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Emily Mann

student/writer from Stephens City, VA.

Homepage: http://www.twitter.com/getlike_emi

During the Dark Ages, many groups of people were excluded from education, power, acquiring property and wealth, and basic rights. Only wealthy, European men were afforded these privileges. Even to this day, it seems like a constant struggle for minorities such as Blacks, Hispanics, women, the disabled, the poor, and countless other groups to get […]

under: Comm 455
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With the 2012 presidential campaign drawing to a close today, the polls are still in a deadlock. Not only does every vote count, but so does every minute, every dollar, and every endorsement. Not only do celebrities and other public figures endorse politicians, but newspapers also openly endorse presidential and senate candidates. The Loudoun Times […]

under: Comm 455
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During the Dark Ages, when only the wealthy could afford to send their children to school and illiteracy was rampant, the only source of information for most people was the Church. It would seem today, in a developed nation where the literacy rate is 99% and information is available at the tip of our fingers, […]

under: Comm 455
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Freedom of speech vs. censorship

Posted by: | October 23, 2012 | No Comment |

We have seen many cases, both in past history and recent news, when democratic nations have stepped in to control freedom of speech. In the United States, this is usually carried out as a protective measure when the safety of its people is in jeopardy. Social media has played a key role in the freedom […]

under: Comm 455
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The ultimate form of censorship

Posted by: | October 16, 2012 | No Comment |

As we have learned this semester, different countries have come up with different ways to control the press. The United States has libel, Great Britain has licensing, and France has censorship. All of these methods are enforced through the legal system. Freedom of the press has its limitations. Other countries, however, have more extreme methods […]

under: Comm 455, Uncategorized
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Guest speaker Donald Ritchie gave a very informative, in-depth look at the press during early America. Newspapers were not only driven by, but owned by political parties. During the Washington Administration, the government sent news directly to the newspapers. Dissent within the cabinet between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton caused the formation of two separate […]

under: Comm 455
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News vacuum in the dark ages

Posted by: | October 2, 2012 | No Comment |

People have always had an innate desire to know what’s going on around them. As Professor Klein worded it in class, “News doesn’t like a vacuum.” When their need for information is not fulfilled, people become very nervous and frightened. Take the Dark Ages, for example. Literacy was much lower in this time period than […]

under: Comm 455
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A scribal culture is dominated by religious doctrine and authority, while a university culture generates knowledge through education and innovative thinking. Martin Luther, a highly prolific figure that we have studied lately, came of age during a time when university culture was immerging. As he underwent a spiritual transformation from within, so did most of Europe. […]

under: Comm 455
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The Dark Ages were a time of religious suppression and conflict that occurred from 400 to 1000 A.D. It was marked by a lack of innovation and advancement, corruption within the Catholic church, and struggles between Christianity and Islam. The two major world religions have been at odds ever since. In recent news, the U.S. […]

under: Comm 455
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When students hear the term “yellow journalism,” the first thought that comes to mind is the sensationalized coverage of the 1895 Spanish American War. However, this practice is neither confined to that time period, nor is it extinct. On the 11th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, Americans relive the horror of that fateful […]

under: Comm 455
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