The Color Of Water Discussion Questions Essays

The Color Of Water Discussion Questions Essays The Color Of Water Discussion Questions Paper The Color Of Water Discussion Questions Paper Essay Topic: Discussion It was in her sense of education, more than any other, that Mommy convey yet her Swinishness to us. Do you agree with this statement? Is it possible that Ruth McBride Jordan s unshakable devotion to her faith, even though she converted to Christianity from Judaism, stems from her Orthodox Jewish upbringing? 3. Mommys contradictions crashed and slammed against one another like b umpire cars at Coney Island. White folks, she felt, were implicitly evil toward blacks, yet she forced u s to go to white schools to get the best education. Blacks could be trusted more, but anything involving blacks was probably substandard She was against welfare and never applied for it desk tie our need, but championed those who availed themselves of it Do you think these contradict actions served to confuse Ruts children further, or did they somehow contribute to the balance De view of humanity that James McBride possesses? 4. Ruth says that all her father wanted was money and to be American. Did he achieve those goals? 5. When James punches the Black Panthers son, what were his thoughts? Who at do his thought reveal about the potentially divided feelings of biracial children? 6. Why do you think Ruth placed such emphasis on hard work and education? . Why do you think Ruth is usually elusive about her past? 8. Ruth has a tremendous love of the Christian faith. Do you believe that her c holding experiences with Judaism sowed the seeds for her adult spiritual life? 9. Once Ruth separates from her family, she is dead to them. When she return runs to her sister or aunts, for example, they refuse to see her. Do you think this cutting of ties is j justifiable in any way? 10. During his adolescence, James spent three straight summers In Louisville, Kentucky with his older sister Jack. Explain how his experiences there affected his perspective o n his life. 1 . The McBride childrens struggle with their identities led each to his or her own revolution. Is it also possible that that same struggle led them to define themselves through professional achievement? 12. Several of the McBride children became involved in the civil rights move .NET. DO you think that this was a result of the times in which they lived, their need to belong to a gar pop that lent them a solid identity, or a combination of these factors? 13. While reading the book, were you curious about how Ruth McBride Jordan s remarkable faith had translated into the adult lives of her children? Do you think that faith is some wing that can be passed on from one generation to the next or do you think that faith that is in stilled too strongly in children eventually causes them to turn away from it? 14. Do you think it would be possible to achieve what Ruth McBride has cache Veda in todays society? 15. What out of this book stands out the most to you, and how does this relate e to the course content weve been reading/ discussing? Choose three course concepts and discuss where you see them at play in the book.

Pro Forma Sessions in Congress

Pro Forma Sessions in Congress In the daily agendas of the House of Representatives and Senate, you will often see that House or Senate leaders have scheduled a â€Å"pro forma† session for the day. What is a pro forma session, what is its purpose, and why do they sometimes stir up political firestorms? Key Takeaways: Pro Forma Sessions Pro forma sessions are meetings of the U.S. Congress held â€Å"in form only.† Either house of Congress can hold pro forma sessions.During pro forma sessions, no votes are taken and no other legislative business is conducted.Pro forma sessions are held for the purpose of meeting the â€Å"three-day rule† in Article I, Section 5 of the U.S. Constitution. The three day rule prohibits either chamber of Congress from not meeting for more than three consecutive calendar days during a congressional session without the approval of the other chamber. The term pro forma is a Latin term meaning â€Å"as a matter of form† or â€Å"for the sake of form.† While either chamber of Congress can hold them, pro forma sessions are most often held in the Senate. Typically, no legislative business, such as the introduction or debate on bills or resolutions, is conducted during a pro forma session. As a result, pro forma sessions rarely last more than a few minutes from gavel-to-gavel. There are no constitutional restrictions on how long pro forma sessions must last or what business may be conducted in them. While any Senator or Representative present can open and preside over a pro forma session, the attendance of other members is not required. Indeed, most pro forma sessions are conducted before nearly empty chambers of Congress.   A Senator or Representative from one of the nearby states of Virginia, Maryland or Delaware is usually chosen to preside over pro forma sessions since members from other states have usually left Washington, D.C. for vacations or meeting with constituents in their home districts or states. The Official Purpose of Pro Forma Sessions The officially stated purpose for pro forma sessions is to comply with Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution, which prohibits either chamber of Congress from adjourning for more than three consecutive calendar days without the consent of the other chamber. Scheduled long-term breaks provided for in the annual legislative calendars for  sessions of Congress, such as the summer breaks and district work periods are typically provided for by the passage in both chambers of a joint resolution declaring the adjournment. However, the numerous unofficial reason for holding pro forma sessions of Congress often results in controversy and politically hurt feelings. The More Controversial Purpose of Pro Forma Sessions While doing so never fails to raise controversy, the minority party in the Senate often holds pro forma sessions specifically to prevent the President of the United States from making â€Å"recess appointments† of persons to fill vacancies in federal offices that require the approval of the Senate. The president is allowed under Article II, Section 2  of the Constitution to make recess appointments during recesses or adjournments of Congress. Persons appointed by recess appointments assume their position without the approval of the Senate but must be confirmed by the Senate before the end of the next session of Congress, or when the position again becomes vacant. As long as the Senate meets in pro forma sessions, Congress never officially adjourns, thus blocking the president from making recess appointments. However, in 2012, President Barak Obama made four recess appointments during Congress’ winter break, despite a run of daily pro forma sessions called by Senate Republicans. Obama argued at the time that pro forma sessions do not block the president’s â€Å"constitutional authority† to make appointments. Despite being challenged by Republicans, Obama’s recess appointees were eventually confirmed by the Democrat-controlled Senate.