Reflecting on Religion in Literature Essay -- Religion Anthropology

I am a Religious Studies major therefore, learning about religion is a genuine interest of mine. In addition, from my first anthropology programme, Introduction to Anthropology 103, learning about different cultures and people who may or may not be different from myself became an interest. Anthropology of Religion provides me with the best of both(prenominal) worlds. Not only do I get the opportunity to learn about different religious practices such as Tiwah among the Ngaju but how to anthropologically examine snake handlers in the Appalachians. One issue remains concerning the definition of religion. The semester began with us using theorists and their theories to construct a definition of religion. However, due to how convoluted religion is we changed our mind. In an move to synthesize the work done this semester, I wish to form some sort of definition of religion base on the ethnographies we have studied. In golf-club to create such a definition, I wish to go through the thr eesome major books that we read and make a conclusion as to the authors perceptiveness of religion. In other words, in my own words, a conclusion on each authors take on religion. Afterwards, I wish to use all three to form an overall definition of religion based on the work we have done throughout the semester. The three books that I am referring to are Ann Schillers Small Sacrifices, Rane Willerslevs Soul Hunters, and Dennis Covingtons Salvation on Sand Mountain.Ann Schillers Small Sacrifices explores religious change among the Ngaju in Borneo, Indonesia. She elaborates on the Indonesian politicss demand on the Ngaju to conform to one of the religions they deem acceptable. In conforming to Hinduism, however, the Ngaju lose their culture, eventually their identity,... ...the semester was how to define religion because it was so complex, but immediately I have come to understand that religion is better understood when we look at it from a few good books that shows the verities o f religion. Therefore, at the end of this class I understand religion to be something that is difficult to define when expanded to include controversial systems of belief, but easy to understand when examined closely.Works CitedCovington, Dennis. Salvation on Sand Mountain Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia. 15th ed. Cambridge, MA Da Capo, 2009. Print. Schiller, Anne. Small Sacrifices Religious Change and Cultural personal identity among the Ngaju of Indonesia. New York Oxford UP, 1997. Print. Willerslev, Rane. Soul Hunters Hunting, Animism, and Personhood among the Siberian Yukaghirs. Berkeley u.a. University of California, 2007. Print.

Guys And Girls :: essays research papers

WELL heres a few reasonswhy guys like girls1. They will al substances smell good even if its yet shampoo2. The way their heads always find the right spot on our shoulder3. How cute they realize when they sleep4. the ease in which they fit into our arms5. the way they kiss you and all of a sudden every involvement is right inthe world6. How cute they are when they eat7. The way they take hours to get dressed only when in the end makesit all worth while8. because they are always warm even when its minus 30 outside9. the way they look good no matter what they wear10. the way they fish for compliments even though you both knowthat you think shes the most beautiful thing on this earth11. How cute they are when they argue12. the way her hand always finds yours13. the way they smile14. the way you feel when you see their name on the call ID afteryou just had a big fight15. The way she says "lets not fight anymore" even though youknow that an hour subsequent you will be arguing about something16. the way they kiss when you do something nice for them17. The way they kiss you when you say "I love you18. Actually ... just the way they kiss you...19. the way they fall into your arms when they cry20. then the way they apologize for crying over something thatsilly21. The way they hit you and appear it to hurt22. Then the way apologize when it does hurt .(even though we dont admit it)23. the way they say "I miss you"24. the way you miss them25. the way their tears make you want to change the world sothat it doesnt hurt her anymore.....Yet regardless if you lovethem, hate them, wish they would die or know that you woulddie without them ... it matters not. Because erstwhile in your life,

Response To Aol Controversy :: essays research papers

Response To AOL Controversy     The article "America On run, while you can" by Bob Woods is in all aboutthe hoopla concerning the fact that America Online, or AOL, has not been able toaccommodate its vast amount of customers. This is due to AOLs new flat rate,which substituted their original periodic deal. M whatsoever AOL users experience busysignals when trying to log on. When and if they do get on AOL, the service runsextremely slow because of the overload of users. Woods threatens that AOL will sustain many of their customers if they dont improve their resources. Othercompanies should beef-up their advertising and try to cash in by targeting theunsatisfied AOL users.In this day and age of internet use, people in any given location canchoose from at least fifteen national companies, such as sprintlink, compuserve,ameritech, erols and so on. Using these services be less expensive thanAmerica Online. Per month for unlimited use they average at around $10 to $15dollars as opposed to AOLs hefty $19.95 a month. AOLers are paying for theappealing menus, graphics and services AOL uses to drive their customers to theinternet. These same features can be located anywhere else on the net with theaid of any search device, such as infoseek, yahoo, microsoft network or web-crawler. These sites are no harder to use and they provide lots of helpfulmenus and information.     In Woods article, he states that he lives in Chicago, and AOL hasseveral different access numbers to try if one is busy. He writes that oftenwhen he has tried to log on victimization all of the functional numbers, and has stillbeen unsuccessful. This is a problem for him because he is dependent on AOL to"do the daily grind of (his) job as a reporter and PM managing editor." If Iwas not satisfied with the performance of my internet provider, which happens tobe sprintlink, I would not complain to the company. I would take my moneyelsewhere, espec ially if my job depended on using the internet. With all of theother options available, wasted time and inevitable frustration using AOL couldbe eliminated. I live in Richmond, Va., which is a fairly big urban center and have notonce been logged off or gotten a busy signal using sprintlink. And I only haveone access line available with my provider as opposed to AOLs multiple lines.I agree with Woods in the fact that people will (in most circumstances) get breach internet service and customer service with a local, smaller or more

Mental Health Community in the 19th Century Essay -- Exploratory Essay

Mental Health Community in the nineteenth CenturyMental health is a relevant issue in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness. Not only is Kurtz mental health questionable throughout the novel, but Marlow also has to be examined by a physician, to check both his physical and mental status, before he starts on the journey to Africa. The mental health community in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was not nearly as developed as it is today, but many developments during this time period had a profound impact on the way we analyze the human psyche and mental health today. Mental health patients were considered innately inferior and treated as the weaker portion of the human melt down due to the prevailing dominant theory of Social Darwinism in the 1800s. They were put in mental asylums, where conditions had deteriorated substantially from earlier in the century. (Floyd) The publics matter to about the unsatisfactory care of the mentally ill, championed by Doroth ea Dix, led to some reforms, such as higher medical standards, more(prenominal) oversight into asylum practices, and more research into mental health. (Floyd) Nevertheless, the status of the mentally ill did not elevate much higher, and by the 1890s the repeated failure of asylum therapy convinced approximately that insanity and mental illness was incorrigible. Finding no alternatives, however, patients continued to be sent to asylums to attempt to cure them as much as to isolate them from the live of society. (Roberts) Unfortunately, people also began to fear the proliferation of the mentally ill. When sterilization became considered, unrealistic, more, cheaper asylums were built as a means of segregated them and preventing an increase in their numbers. (Roberts) ... ...h Care. 6 Oct. 2002 http//www.mind.org.uk/information/factsheets/N/notes/notes_on_the_history_of_menta l_health_care.asp Floyd, Barbara. From Quackery to Bacteriology. University of Toledo. 6 Oct. 2002 M ills, Val. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) 6 Oct. 2002 Mustard, Ronnie. Listings the history of mental health. 6 Oct. 2002 . Roberts, Andrew. Mental Health History Timeline. 6 Oct. 2000 .Sabbatini, Renato M.E. The History of Psychosurgery June/August 1997. head teacher & Mind Magazine. 14 Jun.1997. State University of Campinus, Brazil. 6 Oct. 2002http//www.epub.org.br/cm/n02/historia/psicocirg_i.htm

Dickens A Christmas Carol and the Industrial Revolution Essay

  Dickens A Christmas Carol and the Industrial Revolution         Besides being the secular level of Christmas time in an urban setting, A Christmas Carol, tells the sacred story of Christmas as well. With A Christmas Carol, Dickens initiated an ongoing creative process in the Anglo-Ameri derriere imagination. As a result of the Industrial Revolution and the growth and development of cities large numbers blends changed drastically as they moved from the life and traditions of the country into those of the city. As industrialization continued, for many people in the city living and functional conditions worsened. As reports of horrible working conditions increased so did the literature of social concern for reform.. Prior to the publication of A Christmas Carol the ideas and concerns of various reform bills sparked increased debate over political and social issues.  Whether or not Dickens had A Christmas Carol specifically in mind, it is clear that the Industrial Revolution was an important factor in fashioning his Christmas story a tale for the times.          Dickens was concerned about the working and living conditions during the Industrial Revolution, when the book was written.  These are reflected in Ebenezer Scrooge.  He is the shown as the remember and hateful owner,  who could care less if his workers are well because he could always get more people.  He knew this because during the Industrial Revolution there were more people than there were jobs, so people had to settle for worse conditions because that was all there was.  When two men some into his shop wan... ...ooge indeed changes his ways he can in a sense spoonge away the writing on the stone and begin a new life. It is significant that Scrooge promises that the Spirits of all tierce shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. This statement is i ndicative of several Christian statements of faith promising to live and follow the teachings of the Three God, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit.          When we first met Scrooge, we are informed, and also observe that he is cold, miserly, and bitter.  However, after the visit of the Ghost of Christmas future,  Scrooge changes into a unsparing and cheerful man.  It is clear that something must have caused a man who is really nice, turn into a mean and nasty person, in this case it was the Industrial Revolution.

Dickens A Christmas Carol and the Industrial Revolution Essay

  Dickens A Christmas chirrup and the industrial Revolution         Besides being the secular degree of Christmas time in an urban setting, A Christmas Carol, tells the sacred story of Christmas as well. With A Christmas Carol, Dickens initiated an ongoing creative process in the Anglo-American imagination. As a result of the Industrial Revolution and the growth and develop manpowert of cities peoples lives changed drastically as they moved from the life and traditions of the country into those of the city. As industrialization continued, for many people in the city living and working conditions worsened. As reports of horrible working conditions increased so did the literature of social concern for reform.. Prior to the publication of A Christmas Carol the ideas and concerns of various reform bills sparked increased debate over political and social issues.  Whether or not Dickens had A Christmas Carol specifically in mind, it is e xempt that the Industrial Revolution was an important factor in making his Christmas story a tale for the times.          Dickens was concerned about the working and living conditions during the Industrial Revolution, when the book was written.  These are reflected in Ebenezer Scrooge.  He is the shown as the mean and hateful owner,  who could care less if his workers are well because he could always get more people.  He knew this because during the Industrial Revolution there were more people than there were jobs, so people had to settle for worse conditions because that was all there was.  When two men some into his shop wan... ...ooge indeed changes his ways he can in a sense spoonge away the writing on the stone and begin a new life. It is significant that Scrooge promises that the Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. This mastery is indicative of severa l Christian statements of faith promising to live and follow the teachings of the Three God, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit.          When we first met Scrooge, we are informed, and also observe that he is cold, miserly, and bitter.  However, after the visit of the Ghost of Christmas future,  Scrooge changes into a generous and cheerful man.  It is clear that something must have caused a man who is really nice, turn into a mean and nasty person, in this case it was the Industrial Revolution.

Cold Sassy

Death is spread all throughout Cold Sassy Tree, a novel that begins with the passing of Mattie Lou and ends with the passing of Rocker Blakeley. While the book focuses on mainly on religion and the persistrictions of the town Cold Sassy, the Grim Reaper seems to be floating around every corner. Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns. Is a book that revolves around death, and the main character Will Tweedy seems to know lust how to handle himself from the very start. Will Tweedy Is cardinal years old when his grandmother, Mattie Lou Toy Blakeley, dies three weeks before the novel begins.There Is no real explanation as to why she died, since the author did not specify her sickness, so It was most likely due to natural causes. This might have made It somewhat easier on Mattie Lolls family and the rest of Cold Sassy, who were very close to her, hardly It does not keep them all from grieving and mourning to Kingdom Come. They linger on her death and restrict themselves from doing anything they find pleasurable. This Is under plinthable as well as harsh in their time, seeing that they could be judged for coming out of mourning too quickly.However, young Will sees that there is something wrong with tying upset for such a long period of time l just didnt think I could stand anymore mourning. For three whole weeks They hadnt let me play baseball or go fishing or anything. (Burns 14). This shows that Will is somewhat ahead of others when it comes to dealing with the demise of close friends and relatives, though he deals with it in a very contrasting way from others. Will Is puzzled by the conformity that is offered from Cold Sassy.He does not see why it is wrong for his grandad, Mr.. Blakeley, to love both his dead wife and his refreshful wife, Miss Love. He knows that it is strange for his grandfather to be marrying a unsung milliner shortly later on Mattie Lou dies, yet sees the positive side and recognizes the fact that his grandfather will need help around the h ouse. If Mattie Lou is dead, how can she help Mr.. Blakeley? Will has also almost been killed by a train this occurred not long after Mattie Lolls death.The event was very surreal to him, and he was extremely scared when he found that he could very well be dead And as association of what could have happened hit me, I started shaking and crying. (Burns 78). In addition to this, Wills friend Bluffed Jackson died the previous year due to cocoas. Will grieves for him during the camping trip with his friends, but he covers it up with humor. That is the revelation Will deals with death through comedy so that he can deal with the emotions he does not understand.However, after he himself almost dies, Will begins to see that he should be more grateful of life, and It makes him want to understand God and death more than ever. This brings us to Wills spiritual mentor, which would be his grandfather, Rocker Blakeley. Rocker helps Will mature In many ways through the novel, never lecturing UT sharing his thoughts with young Tweedy. Rocker makes It gather in that he Cold Sassy By mahogany seems to be floating around every corner. Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns. S a Will Tweedy is fourteen years old when his grandmother, Mattie Lou Toy Blakeley, dies three weeks before the novel begins. There is no real explanation as to why she died, since the author did not specify her sickness, so it was most likely due to natural causes. This might have made it somewhat easier on Mattie Lolls family and the rest of Cold Sassy, who were very close to her, but it does not keep them all from homeless from doing anything they find pleasurable.This is understandable as well as common in their time, seeing that they could be Judged for coming out of staying upset for such a long period of time l Just didnt think I could stand Will is puzzled by the conformity that is offered from Cold Sassy. He does not see almost dies, Will begins to see that he should be more appreciative of life, an d it Blakeley. Rocker helps Will mature in many ways through the novel, never lecturing but sharing his thoughts with young Tweedy. Rocker makes it clear that he

European Politics Essay

Not long after taking positioning as electric chair, Nicolas Sarkozy initiated a bold agenda of sweeping political and economic put right which enflamed competition and engendered violent confrontation within the French government and among the French population regarding both the state of economic parity within French society, and Frances reference in a swiftly changing orbicular-political climate. Sarkozy, a former member of the National Assembly, a two-time appointee as Minister of the Interior, and a former(prenominal) chair of the UMP, rose to prominence as a widely popular (and also widely unpopular) figure in the materialistic wing of French politics.Although Sarkozys personal and romantic life as well as his financial dealings and his public image have every last(predicate) fallen under the burning scrutiny of the French and International media, the most controversial issues associated with President Sarkozy have generally been and continue to be issue and polic y oriented. Prior to cosmos take President, Sarkozy made International news headlines when, as Minister of the Interior, Sarkozy, insisted that Muslim women pose bare-headed for official identity photographs (Scott, 2005), a move which provoked a storm of immunity within France and throughout the globe.However, Sarkozys intentions were even much wider than revealed by his policy regarding identity photos Sarkozys main recommendation, accepted by Chirac in January 2004, was for a rectitude prohibiting the wearing of ostentatious signs of religious affiliation in public schools. This is now the law of the land (Scott, 2005). Sarkozys record prior to becoming President advised that he was a man unafraid to pursue a controversial course of action.As president, genius of Sarkozys first publi confabulatey criticized actions was his handling of a Libyan hostage crisis which involved the retrieval of Belgian health-care workers who had been held in Libya. In return for releasing the B elgians, the Libyan dictator Gaddafi was able to gain President Sarkozys hint on a treaty which transferred hundreds of millions of euros, along with valuable military equipment to Libya. This move was met non only with criticism moreover with a call for an investigation at the parlimentary level which was requested by the head of the French Socialist Party.Although this single example whitethorn seem slight in light of the forthcoming sermon regarding governmental reform and the EU policy on climate change which will form the heart of the present study of Sarkozys administration, the incident is demonstrative of the odd duality which seems to stamp itself on many of Sarkozys policies, programs, and initiatives. The duality is unitary rooted on one side in what many skill consider a superficial, yet effective, understanding of public image and political theater on the some other side, it is rooted in what many might call brutally pragmatic economics.Critics of Sarkozy go fu rther than to call the President an economic pragmatist. Many members of Sarkozys own conservative party, the UMP, have criticized the President for being a strong advocate of free-trade while simultaneously backing sweeping reforms in the working-class sector including his loi de modernisation de leconomie ( integrityday, 2007), or Modernization of the Economy Law which in addition to relaxing federal restrictions on retail prices and work-regulations, allowed workers who worked over thirty-five hours a week to collect their overtime pay tax-free.If, basically, Sarkozys economic policies reflect a free-market, self-responsibility venture that he claims every advanced country in Europe, from Britain to those in Scandinavia, and lately Germany, has adopted to its advantage (Lawday, 2007) they also reflect an essentially conservative philosophy which stands in odd contrast to Sarkozys iconoclastic image as an agent of change.As one observer phrased it, Sarkozys economic philosophy an d national economic program represents not so much novelty as catch-up politics with a conservative twist (Lawday, 2007) and, as such, Sarkozys economic programs include the curbing of labor unions and their power. These flavors of Sarkozys approach to government and economic matters leaves little room for doubt that at least in parity to financial matters the President is a true conservative, although his vision may be, overall, a bit more modern than that which is commonly associated with conservatism, the end- resolving power is the same(p).Sarkozys economic philosophies are important not only because they impact one of the most crucial sectors of public policy and governmental influence in France the economy but also because they indicate the aforementioned duality of purpose and bearing which seems to stand as part and parcel of Sarkozys political career.If on e the one hand, Sarkozy wanted to reform the 35-hour working week so that it is no longer the reposeful regulati on it implies (Lawday, 2007), he also sought to simultaneously force strikers to maintain a minimal service for trains, buses and other public services (Lawday, 2007) and to slice into the bloated state bureaucracy, where the unions are strongest, by permitting one replacement for every two retiring government office workers (Lawday, 2007) while at the same time admitting in the face of the recent global economic crisis that laissez faire capitalism is dead.The economic platform and policies which Sarkozy has advocated indicate that above all else Sarkozy is a pragmatist. This fact is s very useful fact because, by come uping it firmly in mind, a more complete understanding of Sarkozy the politico can be gained. In point of fact, most of what passes for populism in Sarkozys public image is precisely due to his pragmatic approach.His populist reputation as a French nationalist who is for robust immigration reform may collide somewhat uncomfortably with his status as the (rotati ng) President of the European Union, plainly as his stand on unions collides with his recent, public statements regarding socialism where Sarkozy responded to the question have you become a socialist? with the answer Maybe (Lawday, 2007). Sarkozys radicalism which stands in terse contrasts to his fiscal conservatism and his conservatism on issues such as immigration and unions manifests itself not in ideology, necessarily, but within the framework of his aforementioned pragmatism.In other words, Sarkozy may be a populist to the extent that he adopts positions which will curry favor with French Nationalists, such as the headscarf code mentioned at the theory of this paper, he may be a fiscal conservative bent on busting the unions and generating a productive working class base for French society, but in each case his convictions, while arguably difficult to pin down under a single umbrella of ideology, are always enacted by way of robust action.Sarkozy may be many things, but one thing he certainly is not is a dawdler. One of the most illustrative examples of Sarkozys style and substance as a leader, and specializeedally as the President of France, is his massive reform of French government and the displacement of governmental power.Although as will be demonstrated shorty Sarkozys controversial reforms to French government have the design and purpose of bringing the government into the modern era of global-politics and allowing for a more efficiently run government within France itself, the same reforms have been assailed by Sarkozys critics, primarily by the French Socialist party, as being tantamount to instating a dictatorship in France with Sarkozy himself enthroned as dictator.Although the specificities and complexities of Sarkozys reforming of French government pose much too long a too vast to exhaust within the confines of this short discussion, the overall impact and intention of his reform policies offer profound insight into not Sarkozys a mbitions as President but into the potentially radical reshaping of French government as well as Frances relationship to the EU.Before delving into the specifics of the reform legislation, it is useful to remember incisively how the French genius regarded the separation of governmental powers and more importantly what role the President of France was accorded by the Fifth Republics Constitution. Because Sarkozys program of governmental reform offers, as a centerpiece, the apparent elaborateness of Presidential power and authority, while simultaneously strengthening the role and power of parliament, sorting out the specific angles by which Sarkozy enabled the working out of Presidential power can be quite difficult to achieve.However, the role of the French President, according to the Fifth Republics Constitution was limited Article 5 states that the President Provides by their arbitration for the regular functioning of the public authorities and the continuity of the State (Bell, 2000, p. 15), with nothing mentioned about the Presidents own power to legislate. This aspect of the Constitution is the key area by which Sarkozy sought to expand, in the eyes of the anti-reformers, Presidential power.Specifically, the most controversial aspect of the reform-laws was Sarkozys plan to allow the president to address parliament, opening up the possibility of a US State of the Union-style address. That has not been permitted since 1875, in an attempt to keep the executive and legislative branches separate (BBC News), and it is by this lookly simple move that Sarkozy expanded Presidential authority while simultaneously seeming to limit that same authority.Because the Fifth Republics Constitution calls for the President to function as an arbitrator the American-style Presidency of the President as the leader of the legislature, addressing parliament, becomes a specter of arrest to those who view this as an incursion on the Constitutional separation of powers. bandage it is true that Article 5, which implicitly restricts the Presidency, has been a subject of controversy (Bell, 2000, p.15), Sarkozys expansion of Presidential authority has proven to be even more divisive. Sarkozys plan to rewrite the Fifth Republics Constitution represents the two primordial aspects of his judicature style which have formed the roots of the current discussion these aspects are his inherent conservatism and his obvious pragmatism.The reform legislation introduced radical, pragmatic step toward affecting sweeping change in France and rewrote the French Constitution, but while Sarkozy verbalized his assurances that the reforms represented Movement, change, modernity, (BBC News) as well as a victory for French democracy, the same reforms also contributed to the strengthening of Presidential authority and resulted in a divided parliament with Sarkozys reform bill passing by 539 votes to 357 one vote more than the one-third-fifths majority of the combined As sembly and Senate required to pass the reforms BBC News), so if strengthening democracy was Sarkozys intention, his initial result was to divide the parliament and pass a sweeping reform to the French Constitution with next-to-no consensus. This fact in itself would seem to confirm the trepidation regarding his proposed reforms (now law) which engulfed his detractors in parliament. One of these detractors, Socialist senator Bernard Frimat told lawmakers to begin with the vote at a special session at the Chateau of Versailles (BBC News) that Sarkozy had offered a consolidation of monocracy, (BBC News) but Sarkozy, always careful to play to populist ideas and ideals, counter-weighted the expansion of Presidential authority with corresponding limits and restrictions on the French Presidency.The reform laws while strengthening the Presidents role in the legislature also limit the President to two five year terms, gives parliament a veto over some presidential appointments, ends govern ment control over parliaments committee system, allows parliament to set its own agenda, and ends the presidents right of collective pardon (BBC News). Seemingly, by these latter reforms, Sarkozy was interested in limiting not expanding the powers of the French President however the telling point of the reform laws as they relate to the French Presidency lies within the mere expansion of the Presidents role as a lawmaker rather than, as the Fifth Republics Constitution advocated, a a neutral umpire who has three principal tasks i) to see that the Constitution is reputeed ii) to arbitrate to ensure the continuity of the state iii) to be vigilant on the issues of national independence, territorial integrity and the respect for treaties (Bell, 2000, p. 16).Sarkozys vision of the President and the reform legislation he was able to enact to realize this vision stands in direct opposition to Article 5 of the French Constitution. Sarkozys radical pragmatism extends beyond the parameters and confines of French domestic issues into the realm of International affairs. As the acting President of the European Union, Sarkozy has employ a similarly hands on approach to issues of international importance such as climate change. As illustrated by Sarkozys reform legislation and the somewhat concealed agenda therein which provided for the expansion of Presidential authority, Sarkozy seems to have adopted a similar approach to his position as EU President.On the topic of global warming and climate change, Sarkozy has proven to be as pragmatic and as forceful as he was on the issues of crime, immigration, and government reform in France. At the thirty-third summit of the G8, Sarkozy offered a plan to reduce French CO2 emissions by half and what followed was the adoption of this concept by the G8 nations as a whole. Although the agreement which was reached at the summit was non-binding, Sarkozys lead enabled the G8 nations to put forth a collective plan to cut in half the glo bal emissions of greenhouse gasses. Sarkozy continued to push for a binding agreement, but his efforts proved futile. Nevertheless, his approach to the issue of climate change represented, as his approach to governmental reform. a pragmatic and comprehensive approach to a hard problem.Of interest is the fact that the binding agreement regarding greenhouse gas emissions was apparently blocked by the unite States with its President, George W, Bush, citing the refusal of third-world nations to also enter into the agreement. Responding tot his obstacle, Sarkozy turned his efforts not toward America or the Third World, but to China, utilizing his status as EU President to put fore a comprehensive and progressive pushing policy which included a collaborative effort with the Chinese. Sarkozys successful brokering of a deal on energy adn climate change between the EU adn China marks one of the most important accomplishments of his pragmatic and often radical approach to governing.It is d ue to this conclave of tenacity and creativity that Sarkozy has evolved from a controversial cabinet member in the French government known mostly for being a strong conservative to an actor on the world stage who seems to be equal parts populist and conservative. It is, perhaps, not necessary, to understand which of the aspects, conservative or populist is dominant in Sarkozy, it is possibly not even that important to understand, at a personal, human level, which aspect represents more honestly Sarkozys own world-view. While some observers may claim that Sarkozys populism is merely a smokescreen to conceal his ambitious moves toward a consolidation of personal power, others may claim, with good reason, that Sarkozys populism represents a authoritative attempt to represent the global sea-change which has currently cast global economics and world-affairs into an ambiguous and dangerous place.No matter which of these perspectives lies closer to the objective truth of Sarkozy the man, the result of Sarkozys actions as a world-leader will involve much more than a consideration of President Sarkozys motives. One of the most compelling aspects of Sarkozy as a world leader is his simultaneous insistence of modernity while maintaining an acute, almost reverential, respect for the past. Like the other dualities apparent in Sarkozys governing style adn thinking style, this duality of past vs. future manifest, in Sarkozy, not as an abstract idealogy but in pragmatic application. In addition to his extremely controversial reforms in regard to economics, government, unions, immigration, and climate change, Sarkozy has also generated a great deal of controversy regarding his position of cultural subjects and education in France.While seeming to be a strong nationalist with a true conservatives reverence for tradition, Sarkozy has readily admitted that France has failed to democratize its culture and that in doing so, accomplished one of the chief failures of the past 50 y ears of French government (Sarkozy out to democratise, 2007, p. B01). As always, his suggested course of action revealed a blend of populism and conservatism and fused the cultural concerns of France with the power of the French government Sarkozy defined democratisation de la culture as providing the means for the largest number of people to understand and appreciate Sophocles, Shakespeare and Racine. He added that the purpose of education is to teach you how to tell the difference between Madame Bovary and a police blotter, or between Antigone and Harry Potter. Later, you can read what you like. (Sarkozy out to Democratize, 2007, p. B01)In conclusion, Sarkozys style of governing offers a curious and sometimes uncomfortable blend of populism and conservatism. In the area of domestic policy, he has proven to be both radical in his approach and keenly aware of the political impact of his pragmatic reforms, on international issues he has proven to be creative, opportunistic, and d ecisive. While Sarkozys bold embracing of modernity may be authenticated by his actions in some cases, many of his policies and programs reveal an essentially conservative politician who seeks, not merely reform, but the type of reform which ensures the continuation of his carefully crafted ideological beliefs.

Police Brutality

Over the recent years, natural law sop up been one of the organizations to be associated with the largest exercises of mis precede. police force barbarism aro drug ab wont be termed as the process of demoralize and step of authority by the law. The rising cases of law barbarism argon causing more harm to the frequent, comp ared to the actions perpetrated by real criminals. Although patrol claim that Its approximatelytimes necessary to curb crime, the process Is Illegal and police officers should be charged Just like any different criminal offender.It should be the indebtedness of the arbitrator system to establish effective tragedies to deal with the rising Illegal satellites In order to restore mankind trust In the law enforcement authorities. The police, the group with the responsibility of protecting citizens, commit Illegal satellites. Individuals engaged In law enforcement satellites can define police brutality as the process of using excessive force.In human itarian to the abuse of power by the police force, the term is also used to illustrate the misuse of power by individuals in the municipal, correctional facilities and other facilities subjected to reforming and retaining criminals. In a case reported in the ear 2011, SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) team, killed a 31 year old man in a mistaken identity (Roberts 1). It is evident that several law enforcement individuals ready been conducting careless investigations.It is evident that these cases are rarely reported either because the victims are uninformed of their rights, or the victim is acrophobic that same police who committed the misconduct in the initial place will also be have-to doe with in investigating the abuse cases. By the year 2011, thither were over 470, 000 reported cases of police brutality, that could be easily located on the internet Roberts 1 Although people are gradually organism encouraged to report abuse cases, the numbers have non decreased.Compared t o the level of crime and the reported criminal activities, it shows that the public is usually at risk of organism attacked by a police officer than a real criminal Monsoon 365). This means that police are becoming some of the individuals highly involved in criminal activities. Various Forms of constabulary Brutality The longstanding perception is that police brutality Involves moreover fleshly assaults. However, the term can also mean mental assault, abuse and other forms of issue of power.Some of the remarkable forms of police brutality Involve false arrests and accusing the wrong person. In Dalton, Intimidation and police profiling can also be considered police brutality, since It Involves Intrusion Into the rights and the property of Individuals. Physical brutality Is one of the most widespread, and In most cases, Individuals are subjected to torture and other physical harm. Ordinarily, people do non consider the various harsh treatments, being hit with police batons and be ing pressed by the police shield as part of police brutality.In most cases, people sustain very bad injuries from some activities of the police. Psychological brutality is mostly brought about by verbal abuses and subjecting the public to inappropriate conditions. Psychological intimidation may also occur in situations where the police are holding a suspect and they subject him or her to threats on temporary psychological breakdown. In most cases, the reported cases are only those involving physical assaults, mostly because in that location is usually enough evidence to charge the involved personnel.Causes of brutality One of the main causes of police brutality is the authority vested in the police officers y their superiors, to go out that law is enforced when necessary. When police officers are given(p) the option to chose when to, and when not to, use excessive force, they end up abusing the power of choice by making the wrong decisions even when traffic with petty crimes. In addition, police may gradually develop some dislike for lawbreakers, especially in situations where the surroundings are full of criminals.Police officers in a crime attached region and in areas with extreme rowdy criminal behavior may develop some degree of dislike for the law breakers and their approach to dealing with the criminals may be brutal. In such situations, the police officers enforcing law and order act based on their emotions rather than their professional expectations. The gradual dislike leads the police officers to always contemplate on ending the rising crime and in the end they find themselves using excessive force, even in situations where force was not needed.The SWAT team is one response unit that is trained and psychologi previsey prepared to deal with tough and resisting criminals. In addition, the response team is issued with specific orders to use excessive force when necessary especially if they note that, the criminals are ungenerous and may harm others . The above reasons police have also been known to use excessive force is because they think that they are above the law. Due to the power vested in the police to deal with all types of crimes and to carry weapons, they soon develop the spirit that they are above the law and end up misusing their powers instead of protecting the public.In addition to the feeling of being above the law, there are no functional and effective inseparable accountability mechanisms to regulate the excessive use of force by the police officers. Many police officers take advantage of the detail that umteen member of the public are uninformed of their rights and they therefore subject themselves to harm, on the basis that they are above the law. Lack of internal investigation procedures, especially repayable to solidarity, makes the police force lack effective internal investigative structures to check the misuse of powers by the police officers.In most cases, police may feel mandated by the blue code s to protect fellow police officers in case they are involved in criminal activities (Isoclinic 7). Blue codes is a code of silence amongst police officers. In such instances, the criminal is always perceived to be wrong and any action taken by the police is justified based on the existing police cultures. In most cases, police departments are established under tight and strong hierarchical models that make it hard to implement honourable decision processes (Owens and Prefer 7).This means that the decisions to engage, or not to engage, in brutal activities when dealing with the public are not clear, In addition to the faults in the system, the other issues that lead to police brutality may include psychological and behavioral backgrounds of the law enforcement officers. In most cases, police are left to deal with criminals, speckle still suffering from psychological and sociological disengagement. Some of the reasons committed. In addition, some officers claim that they act under authority of the senior police officers.Although these reasons can be possible, they do not Justify the actions on the public, who trust the police officers for protection. Civil rights Some of the legislations protecting the public against police brutality include the Fourth Amendment that protects citizens against godforsaken searches and seizures ND if an individual feels that the rights have been violated, they should immediately report to the relevant authorities. In addition to the fourth amendment, the Civil Rights Act 1871 protects the public from being harassed or mistreated in anyway whatsoever by the police.The law, which was enacted to protect the minority groups fighting for their rights, however exempts the public from making claims on brutality in department 42 of the 1983, edition (Civil Rights Division 1). The other legislation protecting the public against police brutality is the fourteenth amendment that establishes equality irrespective of responsibility vested by the law. Citizens have the right to have a fair trial and the police should not take it upon themselves to pass judgment and incriminate a suspect without going through and through the appropriate Justice process.The above legislations protect the public from police brutality by stating the rights of an individual, even when they perpetrate a crime. In case an individual is armed, it should be the responsibility of the police officer to disarm the criminal with minimal possible injury. This civil rights establish the boundaries and ensures that Alice act within their vested powers. In case of any brutality, individuals are encouraged to report the incident like any other crime in order to get the required support.Solutions to police brutality One of the groups that have come forth to protect the public against police brutality is the Amnesty International. This organization has been vibrant in identifying the rampant cases and in pressuring the government to establish internal s trategies to deal with the ever-rising police brutality. The organization also identifies and releases reports indicating the prevailing police brutality in different regions. The external agencies notwithstanding, it should be the responsibility of each member of the public to ensure that they understand their rights and to report abuse cases as soon as they occur.In addition, the societal based cop-watch group should also ensure that the crimes are reported and conduct a follow up on the reported cases to ensure that Justice is divine serviced. The police departments should also establish flexible and effective accountability strategies that incriminates any police officers abusing power, and ethical guidelines should be enacted to prevent the police officers from purporting their own based on the existing cultures (Civil Rights Division 1). The justice system should also be strengthened to ensure that police law breakers are not left unpunished.The investigators of police brutali ty should be from independent bodies to avoid biasness during investigations. Since it has been a common trend for police officers to support their fellow officers over the criminals, the Justice system should set up an independent body to evaluate the operations of required. The government should also start an sense campaign to educate the public about their rights and to explain about the appropriate channels for airing grievances associated with police brutality.Police Brutality?Lucy Sanchez English 1302 Mr. Gonzalez 8 April 2009 Police Brutality Draft Who can forget the Los Angeles riots and the Rodney King beating in 1991? This case of police brutality was the most widely known. Over the years, it seems that police abuse remains one of the most serious human rights violations in the United States. It makes the people wonder if in fact police officers are doing their job and if they are here to protect us. Police officers get away with unjustified shootings, fatal choking, roug h treatments, and severe beatings.Police brutality needs to be addressed and there has to be harsher punishment to minimize the amount of police brutality that happens. A punishment that they can receive for their brutality is harsher sentencing and job dismissals. If such a case should go to court the judge and jurors should sentence the police officer. If the case was minor then the chief of police or someone in charge. There is not a day that goes by that somewhere in the United States that an innocent civilian gets beaten from a police officer for no apparent reason. sometimes the reason is because a police officer is racist.Racism, discrimination, and police brutality all go hand in hand because police officers usually do not go around beating civilians up for no reason. Usually the motive is because they are racist. The most major race that was affected by police brutality seems to be Caucasian people but according to the NAACP, they say that between 1976 and 1987, officers ki lled about 1,800 blacks and 3,000 whites. Since blacks comprise approximately 12% of the general population, the data suggest that blacks are about three times more likely to be killed by officers than whites.These appalling numbers are probably on the rise. It seems that there is no sidestep for police brutality because it can happen to anyone not just African Americans or Caucasians. Although, mostly Africans Americans are targeted it can happen to any other race. Police officers feel because they are the law they can do whatever they please. They feel that they are above the law. My father, who is now deceased, was a victim of police brutality. It was about viii years ago when the Garden Grove police department of California barged in my dads apartment around three in the daybreak with a warrant.The first thing I remember was when he was slightly beaten with their hands to arrest him. My younger brother and I were watching the altogether thing and the police new we were there . So how could they even think about doing this in front of us? I asked my father when I visited him in jail, why do cops treat people this way? He simply said, they think they are above the law and they have no respect for Mexicans. (Ruben Paz). When he told me this I never liked police officers no matter who they were. I hated them with a passion. I assumed they were racist.This kind of police brutality may not have been that severe but the case with Rodney King it was without a doubt. One reason that this incident of police brutality is so famous is because it was captured on tape. honoring this tape may be hard to watch because it is obviously seen that Rodney is defenseless and has no weapon, yet he is surrounded by six or heptad police officers that are beating him to death with their nightsticks. Many agree that this was no regular traffic stop. The police officers that took part in this brutality at first were not punished at all.That is what caused the riots because peop le were very angry that those police officers could get away with such a crime, especially because it was caught on videotape. Later, according to Los Angeles Times, after taking a second look at the tape, two officers were sentenced to prison for violating Rodney Kings rights. The aftermath of this videotape was that people were not safe. African Americans were frightened of police officers and knew they were a target every time. While driving, walking, or even standing on a corner they are a target no matter where they go.When a victim has evidence that a police officer had assaulted or beat them in some way, that is proof and all they need to censure the police officer. In many cases, when this is brought to court or police department the punishment they give the police officers for their brutality is verbal reprimands, reprimand letters, suspensions, or dismissals. These punishments should be harder depending on the severity of the case. For example, according to facts. com, a police officer was not charged for the brutality he caused on an innocent civilian.His only punishment was a couple days suspension and he was back to work. Many police officers get this type if treatment. It is rare that an actual police officer gets convicted and sentenced to jail. Police officers should serve time behind bars to teach them a lesson. They should be treated just like the rest of the civilians. One right punishment an officer authorized for his brutality is eighteen months in jail and three years of probation. Michael Singleton, which was a police officer for Maywood police Department in California, rammed a civilians head against a wall.The victim Jose Bernal was knocked unconscious, his nose was broken, and suffered temporary paralysis to one side of his face (Los Angeles Times). This type of punishment that Michael Singleton received is very rare because he was actually convicted. After so many cases reported of police brutality many cannot beat he system. Beca use police officers are above us in law we cannot win. We can if we have hard evidence o them, but sometimes even that cannot help us because of the corruption inside police departments.In order to decrease the amount of brutalities we have to first define the barriers of what is brutality and what is their job as police officers. Another way can result in more constant training and better use of force training and policies. When people are in trouble and the only number they can call for help is 911 we sometimes think about it twice before we call. How can we be afraid to even call the police department? Has it in fact changed the way we think about police officers? They are supposedly here to serve and protect but how can we believe that when they are committing crimes themselves?Police brutality is no joke. One question I have been asking myself for a very long time is, Who can police the police? it may not make sense but to me it does. How can they be trusted when they are the law? They should not be above it but they act as if they are. Of level not all police officers are bad. Some are police officers because they are here to serve and protect those that cannot protect themselves. It is safe to say that there are some good cops but more sure that there are more bad cops. It is a sad thing but only my opinion based on the experiences I have encountered with them.In the past I used to hate cops but I learned to know that some could be trusted. Even though, police brutality will never stop and that is a known fact, I will always keep my guard up. whole works Cited Los Angeles Times. 18 October 2008.. Police Brutality. Issues & Controversies On file 3 Oct. 2003. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services. 9 Apr. 2009 . Police Corruption. Issues & Controversies On File 30 Apr. 2004. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services. 7 Apr. 2009 . Rodney King. 2007. video. 12 April 2009. .

Defining Experience

I have always holded myself an open and welcome person who treated everyone fairly. Other state that I knew would often express views that people, who lived in the United States, whether legally or not, should learn how to speak our language. While I tended to agree with them I never gave it much thought, until I found myself in a foreign country, and unable to speak the language. It was there that I learned, not only how it felt to not be able to croak easily, but to be more than tolerant of other peoples non-native speaking.I have always loved to travel with family and friends, and there was no dampen time than when I was vivification and working in Serbia. While I worked with people from many nationalities most, if not all, spoke the English language. I took this for granted, and while I made some attempts to learn new languages, I did not try too hard. After a particularly stressful month of work I felt the need to get away from it all, to rest and relax, and to broaden my perspective of the world. I made reservations for six solo days of scuba diving in Croatia. I was excited, nervous, even a little scared of travelling alone. I told myself that Im 36 years old, have two kids, and lived in another(prenominal) country, so I held my head high, bid my friends farewell and took off.Upon arrival in Croatia I picked up my rental car at the airport in Zagreb. I got on the A1 motorway and pointed the Fiat Punta south towards the small fishing village of Rocogniza. I arrived there late in the afternoon and promptly found the launch shop that had arranged all my accommodations. I settled in and then set off into the village to explore and buy food to prepare for dinner.The lie was shining and felt warm as I parked my car started walking towards the village. I traveled past centuries old houses, a large cavity Orthodox Christian church, and into the village. Once in the village I saw the bustle of people coming to and from the outdoor market place and the fisher men hawking their catches along the dock. There were people of all ages in the town centre, young kids playing, and elderly people sitting at the cafs talking.I walked through the market and saw a very old lady selling fresh fruits and vegetables. I stopped at her cart and she was very warm, with bright eyes, a heroic smile on her face, and arms opened as if she were going to hug those around her. I said hello to the old lady who only nodded and I realized that she did not speak English. Even though there was a language barrier I was able to purchase the fresh fruit and vegetables that I would need for the next few days. I then walked to the docks and again I was greeted with a warm welcome by the fishermen. I bought several mackerel, red mullet, and bukva, more that I needed, thanked the fishermen and bid them farewell.After making my purchases I stopped at a small caf to have a coffee. The waiter Mario, whose brother was always living and working in Kosovo, spoke almost p erfect English. I sat at that caf for several hours talking with Mario. Mario told me about the people of his village, how they had survived through the war, and how the Croatian people generally loved having foreigners visit their great land. Although I hated for our talk to end, I had to bid Mario farewell, and head out before dark.As I leftover the village I turned back and looked towards the small fishing village that I had just visited. I thought about the warm and welcoming answer that I had received and that I would always remember the people that I had met. I also thought about those people who come to the United States to every visit or in search of a better life for the families. I vowed to myself that I would learn some of the local language while traveling in other countries. This experience also changed the way that I would interact with people who were in my own country and did not know how to speak what we consider our language.