Although this reading has personal interviews, factual statistics, and great support for the topic of illiteracy, it was not my cup of tea. As you continue to read it seems as if he has some type of underlying anger or resentment or some sort of a strong feelings toward those who cannot read. "Could it be that some of us might like it better if they stayed where they belong?" By him saying "us" he is including himself in the part of society that has an obviously strong feeling towards those who are illiterate. As if they should not be a part of the same society as those who are priviledged to read.
The author, Kozol, uses the word "illiterate" quite often in the reading, either starting a statement, pargraph, thought, or sentence, he makes is seem like a derogatory word. Talking so poorly about the less forunate who can't read and linking that to food stamps, poverty, and how they raise their childern.
He does not offer advice on how to help those become literate. He just makes statement after statement after statement of what a person who cannot read can't do. Then goes on to say, " Do we possess the character and courage to address a problem which so many nations..have found it natural to correct","The answers to these questions represent a reasonable test of our belief in the democracy to which we have been asked in public schools to swear allegiance." He says this as if it is our governments fault for the illiteracy of some people which I no where nearly agree with.
This reading was very informal, I had no idea that there were that many people facing these kinds of struggles. In my opinion everyone is illiterate in some way, shape or form. If you were dropped off in China, you would be illiterate in their society.
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