This is where you will post the essay you will be reading aloud on to a disc or a usb so that it can be turned in and heard by the judges at the Emporium VFW. Your audience is a group of men and women who are Veterans of Foreign Affairs. Think about your audience. You are being tasked with answering the question, and then supporting that claim. Remember, a good rhetor establishes authority or appeals to the shared values of the writer and the audience. The writer can also garner support for the argument by using statements from outside sources that support the claim. A good rhetor also appeals to logic. How should your argument unfold? What are the ways that will most effectively reveal your argument so that it is not only easy to follow, but that will make it clear and convincing? Comparisons, maxims, deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning? And last but not least, you must consider the emotions of your audience. These are men and women who love their country very much. They are proud to have served their country and many of them made sacrifices that many of us cannot even fathom. So, think about this before you sit down and just blast something out with your thumbs ten minutes before the deadline. These men and women deserve more than that, and each of you are capable of more than that. Be honorable to yourself and to your gifts and to everything you have learned about how to write a good, solid argument.
I will be editing these before you are going to be permitted to record it. Post it on blogger and then print it out and bring it in on Monday. No late assignments will be accepted.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” wrote the founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
ReplyDeleteThe first “unalienable right” that our Founding Fathers listed was the right to life. The right to life is the right that a person has to live and to not be killed. They envisioned that every human has the right to live. Other rights come after the right to life, because they don’t matter if a human doesn’t have the option to be alive. The first component of the right to life is abortion. Abortion defies every aspect of the right to life. The founding fathers never would have imagined that abortion would be legalized and that over fifty million babies would be aborted since that legalization.
The second right that the founding fathers mentioned was liberty. The right to liberty is the right to live one's own lifestyle. One example of the right to liberty is the right to religious liberty. The founding fathers wanted America to be a safeguard against religious persecution. For a long time, America was a safeguard against persecution, but now, many Americans are discriminating against Catholicism.
The final right that the founding fathers talked of was the pursuit of happiness. The right to the pursuit of happiness is the right that all humans should be able to pursue jobs and hobbies that make them happy.
I do not believe that this country is in the state that the founding fathers imagined that it would be.
I loved you essay, it was very well written and I agree with what you are saying! Good job marce!
DeleteInteresting essay Maricie! I really liked the way you spoke about the unalienable Rights every American has. I also really like all the different examples you provided.
DeleteThis is a really good essay! I enjoyed reading it and it was very straight to the point. I do wish there would have been a little bit more detail to your body paragraphs, but you did a great job otherwise.
Delete“You will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve YOUR freedom. I hope you will make a good use of it”, John Adams once said. He was a founding father that worked hard to ensure this country’s freedom. The expectation of this country was to use its freedom, and to make good use of it.
ReplyDeleteThe founding fathers wrote the bill of rights and the constitution to give an equal opportunity to every person and to make sure that Americans freedom wasn’t infringed upon. The expectations for the country was to make sure that all citizens had the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. This right to freedom is evident in the world today. Americans have the freedom to say what they want, defend themselves, and have the right to a fair trial. Even today these rights have been preserved and even strengthened throughout the years.
Americans make good use of the freedom they have. Even the political signs littered throughout front yards are an example of America using its freedom. The freedom of speech is used every day in schools and politics.
The rights to freedom is what the founding fathers wanted and America has it. America is not perfect in any way, shape, or form, but it has upheld the values that the founding fathers felt important, and preserved the rights to freedom. I do believe that this is a country the founding fathers would be proud of even though it’s not perfect.
Good job lani! Your essay was very well written. I may not agree with anything but I think you did a good job expressing your thoughts!
DeleteNice job on your essay Lani! I really like how it was very straight to the point. I also really enjoyed how you spoke about the freedom of the American people and different ways they use it, especially the example of yard signs.
DeleteThis was a really good essay. You made some really good points. I like that you said a lot on freedom. I think you did a good job expressing your thoughts.
DeleteIs this the country our founding fathers invisioned? In all honesty the correct answer is no, this is not the great nation that they dreamed about. It's a country that seems to be going backwards in terms of equality and effiency. The American government has turned its back on its people and its sole focus now is only one of power and wealth. Only now in this time of civil unrest is the system's corruption being put to light. America doesn’t offer equal opportunity for everyone. Yes, it is possible for anyone reguarless of race or sex to succeed in this country but POCs and women are put at a disadvantage at birth. For example if a black and a white man were fighting for the same job opportunity, it is more likely that the white man would revive it simply because his skin is a different color. This is a great example of white people being handed the benefit of the doubt over black people, or white privilege. It’s possible that the black man could have been more qualified for the job but a simple thing like his appearance kept him out of the running. This brings up the issue of systemic racism. People of color are more likely to be racially profiled based on their appearance. In today’s society this issue is more present than ever. The cases of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and countless other victims of police brutality help provide a sad example for this grim reality. The Afician American community makes up a total of 13% percent of the population in the US, yet they account for 40% of the prison population. Ever wonder why that is? It’s not that they are committing more crimes, it’s because white officers are charging them for misdemeanor offenses that a white man could easily get away with. Simple things like playing with a toy gun, sleeping, running, or selling cigarettes are enough to get a black person killed in America by the very people who promised to protect them. African Americans have developed great distrust for police officers, often teaching their children at a young age how to react in a traffic stop in a way that won’t have them leaving in a body bag later. Another problem with police brutality is that oftentimes the officers involved are not charged with the crime of shooting an unarmed man. Take the breonna Taylor case for example. Taylor was asleep at her boyfriend's house when the police suddenly started firing rounds into her home. The officers didn’t not announce who they were or why they were there before breaking out in gunfire. Scared for his life, Taylor’s boyfriend returned fire thinking this was a robbery. Breonna was then caught in the crossfire and was shot multiple times by police. To this day one out of the three officers responsible for her murder has been charged. However he was only charged with the misfires that put the community in danger not with the actual crime. The lack of justice for Taylor and many victims like her is what caused the Black Lives Matter movement to take up the fight for victims of police brutality. Some critics of the movement claim its a territory organization and an anti white group but this simply is not true. BLM calls for social justice not for the damning of white people. People only think that because so far every pro-white movement in history has been anti-black. Racism is a huge issue in America and it’s costing the US millions of lives each year. Liberty and justice for all no longer applies and without proper leadership, the acknowledgment of privilege, and reform it never will again.
ReplyDeleteTiffani, I really enjoyed your essay. I love how you approached this, and used your knowledge in the matters linked to racial injustice and inequality. I also appreciate how up front you were with this.
Delete“But a constitution of government once changed from freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.” In 1775, John Adams wrote a letter to his wife, Abigail, in which these words were enclosed. Adams was one of the founding fathers of the United States of America along with being the second president. He, along with many others, saw firsthand what it meant to create a country of freedom. Our founding fathers recognized the importance of freedom and having a government structured around keeping it at the core of the country.
ReplyDeleteOn March 4, 1797, George Washington, the first president of the new United States of America, stepped down from the presidency after two terms. He could have run again, but he chose not to because he understood that he needed to set an example that to keep freedom, no one man should have the presidency for as long as he can. The 22nd Amendment was passed in 1947, and ratified in 1951, it officially declared that a president may only serve for two terms. Our founding fathers knew that men could be greedy with the presidency. They knew that an example needed to be set, this example has served its purpose over the years. The idea is now a law, but before that, it was, and still is, a show of respect and appreciation for the freedom we have and the ideas of the ones who built this country.
April 19, 1775, was a day in the middle of the American Revolution, men rushed into battle for the first time, and certainly not the last. It was the Battle of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. The men had the idea of being a part of something great, something that would create freedom for thousands upon thousands of people. Their hearts and minds had been stirred by several influential men with a dream that there was something better than being stuck under a monarchy. The idea of defending and protecting our country didn’t just stop with the revolution. All throughout history men and women have put their own lives on the line to ensure freedom and equality for all people. They still do it today, and they hardly ask for anything in return. The patriotism and love for our country that the founding people of America had roughly some two hundred years ago, has not faded, and will not fade.
The fight for freedom didn’t just stop with the American Revolution. The founders knew there would be troubles ahead. They also knew that once we had our freedom, we shouldn’t settle, they knew we should help others find their freedom, whether it might be countries or different races or people from different religious backgrounds. They also knew we would have political conflicts with other countries, after all, people have different ideas. They believed we shouldn’t rely on just one person to have all control. They created Congress, and the House of Representatives, and the Senate, and the Supreme Court so that there could be lots of different people coming to an agreement or decision together. From this can come E Pluribus Unum, the motto of the United States meaning “Out of many, one.” Out of many different people, one decision, out of many different people, one love for our country, out of many different people, one drive for freedom.
So, when asked the question, “Is this the country our founders envisioned?”, I believe that it is. The structure of the government has not changed much. This shows that we create laws and ratify amendments, among other things, roughly the same way they did more than two hundred years ago. There are some differences, I’m sure, but they never wanted us to give up what the men and women before us have worked so hard to achieve.
I agree with you in many ways; however, I think that many things the founders believed strongly in and the Constitution protect have been disregarded in society and government. Other than that, this essay was very well written, and I enjoyed it.
DeleteI think that this is an excellent paper. It is very well written and you displayed great points to prove your main idea. Great Job Audrey!
DeleteThe Founding Fathers vision for the country as was stated The Declaration of Independence was, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The Founding Fathers did not necessarily have an idea on what the country was going to look like, however, they set up the three different branches of government and two documents to ensure that there was a fall back in case we could not work out our differences of opinion. The best form of government we could have is a totalitarian government where God is the ruler, but, that would not work because we as humans can not live or love truly without freedom. The Founding Fathers wished us freedom of everything so that we could work out our differences good or bad and that both minority and majority view points would still be accepted as we all are still the American People. They knew that freedom would be messy because it always is and always has been. Now 244 years later there is strife, turmoil, and people splitting into different factions all in the United States but that is all at the cost of freedom. As we move forward these times of turmoil will give way to times of peace and prosperity but because we are flawed humans our disagreements and imperfections will result in the life given liberty we all receive as Americans.
ReplyDeleteAlex, I like how you described what the founding fathers wanted this country to look like, but I don’t like how you didn’t talk about what is going on in the world today. Besides that, I liked most of your points of view from the past.
DeleteI liked how you mentioned that the founding fathers laid out a plan for us to live peacefully, but because we did not follow it America is now suffering.
DeleteAs George Washington once proclaimed, “Liberty when it begins to take root, is a
ReplyDeleteplant of rapid growth.” Once these liberties become less prevalent in society, progress slows down and many conflicts arise. Many of the freedoms protected by the Constitution of the United States like freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to life, have been disregarded. In a society that ignores these foundational principles envisioned by the Founders, it is clear that America, in its current form, is not what the Founders intended.
Recently, there have been many stories covered on the news where people are assaulted due to their political beliefs. One such instance involved a young boy who was beaten for wearing a Trump hat. Another recent example involved a Biden supporter in Florida who was punched in the face by a neighbor who supports Trump. Many individuals are afraid to exercise their liberty to express how they feel or what they think due to the hostility of others. If people are not able to communicate their beliefs, then no one will be able to gain knowledge and strive to find the truth, which leads to happiness, which is another primary right enshrined in the constitution. It is not possible to stress enough how important it is to be able to have a civilized conversation with others, because your eyes may be opened to new beliefs or even where you need to improve. Therefore, hatred of others depending on their political affiliations and their expression of it can be seen fairly easily in this society, and the Founders would highly disapprove of this.
Freedom of religion also seems to be slowly pushed out of the picture in the United States. An example of this is when the Little Sisters of the Poor had to take their case to the Supreme Court. This case was about whether they should be forced to supply contraception to their employees. Yes, the Court did rule in their favor; however, it is terrible that they even had to fight for that. The Catholic religion specifically says that contraception is wrong, so no one should have to go against that. Apparently, there are most likely going to be even more cases brought against them in the future, so this is nowhere close to the end of having to fight for religious freedom. Moreover, people have been trying to oppress people’s religion, and that is one thing that the Founding Fathers advocated strongly against.
The main infractions to the right to life in the United States are abortion and the death penalty. Abortion is the deliberate ending of a baby’s life before they are out of the womb. In fact, 96 percent of biologists consider human life to start at conception. No matter what stage of development one is in, they are still human. This means that they are just as entitled to life as anyone else. The death penalty is also ending a human life, usually as a result of a horrible crime, which causes people to believe that the criminal deserves to die. No matter what crime a person commits, they are still an American protected by the Constitution, so this right does not just disappear. The right to life ensures that everyone should be treated with dignity. Racism, which can also be seen in society, completely disregards this dignity for every human being. Racism occurs in many different forms and places, but it mainly happens in education and healthcare. Therefore, the Constitution tells us that everyone has the right to life, which was an essential aspect of the Founder’s vision of our country, and all of these aspects mentioned go against this fundamental liberty.
The United States might not be exactly what the Founders envisioned; however, this does not mean that anyone should lose hope in this country. This nation is probably the best to live in, but this does not mean that it does not have its problems. As long as people continue to stand up for what they believe in, in a peaceful way, liberty will eventually prevail. This country is a masterpiece in progress and a puzzle still being solved.
I really liked how you talked about something and then gave some examples. I also liked the quote that you used that dealt with plants.
DeleteI loved how you went into detail and used examples of your reasoning. I also like the puzzled analogy. Good job Melania!
DeleteThe United States of America, a land that was settled in the hopes of finding
ReplyDeletelife, liberty, and happiness. These are the basic human rights found in the Declaration of Independence, which is the dogma this nation prides itself on to this day. As the founding fathers gaze onto our nation from the heavens, they hope that this country continues to provide the rights that their nation was built upon. Unfortunately, America is currently failing to live up to the hopes and dreams of our forefathers, as our nation is not providing its people with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
“All men are created equal,” a phrase stated by one of our founding fathers,
Thomas Jefferson. It is the idea that the 8 billion people living on this earth, regardless of race, gender, or religion, can enjoy the basic rights our founding fathers fought for everyone to have. Jefferson’s famous saying laid the foundation for all people to have freedom. Today, liberty for all feels impossible. Like an old building, Jefferson’s idea of liberty began to be ignored. Jefferson began to build the house of liberty, and when he passed, nobody continued his work. The building eventually collapsed, and without an incomplete building, an incomplete America emerged. Now, the America of today does not treat all people equally. The root of the problem comes from racism. Racism is defined as believing other races are inferior due to certain characteristics. Society made white people superior, and black people inferior. As a result, black people got blamed for all the problems of America. This led Americans to have the habit of blaming everyone else for their problems, without looking at themselves for the mistake. Now, Americans attack each other for simply being different, when in reality we all live and breathe on the same earth. Can someone really be called free if they are held down by the chains of racism? People are now scared to voice their opinions, be proud of their heritage, celebrate their religion, or simply exercise their rights without the fear of being attacked by others. Is an America where everyone must live in fear of who they truly are the America our founding fathers envisioned?
The founding fathers built us a place where we as a nation could live and
prosper. Life is what allows something to thrive. The many people of America, working together, is what allows this nation to thrive. Winning wars, exploring the solar system, revolutionizing engineering, and many more things are the result of American minds working together, and these achievements are what caused America to flourish and breathe new life. In a sense, the right of life is not just for ourselves, but for our country as a whole. So it is quite embarrassing that people in the highest level of government, the leaders of tomorrow, would rather hurt each other then work together to make a greater America. Corruption runs wild in the government. Our leaders have no time to work with others to solve our countries problems because they are too power hungry. The only way for this to be stopped would be for politicians to realize that America could be such a better place if they all worked together. Instead these politicians tear apart anyone who is against them, rather than use different opinions to find new and creative solutions to the problems America has had for many years. All so they can sit in a cool looking chair. The life of America is being soiled by the selfish desires of those at the top, and those desires affect every American citizen. Is an America with leaders who are too selfish to lead; the America our founding fathers really envisioned?
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Every human being wants to feel happiness, it’s the desire that guides our
Deleteactions and our thoughts because we all want to be happy. God designed us to have happiness, as when we feel pleasure our brains release dopamine, a chemical which allows us to feel happiness. If God designed it, then clearly we are meant to use it. Our founding fathers realized that, and set to create a country where we could all be happy. But what happens when that happiness is gone, and we are left in despair? The COVID pandemic is the elephant in the room, nobody wants to talk about it, but it is why Americans are becoming less happy. The nation went on lockdown as we failed to contain the virus, and the pride of America was shattered. Even after sitting in our homes for months, America still became the nation with the most cases. Now Americans live in fear of everyone, for they could contract the virus at any point. Citizens have become more hostile to people who take the virus too seriously, or not seriously enough. People have become notably more selfish, by attacking others to get their way, or using the virus as an excuse for self benefit. America is feeling the stress and anxiety, and now America is in a state of chaos. Is an America where its people fear and exploit everyone, all because of a virus, the America our founding fathers envisioned?
America is simply not what our founding fathers envisioned. Americans are
unable to find life because our government is destroying it. Furthermore, Americans are unable to find liberty because American hostility has trapped everyone in a cage, and Americans can not seek happiness because it was all traded away for anger. Though America is currently not what the founding fathers imagined, they must be able to see a new light that will eventually restore America.
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I really liked that you portrayed us tapped in a cage. I also liked the examples that you provided for your arguments. I also liked how you talked about COVID.
DeleteI liked how you used the pandemic as an example to back your statement. This was written very well and to the point. The questioning within the essay was a great way to get people to consider your argument.
Delete“This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we
ReplyDeletemake it a good place for all of us to live in,” proclaimed the brilliant man that we know as Theodore Roosevelt. Theodore Roosevelt makes his point by saying that America can be a great place, but we are the people who need to make it happen. Are we doing what we need to do to make this country great?
I believe that past generations would be disappointed in us. For example,
this year is an election year. The two candidates that could potentially be the leader of our country, cannot put their differences aside to help bring our country together. Our country needs someone to bring us as one, and neither of them are doing that. Their bickering and fighting is causing the people in our country to become divided. Our country needs to stand strong as one, but I feel like that is not happening. Our country’s past leaders would be ashamed of what is going on today.
The founders of our country wanted us to have the right and freedom to
protest. There are many different protests going on in our country today. Most of these protests are peaceful and nonviolent. Some of the protests are getting out of hand though. People are burning down businesses and are also putting many people in danger. This is not what the founders of our country had in mind.
I strongly believe that the founders of our country would be extremely
proud of every single person who is fighting and has fought for freedom within our country. They have fought for freedom of religion, speech, the right to vote, for the people of our country to feel safe, and so many more. They have put their lives in danger for people like us to have this freedom. Because of them, African Americans, women, and so many other people can now vote. We are also now able practice whatever religion we want to. In many other countries, people do not feel safe. Since we have people that will risk their lives for us, we have the luxury of feeling safe. I am certain that this is what our founders have envisioned for our country.
If the founders of our country were still alive, they would tell us that we need to fix some
things. I believe that if we stand together as one, we would be able to accomplish the problems that lay ahead.
Loved your essay Tami! It was very intelligent of you to mention our current troubles with the election and how it effects the unity of our country.
DeleteTami, I really like the quote you used by Theodore Roosevelt. It really sets the tone that you were looking for. I also like how you had an encouraging ending as it brings a positive outcome. Very nice!
DeleteI liked how you included the portion about the about the people who have fought for our country. It helps to show that, despite our shortcomings, there is still good in America.
DeleteThe Founding Fathers of America envisioned a country of greatness and prosperity. John Adams, a Founding Father himself, once said “Liberty must at all hazards be supported. We have a right to it, derived from our Maker. But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us, at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood.” After America won its independence from England, the Founding Fathers wanted to make sure their new country was not governed as the citizens had been governed in England. The founding fathers wrote a Constitution and from it established the Bill of Rights for the citizens. They wanted to ensure the best possible life for future American citizens. I believe that America has become what the Founding Fathers had hoped for over two hundred years ago. The Founding Fathers established this country on the premise that citizens should live freely with certain inalienable rights.
ReplyDeleteAmerica was founded on a constitution which gives all citizens the right to freedom. The Founding Fathers provided the framework for a government that established the rights they wanted all American citizens to have. The government today still governs according to the Bill of Rights and ensures all American people are entitled to the freedom and the protections outlined in the Bill. American citizens have protections and rights that most other countries in the world can only dream of. We are given freedom of speech, freedom to worship, and freedom to bear arms. These freedoms were outlined in the constitution and the Bill of Rights to protect against future government tyranny.
The Founding Fathers established the nation on an idea of a limited government in the lives of the American citizens. As United States citizens, we have expectations as to what protections we receive under the law and also the consequences for individuals and society if the laws are not obeyed. We have a freedom to live our lives as we please. The Founding Fathers wanted independence from a government rule that they disagreed with so they could establish a government based on democracy. Democracy allows each person to be viewed as equal and voice their opinions. Everyone is able to participate in the decisions of their country.
The Revolutionary War was a battle for American freedom from Great Britain. Thousands of American citizens battled for an independent nation. As Americans, we recognize the sacrifices that many brave men and women had made for the future of the country. The Founding Fathers and American soldiers are responsible for the successful freedom gained by winning the war. The patriotism displayed during times of hardship is still displayed in America today. The current military still continues to battle for America and the citizens. The military has always shown outstanding bravery and love for the country. The dedication of the army allowed us to win our freedom and remain free today because of the committed vigilance of the soldiers.
The Founding Fathers of America made many difficult sacrifices to provide a dependable government for future generations. Their battle for freedom allowed America to be the free country that it is today. The Founding Fathers envision of America remains because of the hard work of the military and the Founding Fathers. Present day America fulfills the dreams of the Founding Fathers and I believe that they would find joy in seeing the country America has become.
Lovely essay Abby! I appreciate you touching on the subject of patriotism and how it was helped our country through rough times.
DeleteGreat work, Abby. I really enjoyed the reference to the revolutionary war. It was a great example. The tone was inviting to me as a reader, and i felt your message came through loud and clear.
DeleteAs an American, I have heard the phrase “The American Dream” repeatedly. This country has been built on this belief that anyone could attain their own definition of success. Ideals such as equality, sacrifice, and freedom were essential elements to be instituted by the original founding fathers of America. America today has evolved tremendously by moving both forwards and backwards from the American Dream.
ReplyDeleteThe founding fathers believed that equality among citizens was a pivotal aspect of this ideal. In spite of being a land that wished to be equal, there was an incredibly powerful sense of supremacy that overcast the political system. This ”equality” consisted of legal slavery, oppression of women, and deadly militant procedures to Native Americans. I can confidently say that the term equality has improved over time to include the abolition of slavery, the suffrage of women, and an overall sense of acceptance. This excludes the struggles with equality that America is currently going through. Current issues such as discrimination and both gender and racial equality are still being fought by minorities within the country. The wage gap, police brutality, and immigration are examples of struggles that minorities face in America that is supposed to be deemed as a land that is filled with equality. I think that the founding fathers would be indifferent about this situation considering their hypocrisy to the topic.
The American Dream is not as pleasant as it sounds. Hard-work and sacrifice are requirements in achieving success. Sacrifice is a valuable word that encompasses a sense of unity to Americans. Sacrifice is commonly denoted to the dauntless men and women who serve this country. The founding fathers desired for the population to sacrifice their time and effort to create a better world for themselves just as those in uniform have. As a student this idea of sacrifice is prominent. As I walk through hallways filled with determined students and driven teachers that sacrifice their desires to create a successful future, I believe that the founding fathers would approve of the sacrifices being made by Americans of all ages.
This country has been built on the idea of freedom since the original settlers that traveled across the Atlantic in hopes of religious freedom. Freedom rings like a loud bell in America as the American Dream becomes more attainable. Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government are rights that are still withheld just as they were the day that the First amendment was established. This would all not be possible without the countless men and women that have fought for our freedom in countless ways.
In conclusion, I believe the founding fathers of this country would be proud because of the infinite number of people that exercise their freedom to create a country occupied with citizens that are equal, sacrificial, and free. “The American dream comes from opportunity. The opportunity comes from our founding principles, our core values that’s held together and protected by the Constitution.”-Ted Yoho.
Hope, I really like your essay. I enjoyed reading it a lot. I love how you mentioned the American dream, and what goes into that, and how its not just a simple little thing that should come easy.
Delete“Life is never easy. There is work to be done and obligations to be met – obligations to truth, to justice and to liberty,” said John F. Kennedy. President John F. Kennedy was a powerful and trustworthy man in office and he wasn’t afraid to speak his thoughts when needed to. He knew what it meant to have a country that was free, proud, and wanted only the best for his country in which he served. I believe that John F. Kennedy was trying to encourage Americans to not only work hard, but to believe in themselves and the work they produce. If I was given the question of whether or not this country today is the country our forefathers envisioned, I would say no for multiple reasons. The biggest problem that the United States is facing today that would shame our forefathers is our constant need to fight with one another and always try to outdo one another. The words John F. Kennedy spoke of, still echo today. Life is not easy and if it is easy, one is not working hard enough. Today, it seems everyone wants everything for free and to not have to work for anything. It seems the past decade there has been more violence, segregation, and hate than no other time in history. In just one short week, we will vote as a country for our next President. I feel no matter who wins, the United States will still be in turmoil. The two parties will continue to fight against one another and the United States of America will continue to decline in terms of accountability for one another.
ReplyDeleteI believe that if all these challenges that we Americans are facing in this country today are acknowledged, our future may not be as bleak as it is right now. The founders of this country would be proud of any American trying to fight for what is right and just. This country was built on trust and dignity. Men and women risked and gave their lives for our freedom and it should never be forgotten. Last but not least, America is spoiled and selfish, and does not appreciate the commodities that God has entrusted in us. I do believe this country will turn itself around, if guided by a man or woman with the same outlook as John F. Kennedy. God Bless America!
Mason, I really liked your outlook on this topic. You were able to express your belief that the founding fathers would be disappointed in the hatred in this country without discrediting all of the good things in the country. Nice work!
DeleteI liked how you mentioned that people do not work hard and think everything will come easy to them. You took what is going on in this country and laid it out exactly as it is. Nicely done.
DeleteIs this the America the founding fathers envisioned? This is a question the U.S.A faces every day. Are we living up to the high expectations that they had set for us? These exact questions, and the freedom one has to dispute or agree with them, hold the answer. The founding fathers insisted upon that freedom of response and opinion. To this day, America upholds these ideals.
ReplyDeleteAmerica is not perfect, and in this imperfection lies the nation’s true beauty. Freedom of speech has always been a staple of this country, opening the door to opportunity. Anyone can share their experiences and beliefs or take a stand as part of a group. Over the past few months, passions like these have caused divides in our nation. In some extreme cases, freedom of the people has even caused fear, but for the most part it has inspired passion. Individualized passion that media gives the opportunity to be heard. No matter what side someone stands on, they have that freedom, that ability, to stand tall and be heard, to make a statement for the whole world to hear. America is stronger for it, and its founding fathers never wanted a submissive nation. Rather, they wanted passion to course through the country strong enough to change things for the better. Perfection doesn’t truly exist, and it only belittles America's potential to suggest there may be a stopping point for change.
Today’s U.S.A. would certainly shock the founding fathers. For the greatest people never get to see the impact they leave behind. This group of men left behind a legacy for American citizens to fight for. Learning from their example, work ethic has remained the key to success. Everyone has to start somewhere. The best example of this is our military. Throughout the years, it has faced war, loss, and indescribable hardship; however, it is also highly regarded because the founding fathers won America’s freedom with it. Freedom that is commemorated with an uncountable number of flags. Which are proudly waved on national holidays that serve as a celebration of the country and its founders. The nation is overflowing with support and patriotism for its past history and the courageous men and women who work hard to keep it free and safe. Overall, this diverse, powerful, and independent nation still stands for the beliefs of the founding fathers concerning patriotism.
The key part of the founding fathers that many fail to see is found. These men found our nation’s potential and built it from the ground up. No country will be perfect from the very beginning. No country will ever be perfect at all, but America has always, and will always, be honorable enough to try. So yes, America is a work in progress. It has come a long way from the beginning in 1776 to now. Changes make the nation more beautiful. America is one of the most diverse countries, sharing in many different cultures, and encouraging freedom of expression religiously or otherwise.
In conclusion, the vision the founding fathers had may not fit today’s America to a T, but it has not lost the basis that it was originally founded upon. Rights have been awarded to citizens, and these citizens have the opportunity to stand up for others. It is in this way that the American dream has followed through for all these years. So is this the country the founding fathers envisioned? Yes, freedom of speech and religion has been successfully kept over all of these years, and it can be utilized to enhance the country to be its best. Are there still relevant issues that can be changed? Undoubtedly, but there is pride in knowing justice will prevail in the system those courageous men created.
I love how you pointed out how the shared culture of America is one of the reasons it’s so great. Great essay Gina!
ReplyDeleteIs this the country that the founding fathers envisioned? What exactly did they envision? The founding fathers of these united states were seeking freedom, justice, and equality for all. These concepts have been disputed and debated over the years, and people’s views of equality have changed as well. The America of today is not what the founding fathers envisioned.
ReplyDeleteThe America of today is faced with countless problems, as it has been throughout history, except the only difference is how these problems are being managed. Many Americans are looking at the trivial, small issues and blowing them out of proportion, as well as taking the words of our leaders out of context. Without a respect for our leaders, the entire nation is doomed to fail. People need to take a second, step back, and look at the many pieces this country is in, and how they can be fixed. Politics in this country are so far from what they used to be. Today it is just seen as fighting between the parties, and bias within the media is fueling this, and deceiving the American public. For so many years, America has put down communism and socialism, to such a point that it would be intolerable, but today, the opposite is happening, and the country is completely ignoring history, and what it actually is.
Equality has changed over the years, especially its definition. At first it started out as only white men, and slowly started to encompass everyone; however, this is never something that is fully accomplished. An example of this can be seen in Rev. Martin Luther King Jr’s statue in Washington DC. Equality will never fully be achieved, and this is something that the founding fathers would look down upon, especially that people aren’t striving for equality in the right ways. Defacing historical objects, and trying to cover up history solves nothing, and without knowledge of the past, history tends to repeat itself.
The founding fathers created this country under God, and so much of this has been completely taken away. The importance of religious freedom is crucial, but without belief in something, without something to set how people view the world, as well as actions, everything will become chaotic. This can be seen today. The lack of faith and religion within this country, or even just the lack of faith in humanity and each other is going to cause many issues down the line.
Therefore, It is important to look at what the founding fathers established, and how far we have strayed from that. As Americans, we must stand united, and together against the mess of a world we live in, because without each other, we are nothing.
Alex, I really enjoyed reading your essay! Your last paragraph, especially the last sentence really stuck out to me as a lesson we all need to remember. Great job!
DeleteIs this the country that was envisioned by the Founding Fathers? The straight-cut answer is no, because so much has changed in both the negative and positive light of what they dreamed of. The belief that all the people of America being the ones that benefit from the greatness of the country has changed to be the only ones who benefit are the ones who hold wealth and power. There are many examples of injustice caused by corruption that the Founding Fathers did not envision for this country to have, however, we may not always recognize it, especially if we are not directly involved.
ReplyDeleteThe first major example of injustice going on in America today is the protest for Black Lives Matter. This movement has been around for a long time, however, the recent riots and protests were sparked by the death George Floyd, a black man who died after a cop kneeled on his neck. Another spark of the movement was the case of Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was killed in her home when police came into her house. These two, along with many other black victims of police-caused brutality was injustice to them and their race, causing a wave of protests and riots.
Another ongoing example is the Right to Life Movement for the protection of the unborn babies. When the Founding Fathers left us this country, we were to protect every human life, from the moment of conception up until their natural death. However, this job was torn to pieces when the court case of Roe V. Wade occurred, making abortion legal, which was devastating to the pro-life community. The amount of unborn babies that lost their lives to this, I believe, would have the Founding Fathers unable to rest in peace because they built America on the foundation that everyone has the equal right to life.
A final way that America shows that there are injustice issues is through political expression. When the Founding Fathers wrote and signed the Constitution, one of the amendments they drafted was the right to freedom of speech, and this includes political. There have been many instances in the news where you will read about someone, especially teenagers, getting beat up or harassed for expressing their beliefs via a hat or shirt. This goes against the rights given by the Founding Fathers about freedom of speech and they intended this right for everyone to use, regardless of political stance.
Overall, this is certainly not the country that they Founding Fathers believed it would become. While there may have been some triumphs over mistakes that were made in the early development of the country, there were also many road bumps that lead us to the state we are in today. So, my answer, although others may disagree, is that this is not the America that the Founding Fathers built and certainly not the one they envisioned it to be.
I really liked your essay! I though you did a great job. I liked that you talked about injustice and the right to life. I though it was well written.
DeleteWe can never answer that question because we don’t know exactly what they wanted it to be, even with all the things they said they wanted. The founders had to know that something would always be wrong with the country or people running it. That’s the reason that they chose to form their own country isn’t it? They wanted to be able to make a country that could be formed into something more correct but that could also change with the times. I feel that they could have never foreseen what our country is like today. They definitely would not agree with some of the things that have happened through the country’s history but they will also be proud of our patriotism and all around Americanism. We have to take their wisdom and use it to make a country the way they felt it should be “for the people, by the people”. We can’t ever have a country that is exactly what they envisioned either because we there will always be obstacles to be overcome and learned from. As George Santayana said, “those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it”. It is one of my favorite quotes and probably one of the most important someone will ever hear because it applies to everyone. If you can not understand that something that has happened is wrong or that it is right you will never be able to make a decision that is right. To answer the question I would have to say yes not because I feel that they would like the way our country is today or that I think they would agree with the political statements that people are trying to make. I feel that they would see us as a country that has lasted through tough times, helped others in times of need, fought when it was the right time and didn’t when it wasn’t, and finally that even in our disheveled state we are still a free country that is held together for the people by the people.
ReplyDeleteTheo, I really enjoy your perspective of the fact that we can’t truly answer the question. I think seeing it that is unique, but you presented your viewpoint in a good way. Overall, great essay!
DeleteI like how you decided to do yours Theo. It was a very well written essay as well it was easy to get the paint you were trying to make and it made sense.
DeleteI liked the approach you took on this essay. It was a good way to portray your opinion based on what is written.
DeleteIt’s hard to say what the founding fathers would expect of us by 2020, but it’s safe to say that some of the accomplishments the American people have made are remarkable by anyone’s standards. John Adams once said, “You will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make a good use of it.” Based on the progress America has made over the past 200 years, the founding fathers would be proud of how we took advantage of our freedom. We created relationships with other countries around the world, industrialized our nation, and continued to keep up with the latest technology over the years to keep the standard of living at a steady increase. America has made above average education a standard for all children in the nation, allowing the citizens to contribute to highly intelligent forms of work and research. In 1969, American engineers and scientists developed a rocket to carry the first man to the moon. Under these circumstances, it’s safe to assume that John Adams, along with the remaining founding fathers, would be impressed with these achievements that were impossible to even imagine in their time.
ReplyDeleteDespite how easy it is to say that America has made outstanding progress over the years, it’s just as hard to admit that there are also a lot of issues that would make the founding fathers roll over in their graves. They believed in a country that could progress not only from a business aspect, but also from a social and moral aspect. America is simply stuck in the past when it comes to acceptance and social justice. That’s not to say that the founding fathers were accepting and socially just. George Washington himself owned about 120 slaves, out a total of 317 living at Mount Vernon. The founding fathers definitely were not as understanding and educated as we are now, but they did at least believe in progress. And one of the things that we cannot seem to overcome in America is acceptance. Regardless of the founding fathers negligence towards the subject, there's still something to be said about being stuck in the same place for decades.
I do not believe that the six founding fathers of this nation would be in complete agreement with what is going on in America right now. There is an evident divide between the people, and there is no leader who has an intention to fix it. There are people in the past who worked their whole lives to ensure we had the tools to progress as a nation today, and we are choosing not to use them. And even now, there are men and women who lay their lives on the line to protect our freedom so we can make use of it, yet we fail to make good use of it.
When our founding fathers created America the made it a free county. Making America a free country meant that anything could happen because the American people have a say in what happens. I think that the founding fathers envisioned America being how it is today, we are one of the strongest countries in the world and we are still free. There is no way for the founding fathers could have envisioned exactly America is today but I think that it is close to what they envisioned. We have had very smart presidents throughout americas history that definitely formed America into what the founding fathers have envisioned. Maybe it was president Roosevelt during world war 2 or maybe Abe Lincoln during the civil war. There is to many things that have happened through history to know for sure. I think that home of the brave and land of the free were the two biggest things when America was founded and America is still the land of the brave and we are all still free.
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