Contacting the Almighty Editor

...wasn't successful.  Finding him was easy enough.  I simply went to nytimes.com searched for him and clicked "email."  However, I got no reply.  This is what I sent him:


Mr. Friedman,


I have read many of your articles, but the latest one I read was We've Only Got America A.  I was told to write a blog about it that shaped the argument that I thought you were stating.  The idea of China and superempowered individuals increasing their power is somewhat scary.  However, I believe your article was written to relieve some of that fear people have about our country losing power.  You said things to belittle China and increase our confidence.  Where might I find more information on the matter?  Are there any editorials of yours that you recommend me to read?  Also, thanks for writing world-related articles that actually get me interested in what's going on.


Thankyou, Leah Horneberger


P.S. Check out my blog at leahhornberger.blogspot.com
              ...its all about you! (for my AP Lang class)


**How did that sound? Was there something I said that made him not reply? Haha just kidding, I understand the man has way more important things to write besides an email to a seventeen-year old girl.  Oh well, it was worth the effort.

We've Only Got America A

Friedman's latest blog, from December 14, 2010, is entitled, "We've Only Got America A."  Thomas claims that America's current position in the world, number one, is being challenged by a rising superpower, China, and superempowered individuals and the only way to maintain power is to revert to our core values and find a medium between the two extremes.  China prevents conversation past its borders while superempowered individuals go too far beyond their borders.

As reasoning, he states that China prevented one of their pro-democracy citizens from going to the Nobel banquet which honored him as Nobel Peace Prize winner.  Instead they put him in prison, prevented any of their other citizens from attending the banquet, and intimidated countries with whom they traded from sending representatives.  This shows the extent China will go in order to prevent democracy.

• Statistics and facts provide emphasis to his support.  Stating that this is only the fifth time in 109 years of the prize that the winner did not attend, he describes how radical China is being.  He then states that not only was the man's chair empty, but so was China's.  This evokes an image of a large area with empty seats at the ceremony which refers to China being isolated from everyone else in the actual world.
• Sarcasm express Friedman's discontent, disrespect, and doubt with the country.  He says, "Honestly, I thought China’s leaders had more self-confidence than that. Clearly, they are feeling very insecure."  This statement also expresses his presonal confidence that America can do better and rise far above them.  Although he knows that China is rising as a superpower, he has faith that America can improve to maintain its power.
• Listing all of the countries that boycotted the ceremony due to pressure from China creates a tone of worry that maybe our country is at a risk simply because the list is so long.  "...Serbia, Morocco, Pakistan, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Colombia, Ukraine, Algeria, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, Vietnam and the Philippines."  Friedman realizes this as he sarcastically adds, "What a pathetic bunch" at the end.  This is the concession to his claim that we can do it.  He doubts our country.  However, throughout the rest of the editorial, he appears to regain confidence, much as anyone would gradually do after hearing such news.

Superempowered individuals are changing society either destructively or constructively.  These individuals are able to hack into anyone's computer they don't like.  He then compares China to anarchy.  China equals throwing "whistle-blowers in jail."  Anarchy equals a person leaking governmental information that undermines the ability to function as a private nation.

He concludes with his final support to his claim.  He states that there is no alternative for America.  We must balance the two extremes and become a healthy country again.   

My First Article Analysis

The topic of Friedman's "Just Knock It Off" is Palestinian and Israeli governments.  He believes that they should step up their game and take their situations seriously.  He is trying to persuade the reader to agree that the Israeli government is taking U.S. aid for granted.

Isreal had ceased settlement in the West Bank for ten months by request of the U.S. for better protection during its war with Iran.  You see, America has been helping Isreal in this war and spent billions and billions of our money on it.  Now, Obama is asking Isreal to extend the settlement moratorium for at least sixty more days and Israel is refusing.  Thomas does not understand this at all; he believes that Israel should be doing whatever we ask of it since we're helping them so greatly. 

He persuades the reader that Israel is being ridiculously ungrateful when he says that this would actually benefit them and would not cost them anything.  And yet, they refuse or ask for a payoff in return.  Friedman shows his anger about this situation through sarcasm and exclamations.  These techniques are effective because they make it seem like he is actually having a conversation with you and you can imagine his voice and facial expressions when he says certain things. 

The Beginning of My Following of Thomas L. Friedman

When I first began searching for a writer to, well, write about, I knew I wanted someone who wrote foreign affair articles.  Friedman is just that.  He writes opinion editorials for the New York Times that are mainly about issues in the Middle East. He graduated from college with a B.A. degree in Mediterranean studies from Brandeis University and a Master of Philosophy degree in Modern Middle East studies from Oxford.  He was the Israel bureau chief from 1984 to 1988.  

He has accomplished many things.  In 1983, he won a Pulitzer Prize for international reporting from Lebanon, and then again in 1988 from Israel. In 2002, he won one for commentary for the New York Times.  All of his achievements make me want to read his articles and discover his opinion on matters in the world.  I'm actually excited to get started on an English project...