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Dear George Orwell,
Yesterday was different than today, and today is different than tomorrow. Yesterday the facts were trusted, today I do know which facts are true and which are fabricated, but I still know two plus two equals four. Tomorrow, I believe I will not know a fact from a fabrication and as far as I am concerned two plus two will equal five. We live in a world of fake news and altered facts that challenge our beliefs and promote the idea that what you think and what you remember might not be correct. In your book, 1984, altered facts were used by the Ministry of Truth to discredit Oceania’s enemies- states, people, and, ironically, the truth. In your book the people are fooled and tricked by the government openly at the Ministry of Truth. We have no Ministry of Truth, yet we have something worse. We have the Internet, a place where anyone can communicate whatever they want; the truth or otherwise. The Internet has millions of people posting altered facts. Our government cannot prevent this because of the First Amendment. If our government starts to restrict speech, on the Internet or otherwise, it will lead to our government controlling all speech, therefore becoming like Oceania. These “facts” grow and spread not by a “Ministry of Truth” but by the people and they spread them on the Internet. Some people like Winston know firsthand how “facts” are created; yet when we try to combat them they turn and claim our argument is “fake news!” This idea is a double edged sword, first it swings and creates lies and then on the return it kills the truth we try to tell. Just a few weeks ago, a rumor circulated that over five thousand dead people voted for Doug Jones. This rumor of voter fraud was created by someone online to discredit Doug Jones’s Senate victory over Roy Moore. It took a statement from the Alabama Secretary of State to attempt to dispel this rumor, but sadly some do not listen. I see your book as a warning- a warning of what is to come. If we do not combat “fake news,” “alternative facts,” or whatever it is called, we will live in a society like 1984. Your warning is that if we do not fact check, we will be tricked, but if we do fact check, the facts will change. Sadly, I feel fiction is becoming reality. Kind Regards, Herschel Nathan
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Dear Mrs. Bridges Hall,
I am a Jewish child who goes to a private Jewish School. My parents were able to choose what school I went to but your parents could not. You were forced to go to a falling down cheap African American only school, while the white children went to an average nice school. You fought for the end of division by race. Now the division is not race but money. In underemployed areas the quality of schooling is insufficient than in high-wage areas. The county in underemployed areas can not collect enough money to be able to give the school the budget of a high-wage area. Underemployed area schools have old textbooks that are most likely out of date and print. The schools also have no technology, so the students are relying on outdated print books. Since the school does not have supplies for teachers, the teachers have to pay for supplies out of their own pockets. With no money for new teachers, teachers have to teach large classes. This means less time for the teacher to know each student. Since the students may be hungry, the students cannot focus as well.The children have to go to buildings that are failing structurally; which could be dangerous. While high-wage area schools have new textbooks yearly; with new technology for students to access newer materials. The teachers do not have to pay for supplies. Since the school is able to have more teachers, they have smaller classes. The student are well fed to help increase their concentration. The schools are able to maintain their buildings. In my school, my parents pay tuition. The money pool from tuition allows the school to be able to help students excel. Our school has a wireless network, newer computers, iPads, and a well stocked library. Also, at my school is art education. Also in the area where I go to school, the public schools have large budgets and are able to provide for their students. They have similar nice things because they have resources similar to my school. To find a solution I looked to the past; how the government had to move you from an African American school to a white school to end separate but “equal” schools. Now one solution to decrease the education gap between underemployed areas and high-wage areas is to federalize schooling, so some public schools do not become poor and others rich. A different solution is to take the money a rich school has and give it to a poor school that needs the money. Another solution is decrease the amount of schools and increase the service area of other schools. This idea might not work, because it might put too much strain on one area. In the end, schools are not divided by race but by income today. Schools in underemployed areas do not have enough money to buy essentials while schools in high-wage areas have money to buy new technology every year. This causes students to get education at a standard of their money. Kind Regards, Herschel Nathan |
AuthorMy name is Hersch Nathan and I enjoy writing. I use Essays as a way for my voice to be heard. Archives
November 2018
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