Brownie: White American and Octavia Essay

The short story â€Å"Brownies† written by Z. Z. Packer is told in first person by a young introverted African American girl named Laurel, known as â€Å"Snot† to her friends from school. The story reflects back during a summer camp outing at Camp Crescendo that involves a small group of young African American fourth grade girls from the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. In this story the author provides countless details of how the effects of social segregation and racism can have a negative impact on our children and our entire society. Arnetta, the leader of the Brownie pack disliked sharing the summer camp with the young girls of Troop 909 from day one because they were white. Referring to them as â€Å"Invaders†, because in the suburbs of Atlanta they were rarely seen or even thought about(358). While riding in their bus on their way to the cabin and after they had already passed the Troop 909 girls at the front gate, Arnetta asked, â€Å"Did you smell that? † Trying to make fun of the girls she threw her head up and with her nose pointed to the sky she said they smell like â€Å"wet Chihuahuas†. By the end of the day and with a plan to entice her Brownie troops to start a fight with the Troop 909 girls, Arnetta stated that she heard one of them call Daphne a nigger and that they couldn’t let them get away with that. When asked to confirm that one of the white girls said it, Daphne was hesitant to answer until Arnetta gave her an elbow followed with a mean stair down. Daphne was not the type of girl that would stand up for oneself and was too scared to speak up. Even at their Woodrow Wilson Elementary school, if someone doesn’t fit into their little group or doesn’t land a perfect ten after jumping off the swing at the playground, Arnetta and Octavia would reply using the word â€Å"Caucasian†. This was just another way in belittling other people and displaying that Caucasian race was below that of the African Americans. Octavia was considered to be Arnetta’s right hand woman. Octavia was quick to tell anybody to shut up and readily made fun of even her Brownie troop friends. Janice, the muscle of the group and maybe not the sharpest tool in the shed had a country accent that came along with an bubbly personality was even referred to as â€Å"Miss Caucasian† when she wouldn’t leave Arnetta and Octavia alone. One day during lunch time while Janice was standing alongside the water’s edge, Octavia had the temptation but not necessarily the courage to push her into the water. Octavia even disliked Daphne for beating her out in the school poem contest and even referred to Mrs. Margolin, the Brownie troop chaperone as â€Å"Big Fat Momma†. Once they decided that the bathroom would be where the fight takes place, all they needed was to hope they could catch them their alone without their troop leader. As they walked through the woods on their way to the bathroom Janice spoke out, â€Å"this smells like my mother’s air freshener†, than one of the other girls stated the trees in the woods are Pine trees. Janice was shocked to hear that they could get the smell of trees onto an air freshener. As they approached the bathroom they could hear the Troop 909 girls talking. Arnetta suggested that Octavia, Janice and herself would go in first while the rest of them wait outside. After minutes of waiting outside Elise, Drema, Dephne, and Laurel went inside to see what was happening. Octavia looked over at Elise and said, â€Å"I think they’re retarded†. One of the white girls replied, â€Å"We ARE NOT retarded(366-367)! † Once Arnetta and Octavia came to the realization that these girls were mentally challenged, they felt remorseful from their actions and wished to leave without being caught teasing the white girls. Octavia tried to scare the girls by mentioning to them, that if they told on them they would be considered tattletales. As one of the white girls replied, I like tattletale, the Troop 909 leader walked in. Minutes later both Mrs. Margolin and Mrs. Hayes were at the center of the debate. The lady that ran Troop 909 never got mad or raised her voice and always kept a smile on her face as she talked. She said she wasn’t going to blame anybody for their actions or their behavior and cited that maybe what caused this incident actually could of happened. The troop leader clarified that her girls were not retarded but considered slow learners. That they might not have the best of parents and could of possibly heard a bad word or two from their parents. Even after the situation was over and things had calmed down, Arnetta pointed to a small girl and insisted that she heard her say the word. After the white troop leader made the statement that it was impossible because she doesn’t speak, Arnetta made another acquisition that it then came from the girl wearing the complete Brownie uniform. At that point nobody was believing in Arnetta’s story. On the bus ride home Elisa and Arnetta still felt it necessary to continue to make fun of the white girls from Troop 909. When Daphne gave Laurel her prized journal, Daphne could not think of anything to write in it. Than Laurel remembered a time when she and her father were at the mall and they came across some Mennonites who her father insisted that they would do anything you asked of them. Nobody on the bus besides Daphne believed in her story even after she told them that they had actually painted there front porch. until she told them that they sat on the bus and as they return home on the bus, Laurel tells them of an incident in her family involving a white Mennonite family. As she tells the story, she comes to an unsettling realization about racism and the nature of human life.

Operations Management Synthesis Essay

Product Design The products that will be made out of the given components are corrective lenses for eyeglasses. The product will have the following features: a. Corrects near-sightedness or far-sightedness, whichever may be the case, through varying curvatures of the lenses, for different grades b. May be rectangular or circular in overall shape c. Around 1.5 inches in length, 1 inch in width d. Clear and transparent, not dark Considering that the finished goods (lenses) are very much expensive in relation to the raw materials (marbles), it would be safe to say that much value was added to the raw materials by the process of manufacturing, as a result. Process Design and Layout Given a product with just modules and essentially made from the same base – standard glass lenses, the process could be considered as repetitive-focus. Given the raw materials of only marbles, the illustration above is the process diagram that will be used. In order to clearly explain the diagram, the process involves the following steps: a. Crush marbles b. Melt marbles c. Add chemicals to treat the glass for durability d. Check for proper consistency/ratio of chemicals to glass and impurities e. Transfer defects back to start of production cycle f. Cool the material g. Check for bubbles h. Transfer defects back to start of production cycle i. Roll out the cooling glass j. Shape or cut out into shape (either circular or rectangular) k. Check dimensions (1.5 inches by 1 inch) if correct l. Transfer defects back to start of production cycle m. Curve the lens according to specifications using a curving machine n. Check if curvature specifications are met o. Transfer defects back to start of production cycle p. Final cleaning for any impurities q. Polishing of lenses for a shiny or glossy finish r. Final checking of lenses s. Package the lenses t. Ship the finished goods u. Administer preventive maintenance before next cycle (general cleaning of machines, check for machine irregularities) The layout is done in such a way that in case of defects, the transfer back to the start of the production cycle would be easier. Furthermore, the layout allows for job expansion for the workers due to them handling more than one step in the process. Also, this layout is supposed to minimize the amount of distance from one process to another, as long as these processes follow each other. Quality Management Initially, quality checkpoints are put up right after every crucial process. Meanwhile, the concept of six sigma is also implemented in order to address and eventually minimize them. By using the DMAIC, the following is how defects would be addressed: a. Define defects (For instance, bubbles were found.) b. Measure and collect process data (Identify how many products were defective and how much of the production process was affected.) c. Analyze data (What was the cause of the defect? i.e., inconsistency of chemical-to-glass ratio) d. Improve process (What should be done to prevent it from occurring again? i.e, thoroughly checking for proper consistency/ratio of chemicals to glass and/or hiring experts/more skilled employees) e. Control new process to make sure performance is maintained Location The primary determinant of location would be costs of rent and delivery of raw materials. The factory must be closer to suppliers than customers. If we are to apply clustering, it would also be good to be close to competitors, as it would implicate a technology spill-over. To compare the advantages of the possible different locations and the advantages of each, the center of gravity method is while also determining the most convenient manner of delivering orders. Human Resources The main objective of the human resources department is to make sure that the employees are skilled in glass processing. This is in order to troubleshoot properly and detect any defects in the product itself. Since the process is repetitive-focus, the qualifications of the workers are not as high as the qualifications needed for a process-focus design but still higher than that of the product focus. Salaries would be a bit higher than the minimum wage. Furthermore, the following factors shall be observed: a. The criteria on determining which Individual should be assigned to a station must be based on their skills, talents, and strengths (i.e, hiring field experts for checking for defective products and hiring capable persons for cleaning, packaging, and preparing for shipping). b. Employee empowerment should be considered through incentive systems (i.e, offering incentives to employees based on their needs, for instance, car loan for managers while food/transportation bonuses for the laborers). c. Employee empowerment through job expansion (i.e, enriching/enlarging the scope of the jobs, for instance, 1-2 employees assigned for all checkpoints instead of having 1 per checkpoint). Supply Chain Management .The primary suppliers should easily be accessible since raw material orders will only be issued upon demand. There must be a strong relationship that would be built with primary suppliers in order to eventually avail of discounts and a higher assurance of good quality. There should always be backup suppliers in case the main supplier fails to deliver. Other suppliers would include actual glass manufacturers in case of the lack of materials from primary sources. Inventory Management In order to maximize resources and keep inventory holding costs at a minimum, we will employ the Just-In-Time method for managing inventory. Furthermore, we will order only when we need to produce; thereby not falling into the trap of availing of quantity discounts which sometimes incur more expenses in the long run. As a result, to further reduce inventory costs, finished goods could be shipped out of the plant as soon as possible. Scheduling All orders will be taken and processed in a uniform manner. Orders may be changed in specifications only until the preliminary process of producing the modular standard glass lens is concluded, meaning that once the process of curving the lenses, which is the process where the orders differ, the orders cannot be changed anymore. Regularly, orders will be processed and queued regularly, preferably every day, Maintenance Preventive maintenance is done every after cycle, which involves the standard operating procedure of cleaning the machines. When factory is not scheduled for production, a more general preventive maintenance is undertaken to ensure smooth operations during the scheduled productions by increasing the reliability of the machines.

Racism Is Still Very Much Alive - 1573 Words

Khanh Ngo Ms. Puckerine World History 2 Today, racism still remains a prevalent issue that has constantly reared its ugly head. While bringing awareness towards racism has improved, we are still being faced with a gruesome reality that racism is still very much alive. Instead of Jim Crow laws and slavery, racism has transformed itself into microaggressions, police brutality, racial profiling, and mass incarceration of people of color (especially black men). When one talks about racism, most of our opinions are based on what happens in America; from 400 years ago until now, we find ourselves believing that racism in America has improved greatly. And we have improved, compared to the times before and after the Civil War. However, as we progress forward, we move back fifty years. Some of us in society refuse to acknowledge the arising problems that have to do with racism while others become apart of the problem. As a society, we are taught about white culture, eurocentric beauty standards, and brought up with subconscious rac ist mindsets that will take a lifetime to unlearn, and have for centuries, kept people of color oppressed. We are brought up with subtelities of racism, such as a child seeing their white mom lock the car door in fear when a black person walks past, or seeing their white dad make a disgusted look at a hispanic for no reason at all. It is things like this that are ingrained in our brains; racial stereotypes that we cannot help but think about each race.Show MoreRelatedEssay on Black Like Me and Crash965 Words   |  4 Pagestime. Now, much time has passed and many people say the days of racism are over. That is a completely untrue statement. The movie Crash depicts modern day racism and shows how prevalent it really is in today’s society. Both of these works can relate to one another in many ways and really show how racism truly is. The book Black Like Me and the film Crash have many connections that can be drawn to one another. For one, the main focus of the two works is racism, but they take place in very differentRead MoreThe Evolution Of A Person s Skin1196 Words   |  5 PagesEvolution of Racism It is hard to believe that color was such a major factor as few as, 63 years ago. The color of one’s skin is often said to make them, unjustly, inferior, to someone with non-pigmented skin. The color of a person’s skin was the leading principle of unfair treatment throughout history. Skin color dictated what line an individual would stand in and what bathroom they could use. Throughout time, racism has evolved from the blatant disrespect to people of color, but yet, it still existsRead MoreLooking Back At The Dream Martin Luther King Jr.855 Words   |  4 Pagesenvisioned for social equality in this nation. Today that dream in some aspects it is still existent. Although he died for fighting for his dream; unfortunately, it is broken in many ways. His legacy and his dream have lived on for decades but I don’t know that it is still alive today for multiple reasons. While the Declaration of Independence states that â€Å"all men are created equal,† even after the civil war people of color still received vastly different treatment from whites. They weren’t allowed in manyRead MoreDo the Right Thing Film Analysis1096 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Do the Right Thing Film Analysis â€Å"Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral. It is impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all.†(Martin Luther King Jr.). Violence and racism are both important motifs in, Do the Right Thing (Lee, 1989). They are prominent in almost every scene of the film and lead to the climax when Radio Raheem is killed by the police. Spike Lee used many different directorial techniques in his movie. Heat andRead MoreRacism, Feminism, And Sexism1450 Words   |  6 Pagesseen it before, the many opinions and large voices that speak out on important matters. But, do we ever consider the true meaning on these important matters, or do we tend to listen to everyone else s thoughts to form our own? Racism, feminism and sexism are all three very common issues that many seen throughout the news stations and the media. We all talk about how important making a change and standing up for what is right, but no one speaks up or say s anything when a topic like these three areRead MoreTo Kill a Mockingbird1091 Words   |  5 Pagesmockingbird is used as symbolism for real people. Including the human mockingbirds, the novel represents other pieces of the prejudice such as racism and hypocrisy. In the little town of Maycomb in its 1930 ¡Ã‚ ¯s, the prejudice was an accepted concept for every individual and Atticus even called it a  ¡Ã‚ ®disease ¡Ã‚ ¯ of the town. This time-honored perception, prejudice, was very distinctly shown in the novel from its characters and the society. Prejudice does not seem like a such a big deal in the novel as it actuallyRead MoreThe Medi Good Or Bad?947 Words   |  4 PagesKim argues that in order to fight racism and homophobia, racist homophobic bigots like Phil Robertson from â€Å"Duck Dynasty† should get more media exposure; his exact words are â€Å"[Duck Dynasty] should show Robertson being as homophobic as he pleases, in his home, his church, his community.â⠂¬  (Kim 2) His opinion is that people should see â€Å"the whole picture – homophobia included† in order to fully understand that people still believe as Robertson does, and hence fight racism and homophobia. (Kim 3) I agreeRead MoreThe Racism Of African Americans858 Words   |  4 Pageshave suffered from racism in so many horrific ways! They have been used in ways unexplainable to the mind. Whether it was through sexual abuse or dating all the way back to slavery times. However, in today’s society African Americans are still being affected by racism not only in a physical, emotional, and mental manner but, also in their way of living. How would you feel if you were judged by the color of your skin to the point where you can’t even make a living? Racism is alive and well in AmericaRead MoreWhy Is Shakespeares Othello Still Relevant in Todays Audiences?940 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeare’s â€Å"Othello† still relevant in today’s audiences? â€Å"When you begin a journey of revenge, start by digging two graves: one for your enemy, and one for yourself.† – Jodi Picoult. Othello is a very well-known Shakespearian text and is still relevant to today’s audiences. The themes in â€Å"Othello† are still applicable to today’s many audiences; Betrayal is a key theme presented in Othello, and is also still relevant to today’sRead MoreAmerica History Teach Us About The Dangers Of Racism859 Words   |  4 Pagesabout the dangers of racism? I think this period in history aptly depicts racism as a very sad, narrow-minded, damaging, and ugly mentality. Anyone who has ever been a target of anything—gossip, slander, teasing—or felt isolated, ostracized, friendless, misunderstood or misjudged should have a heart for and the ability to empathize with other people. Sadly, while this episode in history (and many others) clearly demonstrates the dangers and horrors of racism, there are still many who choose to embrace

Essay on Differences About Jesus in Islam and Christianity

Differences About Jesus in Islam and Christianity First off, by way of clarification, in the Christian faith, Jesus is considered to be much more than a Prophet. The Christian belief is that He was and is the Son of God. Moreover, Christ is considered to be superior to the Old Testament prophets (Hebrews 1:1-14). Jesus then commissioned His apostles to preach His words and doctrines (Matt 28:19,20). As such, the writings of the apostles, as found in the New Testament, are considered to be inspired. However, the offices of prophet and apostle as givers of special revelation are not considered to continue indefinitely. The Christian belief is that special revelation ended with the apostles.†¦show more content†¦Moreover, these doctrines are considered essential to the Christian faith (Rom 10:9,10; 1Cor 15:13-17). I am aware of the passage in the Quran that says that Jesus did not die on a cross (Sura 4:154-158) When I read the Quran the impression I get was that there is much agreement to be found between Islam and Christianity (such as in the teaching that there is only one God). However, there are some essential differences as well, namely the issues you raise in your questions. The Person, life, and work, of Jesus Christ is viewed considerably different in the Quran versus the New Testament. In addition to denying Jesus death on the cross (and by implication, the atonement and His resurrection), the Quran also specifically denies that Jesus is the Son of God (Sura 4:171; 9:30; 23:80). Meanwhile, the Bible specifically affirms that Jesus is the Son of God. In fact, near the end of his Gospel account, the apostle John wrote, And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:30,31). And this leads to the last main point of difference that I will mention. In Islam, if I understand it correctly, one is saved by faith in Allah and by onesShow MoreRelatedCompare and Contrast Christianity and Islam921 Words   |  4 PagesContrast Christianity and Islam In Wikipedia religion is definedâ€Å"A religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and worldviews that relate humanity to an order of existence.† There are approximately more than four thousand religion in the world. Christianity and Islam are part of the major significant religion. Christianity was founded by Jesus Christ approximately 2,000 years ago; Christianity is one of the most influential religions in world history. Christianity developedRead MoreHistory 53 Judaism Essay1737 Words   |  7 Pagessaid can be compared to what Jesus did and said? When did Jewish people transition from pastoralism to agriculture and from being nomadic to sedentary? 3 Id-Where and when did Zoroastrianism originate? How did it influence Judaism in terms of the figure of the devil and the idea of afterlife? List 4 ways in which it influenced all Western religions and explain why some people argue that Zoroastrianism provides the foundation for much of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. 4 Id- When and why wasRead MoreReligion Is An Important Part Of People s Everyday Life946 Words   |  4 Pagesthroughout the world, two of the major ones are Christianity and Islam. 32% of the world population are Christian and 23% is Islamic. These two have many things in common, but also have some very distinct differences. Both religions are monotheistic, meaning they believe in one god. The Christian god is called â€Å"God.† He is believed to have created the world and came down to earth in human form, Jesus. â€Å"Christ† in Greek mean â€Å"the chosen one,† meaning that Jesus was the chosen one to carry God s messageRead MoreThe Religion Of Islam And Islam1544 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"America and Islam are not exclusive and need not to be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings† (Barack Obama). For many decades, in most cultures, religious practice has been a controversial issue, because each religion competes demonstrating that their practices are the true path to God. Religious tolerance is very important because followers should be free to choose their own religion. Some religionsRead MoreJudaism, Christianity, And Islam1052 Words   |  5 PagesAubrey Fletcher 3/9/15 Humanities Professor Michaud 417868 Judaism, Christianity, and Islam There are roughly 4,200 different religions in the world today, among them the largest are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These three religions are more similar then one would think. Christianity is the largest religion in the world with 2 billion followers and are called Christians. Islam is the second largest religion in the world with 1.3 billion followers. They are called Muslims, which means â€Å"oneRead MoreSimilarities Between Christianity And Islam891 Words   |  4 PagesChristianity came about 2000 years ago and was founded by Jesus Christ. It is mostly practiced in the Western world with a population of about 2 billion people. The name Christianity came from a Greek word ‘Christos’ meaning Jesus Christ and was founded between 4 B.C. and 30 A.D, and consist of the 3 major groups which are the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox. Islam on the other hand was founded about 1400 years ago by Muhammad in 600’s A.D. The word Islam is derived from an Arabic word forRead MoreDifferent Religions, Different Practices, And One Aim Of Righteousness846 Words   |  4 PagesRighteousness For decades there have been many controversial arguments between the religions of Christianity and Islam. Many of the controversies have unfortunately resulted in hate crimes, discrimination and segregation. From the difference beliefs both religions practice to the languages they speak to one another, there has always been a conflict between both religions. What I question myself everyday about this controversy is: Why? Why all the violence towards one another when at the end of the dayRead MoreConflict Between Islam And Christianity945 Words   |  4 Pagesreal serious issue. Islam, and since its existence, has faced many struggles with many people who think of it as an outrageous religion that pushes people to kill, treat unfairly, and think criminally. However, Islam by name is a message of peace. The word Islam was taken from the word Salam, which simply means peace in Arabic. Additionally, the ideal of this religion is to worship one god –Allah– and believe that Mohammad is his messenger. Many of the legalizations of Islam call for concord andRead MoreThe Christian Bible and the Islamic Quaran994 Words   |  4 PagesSimilarities and difference exist between the two sacred texts of Islam and Christianity and although the Qur’an and the Bible are considered sacred text and their impact on modern society is ever present. Sacred texts are a collection of historical writings that date back thousands of years and are used by many traditions to have a special significance especially scriptures and holy books as they are often used to show hoe to live an honest and meaningful life. The Qur’an is the sacred text of Islam. It isRead MoreAbrahamic Religions : Judaism, Christianity, And Islam1407 Words   |  6 PagesAbrahamic Religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam ​The Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are the three key Western Religions they all exercise monotheism, achieving peace though justice, God’s love and mercy, all three trace back to the prophet Abraham in some way, even though he was first mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. These three religions are very closely unified because they share many common beliefs and thoughts, and they all rely on holy books or scriptures as a life-guided

Supporting Gay Marriage Lesbian Marriage - 2225 Words

Supporting Gay Marriage Lindsy and Beth, lesbian couple, have been living together for eleven years. Lindsy conceived two children from a sperm donor. Together, Lindsy and Beth turned their house into a loving home for their two children. One day, on the way home from the grocery store, Lindsy was killed in a tragic car accident. Before Beth could even grasp the situation, the children that she helped raise from birth had been taken away and placed into the care of Lindsy s parents, who never were a part of their lives because they did not accept Lindsy s homosexuality. In addition, the house that Beth and Lindsy lived in for eleven years was taken away from Beth. How did this happen to Beth? Well, if Lindsy and Beth could have been legally married like all heterosexual couples, Beth would have had custody of the children and would have kept the house. They would have received 1,049 protections, benefits and responsibilities that are extended to married couples under federal law (HRC). Lindsy and Beth are one example of same sex couples that live in 99.3 percent of all counties in the United States (HRC). It is estimated that 10 percent or 25 million people in the United States are homosexuals, and by law they do not have the rights that married heterosexuals enjoy. American voters have the power to change the law and prevent the sad story that Beth had to live, by voting yes on referendums in support of gay marriage, and no on bans of gay marriage. The openingShow MoreRelatedSupporting Gay Marriage : Supporting Lesbian Marriage2230 Words   |  9 Pages Supporting Gay Marriage Supporting Gay Marriage Lindsey and Beth, a lesbian couple, have been living together for eleven years. Lindsey conceived two children from a sperm donor. Together, Lindsey and Beth turned their house into a loving home for their two children. One day, on the way home from the grocery store, Lindsey was killed in a tragic car accident. Before Beth could even grasp the situation, the children that she helped raise from birth had been taken away and placed into the care ofRead MoreArguments Against Same Sex Marriage704 Words   |  3 PagesSame-sex marriage is a huge controversial issue still being debated in the world today. Many people believe that same-sex marriage is not justifiable but then many others believe that there is no problem with this circumstance. I believe that homosexuals and lesbians should be permitted to marry if they choose to. After researching this issue for two-weeks, I came across four different people, two against and two for the issue on same-sex marriage. They all have strong opi nions and arguments on thisRead MoreLegalizing The Same Sex Marriage1118 Words   |  5 Pageslegalizing the homosexual marriage. The social movement for legalizing the same-sex marriage in U.S. started in the 1970s. People who support homosexual marriage carried on their campaign arguing that banning gay marriage is a ‘discrimination’, which is similar to the prohibition of racial intermarriage that existed in past. Since lots of homosexuals all around the world insist their basic rights of marriage, there are plenty of serious debates going on about their marriage. Denmark was the first countryRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Affirmative Side1556 Words   |  7 PagesThat Same Sex Marriage Should be Legalized in the Philippines (Positive) Premises 1.) To exercise freedom of choice. 2.) To control population. 3.) To have an opportunity to adopt children from orphanage. 4.) To practice human rights. 5.) To prevent HIV disease. INTRODUCTION Same sex marriage is known as a marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or gender . It is one of the most controversial yet sensitive topics that have been discuss around the world. Politicians are havingRead MoreEssay about Gay And Lesbians Marriage970 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Gay and lesbians Marriage People question themselves all the time, what is love? There are numerous definitions of what love is but love in my opinion is when two people different feel connected doesn’t matter what race, nationality, or gender. Love lies within every human. Every human being should have the full right to love whoever they want. There should not be any discrimination against love. Love has many different form, some that people will never understand such as gay and lesbian love.Read MoreMarriage Should Be A Privilege For All962 Words   |  4 PagesAllanna Iverson Mrs. Trandall LA10 1 March 2016 Marriage should be a privilege for all Most people believe that they deserve the rights they are granted by the government. An upstanding citizen who pays their taxes, serves their community and abides by the law should be afforded the rights of an American. However, not all citizens are afforded equal rights. In the past, there has been many examples of discrimination. Women not being allowed to vote, blacks being segregated, and Japanese-AmericansRead MoreSame-Sex Marriage Issues Controversies Essay example1180 Words   |  5 Pagesnamed gay marriage â€Å"one of the key struggles of our time†. According to the website â€Å"ProCon.org† as of January 6th 2014, 17 states have taken the plunge and legalized same-sex marriage. Marriage is â€Å"one of the basic civil rights of man†. Yet, we are still waiting on 66% of our nation to do the right thing and legalize gay marriage. The ban on gay marriage has deprived gay, lesbian, and bisexuals of many benefits that come with being married. Also, it has been proved that banning gay marriage createdRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1574 Words   |  7 Pagesequal rights. Gays and lesbians are consistently denied rights that are typically taken for granted by the average American. Specifically, gay and lesbian couples are denied the right to marry even if they are outstanding citizens. They are held at an unfair disadvantage solely because of their sexual orientation. This discrimination must stop, because gay and lesbian couples are law-abiding citizens too, who should be afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples. Marriage is about love andRead MoreMedia Analysis of a Current Controversial Issue875 Words   |  4 Pagesmedia. Some nations like the US have legalized homosexuality and this is why there has been uproar after the president of Uganda signed a bill in parliament outlawing homosexuality. The media has always been blamed of being bias while reporting on gay marriages and homosexuality. The homosexuality group is a minority group that is always viewed very different by the society. Many forms of media are used to address these topic namely; the social media, television, newspapers, and magazines. The socialRead MoreThe Fundamental Right to Same-Sex Marriage Essay718 Words   |  3 PagesThe legalization of same-sex marriage has been a controversial issue for years. Arguments have risen between political and religious point of views over the controversial topic. While many believe it is morally and ethically wrong, there are others who believe it is emotionally and socially acceptable. More than half the country legally denies the right to marry between lesbian or gay couples. When denying same-sex couples to marry, the government is degrading the rights of citizens and is encouraging

The Anthropology of Terrorism free essay sample

It has been eleven years since these attacks, and our country is still at war, and we use terms like â€Å"acts of terror† to justify our invasion of their civilian space. Personally, I do not care much for conspiracy theories, but I was interested to know a little bit more about the Islamic culture that these â€Å"terrorists† stem from. While the majority of the population of Iraq and Afghanistan are practicing Muslims, they can not all be defined as â€Å"terrorists. In all actuality, a lot of them may define Americans and other westernized countries with seemingly unlimited war powers as â€Å"terrorist† groups. There are many differences from the American view of acts of terror, the Iraqi view of acts of terror, and the view of how those who commit crimes of terror see their own actions. I think it very important that American civilians, especially those who are not well educated on our foreign policies and the current war situation, take time to see how Ir aqi civilians and the Muslim population view the September 11 acts of terror, and the subsequent war compared to those who chose to commit these acts. We will write a custom essay sample on The Anthropology of Terrorism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I think that most would be surprised when they find that the Islamic religion does not actually promote those extensive â€Å"acts of terror† that they do not support the extremist groups like Al Quaeda, and that our presence in their civilian areas, like market places may not be necessary or productive for their day-to-day routines. In order for many people to understand these differing viewpoints on terrorism, I think it is important to focus on how different people may define an act of terror. In December of 1994, the Unite Nations General Assembly Resolution 49/60, Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism, describes terrorism as: â€Å"Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify them. Later, in 2004 at UN Security Council Resolution 1566 a definition is given, stating acts of terror are: Criminal acts, including against civilians, committed with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury, or taking of hostages, with the purpose to provoke a state of terror in the general public or in a group of persons or particular persons, intimidate a population or compel a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act. The United Nations adds to the definition again in 2005 at a panel, stating the definition of terrorism as: Any act intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non- combatants with the purpose of intimidating a population or compelling a government or an international organization to do or abstain from doing any act. (â€Å"Various Definitions of Terrorism†) The United Nations has no official definition of terrorism, because some would argue that there is no real distinction between a â€Å"terrorist† and a â€Å"freedom fighter. Therefore, the United Nation’s descriptions of the term are vague and always include that terrorism is â€Å"intimidating† or that it â€Å"provokes terror† on a group of people. The first description listed comments on the justification of these acts, which most others do not. Now, I would like to point out the differences in he definitions that are released by the Arabic Community and the united States . In 1998, the Arab Convention for the Suppression of Terrorism was implemented by the Council of Arab Ministers of the Interior and the Council of Arab Ministers of Justice in Cairo, Egypt. They defined terrorism at this convention as: Any act or threat of violence, whatever its motives or purposes, that occurs in the advancement of an individual or collective criminal agenda and seeking to sow panic among people, causing fear by harming them, or placing their lives liberty or security in danger, or seeking to cause damage to the environment or to public or private installations or property or to occupying or seizing them, or seeking to jeopardize national resources. â€Å"Various Definitions of Terrorism†) The United States has many different definitions of terrorism in almost every government organization’s code. In Federal Criminal Code Title 18 of the United States defines terrorism and lists the crimes associated with terrorism. In Section 2331 of Chapter 113(B), defines terrorism as: †¦activities that involve violent†¦ or life-threatening acts†¦ that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State and†¦ appear to be intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and†¦(C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States†¦Ã¢â‚¬  FBI definition of terrorism: The unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a Government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives. The definition of terrorism used in the United States Army Field Manual FM 3-0, form 2001 is: The calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear. It is intended to coerce or intimidate governments or societies [to attain] political, religious, or ideological goals. The Dictionary of Military Terms used by the Department of Defense defines terrorism as: The calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological. (â€Å"Various Definitions of Terrorism†) I think the difference in the way our governments define a term that the United Nations finds so debatable shows a huge cultural difference in where the priorities for our countries lie. Obviously, since the September 11 attacks, the United States has spent an extensive amount of time coming up with more and more to add to the definition of terrorism and have worked to almost make ourselves seem like more of the victim. Our Federal Code includes mass destruction and assassination, but states that it primarily occurs within the United Stated jurisdiction. This is open to interpretation, as is all code, but it basically means that we are always the victim of acts of terror and can hardly ever be accused of committing the crime. However, in the FBI definition, it says that terrorism is using violence and force to coerce a government and its civilians of political and social objectives. Are we not using force and asserting ourselves on the Iraqi government, and every other government that we have been at war with? Has it not all been for a political gain? Then the military definitions add that actions can only be defined in that way if they are being committed for political, religious, or ideological reasons. However, I think that most Americans, if asked would only include religion in the definition. We have been trained to think that way, to only see terrorism as acts of Jihad, extremist Muslims. Americans, since I can remember have always been extremely proud. We are all truly blessed to come from a country that has a strong military backbone, free, accessible education, a comparably thriving economy, and the opportunity for social mobility. That being said, the majority of Americans are very ignorant and one-sided on a lot of political issues. Most are content with obtaining the easily accessible information from the news or internet and word of mouth. Most do not take the time to educate themselves on social issues that they comment on daily. This is why people are so opposed to those who practice Islam using their first amendment right to freedom of religion, especially in the south where most are extremely prejudiced. The news and the coverage of the September 11 attacks and the war are to blame for this phenomenon of fearing those who are different. In Packaging Terrorism: Co-opting the News for Politics and Profit, Susan Miller criticizes the way the media chooses which stories to run. â€Å"Threats, danger, fear. These words grab the attention of the readers and that’s what the media want. Your attention. Be afraid. Be very afraid. † She shows that there are many more options of global stories that our local news stations could run, but those that involve Americans or anything involving conflict in the Middle East, or even stories of al-Qaeda action in other countries, will get higher ratings as â€Å"Big Stories† over stories like the huge crisis of bombings in Mumbai in 2006, which is a place and event that Americans, in general, have no solid connection to. However, our society is also very vain, and there are even international events that are very important to us and the action in the Middle East that constantly get trumped by â€Å"larger† domestic stories. A 2006 suicide bombing of the Golden Mosque, which was close to triggering an Iraqi civil war was overshadowed by the Winter Olympics that year. A 2005 bombing was completely overshadowed by the kidnapping of Natalee Holloway in Aruba. The American people are more likely to be interested in our domestic actions than the stories of foreign events, especially when these events seem to run together and are so similar every time they are covered. One thing that is extremely controversial in covering those true acts of terror is the fact that most terrorists really want the attention on them. If someone is taken hostage and taped, or there is a huge event, like the 9/11 attacks, those who commit these actions are doing so for the attention, and for the media to show these events to the public, some can argue that those who share the news are just giving them what they most desire: to have all eyes on them. There is also an opinion, however, that if this footage is shown, it will show Americans the true brutality of the people who our military is fighting against, and that it will show that there truly is a threat, encouraging Americans to further support our military and create a unifying experience that promotes patriotism. This was shown in the case of the kidnapping of reporter, Daniel Pearl in Pakistan in 2002 by al-Qaeda operative Khalid Shiekh Mohammad. The video of his execution was made available to news networks, and a portion of Pearl speaking was shown on CBS. The full video shows his throat being slit and his severed head held up with a voiceover speaking out against the â€Å"enemies of Islam. † After much debate of whether or not the video should be seen by the public, whether it would violate the rights of Pearl’s grieving family, and whether the American people should be allowed to be exposed to witnessing a person’s murder, Peter Kadizis and Stephen Mindich of the Boston Phoenix posted a link to the video with a note above stating, â€Å"This is the single most gruesome, horrible, despicable, and horrifying thing I’ve ever seen. . That our government and others throughout the world, who have had this tape for some time have remained silent is nothing less than an act of shame†( Moeller). While our media is the largest source of information for Americans and is the largest reason that Americans have an instilled fear of anyone of the Islamic religion, the USA Patriot Act passed in 2001 as a response to the terrorist attacks is one of the triggers that set off this fear, and is a constant reminder of the attack. This Act was instated based on the theory that if there is a threat to national security, the public is more willing to allow for harsher policies and increased restrictions of civil liberties. The Act includes reduced restrictions in law enforcement agencies gathering of intelligence within the United States; expanded the Secretary of the Treasury’s authority to regulate financial transactions, particularly those involving foreign individuals and entities; and broadened the discretion of law enforcement and immigration authorities in detaining and deporting immigrants suspected of terrorism-related acts. Even though support for the Patriot Act has decreased, though not dramatically (from 60% classifying it as â€Å"necessary† in 2001, to a 39% in 2006), President Barack Obama signed a four-year extension of the act to include, searches of business records that would assist in an investigation undertaken to protect against international terrorism, and surveillance of lone wolves,† individuals suspected of terrorist-related activities not linked to terrorist groups. (Borgeson, Valeri). This, eleven years later is an act that is still perfectly in tact, and is still restricting our rights. It isn’t the most invasive law, but it does hang over the heads of those who do business internationally and those who immigrated form other countries, because they are constantly under the threat of being watched and studied by the government. Since Americans have media coverage and restrictions that help to shape the idea of terrorism and the way we perceive terrorism and acts of violence, it is only logical to realize that the Iraqi people, have their own way of defining Terrorism in their country. It is important to realize, when analyzing their views, that the United States have been seen as a threatening force to them for the past eleven years by imposing on their land and declaring warfare on their former leader and having our military staying within their civilian quarters. Though Iraq has been liberated for the past five years, American troops were just recently sent home, and they are suffering from terrorist attacks against them from other outside forces as well. Most of those who practice the Islamic religion believe that warfare should only be used to suppress rebellion or to defend against imposing armies. They do not believe in starting wars, because the punishment is not in their hands, violence should only be used for protection. Yousuf Baadarani, a popular writer defending the Islamic culture, states in an interview with Asia Times states, â€Å"Since Islam forbids terrorism, than no terrorist could be labeled Islamic. He would have had to abandon the Islamic path to become a terrorist† (Abedin). Jihad is only supposed to be used to protect the Islamic religion against those who attack it, not to create terror in those who do not practice Islam. This counters a popular theory Americans have that all Muslims are destined to commit acts of terror and that they are instilling values that promote suicide bombings and murder of those who do not practice Islam. Al-Qaeda was born out of Osama Bin Laden’s leftover defense force he gathered together for the Saudi Kingdom, but it was rejected after they allowed US troops to use Saudi Arabia after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. Al-Qaeda means â€Å"the basis† or â€Å"the base. † It is extremely difficult to find out the members of this organization and to figure out who is behind certain attacks. The chain of command is extremely difficult to follow. It has one goal: â€Å"to hit the West wherever and whenever it can, in order to further polarize the Muslim and Western worlds and effect an eventual victory of the Islamists, who claim leadership over the Muslim world†(Reuter). This terrorist group- and there is no debate from anyone as to whether or not they are a terrorist group- has committed too many suicide bombings and killings of innocent westerners to name. They are the group behind the infamous September 11 attacks, and are the ones who created all of the fear of terrorism in the United States. This group of people is founded on a basic principle: hate for all Westerners, and the desire to completely sever ties between those who practice Islam and Westerners. This is not a group based on jihad; the exception to the Islamic law against violence, which should only be allowed when defending the Islamic religion. It is simply a hate group against Westerners that wears a mask of religion. In conclusion, there is a lot that is not perceived correctly when it comes to the idea of terrorism. Every citizen of Iraq is not a terrorist, and neither is every member of the Muslim community. A select few extremists have ruined the reputation of a religion in the United States, with the help of the media and politics. I hope that every American citizen at some point realizes the difference between the terrorist attacks of September 11, and the Iraqi family that walks down the street. It is important to me and our country that people see that most Muslims do not support al-Qaeda and that the group of extremists is not practicing their religion properly. I hope that people will start to realize the importance of getting information from other sources than the popular media and that some will start to look up more information on important domestic and international events. Most of all, I hope that I have been able to properly compare viewpoints on terrorism in different parts of the world accurately.

Real Estate Investment Trusts Essays - Real Estate,

Real Estate Investment Trusts Derrick Robicheaux Auditing 11:00-11:50 Accounting for REITs A real estate investment trust, or REIT, is a company that buys, develops, manages and sells real estate assets. There are three types of REITs; they are equity REITs, mortgage REITs, and hybrid REITs. An equity REIT is a corporation that purchases, owns and manages real estate properties; it does not own or originate real estate loans. It may also develop properties. A mortgage REIT is a corporation that purchases, owns and manages real estate loans; it does not own real estate properties. It may or may not originate commercial and/or residential loans. A hybrid REIT is a corporation that purchases, owns and manages both real estate loans and real estate properties. It has the qualities of both an equity and mortgage REIT which is why it is referred to as a hybrid. One of the most distinguishing characteristics of a REIT is that they are required to distribute at least 95% of taxable income to shareholders. REITs allow participants to invest in a professionally-managed portfolio of real estate assets. This is important because prior to Congress's creation of REITs only extremely rich individuals were able to benefit from ventures in the real estate market. By pooling assets together in a manner similar to that of a mutual fund, REITs allow the everyday investor the chance to invest in real estate properties. The main benefit of a REIT is that it is exempt from double taxation. The normal corporation is taxed on earnings, and then when dividends are paid, the individual receiving the dividend is taxed. REITs can deduct dividends distributed from taxable income. This results in only one level of taxation. The main disadvantage of a REIT is that since nearly all earnings are distributed as dividends, the trust must find capital to reinvest into the business from other areas. These funds are usually raised by investments in the market, and through the capital gains realized from the sale of the REITs assets. The second method by which REITs procure capital to reinvest into the business raises an accounting issue regarding the classification of assets. Currently, the buildings and property that REITs utilize to raise income are classified as property, plant, and equipment. However, it can be argued that these assets should be classified as inventory. The accounting definition of property, plant, and equipment specifies those properties of a durable nature used in the regular operations of the business. These assets consist of physical property such as land, buildings, machinery, furniture, tools and wasting resources. With the exception of land, most assets are either depreciable (such as buildings) or consumable (such as timberlands). These properties do reasonably fall into this category, especially in the cases where the REIT is involved in managing the property and receives revenue from rents. The definition for inventory relates to asset items held for sale in the ordinary course of business or goods that will be used or consumed in the production of goods to be sold. It can also be reasonably justified that these assets fall into this category, this is the nature of REITs, to buy and sell real estate. This is a gray area in which reasonable people can disagree. It is my opinion that these assets should be classified according the company's honest intent for its use. Many REITs own and operate apartment complexes and have no intent to sell the property, but are content to manage the units and collect rent. In these types of cases the property is not being sold but leased. Therefore, PP&E would be the appropriate classification, similar to the method that car rental agencies use. But, if the company intends to improve and sell the property then the property should be inventory. This method would be similar to method by which securities investments are accounted for. Depending on the company's intent, securities can be classified as held-to-maturity, available fo r sale, or marketable securities. Since all these properties are currently classified as property, plant, and equipment, the issue of depreciation becomes important. If these properties were classified as inventory, then all maintenance and repairs would expensed as incurred, and no depreciation would be recognized. However, as property, plant, and equipment, maintenance and