Open-ended Inauguration

Through John F. Kennedy's inauguration he discusses the role of science shaping our world for the better and away from the worst.When Kennedy says, "We offer not a pledge but a request... before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction." He was implying that as of then the only uses that we used science for was for destruction and for weapons of war such as the second world war where many innocent lives were taken by the usage of these science based machines. The two ways that Kennedy believes that science can positively affect the future were to explore the stars and eradicate diseases. He stated in his speech, "Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce." This means that Kennedy believed that science is not only capable of evilness but for goodness, though it depends on morality of humans for the purpose of science. In my chemistry class, the first thing we ever did was to find how science was in our everyday lives, and the results were that science was literally everywhere. From the toothpaste you use in the morning, to the foods you eat, the things you drive, to the knowledge you absorb everyday.

President Kennedy believed that true progress only results from nations working together for change. In Kennedy's inauguration he stated, "Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction." This means that he is encouraging and supporting peace, if a nation is willing to let go of all evilness to embrace and spread peace then soon others will become affected and awed by it too will become peaceful. Kennedy also says, "To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe 'struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required  not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right." In this he is saying that a nation can make a difference in the world by granting and helping other nations in the world. That no matter if the entire world isn't changed, one step at a time will be progress nonetheless. This reminds me of Atticus from the book, "To kill a mockingbird.", where Atticus tried to change his town's views of equality even if it meant that his ideals were to be rejected. He felt as though both the truth and righteousness was to be told, that if he was different from the others they would see his logic and follow in his example.

The Irish Day.

The celebration of Saint Patrick's day has been celebrated for over a thousand years! The day was celebrated in remembrance of a man in who was kidnapped as a child from the Wales -England-. And was then sold onto slavery in Ireland, where he served as a slave for about six years. As the legend goes he dreamed of having seeing God and was lead by god to escape on a getaway ship. He escaped to Britain then to France where he studied under Saint Germain and became a Bishop within 12 years. When suddenly he had a dream that the Irish were calling to him.

He went to Ireland and converted many people. But what was most important about Saint Patrick was that he spent twenty years converting people to Christianity across Ireland and building schools and churches that would help him further in his quest. Later in his life he put the curse of God into all the snakes in Ireland and sent them to the sea to drown.

In essence he baptized all of Ireland. He died, and the day became a saint's day to celebrate the universal baptization of all Irish people. But the festival became more of a holiday celebrated everywhere for the special Irish people. As to the modern day we celebrate with parades and the Irish families would feast on the traditional Irish bacon and Cabbage. 

Outside the Box.

 We've been practicing open-ended responses and today you are responsible for explaining how Don Haskins was another individual with the immense capacity to THINK DIFFERENT.

• How do people generally react to those who are willing to step outside the box of comfortability and normalcy and behave in a way that is considered unconventional or unacceptable?
• Why was it so important for Don Haskins to think different?

People generally react to those who are willing to step outside of the box of normalcy and comfortability with great prejudice, concern, and hate. In the movie, Glory Road, Don Haskins was treated with disrespect and disbelief when he added 'negro' players onto the basketball team. This shows that when humanity is faced with something that they consider to be abnormal then they would react in a sense where they'd put the aberrant person down.

It was important for Don Haskins to think different because he needed to make a team that would save the school and win for the sake of basketball. In the movie, Don Haskins showed that he didn't care about skin colors he only believed in potential, he needed to view the players equally as human beings. This demonstrates his dedication to the sports of basketball, and his ambition to fully utilize whatever he has in his grasp despite the negative feed back and hatred. Don Haskins reminds me of the character Atticus from the book 'To Kill a Mockingbird'; where Atticus a lawyer defended a black person in a white time and white town. Atticus tried his best to defend Tom from being persecuted for a crime he didn't commit, Atticus viewed the accused man with indifference a quality just like Don Haskins to neglect the difference with people and to treat them as equal.