FIRST 100 DAYS Dear President Obama letter assignment
Post your letters to President Obama here. The freewrite assignment, which we shared was to write the president a letter and share with him issues you'd like him to consider addressing this first 100 days, certainly during his first term in office. I asked students to be chose issues which illicit tangible response. Students were to post the letter here, send a copy to the president and then follow the president's administration the first 100 days.
Send you letter to him via where there is a physical address and an email address. Choose whatever medium you like, and post his response to your letter here later, also converse with each other regarding his 100 Days. http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
My reflection on January 20 is posted at http://wandaspicks.com If students have photos they'd like to share, send them to me and I'll post them on the class blog.
Post your letters to President Obama here. The freewrite assignment, which we shared was to write the president a letter and share with him issues you'd like him to consider addressing this first 100 days, certainly during his first term in office. I asked students to be chose issues which illicit tangible response. Students were to post the letter here, send a copy to the president and then follow the president's administration the first 100 days.
Send you letter to him via where there is a physical address and an email address. Choose whatever medium you like, and post his response to your letter here later, also converse with each other regarding his 100 Days. http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
My reflection on January 20 is posted at http://wandaspicks.com If students have photos they'd like to share, send them to me and I'll post them on the class blog.
posted by Professor Wanda's Posse at 6:39 PM
37 Comments:
Dear Mr. President,
I have a concern regarding the crime rates in our inner cities around the country.
Mr. President, I believe the crime rate is directly correlated to our education system. Most people housed in our prisons are illiterate and have no real hope in being able to get a job.
My speceific proposal is to this problem is to expand the Incarcerated Youth Offenders program (IYO) within our prison to all peoples willing and wanting to further there education. IYO pays for inmates to go to college, thus giving them hope and something to look forward to upon their release. Over 70% of people who have been involved in this program stay out of prison. Currently you must get out of prison before the age of 26 to be eligible for this program. I believe expanding it to at to people at least to the age of 40 years of age, would make a significant difference in the crime rate in the entire United States.
Sincerely,
Gerrell Knox Eng1A 9-9:50
Gerrell, what a great suggestion. How do you know about this program? Has it helped anyone you know? Where did you get the statistics...by the way, this evidence answers key questions about effacy.
Dear president Obama,
First and foremost I thank you for having the courage to run for presidency I know you have your work cut out for you. However there are a few concerns that I have, my first concern is education, I hear and see this nation saying children first, the first thing the state cut is funds for education, would you be where you are now if it was not for your mother getting an education waking up at four in the morning teaching you before you went off to school to receive the education that you received?
Also I would like to see those young men and women come out of Iraq, why are we even at war can anyone answer that question? Why must we fight a war in other places when we have a war of our own? There are many veterans that have sacrificed there lives for a war that was not theirs to fight, then to come home with no benefits, no house, no money. Is this the gratitude we show the brave solders that risked their lives for us?
The starting pay for teachers especially kindergarten teachers should be at least twenty five dollars an hour, my mom is a teacher and she struggle from pay check to pay check trying to provide for her family robbing Peter to pay Paul and never paying Peter or Paul back. Teachers teach the future kids of today and yet they are the lowest paid, is that not backwards?
Medical insurance is ridiculous, people that are forced to stay in broken communities do not have the funds to go to the hospital if their leg is broken let alone catch a code, they have to worry about either paying rent, eating or going to the doctors and pay ludicrous amounts of money to sit in a waiting room for five or more hours and not be able to get treated because they don’t have the money. We need doctors and nurses that we can trust, looking back at the Tuskegee experiment (which was highly unethical), many people don’t trust the doctors of today who knows what they will do.
Job are scarce, many people in California must work three part time jobs with no benefits in order to make up for one full time job. Students do not have the time to work three jobs, go to school and take care of other responsibilities. It would be nice if there were more careers available and (paid) internships where people could learn the skills as well as get paid. Students should be able to get (FREE) full benefits as long as they maintain a C or better.
Many fortunate people have nice homes nice communities’ nice cars, why must the minorities live in run down communities with no grocery stores, in East Oakland, and West Oakland CA there are no grocery stores, they have a 99 cent store and some corner stores. Season folks are too cripple to go all the way to the other side of town other seasoned folks are able to go to the other side of town but do not have reliable transportation.
Education for college students has taken a horrible turn for the worst. Books each semester go sky high in prices, by the next semester new books are produce in actuality they are the same but a page or two different. And you can not sell them back. If you are able to you only get half the money sometimes not even half of what you paid for the book. Students are being charge light bills for books. Financial aid has gotten worse, money for students are never on time when you go to ask what is going on with the funds so that I may get my materials for school, you are given the same sappy story (wait for us to notify you through email) many students in the Peralta district still have not received funds from last semester. Are we not entitled to this money, is it not ours? The financial aid supervisors are not people persons they will not talk to you on campus if you ask them a question, they tell you to make an appointment. I believe if it was not for the students they would not have a job to begin with.
Mr. Obama I am not trying to be a nag, these words came from your mouth “it is time for a change”, as a nation let us come together in acts of love and kindness. I believe change does not happen over night. However when this world comes together we can change the world into a more positive environment. If you are unsure where to stat, try the CEO, COO etc salaries why do they need all that money and benefits. Once again I thank you for accepting and having the courage to go fourth as our president.
I pray for your strength, family, administration and your state of mind to do what’s right for the people.
Philippians 4:13,
Audra’ Tipton
English 1A
January 21, 2009
Dear President Obama:
First and foremost, congratulations on your inauguration. I deeply respect your resolve and honesty to help our country and future well being. I understand the changes you are implying and working toward will take time and we all must work together to proctor real concrete change.
I am deeply concerned about our environment, the policies affecting it, and feel that change is desperately needed to protect it for future generations.
American is a refuse society; we should no longer encourage/tolerate our wasteful and throw away habits. We should be conserving our nature resources and commit to recycle/reuse.
The key concerns I bring forth include the following: greenhouse gas emissions, our reliance on fossil fuels, and the increasing amount of trash and non-recyclables.
The greenhouse process is a natural occurrence in our atmosphere to maintain inhabitable temperatures for humans and animals. However, we, as a society and country, are producing more greenhouse gases than the natural structure of the atmosphere can process; for example, carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a natural occurring chemical in the respiration of all living things. However, when burning fossil fuels, additional CO2 is produced (our atmosphere is not modeled to react to such high levels of CO2). Fluorinated gases which are solely manmade are another major threat to the atmosphere. Fluorinated gases include hydofluorocarbons and perflurocarbons. These man-made gases are emitted from a variety of industrial processes as well as in the some forms of compressed sprays.
“In 2007 total greenhouse gas emissions reached 7,282 million metric tons an increase of 1.4 percent from 2006. Since 1990 greenhouse gas emissions have grown an annual rate of .9 percent.” (edi.doe.gov)
Global warming is forever! Some scientists once believed the gases would eventually work there way out of the atmosphere. However, that is the beauty and also the curse of our precious atmosphere. The atmosphere is built so that nothing can come in and nothing can escape thus providing the only inhabitable space known to man. Even if pollution were to stop completely, we would still have ramifications for years to come as the atmosphere processes the emissions. Think of the future generations to come; they deserve to relish in our amazing world, too.
Global warming seems to be the top concern of environmentalists today but lest we forget trash and the refuse produced a society. “In the U.S., 4.39 pounds of trash per day and up to 56 tons of trash per year are created by the average person. Every year, we fill enough garbage trucks to form a line that would stretch from the earth halfway to the moon. An average child will use between 8,000 -10,000 diapers. In the United States alone these single-use items consume nearly 100,000 tons of plastic and 800,000 tons of tree pulp. We will pay an average of $350 million annually to deal with their disposal and, to top it off, these diapers will still be in the landfill 300 years from now. Every year, Americans make enough plastic film to shrink-wrap the state of Texas” (cleanair.org). We cannot continue to live this way. This earth is only so big and it cannot keep up with our disposable society. “Only two man-made structures on Earth are large enough to be seen from outer space: the Great Wall of China and the Fresh Kills landfill in New York!” (cleanair.org). If we continue to live in this disastrous way, not only will we kill ourselves but also earth for future generations.
I understand that this is a worldwide problem. However the U.S. is one of the top countries in the world. Other countries look to the U.S. for guidance and innovation. We must be the first to make change! A key first step is allocating money toward research to find the most cost-effective and time-managed ways to improve our ecological footprint. There are feasible solutions that can, however, be implemented now; such as, solar and wind power to replace the burning of fossil fuels as well as the time-honored tradition of recycling to aid in the unmanageable degree of refuse. National policies and laws must be put into action as well as tighter constraints on emissions. Carbon trade-offs are a simple way to transfer the blows of the emissions; however, the only way out is to relieve ourselves from fossil fuels completely. There is a way out of this mess and step by step we can find the light at the end of the dump.
As we are also in an economic recession, your biggest worry perhaps is not the environment. However, this issue cannot take a back seat to anything! Without a planet to live on, there is no need to bother with an economic plan. The good news is that a green revolution can provide much needed jobs to last well into the future!
I quote your green stimulus plan below:
• $800 million in Transportation for the 21st Century: New funds for transit expansion to help meet rising demand and help get Californians where they need to go at a price they can afford.
• $700 million Fix It First: Street & Pothole Repair: Funds to fix existing roads and bridges.
• $100 million to Fixing Aging Parks and Recreational Facilities: New funds to repair aging state parks infrastructure and to create new construction jobs idled by the housing crisis.
• $65 million to Restore Wetlands, Fish & Game Habitat, & Create Jobs: Fund shovel-ready community projects to enhance and restore natural systems while creating construction and other jobs.
• $35 million to grow the California Conservation Corps: Create corps to educate, train, and employ hundreds of at-risk young adults, while providing recycling, energy efficiency, urban forestry, fire mitigation, public safety, natural resource protection and restoration, and other needed services to California communities.
• $10 million to “Green” Urban Areas and Create Jobs: Implement urban tree planting projects that produce local community jobs and increase the livability of our communities. (NRDC.org)
In addition we need more progressive movement toward solar energy to make it a feasible option for all Americans. Focusing on our refuse problem is importing by creating jobs to promote recycling and the “re-use” mentality. This plan is a good start but please do not forget the necessary actions that must be made on our quickly dying atmosphere, rotting landfills, and natural habitats.
We have reached a point of irrevocable damage. However, there is still much we can do to hinder the progress of more hazards. We can foster the movement toward our well being, healthy alternatives, and increased education and awareness of our dying environment and ecological landscape.
My name is Rebecca Evans and I am a freshman at Alameda Community College. I am 19 and currently taking my general education requirements after having to return home for medical reasons from The University of California at Santa Cruz. I will be returning to UCSC in the fall to major in environmental science.
My best wishes to you and your family!
Sincerely,
Rebecca Evans
Energy Information Administration. 3 Dec. 2008. Energy Information Administration official energy statistics of the U.S. government. 21 Dec. 2009 (http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggrpt/index.html)
Clean Air Council. 2006. Clean Air Council. 21 Jan. 2009 (http://www.cleanair.org/Waste/wasteFacts.html)
Natural Resources Defense Council. 14 Jan. 2009. Natural Resources Defense Council. 21 Jan. 2009 (http://www.nrdc.org/media/2009/090114a.asp)
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dear Mr. President
My biggest concern is an Immigration problem. There are so many illegal students who want to have a better education, so they can make money by their knowledge. Their dream is to have a better life. Obviously they immigrated because life in their own country is worse than in the US. I have many friends who are illegal and most of them goes to expensive colleges and universities. They want to have a financial aid but it is impossible because they have no documentation. Also their parents are illegal like them so they do all the hard jobs so they can pay their kids school payment. This is the only reason why they work hard, all they want is to make their children well educated, so they can make money by their knowledge. Parents don't want their children to do hard jobs like they do.
Mr.President I am not saying that the US government should give documentations to all of them. All I am asking is that the US government should have some kind of requirements for those immigrants to apply for documentation. I'm sure there are so many illegal immigrants who pay taxes every year like every other American even though they are illegal. Most of them live here in the United States for more than 5 years. Please consider about my letter. Once you said a word "HOPE" now you are the "HOPE" to those people.
Sincerely,
Munkhjin Munkhbaatar
dear president obama,
I am so excited to be writing you and a honor to have you as president. I write to you with concerns of our country. first and foremost I believe every american citizen should have free health insurance. how can you put a price on health? some people have life and death situations but cant afford to fix it. Alot of people go around looking over small sickness and health conditions because they have no money to see a doctor. There is too many illness's in the world thats spreads and can be deadly to those not covered. also there has been alot of cuts in the oakland public school district. Teachers, money, supplies, and bigger classrooms are all of great importance, yet the gov't continues to cut back on them. the teachers need to get paid more because they dont get paid much and there are teachers out there who takes the chump change in order to help our children. we need money and solutions, lesser cutbacks, you know? Because without teachers, our children cant learn and without the proper textbooks our chldren are left at a disadvantage. No text books equal less studying, less studying causes low API scores. and of course you know low API score means no money. How can our children further themselves and learn and be bright. We need to keep these things in prospective because our children hold the future, they are the future. I know you have soo much to do, but these are just some things me and my society are concerned about. Thank You
Jameisha Harris
engl. 1a 8-9 a.m.
Dear Mr. president
First of all, I congratulate that you are the first black president. Many people concern about what you can do when you are the president and how would you make a "change".
Actually, I concern about the war that many people also worried. Will you really can stop the war in the Iraq immediately? I hope that you will not do the same as Mr. Bush did. We don't want "war". We want a peace world.
Sze Ho Fung
engl. 1A 9-10
Dear Mr. Obama,
I am writing you today with hope. Hope that you will make a difference. I am concerned about the many issues we face as a nation so I thought I would share some of these needs with you. I am aware that change does not come quick and that you alone cannot make change in this world, without the help from us. I will do my individual best to help out and try to put in as much effort as you, well maybe not as much as you, because I know your plate is full, but the little help I can provide for myself, family and community. I have faith in you and your ability to fix these issues. I believe that every step you take and every move you make will surely make a difference in making our America a better place.
I am not asking for everything to change immediately, but what I am asking is for you to mindful of the many concerns we all have. We all have different needs and wants and I know it will be difficult to fulfill them all but knowing that you hear our cries and will make a conscious effort to make change is already enough for me.
But one of my main concerns is the economy. Money makes the world go around and we cannot survive without it. Many people are losing jobs and hours are being cut. It is a struggle for working class families who depend on that income to provide for their families. I do not have a family but it is already a struggle for me to even take care of myself. I know people have become greedy and careless and that is why we are in such a financial deficit.
I do not have many concerns only because I know that change will not come quickly. We can only handle so much at once and I do not want to put to much pressure on you than there already is. I will address my concerns one at a time. We can make change slowly but surely and I will make my efforts in helping as well. I hope that I do not come off as not believing in your abilities, I do, but I also am aware that so many people are expecting so much out of you but don't understand that it isn't just your responsibility but ours as well.
Thank you for taking the time out to read my letter. I am greatful to have a president like you, someone who is concerned about our issues on the same level as the majority of us.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Gonzales
Eng 1A 9-950
Anthony Dominguez Eng 1A 8-8:50am
Dear President Obama,
There are a lot of challenges facing us in our current state. The following are two of my main concerns education, and drugs, two problems that tie very closely to one another. Our current education system concerns me because I feel, not enough people take it seriously and not enough people are given an equal opportunity to attend. There are many different circumstances that cause people to stray away from school and usually, the issue is money. I live near Oakland and the lifestyle that many people choose to live is one that will get them the most amount of money in the shortest period of time. This brings me to my second concern, the drug trade in America. There are thousands of drug dealers in the US and even more users. Cocaine and Heroin are the most profitable drugs and should be at the top of the priority list in trying to find a solution to this problem. What concerns me is a lot of money is being gets put into building prisons to take these drug dealers off of the streets but, nothing is being done to prevent them from selling drugs in the first place. If more money were being put into funding schools, it would help to create more opportunities for these people that choose to live the dangerous life of drug trafficking. These are some of the things that concern me and I have hope that these are the type of issues that will be addressed during your presidency, thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Anthony Dominguez
Reina Escovedo
English 1A 8:00-8:50am
1/21/09
Letter to President Obama
Dear President Obama,
It is absolutely an honor to be writing to you, my new leader, my president. You have brought a feeling of hope and pride to billions of people across the globe. Hope of a better future and pride in our country. With hard work and perseverance, yes we can make a difference.
In your Inaugural Speech I was happy to hear of your plans to stress attention on issues such as the recession, unemployment, health care, education, and energy conservation. These are the very issues that cross my mind daily. I also would like to see global warming put on a forefront, because I think people have yet to see the reality of our future if we keep living the way we are.
I think that you are a very intelligent, sophisticated, and honorable man and will lead us in the right path. You let your heart show and have earned the trust and respect of this country. I feel blessed to have you as my president. Good luck in your first 100, show them what your workin' with!
-Ms. Reina Escovedo
English 1A, 9-9:50AM
Jeremy Kerby
Dear Mr. President,
I would like to congratulate you on everything you have accomplished that has got you to where you are today. Obviously someone of your great success has what it takes to run a great country as the United States. I am looking forward to seeing you over come even more obstacles in the future. I have a few concerns I would like to bring to your attention that I would like you to consider in the national agenda.
First, how do you plan on fixing the economy? I do not believe one person has the power to solve this issue. It does not seem realistic as I feel it will take the whole nation together to solve this problem. I do not think it is very ideal to just start bailing out companies as they start to fail.
Second, international trade/jobs seems to be a problem. We can not keep buying oil from other countries. The price and quantity of supply is specifically in the hands of the country we are buying from. Also we can not keep outsourcing jobs. As we do this we are giving away job opportunities to our on people. I am sure it would be cheaper to outsource jobs to other countries but we must put our citizens career opportunities first.
Finally, the most important is dealing with the war in the middle east. I do not think withdrawing our troops from there will solve anything. All the work we have strived for these past years would be lost. It would be pretty small minded to think they would not want to strike back after everything we have done. I would rather fight a battle that is not taking place on our land. Also this is what are troops are for. They are not meant to just train for months and wear their shiny uniform. They have a purpose and are doing it right now.
In conclusion I am looking forward to what you have in store for this country. The country will start to accept you even more as you prove your self to be more successful as president. I am sure you have what it takes to maintain, control, and further improve this wonderful country.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Kerby
Dear President Obama:
Congratulations on becoming the 44th President of the United States. I was one of the thousands of people who went to City Hall in Oakland to hear you in 2007. It was a great experience.
You have a lot of issues to deal with and I want to share some things that are pertinent to me that I’d like to see you address during the next few months. I know some of these issues may not be achieved quickly, but I would like to hear your plans. One of the things I’m concerned about is universal health care. One of my dad’s medications cost over $1000 every three months, but he only has to pay a $15 co-payment because he has health care insurance. Many people don’t have health care insurance and it is very important that everyone be covered not just for office visits and care, but also medication.
Another issue that I’d like you to address is the cost of fuel. A few months ago, we were paying $4.85 for a gallon for gas. I don’t understand why we have refineries in the bay area and our gas is so high. It has gone down now, but it is starting to climb again. Also, it would be good for you to push for more fuel efficient vehicles so air pollution can go down. There also needs to be incentives for people who purchase hybrid vehicles. Someone told me that the cost to replace the battery for these vehicles is high, so if we want more people to purchase them, that fee needs to come down. The bottom line is we need to depend less on foreign oil.
Our economy is in a downfall. It seems like every week we hear about a store closing and these are stores that have been around for years such as Mervyn’s, which was one of our local retail stores. People are losing their jobs and have families to take care of. I have friends who have to move because their families’ homes have gone into foreclosure. The unemployment rate is high, so I’d like to know how you plan to get people back to work when there are fewer jobs. If people don’t have jobs, they can’t spend money and that hurts the economy.
Finally, I’d like you to consider increasing funding to our public schools. Many of the schools are old and run down and they need better facilities, programs and teaching materials.
I look forward to hearing from you, and know you will tackle every challenge before you with resolve.
Andre Stephens
English 1A – 9:00 – 9:50
Dear Mr. President,
Greetings from the “biggest” supporting state of California, specifically the bay area. I am sure you are very well aware that your every moved will now be watched by all, and we here at Alameda College are no different. So as an assignment in our English 1A course, we are instructed to write a letter, filled with all of our pressing concerns, for you to consider during your first hundred days in office. Remember we may not be on the same level as you and your fellow colleagues, but trust me, we are all, watching and are very much in tune with what goes on around us every day. In our metropolitan area especially, children and young adults of all ages watched as you swore to protect all enemies foreign and domestic, we are brought up to know, learn and react to what is going on around us. So having said all that I would like to address some issues that I feel need to be handled as soon as possible and definitely within your first hundred days in office.
My first concern is the economy, which is a huge concern to almost everyone in the world. China and other international allies wait with baited breath to see what you plan is to boost our economy, as do we at home. We need to find a foolproof plan to boost the economy because without this our country will suffer a great depression, not recession, but depression. We are the youngest world power and we also have one the top ranking debts at home and internationally. Our national credit report is so bad we are borrowing to pay interest on other loans. We have a great country, that is most powerful, and innovative, but we are chained by our debt and budget deficits. Our standing as the most influential nation in the world, is unstable due to all the money we owe other countries, are you going to let other countries meddle in our nations laws and actions, just because they are holding our purse strings?
Connected to this problem is our education system that is shot to pieces. We need to create a solution, and stop cutting funds to schools nationwide. You expect us to lead this country but we will be poor leaders, if we are uneducated fools who have no back bone rooted in education. You need to put a cap on college tuition because with this economy you need a college education to work almost every job in America. Dr. King started something that you are continuing, if you want the dream to live on; in Sasha, Malia, and our generation, provide for us now in 2009. We need all the tools available to grow up and support this country and it’s economy.
Lets cross over to international waters were we are still getting the sand in our eyes. What are you going to do about the war in Iraq? You have not mentioned exactly what you propose should be done over there. Mr. President is you pulling out the troops immediately, never or do you have evacuation plan that will be implemented in stages?
I did hear this morning about you five hours of community service program which starbucks is joining, what the details to that plan? I believe that we have many issues to address in the next hundred days, so I suggest lots of coffee, an open mind and a willing heart.
Nely Ruiz
English 1A 9:00am - 10:00am
Bridgette Copprue
Eng 1A 9-10:00am
21 January 2009
Letter to President Obama
Dear Mr. President,
I am writing to you in response to a homework assignment given by an absolutely wonderful English professor, whose instructions inspire, even those of my genre, to ask questions that we most often time just wonder about and never really pose/ or ask aloud, to see what answers may be given to them.
There are many questions that I could have asked of you; but I have chosen only two most important to me and a lot of other Americans. The first question is concerning the education of our youths before they reach our prison institutions. Can you make it "law" that every state in the United States have the same guidelines of teaching our children, whether they are entering elementary or secondary and/or college? What I mean by this is; no matter where you are from; beit the rural south or the foremost eastern border, we all should have advance technological resources to educate ourselves. Just because Tom, Dick and Harry grew up in RiverOaks in Houston, doesn't mean that Tyronne, James and John from FifthWard in the same city can't be taught to have the same goals or resources to obtain the same goals.
My next question, Mr. President, which is dear to my heart,concerns the Veterans of any war that our men and women may have to fight in and their families that are left behind. In my case, how does a widow
prove that her husband's death was service-connected when there was no autopsy performed? There are a lot of questions that could be asked involving our service men and women, but that is one question I would like someone just to give me a definitive answer to it.
I stated earlier that I was only going to ask two questions, and I am going to hold to that. Congradulations on becoming our 44th President and may God bless and continue to bless you and your family and guide you in leading our great nation.
Sincerely,
Bridgette Copprue
College of Alameda
Alameda, CA
Bridgette Copprue
Eng 1A 9-10:00am
21 January 2009
In response to Gerrell...
I want you to know that I agree with you and by me mentioning educating our youths or people in general should start in the school systems. If we all have the oportunities that some have; then we would not be able to state the ole cliche' "if I only had the chance to attend Harvard, MIT, Yale and the likes...". Notwithstanding, some of us will still say those words. Anyway, you have a very good point.
Dear Mr. President Obama
First I would like to start my letter by congratulating you on becoming the 44th President Of The United States. I hope that you enjoy your victory and enjoy the White House with your family. But as we all know you have a job to accomplish. Everyone knows that a President first One Hundred days are really important. The country is going through a hard time. The important issues that I would like you to address in the first One Hundred days are the nations economic problem and also try to find a way to get an immigration reform legalized.
The nations economic problem is the biggest challenge that you are face to fix. I believe that you should try to resolve the economic problem due to the fact that people are losing their jobs because businesses are going out of business. Since people are losing their jobs they are also losing their homes. The economy has tumble because people are losing their homes therefore the banks that own the homes also loss money. Many big corporations are laying of workers because of their sales; some are even filing for bankruptcy. The nations economic crisis is the number one priority.
The other issue that I would like you to try to work on is on the immigration reform. This issue has to be resolved fast because people need their proper documentation to find a job. Immigrants suffer very much because many of their employees abuse them by paying them less than minimum wage due to the fact that they cannot go out and complaint. This issue is very important among the Latino community. Many Latino voters voted for you because they believe that you are their only hope. I know people that suffer from this problem and I believe that is not fair for people to suffer simply because they do not have proofs of being in the country legally. So Mr. Barack Obama I hope that you get my letter and really consider my opinion. Once again I would like to congratulate you on becoming the President and hopefully you enjoy it.
Jose Vasquez
9:00-10:00
Dear Mr President,
Congratulations on your inauguration it was an honor to be a witness of the admiration and love that the American people have for you. I want to congratulate you for your campaign; it was an outstanding process.
Now that you are the head of this great country, there are some issues I hope you could address too. First of all I would want to talk about the health insurance and medicine field. It is amazing the amount of money we spend yearly paying for health coverage. That is if we have the money to pay. In my personal case, I haven’t had any health insurance for more than 2 years; I don’t have any money to pay for it. But every day I get out of my house and I pray that nothing bad happens to me because I couldn’t afford going to a doctor right now. There are countries like France and England that have free health benefits. So I think it can be possible.
The second issue on my list is the approval of gay marriages. I believe everyone should be seen as equal no matter their race, religion or social orientation. Each one of us should have the right to married our loved one. As well, if you think about it this could end promiscuity. Why? You ask. Because many gay people think there is no point to settle down with someone if at the end of the day their relationship is not accepted by society or by the law.
The last of my points is very important for me. I want to encourage you to support the TLC in Colombia, my country of origin. I know you said you wouldn’t support it because of the history of violence. But in Colombia we need support so we can leave behind many years of “darkness”. Even though I know you are very aware why this pact is so important for my country I want to explain to you in my own words: Basically, this would help to sell their products and services in the best position without paying taxes and without being subjected to other barriers.
The domestic market is not enough to boost the country's growth. This is why we must look for markets in other countries. If we are able to export more, we will be able to create new jobs and improve the average income of all residents. This will have a great impact on the national economy. A better economy means better health, education and general services to the average Colombian.
I know my country and my people have a very bad international image. And I know there is a reason for that. But I do also know there are many of us that want to succeed in life and dream with a better Colombia. And this is a breaking point for our times. If you could help would be very significant. It will bring a lot of hope among Colombians.
Thanks,
PAOLA GARCIA.
8:00am-8:50am
Paola Garcia.
Dear Gerrell Knox, i loved your letter. What a great program :). I didnt knew about it. I hope a lot of people could use it.
I think that education is very imporntat to succede in life. And is very important in our society.
Best of luck,
PAOLA
Dear Mr. President
first of all i want to congratualte you on becoming the President of the United States. It is once a Change in history that we wont ever forget. And everyone is Happy that it actually happened.
I just wanted you to know that there is alot of very hard ship that people are going through in the U.S. There is so many especially the economic is really hurting all of people lives and future. It hurts to see that their is so many people without jobs and it hurting a lot of people familys and relationship. Can you do something quick to help people? I have faith that you will put back our country back together. Then there is health care, there is alot of people who dont have health insurance because the goverment is being to stingy about it. And I think that is the most important thing that people need in their lives is to keep them healthy. Then there is the war that is going in the middle east. can you stop or do something about? There is so many people i mean little children and ladys that are innocent that are being killed and it hurts to see innocent people dying over nothing. Then there is education. that to me is very important because young people are not going to school because it cost so much and cant afford it. And now they are not trying to let people get into schools they want because of the budget crisis.
So Mr. President i hope you can fix these problems that we are going through in the world.And i hope you enjoy being in Office.
Thank you,
Nadia Hassan
Dear President Obama,
Congradulations on your successful campaign and becoming the president. As a U.S. citizen and as a student as well, I wanted to address some concerns hoping that you might consider them. First and foremost, the value of education in this country is going down. The schools should be entitled to more money to provide better education for students. Everyone should have an equal opportunity and have access to the same education. Its disappointing to know that the government spends more money on jails and prisons than education establishments. That says a lot about us, but hopefully this will change.
Also, it would be nice to see an end to the war in Iraq and our troops sent home, but I understand that good things come with time and patience.
I understand that you are the president, not a genie. However, the people in this nation have faith in you. We are confident that you will create change, and we are here to create change with you. Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully,
Angela Sterling
English 1A 8-8:50
Dear Mr. President,
Congratulations! Thank God that you are the president! I voted for you. I am excited that finally someone I voted for has actually won.
I have a few questions that I have not heard you address. The questions are as follows:
1.What will you do for government programs that will issue IOUs to their clients like Bananas Inc.?
2.What will you do to stop police brutality in our community?
3.Will college students still receive federal financial aid?
4.Will low income families still receive thier income tax return if they claim the EIC?
Thank You for your interest in leading our country.
Sincerely,
Carla Poindexter
Eng. 1A 9-10
Carla Poindexter
Eng. 1A 9-10
Response to Gerrell Knox's letter.
I think we all are concerned about the crime rates in our respective communities.
I wounder myself if crime is related to lack of education. I have friends who do not have a high school diploma. Some of them are involved in scams and illegal activities. I don't really know if it is due to their lack of a high school diploma.
Rebecca Evans 9-10
just a small mistake, in my letter I accidentally wrote inhabitable... I ment habitable!
The greenhouse process is a natural occurrence in our atmosphere to maintain inhabitable temperatures for humans and animals.
The atmosphere is built so that nothing can come in and nothing can escape thus providing the only inhabitable space known to man.
Gerrell Knox
I know all about the IYO program because I was in it and I still am because they help you, and keep tabs on you for a year after you get out. I think it's a great program that given the chance, many people would take advantage of.
Hong Tang
English 1A
Dear President Obama,
Congratulation! It has been a honor for myself to witness this memorable moment on your inauguration. It was really meaningful that the inauguration was on Martin Luther King Day, I was watching it at my house. There was nothing really disagreeable with your speech. You are a great speaker! It is very nice hearing all the changes you will be making. I will look forward to that. You personally proves to me that at any level you are, you can do anything as long as you put your heart to it. As you went through your speech, I notice you repeated stated the word “We”. I felt as if you were trying to include everyone. The word “We” represents our whole nations, understanding not only you are serving our country but everyone are. I understand the situation we are in at this moment and hopefully it will end soon.
Thank You,
Hong Tang
Hong Tang
I forgot to post the class time. I'm from English 1A 9-10AM
Nina Wooten
Eng 1A
8-9am
Dear President Obama,
I would like to start off by saying I am vey estatic about you being the 44th president of the United States. Congratulations. I know that during these first 100 days in office you're extremely busy. However, I wanted to take this to notify you of some important issues that are mostly personal to me.
My first concern is health care. I do feel health care should be provided to every citizen, free of charge. Health care is a concern for many people of our nation.
My second concern is the cost of education. College is extremely expensive, let alone the cost of living. I'm a full time student working a part time job just to affored college. I truly do valued my education, but its becoming more difficult.
Lastly, job opportunities seem to be dwindling down. Why is it that students graduate from college with bachelor and doctorate degrees but get jobs because of lack of job opportunites?
I know you have a lot planned for our nation and I believe in you. I'm not asking you to make these changes over night, and I am aware that there are many more concerns that have first priority on your list of things to do.
Sincerely,
Nina Wooten
Cesangary Tzinzun
English 1A 9-9:50am
Dear Mr. President,
i am a current student attending COA in Alameda, California. I live in Oakland as a girl that comes from a community where violence its is number one way to resolve any problem. I am writing you here today with many concerns, i have a five-year old nephew who is growing up in a place where he cannot trust going outside and play because he doesnt feel protected by the police.
Around a year ago a police man killed a 16 year old accross the street from my house because the police officer though he had a gun. The OPD didnt fired the police officer because they approved his choice of killing the teen.
I have come to the point where i feel more protected by the thugs hanging around in the streets than by the police. so i would like you to solve the violence in all the cities where violence have taken ove the neighborhoods. Let the community know and feel that the can walk by the street and not feel afraid of getting shot by the police or getting arrested for no reason. Let us the community know that we can trust the police for any need and that our children are safe to go out and play. i hope to see change in the streets soon, change for real! Thank you for taking your time in reading my letter.
sinceraly,
Cesangary Tzinzun
Carmen Truong
Sabir
9-9:50
English 1A
Dear President Obama:
Congratulations for becoming the president of the Unites States. I am very rejoiced to hear this. I’m writing you this letter regarding the violence that has been happening during these years in America. Homicide has been a really big issue. People are getting robbed on the street, houses are being robbed, gun shooting happens daily, car jacking which occur frequently, women’s are being raped, etc. I am very insecure because I feel like I have nothing to rely on anymore. I am very concern about my family safety. Police are helpful but not to the point which I feel like it will make the community better. I hope that there will be more cops on the streets and that will bring helpfulness. I hope this remark will help my family and to help the community to become a better place for us. I also know that there is a lot of pressure on your shoulders. Everyone expect so much from you and you got the weight on America on your shoulders. But I know that change takes time and I wish the best of luck to you and your family. I know that you have the courage and heart to endure this rough time America is going through and I have faith that you will make America a stronger and better place. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Carmen Truong
Dear Mr. President
I feel as an American citizen that our main focus as a country should be on bringing more jobs back to the states and try to rebuild our economy back up. I feel if companies manufacture their products in America it would bring about more jobs. I also feel that the legalization of the medical use of marijuana would also bring more money to America if we tax the sale of it. We should also cut back the defense fund and use the money to dig ourselves out of this recession. I feel that the war is the main cause of the economies state right now and if the cut the defense fund it would benefit us immensely.
I didn’t know we had to turn the free writing in online, hope it’s ok if I turn it in a little late
Rebecca Evans Eng. 1a in response to Dear President Audra’ Tipton
Audra’ covered a lot in her letter. I emphatically feel you frustration with the education system. It is mind boggling the amount teachers get paid. My mom works for the school district and has had her pay cut multiple times over the last two years. My mother however, is still expected to do the same amount of work.
Education is the backbone of everything. The children learning in the elementary and middle school classrooms today will be the leaders of tomorrow. Don’t we all deserve the best futures possible? In today’s day and age one cannot make it in life without a solid education. However, higher level education including college and post graduate work is seemingly impossible for some people economically. As our economy is failing people are being forced to ask questions such as: should I eat? Should I take that math class? Should I go to the doctors? However, we see unfathomably large amounts paid to celebrities, athletes and CEO’s. Many of these millionaires seem to have forgotten their public school teachers who helped them get to where they are today. It is absolutely criminal how our education is run and treated. I desperately hope the change will come to the schools.
Bianca Chouteau
Eng.1A 9:00-9:50am
Dear President Barack Obama
Congradulations for being our 44th president of the United States of America. You must be so proud of what you have accomplished, i am.
I had some concerns about why are so many condo's being built all over Oakland California when some people can barely pay their rent in an apartment building because it is too expensive to live. If we're in this "bad ecomomy" why is money being wasted on that? So is it true, There trying to get the ghetto people out of Oakland so the rich can come back? Is that the reason for the condo makings? I feel that instead of building new buildings the old ones should be fix. With the money used to build the condo's take it and fix the homes already here. Most people cant even afford to live in a condo thats why there is only a few people living in them so now they have to lower the cost so people will buy or rent them out. Please understand where i am coming from...
Sincerly,
Bianca Chouteau
Thank You
Eng 1a 8-9
Dear President B. Obama,
President Obama I would like to first congratulate you on your recent inauguration as newly anointed leader of our fair country. Coming in to replace the retreating shadow of what was widely perceived as a truly disastrous administration, strung together along the wire of a struggling economy and ornamented with the hollowed out bells of war, you are naturally regarded as a saviour of sorts. Many turn to you with eyes widened through the promises of change and hope to turn around a great nation that has plunged into a spiraling tailspin. The pressure must be tremendous. In your fragile hands you hold the weight of 303,824,640 souls finespun together to form a society that is in a constant flux, always subject to change. In reality, not only human society, but also the very core of our human nature can be argued as being in a constant flux and always subject to change. Human history can presently be traced back roughly 50,000 years ago to East Africa where remnants of our past - crude stone tools and preserved ostrich shell jewelry - can be found giving some idea as to the general shape of what life was like for us then. Not so much sooner do similar developments take form in east, southeastern and southwestern Europe some 10,000 years removed from what is our earliest known starting mark in East Africa. It would be here where the shape of humanity would change even further. This period saw the emergence of complex tools fashioned not only from stone but also from bone allowing for a multiplicity of functional and diverse equipment such as fish-hooks, needles, awls, and engraving tools. Weapons like spear-throwers and even the bow-and-arrow can also be found during this period sighting for the first time the capacity to impart human beings with the ability to hunt large game -like rhinos and elephants - that had always been too dangerous to hunt previously. The development of ropes, nets, lines and snares during this period allowed us to also include birds and fish as sources of nutritional sustenance. Through these developments human society was rapidly changing. Humans were now starting to reach a stage where they could move freely from the chains of necessity. That is, they now found themselves with the ability protect themselves from the predation of other animals, they could safeguard themselves from the cruelty of nature through things like shelter and clothing, and there was enough food to get by. Through these changes in the shape of human society, freedom from the chains of necessity had become enabled, freeing up the mind for higher thoughts such as economic specialization, social complexity, philosophical questioning, and political organization. These changes in human society had given rise to brand new mind-states and thus a growth or change in the very core of our human nature. The shape of human society and human nature are locked together in a tender clasp, dancing with each other in tight embrace through passing of the years of our human history. Therefore it is with great importance and care that we must look on to the future and the many changes of human society that are to come, as it is this that is undeviatingly linked to future changes in our very own human nature.
Up until the 1970's every human who has ever lived was born from his or her biological mother. However, today this is no longer true as the advent of surrogate mothers has become a reality. Is there any affect on the human psyche and thus, the human nature, stronger than being born from your mother? Many argue that only from this can the primary link between mother and child be formed. Sigmund Freud proposed that it was these early connections between mother and child that ultimately formed the foundational substructure of the human psyche and ego. What happens when you take away the most primary connection of all? Clearly changes in human society, specifically changes in technology like the advent of surrogate mothers, play a major role in determining the future direction of our human nature. What affects might the trans-human super technologies of the future hold in store for us? Technologies such as nano-machines capable of manipulating the structures of physical materials at a molecular level, singularity AI (super-powered artificial intelligence) that possess superior cognitive ability capable creating more advanced conclusions than a human mind is capable of and thus replacing the need for human cognitive ability, virtual reality interface that threaten to gradually eliminate the need to exist in the physical world entirely, gene manipulation that can enhance the human body to super-human levels, mass cloning that could replace the human work-force completely routing the division of labor that every modern civilization has ever been based upon. Changes this extreme must necessarily also possess a similarly powerful capacity to alter our human nature. If our present-day human nature is something we must choose to build, uphold, and improve upon then we must take great care in what changes we choose ourselves in the future. Some changes (in particular the trans-human super technology of the fast coming future) may give rise to a new dawn of humanity and thus new stages of human nature. However, some of these changes may threaten to stagnate the development of man and run us clear towards a dead-end. The road ahead is going to be hard to navigate and ever harder should we ignore the great responsibility that rests upon our shoulders in investigating the new changes that are to come in our human history.
signed,
Marvelous Marvin Mayweather (left hand)
Andre Stephens
English 1A – 9:00 – 9:50
First of all, I would like to echo Ms. Wooten’s sentiment of being overjoyed that Obama is our 44th President and the first African American to take office. I feel that healthcare should be free for those who can’t afford it. Second, I absolutely agree with you that education is another important issue. As each year passes, the cost at universities and state colleges continues to go up. I am totally understanding of your situation and you are doing what you have to in order to be successful. Also, I admire that you value education because without it, you can’t make it. I absolutely agree that job opportunities seem to be few and far between. When you work hard and get a bachelor or doctorate degree, you should be able to find a good paying job. I would like to hear the President’s answer to your question. I am anxious to see which of the issues he thinks is most pressing and which one’s he will take care of first.
Dear Mr. President,
First of all congratulations. There are just a few things that I would like you to address in your first 100 days in office. The most important and pressing issue would be the status of the United States Economy. I believe that another economic stimulus package for the American citizens is due and I truly believe that it will help boost the economy. You also need to fix the Housing Crisis and Wall Street immediately. The American people whose homes are in foreclosure deserve a helping hand. The second pressing thing is California’s Economy. California is in the middle of a budget crisis which needs to be fixed. California cannot hand out I O Us. In order for the Nation’s Economy to get better we need to make sure that our local and state governments are stable with a stable economy. Thank You for your time and I look forward to you addressing these issues soon.
Respectfully Yours,
Chris W English 1A 9:00-10:00
Whitney Felton
English 1A
8-9am
Dear Obama,
As you already know, being the first black president of the United States places a heavy weight on your shoulders. There will be people hoping you will fail, and others that will expect too much, all the while the rest of the world is watching. It is understandable for you to be nervous, even thought you don’t need to. Your history shows a record of constantly beating all odds, accomplishing every goal, and finishing each task that was placed before you. Already, you are the answer to so many of our social problems. There are so many children and young adults who believe that they could never make a difference because all of the odds are against them. Hearing your story gives us hope and courage to never give up, to fight for your dreams, and to never be afraid of change. Obama, you have already done so much for this country just by being elected as our president. I know that you will continue to do great things for yourself and our country, and I cannot wait to see what those great things will be.
Post a Comment
<< Home