African American Social Standings Essay -- Slavery Afircan Americans E

This research paper will discuss the African American social standing in America throughout history. It will discuss the highs and lows and the pros and cons of the progression and also the different periods that African Americans lived through since they were brought to America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The progression of African Americans in America began with a practice called slavery. Slavery is the state of a person who is the chattel of another. It began in 1441 when Portuguese men kidnapped 12 black Africans from Cabo Blanco and moved them to Portugal. This opened the door to slavery in the Americas. A British statesman stated that 'Slavery is a weed that grows on every soil.' The first African Americans slaves in America were brought to Jamestown, Virginia as servants and or slaves in August 1619. In order for slavery to work Africans had to made to seem inferior, one of the main an most common ways to show this was through religious racism ( Aretha, David pg. 21 ) The practice of slavery was then sent to the south were they were put on plantations. Plantations consisted of a large mansion like home surrounded by a large farm where slaves planted and harvested crops and performed other jobs which they weren?t paid for. While on the plantation the slaves ca lled the owner Master or Mistress, they provided the slaves with food housing and clothing.( David Brion Davis, World Book online... Slavery) While on these plantations many of the slaves faced severe consequence for disobedience. They received consequences for not working hard or fast enough, they would also be used as an example in order to control the others. Their harsh punishment would include branding, whipping, mutilation, chaining and sometimes the harshest punishment of all cold blooded murder. Slavery was one of the worst periods in American history. During this period of slavery there were few revolts but many runaways. While slavery continued to spread and get more brutal in the South, the North disagreed with the idea of free labor. Their difference fueled the abolitionist movement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Abolitionist Movement was the first movement that lead to the African Americans? political and physical freedoms from slavery. ?Antislavery activity began in colonial days. During the 1680's, Quakers in Pennsylvania condemned slavery on moral grounds. In the late 1700's, several leaders of the American revolut... ...han the Non Violent Movement. Front runners like Malcolm X and other influential faces such as Huey P. Newton and Bud Siegel who together formed the Black Panthers all believed that the white man was the problem and that in order to win equal rights that African Americans needed to start fighting fire with fire and bullets with bullets instead of the more passive ways of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. ( Aretha, Chronicles pr. 261-300)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion I believe that the law has provided African Americans with equal rights as whites but I believe that they may still appear not to be equal. In the 21st century I belive and know that there are many laws that seem to make African Americans and white equals but there is still much discrimination in the world. I also believe that the racism is not as bad but still exist, it just isn?t as blatant and in your face as it was in the past. African Americans still have trouble getting jobs, being accepted into organizations and colleges or university, But I do believe that we have made a 900 degree turn from the time where ?Colored? and ?White? signs decorated the front of every doorway, restroom and waterfountian in the southern U.S

The Sex of Things: Gender and Consumption in Historical Perspective Ess

The Sex of Things: Gender and Consumption in Historical Perspective The Sex of Things is a collection of thirteen essays discussing the social history of consumption (loosely defined) and gender in France, England, Germany, Italy, and the United States from the eighteenth to the late twentieth century. Taking a primarily historical approach to the topic of gender and consumption, the contributors come from various academic disciplines: history, economics, area studies, English, art history, and gender studies. The contributors contextualize their analyses of gender and consumption historically in visual representations and popular social and political lines of thought. In the introduction, de Grazia lays the groundwork for why we should be concerned with how gender impacts the study of consumption. Simplistic notions of naturally or inevitably identifying the female sex with shopping sprees are challenged in favor of a deeper inquiry into the assumptions revolving around AMr. Breadwinner@ and AMrs. Consumer@(3). Instead of merely debating whether consumption is liberating or oppressive, these essays are concerned with the study of consumption in terms of the construction of gender roles, class relations, the family, and the state. Essays in the first section relate to the transition of consumption patterns from aristocratic to bourgeois society. De Grazia locates the growth of bourgeois consumption practices in the Afeminized world of the home@, where female heads of household not only were expected to be nurturing and sociable, but were also consumers of food, clothing, and furniture. Through their purchases, these women accumulated (for themselves and their children) what Pierre Bourdieu called Acultural capital, @ b... ...en women and melodrama by consideration of statistical data on the female audience, as well as discursive contributions from popular media. The Sex of Things concludes with selected bibliography by Ellen Furlough, highlighting gender and consumption in historical perspective. The bibliography includes histories of consumption and consumer culture as well as theoretical contributions and contains a number of categories rooted in feminist research on consumption. These categories include: sites of consumption, marketing and design , spectatorship and reception, production of representations, domesticity, sexuality, appearance, and politics and ideologies of consumption. Each section ranges historically from the Middle Ages to the present. Unfortunately, the bibliography is dominated by Western perspectives; only a few of the sources are non-Western in orientation.

Level2 Equality Diversity

NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Equality and Diversity Unit 4: Living in Diverse Communities Assessment You should use this file to complete your Assessment. The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a disk Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly When you’ve finished, print out a copy to keep for reference Then, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your completed Assessment to your tutor via your My Study area – make sure it is clearly marked with your name, the course title and the Unit and Assessment number. Name: Lisa Roe 1.Describe a range of appropriate investigative methods that can be used to explore diversity in a community. You can observe the community using several methods one being you could use observation sheets ,go in the internet use the local library, contact people with expert knowledge. You can use neighbourhood statistic websites that can give you a range of statistics in your local area. 2. Using one (or more) of the methods you outlined in Question 1, describe the extent of diversity that exists within your community. You should illustrate your work with some actual data such as statistics or desktop research.Spoken languages ,There are currently 73 languages spoken in the Wigan Borough, according to English as an Additional Language statistics within schools. (Wigan Council Census, January 2010). The top languages currently being used by schools is Polish, Chinese, Arabic, Punjabi, French, Malayalam, Urdu, Slovak and Norwegian. 38 languages were requested Interpretation services within GP practices in 2008/09. The top languages currently being used by patients within GP practices are Kurdish, Slovak, Farsi, Mandarin, Russian, Arabic, French and Polish.There are currently 68 languages used in Wigan and Leigh College. Top languages spoken are Polish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi, Slovak, French, Urdu, Malayan, Russian, and Lithuanian most recent dat a we have on religion is from the 2001 Census, so very out-of- date. Wigan is a predominantly Christian borough with 87% classed as such. The next largest group is those describing themselves as having no religion, at 7%. There are less that 1% of people in the borough who describe themselves as either Muslim (0. 33%), Hindu (0. 17%), Buddhist (0. 09%), Jewish (0. 3%) or Sikh (0. 02%). However, the growing ethnic diversity that has been experienced in the borough over the last ten years is likely to have had an effect on the religious make-up also 3. Using one (or more) of the methods you outlined in Question 1, describe the range of services and agencies that exist within your local community to support diversity. www. wlct. org Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is committed to equality and diversity and in an ongoing process continues to develop and improve services to everyone in the community www. wigan. ov. uk for help with everything from housing to help looking for a job. Patie nt advice and liaison services Advice on the availability of, and access to, local health services www. walh. co. ukequality and diversity in employment 4. Using one (or more) of the methods you outlined in Question 1, provide a wide range of examples (at least 20) of physical signs that show there is diversity within your community. Include examples relating to: Religion Ethnicity Age Disability Gender 5. Describe the types of inequality that could exist within a community.Report on your findings. 1,Political this may occur when certain groups are prevented from taking part in a process. 2, Inequality of outcome this is when people have variations in wealth and income 3 inequality of treatment this is were we have to treat people without bias, prejudice or special conditions applying to them 6. Describe the threats that exist to equality and diversity within the community, using examples of intolerance and extremism. when people are intolerant they tend to stereotype and label the groups / categories they do not like.They may behave in antisocial ways that undermine the quality of life of the people they do not like. This can worsen to the point where there is extremism. One of the main problems that results from intolerant behaviour is that it can cause the social groups being subjected to it to behave differently. They often respond in one of two ways: The people affected may withdraw and become more insular. They tend to stay with ‘their own social group’ and avoid outsiders. However, this withdrawal can be perceived by outsiders as being anti-social and this can have a negative effect on the way the minority group is labelled. hey stereotype people outside their group as being a threat against them. They may themselves become intolerant of the ‘outsiders’. This breaks down the healthy relationships that the social group has with others. These responses are understandable. If a person feels threatened it makes sense to keep close to people you feel safe with and keep away from potential threats. Unfortunately the result is that the behaviour of an intolerant minority can influence and negatively impact a whole community. the extremist is obviously an intolerant person who takes things to extremes.They go from disliking and being intolerant of a particular social group (on the grounds of things such as race, ethnicity, gender, disability or sexual preference) to taking actions that may cause those people harm. 7. Research the range of support services and networks that exist within the local community to support diversity and explain the specific roles they carry out and the users they support. This task should be completed for each of the following: Public sector organisations Wigan, Leigh & District Society for the Blind to help the blind people find out information and get help if needed. www. thebrick. org. kthey help homeless people www. embracewiganand leigh. org they are a Wigan based charity who help people with disabilities and their families that need support, advice and information. Charitable and voluntary organisations oxfam cancer research save the children Self-help groups AATo help people with drinking problems Alzheimers society-to help family to cope with loved ones who are suffering with alzhelmers. Lesbian and gay foundation providers of direct support and resources to lesbian gay and bisexual people Once you have completed this Assessment, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your work to your tutor for marking. Level2 Equality Diversity NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Equality and Diversity Unit 4: Living in Diverse Communities Assessment You should use this file to complete your Assessment. The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a disk Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly When you’ve finished, print out a copy to keep for reference Then, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your completed Assessment to your tutor via your My Study area – make sure it is clearly marked with your name, the course title and the Unit and Assessment number. Name: Lisa Roe 1.Describe a range of appropriate investigative methods that can be used to explore diversity in a community. You can observe the community using several methods one being you could use observation sheets ,go in the internet use the local library, contact people with expert knowledge. You can use neighbourhood statistic websites that can give you a range of statistics in your local area. 2. Using one (or more) of the methods you outlined in Question 1, describe the extent of diversity that exists within your community. You should illustrate your work with some actual data such as statistics or desktop research.Spoken languages ,There are currently 73 languages spoken in the Wigan Borough, according to English as an Additional Language statistics within schools. (Wigan Council Census, January 2010). The top languages currently being used by schools is Polish, Chinese, Arabic, Punjabi, French, Malayalam, Urdu, Slovak and Norwegian. 38 languages were requested Interpretation services within GP practices in 2008/09. The top languages currently being used by patients within GP practices are Kurdish, Slovak, Farsi, Mandarin, Russian, Arabic, French and Polish.There are currently 68 languages used in Wigan and Leigh College. Top languages spoken are Polish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi, Slovak, French, Urdu, Malayan, Russian, and Lithuanian most recent dat a we have on religion is from the 2001 Census, so very out-of- date. Wigan is a predominantly Christian borough with 87% classed as such. The next largest group is those describing themselves as having no religion, at 7%. There are less that 1% of people in the borough who describe themselves as either Muslim (0. 33%), Hindu (0. 17%), Buddhist (0. 09%), Jewish (0. 3%) or Sikh (0. 02%). However, the growing ethnic diversity that has been experienced in the borough over the last ten years is likely to have had an effect on the religious make-up also 3. Using one (or more) of the methods you outlined in Question 1, describe the range of services and agencies that exist within your local community to support diversity. www. wlct. org Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is committed to equality and diversity and in an ongoing process continues to develop and improve services to everyone in the community www. wigan. ov. uk for help with everything from housing to help looking for a job. Patie nt advice and liaison services Advice on the availability of, and access to, local health services www. walh. co. ukequality and diversity in employment 4. Using one (or more) of the methods you outlined in Question 1, provide a wide range of examples (at least 20) of physical signs that show there is diversity within your community. Include examples relating to: Religion Ethnicity Age Disability Gender 5. Describe the types of inequality that could exist within a community.Report on your findings. 1,Political this may occur when certain groups are prevented from taking part in a process. 2, Inequality of outcome this is when people have variations in wealth and income 3 inequality of treatment this is were we have to treat people without bias, prejudice or special conditions applying to them 6. Describe the threats that exist to equality and diversity within the community, using examples of intolerance and extremism. when people are intolerant they tend to stereotype and label the groups / categories they do not like.They may behave in antisocial ways that undermine the quality of life of the people they do not like. This can worsen to the point where there is extremism. One of the main problems that results from intolerant behaviour is that it can cause the social groups being subjected to it to behave differently. They often respond in one of two ways: The people affected may withdraw and become more insular. They tend to stay with ‘their own social group’ and avoid outsiders. However, this withdrawal can be perceived by outsiders as being anti-social and this can have a negative effect on the way the minority group is labelled. hey stereotype people outside their group as being a threat against them. They may themselves become intolerant of the ‘outsiders’. This breaks down the healthy relationships that the social group has with others. These responses are understandable. If a person feels threatened it makes sense to keep close to people you feel safe with and keep away from potential threats. Unfortunately the result is that the behaviour of an intolerant minority can influence and negatively impact a whole community. the extremist is obviously an intolerant person who takes things to extremes.They go from disliking and being intolerant of a particular social group (on the grounds of things such as race, ethnicity, gender, disability or sexual preference) to taking actions that may cause those people harm. 7. Research the range of support services and networks that exist within the local community to support diversity and explain the specific roles they carry out and the users they support. This task should be completed for each of the following: Public sector organisations Wigan, Leigh & District Society for the Blind to help the blind people find out information and get help if needed. www. thebrick. org. kthey help homeless people www. embracewiganand leigh. org they are a Wigan based charity who help people with disabilities and their families that need support, advice and information. Charitable and voluntary organisations oxfam cancer research save the children Self-help groups AATo help people with drinking problems Alzheimers society-to help family to cope with loved ones who are suffering with alzhelmers. Lesbian and gay foundation providers of direct support and resources to lesbian gay and bisexual people Once you have completed this Assessment, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your work to your tutor for marking.

Bayfield Mud Company Essay

The Bayfield Mud Company has had some problems with their 50 pound bags of treating agents. They sent shipped some bags to Wet Land Drilling, Inc. that were found to be short-weight by approximately 5%. Wet Land first did their own research on how many bags were short and by how much. They randomly sampled 50 bags and found the average net weight to be 47.51 pounds. Wet Land then contacted Bayfield Mud about the situation. Bayfield gave a 5% credit to Wed-Land for the mistakes. But We Land not completely satisfied with the credit because the errors in the weight of the bags could impact their operations. Wet Land informed Bayfield Mud that if something like this happened again, they would take their business elsewhere. Bayfield’s response to all this was to expand a one-shift to a two-shift operation. Then, they had to expand to a three-shift operation. The additional night-shift bagging crew consisted of all new employee. The most emphasis was placed on increasing output. It was very likely that only occasionally were bags double checked on their weight. This is where the statistical control has come into place. The problem that Bayfield Mud faces includes the possibility of losing a customer in Wet Land, Inc. Another problem is putting out a product that is not acceptable. This problem could lead to more than just the loss of one customers, but perhaps an even greater amount. Based on the information given in the following charts and numbers, especially the control chat, it is obvious that the bag problem is out of control. Out of the 72 times that samples were taken, 14 were out of control. That is unacceptable for a company who intends on satisfying the customer and maintaining business. Something must be done in this company to correct the problem that has arisen. I think if the company still getting the more products but sacrifice the quality, the problem cannot not be solved actually. The company needs to ensure that the bag really does weigh 50 pounds. If they are going to offer a 50 pound product, then make it 50 pounds. It seems that the times that most of the bags are less than 50 pounds are around the nighttime shifts. Also, the times that it seems more bags are over 50 pounds are during the daytime shifts. They need to develop a y to ensure the accuracy of weighing the bags. Whatever they would  implement would have to increase quality, while not impacting the output numbers. There is a large demand for their product, so they must be able to meet the demand. And Bayfield needs to change their strategy or even do an entire makeover of their management team in order to get a better way for developing. Feng Bing (Yvonne) Student ID: 11-613222

Angels with Dirty Faces Film Review

Madden 1 Sarah Madden 18 November 2012 Film Review: Angels with Dirty Faces, USA 1938 The film I have chosen to review and analyse under the theoretical frame Genre is Angels with Dirty Faces, a gangster film directed by Michael Curtiz starring James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart. In Andrew Tudor’s book â€Å"Theories of Film†, he argued that genre is â€Å"what we collectively believe it to be†. I believe that when Tudor says â€Å"we† he means the audience. Audiences have an expectation of what they assume a film to be like and this is down to genre.According to Jill Nelmes, â€Å"Genre is a fundamental means by which we communicate†. Characters, setting and events are made predictable to assist the audience in fulfilling their expectations. The study of Iconography also has a lot to do regarding genre and how such things like props, costumes and settings can tell the audience what genre a film is supposed to be in. When films are placed in certain g enres, recurring events and characters are expected.The likes of Al Capone and James Cagney were recurring actors on contract used for the gangster genre in the Hollywood Studio System around the 1930s and this entertained the audiences as they knew what to expect from their idealised actors from the roles they played. Angels with Dirty Faces epitomises the gangster genre during the 1930s. Made in 1938, the Michael Curtiz film followed rules and conventions that were expected of the genre around that time. The gangster film emerged from the Great Depression and the First World War, as gangsters of America, and more precisely New York began to â€Å"run† urban cities.In â€Å"A World History of Film†, Robert Sklar wrote: â€Å"These [Gangster] films responded to the changes in urban crime as a result of the post-World War 1 amendment to the United States Constitution prohibiting the manufacture, distribution, or sale of alcoholic beverages. Prohibition fostered powerfu l criminal organizations that supplied illegal liquor, their highly publicized exploits found their way into films in the later 1920s. † Madden 2 There is an obvious question regarding gangster films about whether they suppress criminality or encourage it.In Angels with Dirty Faces, we see how the gangster lifestyle is having a bad effect on the youths, but how the main gangster, Rocky Sullivan, is punished in the end for his rebellion against the law. In his review of the film, Jeremiah Kipp wrote: â€Å"It begs the question of how much the gangster movie star persona affects our youth. † The film fits the genre it is categorised in as it follows the conventions of other gangster films. It is set in the slums of New York City where the Dead End Kids grow up and where Rocky Sullivan and Jerry Connolly grew up.There is a loyalty present between Sullivan and Connolly that goes back to when they were delinquent children, although Connolly betters his life by joining the pr iesthood, whereas Sullivan spends his childhood in the society for juvenile delinquents and much of his life in prison. Connolly is coined as the hero in this story and he follows the characteristics of the hero in Schatz’ â€Å"Genres of Order†, whereby Schatz lists the general characteristics related to the heroic figure in the gangster and also western genres.The hero, Schatz describes, is male dominant, located in a contested space usually unstable, surrounded by externalised conflict expressed through violence and takes it upon himself to resolve the problems and eliminate the villain, usually leading to the death of the villain. Connolly possesses all of these traits as he is indeed male, the location is in the slums of the city, he is surrounded by figures like Sullivan who use violence as a solution and he, being old friends with Sullivan, tries to stop him on his own, without police assistance, as we see in the final scenes of the film.This shows how character s in a certain type of film genre can help define that genre as they follow similar characteristics. Another aspect common within the gangster genre and present within Angels with Dirty Faces, is the rise and fall of the gangster, which we see from when Sullivan is released from prison at the start to when he is executed at the end. The message in almost all of the gangster films is that crime doesn’t pay, which is shown by the demise of the gangster at the end. Films within the gangster genre also follow certain themes such as Betrayal, Self-destruction and Loyalty.We can see these themes emerging in Curtiz’ film as Connolly betrays Sullivan, for the benefit of the Dead End Kids, by giving information to the newspapers and police and going public in a bid to stop the crime in the city, starting with Sullivan. The theme of Self-destruction is also evident as Sullivan does no favours for himself by rebelling against the law and by shooting at the police. Madden 3 Sulliv an continually makes bad choices which end up in his own self-destruction as he is eventually caught and punished for his actions.The theme of Loyalty is also introduced in gangster films, usually with the gangster mobs being loyal to one another, but in Angels with Dirty Faces, we see Sullivan’s loyalty to Connolly. Sullivan respects Connolly and shows this at the end of the film when Connolly asks Sullivan to be a coward at the time of his death, so as not to be a hero to the Dead End Kids, which Sullivan reluctantly does. The study of Iconography ties in with the defining of genre as an audience can tell the type of genre a film is within the opening sequence, looking at clothing, props, music and settings.The visual signifiers of a gangster film include weapons such as guns; the setting being usually in a big city, smart clothing on the successful, superior gangsters and shabby clothing on the younger figures living in a gangster lifestyle. The visual signifiers of Angels with Dirty Faces which helped determine it was a gangster film was the enclosed urban city setting, the troublesome youths stealing from a cargo train and the fast and anticipating music when they are running from the police, followed by the downbeat, ominous tone of music when one of the youths are caught.The verbal signifiers also helps one determine the genre of a film, as the dialogue and language used can indicate the film. The way the two young boys speak, along with how they are dressed, shows their upbringing in an unprivileged, urban lifestyle. The first shot shows a newspaper headline, which reads â€Å"Harding nominated for President† reveals to the audience that the film was set in 1921. The film shows many front page newspaper close-ups throughout, which helps the audience follow what is going on without having to show a clip-by-clip action.Angels with Dirty Faces follows the pattern of other gangster genre films by the execution of Sullivan at the end, showing the rise and fall of the gangster. This portrays a message to the audience that the gangster never wins. For morality purposes, the gangster cannot be seen as glorified and must always be seen to be defeated or killed in order to protect society. In his article, â€Å"Teaching through Genre†, Tom Ryall says that â€Å"Genres may be defined as patterns/forms/styles/structures which transcend individual films, and which supervise both their construction by the film maker, and their reading by an audience.Madden 4 Ryall is saying that although films are made individually, they follow some patterns or structures which categorises them into certain types of genre. The gangster film follows certain aspects regarding iconography, setting, events etc. which make it fall into the gangster genre. Angels with Dirty Faces follows some of the forms and structures of other gangster films such as the use of weapons, the violence, the slick clothing of the higher gangsters and the death of the gangster at the end which all show why it locates itself in the Gangster genre.Iconography is also used when defining genre as it helps an audience fulfil their expectations. Madden 5 Works Cited Angels with Dirty Faces. Dir. Michael Curtiz. Perf. James Cagney, Pat O’Brien, Humphrey Bogart. Warner Bros, 1938. DVD. Sklar, Robert. A World History of Film. Ed. Katherine Rangoon Doyle. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. , 2002. Print. Hollows, Joanne, and Mark Jancovich, eds. Approaches to Popular Film. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1995. Print.Nelmes, Jill, ed. An Introduction to Film Studies. 2nd Ed. New York: Routledge, 1999. Print. Kipp, Jeremiah. â€Å"Angels with Dirty Faces†. Rev. of Angels with Dirty Faces, dir. Michael Curtiz. Slant Magazine Online: 2 Feb. 2005. Web. 17 Nov. 2012. Tudor, Andrew. Theories of Film. New York: Viking Adult, 1974. Print. Schatz, Thomas. Hollywood Genres: Formulas, Filmmaking, and the Studio System. New York, N. Y. : McGraw- Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages, 1981. Print.

Glacier Melt

This presents a significant dilemma to both the local populations that depend on seasonal melt eater from the glaciers, and to billions of people in adjacent plateaus whose rivers are directly fed from said glaciers. This also creates a difficult moral predicament for the industrialized countries that are largely to blame due to their high contribution of greenhouse gases. These mountain populations have had very little impact in comparison, yet they stand to suffer the most since they generally do not posses the resources to cope with such a major potential water shortage In their remote locations.Thus, in principle, heavily industrialized economies will be responsible for telling a basic human right, freshwater, from these people. This paper will analyze in detail the extent of the damage the melting of these glaciers could have and the necessary response needed by the global community to address climate change. In particular, I will examine the potential effect the proliferation o f Buddhism could have In addressing these problems on a global scale and in considering our own responsibility to the planet.We find that through Buddhism a transformation could be made away from the modern consumerist culture, and a greater sense of obligation to the environment could be instilled, but to suggest that the religion is inherently the solution to our ecological crisis would be illegitimate. By 2000 there were more than 1. 1 billion people Inhabiting mountainous regions across the world, with approximately 90% of this population living In developing and translator countries that are vulnerable to food and water Insecurity.For the purpose of this essay I will focus on the Himalayas and adjacent ranges, a primarily Buddhist area that is the most extensively inhabited range above mm in the worlds. A combination of poverty and remoteness make this region an already official place to live with poor medical support and available education systems. Cities and villages through out the Himalayas depend heavily on their natural environment for their economies and livelihood. In particular Inhabitants of Nepal face widespread poverty with the World Bank estimating that 82. % of the population lives on less then $2 per day. The poverty index for rural areas that depend on subsistence agriculture is much lower than those in urban towns who benefit from tourism. A heavy dependence on these two sectors â€Å"make Napalm's economy very sensitive to climate variability'2. Nevertheless freshwater has almost always been abundant In the past. The southeasterly monsoon system provides approximately While feeding the rivers, the monsoons also play a pivotal role in growing the glaciers as it falls as solid precipitation at higher elevations.These glaciers become massive reservoirs of freshwater that then become integral in providing a perennial water source during the dry winter months. They also act to regulate the water runoff from the mountain to the plains during these periods, and are thus instrumental in securing agricultural productivity and the livelihoods for millions of peoples. Should climate change continue along its forecasted trend and widespread degeneration occur the consequences will be widespread. Rising temperatures will continue to result in snow melting earlier and faster in the spring shifting the timing and distribution of the runoff.The projections show â€Å"a regression of the maximum stream-flow period in the annual cycle of approximately 30 days†2, with an increase in the glacial runoff during the shortened period of 33% to 38%2. This excessive melting will likely result in flash floods, and increase the unique risk of glacial lake outbursts in the region. Glacial lakes form at the lower altitude end of a glacier as it retreats in unstable mounds of deposited rock. If sudden floods occur there is a high risk of these natural dams collapsing resulting in excessive damaged.The consequences will, however, not be l imited to the mountain communities. Across the adjacent plateau hundreds of millions of people depend on major rivers such as the Ganges, Yawning, and Indus, which are all fed by these glaciers. During the dry season the â€Å"low flow contribution of Naples rivers to the Ganges could be as high as 70%†4. While in China, 23% of the population resides in the western regions where Alicia melt provides the principal dry season source or waters. Widespread degeneration will completely alter the hydrological characteristics of these rivers.Complications will be diverse. Power shortages could become common due to the lack of hydro-generated electricity. There will be major health risks from disease and lack of water and food, and a completely altered ecosystem, as the changes in stream flow will change food chains from the basic insects and invertebrates pup. For many of these land-locked countries that are isolated in rugged terrain providing aid will be difficult and costly. Chan ges are needed now on the world stage to prevent such a situation from developing.In dealing with our current ecological crisis, and in particular climate change, it is fundamental that we first address the problem from its root source. Anthropogenic climate change has occurred as a direct result of our burning of fossil fuels to promote the growth of a consumer based economy. Our consumption levels per capita, and especially in industrialized nations, are way above sustainable levels. We eat too much, we buy too much that we eventually throw into garbage landfills, and e use too much energy through a variety of manufacturing processes.It is in this regard that an adoption of Buddhist principles would benefit the world. Buddha, originally known as Shattered Guatemala, personifies this ideal of limiting consumption. He was a prince who left home and rejected his material riches when he was 29 in search of true enlightenment. Buddhism views the western consumer- based economy and outl ook on happiness as incorrect. Instead the religion states accumulation is actually a source of suffering†6. According to the latter two of theNoble Truths, the best way for a person to escape their suffering is to free themselves from any attachment and desire for material and social status. Along with the four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold path, the teachings of Buddha often contain an element of the need to escape greed. In the realms of rebirth it is thought one can be born below a human as a Pretax, or hungry ghosts . These beings could be seen as those overcome with greed, and who can never satisfy their need to consume. Many echo-Buddhists would associate this thought to the state of consumerism that has grasped so much of the world.Thus Buddhism is fundamentally opposite to the positive correlation associated between economic output and welfare as adopted in mainstream Western thought. One of the most difficult aspects in addressing the challenges climate change brin gs is generating a feeling of responsibility. In many monastic rules there is no offence if a person's action was â€Å"unintentional, for one who lacks mindfulness†7. This is the case for much of the developed world. Many people go along with their daily lives without much thought to the consequences.Burning fossil fuel seems innocuous, however there are major consequences. By living in this manner we become responsible for the degeneration and resulting effects. The main offence being that by unintentionally melting the glaciers we are depriving other people of a basic human right and necessity: access to clean freshwater. Buddhism excuses offences if performed through absentmindedness, such as using water with life forms to nourish plants. What is more important is the root of the deed, in this case being greed for a materialistic and comfortable life.As the Threading monk Euthanasia explains, there are unintentional acts with damaging consequences that expose carelessness and lack of circumspection in areas where a person may reasonably be held responsible†7. We are not intentionally melting the glaciers and depriving people of a basic human right, it is an unintentional byproduct of our industrial activity. However the lack of awareness and mindfulness shown by industrialized economies puts us at fault, and provides us with a responsibility to change and aid those we have harmed.Particularly in this age when so many of the effects of climate change are widely broadcasted to the public, living the same style of lives becomes inexcusable. We are no longer mindless but instead bystanders. It is in this field that Buddhist thought is important to instill a sense of wrongdoing and thus responsibility in the public. Buddhist texts often depict how our morality influences the state of the environment, and that humans cannot ignore the affect of their actions. The Goanna Status gives a depiction of the initial development of life, with divine beings falling from their prior state.These beings over consume from their environment and become lazy in a very similar manner to humans. They learn to value possession and the beautiful beings become conceited and arrogant. They consume more and more from the earth making their environment less fruitful. They are not intentionally harming the earth but their actions brought upon by greed and laziness brings them suffering. Other annoyed. Often as a reaction the stars will â€Å"go wrong in their course† and the wind will â€Å"blow wrong, out of season†7. In light of climate change this view has backing.Many Buddhists believe that the world has seen a â€Å"gradual decline in morality and spirituality'7. Whilst this does not address the problem directly it does examine that the root of the crisis is from our moral orientation. So often societies are fixated on the ideology of progress through economic developments. This entails a promotion of consumerism and in turn produc tion, which puts a strain on the environment. Society encourages the idea that those who are able to consume at the highest material value are deemed to have achieved success.In particular Buddhism would condone this view and the morals people adopt to achieve this material wealth. Buddha himself states that it is only by â€Å"the destruction of these, the not lusting for these, it is by the cessation of, the giving up of, the utter surrender of these things hat the heart is called fully freed†3. A change in morals and outlook away from economic growth towards a principle such as Gross National Happiness as adopted in Bhutan would arguably put less emphasis on sheer production and less strain on the natural world.Along with its condemnation of consumerism, and approach to responsibility and moral code, a fundamental component of Buddhism that can aid the world in reforming its practices is its ideal of interdependence. We have made the mistake of separating from each other, and most importantly from the natural world that sustain us. As Stephen Batcher puts it â€Å"we fail to recognize them for what they are: part of us as we are of them†7. Throughout Buddhist texts there is a constant theme of this relationship. At the physical level there is the idea that we all survive through an exchange of the four basic elements: earth, fire, water, and air.Thus promoting respect for the components we depend on. On the spiritual level it is believed that through the â€Å"process of taking birth, one is kin to all wild and domestic animals, birds, and beings born of the womb†l . Buddhism shows a greater level of appreciation for all that is Samara and the importance of the connection between all living things. This is exemplified in the Wadded Stark in which the danger of disrupting the natural order of an ecosystem is embodied. The Jungle cats over consumed and brought an imbalance to the ecosystem, which was subsequently corrected by the trees .H owever humans then cut down the trees without a full understanding of the implications. This is a valuable lesson and principle to be adopted. It emphasizes how important it is to recognize our dependence on the environment and how removing or altering one component can bring the entire yester out of harmony. We see this in the relationship with carbon dioxide concentrations and the diverse implications including the melting glaciers. A greater appreciation for the connection between humans and the earth's systems would theoretically lead to more responsible stewardship of our resources and for other life.Theoretically a society that embraced Buddhism in its' reformation of social and economic institutions and beliefs would â€Å"greatly reduce the drivers that currently religion is the answer is simply the easy way out that would avoid direct confrontation with the problems we have created. Buddha middle path is a good starting place for the changes needed too address the roots of climate change, however there are components of the ideology that would hamper progress and environmental action. Fundamentally, Buddhism â€Å"Nirvana teleology'8 makes major environmental concern seem pointless.If the focus for a Buddhist is to achieve enlightenment and be liberated from Samara then it is possible that there will be an absence of concern for tit. This impermanence could â€Å"render the world devoid of sustainability'8 and leave us carefree from the challenges we face such as dealing with degeneration. Furthermore, as mentioned previously, one of the central principles of Buddhism is to free oneself from attachment. This largely applies to material wealth but would not be beneficial when we are in need of greater attachment to the natural world.This attachment cannot Just be to the financial value of resources, but to entire ecosystems and all beings even if they don't directly benefit us. Throughout Buddhism ideologies arise pertaining to our interconnectednes s and responsibility to nature, but the religion is more concerned with its instrumental value rather than purely its intrinsic . Nature is often thought of as a tool and the best setting for one to attain enlightenment. Many of the religion's most famous figures have searched for enlightenment in nature's most spectacular locations, such as Para Tasting in Bhutan.Conversely our view of nature as an instrument from which to benefit from is arguably a primary source for our current situation. Therefore one cannot claim Buddhism is inherently echo-friendly. The disappearance of Himalayan glaciers is one of a number of serious issues threatening our planet as a direct result of anthropogenic climate change. The science has become too irrefutable and the knowledge has been broadcasted so biblically that we have the moral obligation to reform our social and economic organizations.As the Dalai Lama explains â€Å"human use, population, and technology have reached that certain stage where Mother Earth no longer accepts our presence with silence†7. In providing a solution, an adoption of Buddhist ethics would be beneficial in shaping our root beliefs towards a lack of attachment to material wealth, responsibility to the environment, and interconnectedness with all beings of this planet. However the principles of the religion are not enough since it places too much of an emphasis on detachment and pacifism.

Canadian Criminal Justice System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Canadian Criminal Justice System - Essay Example This paper will analyze the judicial system of Canada and the application of criminal responsibilities for rape crimes, in this country. Canadian Criminal Justice System The legal system of Canadian is based on English Common Law (old), which were brought by explorers and colonists. The law of the immigrants prevailed over the rules of the Canadian settlers, and the law of the immigrants guided the conduct of people in Canada for a long time. The judicial system is crucial in a country; it facilitates the application of justice in the society, and it helps punish the law breakers. Most aspects of the Canadian criminal justice system are unique and different from other systems in the world. However, the Canadian system of criminal justice inclines towards utilizing the due process model. The suspects’ rights are respected and protected until their guilt is proven, without doubt. This is one of the most significant tenets; therefore, a person charged with offense (criminal) is o nly proved guilty by a jury. Otherwise, a suspect of a criminal offense is treated and believed to be guilty during the process of trial, in a law court. In the event that the police are convinced that their grounds are adequate to proceed with a criminal charge against an accused person, then the accused is apprehended to answer the charges before the court (Howe & Russell, 2001). Further, the accused person is entitled to an affordable bail. In the event that the issue reaches the stage of trial, the crown attorney who is prosecuting the accused person assumes the responsibility of proving that indeed the suspect committed the offense. For instance, if it is a murder charge, the crown attorney will call the people who witnessed the accused committing the crime, and in other forms of crimes like rape or robbery, the attorney will call the victims to testify against the suspect (Howe & Russell, 2001). Depending with the strength of evidence presented by the prosecutor, the suspect m ay call on his own witnesses who would bring reasonable doubt to the case. In such an event, the jury is left with the mandate to pass judgment, with regard to the available evidence and witnesses. At this stage, the case goes to sentencing stage where the judge passes the sentence, either acquitting the accused if there is no substantive evidence, or a jail term in proportion with the nature of the criminal offence (Ehrlich, 2001). This model utilizes the adversarial system where the judge acts as an independent arbiter, and he is the one who adjudicates between the prosecutor and his witnesses and the accused and his witnesses. Apparently, the paper has disrobed the judicial system that exists in Canada, and it will shift the focus on investigating the applicability and assignment of criminal responsibility to sexual offenders. Rape is described as the act of forcibly having sexual contact with a female partner, without her consent. Sexual offences are further incorporated with ha ving sexual contact with persons who are minors. Sexual contact with minors is another serious criminal offence, which can attract heavy fines and long jail sentences. The pursuits of these cases are based on the two popular models of justice, which are employed by the Canadian law enforcement agencies, as well as the judicial system (Ehrlich, 2001). The initial model that is employed in assigning criminal responsi