The Wordy Shipmates, Chapters 6-10 Response

Throughout these chapters, Vowell makes several stagnant and educated notions. When she first mentioned that the Puritans went over to America slightly influenced by the idea that the natives there needed their help, I immediatley thought about the conflicts that had arose through similar means. The Philippines (and the quest to change their religion), Vietnam (and the war to bring democracy), and Iraq (another conquest of "freedom shall prevail").

Needless to say, the natives did not actually want the help of the puritans. That was, until, (like Vowell says) nearly every native tribe was obliterated by their foriegn diseases.

In the modern world, a country's foriegn policy can be very shaky at times. Generally, the views of the people differ from individual to individual. Some say that the well-off have a responsibility to help those in need, even when those who require aid do not ask for it. Others tend to say that getting involved in foriegn conflicts are for the worse of every nation involved. My personal beliefs tend to shift from matter to matter, and I lay off a verdict until I understand what the foriegn nations say, as oposed to what our nation says they say.

I also could draw connections between the conflicts that rose from a difference in religion (as Vowell pointed out). I thought first of Islamic terrorists and ethnical exterminations (Hitler). I also thought about the crusades, a time during which varying religions (namely Christianity and Islam, surprise surprise) where battling it out for supremecy. To me, hearing of the religious problems in 16th and 17th century England was just another piece thrown onto the pile.

When Vowell was talking about the movie "Reds", I thought about American wars, particularly the Civil War, in which people were ignorant as to what was to come, as it had yet to do so. Young men signed up willingly, thinking about how much fun it would be to go and shoot some southern hicks. Yet it was not until they watched their friends and fellow Americans die that they finally realized how aweful it truly was.

It is quite interesting how many past political members quoted Winthrop. It is almost as if they could not create a speech any better than his by themselves. However, what I believe is that they thought quoting one of America's founding and prominant figures would be beneficial to their campaign. Which it was.

On a somewhat irrelevant note, I found what Vowell said about the uncertainty of acceptance into heaven by god to be very interesting. I agreed with her when she said no one could possibly know if they were going to heaven as it was a predetermined fate.