Shy Claire

Claire loitered down the crowded hallway on this first day of school. She peeked quickly to her left, and then to her right. Then, she strolled out and adhered to the throng of students. Was anyone scrutinizing her? Although she desired to scan around, she kept focusing straight ahead. However, it seemed that none of her classmates noticed her as they sprinted to their classes.

 

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Just Because

Just because we are Latinos,
doesn't mean we are Mexicans.

Just because we come from Honduras,

doesn't mean we live on trees,

doesn't mean we don't have television,

 doesn't mean we are not advanced.

Just because we come from a different culture,

doesn't mean you can bug us,

doesn't mean we are different from you.

http://tecnologia.hondublogs.com/files/2009/07/cara_con_bandera_de_honduras_ii.jpg

It is Always Sunny

Once upon a time, there was a society in which the sun always shined, the people were always happy and life there was perfect. But one day, the sun stopped shining and the people were not sure of what was happening. They went to ask the leader of their society, an outstanding old man, which had the power to foresee everything. This old man, was so old that he almost never left his house. He was not able to walk without a support and was having a rather simple life. People almost never came to him, since the society was full of joy and happiness. One of another curious person would dare to enter the old man’s house and get to know what the future was preparing that person. The old man had lived a nice life, being the center of attention when he discovered his amazing power. But this event, the sun disappearing from the sky, was never seen before, not even by the old wise man. The event made the people go crazy with questions and everyone was extremely worried. With so many questions, the old man could not perform as well as he could do. He was so used that he did not even have time to foresee what did the dark skies actually meant. As time passed the skies were getting darker and more and more people were getting frustrated. As more people worried and more people went to ask the old man, the sky became darker. No one was sure what could that be o mean. Not even the old man had a clue and he was so exhausted that his predictions became inaccurate. He was the only hope of this society that was lost without him. One day, the old man decided to take action. Since he rarely left the house, everyone went to look for him there. Before anyone would get to his house, he left to the outsides of the society and started to think and meditate. He foresaw what would become of the society. But his visions were not clear; he did not know whether they would be alright or not. What he did realize was that somehow the sun would come back to shine again and that there was some way that the people in the society could make the sun come back. The old man returned to his house with some hope. He started to use his wisdom to get to the bottom of this mystery. He realized that the sky got darker when more people were anxiously awaiting a response from his visions. He tried to believe that the sky had something to do with the people. So the old man called a meeting with all the people that could go in his house. He made them believe that the sky would clear in five days that they should not worry anymore. This made the entire society return with tranquility to their homes. Days passed, and the sky was starting to get clearer. The amazement was noticeable in the people. They did not know how the old man predicted such thing. In the fifth day, the sun had finally risen in the sky. The old man gathered the people to tell them that he did not predict anything. He told them that the sky was how it was because of how the people felt. The sky was clear and sunny if the people were happy and joyful. The people in the society lived happy for the rest of their lives and the sky never again turned dark. 

Leader

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/5709020-lg.jpg
Society

http://www.labonnefamille.fr/content/pics/divers/village.jpg

Stranger in Town

One October evening the word was travelling that a criminal was in town. I first believed there was nothing to worry about, that this criminal was going to pass along and that he would not bother anyone in the town of D. I returned from work and saw most of the houses locked already. I thought these people were too paranoiac and that this stranger was not going to hurt anyone. When I got home to my wife and kids, they were already expecting to close down the house as I got there. I told them there was nothing to worry about, that this person was not to be feared since we knew the police and we were actually safe. At dinner time, my wife had prepared a delicious soup and we were enjoying it with the cold weather outside. As we were cherishing family time I heard a knock on the door. My body went stiff for a moment. As I realized that only one person was the one behind the door my skin went pale. My reaction was not compared to those of my wife and kids. My wife ran to get our rifle and our children went to their bedrooms. As scared as I was, I directed my pale body to the door. My wife was behind me armed with the rifle. I opened the door and a dark figure was in front of me. I was petrified and he was the one who spoke. He told me if I could give him some food, something to warm himself. I could not even say one word, but he kept standing there. I told him he was the man, the man that the major warned us about. He told me he was Jean Valjean, former convict and he was looking to harm no one. I did not believe one word he said. I did not trust this guy and would not let him get even close to my dear family. But I believed if I told him this, he could even murder me and then go after my family. I feared the worst but he was calmly waiting for an answer.  I told him I did not have enough to feed him, that my family was a large one. I expected that my lie would make him leave without reacting violently towards me. Then he replied that he would eat anything we had. He only wished for food, he did not want to disturb anyone. But it was extremely idiotic to trust a convict so I abruptly told him to leave if he wanted to live. He pleaded for food and I was stunned at my declaration. Anyways I stood still and firm, waiting for him to leave. He backed down and started turning to the way he came from. My wife was as shocked as I was and we waited a long while just staring into the blackness. I locked every way to enter our house and could not have a minute of sleep during the night. This guy was dangerous and I stood to him as if I was invincible.

Man who encountered traveller:

http://www.driftingfocus.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/4009782819_c686d40c43_b.jpg

Traveller:

http://photos.bravenet.com/272/478/925/3/4A46814B1F.jpg

Prayers at the Congress

This letter is written by John to Abigail. John is telling Abigail that the congress would start off with a prayer as suggested by Samuel Adams. Mr. Duché was asked to say the prayer and he agreed. The next day he read the 35^th psalm and made a prayer after. John said he had never heard such moving thing and that it moved everyone in the congress. He asked Abigail to read through the psalm and to read it to her friends and people nearby.

Rhetorical devices found in the letter:

Appeal To Reason: “It was opposed by Mr. Jay of N York  and Mr. Rutledge of south Carolina, because we were so divided into religious Sentiments, some Episcopalians, some Quakers, some Anabaptists, some Presbyterians, and some Congregationalists so that we could not join in the same act of Worship” (John Adams 677).

This quote refers to Mr. Jay trying to stop the prayer because people had different beliefs and they would probably feel offended or would not like the start of the congress.

Persuasion: “I must beg you to read that psalm. If there was any Faith in the sortes Virgilianæ, or sortes Homericæ, or especially the Sortes biblicæ, it would be thought providential” (John Adams 678).

This quote is about John trying to persuade Abigail to read the psalm because he really believes it was an amazing psalm and that it will bring only good thigns and peace to the mind of her wife.  

http://www.micah6vs8.com/First_Prayer_in_Congress_Wallbuilders.jpg

Refuting Patrick Henry

Mr. President: I believe the ideas of Patrick Henry are not thought clearly and will lead the colonist to death. Patrick Henry talks about revolution, about how the British have plundered the colonists and that they must rise and eradicate that control. Henry has the wrong idea about the British. He believes they are only looking to make the colonists suffer under their reign. I am here to tell you what would happen if you followed Patrick Henry’s ideas. Mr. Henry attacks viciously some things that the British had done with only good intentions. He will try to get you into thinking that these European men are brutal savages and will only want harm. In his speech, he demanded that the colonists should not search for a treaty or to make peace, he instead almost obliged them to go and stand in the war front as animals, which I truly know you are not. I offer you a suggestion, which I know you will like better than the one proposed by Mr. Henry. As you may know, Great Britain is a state with probably triple the population you have here at the colonies. This means that if you engage in warfare, the King will send forth all of his power because he will not take the risk to lose land. He will bring the world’s most powerful navy and army to attack the modest colonies. As you hear this, you are just thinking in death, as well as I do. He also states that peace does not exist now and that no matter who you are you must not cry for peace. How come a so called gentleman says this? No man in his sane judgments may make a cry for war knowing that all odds are against him. Why would you release yourself from British connections? British were the ones who first came here, so you are as British as they are. It seems a little stupid to call for a battle against the country from where your grandparents were from. Besides that, British soldiers have provided you with security and help. Remember a few years ago, the war where the colonists and the British attacked the French and made them leave. How could men that fought together years ago, are now about to break into war? Betrayal it seems to me. There are many other ways to solve this conflict with the British. Although I believe you would rather stay the same. In conclusion, I believe the ideas Patrick Henry came to tell you are suicidal and it will lead you to no good at all. I know that if you have lived all this years with the same rules then you may live with some new ones and live in peace. Nobody wants a war, not in Britain neither in the colonies. It is better to live with them and evolve together as a joint community. Both British and colonists can live as neighbors and even friends. As men they could create a better society and someday have power over the entire world. There is no need to be enemies or start a war.

Peaceful Earth

There are millions of people that lose their life or a relative on a war. The world would be more advanced if weapons and armies would be annihilated. Seems to be a herculean task, but with enough people participating anything is possible. Many people would think of this idea as stupid and idiotic but others might as well join the cause. Many pacifists will agree with this idea but even less will move a finger. This minority will someday become a majority. The pacifists who are able and will help this cause will be remembered as heroes. This would be the turn in the world’s history. Each country will remember that minority that changed the entire world. For those heartless people who prefer war or who find it amusing, you will be considered as the villains of the story. Remember that the true history is written by the victor. The defeated side’s truth will never be the truth for future generations. Many people are neutral, but when it comes to seeing people be brutally murdered in a battlefield knowing that he has parents and maybe siblings. He has people who care about him. He has people who will miss him, cry and mourn him for many days. Imagine how harsh it is to lose somebody, to know that someone killed your relative and that that someone is probably still alive and is being honored for his good work. How could someone sleep at night knowing that he caused a family to fall apart, that he took a father from a child, a husband from a wife, or a son from a mother. Besides, it is not for us to decide who dies or who lives, it is God’s decision. We have much less power than God. Any good Christian would not kill another one as cold-hearted as possible. It seems right to be in peace with everybody, and create only good times, not dark ones. A single bullet releases a bunch of troubles; death overcomes a family and resentment. This proposal would finish with these problems and create a better world. The ones who will not follow will be seen as blood-thirsty animals and will be hated by entire masses. The proposal would save every war enforcing country millions and millions that would be used to supply the army. The money would be used to help the needy people. It would give food to the hungry, house to the homeless, work to the unemployed, and in some time a better place to live. The idea should be a new chapter in the history of humankind, this chapter a good one. Civilizations would prosper; third world countries would cancel debts, and technology would flourish even more. These seem good things to accomplish, but the most important of all is that a mother will not have to worry for days and days for her son to come back safe and sound. A wife will not have to worry for her son never playing catch with his daddy. People would not have to worry about early funerals and mourning for their loved ones.

Proposal

http://www.niw-iran.com/images/no_war1.jpg

Audience

http://www.iraqpledge.org/images/peace.jpg