Dear Freshmen,

Dear Incoming Freshman,

I would like to preface this letter with a lively, belligerent Orange “Welcome!” on behalf of the Syracuse University student body. Congratulations on your acceptance and enrollment to the best college ever. Over these four or five years you spend as an undergraduate student, you will take many classes which you find lightyears more interesting than your high school ones and others where neither you nor the professor know anyone’s names. And that’s ok. And likely of the biggest, most pivotal skills you will acquire in your freshman year is the ability to actually read and write.

Hold on. I know. She said it. Reading and writing. I know, I know. But not the way you did it in high school. The real way. In the real world, you read for content, not completion. In college, you read a ton of essays and texts and they all sound the same and you eventually learn how to pull out the valuable information. Did you ever notice that when you highlighted your textbooks to study you still couldn’t figure out what was important? Freshman year fine tunes those skills.

I am an Industrial Design student within the school of Visual and Performing arts, and because of that I only take two academic courses this semester: Writing 105, and Russian 101. In Russian, the only reading or writing is strictly factual and informative with nothing to deduce or infer. I entered Writing 105 with the notion that my academic writing was fine at the level where it was. The very ‘high school’ approach of “summarization” in academic writing actually requires no skill at all. The real challenge in academic writing is analysis, which begs the question, how can you tell the difference when you’re the writer?

The only writing I do outside of Writing 105 in design school is in Modern Art History where I am asked to write one page single-spaced personal responses to eras, movements, and styles.These are very easy to receive Check-Pluses on, considering that all you have to do is write down how you feel. One particular assignment was to watch a dreadful hour long video about the First World Fair in England, and then respond in the normal fashion. I decided to skip out on the video and just do some internet research and summarize what I had learned. Needless to say, I received a Check-Minus. I was only able to absorb dates and names and facts and regurgitate them. Through constant readings and responses in Writing 105, I managed to hone in on the skill it took to absorb text. By the Unit 2 assignment, I was able to watch a 90 minute documentary and use it as a major source in my paper.

One of the hardest concepts for me to grasp about academic writing was found in the document “Seems to Be About X…”. This briefly presented the idea that what you see is not necessarily what you get. It implores you to read in between the lines and use skills of inference. By taking a single statement, and asking yourself the implications of that statement, you are able to see what the real message is.

The skills I gained in Writing 105 have helped me enormously with my reading skills. I personally do not yet have much reading to complete in my college classes outside of this one, but I find that my deductive and identification skills have taught me how to be a better reader outside of class. For next semester, I will be beginning my track for my minor in Russian Literature, as I take my primary classical literature course. It will be a reading intensive class and I know that having these skills will make the half dozen books we read go by much quicker. 
All semester, in my Modern Art History class, we have been discussing manifestos in great detail and depth. When I was assigned to read another one in Writing 105, I literally recoiled. We read an updated, reinvented version of “The Labor Day Manifesto”. It concisely told the reader how to be more productive and content with yourself and your life by following eleven steps. It is hard to take an instruction guide, so to speak, seriously as an example of academic writing but it is. Think about it. Academic writing is just grammatically formal, analytical, evidence based writing from a perspective in an academic environment.
All in all, academic writing is tricky. It’s one of those things that right now, you think you are adequately skilled in and you will continue to think so throughout the first semester. It will only be when you look back on your assignments from the very first weeks that you realize the incredible improvement you’ve made as a reader and writer. I look back on my first analyses from Writing 105 and can honestly say I smirked at how unknowingly lazily I wrote them.

Reflection

I struggled with this assignment. I’m just gonna put that out there into the open, as if you could not already tell. My writing is supposed to be improving dramatically, and I feel it has, up until this unit assignment. I felt as though as a design student in VPA, my perspective as a student here was skewed and invalidated as a writer about academia. I feel that because I do not complete any academic writings in college outside of my Writing class, I did not have much to talk about. Because of my lack of evidence, I found myself using filler and sort of BS’ing the essay. I know this essay is one of my poorer ones, but I genuinely don’t know what to do.

I read the literacy assignments in class, but I still don’t understand how they are supposed to apply to my personal situation. The “Literacy Games” article, for example. I really enjoyed this piece, but because I have no concrete academic classes, all of my teachers use “alternative” or “fun” learning methods, simply because they are studios. My major itself is very new age and fun and receives respect in spurts throughout society.

I felt like this unit was rushed. Maybe I feel that way because I was sick and missed some class, or maybe because we had the Thanksgiving break deadline pushing things; I don’t know, but I felt like we spent way less time on this section than the other two. I think additionally, this unit happened to be the hardest because it was the least concrete as a theme.

Overall, I’m very disappointed in my final product for this unit three assignment. I think I could have done a lot better and that irks me, but I struggle because I genuinely do not know how else I should have approached this. Maybe I went about my thinking the wrong way. I’m not sure. I just know I could have done much better.

The Tensions I Deal With

Josh Hess

10/23/2013

WRT 105

Tim Craven

The Tensions I Deal With

Life is a journey. People move from place to place, and people make new friends and lose old ones. One area remains constant, however. Once a person finds something that they love or that they are passionate about, it is very difficult to drop that hobby. Regardless of where people go, it is the things that they love and show interest for that will move with them. A person that loves books will find a book club wherever they are in life or wherever they live; someone that loves to run will make time to run and exercise throughout the week. To keep these personal traditions alive, people join specific groups called discourse communities. When people come together like this, they form a special bond that only members can relate to. These members form their own community within the larger community as a way to feel the most comfortable. Through practice, members can integrate themselves and “acquire discourses through social practices” (Gee). There have been many debates over what a “discourse community” actually is, but one thing remains constant: everyone is a part of one.

When reviewing this assignment and trying to think about which discourse I found tension in or could relate tension to, I struggled. At first I could not think of a discourse community that I was in, and when I finally decided, I did not think there was any tension involved. It took a lot of research and actual reflection into the discourse community to understand where the tension lay, and how my discourse community of being a high school track and field athlete was different from any other community out there. Track and field, like just about every other sport, has characteristics that make it unique. Runners do not just “do track”, we make it a lifestyle for ourselves. We learn and master all of the different terminology that makes our sport special and teach it to the younger members. Those who understand what we are talking about can be accepted, and those who do no, according to Swales, are imposters. Track and field athletes also make academics a high priority alongside succeeding in the sport, and this is where a lot of tension occurs.

I devoted four years of my life, my entire high school career, to running. Specifically, I was a distance runner which required a full 12 months of the year to training except for a week or two here or there in between seasons. I had to keep a watch on my training, my eating habits, and my body as a whole. I could not slack off for a few weeks or during the summer when there were no races because I needed to keep my body in shape to prepare for success when the season did come around. I always kept in mind that to be successful I could not always act how I wanted to; I had to act how I needed to in order to be the best possible by the time outdoor track, my favorite of the three seasons, rolled around. I kept track of everything about myself at all times, not just when I was in season or a week before the season started. Practice takes up time, yet I still have to keep tabs on my schoolwork even when “The entire workout consumes 2+ hours a day” (Keech). I monitored my sleep habits, drank and kept a liter of water with me throughout the school day, and measured how many miles I was running in a certain pair of shoes- something that no other athlete in any other sport would even think about.

When people tell me that “track is not a sport” or that “it’s too easy and anyone could do it” I have to refrain from explaining how being a runner is one of the most complex sports to be involved in. I assume that these people say these statements because they are too afraid or could not handle running six or more miles a day, everyday of the week. It is a certain breed of people that can run as a sport, and that is what makes it such an elite community. Yes, everyone has to run in his or her sport to stay in shape, but running for track and cross-country requires making running a person’s lifestyle. My favorite shirt reads: My sport is your sport’s punishment.

“All you do is run. How can that be fun?” That’s a common phrase any high school distance runner will hear over their four- year high school career. But truthfully, running is fun. It’s the racing aspect that isn’t as much fun. Going out for a training run during practice, regardless of the pace or distance, releases endorphins throughout the body. Endorphins are the stimuli that create the so- called “runner’s high” that many distance runners experience. This “runner’s high” relaxes both the body and mind and makes the runner feel better and creates motivation to keep running in the future. The creation and utilization of endorphins is at a maximum during a normal training run, and not during a race, regardless of the distance. This is because a race strains the runner both physically and mentally in a way that a normal training run does not.

I have friends that would “play” a sport maybe just in the winter or during the spring, and they would never see much improvement from one year to the next. I, on the other hand, continually saw success. There was rarely a span between races that I did not improve my mile, 5k, two mile, 800m or 400m time. I dedicated my time and my life, and in doing so I felt good while practicing and training. Many people in other sports outside of track do not feel any motivation, especially in high school, to do extra training. Well, if running makes a person feel good, it makes perfect sense to do it on a regular basis. People in school would tell my friends and me that we were crazy for running on the roads, but we felt good doing it. To us, they were crazy for sitting around and not getting outside to do extra training.

Each discourse community has it’s own terminology- the language of the community that truly sets it apart from everyone else. Track is no exception, and aside from football play calling, it probably has the most difficult lexicon to pick up. “We use different phrases and abbreviations to make communication easier” is something that I mentioned in a previous assignment about my discourse community, and it still holds true. We use words and phrases like “waterfall start” (Sun) to mean a specialized starting location when a distance race has more than 12 people, “acceleration zone” (Sun) to mean the area before the actual exchange zone in a 4x400m or 4x800m relay, or “flights” (Sun) to mean the divided sections used in field events. Nobody who is outside the track community would understand what a waterfall, acceleration zone, or a flight is. Tensions then arise when people inadvertently offend a runner by incorrectly using these terms. Like every athlete, runners take their sport incredibly seriously, and hate when “imposters” (Swales) try to insert themselves into the community by wrongly using these terms.

It is still possible to have tension in a discourse community, and this can result directly from language. Runners will use different types of track terms to get an advantage over or to confuse an opponent. So, even though all of the runners are in the same discourse community, they will do whatever possible to get a leg up on the competition. During a relay, for example, as one runner approaches the “acceleration zone” (Sun), he may shout “Stick!” to let his teammate know to start running. Other teams may say “Go!” as their signal. Just like Anne Johns details, it is possible to have tension within one community, and during a relay race, tension is obvious. If a runner starts to go when he hears the other teams’ signals, it could cost his team the race. People do not always have to get along regardless of the fact that they share common ideals, another thing that Johns is adamant about.

But why does track need terms that when taken out of context seem completely irrelevant? A specified lexicon in the sport actually keeps tensions at a minimum between all runners. This cannot be said for other sports such as football. In football, different teams have different words that are said at the line of scrimmage that does not mean the same thing for any other team. This creates tension as Team B tries to figure out or understand what play Team A is trying to run. In track, runners, regardless of nationality, can universally associate themselves with all of the specific vocabulary necessary. This helps the meet to run smoother and all of the runners can thus accomplish what they set out to do: win the race or set a new personal record, also known as a “PR”.

            Track athletes remain diligent on and off the track. In my specific discourse community of my high school track and field team, we were always pushed to have strong morals and dedication to the sport and even more so to our academics and anything going on in school. My coach, Coach Jacobs, was not only our coach, but was out mentor. He would always say, “Being an adult means you no longer do what you want to do. It means doing what you need to do” and “Academics are always above athletics.” To be strong athletes meant not necessarily getting straight As, but striving to be the best that we could in the classroom. Each season, the conference that my school is in would give an award for scholar athlete, and each season this award would go to someone on the boys’ track and field or cross-country team, depending on the season. We could see athletes from other sports get frustrated that track runners would always get a prestigious award, but we knew that it was because we dedicated ourselves to both academics and athletics.

On race day, we would wear a shirt and tie to school. We needed to dress our best in order to perform our best. Other coaches would tell their athletes to “dress up” or just wear whatever they wanted. If another sport dressed up, it was an untucked shirt, khaki shorts and moccasins; this is not the attire of a champion. Dressing like champions made our “ideals and goals public” (Swales) to the rest of the school. So what if other students thought we were crazy for wearing a shirt and tie when it was 90 degrees outside. Success and winning was our primary objective, and we would not let anything come between our goals and us.

Track and field and the discourse community that goes along with it has shaped who I am as a person. The mini discourse community that was my high school track and field team created someone in me that I thought I could never become. I was introduced to an entirely new way of life that I am very proud of. I do not really care what other people think about track or running in general. To truly understand the beauty and how hard runners work, it is necessary to actually be involved in a program or in the discourse community as a whole. Those people who look down upon the sport are ignorant to me and underestimate themselves. By looking down at the sport or not understanding the true values that are dear to a runner, especially in a high powered program like the one I was in (we have not lost a meet since 2004 and have won multiple conference and state championships in the process), these people create tension for themselves. We do what we need to do to win, and even if the lifestyle or work ethic seems crazy to outsiders, it is because they are outsiders. Track and field becomes almost like a “primary discourse” (Gee) for those in the community, and we take pride in what we do. When people try to strip us of our pride, tension wil

 

 

 

 

 

WORKS CITED

 

 

Keech, Mike. “ON THE RUN Series: Training for Success The Last of 4 Friday Profiles Examining              How High School Student-athletes Balance the Demands of Training and Schoolwork. Today’s Focus: Track & Field Athletes: [Final Edition].” ProQuest. ProQuest Central, n.d. Web. <http://search.proquest.com/pqcentral/docview/342847510/1413E2F23223D1752F2/1?accountid=14214&gt;.

Sun Prairie. “Track & Field Terminology – Sun Prairie Area School District – High School Track & Field.” Track & Field Terminology. Sun Prairie High School, n.d. Web. <http://www.sunprairie.k12.wi.us/faculty/trackteam/terminology.cfm&gt;.

Alexander Hayes

WRT 105

Assignment #2

28 October 2013

 

My Youth Group

 

          What is a discourse community? A discourse community is described as a group of people who share a set of “discourses.” Discourses are understood as basic values and assumptions, and ways of communicating about those goals. John Swales defined discourse communities as “groups that have goals or purposes, and use communication to achieve these goals.” The only people who go to youth groups are the perfect kids who never do anything wrong and go to church every week and discuss God and what is going on in their life. Many people believe this to be the stereotype but while doing my research I find this to be quite wrong. While there may be those kids within this community they do not represent it as a whole they are just a small part of a larger group. When you look at a group of people you classify them according to how they look, act, or talk. Gee says in order to be recognized as part of a certain community you must “Speak the right way, but you have to act and dress in the right way as well.” While people do not realize it all of these factors add up to form discourse communities. Rarely do people take the time to look deeper into those communities to get a better understanding of them. Three artifacts represent this community Jesus Christ, the music and the conversations.

          Christianity began over 2000 years ago with Jesus Christ and disciples. Jesus would travel around the villages preaching religion and teaching people the will of God. Jesus would eventually die for the sins of man but three days later he would be resurrected and gave hope to the world. Jesus became known as the messiah for the Christianity religion as well as the teacher of God. People now continue to tell his stories and worship him today in what is known as Christianity. There are all different kinds of ways people get to get together to worship and praise God and one popular way for teenagers is youth groups because it allows for them to learn about God but in a modern and more fun way.

          As I walked into this dark light room filled, and turned the corner I saw a group of teenagers standing up with their hands in the air while singing songs that I had not ever heard before. Originally I was somewhat confused but the mood appeared to be very upbeat and when I listened closer I realized that they were Christen songs. As I walked in one of the first things I noticed was that it appeared to be a very eclectic group of kids, it was not like regular church where people dressed in slacks and a button down, they all seemed to be wearing whatever they wanted. When I interviewed my roommate, Connor, why he began attending these youth groups he said, “Because one day my friend convinced me to go and I haven’t stopped coming since.” Which I noticed appeared to be common theme with all of the kids I asked. After the songs had finished everyone proceeded to sit down in their chairs and a younger looking man came out on a stage and began discussing verses of the bible. Apparently the pastor picks out different chapters or verse to discuss each week with all of the kids. This week we discussed a few different verses, one of which was from Luke and said, Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” After reading this verse and taking some time to just really ruminate on what was said we all went around discussing what this verse meant to us and how we felt about it. As I looked around the room they became very serious and you could really tell all of the kids take these verses to heart and are not just hearing but actually listening to them. Throughout the whole service I noticed that people really began to open up to each other but no one was forced to say anything, they all chose to speak which made it more powerful when people speak because they want to and not because they are forced to. Everyone was also so accepting of each other and I felt as though I was part of a second family. While interviewing Connor I asked why everyone was just so open with everything, because it is not always an easy thing to simply open up to some random person you just met. His answer was “because no one is weird or different, we are all equal in God’s eyes and no one will judge you or look at you differently, everyone is there to help out and support you.” I really took that answer to heart especially after attending a youth group and I gained so much respect for him and all who attend the groups. Afterwards we all began to sings songs again and the youth group was coming to an end. After I began to walk I really felt as though I had become one of them.

          Gee refers to conversation as “talk and writing that has gone on in a specific social group or in society at large around a major theme, debate, or modify.”  In youth groups they engage in conversations through discussions dealing with things related to the bible and Christianity in general. During each meeting the pastor will choose a few different verses and they will discuss each one of these with each other. These conversations within the youth groups are similar to other discourse communities in that others may talk about religion and Christianity but the way it is going to be presented is different. At a youth group they go about how they discuss things in a more modern way than if you were to go to an adult mass.

 According to Gee each community has its own social language that differentiates it from another and this was no exception .When the pastor, or leader, would talk about “scriptures”, “books”, or “chapters” out of the bible, the bible is consists scriptures, or sacred writing, which are all separated into books and within each of those books there are chapters but I was unaware of what these words meant so I kept having to get clarification for the people around me. People who do not attend church or who are outside of Christianity may not know what these words mean or understand the context of which they are being used in. Social language refers to the way we change our language in different social situations and youth groups are a prime example. While attending a youth group you are going to talk differently than you would while just hanging out with your friends. You are not going to begin discussing scriptures while playing videogames with friends and vice versa.

          Multiple variables make up what is necessary to be considered a part of a certain discourse community, so what makes you a member of a youth group? According to Gee “you can’t just ‘talk the talk,’ you have to ‘walk the walk’ as well”. Big D discourse is comprised characteristics of a certain group including how they act, think, their values, and how they interact. In order to recognized as a member of a youth group you must be a member of that religion and have common values with others in the group. Although people within a youth group do not dress the same or all interact the same they do have same ideals and values, which for a group dealing with religion is a key aspect.

          What makes people attend these youth groups and continue to come back and what makes them any more special than another discourse community? Gee states that in order to be recognized as Discourse you must put “ language, action, interaction, values, beliefs, symbols, objects, tools, and places together in such a way that others recognize you a particular type of who engaged in a particular type of what”. My experiences while attending this youth group really made it clear to me that they are in fact a discourse community. Throughout the whole service I never felt out of place or that I was not welcome there. I felt as though I was immediately accepted as one of them and I had become friends with all of them. All different kinds of people attend these you groups and it is not just the “goodie goods” and the “church boys” like people seem to think, they are all just people looking to express their views among their peers. As I first walked through those doors into that dark room with Connor I was a little skeptical of what I was getting myself into but as I walked out I had a whole new outlook on youth groups.

Shades and Colors: Growing up Biracial

In much of the twentieth century, the black community heavily utilized the “science” and “methodology” of what is known as “the paper bag test” to determine one’s overall value in society. The test was simple: if a woman’s skin is lighter than a paper bag, she is beautiful, intelligent, feminine, kind, ideal, and if a woman’s skin is darker than a paper bag, she is unattractive, unintelligent, mean, and useless. This is where my story begins.

In looking back on my childhood and early adult years, I realize the impact race had on my life was less grounded on racism, and more on colorism. Colorism is prejudice or discrimination based on the relative lightness or darkness of the skin, generally a phenomenon occurring within ones own ethnic group. I am black and white, but untraditionally so. The ‘black’ side of me comes from Barbados and England with Cherokee Native American, and the ‘white’ side of me is nearly entirely Slavic, coming from Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. In middle school, I personally constituted twenty five percent of my grade’s ‘colored’ population, and I am only half black. I was confronted by race in a way I had never before experienced. I stood out because of how I looked and it made the next three years some of the most miserable of my life. For those years, I was alienated because I was “the black girl”, but in eighth grade, something changed; I became “the mixed girl”.

As if my being black and a non practicing Catholic wasn’t enough, the students and faculty at my school didn’t even accept the ‘White’ side of me. I was half Eastern European, which is a very heavily Jewish region of Europe, even though neither my ancestors, nor I were so. In eighth grade, when prompted to present about our primary region of origin in the world, I chose Poland (since that is the largest percentile representation I have in any country). At the end of my presentation, my teacher, Mrs. Reischer, asked me inquisitively, “But you are mulatto, right?”

For everyone who thinks my teacher just accused me of being a Starbucks drink, let me clarify: “Mulatto” is the slave term for a biracial person, likely born to a slave and a slavemaster, and it equates to “nigger”. I was not offended at all, just confused. I corrected her and went on with my day, still sufficiently confused. What year was it? Was ‘mulatto’ still a noun comfortably situated in the vocabularies of our seniors – the wiser of society? Evidently so. I went home and told my black mother what had happened and she smirked. She was equally confused, but utterly amused at the ignorance of society. We never spoke about it in depth.

Race was not an element of my home. My parents were black and white, and divorced. My mother remarried a black man with a quarter French in his background. My step-brother was adopted from Guyana, and is much darker than the rest of us. My little sister took after my step-dad with narrower features and a lighter complexion, making her mistakably Korean. We all looked nothing alike, but still we were everything alike. We understood that we didn’t look the same, but why did it matter?

My parents did their absolute best raising me, to help me define myself as a person, regardless of race. However, due to this, when I entered a world where people are uncomfortable because of one’s inability to fit into one racial bubble on a standardized test, I drowned. Too abstract? Humor me. After the comment in school, I was faced with the paradox that I was different from other people; no one I knew looked like me, and likely, no one ever would. And because of this, I had to establish my place in society and take it for what it was: a shit-show. For much of my life, White people I knew found me threatening. I am almost White, but with undeniable Black qualities. It was kind of like how television aliens are so close to being humans, but once you make them purple and naked with bug eyes, people just can’t get comfortable with it. Then you have the Black perception of me, and this is where it gets complicated.

From my own personal experiences, I have found that younger Black men find biracial women, myself inclusive, more attractive than fully black women. There is a societal element of colorism that makes Black men often likely to pursue lighter skinned or biracial women because of their fairness and closer resemblance to White women. I have also found that, at the risk of sounding like a completely narcissistic bitch, Black girls react in a polar manner toward biracial girls as well. Darker skinned black girls have often disliked me, and made it apparent. I’ve been verbally attacked for ‘thinking [I was] better than [them]’ because I am light, and part White. I feel like society today has beaten the dead horse of Black-White relations to a pulp, but in recent years, people are becoming wholly more aware of the larger elephant in the room – intra-Black relations and stigma.

In the novel “On Beauty” written by author Zadie Smith, she explores the dynamic of a biracial family. My favorite quote from that book (while it is a long one) comes during the fight following the realization that Howie, the unlikeable protagonist, has been cheating on his wife, Kiki Belsey. It lends itself to the black woman’s perception of her role in society because of race, and her white husband’s preferences.

A little white woman, . . . [a] tiny little white woman I could fit in my pocket.’ . . . ‘And I don’t know why I’m surprised. You don’t even notice it – you never notice. You think it’s normal. Everywhere we go, I’m alone in this… this sea of white. I barely know any black folk any more, Howie. My whole life is white. I don’t see any black folk unless they be cleaning under my feet in the fucking café in your fucking college. Or pushing a fucking hospital bed through a corridor . . .

In truth, Howie loved his wife’s regal Black features and her curves, and his preferences in his infidelity were not conscious of race or superiority. The novel goes to great lengths to show that, in fact, Howie was just an asshole. Much of the stigma Kiki felt she faced was in her head because she spent so much time being the only Black woman around her husband’s circle of academics.

In my research for this post, I found a documentary titled “Dark Girls” directed by B. Channsin Berry and Bill Duke. It explored colorism primarily among Black women, but also among Koreans and Latin Americans. One woman recalls back to middle school when she and her friends would fight lighter skinned girls in the bathroom “just because”. She is able to look back regretfully and realize that she acted out of jealousy and resentment. The scrutiny she faced from society filled her with anger that she wrongfully channeled at the these girls. She explained that the fairer girls received all the attention from the boys as being pretty and smart, with beautiful skin and hair, and it made them jealous; shamefully, she admits that some friends of hers even threw balls of nair at them to make their hair fall out. The tension between light skinned and dark skinned girls is a very real and tangible one.

Even as a young adult, I am faced with the same level of colorist tension that I received as a kid. As recently as this past weekend, I found that when I spend time with my Black friends, certain mannerisms of mine change and become ‘blacker’. If I fail to make these changes, I am clearly marked as an outsider. Because of this, I tend to keep a very diverse group of friends with whom I feel I can be myself. For example, I am Black and White biracial, with a South Indian boyfriend, and presently due to a health condition I will be unable to give birth, so we plan on adopting kids from Ethiopia, Morocco, and India. I am fluent in French and currently studying Russian. I am not a stereotype, and I implore anyone reading this to find one in which I fit. My friends look and act nothing like me; we come from different backgrounds and have different stories. So this lends itself to the question, where do biracial kids fit?

I challenge you, have you ever seen two biracial kids as friends? Possibly, but here – I challenge you even further, have you ever seen two biracial people in a relationship? Nope, never. You absolutely never have and likely never will. And do you know why? Because for some reason, mixed kids rarely find each other. Biracial people, we can spot another biracial person a mile away, and we can usually identify their mix and the ratio of each race. I have one friend that jokes that if she hears a voice ask, “Are you mixed?” she knows it’s me. And it’s true! Never before in my life have I known biracial kids, so here, in a school of 20,000, I realize that we are a real tangible population.

One of the most confusing aspects of the biracial population is that we are so dispersed in society. As I stated before, we are rarely ever together; it’s an anomaly if we are. Because of this, it allows for the question of whether we actually are a community. Personally, I believe so. We have mannerisms and language specific to us, that other people don’t quite understand. It’s commonalities like these that bring us together on the few occasions we actually cross paths. I cannot tell you how many times in a day, people ask me either “Can I touch your hair?” or “So what does your hair look like when it’s not straight?” Let me tell you, if I had a dollar for every time… But that’s the truth of it! People genuinely don’t know.

American society unintentionally lumps biracial kids into the same pile as twins, people from the UK, Italians, and sassy toddlers. We’re bombarded with a series of questions and requests to satisfy their curiosity about the alien nature of our being. And a lot of the time, not to sound like a sob story, it’s really hard! It’s frustrating when your mom doesn’t understand why you need to buy conditioner for your hair so often, and when your boyfriend asks why he never sees you shampoo your hair, or why you like tanning even though you’re half black, or why you jumped for joy when you realized College Board let you check multiple ethnicities. It’s the biracial specific isms that bring us together.

When I met my first biracial student at Syracuse, it was at a small hang-out at my friend’s apartment. He was very fair with freckles, and when I saw him I asked, “Are you mixed,” to which he replied yes.

His friend then asked if I was. He answered for me and said, “Yeah, she’s Black and White, too.”

That same friend asked how he knew, and we both replied simultaneously, “It’s a mixed kid thing.”

And it is. A conversation then budded about which parent was Black and how being mixed affected our childhoods and the kind of friendships we held and the experiences we each had. The real bonding moment was when we talked about how annoying it is when people always ask why we’re so light – why we don’t look like what a mixed kid should look like.

“TIME” magazine published an issue focused on “the new face of America” and mixed race people. I found the cover of the issue is particularly interesting because it is of a computer generated woman’s face, composed of different races. While you can clearly distinguish what ethnicities and races were likely used, you are unable to put your finger on exactly which feature comes from which race. This creates a feeling of uneasiness, but the heterosis allows the viewer to feel comfortable with the ambiguity of her features. Biracial kids will only become more mixed race as time progresses and it will be in that time that we reach a level of ambiguity in populations that allows us to comfortably exist.

Smith, Zadie. On Beauty: A Novel. New York: Penguin, 2005. Print.

http://officialdarkgirlsmovie.com/about/

http://content.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19931118,00.html

Benjamin Graniero

Unit 2 Assignment

 

            Politics are an excellent place to search for a diverse range of discourse communities, and are definitely a source of tension both between communities and within one community. The U.S. government is no exception to this, due to its government style; the ability of many parties to be present has caused multiple conflicts throughout the country’s history. The Tea Party movement has caused deep rifts within the Republican Party, with radical Republicans fighting against moderate republicans for power and majority control of the party. Recently, a conflict in Congress caused a government shutdown. While people may think that the blame is between Republicans and Democrats, in reality a third group was involved and played the major role in the shutdown: the Tea Party. Unfortunately, the public has not quite caught up with the fact that the Tea Party is a new separate discourse community, and the clash of ideas and values between the Tea Party and Republicans and Democrats show how the Tea Party’s differences have separated itself from Republicans.

            Before I jump into the conflict at hand, is it important to know some background knowledge that led up to the government shutdown of 2013. The Tea Party has had a strong stance against Obamacare ever since the bill was passed in 2010, they believe that the government is taking over healthcare in order to infringe on the rights of American citizens. Tea Party members also believe that this gives too many concessions too poor and gives some of them an excuse to live off welfare and be unproductive citizens. Unfortunately, the Tea Party was willing to take extremely risky measures to try and stop the law before it was enforced. Recently, the government was approaching a budget deadline on October 1, 2013. Now its no surprise that there would be a battle between the Republican controlled house, and the Democrat controlled Senate. But this time, the Tea Party would come into the spotlight; due to members winning enough seats in Congress to change the tide of U.S. politics. As the deadline neared, Tea Party affiliates began formulating a plan to use defunding the AFA as a bargaining tool to prevent the government shutdown. Unfortunately, Democrats would be just as stubborn on their counterclaims, demanding that the AFA have no changes in the hopeful budget deal. Both groups held strong, and the parties failed to reach an agreement by midnight. So, the government shut down and furloughed tens of thousands of workers and cut off some services to citizens. But why couldn’t the government reach an agreement? The answer lies within the core attributes of the Tea Party and the Democratic Party.

            The Tea Party and the Democratic Party are perfect examples of discourse communities that are exact opposites and are prime for conflict. As James Gee once said “There is often conflict and tension between the values, beliefs, attitudes, interactional styles, uses of language, and ways of being in the world which two or more Discourses represent.” Simply stating, the core attributes of different discourse communities can cause moments of tension. The Tea Party is a conservative political group that formed sometime in 2009, with core beliefs in low taxation, and minimal government intervention in the economy. They also support strict immigration laws, and tend to belief that illegal immigrants are ruining the economy and are given better care than citizens. Democrats are the exact opposite, they support taxes to balance the budget, believe an involved government means a better economy, and support more sympathetic immigrant laws.

            In the case of the government shutdown, both the Tea Party’s and the Democrats’ beliefs were contested as arguments and harsh words were thrown around Congress for weeks before and after the shutdown occurred. These differences in the party’s beliefs are the perfect examples to support Gee’s claim, as these different beliefs form the communities’ beliefs, uses of language, attitudes, and ways of being in the world. The language between these two communities are the main cause of tension because both the Tea Party and the Democratic Party have oppositely biased language, which can cause extremely heated arguments in congress. For example, Senate majority leader and Democrat Harry Reid called Tea Party member Ted Cruz a “self absorbed laughing stock”, due to his efforts to gain support against the AFA and for using the shutdown as a leverage tool. ”Democrats – and even many Republicans – have taken Cruz, R-Texas, to task for his hard-ball tactics, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., brought the criticism to new heights in an interview with the Huffington Post, calling Cruz a self-absorbed “laughing stock.””(CBS News) This is a great example of differing languages because a Democrat would use his bias and attack a “Tea Partyist”, while the Tea Party associate would use his own bias to counter the Democrat’s. This is basically how political discourse communities work in the United States; differing ideals viciously attack each other and push for control of congress. But most of the time is leads to major gridlock.

            The tensions don’t just end with congress however; John Swales states, “A discourse community has a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discoursal expertise.” Unfortunately, this means that those members with less understanding of the events unfolding in front of them can also take part in the fight against the other discourse community or even get an innocent community involved. I find that this is annoyingly true with young people and even many adults. There are a lot of people who don’t fully research every detail of the event, and will oftentimes use media sources that use the same language to form their opinions. These amateurs, or sometimes called “idiots”, only make the conflicts worse by talking useless nonsense and adding extra yelling or utilizing the “all caps” method if on social media. And while the Tea Party may be the conservative culprit of this tension, the Republicans got involved and unfortunately took much of the blame because too many people don’t recognize the differences between the Tea Party and the Republican Party. As a result, approval ratings for republicans plummeted more than the President and democrats.

            While the Tea Party does not think of a government shutdown as that big of a deal, it actually means more than they can fathom. Hundreds of thousands of government employees and contractors were sent home without pay. The veterans association’s organization and funding crumbled. National parks and memorials closed as well. How could Congress not see the shockwaves of their stubbornness? Worst of all, it completely screwed up the government’s ability to function properly. Congress was passing funding bills in small pieces as time progressed, which many can call stupid because it did not put people back in work. Also, on an even larger scale, the debt default was nearing. If the U.S. defaulted on their debt payments, the shockwaves would be felt globally. And as citizens suffered through the shutdown, the approval ratings of the Republican Party plummeted, but it wasn’t republicans that caused this issue, it was the stubbornness of the Tea Party. However, the Republican party finally pulled itself together, and a bipartisan plan to reopen the government and raise the debt ceiling was passed days before the deadline, effectively eliminating the Tea Party from the equation for some time.

            The Tea Party’s extreme involvement in recent government events and their right wing beliefs have separated themselves from popular belief that they are a part of the Republican Party. The fact that they still are called Republicans is not fair to the rest of the Republicans, one because they have lost all respect from citizens due to the Tea Party, and two because the Tea Party and the Republican Party are so different from each other. It is disgusting to see the Tea Party use the government shutdown as a leveraging tool to defund Obamacare, not only did they put hundreds of thousands of government employees out of work with no pay, they complicated the maintenance and organization of those still in work like military personnel and essential government employees. This conflict helps give people a better understanding of political discourse communities, as they can create a few conclusions. One, tensions exist both in and between communities. Two, beliefs are the source of tension but language fuels the fire. And Three, politicians are stubborn, and the Tea Party is no exception to that fact.

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited:

 

Gee, James P. “Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics: Introduction.” Journal of     Education 171.1 (1989): 5-17. Print.

 

“Tea Party movement.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica         Online Academic Edition. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. 28          Oct. 2013.     <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1673405/Tea-Party-      movement>.

 

Miller, Jake. “Harry Reid: Ted Cruz Is a Self-absorbed “laughing Stock””   CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 18 Oct. 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

 

Swales, John. “The Concept of Discourse Community.” Genre Analysis: English             in Academic and Research Settings. Boston: Cambridge UP, 1990. 21-   32. Print.

A Struggle of a Second-Generation Hispanic American

By Julia Berdecia

 

 

A little more than one-third of the adult children of immigrants in this country are Hispanics, and it turns out that like pervious generations of immigrants, they are generally doing well. That’s good news and further evidence that the descendants of millions of undocumented immigrants, currently in the crosshairs of the national debate over immigration reform, will assimilate and become productive citizens. (Bangor Daily News, 11 Feb 2013)

I am a Hispanic who is doing ‘generally well’ in our American society. I was born and raised in the United States in a wonderful, safe, and affluent neighborhood in New York City. Due to speaking English all my life, and being surrounded by a variety of substantial and educated individuals, in spite of being a minority, I never felt out of place as a citizen of this country. It is commonplace for the decedents of immigrants to adapt to the American lifestyle, while their families maintain a similar lifestyle led before entering the states (Bangor News). This is especially apparent in individuals who like me, have received a quality American education. These are young adults, whom unlike their parents are more likely to speak English, have friends and spouses from outside their ethnic group, and consider themselves ‘typical Americans’ (Bangor News).

Due to my circumstance exhibiting effortless integration into American society, particularly with people of Caucasian ethnicity, it was revealed that attempts to interact with those of my ethnicity would become difficult. I did not believe this was a true obstacle until I discovered that this natural assimilation to American culture produced distance and conflict between my father’s Dominican family and me. I then began to question whether assimilation was a real benefit- or if it just drives a wall in between second-generation young adults and their families. This separation from family is a price to pay for integration into this society, and is a sacrifice that many students make, whether one is trying to integrate into American society, or even succeed in an academic setting (Johns, 511). This sacrifice produces conflict by promoting my inability to integrate myself into Dominican culture. This collapses the relationship between my father’s family and me.

 It can be surmised that I am comprised of two identities – my Dominican and American nationalities. The American and Dominican flags are two artifacts that symbolize the confusion in my character. My blood and appearance is Dominican; I have brown hair, brown eyes, and tanned, sensitive skin. My dialect and customs are American; I speak perfect English without an accent and enjoy watching American football. In addition, these flags symbolize the sacrifice I make by choosing to act American over Dominican in order to fit into each place I go.

            Although I was raised in an Americanized environment, my father was raised by a loud and proud Dominican family, which is a discourse community jam-packed with loud batchata music, delicious pork and rice, and laid-back slang in the more often than not exquisite Spanish language. Discourse communities represent different identities and methods in which to live in this world. These are represented through worlds, acts, and beliefs that will be further discussed (Gee, 484). According to Gee’s interpretation of a ‘Discourse’, both families and nationalities are valid discourse communities, as these do represent themselves with the various categories mentioned. For example, my father’s family represents itself with the Dominican portion of the world, the act of dancing to their traditional music, and their belief of religion. Being that I identify myself as Dominican who is a part of my father’s family, it is only right for me to be a part of this discourse.

However, there is the contention asserting that it is essential for individuals to have a set of common goals to be members of a discourse community (Swales, 471). According to this interpretation, I could not be a member of the discourse community of this Dominican population, as I do not share the same goals as my father’s family or other Dominicans. A goal of my father’s family, a typical Dominican family, consists of organizing and/or attending get-togethers with loud music and more food than the whole crowd can consume. Although I enjoy a celebration or two, it is not my goal to partake in this.

Contrary to Swales’ interpretation, I believe that is aimless to limit the definition of a discourse community by not allowing members to possess contrasts in relation to one another. If the accurate definition of discourse is the exchange of thoughts and ideas (Merriam Webster), differences between members must not challenge the validity of a community; differences in opinion are still opinions, and therefore are discourses. This is the counter argument to Swales’ flawed interpretation.

Moreover, it is not atypical for members of communities to rebel, or for certain members like myself to become separated from others within a discourse. Of course, this happens as a result of having members who come from different backgrounds and upbringings (Johns, 511). Due to my mother’s contrasting methods and teachings instilled in me, I am a member of my Dominican family’s discourse, who happens to be isolated and rebellious for a variety of reasons. These rationales are found in music, health habits, or even beliefs. These examples containing artifacts demonstrate my struggle to integrate into this culture due to my conformity to American convention.

Batchata music is a very significant artifact within my family’s discourse, as many enjoy to shaking their hips and moving to the rhythm. While others dance to this genre, and try to persuade me to do the same, I just shut my ears and run to a secluded room where I won’t be bothered by the loud strangers invited.

My disgust for batchata is a representation of a barrier created a between my Dominican family and me, as I am too absorbed into the music that American culture produced that I enjoy so much (Nirvana, Matt and Kim, Blink 182). I am much too aware and focused on American pop culture that it is near impossible to listen and adapt to any other genre other than pop and rock n’ roll. If I cannot like traditional Dominican music, there is no possible way that I can dance to it either. Due to this, I am preventing myself from being social and getting along with others within this discourse, as dancing is arguably the most common way to socialize in a Dominican setting.

The cuisine of the Dominican nationality is yet another significant artifact within my family’s community. My stepmother, aunt, and cousins spend hours in the kitchen preparing and perfecting their recipes for others to gobble up and enjoy. It is one of the most wonderful ways to bring a family side by side for a marvelous night.

 

Although this is enjoyable for quite some time, this cuisine is the cause for most health issues that my father’s family is faced with- diabetes in particular. I see all that they must put up with, visiting the doctors’ offices and taking numerous medications. I soon realize that I refuse to become this way. Not only am I choosing not to eat this unhealthy cuisine full of carbs and heavy calories due to health purposes, but also for superficial reasons relating to my appearance. It is not uncommon in American culture for people to want to be thin, and to eat healthily in trying to achieve this (Ross, PsychCentral). I am one of those individuals. However, members of my family become offended when I refuse to take a bite of their food, as they take pride in what they have created. I can then be labeled as ungrateful for not enjoying what took hours to prepare, which causes dismay and drama in a social setting. The Dominicans of my family are far more concerned with the deliciousness and temptation that their food brings about, than their health or body image. The artifact of Dominican cuisine embodies my resistance to what may allow me to gain a pound or two, and the differing lifestyles (health wise) in comparison to those this discourse.

Although there are superficial aspects to my character, I always know that it is best to focus on internal qualities- especially in expanding my intelligence. The last, but most pressing conflict I face within my Dominican community is my inability to showcase my intellectual ideals that have developed as a result of my American education, without others exhibiting an unenthusiastic and reluctant attitude. After all, I consider myself to be very strong in the sciences and mathematics- I am fond of these subjects; of course, there is always clash and disagreement between the beliefs of science, and the beliefs of religion (Strenger, Huffington Post). My family is incredibly religious, and the bible is an artifact that is very impactful to this discourse.

It is also an artifact that I do not care for. I believe in the science and logic that has gotten humanity further in 400 years than religion has gotten us in 4,000. This is the type of thinking that I embrace. My Dominican discourse, including those in my father’s family is appalled that I do not practice religion, and they never miss an opportunity to contradict and criticize the rational and left-brained thinking that I have such enthusiasm for. This is a conflict involving my American education in coexistence with by beliefs in disparity with my family’s religious ideals.

Although I am an individual who is presently unable to cooperate with my family’s discourse community, I do not regret my assimilation to American culture through music I use to entertain myself, health habits I use to care for myself, or even the scientific beliefs I adopted as a result of my American education. I am well aware of what is at stake for my relationship with my father’s family- I may not see my relatives often enough for me to know what is going on in their lives, and it will be more difficult to see my younger siblings grow. However, in time I may grow tired of making such sacrifices- even for the benefit of by entertainment, health, and academic future. As I become more mature and curious about every aspect of my background- not just my American identity, I may decide to familiarize myself with my Dominican identity; I won’t just be a part of this discourse by possessing the nationality, but I may also become a part of the discourse as someone who is much less resistant and open to learn the conventions of my Dominican family.

Works Cited

  1. “A Bright Future for Hispanics.” Editorial. Bangor Daily News [Bangor] 11 Feb. 2013: n. pag. Proquest.com. Bangor Publishing Company. Web. 20 Oct. 2013.

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2.  “Discourse.” Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2013.

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  3. Ross, Carolyn C. “Why Do Women Hate Their Bodies? | World of Psychology.”Psych Central.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

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 4. Stenger, Victor. “Science and Religion Cannot Be Reconciled.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 19 Feb. 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

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  5. Swales, and Johns. Writing about Writing: A College Reader. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. Print.

Ben Evans

WRT 105

 

Unit 2

People belong to many discourse communities, whether they believe it or not. People can be born into them, or join them voluntarily. “Individuals often affiliate with several communities at the same time, with varying levels of involvement and interest” (Johns, 501). Everyone in this class is in the same discourse community; Syracuse students. We all come from different places and backgrounds, which is the source of our tension. For the most part, we chose to be a part of this community. We all came here with common goals and hopes for success in the future. We are all a part of the discourse community, and are proud to consider ourselves students here at Syracuse University. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t tension, tension is present in every discourse community. Tensions also can exist between two different discourse communities, not just inside of one.

            The Swales’ six characteristics of a discourse community and Gee’s article helped define a discourse community, and the Syracuse student body adheres to these specifications. Gee had a more open idea of what a discourse community entails. Basically, if it can be considered a discourse community, it is. Swales’, on the other hand, had a strict, closed idea of what could be considered a discourse community. The six characteristics are the defining aspects of the community. Some of Swales’ conditions were a little extreme or vague. “A discourse community uses it participatory mechanisms primarily to provide information and feedback.”(Swales, 472) and “a discourse community utilizes and hence possesses one or more genres in the communicative furtherance of its aims” (Swales, 472) are the two characteristics of Swales’ that I don’t agree with.  They are too strict or don’t make sense in context. Other than those two pieces, the Syracuse student body adheres very well to the standards of both Gee and Swales.

            Tension plays a major role in discourse community, and very few discourse communities have a lack of tension. Tension can come from anything, big or small. It can be from within the group or from another group or entity entirely. Two groups clashing can be a source of tension, as can two members of a group clashing. The way a community handles its discourse is the true testament to its strength. The group’s ability to stay close through and after conflict and tension proves that the interests and goals of the group come first. Our goal is to graduate and do well as a class and in the future. This is our defining attribute, not the inner tensions. 

            Our Convocation speech, by Chancellor Cantor was what made us officially Syracuse students. “That you [students] get ready to soak up the world by being part of the pack, by learning with and from each other, by depending on each other, by forgiving each other rather than standing in judgment, by being inspired not only by individual success but also by what you can accomplish together.” (Cantor).  On August 23^rd, 2013, this was our entrance and introduction into Syracuse student body. Syracuse undergraduate students of every generation and every background have sat and listened to their convocation, just as we did a few days before classes started. We didn’t know what to expect, and still do not know. Every day we learn more and more however. On that day is when we, as a group, gained our set of goals and solidified our knowledge of a suitable degree of relevant knowledge. Without it, we wouldn’t have gotten accepted here. This moment is where it started, and what we will remember in 4 years and think where the time went.

            The nature of the student body is that it is a mixture of people from all over and many walks of life. People come from not only all over the United States, but all over the world. The diversity brought by the student body can be very culturing for people who haven’t experienced something like this before. An example of this would be political divides. Through their own thoughts or through there upbringing, students get their political views from many different places. This means that agreeing on politics as a whole is nearly impossible. Tension will arise due to our clashing ways in thinking. The fact that different backgrounds mean different ways of thinking and opinion making means that it will be tough to completely agree. Topics like gay rights or pro-life/ pro-choice are things that as a community, we cannot agree on. Tension in a discourse community isn’t bad however; it’s often a chance to learn. I wouldn’t want it any other way, because it forces people to see the other side of the argument and grow as a person.

            Tension can, and does exist between majors. Math and science majors see tension between them and the arts students. The different styles of life and living can cause tension when placed in the same building and forced to live together. It can also exist between grades. Generally, freshmen aren’t the most respected and are the butt of many jokes and pranks. Hazing is huge contributor to the disrespect of underclassmen. Just recently, here at Syracuse, the women’s club lacrosse team was found to be the reason a freshman club member was hospitalized. As part of her initiation, she obtained alcohol poisoning and was hospitalized due to sever hazing. The club team has been forbidden from playing competitively for the rest of the season. At the end of it all though, we’re one student body. In just a matter of time, we’ll be the upperclassmen and the jokes will have ended, at least at our expense. Majors will sort themselves out and tension between them will decrease as time goes on. Even though we exist in the same group of Syracuse students, there are still existing differences or binaries.

            Between schools, tension can also exist. The best case illustrated here is the Syracuse and Georgetown rivalry, a very competitive contest in academics and athletics. For years, one of the most important college basketball games of the year was between these two schools. It was something both schools looked forward to, and trained for since day one of the preseason. Washington Post author Liz Clarke called the rivalry “one of the great rivalries in college basketball.” (Clarke). Students of both school really come together to support their teams, and hatred for the other team runs deep.

            Even little things can be considered tension, like favorite sports teams for example. My best friend here is a Yankees fan, and as a lifelong Red Sox fan, it is a little disheartening. Their rivalry runs much deeper than the Syracuse Georgetown rivalry. It doesn’t make us any less of friends however. We are still a part of this discourse community and at the end of the day are happy to consider each other classmates. That is the key to discourse communities; at the end of it all the community has a positive effect on not only your life, but the life of all other members in the community.

Race and ethnicity can be attributed to tensions felt by students on campus. Boston Globe writer Vanessa E. Jones says “On college campuses, students continue to struggle with ethnic tensions and racist attitudes”. Ethnic tensions may not be what they used to be, but they are still present and will continue to be present. During an interview in the article, Vanessa E. Jones heard a student try to say the diversity on campus was just to boost numbers and make the school more appealing. Tension between the races may not be one spoken a lot about because it is a taboo subject, but it exists here and exists at almost every school.

            Discourse communities have a lot to offer for people in them. It’s a place for similar people to discuss either their interests or life. It’s a built in support group to many people’s lives and something valued very dearly by its members. Swale’s concepts can be re-applied, on point by point basis. Common set of goals; we all strive to do well and graduate. Mechanisms of communication; we are all assigned Syracuse emails at the beginning of the year. Participation mechanism provides feedback; we receive grades to help us determine how we are doing. One or more genres to further its aims; many different majors all in one community. Acquired some specific lexis; landmarks and academic programs are known by everyone. Suitable degree of relevant content; not everyone can get into the university, there are restrictions and it is very competitive. Discourse communities provide lifelong opportunities for its members. Tension is not the reason we are separate, tension is the reason we are together. The Syracuse student body is a resource for its members, there is always someone that will help. That part of the beauty of a school like this, and no school has more school pride. 

Tensions seen in Discourse Communities

Christine Valenzuela

WRT 105 – Unit 2 Assignment

Hispana, Soy (Hispanic, I am)

            “Discourses are ways of being in the world; they are forms of life which integrate words, acts, values, beliefs, attitudes, and social identities as well as gestures, glances, body posture, and clothes” (Gees 484) Discourse communities are surrounding each individual, including myself. One person can be part of dozens of discourse communities and not realize. Discourse communities are the reason for some of the tension created in people’s lives. Some discourse communities clash with the beliefs and customs of another, creating tension. The Hispanic discourse community is unique to all other communities seen here at Syracuse University. As a member of this discourse community, I am presented with many challenges such as racism and stereotypes. These challenges are the source of tension seen between the two discourse communities.

            The two communities are evident discourse communities in my life. They all fit Swales six characteristics of a discourse community, which sums up what a discourse community really is. Perhaps the key to a group of people forming a discourse community is sharing a common goal. Each and every individual does not have to be exactly like the other, however, there must be a common goal. For example, all Hispanics have a common goal of breaking out of the stereotype that they aren’t capable of becoming great doctors and lawyers. Every discourse community has its own “intercommunications among it’s remembers” (Swales 471). Members of discourse communities have different ways of communicating whether it’s through conversations via text, formal meetings, or electronic mail. Furthermore, discourse communities “acquire some specific lexis” (Swales 473). Within the Hispanic community, there are different communities of different Hispanic ethnicities. Dominicans, which is my specific ethnicity, have different lexis’ than a Puerto Rican may have although we are both of Hispanic descent. Moreover, all members of a discourse community use this unique language and other “participatory mechanisms” to share information. For instance, members of the Syracuse community are all very familiar with the use of blackboard. Blackboard is a way for students to keep updated on their upcoming assignments, their grades, and a way to have connections to other students. It is also a way for professors to share grades with students and get information across to them without being in a classroom. This “participatory mechanism” is a way for the Syracuse community to share crucial information, without it the community would most likely not function as well as it functions with it. All discourse communities have a diverse group of people. Both discourse communities that I am part of show this factor of a discourse community. Hispanics come from all different kinds of islands and people from all over the world make up the Syracuse community. Finally, members of a discourse community have the power to leave or enter a discourse community. There are some limitations with this sixth characteristics stated by Swales. Scholars argue whether one has the option of choosing to leave or enter some discourse communities that they are part of. Although, I will not be going into depth about my family discourse, there is question whether I had the choice of entering this discourse community because I was born into it. Also, whether or not I could really stop being a part of my family. I personally believe that an individual could leave their family and eliminate it as a discourse community in their life. Just because a set of people share the same blood doesn’t necessarily mean that they form a discourse community. They may not, share the same goals or the same language, therefore, they lack key characteristics of a discourse community. To form a discourse community, more than one of these characteristics or guidelines have to be met.

 

            Being born into the Hispanic community was truly a blessing. No matter the many stereotypes I am placed in or the many ways that people look down upon the Hispanic community, I will never deny being Hispanic. Hispanics share many goals as a people. Like stated before they share the same goal of breaking out of stereotypes and racist comments made by different people all over the world. In an online video clip called Racist US University Students on Latino Students, this tension is well demonstrated. The clip is a CNN report about students who thought it was comical to use the attire of a janitor as their outfit for a Cinco de Mayo party. They used the name “Pedro” on the front of their shirts, a common Hispanic name, and wrote things such as Spic N’ Span Gardener on the back. The students who did this are a part of the University of Delaware discourse community, which like Syracuse University has a predominantly white student body. The students of this university made a mockery of the common stereotypes made by others about Hispanics. The Hispanic students of the university were outraged and claimed that this is an example of how racism still exists against the Hispanic community. One of the white students of the university also said that on a regular day on campus, you would only see white friends with white friends and Hispanic friends with Hispanic friends. I personally can relate to this as a student in Syracuse, a university which is also predominantly white. Being Hispanic has not brought me many white friends. As a result of our different ways of speaking, styles, and culture we do not seem to find many things in common. Some may argue that it isn’t something that happens on purpose but rather something that happens naturally and some claim to not be aware of this kind of segregation. The more time I spend on the Syracuse campus the more I realize these kinds of differences. Walking into Ernie Davis dining hall for dinner, I seldom see a mixture of ethnicities sitting in a table sharing thoughts and ideas. As a student at Syracuse, this is one the most upsetting things to see because there truly is a diverse group of people that share the same common goal of graduating and wanting to become someone of importance in this world. However, there is some trouble integrating ideas and coming together as one, eliminating tensions. These differences and stereotypes all form tensions between the two discourse communities that seem to be inevitable.

            Often times as a student here, I find myself confused by some of the language used by other white students. I do not understand some of their lexis. As a result I often times feel excluded from the Syracuse discourse community. If you have no access to the social practice, you don’t get in the discourse (Gee 484). Gee pin points exactly how I feel about this kind of situation. I feel as if I have no access to their social practice being that many students and I at Syracuse differ in so many things such as the way we were raised, our style, and the way in which we interact with each other. If you are not included in the lingo of the crowd, you will often times just drift away from the crowd and stick to what you know. At this point in the semester, I am not making as much of an effort as I once was to be friends with those of the “white community” here at Syracuse. This is often times the attitude of many students of the Hispanic community. Why try so hard to be a part of a community that isn’t very welcoming? This is a question I ask myself every day. Sometimes I may think to myself maybe because no one else is doing it and it isn’t a job for just one person. Failing to break these barriers will only continue on the legacy of the tensions seen between the Hispanic discourse community and the majority of the Syracuse discourse community.

            Drifting from the Hispanic and white community just at Syracuse, this is a worldwide issue that many young Hispanic people deal with in their everyday life. Creating even greater tensions is the worldwide view of both of the discourse communities. It is known that those of the white discourse communities are expected to do better and succeed. However, it is “rare” for a Hispanic to make a name for themselves. Living with the stereotype has created tension between myself and the way that I view those of the white community. I often feel like members of that community look down upon me and my capabilities as an individual at Syracuse. As a a result of society viewing them as better, I find myself trying to be more like them inside a classroom or an interview in the way that I speak and putting away my Hispanic side. A young lady in the video clip called Jamila Lysiscott Video NYC, demonstrates these issues of people part of a minority. Society paints a picture where one language is better than the other and one way of being is better than the other. One way Jamila explained tensions was by pointing out ways in which people from the different discourses she is part of greet each other. Those of the Jamaican community say, “What a gwaan?” Her friends say, “What’s good?” The members of the urban community simply say, “Hello.” This kind of tension is seen in both of my discourse as well. Those of the Hispanic community tend to say “¿ hola, cómo estás?” Hispanics are also friendlier and loving with each other when they greet each other by giving kisses on the cheek and hugs. Those of the Syracuse discourse simply say, “What’s up?” or “Hello.” This difference in language is bound to create some tension because a greeting from a Hispanic in the Syracuse community could be misread or misinterpreted. Differences in these aspects such as language are the things that make these discourse communities unique. She goes on to explain that there is a place and time for everything. There is a time where one language is preferred over the other, that doesn’t necessarily mean one language is better than the other. Rather she calls it a “linguistic celebration.” A celebration that someone can be a part of so many discourse communities with different languages and still make it work and balance things out. Like Jamila, I come from a group of people who are considered a minority, but I try to treat all sides of who I am equal and value them all the same. I try to treat all my identity kits equal because they allow me to take on a role that others will recognize (Gee 484).

            After reading a piece of writing, one may ask themselves why this was important or why does this even matter. The tensions between the Hispanic discourse community and the white population at Syracuse University expand beyond those discussed in this writing. These tensions become more and more complex in the outside world when adults are competing for jobs to survive. Members of the Hispanic discourse community deal with many kind of forms of racisms that are oblivious to many people. The issue expands beyond the Syracuse discourse community and that is why it matters. This piece of writing might’ve also struck some thought about some battles within yourself concerning race and society’s input.

            Discourse communities make up the world we live in. The tensions found within and between each and every discourses keep the world going. If these tensions didn’t exist and differences in ideas, customs, languages, and beliefs we’d be a world lacking excitement and change. Conflict promotes change and betterment of the nation. With increasing tensions, maybe one day a Hispanic student at Syracuse will not feel these kind of tensions and perhaps be struggling with some other than fitting in.

Analyzing Discourse and Identity

Nikki Kruse

October 23, 2013

WRT 105

Tim Craven

Unit 2 Assignment: Analyzing Discourse and Identity

Whether we realize it or not, we identify with and belong to many different discourse communities that we involve ourselves in on a daily basis. John Swales touches on six points that encompass what a discourse community is including characteristics like similar goals, language, methods of communicating with members, and changing memberships. Although discourse communities have a way of defining us, they also have a way of creating tension which is brought up in the article, Discourse Communities and Communities of Practice: Membership, Conflict, and Diversity, by Ann M. Johns. Tension can be created within the discourse community if members rebel. Tension is also possible between two different discourse communities for reasons like different values or unshared goals. Upon being apart of many different discourse communities, we involuntarily face these tensions that can make us feel like we do not belong.

The discourse community I am a part of is the Asian community. I was born in South Korea and was adopted by my parents when I was four months old. My mother is Korean like me, my father is German, and my brother is a mix of German and Korean because he is my parents child by blood. Growing up was different because I never fit in with the other Asian kids in my school. The way my parents raised my brother and me causes a lot of tension within the Asian community.

Since I was raised like an “American” I often feel distanced from my community.For example, I do not speak Korean so when I encounter people of my community who only speak Korean or limited English, they are confused and do not understand why I do not speak Korean. These tensions within my community make me feel as though I am only a part of this community because of the way I look, rather than my values and beliefs. This leads to further tensions within other communities such as my school or town. Since I am Asian in a predominately white neighborhood, growing up I often had to face judgement and tension between peers who only had white friends their entire life before they met me. I do not have many other Asian friends so I do not really have anybody to share my culture with, like the food or the traditions of South Korea. 

 

My race and the way I was raised divide me into different discourses where I do not necessarily fit all of the qualifications. Also the tensions I experience within the Asian community make me hesitant to further explore my ethnicity because I do not fit the exact standards of my culture. Sometimes I feel as though my community judges me and the way my family chose to raise me. No matter what discourse community I identify with, I could be considered an outsider.

In elementary school, I was often mocked and questioned for the way I look. Many of my peers would ask me, “Why do your eyes look like that?” This made me feel extremely alienated from both my school community and my Asian community. It made me feel alienated from my school community because just by looking at me it is so obvious that I am a minority in my town. Being one of very few Asian students in my school made it much easier for me to stand out. Hearing this question would also make me feel alienated from my Asian community because growing up distanced from my culture also made me question why I look the way I do. I did not speak the language of my country like the other Asian kids in my school did, so I was not able to identify with my culture the same way they could. Language and means of communication are such a highlighted factor of what makes a discourse community, so not being able to speak the language of where I come from separates me from my culture greatly. I felt trapped in a body that was not mine.

My South Korean birth certificate and my American citizenship are two documents that represent the tension I face within the Asian community. These are two extremely important documents that describe my identity. My birth certificate resembles my South Korean blood and where I come from, while my American citizenship shows that I am a citizen of America. These two documents show tension because being an American citizen has completely overshadowed being born in South Korea. Johns says, “Even after individuals are fully initiated, many factors can still separate them” (Johns 511). Some people of my community who were raised by parents who chose to instill values of their culture may consider my American citizenship as something that has taken me away from my culture.

When people meet me for the first time, my voice surprises them because they are so surprised at how well I speak English. Since I was not raised speaking Korean or was never urged to learn it, English is the only language I am fluent in. It is odd to many people of the Asian community because upon looking at me, one would expect me to speak my language. This causes a lot of tension because I have no way of communicating with people of my community who may only speak Korean. I often feel looked down upon by my community for not being able to speak my language, which causes me to feel unwanted or distanced from the community. Also, I have experienced envy from members of the Asian community who cannot speak English as well because I am able to speak English better than they can. Little do they know not being able to speak the language of my country causes major boundaries between the discourse community and me.

Tension could also be portrayed through stereotypes. Stereotypes of the Asian community include all Asians look alike, being smart, and excelling in math. Endless amounts of stereotypes have been thrown at me throughout elementary, middle, and high school because I appeared different than my peers. I struggled greatly especially during elementary school to identify with a particular group. Due to the stereotypes of which I do not fit, I could not relate to other Asians in my school but I also felt like an outsider amongst my white friends. I never excelled in math class, I do not like eating rice, and I do not play the piano or violin. It is sometimes quite comical to my parents and me that I do not embody any of the typical Asian stereotypes, yet it can also be frustrating.

All of the tensions created within my discourse community and between the other discourse communities I am involved in lead me to disagree with the points made by James Paul Gee in his article, Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics. He says, “A discourse is a sort of “identity kit” which comes with the appropriate instructions on how to act, talk, and often write, so as to take on a particular role that others will recognize” (Gee 484). Although I am in the Asian community because that is my ethnicity, that does not mean this single community determines my identity. I would like to think of myself as a mixture of all the discourse communities I find myself to be a part of. I am Asian because of my blood, I am multicultural because of my family’s diversity, and I am American because I am a citizen. All of the qualities of the different communities I relate to make up who I am and I believe this is what makes each of us unique.

Conforming to just one discourse community makes everything all too simple. We need the tensions within our community and between other communities to help us realize who we are. Behind all of the conflict I have faced with finding my identity, I realized I am a creation of all different nationalities and cultures.

Max Ruditsky Unit 2 Assignment

Max Ruditsky

WRT 105

10/27/13

Professor Craven

 

Analyzing Tensions with the US Military Discourse Community

 

Although I am not a part of this discourse community, it has a major influence on every man, woman and child living in America. The United States Military is the discourse community that I am describing. Obviously, the US military has its tensions with enemies both foreign and domestic. Along with these obvious tensions between the United States and its enemies there are tensions within the US military that may not be obvious to everyone. There are tensions between individuals in different military branches, local extremist groups and between the individuals in the Military and political leaders and policies.

The United States Military as a whole is most definitely a discourse community and it matches up with Gee and Swales criteria of a discourse community almost exactly. Some of the main things that pops into one’s head when you think of the military is uniforms, military values and actions. These fit Gees qualifications exactly, “Discourses are ways of being in the world; they are forms of life which integrate words, acts, values, beliefs, attitudes, and social identities as well as gestures, glances, body positions, and clothes” (Gee 484). The uniforms and values unite the military into one community and make it apparent that an individual is part of the military community. Which is another one of Gees criteria, that the person within the community is recognizable, “A Discourse is an identity kit…that allows a person to take on a role that others will recognize” (Gee 484). When someone is a part of any branch in the US Military will instantly change your identity as an individual. When one puts on the uniform you are taking on a role that everyone will universally recognize. Not only is this community well recognized, but within the community there are specific practices that also follow the criteria of a discourse community. Swales outlines a couple of discourse qualifications that directly apply to the US military. One of his major points is that the discourse community must have a certain language known only known by that community, “acquire some specific lexis (e.g. technical language, or abbreviations and acronyms), that is exclusive to them” (Swales 473). The military is known to have a certain lingo or coded language that they use to communicate so any enemies of the US Military can not understand what they are saying. Another one of Swales discourse criteria that I believe describes the US Military perfectly is the mix of members with different ranks, expertise and experiences, “have a mix of members with a mix of expertise—i.e. they have a ratio of novices and experts” (Swales 473). The military is universally known to have different ranks ranging from private all the way up to way higher up positions such as general. Along with having different ranks there are different branches, each with different expertise’s and within those branches there are individuals all with different skill levels and responsibilities.

In terms of discourse communities the United States military is clearly an incredibly large community that has tensions with other large communities. A perfect example of tensions between the United States military and another large discourse community is the current situation in Syria. Assad and Syrian government is incredibly corrupt and is using chemical weapons on its populace, which is a violation of human rights and the Geneva Convention. The CNN interview with president Obama highlighted that because of this violation of human rights and clash with American values that US military action may be taken, “The U.S. military has updated options for a forceful intervention in Syria to give President Barack Obama a range of choices should he decide to deepen American involvement in a civil war where new claims surfaced this week about possible chemical weapons use by the regime”(Lawrence). Naturally this creates some tensions between the US military and the Syrian government because it clashes with not only with US military values values, but also American values. One might ask so what? why is this important? It is important because it highlights some of the values of the United States and its military. That the US  and its military are against inhumane treatment of individuals and that they will stand and try to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

The US military clearly is most well known for its tensions with other nations, but there are also tensions that aren’t as widely known and happen from within the discourse community. Rather recently there was a discussion on whether gay individuals should be allowed to serve openly in the US military. This created tension between the gay community and some members of the US military community. This tension is especially apparent when an individual is already openly gay and wants to serve in the military, “she wore a different kind of uniform: an olive-drab T-shirt that read: “ASK. TELL.”Ms. Newman wears her shirt to protest the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which prevents openly gay people like Ms. Newman from enlisting. The policy, which went into effect in 1993, allows gay people to serve in the armed forces but prevents them from disclosing their sexual orientation”(Fuller). Ms. Newman wants nothing more than to wear a US military uniform, but she also wants to express her sexual orientation. This is where the two discourse communities collide. The Military has values, and standards that some people believe gay individuals cannot meet because of some untrue negative stereotypes that generalize all homosexuals.  This is important because it reveals how there can be some generalizations within the US military that can cause tensions.

When someone signs up to be a part of the US military they are also signing an agreement to be at the complete whim of politicians and the president. Throughout history we have seen presidents make policies and initiate military action that have ended in success and some that have ended in failure. This cause tensions between the members of the US military community and the political community. A rather recent example of a politician making a decision that resulted in large public outcry was when President George Bush ordered US military boots on the ground in Iraq. He claimed that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction without any real proof and he then invaded Iraq, putting many US lives in danger. When Bush was to deliver a commencement speech at a Pennsylvania university it raised concerns for many, especially those who belong to the US military, “Iraq war veteran Jonas Merrill, 25, said he drove 90 minutes from his home in Cumberland, Md. to protest Bush’s arrival and the ongoing war in Iraq. “We’re fighting for the guys still over there,” he said” (PressTV). Those who belong to the US military discourse community had no choice but to follow Bush’s order to invade Iraq even if they disagreed with the reasoning. This not only caused tensions between the Military and the government, but between all of America and George Bush. This is a really crucial instance of tension because it made it so there is always a lack of distrust and a clash of beliefs between he politicians ordering the soldiers and the soldiers themselves.

While there are most definitely tensions on a large scale with the US military there are also some crucial instances of conflict on a smaller more localized scale. There are various extremist groups in the US, but the one that I want to highlight that particularly clashes with the US military is The Westboro Baptist Church. I have witnessed this clash in person. An Army Ranger died in combat who was from my town, and The Westboro Baptist Church planned on protesting his funeral because they believe that US soldiers fighting overseas are fighting for homosexuals. Therefore they deserve to die. Its horrible and these people are clearly extremists, but instead of protesting they were surrounded by US military veterans and were not allowed anywhere near the funeral procession. This extremist group obviously has some terrible values that directly clash with military values and therefore there is a large amount of tension. This group does not only do this where I am from. They try and protest other US military funerals all over America, “An extremist group has promised to protest the funeral of an Oregon soldier who was killed in the line of duty and folks are planning to come together to protect those who are mourning the loss.You may have heard about the Westboro Baptist Church. They are notorious for picketing the funerals of military members”(Loos). These protestors are a perfect example of how some people can be so opposed to the US military and what they do for our country. Also, how their ideologies directly clash with US Military values such as honor, integrity and service. I guarantee no member of the Westboro Baptist Church would ever defend those who cannot defend themselves.

Clearly there are tensions between the US Military and other communities both large and small, but there are also tensions within the sub communities of the military that may not be obvious to everybody. The other day while watching TV I came across a commercial for some military organization to help veterans. In the commercial different members from each military branch arrived at the entrance to the organization. There was an individual representing the Army, Marines, Air force, Navy and Coast Guard. They all stopped and looked at each other disapprovingly. After they stopped they realized that the are all part of the same community and went in together. They aired this commercial to show that all members of the military regardless of branch were welcome there. However, because there are differences between these branches there is some room for tension. Someone from the Marines might believe that someone in the Air force was not as battle hardened or trained hard enough and vise versa. In some cases this might lead to some minor disagreements or pre conceived notions about individuals in different branches. While this tension may not be as apparent or intense as some of the tensions I previously described it is still important because it shows own that even if someone is part of a large discourse community the sub communities can still have some tension with each other.

The United States Military being one of the most powerful militaries has its had major tensions with other large forces. While these conflicts such as the Iraq war and the current crisis in Syria polarize public attention, they are not the only tensions that the US Military faces. There are tensions within the military between different branches and occupations, as well as tensions between the soldiers and the higher up positions. The President being the Commander and Chief of the military is the main source of tension because he makes all the final decisions. All of these different tensions between different types of discourse communities help outline the US military discourse community and what every man and women within the community stands for.

Works Cited:

 

Fuller, Andrea. “Government.” The Chronicle of Higher Education. N.p., 28 Feb. 2010. Web.   27 Oct. 2013.

 

Gee, James P. “Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics: Introduction.” Journal of Education 171.1(1989): 5-17. Print.

 

Lawrence, Chris, and David Simpson. “Official: U.S. Military Updates Options for Possible Strikes on Syria.” CNN. Cable News Network, 23 Aug. 2013. Web. 27 Oct. 2013.

 

Loos, Mary. “Hundreds Expected to Block Extremist Group Protesting Funeral.”KATU.com.Katu News, 18 Oct. 2013. Web. 27 Oct. 2013.

 

“PressTV – Bush Faces War Tensions at Speech.” PressTV – Bush Faces War Tensions at Speech. N.p., 12 May 2007. Web. 27 Oct. 2013.

 

Swales, John. “The Concept of Discourse Community.” Genre Analysis: English in Academic and Research Settings. Boston: Cambridge UP, 1990. 21-32. Print.