http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/29/notes-from-a-young-american-in-congo-the-election/#more-10301
In the Congo, presidential elections are radically different than ones in America because choosing a president is much more complex. Congolese people must consider the possibilities of war and violence when choosing their president since they have a history of crises. Other factors also affect the election process, such as tribal biases, ballot corruption, and lack of media attention. Congolese voters are generally impoverished and illiterate, so important political issues either don't reach them, or have no effect on them. With all these problems, hope for a fair and prospering Congo is slim.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
"Bombing Continues in Sudan"
http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/17/bombing-continues-in-sudan-creating-a-crisis/#more-10223
Kristof calls attention to the crisis in Sudan that terrorizes Sudanese civilians. After the end of a 22-year war, Sudanese people are exiling from the Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile regions. However, the Sudanese government is preventing any humanitarian aid from reaching these people in an effort to not widely publicize this event. Along with random airstrikes, the government is leaving refugees devoid of bare necessities. Kristof calls for immediate assistance and awareness of this conflict.
He is obviously against this situation and tries to remedy it by calling for action. By explicitly stating his opinion that the "United Nations must prevent this crisis from getting any worse...to avert a long-term humanitarian crisis," Kristof portrays to his audience a sense of urgency and forcefulness. His most effective means of communicating to his audiences is the personal aspect of his piece, more so than his other columns. Early on, Kristof emotionally informs the reader that he "witnessed the misery and suffering" of Sudan. He further personalizes his message by describing the physical contact he had with these refugees, particularly during bombing raids, and ends his piece with sympathetic stories and statistics.
Kristof calls attention to the crisis in Sudan that terrorizes Sudanese civilians. After the end of a 22-year war, Sudanese people are exiling from the Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile regions. However, the Sudanese government is preventing any humanitarian aid from reaching these people in an effort to not widely publicize this event. Along with random airstrikes, the government is leaving refugees devoid of bare necessities. Kristof calls for immediate assistance and awareness of this conflict.
He is obviously against this situation and tries to remedy it by calling for action. By explicitly stating his opinion that the "United Nations must prevent this crisis from getting any worse...to avert a long-term humanitarian crisis," Kristof portrays to his audience a sense of urgency and forcefulness. His most effective means of communicating to his audiences is the personal aspect of his piece, more so than his other columns. Early on, Kristof emotionally informs the reader that he "witnessed the misery and suffering" of Sudan. He further personalizes his message by describing the physical contact he had with these refugees, particularly during bombing raids, and ends his piece with sympathetic stories and statistics.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
"Girls Just Want to Go to School"
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/10/opinion/kristof-girls-just-want-to-go-to-school.html?_r=1
Columnist, Kristof, talks about an unfortunate Vietnamese family whose mother died, father works away from home, and is thus led by a 14 year old student/sister. He does not try to advertise poverty, rather, he applauds this girl, Phung, on her diligence to her schooling. To Kristof, Phung is one "dazzling" example of what "work ethic and gritty faith" can bring to an impoverished individual, family, or country. Yet, America has lost this virtue. As a result, our educational stock has decreased in the global market. Therefore, we must readjust the education system to "build human capital."
Kristof is critical of America's laziness and inability to educate students that share a passion similar to Phung. By comparing our educational system to an impoverished country, he creates a shocking contrast that forces the reader to assess America's values of society. Kristof stresses the need to fix our nation's problem by starting at the roots: invest in the "robustness of our kindergartens" when looking towards the future.
Columnist, Kristof, talks about an unfortunate Vietnamese family whose mother died, father works away from home, and is thus led by a 14 year old student/sister. He does not try to advertise poverty, rather, he applauds this girl, Phung, on her diligence to her schooling. To Kristof, Phung is one "dazzling" example of what "work ethic and gritty faith" can bring to an impoverished individual, family, or country. Yet, America has lost this virtue. As a result, our educational stock has decreased in the global market. Therefore, we must readjust the education system to "build human capital."
Kristof is critical of America's laziness and inability to educate students that share a passion similar to Phung. By comparing our educational system to an impoverished country, he creates a shocking contrast that forces the reader to assess America's values of society. Kristof stresses the need to fix our nation's problem by starting at the roots: invest in the "robustness of our kindergartens" when looking towards the future.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)