Responses to Essays

The true value of life By: Sudie Bond Nolan

When Sudie was 13 she was involved in car acident where a drunk driver left her with chronic pain in her back and neck for the rest of her life. Sudie wrote about how her feelings of anger toward the man started to change when she began to think about how he was away from his family in prison for 25 years. She says that this man taught her a valluable lesson in compassion and forgiveness from the letters he would write her from his jail cell explaing his sorrow and remorse for his actions. Eventually she was able to forgive him and now she feels she is a more compassionate person after the accident.

I could be wrong By: Alan Barger

Alan being a pastor and an evangical christian tried to hide the fact that he was gay from himself for 25 years. He finally relized that hiding the facts from himself was futile and that he couldn't change that he was gay. It was hard for him to come to terms with his homosexuality but eventually he was able to admit that he was in fact a gay man and that uncertinity is part of life, in that you never really know how your going to turn out until it actually happens. I agree with Alan that uncertinty is defiantly a big part of life, i'm glad he was able to admit to himself he was gay and now is living a happy life because of it.

Peace is Possible By: Helena Marie

After 9/11 Helena was invited to a prayer vigil at a mosque on the upper-west side of chicago. During he vigil she was amazed to see people from all different faiths: Jews, Christians and Islamics all praying for the same thing: Global Unity and Peace among the nations. At this point she says that she relized that its is possible for humans to get along and that mankind is in its adolescence and soon we will all get along. I like that fact that all differnet faiths gathereed to pray for the same thing at a mosque after 9/11 but i do not think that humanity is near globbal peace. It is good to hope and pray for peace but in the state the world is in now i cannot see that happening in the near future.

We need a revoloution By: Carl Besse

Carol is outraged with the facts she believes are true: The meltdown of our economy, the detruction of our enviroment and the corruption in our governtment. She believes the time to act is now and a revoloution must occur to "save our planet". I agree with i do think that change is necessary if we want to live the best lives   that we can. I do think there is unprecendented corruption and DC and that special interest groups have grown far to powerful. What was once democracy is turning into an aristocracy. America is being ruled by the super-rich or in other terms the "1 percent". Im glad to see occupy protests gaining strength but im not sure if just occupying a place for a while will be enough to show the King-Pins of our government that we're serious. Im not calling for violent action, but i am calling for more action. Hacktivist groups like Anonymous have power in this digital age. I hope that they are not blinded with the power they have and continue to promote their "for the people" stance. All in all, i do believe revoloutionary action is necessary and i do agree with Carl Besse.