Lasting Effects of the American Civil War

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I chose this article because it seemed interesting and tied into a current issue. This article was about the legalization of Marijuana, and was related to the American Civil War because, apparently, after the abolition of slavery during the civil war, the law that criminals are unable to vote arose. The article states that fewer black males in the deep south now count less during votes than before the civil war, because during the war, they were counted as 3/5 of a person, and now 30% of them are unable to vote because of the felony law. It also says that, although white males, statistically, should be 50% more likely to be arrested for drug possession, black males get arrested 3.5 times more, thus leading to a high felony rate.

The Constitution, The News, & You

1) The article I read was about how Judicial Watch, a public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, is uncovering FDA records that tell of how the vaccination Gardasil has led to 16 deaths in the past year.
          "To say Gardasil has a suspect safety record is a big understatement. These reports are troubling and show that the FDA and other public health authorities may be asleep at the switch..."

2) This article relates to the Constitution because the group Judicial Watch, looks into government corruption, such as things that may be unconstitutional, and prosecute them. As such, they are investigating the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), which is part of the federal government, as stated in the Constitution.

3) This article interested me because it was about a group that looked for corruption within the government, and seeks out things that may be unconstitutional and try to right them. As the name - Judicial Watch - shows, this is somewhat similar to the Judicial branch of government, in that the Judicial branch has the right to overturn laws that are deemed unconstitutional.

What Stands Out So Far

What stands out to you in your learning?

          -What stands out to me in our learning so far this year is how quickly we jump into things, and, even so early in the year, that we are capable of it. We started the American Icons project nearly at the start of the year, and managed to wrap it up in less than a month. Even though school had just began, we managed to produce quality work in the time given, by doing multiple drafts of our writing and working hard.

 

What is working well in this class?

          -I think one thing that is working well in this class is the writing tips. We have been learning writing tips, such as 'Make Meaning Early' and 'Activate Your Verbs', this past month, and, through learning these tips while working on a writing assignment, we were able to incorporate them in order to make our writing better.

 

What can you do to build upon your successes?

          -I think that, in order to build upon my successes, I can continue putting effort into the work I do, and keep getting my work done on time. During the icons project, I got both my picture and writing done on time, and, by working hard, I was happy with the initial versions, and through drafting and revision, was even heppier with my work.

 

What very specific, concrete & manageable steps can you take to make the most of your opportunities to learn in this class?

          -To make the most of the opportunities to learn in this class, I can be sure to take good notes to refer back to if need be, as well as write down my homework for every night, so I don't miss or forget to do anything.

 

What are your goals for the next few weeks in class?

          -I think that my goals for the next few weeks would have to be the same as the steps I can take to fully learn in this class - take good notes, and make sure I understand what to do for homework each night, as well as put effort into the work I am doing.

 

Final Paper & Image

An American Icon

Kimberly Freeman is the lead singer and guitarist of the Texas-based band, One-Eyed Doll. Since coming out with her band’s first album in 2007, her fan-base has jumped from a small following to thousands of fans world-wide. She has released three other albums since her debut, including one piece of solo work. Those three successful albums have led to multiple nationwide tours, making her a rock star in her own right. Musicians like her give me the inspiration to play music.

My fascination with music began about six years ago, when I started to take piano lessons. After grasping the basics, I soon grew accustomed to the piano; playing became second nature. However, as I grew older and my interests began to shift, I found myself bored with the instrument I had once been so fond of. The slow-moving music I had been taught to play over the years no longer kept my attention. Around three years after I first began to play piano, I quit.

            The next few years flew swiftly by; my mind occupied by other things. The absence of piano hadn’t been as apparent in those hectic couple of years, but as my life began to slow down, I felt the need to do something. My taste in music had shifted drastically since I initially wanted to play an instrument, and I found that the guitar better suited my new interests. Upon this revelation, I got myself an electric guitar and began taking lessons.

            Slow-going at first, I started to play guitar. As I gradually got better, I found I was able to mimic the sounds of my favorite bands, such as One-Eyed Doll. The music I’d grown to appreciate was now at my fingertips, as I was able to reproduce the notes from much-loved songs. By adopting the guitar as my instrument of choice, I was now able to emulate my icon – Kimberly Freeman.   

            I find Kimberly Freeman to be inspirational not only in the music she plays, but in the attitude she carries. She makes music for the sake of making music, putting every one of her albums on her website for free. She does this because she wants all of her fans to be able to enjoy her music, whether or not they can afford to purchase it. Although I can’t say I’ll follow in her footsteps as a professional guitar player in a rock band, or that I’d want to, I can definitely take inspiration in her lifestyle – doing what she loves to do on a daily basis by following her dreams and working hard. If I am able to achieve this in life, I will feel as if I have succeeded.

Questions About Your Writing...

1. I think that the most successful part of my artist statement has been getting all of my ideas down onto a single sheet of paper, in a way that flows from paragraph to paragraph. I think this because it took me a while to convey my ideas surrounding my icon into writing, and then even longer to self-edit in order to making it sound right as a whole.

2. The writing tip that has been the most helpful to me would have to be 'The Loop', because it teaches you how to bring all of your ideas together in a polished way. Through use of this tip, I was able to better organize my paper, by switching several paragraphs around, thus creating a paper that flows more easily and showcases my ideas.

3. The most challenging part of composing my paper was placing myself in a continuum of icons. I found this to be difficult initially, when choosing my icon, because I had a hard time finding a connection to any icon. I ended us choosing a singer/guitar player as my icon, and was able to make a connection through our instrument of choice, but still had a tough time actually seeing the continuum. In the end, I was able to connect through the idea that she, as an expert guitar player, is able to make a living doing what she enjoys, and that I, a beginner guitar player, although I may not want to follow in her footsteps as being in a band, I definitely would like to take her lead of doing what she loves as a career.

4. Although the most helpful, I think that the most difficult writing tip to implement in our writing has been 'The Loop'. While this writing tip could easily be used to write a paper, it was somewhat difficult to alter an existing piece of work in order to incorporate 'The Loop'.

5. "I find Kimberly Freeman to be inspirational not only in the music she plays, but in the attitude she carries. She makes music for the sake of making music, putting every one of her albums on her website for free. She wants all of her fans are able to enjoy her music, whether or not they can afford to purchase it. Although I can’t say I’ll follow in her footsteps as a professional guitar player in a rock band, or that I’d want to, I can definitely take inspiration in her lifestyle – doing what she loves to do on a daily basis by following her dreams and working hard. If I am able to achieve this in life, I will feel as if I have succeeded."

- How can I transform my final paragraph into an outro, rather than a conclusion?

- Are there any writing tips I can inorporate into my final paragraph in order to make it stronger?

- Does my closing paragraph properly flow with the rest of my paper?

Icons Loop

"Kimberly Freeman is the lead singer and guitarist of the Texas-based band, One-Eyed Doll. Since coming out with her band’s first album in 2007, her fan-base has jumped from a small following to thousands of fans world-wide. She has released three other albums since her debut, including one piece of solo work. Those three successful albums have led to multiple nationwide tours, making her a rock star in her own right. Musicians like her give me the inspiration to play music."

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"I find Kimberly Freeman to be inspirational not only in the music she plays, but in the attitude she carries. She makes music for the sake of making music, putting every one of her albums on her website for free, because she wants all of her fans are able to enjoy her music, whether or not they can afford to purchase it. Although I can’t say I’ll follow in her footsteps as a professional guitar player in a rock band, or that I’d want to, I can definitely take inspiration in her lifestyle – doing what she loves to do on a daily basis by following her dreams and working hard. If I am able to achieve this in life, I will feel as if I have succeeded."

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1. I chose this intro/outro combo because I felt that starting out by introducing my icon, and then returning to explain why she is my icon in the final paragraph, best followed the 'loop' format. I originally had what is now my intro as my fourth paragraph, but found that my entire paper flowed better when I set it as my first paragraph.

2. The opening and closing paragraphs tie together my big ideas by describing who my icon is, and then why she is my icon.

3. I hope that the reader of my paper walks away from it feeling as if they understand what I was trying to convey in my paper, such as why my icon is my icon, as well as how she has inspired me for the future.

American Icons & Resources

I only really focus on one American icon in my paper – Kimberly Freeman. However, another icon, American or otherwise, featured in my paper is the guitar. To me, Kimberly Freeman represents the type of music I enjoy, as well as someone who is successful in living a life in which they do what they love. The guitar, or more specifically the electric guitar, also represents the genre of music I enjoy listening to, as well as a way to replicate the music I love. These two ‘icons’ fit together quite easily, as Kimberly plays the guitar in her band, One-Eyed Doll. With the guitar, I am able to emulate the tunes played by Kimberly Freeman in her band, thus making her an apparent choice as my American Icon.

The only resourse, so far, that I have used to complete my artist statement is the band's website, in which background information on the individual members of One-Eyed Doll.

American Icon : Ideas

1. Shel Silverstein

- Became an 'icon' as a children's poetry author, although he never intended to get into that market.

- Didn't have many influences growing up, when he first became interested in writing and drawing. He says that not having anyone to copy, he was able to develop his own, unique writing style.

- His books inspire thought & creativity in children.

- Represents a love of reading for me; his books got me interested in reading when I was younger.

2. Warren Zevon

- Became an icon as a rock singer, with hits such as 'Werewolves in London'.

- A literary hero of his was Ken Millar, whom one of his albums was dedicated to.

- Represents to me the time when I first became interested in music.

- Became an important figure to me when I was introduced to his music, and greatly enjoyed it.

3. Kimberly Freeman

- Not quite an 'icon', but a lead singer of a band.

- Represents to me an icon in the music field, both for her music and personality.

- Became an important figure to me when I began playing guitar and listening to her band's music.

- Influences and inspires her band's fan base, as well as other bands inspired by her music style.