Race and Ethnicity Essay Example for Free

Race and Ethnicity Essay Discussion about race and ethnicity has increased steadily over the last several years. Recent discussion has centered on whether the differences between race and ethnicity are necessary, damaging, or beneficial. There is also much to be said about race relations across the globe and many questions to be pondered. Writing about race can be difficult, and discussion about race even more difficult. The idea is that with research and knowledge, it is much easier to have an intelligent, well-informed discussion about issues that affect all of us. Listed below are some possible essay topics: Race vs. Ethnicity Is the idea of â€Å"race† a human construction that is further separating people in countries across the globe? Does science support the idea that â€Å"ethnicity† more clearly defines us, and therefore, should be how we see each other? Discuss the inherent differences and similarities between race and ethnicity and the importance of them. Race issues in American TV shows and movies Explain through examples and research how different races are portrayed on television and/or movies. Are stereotypes exploited? Are stereotypes nullified? What about the presentation of race in cartoons, e.g., the Disney movies? Race and the criminal justice system It is commonly believed that minorities are at a disadvantage when it comes to the justice system. Is this true? Are there disproportionate numbers of minorities convicted of crimes? Racial profiling Examine the hot-topic debate about racial profiling. Consider situations that might involve profiling: driving; airport screening; renting/buying housing; shopping and shoplifting; college entrance; and job hiring practices. Discrimination in hiring The topic of discriminatory hiring practices can be explored on its own. Available research will include news reports of instances and court cases. Also review the laws in place to prevent such practice. More possible topics: Should racial profiling be a legitimate law enforcement policy in some areas? †¢Should Affirmative Action for state university enrollment be continued? †¢Should the primary method of public school funding (property taxes in individual school districts) be amended to create more fairness in schools? †¢If a university offers â€Å"African-American Studies or Black Studies as courses, should it also offer European-American Studies or White Studies? †¢How do certain television programs perpetuate racial or ethnic stereotypes? †¢Should schools only purchase textbooks that offer revised or alternative perspectives on historical events? †¢What should be done about racial disparities in the sentencing of criminals? †¢Should the American government pay reparations and return land to Native Americans? †¢Should hate groups have the right to distribute literature on university campuses? †¢If research shows that certain racial or ethnic groups receive poorer medical care on average, how should this problem be corrected?  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Should government organizations have staff that accurately reflect the racial, ethnic, and gender balance in society? Assignment: Choose one of the above listed topics, a combined topic from above, or a topic of your own choosing that somehow relates to the issue of race and ethnicity. Research the topic, choosing at least 3 sources that you can also easily print to bring to class. This will be an in-class essay with two days of writing that will be at least 4 pages. Type a works cited page and bring it to be turned in with the essay and the printed sources.

Comparing Seasonal Imagery in Wharton, Le Guin, and Johnson :: comparison compare contrast essays

Seasonal Imagery in Wharton, Le Guin, and Johnson      Ã‚   Summer     Now in November The Left Hand of Darkness   Ã‚  Ã‚  The expression of Yeats's circularity of seasons goes back in literature at least as far as the poet Horace (Wirtjes 533). Traditionally, women's lives, centering on family maintenance, have mimicked the cycles of the seasons far more than men's. Theirs have been the lives that repeat the motifs of each preceding year, always reborn yet never wholly new. Women, then, have less experiential reason to view their lives as a part of an inexorable forward march rather than as several turns on the great wheel of birth and death. Women writers, likewise, may pay more attention than their male counterparts to the seasonal, circular nature of their protagonists' lives. This is the case with Edith Wharton's Summer, Josephine Johnson's Now in November, and Ursula Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness. All three novelists set current protagonist movement against a backdrop of immobility. Both Wharton and Le Guin set thei r protagonists' change against the seeming constancy of summer and winter, while Johnson sets a critical spring-to-fall family transition against her protagonist's assertion of year-to-year sameness. Thus, each novelist, while depicting the movement necessary to build a story arc, sets this movement within a larger context of circularity and sameness, represented for each by the recurring seasons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Edith Wharton's Summer, written in 1916, charts the sexual awakening of young Charity Royall from her carefree abandon in June through her affair with visiting Lucius Harney in July and August, ending in autumn with her de facto abandonment and marriage of convenience to the man who raised her, Lawyer Royall. As Peter L. Hays notes, the seasonal imagery provides "an appropriate metaphor for Charity's development" (114). Hays links this development explicitly to the seasons, albeit simplistically, with Charity's "growth and maturation" during the summer leading to her "impending harvest, both of wisdom and child" in the fall (116). Yet, like Kate Chopin several years earlier in The Awakening, Wharton, I believe, avoids this simple ending. Indeed, another critic notes that "What Elizabeth Ammons says of The Reef applies with equal force to Summer: 'The fairy-tale fantasy of deliverance by a man appears to be but is not a dream of freedom for women. It is a glorific ation of the status quo'" (Crowley 87). Charity at novel's end neither achieves her dreams (love and freedom with Harney) nor endures her nightmares (destitution and prostitution as a single mother).

Boy Scouts of America

This controversial First Amendment case was heard by the United States Supreme Court in 2000, on appeal from New Jersey’s Superior Court. The dispute arose between the Boy Scouts of America, specifically a New Jersey troop, and a man named James Dale. Dale was an adult Boy Scout and a troop leader in New Jersey. He was also openly homosexual and a gay rights activist. The Boy Scouts were not aware of Dale’s sexual orientation until he attended a seminar that dealt with the needs of homosexual teenagers which was covered by a local newspaper.When the Boy Scouts discovered that Dale was in fact a homosexual, they kicked him out of the organization, claiming that his sexual orientation directly opposed the values they wished to instill in the young members of their group. Dale filed suit in the New Jersey Superior Court. He asserted that when the Boy Scouts revoked his membership, they violated New Jersey law. That law forbids discrimination based on a person’s sexu al orientation in places of public accommodations. The Court ruled in favor of Dale. The Boy Scouts however, believed that their constitutional right of expressive association had been violated.That First Amendment right allows organizations with selective membership standards to forbid membership to anyone who does not meet those standards. The Boy Scouts appealed the judgment to federal court. At the Supreme Court, the decision of the state court was overturned, ruling in favor of the Boy Scouts. The Court provided that the Boy Scouts were selective in accepting members into the organization since they only accept boys over the age of ten, and therefore the group had only practiced their First Amendment right of expressive association.Furthermore, the scout oath illustrated the group’s opposition to homosexual behavior. When members say the oath, they promise to keep themselves â€Å"morally clean†. Alongside the membership standards, the oath essentially won the cas e. This case, while controversial, was decided correctly. The freedom to associate allows groups to gather for any purpose. The freedom of speech allows those groups to speak of their ideas. Freedom of expression is really only a combination of the two. The First Amendment protects groups from being forced to admit members who directly defy their purposes.The same would have applied no matter the group in question. Imagine if the NAACP was forced to admit a man who openly expressed hatred toward African Americans, or a group meant for veterans that was forced to admit an anti-war advocate. This type of forced inclusion into the organization would really disrupt the business of the group. Sometimes, it would make the group pointless altogether. Most likely we would not see membership refusals such as those mentioned as a case of discrimination. It is simply a conflict of interest.The Supreme Court’s decision in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale is extremely relevant to society as a whole, especially to those individuals who are members of certain organizations who practice selective membership standards. No one wants to attend a church that was forced to hire an atheist preacher. No little girl wants to show up to her Girl Scout meeting to find that a little boy has become her fellow scout. As individuals, we like to surround ourselves with people who share similar qualities and characteristics with us.We enjoy gathering with others who share our opinions and purposes. Had the Supreme Court ruled differently in this case, this type of activity could easily be considered discriminatory and punishable by law. While the decision was unfortunate for James Dale, it upheld the Boy Scouts’ constitutional rights, and protected society’s rights as well. In the article, Police in Gun Searches Face Disbelief in Court, New York Times reporter Benjamin Weiser discusses the growing trend of unconstitutional searches conducted by police officers in May of 200 8.One such illegal search happened in New York to a man who was carrying a pistol. In court, the officers involved testified that they had just cause to search the suspect. They claimed, â€Å"He was loitering, sweating nervously and had a bulge under his jacket† (Weiser). The judge however, found that the officers’ story was untrue, and that they had searched the man illegally, violating the Fourth Amendment. Since the gun could not be used as evidence, the case was thrown out. Weiser’s research indicates that this type of situation occurs more often than we might think.He provides that in the last six years there have been twenty similar cases in New York City alone, where police officers unconstitutionally searched suspects, often resulting in the release of criminals who illegally carry firearms (Weiser). The Fourth Amendment protects Americans from search and seizure without probable cause, and this includes searches for weapons by police officers. The fact that these particular officers violated the Fourth Amendment is unfortunate, because their behavior put criminals back onto the streets.However, there was nothing that the judges that heard the cases could do, because the Bill of Rights applies to all Americans, criminals included. While society might prefer that the Fourth Amendment not apply to criminal suspects, the Constitution was meant to protect all people. It would be unfair to be searched without cause, especially if a suspect was not carrying an illegal weapon. The amendment is important in that it protects every aspect of our personal lives.Without it, the police could barge into our homes and take anything that they wanted, confiscate our cars, or seize anything we carry with us, activities that certainly do not constitute a free democracy. In the article, A Witness Startles Court in Pellicano Trial, New York Times reporter David Halbfinger tells the story of a witness â€Å"pleading the fifth† in a Los Angeles c ourt room in April of 2008. The trial was that of Anthony Pellicano, a private eye accused of wiretapping on behalf of his rich and famous clients.During cross examination, witness Phyllis Miller was asked questions about her own involvement in the case. A lawyer got her to admit that she was guilty of a crime herself. After a number of questions were asked, of which she responded to, Miller refused to answer any more self incriminating questions, pleading the fifth. However, the responses she did give now have her facing charges of her own of perjury and fraud. The Fifth Amendment deals with double jeopardy, the due process of the law, and the testimony witnesses in trial.Specifically stating that no person, â€Å"shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself† (Cornell University Law School). This amendment protects individuals from being forced to testify during their own trials, which might lead to a guilty verdict. The Fifth Amendment is very rel evant to society, in that it not only protects us from being charged multiple times for the same crime, but also allows us to keep quiet when we are on trial ourselves. Imagine a guilty man on trial forced to testify truthfully about a murder he committed.Most likely his answers would not be honest anyway, so why ask him to talk at all? Furthermore, imagine his wife testifying about what happened on the night of the crime. If the woman is asked questions about her involvement which might lead to a trial of her own, it is unfair to force her to speak. The Fifth Amendment in its entirety is important for Americans, because it deals with the protection of our personal lives and liberties. Being forced to testify as a witness to another person’s trial should not mean that we to be put on trial.In the article, Washington Mayor to Take Fight for Gun Law to Supreme Court, New York Times reporter Adam Liptak discusses a controversial gun control law out of Washington D. C.. That very strict law made carrying a gun, even two feet in your own home, illegal if you are not licensed to do so. The law was taken to Court and deemed unconstitutional. The mayor of the District of Columbia, Adrian M. Fenty, disagreed with the Court’s decision and challenged it in the United States Court of Appeals in May of 2007.The Court however, refused to retry the case, claiming it was within the limits of the Bill of Rights, so Mayor Fenty planned to take the case to the Supreme Court in July of 2007. Liptak asserted in the article that it was his belief that the Supreme Court would agree to hear the case (Liptak). The Second Amendment, which has always been very controversial, protects an individual’s right to keep and bear arms (Cornell University Law School). Many people believe that by limiting the rights allowed by the Second Amendment, violent crime rates would decrease.Still others want to keep their constitutional right to carry guns regardless of crime. The Se cond Amendment is very relevant in today’s society. In a world filled with criminals and violence, we deserve to have the means to protect ourselves, especially when many criminals carry illegal guns themselves. Imagine a robber breaking into your home in the middle of the night with a gun of his own. Most Americans would feel much safer if they had a gun to protect not only their families, but their property as well.Many people feel that by enacting gun control laws, we are putting ourselves at risk since many criminals own guns illegally anyway. The Constitution was written as a means of protecting certain civil liberties, one of which is life. Without the Second Amendment, we have no means of protecting our lives against the violent criminals who wish to hurt or kill us. In the article, National Briefing: South, South Carolina: Appeal to Supreme Court, the Associated Press introduces readers to the case of an imprisoned teenager in South Carolina.The teenager, who at the a ge of twelve brutally murdered his grandparents and burned down their home in 2001, was sentenced to thirty years in prison for his crime. At his trial, his lawyers claimed that his crime was a result of a medication he was taking at the time, Zoloft. When the boy was found guilty, and the sentence was announced, his lawyers planned to take the case to the Supreme Court for violating the Eighth Amendment. The Eighth Amendment protects Americans from cruel and unusual punishment, excessive fines, and excessive bail (Cornell University School of Law).Meaning that, certain crimes should not be punished with extreme sentences, huge bail amounts, or an unreasonable amount of years in prison. For a case such as described above, the punishment seems most reasonable and most likely the teenager will remain in prison. However, sometimes criminals are punished excessively for the scope of their crimes. The Eighth Amendment is very relevant in today’s society, because it protects us fro m being punished to greatly for a small crime. Imagine being given the death penalty for a parking violation.Obviously a punishment such as this would be a violation of the Bill of Rights, and should be. However, without the Eighth Amendment things such as this could happen all the time. We could serve ten years in prison for stealing a piece of bubble gum from the candy store, or be arrested for failure to pay a speeding ticket and have bail set at a million dollars. This type of punishment would be unfair, excessive, cruel, and most definitely unusual. The Eighth Amendment only protects us from such unfair treatment, and therefore is very important in a country built on fairness and freedom.Reflection Honestly, the Bill of Rights is probably the most important part of the Constitution. It protects our freedoms and rights from being taken away from us, and since our country was built on that foundation, it is important that we retain our personal rights. I do not really believe tha t any one of the first ten amendments is more important than the others, but it seems that the First Amendment is the one that is violated the most often. It also seems to be the one amendment that Americans value the most out of the ten.Without the First Amendment, should one of the others be violated, we might not have the right to speak up about it in the first place. I also think that the Eighth Amendment is very critical to our country. In other countries people are thrown in prison and put to death for doing silly crimes and that is wrong. The writers of the Bill of Rights were very clever to include this amendment because it protects us from being treated inhumanly. Overall, I think that all of the first ten amendments work together to protect our rights and freedoms, and thankfully they are usually obeyed.From this assignment I have learned a lot. I have always known that the Bill of Rights is important, but I never realized how often it is violated on an individual basis. A s a citizen of the United States, I am grateful for the rights I have been given by the Constitution. Many citizens of other countries are not so lucky, and I am afraid that many Americans take these rights for granted. I also did not realize how often new amendments are proposed, and moreover, how irrelevant some of the proposed can be. From my research I learned of one amendment meant to define and protect marriage between a man and a woman.It is very interesting to me what some people consider a personal right. I think that without the Bill of Rights, the Constitution itself would be very vague. Since it speaks of certain civil liberties, it was only logical to list those liberties within the document. When we govern by and enforce the Constitution, we are guaranteed these most important rights and freedoms, which make America a country that is privileged and different from most others across the globe. Thankfully our founding fathers envisioned a nation that was democratic and f ree.Therefore, the Bill of Rights is incredibly valuable to our country and the rights and freedoms that we are given, because without it we might not have understood exactly what America was meant to be. I can honestly say that I learned a lot by working through this project, and I think that all students in the United States should have to do similar work to appreciate what they have. Works Cited The Associated Press, â€Å"National Briefing South; South Carolina: Appeal to Supreme Court. † The New York Times 12 May 2008 14 May 2008 . Cornell University Law School, â€Å"Bill of Rights. † Constitution. 2008. Cornell University Law School. 14 May 2008 . Halbfinger, David. â€Å"A Witness Startles Court in Pellican Trial. † The New York Times 12 May 2008 14 May 2008 . Liptak, Adam. â€Å"Washington Mayor to Take Fight for Gun Law to Supreme Court. † The New York Times 12 May 2008 14 May 2008. Renquist, â€Å"Boy Scouts of America and Monmouth Council, et al. , Petitioners v. James Dale . † Findlaw for Legal Professionals. 2008. The United States Supreme Court. 13 May 2008 . Weiser, Benjamin. â€Å"Police in Gun Searches Face Disbelief in Court. † The New York Times 12 May 2008 14 May 2008 .

Essay about Forms of Healing in Ancient Times - 1518 Words

Forms of Healing in Ancient Times It is evident through ancient writings that forms of healing were present as far back as is recorded. Medicine, healers and forms of payment seem to have played an important role in the past, like they do now. However, over the centuries changes have taken place. From the time of Galen in ancient Rome to the 14th and 15th centuries in England the relationships between doctors and patients have evolved, along with the way medicine is defined and practiced. Specifically I would like to focus on forms of payment and their effect on the doctor-patient relationship and how payment and the practice of medicine have changed over time. These changes led to a healer-patient relationship that was not as†¦show more content†¦The writings of Galen describe how he was treated Eudemus, a neighbor of his, and how he came to visit him every night (Galen, 77-79). Galen was with this man through every step of his illness. One interesting thing is the way the man sits and waits for Gal en every night. After Galen takes his pulse, Eudemus hangs on Galens every word and feels better after he has talked to him. This shows again the close relationship between healer and patient and how Galens presence and prognosis gave him peace of mind, which promotes healing. Other writings, such as Epidemics, Book 1 in which there are day-by-day accounts of each patients condition also give us a sense of the doctors intimate knowledge of the person they are treating (Epidemics, 44-45). These doctors recorded every detail of sickness and any and all symptoms that the patient reported to them. These doctors wanted to try their hardest to heal their patients or if nothing else try to tell them when they would die. It appears that healers took better care of each individual and focused more of their time on each sick person. I have mentioned that the relationship between healers and patients in ancient times was different and therefore payment in ancient times was also different. Many times, healers in ancient Rome were not paid at all, or if they were paid, payment was usually not in the form of money. Vivian Nutton says in his article that, A doctor was a person, male or female,Show MoreRelatedAlternative Medicine : Modern Medicine1321 Words   |  6 Pagesreach, people have some to seek other methods of healing. Though curing the common sickness is not the only thing spiritual healers have claimed to have the cure for, it’s a big interest to many people all around the world. Across many countries all around the globe long passed on traditions and ceremonies are being held to achieve the better way of life long believed to be brought my alternative methods of medicine. The roots of spiritual healing are spread widely across history and the globe.Read More Art Therapy Essay646 Words   |  3 Pagesin maintaining a persons health or helping them get well from a sickness?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before finding the answer to this question it is necessary to understand the background, history, and importance of what Art Therapy is. First of all Art Therapy is a form of psychotherapy. In psychotherapy there is an exploration of feelings and concerns in nonverbal and verbal exercises that use simple visual art materials. Art therapy focuses on the creative process for a person instead of what they are able to produceRead MoreThe Process Of Globalization1164 Words   |  5 Pagesyears ago in the Ancient China Dynasty era that was initially used to treat battlefield wounds. The acupuncturist would treat the infected site through acupuncture and save the soldier from becoming an amputee. Throughout the years, acupuncture care changed in certain ways. It is, of course, extremely sanitary now and used in a calmer setting† (Dr. B. Wallpe, phone interview, September 9, 2017) Additionally, the practice of acupuncture is further developed than just to treat anc ient soldiers. â€Å"AcupunctureRead MoreKemet980 Words   |  4 PagesCourtney E. Brown African American Psychology CSUDH March 1, 2013 1. IN THE THOMAS PARHAM ARTICLE, DESCRIBE AFRICAN PSYCHOLOGY’S INFLUENCE ON AFRICAN AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGY. African Psychology can be traced to Ancient Egypt known as Kemet. The people of ancient Egypt studied the human psyche or soul and the higher mental processes as a holistic environment. From their perspective, they believed that there was a continuity and harmony between nature and God. They had three levels componentsRead MoreThe Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down - Anne Fadiman Essay examples1611 Words   |  7 Pagescollision between Western medicine and holistic healing traditions of the Hmong immigrants, which plays out a common dilemma in western medical centers: the need to integrate modern western medicinal remedies with aspects of cultural that are good for the well-being of the patient, and the belief of the patient’s ability to recuperate. What we see is a clash, or lack of integration in the example of the story thereof. Lia, a Hmong child with a rare form of epilepsy, must enter the western hospitalRead MoreEssay on Naikan Therapy1552 Words   |  7 Page sImmersion takes place where a person can be isolated. The client will sleep and eat alone and undergo training in meditation techniques. Meditation may last from 4:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. Clients receive visits from their therapists and different times during the day that will typically last one to two hours. The purpose of these visits is to further instruct them on meditation and to hold dialogues with them concerning introspection and reoccurring life themes. For example, clients can exploreRead MoreImproving The Conversation For Cam Therapy993 Words   |  4 PagesImproving the Conversation for CAM Therapy Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy, has been around and practiced by many countries considered as undeveloped or developing for centuries. It’s use in modern times by developed countries has increased tremendously, as research has shown the effectiveness of its use. CAM therapy and practices are being embraced by healthcare professionals slowly, in what is considered an alternative therapy, or adjunct to western medicine. However, researchRead More The Role of Love in Ancient Greek Medicine Essay1434 Words   |  6 PagesThe Role of Love in Ancient Greek Medicine Among the many Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece, one that was worshipped on multiple levels and to a great extent was Love. This divine force held a powerful role in many aspects of the Greeks’ lives, including the understanding of their own bodies. As the society’s culture moved away from reliance on the Divine, and towards a more scientific method of understanding itself, the notion of love remained ingrained in the set assumptions;Read MoreAncient Greeks And The Ancient Romans1150 Words   |  5 Pageshad one of the most innovative and influential ancient civilizations. Although arguments can be made for the Ancient Greeks and the Ancient Egyptians, it can be seen that the modern world had adopted many of the values and ideas of the Ancient Romans. The achievements, ideas, and values of the Ancient Romans have had a lasting impact on the modern world. The majority of people don’t know that many of the things they take for granted came from Ancient Rome. Architecture One of the things the RomansRead MoreAlternative Medicine : Medicine And Medicine1442 Words   |  6 Pagesdiseases and to also aid the healing process of the body. This form of medicine was used by many societies and cultures and has been advertised as one of the most effective medicine groups. This continued until the early 1900’s when doctors started to use other forms of medicine such as antibiotics and vaccinations. This caused a lot of criticism with alternative medicine practitioners. People began to question the effectiveness of alternative medicine. Although this form of medicine has been used for