Blog Reflection

After my experience with blogging throughout the semester, I have realized just now that it doesn't take that much time to actually blog. I have been lazy, but I haven't really labeled blogging as busy work. I think that different people have different outlets for communication and a lot of people in our class seemed to have gotten a lot out of blogging. If i used it correctly, it could have been used as a tool for peer review. I learned that there are different ways of getting feedback from other people on your work, and blogging is one of them. I don't think that I will blog after this experience because I had difficulties trying to manage my own blog and unfortunately sites like these are not ones that I enjoy doing on my free time. The cool thing about them, though, was that everyone was able to express themselves through their blogs with their stories and templates and all the different things that they could put on them. I wish that I had more of an interest to blog so that I could get as much out of it as everyone else did. I think that the concept of the blogs used in this class could be improved by providing blogs as an option for extra credit for future students, this way they will not have pressure to do the blogs if it is not something they are interested in. 

Final Draft of Proposal Argument

The Dream Act: Giving Immigrant Children Equal Opportunities

 

            Over 12 million Americans currently live in the United States without work authorization, citizenship, or any other lawful status. This causes a number of serious problems throughout the country. The undocumented workers and their children cast a heavy burden on our already resource poor governmental institutions. Many drive without licenses, thereby putting regular American citizens at risk, and the children of those workers are not able to further their education after high school. With so many youths having to forego college, this allows for a great waste of talent. There are many other detriments to immigrant children who are not given the right to residency, along with the ones previously stated. Legislations have been considered so that these problems may be resolved, and so the children of immigrants may have equal opportunities in comparison to American citizens who were born in the United States.

            Immigration has become one of the most controversial issues in our country. Minimal reference to it evokes emotional arguments on both sides of the isle. One bill, which has been very popular among the great majority of voters, as it affects immigration, is the Dream Act. What is this act exactly?  The Dream Act is short for The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act. This act, if passed, would “provide a path to permanent residence for certain young immigrants- both those here illegally and those whose parents are here on temporary visas and who will no longer be eligible when they become adults. The act sets out stringent conditions for eligibility.” (Bush and McLarty III 96) The Dream Act would be beneficial to an innocent group of undocumented children that were brought to the United States by their parents.

            After much research and critical thinking, I would like to propose the benefits of the Dream Act to broaden the minds of those who oppose it. I would also like to educate the people who do not have knowledge about the act. The Dream Act would not only be valuable to those directly influenced by it: specifically immigrant children and their families, but also the country as a whole.  

            The root of opposing views toward the Dream Act stem from negative views of immigration to the United States.  Although it is perceived that a majority of the population is for immigration, my research on this controversy has proven otherwise. Many articles and books have been written in hopes to limit immigration, such as The Battle for America’s Border and Security and State of Emergency: The Third World Invasion and Conquest of America. According to a recent Gallup Poll, 42 percent of Americans believe immigrants help make the country a better place to live, while 30 percent believe the contrary.  The remaining percentages have mixed views. A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken on April 12, 2007 found that 78 percent of respondents feel people now in the country illegally should be given a chance at citizenship, yet are uncertain how to go about it. I believe that the Dream Act would serve as a step in the right direction in giving these individuals citizenship.

            How can this problem be fixed? How can the minds of so many Americans be opened so that immigration and The Dream Act can be taken into consideration? I believe that if they are given the facts, as opposed to basing their views on judgmental opinions, that America will become more informed about the truths of immigration and will consequently make knowledgeable decisions.

            Regardless of the individual views for or against The Dream Act, it is a fact that  we are, by definition, a nation of immigrants. Some may claim linage to families who arrived on the Mayflower, while others may have just crossed the border only hours ago, yet the dream for a prosperous America binds us all. Uninformed opinions are urging a change in immigration policy that is ill advised in facts. If these views were to be acted upon, it would be the ultimate death of our country. Many Americans are genuinely concerned with problems arising from illegal immigrants, but most who advocate a strict reversal would turn this country into a divided nation. This would distract from the true issues causing America’s decline and warrant the blame on a portion of the populace, who if allowed can only make America better.

            The approval of The Dream Act would lead to an increase in immigration and simultaneously, an increase in American citizens, which would in turn improve society and the economy for the following reasons. While some of the world’s most developed countries are facing severe population shortages and possible financial ruin due to their aging populations, the U.S. continues to be in a strong position because of immigration. For example, between 2000 and 2003, the working age of adults in Japan will decrease by 15.8%, in Germany the decrease will be 15.1%, Italy 19%, whereas in the United States there will actually be an increase of 18.9%, due largely to immigration. As stated by Gary L. Geipel, “immigration policy should be tailored to the aim of remaining competitive in the battle for talent.” Furthermore, a 2005 study by the National Foundation for American Policy found that “a moratorium on legal immigrants entering the country could devastate the Social Security system.” Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has agreed with this assessment, as has the current chairman, Mr. Ben Bernanke. During a recent speech before the Economic Club of Washington, Mr. Bernanke said, “To overcome the effects of an aging population, immigration will have to rise to 3.5 million people annually.” If this will not be the case, the economic consequences for the American economy will be devastating.

            In today’s society, around 65,000 students graduate from American high schools each year who have actually resided in the United States for over five years but have faced limitations in school and in work because they were brought into the country by their parents who were illegal. Among these students and potential workers are individuals who are just as successful as any other American citizen; including and not limited to, honors students, valedictorians, star athletes, homecoming kings and queens, and other student leaders. The Dream Act would give these children the right to succeed and prosper just as any other legal student would have to ability to do. In my opinion, minors should have this opportunity because they came to the United States in the footsteps of their parents and were not given the decision to leave their previous country. Another benefit of this act would influence both the economy and education interchangeably. As a result of this act being passed, the percentage of high school dropout immigrant students would decrease dramatically. According to an article by The National Immigration Law Center, “The children of undocumented immigrants are far more likely to drop out of high school than are students who were born in the U.S.  Immigration status and the associated barriers to higher education contribute to this high dropout rate, which costs taxpayers and the economy billions of dollars each year.” (“The National Immigration Law Center” 1) With the decrease in high school immigrant dropout rate, the rate of graduation of these prospective students would increase. An increase in high school graduation would ultimately lead to an increase in employment and tax revenues. “For example, based on estimates in a 1999 RAND study, an

average 30-year-old Mexican immigrant woman who has graduated from college will pay $5,300 more in taxes and cost $3,900 less in criminal justice and welfare expenses each year than if she had dropped out of high school.  This amounts to a total annual increased fiscal contribution of more than $9,000 per person.” (“The National Immigration Law Center” 2) Ultimately, The Dream Act would recompense the immigrant children with the priceless virtue of character. It would give them opportunities to make a living on their own, and reap the benefits of their efforts in a country that they did not decide on living in.

            Without immigration, the country that we are currently living in would be drastically different and damaging to society. If twelve million allegedly illegal or undocumented immigrants were deported within a short time period, as some experts have suggested, the country would suffer immeasurably. Conservative estimates predict the cost of massive deportation at $200 billion. Imagine the turmoil that would be caused at countless construction sites, restaurants, farms, and homes across America. Our true problems as a nation do not stem from immigration, but rather issues of a deeper meaning. Yet, immigrants are the safest group to blame, and the new national scapegoat of our times. It has become politically acceptable to openly discriminate against immigrants. Terms such as “the greatest invasion in history” and “Hispanic threat” used to describe current immigrant policies are a consequences of undoubtedly close-minded individuals. Few question the fact that the current immigrant policy endangers our national security. Anyone who is interested in America’s national security will agree that our borders must be strengthened. Recent efforts to tighten the border have proven increasingly successful. The borders need further tightening, but it is imperative that we do something about the approximately 12 million undocumented immigrants currently living in America.

            With the legislation of The Dream Act, many immigrant children will be given equal rights to the American Dream and the ability to prosper and whatever they aspire to do. Second generation immigrants, whether from Bombay, Bogota, or Brussels, assimilate and strongly desire to Americanize as quickly as possible. In fact, more than ninety-five percent of immigrant children learn English within two years. (Kurzban 231) The startling success stories and anecdotes of immigrants and children of immigrants portray the involvement of immigrants in an entirely new light. From the community level to the national arena, immigrant contributions to society have been tremendous. For example, David Ho, a Chinese immigrant embraced American culture and helped to discover an effective medical treatment for the HIV virus. He was eventually named TIME Magazine Man of the Year in 1996. From Albert Einstein to Juanita Hernandez, who helped open a battered women shelter in Chicago, immigrants have helped America and contributed greatly to its success. (Pupin 355)

            It is without a doubt that immigration and The Dream Act would be beneficial to American society, as proven through the evidence, research, and polls previously stated. Hopefully, those uneducated on these topics will take into consideration the impact that immigrants have made on the economy, education, and employment. Foreign-born children should be given the chance to live out the American Dream and to make the most of their experiences in this country, just as any other American-born citizen would do.

 

 

 

Proposal Argument

Since I was never really on time with the blogs I thought there wouldn't be any purpose to add all my drafts of my proposal argument to my blog now considering I already turned it in, but I'll post my finished paper on here for anyone to read.

New Topic, New Advocacy Ad

Since I changed my topic, I had to change some things for my ad. I did my paper on The Dream Act and I decided to keep the same concept of the flyer with pictures and a slogan. It was saved as a word document so I can't attach it onto here but I am open to any suggestions for the advocacy ad if I have time to change it!

It's 4:40 in the morning and I can't go to sleep so I guess I'm going to blog since I haven't been on here in forever. Sorry to everyone who actually checks this because there's going to be like 50 new posts from me again :/ I should probably figure out how to change my background...

Advocacy Ad

I plan on making my advocacy ad a flyer promoting immigration. I think it will be effective if I use pictures and a captivating slogan like "Immigration: United We Stand"

Blog 6

My community is an issue within itself, so I want on to go into more detail on the issue for paper 4. I know about the effects of poverty on millions of people in developing countries and I plan on looking for ways to fix it. 

I forgot to do this one

Blog 2:

English is the last class of the day for me and I usually don't pay attention to the things surrounding me on the way out. They day we were told to take a look at the things we passed by on our walks I noticed a couple things that I had never seen before. In the hallway of the PC building on the 3rd floor, there are a bunch of posters on the walls. In the specific hallway on my way out from class across from the elevators were some Science posters. I also noticed huge rocks on display next to the elevator. 

Blog 5: Exploring a Community Paper

Poverty: A Rising Epidemic in Developing Countries

 Poverty is a universal concern that seems to have no true solution.  Although many people are aware of the poverty that surrounds them everyday, I feel as though they are not educated enough to actually want to make a difference. If more people were taught about the impact that poverty has on the lives of so many in developing countries, they would feel an urge to give aid. As the daughter of an immigrant from the Philippines, I have had the opportunity to visit places where poverty is very real.  My mother “witnessed poverty first-hand” which has in turn given me the incentive to be a part of the non-profit organizations in the Philippines (Obias-Sanchez). I have gone to orphanages and helped in medical missions, which has in turn brought me to the realization that there are so many people who are in desperate need of basic goods, like food and shelter. I think that by spreading the awareness that I have about the Philippines onto others, that they too will want to reach out to help those who are less fortunate. Also, just knowing the basic facts about how many people suffer from poverty everyday is something that would initiate a person’s involvement in the end to world poverty. The main question that I, as well as others who are concerned with the matter, is, to what extent are people suffering due to poverty in developing countries?

            When I think back on my experiences in the Philippines, starting from when I was about three years old, I always remember the massive amounts of children running up to my grandparents’ moving car, begging for money in exchange for the flowers that they picked from the ground. The image is something that I have never been able to erase because I know that there are different stories behind each of those children. For most of the children on the street, they have no parents. As for the others, they were sent out by their parents to do odd jobs in hopes of making any money.  The concept of sending out your own child to chase after a car in traffic is something that can only be explained by pure desperation. So many families in developing countries have this feeling because they have the misfortune of being born into poverty.  Poverty is not something that is easy to get out of when you are born in a country that is nowhere near as opportunity-filled as the United States. 

            The idea of poverty is immediately related the idea of a solution in my mind. The question I, as well as millions of others face is what is this solution? When I think about helping other countries, I think about non-profit organizations.  The reason this comes to mind is because non-profit organizations are made for the common good. They are put together not to benefit themselves, but exclusively for the benefit of others. After thinking about this concept I wondered, what do non-profit organizations really do? So I did my research and found out the following information. In developing countries, they are usually known as non-governmental organizations (NGOs). “Non-governmental organizations constitute the third major channel, after bilateral and multilateral aid agencies, through which development assistance is provided to the Third World” (Kozlowski 12) These organizations play a critical role in reducing poverty, since governments cannot do the job on their own. Some examples of successful NGOs are in Brazil, Africa, and Haiti (Gibbs 21). Whereas governments must focus on the general needs of all the citizens that live inside within their country, non-profits are able to focus on specific missions, which serves the poor and less advantaged.  The immediate organizations that come to mind are World Vision and Feed the Child, but there are many others. For instance, The “Red Cross societies, refugee relief bodies, and the International Planned-Parenthood Federation and its affiliated members organizations account for a ‘group’ of specialized NGOs; followed by the specialist organizations concerned with leprosy, the blind, and other particular professional interests, like adult literacy, agricultural development and vocational training” (Kozlowski 16).

            The concept of non-profit organizations leads me to ask myself, what type of person would it take to give without receiving any material possession in return? Most likely, faith has to do with their decisions. Faith-based organizations provide a critical role in poverty reduction around the developing world. Christian as well as Muslim and Jewish institutions make it a priority to assist those who are most in need because it is part of their message of conviction. People are willing to assist the poor through donations and volunteer work at churches and synagogues because of their trust for such institutions. When speaking with my uncle, a former priest in training, I asked what his incentive was in becoming a priest as well as what he thought about the Christian community’s strong message of helping others. He replied, “The main message of Christianity is that all things are done with the thought in mind ‘do onto others as you would want to be done onto you’. As long as you follow this message, life will be lived selflessly, and the act of giving will in turn be a reward within itself.” (Sanchez) On the other side of the spectrum, I spoke with my cousin who is a practicing Muslim and asked him about the message of his religion. He stated, “Many religions have one thing in common, helping others.  Sometimes we are so easily judged because we are different but in the end, we’re all here for the same reason.” (Huynh)

              In America, as the richest country in the world, we contribute significantly to resolving world poverty issues, but as a nation we could do much more. An example of our contribution to another country in need is the recent foreign assistance to Haiti after the devastating earthquake. Other countries have also donated significantly to Haiti’s rebuilding process. Most importantly though, the most successful long term development assistance will help the country of Haiti strengthen its own institutions so that the country will become self-sufficient in times of need in the future. When the topic of Haiti was brought up in one of my classes just last week, the professor was quick to judge the students who said that they had given clothes or food to people in Haiti. She had assumed that no one in our class knew anything about Haiti until the earthquake hit; this was not something that I agreed with. Even if this was the case, I believe that any form of a donation to those in need is better than none at all. Although many people are called to assist charitable organizations after natural disasters, there are many individuals and organizations that provide such assistance on a daily basis, regardless of the extreme need after a disaster.

            Ultimately it is the government’s duties to assist those most in need, unfortunately many developing countries don’t have the resources or power to do so.  “The extent of premature death and ill health in the developing world is staggering. In 2000 almost 11 million children died before their fifth birthday, and estimated 140 million children under five are underweight, 3 million died from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis claimed another 2 million lives, and 515,000 women died during pregnancy or child birth in 1995, almost all of them in the developing world” (Wagstaff ix). For these reasons, developed nations step in to attempt to fill in the void that developing nations cannot fulfill. One example of numerous countries coming to the assistance of development needs is the Millennium Development Goals, which was agreed to by 180 governments (Wagstaff ix).  The purpose of these projects is to attempt to eradicate poverty around the world. The projects are often implemented through the auspices of international organizations such as the United Nations.

            After much research and mental involvement about poverty and its affects on the lives of so many millions of people, I have come to conclusion that the debate about how many people are actually suffering is important, but more emphasis should be put on what we can do to help.  It is crucial to take a stand in the rise against poverty, regardless of what ethnicity of religion you may come from. It is a force that can unite the world in hopes of a cure. To some, poverty is considered a crime in which all individuals are responsible, including the victim (George 5). If we are held responsible, more should be done in efforts to end this epidemic. It is our duty to make a change no matter how insignificant it may be.

Intro to Paper 2

Poverty is a universal concern that seems to have no true solution.  Although many people are aware of the poverty that surrounds them everyday, I feel as though they are not educated enough to actually want to make a difference. If more people were taught about the impact that poverty has on the lives of so many in developing countries, they would feel an urge to give aid. As the daughter of an immigrant from the Philippines, I have had the opportunity to visit places where poverty is very real.  My mother “witnessed poverty first-hand” which has in turn given me the incentive to be a part of the non-profit organizations in the Philippines (Obias-Sanchez). I have gone to orphanages and helped in medical missions, which has in turn brought me to the realization that there are so many people who are in desperate need of basic goods, like food and shelter. I think that by spreading the awareness that I have about the Philippines onto others, that they too will want to reach out to help those who are less fortunate. Also, just knowing the basic facts about how many people suffer from poverty everyday is something that would initiate a person’s involvement in the end to world poverty. The main question that I, as well as others who are concerned with the matter, is, to what extent are people suffering due to poverty in developing countries?

Interview questions

Exploring a Community Interview questions

Interviewer: Karina Sanchez

Interviewee: Irene Sanchez

 

Topic: Poverty in Developing Countries

Question: To what extent are people suffering due to poverty in developing countries?

 

1. Have you experienced or witnessed poverty first hand? Where? What was the experience like?

            Yes. I did not experience it but I saw it with people that surrounded me everyday growing up in the Philippines. For example, I saw newborns die due to the fact that the mother could not afford basic medical care for the child. The experience was frustrating and I felt helpless because I was so young and could not understand.

 

2. Do you feel as though poverty is a major issue in today’s society? Why?

            Yes, I do. With today’s technology, I think that people are becoming more isolated and selfish.

 

3. Have you contributed to any cause related to poverty?

            Yes. My family and I support an orphanage in the Philippines and spread awareness to family and friends who are not as involved.

 

4. How do you think our nation can aid the poverty of other countries in a way that is more helpful?

            I think that if more non-profit organizations focused on helping educate and teaching developed skills to the poor then poverty would not be as much of a concern.

 

5. Is poverty a concern that you feel you can relate to directly?

            Yes, it is relatable because I was exposed to extreme poverty at a very young age up until I moved to the United States. 

Blog 6

After writing my first and second papers, I learned that writing is a process that takes time and effort. Every time I went over my papers, I would find more mistakes that I has to fix. Writing is definitely not something that can be perfected on the first try. I have also learned that it is important to take rhetorical effects into consideration when writing because they make writing more relatable to the reader. As a writer, I plan on working on my procrastination in the future and in the present.

Make-up Blogs (:

I've finally decided that I should start blogging again so a lot of blogs are going to be coming up from me. Hopefully they'll count for something!

Blog 5

When writing a composing a photo essay and writing a rhetorical analysis, there are elements that share in common as well as elements that make them different. Ethos, logos, and pathos can be found in both a photo essay and in a rhetorical analysis. Although a photo essay is not made up of words, it can be analyzed in a way that appeals to emotion, logic, and credibility. Also, in a rhetorical analysis and a photo essay, there is an audience and a purpose. 

In retrospect, both works have differences. In a rhetorical analysis, the main goal is to analyze a piece of work. The point is to determine the purpose of another individual's work and find out how ethos, logos, and pathos were used. In my opinion, making a photo essay is more simple than writing a rhetorical analysis because it is more creative and not as specific.

Blog 4: Community of Non drivers

Photo essay rough draft

Blog #2

I decided to entertain the viewers of my photo essay by choosing the community of “non drivers.” I figured that most people have gone through a part of their life without driving which is how they can relate to me. The funny thing is most people my age have already passed that stage, but I, unfortunately have not.

While taking pictures I wanted to make sure that the viewer would have a concept of what my photo essay is about just by looking at the images. I thought about appealing to my audience by the use of pathos. I figured my pictures could appeal to their emotions because the community I belong to usually makes people laugh. The guest photographer gave helpful tips that I used. She talked about the time of day when it was appropriate to take pictures so that the lighting would portray the image correctly. I made sure to keep her advice in mind while taking the pictures so that they would come out better.            

I followed the general ideas of my plan of action that I began with but I did not have an exact idea of the photographs I would be taking. I usually don’t take any of means of transportation other than cars so I took pictures of the different peoples’ cars that I go in on a daily basis. 

Blog #1

When writing online, it is important to consider the audience you are speaking to. In order to persuade or entertain the readers, one should express him or herself in a relatable way. Expressing oneself online is different from the real world because it is much more visual. The way you sound online is important because tones of speech cannot be read through text. In order for a writer to get their point across, they have to use a clear and concise method of persuasion.

A certain style of writing can be achieved online by controlling the context used in the blog and by wording things in a specific manner. One could project their own persona online by making their work personal.  For example, when making a blog, it can be designed to portray the writer’s interests. The tone used when writing is a form of expressing the individual’s personality or sense of humor.