Chase Vaughn-Ragtime

I chose to read Ragtime because of the story. It seams very interesting seeing people who shaped America come in and out of a type of mash-up story. The book is about a family in New York who experience all of these other characters from other times in America's history after Harry Houdini crashes into a pole outside their house.

Irfan Kovankaya: The Autobiography of Malcolm X

I chose The Autobiography of Malcolm X because he as an individual has always fascinated me especially being a Muslim myself. And although I do not agree with the racist doctrine of his early preaching I definitely respect his impact on America and his refusal to compromise for the well being of his people. The controversy surrounding his life is something that I found intriguing. Him being a figure I've always wanted to learn more about is my main reason for choosing this book.
     This book deals with the life of "The Nation of Islam" speaker and leader Malcolm X who being an African American fought for their rights and freedoms however unlike most African American leaders at the time he proposed segregation rather then integration as he felt that there would never be true equality for African Americans in a "white mans" society so he decided it would be better for them to have their own state. This was an extremely controversial idea at the time and caused many white people to consider him a speaker of evil and hatred. Although his doctrine was harsh and he changed his views later in life he is still respected to this day for his outspoken beliefs and refusal to compromise for his beliefs regardless of some perhaps inappropriate views regarding race. 

(And to clarify the Nation of Islam is a radical Black Muslim group that does not practice the original teachings of Islam and their views should not be mistaken for Islamic viewpoints.) 
   

Claire Wilhelm: Ragtime

I chose to read this book because it was the only one on the list I recognized. I had heard of the musical but had never read the book.
I would recommend Ragtime to anyone looking for a good story. It is a little confusing at first due to the many different perspectives and randomness, but in the end, all of the characters come together and it all makes sense.It also deals with class struggle and discrimination.

The Last of the Mohicans - Catherine Wilhelm

I chose this book because I love the film soundtrack, and it appealed to me more than any of the other books on the list.

This book was a great read, and used many words from the SAT vocab list! It was boring at the start, due to his droning on about the setting, but when it picked up the action, suspense, drama, and thrill was definitely brought out in full. The ending I did find depressing, spoiler alert, but much better than a lot of cheesy endings books have now.

Week of May 19th through May 25, 2014

President Calling Summer 2014

Summer Reading 2014 Blog Posts

Sterlin Waters- The President Caling

I listened to the conversation between john F Kennedy and Mississippi Governor Barnett. the conversation was about letting James Meredith into Ole Miss, a college in Mississippi. Listening to this conversation, or reading about segregation and civil rights, reminds me of how much i hated the old days where my color was perceived as a disease of skin, and an embarrassment and mistake to the human race to some....people like Barnett and other prejudice-minded alike disgust me. This is however a great source to learn from as oppose to other primary sources from this time period.

Robert Gitau - The President Calling, JFK

Considering just what JFK was dealing with in the whole Mississippi Crisis shows remarkable strength and political aptitude. On one hand, he needed to support the civil rights of the student trying to attend classes at the Mississippi college in question, but on the other hand, he had to handle the situation in such a way as to not alienate a major voting base or cause even more problems, not to mention that the defiance of Governor Barnett directly opposed the federal government, undermining its authority. Being able to handle such a tense situation without causing massive rioting must have been very tasking, and throughout it all he managed to remain calm. I also liked his speech about the situation, how he clearly defines the problem, why it is a problem, and what he can do to fix it, clearly referencing specific people and laws to justify his actions, as a way to help ease the tension of the area. JFK, at least to me, comes off as an honorable, able president in these tapes.

We Were soldiers- Luke Seay

I am reading we were soldiers. It is about Vietnam war. It follows a commander through one of Vietnams bloodiest confrontations. I wanted to read this book because I liked the movie a lot and I like wartime novels.

Emily Weeden - The President Calling: Lyndon B. Johnson

From Johnson's recorded calls, one can learn that, during his presidency, Johnson used relentless persuasion constantly. For example, soon after Kennedy's death, Johnson tried to convince Richard Russell to work with Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren on The Warren Commission, but he declined. Johnson, however, just announced Russell's appointment and claimed they were in agreement from the beginning.

Additionally, Johnson worked with Martin Luther King during his presidency in order to extend the right to vote to African Americans. Johnson used persuasion when he led Hoover, the FBI Director at the time, to crack down on violence caused by the Klu Klux Klan.
Overall, Johnson used the element of persuasion in order to carry out the majority of his domestic policy.

Tyler Palmer - JFK's conversation with Governor Barnett

           I listened to the taped conversation between President Kennedy and Governor Barnett of Mississippi  The two politicians discussed the issue of James Meredith, an African-American student attending the University of Mississippi. Meredith was convicted of a crime after actively opposing segregation at the University.Therefore, due to a law passed by the Mississippi State legislature, Meredith would not be eligible to attend any institution of higher learning.

          I find this particular conversation within the podcast interesting because it provides valuable insight on the issue of States' Rights. Governor Barnett swore under Oath to uphold the Constitution of the State of Mississippi, whereas President Kennedy sought to ensure that there existed no violation of constitutional rights. The tape truly embodies the charismatic nature of President Kennedy, who was hoping for a non-violent resolution to the sensitive issue. The President was composed, yet persuasive and forthright as he attempted to resolve the problem with the cooperation of Governor Barnett.

Madison Short: The President Calling

I listened to the conversations between President John F. Kennedy and Governor  Barnett. They discussed what to do about James Meredith and the riots that would most likely take place if he was moved back into Mississippi. Kennedy wanted to make sure that the Governor would take all necessary actions to prevent any violence and damage in Mississippi. The Governor asked if the President would address the people and he agreed to. In his speech he discourage any riots and encouraged all the citizens of Mississippi to obey the law even though they may not agree with it.

The President Calling- James Taylor

I listened to the conversation between JFK and Governor Barnett. JFK is concerned about the riots happening due to James Meredith being moved from Ole Miss. JFK says that they can't consider moving Meredith because he may be hurt during the riots. Governor Barnett insists that he can stop the riots by going to them and delivering a speech, but JFK tells him not to say anything or make any decisions before consulting the president.

Maxine Beck: Johnson- Vietnam Dilema

Regarding the dilema in Vietnam, President Johnson seems very uncertain of the outcome of the war, but obviously wants to put forth more effort. Unfortunately for a while he had not acheived a set plan on how to win the war but considered more fighter planes. When talking to his advisor Bundy, he declared the need of more guerrilla warefare and vietnamese on our side. After listening to Johnson's conversation with Richard Russell, I saw him as a meek teenager unsure of what decisions to make and phoning many for their opinions. But immediately i saw a mature side to him when he addmitted "I don't know any other way out". ANd when he spoke to Dean Rusk I was suprised at his confidence. Upon learning that Johnson dropped bombs in Vietnam I was incredibly upset that he could make that decision but then I realized the inevitability of it and swallowed my pride. Johnson faced much criticism and support but in reality he had few options and didn't lightheartedly make his decisions.

Caitlyn Montague-The President Calling

     I listened to and read the conversation between John F. Kennedy and the governor, Ross Barnett, on the Mississippi Crisis which was started because of the disapproval of the admission of James Meredith, a black male, into a university in Mississippi which is referred to as Ole' Miss.
     I really enjoyed the way that Kennedy spoke. He was very sure of himself, he knew exactly what to say to solve the on going situation and how to avoid the possibility of violence occurring in Mississippi caused buy locals who are pro-segregation. I feel as if  Barnett was trying to aim for the same confidence shown by Kennedy by trying to appeal to his political and analytical side, but Kennedy beat him to the punch, so to speak. Kennedy got straight down to business and told the governor exactly how the whole situation was going to occur and that surely the young man, Meredith, was going to be enrolled into that school.
     This tone that was used makes this private phone call very enjoyable and clearly shows the confidence Kennedy embodies.

Caroline Steffy- The President Calling

I listened to Lyndon B. Johnson's tapes concerning Civil Rights and Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma. I think that this man, Johnson, was a very good manipulator and it really is incredible how by exaggerating his own opinions, he can make others believe in his ideas. In the recordings that I listened to, he was fantastic at communication and being able to converse with King and the head of the FBI, who was against King. In the Selma tape, you can really get a feel for how conniving Johnson is because he was taped talking with Martin Luther and he told King that in order to get the blacks the right to vote, he needed to find something that was so racially discriminating. Johnson thought that there could be something so dramatic that everybody could take notice and know that it was wrong. In this way, Johnson helped King extend the vote to African-Americans in Selma.

Lyndon Johnson was a master at his trade of fooling people into changing and molding their beliefs and that's what made him such a fantastic politician. He knew what the goal was and he knew what he had to do to get that desired result. I also heard the accidental tape of him ordering a pair of slacks and giving them detailed descriptions of exactly what he wanted. This is another instance of him knowing what he wants and also living in a very controlled world. He was very precise and in that way, the tailors couldn't get his order wrong which is what he wanted for maximum comfort. This comfort is what he wanted not just for his pants, but for his life.

 

President Calling- Lauren Cramer

I listened to LBJ addressing congress after the assassination of JFK, I think the way that Mr.Johnson adresses JFK's assassination is not just stating the fact of the assassination but he is making it more of a time to honor all of JFK's accomplishments and all the great things he achieved during his presidency such as the issue with segregation and trying to eliminate it. In my opinion Mr.Johnson addressed the assassination in the best way possible by instead of making the moment a time of mourning he made it more of a moment for great remembrance.

The president calling, Berenice Hernandez

I listened to the conversation between John F. Kennedy and Governor Barnett of Mississippi about the segregation of James Meredith from the University of Mississippi. JFK is  concerned about keeping peace. But also John Kennedy didn’t really like the idea of segregation though he still wanted to avoid chaos.. Maintaining law and order was his main goal in this situation. 

Rontrez Hall - The President Calling

I listened to President Kennedy’s phone call to Governor Barnet. They were discussing the issue of an African American Student, James Meredith being accepted to the college of Ole Miss. At this point in time, segregation of schools had been abolished for awhile, still Governor Barnet denied James Meredith admission because of his race. In my opinion president Kennedy calling Governor Barnet was the right thing to do. He was enforcing the law. Although it was his first serious civil rights problem, the president handled the situation very well. I thought it was smart of President Kennedy to keep contacting the governor making sure the Mississippi police were unarmed so they could not harm the protesters at the college. It was also a good decision for President Kennedy to send federal troops to make sure nothing got out of hand.