The War on Terror

*Disclosure: I believe I have done this assignment by the book and tried to be objective and not put a bias in either the confirmation or refutation. Not long after 9/11 occurred, I visited New York City. I was at ground zero. This experience changed my life-as it did, in some way, change every American life that lived through this day and its forever lingering aftermath.





Confirmation:

Assertion to Be Confirmed: President George Bush was right to begin the war against terror after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack against the United States of America.

Encomium: President George Bush is a noble person who made the informed decision to take action against the terrorism group that had killed thousands of innocent American citizens.

Exposition of the Situation: On September 11, 2001 President George Bush is sitting in a class room reading a book to children when a secret service agent whispers in his ear that planes have been hijacked and have hit the World Trade Centers in NYC. America is under attack. We all know the following events of that tragic day. Soon after the first plane crashes into the north tower, a second plane hits the southern tower, answering any lingering questions on whether this was a horrific accident or America was truly under attack. Later that morning, a third plane crashes into the western side of the Pentagon. Passengers on flight 93 revolt and crash in Pennsylvania before it could reach the White House. The World Trade Centers collapse before they could have a chance of being fully evacuated. New York City is covered in ash. A toxic pollution forever coating every American heart with the memory of events on that tragic day. In his first address after the attacks, Bush states that terrorists can "shake the foundation of our building, but can not touch the foundation of America" as he decides to take action against terrorism.



Certainty: The United States of America was attacked. Thousands of innocent American citizens had been murdered by terrorists. That day the hearts of every American was united-silenced with anger and the want for revenge. Someone had to pay for what had been done. Bush made the only decision there was to make. That decision was to action against the terrorists who committed such a horrific act against America.

Credibility: As President George Bush announced the war on terrorism he was making a informed decision. As the president, Bush was expected to make informed decisions that are in the best interest of the American nation.

Possibility: It is possible that Bush acted rashly, went to war against terrorism before he had enough facts to execute Americas threats quickly.

Consistency: As the head of the country, with every citizen wanting revenge and wanting to see not only answers but actions-Bush acted in the way any president with the mind a true American would.

Propriety: An horrific act against out nation occurred. A would power country can not let a event of this stature occur sitting down.

Convenience: The accomplishments made by the American military against terrorism in the Middle East have saved countless lives across nations that would have been lost otherwise.










Refutation:

False Assertion to Be Refuted: President George Bush was right to began the war against terror after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack against the United States of America.

Exposition of the Situation: (see above)

Uncertainty: Every terrorist involved in 9/11 can not be obtained with out some unfortunate causalities of war.

Incredibility: The amount of young men and women deployed to Iraq that are loosing their lives is only continuing to spread the negative impact of 9/11.

Impossibility: Because of war, America has become divided. Military death toll is or is not worth the cause anymore.

Lack of Consistency: Invading other countries for defense of America and allowing death tolls skyrocket for years before the culprits are caught is a travesty.

Impropriety: Bush did what he felt was the only option at the time to protect America. His decision is now tainting the memory of his presidency.

Inconvenience: America is divided and in political and economic mayhem because of war. Lives of young men and women have been lost every day since September 11, 2001. Families-husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, children-wonder if they will ever see their family member again, mothers wonder if their child will ever meet their father, the love in marriages are strained as couples are separated for months or years at a time.

Karios of CSU-Pueblo's Today

I have in front of me three copies of CSU-Pueblo's primary student publication... the Today magazine. One issue is summer 2009, the next is fall 2009, and the last is winter 2009-2010. For this bog, I am turning to the contents page of each publication because I believe that the contents page of this publication will be our portal into the world of karios in the Today magazine.

The summer 2009 edition of the Today features a article entitled "Housing for the Future." As the very title suggests, the entire article is centered on the development of our university and the leaps and bounds it is taking as student enrollment spikes require the construction of more modern dorms to enhance the living experience of students and the overall campus design. This article definitely implements karios in a variety of ways. First off, as summer begins to drain into its final weeks the top concern on many students minds (especially freshmen) is where they will be living the next year. This article is designed to answer many questions and promote the overall quality of the new dorms, as well as the university, as the start of a new semester draws closer. Another method in which this article implements the timing factor of karios is how it discusses the U.S Green Building Council programs involvement. "Going green" is defiantly a popular concept on society's mind today and promoting the environmental performances of Crestone Hall fits in to the current concerns of society flawlessly.

The fall 2009 edition of the Today is littered with articles centered around one topic: clubs! It is the fall semester. The basics of student life-dorms, classes, etc. have been figured out. However, when your in a new city getting a education everyone wants to have the "college experience." Lets face it, the college experience contains much more than what happens in the classroom. It is the people you meet and the new activities you discover a passion for that make up a great deal of the "college experience." This is what students are thinking about after they get the basic routing after the start of a semester. The Today is not obvious to this, which is why the fall 2009 edition took the opportune moment-karios-to publish several articles about clubs and extracurricular activities. After all, universities generally like to deter students from seeing underground drinking and partying as primary forms of entertainment.

Last but not least, the winter 2009-2010 edition of the Today. The most prominent articles in this edition concentrate on how "CSU-Pueblo is the best place to get your degree," housing options to students over the breaks, and advice on how to avoid the flu. Every one of these articles utilize the karotic time of the winter season. The first is an attempt to persuade students to enroll for next semester, as well as gain new students. The next is a definite concern for international or out-of-state students. The last is a concern for every human being during flu season.

By discussing the most prominent concerns of the particular season or semester the Today magazine effectively utilizes karios to promote CSU-Pueblo and keep student readers interested in the publication.

A Chreia to Cupid

In the modern world Cupid is most often associated with both love and Valentine's day festivities/decor. It is fitting that such a symbolic figure has survived through the ages of Roman mythology and into today's Valentine paraphernalia. After doing some very light research on the history of cupid I found that, in Roman mythology, Cupid was considered the god of love. The association between Venus (believed to be Cupids mother and the goddess of love) is quite popular in poetry, literature, and most prominently art. The Roman poet Ovid has composed a vivid description Cupid which will lead us into a discussion of why Cupid-portrayed throughout the years as a winged young boy armed with arrows and a torch-has survived as the symbolic figure of love:

"Cupid's there, quiver reversed, bow broken,


Holding a burnt-out torch.


See how sadly he walks, poor child, wings drooping,


How he beats at his bared breast,


How the tears rain down on his hair, now lying all tangled


Thus he looked, they say, long ago, when he saw his


Brother Aeneas to the grave..."

It is perhaps through art that one can see most clearly why Cupid-the god of love-is depicted as a young boy with wings and arrows. We all know the basic concept...Cupid finds us, shoots us with his arrow through the heart and we fall madly in love. Easy enough right? But why does he have wings? This is the question that puzzled me the most, initially. After some research and deliberation I draw the most logical connection to Mercury (believed to be Cupids father and the messenger god). So Cupid is biologically love's messenger.

Next, why does Cupid shoot his subjects through the heart with an arrow to cause them to fall passionately in love (in pictures showing two sets of arrows the gold-tipped arrows are believed to inspire love while lead-tipped arrows are believed to inspire hatred)? Well, for those of us who have been in love... there is nothing more true in life then the fact that love is both the best most wonderful thing, while at the same time love is the thing that holds the most power to break you. Hence the common cliche statements such as "love is war," which makes the symbolic representation of love somewhat satirical-love is both pleasurable and painful.

All the previously stated trivia about Cupid, much of it based in experienced derived logic and much of it based Roman mythology, is argument enough to explain and praise Cupid's survival as the ultimate symbol of love through the ages.

Work Cited

"Mythography, The Roman God Cupid in Myth and Art." Loggia, Exploring the Arts and Humanities! Web. 20. Jan. 2010.

http://www.loggia.com/

Photograph. Scoobyjosh.blogspot.com. Web. 19. Jan. 2010.

http://www.%20toniannemagickals.com/

"Simbols Dictionary - Love Simbols -- Add Love Simbols to a Painting." About.com

Web. 19. Jan. 2010

http://painting.about.com/