Framing a Person

 

Daniel J. Neumann

Professor Walter (Adv. Nonfiction Writing)

February 25^th, 2010

Memo on Asserting Human Rights Interview

Framing a Person

 

            I love to say I don’t hate anybody—that I only hate ideas that people have. People, I maintain, are too complicated to hate. But what can a writer do, then, to describe a person, if they’re too complicated? I highlight their closest held beliefs, and that reveals something. Abandoning any hope of capturing the entirety of Jamie McQuade in 1,500 words, I present her ideas.

 

            I personally agree with McQuade’s sentiments. Humans should have rights. But they don’t, so something needs to change. I hope my enthusiasm shows in the article, but just in case, I’ve added a “Bias/Credentials” blurb at the end.

 

            I e-mailed Jamie some broad HR questions, with a few directed towards her focus, Darfur and the U.S. Death Penalty. I wanted to make sure that was the heart of my article portraying her. I kept in mind, however, that this article also must inform the common reader on pertinent details concerning HR. I’ve done a lot of research into HR, and, frankly, Jamie wasn’t familiar with all the political jargon, though I’m sure she’d understand the basic premise. I know I had to relate terms like “sovereignty” and “1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd generation HR,” yet supplement my words with her quotes. For some of this, I used her e-mail responses relating to what I wrote.

 

            For the rest of the content, I went to an Amnesty International meeting in room 010 on Thursday and listened to Jamie’s opening presentation. She recited AI’s mission statement. In between jotting down note-worthy facts, I got to see how AIYCP works. I tried to capture the relaxed atmosphere. At the same time, I wanted to impress upon the reader that something can be done about HR. It isn’t a wasted effort. That became a challenge as I noticed characteristic procedures like passing out delicious cookies (which I ate). This may have denoted a friendly group, but the reader could interpret this as frivolous, evidencing a lack in seriousness. It’s hard to predict what most people will judge something as.

 

            I didn’t learn much from this assignment, as I used to major in Journalism at Shippensburg University. It did remind me of what journalism can do, though. The widespread punditry on television gives me shivers (the bad kind). I can’t believe most people get their opinion from that: A talking head spewing party-lined beliefs. Well what does that make? Do people prefer pre-digested food? Can’t we form our own judgments?

 

            This assignment reminded me of what I used to see in journalism. I plan to carry these ideals with me in my new favorite genre: creative nonfiction. Talking to people like Jamie rekindled my recognition that I’m not alone—others feel the same way. The interview reestablished my faith and hope in a potential. Social constructivism means the majority institutes a change in norms. If enough of us value HR, then our world may move in a radical direction.