Heart of Darkness – Decay Within a Society

The environments surrounding has a huge effect on the culture of the greater number of inhabitants. The indigenous scenery, which is holds an abundant amount of natural resources, is in a state of transition and the way the landscape is treated, directly relates to greed, narcism within the society, violence in a highly numbers populated area, particularly from developed countries. In Joseph Conrad’s book Heart of Darkness , Conrad represents the decay of the indigenous scenery as a metaphor to the decay within developed countries, specifically in England.This decay is a direct result of the actions taken by the society within this indigenous scenery. Within the book Heart of Darkness greed is a immense description toward the English and the scenery that they inhabit. The English show a excessive rapacious desire for wealth and possessions . There greed and rapacious desire for health and possessions take them to the heart of the congo, where elephants are slaughtered for ther e tusks that are ivory. The ivory is considered a high commodity in England.The ivory symbolizes greed and destructive nature of man and agents of the company are so opposed with obtaining ivory that they forget there morals , so called civilized ways. This representations of the greed over the ivory on the landscape can be seen in this quote found in the book Heart of Darkness â€Å" to tear treasure out of the bowls of the landscape was there desire† (Conrad 110). The desire or greed over the land, and all the wealth, and possessions found in it, the effects that it brings upon the landscape can be proven from this statement found in the bible â€Å" The greedy bring ruin to there households† (Psalms 10:3, NIV).This decay in this indigenous scenery resulted though greed is a direct reason why its decaying The decay of the indigenous scenery within the book Heart of Darkness is a result of violence shown through developed countries specifically England in the book. Th e violence and cruelty depicted in Heart of Darkness escalate from acts of inhumanity committed against the natives of the Congo to unspeakable and undescribed horrors.Kurtz who is representing European imperialists has systematically engaged in human plunder. The natives are seen chained by iron collars abut their necks, starved, beaten, subsisting on rotten hippo meat, forced into soul crushing and meaningless labor, and finally ruthlessly murdered. Beyond this, it is implied that Kurtz has had human sacrifices performed for him, and the reader is presented with the sight of a row of severed human heads impaled on posts leading to Kurtz's cabin.Conrad suggests that violence result when law is absent and man allows himself to be ruled by whatever brutal passions lie within him. Under such circumstances, anything is possible, and what Conrad sees emerging from the situation is the profound violence that lies at the heart of the human soul and results in the decay of the indigenous s cenery â€Å"It was just robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind—as is very proper for those who tackle a darkness†(Conrad 5).This limitless violence that Krutz has witnessed forced upon the indigenous scenery within the society of the natives is a direct of the decay within the indigenous scenery of developed countries. Throughout the book Heart of Darkness narcism has a major effect on the indigenous scenery. The English have a narcissistic attitude in the Heart of Darkness. A narcissistic attitude is a person who is overly self-involved, and often vain and selfish. This narcissistic attitude has a prominent effect on the indigenous scenery.While the English have become so utterly confident in there civilizations powers. In the book Heart of Darkness, the English enter the Congo thinking that they are civilized, because of there overly self involved, and vain and selfishness, they travel into the Congo taking ever consider able valuable natural resource such and destroying the indigenous scenery. In Congo, however, obsessed with ivory that renders him money, status, and power, the original, Kurtz transforms into a mercenary, evil madman, who â€Å"takes a high seat amongst the devils of the land†.Krutz narcissistic attitude being overly self involved, and vain and selfishness takes a immense amount of ivory, killing large amounts of elephants, and killing all the people that got in his way â€Å"They would have been even more impressive, those heads on the stakes, if their faces had not been turned to the house†(Conrad 40) showing that a narcissistic attitude is a direct result of why the indigenous scenery is decayed.This decay is a direct result of the actions taken by the society within this indigenous scenery. The indigenous scenery, which is a direct result of the natural resources before us on the earth , that is in a state of transition and the way the landscape is treated, direct ly relates to greed and over exceeding numbers of human beings, particularly from developed countries. Conrad represents the decay of the indigenous scenery as a absolute metaphor to the decay within developed countries, specifically in England.These actions such as greed, violence, and narcissism taken by the developed countries causes the indigenous scenery to decay. Heart of Darkness – Result of decay on society Work Cited: â€Å"Heart of Darkness. † SparkNotes. Ed. Joesph Conrad. SparkNotes, 1 Jan. 2012. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . Conrad, Joesph. â€Å"Heart of Darkness. † By Joseph Conrad. Search EText, Read Online, Study, Discuss. N. p. , July-Aug. 2012. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. New York: Knopf, 1993. Print.

Patrick henry

Patrick Henry gave his speech he knew that not everyone would accept what he had to say. To me everyone should have the courage to stand up for what they believe in no matter how everyone else will view It. Patrick Henry gave this speech because he felt that they were not treated as equals and had the right to be treated equally. Everyone should be treated equally. In 1775 and In today's society all the government cares about Is power and money not the citizens of the united States, It's ore Like what the citizens of the united States can give them.In his speech he gave all the reasons why the government Is messed up and everything that they have done to their people. He did his research before standing up In front of the crowd and telling them what he found out and his pollen on the situation. When he stood up and talked he had no notes he spoke openly about what he believed In and why. I liked how passionate and fiery, he was with regards to the situation with Britain. Henry felt t hat Britain has done wrong, and British wanted to feel superior.That was my same viewpoint, it just seemed like the British did whatever they wanted, and never cared about the colonists. Like Patrick Henry had said we are more likely to look away or shut our eyes against the truth and listen to the song of the siren till she transforms us into beats! This is still going on today in 2014, we listen to the media and our friends and families instead of us developing our own opinions and standing p for what we believe in.Eventually everything that we listen to will turn us into beasts, everything that we listen to whether it be the media or anyone else they could be filling our head with false information. We don't know the truth we only know the truth that they want us to know. Patrick Henry and his followers weren't backing down they were standing up for their rights and for what they believed in. To me that is very inspiring and many more people should follow his example. Give me lib erty or give me death!

An Evaluation of How Emotion Affects Reason as a Way of Knowing Essay

An Evaluation of How Emotion Affects Reason as a Way of Knowing - Essay Example In the views of some philosophers, emotion and reason are categorized as opposite forces. Other philosophers have established an existing relationship between emotions and reasoning, placing them on a similar continuum. This paper will analyse the ways in which emotions have influenced reason positively, hence yielding positive results. Moreover, the paper will analyse the ways in which emotions can deter the power of reason. An emotions result from an evident reaction exhibited by human beings when faced with different situations. A range of emotions does exist, such as love, joy, anger and many others. There are times when emotions affect reason in constructive ways and hence result to a source of knowledge. One of the emotions that can affect reason positively is empathy. This emotion prompts an individual to visualize the feelings of others and not just the feelings of the self. Therefore, empathy influences reason and introduces certain aspects that serve as sources of knowledge. For example, empathy can help an individual perceive a signpost, a direction, an alarm bell or even present a warning. In this way, empathy promotes the use of reason in gaining new knowledge (Lanteri, Chelini & Rizzello, 2008). Emotions also have the potential of affecting our reason and developing new systems of judgments. For example, all human experiences have been described as affective and have a level of emotional context. This typically means that all the senses of an individual involve a measure of reasoning and have the potential to evoke a certain emotion at the end. This view is supported by the fact that all human experiences exhibit emotional reaction. Therefore, the emotions emerging from a certain experience may help the individual to determine whether to undertake the action or not, for example, jumping down a cliff is an experience that evokes immense fear. The fear evoked by that experience has

Discernment Practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discernment Practices - Essay Example It is the evolved concept of understanding the truth from the distribution of energy around oneself. In the space of human individuality, there is a massive intake and outflow of energy and the most important concept is to understand this energy and act or react accordingly. It is the spiritual feeling of the inner conscience through which we see the world as we perceive it. The religious input is derived from the fact that religion has played a vital role in shaping the spiritual consciousness of its followers. Discernment can be made in two different ways. The first is self-enlightenment, where the individual attains knowledge of his/her impulses, through this process is able to manage them and take the negativity out of them. Along with this aspect, he also reaches up to the higher level of thinking and living through understanding the flow of energy centred around his/her impulses. The second method is to do theology study and to gain knowledge with respect to religion and its in fluence on the human mind and desires. This method covers the aspect of reading the holy bible as well as other religious texts so as to affirm one’s position with regard to the flow of impulse in the soul. Within the scope of this paper, various concepts will be discussed, compared and contrasted on the basis of a number of aspects. The first is detachment or non attachment towards a religion or a spiritual entity where the subject matter of Ignatian spirituality has been provided focus upon. Similarities between Islam and Christianity on Discernment Practices This paper shall be discussing the similarities and differences in discernment practices between Christianity and Islam. Saint Ignatius of Loyola is extremely influential in the practice of spiritual discernment. According to him, to achieve spiritual peace within oneself, the individual has to confess and open up before a spiritual director He is not allowed to go on his own and do it alone. St. Ignatius had laid down strict guidelines with reference to spiritual attainment of the soul. He had explicitly said that those who are looking for divine intervention with respect to spirituality in their lives must adhere to the rules lay down under Christianity and there shall be no let off from that aspect. The religion preaches that the Spiritual Director shall guide the individual to ultimate spirituality regardless of how his past life has been. He shall help him go through all the different mechanisms and work out the situation in a better way for him. The purpose of the director is to help the individual and take him away from all the negativity and put the positive picture around his heart and soul. The spiritual director takes us away from the bad spirits. He is extremely influential in the way he makes his decisions, and all his decisions are for the betterment of the individual who has approached him with love. The director also tries to make the individual understand that the bad and negativ e spirits can propel us to make quick and fast decisions without thinking much for them which might lead us into troublesome situations. With this regard, the spiritual director brings us to the focus of the good and positive spirits by taking care of each and every emotion of the individual. He listens to the individual with utmost care and tries to analyse objectively his feelings and reflections on the society and his life, with measures to make it a better life worth living. Looking at Islam now, the religion was brought into

Homicide - Black males age 17-25 Research Paper

Homicide - Black males age 17-25 - Research Paper Example In history, premeditated or deliberate killing of an individual by another was termed as Felonious homicide which is related to murder. The biggest percentage of homicide committed in the United States is done by victims’ intimate partners. In the recent years, the overall rate of homicide in the US has been reported to remain constant. However the there has been an increased homicide among young black males aged between 17 and 25. Generally between 1999 and 2005 homicides rate in the US remained at around six deaths per one million people as suggested by Anderton, Barrett and Bogue (1997). However there was an increase in 2001 as a result of terrorist attacks which happened during this period. Homicide committed by the use of the gun occurred mostly around metropolitan areas. Homicide rates increased in the past one decade in most of the US cities with some experiencing around one thousand homicide per one million people. This situation was experienced in Richmond and Washing ton in 1994 among the black males aged between 18 and 24. In the subsequent years the homicide levels in the same age range in Washington, Richmond and New Orleans were twice those of other cities. The prevalence of homicide in metropolitan areas of the US in 2005 was twice that in non-metropolitan areas. ... Trait Theory Trait theory is a theory which explains matters of crime with regard to the individual. It was developed by Lonnie Athens explaining how parents or peer brutalization in childhood results to violent crimes later in life. In trait theory, the psychological perspective focuses on behavioral, personality and cognitive processes related to homicide. Individuals at the o age of 17-25 are associated with a lot of emotions which account a lot to their behavior and decision making. In United States this can be seen in the black males at this age group and it is attributed to their increased incidence of homicide. Personality disorders may result from brutality in adulthood and according to trait theory. This is because such disorders affect the way the individual perceives others in the society and above all how to react in pressure. For instance a child brought up in a society where there is a lot of crime he may end up committing crimes. This dictates why black males at the ag e of 17-25 in the United States due are likely to engage in homicide. This is associated with terrorist incidences which have affected the country leading to young individuals engaged in war. Trait theory also upholds homicide especially in United States, due to the children’s early age exposure to guns according to Levinson (2002). In United States due to development, possessing a gun it is not big deal which perceived as an item for solving conflicts. In connection with this, at the age of 17 to 25 individuals are said to be anxious in facing reality. As a result, as learned in childhood individuals at this age especially male as they are said to be more aggressive may engage homicides in solving conflicts. Personal traits such as social isolation and aggression also commuting to

Discussion question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Discussion question - Assignment Example The model looks to the safety of patients, and their care as far as health coordination system is concerned. It also oversees the provision of self-management skills to the patients (Stellefson, Dipnarine & Stopka, 2013). The chronic care model is being used to care for diabetes patients in the United States in the basic care setting. The model is supposed to measure the indicators of the disease for example self-efficacy for disease management and clinical decision-making. It is designed address the needs of people suffering from chronic diseases. Stellefson, Dipnarine and Stopka (2013) insist that there is a need for increased skills in the management of chronic diseases. And more so in the primary care setting where there is much need for a better leadership and quality caregiving and also improved practice. Advanced Practice Nurses are well suited in this area because they have skills and can address the nature of chronic diseases that require complex

Ethical dilemmas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethical dilemmas - Essay Example Ethical practices make good business sense, because ethical companies suffer less resentment, less litigation, and less regulatory oversight. Furthermore, ethical managers and ethical businesses tend to be more trusted and better treated by employees, suppliers, stockholders, and consumers. Organizations are a reflection of society; they are the method by which individuals unite to form a network of common interest. And each organization is a fluid enterprise. At its center are the managers and executives responsible for directing the resources of the company. Shareholders own the capital and expect a return on their investment. Workers produce the goods and expect a decent wage and safe working conditions. To have a successful enterprise, each group must be responsive to the others and balance its interest against the interests of the others. When the balance is upset or when the interests pull too hard against each other, the ethical system is damaged. For an enterprise to continually give value to human effort and to encourage creative achievements, a balance of all interests is required ( Parry, 2001). Administrative actions are shaped by three domains: legality, free choice, and integrity. The law defines and constrains the limits of potential actions, specifying the bounds of lawful behavior. What is legal is not necessarily moral; what is not prohibited by law is not necessarily ethical; and what minimally meets the law is not necessarily proper. While the law codifies customs, ideals, beliefs, and moral values of a society, it cannot possibly cover all possible human actions (Beauchamp, Bowie, 2002). The rightness of actions is constrained by the third domain, integrity, which is obedience to the unenforceable. This represents unwritten, often unspoken, guidelines for behavior for which no legal mandates or prohibitions exist. It is the grey area where neither law nor free choice prevail. This is the realm of integrity, the necessary foundation for ethical decision making. Ethics is different from law because it involves no formal sanctions. It is different from etiquette because it goes beyond mere social convention. It is different from religion because it makes no theological assumptions. It is different from aesthetics because it is aimed at conduct and character rather than objects. It is different from prudence because it goes beyond self-interest to include the interests of others. It is different from finance and marketing and governing and parenting and carpentry, in that it does not involve a special purpose or special role as its point of departure. Ethics is both a process of inquiry and a code of conduct. Ethical inquiry consists of asking the questions of what is good and what is evil, what is right and what is wrong. As a code of conduct, it is a sort of inner eye that enables people to see the rightness or wrongness of their actions. Values are core beliefs about what is intrinsically desirable. They underly the choices made in work decisions just as they underlie the choices made in one's private life. They give rise to ideals that are called ethics or morals. The two terms are sometimes confused. Actually, ethics and morals are synonymous. While ethics is derived from Greek, morals is derived from Latin. They are interchangeable terms referring to ideals of character and conduct. These

Building Information Modeling (BIM) Research Paper

Building Information Modeling (BIM) - Research Paper Example Created models (BIMs), are usually files, which can be either networked or exchanged by professionals, with the aim of enhancing decision-making processes. These files are not necessarily in proprietary formats, nor do they contain proprietary data, but are visual representations of developed ideals and conceptions of a given place. Thus, utility is wide-ranging, from individuals and firm-entities, to government agencies; BIM softwares are vital in the planning, design, construction, and the eventual operation and maintenance of varying infrastructure. Essentially, it has and continues being utilized in diverse infrastructure such as roads, ports, bridges, communication utilities, waste disposal facilities to housing, warehouses and prison construction amongst others (American Institute of Architects, 2006). Historically, the BIM concept traces its roots to the 1970s with the first mentioning being in a 1992 paper by Tolman F. P and G. A. van Nederveen. The eventual popular use of the concept was only realized after the release of a white paper by Autodesk, entitled – Building Information Modeling. Afterwards, it was through Laiserin’s aid, which helped standardize and popularize the term; with regard to facilitating both the inter-operability and exchange of digitized data formats. As a digital representation of contemporary building processes, it was akin to: - the Integrated Project Models of Bentley Systems; Vectorworks/ Autodesk’s BIM, or Graphisoft’s Virtual Building concepts. Definitions do vary, with the National Building Information Model Standard Project Committee (NBIMSPC) providing the best description. Pertinently, BIM regards a representation, digitally formatted; of the functional and physical characteristics of a given utility space or place. As a concept, it pertains to the collective knowledge source of specific information/data about an existing facility. It further provides a reliable basis on which decisions are

The European Union and NAFTA Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The European Union and NAFTA - Assignment Example The union which includes among other countries the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Austria, Denmark, and Finland was established in the early 1950s (Bomberg, Peterson & Corbett 2012, p. 6). The six founding members of the union include West Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, France, and Belgium. The union is basically an organization that brings together member states for political and economic reasons. The EU operates through intergovernmental negotiations and is governed by a number of supranational independent institutions (Bomberg, Peterson & Corbett 2012, p. 15). The main institutions that govern the union include the European Central Bank, the European Council, the European Commission, and the European Parliament, just to name a few (Corbett, Jacobs, Shackleton 2011, p. 7). The European Union traces its roots to the period following the Second World War when six countries sought to join forces with the aim of prevention the possibility of war between the mselves (McCormick 2007, p. 64). Under the European Coal and Steel Community banner, the member states agreed to pool national heavy industries thereby eliminating potential conflicts relating to the scramble for raw materials (Bomberg, Peterson & Corbett 2012, p. 18). ... In 1993, the European Union was formally established with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty. Ever since the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Community has continued to expand in size and, therefore, power. The European Union has seen its member states cooperate in various ways (Smith 2007, p. 63). At least 12 of the countries have fully adopted the Euro as their national currency, a factor that has seen the easy flow of trade activities between the member countries. Other states use the Euro together with their national currencies to effect transactions. The Union demands that member countries fulfil a number of conditions before they can be formally admitted to the organization (Bomberg, Peterson & Corbett 2012, p. 45). By its demand that member countries and potential members be politically stable and have a democratic government that respects the rule of law and human rights, the union is effectively playing a major role in establishing deep rooted democracy in the region and beyond (Bindi 2010, p.45; Barnard 2007, p. 83). The European Union and the United States of America cooperate in a number of fronts. However, there are cases when the two powers engage in tussles which see them grace the corridors of the World Trade Centre to seek resolutions to their disputes. Considering the need for greater cooperation in terms of trade, the two bodies have been considering instituting a formal agreement that will see them enjoy free trade between themselves (Sutton 2013, par. 1). In this respect, the Transatlantic Free Trade Area (TAFTA), which is currently at a proposal stage, is intended to bring together the two

The Camera Never Lies Essay Example for Free

The Camera Never Lies Essay It is usually thought that photographs are a little slice of the real world. Traditionally, they have played the rule of adding realism to written text. The text becomes a commentary of the frozen shot of real life encapsulated in the photograph. However it could be argued that this is not the case. There are several aspects of the photographic image, which make it less than real. These aspects all have different ways of showing that cameras arent always correctly right. Even simple pictures can represent a number of qualities. It is possible to understand a number of different meanings from one picture, this is called decoding. For instance visual images can be false by editing and cropping detail out of the photographs/pictures. This process changes the frame and can sometimes exclude main or minor parts of the picture. These missing images occasionally can back up the authors article and help the audience understand the meaning. Cropping occurs in the media to suit the audience and to express the opinions of the writer. We can also argue photographs can distort the truth by the selection of the picture. The illustration always is chosen for a particular event or story, but the final image is selected from a wide range of material. This allows the author flexibility, in choosing the correct image for his motive in his text. Sometimes the pictures arent always appropriate, but have certain ways of backing up the article. As the photographs only show one aspect of the situation, the image could always be unrepresentative and tell many different stories from the single picture. These images often make statements about the link between what is being displayed in the photograph and the type of person viewing the article. The picture can be misleading a bare no relation to the text. This is a good example of poor selection of photographic material. All photographs are not reality, but iconic signs. Iconic sings are a way of demonstrating a particular subject. When we observe a photograph in print, it is only a symbol not the real image as we see in real life. All pictures have captions describing the image; the captions anchor the meaning of a photograph which offers a clear preferred reading. The text of the article also performs and shows this function. A photograph alone without a caption can be interpreted in various ways. As well as having iconic meaning, photos make meaning and signify because of the associations we have with the image. Denotation is the simple literal meaning of all the images viewed in the picture, basically defining the illustration. On the other hand connation is the associations we have with the sketch. These associations are viewed in many different ways and automatically display and imply numerous opinions on certain situations. The top photograph (Fig.1) shows Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness leaders of Shin Fane situated outside a conference surrounded by the media. The denotation in this image shows the leaders surrounded by paparzates, divided by some form of barrier. Barbed wire fencing is in the rear of the photograph; this gives the impression of security and restriction. A lot of people are surrounding the leaders, giving the feeling of interest or trouble. The connation of the sketch is basically of immense interest in these powerful Shin Fane leaders. With the photograph being taken so far away from the incident its hard for individuals to be identified and described. This particular photo was probably selected for this quality, to show the mass interest. The barrier shows disgrace for Shin Fane, with the leaders being barred from the conference. This specific image is chosen as an example to show the media had interest in Shin Fane. Having no open text it is difficult for the reader to know exactly what is occurring, it would be impossible to guess what the photograph is trying to display. In the photograph (Fig.2) it shows the viewer a close up of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, behind bars. This gives a dramatic feeling of exclusion and shame. The denotation in this image is easy to identify and describe with the shot being so close and clear. We can view two very well known faces, restricted from going into somewhere with solid bars. The Shin Fane leaders are dressed formally, which gives the impression of the conference being important and themselves being powerful. In the background faded faces can be seen, this can be interpreted in various ways. For example Shin Fane Supporters/Shin Fane Protestors or Paparzates. The connation is one of power and conflict; this particular picture of the leaders gives publicity for their cause. This image has a closer propaganda feeling, and the bars give a feeling of jail and prison, which makes the photo even more dramatic. Its easy to understand what the picture is displaying, even without a caption. The difference between Fig.1 and Fig.2 is that the leaders can be identified easily and not so much is occurring in the image, which makes it easily understandable. In photograph Fig.3 The Mobs Brief Rule, the first impression is that it shows an argument between a protestor being held by police and a West End Shopper. The caption below this endorses this impression. The donation in this image is that there is a riot-taking place, with people being restrained by the Police and non-protestors being caught up in the chaos. In the background we can clearly see the West-End buildings and a telephone box. The connation in this photo is that the male protestor is being restrained presumably for wrongdoing and the by-passer has entered in conversation with him. Without the caption this photograph is simple to follow and gives you a slight understanding of the disorder. Having read the accompanying letter to the editor from the eye-witness (West End Shopper), it is obvious the camera can be misinterpreted and this is an example how the media can use images to achieve a particular purpose. The letter explains exactly what did happen, which was that the shopper was walking down the street in the early evening hearing a group of cheerful poll-tax protestors. With police aligned along the pavements, the lady suddenly saw four of the riot squad police grab a young girl in her late teens for no reason and brutally forced her onto the crowd control railings. The man you view in the image is her boyfriend recklessly trying to reach for her, but being held back by a policeman. The lady is urging the man to calm down or he will be arrested, she is not having an argument with him as your first impressions thought. I looked at the same events reported in two different Sunday papers, to see if they had represented the photographs differently. The subject of these images is the same, but the photographs attached to the article differ. Reports on the Israel Conflict The Sunday Times and The Sunday Express wrote articles on the Israel conflict, each took a different approach on the issue. Both photographs in the papers produce the same sort of meaning just in different ways. The Sunday Times took a conservative attitude to the conflict in as much as the article dealt only with the Israel Conflict. The photograph (Fig.4) alongside the article shows President Bush casually dressed in typical Texan fashion. It was very informal and displayed the idea of him and Tony Blair being chums. In the image Bush and Blair are seen to be united together, which reflects the text in the article. The denotation of the picture shows the two powerful, respected leaders together. Blair supports Bush and pays compliments for the Presidents U-turn on Israel. The connation in this photo implies American society and the United Kingdom have combined together to sort out problems over in the Middle East. The caption on this photo doesnt exactly reflect much of the article, but gives the reader some idea about them uniting and the toughness they will have over in the Middle East. Unlike some images, without any open text this photo could mean a variety of things. The Sunday Express included a similar article, which was more dramatic and combined the two issues of the Israel Conflict along with the possibility of war within Iraq. The photograph (Fig.5) alongside was more formal showing the president handshaking Tony Blair. The image is personally more appropriate than the Sunday Times photo, with the denotation showing the two countries flag in the background and them both being in recognized clothing. This particular photo has been chosen because it is simple with few figures and it portrays a strong meaningful picture for this serious article. The connation implies the same issue as in the other Sunday paper, showing them becoming united. With the handshake and them looking pleased in this image you speculate something respectable has happened. Unlike the other image you have a vague idea of the situation without the open text caption. The next photograph (Fig.6) Im going analyse appeared in the Mirror, alongside articles paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mothers funeral. The denotation shows Lady Thatcher and her husband Dennis taking their seats in Westminster Abbey. This image is a good example of misrepresentation as with out the caption the read would have no idea what was happening. The connation in the left picture could imply just grief or Dennis having an accident. Their expressions do not indicate any physical injury. In contrast the photo on the right, gives more idea that Lady Thatcher is the one in pain. With the caption we can tell she is in agony due to Dennis treading on her toes. This article seemed rather out of place, alongside the funeral tributes. After analysing these five different images, I have learnt due to editing and selection photos can misrepresent the truth. The Media producers are constantly competiting with each other to make money. New and exciting ways of representing information/pictures can have impact and ensure success. A good photograph of something can help audiences make sense of a complicated issue. The media uses photographs that will hopefully not date and always support the authors text. Without cropping, selection and photographs being anchored, the images would put across a more truthful statement. As can be seen from my examples, the camera can distort the truth or even lie.

Role Of Civil Society In Combating Terrorism

Role Of Civil Society In Combating Terrorism 1. The stalemate of terrorism has always been a threat to humans of this world in one form or the other, radiating from number of causes such as insensitive religious emotions, sectarian divergences, disparity of power among leftist and rightist schools of thought, communism vs. capitalism, exploitation of the ignorant and deprived ones and lust for acquisition of resources entailing in invasions etc. However, this problem emerged as a flash point after a tragic incident of 9/11 which drew attention of world towards uprooting this cancer by taking certain counter measures. Military solution, when crucial, plays its roles to some extent but cannot fully figure out the intricacies of terrorism without taking all the communities and nation onboard. This not only educates masses about issues in war against terror but plays a key role in boosting morale of forces on frontlines. These have included the introduction of anti-terror laws; changes in reporting requirements for civil society or ganizations; and the increasing use of new border security technologies. In many countries, the impact of these measures on civil society and on citizens has been a source of great concern. The meaning of involving civil society in a wide-ranging and multidimensional response to the threat of terrorism has been stressed by various international platforms. 2. Civil society covers a vast range of societal groups, interests, representations, inbuilt tensions and conflicts. It is very much obvious by a series of intended associations together with biased parties, skilled unions and specialized bodies, classified fundamentals, learned and research foundations, pious, strong believers, and community-based societies, social and environmental groups. An energetic civil society can show a strategic role in countering extremist ideologies, sectarian / social violence in the society. 3. Civil society can promote the voice of diverse social groups and causes, which endow with a channel of expression for the unimportant and can encourage an atmosphere of patience and pluralism. As a matter of fact, civil societies can also play a momentous role in building local support for counterterrorism through education, entrancing government establishments to adopt a pragmatic response that respects human rights, supervising execution of counterterrorism procedures, considering and broadcasting abuses committed in the name of fighting terrorism, backing and support to sufferers, sponsoring the significance of harmony and safety, and providing capacity-building training. This paper will address this aspect of countering the terrorism to see where and how civil society comes into action for countering terrorism. AIM 4. To carry out an in-depth study of civil societys role in addressing terrorism, so as to identify the shortcomings hampering its efficacy with the view to enable a way forward in short and long term perspectives to make it an effective tool for combating terrorism. SCOPE 5. The paper will focus on following:- a. To briefly highlight various terrorism facets for drawing their relevancy and genesis form civil societys standpoint. b. To ponder upon the essentials that the civil society can perform in developing its profile for handling terrorism. c. To highlight the limitations that handicaps our civil societys efficacy in playing its due role in addressing terrorism. d. To bring home an affect based approach focusing on immediate and long term actions to uplift our societys role against terrorism both in cognitive and practical domains. PART I DEFINING TERRORISM AND COUNTER TERRORISM 6. The word Terrorism is very much renowned and perilous to the global world. The modern world has made a number of counter measures to face this menace. Before defining the role of civil society in combating terrorism and extremism effectively; we must understand first about terrorism, its genesis types and causes. Since, solution to any problem will prevail only by knowing its basis and objectives. 7. What is Terrorism.  [1]  Terrorism is not new, and even though it has been used since the beginning of recorded history it can be relatively hard to define. Terrorism has been described variously as both a tactic and strategy; a crime and a holy duty; a justified reaction to oppression and an inexcusable abomination. Obviously, a lot depends on whose point of view is being represented. Terrorism has often been an effective tactic for the weaker side in a conflict. As an asymmetric form of conflict, it confers coercive power with many of the advantages of military force at a fraction of the cost. Due to the secretive nature and small size of terrorist organizations, they often offer opponents no clear organization to defend against or to deter. 8. There is no universally accepted definition exists for the meaning of word terrorism, however several interpreters have counted more than one hundred different definitions.  [2]  The lack of an agreed definition allows those in power to interpret the term for their own purposes. Political leaders often take advantage of the terms ambiguity to label their opponents terrorists. However, there are certain definitions related to terrorism exist in the world with different connotation to its application used by different countries are as:- a. United States Department of Defense. It defines terrorism as the calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological. Within this definition, there are three key elements violence, fear, and intimidation and each element produces terror in its victims. b. Federal Bureau of Investigation (United State). States that, Terrorism is the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives. c. United State Department of State. It defines terrorism to be premeditated politically-motivated violence perpetrated against non-combatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience. d. United Nations. United Nation produced this definition in 1992; An anxiety-inspiring method of repeated violent action, employed by (semi-) clandestine individual, group or state actors, for idiosyncratic, criminal or political reasons, whereby in contrast to assassination the direct targets of violence are not the main targets. The most commonly accepted academic definition starts with the U.N. definition quoted above, and adds two sentences totaling another words on the end; containing such verbose concepts as message generators and violence based communication processes. Less specific and considerably less verbose. e. British Government. The British government definition of 1974 isà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the use of violence for political ends, and includes any use of violence for the purpose of putting the public, or any section of the public, in fear. 9. Types of Terrorism. Being complex in definition, there is also difference in opinion among the academics over the types of terrorism. However,  [3]  Encyclopedia of Britannica describes the following types of terrorism:- a. Revolutionary Terrorism. It is very common type and is aimed to achieve certain political goals. Practitioners of this type of terrorism seek the complete abolition of a political system and its replacement with new structures. Modern instances of such activity include campaigns by the Italian Red Brigades, the German Red Faction (Baader Meinhof Gang), the Basque separatist group etc, each of which attempted to topple a national regime. b. Sub Revolutionary Terrorism. A least common and is used not to bring down an existing establishment but to transform the existing socio-political arrangement. Since this modification is often accomplished through the threats of deposing the existing regime, sub revolutionary groups are somewhat more difficult to identify. An example can be seen in the African National Congress (ANC) and its campaign to end apartheid in South Africa. c. Establishment Terrorism. During cold war, Soviet Union along with its allies ostensibly engaged in widespread support of international terrorism and United States supported rebel groups in Africa that allegedly engaged in acts of terrorism, such as the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) in 1988s. d. Nationalist Terrorism. It is aimed to establish separate state for certain religious, ethnic or tribal groups. It has been popular among the most flourishing at winning international sympathy and acknowledgment. Being so called freedom fighters, they use violence to draw attention of the world to gain sympathy for their national agenda. Movement run by Irish republican Army in UK (IRA) and Palestine liberation organization (PLO) in Palestine are some examples from the past. However, it is fascinating truth that both groups renounced terrorism in 1990s and adopted the political means of conflict resolution. e. Religious Terrorism. It is growing rapidly and discussed widely on the international media. Religious terrorists seek to use violence to further what they see as divinely commanded purposes, often targeting broad categories of foes in an attempt to bring about wide changes in the system. f. State-Sponsored Terrorism. State uses secreted groups to contain anti state or anti government rudiments in the country and is normally accomplished by autocratic to restrain the political opponents. They are more capable, professional and energetic than other groups because of having moral, political and logistic support of the government or state. g. Inter-State or International Terrorism. This type witnessed events of uprising and terrorism between two big powers in the guise of cold war. Although USSR and USA never confronted directly but no one can deny proxy wars of these two powers in different parts of the world. Palestine is very clear example of the international terrorism where America supported Israel and USSR was giving backup to Al Fateh a militant arm of Palestinian liberation organization (PLO). h. Group Terrorism. It occurs on the formation of various groups for common objectives in the society. Such groups are based on sectarian, linguistic, ethnic and tribal bases. When these groups work for the establishment of the supremacy and superiority for their own agenda it ultimately causes tension and clash with opponent groups. For example, Catholic and protestant conflict in Ireland, black white tension in US and South Africa etc. 10. Causes of Terrorism. To counter the menace of terrorism, it is essential to know and identify causes of terrorism. Terrorism being a multifaceted phenomenon has several reasons such as social, economic, religious and political etc. This global phenomenon has various causes and some of them are being spelled out briefly for the better understanding of the issue. This is also notable that the causes of terrorism may be different in various societies due to its religious, ethnic and political nature. a. Helplessness and Hopelessness. Helplessness which leads to hopelessness is the psychological state that enhances terrorism in the society. The society in which people are ignored and have to experience from socio economic and political unfairness, provide favorable milieu to promote terrorism like long outstanding disputes of Palestine and Kashmir. Similarly, in communist regimes where the people were not given their socio-political rights they brought about even poisonous rebellion. b. Political and Economic Deprivation. When political and economic rights of certain groups are not granted it chooses the suitable method of terrorism to show their anger. For example in northern states of India such as Assam, Nagaland, and West Bengal; the communists started guerilla war against the Indian Government being economically and politically deprived. c. Influence of Communist Regimes. At the end of cold war the influence of communist regimes inspired by Marxist and Leninist theories made a cause of escalation of terrorism in the world. Being influenced by such regimes many freedom movements adopted violence. Like Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka communists and Tamales who started violent movements in the last two decades of twentieth century for their freedom. d. Poverty and Economic Exploitation. Illiteracy, hunger and economic disparity etc always attract terrorism in the society. Famous philosopher Aristotle claimed that Poverty is mother of Terrorism and Revolution. Daniel Pipes also says that As long as there is poverty, disparity, unfairness and suppressive political systems, radical tendencies will grow in the world. e. Easy Access to Weapons and Modern Technology. Due to incredible advancement in weapons technology and human knowledge it has become easy for the terrorists to get them easily. Hugh quantity of information about the arms manufacturing has been spread by internet which has made the access of the terrorists easy and they use weapons to get quick results the act of terrorism. f. Sheer Success of Terrorism. Terrorism is a short cut tactic for the terrorists to achieve their goals quickly. It is more result orientated rather than peaceful movement. That is why the terrorist groups adopt this for getting more results in shorter time. Easy access to weapons and widespread information of the arms technology is the cause of escalation of terrorism in modern times. g. Lack of Democracy and Dictatorship. Lack of Democracy is the main cause of terrorism in present times. The dictators and autocrat governments frighten opponents. They do it to create the fear among the masses to suppress any opposition against their governments. In undemocratic circumstances the people do not find ways to express their disagreement and as a result some of them turn to the violent means to submit their expression. We can see in many autocrat and communist states in Latin America and Africa the massive force was used against the political opponents such as in Cuba Zambia and Congo etc. h. Religious Extremism. There is a school of thought which considers that the religious extremism is the major cause of terrorism. Mark Juergensmeyer says that The religion is crucial for these acts since it gives moral justifications for the killing and provides images of cosmic war that allows activists to believe that they are waging spiritual scenarios. It does not mean that the religion causes terrorism but it does mean that the religion often provides symbols that make possible bloodshed even catastrophic acts of terrorism. As evidence we can observe that the majority of the terrorist movements are inspired by the religion or at-least it is claimed. 11. Counter Terrorism. Counter terrorism is also a contested concept. The term embodies a wide range of measures with differing impacts, which can be loosely characterized as the good, the bad, and the ugly. In the bad and ugly categories are Counter Terrorism Measures (CTMs) that overemphasize security and distort development and aid priorities, and that lead to extrajudicial killings, greater state repression, and increased human rights abuse. Overly restrictive counterterrorism measures constrain the social, political, and operational capacity of civil society actors and impede the work of groups promoting improvements in governance, human rights, and development. These are all important elements for reducing conditions, such as political marginalization, repression, and despair that can fuel grievances and lead to expressions of political violence. On the positive side are cooperative nonmilitary measures that enhance the capacity of governments to thwart terrorist attacks while promoting and protecting human rights. Also in the good category are policies that encourage support for sustainable development and good governance. 12. The proposed categorization is figurative and not meant to suggest absolute judgments about particular policies. The range of counterterrorism measures is extremely wide, and specific policies can have differing impacts in varying conditions and settings. Strengthened law enforcement efforts are good when they prevent attacks and bring perpetrators to justice, but these same measures can be bad if they lead to abuses and increased repression. Efforts to prevent the financing of terrorism are positive, yet programs intended to interdict such funding often have negative implications for nongovernmental groups and charities seeking to overcome oppression. The evaluation of particular counterterrorism measures depends greatly on context and the way in which specific actors implement policies. Judgments about particular policies should be based on the degree to which they contribute to genuine security and democratic governance, while also upholding the rule of law and protecting the work of peace builders and human rights defenders. 13. Counterterrorism measures are usually weighted toward the executive branch of government, with little attention to enhancing judicial independence, legislative oversight, and citizen involvement. Emergency measures passed in the name of fighting terrorism have had the effect of undermining civil liberties, restricting the ability of civil society groups to operate, and impeding development and relief activities in marginalized communities. Repressive CTMs have reversed progress achieved in recent years toward the integration of human rights and accountable governance into development policy. Individual rights and political freedoms have eroded as states have accumulated greater security powers. The nongovernmental monitoring organization Freedom House has reported an alarming erosion of global political freedom in recent years. In its 2010 annual survey the organization noted intensified repression against human rights defenders and civic activists and reported declines for polit ical freedom in countries representing 20 percent of the worlds total polities. The last few years have witnessed the longest continuous period of decline for global freedom in the organizations nearly 40-year history of publishing annual ratings.  [4]  In 2011 Freedom House noted a further decline in political freedom and a reduction in the number of countries defined as politically free. The report highlighted the continued poor performance of countries of the Middle East and North Africa, although this trend may be partially reversed if the democratic revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia, and other countries produce freer societies and more representative governments. PART II ESSENTIAL ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY 14. Civil society can play a significant role in helping states increase awareness of the threat and the impact of an attack on local communities, and in deepening public support for government action to address it, which is an essential component of any effective long-term strategy. Terrorism is obviously the state of extreme in human conflict that occurs when the violence enters in the matter. The terrorism is the result of failure in conflict resolution which can occur anywhere in the world. It is the crucial social problem of the society as well. The generally classified and unified roles of civil society in order to preventing and reducing of terrorism are as follows:- a. Counseling and Educational Role. b. Community Services. c. Sponsorship and Research. d. Legal Facets. Counseling and Educational Role 15. Civil society organizations can play a momentous counseling and educational role. They can provide policy opinions and proficiency on features of preventing terrorism that is often not obtainable within government. Similarly, civil society experts may provide alternative appropriate language and terminology to public officials in addressing issues related to terrorism and security keeping in view its importance. In order to reinforce co-operation with governments, civil society should also find it appropriate to acknowledge positive steps or measures taken by law enforcement officials and government where they occur. In addition, they may have a positive counseling role in providing tangible substitutes to counter-terrorism policies and measures that they consider to be ill-conceived. It is important to identify and give relevant information to the government in order to understand the real extent of the threat and to be able to provide adequate suggestions of a response  [5]  . 16. As for as educational role is concerned, it is very much important for civil society to make clear that human rights are a useful structure for mounting useful counter-terrorism strategies rather than an impediment. Some of the specific activities on this account may include providing information to school students as well as to youth workers and police and law enforcement officials. With regard to the latter, civil society may enter into partnerships with law enforcement bodies to develop targeted programs of co-operation, focusing, for instance, on increasing awareness and understanding of the diversity of communities. Community Services 17. It is almost self-evident that civil society institutions can also perform valuable community functions. They have an important role to play as catalysts for the development of opinions and ideas that is vital for building strong and vibrant communities. By creating safe spaces for dissent and by providing a forum where experiences can be shared on a personal level, civil society institutions may contribute to healing community rifts and tensions. They may also consider engaging in outreach activities and taking proactive steps to address the root causes of terrorism. Activities of particular value in this regard are those that strengthen human rights and the rule of law. The promotion and protection of these pillars of democracy contribute to building strong societies in which citizens are free to participate in the political process and exercise their rights. Providing practical and effective support to defenders of human rights is therefore also essential. 18. Another issue which may warrant further examination is the question of whether civil society should attempt to engage in dialogue with individuals and groups involved in and perpetrating acts of violence and terrorism. For various reasons, it is easier for civil society to engage in such dialogue than for governments. However, a human rights-based approach is essential in this regard. This includes a clear indication that dialogue does not imply affording any form of legitimacy to the perpetrators of violence. The positive experience of the peace process in Northern Ireland is one example that may provide valuable lessons. Sponsorship and Research 19. Civil society may play a meaningful advocacy and research role. As a matter of principle, it is important that they condemn all acts of violence against civilians regardless of the motivation behind those acts. With regard to positive measures in the area of advocacy, they may consider writing open letters and statements to armed groups condemning terrorist tactics and maintaining a principled approach to the applicability of human rights standards, i.e. that these standards apply to both perpetrators and victims of violence. There may be a role for civil society in reducing the emotional and psychological impact of terrorism. In particular, they may engage in activities that aim to amplify the voices of the victims of terrorism and of persons affected by unlawful counter-terrorism operations. 20. Other aspects of an effective advocacy role include the issue of engaging with the media to shape the public discourse around terrorism. It is essential for civil society to establish a constructive relationship with the media and the entertainment industry in order to provide reliable information, challenge negative or unbalanced portrayals of parts of the community, and initiate public debate on issues of public security and human rights. At the same time, it is important to encourage debate within the media profession on the image that is conveyed of minority groups in connection with the fight against terrorism and to alert them of their the responsibility to avoid perpetuating prejudices, stereotypes, or inaccurate and/or incomplete information. 21. Moreover, civil society may contribute high value studies in the field of terrorism, political aggression and for circumstances favorable to the increase of terrorism. High quality studies and research is very important as it reports to helpful and convincing encouragement and prevention efforts. High-quality research may comprise conducting studies and surveys on the impact of counterterrorism measures and on the intricate question of the issues that make persons pledge to radical ideas and engage themselves in acts of aggression. Equally, keeping in view the importance of increase in statistical and monitoring work; civil society can also connect with government in an open and facts-based discussion about the efficacy of counter-terrorism procedures. Legal Facets 22. Finally, there is yet another and important role that civil society has to play is legal facets related to terrorism in the society. Their work on legal issues related to terrorism and counter-terrorism continues to make a significant input to amplification international and national legal frameworks for counter-terrorism activities, particularly for the promotion and protection of human rights and the rule of law. There is a need to expand the work of civil society institutions to answer technical questions relating to: the definition of terrorism; the scope of application of domestic, bilateral, and multilateral laws, treaties, and other instruments dealing with terrorism; the accountability of perpetrators and redress for victims of terrorist acts and of unlawful counter-terrorism practices, in respect of both domestic and international law; educating decision makers about the nature and extent of complexity among different legal frameworks, including international humanitaria n law, international human rights law, and domestic criminal and civil law; and translating complicated legal arguments for wider public mobilization. PART III LIMITATIONS ON CIVIL SOCIETY 23. The role of civil society in eradicating terrorism is magnanimous but there are many interrelated factors that restrict its freedom of action. Some of these restrictions are discussed as under:- a. Political Space and Measures Restricting Civil Society. Despite the contributions they are capable of making, civil society groups in many countries lack the capacity, resources, and expertise to engage on counterterrorism issues, while in others, because of lack of political space and measures restricting civil society, civil societies simply do not have the freedom to engage. This ability of civil society to engage is largely tied to basic standards of freedom of information, freedom of association, and freedom to seek funding, which states have an obligation to ensure. b. Counterterrorism as Exclusively Government Responsibility. The inclination of some governments to view counterterrorism as exclusively a government responsibility and the related over-sensitivity on the part of security forces and their tendency to consider everything relating to terrorism as top secret has significantly limited the information flow to civil society, thus inhibiting their ability to gain a full picture of the threats facing and vulnerabilities. c. Counterterrorism a Crack Down Tool on Civil Society and Political Opposition. In some instances, counterterrorism has been used as a pretense to crack down on civil society and political opposition. A number of successive governments in our country have adopted overly expansive counterterrorism legislation and used it to clamp down on freedom of association, speech, and assembly. The lack of a common definition of terrorism consistent with international human rights standards has made it easier for governments to act this way. More common are subtle forms of state interference including overly restrictive or arbitrarily-applied regulations and restrictions on civil society. d. Lack of Education and Awareness. The civil societies of the developing and under developed countries are yet to shape themselves to become a resilient part in the power circles of the countries. The main reason for that is the lack of education and awareness of these societies. Since, education is a basic ingredient to generate awareness and sense of responsibility in each person thus its scarcity in masses brings dormancy in the thought processing character of a society. This fact is practically advocated once we peep through the most developed societies of the modern world which have a high literacy rate. e. Lack of Freedom of Expression. Terrorism most often rises and flourishes in the societies which are either conservative or do not allow the freedom of expression to the masses. This makes the civil society reluctant of speaking freely since they always fear the Government. Thus lack of freedom of speech and expression plays a major role in limiting the role of civil society in tackling the menace of terrorism. f. Securitizing Aid. The recent global focus on counterterrorism and multilateral counterinsurgency operations has accelerated a trend toward using aid and development funding for security-related purposes. This approach subordinates traditional goals of mitigating poverty to the agenda of counterterrorism and defeating insurgency. It blurs the analytic boundaries between security and development while politicizing both and detracting from efforts to improve the lives of most disadvantaged communities. The process works in two ways: firstly, a growing proportion of aid funding is channeled directly through military institutions and secondly, development programs are increasingly implemented in support of military operations, thus depriving a larger portion of the society potentially prone to acts of terrorism owing to abject poverty and hunger. The percentage of US aid funding allocated through the Pentagon has increased in recent years from 3.5% in 1998 to approximately 25% ten year s later.  [6]  Major recipients of US development assistance are countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan who are central to security and counter terrorism objectives. In countries like Pakistan where foreign assistance is provided, police forces are highly repressive and unaccountable. Assistance provided to such forces in the absence of needed structural reforms may simply reinforce repressive tendencies and undermine civil society efforts to defend human rights and establish democratic oversight. Aid provided through a security lens overlooks the plight of most marginalized populations.

Stuttering Will Not Crush My Dreams Essay -- Personal Narrative, essay

Today is the day of the oral report. Everyone in class has already made their presentation, so I no longer have an excuse for not sharing my material. I slowly raise my hand after the teacher asks if anyone else needs to do the oral. As I scoot the chair back to stand up, my ears begin to turn red hot. My uneasiness only gets worse when I sluggishly walk down the aisle towards the awaiting podium and start sweating on my hands and forehead. As I look up from the podium, I am startled by the forty pairs of unwavering eyes glaring at me, awaiting to be engrossed by my brilliance. I find myself having difficulty breathing, almost as if I have forgotten how to. I wipe the sweat off my brow, grab my index cards tightly, and open my mouth to speak. But the words just will not come out as I hit a stuttering block. Those same forty pairs of eyes are gazing at me in wonderment. I avoid their scowls by looking down at my index cards, held by my excessively sweaty hands. The class is remarkably silent, waiting for me to continue. I hastily glance upwards to discover forty increasingly impatient people. Nervously, I attempt to speak again, but again I block. I make a stronger effort to try to spit the words out, only to stutter. While many are able to relate to the distress involved in public speaking, issues faced by a person who stutters are unique. Anxiety of a stuttering block extends beyond the typical public speaking into the everyday world of phone conversations and ordering fast food. The anxiety I get during either of the two situations is tremendous. For example, if I am preparing to place a phone call or am waiting in line to order fast food, anxiety builds as I wonder whether I will stutter. This affects my decision-ma... ...e my fear of speaking, and, in addition, I became more social and outgoing. Ever since I took journalism, I have realized I do not have to hide the fact that I have a speech impediment. Contrarily, I have learned that I feel more comfortable with my audience, especially in a classroom situation, if I let the cat out of the bag before I spoke. By advertising my stuttering, I no longer feel as if I am running away or trying to hide my problems, and I find that my listeners tend to be more sympathetic to my disability. I have learned that self-acceptance has pushed me a long way in my struggle to discover who I am. No one is perfect, and everyone must realize their short-comings. But these must not get in the way of your goals in life. You must confront these obstacles head-on, learn to accept them, and to build from your broadened understanding of yourself.

1890-1900 Essay -- Essays Papers

1890-1900 The United States’ Progressive Era, a time of reform and corporate reconstruction, occurred in the 1890s (Sklar intro). Before the decade, Americans identified with the idea that the country should stay out of any other countries concerns, especially European affairs (Britannica 1). The new thinking of the 1890s soon changed these convictions. Foundations of foreign policy, political liberalism, and a corporation-capitalist economy were among developments of this era. As the U.S. became a "great power" after post-Civil War economic growth, the public soon believed the nation should begin to "act like one" (Britannica 1). In addition, Social Darwinists of the 1890s theorized only strong nations could survive, for "the world is a jungle" (Britannica 1). Finally, idealists and religious leaders added their reasoning, for America had a duty to "take up the white man’s burden" of spreading its "superior culture and the blessings of Christianity" to the so-called "backward pe oples of the world" (Britannica 1). Along with the new ideology of American supremacy, citizens were enjoying the expansion into the west at a quickening pace. Leaders of the United States during the 1890s included Presidents Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893), Grover Cleveland(1893-1897), and William McKinley (1897-1901). The nation celebrated President George Washington’s centennial anniversary inauguration during this time (Klapthor 54,56). World events in the 1890s included the Spanish-American War. Ignited by Spanish rule in Cuba, Spain soon faced a brutal revolution with rebels upset about a depression caused by a decline in U.S. sugar purchases from Cuba. Once a submarine mine sank the USS Maine in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898, Congress autho... ...n’s intrinsic weakness" during the nineteenth century (American Eras 68). Gilman was remedied by well-known physician S. Weir Mitchell through a so-called "rest-cure" of remaining in bed and being prohibited from reading, writing, or communicating with the outside world (American Eras 68). "The Yellow Wallpaper" is Gilman’s story of Jane, a young wife and new mother who too is suffering from depression (Gale 140). Jane is taken to a rented mansion in the country where she is confined to a bed and urged not to write by her husband, brother, and physician, who Gilman frankly named S. Weir Mitchell (Gale 410). Undoubtedly, Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s reflection on her past experiences in "The Yellow Wallpaper" caused an uproar during its times by confronting unspoken feminine issues of the day, leaving her defined as one of the many forthright female writers of the 1890s.

DNA in the Forensic Science Community Essay -- Biology, DNA collection

This paper explores deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) collection and its relationship to solving crimes. The collection of DNA is one of the most important steps in identifying a suspect in a crime. DNA evidence can either convict or exonerate an individual of a crime. Furthermore, the accuracy of forensic identification of evidence has the possibility of leaving biased effects on a juror (Carrell, Krauss, Liberman, Miethe, 2008). This paper examines Carrells et al’s research along with three other research articles to review how DNA is collected, the effects that is has on a juror and the pros and cons of DNA collection in the Forensic Science and Criminal Justice community. Keywords: deoxyribonucleic acid, United States DNA Collection in the Forensic Science Community and its Effects on Solving Crimes Once a crime has been committed the most important item to recover is any type of evidence left at the scene. If the suspect left any Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) at the crime scene, he could then be linked to the crime and eventually charged. A suspect’s DNA can be recovered if the suspect leaves a sample of his or her DNA at the crime scene. However, this method was not always used to track down a suspect. Not too long ago, detectives used to use bite marks, blood stain detection, blood grouping as the primary tool to identify a suspect. DNA can be left or collected from the hair, saliva, blood, mucus, semen, urine, fecal matter, and even the bones. DNA analysis has been the most recent technique employed by the forensic science community to identify a suspect or victim since the use of fingerprinting. Moreover, since the introduction of this new technique it has been a la... ...race, class and gender differences. In addition, to the inequality, methods of presenting DNA data is sometimes sloppy and has the scrutiny of being dismissed on the grounds of misleading or confusing evidence. Also, the errors in the forensic science community play a role in the high number of exoneration cases because of false identification. Since DNA technology has been used there has been a high number of individuals convicted, linked or found innocent of a crimes. This technology has helped law enforcement catch suspects that may have never been found without the use of this technology. However, the research reflected that there is a need for clearer interpretations of the DNA results, better equality provided for all regardless of race or class and that errors should be reduced to prevent having cases that need to be exonerated.

Evaluate Sociological Explanation of the Relationship

Evaluate sociological explanation of the relationship between gender and religious beliefs and practice. (33marks) Within religion, there are clear gender differences. In some regions, women aren’t to show any parts of their bare skin and are most certainly not allowed to become figures of religious authority, whereas in other religions, women are able to dress as they please and progress to one day become figures of religious authority. This difference in religion is also apparent in religious beliefs and religious participation.With regards to religious activity, and beliefs in God, sin, evil and life after death, generally speaking, more women than men participate in such activities. For example, in 2005 it was found that 1. 8million women in England were churchgoers, whereas only 1. 36million men were. Miller and Hoffman support this by finding that women express a greater interest in religion, have stronger personal commitment to it and attend church more, and this applie s to all ages, religious organisations and faiths.Bruce estimates that there are twice as many women than men involved in sects. Some sociologists have seen this difference in religious activity and beliefs as being connected to the different ways of which men and women see God – the god of love and forgiveness or the God of power and control. Sociologists have put forward several explanations for the gender differences in religious beliefs and practices, but most tend to focus on the reason for women’s relatively high level of participation and men’s low levels.Miller and Hoffman state that women are more religious because they are socialised to be more passive, obedience and caring – qualities that are valued by most religions, and it’s claimed that this is the reason why women are more likely to be attracted to religion then men. Men who are seen to have these qualities are also more likely to be religious, so perhaps it is not so much about the gender, and it is the way of which you are socialised.Miller and Hoffman also noted that women are more likely to have part time jobs, whilst also being fall time carers, so as a consequence of this, they have more room for organising their time to participate in religious activities. Women are also more likely to be attracted to the church as a source of gender identity. Greeley argues that taking care of other family members increases religiosity in women because it involves responsibility to ‘ultimate’ welfare as well as everyday needs. Similarly, Davie argues women’s closer proximity to both births – because they are those who give irth to their babies, as well as death because they are more likely to be the ones to look after the elderly when they are on their deathbeds. This brings them closer to ‘ultimate’ questions about the meaning of life that religions are ultimately concerned with. This also fits back in with the different ways me n and women come to see God. Women are more often associated with nature, and the healing role, because of this they may be more attracted than men to New Age Movements in particular.For example, Heelas and Woodhead found that 80% of participants in Holistic Milieu in Kendal are females, this is because such movements often celebrate the ‘natural’ and involve cults of healing which give women higher status and a sense of self-worth. Bruce argues women’s experience of child rearing makes them less aggressive and goal-oriented , as well as being more cooperative and caring, making them more attractive to New Age Movements. Men wish to achieve what women feel. Women may be attracted to New Age Movements because they emphases on the importance of being authentic, rather than merely acting out roles.Callum Brown argues New Age ‘self’-religion’s appeal to women’s wishes for autonomy and therefore attract women recruits. Women also on the othe r hand may be attracted to fundamentalism because of their certainties of a traditional gender role that it presents for them. Glock Stark, as well as Stark and Bainbridge argue that people may participate in religion because it compensates for social, organismic and ethical deprivation, which a person may be gaining a sense of. Glock and Stark argue these forms of deprivation are all common along women and this explains their higher levels of sect membership then men.Organismic deprivation stems from physical and mental health problems. Women are more likely to suffer ill health and seek healing through religion, and thus therefore more likely to join sects. With regards to ethical deprivation, women tend to be more morally conservative and thus are more likely to regard the world as being in moral decline and for this reason are attracted to sects, where their views are often shared. Social deprivation suggests that women are more likely to be poor, and this explains why there are more women than men in sects, since Sects try to gain their following from the poorer members of society.Feminists view religion as being mainly patriarchal. Many claim that religion is a patriarchal institution that systematically benefits males over females, for example in the sacred texts, where women are often unnamed. Alongside this, in almost all religions, the gods are all male, which suggests they claim women, have no power and sacred texts were also written and have been interpreted by males, and thus incorporate traditional male stereotypes and biases towards women.In some versions of Islam, women are not allowed to divorce their husbands, but their husbands may do so by saying so three times, alongside this, their husbands are allowed to have up to three other wives. In other religions, such as the catholic church, women aren’t allowed to have any involvement in religious practices other than becoming a nun, who is still seen as being subordinate in accordance to the other roles available for men, and they are also can participate in mass and so on by adopting their role as the Laity – women cannot become priests.In the church of England, women can become priests since the 90s, and in the church of Scotland, they could have become priests as early as the 1960s. Holms claim that the basis for women’s subordination is their sexuality. Menstruation is generally thought of to make a woman unclean and thus polluting holy places. This is why Hindu women are not allowed to go near family shrines when they are menstruating or pregnant. Muslim women are not allowed to come into contact with the Koran or enter the mosque whilst there are menstruating also.El Sadaawi claims that religion in itself is not oppressive towards women, women’s religious subordination stems from their oppression in the wider society. For example, the Bible and Koran were written in extremely patriarchal societies and scriptures used to justify and reinfor ce their position. Feminists point out that male and female characters in the Bible were not portrayed equally. Tough. Among the traditional regions, Aldridge points out that Quakers and Unitarians are very committed to gender equality, for example back in the 19th century, the Unitarians began ordaining women.

Programming Solution Proposal Essay

Computer programs can help us solve everyday issues that might seem impossible. Household budgeting is an issue that burdens many Americans. Every individual is ultimately responsible for managing his or her finances. Developing a computer program that can help individuals manage their budget will greatly improve their life quality. The program would have to follow the program development cycle model and use the modular approach. Identifying Budget Issues The biggest challenge that many American families are facing after the 2008 recession is managing a monthly budget adequately. The fact is that many families increased their debt by borrowing more than their allocated budget. Americans need to learn to live base on how much they earn. Our first reaction, when in debt, would be to make up excuses as to why we are in that situation. Some of us will even try to blame relatives or credit card companies when faced with excessive debt. It is families, who do not budget properly, that end up losing their homes and vehicles to banks or lenders (msn, 2009). Who is Responsible? The task of managing your budget according to your earnings is a decision and responsibility that is ultimately yours. The first step to take when budgeting is to acknowledge your debt problem and stop finding justifications for it. The problem can be excessively stressful and it is recommended to seek assistance through friends, family, or even better from an organization that guides people through debt reduction. A non-profit organization, such as the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, will probably be the best option. To start getting a handle of the problem, one must establish a number of how much is owed (msn, 2009). Developing a Program Technology, at present day, is an important tool that can be used to our advantage to solve almost any issue. Many families that might be facing budgeting and even foreclosure issues might not be aware that such tools exist. The process of creating a computer program that will help us budget our monthly income can greatly improve our quality of life. Such program must follow the program development cycle and contain the three main components of a computer program; input, process, and output (Venit & Drake, 2009). Program Development Cycle The first step of the program development cycle is to analyze the problem. We need to fully understand the problem that needs to be solved. We also need to analyze which information is available to us. The initial information available to us is our monthly net pay, and our monthly economic obligations. We also need to establish our desired output, establishing a budget, and determine how our known information will help us achieve those results. At this point we might also become aware of information that is not included but is necessary in order to identify the problem properly. Such information may include unexpected expenses, depositing money into a savings account, etc. (Venit & Drake, 2009). The next step of the cycle is designing a program to solve the problem. The designing step of the program development cycle will yield a flowchart that will outline how the actual program is executed based on the known variables. The flowchart will include a starting point, inputs, assignments, If conditions, loops, outputs, and an ending point. The evaluation of each step of the program development cycle might yield additional subtasks that might need to be added to the original flowchart. This step also involves writing an algorithm in pseudocodes which will instruct the program on what to do. The last two steps of the cycle involve writing the pseudocode statements in program code. The program code will depend on which computer language is chosen. Finally the program needs to be executed to determine if it runs properly. A re-evaluation of the program might be needed if the program does not execute properly (Venit & Drake, 2009). The goal of the program is to aid the average household to adequately manage a budget. Modular Approach The modular approach that will be taken to create this budgeting program will ensure the creation of the proper program to solve the issue. The approach will first consider the major tasks that need to be accomplished. A module will be created for each task in the program. The tasks can later be broken down into sub-tasks as deemed necessary by the programmer. These sub-tasks will then be assigned sub-modules. The amount of sub-tasks is determined by the complexity of the problem and how many are needed to solve the problem. The purpose of breaking down tasks is to make the program much easier and simpler. The model that is used to break down tasks is called the top-down design (Venit & Drake, 2009). Conclusion Developing a computer program that can help individuals manage their budget will greatly improve their life quality.

Native Americans in the United States and African Americans Essay

Introduction Joel Spring’s Deculturalization and the Struggle for Equality examines the educational policies in the United States that have resulted in intentional patterns of oppression by Protestant, European Americans against racial and ethnic groups. The historical context of the European American oppressor is helpful in understanding how the dominant group has manipulated the minority groups. These minority groups include Americans who are Native, African, Latin/Hispanic, and Asian. Techniques for deculturalization were applied in attempts to erase the oppressed groups’ previous identities and to assimilate them into society at a level where they could be of use to the oppressors. Techniques include isolation from family, replacement of language, denial of education, inclusion of dominant group world view, and provision of inferior teachers and poor facilities. Relationships between educational policy and instances of racism and patterns of oppression are explored in the following. A section will also compare my prior education to the one presented in Spring’s book. Formatting Understanding how European Americans have been able to perceive themselves as superior in psychological, spiritual, racial, and cultural terms is integral to seeing how cultural genocide has occurred in the United States. The basic program is taken from the Roman Imperium which delegates the authority to civilize others by erasing their laws and culture and simultaneously or subsequently installing new laws and mores from the dominant group into the minority group. This plan has been applied by U. S. educators and politicians in an attempt to carry out a perceived upgrade from an inferior cultural program to the superior Anglo-Saxon mixed with Protestantism point of view. This civilized versus uncivilized and Christian versus Pagan viewpoints reveal themselves throughout the history of U. S. education. Native Americans In the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, Native Americans were granted citizenship by the descendants of European immigrants who invaded their territory over 400 years ago. In the years before and after 1924, Native Americans have experienced cultural genocide, deculturalization, and denial of education (Spring, 2010, pp. 8-9). For example, the Naturalization Act of 1790 excluded Native Americans from citizenship, thus preventing them from having a political voice in their rapidly changing world. In 1867, the Indian Peace Commission made 2 requirements for U. S. citizenship: 1) rejection of native religions and 2) acceptance of middle-class American Christianity. The bases of a philosophy that uses superiority and inferiority include racial, linguistic and cultural differences. For European American educators, the â€Å"civilizing† of Native Americans included the installing of a work ethic, the creation of desire to accumulate property; the repression of pleasure, particularly sexual pleasure; the establishment of a nuclear family structure with the father in control; the implementation of authoritarian child-rearing practices; and conversion to Christianity (p. 14). The U. S. government’s program of Native American deculturalization was developed in part because it was less costly than fighting and killing them. Thomas Jefferson’s civilization program called for government agents to establish schools to teach women to spin and sew and men farming and husbandry (p. 18). Educational policies such as this set the stage for purchasing land and avoiding costly wars. In 1830, the Indian Removal Act authorized the President to set aside lands west of the Mississippi for exchange of Indian Land east of the Mississippi (p. 28). Cultural-ecological theory puts Native Americans in the category of involuntary minorities. They were conquered and forced into European American customs and beliefs. Replacing the use of native languages with English, destroying Indian customs and teaching allegiance to the U. S. government became major educational policies of the U. S. government toward Indians in the latter part of the 19th century. An important part of these educational policies was the boarding school designed to remove children from their families at an early age and thereby isolate them from the language and customs of their parents and tribes (p. 32). The Carlisle Indian School in Carlisle, PA became the first boarding school for Native American children in 1879. Here deculturalization methods were employed. From this methodology and perspective, the patronizing term cultural deprivation has come to imply that a group is without culture altogether (Nieto and Bode, 2008, p. 176). One of the perceived deficiencies of Native Americans was their propensity to share which caused the European Americans to label them as socialists which was anathema to the dominant group’s philosophy. Richard Pratt, the founder of the Carlisle School, sought to instill individualism and self responsibility in order to break Indians from a socialist style of sharing. All boarding and reservation schools taught in English with exceptions including some Choctaw and Cherokee schools that utilized bilingual education. In 1928, the Meriam Report reversed the philosophy that isolation of children was required. The new view was that education should occur in one’s family and community. Several decades later, from 1968 to 1990, a number of legislative acts addressed the mistakes of deculturalization. It was not until 1974 that Indian students were granted freedom of religion and culture by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Later, in 1978, Congress granted all Native Americans religious freedom. The Native American Languages Act of 1990 commits the U. S. government to reverse its historic position which was to erase and replace Native American culture. However, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 reverses attempts to preserve usage of minority languages (Spring, 2010, p. 135). The destruction of cultural self determination for Native American Indians is saddening. By breaking their connection to their native culture through reeducation camps, European Americans justified a world view that saw color of skin and dogma as beacons of superiority. African Americans. Historically, Africans have been involuntary immigrants who were brought to the U. S. to be slaves. They have faced numerous forms of educational oppression based upon perceived racial differences. For example, from 1800 to 1835, education of enslaved Africans was banned. Spring notes that plantation owners were in constant fear of slave revolts and consequently denied their workers any form of education (p. 43). Furthermore, because of the need for children as farm laborers, planters resisted most attempts to expand educational opportunities for black children (p. 57). Schools for African Americans were underfunded after the Civil War (Nieto and Bode, 2008, p. 44). Segregation of blacks and whites was the order of the day for most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This resulted in a racial divide, unequal school funding, and inferior facilities. An exception to segregated schooling occurred in 1855 in Massachusetts when it became a requirement to integrate schools. In 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment included a clause that appeared to disallow segregation. However this clause has been used to implement segregation in schools also. African Americans from northern states helped those in the transition from slavery to freedom. However there was a division between the philosophies of Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois. Washington negotiated for segregated schools while Du Bois, in 1909, formed the National Association of Colored People (NAACP) which worked for desegregation (Spring, 2010, p. 52). Washington established the Tuskegee Institute in 1881 after attending the Hampton Institute which was founded by General Samuel Armstrong. The Hampton Institute was an educational model designed to keep blacks subordinate. The primary purpose of the Tuskegee Institute was to prepare freed slaves to be teachers who could instill work values in other freed slaves (p. 33). The Tuskegee Institute received support from Industrialist Andrew Carnegie who saw the apartheid model in South Africa as a format for educating black southerners. Conversely, Du Bois and the NAACP fought against the status quo of a permanent African American underclass in education and the economy (p. 62). It was not until 1954 that the Supreme Court ruled that segregated schools were unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education. The court ruled that separate but equal has no place in education. The separate but equal legislation was from the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, established the precedent for using disbursement of government money as a means of controlling educational policies (p. 117). Additionally, much credit is given to Martin Luther King Jr. for helping move forward civil rights legislation of 1964. The Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act, in the 1950s and 1960s respectively, gave African Americans political equality as well as the right to vote. African Americans have made significant gains in the past 100 years; however, the pace of change has been painfully slow. The election of a part African American President is a strong indication that we as a country have come a long way. Hispanic/Latino Americans After the conquest of Mexican and Puerto Rican lands, the U. S. government instituted deculturalization programs to ensure that these new populations would not rise up against their new government (p. 84). As with other groups, the Naturalization Act of 1790 blocked them from attaining citizenship because they were not white. Despite the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1948, Mexican Americans were not given actual citizenship. Citizenship rights were abridged throughout the Southwest through limitations placed on voting rights and segregation in public accommodations and schooling (p. 89). Moreover, in many instances, U. S. farmers did not want the children of Mexicans to go to school, because they wanted them to work longer hours. Mexican students were forced to speak English in schools. In the last half of the nineteenth century, Mexican Americans tried to escape the anti-Mexican attitudes by attending Catholic schools. Here linguistic diversity was respected. Puerto Rico became a colony of the United States in 1898. Again, as with Native American Indians, government policy concluded that it was less costly to instill and replace culture in Puerto Rican schools than it was to employ force with the military. Teachers who only spoke English came from the U. S. to teach students who mainly spoke Spanish. U. S. educational policy in Puerto Rico attempted to replace Spanish with English as the majority language and to introduce children to the dominant U. S. culture (p. 100). Examples of deculturalization methods included U. S. flag ceremonies and studies focusing on the traditions of the dominant white culture of the United States. In 1912, the Puerto Rican Teachers Association resisted the educational policies of the U. S. and defended the use of Spanish in school. One’s native language is the foundation for future learning (Nieto and Bode, 2008, p. 235). In 1951, after 50 years of struggle, Puerto Rico became a commonwealth. Subsequently, Spanish was once again used in the schools without the dogma of English only laws. Additionally, in 1968, the Bilingual Education Act was passed. It was not until 1974 that the Equal Educational Opportunities Act gave protection to the language rights of students for whom English is not their native language (p. 243). Presently, there are many voluntary immigrants from Latin America. These students are often faced with an assimilation policy which is aimed at Americanizing them. Frequently hybridity is the order of the day for these students. Only blind arrogance could make a dominant group believe that they could go to an island of Spanish-speaking people and teach them a new culture in a new language. As with other groups, the denial of schooling or segregation was maintained in order to continue subordinating the minority. Asian Americans Asian Americans, many of whom were voluntary immigrants, include persons from China, Philippines, Japan, Korea, India, Viet Nam, Laos, Thailand and other counties. The combination of racism and economic exploitation resulted in educational policies designed to deny Asians schooling or to provide segregated schools (Spring, 2010, p. 68). In 1872 the California school code provided no public education for Asian Americans while in 1906, the San Francisco School Board created segregated schools for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean students. Finally, in 1974, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Chinese American parents in Lau v. Nichols. The decision required public schools to provide special assistance to non-English-speaking students to learn English so that they could equally participate in the educational process (p. 124). Each group of minority Americans has pushed for improvements in the educational system. By persevering, they have been able to move toward a more equitable educational system. However, there is still the dominant European American paradigm in place. As the percentage of minority Americans rises in the coming decades, I believe we will see a movement toward a more multicultural paradigm. Personal Comparisons My early education took place in an environment of white teachers and students. The furthest my exposure to different cultures went was going to school and growing up with my Catholic and Jewish neighbors. My elementary school and middle school were 100% white and my high school had 2 Hispanic students. For me, this was normal; I knew little of other cultures. When I reflect on my American History and Social Studies classes, I recall a sanitized story presented with many stories about honorable white men. Although I finished my high school education in 1977, I do not believe that Martin Luther King Jr. or Civil Rights was mentioned once. Moreover, a great deal of social upheaval obviously was occurring; however, the only topic related to the turmoil of the era that made it to my awareness was the war in Viet Nam. After high school, I attended a small private college in Pennsylvania where approximately 30 African Americans and 10 Hispanic students attended. I was acquainted with one of the Hispanic students who had a poster of Che Guevara in his room. All of my professors were apparently European Americans and I continued to study mostly dominant culture stories. Recognizing my own lack of personal direction, I dropped out of school and entered into my own version of home schooling. I purchased a bus ticket for Tucson, Arizona; however, I first stopped in Washington D. C. to visit my Aunt. She took me to a book store where I bought some philosophy books. I explored different philosophies and literature. I travelled, worked, read and explored my values and beliefs. I returned to my home town, Lancaster, PA, and decided to return to formal University life at Millersville State University. From 1984-1987, I again had European American professors. In 1991, I reentered Millersville University to take some graduate courses. I looked into getting a graduate assistantship and found an opening in a program called Upward Bound. I interviewed with the director, whom I knew from earlier years, and with a Filipino and African American student. I got the position and subsequently was working in a multicultural enterprise. I prepared lessons for high school children from multiple ethnic groups. The reason Spring’s history of minority Americans was not part of my education was because I was raised in a racially homogenous region. I think that I could have driven east 20 miles, south 15 miles or north 5 miles and everybody would have been white. Going west 2 miles would take me into the middle of Lancaster city where many African Americans and Puerto Rican Americans live. However, I lived a provincial life and did not interact much with people from other cultures in my youth. Furthermore, it was standard policy at that time to teach from a Eurocentric point of views. The effect on White Americans of an Anglocentric and Eurocentric perspective, which does not include minority Americans, is an incomplete and inaccurate understanding of self and world. The effects on minority Americans also leads to an incomplete and inaccurate understanding of self and world include, as well as increased dropout rates and resistance to education. Additionally, cultural discontinuities may contribute to negative academic outcomes (Nieto and Bode, 2008, pp 181-182). Another effect on minority Americans is clearly a net feeling of not being included in the past and possibly being excluded from present and future events. Exclusion’s result is well described in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. In this book, the narrator is unable to be seen or recognized because he is black. From Spring’s book I learned about the many minority groups that were mistreated and intentionally harmed at personal and cultural levels. Furthermore, I was ignorant about the attempts at deculturalization of Puerto Ricans. Additionally, I knew little about the detailed history of denying education to Asian and Mexican Americans. While I knew about reeducation and denial of education of Native and African Americans, I did not know the extent to which political, economic, and social forces combined to prevent these groups from experiencing their historical culture or from participating in the dominant, European American culture. Conclusion European Americans have quashed cultures in the United States through education. Native American, African, Hispanic, and Asian minorities have witnessed a persistent attack on their beliefs, values, and languages by those who either 1) thought that they were better or 2) wanted to deprive others of their pursuit of happiness in order to support economic and political position. Consistent deculturalization efforts were made toward Native Americans by government agents establishing schools for Native Americans and by boarding schools. By controlling the content and context in which education took place, U. S. educators suffocated Native American Culture and resuscitated it with the European mores. The multiple cultures of Americans from African descent were hollowed through denial of education, physical intimidation, segregation, and inferior facilities. Persistent attempts to correct the status quo by the NAACP, Martin Luther King Jr. , and several other organizations and individuals have moved the U. S. government to redress some inequities in the educational system. Mexican Americans were also placed in English-only schools or no school at all. During the twentieth century, Puerto Rican students faced the same threats of deculturalization as did Asian Americans in nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Legislation in the latter part of the twentieth century has also redressed some inequities in educational opportunities for these groups while, the No Child Left Behind Act has reduced some of the multicultural gains in education which disappoints many in the teaching profession. References Nieto, Sonia and Bode, Patty (2008). Affirming diversity: The sociopolitical context of multicultural education. Boston. Pearson Education Inc. Spring, Joel (2010). Deculturalization and the struggle for equality. New York. McGraw-Hill.