My Manifesto

Throughout history people have communicated their thoughts, beliefs, values, and

motives through statements known as manifestos. A manifesto is an individual’s or entire group’s intentions, motives, or views written as a statement (Webster). A manifesto is meant to declare what it is exactly someone or a whole group of people believe in, most notably done in a list format. Some famous manifestos include the Declaration of Independence and The Sharon Statement. The Declaration expresses the beliefs that all men are created equal, every person has unalienable rights, and that a government derives it powers from the consent of the governed (National Archives). It is these beliefs, written in the form of a manifesto, that govern the United States of America. The Sharon Statement also expresses the beliefs of a single group (the Young Americans for Freedom) in the form of a manifesto. The Statement declares that liberty is indivisible, political freedom and economic freedom must coexist, and international Communism is the single greatest threat to US liberties (Sharon Statement). Using these manifestos as guides, I have constructed my own manifesto which encompasses my own beliefs and values.
As a student of English 1020, I believe that I will gain valuable knowledge and argumentative skills from this class. I will listen to my peers and be completely open to their views and opinions while forming and thinking about my own. I will learn new ways to approach and look at things, and be mindful of other’s approaches as well.
As an individual in this English class, I believe:
Every person is created equal and there are no exceptions
Anyone’s opinion is as good as another’s
To be truthful about what you believe, but also keep in mind others’beliefs who are listening to you
In being understanding and not overly biased
That there is good in everyone
I believe in freedom, but also that there should be laws to keep people in check
Everyone is entitled to freedom or to make their own choices
I believe in fairness
I believe everyone has rights
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion
You can amount to anything if you put your mind to it
That everyone is good at something
You should always try your hardest and try not to give up
There is a higher power
Hard work gets rewarded
That skipping class in college is a bad idea
I believe somewhat in the idea of karma-that wrong actions will eventually receive just punishment
Letting people make their own decisions instead of forcing them to believe something
That failure, hardship, and pain are a part of life
I believe in the conservation of resources
Sometimes simple is best
Money should be saved and not wasted
You can learn something new everyday
School can be boring but it’s necessary
That learning can be enjoyable
You should always follow your heart-but use your head too
That stereotypes are not cool
There’s not the “best” of anything (no “best band” or “best artist,” etc.); it’s all opinions
Everyone and everything has their good points and bad points
Personality is the key to a person-not looks
People are not always what they’re cracked up to be
There’s no such thing as ‘perfection’ and there’s always room for improvement
That celebrities and reality shows are overrated
That if television died, it would not be the end of the world
That clothes cost too much
That video games might rot your brain, but that doesn’t make them any less fun
You should meet deadlines, but it’s better late than never
One should always be honest
I believe you should never act like someone or something your not
You should always be true to yourself
Popularity and fame always has its downfalls
You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover-or a person for that matter
Finally, I believe that a 750 word essay is a lot longer than I thought
All of these beliefs and more I forgot to mention are a part of my own manifesto. I try to live my life everyday following what I believe and what I think is right. Even if my opinions or ideas differ greatly from another’s, I try to be as open and understanding as I can. Although I don’t like stepping on people’s toes, I don’t like when people misjudge or misunderstand me either. I may not always think but I always try to listen.
As a student in this class, I hope to better explain my views and formulate my own ideas. I hope to listen to what somebody says and effectively pick out their opinions and thoughts. Finally, I hope to become a better arguer of what I think and believe is right.

Sources:
The Sharon Statement (http://www.fiu.edu/~yaf/sharon.html)
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (http://www.webster.com/dictionary/manifesto)
The National Archives Experience (http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/declaration_transcript.html)