1. Opening Scene:
- Description of Willard during class change
- Description of the preacher and his attempt to preach to people during class change.
2. Illustrative quote to end the scene:
- I have an excellent quote that is perfect to illustrate why people thinks the man is crazy (no I won’t share it now).
3. Nut Graph:
- I will at this point break down why it is important that we not just think of the preacher as a nutcase.
- I will share some facts about Gary and what he does. (give him a more relatable perspective)
- People might be surprised to see what he’s like as a person, when he is not preaching, I hope to show this at least a bit.
4. Background:
- I will delve very briefly into the start of a preacher at Willard
- I will talk about “bro” Cape the first preacher.
- I will talk about how his style differs from Gary’s style.
5. Supporting Information 1:
- I will at this point hone in on what effect the preacher has on the students.
- I will examine first the perspective of people alienated by him.
- Quotes will include negative comments made about him.
- All of this will serve to show if he is a negative influence on students.
6. Supporting Information 2:
- In this section I will explore what positive impact he has on students.
- I have quotes about people who are inspired by Gary
- I will explore those who argue for Gary online in “forum wars”.
- This section will focus on people who support his preaching, and maybe a bit of those who simply see him as a humorous icon at University Park.
7. Supporting Information 3:
- This section I will focus on the man himself.
- I will use some quotes from and interview with Gary.
- I will show his dedication to what he feels he is called to do.
- I will consider his motives and beliefs and show Gary as a man who simply has a calling he believes is important.
8. Conclusion:
- Through reading this piece I hope that Gary is not simply some lunatic preaching “damnation and hellfire” on the unsuspecting students of PSU. I will attempt to show how he is a very down-to-earth, and intelligent person who simply has very strong beliefs. Certainly some might question his methods, but he is making an impact, he is getting noticed, he is getting through to some people.
Wachau, Austria
Monday, September 27, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Zoinks, Another Clue!
I felt the same muggy warmth that so often visits State College, staying on like a guest who overstays their welcome. The sun shining down on the steps added insult to injury. I lay back, on a portion of the steps that provided some protection from the sun. I focused beyond the flights of steps to the small space of pavement just before the path of the Pattee Mall. I was sitting on the steps of Willard on this fine Wednesday afternoon. In front of me, and the small group of onlookers who I shared the entrance to Willard with, was a man. Strolling thoughtfully back and forth. His arms clasped behind his back as he paced. He spoke carefully and thoughtfully, and it struck me that I’d never actually really observed the man like this before.
He was dressed extremely plainly. Looking from the ground up, he was wearing what appeared to be old worn-out sneakers that were most likely useless in terms of running due to their age. He wore baggy blue running shorts with drew attention to his chicken-bone legs. He wore a baggy white t-shirt which he tucked into his shorts. I looked again at his face, beneath his glasses his eyes were fixed on the ground as he spoke. He would look off into the distance, at nothing in particular, as he turned to pace in the opposite direction. He seemed so lost in his own thoughts, so pensive as he continued with his lecture. I looked at my peers on the steps and railings, all focused on this center of attention. They were all completely fixed to this strange man pacing back and forth in front of makeshift lecture hall.
Quotations:
“If you are and atheist you have to admit that it’s okay for others to rape 2 year-olds.”
- Willard Preacher
“Anybody who spends his day pushing his religion on others has crossed the line into the nutball neighborhood. You don’t win souls by yelling at people.”
- Mojoey blog
“The vulgar shit this guy says, I love it!”
- Unnamed source
Facts:
Began preaching in 1982
Replaced another preacher, Clarence “Bro” Cope
Has an official website, complete with blog, book, quotes, etc.
Has a number of fan clubs, imitator videos on youtube, etc.
One thing that I never would have thought of before is the extent to which he influences people. I would never have guessed that people would go through all the time-consuming trouble to post their thoughts on the man. There are various supporters and well as angry atheists who get into “forum wars” and other arguments online about the man and his preaching. I especially have been looking into this and wish to bring this to light in my paper.
He was dressed extremely plainly. Looking from the ground up, he was wearing what appeared to be old worn-out sneakers that were most likely useless in terms of running due to their age. He wore baggy blue running shorts with drew attention to his chicken-bone legs. He wore a baggy white t-shirt which he tucked into his shorts. I looked again at his face, beneath his glasses his eyes were fixed on the ground as he spoke. He would look off into the distance, at nothing in particular, as he turned to pace in the opposite direction. He seemed so lost in his own thoughts, so pensive as he continued with his lecture. I looked at my peers on the steps and railings, all focused on this center of attention. They were all completely fixed to this strange man pacing back and forth in front of makeshift lecture hall.
Quotations:
“If you are and atheist you have to admit that it’s okay for others to rape 2 year-olds.”
- Willard Preacher
“Anybody who spends his day pushing his religion on others has crossed the line into the nutball neighborhood. You don’t win souls by yelling at people.”
- Mojoey blog
“The vulgar shit this guy says, I love it!”
- Unnamed source
Facts:
Began preaching in 1982
Replaced another preacher, Clarence “Bro” Cope
Has an official website, complete with blog, book, quotes, etc.
Has a number of fan clubs, imitator videos on youtube, etc.
One thing that I never would have thought of before is the extent to which he influences people. I would never have guessed that people would go through all the time-consuming trouble to post their thoughts on the man. There are various supporters and well as angry atheists who get into “forum wars” and other arguments online about the man and his preaching. I especially have been looking into this and wish to bring this to light in my paper.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
A Drinking School With a Football Problem
Having looked at investigative reports recently I found the This American Life special on PSU to be an ideal example of a creative investigative report. Their hour long broadcast "#1 Party School" dealt with the issue of drinking at PSU and they made sure to examine the issue from many different perspectives. This move on their part not only made it an accessible report for people with different beliefs regarding drinking, but it also spread knowledge of different perspectives.
The report makes it very clear that there is a problem with some aspects of the drinking at Penn State. The report mentions that 1/4 of students have missed class or skipped homework because of drinking, student drinking often leads to vandalism and disorderly conduct on and around campus, and also the pleas of local residents that something be done. To top all there exigences off there is the issue of Joe Dado's death as a direct result of drinking. These blaring examples make it clear that there needs to be some sort of action taken to combat these undesirable consequesnces of drinking.
As previously mentioned, the report gives an almost 360˚perspective on the issue. The report includes interviews with State College residents, Gram Spanier, with frat members, underage drinkers, policy makers, etc. Each group of people is interviewed and many happily share their views on the topic. The perspectives vary from group to group. Many of the students, alum, and even some of the parents seem to have a very nonchalant view about drinking and how it might have negative impacts. A group of freshman interviewed before their outting to a frat proudl boast of how they "got slutty once [they] got to college." The effective use of interviews with college students and exploration of several parties and a bus full of drunks really paint a picture of college life for the audience. The report takes the audience in, no matter what their experience with drinking is, and shows them the reality at Penn State for college students, and (with the beginning scenes) of the sitaution for residents near frat row. These residents give an impression of stark contrast to the perspective of the college students, giving their opinions about the destructive and irritating nature of the drinking at PSU. The residents show interviewers the theft of a stop-sign by drunken students, the urination on private property by groups of girls that is commonplace, and countless other acts that become the norm on campus. These residents express their concerns with how this situation is becoming more and more commonplace on campus and how it effects their lives negatively. Both opinions are openly explored on the report giving it a very raw, and honest look at both sides of the issue. This exploration of both sides is important as it allows both sides of the audience to relate to their side and to feel like their perspective is being explored while at the same time raising awareness of how others migth view their behavior. In this aspect the report is able to incorporate a personal reach to both groups without leaving one or the other feeling attacked or as if their opinion is being or ignored. This plurality makes the report highly accessible to both groups.
The report leaves the reader with some of the new initiatives by policy makers and Penn State to combat drinking problems and underage drinking. Several ideas are discussed (bouncers at teh doors of frats, harsher measures for being caught drinking underage...) the question of these measures is left with the audience. The report closes with a sharp jolt into the reality that Gram Spanier and PSU have to deal with. They bring up the ever changing tide of students that come and go from PSU. Because of this fact each they they must "start again" with the new classes, making progress painfully slow. This is the end of the report and leaves the audience pondering the the complexities and challenges facing change in the drinking situation at PSU...
The report makes it very clear that there is a problem with some aspects of the drinking at Penn State. The report mentions that 1/4 of students have missed class or skipped homework because of drinking, student drinking often leads to vandalism and disorderly conduct on and around campus, and also the pleas of local residents that something be done. To top all there exigences off there is the issue of Joe Dado's death as a direct result of drinking. These blaring examples make it clear that there needs to be some sort of action taken to combat these undesirable consequesnces of drinking.
As previously mentioned, the report gives an almost 360˚perspective on the issue. The report includes interviews with State College residents, Gram Spanier, with frat members, underage drinkers, policy makers, etc. Each group of people is interviewed and many happily share their views on the topic. The perspectives vary from group to group. Many of the students, alum, and even some of the parents seem to have a very nonchalant view about drinking and how it might have negative impacts. A group of freshman interviewed before their outting to a frat proudl boast of how they "got slutty once [they] got to college." The effective use of interviews with college students and exploration of several parties and a bus full of drunks really paint a picture of college life for the audience. The report takes the audience in, no matter what their experience with drinking is, and shows them the reality at Penn State for college students, and (with the beginning scenes) of the sitaution for residents near frat row. These residents give an impression of stark contrast to the perspective of the college students, giving their opinions about the destructive and irritating nature of the drinking at PSU. The residents show interviewers the theft of a stop-sign by drunken students, the urination on private property by groups of girls that is commonplace, and countless other acts that become the norm on campus. These residents express their concerns with how this situation is becoming more and more commonplace on campus and how it effects their lives negatively. Both opinions are openly explored on the report giving it a very raw, and honest look at both sides of the issue. This exploration of both sides is important as it allows both sides of the audience to relate to their side and to feel like their perspective is being explored while at the same time raising awareness of how others migth view their behavior. In this aspect the report is able to incorporate a personal reach to both groups without leaving one or the other feeling attacked or as if their opinion is being or ignored. This plurality makes the report highly accessible to both groups.
The report leaves the reader with some of the new initiatives by policy makers and Penn State to combat drinking problems and underage drinking. Several ideas are discussed (bouncers at teh doors of frats, harsher measures for being caught drinking underage...) the question of these measures is left with the audience. The report closes with a sharp jolt into the reality that Gram Spanier and PSU have to deal with. They bring up the ever changing tide of students that come and go from PSU. Because of this fact each they they must "start again" with the new classes, making progress painfully slow. This is the end of the report and leaves the audience pondering the the complexities and challenges facing change in the drinking situation at PSU...
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Dreaded Writer's Block
Lamott says, in her "Shitty First Drafts," that the perceptions most people have of how writers work is different from the reality of the work itself. She refers to this in paragraph 1 as
“the fantasy of the uninitiated."
I think that many people, often those who don't write often, believe that writer's do possess some sort of supernatural ability to simply conjure up ground-breaking and concise ideas all the time. This however is not the case at all. I, as one who loves writing, often struggle with beginning and even get stuck part-way through...(this clip illustrates struggles with "writer's block") as Lammott says, "very few writers really know what they are doing until they've done it ." I think that this is something that I can very much relate to. My writing style tends to be simply running with an idea that pops into my head. Once I have an idea that I am set on writing about I will simply write and write without any sort of organization. The goal is simply for me to get the ideas onto the paper before they slip back into the deep, dark recesses of my mind never to be seen again. If I concentrate too hard on working with my ideas and with any sort of strict organization I lose the creativity and enthusiasm that drives any quality writing I produce.
For me, writing is a type of freedom. Due to the fact that I see writing as freedom it doesn't make sense to put this freedom behind the oppressive bars of formal organization (at least at the beginning). When I do this to my writing, it ceases to be a work of love, it turns into a painstaking process of forcing myself to think of ideas that work within the confines of this set structure. If the situation occurs in the reverse, the writing is saved. Once my ideas are out, all the details and a vast quantity of possible directions it might take, I can then shape it to fit the requirments. Like a sculpter shaping a slab of marble into a masterpiece I am able to work with the mass of ideas and shape it into the appropriate form. If for example a sculpter were forced to make a statue from a very limmited quantity of material he would have to add to his piece and his work would be that much harder.
A "shitty first draft" is a writers defense against blocks, and allows the writer much freedom to simply express any ideas and emotions without any concern for grammar, structure, or anything else. Once this hard part is over the process of shaping this rough draft into a finished piece begins. That is the real writing process...
“the fantasy of the uninitiated."
I think that many people, often those who don't write often, believe that writer's do possess some sort of supernatural ability to simply conjure up ground-breaking and concise ideas all the time. This however is not the case at all. I, as one who loves writing, often struggle with beginning and even get stuck part-way through...(this clip illustrates struggles with "writer's block") as Lammott says, "very few writers really know what they are doing until they've done it ." I think that this is something that I can very much relate to. My writing style tends to be simply running with an idea that pops into my head. Once I have an idea that I am set on writing about I will simply write and write without any sort of organization. The goal is simply for me to get the ideas onto the paper before they slip back into the deep, dark recesses of my mind never to be seen again. If I concentrate too hard on working with my ideas and with any sort of strict organization I lose the creativity and enthusiasm that drives any quality writing I produce.
For me, writing is a type of freedom. Due to the fact that I see writing as freedom it doesn't make sense to put this freedom behind the oppressive bars of formal organization (at least at the beginning). When I do this to my writing, it ceases to be a work of love, it turns into a painstaking process of forcing myself to think of ideas that work within the confines of this set structure. If the situation occurs in the reverse, the writing is saved. Once my ideas are out, all the details and a vast quantity of possible directions it might take, I can then shape it to fit the requirments. Like a sculpter shaping a slab of marble into a masterpiece I am able to work with the mass of ideas and shape it into the appropriate form. If for example a sculpter were forced to make a statue from a very limmited quantity of material he would have to add to his piece and his work would be that much harder.
A "shitty first draft" is a writers defense against blocks, and allows the writer much freedom to simply express any ideas and emotions without any concern for grammar, structure, or anything else. Once this hard part is over the process of shaping this rough draft into a finished piece begins. That is the real writing process...
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