Argumentative Essay Sample on Racism and Racial Prejudice

Argumentative Essay Sample on Racism and Racial Prejudice In Western countries the businesses, the media and the education system go to great lengths to remove ‘racism’ from their infrastructure, and all traces of material that might be construed as racist from their brochures, presentations and classes. It seems that to be tarred with the word constitutes such an ugly branding that people’s main motivation for avoiding it has become fear of condemnation, rather than an active quest for moral justice. Perhaps it would be prudent to discard the stigma for a moment and ask the rather controversial question, ‘Is racism really wrong?’ That is to say, is it racism itself that we should be fighting against? Have we actually forgotten what we are fighting? This morning I held a door open for a lady and was met with a smile and a â€Å"Thank you†. A nice example of courtesy and politeness, you might think. It might then surprise you to learn that this event made me angry, and that incidents like this make me angry on a daily basis. The problem is a racial one: I am living in South China, the lady is Chinese, and she said â€Å"Thank you† in English. I am assured by Chinese friends that the general population’s deliberate use of the English language when faced with a Caucasian face is a mark of respect. However, why do they think in these circumstances respect needs to be conveyed at all? Why do they feel it is necessary to draw attention to my whiteness? It almost smells of a guilty conscience. The lady’s reaction to my help was prejudice no matter how you interpret it. She was concluding from my white face that (a) I spoke English and (b) I could not speak Chinese. She had no direct evidence that either of these were true. I use the term ‘prejudice’ in preference to ‘racism’ as I think the former to be more important and fundamental, and all too often dropped in favour of the latter in a case like this. I believe in the drive the West has seen to stamp out ‘racism’ it is often forgotten that ‘racism’ is just one example of prejudice, that barefaced prejudice is the real moral injustice, and indeed that we can have racism without prejudice. â€Å"I will never work for a Chinese boss again,† my friend declares routinely. Although this is clearly a racist statement, my friend’s use of the word ‘again’ is what differentiates it from prejudice. In fact my friend’s employment history spans a number of Chinese employers, a catalogue of lies, mistreatment and underpayment. In the wake of this, would it not be idiocy on the part of my friend to assume yet another position with a Chinese employer? If I met fifty swans and they all bit me, would I not be a fool to exercise caution when greeted with the fifty-first? Race is only one way to divide and categorise a population. Another might be age. However, a sign in a shop window declaring â€Å"no under 16s† in the West would be received without even a raised eyebrow, in complete contrast to a sign declaring, for example, â€Å"no Japanese†. Yet the shopkeeper’s motives for wanting to write either of these signs might be essentially the same, and based entirely upon the shopkeepers experience. Is it not the shopkeepers right to be able to select on the basis of any categorization system that he or she chooses? Why should he or she be able to select on the grounds of age but not on race? Passing judgment without sufficient experience is certainly unfair. But I believe there is a distinction between ‘racism’ and ‘racial prejudice’, the former being a trumped up charge of which the media are fond, the second being just a single member of a set of possible social complaints, all of which deserve equal attention.

the imperial period essays

the imperial period essays Before Nickolia and his family were killed. The Romanov family did a lot of great thing for Russia as tzars or emperors. From Peter the great to nickolia. Ill start first with Peter the great, In 1695 he astablished the first Russian navy which was one of the best navy headquarters at that time. In 1700 through 1721 Russian was in the Great war with Sweden. In 1703 St Petersburg was found and named after the Russian leader. 1707 til 1708 it was the time of the Bulavin uprise.in 1704 Peter takes Narva from Sweden but that was only the beginning. In 1709 Russias victory of Charles XII of Sweden in Poltava resulted in Peter being called the great tzar. In 1713 the capital was moved to St. Petersburg. In 1721 only then he is emporer of all Russia. But only 4 years later in 1725 he dies. From 1730 to 1741 Ivan VI Romanov rules Russia. But he didnt change anything and just sat there like he didnt need to do anything he was the lazy Romanov. Shortly after his death Elizabeth Romanov took over in 1750 the first proffesional Russian theater was founded. In 1755 Moscow University was found. In 1761 til1762 Peter the III Romanov. In 1762 Peter III was murdered. In1761 til 1796 Cathrine the great took over the thron. 1761 she issued a journal of her life. 1773 through 1775 the revolt of Pugachev took place. 1796 Cathrine the great died. Not like many people were upset or sad by her death. In 1796 Paul Romanov took over he ran Russian til 1801 and didnt change Russia in anyway. Execpt that Russo- American trading company formed in 1799, But From 1801 til 1825 Alexander I Romanov took to he throne. In 1812 Napoleon Invades Russia in late August the same year the Battle of Borodino takes place And in ...

The Food Culture of American Nation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Food Culture of American Nation - Essay Example At start there were only three meal times, but later the healthy lifestyle promoters enforce the people to take four to five meals in a day. The quantity in each meal is reduced and the servings per day increases, this keeps the metabolism rate of the people high and it decreases the obesity. The latest concept in the food culture of America after fast food is lean meals or green meals.As Americans have seen how the consumption of fast food is effecting them, they are getting bit confused when they have to decide what to eat so there is constant battle between the organic food items as well as the natural food items. Eating habits and food habits make a very important impact on the social and political scenario of any country. The general attitude of Americans is lazy towards cooking healthy meals so they want anything that is quick, convenient and easy to afford and only one type of food item clicks your mind here that is fast food or junk food.Anything that looks yummy, fulfilling, and exotic and pleases aesthetically Americans are ready to spend their money on that food item. The new fast food for America is organic food these days as their food ethics are changing over time and they are moving towards healthy life style. The organic food is not cheaper or more tasty but it obviously is healthier. The food contains all the nutrients that are necessary to have a healthy mind and body.(Ray) mentioned in their book that around fifty million Americans are following the new American culture and food ethic now which is healthier. The author distinguished three groups on the basis of food consumption that are cultural creatives, moderns and traditionalists. [Rep99] has categorized two types of consumers in American food culture which are new green mainstream and the true naturals. These are very much similar to that of cultural creatives. The focus of the consumers is upon seasonally fresh, locally grown and minimally processed food items or you can say socially responsible food system. The burgers, Pizzas and spicy, oily foods are getting bit out of scenario in American culture and other green and low calorie food items are becoming part of dinner menus. While the diet and food culture in America is getting healthier, it is not same when it comes to Asia. The cooking methods, food ingredients and consumption trends in Asia are widely diversified. People believe in using more wheat, rice, oils, spices and herbs in their local cuisines. The focus is on the taste development instead of the consumption of balanced healthy diet. Ginger, Garlic, Onions, Tomatoes, red and green chilies are a necessity almost in every typical Asian dish. There is a large quantity of oil used which is not that beneficial but it improves the

What did the Impressionists aim to do Discuss their subject matter and Essay

What did the Impressionists aim to do Discuss their subject matter and their distinctive painting method - Essay Example The main aim of impressionists was to objectively record the world with respect to the protean effects of light and color. The Post-Impressionists, however, intended a better ambitious expression of light and color. Impressionists were initially considered as painters of mere impressions who are unable to create a well composed and finished painting. However, their special way of depicting the world received recognition later. An Impressionist paints outdoor sceneries and landscapes. They work for short period of time. They stop when light changes and resume their work when light become similar on another day. The Impressionist way of painting is done by making new advances in color. Color is packed in collapsible tubes that are portable. New ranges of colors are available, for example, some are less fugitive compared to others. Impressionist’s way working initially alienated the public though it gained great impression in some minds. The Thames below Westminster† is an example of nature painting that has the typical impressionist characteristics. It is a misty London landscape painting. The scene of London drowned in mass of fog captured the artistic heart of Claude. The special impressionist technique, the smear effect of brush touch, is recognizable in this painting. The less contrast of white and black and the balance between two main colors constitute the typical impressionist characteristics. Grey and beige color balance in the painting forms a smooth texture of mist perception. The Water-Lily Pond (1899) also has typical impressionist character of painting nature. The simple design of this painting, the lake and the close-up view of the bridge, makes it special. The painting shows an early summer day, leaves of fresh green color. The lively brushstrokes and application of pure color makes the painting a special impressionist painting. Seurat’s Bathers at Asnieres (1884), the celebrated painting of the young artist Georges Seurat (1859 -1891) shows some special impressionist characteristics. The usual pattern of impressionist paintings is visible in this painting. The open-air light effects, that are special characteristics of impressionist works, are found in this painting. According to impressionist ideas, the actual color of an object can be modified by various effects like sunlight, atmospheric light and juxtaposed colors. The technique of modifying color is visible in this painting. The painting is an example of the color theory of impressionists. It also shows an outdoor scene that is very common in impressionist paintings. A Wheatfield, with Cypresses 1889, the celebrated Vincent Van Gogh painting exhibits several characteristics of the paintings of impressionism. The painting shows nature, that is found in several other impressionist paintings. The equable balance of Impressionism, found in this painting, is cleanly replaced by an emotional disturbance. Calm objectivity is replaced by a special expression of intense feeling. The variety and freedom employed in the use of brush and the juxtaposition of near-primary colors makes A Wheatfield, with Cypresses 1889 a typical impressionist painting. The sunny landscape and the cypress trees also characterize the impressionist works. Van Gogh's Long Grass with Butterflies (1890) is another painting that shows the characteristics of works of the impressionism period. Nature scene and the color contrast visible in the painting makes it an impressionist painting. For capturing the constantly changing effects of light on

Edit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Edit - Essay Example The main challenge of managing more flourishing and a stable economy in Qatar is that most of the citizens living in this region are foreigners who usually come because of employment related businesses. It is important to note that Qatar has an overall population of about 1.8 million people, whereby 1.5 million of them are expatriates (QFINANCE, 2013). Therefore, the government has been forced to rely mainly on oil and gas in meeting its budget needs. In order for the Qatar government to maintain a healthy and a stable economy in the future, it ought to expand revenue sources, utilize its assets to hedge against instability and create a legacy for the future in by measures mentioned below. Firstly, the government needs to apply a tax on water and electricity as part of expanding its revenue sources. In this case all the households should pay a given fraction of tax to the state so that it can continue sustaining provision of the water and electricity to the people of Qatar. The revenue raised from the water and electricity will be useful in maintaining and expanding the country’s national power grid in the future to cater for the growing demand for electricity from investors in the recent years (QFINANCE, 2013). Additionally, given Qatar is a desert country the taxes on water will be critical in digging more boreholes. This idea will in turn improve the national water supply with an end goal of handling the increasing demand for water used for domestic and commercial purposes. Secondly, the government needs to lease its land for 99 years whereby those who rent the land will be expected to pay a certain percentage of annual rates to the government. It is important to note that the government will be leasing land to expatriates who plans to use the land for various economic activities. Given that currently most of the land in Qatar is not leased to any expatriate, renting the

Politics of Illegal Immigration

Politics of Illegal Immigration Topic 3 – Illegal Migration to Europe by Sea Synopsis: Illegal migration, â€Å"the presence on territory of a Member State, of a third-country national who does not fulfill, or no longer fulfils the conditions of entry as set out in Article 5 of the Schengen Borders Code or other conditions for the entry, stay or residence in that Member State†[1], is a pressing reality for the European Union and will increasingly affect a wide range of issues. The significance and complexity of illegal immigration by sea is rivaled only by the lethargy with which EU institutions and member state governments have acted. This document will provide a background of the current situation, introduce and explain relevant EU institutions and briefly explain the effects that illegal migration by sea has on the EU system. In confronting these challenges at the eleventh annual Chicago International Model United Nations, delegates should recall the words of Chicago’s master urban planner, Daniel Burnham: â€Å"Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir mens blood and probably will not themselves be realized† Background of Illegal Migration by Sea: In assessing the status of migration to Europe by sea, it can be affirmatively stated as existing in a state of permanent crisis. The Migration Policy Centre further cautions that the relationship between challenge and opportunity in migration as a whole is unbalanced by illegal sea migration, and notes in its annual report to the EU that â€Å"while well-managed migration may foster progress and welfare in origin- as well as destination countries, its mismanagement may put social cohesion, security and national sovereignty at risk†.[2] The Migration Policy Institute[3] delves into more details and articulates some of the key aspects of this crisis, citing the negative impact of â€Å"undermining the rule of law, fostering labor exploitation, increasing poverty (by taking jobs away from native workers or adding to the numbers of poor in a country) , and putting pressure on public services.†[4] Operating within this state of affairs is the current situation in 2014, which the EU’s external border security agency Frontex’s[5] annual risk analysis calculates to be a record-breaking year for illegal sea (as well as air and land) migration.[6] In its report, Frontex notes that: â€Å"Migration towards the EU in 2013 was characterised [sic] by three main phenomena: a significant increase in the number of Syrians arriving, a steady flow of migrants departing from North Africa and heading across the Mediterranean to Italy, and a sharp increase in detections of irregular migrants on the Western Balkan route.† This seemingly ever increasing volume of migrants finds its constant in its ever changing composition. Separated by geography and language, thousands of illegal migrants attempt the journey into the EU for the same reasons. In an effort to be readily accessible to delegates, these reasons are briefly and broadly listed here: War and other forms of violent conflict/civil breakdown Fleeing human rights abuses, including but not limited to: Genocide/Massacres/Ethnic Cleansing Political/Religious/Societal persecution Trafficking/Child Labor/Slavery Economic chaos Delegates should continue to be mindful that this list is neither intended to, nor is, a comprehensive summation of the motivations and external factors behind illegal migration by sea (or any other route) into the EU. Geopolitics of Illegal Migration by Sea Given the geopolitical nature of migration, a visual data map is useful in understanding written analysis in terms of distance, geography and other, more human factors. In addition to understanding the data map provided here, delegates would be prudent to seek out and understand a variety of maps and data. Illegal migration by sea into Europe makes international headlines regularly and EU policymakers have been under both political and public pressure for several years now. However, the national governments of EU member-states respond to illegal migration in a wide variety of ways. As the Schengen Agreement[7] has removed internal borders, it is the external border that requires extensive collaboration between national and EU institutions[8]. Frontex’s annual reports provide greater understanding of the macro-level patterns of migration. One of the important things that can be discerned from the reports is that while the migrant corridors are constant (such is the nature of geography), their appeal is volatile and subject to change with the tides and crosscurrents of European, African and Middle Eastern geopolitics. In 2009, the greatest number of illegal migrants entered the EU after coming ashore in Albania. In 2012, this eastern Mediterranean route had shifted south to Greece . In 2013 and at the time of this writing in 2014, the majority of sea-faring migrants seek to reach Europe through Italy, Malta, Spain or Greece. [9] For these migrants, UNHCR data indicates that the most common current starting point is Libya.[10] Libya’s attractive qualities include a present state of lawlessness and a long, unpatrolled Mediterranean coastline. Terminology As with any complex issue involving the institutions and apparatuses of a bureaucracy, illegal migration to Europe by sea is fraught with important differences in terminology. There are currently 28 EU member-states, resulting in 28 different immigration policies. And while the MPI notes that that some of the elements of those 28 systems are â€Å"in the process of harmonization (notably asylum)†[11] it concludes that â€Å"ultimately, unauthorized migrates are categorized as such by the states into which they migrate, and EU Member States have not reached a common definition of this migrant population†. [12] In this climate of disharmony among the member-states, this section is intended to provide delegates with introductory remarks pertaining to some of the tools the EU and member-states employ with regards to the topic at hand. MARE NOSTRUM A military/humanitarian effort by Italy that operates in the Mediterranean. Launched in response to a highly published episode in October 2013 during which 360 drowned off the coast of Lampedusa, a small Italian island situated half-way between Sicily and Africa, Mare Nostrum has been a humanitarian success[13] and an economic burden Italy resents. In the same vein, Mare Nostrum is not only a drastic reversal of a long standing Italian policy on returning migrants at sea to Libya, but a point of contention between Italy and the EU. During an August 2014 G6 meeting, Italy’s interior minister, Angelino Alfano held a press conference during which he stated that â€Å"with regard to immigration, Italy has once again shown itself to be a world champion in hospitality, But he added that, if the European Union and its border management agency did not take over the operation, the Italian government will have to take decisions on the matter[14]. FRONTEX Officially, the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union, Frontex â€Å"promotes, coordinates and develops European border management in line with the EU fundamental rights charter applying the concept of Integrated Border Management†[15]. However, Frontex’s successes in vigorous data collection and risk analysis has been tainted by criticism of its responsibilities and parameters. For example, Frontex currently has no mandate to search for or rescue migrants at sea and has maintained that â€Å"this remains a competence of Member States†[16]. However, Frontex does have primacy in coordinating cooperation between member-states that do conduct such operations and this discrepancy is problematic, to say the least. EUROSUR Eurosur (European Border Surveillance System) is an information network designed to reduced barriers to the exchange of information between EU member-states. Specifically, information that pertains to â€Å"unauthorized border crossings and to the risks to the lives of migrants, cross border crime, crisis situations and suspect vehicles at external borders†[17]. Eurosur is slated to be fully operational by December 1, 2014. Delegates are encouraged to keep this in mind as the conference will be ongoing during the first few weeks of a full realized Eurosur. What is already readily apparent however is that Eurosur will be no more or less than what Frontex and member-states make of it? While it could prove useful in early detection and rescue of migrates, it also has the potential to bring to the fore a question that the EU, and this committee must grapple with. Namely, what specifically do to with those who have been rescued? Conclusion Illegal migration by sea gives a new name to an old problem. The movement of peoples in search of a better life. In doing so it has exposed an unnerving lack of solidarity among EU member-states even as the tools and institutions of the European Union increasingly overlap. But the union is nothing without the national governments of member-states and this conclusion leaves delegates with more questions than answers. For example, if the financial burden of sea rescue operations was spread across the EU, would the Mediterranean members expand their programs or would an EU budget merely replace, rather than complement a national one? Questions like this, as well as possible answers are to be any delegate’s most stalwart companion before and during the conference. [1] European Commission, â€Å"Directive 2008/115/EC on common standards and procedures in Member States for returning illegally staying third-country nationals.† Official Journal of the European Union (L 348 2008), http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L2008:348:0098:0107:EN:PDE [2] http://www.migrationpolicycentre.eu/docs/MPC-RR-2013-009.pdf [3] The Migration Policy Centre is an research institution affiliated with the European University Institute, Florence while the Migration Policy Institute is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank in Washington, DC [4] http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/TCM-irregular-migration-europe [5] [6] http://frontex.europa.eu/news/frontex-publishes-annual-risk-analysis-2014-wc71Jn [7] The Schengen area allows freedom of movement for all travelers, irrespective of citizenship. Schengen comprises all EU member-states with the exception of the UK and Ireland. EU member-states Cyprus, Romania, Croatia and Bulgaria are legally obligated to join and are in the process of implementing the Agreement. Additionally, European Economic Area (EEA) states Switzerland, Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway are within Schengen. [8] http://www.migrationpolicycentre.eu/docs/MPC-RR-2013-009.pdf [9] http://frontex.europa.eu/news/frontex-publishes-annual-risk-analysis-2014-wc71Jn [10] http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/TCM-irregular-migration-europe [11] Ibid [12] Ibid [13] With 62,982 people rescued by the operation thus far according to figures released by Italy’s Interior Ministry [14] http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/15/italy-coalition-government-angelino-alfano-immigration-tension-mare-nostrum [15] http://frontex.europa.eu/about-frontex/mission-and-tasks [16] http://www.statewatch.org/analyses/200-frontex-search-rescue.pdf [17] Memo 13/864 of the European Commission of October 8, 2013

Culture and Influence of the South in Petrified Man by Eudora Welty Ess

Culture and Influence of the South in Petrified Man by Eudora Welty When I think of the south, I think of southern hospitality. I picture people always talking to each other, whether it?s just small talk or gossip, which is the case in The Petrified Man. The dialogue itself appears to be pretty accurate (from what I can imagine anyway, since I?ve never been down south). The south definitely has a certain way of talking and Eudora Welty does a great job showing us, not just telling us, this dialect. From the very first sentence of the story, you know where you are, and the type of people involved in the story. ?Reach in my purse and git me a cigarette without no powder in it if you kin, Mrs. Fletcher, honey ? I don?t like no perfumed cigarettes.? As for the events themselves, they appear to be reasonably honest. If you allow yourself to just listen to the story as it?s being told, instead of trying to analyze it?s validity (it is fiction after all) you will believe you?re sitting in Leota?s beauty parlor with Mrs. Fletcher and Leota talking about anything or anybody. I...