- As a college student, what kind of writing have you had published? Did you have negative or positive feedback from readers? Did your experiences encourage you or discourage you to continue your writing efforts?
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Publishing Your Work-Your Experiences?
As a student writer in college, I know that it can be difficult trying to balance school work, a job, and any extracurricular activities while really focusing on long-term goals. I've had work published in the WCU student newspaper, but I've never submitted anything to a major publication or college journal. So, in this post, I'd like to find out from you, my readers, what your experiences have been like with trying to publish your work.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Quad Article: Martin Espada Visits WCU
Acclaimed Poet Visits WCU
By Jen James
10/6/09
On Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009, noted poet, author and essayist Martin Espada visited West Chester University as part of WCU's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.
Espada's visit was supported by The National Endowment for the Humanities and The National Endowment for the Arts and its "Big Read" program.
Dr. Michael Peich and the WCU Poetry Center, Dr. Linda Stevenson, Dr. Victoria Tischio, and Mame Purce also acted as key coordinators for Espada's short story workshop and his poetry reading.
Espada has published numerous collections of poetry both within the United States and around the world. However, two of his poetry books, "Imagine the Angels of Bread" (published in 1996) and "The Republic of Poetry" (published in 2006) received the most critical acclaim.
In 1996, "Imagine the Angels of Bread" won an American Book Award and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. "The Republic of Poetry" won the Paterson Award for Sustained Literary Achievement and was nominated as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2006.
For the evening's poetry reading, Dr. Peich gave the introduction for Espada on behalf of the WCU Poetry Center. Along with recognizing the poet with his various publications and awards, Peich commented:
"In Martin Espada's work, one encounters poetry that describes suffering but is also filled with powerful statements against war, social unrest, and injustice."
Dr. Peich's introduction provided an appropriate segue into Espada's first reading from his poem "En La Calle San Sebastian" which emphasized his connection to his Puerto Rican heritage through a description of the musical influence of West African slaves in Old San Juan.
However, since the poet was raised in Brooklyn, he also described his struggles with recognizing both his American and Puerto Rican heritage.
Espada first visited Puerto Rico at age ten, and his shock at the country's "national inferiority complex," as he described it, led him to write a poem later in life about American influence on the island entitled "Coca-Cola & Coco Frío."
Espada also recalled in great detail the influence his father had in encouraging him to fight for social justice. The poet's father, Frank Espada, was a noted activist for Puerto Rican and other minority communities within New York City.
Espada's father was an early supporter of the Civil Rights movement after being jailed in Mississippi for refusing to sit in the back of a bus; he, along with other Civil Rights activists both famous and unknown, were honored in Espada's poem "Sleeping on the Bus."
Espada also mentioned how his father's work in social activist connected him with West Chester.
Frank Espada was a good friend of West Chester native and Civil Rights activist Bayard Rustin, and while working as a photojournalist, he featured the migrant farm workers in Kennett Square, many of whom were Puerto Rican, as subjects for a news spread.
Eventually, Espada decided to follow in his father's work in social activism and entered law school at Northeastern University in Boston.
While there, he worked as a legal aid for migrant farm workers, but he still gained inspiration for poetic works like "Federico's Ghost," which detailed the physical and mental anguish of a migrant laborer on a farm.
Espada's cultural background and familiarity with the social struggles of Latinos within the U.S. were prominent themes in some of the works he read.
Currently, Espada is a professor of Latino poetry at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. The poet stated that while teaching and giving readings, he makes a conscious effort to answer the questions of aspiring writers.
"I'll always remember the generosity of poets who answered my questions," he said. Espada even composed a poem entitled, "Advice to Young Poets," where he provided his own interpretation of the Shakespeare quote, "To thine own self be true."
The poet also took time to recognize the support and generosity of his mentor, Alexander "Sandy" Taylor, who not only helped him as an editor but also as what he described as a "second father."
Espada read one of his latest works, "The Day We Buried You in the Park," to commemorate the support of his friend and mentor.
In one of the final poems of the evening, Espada recalled his 2004 visit to Chile to honor the centennial of the country's most famous poet, Pablo Neruda. The final verse quoted Neruda's famous words to General Pinochet during Chile's 1973 coup:
"Look around-there's only one thing of danger for you here-poetry." Martin Espada and his prolific work will continue to act as representatives for social justice both within the United States and worldwide.
Jen James is a third-year student majoring in English. She can be reached at JJ655874@wcupa.edu.
By Jen James
10/6/09
On Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009, noted poet, author and essayist Martin Espada visited West Chester University as part of WCU's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.
Espada's visit was supported by The National Endowment for the Humanities and The National Endowment for the Arts and its "Big Read" program.
Dr. Michael Peich and the WCU Poetry Center, Dr. Linda Stevenson, Dr. Victoria Tischio, and Mame Purce also acted as key coordinators for Espada's short story workshop and his poetry reading.
Espada has published numerous collections of poetry both within the United States and around the world. However, two of his poetry books, "Imagine the Angels of Bread" (published in 1996) and "The Republic of Poetry" (published in 2006) received the most critical acclaim.
In 1996, "Imagine the Angels of Bread" won an American Book Award and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. "The Republic of Poetry" won the Paterson Award for Sustained Literary Achievement and was nominated as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2006.
For the evening's poetry reading, Dr. Peich gave the introduction for Espada on behalf of the WCU Poetry Center. Along with recognizing the poet with his various publications and awards, Peich commented:
"In Martin Espada's work, one encounters poetry that describes suffering but is also filled with powerful statements against war, social unrest, and injustice."
Dr. Peich's introduction provided an appropriate segue into Espada's first reading from his poem "En La Calle San Sebastian" which emphasized his connection to his Puerto Rican heritage through a description of the musical influence of West African slaves in Old San Juan.
However, since the poet was raised in Brooklyn, he also described his struggles with recognizing both his American and Puerto Rican heritage.
Espada first visited Puerto Rico at age ten, and his shock at the country's "national inferiority complex," as he described it, led him to write a poem later in life about American influence on the island entitled "Coca-Cola & Coco Frío."
Espada also recalled in great detail the influence his father had in encouraging him to fight for social justice. The poet's father, Frank Espada, was a noted activist for Puerto Rican and other minority communities within New York City.
Espada's father was an early supporter of the Civil Rights movement after being jailed in Mississippi for refusing to sit in the back of a bus; he, along with other Civil Rights activists both famous and unknown, were honored in Espada's poem "Sleeping on the Bus."
Espada also mentioned how his father's work in social activist connected him with West Chester.
Frank Espada was a good friend of West Chester native and Civil Rights activist Bayard Rustin, and while working as a photojournalist, he featured the migrant farm workers in Kennett Square, many of whom were Puerto Rican, as subjects for a news spread.
Eventually, Espada decided to follow in his father's work in social activism and entered law school at Northeastern University in Boston.
While there, he worked as a legal aid for migrant farm workers, but he still gained inspiration for poetic works like "Federico's Ghost," which detailed the physical and mental anguish of a migrant laborer on a farm.
Espada's cultural background and familiarity with the social struggles of Latinos within the U.S. were prominent themes in some of the works he read.
Currently, Espada is a professor of Latino poetry at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. The poet stated that while teaching and giving readings, he makes a conscious effort to answer the questions of aspiring writers.
"I'll always remember the generosity of poets who answered my questions," he said. Espada even composed a poem entitled, "Advice to Young Poets," where he provided his own interpretation of the Shakespeare quote, "To thine own self be true."
The poet also took time to recognize the support and generosity of his mentor, Alexander "Sandy" Taylor, who not only helped him as an editor but also as what he described as a "second father."
Espada read one of his latest works, "The Day We Buried You in the Park," to commemorate the support of his friend and mentor.
In one of the final poems of the evening, Espada recalled his 2004 visit to Chile to honor the centennial of the country's most famous poet, Pablo Neruda. The final verse quoted Neruda's famous words to General Pinochet during Chile's 1973 coup:
"Look around-there's only one thing of danger for you here-poetry." Martin Espada and his prolific work will continue to act as representatives for social justice both within the United States and worldwide.
Jen James is a third-year student majoring in English. She can be reached at JJ655874@wcupa.edu.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Evernote: A Writer's Digital Post-It
I've recently discovered a very handy website called Evernote (http://www.evernote.com). Have you ever seen someone's desktop computer monitor covered in Post-Its with various reminders, like "Essay due Fri" or "Pick up dry-cleaning?" Thanks to Evernote, all of those reminders and to-do list items can be placed into one convenient web source.
With Evernote, you can clip portions of favorite websites, create reminders and to-do lists, upload PDF files and documents, and even attach mobile phone photos and voice recordings. Personally, I use Evernote for assignment deadline reminders for school and keeping an updated reading list. And perhaps the best aspect of this web tool? It's free, and for just $5, you can upgrade your account for additional memory.
Creating an account is simple. Just enter your name, e-mail address, and create a username and password. From there, you'll be taken to your main page. You can store everything into one large "notebook," or you can create separate notebooks to store everything in by category.
As you can see here, I have three notes placed into one notebook. This notebook is entitled "Internship Ideas," and I have notes about each internship, its application requirements, and application deadlines placed inside. I also have separate notebooks for "Books to Read" and "Assignment Details/Deadlines." In the future, I might also use Evernote to record different ideas I have for essays, fiction, and even future blog posts.
Overall, Evernote is a very usefull tool that can help writers, especially those in college with multiple projects to juggle.
With Evernote, you can clip portions of favorite websites, create reminders and to-do lists, upload PDF files and documents, and even attach mobile phone photos and voice recordings. Personally, I use Evernote for assignment deadline reminders for school and keeping an updated reading list. And perhaps the best aspect of this web tool? It's free, and for just $5, you can upgrade your account for additional memory.
Creating an account is simple. Just enter your name, e-mail address, and create a username and password. From there, you'll be taken to your main page. You can store everything into one large "notebook," or you can create separate notebooks to store everything in by category.
As you can see here, I have three notes placed into one notebook. This notebook is entitled "Internship Ideas," and I have notes about each internship, its application requirements, and application deadlines placed inside. I also have separate notebooks for "Books to Read" and "Assignment Details/Deadlines." In the future, I might also use Evernote to record different ideas I have for essays, fiction, and even future blog posts.Overall, Evernote is a very usefull tool that can help writers, especially those in college with multiple projects to juggle.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Call for Papers-LV College Humanities Review
Lebanon Valley College is looking for submissions from undergraduate students for their Spring 2010 issue. The deadline is December 15.
***
The Valley Humanities Review is currently seeking essays in the humanities for publication in its Spring 2010 Issue. We seek essays of high quality, intellectual rigor and originality that challenge or contribute substantially to ongoing conversations in the humanities.
Topics may include but are not limited to: literature, history, religion, philosophy, art, art history and foreign languages.
VHR is committed to undergraduate research and scholarship in the field; therefore, we only accept submissions by current or recently graduated undergraduate students.
Our reading period runs from September 1 to December 15 of each year. All submissions received outside of these dates will be returned unread.
All submissions should adhere to the Chicago style in formatting, footnoting and bibliography. Essays should be between 3,000 and 6,000 words in length, be free of errors and have an original title.
Submissions may be sent to submissions-vhr@lvc.edu
Friday, September 25, 2009
Common Writing Mistakes
Whenever I receive e-mails from peers or proofread papers in classes, the most common mistakes involve spelling and usage of these words: they're, their, there, you're, your, it's, and its. Limited character usage within text messages and social applications like Twitter may be responsible for the increase in these errors, but a variety of other factors may be involved. However, some tips that I learned from my teachers while going through elementary, middle, and high school have continued to be helpful to me even as a college student.
- Remember that the apostrophe represents a contraction. For example, when deciding between using "you're" and "your," try to break the contraction into the two words that it represents. Are you trying to say "you are," or "your" for a possessive description?
- Their, your, and its are possessive adjectives, which simply means that they are used to describe an object that belongs to someone.For instance, an easy way to distinguish possessive adjectives from contractions would be to try them both out in the sentence in question. For example, "The dog finished it is (it's) food," or "The dog finished its food." You wouldn't want to have two verbs in the same sentence, so the possessive adjective (the one without the apostrophe) is correct in this case.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Getting Involved with Writing in College
I've been posting my articles from the WCU Quad because I want to show examples of how I've become more active in publishing my writing as an undergrad. Sure, it's not the New Yorker, but it's a start. As I'm seeking internships, most of the applications request writing samples, and publications from college student newspapers are great to have as clips.
Undergraduate conferences are also opportunities to present intensive, focused writing and research that often takes place outside of the classroom. I had the opportunity to present a research paper at the English Association of the Pennsylvania State Universities Undergraduate Conference this past year. Although my paper had been for a class, I was able to revise it and delve even deeper into my research area as I prepared it for the presentation. Plus, as an English major, having an outside conference activity listed on my resume shows that I have the motivation to pursue independent projects.
Of course, most colleges have their own publications that feature writing in specific areas such as literary reviews, criticism, creative writing, etc. WCU has a publication entitled Daedalus that features fiction, poetry, art, and photography from students and faculty. The Swarthmore Review is another example of a publication, entirely edited by students, that features poetry from the general writing community.
All in all, there are multitudes of opportunities for college writers to get their work noticed within the academic community. From writing articles for the student newspaper to presenting research at conferences, aspiring writers have numerous resources available to them for getting feedback and improving their skills.
Here are the links to some of the organizations mentioned:
Swarthmore Literary Review: http://www.swarthmore.edu/literaryreview.xml
English Association of Pennsylvania State Universities: http://www.eapsu.org/
Undergraduate conferences are also opportunities to present intensive, focused writing and research that often takes place outside of the classroom. I had the opportunity to present a research paper at the English Association of the Pennsylvania State Universities Undergraduate Conference this past year. Although my paper had been for a class, I was able to revise it and delve even deeper into my research area as I prepared it for the presentation. Plus, as an English major, having an outside conference activity listed on my resume shows that I have the motivation to pursue independent projects.
Of course, most colleges have their own publications that feature writing in specific areas such as literary reviews, criticism, creative writing, etc. WCU has a publication entitled Daedalus that features fiction, poetry, art, and photography from students and faculty. The Swarthmore Review is another example of a publication, entirely edited by students, that features poetry from the general writing community.
All in all, there are multitudes of opportunities for college writers to get their work noticed within the academic community. From writing articles for the student newspaper to presenting research at conferences, aspiring writers have numerous resources available to them for getting feedback and improving their skills.
Here are the links to some of the organizations mentioned:
Swarthmore Literary Review: http://www.swarthmore.edu/literaryreview.xml
English Association of Pennsylvania State Universities: http://www.eapsu.org/
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Quad Article-Artifact Boutique (9/21/09)
Here's an article that I wrote for the Quad's features section. It profiles the new women's botique, Artifact, located in downtown West Chester. Artifact's owner, Lauren Bulack, is a 2006 alum of WCU. I had a great time interviewing Lauren, visiting the store, and writing the article!
***
WCU Grad Opens Artifact Botique in Town
By Jen James
Lauren Bulack, a 2006 graduate of West Chester University, recently opened Artifact Boutique located on 200 W. Gay Street.
Artifact Boutique boasts an inventory of women's apparel that is constantly updated to stay on par with the latest trends. But one major factor distinguishes this boutique from its other high-end competitors: everything in the store, including clothing, jewelry, and accessories, is under $60.
Bulack, who had prior experience in retail after graduating from WCU, stated that her idea for opening a "boutique for less" came to her as a result of the current state of the economy.
"My family and I realized that with the effects of the economy, a boutique with a price range of $60 and under would be a great idea," Bulack said.
Bulack was resourceful when making her concept into a reality; she took out a minimal loan and bought the store's fixtures used. The owner also benefited from the help of family and friends with the store's carpentry and painting.
Despite the grim future placed ahead of new businesses due to the economy, business at Artifact Boutique has flourished since its opening in June. The store carries a wide array of women's apparel and accessories, including clothing, handbags, jewelry, gift items, books, scarves, and gift cards. Major fall trends are represented at the store, especially cocktail dresses, leggings, statement jewelry, and clothing featuring embellishments like sequins, zippers, and studs.
Bulack travels to New York City frequently to buy from vendors for the store's inventory; Fifth Culture, a company based in Los Angeles, is a regular staple in Artifact Boutiques' clothing supply.
The transition from fall into winter poses a new challenge for the store's owner.
"Sometimes it is difficult to find clothing that fits within the store's price range," she said. The store's regular sales and clearances make way for new inventory that comes in weekly.
According to Bulack, Artifact Boutique is geared toward students, young professionals, and women who want to stay fashionable while staying within a budget. The store owner's experience as a communication major at WCU provided her with the background to both carry out her business concept and fully understand her customers' needs.
"WCU is such a great school. With a degree from there, you'll be prepared for anything," Bulack said.
Since the store has benefited from student patronage, Bulack made sure to place an ad for Artifact in the Local Business student planner and created a Facebook page for the store, under "Artifact Boutique for Less." Artifact Boutique also has a Web site under construction that will help spread publicity for the store.
Bulack hopes that Artifact Boutique will someday expand and open up a new location to take her business to the next level. Until then, the new women's clothing boutique, open Monday-Saturday from 11:00 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon - 4 p.m., has certainly established itself as the leading women's boutique for trendy yet affordable fashion.
Jen James is a third-year student majoring in English. She can be reached at JJ655874@wcupa.edu.
***
WCU Grad Opens Artifact Botique in Town
By Jen James
Lauren Bulack, a 2006 graduate of West Chester University, recently opened Artifact Boutique located on 200 W. Gay Street.
Artifact Boutique boasts an inventory of women's apparel that is constantly updated to stay on par with the latest trends. But one major factor distinguishes this boutique from its other high-end competitors: everything in the store, including clothing, jewelry, and accessories, is under $60.
Bulack, who had prior experience in retail after graduating from WCU, stated that her idea for opening a "boutique for less" came to her as a result of the current state of the economy.
"My family and I realized that with the effects of the economy, a boutique with a price range of $60 and under would be a great idea," Bulack said.
Bulack was resourceful when making her concept into a reality; she took out a minimal loan and bought the store's fixtures used. The owner also benefited from the help of family and friends with the store's carpentry and painting.
Despite the grim future placed ahead of new businesses due to the economy, business at Artifact Boutique has flourished since its opening in June. The store carries a wide array of women's apparel and accessories, including clothing, handbags, jewelry, gift items, books, scarves, and gift cards. Major fall trends are represented at the store, especially cocktail dresses, leggings, statement jewelry, and clothing featuring embellishments like sequins, zippers, and studs.
Bulack travels to New York City frequently to buy from vendors for the store's inventory; Fifth Culture, a company based in Los Angeles, is a regular staple in Artifact Boutiques' clothing supply.
The transition from fall into winter poses a new challenge for the store's owner.
"Sometimes it is difficult to find clothing that fits within the store's price range," she said. The store's regular sales and clearances make way for new inventory that comes in weekly.
According to Bulack, Artifact Boutique is geared toward students, young professionals, and women who want to stay fashionable while staying within a budget. The store owner's experience as a communication major at WCU provided her with the background to both carry out her business concept and fully understand her customers' needs.
"WCU is such a great school. With a degree from there, you'll be prepared for anything," Bulack said.
Since the store has benefited from student patronage, Bulack made sure to place an ad for Artifact in the Local Business student planner and created a Facebook page for the store, under "Artifact Boutique for Less." Artifact Boutique also has a Web site under construction that will help spread publicity for the store.
Bulack hopes that Artifact Boutique will someday expand and open up a new location to take her business to the next level. Until then, the new women's clothing boutique, open Monday-Saturday from 11:00 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon - 4 p.m., has certainly established itself as the leading women's boutique for trendy yet affordable fashion.
Jen James is a third-year student majoring in English. She can be reached at JJ655874@wcupa.edu.
Friday, September 18, 2009
OWL at Purdue
I've always found that the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University website has a wide array of resources for student writers. OWL has a multitude of articles on the writing process and tips for revision, APA and MLA citation, and finding sources for research papers. But this website also provides resources for writing outside of the classroom; topics range from preparing a cover letter and resume, formatting a memo, and much more. I've included the link at the end of this post, but I'll continue to have this website listed under "My Links."
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
Monday, September 14, 2009
Op-Ed Article (9/7/09)
This is an op-ed article that I wrote for the WCU student newspaper, The Quad. This is just an example of my work, and I hope to post some of my past contributions on here as well.
Racial Profiling
By Jen James
This past month, my brother, Joe, was in an airport waiting to catch a plane to spend a week with my family back home. He stopped and asked an airport attendant if he could repack a set of wine glasses into his carry-on so they'd be more secure, and was told it was fine. However, before my brother even arrived at the security checkpoint, he was stopped by two security officers. They searched through his carry-on, found the box containing the wine glasses, examined them, and told Joe that he had to throw them out. The airport attendant had tagged my brother as a security threat. Susie, my older sister, also had a similar experience at an airport when a security officer asked her to step aside at the security checkpoint so he could perform a search through her bag. Although these occurrences seem strange, they're actually quite commonplace to my family. Since my father is from India and my mother is white, my siblings and I have tan skin, brown eyes, and very dark hair. We understand that strict federal regulations have been implemented after the events of 9/11. We know that airport security has to take every precaution when checking luggage to identify possible safety hazards. However, my siblings and I have yet to understand why even outside of airport security checkpoints, people continue to make radical assumptions about us based on our heritage and physical appearance.
I was reminded of my family's struggles against racial profiling as I watched news reports on the validity of President Obama's citizenship this summer. The man had led a campaign and won the presidency some time ago-why was this under scrutiny now of all times? I wondered. I then remembered that Obama was the target of harsh criticism by his opponents over the government's "bailouts" and his plans to reform the healthcare system. I remembered seeing numerous scare tactics being used in television commercials and billboards, warning the elderly and working families that their Medicare and health insurance were going to be cut. I even recently saw a bumper sticker featuring the word "socialism," with Obama's campaign logo replacing the letter "o." I understood that recent challenges to Obama's U.S. citizenship were just another method of trying to reduce the president's credibility. Although Barack Obama was born in Hawaii and had the legal documentation to verify his U.S. citizenship, it wasn't necessarily his international upbringing that started the citizenship arguments. It was because Obama was bringing numerous changes to the White House that perhaps the American public wasn't able to readily accept. For example, Obama's election as the nation's first African-American president disrupted the election patterns of nearly two-hundred and twenty years. The president was also trying to implement strategies to assess the nation's various struggles that varied greatly from the previous administration's policies. Overall, the "change" that Obama had promised in his campaign may be too much for some Americans.
Although the argument over the president's citizenship and my siblings' airport security experiences don't have much in common, the mentalities of Obama's more radical opponents and some airport security officers are quite similar. The security officers pulled my brother and sister aside because they looked like "terrorists," searched their bags, and found nothing potentially dangerous in their belongings. Hopefully, as time passes, more people will see beyond Obama's personal and political differences and realize that progress comes with time and cooperation.
Jennifer James is a junior majoring in English. She can be reached at JJ655874@wcupa.edu
Racial Profiling
By Jen James
This past month, my brother, Joe, was in an airport waiting to catch a plane to spend a week with my family back home. He stopped and asked an airport attendant if he could repack a set of wine glasses into his carry-on so they'd be more secure, and was told it was fine. However, before my brother even arrived at the security checkpoint, he was stopped by two security officers. They searched through his carry-on, found the box containing the wine glasses, examined them, and told Joe that he had to throw them out. The airport attendant had tagged my brother as a security threat. Susie, my older sister, also had a similar experience at an airport when a security officer asked her to step aside at the security checkpoint so he could perform a search through her bag. Although these occurrences seem strange, they're actually quite commonplace to my family. Since my father is from India and my mother is white, my siblings and I have tan skin, brown eyes, and very dark hair. We understand that strict federal regulations have been implemented after the events of 9/11. We know that airport security has to take every precaution when checking luggage to identify possible safety hazards. However, my siblings and I have yet to understand why even outside of airport security checkpoints, people continue to make radical assumptions about us based on our heritage and physical appearance.
I was reminded of my family's struggles against racial profiling as I watched news reports on the validity of President Obama's citizenship this summer. The man had led a campaign and won the presidency some time ago-why was this under scrutiny now of all times? I wondered. I then remembered that Obama was the target of harsh criticism by his opponents over the government's "bailouts" and his plans to reform the healthcare system. I remembered seeing numerous scare tactics being used in television commercials and billboards, warning the elderly and working families that their Medicare and health insurance were going to be cut. I even recently saw a bumper sticker featuring the word "socialism," with Obama's campaign logo replacing the letter "o." I understood that recent challenges to Obama's U.S. citizenship were just another method of trying to reduce the president's credibility. Although Barack Obama was born in Hawaii and had the legal documentation to verify his U.S. citizenship, it wasn't necessarily his international upbringing that started the citizenship arguments. It was because Obama was bringing numerous changes to the White House that perhaps the American public wasn't able to readily accept. For example, Obama's election as the nation's first African-American president disrupted the election patterns of nearly two-hundred and twenty years. The president was also trying to implement strategies to assess the nation's various struggles that varied greatly from the previous administration's policies. Overall, the "change" that Obama had promised in his campaign may be too much for some Americans.
Although the argument over the president's citizenship and my siblings' airport security experiences don't have much in common, the mentalities of Obama's more radical opponents and some airport security officers are quite similar. The security officers pulled my brother and sister aside because they looked like "terrorists," searched their bags, and found nothing potentially dangerous in their belongings. Hopefully, as time passes, more people will see beyond Obama's personal and political differences and realize that progress comes with time and cooperation.
Jennifer James is a junior majoring in English. She can be reached at JJ655874@wcupa.edu
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