Premium Essay

Personal Narrative-To Leave Or Not To Stay In Iraq

Submitted By
Words 776
Pages 4
When I was seven years old, I knew one thing about Iraq: it was the place my daddy was going. Back then, my mother always referred to my dad’s job as “playing Army,” a term that simply implied he was going to be away for quite a bit of time, somewhere very far from us. Though I was young, I distinctly remember choked back sobs and red, tear-rimmed eyes looking down at me when I asked him why he had to leave us, why he couldn’t stay. He turned his head from me, clearing his throat, trying to find the right way to explain why he wouldn’t be able to see me turn eight. Finally, he faced me once more and said, “If Daddy doesn’t leave, you and your brothers and sister won’t be safe from the bad guys. I have to leave to protect you, even if that means …show more content…
This would be Dad’s third official deployment, his first one being Iraq, second being Qatar, and this one to Kuwait to fight in what seemed to be a never ending battle. We all had known it was coming. I mean, a year in advance is a pretty reasonable amount of time, but when the time came it never seemed to be enough. Everyone was quiet. I sat in the silence, staring out the window, wishing I had the nerve to break the tension, but alas, I couldn’t speak without choking on my own …show more content…
That he must sacrifice himself in order to save us, to save everyone in the nation even if they don’t know or simply don’t care. I think of how without my dad out on that battlefield more parents, siblings, family members would have to be out there instead. How many others would be facing the absolute dread we feel each day we go without a text message or a letter from him, or how there is the slightest possibility we may never get another one. My family and I sacrifice parts of our lives everyday just by doing our best to live normally, to go through the days without a hitch or a breakdown because of how hard it is without him

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

The Quite American

...Anyone know about the symbolism in ‘A Quiet American’ by Graham Greene? | Pyle represents the idealistic New Age America, thirsty for heroism. Phuong represents pre-war Vietnam, passive, innocent. What exactly does Fowler represent? Is it the wisdom and world-weariness of Old Europe or Britain’s involvement in the war simply for personal gain? | The symbolism of the individual characters has to be placed within the context of colonialism, since that was the relationship between the nations they each represented. Pyle's motives are far from heroic. An idealism that is motivated by interventionism in a Third World country's affairs can be dangerous and destructive, not only in the way Graham Greene saw it in the early fifties, but as history proved it by the events that unfolded years later, leading to the US war in Viet Nam. Or for what is happening now in Iraq, if you will. Fowler had the "old colonialist" wisdom that questioned Pyle's justification for violence. He had already learned that "democracy" is something many countries neither understand nor want, and any foreign attempt to impose it is doomed to failure. I don't know that this helps, but I can't see the novel any other way. | | Outline of characters | Thomas Fowler is a British journalist in his fifties who has been covering the French war in Viet Nam for over two years. He meets a young American idealist named Alden Pyle, who is a student of York Harding. Harding's theory is that neither Communism...

Words: 5177 - Pages: 21

Free Essay

Compassion

...If you look up compassion in the dictionary, you will see the following definition: A deep awareness of the suffering of another, coupled with the wish to relieve it. The construct of compassion is not clearly defined in psychological literature. Another definition of compassion is a feeling of sorrow or concern for another person's suffering or need, accompanied by a subsequent desire to alleviate the suffering. Compassion is felt as an emotion: a feeling that anyone may experience at some point in his or her lives. There are many instances where one may perceive specific conditions in which people will be more likely to feel compassion. There are also differences in the degree of an individual’s feelings of compassion, and that many people and cultures view compassion as a basic human value. If I see someone in pain or someone struggling, my first instinct is to help, to listen, to be there for them. I will be there if someone needs help, if someone needs an ear, if someone just needs another friendly person who can provide a simple thing: to acknowledge that they are here, and that their gripe is valid. I would rather live like that. It does not always make life easier for the listener, though. The Bible tells us of the many selfless and compassionate acts that Jesus performed during his time on Earth and His teachings to his disciples and followers about this topic. Jesus extends the virtues of mercy and compassion to us for our faulots, which may have resulted from the...

Words: 2308 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Term Paper Crj 440

...Courtney Friedman Term Paper: International Terrorism (Due Week 10) Professor Smith 5/23/14 CRJ 440 Terrorism, it is a well-known term, every person has all heard of it, but yet do we really know what it is. Terrorism is in the eyes of most, a meaningless hate crime, which has no true reason behind it. The terrorism mindset is people who want to create terror among civilization. They are trained to disturb peace, and to break social harmony. Terrorism is also a horrible threat to the modern world and modern society. It has become a problem around the world, not just in the United States. Many innocent people are killed by terrorist and their acts of terrorism. An individual can see terrorism in multiple forms, but not limited to: Bombing, hijacking, cross border terrorist activities and massacres on a massive scale, in addition to many others not listed. Its consequences are very frightening. Though much effort is put into eliminating terrorism, it is impossible to get rid of it until some strict laws are devised. Whenever and wherever society is victim to brutality, injustice, wrongs and intolerance, terrorism cannot be eradicated. There are many terrorist groups out there, of many different origins and sects. The group that will be discussed is Al Qaeda, which is the most well-known out of the groups listed. The questions and statements that will be answered and debated are: 1.) A brief explanation of Al Qaeda and the summarization of its origins, 2.) Al Qaeda's major...

Words: 4749 - Pages: 19

Premium Essay

Defeating Daesh

...Ideologies Christopher J. Minchin Norwich University FIRST DRAFT SOCI 401A Culture and Anthropology February 16, 2016 Tracey Poirier Source: The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and the Critical Threats Project (CTP).), Jan, 2016. “If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles“ –– Sun Tzu, Chinese philosopher and military strategist, around 500 BC. “Our terrorism against America is blessed terrorism.” –– Osama bin Laden (on video) “The acme of this religion is jihad.” — Osama bin Laden (Bergen, 2001, p. 41) Many have asked, “what can we do to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS)? ” There have been a variety of suggestions from airstrikes, isolation , establishing a national unity government in Iraq to the feasibility of a counter-offensive using 'local' militia's and only as a last resort U.S. Boots on the ground. These are all worthy ideas; however, it is imperative to get a fundamental understanding of what has caused this problem because ISIS is growing and becoming stronger (even though current air strikes and counter-offensives have been successful). Before a decision can be made a rigorous analysis is necessary, a sociological analysis, so that the United States and the rest of the world can determine what must be done regarding ISIS and why. (Thesis): This paper will argue that the challenge of removing IS lies in our ability to understand and realize that...

Words: 20913 - Pages: 84

Premium Essay

The Secret of Language Leadership

...SECRET LANGUAGE of • HOW LEADERS INSPIRE ACTION THROUGH NARRATIVE The LEADERSHIP STEPHEN DENNING John Wiley & Sons, Inc. More Praise for The Secret Language of Leadership “Out of the morass of strategies leaders are given to transform organizations, Denning plucks a powerful one—storytelling— and shows how and why it works.” —Dorothy Leonard, William J. Abernathy Professor of Business, Emerita, Harvard Business School, and author, Deep Smarts: How to Cultivate and Transfer Enduring Business Wisdom “The Secret Language of Leadership shows why narrative intelligence is central to transformational leadership and how to harness its power.” —Carol Pearson, director, James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership, University of Maryland, and coauthor, The Hero and the Outlaw “The Secret Language of Leadership is not only the best analysis I have seen of how and why leaders succeed or fail, it’s highly readable, as well as downright practical. It should be mandatory reading for anyone interested in engaging a company with big ideas who understands that leaders live and die by the quality of what they say.” —Richard Stone, story analytics master, i.d.e.a.s “A primary role of leaders is to create and maintain meaning for their organizations. Denning clearly demonstrates that meaningmaking comes from stories well told.” —Thomas Davenport, President’s Distinguished Professor of I.T. and Management, Babson College, and author, The Attention Economy “Steve...

Words: 100587 - Pages: 403

Free Essay

The Illusion of Leadership

...The Illusion of Leadership Directing Creativity in Business and the Arts Piers Ibbotson The Illusion of Leadership This page intentionally left blank The Illusion of Leadership Directing Creativity in Business and the Arts Piers Ibbotson © Piers Ibbotson 2008 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 6-10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2008 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of St Martin’s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave® and Macmillan®...

Words: 68096 - Pages: 273

Free Essay

Art and Story Proceedings 2004

...Arts and the Education of Artists: Art and Story CONTENTS SECTION ONE: Marcel’s Studio Visit with Elstir……………………………………………………….. David Carrier SECTION TWO: Film and Video Narrative Brief Narrative on Film-The Case of John Updike……………………………………. Thomas P. Adler With a Pen of Light …………………………………………………………………… Michael Fink Media and the Message: Does Media Shape or Serve the Story: Visual Storytelling and New Media ……………………………………………………. June Bisantz Evans Visual Literacy: The Language of Cultural Signifiers…………………………………. Tammy Knipp SECTION THREE: Narrative and Fine Art Beyond Illustration: Visual Narrative Strategies in Picasso’s Celestina Prints………… Susan J. Baker and William Novak Narrative, Allegory, and Commentary in Emil Nolde’s Legend: St. Mary of Egypt…… William B. Sieger A Narrative of Belonging: The Art of Beauford Delaney and Glenn Ligon…………… Catherine St. John Art and Narrative Under the Third Reich ……………………………………………… Ashley Labrie 28 15 1 22 25 27 36 43 51 Hopper Stories in an Imaginary Museum……………………………………………. Joseph Stanton SECTION FOUR: Photography and Narrative Black & White: Two Worlds/Two Distinct Stories……………………………………….. Elaine A. King Relinquishing His Own Story: Abandonment and Appropriation in the Edward Weston Narrative………………………………………………………………………….. David Peeler Narrative Stretegies in the Worlds of Jean Le Gac and Sophe Calle…………………….. Stefanie Rentsch SECTION FIVE: Memory Does The History of Western Art Tell a Grand Story?……………………………………...

Words: 117240 - Pages: 469

Premium Essay

Contemplating Realities and Paradoxes in the Global War on Terror

...Contemplating Realities and Paradoxes in the Global War on Terror John B. Alexander, Ph.D. Introduction The approach of this monograph is to examine paradoxes encountered in the Global War on Terror (GWOT). The intent is to spark debate on disputatious issues. Clearly, many of the existing situations appear intractable given the emotional investment that has been made by the public, and exacerbated by political manipulation of elected officials. Also unavoidable are the fiscal constraints that are becoming increasingly binding. Examined in Section One are problematic premises related to the four fundamental approaches to countering terrorism; increased security, eliminating the terrorists, attacking the support infrastructure, and altering conditions that breed discontent. Despite trite, albeit politically popular, commentary proposing those methods, execution of those concepts is extremely difficult, often controversial, and sometimes counterproductive. Section Two of this monograph addresses several other policy decisions that generate problems that are difficult to resolve, but directly impact the forces involved. Among those topics are; roles of contractors, individual loyalties versus national interests, alliances of convenience, foreign response to our policy on preemption of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), the consequences of our stated objective of spreading democracy, the impact of U.S. presence in the Gulf region, and quandary associated with defining...

Words: 28095 - Pages: 113

Free Essay

Englesa

...17/1/2011 PERIOD 1.2 ENGLISH DOSSIER Shobha Maniram | 473253 | LM 1A | Jennifer Koelman TABLE OF CONTENTS introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3 In-class assignment week 1 – Who or Whom ............................................................................ 4 Assignment 1 .......................................................................................................................... 4 Assignment 2 .......................................................................................................................... 4 In-class assignment week 2 – Customer Service ........................................................................ 7 Vocabulary exercise A: complete the text with the best word. ........................................... 7 Vocabulary exercise B: replace the words with the correct form of an idiomatic expression of the box. ............................................................................................................ 7 Language review exercise A: complete the sentences with a gerund from the box. ............ 7 Language review exercise B: complete each sentence so that is seams the same as the sentences just before it. Use a gerund each time. ................................................................. 8 Language review exercise C: circle the correct form(s) of the verb in the text. ................... 8 Writing...

Words: 6242 - Pages: 25

Premium Essay

Mister

...Contents Title Page Dedication Prologue CHAPTER ONE: Republicans and Democrats CHAPTER TWO: Values CHAPTER THREE: Our Constitution CHAPTER FOUR: Politics CHAPTER FIVE: Opportunity CHAPTER SIX: Faith CHAPTER SEVEN: Race CHAPTER EIGHT: The World Beyond Our Borders CHAPTER NINE: Family Epilogue Acknowledgments About the Author Also by Barack Obama Copyright Prologue IT’S BEEN ALMOST ten years since I first ran for political office. I was thirty-five at the time, four years out of law school, recently married, and generally impatient with life. A seat in the Illinois legislature had opened up, and several friends suggested that I run, thinking that my work as a civil rights lawyer, and contacts from my days as a community organizer, would make me a viable candidate. After discussing it with my wife, I entered the race and proceeded to do what every first-time candidate does: I talked to anyone who would listen. I went to block club meetings and church socials, beauty shops and barbershops. If two guys were standing on a corner, I would cross the street to hand them campaign literature. And everywhere I went, I’d get some version of the same two questions. “Where’d you get that funny name?” And then: “You seem like a nice enough guy. Why do you want to go into something dirty and nasty like politics?” I was familiar with the question, a variant on the questions asked of me years earlier, when I’d first arrived in Chicago to work in low-income neighborhoods. It signaled a cynicism...

Words: 120305 - Pages: 482

Premium Essay

Game Change

...GAME CHANGE OBAMA AND THE CLINTONS, MCCAIN AND PALIN, AND THE RACE OF A LIFETIME JOHN HEILEMANN AND MARK HALPERIN FOR DIANA AND KAREN Contents Cover Title Page Prologue Part I Chapter One – Her Time Chapter Two – The Alternative Chapter Three – The Ground Beneath Her Feet Chapter Four – Getting to Yes Chapter Five – The Inevitables Chapter Six – Barack in a Box Chapter Seven – “They Looooove Me!” Chapter Eight – The Turning Point Chapter Nine – The Fun Part Chapter Ten – Two For the Price of One Chapter Eleven – Fear and Loathing in the Lizard’s Thicket Chapter Twelve – Pulling Away and Falling Apart Chapter Thirteen – Obama Agonistes Chapter Fourteen – The Bitter End Game Part II Chapter Fifteen – The Maverick and His Meltdown Chapter Sixteen – Running Unopposed Chapter Seventeen – Slipping Nooses, Slaying Demons Part III Chapter Eighteen – Paris and Berlin Chapter Nineteen – The Mile-High Club Chapter Twenty – Sarahcuda Chapter Twenty-One – September Surprise Chapter Twenty-Two – Seconds in Command Chapter Twenty-Three – The Finish Line Epilogue – Together at Last Index Author’s Notes About the Authors Copyright About the Publisher Prologue BARACK OBAMA JERKED BOLT upright in bed at three o’clock in the morning. Darkness enveloped his low-rent room at the Des Moines Hampton Inn; the airport across the street was quiet in the hours before dawn. It was very late December 2007, a few days ahead of the Iowa caucuses. Obama had been sprinting flat out...

Words: 160589 - Pages: 643

Free Essay

Spm English

...SPM ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1119 SMART MODULE 2 2011 [pic] SPM ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1119 SMART MODULE 2 2011 Patron En. Mansor bin Lat Director of Kedah Education Department Advisor Tn. Hj. Asmee bin Haji Tajuddin Head of the Academic Sector Coordinator Pn. Hjh. Zaliha bt Ahmad The Principal Assistant Director (English Language) Committee Members Pn. Wan Aisyah bt Haris (Assistant District Language Officer for Language, Kota Setar) Pn. Hjh. Fadzillah bt Selamat (Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Kubang Pasu) En. Yong Kooi Hin (Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Baling Sik) En. Nordin bin Mohd. Noor (Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Padang Terap) En. Azmi bin Othman (Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Kuala Muda Yan) En. Nagaiah Velu (Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Langkawi) En. Md. Zahir bin Husin (Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Kulim Bandar Baharu) Pn. Nadia Normala Vimala bt Abdullah (Assistant District Language Officer for Languages, Pendang) Cik Farha bt Sobry (Assistant District Language Officer for English (Secondary), Kuala Muda Yan En. Oslan bin Yum (Assistant District Language Officer for English (Secondary), Kubang Pasu Panel of Smart Module 2 2011 (SPM 1119) 1. Pn. Farah Ikhmar bt Jafri (SMK Sik) 2. En. Lim Swee Teong (SMK Simpang Kuala) ...

Words: 34178 - Pages: 137

Free Essay

Asylum

...Country of Asylum T. Cole Andrews Chapter 1 4 Chapter 2 11 Chapter 3 21 Chapter 4 30 Chapter 5 40 Chapter 6 53 Chapter 7 65 Chapter 8 86 Chapter 9 98 Chapter 10 107 Chapter 11 123 Chapter 12 136 Chapter 13 150 Chapter 14 167 Chapter 15 173 Chapter 16 188 Chapter 17 202 Chapter 18 216 Chapter 19 219 And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither. Numbers 35: 6 Country of Asylum Chapter 1 It was just beginning to get hot in Tikrit when I first realized I might have to kill this new man of my wife’s. It’s possible I overreacted to everything. You have to get up pretty early to call the States, if you want your privacy and you want to catch anybody awake at home; at home it’ll be sometime the night before. The desert is cool in the mornings too, or cooler, so that you’ll see the occasional soldier getting his PT in before it gets too hot, but he’s usually far enough away that you don’t have to whisper. I would watch the big black beetles fighting with each other in the dirt (they’re way bigger here than they are at home) while waiting for the call to go through. It always...

Words: 70850 - Pages: 284

Free Essay

A Cursed Love

...ISBN-13: 978–0–312–44705–2 Instructors who have adopted Rereading America, Seventh Edition, as a textbook for a course are authorized to duplicate portions of this manual for their students. Preface This isn’t really a teacher’s manual, not, at least, in the sense of a catechism of questions and correct answers and interpretations. Because the questions provided after each selection in Rereading America are meant to stimulate dialogue and debate — to generate rather than terminate discourse — they rarely lend themselves to a single appropriate response. So, while we’ll try to clarify what we had in mind when framing a few of the knottier questions, we won’t be offering you a list of “right” answers. Instead, regard this manual as your personal support group. Since the publication of the first edition, we’ve had the chance to learn from the experiences of hundreds of instructors nationwide, and we’d like to use this manual as a forum where we can share some of their concerns, suggestions, experiments, and hints. We’ll begin with a roundtable on issues you’ll probably want to address before you meet your class. In the first section of this manual, we’ll discuss approaches to Rereading America and help you to think through your class goals. We’ll examine some options for tailoring the book to fit your interests and the time constraints of your term. We’ll also take up some pedagogical issues. We’ll offer advice on how to broach particularly hot topics in your class. We’ll explore...

Words: 57178 - Pages: 229

Free Essay

Love Marks

...Contents FOREWORD A.G. LAFLEY 9 CHAPTER 1: START ME UP 11 Here’s what I learned from five great businesses I’ve worked for: • Always surround yourself with Inspirational Players • Zig when others zag • Get out of the office and into the street • Live on the edge • Nothing is Impossible CHAPTER 2: TIME CHANGES EVERYTHING 23 The journey from products to trademarks, from trademarks to brands. A quick look at why brands are running out of juice as they confront the Attention Economy CHAPTER 3: EMOTIONAL RESCUE 37 Why I believe emotional connections can transform brands. If you spend your days reviewing data, read every word of this chapter. Twice. INSIGHTS: Maurice Lévy, Publicis Groupe CHAPTER 4: ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE 49 Taking brands to the next level depends on one four-letter word: L-O-V-E. INSIGHTS: Sean Fitzpatrick, sportsman; Tim Sanders, Yahoo! CHAPTER 5: GIMME SOME RESPECT 59 Love will change the way we do business, but only if it is built on Respect. No Respect, no Love. Simple. Let’s celebrate what Respect has achieved CHAPTER 6: LOVE IS IN THE AIR 65 Okay, so how do you create Loyalty Beyond Reason? INSIGHTS: Alan Webber, Fast Company magazine CHAPTER 7: BEAUTIFUL OBSESSION 73 So what are Lovemarks? They inspire Loyalty Beyond Reason through their obsession with Mystery, Sensuality, and Intimacy. Here are our first ideas about putting them into action. INSIGHTS: Jim Stengel, Procter & Gamble CHAPTER...

Words: 5783 - Pages: 24