American Identity Essay -- History Indians Historical Essays

American Identity Works Cited Not Included American identity has been created by many events throughout the course of history. This country was founded on the clashing and mixing of many different cultures and lifestyles. One of the most important periods of time for this country was during the period of conflict between Americans and Native Americans over land rights. Americans had an idea of manifest destiny and that this land was theirs for the taking. The Americans were going to walk through anyone who opposed them in this quest for land. The treatment of the Indians during this time period was harsh, cruel, and violent to say the least. It is in this treatment that Americans came to view the Indians as a ?racialized other? and where race began to matter. This early thinking is what created our American identity which is based on race.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the early settling of this country, when the English first encountered the Indians they viewed them as uncivilized beasts. ?The first English colonizers in the New World found that the Indians reminded them of the Irish? (Takaki, 28). To the English the Irish represented a lower and uncivilized class of people, a group that the English considered to be beneath them. This association was the beginning of creating an ?Indian Race.? The Indians were different then Irish in they had a reddish tint to their skin. This was important because this lead further to their separation by their color. The Indians were further looked at as...

The Falling Sky :: essays research papers

I gave this paper quit a bit of thought; I was sitting in a meeting on some air problems here at General Motors and started doing some investigation. Life on this planet Earth is the product of a delicate balancing act provided by nature. Mankind’s very existence is totally dependent on this fragile ecosystem’s ability to maintain itself. A valuable player in the balance of the environment, the ozone layer, is facing a very serious threat to man. Chloroflourocarbons (CFCs) are chemicals agents commonly found in refrigerants, aerosol sprays, and in the manufacturing of Styrofoam and industrial solvents. With the rate of more than a half-million tons CFCs being spewed into the atmosphere yearly, the rate of ozone depletion is rising at an alarming rate. If a global effort is not made to end the unnecessary use of CFCs, the inhabitants of this plant face an extremely difficult and frightening future. CFCs were invented in Dayton, Ohio; in 1928.They were the product of an intensive search by engineers with the G.M. Research Corporation to find a safe non-toxic, non-flammable refrigant. Frigidaire patented the formula CFCs in 1928 and the â€Å"new wonder gas† was called Freon. Seth Cargin and Phillip Dray, co-authors of Between Earth and Sky, informs us in their story of CFCs that â€Å"Freon soon topped the list of wonders, a ‘miracle’ refrigerant †¦[with the] combination of safety, cleanliness, and efficiency†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (66) Not only was the apparently â€Å"safe† gas being used in refrigeration, but with the innovation of air-conditioning by Willis Carrier prior to World War I, Freon would one day be used to cool our homes, automobiles, and businesses. Other applications for CFCs soon followed. Out of the need to eliminate malaria-carrying mosquitoes during the First World War, Freon 12 was found to be an excellent propellant to distribute insecticide—thus the birth of the aerosol spray can. â€Å"From eight aerosol-related companies in the late forties, the industry grew to more than one hundred just a few years later† (Cagin and Dray 87). CFCs were soon making the lives of millions of Americans much more comfortable. They were also making the Kinetic Chemical Company, a joint corporation of General Motors and Dupont who manufactured and marketed Freon, extremely wealthy. But in August of 1985, the entire world was informed by a group of scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center that the sky was literally falling. A NASA satellite photo revealed that a portion of the ozone layer the size of the continental United States had disappeared from the atmosphere above Antarctica.

Roman Aqueducts :: essays research papers

Ancient Rome had eleven major aqueducts, built between 312 B.C. (Aqua Appia) and 226 A.D. (Aqua Alexandria); the longest (Anio Novus) was 59 miles long. It has been calculated that in imperial times, when the city's population was well over a million, the distribution system was able to provide over one cubic meter of water per day for each inhabitant: more than we use nowadays. For most of their length the early aqueducts were simply channels bored through the rock, from the water intake in the hills almost to the distribution cistern in Rome. The depth of the channel below ground varied so as to maintain a constant, very shallow gradient (less than 1/200) throughout the length of the aqueduct; vertical shafts were bored at intervals to provide ventilation and access. Only in the final stretches was the conduit raised on arches, to give a sufficient head for distribution of the water within the city. In order to keep the gradient constant, the aqueducts took a roundabout route, fol lowing the contours of the land and heading along spurs which led towards Rome. The most dramatic parts of a Roman aqueduct were—and still are—the bridges (also known as arcades) that carried the water over low spots in the terrain. Perhaps the best-known of these is the Pont du Gard, a part of the aqueduct that served the town in Nà ®mes in Gaul (today's France). The bridge stands on three tiers of arches and has a length of 274 m (900 ft). Built without the use of mortar, it stands 49 m (160 ft) above the Bornà ¨gre Ravine. Another famous Roman aqueduct is the one in Segovia, Spain; it still carries water, although it did need restoration in the 15th century. s time went on, Roman engineers became more daring in the construction of high arches to support the conduits across valleys and plains and some of the later aqueducts were as much as 27 meters (about 100 feet) above ground level in places. Closed pipes were occasionally used to cross valleys by the "inve rted syphon" method: the pressure forced the water down and up again on the other side, to a level slightly lower than before. But this system was costly, as it required lead pipes (lead had to be imported from Spain or Great Britain) and it was difficult to make joints strong enough to withstand the pressure; so arches were far more common.

NASCAR drivers are true athletes

In the public consciousness, sport is normally associated with human-powered activities like football and basketball, whereas those, engaging with human-assisted activities like racing, are not viewed as true athletes as they allegedly do not need great physical effort to achieve success. This tradition derives from Ancient Rome, whereas the major emphasis was placed upon the activities, which demonstrate the perfection of human body, but in the modern world, due to the arrival of new technological novelties, it would be unwise to limit the list. The present paper presents the reasons for which NASCAR drivers can be categorized as athletes. First of all, it is necessary to provide a definition of a true athlete: athlete is a person who possesses either natural or trained skills, needed to do a particular type of sports on the professional basis, participates in the competitions, observing the rules prescribed,   and is able to use the skills they possess in a beneficial way. Thus, there are several key aspects, which characterize an athlete, so they can be used as categorization criteria. First and foremost, an athlete should engage with a particular type of sports. Thus, it is important to prove that motor racing belongs to the realm of sports; for this purpose, it is necessary to define the term â€Å"sport†. â€Å"Sport is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. Sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determined of the outcome (winning or losing), but the term is also used to include activities such as mind sports and motor sports where mental acuity or equipment are major factor† (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport, 2006). Furthermore, true athletes should be skilled enough to engage with a specific type of sports. In the present case, they should have dexterity, good at car driving and have sufficient intellectual abilities and the basic knowledge of the physical laws, which rule the process of driving. Thirdly, the true athlete should be able to use their skills and proficiency in the particular type of sport in the beneficial way, because the utilization of such abilities determines the maintenance of qualification and expertise. Fourthly, the true athlete participates in the contests in their narrow sports sphere, as competition is an opportunity to look critically at oneself and assess one’s own skills in the proper way. As it has been mentioned, the athlete engages with professional sports, which require certain development and adjustment of one’s skills to the requirements of the present day, which could be achieved only through observing peer performance. Finally, the true athlete values competitive spirit and thus observes the major rules that regulate the competition, namely those which determine the fair contest. It is possible to disagree with the aforementioned criteria. For instance, a number of extremely professional athletes, who participate in international competitions, tend to abuse the disciplinary rules and demonstrate aggressive behavior, but in the present case major rules that determine the equality and evenhandedness in the contest are discussed. These rules normally prohibit artificial measures, taken to temporarily increase one’s strength or dexterity. In addition, it is also possible to criticize the criteria that relates to the beneficial use of one’s skills in sports. In fact, the term â€Å"beneficial† doesn’t actually points to making money on the basis of sport activity, in fact, it might include such minor issues as using strength to protect oneself or another person from violent hooligans or utilizing intellectual abilities, developed during the years of chess playing, in mathematics. Finally one might claim that competition is not necessary for self-development as an athlete, as it is possible to hire a very qualified coach and train without engaging into the interactions with other sportspeople, but according to the aforementioned definition, positive and inspired rivalry is a core of all sports and victory is their purpose. Applying the first criterion, it is necessary to state that beyond the traditional sports like tennis and gymnastics, there also exist activities, which need more mental capacities and can be also classified as sports. In addition, the NASCAR refers to the activity it promotes and develops (motor racing) as motor sports, and due to the fact that this association is national, it implies the conventional view on sports, approved by the experts in this sphere. Secondly, NASCAR drivers really possess the necessary skills and abilities – otherwise they wouldn’t have been accepted by the association of the national level. Most of them have been training for many years and using professional race equipment in order to provide continuous growth of their skills. Thirdly, the individuals, participating in NASCAR races, have managed to make the sport bring them money – this way of using the complex of sport skills can be considered beneficial. Nowadays, the NASCAR drivers are amongst the richest athletes in the country. Turning sports into one’s personal profitable work is a true art, so the NASCAR drivers have succeeded in utilizing their unique talent. Fourthly, the NASCAR drivers participate in a variety of races amongst which the NEXTEL Cup, the Busch Series and the Truck Series. In order to have an idea about the level of these competitions, it would be useful to read about the NEXTEL, for instance: â€Å"The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series is the sport’s highest level of professional competition. It is consequently the most popular and most profitable NASCAR series. The 2006 NEXTEL season consisted of 36 races over 10 months, with over $4 million in total prize money at stake at each race† (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASCAR#NEXTEL_Cup, 2007). This mean, the NASCAR drivers belong to the so-called â€Å"high sports†, as they participate in the national competitions. Finally, the NASCAR drivers observe the principles of fair competition. For instance, they â€Å"do not use performance-enhancing drugs† (McCormick, at http://nascar.about.com/od/drivers/a/nascarsteroids.htm, 2007) and tend to support the idea of the spirit of positive rivalry through following the rules of politeness and good tone in the relationships with other participants. Criticizing this argument, one can state that NASCAR races are not actually a sport, but rather a show with minor elements of competition. In this case, the accents are placed inaptly , as these races are a true competition in all aspects, but the modern mass-media have turned into a show, broadcasted by numerous TV-channels. In reality, the NASCAR is interested in maintaining its reputation and thus deals merely with professional sport rather than amateur shows . To sum up, the present paper successfully proves that NASCAR drivers are true athletes, as they meet the aforementioned criteria such as skillfulness, obedience to ethical codes, participation in racing and the corresponding competitions and use of their skills in the beneficial way   The paper thus illustrates that a true athlete should possess not merely skills, but also high intelligence, ability to negotiate and make career in the field of sports as well as satisfactory   inner moral culture. Works cited McCormick, S. â€Å"NASCAR Drivers Don’t Use Performance Enhancing Drugs†. 31 July 2007, Wikipedia. â€Å"NASCAR†. 17 July 2007, Wikipedia. â€Å"Sport†. 4 October 2006,                  

Hotel Management System Essay

The following subsections of the Software Requirements Specifications (SRS) document provide an overview of the entire SRS. 1.1 Purpose The Software Requirements Specification (SRS) will provide a detailed description of the requirements for the Hotel Management System (HMS). This SRS will allow for a complete understanding of what is to be expected of the HMS to be constructed. The clear understanding of the HMS and its’ functionality will allow for the correct software to be developed for the end user and will be used for the development of the future stages of the project. This SRS will provide the foundation for the project. From this SRS, the HMS can be designed, constructed, and finally tested. This SRS will be used by the software engineers constructing the HMS and the hotel end users. The software engineers will use the SRS to fully understand the expectations of this HMS to construct the appropriate software. The hotel end users will be able to use this SRS as a â€Å"test† to see if the software engineers will be constructing the system to their expectations. If it is not to their expectations the end users can specify how it is not to their liking and the software engineers will change the SRS to fit the end users’ needs. 1.2 Scope The software product to be produced is a Hotel Management System which will automate the major hotel operations. The first subsystem is a Reservation and Booking System to keep track of reservations and room availability. The second subsystem is the Tracking and Selling Food System that charges the current room. The third subsystem is a General Management Services and Automated Tasks System which generates reports to audit all hotel operations and allows modification of subsystem information. These three subsystems’ functionality will be described in detail in section 2-Overall Description. There are two en users for the HMS. The end users are the hotel staff (customer service representative) and hotel managers. Both user types can access the Reservation and Booking System and the Food Tracking and Selling System. The General Management System will be restricted to management users. The Hotel Management System’s objectives is to provide a system to manage a hotel that has increased in size to a total of 100 rooms. Without automation the management of the hotel has become an unwieldy task. The end users’ day-to-day jobs of managing a hotel will be simplified by a considerable amount through the automated system. The system will be able to handle many services to take care of all customers in a quick manner. The system should be user appropriate, easy to use, provide easy recovery of errors and have an overall end user high subjective satisfaction. 1.3 Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations. SRS – Software Requirements Specification HMS – Hotel Management System Subjective satisfaction – The overall satisfaction of the system End users – The people who will be actually using the system 1.4 Overview The SRS is organized into two main sections. The first is The Overall Description and the second is the Specific Requirements. The Overall Description will describe the requirements of the HMS from a general high level perspective. The Specific Requirements section will describe in detail the requirements of the system. 2 The Overall Description Describes the general factors that affect the product and its requirements. This section does not state specific requirements. Instead it provides a background for those requirements, which are defined in section 3, and makes them easier to understand. 2.1 Product Perspective The HMS is an independent stand–alone system. It is totally self contained. 2.1.1 Hardware Interfaces The HMS will be placed on PC’s throughout the hotel. 2.1.2 Software Interfaces All databases for the HMS will be configured using Oracle 8i. These databases include hotel rooms and customers information. These can be modified by the end users. The room database will include the room numbers and if they are vacant or occupied. The customers information database will contain all the information of the customer such as first name, last name, number of occupants, assigned room, default room rate(may be changed), phone number, whether or not the room is guaranteed, credit card number, confirmation number, automatic cancellation date, expected check in date and time, actual check in date and time, expected check out date and time, amount owed by customer, and abbreviated customer feedback. 2.2 Product Functions Reservation and Booking System Allows for typing in customer information Has a default room rate that is adjustable Includes a description field for the changed rate When a customer checks in, the room number will be changed to occupied in the database Ability to modify a reservation When no rooms are available and a customer would like to extend their reservation their information will be placed in a database and when there are rooms available the first customer on the list will have the room When a customer checks out the amount owed is displayed If the internal clock states that is a customer’s time to have checked out and customer has not checked out, adds an extra night to amount owed and provides a report Records that room is vacant Records payment Allows for space to write customer’s feedback Tracking and Selling Food System Tracks all meals purchased Charges the current room as necessary General Management Services and Automated Tasks System Reports generated to audit hotel occupancy, future occupancy, room revenue, and food revenue Exception reports listing exceptions to the normal cost Allows addition, deletion and modification of information on rooms and rates, menu items and prices, user profiles Creation of users and assigning passwords 2.3 User Characteristics Educational level of HMS computer software – Low Experience of HMS software – None Technical Expertise – Little 2.4 Apportioning of Requirements The audio and visual alerts will be deferred because of low importance at this time. 2.5 Assumptions and Dependencies – The system is not required to save generated reports. – Credit card payments are not included 3 Specific Requirements This section contains all the software requirements at a level of detail, that when combined with the system context diagram, use cases, and use case descriptions, is sufficient to enable designers to design a system to satisfy those requirements, and testers to test that the system satisfies those requirements. 3.1 External Interfaces The Hotel Management System will use the standard input/output devices for a personal computer. This includes the following: Keyboard Mouse Monitor Printer 3.1.1 User Interfaces The User Interface Screens are described in table 1. Table 1: Hotel Management User Interface Screens Screen Name Description Login Log into the system as a CSR or Manager Reservation Retrieve button, update/save reservation, cancel reservation, modify reservation, change reservation, adjust room rate, accept payment type/credit card Check-in Modify room stay (e.g., new credit card), check-in customer (with or without a reservation), adjust room rate, special requests, accept payment type/credit card Checkout Checkout customer, generate bill Hotel Payment Accept payment for room and food Room Service/Restaurant Create order, modify order, view order, cancel order, generate meal bill Customer Record Add or update customer records Administer Rooms Availability and rates Administer User Create, modify, and delete users; change password Administer Meals Create, modify, and delete meal items and prices Reports Select, view, save, and delete reports 3.1.2 Software Interfaces The system shall interface with an Oracle or Access database. 3.1.3 Hardware Interfaces The system shall run on a Microsoft Windows based system. 3.1.4 Communication Interfaces The system shall be a standalone product that does not require any communication interfaces. 3.2 Functional Requirements Functional requirements define the fundamental actions that system must perform. The functional requirements for the system are divided into three main categories, Reservation/Booking, Food, and Management. For further details, refer to the use cases. 1. Reservation/Booking 1.1. The system shall record reservations. 1.2. The system shall record the customer’s first name. 1.3. The system shall record the customer’s last name. 1.4. The system shall record the number of occupants. 1.5. The system shall record the room number. 1.6. The system shall display the default room rate. 1.6.1. The system shall allow the default room rate to be changed. 1.6.2. The system shall require a comment to be entered, describing the reason for changing the default room rate. 1.7. The system shall record the customer’s phone number. 1.8. The system shall display whether or not the room is guaranteed. 1.9. The system shall generate a unique confirmation number for each reservation. 1.10. The system shall automatically cancel non-guaranteed reservations if the customer has not provided their credit card number by 6:00 pm on the check-in date. 1.11. The system shall record the expected check-in date and time. 1.12. The system shall record the expected checkout date and time. 1.13. The system shall check-in customers. 1.14. The system shall allow reservations to be modified without having to reenter all the customer inforamtion. 1.15. The system shall checkout customers. 1.15.1. The system shall display the amount owed by the customer. 1.15.2. To retrieve customer information the last name or room number shall be used 1.15.3. The system shall record that the room is empty. 1.15.4. The system shall record the payment. 1.15.5. The system shall record the payment type. 1.16. The system shall charge the customer for an extra night if they checkout after 11:00 a.m. 1.17. The system shall mark guaranteed rooms as â€Å"must pay† after 6:00 pm on the check-in date. 1.18. The system shall record customer feedback. 2. Food 2.1. The system shall track all meals purchased in the hotel (restaurant and room service). 2.2. The system shall record payment and payment type for meals. 2.3. The system shall bill the current room if payment is not made at time of service. 2.4. The system shall accept reservations for the restaurant and room service. 3. Management 3.1. The system shall display the hotel occupancy for a specified period of time (days; including past, present, and future dates). 3.2. The system shall display projected occupancy for a period of time (days). 3.3. The system shall display room revenue for a specified period of time (days). 3.4. The system shall display food revenue for a specified period of time (days). 3.5. The system shall display an exception report, showing where default room and food prices have been overridden. 3.6. The system shall allow for the addition of information, regarding rooms, rates, menu items, prices, and user profiles. 3.7. The system shall allow for the deletion of information, regarding rooms, rates, menu items, prices, and user profiles. 3.8. The system shall allow for the modification of information, regarding rooms, rates, menu items, prices, and user profiles. 3.9. The system shall allow managers to assign user passwords. 3.3 Nonfunctional Requirements Functional requirements define the needs in terms of performance, logical database requirements, design constraints, standards compliance, reliability, availability, security, maintainability, and portability. 3.3.1 Performance Requirements Performance requirements define acceptable response times for system functionality. The load time for user interface screens shall take no longer than two seconds. The log in information shall be verified within five seconds. Queries shall return results within five seconds. 3.3.2 Logical Database Requirements The logical database requirements include the retention of the following data elements. This list is not a complete list and is designed as a starting point for development. Booking/Reservation System Customer first name Customer last name Customer address Customer phone number Number of occupants Assigned room Default room rate Rate description Guaranteed room (yes/no) Credit card number Confirmation number Automatic cancellation date Expected check-in date Expected check-in time Actual check-in date Actual check-in time Expected check-out date Expected check-out time Actual check-out date Actual check-out time Customer feedback Payment received (yes/no) Payment type Total Bill Food Services Meal Meal type Meal item Meal order Meal payment (Bill to room/Credit/Check/Cash) 3.3.3 Design Constraints The Hotel Management System shall be a stand-alone system running in a Windows environment. The system shall be developed using Java and an Access or Oracle database. 3.3.4 Standards Compliance There shall be consistency in variable names within the system. The graphical user interface shall have a consistent look and feel. 3.3.5 Reliability Specify the factors required to establish the required reliability of the software system at time of delivery. 3.3.6 Availability The system shall be available during normal hotel operating hours. 3.3.7 Security Customer Service Representatives and Managers will be able to log in to the Hotel Management System. Customer Service Representatives will have access to the Reservation/Booking and Food subsystems. Managers will have access to the Management subsystem as well as the Reservation/Booking and Food subsystems. Access to the various subsystems will be protected by a user log in screen that requires a user name and password. 3.3.8 Maintainability The Hotel Management System is being developed in Java. Java is an object oriented programming language and shall be easy to maintain. 3.3.9 Portability The Hotel Management System shall run in any Microsoft Windows environment that contains Java Runtime and the Microsoft Access database. 4 Change Management Process Changes to this document may be made after approval from the project manager and the client approval officer. 5 Document Approvals 5.1 Team One Approval ____________________________________ Sandra Busik/Reita Sikka Date 5.2 Team Two Approval ____________________________________ Lisa Ferrett Date 6 Supporting Information A system context diagram as well as use cases and use case descriptions have been developed in separate documents.

China Authoritarian State

Alyssa Morgan Intro to Comparative Politics Ritu Dhungana September 8, 2012 China: Authoritarian Regime According the text, Hague and Harrop, Authoritarian rule is any form of non-democratic rule. Although authoritarian, there is broad aspect of the term. Many countries can be considered authoritarian or non-democratic through one party rule, military junta, and presidential dictatorship (Hague and Harrop, â€Å"Authoritarian Rule†). One party, the Communist party, rules China.There are three reasons as to why China is considered to be governed by an authoritarian regime: The Communist Party seeks to maintain their own control; corruption, and the absence of constitutional restraint and clear legal framework (Hague and Harrop, â€Å"Authoritarian Rule†). Liberal democracy serves as a way to steer from instability though checks and balances. However communism, a form of authoritarian rule, is defined as a system of social organization where all property is controlled by the overall community in which each person contributes and receives in accordance to their ability and need (Oxford Dictionaries, â€Å"Communism†).China’s communist party maintains control over the wealth and prosperity formed throughout the People’s Republic of China, making it an authoritarian state. However, China is growing economically and vibrantly, climbing the ladder in becoming one of the world’s superpowers. China as a whole has prospered from this authoritarian regime and over three hundred million Chinese have sought benefit from this but over one billion have had little or no advantage (Project Muse, â€Å"A Rising, Emboldened China†). There are always pros and cons to any form of government.As part of the their way of maintaining control, the government limits local elections and the press and any and all political mentions is strictly controlled. Any criticism about the government, online or in newspapers is dealt with harshly and s wiftly (The Democracy Journal, â€Å"China and East Asian Democracy†). The restriction of open ideas on the Internet and in the newspapers makes the task of voting extremely difficult for there are no opposing arguments in the media or elsewhere to derive an opinion from. (The Democracy Journal, â€Å"China and East Asian Democracy†).The main question remains that, although this country is economically prosperous, can the Communist party of the People’s Republic of China maintain this type of authoritarian regime without inevitable civil unrest and perhaps a revolution. The lack of constitutional restraint and unclear legal framework is apparent while reading about The People’s Republic of China. It is hard to criticize the Chinese government and their form of authoritarian regime for they are fast becoming a leading nation in this world.The Chinese Communist Party, (CCP) however restraining, has evolved to become very complex and adaptable (Journal of De mocracy, â€Å"China and East Asian Democracy†). Many authoritarian regimes require succession within the family, (monarchy) but China has term limits and invests its power in one single party, thus making China a modern authoritarian regime. Corruption will inevitably be found within any communist country. Many who hold high positions in the government of China are due to their prestigious or wealthy family backgrounds.Many officials apart of the CCP enjoy various perks and wealth in their jobs. It is assumed that early China had less corruption due to fewer resources and ones fight to rise to power (Journal of Democracy, â€Å"China and East Asian Democracy†). Corruption is most common in the lower administrative branches of government in China. Lower level officials are cooed to compete with one other to achieve higher personal status as well as promotion within the government (Journal of Democracy, â€Å"China and East Asian Democracy†).The simple characteri stics of an unclear legal framework or constitutional restraint, corruption, and preservation of power makes China an authoritarian government no matter how adaptive, prosperous, or beneficial. China has undoubtedly grown in terms of the economy and is making strides to becoming one the world’s superpowers, making an analysis of the government in China difficult. There are pro’s and cons when dealing with the highly adaptive and complex governmental regime in this country, but above all the Peoples Republic of China is Communist, therefore supporting the main topic that China stands under an authoritarian regime.

Black Rage-Book Report Essay

The pages of human history daubed in bloodshed and thickly coated with ethnic, racial conflicts ask a crying question. How to make this Planet Earth heaven -like? The answer is simple and direct. Eyes full of understanding, heart full of love and the life that refuses conflicts—these alone are enough! When an individual or a people of a particular race are constantly nagged and abused, condemned and ostracized by the society, they become bitter and cynical individuals. Heartfelt care and concern, an understanding approach and tender regard for their feelings are necessary pre-requisites to heal their inner wounds. Adequate opportunities need to be created for their ‘reformation’ and ‘rehabilitation’ into the mainstream of the society. The authors feel that it is not an easy task. Each and every molecule of the Negro race is surcharged with the hidden grudge as for the inhuman treatment meted out to them in all walks of life, from the cradle to the grave and from the womb to the tomb and this process continued for centuries. They were branded from birth as ‘niggers. ’ This insult on their personality is difficult to condone. Brief summary of the book: This is a classic work on black identity. This is also criticized as one of the sexiest books. Slavery is no ordinary crime against humanity. The book explains the race relations and its dynamics in the day to day living of the blacks vs. whites. How at each step of the ladder the blacks were pulled down, how they were made to stumble at deliberately created hurdles by the whites, how slavery dynamics deeply impact the cross-racial sexual relationships etc. It is one thing to have freedom and protection for the essential human dignity of the individual legally. It is good to have uniform constitutional rights for whites and blacks. But what mattes is the interpretation of the laws and their applicability to the ground level situations, concerning the blacks. The book is an authentic source of inspiration to the educated younger generation of blacks, and for the African psychologists of the day. The book cites case studies and they are properly dealt with. The point by point analysis of the â€Å"intra-psychic† dynamics of Black life in every day America is extremely informative and an eye-opener. Blacks, in many parts of the world where the whites were the dominating community, suffered, and in USA they suffered intensely. The authors are psychiatrists by profession and they are eminently suited to treat this subject. The inner conflicts and the desperation of back life, how they carry on with their back to the wall existence—all these have been highlighted, with the zeal of pursuing the truth. As the black race is exposed to various social situations related to the individual growth through education, employment, achievement of status in life, the intra-racial problems have begun to crop up with great intensity. The authors cite the case of an educated school teacher, marrying a laborer. They explain: â€Å"†¦She was embarrassed by his poor education. He felt that she and her friends were â€Å"phony† and that she was preoccupied with maintaining senseless appearances. Their mutual hostility led to verbal and later physical assaults. Divorce was the result. This pattern is so common in Negro marriages that it deserves special study, which might shed light on the broader problems of how in America choice of mate and marriage in general is influenced by a person’s blackness. †(p. 75) The authors put forth strong arguments that black people living in a racist, white dominated society have suffered and are suffering psychological pressure by the effects of racist oppression. This sometimes, has the telling effect in on the day to day disposition and black people act in unpredictable manner. The thesis of the book: Will the country ever awake in to that heaven of freedom, and when it will be free from the division of narrow domestic walls created by race prejudices? What you do to mitigate the mental barrier of racial discrimination on so many counts is not important. How you do, what you do is indeed important. More acts and legislations have helped to create a stir in the minds of whites and blacks. But the problem eludes permanent solution. This is so, because the feeling of superiority within the minds of the whites has to change. When the thought process will change, the action process will also change! When the thoughts are changed, the mind is changed; when the mind is changed, the man is changed; when the man is changed, the society is changed; when the society is changed, the Nation is changed. Then only we can way that plenty and prosperity engulfs USA, not otherwise! The contents and arguments in the book contain too much sex, much more than required by the literary standards. But some times, these issues are beyond the control of the authors. Firstly the book must sell. This is the prime objective of the publisher. Fortunately or unfortunately, sex sells. If it is handled well, it sells well. This could be one of the reasons for the extra dose of sex in the book—this may not be as well! This book has about 230 pages with 10 chapters, Who’s angry, the shadow of the past, achieving womanhood, acquiring manhood, marriage and love, character traits, the â€Å"Promise† of education, mental illness and treatment, and how come there’s so much hate and black rage. In a nutshell, the contents of the book discuss and analyze the bitter past of slavery in USA, the tension-ridden race relations in USA today, and the future of black and white race relations which have the possibilities to turn worst, on the slightest provocation, when the black race is making its presence felt strongly, in political, social, and economic spheres. In sports, blacks are dominating! The blacks accepted the domination of the white race-will the whites accept the domination of the black race in times to come? Will the law of divine retribution work in this context? Identify the evidence used by the author to support his/ her thesis That which is evident requires no introduction, elaboration, or appreciation. Light is bright and it is evident. Milk is white and it is evident. Simply say black race in America, and everything is evident. The saga of suffering of the Negro race, the era of slavery, violence and cruelty to subdue their legitimate aspirations rotates on the curtain of one’s mind. The authors of Black Rage do not mince words when it comes to condemning the atrocities committed on the black race. â€Å"The voice of black America has been heard in the explosions of Watts, Newark, and Detroit,† they warn. (p. 3) They assert their aspiration in strongest terms. â€Å"Black people continue to revolt against laws and customs that are deadly and humiliating†¦Aggression leaps from wounds inflicted and ambitions spiked. It grows out of oppression and capricious cruelty. †(p. 3). The younger generation of Negroes is not willing to wait and accept ‘the tactful handling of the situation’ by the whites when their interests matter. The white race is not willing to travel in the boat where the rudder is controlled by the black. The blacks are aware, by their bitter past experiences that the whites will go to any extent when their own interests matter. This causes more frustration and apprehension in the black community and adversely affects their psyche. The example cited in the text is that of Jimmy, a twelve year old boy. â€Å"His face was jet-black, and his expressions ranged from somber to sad. Whether relating stories of home, school, or the streets, he disguised his true feelings. At twelve he had learned one of his first lessons–always play it cool. As much as possible, he worked to hide his inner life. One day he stared long and hard at his fist and said: â€Å"I want to hit a white man. †(p. 59) State your own opinion and ideas about this book. The book contains tough opinions about the white race. To tell a black youngster to forget the past, say that he is constitutionally protected and enjoys equal rights as applicable to whites or any ethnic group is as good as telling him a story. The suffering of the Negro race is something very special and closely linked to the destiny of America. The black can condone the past; they can not ignore or forget it. The whites are not obliging the blacks by the present stance of understanding them. They have no other alternative. They must accept their newfound social position—equal in every respect as compared to the black people and it is their duty to say that the black-brother is first among the equal. They must attempt and secure the transformation within. The writers put it crisply and authoritatively. â€Å"After all, the thoughts begin, the Negro is also an American and if he is different it is only matter of degree. Cliches are brought forth and there is a lengthy recitation of the names of famous Negroes. Long association has bred feelings of familiarity which masquerade as knowledge. But there remain puzzles about black people; all is not understood; something is missing. †(p. 23) â€Å"It is better to have a world united than a world divided; but it is better to have a world divided, than a world destroyed,† said Sir Winston Churchill at the time of II World War. Presently, does this quote apply to the solution for the race problem in USA? USA will never be divided in geographical terms, the Constitution of USA is strong enough, the political leaders have enough foresight, but the example given in the book is shocking and is the definite pointer, how the division of the hearts is complete. How Come There’s So Much Hate? â€Å"When the man died, his wife of forty years was pitied by her friends. The widow was a stern New Englander; her dead husband was a black. In spite of strong social disapproval of their marriage, they had raised children and prospered. There had been some discord between them, but they handled it discreetly and the children had never heard them comment on racial matters. Even when a racial incident was prominent in the news, not a word was said about it. The children assumed that their mother had long since accepted the realities of marriage to a black man. They were completely unprepared for her words when her husband died: â€Å"Thank God that nigger is gone! â€Å"(p. 181) Spirituality, not religion, seems to be the only answer to this vexed problem of race relations. Once a human being crosses the mind barrier, all differences all tensions, cease! Mind is a bundle of negative and positive thoughts. The usual methods of suppressing the thoughts and emotions are not going to bring permanent peace. If the Negro race has to surrender at any point, it has got to be the dynamic surrender, of a supreme and brave human being. They should not accept the supremacy of the white race, nor demand the pound of flesh for the historical misdeeds of the whites. If the revengeful attitude persists, it will take them and the Nation nowhere. If the Nation does not survive how will the black and white races survive?