The American Man

I remember hearing the stories about the war, stories of my grandfather’s life, and they all must have been repeated hundreds of times before I started to understand them. I remember the story of his encounter with the famous General Doolittle, and the story of his plane being shot down on his last mission, but what I remember most is that every time the stories of his past were told to me, I felt like I was watching a movie. I would always ask for more stories, but a lot of stories were hard for him to tell. I have never thought about asking my grandfather who his icons were, but all I know is that he became a man that is respected by people all around the world. When I think back on my childhood, and hearing those stories, I now know the purpose of me knowing the amazing aspects about my grandfather’s past. Even to this day, when I visit him, I am hearing these stories as if they came out of a movie. They are always filled with such passion, but yet when he tells them, he is quiet and serious as if he were telling me something that would change my perspective on life, but when I think about it, they really have changed my perspective on life and accomplishment.

What I hold closer to me are the life lessons I have learned from him. He taught me that unless you have experienced failure, there is no way you can enjoy success, and that is one of the many things that he has taught me that I live my life by. There are so many things that I look up to him for and there are an infinite amount of questions I have for him about his life, but I have already learned so much from him that I don’t even need to ask any more, because I’m afraid I will forget something.

Morris Maxwell Wasserman is my icon in so many ways. His love for his family, his dedication to his country, his success in his business, and his outstanding ability to always be the most interesting man wherever his life may take him. He is the hero of my family, and the reason I am who I am today. Without the things my grandfather has taught me and the stories he has shared with me, I wouldn’t be who I am today. My grandfather represents what every American can aspire to be like. It is hard to live up to the things he has done, but what every person can do, is respect what he has done and who he has done it for. He is a selfless man who every American can look up to.

I am most proud of this piece because I took a long time revising and editing my essay to make it perfect. This went along with my "American Icon" picture that was of me portraying my grandfather. I wrote this because to me, my grandfather is The American Icon. As i said in my essay, " His love for his family, his dedication to his country, his success in his business, and his outstanding ability to always be the most interesting man wherever his life may take him" make him the biggest icon in my life. I feel that this essay showed the man he is and the life that every man strives for.

The Power Of Fear

Immigration to the United States is deadly but for some, a necessity in order to survive another day. Blaming one person would be un-reasonable, and ignoring it would be ignorant. I believe that blame should go on the people driving them out of their homes, and forcing them to find better lives. The cartels and gangs of Mexico are pushing the citizens to flea from home in order to feel safe from their wrath, pushing them to drastic measures of survival. It is the power of fear that the cartels use on the innocent people of Mexico that is driving them out and making them come to the United States to find a new home.
When the people are forced to leave their homes because it is unsafe, they have to do the un-thinkable to survive another day. Driven from their homes, they instantaneously have to make the decision whether to go to the United States, or relocate somewhere else far from home. Both are dangerous, but the path to the United States has a death toll un-imaginable to the common person. From walking the hundreds of miles of desert, to trusting a smuggler with your life, the way out is no easy feat.
It is not the government, the high border walls, or the “American Dream” that is forcing the people of Mexico to flee to the states, but it is the people driving them out that are corrupting their lives with the impact of their violence that is responsible for the number of people that die each year crossing the border. Even though the cartels and gangs may not be responsible for all of the deaths, if there was a decrease in violence and an increase in safety in Mexico, the number of people coming to the United States for a home would be significantly different than it is today.

IAT Test

Your data suggest a slight automatic preference for Young compared to Old.

I dont get the point of this, nor do i agree with it. I prefer young people when i am looking to hang out and relax or do something. I prefer old people when i am looking for criticism, and for advice. I can learn alot more from "old people" than i can from young. I do not prefer one or the other at all.

Your data suggest a strong automatic preference for European American compared to African American.

This was a weird one. As bad as it sounds, i found myself linking the bad things to black people and the good things to white. I do not consider myself a racist whatsoever, and i treat black people as the same as i would anyone, but i found myself thinking with the stereotypes. That was an eye opening test.

Your data suggest a strong association of Black Americans with Weapons compared to White Americans.

I could have predicted the turnout of this test. Once again as bad as it sounds, i linked the weapons to the black people and the harmless items to the white. I found myself once again quickly going with the stereotype, and when i think about it, i think the point of this test was not to show everyone who is racist and who is not, but to show that people think with stereotype on impulse. It does not make people bad people if they think on impulse, it just shows the bad things society has taught people to think.

Blog 07/03/09

Everchanging

I think the parts that really jump out at me are the parts where he talks about being unsure, and scared of change, and when he says "we make the same mistakes, were always hanging on, break the promises were always leaning on, all this time spent waking up." I think that means that people make mistakes, and often the same mistake, but we spend so much time dwelling instead of changing and moving on. The song is called Everchanging and the title hints what the song entails. It talks about changes, and being stuck on the obstacles, and being hurt, but i take a lot more away than that. I interpret this song as more of a release from the stress of change. and that no matter what changes, and what stays the same, that you cant dwell on the stress of change.

In the face of change,that's when she turned to me and said:"I'm not sure anymore..."And there, amidst the waves and the cloudless skies...That blanket, the year before...I watch my life wash ashore.

Have you ever been a part of something that you thought would never end?And then, of course, it did.Have you ever felt the weight inside you,pulling away inside your skin?Then something had to give...

And now the lines are drawn...Is this feeling gone?The best parts of this have come and gone and now that is all that this is.With the reasons clear,We'll spend another year...Without direction,full of fear,but now things will be different.

There's nothing simple when it comes to you and I...Always something in this everchanging life;and there probably always will.Now that time is getting harder to come by,the same arguments are always on our minds,killed this slowly fading lights.

And now the lines are drawn,is this feeling gone?The best parts of this have come and gone,and now that is all that this is.And with the reasons clear,we'll spend another year...Without direction,full of fear,but now things will be different...

And now something, has kept me here too long...And you can't leave me, if I'm already gone And now something, has kept me here too long...And you can't leave me, if I'm already gone...Well something, has kept me here to long, and you can't leave me, if I'm already gone...

And we make the same mistakes; we're always hanging on.Break the promises we're always leaning on.All this time spent waking up...Now keep this line open to get this call from you,speak the words that keep me coming back to you...

Now this time it's all different...And now something has kept me here too long,and now I'm gone...