Peter Pan Generation Is Growing Up

Paola Lagunas Spindler English 101 Essay 3 November 2 0, 2012 The Peter Pan Generation is Growing Up There are no longer any adventures in library wonderlands in literature today, kids are forced to  experience  hard reality at a much younger age. Maria Tartar author of â€Å"No More Adventures In Wonderland† asserts the evolution of children’s and young adult villains in stories. Peter Pan, the lost boy, who never grew up, is one of her examples, giving Captain Cook a childish effect, J. M.Barrie (author of Peter Pan), gives the child the security that the good guys win the battle between the silly and  playful  adventure stories. Alice in Wonderland, a book about a girl losing herself down a rabbit hole and then battling the red queen,and her card soldiers, also give this story a secure and childish effect. Tartar believes authors have helped villains evolve from whimsically devilish to brutal and dark. The children books, intended before for a fun time are no w becoming suspenseful sit down novels. According to Tartar, authors â€Å"have crossed.Creating a perverse twist on such stories as Clifford the big red dog, The Graveyard book, a picture book about a serial killer hand who holds a knife and kills his four family member is a perfect example of authors new twist on entertainment. Harry Potter, a national best seller, is about a child’s parents dying at the start of the story, the protagonist fighting death, and loosing family and friends until the end where a well planned murder with the entire character base give a grand final to this seven book series. However, Tartar gives the prize of absolute horrific monsters to Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games.Collins has turned the child reading the book into the villain. Katniss Everdeen (protagonist) fights against 12-18 year old children, in a brutal battle for living. Opening her reader’s eyes into seeing children's  exposure  to books about death, and stori es about despair and devastation, Tartar declares that books are evolving to fast for the chilren of today, with this, tartar proves how the Peter Pan generation is growing up. The villains in children’s books are changing; they are evolving, becoming more complex, growing, but, the children too are getting older. Once bedtime characters, villains are now becoming nightmare enhancers.Children that at the age of 4 were reading Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Cinderella are now the 16 year old's reading Hunger Games. The stories now being published differentiate from the previous stories but the readers do too. Providing that four year old's are still reading classics such as Peter Pan; young adults expanded their interest to  good but devastating  stories. The main reason why these stories are reaching such  exposure  is due to advertisement. Althought Tartar assures the stories for children are growing up, the reader has also matured, and the aurhots have started to developed a more consuming story.Using logos, Tartar points to the  dilemma  of the ‘expanding children story’ and it serves as slate for her reader's minds. This will help her prove the evolution of the story. If any one person compares Alice in Wonderland to The Hunger Games, the evolution of the ‘narratives about loss, suffering, and redemption’ the reader will be persuaded into Tartar’s point of view. Once Tartar sets up the juxtaposition for these two movies, she is able to effectively point out the difference between the stories, however, she takes a different approach and traces the origins of the books to issues with the authors.In past times, Tartar explains, there was such a thing as â€Å"Author's Sunday afternoons†, authors enjoyed a nice picnic, took their Saint Bernard for a walk and breathed in pure air and ideas. Authors are a now more complex. J. K Rowling, author of best seller Harry Potter, writing her first book unde r candle, and coffee shop light because she had no way to pay for electricity in her apartment, she experianced poverty. Suzanne Collins, as a child had anxieties about the possibility of her father’s death as a Vietnam veteran, was able to use this to her advantage in books about death.Authors have clearly evolved with their stories, and expanded their relationship to many more readers. This new diversity  of authors is allowing them to write deeper stories with darker backgrounds and meanings for matured readers. Even though Tartar points out the complexity of the authors and stories, she fails to point out that these both lead to the maturing of the children. Capturing a balance of danger and enchantment, the stories of Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland provide the  audience  with an idea for the possibilities of adventure quest in childhood.The traditional villains frighten the readers, but their â€Å"juvenile antics strip them from any real authority. † Boo ks such as these are written for children under the age of twelve because of the foolish way the characters portray evil. Books such as the hunger games are written for teenagers, knowing this helps the author write appropriate topics of more complex aspects. However, Tartar has a fault in her argument by comparing a bedtime story to a story such as The Hunger Games. When an author compares two stories, one being The Hunger Games and one being Alice in wonderland, the author has one point; there is a difference.There is of course a difference, an evil wich who only dresses in red and black and hearts is no comparison to a child aspiring to manage the kiling of 23 children in order to obtain glory. Almost as different as the villains are, so are the protagonist, a young girl falling into a rabit hole to apear in a world in which she deals with silly magic tricks, is definetly not the same as a young girl coming from poverty going into an arena to try to survive natural disasters, and run away from 23 people who are out to kill her.This is where the fault in Tartars argument it, she manages to point the difference, but fails to admit that 4 year olds are not reading The Hunger Games, just like 16 year olds are not reading Alice in Wonderland. Part of why the authors are crossing over into more evolved stories is because the children’s and young adult category dominate the Best sellers charts. These devastating stories about depresion, war and death are being asked for not just by children, but adults too are picking up the copies. Helping a story achieve better  success  in the charts, the books attract a broader audience.The reason why Suzanne Collins and J. K Rowling talk so freely about death compared to J. M. Barrie is because these books are directed towards different audiences. Audiences  that  clearly  ask for this type of story, if  these  stories weren't being  successful  with all ages, they would not have been so  successful ly  sold after being  published. These books are helping a the young adult genre, they are a perfect conection of safe and suspense, they connect the topics for childre and adults. It is important to realize that they are different books, by different authors, that are intended for different audiences.Today's  authors did not think about targeting the same audience that Peter Pan was written for because it is absurd to believe that these books are intended for the same age, but they are intended however, the same reader. The reader of Peter pan, is now the reader of The Hunger games because the 10 years difference between the publishing of the two is also a 10 year difference in the reader. This time period of difference allows the authors to publish books about death,  depression  and horrible traumas because it is becoming more socially acceptable by matured readers.

Child Psychology Services (Part 3) Essay

Explain different types of bullying and the potential effects on children and young people. Bullying and the fear of bullying are major worries for many children and young people. The victims of bullying are usually different in some way from the bully; the differences may be as simple as a different physical characteristic or being seen as a ‘swot’. Bullying can be specific. The basis for the bullying can be one or more of the following forms: – Physical (pushing, kicking hitting, pinching and other forms of violence or threats). – Verbal (name-calling, insults, sarcasm, spreading rumours, persistent teasing). – Emotional (including not speaking to and excluding someone, tormenting ridicule, humiliation). – Cyber-bullying (the use of information and communications technology particularly mobile phones and the internet, deliberately to upset someone else). Bullying can be carried out by one person against another, or by groups of people ‘ganging up’ on a person. Bullying is not always delivered as a personal face -to- face attack, but can also be delivered through technology. Potential effects of bullying can be; – Threatened or attempted suicide. – Depression. – Running away. – Low self esteem. – Isolation. – Shyness. – Poor academic achievement. There are many reasons and possibilities as to why people bully, most of the time it’s because the victim is different in some way. Below are some of the  differences why someone might be bullied: – appearance (e.g. hair colour or style, height). – Race. – Religion. – Nationality. – Sexual orientation. – Being jealous. Both males and females are capable of carrying out a vicious attack such as bullying on others. Some bullies only do it to uphold their reputation and look ‘hard’. Many bullies only bully others out of jealousy and many of the people who have been bullied go on to do great things with their life, like some famous people who have been bullied. Outline the policies and procedures that should be followed in response to concerns or evidence of bullying and explain the reasons why they are in place. All schools are required by law to have anti-bulling policies in place but these vary in how they are worded and the subsequent actions that need to be taken. Schools must also have policies to encourage good behaviour and respect for others on the part for others on the part of pupils. The Department for Education is clear that no form of bullying should be tolerated. Bullying should be taken very seriously; it is not a normal part of growing up and it can ruin lives. The current anti-bulling guidance for schools, Safe to learn: embedding anti-bulling work in schools, was launched in September 2007. Explain how to support a child or young person and/or their family when bullying is suspected or alleged. When dealing with someone who is being bullied it is important to remember that they will be very upset although they may not show it on the outside. If they have managed to get up the courage to talk to you then they need to know you will take the problem seriously. In the case of an older child, it  is a good idea to ask them to write down exactly what happened and who was there so that you can speak to other people. The more information you have, the better you will be able to deal with the problem and the faster you can sort out exactly what happened. Reassure the victim that you will be back in touch with them as soon as you have completed your investigation and that if there are any more problems in the meantime they must let you know immediately. Supporting the family Parents can find it very hard to know how to help their child if they are being bullied. Some parents will have to cope with the news that it is their child who is a bully. You need to know how to support parents in both these cases. Listen to parents; let them explain how they are feeling. Direct them to useful information so that they can start to think how to support their child. Explain how to support children and young people’s self-confidence and self-esteem. Children and young people who are: – Assertive. – Self-confident. – Self-aware. – Have high self-esteem. Are less likely to be vulnerable to abuse. A child who has high self-esteem will do better in many aspects of development. Self esteem can be supported by: – Giving lots of praise and encouragement. – Encouraging independence and choice, with many opportunities to try things out. – Teaching children how to be assertive (this means having their own needs met but still respecting those of others). – Encouraging cooperation, respect and tolerance between children, and giving a positive example yourself. Analyse the importance of supporting resilience in children and young people Resilience is the ability to deal with the ups and down of life and is based on self-esteem. The more resilient a child is the more they will be able to deal with life as they grow and develop into adulthood. Many factors can positively affect a child’s resilience: – Secure early attachment. – Confidence of being loved by family and friends. – Good sense of self-identity. – Ability to act independently. – Confidence to try new things. Explain why it is important to work with the child or young person to ensure they have strategies to protect themselves and make decisions about safety. The important thing for all children to remember is that they should never feel uncomfortable about someone they are with or something being done to them. Children and young people need support to be able to keep them safe. It is important to be available to talk with children about any concerns they may have. If they are upset by a reported case of abuse, then you should be as reassuring as possible. You should stress that almost all children lead safe and happy lives and only very few adults want to hurt children in any way. Using correct anatomical language, at a level appropriate to the child, is important when you are talking about bodies. Simple, age-appropriate sessions, linked to other activities, on how the human body works help children to understand what their bodies can do and raise awareness of what is normal and what is not. Sessions on ‘body maintenance’ should be an integral part of children’s education, not just to warn them of the danger of misus e. The Keep safe Code produced by Kidscape is an effective way of getting across the message about personal safety to young children. Older children need more detailed information such as: – Lessons on normal sexual function, related to adult behaviour (relevant to your setting’s policy. – Information about misuse of their bodies, through smoking, alcohol and illegal drugs. – The risks of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (Chlamydia, herpes, gonorrhoea, etc.). Help from other organisations Organisations such as Kidscape, Childeline and the NSPCC can help with information and guidance on these topics. It is important to use them properly and be sure that information is accurate and used to their best effect. Explain ways of empowering children and young people to make positive and informed choices that support their well being and safety. Children and young people need to be empowered to keep themselves safe. Children will always push boundaries and take risks – that is how we all learn. Your role is to manage those risks without taking away their independence. When they are empowered, and can make their own choices, they are able to do things alone and without supervision.

Challenges to foster a national identity during the Meiji restoration period.

There was a small island in the south of Japan where the Japanese imported goods from the Dutch, Chinese, and Korean nations, but there was little or no trade with any other country. Thus, the country of Japan was closed to outside influences, partly to maintain political domination control and to prevent the foreigners from stealing their gunpowder. In the mid 1860’s an American diplomatic fleet of steam powered battleships arrived and insisted upon the opening of Japanese trade with the US. The feudal Shogun government, however apprehensive of the threat to their control over the people of Japan, had no choice but to allow trade with the US. This opened the door for international trade and relations with the world beyond Japan for the first time in hundreds of years. I 1868, the shogun(the military leader) was forced to step down and the sixteen year old Emperor Meiji was â€Å"restored ,† so that Japan might catch up military with the West. There was the end of a relatively stable number of years of Shogun government called the Edo period. During this period a primary Shogunate (military dictatorship) was essentially running the government and the various different Samurai clans of the country were managed by this primary Shogunate, which was based in Edo (the city now known as Tokyo). Thankfully this particular military dictatorship was a relatively noble group monetarily, but their own noble and self-sacrificing way was actually part of what allowed the imperial family to take over the government of Japan at this rather pivotal moment. Essentially Meiji was the heir son of the imperial family and so those who stood to benefit from him being placed in as leader of the country helped to make it happen. The leadership of the Shogunate in Edo was handed over rather effortlessly as the Shogunate was apparently duped by Meiji and his supporters. Meiji’s primary supporters, of course, were leaders of some of the primary opposition to the Shogunate. This assertion of the leadership of an imperialistic family was known as the â€Å"Meiji Restoration†, yet it was not really a restoration as there had apparently never been a truly united Japan ruled in such a way before. Suddenly Meiji took over and any Samurai opposition to the changes was essentially stopped with force until the Samurai class was finally outlawed. The Meiji constitution was written as part of this â€Å"restoration† and basically fabricated a national identity for Japan. It also conveniently fabricated a nationalistic mythology which attempted to falsely present Meiji and his family as Shinto divinity. The result was a fanatical religious theocracy with a false history and deluded national patriotism. This ultimately led to the sad events of WWII and the immense disgrace of the Japanese people. It was essentially a nation-wide cult fabricated by politicians. Rationale: Westernisation influence in Japan during the Meiji Restoration Period: Political influence: In 1889, a constitution was promulgated which established a parliamentary government but left it accountable to the emperor rather than to the people. Administrative power was centralized in a national bureaucracy, which also ruled in the name of the emperor. There as a change in the feudal system. The classes were declared equal, so that samurai and their lords lost their feudal privileges, while the role of merchants began to be respected. Japan received its first European style constitution in 1889. A parliament, the Diet was established while the emperor kept sovereignty: he stood at the top of the army, navy, executive and legislative power. The ruling clique, however, kept on holding the actual power, and the able and intelligent emperor Meiji agreed with most of their actions. Political parties did not yet gain real power due to the lack of unity among their members. Economic influence: In order to transform the agrarian economy of Tokugawa Japan into a developed industrial one, many Japanese scholars were sent abroad to study Western science and languages and businesses, while foreign experts taught in Japan. The progression and improvements in education would boost the economy because of the increase in knowledge and skills. Industrialization created more importance on businesses and the prospering of them, than the farming and agrarian economy. After means of large governmental investments, the transportation and communication network in Japan were improved. The government also directly supported the prospering of businesses and industries, especially the large and powerful family businesses called zaibatsu. The large expenditures led to a financial crisis in the middle of the 1880s which was followed by a reform of the currency system and the establishment of the Bank of Japan. Thus, Japan’s economic grew tremendously during the Meiji restoration period. Education influence: A universal education was implemented. The education system was reformed after the French and later after the German system. Among those reforms was the introduction of compulsory education. Compulsory public education was introduced both to teach the skills needed for the new nation and to inculcate values of citizenship in all Japanese. This means that the money is going towards education, which goes to the people, and creates more capital, because of more knowledge. Military influence: There was a high priority for Japan in an era of European and American imperialism. Universal conscription was introduced, and a new national army modelled after the Prussian force was established, and a navy after the British force was established. Arts influence: In 1876, the government opened the Technical Fine Arts School (Kobu Bijutsu Gakko) and invited the architect Giovanni Cappelletti (d. ca. 1885), the sculptor Vincenzo Ragusa (1841–1928), and the painter Antonio Fontanesi (1818–1882), who was deeply influenced by the Barbizon school, to teach its students in Western techniques and media. Fontanesi’s students Yamamoto Hosui (1850–1906), Kuroda Seiki (1866–1924), and Asai Chu (1856–1907) all later travelled to Europe to study academic painting, and are looked upon today as the Meiji period’s greatest producers of Western style paintings (yoga). On the other hand, the government took the acquisition of Western art techniques as a means of fostering industrial development, as opposed to promoting an appreciation of Western aesthetics or art theory. This was to let the young Japanese gain appreciation for the potentially important role of the museum in society, and the establishment of Japan ’s first public museum at Yushima Seido Confucian shrine. Conder taught at the University of Technology (Kobu Daigakko). His students Tatsuno Kingo (1854–1911), Katayama Tokuma (1853–1917), and Sone Tatsuzo (1853–1937) were responsible for many of the major architectural monuments during the Meiji period. Education system in Japan during the Meiji Restoration period: School system reform: The reform of the school system has contributed the most to the enlightenment of the Japanese people. By the 1906, the school attendance was as high as 95%, which Japan boosted the one of the highest literacy rates in the world. The resorted Imperial government immediately realised the importance of universal education to the nation’s pursuit of modernisation and progress of Japan. Gakusei, a education system was implemented in the 1872 and the promulgation of the Imperial Rescript on education in the 1890, these laid the foundation for modern education system in Japan. The school system was then modelled after the westernisation. Universities established: Universities as well as technical and professional schools were established to promote higher education to meet the demands of a labour force. Except for the terakoya, small regional schools providing basic education, most traditional schools from the Edo period were almost exclusively reserved to boys belonging to the samurai class. Despite this, the level of literacy in the late Edo period was remarkably high, which no doubt paved the way for the Meiji educational reforms. Primary school: The nationalisation of the education system made primary school compulsory for both boys and girls. At first, the attendance was very low. However, after tuition was abolished for elementary schools in 1900, then there was an increase in attendance. Many things in the school was influenced by the westerners. Firstly, the school was furnished western-style were built throughout the Japan. Secondly, the school curriculum was also based on western models. This includes history, science, geography and arithmetic. Schools also continued to give moral instruction based on Confucian tradition, which encouraged patriotic loyalty and filial piety. Games like sugoroku, the New Year’s game, were used to introduce young children to the scripts in a fun way. The sugoroku board shown here illustrates the different steps a student must follow before earning a degree. Education in the Empire of Japan was a high priority for the government, as the leadership of the early Meiji government realized the critical need for universal public education in its drive to modernize and westernize Japan. Overseas missions such as the Iwakura mission were sent abroad to study the education systems of leading Western countries. After 1868 new leadership set Japan on a rapid course of modernization. The Meiji leaders established a public education system to help Japan catch up with the West and form a modern nation. Missions like the Iwakura mission were sent abroad to study the education systems of leading Western countries. They returned with the ideas of decentralization, local school boards, and teacher autonomy. Such ideas and ambitious initial plans, however, proved very difficult to carry out. After some trial and error, a new national education system emerged. As an indication of its success, elementary school enrollments climbed from about 40 or 50 percent of the school-age population in the 1870s to more than 90 percent by 1900, despite strong public protest, especially against school fees. By the 1890s, after earlier intensive preoccupation with Western, particularly United States, educational ideas, a much more conservative and traditional orientation evolved. Confucian precepts were stressed, especially those concerning the hierarchical nature of human relations, service to the new state, the pursuit of learning, and morality. These ideals, embodied in the 1890 Imperial Rescript on Education, along with highly centralized government control over education, largely guided Japanese education until the end of World War II. There are two different perspective to the modernization of Japan. Some Japanese think that it is a chance to achieve collective, national glory. However, others do not really encourage modernization. Change to them meant danger, decadence and loss of moral virtues. They fear of three areas: gender disorder, cultural concern and political disorders. Firstly, for the gender anarchy, the Japanese banned women from adopting short hairstyle in the 1872. It emerged again when the government sharply restricted women’s political activity in 18890. However, during the Meiji period, the primary duty of the women was to serve the twin roles of good wife and wise mother was not purely reactionary or restrictive. During the Meiji formulation, wise women needed schooling. This was to ensure that the mother raises the children well in a new era, thus the mother needs to be literate. They had to know something about the world beyond the home. â€Å"Good mother, wise mother† was aggressively promoted by the Japanese government that the women have to be educated. The imperial institution took part in the project to prescribe new roles of women for men. The imperial signaled that men should have western haircuts by adopting that style of him. While the hair of the women should be kept long and braided up. The women’s appeara nce was also influenced by the westerners. the westernized facial appearance encourages the women to stop shaving their eye brown and blackening their teeth. However, it was later changed with support from the throne in the face of western examples and criticisms. Secondly, the Japanese fear of political disorder. They fear that a restless populace might challenge their political control which led to the decision for a conservative constitution. It inspires for a call for scarification for the state in Imperial Rescript. It also inspired a spark for military drills in school. Thirdly, it is the open of the port to the outside world. Japanese fear that people from across the sea would poison the soul of the Japan. They fear that they would influence the Japanese or to convert them into Christianity and demolish their true identity and cultural, they fear the lost of their cultural. Due to the rapid modernization and adapting many things from the westerners, they start to fear that there is no unique identity of Japan. Thus a magazine â€Å" The Japanese† was published. The writer thinks that the nation followed a path towards the so-called civilized. They feared that it might â€Å"forfeit our nation national character and destroy all the elements in References: Websites: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2130.html 21/4/11 , on the western influence on Japan. http://www.travel-to-japan.com/the-meiji-restoration/ (21/4/11), the background of Meiji Period. http://www.museevirtuel-virtualmuseum.ca/edu/ViewLoitLo.do;jsessionid=AA30BECF533CBA0ECFF8450FC71FF6C1?method=previewlang=ENid=12991 23/4/11, education system during the Meiji period. Challenges to foster a national identity during the Meiji restoration period. There was a small island in the south of Japan where the Japanese imported goods from the Dutch, Chinese, and Korean nations, but there was little or no trade with any other country. Thus, the country of Japan was closed to outside influences, partly to maintain political domination control and to prevent the foreigners from stealing their gunpowder. In the mid 1860’s an American diplomatic fleet of steam powered battleships arrived and insisted upon the opening of Japanese trade with the US. The feudal Shogun government, however apprehensive of the threat to their control over the people of Japan, had no choice but to allow trade with the US. This opened the door for international trade and relations with the world beyond Japan for the first time in hundreds of years. I 1868, the shogun(the military leader) was forced to step down and the sixteen year old Emperor Meiji was â€Å"restored ,† so that Japan might catch up military with the West. There was the end of a relatively stable number of years of Shogun government called the Edo period. During this period a primary Shogunate (military dictatorship) was essentially running the government and the various different Samurai clans of the country were managed by this primary Shogunate, which was based in Edo (the city now known as Tokyo). Thankfully this particular military dictatorship was a relatively noble group monetarily, but their own noble and self-sacrificing way was actually part of what allowed the imperial family to take over the government of Japan at this rather pivotal moment. Essentially Meiji was the heir son of the imperial family and so those who stood to benefit from him being placed in as leader of the country helped to make it happen. The leadership of the Shogunate in Edo was handed over rather effortlessly as the Shogunate was apparently duped by Meiji and his supporters. Meiji’s primary supporters, of course, were leaders of some of the primary opposition to the Shogunate. This assertion of the leadership of an imperialistic family was known as the â€Å"Meiji Restoration†, yet it was not really a restoration as there had apparently never been a truly united Japan ruled in such a way before. Suddenly Meiji took over and any Samurai opposition to the changes was essentially stopped with force until the Samurai class was finally outlawed. The Meiji constitution was written as part of this â€Å"restoration† and basically fabricated a national identity for Japan. It also conveniently fabricated a nationalistic mythology which attempted to falsely present Meiji and his family as Shinto divinity. The result was a fanatical religious theocracy with a false history and deluded national patriotism. This ultimately led to the sad events of WWII and the immense disgrace of the Japanese people. It was essentially a nation-wide cult fabricated by politicians. Rationale: Westernisation influence in Japan during the Meiji Restoration Period: Political influence: In 1889, a constitution was promulgated which established a parliamentary government but left it accountable to the emperor rather than to the people. Administrative power was centralized in a national bureaucracy, which also ruled in the name of the emperor. There as a change in the feudal system. The classes were declared equal, so that samurai and their lords lost their feudal privileges, while the role of merchants began to be respected. Japan received its first European style constitution in 1889. A parliament, the Diet was established while the emperor kept sovereignty: he stood at the top of the army, navy, executive and legislative power. The ruling clique, however, kept on holding the actual power, and the able and intelligent emperor Meiji agreed with most of their actions. Political parties did not yet gain real power due to the lack of unity among their members. Economic influence: In order to transform the agrarian economy of Tokugawa Japan into a developed industrial one, many Japanese scholars were sent abroad to study Western science and languages and businesses, while foreign experts taught in Japan. The progression and improvements in education would boost the economy because of the increase in knowledge and skills. Industrialization created more importance on businesses and the prospering of them, than the farming and agrarian economy. After means of large governmental investments, the transportation and communication network in Japan were improved. The government also directly supported the prospering of businesses and industries, especially the large and powerful family businesses called zaibatsu. The large expenditures led to a financial crisis in the middle of the 1880s which was followed by a reform of the currency system and the establishment of the Bank of Japan. Thus, Japan’s economic grew tremendously during the Meiji restoration period. Education influence: A universal education was implemented. The education system was reformed after the French and later after the German system. Among those reforms was the introduction of compulsory education. Compulsory public education was introduced both to teach the skills needed for the new nation and to inculcate values of citizenship in all Japanese. This means that the money is going towards education, which goes to the people, and creates more capital, because of more knowledge. Military influence: There was a high priority for Japan in an era of European and American imperialism. Universal conscription was introduced, and a new national army modelled after the Prussian force was established, and a navy after the British force was established. Arts influence: In 1876, the government opened the Technical Fine Arts School (Kobu Bijutsu Gakko) and invited the architect Giovanni Cappelletti (d. ca. 1885), the sculptor Vincenzo Ragusa (1841–1928), and the painter Antonio Fontanesi (1818–1882), who was deeply influenced by the Barbizon school, to teach its students in Western techniques and media. Fontanesi’s students Yamamoto Hosui (1850–1906), Kuroda Seiki (1866–1924), and Asai Chu (1856–1907) all later travelled to Europe to study academic painting, and are looked upon today as the Meiji period’s greatest producers of Western style paintings (yoga). On the other hand, the government took the acquisition of Western art techniques as a means of fostering industrial development, as opposed to promoting an appreciation of Western aesthetics or art theory. This was to let the young Japanese gain appreciation for the potentially important role of the museum in society, and the establishment of Japan ’s first public museum at Yushima Seido Confucian shrine. Conder taught at the University of Technology (Kobu Daigakko). His students Tatsuno Kingo (1854–1911), Katayama Tokuma (1853–1917), and Sone Tatsuzo (1853–1937) were responsible for many of the major architectural monuments during the Meiji period. Education system in Japan during the Meiji Restoration period: School system reform: The reform of the school system has contributed the most to the enlightenment of the Japanese people. By the 1906, the school attendance was as high as 95%, which Japan boosted the one of the highest literacy rates in the world. The resorted Imperial government immediately realised the importance of universal education to the nation’s pursuit of modernisation and progress of Japan. Gakusei, a education system was implemented in the 1872 and the promulgation of the Imperial Rescript on education in the 1890, these laid the foundation for modern education system in Japan. The school system was then modelled after the westernisation. Universities established: Universities as well as technical and professional schools were established to promote higher education to meet the demands of a labour force. Except for the terakoya, small regional schools providing basic education, most traditional schools from the Edo period were almost exclusively reserved to boys belonging to the samurai class. Despite this, the level of literacy in the late Edo period was remarkably high, which no doubt paved the way for the Meiji educational reforms. Primary school: The nationalisation of the education system made primary school compulsory for both boys and girls. At first, the attendance was very low. However, after tuition was abolished for elementary schools in 1900, then there was an increase in attendance. Many things in the school was influenced by the westerners. Firstly, the school was furnished western-style were built throughout the Japan. Secondly, the school curriculum was also based on western models. This includes history, science, geography and arithmetic. Schools also continued to give moral instruction based on Confucian tradition, which encouraged patriotic loyalty and filial piety. Games like sugoroku, the New Year’s game, were used to introduce young children to the scripts in a fun way. The sugoroku board shown here illustrates the different steps a student must follow before earning a degree. Education in the Empire of Japan was a high priority for the government, as the leadership of the early Meiji government realized the critical need for universal public education in its drive to modernize and westernize Japan. Overseas missions such as the Iwakura mission were sent abroad to study the education systems of leading Western countries. After 1868 new leadership set Japan on a rapid course of modernization. The Meiji leaders established a public education system to help Japan catch up with the West and form a modern nation. Missions like the Iwakura mission were sent abroad to study the education systems of leading Western countries. They returned with the ideas of decentralization, local school boards, and teacher autonomy. Such ideas and ambitious initial plans, however, proved very difficult to carry out. After some trial and error, a new national education system emerged. As an indication of its success, elementary school enrollments climbed from about 40 or 50 percent of the school-age population in the 1870s to more than 90 percent by 1900, despite strong public protest, especially against school fees. By the 1890s, after earlier intensive preoccupation with Western, particularly United States, educational ideas, a much more conservative and traditional orientation evolved. Confucian precepts were stressed, especially those concerning the hierarchical nature of human relations, service to the new state, the pursuit of learning, and morality. These ideals, embodied in the 1890 Imperial Rescript on Education, along with highly centralized government control over education, largely guided Japanese education until the end of World War II. There are two different perspective to the modernization of Japan. Some Japanese think that it is a chance to achieve collective, national glory. However, others do not really encourage modernization. Change to them meant danger, decadence and loss of moral virtues. They fear of three areas: gender disorder, cultural concern and political disorders. Firstly, for the gender anarchy, the Japanese banned women from adopting short hairstyle in the 1872. It emerged again when the government sharply restricted women’s political activity in 18890. However, during the Meiji period, the primary duty of the women was to serve the twin roles of good wife and wise mother was not purely reactionary or restrictive. During the Meiji formulation, wise women needed schooling. This was to ensure that the mother raises the children well in a new era, thus the mother needs to be literate. They had to know something about the world beyond the home. â€Å"Good mother, wise mother† was aggressively promoted by the Japanese government that the women have to be educated. The imperial institution took part in the project to prescribe new roles of women for men. The imperial signaled that men should have western haircuts by adopting that style of him. While the hair of the women should be kept long and braided up. The women’s appeara nce was also influenced by the westerners. the westernized facial appearance encourages the women to stop shaving their eye brown and blackening their teeth. However, it was later changed with support from the throne in the face of western examples and criticisms. Secondly, the Japanese fear of political disorder. They fear that a restless populace might challenge their political control which led to the decision for a conservative constitution. It inspires for a call for scarification for the state in Imperial Rescript. It also inspired a spark for military drills in school. Thirdly, it is the open of the port to the outside world. Japanese fear that people from across the sea would poison the soul of the Japan. They fear that they would influence the Japanese or to convert them into Christianity and demolish their true identity and cultural, they fear the lost of their cultural. Due to the rapid modernization and adapting many things from the westerners, they start to fear that there is no unique identity of Japan. Thus a magazine â€Å" The Japanese† was published. The writer thinks that the nation followed a path towards the so-called civilized. They feared that it might â€Å"forfeit our nation national character and destroy all the elements in References: Websites: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2130.html 21/4/11 , on the western influence on Japan. http://www.travel-to-japan.com/the-meiji-restoration/ (21/4/11), the background of Meiji Period. http://www.museevirtuel-virtualmuseum.ca/edu/ViewLoitLo.do;jsessionid=AA30BECF533CBA0ECFF8450FC71FF6C1?method=previewlang=ENid=12991 23/4/11, education system during the Meiji period.

Blog 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Blog 7 - Essay Example It gives a clear direction on what is to be addressed in the study. The essence of a thesis in an argumentative essay is to declare a particular stand on what one believes is the correct line of thought. It is to bring about a distinction between the popular thought within the text and the other side of the story that is contrary to a particular line of argument (Bieze, 3). Consequently, it is critical to note that a thesis statement can either endorse or go against the contrary point of view. Ordinarily, a thesis statement should bring about a different line of argument that paints a different picture of what is thought to be the generally accepted knowledge (Yirinec and Vinson, 1). To develop a thesis, the research details have to be noted down based on the thought and what is to be researched on. This is a very critical step as it defines the development of the thesis. After coming up with the description, the ultimate agenda is to narrow down on the specifics of the research. It is then imperative that the sources of information gathered are listed as appropriate with respect to the study. Anything that suggests ideas contrary to a person’s line of argument should be listed. With all these steps, a thesis statement is the drafted based on the information that is necessary for the study (Yirinec, 2). The researcher has to avoid the temptation of not making a claim. This rather makes the thesis, none issue. Giving statements of facts do not make the research anything new. The thesis has the express need to come up with new ideas and arguments. Conventional thoughts and quotes should be avoided as they do not make the thesis or a line of thought anything different (Carabelli, 1). Quoting directly from an essay is only viable when the paper has been published and recommended as an important source. The paper must have passed the test of an essay that is to say that the essay must have the evidence and all that entails a good paper. The main

Don Martins Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Don Martins Company - Case Study Example According to the paper Martin’s has competitors in: furniture, electronic household appliances, branded big-ticket items. Martin’s advantage is the big parking lot right behind his store. This is a competitive advantage that must be explored, because parking is a problem in the area. It works to Martin’s advantage if his customers can park right next to the store, because that would make it easy to cart away and load the big-ticket items onto the customers’ vehicles. This is one major incentive for customers to choose to purchase repeatedly from Martin’s store. From this study it is clear that the firm has just begun to feel the effects of declining financial sustainability, with the incurrences of losses in its operations for the last fiscal year. This is not to say that the Martin’s business is already in dire financial condition. The business is still financially viable at present and maybe for a few more years, but the flat revenue growth and the downtrend in earnings should be arrested if the company will continue to be viable in the long term. Martin’s business, despite the most expansion, has not realized the additional revenues which were expected. This means that the firm has not maximized its marketing potential in order to take full advantage of the expansion. The company has resorted to costly advertising which has not brought increased sales. It should rethink this strategy and resort to promotion that directly impacts upon its customers’ needs. It is assumed that the company also has e-marketing capability, as most firms, even small ones, are equipped with online capacity.

Why might democracies be more peaceful in their relations with each Essay - 1

Why might democracies be more peaceful in their relations with each other than with state that are not democracies - Essay Example A State is formed when a group of people organize themselves and decide to live together peacefully in society on the bases of common goals, identity, ancestry, language, culture, religion, ethnicity, history, customs, and territory. Society may also be defined as a broad grouping of people living in a common area and having common traditions, institutions, activities, and interests (Laswell and Kaplan 1960). The family is the basic unit of society, and a family is formed when two or more human beings decide to live together to pursue common goals. From these commonly accepted definitions can be distinguished one characteristic that defines families, societies, and states: they share common interests. Social scientists have observed that, normally, sharing common interests help people to live together peacefully, because each one is different and unique in terms of capabilities. Through personal experience, people learn that they cannot do everything, so they have to depend on each other. In the process, they realize they cannot have everything, so they surrender some of the things they want to get others they want more or that would help them survive. In society and among States, the balance of power between two or more agents is what ultimately decides their courses of action. The same holds true for nations and States, which is why until now, wars are fought and peace has been elusive. It has been only some sixty years since a bloody world war was fought, and less than two decades since the Cold War ended (Kennedy 1999). These show that more than common interests and balance of power, there is a third factor that governs the relationships among States: ideologies. An ideology is "a set of ideas that are in some logical way related to one another" (Ranney 2001, p. 69-70). Macridis (1992) suggested four criteria to distinguish ideologies from ideas: comprehensiveness, pervasiveness, extensiveness, and intensiveness. Ideologies that are well-developed contain five basic components: values, vision of the ideal polity, conception of human nature, strategy of action, and political tactics. Among the well-known ideologies (Ranney counted at least fifty-five, mostly ending in -ism), this discussion focuses on democracy, one of the most difficult to understand and define because many along the wide spectrum of political ideologies use it to support their aspirations, from left-wing Communists to right-wing Fascists, from liberals to conservatives. What is Democracy Ranney (2001, p. 95) defines democracy as a "form of government organized in accordance with the principles of popular sovereignty, political equality, popular consultation, and majority rule." This definition specifies that there are four principles of democracy (p. 96-98). The principle of popular sovereignty requires that "the ultimate power to make political decisions is vested in all the people rather than in some of them or one of them". The principle of political equality requires that "each adult citizen has the same opportunity as every other adult citizen to participate in the political decision-making process"; this is also known as the "one person, one vote" principle. The popular consultation principle has two requirements: first, there should be an institutional machinery through

Attitudes Toward Autism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Attitudes Toward Autism - Essay Example The data available with the survey has made use of the one-way ANOVA test and compared the ethnicities of users with their responses to the question of whether they personally knew a person known to suffer from Autism. In this context, it is assumed that the respondents’ answers were considered with the assumption that personally knowing someone with Autism was equivalent to the presence of such suffering individuals within friends and family. The one-way ANOVA test presented the following outputs results. The purpose of the ANOVA test in this context is to identify variations over the extent to which different ethnicities are aware of the existence of Autism within their communities. The null hypothesis assumes that there is no difference amongst the various ethnic groups over the presence of Autism. However, the ANOVA analysis presents a significance value (0.000), which is less than the confidence levels of 0.05, leading to a rejection of the null hypothesis. This establishes that different ethnicities have different opinions and knowledge over the existence of Autism within their groups. The above tests still provide a significance value well below the confidence intervals ( The reason for choosing the Games Howell post-hoc test was due to fact that it does not rely on homogeneity of variance. SPSS marks significant differences with an asterisk as shown in the figure above. From the figure, it is clearly evident that the understanding of existence of Autism varies significantly amongst the different groups. Most importantly, there were significant differences observed between different groups including Afro-Caribbean &

The Effect of Music on Behavior and Health Essay

The Effect of Music on Behavior and Health - Essay Example Music, a composition of rhythm, melody and harmony has been an important part of the human life for ages. Starting from the earliest civilizations, when bone flutes and jaw harps were used as instruments to the present day when guitars, violin and piano have replaced them. Music has been considered as a mode of communication in all the civilizations. The message of one man can be conveyed to many in a rather persuasive way with the help of music. People are more inclined to listen and follow if something is conveyed through music. Preachers from different religions have found this mode of communication very helpful and it has been very successful too. Though music too has changed with time just ever other thing we know but its importance and effects on human mind and body remains the same. The use of music as an inexpensive, nonpenetrating and pleasant medicine is not new. A fivefold decrease in the anxiety and stress of the patients was observed after a mere music therapy of 30 minu tes. The use of music in reducing anxiety in patients of different mental disorders like schizophrenia and dementia has been found to be very useful. Music is said to have a power which can energize the human body and mind. Music is supposed to enhance the self healing mechanisms of the body providing comfort and relaxation. Music has been used recently in the cognitive development of children. Norton et al. in 2006 indicated the significant development of the brain of the children who had been to music class or got some type of music training

Discussion Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Questions - Essay Example While considering the facts given in situation (a), we came to know that both the firms (our firm as well as competitor’s firm) have revealed their strategies openly and both the firms can calculate their own benefits while taking other’s production quantity and other strategies into account. This situation offers the optimal benefits that are driven by the strategies applied by our competitor therefore it indicates that there is a Nash Equilibrium condition (James Brickley,  Clifford Smith,  Jerold Zimmerman 9-5). While on other hand when we don’t know exactly the strategies of our competitor and still set our preference for optimal benefits then the condition refers to dominant strategies. Dominant strategies always lead to maximum profit whether we know our competitor’s strategies or not. This particular condition may be a case of dominant strategies because here we are dedicated for optimal profits (James Brickley,  Clifford Smith,  Jerold Zimmerman 9-5). However, since some dominant strategies fall under Nash Equilibrium and the situation satisfies the required aspects of Nash Equilibrium we can say that this is a Nash Equilibria

Church Reformation in the 16th and 17th century Essay

Church Reformation in the 16th and 17th century - Essay Example This compromised the respect accorded to papacy2. Since the schism tarnished the reputation of the papacy authority, it needed a resolution that would re-unite the people. Before the schism, the Catholic Church relied on a centralized Roman leadership. This paper will analyze the decrees that resulted from the emergence of the council of Constance. The issues that led to the schism in the Catholic Church included disputes concerning power and jurisdiction concerning matters3. The rise of English and French monarchies affected the papal authority. Things worsened after the election of the Urban the sixth. This happened in Rome and Urban proved to be extremely brutal forcing most of the other clergy to move back to Avignon where papacy had reigned before4. After their return to Avignon, they went ahead to elect a pope of their own bringing about a great controversy5. The Catholic Church devotees had two popes in power exercising control over the church.6 The division that emerged threa tened to challenge the papacy powers. Different countries opted to support one of the two popes. Haec Sancta: Decree of the Council of Constance, 1415 Majority of the people opined that a council had the capacity to solve the controversy that was proving a threat to the unity of the church7. Although both popes portrayed reluctance to call upon the help of the council in solving the matter, a council came into place to propose solutions for the problem that was prevailing in the Catholic Church. The decree ‘haec Sancta’ declared by the council changed the entire picture of the competition that had resulted from different individuals claiming to have papal authority. The council of Constance was acting as one of the ecumenical councils that had existed in the past of the Catholic Church8. The council introduced the conciliar ideology that was to give rise to additional controversies in the future. The conciliar ideology was of the standing that the councils of the Cathol ic Church held a supreme position. This implied that no clergy was above the council. The pope had a responsibility of recognizing the authority of the council and obeying it. Therefore, the council of Constance made it clear that it held the exquisite authority to resolve the schism that the church was facing9. In accordance, the council disregarded the authority of the competing popes that had resulted from the schism. The council held the reasoning that electing a different individual altogether would restore the unity that had once existed in the church. In addition, the council sought to restore the centrality of power that had existed in papacy. In the decree, the council made it clear that the constitution of t he council was part of the Holy Spirit’s doing. In addition, the council claimed that it had power directed to them from Christ himself. The council then expressed its expectation for every individual regardless of state and dignity to accept the solution it had designed to resolve the schism that prevailed. In addition, the council instituted a second decree concerning the future activities of the council. From 1415 to 1417, the council held sessions that led to critical decisions. The council that was headed by Sigismund as the emperor10. It exercised supremacy in all its decisions, expecting nobody to raise the question of discontent11. The council appointed a new pope, Martin the fifth, restoring the papal authority to Rome12. Council of Constance: Frequens, 1417

Air Pollution and Automobiles Essay Example for Free

Air Pollution and Automobiles Essay The automobiles that we travel in everyday play a vital role in our lives. They get us around from one place to another on a daily basis. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA 2010) many studies show that exhaust emissions from these vehicles are the number one air pollutant in the United States. Air pollution causes many different issues that affect personal health as well as environmental factors. Over the years many different studies have been done by different people and agencies showing how reducing air pollution from automobiles can only benefit the earth. The government has been one of the largest advocates of lowering emissions from automobiles. Because excessive exhaust emissions created by automobiles is a major factor in air pollution, the government has enacted many laws and regulations limiting the amount of emissions vehicles may produce. Automobiles are a major cause of air pollution around the world. As the number of vehicles on the road increases, the amount of emissions from these vehicles increases. As of 2003 Leslie Miller shows that the (World Almanac 2003) reported that there were more than 107 million households throughout the United States (U.S. ) Leslie reported that the Bureau of Transportation statistics show that there are roughly 204,000,000 vehicles registered in the U. S. That produces a ratio of 1. 9 cars to 1. 8 people per household in the U. S. The number of vehicles registered in the U. S. has been doubling every five years. If this trend continues as it has over the past 30 years, by the year 2030 there will be approximately 1,200,000,000 (1. 2 Billion) vehicles producing some type of toxic emission into our earth’s atmosphere. The vehicles that we drive produce many different toxic gasses affecting our earth negatively. These emissions affect our environment and damage the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is the process in which infrared rays are emitted from the sun into the earth’s atmosphere trapping heat that keeps the earth’s temperature in a habitable range. Toxic gasses from our automobiles released into the atmosphere do much damage to this natural process. As the gasses release, the atmosphere will deteriorate which allows the earth’s core temperature to rise. This process causes difficulty in farming as well as the melting of the polar ice caps virtually flooding the earth slowly. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is the most emitted gas into the atmosphere. The Environmental Protection Agency (2010) shows that cars release 76% of the CO2 that is present in the earth’s atmosphere. For every gallon of gas used by an automobile there is approximately 20 pounds of CO2 released into the atmosphere. CO2 is a heat-trapping gas released by the combustion process by our vehicles. (Cakmak 2006), Shows that CO2 is the largest contributing factor to the smog in highly congested areas around the U. S. The following is an emissions chart breaking down the source of the seven most common air pollutants. As you can see highway vehicles are the largest source of air pollution in the geographic area of The United States. The major pollutants abbreviations are shown below and correlate with the graph that follows. Geographic Area: United States Pollutant: Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxides (Nox), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), Sulfur Dioxide SO2, Particulate (size 2. 5 micrometers) (PM 2. 5), Particulate (size 10 micrometers) (PM 10), or Ammonia (NH3) [pic] Emissions by Category Chart (Environmental Protection Agency, 2002). The exhaust systems on our vehicles also produce another pollutant known as hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons are produced by our vehicles when fuel molecules in these vehicles do not fully burn and then travel through the exhaust system. In addition to these deadly hydrocarbons, Nitrogen Oxide (Nox) is another large contributor of air pollution in the U. S. today. The EPA’s (2010) studies links approximately 30% of the NOx in the atmosphere to the vehicles on the road in the U. S. today. NOx has been linked by studies to the formation of acid rain in our in our environment. Simply said the reduction of vehicle emissions will cause the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere to lower creating less negative effects on our earth’s environment and our health. Cakmak, Dales and Jedek (2006) says that air pollution has many negative effects on the environment as well as our personal health. Many respiratory issues come from breathing in the gasses released from automobiles. CO2 affects us by lowering the amount of oxygen our blood can carry throughout our bodies causing death in some cases. Air pollution is linked to lung cancer as well as lower birth rates that are common among people in cities that record higher vehicle registrations. The EPA has shown that these cities are at a higher risk for many health issues. Children residing in areas with higher concentrations of air pollution are three to four times more likely to develop asthmatic conditions. Automobiles are a major cause of vehicle deaths in the form of vehicular accidents. EPA (2010) statistics show that approximately 120 people are killed by a vehicular accident with each day that goes by. Many environmental issues caused by automobile emissions are overlooked by the average person. The acid rain produced from vehicle emissions has caused many bad health problems for humans. Acid rain is has been shown to cause eye irritation as well as coughing as well as asthma in more extreme cases. Urban smog in addition to global warming are the most common factors in air pollution. Smog is a product of different greenhouse gasses mixing together which produces a visible layer very close to the earth’s surface known as the ground ozone layer. The smog acts like a blanket around the earth trapping the harmful emissions allowing us to breathe them in each day. Over the years the effects of air pollution have been noticed by many from politicians to auto manufacturers. Many within these agencies have worked to reduce the emissions that our automobiles produce. One of the major changes in our society that created focus on the issues of air pollution caused by automobiles was the Clean Air Act of 1963. This bill was introduced to allow the government limited enforcement power over interstate pollution issues. In 1965 a Motor Vehicle Act was introduced. Melosi(2004) explains that this act allowed auto manufacturers the ability to practice stricter emission standards for new vehicles with government funding such as grants. In 1970 the acting president of the U. S. Richard Nixon, signed an amendment to the Clean Air act enforcing stricter fuel regulations on auto manufacturers. This Act was the most stringent air pollution law ever passed in the U. S. The Clean Air Act has been revised throughout the years to conform to stricter guidelines as air pollution becomes more of an issue throughout the U. S. The Clean Air Act was not originally designed to prohibit pollution; rather it was enacted to define an acceptable amount of pollution allowed to be emitted from vehicles. Despite the fact that the Clean Air Act was passed there are still major issues that emissions from vehicles create including health and environmental issues. Crabb and Johnson (2010) wrote an article in The Energy Journal showing the main issue that does contribute to the amount of emissions from automobiles is the fuel economy that is attained by each vehicle. The Energy Policy and Conservation Act established guidelines known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE. ) During President Nixon’s time in office the 1975 CAFE regulations were written to require manufacturers to obtain a corporate average of 18 miles per gallon (MPG) or higher starting with 1978 model year vehicles. Between 1985 and 1992 multiple adjustments were made to make the cafe regulations stricter. By the mid 1990’s the government increased the MPG requirement to be raised to 27. 5 MPG corporate average. As we move forward in time the regulations have only become stricter for auto manufacturers. The year 2009 brought on many new accomplishments for the U. S. in that auto manufacturers began making newer models that will take us into the next decade. An article written by Tarlow (2009) shows that President Obama fought hard for his place in the White House, one of his main concerns being air pollution and the amount of emissions caused by automobiles. After being elected President Obama revealed a proposal for new CAFE regulations that will reduce emissions and further reduce the U. S. dependency on imported oil. The regulation that President Obama has proposed will require auto manufacturers to meet the strictest guidelines for fuel economy ever. Obama’s proposal will require auto manufacturers to meet a strict 35. 5 MPG by the model year 2016. The following graphs show the minimum combined miles per gallon that manufacturers are required to meet and post on the vehicles. The graphs break down different types of fuel as well as the amount of CO2 released per mile driven. Chart 1 shows the requirements prior to the EPA changing the way they figure a vehicles MPG. With model year 2009 and newer the EPA became stricter when figuring MPG for different fuel types. Chart 2 reflects the new criteria with the stricter guidelines enforced. As you can see, the Greenhouse gas (GHG) score is higher as a vehicle produces less CO2 per mile. [pic] Chart 1 (Environmental Protection Agency, 2010) [pic] Chart 2 (Environmental Protection Agency, 2010) Meeting the strict guidelines does not come at zero cost. Meeting the guidelines will cost auto manufacturers no matter how it is broken down. The research and development in meeting stricter regulations does have a cost attached to it. On the other end if auto manufacturers do not meet the CAFE guideline the government has allowed civil liabilities to be charged. The liabilities allowed by the government may cost manufactures approximately $5. 50 for each tenth of a mile that they are under the minimum requirement set forth. The EPA (2010), reports that between the year 1993 and 2004, various manufacturers paid approximately $618 million in penalties. This report also included the fact that in the same period no Asian or U. S. manufacturers have ever been charged any penalties. Many have argued that the cost of meeting increasingly difficult fuel emissions has added cost to the bottom line value of a vehicle as well as slowing sales and potentially putting smaller car dealers out of business. Much research has been done in the area of estimating costs of incorporating better emissions equipment on newer automobiles. Initially, when emission regulation were introduced in the U. S. around 1970, many manufacturers were concerned that to meet the guidelines there would need to be costly research done to find the most cost effective practices to lower emissions. Crabb and Johnson (2010) show that many manufacturers estimated initial costs for catalytic systems designed to reduce emissions would cost approximately $3,000. The government challenged the manufacturers and discounted these findings proving that with some changes to the processes the cost can be cut down by two thirds the initial cost that was estimated. The government was able to show that the systems could be incorporated on motor vehicles for about $1,300. , which is significantly less than estimated. The EPA (2010), reports that many other agencies have conducted research regarding any issues caused by stricter guidelines from the government as well as the cost factor included. The Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) has not been able to document any negative sales because of the Clean Air Act or stricter guidelines. On the contrary, they have been able to show that the sales of new vehicles have fluctuated between 13 and 17 million new vehicles each year for the past 20 years and never declining below these numbers. Much of the fluctuation has been attributed to the changing economical times throughout the history of the U. S. over the last 20 years. Many believe that because diesel engines typically produce a higher rate of exhaust emission than gasoline engines, which may make it more difficult to purchase diesel vehicles in Clean Air States. Diesel engines are most commonly used on vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of more than 8500. The CAFE regulations do not affect the sales or use of these diesel vehicles. The more common everyday on-road use vehicles such as the GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 series as well as the popular Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 series vehicles are the vehicles that will feel the greatest impact on emission regulations. Passenger vehicles such as the Volkswagen Golf TDI are not currently certified under the California Air Resources Board (CARB. ) CARB is a set of standards that the state of California has enacted to control the amount of emissions vehicles registered in the state may emit. Many states followed California in adopting these strict standards that go above and beyond the government requirements. Massachusetts, Maine, New York, New Jersey and Vermont are some of the states that have adopted CARB standards for vehicles sold in those states. As more states adopt their own standards that are stricter than government guidelines, auto manufacturers have difficulty selling certain new vehicles in certain states. Many of the diesel engines used in vehicle applications do not meet the strict EPA and state regulations. In 2010 most new trucks with diesel engines will utilize Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) to lower the NOx released by diesel engines by injecting a urea compound that breaks down the NOx. Cummins, the world’s second largest diesel engine manufacturer has met all emission guidelines that went into effect for all 2010 and newer model year vehicles since the model year 2007. This is helped to benefit sales for the companies that use the Cummins Diesel engine. One such company is Chrysler Corporation that uses the Cummins Diesel in their Dodge Ram Heavy Duty line up. Hirata shows that by using this engine Chrysler has been able to stay at the forefront in technology. As others struggle to find ways to meet regulations, Chrysler will benefit from the technology because their vehicles meet all regulations. The only change Cummins made was adding an inexpensive technology called Selective Catalytic Reduction to further reduce NOx emissions into the earth’s atmosphere. Other manufacturers utilizing diesel engines will be developing systems that require the addition of urea at an additional cost to the customer driving consumer cost through the roof. Cummins has the advantage that the prices for their system will not fluctuate as other diesel engine manufacturers prices will increase because of the cost associated with their new technologies. To reduce the emissions throughout the U. S., not only are the government and auto manufacturers responsible, we are each individually responsible to do our part in reducing the greenhouse gasses we contribute. The manufacturer changing the design of automobile systems is a key part in the reduction. The way we personally use our vehicles will also contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gasses. Things that can be done on our part may include reducing the allowable amount of vehicles in an area by issuing quotas and permits for different areas. Many people have looked into the use of hybrid vehicles as alternatives to fully gas or diesel powered vehicles. Lowering the personal use of our vehicles as well as participating in car pools will fully reduce the amount of green house gasses that we individually release into the atmosphere. In doing the things necessary to lower emission we must be proactive and take an interest in the positive things that will benefit us by reducing the amount of emissions. Although the government has worked with auto manufacturers to reduce vehicle emissions, our cars still produce toxic emissions into the air. With the increasing regulations on fuel economy we will only benefit from less emissions being released into the air. Many things may be done on a consumer level as well. We have access to alternative fuels such as E-85 (ethanol) which comes from corn as well as compressed natural gas which releases very little emissions if any. The government and auto manufacturers are always looking for ways to reduce emission further. As time goes on unless we completely stop using automobiles we will still be faced with the release of toxic emissions from automobile exhaust systems. The available resources will always become better as time goes on and companies create the next best thing to reduce the amount of emissions released by their vehicles. The only way to ensure that our children have a cleaner environment is by educating them with the necessary information that will allow a greener environment over the years to come. References Cakmak, S. , Dales, R E, Judek, S. (Jan-Feb 2006). Respiratory health effects of air pollution gases: modification by education and income. (Author abstract). Archives of Environmental and Occupational Health, 61, 1. p. 5(6). Retrieved January 22, 2010, from General OneFile via Gale: http://find. galegroup. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/gps/start. do? prodId=IPSuserGrou pName=uphoenix Crabb, J. , Johnson, D.. (2010). Fueling Innovation: The Impact of Oil Prices and CAFE Standards on Energy-Efficient Automotive Technology. The Energy Journal, 31(1), 199- 216. Retrieved January 22, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1942210741). Environmental Protection Agency. (2010) [Graphs that show Greenhouse Gas Score Criteria that vehicles must meet as per the EPA regulations on emissions. ] Greenhouse Gas Scores. Retrieved from http://www. epa. gov/greenvehicles/Aboutratings. do Environmental Protection Agency. (2002) [This is a picture of a chart breaking down the sources of the 7 major air pollutants in the United States] Air Data. Retrieved from http://www. epa. gov/cgi- bin/broker? _service=airdata_program=progs. webprogs. emcatbar. scl_debug=2 geotype=usgeocode=usageoname=United+Statesepol=CO+NOX+VOC+SO2+PM 25+PM10+NH3years=2002mapsize=zscreqtype=viewmap Hirata, K. , Masaki, N. , Yano, M. , Akagawa, H. , Takada, K. , Kusaka, J. , Mori, T.. (2009). Development of an improved urea-selective catalytic reduction-diesel particulate filter system for heavy-duty commercial vehicles. International Journal of Engine Research: SPECIAL ISSUE ON EXHAUST AFTER-TREATMENT SYSTEMS FOR DIESELS, 10(5), 337-348. Retrieved January 22, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1873528061). Melosi, M. (2004). The Automobile and the Enviornment in American History. Retrieved from http://www. autolife. umd. umich. edu/Environment/E_Overview/E_Overview1. htm Tarlow, S. (2009). President Obama’s CAFE Standards Will Reduce Auto Emissions. Retrieved from http://personalmoneystore. com/moneyblog/2009/05/19/cafe-standards-car- emissions/ U. S. Enviornmental Protection Agency. (2010). Air Pollution Effects. Retrieved from http://www. epa. gov/ebtpages/airairpollutioneffects. html.

Sports and Resistance in the United States Essay Example for Free

Sports and Resistance in the United States Essay In his book entitled What’s My Name Fool? Sports and Resistance in the United States, author Dave Zirin presents a thought provoking and inviting glimpse look at the polluted industry of sports as well as the brilliant personalities who played significant roles in its history. The author utilizes the achievements of the black athletes and that of the Olympic Project for Human Rights (OPHR) in order to connect the problem of racial discrimination. All the black athletes are playing an important role in establishing their social status. Even though many people would rather not admit it, professional sports in the American scene are certainly more than just a piece of entertainment. Professional sports in the country are considered to be an institution. It also forms a fundamental element in the country’s popular culture. For a majority of men, sports, whether in the form of a plain discussion, as a spectator, or actually playing the game constitutes an integral part of socialization. For a guy who would not want to be dismissed as an odd or nerd, must have an interest in sports to the very least. This fascination in sports usually transforms later on into somewhat bordering a passion. Sports were in essence absurd. The audience is kept sidetracked, passive, and amused whereas issues of great importance are devoted little consideration. Even though there is a certain amount of truth to the following claims, what the author presents in his unique and captivating book is much more multifaceted than where the observation may lead to. Pulling from a source of significant milestones in the history of sports, for instance, the plight of the African American athletes during the Olympics held in 1968, summed up by the painful breaking of the color line at the Major League Baseball by Jackie Robinson, the stripping off the belt of Muhammad Ali for refusal to train for the United States armed forces, and John Carlos and Tommie Smith’s currently infamous â€Å"Black Power Salute† at the medal platform, the author details a political impact of professional sports that was usually being dismissed, overlooked, or utterly kept secret (Zirin, 2005; Green, 2008; Nader, 2005). The most important insight derives from the author’s outline and discussion of the significant milestones in sports history prior to the year 1990 (Zirin, 2005). His drawing out from the history of revolutionary undertakings in the struggle for communal and economic justice provides even for the most avid sports fanatic a novel insight. Zirin’s introduce to his readers the inspiring story of Lester Rodney as a sportswriter. This chapter gives a standpoint on the history of sports which is not often emphasized (Zirin, 2005). The boldness of stealing home to serve as a symbol of a potential for societal transformation in the following chapter likewise brings in fascinating insights concerning the one who destroyed the color barrier in Major League Baseball back in the year 1947. Although a great deal of literature has been afforded to Robinson, the author stresses about the relationship that existed between him and other leaders and athletes, in particular, Malcolm X, Joe Loius, Paul Robenson, and Martin Luther King, Jr. A reflective insight is presented about Robinson as a brave figure rather than as a activist in the latter years of his existence. The author illustrates the manner in which sports usually mirror the times besides being an agent of its change. It begins with a fascinating recount of the political history of American sports by stressing certain important milestones prior to presenting a compilation of his latest personal articles and interviews with the personalities who played a primary role to shape the American sports scene (Zirin, 2005). The personalities include Lester Rodney, Lee Evans, John Carlos, and George Foreman (Zirin, 2005). The author is a bold progressive and his book is visibly penned down from that stance. The parallelism between the subjects of politics and sports is conferred in the framework of the battle of the underprivileged for a more impartial society. It also speaks of the concessions triumphed over against the odds, as well as the struggles combating the evils of racial discrimination and sexism. The book presents a novel standpoint on different personalities who made an impact during their lifetime. For example, do a lot of people recognize that Rodney’s writings were instrumental in accenting the racially prejudiced nature of professional football and drove to integrate? Do a lot of people recognize how rebellious and conceited Jackie Robinson was and what how instrumental he is in the struggle for civil liberties before his death, or that among of his utmost disappointments was letting others use him to serve their purpose, and his bearing witness in opposition to Paul Robeson? Do they even grasp that boxers were yet to have union and be granted medical care? How about other than attributing the infamous black gloved power salutation at the Olympics held way back in 1968 that John Carlos even went barefoot to voice disapproval for the black destitution in the United States? Even so, George Foreman’s act of waving an undersized American flag after winning the gold medal at a boxing match be compared with Carlos and Smith though that he was simply politically unmindful to what was happening during that particular moment in history (). The author is evidently mocking those who conceal sports in nationalistic language to fulfill their personal interest but eventually throw stones at certain athletes whose beliefs and behaviors find faults in societal and economic inequalities. In a manner of speaking, the ones who sincerely work and trust according to the standards of democracy and echoes the most sacred of all values which is otherwise known as the right to dispute. Zirin’s book is sure to spark an interest in sports enthusiasts, history buff concerned with the American sports scene, or even aggressive journalists. It is also a good research material for sociology, culture, and history. The stories recounted are not plain feel good sports narratives. The accounts speak of invariable moral courage possessed by the athletes. They describe about the great tolls they confronted in their personal and professional lives. The stories remind the audience of how they made a difference in the sports scene for themselves as well as for their co-athletes and supporters who rely on their strength of character. Even for those whose interest in sports may have waned can still agree that the book does an excellent job in discussing a topic that is hardly ever mulled over but nonetheless is quite interesting talk about. Zirin’s work offers an interesting read for the American sports scene enthusiasts, but particularly those who have been or still are managing the shame of having an unfaltering interest in sports, though there are certainly more things of greater significance to divert their attention to. As the country progresses, it was clear that people are willing pay what it might cost them to witness sports played at its finest. The 20’s and 50’s, decades having comparable economic conditions witnessed this concept grow (Black, 2007; Sailes, 1998). These years were decades of urbanization and development (Black, 2007; Sailes, 1998). It was around these times when media technology delivered sports via the radio waves and later on to the television screens right the comfort of the audiences’ homes. Most significantly, these were the years following violent world wars that left the world seeking for help, diversion, and a form of relaxation. Besides developing into a lucrative form entertainment for the masses, professional sports in the United States turned out to be a successful tool for the financial and political leaders to endorse their standards and principles. This is the reason why American sports mirror a markedly American venture, originating from the hopes for excellence, triumph and oppression. The American sports are unique in its own right taking pride in calling their athletes as champions of their respective leagues. References Black, S. (2007). Talking Back Sports. Canadian Dimension, 41, 47. Green, J. (2008). Muhammad Ali: Champion of the World. Book Links, 17, 8-9. Nader, R. CommonDreams. org. (2005). What’s My Name, Fool? Sports and Resistance in the United States. Retrieved September 30, 2008, from http://www. commondreams. org/views05/0806-24. htm. Sailes, G. A. (1998). African American in Sport. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Zirin, D. (2005). What’s My Name Fool? Sports and Resistance in the United States. Chicago: Haymarket Books.

Psychoanalysis Of Gordon Gekko Psychology Essay

Psychoanalysis Of Gordon Gekko Psychology Essay The paper will describe a character, Gordon Gekko from Wall Street (Edwin Stone, 1987) from a psychoanalytic perspective of Dr. Sigmund Freud. This paper will pair several quotes of Gordon Gekko with the appropriate perceived diagnosed disorder. In particular, this will illustrate Gekkos two personality disorders: Antisocial Personality Disorder and the Narcissistic Personality Disorder. The paper will conclude by summarizing these faults and then present an opinion of how well these theories describe the person in question. Bud Fox, a stockbroker has been relentless in arranging a meeting with his hero Gordon Gekko. He has called his office, every day, for over a month, but his attempts have failed miserably. He notices that it is Gordons birthday and as a final effort to get to the man he admires he pays a visit to Gordons offices in Manhattan. Armed with a box of the finest and most expensive Cuban cigars Bud makes his way to the receptionist. She returns after delivering the cigars and has Bud take a seat. After an hour has passed, she tells Bud he has five minutes with Mr. Gekko. His persistence and desperation to get to the top and work with the person he admires has now come down to this moment. As Bud walks into the office, he notices it is everything he could have imagined. The furniture, latest computer systems and view of downtown Manhattan give him a taste of the life he so desperately wants. Gordon positioned behind his desk is talking on the phone as Bud is admiring his surroundings. Gordon finally acknowledges Bud and asks him his intentions. Bud is there to pitch stocks to Gordon in hopes of landing him as a client, but quickly realizes he is not prepared as Gordon constantly calls his recommendations crap and is unimpressed. He finally tells Bud to give him something or get out. Knowing that he is losing his opportunity, Bud gives Gordon insider information on a stock that he received from his father the day before on an airline business his father works for. Gordon has Bud leave with the understanding he will think about it. Later that day Gordon calls Bud and places an order for the stock. After doing research on Bud, Gordon understands how Bud became aware of the insider information. He is impressed with the move and takes Bud under his wing, but challenges him to find new information at all costs on future stock deals and hostile takeovers. He tells Bud his five hundred dollar suits are not up to par and to invest in new ones. As more inside deals go through, Gordon takes Bud further into his world. The relationship deepens as Bud enjoys the perks and lifestyle he is creating by working for Gordon. Bud becomes wealthy, moves into an apartment, nicer office and gets the woman of his dreams. All of this was obtained through dealings with Gordon, and Mr. Gekko reminds him who the superior man is every step of the way. The relationship takes a turn for the worse when Bud finds out that Gordon is now using the same unethical business practices with his fathers airline company. Bud decides to manipulate the stock in order to push Gordon to sell instead of buy. Even though he knows that by doing this, he will lose everything. After realizing he was played, Gordon confronts Bud in Central Park, and both physically and verbally assaults him. Gordon lets Bud know that he is still the most powerful man on Wall Street, and he is now relegated to nothing. Using Freuds psychoanalytical approach and the incorporation of which therapeutic approach should be employed in concern to the psychoanalysis of Gordon Gekko from the film Wall Street (Edwin Stone, 1987) will be twofold: 1) diagnosis, and 2) practical therapy. First, point out the evident faults; next, create a conscious awareness of these faults and determine a means by which to work around these obstacles. Dr. Sigmund Freuds psychoanalytical approach is fundamentally set around human behaviors and the unconscious. He believes humans are somehow driven by instincts and these all originate in the unconscious (Ridgeway, 2007). Based upon that, from A Glossary of Psychoanalytic Terms and Concepts (Moore, 1967), here are the three applications of Psychoanalysis: a method of investigation of the mind and the way one thinks; a systematized set of theories about human behavior; method of treatment of psychological or emotional illness. With this in mind, Gordon Gekko is now set to experience Dr. Sigmund Freuds psychoanalytical approach. From the following quote within the film a duality of psychoanalytical constituents becomes evident: In the last seven deals that Ive been involved with, there were 2.5 million stockholders who have made a pretax profit of 12 billion dollars. Thank you. I am not a destroyer of companies. I am a liberator of them! The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms: greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge, has marked the upward surge of mankind Gordon Gekko, (Edwin Stone, 1987) From the view of the capitalistic mindset, this quote brings two rather evident perspectives together: it takes that perspective of the individual, the independent laborer who must make the utmost priority in watching out for the I, and then straddles that thin line between the better benefit of the group. Humans are social; we only benefit optimally by working together; humans benefit only through interactions with other humans; humans need humans to build such fortresses and provide for those 2.5 million corporate stockholders, right along with all companies and businesses in general. However, Gekko solely advocates the view of the individual while complete disregard to that of any collaborative effort. This is a red-flag to signal psychological disorders. A corporation is a legal entity separate from the persons that form it. It is a legal entity owned by individual stockholders -Gordon Gekko, (Edwin Stone, 1987). Lets start with the most apparent, Antisocial Sociopath Disorder. This illustrates certainly no regard for the concerns of others; people with this affliction will do anything to acquire self-satisfaction and feelings of self-entitlement with no respect for how their actions affect any other person. An antisocial sociopath is utterly indifferent to others around him or her. This person operates under a regime totally unfamiliar to social behaviors, including lying, cheating, and stealing. The conduct of these people goes well beyond any social norm of acceptable behavior, and purely in order to get ahead. Personality disorders typically begin in childhood, and then progress over time into rigid personality traits, obstructing social abilities and acceptable functioning when relating to other people. However, everyone can un derstand and recognize selfish behaviors, even selfish behavioral patterns, but this does not indicate that a person is becoming, has become, or may become an antisocial sociopath; one with this disorder can identify symptoms from childhood. Surely Gordon Gekko carried this affliction from an extremely early age, too. Greed is good -Gordon Gekko, (Edwin Stone, 1987). Like a puppet, greed in this situation pulls the strings motivating Gordon Gekko to operate by this tunnel focus. Yes, this personality disorder is prevalent in what we commonly perceive as spiteful, calculative, and manipulative materialists. Another feature shared by Gekko, particularly the greedy antisocial sociopathic feature of this character, rests in his complete lack of self-identification; antisocial sociopaths bring a sense of self-denial of any of this self-absorption. As much a paradox that this seems, due to the self-sacrifice he perceives because of self-denial, Gekko is so consumed in the self that he executes all his decisions with a complete lack of self-identification. Again, the antisocial sociopath disorder is the most apparent disorder of this character. In detailing how Gordon Gekko portrays the Antisocial Sociopathic qualities, Dr. Robbins conveys these characteristics: Antisocial Personality Disorder: These people generally have no regard for the rights of others; they are exploitative, they see themselves as better or superior, and are very opportunistic. They are deceitful, steal from people around them, and often have trouble with the law. They frequently engage in fraudulent activities, make very good scam artists, and tend to be irritable and impulsive. They often come in as a savior for a church, for example, and end up stealing everything. They have no remorse. Conduct disorder as a child often morphs into antisocial personality disorder. Examples include the Mafia Dapper Don John Gotti, or Tony Soprano in The Sopranos. TV shows such as Dateline or 20/20 are replete with stories revolving around antisocial personality disorders (Robbins, 2005). Gekko also displays features of the Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Understood and commonly underplayed as vanity or conceit, this personality disorder, dictates that the narcissist is right, while everyone else is wrong. If an object, ideal, occasion, etc., do not benefit the narcissist, then it is of no worth. We can all think of people who fit this ideal. We all bring these traits to the table, but the difference between a person with either of these clinical disorders and the rest of the normal crowd is that we identify these traits; any person with this clinical disorder cannot. In a nutshell, let us allow Dr. Lawrence Robbins to provide another bit of enlightenment: Narcissistic Personality Disorder: This is less common, and the people see themselves as being above others, they are grandiose, have a lack of empathy, and they feel self-important. There is a true sense of entitlement. They may be extremely vain and constantly require admiration. They are envious, arrogant, exp loitative, and can be very angry. Examples include General George Patton, Nicole Kidmans character in the movie To Die For, Michael Douglas character, Gordon Gekko, in the movie Wall Street, Kelsey Grammers character in Frazier, and the Chief of Medicine, Dr. Robert Romano on the TV show ER (Robbins, 2005). The applicable approach of Psychoanalytic therapy is to allow access to the unconscious. The treatment process can, at times, become blocked by the clients resistance (their unwillingness to provide information). Transference is a condition in which the client begins to consider their therapist in the same emotional way they would consider a person in their lives, such as a parent or sibling. Working with interpretation, resistance, and transference is sometimes called working through, a therapeutic technique in which the therapist helps the client better understand their conflicts and how to resolve them (Depression Guide, 2005). If Gordon Gekko had become a patient of Dr. Freuds I can only guess there would have been a considerable amount of time spent with free association in order to discuss child hood events, dreams or trauma that were repressed in the unconscious. Freud believed being greedy was natural, that we are born with it. He believed the unconscious was a place that consisted of unthinkable wishes and drives that needed to be socialized. Dr. Freud believed that we progressed through psychosexual stages as we grew from child to adult, and greed could be expressed in each of the stages. If you look at these stages it is easy to see where we could associate greed with each one. Oral greed could be in the form of a biting hunger-perhaps the kind that Gekko, who built his companys strategy around chewing up other companies, displayed. Gordon could have expressed anal greed either by keeping all of his money which he did in offshore bank accounts or by spending all of it on the finer things in life. Fi nally, Gordons business greed came from the ambition that characterizes phallic greed and was displayed by his desire to become the most powerful and wealthiest man on Wall Street.

We Need an Amendment Outlawing Flag Desecration :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

We Need an Amendment Outlawing Flag Desecration In an attempt to make outrageous political statements, people often go to extremes: monks burn themselves to express freedom from religious intolerance, civilians stand in front of military tanks to stop them from destroying their city, and others burn or tear up flags to demonstrate their beliefs on issues from racism to war. Although flag desecration is the least violent of these three examples, it should be banned with an amendment because the flag is a symbol of freedom. Flag defilement is seen in many forms, such as- spitting on, tearing apart, or burning. During the 1960’s, a time of despair and revolution, flag vandalism proliferated. In effort to alter their lifestyle, Americans stampeded the streets ruining the symbol of freedom in the name of politics and racism. The violent array of insubordination created an immediate reaction. Each protest became more violent and ill mannered. Each time someone demolishes a flag, the act is not freedom of speech- it is an expression of an anti-American lifestyle. During the Vietnam War, activists ironically demolished the flag to bring back the men fighting overseas. The same men who were fighting for the freedoms of Americans and the symbol of America. These soldiers believed in America as a country and the flag as a badge of democracy and freedom so much, they risked their lives and almost 60,000 American soldiers died to preserve America’s freedoms. Those who have lost family members in a vicious battle will understand that it is not a sign of admiration to disgrace the icon for which these young men died to defend-- many between the ages of 17 to 24. In honor of those who may die for our country in the future, the Senate should pass an amendment outlawing flag desecration. As a daughter of an American soldier– who fought in both