Our Speech

Mr Jones 
Cycle 1 Humanities

By Anna, Liadan, Kai, Charlie, Michael and Zayaan

701

Comrades, did you know that as you are listening to this speech an animal is being killed? By the time you go to sleep at night more animals will have been murdered! And comrades, did you know that by the time you wake up tomorrow morning many, many, more animals will have been slaughtered? I am Mr. Jones and I know each and every one of you very well, for I was the former owner of this farm. I know that each and everyone of you have different interests, different abilities, but most of all I know that each and every one of you is special. And I will never, ever harm any of you.

It has been quite a few months since you kicked my workers and I off the farm. It’s been some of the toughest times of my life. Instead of being on the farm where I feel I should be right now I’ve been stuck in a filthy old bar. Sometimes I wonder how much better my life would be if I had gone right and not left. Sometimes, life sends you the wrong way and you need to resist the push. I was in such depression, it was hard for me to make my own decisions. However, I regret it and if I were to be reinstated that would never happen again. people make mistakes.  We are not robots that do everything perfectly. We are humans and we are animals. One of the things we have in common is that we are not perfect. When I was in depression, I thought the solution was that since I was going through hard times, other animals shouldn’t be flourishing and living life to the fullest. Looking back, I realize that that was selfish of me. Now it’s come back to bite me.. in the back. “What goes around, comes around”.

I know what I did was wrong, but if you would just give me a second chance I can prove that things will be different. Sometimes life is about acceptance to others, so people can prove what their worth. Now I’m a different man. things change, and people change. If you knew what I was like before you would see what a good leader I can be. If you give me the chance to show you what a different man I can be. I am working extremely hard to get out of the funk I was in.  

Now, I would like to address the main problems that this farm that I have been encountering while I have been away.

Napoleon, I would like to ask you, look at yourself in the mirror. You are a murderer, a thief, and a liar! Because of your selfish ambition you have gone and slaughtered your own kind!

Do you really think that is the right thing to do?! Napoleon, you committed genocide! Do you think that your beliefs and opinions about me are a good excuse to commit third degree murder?! You ripped apart at least forty lives, you are a sick, sick pig.

You continue to steal and hog the animal’s food day after day. And throughout the morning, day, and night the animals work extremely hard do the things that you make them do, when mean while you are relaxing in your bed, (which you are not supposed to be doing.) You violated almost all the commandments, you slept in a bed, you wore cloths and committed many other unjustified crimes!

You may say that you want to vote for Snowball, a gracious, clever pig. He may seem like the right choice, comrades, but lets look deeper into what it will actually be like on this farm with Snowball incharge. Snowball does not give people and animals freedom over their own belongings, for example Snowball rudley abducted Mollie’s sugar and ribbons. Do you want your belongings to be taken away by this obnoxious candidate? An important part of being a good leader is having the ability to work well with others, Snowball has proved many times that he is not capable of doing that. For example when Snowball made the seven commandments, he didn’t include the other animals in the process of making the decisions about what the commandments would be, instead he made them on his own without asking the others if the agree. Also Snowball proposed the idea of having committees for animals to work in, Napoleon made it clear that he was against the idea, but instead of talking to Napoleon to come to an agreement, he proceeded with his plan without the opinions of the other animals. Do you want to be forced to do things that you don’t want to do? Don’t let animals who are going to turn their backs on you take charge! Snowball had a plan to build a windmill he said that “stone would have to be built up into walls; then sails would have to be made, and after that there would be need for dynamoes and cables, (How these were to be procured, Snowball did not say.”) This shows that although Snowball’s ideas sound logical, he doesn’t have a logical explanation of how his plan will be put into action.

Why would you vote for Animal Council? Animal Council clearly stated that the best animal on Animal Council is Boxer, However Boxer’s motto is “Napoleon is always right.” This shows that Boxer heavily relies on someone else, and trusts that they are always right, when they are not actually always right. An important thing is a leader is that they are capable of doing things for themselves, but Boxer always relies on other, that is not a quality you want to see in a leader. Boxer is the best animal in Animal Council, so the other ones are much much worse, and you can only imagine what that is like. Also few of the animals in animals in Animal Council can read and none of them can write. We don’t want an oligarchy that will turn into a dictatorship, we want a strong leader that will grip our nation and bring us together, that leader is Mr. Jones. You may say that Animal Council is made up of you. That is true, however, is that what you want? All similar ideas, similar plans . I, Mr. Jones am not made up of you, but I have different ideas, and different plans from the rest of you. And if we combine our great ideas and great plans, we can achieve the impossible.

I am the man for the project, I am the person you can ask for help when you’re in need- because I have experienced trials of life where it feels like I am one of you. But not only do I feel like one of you, I know, deep down, that I am one of you. And in our times of hardship we’ve realized something. We need you. Humans are nothing without teamwork and dedication, animals are nothing without teamwork and dedication. that was what you gave me and what I will continue to give you. I will help the horses draw the plow, I will feed the animals the amount they deserve, I work for money to keep them alive,

You may say that I am a human. However Clover is different from Benjamin, and each chicken has a different personality from the other, we’re all animals. Even humans. We just don’t have fur… if a horse is counted an animal the same way a bunny is, why should a human be discriminated for their looks? An animal is an animal, and no one should be made feel bad about themselves—because they were born that way. Despite these facts, humans are very different from the rest of the the animals, but different is good, we can combine our different ideas to create something great.

I will also provide you with all the necessities you need. I will remember to feed you and I won’t overwork you. Now that I know what you are capable of, I will respect you and look at you with a new and different eye. Another good thing about me being your leader is that I can get you the things you need like food, bedding, or anything else you wish for. I will appreciate your work and commitment, I will also show my appreciation more clearly. It doesn't have to be humans vs. animals, it could be humans and animals, together, united. lets not be against each other, lets work together as a team to be better than we ever were.  

I am a person to make my plans happen.  But knowing that I have the ability to make things happen, I won’t take advantage of it. I will also listen to your ideas, and try to make them happen, in a way that is more profitable for both of us. That is the aim of my election and my rule. giving people what they need so that they can prosper. You are the wind and we are the sails. we work together to move the ships forward. That is what I am trying to prove. I am a punctual, helpful, kind person. I will help the animals of Animal farm by giving them the resources that they need in order to accomplish the tasks they are doing.

I may have had some rough times on animal farm in the past, but I am here to talk about the future- not the past. And the only way to work towards a better future is for humans and animals to work together. I will work with animals by doing the work with the animals around the farm. I will feed animals,  not abuse or over-work and murder animals, like the tyrant that now calls himself the leader of animal farm.

In the future, I promise to give up drinking. Do you know why I say this? Because that is one of the central points of my unsuccessful time at Animal Farm. I feel like drinking was the central most thing that stopped me from being a good farmer. It held me back. It caused me to not think straight and allow me into my own mind. My mind for which I cared about animals and wanted the best for them. Why I did it? Because I thought it was the way out of my depression. Anna: I didn’t know  how my actions would affect my leadership, I wasn't aware of my actions and how it would hurt everything I care about.   But now I’m so committed to getting my passion of farming for you back, I am willing to give up drinking. Many of you may be thinking that I’m just saying this now and when I get reinstated I will forget all this and start drinking again. You may be saying to yourself that people always say things like this but never keep to their word. But I have proof that this actually does happen. Especially in politics and different elections for positions of power. On October 29th 2013, the New York times published an article mentioning the Boston mayoral election and how Martin J. Walsh, a candidate for mayor of Boston who is a recovering alcoholic has spent 18 years sober and how he has attracted the support of people recovering from alcoholism. It talked about how Mr. Walsh is aware that his past alcoholism could hurt him with some of the voters, but when asked if the support of former drinkers and drug users could help he shrugged. He said that the value of their support, “is personal, not political.” “They give me the emotional strength to keep moving,” he said. As Mr. Jones, I couldn’t have said it any better. I’m not being apathetic of the voters that will not vote for me because of my alcoholic past. Instead, I am acknowledging it.                                                                                 
 I want this position not only for me but for you. I can help you get what you deserve, I know what I did I did in the past was wrong but I am starting a new beginning and I'm ready for anything. If you vote for me I will show you that you made the right choice, and I promise the change I say will happen. 
At the end of the day, the vote is your choice. But before voting for Napoleon, Animal Council or Snowball, just think first. Do you really want a mass murderer, a bunch of clueless animals or an animal that doesn’t give you freedom, to take over your farm? I certainly wouldn’t. What about a caring farmer that will substantially improve your life, seeking redemption? The  gap between those three and the special one is almost comical. Just keep in mind that three of the candidates in the election race are power hungry. One, just one, actually wants the best for you.

Like Pepsi says:

“Don’t live in the past. Live for the future. Live for now.”