Kate Shindle - Miss America: More Than a Beauty Queen?

This article discusses the many factors of being a beauty queen. Many seem to think that the only thing you have to do to become miss USA is be pretty and look good in a swimsuit. Shindle points out that image is a definite part of obtaining and holding a title, but it is not the only thing that is important. "As Miss America in 1998, I helped raise an estimated $20 million to $30 million for HIV/AIDS organizations worldwide, lobbied legislators for more funding and better health-education programs for those who were infected, and served as a moderator at the 12th World AIDS Conferene in Geneva." Obviously, Shindle did more that just sit there and look pretty. She made a difference by raising money for an issue that effects many people today. What Shindle is concerned about is that Miss America's image does not include that today. She notes that many people think of Miss America as unintelligent, and that the only reason why she is Miss America is because of her image. "Administrators at one highly ranked university canceled an appearance, claiming that Miss America couldn't possibly have anything in common with their students." If I were Shindle, I would be very offended by this statement. Yes, being Miss USA includes looking good. But that is not the entire package. I think what Shindle is trying to get across is that the organization does not represent what it is supposed to represent. It sort of disregaurds the education and intelligence that the woman has, and puts forth the image. Shindle seems ashamed that the organization represents such a shallow image, and she beleives that it has changed since she was Miss USA. I think that if I had held a title and accomplished all of the things Shindle has accomplished, then I would be frustrated in seeing that the organization does not recognize these accomplishments as much as they should. She states that "I will be even prouder when the Miss America Organization defines its mission and lives up to its potential." I think that Shindle really just wants the organization to be recognized as it should be - not superficial, but something that benefits others and includes women who are valued not just for their looks, but for their intelligence and accomplishments as well. Something that proves that "the pagenat is the nation's largest provider of women's scholarships, and encourages thousands of young women to take leadership roles in their communities."

Stephanie Coontz - The Way We Wish We Were

This article discusses the way in which families strive to be. We look back at the families in the olden days and wonder why we cannot be like them. Although families today definitely have their issues, we cannot idealize families from the past. Just because our families are not perfect, it does not mean that other families that we compare ourselves with are. We refer back to the 1950's, wondering how the women balanced tending to their children and home along with keeping their relationship with their husband alive. The image that we interpret from the 50's tells us that the women were able to do just that - they could balance everything and still keep a smile on their face. But our interpretation is incorrect. "The hybrid idea that a woman can be fully absorbed with her youngsters while simultaneously maintaining passionate sexual excitement with her husband was a 1950's invention that drove thousands of women to therapists, tranquilizers, or alcohol when they actually tried to live up to it." Our impression of the 1950's lady was far from correct - as families striving to become better today we look at only the good in families from the past. If you look deeper past the image of the happy-go-lucky family, we see that there are problems such as alcoholism in these families. Those families seem have traits that are similar to our families - traits that are definitely not perfect. Coontz goes on to demonstrate other families from different eras such as the nineteenth century. We thought that they were the ideal family, until we looked further and realized that "there was a significant increase in child labor during the last third of the nineteenth century". Not only did children have to work every day, but they did so in grueling conditions. So when we look past the portrayal of a family that abides by strict rules and seemed to be epitome of a substantial household, we see the flaws that they had. This article taught me that no family is perfect. No matter what era we are in, where we live, or what kind of people we are, a family cannot be absolutely ideal. When I read this article, I compared it to my family. I saw connections between the stories of families and my own family. I realized that even if we are living in a different day and age, we still suffer from the same struggles that any family does. Families will always have obstacles to overcome, and whether or not they depends solely on the changes they make.

David Brooks - One Nation, Slightly Divisible

This article talks about the difference between red and blue America. Blue America refers to the people that live near cities and have a fast paced life. Red America refers to rural areas where life is much more calm than the city. The two are named by colors because of the elections - red refers to republicans and blue refers to democrats. The fact that the Unites States of America has been split into these two types of parties shows that we are not as "united" as we say we are. There are certain states and people in them that believe ideas that clash with people from other states. Although their ideas seperate them, this is what makes America a place that is free. People in America are free to express their own ideas, and believe their own beliefs. Although this freedom brings a negative seperation between people, it is what our nation stands for. People in America appreciate the fact that they can voice their own opinion and be heard. Sure, there might be opposition to their opinion, but that doesn't mean that their argument is not valid. Although our nation is split between our differences in ideas, there are times when we come together no matter what our oppositions are. When our country is in need, the people are able to disregaurd every difference that we have, and work together to provide necessary help. These times include tragedies such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Although the country has its differences in beleifs, we were able to put that aside and work towards what was necessary - recovering from the disaster. Even though the entire nation was effected by these disasters, not everyone was directly effected. People on the East coast were much more effected by 9/11 because their family and friends had a higher risk of being involved in the tragedy. People across America may not have been effected by the attack as much as people on the East coast, but they helped out anyway. This is one example of our nation coming together and disregaurding our differences. I believe that our nation will always have our differences and opposition in opinions, but that does not mean that we will not be there for each other when it is necessary.