Self-Reliance Response

     Emerson thinks a person should define his/her place is society by their wants and needs and not what society pressures them to do. He believes people shouldn't conform, give into popular belief, and should follow their values and wants to fill their personal virtues in life.  Although there may be a "right" path it is okay to stray from that path to create a person that you are proud of. You should do things for yourself and for no one else. Society defines models of perfection that are constantly pushed in our face through the media, education, and our home life. We don't need to fill these molds and we shouldn't fill these molds. We should create our own, unique person.  He says, "It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude" (23). Emerson says that when living with others its easy to follow others. When living alone its easy to live by one's own opinions. But, a true man is one who lives with others but also remains true to himself. Life isn't about impressing others its about yourself. A person should define their place in society by what they want and not let others pressure them to change their core beliefs. No one should live to please others, others being peers, the media, or family members. Live life for yourself but don't be afraid to change your path. The only thing constant in life is change. Its hard to admit defeat in times of grief or hardship and this is when we tend to lean on whats right because we've lost our spirit and given up. We shouldn't let society do this to us and we should follow our paths even if they are constantly changing. We only have one life to live and we have to live it for our self.
   Emerson says, "Whoso would be a man must be a noncomformist" (21). A true man is one who follows his own beliefs regardless if they are popular or not. Emerson says a person should define their place in society by their wants and needs. He says many people do not, but if you do then you are a true man.

Remembering 9/11

    Pastor Jones in Florida plans to burn the Quran in his church if the plan of building a mosque at the ground zero site is carried through. Those who support this view believe that by building a mosque at the site where Islams destroyed our many of our countries important buildings is hypocritical. We are advertising and helping a religion that caused unnecessary destruction to our country. Those who are against burning the Quran believe that is rude to the Islamic culture to burn their most important document. Just because members of the Islamic community hurt our country doesn't mean that all are necessarily bad and hurtful. It would be the repetition of the Holocaust on a smaller scale. We would be overgeneralizing that a group of people are all harmful just because one member did something hurtful. This raises the issues of freedom of religion and the freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

     In the first Ammendment in the Bill of Rights it states that we have the right to religion and the exercise thereof. So, although I disagree with building a mosque or even anything at such an historical sight, technically the freedom to build and practice that religion at the ground zero sight is constitutional. While many may not agree why we would build a mosque at the sight where people who practice that religion hurt our country they have no constitutional argument against it. Another argument it raises is the freedom to petition the government. Inside of taking such a drastic measure against the Islamic people, those who are against the mosque should focus on petition the government and not burn the books. Even though the government isn't listening the people are doing just as much harm by burning the Quran. Members of the Islamic community destroyed something that is important to America so would we be any better by destroying something important to the Islamic people? No, we wouldn't. We would be dipping down to their level and we would end up right where we started. Medhat Singab, a 47-year-old Egyptian-born Briton, said the news media were making a circus of "a church with 30 followers and an idiot." And that, "they can go on burning the Quran, its not going to destroy Islam." While that may be true it will destroy the spirit of the Islamic people. By destroying the Pentagon it didn't destroy America but rather the spirit of the American people. If anything though, it made us stronger and helped our pride grow. This might give fuel to the anger the Islamic people have and could backfire and create more harm.

     My personal view is that the Quran shouldn't be burned and having a mosque is fine. The area is going to hold office buildings, fast food places, other religious centers, a memorial. Why not put a mosque? Its just another religious view. Although its the view that some terriorists held and hurt our country not all the people that hold that view are terrorists. I look down on the people wanting to burn the Quran. It's stupid and childish and basically saying "an eye for an eye." It won't accomplish anything. When someone punches you and you punch back they get even angrier and punch back, harder. If we insult the Islamic people they may build rage against the US and attack. I hope that we can resolve this issue and come to an agreement on how the mosque and burning should be handled. For now though I have all the victims of 9/11 in my prayers and say Rest in Peace.

Reponse to "What Happened To the Signers of the Declaration of Independence."

"They paid their price and freedom was born" (57). In life, if you want something you usually have to sacrifice something else to get it. Whether its money, time, a valuable item, or dedication, you'll have to lose it to gain. The men who signed the Declaration of Independence knew that by putting their names on a controversial document could, and probably would, cause some sort of negative consequence.  At first, independence seemed almost unreachable, unavoidable. But these men put their lives and the lives of their family in danger to do something good for their country. While the rest of the country benefited from the Declaration and their conditions improved, the men that signed the Declaration did not. These men were rich, white upperclassman that used to live life luxuriously and carefree. Once they signed their name to this controversial document they put their lives under a microscope. Suddenly they were faced with problems they had never encountered, or would have ever encountered, before. Many lost their lives, were beaten, lost their family, lost their property, lost their money. You must lose to gain.

The American Crisis

"It matters not where you live, or what rank of life you hold, the evil or the blessing will reach you all. The far and the near, the home counties and the back, the rich and poor, will suffer or rejoice alike." (52). Thomas Paine believes that war affects us all the same. No matter our race, religion, social class, or gender we are all affected by the consequences of war. Whether good, or bad, war will always change daily life. The rich may still be rich and the poor may still be poor but many things will change. The toll that war has on the spirit of a nation is almost unescapable. How can one have pride for a nation at a time of war? How can one have confidence? To live in fear, something Paine does not, is unavoidable for most at a time of high trauma. I believe though, that fear is a good thing. It keeps us alert and on our feet. It makes us look at little details that would otherwise go unnoticed. It causes us to be creative in thinking and action. Most importantly, it bonds us together. When we're scared we cling to others for support and assurance. Usually we don't care who that support is from. Support is support. When fear sweeps over a nation it forces its citizens to bond together to prevail through the hard times. Paine is saying that a war affects not just those physically fighting in it, but also anyone in that nation. While many would look at war's consquences as negatives: death, famine, destruction, separation, they fail to see the positive it brings. It causes people to put aside their differences to work together, to live together, to survive. Is the American Crisis war? Or is that we are looking at war the wrong way?