Response #4; Dave Barry & Plagiarism

             I believe that plagiarism can mean different things to different people. For example a teach might see getting ideas from a friend on what to write in your paper or taking a new spin on a popular tile but I think that the thoughts and writings of other people being available on the internet is more beneficial than it is negative. I even looked in the comments of the post about plagiarism to open up to different ideas and opinions. When you are reading someone else's ideas you are taking a step into their mind and thinking process and it can enlighten you on a new way to think or give you a better understanding on an opposite view from your own. As for completely copying someone's thought process and taking credit for yourself, I believe that is unethical but I also think that the consequences for cheating are extreme. If someone chooses to cheat that should be on their own conscience, maybe give the paper an F and move on. For the mark to go on your transcript seems ridiculous to me, I do believe in the statement "A cheater is only cheating themselves" because someone else's actions are none of your concern.

"Today’s students stand at the crossroads of a new way of conceiving texts and the people who create them and who quote them"

This quote just makes the author sound bitter about the development of technology and the ease of the internet.

             As for Dave Barry's article on college, I could connect with the sarcastic and witty tone he used to describe the 'best four years of your life.' The summary's of different classes were actually funny and I could relate to them with just high school classes...

                              "Basically, you learn two kinds of things in college:
                               1. Things you will need to know in later life (two hours).                                2. Things you will not need to know in later life (1,998 hours)."

In the midst of college application week and the stress of senior year the light heartedness of the paper was a nice break to read something about college that doesn't weigh heavy on you or make a giant deal out of choosing a university, but, in a way making fun of the idea of college.

Book Response #3; Sell Out

                             

      

      I recently started a new book called 'Sell Out' by Ebony Joy Wilkens. The book starts out describing Natasha, "a dark skinned and big boned" freshman girl that lived in a majorly white community. Her family tries to shape themselves to the society around them and fit in with the white community by buying the newest Michael Kors purse and enrolling their daughter in ballet. Natasha's grandmother, Tilly, comes to visit and watch Natasha's last ballet recital. Tilly has the idea that African Americans and White people are two completely different species. She believes Natasha shouldn't be in ballet and living in a preppy town that 'didn't have enough jerk chicken.' This led me to the thought that the only real racist so far is Tilly herself. Natasha says "I was different from the other dancers... the girls never cared. They were my friends."

This picture shows segregation protests in the 

50s

      Natasha goes to Harlem with her grandmother and learns more about her self and her history as an African American. The title of the book now makes sense. "Sell Out", which to me means trying to be someone you are not. Tilly wants Natasha to 'act like an African American' instead of the white suburb neighbors she has. Which is like a large scale of segregation and seems to make White and Black people to different categories which I think is a completely stereotypical statement, no matter what color someone is, they should be able to act however they want.

The colored picture shows protest after the Ferguson shooting in 2014

These pictures represent that even after 60 years, there are still problems with the battle of racism. But could it also root from the African Americans themselves?