Due 12/6/14

Separating black children from others solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be undone. The impact of segregation is greater when it has the sanction of law. A sense of inferiority affects the motivation of a child to learn. Segregation with the sanction of law tends to impede the educational and mental development of black children and deprives them of some of the benefits they would receive in an integrated school system. Whatever may have been the extent of psychological knowledge at the time of Plessy v. Ferguson, this finding is amply supported by modern authority and any language to the contrary in Plessy v. Ferguson is rejected.

     I choose the following passage from the summary of "Brown Vs. Board of Education. This passage gives us a simplified summary of the Supreme Court Case. The meaning behind this passage is just a basic overview of the decision that was made. In this passage the writer explains to us the decision that was made regarding the segregation of black children vs. white children in classrooms because of the color of their skins. it is explains to us that the separation because of skin color is an indicator of" feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely to be undone." Its also explain that having a law that states that separation is necessary make the lives of those that it affect unfair and unjust. Being thought differently in "impede the education and mental development" of those not being benefited.

   I choose this passage because with other this case and many others I wouldn't have the type of education that I've been receiving today. To be able to go to school and learn the same things everyone else is learning, to have the same goal, to have the friendship, and the knowledge to know that my skin color doesn't make a difference in my education status are the reason that I choose this passage. I believe this case is very important because it show that the Constitution is being used to benefit all types of people. Its also important because it shows that people are fighting for what is right and getting the result that are need to make this country better.

 
 

Due 11/22/14

"Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy; our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal... that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. "That is the true genius of America, a faith... ... a faith in simple dreams, an insistence on small miracles; that we can tuck in our children at night and know that they are fed and clothed and safe from harm; that we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door; that we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe; that we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution; and that our votes will be counted -- or at least, most of the time."

I choose this passage from the "Transcript: Illinois Senate Candidate Barack Obama". In this passage Senate Candidate Obama is addressing the nation on behalf on John Kerry he is giving us back ground information of Mr. Kerry and the issues that he plans to deal with when he enters office. He is explaining or informing us the listeners(readers) what he know our nation is greater or is know for. Mr. Obama does this by quoting lines from the "Declaration of Independence." Senate Candidate Obama is letting us know that American is built on ideals such as "faith" and a "simple dream". He is letting us know that to make America great we the people have to do the work along side the leaders of our nation. We have to work hard in order for to live the American Dream, and in order to do that we have to vote in Mr.Kerry in office so that progress can be made. 

I choose this passage to write about because I because of the person that gave the speech. One of the things that Senate Candidate Obama is know for his giving the nation a brilliant speech that hits on key point in our lives. He know the current issue and are willing to point them out in a way that everyone can understand and is willing to support anyone that is able to make the lives of everyone better.  I also choose to write about this because I can visualize current President Obama giving this speech to our nation and seeing everyone relate to what he is saying. Senate Candidate now President Obama work and is currently working hard still to get these issues resolved. I choose this passage to write about because quotes a line from the Declaration of Independence that we are all still trying to fulfill.  

Repost-POL166-H01: Due 11/1/14-Accidentally deleted

Due 11/1/14

“ What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are, to Him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy -- a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages.There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very hour”.

   The passage that I choose to write about is  from  “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” by Fredrick Douglas. In the above passage the author is reminding us that the 4th of July has different meaning to African Americans. The author is recounting the horrifying actions that led to him not celebrating this day the way many Americans choose to celebrate it, but choosing to looking back and reflecting on the things that made the day what it is. In the passage the author states "your celebration is a sham".  Frederick Douglas goes on to list all the feeling and actions on this day and says to us that those actions and feeling shows how "heartless" they are. He states to us and government that its not a day to forget the unjust that has been done to the fellow man and pretend that it did not happen. The way in which this passage relates to the theme of the lectures in class is that it hits upon subject such as civil liberties, the government, and political views.

           I choose this passage because it gives me a chance to reflect on what the Fourth of July actually means. It's not just a day to celebrate and watch the fire works, its also a day to reflect on what went on during those time. To remember all the things our ancestors had to go through for us to be where we are today. I also choose this passage because it reminded me of one of our online lectures when you state "Republican majority House of Representatives began their session by reading out the Constitution, however they omitted these controversial passages".

Due 11.8.2014

"Citizenship is a status bestowed on those who are full members of a community. All who possess the status are equal with respects to the rights and duties with which the status is endowed. There in  no universal principle that determines what those rights and duties shall be, but societies in which citizenship is a developing institution create an image of ideal citizenship against which achievement can be measured and towards which aspiration can be directed. the urge forward also the path thus plotted in a urge towards a fuller measure of equality, an enrichment of the study of which the status is made and an increase in the number of those on whom the status is bestowed. Social class, on the other hand, is a system of inequality. And it too, like citizenship, can be based a set of ideals, beliefs and values. It is therefore reasonable to expect that impact of citizenship on social class should take the form of a conflict between opposing principles. If I am right in my contention that citizenship has been a developing institution in England at least since the latter part of the seventeenth century, then it is clear that its growth coincides with the rise of capitalism, which is a system, not of equality, but of inequality.  Here is something that needs explaining. How is it that these two opposing principles could grow and flourish side by side in the same soil? What made in possible for them to be reconciled with on another and to become, for a time at least, allies instead of antagonists? The question is a pertinent one, for it is clear that, in the twentieth century, citizenship and the capitalist class system have been at war. "

    In T.H. Marshall "Citizenship and Social Class" he stress to us the difference between Citizenship and the Social Class.  Marshall because this passage by explaining that citizenship is a status that is bestowed upon those who are a full member of the society, not to those who are visiting or have been there for a short period. He express to us that with citizenship everyone who possess it "are equal with respects to the rights and duties with which the status endowed." You are equal in your claim and pride  of belong to that nation but that is all there is. He lets us know that there wasn't or isn't any "principle that determines" your do and font's but it is an "ideal". Marshall goes on compare citizenship and socials class to capitalism. He believed at that time that there was no difference between citizenship and capitalism. A person can claim a right to something but that does not mean that he can get it without working hard to get it.

    I choose the following passage because it highlights to us the meaning of citizenship. It  gives me and those who  read this article a clear view of what the meaning of citizenship is us today and how it was in earlier times. It also shows us that many of these principles regarding citizenship is still in affect today. They are many individuals think that being a citizen means that it comes with all the rights and privileges that everyone else has, only to find out that there is still a separation in the socials status and many other aspect of our lives . Another reason that I choose this passage is because its telling us the reader to stop living with the fantasy of being a citizen and look at the facts and truth of what belongs to a nation entails.

The Federalist #51

               “In order to lay a due foundation for that separate and distinct exercise of the different powers of government, which to a certain extent is admitted on all hands to be essential to the preservation of liberty, it is evident that each department should have a will of its own; and consequently should be so constituted that the members of each should have as little agency as possible in the appointment of the members of the others. Were this principle rigorously adhered to, it would require that all the appointments for the supreme executive, legislative, and judiciary magistracies should be drawn from the same fountain of authority, the people, through channels having no communication whatever with one another. Perhaps such a plan of constructing the several departments would be less difficult in practice than it may in contemplation appear. Some difficulties, however, and some additional expense would attend the execution of it. Some deviations, therefore, from the principle must be admitted. In the constitution of the judiciary department in particular, it might be inexpedient to insist rigorously on the principle: first, because peculiar qualifications being essential in the members, the primary consideration ought to be to select that mode of choice which best secures these qualifications; secondly, because the permanent tenure by which the appointments are held in that department, must soon destroy all sense of dependence on the authority conferring them.”By James Madison

             They are many ways in which the government can be split/run. In James Madison’s “The Federalist No. 51” he give us a “general observation” on ways the government runs. In the passage above James Madison states that for us to have a basis of government and to  see the differences in each parts in “it is evident that each department should have a will of its own; and consequently should be so constituted that the members of each should have as little agency as possible in the appointment of the members of the others”. He wants the different departments and that each division should have little to no hand in the appointment of each members. The people would have a hand in saying who is to rule. James Madison states ”Some difficulties, however, and some additional expense would attend the execution of it.” He believes this will have some problem areas in they way in which things will be done, this will also cause problems in the way they Constitution will be interpreted. Many other problems will be in determining the “qualifications” of said individuals to be put in which every divisions, who authority must and should be followed in order to have a smoothly run government. One main concern would also be what “mode of choice” is best to determine the qualifications of the person to be in charge. 

         From James Madison’s  “The Federalist No.51 I choose the passage because I feel that in a way that is how the government is being run currently. Every branch is a separate entity unto itself. They are not working together for the greater good of the people anymore. An example of this is going on today which “Obama care”. Instead of everyone  sitting down and work together to make this happen for the American people they are many disagreement going on in the government regarding this issue. The branches of the government looks to be set again each other, some within the same branch. 

The Federalist #10

   “The latent causes of faction are thus sown in the nature of man; and we see them everywhere brought into different degrees of activity, according to the different circumstances of civil society. A zeal for different opinions concerning religion, concerning government, and many other points, as well of speculation as of practice; an attachment to different leaders ambitiously contending for pre-eminence and power; or to persons of other descriptions whose fortunes have been interesting to the human passions, have, in turn, divided mankind into parties, inflamed them with mutual animosity, and rendered them much more disposed to vex and oppress each other than to co-operate for their common good. So strong is this propensity of mankind to fall into mutual animosities, that where no substantial occasion presents itself, the most frivolous and fanciful distinctions have been sufficient to kindle their unfriendly passions and excite their most violent conflicts. But the most common and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of property. Those who hold and those who are without property have ever formed distinct interests in society. Those who are creditors, and those who are debtors, fall under a like discrimination. A landed interest, a manufacturing interest, a mercantile interest, a moneyed interest, with many lesser interests, grow up of necessity in civilized nations, and divide them into different classes, actuated by different sentiments and views. The regulation of these various and interfering interests forms the principal task of modern legislation, and involves the spirit of party and faction in the necessary and ordinary operations of the government.”by James Madison

       They are many ways in which to describe the nature of man and ways in which they thinks, acts, and do things. In James Madison’s’ “The Federalist No. 10” he imparting to us the readers of then and now they ways in which certain situations would play out depending on his certain actions taken. In the above passage James Madison is  giving us the reader his view on why “faction” are formed. He states on “a zeal for different opinions concerning religion, concerning government, and many other points, as well of speculation as of practice; an attachment to different leaders ambitiously contending for pre-eminence and power; or to persons of other descriptions whose fortunes have been interesting to the human passions, have, in turn, divided mankind into parties, inflamed them with mutual animosity, and rendered them much more disposed to vex and oppress each other than to co-operate for their common good” is a way in which factions come into existence. According to James Madison the most long lasting factions is having to do with the “distribution of  properties”. He states that the haves and have not will continue to have friction through out time. Factions will be form from civil to hostile depending on the severity of the issue and will disrupt they way in which things are done, some will make changes and some will cause pandemonium and will affect the way in which the government does things, in the end a decision will be made such as changes in the Constitution. 

      I choose this particular passage from James Madison “The Federalist No. 10” because the reason for mankind building factions have not change throughout history. In todays government we see that they are still parties that do not get along so each find ways to discredit each other. An example of factions coming together to make changes in a religious way is in toward the “Pledge of Allegiance’s…….’under God we trust”. Many groups and individuals have brought forth change to be made to the Pledge throughout the years and has continue to do in hopes of getting to change. They are hoping to take this case to the Supreme court if necessary. I also choose this passage because these issues are still affection us today and they are factions forming to make a difference in the way things are done and will be done in the future. 

The American Political System: 9/20 The Constitution and the Federalist (Part 1)

The American Political System: 9/20 The Constitution and the Federalist (Part 1): "Scene at the Signing of the Constitution,"  Howard Chandler Christy,   1940, U.S. Capitol, Washington D.C. The Articles of ..



       "There
is a controversial passage in Article IV that protects slavery: "No person
held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into
another, shall, in Consequence of any Law of Regulation therein, be discharged
from such Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of
the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due." There is also a
clause in Article 1 Section 2 that refers to counting slaves as 3/5 of a person
for determining representatives and taxes."



       The way in which I would
interpret the fact that the “Republican majority House of Representatives
begins this session by reading out the Constitution” and omitted the above
listed passage is in two parts. I believe it was done because this is not the
way people of color is being counted in this day and time and also there is no
person that is held in service in this day and time.A person of color is no
longer considered 3/5 of a person everyone is counted as a whole no matter the
race and skin color of that person.They are ashamed and is looking for a way to move and change the Constitution. Another way to interpret this is that they are try to cover up part of our history and is hoping that the wrong that was done wouldn't matter to many people in this day and age. The reader of the Constitution and his fellow members either wanted to steer clear of that issue and "sweep in under the rug".