Global Warming Causes, Effects, Solutions

Introduction Global warming can be defined as the increasing average temperature in the atmosphere. Generally, the increase in global temperatures leads to the rising of sea level, hence changing the pattern of precipitation (Houghton, et al 53). Global warming can also be caused by green house gasses in the atmosphere, which lead to rising temperatures. The earth’s atmosphere mainly comprises of about 78% of nitrogen and 21% of oxygen, with water vapor and some green gases also available (Farrar 8).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Global Warming: Causes, Effects, Solutions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More During the day, the green house gasses trap heat, and then radiate some of it to the earth, which soaks it up. However, the proportion of these green house gasses has increased with time, resulting to global warming. Burning of fossil fuels, petroleum, and natural gases contributes to global warming, whi ch is harmful to the planet; however, it is a slow process, which results to massive repercussions. Causes of global warming Carbon dioxide emission is a by-product of energy production, which is the largest among green house gasses that contribute to global warming. This gas emerges from combustion of fossil fuels, which include automobiles, industrial production such as metal production, coal, oil and gas from factories (World Bank 147). Due to the effects of carbon dioxide emissions on the climate, most countries, through the famous Kyoto protocol, agreed to reduce on carbon emissions by 20% by the year 2010. Some of the main causes of carbon emissions are electricity generation, industrial processes and construction, fumes from vehicles, airplane fumes and domestic heating. Burning of fossil fuels such as gas, coal, and petroleum leads to the release of carbon dioxide. Deforestation can also contribute to the emission of carbon dioxide, since the carbon that is sequestered in tr ees is released to the atmosphere when trees are cut down. In addition, transportation contributes to the highest level of carbon emissions, as this industry comprises of vehicles, trains, boats and planes among others, all of which produce carbon dioxide fumes. Moreover, human beings contribute to the production of carbon dioxide through the use of electricity in lighting, air conditioning and heating services; indeed, frequent generation of electricity contributes to high levels of carbon emissions. When carbon dioxide emissions are released to the air, they remain in the atmosphere for over 100 years, and with time causing the temperature on the earth to increase, which results to global warming. Surprisingly, green house gasses are essential to the survival of the planet, as their absence would result to a very cold atmosphere; however, their rapid increase contributes to global warming. Effects of global warming According to Leddy (139), global warming would result to the rapid melting of polar ice caps and mountain glaciers; hence, the level of coastal waters would rise, resulting to a change in pattern of droughts and rainfalls. This new patterns would result to extreme droughts and rainfalls, which would disrupt production of food in certain areas. Indeed, these increased temperatures change the habitats and disrupt the ecosystems, hence endangering animals (Farrar 11).Advertising Looking for essay on ecology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Global warming not only harms the environment, but it also contributes to insurance costs, which occur as a result of severe storms, floods and diseases, hence making health and natural disaster insurance more expensive. According to Stanford University (Para. 7), each increase of one degree Celsius of carbon dioxide is capable of causing up to 1000 deaths and respiratory complications such as asthma in human beings. These gasses in the atmosphere normally ca use a greenhouse effect, which interferes with the earth’s temperature. According to Kaczynski, et al, (2), global warming affects temperatures of a specific region, hence causing serious repercussions; for instance, the 2009 South-Eastern Australia heat wave was considered a result of global warming, where high temperatures were evident throughout the day and night, a situation that had never been experienced before. This change in temperatures interfered with animal productivity, thus increasing mortality. Australia is one of the countries that were associated with high carbon emissions as a result of coal burning. The carbon emission in Australia was twice the growth rate for the entire world, hence the leading in carbon emissions among the developed nations. Methane is also a green house gas that is harmful to the environment, since it traps heat in the atmosphere; mining of coal and oil produces methane. Methane is based in the ground, and since mining of coal requires d igging, the process contributes to the escape of methane into the atmosphere. Pollution is caused by fossil fuels, which are made of organic matter such as coal, thus when they are burnt, they produce carbon dioxide. Population is also a cause of global warming as more people require more food and means of transportation, resulting to burning of fossil fuels, for instance, use of gas burning cars. In addition, most people own more that one car, hence contributing to the combustion of gasses in the atmosphere. A large population requires more food, and with some animals being a source of food, the manure emanating from such animals contributes to the release of methane gas into the atmosphere. Human beings breathe out carbon dioxide, and continued cutting of trees, which convert carbon dioxide in to oxygen, to create more land for houses due to the growing population leads to global warming. However, these trees are not being replaced, while human beings are over-utilizing natural re sources, and not giving anything in return.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Global Warming: Causes, Effects, Solutions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Maslin (7), Global warming results to change in temperatures, which acts as a threat to the living species; for instance, the winter of 2001 in England was the wettest season in history, while the heat wave of 2003 resulted to the deaths of more that 35,000 people in Europe. The IPCC report also indicates that there is a chance of the global temperatures to rise by 5.8 degrees Celsius, which is harmful to the environment and human beings. The continuous rising of carbon dioxide levels is a threat to the planet. Therefore, effective mechanisms have to be put in place in order to reduce global warming before it is too late for our planet. Solutions To curb global warming, a number of initiatives must be put in place; the use of clean energy has proven to be advantageous, cheaper, and reliable than the rest. Though expensive initially, it is both safer for mankind and the environment. Unlike the combustion of fossil fuels that lead to huge emissions in the air which cause respiratory complications and increase the rate of mortality due to inhaling of such gasses, the clean energy is not harmful human beings at all. It is also not pollutant, thus creating a clean environment for all. Burning of fossil fuels results to emission of green house gases that affect the atmosphere’s temperatures, leading to global warming; hence causing drought or heavy rains that could lead to floods. Renewable resources are advantageous, since they enhance diversity in energy supply and they also reduce the huge gas emissions. They also allow access of energy supplies to rural areas as well as creating new opportunities for employment. They utilize and conserve fossil fuels for future use and secure unlimited sources of energy. The clean renewabl e energy includes solar power, water power and wind power. Renewable resources have attractive features that include enhancement of diversity in energy supply and reduction of huge gas emissions. They also allow access of energy supplies to rural areas, create new opportunities for employment, and they utilize and conserve fossil fuels for future use, as well as securing unlimited sources of energy. Since burning of fossil fuels contributes towards global warming, it would be wise if countries switched to the use of natural energy that is cheap and less pollutant (Dell Rand: 27). Kyoto protocol is aimed at fighting global warming globally, therefore, member countries should enhance on reducing carbon emissions, by resulting to clean energy, which is safer for both the environment and living species.Advertising Looking for essay on ecology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Limits should be set on global warming, such that, those involved in large emissions of carbon dioxide should be fined; this move will encourage a clean energy world. By fining the polluters, the money raised can aid in investing in clean energy, therefore boosting clean energy industries, which will create jobs for majority of people. These industries will maximize on solar panels, and wind turbines in an effort to boost clean energy. Manufacturing of fuel–efficient cars, which will save on gas, would be a viable investment towards eliminating global warming. Building homes that maximize on energy saving by installing energy efficient systems, for instance, lighting, cooling, and heating systems; this strategy will assist home owners in saving on energy costs and cutting down on global warming too. Investing on public transit can reduce transport pollution, since most people will avoid driving and prefer walking to shorter distances. Indeed, less driving means less cars on t he roads, thus low pollution. Nevertheless, global warming is a situation that affects everyone, therefore, the task of reducing it should not only be left to the government; instead, individuals should also work towards reducing pollution by engaging in activities that are environment friendly. Conclusion Global warming effects lead to a high expense on government; therefore, in order to reduce disasters, it is important for a country to put effective measures in place in order to prevent losses. Global warming effects are serious, and not only affect the environment, but the human beings and animals as well. Clean energy sources such as water, solar and wind are natural resources that are easily affordable, reliable and environmental friendly. Nevertheless, strict laws should be imposed to deal with the massive pollutants; this strategy will discourage pollution and force industries to maximize on clean energy activities. Global warming should therefore be a concern of every indiv idual, as its repercussions affects everyone; hence, enhancing environmentally friendly activities should be a major concern for human beings. Works Cited Dell, Ronald Rand, David. Clean energy. Cambridge: Royal society publishers, 2004. Print. Farrar, Amy. Global Warming, Essential Viewpoints. Minnesota: ABDO Publisher, 2007. Print. Houghton, John Et al. Climate change 1992: the supplementary report to the IPCC scientific assessment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press publisher, 1992. Print. Kuczynski, Tadeusz Et al. â€Å"Impact of global climate change on the health, welfare and productivity of intensively housed livestock†. International Journal of Agricultural Biological Engineering, 4.2 (2011): 1-22. Print. Leddy, Jim. The Simple Truth. NY: Xulon Press publisher, 2008. Print. Maslin, Mark. Global Warming: Causes, Effects, and the Future, World life library. MN: MBI Publishing Company, 2007. Print. Stanford University. â€Å"Carbon Dioxide Emissions Linked to Human Mortality.† ScienceDaily, 3 Jan. 2008. 3 November 2011. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080103135757.htm World Bank. World development indicators. Washington DC: World Bank publications. 2004. Print. This essay on Global Warming: Causes, Effects, Solutions was written and submitted by user Andres Levy to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Slavery in the USA Essay Example

Slavery in the USA Essay Example Slavery in the USA Essay Slavery in the USA Essay Essay Topic: In the Us The history of slavery is one of the constituent parts of the historical development of the Untied States, actually it started from the first settlers of the USA and only in the year 1865 Emancipation Proclamation declared freedom for all slaves. (Claudia, 1986)The first mentioning of slavery can be traced from 1619, when a Dutch ship transported twenty blacks to Virginia that was at that moment the English colony. Their position was defined as indentured servants. Later on this notion developed into racial slavery. Virginia Slave Codes defined the social position of slaves in 1705.During the times of British colonies there were various types of slaves: starting from house servants and to those who were engaged to work on farms and plantations. Farmers were growing rice, tobacco and cotton. Only rich farmers, owing good lands could buy expensive slaves for developing their cotton business. In the 17th century appeared the notion – Native slaves – slaves brought to other colonies. (Menard, 1995). Thousands of them were used for work on â€Å"sugar islands†.   Some tribes like for example Cherokees also bought black slaves during 1800 – 1830s.The situation with slaves after 1776 was rather tense, the attitude to slaves was mostly very brutal: it was allowed to whip them when they were working on plantations, it was even prescribed by slave codes. For black people there were also separate Black Codes, the fulfillment of theses codes was under the control of white patrollers, who in fact had the right to mutilate or even kill runaways. Slaves could never be sure that they will have the chance to live with their families as the owner could sell any of the family members if there was such necessity for him. There were also cases of rebel from slaves who escaped or tried to revenge their owners by burning barns or killing their possessors.   Owners when buying a slave had to provide clothes and food for him, some even paid bonuses, slav es were allowed to keep the money they earned with gambling or in lottery. There was even a case, when a slave won in the lottery and then was able to buy freedom for himself. (Claudia, 1986).The first sighs of abolitionism can be traced in the 1750s, when the gatherings of Quakers pushed their members to refuse from having slaves. The American Revolution brought the spirits and beliefs that slavery was a disaster for America and its white residents. Between the years 1780 and 1804 practically all Northern States signed the emancipation acts. In the Constitution of Massachusetts of 1780 appeared a statement that all people were â€Å"born free and equal† (Menard, 1995).At the beginning of the 19th century this movement was gaining strength in the whole country.   There was even a campaign organized to deliver back the black people – former slaves who wanted to return to their homeland. This movement suddenly received a support from religion as well, in 1830 William L loyd Garrison stated that slavery was a personal sin and appealed to refusing from it. In spite of the best intentions of the movement, in reality this was the main reason of the Civil War in America.In fact refusal from slavery seemed to be not so easy step for economics, especially after the invention of the cotton gin in 1793 by Eli Whitney (Barzel, 1985). This led to increase of cotton need fifty times, which in its way resulted in growing need for more slavers’ labour in the southern states. The cotton boom coincided with slavery ban in the North of the country. However not all slaves became free, a lot of them were in reality shipped to the states where there was no ban for slavery yet, this means to the South. The situation was getting tenser due to the increased number of slaves in the South; slave owners became even more convinced that slaves can not be freed because of their fear of consequences.   The supplies of slaves from outside were stopped from 1808 by the decision of the Congress, however the inside slave trade was still allowed.   After in 1820s Midwestern states also banned slavery and in the North states slaves became free due to emancipation policy, the country was divided into two parts by the Ohio River into a slave part and into a free part. This distinction between northern and southern parts of the country grew even stronger when â€Å"with the formation of the Southern Baptist Convention on the premise that the Bible sanctions slavery and that it was acceptable for Christians to own slaves† (Menard, 1995).Franciscan mission resulted in development of slavery in colonial and Mexican California. Officially it was called Native labour, in reality this was continual slavery. After inroad from America in 1848, native inhabitants of California were made slaves with the help of so-called four-month penalty for â€Å"vagrancy† (Menard, 1995). At the same time in Kansas the situation was also rather tense. In 1854 Ka nsas- Nebraska Act was signed and it was up to natives to decide whether Kansas State should be a free or a slave state. John Brown was doing his best in supporting the abolitionist movement, but Republicans were too much afraid of the slaves’ possible control of the national government.When the time for presidential election in 1860 came, the absolute partition in the country became evident. The main parties could not come to an agreement: the Southern Democrats supported slavery, The Republicans wanted to stop it, The Northern Democrats stated that all the states should take local decisions, as this would mean the real democracy, at last the Constitutional Union Party struggled for the durability of the Union. Lincoln, the representative of Republicans won the election. The great problem was that abolition of slavery presented not only moral issue, this could also negatively influence the state of economy in the county, which was already used to the profits brought by worke rs, who needed no salary. There was also a point of view that the balance in the country, which was sustained with the help of number of slave and free states, could be broken. Mostly the South was concerned, because this part of the country depended a lot on agriculture, whereas in the north the industry could develop quite well without slaves. For Lincoln slavery was first of all political problem and he would prefer to have more control over the Mississippi river region. (Barzel, 1985)The logical consequence of this opposition was the Civil War in 1861, which resulted in final abolition of slavery. On the 1st of January 1863, Lincoln signed Emancipation Proclamation. After the war around four million slaves were set free, which made more than 12 % of the whole population in the USA. Arizona and Tennessee states revoked slavery in 1863-1865 by the special Acts passed and the Union army freed the rest of the slaves in the southern states. This was actually the formal end of slavery in the USA and it was followed by the period of Reconstruction.Overall, the history of slavery in America was long and controversial, full of sufferings and political intrigues. Slavery played great role in the economical development of the country, of the other side weakening its moral and cultural traditions in a way. We mentioned briefly some key events of the whole slavery history, omitting the description of rebels and names of the slaves who took part in them, omitting the details of all hardships that enslaved people had to come through and so on.

Fastwrite Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fastwrite - Essay Example Similarly, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas is the memoir of the orator and writer. Even Douglas was a slave and also talks about his experiences as a slave. He was one of the influential persons who propelled the Abolitionist Movement, especially through his writings. Authors like Zora Neale Hurston and Harriet Jacobs, have all written on the sheer cruelty and atrocities of slavery and racism prevalent then. The very fact that the colour of their skin determined their existence and lives has been put forth in a very authentic and touching manner. Toni Morrison has influenced African American Literature to a great extent. She was a teacher, before she began writing. She, like the other writers of this genre, emphasized on the realities associated with slavery. She also looked into aspects like cultural identity. However, she also wrote from the Black Woman’s point of view and spoke at length about racism, gender issues and the cultural block. One of the most unique features of Toni Morrison’s writings, is the fact that she clubs myths and realities and presents it in a manner that conveys the depth of meaning, rather than just presenting

Heritage and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Heritage and Culture - Essay Example This paper discusses achievements of the above mentioned writers in depicting their ancestral elements and thereby making their traditional aspects integral parts of the works. It also explores how Hawthorne and Marshall differ from each other in the two mentioned novels as far as their inherited and Puritanical standpoints are concerned. Nathaniel Hawthorne's Puritan ancestry is evident in many of his literary works. The beliefs of Puritans are often linked with human nature in his writings. The characters of the books depict the author's personal feelings regarding Puritanism. A puritan ancestry coupled with an ancestor, who served as judge in the witch trials in Salem, further served to influence the inclusion of Puritan themes in many of his books. It is generally opinionated that Hawthorne used his work as an outlet for expressing his guilt for the Puritan ways. His torment against the cruelties of Puritanism is very effectively portrayed in 'The Scarlet Letter.' Through this book he revealed the grotesqueness of the Puritan principles. (Gervens, 2006) The puritan era and its cultural aspects have been depicted through Hawthorne's novel 'The Scarlet Letter.' Hard work linked to servitude to God is a dominant Puritan philosophy. But the rather ascetic views on certain other aspects of life; have been portrayed in many of Nathaniel Hawthorne's work. ... In the book, Hester a young woman is forced to wear the letter "A" hewn on a red cloth with gold thread in an elaborate and intricate design. This letter is a badge of disgrace imparted by the Puritan elders for Hester's actions of bearing an illegitimate child. The Puritan elders had thus set an example for sinners who dared to disobey the principles of the Puritan society. (Lots of Essays, 2008) The author's feelings about the Puritan punishments are evident in the contrast with which he depicts the grace of Hester with the cold severity portrayed by the Puritan elders. His abhor and disgust for the Puritan practices has been exemplified through this book. Paule Marshall and West Indian Heritage Marshall's views on her West Indian heritage are expressed in her book 'Praisesong for the Widow.' For instance the use of Creole dialect, even only for a weekend by the out - islanders in the book is proof of the close ties that is maintained with their ancestry. The author has expressed her own feelings through the journey of the protagonist - Avey in the book. Avey's appreciation of the traditional Creole dance is a way of reconnecting with her roots, which is something that the author personally wants to do. The author's feeling has been aptly described in the book, through Avey's feelings, when she says, "centered and sustained restored to her proper axis" [Praisesong for the Widow 254]. Avey reestablishes her ties with her heritage, and eventually rediscovers her own self somewhere. The author portrays her ancestral heritage brilliantly through the character of Great Aunt Cuney. The dream that Avey remembers, which inaugurates the chain of events in the book, is that of a younger Avey with her Aunt Cuney, with whom she

Discrimination towards Asians Essay Example for Free

Discrimination towards Asians Essay The expansion of America was a realization within the political and financial elite that there is a need for America to create markets in foreign countries for the American goods. By the turn of the 1890s there was a lot of surplus in goods that we need to penetrate overseas markets to address under consumption and economic crisis. The United States was under the premise that the countries with the largest navies and military force would eventually inherit the earth (Zinn, 1942). Before the election of President William McKinley he said that the American people needs overseas market for the surplus products since the American soil and factories are producing more than what the American people needed. This surplus should be of the advantage of the country since it will bring commercial supremacy. This supremacy led to the expansionist view in politics and even in the naval forces. President Roosevelt created propaganda for expansion in the 1890s together with other political elites who share his expansionist standpoint. Roosevelt was perhaps the greatest expansionist of his time. He was up to penetrate Hawaii, Philippines and China. In 1898, 10% of American goods were sold in the foreign markets which amounted to billions of dollars. By the year 1895, the foreign investment of American Capitalists has reached billions of dollars especially in the steel industry. This further fanned the need for the American capitalists to create overseas markets and this made engaging in war an option. As in the case of Philippines, the conflict between the Spanish conquerors and the Filipino rebels paved way for the intervention of America in the guise of â€Å"generosity†. In 1899, the American government under the presidency of William McKinley sent troops to the Philippines to aide the Filipinos in fighting their war against the Spaniards. Mckinley states four reasons on why he decided to colonize the Philippines. The first was he can’t give the Philippines back to the Spaniards. Second is that he can’t give the Philippines to the French. Third is that he thinks that the Philippines is â€Å"unfit† to govern for themselves and the forth is that he has no choice but to â€Å"adopt† the Filipinos and â€Å"civilize† them (Zinn, 1942). By the term â€Å"civilized† and â€Å"unfit† he was under the notion that Filipinos are savages, uneducated, and unscrupulous. This only shows that even the president of a democratic country thinks lowly of a race that has endured 300 years of oppression and was courageous enough to ouster a government as strong as Spain. The country was under the Spanish rule for more than 300 hundred years and the Filipinos were craving for freedom. The Filipinos under the leadership of Emilio Aguinaldo were gaining much power at that time and some historians say that the Filipino people could have won the war without the American intervention. Since the Americans came on cue, just as the war was supposed to end, America took all the credit and branded themselves as heroes and liberator of the country. This scenario is similar to what the United States did to Cuba. When the Cuban rebels sought help from the United States, they sent American troops instead of financial resources (Zinn, 1942). When the Spanish colonizers where defeated, the US did not recognize the efforts of the rebels and took over Cuba. Before the US freed Cuba, they made sure that Platt amendment will be added to the constitution giving the US rights to intervene with the Cuban government. Some US bases where also retained and the Cuban market was remained opened to American exports. In the case of the Philippines, US intervention came in together with education, clothing, healthcare and other basic necessities that were deprived by the Spaniards. Since the Spaniards aimed to suppress education among Filipinos and keep them dependent to their regime, the â€Å"Education for everyone scheme† of the United States was a hit for most of the Filipinos. However the struggle continued for those who seek real independence (Grey, 2003). The expansionist point of view of Americans towards the Philippines was regarded as acts of robbery and oppression by a black soldier designated in the Philippines. It was a bloody war as news articles and journals of soldiers revealed that they shot Filipinos like â€Å"rabbits† including the women and children who were helpless (Zinn, 1942). Discrimination in the political system was also evident since only the Americans hold office and Filipinos where kept at the lower offices of the political structure. Similar to the faith of those non-whites, the Filipino people where discriminated even in today’s society. Due to economic reasons a great percentage of Filipinos are now working abroad as domestic workers. Blue collar jobs such as domestic helpers, construction workers, waiters and etc are the most common employment for Filipinos residing in the United States (Manalansan, 2003). Because of this, stereotypes where based upon the assumption that Filipinos are uneducated and are capable of doing only menial jobs. In fact, in a British dictionary the meaning of the word Filipina is â€Å"domestic helper†. This may be attributed to the fact that 90% of Filipinos working abroad are females. However, we fail to see is that a large percentage of these Filipino workers have a college degree and are in fact educated. Sociology dictates that since Filipinos have been subjected to three colonizers (Spanish, Americans and Japanese) they are by nature patient, enduring and industrious. Thus, doing menial jobs are sacrifices they are willing to make just to alleviate their families current economic status (Manalansan, 2003). Today, the Philippines is the worlds major exporter of manpower especially in health care. Filipino nurses and care givers pride themselves as pioneers in their craft and the country even hails them as the present day heroes. However, when they set foot on the foreign soil, that pride turns to discrimination. Though they are well capable and well trained in nursing, skin color often hinders them from being treated the same way as that of the white nurses. A quote from the TV show Desperate Housewives uttered by Teri Hatcher says: â€Å"Okay, before we go any further, can I check those diplomas because I just wanna make sure that theyre not from some med school in the Philippines. This only supports the fact that Filipinos are still caught under the stereotype that they are incapable and are discriminated upon (Salanga, 2007). In comparison to the African-Americans, Filipinos experience greater amount of discrimination due to the fact that they are smaller, second is the portrayal of the Philippines as a country of terrorists, third is that they are uneducated and forth is that most of them don’t speak good English. But unknown to most Americans is that there is a thriving business of call centers in the Philippines which started in 2000. When we dial customer service and ask for help for a certain product, we might be seeking advice from Filipinos that we discriminate against. The thing is we don’t even notice that they are Filipinos by the way they speak. They are proficient in English and are able to address of plights properly, hence, the notion that Filipinos are dumb serves as an irony. In call centers, we ask for help from Filipinos and not the other way around. At present the Call center industry in the Philippines captures 20% of the world market share in call centers and the Philippine government aims to get 50% of share by the year 2008 (Ortigas Online, 2007). Filipinos today face what sociologists call double jeopardy. Because Filipinos are discriminated, they have difficulty of finding good jobs. It is estimated that a majority of Filipinos in the United States today are still holding blue collar jobs though some of them have white collar jobs. Some have even made it big time in the United States just like the lead singer of the Pussy Cat Dolls who is a Filipino-American (Ezugwu, 2007). Though some have made it up in the economic ladder, Filipinos still comprise the majority in service sectors jobs in the United States. Their poverty reinforces their minority status. Thus, the so-called â€Å"ladder of discrimination† as what sociologists call is also reinforced. Filipinos have the difficulty of upgrading their status by economic means because of these stereotypes. Thus, white Americans always associate Filipinos with poverty, terrorism, violence and ignorance. This then hinders them from alleviating their status and making their chances at getting high paying jobs a lot slimmer as compared to the whites. However, when I check the web and type â€Å"Philippines† in the search box it is amazing how it differs from what the media is projecting. As a country the Philippines has wonderful places and beautiful culture. They are deeply rooted to their religion and values which make them generally warm and happy individuals (Tope, L. Nonan-Mercado, 2007). Their history with the Spaniards taught Filipinos how to be industrious and enduring as they were colonized by Spain for 300 years. These characteristics of Filipinos show in their approach to their work here in the United States. I think the fact that they are willing to occupy menial jobs that most Americans would shun is a manifestation that they are hardworking people. Perhaps it is this realization that led to further acceptance to the Filipino culture and the Filipino people. In the United States there are Filipino communities in every state (The Filipino, 2007) and a lot of Americans prefer to have Filipino wives saying that Filipinos make a loving wife and mother. The country also has a strong president as of pres time and aims to renew the image of the Philippines as a country filled with communists. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo wasfeatured in the Times Magazine for the second time and was hailed as one of the most powerful women in Asia (Spaeth, 2001). Since she is very stern in her fight against terrorism the Philippines and the Filipinos are beginning to portray a wonderful picture in our minds. In addition to that, society has become more lenient as to the case of racism. Many citizens are now aware that skin color or race does not limit a person’s ability to do his job properly. Filipinos, much like the other minority groups should be given the chance to grow and show their abilities. The growing popularity of snit racism and equality has made some impact on the way Filipinos are treated, however it is not yet evident in most cases. Reference http://www.commondreams.org/scriptfiles/views03/1117-11.htm

Poverty in Everyday Use, Sonnys Blues, and The Cathedral Essay

Poverty in Everyday Use, Sonny's Blues, and The Cathedral Works Cited Not Included Comparing ?Everyday Use?, ?Sonny?s Blues? and ?The Cathedral?, one can conclude that they share a common meaning. Although all three stories consider poverty as their theme, each chooses to elaborate it in a different manner. In fact, ?Everyday Use? emphasizes on the state of extreme poverty in which certain people live. On the other hand, ?Sonny?s Blues? contributes to the theme by describing the poverty of spirit of Harlem?s ?inner kids?. Carver?s ?The Cathedral?, however, prefers to explore the notion of poverty as a state of one?s mind rather than the environment in which one lives. In ?Everyday Use?, Alice Walker chooses to develop the idea of poverty by focusing exclusively on the environment in which her protagonists live. Setting attributes, such as the ones used to describe the house in which the protagonists reside, enables us to better understand the theme. In fact, the dwelling does not even have any real windows. Instead, it has holes cut in the sides, like the portholes of a ship, but not round and not square, with rawhide holding the shutters up on the outside. Then, Walker proceeds with inside description of the house as she points out that the protagonists use benches for their table instead of chairs because they cannot financially afford any. Further, the author supports the theme by providing us with some physical description of specific objects. The use of quilts that ?Grandma Dee? sewed from the scraps of her dress and the churn that Uncle Henry whittled from the wood is not derived from the protagonists? intention to preserve ?family values? but rather from a necessity to ?survive?. In ?Sonny?s Blues?, the theme of... ...nt from the happiness that he has with his own wife. The notion of poverty has a very expanded meaning. Although all three stories use poverty as their theme, each interprets it differently. Consequently, it does not necessarily mean the state of extreme misery that has been described in ?Everyday Use?. As Carver points out, poverty may refer to poverty of one?s mind, which is caused primarily by the lack of education and stereotyped personality. Finally, poverty may reflect the hopelessness of one?s mind. Realizing that no bright future awaits them, Harlem kids find no sense in their lives. Unfortunately, the satisfaction of realizing their full potential does not derive from achieving standards that are unachievable by others. Instead, it arises uniquely from denigrating others, as the only way to be higher than someone is to put this person lower than you.

Class Differences Essay

â€Å"Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe. † (– Frederick Douglass) The Kite Runner is based on two boys named Amir and Hassan. Amir is from an upper class, called the Pashtuns and Hassan is from a lower class, called the Hazaras. Pashtuns are Afghanistan’s largest ethnic group. Pashtuns are Sunni Muslims and Hazaras are Shi’a Muslims. Pashtuns consider Hazaras a disgrace to Islam and are considered a minority. Hazaras have been discriminated for many centuries. Because of this class difference, there are limitations to Amir and Hassan’s relationship. The Kite Runner would not exist if there is no class difference between Amir and Hassan because every conflict in the novel revolves around the class difference between Amir and Hassan as well as Pashtuns and Hazaras. Amir and Hassan themselves would be two completely different people if it weren’t for the labels of Pashtuns and Hazaras and the political issues that are ongoing in Afghanistan would be non-existent as well. The Kite Runner is based on the class difference between Amir and Hassan. There would be no conflicts or issues in this novel if it weren’t for the discrimination against Hazaras and the superiority of Pashtuns. The conflict between Assef and Hassan would be non-existent because if there was no class difference in the novel, Assef would have never teased Hassan. Assef even raped Hassan because he was a Hazara. Assef is the village bully and has very low tolerance for Hazaras, especially Hassan. Hassan was raped to be dominated by Assef and to prove that Hassan is inferior to Assef. Every confrontation Hassan and Assef have, Assef constantly states that Pashtuns are real Afghans and Hazaras are not. â€Å"Afghanistan is the land of Pashtuns. It always has been, always will be. We are the true Afghans, not this Flat-Nose here. His people pollute our homeland, our watan. They dirty our blood. † – (Assef, Chapter 5, Page 43) He also claims that Hazaras pollute Afghanistan and should be killed just like how Hitler murdered 6 million Jewish people because they were considered minorities in Germany. Another conflict that would also make the novel non-existent would be the limited relationship between Amir and Hassan. When Amir and Hassan participated in the Kite flying competition, Amir controlled the kite and Hassan was the kite runner. This already shows the domination Amir has over Hassan and how Amir will always remain the controller and Hassan will always be the runner. Amir only treated him like he was inferior because of he was a Hazara and also because of the favouritism between Amir and Hassan from Baba. 26 years later when Amir is in living the USA and Hassan is still in Afghanistan, Hassan protected Baba’s property with his wife and his child. Hassan and his wife were killed because he was protecting his home and was claimed a liar by the Taliban’s, also because he was a Hazara. The class difference in this novel was not only between Amir and Hassan but between the Talibans and Hazaras as well, which caused a lot of political tension. Overall, most conflicts introduced in The Kite Runner are inflicted by class differences between Amir and Hassan. If it were not for the class difference and discrimination, there would be no story at all.