Believe: Number of the 3

Antón Montecino, a Dominican friar, relayed his opinion to the Spaniards about their treatment of natives in 1511. He observed their aggressive actions and argued in the natives' favor. The Spaniards were, in the friar's words, angry, irrational men with a corrupting lust for gold. Their actions contradict the teachings of their religious upbringings, and Friar Montecino believed that such torment of humans would no doubt lead to eternal damnation. The Destruction of the Indies, which was written by Bartolomè de Las Casas in 1552, portrayed the tragedy as savage and unjust. Spaniards killed anyone who stood in their way, even pregnant women and children. One Spanish warrior threw a baby aside, casually splattering his innards on walls and rocks. Though all this took place, the Spanish still believed that their actions were just. The Requerimiento was a document written by King Ferdinand and his advisors that the Spanish would read to the natives, who were to follow the rules or be punished. That makes sense, seeing as the Mexicas were there first, and couldn't understand a single word of it... right? Anyways, the document goes on to state that the Spanish conquest is divine, and they have the right to the land that they 'found'. It's like an advanced game of 'Finders-Keepers,' except the natives weren't playing.
Through the ages, people have failed to see the ignorance in their words and actions. Torturing, enslaving, and murdering any human is beyond my comprehension, I suppose. There are few situations where these actions are just, and the Spanish conquest was NOT one of them. I have never understood how someone can have more control over land than anyone else, simply because they were born into a position of power. The King of Spain had no right to send men to take over the Mexicas. Delving further, he had no right to call that land his own, seeing as it was inhabited prior to their exhibition. Being hungry for power, land and gold isn't a reason to send people to kill or be killed. Antón Montecino was correct to say "By what right do you make [the natives] die?" Really, I am sickened by the cockiness of The Requerimiento. Nobody has the divine right to end another's life, let along fifteen million lives, for personal gain.

Getting Started: Numbero 2

Put simply, I'd be lying if I stated that writing isn't an everyday activity for myself. Even on the weekends, I tend to jot down my thoughts and ideas with not only pen and paper, but the computer. Every keystroke is planned out with the goal of creating coherent words and phrases to do anything from access a website to message one of my many friends. Though most tasks, writing included, have drifted further into the technological world in the recent years, I still find time to write letters, stories, and even songs on pieces of paper with a number two pencil. Though reasons for writing may vary, as well as desired outcomes, the general thought processes behind getting the words out of your head and onto that second medium are often very similar. For example, when I write stories on my free time, I think first about what the story will be about, or the main idea that it will expand from. Writing a song isn't just about rhyming, it's a form of poetry, set to a rhythm, based around a central theme. Whether you're writing about gettin' low, your girlfriend Delilah, or what it sounds like when doves cry, your lyrics are most likely going to be set around one central theme or idea. Letters are basically the same deal, seeing as you have to know who you're writing the letter to, as well as what you're writing about. It shouldn't be too hard to notice what one thing these three very different writing styles have in common, which is establishing a main idea. If I didn't choose a main idea or topic of discussion before making pen to paper contact, I would be blindly trying to accomplish a goal that I am unaware of. As a long time writer, I can say that I have used many different writing techniques over the years, and use them now as if they were written into my genetic code. These templates have helped me start numerous different writing tasks in many ways, as well as see them through to the end. From start to finish, the templates that are firmly planted in my brain have helped me write better, faster, and more time efficiently, and I have no doubt that new structures for paragraphs, sentences, and thought process could help me continue to heighten my skills in writing.

I Really Say

The authors of They Say/I Say, Cathy Birkenstein and Gerald Graff, define academic writing as the ability to take multiple opinions and views, as well as your own, and work them into one well structured paper. It is portrayed within the thirteen page excerpt from They Say/I Say that utilizing certain templates, or structures of writing, provided in their book will greatly enrich your ability to write a cohesive, detailed paper. Also, that once these sentence/paragraph frames have been completely digested, writing will be easier to do, and the end results will meet higher standards. Though I am unaware of how well the templates in the book actually impact the outcome of academic writing, I agree with what the authors state. The opinion that academic writing is a compilation of views towards a central theme or opinion is much like my own. I believe that writing, whether creative or academic, is, or should be, veered towards audiences of all race, gender, ethnicity, etc. Merely stating one's own opinion, without showing interest or understanding of other views, whether similar or opposing, is a surefire path towards writing a redundant, uninteresting paper.