Rosalyn+Dickerson

=**Introduction**=

Hello, my name is Rosalyn Dickerson and I am a mother (of two) and a wife. I live in a three-story townhouse that is always in need of cleaning. I work at a bank, while going to school at CSM. However, my journey of receiving my associates is near. After this semester, I only need twelve more credits to graduate. Moreover, I am a firm believer no matter what anyone goes through in life, determination and faith will take them a long way.

=**﻿Bio Poem**= This is a poem that gives readers a insight on my life, also it allows the reader to understand me as a peer.

Rosalyn Radiant, over-studious, passionate, blessed Daughter of a phenomenal woman Who is known for her cooking, but more so her tuna salad Who loves accomplishing her goals, spending time with her husband and two girls Who feels triumphant on her journey of life so far Who needs at least one hour of peace and quiet on a daily basis Who fears failure, being lost in the ocean or rain forest Who gives her all to school, work, and family Who would like to see the pyramids of Egypt, the beaches of Jamaica, and taste the foods of Italy Lifelong resident of Maryland, but hopefully another state in due time Dickerson =**Journal Entry 1**= I decided to display this poem, due to this topic being controversial. I honestly feel no race or individual should be outcasted. However, if the shoe was on the other foot, americans would want mercy from other countries if we were faced with the same tribulations.

Refute/Counter Argue
It was refreshing to read the rebuttal article by Gregory Rodriguez “Illegal Immigrants-They’re Money” against Dan Stein’s article “Crossing the Line”. This article addresses the negative ways corporations try to make money off immigrants and low-income families. Rodriquez feels that America exploits immigrants yet alienates them as citizens. The author presents historical facts about the United States allowing just about anyone to enter our boundaries between the years of 1880 to 1914. In addition, companies in the U.S. brought Mexicans to our borders to work during the labor shortage. Also, the government gave Mexicans jobs but called them temporary. More importantly, Rodriguez points out how the United States imported millions to our borders, then reduced the amount of visas to Mexicans. Overall, America has played a huge role in our battle with illegal immigrants coming to the U.S., and now we need to try a better approach to solve this problem.

=**Journal Entry 2**= I wanted to present this journal entry, because i learned alot from this lesson. When teachers and my peers critique my essays, it really helps me realize what not to do next time.

Least Successful Research Paper
Subsequently to taking English nine hundred last semester, and in addition to taking English ten-ten this semester. I have learned my mistakes on how and how not to assemble a good research paper. The first mistake happened when I wrote a research paper on an urban myth regarding Point Lookout being haunted; the paper did not consist of enough facts to influence my reader to agree with my thesis. The second mistake occurred when I gathered too much information, and then used the material in my research paper that did not pertain to my thesis. My third mistake transpired when there were not enough transition phrases in my paper it help the flow better for the reader. The last major mistake was not citing the proper sources throughout my research paper. All in all, after becoming aware of all of the mistakes that I have made in my past research paper, now I know how to write an outstanding research paper. =**Journal Entry 3**= I choose to exhibit this journal entry, so others can see my viewpoint on this matter. In our society, there still are prejudices and biasedness towards races and social classes. When your born or brought up with a disadvantage; consequently, that individual can be viewed from society as a problem. However, that is not always the case for every individual.

Talk Shows
When reading the article “In Defense to Talk Shows” by Barbara Ehrenreich, the author defended talk shows in many ways. First, the author recognizes that talk shows can be disturbing, but it is a way to teach people who have life problems better ways to solve them. Individuals who do not make the right moral decisions and affect other people need to understand their ways are wrong. Second, Ehrenreich shows that talk shows are a way of therapy for people who seek help. Certain people who contact the shows have abusive spouses, cheating spouses, or disruptive family or friends, so they need a support system to help them through their issue. Although talk shows can help bring severe problems to the public eye, yet the talk shows pin point the people who come on their show. Barbara Ehrenreich’s ultimate point in this article states how talk shows should not be televised if individuals that are subjected to poverty only come on for help, yet with an incentive for getting money, they still come on the show. Ehrenreich feels that political figures, CEO’s, or individuals of status should be responsible for their wrong doings also. Why should low to middle class families air their dirty laundry when under pressure. However, high-class families with money can hide all their wrong choices and do not put themselves in a judgmental or humiliation act for the public to see.

=Formal Essay=

I choose to refute "The Case for Torture" by Michael Levin, because i initially agreed with some of his points. Although I felt, there are better ways to handle terrorism. Levin proposed several scenarios to make the reader agree with torturing terrorist. Even though America would not have to worry about torturing terrorist, if we had our military soldiers who are competently trained to secure our nation. Our soldiers should do airport, homeland, and airspace security. Above all America needs more sufficient political figures to keep our nation safe.

Strategic Strategies In Order To Prevent Terrorist Torture
The article by Michael Levin “The Case for Torture” displayed the reasoning for using torture towards terrorists. Any U.S. citizen can understand the author’s viewpoints, although there are better ways to handle the encounters involving terrorism. However, the United States of America would not have to consider torturing terrorists who try to harm our society, instead just brainstorm on how to make our nation more secure. Our country has been through devastating terrorist attacks, for if our country had better security, more military on our homeland, and political figures making wiser decisions, there would be no necessity for torture. First, Michael Levin proposed a scenario of a newborn baby abducted by a terrorist group, and then asked four mothers if any of them would approve of torturing the terrorist group. Every one of the mothers said they would want the terrorist tortured. Levin himself writes “If life is so valuable that it must never be taken, the lives of the innocents must be saved even at the price of hurting the one who endanger them”, but torturing terrorists is not adequate and can be easily corrected if the United States had better security. If any hospital, transportation service, federal building, or monuments had strict security; then terrorists would not have the opening to have a successful mission, like kidnapping babies. Although certain citizens complain about how strict security is, they still complain about the security when bad events occur. U.S. citizens need to understand that our country needs very strict security and national security. My point is our government needs to utilize our military and police officials to enforce security and make it clear that there are exceptions for no one. Second, Levin put on view a situation of a terrorist planting a bomb on a jet and since the terrorist is the only who can disarm it or if his request cannot be met, people can die. Levin’s point is that “Torturing the terrorists is unconstitutional? Probably. But millions of lives surely outweigh constitutionally.” The United States has many military soldiers all over the world, but what the United States really needs is our military soldiers on U.S. soil. However, America has police officers in every state to keep order, but what our country needs is military intelligence for when there are breaches in security. To put it in another way, the United States trains our military soldiers to have combat skills, survival skills, tracking skills, and air and land security skills, which makes each soldier over qualified to secure our nation from terrorists. More importantly, if the U.S. did not have so many soldiers deployed, then our soldiers could be in America patrolling our air space and land with their intelligence.

Third, Levin revealed a historical account that involved President Roosevelt having the chance to kill Hitler in 1943. Rumor has it that Americans would be enraged to learn that if Hitler was killed it could have saved millions of lives, but Roosevelt refused to kill him on his moral grounds. In making this comment, Levin argues, “Torture only the obviously guilty, and only for the sake of saving innocents, and them will remain clear.” Any political figure elected by the people of the U.S. should have the citizen’s best interest, but at the discretion of his or her moral or ethical standards. Almost every political figure has been tainted in his decisions to better the United States. In fact, it is no matter if a senator, judge, or president feels like his choice will make him or her an enemy, still they should make the right choice based on morals. In other words, when political figures become involved in politics, and if their morals become set aside that is when corruptions start. To bring our country to equilibrium, we need a stern government to impeach political figures who are not abiding by the laws they impose on others. Then we would have the right political candidates in office to tighten the rules on how the U.S. security and affairs go with terrorists.When it involves torturing or taking another person’s life, there are preventative measures to take. One important reminder is when terrorists attacked the U.S. in the past, for government officials have always stated what things they could have done differently. First, America as a whole needs to start the process to make our security better, and as citizens we need not to complain about the extra precautions. Second, our government needs to know where its strengths and weaknesses are, so it will to have better homeland security and have moral political figures in office. America’s downfall is our own people doing wrong against each other, for when people do not have an agenda on how he or she can benefit. That is when corruption on U.S. soil will end. Therefore, the United States will not have to worry about how to handle terrorist attacks or torturing terrorists, for then the U.S. will be a nation strong without corruption and hatred from other nations.

=Research Abstract=

Thesis: Taking into consideration all of the proposals to acquire free healthcare for all U.S. citizens, obtaining a single payer health system plan will diminish the low life expectancy rate of adults, mortality rates for infants, and high cost for insurance for all United States citizens.

My research paper was written about implementing a single payer health care system. The managed care organization system we have now is not adequate. Citizens are unable to get insurance due to pre-existing, high premiums, and insurance companies frame working the healthcare system. In addition, citizens who have health insurance are paying so much out of pocket expenses on co-payments, deductibles, and fees their insurance companies do not cover. American citizens (adults and infants) are dying because they cannot afford health care.

Every citizen can have free health care by supporting a single payer system. Instead of medical providers being paid by thousands of insurance companies, they will be paid by one government agency. Each state, citizen, and employers will pay into this system, which will enable every person in the U.S. to have healthcare. This system will diminish insurance and pharmaceutical companies making huge profits on a corrupt system. Also, ninety-five percent of people would pay less for their family’s health care than what they are currently paying.

= Final Reflection =

The end of the semester is here, and taking English ten-ten has made me a better writer. My thought process of writing has become more enhanced, and the structure of my sentences has fewer errors. I have learned not to become repetitive in my essays, while staying focused on the subject of my essay.

The most rewarding lessons taught by Mrs. Lowry were the metacommentary, Juicy quote sandwiches, and the comma splice lessons. The metacommentary helped me to lengthen my essay, which also helped explain what I was writing about in my essay. The juicy quote sandwich made it easier to remember when quoting someone in my work that you need to do an introduction, cite who is speaking, and give an explanation. Best of all, the numerous exercises on comma splices has helped me to recognize where to place the commas in my text.

Throughout the semester, our class had several reading assignments. First, my favorite reading assignment was by Judy Brady “I Want a Wife”. The tone of Brady’s article was very informal, while being sarcastic. I probably connected even more by having so many titles; for example, being a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, co-worker, and plenty more. Moreover sometimes feeling just like Judy Brady by wanting a wife too.

My biggest challenge during this semester was writing my research paper. Proposal papers are so much like persuasive papers, that I cannot decipher the two. Therefore, I end up writing more of a persuasive essay than a proposal essay. Learning to make the connection between the two, I need to work on my paragraphs becoming solutions to the problem of my topic.

Best of all, taking this class has prepared me for English ten-twenty. Having a professor like Mrs. Lowry that is dedicated to her students learning from their weaknesses, for it has truly helped me as a student. Since Mrs. Lowry constantly went over fragments, run-ons, comma splices, dangling modifiers, and agreement clauses, I am more aware of how to write. Overall, my writing is more improved than it was when I started this class, due to taking English ten-ten with Mrs. Lowry.