The American Constitution

In class last week, we had an American visitor who taught us about the American Constitution. Her name is Lee-Ann Potter and she is from Maryland. Originally, she is the director of education and volunteer programs at the United States national archives in Washington, D.C. This year, she has moved to Norway with her family to serve as a Roving Scholar of American Studies.

Her way of teaching was inspiring and efficient. First, she introduced herself and the theme. Then she wanted us to talk with each other about why America has a constitution and what it contains. Later she showed us pictures concerning the Constitution. The photo I have included in my blog entry is actually the preamble of the American Consitituion made by license plates. It was a different and fun way to learn about politics.

The preamble goes like this:
We the People of the United States,
in order to form a more perfect union,
establish justice,
insure domestic tranquility,
provide for the common defense,
promote the general welfare,
and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our prosperity,
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Milk

Milk is a biographical movie about an American gay activist named Harvey Milk. He was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. Milk is in a relationship with a man named Smith. They are tired of the discrimination of homosexual individuals in the United States and decide to to something about it. They move to San Fransisco, in hopes of finding larger acceptance of their relationship. Milk and Smith start a camera shop called Castro Camera, where they also arrange meetings with the gay people in their neighborhood. Milk decides to engage in the politics and starts a campaign to become a city supervisor. After two failed campaigns, Smith no longer endure Milk's devition to politics and breaks up with him. After the fourth year of campaigning, Milk wins a seat in the San Fransisco Board of Supervisors. This was a great step towards equality between the homosexual and heterosexual part of the American population.