Hate Crimes Against African Americans - 1616 Words

Hate Crimes Against African Americans R. Jamal Brown University of Phoenix Com/156 August 26, 2012 David Bliss Hate Crimes Against African Americans Hate crimes have affected African Americans in more ways than just violence; therefore, our government needs to approach hate crimes differently. Aside of the fact that the United States has elected the first African American president, hate crimes has still occurred before and during his presidency. Of the 7,624 hate crimes committed in 2007 alone, 2,659 of those hate crimes were done on African Americans (Hate Crimes Against African Americans, 2012). From the history of slavery, lynching, murders, the burning of crosses and churches, to the brutality that police officers have committed on†¦show more content†¦Stereotyping is a worldwide illness that has placed judgment on black men and women to the point that they are limited to opportunity and advancement in the working world and the political environment. Although we are no longer in the 19th century, hate crimes are still much alive in the 21st century. In late August, early September 2006, an African American student of Jena High School located in Jena, Louisiana asked if he could sit under a tree on campus that was commonly known for only white students to sit under (Christie, 2008). The very next day after the African American student sat under that specific tree, three nooses were hanging from the tree. The school principal of Jena High School found out that three white students were responsible for this incident. Even though expulsion was recommended for the three white students, the superintendent of the school only suspended them for three days. Because of the ongoing racial tension, in December 2006, a fight broke from a White student taunting some Black students supporting the incident of the nooses being hung from the tree in the school courtyard (Christie, 2008). The White student was badly beaten and had to be hospitalized. The African American students were later charged with attempted murder and conspiracy. The African American students were between the ages of 15 and 17, facing up to 100 years in prison without parole. African American residents of Jena, Louisiana statedShow MoreRelatedThe Violence Of Racial Hate Crimes Against African Americans Essay1520 Words   |  7 Pageslead to violence in some, if not most cases. Hate crimes are crimes or actions motivated by certain disagreements among groups that typically involve some form of violence. This essay will discuss the violence in racial hate crimes against African Americans, because the violence in these hate crimes, both past and present, will help educate ind ividuals about different racial perspectives on the claimed â€Å"unfair† or â€Å"unequal† treatment of the African American race compared to the treatment of whites inRead MoreLesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender1675 Words   |  7 Pagesadjust to society once they have identified themselves as being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. In 2013, law enforcement agencies had reported 5,928 hate crime incidents, 20.8 percent were motivated by sexual orientation, and 60.6 percent were identified as gay male-targeted bias. Gay males is one of the main targets to a hate crime, only because the offender is trying to send out a message to that particular individual and as well as the gay community. LGBT community can be targeted basedRead MoreRacism in North America1353 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Imagine being hated, discriminated against or harassed just because of your skin colour, race, religion, culture or nationality. You may not think this is racism, but it is. My hope is that by the end of this speech you will try to put an end to racism when you hear it and when you see it. You see racism is a type of discrimination, probably one of the worst. Racism is like a revolting disease being passed down from generation to generation by vicious racists. UnfortunatelyRead MoreReverse Racism1020 Words   |  5 Pages2012 Melissa Reed Reverse Racism Racism has existed for thousands of years. Not too long ago African American people were segregated against based on the color of their skin. Leaders both white and black loss their lives so that there would be acceptance one day of all people as equal. Now in 2011 we have a Mixed President who on the census marked himself as African American not counting heritage of a Caucasian mother. Americans can now many whom they fall in love with however familyRead MoreI Call A Hate Crime1165 Words   |  5 Pagescall a hate crime. The reasoning I chose this social problem is for the fact that hate crimes have been going on for many years, and now it seems as if it has became an even bigger problem generally because this behavior is happening more frequently than before and difficult to prevent. Hate crimes is one of the main reasons individuals are afraid to be themselves because they are getting harmed just for being unique in their own way. In 2009 President Obama signed a law tha t would make hate crimeRead MoreRacial Tension At San Jose State University1159 Words   |  5 Pagesfamily members. My father and two brothers all being Caucasian, my mother and oldest brother are African American, and my littlest brothers and I are biracial. We don’t view each other any differently than brothers. Meeting new friends or family, it’s never been an issue for us. As we got older we began to see it more and more with relationships, sporting activities, also stereotyping African Americans with one another and Caucasian with each other. Searching through the internet, I came acrossRead MoreEssay on hate crimes661 Words   |  3 Pages Defining Hate Crimes Hate crimes has become an increasing problem here in the united states ranging from racial hatred to gender discrimination but what are hate crimes? According to Dr. Jack McDevitt, a criminologist at Northeastern University in Boston Hate crimes are message crimes, Hate crimes are defined as crimes that are violent act against people, property, or organizations because of the group to which they belong or identify with. The coined term â€Å"hate crimes† was first used No matterRead MoreHate Crimes Essay936 Words   |  4 Pagesare the roots of the violence/hate crimes today in our contemporary society? What can we do to reduce them? Explain. The world is full of HATE. What is this word? What makes someone HATE someone else enough to kill or harm another human being? Hate crimes are criminal actions intended to harm or intimidate people because of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, or other minority group status. They are also referred to as bias crimes. Hate crimes have been going on in the worldRead MoreHate Crime Essay1660 Words   |  7 PagesThe term hate crime developed in the early 1980s by reporters and government officials such as John Conyers and Mario Biaggi. Even though the interest of hate crimes has increased in recent developments, it has deep historic roots that dates back into time. Statistics of U.S. history has shown that assaults, murders, and acts of vandalism has stemmed from hatred. The first hate crime victims were Native Americans and since then almost all U.S. immigrants have been exposed to violence, discriminationRead MoreRacism, Violence, And Poisoning Media845 Words   |  4 Pageshave fully lived up to Dr. King s vision of a land where each person would be judged by the content of their character, rather than the color of their skin. According to the history of nations and what we are living today, racism continues building hate, violence, and poisoning media. Race is a significant social issue because people use racial differences as the basis for discrimination. Much of today s racism can be traced to the era of colonialism that began in the 1400s. Racism is the systematic

Narrative Essay Example - 1235 Words

Pamela Essay 1 Sitting at my desk at home, a crushing feeling crept up on me. I didn’t know what to think. I’m not going to make it, am I. It was already midway through junior year of high school, and having just calculated my GPA requirements for many of the colleges I had wanted to go to, I realized that my grades were not even close to what I expected them to be. I guess I had been in denial for so long that I let them slip this far. How could I have let this happen? Where was my mind when I needed to study and do homework? Why did so many stupid things like watching T.V. or going out with friends or just mindlessly waste my time on the internet? I felt an awful combination of disappointment, anger, panic, and frustration.†¦show more content†¦I worked so much harder. I began to pay attention in class, studied my notes everyday instead of cramming the night before the test, participated in class, did my extra credit, and gave it my all. Soon, people began to notic e. My friends said I looked and acted stronger, more driven. My teachers said they noticed my improvement, saying things such as: â€Å"I’ve noticed the change in effort you’ve been putting in my class, I’m very impressed.† â€Å"You’re test grades have gotten higher, keep up the good work!† These observations from my teachers and peers satisfied me, but what truly made everything worth it were my grades. In every class I took, my grades shot up at least 10 percent from the previous semester. I actually learned things in my classes instead of carelessly writing down notes to spit all the information out on a test before I would quickly and surely forget it. For once, I was actually happy with my schoolwork. Things were finally working out how I planned it to be. I felt accomplishment that my hard work finally paid off, but I still kept in mind that my original goals were still far from reach. Nevertheless, I was happy about all the things I had changed and improved in the short amount of time I had left. When I first realized my grades were below my expectations and that I wouldn’t be able to go to the school of my dreams, I was devastated, but at the end, after I worked hard and got the grades I wanted, I was okay with it. I trulyShow MoreRelatedNarrative Essay Examples1072 Words   |  5 Pages Narrative Essay As times goes on you, realize life isn’t all it seems to be. You learn life lessons and certain life events teach you things that can lead to you improving yourself as a person. As you realize most things in life are provided to you, you never truly realize how much everything can mean. As teenagers most of us are immature and do not realize how easy it is for us to lose everything we have. As we could lose everything and anything in a matter of seconds if we are not careful. Read MoreAn Example of a Narrative Essay818 Words   |  4 Pages-1Crystal D. Dozier Narrative Essay November 13, 2007 Word count: 809 My Little Blessings Children have a tendency to bring out the very best in people. I can say I have been fortunate to have four little blessings of my own. I consider each of them as a blessing and each day I am reminded of how much they mean to me. My children have brought out the best in me--parts that I never knew existed. As children grow, so do parents. I have evolved into a better person with the courage to overcomeRead MoreNarrative Essay Examples818 Words   |  4 PagesNarrative Essay I step my foot into public school for the first time ever my freshman year, not knowing a single person other than my brother. Prior to my freshman year, I was homeschooled. The school feels really big at the time and it’s very overwhelming. As I walk around I see people hugging, reuniting, and saying, â€Å"oh my gosh I have missed you!† All I am worrying about is what people are thinking of me like, does she have any friends, or she looks like a loner. I am getting nervous andRead MoreLiteracy Narrative Essay example800 Words   |  4 Pagesmakes sense. To better explain let me make a comparison. When I am assigned a writing assignment or I am writing because the action is being forced upon me I find myself not enjoying the process and overall the end result is subpar. The perfect example of this would be my junior year in high school when I was enrolled in AP english literature. I dreaded the majority of the class simply because there was so much writing involved in the entire course and therefore I was constantly writing just toRead MoreLiteracy Narrative Essay example854 Words   |  4 Pagesfirst time I had to write a narrative. I was a freshman. This was Ms. Bradley’s first time teaching at Union Christian Academy. On her first day, she gave us our syllabus and said, â€Å"I do not accept late work, especially on writing assignments.† We, literally, sat there stunned. My freshman class had it very easy during eighth grade year. We were not expecting this. As I looked through the syllabus, I saw that our firs t assignment was due in a week and it was a narrative. At this time, I did notRead MoreThe Runaway Narrative Essay Examples1347 Words   |  6 PagesThe Runaway- 3,000 words max. FIRST PERSONNNNN SLAM. The door frame sounds to struggle from concaving under the pressure of the overemotional hand. I stand. Dumb and appalled at the sight. Hysterically I see her fall to her knees with complete lack of control as horrifically ear piercing screams protrude from deep within her lungs. The scene is dramatic, and I suddenly realise why these kinds of scenes are made slow in movies. There’s just so much happening that your brain literally slows theRead MoreFreesia: A Narrative Fiction Essay example1372 Words   |  6 Pages Music floated through the brisk cold air from the open window of the music school looking over the peaceful lake where families and young lovers basked in the morning gentle rays. The spring flowers, which were gently swaying in the breeze as their petals reached toward the sky while enamoring the hearts of poets and painters alike and the flowers blushed at the attention they received from the young children who’s greedy hands yearned to clutch the colorful beings in their dirty little handsRead MoreGreed: A Fictional Narrative Essay examples2012 Words   |  9 PagesThe snow floated down from the heavens on to earth painting glistening white. Just like the named implied whitechapel was covered in a blanket of white. Catherine Eddowes walked home she spots the local newspaper boy passing out informationâ€Å"Hey Missus, care for this mornings paper?† â€Å"Yes, boy, how many pounds will this be?† replies Catherine Eddowes. †Just one pound, Missus.† â€Å"Thank you, boy.† She says as she throws the coin to the lad. The boy hides the coin in his hat. The news articles statesRead More I-Search Narrative Essay example1954 Words   |  8 PagesI-Search Narrative At the tender age of two I moved from a development in the town of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania to the vast stretches of farmland that make up the area between Mechanicsburg and the neighboring town of Dillsburg. It was not a big move distance-wise, but it would forever change my life. If I would have stayed where I was I would have went to a different high school, had a different set of friends, and who knows where I would be today. While I did not know it at the time, (IRead MoreMary Shelleys Frankenstein - Narratives of Seduction Essay example997 Words   |  4 PagesFrankenstein:nbsp;nbsp;Narratives of Seductionnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp; The following essay is concerned with the frame structure in Mary Shelley`s Frankenstein and its’ functions as it is suggested by Beth Newman`s Narratives of seduction and the seduction of narratives.nbsp; To start with, the novel Frankenstein is a symmetrically built frame narrative with a story at its center. This is not always the case with frame structured novels, as there are examples without a proper

Symbolism in “Country Lovers” Free Essays

A Forbidden Love: Thebedi and Paulus Jennifer Boozer ENG 125: Introduction to Literature Instructor: Kristina Stutler March 24, 2013 Country Lovers by Nadine Gordimer is a short story centered around the theme of forbidden love between the two main characters Paulus and Thebedi. They met when they were kids, as Thebedi used to work on Paulus’ father’s farm. They used to sneak out and meet at the river bed. We will write a custom essay sample on Symbolism in â€Å"Country Lovers† or any similar topic only for you Order Now After Paulus went off to veterinary school, Thebedi had his baby. When Paulus came back for the summer he heard of her baby being light skinned and killed it so that no one would ever know that it was his baby. The story’s theme of forbidden love is strengthened by Gordimer’s use of symbolism, imagery, and local color. Symbolism is a key element contributing to the story’s theme. One symbol that repeats itself in Country Lovers is the â€Å"gilt hoop ear-rings† that Paulus gives to Thebedi when they were young (as cited in Clugston, 2010). The earrings are a symbol for their love together. Even after Paulus killed their baby girl, Thebedi still wore them when she accused him of â€Å"pouring liquid into the baby’s mouth† (as cited in Clugston, 2010). Even in her hysteric situation, she still wore those earring that Paulus gave to her. She wore them again when they went to trial. This leads me to believe that after all was said and done, she still loved Paulus, even though she knew they could never be together. Another symbol that is relevant to the theme is their baby. Their baby was living proof that they were in love with each other. After seeing the baby with his own eyes, Paulus seemed to have panicked; anyone who looked at this child would know that it was not Njabulo’s. Njabulo was Thebedi’s husband who was the â€Å"opaque coffee-grounds colour that had always been called black [†¦] the same colour of Thebedi’s face† (as cited in Clugston, 2010). They would know that the father of this child was a white man. In their culture, it was socially unacceptable to have interracial relationships. Paulus felt he had to get rid of the baby, and he did. Imagery also contributes to the theme of forbidden love. One day Thebedi and Paulus met at the riverbed. Gordimer noted that the girls that Paulus went to school with would swim in bikinis and they never made him feel like Thebedi did â€Å"when [she] came up the bank and sat beside him, the drops of water beading off her dark legs the only points of light in the earth-smelling deep shade† (as cited in Clugston, 2010). The image of Thebedi, a regular African American girl, making Paulus feel like he had never felt before contributes to the theme of forbidden love. Local color is another literary element that strengthens the theme in Country Lovers. Local color is defined as â€Å"unique images, realistic dialog and true-to-life descriptions to fully portray people and life in the region where the story will occur† (Clugston, 2010, ch 6. 1, para 1). In this story, local color is demonstrated in the first paragraph when Gordimer discusses the relationship between the black and white children changes as they grow up. They play together up until they go to school but then after that, the white children do not play with them anymore â€Å"even in the the holidays† (as cited in Clugston, 2010). The white children are apparently oblivious to how society thinks they should act toward black children. It was not until after they went to school did they learn that they are superior to the black race. It is very important to use different literary elements to strengthen a story so that the reader’s attention can be grasped. It is beneficial to the reader when the author uses elements such as symbolism, imagery, and local color because it allows the reader to put his or herself inside the story and feel the forbidden love that Paulus and Thebedi experienced. References Clugston, R. W. (2010). Journey into Literature. Retrieved from: https://content. ashford. edu/books/AUENG125. 10. 2/sections/ch00 How to cite Symbolism in â€Å"Country Lovers†, Papers

The term Postmodernism Essay Paper Example For Students

The term Postmodernism Essay Paper Modernism sought the sacrifice of beauty for the pursuit of functionality, but under postmodernism, there is an understanding that aesthetics and functionality can coexist. IKEA furniture for example minimalist space saving functionality merged with aesthetics. Finally, another significant feature of postmodernism is the celebration of difference rather than good or bad. This concept rejects all moral principles. Writers like Kumar call it nihilism. Expansion of religious beliefs and local knowledge are some examples in the West. This has led to the emergence of political correctness and the acceptance of difference. Disability groups prefer to view difference as desirable more than acceptable. There is evidence to suggest that difference can sometimes bring confusion due to its ambiguous nature and through the variations of choice. For instance workplace diversity has resulted in greater numbers of people with disabilities entering the labour force. In this case, diversity has been desirable and seen as progressive in western societies. Alternatively, some differences such as religious practices can be seen as undesirable. One such example is the suspicion towards Islam in the Western world or some practices of female circumcision. Here it demonstrates how confusion arises in postmodern condition as tolerance towards difference spreads in uneven directions across societies. Postmodernism and post modernization Despite having discussed above the key features of postmodernism, it remains difficult to provide a clear stand-alone description. David Lyon (1999) has provided the most palatable explanation of postmodernism, taking into account modernism. He describes postmodernism as an evolving process between modernity and postmodernity. The process could be the extension of modernity or the collapse of modernity. Lyon suggests this process can incorporate this at the same time depending on the circumstance. Moreover, it means some elements of modernity can be abandoned while others are maintained. Lyon writes that postmodernism and post-modernity need to be viewed in terms of each other. Postmodernism refers to the cultural experience, while postmodernity he argues refers to the social experience. In the case of producing, consuming and distribution of symbolic goods, Lyon writes that this process merges the boundaries between hierarchies and systems of knowledge. Lyon explains the social and the cultural cannot exist without each other. However, Lyon is one of the writers to raise the following theoretical arguments on postmodernism. Modernism : dead or alive? Some critics like Crook et al, Connor Bertens and Natoli prefer to focus on how society is not modern to give an idea of what postmodernism is. Some critics like Baudrillard and Lyotard, argue that there is a clear end to modernism and beginning to postmodernism. These writers are vague about their description of postmodernism yet seem to debate the prevalence or death of modernity. Lyotard for instance thought that modernity was dead by explaining that Truth as a condition of modernity was replaced by performativity, or usefulness, a condition of postmodernism (Connor, 1989). Connor critiqued Lyotard by arguing utility was another form of rationalisation. Beaudrillard, who focussed on symbolism and consumer culture, wrote that the end of economy symbolised the end of modernity and described that modernity is losing all its substance for the pursuit of the superficial aesthetic (Kumar, 1995). Bertens and Natoli (2002) critiqued Baudrillards predominant concern with symbols over the real and referred to his exaggerated view of postmodernism as represented by symbolism as a hyper-reality. Postmodernism or late modernity? Some writers describe society and culture as late modernity while others prefer to describe it as postmodern. It is unclear that there is a difference between the two. Kumar describes postmodenism as the effect of key changes including sensitivity to difference in society and acceptance of pathological arguments. For Kumar, the dismantling of society does not equal the end of modernity. .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63 , .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63 .postImageUrl , .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63 , .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63:hover , .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63:visited , .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63:active { border:0!important; } .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63:active , .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63 .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucb2b008f84851ae64c8e0b4cfa96bf63:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Of Usury EssayDeconstructionist writers like Derrida and De Sassure focus on theories that fragment metanarratives or truth. Their focus is on plurality of knowledge by way of multiple interpretations of signs like those in mass media and consumer culture (Beaudrillard, 1988). In this way, it is no longer possible to utilise one narrative, as signs in consumer culture are pastiched and can provide plural meanings rather than contradictory ones. While for Baudrillard and Lyotard, plurality is the demise of the authentic and therefore the end of modernity, Kumar, describes the extension of modernity in saying the combination of many traditions to form a new, rather than rejection of the old tradition. (Kumar,1995,105) Kumar explains that it is not clear that postmodernity has begun, nor that modernity is clearly over. Rather than it being a clearly demarcated phase, it is described as unevenly loose process that is clearly happening where There is simply a more or less random directionless flux across all sections of society. (Kumar, 1995, 103). He perceives these changes to be consistent with postmodernism but realizes there is no guiding principle for the change as for example in Marxist theory and capitalism. Other key writers advocating for the relevance of modernism, are Smart, Lash Ury, Crook and Habermas. Crook (1992) critiques Habermas by arguing that we are in an advanced state of modernism or known as late modernism rather than postmodernism. He argues that if capitalism is associated with modernism, then advanced rationalisation and comodification can only mean we are in a high level of modernism. Crook prefers to sit more on the fence and although advises against nostalgia for modernism he explains it is too early to predict the postmodern condition but also premature to say modernism is over (Crook et al, 1992). Meta narratives like progress and rationality are still sought as the final end. To conclude this briefing, an understanding of postmodernism in the absence of a clearly guided definition has been provided. Potmodernism referred to the breakdown of modernity or at least the transformation of modernity. This briefing discussed that where modernism meant the embracing of universal truths like progress, reason and rationality, postmodernism could be seen in two ways; abandonment of the modern for the pursuit of a different approach or the extension of modernity. Under this scenario, I discussed the blurring of different knowledge. The question remains to be clarified as to whether western society is in a modern or postmodern reality. Given the Bush administrations post September 11 warfare, the pursuit for truth like freedom and liberty has widened the gap between modern and postmodern thinking at a global level and polarized those who believe in universal truths and those that do not.