Memento/Time Out of Joint

So this is a very random post, but this past week I saw the 2000 film, Memento and saw some distinct parallels in Leonard (the protagonist) and Ragle from Dick's Time Out of Joint. Where Leonard chooses to set himself up so as to make himself feel better later and Ragle becoming so stressed and pressured he makes a mini world to safely live in. Is this a universal human characteristic? Do we all set ourselves up to block out what we don't want to hear/see/feel and only view what we wish to see just to varying degrees? (unless you guys have "Facts" tattooed on your bodies and enjoy planning where green men appear and I just don't know!)

how united are we?

It seems like Americans, in order to truly come together as a country, consistently need a common enemy to stand up against. While it would be ideal if American People could unite under positive causes rather than negative ones, troubling situations again and again seem like the driving force of the "United" in the United States. For example, George Wallace was likely at the height of his power when he took a negative stance against integration and the whole country was aflame with civil rights. When that issue calmed, he then moved on to the war on Communism as he new target. However, even though Wallace focused on more positive issues toward the end of his political career, he had not nearly the power he once had when was slinging insults. What does this say about American politics in general? Are we to be forever restless for rebellion?

Wallace's Repentance

The documentary showed us a completely new Wallace after he was paralyzed. When he went back to campaigning he repented his past actions and succeeded in garnering a significant amount of black votes. The African Americans shown in the documentary seemed to wholeheartedly support him and believe that he had returned to "the old Wallace." To what extent was this transformation genuine? Was it just another ploy to win votes?

Political Science Paper

For my political science paper last quarter,

I looked at the percentage of those who thought going into the Vietnam war was a mistake, and who thought it was the right idea, based on educational level. I was expecting that the college educated would be more disapproving of the war, but this did not prove true in my research. The college educated actually were more approving of the war than the only high school and lesser educated people. I talked about some of the possible reasons in my paper, but would like to know what you guys think about why the college educated were more pro-Vietnam in 1964?

from the lectures

From the documentary and commentary from the professor on tuesday and thursday, we discovered the lengths an individual would go for attention, approval, and power. In George Wallace's case, he went to as great lengths as to completely changing his beliefs and physically getting in the way of two black students trying to attend the University of Alabama in order to get more attention and followers. This concept (especially found in politics)of doing something not because of the good that would come out of it or how morally right it may be but for one's own gain raises the important question of can anybody do anything without expecting anything out of it?

George Wallace: The Fighter

Professor Aberbach raised the question in lecture today on who the real George Wallace was. He was a a fighter. His main goal was to win. He had tried to fight in the beginning of his political career for better streets and free books, but when the public didn't listen and he lost, he was underprivileged in terms of power. So he fought on the majority's side against integration and for segregation. Yes, he was a man who at the very beginning and end of his career helped the poor regardless of their race, but in that in between time he was fighting to get elected so he could have the opportunity to make changes. And in order to win, he had to fight on the side of the segregationists even though the real him only wanted improvements to help the state and the poor, and according to his daughter, "Power."

The Kennedy Curse

Intricate, delicate, and tragic, the Kennedy family is compellingly complex. From JFK to Robert to Rosemary, their family is not only full of accomplishment but plagued by tragedy. However, before tragic demise seemed to grip every one of the Kennedy siblings, there was a time when the reign of the Kennedy brothers was energetic, powerful, and full of promise. I found an article from the Los Angeles Times in 1962 that talks about Robert Kennedy, as he was repeatedly mentioned in our reading for this week. I find the last section to be eerily prophetic- check it out.

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=481683972&sid=1&Fmt=10&clientId=48051&RQT=309&VName=HNP