The Inaugural Address of John F. Kennedy

John Kennedys inaugural address is one of the most memorable political speeches of the past century. The young presidents reliance on biblical quotations, metaphors, parallelism, and antithesis recall some of the powerful speeches of Abraham Lincoln. The most famous line in Kennedys address (Ask not . . .) is a classic example of chiasmus. In his book White House Ghosts (Simon Schuster, 2008), journalist Robert Schlesinger (the son of historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., a Kennedy adviser) outlines some of the distinctive qualities of John Kennedys oratorical style: Short words and clauses were the order, with simplicity and clarity the goal. A self-described idealist without illusions, JFK preferred a cool, cerebral approach and had little use for florid expressions and complex prose. He liked alliteration, not solely for reasons of rhetoric but to reinforce the audiences recollection of his reasoning. His taste for contrapuntal phrasing--never negotiating out of fear but never fearing to negotiate--illustrated his dislike of extreme opinions and options. As you read Kennedys speech, consider how his methods of expression contribute to the forcefulness of his message. The Inaugural Address of John F. Kennedy (January 20, 1961) Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, reverend clergy, fellow citizens, we observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom--symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning--signifying renewal, as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago. The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe--the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God. We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans--born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world. Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty. This much we pledge--and more. To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do--for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder. To those peoples in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required--not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich. To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge: to convert our good words into good deeds, in a new alliance for progress, to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house. To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support--to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective, to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak--and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run. Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction. We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed. But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course--both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankinds final war. So let us begin anew--remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate. Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us. Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms, and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations. Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce. Let both sides unite to heed, in all corners of the earth, the command of Isaiah--to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free. And, if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor--not a new balance of power, but a new world of law--where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved. All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin. In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe. Now the trumpet summons us again--not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need--not as a call to battle, though embattled we are--but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation, a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself. Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort? In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility--I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it. And the glow from that fire can truly light the world. And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world, ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking his blessing and his help, but knowing that here on earth Gods work must truly be our own. NEXT: Ted Sorensen on the Kennedy Style of Speech-Writing

Prostitution And Its Effect On Society - 886 Words

â€Å"In the United States alone, an estimated $14 billion is generated in annualrevenue from the sex-for-sale industry. Worldwide revenue from the commercial sex trade industry is estimated at more than $100 billion each year,† says the literary criminologist R. Barri Flowers. Prostitution is described as the act of having sexual intercourse in exchange of money or basically commerce of sex. People engaged in this type of activity are called prostitutes or simply sex workers. In today’s societies man and woman can both be sex workers although woman have been predominantly and pejoratively called prostitute. However, prostitution criminalization or decriminalization has been raising debates in many societies. One may argue that outlawing sex workers takes away the liberty of adults to choose how to live their sexual lives and the right of their own body. However, if human sexuality is reduced to something temporary, material and consumable instead of precious, sacred, a nd wonderful then the all marriage and family structure will crumble and fall, and human being itself will be reduced to an object. Prostitution should be outlawed not only for its moral wrongness but also first for the harms it imposes to those vulnerable workingon the sex industry. These long term harms range from a life of fear, economic exploitation, aggression, and psychological impairment. A libertarian may argue that prostitution is a business transaction between adults. This argument is too simplisticShow MoreRelatedProstitution And Its Effect On Society1552 Words   |  7 Pagesthe â€Å"victimless crime† of prostitution between consenting adults be free from governmental interference? To discover the answer to this question, I will be doing some research on this topic to further explicate on the situation at hand. The featured topics that will be discussed in this paper is the history of prostitution, a recognition of contrary positions, the passing of legislation in three U.S. jurisdictions pertaining to prostitution, three examples of prostitution enforcement, my opinion onRead MoreProstituti on And Its Effects On Society2159 Words   |  9 PagesIn the United States of America, prostitution is illegal in forty-nine of the fifty states. In most countries worldwide, prostitution is illegal. Despite this, prostitution is still active in every single state, and every single part of the world. Sex work plays a key role of the sexism in American, and worldwide cultures. The criminalization of prostitution has created an underworld of illegal activity, that has traumatic consequences on an estimated one million prostitutes. This criminalizing alsoRead MoreProstitution And Its Effect On Society Essay1630 Words   |  7 Pages For a free society to keep violent crime to a minimum with little disturbance on individual liberty, government should, alongside prosecuting ‘victimless’ crimes, minimize the opportunity for the corrupt to create victims. Prostitution has been practiced in all ancient and modern cultures. In the United States, prostitution was originally wi dely legal. Prostitution was made illegal in almost all states between 1910 and 1915 due to the influence of the Woman s Christian Temperance Union which wasRead MoreProstitution And Its Effect On Society1648 Words   |  7 PagesProstitution, the practice of exchanging sexual acts for payment, is referred to as â€Å"most ancient profession in the world (Kipling, R. 1898) this practice is evident in every corner of the world, and dates back to before the invention of time. Despite its universality, the way that prostitution is perceived and dealt with differs drastically from culture to culture. While it is legal in some countries, it is considered punishable by death in others. In the United States those that perform and purchaseRead MoreLegal Prostitution And Its Effect On Society2259 Words   |  10 Pagesthink of how the oldest profession is being found as something of a harmful nature, which must be illegal. But legal prostitution is seen by a rather large number of individ uals to have a negative effect on today s society. These are the people who are forcing women into illegal prostitution, which is far more destructive, due to many factors. The Webster dictionary defines prostitution as the business or practice of engaging in sexual relations in exchange for some other benefit. For as long back asRead MoreProstitution as a Form of Deviance Essay examples634 Words   |  3 PagesProstitution as a Form of Deviance In sociology, the term deviance refers to all violations of social rules, regardless of their seriousness (Essentials of Sociology 136). Deviance is an individual or organizational behavior that violates societal norms and is usually accompanied by negative reactions from others. According to a sociologist S. Becker, he stated that it is not the act itself that makes an action deviant, but rather how society reacts to it. A particular state of being thatRead MoreProstitution Can Benefit Society : The Legalization Of Prostitution950 Words   |  4 Pages Scroggs 1 Lydia Scroggs Professor Johnson English 101-44 October 24, 2017 Prostitution Can Benefit Society The legalization of prostitution has been a debatable topic over the years. There are differing viewpoints on the reasons for legalizing prostitution as well as the causes of legalizing prostitution. In the majority of the world today, there is a high level of demand for prostitutes as well as the services they render. BecauseRead MoreThe Worlds Oldest Profession1574 Words   |  7 Pagestaken into this terrible lifestyle. In today’s society, sex sells. There are many factors that are making sex a commodity that can be bought or sold. There is a quote that states â€Å"Prostitution is the world s oldest profession†. Some find this statement true but there are many advocates groups who are fighting to end this profession. In this paper we will explore the history, the business side, the players who are involve in the world of prostitution and how it is related to sex trafficking. AlsoRead MoreProstitution Is The World s Oldest Profession Essay1478 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Prostitution is said to be the world’s oldest profession. It is, indeed, a model of all professional work; the worker relinquishes control over himself†¦ in exchange for money. Because of this passivity it entails, this is a difficult and, for many, a distasteful role.† (Szasz) Prostitution is accompanied with criminalization and the stigma of impurity and danger. â€Å"The National Task Force on P rostitution suggests that over one million people in the US have worked as prostitutes (3).† (Toth) ThroughRead MoreThe introduction of new technological advanced innovations and methods during the Market Revolution1700 Words   |  7 Pagesdeceived and moved from their motherland to work in unfavorable industries with prostitution as the most common jobs for these women. With the incessant growth of the prostitution, the act of participating in promiscuous copulation especially for money, theres an outgoing debate on whether prostitution should be legalized or illegalized. However, people fail to focus on the increasing amount of trafficking and child prostitution aroused by sex tourism. As the world interchanges knowledge, commodities,

The Sarin Gas Attack on the Tokyo Subway Free Essays

string(73) " Toru Toyoda was also a member of the Chemical Brigade of Aum Shinrikyo\." Terrorism has always been a part of human’s history. Although there is still no clear explanation about the act of terrorism, a terrorist and terrorism itself, it is evident that it has a drastic consequence on the society and the people’s lives. Technically, terrorism is classified as international and domestic. We will write a custom essay sample on The Sarin Gas Attack on the Tokyo Subway or any similar topic only for you Order Now This paper will focus on a particular domestic terrorism – the Sarin Gas Attack on the Tokyo Subway. Included here is the account of the incident, the perpetrators, the chemical used, the victims and the long-term effect of this incident. The Sarin Gas Attack on the Tokyo Subway The Sarin Gas Attack on the Tokyo Subway was considered the worst terrorist attack in Japan. Five members of the Aum Shinrikyo armed with sarin gas executed the assault on the morning of March 20, 1995 in the busy subways of Tokyo. Five more members were waiting outside as getaway drivers. The perpetrators entered the Marunouchi, Hibiya and the Chiyoda subway lines with bags of sarin covered with newspaper. They boarded trains and released the sarin by pricking the bags with their pointed umbrellas. As the liquid nerve agent turned into gas and mixed with the air, the commuters were immediately poisoned. It resulted to 12 deaths and more than 3,000 were injured. Because sarin poisoning was still unfamiliar during that time, Japan’s medical system had a hard time diagnosing and treating the victims. Hospitals were only given information on the diagnosis and treatment through fax by Dr. Yanagisawa Nobuo who had encountered treating sarin poisoning. Today, many of the victims still suffer from the nerve agent’s after effects such as breathing problems, depression and brain damage. Aum Shinrikyo Aum Shinrikyo is the Japanese phrase for â€Å"Supreme Truth. † It is founded in 1984 by partially blind Chizuo Matsumoto, known as Master Shoko Asahara to his followers. It started as a yoga and meditation class and progressed later on. It was recognized as a religious organization in 1989 and it was called a â€Å"religion for the elite† because the recruits were mostly young graduates from the country’s premium universities. This group worships Shiva being their god and its belief is a combination of Buddhism, Taoism, tantric yoga and Asahara’s interpretation of Christianity. Their teachings have great emphasis on apocalyptic scenarios and millennial visions being Nostradamus as one of their prophets. Asahara also prophesized that Japan would soon be annihilated by biological, nuclear and chemical weapons as a part of the impending Armageddon in 1999, and only the followers of Aum Shinrikyo will survive. There are three training systems the followers must undergo in order to obtain deliverance. The first is called the tantric yoga where the recruit is taught basic yoga, ways of personal cleansing and meditation. The second is called the siddhi course where the students are taught the release of an energy called kundalini which they believed to be dwelling â€Å"in a latent state at the base of the spine† (http://encarta. msn. com). The third course is called bodha from which energy from Asahara is spiritually transferred to the disciples. They also believe that salvation can be attained by giving up material things and by offering personal riches to the organization. Aum Shinrikyo is not concentrated in Japan alone. Around the world, it has approximately 20,000 to 40,000 members. In order to financially sustain their activities and operations, the cult collects money by means of tithes, donations, selling religious stuff and other merchandises. The believers who attend the cult’s seminars and trainings are also charged with large amount of money. The cult also owns a computer factory and a chain of restaurants in Japan. Before the March 20, 1995 incident, Aum Shinrikyo has been linked with a number of other assaults. It attempted to discharge butulin toxin around the government buildings in Tokyo in April 1990. During the wedding of the crown prince in June 1993, it again made an attempt to release the same poison around the imperial palace. On June 27, 1994, a several members of the cult released a cloud of sarin in a residential area of Matsumoto, a city located northwest of Tokyo. Seven people died and five hundred more were hospitalized. What followed here was the most tragic attack which became the eye-opener to the great possibility of chemical agents as weapon of mass destruction. The Main Perpetrators The following are five groups of the ten members of Aum Shinrikyo responsible for the March 20, 1995 attack: Ikuo Hayashi and his driver Tomomitsu Niimi †¢ Kenichi Hirose and his driver Koichi Kitamura †¢ Toru Toyoda and his driver Katsuya Takahashi †¢ Masato Yokoyama and his driver Kiyotaka Tonozako †¢ Yasuo Hayashi and his driver Shigeo Sumimoto Ikuo Hayashi was a heart and artery specialist doctor before he joined Aum Shinrikyo in 1990. He left his family and his job and followed Asahara and became the Minister of Healing. He handled members who were suspected for betrayal by administering electric shocks and sodium pentothal. He was assigned to execute the assault on the Chiyoda line. He boarded the southwestbound train and pierced the bag of chemical at Shin-ochanomuzu station. This resulted to two deaths and 231 people were injured. After the incident at the subways, he was given a sentence of life imprisonment. His driver, Tomomitsu Niimi was sentenced to death. Prior to joining Aum Shinrikyo, Kenichi Hirose was a â€Å"holder of a postgraduate degree in Physics from Waseda University† (Wikipedia). He had major contribution in the cult’s Chemical Brigade and Automatic Light Weapon Development system. He was assigned to release the chemical on the westbound Marunochi line headed to Ogikubo. He boarded the train and punctured the bag of sarin at the Ochanomizu station. One died and 358 suffered from the toxin. He himself was affected by the sarin that he discharged but was able to inject himself with the antidote, atropine sulphate, and was given medical attention at the cult’s headquarters. Toru Toyoda was also a member of the Chemical Brigade of Aum Shinrikyo. You read "The Sarin Gas Attack on the Tokyo Subway" in category "Papers" He was an applied physics graduate from Tokyo University before he became an Aum’s disciple. The northeastbound Hibiya line was the assignment of Toyoda. He boarded the train going to Tobu-dobutsukoen and released sarin at Ebisu. This resulted to one death and 532 serious injuries. He was also sentenced to death after this attack. Masato Yokoyama was the Undersecretary of the cult’s Ministry of Science and Technology and one of the contributories of their Automatic Light Weapons Manufacturing system. Prior to becoming Aum’s member, he was an applied physics graduate of Tokai University. He was assigned at the Ikeburo-bound Marunouchi line. He boarded the train at Shinjuku and punctured his bag of sarin at Yotsuya. The agent evaporated slowly because he was only able to pierce one hole. He was given death sentence after this incident. Yasuo Hayashi held the third highest position in Aum’s Ministry of Science and Technology. He graduated from Kogakuin Univeristy with a degree in artificial intelligence. He was assigned to release sarin at the southwestbound Hibiya line leaving Kita-senju headed to Naka-meguro. He punctured the bags of sarin at Akihabara. Because of the number of punctures he made, commuters were instantly affected by the chemical. This resulted to 8 deaths and 275 serious injuries. He was also sentenced to death after the incident as well as his getaway driver Shigeo Sugimoto. After this assault, Aum Shinrikyo’s assests were taken away from the group as well as its status as a religious organization. Sarin Asahara ordered his members to mass produce sarin in 1993 and the chemical plant started to operate in 1994. Originally, sarin was developed to be used as a pesticide. It was first made in Germany in 1938 and it is not organic. It is colorless, odorless and tasteless liquid that mix into the air when vaporized. It is now considered as a chemical warfare agent under the category of a nerve agent. Nerve agents are the deadliest and fastest acting chemical warfare agents. These are comparable to insect killers, organophosphates, because of the hazards that they bring. Because of the nature of sarin, humans are vulnerable to the fatal effects of this chemical. There are various means that a person can be exposed to this. Once it vaporized into the air, a person can contract sarin through the eyes, skin and nose. If sarin is mixed in water, a person can be poisoned by drinking or even touching the water. Solid food can also be tainted with sarin which is also lethal if eaten. People situated at lower grounds tend to have greater exposure to sarin because of its dense vapor. The degree of toxicity brought by sarin can be determined by the person’s manner of exposure to the chemical, the amount of the chemical and how long was the person’s exposure. If a person is exposed to sarin in its vapor form, the symptoms will be obvious within a few seconds. If it is in the liquid form, on the other hand, the symptoms will show within a few minutes up to 18 hours. Generally, nerve agents work by inhibiting the chemicals in the body to perform its function as the regulator of the muscles and glands. Once the effects of sarin take place, the muscles and glands will no longer be slowed down resulting to fatigue and breathing difficulty. Of all the nerve agents, sarin is the fastest to change its form from liquid into gas and scatter into the air. Due to this characteristic, its effects take place instantly but short-term. The following are the signs and symptoms of exposure to a small or average dose of sarin: †¢ Runny nose †¢ Watery eyes †¢ Small, pinpoint pupils †¢ Eye pain †¢ Blurred vision †¢ Drooling and excessive sweating †¢ Cough †¢ Chest tightness †¢ Rapid breathing †¢ Diarrhea †¢ Increased urination †¢ Confusion †¢ Drowsiness Weakness †¢ Headache †¢ Nausea, vomiting †¢ Slow or fast heart rate †¢ Low or high blood pressure The following are the signs and symptoms of exposure to high doses of sarin: †¢ Loss of consciousness †¢ Convulsions †¢ Paralysis †¢ Respiratory fail ure possibly leading to death (http://terrorism. about. com) Sarin Poisoning Victims According to survey conducted about the sarin gas poisoning victims, year after the incident, more than 17% of the respondents still suffer from mental and emotional stress. Of the 5,300 individuals spoken to, only 1,500 agreed to respond to the survey, signifying that they are still disturbed by the incident. Of the respondents, many experience â€Å"flashbacks to the event and panic attacks when boarding trains† (www. factnet. org). Although majority of the victims still endure constant eye strain and other physical ailments, the most vital point is the mental distress. A large number of the victims still â€Å"worry about getting involved in a similar incident†; â€Å"feel sad when I encounter something that reminds me of the incident†; and â€Å"try not to think about anything related to the incident† (www. factnet. org). Aum Shinrikyo Today After the attack on March 20, 1995, Aum Shinrikyo changed its name to Aleph and it had a new leader, Fumihiro Joyu. Joyu declared that the group gave up its illicit interests and violent practice. Aleph also gave out about 2. 5 million dollars for the victims of the assault. But being on the list of terrorists, they are still being monitored in the conviction that it still has malicious objectives. Its members are now ranging approximately from 1,500 to 2,000 who communicate through the Internet and videoconference. Most of its followers are in Japan and some are in Russia despite the ban imposed to the cult. Although the group gained negative image, it is still onto progressive recruitment and publicity. In order to sustain their activities, they maintain their method of earning money such as soliciting donations, selling religious paraphernalia, collecting tithes, conducting training and seminars and selling computers, which is the most productive source of funds. They are able to destabilize competitors by â€Å"producing cheap software and computers written and assembled by dedicated and low-waged cult members† (www. cdi. org). The possibility of manufacturing chemical and biological weapons is now very small since the abolishment of the group’s chemical facilities in a number of raids. There are still debates, though, about the implications that this cult may have brought in about terrorism especially with the use of chemical agents as weapons of mass destruction. Incidents such as this show how people underestimate terrorism. Japan is a country who has relatively low crime rate and Aum Shinrikyu is considered a religious organization which is expected to exhibit acts of good intentions. This incident calls for a broader perspective on terrorism as well as extra vigilance on the possibility of violence inflicted to a large number of people with the use of weapons of mass destruction. How to cite The Sarin Gas Attack on the Tokyo Subway, Papers

Participant-Observation Assignment free essay sample

The Attitude of People who Attended Samba walked into the 24-Hour Fitness gym for the first time, one Tuesday morning, to try the much raved-about Samba workout. I was late and class had already started. I walked Into the brightly lit studio, on the second floor of the 24-Hour Fitness gym In Pearl City, and placed my bag with the rest of the bags along the wall without mirrors.I looked around the room: mirrors completely covered the three other walls of the room, farthest from the door, the instructor that day, was in front with her back acing everyone and facing the mirror in front of her, pumping her fists and energetically exclaiming Instructions to the class. And the class following along, some skillfully, some struggling to keep up. I fell in the struggling-to-keep-up group. It was an all-womens class, with the exception of two middle-aged men. The other two times I came had similar turnouts. The attire was similar all around: spandex, t-shirts, some wore sweatbands, girls had their hair tied back, workout shoes, and there was not a single jeans pants in the room. Fast-paced music started playing and, like all here times attended Samba class, the instructor took to the front and started leading the class. Immediately, hips were popping and swaying, feet were shuffling side to side and forward and backward, arms pumping up and down and crisis-cross, to name a few moves. Basically, there was a lot of movement.There were short breaks between each song, ensuring time to catch ones breath but not enough to take a breather. After one routine came the next(a quick sip of water, maybe) and then it was on to the next three to four minute set. The Instructors would skillfully eave their way around the room to make sure everyone would have a chance to see them. In two of my classes, one way the instructors would inspire more effort from us was by splitting the class down the middle and having each side facing the opposing side while doing the set (this was fun but pretty nerve-wracking for me).There were different dance/workout moves for deferent genres of music: popping for hip hop music, shrugging for Plywood music, salsa-ins for Latin music, we even did Korean pop musics Kananga Style in one class! Among those who attend Samba class, most, if not all, try their best. Samba is designed to be fast-paced, with constant movement for an hour. In all my classes, a good amount of attendees were grandmas and middle-aged women, but not once did I hear a complaint. Instead, between sets, with the little time given to rest, people were smiling and encouraging one another.I was often a recipient of this encouragement, especially the third time I attended Samba class, whenever I was gasping for breath between sets, a middle-aged woman next to me wou ld notice how tired I was and give me a smile of encouragement. Also, people were focused on following the instructor to correctly execute the dance OFF instructor put his/her right hand up, about 30-40 other right hands shot up. There were no malicious Jokes or disruptions, everyone was sincere and eager to have a good time. You could tell by the time Samba was finished that everyone worked hard by their sweat-soaked shirts and flushed faces.In one of my classes, everyone worked so hard that by the time class was done, the mirrors were fogged up. Among those who attend Samba class, most, if not all, enjoyed themselves. When asked why they liked Samba, here are some responses from a few attendees: For me, it helped me SSE 40 pounds- at my own pace. Its fun, you meet a lot of awesome people, and its a party-themed workout format, it makes me feel comfortable that I can dance and exercise as freely as I want without anyone Judging me, .. . T makes me happy and its super fun and you can dance and work out at the same time! With fast-paced music paired with popular dance moves, people are attracted to workout by partying. As the Samba website says, are you ready to party yourself into shape? I know I caught myself smiling and laughing at myself, more than once, trying to do the sexy dance eves. There were those who mastered the dance moves and were adding their own flair to the routine, which made it both inspiring and fun for the rest of the class to watch.Unlike regular, individual workouts, since Samba is done in a large group with everyone doing the same routine, its easy to let loose and (try to) dance with confidence. After class, there were always people talking to the instructor. Once, I even saw some people taking a picture with the instructor. Among those who attend Samba class, most, if not all, are sociable. If you come to a public, popular event, like Samba, then chances are you like people or at the very least, dont mind being around them.Attendees liked to come to Samba with friends and were quick to make new ones during class. I chatted with one of the people from Samba about the class and at the end of class we exchanged numbers. Smiles and words of encouragement were abundant in all three classes I attended. My experience of Samba was a positive one. Not only did I get a great workout, but I had a lot of fun doing it! My very first time going to Samba, I was nervous and stiff but after seeing everyone dancing ND getting in tune with the music, I started exerting myself. I dont have much experience with dancing but Samba made it fun and easy to learn. You can follow the instructor or, if youre in one of the back rows (like I was), follow someone, close to you, who knows what theyre doing. I especially appreciated all the core exercises they incorporated into the workouts. I always felt like I got the best workout after doing those. After all my classes, my shirt would be soaked through with sweat. Even though I went by myself, it was easy to feel comfortable and like a part of the group. The classes were mixed with both regulars and first-timers. I really liked how everyone was friendly and interacted with one another. I think the next time I go, I would take a friend or two with me. The one and only thing that discourages me from going is the price of membership at 24 Hour Fitness. If it wasnt for that, Id probably go every week. I really enjoyed this assignment and would not mind doing it again. In the short time that I took classes, Samba has taught me to not care about what I may look like to other people and Just do my best, regardless, because thats what everyone else is trying to do.