JFK

Did our nation lose its innocence when John Kennedy was killed on November 22, 1963? I think our nation had already lost its innocence when we started getting too involved with foreign countries. I’m not saying that the United States cannot get involved with other countries but, we overstep our boundaries.  We go into countries with the intention of helping others and trying to protect their people. We take over the towns, the government, and the native people to the country.  After the John Kennedy assassination this affected people psychologically. The assassination made the people question the government. They did not trust the government. That is still true today with some people. I, myself do not trust the government. The government has so much power; they can control anything that they really want. If they do not like who was in presidency, they would secretly, in my opinion would hire criminals to assassinate the president.  When the government was close to change or new ways they would get rid of the person with the ideas of change.
I think that 9/11 affected the American people the same as the assassination. We thought that America is the safest place on the world and nothing bad could happen. But, when 9/11 it made everyone question America. After 9/11 people were very worried or scared to do anything. They thought that something bad could happen at any time. In my opinion I would feel the same way. If something like 9/11 happens again, I would be afraid that we are never going to be truly safe like everyone says we are. People come to United States to be free and safe. But, if you really think about it is the United States really safe? Look at everything that has happened. The Stock Market Crash, American Civil War, Bay of Pigs and many more. We have had bad events in the United States but, people still do not care and still want to come and live here. I know we do not have the worst history in the world but it is not the greatest. The thing that sets us apart from the rest of the world it has made our country stronger and put together.
In my opinion I think that the government killed John F. Kennedy.  Kennedy had many new ideas of change. John played a major role in trying to change the American politics. When the older generation of the government comes across change, they do not want change. It always seems like when it comes to change the older generation is the last to accept. They are used to having everything by the books and nothing out of the ordinary. This has not changed from times back to now days. If you ask the older generation to change they try and find a way to not have to change.  Is it a coincidence that Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King were killed in a few years of the death of John F. Kennedy?  No, their deaths aren’t something that just happened or an accident. All of these men were something special. They wanted change and to make the United States and the world a better place. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4th, 1968, and a little after two months Robert Kennedy was killed on June 5th, 1968. Why do you think their deaths are so close together? Both Robert and Martin tried to get the United States away from war and violence. When Robert was a senator he would travel all around and try to study the effects poverty. His supporters wanted him to run antiwar. Martin Luther wanted everyone to be equal and have the same rights. He wanted to show the rest of the world on how African Americans were treated so poorly.  All of these men just wanted to change and improve the United States.
What do you think our country would be like now if these three men were not assassinated? Would we have better African American Rights? Would our country be so involved with war and violence? Would you think our country be more peaceful and would that help spread to the rest of the world.  I think if these men would still have been alive our country would have become a stronger and peaceful. The people of our country may not be so hesitant and worried about the future. Without all of these bad events that have gone on, what if we could erase all of them? Would our country be so full of hatred and violence? John F. Kennedy was a great man and was trying to better the world, same as the other men. But when things started to change the government shut these ideas down and would never be brought up again.

Tax

In the United States there is a big debate on whether or not the United States should change the way the United States does their taxes today. Right now the United States uses progressive tax, higher the income higher the tax and lower the income lower the tax.  The middle and lower class really do not benefit from progressive tax but it does help with the poor. This means that when you don’t make enough money to make ends meet, you will get a little break. Then you have some people that think that is not fair, the poor gets to pay less so why should I have to pay more? Why don’t you put yourself in their shoes? Try living with no money, kids, and bills to pay. You would want help. But, no you are too greedy to give a little money. Most American’s on average has a percentage of tax for income ranging from forty thousand to fifty thousand is eleven percent of your income that you must pay. So if you make forty-five thousand in all reality you would be paying roughly the government four thousand nine hundred and fifty in taxes.  Now if we had a flat tax everyone would be paying the same amount as your neighbor.  But, what happens when your neighbor is a millionaire? That will mean that that your neighbor who makes millions, pays the same amount as you do. Yes some of that states today use the flat tax for their way of income. You know why some states are like that? The United States once used the flat tax after the civil war. I feel that we should keep the way the taxes are run right now. I feel as though when you make enough money then you should be able to pay more.

Art

“Our art is a reflection of our reality.” stated by Ice Cube. Our reality is changing everyday by everyone. New things are going to happen every day but, not everyone is going to see what all goes on in the world. That is why we need art. We have to express how we feel and how we want others to know what we go through.  The earliest forms of arts dates’ way back to the Stone Age. They would use the simplest form of art to start with but as the years go by art changed.  Art does not necessarily have to be something you can touch. Art can also be in forms such as music, plays, or visual art such as movies, or short films.
The first known of art is in the Stone Age. Here they would use the caves to paint or draw on the rock. They would draw the animals that they would see or fires or anything that they saw. Soon art become to evolve to more advanced and technical.  They would get more advanced in their art. They would create pottery that they could use for everyday use.  Art would be used for religious purposes too. They would use this to show God and how great he is. Now as the days go on art to be anything you want it to be. It could be a painting or a sculpture.  We use art to capture what the eye sees and what others may not be able to see. Not everyone perceives the same things you do.  You could see a beautiful scene, but someone else could see something totally different.  Art also is used for storytelling. Art can be visual such as a play or movie.  With art it shows an intense emotion.  A picture is worth a thousand words.
When you hear the word art, you usually think of visual paintings.  You think of the Mona Lisa, The Scream, or American Gothic.  These all tell a story in the visual aspect of them.  Such as the Mona Lisa, you see a lady is barely smiling but still looks happy. The Scream is a person that looks like they just say a ghost and is scared for his life.  These painting show what these people were thinking or seeing.  Before cameras, all they had were paintings. Paintings captured the beauty in paintings. Paintings can have many different ways to show what the artist was truly seeing. Some paintings do not have full meanings. Some art could just be lines or circles, but it is how the artist was feeling or seeing. You can also use music to influence the way you paint or use art. Paint what you feel. You listen to the music; you paint the picture or scene that you see in your head. What you draw may be the complete opposite of what the others were painting.  That is what is so great about art because there is no right answer.
Music is changed the way we see the world.  The N.W.A. changed the way that people saw Compton. Not only did it affect people around the area but around the whole United States. N.W.A. opened our eyes on how minorities were getting treated. The cops would arrest or beat anyone that “suspected” of selling dope or stealing. Most of these people were innocent. Yes, there are bad people in our world and we are never going to get rid of them. Our police are meant to protect and serve. Yes at the time when NWA was arising police were treating everyone bad. The NWA wanted to show the world on what they were seeing.  They were seeing police brutality, stealing, or selling illegal drugs. They grow up in a rough time. Our reality is changing every day. We can’t always see what is going on in the world. We need these songs to express how people are feeling or seeing. Yes, some of the songs are bad and have a terrible meaning but it is reality.  Other songs are the opposite of bad meanings. They focus on the good parts of the world or positive things going on in the world. Everyone has a different taste in music. What I listen to or like does not mean that your friend likes the same thing. Every lyric has a meaning that the song portrays.
Movies are another way to see the world. Straight Outta Compton takes you back in time to see what those men had to go through while growing up. They did not live a glamorous life as some might imagine.  Not everyone is fortunate enough to have luxury and wealth.  If you think about it most people do not live like that. Movies now days show that. Straight Outta Compton shows the non-glamorous life and how it still is today. Movies now days show wars, possible invasions, or just everyday life. Movies shape the way we view things. If we see a movie about war and violence in another country such as American Sniper, it shows others killing each other. It is very gruesome but it is what is actually really what is going on in our messed up world. Movies show things that everyone else is too afraid to show and admit.
Reality is a changing subject every day. The way we see everything is constantly changing and so our views. With different things influencing the way we see and feel about things. Visual art can express how a person is feeling or what they are seeing. Art is evolving is many different ways. It started out as just simple cave drawing to now famous paintings. Not only is art visual, but audio. Music is shaping the way we think of others or the way we think of a certain place. Movies have also taken over the art ways. Straight Outta Compton has previewed the ways that they had to go through to take their rise in fame.  Art is a reflection of our reality.