learned about fire safety she came home very excited. She had received a coloring book with a cute Dalmatian dog in a huge red fire truck on the cover. “Hey look what I can do Auntie Key”, she yelled and then she started the motion of stopping, dropping, and rolling. I was grateful that that had received that knowledge at her age. “Yeah that’s how you do it” I said, and then we were rolling across the floor together until we got hot.

Works Cited
McConnell, Charles F., Leeming, Frank C., Dwyer, William O. “Evaluation of a Fire-Safety Training Program for Preschool Children.” Journal of Community Psychology. Vol. 24 Issue 3 (1996): 213-217. Web

Schmidt, Michael S., Zraick, Karen, Lyles, Toby. “Arson Suspected as Girl Dies in a Brooklyn Fire.” New York Times. 29 Dec. 2009: Web

Reflection 3.1

My goal for my first draft was to make sure that I got my whole story down on the paper. I used details in my story to keep my audience's attention and to help them better understand what I went through. I also included a good amount of research in my first draft. The comments from my peers were very helpful to me and I will take everything they said into consideration for my next draft. I was given advice to better organized my essay and to make my agrument clearer. I like the idea that Lauren gave me about rearranging my paragraphs so I can keep my story together. I also plan on going into more detail about my research instead of just simply pluggng it in.

Essay 3.1 Baby Steps to Fire Safety: Teach the Children

I was an eight year old third grader; of course I would be terrified when danger was around me. On the afternoon of June 23, 2000, If I didn’t understand how dangerous fire was before that day then I clearly understood its dangers soon after. That afternoon, my little sister and I decided to take a nap together in my older sister’s queen sized bed, while my grandmother remained upstairs in the kitchen to fix dinner. To us, my older sister’s downstairs bedroom seemed like the safest place to snuggle up during a huge summer thunderstorm. About a good twenty minutes into our naps we were awaken by what we thought was the noise of the loudest crack in the sky known to man. With a sniff of the smoky air, I realized something was wrong. Then I noticed that before I went to sleep the house was slightly dark and gloomy since all the lights were out and the clouds heavily covered the sunlight, but now there was a sudden brightness to the house. The bottom of my house was hit by a powerful rod of lightning and caught on fire; my six year old sister, my grandmother and I needed to leave our home as soon as possible.

I learned about fire safety in Mrs. Pratt’s third grade class earlier that year. My class was taught not to play with fire, the importance of a smoke detector, how to come up with an evacuation plan in case of a home fire and we also practiced how to stop drop and roll. I’m glad that I learned about fire safety at an early age, and I think that teaching these things at a young age is very important. In an article from the Journal of Community Psychology, William O. Dwyer says that “Children under the age of 5 are 2.5 times more likely to die from fire than any other childhood age group.” (McConnell 213). If kids are taught how to avoid fires and the process of escape a dangerous fire, then more young lives can be saved.

The first thing that I could think to do was get up off of the bed. Quickly I got my sister to follow me out of the room. Luckily the fire had not spread past the family den so we were able to go up the stairs to the front door. When I got up the stairs and glanced in the kitchen I saw that my grandmother was still in the kitchen. “Granny quick get out the house, it’s on fire, it’s on fire” I yelled up to her direction. “Oh Lord”, she yelled and quickly got up out of the wooden kitchen chair she was sitting in, she headed toward the front door where my sister and I stood. I remembered learning to check doorknobs making sure there not too hot to handle. When I touched the doorknob, it was slightly warm but not too hot to grip on to. I opened the front door so we could all get out of the house, I looked back to see the progress that the fire might have made and saw that it had already started coming up the stairs. Once we were all safely out of the house we were spotted by our neighbors who had seen the fire coming from our house, they happened to be running to the house to help us out. Thankfully our neighbors already called 911 and the firefighters and ambulances arrived about two minutes after my family and I evacuated. During all the action that was taking place outside, I was taken into my neighbors’ home to call my mother who was at work the whole time.

Before this incident, my family never sat down at the table and discussed a proper fire escape plan for us to follow if a fire was to happen. In most cases coming together as a family and making these plans can be absolutely beneficial. In the New York Times article, Arson Suspected as Girl Dies in Brooklyn Fire, details are given about the death of a 17-year old girl that was unable to escape a fire in her home (Schmidt). A parent really does not want to receive the news that their child is no longer alive, parents do not want to outlive their children.

Not only did the firefighters and ambulance come to put out the fire and help anyone that was hurt, but CBS 6 News was also on the scene. The day turned into my first news appearance, I thought this was the coolest thing ever at that moment. I got to be on TV, the mic was turned on I was able to tell Richmond, Virginia my story about how me and my family were able to survive my first dangerous encounter with fire. I feel like I made a lot of viewers that tuned into the 6 o’clock news that day proud, I was a young hero, and my family was safe and secured.


Works Cited
McConnell, Charles F., Leeming, Frank C., Dwyer, William O. “Evaluation of a Fire-Safety Training Program for Preschool Children.” Journal of Community Psychology. Vol. 24 Issue 3 (1996): 213-217. Web

Schmidt, Michael S., Zraick, Karen, Lyles, Toby. “Arson Suspected as Girl Dies in a Brooklyn Fire.” New York Times. 29 Dec. 2009: Web

Reflection 2.3

Writing an argument that adresses both sides in a caring and understanding tone can be a little difficult. I now know that its so much easier to pick a side of an argument and state the facts of your side and trash the other side, but its not always about just making yourself look better than the other side. In writing my final draft of my rogerian argument, I added a lot of background information to give my audience an actual sense of why I actually chose to write this essay. I was able to find good relevant information from scholarly article to include in my argument as well.

Essay 2.3(No to Court TV)

Since I was a little girl in kindergarten, quoting the Pledge of Allegiance has been a daily routine. The last few words of the Pledge of Allegiance, “and justice for all”, portrays a huge goal in the American culture. While we strive to continue to display this goal, we have a current issue of if broadcasting cases in the courtroom on TV is interfering with the justice that our citizens are eligible for. I myself want everyone to get the justice that they deserve. I have always felt that anything that is portrayed to be real life or actuality on TV is very unreal. A court case would be more justified in just the privacy of the courtroom; those that are involved in the trial are the ones that need to understand the information that is being presented in the court. There are a variety of good reasons that support the statement, court cases should not be televised for the public to view.

Whenever someone sits in front of a television; man, woman, boy, girl, the young, and the old they are viewing the broadcast mainly for entertainment. It is possible that the entertainment can be interpreted differently, depending on the knowledge of that person. With that thought, I can understand that cameras in the courtrooms can have a positive effect on Americans, but I simply do not agree. An editorial in the March 13, 2010 edition of the New York Times titled “Your Reality TV” states, “Cameras in the court would allow Americans to see for themselves how an extremely powerful part of their government works” (“Your Reality TV” par 3). It’s possible that knowledge can be gained from viewing court cases on TV, but I kind of see it differently.

The publicity placed on a court case seems more like fake politics to me, I would just take it in as pure entertainment. The court case would lack the sense of fairness. Douglas Lee wrote an article that talks about Oklahoma laws and says, “Television coverage, the court said, threatens ‘the atmosphere essential to the preservation of a fair 'public' trial – the most fundamental of all freedoms" (Lee par 2). We are all humans, and when we are put on the spotlight or are in front of a camera we have a tendency to pretend and be deceiving. We automatically set a fake atmosphere because we feel that our image is very important, and we can’t mess it up in front of an audience of people, it’s just our nature. So, I feel that it is not a good idea to televise these cases because I can predict society uproars and chaos due to them.

What will the citizens of other countries think of Americans? Do we have to televise everything? In 1965 the case Estes v. Texas stated that media is allowed in the court room; but items like typewriters, presses, or other tools of transmitting the story are not allowed to be brought in by reporters (“First Amendment Research Information” par 4). I feel that it should be the opposite thing, the media shouldn’t be allowed in the court room. Now that we know what is and isn’t allowed in the court room, I feel that we should know why the media is actually allowed in the court room, and the purpose it serves. I rather get justice in the courts; we don’t need the entertainment factor in this situation. An article in the New York Times states that, “One of the main arguments against cameras in the courtroom is that they would sensationalize trials” (“Cameras in the Courts” par 4) Do we feel it will be necessary to televise court cases so we can keep an eye on our government system?

Shows like Judge Judy, People’s Court and Judge Joe Brown are definite examples that court cases on TV are not taken seriously, and just used for entertainment. Are those cases real or are they staged? These cases seem like a huge ongoing advertisement of reality TV. In an article titled “Please Adjust Your Signal: How Television’s Syndicated Courtrooms Bias Our Juror Citizenry” written by Kimberlianne Podlas in the American Business Law Journal, she states that these court shows have “a negative effect, diminishing respect for the justice system and perverting understanding of the law” (Podlas par 1). If we as a society view these court cases at first, they will set the stage for how we view other, even actual court cases that are televised. Are those cases able to help Americans gain knowledge of their government? In another New York Times article, Judge Kozinski says that allowing cameras in the court rooms is “an ‘experiment’ that is designed to help us find the right balance between the public's right to access to the courts and the parties' right to a fair and dignified proceeding''( Schwartz par 2). So we see that even a judge is a little rocky on the decision of having cameras in a court room.

I’m pretty aware that cameras probably will not be completely banned from all court cases. Even for those people that believe that cameras should be allowed in the court rooms, we can all agree that a limit on the type of court cases televised should be put in place. I think that Christo Lassiter’s scholarly article, “TV or Not TV”, explains the proposed court case limitation the best. The article simply states that cases such as criminal and civil cases should not me taped to be television broadcasted (Lassiter par 5). This limitation came about because of the perhaps involvement of juvenile, disabled and the mentally challenged hearings. There also needs to be no cameras in the courtroom when there is an absence of consent by a participant at trial (Lassiter par 8). The trial would be unfair to those involved if they were not given their right to deny the use of the cameras at their own hearing. An understanding has been reached; it’s acceptable to the parties for and against the issue to put limitations on the televising of court cases.

I can see that televising court cases can be educational for youth, used as examples in history or government classes’ to be a visual aid for students. I myself am a visual learner, and many other students are as well. I find it important to use all the different skills and ways of learning in the classroom. There is a positive side to using televised court cases for educational purposes, it can help in with “providing some degree of legal literacy” (Podlas par 1). It will be okay that the reason for recording important court cases is for proper educational usage. I also feel that if government court cases are televised that the media will go hay wire and blow stories out of proportion. Things will only be based on what is seen in the court room, and not what is heard or said.

Televising these court cases is pretty understandable, but there is no necessity in the situation. I have not found a legit reason to televise any court cases. The only thing I can find is the excuse that it is part of our freedom of speech. We can watch actual reality TV to get our entertainment.

Works Citied
“ Cameras in the Courts.” New York Times. 15 May 2007. Web. 14 March 2010.

First Amendment Research Information. Illinois First Amendment Center, 2010. Web. 14 March 2010.

Lassiter, Christo. “TV or Not TV-Statutory Appendix.” Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology. Vol. 86 Issue 3 (1996): 1005-1013.Web

Lee, Douglas. Oklahoma Court Makes Dubious Assumptions about Cameras in Court. Freedom Forum, 29 June 2000. Web. 14 March 2010.

Podlas, Kimberlianne. “Please Adjust Your Signal: How Television’s Syndicated Courtrooms Bias Our Juror Citizenry.” American Business Law Journal. Vol. 39 (2001): 1. Web

Schwartz, John. “Ninth Circuit to Test Use of Cameras in Civil Cases.” New York Times. 19 December 2009. Web. 14 March 2010.

“Your Reality TV.” New York Times. 13 March 2010. Web. 14 March 2010.

Setting exercise

A window that never held the sunlight back, you could see the flying particles illuminated by the sun's rays shining in. The sun room in my home was always the best place for me to think about all the things on my mind. I could always smell the sweet smell of hot bread baking in the oven for mommy and me. The sounds of nature filled the room all the time, and the feel of the smooth pinewood table on my face would always give me peace.

News Narrative

If you don't have a church or a place of worship that you go to every sunday, are you a bad person? Our own president, President Obama, and his family have not decided what church they will like to affiliate with. America is a country that has a variety of religions that practiced everyday, Christianity is one of the biggest religions practiced in America as well. President Obama was once a member of the muslim religion, but now he has expressed to the public that he is a Christian. I myself am part of the Christianity religion practice. One of the main aspects of the Christian religion is to take Sunday off and faithfully attend your church's service. Obama is a leader of our, he claims to practice Christianity but doesn't have a church home. Is there something wrong with this picture.

Narrative Prewriting

I'm not sure what story I want to tell in this next argument. I may consider some of the questions that the class was asked, to spark some ideas, to create a topic for my argument. I think i'm going to try to take this argument to give my own story as the central story, but I may also include stories from the people I know to create support for my story as well. I think at the moment i'm leaning toward asnswering the question "When have you been treated unfairly?" as a good topic to start off with.

Voice Activity 2: Lack of Emotion

Dear Professor,
This is in reference to the grade I got on the last exam. I wanted to know if it was possible for you to reconsider some of the questions that you asked or give the class a curve. The class as a whole did have a low average, according to what you said in class on Wednesday. I think that I deserve a better grade on the exam because I did the best that I could do. I always work hard in your class as well. Thank you so much for taking the time out to ponder on this situation.

Sincerely,
Tekeya McDonald

Voice Activity 1: Full Emotion

Dear Professor,
When I received a C- on the last exam we had in class I became a little confused and very disappointed in myself. I do believe in the saying that refers to grades, “You get the grade you earned”, but this is a case where I feel I earned a better grade. I feel like the way that you worded the questions that you were asking were quite hard to decode, I came up to you quite a few times to get you to explain what the question was asking. I really tried my hardest and gave the best answer for every question. I studied for the exam two weeks in advance and I always pay attention to your lectures. I am one of the few students in your section 9 lecture that has a perfect attendance record for the class. When you gave back the exam grades, you yourself said that the scores were pretty low. So I’m not trying to just benefit myself with this letter but the class as a whole, maybe you can consider giving the class a curve on that exam. Thank you so much for taking the time out to ponder on this situation.

Sincerely,
Tekeya McDonald

Reflection 2.2

For my second draft I’m aware that I didn’t make a whole lot of changes. I realized in my first draft that though I thought I had included research from scholarly journals, I did not. My main goal for my second draft was correctly formatting my paper. The confusion that I received from my classmates encouraged me to clear up my papers format so it would be easier to identify where a paragraph starts and where it finishes. I also went ahead and added my works citied section to my essay this go round. I attempted to find scholarly journals that are relevant to my topic, but I haven’t had much luck. I noticed that maybe I have careful research broader ideas that revolve around my topic and not just my topic alone. I can search journals that encompass the ideas of things like freedom of the press, just freedom in general, the justice system, and also find out what type of court cases are not allowed to be televised for the viewing of the public. Once I find two scholarly journals to include into my essay I will cite those in my works cited section as well. I also want to work more on the language of my essay to make sure it gives of a rogerian attitude. I feel like I can organize my paper a little better as well to give it a smoother flow for my audience to read, so I will work on make sure that I address certain ideas continuously throughout the essay.

(Essay 2.2) Court TV

Whenever someone sits in front of a television; man, woman, boy, girl, the young, the old they are viewing the broadcast mainly for entertainment. It is possible that the entertainment can be interpreted differently, depending on the knowledge of that person. With that thought, I can understand that cameras in the courtrooms can have a positive effect on Americans, but I simply do not agree. An editorial in the March 13, 2010 edition of the New York Times titled “Your Reality TV” states, “Cameras in the court would allow Americans to see for themselves how an extremely powerful part of their government works” (“Your Reality TV” par 3). It’s possible that knowledge can be gained from viewing court cases on TV, but I kind of see it differently.


The publicity placed on a court case seems more like fake politics to me, I would just take it in as pure entertainment. The court case would lack the sense of fairness. An article that talks about Oklahoma laws says, “Television coverage, the court said, threatens ‘the atmosphere essential to the preservation of a fair 'public' trial – the most fundamental of all freedoms" (Lee par 2). We are all humans, and when we are put on the spotlight or are in front of a camera we have a tendency to pretend and be deceiving. We automatically set a fake atmosphere because we feel that our image is very important, and we can’t mess it up in front of an audience of people, it’s just our nature. So, I feel that is not a good idea to televise these cases because I can predict society uproars and chaos due to them.


What will the citizens of other countries think of Americans? Do we have to televise everything? In 1965 the case Estes v. Texas stated that media is allowed in the court room; but items like typewriters, presses, or other tools of transmitting the story are not allowed to be brought in by reporters. I feel that it should be the opposite thing, the media shouldn’t be allowed in the court room. Now that we know what is and isn’t allowed in the court room, I feel that we should know why the media is actually allowed in the court room, what purpose does it serve. I rather get justice in the courts; we don’t need the entertainment factor in this situation. A scholarly article states that, “One of the main arguments against cameras in the courtroom is that they would sensationalize trials” (“Cameras in the Courts” par 4) Do we feel it will be necessary to televise court cases so we can keep an eye on our government system?


Shows like Judge Judy, People’s Court and Judge Joe Brown are definite examples that court cases on TV are not taken seriously, and just used for entertainment. Are those cases real or are they staged? These cases seem like a huge ongoing advertisement of reality TV. If we as a society view these court cases at first, they will set the stage for how we view other, even actual court cases that are televised. Are those cases able to help Americans gain knowledge of their government? In a New York Times article, Judge Kozinski says that allowing cameras in the court rooms is “an ‘experiment’ that is designed to help us find the right balance between the public's right to access to the courts and the parties' right to a fair and dignified proceeding''( Schwartz par 2). So we see that even a judge is a little rocky on the decision of having cameras in a court room.


I can see that televising court cases can be educational for youth, used as examples in history or government classes’ to be a visual aid for students. I myself am a visual learner, and many other students are as well. I find it important to use all the different skills and ways of learning in the classroom. It will be okay that the reason for recording important court cases is for proper educational usage. I also feel that if government court cases are televised that the media will go hay wire and blow stories out of proportion. Things will only be based on what is seen in the court room, and not what heard or said.


Televising these court cases is pretty understandable, but there is no necessity in the situation. I have not found a legit reason to televise any court cases. The only thing I can find is the excuse that it is part of our freedom of speech. We can watch actual reality TV to get our entertainment.

Works Citied

“ Cameras in the Courts.” New York Times. 15 May 2007. Web. 14 March 2010.
First Amendment Research Information. Illinois First Amendment Center, 2010. Web. 14 March 2010.

Lee, Douglas. Oklahoma Court Makes Dubious Assumptions about Cameras in Court. Freedom Forum, 29 June 2000. Web. 14 March 2010.

Schwartz, John. “Ninth Circuit to Test Use of Cameras in Civil Cases.” New York Times. 19 December 2009. Web. 14 March 2010.

“Your Reality TV.” New York Times. 13 March 2010. Web. 14 March 2010.

Reflection 2.1

In writing my rogerian argument, I had to use different techniques than in my rebuttal argument. I drastically changed my vocabulary. I wanted to sound more like I had a gentle understanding attitude towards the author’s argument. In my rebuttal argument I was able to argue my point without showing the author sympathy. Well it’s a little more challenging writing the rogerian argument because I have to think about where the author is coming from, find common ground, and make some compromises. I think I took on a pretty good point of view for this argument.
For this process I researched past court cases that were televised and the reactions that people shared about televised court cases. I found great articles through the library website and other historical cases. I would like to add some pathos to my argument, so I plan on maybe adding some personal stories from people that actually experienced having the court case televised if possible. I will also look for other types of evidence such as statistical and personal attributions to include in my next draft. I might also try to change up the format and structure of my paper in my second draft. My goals for my next draft included working on my works cited section, and adding more points to my argument. I want my audience to say that my argument is clear and it provides a lot of reasons. When I receive comments on my argument I will deeply take them into consideration, because I’m sure there are some other changes that I can make.

Essay 2.1(Court TV)

Whenever someone sits in front of a television; man, woman, boy, girl, the young, the old they are viewing the broadcast mainly for entertainment. It is possible that the entertainment can be interpreted differently, depending on the knowledge of that person. With that thought, I can understand that cameras in the courtrooms can have a positive effect on Americans. An editorial in the March 13, 2010 edition of the New York Times titled “Your Reality TV” states, “Cameras in the court would allow Americans to see for themselves how an extremely powerful part of their government works” (“Your Reality TV” par 3). It’s possible that knowledge can be gained from viewing court cases on TV, but I kind of see it differently.
The publicity placed on a court case seems more like fake politics to me, I would just take it in as pure entertainment. The court case would lack the sense of fairness. An article that talks about Oklahoma laws says, “Television coverage, the court said, threatens ‘the atmosphere essential to the preservation of a fair 'public' trial – the most fundamental of all freedoms" (… par 2). We are all humans, and when we are put on the spotlight or are in front of a camera we have a tendency to pretend and be deceiving. We automatically set a fake atmosphere because we feel that our image is very important, and we can’t mess it up in front of an audience of people, it’s just our nature. So, I feel that is not a good idea to televise these cases because I can predict society uproars and chaos due to them.
What will the citizens of other countries think of Americans? Do we have to televise everything? In 1965 the case Estes v. Texas stated that media is allowed in the court room; but items like typewriters, presses, or other tools of transmitting the story are not allowed to be brought in by reporters. I feel that it should be the opposite thing, the media shouldn’t be allowed in the court room. Now that we know what is and isn’t allowed in the court room, I feel that we should know why the media is actually allowed in the court room. I rather get justice in the courts; we don’t need the entertainment factor in this situation. A scholarly article states that, “One of the main arguments against cameras in the courtroom is that they would sensationalize trials” (“Cameras in the Courts” par 4) Do we feel it will be necessary to televise court cases so we can keep an eye on our government system?
Shows like Judge Judy, People’s Court and Judge Joe Brown are definite examples that court cases on TV are not taken seriously, and just used for entertainment. Are those cases real or are they staged? These cases seem like a huge ongoing advertisement of reality TV. If we as a society view these court cases at first, they will set the stage for how we view other, even actual court cases that are televised. Are those cases able to help Americans gain knowledge of their government? In a scholarly article, Judge Kozinski says that allowing cameras in the court rooms is “an ‘experiment’ that is designed to help us find the right balance between the public's right to access to the courts and the parties' right to a fair and dignified proceeding''( Schwartz par 2). So we see that even a judge is a little rocky on the decision of having cameras in a court room.
I can see that televising court cases can be educational for youth, used as examples in history or government classes’ to be a visual aid for students. I myself am a visual learner, and many other students are as well. I find it important to use all the different skills and ways of learning in the classroom. It will be okay that the reason for recording important court cases is for proper educational usage. I also feel that if government court cases are televised that the media will go hay wire and blow stories out of proportion. Things will only be based on what is seen in the court room, and not what heard or said.
Televising these court cases is pretty understandable, but there is no necessity in the situation. I have not found a legit reason to televise any court cases. The only thing I can find is the excuse that it is part of our freedom of speech. We can watch actual reality TV to get our entertainment.

Prewriting Essay 2

Topics that involve entertainment and lesiure time are great topics for a rogerian argument. Its easier to find common ground in less controversial. I want to find a topic with these aspects so that I make sure that I'm able to have understanding towards the other side of the argument. I have to try to be prepared to switch gears from the last argument.

Reflection 1.3

I did a lot of editing for my final argument paper. Not only did I include my works cited section for my paper, but I cut out a couple of paragraphs so have space for necessary information. The information that I added was important because I made more references to the movie itself, this created a stronger connection for my audience. I feel very comfortable with the way my final paper turned out. Now that the rebuttal section of the class is over we are moving on to the rogerian section. This is a transition from a distinct argumentive tone to a gentle understanding tone of an argument.

1.3 (No Glamour in Teen Pregnancy)

Dear Elizabeth Baugh,
On the night Lifetime premiered the original movie Pregnancy Pact viewers from every state, every college campus and every neighborhood were tuned in. Pregnancy Pact portrayed the realities of being a teen mom or basically just being a citizen of motherhood. The fact that it was inspired by a true story even made the story less glamorous; the movie screamed “these hardships can happen to you”.
In your editorial from the January 25, 2010 edition in The Breeze, I understood that you wrote A Perfectly Planned Pregnancy to claim that “Teen pregnancy was depicted as far more glamorous than it really is” (Baugh par 6). You felt that this movie was more than likely using its message to promote teen motherhood. I on the other hand, as well as many other viewers, did not see the so called glamour at all. A James Madison University student, Traffy Taylor, commented on your article stating that “everyone knows that having a baby at 15 is anything but glamorous”. Traffy Taylor disagrees with your claim based on her own view of the real world. I feel that this movie really got a true life message across to its audience.
A variety of scenes from Pregnancy Pact were definitely cues for teen girls to open their eyes to the issues that our generation is facing. The pregnant teens in the movie had so many challenges thrown at them the moment they became knowledgeable of their own pregnancies. Troubles came upon their families and many of their relationships dissolved in all the commotion. Teen pregnancy turn offs were wrapped all up in the movie. This movie was used as a tool to help its audience make correct smart decisions, a way to just look out for the viewers.
I highly doubt that the producers and directors for the movie, Pregnancy Pact, wanted to be advocates in urging teen girls to get pregnant. Through the commercials, internet blogs and sites, and in the actual movie it is very clear that the movie production is a campaign for teens to not become part of the pregnancy statistic. On the Lifetime website, the page for Pregnancy Pact includes a PSA that the characters from the actual movie created; it “encourages open dialogue with teens about sex and pregnancy” (“Camryn Manheim” par.1). Teens should be made to felt comfortable so they can express their own opinions. Other helpful gadgets such as discussion boards for teens and parents, teen speak up videos, in-depth information behind the movie can be found on the page dedicated to the Pregnancy Pact movie. Everyone involved with the movie wanted to get a clear message across and this was done in so many ways. David Hinckly, a Daily News staff reporter, stated his own opinion in an entertainment article. In David’s article called Lifetime's 'Pregnancy Pact' treats surge in teen pregnancy with kid gloves in the January 23, 2010 edition of Daily News, David feels that the efforts of the movie says “ the message seems to be that babies are great, but don't have them until you're ready, and that doesn't mean in high school”(Hinckly par.13). Most people feel that the movie did a great job of displaying the harsh reality of being a teen mom, a majority of viewers felt that the glamour was edited out.
The premiere of this Lifetime movie is a depiction of the well known fact that the rates of teen pregnancy are pretty high. MTV’s Teen Mom is a reality show that shows the trouble and hardships of a few moms that are between the ages of 16 and 19. The moms in the show are constantly dealing with problems like not receiving support from their child’s father, balancing school and motherhood, and the option of giving up their child for adoption. Common statistics state that the chances of finishing high school or college is very unlikely for teen mothers, and a large percentage of teen mothers have to apply for welfare (“Statistics on Teen Pregnancy” par.5) Almost all of these facts were directly or indirectly displayed in Pregnancy Pact , where is the glamorous life in those situations? Do you feel that teen pregnancy is always depicted as a glamorous life in all of media?
I personally have friends that became moms at a young age. They always had a full plate on their hands once they became mothers. Most of them were able to finish high school but they did not get the chance to go to college, they couldn’t even take a course at a community college. Obstacles occurred when they were barely able to find jobs that they could maintain so they could support their children financially. They strongly depend on the support from their families and close friends. It’s like once they became mothers not only did their lives change, but they had to become a better person, a stronger person to be exact. My friend, 17 year old Shakeera Johnson told me “Motherhood seems so much easier from a far, but when you get up close and personal it’s a whole other story”. Struggles occurred constantly for a while, but they have basically gotten familiar with these hardships and responsibilities.
When many people look at movies, they kind of have a sense that less reality is going to come forth in the movie, even with movies that are based on a true story. If inspiration is to be found in the movie it can be captured in many different ways. A person can be inspired not to partake in a certain behavior in a movie, due to the consequences the movie presents. In the Lifetime presentation of Pregnancy Pact young girls are able to find inspiration in the movie. With the struggle and turmoil that the characters in the movie went through, I know many girls decided not to follow in their footsteps.
Sincerely,
Tekeya McDonald


Baugh, Elizabeth., A Perfectly Planned Pregnancy. The Breeze. January 2010. Web. 2 March 2010.
“Camryn Manheim from "The Pregnancy Pact" on Teen Pregnancy.” My Lifetime. 2010. Lifetime Entertainment Services. Web. 1 March 2010
Hinckley, David., Lifetime's 'Pregnancy Pact' Treats Surge in Teen Pregnancy with Kid Gloves. NY Daily News. January 2010 Web. 2 March 2010.
“Statistics on Teen Pregnancy.” Pregnancy-info.net. 2009. Pregnancy-info. Web. 15 February 2010.

Letter to Dr.William

Dear Dr. William,
I agree that we all have the right to smoke. So many Americans very much feel the same way, and they choose to be a smoker (par.4). In your article “Nazi Tactics” that you wrote in August 2002 issue of Ideas on Liberty, your comparison of Nazis and anti-smokers shows that you feel that smokers are not able have the right to make a choice when it comes to smoking. “As a result of both official and non-official fraudulent claims about the health effects, as well as the health-care costs of smoking, there has been widely successful vilification of cigarette smokers and tobacco manufacturers” (par. 5). In society, the smokers are seen as villains and are victims of a huge genocide so that that the world can be safe.

Reflection 1.2

My main focus for writing my second draft was adding some more research. I figured out that I needed to be careful with the research I found because I wanted to make sure it was relevant to the paper. I also went ahead and added a direct quote from my friend in the part where I talk about my personal experiences. I feel like by adding this quote more pathos was created in my argument. I really didn’t focus on trying anything new or different in my second draft because I liked the layout of my argument, and so did my peers in my group. In my next draft I once again attempt to add as much more research and opinions as I can. I will focus on making sure that my paper is clean and understandable for my audience. I also plan on posting my works sited page in my next draft.

Essay 1.2( No Glamour in Teen Pregnancy)

Dear Elizabeth Baugh,
On the night Lifetime premiered the original movie Pregnancy Pact viewers from every state, every college campus and every neighborhood were tuned in. Pregnancy Pact portrayed the realities of being a teen mom or basically just being a citizen of motherhood. The fact that it was inspired by a true story even made the story less glamorous; the movie screamed “these hardships can happen to you”.
In your editorial from The Breeze, I understood that you wrote A Perfectly Planned Pregnancy to claim that “Teen pregnancy was depicted as far more glamorous than it really is”. You felt that this movie was more than likely using its message to promote teen motherhood. I on the other hand, as well as many other viewers, did not see the so called glamour at all. A James Madison University student, Traffy Taylor, commented on your article stating that “everyone knows that having a baby at 15 is anything but glamorous”. Traffy Taylor disagrees with your claim based on her own view of the real world. I feel that this movie really got a true life message across to its audience.
It’s a well known fact that the rates of teen pregnancy are pretty high. MTV’s Teen Mom is a reality show that shows the trouble and hardships of a few moms that are between the ages of 16 and 19. The moms in the show are constantly dealing with problems like not receiving support from their child’s father, balancing school and motherhood, and the option of giving up their child for adoption. Common statistics state that the chances of finishing high school or college is very unlikely for teen mothers, and a large percentage of teen mothers have to apply for welfare (“Statistics on Teen Pregnancy” par.5) Almost all of these facts were directly or indirectly displayed in Pregnancy Pact , where is the glamorous life in those situations?
A huge problem that occurs in the United States is teen pregnancy. The highest rate of teen pregnancy belongs to the United States. Teen pregnancy costs over $5 billion yearly for the United States (“Teen Pregnancy Facts” Par.1). In a panic of what to do several teens go through an emotional crisis and turn to abortion or adoption. Most of the time these pregnancies are unplanned and teen’s are very unaware of the sexual education knowledge. When other teens view the unglamorous life of teen moms, they then decide to use better ways of prevention. The amount of teens giving birth have decreased over the past few decades, this is basically due “to increased availability of contraception and access to abortion, rather than a decrease in sexual activity” (“Teen pregnancy” par 1). I feel like this movie has a point of bringing about a dose of reality that can also be a part in many teen pregnancy campaigns.
I personally have friends that became moms at a young age. They always had a full plate on their hands once they became mothers. Most of them were able to finish high school but they did not get the chance to go to college, they couldn’t even take a course at a community college. Obstacles occurred when they were barely able to find jobs that they could maintain so they could support their children financially. They strongly depend on the support from their families and close friends. It’s like once they became mothers not only did their lives change, but they had to become a better person, a stronger person to be exact. My friend Shakeera Johnson told me “Motherhood seems so much easier from a far, but when you get up close and personal it’s a whole other story”. Struggles occurred constantly for a while, but they have basically gotten familiar with these hardships and responsibilities.
When many people look at movies, they kind of have a sense that less reality is going to come forth in the movie, even with movies that are based on a true story. If inspiration is to be found in the movie it can be captured in many different ways. A person can be inspired not to partake in a certain behavior in a movie, due to the consequences the movie presents. In the Lifetime presentation of Pregnancy Pact young girls are able to find inspiration in the movie. With the struggle and turmoil that the characters in the movie went through, I know many girls decided not to follow in their footsteps.
Sincerely,
Tekeya McDonald

Reflection 1.1

I really enjoyed preparing this assignment. I spent some time researching and obtaining plenty of information on teen pregnancy. I presented my argument in a letter to the author of the editorial that I was rebutting. I started out by talking about the “Pregnancy Pact” and stating my claim. Then I stated my reasons by using statistical evidence, personal attributions, and a reality TV show as backgrounds. I received great feedback from my peers, and I greatly appreciate it. I was told that I used great sources and that my paper had a good structure to it. My peers liked how I stated my point of view and gave me ideas on how to make my paper even better. In my next draft I plan on focusing on adding a lot more information from my research. Not only do I want to add more statistics and information, but I also want to go more in depth with the evidence that I include. I was also told that I seem to be contradicting myself in this argument. When I write my next draft I plan on re-reading and editing my paper enough to make sure I am presenting my point of view correctly. I want to work hard to make sure I reach out to my audience enough, so when they are done reading my piece they don’t feel like my argument was left unsupported. I did my in-text citations in the correct format of MLA, but for my next draft I’m going to work on presenting my works cited page.

Essay 1.1( No Glamour in Teen Pregnancy)

Dear Elizabeth Baugh,
On the night Lifetime premiered the original movie Pregnancy Pact viewers from every state, every college campus and every neighborhood were tuned in. Pregnancy Pact portrayed the realities of being a teen mom or basically just being a citizen of motherhood. The fact that it was inspired by a true story even made the story less glamorous; the movie screamed “these hardships can happen to you”.
In your editorial from The Breeze, I understood that you wrote A Perfectly Planned Pregnancy to claim that “Teen pregnancy was depicted as far more glamorous than it really is”. You felt that this movie was more than likely using its message to promote teen motherhood. I on the other hand, as well as many other viewers, did not see the so called glamour at all. A James Madison University student, Traffy Taylor, commented on your article stating that “everyone knows that having a baby at 15 is anything but glamorous”. Traffy Taylor disagrees with your claim based on her own view of the real world.
It’s a well known fact that the rates of teen pregnancy are pretty high. MTV’s Teen Mom is a reality show that shows the trouble and hardships of a few moms that are between the ages of 16 and 19. The moms in the show are constantly dealing with problems like not receiving support from their child’s father, balancing school and motherhood, and the option of giving up their child for adoption. Common statistics state that the chances of finishing high school or college is very unlikely for teen mothers, and a large percentage of teen mothers have to apply for welfare (“Statistics on Teen Pregnancy” par.5) Almost all of these facts were directly or indirectly displayed in Pregnancy Pact , where is the glamorous life in those situations?
I personally have friends that became moms at a young age. They always had a full plate on their hands once they became mothers. Most of them were able to finish high school but they did not get the chance to go to college, they couldn’t even take a course at a community college. Obstacles occurred when they were barely able to find jobs that they could maintain so they could support their children financially. They strongly depend on the support from their families and close friends. It’s like once they became mothers not only did their lives change, but they had to become a better person, a stronger person to be exact. Struggles occurred constantly for a while, but they have basically gotten familiar with these hardships and responsibilities.
When many people look at movies, they kind of have a sense that less reality is going to come forth in the movie, even with movies that are based on a true story. If inspiration is to be found in the movie it can be captured in many different ways. In the Lifetime presentation of Pregnancy Pact young girls are able to find inspiration in the movie. With the struggle and turmoil that the characters in the movie went through, I know many girls decided not to follow in their footsteps.
Sincerely,
Tekeya McDonald

Rhetorical Analysis

In this editorial, Elizabeth Baugh, contributes her opinion in stating that the movie “The Pregnancy Pact” presented on Lifetime was not what she expected. She was unsatisfied with the movie, which she felt it did not do its job. Elizabeth claims that, “Teen pregnancy was depicted as far more glamorous” in this Lifetime presentation. She supports her claim with the reason that the movie concentrates more on a “way to get your boyfriend to never leave and love you forever”, and states that the movie doesn’t offer a solution to the teen pregnancy epidemic. A feeling of concern is expressed in her argument, she feels that an atmosphere that makes it ok to be a teen mom is presented. She uses refutation of evidence to create support for her argument. The body of her argument comes from taking quotes directly from the movie and even putting a website in her argument to provide actual statistics about teen pregnancy. Through her concerned tone of voice Elizabeth wants to capture a general audience of young teen girls and their parents as well, with a message more on the lines of don’t be fooled by this movie. No acknowledgement or response is provided in this argument; there is only one point of view that Elizabeth takes on. A lot of pathos is used in Elizabeth’s argument where the topic of being a teen mom is an emotional rollercoaster; there is the good and the bad, but a whole lot more good due to the “glamorous” lifestyle that can be fulfilled. She promotes her argument with the purpose to persuade young teens to not find false motivation or encouragement in this argument. The occasion that she uses is an essay about the television broadcast of “The Pregnancy Pact”, which a Lifetime original movie inspired by a true story.

Rebuttal Prewriting

When many people look at movies, they kind of have a sense that less reality is going to come forth in the movie, even with movies that are based on a true story. If inspiration is to be seeked in the movie it can be captured in many different ways. In the Lifetime presentation of Pregnancy Pact young girls are able to find inspiration in the movie. With the struggle and turmoil that the characters in the movie went through, I know many girl decided not to follow in their footsteps.

Argument Artical

http://breezejmu.org/2010/01/25/a-perfectly-planned-pregnancy/

Editorial Search

There is a huge variety of ideas, thoughts and feelings about many current issues that people care to publish. Most of the time issues such as politics, current events, healthcare, human rights, education and society are addressed in various opinion and editorial sections. Personally I am more interested in issues that encompass the topics of education, current events and the society. I would feel comfortable arguing and stating my own opinion about these topics because I keep myself well aware and updated about these issues. I always find myself strongly agreeing with any issues that I feel are basically beneficial to our society. I don’t really look forward to reading others’ opinions about politics and laws; I get bored by these topics because I usually feel intimidated with opinions that become very extreme with this issue. I usually find myself less updated with recent political events just because it’s a subject I never find interesting enough to spark conversations with, people get to serious and argumentive when it comes to politics and always turn political opinions into a harsh debate. Usually my lack of knowledge in the category of political issues disqualifies me in being able to express my own opinion, it doesn’t really benefit anybody when someone states and opinion about something they don’t know anything about. I want to learn more about issues such as the unfair treatment of human rights. There are still instances where people get stripped of their own human rights. People can be unaware that they are treated unfairly and appropriate action is not taken. I am against the unfair treatment of anyone in society. There is various times where I might agree with a certain situation, but if someone’s human rights are violated or ill-treated then I find a disagreement in that part of the story.

Little Bear: A Childhood Reflection

Little Bear is a children’s television show filled with sunshine and green grassy fields. The main character of the show is a bear cub named Little Bear. Little Bear lives in a forest with loving parents and is surrounded by great friends. Everyday Little Bear goes on an adventure and he learns something new all the time. Things like imagination, good friendship, obstacles, gentleness and caring attributes were expressed throughout various episodes of Little Bear. The hearts and minds of little children are captivated by the happiness and cheerfulness found in the episodes of Little Bear.
In the eyes of a young child, there is nothing more amazing than a group of talking animals that go on day to day adventures and share a great friendship. I remember watching Little Bear and feeling as if I were actually on the adventure with Little Bear and his friends. His friends Hen, Duck, Cat, Owl and Emily instantly became my friends as well. At my age the show not only sparked my imagination but it also brought about a sense of reality. The color and scenery portrayed in the show were well blended and were from the natural and earthy color tone. These colors expressed a sense of realness; bright, less standard colors would have screamed pure imagination to me. It is easy for the younger children to think the world in Little Bear is intertwined and similar to the actual world they live in.
I actually still love Little Bear because it’s a great show for children, but now that I’m older my view of the show has also matured. I know that it is very unrealistic for animals to talk. If animals could talk it would be in a language that was not understandable to humans, in the show Little Bear had a friend named Emily that was a human and they verbally communicated all the time. Emily was the only character that was given a humanistic name while the other animals were named based upon the animal that was symbolized. Why was the human friend named Emily instead of Girl? Even though Little Bear’s parents were characters in the show, the idea of learning from your parents and following your parents’ rules were unaddressed. Little Bear was able to play in the woods all day and wander far from home. His parents basically had no role accept for being the faces that Little Bear saw when he returned home. A strong family relationship was not really communicated throughout the show. Imagination overpowered the episodes of Little Bear lacking actuality.