Anti bullying Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Anti bullying - Essay Example In order to gain domination over others, bullies use coercion or physical assault, threats or verbal forms of harassment of which they normally direct towards identified ‘soft’ targets whom are likely to offer less resistance to the bullies. According to Lemus, bullies rationalize and justify their behaviors based on their differences with the victims on appearance, gender, class, behavior, religion, race, sexuality, or abilities (23-25). In the writings by Sullivan, he stated that bullying is normally classified into four key categories that include cyber bullying, physical bullying, verbal bullying, and emotional bullying, and when the bullies operate in a group it is termed as mobbing (68-71). According to Hadikin and O’Driscoll, cases of bullying are more rampant at schools where majority of those who are physically strong, have unique capabilities, or come from a financially well-off background, tend to look down upon others whom they perceive as weak targets (78-82). In addition, cases of bullying also exists within the workplace, where in most cases those who are in senior positions tend to show tendency of bullying toward those who are in junior positions. Bullying within schools and at workplaces is termed as peer abuse. This present informative essay is divided into a three part series that begins with the causes of bullying, the effects of bullying, and anti-bullying practices that should be implemented largely in schools. In the studies conducted by Lemus, he stated that bullying is caused by social factors that alter the behavior and attitudes of the bullies who pick on bad behavior of intimidating and harassing other people (32-34). Primarily, Sprung et al. stated that most bullies normally come from dysfunctional homes where they are exposed to violent punishments or regular violence within the household and even uncaring attitudes from their

International Terrorism Essay Example for Free

International Terrorism Essay A majority of the international terrorist operations and strikes trace their root to the Asian Middle East region, which has become the cauldron of global terrorism. Since over two decades, the Middle East has turned into that most volatile, unstable and surcharged place in world, having seen two major armed conflicts and being home to a number of radical, hardliner and terrorist outfits, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and Al Qaeda. These outfits are collectively responsible for carrying a series of devastating terrorist attacks around the world, including 9/11, Madrid and London bombings, rocket attack on Israel and Mumbai carnage. The problem goes further deeper to reveal a simmering regional and sectarian discontent that further adds to the instability of the region. The common unifying thread among all of these factors is presence of ideological motivation of Islamic Jihad, which has made the entire issue extremely sensitive from political and religious angles. Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad Both Hamas and Hezbollah have their origin rooted in conflict between Israel and Palestine since creation of Israel in 1948 (Lutz and Lutz, 2004). A majority of Arab and Middle Eastern countries protested Israel’s creation and tried to liquidate the nation through armed intervention To represent the Palestinian cause, Palestine Liberation Organization emerged 1964, striving for liberation and demand of nationhood from Israel. The organization was formed when all the military and armed strengths of Arab nations was convincingly defeated by Israel in 1948 and 1956 wars and it was felt among radical sections of Palestine that only a guerilla tactics could work against a militarily superior Israel Lutz and Lutz, 2004) . Since its formation PLO worked as an umbrella organization, drawing support from various militant Islamic groups working in the area, chiefly Hamas which aims to create a completely Islamic state in the area. Unlike PLO, which has, in principal, favored religious tolerance and secularity as policy, Hamas has a clearly stated Islamic agenda, which draws support from other organizations of similar ideological base. Hamas is considered by several Western countries, including USA and Israel as a terrorist organization, and it is responsible for carrying out a series of strikes against Israel since its creation in 1987. Since 2002, Hamas has restructured itself to form a political organization and presently it is controlling the Gaza strip of Palestine’s territory (Morgan, 2005). Hezbollah is a Lebanon based political-resistance group, formed in 1982 to protest and struggle Israel’s formation and its conflict with Lebanon (Albritton, 2006). Although, the outwardly the organization is involved in a number of social activities, such as running schools, hospitals, farming counseling services, the core characteristics of the organization have remained military. The organization is considered wholly or partly a terrorist outfit by USA and European nations due to its repeated involvement in terrorist attacks in Israel. Both Hamas and Hezbollah share a strong ideological bond in the concept of Islamic Jihad and they consider themselves committed to this cause. While in the religious terms, Jihad is a personal effort for purity, for all the practical purpose, it has evolved in the concept of Islamic supremacy and dominance over other believer sects. Proponents of Islamic Jihad advocate a sustained campaign, involving ideological and violent means in all degrees of extremity to the cause of complete elimination of non-believers (Morgan, 2005). The commitment to Islamic Jihad has infused both these organizations with radical elements and extended their involvement to various terrorist outfits, from Middle East to India and Indonesia, all of which justify their violent actions by theory of Jihad (Albritton, 2006; Merrit, Gilbert and Reinhart, 2004). Kurdish Conflict Kurdish conflict is one of the major political causes of disturbance in the Middle East. Kurds are a major ethnic-linguistic group spread across various countries of Middle East, specifically Iraq and Turkey where they form respectively 17 and 20 percent of the total population. The total Kurdish population is approximately 30 million, making them the fourth largest ethnic group in the region (Merrit, Gilbert and Reinhart, 2004). However, Kurdish community has a deep sense of grievance and resentment against the political framework of the Middle East, as they have been largely side tracked by almost all the political establishments; to aggravate the issue, some countries even tried to break down their sense of identity and forcibly merge them with rest of the population (Morgan, 2005). Kurd’s persistent demands for identity, recognition and greater zone of influence in politics have brought them regularly in conflict with Middle Eastern political establishment which has tried to suppress repeatedly. Kurds are guided by a strong sense of nationality they view themselves as a distinct nation. In fact, there is a complete sentiment among Kurds, identifying themselves as separate clans with their distinct sense of nationality. This has led to several major Kurdish revolts in both Iraq and Turkey. Former Iraq’s president, Saddam Hussein crushed a series of such revolts ruthlessly in 1980s, resulting in systematic murder of over 5000 Kurds (Lutz and Lutz, 2004). After the end of Saddam Hussein’s rule in second Gulf War of 2003-04, the Kurdish demand for independent homeland has intensified. This demand is supported by the entire Kurdish Diaspora who view a separate homeland as the only lasting and legitimate solution to the centuries of neglect, overlook and ignorance of Kurdish identity and culture by Iraq, Iran, and Turkey. Alarmed at this demand, the radical elements in these countries have collaborated with Islamic terrorist groups and carried out a number of terrorist attacks, that are aimed to wipe out the Kurdish leadership and cause fear in the community. However, the effect of these attacks has been largely opposite as it has led to the feeling among the Kurds that their own nation can be the only guarantee of their safety and security (Teson, 2005). Al Qaeda. Any mention of religious terrorism is incomplete without discussion on Islamic terrorism and jihad ideology which is widely held as the single most potent challenge to the democratic and free world. The most prominent actor in Islamic terrorism is Al Qaeda led by Osama Bin Laden, which has acquired the form of an international organization, recruiting members from all the Islamic nations and using them as against the Western and Asian democracies (Lutz and Lutz, 2004). Al Qaeda acts as veritable global terrorist organizations, with massive fund raising capabilities, central leadership style, and a network of dedicated sub units which are ready to strike at the behest of the central command. In studying the reach and influence of Al Qaeda, analysts found that the prime motivational force used by Bin Laden and other key terrorists in the organization is religious. The origin of Al Qaeda is traced back to early 1980s when then USSR invaded Afghanistan and Muslims fighters from around the Islamic world poured in Afghanistan to fight a war that was given an instant religious color. The religious cause did not lose its appeal for the fighters even after the war ended, and they looked for further challenges which, in their opinion, had contaminated the purified and hence medieval perception of Islam they held (Lutz and Lutz, 2004). This search brought them in immediate conflict with the secular world, which is epitomized by USA. In consequence, Al Qaeda network started targeting US military bases in Saudi Arabia, US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar-es-Salaam and US warships; the campaign reached its zenith in 9/11 airlines attacks, which was a watershed event in terrorism history (Lutz and Lutz, 2004). Despite US and British campaign against the Al Qaeda network, the organization continues recruit members from religious sympathizers and attack soft targets, as evidenced against recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai. USA has actively engaged itself to eliminate the threat of Al Qaeda, which is logically justifiable, as it’s partially responsible for creation of the terrorist network. Although there has been both international and domestic criticism against USA’s efforts to combat Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and its bordering areas, this strategy has paid dividends and it has severely undermined the organization (Teson, 2005). To completely eliminate the threat of Al Qaeda, a combination of military and political strategies is required where the terrorist network is attacked at its functional, operational and organizational level. USA should ensure the neutralization of Al Qaeda leadership and cadres and simultaneously hold meaningful dialogue with Islamic countries to desist their youths from joining the terror outfit.

The Soviet Union :: essays research papers

While in the Soviet Union for six months, I learned a lot aboout the lives of people living there. When (find word) the American democratic and the Soviet (find word) approach to government I found major differences in each system approach to personal freedoms of it's citizens, structure of government, and control over society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is a major difference in citicens personal freedoms. Here in America the government attempts to preserve individual freedoms and promote equality of opportunity. But over in the Soviet Union the government considers their goals because the state is more important than individual rights and liverties. Americans can say, write, or protest whenever they want, and they cannot be punished because of the freedom of speech, press, and assembly. Also the police need a written warrent to search you or your home because citizens are protected by the 4th amendment. Citizens in russia may be punished by being sent to the (find word) in Syria, or taking their life if they publicly criticize it's leaders. The government does not allow people to establish newspapers that oppose it. Also the secret police don't need a reasonable cause to search your home or yourself. The citicens rights ain the Soviet Union are very different from Americans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The structure of the government in Russia is very simple. The government, mostly Stalin, has the power. Absolute authority over the country is in the hands of one leader. There are no free elections, and the only way to remove a dictator is by force. Fear and threats are used to keep peace. Over here in America the power is in the hands of many elected officials. Government is limited by the consent of government. There are many political parties, and power in government changes through peaceful means. Government in America is very complex.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Russian society evolves around one person, and that is Stalin. He has control over everything. He owns all the property and businesses. He wants people to think that he takes everything people make and gives it back equally, but he really gives most of it to the military and forgain countriesfir money. Peasants are starving to death just because Stalin wants to have the best military.America, on the other hand, citizens control the economy and the social aspects of their lives.

Socially Constructed Childhood Essay -- Papers

Socially Constructed Childhood Sociologists believe that children are not natural in society, that they do not behave naturally but that society has made children act as they do, and that there parents teach them how to act and make their personality for them at an early age. However childhood 'differs enormously according to time and place' so Philippe Aries believes. Children are treated differently to each other in different parts of the world, for example in India when a girl is 16-17 years old she is forced into an arranged marriage by which her parents arrange. That type of responsibility on a girl of that age is a lot, and most Indian girls refuse and end up running away from home or worse still killing themselves, but in their culture at that age they are seen as adults. Also in China girls are made to bind there feet up at an early age so that there feet do not grow any bigger. Some people may see this as a form of child abuse, but in China, that is what is expected of them. So there are quite a lot of differences in the upbringing of children. Not every child will turn out the same, all children will vary and that is to the way that they are bought up by there parents. It is not just the different cultures, which varies, but also the different social classes have a different way of bringing up children. The upper social class tend to spoil their children to a certain extent because they can with all the money that they have. This socially constructs the child to grow up with a spoilt nature, and would maybe affect the rest of his life because he will believe that he can get whatever he wants. This goes for 'designer babies... ...operly. All this is bringing out paedophilia and it teaches girls to be precautious because of the way they are being made to dress sexily at such an early age. Also it encourages stripping at an early age. In one of the routines that the young children have to do is they have to take of layers of their clothes in a sexy and perfectly timed manor to show off what they are wearing underneath. This shouldn't be forced upon young children because they will grow up with attitude problems all because the parents expecting too much from them. This idea of 'painted babies' is an obsessive way in which parents put pressure and abuse on their children. The way that they get the children to dress and look isn't natural for them at all, and this is a final example of how childhood is gradually disappearing in society today.

Philosophy- Rationalism and Empiricism Essay

Immanuel Kant found the way to put subjective and objective perspectives together as part of the human transcendental structure. The idea of subjective truth comes from Rene Descartes and his vision on rationalism based on innate ideas that allow people to appreciate what they see in order to reach a conclusion. Secondly, we have John Locke’s idea of objective truth based on a blank state of mind and a phenomenon that allows people to appreciate their reality by relying on experiences with any object, human, place or something else. Descartes and Locke rejected the possibility of bringing these two elements together for a better understanding. Since both focused on what people see through their eyes and their mind process, without considering the importance of the physical nature, Kant argued that they both should work together in order to understand the physical nature of different things. Kant focused on the conscious mental state which explains the importance of both of these elements together. Thomas Nagel highlighted Kant’s perspective and argued that subjective phenomenon’s are linked to single points of view that the objective theory will never be able to abandon. If a person separates them from each other there will be no idea of how something could be true. Since we live in a society with different perspectives, truth is what everyone looks for in order to draw their own conclusions. Nagel argued that having personal experience is enough to have the necessary material for imagination. For example, Nagel offered a metaphor about a bat, in which he suggest the use of imagination to ask ourselves what would be like for us to behave as the bat behaves. It’s clear that Nagel relies on Aristotle’s vision of reality because his realism on subjectivity creates a belief in the existence of facts over the concepts that we create as humans. Although there are facts that people will never comprehend, there is a possibility that through a combination of both people can find the truth of things that they can’t understand. According to Nagel, there is no difference between mental and physical events because there are experiences in which people process things to reach a conclusion. People have the ability to perceive and behave and they both come along together. On the other side, Donald Davidson argued that mental events have physical causes and that we have reason to believe this even though people don’t know if there is a general psychophysical theory. But, what about non-intentional events? Nagel argued that his argument only applies to intentional mental events without considering that as humans have reasons to believe that sensations are physical processes as well. Physical processes don’t have the necessity to look for answers of how something happened. Finally, Kant’s theory argues that our experiences are significant since they can’t be the same because people’s different states of mind, but as human beings it’s important to be subjective to appreciate different phenomenon’s around them. Kant’s made these two perspectives dependent from each other, without leaving any gap in which they both could separate by any chance.

Free Essays on The Role A Citizen Plays In Government

Essay Two The ultimate role a citizen plays in the United States government is the engagement in politics by voting, organizing, and criticizing leaders that he or she does not believe serve them justly. The works of Rousseau, Thoreau, and Jefferson substantiate this assumption by providing intellectual and literary theories about the function of a citizen. Also, the statements that the authors make, though they differ from one another, provide reinforcement to this concept. The first substantial writer mentioned is Rousseau, who in writing â€Å"The Origins of Civil Society,† conveys his belief that government has taken the natural freedoms of man and has replaced it with a more materialistic liberty. Also, in his book, Rousseau describes a term called â€Å"social compact† that a people share with one another to strengthen the community (65). These suppositions all support the fluent author’s theory of a strong government by a mutual agreement between the people, but his most potent statement comes from his description of â€Å"The Sovereign People.† Rousseau states that the Sovereign People â€Å"share a collective name of The People, the individuals who compose it are known as citizens† ( 67). The reader, upon noting the author’s rhetoric, understands the power that Rousseau believed citizens had in a Democratic government. Although influenced by Rousseau, the great American founder Thomas Jefferson expands the latter author’s ideas into one of our most treasured documents, the â€Å"Declaration of Independence.† In the â€Å"Declaration of Independence,† Jefferson addresses the justifications of seceding from the British empire, and laid structure to the conjecture when a government abuses its citizens, it is the direct responsibility of the people to right what has been wronged or overthrow the governing entity entirely. With the belief that every man is free and have the rights of â€Å"life, liberty, and pursuit of... Free Essays on The Role A Citizen Plays In Government Free Essays on The Role A Citizen Plays In Government Essay Two The ultimate role a citizen plays in the United States government is the engagement in politics by voting, organizing, and criticizing leaders that he or she does not believe serve them justly. The works of Rousseau, Thoreau, and Jefferson substantiate this assumption by providing intellectual and literary theories about the function of a citizen. Also, the statements that the authors make, though they differ from one another, provide reinforcement to this concept. The first substantial writer mentioned is Rousseau, who in writing â€Å"The Origins of Civil Society,† conveys his belief that government has taken the natural freedoms of man and has replaced it with a more materialistic liberty. Also, in his book, Rousseau describes a term called â€Å"social compact† that a people share with one another to strengthen the community (65). These suppositions all support the fluent author’s theory of a strong government by a mutual agreement between the people, but his most potent statement comes from his description of â€Å"The Sovereign People.† Rousseau states that the Sovereign People â€Å"share a collective name of The People, the individuals who compose it are known as citizens† ( 67). The reader, upon noting the author’s rhetoric, understands the power that Rousseau believed citizens had in a Democratic government. Although influenced by Rousseau, the great American founder Thomas Jefferson expands the latter author’s ideas into one of our most treasured documents, the â€Å"Declaration of Independence.† In the â€Å"Declaration of Independence,† Jefferson addresses the justifications of seceding from the British empire, and laid structure to the conjecture when a government abuses its citizens, it is the direct responsibility of the people to right what has been wronged or overthrow the governing entity entirely. With the belief that every man is free and have the rights of â€Å"life, liberty, and pursuit of...

Sample Responses to a College Deferral Letter

Sample Responses to a College Deferral Letter If you applied to college through an Early Action or Early Decision option, you may find that youve been neither accepted nor rejected, but deferred. Many applicants despair when their application for early admission ends up in this frustrating limbo for it feels much like a rejection. It is not, and you can take steps to improve your chances of getting admitted with the regular admission pool. One easy step is to write the college a response to your deferral letter. Key Takeaways: Responding to a College Deferral If you have new information that could strengthen your application, share it with the admissions folks. This can include improved test scores, a new award, or a new leadership position.Be positive: reaffirm your interest in the school, and dont let your anger and frustration at being deferred darken your letter. Be careful not to suggest the admissions folks made a mistake.As with all written parts of your applications, pay careful attention to grammar, punctuation, and style. Colleges want to admit students who write well. Always remember that if the college did not think you had the qualifications necessary to be admitted, you would have been rejected, not deferred. Essentially, the school is telling you that you have what it takes to get in, but they want to compare you to the full applicant pool. You simply didnt stand out quite enough to be admitted with the early applicant pool. By writing to a college after being deferred, you have the opportunity to both reaffirm your interest in the school and present any new information that might strengthen your application. So, dont panic if you received a letter of deferral after applying to college through  early decision  or  early action. Youre still in the game.  First, read through these  7 tips on what to do if deferred. Then, if you think you have meaningful new information to share with the college that has deferred your admission, write them a letter. Sometimes you can write a simple  letter of continued interest  even if you dont have new information to share, although some schools explicitly state that such letters are not necessary, and in some cases, not welcome (admissions offices are extremely busy in the winter). Sample Letter from a Deferred Student Below is a sample letter that would be appropriate if deferred. Caitlin has a significant new honor to report to her first choice college, so she certainly should make the school aware of the update to her application. Note that her letter is polite and concise. She doesnt express her frustration or anger; she doesnt try to convince the school that theyve made a mistake; instead, she reaffirms her interest in the school, presents the new information, and thanks the admissions officer. Dear Mr. Carlos, I am writing to inform you of an addition to my  University of Georgia  application. Although my admission for Early Action has been deferred, I am still very interested in UGA and would very much like to be admitted, and therefore I wish to keep you up to date on my activities and achievements. Earlier this month I participated in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology in New York City. My high school team was awarded a $10,000 scholarship for our research on graph theory. The judges consisted of a panel of scientists and mathematicians led by former astronaut Dr. Thomas Jones; the awards were presented at a ceremony on Dec. 7. Over two thousand students entered this competition, and I was extremely honored to be recognized alongside the other winners. More information on this competition can be found through the Siemens Foundation web site: siemens-foundation.org/en/. Thank you for your continued consideration of my application. Sincerely, Caitlin Anystudent Discussion of Caitlin's Letter Caitlins letter is simple and to the point. Given how busy the admissions office will be between December and March, short is important. It would reflect poor judgment if she were to write a lengthy letter to present a single piece of information. That said, Caitlin could strengthen her letter slightly with a few tweaks to her opening paragraph. Currently she states that she is still very interested in UGA and would very much like to be admitted. Since she applied Early Action, we can assume that UGA was among Caitlins top choice schools. If so, she should state this. Also, it doesnt hurt to briefly state why UGA is a top choice school. As an example, her opening paragraph could state something like this: Although my admission for Early Action has been deferred, UGA remains my top-choice university. I love the energy and spirit of the campus, and I was truly impressed by my visit to a sociology class last spring. I am writing to keep you up to date on my activities and achievements. A Second Sample Letter Dear Mr. Birney, Last week I learned that my application for early decision at Johns Hopkins was deferred. As you can imagine, this news was disappointing to me- Johns Hopkins remains the university Im most excited about attending. I visited a lot of schools during my college search, and  Johns Hopkinss program in International Studies appeared to be a perfect match for my interests and aspirations, and I loved the energy of the Homewood Campus. I want to thank you and your colleagues for the time you put into considering my application. After I applied for early decision, I received a couple more pieces of information that I hope will strengthen my application. First, I retook the SAT in November and my combined score went from 1330 to 1470. The College Board will be sending you an official score report soon. Also, I was recently elected to be the Captain of our school Ski Team, a group of 28 students who compete in regional competitions. As Captain, I will have a central role in the teams scheduling, publicity and fund raising. I have asked the teams coach to send you a supplemental letter of recommendation that will address my role within the Ski Team. Many thanks for your consideration, Laura Anystudent Discussion of Laura's Letter Laura has good reason to write to Johns Hopkins University. The 110 point improvement on her SAT scores is significant. If you look at this  graph of GPA-SAT-ACT data for admission to Hopkins, youll see that Lauras original 1330 was on the lower end of the accepted student range. Her new score of 1470 is nicely in the middle of the range. Lauras election as Captain of Ski Team may not be a game-changer on the admissions front, but it does show more evidence of her leadership skills. Especially if her application was originally light on leadership experiences, this new position will be significant. Finally, Lauras decision to have a supplemental  letter of recommendation  sent to Hopkins is a good choice, particularly if her coach can speak to abilities that Lauras other recommenders did not. Don't Make the Mistakes in This Letter The letter below illustrates what you should not do. Brian asks to have his application reconsidered, but he does not present any significant new information for reconsidering the decision. The increase in his GPA from a 3.3 to a 3.35 is fairly trivial. His newspaper has been nominated for an award, but it has not won the award. Moreover, Brian writes as if he has been rejected, not deferred. The university will look at his application again with the regular pool of applicants. The biggest problem  with the letter below, however, is that Brian comes across as a whiner, an egotist, and an ungenerous person. He clearly thinks very highly of himself, placing himself above his friend and making much ado about a modest 3.3 GPA. Does Brian really sound like the type of person the admissions officers will want to invite to join their campus community? To make matters worse, the third paragraph in Brians letter essentially accuses the admissions officers of making a mistake in admitting his friend and deferring him. The goal of Brians letter is to strengthen his chances of getting into college, but questioning the competence of the admissions folks works counter to that goal. To Whom It May Concern: I am writing in regards to my deferral for admission to Syracuse University for the fall semester. I received a letter earlier this week informing me that my admission had been deferred. I would like to urge you to reconsider me for admission. As you know from my previously submitted admissions materials, I am a very strong student with an outstanding academic record. Since I submitted my high school transcript in November, I have received another set of mid-year grades, and my GPA has gone up from a 3.3 to 3.35. In addition, the school newspaper, of which I am assistant editor, has been nominated for a regional award. Frankly, I am somewhat concerned about the status of my admission. I have a friend at a nearby high school who has been admitted to Syracuse through early admissions, yet I know that he has a somewhat lower GPA than mine and has not been involved in as many  extracurricular activities. Although he is a good student, and I certainly do not hold anything against him, I am confused about why he would be admitted while I have not been. Frankly, I think that I am a far stronger applicant. I would very much appreciate it if you could take another look at my application, and reconsider my admissions status. I believe I am an excellent student  and would have much to contribute to your university. Sincerely, Brian Anystudent A Final Word on Responding to a Deferral As with any communication with a college, youll want to pay careful attention tone, grammar, punctuation, and style. A sloppily-written letter is going to work against you, not strengthen your application. Finally, keep in mind that writing a letter when deferred is optional, and at many schools it wont improve your chances of being admitted. You should definitely write if you have compelling new information to present (dont write if your SAT score went up just 10 points- you dont want to look like youre grasping). And if the college doesnt say not to write a letter of continued interest, it can be worthwhile to do so.