African American Injustice Essay Example for Free

African American Injustice Essay â€Å"In the eyes of white Americans, being black encapsulates your identity. † In reading and researching the African American cultural group, this quote seemed to identify exactly the way the race continues to still be treated today after many injustices in the past. It is astonishing to me that African Americans can still stand to be treated differently in today’s society. In reading â€Å"Blacks in America†, Andrew Hacker states that â€Å"being black in America has consequences in areas of: wealth, identity, raising children, occupational opportunities, place of residence, and treatment in the criminal justice system. † To be honest, and I feel bad saying that I already knew this was happening to African Americans. I have heard stories of blacks not getting jobs; regardless of how qualified they are for the position, because of the color of their skin. I have heard stories, and even witness black children getting picked on in school because of the simple fact that they are black. I watched a video in school where a black family moved into a white neighborhood, and before long all the white families had moved out because they didn’t want a black family in their neighborhood. This was confirmed by Hacker in my research in the quote, â€Å"Almost all residential areas are entirely black or white. † I have also seen videos of African American men getting beaten by white arresting officers, and have heard stories of many black men being stereotyped by policemen. This must be why Hacker states â€Å"When white people hear the cry, â€Å"the police are coming! † it almost always means, â€Å"Help is on the way. † However blacks cannot make the same assumption. † These are all reports and events that I think the average American has seen before, but yet most people, including myself, continue to just shrug of and ignore. I guess it’s something that I might have subconsciously accepted, or maybe refused to think more deeply about. In reading and researching, I reaffirmed knowledge that I refused to take a greater note of. I wouldn’t say I learned anything new, because I knew what I wanted to focus on. A quote from Andrew Hacker’s article summarizes the above best, â€Å"In the eyes of white Americans, being black encapsulates your identity. † It may be easy to tell how I am going to focus this anthology. I am going to focus it on the injustices that African Americans continue to face in the United States today. That being, I know exactly what I need to get out of my interviewees, but it is probably a sensitive subject for some of the people I need to interview. I am not black, and I don’t know what it feels like to face this discrimination in everyday life. I can understand the tenderness that African Americans must feel then, when revealing and talking about their experiences with discrimination. I would think then, that it must be especially sensitive to talk about with a person from the race that they receive this everyday discrimination. It will be interesting to hear all the different types of prejudice that my interviewees have received throughout their lives. I would imagine that it ranges from just a look, or the way white Americans act around them, to voiced and physical altercations between themselves and white Americans. Hacker at times seems to be speaking directly to African Americans as he describes these altercations, â€Å"So many of the contacts you have with them (white Americans) are stiff and uneasy, hardly worth the effort. † But to me, that is exactly what the problem is. Why would it not be worth the effort? The first step to take for the uneasiness between the two races to cease to exist is for us (all people) to stop seeing color because once we act differently around the other is where all the problems seem to start. The second step is to make these contacts worth the effort. If we choose to continue to stay in our own comfortable circle of race, when is the problem ever going to end? The answer is never. My opinion as a white 18 year old is that most of the blame lies on the white race. Imagine being eyed every time you go into a store, having your car searched for no reason, or greeted warily at restaurants all because the color of your skin is different. We ignore this daily discrimination because no cares enough anymore to take notice that it happens every hour, every day somewhere in the United States. Will it ever stop? Not until we each take the steps to make it. A recent census commercial I’ve seen said â€Å"We (United States) can’t move forward until you mail it back. † I believe that our country can’t move forward and truly be great until we make sure these daily iscriminations are eliminated from our society. In this project, I will interview African Americans on their personal experiences with discrimination, how they handle it, and if they think anything can be done about this problem. Sources: Andrew. 1999. Blacks in America. Pp. 160-168 in The Meaning of Sociology, 6th ed. , edited by Joel Charon. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. A Time to Kill. Dir. Joel Schumacher. 1996. African American History. University of Washington Libraries. Web. 02 Apr. 2010. .

Victor Frankenstein Essay example -- Literary Analysis, Mary Shelley

The wise Uncle Ben once told Peter Parker, â€Å"remember, with great power. Comes great responsibility.† There is no greater power than that acquired by the infamous Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein when he discovers the secret to creating life. Shelley’s Frankenstein is a tale of creation that depicts acts of human conception and discovery. The Oxford English Dictionary defines creation as â€Å"the action or process of bringing something into existence from nothing by divine or natural agency; the fact of being so created.† It defies the natural order of things and creates a world of its own. The multiple acts of creation and discovery bring upon a certain set of responsibilities and implications as depicted by David Collings who analyzes the responsibilities that come as a result of these acts in his essay â€Å"The Monster and the Maternal Thing: Mary Shelley’s Critique of Ideology†. The main act of creation is evident through Victor Frankenstein’s creation of the Being which is depicted most prominently in the novel. However, there are multiple other acts of creation and discovery that may not be apparent at first sight. One of the most important being, Victor’s discovery of the knowledge required to create life. Apart from initially creating the Being, Victor also plays a critical role in the Being’s evolution into a raging and vengeful creature. Perhaps above all other acts of creation and discovery is Victor’s personal creation of himself into a monster. As stated by Collings most of these acts of creation on Victor’s part are subconsciously brought upon because of their lack of a maternal figure but also in part because of his desire for fame and glory. However, he is blinded by his motives and forgets that with his... ...eatures. Victor Frankenstein is given this power when he discovers the secret to reanimating dead remains, by which he creates the Being we have all come to call Frankenstein. In her novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley depicts this amazing power and the change it causes in not only Victor’s life but in the world. Along the way the young Victor Frankenstein creates more than what he initially believed but his greed and vanity shield him from recognizing the responsibilities and implications that arise, all of which are analyzed the by David Collings in his essay â€Å"The Monster and the Maternal Thing: Mary Shelley’s Critique of Ideology.† As Uncle Ben once told Peter Parker â€Å"remember, with great power. Comes great responsibility.† Victor acquired great power but disregarded all responsibilities that resulted out of his creations, therefore creating himself as a monster.

American Exceptionalism

The term American Exceptionalism has many definitions to many different people. In general it refers to the idea that the United States of America holds the special title of worldwide peace keeper and bringer of justice and democracy as they are the land of the free. American Conservatives; such as the Tea Party, also pair the phrase up with the idea of superiority; whereas liberals would much more prefer Americans to see their country as ‘ordinary’ and so dislike the term. To them ordinary means things like American does not always assume its place as the world’s super power but simple acts as an international negotiator in times of need. The terminology was coined in 1831 by Alexis de Tocqueville as to explain a positive outward effect of America’s democracy. In 1929 the phrase was used adversely by the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, when opposing the idea of the growth of capitalism in the states. In theory, American Exceptionalism works because of four key principles: divine right, resources, just beliefs and diversity. Many believe that the United States was chosen by God to lead the world and so they have the divine power to act in such a way over other countries. Although, others feel that the sheer wealth and resources the country has- such as the most powerful armed forces in the world gives them this power. Some consider the strong ideas and principles that the country was founded on as to the reason they have a greater say; whereas others argue that it is the mix of heritage and cultures, which makes America a kind of highbred of the best of the world, allowing for it to have this exceptional place in the world today. An odd and contradicting feature of the concept is that as an America knows best; they may over power their own legal system, other countries and conduct various types of secret activities if to protect the democratic system and state interests. America knows best: we must invade Iraq to free the people there from the dictatorship they live in, and then as a secondary thought because, they may have weapons of mass destruction (and oil that could be a lot of use to us). The idea that hacking people’s internet history and phone calls is just and fine, because the government can act beyond its means, as in the end they are protecting people from themselves- since they know best! The idea of Exceptionalism has allowed America to involve itself in many conflicts since the Mexican- American War of1846; where the Americans refused to accept that Mexico did not want to be a part of the United States and felt it was their mission to spread ‘freedom’ to the people of Mexico, right through to the Iraq war. During the Cold War the power of American Exceptionalism was used to display the American way of life as the right way and to try and crush the rising power of Communism. Ronald Reagan famously said that America had a duty to be â€Å"shining city on the hill† that the rest of the world would look up to. There are many positives and yet, many negatives of American Exceptionalism, and it is the principles of the term itself have brought about its demise. The waters have been muddied and so there are now many variations of the meaning of the words, which depend on the people using them. There is a spectrum of opinion: to some America is the almighty bringer of justice, and may do this by any means as long as they reach their end target of a freer and fair world. By contrast, others feel that Exceptionalism is simply used as a cover for the falling giant to do whatever it wants; from the invasions of lesser off countries, to spying on the day to day lives of millions of Americans. The use of Exceptionalism in foreign policy is often questioned; is it just a front the country can hide behind when actually working for personal gains rather than the good of the people? The expression is often used today in questioning America’s place as a super power. At a press conference in 2009 Obama was asked about his belief in American Exceptionalism he said: â€Å"I believe in American Exceptionalism, just as I suspect the Brits believe in British Exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek Exceptionalism†. In 2013 Mitt Romney used this comment to attack Obama, stating that he did not believe in the power of the United States as a power, yet them comment had little power as the term has been lost somewhat. The majority of the countries have democracy, or have made a greater step towards it over the last century, leaving America with a much lesser role as the bringer of social equality. American Exceptionalism has shaped the world we live today, without it both America and Britain would not be looked to as a role model of strong democratic systems and equality. The idea has brought the same concepts to many other countries and helped to advance areas such as industry and the role of women. However, in recent years the power of American Exceptionalism has faded and the flaws have become more visible. The positive effects of American Exceptionalism are now much gentler, and the goal is more to help countries create justice, rather than impose America’s view. American Exceptionalism The term American Exceptionalism has many definitions to many different people. In general it refers to the idea that the United States of America holds the special title of worldwide peace keeper and bringer of justice and democracy as they are the land of the free. American Conservatives; such as the Tea Party, also pair the phrase up with the idea of superiority; whereas liberals would much more prefer Americans to see their country as ‘ordinary’ and so dislike the term. To them ordinary means things like American does not always assume its place as the world’s super power but simple acts as an international negotiator in times of need. The terminology was coined in 1831 by Alexis de Tocqueville as to explain a positive outward effect of America’s democracy. In 1929 the phrase was used adversely by the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, when opposing the idea of the growth of capitalism in the states. In theory, American Exceptionalism works because of four key principles: divine right, resources, just beliefs and diversity. Many believe that the United States was chosen by God to lead the world and so they have the divine power to act in such a way over other countries. Although, others feel that the sheer wealth and resources the country has- such as the most powerful armed forces in the world gives them this power. Some consider the strong ideas and principles that the country was founded on as to the reason they have a greater say; whereas others argue that it is the mix of heritage and cultures, which makes America a kind of highbred of the best of the world, allowing for it to have this exceptional place in the world today. An odd and contradicting feature of the concept is that as an America knows best; they may over power their own legal system, other countries and conduct various types of secret activities if to protect the democratic system and state interests. America knows best: we must invade Iraq to free the people there from the dictatorship they live in, and then as a secondary thought because, they may have weapons of mass destruction (and oil that could be a lot of use to us). The idea that hacking people’s internet history and phone calls is just and fine, because the government can act beyond its means, as in the end they are protecting people from themselves- since they know best! The idea of Exceptionalism has allowed America to involve itself in many conflicts since the Mexican- American War of1846; where the Americans refused to accept that Mexico did not want to be a part of the United States and felt it was their mission to spread ‘freedom’ to the people of Mexico, right through to the Iraq war. During the Cold War the power of American Exceptionalism was used to display the American way of life as the right way and to try and crush the rising power of Communism. Ronald Reagan famously said that America had a duty to be â€Å"shining city on the hill† that the rest of the world would look up to. There are many positives and yet, many negatives of American Exceptionalism, and it is the principles of the term itself have brought about its demise. The waters have been muddied and so there are now many variations of the meaning of the words, which depend on the people using them. There is a spectrum of opinion: to some America is the almighty bringer of justice, and may do this by any means as long as they reach their end target of a freer and fair world. By contrast, others feel that Exceptionalism is simply used as a cover for the falling giant to do whatever it wants; from the invasions of lesser off countries, to spying on the day to day lives of millions of Americans. The use of Exceptionalism in foreign policy is often questioned; is it just a front the country can hide behind when actually working for personal gains rather than the good of the people? The expression is often used today in questioning America’s place as a super power. At a press conference in 2009 Obama was asked about his belief in American Exceptionalism he said: â€Å"I believe in American Exceptionalism, just as I suspect the Brits believe in British Exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek Exceptionalism†. In 2013 Mitt Romney used this comment to attack Obama, stating that he did not believe in the power of the United States as a power, yet them comment had little power as the term has been lost somewhat. The majority of the countries have democracy, or have made a greater step towards it over the last century, leaving America with a much lesser role as the bringer of social equality. American Exceptionalism has shaped the world we live today, without it both America and Britain would not be looked to as a role model of strong democratic systems and equality. The idea has brought the same concepts to many other countries and helped to advance areas such as industry and the role of women. However, in recent years the power of American Exceptionalism has faded and the flaws have become more visible. The positive effects of American Exceptionalism are now much gentler, and the goal is more to help countries create justice, rather than impose America’s view.

Advances During Civil War - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 849 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2019/04/27 Category History Essay Level High school Tags: Civil War Essay War Essay Did you like this example? There were some important advances in medicine and medical technology during the Civil War. As often the case, most medical advances in medicine come about exactly because of war. War can bring out the very worst in mankind, and the very worst of diseases and the most unique of injuries. Although there were important tangible medical advances, an open mind toward change was the most critical to life saving techniques during the war. The real lasting impact was the change in the mindset of both the doctors and the people who they were treating. (Koyle by Thompson, Six Ways the Civil War Changed American Medicine) Keeping an open mind is one of the reasons why medicine and medicine technology has advanced so quickly from the days of the Civil War an into modern times. Today, physicians most are willing to search for better ways to fight disease, rather than to just stick with one solution. Too, because of the internet, patients also have a similar option. After all, in medicine, there is no one size fits all. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Advances During Civil War" essay for you Create order Keeping an open mind was not so much the norm in the beginning of the war. Most physicians still held to the belief that it was best to treat patients diseases via the Humoral theory, which mainly consisted of treating disease through diet and exercise, or in worse cases, through bloodletting. However, the U.S. Surgeon General, William Hammond, was influential in changing with way military physicians treated patients. Two of the most important things he did was he instituted training in public health, hygiene and surgery for all Union Army medical officers. His call for specimens also provided a textbook of case studies to train doctors after the war (Thompson, Six Ways the Civil War Changed American Medicine) Because war often brings about such unique damage and disease to a body; by saving case notes, body parts and bodily fluids for future study, Hammond ensured later practitioners understanding of disease and grievous and at times. In the beginning of the war, the military hired civilian drivers to carry the wounded off the battlefield. These drivers were unaccustomed to war and not medically trained. They were often shell-shocked and confused, sometimes running away when attempting to pick up wounded soldiers on the battlefield. The wounded could be left where they fell for days before being removed to a hospital, and most died. Dr. Johnathan Letterman, a surgeon, recognized this and started the first Ambulance Corps. Men were trained to bring the wounded to the field dressing stations on stretchers and by wagon as quickly as possible. Time was essential in saving a wounded soldiers life, and surgeons had to act quickly. The Ambulance Corps would quickly remove the wounded to a Field Dressing Station, very near the battlefield, for assessment and application of dressings to the wounds. Next, they were moved to a makeshift Field Hospital, usually a home or barn also near the battlefield to perform emergency surgery (usually amputations). They would be taken to a Large Hospital later, which would be located much further away from the battlefield for long-term needs. Lettermans efficient removal and triaging of the wounded saved lives as documented in the battle of Antietam, where there were over 20,000 casualties, but all the wounded were removed from the field within 24 hours or less. This practice is still i n use today in military warfare as well within the general population. An interesting example of this modern triaging actually happened to me after my horse-riding accident at my farm. After the 911 call, an ambulance came. The medics quickly assessed by wounds and requested a helicopter. The helicopter was en route to UAMS at Little Rock, but diverted to Hot Springs, to stabilize and give me blood and then I was flown to UAMS for surgery and days later to an inpatient rehab facility. One can only imagine what terrible suffering soldiers must have gone through before Lettermans lifesaving innovations. Before the Civil War broke out, physicians might attend a medical school for two years. If they attended at all. Some would apprentice with another physician and some might not have had any official medical training at all. If they did happen to attend medical school, they would attend a years worth of courses and then repeat the same courses the very next year. Unfortunately, working on cadavers for study in most of America was considered unethical, and therefore most new graduates had very little understanding of the human body. That changed during the course of the Civil War. With thousands of dead and dying men, physicians were granted a great deal of hands-on experience. They learned what medicines worked best for treating some ailments or what worked best for pain. They learned how much anesthesia was needed to put a patient under. They learned how to amputate limbs and how far they needed to cut and to do so quickly. But most importantly, they gained experience and knowledge t hey needed to become good at what they did, allowing them to teach another generation of physicians all they had learned.