114 notes

The Process of Becoming a Better Writer

• Question on Improvement

  • Inquiry: How does one become a better writer?

  • Answer: Writing repeatedly (a form of self-practice).

• Nature of Writing

  • No shortcuts to good writing; it requires effort and often involves pain.

  • Contrast between admiration for a writer's work vs. understanding of their extensive practice.

  • Completion of drafts and seeking improvement are key steps.

• Draft and Peer Review Process

  • Students are encouraged to complete drafts thoroughly.

  • Emphasis on distance: After completing a draft, wait before revising to gain perspective.

  • Peer Review Assignment:

  • Introduced as a strategy to enhance writing via feedback.

  • Designed like a rubric that evaluates essays through specific categories.

  • Students are to apply this rubric while reviewing a partner's work and vice versa.

  • Importance of reviewing the assignment prior to writing (student feedback).

• Importance of Deadlines

  • Challenges posed by scheduling around holidays (e.g., Thanksgiving).

Discussion on Slavery and the Constitution

• Cover Topics Before Transitioning

  • Discussion prompt about slavery: Are there any questions before this topic?

  • Note on meeting schedule and setting expectations for the class.

• Abolitionist Movements of the 1840s

  • Overview of debates among abolitionists, especially the mainstream figures like William Lloyd Garrison.

  • Garrison and his publication, "The Liberator," significantly impacting abolitionist discourse.

  • His belief in the moral suasion: Educating the public on accountability concerning slavery.

• Constitutional Connections to Slavery

  • Argument that all states, including free states, were complicit in slavery through constitutional support.

  • Garrison's emphasis on the constitutional framework reinforcing slaveholding.

• Constitutional Provisions Discussed

  • Article One, Section Nine:

  • Discusses importation of persons and the implications for slavery.

  • Commentary on the language used: "Such persons" implies dehumanization (e.g., persons trafficked like commodities).

  • Article Four, Section Two:

  • Outlines obligations regarding fugitive slaves indicating widespread societal participation in slavery.

  • Legal ramifications for citizens serving as slave catchers, leading to moral implications for all Americans.

  • Three-Fifths Compromise:

  • Describes how slaves counted for representation in Congress, giving southern slave-holding states more political power.

  • Discusses motivations behind this compromise emphasizing representation for property owners.

• Ethical Implications

  • Understanding varied perspectives on slavery, including radical abolitionists vs. more conservative abolitionists.

  • Demonstrating the complexities of anti-slavery sentiments from both moral and economic angles.

Historical Perspectives from Founding Fathers

• Analysis of Founding Fathers’ Views

  • Investigation into notes from the Constitutional Convention reveals deep-rooted issues with slavery.

  • Reference to Butler’s claims about property value and government’s purpose prioritizing property protection.

  • Comparison regarding societal equality vs. property-based representation.

• Absence of Explicitness

  • Noting the lack of the term "slavery" in the Constitution prior to the Thirteenth Amendment, highlighting historical hypocrisy.

  • Speculation about motives behind avoiding direct mention of slavery in early documents as a PR measure.

Legal Philosophies and Natural Law Theory

• Lysander Spooner’s Views

  • Spooner's argument claiming that the Constitution makes slavery unconstitutional based on natural law principles.

  • Distinction between legal positivism (law based on power) vs. natural law (law based on moral reasoning).

  • Key distinctions laid out on the definitions and nature of law and justice.

• Justice and Law

  • Spooner’s assertion that true law is just, rooted in human morals, not merely a product of power structures.

  • Critique of judges operating under legal positivism without moral consideration.

• Relationships in Legal Contract

  • Analysis of contracts formed under unlawful terms and implications for valid law.

  • Spooner argues all contracts directed towards injustice are void, reinforcing natural law principles.

• Final Implications

  • Discussion on how laws can be rendered invalid under natural rights theory if aimed against justice.

  • Emphasis on legal relationships that prioritize property over people, especially in the context of slavery.

Historical Relevance and Modern Implications

• Current Relevance of Historical Debates

  • Comparison of historical controversies around slavery to modern issues of rights and government obligations.

  • The importance of recognizing past injustices and how they inform current legal and ethical discussions.

• Philosophical Arguments

  • Idea that a contract becomes invalid if formulated upon injustice, with a direct link to contemporary discussions on rights.

  • Legacy of abolitionist thought and its place within contemporary legal and political theory.