The Poll to the Right of the Page

1984 by George Orwell describes a world controlled by a government known as "the Party". They detain any minority groups who see flaws in the Party's slogans: "WAR IS PEACE. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY. IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH." (George Orwell, 1984 3) Thus, the Party can never be overthrown; for their own safety, rebels have to stay silent.

In the real world, is it right for governments to suppress minority groups they don't agree with? For example, the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) has a tiny following, but they exist, and they have influence within the notoriously anti-Communist United States.

Suppose they gained a huge following, and were in position to win the next federal election. Would it be all right for the current government to outlaw them, believing that their influence on the USA (and the world) would be catastrophic?

Think about this carefully as you answer the poll to the right of the page.

The Arduous Task of Writing

"I'm writing a book. I've got the page numbers done."
-Steven Wright


I feel that I can relate to this quote because, as a writer, I know how difficult and time-consuming it can be to write. Often, I will start something, run out of ideas and leave it for a great deal of time. This process can be frustrating, but good writers persevere and make it through to the end. When reading a book, I think it is important to recognize how much blood, sweat and tears the author has poured into it. Writing is many things, but it certainly isn't easy.


Quote source:
BrainyQuote. "Book Quotes". Famous Quotes at BrainyQuote. BookRags Media Network, 2001-2011. Web. 17 Dec. 2011. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/book_2.html>