Talk of the Town

I found these essays to be quite interesting to my surprise. I was a little wary at the beginning, because it started out very depressing with the part about the students' parents calling their cell phones and how the students wouldn't answer because they were dead. After getting over that speed-bump; however, I found Gopnik's viewpoint intriguing. Gun control is such a huge political topic today. Although the introduction was depressing, it hit the topic hard and effectively. I don't know about anybody else, but that brought me back to when I was watching the news about Virginia Tech the day it happened.

I enjoyed the part where Gopnik talked about the Governor's believe that "healing" can take place magically without "treating" as well. That takes place all the time today. It's important to make sure the correct precautions are taken after an incident like this occurs... gun control being a very big part of this all. Yes, healing needs to take place, but that can't be done completely until the government finds a way to make it harder for people to get their hands on the kind of power that lies within a handgun. Until then, the same types of tragic events will occur and the hurt will never end.

I agree and disagree with Gopnik when he talks about the aftermath of a tragic event being the wrong time to fix it. Yes, this is true in that the effects of the event will still lie heavy on the shoulders of those who were involved, but to not do anything to prevent the next event would be a mistake. This confused me though when he then went on to talk about how gun control needed to be tightened after this event.

I loved that this article was filled with cold hard facts. I feel that in any type of opinion essay, facts are what drive people to agree with your point of view. When he went on about the gunman in Scotland and the shooting in Canada, I was practically sold right there. I believe America needs to step back and follow in the footsteps of other nations for a change by starting to make some real progress on gun control. Background checks need to be thorough and accurate. If not, we put ourselves in danger once again.

My favorite part about this article was the quote "exceptions are just that." I couldn't agree more with that. Sure, if there were more regulations on who could obtain guns, there would still be shootings, but those would be the exception. It's frustrating when politicians try to use those exceptions in order to argue that restrictions aren't helping. There truly is no reason why a person would need a handgun. If you don't feel safe at home, get a security system. Not a .22.

I found the essay by Sontag to be much more difficult to piece together. I was confused by her thesis from the very beginning. What I did seem to catch off this article was that her view of the American government is less than flattering. It's offensive to me that she would feel the need to bash the government that has done many great things for this country. Yes, it has flaws, but the vocabulary she uses is inappropriate. I'm also very offended by the fact that she refers to soldiers as "cowardly". It's true that some of them do not put their lives in danger like the gunman at Virginia Tech did, but even so that doesn't make them cowardly... it just makes them smart.

Overall I got a very bad vibe off of Sontag's article, but I would really appreciate some feedback if you have any other opinions about it.

About Me

Although this is quite late, I'd like to take the opportunity to introduce myself to the rest of my fellow classmates. I'm from what many would call the most complicated family on the planet. With two divorced parents which have both remarried, you could say I need to use both hands and maybe even a few toes to count my siblings/step siblings/half siblings. Due to my parents divorce, I travel to my dad's house a couple times a week to visit. He lives near Milwaukee so it's quite a drive--but well worth it in the end.

As far as my personal traits go, I'm one who stands up for what I think is right. I stand my ground on things that I feel strongly about. Though my opinions may be strong, confrontation is something I absolutely shy away from. It's not that I don't know how to confront people, it's just the fact that I'm undoubtedly a "people pleaser". Though I consider myself a very outgoing person, some might think differently. It's true that people change their personalities depending on whom they're with. I can talk somebody's ear off if I feel like I'm comfortable with them. On the other hand, if I'm in an uncomfortable situation, for instance, if I were around many other people who I had never met, I would most likely shy away from conversation and keep to myself. Once the guard is down; however, I wont put it back up.

I have a variety of interest, all of which are a little piece of who I am. My greatest passion is dancing. Though I had never danced before high school (with the exception of my Jungle tap dance when I was five) I tried out for the dance team and made the cut. From that moment on I focused all of my energy into being the best dancer I could be. Another passion I have is singing. I've been doing it ever since I was in the womb (or something close to that). That's why musicals are such the perfect fit for me. I can sing and dance at the same time--imagine that! Overall, anything that challenges me is something I thrive on. I pride myself in proving other people wrong. Whether that be going above and beyond academically and getting into my dream school (Syracuse University), or learning how perform one of the most difficult turns in the dance world (fouettes), I'm constantly testing myself; but that's just what makes me me! :)