Reflection: The Jackson Debates

1. In opinion, my best moments in class this year were my contributions to the discussion of Native American assimilation pictures, and during the Jackson debates. I distinctly remember a point I made in which I explained that the Native American dressed in a bear skin was dressed that way in order to give him the appearance of a savage. I also remember that you and I thought that this also showed a sexual representation of the Native American as well. All though the rest of the class might not have understand our interpretation, in its sexual nature, we both noted that it was completely intentional on the part of the photographer in order to show the sort of raw and uncivilized nature of the Native American. I was proud I was able to bring a different lens into that conversation. In addition, during my Jackson debate over the Bank War against Robert Liskin, I also felt I was able to excel. During this event I was able to present my points eloquently and thoughtfully. I might have gone a bit overboard in terms of preparation as I went to the Scarsdale Public Library and took notes from multiple print sources on my topic. I approached the
Although I already mentioned it, my favorite class activity was the Jackson Debate on the Bank War. This was a fiscal topic, which I was excited about given my interest in finance. Apart from that, I greatly enjoyed speaking in front of the class. After my preparation, I felt incredibly at ease at the podium and I was able to “defeat” my opponent using researched facts and sharp phrasing. This activity was so much fun because it was all on my shoulders. I could have gone into the debate unprepared and nonchalant, but I chose to take it seriously and I worked to prove my point. It sounds strange, but there was a certain power I felt when I was prepared and when I was speaking of a topic I knew a great deal about. I also appreciated the one-on-one verbal combat, where my opponent and I each argued with emotion. It was