I have to give a speech for a required contest and the topic is "My Hero Is...." Quite frankly, I dont know who to do it on! I have heroes...some examples are Che Guevara, fidel Castro, Karl Marx, John Lennon. But all of these people are so controversial, I dont know. Deep down I know its not right to say Well, these are conservative people so i should hold back on what I say. Because, I know....I would never feel right. Hehe! I know its just a silly speech, but still. Any non controversial figures that might interest me? thank you
Awwwwww, you should do John Lennon!!! Never feel like you should hold back on what you say!! I know we all do feel like that sometimes...or most of the time...but it's habit alot of people need to break... Just think about it yourself....who have you looked up to your entire life? Or for along time...there must be someone. Whoever it is, do it! Don't be scared, if the speech is on YOUR hero than do it on YOUR hero!
I don't think there would be anything wrong or terribly controversial about John Lennon. He is a lot less publicly controversial than Karl Marx or Fidel Castro, that's for sure... Just don't go saying "He's my hero because he did a lot of drugs and had lots of sex" and you'll be fine.
I wouldn't say he's my hero, but my Idol is Abbie Hoffman and if it was my assignment, I would absolutely give my speech on him. Remember that it is always good to be controvercial. I don't see any problem in giving a controvercial speech as long as you have the facts. You can't paint a pretty picture, but instead present their lives with a full spectrum. The assignment is to express yourself, so do it damn it! Do whoever you like, and if you don't win the contest, maybe whoever is hearing/reading your speech will get something out of it... which is what speeches are really about, right?
See, THIS is whats wrong with the US today. NOBODY has the guts to speak thier mind! NOBODY! Everyone is so worried about being "Politically Correct" that the majority is now a MINORITY! Say what you FEEL! No matter who likes it! How else are folks like us going to make any CHANGES?! IF you agree with Marx, SAY SO!!! Dammit!
Matt, I know i know. I completely agree with you...but how the hell do i deal with mum? She would be very angry. I already have a poor relationship with her....should i really make it worse?
John Lenon would be my choice of the ones you showed... but I'd choose Jerry Garcia over all of them. For something less controversial (if ya really wanna puss out), try Stephen Hawking, T. Lobsang Rampa, Ghandi...
You're right. Ghandi's overused, even though he's awesome. Jesus was a f***ing storyteller who told stories about some overrulling, overwatching entiety with no tangable evidence or anything and got people to follow him around. Mom's a bitch.
I also think John Lennon would be cool...but if you want someone less controversial, another hero of mine is Richard Proenneke...just a guy who took off and made a home in the Alaskan wilderness...there's a book compiled by his brother from his journals and a PBS documentary to draw from
A few suggestions: Edna St Vincent Millay, the incredibly liberated poetess of the Jazz Age. Charlie Chaplin, who dared to ask us to open our hearts to the underdog. Mae West, the only totally and fearlessly un-repressed white-woman ever to walk across the screen. Emma Goldman, the wild anarchist who inspired and frightened a whole nation.
Richard is awesome! And hell... all the info you need to know is in that documentary. It would be cool to go visit his cabin.
It's a school project, Matt. She is going to get graded on it. To say Fidel Castro would certainly lower her grade, if not get her sent to the counselors office, unless her teacher is a hippy that encourages freedom of speech and openmindedness. Political correctness has its place. In school, in church, at your granparent's house, those are typical places to use discretion; lest you wish to lose your credibility in those crowds. She should save the the activism for the protests.