Talk of the Town

Gopnik Review:

This article asserts a variety of interestingly logical points about the US's reluctance/incapability to pass sufficient gun control legislation. The first of which is the notion of a blind sympathy Americans have for victims of tragedy. Mr. Gopnik explains this observation excellently by giving examples of how reform following crisis is frowned upon by American culture. In addition to being a valid point, Mr. Gopnik uses this passage to set up his defiance of that exact social norm, and begins to address the main topic of the article--a call for stricter gun control. I found this part of the article extremely refreshing, certainly original. Gopnik is precisely right about this counter-intuitive American sentiment. It seems that we are much more willing to mourn and feel sorry for ourselves following a disaster than to work to prevent the next one.

Comparing the US to other nations in terms of large scale firearm incidents was another convincing approach. Other nations have had similar shootings, but have passed stricter gun control laws and reduced deaths following. Mr. Gopnik, in effect, blames American statesmen for the quantity of incidents we've had. He points out that numerous western democracies have had shootings like the US's, but have rebounded not by brooding over past losses but by enacting laws to prevent future losses. Outlaw the guns that are used to kill, and killings will become less frequent and less potent. I do think there is something to be said for Gopnik's elementary logic, as gun control legislation has obviously been shown to work in other countries.

Mr. Gopnik also proves to be a good compromiser. He feels most of the opposition to tighter firearm regulation comes from rural America. By only outlawing semi-automatic hand guns (the weapons used in almost every large scale killing), America's hunting population would be kept happy, and shootings would potentially be prevented.

I agree with a lot of what Gopnik is saying. He makes strong cases with his comparisons and observations. It's an altogether convincing article.

Sontag Review:

Ms. Sontag also makes an interesting observation about the American mind. Whether it is patriotism or fear of appearing weak, America reacts to 9-11 with an unmistakably tough-guy attitude. Sontag suggests that a calmer, more rational approach would prove far more rewarding for US foreign policy. I agree that it is always the way of the American politician to tell the public what it wants to hear. After the terrorist attack, Americans received a heavy dose of pro-American, we-shall-overcome rhetoric, and Sontag is wary that this may not be the best approach. I especially related to the idea that the US government's time could be better budgeted calculating the next move or reforming our intelligence operations.

I think Ms. Sontag's real purpose in writing this article is to motivate the public to oversee the government's management of the situation. The citizens need to sift through all of the emotion and find the reason. Sontag's doesn't intend to condemn American politics or find a reason to target the Administration; she's trying to help prevent the US government from making a brash foreign policy decision and open the people's eyes so that such an event won't be allowed to occur.

James's Trinity (not intended to be religious)

My life as of now breaks down into three major components. I've outlined and explained them in the space below.

1) Family

My dad, Al, is a budget analyst for the State Government (Legislative Fiscal Bureau), and I don't expect anyone to understand what that means. He's really big into sports, especially the Chicago White Sox, and does crossword puzzles and coaches basketball in his spare time.

My mom, Jill, is a middle school guidance counselor at Indian Mound Middle School. She spends most of her time running my sisters around to friends' houses and sporting events, but when she's not doing that, she likes to go on walks and bike rides.

I have two younger sisters, Rosie and Gabi. Rosie is going to be a freshman this year and is involved in three sports: volleyball, basketball, and softball. Gabi is going into fifth grade and plays tennis, basketball, and soccer. They both spend a lot of time shopping on the weekends.

My dog, Ollie, enjoys swimming, long walks through the woods, and playing catch. He's about 73 years old, and his birthday is in January.

2) Music

Music is a major component of my daily life. I have a very unique taste in music and listen to very authentic and talented artists. My iPod contains music from several different genres including jazz, funk, blues, soul, hip-hop/rap, folk, classic rock, and indie rock. Some of the notable albums I own are Van Morrison's Moondance, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, NaS's Illmatic and It Was Written, Common's Be, Muddy Waters's Fathers and Sons, Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and Miles Davis's Kind of Blue. It is impossible for me to listen to one brand of music, and, depending on my surroundings, I will select a unique song from the wide variety on my iPod (over 900). My relationship with music isn't confined to just listening and admiring--I also play (guitar, alto saxophone, and piano). It would be impossible to imagine my life without the influences of my music and culture.

3) Sports

Much of my time is spent practicing and playing three different sports. In the Fall, I make a huge commitment to football. It's my least favorite of the three sports I play and demands the most of my time. I play quarterback and wide receiver and hope to make it past the first round of the playoffs this year.

Every winter, I lace up my Nikes and take to the hardwood. Basketball is my favorite sport and probably my best. I play forward, and rebounding and jumpshooting are my fortes. Since last year we lost to Lake Mills in overtime during the second round of the playoffs, I'm especially hoping that this year we can push further into the post-season.

Springtime means baseball. I'm pretty versitile in the field, but I mainly play shortstop, second base, and pitcher. We have a lot of fun with baseball but (lately) limited success. I have a feeling that that might change this Spring though.


Family, Music, and Sports are the main parts of my individual life. I spend a lot of time with my friends disc golfing, swimming, or shotting hoops in addition to the activities I mentioned above.