Wake Up America

"Hiding From Reality" is the name of Bob Herbert's column that was published on November 19, 2010. The main point of the article is that America is in a monumental crisis, yet many try to deny the severity of it. Problems are everywhere in our country: the economy and job market, public schools, budget deficits, and relentless warfare overseas. Herbert's purpose of the article was to make the reader aware of the issues our country is facing. He wants our national leaders to stop covering up the situation we are in and to start realizing the tremendous amount of effort that is needed to revive the United States' situation.

Bob Herbert's stand on the situation is pretty self-explanatory. He knows changes must be made to raise the country out of the hole we have dug for it. Herbert is convincing the reader that we need "a resurrection of the American Dream." The U.S. will never fix our situation, until we realize the monstrousity of a crisis that we are actually in.

Persuasive facts, reasons, and examples:

• We need to either raise taxes to pay for the wars, or stop fighting them.
• The most vulnerable (children, sick, disabled) are being punished.
• Many teachers are being let go, not for poor performance, but for budget cuts.
• It is becoming more about the cost of education, than the quality of education.
• For some reason, more money is pouring into the hands of the wealthy.
• We are in denial of our problems.

One characteristic of Herbert's writing that I found effective was his way of relating to and involving the reader. He repeated words, such as "we" or "our", to let the reader feel the impact these problems are having on him or her. The article was about his opinion, but after reading it, it also becomes our opinion.

The link to Bob Herbert's "Hiding From Reality" is below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/20/opinion/20herbert.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss