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Peer Responses Week 3

ENG 102 (MLA FORMAT)

Response #1 (DANIEL):  Imagine being at the start of a bridge but never attempting to cross because you are unsure what might happen on the other side. This is the life of Alice Hindman in “Adventure” by Sherwood Anderson, as she is stuck on past promises that kept her from moving forward. Anderson displays multiple themes when writing this story, one of which is loneliness. Alice is disconnected not only from the people around her but also from the entire world. Her loyalty to her first love, Ned Currie, who left and never returned, has paralyzed her, keeping her from connecting with those around her.

Alice experiences a pattern of missed opportunities due to her loyalty to her past love. Even years later, Alice continues to believe Ned will return, denying other opportunities of connection to those who have offered them. These rejections shut many doors that could have been full of connections or adventures that life offers.

Lastly, human connection is another important theme in “Adventure.” Everyone wants to have some sort of connection in their life. Making connections is how we fill those voids of loneliness that Alice was feeling. The story ends with Alice finally realizing her situation and crossing the bridge to embrace change and make new connections.

Considering that the themes of loneliness, missed opportunities, and connection are timeless problems, how would Alice Hindman’s life change if it happened today, the same as the original, or would the introduction of new technologies that we have today change the story?

Response #2 (JOHNATHAN): Today we're diving into the central theme of "Hands" by Sherwood Anderson. This story is all about the idea of loneliness and longing for connection. 

In this story, we’re reading from the third-person perspective of Wing Biddlebaum, the main character in the story. He's a gentleman who is misunderstood because of his peculiar habit of moving his hands expressively. In this short tale, Anderson shows us how Wing's past trauma and isolation have shaped him into someone who eagerly seeks understanding and companionship but struggles to find it. This theme of loneliness is universal. We all experience moments when we feel like we're on the outside looking in, just like Wing.

For all of my life, I have grown up in a private school. The smaller classes made me feel more involved, heard, and known. After middle school, I spent my freshman year in a local public high school with over 2,000 other students. I felt ignored, lonely, and isolated. The attitudes of my classmates changed too, and the kind-hearted atmosphere I became used to was shifted completely. Expressing myself became difficult because of fear of judgment and being made fun of. This made my story very similar to Wing’s.

Here's a discussion question for you: How does Anderson use symbolism in "Hands" to convey Wing's sense of isolation and longing for connection?

HSE-310 (APA FORMAT)

Response #1 (RAMADA): One example of an innocent person wrongfully convicted is the case of Ryan Ferguson. In 2005, Ryan Ferguson, a young man from Missouri, was convicted of the 2001 murder of Kent Heitholt, a sports editor for the Columbia Daily Tribune. Ferguson was sentenced to 40 years in prison based on the testimony of two witnesses who later recanted their statements, citing coercion by law enforcement.

Ryan Ferguson's background painted a picture of a young man with no prior criminal record, a supportive family, and aspirations of attending college. However, he found himself embroiled in a lengthy legal battle after being wrongfully implicated in the murder. The issues within the case included unreliable witness testimony, lack of physical evidence linking Ferguson to the crime, and allegations of misconduct by law enforcement in obtaining the witnesses' statements.

There are several reasons why many believe Ryan Ferguson was innocent. Firstly, the two key witnesses who testified against him later admitted that they had been coerced into giving false statements by law enforcement officers. Additionally, there was a lack of physical evidence tying Ferguson to the crime scene, and no motive was established for his involvement in the murder.

The government should have taken several steps to rectify the issues in this case. Firstly, they should have thoroughly investigated the allegations of coercion and misconduct by law enforcement officers. This could have involved conducting an independent review of the case and holding those responsible for any wrongdoing accountable.

Furthermore, the government should have re-examined the evidence and witness testimony in light of the recantations. This could have included conducting DNA testing on any available evidence and re-interviewing witnesses to determine the truth of what happened on the night of the murder.

Ultimately, Ryan Ferguson's case highlights the importance of ensuring that the criminal justice system operates fairly and transparently. The government's failure to rectify the issues in his case not only resulted in the wrongful conviction of an innocent man but also undermined public trust in the justice system.

 

 

Ryan Ferguson. (n.d.). Crime Museum. https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/famous-prisons-incarceration/ryan-ferguson/

‌  Ryan Ferguson - National Registry of Exonerations. (n.d.). Www.law.umich.edu. https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetail.aspx?caseid=4304

Response #2 (PATRICK):  For this week's civil discourse forum, I chose to research the example of Calvin Johnson in College Park, Georgia. In March 1983, two different women were raped in or around the College Park area and Calvin Johnson seemed to be the person who fit the description of what both of the women described. One woman was able to pick Calvin out of a line up but not out of a photo array, while the other woman was able to pick Calvin out of a photo array, but not out of a line up. The physical description of clothes worn by Calvin from both women, perfectly matched clothing items that were discovered inside of Calvin's home. Calvin Johnson was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in November 1983. Calvin continued to fight and try to find a way out of prison because he knew that he was innocent but nothing seemed to be working. In November 1997, LabCorp analyzed samples from the crime scene evidence and discovered that the DNA from the crime scene and the rape kit was in fact, not Calvin Johnson's DNA. In June 1999, Calvin Johnson was released from prison and all charges against him were dropped. Calvin Johnson spent 16 years in prison for a crime that he never committed. Once Calvin was released from prison, he became a member of the inaugural board of directors for the Innocence Project. Some of the mistakes from this case include eyewitness misidentification, and unvalidated and improper forensic science. A forensic science issue in this case is a flawed serology report. 

Reference 

Calvin Johnson. Innocence Project. (2023, May 16).  https://innocenceproject.org/cases/calvin-johnson/

HSE-480(APA FORMAT)

Response #1 (KERYN):  The 1957 American-Syrian Crisis arose from tensions surrounding Syria's perceived alignment with the Soviet Union and its reluctance to join the Baghdad Pact, a U.S.-led defense alliance aimed at containing Soviet influence in the Middle East. Syria's acceptance of military aid from the USSR and its adoption of socialist policies heightened fears in Washington about Soviet penetration in the region. The crisis underscored the broader geopolitical dynamics of the Cold War, where the Middle East became a battleground for influence between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. It also highlighted the complexities of U.S. foreign policy in the region, balancing strategic interests with ideological considerations. As a result, the crisis led to a hardening of U.S. policy towards Syria and contributed to the formulation of containment strategies aimed at limiting Soviet expansion in the Middle East.

In response to the 1957 American-Syrian Crisis, Washington enacted a firm stance by severing economic and military assistance to Syria, viewing its alignment with the Soviet Union as a threat to regional stability and U.S. geopolitical interests. Soviet influence in Syria during the crisis and beyond was substantial, with the USSR providing military aid, economic assistance, and technical support, deepening Syria's ties with the Eastern Bloc. In present-day Syria, a devastating civil war has been ongoing since 2011, leading to humanitarian catastrophe, mass displacement, and infrastructure destruction. Syrian-American relations remain strained, with the U.S. condemning the Assad regime's human rights violations and supporting opposition groups, while Syria accuses the U.S. of interference and maintains close ties with Russia and Iran. Despite diplomatic efforts, tensions persist without clear prospects for significant improvement in relations.

Resources: Lesch, D. W. (2018). The Middle East and the United States (6th ed.). Taylor & Francis. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780429950711

Response #2 (HUDSON): The 1957 American-Syrian Crisis ultimately occurred because of the Syrian government finding out about an attempt to overthrow the regime that was created and engineered by the United States. There can be a great impact that can be seen on United States politics and foreign policy toward the middle east from this event. There is definitely military intervention that can be seen as well as a big shift in United States foreign policy such as more of a direct intervention as well as more support for anti-communist regimes that are present within the Middle East. There was a large response and the Soviet influence in Syria did not help. The United States was worried that if they did nothing there would be a larger Soviet involvement in an already fragile Middle East. The United States was even considering strong military action against Syria and there was a large emphasis on the danger of communism and Soviet influence within the area. Eisenhower did have problems such as no Arab state willing to assume leadership that had caused for a shift and a new way of thinking and planning to properly handle the delicate situation without blowing it up even larger. Syria still faces many problems and conflicts in today’s time. With many conflicts and civil war as well as other international involvement Syria is still something that requires attention and thought to make sure it is handled properly. There are strained and difficult diplomatic relations between the United States and Syria with the United States still being present within the area.

Reference:

Lesch, D. W. (2018).  The Middle East and the United States (6th ed.). Taylor & Francis. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780429950711