Race by the Numbers Essay Example for Free

Race by the Numbers Essay In his article, â€Å"Race by the Numbers†, Orlando Patterson argued about the misinterpretation of the census results and that this misinformation is having negative effects on the perspective of the people. The misinterpreted part of the census, according to Patterson, was the idea that the population of the Whites is becoming the minority in many areas of the country. Thus, Patterson offered arguments and ideas to disprove the validity of the interpretation. However, the question is whether or not Patterson was able to persuade the readers, the citizens, that the interpretation of the census report was indeed incorrect. Patterson’s article is full of information especially statistical and quantitative information that helped him in establishing ground for his arguments. Patterson statement that â€Å"48 percent of Hispanics classified themselves as solely white† (p. 83) adds to his persuasive argument that is also supported by the next sentence in the article, â€Å"Hispanics can be of any race† (p. 83). These statements clearly supported the fact that the total percentage of Whites in was decreased as interpreted by the census report. Patterson also included studies that affirm his claim including recent census result. Patterson stated that, â€Å"whites will constitute 74. 8 percent of the total population in 2050, and that non-Hispanics will still be 52. 8 percent of the total† (p. 83) as indicated by the recent census. With such facts indicated in the article, it can be said that Patterson was able to build a strong evidence and supporting detains and information regarding his assertions. Thus, his argument, regarding the population of white Americans in the country, is a â€Å"gross distortion† (Patterson p. 83) is not a mere point of view but is supported by facts and relevant information. By establishing the facts and the arguments, it can be said that Patterson’s main purpose of writing the article was to show that the population of whites in America is still and will continue to be the majority; disproving the assumption that â€Å"non-Hispanic whites will cease to be the majority† (Patterson, p. 82). By doing so, Patterson aims to encourage the whites that they still are the majority and will continue to be. In this case, Patterson was able to do great job through his article. However, Patterson also indicated in his article the idea that â€Å"each group in the new minority-majority country has longstanding grievances against whites†, thus, Patterson may also want to claim the invalidity of this assertion through his article. But in this case, was Patterson effective? Basing from the article, Patterson was really able to encourage the whites and take away the doubt that they will cease to be the majority. However, Patterson was not able to take away the idea that minority groups in America have grievances on whites. On the contrary, it even points out another idea, that whites does not see minority groups as to be equal to them. Thus, instead of disproving the issue of minorities having grievances on whites, the article may even fuel the said issue. The article can trigger grievances against whites since the article establishes the idea that whites are and will continue to be the superior race in the country. Therefore, this may cause insecurity and rebellion against the white race since others may wish to see the downfall of a superior race. Patterson also included historical developments in regarding some issues such as the classification of races. Patterson stated that, â€Å"In 1930 Mexicans were classified as a separate race by the Census Bureau – which reclassified them as white in 1940, after protests† (p. 84). Patterson also mentioned 2 other related issues in history. In this case, Patterson was able to convince the readers regarding the misclassification done that lead to the misinterpretation of the census result. Thus, Patterson once again established a ground for his ideas and arguments by nullifying the classification made by the census bureau on the issue of which races are to be included as whites. As mentioned earlier, the author was able to establish the supporting facts about his claims. However, there are some instances that the author failed to mention relative and important information. Patterson adapted a study stating that, â€Å"Recent studies indicate that the second-generation Hispanic whites are intermarrying † (p. 83). However, Patterson did not mention what particular study reaches that conclusion. Therefore, readers in doubt of that particular argument have no means of verifying the claim. Patterson should have indicated all the necessary information about the research to enable the readers to locate the particular study, otherwise doubts will remain doubts in the minds of the readers. Although the article has its strengths, i. e. the use of statistical information, the weakness of the article is readily available to the readers. The main weakness of the article was that the author, Mr. Patterson, was obviously one sided in writing the article. The bias can be seen from the very beginning of the article. Thus, this limits the trust of the readers and the integrity of the writer. Showing personal biases is will really lead to doubts and disbeliefs of the author’s claim since the readers are aware that he or she is arguing for or against one side. Thus, in persuading the readers about a certain action or issue, one must show personal biases for this will weaken the arguments and the ideas presented by the author. In order to establish a ground proof about an argument, a writer must not show biases as much as possible. It would be better to show the different arguments of both side and show relative information, facts and evidences and let the readers decide which arguments weigh more basing from the given evidences. All in all, Patterson did a great job in laying the arguments and he was able to fulfil his main objective, to encourage the whites. However, as mentioned earlier, the article has its own weaknesses as well. Thus, the article would only be effective if the reader is taking the same side as Patterson’s, otherwise, the article would seem very racist of which whites are considered incomparable to others. The validity of the claims is thus, very subjective on the personality and side that the readers will take.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - The Death of Innocence :: Free Essay Writer

To Kill A Mockingbird: Death of Innocence A songbird's melody can evoke happiness in anyone, as can the smiling face of a child. The mockingbird sings for the sake of singing, and an innocent child possesses an innate joyfulness, as natural as instinct. Yet a mockingbird's song dies as easily as innocence. In the beginning of the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout and Jem are portrayed as innocents, uncorrupted by our world of prejudice and racism. Their world is simple, sensible, a child's world. However, by the end of the novel, their world has expanded to enclose the irrational nature of humans. Jem and Scout's growing up is portrayed by a series of events that shatters their innocence as easily as a mockingbird can be silenced. One of the first chinks in their armor of naività © that protected them was social prejudice. This was introduced to them in the form of Aunt Alexandra. Scout was crushed when Aunt Alexandra sent Atticus to talk to the Scout and Jem. " 'you are not run-of-the-mill people, that you are the product of several generations gentle breeding...try to behave like the little lady and gentleman that you are' " (Lee 133). Scout was upset because he was essentially telling her not to be herself. Aunt Alexandra wanted to change Scout's personality to conform to society's ideas of what was right for a girl in those times. It seemed like Atticus had almost encouraged them to find their own way, despite the disapproval of many in town; overalls were allowed for Scout, a female, and they had free run of the surrounding few houses during the day. Although the incident with Atticus preaching Aunt Alexandra's ideas made Scout feel overwhelmed, Atticus resisted Aunt Alexandra by telling Scout to f! orget what Aunt Alexandra told him to say, which reassured Scout somewhat. Another way Aunt Alexandra introduced Jem and Scout to social prejudice was how she wouldn't let Scout play with Walter Cunningham. Because the Cunninghams were farmers that lived out of town, Aunt Alexandra regarded Walter to be socially inferior, and said she would only let him in the house on business. " 'Because he's trash, that's why you can't play with him (Lee 225).' " This exposure to social prejudice struck Scout harder, because this time around, Atticus couldn't say, forget it.

Nail Biting

Nail Biting Do you constantly find yourself biting your nails off for no reason at all? Or have you ever thought about the damages caused by nail biting? Many people do not realize and know that there are medical affects and explanations for nail biting. Adults usually do not find themselves with this bad habit because nail biting is most common among kids and teens but mainly more within guys than girls. However regardless of gender or age nail biting can lead to unwanted consequences caused by stress, nervousness, or hunger. Unwanted consequences mainly consist with dental complications such as the chipping of your teeth.For most people, chipping a tooth is the only negative effect that biting your nails might have on your teeth. In fact, the book Pediatric Dentistry by Pinkham states: There is no evidence that nail biting can cause dental change other than minor enamel fractures. Nail biting can also cause a gap between your two front teeth. If the nail biting habit begins when th e child is very young, it has been reported to cause a gap between teeth. In addition causing gaps between your teeth can cause the roots of your teeth to become weaker. Nail biting during braces has been shown to cause root resorption.Last but not least nail biting can cause gingivitis. For example in the case report of a nine-year-old boy whose father called the dental office to describe his son's complaint of swelling of the gums surrounding the top front tooth. The patient came to the office the same day. The initial clinical examination revealed swelling of the gingival. During discussion with the parent and patient, the dentist noted that the patient's fingernails were bitten off. The patient and parent confirmed a habit of nail biting. Therefore the dentist removed from the gums a piece of nail that was compressed in.Nail biting can cause many dental complications however, what causes people to bit their nails? Many doctors and psychologists state that medical and psychologic al situations cause nail biting to occur without even realizing it. For example nail-biting is a common stress-relieving habit. Stress is that feeling you get when you're really worried about something. There are general factors that can lead to stress such as threats which include physical threats, social threats, financial threats, fears, and uncertainty. Therefore a common way people to react to stress is nail biting.A child or even an adult uses nail biting as a coping mechanism to relieve stuffed emotions. It has been documented that some people bite their nails in their sleep, sometimes wholly. This has been linked to stress while dreaming. Secondly, nervousness also leads to nail biting. When people are nervous, they fidget. Fidgeting involves moving with excitement. Hands, legs and other parts of the body make quick movements, with no particular aim. This is a reflex movement, initiated by the subconscious mind. This is a reaction to a tense situation. We do not know what to do but we know that we have to do something.Nail biting is one way of the body's response to the call for doing something. Children sometimes face an unpleasant situation. They commit a mischief and are caught. When they are confronted by their parents or teachers, they just stand biting their nails. This is a defense mechanism to prevent the children from doing an absurd act that could make the matter worse. Thirdly, as simple as this may sound, it has been revealed that some people who suffer from biting on their nails complains that they will only do so when they are feeling extremely hungry.Some will even go as far as to say that when they are hungry and they chew on their fingernails, they will get a soothing, as well as a comforting feeling that will sometimes drive away the hunger sensation. Several treatment measures may help you stop biting your nails. For example keeping your nails trimmed and filed, taking care of your nails can help reduce your nail-biting habit and enc ourage you to keep your nails attractive. Also try substituting another activity, such as drawing, writing when you find yourself biting your nails.Substituting nail biting can reduce the chances of getting dental complications. However it is important to keep in mind that psychological factors contribute to the bad habit of nail biting which is stress nervousness or hunger. These factors should be considered in stopping the reoccurrence of nail biting. http://www. nail-care-tips. com/nail-biting. php http://www. ehow. com/about_5097901_reasons-nail-biting. html http://www. tellinitlikeitis. net/2009/04/nail-biting-causes-consequences-cure-how-to-stop- biting-your-nails. html http://www. webmd. com/healthy-beauty/guide/stop-nail-biting-tips

The Philippines Drug Policy - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 1953 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/07/31 Category Law Essay Level High school Tags: War On Drugs Essay Did you like this example? I know [Elvin] was sleeping, because it was 3:30 a.m. It was very quiet, like a twilight zone. The police entered my house†no knocking or anything. I asked, ?Why are you there? They didnt respond. I said, Sir, please! Sir, stop! Sir, please! Each time, I heard a shot. Sir, please! Shot. Sir, stop! Shot. It was six [gunshots] in total. They say my son shot them. No. They say my son ran. No. (If You Are Poor, You Are Killed 22). On June 30, 2016, Rodrigo Duterte assumed office as the new President of the Philippines. This day would forever change the lives of many of the Philippines most vulnerable citizens: the poor and those addicted to drugs. The new president was elected by winning 39% of the popular vote. His biggest campaign promise? His commitment to free the country of ?undesirables; namely drug dealers and drug users. To achieve this goal, he initiated a domestic drug policy more commonly known as the Philippine Drug War. Since this policy was enacted, more than 12,000 Filipino citizens have been killed either by police forces or other citizens in extrajudicial killings (Palatino). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Philippines Drug Policy" essay for you Create order Police operate with raids and are known to knock on the door of suspects and kill them on sight. The quote above is merely one example of a recount of police violence in a Filipino citizens home. The Filipino public are urged by the government to fight against their neighbors thought to be involved with drugs, either reporting them to the police or killing them themselves. The problem is growing with more and more Filipinos victimized by the government every day. At the heart of the Philippine drug war lies the ?Oplan Tokhang project or ?Knock and Plead Operation Plan (If You Are Poor, You Are Killed 19). A major aspect of this project is a list compiled by police and community members of all the suspected drug dealers and users in a particular community. This list is then submitted to municipal and police authorities. Police officers in these communities often identify users or dealers based on personal knowledge or opinion, not evidence (If You Are Poor, You Are Killed 20). The police officers then use these lists to target houses where they will knock on the doors and demand that a person surrender to the police. The families of those targeted identify two potential responses from the drug user. They can either refuse to surrender, and potentially face death, or they can surrender in which they must ?voluntarily provide information, fingerprints, photographs, accept surveillance and drug testing, and pledge that they will no longer use drugs (If You Are Poor, You Are Killed 20). Upon submitting all of this information, many drug users and dealers face aggression later from the police and the greater community. Police commonly kill citizens suspected of drug use in what are known as ?buy and bust operations. The police attempt to buy drugs from drug dealers and then supposedly kill the dealers in self defense. The use of force in self defense is extremely disputed because many of the dealers are known to not own weapons, and police are rarely injured or killed in these operations (If You Are Poor, You Are Killed 24). Additionally, many deaths labelled as ?buy and bust are actually police entering the homes of suspected dealers or users and killing them or simply killing them on the street. Even with witnesses, the police have the protection of the government, and are not being prosecuted. The president has addressed police officers saying: Do your duty,If in the process you kill 1,000 persons because you were doing your duty I will protect you, and if they will try to impeach me, I will hurry up the process and we go out of the service together (Worley). By saying this, President D uterte is essentially encouraging police officers to kill suspected drug users legally or illegally. Police are not the only ones killing citizens for drug use. President Duterte has encouraged the public numerous times to take matters into their own hands. In a campaign speech in a Manila slum, Duterte said to the public: If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself as getting their parents to do it would be too painful (Worley). Masked gunmen are known to show up and shoot people previously identified as drug dealers from the watch list. Several of these gunmen anonymously reported to Amnesty International investigators that they were oftentimes paid by police officers for their work. The masked killers said The rate dependsIt depends by the person. Usually we dont have multiple targets per project, but [when we do], were paid per head (If You Are Poor, You Are Killed 37). The police are paying assassins to kill drug users, and there is rarely any legal action taken against the killers. These extrajudicial killings are rampant and are occurring with consent from the government at large. A country that has demonstrated an overarching compliance with drug culture would be the Netherlands. The Netherlands openly tolerates the recreational usage and possession of non-medicinal drugs in its borders (Drugs). The Dutch view a drug free society as fundamentally unattainable and believe that their drug policy should instead focus on minimizing harm from drug use. Although drugs are not technically legal in the Netherlands; the law is not enforced in many scenarios. In order to enact the drug policy in the Netherlands, the government first published the Opium Act, which distinguished between two different categories of drugs. The first, labeled ?hard drugs encompasses drugs with a high risk for harm including heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, and ecstasy. The other category, labeled ?soft drugs includes marijuana, hash, sleeping pills, and various types of sedatives (Drugs). The use and sale of hard drugs are harshly regulated by the Dutch government. It would be considered highly illegal to sell cocaine or heroin in the Netherlands. The usage and sale of soft drugs however, is ?tolerated. The Netherlands has operated under a policy of non-enforcement when it comes to the possession and sale of soft drugs. Coffee shops in the Netherlands are permitted to sell cannabis to adult Dutch citizens (Rolles). The Netherlands has enacted this policy in order to distinguish the use of drugs not identified as harms to society from drugs that can cause serious harm. Possession and sale of soft drugs is not prosecuted because they are not associated with a high risk to health (Drugs). The success of this policy is outlined with a variety of statistics. The rates of cannabis usage in the Netherlands is lower than in neighboring countries and is significantly lower than in the United States. The rates of lifetime heroin usage in the Netherlands is 1/3 that of in the United States (Rolles). In the United States, both cannabis and heroin usage are prosecuted severely by the law in most states. These statistics show an interesting correlation between the open toleration of certain drugs and their usage. Additionally, only 14% of cannabis users say they could obtain other drugs from their cannabis source as opposed to 52% in neighboring Sweden (Rolles). This statistic in particular indicates the way in which the Opium Act has benefitted the country. The government wanted to separate the sale of ?hard drugs from the sale of ?soft drugs, making it much more difficult to find hard drugs in places where soft drugs are easily accessed. Although the Netherlands drug policy is extremely different from the Philippines, I believe that the Filipino government could take some aspects of the Netherlands policy in distinguishing between the use of drugs associated with harm and the use of drugs not associated with harm. Because Dutertes campaign focuses so much on how drugs are a harm to society, it would be beneficial to scientifically and socially identify which drugs are actually causing a public nuisance and which drugs are solely providing the user with a personal high. The separation of drugs by type could provide Dutertes administration with a more comprehensive understanding of their true affect on society. Additionally, the general concept of toleration for others could ensure that citizens are not getting murdered by the government for having an addiction. Amnesty International, a globally influential non-governmental organization focused on human rights launched an investigation into the Philippines War on Drugs in January of 2017. They interviewed many families of victims, police officers, and low level members of the presidential administration. Following the investigation, the organization expressed deeply held concern with the killings, and identifies them as potential crimes against humanity (If You Are Poor, You Are Killed 62). The organization offered several recommendations to a variety of leaders in the Philippines and abroad. To President Duterte, they suggest he immediately order an end to all police operations involving unnecessary or excessive use of force, in particular the use of lethal force during the arrest of suspected drug offenders (If You Are Poor, You Are Killed 62). This suggestion would require the police to avoid using excessive force when dealing with criminals and would also encourage the legal system to fairly and justly prosecute police involved in arrests involving injury and death. The organization also calls on him to end the use of any language that calls for or excuses violence against alleged drug offendersand recant previous use of such language (If You Are Poor, You Are Killed 62). I believe this suggestion would have particular impact on the situation in the Philippines. The President of a nation acts as their spokesperson, and a role model for its citizens. When the President is verbally encouraging something as heinous as murder, it makes it seems as though murder is a socially acceptable activity if the result is supposedly reduced crime. Dutertes withdrawal of his previous statements could prove influential in changing the mindset of many Filipino citizens. Amnesty International additionally offered recommendations to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. The organization states that Unless key steps recommended here are promptly taken, initiate a preliminary examination into unlawful killings in the Philippines violent anti-drug campaign and related crimes under the Rome Statute, including the involvement of government officials, irrespective of rank and status (If You Are Poor, You Are Killed 66). The Rome Statute was the statute that established the International Criminal Court. It established four international crimes: crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. Under this statute, the court can investigate and prosecute crimes in which the government of a country is non complicit in an investigation (Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court). Encouraging the International Criminal Court to investigate the killings in the Philippines would incite a global reaction to the crimes. In February of 2018, the International Criminal Court did in fact launch an investigation into the situation. Chief Prosecutor of the Court, Fatou Bensouda declared any person in the Philippines who incites or engages in acts of mass violence including by ordering, requesting, encouraging or contributing, in any other manner, to the commission of crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC is potentially liable to prosecution before the Court (Santos). In response to this, Duterte continues to deny that he has any role in condoning the killings. Today, many police officers and members of Dutertes government continue to avoid prosecution for the crimes committed against Filipino citizens. Instead of being admitted into drug addiction therapy, people are being murdered for using or selling drugs. This policy is harming families and communities around the Philippines. The lack of concern for the wellbeing of some of the most vulnerable members of the Filipino society from the government is extremely harrowing. Hopefully one day the greater international community can figure out a way to stop these atrocities from continuing to occur.