Yesterday I decided that I am in the best section of American Heritage at BYU! For the entire two-hour class we watched the HBO film John Adams with Paul Giamtti, which illustrates the beginnings of the American call for independence and the core role that John Adams played.
I watched part one of this movie-series on the plane ride back from Hawaii back in June, and though I enjoyed watching it, I never thought I would have the chance to finish it. The film, and the book it was based on, allows us to experience, in a fraction of the sense, how it must have felt to experiance these essential moments in history.
Courage in the face of an outcome uncertain, an enemy advancing, and with a light in the future which called for nothing less.
The essential collaboration of minds and moments which allow me to live and look back in adoration to the men who made this country a reality. I enjoy learning a more detailed history of the Founding Fathers like John Adams, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and my favorite, Benjamin Franklin so I can understand them as people. Real people with personalities and faults, but also men who exemplified something more by creating a country together, for the comman man.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Loyal Opposition
For my once a week Honors 240 class, we discussed the American Revolution. Yesterday during the two hour class, which flies by, I began to understand why Dr. Holzapfel continued to stress the importance of a long, thoroughly-discussed debate before acting. This measure instituted by the Founding Fathers is one of the main reasons that America exists as it does today and why we move forward without drastic, unchecked extremes.
Why the drawn out discussion? It just waists time--right? Well by participating in the long debate no rash decisions are made. None of the colonies broke off on their own due to impatience, which would have ended in disaster, and the colonies which were hesitant became convinced through this debate that the time for revolution was now. It is an extending of knowledge on any subject through discussion, and impute from every angle. By listening to other people we can make the best informed decisions toward a common goal. Back and forth, always checking ourselves, "Is this right?" "Is there a better alternative?"
If we take this from a political level down to a personal level, the principles remain. We all benefit from the input of an alternative view which we would not have conceived on our own. This happens in our dealings with those closest to us, but only works when they know that we love them, that we are loyal to them; and because of that loyalty, we want them to make the best choices. We all strive to reach the point of self-recognition that we don't have all the answers. I understand that I will make mistakes and I hope that someone can show me how best to correct it.
By working together and allowing for people from different perspectives to challenge the current actions being taken, we can pursue the best road possible.
Why the drawn out discussion? It just waists time--right? Well by participating in the long debate no rash decisions are made. None of the colonies broke off on their own due to impatience, which would have ended in disaster, and the colonies which were hesitant became convinced through this debate that the time for revolution was now. It is an extending of knowledge on any subject through discussion, and impute from every angle. By listening to other people we can make the best informed decisions toward a common goal. Back and forth, always checking ourselves, "Is this right?" "Is there a better alternative?"
If we take this from a political level down to a personal level, the principles remain. We all benefit from the input of an alternative view which we would not have conceived on our own. This happens in our dealings with those closest to us, but only works when they know that we love them, that we are loyal to them; and because of that loyalty, we want them to make the best choices. We all strive to reach the point of self-recognition that we don't have all the answers. I understand that I will make mistakes and I hope that someone can show me how best to correct it.
By working together and allowing for people from different perspectives to challenge the current actions being taken, we can pursue the best road possible.
Internet Age
I guess I have succumb to the trend of the internet now that i have been here at BYU. First facebook and now this...bogging. I never thought it would happen, but here we are. Well I am here; but I don't know what you are doing here--reading this. I doubt you can get much out of it. I mean you cant even stare at my ridiculous good looks. Oh what a sad world you must live in--to stalk me down to my blog and the best you can do to seeing me face to face, is to stay up late at night and stroke my profile picture with your mouse...Well moving on from your obsession with me, let's look forward to a bright future of me vomiting up my ideas and impressions on this blog while you lap it up like a loyal dog :)
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