Dame Ragnell and Alisons Tale :: Canterbury Tales Essays

Dame Ragnell and Alison's Tale In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, the Wife of Bath (Alison) teaches her audience what it is women most desire through her tale. The tale she tells resembles the tale of Dame Ragnell. These stories are analogies, perhaps both arising from a similar folk-tale source. Both stories are set in the magical Arthurian times when the fields and forests teemed with gnomes and unearthly creatures. Although both stories have the same moral and end on similar note, there are some vivid differences that we simply cannot overlook. It is very possible that Alison's tale is a custom tailored version of the Dame Ragnell story. The knight in "The Wife of Bath's Tale" is portrayed as a selfish hedonist whose behavior is anything but courteous. It seems as if Alison twists the story of Dame Ragnell to suit her own selfish needs and makes the point that "men are scum" for her tale begins with a noble knight of king Arthur's court raping a maiden: And so bifel it that King Arthour Hadde in his hous a lusty bacheler That on a day cam riding fro river, And happed that, alone as he was born, He sawgh a maide walking him biforn; Of which maide anoon, maugree hir heed, By very force he rafte hir maidenheed; Norton, 888-894. As a result of the knight's behavior, the queen gives the knight an ultimatum. He now must find "what thing it is that wommen most desiren" within a twelve months time frame (Norton, 911). Alison does not depict the knight in the nicest light. I guess she is the one "painting the lion" in this case. Unlike "The Wife of Bath's Tale," the story of Dame Ragnell portrays Sir Gawain as an exemplary hero who is loyal to his King beyond belief. Sir Gawain promises to marry the loathsome Dame Ragnell in order to save the King's life and illustrates his devotion to the king by following up on his promise. When King Arthur gives Gawain the horrific description of the foulest maiden ever seen by men and poses the question to Gawain, Sir Gawain's reaction is the quintessence of loyalty: 'Gawen, I met today with the foulest lady That evere I sawe sertenly. She said to me my life she wold save†¦ But first she wold thee to husbond have. Wherfor I am wo begon- Thus in my hart I make my mone.

Endangered Species

I have selected endangered species as my topic because no matter what we do or where we go, everything around us is affected by any changes that we make in the surrounding environment. One of the articles that I have selected covers multiple attacks that have been made by gray wolves killing huge quantity of valuable cattle and other livestock and whether or not they should be removed for the endangered species list. The other defines and talks about endangered species themselves and the reason that the endangered species list was created in the first place.Endangered Species Author: Current EventsTitle: Man versus WildDocument type: Article (Informational)Primary audience: Educational| Author: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Title: Endangered speciesDocument type: Encyclopedia (Informational)Primary audience: Educational| | | In a search that I did in the AIU library, I can across an article from an informational magazine called† Current Events†. This is an informational article where the primary audience is teachers and students. They talk about a particular animal that is currently on the endangered species list called the gray wolf.According to the article, â€Å"In 2008, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) suggested that the gray wolf population had recovered to the point at which it no longer needed to be listed in some states† (Current Events, 9/27/2010). But according to the article, some wildlife protection groups took action to put an end to the proposal. The gray wolf was first put on the endangered species list by the USFWS in 1974. But according to estimates given by experts that the magazine collected the research from, â€Å"There are 1,700 gray wolves in Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.I came up with the thesis statement of â€Å"No matter what we do or where we go, everything around us is affected by any changes that we make in the surrounding environment†. In Michigan, Minnesota, and W isconsin, there are about 4,000, and gray wolves have been spotted in Colorado, Utah, and as far east as New England† (Current Events, 9/27/2010). Now the USFWS is making its’ fourth attempt to remove the gray wolf from the list in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan but Michigan and Wisconsin are both asking to decrease the wolf population by ten percent annually from the government.And a U. S. representative from Texas is proposing to ban the gray wolf from being listed as endangered or threatened in any state from the Endangered Species Act. But quite a few wildlife protection organizations oppose any change in the status and still say a wolf recovery plan is still needed even though there are reports of losses in Montana and Idaho. One case where a Montana rancher lost â€Å"at least three calves, valued at $2,400, to the Horse Creek wolf pack before wildlife officials took action† (Current Events, 9/27/2010).The McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Science and Technology defines an endangered species as â€Å"A species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. â€Å"Threatened species† is a related term, referring to a species likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future. The main factors that cause species to become endangered are habitat destruction, invasive species, pollution, and overexploitation† (McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Science and Technology (2004). â€Å"The evidence of a recovery for the gray wolf is as plain as day,† says U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont. ), who supports Edwards's proposal. â€Å"Yet Montana †¦ wildlife managers have their hands tied when it comes to managing the predator. † (Current Events, 9/27/2010). Currently gray wolves are still on the endangered species list and can only be killed with the governments permission or by an authorized government agent as they deem necessary, but quite a few wildlife officia ls feel that the wolf population is stable however and are ready to â€Å"pull the trigger when packs pose problems† and believe that â€Å"part of having wolves is having o kill wolves,† Mark Collinge, director for Wildlife Services in Idaho, told The Associated Press (Current Events, 9/27/2010). Some wildlife advocates say that man will always come out as top dog in the battle of humans versus wolf and that human activity, hunting, and trapping put the gray wolf on the endangered species list in the first place. And there is the possibility of the wolves becoming endangered again if they were to be removed from the list. And some wildlife advocates still don’t agree that their population is large enough to recover from harsh winters and disease if humans are a threat as well.And simply reintroducing a certain number of wolves back into a particular region may not be enough according to Humane Society of the United States (Current Events, 9/27/2010). So in conc lusion, both the USFWS and wildlife protection groups will have to at some point come together at look at what is best for both the gray wolf and also what is best for the people that have to live in the regions that are populated by the gray wolf and come to a joint decision about the final action to be take in order to keep both parties out of harm’s way.This article agrees with my thesis statement of â€Å"because no matter what we do or where we go, everything around us is affected by any changes that we make in the surrounding environment† because it is giving both sides of the story that is presented and giving insight as to why each side is taking the actions that have been said and giving reference points on those actions instead of just saying something to say it and not having anything to represent their case on the subject.

The Ideas Of Reality And Ideal Life Of Women And Marriage

The ideals of marriage have changed drastically throughout history, but then it all comes around as history repeats itself. In medieval times there were several texts about the contradictory ideas of reality and ideal life of women and marriage. Chaucer explicitly refutes the misogynistic ideals when the Wife of Bath argues her point using scripture, behaviors of women from his other tales in similarity to the Wife of Bath and detailed events throughout the prologue of the Wife’s roles in her marriages. To begin with, the Wife of Bath argues and opposes the traditional rules of women by quoting scripture. First she quotes two men in the bible, Abraham and Jacob who in their times had many wives and were also holy men, followers and†¦show more content†¦Her point exactly is that if remaining a maiden was a command, then marriage would have been condemned. Also if women remained virgins how could there be any growth or reproduction in society. It is only fair that it be a â€Å"prize won to whoever claimed it first.† Although Paul wished and advised that everyone remained as he, a virgin because the body was a temple and pure, she argued that a body is that person’s own and they should do with it whatever they see fit. Furthermore, the Wife of Bath was referencing behavior of women from Chaucer’s other tales. In one of his first tales Chaucer created a character Emily, entwined in a Knight s Tale. She was the object of love, desire, and lust between two knights. Those two knights, Palamon and Arcite revolved around the idea of finding her and keeping her as their own like a prized possession they longed for and journeyed on to find at the end of their voyage. Emily was deprived of options and expressing her own feelings towards the situation. She was trapped in the societal ideal of arranged marriage to whomever proved themselves worthy and honorable. Whether or not she loved the man she was condemned to a life as a wife, although that goes completely against her own wishes and desires. She even prayed to the god Diana for help and guidance to fulfill her preference which was to stay a maiden and marry no man. Even at that time long ago there were women like her that strived to defyShow More RelatedRealism in Pride and Prejudice1412 Words   |  6 Pagestechniques require the reader to pay close attention and to actively interpret what it is they are reading unlike other light novels which you can passively work your way through. Pride and Prejudice is centrally concerned with the ideals and necessities of marriage in the early nineteenth century. Austen used a variety of features to make the novel Pride and Prejudice seem more realistic and relevant to the period of the nineteenth century. Some of the features used in the writing of this novelRead MoreSettle Down: The Unsettling Truth about Wedded Bliss â€Å"Happily ever after.† Whether in Disney800 Words   |  4 Pagestheir perception of reality. This concept is not just a sweet ending to a heartwarming story that young girls can easily forget. No, rather it is a concept that is targeted at females and repeatedly encouraged by society. They are told what they should expect from relationships and marriage. Furthermore, they are told how to act and behave in order to have a functioning and healthy relationship with their significant other. However, life as we know it, is not a fairytale and marriage is not a union thatRead MoreThemes of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber1043 Words   |  5 PagesJames Thurber is the author of â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty†. He feels inferior to his wife throughout his marriage. He learns to express these feelings through writing short stories and illustrating cartoons. This is a way for him to escape his everyday life with his wife. Critics have acknowledged Mitty motif, which is used to describe his two major themes in many of his major works such as â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty† (Morsberger 66). â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Witty† is one of the most wellRead MoreThe, The Eyes Of The Beholder1558 Words   |  7 Pagesbeautiful or ideal. In the movie Rebecca, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, Maxim de Winter, as well as many other characters experience the negativity that comes with conforming to society’s ideology. The media portrays how the so-called perfect man and woman both look and act. Society also pressures people to hastily find their one true love. Nowadays, people have trouble expressing individuality; the standards that are currently present restrict many lives today. Throughout media, both men and women alikeRead MoreThe Evolution Of Marriage : Private Relationship Or Pubic Policy1668 Words   |  7 PagesSamantha Young Dr. Catherine Kerrison 29 April 2015 Historiography Paper The Evolution of Marriage: Private Relationship or Pubic Policy From the popular 1960s televisions series â€Å"Father Know Best† depicting the perfect traditional family, to the 2011-2012 Best Comedy Series â€Å"Modern Family,† the idea of how marriage is portrayed in the United States continues to evolve. The evolution of marriage extends beyond the private relationship between two people, into the public domain where societalRead MoreThe Influence Of Society On Victorian Relationships1411 Words   |  6 PagesPaper The Influence of Society on Victorian Relationships Afraid of rejection in the Victorian Era, men and women sought after relationships that agreed with the expectations set by society. Victorian literature satirized and underscored these expectations and their effects on individuals. During the Victorian Era relationships were not focused on the emotional aspect of marriage but rather growth in reputation and status. The characters in Oscar Wilde’s works, The Importance of Being EarnestRead MoreAn Analysis Of Henrik Ibsen s A Doll House1460 Words   |  6 Pagesinferior. In this topic men putting down women as frail and weak minded. In the early nineteenth century in the United States there are ideas of traditionalism that survive today. Traditionalism is the old belief that all men, notably the oldest should be the head of the household and that women should be homemakers. These ideas of women still being weak mentally have brought great opposition to the idea of a female president. Traditionalist opposition has women body sh amed into the fixed standard ofRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of The Desperate Housewife981 Words   |  4 PagesDesperate Housewives acts as the perfect analogy for the glossy suburban vernacular. Created by Marc Cherry and ABC studios in 2004 it has become one of the most popular television series of the 21st century. The drama series follows the lives of four women living on the fictional street of Wisteria Lane. The first season of the series begins with the shocking suicide of a housewife and the subsequent explorations for the reasonings behind her untimely death. Throughout the show the dark secrets of theseRead More The Bachelor the Bachelorette: Can’t Buy Me Love? Essay919 Words   |  4 Pagesreveal all—reality TV. This new segment of the TV industry began with pioneering shows like MTV’s The Real World and CBS’s Survivor. Switch on primetime television nowadays, and you will become bombarded by and addicted to numerous shows all based on â₠¬Å"real† life. There are the heartwarming tales of childbirth on TLC, melodramas of second-rate celebrities on Celebrity Mole, and a look into a completely dysfunctional family on The Osbornes. Yet, out of all these entertaining reality shows arisesRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1418 Words   |  6 PagesMarriage is a fundamental topic in Jane Austen’s famous novel, Pride and Prejudice. Readers become invested in the lives of the Bennet sisters who are constantly dreaming of relationships. Still unknown, however, is Austen’s reason for writing this novel that is so extremely concentrated on marriage. Some critics believe that Austen wrote the novel to portray how different social classes affected the lives of women such as the Bennet sisters. Others, however, believe that the novel was written

The Western Forecast Of The Post World War - 1408 Words

The Western Forecast of the Post-World War 1 Eastern Climate Property. A bittersweet fruit of the industrialist but a purely bitter fruit of the western imperialist. Leaving behind the European World War I battlefield, the western imperialist continues his march toward the East with exploitive weapons in both hands. At the far Eastern border lies a red army under the leadership of Mao Tse-tung but further down south, Mahatma Gandhi and his followers stand adamantly in a show of nonviolent resistance. Regardless of their approach, both Mao and Gandhi were freedom fighters whose anti-imperialist attitudes were shaped by western thinkers and approaches to revolution were somewhat governed by their surrounding environment. Mao was influenced†¦show more content†¦This opposition toward imperialists’ oppression of the working-class can be seen in Mao’s â€Å"A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire.† Mao states here: In the wake of the contradiction between imperialism and China s national industry comes the failure of the Chinese industrialists to obtain concessions from the imperialists, which sharpens the contradiction between the Chinese bourgeoisie and the Chinese working class, with the Chinese capitalists trying to find a way out by frantically exploiting the workers and with the workers resisting.3 In other words, the animosity among and between imperial countries and Chinese upper classes has toxic downstream consequences, resulting in the increased exploitation of the proletariat. Mao indicates that the roots of such exploitation are â€Å"concessions,† so like Marx, Mao blames property for imperialist greed. Whether this â€Å"war-like† competition in China is meant then to define a clear foreign owner of land or foreign friends of upper Chinese classes is not relevant. What matters most to Mao is that this foreign-local competition in China has resulted in the further oppression of the lower rank populations, and that gives the Chinese reason to oppose imperialism. Mao and Marx thus share a concern for personal greed, as personal greed not only promotesShow MoreRelatedThe Rise of China Today China is widely notorious for its large dominance in world affairs1600 Words   |  7 Pagesfor its large dominance in world affairs regarding trade and wealth however china was not always one of the economic superpowers of the world, china like many other parts of the east had not had their industrial revolutions as early as western countries such as Britain and could easily be described as being primitive following 2000 years of imperial dynasties. The pressing issue that the UK government will have to face is what we to do with such an ominous player in world affairs, without a clear ideaRead MoreGlobal Future Of The United Kingdom1742 Words   |  7 PagesGlobal look in the next twenty-five years Introduction Power in the global system is relative and always changing. Countries and regions fall and rise mainly due to the unbalanced levels of economic growth, imperial overstretch and wars. Some global regions develop more drastically compared to others due to domestic institutions, policies, effective political leadership, technology and the ability to mobilize state resources that put them at an advantage position over another state and regions.Read MoreRobots in Military1566 Words   |  7 PagesCaterpillar an Overview About Caterpillar Caterpillar is the world s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. Caterpillar was founded in 1925, in Peoria, Illinois, which remains the base for much of today s production. Their ideal environment stemmed from demand created during World War II, when large parts of Europe and Asia needed rebuilding. This paved the way for healthyRead MoreAmerican Political Scientist Samuel Huntington1401 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican political scientist Samuel Huntington once pointed out that although modernity breeds stability it is modernization that breeds instability. Many of the world’s greatest economists forecast that China will overtake the United States as the world’s economic powerhouse in the near future. However, that will largely depend on how well the Chinese government can control its modernization both politically and economically. China’s rapid ascensio n through its distorted economic reforms has underminedRead MoreRussia and its Lack of a Government Essay1120 Words   |  5 Pagesadvice, and very carefully monitored loans. There is no question of producing a Marshall Plan for Russia of the sort that the United States pioneered after World War II, but Russia needs to make that plan, and the U.S. needs to let Russia know that plan will be supported. Although the conditions in Russia differ significantly from the post-war Europe, this struggling nation needs a similar plan to restore its economy, government, and human rights. Russia is in a desperate state of despair, sufferingRead MoreGermany’s Economy1260 Words   |  6 Pagesfrom emerging countries promotes this development. They are focusing increasingly on high-quality technology, consumer, and investment goods. Expectations are also more positive for the crisis-ridden traditional target markets of German exports in Western Europe and North America. This means again a positive growth contribution of foreign trade to the German GDP in 2011. Stimulated by exports, the economic recovery has also arrived at the domestic economy. Retailers and consumeroriented service providersRead MorePaul Samuelson s Erroneous Prediction Of Soviet Growth3265 Words   |  14 PagesPaul Samuelson’s Erroneous Prediction of Soviet Growth Paul Samuelson, the regarded Neo-Keynesian who among other well-received publications gifted the world it’s most popular economic textbook, which provided the world’s scholars an innovative, comprehensive catalogue of economic ideas. Millions of successful sales, and publication in various languages only cemented its dominance in the textbook and educational industry. This great success was not without some blunders, however. Starting in hisRead MoreIMF : The Role Of International Institutions In Economy1045 Words   |  5 Pagesearnings, were strongly affected by the sharp fall in oil prices reached by the end of 2014. Russian real GDP in 2015 has shrunk by 3.7% and is widely believed to fall by another 0.8% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast for October 2016 In the face of strong international links of all economic systems, the IMF believes that any national measures to save the economy are insufficient. On the contrary, there is a danger that if they do not help the governments andRead MoreLiterature About China s Rise Of East Asia Varies Across International Relations Essay1673 Words   |  7 Pageslater in this predictive study, content post-2009 serves to judge a change in interaction. Many well-informed accounts exist on China’s rise. Aside from IR methodologies, research tools use in the subsequent literature includes scenario, structured, focus comparison, and counterfactual methods. For China’s rise, in general, the published studies agreed the outlook for trade was high, the ‘hub and spoke’ alliance purpose questioned, and a prospect of war was low. IR Debates Within the IR fieldRead MoreThe Global Economy and International Trade1357 Words   |  6 Pagesborders and sell products, produce, and services to the 95% of the world s population that lives outside the United States. Figure 1 Export as a Percentage of US GDP(Source: World Trade Organization, www.wto.org) As the third largest exporter in the world, United States exports always take 8 to 10 percentage of US GDP and 7 to 8 percentage in world share. In the past fifty years, the United States has grown deeply involved in the world economy: foreign trade accounts for the proportion of GDP is

The Problem Of Senior Homelessness - 1360 Words

Senior homelessness is at an all time high, and will only increase in the coming years with the continuous growth of the senior population. Recent upsurges in the elder population are mostly due to the demographic group of individuals born post-World War II, known as the Baby Boom Generation. Between the years 2000 and 2010 a 31.5% increase of the population aged 45-64 (known as the older adult age range) reflects those born in this era. Being homeless, especially in these late years of life, causes for many problems related to health and mortality. Individuals under these circumstances lack mobility resulting in disability, lack health care and necessary resources such as food water and shelter, and are also put at risk to mental illnesses as well as substance abuse. While identifying the major risks associated with homelessness in the elderly population, a plan can be addressed and put into action to provide the supportive services necessary to cater to this overwhelming problem in our society. Firstly, it is important to understand the greater health risks these specific populations of people are exposed to. Elder adults beyond age 50 are more likely to be subject to chronic illnesses than homeless adults under the age of 50 (CSH and Hearth inc.). To support this, studies have been done that show the prevalence of disease in such populations. One study in particular found that 85% of homeless adults older than 50 reported to having at least one serious chronicShow MoreRelatedHomelessness : The New York City Shelter System1093 Words   |  5 PagesHomelessness in America Homelessness in America has been slowly decreasing since 2013. In 2014 the New York City shelter system reported an increase of seven percent, from 50,135 in 2013 to 53,615 in 2014. In 2013 more than 111,000 different New Yorkers looked to the shelter system to give them safety, this is also including 40,000 different children. Overall homelessness has dropped by at least 2.3 percent, homelessness has decreased among every subpopulation. Veterans make up 10.5 percent ofRead MoreEssay about The United States Homeless Population879 Words   |  4 Pagespopulation continues to grow rapidly. Homelessness has been a public health issue for many decades. Often times these individuals feel as though society has turned a blind eye to them. This at risk population is seen by society as lazy or chose to live a life on the streets, but if one would examine this population closely would see that there is more to this at risk population than what society has labeled them as. The forces, whi ch affect homelessness, are multifaceted. Social forces such asRead MoreHomelessness Should Not Be A Pervasive Issue812 Words   |  4 Pagesthe year 2016; in a modern, industrialized society, homelessness should not be a pervasive issue. Did you know that one out of every 30 children in the United States is homeless? (Crary and Leff). According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, otherwise referred to as â€Å"HUD,† chronic homelessness is defined as â€Å"an individual or family who has been homeless for a year† (Mathias). Current statistics show that chronic homelessness is still a major issue that we face in society, butRead MoreHomelessness : The Problem Of Homelessness1350 Words   |  6 PagesHomelessness There are many parts to the subject of homelessness, of course people talk about the solutions to it like The Ten Year Plan, then there is the history of it starting from the 1640’s. Also there is discussions about Homeless Shelters and more recently Anti-homeless Legislation. Then there are always the staggering statistics. The homeless is a very one minded topic for most. Most people think that the homeless should be helped, cared for, and educated for success. This is true (at leastRead MoreThe True Cost Of Living1014 Words   |  5 PagesThe True Cost of Living Affordable Housing is a subject that every federal, state, and policy maker has to address. With high homelessness rates, there has to be ways to provide affordable housing to those in need (NationalHomeless.org). A family must have acceptable housing options to have a positive quality of life. Land Bank defines affordability as, A common measure of community-wide affordability is the number of homes that a household with a certain percentage of median income can afford†Read MoreThe Problem Of Living Without A Home972 Words   |  4 Pagesbe provided with temporary living like homeless shelters. However, these shelters are usually full to and are always in demand. According to Ned Resnikoff, â€Å"The largest increase came in Washington, D.C., where the number of people experiencing homelessness rose by 28 percent and the number of homeless families went up by 60 percent. Meanwhile, requests for emergency food assistance in the city rose by 27 percent during the same period .† The United States is a rich nation, but still has yet to comeRead MoreNegative Attitudes Toward The Homeless Essay1174 Words   |  5 PagesWith homelessness effecting 2.3-3.5 million people within any given year, negative attitudes towards homeless individuals and homelessness in general are increasing. Many people view the homeless as smelly criminals, who may have some sort of mental disability, and are aggressive, dangerous beggars. States like Georgia and California hold, what we would consider, the â€Å"meanest† laws in regard to homelessness. Some include: an individual may be arrested for sleeping on a beach, sidewalk, rooftop, orRead MoreFood And Social Justice By Martha C. Nussbaum Essay1486 Words   |  6 Pageseye on homelessness because there is large number of people in that community globally. It is a strange thing to say that humanity is doing good when there are many people of different age groups eating out of trash cans, sleeping on sidewalks, a nd sometimes even dying in the streets due to poor health conditions. Some people might find it difficult to make a change because they think the problem is too big, but they can start small and local. For example, in our hometown of L.A., homelessness is aRead MoreHomelessness In Canada Essay1202 Words   |  5 Pageswhat homelessness means, it is someone who is not able to live in a stable residence because of financial or psychological problems, so they are forced to live on the streets or put themselves on the streets, because they feel it would be a better fit. Homelessness in Canada is a very large and concerning issue because of the growing population. We need to ask our selves what causes homelessness, why are so many youth involved with homelessness and what can we change so that the homelessness problemRead MoreHomeless Students During Modern Society1500 Words   |  6 Pagesdefinition of homelessness vary from country to country. Its also a challenge for the survey takers to see all homeless, the ones who are squatting in places not intended for shelters or who moving around, from shelter to shelter or stay with friend after friend. Those people are sometimes referred to as the â€Å"Hidden Homeless† (Global Homeless Statistics). The world has a major homeless problem, some countries have more than others. In other countries, homelessness is a much bigger problem. â€Å"In egypt

US Intelligence Community From Past to Present Essay Free Essays

The US Intelligence Community can be traced back to the yearss of the 1776 Revolution. The nation’s foremost spyhead. General George Washington used undercover agents to accurately nail the motions of the British Army during the Revolutionary War. We will write a custom essay sample on US Intelligence Community: From Past to Present Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now The British Army besides employed undercover agents to place possible dissenters in the largely loyalist South. The Revolution besides produced the country’s foremost cryptographer. Dr. Benjamin Church. Dr. Church posed as a member of the Boston ‘school’ while supplying indispensable intelligence about Rebel activities to General Gage. the British commanding officer of Boston. After his assignment as head sawbones of the Continental Army. he continued to supply necessary information to the British. Dr. Church place was compromised after Samuel West deciphered a missive the former sent to the British. Dr. Church was sent into expatriate. What by and large struck me was the engagement of Benjamin Franklin in spy games. Franklin became the head of the country’s foremost formal intelligence-gathering bureau – the alleged ‘Committee of Secret Correspondence. ’ This bureau was formed in 1775 with the primary end of garnering information about sentiments towards the Revolutionary War in Europe. However. the bureau extended its authorization. It authorized its ‘employees’ to utilize necessary methods in ‘influencing support for the Revolution in Europe. ’ Franklin. through a secret dialogue. asked France to supply Gallic military personnels. France offered both its ground forces and naval forces to back up the American revolutionists. After the Revolution. the American Intelligence Community adopted an isolationist stance. The bureau became one of the primary organisations tasked to the edifice of a state. Espionage was viewed as a tool for defence – ne’er a public-service corporation for increasing colonial influence. As a consequence. the Gallic. Spanish. and British had small problem larning American activities. During the War of 1812. US governments were able to nail British motions in the continent ( and the purpose of firing Washington ) . However. no one knew how to utilize the procured information. American intelligence was awkward and supra-inefficient. The first major spring in the development of a sophisticated intelligence system came during the American Civil War. Both Union and the Confederacy used undercover agents non merely for information-gathering but besides for sabotage. Allan Pinkerton formed an intelligence community tasked to supplying war information to General McClelland. In the South. General Robert E. Lee relied on the alleged ‘Canadian Cabinet’ – a group of Southern leaders who directed espionage against the Union. Although both sides were able to develop efficient intelligence systems. many military commanding officers belittled the importance of intelligence in military runs. It was merely during American’s entry to the First World War that American military commanding officers began to see the existent advantages of an effectual intelligence community. This can be exhibited by the creative activity of the convoy system. American undercover agents in Europe sent critical information about the activities of U-boats in the Atlantic ( its motions. possible marks. and scheme ) . Based on the information. the President ordered the creative activity of a convoy system which could protect merchant ships traversing the Atlantic Ocean. After the First World War. the United States had a really efficient and effectual intelligence community. How to cite US Intelligence Community: From Past to Present Essay, Essay examples

From Slavery to Mass Incarceration free essay sample

Of the supplementary readings provided, I found â€Å"From Slavery to Mass Incarceration† by Loic Wacquant the most intriguing. This particular article is based on â€Å"rethinking the ‘race question’ in the US† and the disproportionate institutions set apart for African Americans in the United States. The volatile beginnings of African Americans presented obvious hardships for future advancement, but Wacquant argues that they still suffer from a form of modern slavery. Wacquant introduces four â€Å"peculiar institutions† that are responsible for the â€Å"control† of African Americans throughout United States history: chattel slavery, the Jim Crow system, the ghetto, and arguably the dark ghetto and the carceral apparatus. Chattel slavery was the origin of African American existence and the ultimate foundation of racial division. Jim Crow legislation provided â€Å"legally enforced discrimination† after the abolition of slavery. The ghetto is the concept of the urbanization of African Americans in Northern industrial areas, creating racially divided metropolitan areas. We will write a custom essay sample on From Slavery to Mass Incarceration or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The final institution, the dark ghetto and carceral apparatus, refers to the â€Å"caste† of urban blacks and their mass incarceration epidemic. Chattel slavery in the United States took place from 1619 to 1865. Immediately upon arriving in America, Africans were placed in a lower and inhuman caste in society. As Wacquant states, â€Å"[a]n unforeseen by-product of the systematic enslavement and dehumanization of Africans and their descendants on North American soil was the creation of a racial cast line separating what would later become labeled ‘blacks’ and ‘whites’† (2002:45). Also, the concept of â€Å"race† was planted in Americans’ heads. The biblical theory that Africans were inferior and worth less than whites – three-fifths of a man, to be precise (Wacquant 45) – provided plantation owners with a source of free, dehumanized laborers. The truth in these statements is undeniable. With the abolition of slavery, the South took up a new way to maintain white superiority: the Jim Crow system of legislation. These segregating laws were enacted in 1865 and remained in place until1965. African Americans were no longer enslaved by law, but became sharecroppers, dependent on their employers and vastly without property. In addition to the lack of basic freedoms, African Americans were still lower-class citizens (Wacqaunt 2002:46). Violating the segregation laws led to what Waquant calls â€Å"ritual caste murder† (2002:47), or whites murdering African Americans who, with or without intention, breached either the formal or informal segregation laws. Slavery may have been abolished, but the ability to dehumanize black individuals remained. Beginning in 1915, African Americans began to flee the South in great numbers, hoping to escape the brutal discrimination. The promise of work in the industrialized North provided enough incentive to emigrate. However, the myth of equality and citizenship led to the establishment of the ghetto, Wacquant’s third institution. Although African Americans were better off in the North, they were still marginalized for their cheap labor and flexibility (Wacquant 2002:48). African Americans were not assimilated into the white culture, nor were they considered social equals. Wacquant compares the â€Å"ghettoization† of African American industrial workers to that of previous bearers of the exclusionary cross: Jews. The concept of an â€Å"ethnoracial prison† is not a new one. Wacquant attributes ghettos’ existence to the existence of an â€Å"outcast group† (2002:51). In addition to an outcast group, stigma, constraint, territorial confinement, and institutional encasement contribute to â€Å"ethnoracial control,† resulting in the formation of ghettos. Wacquant goes on to elaborate upon the prison system as a â€Å"judicial ghetto† (2002:51). A prison system containing the â€Å"outcast group,† within which it develops â€Å"their own argot roles, exchange systems, and normative standards† has only recently been established (2002:51). In criticism, does everyone in society view African American as an â€Å"outcast group? † Most definitely not. However, Wacquant brings the term â€Å"inner city† to light, breaking down its meaning: â€Å"black and poor. † Living in Chicago gives one an exemplary example of the term â€Å"inner city† meaning â€Å"poor, black ghettos. † The references to â€Å"inner city† schools being synonymous with â€Å"poor quality† and â€Å"mostly African American† are damaging to urban terminology and creating a predetermined perspective of those who call the â€Å"inner city† home. The â€Å"hypersegregation† of the city of Chicago is a topic within itself, but the institution of segregation is, without question, existent here. In addition, â€Å"inner city† is becoming a label which implies unavoidable incarceration. â€Å"As the walls of the ghetto shook and threatened to crumble, the walls of the prison were correspondingly extended, enlarged and fortified. . . † (Wacquant 2002:52). In his account, Wacquant implies that once ghettos began to disperse, American society required a new place for African Americans to reside: prison. Reading this article, one would never know that African Americans existed outside ghettos and prisons. The concept of African Americans in suburbia or anywhere of decent living standards is ignored completely. There is no dispute over the â€Å"racially skewed mass imprisonment† (Wacquant 2002:56) of black men and women, but not only African Americans inhabit ghettos and the â€Å"inner city. † However, the â€Å"centuries-old association of blackness with criminality and devious violence† (2002:56) assumes a high-crime, low-income â€Å"inner city† is predominantly African American. The mass incarceration of African Americans in response to crime demographics is almost unconstitutional, according to Wacquant. The institution of penal labor has been addressed by Wacquant as a form of modern African American slavery. The overwhelmingly black prison population being leased for hard labor with little or no profit to the incarcerated is not a new epidemic. Chain gangs and early â€Å"convict leasing† after the abolition of slavery benefited the Southern economy after the loss of free labor (Wacquant 2002:53). This practice has continued in both public and private prisons with little pay or â€Å"slave wages† being paid to the incarcerated individuals. Wacqaunt calls this a new form of â€Å"racial domination† (2002:53), as it was in the late nineteenth century, but today, race is not the motive for penal labor; overwhelming profit is. The modern prison institution is indeed overgrown and disproportionately occupied by African Americans, but Wacquant’s argument that â€Å"[i]t is not only the pre-eminent institution for signifying and enforcing blackness, much as slavery was during the first three centuries of US history† (2002:57) is going slightly overboard. It implies that prisons were made to contain African Americans and to deny them of their civil liberties, such as cultural capital, public aid and political participation (Wacquant 2002:58). The implication that African Americans are the only members of the â€Å"’underclass’ of criminals, loafers, and leeches† (Wacquant 2002:60) is simply untrue. Wacquant fails to acknowledge any of the other theories for why â€Å"inner city† black inmates are overrepresented, only that they are so often incarcerated because the dominant culture of white individuals wants them there. Wacquant approaches the concept of African American mass incarceration in the United States in an obviously extreme way. Once African Americans began to assimilate into â€Å"white culture,† Wacquant states: â€Å"They [white individuals] abandoned public schools, shunned public space, and fled to the suburbs in their millions to avoid mixing and ward off the spectre of ‘social equality’ in the city† (2002:49). Many factors drove white Americans into the suburbs, not just the fear or socializing with African Americans. I think that Wacquant confronts the topic of semi-enslaved African Americans in such a way because without extremities, no one really opens their eyes to history almost repeating itself. Wacquant exaggerates and ignores other possibilities to enlighten all of society to the epidemic of mass incarceration and the subsequent loss of public and civil rights because of convict status. Drawing attention to such an epidemic is necessary. Above all, reform is necessary. Wacquant addresses the â€Å"caste† of African Americans in a radical and intense way that brings blazing clarity to the current problems with â€Å"race† in our society. If a â€Å"plane of equality† (Wacquant 2002:46) is ever to be reached, the marginalization and mass incarceration of African Americans needs to be put to a stop for good. The myth of white superiority and reality of white privilege in America prevents this from happening. Overall, Loic Wacquant takes an extreme and tunnel-vision view to the problems with and consequences for being black in the United States. His â€Å"peculiar institutions† remind any reader that abominations against marginalized African Americans existed and still exist today. Writing an powerful and concentrated article may not prevent what he refers to as â€Å"the first genuine prison society in history† (2002:60), but it may enlighten enough academic individuals to do something about it.