Six important events in the book so far:

1. Fredrick moves to Baltimore.  This is important because it is his first trip away from his plantation. Pg. 43
2. He begins to learn to read.  This is important because it opens his world to literature.  Pg. 51
3. His mistress beigins to be mean.  This is important because his mistress is starting to warp because of her power over him.  Pg. 52
4. He learns to write.  This is important because now not only could he read but he could communicate with others through his writting.  Pg. 57
5. Captain anthony dies.  Pg. 58
6. He goes to be valued.  Pg. 59

That may seem like an interesting title, but this was an even more interesting article.  It is about how, when human beings are given power, it corrupts them.  For example, Pakistani president, Pervez Musharraf recently locked up all of Pakistan’s top judges and replaced them with his “yes men”.  He used this power to reinstate himself as president.

But what does all this have to do with Es and foreheads?  Well this article explains that people who are in power are less likely to see things from others peoples point of view.  So some scientist conducted an experiment.  You can do it to if you want.  It will only take about thirty seconds.  Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you to be ready.  Ready? Okay, lets go.

First, take a marker and write an E on your forehead.  Ask someone to read it.  If there is no one there you can just look in a mirror.  Now what does it look like, is it backwards? (note in a mirror, what would apear to be backwards to everyone else would be forwards, and vice versa.)  The study showed that people who feel more powerful would be more likely to write it so that it makes sense for them.  People who feel less powerful are more likley to write it so others can see it.

The point: people who are in places of power are more likely to see only their point of view.  Surprising?  I think so!

But all this has to do with something we are doing in class.

We are curently reading a book called Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglas.  We are currently on chapter seven.  In this chapter he explains how his new mistress has turned sour.  At first, when he arrived at her house, she was a beutiful, nice woman, but as the months progressed, she became powerful and, you guessed it, started to see things only her way.

So, are you a backwards E, or a forwards E?  The world needs to know!

I just finished posting my comment for International Blog for Darfur Day.  The comment was the essay I wrote.  You can view it here.  I enjoyed this project because I felt like I was really making a difference.  It felt good.

Remember to leave a comment here to help stop the genocide in Darfur. (You can comment anytime before 12.00am March 8, eastern Standard Time.)

Part of the Job
An essay about what the next president must deal with and what they need to in Darfur.
By Rafi, Mr. Mayo, Pd. 1

As the presidential primaries proceed, all of the candidates are promising to do something about the war, or jump-start the housing market. These things are all well and good and necessary, but what about Darfur? The rebel groups in Darfur recently attacked the capitol of Chad, a neighbor to Sudan. The rebels were unsuccessful in their attack, and were forced to pull out. But they have vowed to attack again. This new conflict has added another layer to an already confusing situation.  Focusing all our power on homeland security and economic issues alone is not enough. We, as the richest and most powerful nation in the world, have a global responsibility. And the next president needs to recognize that and do something about it in Darfur.
All the candidates need to focus on what they will do about Darfur if they are elected. I believe, as a country, we need to take immediate action against the Sudanese government. Whether that means imposing sanctions, or refusing to trade with them, or any of their allies, we need to make it clear that we will not allow a genocide to take place for so long. George Bush has ignoring this pressing issue. So I think that the next president, whether it is Mr. Obama, Mr. McCain, or Ms. Clinton, must take a stand.

The next president needs to work with the UN and the African Union to provide support and troops for peace keeping forces to send into Sudan to protect the victims in Darfur. We need to be careful not to take to much control in the policy of other countries, but as the most powerful nation in the world, we have a global responsibility to do something about a genocide that has lasted much too long.

For this reason, I urge the next president, regardless of party affiliation, to provide peace keeping forces for Darfur. In addition, we need to bestow sanctions and economic pressure on the Sudanese government and China, being Sudan’s biggest customer in the oil market. The candidates have done a good job of indicating what they will do for America, but what about the world? The next president needs to know that is is their responsibility to do something about a genocide that needs to end.

For More Info, visit The Truth About Darfur.