Monday, May 28, 2007

Vietnam Veteran's Memorial

Merci, gracias, danke, Wliwni ni, Oliwni, tesekkür ederim, kawp-kun krap/ka', tack, asante, istutiy, spasibo, obrigado, dziekuje, salamat po, takk, kamsa hamnida, arigato, grazie, terima kasih, sukria, toda, efharisto, kiitos, dêkuji, xie xie, do jeh, ta, Mantiox chawe, Shnorhakalutjun...it may be pronounced in different ways, but it all means the same to me. Thank-you for risking your lives to save mine. I sincerely appreciate the freedom.
~God Bless, Camille

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Vietnam

~History

What is the overall theme of Vuong-Riddick's poem?
*death, possibly innocence

~The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

What is the main thesis of the essay?
*There is much controversy over the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution because it could've been based upon a lie.

What was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
*The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was a congressional approval to defend the United States in the area.

What evidence does the author give to support his thesis?
*He includes quotes from Senator J. William Fulbright (head of the Senate Forgiegn Realtions Committee), and his views on the incident.

How does this link to the theme of the first reading, “A Dubious Crusade”?
*It links the two peoms together because they were both you could say "doubtful journeys."

~Jack Smith

What challenges does Jack Smith face as a soldier in Vietnam? (a bulleted list is fine)
*He had to look at the body bags that were made for him.
*He has to try to keep safe from the bullets in the LZ.
*He survived through an ambush.
*He had to watch some of his closest friends die.

How does Smith’s attitude toward war change?
*At first he just wanted to get away, get some adventure, and grow up before going to college, but as as the war continues to change so do his views on it. At the end of the war he became cynical, and angry, but not only that, he also became misanthropic. Eventually though he realized there was no use in holding grudges.

~I Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die Rag

This song by Country Joe and the Fish became one of the first protest songs of the Vietnam Era. Read the lyrics to the song, and then respond to the following:

What is the song asking the “big strong men to do”?
*The song asks all the big strong men to join the army.

… the “generals” to do?
*The song asks the generals to beat the "reds."

… “Wall Street” to do?
*The song asks Wall Street to gain money by supplying our army with rquiptment.

… “mothers” to do?
*The song is asking the mothers to pack their boys up for Vietnam.

Write down four specific lines from the song that display sarcasm, cynicism, or anti-war sentiment.
*Be the first one on your block, to have your boy come home in a box
*Whoopie! We're all gonna die
*What are we fighting for?
*Just hope and pray that if they drop the bomb, they drop it on Vietcong

~Farmer Ngyuyen, The Massacre at My Lai, A Nun in Ninh Hoa

What do these two poems and the article say about the impact of the war on the native Vietnamese?
*They were innocently murdered, and beaten.

Can you think of any other ways in which the war will impact the native Vietnamese?
*If some still lived they had to see their friends and family die, they must have been not only terrified but shocked at the outcome. I bet, many villages were ruined, and therefore people had to start from the ground up. Things like that...it's all really sad.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Vietnam

~A Dubious Crusade

Look up both words in the title of the short essay. What do they mean?
*dubious=doubtful
*crusade=a remedial enterprise undertaken with zeal and undertaken

Relate the title to the reading. What is Warren saying?
*Warren is saying that after the 1960's the country began to doubt our government, our armed forced were fragmented, and people wondered why so many people lost their lives.

How do you think this will relate to the rest of our study if Vietnam?
*Maybe this will forshadow that the country will not unite in its effort against communism.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

The Korean War

~**10 Important Things You Should Know About the Korean War**~

1. When the Korean War first started, North Koreans pushed South Koreans into the southeastern pennisula Pusan.The commander of all UN forces, General Douglas MacArthur, reversed the situation by placing his troops in the port city of Inchon, behind North Korean lines.

2.After ignoring the warning of the Chinese, UN forces pushed on toward the Yalu River. November 25, 1950 was the day hundreds of thousands of Chinese Communist troops attacked the Yalu River into North Korea, sending UN troops flailing back to South Korea, leaving both sides "trapped" at the 38th parallel early in 1951.

3. Truman "dodged" a world war by ordering MacArthur not to bomb China, and blockade their coastline. He feared this would get the USSR involved, and he didn't want that to happen. Eventually this led to him firing MacArthur for undermining civilian control of the military.

4. The North and South Korean governments kept an uneasy peace from 1945-1950

5. In June 1950, Joseph Stalin, the general secretary of the USSR, became eager to expand communist domination. He ordered N. Korea's leader to unite the country under communism.

6. On July 15th, 1950, tanks drove across the 38th parallel, while 100 thousand well trained and armed combat troops swarmed into S. Korea, without resistance of S. Korea's army

7. The Security Council of the United Nations called an emergency session. The USSR didn't attend, which left the US, Britain, and France pass a resolution urging members to help defend S. Korea against attack.

8. Mao Zedong believed American forces helping S. Korea was part of an American scheme to expand itself into East Asia and perphaps China itself.

9. North and South Korea agreed to a cease-fire on June 7th, 1953.

10. The US fought the Korean War to prevent communism from spreading in Asia.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Over the past years, we have witnessed much improvement in the African- American community, specifically their income. Starting at a low of $26, 798 as their money income (based on 2003 dollars) since 1980, they have jumped to a impressive high of $34, 369. AA have improved increasingly, and continue to do so everyday.
Although AA have improved in their own communitites, unfortuneatly, compared to other ethnicities they fail to be the best. Since the 1980's, the gap has grown twice as big. Compared to the average white male ($28, 181) in the 1980's, an AA male ($16, 935) is no competition. This still holds true in current data! In a poll shown, AA males in 2003 have a median income of $21, 986 compared to a white male with $30, 732. But that's no the only ethnicity "beating" AA in their median income. The list also includes Asian Americans and White non-Hispanics. AA have passed Hispanics in recent years, but in 2003 they seem to be equals. Yet that's not the only disturbing information, AA have set the "highs" in poverty rates. They seem to have poverty rates up to 30-40%, compared to whites who only make up 13-17%, Asian and Pacific Islanders who make up 11-22%, and Hispanics who make up 29-41%. AA have the highest poverty rates also amongst their children. As a whole they make up 25.6% of the poor population, compared to Whites with only an 8.8% population. Something must be done.
To help improve the income of AA, and lower their poverty rates several accomplishments must be made. First, we have to help them finicially. The only way to help them stand-up on their own two feet is to give them a foundation on which they can grow. Without government help, there would be nobody else to help them, therefore I believe we must raise government spending in that area. Another possible solution would be to make sure that not only AA, but Hispanics as well get the same education as others, whether it be in elementary school or college, everyone should get the same education, or at least better education if they don't already have it. This would increase the number of minorities in higher paying jobs, which would lead to an increase in their median income. Small changes we can make in our everyday lives, can make a big difference.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Q: Why does the author feel that whites owe King the greatest debt?
A: The author feels that whites owe King the greatest debt for liberating them from the burden of America's centuries-old hypocrisy about about race.

Q: Was King "the right man at the right time"?
A: No, I believe whether it was 1965 or the 1800's, I believe MLK would have made a big difference in history. But in some ways, I think you could argue that he was the right man at the right time.

Q: Would King be upset with the current use of his most often quoted line? Why or why not?
A: No I don't think he'd be upset with it because it's not like people use it against him or derrogatively.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Civil Disobedience

No, I would not be able to use civil disobedience and non-violence because althougth it was non-violent, there were still severe consequences. People were still badly hurt, and i would rather make a new way to protest than put myself in danger.