The Underground Railroad from Slavery to Freedom Essay

The Underground Railroad from Slavery to Freedom - Essay Example Seibert’ book presents a number of interesting people and unsung heroes before it readers. Among all of them, one person that particular catches the interest is Calvin Fairbank. Fairbank lived in an affluent family that was 'assigned' with two slaves. As these slaves did all the housework, once he got the opportunity to listen to the slave-woman's tale of sorrow, which kindled anger in Fairbank. Once when he was in charge of a raft of lumber, he saw a woodsman who was going to be a slave very soon. Fairbank took him on the raft and helped him. Along with o an old slave woman with 7 children, he helped this man escape by taking them to a secure location on his raft. However, this met with a lot of issues because Fairbank was charged with helping the slaves help and was sent to the penitentiary. Before he was released, the Fugitive Slave law was passed, but this did not prove to be a deterrent to his ideas. According to him, 'I resisted its execution whenever and wherever possib le'. He continued to help the slaves escape. This landed him in the prison again and he spent more than 17 years of his life in the prison, where some phases were filled with physical and mental torture. Through his strategy of using disguises and helping people hide, he played pivotal part in making the life better for many slaves. One of the very interesting events in the book is about how the disguise was used as a very effective technique to help the slaves escape quietly without the threat of being caught.... Fairbank lived in an affluent family that was 'assigned' with two slaves. As these slaves did all the housework, once he got the opportunity to listen to the slave-woman's tale of sorrow, which kindled anger in Fairbank. Once when he was in charge of a raft of lumber, he saw a woodsman who was going to be a slave very soon. Fairbank took him on the raft and helped him. Along with o an old slave woman with 7 children, he helped this man escape by taking them to a secure location on his raft. However, this met with a lot of issues because Fairbank was charged with helping the slaves help and was sent to the penitentiary. Before he was released, the Fugitive Slave law was passed, but this did not prove to be a deterrent to his ideas. According to him, 'I resisted its execution whenever and wherever possible' (Siebert, 1898, p. 159). He continued to help the slaves escape. This landed him in the prison again and he spent more than 17 years of his life in the prison, where some phases wer e filled with physical and mental torture. Through his strategy of using disguises and helping people hide, he played pivotal part in making the life better for many slaves. One of the very interesting events in the book is about how the disguise was used as a very effective technique to help the slaves escape quietly without the threat of being caught. Mr. Sidney Speed of Crawfordsville narrates the incident when a mulatto girl was about 20 years of age reached their home. As the level of vigilance was very high, they could not move her despite many efforts. The owners of this slave were searching for her all across the place. When they got the right opportunity, she was taken to a coloured man's house to devise a plan of escape. There, she was disguised in a dress of silks and

The Illiad and Gilgamesh Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Illiad and Gilgamesh - Essay Example The prime example is Achilles, the greatest hero of The Iliad, was the son of Thetis, a sea-goddess known for her far-reaching cosmic powers. The prestige accorded by ancient Greek civilization to the figure of Achilles, and the strong emotional attachment that goes with it, is worthy of readers attention especially because they find relatively unresponsive to this sullen and darkly brooding hero: "Rage - Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles, murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses hurling down to the House of Death (Book I). Hector represents a hero who acts in social interests more than in his own, while Achilles takes into account his own interests and neglects social responsibility. In contrast, Achilles is an ideal warrior, who is a little bit "crazy" when follows his own codex of norms. Hector is philosopher who does not subdued to common norms, and this very feature helps him to keep away from ignorance and complacency existing in the world He is a man of nerve who is able to survive and protect others in any difficult Hector can be called an ideal moral "hero" in contrast to Achilles who is driven by his own success only. In contrast to these heroes, the role of Agamemnon is to protect his land and people. His position as a king affects his decisions and actions during battles.

Conduct a rhetorical analysis of Krishnas replay to Arjuna in The Essay

Conduct a rhetorical analysis of Krishnas replay to Arjuna in The Bhagavad Gita - Essay Example Is it morally right to claim victory over this? As a philosophical poem, Bhagavad-Gita does not provide simple answers to this problem. The story acts as an equipment for the living which rotates on cycle of birth and death. This is because, the philosophy provides some aspect of life which cuts across the universe. Krishna uses dialogue to communicate the Hindu teachings to Arjuna. Arjuna had lost all his will among the Kauravas whereby he was fighting against his family members Johnson, Kathryn Ann. Ethical responsibility is demonstrated here. He favored his family members while in the battlefield. This brings out the tone of being loving and mindful about his own culture and his family. We can call all these as ethic of Divinity, Ethic of community and ethic of autonomy. In conclusion, the rhetoric analysis of this book brings out the tone of war and its cultural aspect. It also brings out the persona and the figurative language used to bring out a concreate message of the Indian

Phil of Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Phil of Law - Essay Example Among the lawyers, it designates the instincts and emotions found in every human being, such as love for offspring. When natural law is applied, the jury uses the power of reasoning to give a verdict that is universally and morally accepted. Legal realism is contrary to the natural law. In legal realism theory, legal rules are based on the decision of the judiciary and are given in the interest of the majority of the population and policies of the public. This is contrary to the natural law, which is based on dogmatism. Legal realism defines the legal rights and duties as the court of law defines them (Tebbit 21). Legal realists claim that exercising the common law is subjective and the results are always inconsistent and incoherent. This claim is based on either political, social, or moral alignments or beliefs of the state and the judges. Positivism as a theory of law is a philosophy based on the information obtained from the senses, logical and mathematical analysis sourced from s cientifically proved knowledge, which is valid and truthful (Tebbit 21). The empirical evidence sourced from verified data makes the society operate under the general laws of the physical world. Positivism declares the empirical sciences as the source of truth and knowledge, thereby rejecting cognitive reasoning. This theory emerged in response to the inability of the speculations in solving problems, which came up as a result of the expansion of the knowledge base of human being due to science. However, positivism is the contrast of natural law. It is always very clear, exact and does not subscribe to the beliefs of the society. Positivism postulates that laws written by the higher authority should be followed even if they are unjust or ethically acceptable. Positivism is advantageous because of its clarity, hence minimizing guesswork and binding people within its boundaries when making legal decisions. However, legal positivism may be disadvantageous because the majority might opp ress the minority as in the case of the Fugitive Slave Law that oppressed the Blacks in America (Tebbit 21). Relating the theories of law to Shadrach Minkin’s ordeal, it is clear that the theories of law have been applied. In May 1850, Shadrach Minkin, a house slave in Virginia, escapes from his owner in Norfolk to Boston. Courtesy of the support in the free black society, he becomes a waiter. However, with the passing of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, where federal marshals were given power to arrest any fugitive slaves and remand them back to their employers, made it a reality to him. Under the new Fugitive Slave Law, slave refugees were denied basic civil liberties that are accorded to the other white citizens. These include trial by jury and the right of the accused to testify. In the case of Morris vs. the US, the verdict of the jury portrays the theory of legal realism in application. The jury applied their legal mandate on the case in the interest of the majority of p eople. It might have been seen that the jury were aligned on their political beliefs, but their verdict was in the interest of the majority of the population (Tebbit 21). It is clear that the jury acquitted the defendants who were believed to be guilty during trial just because they disagreed with the law. According to the jury’s argument, the law was not applicable in the case and its application was unjust. In the spirit of the theory of

Pearl Harbor and September Attacks Essay Example for Free

Pearl Harbor and September Attacks Essay The Pearl Harbor and the September 11 attack are two events that changed the United States to a great deal. December 7th 1941 and September 11th 2001 are two dark days that will never be forgotten in the history of the United States. They are the two major attacks against the United States that have occurred in history. Although the intentions of the enemy in both cases were to tear the United States apart, the responses by the administration have resulted into the opposite. Although many innocent lives were lost in both attacks, it is important to note that the attacks left the people of America more united and more prepared for future attacks. However, the most important issue that has come into the picture as a result of the two attacks is the effectiveness of the United States intelligence. Immediately after the infamous 9/11 attack, many commentators linked the attack to the Pearl Harbor attack. There have been arguments that there are similarities in intelligence failures when the two attacks are compared. Commentators have claimed that just as the United States was not prepared for the Pearl Harbor attack in the Second World War, it failed to defend itself against attack by terrorists leading to the infamous September 11 attack (Griffin, 2004). It is not a surprise that the two events are similar in many ways. They were both surprise attacks which had far reaching national and international implications in relation to the United States intelligence community. This is despite the fact that the happening of the two events took place over half a century apart. However, the actors in the surprise attack, the motives, sequence of events and the consequences of the two attacks are different. In both attacks, the United States intelligent community has been accused of ignoring signs prior to the attack that could have been essential in protecting the Americans against the attacks. Despite there being visible warning signs, the intelligence has maintained that the two events were unanticipated. There is no doubt that before the Pearl Harbor attack, the relationship between Japan and the United States had gone sour. President Roosevelt’s administration had placed embargos against Japan and had supported China against the Japanese. The economic sanctions had affected the Japanese economy and they had no option but to destroy the American fleets. The Japanese intention was to seize American lands in the Far East which would force Roosevelt’s administration to negotiate a settlement. Although the American administration recognized the magnitude of the crisis with the Asian power, they did not anticipate any danger of attack until it was too late. The intelligence made a wrong assumption that the Japanese did not have military ability or economic power to attack the United States. Unfortunately, the Japanese proved them wrong by attacking Pearl Harbor and shattered the United States plans in the pacific (Borch, 2003). In the September 11 attack, the warning signs were even clearer. There were various studies that had concluded that the war against terrorism by the United States towards the end of the 20th century made it clear that it was certain the United States would have a major terrorist attack. In the 1990s, the United States was involved in war against terrorist groups such as al Qaeda and retaliation was not unexpected. The 1995 and 1996 attacks in Riyadh and Dhahran respectively and the august 1998 attacks on American embassies in East Africa by the al Qaeda were clear signs that the continental America would certainly suffer terrorists attack. The American response to the attack by bombing suspected al Qaeda bases in Afghanistan and Sudan should have also been carried out with necessary caution. Moreover, the al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had declared his commitment to launching an attack against the Americans in 1998 while Bush’s administration had published the political agendas of Taliban in Afghanistan, its alliance with al Qaeda and their terror campaign against the United States in 1999 (Tobias Foxman, 2003). When the intelligence pertaining to the attacks is considered, technological advancement comes into the picture. In both incidences of attack, the technology used by the enemy surprised the United States intelligence community. The enemies in both attacks maximized the use of technology against the Americans to the surprise of the intelligence. The technological surprise in this case is the manner in which the enemy used a hardware that made it difficult or impossible for quick counter attack by the efficient United States military. In this case, the United States intelligent community was beaten in their own game. In the Pearl Harbor attack, the Japanese efficiently demonstrated the full abilities of aerial attacks by integrating new aviation in their military attack. They were able to contract the torpedo that could operate in the shallow waters very efficiently. Although aviation technology was not a secret in the Second World War, the Americans were surprised by the ability of the Japanese to incorporate the technology so efficiently and perfect their military powers. This made it impossible for the US’s intelligence to estimate the magnitude of the threat by the Japanese because they were unaware of their technological abilities (Borch, 2003). Similarly, although the use of passenger plane for suicidal missions was not a new phenomenon, the September 11 terrorist attack also achieved technological surprise. It is interesting to note how the al Qaeda utilized modern technology and globalization of the world to plan and execute their attack. They were able to easily launch their attack without the use of conventional hardware and expertise that could have been used for intercontinental attack. The al Qaeda had operatives in all parts of the world including the United States with well established communication networks to the surprise of the US intelligence. They used the internet, satellite telephones and international money transfer in the United States and other parts of the world without attracting any attention (Griffin, 2004). There is no doubt therefore, technology played an important role in the Pearl Harbor and September 11 attack. However, there are two surprising aspects of technology use in the two attacks. First, the technology used in the Pearl Harbor as well as the September 11 attack was not new or a secret. The technology was actually well known if not used by the United States security systems prior to the attack. Secondly, the United States had been the greatest beneficiary of technological advancement in the 20th century and had the leading experts in the development and harnessing technological development. However, they were unaware of the desperation of their enemies which prompted creativity. Thus they underestimated the capability and determinations of the enemy to circumvent their technological superiority and launch a technological surprise (Hulnick, 2004). It is also surprising to note how the enemy exploited the structural vulnerability of the United States defense and intelligence to launch their attack. The confusion between the US Army and the US Navy created by the war warning to the military in Hawaii from Washington prior to Pearl Harbor attack exposed the vulnerability of the United States military intelligence giving the enemy a room for surprise attack. The army concentrated on guarding the aircrafts and ammunitions against possibility of sabotage while the navy thought that the alert had prompted vigilance in air patrols by the army. While the army was guarding the aircrafts and ammunitions, they thought that the naval intelligence was monitoring the Japanese fleets. The army did not realize that the US Navy had lost track of the enemy leading to the surprise attack. The structural vulnerability was evident when the army and the navy operating on Oahu did to clear the air on the responsibility of each group. Even if both the Naval and Army officials cooperated to guard the island, there were no efficient structures to disseminate the intelligence information collected to the respective commanders. Although there is no evidence of the Japanese knowledge on the structural weaknesses of the United States military, there is no doubt that the structural and organizational vulnerability is an important lesson from the Pearl Harbor attack (Borch, 2003). Though at a different level, the organization weaknesses in the United States intelligent service and security systems prior to the September 11 attack may have increased the vulnerability of the United States, the military had a unified command outside the United States such as in the gulf war, but that was not the case in the continental America. The department of defense and the CIA concentrated on external threat while the FBI focused on crimes within the United States. The terrorists could have realized the structural weakness in the intelligence service. Moreover, security in the international airports all over the United States was under the responsibility of the airport management and airline companies who hired private security firms. In other words, other than concentrating on the structural and organizational solutions to the current problems, the United States intelligence concentrated on technological solutions which possibly resulted into the two attacks (Hufschmid, 2002). There is no doubt that the September 11 terrorist attack and the Pearl Harbor attack had numerous effects on the United States intelligence and society. More importantly, the two events changed the United States interests in the world affairs. The isolationism policies of the United States were abandoned after the Pearl Harbor attacks while the Bush administration took punitive measures against terrorists. Although after every attack, there was an improvement in the United States intelligence, it is important to put in proper mechanisms that would not result into a repeat of yesteryears mistakes. The US intelligence should be aware of the desperation of their enemies irrespective of their economic and military abilities. This will enable the integration of the intelligent community in the United States into an effective organizational structure that aid collaboration. This will go a long way in eliminating the mentality of technological solutions to the security threats facing the continental America and the world.

Work and employment

Work and employment Work is the most important thing in life. From all the trouble, for all the ills you can find only one escape at work. Hemingway Life without work is not possible. People spend most of life time at work, position at work shows persons position in life, good career position shows persons achievements in life. Also work is persons identity: it means that profession and sphere of work influence person the most, it determines his knowledge, his view points and also a way to show who a person is. Work is something where people constantly discover themselves, their potential, their character and talants it is a mean of self-identification. It is necessary to point out the view of sociologist William Julius Wilson about the impact of employment on people: In the absence of regular employment, a person lacks not only a place in which to work and the receipt of regular income but also a coherent organization of the present that is a concrete system of expectations and goals.Regular employment provides the anchor for the spatial and temporal aspects of daily life.It determines where you are going to be and when you are going to be there.In the absence of regular employment, life, including family life, becomes less coherent.Persistent unemployment, and irregular employment hinder rational planning in daily life, a necessary condition of adaptation to an industrial economy. (Dubin, R 1998) The work a very important part of life, a working man gets colleagues, perhaps with friends, he has a sense of community with fellow workers, the purpose and schedule of the day, its status allows us to determine among others, gives a sense of dignity, a pride in personal achievements. Most every conversation with a previously unknown person begins with the words: In what area do you work?. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, published by the United Nations, the right to work is one of the most important rights of every person. However, this right is not always guaranteed. Job stability depends on many things starting with the state of the local economy and ending the situation in the world market.Nevertheless, when people lose their jobs or when they face this danger, the consequence are often protests, riots and strikes. What is a good job?Of course, everyone has their own opinion on this issue.For some good work is the use of advanced technology, freedom of ideas and participation in future projects.For someone a stable job, a good team and career prospects.Moreover, one of the key points of the company is to create better conditions for work, which correspond to the expectations of employees. The role of work in human and social development lies not only in creating the material and spiritual values, but that in the work man himself reveals his ability to acquire useful skills, complements and enriches the knowledge.The creative nature of work is reflected in the emergence of new ideas, advanced technologies, more sophisticated and high-performance tools, new products, materials, energy, which, in turn, lead to the development needs. While working people enter the social and labor relations, interacting with each other. Social relations allow to determine the social significance, role, place and social position of individuals and groups. It is important to point out the main reasons of importance of work. Economical reasons: work is a mean of earning for each person. Employment means a stable earning to person, his financial independence, and confidence in good and safe life. Nowadays employment gives also a lot of social guarantees and assurances, like medical insurance, paid vacation and so on. Employers often try to create better conditions for work of talented and skilled professionals, offers a high salary and a variety of incentive programs for employees.Employers are concerned about creating comfortable conditions for work, pay for lunch and sports activities for employees these are social and economic preferences of employed people.. Psychological reasons : work not only generates income but also contributes to psychological well-being.The work satisfies the desire to be a useful member of society and have meaning in life.In addition, from it to some extent depends on self-esteem.Therefore, someone who has more money than enough to meet their needs or who are eligible to retire, still prefers to work.Yes, work is so important that its absence usually entail serious social problems. The word work has always been associated with emotions. As a psychologist I. EB Duvoye said: Going back to work, you should be pleased by the work itself and from the fact that the world needs it. With these lives the heavens, and they are as close as you can to reach them. Without this with work that youhate, which is solid boredom, and which does not need the world your life hell. () Sociological reasons: social activity of the same importance for the maintenance of human health, as sports, diet or medication.Each person understand how important it is to be in a social group and identify themselves with any particular group. The study of British and Australian scientists published the London newspaper The Daily Express shows that active communication within different social groups and communities reduces the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke and even influenza. Many diseases, first of all, are the psychological consequence of lack of positive communication rights. (Dubin, R 1998) When person is employed, he fulfills certain economic and social role in the society. Different people can fulfill different kinds of work, and it is important to note that all the professions and all workers are important for society. Also, work and employment are connected with the term social division of labor the process of separating different types of work between different members of society and social groups, the simultaneous coexistence and interaction of different types of work. So, being employed person gets a certain position in the society, he becomes of certain value and importance for society. On the professional basis people unite together in r groups, that is always people engaged in the same type of work.So when person chooses his working sphere and place, he becomes accepted into a certain group of people with their own ethical norms, rules, principles, values and lifestyles. Also, employment and work make people dependent on society and country, on economic and political situation in it. Employed person becomes dependent on countrys policy of employment, he begins to have certain rights and responsibilities. So, work and employment make people both dependent and independent, but anyway work is an integral part of human life. Works cited: Woodd M. 2000. The psychology of career theory a new perspective?.Career, No5, pp. 273-80 R.Dubin. 1998. The World Of Work: Industrial Society and Human Relations, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliff, NJ E.Lee. 1996. Globalization and employment, International Labour Review, Vol. 135 No.5, pp.485-498. Alan Fox.1998. Beyond Contract: Work, Power and Trust Relations. Farber and Farber Lisa K. Berger,Sonya K. Sedivy, Ron A. Cisler. 2009. The Influence of Work Environment Stressors and Individual Social Vulnerabilities on Employee Problem Drinking. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, Vol.9, No.3,July 2009, pp. 263 281

A Sense of Pathos in Journeys End :: R.C. Sheriff Journeys End Literature Essays

A Sense of Pathos in Journey's End How Does Sherriff Create a Sense of Pathos in Act Three Scene Three of the Play? Act Three Scene Three in the play is ultimately the point in which all of the dramatic tension comes to a tragic climax. This sense of pathos is achieved by a number of different factors. The first is that the scene begins with an emotive description of the atmosphere, describing the ‘intense darkness of the dugout is softened by the glow of the Very lights’ and the ‘distant mutter of the guns’. There is also a frequent reference to the cold, which helps to reflect the bitterness of war. The men in the dugout are clearly trying to keep things normal in order to try and suppress their fears about the approaching German attack, for example Trotter sings to himself and Mason fusses about tea and drinks. However it is also clear that there is an underlying tension in the unnerving stillness of the atmosphere at this moment in the play. The men coping with their fears through trivial matters are contrasted with Hibbert, whose fears are not so well concealed. It is at this point that Stanhope’s caring personality and good leadership skills are visible, when he gets water for Hibbert and sends Mason up to keep him company. The more we empathise with Stanhope, the greater the tragedy when he is killed. We also see that the attack is steadily building as the noises of the shells and minenwerfers increase, and the demand for stretcher-bearers becomes more frequent as soldiers are being injured. This relentlessness of the battle portrays how merciless and horrific life on the front line was. When Raleigh is hit, the first thing we learn is that it has broken his spine and so understand that his condition is most likely fatal. Stanhope then commands that he is brought down into the dugout, which was unusual for a soldier to be treated in this way. A great sense of pathos is created in the conversation that takes place between Raleigh and Stanhope. The first way in which this is achieved is by the way in which the address each other, through use of their first names as opposed to Raleigh and Stanhope. This indicates a revert back to the memories of when they were best friends in school and shows Stanhope’s compassionate nature. We also greatly admire Raleigh because he still feels compelled to fulfil his duty, despite being critically injured. As with Stanhope, this sympathy felt by the viewer helps to intensify the tragedy of his death. There is a sense of irony in the fact that Stanhope lays Raleigh down