Thursday, November 11, 2010

Draft (2.2) Beyond Vietnam With Dr. King


“We were taking the black young men who had been crippled by our society and sending them eight thousand miles away to guarantee liberties in Southeast Asia which they had not found in Southwest Georgia and East Harlem“(3). As presented in “Beyond Vietnam”, Dr. King argues that stereotyping and racist ideologies of life in America is very coincidental to life in Vietnam. It is fairly coincidental because Americans and all types of citizens that live in the U.S. do feel or have a sense of belief to think the ideology of war is corrupt, but we as individuals still maintain to allow racial warfare on the grounds that we call our holy land cease to exist. We live the stereotype and hype of being segregated in Dr. King's era but let alone we contradict ourselves as human beings in society and send our children of all races and all different shades of black and white overseas to fight a battle that is similar to the trials and tribulations that they face each and every day on their homeland. Could it be possible that the mere coincidence that is in effect Dr. King sees a bigger picture to it? Of Course he does! Who am I to say that coincidences just as of this doesn’t happen everyday. It may be a lot more relevant in today’s time than it was during the time King gave this speech in 1967 but who is to say that Americans are better to judge one race such as the Vietnamese when we judge our own fellow soldiers in war off and on the battlefield; just because the color of their skin is different from our own or they hold different beliefs and come from a different culture that is different from what we are used to.
When you think about it, it all remains the same no matter how you look at it or how you try to interpret it. We can fight in a war outside of the United States but we can’t seem to come to a means of coming together as one and halting the injustice that lies on the grounds of our home. Where is the justice in that? Where is the hope in that? Are we against fighting a war that harms and kills the innocent or are we for that adrenaline rush and the thrill of killing those that have not done or shown harm to us? What makes more sense to the eyes of the beholders or the higher authority in office that makes that decision in allowing us to engage in a war? Is this really what America is about? Abusing the power we strived for to hurt those less than ourselves. Is it that hard for us to believe in Dr. King's ideology of non-violence or is mankind just equip to be violent. I find it funny how humans in general contradict themselves and over analyze situations that we as a community are not held accountable for as a whole but as a society. We are quick to judge our own race and label them as such; but were just as quick to dish out advice or judge another race for engaging in the same cruel activities that we as a nation try to justify and make excuses for. Some people would say racism in America is a way of life. That it's based and fed upon the emotions and ideologies that certain races hold themselves accountable for. I say racism in America is unjust and simply uncalled for. It goes beyond just the United States as a nation but touches down to countries and nations all over the world. It allows us to not be able to progress and grow from within, but continues to allow us to slowly revert and move backwards instead of moving forward as people that share one common interest "Equality".

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Draft (2.1) Beyond Vietnam With Dr. King

“We were taking the black young men who had been crippled by our society and sending them eight thousand miles away to guarantee liberties in Southeast Asia which they had not found in Southwest Georgia and East Harlem“(3). As presented in “Beyond Vietnam”, Dr. King argues that stereotyping and racist ideologies of life in America is very coincidental to life in Vietnam. It is fairly coincidental because Americans and all types of citizens that live in the U.S. do feel or have a sense of belief to think the ideology of war is corrupt; but we as individuals still maintain to allow racial warfare on the grounds that we call our holy land cease to exist. We live the stereotype and hype of being segregated in Dr. King's era but let alone we contradict ourselves as human beings in society and send our children of all races and all different shades of black and white overseas to fight a battle that is similar to the trials and tribulations that they face each and every day on their homeland. Could it be possible that the mere coincidence that is in effect Dr. King sees a bigger picture to it? Of Course he does! Who am I to say that coincidences just as of this doesn’t happen everyday. It may be a lot more relevant in today’s time than it was during the time King gave this speech in 1967 but who is to say that Americans are better to judge one race such as the Vietnamese when we judge our own fellow soldiers in war off and on the battlefield, just because the color of their skin is different from our own or they hold different beliefs and come from a different culture that is different from what we are used to.
When you think about it, it all remains the same no matter how you look at it or how you try to interpret it. We can fight in a war outside of the United States but we can’t seem to come to a means of coming together as one and halting the injustice that lays on the grounds of our home. Where is the justice in that? Where is the hope in that? Are we against fighting a war that harms and kills the innocent Or are we for that adrenaline rush and the thrill of killing those that have not done or shown harm to us? What makes more sense to the eyes of the beholders or the higher authority in office that makes that decision in allowing us to engage in a war. Is this really what America is about? Abusing the power we strived for to hurt those less than ourselves. Is it that hard for us to believe in Dr. King's ideology of non-violence or is mankind just equip to be violent......

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Draft into Essay#2 (2.0)

   We were taking the black young men who had been crippled by our society and sending them eight thousand miles away to guarantee liberties in southeast Asia which they had not found in southwest Georgia and east Harlem (3). Stereotyping and racist ideologies of life in America is very coincidental to life in Vietnam. We live the stereotype and hype of being segregated in Dr.King's era but let alone we contradict ourselves as human beings in society and send our children of all races and all different shades of black and white overseas to fight a battle that is similar to the trials and tripulations that they face each and every day on their homeland.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

In Class Work 10/28: An Article and My Opinion.

In Today's Class discussion We focused on articles that led up to events that were important to our research topic. There was one New York Times article that in fact stuck out to me and answered some inquiring questions that I intentionally had set out to figure out through the process of my research. The Article was entitled "The Race for Space II- Country's reverses traced primarily to Organization and Primary Efforts" by Hanson W. Baldwin. I was not in fact so much intrigued by how the Times covered the article but was more intrigued by the responses and further commentary made by some U.S officials on their views regarding their role in the Space Race.
There was one comment made by Dr T. Keith Glennan that responded toward the criticism the U.S. faced regarding their role in The Space Race due to the success of the USSR reaching the moon. An admission on the U.S part that further damaged their  reputation which states:  "The reasons for our reverses in the space race lie primarily in the field of organization and planning not in inadequate technology." Which leads me to believe that the U.S. feared that because the were so great of a nation and had all the necessary resources and funds they would be looked at as a weaker opponent and their reputation would be caught at a standstill. His comment not only lacked facts as of why and what took them so long to beat the USSR but then to only blame the reason and only reason they were unfortunate in making an grand victory was due to a lack of organization and adequate planning by NASA officials and the U.S. Government. This news article was very much informative and was directly on point as to stating what could have been the distraction or what was the governments reason as to why they lulled behind Soviet Russia to space. I would like to say that this article didn't indeed sway the opinion I had originally about the U.S role in the space race but indeed opened my eyes to the key partners that were involved in the space race and how they looked at it outside of just the United States; How not only Russia looked at it but how they interpreted their accomplishment and how the U.S dealt with the backlash from critics and peers.

The Race for Space-- II Article

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Understanding Power II The Ideologies that lie within Soviet Russia, U.S and the Space race

In Today's class discussion In LIB 100 we discussed briefly on how to understand powers that lie within our country using various forms of Isms (Ideas). Such Ideologies that I come face to face with my topic is the ideology of both Communism and Capitalism.
In the following document which I will use as a secondary source for my research actually focuses upon the two opposing Ideologies and how they both represent both countries and the beliefs they hold in the competition and rivalry that is the space race.

Ideologies and Description of Space Race

Updated bibliography ( USSR & US on the Space Race)

Wingo, W. (1963) "The Scramble into Space"
The Science News- Letter, Vol. 84, No. 22, pp. 341- 343

(1962) "Space, Past, Present & Future"
The Science News- Letter, Vol. 82, No. 24, pp. 381- 383

Eberhart, J. (1965) "Space Race Pace Quickens"
The Science News- Letter, Vol. 87, No. 25, pp. 387+ 397- 398

Brzezinski, M. (2007)  "Red Moon Rising: Sputnik and The Hidden Rivalries that ignited the Space Age"
Henry Holt and Company

Schefter, J. (1999) "The Race: The Uncensored Story Of How America beat Russia to The Moon."
Doubleday

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Brainstorming Revelation: Revising the topic Of My Choice

After discussing some provisional aspects that I can dwell into, I have transfered my key focus to focusing on what was known as "The Space Race" that took place between the Soviet Union and U.S. During The Cold War Era. From 1957 to 1975 the Space Race was a technological competition between both countries to explore into supremacy over conquering Space. It's intentions in the beginning we're set as an missile-based  arms race that was to occur just after the end of World War II; a revolution of technological rivalry turned into a opportunity to show off each countries advancement of not only technology but of their wits and smarts of how to out do each other and gain notice from their actions.There are in fact some noted Key players from both power countries that had a role in the pioneer movement of dominating space. Soviet Union players we're Sergey Korolyov, Vladimir Chelomey, Vasily Mishin just to name a few, The United States on the other hand has President Kennedy, James E. Webb, Robert R. Gilruth, Wernher Von Braun etc.
Based on what I've found so far, I for one can actually say I am pleased that I actually have a main topic that interests me as well as "the Space race". I look forward to answering some questions that I already have in mind about the Soviet Union and the U.S. during the time of this act. For example, How did the space race affect both countries financially? Did it put a dent into the wallets of both countries economical future or did it not affect them at all? Did it help their technological advances grow as a nation or was it a waste of time? Why?