School Is Not A Prison - 1538 Words

Chau Tran English 100 C. Kennison 14 January 2015 School is Not a Prison â€Å"I believe that children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside.† This is the lyric of the popular song â€Å"The Greatest Love of All† that Whitney Houston sang. Not only do the writers and the singer believe that â€Å"children are our future,† but everyone does. Children are big influences that help maintain and develop our country when they grow up. Therefore, children need to be educated well in order that they all become well-rounded, successful and contribute to society. However, educational system is always a controversial topic that many people concern. In â€Å"Against School,† John Taylor Gatto who is a schoolteacher names New York State Teacher of the Year gathers many evidences and personal narrative in order to prove that educational system â€Å"cripple our kids.† Although educational system does not create incentives for children to think cri tically, it does not promote conformity and â€Å"groupthink† because it helps them to develop their capacity to achieve their goals and become a useful part of society. First of all, children need to build an educational foundation from the beginning. As we know, children’s development is different. For example, some children know how to walk and talk when they are two years old, but some know how to talk until they are four or five. Gatto suggests that we should encourage children to be curious, takeShow MoreRelatedThe School Of Prison Pipeline Essay1441 Words   |  6 Pagespublic schools around the country is the school to prison pipeline epidemic. The school to prison pipeline is a term used to describe how students are being pushed out of public school and into the criminal justice system. This epidemic is a result of the education system’s zero tolerance policy that enforces harsh punishments for misbehaving students. Although its goal was to eliminate misbehavior, studies have shown that the increased disciplinary actions have resulted in a modified school environmentRead MoreThe School For Prison Pipeline978 Words   |  4 P agesnew, what has become a pressing question, is what is to become of the future if our youth are behind bars instead of in schools? Youth today are being pushed into the criminal justice system at an alarming rate. This issue is known as the school to prison pipeline ─ the rapid rate at which children are pushed out of schools and into the criminal justice system. The school to prison pipeline is a term that came into use by activists in the late 1970’s and has gained recognition throughout the yearsRead MoreSchool to Prison Pipeline1948 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿ Topic: School-to-Prison Pipeline Research Paper What is meant by the school-to-prison pipeline? What are ways to address this problem? The school-to-prison pipeline is a devastating part of reality for all too many students. The pipeline in definition is simply a term representing the tendency for certain students to easily end up in prison during or shortly after schooling. To decrease this tendency, it is important that teachers are aware of the issue andRead MoreThe School For Prison Pipeline1834 Words   |  8 Pageskeeps being repeated. That cycle is known as the school-to-prison pipeline where students are punished based off the policies that have been made by the school districts and court of law. Consequently, minorities have been disproportionately punished by schools and the justice system. You may be aware that the funding towards the school district is underfunded which leads to less resources and policies that enforce inequality of race throughout the school system. For example, 30 teachers had to be laidRead MoreThe School to Prison Pipeline2688 Words   |  11 PagesThe School to Prison Pipeline: T he Criminalization of American Students The School to Prison Pipeline: The Criminalization of American Students Kimberly N. Wright Western Governors University Introduction Your permanent record! The thing that was held over most of our heads when we were in school. Your teacher or maybe your parents threatened that your bad behavior was going to end up on your â€Å"permanent record† and ruin your life. We shrugged them off, thoughtRead MoreThe School Of Prison Pipeline Essay2154 Words   |  9 PagesThe school-to-prison pipeline in the United States is a figure of speech used to describe the increasing patterns of interaction students have with the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems as a consequence of procedures used by many school systems. A specific procedure would be the zero tolerance policies and the use of officers in schools. Currently in today’s American schools many children of color are being unfairly judged and treated by the public school systems zero tolerance policiesRead MoreSchool to Prison Pipeline2888 Words   |  12 PagesSchool-to-Prison Pipeline: Does the Current Educational System Demonize or Criminalize Our Youth? In today’s society our children go down one of two paths: become successful or become criminals. The question then must be asked: have we allowed our children to be tracked down such opposite paths by using discipline as an excuse? There may well be an argument that ultimately the school and prison system have nothing to do with one another; however, I believe they have become one in the sameRead MoreAlternatives For School And Prison Pipeline962 Words   |  4 PagesAlternatives to School-to-Prison Pipeline Changes to Viewing the System This problem in Americas school system does not have to continue this way. There are changes that can be made and policies that need to be changed in order to provide the proper access to education for all students. The Association of Mexican America Educators presents research done with educators of low-income Latino students and what they believe needs to be changed to provide well for students. The article shares four mainRead MoreComparison Between Schools And Prisons1732 Words   |  7 PagesSchools Vs Prisons The United States prison population has grown from approximately 500,000 to 2.3 million people in three decades. The us spends almost $70 billion dollars yearly to put adults in prison and jails. They also put 7.3 million people on probation and parole. California has the largest prison population rate in the country, with more than 170,000 people behind bars. More than a billion dollars is spent every year to incarcerate people from a community in Los Angeles . 40% of studentsRead MoreBreaking The School Of Prison Pipeline859 Words   |  4 PagesBreaking the School-to-Prison Pipeline How would you feel if the outcome of your interaction with authority depended on whether you were black, Latino, or white? Unfortunately, police brutality is the sad reality that many black and Latino boys experience in their childhood. The disadvantages of their upbringing results to the reinforcement of societal restrictions on their success. On a positive note, education becomes salvation to marginalized group because it provides them means to escape the

The Conflict of Hong Kong vs China

Hong Kong is a part of China, but it has a unique history that affects the way people from Hong Kong (also known as Hongkongers) interact with and perceive the mainland today. To understand the longstanding feud that keeps Hongkongers and mainland Chinese from getting along, you need to first understand the basics of Hong Kong’s modern history. The History of Hong Kong Hong Kong was occupied by the British army and then subsequently ceded to England as a colony as a result of the Opium Wars in the mid-19th century. While it had previously been considered part of the Qing dynasty empire, it was ceded to the Brits in perpetuity in 1842. And although there were some minor changes and periods of upheaval, the city remained a British colony, in essence, up until 1997, when control was formally handed over to the People’s Republic of China. Because it had been a British colony during the formative years of the Peoples Republic of China, Hong Kong was quite different from mainland China. It had a democratic system of local government, a free press, and a culture that was deeply influenced by England. Many Hongkongers were suspicious or even fearful of the PRC’s intentions for the city, and indeed some fled to Western countries prior to the takeover in 1997. The Peoples Republic of China, for its part, assured Hong Kong that it would be allowed to retain its self-governing democratic system for at least 50 years. It is currently considered a â€Å"Special Administrative Region† and not subject to the same laws or restrictions as the rest of the People’s Republic of China. Hong Kong vs. China Controversies The sharp contrast in system and culture between Hong Kong and the mainland has caused a fair amount of tension in the years since the handover in 1997. Politically, many Hongkongers have grown increasingly resentful of what they see as increasing mainland meddling in their political system. Hong Kong still has a free press, but pro-mainland voices have also taken control of some of the city’s major media outlets, and in some cases have caused controversy by censoring or downplaying negative stories about China’s central government. Culturally, Hongkongers and mainland tourists frequently come into conflict when the mainlanders’ behavior doesn’t live up to Hongkongers strict British-influenced standards. Mainlanders are sometimes derogatorily called â€Å"locusts,† a reference to the idea that they come to Hong Kong, consume its resources, and leave a mess behind when they leave. Many of the things Hongkongers complain about—spitting in public and eating on the subway, for example—are considered socially acceptable on the mainland. Hongkongers have been especially annoyed by mainland mothers, some of whom come to Hong Kong to give birth so that their children can have access to the relative freedom and the superior schools and economic conditions in the city as compared to the rest of China. In past years, mothers also went to Hong Kong to buy massive quantities of milk powder for their infants, as the supply on the mainland was distrusted by many following the tainted  milk powder scandal. Mainlanders, for their part, have been known to lash back at what some of them see as â€Å"ungrateful† Hong Kong. Peoples Republic of China nationalist commentator Kong Qingdong, for example, caused a major controversy in 2012 when he called Hong Kong people â€Å"dogs,† a reference to their alleged nature as submissive colonial subjects, which led to protests in Hong Kong. Can Hong Kong and China Ever Get Along? Trust in mainland food supplies is low, and Chinese tourists are not likely to change their behavior significantly in the immediate future, nor is the Peoples Republic of China government likely to lose interest in influencing Hong Kong politics. Given the significant differences in political culture and systems of government, it is likely that tension between Hongkongers and some mainland Chinese will remain for some time to come.

Human Papillomavirus ( Hpv ) Vaccine - 1429 Words

Exploratory Essay: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Prior to June of 2006, Human Pappilomarius (HPV) was almost unheard of to the general public. But after FDA approval of Gardasil manufactured by Merck Co., HPV vaccine became the headline of many articles and breaking news of many TV channels. Why? Let’s us explore it. According to World Health Organization (WHO), HPV worldwide is the most common sexual transmitted Disease (STD). There are more than 100 strains of HPV and in those 13 strains are known for causing cancer in human. HPV infection goes undetected majority of the time. HPV-infected victims mostly have no signs or symptoms or are there any tests available to detect it. The body immunity usually gets rid of the viruses on its own. However, with persistent infection, it may lead to genital warts and worrisome oro-genital cancers. With normal immunity, it takes about 15-20 years for cervical cancer to develop. Worldwide, cervical cancer is the second most frequent cancer. It is estimated more than 270,000 deaths from cervical cancer annually (1-6). In 2007, to prevent the devastation result of HPV-associated cancer, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization practices (ACIP) recommended Gardasil as a routine vaccination for girl’s ages 11 to 12 with a catch-up vaccination for those aged 13 to 26. Across the country, thereafter, state legislature attempt to make HPV vaccine mandated. As the result, controversy was generated. In this paper, weShow MoreRelatedHuman Papillomavirus ( Hpv ) Vaccine Essay1229 Words   |  5 PagesHuman Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine My niece is 11 years old and my sister-in-law is being pressured from doctors, friends, and even the news media to give her a certain type of vaccination called HPV, Gardasil being the most common. At the end of our conversation, she mentions that at least she has a choice and turned to me, saying you may not have a choice when your kids are that age. I was stunned and she goes on to tell me how the government is trying very hard to make this particular vaccinationRead MoreThe Human Papillomavirus ( Hpv ) Vaccine2613 Words   |  11 Pagesprevented by simply getting vaccinated against the Human Papillomavirus (Shafer, Cates, Diehl, Hartmann, 2011). This virus is responsible for 99% of the cervical cancers (Smith, 2008). The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most sexually transmitted disease in the world (Nath Thappa, 2009). Four main strains of HPV exists, 6,11,16 and 18 (Smith, 2008). HPV strains 16 and 18 are the causative factors for 70% of the cervical cancers (Smith, 2008). HPV strains 6 and 11 cause about 90% of genital wartsRead MoreThe First Human Papillomavirus ( Hpv ) Vaccine971 Words   |  4 PagesMarilena Danelon 2015-07-21 Gardasil, the first human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June 2006. Within a year, 41 states would make legislation relating to the HPV vaccine, and 24 states mandated the vaccine for 6th-grade girls. The â€Å"remarkable burst† of legislation led researchers to ask what role manufacturers played in school mandates, and what level of manufacturer involvement in vaccine policy was appropriate. In their paper â€Å"PharmaceuticalRead MoreThe Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine Essay example1585 Words   |  7 PagesThe Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine The unforgettable story of vaccines is a story of triumph and controversy. The saddest part of the story is persistent ignorance and a lack of education, comingled with the personal need of some parents to explain away the problems of their children, have caused the controversy to arise. The good news is that the triumphant reality of vaccines as a whole is still the larger enduring legacy. The human papillomavirus vaccine is not an exception to this rule;Read MoreThe Importance Of Human Papillomavirus ( Hpv Vaccine For School Aged Children2294 Words   |  10 Pages Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease that is believed to be the precursor of several cancers, especially cervical cancer. Scientists have developed two vaccines believed to prevent several strains of the virus. Much controversy has surrounded the birth of these vaccines because law makers want to make the vaccine mandatory for school-aged children. The public is outraged and therefore the controversy regarding the use of the vaccine is growing. HoweverRead MoreThe Common Sexually Transmitted Infections1539 Words   |  7 PagesThe human papillomavirus is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the United States. The human papillomavirus dates back to the nineteen hundred. Scientists did not know why people who had sexually transmitted infections also had cancer. It was not until the nineteen-eighties, that scientist discovered that the human papilloma virus may cause cancer (Preventing Cervical Cancer).The human papillomavirus is known to cause genital warts and cancer in both men and women. In the yearRead MoreInformative Essay on Hpv1566 Words   |  7 PagesHuman Papillomavirus (HPV) Testing What is the Human Papillomavirus? Commonly known as HPV, it is an infection that spreads through sexual contact. There are over one hundred different types of HPV; several types cause genital warts, while other high risk strands can lead to cancer of the cervix, anus, vagina, and penis. Because HPV is often asymptomatic, many people are unaware of their infection status, and thus, their potential for transmitting the virus to a sexual partner. The significanceRead MoreThe Importance Of Penile Cancer1458 Words   |  6 Pagescurrently infected with a strand of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), and that 14 million Americans become infected annually (CDC HPV Questions and Answers, 2016). Human Papillomavirus can cause penile cancer in men, cancer of the vulva, vagina or cervix in females, and esophageal, oropharyngeal, and anal cancers in both men and women (CDC HPV Questions and Answers, 2016). Consequently, 27 million Americans annually are diagnosed with cancer from HPV (CD11.7C What Is H PV, 2016). The morbidity and mortalityRead MoreThe Human Papillomavirus And Its Effects On The United States1561 Words   |  7 PagesThe human papillomavirus remains one of the highest common sexually transmitted infections in the United States. The human papillomavirus dates back to the nineteen hundreds. Scientists during the nineteen hundreds did not comprehend on why people who had sexually transmitted infections also had cancer. It was not until the nineteen-eighties, that a scientist discovered that the human papilloma virus caused cancer (Preventing Cervical Cancer). Moreover the human papillomavirus causes genital wartsRead MoreTaking a Look at the Human Papillomavirus953 Words   |  4 Pagesthere has yet been a cure found for the disease. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a pathogen that can cause cancer. HPV is one of the few cancer causing pathogens that has a vaccination that is already being administered to the general public. The administering of this vaccine would pre vent millions of people from becoming infected. Each year about 14 million men and women are infected with the human papillomavirus, though many could be prevented. HPV is a widely contractible virus that can yield cancerous

Harriet Beecher Stowe and the Civil War - 862 Words

Abraham Lincoln once told Harriet Beecher Stowe,†So you’re the little lady who wrote the book that made this great war†(Hillstrom and Baker 431). Harriet Beecher Stowe, in a way, did start the Civil War, one of the bloodiest battles in American history. She tried her hardest to abolish slavery and never gave up on the slaves no matter what obstacles there were along the road. Stowe wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin, helped release slaves during the Civil War, and also worked to abolish slavery in her life. Harriet Beecher was always a good writer, even when she was young. When she was young, she won an essay contest. Besides winning essay contests, she also wrote an essay for her high school graduation. In the future, writing would be her life.†¦show more content†¦Uncle Tom’s Cabin was so popular that it was translated into more than 60 languages(Harriet Beecher Stowe). Because of the book, it caused Northerners to accuse the Southerners of treating s laves badly. In turn, the Southerners accused Stowe of exaggerating how they treated their slaves and said that Stowe didn’t know that much about slaves and just made up some of the things in the book. Stowe responded to this by writing a book called Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This book lists all resources she used to help write her book Uncle Tom’s Cabin(Randolph 67). However, the book caused the Northerners to not cooperate with the Fugitive Slave Act, therefore picking up an argument with the South. The argument caused the Civil War(Hillstrom 431). Harriet Beecher Stowe not only tried to abolish slavery before the Civil War by writing Uncle Tom’s Cabin, but also helped during the Civil War by help convincing President Abraham Lincoln to sign the Emancipation Proclamation(Haugen 82).When the Civil War started from the attack on Fort Sumter, Abraham Lincoln wanted to defeat the South as quickly as he could. Stowe had criticized Lincoln for not freeing th e slaves since Lincoln didn’t include as part of his plan in defeating the rebels. She had a meeting with Lincoln in the White House. Stowe wanted to convince Lincoln to sign the Emancipation Proclamation, which released slaves in the South from the seceded states. Lincoln had signed theShow MoreRelatedThe Civil War, By Harriet Beecher Stowe2254 Words   |  10 PagesToutant-Beauregard better than that? It could be said that Beauregard, with his quick wit and tremendous skill, was destined to play a vital role in the Civil War. Decades of tension and rivalry between the North and the South led to the five year â€Å"war between the states,† more commonly known as the Civil War. No one knows for certain what the true cause for war was; some people claim it was slavery; some people insist it was state’s rights. The main issues included the South’s dwindling political powerRead MoreThe American Civil War By Harriet Beecher Stowe1193 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Civil War Following the victory against Mexico, the U.S had gained a vast amount of land in the southwest. However conflict arose again when the debate on whether these new lands should allow slavery or not became a matter in question. This caused trouble between the northern states and southern states leaving the nation divided. One factor that led to the Civil War was that the North was so different from the South. In 1860, the North’s population was largely white, only two percentRead MoreThe Civil War Was By Harriet Beecher Stowe1953 Words   |  8 PagesThe Civil War was caused by a compilation of many significant events. One reason was the Abolitionist Movement. This was the movement to help end slavery in the South. While many Northerners were against slavery, most white Southerners were proponents of slavery, and even went as far as to use the Bible to try and justify the act. Among the advocates of the Abolitionist Movement were John Brown, who decided to protest with violence, Harriet Beecher Stowe, who elected to protest peaceably throughRead MoreHarriet Beecher Stowe s Family897 Words   |  4 PagesHarriet Beecher Stowe was born on June 14, 1811 in a town in Connecticut called Litchfield. Her parents were Reverend Lyman Beecher and Roxanna Foote Beecher, who wanted their children t o influence the world in some way. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s family based their philosophies on social justice. Some of the Beecher’s children were ministers, teachers in education for women, the youngest daughter was founder of the National Women’s Suffrage Association, and Harriet was the writer of the family (HarrietRead MoreSummary Of Harriet Beecher Stowe s Uncle Tom s Cabin 1124 Words   |  5 Pages FINAL PAPER: Harriet Beecher Stowe Bertha Hernandez History 1301: United States History Dr. Jahue Anderson July 2, 2017 Slavery will always be one of the most inhuman acts of today’s history. African American men and women had no way of life, being taken from their social and cultural lives. Food was scarce for slaves and they were lucky to grab a bite to eat. On the route to the America’s from the west coast of Africa, many of them died from starvation, disease, lack of space andRead MoreUncle Tom s Cabin By Harriet Beecher Stowe1008 Words   |  5 Pagesmade, protests held, but what no one was expecting was a short white lady by the name of Harriet Beecher Stowe to make the change that no one had yet achieved. In times of disagreement and discrimination, people search for ways to make change. Harriet Beecher Stowe did so through a work of literature known to many as Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Uncle Tom’s Cabin focused on the horrors of slavery in the 1800’s. Stowe believed that slavery was a horrible sin against God and decided to write the book in hopesRead MoreHarriet Beecher Stowe : An Abolitionist1645 Words   |  7 PagesHarriet Beecher Stowe Elisabeth is most famous for being an abolitionist toward slavery. Harriet was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, on June 14, 1811. He was the seventh of 13 children. Stowe was born religious leader Lyman Beecher and his wife Roxana, an extremely religious woman who died when Harriet was just five years old. Brothers Harriet s include a sister, Catharine Beecher, was an educator and author, as well as brothers who became ministers whose names are Charles Beecher, Edward BeecherRead MoreTerm Paper1494 Words   |  6 Pagesbecause Ma tthiessen did not appreciate women writers of the nineteenth century does not mean that others have to follow in his footsteps; which is why this is an appreciation essay to two nineteenth century female writers: Catherine Sedgwick and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Catharine Maria Sedgwick was born December 28, 1789 in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. In childhood, Sedgwick was cared for by a former slave and as a young woman, Sedgwick attended a private school where girls are prepared for entry into fashionableRead MoreHarriet Beecher Stowe: The Eyes Behind Slavery1640 Words   |  7 PagesHarriet Beecher Stowe: The Eyes Behind Slavery Harriet Beecher Stowe became one of the most famous writers, reformers, and abolitionist women of the 1800s in large part due to her most effective selling fictional book, Uncle Toms Cabin. The image of brutal whippings, rape, and the splitting of families broke down the hearts of people in the eighteenth century. Her writing influenced thousands to become a great phenomenon, take a stand, and change the world. Harriet Beecher Stowe lived much ofRead MoreEssay Uncle Toms Cabin as written by Harriet Beecher Stowe911 Words   |  4 PagesUncle Toms Cabin as written by Harriet Beecher Stowe The novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin as written by Harriet Beecher Stowe and published in the United States in 1852. The novel depicted slavery as a moral evil and was the cause of much controversy at the time long after. Uncle Tom’s Cabin had impact on various groups publics. It caused outrage in the South and received praise in the North. It is in opinions and historical movements that the impact of this novel can be justified and shows how

Culture in Aruba Free Essays

The people of Aruba come primarily from European, African, and Latin American countries and the culture of the island reflects these varied backgrounds. The language, food, religion, and celebrations on Aruba are composed of a healthy mix of these countries. Aruba is closely tied to Holland because of its long occupation and present partnership in the Netherlands kingdom. We will write a custom essay sample on Culture in Aruba or any similar topic only for you Order Now The official language is Dutch, which is seen on the street signs, official documents, and many local newspapers. However, many aspects of Aruba’s culture reveal strong influences of contributing cultures, such as the common language Papiamento. Papiamento dates back to the sixteenth century, as a means for African slaves to communicate with their owners. Papiamento reflects the mentality and culture of the many peoples who have inhabited the region, including the Arawak and Carib Indians, African slaves, South American traders, Spanish conquers, Dutch merchants, Portuguese missionaries, and French and English settlers. While grammar is basic, many non-Arubans find its syntax and intonation challenging. Much of Papiamento has been handed down verbally from generation to generation. Its proverbs contain a simply stated wealth of philosophy and insight. Through humor and metaphor, utilizing food, animals, and objects from everyday life, Papiamento lends universal guidance and wisdom. Some popular phrases are â€Å"Bon Dia† for good morning and â€Å"Masha Danki† for thank you. Aruban food is simple in preparation and taste. Mostly grilled without a lot of grease or spice, chicken, fish and vegetables are often accompanied by local vegetables such as corn, broccoli, potatoes or rice. Johnnycakes are fried biscuits prepared with slat fish from Canada and Norway, which are popular in Aruba. Also popular are stews of beef, chicken, and goat, with ingredients of a cucumber called concomber and rice with black beans. Stuffed cheese, called keeshi yena, is a traditional Aruban dish dating back to the days of the Dutch West India Company. It was originally made by hollowing out the round Dutch cheeses and stuffing them with a mixture of chicken, vegetables, and spices. More modern recipes include raisins, grated cheese, breadcrumbs, olives, capers, and gherkins, and beef, fish or shrimp is sometimes used in lieu of chicken. Often eaten in place of bread is a ornmeal pudding similar to polenta. Slaves brought this recipe to the Caribbean from West Africa. Dishes of Asian origin, such as the Nasi Goreng and rijstaffel of Indonesia and the Chinese vegetables bok choy and snow peas, are included on Aruban menus. Desserts in Aruba are rich and sweet. Black cake, or bolo preto, is the Antillean rum and cognac-soaked delicacy of choice at Family events, such as weddings and birthda ys. It takes several weeks to prepare before garnished with white icing and sprinkled with silver candy balls. Other favorite Aruban desserts are sweet and colorful cakes and gelatins. The people of Aruba are predominantly Christian. Roman Catholics make up the majority with 82 percent of the population, while Protestants are second with eight percent. Other religions present on the island include Judaism, Muslim, Hindu and Confucian. There are several churches on the island that have become tourist attractions for their antiquity and beauty. The Santa Anna Church in Noord was built between 1914 and 1919. The neo-gothic wood-carved altar was sculpted by Hendrik van der Geld of the Netherlands and the stained glass windows were created in 1932 by Wilhelm Derix of Germany. Built in 1877, the rectory of this church is the oldest in Aruba. Our Lady of Alto Vista is located on a high plain near the north coast. It is a quaint, simply constructed chapel, which had a clear view of approaching pirate ships from the north. The original structure was built of stone and wood in 1750 and the antique Spanish cross is the oldest work of art in the Netherlands Antilles, except for Indian Artifacts. Carnaval, Aruba’s most exciting celebration, is preceded by weeks of celebration, parades, elections, contests, and parties. Many schools, business’s and organizations dress up in elaborate costumes to compete for coveted titles. At the beginning of the celebration, Aruba’s Prime minister symbolically transfers command of the country to the prince of Carnaval. Tivoli, Aruba’s oldest social club, has produced a dazzling nighttime lighting parade for this event. The Grand Carnaval Parade in San Nicolas begins in the middle of the night and lasts until dawn, and the Oranges tad parade takes place that next day, making for an exhausting weekend for celebratory Arubans. The burning of King Momo, a life-size effigy, marks the nd of Carnaval at midnight on Shrove Tuesday, before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. Central figures in Carnaval lore are the beautiful queen and the prince, who is the authoritative figure guiding the parade and later restoring order with his sidekick, pancho. Music is an integral element at Carnaval and most popular are the Caribbean beats of Tumba and Calyps o. The origins of Carnaval are found thousands of years ago. The work is derived from the Latin carne vale, meaning farewell to flesh, signifying the time when many Christians gave up meat and other sacrifices. How to cite Culture in Aruba, Papers

Motorcycle Boy Essay Example For Students

Motorcycle Boy Essay Number of Pages:122I believe that the story Rumble Fish has a very plausibleplot because its about a boy who is a former gang memberand always gets into fights. The boys name is Russel James,he is fourteen, he likes to fight, he always gets introuble, and isnt very smart. The boy gets into trouble byfighting, getting drunk, and stealing, throughout the story,but instead of realizing he has got to stop and change hislife around, he get in more and more trouble. In my opinionthe story is plausible because the boy is telling the storyand he mentions things such as drugs, fights, stealing,gangs, and drinking and smoking. Which is very present inour society today. I would have to say that if anything this story wassad, because at the end of the story Russels older brother,the Motorcycle Boy, was shot when he tried freeing theRumble Fish from the pet store. That would probably be themain reason the story was sad, besides the fact thatRussels friend Steve had his mother put in the hospitalafter she became ill. I didnt really like the book because of the fact thatthere was no real big action in the story. Not to mention,that the Motorcycle Boy was one of the strangest charactersI had ever read about. He was so weird that no one in thestory really understood the way he thought. He was like anoutsider. I think there was good character development in thestory because the author wrote the story so that the maincharacter (Russel) often explained to the reader aboutthings that happened in the past to both him, and the othercharacters. There was realistic character action in the storybecause the characters didnt do things like fly around inthe clouds, or see through walls, they did normal stuff thatanyone I know could do. If you dont like or dont care if theres alot ofaction in a book then I would recommend this book to you. Onthe other hand , if you like a lot of action, and dont likebook without action, then I would not recommend this bookfor you. i think the most effective port of the story was whenthe Motorcycle Boy was shot. This event shocked me andtotally caught me off guard. If anything I would expectRussell to get shot. Probably because Russell seems to bemore of a trouble maker than Motorcycle Boy. I thought the book was alright but the one thing Ididnt like about the book was that the action wasnt there. I like books with a lot of action, but this book didnt haveit.

How to Reduce Crime in Our Society free essay sample

Whether a behavior is a crime is determined from one society to the next through its system of laws. In Nigeria, citizens usually subject to three separate systems of laws federal, state and local. Federal laws are passed by National Assembly House of Representatives and Senate that apply to everyone in Nigeria. State laws are passed by the state’s House of Assembly and can vary widely from state to state. Local laws, usually known as ordinances, are passed by the local government councils. Local ordinances usually control how residents are expected to behave in the community such as disposing of trash properly. To understand the concept of crime, one must first understand the Conflict Theory founded by Karl Marx. Conflict theory sees society as two struggling groups engaged in conflict over resources. Under this theory, it is believed that the capitalist class (or the society elites) commits acts of deviance just as the working class does. The main difference is that society elites determine the rules regarding what is deviant. This difference among the people will always lead to conflict. This idea explains why there is crime in societies and why it will never cease to be. Sociologists classify crimes by three types; crimes against a person, crimes against property and victimless crimes. Crimes against a person include any offenses where violence is used or threatened. Mugging and assault are examples of crimes against a person. Crimes against property include theft of property or damage done to someone elses property. Burglary and arson are crimes against property. Finally, victimless crimes are crimes that are against the law, but no victim exists. Prostitution and marijuana are common examples of victimless crimes. In sociology, all crimes fall into one of these three categories. HOW TO REDUCE CRIME IN A SOCIETY How can we reduce the frightening levels of crime and violence that plague out society today? The usual answer from politicians and the media is that we have to be tougher on crime. But thats just a myth, and a dangerous one, because it is actually preventing us from solving the crime problem. Understanding crime and sociology together has great significance for the future of any society. By identifying the who and the why of crime, we are better equipped to find solutions that dont lead to a life of crime. For example, removing a child from an abusive home is the first step in making certain that child does not learn to express himself in only a physical manner. Without understanding the make up of the criminal, it is not possible to understand his or her motives. Sociology seeks to understand these individuals and their situations. By doing so, the goal is to determine a way to treat these individuals that will reduce their recidivism rate. A lower crime rate has a positive effect on society as a whole, including more money available for more necessary projects, greater property value in urban areas and less children incarcerated. Drug cases are clogging our nations prisons. Some 61 percent of federal prison inmates are there for drug offenses, and all this incarceration is doing nothing to solve the drug problem. Many wardens, judges, and other officials know this, but it has become political suicide to discuss decriminalization. We need to insist upon a more mature dialogue about the drug problem. Keep in mind that the high-level drug dealers arent cluttering up our prisons; theyre too rich and smart to get caught. They hire addicts or kids, sometimes as young as eleven or twelve, to take most of the risks that result in confinement. But its not the dealers who create the drug problem anyway. Among the poor, drugs are a problem of alienation and isolation, of feeling unknown, unimportant, powerless, and hopeless. Among the affluent, they are an attempt to keep up with or escape from an insanely frenzied lifestyle that has almost nothing to do with simple human joys such as friendship or hearing the birds sing. We need to address these issues in ourselves, our families, and our communities. At the same time, we must press for changes in drug laws. Im not advocating that we legalize all drugs, because its not that simple. But we do have to decriminalize their use, treating the problem as the public-health issue it is. Doing so would have tremendous benefits. Without drug offenders, our prisons would have more than enough room to hold all the dangerous criminals. As a result, we wouldnt need to build a single new prison, saving us some N5 billion a year. And if we spent a fraction of that money on rehabilitation centers and community revitalization programs, wed begin to put drug dealers out of business in the only way that will last -by drying up their market. Its inconceivable that we routinely dump nonviolent offenders in prison cells with violent ones, in local jails and holding tanks. What are we thinking? I know one fellow who was arrested for participating in a post June 12 1993 election annulment and was jailed. In a forty-eight- hour period, he was savagely raped and traded back and forth among more than fifty violent prisoners. That was nineteen years ago, and since then he has had years of therapy, and yet he has never recovered emotionally. His entire life still centers on the decision of one prison superintendent to place him in a violent cellblock in order to teach him a lesson. Most nonviolent offenders do in fact learn a lesson: how to be violent. Ironically; we spend an average of N200, 000 per year, per inmate, teaching them this. For less than that we could be sending every nonviolent offender to college. None of us, including prison staff, should accept violence as a fact of prison life, and it would be easy not to. We c ould designate certain facilities as zero-violence areas and allow inmates to live there as long as they dont commit-or even threaten to commit-a single violent act. The great majority of prisoners would sign up for such a place, I can assure you. To make matters worse, in most prisons when an inmate is threatened he or she is the one who gets locked up in a little cell for twenty-four hours a day, while those doing the threatening remain in the open population. We must revise this practice and begin to expect prisoners to be nonviolent. And we need to support them in this by offering conflict-resolution trainings such as the Alternatives to Violence programs currently being conducted by and for convicts around the US. Such trainings should be required for all prisoners and staff. Over the past years, we have increasingly legitimized cruelty and callousness in response to the cruelty and callousness of criminals. In a number of prisons across the country we have reduced or eliminated the opportunity for inmates to earn college degrees, clamped down on family visits, and restricted access to books and magazines. And now there is even a growing public sentiment to strip prisons of televisions and exercise facilities. Its as if we want to make sure inmates are miserable every second of the day. We no longer want them to get their lives together. We just want them to suffer. In the long run, however, this approach will not make us happy, nor will it keep our children safe from crime. In fact, as I see it, this vengeful attitude may actually be leading our young people toward violence. The peak age for violent crime in Nigeria is now eighteen, and its edging downward every year. Our children sense that its all right to be mean and violent toward people they dont like. They are not learning compassion or reconciliation. Dont expect a youngster to be able to master the difference between an enemy you define and an enemy he or she defines. Im certainly not advocating that we open the prison doors and let everybody out. In fact, I feel that there are many types of behavior that can cause a person to yield his or her right to stay in free society. But we need to work intensively with people who break the law; we have to structure our responses in ways that show them that they have value, that we believe in them and that we need them. We must relegate prison to the status of last resort after all other measures have failed. Our ideas of rehabilitation usually revolve around education, job skills, and counseling. But many ex-cons have told me they left prison merely better-educated and skilled criminals. If we forget that in every criminal there is a potential saint, we are dishonoring all of the great spiritual traditions. Saul of Tarsus persecuted and killed Christians before becoming Saint Paul, author of much of the New Testament. Valmiki, the revealer of the Ramayana, was a highwayman, a robber, and a murderer. Milarepa, one of the greatest Tibetan Buddhist gurus, killed thirty- seven people before he became a saint. Moses, who led the Jews out of bondage in Egypt, began his spiritual career by killing an Egyptian. We must remember that even the worst of us can change. Over the past twenty years Ive had the privilege of knowing thousands of people who did horrible things and yet were able to transform their lives. They may not have become saints, but I have seen murderous rage gradually humbled into compassion, lifelong racial bigotry replaced by true brotherhood, and chronic selfishness transformed into committed altruism. The promises of every great spiritual tradition are indeed true: Our deepest nature is good, not evil. For decades our justice system has been run according to the tenets of retributive justice, a model based on exile and hatred. Restorative justice is a far more promising approach. This model holds that when a crime occurs, theres an injury to the community; and that injury needs to be healed. Restorative justice tries to bring the offender back into the community; if at all possible, rather than closing him out. Whereas retributive justice immediately says Get the hell out of here! When someone commits a crime, restorative justice says Hey, get back in here! What are you doing that for? Dont you know we need you as one of the good people in this community? What would your mama think? Its an entirely opposite approach, one that, I think, would result in stronger and safer communities. Im not saying that every offender is ready to be transformed into a good neighbor. Advocates of restorative justice are not naive. Sadly, prisons may be a necessary part of a restorative justice system. But even so, prisons can be environments that maximize opportunities for the inmates to become decent and caring human beings. One of the more powerful initiatives within the restorative justice movement is the creation of victim-offender reconciliation programs (VORPs), which bring offenders and victims face to face. When offenders come out of those meetings you hear them say things like: I feel so ashamed now of what I did, because I never realized how much I affected someone elses life, or I never meant to do that. I was just being selfish. Meanwhile, some of the classic responses from victims are: I really wanted to go in there hating those guys but I discovered theyre just people. They really werent as bad as I thought theyd be, or I was expecting to see someone evil, and in- stead I saw somebody stupid. Such victim-offender interaction humanizes both the injury and the healing process. What can you do? If you become the victim of a crime, insist upon meeting your assailant. Insist upon being involved with the process of his or her restoration. Join or create a VORP in your community. Tour your local jail or prison to see first-hand what your taxes pay for. Go in with a church group or civic group to meet inmates. Become a pen pal to a prisoner who is seeking to change his or her life. Talk to your friends and colleagues about employing ex-cons (in nationwide surveys, most employers admit they wont hire a person with a criminal record, so where are they supposed to work? ). Please reclaim your power and your responsibility, because the retributive system you have deferred to is not serving your best interests. Negative trends can be reversed. True to the maxim that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, intervention programs aim to prevent criminal behavior before it occurs. Whether targeting primary school children or prison inmates, such programs are implemented to curb criminal tendencies. Stiff penalties, such as capital punishment, are a deterrent for many criminals. Individuals who are deterred by little else than these drastic penalties operate at stage one of the preconventional level of morality, outlined by the prominent social psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg. This level of morality deems obedience necessary only as a means for avoiding punishment. Thus, punishment of a violent sort possibly resulting in death is meted out to individuals who habitually engage in violent crime in order to deter other would-be criminals from engaging in similar behavior. Furthermore, in order to identify who commits crimes and why they do it, the study of sociology utilizes age, gender, race, social class, and ethnicity. These features are helpful when breaking down what demographics commit which types of crime. By using this information, sociologists have been able to determine that younger individuals in society are more likely to commit crimes than older ones. They found out that men are more likely to commit a crime than women. A more appropriate example to the study of sociology and crime is that violent crimes are most often perpetrated by poor individuals. White-collar crime is more prevalent among the wealthy, and the laws involved in that sort of crime are less frequently enforced. Studying crime together with sociology is important due to the effects that crime has on society. In addition to the victims of the crime, the rest of society is charged with the responsibility of paying for the incarceration of hundreds of thousands of criminals each year. Crimes against property often have devastating financial impacts on areas of high crime, particularly urban areas filled with low-income individuals unlikely to report crimes committed against them. Studying crime and sociology together seeks to identify why these individuals turn to crime, and it shows how we, as a society, can prevent it. With nearly 300 individuals under the age of 19 incarcerated in federal prisons, learning how to prevent children from turning into lifetime criminals is a current goal of sociologists. Finding alternative rehabilitation facilities is a first step in making sure underage offenders dont perfect their criminal skills while in the presence of career criminals. Undercover operations can be used both to expose criminal behavior as well as to hold individuals accountable for their actions. While police sometimes conduct undercover stings that are focused on rooting out drug dealers or exposing prostitution rings, citizens also can use undercover techniques to record criminal activities within their own communities. Videos of illegal activity that have been posted on online social networking sites have assisted law enforcement officials in prosecuting criminals for their behavior. Keep your finger on the pulse of your community by nurturing relationships with family, neighbors or employees of local businesses. In many respects, citizens are more effectively prepared to combat crime than are seasoned law enforcement officials. Communication is key to the process of crime prevention. Law enforcement officials should be encouraged to create proactive response programs, such as the Amber Alert that is used to report abducted children. By permitting citizens easy access to crime reports, officials can further increase opportunities for volunteer collaboration in reducing the crime rate. In conclusion, since crime does not require any kind of education or work experience, the person who has nothing to lose can easily choose crime as his/her career. Regardless of whether a community engages in a crime prevention program, crime rates may continue to rise if such a program is not implemented wisely. Violent crime as well as non-violent crime should be cause for concern. We have to realize that we are all a part of this problem and so we all must make real changes-not just political ones, but also in our personal attitudes and lifestyles.