Rhetoric 1302

I greatly dislike writing; however I know I have to put up with it for my education. I also know I will never like it. That is probably the only thing I did not like about Rhet 1302. I am glad it is done with for now. Though this course did remind me of many techniques I had already learned in high school it was good to be reminded of them. Personally this course has helped me improve my writing some. Essays will never be my friend. I did learn how to write an abstract and a précis, and for essays for to site my work.

Overall, the class has been great and I have learned new lessons for life. I will miss coming to this class and learning many new things, but I must keep moving forward. Thank you for your help Professor Henson.

Open Letter to President Obama

Dear President Obama:

After being in office for over a year I began reviewing over your promises to Americans. An issue of Concern is the lack of self-respect I see given to the hardworking immigrants that have come into our country. I noticed how many Americans act as if they will harm us and that they take a way what little we have available to us, however, many us of seem to forget that we all are immigrants in some way though not direct. America was formed off of immigration. Texas alone went through ownership from four different countries before becoming the Republic of Texas and now part of the United States.

The immigrants of Mexico come for one reason and that is to live the “American Dream” that is being denied to them just for not being born of U.S. soil. We want to move forward advance in society but we keep moving backwards. Before Hispanics came along Americans criticized African-Americans that were brought in by slavery. Now that Americans have bypassed that Hispanics are the new targets. America has not changed rather revolutionized ourselves to apply the acts that were once used on African-American to fit toward Hispanics. Immigration does not directly affect me or any other one of my family members. This issue however is widely spoken about by all people. It is an important situation because it affects everyone. American taxes are used to fund the ridiculous things such as the wall at the border and the minutemen.

Just yesterday I was speaking over this topic with my friend’s mother, she told me it disgust her, the way things are being handled and the hate being throw towards Hispanics. It impacted me to being hearing this from an American but also one that moved from her hometown of Louisiana to Texas. Since her family also had to endure many hard times when they moved here due to Hurricane Katrina.

If Mexico had one day chosen to act as America they would send all American out of their country back to their homeland, America. All the shops, land, and houses that Americans have in Mexico would be gone and never to be theirs again unless as President Obama is planning they pay for their “wrong doings”. Currently, no actions have been taken against the issue because Republics do not like the plan so no bill has been passed. A Republican has stated, “If he would take amnesty off the table and make a real commitment to border and interior security [actions could be taken]."

I believe you should consider your family roots in your choices for immigration. Consider the families affected by this issue as a whole.

Sincerely,
Erica Hernandez

Somewhere for Everyone by John Grisham

In "My Turn: Somewhere for Everyone," John Grisham argues that not all homeless are going to take life as it is. Not all of them want to live in negative limelight of the homeless. Drugs and alcohol is not the life they would like to live for themselves, however, that is how they are viewed by those that do not endure their struggles. They are frequently ignored by those more fortunate than they are. They are pushed off the streets so we do not have to deal with them. Out of sight, out of mind.

Grisham states a lot of good points in his article about homelessness and how a society only thinks of ourselves ignoring the less fortunate. We take for granted all that we have while a "hobo" can give a million thanks if we give them our change that we think is worthless.




comment on it; relate to it; identify with it on a personal level
discuss your personal feeling/experience about homelessness. relate a personal experience.

Just for the Record

Though we both are young, we’re special
Love is something hard to find at a young age
Yet we’ve found it.

We had our struggles:
Multiple break-ups to being questioned by your ex
Yet we have only gotten stronger.

You’re my moon and stars,
and I know I am just as important to you
You are my first kiss, a day I will always remember.

We are the joy in one another’s life
When separated we miss one another
However, when together nothing could be better.

The idea of meeting your family was crazy to me
After long self-debate I told you I’d go
I knew we were ecstatic for the occasion.

The day came I was excited yet nervous
All was well till you told me you had to take her
to work the next day
That wasn’t my concern though…
it was to spend time with you and your family.

Dinner with your brother and brunch with your Mom
Being with you at all times
Without a doubt you gave me a great weekend.

Approval by your family is great,
and I have even began to love them
Our path together is great and it will stay that way
We will always be there for each other
for strength, happiness, and love.

VoteVets.org Gulf Coast Oil Spill

Many people have never heard about VoteVets.org but it should be widely known as an organization committed to influencing officials with decisions that involve the communities and America as a whole. VoteVets.org stated that “The mission of VoteVets.org Political Action Committee is to elect Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to public office; hold public officials accountable for their words and actions that impact America’s 21st century service members; and fully support our men and women in uniform.”



This ad by VoteVets.org is about the Golf Coast oil spill caused by British Petroleum (BP) and how we are entirely dependant on foreign oil. This is just the beginning America is slowly depleted itself of all nonrenewable resources on energy. Soon enough it will be all gone and we would not have ever truly considered the green energy ways. We have so many different ways to create energy yet we choose the choice that is worse for us. Oil usage pollutes our air and benefits foreign countries not the U.S. VoteVets is asking the people to get to their Senators and influence and push an economy-friendly approach to energy. Alternatives such as wind power or solar power things that will not backfire as an oil spill does. This ad, however, has ways to make us stop, watch, and listen to its message. Fallacies as always are present. In the ad they state how we should vote our representatives because they are the only ones wanting to go green. Aside from fallacies there is also a use of logos, ethos, and pathos. Logos is used as an appeal to the American people, tired of the oil being spilled and harming life. Go to the representatives and make them change it. The use of the soldier is ethos we trust him to protect us why would he lie to us. He will tell us right from wrong. Showing the cleaning and how animals are being affected is pathos. The ad appeals to us from all aspects and should be a wake up call to all of us. We must become less dependant on oil and pursue other alternatives.

Serenade by Edgar Allan Poe

So sweet the hour, so calm the time, 

I feel it more than half a crime, 

When Nature sleeps and stars are mute, 

To mar the silence ev'n with lute. 

At rest on ocean's brilliant dyes 

An image of Elysium lies: 

Seven Pleiades entranced in Heaven, 

Form in the deep another seven: 

Endymion nodding from above 

Sees in the sea a second love. 

Within the valleys dim and brown, 

And on the spectral mountain's crown, 

The wearied light is dying down, 

And earth, and stars, and sea, and sky 

Are redolent of sleep, as I 

Am redolent of thee and thine 

Enthralling love, my Adeline. 

But list, O list,- so soft and low 

Thy lover's voice tonight shall flow, 

That, scarce awake, thy soul shall deem 

My words the music of a dream. 

Thus, while no single sound too rude 

Upon thy slumber shall intrude,

Our thoughts, our souls- O God above! 

In every deed shall mingle, love.


Though this poem is not my own I fell in love with it the beginning of my Senior year when I was forced to memorize a poem for my speech class. I no longer have it memorized but I do always have it with me.

A community I was apart of for three years of the four years I was in high school was the varsity choir. I started my Sophomore year in fourth period choir. I did not expect to be able to succeed in this class because of how horribly shy I was at the time. When the day came for us to “test” for our vocal range I was suffering greatly. Slowly everyone stood up one at a time to walk towards the piano to sing scales. I did not want to go I let everyone go before me. Finally I stood up to have my turn. I cautiously approached the teacher wondering what am I actually doing. He began playing the scales on the piano saying sing through an O vowel shaped mouth. I began to sing along with his playing of the scales, the higher up the scale went the less I was able to sing along. He told me to switch to an A vowel believing that was what was holding me back. However that was not the situation I had actually reached the max for my ability at least in high notes that is. We then switched to the lower octaves and back to the O vowel. He played I sang until well there was no more to go. I was an Alto 2. That was my vocal ability changed at my second testing that occurred Junior year. I was now an Alto 1. The difference between the two is an Alto 2 can go lower the lowest actually for a female part, and an Alto 1 cannot go as low. After two years I decided it was time for me to help out in the choir, I ran for choir historian. Receiving that position I just continued what I already did snap pictures. Being able to keep record of my final year of choir officially was an honor that I greatly admire. It was a great way to open myself up to others. I am not entirely out of my “shell” but I am much more open to others now. I learned how to handle different ethnicities, attitudes, and music styles. Choir but yet music now seems like second nature to me, but others would say rhythm is my second nature.