Who Makes Freedom Count?

In class the past few weeks, we have seemed to be falling on the same train of thought time and time again. It all started when we our teacher noticed the frenzy of high school seniors trying to register to vote before school. Two students saw the line and decided to go another day. We fell into the conversation of the history of voting, and what intrigued me was the minimal number of black office holders, most specifically senators. The train of thought that kept resurfacing was maybe black candidates just don't want to run for office. Its the easiest answer to let the topic slip from your mind, but I came across an article that disproved this so passive response.


The article is about the additional "hoops" states have been implementing for possible voters to jump through. My immediate thought was back to the Alabama literacy test that was required for citizens whose grandfathers hadn't voted, more specifically freed men, but then my conscious quickly kicked in and I thought there is no way. As I read on, I learned that a specific hoop that the Florida government added was that, "the state imposed new rules restricting third-party voter registration drives". I read that line a few times, let it sink in, and decided that our country hasn't advanced at all from literacy tests. Why does it need to be made so much harder for people to register to vote?  Attorneys have argued that the law will, "disproportionately harm members of minority communities who rely on community-based group to help them overcome barriers to registering to vote". This law is clearly targeting minorities and hindering their say in our "democratic system". Volunteer groups are being shut down in helping minority groups register to vote, on the basis of voter fraud? I don't understand how it is so hard for the government to give these people the right to vote that they constitutionally deserve.

The Real Acts of Valor

Over the weekend, I went to see the new movie, starring real Navy Seals, "Act of Valor". After watching the movie, I first and foremost recommend this movie to everyone in the class, even though the acting in the non-action scenes isn't Oscar winning, the plot and overall message of the movie more than makes up for it. While watching this movie, I was not only thinking that this could be the most badass movie I have ever seen, but it made me think of something I glanced at on Facebook about a week or so prior to watching the movie. The image below compares the idea of legacy between to heroes within or society, Whitney Houston, and Lt. Michael Muphy. I posted a blog on legacy a while ago from the athletic standpoint, about Sidney Crosby, "Fall From Grace", but this idea of who is remembered kept nagging me.

Now in no way am I saying that singing legend Whitney Houston doesn't deserve to be remembered, but a Medal of Honor winner, a man who fought for our country, a man who gave his live for his squad, a man who sacrificed everything for the United States of America, is just simply forgotten. Why? What does it take to be a household name? Isn't it enough for you to give your life for this country to be remembered? I feel that in the society we live in, only Hollywood is glorified, and the type of media in which we receive our news pushes heroes like Muphy to the background. Whether it be magazines, television, or the internet, it is hard not to find news on Hollywood celebrities. What about Muphy? Without previously knowing about his tragedy, could you find it, or does he just slip through the cracks?

The Problems of Speed

Recently, while reading through the editorials section of the online New York Times, I came across an article titled, "The Reality of Dyslexia", and instantly became interested. Growing up, there was a kid in my middle school advisory who had dyslexia, and as we became better friends he would tell me the struggles he faced daily. Reading was a painstaking task for him, that I so easily took for granted. As we got older, we began to grow apart, and my concern with the problems of dyslexia began to fade away as well. As I read this article, the statistics of dyslexia and all of those who suffer from it astonished me. "Nearly two million students in our public schools struggle with reading because of dyslexia". Later the article goes on to state that, "Learning to read with accuracy, fluency, and comprehension greatly increases the likelihood of high school graduation, enrollment in college, and career success".
What struck me as so interesting in this article was all of the benefits of simply learning to read, something I wouldn't even think twice about knowing to do. All of my goals and dreams of college and careers and plainly my future are hindered for millions by dyslexia. In this day and age, I believe that dyslexia is an even bigger problem than before because efficiency is now so valued. Every week it seem there is a new commercial advertising the "newest, fastest phone". It is hard to find a town without a fast food restaurant. Standardized testing for college or in school is difficult mostly because of the time restrictions. Nearly every aspect of life in the United States is becoming speedier and speedier, while those with dyslexia need time to process information to understand what has been given to them. Is it necessary? I have blogged more than once on speed or efficiency, and it seems to be a recurring theme in my class as well. I believe that it is such a lingering topic for me is because I don't understand why it's necessary. Don't get me wrong, I love all the new technology these days, but I feel that this necessity to be the fastest has become overwhelming. I ask again, is it necessary?