Slaughterhouse Five A Warning Against War Essay - 1716 Words

Kurt Vonneguts novel Slaughterhouse-Five; or The Childrens Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death is, as suggested by the title, a novel describing a crusade that stretches beyond the faint boundaries of fiction and crosses over into the depths of defogged reality. This satirical, anti-war piece of literature aims to expose, broadcast and even taunt human ideals that support war and challenge them in light of their folly. However, the reality of war, the destruction, affliction and trauma it encompasses, can only be humanly described by the word â€Å"war† itself. Furthermore, oftentimes this term can only be truly understood by those who have experienced it firsthand. Therefore, in order to explain the unexplainable and humanize one of the most†¦show more content†¦On his feet were cheap, low-cut civilian shoes which he had bought for his fathers funeral. Billy had lost a heel, which made him bob up-and-down, up-and-down. The involuntary dancing, up-and-down, up-and-down, made his hip joints sore. ... He didnt look like a soldier at all. He looked like a filthy flamingo. (33) With this description, Vonnegut vastly distances Billy from the ideal, strong and mighty image of a soldier, yet Billy is a soldier nonetheless. Not only is this weak and ungracious character fighting and representing the honour of his country but also he is one of the few soldiers who survive the war; he outlives many of the other soldiers that could be considered better suited for war. Furthermore, Vonnegut compares Billy to a filthy flamingo, highlighting the distance that exists between societys soldier ideal, graceful and admirable, and the soldiers reality, harsh and rampageous. In short, Billy is so far from what is expected that he â€Å"shouldnt even be in the Army† (51). However, Billy is not the only soldier in this ludicrous predicament. Vonnegut describes the entire Army as chaotic, confused and ludicrous: The eight ridiculous Dresdeners ascertained that these hundred ridiculous creatures really were American fighting men fresh from the front. They smiled, and then they laughed. Their terror evaporated. There was nothing to be afraid of. Here were more crippled human beings, more fools like themselves. Here was lightShow MoreRelatedWelcome to the Monkey House, Harrison Bergeron, and Slaughterhouse-five, by Kurt Vonnegut1233 Words   |  5 Pageslambasted in his works. Vonnegut’s experience as a soldier in WWII during firebombing of Dresden corrupted his mind and enabled him to express the chaotic reality of war, violence, obsession, sex and government in a raw and personal manner. Through three works specifically, â€Å"Welcome to the Monkey House,† â€Å"Harrison Bergeron,† and Slaughterhouse-five, one can see ties to all the chaotic elements of Vonnegut’s life that he routinely satirized. One can also see how Vonnegut’s personal experiences created hisRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five By Kurt Vonnegut Essay1560 Words   |  7 Pagesthe war are found to suffer some sort of psychological issue (NBC). One of these soldiers is Kurt Vonnegut. Vonnegut grew up in Illinois where his family would eventually lose all their money along with his mother (notable biographies). After attending Cornell University Vonnegut enlisted into World War II. His experiences in World War II shaped his anti-war novel Slaughterhouse-Five. Slaughterhouse-Five was published â€Å"during the peak of protest against American involvement in the Vietnam war† (NotableRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five Literary Analysis890 Words   |  4 PagesSimilarly, Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five explores this struggle between free-will and destiny, and illustrates the idea of time in order to demonstrate that there is no free-will in war; it is just destiny. Vonnegut conveys this through irony, symbolism and satire. Time concept is a complex idea that resist full understanding thus we can only percept it and determinism is a belief that is adopted by whose can percept time better than the others. In Slaughterhouse-Five, Billy Pilgrim is kidnappedRead MoreKurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five 1490 Words   |  6 Pagespublished a variety of works including novels, short stories, plays, and a few works of non-fiction. Kurt Vonnegut explains how war and the experiences that come with it can cause suffering to the minds of people that it affects. In his novel Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut uses his novel to focus on his anti-war stance by showcasing humanity s suffering due to war. Vonnegut reveals this suffering through Billy Pilgrim s experience with the bombing of Dresden, his development of schizophreniaRead MoreThe Childrens Crusade: Innocence, Masculinity, and Humanity1440 Words   |  6 Pages　　Are wars still being fought by children. One could argue â€Å"no†, but others will say â€Å"yes†. Men go into war everyday, but many are not even fully grown. In Kurt Vonneguts Slaughterhouse-Five, he uses some of his own personal experiences to show the realities of war by examples of innocence, masculinity, and humanity through his main character Billy Pilgrim. Billy can supposedly time travel after being kidnapped by aliens from Tralfamadore and uses it to travel to his time in WWII were he experiencedRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five By Kurt Vonnegut860 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout the course of the novel Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, the reader is walked through the morbid but engaging life of Billy Pilgrim, a character who experiences many dreadful tragedies such as war. The way Vonnegut structures this novel is scattered and not told chronologically because we experience Billy Pilgrim’s life just as he does without suspense or logical order. Shortly after Pilgrim going to war in 1944 he becomes â€Å"unstuck in time† which simply means that he experiences differentRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five By Kurt Vonnegut915 Words   |  4 Pages Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut takes places on two contrasting planets. One is Earth, where war tears apart families and minds, and the other is Tralfamadore, where supernatural alien beings share their extended knowledge of the world. Vonnegut uses the two planets, Earth and Tralfamadore, to show the contrasting ideas of chaos and order, and that human actions have limitations that render them helpless against a meaningless universe. In Slaughterhouse Five, Earth is a grim, war torn placeRead More Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five Essays3848 Words   |  16 PagesKurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five Great artists have the ability to step back from society and see the absurd circus that their world has become. Such satirists use their creative work to reveal the comic elements of an absurd world and incite a change in society; examples include Stanley Kubrick’s film, Dr. Strangelove, and Joseph Heller’s novel, Catch-22. Both works rose above their more serious counterparts to capture the critical voice of a generation dissatisfied with a nation ofRead MoreChanges Since the Sixties916 Words   |  4 Pagesthe schools. There were no grouchy warning labels on the records and no ratings necessary on the movies. And TV shows were acceptable to the whole family. Those were the sixties or at least part of it. Some of the 52 million sixties boomers called it the decade of peace, harmony and love mainly for the movement for peace and the flower power attitude. Others, a little more pessimistic, called it the decade of dissatisfaction because of the protests against the war and the race riots in many citiesRead More Changes Since The Sixties Essay878 Words   |  4 Pagesthe schools. There were no grouchy warning labels on the records and no ratings necessary on the movies. And TV shows were acceptable to the whole family. Those were the sixties or at least part of it. Some of the 52 million sixties’ boomers called it the decade of peace, harmony and love mainly for the movement for peace and the â€Å"flower power† attitude. Others, a little more pessimistic, called it the decade of dissatisfaction because of the protests against the war and the race riots in many cities

Essay on Divine Intellect in Dantes Inferno - 1903 Words

Divine Intellect in Dantes Inferno In Canto XI of Dantes Inferno, Virgil carefully explains the layout of hell to his student, Dante. Toward the end of his speech, Virgil says that Sodom and Cahors are speak[ing] in passionate contempt of God, (XI, 50-51), and divine will thus relegates them to the seventh circle. The sin of the Sodomites is clear for Dante, who poses no question on the matter, sodomy perhaps being an obvious affront to God which the bible directly addresses. However, the sin of Cahors, namely usury, is not clear to Dante. He asks Virgil to unravel the knot in his mind, since there is no obvious reason why a usurer - a money lender essentially - deserves any punishment at all for a crime†¦show more content†¦Thus, Dante is on Virgils level in one sense, and far below him in another, which is true in the grand scheme of the work: Dante is only beginning to understand the workings of the divine order by Canto XI, while Virgil borders on omniscience throughout. Furthermore, Dante has not yet eclipsed Virgil as a poet, since at this point the Inferno is hardly begun, while the Aeneid presents Virgils view of Hades from top to bottom.. In Dantes hell specifically, the reason that usury is a deadly sin is very confusing, which is why Dante calls it a knot. Unlike other sins, usury is not on its face a dreadful immorality. Virgil approaches the issue at first philosophically, making the profoundly esoteric claim that nature follows... the Divine Intellect and the Divine Art. The idea nature is therefore composed of these two abstract elements. The Intellect, coming first, must be at the root of the Art, since intellect must precede production, as in the Platonic doctrine of the essence of a thing preceding the existence of a thing. The Intellect is the potential; the art is the result. In concrete terms, the Intellect must therefore be the primordial stuff from which everything is made, and the Art therefore must be the process of making it into something tangible or usable. From this, then, we can deduceShow MoreRelatedDante s Divine Comedy : An Allegory Representative Of The Christian Soul974 Words   |   4 Pagesbad. Dante Aghileri, a poet who stars in his Divine Comedy as a pilgrim, finds himself lost in a dark wood. Though he sees a safe path to the light and out of the wood, he is forced to take an alternate route through an even darker place. The Divine Comedy is an allegory representative of the Christian soul. As the ending is bright and hopeful for Dante, Aghileri spreads that the ending for even the most sinful Christians can be as hopeful as dante’s, provided that they take the steps needed to achieveRead More Divine Comedy – Pagans in Paradise1474 Words   |  6 PagesDivine Comedy – Pagans in Paradise In the beginning when God created humanity, it was said that He created all humans in His image of goodness (Genesis 1:27). Dante then adds in his Divine Comedy that God has instilled a certain predetermined capacity of goodness in each human being as He wills, which should be utilized fully during life (Paradise 3:84). It would then be assumed, in Dantean thought, that all humans have the choice to live fully to this capacity and assume a place in heaven uponRead MoreDante And The Nature Of Sin967 Words   |  4 Pageshimself the main character in his Divine Comedy, finds himself lost in a dark wood at the start of The Inferno. Though he sees a safe path out of the wood towards an alluring light, he is forced to take an alternate route through an even darker place. As the ending of the pilgrim Dante’s voyage is bright and hopeful, Alighieri the poet aims to encourage even the most sinful Christians to hope for a successful end. Thus, Dante the pilgrim goes to hell in The Inf erno to better understand the nature ofRead MoreEssay on The Allegory of the Cave and Dante1251 Words   |  6 Pagesthe poet Dante Alighieri, writer of The Inferno in the 1300s, because it asserts the need to establish oneself as a contributor to society. Indeed, Dante’s work contributes much to Renaissance Italy as his work is the first of its scope and size to be written in the vernacular. Due to its readability and availability, The Inferno is a nationalistic symbol. With this widespread availability also comes a certain social responsibility; even though Dante’s audience would have been familiar with theRead MoreThe Importance Of Love In Dante Alighieris The Divine Comedy1291 Words   |  6 PagesIn Dante Alighieri’s poem, The Divine Comedy, Dante’s quest to find Beatrice symbolizes the importance of allowing love to be ones guide to divine understanding, for this is the only action which is completely controlled by God. Dante argues that altho ugh we have desires for sinful actions, humans have the ability to control these desires and decide our own fate. Furthermore, he argues that even if humans commit sin in life, if they will redemption before being sent to hell, they have the opportunityRead MoreDante’s Inferno in Milton ´s Paradise Lost1326 Words   |  6 PagesMany arguments have been made that Dante’s Inferno glimmers through here and there in Milton’s Paradise Lost. While at first glance the two poems seem quite drastically different in their portrayal of Hell, but scholars have made arguments that influence from Dante shines through Milton’s work as well as arguments refuting these claims. All of these arguments have their own merit and while there are instances where a Dantean influence can be seen throughout Paradise Lost, Milton’s progression ofRead MoreInferno And The Divine Comedy1834 Words   |  8 PagesInferno (c. 1314) serves as the first part of Dante Alighieriâ⠂¬â„¢s poem Divine Comedy which is a journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. On a broader level, Divine Comedy serves as an allegory for the journey of the soul towards God through the created earth. Inferno and the Divine Comedy serve as a form of scholastic thought, the rational study of religion, as Dante draws on medieval theology to share the modern view on God and the afterlife. This essay explores Dante’s perception of the universeRead MoreSatan in Paradaise Lost and Dantes Inferno1138 Words   |  5 Pageslove. The key differences between the two Hells is how the effect of the absence of God is created. For Milton is this is as mentioned created by the darkness and for Dante the effect is created with a cold, a cold wherein love cannot be sustained. Dantes other element of smell offers the smell unrested death, as the act of putrefaction is generally associated with crime scenes and criminal investigations. As well, the dominions of Hell have a different master in the two works. Milton has givenRead More The Weakness of Human Nature in Dantes Inferno Essay2203 Words   |  9 PagesDantes Inferno is full of themes. But the most frequent is that of the weakness of human nature. Dantes descent into hell is initially so that Dante can see how he can better live his life, free of weaknesses that may ultimately be his ticket to hell. Through the first ten cantos, Dante portrays how each level of his hell is a manifestation of human weakness and a loss of hope, which ultimately Dante uses to purge and learn from. Dante, himself, is about to fall into the weaknesses of humansRead MoreThe Inferno : Depiction And Representation Of Women2519 Words   |  11 PagesA subtopic worth further exploration within The Inferno is the depiction and representation of women. The Inferno mentions very few women throughout, and that makes it all the more salient to analyze the presence of these feminine cha racters for the fact that they are female carries more weight within the context of the poem than what they say alone. Dante lived in an era when women did not occupy influential roles in the public realm, and were actually discouraged from engaging in intellectual

Qantas Airways Strategic Management †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss aboiut the Qantas Airways Strategic Management. Answer: Introduction The Qantas Airways are the largest airline in Australia. The airline began in business by transporting mails and passengers. Currently, the company has its operations almost 140 destinations globally and largest employer in Australia with around 37,000 employees(Pearson Merkert, 2014). Human resource management operates in four areas: corporate, business segment, development and learning and shared services. The market segment, the HR staff, collaborates with other business segments to ensure delivery of the services that will assist in the competitive advantage. At corporate level, the HRM handles staffs remunerations, benefits, development of the management and industrial relations of the company with its competitors. Under, the development and learning, the HRM comes up with training programs to assist the worker in delivering work efficiently. Finally, the human resource has duties in the firm and under shared service(Hampson, Junor, Gregson, 2012). The paper will discuss the i ndustry attractiveness, resources, capabilities, core competencies and competitive advantages of the airline in great details, and come up with appropriate recommendation and conclusion. Currently, the aviation sector has been very competitive in many countries globally. Concerning the Qantas, although it is the largest aircraft in the Australia with higher domestic passengers, it is threaten by other emerging airlines worldwide(Hussain, Al Nasser, Hussain, 2015). Michael Porter model will help understand more about the Qantas airliner structure. Qantas operates a virgin blue airline with low cost. However, looking at the cost leadership strategy, it cannot help in the current competitive condition. It is because each aviation airline focuses on the cost reduction, and services delivery and having an excellent product that out does the competitor. And so, Qantas can concentrate on the differentiation strategy to strengthen the company to deal with other the competitor. Threat of the new entrant For instance, the Tiger Airways plans to set up a new base in Victoria's Avalon airport. For that reason, Qantas should know to create hurdles to a new competitor from global aviation like using price tactic with the jet star airline as subsidiary(Bereznoy, 2015). Also, association strategy crucial in building trouble Qantass competitors to create brand worth by diversity; create superiority feeling of the Qantas customers. To save time, individuals use a plane as a means of transport between countries or inaccessible places. Due to the alternatives such as automobiles, vessels and trains, the airline should try to come up with diverse options and encourage travelling at a lower cost to influence customers. The two primary provider of the aviation industry is aircraft manufacturer and fuel supplier. Qantas contracts the aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing, Bombardier and Airbus(Piercy, 2009). Hence, the influence of the airliner engineering firm can be great to transact with the Qantas airline. Another major supplier of the airline is the fuel which comes at higher cost. Both locally and all over the world, bargaining influence of the consumers can be extraordinary. Nationally, Qantas has a jet star which has several routes at comparatively low cost. Tiger Airways Australia is alternative airline offering a reasonably little price carriage (Piercy, 2009). Similarly, the bargaining control of the buyers in the global airline industry can be substantial. Consequently, numerous airlines are operating at a lower cost, offering several options and different promotion. So, Qantas should have a quality product at the lower price in various channels such as websites and travel agency. Core competencies The core competencies consist of the production process, staff, customer relationship and abilities of the acquaintance which assist in the company to reach its goals and objectives (Pearson Merkert, 2014). Similarly, strategic planning shows the possible method that the organization can come about in future. Also, the company can go along the new core competencies to create benefits and success. A strategic design like information and social planning is the ways to define the senior management. For the case of the Qantas airline, the organizations core competencies are exceptional airline with outstanding services (Park, 2007). Qantas airline utilizes their core competencies to make the corporation have competitive advantages. The Qantas airline employs their essential capabilities with Qantas and jet star airline; which are reliable trademark. Possessions are intangible or physical assets that business implements into corporate plans (Cui Li, 2015). Although the market advances powers and limits, a firms reaction to the resources capability and distribution development becomes a basis of competitive advantage. Thus, the capacity is how the company uses its resources to have a competitive advantage. For instance, for the Qantas airline, it has a cheapest and groundbreaking approach to the price cutting (Park, 2007). Additionally, it has simple processes and concentrates on the particular market segment. The Qantas airline has resources such as human resources, financials assets, intellectual capital and physical properties. Michael Porter's model comprises of generic strategies consisting of cost leadership, differentiate and focus strategy(Daft Albers, 2013). The airline manages two brands; Qantas and jet star airlines. Moreover, the company has other subsidiaries such has Qantas link, jet connect; jet star Airways and Express Freighters Australia. Differentiation strategy Through the differentiation approaches, the enterprise can lift the worth of the products to the commuters. In Qantas aviation firm, the safety and protection are primary consideration. Qantas group operates over 330,000 flights per year(Rieple Helm, 2008). Therefore, the organization is confident about outstanding management on safety platforms which differentiate it from other competitors. In addition, the Qantas international flights such as A380, A330 and B747 have provision for in-flight entertainment. Also, the airline provides its members with over 130 lounges globally with necessary facilities. Qantas groups operate various trips which totals to 173 terminals in 42 nation states. Thus, with grouping with other partner airways, it can heighten the significance of the product and create good customer relationship(Dwyer Edwards, 2009). Jet star centers on dropping cost of flights so as to capture market share with the main brand in a different market segment (Pearson Merkert, 2014). However, currently, there are airlines which still offer low-cost. For the airline to deal with leading competitor, it has to form partnership strategy so as offer lower prices than other fare airlines. Air Asia and jet star provide unsurpassed reach in the Asia-pacific region, with a reduced cost and more routes than their competitor and therefore this partnership alliance makes it maximize and enjoy economies of scale (Frederick Patil, 2009). Building on the same point, jet star recognizes the fast sale at a lower price to create new promotion and attract more customers quickly(Frederick Patil, 2009). SWOT analysis Qantas has a power which helps to compete with other airline industry. Qantas has an excellent marketing skill and perfect brand building exercises. It is through promotions and marketing which makes the company a noticeable airline service provider. It is well known that the enterprise is a long term partners of the cricket team and sponsor of formula one in Australia(Frederick Patil, 2009). Qantas has impressive and excellent safety records which are attractive to the passenger. Safe assurance of the passengers enables them to travel using the airline both domestically and internationally places. Additionally, Australia government provides the company with numerous tax benefits which assist the air in acquiring necessary materials at rational price. Moreover, Qantas enjoys the monopoly in the domestic market because it is the only airline in the Australia territory. The airline operating and labor cost is very high which makes it difficult to cope (Cui Li, 2015). So, the airline has some large subsidiaries which make it challenging to deal with complex and cost related hitches. On a regular basis, the airline experiences union disputes. The airline feels the pressure of working out on the employee's demands; the workers raise their demand from anywhere. Another issue is that there is a mixed fleet which makes the pilot train properly to be able to operate them. Training makes the airline to incur an additional operating cost. For Qantas to create a new airline in Asia, need to establish a fundamental relation to other countries government and also its people (Pearson Merkert, 2014). Therefore, the airline needs to capitalize on its strategies in the Asian market to make success like in the domestic country. Due to technology contributing immensely to the globalization, the airline should utilize on the E-commerce operation to extend service which will help to get more customers and offer passengers with more options (Frederick Patil, 2009). The Qantas has a significant market share and well-established ground due to less interest by other airlines in the domestic territory. The rise in labor cost has adverse effects on both short and long term difficulties. As results of pressure from union, force company to raise the wages to its staff at less working hours. It further led to lengthy discussions which affect the airline operation. All airlines have problems with rising fuel costs(Cui Li, 2015). Therefore, there will be effects on the activity, and this causes the airlines to change its focal plans so as tackle changes. Furthermore, for the government to save the small airline from the well-established airline from competition, the government set a strict rule and increases the government regulations(Fu, Homsombat, Oum, 2011). Recommendation Alan Joyce has to help the employees understand the importance of going global and also create a feeling of mutual understanding among the employee; so that they give him 100% desired results. Qantas management has to implement the human resource planning, try to reduce it weakness and try to work with its workers. Qantas has to gain a potential market share because Australia is turning into a business hub and international tourist destination center for the oceanic. The market in Asia has a significant and number of countries such as India, Japan, China, Korea and Singapore(Park, 2007). Since their competitor is less reliable and more expensive, the airlines can provide the special conditions which will attract more customers from their rivals. The airline should know how to tackle the issues of the fuels and labor cost to achieve its goals. The organization should become aware of the regulations protecting small rivals so that the government does not intimidate the airline. Finally , the Allan Joyce can give bonus and benefits to motivate the employees to perform at their optimal level. Conclusions Undoubtedly, Qantas has approved that is customer-driven organization due to its innovative and unique approach supported by the Australia government. There is a strong bond between the airline and customer because of the services offered at business and economy class. Qantas recognitions come as result of the various sponsoring sports which is lucrative and profitable. Additionally, the Qantas employs the strategy of the following limited amount of destination. Hence, fewer destinations make it provide better services in the world so far. Although it could be difficult for the Allan Joyce to maintain and form a continuous relationship with unions, it will help to create a new beginning in the airline history. References Bereznoy, A. (2015). Changing Competitive Landscape Through Business Model Innovation: the New Imperative for Corporate Market Strategy. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 1-22. Cui, Q., Li, Y. (2015). Evaluating energy efficiency for airlines: An application of VFB-DEA. Journal of Air Transport Management, 44, 34-41. Daft, J., Albers, S. (2013). A conceptual framework for measuring airline business model convergence. Journal of Air Transport Management, 28., 47-54. Dwyer, L., Edwards, D. (2009). Tourism product and service innovation to avoid strategic drift. . International Journal of Tourism Research, 11(4), 321-335. Frederick, H., Patil, S. (2009). The dynamics of brand equity, co-branding and sponsorship in professional sports. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 7(1-2), 44-57. Fu, X., Homsombat, W., Oum, T. (2011). Airportairline vertical relationships, their effects and regulatory policy implications. Journal of Air Transport Management, 17(6), 347-353. Hampson, I., Junor, A., Gregson, S. (2012). Missing in action: aircraft maintenance and the recent HRM in the airlines literature. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 23(12), 2561-2575. Hussain, R., Al Nasser, A., Hussain, Y. (2015.). Service quality and customer satisfaction of a UAE-based airline: An empirical investigation. Journal of Air Transport Management, 42, 167-175. Park, J. (2007). Passenger perceptions of service quality: Korean and Australian case studies. Park, J. W. (2007). Passenger perceptions of service Journal of Air Transport Management, 13(4), 238-242. Pearson, J., Merkert, R. (2014). Airlines-within-airlines: A business model moving East. Journal of Air Transport Management, 38, 21-26. Piercy, N. (2009). Strategic relationships between boundary-spanning functions: Aligning customer relationship management with supplier relationship management. Industrial Marketing Management, 38(8), 857-864. Rieple, A., Helm, C. (2008). Outsourcing for competitive advantage: An examination of seven legacy airlines. Journal of Air Transport Management, 14(5), 280-285.

Open Racism Essay Example

Open Racism Paper When I think about is racism still alive today, a particular poem comes into mind its entitled:â€Å"Racism Is Around Me Everywhere†. | | â€Å"Of human ignorance I am almost in despair For racism is around me everywhere But like they say sheer ignorance is bliss Just like Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Some people carry their honor in a flag And of their Nationality they brag They feel superior and they differentiate And against those who are different they discriminate. So many people still judged by their race For such there never ought to be a place A fair go those untruthful words I do recall There is no such a thing as a fair go for all. Though we live in a so called democracy Of racism we never will be free They judge you by where you come from and the color of your skin For many equality and respect seems impossible to win. Its been awhile since the days of Martin Luther King His name to it has a familiar ring If against racism he did not choose to strive Today the great man he would be alive. So many holding the reins of power not spiritually aware And racism is around me everywhere And racism only leads to division and war Just goes to show how ignorant some are. † (Frances Duggar) | | We will write a custom essay sample on Open Racism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Open Racism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Open Racism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Racism is a belief held by some that there are characteristics and abilities can be attributed to people simply on the basis of their race and that some racial groups are superior to others. Racism and discrimination have been used as powerful weapons encouraging fear or hatred of others in times of conflict and war, and even during economic downturns. For people throughout the world, the election of Barak Obama to the U. S. presidency seemed to signal in a new era, that of the end of racism. Indeed, Obamas election was a momentous occasion and, one would have hoped, a milestone on the road to reconciliation. However, some recent, very ominous events cast a worrisome veil over the democratic process in the United States. These events points out how racism is still a problem in the United States. Racism occurs often times out of fear. Many people fear what is different to them and what they do not know. This in turn, makes it scary when you see people who look different than you do and sometimes, you treat those individuals differently because you do not know them. Racism occurs in different facets of society. Schools, the government and the workplace are sometimes the worst examples of racism. Racism in schools Millions of African American and Latino young people in the United States don’t get an education equal to that of most whites, partly because the urban schools they go to don’t have as much money as the schools in the white suburbs. This is because the country has decided that much of the money for schools should come from local property taxes. So in communities where the houses and businesses are less expensive, the schools don’t get enough money to provide a high quality education. This is unfair. This is institutional racism. If we financed schools differently every student, regardless of his or her race, could go to a high quality school that was the equal of the schools other students attend. The Government Hurricane Katrina: The government had known for years that a big hurricane was likely to cause dangerous flooding in New Orleans. The plans they made didn’t include any way to get poor people (predominately African Americans) out of the city to safety. When the storm and the flooding did come with Hurricane Katrina in 2005, much of the country saw on TV that thousands of people of color were stranded in the city without food, water, housing or safety. The government was incredibly slow to rescue people, to provide food and shelter, and to help them rebuild their houses. Many people believe that if those stranded had been mostly white people the rescue efforts would have been much quicker and effective. Racism in the Workplace Racism in the form of discrimination persists in society also. A case in point is that blacks have traditionally suffered from higher rates of unemployment than whites. In June 2009, black employment was at 15. 3 % compared to an 8. 8% unemployment rate for whites. Do blacks simply not take the initiative that whites do to find work? Studies indicate that, in actuality, discrimination likely contributes to the black-white unemployment gap. (Thompson) Critics will say how can racism still exists with the election of the United States first black president. Since President Obama took office he has been a rise of subtle racism against our president. It can be seen in the supporters of the new birthers movement, who stir up doubts about Obamas citizenship. During the 2008 presidential campaign, there was no impetus to question John McCain’s birthplace even though it was common knowledge that McCain was born in Panama; because he is white. The president’s birthplace should not have been an issue at all but yet to this day you still have a lot of Americans who still question his birthplace. Critics also say with electing our first minority president, and minorities reaching higher levels of education, obtaining more earnings and more distinguished careers, one might infer that prejudice is dead. I contend that it is alive and flourishing while lurking beneath the shadows of figures that naturally inflate with the growth of a burgeoning society. If racism does not exist then what accounts for â€Å" the wide range of disparities that still exist in society, most of which show black Americans with worse outcomes than whites in areas such as income, home ownership, health and employment, study researcher Samuel Sommers, a psychologist at Tufts University, said in a statement. When most Americans think of racism they think of the open racism back in the Civil Rights movement and during slavery times when crosses were burned in African-American yards. They think of the KKK when they think of racism which was upfront and in your face. The fact that the KKK and groups such as these that still exist prove the point that racism still occurs in the United States. While racism may not be as widespread as before, it exists, without a doubt. While we like to think that those unfortunate days of racism are behind us, it still exists. Today, racism is much less obvious and less prevalent. However, we are still reminded that racism is alive and well, and we must continue working to do away with it. Every day in the news there are stories dealing with the unfair treatment of minorities, women, and gays. America is the best country in the world because of the opportunity given to every individual and because of its constant struggle for equality of all. Any person, of any race, creed, or religion can succeed with hard work and determination. The problem is that the level of those individual’s success is sometimes determined, by the color of their skin. The race for social equality is persistent here, but there are still problems with the system. So, unfortunately racism does still exist today in the United States. References William-White, L. , White, J. (2011). Color Marks the Site/Sight of Social Difference: Dysconscious Racism in the Age of Obama. Qualitative Inquiry, 17(9), 837. Retrieved December 12, 2011, from Research Library. (Document ID: 2495960131). William March. (16 May). Researcher: Evidence shows racism in opposition to Obama. McClatchy Tribune Business News,. Retrieved December 12, 2011, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 2348227321). Thompson Matthew (2011). Does Racism still exist today? Answers from Men. Retrived December 12, 2011 http://www. answersfrommen. com/2011/01/does-racism-still-exist-today/ Mosser, K. (2011). An introduction to logic. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (https://content. ashford. edu) Pappas Stephanie. (2001) Study: Whites say they are racists’ victims. Retrieved December 12, 2011. http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2011/05/24/scitech/main20065864. shtml http://poemhunter. com/poem/racism-is-around-me-everywhere/ http://www. politicususa. com/en/political-racism