HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.! future essay assignments given to post elsewhere
Note assignments
In class today we discussed Martin King's legacy and his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." There is an event in downtown Oakland at 11 a.m. I am going to try to get to, and another in San Jose at the MLK Jr. Library at 12:30 p.m. There are events all weekend through January 19-20.
In the 9-10 a.m. class Jeremy and Jennifer brought in goodies for our Martin King Party. As I wrote an assignment on the board, we jammed to Stevie Wonder's "Happy Birthday to Ya," song for King. The cookies smelled delicious and students appreciated the sweet snack, the sugar rush evident in the salient comments given as we talked about what King's point was to the clergy and in a larger sense an American society which allowed such "unjust laws" to exist. I wonder if the American soldiers stationed in Iraq at Abu Graib prison who obeyed orders to torture their captives would have disobeyed orders regardless of the consequences, had they known King's position and had his example to follow?
The questions students responded to re: the King letter written in 1963 were as follows:
1. Identify the thesis.
2. What type of claim or argument is this? Is it a claim of value, a cliam of fact or a claim of policy? In the second class we spoke more about this and decided it was both a value statement. Clearly King is stating that some laws are just and others unjust or better than others. It is also an policy issue, because laws are policies or legal documents.
3. Note the repetition and other stylistic forms King employs. How does the writing style support the argument?
4. Who is the audience and why is King addressing them?
5. What about this letter gives it universal appeal? What makes it a great piece of literature?
I told students they could pose other questions if they liked. We had many new students, so those students will just respond to these questions in an essay posted at the assignment link. Make sure you post assignments where indicate. Read the heading. Many students posted their response to my letter in the wrong place. Look for the syllabus tomorrow sometime here on the blog. I will give you a copy 1/20-21.
Tuesday, Jan. 20 at COA
We will be having classes in the F-Bldg. I will meet the first class at the classroom before 8 and we can walk over, the subsequent class can meet there at 8 or 9. If you get to school after 8 you will miss part of the program. It should be a lot of fun and you can bring family and friends. It is a free event.
Assignment 2
Attend an event or read an article about Martin King Day celebrations here or elsewhere and post a response/summary at the assignment link above. This assignment is due by 1/21 8 a.m. Please include references (1-3). Use MLA style for references. Visit http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/
Inauguration Assignment
Watch the Inauguration. What were your impressions? Analysis Obama's address. Listen or read commentary on the event. The response should be minimally 250 words. Post at the assignment link (which will appear 1/20. The essay response is due 1/23 by 8 a.m. Please include references (2-3). Use MLA.
Note assignments
In class today we discussed Martin King's legacy and his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." There is an event in downtown Oakland at 11 a.m. I am going to try to get to, and another in San Jose at the MLK Jr. Library at 12:30 p.m. There are events all weekend through January 19-20.
In the 9-10 a.m. class Jeremy and Jennifer brought in goodies for our Martin King Party. As I wrote an assignment on the board, we jammed to Stevie Wonder's "Happy Birthday to Ya," song for King. The cookies smelled delicious and students appreciated the sweet snack, the sugar rush evident in the salient comments given as we talked about what King's point was to the clergy and in a larger sense an American society which allowed such "unjust laws" to exist. I wonder if the American soldiers stationed in Iraq at Abu Graib prison who obeyed orders to torture their captives would have disobeyed orders regardless of the consequences, had they known King's position and had his example to follow?
The questions students responded to re: the King letter written in 1963 were as follows:
1. Identify the thesis.
2. What type of claim or argument is this? Is it a claim of value, a cliam of fact or a claim of policy? In the second class we spoke more about this and decided it was both a value statement. Clearly King is stating that some laws are just and others unjust or better than others. It is also an policy issue, because laws are policies or legal documents.
3. Note the repetition and other stylistic forms King employs. How does the writing style support the argument?
4. Who is the audience and why is King addressing them?
5. What about this letter gives it universal appeal? What makes it a great piece of literature?
I told students they could pose other questions if they liked. We had many new students, so those students will just respond to these questions in an essay posted at the assignment link. Make sure you post assignments where indicate. Read the heading. Many students posted their response to my letter in the wrong place. Look for the syllabus tomorrow sometime here on the blog. I will give you a copy 1/20-21.
Tuesday, Jan. 20 at COA
We will be having classes in the F-Bldg. I will meet the first class at the classroom before 8 and we can walk over, the subsequent class can meet there at 8 or 9. If you get to school after 8 you will miss part of the program. It should be a lot of fun and you can bring family and friends. It is a free event.
Assignment 2
Attend an event or read an article about Martin King Day celebrations here or elsewhere and post a response/summary at the assignment link above. This assignment is due by 1/21 8 a.m. Please include references (1-3). Use MLA style for references. Visit http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/
Inauguration Assignment
Watch the Inauguration. What were your impressions? Analysis Obama's address. Listen or read commentary on the event. The response should be minimally 250 words. Post at the assignment link (which will appear 1/20. The essay response is due 1/23 by 8 a.m. Please include references (2-3). Use MLA.
posted by Professor Wanda's Posse at 6:09 AM
9 Comments:
On January 20th, 2009 I watched briefly the inauguration of Brack Obama. From what I saw and heard it sounded like Obama is planning to do things differently that the past eight years. He spoke of the economy but it was more in a general sense. When he spoke I noticed that he used the word “WE” often and the word “I” seldom. He wants to reach out to the Muslim world and I believe that is a great step towards world peace. I think that Obama appeared nervous at first but, who wouldn’t be nervous he was about to become the Nation’s 44th and the Nation’s first black president. He spoke very courageously. When I watched the news and listened to the political analysts I learned more about the inauguration and understood his speech better. The majority of the political analysts commended Obama for giving a powerful speech. He spoke with a different tone many said. He used many sentences beginning with we. Some said that his administration has the makings to resemble Clinton’s administration. I think that Obama has great plans for this Country and he will do well as our President.
Chris W
English 1A
9:00-10:00
Jose Vasquez
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 1A
21 January 2009
Barack Obama Inauguration
On January 20th, 2009 the United States sword in President elect Barack Obama. I did not see the entire Inauguration, but I saw a brief preview from the news. I saw Barack Obama with his wife and kids, George W. Bush and his wife and dad, Bill Clinton and Hilary Clinton, Ex Vice President Dick Cheney and the new Vice President Joe Bidden. From what I heard and saw, they estimated that around One million people attend the Inauguration in Washington D.C. People were willing to stand in the cold weather to witness an historic event.
I have read and heard Barack Obama speech and to be honest his speech was not that good in my opinion. I have heard many Inauguration speeches from many Presidents from the past and Barack Obama’s speech was not captivated. Many of the other Presidents speeches that I have heard are very captivated and have words that catch your attention. For example my favorite President of all time Mr. John F. Kennedy speech was the best speech ever given by a President. His speech had figurative language devices such as analogy, metaphor, imagery, and allusion. I feel that Barack Obama’s speech was missing excitement and passion. Who am I to judge him and his speech I do not know him and only he knows his speech and its meaning.
It seem like people were having fun in Washington D.C. Some People were crying as they saw Obama take the Oath. I also heard on the news that many people in other countries were excited to see Obama getting sword in into office. Many people that were getting interviewed said that they never believe that they were going to see a person of color get elected to run the country. I also saw many parties that were held after the Inauguration. Many celebrities attended the parties and many honor Obama by singing a few of their songs. The most interesting thing that I heard from the Inauguration was the price of it. In the news they reported that the total cost of the Inauguration was One hundred and seventy million dollars. My final thought of the Inauguration is that it would have been fun to attend. It is something very special plus it only occurs every Four to Eight years. I wish Obama the best of luck and I hope that he keeps his promises that he made and try to make them come true.
Poindexter 1
Carla Poindexter
Wanda Sabir
English 1A 9-10
22 January 2009
Inauguration Day
The United States of America is the land of opportunity. “The land of the free and the home of the brave.” (Scott) America is the place where you can dream your wildest dreams. The possibility of your wildest dream becoming a reality will not be hindered in this great place called America.
The 44th president of the United States of America is Barack Obama. Barack Obama is our first African-American president. This country has been in existence for nearly 250 years and on January 20, 2009 our first African-American president-elect was sworn in.
I watched inauguration coverage via web cast at the school I attend which is the College of Alameda. I also viewed local news coverage on channel 5. I believe that President Obama is a well focused and very serious individual. I am looking forward to living in this country during the span of his term.
President Obama is charged with the responsibility of leading the United States of America. President Obama is faced with the significant task of restoring America’s economy.
Poindexter 2
I believe President Obama is also charged with the subconscious duty to prove himself to be a prolific president, and not just a prolific African-American president.
“My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.” (Obama) These first words of President Obama’s inaugural address prove that he is aware of the expectations Americans have of him.
Overall, President Obama’s inaugural address was well spoken. “That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood.” (Obama) The various points that were made covered a wide range of topics, but were certainly relevant to Americans. “We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and nonbelievers.” (Obama) Now that Barack Obama is the 44th president of the United States of America we have entered a new era of world history.
Poindexter 3
Works Cited
Scott, Francis. “The Star-Spangled Banner”
14 September 1812
20 January 2009 www.encyclopedia.com
Obama, Barack. “Obama’s Inaugural Address: The Full Text”
20 January 2009 Time Magazine www.time.com
My impressions of the Barack Obama inauguration speech.
I listened to his speech on January 20, 2009, unable to grasp it all, so I found a copy, made the font bigger and double spaced the lines so I could annotate better. I found many themes, arguments, and overall comments and criticism this way, throughout the entire speech.
He made many references to the history of our country comparing the rich past with the bleak present. He comments on the Presidential oath that is sometimes taken, “amidst gathering clouds and raging storms, “but has all always prevailed through. Mr. Obama is trying to restore faith in the Presidency and the national government with the American people. He refers to some of us who, “have forgotten what this country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when the imagination is joined to common purpose and necessity to courage,” meaning we have already achieved a vast amount of good and greatness in America, we just need to be reminded of what we are capable of doing.
Barack Obama encompasses all subjects in this speech; he mentions all the major wars that the American people have been involved in; World War I, World War II, the American Revolution, and the Civil War. He really reached everyone in this speech, the Christians, Muslims, Jews, and Non-believers.
Somewhere in this speech there was an area that you could relate to, if not a whole section. He encompassed everyone using “ we” and “our” instead of “I” and “ my cabinet,” charging us to rise up and help ourselves.
Nely Ruiz
1A English
9:00am - 10:00am
Carla Poindexter
Eng 1A 9-10
This is a response to Chris W. blog.
I also think President Obama will show us a new a different kind of leadership. Perhaps even a leardership that the world has never seen before. It is important to include all people to achieve a positive change. I liked Obama's conversational style of rhetoric.
Andre Stephens
Professor Sabir
English 1A, 9-9:50
22 January 2009
President Barack Obama Inauguration
On January 20, I watched President Barack Obama be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States and his Inaugural speech in the student lounge at COA. It was a packed house.
President Obama talked about the all the challenges we are facing and showed that he is keying in on the important issues that affect Americans today. People have paved the way for us to be where we are now so it is our job to carry on what they started. It is going to take a lot of work to get America back on track. President Obama made it clear that he will hold accountable the people who are in charge of the public’s money. He reached out to all nations by saying America is a friend and we will be the leader again, but he also put terrorists on notice that if they start something, we will defeat them.
I was glad to see the inauguration of the first African America President. It meant even more to my parents who grew up in Alabama during the 60s when it was segregated. When I asked them what the day meant, dad reminded me of a Bible scripture “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. He remembered being asked to give up his seat on the bus and instead of moving to the back, he got off. While he was walking home, some white men in a car drove by and threw urine on him. Mom remembered seeing water fountains with signs that said “white” and “colored” when she was a girl and wondered if something else came out of the one that said white. They both went to segregated schools and had to sit in the balcony of the movie theater because they could not sit downstairs. Dad remembered being called the “n” word by white men. When my grandfather was alive, he told me he participated in one of the Selma to Montgomery marches for civil rights. I wish he had lived to see the Inauguration today. My parents said they had faith that one day there would be a person of color in the White House, but they didn’t think they would live to see it.
President Obama used “we” a lot in his speech. He talked about how we are made up of every culture and language. This is important because it is a collective effort and it reminds me of a sports team. In sports, it’s about coming together as a team and having the willingness to sacrifice self for the greater good of the whole. If we all do our part, I believe the things President Obama wants to happen will. I believe he will be a President for all the people. He has a cabinet that has males and females and people with different ethnic backgrounds. There are a lot of things that need to be fixed, but he is intelligent and I believe he will be able to get the job done.
Andre Stephens
English 1A – 9:00 – 9:50
I am responding to Chris W. I watched the whole speech. I agree that it is good that the President wants to change things in regards to how things were done in the past. Using the word “we” is good because it refers to the collective. Obama seems to want to reach out to other religious groups and I think that is vital. Now, I have to disagree when you say that he was nervous. The only time that it seemed that he was if at all was when the Chief Justice told him the wrong lines when he was getting sworn into office. Now, I do agree that he did speak with no fear. I think that the analysts got it right when they said the speech was powerful. He seems to understand that it takes a collective effort. To Obama’s credit, his cabinet is made up of diverse and experienced people. Finally, I agree with the last sentence. I also believe that Obama has a lot of great ideas and I think that he will do a superb job as President.
In all my 22 years of living I have never watched an inauguration. I really enjoyed watching the entire inauguration process; to see someone with the same color skin that I have standing up for the needs of this country was beautiful. During president Obama speech he said a couple of things that stood out to me, “the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than to see a friend lose their job.” That part of the speech really touched me; I have not come across a person that would do a beautiful thing such as this. For the exception of myself I did that once or twice working at the USS Hornet. Another point he made “remember who we are and how far we have traveled.” Looking back black people have been hurt spiritually and emotionally, there were days when black people could not see the sun shining down on. Now, the sun is shining the rainbow has come down and kissed the beautiful faces of black people. Since our new president, I have seen so many acts of kindness amongst all races young and old. Obama speech gave me hope that this world can change for the better.
Watching the inauguration I was not impressed, I was more at ease I followed his path all the way to the white house. To find a person that has little to no flaws in the public eye is the unspeakable. Obama is intelligent he has a great background in education, a strong foundation from a young boy to an adult. He speaks with confidence and commands authority.
English 1A
Tipton
Donnovan Jiles
English 1A
This was the first inauguration I actually watched and was excited to watch in my life. This has truly been the most exciting presidential race that I believe this nation was witnessed. The inauguration began with Barrack Obama getting sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America and it seems as if he just can’t wait to start. In his address he recognized the change his presidency symbolized, describing himself in his inaugural address as a “man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant”. Obama then highlighted his determination to unite Americans in tackling both the economic problems he has to face and the fight against terrorism. One of the main things I liked about his speech was the fact that he keep saying “we” which tells us that he can’t do this by him self and that he will need all American’s to work together in this fight. Obama continued by stating that, “the problems we face are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.” In that quote Obama explains the reality of the situation and that we can’t fix these problem over night while also giving hope by promising that the problems will be met. In his address, Obama promised to take “bold and swift” action to reinstate the economy by creating jobs through public works projects, improving education, promoting alternative energy and relying on new technology.
Overall the speech was excellent and it didn’t seem like a politition specking but a person who really care about America’s fate as a nation who want to do everything possible to help. I have complete trust in him and know he will do well.
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