Interest Groups and Government Policies Essay Example for Free

Interest Groups and Government Policies Essay Interest groups help communicate and legitimize government policies in several ways. As instability is sure to attract political activity[1], it also attracts interest groups to meddle in such political activity. When certain government policies conflict with the specific interests of these groups, they can call the attention of the government through public demonstrations or protests. They can also use mass media to inform the general public about their views on certain government policies, thereby communicating not only their position on the issues involved but also the government policies being addressed. On the other hand, when certain government policies support the interests of these groups, they can further enhance the legitimacy of such policies by conducting a public forum designed to increase the public’s awareness on such policies, thereby gathering more public support. Even without interest groups, communicating and legitimating government policies can still be achieved. For the most part, people can still organize themselves without holding a collective interest other than the inclination to either support or protest an existing government policy. Since a more developed country is most likely populated by more interest groups[2], governments faced with the task of issuing specific policies in order to foster economic growth are most likely to face opposition from certain interest groups who oppose such policies. One example is when a government decides to issue a policy of free trade in response to the need of increasing the country’s trading activities so as to stimulate the economy. Interest groups opposing the government policy of free trade can stage demonstrations in public locations. Doing so can increase their chances of being heard by the government and, in consequence, compelling the government to adjust its policies accordingly. At the same time, these interest groups will openly communicate to the public the reasons why they oppose the policy without forcing them to join their cause. At the least, public demonstrations serve the purpose of informing the public and the government that a sector of the society opposes certain government policies. Mass media plays a key role in communicating the views of interest groups towards government policies. Since individuals interact with issues emphasized in media coverage[3], there is reason to believe that interest groups can reach and influence public perception through mass media in general. Interest groups can publish their articles through paid newspaper column space on a specific date of issue that they feel will have a lasting and strong impression on readers. Interest groups opposing specific provisions in government policies on healthcare, for instance, can pay for a space in a major newspaper where they can state their reasons for opposing the provisions and the alternatives that can be done. The method will most likely reach a large part of the population due to the large circulation of a major newspaper, thereby informing a broad segment of the public. Television and radio shows also provide avenues for interest groups to communicate to the public their position on government policies. For example, an interest group opposing the existing government policy on carbon emissions can either make a request to television networks to provide them with a show where they can air their views or accept invitations for discussions or interviews on television. Whether or not these interest groups are able to convince the viewing public, it is likely that they are still able to communicate a portion of the substance of the government policy on carbon emissions. On the other hand, interest groups can also legitimize government policies, especially those that are aligned with their concerns. One way of achieving it is to conduct a public forum where people can participate or simply listen to discussions about the policies. For instance, interest groups can hold a public forum in the town hall and discuss immediate concerns regarding the current government policy on immigration. With the immigration policy favoring their side, these interest groups can disseminate the information about the benefits of the policy which can eventually translate to more public support. Since the key principle is that the people is the source of the government’s power, public discussions conducted by interest groups which are able to gather public support for government policies further legitimize such policies. The pressure of interest groups to their Congressional Representatives can also legitimize government policies. Letters to Congressional Representatives coming from interest groups can help inform these representatives that a portion of their constituents are in support of a government policy that the representative may or may not actually favor. Through such letters, interest groups can put a pressure on their dissenting representatives to favor the government policy regardless of political affiliations. Signature campaigns when taken together with letters to Congressional Representatives can add more weight to the support given to government policies, giving these representatives more reason to align their positions with the public perception. Nevertheless, government policies can be communicated or legitimized to a certain degree despite the absence of interest groups. Other ways to achieve the goal of communicating and legitimizing government policies include signature campaigns, public dialogue with government officials and infomercials sponsored by the government. Through the initiative of a few individuals, signature campaigns can be launched in support of or opposition to certain government policies. Signature campaigns of this nature do not necessarily require the leadership of interest groups since private individuals can also gather public signatures even without an affiliation to any specific interest group. The purpose is to simply gather signatures as many as possible without attempting to form a formal group out of the total number of participants. Public dialogue with government officials can also be a way to inform the public about government policies. The dialogue can be sponsored by the office of the concerned government official or the local members of the community. Through dialogue, government officials are able to discuss in detail the purpose and nature of certain government policies. People are also given the chance to ask relevant questions to the government official whose response can further inform the public. Airing infomercials over the television or radio is also a way for the government to communicate its policies to the public and to further show the legitimacy of such policies. Since an infomercial is basically a â€Å"one-way† type of communication, it can simply inform the public about government policies at best. Government policies communicated to the public through radio or television infomercials are already assumed to be legitimate; the government is presumed to disseminate information about government policies that are lawful and approved by the concerned government agency. Despite the possibility of communicating and legitimating government policies in the absence of interest groups, it is better if interest groups are still able to challenge or reaffirm government policies especially when taken in the context of a democratic society. The presence of interest groups can indicate the health of the political activity in any country. In their absence, the legislature and the government in general may possibly overlook vital social and political concerns or abuse their power to create and enforce policies. Bibliography Bischoff, Ivo. â€Å"Determinants of the Increase in the Number of Interest Groups in Western Democracies: Theoretical Considerations and Evidence from 21 OECD Countries.† Public Choice 114, no. 1/2 (2003): 197-218. Domke, David, Dhavan V. Shah, and Daniel B. Wackman. â€Å"Rights and Morals, Issues, and Candidate Integrity: Insights into the Role of the News Media.† Political Psychology 21, no. 4 (2000): 641-65. Levmore, Saul. â€Å"Voting Paradoxes and Interest Groups.† The Journal of Legal Studies 28, no. 2 (1999): 259-81.

Common And Civil Law Legal Systems Law Essay

Common And Civil Law Legal Systems Law Essay In general, law is set of general rules, regulations and principles accepted in some community and to applicable only in its territory, which is written by legislative authority. There are a lot of functions of law in the society and business. Some of the roles of the law are to keep the peace, shaping the rules of conduct and moral standards, promoting social justice and individual freedom, facilitating planning and orderly change and also protecting the environment. Law has been developing through many centuries and always changing according to the communitys social life, traditions and moral principles. Nowadays there are as many legal systems as many number of countries in the world. However all countrys over the world developed and incorporated their own laws based on three main types of legal systems such as Civil law (Continental law), Common law and Religious (Islamic) law. All these three legal systems have their own features and histories which helps us to differentiate and learn easily. In this essay I am going to discuss two main legal systems Common and Civil Law Legal Systems and their criminal and civil procedures. Common Law Legal System Common Law Legal system is one of the most famous and widespreadly used system in the world.  [1]  En.wikipedia.org (2010) suggests that This system was originated from England in the Middle Ages and very common source of a lot of Western and Eastern countries such as United States of America (except Louisiana where English criminal law combined with French civil law), England, Ireland, Canada, Pakistan and Singapore which were colonized by British Empire. The main feature of the Common Law Legal System is that compare to other legal system the Judge is the main authority. . In this legal system the principles and rules of action based on decisions of courts made by judges and similar tribunals (similar cases) to decide future cases, rather than codified rules and legislations. Common law system these similar cases called as a precedent. The precedent which is might be applied to solve some problems is called as a binding precedent or mandatory precedent. Sometimes Judges in orde r to solve some cases uses not the exactly same precedents, but similar or precedents with some relevant information, such type of precedents called persuasive precedents. In some practical cases common law system is not ideal system to use, sometimes some controversial or more considerably complicated features may occur. Moreover, in Common law the decisions of the judge or court only compulsory within particular jurisdiction and some courts have more authority than others. The weight of court decisions also makes Common law different from Civil law system. By contrast, in civil law jurisdictions judge has more self-determination to interpret the given codification rather then predictability like common law system judges. Civil Law Legal System Civil (Continental) Law is a modern legal system originated by Roman law especially the system is derived from Code of Justinian, (during the Middle Ages the emperor Justinian played an important role on the development of the Civil Law System) as later developed by legal scholars later. This system is the most ancient and common legal system in the world. The main and unique feature of the Civil law is that it is collection of written and codified rules in the form of civil codes which are applied and interpreted by judges.  [2]   Criminal Procedures in Common and Civil Law Legal System Common Law and Civil Law Legal systems differ considerably in criminal procedure and civil procedures. Although some systems, including the Common legal system, let private individuals to bring a criminal prosecution against others, prosecutions are nearly always started by the state, in order to punish the defendant. However Civil law legal actions are started by private individuals, companies or organizations. The cases are usually in different courts, and juries are not commonly used in civil cases.  [3]   In both Common and Civil law systems the criminal procedures are significantly varies than in civil law systems. In criminal cases the government will be against the individuals the prosecutor will be on the sight of government and will protect the rights of the victims (society or government) and also in lower case actually the jury will be employed. In criminal procedures as a solution to the case Judge can decide the person who made crime to some sentence, such as fine, jail or time. In the next following sentences there is given how the criminal procedure will be taken in Common law legal systems according to the David Carnes: Prosecution Although a criminal defense lawyer is obligated to advocate the defendants interests, a prosecutor is obligated to seek justice even if it means refusing to charge or convict a defendant. Because of this, the decision of whether to prosecute rests solely with the prosecutor. Although most prosecutions are commenced in response to an arrest by the police of the filing of a criminal complaint by the police of a private citizen, a prosecutor has the authority to initiate prosecution unilaterally. Bail Bail is a sum of money that the defendant must pay to remain free between the bail hearing and the conclusion of the trial. The purpose of bail is to give the defendant a motive to show up at trial (in order to get the bail money back). Judges can set bail higher or lower depending on their estimate of how likely the defendant is to show up at trial. In many cases, bail is denied. Plea Bargaining A plea bargain is a written agreement in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser charge, in exchange for which the prosecutor will recommend to the judge that the original charges be dropped and that a previously agreed upon sentence be imposed. The judge does not have to accept the prosecutors recommendations. Prosecutors are willing to plea bargain when they face busy trial dockets, and when the available evidence raises doubts about whether the defendant will be eventually convicted. Trial Practice Trials in common law countries are adversarial, meaning that the prosecution and the defense initiate almost all action while judges are relatively passive, acting as referees. For example, if the prosecution attempts to admit evidence that should be excluded under the rules of evidence, the evidence will normally be admitted anyway unless the defense objects to its admission. In this case, a convicted defendant may appeal on the basis that he received ineffective assistance of counsel. Although every criminal defendant is entitled to demand to be tried by a jury, if no demand for a jury trial is made then the judge will determine guilt or innocence. Sentencing Regardless of whether or not a jury is empanelled, the judge will determine the sentence (within statutorily defined ranges) if the defendant is convicted. The defendant is entitled to present evidence, such as good prior behavior or mitigating circumstances, that may convince the judge to imposed a lighter sentence.  [4]   Continental Legal Systems is the fundamental source of the Civil Procedure. It mainly refers to the civil law takes into account almost all the cases not related to criminal issues the laws almost all the cases which is not related to criminal issues such as business, estates, legal contracts, accidents and domestic issues and intended to protect individuals liberties and civil rights. Civil procedure refers only to the procedures, not the laws. In Civil procedure the role of lawyers are very important and it is specialized area of to practice them. However civil law and criminal law may overlap each other. In such cases the problem will be judged under both criminal and civil procedures. For instance, if the bus driver hits the people walking on the street and kills that person he can be tried in criminal court for killing the innocent people and the victims family members be able to give him to the court for the same case under the civil procedure. Conclusion In conclusion, I would like to state that law is very controversial and very complicated subject to learn. How deep you learn it you will discover more questions to answer. Sometimes you can discover such laws which can overlap each other.

Oppositional World Views: Plato & The Sophists Essay -- essays researc

The Sophist views and beliefs originated in Ancient Greece around 400 B.C.E. The Sophists were known as wandering rhetoricians who gave speeches to those who could afford to listen. The Sophists deeply believed in the power of rhetoric and how it could improve one’s life. Plato on the other hand was opposed to all Sophist beliefs. He viewed the Sophists as rhetorical manipulators who were only interested in how people could be persuaded that they learned the truth, regardless if it was in fact the truth. Plato basically opposed every view the Sophists held true and tried to disprove them throughout his many dialogues. The Sophists and Plato held two very contrasting views and this paper will attempt to sift through them all in hopes of illustrating each one. This paper will first focus on each group. It will begin by identifying both the Sophists and Plato and then citing the significant principles associated with each world view. This paper will then focus on how each compon ent of their world views relate specifically to rhetoric. Finally, this paper will focus on illustrating each world view by way of current newspaper editorial.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As noted, the Sophists were rooted in ancient Greece but traveled to many places, giving speeches on rhetoric to those who could afford to listen. Within their teachings, the Sophists focused on rhetorical techniques and how they could be used to successfully argue any side of an argument. They harped on the idea that through their teachings, self improvement could be achieved because those who controlled language had the power. The Sophists were relativists, which means they believed that an individual or society’s beliefs, while true for that particular individual or society, might be untrue for others. (Bizzell P. & Herzberg, B., 2001, pg. 6) The Sophists referred to this as kairos and said that because of it, there could be no absolute truth because the truth was dependent on that particular person’s point of view. They believed that the only knowledge that humans could achieve is knowledge that is probable because absolute knowledge is unattaina ble. The Sophists feel that this probable knowledge can be boiled down through what they refer to as dissoi logoi. This technique, in which each opposing side of an argument is examined in order to identify the probable truth, was developed by Protago... ..., this would be dusting away the debris (the myths) and uncovering the absolute truth of what really happened. Through rhetoric, probable truths such as McDonalds had to pay three million, are cleared out and absolute truths, McDonalds had to pay $640,000, are uncovered. (Doroshow, J. pg.1-3) This is exactly how Plato would have had it. To summarize, the Sophists were traveling rhetoricians who were paid to teach people techniques to becoming great arguers and persuaders. They were relativists who believed there was no absolute truth, only probable. This probable truth was discovered through kairos, dependent on a person’s situation, or dissoi logoi, the truth is uncovered by examining opposing arguments. The philosopher Plato was in opposition to virtually every belief the Sophists had. He believed in absolute truth and that rhetoric and discourse should be used to uncover this truth. He also believed that false rhetoric was that of the Sophists. Whether the Sophist view is correct or Plato’s view is, there is some sort of truth out there and maybe one day it can be decided as to which method best uncovered it. But until then, the debate will rage on, as it did within this paper. Oppositional World Views: Plato & The Sophists Essay -- essays researc The Sophist views and beliefs originated in Ancient Greece around 400 B.C.E. The Sophists were known as wandering rhetoricians who gave speeches to those who could afford to listen. The Sophists deeply believed in the power of rhetoric and how it could improve one’s life. Plato on the other hand was opposed to all Sophist beliefs. He viewed the Sophists as rhetorical manipulators who were only interested in how people could be persuaded that they learned the truth, regardless if it was in fact the truth. Plato basically opposed every view the Sophists held true and tried to disprove them throughout his many dialogues. The Sophists and Plato held two very contrasting views and this paper will attempt to sift through them all in hopes of illustrating each one. This paper will first focus on each group. It will begin by identifying both the Sophists and Plato and then citing the significant principles associated with each world view. This paper will then focus on how each compon ent of their world views relate specifically to rhetoric. Finally, this paper will focus on illustrating each world view by way of current newspaper editorial.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As noted, the Sophists were rooted in ancient Greece but traveled to many places, giving speeches on rhetoric to those who could afford to listen. Within their teachings, the Sophists focused on rhetorical techniques and how they could be used to successfully argue any side of an argument. They harped on the idea that through their teachings, self improvement could be achieved because those who controlled language had the power. The Sophists were relativists, which means they believed that an individual or society’s beliefs, while true for that particular individual or society, might be untrue for others. (Bizzell P. & Herzberg, B., 2001, pg. 6) The Sophists referred to this as kairos and said that because of it, there could be no absolute truth because the truth was dependent on that particular person’s point of view. They believed that the only knowledge that humans could achieve is knowledge that is probable because absolute knowledge is unattaina ble. The Sophists feel that this probable knowledge can be boiled down through what they refer to as dissoi logoi. This technique, in which each opposing side of an argument is examined in order to identify the probable truth, was developed by Protago... ..., this would be dusting away the debris (the myths) and uncovering the absolute truth of what really happened. Through rhetoric, probable truths such as McDonalds had to pay three million, are cleared out and absolute truths, McDonalds had to pay $640,000, are uncovered. (Doroshow, J. pg.1-3) This is exactly how Plato would have had it. To summarize, the Sophists were traveling rhetoricians who were paid to teach people techniques to becoming great arguers and persuaders. They were relativists who believed there was no absolute truth, only probable. This probable truth was discovered through kairos, dependent on a person’s situation, or dissoi logoi, the truth is uncovered by examining opposing arguments. The philosopher Plato was in opposition to virtually every belief the Sophists had. He believed in absolute truth and that rhetoric and discourse should be used to uncover this truth. He also believed that false rhetoric was that of the Sophists. Whether the Sophist view is correct or Plato’s view is, there is some sort of truth out there and maybe one day it can be decided as to which method best uncovered it. But until then, the debate will rage on, as it did within this paper.

Security :: essays research papers

Security Security is essential to maintain a functioning network and productive employees. These security recommendations should be implemented to ensure a safe and secure operating network where there are minimal fears from outside influences such as viruses, spam and hacking activities. An electronic workplace policy will be implemented to protect the network from within. All employees are required to follow the electronic workplace policy which states that they are not to install any unauthorized software or hardware on company equipment. Violations of the electronic workplace policy will be grounds for disciplinary action leading to termination of employment. This is a necessary tactic used to ensure business equipment is used for business and not for personal pleasure or personal business. To protect this size of a network from viruses and worms, there will be an email and file extension filtering program that scans through the Los Angeles central location. The product we recommend is created by Symantec. It is the corporate edition product which allows the freedom from user input. The closed loop automation process allows the detection of new and existing viruses and worms, and the removal of these viruses and worms. The definition file will be updated on a daily basis and will happen at an optimum time where the network usage is at its daily low. There is also an automatic quarantine for files which have become infected and a secure transmission back to Symantec for analysis. This virus protection software will be implemented through a silent install to all users across the network. As for spam attacks, we recommend F-Prot solution for this major problem. F-Prot provides full email scanning and up to date definition files for known spammers. This type of software will eliminate the unwanted emails for all of the networks users. The product will automatically update spam/virus signatures and quarantine these problems. There is also a need for protection from hackers. There is state of the art software program and tools to prevent malicious attacks on your network. We recommend the solution from NFR Security. The Sentivist solution protects against Denial of Service (DoS), Intrusions, Malicious Code, Command Tampering, Backdoor and Buffer Overflow attacks. There is a real threat to a network everyday and this program will protect your multi city network. We will protect the network both LAN and WAN by installing a firewall and web monitoring software called Websense.

Causes Of The Great Depression Essay -- American History

Between the late 1890’s, after the panic of 1893, and the late 1920’s, the American people led good lives in which most prospered. In the 1920’s the problems that led to the Great Depression were dispersed over a time of maldistribution of wealth, and what was called a bull market. A bull market is a stock market that is based on speculation. Speculation was a system of borrowing money to buy stocks and selling for a profit. Speculation only worked if the stock market was on the rise though. To this day people who have not been properly educated about the Great Depression believe that President Hoover was the cause. The idea that President Herbert Hoover caused the Depression could have arisen from the fact that he was the President at the time the Depression began. However, the people who do not believe that President Hoover was the cause deem the crash of the stock market in 1929 as the real culprit. The truth behind the stock market crash is that it was the ev ent that caused the already unstable economy to go over the limit.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If the president and the stock market crash did not cause the Great Depression, then what did? According to research done on the Great Depression, the causes rest on of different factors, but can be put under two main categories. The responsibility for the Great Depression falls not only on the Stock Market Crash, but also on the maldistribution of wealth, an unstable economy and the wild stock market practices of the 1920’s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The largest reason for the growing gap between the rich and the working-class people was the sudden increase in manufacturing during the 1920’s. The people of the working class were significantly increasing their output, but their wages only increased slightly. For example, the average worker out put from 1923-1929 increased about 32%, but the average income of the worker only increased about 8% (Gusmorino, Main Causes of the Great Depression). Therefore one may conclude that wages only increased one-fourth the amount production increased. Another amazing feat of the manufacturing increase was that prices for goods stayed the same, therefore the executives in the companies were keeping the mass amounts of profit that were now coming into the company. In fact, one can see that top executives in a certain company increased significantly because their salaries from 1923-1929 rose 64% (Gusmorino, Main Cau... ...cantly, and investors began selling quickly. On the following Tuesday and Wednesday the prices began to stabilize. Then on Thursday, October 24, stock prices fell hard and even the biggest investors gave up on the market and sold their stocks. On the following Tuesday the stock market fell and the market was not able to get back up. This day is forever known as â€Å"Black Tuesday,† and the official start of the Great Depression. The speculation and the resulting stock market crash acted as the trigger for the already unstable United States economy. Due to the maldistribution of wealth and the unstable economy of the 1920’s, the nation headed into a decade of trouble. In response to its economic difficulties, the United States set up even higher trade barriers with other nations, causing more trouble within the nation. Many of the working class lost their jobs, and since these people did not have savings, they were in big trouble. Unemployment grew to 13 million by 1932 as the country quickly spiraled into a catastrophe. The Great Depression had begun due to the maldistribution of wealth, a bad economy based on over confidence, and the irresponsible erratic of the â€Å"bull† stock market.

Freedom Writers Essay

In Long Beach, California, a war is raging. You can’t always see it, but its soldiers know it’s there. You need to go and watch â€Å"Freedom Writers† right this instant. In this heartwarming movie, Hillary Swank plays quirky school teacher Erin Gruwell who, alongside her unsupportive husband (played by Patrick Dempsey) attempts to make history with her class of integration students, played by April Lee Hernandez, Jaclyn Ngan, Armand Jones and many more. The movie plays for 122 minutes of pure joy and raw emotion, where we get to see wonderful changes in the most unlikely people. The film was directed by Richard LaGravanese and released by Paramount Pictures on January 5th, 2007. â€Å"The Freedom Writers† is an emotional drama, filled to the brim with suspense and hope that will leave its viewers in a state of mixed emotion. In the movie, there is a war being fought in Long Beach between the Blacks, Latinas and Asians and it seems irresolvable. On Erin Gruwell’s first day teaching at Wilson High, words are being spat out and fights are erupting, she sees that the students do truly hate each other. She then makes it her mission to teach the students of room 203 about respect, about dignity, and what it will really mean when you fight for â€Å"your own† or die trying. Through Snoop Dog and Tupac, the peppy teacher somehow gets through to her students and learns that each and every one of them has been somehow affected by gangs and gang violence. Throughout freshman and sophomore year, the students of Erin’s English class find themselves respecting her, and respecting each other, which shocks them all. They are taught to write in a diary, which showed them that it doesn’t matter what is read, but what has been written. The school seems to have finally found peace within itself and room 203, but disaster strikes when we find out that Erin is not allowed to teach junior and senior years, and that her students must go on without her. Does this mean that gangs will reconnect? Shootings, will they start back up again? Can the balance of peace really be kept one, very strange, second year teacher? The climax of this film touches the heart and minds of the viewers, and makes the long rising action worth every minute. â€Å"Freedom Writers† takes place in Long Beach, California and is set in 1994-1996. It travels through the treacherous homes of the students, and shows the viewer what it’s really like to live a day like them. The setting sets a dim mood and shows the viewer how poor the kids truly are. It makes the viewer think about how hard life can be, while the plot shows us the harsh truth. The special effects in the film add an edge to what would have otherwise been a very slow film. Sound effects were few and far between, but added an edge where they were placed. A more plentiful effect would be voiceovers, where the students read excerpts from â€Å"The Diary of Anne Frank† and their own personal diaries. It showed the viewer that they were getting a voice, and that they were no longer afraid to speak up. The costumes and lighting reflected the variation of cultures and gangs in Wilson, and enhanced the overall mood of the story. Special effects and elements were very strategically placed in â€Å"Freedom Writers†, they were not sparse enough for the viewer to lost interest, but they were also not overused to enhance a certain concept. In â€Å"Freedom Writers†, there were many actors that played very important parts in making the film so touching and sad. The main character was Erin Gruwell, played by Hillary Swank who does a wonderful job catching the essence of a believer. Swank puts forth a believable performance, where the viewer really thinks that she is feeling some kind of a connection to her students. With great facial expression and the ability to look as if she is holding back fake tears, Hillary Swank makes the viewers feel as if they too can experience such real, hard emotion. Another character that played a key role in the film was named Jamal Hill; who was played by Deance Wyatt. Jamal was a student of room 203, and to the untrained eye, he comes off as your stereotypical gangster who could care less about school and everybody else around him. However, when a racial caricature of Jamal with very large lips circulated through the class, he begins to cry and we see that gangs have almost ruined his life. Later on in the movie, Deance Wyatt reads from his characters diary with such passion and power, saying: â€Å"At sixteen, I’ve seen more bodies than a mortician. Every time I step out my door I face the risk of being shot. To the rest of the world it’s just another dead body on a street corner. They don’t know that he was my friend† The way that Wyatt read these words made them so true, so passionate and it makes the viewer feel that there is a little bit of Jamal in all everybody. These two actors made the movie feel so real and so true; they did an excellent job portraying the true meaning of what it’s like to be a Freedom Writer. The film â€Å"Freedom Writers† has so many different meanings, so many different themes that their interpretations are up to the viewers. Social issues were touched upon making the story extremely controversial and yet somehow important for all teenagers to see. It touches mainly on racial discrimination and how at that school, African-American, Mexican and Asian students in gangs do not get a voice. As Mrs. Gruwell develops relationships with each and every one of her students, she learns that all they truly want is for somebody to hear them, for somebody to remember them if they die. By giving the students their diaries, Erin attempts to get them in touch with who they truly are, and what they do with such a quiet voice shocks her. The movie shows viewers that together, they can move mountains. The viewer will explore touching diary entries, teaching them that everything that is said will make a difference to somebody. It doesn’t matter what is spoken, or what is written, what matters will always be the moments when somebody hears the author. Hears them not by reading what is written, but by understanding that everybody has a story to tell and everybody’s story is important. The viewer will grasp a new found respect for everybody that they meet because, as learned though the movie, everybody has a voice, they just need to learn how to use it. â€Å"Freedom Writers† was a wonderful film and an even better experience for its viewers. It touched upon so many different social issues so that there is something for everybody to relate to making it such a great movie to watch with others. There are so many different interpretations to be made, so this film is recommended for teenagers aged 13-18, because that is the age of the characters along their journey. This was an amazing movie, and everybody that watches it should agree. There is not one possible way that any viewer will not find a character that reminds them of themselves and what they’ve been through, even at a less intense level. Freedom Writers† compares to â€Å"Pay It Forward† and this is because it explores the concept of respecting each other and respecting oneself. The idea of a few people being able to change the world is also explored and well conveyed in each film, making them incredibly relatable and inspirational. The film was touching, and impressively well made. The actors were phenomenal, the effects were catchy and there were many other elements that the viewer will discover on their own. â€Å"Freedom Writers† is recommended to anybody that wants to learn a little bit more about respect, dignity, love and the harsh, cruel world around us.

Final Project 1960 Time Capsule Essay

After receiving a very intriguing call from my colleagues, about a great time capsule find, I made my immediate departure for a little place we call the Red Zone previously known as Colorado. As I arrive I help my colleagues to unearth a time capsule from the period of the 1960s. We carefully opened the capsule that had intrigued us all so much to find five articles inside that told a great story of our past and of the decade beginning in 1960. The following is a summary of my findings within the capsule. The first of the five articles contained within the capsule was The Berlin Wall of 1961, also known as â€Å"The Iron Curtain†. This wall once more than 30 miles of barbed wire was a barrier between the Communist East Germany and the Democratic West Germany, became a series of concrete walls up to fifteen feet high, 96 miles long and guarded by towers armed with guards. After WWII Germany was split into four zones, three controlled by France, Britain, and The United States, and the other one by The Soviet Union; the Berlin Wall was constructed to separate the zone (East Germany) that was controlled by the Soviet Union from the zones (West Germany) controlled by France, Britain and the United States. It was here at the Berlin Wall that John F. Kennedy gave one of his memorable speeches, â€Å"There are many people in the world who really don’t understand, or say they don’t, what is the great issue between the free world and the Communist world. Let them come to B erlin. There are some who say that communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin. And there are some who say in Europe and elsewhere we can work with the Communists. Let them come to Berlin. And there are even a few who say that it is true that communism is an evil system, but it permits us to make economic progress. Lass’sie nach Berlin kommen. Let them come to Berlin.† The construction and demolition of the Berlin Wall(1989-90) are important milestones of the Cold War. The second item found in the capsule was the March on Washington of 1963. Attended by some 250,000 people, it was the largest demonstration ever seen in the nation’s capital, and one of the first to have extensive television coverage (Ross, 2007). The stated demands of the march were the passage of meaningful civil rights legislation; the elimination of racial segregation in public schools; protection for demonstrators against police brutality; a major public-works program to provide jobs; the passage of a law prohibiting racial discrimination in public and private hiring; a $2 an hour minimum wage; and self-government for the District of Columbia, which had a black majority (Ross,2007). Demanding jobs and freedom from the nation’s capital this march successfully pressured the Kennedy administration to initiate a civil rights bill in Congress. This is also when Martin Luther King gave his â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech. Although it wasn’t until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that the demands of the march were met, it was a major point in the peaceful war for civil and equal rights for all Americans. Without this peaceful demonstration the civil rights movement could have been pushed even further back in its effort for an equal nation. The effects of this event can still be seen today as we are now seen as American rather than white and black or rich or poor. The third item discovered in the capsule was the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. On this day President Kennedy accompanied by his wife, John Connelly and his wife Nellie rode in a motorcade through the streets of Dallas, TX. It was during this ride that President Kennedy was shot around 12:30 pm the driver then rushed the President to Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1:00pm. This horrible travesty shook America for years to come. News of the assassination changed the source of news from then on. Until this point newspapers had been the main source of news, until the assassination which brought on the longest uninterrupted television broadcast to date. The assassination also stuck fear in the African-Americans that the assassination would put a halt to the progress for civil rights. However, the assassination seemed to spur the civil rights movement which resulted in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 signed by President Lyndon Johnson. The assassination also changed the way the secret service operates today. Although during those times the President  was freer to move around openly, now secret service agents keep the president more secure and his availability limited. It is also thought that had the president not been assassinated the Vietnam War would have ended and many of our troops would not have died. The assassination opens up the possibility of â€Å"what if?†, and fueled conspiracy theorist for many, many years to come. This showed the weakness of American by its own hand. The fourth item in the capsule was the moon landing in 1969. July 16, 9:32am three astronauts (Neil Armstong, Buzz Aldridge, and Michael Collins) sit waiting for launch permission. By 9:44am they are in Earth orbit, July 20 at 10:56pm Neil Armstrong takes his first step on the moon. With more than half a billion people watching on television, he climbs down the ladder and proclaims: â€Å"That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.† (htt5). This was proof of great technological advancement and completion of the challenge set forth by President Kennedy over nine years ago. Project Apollo took on a life of its own over the years and left an important legacy to both the nation and the proponents of space exploration. Its success was enormously significant, coming at a time when American society was in crisis (htt6). This event showed the world and Americans everywhere that The United States was still the ultimate power by demonstrating to the world what the United States could achieve. The moon landing changed the way we viewed the Earth as they pointed a small portable camera toward Earth, showing just how small and fragile the planet really is in the scheme of the universe. The samples taken and brought back from the moon landing opened up knew scientific testing and led the way to multiple other moon landings and advancing our knowledge of space itself. The last item in the intriguing capsule was the Woodstock Music Festival of 1969. This was a three day concert at Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in the town of Bethel. More than half a million people came together – united in a message of peace, openness and cultural expression – and demonstrated how a generation could be heard (htt7) Woodstock is committed to living by its principles – we believe in universal human rights, ethical business practices, unfettered creative expression, free trade, the loving care of our planet, the power of the individual to make a difference, and the  overwhelming impact of communities to act as agents of peaceful change (htt7). However, the festival involved music (rock ‘n roll), drugs, sex and nudity. This festival came at a time when American had been through hard times. With the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, and the assassination of Martin Luther King the United States was tired and weary. The peaceful concert changed the way music was marketed from then on, now knowing that fans were willing to give up popular amenities to have sight of the musicians they loved. The change on music and pop culture of the time was historic. In 1969, rock critic Ellen Sander appraised the immediate impact of the Festival this way: â€Å"No longer can the magical multicolored phenomenon of pop culture be overlooked or underrated. It’s happening everywhere, but now it has happened in one place at one time so hugely that it was indeed historic †¦. The audience was a much bigger story than the groups. It was major entertainment news that the line-up of talent was of such magnificence and magnitude (thirty-one acts, nineteen of which were colossal) †¦. These were, however, the least significant events of what happened over the Woodstock weekend. What happened was that the largest number of people ever assembled for any event other than a war lived together, intimately and meaningfully and with such natural good cheer that they turned on not only everyone surrounding them but the mass media, and, by extension, millions of others, young and old, particularly many elements hostile to the manifestations and ignorant of the substance of pop culture.† (htt8). This change in pop culture has left an undying footprint on the history of the world with its new found music, art and literary styles. It is clear after examining and researching the incredible articles within the time capsule that the 1960 era was an extreme time of change for the American people. This decade in our history so full of such life changing events not only in the United States but also in other countries that rely on support from the United States. Its story shows our ability to adapt to ever changing situations around us and the resilience of the American people. Whether it is fighting Communism, the loss of a great leader, fighting for our rights, landing on the moon, or expressing or freedom in culture we are a strong nation and when faced with a great challenge we answer that challenge with a great success. Although many have been lost  along the way as a whole we stand one nation, united. References (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.tenfactsabout.co.uk/0003berlinwall.htm (n.d.). Retrieved from http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_march_on_washington_for_jobs_and_freedom/ (n.d.). Retrieved from â€Å"Civil Rights March on Washington (History, Facts, Martin Luther King Jr.) | Infoplease.com.† Infoplease. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/19/john-f-kennedy-assassination-racial-equality-jfk (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/apollo11_40th.html (n.d.). Retrieved from http://history.nasa.gov/ap11-35ann/legacy.html (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.woodstock.com/ (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.woodstockpreservation.org/SignificanceStatement.htm http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1867.html. (n.d.).