RA#2

Title: From Fly-Girls to bitches and Ho’s

Author: Joan Morgan

Date: 1999

Topic: How Hip Hop music influences African American Citizens

Exigence: To make the degrading and hurtful lyrics of this type of music apparent to everyone.

Intended Audience: People who listen to Hip Hop, to inform the people who don’t listen to it, and the women affected by it.

Purpose: To try to analyze why these rappers choose to use lyrics that degrade innocent women and make it clear that it is a problem in the black community.

Claim: That this music can be set aside and women can heal from the degrading things rappers say.

Morgan uses Pathos regularly throughout this essay to tie you to the topic through emotions. “Yeah, sistas are hurt when we hear brothers calling us bitches and hos”(604). This makes me thinks about the lyrics in all of the rap songs that I have listened to- and they are not so nice. I regularly listen to Eminem, Tech n9ne, 2pac and Jay-Z. All of these artists are even some that Morgan mentioned and they all refer to women calling them bitches, hos and slutts. I do not think that this is ethical because innocent women do not deserve this scrutiny as a matter of fact no women deserve it!

Morgan uses Ethos to show her credibility. She is an artist who writes music and loves the how rap music can display a greater power through lyrics; more than talking ever would. Being a feminist who has listened to all of the rappers spit their rhymes about women using explicit language, she knows personally its affects on women.

Lastly Morgan uses logos to help convince us that rap music is an epidemic in black culture. “When Brothers can talk so cavalierly about killing each other and then reveal that they have no expectation to see their twenty-first birthday…”(603).  This is no way for anyone to live. Firstly people should not worry about being shot for no reason or wearing the wrong color cloths. Secondly, what kind of society is it when young men don’t care about consequences because they don’t think that they will be alive for much longer.  She gives good examples of modern day rappers such as: Dre. Dre, Ice Cube, and the Notorious B.I.G.. All of these Hip Hop artists degrade women and if they continue to do this not only black communities but all societies will be in trouble.

In response to this article, I would say that I enjoyed it and agree with it because with this music I think that it sparks bad ideas for kids. Kids and teens often smoke weed and cigarettes along with drinking all types of alcohol because the rappers they look up to encourage them to through the lyrics. Even though I love rap, this essay made me really think about what I am listening to. Even though I love the genuine rhythm of rappers I must not kill, and do other harmful things to my body or somebody else’s’.

RR #2 Kimmel

            The article “’Bros Before Hos’: The Guy Code” by Michael Kimmel is about men and their masculinity and how they conform to be accepted. This is not Kimmel’s first publication; throughout his extensive research on men he wrote many other books. He is a teacher at the State University of New York, edits the journal Men and Masculinities and uses his accumulated data from many assemblies and interviews with young men ages sixteen to twenty-six to conclude his hypothesis. Kimmel uses evidence to tell us that boys, guys and men all follow rules a set of rules so they do not slip out of their manhood and become a “sissy”, “fag” or “gay”.

            In response to question #2 about the psychology of Guy Code and how boys become men, you read about how boys need to be weaned time with their mother so they don’t become a Momma’s Boy.  Kimmel gives an example of an African American mother was troubled because her husband had taken their three and a half year old son to the barber. The barber used harsh methods on the boy’s hair, which in turn made him cry.  As a result the father told the boys mother that she was not going to be able to spend time with him. The father father’s reason was “ to make sure he don’t become a sissy”(615). In terms of the famous psychologist Sigmund Freud, he theorized that in order to become a man a boy must turn to his father to get the proper tips to masculinity.  Kimmel refers to the famous rapper Eminem is the epitome of masculinity in todays society but little did he know that Marshal Mathers (Eminem) was raised by his mother. This is besides the fact, Kimmel later talks about how all boys stress the importance to stand your own grand, acting tough and don’t show weakness. These findings flowed into the example where Kimmel saw the juxtaposition of a mother and fathers view when their son James was presented with a bully. The mother protested non-violence (avoid the bully or tell a teacher) and the father wanted James to stand up for himself and not be “a wimp” or “a baby”.  Kimmel says, “The Boy Code leaves boys disconnected from a wide range of emotions and prohibited from sharing those feelings with others”(616).  Kimmel explained that men should not be interested in what a woman has to say and by men being promoted to become so distant from their feelings we are losing the gentlemen in our world.

            Kimmel uses all three of Aristotle’s appeals in the article “’Bros Before Hos’: The Guy Code”. He uses great Ethos, like I said in the first paragraph he has done extensive research on this topic and teaches at the State University of New York. Kimmel uses great Logos to persuade the reader; throughout his article he uses great facts that you can use to relate the topic to your own life’s experiences.  As a man I have gone through said experiences of standing up for yourself and sucking it up. The last of the appeals is Pathos, which makes me think about the outdated concept of being a chivalrous and a gentleman; furthermore, Kimmel’s article gets you thinking on an emotional level (even if were not supposed to) because it applies to all of us men.

Polish on Prop 30 Not Your Future, Our Future

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Shawn Vogler                                                                                                                        

Instructor Knapp

English 2-76847

14 October 2012

Not Your Future, Our Future

Proposition 30 will be appearing on the upcoming ballot, which will greatly help our schools in California. If voters pass prop 30, around $6 billion in revenue will be made by increasing taxes from 1% to 3% on Californians making over $250,000 per year and couples making over $500,000 per years for seven years. The State sales tax will also increase by .25% for four years. This money will go to help K-12 schools, and higher education along with public safety. Today’s students are tomorrow’s future and they need a proper education; so when you are filling out this upcoming ballot, don’t just think about yourself but as a community and the golden state of California to keep our next generation safe and educated.

Voting Yes on prop 30 helps California get back on track to a bright future by providing schools with the needed funding to ensure the best education and safest streets California can offer. A brain learns how to process words through reading, speaking and spelling by age seven. In elementary school it is important to have teachers who can help any students try to achieve mastery. This is very hard when the state education’s budget dwindles daily. Prop 30 will give money to allow more teachers so students are not crammed like sardines into classrooms. Passing prop 30 will not just help schools, but it will also help keep our state and streets safe with more police, firemen and park rangers.

                                                                                                                                  

If Proposition 30 does not pass there will be an enormous amount of cuts that will take place to both our school systems and to public safety. If prop 30 is shot down, the schools will be cut short by three weeks because of the lack of money. K-12 schools will be cut $5.5 and CSU’s will be cut an astonishing $250 million making it hard to get the education you need. With all of the tuition hikes, students and their families cannot afford tuition at community colleges, UC’s or CSU’s. Before you get a job you need to be educated in school so you know how to accomplish it.  Larry Gordon who writes for the Los Angles Times wrote, “At UC, officials predict a 20% tuition hike, or about $2,400 a year. The Cal State system already boosted tuition 9% this fall and projects an additional 5%, or $150 a semester, if the proposition loses. Community colleges fear big drops in class offerings and student enrollment if Proposition 30 fails”. As a kid, you may have dreamed of becoming a Doctor, Fireman, Police Officer or Veterinarian, but all of these careers are coupled with an education. Imagine how hard it would be if teachers had enormous class sizes you only have two class to choose from because all the other ones were cut, that is what will happen if Proposition doesn't pass.

I have come through all of the K-12 classes and am currently a student in community college with tuition rising every semester. My fellow students and I at Cabrillo College get very frustrated because we are not able to get the right classes that we need. With the budget cuts that have already taken place, there is no money to hire any new teachers to teach. If prop 30 doesn’t pass Cabrillo College will have one in every thirteen classes cut. By cutting classes our college loses space for approximately 780 full-time students. You may not think that something like ‘paper’ would be needed so badly, but my 12^th grade calculus teacher would dig through every recycling can to find paper with a blank side that she could print on. She was not going to have us (her students) not receive a good education because my high school did not have enough money to give paper to the teachers. Mrs. Porrier was an amazing teacher, and I learned so much in that class because every day we had worksheets on bunches of different colored pieces of paper from the recycling. This is sadly, becoming the norm for California schools; however, it will be changed if voters pass proposition 30.

Why would I want to vote for this because it makes the folks making over $250,000 per year pay extra taxes  on their hard earned money, and why should they be taxed more to pay for other peoples kids? Why should a customer have to pay extra sales tax if they don’t even go to school? To some this may sound like common sense and will not vote to pass prop 30, but I want you to think not just about you and your future but California’s future. Our jobs in technology and engineering are taking off and not stopping and right out of high school no one has what it takes to move right into a job like that; in essence, we need to educate tomorrows leaders so they can continue to propel California’s amazingly diverse job opportunities. 

With all of this important talk about funding education, we tend to forget that this proposition also funs police, Cal fire and the Department of Fish and Game. These California state jobs are very important because they help keep our lives and livelihoods safe. I know for a fact that they help all of us and save our lives from time to time. I am a commercial fisherman and the Department of Fish and Game help to regulate the ocean and make sure people are not abusing it by taking over the quota or over limits. We all need to vote yes to pass proposition 30 and keep these state jobs alive to make or future brighter

The billions dollars being wagered to all the California voters will either come from taxpayers our children’s education to better or worsen our future. I hope that you have the decency to not just think about yourself and vote yes on prop 30. Students haven’t done anything to deserve this punishment! If you do vote no, know this: you are hurting everyone else’s future because we are not preparing today's youth for tomorrow’s future.

Works Cited

Fensterwald, John. "Brown Struggling to Sell Prop 30 to Wary Voters." EdSource. N.p., 23 Aug.  2012. Web. 12 Sept. 2012. <http://www.edsource.org/today/2012/brown-struggling-to-sell-
  prop-30-to-wary-voters/19340>.

Gordon, Larry. "Prop. 30 Inspires Voter Registration Drives Aimed at Students." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2012. Web. 2 Oct. 2012. <http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-students-vote-20121014,0,1522296.story>.

"Yes on Prop 30 -- Take a Stand for Schools and Local Public Safety." California Labor Federation. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2012. <http://www.calaborfed.org/index.php/site/page/1715>.

Final Draft- Not Your Future, Our Future

Shawn Vogler

Instructor Knapp

English 2-76847

14 October 2012

Not Your Future, Our Future

Proposition 30 will be appearing on the upcoming ballot, which will greatly help our schools in California. If voters pass prop 30, around $6 billion in revenue will be made by increasing taxes from 1% to 3% on Californians making over $250,000 per year and couples making over $500,000 per years for seven years. The State sales tax will also increase by .25% for four years. This money will go to help K-12 schools, and higher education along with public safety. Today’s students are tomorrow’s future and they need a proper education; so when you are filling out this upcoming ballot, don’t just think about yourself but as a community and the golden state of California to keep our next generation safe and educated.

Voting Yes on prop 30 helps California get back on track to a bright future by providing schools with the needed funding to ensure the best education and safest streets California can offer. A brain learns how to process words through reading, speaking and spelling by age seven. In elementary school it is important to have teachers who can help any students try to achieve mastery. This is very hard when the state education’s budget dwindles daily. Prop 30 will give money to allow more teachers so students are not crammed like sardines into classrooms. Passing prop 30 will not just help schools, but it will also help keep our state and streets safe with more police, firemen and park rangers.

If Proposition 30 does not pass there will be an enormous amount of cuts that will take place to both our school systems and to public safety. If prop 30 is shot down, the schools will be cut short by three weeks because of the lack of money. K-12 schools will be cut $5.5 and CSU’s will be cut an astonishing $250 million making it hard to get the education you need. With all of the tuition hikes, students and their families cannot afford tuition- even at community colleges, UC’s and CSU’s. Before you get a job you need to be educated in school so you know how to accomplish it.  Larry Gordon who writes for the Los Angles Times wrote, “At UC, officials predict a 20% tuition hike, or about $2,400 a year. The Cal State system already boosted tuition 9% this fall and projects an additional 5%, or $150 a semester, if the proposition loses. Community colleges fear big drops in class offerings and student enrollment if Proposition 30 fails”. As a kid, you may have dreamed of becoming a Doctor, Fireman, Police Officer or Veterinarian, but all of these careers are coupled with an education. Imagine how hard it would be if teachers had enormous class sizes you only have two class to choose from because all the other ones were cut, that is what will happen if Proposition doesn't pass.

I have come through all of the K-12 classes and am currently a student in community college with tuition rising every semester. My fellow students and I at Cabrillo College get very frustrated because we are not able to get the right classes that we need. With the budget cuts that have already taken place, there is no money to hire any new teachers to teach. If prop 30 doesn’t pass Cabrillo College will have one in every thirteen classes cut. By cutting classes our college loses space for approximately 780 full-time students. You may not think that something like ‘paper’ would be needed so badly, but my 12^th grade calculus teacher would dig through every recycling can to find paper with a blank side that she could print on. She was not going to have us (her students) not receive a good education because my high school did not have enough money to give paper to the teachers. Mrs. Porrier was an amazing teacher, and I learned so much in that class because every day we had worksheets on bunches of different colored pieces of paper from the recycling. This is sadly, becoming the norm for California schools; however, it will be changed if voters pass proposition 30.

Why would I want to vote for this because the folks making over $250,000 per year worked hard for their money, and why should they be taxed more to pay for other peoples kids? Why should a customer have to pay extra sales tax if they don’t even go to school? To some this may sound like common sense and will not vote to pass prop 30, but I want you to think not just about you and your future but California’s future. Our jobs in technology and engineering are taking off and not stopping and right out of high school no one has what it takes to move right into a job like that; in essence, we need to educate tomorrows leaders so they can continue to propel California’s amazingly diverse job opportunities. 

With all of this important talk about funding education, we tend to forget that this proposition also funs police, Cal fire and the Department of Fish and Game. These California state jobs are very important because they help keep our lives and livelihoods safe. I know for a fact that they help all of us and save our lives from time to time. I am a commercial fisherman and the Department of Fish and Game help to regulate the ocean and make sure people are not abusing it by taking over the quota or over limits. We all need to vote yes to pass proposition 30 and keep these state jobs alive to make or future brighter

The billions dollars being wagered to all the California voters will either come from taxpayers our children’s education to better or worsen our future. I hope that you have the decency to not just think about yourself and vote yes on prop 30. Students haven’t done anything to deserve this punishment! If you do vote no, know this: you are hurting everyone else’s future because we are not preparing todays youth for tomorrow’s future.

Works Cited

Fensterwald, John. "Brown Struggling to Sell Prop 30 to Wary Voters." EdSource. N.p., 23 Aug.  2012. Web. 12 Sept. 2012. <http://www.edsource.org/today/2012/brown-struggling-to-sell-
  prop-30-to-wary-voters/19340>.

Gordon, Larry. "Prop. 30 Inspires Voter Registration Drives Aimed at Students." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2012. Web. 2 Oct. 2012. <http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-students-vote-20121014,0,1522296.story>.

"Yes on Prop 30 -- Take a Stand for Schools and Local Public Safety." California Labor Federation. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2012. <http://www.calaborfed.org/index.php/site/page/1715>.

Rough Draft: Prop 30

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Shawn Vogler

Instructor Knapp

English 2-76847

07 October 2012

Not Your Future, Our Future

Proposition 30 will be appearing on the upcoming ballot, which will greatly help our schools in California. If voters pass prop 30, around $6 billion will be harvested from taxpayers making over $250,000 per year for seven years. The State sales tax will also increase by .25% for four years. This money will go to help K-12 schools, higher education along with public safety. Today’s students are tomorrow’s future and they need a proper education; so when you are filing out this upcoming ballot, don’t just think about yourself and your money but as a community and the golden state of California.

Voting Yes on prop 30 helps California get back on track to a bright future by providing schools with the needed funding to ensure the best education and safest streets California can offer. A brain learns how to process words through reading, speaking and spelling by age seven. In elementary school it is important to have teachers who can help any students try to achieve mastery. This is very hard when the state education’s budget dwindles daily. Prop 30 will give money for more teachers so classes so students are not crammed into them like sardines. Passing prop 30 will not just help schools, but it will also help keep our streets and neighborhoods safe with more cops patrolling.

If Proposition 30 does not pass there will be even more copious amount of cuts that will take place. As you know state employees like park rangers have a certain amount of furlough days because of the tight budget. If prop 30 is shot down then the schools will be cut short by three weeks because of the lack of money. The $6 billion that will be cut from schools making education harder because there will be devastating to everyone so think of California as your family and vote yes on 30.

 How would you feel if you could not go to work?  You would eventually get fed up with it. This is how students feel. With all of the tuition hikes, students and their families cannot afford tuition- even at community colleges. California’s schooling gets people ready for the working world. The long chain of school and work are all intertwined and crucially follow one another and if one step is done poorly, you can crash.  As a kid, you may have dreamed of becoming a Doctor, Fireman, Police Officer or Veterinarian; but what do all of these professions have in common? Lots of Education. To become a Doctor there is many years of schooling but imagine how hard it would be if teachers had enormous class sizes you only have two class to choose from because all the other ones were cut, that is what will happen if Proposition doesn't pass.

I have come through all of the K-12 classes and am currently a student in community college with tuition rising every semester. My fellow students and I deal with the harsh reality of not getting the right classes that we need because they have been cut and there is no money to hire any more teachers to teach it.  Kids and students get to see al of the administrators, teachers, custodians and other staff members get terminated from insufficient funds. You may not think that something like ‘paper’ would be needed so badly but my 12^th grade calculus teacher would dig through every recycling can to find paper with a blank side that she could print on. She was not going to have us (her students) not receive a good education because my high school did not have enough money to give paper to the teachers. Mrs. Porrier was an amazing teacher and I learned so much in that class because every day we had worksheets on bunches of different colored pieces of paper from the recycling. This is sadly becoming the norm in schooling in California; however, it will be changed if voters vote to pass proposition 30.

Public safety is an underestimated part of our society because no one sees the police cars patrolling your neighborhood at midnight or rushing to a house after they call 911. Some people don’t like the police because they take minor amounts of cannabis or come to your house party and kick out all of your friends, but they are only doing it to keep us safe. I am very appreciative of our public safety and it would be scary to have police start getting laid off because the state has no money to pay them. The $6 billion will not be going to miss use, you can think of it as disaster money to help rebuild a devastated town. The money will be going to keep you, your neighbors and our state safer.

            Why would I want to vote for this because the folks making over $250,000 per year worked hard for their money and why should they be taxed more to pay for other peoples kids? Why should a customer have to pay extra sales tax if they don’t even go to school? To some this may sound like common sense and will not vote to pass prop 30, but I want you to think not just about you and your future but California’s future. Our jobs in technology and engineering are taking off and not stopping and right out of high school no one has what it takes to move right into a job like that; in essence, we need to educate tomorrows leaders so they can continue to propel California’s amazingly diverse job opportunities. 

            The $6 billion dollars getting waved in the air in the faces of all the voters will either come from taxpayers or children’s education to better our future. I hope that you have the decency to not just think about yourself and vote yes on prop 30. Students haven’t done anything to deserve this punishment! If you do vote no, know this: you are hurting everyone else’s future because we are not preparing todays youth for tomorrow’s future.