Rebecca Moran
Professor Henderson
Academic Writing
20 March 2011
The Eyes that Screamed for Help
It was a beautiful spring day on April 22, 2001. I paced up and down my wood staircase making it creak as many times as I could, hoping my mom would get annoyed and finally come down and be ready to leave. Every weekend during the springtime, my mom would have a soccer game and I would beg her to bring me. It wasn’t because I actually enjoyed watching her games, but it was the playground that I couldn’t get enough of as a 9 year old child. There was the huge tire swing that you could twist around and let it go and enjoy the best ride of your life, the challenging red monkey bars that every kid wants to conquer, the sand between my little toes that felt so good, and that big green twisty slide, which was always more fun climbing up than it was going down. The playground was my sanctuary when I was a kid. There was nothing more I would rather do than let my imagination run wild in that place. I could spend hours and hours in a single place, but my imagination took me across the globe, to places like China. I actually thought that I could reach China through that playground sand if I dug deep enough. Who knew at that time that my favorite place on Earth would be the place that I would witness the most shocking experience of my life?
I finally got my mom out of the house and we were just about to get into the car, she stopped walking around our green aerostar van and asked, “Becca where is your jacket? You need a jacket, it’s supposed to rain.” I let out one big huff, thinking about arguing with her and telling her, “I will be fine mom,” but I realized I probably would lose that battle like always, so I sprinted and grabbed my pink and purple Pocahontas rain jacket and held it on my lap for the car ride.
When we got to the soccer fields, I spotted the playground in all of its glory. My mom wouldn’t let go of my hand until we fully crossed the street, and when she did, I ran to the swings with my friend Devin. We just loved the feeling of the wind blowing through our loose hair and feeling as though we were on top of the world. My favorite aspect of the swings was the butterflies in my stomach during the descent from the highest point. Boy, it was a rush.
We were swinging for a while, and then we jumped off the swings and took a little breather. All of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye I saw an object begin to fall. I turned and looked, and to my shock it was a big chubby boy pushing down a small framed little girl, who seemed to be much younger than him. After he grabbed her and threw her down, he kicked her in the ribs and kicked sand in her face. I had never seen anything like this before in my life. It began to rain and it seemed as though time was slowing down and the rain was falling with an unchanging beat. I froze and thought to myself, “Could this really be happening? Is this real life? What is going on?” All the sounds around me started to be muffled, then it turned into complete silence and I was in a state of total disbelief. What was I, a little girl who was smaller than the big chubby boy, supposed to do?
I began to think about the parable in the bible I heard in Sunday Bible School titled “The Good Samaritan.” It is about a man who gets beat up and robbed and left at the side of the street to die. Many pass him by without even a glance, but one man, a Samaritan, takes pity on him and bandages his wounds and brings him to an inn to take care of him (The New American Bible 1047). I knew I had to be her good Samaritan. I marched over and before he could hit her again, I stood in front of him and yelled, “Stop!”
He snarled at me and said, “Who are you? I am her brother, its fine.” I could not believe he was trying to justify his actions because the little girl was his sister. I didn’t even know how to reply. I ignored him and grasped the little girl’s hand and told her she could stay and play with Devin and me.
Sibling abuse is the physical, emotional or sexual abuse of a sibling to another. Sibling physical abuse can range from milder forms of aggression between siblings, such as pushing and shoving, to very violent behavior that can cause very serious injury (Sibling Abuse par. 1). To some parents, it may be hard to distinguish between normal sibling rivalry and sibling abuse. Often parents can be blind to the abuse that is actually occurring because they do not see it as a serious problem until serious harm occurs. Research shows that sibling abuse is actually quite common. Experts estimate that 3 children in 100 are dangerously violent toward a sibling (Sibling Abuse par. 5).
That day at the playground with the little girl was the first time I had witnessed abuse. My first hand experience of abuse dealt with sibling physical abuse, but there are many more forms of abuse. I did not know that abuse existed and that the little girl was one of many in the US who has suffered from abuse. There are over 3 million child abuse cases each year. Of those 3 million cases, it is estimated that there are about 5.8 million children abused each year because each case may include multiple children. The various types of abuse include physical, neglect, sexual, psychological, and medical neglect. (National Child Abuse Statistics par 1). In these abuse cases, 17.4% are reported to be physical abuse. The National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect defines child physical abuse as: "The physical injury or maltreatment of a child under the age of eighteen by a person who is responsible for the child's welfare under circumstances which indicate that the child's health or welfare is harmed or threatened” (Physical Abuse par 1). The little girl from the park was just one of the 870,000 of the children who are physically abused each year. With such shocking numbers, how did I not know that child abuse existed? Why was this exposure to abuse such a shock to me, which I still consider a great burden on my mind today?
I am from a very large Christian family. We go to mass every Sunday and many of our family friends are people we met through our church. Due to my parent’s upbringing and all the people we surround ourselves with, I was never exposed to any type of abuse. It was never a topic my parents discussed with me. I honestly never knew it existed until that day at the park. I didn’t know what was happening and was not sure of the way I was supposed to react in that type of situation.
I waited with the little girl until my mom’s soccer game was over. I knew my mom would make it all better. I grasped the little girl’s hand and we walked in unison, tears streaming down my eyes. It was such a relief to know that my mom was there to help. I explained to my mom how the little girl was pushed, kicked, and had sand shoved in her face. She told us it would all be okay and that we would find her mother. My mom’s words were soothing to me because she was able to take some of the burden I was carrying off my shoulders. I could not wait for the little girl’s mother to find out what her son did to her daughter. I was anticipating a punishment for this boy’s actions, so I would know that this boy would never lay hands upon her ever again. That was the comfort I was anticipating and it was a comfort I would never receive. Her mother finally came over, and she asked my mom what was going on. My mom told her everything that I told my mom, not leaving out any of the horrible details. To my great shock, the mother did not care the slightest bit, and it seemed as is if his actions towards her were of the norm. The mother looked at me and saw the loads of tears just pouring out of my eyes. She asked my mom, “Why is she crying?”
My mom answered, “Because she cares”.
The mother, daughter, and brother started walking away. The mother grabbed the daughter’s arms rather aggressively and the little girl was glancing back at me with desperate eyes. I still remember those green eyes looking so pitiful and just searching for hope. My mother held me and whispered in my ear, “You did all you could do. All you can do is pray and God will take care of her.”
The reason I never knew about abuse before then was because my parents sheltered me, not because they too were unaware. My father is a detective of Nassau County in the special victims unit, which is involved in the investigation of child physical and sexual abuse. With his multiple years of experience on the job, I wondered to myself as I was writing this paper why my dad never talked about these issues with me. As a child I would always ask him, “Daddy, what exactly do you do at your job?”
Every time he would answer, “I catch bad guys.” He would make an uneasy facial expression that gave me the feeling that he did not desire to discuss his work with me, which of course made me all the more curious. When I was a young girl in the 1990s, before cell phones came into fashion, I would call my dad’s work in order to talk to him. He would answer the phone saying, “Special Victim’s Unit, Detective Moran speaking.” I wondered who these “special victims” my dad was dealing with were. And why couldn’t I know more about it?
I gave my dad a call on the phone today and asked, “Dad, why didn’t you ever tell me anything about your job and what you deal with as a detective? And why did you and mom keep me sheltered from the reality of the world?”
He responded, “Becca, I deal with some very inhumane cases that are not fit for children to know about. All you needed to know was that I catch bad people. Your mother and I would not discuss these abuse cases with you because there was no need to. We would never allow you to be surrounded by such things.” My dad attempted to justify him and my mom not talking to me about abuse because it was not fit for children and that they would never have me exposed to it because they wouldn’t allow it. But in reality, I did witness abuse and it truly frightened me.
The rate of child abuse and child abuse fatalities has increased greatly since 1985 by a shocking 39%. Child Protective Services have confirmed that there are nearly 1,400 child abuse fatalities every year. That means there are nearly 4 children killed everyday in the US due to physical abuse or neglect (National Child Abuse Statistics par. 3). Lisa B. is a survivor of child physical abuse. She recalls her most dreadful memories of her mother screaming, “Stop! Stop! Stop! You’re gonna kill her!” (Lisa B. par 3). Her father would beat her mercilessly, even at the age of 17. The program called Childhelp got her through the toughest times of Lisa’s life. They were there when she had no one to turn to and they stayed on the phone with Lisa for hours and talked her out of killing herself one night. Since Lisa’s younger years, she has mothered a child and has worked most ardently to help abused children like herself. Lisa states, “I feel that there needs to be more public awareness about what actually happens to an abused child. Please help me get the word out there. Let’s get together and help our communities become more aware of this horrible problem” (Lisa B. par 7,8). I entirely agree with Lisa that there needs to be greater awareness of child abuse. Child abuse is a very serious issue and absolutely needs to be addressed. I think a good way to acknowledge this issue is by educating the future generation, which includes young children.
I know that children should not know all the gruesome violent details that are associated with abuse, but I would argue that parents should inform and discuss with their children about the abuse that exists in the world. Looking back on the situation, I wish I knew what was happening when I saw the little girl being beaten. Maybe I could have been spared a little bit of the initial shock that swept through my body during that April day. Parents should educate their children about abuse and also teach them how to react if they are ever a witness to abuse. Doing this will help children not to freeze up like I did. They will be more apt to react and help the situation, so that no farther harm is done and maybe an abused child will get the help they so desperately need.
Works Cited
"Lisa B. in Her Own Words | Childhelp." Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse |
Childhelp. Web. 02 May 2011.
"National Child Abuse Statistics | Childhelp." Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse |
Childhelp. Web. 17 Apr. 2011.
The New American Bible. New York: P.J. Kenedy, 1970. Print.
"Physical Abuse - Child Abuse: An Overview ~ FindCounseling.com." Find a Therapist
at FindCounseling.com, The Original Therapist Finder Search Engine, Formerly
TherapistFinder.net. Web. 02 May 2011.
"Sibling Abuse: Your Child." University of Michigan Health System. Web. 04 May 2011.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Writing Center
I went to the writing center yesterday on Thursday April 28. I had a writing tutor named Jacob and he helped me a lot. I brought my rough draft to him and he read it aloud to me, so I could hear if there was anything wrong with the paper. He helped fix quite a bit of my grammar and I am now pleased with the way it sounds and flows. I realized that by fixing simple grammatical errors my paper sounded so much better. I told Jacob that I wanted to incorporate another source or maybe a quote and he thought that was a great idea, so we worked on possibilities where it would be appropriate. I am glad that I went to the writing center and definitely will go there more often.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Narrative Rough Draft 4.1
Rebecca Moran
Professor Henderson
Academic Writing
20 March 2011
My First Encounter with the Violent Crime of Abuse
It was a beautiful spring day on April 22, 2001. I paced up and down my wood staircase making it creak as many times as it could, hoping my mom would get annoyed and finally come down and be ready to leave. Every weekend during the springtime, my mom would have a soccer game and I would beg her to bring me with her. It wasn’t because I actually enjoyed watching her game, but it was the playground that I couldn’t get enough of as a 9 year old child. The huge tire swing that you could twist around and let it go and enjoy the best ride of your life, the challenging red monkey bars that every kid wants to conquer, the sand between my little toes that felt so good, and do not forget that big green twisty slide, which was always more fun climbing up than it was going down. The playground was my sanctuary when I was a kid. There was nothing more I would rather do than let my imagination run wild in that place. I could spend hours and hours in a single place, but my imagination took me across the globe, to places like China. I actually thought that I could reach China through that playground sand if I dug deep enough. Who knew at that time, that my favorite place on Earth would be the place that I would witness the most shocking experience of my life?
I finally got my mom out of the house and we were just about to get into the car, until she stopped walking around our green aerostar van and asked, “Becca where is your jacket? You need a jacket, it’s supposed to rain”. I let out one big huff, thinking about arguing with her and telling her, “I will be fine mom”, but I realized I probably would lose that battle like always, so I sprinted and grabbed my pink and purple Pocahontas rain jacket and held it on my lap for the car ride.
When we got to the soccer fields, I spotted the playground in all of its glory. My mom wouldn’t let go of my hand until we fully crossed the street, and when she did, I ran to the swings with my friend Devin. We just loved the feeling of the wind blowing through our loose hair and feeling as though we were on top of the world. My favorite aspect of the swings was the butterflies in my stomach during the descent from the highest point. Boy, it was a rush.
We were swinging for a while, and then we jumped off the swings and took a little breather. All of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye I saw an object begin to fall. I turned and looked, and to my shock it was a big chubby boy pushing down a small framed little girl, who seemed to be much younger than him. After he grabbed her and threw her down, he kicked her in the ribs and kicked sand in her face. I had never seen anything like this ever before in my life. It began to rain and it seemed as though time was slowing down and the rain was falling with an unchanging beat. I thought to myself, “Could this really be happening? Is this real life? What is going on”? All the sounds around me started to be muffled then it turned into complete silence and I was in a state of total disbelief. What was I, a little girl who was smaller than the big chubby boy, suppose to do?
I began to think about the parable in the bible I heard in Sunday Bible School named “The Good Samaritan”. It is about a man who gets beat up and robbed and left to the side of the street to die. Many pass him by even without a glance, but one man, a Samaritan, takes pity on him and bandages his wounds and brings him to an inn to take care of him (The New American Bible 1047). I knew I had to be her Samaritan. I marched over and before he could hit her again, I stood in front of him and yelled, “Stop!” He snarled at me and said, “Who are you? I am her brother, its fine.” I could not believe he was trying to justify his actions because the little girl was his sister. I didn’t even know what to say to his reply. I ignored him and grasped the little girls hand and told her she could stay and play with Devin and I until her mom came back.
This experience was the first time I had witnessed abuse. I did not know that abuse existed and that she was one of many in the US who has suffered from abuse. There are over 3 million child abuse cases each year in the US and those cases can include multiple children. Of those 3 million cases, it is estimated that there are about 5.8 million children abused each year (National Child Abuse Statistics par 1). With such shocking numbers, how did I not know that child abuse existed? Why was this exposure to abuse such a shock to me, which I still consider a great burden on my mind today?
I am from a very large Christian family. We go to mass every Sunday and many of our family friends are people we met through our church. Due to my parent’s upbringing and all the people we surround ourselves, I was never exposed to any type of abuse. It was never a topic my parents discussed with me. I honestly never knew it existed until that day at the park. I didn’t know what was happening and was not sure of the way I was suppose to react in that type of situation.
I waited with the little girl until my mom’s soccer game was over. I knew my mom would make it all better. I grasped the little girl’s hand and we walked in unison, tears were streaming down my eyes. It was such a relief to know that my mom was here to help. I explained to my mom how she was pushed, kicked, and sand shoved in her face. My mom told us it would all be okay and that we would find her mother. My mom’s words were soothing to me because she was able to take some of the burden off my shoulders I was carrying that day. I could not wait for her mother to find out what her son did to her daughter. I was anticipating a punishment for this boy’s action, so I would know that this boy would never lay hands upon her ever again. That was the comfort I was anticipating and it was a comfort I would never receive. Her mother finally came over, and she asked my mom what was going on. My mom told her everything that I told my mom, not leaving out any of the horrible details. To my great shock, the mother did not care the slightest bit, and it seemed as is if his actions towards her were of the norm. The mother looked at me and saw the loads of tears just pouring out of my eyes. She asked my mom, “Why is she crying”? My mom answered, “Because she cares”.
The mother, daughter, and brother started walking away. The mother grabbed the daughter’s arms rather aggressively and the little girl was glancing back at me with desperate eyes. I still remember those green eyes looking so pitiful and just searching for hope. My mother held me and whispered in my ear, “You did all you could do. All you can do is pray and God will take care of her”.
My father is a detective of Nassau County in the special victims unit, which is involved in the investigation of child physical and sexual abuse. With his multiple years of experience on the job, I wondered to myself as I was writing this paper why my dad never talked about these issues in the world with me. As a child I would always ask him, “Daddy what do you do exactly at your job?’ Every time he would answer, “I catch bad guys”. He would make an uneasy facial expression that gave me the feeling that he did not desire to discuss his work with me, which of course made me all the more curious. When I was a young girl in the 1990s, before cell phones came into fashion, I would call my dad’s work in order to talk to him. He would answer the phone saying, “Special Victim’s Unit, Detective Moran speaking”. Who were these “special victims” my dad was dealing with? And why couldn’t I know more about it?
I gave my dad a call on the phone today and asked, “Dad, why did you never tell me anything about your job and what you deal with as a detective? And why did you and mom keep me sheltered from the reality of the world?” He responded, “Becca, I deal with some very inhumane cases that are not fit for children to know about. All you needed to know was that I catch bad people. Your mother and I would not discuss these abuse cases with you because there was no need to. We would never allow you to be surrounded by such things.” My dad attempted to justify him and my mom not talking to me about abuse because it was not fit for children and that I would never be exposed to it because my parents wouldn’t allow it. In reality, I did witness abuse and it truly frightened me.
I know that children should not know all the gruesome violent details that are associated with abuse, but I do argue that parents should inform and discuss with their children about abuse that exists in the world. Looking back on the situation, I wish I knew what was happening when I saw the little girl being beaten. Maybe I could have been spared a little bit of the initial shock that swept through my body during that April day. Parents should tell their children about abuse and also teach them how to react if they ever a witness to abuse. By doing this, children will not just freeze up, like I did. They will be better apt to react and help the situation, so that no farther harm is done.
Works Cited
"National Child Abuse Statistics | Childhelp." Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse |Childhelp. Web. 17 Apr. 2011.
The New American Bible. New York: P.J. Kenedy, 1970. Print.
Professor Henderson
Academic Writing
20 March 2011
My First Encounter with the Violent Crime of Abuse
It was a beautiful spring day on April 22, 2001. I paced up and down my wood staircase making it creak as many times as it could, hoping my mom would get annoyed and finally come down and be ready to leave. Every weekend during the springtime, my mom would have a soccer game and I would beg her to bring me with her. It wasn’t because I actually enjoyed watching her game, but it was the playground that I couldn’t get enough of as a 9 year old child. The huge tire swing that you could twist around and let it go and enjoy the best ride of your life, the challenging red monkey bars that every kid wants to conquer, the sand between my little toes that felt so good, and do not forget that big green twisty slide, which was always more fun climbing up than it was going down. The playground was my sanctuary when I was a kid. There was nothing more I would rather do than let my imagination run wild in that place. I could spend hours and hours in a single place, but my imagination took me across the globe, to places like China. I actually thought that I could reach China through that playground sand if I dug deep enough. Who knew at that time, that my favorite place on Earth would be the place that I would witness the most shocking experience of my life?
I finally got my mom out of the house and we were just about to get into the car, until she stopped walking around our green aerostar van and asked, “Becca where is your jacket? You need a jacket, it’s supposed to rain”. I let out one big huff, thinking about arguing with her and telling her, “I will be fine mom”, but I realized I probably would lose that battle like always, so I sprinted and grabbed my pink and purple Pocahontas rain jacket and held it on my lap for the car ride.
When we got to the soccer fields, I spotted the playground in all of its glory. My mom wouldn’t let go of my hand until we fully crossed the street, and when she did, I ran to the swings with my friend Devin. We just loved the feeling of the wind blowing through our loose hair and feeling as though we were on top of the world. My favorite aspect of the swings was the butterflies in my stomach during the descent from the highest point. Boy, it was a rush.
We were swinging for a while, and then we jumped off the swings and took a little breather. All of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye I saw an object begin to fall. I turned and looked, and to my shock it was a big chubby boy pushing down a small framed little girl, who seemed to be much younger than him. After he grabbed her and threw her down, he kicked her in the ribs and kicked sand in her face. I had never seen anything like this ever before in my life. It began to rain and it seemed as though time was slowing down and the rain was falling with an unchanging beat. I thought to myself, “Could this really be happening? Is this real life? What is going on”? All the sounds around me started to be muffled then it turned into complete silence and I was in a state of total disbelief. What was I, a little girl who was smaller than the big chubby boy, suppose to do?
I began to think about the parable in the bible I heard in Sunday Bible School named “The Good Samaritan”. It is about a man who gets beat up and robbed and left to the side of the street to die. Many pass him by even without a glance, but one man, a Samaritan, takes pity on him and bandages his wounds and brings him to an inn to take care of him (The New American Bible 1047). I knew I had to be her Samaritan. I marched over and before he could hit her again, I stood in front of him and yelled, “Stop!” He snarled at me and said, “Who are you? I am her brother, its fine.” I could not believe he was trying to justify his actions because the little girl was his sister. I didn’t even know what to say to his reply. I ignored him and grasped the little girls hand and told her she could stay and play with Devin and I until her mom came back.
This experience was the first time I had witnessed abuse. I did not know that abuse existed and that she was one of many in the US who has suffered from abuse. There are over 3 million child abuse cases each year in the US and those cases can include multiple children. Of those 3 million cases, it is estimated that there are about 5.8 million children abused each year (National Child Abuse Statistics par 1). With such shocking numbers, how did I not know that child abuse existed? Why was this exposure to abuse such a shock to me, which I still consider a great burden on my mind today?
I am from a very large Christian family. We go to mass every Sunday and many of our family friends are people we met through our church. Due to my parent’s upbringing and all the people we surround ourselves, I was never exposed to any type of abuse. It was never a topic my parents discussed with me. I honestly never knew it existed until that day at the park. I didn’t know what was happening and was not sure of the way I was suppose to react in that type of situation.
I waited with the little girl until my mom’s soccer game was over. I knew my mom would make it all better. I grasped the little girl’s hand and we walked in unison, tears were streaming down my eyes. It was such a relief to know that my mom was here to help. I explained to my mom how she was pushed, kicked, and sand shoved in her face. My mom told us it would all be okay and that we would find her mother. My mom’s words were soothing to me because she was able to take some of the burden off my shoulders I was carrying that day. I could not wait for her mother to find out what her son did to her daughter. I was anticipating a punishment for this boy’s action, so I would know that this boy would never lay hands upon her ever again. That was the comfort I was anticipating and it was a comfort I would never receive. Her mother finally came over, and she asked my mom what was going on. My mom told her everything that I told my mom, not leaving out any of the horrible details. To my great shock, the mother did not care the slightest bit, and it seemed as is if his actions towards her were of the norm. The mother looked at me and saw the loads of tears just pouring out of my eyes. She asked my mom, “Why is she crying”? My mom answered, “Because she cares”.
The mother, daughter, and brother started walking away. The mother grabbed the daughter’s arms rather aggressively and the little girl was glancing back at me with desperate eyes. I still remember those green eyes looking so pitiful and just searching for hope. My mother held me and whispered in my ear, “You did all you could do. All you can do is pray and God will take care of her”.
My father is a detective of Nassau County in the special victims unit, which is involved in the investigation of child physical and sexual abuse. With his multiple years of experience on the job, I wondered to myself as I was writing this paper why my dad never talked about these issues in the world with me. As a child I would always ask him, “Daddy what do you do exactly at your job?’ Every time he would answer, “I catch bad guys”. He would make an uneasy facial expression that gave me the feeling that he did not desire to discuss his work with me, which of course made me all the more curious. When I was a young girl in the 1990s, before cell phones came into fashion, I would call my dad’s work in order to talk to him. He would answer the phone saying, “Special Victim’s Unit, Detective Moran speaking”. Who were these “special victims” my dad was dealing with? And why couldn’t I know more about it?
I gave my dad a call on the phone today and asked, “Dad, why did you never tell me anything about your job and what you deal with as a detective? And why did you and mom keep me sheltered from the reality of the world?” He responded, “Becca, I deal with some very inhumane cases that are not fit for children to know about. All you needed to know was that I catch bad people. Your mother and I would not discuss these abuse cases with you because there was no need to. We would never allow you to be surrounded by such things.” My dad attempted to justify him and my mom not talking to me about abuse because it was not fit for children and that I would never be exposed to it because my parents wouldn’t allow it. In reality, I did witness abuse and it truly frightened me.
I know that children should not know all the gruesome violent details that are associated with abuse, but I do argue that parents should inform and discuss with their children about abuse that exists in the world. Looking back on the situation, I wish I knew what was happening when I saw the little girl being beaten. Maybe I could have been spared a little bit of the initial shock that swept through my body during that April day. Parents should tell their children about abuse and also teach them how to react if they ever a witness to abuse. By doing this, children will not just freeze up, like I did. They will be better apt to react and help the situation, so that no farther harm is done.
Works Cited
"National Child Abuse Statistics | Childhelp." Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse |Childhelp. Web. 17 Apr. 2011.
The New American Bible. New York: P.J. Kenedy, 1970. Print.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Reflection 3.2
I really enjoyed writing this paper. I found that the research process was much better for this paper, with a lot of very useful information. I wrote my first draft and I met with professor Henderson to discuss it. She made very useful comments and critiques. I realized that I need to add some things and condense other parts. I think it was good that I added more acknowledgment to the fact that not all immigrants are carrying diseases and criminals, it helped my paper sound more Rogerian. Professor Henderson also said that an outside voice in my conclusion would help and so I picked a quote from President Obama and I believe that it strengthened my paper and made it seem much more relevant to today.
Rogerian Argument 3.2
Rebecca Moran
Professor Henderson
Academic Writing
30 March 2011
Should America Keep Allowing Illegal Mexican Immigrants into the US?
Mexico and the United States have had a long history together in terms of economics, politics, and social interactions. This should be no surprise to anyone since Mexico shares a 2000 mile border with the US. Immigration is currently the most conflict-ridden issue in the U.S.-Mexican relationship. Many illegal Mexican immigrants come to America every day in search for a better life for them and their families. Some argue that the Mexican immigrants are in search for the “American Dream”, which a Yale graduate American writer and historian, James Truslow Adams brilliantly defined in his book, The Epic of America, as: “life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" (America Eulogy par 5). One may claim that illegal Mexican immigrants are in search for their very own American Dream. They are looking for an answer to their prayers to break the bonds of poverty and to improve the lives of their loved ones.
For many generations, Mexicans have illegally crossed the border into the United States due to its close proximity and the undeniable difference of the quality of life between the two countries. The growth of the Mexican population in the U.S. has been exponential in recent years. In 1970, about 800,000 Mexican citizens lived in the United States. About thirty years later, there are ten million, and about half are in undocumented status (Davidow par 10).
The drastic increase in number of Mexican immigrants to the US in the early 1990’s was due to the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, or NAFTA. NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. Due to the promising vision of NAFTA, Mexico received a large increase in foreign investment. However, after the assassination of the Mexican presidential candidate, Luis Donalso Colosio, there were signs that Mexico’s economy was not as profoundly strong as it had once appeared (Villarreal 3). By December 1994, there was a desperate plunge in Mexico’s currency to about 50% (Villarreal 4). This dismal plunge sent Mexico into a terrible recession.
Mexico’s economic recession has led to a dramatic increase in its poverty levels each proceeding year since 1994. In 2008, the extreme poverty rate was 18% and those living in moderate poverty were at a shocking 47% (Villarreal 5). The Mexican government defines extreme poverty as those living on less than $1.50 a day in rural areas and less $2.00 a day in urban areas. Moderate poverty is defined as living on less than $2.70 a day in rural areas and $4.00 a day in urban areas (Villarreal 6). With these facts and statistics, it is no wonder why so many Mexicans want to come to the US.
Many individuals are from poverty-stricken towns in Mexico, and come to the US with the desire to create a better life. In the scholarly journal article, “It is the Only Way I Can Survive” by Phyllis L. Baker, she interviewed an illegal Mexican immigrant, Amelia, and Amelia stated, “I know that I’m doing something wrong, that it’s illegal with the government, but it is the only way that I can survive here. I have to work and take care of my children” (Baker 393). The pressure of being a good parent and providing a better life for their children is a weight that almost every parent bears. They are looking for any possible way to survive in this harsh world.
Even though there are illegal immigrants who come to the US with honorable intentions, one should not overlook the risks that the illegal Mexican immigrants place upon the lives of American citizens. Illegal immigrants, unlike those who are legally admitted for permanent residence, do not undergo medical screening to assure that they are not carrying contagious diseases (FAIR par 2). According to the director of the El Paso heath district, Dr. Laurence Nickey, there are many diseases that are evident along the US-Mexico border, which in the past have been controlled. Incidences in El Paso of serious disease such as leprosy and tuberculosis are twice that of the normal US rate. Dr. Lawrence Nickey states: “People have come to the boarder for economic opportunities, but the necessary sewage treatment facilities, public water systems, environmental enforcement, and medical care have not been made available to them causing a severe risk to the health and well-being of people on both sides of the border” (FAIR par 3). Dr. Lawrence Nickey acknowledges that these diseases are putting people’s health at a very high risk along the border.
Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report titled "Trends in Tuberculosis Incidence - United States" stating that the number of tuberculosis cases among foreign-born persons in the US increased in 2006, and approximately half came from five countries, and Mexico was the leader in the number of reported cases (FAIR par 4). Tuberculosis is a contagious disease caused by mycobacteria, which can spread through the air. Tuberculosis can often lead to death. Now I know that not all Mexicans are carrying these very harmful diseases. Only a small number of the immigrants do carry disease, but it just takes a few sick people to cause a pandemic, which is the spread of infectious disease through the human population across a vast area. Immigrants who come to the US unchecked are placing Americans at a great risk of very harmful diseases, such as Tuberculosis. When they do not abide by the law and come to the US legally, they risk the lives of American citizens.
The US is a nation that was built upon laws, and the laws are put into place for the well-being of its citizens. When the illegal Mexican immigrants enter the US unchecked, then police and government officials have no way of keeping track of them, and this can be very dangerous for the well-being of Americans. There have been many cases where illegal Mexican immigrants who have come to the US have committed very serious crimes. For example, the rape and murder of a 15 year old American girl from Texas named Dani Countryman was traced back to 2 illegal Mexican immigrants, Alejandro Emeterio Rivera Gamboa and Gilberto Javier Arellano Gamboa (Illegal par 1,2). William Gheen from Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee, or ALIPAC, stated:
"Dani Countryman is dead because our government failed to secure our borders and enforce our existing immigration laws. The suspects in this case were shown, by our state and federal governments, that they could break many American laws without any serious penalties. It is no wonder that many illegal aliens escalate their crimes into the realms of rape and murder. How many more Americans must suffer or die before our nation takes action" (Illegal par 4)?
This was a very sad case for every person to hear about. Once again, a very small percentage of immigrants actually cause crime, but such tragic cases as this do happen and are preventable. Imagine if your daughter, sister, friend, or cousin was raped and murdered by two illegal immigrant men. You would go through great lengths to make sure something as tragic as this would never happen again. You would make sure that no man or woman got into America illegally, so crimes as foul as rape and murder are prevented.
The idea of the American Dream is rooted in pursuit of happiness by abiding by the law of the Constitution. America was built on the idea of assimilation and integration of various cultures. Americans want foreign people to come here and be a part of the American tradition, as long as it is done through legal means. The legality of immigration is very important to the health and safety of the American people. Mexicans are crossing the border everyday illegally, with about 300,000-400,000 increase of illegal immigrants each year (Davidow par 10), some come with good intentions to create a better life for their families, but some Mexicans do bring deadly disease and serious crime into the US. President of the United States, Barack Obama, once responded to an interview question about immigration stating: “I think it’s possible for us to be a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. That’s what we’ve always been and that’s what we have to continue to be. We need to make sure that boarder security is orderly, that we don’t have thousands of people pouring over our borders or overstaying our visas” (Barack par 26). Barack Obama is correct in stating that the US should do a better job at patrolling the boarders and making sure that no one enters with potential health problems or any criminal background. Mexicans should try to come to America legally and want to become American citizens and assimilate into this great “melting pot”, where people from everywhere around the world, with different cultures, customs, and backgrounds come and consider themselves one nation under that star-spangled banner.
Works Cited
"American Eulogy (Featured Article)." The Burning Platform. 30 Jan. 2011. Web. 29 Mar. 2011.
Baker, Phyllis L.. ""It's the Only Way I Can Survive": Gender Paradox Among Recent Mexicana
Immigrants to Iowa." University of California Press 47.4 (2004): 393. Print.
"Barack Obama on Immigration." OnTheIssues.org - Candidates on the Issues. Web. 16 Apr.
Davidow, Ambassador Jeffrey. "Immigration, the United States and Mexico." Mexico news and
opinion. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2011.
"FAIR: Illegal Immigration and Public Health." FAIR: Federation for American Immigration
Reform. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2011.
"Illegal Aliens with Prior Charges Murder 15 year old Texas Girl." Public Records Research and
Title Abstracting. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2011.
Villarreal, M. Angeles . "NAFTA and the Mexican Economy." Congressional Research Service
1 (2010): 3-6. Print.
Professor Henderson
Academic Writing
30 March 2011
Should America Keep Allowing Illegal Mexican Immigrants into the US?
Mexico and the United States have had a long history together in terms of economics, politics, and social interactions. This should be no surprise to anyone since Mexico shares a 2000 mile border with the US. Immigration is currently the most conflict-ridden issue in the U.S.-Mexican relationship. Many illegal Mexican immigrants come to America every day in search for a better life for them and their families. Some argue that the Mexican immigrants are in search for the “American Dream”, which a Yale graduate American writer and historian, James Truslow Adams brilliantly defined in his book, The Epic of America, as: “life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" (America Eulogy par 5). One may claim that illegal Mexican immigrants are in search for their very own American Dream. They are looking for an answer to their prayers to break the bonds of poverty and to improve the lives of their loved ones.
For many generations, Mexicans have illegally crossed the border into the United States due to its close proximity and the undeniable difference of the quality of life between the two countries. The growth of the Mexican population in the U.S. has been exponential in recent years. In 1970, about 800,000 Mexican citizens lived in the United States. About thirty years later, there are ten million, and about half are in undocumented status (Davidow par 10).
The drastic increase in number of Mexican immigrants to the US in the early 1990’s was due to the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, or NAFTA. NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. Due to the promising vision of NAFTA, Mexico received a large increase in foreign investment. However, after the assassination of the Mexican presidential candidate, Luis Donalso Colosio, there were signs that Mexico’s economy was not as profoundly strong as it had once appeared (Villarreal 3). By December 1994, there was a desperate plunge in Mexico’s currency to about 50% (Villarreal 4). This dismal plunge sent Mexico into a terrible recession.
Mexico’s economic recession has led to a dramatic increase in its poverty levels each proceeding year since 1994. In 2008, the extreme poverty rate was 18% and those living in moderate poverty were at a shocking 47% (Villarreal 5). The Mexican government defines extreme poverty as those living on less than $1.50 a day in rural areas and less $2.00 a day in urban areas. Moderate poverty is defined as living on less than $2.70 a day in rural areas and $4.00 a day in urban areas (Villarreal 6). With these facts and statistics, it is no wonder why so many Mexicans want to come to the US.
Many individuals are from poverty-stricken towns in Mexico, and come to the US with the desire to create a better life. In the scholarly journal article, “It is the Only Way I Can Survive” by Phyllis L. Baker, she interviewed an illegal Mexican immigrant, Amelia, and Amelia stated, “I know that I’m doing something wrong, that it’s illegal with the government, but it is the only way that I can survive here. I have to work and take care of my children” (Baker 393). The pressure of being a good parent and providing a better life for their children is a weight that almost every parent bears. They are looking for any possible way to survive in this harsh world.
Even though there are illegal immigrants who come to the US with honorable intentions, one should not overlook the risks that the illegal Mexican immigrants place upon the lives of American citizens. Illegal immigrants, unlike those who are legally admitted for permanent residence, do not undergo medical screening to assure that they are not carrying contagious diseases (FAIR par 2). According to the director of the El Paso heath district, Dr. Laurence Nickey, there are many diseases that are evident along the US-Mexico border, which in the past have been controlled. Incidences in El Paso of serious disease such as leprosy and tuberculosis are twice that of the normal US rate. Dr. Lawrence Nickey states: “People have come to the boarder for economic opportunities, but the necessary sewage treatment facilities, public water systems, environmental enforcement, and medical care have not been made available to them causing a severe risk to the health and well-being of people on both sides of the border” (FAIR par 3). Dr. Lawrence Nickey acknowledges that these diseases are putting people’s health at a very high risk along the border.
Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report titled "Trends in Tuberculosis Incidence - United States" stating that the number of tuberculosis cases among foreign-born persons in the US increased in 2006, and approximately half came from five countries, and Mexico was the leader in the number of reported cases (FAIR par 4). Tuberculosis is a contagious disease caused by mycobacteria, which can spread through the air. Tuberculosis can often lead to death. Now I know that not all Mexicans are carrying these very harmful diseases. Only a small number of the immigrants do carry disease, but it just takes a few sick people to cause a pandemic, which is the spread of infectious disease through the human population across a vast area. Immigrants who come to the US unchecked are placing Americans at a great risk of very harmful diseases, such as Tuberculosis. When they do not abide by the law and come to the US legally, they risk the lives of American citizens.
The US is a nation that was built upon laws, and the laws are put into place for the well-being of its citizens. When the illegal Mexican immigrants enter the US unchecked, then police and government officials have no way of keeping track of them, and this can be very dangerous for the well-being of Americans. There have been many cases where illegal Mexican immigrants who have come to the US have committed very serious crimes. For example, the rape and murder of a 15 year old American girl from Texas named Dani Countryman was traced back to 2 illegal Mexican immigrants, Alejandro Emeterio Rivera Gamboa and Gilberto Javier Arellano Gamboa (Illegal par 1,2). William Gheen from Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee, or ALIPAC, stated:
"Dani Countryman is dead because our government failed to secure our borders and enforce our existing immigration laws. The suspects in this case were shown, by our state and federal governments, that they could break many American laws without any serious penalties. It is no wonder that many illegal aliens escalate their crimes into the realms of rape and murder. How many more Americans must suffer or die before our nation takes action" (Illegal par 4)?
This was a very sad case for every person to hear about. Once again, a very small percentage of immigrants actually cause crime, but such tragic cases as this do happen and are preventable. Imagine if your daughter, sister, friend, or cousin was raped and murdered by two illegal immigrant men. You would go through great lengths to make sure something as tragic as this would never happen again. You would make sure that no man or woman got into America illegally, so crimes as foul as rape and murder are prevented.
The idea of the American Dream is rooted in pursuit of happiness by abiding by the law of the Constitution. America was built on the idea of assimilation and integration of various cultures. Americans want foreign people to come here and be a part of the American tradition, as long as it is done through legal means. The legality of immigration is very important to the health and safety of the American people. Mexicans are crossing the border everyday illegally, with about 300,000-400,000 increase of illegal immigrants each year (Davidow par 10), some come with good intentions to create a better life for their families, but some Mexicans do bring deadly disease and serious crime into the US. President of the United States, Barack Obama, once responded to an interview question about immigration stating: “I think it’s possible for us to be a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. That’s what we’ve always been and that’s what we have to continue to be. We need to make sure that boarder security is orderly, that we don’t have thousands of people pouring over our borders or overstaying our visas” (Barack par 26). Barack Obama is correct in stating that the US should do a better job at patrolling the boarders and making sure that no one enters with potential health problems or any criminal background. Mexicans should try to come to America legally and want to become American citizens and assimilate into this great “melting pot”, where people from everywhere around the world, with different cultures, customs, and backgrounds come and consider themselves one nation under that star-spangled banner.
Works Cited
"American Eulogy (Featured Article)." The Burning Platform. 30 Jan. 2011. Web. 29 Mar. 2011.
Baker, Phyllis L.. ""It's the Only Way I Can Survive": Gender Paradox Among Recent Mexicana
Immigrants to Iowa." University of California Press 47.4 (2004): 393. Print.
"Barack Obama on Immigration." OnTheIssues.org - Candidates on the Issues. Web. 16 Apr.
Davidow, Ambassador Jeffrey. "Immigration, the United States and Mexico." Mexico news and
opinion. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2011.
"FAIR: Illegal Immigration and Public Health." FAIR: Federation for American Immigration
Reform. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2011.
"Illegal Aliens with Prior Charges Murder 15 year old Texas Girl." Public Records Research and
Title Abstracting. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2011.
Villarreal, M. Angeles . "NAFTA and the Mexican Economy." Congressional Research Service
1 (2010): 3-6. Print.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Prewriting 4.2
The Climax for the Narrative
I think for my story the climax would be the part when my mother and I confront the little girl's mother about the situation. I thought maybe at first, the climax would be the part when the little girl is getting beat up, but I think the mother's reaction in this experience is more of the climax. You are anticipating a certain reaction. You don't know what her reaction will be, and the reader might be shocked to learn about her reaction, I know I was.
Scene:
I told my mother what happened to the little girl with tears streaming down my face. I grabbed her hand and brought her to my mother. My mother was very calming to this young child and told her we would find her mother and that it would all be alright. I couldn't wait to tell her mother, because then I thought to myself that she would make she this boy (the little girl's brother)would never lay hands on her again. That was the comfort I was anticipating, but this comfort I never received. This experience still haunts me and I still get all choked up even when I think about it.
I think for my story the climax would be the part when my mother and I confront the little girl's mother about the situation. I thought maybe at first, the climax would be the part when the little girl is getting beat up, but I think the mother's reaction in this experience is more of the climax. You are anticipating a certain reaction. You don't know what her reaction will be, and the reader might be shocked to learn about her reaction, I know I was.
Scene:
I told my mother what happened to the little girl with tears streaming down my face. I grabbed her hand and brought her to my mother. My mother was very calming to this young child and told her we would find her mother and that it would all be alright. I couldn't wait to tell her mother, because then I thought to myself that she would make she this boy (the little girl's brother)would never lay hands on her again. That was the comfort I was anticipating, but this comfort I never received. This experience still haunts me and I still get all choked up even when I think about it.
Prewriting for Paper 4
I still keep a journal and I write in it every once in a while. I have kept this journal since I was 9 years old. The other day I read some of my past journal entries from when I was much younger. I read this one entry,(I remember this day very vividly), when I was playing in a playground at a soccer field while my mother was playing soccer. I remember seeing this little girl, a few years younger than me, and she was getting pushed down and kicked by an older boy. He threw her down and repeatedly kicked sand in her face. I immediately ran over and yelled for him to stop. He wouldn't, so I took the little girl and told her she could stay with me until her mother came.
I want to write about my first experience of seeing abuse in the world. Before this incident, I had no idea that it existed and was horrified that anyone could do this to another person. I have never experienced any abuse in my life, and my parents never even explained it to me until I witnessed it first hand. I think that abuse is an issue that should be raised and not be taken lightly.
My father is a detective of the special victims squad in Nassau County on Long Island. He deals with child abuse cases all the time, and I would like to talk to him and incorporate what he thinks about the abuse cases why he never educated me about the topic of abuse. In my paper I want to incorporate some opinions on abuse that my dad has and why he never revealed this part of the world to me. I think that people and even children should be more educated about the topic so that they will know what to do when they encounter it.
I want to write about my first experience of seeing abuse in the world. Before this incident, I had no idea that it existed and was horrified that anyone could do this to another person. I have never experienced any abuse in my life, and my parents never even explained it to me until I witnessed it first hand. I think that abuse is an issue that should be raised and not be taken lightly.
My father is a detective of the special victims squad in Nassau County on Long Island. He deals with child abuse cases all the time, and I would like to talk to him and incorporate what he thinks about the abuse cases why he never educated me about the topic of abuse. In my paper I want to incorporate some opinions on abuse that my dad has and why he never revealed this part of the world to me. I think that people and even children should be more educated about the topic so that they will know what to do when they encounter it.
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