"A Talk To Teachers" SOAPST

“A Talk To Teachers” introduces the main subject of the speech after a brief introduction where Baldwin talks about the times they live in and makes appropriate comparisons with history. The subject of this speech is African American education and educational segregation. The occasion is New York City in the year 1963. This time period was significant for the African American community, for segregation still existed between blacks and whites. Schools were separated by color, and blacks did not receive the same quality of education that white students did. The civil rights movement was beginning to take way. The intended audience of this speech is the schoolteachers of New York City. At the time, it was aimed only to those schoolteachers who were present at the occasion in which the speech was presented. James Baldwin’s purpose is to persuade the audience for equality in education no matter what the students’ skin color. Baldwin also informs schoolteachers of the recurring issues of educational segregation so that it may be easier to persuade them. The speaker is African American writer James Baldwin. The tone Baldwin projects in this speech is persuasive, informative, argumentative, frustrated, and resentful.

            Understanding the speech is facilitated once one completes the SOAPST. The reader understands that the speaker, James Baldwin, has credibility to speak on behalf of this issue because he himself is African American and has dealt with the struggle of segregation. The occasion helps the reader understand the circumstances and conditions of the atmosphere at the time. The intended audience gives the reader an objective reason as to why the speech was given. Baldwin provided New York schoolteachers with an educated African American’s perspective on the issue of educational segregation. His tone reflects how he personally feels about this issue. It helps the reader see that Baldwin feels strongly about the issue and has a personal connection with it.

"Who am I to judge?"

"U.S." To Recognize Same-Sex Marriage in 6 New Sates"
By: Huffington Post
Source: Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/25/same-sex-marriage-six-states_n_6046892.html

Gay marriage has become legal in six more states, also extending federal benefits to these same sex couples. The federal government recognized gay marriage in Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals from five states that requested to keep the gay marriage ban. A total of thirty-two states now have federal recognition of gay marriage. Social Security and veterans’ benefits are among the federal benefits that couples married in these states will receive. Attorney General Eric Holder indicated, “With each new state where same sex marriages are legally recognized, our nation moves closer to achieving full equality for all Americans” (1). Holder also claimed that the government is working as quickly and efficiently as they can to ensure all possible benefits to the same sex married couples that federal law permits. The Justice Department has also clarified “that it can legally recognize gay marriages performed this summer in Indiana and Wisconsin after federal courts declared marriage bans in the states unconstitutional. Holder remains confident that the U.S. will recognize the marriages.

            Over the years, there have been significant incredible improvements for the LGBT community. In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to welcome gay marriages. Since then, seventeen states and Washington, DC have accepted gay marriages. In 2003, only thirty seven percent of Americans supported marriage equality. Now, fifty nine percent are in favor of it. The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) stripped same sex couples of the right to marry at the federal level. In 2013, the Supreme Court removed it, also guaranteeing over 1,000 federal protections for gay marriages. In December of 2012, the American Psychiatric Association no longer identified transgender as a disorder.

            These developments are huge for the community, as it continues to gain acceptance in more and more states. The topic of same sex marriage has been a controversial topic for years. Those who do not believe in the equality of gay marriage are usually straight. Therefore, the legalizing of same sex marriage will not affect their life. Like Pope Francis’ proclamation, “Who am I to judge?”

Kurds and ISIS in Kobani

"Kobani Sees Fiercest Fighting in Days Between Kurds and ISIS"
By: Humeyra Pamuk
Source: Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/19/kobani-kurds-isis_n_6010504.html

The Syrian border has seen aggressive fighting for the past months but this past weekend, the town of Kobani experienced hard-hitting Islamic State fighters attacking Kurdish defenders with bombs and mortars. The battle for the town of Kobani has been ongoing for about a month. The Islamic State intends to take Kobani to strengthen its position in Syria. The United States coalition has been bombing Islamic State targets and Syria since September. The fate of the town of Kobani is viewed as an important test for the United States President Barack Obama’s campaign against the Islamists. Turkey is unwilling to interpose, insisting the allies should confront Assad. Countless people have spoken on the clashes, reporting nonstop car bombs and unexpected mortar shells. Seventy Islamic State fighters have been reportedly killed in the past two days. There are few remaining civilians in Kobani, fifteen of which are being looked after by one doctor. They are out of medicine, antibiotics, milk, and vital supplies. Ankara has refused to rearm Kurdish fighters even though they are at a sizeable disadvantage when facing the Islamic State and their weaponry. Much of their weaponry has been seized from the Iraq military. Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan told the Turkish media that “Ankara will never arm the YPG through its political wing, the PYD” (Pamuk, 1). He also stated that for them, “the PYD is the same as the PKK, it’s a terrorist organization” (Pamuk, 1). Kurds make up about twenty percent of the population in Turkey, and this has ignited rage among them.

            As a person who believes in what is fair and correct, it is important to stay informed on all that is happening with the Islamic State. For one to formulate an opinion, one must first inform oneself with the latest occurrences and where each group stands.

A True Education

What is a true education? The answer to this question is entirely subjective. One can argue that serving a true education is indoctrinating students with unnecessary memorization of material; others may claim that a true education is served by teaching students practical techniques and skills. A true education involves a student acquiring problem solving skills and information applicable and useful to real life situations.

            To some extent, schools do provide a true education. When one is in elementary school, one is taught the basics of every core subject; this is not unnecessary. They do their best to set a good foundation for the students’ future. Students should know the basics of English, math, history, and science. Middle school education follows, teaching a student the same subjects in more detail. High school continues, where a student will begin to read more books, solve more problems, and unfortunately memorize more dates and ‘key terms’. Memorization is not what should be taught to serve the goals of a true education. Understanding procedures and the process of an analysis are key. This is what will help a student in the future with real experiences. One needs to learn about history so it does not repeat itself; English literature tells stories and life lessons; math teaches how to solve problems; science demonstrates how and why a process occurs the way it does. These are still part of a true education. For a student to make an argument, they need logos as proof, and this information provides the logos. What a student learns inside the walls of a classroom is not the only thing a true education consists of. A true education consists of a student experiencing events and solving problems themselves. Many times they will not succeed, but that is not what a true education is. Though a school tries its hardest to provide and serve the goals of a true education, they will never be able to succeed. The goals of a true education are reached when a student, in their own environment, decides to apply skills taught in a classroom. Unfortunately, a school can only do so much to provide a student a true education; it is ultimately up to the student whether or not they want to reach the full potential of an education.

Mandated Community Service

Most schools require a minimal amount of community service hours as a part of their graduation requirement. This entails students to volunteer a certain amount of hours to be at the average. Immediately, a generous action that should come from one’s kindness of heart becomes obligatory. By forcing community service to be completed, volunteering turns involuntary. Many students will decide to overachieve and attempt to polish their college applications as much as possible by completing an overwhelming amount of community service hours. Excessive volunteering to look appealing for colleges is referred to as “resume padding” by Dennis Chaptman, who reported in a study that this is prevalent in students that volunteer who are on the road to college. Students who might not have any interest in volunteering in a hospital may be doing it to receive those extra hours so that they appear attractive to college admissions offices. Stukas, Snyder, and Clary state that mandated community service “is too controlling” and that can have negative effects on the student. They believe students should volunteer when they feel they are ready to volunteer. Community service should be an action that benefits others while making one feel content. By requiring community service hours, one completes hours to benefit themselves.

            Respectively, there are cases such as that of thirteen-year-old John Prueter, who visits the elderly because he wants to, and not for the hours on paper. Prueter connects with the elderly and enjoys their company. In Source Three, one is able to grasp the impact community service had on this young boy. Because of his experience volunteering in this environment, “Prueter hopes to continue working with the elderly by studying nursing” (Source 3). Though he was obliged to complete hours for school, Prueter did it out of generosity and, in turn, this experience helped him figure out what he wants to do in his life.