Excerpt: Success In America

What does it take to be successful in America? Some say good looks and others say experience but is a proper handle of the language necessary to be successful in this country? English is the common language of the United States but although countless immigrants founded this country, many people continue to discriminate against the those who do not speak our native tongue. The following paragraphs will discuss the ongoing battle between those who speak English and those who choose not to and whether English is really necessary to be successful in America.

Myriam Marquez is an award-winning columnist who was born in Cuba in 1954 and grew up in South Florida. “As a Hispanic, Marquez recognizes that English is the “common language” in America but knows that being American has little if anything to do with what language one speaks” (Marquez 200). In Marquez’s article “When and Why We Speak Spanish in Public,” Marquez explains why she and her family continue to speak their native tongue, Spanish, although they have lived in America for more than forty years. Marquez talks about how when she and her family speak Spanish with each other in public, people see that as being rude to those that do not understand Spanish but she quickly explains why she and her family continue to do so. She says it is out of respect for her parents and comfort in her cultural roots that she continues to speak in her native tongue (Marquez 200). Marquez explains how most of the early immigrants to the U.S. kept their native languages for many generations. These immigrants fought for the U.S. in wars, voted in elections, and held office. There was nothing rude or “un-American” about these people and there is nothing is rude about speaking your native tongue. What is offensive is “when there are two or more people who are bilingual and another person who speaks only English and the bilingual folks all of a sudden start speaking Spanish, which effectively leaves out the English only speaker” (Marquez 201). There is a difference between being disrespectful and being comfortable with your cultural background. If Marquez and her family stopped speaking Spanish, in their eyes it would be like they were discarding their heritage.

In Greg Lewis’ article “An Open Letter To Diversity Victims,” Lewis tells America’s young people “to succeed in America...it’s important to speak, read, and understand English as most Americans speak it” (Lewis 197). Lewis believes that those who support bilingual education are condemning Spanish-speaking children to a second-class economic citizenship. In order to be successful in America, you must know the language and know it well. Lewis further stresses this point when he says, “Bilingual education doesn’t provide students whose first language is not Standard English with the single most important skill they need for making their way in the broader culture” (Lewis 197). It may seem cruel and unfair to tell people that they have to learn the language but if they continue to disregard the English language, America will become divided. Also, Lewis points out that if it seems you have to compromise your identity to become successful in American think about this: those who promote “diversity” are the ones asking you to deny your individuality by suggesting you become part of a collective identity because of your ethnicity (Lewis 198)

Down to Earth (Peter Gabriel)

This song was robbed at the Oscars! Ah well! It is from the movie "Wall-E" which came out last summer.

My Predictions for the 81st Annual Academy Awards

Best Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Cean Chaffin
Frost/Nixon - Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Eric Fellner
Milk - Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen
The Reader - Anthony Minghella, Sydney Pollack, Redmond Morris, Donna Gigliotti < gut is telling me this movie might surprise
Slumdog Millionaire - Christian Colson

Best Director
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry – The Reader
David Fincher – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant – Milk

Best Actor
Richard Jenkins – The Visitor
Frank Langella – Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn – Milk
Brad Pitt – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler

Best Actress
Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie – Changeling
Melissa Leo – Frozen River
Meryl Streep – Doubt
Kate Winslet – The Reader

Best Supporting Actor
Josh Brolin – Milk
Robert Downey, Jr. – Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight (I still don't think the DK was great but HE did a great job)
Michael Shannon – Revolutionary Road

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams – Doubt < she will probably win tho.
Penélope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis – Doubt
Taraji P. Henson – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler

Best Original Screenplay
WALL-E - Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon and Pete Docter
Happy-Go-Lucky - Mike Leigh
Frozen River - Courtney Hunt
In Bruges - Martin McDonagh
Milk - Dustin Lance Black

Best Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
Frost/Nixon - Peter Morgan
The Reader - David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire - Simon Beaufoy
Doubt - John Patrick Shanley

Best Animated Feature
Bolt – Chris Williams and Byron Howard
Kung Fu Panda – Mark Osborne and John Stevenson
WALL-E – Andrew Stanton

Best Original Song
"Down to Earth" from WALL-E – Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman (music), Peter Gabriel (lyrics) (this song is a JAM lol)
"Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire – A. R. Rahman (music), Gulzar (lyrics)
"O Saya" from Slumdog Millionaire – A. R. Rahman and M.I.A.

The Definition

Boring, Egotistic, Goody-goody! Labels are titles given to us all regardless of whether we encourage them or not. Gracie Arnett approved of most of the lables given to her throughout her life, but the one thing you could not call her was someone who could not dance. This is exactly what Mrs. Robinson, the coach of her school's majorette squad, did.

It was the fall of 1972, try-out season. Gracie had already gotten into the school band and been ordained vice president of the student council, but there was one more title she had her eyes on, majorette. "A majorette!" her sister Birdia exclaimed, "but you like to read books and hang out at the library. What do you know about being a majorette?" Gracie stormed off to her room. Once she had her mind set on something, she was determined to follow through on it, and she was going to try out for the squad, regardless of support at home. She soon found out that others had doubts about her talents, mainly Mrs. Robinson, the coach of the team. Mrs. Robinson refused to let her try out. Not only did she believe that Gracie could not dance, but she also did not want her on the team because she came from a working-class family. Her mother and older sister were both maids. Outraged, gracie spoke to the school's principal who forced the coach to let her try out. In the end, she made the team, but she had to earn her team's respect.

The first basketball game of the season had finally arrived. If there ever was a time to shine, this was it. Gracie found herself nervous while going over the routine and her solo in her head. She knew she had something to prove, not only to Mrs. Robinson and her sister Birdia but to herself. The half time buzzer rang, and the majorettes marched onto the center of the court. The lights dimmed and the funk hit "Pop That Thang" by The Isley Brothers began to play. Gracie broke out into the routine like an old pro and when it came time for her solo, she danced so hard that she kicked off the tassels on her new boots. The crowd broke into a roar as her sister Susie, who helped her create the solo, screamed, "If you can't do it like I told you, do it like I showed you!" Composing herself, Gracie simply marched passed Mrs. Robinson and smiled. There was no need for an apology from Mrs. Robinson in Gracie's mind. Actions speak louder than words and her actions had spoken plenty. The following semester, Gracie became captain of the majorette squad. "Hey, bookworms can dance their asses off too," she often exclaims. Indeed, they can.

Unbe-Weave-Able!

KANSAS CITY, MO - Briana Bonds literally came within a hair's breadth of dying late Wednesday night after her tightly-woven wig somehow stopped a speeding bullet.Bonds, 20, was in her car in a convenience store parking lot when a man flagged her down and told her that her ex-boyfriend still loved her.She replied, "Well I don't love him," then Banks says she heard gunshots as her ex-boyfriend, Juan Kemp, allegedly opened fire from behind the second vehicle."They was going past me, zoom, zoom and the window was shattering," said Bonds. "Oh Lord! I am alive! Am I dead? What's going on? I'm not every 21 yet!"Bonds said that her head snapped forward a little when the bullet hit her, and that there was a small amount of blood, but that she never lost consciousness."In the back of my head, it was like bam!" said Bonds. "That's how it felt. It was hot, you could feel it."Bonds sped away from the store to another parking lot where she called police, who found the 40-caliber slug tangled in her hair. Police say that her weave prevented it from penetrating her skull."One of (the bullets) hit the back of my head. Luckily, it didn't go through because the back of my wig," said Bonds. "My wig had stopped it. It was hanging in my hair. It was about this small scrunched up.""I've been wearing it for years. I've invested a lot of money into this weave," said Bonds. "It saved my life. It saved my life."Police arrested both Kemp and the other man in the car, and the pair now face charges for the shooting incident in Jackson County Court.

Source: http://www.fox4kc.com/wdaf-hair-weave-bullet-story,0,1242972.story

Could Wonder Woman do it? My reaction before then after finding out she was ok:



On a serious note, what is with these bitter ex-boyfriends and girlfriends who try to harm people after a breakup? Get over it, move on, read a self help book, meditate, etc. If they didn't want you before, they definately aren't going to want you after your FAILED attempt to kill them.

Religulous

This was a great documentary film! I've never been a huge fan of Bill Mahr but he did a good job with this very touchy subject matter. I was brought up in a religious (Baptist) home but I was never really commited to the religion because I had questions like the ones presented in this movie when I was younger. I couldn't understand how people believed some of the stories in the bible, like talking snakes, & burning bushes, yet stories about Santa Claus & the Tooth Fairy were ridiculous to them. Was that wind that made me smile God/Allah/Muhammad/etc. or was it just, in fact, wind? Everyone has questions about religion, about the obvious "gaps" and "stories" in religious texts. This movie explores some of those questions. Watch it! It's not bias or blasphemous, although Mahr is very cynical. The movie IS, however, thought provoking! Don't watch it coming in with a strong opinion, just watch it, listen to the arguments, and think for yourself after.

Description:

Bill Maher interviews some of religion's oddest adherents. Muslims, Jews and Christians of many kinds pass before his jaundiced eye. Maher goes to a Creationist Museum in Kentucky, which shows that dinosaurs and people lived at the same time 5000 years ago. He talks to truckers at a Truckers' Chapel. (Sign outside: "Jesus love you.") He goes to a theme park called Holy Land in Florida. He speaks to a rabbi in league with Holocaust deniers. He talks to a Muslim musician who preaches hatred of Jews. Maher finds the unlikeliest of believers and, in a certain Vatican priest, he even finds an unlikely skeptic.

Trailer:

Boxed In

Christopher Berretta always knew he was a little different. Since the age of six he noticed the odd looks given to both him and his family. No, Christopher is not disabled, and his family is not eccentric. He is bi-racial, as are many of the members in his family. He comes from a very diverse background. His father is Italian and his mother is African-American. Growing up, Christopher found himself longing for a playmate or an idol who looked the way he did and knew what it felt like to grow up mixed-race. His wishes were finally answered with a brother. No longer would he be misunderstood and alone, but life did not get any easier for him.

This difference came to a head at one of the most difficult times for an adolescent: high school. Those years are stressful enough; your parents and teachers keep telling you how important your grades are to get into a good college, you are struggling to figure out who you are, and you plunge into dating. Try to imagine the added pressure of walking into the school cafeteria and being forced to choose sides: White or Black? It is hard enough trying to come to a decision on whether you want the hamburger or the pepperoni pizza let alone which group of friends you want to sit with and which ones you want to avoid. Because of this, Christopher often ate lunch outside to avoid segregating his friends.

Test taking was not any easier. He was often forced to choose a race when taking such test as the T-CAP. There was not "Mixed-Race" or "Bi-Racial" bubble to fill in so what guidelines was he given to choose? Should he go by how he was feeling that day? What exactly is feeling Black or Italian in the first place? He found it unfair that he had to conform and be sectioned off daily.

Although growing up mixed-race has been a difficult task, Christopher says that he would not have chosen another family or life if he could. He is proud of his bi-racial heritage and the openness it has brought him in the many aspects of his personality. Society tries to put him and his family in a box, but he refuses to give into its rules of engagement. After all, everything in the world is not always apples and oranges.

Betty Nguyen From CNN

Last Spring, reporter Betty Nguyen from CNN came to the University of Memphis campus for the 26th annual Freedom of Information Congress. Nguyen is the first Vietnamese-American national news anchor. She was born in Saigon, Vietnam, but fled the country for America in 1975 as a child with her family onboard an American cargo plane as the area fell to the rise of Communistic beliefs of North Vietnam and U.S. pulled out of the war. She explained, “It was stepping into the unknown. Nothing was guaranteed except that turning back was not an option.” Refugees like Nguyen and her family knew they would not see their kin for a long time, if ever again, but they also knew that life in America would give them new opportunities they would never or could ever have dreamed of in Vietnam.

Betty Nguyen grew up in the U.S. like any other American girl and like many Americans, by the time college rolled around, Nguyen wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her life. She explained how she changed her major a couple of times, specifically from Pre-Law (which wasn’t her passion, although it paid well) to Journalism. She loved to write about people and tell their stories so journalism seemed like the perfect fit. Her parents weren’t happy with the decision but they trusted their daughter and it’s good they did. After graduating, she began her career as a morning news anchor and reporter in Waco, Texas before she moved to Dallas, TX to work at their CBS affilate. While there, she covered a variety of major news stories like the 2001 World Trade Center attacks and the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster of 2003. In 2004, she joined the CNN network which transformed the local news star into a nationally recognized face on television.

During her visit, Nguyen explained how her job as a broadcast journalist works and talked about the environment at CNN. She also showed University of Memphis students and faculty a few videos on the type of topics she has been able to cover around the world such as the Sierra Leone diamond conflict in Africa, Hurricane Katrina in the U.S., and the disasterous monsoon season of Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon), which affects the people in that area annually. When she addressed Ho Chi Minh, you could sense her connection to her homeland . She is very proud of her Vietnamese heritage and as the cofounder of Help The Hungry, an organization whose mission is to distribute food, clothing, medicine and other basic essentials directly to needy children and their families around the world, Nguyen goes back to Vietnam every year during the monsoon season to help the locals get back on their feet.

Overall, the program was very enjoyable and although broadcasting journalism is not a field of study I am currently looking into, I found that concentration interesting. I must admit, I was forced to go for my Public Relations class, well, that’s not entirely true. I went because 20 points extra credit was offered, but I didn’t regret the time I spent there. She was an excellent speaker and had a warm and welcoming personality as well as a great sense of humor.