Before I started English 1010 I was not much of a writer and did not have much motivation to write anything in general, but after completing this course and learning strategies that writers use to engage with their audience I have changed my perception and have begun writing about things I love. For me the reason I did not like writing in the first place was because I did not understand strategies that can be used to engage with an audience. I only understood a good way to summarize my research in school topics of the classes I was taking. For me learning rhetorical strategies: empirical evidence, claims of fact and value, arrangement of idea’s, and invoking credibility and authority have been key factors in the change of my writing. In our final project, we had to write about a subject/topic and make an argument paper. I chose to write about public lands and how we should be informed and gain knowledge of what our government is proposing in active bills today such as selling off the land to private land owners and changing the federally administered law enforcement to locally funded and administered law enforcement. My main strategies used to gain credibility with my audience was by using claim of fact, the HR 621/622 bills that are in congress today and summarized what they entailed. By providing the knowledge of what the bills currently active in congress can do to public lands I was able to use my knowledge or research and help the audience understand that their actions are important to act on and support in the fight for public lands.
English 2010
Notebook Activities:
Notebook #1
5e. What is the impact of public lands in a community and how are they governed?
When thinking about public lands, I am referencing to the land that is held in trust for the American people by the federal government and managed by The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), The United States National Park Service, Bureau of Reclamation, or the Fish and Wildlife Services under the Department of Interior and the United States Forest Service under The Department of Agriculture.
These organizations are the key aspects of keeping, maintaining, and administrating the rights and laws established of public lands, in which the American people’s rights to access the public lands are protected. Public lands are the backbone of adventure, explorations, and conservation in the United states as it provides outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, observing wildlife, and many more activities that are owned and accessible by the people.
H.R 621/622 were composed on January 24, 2017 by Jason Chaffetz, a previous congressman representative of Utah. These bills proposed bills: disposal of excess federal lands act of 2017 and Local Enforcement for Local Lands Act. In short, the HR 621 bill was to sell off portions of public lands in multiple states including the state of Utah. HR 622 Proposed Local state enforcement agencies take over the federally controlled publics lands. Both bills, are vital impacts to people’s access of public lands, whether it be national parks, lakes, camp grounds, or many other adventure destinations, and how they are governed.
I remember personally the impact of the bills in the state of Utah, as this sparked rallies, protests, marches, and petitions to the capitol building of Utah to have Chaffetz remove the HR 621/622 bills from congress and cancelled. The organizations such as the Bureau of Land Management, The National Forest Service, and the Fish and Wildlife organizations are the organizations/or agencies created to provide access to hiking trails, national parks, and lakes that hold the habitat and agriculture of the State of Utah. These bills suggested the agencies be decommissioned and that local agencies such as the Sheriff’s department would control the duties and responsibilities of the federal organizations.
In sources of exploring my questions, I want to find out more about local organizations that help support the rights to public lands in the State of Utah and maybe what representatives I can contact to learn more. Some organizations in minds are Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Backcountry bowhunters and anglers, and Our Public Lands for a start.
Links:
http://www.ourpubliclands.org/public-lands-report-ut
http://www.trcp.org/
https://www.backcountryhunters.org/
When thinking about public lands, I am referencing to the land that is held in trust for the American people by the federal government and managed by The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), The United States National Park Service, Bureau of Reclamation, or the Fish and Wildlife Services under the Department of Interior and the United States Forest Service under The Department of Agriculture.
These organizations are the key aspects of keeping, maintaining, and administrating the rights and laws established of public lands, in which the American people’s rights to access the public lands are protected. Public lands are the backbone of adventure, explorations, and conservation in the United states as it provides outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, observing wildlife, and many more activities that are owned and accessible by the people.
H.R 621/622 were composed on January 24, 2017 by Jason Chaffetz, a previous congressman representative of Utah. These bills proposed bills: disposal of excess federal lands act of 2017 and Local Enforcement for Local Lands Act. In short, the HR 621 bill was to sell off portions of public lands in multiple states including the state of Utah. HR 622 Proposed Local state enforcement agencies take over the federally controlled publics lands. Both bills, are vital impacts to people’s access of public lands, whether it be national parks, lakes, camp grounds, or many other adventure destinations, and how they are governed.
I remember personally the impact of the bills in the state of Utah, as this sparked rallies, protests, marches, and petitions to the capitol building of Utah to have Chaffetz remove the HR 621/622 bills from congress and cancelled. The organizations such as the Bureau of Land Management, The National Forest Service, and the Fish and Wildlife organizations are the organizations/or agencies created to provide access to hiking trails, national parks, and lakes that hold the habitat and agriculture of the State of Utah. These bills suggested the agencies be decommissioned and that local agencies such as the Sheriff’s department would control the duties and responsibilities of the federal organizations.
In sources of exploring my questions, I want to find out more about local organizations that help support the rights to public lands in the State of Utah and maybe what representatives I can contact to learn more. Some organizations in minds are Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Backcountry bowhunters and anglers, and Our Public Lands for a start.
Links:
http://www.ourpubliclands.org/public-lands-report-ut
http://www.trcp.org/
https://www.backcountryhunters.org/
Notebook #2
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4f. Create a dialogue between two of your sources. Make it a comic or a quick online animation if you'd like. Make the voices talk to one another--you can quote, but don't only quote. Use your own summaries and paraphrases, too. See where the sources agree and disagree and where they diverge entirely.
Meme #1: I created this meme with the intended purpose of the recent election of Donald Trump and once of his moving sought after attributes of his campaign was to protect public lands from being sold and taken away from the American people. There was a bill in congress HR 621 that suggested selling off small portions of public land in Utah and applicable surrounding states. This is a foundation movement by the government and the American people because without awareness of the bills being reviewed in congress and action taken by public land owners (The American People) Public lands that contain your favorite fishing hole, hiking trail, tree you carved your initials into to the next highest bidder for the profit of state legislature. Meme #2: HR 622 is a bill composed by Jason Chaffetz, a former congressman representing the state of Utah. This bill suggested the federally fund programs that operate and enforce laws for public lands through conservation and authority, would be no longer funded by the federal government but controlled and operated by the local state governments of each state. This specifically implied that the sheriff department of each county in the state would not only represent and govern the laws of the county they reside in. But now, provider wildlife conservation efforts, enforce and regulate forest service obligations over hundreds of thousand of public lands in their specific county or sector. This meme is to bring awareness on a slightly funny approach of what the government’s intentions are and how it will affect not only one person’s jobs but multiple federally funded programs that providers protections to public lands. Meme #3: This meme is created in the perception of most people in the state of Utah, meaning if it is not affecting their specific camping spot or trail they hike or as I explained fishing hole that is your favorite and family tradition, then no action is needed as it doesn’t affect them. This is a perfect example of what I went through with the HR 621/622 bills that were passed to initiate selling parcels of public land to the higher bidder and change the enforcement of the federally funded and protected operations that provider the sufficient efforts. I did not know anything about these bills being created or that it affected Utah directly when I started to see friends, local motivational speakers, and public figures speak out about what was happening and what will happen if the public lands in Utah specifically were sold. I did not understand the impact until I saw trail-head paper notifications stating this land is under review for sale of the land. This impacted me directly and sparked interest to find more about what is going on and what I can do to help protect the land the public owns. Meme #4: I made this meme in the hopes that it would catch a comical intention of a current issue that is going on in the state of Utah with specifically Bears Ear. Within the last couple of years, the Obama presidency dedicated Bears ear in Utah as a national monument. Just recently, President Trump visited Utah to announce and sign a bill that would reduce the size of bears ear national monument in Utah. This action that seams small in the substance of reduction, is greatly huge in the protection of public lands. This action of signing the reduction of a national monument will open opportunity for land to be sold and for oil drillers and riggers to take place of operation on. My purpose of this meme is to open the mind up of the consumer directing them that there are issues going on currently with public lands and it is all over the United States not just Utah. I want this to direct people in finding organizations that can help protect and represent their rights and wants of public lands to stay in public hands. |
Notebook #3
8c. Select a source you found while conducting research on your topic. What strategies does the writer use that you appreciate? What of those strategies can you model and incorporate in your own current project? Practice modeling one or more strategy.
While conducting research on my topic I google Public land issues in Utah. I came across an article that was written in the Salt Lake Tribune titled: “Strong Economies need Protected Public Lands”, written by Drew Callaghan. Some of the strategies I really liked and related with that Mr. Callaghan wrote was his personal story of the two-week road trip to the southwest from his residing state of Montana. In this article he explains their trip went through Utah’s majestic canyon country and the west ongoing clash over public lands, which was a conflict created by Secretary Ryan Zinke on the proposal of reducing public lands. Not only did the writer’s strategy of telling a story of their road trip help them show a timeline of actions that took place to the proposals of national monuments, but also gained more of an understanding of his own propositions.
The writer points out the many beneficial factors of public lands has on economies itself and projects that between Utah’s and Montana’s economies where in Montana there is no reduction in public lands or national monuments versus the latter of Utah where there are multiple propositions of public lands being reduced and sold.
The writer uses fact of knowledge of why they would want to reduce the national monument of grand-staircase and bears ear in Utah and it is because they would move away from a conservative approach to the environment to allow companies of mining, drilling, and clear-cutting to move in and profit off the land. I really liked this approach because he made it understood of what the state government officials in Utah were trying to do but also created a direct reasoning of why this shouldn’t be allowed. The writer expresses knowledge and research when he references the economies he explains the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show provided an annual economic profit to Utah of $45 millions dollars on the consecutive years of being in Utah for the show, the proposal of reducing public land access and reducing national monument areas that are under federal protection inclined the Outdoor Retail Trade Show to pull out of Utah in its annual show. The writer also pointed out that local small towns that are located near national monuments provide very strong economic values.
I think this article is very useful in providing facts and background in my research for my social justice issue.
https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2017/09/26/commentary-strong-economies-need-protected-public-lands/
While conducting research on my topic I google Public land issues in Utah. I came across an article that was written in the Salt Lake Tribune titled: “Strong Economies need Protected Public Lands”, written by Drew Callaghan. Some of the strategies I really liked and related with that Mr. Callaghan wrote was his personal story of the two-week road trip to the southwest from his residing state of Montana. In this article he explains their trip went through Utah’s majestic canyon country and the west ongoing clash over public lands, which was a conflict created by Secretary Ryan Zinke on the proposal of reducing public lands. Not only did the writer’s strategy of telling a story of their road trip help them show a timeline of actions that took place to the proposals of national monuments, but also gained more of an understanding of his own propositions.
The writer points out the many beneficial factors of public lands has on economies itself and projects that between Utah’s and Montana’s economies where in Montana there is no reduction in public lands or national monuments versus the latter of Utah where there are multiple propositions of public lands being reduced and sold.
The writer uses fact of knowledge of why they would want to reduce the national monument of grand-staircase and bears ear in Utah and it is because they would move away from a conservative approach to the environment to allow companies of mining, drilling, and clear-cutting to move in and profit off the land. I really liked this approach because he made it understood of what the state government officials in Utah were trying to do but also created a direct reasoning of why this shouldn’t be allowed. The writer expresses knowledge and research when he references the economies he explains the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show provided an annual economic profit to Utah of $45 millions dollars on the consecutive years of being in Utah for the show, the proposal of reducing public land access and reducing national monument areas that are under federal protection inclined the Outdoor Retail Trade Show to pull out of Utah in its annual show. The writer also pointed out that local small towns that are located near national monuments provide very strong economic values.
I think this article is very useful in providing facts and background in my research for my social justice issue.
https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2017/09/26/commentary-strong-economies-need-protected-public-lands/
Notebook #4
2d. Look at your draft and find a place you used a source. What did you do with this source? Describe how you used it: did you introduce it? quote, paraphrase, summarize it? Did you put it in contrast with another source? did you agree with your source, use it to support a point, use it to characterize an argument or position you disagree with? What are some other ways you could have used this source? Why did you choose to use the source as you did?
In my draft I referenced “Maltese Cross Ranch and Elkhorn Ranch”, which were the ranches that Theodore Roosevelt owned that ran cattle and hunting expeditions. I used this as a reference in my draft profile because it is a foundational piece that provides many sources of credibility in Theodore Roosevelt's history with public lands and personal knowledge of how expansion of industrial and environment impacting developments will decay not only wildlife but also the resources that are inhibited inside of the lands that society relies on. The source I gained the knowledge of the ranches from was the National Park Service (WWW.NPS.Gov) where it gave a history of Theodore Roosevelt and the conservation's efforts he created.
In my draft I referenced “Maltese Cross Ranch and Elkhorn Ranch”, which were the ranches that Theodore Roosevelt owned that ran cattle and hunting expeditions. I used this as a reference in my draft profile because it is a foundational piece that provides many sources of credibility in Theodore Roosevelt's history with public lands and personal knowledge of how expansion of industrial and environment impacting developments will decay not only wildlife but also the resources that are inhibited inside of the lands that society relies on. The source I gained the knowledge of the ranches from was the National Park Service (WWW.NPS.Gov) where it gave a history of Theodore Roosevelt and the conservation's efforts he created.
Notebook #5
2i. Visit a public space that is connected to your issue. Take your notebook with you. Meander through the space for at least an hour (or situate yourself somewhere you can watch from for the whole hour). Observe the people you see and in your notes, describe (using sensory details) what you’re seeing and what is going on. Make your description as creative (while maintaining accuracy) and as lively as possible, encompassing the entire essence of the space within one good, descriptive paragraph.
The public space I chose to attend that is in relation with my social justice issue was the western hunting expo which was held at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, UT this last weekend. This is an event or public space that allows people to come and explore the newly innovated services or products they can purchase to be used in public lands in the specific recreational activities they choose. The main purpose of this event can be misconstrued as it labeled as the hunting expo, but really the event is for conservation of wildlife and protecting the public lands by conservation of habitat restoration, increases funding from donations to forest service organizations and many more methods of conservation. While walking around the expo with my wife I noticed that people were visiting multiple booths that either gave donations to public lands organizations and wildlife conservation from their proceeds or specifically was a both of an organization which sells memberships and memorabilia that can be used for raising awareness and support for public lands. I noticed there were multiple people with shirts, jackets, and other clothing or outdoor gear that was purchased from the companies that specifically donate back to conservation. I think it is interesting by knowing the meaning of a company’s intent of use of their proceeds and what their motto is for in their business can help direct people motive in purchasing their product and in this event it was for public lands and the ability to provide funding for organization.
The public space I chose to attend that is in relation with my social justice issue was the western hunting expo which was held at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, UT this last weekend. This is an event or public space that allows people to come and explore the newly innovated services or products they can purchase to be used in public lands in the specific recreational activities they choose. The main purpose of this event can be misconstrued as it labeled as the hunting expo, but really the event is for conservation of wildlife and protecting the public lands by conservation of habitat restoration, increases funding from donations to forest service organizations and many more methods of conservation. While walking around the expo with my wife I noticed that people were visiting multiple booths that either gave donations to public lands organizations and wildlife conservation from their proceeds or specifically was a both of an organization which sells memberships and memorabilia that can be used for raising awareness and support for public lands. I noticed there were multiple people with shirts, jackets, and other clothing or outdoor gear that was purchased from the companies that specifically donate back to conservation. I think it is interesting by knowing the meaning of a company’s intent of use of their proceeds and what their motto is for in their business can help direct people motive in purchasing their product and in this event it was for public lands and the ability to provide funding for organization.
Notebook #6
2e. Write two lists entitled "What I Know" and "What I Don't Know” about my issue. Develop a list of possible resources that you could help you explore what you “know” and find answers to what you “don’t know” about your issue.
What I know:
What I don’t know:
What I know:
- Antiquities act
- Theodore Roosevelt’s Impact on public lands
- Bears Ear national monument reduction
- Selling of excess public land parcels
- Bills composed to change law enforcement from federal to state legislature over public lands
- National parks
- National forests
- State Parks
- Bureau of Land Management
- Forest Service
- Wildlife conservation
- Conservation
- Natural Resources
What I don’t know:
- Impact on watersheds and public lands in Utah
- What other impacts to public lands are arising right now with public lands specifically
- Find a contact at Backcountry Bowhunters and anglers to find out about more what is going on with public lands and statistics that are involved
- Find out what bills or propositions the U.S. government and congress are composing with public lands and how to get involved to find out more knowledge of this subject
- Backcountry Bowhunters and Anglers post articles that have information of other states issues that impact Utah as well if implemented
Notebook #7
9b. Identify something about your writing that you're struggling with, or want to know more about. Find an article/book/website that addresses the issue (you can consult with your instructor if you want help with this) and discuss in detail what you found in this resource that helps you in your struggle.
I have been struggling to find sources that are identifying current and on-going motives in continuing the downsizing of Bears Ear national monument and as well the newly found issue of Utah Lake being purchases by a private developer. This week I found an article written by The New York Times that is addressing a motivating factor of oil in the decision to shrink Bears Ears Monument as it is a rich source of oil and natural gas deposits which would provide revenue in the states eyes for the public. President Trump’s motives have been to expand oil, gas and coal development which is a motive in taking away previous presidents Obama’s effect of environmental initiatives.
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/03/02/climate/bears-ears-national-monument.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com
In finding other issues with public lands other than what my research and previous papers have shown I have found a posting on the backcountry hunters and anglers website recently of a new bill that has been passed by the senate and is now under review with congress to be passed. The new bill is HB 272 which is proposal of selling the land of Utah Lake to a private developer who is making almost impossible promises in purchasing the land of cleaning up the on-going issues around the lake and help promote a Eco-friendlier environment to the lake. These two articles have helped me to open opinions in my research of what would benefit the opponent’s opinion on why it should be sold versus the public land owners that want the ability and access to the lake.
https://le.utah.gov/~2017/bills/static/HB0272.html
I have been struggling to find sources that are identifying current and on-going motives in continuing the downsizing of Bears Ear national monument and as well the newly found issue of Utah Lake being purchases by a private developer. This week I found an article written by The New York Times that is addressing a motivating factor of oil in the decision to shrink Bears Ears Monument as it is a rich source of oil and natural gas deposits which would provide revenue in the states eyes for the public. President Trump’s motives have been to expand oil, gas and coal development which is a motive in taking away previous presidents Obama’s effect of environmental initiatives.
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/03/02/climate/bears-ears-national-monument.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com
In finding other issues with public lands other than what my research and previous papers have shown I have found a posting on the backcountry hunters and anglers website recently of a new bill that has been passed by the senate and is now under review with congress to be passed. The new bill is HB 272 which is proposal of selling the land of Utah Lake to a private developer who is making almost impossible promises in purchasing the land of cleaning up the on-going issues around the lake and help promote a Eco-friendlier environment to the lake. These two articles have helped me to open opinions in my research of what would benefit the opponent’s opinion on why it should be sold versus the public land owners that want the ability and access to the lake.
https://le.utah.gov/~2017/bills/static/HB0272.html
Notebook #8
Notebook #9
8b. Choose a section of text, or an image, or a piece of media, and write in response to it. you can structure a dialogue with your selection, or write a counterpoint to it (contradict it); write about what experiences it connects to, for you, or what other texts/images/media.
I chose this article because it provides multiple perspectives of the current issues of public lands in Utah and the effects they have on the economy. This article demonstrates a 5.8-million-dollar revenue for Utah’s economy through the outdoor recreationalist activities such as skiing, hiking, watersports, fishing, and cycling. This article also provides a perspective of how state legislature is spending unnecessary money on lawsuits and dubious projects. Though I do not entirely agree with the perspective of the authors regarding unnecessary spending on projects and lawsuits, I do agree that the projects drafted to affect our economies profits from public lands by decreasing the size of national monuments and access to public lands in general, are a threat and not a viable resource that state legislature should be wasting efforts in reducing for state legislatures profit. I think that the state legislature should look outside of mining and drilling of natural resources or oil for profit, but look at the ways access to land can be promoted for public uses as the mighty national parks are one of the greatest attributes to Utah’s economy.
I chose this article because it provides multiple perspectives of the current issues of public lands in Utah and the effects they have on the economy. This article demonstrates a 5.8-million-dollar revenue for Utah’s economy through the outdoor recreationalist activities such as skiing, hiking, watersports, fishing, and cycling. This article also provides a perspective of how state legislature is spending unnecessary money on lawsuits and dubious projects. Though I do not entirely agree with the perspective of the authors regarding unnecessary spending on projects and lawsuits, I do agree that the projects drafted to affect our economies profits from public lands by decreasing the size of national monuments and access to public lands in general, are a threat and not a viable resource that state legislature should be wasting efforts in reducing for state legislatures profit. I think that the state legislature should look outside of mining and drilling of natural resources or oil for profit, but look at the ways access to land can be promoted for public uses as the mighty national parks are one of the greatest attributes to Utah’s economy.
Notebook #10
Notebook #11
7c. Analyze group work in the context of civic engagement. How might working in a group affect your writing positively and negatively (think about rhetorical elements like your credibility, your perspective, your message, your purpose, genre, etc.)? How might working in a group impact—both positively and negatively—your own level of civic engagement?
I think working in a group that is collaborating on the civic engagement assignment will allow for different opinions and perspectives to be made. I think group members that are not familiar with the chosen social justice issue would be able to view my drafts and projects in a manner of what approaches or different aspects I should take in making effective adjustments to contribute in the success of our project.
I also think it could be negative in the manner that a group member who is not familiar with my social justice issue will change my projects away from sources or topics that would be informative to the reader. I think it would be beneficial to receive the negative side of the groups opinions of the paper project we are working on because we can argue why we believe it is the right approach and option.
I think working in a group that is collaborating on the civic engagement assignment will allow for different opinions and perspectives to be made. I think group members that are not familiar with the chosen social justice issue would be able to view my drafts and projects in a manner of what approaches or different aspects I should take in making effective adjustments to contribute in the success of our project.
I also think it could be negative in the manner that a group member who is not familiar with my social justice issue will change my projects away from sources or topics that would be informative to the reader. I think it would be beneficial to receive the negative side of the groups opinions of the paper project we are working on because we can argue why we believe it is the right approach and option.
Final Notebook Activity
· What were the notebook activities that made you think differently about a project, or about your writing (or research or revisions)?
· What notebook activities were the most interesting or fun?
· Which notebook entries do you like the best now?
· Which notebook activities might you try again, in other writing circumstances?
Respond to these questions, and answer one more:
· Name three new tools or strategies you now have as a result of doing the notebook activities, ones that you can use with some confidence going forward.
I think one of the notebook activities that made me think differently about my social justice issue of public lands was the "4f." prompt. In this prompt we had to create a dialogue between two of the sources and either make it a topic or animation. This made me think deep into the issue of what politics would cover in the local newspaper and dive into current on-going issues.
I thought an interesting notebook post was with the prompt "2e." which required me to list “what I know and “What I don’t know” about my issue. This provided a challenge as I was able to list things that I knew about and proactively think ahead about issues that I do not know about public lands.
I think one of the best notebook entries I did this semester was Notebook#8 prompt "6n." this notebook allowed me to create a meme that directly pointed to public land issues in Utah, more specifically to Utah Lake. If I were to try and complete another notebook entry it would have to be with notebook #6 prompt "2e". this is the list of “What I Know” and “What I don’t know”, I personally believe I can fill out more information in both sections regarding public lands.
I think by completing the notebook activities throughout the semester I have gain tools that promote brainstorming, comparing and contrasting ideas, and different methods of presentation of information that is effectively informative to the reader and public.