The Death Penalty Essay Example for Free

The Death Penalty Essay The death penalty is a capital punishment that is put into effect for major crimes. The death penalty is a very controversial topic in the United States and throughout the world. There was a time period were the death penalty was banned for about four years in 1972-1976. Many feel that the death penalty is justice because it is retribution toward criminals who have committed heinous crimes. However the death penalty is inhumane and should be abolished in the United States. The death penalty has been around since the beginning of civilization. â€Å"Capital Punishment has been practiced in most known societies over the course of humans history† (Garland 30). The website Introduction to the Death Penalty states that the death was first established for 25 different crimes, however, over the years the laws have changed. Fortunately, only one-third of the world still uses this type of punishment. There are only a few developed countries that have the death penalty, such as Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea. The most recent countries that have abolished the death penalty because they deamed it inhumane are Burundi, and Togo in 2009, and Gabon in 2010. Unfortunately the U. S. is one of the few developed countries that still have the death penalty. Writer Scott Christianson says, â€Å"In the United States, however, serious consideration of abolition was slower in the coming, for political reasons. On the one hand, capital punishment had been used since the earliest days of exploration and Colonization; it was still legal in all but a few states† (176). In the U. S. nly fourteen states have abolished the death penalty, the most recent states to abolish the death penalty are New York in 2007, New Mexico in 2009, and Illinois in 2011. Writer Michael Meranze says, â€Å"Europe redefined itself as a death penalty- free zone and seventy countries around the globe abolished the death since 1976, where us the United States not only reinstated capital punishment but thirty-six states and the federal government expanded its use and provenance† (Garland et. all 73). â€Å"Since 1977, 611 people have been executed in the United States †¦. xecutions in the U. S. have been carried out at an increasing rate, with more than half of the executions since 1976 having occurred in the last five years† (Barry). The United States has used many different methods to execute prisoners over the years. Two of the first methods were hanging and firing squad. Although these methods are considered archaic now, there are still some states that allow the use of hanging and firing squads. These states that can still use hanging are Delaware, New Hampshire, and Washington. States that can still use firing squads are Idaho, Oklahoma, and Utah. Another method of execution that was used for years in the U. S. is the electric chair. There is currently only one state that still uses the electric chair as its main method of execution, which is Nebraska. Another method that is rarely used but is still on the books for some states is the gas chamber. Writer Scott Christianson says, â€Å"The earliest gas chamber for execution purposes was constructed in the Nevada state penitentiary at Carson city and first employed on February 8, 1924 †¦(1). States that still have the gas chamber are Arizona, California, Missouri, and Wyoming. The main source of execution for all states with the death penalty [with the exception of Nebraska is lethal injection. Lethal injection is puts poisonous drugs into a person’s bloodstream to kill them. However because the poisonous drug is so expensive some states are starting to use the same drug to put down animals for human beings. Advocates claim that having the death penalty for crimes deters crime because they think people are scared of punishment; however, the death penalty does not deter crime. The death penalty is useless because the criminals committing the crime are not thinking about the death penalty but rather how to stay alive. â€Å"The attempt to reduce murders in the drug trade by threat of severe punishment ignores the fact that anyone trafficking in illegal drugs is already risking his life in violent competition with other dealers. It is irrational to think that the death penalty – a remote threat at best – will avert murders committed in drug turf wars or by street-level dealers† (Bedau). This shows that the death penalty is not stopping murders from occurring. The introduction to the death penalty conducted a survey were top criminologists stated that the death penalty does not deter homicide rates (Introduction). â€Å"For 2009, the average Murder Rate of Death Penalty States was 4. 9 [Murder rates by the 100,000], while the average Murder Rate of States without the Death Penalty was 2. 8† (Introduction). Not only does the death penalty not deter crime but it is also very expensive. The death penalty costs so much because of the appeal process. The appeal process is a very long and expensive process that can go on forever and costs the government millions. Many assume that abolishing the death penalty is wrong because it becomes unfair to the taxpayers because they think the cost is less than that of life in prison without parole. However life in prison is less expensive than the death penalty (Bedau). The death penalty is actually three times more than keeping a prisoner in prison for life without parole (Messerli). Death penalty trials are costly as well. â€Å"[S]tudies estimate that death penalty trials cost $1 million more than trials in which the prosecutors seek life without parole† (Introduction). Therefore the government needs to stop executing people because it is unfair to the taxpayers. The death penalty costs one-hundred thirty-seven million dollars annually. Writer John Van De Kamp says, â€Å"With California facing its most severe financial crisis in recent memory—with draconian cuts about to be imposed from Sacramento that will affect every resident of the state—it would be crazy not to consider the fact that it [The Death Penalty] will add as much as $1 billion over the next five years simply to keep the death penalty on the books. Therefore the government needs to rid of the death penalty in order to put taxpayer’s money to better use. One of the biggest problems with the death penalty is that it is racially imbalanced. Juries assign the death penalty more often to minorities than to Whites. â€Å"Capital punishment opponents argue that racial bias on the behalf of prosecutors, judges, and juries results in disproportionately high numbers of convicts and death penalties for African-American defendants† (â€Å"Issues†). The defendant who is a person of color is much more likely to get the death penalty if the victim is white. [A]s of 2002, 12 people have been executed where the defendant was white and the murder victim was black, compared with a 178 black defendants executed for murders with white victims† (Bedau). There are still these uneven numbers in death row to this day. There has been evidence in murder cases that juries have been racist and have sentenced some people to prison while others, mostly black, have been given the death penalty (Bedau). Minorities are disproportionately given the death penalty with a 43% of executions since 1976 and a 55% awaiting the death penalty (Bedau). These facts are shameful to the country. Another big reason why the U. S. shouldn’t have the death penalty is the financial imbalance among defendants. People who have money have a better chance of being proved innocent because they can afford better attorneys than poor people. Professor Scott Philip from the University of Denver says, â€Å"Defendants who hired counsel for the entire case were never sentenced to death. Even defendants who hired counsel for a portion of the case were substantially less likely to be sentenced to death than defendants with appointed counsel† (American). These who can’t afford attorneys have to rely on public defenders, who are incredibly overburdened in their jobs and are sometimes in competent. â€Å"Poor people accused of capital crimes are often defended by lawyers who lack the skills, resources, and commitment to handle such serious matters. This fact is confirmed in case after case† (Bright). This unfortunate act committed in this country leads to people being wrongfully sentenced. Because of the racial and financial imbalances, even proponents of capital punishment should recognize that the system is broken. A part of the death penalty that people tend to avoid is the fact that woman and men are executed (Messerli). Wrongly sentenced people are one of the biggest problems with the death penalty. â€Å"How many innocent people will the United States execute before we stop this barbaric punishment? † (Dicks 31). The number of people that have been executed, that were later found innocent is not the ideal numbers that people want to hear. â€Å"Total of 69 people have been released from death row since 1973 after evidence of their innocence emerged† (Dieter). In the Bedau-Radelet report on ‘Miscarriages of Justice in Potentially Capital Cases,’ it was reported that 350 people have been wrongfully sentenced, twenty-three of which were actually killed by the state before they were found to have been innocent† (Dicks 79). There is no way to ensure that this won’t sometimes happen, so the U. S. can’t ethically use the death penalty. The biggest reason that there should not be a death penalty is that it is morally wrong. â€Å"It violates the right to life as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights† (Abolish). It also can’t undo what’s already been done. It is useless in that it doesn’t bring the victim back to life† (Messerli). The death penalty doesn’t help anybody and doesn’t show that killing is ok. Therefore, â€Å"It sends the wrong message: why kill people who kill people to show killing is wrong† (Messerli). The United States is one of the most elite nations in the world; however, people in the U. S. don’t have the sense to get rid of the death penalty. The penalty is inhumane and should be abolished in the United States. This punishment goes against everything the U. S. stands for and it is a denial a humans rights to live. Throughout our history, critics have tried to brand the death penalty as the vestige of a mad primitive age, a practice that an enlightened society would reject. And each time they have advanced their case—but only so far† (Kay). People need a government that is fair to all and does not deny people their rights to live. People need a government that will not just settle with just, but will fight for what is right for the people of the United States of America. â€Å"Why should a nation that casts itself as a leader in the battle for human rights resist so tenaciously the elimination of a practice so self-evidently a holdover from darker times? †

The Debate Over Abortion Essay example -- Informative Essay

With the ongoing debate and the advancement of technology in determining the viability of a fetus, abortion, the ending of a pregnancy by removing a fertilized egg, has become increasingly controversial. The morality of abortion has caused many to separate into opposite sides of the spectrum, pro-life and pro-choice. The arguments over abortion has stirred a continuous debate between a pro-choice stance such as that presented by the analogical reasoning of Thomson or Glover’s examination of social context and a pro-life position argued by a moral view of personhood by Noonan. The ethical arguments presented by the conflicting views in the abortion debate has caused others to taken into consideration a sociological account visible in Luker’s examinations of world views in order to discover underlying motivations. The debate has caused many to argue either in support of or against abortion. In the article â€Å"A Defense of Abortion,† Judith Jarvis Thomson uses analogical reasoning (such as the case of the sick violinist) to support and convince a right to abortion. Thomson presents the argument that all people are entitled a right to life and that a person’s right to life outweighs any person’s right to decide what happens to their body (1, Thomson, CC p.188).Thomson proposes a hypothetical situation in which the reader is kidnapped and their circulatory system is linked with that of a sick violinist in order to prevent his kidneys from failing. If the person agrees to offer his or her kidneys, they would have to remain plugged for nine months or even more. However if the person refuses, the violinist would die. By using the sick violinist example, Thomson seeks to undermine the argument that an abortion cannot be performed because ... ... pro-choice activists leads to a re-evaluation of the moral arguments such as those given by Thomson, Noonan, and Glover. Luker’s explanations enlarge our capacity of reasoning by appealing to social beliefs and values that help us to understand the social behavior and the motivations behind pro-choice and pro-life activists. Luker’s account ultimately expands the level of ethical reasoning to generate moral insights concerning the ethics of abortion because it helps us to look beyond the surface of the arguments about abortion and search into the roots and causes of the debate. Once these motivations are exposed, one can assess the complex relationship between differing social values and the arguments of conflicting views on abortion. Works Cited â€Å"A Defense of Abortion,† Judith Jarvis Thomson â€Å"Abortion & the Politics of Motherhood,† Kristen Luker

Athens in the Time of Pericles †Religion Death and Burial Essay

Pericles lived from 495-429 BC. During this time, religion was inextricably linked with Athenian society. It contributed to a lot of Athenian culture and the many aspects of religion were depicted through buildings, artworks, festivals and every day rituals. Gods and Goddesses In Greek mythology there were 12 main gods, that were prayed to and worshipped by the Athenians. It was said they lived on top of Mount Olympus. They resembled human form and through their stories of love, war and passion they were also viewed to have human feelings. The Greeks believed that the gods were immortal. The gods were associated with three main domains, Heaven, sea and earth. The 12 gods were: God/Goddess name Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis Demeter Hephaestus Hera (Queen of heaven and wife of Zeus) Hermes (Messenger of the Gods) Hestia Poseidon Zeus (Lord of the Gods, Spiritual father of the Gods and the people) Heaven Heaven Heaven Heaven Earth Heaven Heaven Heaven Heaven Sea Heaven Domain Specialty Love, romance and beauty Sun, light, medicine, poetry and music War Hunting, the forest, wildlife, childbirth and the moon Agriculture Fire Marriage and magic Business Home and Homelife The sea, horses and earthquakes The sky. Dio Crysostomos (97 A.D) declared the image of Zeus so powerful that, â€Å"If a man, with a heavy heart from grief and sorrow in life, will stand in front of the statue, he will forget all these.† Athena (Patron goddess of Athens and daughter of Zeus) Heaven War, wisdom and crafts. Evidence of Athena being the patron goddess is the Athenian silver tetradrachm from 454-404 BC. Like on the coin, she’s generally depicted wearing a helmet and shown with an owl or olive tree as they were sacred to her. According to mythology, she gifted the olive tree to the city of Athens. Tara Heaslip Wednesday, 19 June 2013 6:12:56 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time Attica. Athens, c. 454-404 BC. Silver â€Å"old-style† tetradrachm. Head of Athena right, wearing crested helmet ornamented with olive leaves / Owl standing right, olive sprig and crescent moon behind. Apart from the main 12 gods and goddesses there were many others that were just as popular and worshipped just as much, for example, Dionysus. There is much evidence of the belief in these gods such as paintings, artworks and inscriptions, for example, a vase that has been dated back to 470-460 BC which depicts Zeus. Amphora, 470-460 B.C. This vase depicts Zeus aiming a lightening bolt at a giant with an eagle perched on his hand. Beliefs, practices and organisations Religion was a fundamental aspect of Greek life and the Athenian people incorporated it into their everyday lives as they believed their lives were dependent on the gods. It was believed that gods could interfere in the lives of men, so prayer was used by the people, so the gods would take favour and act kindly towards them. Xenophon said â€Å"The gods know everything and they give forewarnings to anyone they choose through sacriï ¬ ces, omens, voices and dreams.† The Athenians used sacriï ¬ ces, temples and prayers to honor particular gods and goddesses. They believed in the three ‘Fates,’ Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. Clotho was the youngest, she spun the thread of destiny with a distaff and determined the time of birth of an individual. Lachesis measured the thread length to determine the length of life and Atropos cut the thread of life, determining the time of death. Worship of the gods consisted of rituals and ceremonies. The relationship between human beings and deities was based on the concept of exchange; Gods and goddesses were expected to answer prayers and humans were expected to give gifts and sacriï ¬ ces. Tara Heaslip Wednesday, 19 June 2013 6:12:56 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time Evidence of the sacriï ¬ ces made by the Athenians came from Lysias (around 400 BC) who stated, â€Å"By performing the proper sacriï ¬ ces, our ancestors left our city the most powerful and prosperous in Greece. It is therefore right that we offer the same sacriï ¬ ces as they did, if only for the sake of the good fortune which has resulted.† Sacriï ¬ ces were the central ritual act performed by Athenians. Animals sacriï ¬ ced had to be willing, therefore they would sprinkle water on it so it’ll lift it’s head and ‘nod’. The richer families gave a blood sacriï ¬ ce almost everyday, however the poor couldn’t afford it. Treasuries were built at Olympia and Delphi to store generous offerings. Evidence of this is part of a female face with inlaid eyes which has been dated back to 4th cent. BC. Ancient Greek Votive offering, 4th cent. BC, set in a niche of a pillar in the sanctuary of Asclepios in Athens Athenian religion was characterised by a diversity of cults. People joined cults because they wanted a closer connection with one particular god. Although everyone believed and worshipped all 12 Olympian gods there were cults to speciï ¬ c gods, especially those not apart of the Pantheon. Evidence of the cults was the Votive plaque which dates back to the mid-4th Century BC and depicts elements of the Eleusinian Mysteries, which was a cult which celebrated Demeter and Persephone. Tara Heaslip Wednesday, 19 June 2013 6:12:56 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time Votive plaque, discovered in the sanctuary at Eleusis (mid-4th century BC) Private worship included family prayers and wine offerings. In the home, there were household shrines and many people offered daily libations to different gods. Private rituals included prayers, meals and storytelling. This god would be chosen depending on the families needs and lifestyle. E.g. Demeter, if they were a agricultural/farming family. They would pay this god special honor but made sure they didn’t exclude any of the others. Worship of the gods also took place publicly. Public meetings opened with recognition of the gods, festivals were dedicated to the gods as were temples, statues and artworks and many sacriï ¬ ces made to the gods were a public event. Mockery of the gods wasn’t regarded as blasphemy and was accepted in athenian life. Evidence of this is Aristophanes play, The Frogs, which depicts Dionysus as cowardly, gluttonous and morally depraved, was acted at Athens at the Lenaean festival (B.C. 405). Temples and Sanctuaries The Acropolis is the oldest part of Athens, it’s the sacred hill and during the reign of Pericles it became the place of the most famous Athenian temples, shrines and statues dedicated to the Gods. Pericles’ building program further evidences the Athenian’s devotion to the gods in all aspects of daily life. Pericles built many temples in honour of the various gods and goddesses, particularly to Athena, to thank her for Athens’ success in the Persian wars. The Parthenon was a temple built on the Acropolis in 448-432 BC. It was built in dedication to Athena for the salvation of Athens and Greece in the Persian wars. It was also used as a treasury. A statue of Athena was built, by Phidias, inside which stood 10 meters tall, made of ivory and gold. A big part of the Parthenon is the Panathenaic Frieze, which was made to depict the Panathenaic festival. Metopes were sculpted into the Parthenon. On the east side the struggle between the gods and the giants was depicted, on the west side was an Amazonomachy, on the south side the battle between the lapiths and the centaurs was shown and depicted on the north side was the Trojan War. There were also many pedimental sculptures which depicted images such as the contest between Poseidon and Athena. Tara Heaslip Wednesday, 19 June 2013 6:12:56 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time South Metope 31, Lapith and Centaur, 447-432 B.C. The Erechtheum is a temple on the northern side of the Acropolis and was dedicated to Athena and Poseidon. It was built between 421 and 407 BC and was designed to accommodate the Plynteria and the Panathenaia. Within the temple lived the sacred snake, which represented a spirit who was thought to keep the city safe. The snake was fed honey-cakes by the priestesses of Athena Polias. The snake’s occasional refusal to eat the cakes was seen as a bad omen. Festivals The Panathenaia is a festival held annually and is the most important as it was dedicated to Athena. It’s held on the 28th day of Hekatombaion which is believed to be Athena’s birthday. Every four years the festival would be extended with many games and a contests being held, this was known as the Greater Panathenaia, whilst the festival held every other year was known as the lesser Panathenaia. The festival holds great religious signiï ¬ cance however it was used to implement the power and political supremacy of Athens. A large part was the Panathenaic games included solo and group contests. The games began with individual activities such as wrestling, horse drawn chariot races and the pentathlon. The individual contests were open for all greek citizens however the group contests were reserved for Athenian citizens. The group contests consisted of a beauty contest between athletes, military dances and a mock combat. Participants from all over Greece were also invited to participate in musical and poetry competitions. A torch race took place in the evening and was then followed by a night of dancing and singing. Evidence of these competitions was the Panathenaic amphoras, which were given to the winners of competitions as a prize. Panathenaic Amphora, depicting foot races at the games, 530 B.C. Tara Heaslip Wednesday, 19 June 2013 6:12:56 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time Amphora, depicting a musician performing with a music instrument used in festivals, 490 B.C. The next day held one of the most important aspects of the festival which was the Panathenaic procession. During this procession a peplos was given as a gift to Athena. A new one was woven and decorated for her every year. It was an honor to be chosen as one of the Ergastinai to make the peplos. Many offerings were brought on to the life size statue of Athena at the end of the procession. Only citizens were allowed to the Acropolis, everyone else remained at the gateway. The Hecatomb was made at the Acropolis. Upon the altar of Athena meat from sacriï ¬ ced animals such as cows and sheep was used in a ritual meal to end the festival, however only certain people were invited to this. Evidence of the Panathenaia and the procession is the Parthenon frieze depicts many aspects of the festival such as the procession and the games.

Asian Countries

Asian countries are strong in culture values and intelligent minds. It have given birth to popular celebrities, famous priests and good politicians, (Sweetman, K. 2012). However, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia are multi-ethnic societies with Malays, Chinese and Indians, (Commisceo Global. 2018). These countries are on ethnicities retain their customs, religions and lifestyles. In Malaysia, people are maintain face and avoid shame. This makes Malaysian strive for harmonious relationships. Indonesia is large diverse nation which have great deal of attention from it government to maintain a cohesion, (Commisceo Global. 2018). Singapore have concepts of group, harmony and mutual security are more important than individual. They also emphasize loyalty, unity and respect for elder.POWER DISTANCEAccording to Geert, power distance is attitude of culture towards inequalities in the society, (Hofstede, G. 2011). Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia are scores higher than 71 which is average score of Asian countries, (Sweetman, K. 2012). This shows that Asian culture is more paternalistic, hence people expect and accept different incomes and privileges, (Fanggy, P and Brian, S. 2014). Subordinates maintain a distance from the bosses and have sense of respect and fear, (Fanggy, P and Brian, S. 2014). In education system, teachers are treated with respect and class is strict order. Moreover, Parents have big authority and respect to parents and elderly lasts during whole life. Therefore, children are not supported to be initiative. In comparison, Malaysia has higher power distance compare to Singapore and Indonesia. This is because of Malay feudal system and the influence of British, (Fanggy, P and Brian, S. 2014). Thus, Malay culture is very respectful of a complex of titled classes and untitled ‘commoners' and to great power to top of organisation.INDIVIDUALISMMalaysia, Singapore and Indonesia are geared towards a collectivism culture, meaning that the group is more important than individual, (Merkin, R. 2015). Responsibility exists and when one participant breaks the rule then the whole group feels disgraced. Therefore, these countries give more importance to family. Furthermore, harmony is very crucial and open conflict is avoided, (Globig. 2010). ‘Saving face' for other is always a goal and bosses always calm and respectful, (Globig. 2010). In comparison, Indonesian are highly collective comparing with Malaysia and Singapore. This is because they hold their traditions tightly. The principle of Bhineka Tunggal IKa (unity in diversity) was adopted for the republic, (Rahmawati, M. 2010). Moreover, they idea regarding belief in God, humanity, tolerance, democracy and justice are incorporated in the Pancasila (five principle) which reflects country's way of life as the reflection of collectivism, (Rahmawati, M. 2010).MASCULINITYMasculinity focus on societies with assertiveness, materialism and achievements whereas femininity refer to societies of caring, modesty and quality of life, (Blog on Linguistics. 2013). According to Geert, there are slightly differences between Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. Despite, Malaysia is in middle, that consensus and sympathy are important, as are being modest and humble. However, Singapore and Indonesia have low masculinity which consider as femininity. These countries are social relationship oriented and give importance to quality of life rather than money. Also these give high priority for environmental protection rather than economic growth.UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCEUncertainty avoidance is the way society handles with the things that will happen in future, (Hofstede, G. 2011). According to the chart, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia are low preference for avoiding uncertainty which are willing to take risk and try new in life. Furthermore, the countries are prefer to maintain more relaxed attitude and punctuality do not come naturally. In addition, these countries are comfortable with ambiguity and chaos and there is no problem when change jobs. In comparison, although all countries are weak in uncertainty avoidance, Singapore has very low uncertainty avoidance. In other words, Singaporean accepts the change easily and they state their country as Fine country, (Hofstede, G. 2011). Another reason, they also maintain greater level of tolerance towards unorthodox ideas. Therefore, Singapore is more creative than other countries.LONG-TERM ORIENTATIONLong term orientation prefer future more importance than past and present, (Hofstede, G. 2011). According to the Geert, Singapore and Indonesia are long term orientated culture which known as ‘pragmatism', (Hofstede, G. 2011). Basically, it support long term investment, respect to knowledge, honesty, openness to new thought, responsibility and self-discipline, (Blog on Linguistics. 2013). Therefore, Singapore and Indonesia have strong propensity to save and invest for future, at the same time also focuses on quick result. In other hand, Malaysia is short term orientated culture which have more focus on their personal well-being and spend very low on environment, (Blog on Linguistics. 2013). Malaysian are primarily respect tradition especially Malays. An addition, they also more concern with ‘face saving' and fulfil social obligations. Therefore, they are more independence and focus on quick result compare to Singapore and Indonesia.INDULGENCEIndulgent societies allow free gratification related to enjoying life and have fun, (Globig. 2010). Therefore, Malaysia is indulgent country which majority are happy and most of them are obese. Malaysian have perception of personal life control and focuses more on leisure. Moreover, they educated population with higher birth rates. In other hand, Indonesia have restrained societies that suppress of needs and regulate them by strict social norms, (Globig. 2010). Hence, Indonesian give lower importance for the leisure. Only few people involved in sports. Country with enough food but less obese people. However, Singapore falls in the middle on this dimension.RECOMMENDATIONAs a recommendation, Malaysia should improve on long term orientation. Long term working towards future goal and maintain harmonious relationship for future. Moreover, in business, long term investment will get more profit. Thus, can build strong market position. Singapore should improve on higher uncertainty avoidance. Therefore, Singapore could have more structure and rule, which people do not make mistakes. For example, can reduce car collisions. It also will increase security rather than taking risks. Indonesia should improve on individualism. It brings respects on individual rights and do not require people to change their true personalities for society. Furthermore, individual society motivated people to strive for success. Moreover, individualism can reduce the country's tax pay.

Free Essays on Langston Hughes Role In The Harlem Renaissance

Langston Hughes’ Role in the Harlem Renaissance? Langston Hughes (1902-1967) was born in Joplin, Missouri and educated at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. He published his first poem, â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers,† in Crisis magazine in 1921 and studied at Columbia University from 1921 to 1922. He lived in Paris for a time and after his return to the United States, he worked as a busboy in Washington, D.C. there in 1925, his literary skills were discovered after he left three of his poems beside the plate of American poet Vachel Lindsay who recognized Hughes abilities and subsequently helped publicize Hughes work. Hughes never married and several of his friends were homosexual, among them Carl Van Vechten, who wrote the controversial novel Nigger Heaven (1926) therefore causing an unrelevant speculation about his sexuality. Hughes wrote in many genres, but he is best known for his poetry in which he disregarded classical forms in favor of musical rhythms and the oral and improvisatory traditions of black culture. h ttp://myhero.com/hero.asp?hero=langstonHughes Langston Hughes earned a place amongst the greatest poets America has ever produced. The literature he created became part of the Harlem Renaissance Movement. The term Harlem Renaissance refers to an artistic, cultural, and social growing of writing about race and the African American's place in American life during the early 1920s and 1930s. Hughes' poetry announced to the world that the streets of black America were culturally rich, vibrant and fiercely poetic. This announcement became his life's mission and was foretold in different pieces written long before his name became a beloved household name. http://myhero.com/hero.asp?hero=langstonHughes One of the most characteristic aspects of the Harlem Renaissance was the diversity of its expression. From the mid-1920s through the mid-1930s, some 16 black writers published more than 50 volumes of poetry and fictio... Free Essays on Langston Hughes' Role In The Harlem Renaissance Free Essays on Langston Hughes' Role In The Harlem Renaissance Langston Hughes’ Role in the Harlem Renaissance? Langston Hughes (1902-1967) was born in Joplin, Missouri and educated at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. He published his first poem, â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers,† in Crisis magazine in 1921 and studied at Columbia University from 1921 to 1922. He lived in Paris for a time and after his return to the United States, he worked as a busboy in Washington, D.C. there in 1925, his literary skills were discovered after he left three of his poems beside the plate of American poet Vachel Lindsay who recognized Hughes abilities and subsequently helped publicize Hughes work. Hughes never married and several of his friends were homosexual, among them Carl Van Vechten, who wrote the controversial novel Nigger Heaven (1926) therefore causing an unrelevant speculation about his sexuality. Hughes wrote in many genres, but he is best known for his poetry in which he disregarded classical forms in favor of musical rhythms and the oral and improvisatory traditions of black culture. h ttp://myhero.com/hero.asp?hero=langstonHughes Langston Hughes earned a place amongst the greatest poets America has ever produced. The literature he created became part of the Harlem Renaissance Movement. The term Harlem Renaissance refers to an artistic, cultural, and social growing of writing about race and the African American's place in American life during the early 1920s and 1930s. Hughes' poetry announced to the world that the streets of black America were culturally rich, vibrant and fiercely poetic. This announcement became his life's mission and was foretold in different pieces written long before his name became a beloved household name. http://myhero.com/hero.asp?hero=langstonHughes One of the most characteristic aspects of the Harlem Renaissance was the diversity of its expression. From the mid-1920s through the mid-1930s, some 16 black writers published more than 50 volumes of poetry and fictio...

Complete Guide to Peer Recommendations

Complete Guide to Peer Recommendations SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Choose your friends wisely, they say...because they might be getting you into college. Granted, that phrase probably didn't originate in the world of competitive college admissions, but it applies to Dartmouth and Davidson, both of which require peer recommendations along with the traditional teacher and counselor recs. Your peers can (and are expected to) give a different perspective than your teachers and counselors. This guide will go over the exact requirements for peer evaluations, along with advice on who you can ask and how to ensure a strong peer recommendation for your college applications. To start, which schools want a peer letter of rec, and what are they looking for? Requirements for Peer Recommendations The only two schools that require peer recs so far are Dartmouth and Davidson (well, Dartmouth just "strongly encourages" that you send one, but that's the same as required when you're applying to such a selective school). Some students also opt to provide supplemental peer evaluations to other colleges, especially if their teacher or counselor rec letters are lacking in deep insight or information. I would advise caution about this- admissions officers usually don't enjoy too much extra material unless it really adds an important dimension to The Story of You. For Dartmouth, your peer evaluation can come from much pretty much anybody, whether it's a friend, fellow student, co-worker, or sibling. Dartmouth says, "You might ask a friend from school, or camp, or your neighborhood. It might be a teammate, someone from your community of faith, or a co-worker. Perhaps a cousin, a sibling: it doesn't matter. We don't want another letter from a teacher, coach, or other supervisory presence in your life; we have enough of those. Ask a peer who can provide fresh insight into your interests and your character. Davidson, on the other hand, seems to prefer that the peer remain outside the family and be a classmate or friend. They say, "This Peer Recommendation is to be completed by a classmate or close friend who knows the applicant well and can evaluate the applicant's strengths. This recommendation can provide useful information in ascertaining the competitiveness of the applicant. You, as a close friend or classmate, know the applicant in a different way than do teachers, counselors, principals, and advisors. Your insights will help us to understand the nature and extent of the respect accorded to the applicant by peers. Since Davidson can select only a small number of the total applicant pool to fill each year's entering class, your assessment of this applicant's strengths and weaknesses will be important in our decision." Both Dartmouth and Davidson are hoping the peer evaluation will provide fresh insight into the applicant's character and personality. Rather than speaking to your academic achievement and potential, peer recs can discuss your personal qualities and passions, along with who you are as a friend and how you'll interact and contribute socially on campus. This is an important and distinct shift from teacher and counselor recommendations, which tend to be more formal and focused on past achievements and future potential. Before delving deeper into exactly what admissions committees are looking for in peer recommendations, let's conclude these logistics with information on how to submit. Dartmouth will have you add your peer recommender using the "Other Recommender" tab on the Common Application. Your friend or relative will upload his/her letter onto the Common App. Davidson asks peer recommenders to upload their letters here. In addition to the statement of support, recommenders are asked to rank you on a number of character traits and personal qualities, such as your leadership, energy and initiative, self-confidence, concern for others, and reaction to criticism. While the additional statement seems optional, simply saying, "We welcome any additional statement you wish to make about the applicant," it's important that your peer recommender give a thoughtful response. That's the main part of the peer evaluation. Apart from getting a sense of who you are as a peer rather than as a student, what do admissions officers hope to learn from the peer letter of reference? The drama! The intrigue! The heartfelt support of a close friend! What Do Admissions Committees Look For in Peer Recommendations? Admissions officers like to emphasize that their process is a "holistic" one, meaning they're not just looking at grades and test scores, but rather trying to get a sense of who the student is as a person. Some of a student's motivations, interests, and commitments can be gleaned from their involvement in and out of school and accomplishments over the years. A student active in her school's Gay-Straight Alliance and Amnesty International likely cares about activism, social justice, and the promotion of human rights. However, one student might be involved in these clubs because she aspires to be a human rights lawyer, while another student might be driven to use social entrepreneurship to promote causes she believes in. Both these goals speak to different interests and future fields of study and plans. Recommendation letters can shed more light on why a student does what she does. They can describe what drives a student and what personal qualities make her stand out. Peer recommendations are unique, because they can speak to your character and personality from the perspective of a friend and sibling. They're not expected to be formal or to try to emulate how a teacher or counselor might write. Instead, they can reflect the relationship you and your recommender have together. Admissions officers want to know what kind of friend, roommate, and peer you'll be when you come to campus. Some skills that might impress them include strong communication, collaboration, passion, focus, resourcefulness, humor, friendliness, compassion, and resilience. Your peer is in an especially good spot to comment on your qualities as a friend, whether it include your openness, emotional intelligence, maturity, loyalty, creativity, and supportiveness, to name a few. The strongest recommendations will highlight and dive deeply into a few significant qualities. They'll also use specific examples and stories to demonstrate those qualities. Rather than simply calling you a supportive friend, for instance, your recommender could write about the care packages you put together for her every day for a month when her family was going through tough times. As the old adage of creative writing goes, your recommender should remember to "show, don't tell." Given all this, who can you ask that will write you a thoughtful, insightful, and colorful letter of recommendation? Decisions are hard. Who Should You Ask for a Peer Recommendation? The best peer recommendations come from people who know you well. Your recommender should be able to write about meaningful, touching, funny, or poignant experiences that illuminate positive aspects of you. Of course, you also want to make sure there's no conflict of interest that could potentially compromise your recommendation. If your friend is also applying to Dartmouth, has been planning her whole life to go there, and is worried about how selective it is, you might want to ask yourself if there's any chance she doesn't have your best interests at heart. Hopefully no one would purposely sabotage your application for her own gain, but just something to consider! A third important consideration is how strong of a writer your friend is, and how much time and effort she can give to your letter. While she may have the best intentions of helping you, if she has subpar writing skills or is juggling her own insanely busy schedule, then your letter might not end up as the powerful statement of support you need for selective schools like Dartmouth and Davidson. Finally, I would say that your friend's openness to suggestions and advice could be another helpful factor. Assuming your friend isn't a Dartmouth or Davidson admissions expert, you could help her out a lot by telling her about the school's culture and about what goes into a strong letter of recommendation. You can share information and advice with her, and she can learn about peer recommendation letters in her effort to write a strong one. A friend who's open to learning about the key content, structure, and techniques that go into making a rec letter stand out will likely provide a more valuable reference than one who just wants to wing it! In addition to gathering information about yourself, your college of choice, and peer recommendation letters, what else can you prepare to ask your friend for this favor? This is serious preparation (or a bad case of freshman backpack). How Should You Ask for a Peer Recommendation? Assuming you're taking my first piece of advice and asking someone with whom you're close and who knows you well, then hopefully it's easy to request this favor. In the asking, I would recommend describing exactly what it entails and all the key information. For instance, you should talk to your friend about the school you're applying to, whether it be Davidson or Dartmouth, so she knows about its profile and expectations. You should share your application with her, so that her recommendation can complement it or add a new dimension. If you've spoken in length about your commitment to volunteer work in your community, for example, then your friend could zoom in on your caring, compassionate, open nature and skill at connecting with people from all walks of life. Remind your friend that the recommendation is meant to reveal your personal qualities and indicate what kind of peer you'll be on campus. Your friend should indicate how they know you, in what contexts, and what makes them qualified to recommend you. For instance, this example shows that the recommender and recommendee have been friends for a long time, as well as gives an example to demonstrate Susie's adventurous spirit: Susie and I have been attending Happy Pine Tree Summer Camp since we were ten, first as campers and now as counselors. I knew from the first summer, when Susie eagerly volunteered to be the first to zipline over the valley, that she had a fearless, adventurous, and bold spirit. It's that spirit that drew me to her on that first day of camp and that continues to inspire me and everyone around Susie to live life to the fullest. This letter could focus on Susie's fearless nature and her leadership and motivational skills. It could also discuss her goals for the future and how these qualities will ensure that she achieves them. In addition to describing your relationship, highlighting a few specific strengths, and telling specific stories, your recommender should also know the value of using powerful language. Words like compassionate, brilliant, and energetic are usually more impactful than nice, smart, and fun. To make sure your friend knows the importance and purpose of rec letters, you could discuss these tips with her, as well as give them guides like this one. Teaching her about rec letters will both make your final letter stronger and help her approach it from a knowledgable and purposeful standpoint. Reference letters are typically confidential, so it's up to your peer whether she wants to share it and get your feedback. Even if she chooses to keep it private, you can help shape what goes into it by sharing all this input. Finally, I would encourage your friend to be creative and write in the style that's most authentic for her. Peer evaluations don't have to be formal- they can be funny or heartfelt, conversational or serious. The most important thing is that they clearly and convincingly present your outstanding qualities and show that you have a friend eager to go to bat for you. Your friend can choose how she can best communicate exactly what makes you so awesome. Since the rec letter takes time and thought, I would recommend asking your friend at least a month before your deadline. You can remind her again about a week before your deadline. Finally, make sure to thank her afterwards with hugs, cupcakes, or whatever token of appreciation she'd like best. To sum up, let's go over the key steps that got you to this point of gratitude cupcakes. Key Takeaways for Peer Letters of Rec Ask someone who knows you well, has strong writing skills, and 100% supports you and your college plans. Give your recommender plenty of time before your deadline, and educate him or her on the college, your goals, and what makes a great rec letter, like meaningful stories and examples. You may also share the rest of your application so your peer can complement it in the letter. Check in with him/her to see about any questions or if (s)he wants to brainstorm ideas. Finally, make sure your peer knows exactly how and when to submit your recommendation. A mediocre peer recommendation probably won't sink your application, but a stellar one could go a long way towards making you come alive for admissions committees as a student they want on their campus come fall. Especially at a highly selective Ivy League school like Dartmouth, every aspect of your application counts. So if you do ultimately get the thick acceptance letter welcoming you to the class, make sure to celebrate with your recommender and let him/her know s(he)'s your BFF for life. What's Next? Maybe you're not the applicant, but the writer of a peer letter of recommendation (or both! Stranger things have happened...). Read all about how to write an outstanding peer recommendation here. Are you interested in this topic because you're hoping to don Dartmouth green in a few years? This article goes in depth about how to get a great peer recommendation specifically for Dartmouth College. If the Ivy League is in your sights, you might also be seeing crimson (bear with me). Learn what makes an impressive recommendation letter for Harvard here. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

New ways of communication Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

New ways of communication - Coursework Example Moreover, unconventional leadership styles and functions have also been witnessed to play an imperative role for the organizations to obtain competitive success, making greater use of advanced technology and the available resources. One such example can be observed in the dimension of internet communication processes. Emphasizing the aforesaid aspect, this paper aimed at empirically identifying the benefits and drawbacks of communicating with co-workers over internet medium in the 1st assignment. 1st Assignment The method of face-to-face communication has been providing adequate support to the business since the ancient trade periods. Eventually, the integration of advanced Information and Communication Technology (ICT), in the modern day communication process, has been viewed to play a major role for the co-workers in terms of sharing different ideas, thoughts and business information using the internet facilities. However, the process can also impose negative impacts upon the organ izations while the co-workers seek to communicate through internet medium. It is in this context that Patterson (2011) emphasizes various dynamic features concerning the importance of developing face-to-face communication amid the co-workers.