NationStates Jolt Archive

The other day, my high school's newspaper was published and distributed, and upon finding this particular article, I was simultaneously humored, appalled, and embarrassed. It was written by a girl in the school’s Journalism class (which obviously publishes the small paper). I have removed the identifying details, such as names, the school’s name, the county, etc, but left the typos. I think some of you will find this to be an... interesting read.

(To the Mods: There is no link, it isn’t online, and to reproduce it as anything but verbatim is eliminating elements that desperately need to be critiqued and analyzed. Please don’t remove it, I don’t intend it as spam.)


Honoring the fallen and the standing...
[removed] remembers the veterans

BY: [removed, let us call her Ms. Patriot]

To me, patrotism is something that should not be taken for granted. I believe that over the past couple of years patriotism has grown for all Americans due to 9/11. 9/11 was an event that has affected American history forever. That day there was silence and mourning everywhere and we will never forget.

This is acceptable to me. Ms. Patriot sets a respectable tone, but it generally feels too simple in word choice and structure.

Patriotism means a lot to me. It means being free, free to believe what we want to believe, live how we want to live, and learn what we want to learn. So many people in so many different countries don't have the same freedoms as we Americans do. Most of these people would do anything to live in our country and have our rights. Some of the smallest things that we take for granted that someone, somewhere else would do almost anything to have.

Ever heard of Eurocentrism? I don't know the word of that variety that would apply to America, but this is really full of it. A bit much of the blind patriotism for me.

I know that America is the greatest place to live in the world. Patriotism is something that makes a person who they are. Without it, we couldn't express ourselves and be individuals; we would be following someone else's rules and ideas. Americans don't know how lucky they are. When terror and trouble strike us, that's when we come together and realize what's important in life. That is the moment when we need to thank our veterans most. In this day and age, war is a reality. We see it on television everyday; hear it on the radio, see pod casts on the internet, and we hear a lot from word of mouth.

Wait, what? This paragraph truly bemused me. What exactly does being patriotic have to do with individualism and independence? Perhaps she meant freedom...?

Without our veteran's our country would not be the same, and I'm not just talking about the veterans from World War 2 or Vietnam, I'm talking about the Mexican War, Revolutionary War if I must.

So the soldiers fighting RIGHT THIS MOMENT or those who served during Operation Iraqi Freedom, among other more recent conflicts, are not the pertinent veterans? The ones that have kids to raise? And The Mexican War, really? Yeah, we got Texas. Whoop-dee-doo.

These veteran's have dedicated their whole lives to our country and service to our country. The least we could do is thank them everyday and be grateful fo their undying dedication to their country and its citizens.

Friends, family, and education- those are the things that are really important and should not be taken advantage of. We need to cherish the things we have in life everyday not just days when something bad happens to make us realize we were taking advantage of freedom.

Ms. Patriot cannot be described as being articulate. They SHOULDN'T be taken advantage of? Perhaps 'not be abused' would've got her meaning across better.

I can't imagine living any other place. Once you have freedom it's hard to give it up. America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. People know and believe our country is so great they put their lives on the line and fight everyday for it. The least you could do is stand behind them, even though what their fighting for doesn't seem right, because believe it or not we are giving someone else freedom and that, in itself, is a powerful thing.

Again, that sickening blind patriotism! I'm all for being a patriot, I mean, whatever floats your boat, but it shouldn't be this kind of unseeing, unknowing patriotism 'just because.' One should genuinely be proud of one's country for what it is, after viewing it from an objective standpoint, not for what one was brainwashed into in grade school. It's very sad.

But, I am not done. A few pictures with captions were included, one caption including the word "Heliocopter" and another one, a picture of the USMC Memorial Statue (based on the Iwo Jima picture), captioned with "Hirojiama Memorial."

I am serious when I repeat this: I really, really do wish I were making it up. =[

In conclusion, I do not want to criticize the article for talking about patriotism; I am simply disappointed that a subject which can be written about nobly by one with decent writing skill was mangled by someone who writes rather mediocre.

Although I admit needing to get this off my chest (it was really bugging me), thank you for reading, and please feel free to discuss.

The newspaper's faculty adviser should have looked that over. The grammatical errors and vague rambling are embarrassing.

I know that America is the greatest place to live in the world.

Hilarious. I really did laugh out loud.

Anyway, Ms. Patriot/Ignoramus should take a remedial English class. The low standard of her written language is appalling.

Where do you live were high school aged students have such positive views of the United States?

First of all Aisho, welcome to NS General. I hope you stick around.

This article, ignoring all of the nauseating notions of patriotism, freedom, Mom and Apple Pie espoused, is amateur in the extreme. I can only imagine that whoever wrote this has some upper-floor connections, or something, because if she got to write this in a high school paper on merit, it is a sad day for American amateur journalistic standards.

"Patriotism means a lot to me. It means being free..."

What? That makes no sense. Patriotism, as I understand is an inherently irrational dedication to, and pride in, the country you are born and raised within. Not some entitlement to be "free".

I think if you replaced every instance of patriotism with "freedom" or similiar, the article would be more coherent.

Not that it still wouldn't be absolutely tawdry.

Oh, and of course it ends with yet another fallacious "Support our Troops" statement. Ugh...

Iceland is said to have the best quality of life...

Iceland is said to have the best quality of life...

You with your truths! It's not what her ilk like. They like truthiness.

You with your truths! It's not what her ilk like. They like truthiness.

Yeah. Democracy of information. Whatever we can get the most people (and by people, I mean "white upper class Christian Americans") to believe, that's what's true!

could someone please explain to me how you can take advantage of paitriotism?

could someone please explain to me how you can take advantage of paitriotism?

It only takes a few beers. Patriotism doesn't hold her alcohol well...

could someone please explain to me how you can take advantage of paitriotism?

You could unite your people against a non-existent threat to make them support your secret agenda.

Iceland is said to have the best quality of life...

I hear that too. On the other hand, it's a country the size of a small town - they probably ought to have their act together. :p

Are you certain this was written by a high school student? Throw in the word "nucular", and it would look like something Shrub would write. I honestly couldn't decide which was worse: the blind unquestioning jingoism, the lack of knowledge about history, political science, and geography, or the appalling grammar.

Wow, that sounds uncannily like the sort of frighteningly illiterate tripe that gets published in the local public high school's newspaper (which they keep sending to me for no good reason). I tend to think of it solely as a reminder that I am really, really glad I got a scholarship to a private high school where any member of the newspaper staff who wrote something that terrible would have been mocked mercilessly. :p

Terrible things happen near the deadline, when there isn't enough copy for the school paper.

She should have just copy-and-pasted something from the 'net.

I hear that too. On the other hand, it's a country the size of a small town - they probably ought to have their act together. :p

Actually, Iceland would make a decent-sized city. It has slightly more people than Pittsburgh.

You could unite your people against a non-existent threat to make them support your secret agenda.

Hah! Like that would ever happen. :rolleyes:

Terrible things happen near the deadline, when there isn't enough copy for the school paper.

She should have just copy-and-pasted something from the 'net.

I think a spontaneous "art feature" (random but at least interesting photograph snapped outside that afternoon) would be the less embarrassing option. That and a sudden interest in creative (sprawling?) layout designs.

Of course, it's more likely the spontaneous art feature itself would just be some image stolen from the net. :rolleyes:

Iceland is said to have the best quality of life...

...according to the UN in front of Norway and Australia :cool:

I guess "I know that America is the twelfth greatest place to live in the world" doesn't quite have the same ring to it ;)

perhaps the paper/school should pay for her to travel to some other places in the world. yes there are places which are undoubtedly lacking in freedoms (not to be confused with 'patriotism' :rolleyes: ), but there are many places in the world which may open her eyes and make her realise its little more than blind nationalism she is spewing.

It's written badly - but then, it's written by a high school student... Do we know how old Ms. Patriot is?

I don't even want to talk about the sentiments, they scare the hell out of me.

BA few pictures with captions were included, one caption including the word "Heliocopter" and another one, a picture of the USMC Memorial Statue (based on the Iwo Jima picture), captioned with "Hirojiama Memorial."
Zomg. ><


Edit to the OP: Why don't you write a letter to the editor? Seems worthwhile. And sorta necessary, really.

The newspaper's faculty adviser should have looked that over. The grammatical errors and vague rambling are embarrassing.

Absolutely. The journalism teacher should be flogged.

Where do you live were high school aged students have such positive views of the United States?

Uh...it's not that uncommon. Come to where I live (North Dakota), and you'll see a wide swath of unquestioning patriots, many well-educated and most without an antagonistic bone in their bodies. It's when they start trying to express themselves that the less educated ones begin to show that all they really know is what they'd been told as kids. It isn't insidious in and of itself, and can be a nice change of pace from an all-consuming cynicism, but when they gets together in mob-like conditions and begin demanding the same blind obedience of others, they begin to get on my nerves.

The true rarity is the thinking patriot. Lewis Black comes to mind ("of COURSE I love my country: where else could I get to come up on stage and say all this shit?").

could someone please explain to me how you can take advantage of patriotism?

Are you kidding? Have you not been watching the Bush administration since September of 2001? That's textbook Julius Caesar or Hermann Goering (http://www.snopes.com/quotes/goering.asp).

Why don't you write a letter to the editor? Seems worthwhile. And sorta necessary, really.

SECONDED. Hell, let's compose a mosaic letter to the editor in this thread and send it.

It's written badly - but then, it's written by a high school student... Do we know how old Ms. Patriot is?

I don't even want to talk about the sentiments, they scare the hell out of me.

Edit to the OP: Why don't you write a letter to the editor? Seems worthwhile. And sorta necessary, really.

Agreed this girl could only be 14 years old and has been told to write up something about freedom and patriotism. This is after all only a school newspaper does this article really matter in regards to poor spelling or what it is saying

As for her poor spelling, grammer and her lack of general knowledge ie Hirojiama Memorial instead of Iwo Jima perhaps we should be questioning the school and the education system rather than attack the girl after all she may think that her spelling and grammer is correct

If there's one thing that ticks me off, it's people saying their country is great for no apparent reason.

What makes the UK so great?
It gained the largest empire ever to exist.

What makes Norway so great?
It's the most peaceful country in the world.

What makes China so great?
It's the most populous country in the world.

What makes the US so great?
Uh...it's rich?

Seriously, being rich is the only argument blind patriots have. And it's not a good one. It doesn't matter how much you have, it's how you spend it.

Don't get me wrong, America's great. It stopped the Cold War turning into a Nuclear War. But what annoys me is when people say "AMERICAS AWSUM LAWL" and leave it at that.

If there's one thing that ticks me off, it's people saying their country is great for no apparent reason.

What makes the UK so great?
It gained the largest empire ever to exist.

What makes Norway so great?
It's the most peaceful country in the world.

What makes China so great?
It's the most populous country in the world.

What makes the US so great?
Uh...it's rich?

Seriously, being rich is the only argument blind patriots have. And it's not a good one. It doesn't matter how much you have, it's how you spend it.

Don't get me wrong, America's great. It stopped the Cold War turning into a Nuclear War. But what annoys me is when people say "AMERICAS AWSUM LAWL" and leave it at that.


I dunno if having a massive Empire, and killing millions to get it, stealing resources to put less economically developed countries in the situation they are in today is something to be proud of, really.

A good country would be one that provides health care to all its citizens, free of charge, and education for all....Oh wait, yeah, include the UK back on the list.

I dunno if having a massive Empire, and killing millions to get it, stealing resources to put less economically developed countries in the situation they are in today is something to be proud of, really.

A good country would be one that provides health care to all its citizens, free of charge, and education for all....Oh wait, yeah, include the UK back on the list.

Yet so many leave it to live in Spain, France, Greece, Ireland and the United States...

Yet so many leave it to live in Spain, France, Greece, Ireland and the United States...

And yet so many come to claim it for themselves.

Yeah. Democracy of information. Whatever we can get the most people (and by people, I mean "white upper class Christian Americans") to believe, that's what's true!

I'm waiting for the clarion call for this girl to be sent to a political re-education camp. It's quite stunning the visceral hatred her article is bringing to the fore. Personally, I find her article a bit silly. However, her grammatical errors are no worse that those which grace some of the comments in these pages.

On the subject of Iwo Jima, that itself is the incorrect name for the island. It is actually called "Iōtō". The term "Iwo Jima" was used in error and has recently been corrected by the Japanese Government. However, I won't be indulging in a rant against contributors because of their lack of awareness on that matter.

As for the comment I've quoted, perhaps the author of that should examine their own views with a degree of objectivity.

I know that America is the greatest place to live in the world.


Anyone else get the impression she has never left the USA?

Although I have to say the US has at least one thing right, the right to extradite people from other countries with little or no evidence of for an alleged crime not committed on US soil ,and the right to force people to live without means in a foreign country until bankruptcy forces them to plea bargain. I'm sure it would make MS patriot so proud.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/5182296.stm

[sorry about the hijack - but I thought it would make a change from the usual "Europe has free healthcare therefore is better then the USA ]

And yet so many come to claim it for themselves.

Usually from the former colonies. A form of Stockholm syndrome perhaps that would be a worthwhile topic for research.:)

Usually from the former colonies. A form of Stockholm syndrome perhaps that would be a worthwhile topic for research.:)

Poland wasn't a former colony. Most immigrants are from Eastern Europe, nowadays. Maybe if you researched it 50 years ago, when more Indians and Pakistanis came along it could've worked.

(Personally, I think it was more because, y'know, world war 2 had just finished, and England needed jobs.)

It's always bemused me, what makes the US so "free", in comparison to oter countries?
It seems to me the word just gets bandied about a lot.

Agreed this girl could only be 14 years old and has been told to write up something about freedom and patriotism. This is after all only a school newspaper does this article really matter in regards to poor spelling or what it is saying

As for her poor spelling, grammer and her lack of general knowledge ie Hirojiama Memorial instead of Iwo Jima perhaps we should be questioning the school and the education system rather than attack the girl after all she may think that her spelling and grammer is correct

Well, it is an opinion piece. We can say we believe her opinion is crap, but she has a right to express whatever idiocy she wants.

Yes, the grammar and spelling are important, although local newspapers don't seem to think so anymore. It's an embarassment, and it reflects, as others have said, on the education that she has gotten thus far, on her school and education system, and whatever adult advisor was supposed to be checking this over before giving it the go-ahead.

However, her grammatical errors are no worse that those which grace some of the comments in these pages.

The difference being, of course, that if one is taking journalism, it argues slightly in favor of taking it for a reason -- perhaps being a journalist?

One who is trying to sway others with their words would do well to do it in the accepted, standardized way instead of coming off as ill-educated and not very literate.

When we all are writing for a newspaper, then I will be more than happy to scold my fellow forumites for their grammatical faux pas.

Well, it is an opinion piece. We can say we believe her opinion is crap, but she has a right to express whatever idiocy she wants.

Yes, the grammar and spelling are important, although local newspapers don't seem to think so anymore. It's an embarassment, and it reflects, as others have said, on the education that she has gotten thus far, on her school and education system, and whatever adult advisor was supposed to be checking this over before giving it the go-ahead.



The difference being, of course, that if one is taking journalism, it argues slightly in favor of taking it for a reason -- perhaps being a journalist?

One who is trying to sway others with their words would do well to do it in the accepted, standardized way instead of coming off as ill-educated and not very literate.

When we all are writing for a newspaper, then I will be more than happy to scold my fellow forumites for their grammatical faux pas.

Please No!, not our free-form grammar! You would be killing our art!:p

It's a conditional sentence there, Jim... I don't foresee us all writing for an NS General newspaper.

And before anyone asks: No, I am not interested in getting involved in starting one. Scram.

I love how many spelling and grammatical errors there are in this thread. :p

It's a conditional sentence there, Jim... I don't foresee us all writing for an NS General newspaper.


I can see it now. Big bold headlines screaming the newest brawl in NSG.


Creationists Clash with science minded!
"Science is a sham" - generic Creationist

Earlier today, creationists entered into yet another conflict with the scientifically minded portions of NSG, creating yet another heated battleground where hot words, and the constant chatter of rhetoric crossed the battle lines.

Local forumites said at least 60 creationists launched the raid on NSG shortly after the server downtime.

"It was utter madness" Il Ruffino claimed, visibly shaken as he wiped the acid laden insults from his face. "Absolute madness. We were having the usual arguments today when a really big gathering of creationists popped out of nowhere. There wasn't any warning. They just showed up, and before you know it, a whole barrage of cherry picked facts were inbound. We barely had time to put up our logic barricades before they hit."

Known creationist and longtime troll F&G defended the actions of the creationists. "It is gods will" he claimed "NSG has long been a coven of astray souls that must be saved against this willful perversion of the truthiness of god and his unprovable existence and powers. These devil worshiping science types must see the error of their ways, or burn forever in the hellfires of damnation."

The conflict came to an abrupt end when the mods arrived, spraying official warnings and two day forced vacations at the more vicious combatants.

"We don't tolerate this sort of nonsense here on NSG. We're here to establish a working forum based on the laws of Max Barry himself, and that means keeping the peace." One mod said on the condition of anonymity. "Even if it means using our stockpile of Ban Missiles on the more recalcitrant ones."

Mirroring the decisive end to the conflict, various others across the board, particularly the heated war between capitalists and communists, cooled somewhat.

Resident clown and famed mudball player Lunatic Goofballs shrugged off the calm and the conflict. "It'll pick up soon again" he said before flinging a pie at a random passerby "they always do. That's why I've been building my mud catapult."

"Who can argue when faced with the firepower of this fully armed and operational mud slinger?" he claimed before being beset by angry, pastry covered passerby.



:p

It's a conditional sentence there, Jim... I don't foresee us all writing for an NS General newspaper.

I know, I just couldn't resist the joke.:D

And before anyone asks: No, I am not interested in getting involved in starting one. Scram.


NSG is where I get all my news anyway, so why not have an NSG newspaper? I'm with you on not wanting to get involved with one, but maybe someone else would want to start one?

I'm with you on not wanting to get involved with one, but maybe someone else would want to start one?

Better them than me! :-D

I can see it now. Big bold headlines screaming the newest brawl in NSG.




:p

*wild applause*

BRAVO!

we dont need an nsg newspaper but if we did, you should be chief reporter!

I can see it now. Big bold headlines screaming the newest brawl in NSG.




:p
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l192/whereyouthinkyougoing/Smilies/happy081.gif

I'm pretty sure I've seen stuff just as poorly written produced by columnists for major daily newspapers.

I know that America is the greatest place to live in the world.

Hilarious. I really did laugh out loud.


I was merely appalled.


I can't imagine living any other place. Once you have freedom it's hard to give it up.

Does she seriously believe that, if she moved to Canada, or the UK, or Iceland, or Botswana, or anywhere but the US, she would have to "give up" her "freedom"?

What the hell are they teaching kids in US schools?

I was merely appalled.

Does she seriously believe that, if she moved to Canada, or the UK, or Iceland, or Botswana, or anywhere but the US, she would have to "give up" her "freedom"?

What the hell are they teaching kids in US schools?

That the US is more free than any other country, every other country is some sort of psychotic dictatorship while the US alone is sane and goes around bombing other countries to make them free and democratic. :rolleyes:

You guys would hate to see my civics textbook.

That the US is more free than any other country, every other country is some sort of psychotic dictatorship while the US alone is sane and goes around bombing other countries to make them free and democratic. :rolleyes:

You guys would hate to see my civics textbook.
o_O

I guess we would...

Where do you live were high school aged students have such positive views of the United States?


Kentucky. *sigh* I can assure you though, Kentuckian intellectuals (a mysterious minority) do exist.

Terrible things happen near the deadline, when there isn't enough copy for the school paper.

Actually, I don't even recall when the paper was last distributed, it was so long ago. Surely that's not a very stressful deadline? But probably so, seeing as the paper was RIFE with typos; aside from Ms. Patriot's, of course.

It's written badly - but then, it's written by a high school student... Do we know how old Ms. Patriot is?
Agreed this girl could only be 14 years old and has been told to write up something about freedom and patriotism. This is after all only a school newspaper does this article really matter in regards to poor spelling or what it is saying

As for her poor spelling, grammer and her lack of general knowledge ie Hirojiama Memorial instead of Iwo Jima perhaps we should be questioning the school and the education system rather than attack the girl after all she may think that her spelling and grammer is correct

14. *laughs for several minutes* She's in my graduating class, A JUNIOR, and probably about 16 or 17. But I'm banking on 17. (P.S. She is one of those pretty, blonde, popular types. Therein we find how she can get away with this atrocity.)

As for the school system, yes, we do suck; the curriculum is bare-bones in the regular classes (not so in the Advanced Placement, and Honors classes), and seems to be sliced away at every year (In my regular algebra II class: "No, we don't need to learn about chapters 7-12 this year, let's start going over sine, cosine, and tangent, ignoring secant, cosecant and cotangent."). But most of the teachers I've run into are competent. The students on the other hand... not so much.

(On an additional note, I don't suck at math, its just I wasn't promoted to the Honors math track back in middle school, due to my lack of work ethic.)

On the subject of Iwo Jima, that itself is the incorrect name for the island. It is actually called "Iōtō". The term "Iwo Jima" was used in error and has recently been corrected by the Japanese Government. However, I won't be indulging in a rant against contributors because of their lack of awareness on that matter.

Actually, I was aware of that. But I figured that most people would be more familiar with 'Iwo Jima', coupled with the fact that the photograph the monument was based on is still named "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima", is why I chose to leave it as such.

we dont need an nsg newspaper but if we did, you should be chief reporter!

Do I get paid in tacos? :p

Do I get paid in tacos? :p

if you got paid for this non existent job you would have your choice between tacos and cookies.

do a really good job and you could have both!

seriously, that was an excellent article.

Do I get paid in tacos? :p

around the holidays you would receive a bonus spork.

I was merely appalled.

I passed being appalled with that country years ago. All I can do now is laugh. And laugh I do.

That the US is more free than any other country, every other country is some sort of psychotic, godless Communist dictatorship while the US alone is sane and goes around bombing other countries to make them free and democratic. :rolleyes:

You guys would hate to see my civics textbook.

Corrected and reposted. Or have they stopped with the anti-Commie propaganda since I was in High School?

(and by people, I mean "white upper class Christian Americans")

That describes all people. Those other things are leftist islamo-facist terrerists out to distroy are freedoms.

Corrected and reposted. Or have they stopped with the anti-Commie propaganda since I was in High School?

"Cahmies? What are Cahmies? Is that like cashmere?"

They just don't mention them. *shrug*

Corrected and reposted. Or have they stopped with the anti-Commie propaganda since I was in High School?

They mention Communism, but it's only vage references to Russia and China. They hardly mention it anymore. *shrug*

They mention Communism, but it's only vage references to Russia and China. They hardly mention it anymore. *shrug*

I guess they found a new boogeyman.:(

So the soldiers fighting RIGHT THIS MOMENT or those who served during Operation Iraqi Freedom, among other more recent conflicts, are not the pertinent veterans? The ones that have kids to raise? And The Mexican War, really? Yeah, we got Texas. Whoop-dee-doo.

Not just Texas, but New Mexico, the greatest state of them all.

This is poorly written. It seems that even a computer spell-check program could fix some of the mistakes, and if not that, then a teacher.
Still, I'd think this article would give you new hope: the faculty obviously never read this before printing it, so if you joined the newspaper...

I guess they found a new boogeyman.:(

Indeed. :(

Who do you think they'll go after next?

Not just Texas, but New Mexico, the greatest state of them all.

This is poorly written. It seems that even a computer spell-check program could fix some of the mistakes, and if not that, then a teacher.
Still, I'd think this article would give you new hope: the faculty obviously never read this before printing it, so if you joined the newspaper...

Yes, it is. Schools aren't teaching English anymore, they're more worried about beating India and China in the math and science fields so English and social studies are in the trash, and on top of teaching us math and not even bothering to actually teach it so we can take our standardized tests, and on top of that they can't decide whether to teach evolution or creationism in science, and in health they are teaching us that sex will make us suicidal crack-whores with gonorhea and a bazillion HIV-infested kids...

So the only social studies "education" we receive is "The USA is the best country ever, this European country allows women to have abortions and allows gays to marry and they have a much better voting turnout rate, but they're still a psychotic dictatorship compared to the USA, which doesn't allow women the right to their own bodies, doesn't care if gays get beaten to death beause they are gay, and is run by a bunch of uber-conservative scumbags who cheat all the elections and spies on everyone to protect us all from terrorists."

:headbang:

Yes, it is. Schools aren't teaching English anymore, they're more worried about beating India and China in the math and science fields so English and social studies are in the trash, and on top of teaching us math and not even bothering to actually teach it so we can take our standardized tests, and on top of that they can't decide whether to teach evolution or creationism in science, and in health they are teaching us that sex will make us suicidal crack-whores with gonorhea and a bazillion HIV-infested kids...

So the only social studies "education" we receive is "The USA is the best country ever, this European country allows women to have abortions and allows gays to marry and they have a much better voting turnout rate, but they're still a psychotic dictatorship compared to the USA, which doesn't allow women the right to their own bodies, doesn't care if gays get beaten to death beause they are gay, and is run by a bunch of uber-conservative scumbags who cheat all the elections and spies on everyone to protect us all from terrorists."

:headbang:

That used far too many big words to be an accurate description. I believe it truly went something like:

*Teacher plays SHR video on the Preamble*

That used far too many big words to be an accurate description. I believe it truly went something like:

*Teacher plays SHR video on the Preamble*

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q_TXJRZ4CFc

Ms. Patriot cannot be described as being articulate. They SHOULDN'T be taken advantage of? Perhaps 'not be abused' would've got her meaning across better.

I THINK she meant they shouldn't be "taken for granted".

Still, I'd think this article would give you new hope: the faculty obviously never read this before printing it, so if you joined the newspaper...

What do you mean? That I suck that much?

That's not very nice.

I am loving the American exceptionalism in that article, I am beginning to think that kind of thinking is more the result of ignorance than anything else.

Patriotism is something that makes a person who they are. Without it, we couldn't express ourselves and be individuals

Lol. Now, I agree that it may be something that makes a person who they are (not for me though, never!), but... Patriotism is pretty much adverse to individualism and expressing your own opinions.

In this day and age, war is a reality

Since the dawn of time!

No meaning to offend, but is this a symptom of the US never actually having felt the feel brunt of a war?

So yes, this is something I, as an editor, would have left out for being, as you put it, far too mediocre. Course, re-write it to something more literary and it'd be fine.

You guys would hate to see my civics textbook.


Scan it! Scan it!

Patriotism has nothing to do with freedom. Who ever that girl is, tell her to not study Journalism in college.

Also: *humps Non Aligned States*

That kind of made me want to cry. How humiliating. I understand she's learning HOW to write in the class, but someone needed to spellcheck and fact-check here. The mislabeled pictures are borderline offensive.

Scan it! Scan it!


Hear hear!

I'm sure we could suggest some corrections. You can do that in a textbook, can't you?

Bleargh!
(insert an "I'm going to be sick" icon here)

That looks like she copied her grade three essay on "Why America Is The Greatest Country In The World" (America of course being an absolutely accurate name for the USA and not referring to the continent as a whole).
I'm glad I'm not from/in the US... if I went to school and they gave me an essay like that my title would simply read: It's not.
In fact, the very idea of any country's education system asking it's kids to write an essay on why "such and such is the best in the world" is not only done in ignorance, but is biased and completely against freedom of speech. Indeed at a young age it is pure brainwashing.

Not even mentioning her language skills, but how un-journalistic is that?
As a journalist you are supposed to give out facts, then represent BOTH sides of an issue, generally by interview with involved parties.
This is just pure mush.

No meaning to offend, but is this a symptom of the US never actually having felt the feel brunt of a war?


In general, excepting the armed services, the American populace is something that has never felt the realities of war beyond something you see on TV. They have never felt the fear of air raid sirens, never knowing when the next falling bomb or bullet may hit them. Nor have they felt the privation or ruin that total war brings on nations under war.

Yes, some Americans have gone through loss and disaster, but nowhere near as devastating as an actual war. You may have support and shelter having survived a disaster, but such are few and far in between during an actual war.

The hysteria and ease of which American politicians throw around the term war, and the willful acceptance of the populace of that meaning, show how far removed they are from the realities of real war.

Also: *humps Non Aligned States*

*sporks Ruffy with holiday spork* :p

Why does your school let people who are about as smart as a box of hair write the school newspaper?

Why does your school let people who are about as smart as a box of hair write the school newspaper?

how smart is a box of hair?

*waits for punchline*

Bleargh!
(insert an "I'm going to be sick" icon here)

That looks like she copied her grade three essay on "Why America Is The Greatest Country In The World" (America of course being an absolutely accurate name for the USA and not referring to the continent as a whole).
I'm glad I'm not from/in the US... if I went to school and they gave me an essay like that my title would simply read: It's not.
In fact, the very idea of any country's education system asking it's kids to write an essay on why "such and such is the best in the world" is not only done in ignorance, but is biased and completely against freedom of speech. Indeed at a young age it is pure brainwashing.

Not even mentioning her language skills, but how un-journalistic is that?
As a journalist you are supposed to give out facts, then represent BOTH sides of an issue, generally by interview with involved parties.
This is just pure mush.

There is no continent named simply "America." There is "North America," and "South America," which together comprise "The Americas" (plural, yes).

Also, that wasn't a required essay. It was a dumbass column in the school newspaper.

There is no continent named simply "America." There is "North America," and "South America," which together comprise "The Americas" (plural, yes).
There is a country called America, just like Mexico is called Mexico.

Also, that wasn't a required essay. It was a dumbass column in the school newspaper.

Was it an opinion piece?

There is a country called America, just like Mexico is called Mexico.



Was it an opinion piece?

Yes, that is what I was implying. I'm sick of the "America is the whole continent" bullshit. It's not, there's no such continent. It's a country.

It probably was an opinion piece, but it was still atrocious.

Yes, that is what I was implying. I'm sick of the "America is the whole continent" bullshit. It's not, there's no such continent. It's a country.
never heard that particular brand of bullshit sorry.

It probably was an opinion piece, but it was still atrocious.

agreed.

never heard that particular brand of bullshit sorry.



agreed.

That's surprising, given your time on NSG.

That's surprising, given your time on NSG.

I have heard people bitch me out for calling myself American you know because I am from America the country, but never really anyone trying to say the whole continent was America......at least I don't remember that.

I have heard people bitch me out for calling myself American you know because I am from America the country, but never really anyone trying to say the whole continent was America......at least I don't remember that.

That seems to be the argument behind the "you can't call yourself American, you're USian" crap.

That seems to be the argument behind the "you can't call yourself American, you're USian" crap.

oh, those people. :p

Yes, it is. Schools aren't teaching English anymore, they're more worried about beating India and China in the math and science fields so English and social studies are in the trash, and on top of teaching us math and not even bothering to actually teach it so we can take our standardized tests, and on top of that they can't decide whether to teach evolution or creationism in science, and in health they are teaching us that sex will make us suicidal crack-whores with gonorhea and a bazillion HIV-infested kids...

So the only social studies "education" we receive is "The USA is the best country ever, this European country allows women to have abortions and allows gays to marry and they have a much better voting turnout rate, but they're still a psychotic dictatorship compared to the USA, which doesn't allow women the right to their own bodies, doesn't care if gays get beaten to death beause they are gay, and is run by a bunch of uber-conservative scumbags who cheat all the elections and spies on everyone to protect us all from terrorists."

:headbang:

In YOUR SCHOOL. New York doesn't suffer from institutionalized ignorance as much, thank you very much. But then, most of this crap seems to flow from the middle and southern parts of the U.S., sorry to say.

In YOUR SCHOOL. New York doesn't suffer from institutionalized ignorance as much, thank you very much. But then, most of this crap seems to flow from the middle and southern parts of the U.S., sorry to say.

It's spotty everywhere, Kat. True, the holes seem to be much larger in the Midwest, Plains and South/Southeast, but I can find you districts in any state where either poor funding or prevailing school board attitudes engender some pretty outlandish curricula and/or unconscionable additions/omissions.

Hence the "as much" qualification in my post.

Honestly, students in NY State cannot graduate unless they pass comprehensive exams in English, Maths, Sciences (real ones), Histories, Foreign Languages and the like. You can see examples of such required exams here:

http://www.nysedregents.org/testing/hsregents.html

Yes, that is what I was implying. I'm sick of the "America is the whole continent" bullshit. It's not, there's no such continent. It's a country.

It probably was an opinion piece, but it was still atrocious.
Actually, it's just as bullshit as claiming that there's two Americas. The differentiation between North and South America as seperate continents isn't universally accepted.

There is no continent named simply "America." There is "North America," and "South America," which together comprise "The Americas" (plural, yes).

Also, that wasn't a required essay. It was a dumbass column in the school newspaper.

What I was saying is that it looks like she just copied it from an essay she did in grade school on "How Great Is This Country"
Which makes it doubly awful, as an article certainly shouldn't read like an essay.

Thank you for the geography lesson.
My intended meaning was that "America" isn't the name of the country, but rather part of the name, and that "America"(s) refers to the greater continental area. Which, if you're trying to be educational and correct means that when talking about the country you should use "United States of America" and "North America" for the continent itself. In actuality no one does, but they should.
(Just a Note: Here when we talk about both North and South America we refer to them as "America" no plural, sorta like Europe isn't called Europes, and Asia isn't Asias... we also refer to the sea where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans where they meet as simply "the ocean" or "the sea" not distinguishing them as separate; of course this can be quite confusing when someone decides that they are not going to say "US" or "the States" but "America", hypocritically "Americans" refer to people from the USA and only USA)

There is a country called America, just like Mexico is called Mexico.


You mean, of course, just like the United States of Mexico is called Mexico, right? :p

You mean, of course, just like the United States of Mexico is called Mexico, right? :p

United Mexican States, actually. Slight difference.

I'd just like to say that after 9/11 - are we not all Americans? You're all beautiful, free Americans. Every one of you. In your hearts.

As a US American, I personally believe that everything she said is very true... And that in some countries they can't afford freedom or the rights to the patriotism... And that's why we must win the Iraqistan war at all costs.

There is no continent named simply "America." There is "North America," and "South America," which together comprise "The Americas" (plural, yes).

Depends which school system you come from. In England I was taught that America = 1 continent. In Canada I was told North and South (the younger years I was taught that there were 3 Americas North/South/Central. But that was only one teacher and I have heard that division since).

Agreed this girl could only be 14 years old and has been told to write up something about freedom and patriotism. This is after all only a school newspaper does this article really matter in regards to poor spelling or what it is saying

As for her poor spelling, grammer and her lack of general knowledge ie Hirojiama Memorial instead of Iwo Jima perhaps we should be questioning the school and the education system rather than attack the girl after all she may think that her spelling and grammer is correct
Thats why you spend the time to check things over and do some RESEARCH. Maybe it would not have been of the highest quality but she could have easily eliminated many grammar and spelling errors with some time, effort, and or access to a computer. Same with her made up words like Hirojiama, 5 seconds on google would be enough to tell you that it does not exist.

I can excuse lack of knowledge but laziness is another story

That seems to be the argument behind the "you can't call yourself American, you're USian" crap.

Which is ridiculous, I think. Their whole argument is that everyone from the twin continents are Americans, right?

So why should we stop calling ourselves Americans? Unless they're saying we don't live on one of the two American continents, they've just told us we can go ahead and call ourselves Americans anyway. The only caveat would be that we call those from other American countries Americans as well.

Which is ridiculous, I think. Their whole argument is that everyone from the twin continents are Americans, right?

So why should we stop calling ourselves Americans? Unless they're saying we don't live on one of the two American continents, they've just told us we can go ahead and call ourselves Americans anyway. The only caveat would be that we call those from other American countries Americans as well.

^this.