Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Our Body Is A Resource Of Untapped Potential - 954 Words

Your body is a resource of untapped potential. Your mind has the ability to stop you or propel you forward. Where is your mindset? People don t want to acknowledge fear. Your fear will keep you stuck. Making excuses, procrastinating and putting off uncomfortable things is easy to do. Instead of speaking about your fears what if you spoke to your fears? Speaking back to that fearful voice brings you one step closer to taking back your power. How would you be different if you developed a positive mindset? There are three innate fears in infants including sudden motion, loud or abrupt noises, and sudden approach. As you get older those fears diminish. What did they get replaced with? Avoidance, many times, is a learned response to a†¦show more content†¦This could include resentments, anger, sadness or feeling trapped. Choose to let go of the fear. What would you say? Are there things that you always wanted to say, but never had the ability to verbalize? Make the choice to find your voice and talk back to the fear. Take charge and release the thoughts and emotions that feed your resistance. While tapping the karate chop spot on either hand, repeat these phrases out loud, (or change the words to fit your exact situation). Set up: Even though I have this fear and it keeps me from doing things, I deeply love and accept all parts of myself. Even though I spend time thinking about what I don t want to do and will avoid things that are uncomfortable for me, I choose to continue working toward my goals. Even though I do certain things that appear positive, sometimes they are really to avoid my fears, and I can choose to release my fears when I am ready to moving forward with confidence and poise. Eyebrow: I have been stuck with this for too long now. Side of Eye: This fear has a grip on me and I don t know how to release it. Under Eye: I avoid doing some things because I am fearful. Nose: This fear is a burden. Chin: This fear overshadows me. Collarbone: This fear affects my self confidence. Under Arm: This fear has been around for too long. Head: I will tackle this fear when I am ready to with confidence and courage. Eyebrow: I know that this fear served a purpose. Side of Eye: This fear helped to protect me at one time.Show MoreRelatedGene Therapy And Germline Therapy1612 Words   |  7 Pagesgene therapy is when blood cells are extracted from a person and a normal gene is then inserted into the defective cell. This does not prevent the disease from occurring in future generations because it doesn’t affect the sperm and egg cells, only the body cells. Although, this is a treatment that has to be repeated several times throughout a person’s life as the effects can wear off. Germline gene therapy however occurs in the reproductive cells where there is genetic modification to these cells occursRead MoreMy Chance For A Chance1026 Words   |  5 Pagesgive them and you have to take them. Kera taught me this. It was through our relationship that I was able to see just how offering another chance could allow an individual to reach their true potential. Now of course there were adjustments made, plan-of-actions created, and countless r eflections pondered, but at its core, we were simply providing each other another chance for success to occur, growth to be realized, and potential to be reached. Providing these chances allowed for, what I would considerRead MoreThe Eight Limbs of Yoga1053 Words   |  4 PagesThe Eight Limbs. (n.d.). Eight Limbs of Yoga. Retrieved May 2, 2014, from http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/158 Yoga is composed of eight limbs. The first limb is Yama. Yama is focusing on our ethical standards and conducting ourselves in a positive manner. There are five Yama’s, the first is Ahimsa. Ahimsa teaches us to develop the ability to be compassionate to ourselves. The second Yama is Satya. Satya encourages us to accept that we are not responsible for someone else’s emotional reactions.Read MoreAnalyzing The Energies Of Men1360 Words   |  6 Pages It is a myth that we only use about 10 percent of our brains, and that the other 90 percent is full of untapped potential and undiscovere d abilities. The myth may have been started in the 1890s. Psychologist William James, who wrote in his 1907 text The Energies of Men, â€Å"we are making use of only a small part of our possible mental and physical resources.† This was a plausible claim at the time. Lowell Thomas brought up what James said in his foreword to Dale Carnegie s book, How to Win FriendsRead MoreIndustrial Hemp Struggles with Marijuana Stigma1198 Words   |  5 Pagesrepresenting the beginning of the end for hemp as a major agricultural asset to the United States. Industrial hemp contains no psychotropic qualities that create a â€Å"high† like marijuana. Considering that hemp’s unique qualities can help solve some of our country’s major problems, it becomes increasingly ridiculous that it remains off limits due to ignorance and poor lawmaking. The United States government needs to create a legal distinction between marijuana and industrial hemp. The time is now toRead MoreAssignment13 18 Words   |  6 PagesBusiness without Borders Case Connection China in Africa: A Big Step Forward, or a Bigger Step Backward? Entering an untapped international market can strengthen a business tremendously—but what if the costs outweigh the benefits for the market itself? China has long been an important player on the global stage, but recent advances in manufacturing, natural resources, and energy production have catapulted the expansive country to the forefront of international trade. Currently the world’sRead MoreBussiness Qa Essay1476 Words   |  6 Pagesand â€Å"weak† currency. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? 5. Why is outsourcing such an attractive way for firms to tap into foreign markets? What are the risks of foreign outsourcing? 6. Outline the potential pros and cons of the 3 key strategies for developing foreign markets: exporting, licensing and franchising, and direct investment. 7. Explain how countertrading works. What are the benefits and drawbacks for both parties that engageRead MoreNew Product: Nike Fitness1525 Words   |  6 Pagesfour people), and in large groups (eight to twelve people). The fitness center will offer unique fitness programs and classes that are available every week in both indoor and outdoor arenas. Nike-certified trainers will strive to utilize the full potential of Nike products by incorporating them into their workouts. In addition to providing treatment for injured clients, Nike Fitness will have its own chiropractors and a Nike Health cafà © to provide for their nutritional needs. Food served at the cafà ©Read MoreThe Urgent Question of How to Motivate Employees1046 Words   |  4 Pages1. Introduction The question of how to motivate employees is the most urgent. Because employees are valuable resource of any organization. And their willing to satisfy customer needs, increase and improve productivity is vital for an organization growth and success. Therefore, managers should clearly understand needs of their workers. The aim of this project is to try to understand what can be done in order to motivate the workforce competently. This report presents an example of motivation planRead MoreDo We Really Use 10% of the Brain?601 Words   |  2 Pageshistory to explain gaps in scientific research or as a way to make a quick buck. The myth may have originated from the writings of William James, a psychologist and philosopher who wrote, â€Å"We are making use of only a small part of our possible mental and physical resources.† in his psychology book, The Energies of Man. That quote was possibly converted into the ten percent myth of today. It is also said that Albert Einstein refe renced the myth in relation to his own intelligence though there are no

Monday, December 16, 2019

Aviation Security Free Essays

Prior to the 9/11 attack, the US Aviation had little concern over the threat of either hijacking or terrorism. Surveys detailing the passengers’ concerns in flights were more directed towards the airlines’ maintenance and safety than the risk of being hijacked or being attacked by terrorists (Rosenzweig and Kochems, 2005). But after the 9/11 attack, especially with terrorists having used planes as the instruments for initiating a global anxiety over terrorism, aviation security has become an utmost priority of the Department of Homeland Security (Decker, 2005). We will write a custom essay sample on Aviation Security or any similar topic only for you Order Now Increased international concern over terrorist-related aviation security heightened after the attack. This is evidenced by several complaints and questions issued immediately after 9/11. According to the Citizens’ Complaint and Petition as filed with NY AG Eliot Spitzer on November 2004, New York citizens were dissatisfied with official investigations done regarding the attack. Some of the implications of the complaint include the citizens’ suspicion of unsatisfactory intelligence prior to September 11 and that some government officials are responsible for the attack and are directly to blame for the tragedy. In other words, the citizens doubt that the tragedy was a result of mere incompetence on the part of the intelligence committee but more of an act of complicity between the terrorists and some officials. Quoting from the complaint: â€Å"A majority of citizens come to suspect high crimes and treachery within their own government, but cannot find officials with enough courage, power or independence to thoroughly investigate their concerns and restore the public trust (2004). † Moreover, the citizens are concerned that the government is deliberately hiding the real results of the investigation regarding the 9/11 attack keeping their questions from being answered and their peace of mind untended. Representative Cynthia McKinney of Georgia responded to a 9/11 briefing saying that a number of families of the 9/11 tragedy’s victims share her concerns about the truth on all aspects about the 9/11 attack: â€Å"This calls for another look at the government’s account of 9/11, which guides so much of what has happened since. Mistakes of fact, intentional or not, have changed and guided America into costly wars and increased insecurity at home. They need to be addressed and scrutinized, not dismissed and used to attack those who discover or raise those (2005). † Although not stated directly such complaints imply the citizens’ concern for justice and the assurance that their government could be trusted with providing them with their right to a safe environment. Such actions and concerns by the citizens force the government to respond by enhancing security measures especially in aviation, and improving intelligence and investigative capabilities as demanded by the rising anxiety resulting from the tragedy. The complaint also expressed concerns over the taxing effect of â€Å"exaggerated† security measures on civil liberty but notwithstanding, most are still willing to sacrifice the said liberty in exchange for the safety that they demand to be ensured of. In this era of terrorist threat, the citizens regard their civil liberty as second only to their safety. This proves the growing concern of the public over security with its extent emphasized by the object they are willing to exchange it for (O’Connor, 2006). In ensuring the safety of the people and the state, one very important factor to consider is the efficiency in allocation of resources. Clearly, it would be unwise to try to protect everything from terrorist attacks because of limited resources and the asymmetric aspect of risks and consequences afforded to different assets. Here assets refer to people, structures, places, ideas, or any possible object (or non-object) that terrorists may direct their attack to (Rosenzweig and Kochems, 2005). The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, recognizes the state’s limitation in resources and emphasized in one of his speeches, the need for an â€Å"objective measure of risk (Rosenzweig and Kochems, 2005). † Here is where the risk-based approach to counterterrorism comes. In other words, prioritization is very important in ensuring the efficiency in allocation of resources. The efficiency in allocation of resources can be realized by using the risk-based approach. Risk-based Approach to counterterrorism involves the identification and analysis of risks or threats, vulnerability, and criticality. The assessment of these factors is critical in determining how to allocate resources efficiently for maximum prevention of terrorism, which is the main purpose counterterrorism (Decker, 2005). The analysis of threats involves the identification of current assets that are most at risk to terrorist attacks, the capacity of the terrorists to attack the asset, the chance of success of the possible attack and the possible consequences if such attacks were successful (Decker, 2005). If the analysis of threats involves the risks, the analysis of vulnerabilities involves the assessment of the state’s limitations in terms of resources, capabilities and assets. The identification of possible structures which are most at risk to being attacked, the limitations of intelligence, the limitations in terms of funds, are aspects which are important in the analysis of vulnerabilities because these weaknesses, aside from being easily manipulated by terrorists to their advantage, could also cripple our forces if successfully attacked (Decker, 2005). The analysis of criticality involves the possible effect of a successful attack. Here, the differences in consequences afforded by successful attacks are considered. It is important to consider in the analysis of criticality, the assets’ functions and the degree to which a successful attack would cause damage not only to the states’ functions but also to the peoples’ psychological status and moral excellence (Decker, 2005). To summarize, risk is the primary consideration in the actions and decisions executed for the prevention of terrorism. Analyzing the processes involved in the risk-based approach to counterterrorism, we can deduce that the factors influencing the â€Å"objective† value attributed to â€Å"risk† are the probability of attack, the probability of a successful attack and the probable degree of damage caused by the successful attack (Rosenzweig and Kochems, 2005). Considering the factors involved in the assessment of risk, aviation deserves to be one of those included in the list of high priority assets. The success of the 9/11 attack exemplifies the degree of risk involved in aviation. The probability of attack is high considering the limitations in security especially when an airline is not on land, which also increases its chance of success. The damage involved includes the lives of civilians, the loss of the airline involved, disruption in economic activity and abstract losses such as psychological and morale discord. In response to the threat associated with aviation, TSA Administrator Kip Hawley announced changes in security procedures. These changes include more intensive screenings and a longer list of prohibited items. Understandably, firearms, ammunition and any other explosive including fireworks are not permitted at the checkpoint and in any checked or carry-on baggage. Lighters, pocketknives, teargas and other weapons of self-defense are now prohibited at checkpoint (â€Å"TSA reminds passengers to:†¦ †, 2006). A more intensive detection procedure for greater threats such as explosives and guns is now implemented. One security tactic implemented in aviation is that of unpredictability. This is called the layered-screening approach. Various random methods are now used to screen passengers. According to Hawley, it is important that the aviation security is equipped with the â€Å"weapon of uncertainty† so as not to let terrorists gain the advantage of knowledge to easily maneuver situations for the accomplishment of their terrorist plans. Also, according to Hawley, this tactic will help the security team in focusing endeavors to preventing individuals from gaining access to the object of their harmful intent (â€Å"TSA Unveils Enhanced Security Screening Procedures and Changes to the Prohibited Items List†, 2005). Before, aviation security measures include only passing through metal detectors and the screening of baggage. The new security measure now includes additional screenings such as screening of shoes and clothes for explosives, more extensive inspections of baggage and the passenger himself. All these additional measures are done randomly in accordance with the layered screening approach (â€Å"TSA Unveils Enhanced Security Screening Procedures and Changes to the Prohibited Items List†, 2005). Secure Flight is a program specially designed for the enhancement of aviation security, specifically targeted to the prevention of terrorist attacks. This program involves the screening of passengers against a terrorist watch list provided by the FBI: an enhanced screening process, identity authentication process, checking of a passenger name against a database and an appeals process for misidentified passengers (Elias, 2005). It is developed to displace the Computer Assisted Prescreening System. The reliability of the program has been questioned because of possible damage to civil liberties, as names are not always unique (Singel, 2004). Although the detection of terrorist-passengers is essential in ensuring safety, the program’s imperviousness to hackers is questionable. Just recently, the Associated Press reported the suspension of the program because of this issue. Still, Hawley recognizes that the program is essential to aviation security (â€Å"Secure Flight†, 2006). In any case, the main problems associated with security checks involve damages to civil liberties and privacy. Programs like Secure Flight, CAPPS and Clear, operated by a private company, Verified Identity Pass, Inc. are continually being suspended due to issues concerning privacy. In a report done by the Department of Homeland Security, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), EPIC impels the TSA to suspend all private programs including Clear until the concerns over the implications of the programs on privacy are resolved, especially with the use of databases and watch lists. Also, EPIC impels the suspension of the programs until regulations are polished to comply with laws on Privacy (â€Å"Comments on the Electronic Privacy Information Center†, 2005). PDD 39 or the US Counterterrorism Policy formally states the US’ position regarding terrorism. It outlines the country’s purposes and procedures in implementing counterterrorism strategies. It treats all aspects of terrorism whether it is direct or indirect participation both as a crime and a threat to the national security. In this regard, the US Policy on counterterrorism vows to apply all means to fight terrorism (Clinton, 1995). Specifically, the US counterterrorism policy aims to reduce the state’s vulnerabilities against possible threats, deter terrorism, enhance facilities, prevent entrance of weapons of mass destruction and further lead agency responsibilities. The implementation of such tasks is delegated to specific departments. In the case of aviation, it is the TSA, part of the Department of Homeland Security that is tasked in ensuring the safety of flight passengers as well as the transportation of cargo. In the event of increased threats of terrorism, the TSA’s security measures as outlined in the previous paragraphs, have been satisfactory in providing the citizens security (â€Å"Aviation Security: Efforts to measure†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , 2003). For instance, the more intensive screening done to passengers is consistent to the US counterterrorism policies. One, it prevents the entrance of terrorists and thus their inducing terror to the citizens inside national boundaries. Also, the intensive screening and enhanced detection capacities prevent the entrance of weapons of mass destruction, reducing the risks such weapons afford the citizens and other assets of the nation. Specifically, the TSA policy involved in the prevention of weapons of mass destruction is the stricter monitoring of freight, as well as the passengers’ baggage (â€Å"Airport Passenger Screening:†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , 2003). Other TSA policies that are consistent with the US counterterrorism policy is its enhanced list of prohibited items. Now that pocketknives, teargas and even lighters are prohibited at checkpoint, the probability of hijacking is reduced. Efforts like training screeners also deter terrorism by decreasing the likelihood of small detection errors that could have caused heavy damage to the nation. Proposals like the implementation of CAPP and Secure flight, although plagued by criticisms (Singel, 2004), are also aimed to comply with the US Counterterrorism policies. Both of which could be placed under the â€Å"enhancing counterterrorism capabilities† aspect of the US counterterrorism policies. Counterterrorism measures, aside from its mission being to combat terrorism, are done to give the citizens a perception of safety with its heightened efforts to ensure their security. This is very evident in the security measures implemented in airports where passengers are doubly screened, to the dismay of those with terrorist purposes and those shouting for their civil liberties. Given the extra efforts by the Department of Homeland Security to grant the citizens their right to safety, the citizens were supposed to feel extra safe. This is not the case. Extra efforts to provide the citizens the safety they deserve only confirms the degree of danger they perceive to be in to. To add to this, the media overly emphasize the risk posed by terrorism fueling with publicity-derived strength. If the government’s efforts are directed towards giving the citizens security or at least a perception of it, the terrorists, being what they are, aim to instill fear and terror, if not physically with bombs, at least psychologically. It appears that the media and the perpetrators of terror are living symbiotically: the media are giving the terrorists its required publicity to instill terror in the minds of the people and the terrorists provide the media with good stories to tell. In addition, it is the media which gives so much coverage to the extra counterterrorist efforts given by the government which reflects not only the strengths but also its weaknesses. The very idea that the efforts of the government to provide the citizens with security are with loopholes has much more effect in the people’s minds even if its strengths outweighs the weaknesses. The result is the realization of terrorist goals which is to instill fear and terror in every possible way as well as influence the media audience with distrust in the government’s security efforts (Bowdish, 2006). The internet seems to provide the terrorists with one of the best means to disseminate fear, taking advantage of the anonymity and its fast-paced nature. Lots of websites in the internet are now being maintained, unbeknownst to the civilians, by terrorists (Glass, 2001). This medium is especially useful in speedy dissemination of visuals and ideas that instill fear. Other methods include: manipulating reports by promoting contrived neutrality, indirectly aimed at making civilians question any actions done by the state, its policies, security measures and its legitimacy. Some civilians, with their good intention of fighting for freedom are unknowingly influenced by propaganda tactically planned by terrorists (Bowdish, 2006). They are unknowing victims of terrorist machinations. With the government’s passing of new policies aimed at securing the people, specifically, the layered screening done in airports, and the new and unpredictable methods strategically imposed to prevent easy entrance of terrorists in the US, the government has satisfactorily defended the state and most importantly its citizens from terrorism. Unfortunately, the government could only do so with the physical aspect of terrorism. Information can easily be manipulated and with very minimal censorship through the media and from this terrorist weapon, the government can do very little to protect the citizens. The government is not in control of the information disseminated in the media, nor do they have the power to choose which information to be withheld and which information to be broadcasted. In addition, it would not be unwise to control the media as this would only add to the psychological effect that the terrorists, with the help of the media, are producing (Bowdish, 2006). Counterterrorism methods employed today are very much similar to the methods employed in the 1980’s during the Drug War when in 1984; President Ronald Reagan militarized the drug war starting from urine testing and forfeiture of properties towards a decreased threshold of arrest with only hearsay evidence and the use of surveillance systems (â€Å"Drug War†, 2004). Similar to the counterterrorism methods expounded in the revised US Patriot Act, the government officials have expanded powers over gathering information which involves, like that in the Drug War, lower threshold of evidence needed for the arrest of suspected individuals, and forfeiture of properties of those suspected to be working for terrorists. Like in the Drug War, the efforts and procedures employed in combating terrorism are not fully supported by the citizens. Both in the 1980s drug war and today’s counterterrorism involve the citizens’ derision over the loss of their civil liberty and their petition for human rights (â€Å"Drug War†, 2004). In both events, there is an increase in government spending, in 1980’s, to contain drug use and at present, to combat terrorism and increase national security. During the drug war, campaigns for and against the legalization of marijuana had spread in all mediums of communication: radio, newspaper and television. In today’s war against terrorism, the internet has been added to the list of mediums used in campaigns. Like today’s war against terrorism, the efforts in reducing drug use in the 1980s seemed to be futile. Despite the government’s efforts in preventing increase in drug use through the passage of laws and implementation of stricter penalties, the rate of drug abuse had not changed significantly. Today’s war on terrorism involves the same seemingly futile efforts. Terrorists, being as they are, would not be easily deterred by any law or security measure (Bowdish, 2006). They would always try to find means to gain access to whatever vulnerability the nation may have and actuate their terrorist plans. But still, even with this seeming futility, the government is supposed to act towards the betterment of the society and that betterment does not include any hazard and that includes both drugs and terrorism. References â€Å"Airport Passenger Screening: Preliminary Observations on Progress Made and Challenges Remaining†. (Sep 2003). General Accounting Office Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Aviation, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives. Washington DC: US. â€Å"Aviation Security: Efforts to Measure Effectiveness and Strengthen Security Programs†. (20 Nov. 2003). General Accounting Office Testimony Before the Committee on Government Reform, House of Representatives. Washington DC: Berrick, C. Bowdish, R. (5 May 2006). Cerberus to Mind: Media as Sentinel in the Fight against Terrorism. Strategic Insights. 5 (5). â€Å"Citizens’ Complaint and Petition as Filed With NY AG Eliot Spitzer† (19 November 2004). The Justice for 9/11 Steering Committee. USA. Clinton, W. (21 Jun. 2005). PDD 39: US Policy on Counterterrorism. The White House. Washington, D. C. â€Å"Comments of the Electronic Privacy Information Center† (08 Dec. 2005). Department of Homeland Security. Washington DC: Rotenberg, M. Decker, R. (2005). Homeland Security: A Risk Management Approach Can Guide Preperedness Efforts. Testimony before the Senate Committee on Government Affairs. USA. â€Å"Drug War 101†. (n. d. ). Human Rights and Drug War Website. Retrieved 10 August 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://www. hr95. org/dw101. htm. Elias, B. et. al. (04 Mar 2005). Homeland Security: Air Passenger Prescreening and Counterterrorism. CRS Report for Congress. US. The Library of Congress. Glass, A. (Dec. 2001). The War on Terrorism Goes Online: Media and Government Response to First Post-Internet Crisis. Press, Politics and Public Policy Working Paper Series. The Joan Shorenstein Center, Harvard University. McKinney, C. (10 Aug. 2005). Response to a Coverage of the 9/11 Briefings. Washington, DC. O’Connor, T. (06 Jun 2006). Civic Liberties in Domestic Terrorism. In Megalinks in Criminal Justice. Retrieved August 10, 2006, from http://faculty. ncwc. edu/toconnor/429/429lect19. htm. Rosenzweig P. and Kochems A. (2005). Risk Assessment and Risk Management: Necessary Tools for Homeland Security. Backgrounder. (1889), pp. 1-4. â€Å"Secure Flight† (Feb. 2006). Center for media and Democracy. Retrieved 10 August 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://www. sourcewatch. org/index. php? title=Secure_Flight. Singel, R. (27 Aug. 2004). Secure Flight Gets Wary Welcome. Wired News. Retrieved 10 August 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://www. wired. com/news/privacy/0,1848,64748,00. html â€Å"TSA Reminds Passengers to:† (31 May 2006). Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security. Oklahoma:USA. â€Å"TSA Unveils Enhanced Security Screening Procedures and Changes to the Prohibited Items List† (06 Dec 2005). Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security. Oklahoma: USA. How to cite Aviation Security, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Critical Essay for Training and Development - myassignmenthelp

Question: Write about theCritical Essay for Training and Development. Answer: Introduction Learning in the 21st Century has changed dramatically. Due to internet technologies, there is increased skill competition as locational barriers have been put down. Organizations have the ability of sourcing their manpower from a variety of countries if those individuals have the desired skill sets. Also, the internet has given individuals access to huge amounts of information making it easier to do academic research. The internet contains information concerning a wide range of academic disciplines which can suit any individual. Increased numbers of people have seen the need to enrol in institutions of learning in order to increase their level of competitiveness in the industry. It is no longer enough for people to have a high school degree, analytical skills, communication skills and other technical skills have become high in demand. Internet technologies have increased the accessibility to these tertiary learning institutions through distance learning. Despite the ease of access to information and distant learning opportunities, adult learners still continue to face challenges in the process of obtaining academic excellence. Responsibilities and time management are challenges faced by adult learners that see some of them drop from the already enrolled courses while some of them fail to pursue them altogether. It is of importance for these adult learners to have some characteristics that will enable them succeed in their enrolment in tertiary institutions. This paper therefore outlines some of the characteristics that are necessary for adult learners enrolled tertiary institutions in the 21st century. This paper will consider self-directed learners, digital literate learners, open minded learners, results oriented and learners that are apt in time management strategies. Characteristics of Successful Adult Learners Successful adult learners need to embrace self-directed learning. Self-directed learning involves the learner taking responsibility and control over the learning process. Self-directed learning can take both external control and internal monitoring. While external control focuses on the instructors input on the learning materials while internal control takes account on the role of the student with regard to self-management strategies. It enables the adult learner to perform their learning goals and managing their learning resources. The adult learner can take control of internal monitoring process of their learning process through proper planning, application of different strategies and use of internet resources to obtain relevant information. According to Karakas Manisaligil (2012) there is a positive correlation between self-directed learning and learning outcomes for individuals. For example, the student can request for the instructor to change the assignment dates or request for additional instruction. The student also takes the initiative to diagnose his learning skills, designing and pursuit of educational outcomes. The student can master certain topics within the course process without direct input from the instructor. Web based learning has made self-management necessary for successful academic activity due to their convenience and versatility in accommodating various learning strategies. The individual is given the ability to adjust their learning schedules with the other activities that they might be engaged in. Responsibility in self-directed learning can be established through managing timetables, active participation in the classroom, submission of assignments and classroom engagement. It is through self-directed learning that the individuals are able to achieve commitment levels that are required in tertiary learning (Tattersall Koper, 2005). At last, the investigations of the present review showed a connection between SDL inclination and schola rly accomplishment. These discoveries can likewise be clarified inside the system of the self-directed motivational writing which demonstrates that fruitful learners have more viable and effective learning methodologies for getting to and utilizing their insight, are self-inspired, and can screen and change their techniques to enhance their learning results. At the point when learners perceive their adapting needs, plan learning destinations, select substance, draw up learning techniques, obtain showing materials and media, recognize extra human and physical assets and make utilization of them, and they themselves arrange, control, assess, and assess their own learning, they will probably perform exceedingly on learning undertakings (Karakas Manisaligil, 2012). Successful adult learners need to accommodate digital literacy. Internet technologies require the use of a variety of multimedia digital tools such as social media, chat rooms, and video and presentations which are commonly used in the dissemination of knowledge by tertiary institutions. Also, information literacy as a component of digital literacy involves the ability to locate required information in an efficient manner, evaluation of information and relevant sources as well as the incorporation of selected information into a specified task. It also requires the access and use of information in an ethical and legal way through the avoidance of plagiarism (Warschauer, 2007). The internet has wide amounts of information, it is however necessary that this information is effectively filtered for them to be applicable in the educational activity being engaged in. The individual needs to have the ability of interpreting, designing and creating content that uses a wide range of media. It also involves frame composition, video editing techniques and the effects of typography. These skills are important not only for occupational purposes, but also for artistic purposes and civic purposes. It gives the individuals the ability to increase the number of available job opportunities that require multimodal content. It also enables the individuals to participate in community discussions in order to get more insight on the issues being studied. Also, digital literacy is significant when the students want to obtain data from surveys as they can facilitate online based surveys which are less costly compared to the traditional forms of survey related activities (Warschauer, 2007). Therefore a successful adult learner requires being digitally literate in order to effectively participate in the learning process. Successful adult learners need to be open minded in the learning process. Open mindedness requires the adaptation of newer learning theories which are more relevant in the 21st century dynamics. There are three learning structures which are most prevalent in adult learners which are the inferred hypothesis, casual hypothesis, and formal hypothesis. Scholastic specialists utilize the formal hypothesis when they apply complex hypothetical systems to produce new learning. Tacit hypothesis outlines the procurement of metacognitive abilities as happening with no particular learning structure (Kenner Weinnerman, 2011). As indicated by implicit hypothesis, grown-up learners obtain their metacognitive aptitudes from associates, educators, and the nearby culture. Adult learners likely have these abilities profoundly imbued into their reasonable system, which may make it troublesome for them to change, paying little respect to the level of blunder coming about because of a defective implicitl y created learning hypothesis (Kenner Weinnerman, 2011). These learning strategies often act as a hindrance to learning and may make it more difficult for the adult learner to engage fully in the process. People who utilize casual hypothesis still procure their metacognitive abilities after some time from their companions and their condition; however they have no less than a simple cognizant point of view with respect to their metacognitive structure. For adult learners a lot of their casual metacognitive procedures create in working environment conditions, where metacognitive advancement is perceived by their companions as an indication of insight, which unites knowledge, experience, and reflection. Particular inquiries that can urge grown-up learners to contrast their down to earth information and the aptitudes required in their scholastic vocation can incorporate breaking down reference utilization in scholarly written work yet not in expert updates and the part of first individ ual in various composition shapes. Other materials that can be displayed in this structure incorporate presenting the part of inclination and instructive versus influential written work styles. Therefore the adult learners need to critically approach the information provided in the available instructional materials in order to obtain maximum use from them. Open mindedness is a necessary skill that accommodates the dynamism of learning in the 21st century. Conclusion Learning in the 21st century can be a challenging affair especially with the limited time available to individuals. For this reason, adult learners need to have some traits that can set them up for success. One of the traits is self-directed learning. It is important that the learners take charge of their learning process. This can be done through active participation, self-assessment and communication with instructors. In this way an adult learner can take responsibility of his academic pursuits. The other trait is digital literacy. A successful adult learner needs to have the ability to use multiple digital tools since most of the materials in tertiary institutions are digitally oriented. The learner needs the ability to use multimedia internet tools or successful learning and participation. Adult learners in the 21st century need to be open minded to new learning approaches and experiences that are effective in the 21st Century. In this way they will be open to new ideas and more effective learning strategies. Successful adult learners need to recognize that the learning process is just as important as the results being sought after. In this way they will be able to learn more than they initially might have had. Lastly, time management skills are of importance to adult learners since they need to juggle the responsibilities that they have in their lives in order to become successful in their pursuits. The applications of these characteristics are important in order to facilitate the success of adult learners in tertiary institutions. References Karakas, F., Manisaligil, A. (2012). Reorienting self-directed learning for the creative digital era.European Journal of Training and Development,36(7), 712-731. Kenner, C., Weinerman, J. (2011). Adult learning theory: Applications to non-traditional college students.Journal of College Reading and Learning,41(2), 87-96. Tattersall, C., Manderveld, J., Van den Berg, B., Van Es, R., Janssen, J., Koper, R. (2005). Self organising wayfinding support for lifelong learners.Education and Information technologies,10(1), 111-123. Warschauer, M. (2007). The paradoxical future of digital learning.Learning Inquiry,1(1), 41-49.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Love Is Not the Destructive Force in Romeo and Juliet free essay sample

Love is not the destructive force in Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, is considered one of the greatest love tragedies of all time. It is a play about two young lovers, whose love was destined for destruction from the beginning because of the hatred  between the two families, Montagues and Capulets. The force that leads to this destruction hate and lust, as opposed to love. One of the forces that leads to destruction in Romeo and Juliet is hate. Hate is a destructive force, when it gets stronger that love. Hate killed Romeo and Juliet, and their love. It did this through the feud between the two families. The two teenagers were killed because they kept trying to go around the feuding between their families and go on with their lives. Here they had underestimated hate, which is also a very strong force, when given into it. We will write a custom essay sample on Love Is Not the Destructive Force in Romeo and Juliet or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In this case the Montegues and Capulets gave into their hate for one another. An example of why hate is destructive and not love is a point in act 3, scene one. Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt because they are now cousins. He says: â€Å"I love thee better that thou canst devise, Till thou shalt know the reason of my love, And so, good Capulet, which name I tender As Dearly as mine own, be satisfied†. This is an action out of love. Tybalt is furious and, when challenged by Mercutio, kills him. This revives Romeo’s hate. He says: â€Å"Away to heaven respective lenity, And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now! † This makes him kill Tybalt. These are actions out of hate. Therefore the force that keeps from destroying here is love, and the destructive force is hate. Also, when love turns into lust, this can be destructive. Lust can be a destructive force, because when people are driven by lust, their actions get impulsive and hasty. This causes them to not think properly about what they do. That the actions of Romeo and Juliet are occasionally driven by lust, can be seen for example because Romeo wants Juliet yet when he has only just met her. The very first time that Romeo sees Juliet, he says: â€Å"Oh, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night, Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear, Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear. So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, As yonder lady oer her fellows shows. The measure done, I’ll watch her place of stand, And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I neer saw true beauty till this night. † He does not know her from the inside, but already wants to touch her because she is so beautiful on the outside. Lust destroys because this makes Romeo and Juliet act impulsive. When Romeo hears that Juliet died, he acts impulsive, and goes to her to kill himself. He does not think clearly the fact that he didn’t get news from Friar Lawrence, and also not about his love for his family. So lust is a destructive force when it overrules love. Furthermore, in Romeo and Juliet, love is not a force that destroys. When love overpowers hate, it is a source of happiness and welfare. There are many scenes in the play where love is a source of peace and happiness. Firstly, the love that Romeo and Juliet share lifts Romeo from his sadness over Rosaline. He states to Friar Lawrence I have forgot that name, and that names woe. This love makes Romeo happy instead of destroying him. Love on itself brings good things with it. Love reconciles the two feuding families, the Capulets and Montagues who have been bitter enemies. During the story, love faces harder and harder challenges. At the end of the novel, the love of Romeo and Juliet is destroyed because hate has overpowered love. But at that same moment love overpowers hate because Capulet and Montague make peace with each other after seeing that  their children were so in love with each other that they sacrificed  their lives for one another. This leads to construction, and not destruction, because the families will now work together instead of destroying one another. To conclude, love is a powerful force but not a destructive one. What is destructive is hate and lust. When hate and lust overpower love, this destroys. This is seen when the hate of the two feuding families leads to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. When love overpowers hate and lust it can create new opportunities, such as the ending of the feud between the families.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Slavery the most controversial themes in the history of the United States The WritePass Journal

Slavery the most controversial themes in the history of the United States Chapter 1   Introduction: Slavery the most controversial themes in the history of the United States Chapter 1   Introduction:Chapter Two â€Å"Set Out to Play an’ Court all Dey Pleased†: Courtship among the enslaved.Chapter 3 â€Å"Jumping the broom†: Weddings and Marriage amongst the enslavedChapter 4: ConclusionRelated Chapter 1   Introduction: Slavery is one of the most controversial themes in the history of the United States; throughout much of the past century historians have debated, sometimes quite heatedly, various interpretations of this area. For the purpose of this dissertation, the personal relationships amongst the enslaved will be the subject being examined. Early research into the area on slave relationship tended to focus on the instability of slave families, The controversial Moynihan report of 1965 argued that the harsh regime of slavery shattered family ties of all that had been bound by it, and as a result the future generations of the ‘Negro Family’ lacked in strength and stability, Moynihan claimed that the majority of slave families â€Å"developed a fatherless matrifocal (mother-centred) pattern†[as men were absent husbands and fathers.    Elkins notorious study on Slavery in 1959 also negatively depicted slave relationships. Elkins compared slavery to the Nazi system of concentration camps, arguing that the enslaved were psychologically infantilized by the regime. Elkins’ argued that the totalitarian environment and â€Å"absolute power† held by the slave owners destroyed slaves capacity to resist the regime and form any sort of positive relationship with one another. Elkins asserted that the slave master was the only significant other in the life of a slave, and believed that significant bonds between slaves were unattainable. However, these views of slavery tended to focus on the perception of the slave owners and neglected the views of the enslaved. In the 1970’s new revisionist historians shifted to examining perspectives of the slave rather than that of the master, moving towards investigating ‘history from below’. The works of Gutman, Blassingame and Levine were of the first historians to look at slavery from this angle[5]; their works focused on the cultural aspects of the lives of the enslaved, a view that had been previously neglected. Similarities between their studies showed that cultural autonomy allowed slaves to distance themselves from the psychological pressures of the slavery regime and made it possible to establish and maintain positive, loving relationships. Gutman criticised the earlier orthodox views of slavery put forward by Elkins, Moynihan and Frazier, arguing that they did not appreciate the extraordinary â€Å"adaptive capacities† of the African American slaves in spite of the rigours imposed under slavery. The revisionist historians tended to focus on what Engerman referred to as â€Å"the positive accomplishments of slaves under slavery.† However more recently historians have criticised this approach, believing that the resilience and autonomy of the slaves have been overstated, shadowing the harsh truths of slavery, Kolchin’s studies claim that revisionist historians have created â€Å"an exaggerated picture of strength and cohesion of the slave community.† However one must note that by accentuating resilience and the desire for independence does not mean that historians are romanticising the whole regime of slavery and that the restrictions and exploitations imposed on slaves by their masters were not significant. Rather as West argues the fact that the enslaved strove for independence under the terrible hardships of the regime is of immense importance, since it â€Å"highlights the desire for freedom within the context of the restraints imposed by slaveholders.† For slaves, spousal love and support was of vital importance in the fight for cultural autonomy and also to provide shelter and support from their bleak lives under bondage.    This research project will further this perspective, in the attempt to show that the relationships between enslaved spouses facilitated the desire for and the development of a social space between the lives of slaves and owners and a means of resistance against oppression. This dissertation will attempt to show the strength slave relationships under and in spite of the harsh restraints of bondage. The chapters within this dissertation will look at enslaved courtship and marriage under the regime of slavery; each assessing the strength of these relationships in spite of the hardships and restrictions placed upon them. Slavery in America was present for almost two decades; it would difficult to adequately cover these issues for this entire period, for this reason this dissertation will focus on the antebellum period (1820-1860) of slavery which took place before the civil war. The significance of this period is that slavery had already been established and legislated for a long time thus providing historians with numerous sources of evidence in which to study. The limit of this period for one looking at cultural issues, is the fact that by this time there would be very few African born slaves; so this dissertation will be unable to look directly at the role played by native African slaves, as Kolchin argues that Antebellum period lacked the â€Å"large-scale infusions from Africa that might have served to foster separate black cultural forms by reinforcing a cultural continuity with the traditions of their ancestors†.[11] The majority of the slaves in the antebellum period would have been bo rn and brought up under the regime of slavery, however, this smaller scope of study should not be looked at negatively, as Levine argues that the slave culture is one of oral tradition, where culture was passed on from generation to generation by stories, songs and folk tales therefore African culture would still be relevant in the lives of Antebellum slaves.[12] As this dissertation is focusing on the antebellum period, it is limited to the Southern States of America as slavery had already been abolished in the Northern States. Although this may seem a broad geographical area, this dissertation will hope to prove that regardless of location the enslaved strove for the same autonomy to shape their own personal lives and relationships. American Slavery has been an area where sources of evidence has been heatedly criticised, the majority of early research into this topic was based primarily on ‘white’ sources which tended to rationalise the exploitation of their black counterparts. Other revisionist historians have focused on ex-slave testimonies which too have been criticised as being unreliable which will be discussed in more detail further on. However this dissertation will draw from sources of oral testimony left behind by former slaves, as Frederick Douglass explains one â€Å"cannot see things in the same light with the slave, because he does not, and cannot, look from the same point from which the slave does†[13] The Works Progress Administration Narratives (which will be referred to as WPA throughout this dissertation) are a collection of other 2,300 interviews of former slaves from the southern states conducted from 1936-38. These interviews are of vital importance when investigating slavery from the perspective of the enslaved and gives historians insight into the personal lives of slaves which is neglected in the majority of ‘white’ sources. There is however many arguments against the reliability of these narratives, the main one is that over two thirds of the respondents were more than eighty when they were interviewed, it has been suggested that their memories of bondage would affected over time, and that they were only young children during the regime of slavery. West explains that even though the respondent memory may have dimmed with age, they still remembered â€Å"a great deal about life under the peculiar institution†Ã‚   Moreover even if slave narratives weren’t perfectly recollected, the nature of the unique source still holds immense value to that of a historian. Another issue that has been noted is that many respondents would have been children at the time of slavery; this could be problematic when assessing courting and marital relationships as the former slaves could have possibly been too young to partake in these types of relationships themselves, however as previously mentioned Levine’s study shows American slave culture was one that rested on folk tales and the passing down of stories through the generations, therefore slave testimony on their parents and grandparents relationships will still be highly significant to this study. To end with Woodward brilliantly sums up that even though the WPA narratives are sometimes confusing and contradictory â€Å"they represent the voices of the normally voiceless, the inarticulate masses whose silence historians are forever lamenting† Chapter Two â€Å"Set Out to Play an’ Court all Dey Pleased†: Courtship among the enslaved. As detailed in the introduction this dissertation will examine the personal relationships in which slaves participated; in the attempt to show the strength of these relationships and also the degree in which slaves strove for the autonomy from their masters to develop and maintain these relations. This chapter will examine the role of courtship amongst the enslaved, although there has been much more recent research into the ‘romantic’ lives of slaves since the wave of revisionist historians in the 1970’s, courtship has been looked at as a ‘mere passage instead of its own social event’; historian’s have either overlooked this area completely or merged it into a broader study of marriage. This chapter will detail early historical views of enslaved courtship before discussing the variety of restrictions which were in place to hinder courtship before finally discussing the ways in which the enslaved managed to create meaningful relationships of the ir own. By the antebellum period slavery had become institutionalised across the American South, slaveholders were increasingly concerned with controlling every aspect of their ‘properties’ lives, especially that of sexual unions. This is due to the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade in 1808, which stopped any more African people being imported as slaves; hence the sexual unions that slaves created became increasingly important to slaveholders to insure that they would have future generations of slaves to perpetuate the southern social order. Oral testimony from the former slave, Hannah Jones showed that there were some plantations who â€Å"just raised niggers†. By examining other slave testimonies it can be seen that many slave owners decided who their slaves would be with, in order to produce the best offspring. Katie Darling, a slave born in Texas in 1849, argued that slaves didn’t court each other under the restraints of Slavery, merely that their mast ers would â€Å"pick out a po’tly and a po’tly gal and jist put ‘em together† to reproduce as he needed more â€Å"stock†. This shows one of main reasons why historians have neglected the topic of enslaved courtship as they viewed the way in which slaves formed relationships to some extent as an insensitive and unemotional process, as the majority of masters’ chose partners for their slaves with little or no considerations of their personal feelings. Genovese acknowledged that in some cases; masters had a paternalistic attitudes towards their slaves and let them choose their own partner yet the process was still not regarded as a ‘romantic’ one as â€Å"if a man saw a girl he liked he would ask his master’s permission to ask the master of the girl for her. If his master consented and her master consented then they came togetherâ€Å" As a result of forced breeding, coerced relationships, and the ‘unemotional’ joining of partner as detailed in ‘white’ sources and also in a few slave narratives, Fraser concluded that â€Å"courtship and the normal relationships preliminary to marriage seldom existed†.   By examining more of the WPA slave narratives, however, it can be seen that this negative image of courtship was not always the case; instead one can see the importance that the enslaved placed on the creation of their personal relationships, as they â€Å"sought to define the nature and shape of their own courtship experiences.†Ã‚   By examining the ‘courtships’ of those who were bound by slavery, historians can gain insight into the cultural and social aspects of their rituals and how the enslaved strove to meet and choose their significant other, free from the influence of their master. Within this dissertation numerous WPA slave narratives will be discussed to show the extent of personal relationships between the enslaved. However when looking into the area of courtship one must note that the majority of former slaves who partook in these testimonies were young children during the years of bondage, hence they may not have participated in courtships themselves until after slavery and historians must acknowledge this issue. However this does not mean that the testimonies are of no value as many recount the stories that have been passed on to them or those they witnessed personally, giving historians insight into how courtship was shaped within the slave community and also how the slaves strove for the autonomy to create strong relationship bonds. A perspective that many traditional historians neglected as can be seen in the previous chapter as they used primarily ‘white’ sources. Many slave owners expected to decide the timing of courtship and coupling among slaves and to constrain their slaves’ choice of partner to suit their own needs; such as keeping their slaves on their plantations at all times and producing ‘quality’ offspring destined to be the master’s future slaves and/or income. To make sure this was the case slave holders placed numerous restrictions in the way of their slaves’ courtships; time was one of the largest constraints faced by the enslaved, as Smith explains â€Å"all time on the plantation, whether work or leisure, was ultimately the master’s to bestow, manipulate and define†. With slaves spending all their time working in the fields or domestically in the masters house, even when their long day at work was over, their master still controlled what they did and even when they had to go to sleep. For example, Ex-slave Matida Mckinney explained the concept of curfews on her plantation, pointi ng out that the â€Å"curfew horn was blown and no lights could be lighted after its warning not had sounded. There was very little visiting to or from the group which dwelt here, as the curfew hour was early† This shows how relatively little freedom slaves had in their day to day lives to socialise or court one another. As well as time, slave owners also restricted their slave’s mobility. The enslaved were restricted to the boundaries of their plantations. The Former slave Austin Steward points out that â€Å"Slaves are never allowed to leave the plantation which they belong, without a written pass. Should anyone venture to disobey this law, he will most likely be caught by the patrol and given thirty-nine lashes.† The enslaved had to gain their masters permission to leave their plantation, they were required to get a written pass, detailing their master’s name, the origin of their trip and their destination, and they were also required to produce this pass at the request of any white person. Not only were their ‘patrollers’ hindering slaves geographical mobility but slave owners also placed physical boundaries, such as high fences, around the perimeter of their plantations to contain and restrict slaves mobility further. Former slave Louisa Adams argues that â€Å"All de plantation wuz fenced in, dat is all de fields, wid rails; de rails wuz ten feet long† It should be noted here that the restrictions imposed on the enslaved were inconsistent throughout the Antebellum South, not just in differing states but â€Å"between slaveholders themselves; urban and rural environments and different police measures in the county†Regardless of these restrictions the enslaved managed to control their personal relationships through working around the restrictions enforced upon them by the regime of slavery. Certain social events were organised by the slave owners and occurred as part of the work regime, for example ‘corn shucking’ and ‘candy pulling’ where numerous slaves from neighbouring plantations would come together to complete a large task. Even though the slaves were working on these occasions by reviewing many of the WPA slave testimonies it can be seen that the enslaved looked forward to these events and the majority described them as ‘fun’. As well as working the slaves had the chance to engage in socialising, flirtation and courtship at these events. For instance, they played numerous courtship games such as ‘kissing for a red ear of corn’ and ‘dropping the handkerchief’ which allowed them to possibly establish a meaningful personal relationships.   The former slave Anna Wright explained how these organised events offered a good place for the enslaved to meet a potential partner but also for existing couples to continue their courtship, she explained that courting couples relished these days as they could â€Å"set out to play an’ court all dey pleased†. Therefore the enslaved managed to manipulate some of the terms of their working lives to their own ends. As well as these occasions, many slave owners also recognised different times of the year as holidays, during these times the usual time and mobility restrictions enforced on the enslaved were temporarily relaxed allowing slaves to move between different plantations and spend time socialising and courting. For instance for Christmas Holiday which could last anything from a couple of days to a couple of weeks, one former slave detailed that on his plantation from Christmas through to new year the slaves â€Å"feast, an’ we dance, an’ we sing.† Another slave explained that at Christmas, slaves â€Å"went up de riber to other plantations ter dances an’ all dem things† However it must be noted that these opportunities were completely dependent on the slave owner, who could withdraw these privileges at any time or choose not to partake in them at all. It can be seen so far that the enslaved had very little opportunity to partake in courtships, and the opportunities they had, if any, to escape being governed by their masters were seldom. Some slaves, however, resisted these restrictions which bound them and sought to have a social world separate to their plantation and thus developed ‘alternative or illicit social spaces, where they socialised, flirted and courted without the presence or consent of the slave owner’. The enslaved would go to unauthorised ‘frolics’ or their significant other’s plantations without obtaining the permission of their master in order to pursue or create a courtship. For example, ex-slave Penny Williams recounted that â€Å"Dar was some nigger men what ud go courtin’ spite de debil, an’ master ain’t gibbin dem no passes dey go widout ‘em† She also detailed how regardless of the punishment bestowed on them when they were caught, they would still continue this behaviour in pursuit of love. This point was furthered by former slave Hugh Berry, who described that he would risk severe punishment to â€Å"go back over there to see that girl†.   By doing this the enslaved defied and resisted the systems of control, such as time and geography. In conclusion, the enslaved in the antebellum south strove to meet and court a significant other of their choosing. Slave utilised the time that their owners allowed them, such as work based event and holidays to extend the limits of their lives, but they also strove to establish romantic bonds with one another in spaces that was separate from their plantation and their master’s authority. This chapter shows the value and importance slaves placed on their courtships, so much so that they would risk a severe beating in order to pursue their love interest. Also by examining slave testimonies, one can see that courtship was a vital stage in the romantic relationships of the enslaved, despite being neglected by early academics. Chapter 3 â€Å"Jumping the broom†: Weddings and Marriage amongst the enslaved The last chapter analysed the opportunities the enslaved had to meet and court a partner of their own choosing, this chapter will look at the next stage in the romantic relationship; marriage. Slave marriages have been one of the most controversial areas of research within the topic of slavery, numerous orthodox historians viewed slave marriages as weak and unstable, Stampp believed that with all the constraints imposed on the enslaved, ‘no deep or enduring affection could develop between husband and wives’.This chapter will examine the extent to which this claim is true, focusing on the difficulties and restrictions that affected slave marriages and how the enslaved managed to overcome them. The first question this chapter will examine is opportunities that the enslaved had to get married; the southern legal system never recognised slave marriages on the grounds that property could not enter into a legal contract, slave holders would not tolerate a legal contract that would interfere with their rights to dispose of their property as they pleased, therefore early scholars concluded that marital relationships could not have existed amongst slaves. However, throughout this chapter it can be seen that this was not the case; although slave marriages were not legislated they were culturally formed and respected by the slave community. As in courtship, marriages between slaves were greatly influenced by the slaveholders; some slave owners forbade their slaves to enter in marriage at all. There were many different reasons for this, one of which being the threat to the master’s authority, for example Harriet Jacob’s master rejected her requests to wed a free black man as he thought that it would displace her loyalties to him, he asserted, â€Å"Well, I’ll soon convince you whether I am your master, or that nigger fellow you honour so highly†. Another reason for master’s forbidding enslaved matrimony, which is suggested by reviewing slave testimonies, is the practice of forced breeding as discussed in the previous chapter. A former slave recalled the application of this in her plantation; â€Å"As a rule negro men were not allowed to marry at all, any attempt to mate with the negro women brought swift, sure horrible punishment and the species were propagated by selected male Negros, who were kept for this purpose, the owners of this privileged negro, charged a fee of one out of every four of his offspring for his services† A former Texas slave, also described a less explicit way of forced breeding, where the women on his plantation were paired and forced to cohabit with a mate that their master deemed as suitable, as effective reproduction was more important to the slave owner than his slave emotions. Franklin believed that this was the case for the majority of slave women, who were forced into ‘relationships’ and pregnancy by the venality of her master, Franklin asserted this made it unlikely that slaves would ever establish a loving and affectionate bond with their significant other. Conversely, even though numerous slaves were coerced into relationships, some managed to manipulate their masters so they could be with the person of their choosing. An example of this can be seen in the testimony of former slave Virgina Yarbrough, who recalled once when her master forced two slaves together even though they were in love with others, they slept in separate beds â€Å"Twas’ bout three months aftah, de marster see thar am no chillums gwine to be bo’n, so he tuks her f’om dat fellow an’ ‘lows her to stay wid de one she laks.† However, it must be noted that this happened in the minority. By examining numerous slave testimonies, however, one can determine that the majority of slave owners did allow slaves to marry the person of their choosing, as Genevese explains most owners understood that if slaves were denied their request to marry the one they loved, they would become sullen workers and would be more likely to run away. Slave owners also allowed informal ceremonies to mark marital unions amongst slaveseven if there were not legitimate. This Chapter will now examine some of the various ceremonial rituals which took place at slave weddings; one of the most common of these rituals was jumping over the broomstick where slave couples literally jumped over a broomstick together and were then married. Historians take different views on the meaning of this ceremony; Blassingame and Gutman believed this ritual originated in Africa and was initiated by the slaves themselves. On the contrary, Stevenson argues that the broomstick ritual derived from pre-Christian Europe and was passed down generations as a quaint and amusing remnant of the past, Stevenson believes this ritual was imposed on slaves by their masters, which suggested the lack of respect and honour slave-owners held for their ‘blacks attempt to create meaningful marital relationships’ By reviewing numerous slave testimonies that describe the broom stick ceremony, they tend to fit in with Stevenson’s analysis of the ceremony, this can be seen by the use of coercive language, that they were required to perform this ceremony. Again reaffirming the master’s control over slave marriages; for example Georgina Giwbs said that, ‘When yer married, yer had to jump over the broom three times. Dat wuz de licence. ’ Another instance of this can be seen by reviewing the testimony of George Womble,   he describes that slaves ‘were commanded to jump over the broom ’. All slave ceremonies were not as basic as jumping over a broomstick, they ranged from extravagant weddings as described in several slave testimonies, for example Tempie Durham recalled her â€Å"big weddin†, where her master arranged for her to have a â€Å"big weddin’ cake†, a massive feast, a bible wedding ceremony with a â€Å"nigger preacher† and a grand white wedding dress.   One may question why masters would arrange elaborate ceremonies for their slaves, Stampp suggests the reason is for the white masters to mock and belittle their black ‘property’, delighting in watching ‘a bride and groom move awkwardly through the wedding ceremony’. Genovese, however, disagree with this notion; instead believing that masters indulged slaves on their wedding days expecting that in return slaves would become more loyal and work harder. Regardless of the ulterior motives of masters, Will’s research shows that slaves preferred the e laborate trappings of the white culture, this signifies how the enslaved wished to have the same opportunities as their white counterparts to celebrate their personal relationships For the enslaved, wedding ceremonies legitimised their personal relationships to the extent possible during their time in bondage. The value and importance of these ceremonies held by slaves; whether extravagant events held in their masters house or the simple act of jumping over the broomstick, reflect the commitment slaves held in marriage and also the importance of the communal validation of their relationships. As with so many issues vital to the enslaved, white laws and planter control inevitably limited the range of marriage options open to slaves, yet working within the range and persistently attempting to widen this range of possibilities as seen also in the previous chapter, slaves forged marriage rituals that they not their masters ultimately determined and guarded. The importance of attaining marriage status alone is not sufficient evidence however to prove that slave marriages were not weak, unstable and unaffectionate as orthodox historians suggested. Another factor which led early scholars to label slave marriages with negative connotations   was the idea that slaves were sexually promiscuous, and could not remain faithful to one another, as one white slave mistress recounted â€Å"Not one in a thousand, I suppose, of these poor creatures have a conception whatever of the sanctity of marriage†. This is reiterated in some slave narratives, for example an former slave from Alabama explained that he couldn’t stay with the same woman instead he â€Å"jes tuck up wid one likely gal ater anoder† Gutman, however, argues that this was not the case and ‘fidelity was expected from slave men and women after marriage’by reviewing numerous slave narratives one can see that the majority of married slaves were loyal to each other regardless of the adverse situations they found themselves in. For example, Susan Snow a former slave, recalled that she â€Å"never hear’d tell o’ wives runnin’ round wid other men in dem days† Another example of the enslaved devotion to their spouse is recalled by Bryant Huff, who father was sold far away yet his mother refused to be unfaithful to him, she â€Å" grieved over his departure and refused, although urged, to marry again†. A serious problem which affected slave marriages was not the loyalty between spouses but the sexual exploitation faced by female slaves at the hands of white men usually their master, former Slave Henry Bibb explained that   Ã¢â‚¬Å"slaves wives cannot be true to their husbands they dare not refuse to be reduced to a state of adultery at the will of her master† This was extremely difficult for female slaves but also their significant others who were often powerless to stop the abuse; Henry Bibb further detailed his experience of when his wife Malinda was being sexually abused by their master, â€Å"I was compelled to stand and see my wife shamefully scourged and abused by her master; and the manner in which it was done, was so violently and inhumanely committed upon the person of a female, that I despair in finding decent language to describe the bloody act of cruelty† Some male slaves attempted to protect their wives from this abuse, former South Carolina slave Philip Evans recalled how his aunt was abused by a white overseer, her husband Dennis then attacked the overseer before fleeing into the woods, he was then caught and jailed before being stripped and flogged, the abuse on his wife still continued. By assessing these two testimonies it shows historians that however difficult it must have been for slave couple to endure sexual exploitation, the fact that they did is further evidence of the strength of slave marriages and the support spouses provided to one another. Another factor which would give a historian insight into determining the strength of slave marriages; is the length of time slaves were married. An example of this can be seen by reviewing the journal of a former slave holder Chaplin who noted that two of his female slaves had been married for over twenty seven years, he found that this was a strange phenomenon but by reviewing numerous slave testimonies one can draw the conclusion that it was common for slave marriages to be lifelong unions, unless broken by separation (which will discussed in more detail further on in this chapter). This is reiterated by the work of Gutman, his study showed that the majority of slaves remained married when possible, as only 9% of slaves in his study had separated due to mutual consent or by desertion Franklin believed that the permanency of a slave marriage would depend on the extent to which the couple could live and work together, based on this he deemed that slave marriages would only work if the couple remained together on the same plantation. However, as aforementioned slave marriages could not be legitimised as it would interfere with the owner’s rights to sell or give away their ‘property’, this meant that slave marriages were under constant threat of separation either through long distance or local sales, being gifted between white family members and also when estates of deceased owners were divided up Crawford estimates that nearly a quarter of all slave families were broken by sale. Slave owners understood the value slaves held in their marriage and used this knowledge as a way to control their slaves; the threat of being separated from their spouses was the most feared punishment, ‘a haunting fear which made all of the slave’s days miserable’ This overwhelming fear of being separated from their spouses shows further evidence of the importance of marital ties between the enslaved. Gutman 1970 study highlighted the strength of marital and family ties, however it has been criticised as his work only focused on large plantations where marital and family bonds would have been stronger, however it must be noted that these large plantations, where hundreds of slave presided were the exception, not the norm, Crawford’s research showed less than 50% of slaves lived on the same plantation as their significant other. The Majority of the enslaved in South were from small plantations with only a few other slaves, this meant much to their master’s dismay that they had to form cross plantation unions. These Cross plantation marriages were said to have constituted for over 33% of slave marriages, whilst these arrangements have been denigrated, work from revisionist historians have used them to exemplify the strength of marital bonds between the enslaved. Another important detail to note is that even slaves from large plantations sometimes married slaves from ot her plantations; the existence of cross plantation marriages amongst these slaves shows historians another example of the enslaved striving for autonomy from their masters. Cross Plantation Marriages were obviously harder than maintaining a relationship with a significant other on the same plantation; but despite the drawbacks, slaves went to incredible lengths to maintain their long distance relationships; for example A slave owner described how one of his slaves walked 40 miles to see his wife, only love explains his willingness to repeat this trip over and over again. Cross plantation unions also took place between free blacks and slaves, in many of these cases the free slave would attempt to purchase their significant other to no avail, however an example of the devotion held in these unions can be seen in the case of Samuel Small, a free black, who became a slave for seven years to pay for his wives freedom. Recently Russell has argued that local as well as long distance sales caused the high rates of family separations, however West believes that even though any type of separation would cause great anguish, the system of cross plantation unions coupled with the strength of relationships between spouses meant in the case of local separations the consequences may have not been so damaging. This chapter will draw attention to one final area, slave marriages once they were free; Gutman emphasised that when slaves were emancipated they went to great efforts to reunite with their families which they had been separated from. Molly Tillman recounted the anguish she felt when her master sold her husband to another state, â€Å"well ma’am, I grieved fo’ dat nigger so dat my heart wuz heavy in my breas’. I know I never would see him no more† after emancipation she still could not get over her husband until one day several years later she found him â€Å"I wuz so happy I shouted all over dat meetin’ house. We jes’ tuck up whar we   lef’ off an’ ‘fo’ long us got married† they lived happily as man and wife until he died 20 years later. The enthusiasm in which slaves registered to be legally married after the emancipation shows how much they valued their marriages. In conclusion, with all the difficulties that affected matrimonial ties between slaves on can understand why many historians deemed slave marriages as weak and unstable. However, when assessing the issues faced by slaves; legitimacy, the control owners had over their slave, forced coupling, sexual exploitation and separation, the fact that the majority of slaves managed to work through these and still managed to create deep and enduring relationships show the truth strength, resilience and value of slave marriages. By reviewing numerous slave testimonies, it is clear that through their words and behaviour slaves repeatedly strove to make their marriages last, the enslaved worked strenuously within and around the power structure which restricted their lives to maintain their marriages. Chapter 4: Conclusion In Conclusion this dissertation has shown that the enslaved of the antebellum South strove for autonomy from their masters and the harsh restraints of slavery; to do this they created strong and loving bonds with a significant other. By creating their own social space to create and maintain these unions, this illustrates that slaves were able to survive and resists the oppression they faced under bondage. Slave owners constantly intruded on the lives of their slaves, believing it was their right to control every aspect of the lives of their slaves, they attempted to decide, sometimes successfully, the opportunities slaves had to meet a potential partner, the partner their slaves should be with, the type of wedding ceremony their slaves received if any, the amount of time they could spend with their significant other and finally to separate romantic unions for sales or if they saw fit. These constant impingements forced slaves to adopt what West depicted as an â€Å"underground† approach to their ‘romantic’ lives . This has been described throughout this research project, entailing secret frolics, socialising with slaves in different plantations, celebrating marriages with appropriate ceremonies, and finally risking severe punishing at the hands of their masters or the patrollers to be able to visit the one they loved. The majority of slave testimonies that have been examined throughout this research project have shown that the majority of slaves strove to marry the person of their choosing and were also prepared to withstand great hardships to maintain their marriages. This is contradictory of the early academic views on slave relationships, especially that of Elkins as aforementioned, who believed that slavery destroyed slave’s capacity to resist the regime in any capacity, and form relationships with anyone other than their master. The research for this dissertation has shown the opposite, that in fact the majority of slaves managed to create and maintain loving and enduring marriages despite the regime of bondage, this strength is further highlighted when examining the sexual exploitation faced by female slaves and how in many cases their significant other either attempted to protect them or provided love and support to shelter them from such adversity. Another noteworthy factor when acc essing the strengths of enslaved romantic bonds is that of cross plantation union, which as previously discussed shows the lengths slaves would go to be with the one they loved, including risking cruel violent punishments to see their loved ones as much as possible. As mentioned in the introduction chapter Kolchin believes that this positive perspective on slavery dismissed the hardships of the regime, believing instead the slaves in fact flourished during their time in bondage, however this is not what this project is attempting to achieve, instead it is the fact that slaves strove for autonomy to form a connection with another, which gave them a separate identity than that of a slave, embodying roles such as companion, confidante and soulmate. Indeed for the enslaved of the antebellum South, falling in love was burdened with extreme emotional and physical difficulties, even former slave Harriet Jacobs asked herself: â€Å"Why does the slave ever love? Why allow the tendrils of the heart to twine around objects which may at any moment be wrenched away by the hand of violence†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   West explained that despite all the problems ‘romantic’ bonds entailed, the majority of marriages amongst the enslaved sheltered and supported them in face of adversity, these loving, affectionate, and supportive relationships created a mindset of cultural independence. Finally to end with a quote from Rawick; â€Å"While from sunup to sundown the American slave worked for another and was harshly exploited, from sundown to sunup he lived for himself and created the behavioural and institutional basis which prevented him from becoming the absolute victim† Bibliography Primary Sources Berlin, I. Favreau, M. Miller, S. F. (Eds) Remembering Slavery New York: The New Press, 1998. Bibb, H. The Life and Adeventures of Henry Bibb: An American Slave US: University of Wisconsin Press, 1849. Bland, S. L. (Ed) African American Slave Narratives: An Anthology Vol III   US: Greenwood Publishing, 2001. Douglass, F. My Bondage and My Freedom New York: Miller, Orton and Mulligan, 1855. Jacobs, H. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl New York: Dover Publications, 2001. Mellon, J. (Ed) Bullwhip Days: The Slaves Remember An Oral History New York: Weidenfeld Nicholson, 1988. Olmsted, F. L. The Cotton Kingdom: A Traveller’s Observation on Cotton and Slavery in the American Slave States New York: Alfred, A. Knopf, 1953.    Rawick, G. P. (Ed) The American Slave: A Composite Autobiography Vol. 1 From Sundown to Sunup The Making of the Black Community US: Greenwood Publishing, 1972. Rawick, G. P. (Ed) The American Slave: A Composite Autobiography Vol. 18 Unwritten History of Slavery US: Greenwood Publishing, 1972. Rosengarten, T. (Ed) Tombee: Potrait of a Cotton Planter, with the Plantation Journal of Thomas B. Chaplin, 1822-1890. London: William Morrow, 1986. Secondary Sources Blassingame, J. W. The Slave Community: Plantation Life in the Antebellum South. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1972. Crawford, S. Quantified Memory: A Study of WPA Slave Narrative Collection US: University of Chicago, 1980. Davies, C. T. Gates, H. L. (Eds) The Slave’s Narrative London: Oxford University Press, 1985. Dusinberre, W. Them Dark Days: Slavery in the American Rice Swamps London: Oxford University Press, 1996. Elkins, S. M. Slavery: A problem in American institution and intellectual life. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1959. Fogel, R. W. Engerman, S. L. Time on the Cross: The Economics of American Negro Slavery. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1974 Franklin, J. H. From Slavery to Freedom: A History of Negro Americans (Third Edition) New York: Alfred. A. Knopf, 1967. Fraser, R. Courtship and Love Among the Enslaved in North Carolina US: University Press of Mississippi, 2007.      Frazier, E. F. ‘The Negro Family in the United States’ The Journal of Negro History, 1930, 15, 2, 198-259. Genovese, E, D. Roll, Jordon, Roll, New York; Random House, 1974. Griffin, R. J. ‘Goin’ Back Over There to See That Girl’ Competing Social Spaces in the Lives of the Enslaved in Antebellum North Carolina’ Slavery and Abolition, 2004, 25, 1, 94-113. Gutman, H. G. The Black Family in Slavery and Freedom, 1750-1925. US: Pantheon Books, 1976. Hudson, L. E. (Ed) Working toward Freedom: Slave Society and Domestic Economy in the American South New York: University of Rochester Press, 1994. Hudson, L. E. To Have and To Hold: Slave Work and Family Life in Antebellum South Carolina. US: University of Georgia Press, 1997. Kolchin, P. ‘Reevaluating the Antebellum Slave Community: A Comparative Perspective’ The Journal of American History 1983, 70, 3, 579-601. Kolchin, P. American Slavery London: Penguin Books, 1993. Lawrence, L. W. Black Culture and Black Consciousness: Afro-American Folk Thought From Slavery to Freedom .London: Oxford University Press, 1977.   Merritt, C. E. Slave Family and Household Arrangements in Piedmont, Georgia US: Emory University, 1986. Moynihan, D. P. The Negro Family: The Case for National Action, Washington DC: US Government Printing Office, 1965. Schwartz, M. J. Born in Bondage: Growing up Enslaved in the Antebellum South US: Harvard University Press, 2001. Smith, M. M. Mastered by the Clock: Time, Slavery and Freedom in the American South US: University of Carolina Press, 1997. Stampp, K. M. The Peculiar Institution: Slavery in the Ante-Bellum South. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1956. Stevenson, B. E. Life in Black and White: Family and Community in the Slave South London: Oxford University Press, 1996. West, E. ‘The debate on the Strength of Slave Families: South Carolina and the importance of Cross Plantation Marriages’ Journal of American Studies 1999, 33, 2, 221-241. West, E. Chain of Love: Slave Couples in the antebellum South Carolina. US: University of Illinois Press, 2004. White, D. G. Ar’n’t I a Woman? Female Slaves in the Plantation South London: Norton Company Ltd, 1985. Will, T. E. ‘Weddings on Contested Grounds: Slave Marriages in the Antebellum South’ The Historian 1999, 62, 1, 99-117.

Friday, November 22, 2019

10 Unconditional Love Quotes

10 Unconditional Love Quotes True love is selfless and unconditional. True love knows no boundaries. It is not judgmental but highly accommodating. Unconditional love only gives but does not take anything in return. You Find Unconditional Love in Places You Wont Even Look The love of a mother  is unconditional. A dog loves its master unconditionally. An infant has unconditional love for its mother. You will see that naive love is unconditional. It is tender, caring, and nurturing. The Bible says that Jesus loved his disciples unconditionally.   Forgiveness Is Unconditional Love Forgiveness is an intrinsic part of unconditional love. When you love someone deeply, you find the heart to forgive. You can overlook the blemishes because your love overcomes the flaws. Martin Luther King Jr. beautifully put it in words when he said, He who is devoid of the power to forgive, is devoid of the power to love. Unconditional love never imposes, never tries to change the other person. Writer Thomas Merton said, The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them. Here are 10 unconditional love quotes to strengthen your heart. Robert Wagner A dog will teach you unconditional love. If you can have that in your life, things wont be too bad. C. JoyBell C. It should be a privilege to be able to say I love you to someone. It shouldnt be something people say just because they feel like it. A privilege that is earned. They say you have to earn the right to be loved; no, love is unconditional, if you love someone, they dont have to earn it. But. The right to tell someone that you love them? That has to be earned. You have to earn the right to be believed. Mitch Albom, For One More Day When you look into your mother’s eyes, you know that is the purest love you can find on this earth. John Perry Barlow But groundless hope, like unconditional love, is the only kind worth having. Markus Zusak, The Book Thief No matter how many times she was told that she was loved, there was no recognition that the proof was in the abandonment. Ann Brashares Parents were the only ones obligated to love you; from the rest of the world you had to earn it. Isabel Allende Accept the children the way we accept trees- with gratitude, because they are a blessing- but do not have expectations or desires. You don’t expect trees to change, you love them as they are. Leo Buscaglia Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what  love  means. Deb Caletti, The Secret Life of Prince Charming Unconditional love is like a country of two with no laws and no government. Which is all fine if everyone is peaceful and law abiding. In the wrong hands, though, you got looting and crime sprees, and let me tell you, the people who demand unconditional love are usually the ones who will rob and pillage and then blame you because you left your door unlocked. Nicholas Sparks, The Wedding What its like to be a parent: Its one of the hardest things youll ever do but in exchange it teaches you the meaning of unconditional love.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Health Care Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health Care Finance - Essay Example This act aims at punishing all those who: give false certifications or false information, pretend to be in need of medical necessity or self referrals which allow a physician to gain money through referring a patient to a facility in which he has a monetary interest. All matters like these are presented to the False Claims Act who intervenes through several ways: acting as a plaintiff, allowing the realtor to prosecute on behalf of the US government or dismissing the complaint if it is against government policy. An instance like this date back to 1998 when the Assistant Secretary of Legislation was asked to review the healthcare department as incorrect billing had led to a loss of $6 billion. (Morris) Instances like these can also be presented and placed under the False Claims Act. In 2005 the dramatic deficits made by the government forced the Deficit Reduction Act to allow the Congress to decide that the Centers of Medicaid and its services(CMS) were to establish the Medicaid Integrity Plan. This plan was created to suit two purposes: to use contractors who would identify overpayments and audit claims and to provide support to combat fraud and abuse (HHS.gov). The most efficient manner for eradicating frauds is to deploy precautionary measures to avoid even its initiation.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

When should we bring our troops home from Iraq Essay

When should we bring our troops home from Iraq - Essay Example On 19th September 2005, in a joint press conference with then President George Bush, Jalal Talabani, the incumbent and 6th President of Iraq, was quoted saying that, â€Å"We will set no timetable for withdrawal, Mr. President.A timetable will help the terrorists, will encourage them that they could defeat the superpower of the world and the Iraqi people† (GOLIATH, 2005). 6 years, 455 Bn dollars and over 4421 military deaths later (Congressional Research Service, 2010), Mr. Talabani’s words on ‘timetable’ still hold true with the current 50,000 US military boots on the grounds of Iraq. Since its inception, Iraq war has been subjected to debates starting right from the justification of war, official and unofficial causes, foreign and homeland public support, and troops withdrawal. Even though a quasi-withdrawal deadline was set by the status of forces agreement to leave Iraq by 31 December 2011 (Congressional Research Service, 2009), but the realities behind the actual troop withdrawal are still mushy as described by Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates on April 7th 2011 (BBC News, 2011). The issue of troops withdrawal is not just a question of date but is a convoluted situation of geopolitics, business (read oil), foreign and humanitarian policy goals, insurgencies, stabilization and sustainability. It is worthwhile to note or contemplate on whether the troops should return from Iraq today, tomorrow or should have done it yesterday. America & Iraq – Looking back at past 8 years The Republic of Iraq, once a haven to the earliest civilizations (Mesopotamia) in the world, became a troubled shadow of its past with multi-ethnic clashes and violence, barbaric dictatorships, religious intolerances and fanaticism, social and economic divides and a rich reserve of â€Å"black gold†. On 20th March 2003, President Bush declared war against Iraq as American forces attached the middle-east nation from its southern border. Prior to the announcement, US had gathered international support and alliances with UK, Australia, Canada and Netherlands to fight Iraq. Reasons of combat intrusion of US allied forces in this Arab country have been debatable since the war started. The official rationalization of Operation Iraqi Freedom (official name of Iraq war) presented by US to the UN Security Council and by President Bush in his State of Union Address as (1) to destroy Saddam Hussain's (Reigning radical dictator of Iraq) weapons of mass destruction (WMD); (2) to eliminate the threat of international terrorism; and (3) to promote democracy in Iraq and surrounding areas (CNN, 2003). In coming years, these reasons would become the center of fierce debate and a liability for the Bush Administration to defend both to America and the rest of the world. Unofficial reasons why America was dragged into the center stage in Arab world are speculated to be (1) to control the oil reserves of Iraq, Israel-US relations (Perezalonso, 2006 ) and to make an American statement of influence in the Middle east. Whether the war was justified or not, America was in the middle of chaotic and emergency situation. Iraq witnessed Saddam Hussain’s capture in 2003, Evidence of American military personnel’s abuse and torture of prisoners in 2004, First Iraqi election in 2005, Saddam’s execution in 2005, Insurgency in 2007 and Stabilization efforts since 2008. The total cost of war was estimated to be 3 Trillion dollars (Washington Post, 2010). Apart from expected causalities and economic loss, the major consequences of the Iraq war have been (1) Deconstruction of Iraq (2) Possible radical empowerment of in Middle East and (3) US Hegemony at risk (Hinnebusch, 2007). The war was also a major cause of debate in US Elections 2008 and was one of the factors that led to elect of President Barack Obama. Should we bring our troops back home? Since the time, Bush Administration admitted that falsehood of Iraq’s possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) argument (Usborne, 2003), public