Asli Ibrahim
ENG 105
Natalie Myer
September 26, 2016
Aids Can Happen to Anyone
A whisper of aids is a speech given by Mary Fisher who tells her story about dealing with aids. Fisher talks about how it affected her and her family and why it is so important that we acknowledge the fact that it can happen to anyone. Many people believe that they are not at risk, but Fisher says “It does not care whether you are Democrat or Republican; it does not ask whether you are black or white, male or female, gay or straight, young or old” (par3). Aids can happen to anyone.
Fisher believes that it is important that the nation understands how brutal aids is. “Two hundred thousand Americans are dead or dying. A million more are infected. Worldwide, forty million, sixty million, or a hundred million infections will be counted in the coming few years” (Fisher, par4). No one ask to be HIV positive, but when someone is infected with HIV it it is important that they receive all the support they can get. People with aids are not aliens, they are not creatures from other planets, and it is important that Americans understand that they are humans too, and right now they need help and support. Someone dealing with aids should not go through it alone.
People with aids have been shun by the American society. They are often isolated and treated as outcaste and they deal with cruelty and hate. They are treated as if they are dangerous. Often people associate aids with gays and blacks, but fisher strongly stresses the fact that anybody is at risk. “HIV asks only one thing of those it attacks. Are you human?” (Fisher par6). Because of stereotypes many people believe that they are not at risk. People are ignorant and prejudice to those with aids. No one wants to talk about it and that is where the problem begins and we are killing each other with the silence. Once people truly understand aids, it will better the society and provide help to those in need. Once Americans understand what impacts it has on an individual and their family, we will than be able to speak up about it. People should not be afraid or ashamed to talk about aids. The more we are informed the better understanding we will have.
Fisher says “If you believe you are safe, you are in danger. If you believe you are safe, you are at risk. If you do not see this killer stalking your children, look again” (Fisher par 9). Americans need to open their eyes and understand that it does not matter where you are from or what your beliefs are because either way you are at risk and aids can happen to anyone.
REVISED
Asli Ibrahim
Natalie Myer
ENG 105
September 26, 2016
Mary Fisher: Aids Can Happen to Anyone
“A Whisper of Aids” is a speech given by Mary Fisher who tells her story about dealing with aids. In the speech, Fisher talks about how it affected her and her family and why it is so important that we acknowledge the fact that it can happen to anyone. Many people believe that they are not at risk, but Fisher says “It does not care whether you are Democrat or Republican; it does not ask whether you are black or white, male or female, gay or straight, young or old” (par3). Aids can happen to anyone.
Fisher believes that it is important that the nation understands how brutal aids is. “Two hundred thousand Americans are dead or dying. A million more are infected. Worldwide, forty million, sixty million, or a hundred million infections will be counted in the coming few years” (Fisher, par4). Fisher strongly stresses that no one ask to be HIV positive, but when someone is infected with HIV it it is important that they receive all the support they can get. She argues, that people with aids are not aliens, they are not creatures from other planets, and it is important that Americans understand that they are humans too. People with aids need help and support. Someone dealing with aids should not go through it alone.
For many years the topic of aids has been silenced. In the speech, she talks about how people with aids have been shun by the American society. They are often isolated and treated as outcaste. Many of them also deal with constant cruelty and hate. Fisher also argues that people with aids are treated as if they are dangerous. Often people associate aids with gays and blacks, but fisher strongly stresses the fact that anybody is at risk. “HIV asks only one thing of those it attacks. Are you human?” (Fisher par6). Because of stereotypes many people believe that they are not at risk. People are ignorant and prejudice to those with aids. No one wants to talk about it and that is where the problem begins and we are killing each other with the silence. Once people truly understand aids, it will better the society and provide help to those in need. Once Americans understand what impacts it has on an individual and their family, we will than be able to speak up about it. People should not be afraid or ashamed to talk about aids. The more we are informed the better understanding we will have.
Fisher wrote this speech to inform the public about how brutal aids can be. She says “If you believe you are safe, you are in danger. If you believe you are safe, you are at risk. If you do not see this killer stalking your children, look again” (Fisher par 9). Americans need to open their eyes and understand that it does not matter where you are from or what your beliefs are because either way you are at risk and aids can happen to anyone.
REFLECTION
Asli Ibrahim
Natalie Myer
ENG 105
December 11 2016
Revised Paper Reflection
The paper that I chose to revise was my summary. I chose this paper because I felt that I could improve it in many ways. This was one of the first assignments that we did, and looking back I can see there was a lot of room for improvement. The first thing I did in my paper was change my title. This paper was a summary of a speech, so I knew the title had to be informative. Originally I had; “Aids can happen to anyone”. To make it more informative I added Mary Fishers name so my audience would know who the paper was about. I also added more sentences to give my readers a better understanding of the speech.
To continue with my improvements, I fixed some punctuation, spelling, and put the paper in proper MLA format. I also added transition words that would help the paper flow better. I changed some words, and moved some sentences around that I felt would be better in different parts. I also mentioned the speech and Mary Fishers name a lot more.
When I first wrote this paper I didn’t realize how much I could improve. In my first draft there were parts that I felt didn’t make sense. Information that seemed unnecessary. When writing a summary its important to only pin point the main ideas. You shouldn’t have extra details and information that isn’t needed. The paper should be as brief and simple as possible. Informing your readers by getting straight to the point.
Overall, this revision really helped improve my paper. The comments that my professor left on my original paper also helped me understand exactly what I needed to improve on. The comments gave me a set understanding of what exactly I needed to change and how much I should add to the paper.
Works Cited
Fisher, Mary “whisper of aids” republican nation convention, 19 Aug 1992, Huston, TX. Address. American Rhetoric.com http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/maryfisher1992rnc.html. Accessed 26 September 2016
Asli Ibrahim 