Affirmative Action: The Price of Preference by Shelby Steele

The author of this essay assumes that affirmative action programs should support equality of opportunity, not quotas. Steele finds that racial quotas do more harm than good to the black community. He argues, reinforce discrimination. In fact, he claims that constitutional, not racial, rights should be enforced. I think that the Steele’s argument could be classified as a form of libertarianism. In general, this author presents a personality of discrimination towards the Affirmative Action. I found that very incorrectly, because, the Affirmative Action is a program for discriminatory practices that have in the past denied fair consideration to remembers of minority group. In fact, this program is used to offer equality of rights as white as blacks, it’s for all. This author is a little confused about it, because she/he states in some part of the essay that affirmative action has good intentions…

In my opinion this kind of program is the best program that this country has created to the good of people, to prevent fights or wars inside this same country. I think all of us are human and since the time of born we get our human rights, till die.

I Have a Dream - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther king, Jr. was a Baptist minister. He was a driving force in the push for racial equality in around the 1950's and the 1960's. His most famous consideration was his speech, which was seen and heard through many radios and television networks. His speech was exposed in the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. When He took advantage and evoked the name of Lincoln in his "I Have a Dream" speech, to give more importance at the situation and open the eyes of the people.

It’s amazing the type of communication and argumentation that Luther king used in his speech, to shows the discriminatory actions that was happening in his times. I his speech “I have a dream” Luther King used many literary techniques, such as argumentations, to convince the audience assisted. He used the pathos argumentation technique. He introduces it in biblical passages, poetics terms and the smartest way, in the repetition and references to famous American phrases, such as, “all men are created equal”. It is incredible believe that by using these kind of argumentation techniques, he was able to open the eyes of people who were blinded by the color of skin.

“Growing Up Old” by Richard Rodriguez

The author in this essay talks about the lives of adolescents in L.A. He makes statements regarding the daily activities which these adolescents doing. He generalizes his essay writing about adolescents living in L.A. In fact, he made a general point about the youth of today. In his essay, I noticed he supports that children now in days are growing up to fast than before. Good, I’m in agreeing with that, because children now think their old enough to do whatever they want and it is not like that. Everything comes with the time. Also, I noticed that he supports that the behavior of the adolescents is obtained and reflected by the influence of T.V. on these kids. I personally, am disagreeing with that statement, because in my opinion adolescents get their behavior by who they are living, or simply by who they are in contact everyday of their live; as for example, friends, girlfriends or boyfriends, or their own family. In addition, they also could get their behavior by what lifestyle they are involved.

“cultural Baggage” by Barbara Ehrenreich

In the “cultural Baggage” essay the author describes her feelings of having no ethnic heritage. She makes many assumptions about other people and their choices in adhering to a religious or ethnic heritage. In fact, her family gave a philosophy of trying new things and thinking for herself; which she wants to spread it in to the society. In contrast, my parents gave me this same encouragement but didn't ask me to forget my family heritage in exchange. What I know is that you can learn from the past while living in the present. The issue of trying to find an identity plays a major role in her definition of culture.

I personally, am not agreeing with her thoughts, because she shows a negative aspect of the culture and society. I think that she have two be proud of her backgrounds in her culture, because of it she have learned a lot of things and have formed as a person with integrity, decisions and moral. We can’t make a complaint about it because thanks to that with have formed our basis of our moral. In addition, the culture depends on you and on the country where you are living and with people who you are living together day to day.

"College Pressures" by William Zinsser

The author in this essay tries to show to the readers the most important pressures, which college students suffer from it. In other words, this author found the explanation of why the students complain about the college life. He did it classifying those pressures as economic pressures, parental pressures, peer pressures, and self induced pressures. I’m in totally agreeing with the author. Just by the simple fact, that all of these pressures affects negatively at the students. Nevertheless, there are many more than those.

There are many others pressures that college students face as the Transportation problem. Many of them have jobs and their own cars which can use to more from the house to the college, but some students do not work just to have more time to study, these students have more problems to move from one place to the college. The amount of many projects and tests at the same time from different classes are other pressure for students. Many professors do not understand that many students have part-time jobs for their needs and etc; and most professors put a lot of works and test at the same time and some students get frustration for that. There are many others pressures that college students face day to day. The only way to get a solution for this is that the government does more plans of benefits to improve the education, and organize a meeting of professors to understand the student status and to organize a better plan of study with less works at the same time but stronger content.

"Cinematypes" - Susan Allen Toth's

I really enjoyed this kind of essay. The author uses a pretty funny way to transmit her message to the readers, and how she describes them and their interests. In this essay Susan describes her personal experiences of her pastimes. So, she compares her different experiences at going to the movies with different guys. Each guys are different, each of them have positive aspects but at the same time negative aspects. She classifies her dates by what kind of movie these guys like to watch not her, and how they show their behavior with her on the date. Also, she classifies her dates by using separate paragraphs.

In fact, her essay is kind of classification essay and she describes information that is true. In conclusion, in her essay she shows her feelings and behaviors towards these dates with these guys; she doesn’t know how to pick men that value her and she shows that alone is better than having a crummy date , or simply the fact, that is better be alone than in bad company.

"Sexism in English" - Allen Pace Nilsen

The author in this essay assumes that Sexist language expresses unfair assumptions about gender differences. Also, she assumes how often English expresses sexist assumptions about differences between men and women. However, after information provided by Nilsen I believe that there’s sexism language in our society where today we are living. Just for the simplest fact that in any language that you perform, develop or speak; it shows your attitude and moral to any person who you are getting communication.

In addition, there’s another interesting aspect about this, as the way we would speak about men is too different than the way that we would speak about a women. Also, Nowadays all that you hear on the TV, radio or even on the streets; it’s all about sexism language. In my opinion, language shows our needs and feelings, our meanings and values in our society, our status of consciousness and reflects culture. In general, language shows our behaviors and beliefs.

"Marrying Absurd" by Joan Didion

The author in this essay affirms how Las Vegas is taking away the real meaning of this sacred ritual, in regards to the weddings. She starts out by first describing the reason for the increase in Las Vegas marriages. Then, she goes on to describe how Las Vegas marriages have taken away the special meaning a marriage and a wedding ritual has on a person, by getting weddings done in that short amount of time. She describes weddings in Las Vegas a joke; because she sees that there weddings are quick and easy. Also, assumed that weddings in Las Vegas are a kind of business, because she states that is a way to get money easily.

She believes that Las Vegas weddings are lacking style and beauty; and that Las Vegas wedding is not a respectable way to get married. Honestly, in my concern it doesn’t matter it depends what the couple prefers, because some likes a shorter weddings, others larger; some likes expensive, some not. The reality is that it doesn’t matter, because anyway a weeding is a wedding, the only principle is if there’s love, everything will be always beauty, and important.