The Last Supper Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Last Supper - Research Paper Example For centuries, Jesus Christ is the most prominent religious figure. His life is mostly chronicled in the Bible and a historical account of Tacitus mentioned about the death of Christus in the hands of Pontius Pilatus (Canfield 144).Prior to his death, Christ and his disciples were recorded to have the supper before Passover and this later on would be one of the important events not only in the history of Christianity but will also shape the sociological, cultural and political history of the world. Immortalized in painting as early as the 1300s (Dyas 139), the famous scene depicting the last meal of Jesus Christ with his disciples was rendered in varied styles by artists from different art genres. Two of the most famous versions of the last supper were Last Supper created by Renaissance painter Leonardo Da Vinci (Kleiner 582) and the painting by Mannerist Jacopo Robusti generally known as Tintoretto with the same title created in 1594 (615). Differences can be observed immediately up on viewing the two last supper paintings. Both paintings vary mainly because the two painters belong to different periods and relatively, the social, political and cultural situations during their respective times had influenced Da Vinci and Tintoretto in creating their renditions of the last supper.Aside from the surrounding conditions during the era of the two artists, a close comparison of the two versions with the Biblical accounts about the famous last meal would enlighten as which artist had depicted the scene exactly or was close enough to what really transpired during the night before the Passover. Probing on the accuracy of the two paintings, may demystify the misconceptions regarding the last supper which in recent times had largely influenced the social, political and cultural beliefs. An example of which is the controversial story about the last supper in Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. A fresco made for the church refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Italy, Da Vinciâ₠¬â„¢s Last Supper measures 13 feet and 9 inches by 29 feet and 10 inches (4.2 meters by 8.9 meters), oil and tempera on the plaster wall were used by the artist (Kleiner 582). The symmetrical painting depicts Jesus Christ at the center of the tabl

How African-Americans have put an end of segregation, discrimination, Research Paper

How African-Americans have put an end of segregation, discrimination, isolation to attain civil rights and equity - Research Paper Example How African-Americans have put an end of segregation, discrimination, isolation to attain civil rights and equity? African Americans transformed their ways of viewing. They decided to cooperate fully in nation building because they knew that they had a duty to play in their nation for them to be considered patriots. They worked hard in school in order to be employed in large companies by the whites and not to be considered irresponsible people to their nations. These helped to improve their situation, as well as, improved their health standards since many people who had decent jobs were relocated to live in lavished houses. Africans remained loyal to the white land owners despite the intimidation and racial discrimination. African Americans were faced with many incidences of violation and intimidation. With this, they sought ways to object and make their wants voiced out. Black Africans formed and supported organizations that dealt with racial issues such as the NAACP, which refers to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which was spearheaded by W.E.B Dubois. Initially in America, women were demeaned and had no control over their husbands, they were subjected to household chores and nurturing children. This took place mainly in the 19th century. This barbaric act came to an end when a woman by the name Chelly Dawance came out protesting against this inhuman act on women, and advocating together with the likes of Kate Chopins and Charlote Pekinns Gilman. For example, in the book written by Kate Pekinns that is narrating her marriage to a black man. She speaks of denied freedom of expression in her house. After their successful strike against stereotyping of women to promote equality between husbands and their wives in marriages, balance was achieved because the people realized that both parents had a collective responsibility in the family planning and in building their country (Meyer, 2001 P. 77). Through this equality, women became entrepreneurs and engaged in trade reducing the high number of people leaving in poverty, therefore, reduci ng the high death rates in youth and old age who usually succumb to illnesses such as malnutrition. Abolishment of slavery, segregation and racism For decades, African Americans fought for their rights because all through they had been subjected to cruel treatment by the whites. Men, women and their families were taken from Africa and brutally chained while ferried to America to work on plantations for years. Jim Crow laws that were enacted between 1876 and 1968 that mandated racial segregation undermined the status of blacks. This demonstrated what they were undergoing by deny of access to many things, which were supposed to be shared by people equally irrespective of the race or colour (Thurber, 2009 P. 93). The Jim Crow originated in the nineteenth century minstrel show song. Step by step, these acts came to be implemented, and the people who subjected African Americans

An Organizational Ethical Dilemma Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

An Organizational Ethical Dilemma - Coursework Example A class action lawsuit was brought against Rite Aid by its employees because of the incurred losses in shareholdings and income due to the bookkeeping and accounting fraud ("Rite aid faces," 2003) The company’s reputation was severely hurt by this scandal and lost nearly a billion dollars in legal fees and in the shareholding settlement reached for the class action lawsuit. The company lost its good reputation and fell behind similar stores such as CVS and Walgreens ("Rite aid faces," 2003) The Ethical Issues There are several ethical issues that are illustrated in this particular incidence. The biggest issue is the breach of fairness. According to the book entitled â€Å"Managing Business Ethics,† a major aspect of ethics for most employees in an organization is the â€Å"climate of fairness† (Trevino, & Nelson, 2010). A climate of fairness involves all aspects of employee treatment such as â€Å"outcomes, processes, and interactions (Trevino, & Nelson, 2010). In order to be considered ethical, this climate of fairness cannot be breached. In this case, Rite Aid did not provide a fair work environment as employees were harmed in the all three of these key areas because of the fraudulent actions of several men. Instead, the company promoted a self-interest climate which is where â€Å"people protect their own interests above all and everyone is essentially out for themselves† (Trevino, & Nelson, 2010). Martin Grass and his accomplices placed their own greed above the good of the other employees and shareholders and ended up defrauding many of these people out of the money that they were entitled to ("Rite aid faces," 2003) Who is affected by the dilemma? The employees and shareholders were the individuals that were initially impacted by this ethical scandal due to the fact that they were the ones who lost out on the money they were owed. In order to rectify this situation, a class action lawsuit was filed and eventually the company h ad to pay out. The company was also affected by this dilemma as their reputation was ruined and they lost a lot of money because of the legal fees and profit loss. Finally, the customers are also affected because such a breach of ethics is going to change the perception of the organization. Customers likely felt that this was not a company they should trust. The fact that profit was impacted suggests that customers did not want to be associated with the store and its negative reputation. What are the possible consequences of specific and alternative actions (responses)? The company really did not have any other choice when it came to how they responded to this ethical dilemma. In order to save face in the long-term, they had to pay back the money to shareholders and employees. The only way to ensure that they were not ruined was to accept the short term consequences and respond appropriately. Had the company not responded appropriately, they might have been forced to go out of busin ess. Even with an appropriate reaction, Rite Aid lost billions and their stock plummeted to just a few dollars per stock in 2003("Company news; rite," 2003) What are the relevant obligations from your analysis of the dilemma? According to â€Å"Managing Business Ethics,† the obligations for a company â€Å"vary depending on the people involved and the roles they play (Trevino, & Nelson, 2010). For Rite Aid, the main obligation that they had was

Cause and Effect Essay Example for Free

Cause and Effect Essay Many people in the world struggle to achieve their goals in life. And the word â€Å"struggle† differs for each individual. Some have to sacrifice their personal property whereas some have to live away from their family and home. It is tough to adjust a new lifestyle in a completely different place and that too all alone. One has to be very strong and have to start taking care of everything on his own. And the effects of living in a foreign country would prove to be on a positive note. It makes an individual independent. Living away from your country can be a really interesting and unforgettable experience, but at the same time it has very important effects on ones life. There are people who like to have privacy and like to be in their own world, but there are also people who dislike living alone and they always want someone with them. So these kind of people may find it very difficult to adjust and enjoy their own company. The major effect, and also a very common one, is that once you start a regular life away from home, you miss everything. This fact doesnt mean that you are unhappy but that you are aware of being on your own. Missing your family and the attention they all paid to you is a very usual thing to do. Little details like sitting on a Sunday morning watching TV alone instead of helping your dad organizing his things or having a nice chat with your mom makes you realize how valuable your family really is. It is also completely acceptable to miss all the facilities you used to have back at home, like your house, your car, your bed, and your bathroom. Its obvious then that you have started to appreciate everything you had back where you belong. The second main effect would be learning how to accept another type of society and culture into your daily life. Since you are living in a place with different customs and traditions from yours, you have to be able to develop yourself in unknown conditions. This means making new friends, learning other points of view, accepting different opinions and values, and seizing every opportunity you have to go to new places. Therefore, youll be able to achieve true knowledge. Suggesting to change your mind totally or to be square minded would be foolish; the best thing to do would be to stick to your most important values and, according to them, change those that you believe could be improved. The most significant effect of living away from home is the independent behavior that grows inside of you. Living on your own far from your family gives you a lot of experiences toward organizing your life. Since it is up to you and no one else to go to school, clean your room, wash your clothes, and organize your expenses, it is predictable that you will have a good and strong meaning of responsibility. Being independent and responsible will help you get through life every goal you want to achieve. Living far from home, even for a short period of time, can be really hard at the beginning. We have to remember that all changes are difficult, but they are necessary to go through them to build character. Most important of all, it helps us appreciate everything we have. Not realizing how lucky we are can be a really bad mistake because things dont last forever and we have to make the best out of them. References Words of Wisdom, LLC, English Composition, Editorial Board, 2011, Edition 1.

A critical evaluation on two theories of aggression

A critical evaluation on two theories of aggression Aggression is as a form of anti social behaviour, showing a lack of emotional concern for the welfare of others, as described by Baron and Richardson (1994). It is a cultural, cognitive process as well as a biological response, affecting every human being. Furthermore, it appears in many forms, verbal, physical, symbolic or injurious with the environment, personal beliefs and individuals society mediating its nature. In society, you will find some people more aggressive compared to others, with the levels varying when in different social situations. Some environments provoke aggression in people much more regularly, than others do. Yet such situations do not give rise to the same degree of aggressive behaviour in every person. There are two main social psychological theories that proposed to explain the nature and application of aggression, the Social Learning Theory and the Deindividuation Theory. The social learning theory of Bandura emphasizes the importance of observing and modelling the behaviours, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. The theory suggests that for an individual to learn new behaviours this can only occur through direct experience. In the book, Social Learning Theory, Bandura (1977) states: Learning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people had to rely solely on the effects of their own actions to inform them what to do. Fortunately, most human behaviour is learned observationally through modelling: from observing others, one forms an idea of how new behaviours are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action. Bandura argued that individuals, most likely children, learn aggressive responses from observing others in different social influences, i.e. role models in real life situations, their surroundings and the media. He also mentioned, individuals believing aggression produces reinforcements. Siegel (1992) who suggested that these reinforcements could be gaining financial rewards, a rise in self-esteem or receiving praise from other people supports this. Skinner (1953) proposed that learning occurs through reinforcement. Vicarious reinforcement occurs when an individual observes the consequences of aggressive behaviour as being rewarding, for example a person achieving what they want through aggressive behaviour. If a child is to see this happening in a school playground, whereby a bully gets their way for instance, the child may become to think of such behaviour as appropriate and therefore worth repeating. Bandura (1986) went on to suggest that for social learning to take place, the child had to form mental representations of certain events from their social environment to see possible rewards or punishments for the aggressive behaviour, alongside observational learning. The Bobo doll studies by Bandura, demonstrated how children learn and imitate aggressive behaviours they have witnessed in other people. The young participants observed an adult acting violently towards a Bobo doll and when the children received permission to play in a room with the Bobo doll, they began to imitate the aggression they had previously observed. Bandura identified three basic models of observational learning. The first model involves an actual individual demonstrating a particular behaviour. The second model includes descriptions and explanations of any certain behaviour. The third model involves real or fake role models acting out behaviours in books, films, TV programs or web media. Observational learning, also known as modelling consists of four phases, influenced by the observers behaviour (Bandura, 1977). The first is where the individual pays attention and perceives the most important aspects of the models behaviour by observation. Therefore, a child would need to attend to the role models actions or sayings (Allen Santrock, 1993). For example, children exposed to aggressive behaviour within the home and by watching the consequences, slowly associate such behaviour as effective conduct. Hence, children learn aggressive responses largely through observation. The second stage of observational learning is the coding of this behaviour into memory, also known as retention, for the information to be retrievable when an appropriate situation arises. This is where mental representations form, including events from the individuals social environment. The child must be able to distinguish possible rewards or punishments expected in future outcomes, which is vital in observational learning. In the Bobo doll experiment, the children aggressively beat the doll because this information was stored in their memory. The third process is rehearsing this acquired modelled behaviour, in conjunction with possessing the physical capabilities of the behaviour observed. If a child gains rewards i.e. appraisal, for their aggressive behaviour, they are more likely to repeat that same behaviour regularly. This is direct reinforcement and allows for the improvement of the behaviour. Moreover, individuals are more likely to repeat a modelled behaviour if the model is a role model or similar to them. Examples include parents or people of the same age group or race. Bandura (1976) proposed that members of the family were most influential in reinforcing aggressive behaviour in children, as they are likely to imitate them when they are older. The final stage involves the individual being motivated to successfully repeat and reinforce this modelled behaviour with the expectation of receiving rewards. Additionally, the individual will gradually gain confidence in their will to carry out aggressive behaviours, thu s self -efficacy expectancies are developed. The second theory of deindividuation, originates from Gustave Le Bons crowd theory (1895). In the book The Crowd, he describes how an individual within the crowd is psychologically altered. He state, Within the crowd, the collective mind of the group takes possession of the individual. As a result, a member of the crowd then becomes irrational. The individual submerged in the crowd loses self-control and becomes a mindless puppet, sometimes controlled by the crowds leader. Hence, they are capable of performing any impulsive and emotionally charged act, however undesirable or regressive to society. Festinger, Pepitone and Newcomb (1952) defined deindividuation as a state of affairs in a group where members do not pay attention to other individuals qua individuals and, correspondingly, the members do not feel they are being singled out by others. Festinger believed that when one becomes deindividuated, he or she merges their identity with that of the group and therefore becomes anonymo us. As a result of being unidentifiable in a large group, this has the psychological outcome of reducing individuals inner restraints, and increasing deviant behaviour that is normally avoided. The causes of deindividuation were extended from anonymity in groups to other factors, such as reduction in responsibility, arousal and altered consciousness influenced by drugs or alcohol (Zimbardo, 1969). In todays society especially, this is evident, as aggression seems to be the result of reduced inhibitions amongst individuals due to binge drinking, with excessive alcohol intake arousing aggressive acts such as fighting in a nightclub. Later versions of the theory focus on the psychological process of reduced private self-awareness as the key element of deindividuation, i.e. the individuals attitudes and norms (Prentice-Dunn and Rogers, 1982). In their study, they induced a sense of reduced self-awareness by continuously instructing participants to focus their attention outwards. Conditions for external attention cues included sitting in a dimly lit room with loud music playing, verbal interaction and stimulating video games to play, to increase deindividuation amongst the participants. In the controlled condition, participants were required to focus on internal attention, through no interaction and sitting in silence. The findings showed that when required to administer electric shocks to confederates, deindividuated participants that focused on external attention cues, produced higher aggressive behaviour by delivering shocks that were more painful, than the control group. This is because the experimental group w as made to ignore their own beliefs and self-identity, when their attention focussed on other aspects such as loud music and video games. In turn, this supports the idea that becoming less self aware, rather than just anonymity in a group, leads to deindividuation having the effect of producing aggression. Empirical support for the deindividuation theory is minimal. Zimbardo (1969) conducted a study to demonstrate the effects of deindividuation on aggression. Some of the female participants used wore oversized lab coats and hoods, and sat in a dimly lit room; increasing anonymity. In contrast, those in the control group wore normal clothes, nametags and were placed in a bright room, making them easily identifiable. The participants task was to shock a confederate and findings suggested that anonymous participants shocked longer and therefore more painfully than identifiable participants did. This gives support to the theory, as the study suggests that deindividuation or anonymity played a huge role, because when one is appearing as anonymous, they are likely to act in an aggressive approach than they would if their identity was easily available. Other research to support the deindividuation theory (Deiner et al., 1976) showed that American children who wore halloween costumes that hid their identities stole more sweets and money than those who wore costumes where they remained identifiable. The Stanford Prison Experiment by Haney et al. (1973) illustrated how college students assigned to act out the role of guards in a mock prison, behaved very aggressively in the cruelty they showed towards those assigned to the role of prisoners. This is largely due to the guards wearing mirrored glasses, thus rendering them anonymous, as their eyes were not visible to the prisoners. The brutality posed by the guards can be explained in terms of social norms. The guards only did what they thought was expected of them, although the state of deindividuation did cause them to ignore personal beliefs and perform the expected aggressive behaviour. This is one criticism of the study, as it did not show how real guards actually behave. Hence, the findings may have no real-life validity with the possibility of demand characteristics coming into play. In contrast, Bandura et al., (1961) were successful in showing that children learn aggressive behaviour through observation, which is reinforced by rewards and avoided by punishment (1962). A major strength of the Bobo doll studies is high control achieved by the use of laboratories, which produced sufficient applicable results. However, a problem with this is that the studies hold no ecological validity because of where and the manner in which they were carried out. In addition, it is possible to argue that the children also reacted aggressively to the Bobo doll as they were responding to demand characteristics. The children may have known what they had to do for the experiment. Another limitation is that the Bobo doll is fictional as was unable to fight back which a real person would have done; hence, this could also have influenced the childrens behaviour. Although the Bobo doll experiment shows that for an individual to express aggressive behaviours, observational learning has to take place, individuals may not always display such behaviour due to social constraints, or fear of receiving punishment. This means that even if an individual has learnt of an aggressive behaviour, he or she will not necessarily act it out, especially if perceived to be socially undesirable. Nonetheless, if the opportunity arises where they can demonstrate the behaviour without being punished for it, such as when they are deindividuated, then it is possible that they will behave aggressively. The social learning theory places great emphasis on individuals, especially children, imitating observed behaviour from watching others individually, the environment, and the mass media. However, the biological approach would argue that a persons state of biology is not taken into account within the Social Learning Theory. Moreover, it ignores individual genetic differences (Jeffery, 1985). For example, if an individual were to observe a brutal killing, they will respond differently when compared to someone else. Biological theorists would suggest that, heart rate and blood pressure would possibly rise, as a response made by the autonomic nervous system when in this particular circumstance. Hence, the response or behaviour acquired is genetically inherited to some extent. In addition, other research has shown increased aggressive behaviour to be associated with testosterone (Kalat, 1998). This hormone is higher in males, which may explain higher aggression in males than in females. There is still some doubt in establishing the effects of violent television on childrens aggression. Although, some studies have reported that there is no link between the two, and that aggression viewed on television is not always related to aggressive behaviour. For instance, one study had findings to suggest that juvenile boys, who regularly watched non-violent television shows, were more likely to express aggressive behaviour than those who witnessed the violent programs. This is because watching violent shows enabled the viewer to use the media as a way of relieving their own inner inhibitions or aggressive thoughts and ideas (Feshback Singer, 1971). As a result, the individual is less likely to be aggressive than if they had watched non-violent television. In addition to this, there is a theory that suggests; a way to reduce aggressive behaviour is by viewing violent television programs, known as the Catharsis effect (Gerbner.G, Gross.L, and Melody.W.H). As television is highl y influential, then positive and non-aggressive programs can aid in reducing aggression among viewers. Cooke (1993) believed that positive and kind-hearted television shows should encourage viewers to be more courteous to one another, if aggression in people is triggered by violent television. Therefore, the media can serve as a prevention method if individuals focus solely on the positive aspects, or use violent media to channel their own personal aggressive inhibitions. In comparison, one likely reason for the minimal support for the deindividuation concept is that the theory, which is based on Le Bons analysis of the crowd, is too simplified. According to Le Bon, collective behaviour is always irrational i.e. the individual in the crowd loses cognitive control. Researchers argue that deindividuation settings do not account for a loss of self-identity. Instead, they alter a person from an individual identity to a collective identity as a member of the group. Therefore, deindividuation leads to individuals conforming to the group norms. A meta-analysis of sixty studies on deindividuation conducted gave no results suggesting that deindividuation is the cause for increased anti-normative and disinhibited behaviour. Instead, individuals under anonymity complied more rather than less strongly with situational norms (Postmes and Spears, 1998). Overall, aggression is extremely difficult to define as well as investigate as not one theory can be used to explain it fully, even though it affects our every day-to-day life, either personally or through observation. The difficulty is when trying to measure and control this behaviour because it is quite impossible to reproduce aggression in a laboratory to bring about results and findings that fully apply to real life situations. However, these two theories by Bandura and Zimbardo have tried in their attempt to explain aggression. One advantage with the Social learning theory is that not only can it be applied to explaining childrens behaviour, adults too. Philips (1896) found that the daily rate of homicide in the US usually rose a week after a major boxing match. This suggests that the culprits may have been viewers imitating the aggressive behaviour they watched. Hence, social learning is evident in adults. In contrast, the deindividuation theory does not clearly state whether deindividuation occurs amongst young children as well. Instead, it focuses on mainly adults, which maybe another reason for the minimal empirical research to support the theory. Although the social learning theory was initially an explanation for aggression, it has recently been extended to explain other behaviours such as anorexia. Furthermore, the theory can explain differences between and within individuals, in terms of cultural v ariation, with one study showing the US to be highly violent compared to societies in Central Africa, which manage to live in harmony (Aronson, 1999). Differences within individuals are due to selective reinforcement; with people reacting differently as each individual will observe that aggression is rewarded in some cases and not others. Hence, people learn about behaviours differently along with the circumstances in which they are applicable, and so these differences should be a result of social learning. However, Banduras theory has its limitations because it does not suggest what leads people to aggress once they have witnessed aggressive behaviour. Thus, it does not explain the possibility of acting out a modelled behaviour for example, if an individual has been angered. Nevertheless, Dollard et al. (1939) who proposed the frustration -aggression theory, explored this. The theory suggests that frustration always leads to aggression and aggression is only a cause of frustration. When looking at the deindividuation theory, one study that both supports as well as criticises the theory, suggests that anonymity increases the possibility of an individual conforming to the social group norms. Participants were made anonymous by either wearing overalls and hoods similar to those of the racist Ku Klux Klan, or wearing nurses uniforms. Results showed that participants to deliver more shocks when dressed as the racist group, and fewer, as nurses (Johnson and Downing, 1979). Hence, this also showed that anonymity does not always lead to aggressive behaviour, instead individuals may simply be responding to the norms of the group and doing what is expected. One realistic approach to aggression is one that covers a number of explanations, from neuro-physiological and evolutionary ones to social-psychological theories. In conclusion, the social learning theory supported by extensive research compared to the deindividuation theory, has shown to conclusively illustrate that the acquisition and behavioural expression of aggression is socially influenced, and is therefore more successful in explaining this behaviour.

Essay examples --

To what extent did the Carter Doctrine impact 9/11? This investigation evaluates the Carter Doctrine and the impact it had on 9/11. In order to successfully investigate the Carter Doctrine and its impact, one would have to evaluate its role in events leading to the tragedy of 9/11. The Carter Doctrine will be analyzed from the different perspectives such as different countries in the Middle East specifically the countries the terrorists of 9/11 were from. Those terrorists and those they worked will be analyzed for their philosophies on the US’s participation in the Persian Gulf. However, this particular investigation will not investigate the different forms of government of the Persian Gulf and the US. Summary of Evidence †¢ The Carter Doctrine was first introduced during the State of Union Address January 1980 by President Jimmy Carter. †¢ This doctrine stated that the US would use military force when deemed necessary to protect its interest in the Persian Gulf. †¢ President Carter turned his attention to the Middle East after all the political issues and conflicts with countries such as the Soviet Union and Vietnam. †¢ When President Jimmy Carter said, â€Å"an attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States,† to be â€Å"repelled by any means necessary,† his intention was to caution the Kremlin against any thoughts about declaring Soviet territory over the world’s energy heartland. †¢ The various interpretations of the Carter Doctrine made by Presidents are a key factor in its multiple consequences. †¢ To help implement his doctrine, President Carter formed the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force and launched a chain of U.S. basing arrang... ... the natural resources of the region was successful. However, this success came with its own consequences. The process of securing the states’ interest was complicated. As the Carter Doctrine was used to justify the actions of the United States in the region, the residents of the region were not okay with this. The level of detest grew, and actions began to take place that hinted at the United States need to bring to a halt the influence they had on the region. Groups began to form and the mission of Al-Qaeda began. The influence and the constant policies the United States had in the Middle East resulted in hatred. The attack of 9/11 is clearly a consequence of the Carter Doctrine, and there is no way around it. Isolationism ended, and the Carter Doctrine was written to justify all actions done in the Persian Gulf leading to opposition and the tragic event of 9/11.

Black People in Usa Essay

I have chosen this course because in my opinion Afro-American People’s history is very interesting. It reveals both how cruel human beings can be and how a discriminated â€Å"population† can all the same produce wonderful things. I. The discrimination that Black People have suffered and continue suffering in the USA. 1 °/ In the Past A.The Slavery. I don’t think one can discuss the suffering of this population without talking about Slavery. This abomination has lasted several centuries and has consisted of kidnapping innocent African and bringing them in a far country. They were deprived of their names, languages, religion, cultures †¦ As a result; one may say that they weren’t considered as human beings. They have had to do a hard work in the cotton fields, and their living conditions got closer to animals way of life. Actually, there were even some men who were called and used as reproductive. For the women, rapes weren’t punished. B.The Segregation After the Slavery was abolished, Black People even if they were free, have faced an other terrible discrimination: the Segregation. It took place in the Southern States, where the Black community was very important. Perhaps, it came from a fear of White people. It was written in the Law and as a consequence for instance Black people haven’t the right to sit or eat in the same places than White people. In the Northern States, even if it wasn’t written in the law there was a tacit rule. 2 °/ Nowadays A.Not really equal in front of Law Actually, it is said that a Black men has seven more chance to condemn to death penalty than a White men. So even today they are prejudiced. Moreover, the media reveals regularly some police atrocities against Black people. So even today, the law is double faced and it’s better to be White if one has any problem with the justice. B.Not the same Education Black pupils are concerned by the discrimination too. They are often sent to school in very poor areas. Thus, they don’t benefit from the same education’s level than the White pupils. Their chance to access to a good university is seriously reduced. There, it’s again a piece of evidence of discrimination. Until today, there is no significant action from the USA government to solve this problem, this unfair phenomenon. II. Some good things emerged from a catastrophic history 1 °/ A culture A. Music Today, nobody can deny the influence of Black community on the music. Several famous kinds of music as Rap, Jazz, R’n’B for instance are the direct product of this community. It all begins with the work songs by the Slave, the Negro Spiritual and the Gospel by the victims of segregation. Their music is spread all over the world and paradoxically without the terrible history which is behind I don’t think they would have done such wonderful music. It entails a artistic creativity in this community. B.Fashion Afro-American people also contributed to the fashion. In fact, in Harlem particularly in the nineties, the people’s clothes have been taken as model by some garment firms. Nowadays, one can notice that the Rappers’ or R’n’B singers’ way of being dressed is imitated all over the world. A huge part of them are developing their own clothes’ lines; 2 °/ Last but not least: the Individuals A. Rosa Parks In the sixties this courageous woman contrasted against the Segregation. In a bus, she has refused to leave her place to a White man. This act which can be perceived as common today is the origin of a huge movement’s success. She has showed the way to several Black-American and emphasized an injustice. B.Martin Luther King Jr. He was a Reverend who has leaded the Civil Right’s Movement in the sixties and died, murdered, in 1968. He started to have a great success after the bus story. He has supported Mrs. Rosa Parks. He also has fought against the discrimination without any violence. He has defended the equality between Black and White People and inspired people who were discriminated against all over the world. His most famous speech named â€Å"I have a dream† is known by everyone within it he advocated the brotherhood. Even after his death, some people remained animated by his struggle. As a conclusion, I think that the terrible history of the USA entails some very good things but the price for benefiting from them has been very important.   The question is how and when the USA’s authorities will admit that they have to do something. We know that the Affirmative Action measure hasn’t really been efficient so which measures can be enforced to help Black-American people. In my opinion, compelling firms to hire Black people is not a good idea and the better is to educate younger generations by teaching them to be more tolerant.