American agnostics

Carl Sagan was a well-known astronomer who studied extraterrestrial intelligence advocated for nuclear disarmament. Growing up Sagan developed a passion for astronomy (Moore). Michael Shermer received his B.A. in psychology and his M.A. in experimental psychology. He taught a course for Ph.D. students on Evolution, Economics, and the Brain. He was head of one of America’s leading skeptic organizations (Shermer). Shermer is more rhetorically effective than Sagan in his reading because he goes more into depth about paranormal, mysteries, and miracles he explored. Shermer uses rhetorical strategy in his writing such as starting his essay off with a quote as well as numbering his paragraphs like a list. He participated in a New Age program called The Other Side once but numerous times he explored the mysteries paranormal. As for Sagan, he wrote more of a story to persuaded the readers. He uses more of a personal aspect to connect with his readers. He’s incapable to explain his superstitious of having a dragon in his garage that has no real evidence if there’s a dragon or not. Although he has no proof to back up his claim he still seeks the burden of proving his readers that his belief of a dragon living in his garage is not a myth. Both Shermer and Sagan uses experiments to test their theories, but Shermer uses equipment to help his research which also helps bring him to a legitimate conclusion. He addresses that the sizing of a telescope can reshape how the world looks with the…

During this period of time, women and children attending to school rates were higher. In the textbook, it stated, “... to African American education, women’s higher education expanded notably…,” and “... thousands of women earned degrees and suffered no apparent harm, fear faded.” These show that education was important to African Americans and women. The education that they had get rid of their fear and weaknesses. However, according STEM Jobs, “women are unlikely hired than men.” For example,…

their respective team. Without being able to choose a team without offending one parent, I never had a team to cheer on, eventually causing me to be ambivalent towards the sport that many Americans spend their Sundays enjoying. This arbitrary divide in my life mirrors another, more important divide born form my parent’s differences. My mother is Roman Catholic, but my father is agnostic. Contrary to my reaction towards football, my…

Balcita goes over similar issues, though on a less broad scale. Using her father’s experiences of immigrating from the Philippines to the United States, Balcita creates an engaging and relatable picture of the subtle moments of integration, while also illustrating how the great American hypocrisy affects this transition. A great example of this comes from two paragraphs discussing her father’s first job at a blood bank. The job is temporary, as he’s trying to get official certification to be a…

The Cross and the Lynching Tree, by James Cone is a masterful telling of the spiritual symbols important to many African Americans, not only surrounding their faith journey, but in their daily lives as well. Amidst the terror of systematic racism and violence, Cone still seems to find hope for his people vis a vie the lynching tree. In the aforementioned quote, Cone is saying that the cross can represent power for African Americans. That although it represents torcher, pain, and death, it is…

In the book, “The Norton Mix: American History”, there are two articles regarding the Chinese exclusion act. The first article is about a democratic senate from Oregon, James Harvey Slater, who voiced his proposal in 1882 at the senate house. Slater is in favor of the Chinese exclusion and believes in white American protestant religion. Slater’s opponent is a Republican named, Robert G. Ingersoll. Ingersoll voiced his proposal eleven years later on July 1893 in the same room when Slater voiced…

A major theme in this section is the American struggle with racism. The chapter begins with the historic achievement of Barack Obama and ends with the differing circumstances/perceptions of the Rev. Jesse Jackson and his son Congressman Jesse Jackson III. Race is the classification of humans. While science has demonstrated that the concept of "race" is an illusion, it is still a very powerful illusion that shapes the way that humans act and think. "This is our first and most fundamental American…

Later on, in 1759, he married his first wife Mary Lambert but she died with their child during childbirth. Soon after, his business collapsed as well. After that, he worked different jobs in England but they all didn’t last very well. Then, in 1774, he moved to British colonial America, in Philadelphia after a meeting with Benjamin Franklin earlier that year. In America, he was actively involved in politics and literature. It was there that he wrote his famous pamphlet “common sense” which is…

societies behaved. Throughout Richard Wright’s account of his life from the South to the North, Wright’s perspective and isolation helps readers to better understand the society that Wright grew up in. When Richard hangs around with other African American kids in Arkansas they discuss their perspective about white folks that live in the south. Most of the remarks that were made either criticized white folks or made the black…

Have you ever read any of Allen Ginsberg’s poetry about Vietnam?” Ferlinghetti asked. “No, I haven’t.” “In his poem Wichita Vortex Sutra he says: McNamara made a “bad guess” chorused the reporters in 1962 “8000 American Troops handle the Situation” Bad Guess in 1954, 80% of the Vietnamese people would’ve voted for Ho Chi Minh “And here I thought most of Ginsberg’s poetry was about sucking cocks,” I said, risking insulting his friend.…