Langston Hughes and Alice Walker Essay Example for Free

Langston Hughes and Alice Walker Essay Langston Hughes’ Still Here and Dream Deferred are two poems depicting emotions driven by frustrations in life. These literary works may appear simple, but they both depict the social and political conditions during the time these poems were written. Langston Hughes, a renowned writer during the Harlem Renaissance, is famous for his works on social class and race relations in America. His poem Dream Deferred, as the title suggests, describes various detrimental effects frustration can bring to a person. Literary tools used were imagery, similes, and metaphors in question form to suggest these detrimental effects. In the poem, effects are described as the raisin in the sun, like a sore that festers, like a stinking rotten meat, and like a heavy load. The two poems by Langston both expressed the social and political conditions in his time and its implications to the lives of the African-Americans, then. During Langston’s time, African-American exercised limited rights that may have hindered them from attaining their dreams in life. Langston sees that this problem has caused great pain to the unfulfilled person and to the people surrounding him. The short story Everyday Use by Alice Walker, on the other hand, discusses how culture and heritage should be valued and recognized, specifically that of the African-Americans. Alice Walker, an American writer, like Langston, also writes about race and gender relations. Her short story illustrated the conflict in appreciating the African-American culture by presenting the redefined and the practical ways of doing this. The writer made use of the quilt as the representation of the culture and heritage of the African-American. The quilt, seen as the product of quilting, is said to be the refined way of seeing its worth while knowing the process of quilting represents the practical way and more meaningful way of appreciating the culture and heritage. The story suggests that heritage and culture should not be equated to tangible things and should be understood thoroughly to see its worth. Langston and Walker, through their works, showed how African-Americans feel and what their personal struggles are in two different scenarios. Indeed, their works never failed to provide inspiration to those who can relate. References: Hughes, L. (1951). Dream Deferred. Retrieved May 5, 2009, 2009, from http://www. poemhunter. com/i/ebooks/pdf/langston_hughes_2004_9. pdf Hughes, L. Still Here. Retrieved May 5, 2009, from http://www. poemhunter. com/i/ebooks/pdf/langston_hughes_2004_9. pdf Walker, A. (1973). Everyday Use. Retrieved May 5, 2009, from http://xroads. virginia. edu/~ug97/quilt/walker. html

The Effect of Gangs in the Community

The Effect of Gangs in the Community How to define a gang has always been a matter of controversy. The relationship of the gang to its local community and the salience of race have been at the heart of academic and popular differences on the nature of gangs., according to the Gang Research. In the current essay I would like to describe the effects of gangs in the community and the effects of community policing. These two issues are important and cause many problems in society. Nowadays, the effect of gangs in community is negative and annoys people. People are disturbed by the groups of people trying to harm the society. Modern society faces many different problems, including terrorism and gangsters. People unite and form groups of particular interests, forming the gang. Gang is a group of people engaged in banditry. Gangsters are the people in the criminal law that have committed one of the most dangerous crimes against the foundations of public administration and society, as described in Gangs and their effect on community.  Criminal laws of various states do not always provide special offense thuggery, but many countries are close to this type of crime compounds (burglary, various kinds of violent acts, etc.).   Banditry actions Often there are referred to banditry actions of the various armed rebel groups and wars. For example, the used phrases like Chechen bandits, gang Makhno, etc. Use of the term among the bandits against members of such groups was intended to provide them common criminals rather than political opponents. It is also necessary to  note that participants in such anti-government groups may, together with political objectives and goals pursue personal enrichment (through robberies, ransom for the hostages, etc.), as stated in Gang research. The gang often refers to organized street gangs controlling a territory or a hood (neighborhood).  Street gangs are probably the most famous Bloods, MS-13, and Crips from South Central Los Angeles.  Members of street gangs are black with large majorities, followed by Latinos and Slavs.  They come from poor neighborhoods in North America and Central America.  Bloods and Crips have been the subject of many Hollywood movies depicting the life of gangster in Los Angeles.  Colors, with Dennis Hopper and Sean Penn are one of the first of its kind.  Other fraternities such as motorcycle clubs like the Hells Angels and the criminal organizations (Sicilian Mafia, Chinese triads and Japanese yakuza) are often referred to as gangs.  The first gangs emerged in Los Angeles in the black ghettos and then in other major cities like New York and Chicago, but Toronto and Montreal in Canada, to name a few.  Community negatively perceives the existence of the gangs and tries to avoid the m. The majority think that this problem has to be more effectively controlled by the government, as stated in Gangs and their effect on community. Environment and gang activity Quite often in environments suffering socially and economically provide gang members (mostly youth) a sense of belonging and protection against other gangs. Through this ritual, the violent practices of dress codes, a code of honor   Often where the prospects of gainful employment are low, gangs provide illegal means of earning a living.  Such as trafficking in narcotics or stolen property, extortion, assault They are very diverse and different, and sometimes become targets of choice for some ideological and extreme beliefs, which influence and motivate them, as described in Gang research. Unfortunately, innocent people can get caught in the crosshairs, so all those who live in the community where a gang is present are in greater danger as a result of the affect of the gang on their society., according to the Gang Research. Gangs in New York In the U.S., the term gang used for a street gang, back in the 1860s formed such criminal organizations, such as the Irish Boodles in New York City.  Pushed by the waves of immigration increased the formation of ethnically based street gangs.  In these Big Five were called classic bands, the Irishmen organized in the Whyos, Hudson Dusters, or Gophers, Italians in the Five Points Gang and Eastern European Jews in the Eastman Gang.  After 1900, there were essentially only the Eastman and Five Points left, as described in Gangs in America.   Almost all of these Big Five were from politicians of the Tammany Hall secured; gangs such as the Eastman Gang and the Whyos offered illegal services for a price list.  However, the Mafia and the Camorra in New York City had come.  About the Black Hand Gang, the Unione Sicilian was undermined.  The over-controlled Italian voices were certainly of interest of Tammany Hall, as stated in Gang research.  Funded by the alcohol prohibition were formed out of the five clans today known as La Cosa Nostra American Mafia, also called the Five Families.  Accordingly, it came to the dissolution of traditional street gangs of New York City to 1920.  While this entry focuses gangs in the United States, gangs are a recognized feature of urban life in areas as diverse as Johannesburg, Rio de Janiero, Paris, and Hong Kong., according to the official data. Gangs in Los Angeles A hotbed of banditry in the U.S., the city of Los Angeles, California.  In particular, the district South Los Angeles is the most dangerous region of town.  Here you fight the Bloods and Crips, the 38th Street Gang, the 18th Street Gang, the Mara Salvatrucha, the mutually Florencia 13 and other gangs.  In addition, there are always conflicts between African Americans and Latinos, as stated in Gangs in America.  All these gangs lay claim to a particular territory and have their own distinctive mark, such as colors, clothing, tattoos, hand signs and graffiti.  Historically, returns the current path from Los Angeles to increasing conflicts between blacks and whites in the course of the 1940s.  At that time, many blacks moved to Los Angeles, but could find no ghettos in the then appropriate accommodation.  The attempt from the break ghetto and to purchase in other parts of the city housing, put the local white residents against strong segregation efforts, ranging in some ca ses up to the inclusion of racial restrictions in the land book and much of the city for non-whites out of reach made.  Only in the south and southwest, where the residential areas of the lower middle class were white, blacks still could not find housing, but also here met with the resistance, as stated in Effects of Gangs. Mid to late 1940s was against this background, black residents from the borders of the Central Avenue-ghettos terrorized by gangs of white youths as the Spookhunters. In return, were founded the first black gangs like the businessmen, Slauson or flips, which are often offered the only protection against racist attacks, but also constitute a cultural or social home, as described in Gang research. Mark Twain on Gangs In his 1884 classic Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain described the elaborate oath that the imaginative Tom Sawyer creates for members of his potential gang. Now well start this band of robbers and call it Tom Sawyers Gang. Everybody that wants to join has got to take an oath, and write his name in blood., as stated in the Chapter 2. In Huckleberry Finn. This shows the simple way of the creation of a gang, and the consequences can be much more complicated for both- the society and members of the gang. Todays members of the gang are criminals and they can not be distinguished in their actions from the other criminals. Community relation to Gangs Some people believe that the gangs have become a permanent feature of the urban landscape around the world, as described in Gang Research. Community strives to do anything possible to prevent gang crimes, to make the life safes and to create foundations that will be able to protect them. In the modern world cooperation and communication on the topic of gangs in extremely important, as today the number of crimes is very high and people feel less safe each day. Without the cooperation of the community and police it will be very difficult to protect the families and to live in safety. As a fact, an unsupervised lower-class peer group, with leadership, structure, and adherence to a local territory is formed in the society and make the living even more difficult and unforeseen, as described in Addressing Community Gang Problems. People are disturbed and nervous because of the gangs present in the cities, as these local groups are capable to do anything from the theft to murder. Scary stories about them and no clear changes of the government considering the gangs have not changes the situation for the better. The Effects of Community Policing The concept of community police officers (called Community Policing and Neighborhood Policing) is based on the assumption that an effective fight against crime and antisocial behavior requires close cooperation between the Police and members of the community.   Community Policing is both a philosophy and an organizational strategy that allows police and community residents to work closely together in new ways to solve the problems of crime, fear of crime, physical and social disorders, and neighborhood decay., as stated in The Effects of Community Policing and Technology on Index Crime Clearance Rates. Assumptions concept. The concept of community police patrols involves increasing the number of pedestrians  Police officers (and other similar services), they should be the members of the communities in which they work.  Building mutual trust and faith in the rule of law continues in through the establishment of direct contacts with the people-police should be open to citizens by showing patience, understanding and willingness to help, even if you entrusted to the problems have no direct connection with the violation of the law.  Conceptually, the police officer has to be more a sort of friend than a civil servant and representative government.  You can then count on the active participation of community members in efforts to combat crime.   The man goals of the community policing are: to bring community resources together to solve problems, decrease fear of crime, to listen to and address citizen concerns, to increase public confidence in the Police Department, to impact specific crime problems, and educate the public about its Police Department. Social scientists have differed on whether or not gangs necessarily exhibit criminal and delinquent activity. Some hold that gangs are fundamentally the product of delinquent subcultures; others believe gangs are a response to social disorganization. The United States National Youth Gang Center reports there are about 25,000 gangs in the United States, with nearly three quarters of a million members., according to the Gang Research. In the past, the view prevailed that the task of the Police is merely react-in a manner provided by law-the fact of the crime (the repressive function).  There was allowed only interference with pathology.  Today, there are beliefs that the role of police is not only to ensure safety, but also to concern for the quality of community life.  The first step should be here to determine the needs (problems) given community (for example, homelessness, importunate begging, alcohol abuse), and then preparing and implementing programs tailored to these specific needs.  It is desirable here also active as organizing talks drugs or encouraging young people to play sports. Community Policing (the police public service), and neighborhood policing (neighborhood) is a strategy and philosophy of policing based on the belief that the cooperation and support of the public can contribute to the control of crime.  The public can help identify what is suspicious and police have focused on existing problems.  The community ahs to become involved in the life of humanity, as there can be presented many crimes with the help of cooperation. Strategy When using the strategy of community policing officers and police departments, they are regarded as part of the public.  Cities and countries that have adopted this philosophy, directed more than traditional police departments to the concept of policing as a public service.  Community policing is usually more in the emphasis on walking patrol activity than that the police checked the place and also visited them in cars.  The basic idea is to build confidence and a sense of reciprocity between the police and the public.  This approach requires that the police were helpful, impartial and sensitive to the interests and concerns of others, and there is also known as a new form of police work. Although the police disagrees with the complainant (the developer), they should try to understand this problem.  The police would have to show empathy and participation, but not to be enrolled in the automatic way.  The police must also improve their planning, problem solving, organizati on, interpersonal communication, and most importantly in critical thinking, as described in Gangs, Gang membership, and comprehensive strategies.   A change in its police service to the public is how the police can identify what is truly high-quality service and how it subsequently provided to the public.  In the past, police always respond only to specific problems, and do so quite peculiar way and did not pay almost no attention to the proactive approach.  For this, the work of the police today is truly effective, and there is the need to:  take seriously the needs of the public, take into account the needs of police actions and programs, which are then focused on the public. It is in this sense that the police are becoming more receptive to public needs and can also better understand how their work has an impact on society.  It is said that this philosophy is created by Tom Potter, former police chief in Portland, Oregon, when a young policeman patrolling activities are performed.  Other legends were Sir Robert Peel, who came up with nine principles, on whom stands a modern police work. Community policing Community policing- are the social attitudes in a system of relationships between people, the rules of mutual behavior and dormitories, the applicable laws, customs and traditions, and moral norms.  Public order is a whole set of systems of social relations, which develops as a result of social norms: law, morality, norms of public organizations, non-legal norms of customs, traditions and rituals. Public order and public safety are the main objects of protection in the work of the interior.  The socio-legal categories, covering specific sphere of social relations, are characterized by a number of features that define the content of the activities of internal affairs for the protection (security) of these relations, as described in The Effects of Community Policing and Technology on Index Crime Clearance Rates.   First, public order and safety apply to all citizens without exception, and from birth until death.  Second, public order and public security tend to focus on elementary actions, deeds and rules of human behavior.  They occur openly and publicly, and usually they are understood by others.  Third, public order and safety are governed by the law as well as other social and technical norms (morality, customs, traditions, and even fashion).  Fourth, in the sphere of public order and safety annually there are made a huge number of offenses, the tens of millions.  And all offenders, and that much of the population, one way or another can be subjected to the forced exposure of the police.  Fifth, in the field of public order and safety there is circulation of objects and subjects of high risk: the acquisition, storage, use, transportation and civil service firearms, explosive and highly toxic substances, radioactive isotopes, etc. Therefore, licensing and permitting activities o f the Interior  exercising state supervision and control in this area, allows preventing and suppressing the violation of the rules and thereby minimizing the occurrence of serious implications, as a rule, in violation of relevant rules, standards and requirements.  Sixth, with the sphere in question that is closely connected with such dangerous anti-social phenomena as drug addiction, alcoholism, prostitution, vagrancy and begging. That is why, in some cities there are special units, the so-called morality police.  Seventh, in the sphere of public order and public safety are regularly held various mass public events with a large concentration of people in different rooms or in a limited area, which often poses a threat to life and health, the normal functioning of organizations.  These include political (rallies, marches, demonstrations), economic (picketing, hunger strikes), cultural and entertainment (festivals, concerts, days, cities), sports (Olympics, football and hock ey competitions), religious and other public events.  Their implementation requires a great deal of organizational work of the interior, bringing order to ensure order and security of considerable forces and means of the police and interior troops. Community policing is described as the state of social relations, which enforced the law and other legal rules, one of the components of the social order.  This is the state of the actual settlement of social relationships, qualitative expression of the rule of law.  In addition to compliance with the law enforcement in society, it is ensured by the customs, norms and morals, the internal rules of organization, etc. The rule of law is characterized by a level of legality in the state and the degree of realization of the rights and freedoms of citizens, as well as their performance of public authorities and duties conferred by law, as stated in The Effects of Community Policing and Technology on Index Crime Clearance Rates.   Solving the crimes in the local areas has always been challenging. When community policing is practiced in conjunction with some investigation variables, it has significant mixed (positive and negative) interaction effects on murder and robbery clearance rates., as described in The Effects of Community Policing and Technology on Index Crime Clearance Rates. Nowadays, technology has positive effects in investigation and in doing the corresponding research.   Positive interaction effect with community policing on different issues is beneficial for the society. Proper management of the situation and involvement of people who care about their safety is helping a lot, when the case is connected with the gangs. There is created a framework and the detection of crimes becomes more real and much quicker, and as well, this helsp to pertain to terrorism and national security Structure of Community policing Structure of the Community policing are the  legal organization of society (laws and legitimize their government agencies and non-state actors and citizens);  relationship and communication in society;  and certain (normative) order of these relationships and bonds (clear definition of the status of members of their subjective rights and legal duties, powers).   Community policing can be classified according to the territorial coverage (the rule of law in the state, city, etc.), as well as branches of law and legal coverage (constitutional, administrative, financial, etc.), according to U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented policing Services.   Classifications of the community policing: Symptoms: to allocate the following signs of enforcement:  Certainty.  Community policing is based on specific formal-legal regulations.  System: community policing is a system of relations based on a single essence of law, the prevailing form of ownership, the system of economic relations and provides a unified force of state power.  Organization: community policing occurs when there are organizing activities of the state, its bodies. State warranty: the existing rule of law is guaranteed by the state, protects them from violations.  Stability: arising under state law and ensures the rule of law is quite stable. Unity: based on common political and legal principles that will ensure the unity of the state and the rule of law, order for the whole country.  All these components are equally guaranteed by the state, any of the violations are considered violations and repressed by state coercion. It is obvious that the gangs affect the community in different ways, as it depends on where a person lives. According to the survey done by the  National Criminal Justice Reference Service, the specific results of a 2008 show that the gangs in the community cause: rise in violent crime and  drug  related arrests and rise in robbery and  homicide  cases, as described in Effects of Gangs. Considering these facts, there is a considering influence from the gangs on community, especially there is a negative effect, which leads to the increased crime and also to the higher risk for the people to get hurt. The gangs make people feel danger and insecurity in the community, as no one can protect people from the gangs if the measures are not taken. Conclusion All in all, it can be said that there are many issues that disturb the society and there is a considerable influence from the gangs. The effects of gangs in the community and the effects of community policing take place in the society, but there have to be taken more proper measures to ensure safety and living in comfort for the people. As a fact, the best way is to eliminate the groups of people who harm the society. Consequently, there has to be tighter cooperation between the community and police, there has to be developed the new of communication, etc. There have to be present the newest technologies that will allow police to take proper actions and to know everything in advance. Nowadays, the importance of the national security has become one of the main issues, as different circumstances lead people to committing different crimes, either in groups or individually. This problem has to be revised at the state level and its importance does not have to be underestimated under any c ircumstances.

Regeneration Schemes in Detroit Michigan

Regeneration Schemes in Detroit Michigan As a result of increased mobility, cities are constantly changing. People move in from towns and rural areas and become concentrated in urban ones and then the pattern reverses and the move is from the urban to the rural, creating semi-cities. This growth of the suburbs has seen the decline of the urban core. As a result, the urban dynamic is no longer one of expansion, but of shrinkage. An example of the suburban movement can be seen in the Shrinking Cities in the USA where the suburban population increased by 12% in the period from 1970 to 1977 whereas the central city population decreased by 4.6% (Holcomb and Beauregard, 1981). This has lead to a change in the cities, where the suburbs of the middle-class and jobs (factories/offices) are key elements and the inner cities have been abandoned (Sassen, 1991). The drastic changes in cities caused by shrinking presents not only an economic and social, but also a cultural challenge. Shrinking cities oppose the image of the boomtown- a b ig city characterised by constant economic and demographic growth. The American Dream of prosperity for all meant that cities like Detroit and New Orleans grew to be vibrant, bustling cities but as a result of two totally different issues- one economic and one a natural disaster- they became shrinking cities which have had to find ways of regenerating. Detroit, Michigan developed from 1900 as the centre of the global auto industry. In 1930, it was the fourth largest city in the United States and grew to a population of 1.8 million by 1950. Its fortunes turned after World War II and by the end of 1950s, the movement to the suburbs had already begun. From 1950 to 2000, Detroits population plummeted, as factory after factory closed and its economic condition steadily worsened. As white-collar employment moved to the suburbs along with large parts of the citys middle class, office buildings, retail corridors in downtown and elsewhere were neglected and abandoned. The remaining population was poorer, and more highly dependent on public services that the city could no longer afford to provide. One of the main reasons for shrinkage is the de-industrialisation process where factories move to other destinations where production costs are cheaper and/or global economic factors that have a devastating effect on one industry i.e. the car indus try. The exodus of mainly white inhabitants into the suburbs was a cause of the decay of Detroits inner city. Next the automotive factories and shopping malls began to follow the people beyond the citys administrative borders. Detroit has become a byword for economic decline and urban decay. By 2000, the city had shrunk to 950,000 residents, while the surrounding suburban population grew to nearly 4 million. Today, Detroits population is around 800,000, less than half its 1950 population. Over 40 square miles is made up of vacant land, and between 30,000 and 50,000 buildings sit empty. Almost one-third of the land is empty or unused and nearly 80,000 homes are vacant. Unemployment in Detroit stands at 28 % and compared against USAs 100 largest metropolitan regions, Detroit finishes last. The image above is an aerial view of a mostly vacant neighborhood in downtown Detroit. It illustrates the loss of social fabric and the consequent issue of safety associated with an abandoned neighborhood. When a population shrinks, the decline is not evenly spread across the city, causing more problems- Detroits tagline is Murder City of the World. Without sufficient concentrations of people, not only is the provision of normal municipal services extremely expensive, but urban life itself begins to break down. There are not enough customers to support the neighborhood stores and services, or even to provide a sense of community. Empty streets become unsafe and abandoned buildings become haunts for drug dealers and other criminals. (Rybeczynski 1995 pp36-44) Whilst Detroit shrank as a result of economic forces, New Orleans contraction was caused almost entirely by Hurricane Katrina. In August 2005 80% of the city was flooded, with some parts under 15 feet (4.5m) of water. More than half of its residents left the city as a result of the storm. Most of the major roads travelling into and out of the city were damaged. As of October 2006, the population of New Orleans had dropped by almost 60% from 455,000 people pre-storm to 187,500 post-storm. Hurricane Katrina hit the most underprivileged members of society who inhabited the most susceptible areas-these areas were populated by poor African Americans. (Griffith M. 2006). The storm and its aftermath devastated tens of thousands of already struggling people. But three years later it is growing rapidly and has become one of the countrys fastest growing cities. Its population is up 8.2% in the 12 months that ended July 1, 2008, gaining 23,740 people to 311,853, according to the US Census Burea u, 2008. So how has New Orleans managed to overcome its devastating problems and turn itself into a modern day boom town? Why has it taken Detroit so much longer to come to terms with its problems? Urban shrinkage is a fairly normal global phenomenon (Oswalt quoted in Detroit is Not Alone, Dec. 10, 2003 Collins L.). Oswalt does not see shrinkage as a harmful thing. In reality, he sees the shrunken city as an empty canvas for planners, architects and artists to develop innovative and improved ways of living. Detroit is not better or worse than other places, says Oswalt. Its just different. The question is not whether Detroit is a shrinking city or a city in decline. The fact is that it will be a far smaller city, in terms of population, than in the past. If Detroit could manage to boost its economy, there is still a fundamental issue -it is just too big for itself. Detroit has to change because it simply cant manage as it is. The city grew to accommodate two million people, not the 800,000 that live there today. Can a smaller Detroit become a stronger, healthier, and more sustainable Detroit? Detroit has far more land than it needs to accommodate its people. It needs to look at its land uses to create smaller, better functioning, more sustainable and interconnected liveable communities (AIA Report 2008). A new compact development pattern based on an urban core and a network of urban villages linked by roads and roadways will not only allow for more efficient and cost effective delivery of public services, but will encourage public transportation, provide opportunities for diverse, mixed income communities, and create long term environmental benefit by reducing vehicle use and fostering transit and land use efficiency. In other words it needs to right size. Schematic representation of future urban form concept for Detroit (AIAs R/UDAT (Regional and Urban Design Assistance Team) Katz and Bradley writing in the New Republic 2009 suggest that the new Detroit might be a patchwork of newly dense neighborhoods, large and small urban gardens, art installations, and old factories transformed into adventure parks. The Detroit River waterfront area is already being restored and a land bank has been established where the authorities commission vacant and derelict properties and start clearing the land. They can then decide what to do with it- a small park, handing it over to a resident or community group for tending, redevelopment or just green space. Detroit already has hundreds of community gardens and a growing number of small agricultural operations. When the centre depopulates, nature enters the city and replaces the people. This combination of natural and artificial ecology gave me the idea of Urban Ecologya city is an organism rather than a machine. (Park K. 2005). These urban agriculture schemes will employ thousands of residents, as well as improve their health. By increasing consumption of locally produced food the Citys carbon footprint is reduced and existing food processors and distributors in Detroit gain additional business opportunities. Detroit needs to fill the jobs gap by educating and empowering all the diverse groups. It needs to create jobs that all residents can access-these urban farms would help. New Orleans started its regeneration in full view of the world. The disaster affected the locals but the nation, as a whole, were on trial to get the rebuilding programme right .The city received help from Federal and State governments as well as thousands of volunteers who wanted to see the city emerge stronger and better. Approximately $109 billion was allocated towards the recovery, with housing a priority-without housing for returning families, workers, and new temporary workers then businesses would close and the economy would worsen. The Regional Transport Authority provided free transport. There was a worldwide thrust to get New Orleans city quickly rebuilt. It worked, as was stated earlier; it has become one of the countrys fastest growing cities. The storm was devastating but it didnt destroy the citys strong musical heart: musicians returned and the music scene- essential to New Orleans identity- is on the road to recovery. Relief efforts started to help New Orleans musicia ns after the storm. The New Orleans Musicians Clinic began a Foundation to help musicians replace their instruments and return to their homes. After the initial crisis passed, its efforts centred on giving musical instruments to schools for the next generation of musicians. In fact the Sweet Home New Orleans Foundation raised more than $2 million to help musicians. The American dream was once again awoken in New Orleans- working together to achieve a better, richer, and happier city for its people. Race is an issue in both cities-both have a highly segregated community living in a concentrated area. Detroit needs to create a sustainable community where all the community value the land, work towards finding economic opportunities that are environmentally responsible and socially just, and create viable, healthy communities that are shared by all people, of all economic levels and racial or ethnic backgrounds. In 1955, during its famous period of being the Motor City, the car company, General Motors, arrogantly influenced the city governing body to have the citys tramlines torn up. Their logic was that the workers earned enough to buy cars and enough money to use them to travel. Today, there is hardly any local public transport-this has to be a priority. The people of Detroit want their city to be alive again. Many initiatives and projects have started and new investment has begun to flow into the centre of downtown and there are signs of a slow recovery. Initiatives include: Back a Bike- encouraging and enthusing the young to use cycles for transport and leisure, Cass Corridor Neighbourhood Development Corporation where community partnerships work together to acquire abandoned buildings and renovate them. The Earthworks Urban Farm uses volunteers to educate Detroit school children in science, nutrition and biodiversity through organic farming. Detroit Summer is another highly successful scheme where students from the University of Michigan and volunteers from both inside and outside of Detroit work on rejuvenating parks, designing art works, poetry workshops and progressive hip hop events- the sounds of Motown returning! There is a Motown Museum in the original Hitsville USA studio on West Grand Boulevard, but the city hasnt really built on its famous musical past. The Denver Film Centre is one of many groups that offer regular filmmaking classes and workshops-Detroit itself has been used many times as a location for Hollywood films. Maybe if Detroit had been savaged by a hurricane and submerged by a voracious flood then maybe the rest of the USA and the world would help and support it? Can it ever return to being a city once the living proof of the American dreams? Compared to New Orleans, Detroit has received minimal government aid-$18.4 billion. The local government continues to argue over its fate and there is no cohesive policy that unites all. To date the energy and financial commitment needed to help grasp any vision of urbanity is sorely lacking. The city is fragmented and if its allowed to die, then it would be an American nightmare. Bibliography AIAs R/UDAT (Regional and Urban Design Assistance Team) 2008 Collins L., Detroit is Not Alone http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=5718 Griffith M., Hurricane Katrina: The Catastrophe that Uncovered Americas Race and Class Issues, Tulane University Graduate Paper, 2006 Holcomb and Beauregarde, Revitalising Cities, Washington, DC: Association of American Geographers, 1981 Katz B., Bradley J., The Detroit Project, A plan for solving Americas greatest urban disaster, 2009 Liu, Fellowes, Mabanta, Katrina Index: Tracking Variables of Post-Katrina Recovery, Washington Brookings Institution. 2006. Oswalt P. et al, The Shrinking City Volume 2,Hatje Cantz Publishers 2006 Oswalt P. et al, The Shrinking City Volume 2,Hatje Cantz Publishers 2006 Park K. et al Urban Ecology: Detroit and Beyond MAP Book Publishers 2005 Richardson J. Whats Needed for Post-Hurricane Recovery, Washington: The Financial Services Roundtable, 2006 Rybezynzski W. Downsizing To Make Cities Work Better, Make Smaller, The Atlantic Monthly (October 1995 Washington DC) pp36-40 Rybezynski W. City Life Diane Publishing Company 1995 Sassen S. The Global City Princeton University Press 1991 US Census Bureau www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/013960.html

Comparing Womens and Mens Fears in Frankenstein and Pet Sematary Essa

Comparing Women's and Men's Fears in Frankenstein and Pet Sematary      Ã‚   Childbirth and the resulting mother/child relationship are realities for women that leave plenty of room for anxiety. It is no wonder, then, that these themes of birth and motherhood should be featured prominently in women's horror. In contrast, men's horror tends not to focus on these fears, but, instead, focuses on the act of intercourse (the nuts and bolts of making a baby) and the man's fear of the woman's strange childbearing power. In comparing women's and men's fears on these subjects, one can see what fuels resulting horror texts.    In Frankenstein by Mary Shelly a man gives birth which is very curious when considering Frankenstein as a feminist text. The male mother in this text can be read in different ways. One reading of the phenomena could be man's attempt to control nature can have dire consequences. Upon closer reading, however, one can see that by having a male protagonist in the situation of life-giver, Shelly was allowed to make her fears known to her male contemporaries and at the same time explore her own fears concerning birthing and raising a healthy, productive child.    Mary's focus on the birth process allowed men to understand female fears about pregnancy and reassured women that they were not alone with their anxieties. The story expresses Mary's deepest fears; What of my child is born deformed? Could I still love it or would I wish it were dead? What if I can't love my child? Am I capable of raising a healthy, normal child? Will my child die? Could I wish my own child to die? Will my child kill me in childbirth? Mary was expressing her fears related to the death of her first child, her abilit... ... of making a child-the aspect of child bearing that they are most directly responsible for. For men birthing and the relationship between mother and child are foreign and consequently characterize what men are afraid of: "the Other."    Works Cited and Consulted Abrams, M. H., ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 6th ed. Vol. 1. New York: Norton, 1993 Botting, Fred. Making monstrous. Frankenstein, criticism, theory. Manchester University Press, 1991. Boyd, Stephen. York Notes on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Longman York Press, 1992. King, Stephen. Pet Sematary. New York: Signet, 1984. Mellor, Anne K. Mary Shelley. Her Life, her Fiction, her Monsters. Methuen. New York, London, 1988. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus. Edited with an Introduction and notes by Maurice Hindle. Penguin books, 1992   

Scarlet Letter Essay :: essays research papers

"To be fully human is to balance the heart, the mind, and the spirit.'; One could suggest the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, that one should not violate the sanctity of the human heart. Hester was well ahead of her time, and believed that love was more important than living in a lie. Dimmesdale’s theology and his inclinations render him almost incapable of action; Chillingsworth dammed himself, along with Dimmesdale. Hester was “frank with [Chillingsworth].'; Hester’s real sin, which she admits in her first interview with Chillingsworth, was to marry the old man. Neither loved each other. Hawthorne appeared to hint that Hester married him because of social and economic necessity; he appeared to have married her because he though she would bring a little life into his existence. The matter appeared doomed in Hawthorne’s eyes, and unnatural. Hester doomed herself when she married Chillingsworth, certified that doom when she committed adultery, and finalized that doom when she concealed Chillingsworth’s identity from Dimmesdale. The effects these events had were the separation from her society, her lover, her husband, her child, and her own best self. She did it all in the name of sanctity, for true love, and she paid the price. Dimmesdale was changed by the affair in a way that “ [he] grew emaciated; his voice, though still rich and sweet had a [tone] of decay.'; As a believing Puritan, Dimmesdale saw himself as “predestined'; for damnation. Hawthorne explained how the poor man “kept silent by the very constitution of [his] nature.'; Dimmesdale wanted to be with Hester, but he was weak. Hawthorne spoke about Dimmesdale’s bloody scourge in his closet, and how he beat himself with it. Hawthorne seemed to suggest that Dimmesdale’s “real existence on [earth] was the anguish of his inmost soul.'; Chillingsworth was a leech of evil, and Dimmesdale was his host. Chillingsworth continuously tried to get a confession from Dimmesdale: “No-not to [you]-an earthly physician.'; Chillingsworth sin was by far the greatest, as Dimmesdale stated: “That old man’s revenge has been blacker than my sin. He has violated, in cold blood, the sanctity of the human heart.'; This being the “unpardonable sin.'; One should not violate the godliness of a pure heart. Hester was a radical woman in her time, more like a 20th century woman. She knew that true love was more important than a phony, love-less marriage.

Border-Fencing-a Needed Necessity Or a Wanted Necessity? Essay

Many people don’t believe that Border-Fencing is needed, while others do feel it is necessary that Border-Fencing be put in place. Border-Fencing is needed due to all the jobs being taken by illegal immigrants. Building the fence would help keep illegal immigrants out and would create jobs.The southern border of the United States is shared with Mexico and spans almost 2,000 miles. In 2011, at a debate over immigration, one Republican presidential candidate signed a pledge to build double fencing for the full length of the Mexico border. However, Rick Perry of Texas, where 1,200 miles of the 2,000 miles exists, was quoted as saying, â€Å"†¦building a border-length fence would take 10-15 years and $30 million, and wouldn’t be cost-effective.† Adversaries of the Border-Fencing dispute that constructing and keeping up a fence through even the most isolated or hostile terrain could cost billions of dollars and maybe not even affect illegal crossings. They also i nclude in their argument that they feel that law enforcement would tend to get comfortable in their patrolling. Thinking that the Border-Fencing would be enough to keep out illegal immigrants trying to cross over into the U.S.. Some drug runners and smugglers will find ways to get through the Border-Fencing, if they can’t go over they will try to go under. Illegal immigrants are a growing concern for much of the U.S. Many of these immigrants are receiving government benefits even without proper documentation or proof. They are being provided low-income housing, welfare, medical benefits, able to work without a green card or Social Security number as well as many other things americans get. All these things ar e costing taxpayers thousands of dollars each year, making it difficult for American citizens to find work, causing crime rate to go up in cities across America. Medical costs are increasing each year as a result of illegal immigration making medical benefits and coverage harder for a legitimate taxpayer to support. Our prisons and jails are becoming overcrowded as America’s population both illegal and legal continues to grow. Some illegal immigrants are able to stay if they are are caught because they meet the requirements for DREAM. Dreamers is a term given to unauthorized immigrants who qualify for Obama’s DREAM ACT-DEVELOPMENT, RELIEF, and EDUCATION for ALIEN MINORS. Dreamers are both Mexican and non-Mexican illegal immigrants and they are found in almost every state in  the U.S. According to the American Immigrant Council the largest Dreamers population is found mostly in California and Texas. Under the Dream Act, Dreamers between the ages of 15 and 30 who have lived on American soil for at least five years in a row, are enrolled in high school or have a diploma or GED, no felony convictions, or served in the military are immediately eligible for â€Å"deferred action†. Dreamers between the ages of five and 14 will be eligible at some point if â€Å"deferred action† is still available. Only in America, can illegal immigrants open and own their own businesses. With this occurring, Americans are finding jobs that used to be readily available for them are now only being offered to other illegal immigrants causing legitimate citizens to file for unemployment, and finding they are unable to financially take care of themselves and their families.

Exegesis on Job 42:1-17

In the passage of Job 42:1-6 there appears to be an interpretation of a divine speech to be supported by Job's response. There also occurs to be a conclusion about Job's debate with God as Job acts humbly in acknowledging his presumption about God. God, however, acts displeased by Job and his friends because of Job's friends presumptions about God as they didn't speak about God in the â€Å"right† way. When Job gets confronted by God, he surrenders, yet acts without sorrow. One may question the response that Job had towards God in verses 1-6 as he acted in a peculiar unexpected manner. In most reactions towards God there comes a reaction of fear; however Job seemed calm with his reactions towards God. Job doesn't have a proper response to God in verse 4 he says that â€Å"I will question you, and you will declare me. † In the form criticism of the text the verses 1-6 are being presented as a form of prayer to the Lord. Job never says that he was wrong to question God's justice. Job feigns submission and accepts that he will never get a straight answer from God. Source criticism is being used as the verses in three and four, Job quotes the Lord's words which were also used previously in Job 38:2-3 and uses them to make his surrender appear to be in defence to God's power. Job's true attitude however is revealed in verse six â€Å"therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes. † In the NRSV translation of this verse reflects the traditional view that Job is confessing to his sin in challenging God's justice. In most Bible translations and commentators there is a twist in verse 6 to make Job's speech an acknowledgement of sin in challenging God. There is textual criticism being presented in comparison to the original Hebrew text, though, the Hebrew text allows for a variety of translations; most of which render Job's words as anything but a confession. The verb â€Å"I despise myself† (Hebrew: 'emas) is not a reflexive form. Its other occurrences are all rendered as a simple verb â€Å"I hate/ regret†. The second Hebrew verb, nikhamti, has been translated as â€Å"repent† but other uses of the verb argue for a meaning of â€Å"rue/regret†, usually the word is not associated with sin, but with a change of mind or with finding comfort. Thus, a more accurate rendering of the verse might read: â€Å"I reject and regret dust and ashes. † Or in alternative, clearer translations which have been suggested, such as: â€Å"Therefore I retract and change my mind, being but dust and ashes†, or â€Å"I yield, and am comforted, being but dust and ashes†. Job is therefore not sorry for confronting God. Instead he seems to be accepting that God will never give him what he wants: an apology. However, how could anyone expect an apology from a supreme power as divine as God? Job has had a life-transforming visitation with God (Job 42:5): the god whom Job worshipped, based on what he had heard of him, has now made himself known through a face-to-face encounter. Job had earlier expressed his belief that he would see God at the future resurrection (19:25-27); that expectation was brought forward in an unexpected way. One can thus imagine the scene as Job having presented his case for why he should not be suffering, God then responds to Job by asking, â€Å"What exactly is it that you think you know? (38:1-41:34), and Job then expresses his satisfaction â€Å"with the humble knowledge that his sufferings were all part of the purposes of God†¦ even if he could not understand those purposes with his finite mind†. It is simply incredible to realise that Job was proved correct in his righteousness and assessment of the situation (42:7-8); thus, he offers no admission of wrongdoing, despite the more traditional exegesis of this passage. Instead, God challenges the bad theology and counsel of Job's friends and requires their confession to and submission before Job. Job's prayer for them brings forgiveness from God (:9). This is a complete reversal of our expectations for this story of suffering. In verse seven, God admits that Job was correct in accusations against the deity. The Lord tells Eliphaz that he and the other two friends have incurred God's anger and that they were wrong in what they said about God to Job. One wonders if God's anger derives not from the friends' statements about God but, rather, from their failure to minister to Job in his time of need. There original intentions were admirable they came to console and comfort (2:11) Job. Unfortunately they let their fears, instead of compassion guide their actions. The friends' first response was their silence. Whatever their sin to avoid divine punishment they must make an offering and have Job pray on their behalf. Only Job can save them now. Towards God's response to his human accusers (Job's friends), God acts in an offended manner as he wasn't being spoken to in the â€Å"right† way. There comes the question: Is God's response intended to be punitive or restorative? As God sort to punish the friends of Job, he gave them a chance to repent and feel remorse for their actions. God was teaching them a lesson that God must be obeyed and respected. However if God sort to act out in a punishing manner then what them men had falsely spoken about God, would then be true. In this aspect is the reason why God had punished the men in such an approach to see these men's obedience towards God, God gave them a chance for repentance. Therefore in this characteristic God is being both restorative and punitive; for each sin doesn't go unpunished. The men were asked to present â€Å"seven bulls and seven rams† in this concept the number seven is being used a significant amount of times in the bible. There is the rhetorical feature of the passage that what is the significance of the number seven? And what would happen if any other number was being used? These questions arise the implications of the bible and also the narrative criticism of the type of character God was, the constant use of the number seven could reveal that perhaps seven is God's â€Å"lucky number. † On one hand, the phrase, â€Å"good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people†, is completely disproved and disqualified. On the other hand, Job is not ‘blasted' for questioning God; he is corrected for his presumption and arrogance in asking such questions. Our suffering does indeed lead us to question our situation, but the story of Job promotes composure in suffering as in celebration. Job is blessed after praying for his friends' forgiveness, not after his own surrender. This could simply be a matter of timing or it could be a consequence. There is rhetorical criticism shown as to whether Job would have been blessed to the same degree if he had not prayed for the forgiveness of his friends? While we cannot answer this question, it does suggest a standard set by this passage for the care provided by Christians to pray for each other with consideration in faith. There is blessing in serving the spiritual needs of others. Job's fortunes and position are restored. He is first restored to his spiritual authority (Job: 10a). Then, his prosperity is restored doubly (Job: 10b). Then, his status is restored as his ‘fair-weather' family and friends acknowledge him with gifts (Job: 11). In addition, Job's financial means are increased beyond his starting fortune (Job: 12). In a response to narrative criticism there is a response to cultural aspects of the text, in taking the passage to a literal sense, as the regard and provision for his daughters is beyond expectation; interesting for the comparative value of girls to boys (Job: 13-15). In this peculiar event of Job's daughters receiving inheritance, it reflects a cultural break through in the historical patriarchal context of the bible. This total scenario provides a wonderful closure to Job's story, reflecting cultural norms rather than spiritual norms. There is a question that can we expect the same kind of material blessing if we're righteous? One possible answer is, â€Å"no†, because we cannot possibly imagine the same level of righteousness for ourselves, that we could ever display such brash confidence before God. The conclusion to Job's story is one of the most troubling aspects of the text. Job receives even more blessings than before. God appears to be atoning for mistreating Job. Despite this happy ending the reader begins to wonder if the rewards given to Job could make up for what he has lost. In verse 11, the text states that Job's family and friends came to comfort him. Where was this community earlier? They are described as bringing him gifts of money and jewellery. Perhaps this is how Job achieved the status of wealth again; as a result of compassion and charity. Whatever the source, Job's material possessions (e. g. sheep, camels, oxen and donkeys) are described as twice as much as he had before his tragic demise. His children, however, number the same: seven sons and three daughters. The difference is how the children are described. Whereas at the beginning of the story more attention was given to the sons, here the daughters receive the most attention. Their names are given, each having a symbolic meaning. The name of the first, Jeremiah, is difficult to render in English but may be related to â€Å"day† or â€Å"dove. † Keziah, the name of the second daughter, means â€Å"cassia,† a perfume. The third one's name, Keren-happuch, translates as a â€Å"container of Khol,† which was an eye cosmetic. They are declared to be of incomparable beauty. Job gives his daughters an inheritance equal to that of their brothers. The mention of this action would suggest that it is unusual because in patriarchal cultures, only the sons receive inheritance, and the daughters depended on a male relative or husband for survival. Perhaps Job's suffering has made him more sensitive to the plight of the powerless, especially women. The harmony of Job's life has been resorted, and he lives another 140 years, long enough to see four new generations of his family. The end of Job's life is described succinctly; â€Å"he died old and full of days† (verse 17). Nevertheless the story of Job is reassuring to note that God was aware of Job's righteousness and boasted about it. Even though Job was allowed to suffer at the hands of God's enemies, God cared for Job and helped him to appreciate better the condition of the world in which Job lived. Perhaps here is the source of Job's prosperity, that he had a wise understanding of his position in the world and a healthy appreciation for the difficulties that could befall him at any time. Job maintained his composure in the face of his suffering and maintained his trust in the God who is far beyond all understanding. Suffering is a mystery. To reduce suffering to the simple formula, â€Å"do good and good things will happen to you; do bad and you will suffer†, is to ignore the complexity of the human condition. We will apply human standards to God, in order to understand him better. Yet, God cannot be so easily understood, or manipulated. However it raises the rhetorical criticism of God's character and whether God can even make himself feel pain and suffering that he inflicts (God made us to feel pain) on human beings? God did not intend for his creation to suffer; yet, our rebellion against him places under the influence of all kinds of evil. The relational meaning of the passage is used to express the implicational measures that are associated with the suffering one undergoes and the consequences that are faced when one undermines God's righteousness. The final irony of the book of Job is that the author has used a traditional story about a holy man, a non-Israelite named Job, to explore the mystery of suffering in a very untraditional manner, suffering by his enemies. The ending of the passage ends with Job's renewed blessing, one may suggest that the ending of the new blessing of Job is the perfect ending. As a literal critic would say that it was the perfect ending to the story as â€Å"Job died old and full of days† suggesting that he was happy and fulfilled at the time of his death. However, one may question the character of Job in whether he deserved such blessing by God, as he was questioning God in the beginning of the passage.