"The Declaration of Independence"

Declaration of Independence

"The Declaration of Independence"was written mostly by Thomas Jefferson, along with the help of fellow colonists, to King George III demanding the colonies' independence from England. It was formally adopted on July 4, 1776 by the Continental Congress, but it was officially signed on August 2. Although, this document is written to King George III, it was also published in all the newspapers in the colonies; therefore he is not the only audience. The Declaration was also directed towards all the American colonists in an attempt to convince them that they were all in this together. The purpose of "The Declaration of Independence" was first, to persuade King George III to allow the the colonies to be an independent state, and second, to inform the colonists of what measures the Continental Congress is taking and to inspire all of them to join the revolution and become one united group with the same goal. The tone shifts in this particular document play a huge role in how it is constructed. The document starts off with a very demanding tone that states all the wrongdoings of the British monarchy, and how the colonists want their freedom. It demands their right to "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" (Thomas Jefferson), capitalizing certain words to put added emphasis on them, and using literary devices such as, parallelism, to get its point across. "The Declaration of Independence" then shifts into a more inspiring tone that is more directed at the colonists. It mentions all the struggles that the colonists have faced against the English, everything that they have overcome, and the reason for their separation. The third tone shift is from inspiring to conclusive. This section of the document sums up everything and declares that the colonies will be their own state and that they have every right that any other country in the world possesses.

One-Sided Battle

Lance Armstrong as he wins his seventh Tour de France title.

This week seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong dropped his long battle against the United States Anti-Doping Agency. Michael Hilzik, author of an article from the Los Angeles Times called "Anti-doping authorities don't play fair against athletes", notes that it was quite an unfair and lop-sided victory for the USADA. The USADA has not only suspended Lance Armstrong from ever competing again, but it has also stripped him of his seven titles and all athletic accolades. This case was so overwhelmingly long and draining for Lance that in the end, he gave up and determined that this was not a battle worth fighting. The USADA has not yet proven in public, the accusations against Armstrong, however it has declared him guilty of charges. The system is flawed and so corrupt that an athlete defending himself has no chance in proving themselves innocent. The USADA is the prosecutor, the judge, and the jury, and they may change their rules and regulations depending on what benefits their case; therefore they cannot be beaten. Lance Armstrong does not deserve this kind of treatment until proven guilty, nor does any other athlete accused of doping charges. This case should be of serious governmental concern, and under immediate investigation.

"Graduation"

"Graduation", written by Maya Angelou, tells about Angelou's experiences at her graduation. Maya is both the author and the speaker in the essay. She does not have any particular biases and is a very trustworthy and reliable source. Maya appreciates everything she is given and does not take anything for granted, although the story takes place in a time where African-Americans were constantly being discriminated against. One could say she looks at the cup half full rather than half empty. In the beginning paragraphs she implies that she loves her school and the environment even though they were segregated and did not have the same opportunities as the white children. The audience in this case is he reader, and more specifically an experienced graduate, whether it be high school or college. The audience should be open to the message that Maya Angelou is spreading, but may not be. Depending on the reader, there may be particular biases involved. For example, if the reader is of African-American descent they may relate to the story more so than others, but if the reader is discriminative against African-Americans they may ignore Maya's message completely. However, that should not be the case in modern times. Maya Angelou's purpose in this essay is to inform and inspire the reader. To inform them about her graduation experience and how she, along with her entire race, was discriminated against by the guest speaker. And, to inspire the reader by how she overcame that occurrence and went on to become a famous author that is highly respected; in addition to, never letting anyone put you down, and always chasing your dreams.

Heat Kills

Transporttion Secretary Ray LaHood advocating the "Look Before You Lock" campaign.

In a record setting week of high temperatures from August one to seven, eight children died in steaming cars across the country. This according to the article "'Worst week' for children dying in hot cars; officials raise alarm" by Richard Simon on August 18th, 2012 in the Los Angeles Times. Stunned by these occurrences federal officials along with leaders of Head Start directors have launched a "Look Before You Lock" campaign in order to prevent child deaths in unattended cars. This is a growing trend that calls for nation wide attention. Adults must be educated enough not to leave children unattended in a car, especially during the summertime. It is inhumane and despicable. It is important for parents to remember that they have a child in the backseat, therefore federal officials have been looking into new technology that may inform the driver that there is someone in the back seat. However, their efforts have yet to turn out a useful product. Hopefully, in the future, occurrences such as this can be prevented by more cautious caregivers. Young children should not become a victim of death as a result of carelessness.   

My Favorite Book

Although I have read many great novels throughout my life, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is by far my favorite of all time. It is a story about a young man named, Edmond Dantes who is accused of treason by three of his envious, so-called friends, and arrested on the day of his wedding. After spending countless years in prison, Dantes eventually escapes with his new found knowledge from the Abbe Faria, who also shows Dantes a map to a hidden treasure in Monte Cristo. With his newly acquired fortunes, Edmond Dantes exacts his long-awaited vengeance on those who sent him to jail. Dantes' revenge is not only well thought out, but it is extremely intricate and elaborate. He does not just go out killing his enemies, but he manipulates them, and makes them experience all the despair and agony that he did during all the years he spent in prison.In one case, Dantes causes one of his enemies to commit suicide by tainting his entire reputation and making his family flee from him. In another, Dantes leaves one of his enemies penniless after opening many false bank accounts under his name. Dantes also takes advantage of his enemies dishonest wife and uses it against him. The Count of Monte Cristo is truly an intriguing story that never ceases to amaze the reader. For example, in several scenes Dantes disguises himself as another person and through his new character carries out his revenge against his enemies all while the reader does not know who the character is. Dumas takes the audience through the mind of a suffering man who carefully plans his vengeance against his former friends turned enemies. And although The Count of Monte Cristo is approximately six-hundred pages long, each page is more captivating and engaging than the previous; therefore it is my favorite novel until another beats it.