Women and Environment

That the relationship between people and the environment is not gender-neutral became clear in the mid-1980s. Some organizations, focusing on the day-to-day lives of communities, argued that the position and concerns of women were invisible in environmental debates and programmers. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE based in New Delhi, India, in their The State of India’s Environment Report – or the Second Citizens Report of 1984-1985 argued that: Probably no other group is more affected by environmental destruction than poor village women.Every dawn brings with it a long march in search of fuel, fodderand water. It does not matter if the women are old, young or pregnant: crucial household needs have to be met day after weary day. As ecological conditions worsen, the long march becomes even longer and more tiresome. Caught between poverty and environmental destruction, poor rural women in India could well be reaching the limits of physical endurance. (CSE 1985) In that same year of 1985, the second UN Decade for Women Conference was held in Nairobi, Kenya.The Environment Liaison Centre (presently the Environment Liaison Centre International or ELCI) organized a series of workshops on women, environment and development at the NGO Forum. These workshops were aimed at developing a better understanding of the relationship between women and the physical environment. More than 25 women leaders from all parts of the world – with an audience of women and men many times more – presented their local and regional case studies on women and the global environmental crisis, as well as on women and forests, energy, agriculture, and water management at local level.One of the main conclusions from the workshops was that women bear the highest costs of the environmental crisis because of their roles in providing water, food and energy at family and community levels. On the other hand, it was shown that women could potentially also make a larg e contribution to the solution of the crisis, precisely due to their role in the management of those primary resources. The increase in women’s power and the sustainability of development are ecologically tied.It is therefore imperative that women are enabled to participate and be involved at all levels of development planning throughout the industrialized and developing worlds, according to the ELC statement to the UN Women’s Conference in 1985. Female Participation in the Labor Force over the last century, the issue of women in the workplace has been a tumultuous one. Early in the 20th century, few women participated in the labor force. A woman's place was at home, taking care of the family and managing the domestic world.It was seen as unfit for women to be in certain professions, and most women did not work, other than going about their daily chores around the house. The Great Depression magnified this fact, as unemployment reached its highest levels in history but women, more than ever, stayed home to look after their husbands who now found themselves without work. World War II brought a complete reversal to this trend. Productivity boomed and the men left their homes, some to work, most to join the war effort.Women, in large masses for the first time, also hit the labor market. Dubbed â€Å"Rosie the Riveter†, these women worked at manufacturing plants and at other technological industries that had previously seen only male employees. With the men off at war, these companies needed women to fill their shoes, and women streamed into the business. Since then, they have not looked back, as women employment in the labor force grew steadily in the four decades after World War II. It was not until very recently that female employment growth rates have leveled out.I hope to explain why this has happened, as well as examining different sectors of the economy and comparing women employment and men employment. Just after World War II the civil ian labor force participation for women was a paltry 32%. Today, however, some six decades later that rate has climbed in excess of 70%. For four solid decades after the war, this rate increased at an astounding rate. Early in the 1990s, however, this rate leveled off. This brought about much speculation as to whether or not women were thus starting to leave the labor force and, if so, what the causes of that might be.In order to look at this hypothesis more closely, we first need to break down the women in the labor force by age: 16-24 year olds, 25-34 year olds, 35-44 year olds, 45-54 year olds, and 55+ years. In the mid 1940's, 35-44 year olds were engaged in the labor force more than any other age group. In the late 1980s and into the early 1990s, this was still the case. Over the last 25 years, however, the younger age groups have exploded onto the work scene, drastically shooting up from a percentage (of women that age in the labor force) of 40 percent in 1970 to nearly 75 per cent in the early 1990s.Until the 1970's, a graph of female participation rates in the labor force would look like an â€Å"M†, with a large dip coming between the early 20's until the later-child bearing years, the mid 30's. However, with all age groups now actively participating in the labor force, that graph now looks like an upside down â€Å"U†. In the early 1990s participation rates of women abruptly flattened out. Initially much thought was given to the fact that more mothers were exiting the labor force temporarily in order to look after their children or become homemakers.Thus analysts turned to specific age groups. They found that there was a significant drop off in labor force participation rates of women ages 16-24. Historically, rates of this age group did follow business cycles, so why the sudden change? The explanation was that more females that age were enrolling in schools. School enrollment between 1987 and 1993 increased nearly 28 percent, and women in school were less likely to be employed in the labor force. Other age groups continued their slightly upward trend, with the only exception being the 16-24 year olds.One explanation as to why these women decided to attend school rather than remain in the labor force is the recession of the early 1990s. There was a recessionary job market, so the younger, less stable women chose to go back to school rather than seek alternate employment. Since the early 1990s, however, the growth of women entering the labor force has resumed. The makeup of the group of women in the labor force has been influenced more recently than ever before on family structure. In the last ten years, mothers have accounted for most of the rise in women's overall labor force rate.For mothers with children between the ages of 6 and 17, an astonishing 77 percent are in the labor force. With children under 6, this percentage understandably dips to 62 points, but both largely higher than a decade ago. For mothers wit h infants less than a year old, the percentage entering the labor force has grown nearly 20 percent over the last decade. This trend is a strong reflection of today's societal norms: working for pay is an integral part of many women's lives, as opposed to early in the 20th century when housework was the norm.The 1996 Welfare Reform Bill passed by Congress had an effect on poor and single mothers in the workplace. By trying to move women from welfare to work, the bill encouraged these women to find jobs, thus entering the labor force. Additionally, the real wages of met earning lower incomes has remained stagnant or even slightly fallen in recent years. The cost of a wife sitting around the house and taking care of the children has risen, so the wives have much more incentive, and need, now to go out and earn on their own. This, in turn, also puts pressure on single mothers to go out and work as well.These women do not necessarily work full-time year-round, but their entrance into th e marketplace is a positive for not only them but the women's movement in general. It has gotten to the point, however, that marriage and children (except a pre-school aged child, where mothers tend to stay at home or work minimal hours) now have little effect on whether a not a woman works, and for how long she works. This is the societal norm, although access to other income (e. g. husband's earnings, single vs. married woman) still has a large effect on a woman's employment options.Women now spend a couple of hours more in the workplace per day than they do caring for their children as opposed to 20 years ago, yet many mothers are still not committed to full-time year-round employment. Throughout the entire 20th century, women's wages have constantly lagged behind men's wages. If a woman and mad were both hired to do the same task, the man would be paid more than the women. That has been and continues to be the trend in the American capitalist state. One explanation has always be en that the men are not only more qualified at the jobs but more efficient.Thus, the argument goes, they should be paid at a higher premium. Today, however, the wage gap is still existent, and very few would find that argument valid. So why do women still earn less than men, and why are women often discriminated against in the workplace? When a child enters a family, it is the woman who, much more often than not, stays at home and cares for the new baby. When the women exits the labor force, she does not gain the seniority that she would have otherwise gotten had there been no child.When women return to the labor force, they are less likely to receive on the job training, and thus less like to increase their productivity and thus level of pay. The absence from the work force, even if only for several months to take care of a newborn child, can depreciate the job skills of women, so when they return back to work they are not as sharp and take some time to regain pre-birth efficiency in the office. Knowing this, employers are less likely to hire women who are in their prime years for giving birth. This also stands for women applying for new jobs; if they left the labor force nce before for a child, chances are good that they might do it again. An employer will see this and thus shy away from hiring the woman, instead perhaps deferring to a man who would remain at work. Employers may even view those who do not take time away from work as more dedicated than women who do, regardless of the reason, and this could be reflected in reduced promotion possibilities, different job assignments, and other actions that could have salary implications. This is certainly not fair to women: it is not their fault that they are biologically the ones who give birth and must frequently look after the children.Regardless, the trend is that those women who do take time off from work often are overlooked for more competitive jobs and receive less pay. I have just established that wome n are now in the labor force more than ever before. But now that they are working, what kinds of jobs are they doing? In private industry, the breakdown of women compared to men is interesting. In 2000 there were 44 million workers in private industry in the United States, 23. 5 million of which were male, 20. 5 million female. A more specific breakdown, however, shows some astounding differences.There were twice as many male officials and managers than there were females (3 million as opposed to 1. 5 million). Officials and managers are described as â€Å"occupations requiring administrative and managerial personnel who set broad policies, exercise overall responsibility for execution of these policies, etc. † Yet the number of workers defined as ‘professionals' gives females the numeric advantage, 3. 6 million to 3. 4 million. Professionals are described as â€Å"occupations requiring either college graduation or experience of such kind. Thus even though the women la bor force tends to be slightly more educated than the male labor force, it is the males who, by a 2:1 ratio, are in managerial and authoritative positions! In other generic fields, there is also a stark contrast between males and females. Women outnumber men by roughly a 3:2 ratio in sales, and for office and clerical workers in private industry in the United States in 2000, there were over 5 million females and only slightly over 1 million males. This is no doubt a stereotype, the female secretary or clerical workers, but according to these statistics this stereotype seems to hold true.What reasons are there that so many more females are attracted to, or rather hold, secretarial jobs? There are many. On the flip side, however, there were six times as many male craft workers (skilled labor) than there were female craft workers in 2000. Perhaps females are not attracted to the demanding physical labor of such jobs, much the way males do not like clerical tasks. Historically, males ha ve been overwhelmingly dominant in the field of physical labor. When some women were forced to work in factories for personal financial reasons, they were often despised and treated unequally.This, I am sure, led many females to be extremely not attracted to such professions. Likewise, females have always dominant as office secretaries and the like. Back when women first entered the labor force, these were often the only types of jobs available so they took them. Today, women still flock to these clerical jobs. Looking at more specific job fields, these same general observations seem to hold true. In the field of engineering and management services, male office officials and managers greatly outweigh female managers.There are more than twice as many male technicians as female technicians, and over 12 times as many male skilled laborers than female skilled laborers. However, the number of female clerical workers is more than four times that of male clerical workers. Even male operati ves (semiskilled workers) outnumber by three times the number of female operatives. These numbers show overwhelmingly that the technical aspect of engineering is enjoyed more by males, while the women are still confined to the office. In the field of legal services, females outnumber males by a 1. 7:1 ration.Nearly two thirds of all females in this profession, however, are in fact office and clerical workers. Male professionals outnumber female professionals by a wide margin, and the trend shown in the general population holds true here, too. In the field of computers and office equipment, twice as many males as females hold jobs in this area. As usual, the number of female clerical workers greatly outweighs the number of male clerical workers. It comes as no surprise that, in the field of computers, male professionals, technicians, and skilled laborers greatly outweighs the number of female workers in these areas.The same trends can be seen in other areas such as communications. On e profession bucking this trend, however, can be found in hospitals. Women hospital employees outnumber male hospital employees by more than a 3:1 margin. Additionally, the number of female officials and managers, professionals, and technicians outweigh the numbers for the males, not just in raw numbers but also in terms of percentages. Males, however, still comprise the vast majority of skilled laborers in this area. It is nice to see, however, an area that goes against the general trend.Even though women seem to be dominant in a few fields of work and very scattered throughout many others, this is a change from a couple generations ago when most women were not even in the labor force. For women, this fact is definitely a step in the positive direction. Most women now hold jobs in the workplace, and are sustaining them for longer amounts of time than ever before. The next step is for women to immerse themselves in all fields of the labor force, rather than just concentrating on a s elective few.This brings responsibility to males, too, to allow for women to reach the upper echelons of the labor force. In a labor force that has been historically dominated by males, this proves to be an intriguing situation over the next decade as more and more women aspire to the officials and managers that they are not today. Women's education from past till now Social Relevance Education has been the stumbling block keeping women from attaining equal status in society, separating them from their male counterparts. It has also been the door to this elusive dream of equality.Before women gained the right and privilege of higher education they were believed to be lower-class citizens, not worthy of voting or owning property, or any number of other â€Å"inalienable rights†. It was not only men who believed that women should hold a lower position than they. Queen Victoria said: † I am most anxious to enlist everyone who can speak or write to join in checking this mad , wicked folly of ‘Women's Rights', with all its attendant horrors, on which her poor feeble sex is bent, forgetting every sense of womanly feelings and propriety. Feminists ought to get a good whipping.Were woman to ‘unsex' themselves by claiming equality with men, they would become the most hateful, heathen and disgusting of beings and would surely perish without male protection. â€Å"(Victorian Station)  Without education to empower them, many women believed that they should not hold the power to influence politics or even make decisions about their own property. Women were stripped of their dignity and privileges by men of the community and even by their own husbands. However, they were finally able to break free from these social constraints through education. It is telling that most of he early feminists were set apart from their complacent sisters by education. They were educated, and through this knowledge gained a sense of self-worth and the power to change history. Higher education is the foundation of the empowered women of today. The struggle for women’s education has been an uphill battle that has not yet reached its citadel. This journey took root in the Victorian period and branched even to modern times. During the mid-eighteen hundreds women were expected to live up to a feminine ideal. This ideology required women to be â€Å"pure, pious, domestic and submissive† (Eisenmann Apendix).None of these ideals would be achieved through education. In fact, receiving an education in the Victorian Period was considered an â€Å"act of nonconformity†(Solomon xviii). A woman could not fill her preordained place in society if she wasting her time gaining knowledge. Education was thought to make women discontented with their current status, and possibly even irritated with men (McClelland 12). Education for women was thought to disrupt the social balance of the time. On the contrary, the earliest push for Victorian women to become educated was because they were mothers of men and eventually teachers of men (Solomon xviii).It was not until the twentieth century that women began to desire knowledge for themselves as individuals. History of Women in Education In order to understand the women’s education movement, it is important to have a brief background of its history. During the time of the ideal subservient woman a few bold women and events stand out as milestones in history. The first is in 1833; Oberlin College was founded. It was the nations first university to accept women and black students. The next important event was the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. This convention added fuel to the flame of education and suffrage.The Seneca Falls Declaration has been called â€Å"the single most important document of the nineteenth-century American woman’s movement†. At the convention a declaration concerning women’s rights was adopted modeling the Declaration of Independen ce. Appearing in addition to issues of suffrage were issues of education and employment. The Declaration of Sentiments states: He has monopolized nearly all the profitable employments, and from those she is permitted to follow, she receives but a scanty remuneration. He closes against her all the avenues to wealth and distinction, which he considers ost honorable to himself. As a teacher of theology, medicine, or law, she is not known. He has denied her the facilities for obtaining a thorough education – all colleges being closed against her. (Schneir 77) This event is of utmost importance to the women’s rights movement. It laid the foundation for future achievements even though suffrage was not achieved until 1920. After the Seneca Falls Convention women continued to achieve milestones in education. In 1877, Helen Magill became the first woman in the United States to earn her Ph. D.By 1880, women comprised eighty percent of all elementary school educators, and by 1910 women made up 39 percent of all collegiate undergraduate students and even 20 percent of all college faculty. Finally, in 1920 women’s suffrage was achieved, giving women a secure foothold in society. In 1945, the first woman was accepted to Harvard Medical School, and by 1972 Title XI was passed to help end the discrimination based on sex for any educational program that received federal funding. In 1980 women equaled men in numbers enrolled in colleges with 51 percent.Finally, in 1996 Virginia Military Institute was forced by the Supreme Court to become coeducational (Eisenmann appendix). There are many other events along the path to education that helped women achieve the status they enjoy today. This brief chronology merely traces a few of the hundreds of thousands of victories women had to win in order to become educated. Reasons for Oppression One of the main values that necessitated all of this arduous labor in order to simply become educated was that, people feared t hat the social system would break down if women were allowed to be educated.They worried that women would cease to fulfill their traditional roles if they received a higher education. It was even thought that a woman risked brain fever or sterility if she became educated (Delamont 109). These Victorian ideas seem ridiculous from a twentieth century perspective, but educated women today still have to deal with a certain measure of social stigma. It is often overlooked, however, because it has been adapted to fit the social constraints of today. They are forced at times to choose to live up to the dreams of their education or to live up to the societal implications of being a mother and wife (Solomon xix).This is only one of many reasons that the fight for adequate woman’s education is far from over. University of Texas Compared to Cambridge The fact that the need for reform in women’s education is not over is illustrated in two parallel cases. During the early feminist movement and the beginnings of the reform of women’s education, the best case to study is Cambridge in England. At the time this university had established authority in academia there was not a comparable university in the United States.Therefore, it is necessary to compare universities across the boundaries of nations. Women first gained notoriety at Cambridge when in the 1860’s Emily Davies was successful in her campaign to allow women to attend Cambridge University. However, they did not have the same status as the male students there (Acker 51). Even though Cambridge was one of the first universities to encourage women to study they did not award women the same degrees as men upon completion of the same tests (Vicinus 117). This is a testament to the slow but steady progress of women in education.These women were dedicated and willing to study despite sub-par compensation upon completion of school. It was not until 1947 that women were admitted to Cambridge as equa l members (Acker 51). While it was a promising start for women in the Victorian period to even be allowed to study, it is necessary to evaluate the staggering length of time this progress took to occur. It took almost a century for women to gain the same recognition as men. In light of these facts, it is dangerous to assume that women today have equal educational opportunity.As little as fifty-five years ago women were celebrating the fact that they could finally earn a degree at Cambridge University. That is not a very distant past. When asked if women at The University of Texas still face issues of educational bias, the answer is an unequivocal yes. Women make up almost half of the undergraduate student population at forty-nine percent. Sadly, these women are outnumbered in fields that have traditionally been male-dominated such as architecture and medicine. However, the average grade point average of women is higher than men in every field of study(Office of Inst. . This makes it clear that it is not a discrepancy of ability that keeps women from pursuing these vocations.There must be some sort of lingering Victorian attitudes that keep women from living up to their potential. Women today aspire to more diverse areas of study and vocation. However, they are realistic about what the world has in store for them and therefore gravitate towards more typically female professions (Kramarae 489). Another important fact is that the percentage of women faculty is a meager 33 percent (Office of Inst. Research has found that students tend to seek out classrooms and vocations in which they will feel comfortable and successful. Some students report avoiding courses that are overwhelmingly male because of the unwelcome feeling they experience in the classroom. How can women feel comfortable pursuing any field of study when male mentors and educators surround them and when the only contributions taught are those of males (Kramarae 498)? The battle for women’s educa tion will not be won until women feel free and comfortable to pursue any academic field.

Assisted Reproduction Essay

Abstract: In this paper I will discuss the ethical issues surrounding surrogacy, egg donation, and discuss exploitations of women who choose to become a surrogate mother. In addition to these moral issues I will also explore the ethics and morals of IVF and the implantation of multiple eggs to one subject that may result in multiple births. In the occurrence of multiple births the subject is faced with the decision of selective abortion or the choice to give birth to all the fetuses with the risk of severe premature infants. With the birth of premature infants there are additional ethical decision involved in the treatment of those infants that may be afflicted with mental defects and a multitude of medical challenges. Surrogacy is the process in which a baby is created in a petri dish from the sperm of a man and the eggs of a woman; the resulting embryo is than transferred into a host or surrogate in order to gestate. The surrogate simply carries the baby to term for couples who are unable to carry their own child. They are helping regular people become parents. Ethics involved in surrogacy are the views of some that believe those that are unable to conceive or carry a fetus should adopt. Also some believe that those who choose to be surrogates may be exploited. The truth is that adoption is a very rigorous process with lengthy applications and waiting lists. The requirements in most cases take age of the adopting parents into consideration and they must interview with a social worker. In many cases once the adoptive parents have jumped through hoops, and attended the Doctor appointments, paying for medical expenses, decorated the nursery face disappointment because the birth mother has decided to keep the child. I believe more people would adopt if the rules were more accommodating for couples who wish to become parents and those children waiting to be adopted in foster homes and group homes (Ethics of Surrogacy). Although surrogacy is not as heavily regulated as adoption it is far easier for couple to use surrogacy to complete their family. I don’t believe that surrogates are exploited because this would imply that only the rich are participating in surrogacy births when in actuality it is the middle classes that choose this process of conceiving a child, they use any financial means necessary even if it means taking out a second mortgage on their home. They are educated people and have steady employment usually as school teachers, military personnel or social workers. They are much like the population of people that choose to be surrogates (Arguments against Surrogacy). Surrogates are compensated but the money gained by surrogates is often used to put a down payment on a house, or pay for their adult child’s college education or their own. They may choose to be a surrogate in order to remain at home with their own young children rather than to work outside of the home. In fact one of the requirements for someone to become a surrogate is they must have children of their own. Other qualifications of a surrogate are she must be at least 21 years of age in order to be able to enter into a legal binding contract. They are provided with their own attorney to go over the contract with them and they undergo a physiological test to be certain they have the correct mindset to be able to carry a child for someone else. These women are not being taken advantage of; in fact they are generous women by nature who are willing to give the ultimate gift. Egg donation and IVF also raise many ethical issues. In the process of IVF the woman’s body is stimulated to produce many eggs that can be fused with her partner’s sperm to create useable embryos for implantation. Some women are unable to produce their own eggs therefore must seek the eggs of others. Due to these circumstances the demand for egg donation is high. Women are donating their own eggs to assist infertile couple in conceiving a child. The issue brought up in egg donation is whether the woman should be paid. Some are compensated for travel expenses and childcare, but further compensation seems viable since these women have to undergo an outpatient surgical procedure in order to stimulate the ovaries and recover the eggs. There is significant health risks involved in the procedure. There are fewer ethical concerns regarding sperm donation because there aren’t any health risks involved and the male can make as many as 50 donations in a six-month period. Woman who chooses to donate their eggs can earn several hundred dollars man of whom use to pay for college. They are of a particular level of intelligence and may possess some physical qualities that are desired. The argument in sperm and egg donation is that males can make a fairly lucrative earning with little risk involved while women have to experience surgical procedures and risks of complications for less compensation than their counterparts’ (Fertility Expert). In the process of IVF eggs are harvested and stored for future use. In most cases multiple eggs are implanted into the womb because the procedure is so costly and the chances of conception are better. The two main ethical questions that arise from IVF are what is done with the eggs that are stored, and the ethical questions surrounding the cases of multiple births due to several eggs being implanted. This leads us to selective abortion. Many of the eggs that are stored for future use do not get used thus face disposal. Many view this as selective abortion even though the embryos are in petri dishes and not in a womb. Some eggs may be used for research which also raises many ethical questions and concerns. Selective abortion often occurs when multiple eggs have been implanted and it results in the possibility of multiple births. The fetuses are selected for abortion to increase the chances of survival for the remaining fetus or fetuses. In some cases the abortion in therapeutic because the resulting pregnancy could endanger the health of the mother. In some countries selective abortion is utilized because of sexual preference of the fetus. Typically this occurs in cultures where male babies are preferred and female babies are aborted. It is usually referred to as female foeticide. It occurs in countries such as India, and some Asian counties. In other cases selective abortion is used when embryos are screened for genetic abnormalities. If a genetic defect is found the pregnancy is terminated (BBC, ). In these cases such ethical questions that arise are the severity of the condition, the quality of life of the child contributions of the child and economic factors. As a result of multiple egg implantation involved in IVF resulting in multiple births, the chance of premature birth is highly likely. Although there have been advances in technology that have allowed neonatologists to provide premies with mechanical ventilation, intravenous nutrition and artificial surfactant there still remains many other uncontrollable complications. The ethical question that arises is at what cost and to what extent do providers take to keep these babies alive. Who makes the decision? The health care provider has a responsibility to the mother’s autonomy but to the beneficence of the fetuses as well in cases of selective abortion (NCBI, ). As defined by World Health Organization prematurity are babies that are born before 37 weeks. Babies that are born at 36 weeks are slow to eat and failure to thrive. Babies at 33 weeks have serious problems usually involving lung function, and babies born 28 weeks have significant problems and a minimal survival rate. They are risk of hypothermia, hypoglycaemia, hypocalcaemia, respiratory distress syndrome; they are more susceptible to retrolental fibroplasia and blindness. The morbidity of premature babies is inversely related to gestational age. If the babies are discharged they have a higher readmission rate than babies that were born full term (Patient UK, ). Thus with all the complications that occur in a premature births the question that should be asked is what is the quality of life going to be for these children. It is very costly to keep these children thriving and even once they have been discharges from the hospital they are still faced with health, psychomotor, and behavioral problems in the future. In families of multiple births this can be quite burdensome. I do believe that as a community we have a responsibility to what we can for these children that have defied all odds and have survived. Due to medical advances in reproductive technology there has been a huge benefit to couples who have been able to have children due to these advancements. But with technology comes great responsibility and it is necessary to take a step back and look at the history, the technology and the ethics that surround these advancements. As humans we make choices, some good and some bad. But with each choice we affect society.

Oedipus the King as a Tragic Hero Essay

In its simplest definition, a tragic hero is the main protagonist in a tragedy who commits an error or a mistake that subsequently leads to his or her downfall. Although historically, there have been a lot of plays with tragic heroes, possibly the most notable among them is Oedipus the King. In the play Oedipus the King, the protagonist exemplifies traits that a tragic hero possesses as shown in his various actions throughout the plot. One of the traits that make Oedipus a tragic hero is his good nature, his social position, and his true to life consistency. As shown in the play, Oedipus is someone of royal lineage and has helped a lot of people by solving the riddle of the Sphinx. This is further attested by the chorus in the play which said â€Å"People of Thebes, my countrymen, look on Oedipus. He solved the famous riddle with his brilliance, he rose to power, a man beyond all power. Who could behold his greatness without envy† (Johnston n. p. )? These traits are in accordance with the definition of a tragic hero. However, it is his predetermined fate coupled with the error in his actions that prove why he is a true tragic hero. In the play, he unknowingly kills his biological father, Laius, and marries his biological mother, Jocasta, thereby fulfilling the prophecy of the Oracle at Delphi. Upon realizing the reality of his actions, he stabs his own eyes and forced himself into exile, which signifies his fall from grace and fortune. His erroneous action is mainly his excessive pride, which made him initially ignorant of the fact that he killed his own mother and father. However, the true tragedy in Oedipus life is that his fate was seemingly predetermined for him as he did not know that the person he killed on the way to Thebes was his father, and the woman he married is his mother. In other words, he was not in control of his own fate which makes him truly a tragic hero. Works Cited Johnston, Ian. â€Å"Sophocles, Oedipus the King. † 2009. Malaspina University College. 6 May 2009 .

Nationalism

Home to one of the world's most densely populated and poorest regions in the world, South Asia is made up of 8 nations including the islands of Maldives and Sri Lanka located at the southern tip of the region. The region is also one of the most heterogenous in terms of language, races and religion such as Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism and Islam. Inevitably, this very diversity has caused much threat to the social fabric, security and harmony of the nations both domestically, intra-nationally and internationally. This is not to say that all conflicts are ethnic-based; there are other prominent conflicts arising from territorial disputes, particularly the on-going Kashmir imbroglio. The South Asian region alone has seen many historical moments with regards to nationalism in the past decades. This essay will be looking into the struggles of Awami League, a Bengali nationalist opposition party, for the liberation of Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) from Pakistan (formerly West Pakistan). Before anything, it is imperative to make clear what nationalism means.Defining the term ‘nationalism'Nationalism has never had a concrete definition owing to its broad concept which differs from one sociopolitical climate to another. Scholars, however, have attempted to define this ambiguous term for pragmatic purposes. Anthony Smith defines nationalism as â€Å"an ideological movement for the attainment and maintenance of autonomy, unity and identity on behalf of a population some of whose members deem themselves to constitute an actual or potential â€Å"nation†Ã¢â‚¬  (Smith). It is essentially a manifestation of ideological goals they hope to achieve through united efforts. It is embedded in the behavior and thoughts of individuals, who then spread this ideology in the form of politics. At the end of the day, they hope to achieve statehood. On this basis, it is agreeable that nationalist movements aim to actualize their political goals. Pakistan's nationalist movement was manifested in the demand for a separate homeland for the Muslims in 1947. Bangladesh's nationalist movement is, similarly, rooted in the demand for a separate homeland. Being subordinates vis-à  -vis the West Pakistan since 1947, they demand a homeland to protect and preserve their interests. An autonomous homeland in which they would be free from the Hindu Muslim domination that is the West Pakistan and the unjust discrimination. Urdu or Bengali? It is worth understanding that the breaking up of British India in 1947 into two separate nations of Pakistan and India was due to the belief that Muslims and Hindus have very distinct and stark differences in culture, language, practices and belief in which it was impossible to ever achieve a commonality (Moore). Propagated by Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the emergence of Pakistan was meant to be a Muslim nationhood, where the nation was to be built in the name of Islam, also known as Islamic nationalism. It is against this political backdrop that shaped the Bengali's fight for independence. The quest for the liberation of East Pakistan started a year after Pakistan's independence. In February 1948, Muslim League led by then Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan proposed that Urdu was to be Pakistan's only national language, against the will of Bengali majority. Imperative a language is in building a national identity, quite inevitably, this spawned disgruntlement and acrimony within the Bengalis as they felt neglected in the decision-making process. The government's stand to make Urdu the national language was just as Hindi was made India's national language. On the other hand, the Bengalis stand was because Bengali is the language spoken by majority (54%) as compared to Urdu (7%) in Pakistan (Mussarat Jabeen). The declaration of Urdu as a national language led to protests in Dhaka in 1952 and eventually the birth of the language movement (Lewis) advocating for recognition of Bengali as a national language. This inter-wing linguistic war lingered and turned to become a very controversial issue and strained relationships between the two wings. Little did they know, it was merely the start of what was to be the most extensive and profound effects to be recorded in the history of Indian sub-continent. Other forces at work There was a conflation of many other aspects that led to the disintegration of Pakistan. Since Pakistan's independence, East Pakistan had been internally exploited and discriminated by their Western counterparts socioeconomically and politically. These disparities between the East and the West placed the East at a disadvantage,z leading to the growth of nationalistic movements. Economically-wise, West Pakistan was mainly an agricultural economy while East Pakistan was the largest producer of raw jute and exporter of raw cotton. It goes without saying that the bulk of foreign exchange came from East Pakistan (Sengupta). However, it was used for the imports of consumer goods in West Pakistan. Subsequently, trade deficit of West Pakistan was regularly financed by that of East who managed to sustain a trade surplus (Gull). This was the case for total government expenditure as well. Between 1950 and 1970, total government expenditure was $30.95 billion. West Pakistan took a huge share of $21.49 billion while East Pakistan, despite having more than 55% of the country's population, only got about 30% share of the total expenses (Ayaz). In addition, Bengalis had a meagre share in government services and military (Ahmar) and in the Pakistan International Airport, there were only 280 East Pakistanis employee compared to 7000 from the West Pakistan (Oldenburg). Such economic and political inequality fueled a sense of injustice which fed the growing dissatisfaction with the central West government and hence the demand for East Pakistan to be an independent state. What aggravated the Bengali's sentiments towards an independent state was the apathetic response of the Pakistani government during the November 1970 cyclone. Cyclone Bhola, one of the most catastrophic natural disaster, claimed about 500,000 lives and left thousand others starving. With all the international aid and assistance flowing into the east wing from the US and other parts of the world, the central Pakistani government did nothing more than allocating a single helicopter to fly over the area, assessed the situation and declared the day it as â€Å"major calamity area† . It is even further exacerbated that this response took more than a week later. The callous response of the government led to high levels of anti-West Pakistan feeling (Najam). This is but a manifestation of the lack of pathos and the altruistic character of the central government towards the victims of the disasters. In fact, in a press conference after the disaster, Sheikh Mujibur declared that â€Å"East Pakistan must achieve self-rule by ballot if possible, and by bullet, if necessary† (Ludden). After being evidently treated as second-class citizens and not being given help from their very own national counterparts, they felt a greater need to attain autonomy. In East Pakistan's demand for greater autonomy and equal power-sharing, the emergence of Bangladesh may have been avoided if East Pakistan acted according to the 1970 general elections results. Awami League's party won a landslide victory by successfully capturing all but 2 seats in the east-wing. This meant that Mujibur would become the Prime Minister, and thus be able to preserve and protect the interests of Bengalis (Oldenburg). However, the West Pakistan administration were unwilling to accept, cueing a constitutional crisis that led to the 1971 civil war (The Guardian). The victory of Awami League meant that the new constitution was to embody the party's Six-Point program . First articulated in February 1966, the doctrine was vested in a common goal – that East Pakistan should be given as equal an autonomy to govern their province and protect their interests (Oldenburg). That they would be treated and seen as equal in the eyes of their fellow compatriots in the other wing. The doctrine is important in highlighting the justification of East Pakistan's separate state. Their liberation is strongly vested in the idea of being able to possess and exercise power and preserve and practice their Bengali identity and culture. Let us not forget that leading up to the birth of Bangladesh, West Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight attack on the Eastern wing in 1971 to get rid of the Hindus whom they believed have influenced the nascent of Bengali Opposition (Oldenburg). While there was an uncertainty of exact numbers, certainly thousands died, thousands of women were raped, and a mass refugee was triggered (D'Costa). This mass genocide was the last straw that eventually led to Bangladesh's emergence. A breath of fresh air The cauldron of emotions and sociopolitical and economic instability led to the growth of Bengali nationalistic movement. The lack of acknowledgement of the Bengalis fostered a culture of hatred surrounding the central government. East Pakistan's separate homeland is compelling in terms demanding political power and control over economic resources and putting an end to the invidious discrimination and â€Å"colonial exploitation† by the West wing. Insurmountable and onerous the obstacles were, Bangladesh finally breathed fresh air when West Pakistan conceded. Nationalism What is the importance of patriotism in the lives of Today's youth? Yahoo answer Patriotism  is a love for one's country and a desire to make her better. It is contrasted with simple  nationalism  (or jingoism) in that nationalism and jingoism represent a blind loyalty to one's country even when it wrong (an example would be the people of  Nazi Germany). Patriotism, on the other hand, recognizes when its nation is wrong and fights to correct the wrong even as it supports that nation. Patriotism is important in the lives of youth today for several reasons.One is because the youth of today will inherit the nation tomorrow. If youth do not become involved in making our nation better, they may not receive a nation worth inheriting. Second, the nation built by today's youth will be the nation they pass along to their own children. If young people today wish their children to have an America of freedom, the young people of today must protect and defend that freedom by supporting ou r country's greatness and working to make her ever better. Third, the youth of today owe a debt to those of the past who sacrificed, worked hard, and even died to build us a free nation.To keep faith with those who have gone before and upon whose toil and sacrifice the nation was built, youth need to show patriotism. Are We The Youth Not Patriotic? – Think Again (An Appeal) I do not like to generalize, but most Indians who are 40 plus consider today’s youth as ‘not patriotic’. Patriotism per-se means love for the nation, and we youth have no dearth of it. As youngsters, born in independent  India, we haven’t had the opportunity to see how our people toiled for a century to attain freedom. Most of us have not witnessed the four wars that were fought by our Armed forces in 1947, 1962, 1965 and 1971.Thus, we may not feel our eyes watering we hear Lata Mangeshkar’s ‘Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon’, the song that immortalized the sacrifice of Indian soldiers on icy Himalayan peaks in 1962 and which brought tears to the eyes of Pt. Jawahar lal Nehru. Our interest in reading documents about great freedom fighters and freedom struggle, if any, is also academic, as our generation fails to really connect to that era. That, however, does not mean that we are not mindful of the hard work of our countrymen, because of whom, we’re living a dream life in a vibrant and growing  India, which has created a niche for itself in the world.It’s just that we do not identify with the spirit of freedom the way our elders may, because our relations with that era are not even second hand but third hand. Merely because of this disconnect we should not be classified as less patriotic. It only makes us patriotic in our own special way: the youth’s way. Had the youth lacked devotion for the nation, where would the Navy, Army and Air Force have got their new recruits from? Those who join the forces are ready to give thei r life and that too without asking for anything more than a remuneration to keep their family alive.Mind you, this remuneration is exactly same as the country pays to its Babus and Bureaucrats. While the whole country works only eight hours   for that pay and gets paid overtime for every extra hour, it is they who work tirelessly 24 X 7, in adverse conditions and not even talk of overtime, so that their countrymen can have a good night’s sleep, day after day. Without the youth, the defense would have been crippled with only oldies and vacancies plaguing the Armed forces. Since this sorrow situation hasn’t materialized, one can safely conclude that the belief that today’s youth is ‘not patriotic’ is nothing but a perception.What would have happened of Indian culture, values, tradition and way of life had it not been due to joint effort of our parents and us youngsters. Our parents brought us up in a cultured environment where traditions and moderni sm go hand in hand. We the youth have retailed and nurtured the Culture and Values of   being Indian, while borrowing   certain things from foreign land which is attributed to our curiosity. Dressing in western attire, talking in English, and having Mcdonalised our diet doesn’t eat away our indiannesss.Macdonald or not, when it comes to idli-dosa, chicken tanduri or dal-bati we are most enthusiastic. You must understand that Mcdonalisation is part of being hep in the crowd. Even while we may be living in a foreign land, working on foreign shores and earning in foreign currency, our traditions are practiced with same fervor, if not more. In whatever foreign land we maybe in, our earnings are sent back to India, to help our families and also help the Indian economy grow with this added Forex capital. Youth isn’t selfish, though it may be portrayed so.We may be more ‘me driven’ but we also invert the ‘m’ often enough to become ‘we drive n’. On some planes we’re a force that is hard to beat. Had we not been a collective bunch, Jessica Lal, Matoo and such other cases including the quota debate would not have become a mini uprising. On some other, we can outwardly look selfish and overtly driven by success, though it isn’t so in reality. We would prefer to be indianised in competition, treating others as peers, but the globalization of Indian economy forces us to be excessively competitive; if I may say, competitiveness is forced on us.Rather than critcising us, one should sympathise with us because we are the victims of circumstances. We youth don’t claim to be saints. We do go wayward on certain counts, but the older generation has always been there to steer us away from them. Without the elders we youth would be like a ‘rudderless’ boat, just swaying in turbulent waters. What makes us killers of a sort is the fact that we’re brought up the right way, as balanced indiv iduals. Add to it the fact that no matter how low we may fall; our families would always support us and help us rise, which is typically an Indian phenomenon.The security of Indian ‘family’ system gives us the courage to move ahead and realize our individual dreams and our dreams for  Indiabecause we fully well understand that we have a fall back option – our family. The youth also has modern ways of celebrating Indian achievements. We take pride in cheering for  India  in every sports event with tricolour painted on our faces. We feel exhilaration in watching Aamir Khan in Rang De, and we feel the shivers while watching Ajay Devgan in Bhagat Singh. We feel overwhelmed when any Indian does genius feats.Our pulse races when we hear the National Anthem. We’re filled with energy when the song ‘suno gaur se duniya walon-buri nazar na hum pe dalo-chahe jitna zor lagalo-sabse aagey hongey Hindustani†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢is played. We keenly track our indust ry and stock markets. We do this and so much more. We are patriotic, just that our ways of expressing it are different (read modern, perhaps even whacky). We try to do things differently, we try to innovate, and we try to show our love in our own ways. We wish to ask, what more we can do to prove our patriotism?Do we scream our lungs out, or do we go out chanting patriotic songs in ‘Prabhat Pheries’ (morning marches), tell us what we can do to get out of our stereotype portrayal of being ‘not patriotic’? We’ve conquered the air, water and land, but we’re yet to conquer every elderly Indian’s heart. We don’t want to be known as a bunch of selfish people, who’re money-minded and just looking for some fun, but as individuals who’re dedicated to the nation with the same affection that the generations before us were.Our methods and ways to make  India  the shining star (that it was in the past) may be different, but we share the same cherished goal and the vision for modern  India  with our elders. We know we’re making progress, but sincere efforts always pay off and the speed of progress shall become a typhoon in times to come. In the end ‘Hum Honge Kamyab’ (we shall succeed) in this race to balanced progress, and young Indians are here to make  India  a winner as much our elders did in their times.And India shall be a winner, if you, our elders, put faith in us, support us in this endeavor and appreciate the efforts that are being done with due understanding that we converge for India. The situation isn’t as bleak; there is plenty of light seen at end of this tunnel to progress. On behalf of young  India, I’d like to end this appeal with a quote- A man's feet must be planted in his country, but his eyes should survey the world. George Santayana Please support us and guide us as we survey the world, while our hearts beat for  India, our blood is In dian and every drop of our sweat is shed to do something for  India. 91 words essay on Patriotism in India for school and college students by  Kunal Free sample essay on Patriotism in India for school and college students . Patriotism lends a great dimension to a man’s personality and it exalts him to rare heights of nobility. A patriot is not a person confined within the narrow limits of his family and his intimate circle of friends. Patriotism enlightens us about our paramount duties to our nation, our motherland, as dear and sacred as our own mother. India has a proud heritage of the noblest patriots, who sacrificed all their belongings and even gave up their lives, for the cause of their motherland.The freedom struggle of India which was a golden chapter in the history of the country saw the whole nation revolting against the insolent British, who brutally suppressed the patriotic spirit of the Indians, who were chased like dogs and lath charged when they raised their voices of protest. Our political struggle headed by the unique leader of leaders, Mahatma Gandhi, an embodiment of compassion and tolerance, was a saga of victory for the Indians, who shed blood for a great cause, and the trail of their blood left indelible marks on the sands of time of their sacrificial spirit, which cannot be adequately described in words.This is an age when patriotism is at its lowest, when people’s narrow-mindedness, sectarianism and religious intolerance have raised their ugly heads. Man has fallen prey to the vicious influences so pervasive in society which is witness to the worst acts of desperados? It is said that Gandhi and his circle of friends were exemplary patriots. Nelson Mandela, the great South African leader, who tirelessly fought for his African brethren, opposing the racist whites, is next only to Gandhi. In fact, Gandhi was the inspiration to Nelson Mandela, who suffered imprisonment for many years.When he was frail and even when his mora l strength was eroded by the oppressive tactics of the whites he protested. His patience ultimately rewarded him with victory. The South African Government consisting of the most autocratic whites, who were highly prejudiced against the colored Africans, at last realized that it was no longer possible to keep the poor, meek Africans under their thumbs. Nelson Mandela was acknowledged as a doughty champion of the lowliest and the last. He was made President of South Africa. Mr. Abdul Kalian, the President of India, is one of the greatest patriots.He is called the ‘Missiles Man’ as he was instrumental in launching many missiles into space. As a scientist and patriot, he stands supreme, and when he makes speeches he speaks of developing India as a great nation. A film on Abdul Kalama titled â€Å"From Rameswaram to the Rashtrapati Haven† has been produced. Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Abraham Lincoln, who abolished slavery in the US, Nelson Mandela and other s of their ilk should rule our minds and influence us so that we too will follow in their footsteps and serve the nation.It may be said that the patriots’ lives are a reminder to us of the everlasting truth that the whole nation is our land and that we should leave no stone unturned to protect it from acts of gross injustice of the self-centered, the crooked, the violent and the engineers of terrorism. Patriotism is a spiritual quality which ennobles man. In a patriot’s vision the image of his motherland assumes divinity and we can imagine how strong his spirit of patriotism was. Our relationship starts with our mother, father, sister, brother, aunt and uncle and goes on widening.We love one another in our small circle of family. We should love everyone in the vast family of our nation. If we begin to feel that our nation, our motherland, is one large family, we the people of the nation, will grow as one well-knit family. In this situation we feel we are related to one another as brothers and sisters. Unity is our strength. United we stand, divided we fall. From our childhood we should develop the spirit of loving one and all. There are none high or low. All living creatures, whether insect, bird, animal or human being, has a right to live.This is the greatest message; this is the most precious lesson. Patriot is one who loves and serves his own country as a loyal citizen. He is called a true patriot who loves his country and is ready to sacrifice his all for her cause, and wholeheartedly works for the welfare of his motherland. The land, on which one is born and brought up and lives, is naturally dear to him than any other land. This love for his birthplace grows into patriotism. If his motherland is attacked by the enemies, he does not hesitate to fight for the protection of freedom of his native land.He can do any thing to glorify his country. He feels proud of his country. This patriotic feeling can be found in many great heroes in history. I n India, we know many patriots who suffered inhuman distress at the hands of the foreign rulers, because they loved their country, and wanted to make her free from the shackles of the foreign rule. They were imprisoned, publicly flogged and had undergone inhuman torture for their undying patriotism. Still they did not step down, even at the cost of their life. They carried on their struggle for freedom for many years.This is true patriotism. A true patriot will go to the war with a smiling face to sacrifice his life, if needed. He will serve the poor and the distressed people of his country out of compassion that arises from patriotism. He will devote himself to the work of development of his own people. He does not bother about his personal interests or gains, when he goes forward with his spirit of patriotism. A true patriot is worshipped by his countrymen. They shed tears when he dies, as if, he was one of their nearest relations. Nationalism What is the importance of patriotism in the lives of Today's youth? Yahoo answer Patriotism  is a love for one's country and a desire to make her better. It is contrasted with simple  nationalism  (or jingoism) in that nationalism and jingoism represent a blind loyalty to one's country even when it wrong (an example would be the people of  Nazi Germany). Patriotism, on the other hand, recognizes when its nation is wrong and fights to correct the wrong even as it supports that nation. Patriotism is important in the lives of youth today for several reasons.One is because the youth of today will inherit the nation tomorrow. If youth do not become involved in making our nation better, they may not receive a nation worth inheriting. Second, the nation built by today's youth will be the nation they pass along to their own children. If young people today wish their children to have an America of freedom, the young people of today must protect and defend that freedom by supporting ou r country's greatness and working to make her ever better. Third, the youth of today owe a debt to those of the past who sacrificed, worked hard, and even died to build us a free nation.To keep faith with those who have gone before and upon whose toil and sacrifice the nation was built, youth need to show patriotism. Are We The Youth Not Patriotic? – Think Again (An Appeal) I do not like to generalize, but most Indians who are 40 plus consider today’s youth as ‘not patriotic’. Patriotism per-se means love for the nation, and we youth have no dearth of it. As youngsters, born in independent  India, we haven’t had the opportunity to see how our people toiled for a century to attain freedom. Most of us have not witnessed the four wars that were fought by our Armed forces in 1947, 1962, 1965 and 1971.Thus, we may not feel our eyes watering we hear Lata Mangeshkar’s ‘Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon’, the song that immortalized the sacrifice of Indian soldiers on icy Himalayan peaks in 1962 and which brought tears to the eyes of Pt. Jawahar lal Nehru. Our interest in reading documents about great freedom fighters and freedom struggle, if any, is also academic, as our generation fails to really connect to that era. That, however, does not mean that we are not mindful of the hard work of our countrymen, because of whom, we’re living a dream life in a vibrant and growing  India, which has created a niche for itself in the world.It’s just that we do not identify with the spirit of freedom the way our elders may, because our relations with that era are not even second hand but third hand. Merely because of this disconnect we should not be classified as less patriotic. It only makes us patriotic in our own special way: the youth’s way. Had the youth lacked devotion for the nation, where would the Navy, Army and Air Force have got their new recruits from? Those who join the forces are ready to give thei r life and that too without asking for anything more than a remuneration to keep their family alive.Mind you, this remuneration is exactly same as the country pays to its Babus and Bureaucrats. While the whole country works only eight hours   for that pay and gets paid overtime for every extra hour, it is they who work tirelessly 24 X 7, in adverse conditions and not even talk of overtime, so that their countrymen can have a good night’s sleep, day after day. Without the youth, the defense would have been crippled with only oldies and vacancies plaguing the Armed forces. Since this sorrow situation hasn’t materialized, one can safely conclude that the belief that today’s youth is ‘not patriotic’ is nothing but a perception.What would have happened of Indian culture, values, tradition and way of life had it not been due to joint effort of our parents and us youngsters. Our parents brought us up in a cultured environment where traditions and moderni sm go hand in hand. We the youth have retailed and nurtured the Culture and Values of   being Indian, while borrowing   certain things from foreign land which is attributed to our curiosity. Dressing in western attire, talking in English, and having Mcdonalised our diet doesn’t eat away our indiannesss.Macdonald or not, when it comes to idli-dosa, chicken tanduri or dal-bati we are most enthusiastic. You must understand that Mcdonalisation is part of being hep in the crowd. Even while we may be living in a foreign land, working on foreign shores and earning in foreign currency, our traditions are practiced with same fervor, if not more. In whatever foreign land we maybe in, our earnings are sent back to India, to help our families and also help the Indian economy grow with this added Forex capital. Youth isn’t selfish, though it may be portrayed so.We may be more ‘me driven’ but we also invert the ‘m’ often enough to become ‘we drive n’. On some planes we’re a force that is hard to beat. Had we not been a collective bunch, Jessica Lal, Matoo and such other cases including the quota debate would not have become a mini uprising. On some other, we can outwardly look selfish and overtly driven by success, though it isn’t so in reality. We would prefer to be indianised in competition, treating others as peers, but the globalization of Indian economy forces us to be excessively competitive; if I may say, competitiveness is forced on us.Rather than critcising us, one should sympathise with us because we are the victims of circumstances. We youth don’t claim to be saints. We do go wayward on certain counts, but the older generation has always been there to steer us away from them. Without the elders we youth would be like a ‘rudderless’ boat, just swaying in turbulent waters. What makes us killers of a sort is the fact that we’re brought up the right way, as balanced indiv iduals. Add to it the fact that no matter how low we may fall; our families would always support us and help us rise, which is typically an Indian phenomenon.The security of Indian ‘family’ system gives us the courage to move ahead and realize our individual dreams and our dreams for  Indiabecause we fully well understand that we have a fall back option – our family. The youth also has modern ways of celebrating Indian achievements. We take pride in cheering for  India  in every sports event with tricolour painted on our faces. We feel exhilaration in watching Aamir Khan in Rang De, and we feel the shivers while watching Ajay Devgan in Bhagat Singh. We feel overwhelmed when any Indian does genius feats.Our pulse races when we hear the National Anthem. We’re filled with energy when the song ‘suno gaur se duniya walon-buri nazar na hum pe dalo-chahe jitna zor lagalo-sabse aagey hongey Hindustani†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢is played. We keenly track our indust ry and stock markets. We do this and so much more. We are patriotic, just that our ways of expressing it are different (read modern, perhaps even whacky). We try to do things differently, we try to innovate, and we try to show our love in our own ways. We wish to ask, what more we can do to prove our patriotism?Do we scream our lungs out, or do we go out chanting patriotic songs in ‘Prabhat Pheries’ (morning marches), tell us what we can do to get out of our stereotype portrayal of being ‘not patriotic’? We’ve conquered the air, water and land, but we’re yet to conquer every elderly Indian’s heart. We don’t want to be known as a bunch of selfish people, who’re money-minded and just looking for some fun, but as individuals who’re dedicated to the nation with the same affection that the generations before us were.Our methods and ways to make  India  the shining star (that it was in the past) may be different, but we share the same cherished goal and the vision for modern  India  with our elders. We know we’re making progress, but sincere efforts always pay off and the speed of progress shall become a typhoon in times to come. In the end ‘Hum Honge Kamyab’ (we shall succeed) in this race to balanced progress, and young Indians are here to make  India  a winner as much our elders did in their times.And India shall be a winner, if you, our elders, put faith in us, support us in this endeavor and appreciate the efforts that are being done with due understanding that we converge for India. The situation isn’t as bleak; there is plenty of light seen at end of this tunnel to progress. On behalf of young  India, I’d like to end this appeal with a quote- A man's feet must be planted in his country, but his eyes should survey the world. George Santayana Please support us and guide us as we survey the world, while our hearts beat for  India, our blood is In dian and every drop of our sweat is shed to do something for  India. 91 words essay on Patriotism in India for school and college students by  Kunal Free sample essay on Patriotism in India for school and college students . Patriotism lends a great dimension to a man’s personality and it exalts him to rare heights of nobility. A patriot is not a person confined within the narrow limits of his family and his intimate circle of friends. Patriotism enlightens us about our paramount duties to our nation, our motherland, as dear and sacred as our own mother. India has a proud heritage of the noblest patriots, who sacrificed all their belongings and even gave up their lives, for the cause of their motherland.The freedom struggle of India which was a golden chapter in the history of the country saw the whole nation revolting against the insolent British, who brutally suppressed the patriotic spirit of the Indians, who were chased like dogs and lath charged when they raised their voices of protest. Our political struggle headed by the unique leader of leaders, Mahatma Gandhi, an embodiment of compassion and tolerance, was a saga of victory for the Indians, who shed blood for a great cause, and the trail of their blood left indelible marks on the sands of time of their sacrificial spirit, which cannot be adequately described in words.This is an age when patriotism is at its lowest, when people’s narrow-mindedness, sectarianism and religious intolerance have raised their ugly heads. Man has fallen prey to the vicious influences so pervasive in society which is witness to the worst acts of desperados? It is said that Gandhi and his circle of friends were exemplary patriots. Nelson Mandela, the great South African leader, who tirelessly fought for his African brethren, opposing the racist whites, is next only to Gandhi. In fact, Gandhi was the inspiration to Nelson Mandela, who suffered imprisonment for many years.When he was frail and even when his mora l strength was eroded by the oppressive tactics of the whites he protested. His patience ultimately rewarded him with victory. The South African Government consisting of the most autocratic whites, who were highly prejudiced against the colored Africans, at last realized that it was no longer possible to keep the poor, meek Africans under their thumbs. Nelson Mandela was acknowledged as a doughty champion of the lowliest and the last. He was made President of South Africa. Mr. Abdul Kalian, the President of India, is one of the greatest patriots.He is called the ‘Missiles Man’ as he was instrumental in launching many missiles into space. As a scientist and patriot, he stands supreme, and when he makes speeches he speaks of developing India as a great nation. A film on Abdul Kalama titled â€Å"From Rameswaram to the Rashtrapati Haven† has been produced. Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Abraham Lincoln, who abolished slavery in the US, Nelson Mandela and other s of their ilk should rule our minds and influence us so that we too will follow in their footsteps and serve the nation.It may be said that the patriots’ lives are a reminder to us of the everlasting truth that the whole nation is our land and that we should leave no stone unturned to protect it from acts of gross injustice of the self-centered, the crooked, the violent and the engineers of terrorism. Patriotism is a spiritual quality which ennobles man. In a patriot’s vision the image of his motherland assumes divinity and we can imagine how strong his spirit of patriotism was. Our relationship starts with our mother, father, sister, brother, aunt and uncle and goes on widening.We love one another in our small circle of family. We should love everyone in the vast family of our nation. If we begin to feel that our nation, our motherland, is one large family, we the people of the nation, will grow as one well-knit family. In this situation we feel we are related to one another as brothers and sisters. Unity is our strength. United we stand, divided we fall. From our childhood we should develop the spirit of loving one and all. There are none high or low. All living creatures, whether insect, bird, animal or human being, has a right to live.This is the greatest message; this is the most precious lesson. Patriot is one who loves and serves his own country as a loyal citizen. He is called a true patriot who loves his country and is ready to sacrifice his all for her cause, and wholeheartedly works for the welfare of his motherland. The land, on which one is born and brought up and lives, is naturally dear to him than any other land. This love for his birthplace grows into patriotism. If his motherland is attacked by the enemies, he does not hesitate to fight for the protection of freedom of his native land.He can do any thing to glorify his country. He feels proud of his country. This patriotic feeling can be found in many great heroes in history. I n India, we know many patriots who suffered inhuman distress at the hands of the foreign rulers, because they loved their country, and wanted to make her free from the shackles of the foreign rule. They were imprisoned, publicly flogged and had undergone inhuman torture for their undying patriotism. Still they did not step down, even at the cost of their life. They carried on their struggle for freedom for many years.This is true patriotism. A true patriot will go to the war with a smiling face to sacrifice his life, if needed. He will serve the poor and the distressed people of his country out of compassion that arises from patriotism. He will devote himself to the work of development of his own people. He does not bother about his personal interests or gains, when he goes forward with his spirit of patriotism. A true patriot is worshipped by his countrymen. They shed tears when he dies, as if, he was one of their nearest relations.

Basic Skills Test

While growing up we have ideas about what we want to do with our life when we graduate from high school. These decisions include: going to college, picking a major, and figuring out where you want to go after college. I wanted to go to Western Illinois University and declare a major in the elementary education program because Western Illinois has a good teacher education program. I always wanted to become a teacher since I was a little girl, because my first grade teacher has inspired me to become a wonderful educator. One of the requirements for education majors is to take the Illinois certification test, which is the Basic Skills test. The Basic Skills test is a certified test that is composed in variety of subjects that an educator needs to know before getting a teacher’s certificate. In order to be approved for teaching in the state of Illinois, you must pass this test. Furthermore, should the Basic Skills be considered a requirement into the education program? According to the Chicago Sun-Times, in 2010 Linda Tomlinson, Assistant Superintendent at the State Board of Education, said, â€Å"some would-be teachers have failed the current test at least 20 times†. However, recent changes now give teaching candidates only five chances to pass (Rossi Rosalind, Chicago Sun Times). I know now that I was not the only one who did not pass the Basic Skills test the first time. Whenever I hear how important this test is from my advisor and even from other education majors around me, I get nervous. Testing is required of candidates seeking an Illinois teaching license since 1988. The only way I can continue in education next semester is to pass the test. After reading this article, I am afraid I won’t be able to major in education anymore because of lack of test-taking skills. I’m not a good test taker because of test anxiety which includes time, forgetting the information, and getting nervous before the big test. If I fail the Basic Skills test a third time, I might have to consider changing my major. I do not want to change my major, because I know I would enjoy teaching very much. If you do not pass the test after five times, you are not allowed to teach in the state of Illinois. According to the Chicago Tribune, in 2011 an unknown â€Å"reporter† said; â€Å"No, we're not rooting for aspiring educators to fail. But we are rooting to see only the best candidates become teachers† (Chicago Tribune). As a future educator, I am opposed to this idea that college students are not becoming teachers because they are failing the Basic Skills. The statistics that updated each year from different universities are losing students who want to become future educators. Taking the Basic Skills test for future educators is harder than you think it would be; because you need to have the knowledge of a future educator when taking this type of state assessment. Most college students have to make a decision about backup plans after realizing that they didn’t pass the test. It would be disappointment knowing that you worked hard, you are halfway through college, and now you can’t continue with your major. I think that the state board of education should rethink the testing procedures because there is more to teaching than just being able to pass the test. For example, future educators can get observed by their work of teaching, have an interview process about the literacy of teaching, and many other kinds of processes that could be established in a college setting to prepare students to become excellent educators. The Basic Skills is one of the most important tests that future educators have seen, taken, or studied for. As a first time test-taker, our job is to research what the test is all about, what is the Basic Skills? More importantly, what is a test? Some people can say that a test is a series of questions that tests our knowledge; or a test can be defined, â€Å"as a particular process or method for trying or assessing (â€Å"Oxford English Dictionary†). † The Basic Skills is a test where you get certification to teach in the state of Illinois. The test considers four different sub sections reading, language arts, mathematics, and writing (Illinois Leisure Testing System). The results I’ve heard from my advisor, and researching some statistics from other Illinois school; there are many future educators who have failed the Basic Skills. Because of that, they are out of the teacher education program. The teacher education program is based on a series of tasks that are required to be pass before moving onto the next level (Jeanne Gage, Advisor). Some of the tasks to be considered are: passing major course classes in college, writing a reflective paper, and aving test taking skills. Returning to the certification process, I ask myself what is certification? Is there a certification just like the Basic Skills? Certification means â€Å"an official document attesting a certain fact, in particular† (Oxford English Dictionary). There are many different types of certification from ownership, achievement, and marriages. For the Basic Skills it’s considered an achievement certification. Teacher certification is known as â€Å"document of proof† that a teacher can use to become a teacher in a school setting. Anyone can take this test and get a teaching certification. You may think that a certification can be easy, as it seems; but not a certification that requires testing abilities and some college classwork. Just like taking your driver’s test to get your license to drive, the teaching certification requires a series of test questions relating to a common course setting and some basic skill methods you learned in school. You may wonder if any other profession has a similar test like the educators do. Lets take a future college student who wants to become a lawyer and what kind of test that he or she would have to take. In research, if a student wants to become a lawyer in the state of his or her choice. The student must take the Bar examination to become a certified lawyer. What is a Bar examination? The Bar examination is a rigid test of knowledge in all fields of law (Illinois State Bar Association). Just like the Basic Skills for educators, the future lawyers have to prepare in a similar fashion to future educators. The difference is the educator is tested in reading, language arts, math, and writing; while the lawyer has to know the different aspects of law that exist today. Another example is a college student who wants to get into the nursing program. All students who want to become a nurse have to take the HESI exam in order to be certified as a nurse. What is the HESI exam? The Health Education Systems Inc. is a timed, computerized test that consists of six academic exams: reading comprehension, vocabulary and general knowledge, grammar, basic math skills, biology and anatomy, and physiology (TMCC). This test is similar to the Basic Skills, but has only two extra subjects that need to be taken. No matter if you’re an educator, a lawyer, or a nursing major there is a test for every type of career that is required to be passed. In the beginning of my research, I have found that many future educators have not passed the Basic Skills. When I thought about how these future educators have not completed the Basic Skills; there should be an alternative process and still become an educator. What would be the opposite of a certificate? I have found no answer to this question: but, in my opinion an optional choice for certification for educators should be this. They should be able to pass all major college courses with a B or above. If a student can be able to get all of their classes passed with this requirement, they can be able to teach after college. Why is the Basic Skills the best way to certify our future educators? Is the state board making the best choice for every future educator? The Basic Skills is the best way to certify our future educators so that each individual should be able to understand the concepts when put into a classroom full of students. Without taking this test, the future educators won’t know what is supposed to be taught when it comes to teaching. For example, if a future educator hasn’t looked at the test, they wouldn’t be able to understand the concepts that are being tested. The state board is making the best choice to have future educators take this test; they need to know if they are the best educators. If we had poor educators, then how would our future students be able to learn their basic skills the correct way? How does the Basic Skills test accomplish its goals? According to the Oxford English Dictionary the definitions of accomplish is known â€Å"as achieve or complete successfully. Oxford English Dictionary)† The purpose of this test is to have future educators be able to accomplish the main standards in Illinois. As of October-December of 2012 only 31 percent out of 3,153 test takers have passed the Basic Skills (Illinois State Board of Education). It is a disappointment that we can’t get more than 31 percent to pass this test. In more depth, from September 2008-August 2011 at Western Illinois University 1,823 students have attempted the test; with having 1,777 students passed the test. But, at Eastern Illinois University 3,910 students have attempted; 3,773 have passed the test (Illinois State Board of Education). Since we don’t want any future educators to fail the Basic Skills, we don’t want to bring down the teacher rate in the near future. The question that we should think about is, should we keep the Basic Skills test or have another option into getting a certification in the State of Illinois? People may wonder if this Basic Skills test has a cost. There is a fee that requires to be paid in order to take the Basic Skills. For example, the Basic Skills test costs about $120 and each different sub section costs about $99. If one future educator has not passed any of the sub sections, they are required to repay $120. If another future educator only passed three of the sub sections, they only have to pay $99 (Illinois Leisure Testing System). I think that it’s ridiculous because we future educators can’t afford these prices, and we cannot afford to buy another examination test. With the economy being a problem in our society, how are we supposed to take a test that costs too much money? This is considered one issue about the Basic Skills and should be reconsidered for future educators. Throughout many generations, a future educator has been through many different processes of becoming a teacher. Recently, to get into the education program, future educators have to take the Basic Skills test to be determined if they are considered an educator. My question I like to consider, how did past future educators become certify as educators? Did they have to take the Basic Skills many years ago? Did they have a whole different certification process compare to what we have today? From my research, I’ve found out many interesting facts on how future educators were certify in past. New Jersey examinees had to take a written examination and receive a high rating in order to get certified in 1983. New Jersey educators would have to write a long essay on what they would be considered for the teaching job; skills, ability, lesson planning, etc. Other than taking the written portion they also accept the state examination that is considered the basic skills; the only difference compared to 1983 is they only had a writing portion instead of multiple assessments and know that they are willing to take the step up in the classroom management developmental process. It’s considered as a student’s choice in New Jersey whether these future educators want to take a huge writing portion and also decide to take the Basic Skills as an optional choice. Another state that I found interesting in the same period is known as the sunny state of Florida. In this journal a debate was in progress on whether the basic skills should be determined as a minimum competency scoring level or have a more higher education and pass a type of GED test that can be require for a certification. Since testing was huge in Florida, college students had the option to become educators but they were the ones to determine their future. This journal has been dated back in 1983 when there was a debate on whether future educators should have an option of choosing a simple exam compare to more of a challenging exam (Florida’s Minimum Competency Program: A Survey of Teacher’s Options). In this journal there are some evaluations charts that show the results of what the future educators consider as a new requirement. For example, â€Å"the Minimum Competency approach will probably result in minimum skills becoming maximum skills†; voters of education majors have marked this type of debate as 37. % agreement, 16% neither, and 46. 3% disagreement. (Florida's Minimum Competency Program: A Survey of Teachers' Opinions) The vote and other ballots have determined efficiency on how teaching requirements could be changed in 1983 (Florida Minimum Competency Program). These ratings/charts can be found on this journal if you need more information on how the voting process has worked and an explanation on each de bate. California, a state providing a large portion of the nations educators, recently had a survey attempting to better understand how educators are assessed. Most of these cases came from interviews, standardized tests, and most importantly how they contributed in a classroom setting (Teacher’s Perspective on Competency-Based Testing). With the different types of observations that were made among the future educators and their observers; the information that was given by the observer, are put into a chart to determined the typical requirements for a California teaching license. Some of the information presented in these charts are what scores each observer have, the percentage of determination, and lastly if they are qualified for the teaching certificate. There is also more information on how the certification process and even some recommendations that can be used for future educators in 1991 (Teacher’s Perspective on Competency-Based Testing). In the state of Illinois there are requirements for a teacher certification from 1919. If you were to become an educator, you had to follow a credit system that is given to you at the beginning of your application fee. A credit system is the based amount of points that you will receive after completing each task. Indeed, back in 1919 you were supposed to fill out an application and pay a small fee in order to begin your application into the field of education. There are also certain sub-sections that are require to be accomplished in order to receive a certification. For example, 35 points for successful teaching, 30 points for attending at the annual institute, 8 points for attending eight one-hour at the superintendent board of education meetings, and there is also many other requirements that are needed to receive the points towards a teacher certificate (Certification of Teachers in Illinois). In my opinion, getting a teacher certification seems pretty easy when you lived back in 1919; because you only have to follow a credit system and not take any kind of assessments that is presented in Illinois today. Most importantly I wish that this could be a permanent option instead of taking the basic skills test for the state of Illinois. No matter what state you’re determined to live in, there is a certain way that there will be a certification test for any future educator. As of today, all fifty states including the state of Illinois are required to take the Basic Skills test in order to become certified as an Illinois teacher. A question to be considered should it be easy to become a teacher? Or would many college students have to rethink of a new major before coming into college? The Basic Skills test is a required test taken by students wanting to become educators. The Basic Skills test is an examination that consists of reading, language arts, math, and writing. These future educators would have to take this examination before moving on into their method courses. In most research, students have failed the Basic Skills test the first time they took it (JSTOR, Google, ERIC). For example, only 31 percent of all test takers have passed while the other 69 percent are still struggling in the state of Illinois (Illinois State Board of Education). There are many resources online including: Illinois Leisure Testing, Test Prep Review, and also some other University websites that can help students to prepare for the Basic Skills. I’ve used all of these websites to help me get some preparations done for the big test date and they are very helpful. There are also preparation classes that are offered in selected universities taught by professors involved in education. Some classes includes: introduction to the Basic Skills, classes for each of the sub section of the test, and just some classes that have tutors who already passed the Basic Skills to help other students. Western Illinois University offers these classes each semester along with Eastern Illinois University, University of Illinois Champaign, and University Illinois Chicago. Recently, the Illinois state board of education allows you to take the ACT instead of the Basic Skills. There are also preparation classes that are offered around the community and online just for the ACT. Taking down some evaluations of future educators, they say that these prep classes work because they have passed the test with the extra help. Many of these resources can help students become more familiar with the test and also have a refresher on many of the subjects that being tested in each of the examinations. Many future educators have failed the Basic Skills and have to decide what to do to not make the same mistakes. Recently, there are many different types of online preparation including study guides, helpful hints, and a practice test to help future educators can get more practice with the test format, or even on a single sub section that he or she needs more help on. These preparation courses are huge among students who want to become educators after graduation. Many of these programs include: Pearson and Stanford Excellence. These companies have come up with completed study guides and some helpful tips when it comes to test day. Google is also another source to look up preparation materials for the test; and it’s very helpful for those who are in danger to pass the test. Cost is considered another reason why many future educators are frustrated over the examination. Do you remember when I mentioned how much a test cost for potential new educator; it costs more than buying a week worth of groceries if you think of it. Many institutions are working on making free preparation classes for students who are in need of practice for the Basic Skills. This semester at Western Illinois University, the education department has taken time to ask many professors to coordinate free preparation classes for students in need of math, reading, and language arts. Not only Western Illinois University has to offer these preparation classes, but many other institutions including: Eastern Illinois University, Illinois State University, and University of Illinois in Champaign. These universities have taken their time to offer classes that can help future educators pass the Basic Skills before moving on into the next step of the career. Besides all of the preparation courses that are offered at institutions, I have taken some time to look at some of the other states in our country regarding about the Basic Skills. California has a policy that students can take an alternative procedure of the Basic Skills and still get into the teacher education program. This policy is considered of having an early alternative admission plan; where students can still take most of their classes and get a low score on their examination (Coping with the CBEST: Alternative and Inclusive Approaches). Unfortunately, as of today this process has been removed from the California State Board of Education; because the State Board has decided to become familiar with a Basic Skills test just like all of the states are doing for their teacher requirements. In my opinion I wish that this process would take over the new requirements for becoming an educator; because if students would like to take classes early and remove their scores from the system. They will be able to get their teacher certification within a breeze of time. Recently in the state of Illinois, the State Board of Education has approved n alternative test arrangement for students who do not want to take the Basic Skills. Every student should know when applying for colleges during their senior year of high school, they have to take the ACT. But, educators can retake their ACT and pass it with a 22 to bypass the Basic Skills. Another option includes the SAT and educators would have to get a score of 1030. Both of these examin ations are required to be less than ten years old from the test date and must include the writing portion of the examination (Illinois Administrative Rule Change). This portion of the certification process can help students who had a hard time with the Basic Skills and be able to take the examinations for less than half the cost of the Basic Skills. The Basic Skills test is a require examination that students have to take before they are educators. In this essay alone, I have found many interesting facts regarding to the Basic Skills within the state of Illinois and even a few other states. Including some of the history, facts, and solutions about this examination. I also hope that this work will help not only myself, but for future educators that are willing to go into the teacher education program. The only way to be able to succeed in the teacher education program is to be able to prepare future educators with this examination. Especially with the solutions I provided in this essay, it should be very helpful to many college students not only around the state of Illinois; but the other 49 states that are involved in this process. The Basic Skills is a required examination, and it’s one of the most important steps in the teaching career.

Network and Protocol Processes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Network and Protocol Processes - Essay Example The DNS server is part of the network configuration of my host. The DNS server returns the IP address 212.183.133.187 (Byrnes, 2000). Now my laptop has enough information needed i.e. IP address 212.183.133.187and the HTTP webserver port 80; it can establish a TCP connection to the X-Stream webserver.The DNS server is part of the network configuration of my host. The DNS server returns the IP address 212.183.133.187 (Byrnes, 2000). Now my laptop has enough information needed i.e. IP address 212.183.133.187and the HTTP webserver port 80; it can establish a TCP connection to the X-Stream webserver.2. Requesting a TCP connection by X-Stream webserver to port 80 at IP address 212.183.133.187 (Transport Layer)The data received from the HTTP request (From Application Layer) is divided into several packets. These data packets include:a) My laptop’s IP address which has been delivered by my DNS server and determined as 212.183.133.187b) Port number: the default port number of the HTTP request is 80 and can be 443 if I make secure connection https://x-stream.leedsmet.ac.uk or if the X-Stream network requires a secure connection at the time I am making a request.  c) Acknowledgement number: This specifies the next sequence of figures that are expected by my laptop which sends the segment. TCP shows that this field is active by setting the acknowledgement number bit that is usually set after the establishment of the connection.d) Reserved bits: This are reserved for future use and are therefore sent to zeroe) Data offset: These are four bits that specify the number of the 32 bit word which defines the TCP header.f) Checksum (16 bits): Checksum is used for error control that covers the data fields and header. It also covers a pseudo-header; and includes destination and source addresses, the segment length and the protocol. This information is then forwarded together with the segment in order to IP to protect TCP from faulty routing of segments. The segment lengthâ €™s value includes the TCP header and data (Comer, 1999).g) Control bits.  My laptop (TCP Client) requests the Internet protocol to deliver an IP datagram with connection request to destination 212.183.133.187.