Assignment Six - Should America Be Involved?

Getting involved in the business of others (especially other countries) is a dubious business. There are fine lines and debatable choices at every turn. Do you help if you're not asked to? Or do you turn your cheek when asked for assistance? 
There are plenty of instances in history where I believe the former could have been a better choice. When America was all "Manifest Destiny!" and "We are the Superior Race!" other countries were pulled without consent into the supposed "melting pot" of America. America took over many other countries in order to expand, adapt others, and expand.
Another good instance would be when Americans took over Native American land and culture.


Other times in history have called for a reasonable need of America's assistance. When third-world, poor, or war-famished countries ask for help from mightier countries, this would be the time when America should help without question.


As I mentioned before, the fine lines are at every turn, but with a little patience and wisdom, smart decisions can be made.

Gilded Age Acrostic

Generation of  

Invention, 

Labor, 

Decisions, and 

Enlightenment while 

Discussing


Adequate and

Generous

Equality

Is It All About the Money?

Money can be fun to gain and spend, but I'm not a big fan of it, actually. If I could make a living by trading, I would.

I believe there is plenty of corruption involved with monetary gain. People who have a lot of money to spend tend to act a certain way: greedy, apathetic to money hardship/poverty, etc. They do not fear being unable to pay for their well being.

I believe you can have enough money to support yourself without acting those ways. My family has never had much money, and because of this I have learned to greatly appreciate what I have and to save extra money. I have also learned ways to gain what I need and want in other ways than by payment. For example, I wanted a new laptop. I found the contest at school and won one! This is a good example of how I feel things should be run in the world. If everyone had a specialty, we could all trade for whatever specialty we needed. This is called a trade economy and I believe it works better than using money.

Assignment Eight - Poem 1

A Difficult Path

This missus has just gotten me ready
I expect a nice travel to town
She’ll load me with groceries and sweets for the children
But her glum face is telling me otherwise

Are those not fireworks I hear?
Is no one feeling first rate and celebratory?
I’ve never seen my family so down
While they pack me full of belongings

My wheels are groaning under the weight
Where are we going? Why take so much?
I suspect I am carrying everything we own
I think I understand now

Everyone climbs aboard me and we set out
I don’t think we will ever return
I watch my barn growing smaller
For the first time I notice the smoke on the horizon

My family is sad, but I am no bombproof
I must carry them safely across the land
I cannot break or stall; I musn’t fail them
I have to be stronger than I was made to be

This journey will be long and hard…




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Slang Words:
First rate = Feeling well and happy
Bombproof = a war shelter

Assignment Eight - Poem 2

The Bravest Rifle Around

I'm the bravest rifle around
I been through the mill
And I been dirtied and dropped
But I’m the bravest rifle around

Many a hornet been fired from me
But only one started this war
That was my hornet, my product
I done started the war and I’m proud

Mr. Ruffin’s proud too
He’s the bravest soldier around
No Yank’s gonna pull him down
Cause Mr. Ruffin’s the bravest soldier around

Now what’s gonna happen?
I ‘spect we goin’ to the battlefield
I’m gonna show them Yanks
Me and Mr. Ruffin both

I ain’t ‘sposed to get scared
But me n’ Mr. Ruffin are in deep
War’s bigger than I imagined
I started this bloodbath…

I ain’t proud of this.
I am rightly ashamed of myself.




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Slang words:
Been through the mill = endured a lot
Hornet = bullet
Yank = Confederate term for a Union soldier

Assignment One

I've never been a believer in physical violence. Because of that, I've never been in a physical fight in my life, but I've been in quite a few arguments.
I suppose the worst I've been in were between me and a family member.

I can't remember specific things said, but I know how the fights progressed:

Normally, the argument would be my fault. I would snap at my mom or my sister and it would escalate from there. Sadly, the arguments were over very useless and trivial matters, but when I was younger I was always trying to pick a verbal fight with my family.

I know I share a common feeling with people who get in any kind of fight: A sense of regret and a nagging voice that tells you to stop but you ignore it. You know it's wrong and you know it's not going to end well but you just keep going.

Because of the fights I usually started, my relationship with my family was weakened. But I learned a valuable lesson, although it took me a long time: There are many better ways to solve problems than a fight or argument.

Now, I try to avoid arguing as much as possible because I find it quite useless in solving dilemmas.

The Top Ten Most Painful/Exciting U.S. Events

(click to enlarge)