Sunday, March 2, 2008

Week #1 - Question 1 - Taking Sides

In the beginning of the novel we discover quickly that life in Missouri in 1863 was uneasy. When someone came to your door you didn't know what you should say if they asked whether you supported the Federal troops or the guerillas with Quantrill. The wrong answer could get the men of the house killed and your place burned to the ground. Matt and his family really tried to walk a fine line between the two sides and not support either in public.

Have you ever had a time in your life when you had to be careful not to take sides - when making a stand in public or with your friends for one side or the other of an issue may get you in trouble so you just sort of tried to avoid the issue? Give an example of a time you had to not say which side you may or may not support.
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Please remember to use correct grammar when making a comment and post only using "anonymous" and signing your "pen name".

41 comments:

Anonymous said...

My friends were fighting and I had to make sure I didn't choose either side because I didn't want to loose a friendship.
WCAamy

Anonymous said...

A couple of my friends got in an arguement. I didnt choose sides because i didnt agree in what they were argueing about. So I thaught it was best to stay out of the conversation.

wcazach

Anonymous said...

Some kids in the band I was in were mad at each other so I had to stay out of it so the band would not break up.
-Hans

Anonymous said...

One time I had to stay out of this big money sitchuation that some people I know went through, i thought it best to stay out of it to keep out of trouble.
(=^_^=)

Anonymous said...

One of my friends was arguing with another about who was right about something. They both asked me what I thought, but I had to just stay out of it and let them solve the problem for themselves.

WCAjonathan

Anonymous said...

One of my friends was arguing with another about who was right about something. They both asked me what I thought, but I had to just stay out of it and let them solve the problem for themselves.

WCAjonathan

Anonymous said...

My brother and his girlfriend were going through a fight, and My brother was always mad, So I had to try my best to stay out of his way until they got over it!
(*-*)

Anonymous said...

My friends were fighting and I didn't want to lose them as a friend so I just stayed out of it because why lose 2 friends over a fight that didn't really matter.

~WCAcHeY~

Anonymous said...

At one point in time, certain members of my family were fighting. They demanded my veiw, but I didn't want to offend either one, so I was foced to stay out of it.
-WCAjaken

Pat Hughes said...

When my teenage sons are arguing over something I might like to remain neutral, but they both try to get me to take their side. I try to explain to them how "you each have a point of view, but neither one of you is 100 percent right." Well - not usually, anyway!

Anonymous said...

Yes, I have experienced a time like that, but I would rather not talk about it.

WCASami

Anonymous said...

A lot of times whenever the topic of politics comes up in a conversation with my friends, I'm kind of forced to just stay quiet, because of different stands that me and my friends have and I don't want to start any confrentations.
WCA$amuel

Anonymous said...

When two of my friends disagreed on something and they asked me to get involved and I tried my best to stay out of it.
WCAjazz

Anonymous said...

Hello my name is ******* and I had an instance were two close lads of mine were fighting. I chose not to participate for fear of losing close friends but once I was forced to join I joined my younger bloke in that it is wrong to hit people in their face, as my older freind had done to him. Although it was quite a fight we are all still close mates to this day.
-W.C.A. - $cotsman

Anonymous said...

a couple of my friends got into a fight and i really didn't think what they were fighting over was important enough to lose our friendship so i just stayed out of it.
WCAJAY$ONizzle

Anonymous said...

When two of my friends got in a huge fight I tried to stay out of it because I didnt want to lose my friendships with either of them.
Sally Green

Anonymous said...

When I was in third grade, my two best friends hated each other and I had to be very careful not to choose any sides, afraid that I would loose a friend. I was constantly getting in trouble because I was in the middle of my friends and so finally I had to tell them both that I would not hang out with either of them until they could work out a compromise.

Taylor Grey

Anonymous said...

When my parents got divorced, I felt like I had to choose which was my favorite parent. In the end, I didn't choose either of them, so they would both be happy.


Pikachu

Anonymous said...

Yes many times.
I have many friends that gossiup about everything. And today my friends were fighting about something that was so dull. And all of them were trying to have pick sides with them. I kinda knew who was really right, but i stayed out so no one was mad at me
Love ya,
Hot.Pink.Chick

Anonymous said...

A lot of times my teachers get mad at my friends. After the fact, my friends say a lot of stuff about how they shouldn't of gotten in trouble. Many times they shouldn't have, but I don't want to be disrespectful or get into trouble myself by arguing with my teacher. Other times that they deserved to get into trouble I just don't say anything when they complain about it.
-La Goober

Anonymous said...

Whenever my parents fight, they always ask me; Well whose side are you on? I feel pressured into picking a side. (just like in the book) I try and stay out of it the best that I can, but it never seems to work. Now all I do is shut my bedroom door and tell them I'm trying to finish some homework. (It ALWAYS works!)

-Tater Bear

Anonymous said...

Oh, well, a good example of when two people in my life tried to urge me to their side, is: when my brother and my mom fight over such a silly topic, such as fighting over a dumb grade, or even when they fight about who's joke was better. Normally, I try to stay out of it, but sometimes, one side is definetely the right one.

- Vinny Yak

Anonymous said...

Whenever I have two really good freinds fighting with eachother I usually tell them to figure it out on their own and I wont pick any side.- Miss.Kornrows

Anonymous said...

When my friends get in an argument I find it best to just stay out of the problem or try to sort it out because in a situation like this, it's not worth losing a good friend.

-kaylee bear

Anonymous said...

One time I had leftover pizza from lunch that both of my friends wanted. They wanted me to choose who got it. I wanted to stay out of the problem so i let them figure it out on their own instead of taking a side.

-Lang Chow

Pat Hughes said...

It's been very interesting to me to read all these answers. Most of you said you used the tactful approach of trying not to take sides when friends or parents or siblings are fighting - even when they try to force you to take a side.

As you continue to read "Guerrilla Season," keep in mind that that approach rarely worked in Civil War Missouri. People were regularly forced to take a side - remaining neutral was not an option.

Often, those who tried to remain neutral faced the consequence of death.

- Pat

Anonymous said...

Once my parents were having an argument, and I didn't know whose side to choose. I then decided that I would walk away, and let them work it out on their own.

Anonymous said...

Some of my friends were mad at each other and it almost came to blows. I calmly told them to stop and walked away.They walked away too, and the whole thing was settled the next day. No one was hurt.

Anonymous said...

One day two of my friends got into a really big fight about who's shoes were better. I couldn't choose sides, mainly because I didn't like either of their shoes, but also because I didn't want to lose either of them as friends. In the end they agreed that both of their shoes were pretty much the same and they thanked me for not picking sides and possibly tearing apart our friendship. We are all three still friends today.
~Gumbie Almighty

Anonymous said...

I have been confronted with many situations in which I have been careful not to choose sides.Typically these situations include my friends, my parents, and my teachers.For example when forced to choose between sides of my parents I try to choose an answer that includes both opinions and say it in a joking tone because I don't want to get in trouble with either parent.
Hally O'Riley

Anonymous said...

one day i had 2 of my friends come over to my house, to swim and everything was going good until i went to do something and i came outside and i came back outside and they were arguing, and i heard what the problem was and they asked me who was right and who was wrong, and i didnt want anyone to be mad at me so i told them that i was not going to take a side.

xo-acdm-xo

Anonymous said...

One time I was with both my sister and my friend. They really didn't like each other but I couldn't pick a side or they woulg have gotten really mad at me. I had to be real careful what I said.

~Hippo Hugger

Anonymous said...

When there are times that my friends are fighting it is really difficult to stay out of it . What I do instead of taking sides is I try to get them to see each others point of veiw and help them make up.

~Hippo Hugger

Anonymous said...

Usually when my friends are fighting I tend to not choose sides because later they will get over the fight and sometimes the fights are really dumb.
~HEY Arnold

Anonymous said...

A few years a go two of my best friends got upset with each other, and they started to talk about eachother behind eachothers backs to me. It was hard not to say anything because I didn't want to loose either one of them because they were such great friends.
K I

Anonymous said...

There are many situations at this age where you are forced to choose sides. Whether it is with your peers, parents, or your teachers it is best to stay out of the situation. In almost every situation that I have encountered to this day has made me believe that you should ALWAYS stay out of whatever situation you have encountered. Taking sides is not worth the long term effect that it might create with whomever you leave out or take sides with. Whenever my friends get into a fight I ALWAYS try to stay out of it because I believe that it is not worth it to loose a friend. Most likely the next day they will make up or they will get over it. In times like those it is not a good decision to state your opinion on there issue.


~Channing Tatum~

Anonymous said...

I have had a time in my life where i tried to avoid an issue in a basketball game. I got called for a foul and tried avoiding getting technical foul. I supported the team by not getting a technical foul.

LaDainian Tomlinson

Anonymous said...

In my life there are many situations were i have to be careful on choosing sides. For example when my girlfriend gets in a fight or in a conflict i would probably back her but sometimes she gets in a fight with one of my freinds. So i have to be careful. Sometimes i just stay out of it so im not the one being blamed for in the end.
Kobe Bryant24

Anonymous said...

I had an experience like that when my sister was fighting with my other sister because one of them said the other stole her compact disc and i saw the other got mad and started fighting

WCA.kittyman

Anonymous said...

I have been in that situation. Well I have been the one who was one side but not by my choosing and friends started taking sides and all of that. Very confusing, yes. But it all worked out in the end. I tried not to take sides but it involved me so I had to stand up for myself. It is a very long story..

WCADelana

Anonymous said...

At the beginning of the year I really did have to be careful not to take sides when my friends were in an argument. Even though I really wanted to defend both of them I made a decision to stay out of the way and let them figure it out for themselves.

AnimalLover