Final Research Paper
English 1010
Hailey Stokes, professor
8/5/2010
Andrew Reed Brough
Pledge Allegiance to What?
“Supporting the legality of marijuana or abortion does not mean you smoke dope and kill babies; similarly, allowing people to pledge to the U.S. flag without pledging to a specific Creator does not mean you disregard that Creator.” says James McOmber, a Salt Lake City student and active church-goer. He was referring to removing the mention of God from the Pledge of Allegiance.
In a community where believing in God is commonplace, this is a hot topic among parents, clergy, and students alike. The religious enthusiasts want to keep God in our schools and homes, while the people who aren't so religious seem to be growing more and more disgusted by the practice. Along with those non-religious folks are an ever increasing group of people with mixed beliefs who just don't agree with the belief that “...One Nation, Under God...” (Pledge of Allegiance) needs to be recited in our schools in order to keep their children close to their God. Let's not forget, however, the non-religious people who think that it should stay due to a misunderstanding of terminology and Pledge history.
Many people will argue that keeping the Pledge Of Allegiance in our schools and keeping the
“...One Nation, Under God...” line in it is a way of being true to our roots as Americans. Our forefathers came to this land in search of religious freedom. They fought for our right to worship God, when, where, and how we choose. There are, however, some problems with these arguments. One such issue is that if we are free to worship when, where, and how we choose, shouldn't that mean that we're also free to not worship? Furthermore, according to The Pledge of Allegiance and the Meanings and Limits of Civil Religion By: Grace Kao, the pledge didn't include the words “Under God” until 1954. So technically, the arguments mentioned earlier in this paragraph aren't even legitimate arguments.
The fifties seemed to be a time when our nation was struggling to instill standards and beliefs in it's children, and now looking at the sixties, we see it was for good reason, yet not very effective. Even still, “Under God” seemed to be the stability our nation needed at the time. It was translated as a statement of our nation being watched over. I remember when I was in elementary school I was frequently told that the fathers of our nation put those words in the Pledge of Allegiance as a way to pay respect to God often. What we weren't told, maybe because we were too young to understand, is that “Under God” was a term frequently used in the eighteen hundreds to mean “second only to God”. It was a way to give God credit while still claiming that the subject at hand was important. Various dictionaries also state, "under God: as a secondary cause or mediate object of gratitude." It wasn't necessarily a statement that meant to what the Pledge is commonly understood to mean. Given this information, I personally changed my opinion on this subject. I initially thought that since this nation was founded on religious freedom and beliefs, that we should stay faithful by allowing ourselves and our future generations to be true to what our forefathers have said. While I am religious, my primary intent on this subject is to stay faithful to my country. We, as citizens, are nothing without our government, and vice versa (that can be argued, of course, but this seems to make the most sense to me).
Mike Glick, a University of Utah student, active LDS church-goer, and extremely patriotic U.S. citizen, says, “I do believe that this country was built around God and a creator and the words should stay. Whether people say them or not is up to them. Removing the pledge or changing it does offend me. To me it is unpatriotic.... If you are that distraught by the country you live in and what it was built and formed off of, move. Go to another country. Because I will fight till the day I die to keep this country and what it stands for.” Obviously Mike has very strong opinions on this matter, as do a lot of other people in our nation. But he does make a good point that it is up to each individual as to whether or not they want to recite the Pledge. I remember as a child learning that I wasn't required to stand with my fellow students and say the words, but rather I had a choice. I was asked to have respect for the practice and at least stand while the other children recited it, but I didn't have to join in. I found great joy in looking like a rebel to my fellow students, but over time my joyful attitude changed from rebellious to thankful. I am now thankful to my teachers for teaching me that I had that choice. I don't necessarily think that the Pledge is a bad thing or that reciting it, with the God terminology intact, is a horrible or ignorant practice, I just feel that each person has a right to choose what they'll do. All that being said, another person I interviewed, Laura Gilchrist, stated “...[The Pledge] isn't necessary, it doesn't have the roots a bunch of supporters claim it does and it wastes time better spent on learning math or something.” This may be a slightly different view from the one stated just previous to it, but it still gives a great point. We could very well be wasting time that could be spent helping strengthen our kids' brains. Our nation will only be as strong and intelligent as our future leaders will be, which won't be much if we don't educate them now. But is teaching our kids patriotism and tradition really wasting our time, or is it helping our nation become stronger by uniting our generations?
We are a nation of many faces. America has been called “The Melting Pot” or “The Mixing Bowl” for a reason. There are so many different people in our country. We have every race, color, creed, religion, and lifestyle. We have Americans who were born and raised here that share the beliefs and ideals of religious and political groups that are based in other countries, and conversely we have foreign born people who immigrated to this country because they share the belief that this country's founders had. As a missionary and service worker for my church in Georgia I met and learned from many different people. I sat for an hour in the house of a Muslim from the middle east eating his food and learning about his religion. When he was finished, he politely sat and listened to me teach of my religion. Our normal missionary teaching habits include an invitation to join our congregation, but that day was different. That day we ate, spoke, shook hands, and left with a smile. There was no awkward tension due to strange requests to come experience something either of us weren't ready for. As Americans, whether we're lifelong citizens or new to the country, we have learned that The Pledge of Allegiance is a part of our customary beliefs. For most people it's not an awkward thing. The majority of Americans can recite it word for word, even though the majority of us haven't said it since high school. But if we were to ask my Muslim friend to join us in the Pledge of Allegiance, he probably would decline. Not because of ignorance to our culture and customs, but because he is more true to his country, customs, and culture. He's respectful to our religions and public customs and, I'm sure, demands the same respect from us. Even as children we learn to treat our peers the way we would want them to treat us, and our Muslim friend is a great example of this logic. Why we can't all be this way is a sad problem, but also very unfortunately understandable.
The “problem” that we find now lies in the ability that all human beings have to make choices, have opinions, and stand by their opinions. This is a blessing from whichever Creator one decides to believe in, but also a curse to our existence. We have a biological right and privilege to make our own lives. The problem with this is that it is virtually impossible for large amounts of human beings to form a perfect union or undivided group. We will forever disagree with our peers. And this is what we see happening daily in the world as we know it. People are forming ideals and opinions about countless subjects, standards, and beliefs, and will not easily back down from their decisions. What's right and wrong has become controversial in the world and “politically correct” is now what we base our public image on. We hold our private beliefs sacred and secret, yet, in public, we conform to the least offensive practices we can. We don't mention a person's race, religion, or health problems, for fear of causing offense which can often lead to legal action. It's almost sad that we are basing our actions off of the fear of offending others. We can't just be honest to ourselves and others and expect the same. Along with not wanting to offend others with our private beliefs, we are constantly changing our preferences to fit in with our friends and what is perceived as “cool” or acceptable. A large amount of supporters of virtually any issue could very well be supporting the issue blindly. It's extremely hard in these modern times to get a true and real count of how many people actually support an issue, due to so many blind followers.
Another solution to the issue of separating God and country would be to completely remove The Pledge of Allegiance from our customs and practices. This, in my opinion, will backfire horribly. Yes, it solves the problem of whether or not our children have God in their daily routine, but as it's been said previously, our future lies in the rising generations. Without unity, they will fail to lead our country in future events. I firmly believe that our current leadership is doing (arguably) as good of a job as they've been doing because of the unified, conservative time frame they were raised in.
I feel that if we are basing our decision to keep the Pledge of Allegiance in schools or to keep “Under God” in the Pledge off of our fear of offending others that we are turning ourselves into cowardly, sad people. I think that no matter what our decision, it needs to be a decision based on changing for the unity and bettering of our nation, and not one based on not offending others. I would be more than happy to revert back to the original pledge of allegiance as a way to come closer to our roots. To me, it seems to be the same as modern golfers wearing authentic vintage clothing that dates to the original days and uniforms of the sport. The same thing happens in baseball, and now even basketball teams are reverting to their vintage logos and jersey colors. This is all a way to pay homage to those who came before. Changing the words, now and in the past, of something that holds so much importance to our nation may arguably be more of a hindrance to our nation and it's future generations than our leaders may have expected. We obviously do not know what would be different today if the words “Under God” had not been added in 1954, but who's to say that the decision was a good one?
As citizens and visitors of these United States of America, we must decide for ourselves what we feel is offensive, beneficial, and redundant for our future leaders. Whether we remove the mention of God from our nation's Pledge or not, it is up to us to decide how much we support or reject. My argument is that, while I don't agree that we have anything to worry about by keeping God in the Pledge, our decision should be based on what will prepare us for a better future rather than what will or won't offend our more sensitive fellow human beings.
Friday, August 6, 2010
final draft eportfolio link
http://writersblock1010.wordpress.com/2010/08/06/pledge-allegiance-to-what/
Monday, August 2, 2010
draft (final)
Pledge Allegiance to What?
“Supporting the legality of marijuana or abortion does not mean you smoke dope and kill babies; similarly, allowing people to pledge to the U.S. flag without pledging to a specific Creator does not mean you disregard that Creator.” says James McOmber, a Salt Lake City student and active church-goer. He was referring to removing the God terminology from the Pledge of Allegiance.
In a community where God is a common belief, this is a pretty hot topic among parents, clergy, and students alike. The religious enthusiasts want to keep God in our schools and homes, while the people who aren't so religious seem to be growing more and more disgusted by the practice. Along with those non religious folks are an ever increasing group of mixed belief people who just don't agree with the belief that “...One Nation, Under God...” (Pledge of Allegiance) needs to be recited in our schools in order to keep their children close to their God. But let's not forget the non religious folks who think that it should stay due to a misunderstanding of terminology and Pledge history that will be discussed later.
Many people will argue that keeping the Pledge Of Allegiance in our schools and keeping the
“...One Nation, Under God...” line in it is a way of being true to our roots as Americans. Our forefathers came to this land in search of religious freedom. They fought for our right to worship God, when, where, and how we choose. There are, however, some problems with these arguments. One such issue is that if we are free to worship when, where, and how we choose, shouldn't that mean that we're free, also, to not worship? Also, according to The Pledge of Allegiance and the Meanings and Limits of Civil Religion By: Grace Kao, the pledge didn't include the words “Under God” until 1954. So
technically, those aren't even legitimate arguments.
The fifties seemed to be a time when our nation was struggling to instill standards and beliefs in it's children, and now in hindsight, looking at the sixties, we see it was for good reason while not very effective. Even still, “Under God” seemed to be the stability our communities needed at the time. It was translated as a statement of our nation being watched over. I remember when I was in elementary school I was frequently told that the fathers of our nation put those words in the Pledge of Allegiance as a way to pay respect to God often. What we weren't told, maybe because we were too young to understand, is that “Under God” was a term frequently used in the eighteen hundreds to mean “second only to God”. It was a way to give God credit while still claiming that the subject at hand was pretty important. Various dictionaries also state, "under God: as a secondary cause or mediate object of gratitude." It wasn't necessarily a statement in context to what the Pledge alludes it to mean. Given this information, I personally changed my opinion on this subject. I initially thought that since this nation was founded on religious freedom and beliefs, that we should stay faithful by allowing ourselves and our future generations to be true to what our forefathers have said. While I am religious, my primary intent on this subject is to stay faithful to my country. We, as citizens, are nothing without our government, and vice versa (that can be argued, of course, but this seems to make the most sense to me).
Mike Glick, a University of Utah student, says, “I do believe that this country was built around God and a creator and the words should stay. Whether people say them or not is up to them.
Removing the pledge or changing it does offend me. To me it is unpatriotic.... If you are that distraught by the country you live in and what it was built and formed off of, move. Go to another country. Because I will fight till the day I die to keep this country and what it stands for.” Obviously he has very strong opinions on this matter, as does a lot of other people in our nation. But he does make a good point that it is up to each individual as to whether or not they want to recite the Pledge. I remember as a child learning that I wasn't required to stand with my fellow student and say the words, but rather I had a choice. I was asked to have respect for the practice and at least stand while the other children recited it, but I didn't have to join in. I found great joy in looking like a rebel to my fellow students, but over time my joyful attitude changed from rebellious to thankful. I am now thankful to my teachers for teaching me that I had that choice. I don't necessarily think that the Pledge is a bad thing or that reciting it, with the God terminology intact, is a horrible or ignorant practice, I just feel that each person has a right to choose what they'll do. All that being said, another person I interviewed, Laura Gilchrist, stated “...[The Pledge] isn't necessary, it doesn't have the roots a bunch of supporters claim it does and it wastes time better spent on learning math or something.” This may be a slightly different view from the one stated just previous to it, but it still gives a great point. We are wasting our time that could be spent helping strengthen our kids' brains. Our nation will only be as strong and intelligent as our future leaders will be, which won't be much if we don't educate them now.
We are a nation of many faces. America has been called “The Melting Pot” or “The Mixing Bowl” for a reason. There are so many different people in our country. We have every race, color, creed, religion, and lifestyle. We have Americans who were born and raised here that share the beliefs and ideals of religious and political groups that are based in other countries, and conversely we have foreign born people who immigrated to this country because they share the belief that this country's founders had. As a missionary and service worker for my church in Georgia I met and learned from many different people. I sat for an hour in the house of a Muslim from the middle east eating his food and learning about his religion. When he was finished, he politely sat and listened to me teach of my religion. Our normal missionary teaching habits include an invitation to join our congregation, but that day was different. That day we ate, spoke, shook hands, and left with a smile. There was no awkward tension due to strange requests to come experience something either of us weren't ready for. This story seems to be a bit unrelated to the subject at hand, but in truth it relates quite well. As Americans, born and raised, we have learned that The Pledge of Allegiance is a part of our customary beliefs. For most people it's not an awkward thing. The majority of Americans can recite it word for word, even though the majority of us haven't said it since high school. But if we were to ask my Muslim friend to join us in the Pledge of Allegiance, he probably would decline. Not because he's ignorant to our culture and customs, but because he's more true to his country, customs, and culture. He's respectful to our religions and public customs and demands the same from us.
The “problem” that we find now lies in the ability that all human beings have to make choices, have opinions, and stand by their opinions. This is a blessing from whichever Creator one decides to believe in. We have a biological right and privilege to make our own lives. The problem with this is that it's virtually impossible for large amounts of human beings to form a perfect union or undivided group. We will forever disagree with our peers. And this is what we see happening daily in the world as we know it. People are forming ideals and opinions about countless subjects, standards, and beliefs, and will not back down from their decisions. What's right and wrong has become a hot topic in the world and “politically correct” is now what we base our public image on. We hold our private beliefs sacred and secret, yet, in public, we conform to the least offensive practices we can. We don't mention a person's race, religion, or health problems, for fear of causing offense which can often lead to legal action. It's almost sad that we are basing our actions off of the fear of offending others. We can't just be honest to ourselves and others and expect the same.
I feel that if we are basing our decision to keep the Pledge of Allegiance in schools or to keep “Under God” in the Pledge off of our fear of offending others that we are turning ourselves into cowardly, sad people. I think that no matter what our decision, it needs to be a decision based on changing for the unity and bettering of our nation, and not one based on not offending others. I would be more than happy to revert back to the original pledge of allegiance as a way to come closer to our roots. To me, it seems to be the same as modern golfers wearing authentic vintage clothing that dates to the original days and uniforms of the sport. The same thing happens in baseball, and now even basketball teams are reverting to their vintage logos and jersey colors. This is all a way to pay homage to those who came before.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
freewriting for final
after researching this subject i've decided to change my opinion about whether or not the pledge should be removed from schools or the "one nation under God" should be removed. I think now i don't feel so strongly that it absolutely should be removed. now i'm more of the opinion that i don't necessarily care. from my research i've found that "one nation under God" was added years and years after the original Pledge was written. That fact alone gives me reason to think that i don't really care either way. my initial thoughts were that the forefathers wrote it that way for a reason, but now that i don't think they did, it doesn't matter to me as much. i say, say the pledge if you want, let others have their opinions, etc.
i'm all for equal rights and not offending people. my initial belief in God makes it so that i will continue to support the pledge of allegiance, but not necessarily enforce that other people do the same.
i'm all for equal rights and not offending people. my initial belief in God makes it so that i will continue to support the pledge of allegiance, but not necessarily enforce that other people do the same.
annotated bibliography entry (final)
Facts and Fictions About the History of Separation of Church and State.
By: Witte Jr., John. Journal of Church & State, Winter2006, Vol. 48 Issue 1, p14-45, 31p; (AN 20335496)
Discusses the history of the separation of church and state. Argues that the separation of church and state was an invention some 19th century anti-clerical and anti-religious elitist groups.
By: Witte Jr., John. Journal of Church & State, Winter2006, Vol. 48 Issue 1, p14-45, 31p; (AN 20335496)
Discusses the history of the separation of church and state. Argues that the separation of church and state was an invention some 19th century anti-clerical and anti-religious elitist groups.
student choice #1 interview notes (final)
1 & 2) I believe we should stop reciting the pledge of allegiance in schools simply because: a- when I was a kid I and all my classmates hated doing it and saw no purpose in it and b- because as an adult, I still see no purpose in it, other than as a sort of brainwashing of patriotism. It's pretty disturbing to me...
If we're not going to take the ... See Morewhole thing out of school, I'm definitely a proponent of removing the god terminology. I understand that when it was written, it was a different time, and the Founders held a different set of beliefs than we do now about religion and its purposes perhaps...but I know when I was a little kid reciting the Pledge, I had no concept at the time of what God was, and it was actually the first time that a God-morality was instilled in me and I do not like that that happened in school -- a public, non-religious institution.
3) I'm not necessarily offended though I am highly perturbed that it is norm to include any references to any gods in school in America. As a country founded on the notion of freedom from persecution based in religion, it disturbs me that religion has become so normalized in schools that it is considered liberal -- even crazy -- to suggest that religious subjects not be incorporated in the public school system.
1. i think it should be a choice weather a kid says the pledge in school or not... i do not think it should be forced not to or to either way, The option should be their daily to say it however after all is this country not about freedom and freedom of speach? if we dont allow it to be said or force it to be said either way it is taking away what ... See Morethe intent of the pledge and of the constitution. and i feel is a cause of concern.
i do believe that this country was built around god and a creator and the words should stay. weather pepole say them or not is up to them.
removing the pledge or changing it does offend me. to me it is unpatriotic... it is taking away what my uncle and hero along with several friends who have been to war and died in war representing our flag and the pledge to it. if you are that distraught by waht the country you live in and what it was built and formed off of. move. go to another country. cos i will fight tell the day i die to keep this country and what it stands for.
1) I've yet to take a real stance on this, but since you are asking....here goes. I believe we should stop reciting the pledge in school. I think it's an unfair integration of religion/government influence, and it could be construed as prejudice based off of the various religions across the world, many of which are are not god-centered. As America ... See Moreis known as the melting pot for a good reason, it should not cater to any known religion on principal of its foundation. It was built and structured in a time that was preparing us for more religious and individual freedoms than our founding fathers ever thought possible. Basically they laid the groundwork for the types of freedoms we enjoy today, without knowing what they would be. While it was completely fitting at the birth of this country, we have evolved as a people and as a government. In combination I believe basically the same things regarding treatment of religion & government. A really basic way of looking at government and religion is this: We upgrade phones every 6 months to keep up with the most up to date functionability as possible, so shouldn't we be evolving as a government system as well? I'm not saying everything, but some things are not as relevant and others have never even been addressed. It's time this changed.
2) See above.
3) I am not so easily offended, and this doesn't offend me. Nor does the fact that I know many people feel very differently than I do. Things are set up the way they are because that's how it had to happen, that's how the foundation for the future had to be laid.
"mutantur omnia nos et mutamur in illis."
(All things change, and we change with them.)
1&2) I believe we should keep the Pledge of Allegiance the way it is, for a few reasons. The document is a part of our national history and reminds us of that history. This nation was founded because people were unable to worship the God they believed in. That they founded this nation under God, illustrates that there was a new liberty founded, a ... See Morenew and real justice for them and for us... for all who live here. It is because of that phrase that we remember why they fought with all their strength for their freedom, and that it wasn't just because they had new land far from England. America's fight and victory for freedom influenced the gain of rights and freedoms in other lands and for millions of people. The fight for rights and freedom increases as people across the globe have seen that freedom is a prize, a prize worth fighting for, and worth dying for. Some may now find the mention of God offensive. It is my belief that in addition to it being a part of the history of the founding of this great nation, the mention of God should not be found offensive to those who do not neccessarily believe in God because the pledge is not a pledge of alleigance to God, to any God, but to the flag of the United States of America, and allegiance to the Republic for which it stands. As a person who does believe in the same God the founding fathers believed in, I personally appreciate the reminder of the divinity of this nations' creation, the courage and valor of the men who gave their lives and sacrificed more than we will ever fully know, to bring about a nation in which we may all have the freedom to worship any God we want, or none at all. This was not possible in any other land previously and seems to be easily forgotten. Many people were murdered for no other reasons than their personal beliefs before America allowed the freedom to worship how, where, or what we choose. I believe that the Pledge of Alllegiance should continue to be recited in schools because it is likely to be the only place many children would ever hear it with the ever-increasing indifference to the foundation of and history of this, the greatest nation the world has ever known.
3) I am offended by those who devalue this nation by disregarding the purpose for its creation, and the ideals under which it was formed. To teach the youth of this nation that we as a nation hold no responsibility to it, no respect for those who sacrificed all they had and all they are simply because they have long since died, is a direct and blatant insult to them and their sacrifices. They formed this nation under God, and it is the belief of many in this land that God protects and prospers us as a nation. To remove God from the Pledge of Allegiance is spitting in the faces of those who have gone before, and those who currently believe in God. I am offended by those who wish to spit in my face and more importantly, the face of those who gave them what they currently enjoy.
So ya'll know, the "under God" wasn't added until the 1954 during the commie red scare. The pledge itself was written in 1892, long after the founding fathers died so they would certainly have had no opinion on the matter.
Considering these facts... well, even not considering these facts (2) I think it's a big bunch of baloney to force kids to ... See Morerecite this kind of propaganda without thinking about it. I don't think it qualifies as brainwashing per se but it certainly encourages obedience without thought (great for the military, not so much for citizenry who are supposed to dissent as they feel necessary).
(1) Real point here--it isn't necessary, it doesn't have the roots a bunch of supporters claim it does and it wastes time better spent on learning math or something.
(3)I'm not offended by the inclusion of god in it's own right so much as I'm annoyed at the implications that the government supports/believes in monotheism--simply not acceptable.
I usually avoid debates since multiple people end up parroting the same thing and it usually turns ad hominem on the internet. Since this isn't a debate, I figure 'what the hey'.
If I recall correctly, the pledge was written around 1892 and "...under God..." was added in the 1950s. It has been postulated by Geoffrey Nunberg (the big kahuna of the... See More American Heritage Dictionary) that the phrase "under God" was quoted from something Washington wrote and meant something different back then - something like "God willing" or perhaps "under God in importance".
Those things, coupled with the whole sep. of church/state thing (which is kinda more important), lead me to feeling that "under God" is not a necessary inclusion. It's my feeling that its possible removal should not be taken as another step toward a God-hating America - just a more inclusive America. Supporting the legality of marijuana or abortion does not mean you smoke dope and kill babies; similarly, allowing people to pledge to the U.S. flag without pledging to a specific Creator does not mean you disregard that Creator.
works cited (haha): http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001090.html
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Report Paper Invention Work (final)
Class wasn't held on 7/21 and, as such, "report paper invention work" wasn't explained. I'm going to assume it has something to do with free-writing and brainstorming and write a short rough draft that includes my initial thoughts on how to begin the actual paper.
1)who does this subject effect?
students, teachers, parents, etc.
2)why is it important to separate God from our schools, state run businesses, and governments by restricting our right to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in these places?
i personally believe that it is more important to learn about other religions and strengthen our knowledge of beliefs in various cultures. I believe the only thing that separation does is not offend those who don't believe in God.
3)what is the benefit/importance of keeping religion or belief in our schools, state run businesses, and governments by giving us our right to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in these places?
more knowledge about other religions is gained, more freedom of speech and religion. we are more open to learning and to honoring the traditions of our forefathers by allowing the worship of whichever god we choose.
4)will there be any lasting secular effects from either outcome?
?
5)are other countries in the world that have been known to include religious matters in government institutions exercising separation or are they continuing with the traditional practices of their forefathers?
england, ireland, australia, japan, india.... any old world christian or asian country?
God is known by many as an all powerful, omnipotent, omniscient, or all seeing creator or master. He is known by many as the Father of our spirits, our master, or our creator. Others know a god who is impersonal and kingly, and still others know many gods. Along with these believers are also unbelievers who feel that the presence of an all powerful being is unrealistic and even pointless. There are others who choose to not take a stance on accepting or denying the existence of such a being, and there are probably people on this planet who have never heard mention either way.
Whatever our belief on the subject, there is a large population of religious people on this planet and it proves hard to escape some sort of belief no matter where one chooses to reside.
Living in the USA proves this very well. not only are there countless religions, sects, cults, and beliefs in our country, but this nation was founded on the belief that citizens deserve the right to worship who or what they will, or to not worship at all.
In the recent years of our nation, and the world, the issue of "political correctness" has become huge. Everyone is expected to be courteous to others' beliefs and preferences, almost to an extreme. Everything must be censored or reviewed multiple times before becoming publicly visible so as not to offend some group or race or religion. A common controversy in the last few decades lies in our schools and places of learning. The use of The Pledge of Allegiance has become questionable due to the use of God related terminology. some people want that terminology taken out. still others believe that our children shouldn't have to say The Pledge at all, and then the people with religious reservations argue that we should keep religion on the forefront of our society.
more freewriting to come
1)who does this subject effect?
students, teachers, parents, etc.
2)why is it important to separate God from our schools, state run businesses, and governments by restricting our right to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in these places?
i personally believe that it is more important to learn about other religions and strengthen our knowledge of beliefs in various cultures. I believe the only thing that separation does is not offend those who don't believe in God.
3)what is the benefit/importance of keeping religion or belief in our schools, state run businesses, and governments by giving us our right to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in these places?
more knowledge about other religions is gained, more freedom of speech and religion. we are more open to learning and to honoring the traditions of our forefathers by allowing the worship of whichever god we choose.
4)will there be any lasting secular effects from either outcome?
?
5)are other countries in the world that have been known to include religious matters in government institutions exercising separation or are they continuing with the traditional practices of their forefathers?
england, ireland, australia, japan, india.... any old world christian or asian country?
God is known by many as an all powerful, omnipotent, omniscient, or all seeing creator or master. He is known by many as the Father of our spirits, our master, or our creator. Others know a god who is impersonal and kingly, and still others know many gods. Along with these believers are also unbelievers who feel that the presence of an all powerful being is unrealistic and even pointless. There are others who choose to not take a stance on accepting or denying the existence of such a being, and there are probably people on this planet who have never heard mention either way.
Whatever our belief on the subject, there is a large population of religious people on this planet and it proves hard to escape some sort of belief no matter where one chooses to reside.
Living in the USA proves this very well. not only are there countless religions, sects, cults, and beliefs in our country, but this nation was founded on the belief that citizens deserve the right to worship who or what they will, or to not worship at all.
In the recent years of our nation, and the world, the issue of "political correctness" has become huge. Everyone is expected to be courteous to others' beliefs and preferences, almost to an extreme. Everything must be censored or reviewed multiple times before becoming publicly visible so as not to offend some group or race or religion. A common controversy in the last few decades lies in our schools and places of learning. The use of The Pledge of Allegiance has become questionable due to the use of God related terminology. some people want that terminology taken out. still others believe that our children shouldn't have to say The Pledge at all, and then the people with religious reservations argue that we should keep religion on the forefront of our society.
more freewriting to come
bibliography entry #3 (final)
The Polysemy of the Secular.
By: Taylor, Charles. Social Research, Winter2009, Vol. 76 Issue 4, p1143-1166, 24p; (AN 47798135)
This article is part of a special collection of papers devoted to religion and secularism and they discuss historical uses of the word "secular" and how it fits into Christendom and public affairs. Development of "the secular" into separate activities in modern times is discussed
By: Taylor, Charles. Social Research, Winter2009, Vol. 76 Issue 4, p1143-1166, 24p; (AN 47798135)
This article is part of a special collection of papers devoted to religion and secularism and they discuss historical uses of the word "secular" and how it fits into Christendom and public affairs. Development of "the secular" into separate activities in modern times is discussed
bibliography entry #2 (final)
Teaching Religion in America's Public Schools: A Necessary Disruption.
By: Passe, Jeff; Willox, Lara. Social Studies, May2009, Vol. 100 Issue 3, p102-106, 5p; (AN 38807829)
Shows the necessary and important use of religion in our history as mankind. Explains the importance of understanding and learning about the religious beliefs of our fellow man. The article examines the issue of keeping religion out of school. Has emphasis on integrating religious learning into social studies curriculum.
By: Passe, Jeff; Willox, Lara. Social Studies, May2009, Vol. 100 Issue 3, p102-106, 5p; (AN 38807829)
Shows the necessary and important use of religion in our history as mankind. Explains the importance of understanding and learning about the religious beliefs of our fellow man. The article examines the issue of keeping religion out of school. Has emphasis on integrating religious learning into social studies curriculum.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
anotated bibliography #1
Facts and Fictions About the History of Separation of Church and State.Full Text Available By: Witte Jr., John. Journal of Church & State, Winter2006, Vol. 48 Issue 1, p14-45, 31p; (AN 20335496)
Goes into the facts and the fictions surrounding the separation of church and state. Argument that it was a nineteenth-century anti-clerical and anti-religious elite invention. Also includes information on early Catholic views on the subject
Goes into the facts and the fictions surrounding the separation of church and state. Argument that it was a nineteenth-century anti-clerical and anti-religious elite invention. Also includes information on early Catholic views on the subject
research guide (final)
Research Guide
1.What do you already know about your issue?
there is controversy about this subject. whether it be taking the pledge of allegiance completely out of schools and government, or removing the mention of God. in our community (SLC) it is an especially touchy subject due to the high population of religious individuals. in the past few decades our society has become more and more sensitive to what's politically correct and what isn't, which may be part of the cause for this controversy
2.What questions do you have about your issue?
who will this effect?
what groups are fighting for either side of this?
what are the pros/cons to taking away the pledge or the God references/
3.Who is interested in this issue?
religious people, and on the other side of the spectrum, non religious people.
parents/family, teachers/administrators, clergy, maybe the students themselves
4.Where do people read, write, talk, or hear about this issue?
community meetings (church, pta, town meetings, etc), online forums, newspaper opinion sections, political radio shows etc
5.Where will you look to find your secondary sources?
newspapers, magazines, personal interviews
6.Are you going to conduct primary research? If so, where? How?
not completely sure what this means. i guess my answer is yes, i will be conducting research. it is a research paper after all. how am i going to finish a research paper if i don't conduct research?
i'll use the library databases, internet web searches, and interview people on the subject
7.Create a timeline/schedule for completing your research.
7/19 choose topic
7/20 bibliography 1 and research questions
continue daily to finish by the due date
1.What do you already know about your issue?
there is controversy about this subject. whether it be taking the pledge of allegiance completely out of schools and government, or removing the mention of God. in our community (SLC) it is an especially touchy subject due to the high population of religious individuals. in the past few decades our society has become more and more sensitive to what's politically correct and what isn't, which may be part of the cause for this controversy
2.What questions do you have about your issue?
who will this effect?
what groups are fighting for either side of this?
what are the pros/cons to taking away the pledge or the God references/
3.Who is interested in this issue?
religious people, and on the other side of the spectrum, non religious people.
parents/family, teachers/administrators, clergy, maybe the students themselves
4.Where do people read, write, talk, or hear about this issue?
community meetings (church, pta, town meetings, etc), online forums, newspaper opinion sections, political radio shows etc
5.Where will you look to find your secondary sources?
newspapers, magazines, personal interviews
6.Are you going to conduct primary research? If so, where? How?
not completely sure what this means. i guess my answer is yes, i will be conducting research. it is a research paper after all. how am i going to finish a research paper if i don't conduct research?
i'll use the library databases, internet web searches, and interview people on the subject
7.Create a timeline/schedule for completing your research.
7/19 choose topic
7/20 bibliography 1 and research questions
continue daily to finish by the due date
Monday, July 19, 2010
topic choice for final paper
my topic will be Separation of Church and State as related to the Pledge of Allegiance and reciting it in schools and government functions
my questions:
1)who does this subject effect?
2)why is it important to separate God from our schools, state run businesses, and governments by restricting our right to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in these places?
3)what is the benefit/importance of keeping religion or belief in our schools, state run businesses, and governments by restricting our right to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in these places?
4)will there be any lasting secular effects from either outcome?
5)are other countries in the world that have been known to include religious matters in government institutions exercising separation or are they continuing with the traditional practices of their forefathers?
my questions:
1)who does this subject effect?
2)why is it important to separate God from our schools, state run businesses, and governments by restricting our right to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in these places?
3)what is the benefit/importance of keeping religion or belief in our schools, state run businesses, and governments by restricting our right to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in these places?
4)will there be any lasting secular effects from either outcome?
5)are other countries in the world that have been known to include religious matters in government institutions exercising separation or are they continuing with the traditional practices of their forefathers?
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
self evaluation questions
Which assignment did you like best?
My favorite assignment thus far is the observation report. I wrote about a concert I went to and the events that happened while I was there. The show was amazing and the things I wrote about meant a lot to me.
Which assignment are you the most proud of?
I'm most proud of the observation paper. I feel that I did a good job with painting the picture I was trying to show and staying on point. I enjoyed describing the bands and music I heard and sharing my arguments about the topic I wrote about
What are your strengths as a writer?
I believe that my strengths are very spread out. I don't necessarily have one thing I'm better at than any other thing. I find that I've developed my grammar, spelling, composition, descriptions, etc, well in the years I've been in school and I enjoy writing
What are your weaknesses as a writer?
My weakness as a writer and a speaker as well is that I can't seem to stop describing or voicing my opinion. I never feel like my papers are completely explained and I end up writing two to three times more than I need to
What are your goals for the final report paper and the rest of the course?
Realistically, my goal is to get it done and turned in on time. Optimistically, I'd like to get it done and turned in on time but do a quality job on it.
What grade do you feel you’ve earned on your Midterm? And why?
I feel that I should get an A on my midterm. I've been to every class session but one, turned in every assignment on time, and done more than expected on them. I'm in class every day participating and taking things seriously. If there's something I could've done better, I'd like to know what it is.
My favorite assignment thus far is the observation report. I wrote about a concert I went to and the events that happened while I was there. The show was amazing and the things I wrote about meant a lot to me.
Which assignment are you the most proud of?
I'm most proud of the observation paper. I feel that I did a good job with painting the picture I was trying to show and staying on point. I enjoyed describing the bands and music I heard and sharing my arguments about the topic I wrote about
What are your strengths as a writer?
I believe that my strengths are very spread out. I don't necessarily have one thing I'm better at than any other thing. I find that I've developed my grammar, spelling, composition, descriptions, etc, well in the years I've been in school and I enjoy writing
What are your weaknesses as a writer?
My weakness as a writer and a speaker as well is that I can't seem to stop describing or voicing my opinion. I never feel like my papers are completely explained and I end up writing two to three times more than I need to
What are your goals for the final report paper and the rest of the course?
Realistically, my goal is to get it done and turned in on time. Optimistically, I'd like to get it done and turned in on time but do a quality job on it.
What grade do you feel you’ve earned on your Midterm? And why?
I feel that I should get an A on my midterm. I've been to every class session but one, turned in every assignment on time, and done more than expected on them. I'm in class every day participating and taking things seriously. If there's something I could've done better, I'd like to know what it is.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Final Observation
Be The Change
On a rainy evening in Salt Lake City, Utah, I decided to go see my friends' band play at a small venue called Kilby Court.
After driving our car through the business district of Utah's capitol city, passing through the inner city neighborhoods, and finally arriving in the warehouse district, we park in front of a block of buildings that look nothing like a musical venue. We took a small walk to find an alleyway with a street sign that says "Kilby Court", but we haven't arrived yet. Kilby Court, the street, is about 60 yards from entrance to the end and is a mixture of warehouses, puddles, and, surprisingly, houses. Some of the last residences left in the area have stayed standing through the years all due to business at the last lot on the left in the alleyway. All the people that live in Kilby Court either work or have worked at the tiny venue that lays hidden in this alleyway and quite frequently can be found on their small porches with acoustic guitars and friends while they wait for the night's events to start.
When we arrive at the venue, there's a small entryway with a ticket taker on our right. We payed the 7 dollars a person ticket price reluctantly, the website had said 6 dollars, and then enter the small open courtyard. On a dryer day, there would be a fire crackling in the old half oil drum in the middle of the courtyard. There would most likely be people surrounding the fire and scattered around the lot, talking, smoking their cigarettes, and discussing their favorite music. But the day's rain has taken a toll on the mood, either keeping people at home for the night, or keeping them in their cars till the last second when they can make a mad dash to the venue. To the right of the fire pit is a garage. It's old, it's kinda rickety, and it's been covered with graffiti and band related stickers through years of concerts and shows. To a music obsessed individual, like myself, this is heaven! We walk into the garage-turned-concert hall, aside from a small stage on the far left, a sound booth on the far right, and some sound equipment hung from the rafters, we're alone. It's a pleasant feeling, but it's short lived. The realization that this may be a negative thing becomes strangely foreboding.
About 15 minutes after arriving, other people start showing up. They pay their toll and their hand is stamped, tonight's stamp is the face of Disney's Goofy. I start to get excited. My friends show up with their trailer full of musical gear and begin setting up on stage. It's amazing how much equipment they have! Since I last saw these friends, we'd all gone our separate ways for school and work, and apparently, they'd gone off the deep end in the musical world in the best way possible. With three guitarists, Fictionist, my friend's band, is definitely a bigger band than most. Alongside at least two guitars each, a vintage amp for each of them, and at least two one foot wide by 3 foot long pedal boards full of the latest and best sounding guitar effects pedals on the market for each, there's a bassist, a keyboard player, and a drummer. Each of those musicians has their instrument(s), amps, and any extra equipment. That's a lot of stuff. For about fifteen minutes, Kilby Court has become a cluster of bodies, tour cases, and instruments, and then they start playing. The music is, in my opinion, and apparently the opinions of everyone else in the neighborhood, absolutely perfect. People cheer, fans clap their hands excitedly, and people who haven't heard this band before become lifelong fans.
Fictionist killed it. After moving their instruments and gear off stage, Ask For The Future, a band from Logan, Utah, sets up their equipment. This four man band does an amazing job. They play their instruments with talent and style. About this time, we start to notice an influx of young girls showing up at the venue. It's a strange occurrence, as these girls all seem to be under the age of 17, definitely not the normal crowd for this venue. Ask For The Future completes their set, clears the stage, and the next band begins to prepare. I look around and the mass of teenage girls seems to have tripled. I'm kinda nervous about it, but I focus on the instruments that are getting unpacked on the stage. It calms me down a bit.
The next band to play is called Allred, named after the lead singer/guitarist, John Allred. On the surface, he's a stereotypical All-American boy. He's clean, attractive, talented, well dressed, and has a wonderful voice. When investigated further, one will find that he's also nice, has a very creative mind, and is more than appreciative that we all came to hear his music. This is about the point in time when I realize why all the adolescent girls are in the venue. Small, high pitched whispers start at all corners of the room. They got louder as the band continued to set up. Hundreds of carefully made-up eyes dart from their friends and back to Mr. Allred. Camera phones and cameras were being set up, pictures taken, and texts to absent friends sent. John stepped up to the mic, plugged in his guitar, put his in-ear monitors into his ears, and the crowd absolutely freaked out! Half of us stood in awe as the other half, young and impressionable, jump up and down like little rabbits, and squirm from the excitement. The band begins to play, all the while enduring the flash from cameras. The front man and namesake of the band stopped between songs to thank the other bands, encourage his fans to stay for the next band, and tell stories about his songs. One such story was about when he spent a week in New Jersey recording. He talked about how he sat in a room with a guitar and a microphone, singing his songs. when the recording was finished, John walked into the control room, to find his producer moved to tears by his songs. At this point in the story, every girl in the house let out the stereotypical "aaaawwwweeeee!". But that wasn't the end of the story. Mr. Allred then told us who his producer was: Ace Enders, the singer and founder of The Early November, a poppy rock band from New Jersey that absolutely exploded on the national level a few years ago, especially among girls similar to the ones in attendance at Kilby Court. John Allred flashed his smile through the crowd as they react to his story about hanging out with their other musical hero. Surprisingly, nobody passed out and had to be dragged to the hospital, but I honestly felt like I was witnessing something i couldn't completely grasp the meaning of. This dude gets on stage, sings, picks his strings a little, and smiles a few times, and multitudes of girls fall at his feet. Aside from the craziness of the young crazy girls, the music was, at worst, exciting. I couldn't stop smiling. This man had some major talents. The songs were both catchy and full of meaning, something you don't find much anymore.
About this time, something confusing happened. John Allred and his band, Allred, finished their set, they started preparing the stage for the next band, and everyone under the age of 19 disappeared like roaches from the light. That left about 20 people. 20 people, of the 60 people that were there, were left standing in a space that suddenly felt massive.
The Devil Whale, a folky, indie band from Salt Lake City, got on stage next. They're one of the best local bands I've heard. Brinton Jones, their front man, stepped onto the stage with his guitar to start his set, a celebration of the release of their latest album. A six foot something tall bassist ducks through the back door and steps onto the stage next to his amp. The keyboard player and drummer both sit behind their instruments, and Jamie Timm, a guitarist from the Alt-Western band, Band of Annuals, plugged in his guitar. It's Jamie's first tour with The Devil Whale and he definitely looked nervous. The music began and the band didn't miss a single note. Even their newest song that they had never played for a crowd went off without a hitch. Everyone in attendance was either dancing, smiling, or singing along with Brinton's voice, which coincidentally, is as smooth as a newborn's bottom. Just like the other singers, Mr. Jones would take brakes between songs and tell short stories. At one point he thanked the people who had been there since Fictionist played, but immediately took his statement back and said "I doubt that anyone here has been here the whole time". First of all, I had. Second off, That got me thinking. Where had all the people gone? And how did the guys in The Devil Whale feel playing to an almost empty venue? I got pretty angry about the teeny boppers that had come and then left before hearing the amazing end of the show!
I find it so frustrating that these young people are seemingly so closed minded to good music. And what makes less sense to me is trying to think of what these teenage kids had that was more important that night. Underage teens with enough money to spend on seeing one band, but not enough time to stay for an even better band? It just doesn't make sense to me.
After talking to a few people in the local music scene about this situation, I only got more frustrated. Jason Steadman, a local celebrity who starred in the 90's horror movie Troll 2 and owns a local venue said, "...having produced and promoted concerts for years and having managed several bands, I've dealt with this A LOT and I can't tell you how bad it pisses me off and makes me embarrassed for the Utah music scene. I've obviously seen this happen at tons of local shows, but I've even seen it happen at bigger concerts. I don't get it. Stay around and get your money's worth. What in the hell is so important that night that you have to get to? I mean, if a family member is in the hospital, I can understand leaving. Other than that, stick around....". Along with that statement, a local musician named Nate Phelps says, "It is truly unfortunate, but not too many people know how it feels to play for people who don't wanna hear you or just plain don't care (or even worse, an empty room). I always stay for every band especially if I am in the show. It's just proper etiquette. Too many bands don't get the recognition they deserve because of eleventeen year old wannabes who only wanna see "ace enders." I spoke with the singer from Ask For The Future about it and his girlfriend commented "Those aren't the kind of fans you want anyway."
Other people also commented on it, and the consensus is that it does, and will continue to, happen. It's a sad fact, but it isn't going to change overnight.
I have a dream, to copy Mr. Martin Luther King, Jr., that one day our fellow musicians might be treated the way their fans would want to be treated if they were on the stage. I hope that I can do my part to support my favorite bands and bands I've never heard. I will continue to invite everyone I know to come to every show I attend, and then strongly encourage them to stay for the entire time. While this happens more than I'd like to know, I know that it can be changed. As Gandhi said, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world".
On a rainy evening in Salt Lake City, Utah, I decided to go see my friends' band play at a small venue called Kilby Court.
After driving our car through the business district of Utah's capitol city, passing through the inner city neighborhoods, and finally arriving in the warehouse district, we park in front of a block of buildings that look nothing like a musical venue. We took a small walk to find an alleyway with a street sign that says "Kilby Court", but we haven't arrived yet. Kilby Court, the street, is about 60 yards from entrance to the end and is a mixture of warehouses, puddles, and, surprisingly, houses. Some of the last residences left in the area have stayed standing through the years all due to business at the last lot on the left in the alleyway. All the people that live in Kilby Court either work or have worked at the tiny venue that lays hidden in this alleyway and quite frequently can be found on their small porches with acoustic guitars and friends while they wait for the night's events to start.
When we arrive at the venue, there's a small entryway with a ticket taker on our right. We payed the 7 dollars a person ticket price reluctantly, the website had said 6 dollars, and then enter the small open courtyard. On a dryer day, there would be a fire crackling in the old half oil drum in the middle of the courtyard. There would most likely be people surrounding the fire and scattered around the lot, talking, smoking their cigarettes, and discussing their favorite music. But the day's rain has taken a toll on the mood, either keeping people at home for the night, or keeping them in their cars till the last second when they can make a mad dash to the venue. To the right of the fire pit is a garage. It's old, it's kinda rickety, and it's been covered with graffiti and band related stickers through years of concerts and shows. To a music obsessed individual, like myself, this is heaven! We walk into the garage-turned-concert hall, aside from a small stage on the far left, a sound booth on the far right, and some sound equipment hung from the rafters, we're alone. It's a pleasant feeling, but it's short lived. The realization that this may be a negative thing becomes strangely foreboding.
About 15 minutes after arriving, other people start showing up. They pay their toll and their hand is stamped, tonight's stamp is the face of Disney's Goofy. I start to get excited. My friends show up with their trailer full of musical gear and begin setting up on stage. It's amazing how much equipment they have! Since I last saw these friends, we'd all gone our separate ways for school and work, and apparently, they'd gone off the deep end in the musical world in the best way possible. With three guitarists, Fictionist, my friend's band, is definitely a bigger band than most. Alongside at least two guitars each, a vintage amp for each of them, and at least two one foot wide by 3 foot long pedal boards full of the latest and best sounding guitar effects pedals on the market for each, there's a bassist, a keyboard player, and a drummer. Each of those musicians has their instrument(s), amps, and any extra equipment. That's a lot of stuff. For about fifteen minutes, Kilby Court has become a cluster of bodies, tour cases, and instruments, and then they start playing. The music is, in my opinion, and apparently the opinions of everyone else in the neighborhood, absolutely perfect. People cheer, fans clap their hands excitedly, and people who haven't heard this band before become lifelong fans.
Fictionist killed it. After moving their instruments and gear off stage, Ask For The Future, a band from Logan, Utah, sets up their equipment. This four man band does an amazing job. They play their instruments with talent and style. About this time, we start to notice an influx of young girls showing up at the venue. It's a strange occurrence, as these girls all seem to be under the age of 17, definitely not the normal crowd for this venue. Ask For The Future completes their set, clears the stage, and the next band begins to prepare. I look around and the mass of teenage girls seems to have tripled. I'm kinda nervous about it, but I focus on the instruments that are getting unpacked on the stage. It calms me down a bit.
The next band to play is called Allred, named after the lead singer/guitarist, John Allred. On the surface, he's a stereotypical All-American boy. He's clean, attractive, talented, well dressed, and has a wonderful voice. When investigated further, one will find that he's also nice, has a very creative mind, and is more than appreciative that we all came to hear his music. This is about the point in time when I realize why all the adolescent girls are in the venue. Small, high pitched whispers start at all corners of the room. They got louder as the band continued to set up. Hundreds of carefully made-up eyes dart from their friends and back to Mr. Allred. Camera phones and cameras were being set up, pictures taken, and texts to absent friends sent. John stepped up to the mic, plugged in his guitar, put his in-ear monitors into his ears, and the crowd absolutely freaked out! Half of us stood in awe as the other half, young and impressionable, jump up and down like little rabbits, and squirm from the excitement. The band begins to play, all the while enduring the flash from cameras. The front man and namesake of the band stopped between songs to thank the other bands, encourage his fans to stay for the next band, and tell stories about his songs. One such story was about when he spent a week in New Jersey recording. He talked about how he sat in a room with a guitar and a microphone, singing his songs. when the recording was finished, John walked into the control room, to find his producer moved to tears by his songs. At this point in the story, every girl in the house let out the stereotypical "aaaawwwweeeee!". But that wasn't the end of the story. Mr. Allred then told us who his producer was: Ace Enders, the singer and founder of The Early November, a poppy rock band from New Jersey that absolutely exploded on the national level a few years ago, especially among girls similar to the ones in attendance at Kilby Court. John Allred flashed his smile through the crowd as they react to his story about hanging out with their other musical hero. Surprisingly, nobody passed out and had to be dragged to the hospital, but I honestly felt like I was witnessing something i couldn't completely grasp the meaning of. This dude gets on stage, sings, picks his strings a little, and smiles a few times, and multitudes of girls fall at his feet. Aside from the craziness of the young crazy girls, the music was, at worst, exciting. I couldn't stop smiling. This man had some major talents. The songs were both catchy and full of meaning, something you don't find much anymore.
About this time, something confusing happened. John Allred and his band, Allred, finished their set, they started preparing the stage for the next band, and everyone under the age of 19 disappeared like roaches from the light. That left about 20 people. 20 people, of the 60 people that were there, were left standing in a space that suddenly felt massive.
The Devil Whale, a folky, indie band from Salt Lake City, got on stage next. They're one of the best local bands I've heard. Brinton Jones, their front man, stepped onto the stage with his guitar to start his set, a celebration of the release of their latest album. A six foot something tall bassist ducks through the back door and steps onto the stage next to his amp. The keyboard player and drummer both sit behind their instruments, and Jamie Timm, a guitarist from the Alt-Western band, Band of Annuals, plugged in his guitar. It's Jamie's first tour with The Devil Whale and he definitely looked nervous. The music began and the band didn't miss a single note. Even their newest song that they had never played for a crowd went off without a hitch. Everyone in attendance was either dancing, smiling, or singing along with Brinton's voice, which coincidentally, is as smooth as a newborn's bottom. Just like the other singers, Mr. Jones would take brakes between songs and tell short stories. At one point he thanked the people who had been there since Fictionist played, but immediately took his statement back and said "I doubt that anyone here has been here the whole time". First of all, I had. Second off, That got me thinking. Where had all the people gone? And how did the guys in The Devil Whale feel playing to an almost empty venue? I got pretty angry about the teeny boppers that had come and then left before hearing the amazing end of the show!
I find it so frustrating that these young people are seemingly so closed minded to good music. And what makes less sense to me is trying to think of what these teenage kids had that was more important that night. Underage teens with enough money to spend on seeing one band, but not enough time to stay for an even better band? It just doesn't make sense to me.
After talking to a few people in the local music scene about this situation, I only got more frustrated. Jason Steadman, a local celebrity who starred in the 90's horror movie Troll 2 and owns a local venue said, "...having produced and promoted concerts for years and having managed several bands, I've dealt with this A LOT and I can't tell you how bad it pisses me off and makes me embarrassed for the Utah music scene. I've obviously seen this happen at tons of local shows, but I've even seen it happen at bigger concerts. I don't get it. Stay around and get your money's worth. What in the hell is so important that night that you have to get to? I mean, if a family member is in the hospital, I can understand leaving. Other than that, stick around....". Along with that statement, a local musician named Nate Phelps says, "It is truly unfortunate, but not too many people know how it feels to play for people who don't wanna hear you or just plain don't care (or even worse, an empty room). I always stay for every band especially if I am in the show. It's just proper etiquette. Too many bands don't get the recognition they deserve because of eleventeen year old wannabes who only wanna see "ace enders." I spoke with the singer from Ask For The Future about it and his girlfriend commented "Those aren't the kind of fans you want anyway."
Other people also commented on it, and the consensus is that it does, and will continue to, happen. It's a sad fact, but it isn't going to change overnight.
I have a dream, to copy Mr. Martin Luther King, Jr., that one day our fellow musicians might be treated the way their fans would want to be treated if they were on the stage. I hope that I can do my part to support my favorite bands and bands I've never heard. I will continue to invite everyone I know to come to every show I attend, and then strongly encourage them to stay for the entire time. While this happens more than I'd like to know, I know that it can be changed. As Gandhi said, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world".
Final Reflection
Night Hike
As a young child growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Boy Scouts was always in my life. My older brother was always earning a badge for some sort of skill or another, my father was always going on hikes or camps with the boys in our home troop. I was, on a constant basis, hearing stories of amazing hikes, camps, and adventures. So when I turned 12, it was just natural that I would join Troop 243, earn merit badges, go on adventures, and, like every other young man in the scout system in Salt Lake, earn my Eagle award before I turned 16.
On my adventure as a Boy Scout, I conquered many daunting tasks. From 4 mile hikes, to a 100 mile bike trip, I did just about everything. I learned how to start a blazing fire with only one match. Then, I learned how to do the same thing with no match. After that, like any young boy would do, I continued my evolution of fire starting and learned how to start the same fire with a cigarette lighter and a can of bug spray. We learned just how much sunscreen we'd need in order to not be crispy and burned, but at the same time not feel all oily and lotiony all day. I swam an entire mile in a cold lake without floatation devices. I found the right, and wrong, way to sharpen my knife collection so they'd stay shiny and ready to be used for anything from woodcarving to cutting my food. The incorrect way brought life lessons of it's own. From the most efficient way to put a band-aid on myself, to how many Tylenol I'd need to stop my recently stitched up wound from throbbing.
Somewhere along this exciting path of learning experiences, ghost stories, and sunburns, I came to terms with some very unexciting facts. They include the following: you will get bitten by mosquitoes, hiking in the dark will have to happen, Mother Earth has her own schedule (if it's gonna rain, it's gonna rain), you will ALWAYS find at least one rock directly under where you place your sleeping bag.
Most of these facts of camping and hiking have become minor inconveniences in the years I've spent in the great outdoors, and some of them have become surprisingly enjoyable to deal with. Hiking at night is one of those enjoyable inconveniences. It's happened countless times, and I've grown to hope that it will happen countless more times.
Jump ahead to the year 2010. It's the centennial anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. The exact date is June 15th, and I decided to go on a hike with some friends of mine. We hiked up Bell's Canyon in Sandy, Utah. Bell's is a small little canyon, rich with wildlife and moisture. It's spend years being cut into the Wasatch Mountains by a heavy flowing river with gorgeous waterfalls. The trail itself winds through trees, shrubs, and super green plants, all the while climbing higher and higher through the mountain. As my friend Sean and I climbed, we saw beetles, caterpillars, moths, and plenty of water. The end result wasn't super impressive: we stopped climbing about 45 minutes from the destination, due to a storm on the horizon and super sore muscles. Little did we know what the hike down had in for us!
The views of the city, the foliage, and the cliffs were breathtaking! As the night started to creep in and the sun started to sink, bats began to appear in the darkness. I started to become both excited for the dark, and nervous for the storm that was soon to break in the valley. We heard the nearly subsonic sounds of toads croaking in the trees.
The most exciting, however, was the two massive, black moose we nearly got attacked by. Sean was in front of our two man caravan. We were discussing something that was probably less than important when we both heard the sound of antlers in the trees to our left. I got all excited at the prospect of seeing a huge deer buck, looked over, and saw a black mass. It stood about 9 feet tall at the top of the head, and another half a foot at the top of the velvety antlers. We stopped immediately. One of the lessons we had both learned in our years of scouting is that, while a moose is an herbivore, it WILL kill you if you scare it. Especially if you come between a mother and her calf. We retreated to a boulder about 15 feet up the trail so we could see over the trees to assess the situation. To our relief, there was no calf, and the two moose were both male. Our relief was only temporary, as we still didn't want to come within throwing distance of the two massive mammals. We began throwing rocks into the bushes surrounding the moose in order to make them both leave faster.
Our efforts were successful, as the moose wandered away from the trail, and we made it down to the trailhead to meet up with some friends that had left before us. One girl voiced her concern for the other hikers having to hike in the dark. I was so enthralled by the idea of hiking in the dark that I almost wanted to go hike more! It didn't make any sense to me why anyone would dread the idea at all! Not to mention hiking in the dark in an area so full of life! My childhood was so full of other dreadful notions that I welcome the thought of a night hike. The more bats, darkness, moonlight, and sounds of rolling thunder, the better.
It made me wish that everybody could have experienced the mountains the way I had as a young boy. While I understand that not all of mankind have been lucky enough to have been raised in such a beautiful, mountainous area, I have trouble truly understanding what it must be like to not have those experiences in their lives.
As a young child growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Boy Scouts was always in my life. My older brother was always earning a badge for some sort of skill or another, my father was always going on hikes or camps with the boys in our home troop. I was, on a constant basis, hearing stories of amazing hikes, camps, and adventures. So when I turned 12, it was just natural that I would join Troop 243, earn merit badges, go on adventures, and, like every other young man in the scout system in Salt Lake, earn my Eagle award before I turned 16.
On my adventure as a Boy Scout, I conquered many daunting tasks. From 4 mile hikes, to a 100 mile bike trip, I did just about everything. I learned how to start a blazing fire with only one match. Then, I learned how to do the same thing with no match. After that, like any young boy would do, I continued my evolution of fire starting and learned how to start the same fire with a cigarette lighter and a can of bug spray. We learned just how much sunscreen we'd need in order to not be crispy and burned, but at the same time not feel all oily and lotiony all day. I swam an entire mile in a cold lake without floatation devices. I found the right, and wrong, way to sharpen my knife collection so they'd stay shiny and ready to be used for anything from woodcarving to cutting my food. The incorrect way brought life lessons of it's own. From the most efficient way to put a band-aid on myself, to how many Tylenol I'd need to stop my recently stitched up wound from throbbing.
Somewhere along this exciting path of learning experiences, ghost stories, and sunburns, I came to terms with some very unexciting facts. They include the following: you will get bitten by mosquitoes, hiking in the dark will have to happen, Mother Earth has her own schedule (if it's gonna rain, it's gonna rain), you will ALWAYS find at least one rock directly under where you place your sleeping bag.
Most of these facts of camping and hiking have become minor inconveniences in the years I've spent in the great outdoors, and some of them have become surprisingly enjoyable to deal with. Hiking at night is one of those enjoyable inconveniences. It's happened countless times, and I've grown to hope that it will happen countless more times.
Jump ahead to the year 2010. It's the centennial anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. The exact date is June 15th, and I decided to go on a hike with some friends of mine. We hiked up Bell's Canyon in Sandy, Utah. Bell's is a small little canyon, rich with wildlife and moisture. It's spend years being cut into the Wasatch Mountains by a heavy flowing river with gorgeous waterfalls. The trail itself winds through trees, shrubs, and super green plants, all the while climbing higher and higher through the mountain. As my friend Sean and I climbed, we saw beetles, caterpillars, moths, and plenty of water. The end result wasn't super impressive: we stopped climbing about 45 minutes from the destination, due to a storm on the horizon and super sore muscles. Little did we know what the hike down had in for us!
The views of the city, the foliage, and the cliffs were breathtaking! As the night started to creep in and the sun started to sink, bats began to appear in the darkness. I started to become both excited for the dark, and nervous for the storm that was soon to break in the valley. We heard the nearly subsonic sounds of toads croaking in the trees.
The most exciting, however, was the two massive, black moose we nearly got attacked by. Sean was in front of our two man caravan. We were discussing something that was probably less than important when we both heard the sound of antlers in the trees to our left. I got all excited at the prospect of seeing a huge deer buck, looked over, and saw a black mass. It stood about 9 feet tall at the top of the head, and another half a foot at the top of the velvety antlers. We stopped immediately. One of the lessons we had both learned in our years of scouting is that, while a moose is an herbivore, it WILL kill you if you scare it. Especially if you come between a mother and her calf. We retreated to a boulder about 15 feet up the trail so we could see over the trees to assess the situation. To our relief, there was no calf, and the two moose were both male. Our relief was only temporary, as we still didn't want to come within throwing distance of the two massive mammals. We began throwing rocks into the bushes surrounding the moose in order to make them both leave faster.
Our efforts were successful, as the moose wandered away from the trail, and we made it down to the trailhead to meet up with some friends that had left before us. One girl voiced her concern for the other hikers having to hike in the dark. I was so enthralled by the idea of hiking in the dark that I almost wanted to go hike more! It didn't make any sense to me why anyone would dread the idea at all! Not to mention hiking in the dark in an area so full of life! My childhood was so full of other dreadful notions that I welcome the thought of a night hike. The more bats, darkness, moonlight, and sounds of rolling thunder, the better.
It made me wish that everybody could have experienced the mountains the way I had as a young boy. While I understand that not all of mankind have been lucky enough to have been raised in such a beautiful, mountainous area, I have trouble truly understanding what it must be like to not have those experiences in their lives.
Final Analysis
Angel Analysis
Season 2 Episode 2
“Are You Now or Have You Ever Been”
1)Identity is very fluid in this episode due to the number of people who are one thing passing for another... Choose one character and answer this question: Is that character successful in their attempt to pass as something else? If not, why does the attempt fail?
Thesis:
Angel's attempts to pass as a human and hide his true self is successful in that people may not know that he's a vampire, but unsuccessful because his anti-social lifestyle, mixed with the paranoia's and judgments of his peers make him appear as a strange hermit.
Analysis:
Angel is a monster trying to pass as a human. He is a vampire who has been cursed with a soul, therefore he feels guilty for the wrongs he has done and is now trying to redeem himself by doing good things. In order to do this, he needs to pass as a human. As a vampire he would have trouble with the judgments of the people around him.
I believe that Angel does do a good job as passing as a human, but only to some extent. He doesn't openly do things in public that would give away his true identity like drink blood or transform into a vampire. He drinks his blood from a container in a paper bag, disguising it as alcohol, he smokes cigarettes, and he dresses like he assumes a normal person would in the time period he happens to be in. Although all these things are done to keep his secret safe, he does cause suspicion to arise by being extremely closed off. Sometimes, it seems, it's not your actions that tell the story, but your lack of action.
In the episode he stays in his room, he doesn't communicate with others in a way that most people would. Maybe the people don't see him as an actual monster like the ones in horror movies, but a creepy guy that keeps to himself is a monster in his own way. When the people in the hotel see him, he's very closed off to any socializing and is very driven to stay away from them. He walks fast and tries to stay inconspicuous in his actions, which can be very conspicuous in it's own way.
The writer of this episode seems to have wanted Angel to seem creepy or conspicuous, as he had him living in room #217, which is an allusion to Stephen King's "The Shining". When Angel walks into the hotel with his bag full of objects that will help him destroy other demons, it makes the other people wonder about what he's doing behind closed doors. Why would a creepy, hermit-esque man with no friends that never smiles and stays in his room need an ax and a bag full of horrible objects?
The types of people that he lives around are very social and like to gossip. They talk amongst themselves about everyone and anyone they can, even themselves. One man calls another man “comrade”, in reference to the current events with the communists and the Red Scare. Others point out the secrets of their peers in a similar way. People like that find every reason to talk behind other peoples' backs and in their faces as the opportunity arises. A person who refrains from gossiping with them might be digging his or her own grave in the way that, the people doing the gossiping will start to wonder why he or she isn't joining them. What does that person have to hide? Does that person believe that he's too good for them? All of these questions will cause them to gossip even more. Add this to the paranoia brought on by the paranoia demon in the episode, and that equals monster.
All this being said, does Angel really want to be noticed at all? Some might think that his efforts to be seen as a normal person may be futile, due to the assumptions from others that he's a strange person. Others would say that Angel is doing a great job. But now we need to look at it a different way. Angel seems to not want to be seen at all. He assaults the P.I. that comes to his room because he doesn't want him there, he tries to get Judy to leave, he acts as if he doesn't want anyone to interact with him. But if that's the truth, why doesn't he live out in a cabin somewhere?
I believe that his living situation holds many purposes. Angel is trying to destroy other demons. He's not gonna do a very good job of that if he doesn't live in the city, close to said demons. Angel is trying to gain redemption for his sins so he can be at peace with his life. I share some of the same beliefs that Angel's past self held as a Christian and I know that I would have a hard time doing things that would bring about my forgiveness if I lived in the middle of nowhere. Angel's Irish Catholic past is telling him that he needs to repent. Christian religions, for the most part, believe that faith and works go hand in hand. He can't gain redemption without putting in some effort. Since he can't go into a church as a vampire and sit in a confession booth, he's gotta do this stuff on his own.
Conclusion:
Does Angel do a sufficient job of hiding his alternate self? Yes. He takes all the necessary precautions in order to keep suspicion of his bloodsucking history down. But this doesn't keep people from believing that he's a creepy person. I believe mankind was created with an inherent need to judge everything that moves and, as such, Angel could do anything he wanted to keep his life a secret, and it wouldn't matter. Someone, somewhere, would assume the worst. Along with all of this, I believe that Angel understands that while he doesn't want to be seen as a vampire, he does need to live in a highly populated area in order to complete his work as a demon hunter. So he does everything he can to look like less of a vampire, and more of a person that shouldn't be messed with.
Season 2 Episode 2
“Are You Now or Have You Ever Been”
1)Identity is very fluid in this episode due to the number of people who are one thing passing for another... Choose one character and answer this question: Is that character successful in their attempt to pass as something else? If not, why does the attempt fail?
Thesis:
Angel's attempts to pass as a human and hide his true self is successful in that people may not know that he's a vampire, but unsuccessful because his anti-social lifestyle, mixed with the paranoia's and judgments of his peers make him appear as a strange hermit.
Analysis:
Angel is a monster trying to pass as a human. He is a vampire who has been cursed with a soul, therefore he feels guilty for the wrongs he has done and is now trying to redeem himself by doing good things. In order to do this, he needs to pass as a human. As a vampire he would have trouble with the judgments of the people around him.
I believe that Angel does do a good job as passing as a human, but only to some extent. He doesn't openly do things in public that would give away his true identity like drink blood or transform into a vampire. He drinks his blood from a container in a paper bag, disguising it as alcohol, he smokes cigarettes, and he dresses like he assumes a normal person would in the time period he happens to be in. Although all these things are done to keep his secret safe, he does cause suspicion to arise by being extremely closed off. Sometimes, it seems, it's not your actions that tell the story, but your lack of action.
In the episode he stays in his room, he doesn't communicate with others in a way that most people would. Maybe the people don't see him as an actual monster like the ones in horror movies, but a creepy guy that keeps to himself is a monster in his own way. When the people in the hotel see him, he's very closed off to any socializing and is very driven to stay away from them. He walks fast and tries to stay inconspicuous in his actions, which can be very conspicuous in it's own way.
The writer of this episode seems to have wanted Angel to seem creepy or conspicuous, as he had him living in room #217, which is an allusion to Stephen King's "The Shining". When Angel walks into the hotel with his bag full of objects that will help him destroy other demons, it makes the other people wonder about what he's doing behind closed doors. Why would a creepy, hermit-esque man with no friends that never smiles and stays in his room need an ax and a bag full of horrible objects?
The types of people that he lives around are very social and like to gossip. They talk amongst themselves about everyone and anyone they can, even themselves. One man calls another man “comrade”, in reference to the current events with the communists and the Red Scare. Others point out the secrets of their peers in a similar way. People like that find every reason to talk behind other peoples' backs and in their faces as the opportunity arises. A person who refrains from gossiping with them might be digging his or her own grave in the way that, the people doing the gossiping will start to wonder why he or she isn't joining them. What does that person have to hide? Does that person believe that he's too good for them? All of these questions will cause them to gossip even more. Add this to the paranoia brought on by the paranoia demon in the episode, and that equals monster.
All this being said, does Angel really want to be noticed at all? Some might think that his efforts to be seen as a normal person may be futile, due to the assumptions from others that he's a strange person. Others would say that Angel is doing a great job. But now we need to look at it a different way. Angel seems to not want to be seen at all. He assaults the P.I. that comes to his room because he doesn't want him there, he tries to get Judy to leave, he acts as if he doesn't want anyone to interact with him. But if that's the truth, why doesn't he live out in a cabin somewhere?
I believe that his living situation holds many purposes. Angel is trying to destroy other demons. He's not gonna do a very good job of that if he doesn't live in the city, close to said demons. Angel is trying to gain redemption for his sins so he can be at peace with his life. I share some of the same beliefs that Angel's past self held as a Christian and I know that I would have a hard time doing things that would bring about my forgiveness if I lived in the middle of nowhere. Angel's Irish Catholic past is telling him that he needs to repent. Christian religions, for the most part, believe that faith and works go hand in hand. He can't gain redemption without putting in some effort. Since he can't go into a church as a vampire and sit in a confession booth, he's gotta do this stuff on his own.
Conclusion:
Does Angel do a sufficient job of hiding his alternate self? Yes. He takes all the necessary precautions in order to keep suspicion of his bloodsucking history down. But this doesn't keep people from believing that he's a creepy person. I believe mankind was created with an inherent need to judge everything that moves and, as such, Angel could do anything he wanted to keep his life a secret, and it wouldn't matter. Someone, somewhere, would assume the worst. Along with all of this, I believe that Angel understands that while he doesn't want to be seen as a vampire, he does need to live in a highly populated area in order to complete his work as a demon hunter. So he does everything he can to look like less of a vampire, and more of a person that shouldn't be messed with.
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