Monday, November 14, 2016
Blog Post #5
The last election was definitely an interesting one. It divided our country, ruffled many people's feathers, and forced individuals to come to term with their true values and beliefs. In fact, because of the results, the rage, fear, and concern that consumed many United States citizens created a sense of unity among like-minded individuals. Through dialogue, individuals began to be able to express what is and what has been cooped up inside of them and through that, individuals began to come to terms with their situation and figure out the best possible next steps. Individuals opened themselves up to other fellow Untied States citizens, and although our country became divided, it also became united in this other sense. In dance class, we formed a circle in the middle of the room, and individuals volunteered to express their own views, ideas, and thoughts regarding what had happened in the election. Listening to my peers definitely opened up my eyes not only to new beliefs but more importantly, to new ways of action. Many of my peers spoke about taking charge and taking initiative, as opposed to dwelling on the downside of the current situation. I began to realize that it is more important to focus on the future rather than the present. It is necessary to create a plan, to create motives, to create goals. It is beneficial to take something bad that has happened and turn it into good. One should strike for change. One should create change. One should become active. One should become a true United States citizen.
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I really wish I could have been in your dance class for that exercise. I agree with what you said about taking action and how shocking it was to see our country so divided. I was a little surprised that our English class was the only class of mine to talk about the election. I feel as though it is time like these when it is most critical to put aside normal lesson places (even for 5 minutes) to discuss the change our nation is going to face.
ReplyDeleteI really liked reading you blog post because it reminded me of something very hopeful. I've lived in New York City my whole life, so I've experienced the aftermath of tragedies like 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy, to name a couple. While I'm not glad these things happened in the slightest, what I remember most about them is the results rather than the actual tragedies themselves. What stuck with me most about these hard times was the City's ability to unified despite how expansively diverse we are — arguably one of the most diverse in the world. I love the community I belong to because of how immensely different we all are, but also because of this hidden sense of unity that has come from shared experiences of hardship of every true New Yorker. It is through these hard times that I am reminded that I come from a strong community. It is because of these times that I proudly identify as a "New Yorker.”
ReplyDeleteSimilar to how I come from a community of “New Yorkers,” we all come from a community of “Americans.” This election has impacted people nationwide in a number of ways, and has resulted in very strong reactions and protests. Seeing the Facebook and Twitter posts about people moving to Canada, being ashamed of their nationality, or blaming one another for the results of the election, quite frankly, infuriates me. This is NOT the spirit that I wold hope my country would have in these troubling times, and this is DEFINITELY not the spirit New York City exhibited when it experienced much worse tragedies. However, at the University, the general attitude is one of unity and love — as you point out — and this makes me proud of this new community I am gradually coming to identify with. I’m proud to be a “New Yorker;” I’m proud to be an “American;” and I’m now proud to be a “Wolverine."