Like the word, the discussion in class today was pretty ugly. It seemed almost everyone had a strong, adamant opinion on the subject. In this blog, I will not be talking about who I agree with, or who I disagree with. All I'm going to say is what I think. So if you'll just sit back and listen, I'd appreciate it.
The word nigger is an insulting word. But it is not just insulting to blacks, it can also be insulting to anyone else who hears the word itself. The truth of the matter is, using a word like nigger is just a way of showing people that you lack and sense of decency or respect for others. Oh, and by the way, that statement works for ALL slurs. Whether the word is racial, sexual, or just down right crude, it is still an ugly word nonetheless.
Even though I'm not going to get much into what everyone was saying in class today, I will mention a memorable quote of Cody's: "The word has so much mud on it". By this, I believe Cody was getting at "nigger's" dark past. The word back then, and even today, is used in such a negative way. The word is just vile and lacks so much class I personally think only the lowest, most insensitive, disrespectful, cretin would find it as a useful word in their vocabulary.
Some people will find this cheesy because we are all aware of what the world is like, but why can't we all just get along? I know, a little too "Make love, not war!" for my taste, but so what? It may not be considered human nature, but I think it would be best if we tried to be accepting of everyone. Whether they are black, white, Asian, Mexican, gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, democrat, republican, moderate, Christian, Buddhist, atheist, lover, fighter, left handed, right handed, etc. Honestly, there is no point in hating and judgin a person just because they're different.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
I Want to Be My Best
It doesn't take much to know that I want to become an excellent writer. I want to find my circle and become the best I can be. I know it'll take a lot of time an effort, but I'm willing to work at it. All I have to do is stay determined and focused on my goals.
At the end of Junior year, we had to start signing up for the classes we wanted to take in 12th grade. Being someone who loves to take English courses, I signed up for almost everything I could. Most of my school schedule for this year is filled with English classes. I'll pretty much be living on the second floor of the school. The reason why I want to take all the classes is because I want to see which ones I perform best in.
Writing has been a passion of mine since 6th grade. I started off with poems. I found them to be easy, yet expressive. If I were to look at the poems I wrote over six years ago, I probably would have cringed. Overtime, I started working on short stories. I found them to be both more entertaining and challenging than my poems. Still, if I were to look at my oldest work, I would be even more horrified.
Nowadays, I try to take classes like AP Comp. to become the best I can be. My goal is never to be the best in the class, mainly because some of the students in this class are so talented I become insecure. But don't worry, I'm not looking for pity or support.
One thing I'm confident in saying is that I am getting better: both as a writer and a learner. Don't get me wrong, though, I still have a ways to go.
At the end of Junior year, we had to start signing up for the classes we wanted to take in 12th grade. Being someone who loves to take English courses, I signed up for almost everything I could. Most of my school schedule for this year is filled with English classes. I'll pretty much be living on the second floor of the school. The reason why I want to take all the classes is because I want to see which ones I perform best in.
Writing has been a passion of mine since 6th grade. I started off with poems. I found them to be easy, yet expressive. If I were to look at the poems I wrote over six years ago, I probably would have cringed. Overtime, I started working on short stories. I found them to be both more entertaining and challenging than my poems. Still, if I were to look at my oldest work, I would be even more horrified.
Nowadays, I try to take classes like AP Comp. to become the best I can be. My goal is never to be the best in the class, mainly because some of the students in this class are so talented I become insecure. But don't worry, I'm not looking for pity or support.
One thing I'm confident in saying is that I am getting better: both as a writer and a learner. Don't get me wrong, though, I still have a ways to go.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
My Fear of Going Against My Standards
Ever since I was little, I never had a problem with voicing my opinion. If you ask me about the kinds of things I believe in, I'll proudly respond. I've never been afraid to stand up for what I believe in. However, I always worry about the possibility that I might have to go against my beliefs in order to get what I want. Confusing?
Okay, I basically don't want to be one of those people who has to shut up and stay silent about the issues they believe in. There are all kinds of different ways a person can be forced to keep their opinions to themselves. Some people are threatened, others are bribed, and some are even converted to the other group's opinion.
Personally, I have never been threatened, bribed, or converted by someone else. I have never faced a situation where I felt like I should keep my opinion to myself. Even though some people have tried to argue with what I believe, I have never faltered or given into them. Is this stubborn? I don't think so. I find me holding my beliefs and my standards to be brave.
Nowadays, there are certain opinions I make where I actually have to fight for my rights. I don't think anyone should be told what they believe in is wrong, unless what they believe in is corrupted and harmful to others. I don't think it is right for someone to call someone else "stupid" or "nearsighted" just because they don't agree with you. I think it's better for you to state your beliefs and standards despite what anyone else thinks. I just hope no one ever tries to get in my way.
Okay, I basically don't want to be one of those people who has to shut up and stay silent about the issues they believe in. There are all kinds of different ways a person can be forced to keep their opinions to themselves. Some people are threatened, others are bribed, and some are even converted to the other group's opinion.
Personally, I have never been threatened, bribed, or converted by someone else. I have never faced a situation where I felt like I should keep my opinion to myself. Even though some people have tried to argue with what I believe, I have never faltered or given into them. Is this stubborn? I don't think so. I find me holding my beliefs and my standards to be brave.
Nowadays, there are certain opinions I make where I actually have to fight for my rights. I don't think anyone should be told what they believe in is wrong, unless what they believe in is corrupted and harmful to others. I don't think it is right for someone to call someone else "stupid" or "nearsighted" just because they don't agree with you. I think it's better for you to state your beliefs and standards despite what anyone else thinks. I just hope no one ever tries to get in my way.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
How I Write
Let me start off by saying that even though I write for pleasure, I'm still a total amateur. Despite the fact that I write almost all the time, whether it be short stories, poems, etc., I still make plenty of mistakes. In a way, I find making mistakes to be a good thing. I could never learn how to improve my writing skills if I don't have someone looking over my shoulder and making comments.
I'm not sure which kind of writing style works best for me. By that I mean I'm not sure if I make less mistakes when writing stories with dialogue compared to essays and other writing projects that need to follow certain rules. But I definitely know which one I prefer. Writing on my own time is much easier/enjoyable for me because I'm allowed to express my thoughts and creativity. Even though I can express an opinion in an essay, I'll never be able to say I have the same amount of time to think over what I just wrote. When writing something freely, I can always go back and review it. Homework assignments are a different story because there are due dates and required techniques involved.
Anyone who knows me well enough will easily agree with me when I say I try to press as much grammar into my speech as possible. I do this because I try to sound as educated as I can. I don't like using much slang in my speech because I feel like I'm dumbing myself down. However, I'm not sure how well I apply my grammar skills in my writing. Yes, no doubt I try to be as grammatically correct as possible; but I do slip up sometimes. Hey, I'm human.
So as a writer, I am always aiming for improvement. It takes me multiple trys to get certain things right. But like I said, I'm proud that I'm not perfect. I find joy in discovering new techniques in order to write better. I'm not ashamed to be an amateur writer, but I still wan't to someday become a great one.
I'm not sure which kind of writing style works best for me. By that I mean I'm not sure if I make less mistakes when writing stories with dialogue compared to essays and other writing projects that need to follow certain rules. But I definitely know which one I prefer. Writing on my own time is much easier/enjoyable for me because I'm allowed to express my thoughts and creativity. Even though I can express an opinion in an essay, I'll never be able to say I have the same amount of time to think over what I just wrote. When writing something freely, I can always go back and review it. Homework assignments are a different story because there are due dates and required techniques involved.
Anyone who knows me well enough will easily agree with me when I say I try to press as much grammar into my speech as possible. I do this because I try to sound as educated as I can. I don't like using much slang in my speech because I feel like I'm dumbing myself down. However, I'm not sure how well I apply my grammar skills in my writing. Yes, no doubt I try to be as grammatically correct as possible; but I do slip up sometimes. Hey, I'm human.
So as a writer, I am always aiming for improvement. It takes me multiple trys to get certain things right. But like I said, I'm proud that I'm not perfect. I find joy in discovering new techniques in order to write better. I'm not ashamed to be an amateur writer, but I still wan't to someday become a great one.
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