Gonna Start a Revolution

This semester, I love how my classes are each branches from the same tree. We discuss many of the same roots across my social science classes. Lately we have been discussing revolutions (in PLSC 150) and the American Revolution in particular (in HIST 220).

Today in my political science class, Professor Nielson asked us what the best definition of a "revolution" was.

Our textbook author: A revolution is "any action or event that results in a fundamental change in the form of government" (442)

A famous political scientist: A revolution is a "combination of thoroughgoing structural transformation and massive class upheavals" (175)

[Basically, definition Author is more broad, and classifies revolutions as any great change in the way the people are governed, but definition Scientist only considers social revolutions as true "revolutions."]

I liked the first definition, because "revolution" to me just means "change". The idea can be further defined by adding adjectives, such as social revolution or economic revolution. By definition Scientist, the American Revolution would not even be considered revolutionary. So the definition I really liked came later:

John Adams: "But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people."

This is was first got me thinking about the similarities of our discussion with the gospel. We each need to have our own revolution, or change toward the gospel, in our heart and in our mind. A simple "social revolution" (definition Scientist), or completion of only the visible actions required by the gospel, is not really the revolution we should be having. Of course, that's included (just as social revolutions are included in definition Author), but we need a great big HUGE revolution within ourselves. A full change in how we govern our lives. It might be hard fighting, and we might lose some battles, but we must win the revolution within us.

Later in class we discussed tactics for instigating a revolution.

Robespierre: "Terror is only justice: prompt, severe, and inflexible; it is then an emanation of virtue; it is less a distinct principle than a natural consequence of the general principle of democracy, applied to the most pressing wants of the country."

Robespierre was one of many leaders during the French Revolution. Obviously, he thought that terror and violence was the only way to maintain liberty. He used this idea as fodder for the innovation of the guillotine, which he used to stifle many of his political enemies, or "counter-revolutionaries".

Not that I'm endorsing his ideas, but it struck me that that is exactly what we need to do to Satan and his temptations (our "counter-revolutionaries"): chop off their heads. Quick and unforgiving. Satan will always have more wiles in wait for us, but if we have already established a habit of sending them right to the guillotine, we can be safe.

Someone who didn't send his rivals to the guillotine (figuratively speaking) was John Adams. His best bud Thomas Jefferson loved to undermine him from the VP spot while Adams was top guy after George Washington. Though it was annoying, Adams didn't do anything about it (not that he really could have, but forget that for a moment). Eventually, Jefferson nabbed the Presidential seat out from under him. Adams was had.

Even Robespierre was ultimately killed by the guillotine by his foes. So if we don't force that change of government of our mind and heart or learn how to chop off all opposition provided by Satan, we will eventually lead ourselves to our own demise.

That's what I learned in class today.

History... It's Happening.

My mom & Grandpa always send out an email on Sundays telling about their weeks, and I love reading them. Today, my Grandpa said something that especially impressed me, even though it probably wasn't meant to do so. He said, "February is history." And I got to thinking. February is gone. I'll never have this month or those days or those minutes back. Did I spend them well? Did I waste them away? Looking back, I think I'm happy with what has happened, especially in these past few weeks. I will remember them with a smile. =)

Expecting Too Much?

Our American Heritage professor sent all of his 2,000+ students this article about how more and more college students today are expecting more and more from their professors, and thence from their grades. My sister Megan was telling me about this a couple weeks ago; she attended a lecture for her MFHD classes, and she told me the speaker talked about how professors are getting calls from parents complaining about their children's grades. Really, now?

I've always loved to learn, and my parents have always pointed this out and encouraged me. I like to think about how much I am learning here at BYU; I've accepted I won't always get the grades I got in high school, but I am so excited about the new things I am learning and can teach to my future history students. My classes continually overlap, and especially American Heritage is giving me tons of ideas on how to teach students who may not want to be there. That was one of my biggest fears about being a history teacher; at least in our school district, a history class of some sort was required every year, so I knew I would be teaching not honors kids, most likely, for at least my first few years. That was scary to accept; I'd never really been in a non-honors class since they didn't divide them in 6th grade. But combined with these movie clips, current events references, and my Government class in 12th grade when I couldn't schedule in AP Gov, I think teaching will be wonderful.

Day 2B - Reading Some More

Reading this for my History class was a lot harder than I thought... as Megan can attest, I gave up with about 20 pages left. And I found out in class today, as we discussed Rousseau, I totally missed the whole background of it.... AWESOME. But he had some really great quotes, so it was enjoyable. Kindof.