Michael Moore: an Idiot?

When it comes to 911 and gun control, Michael Moore's point of view and mine are about as similar as a dragon is to a dragon slayer. That's right, we have opposing views. Micheal produces hot fire breathing propaganda. However, from what I have seen of his award winning documentaries, he's got some obvious and subtle chinks in his armour. That being said, when it comes to Michael's essay, "Idiot Nation", in which he reduces the American education system to ash and rubble, I just might be a dragon rider (albeit, a wary dragon rider).

Michael's use of sarcasm, satire, and some times very irreverent humor (okay, so it's most of the time), immediately sucked this dragon slayer into his essay. Michael, in this case, was no idiot. Others of my generation (that is, the ones who actually pay attention to the happenings in these United States) who have gone through the current education system will appreciate Michael's dark sense of humor and will relate with Michael's personal experiences. The truth is that even the uneducated and unaware will be drawn to Michael's side if only for the reason of the statistics mixed with humor in his essay. However, just as a dragon will draw the attention of the mighty, I believe that the many victims of Michael's fire will be willing to empty the king's coffers to bring him down.

Michael does not hold back when it comes to ridiculing and placing blame on those who he believes are responsible for the current education system as well as for creating a nation of idiots. Few in places of power are exempt from his fiery wrath. Even though many would agree that Michael should burn everything in sight and that a good revolutionist shouldn't hold back, his radicalism may lose supporters (actually there is no doubt it will). In fact, Michael's tendency to fabricate some of his facts (the chinks in his armour), as well as his radical solutions to fixing problems, and his cry to his would be minions to rise up in aggressive protest, are the reasons that make even I - a wary dragon rider.

What We Really Miss About The 1950s & Changing American Families

The common theme between the essays by a Stephanie Coonts, "What We Really Miss About the 1950s", and Judy Root Aulette, "Changing American Families", is the social unit called the family. Coonts, in her essay, takes a look back into the 1950s and proves that the family of that time was truly not as ideal as people today may believe by comparing statistics from the 50s with more recent decades. Aulette, in her essay, compresses the writings and studies by other scholars into a summery that examines the effect of class, race, and gender on the family.

It is difficult for me to be nostalgic of the 1950s since I was born much later then that time period, however, I will admit that I, like many others, viewed the 1950s as an ideal time to grow up in. This view which Coontz points out is due to the way the media portrayed that time period. I found it interesting that the media, according to Coontz, not only sent a message to its viewers of time through TV shows ("family sitcoms gave people nightly lessons on how to make their marriage... work") but it has sent a message to individuals even in my generation the classic TV shows of the 1950s. That message being a miss portrayal of 1950s. The trend of emulating what the media portrays as the ideal lifestyle did not end with the 50s. We can see today how the young people of my generation implement into their lives what they view on the , and thus effecting there families in usually not positive ways. History truly does repeat itself.

I lived in the Detroit area for two years as a missionary for the LDS Church. I spent those two years interacting and teaching the African Americans living in the impoverished inner city of Detroit. Because of this experience, I was able to connect with Aulette's examination of African American working-class families. The inner city of Detroit is exactly what Carol Stack, an anthropologist whom Aulette referenced in her essay, would describe as the "Flats".

I taught many families that were struggling to survive in these poor economic times which are especially bad in Detroit. Just as Aulette writes in her essay, these families had to "swap" resources with their "networks". A perfect example of "swapping" is the automobile. Hardly anyone owns working car in Detroit. They rely on the public transportation, however, its often inconvenient and doesn't cover everywhere in the city. This makes it very difficult for people who missionaries are teaching to go to church. We had rely on others who had cars to transport those without to church. You could say that I was apart of the "swapping" that Aulette discusses.

Cars are just one of many examples of "swapping" that I saw in Detroit. Many of these families lived with there extended families and friends (their "networks"). They pooled their resources to buy food and clothing for themselves and their children, nieces, nephews, and even grandchildren. One of the phrases I heard the most was, "I live with my auntie", or "I was raised by my auntie". Aulette addresses this form of child care or "another mother" in her essay. I would not say that Detroit is a "matriarchal society", however, many of these homes are run by women. This is more out of necessity then the way of their culture.

Introducing the Intruder

Hi, my name is Abraham, and I am an intruder. That's right one of those cursed enemies who did not speak the words of friendship on the first day of the arrow making. Instead, I crept around the wigwam blatantly hiding my existence from all the squaws and braves who were waiting for their chance to prove themselves to the "great" arrow-maker. Ha, I can speak in metaphors too, old arrow-maker! If the great arrow-maker's squaws and braves can't figure out the meaning of this metaphor, perhaps, they should be using their teeth for straitening something else. To all those who, like me, creep around the wigwam, to them I speak, "friend".

My name may be prophetic, but I came into this world unannounced. Born to parents who God has blessed with six children to "raise" in any way they please. I suppose I should include in this introduction of my self some of the hobbies I fancy, which include: sports, lifting weights, eating, sleeping, living, electronics (the typical guy stuff which academics call a cultural myth, but its very much a reality to me), reading, art (digital and traditional), singing, shopping (I change my clothes more then the average female [another supposed cultural myth]), and anything that has to do with the far east. Yes, as you can see I am a very well rounded, righteous dude, almost God-like actually. Which by the way is the meaning of my e-mail address, in case you were wondering (most people do when they read it).

My time here lurking around the Kiowas is limited. Yes, as soon as I have attained the ambiguous art of arrow making, I shall leave this land. When the leaves turn gold and fall from the few trees that dare stand against the abominable heat of the sun and the branches become too hard for old arrow-maker to straiten with teeth, I shall journey to the top of the mountains where I will learn the art of war from the Utes.

To all you squaws and braves in the wigwam, or creeping outside it, I say, "God bless you.... cause I cant(not yet)".