Song of the Age

The song "Hero of War" by the band Rise Against brings to light some of the tragedies occuring among our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.  "Hero of War" loosely follows one young man as he serves in our nation's military. The song doesn't center on the man but on the barbarous acts being committed and how distraught our returning soldiers are over what they have done. Today, most Americans are apathetic towards both wars as they battle with a slow economy and unemployment problems at home. This sense of apathy towards our soldiers is apparent in the lyrics, "And I brought home that flag, Now it gathers dust." With an all-volunteer military, few citizens care about where or why we send our soldiers to die. The only time I have heard something said about our wars deals with casualties or cost. Civilians have lost faith in the U.S. government and military and it (as it did in Vietnam) is beginning to affect our soldiers in the field and those who return.

My Writing Metaphor

Writing has always been like breathing for me. It is not necessarily fun at times, however, I do not struggle over my assignments.  It  has been a way for peers and teachers to judge my thoughts and abilities. However, AP Composition is "evolving" my outlook. Like composing a symphony, writing of all types can be just as flavorful, unique, and rewarding. (It can also be sloppy, lazy, and confusing as Mr. Kunkle has shown us.) My writing metaphor is to keep breathing.  You don't realize how often you inhale and exhale till you purposefully watch for it. By "remembering to breathe" my desire is to intentionally become a better, stronger writer.

Presidential Address

John F. Kennedy spent only one thousand days as President of the United States. During that time, JFK managed to prevent a nuclear war with Cuba and the Soviet Union as well as support the failed Bay of Pigs regime. However, JFK's "support doctrine" lived well past JFK and tied America to a ten thousand day war in Vietnam. "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty. This much we pledge -- and more." (http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/jfkinaugural.htm) With these bold words, Kennedy signed away America's future to the needs of weak, corrupt nations. Support became the word to describe American forces during the Vietnam Conflict. We did not fight to win but to protect a government and nation that not and could not protect itself. Although a simple, everyday word, "support" changed the lives of millions of Americans and he world has never been the same.