If Black Isnt a Language, then Tell Me, What Is? James Baldwin

In the beginning of this reading something stuck out to me that Baldwin said. It was when he said, "If they cannot articulate it then they are submerged." He says this talking about people who do not keep up with their own language and are inconsistant when learning the new "lingo". This stuck out so much to me, because I feel like that has happened to me before. I have been in school and kids have approached me asking me questions, and they were saying words I didnt understand. Although after being at that school for a few weeks I quickly picked up on these terms.

When Baldwin talks about the Frenchman living in Paris that brings up another memory in my mind. It reminds me of people in the United States. People here have different American languages in my opinion. I say that because I have witnessed this as well. When ever I visit my dad in Florida and he takes me around to meet all of his friends and introduce me to some local teenagers, I always have such a hard time understanding them. My dad says its Ebonics that they are speaking. Which is now actually considered a language. Its difficult to understand for me, because I feel like they speak increadibly fast, and well I dont cant comprehend the things they say, because I dont know what their saying.

The Fourth paragragh in, I notice that when Baldwin talks about "Putting your business on the street", in england he says you have confessed a list of different things, but names your parents twice. I think that he really draws the reader in with this statement and while making the reader aware and (at the same time scared to speak another language in the wrong part of England) he brings out the reality, that in almost any case a child wants to protect their parents.

In the end i'm not sure that I completely understand his argument. But there were many things that I did agree with in this reading. One main part was that black children should not conform to the white mans language because there is an alternative. And i think what his message is, is that it is ok to be different, and create new things, and it is allowed. After all, we do live in America!

Zinsser's "The Right to Fail"

In this reading Zinsser talks about success and how almost everyones interpretation of it is different. To me success lies within the beholder. My idea of success might be graduating from college, whereas a classmate of mine may be to not only graduate, but recieve a diploma in sports medicine and become the best Athletic Trainer in the country. Though our ideas of success might appear different, they really are'nt. Success to me in that situation, was to graduate. Success to my peer was much more perticular. If we both achieve our goals, than therefor we are both succesfull in our own eyes. To be honest, I dont have my life planned out for once i graduate college. I hope that I will eventually comes across something that I am passionate about and know I can hopefully be succesful in.

Back to the word successfull and what that all means. When I use successfull in that context, I like to think it means I do well, am respected, powerful, and wealthy. Those are the key things that come to mind while thinking of success.

A true way I try to challenge myself on a succesfull meter everyday is when basketball practice comes around, and I push myself to be the best post player that day. I feel like if I can push myself to be the best everyday, it will eventually be so that I am the best post player. There are days when I dont feel like I have accomplished that goal, or I dont feel like I had given it my best efforts. The best part about striving to be the best right now is that, i'm a freshman, so even when I am not the best it is ok. I do know though when I reach a higher status I will need to perform and the snap of a finger. Which I do have to admitt is freightening. At the same time I feel like it only benefits me for the future. And therefor I enjoy it.

"MIddle Schoolers Get the Pill"

In the article Middle Schoolers Get the Pill it argues a very valid counterargument which intails that middle schoolers are too young to be recieveing birth control pills, and patches. A main point of the author was that the school was handing them out with out even consulting their parents first.

The counter argument to that was that the children do not just simply recieve the pills, but are then put through very rigorous counceling and very much encouraged to tell their parents. It also states that they are in large poverty stricken areas and recieve a lot of newly arrived immagraints. The fact that there is a lot of poverty where these kids are infers that their parents are probabley not home too often to monitor the childrens action, or spend time with the children and make them aware of abstinence.

In my opiniong the area that was overlooked was their involvement with the parents. I would be highly upset if the school knew my child was pregnant and chose not to notify me immidiately. I feel like I would be understanding and very caring to my child, and I pray I would be the first one they told. Either way, it is my child, and then therefor my responsibility. Only how can I be responsible for something I do am not aware of? There is no where in the schools job description where it is just to know a child is pregnant and CHOSE not to alarm the parents immidiatly. I feel like they need to notify me as soon as they are aware and disreguard anything else. Im sure that is most likely how the majority of parents feel.