Monday, May 25, 2020
How Racism Affects Urbanization in America - Free Essay Example
Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2714 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/02/05 Category Sociology Essay Level High school Tags: Racism in America Essay Did you like this example? The urbanization of America and the history that ties to it has been examined and theorized by many. The influences of what created such a history is up for debate. When cities began to develop in America, it appeared to be a result of the limited resources that were available in rural areas. Donââ¬â¢t waste time! Our writers will create an original "How Racism Affects Urbanization in America" essay for you Create order People believed that if they moved from a rural area to an urban one, the potential for a better life and opportunity would be possible for their families. Migration from all areas of the world generated a wide range of characteristics in people and one of those differences, although there were many, was race. Cities were known as ââ¬Å"Melting Pots.â⬠These people were representing a collection of cultures, beliefs, religions, and new ways of life. Race, although disguised in many ways, was the driving force in the reshaping and overall development of Urban America. African Americans first migrated North and West right after Emancipation. Millions of them decided to move into cities in these regions, this ââ¬Å"â⬠¦ played a highly influential role in redefining American culture and transforming the political landscape of the century.â⬠(357)^1 Due to the fact that African Americans and Immigrants migrated to the Americas with little to no money, there was high demand for low-income housing. With so many people flooding the cities for hopes of a better life, there was restricted space for people to live. The new urban American society developed to accommodate the large numbers of people moving in from the rural areas. This diverse population, bringing together different ethnic backgrounds and new ideas that were trying to exist as one, provided a deep necessity to make some big changes. The combinations of many cultures, languages, and religions forced the development of an urban society to accommodate the needs of all. Initially, the population in cities increased so quickly that people were losing jobs. One example would be the increase in agricultural efficiency, which caused many farmers to be unemployed. Farmers were forced to look to the city for employment. Another example would be how the immigrants came to the cities looking for employment in order to escape the poverty in their previous country, but were unaware of the challenges faced ahead when they arrived in America. These challenges consisted of malnutrition, poverty, unpleasant living conditions, and language barriers. When people migrated to America, they searched for jobs in factories because they required limited to no communication. These jobs were few and far between because of the overpopulation of immigrants during that time. When immigrants didnââ¬â¢t have a source of income to rely on, they turned to what they knew best. Immigrants began selling goods and cultural commodities just to make a living. Not having the opportuni ty to obtain a factory job was another example of racial discrimination. The city limited the immigrants to a small number of possible jobs. This is where people had to get creative. For example, places like Chinatown evolved because their goods only appealed to other Chinese immigrants, forcing them to reside in the same communities. Include more examples This trend seemed to carry on with others as well. The combination of millions of immigrants migrating to the city with little to no money as well as searching for work led city officials to formulate a plan for low-income housing. City planning became a top priority, which helped the development of low-income housing. Tenements were built, which were the beginnings of urbanization. Building the tenements also opened up a whole other set of challenges. Tenements were ââ¬Å" divided into small apartments, as numerous as decency will admit.â⬠(60)^1 These divided apartments tended to be split, and closet size rooms were not far off. These small apartments were rented to the poor. Tenants were required to pay their dues in advance in order to guarantee the lease. Families that had first priority were able to find the apartment in good condition. Due to no management and supervision of the tenements, they quickly became out of control. With numerous people living in one small area, poor sanitation, bad hygiene, grime and fi lth quickly became a problem. This lead to disease and many times even death. This called for the cities to implement sanitation laws and getting reformers to fight for the rights of the people. This sanitary movement inspired urban novelists such as Upton Sinclair and social commentators such as Jacob Riis to acknowledge the reputation of filthy cities, New York being at the top. These sanitation laws attempted to create better health conditions, a clean environment, and an escape from poverty for immigrants. These reformers recognized the racial discrimination of putting immigrants in this living state. Over the course of U.S. history, the role of race was continuously a part of the decision making process in almost every aspect of the creation of urbanization in America. People in communities were not willing to admit the significant role that our government played in the verdict of development; however, it clearly stood center stage. For several decades, city planners tramped through neighborhoods in the name of urban renewal. This was underwritten by federal funding from the 1949 Housing Act, as well as the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956. These Acts increased housing standards that, in turn, eliminated the slum areas and drastically improved living conditions. According to David Naguib Pellow and Lisa Sun-Hee Park, urban renewal was ââ¬Å"devastating to many communities earning urban renewal the nicknames ââ¬Å"Negro removalâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Mexican removal.â⬠(300)^1 African Americans had limited housing options at this time, even though they may have been willing to pay more than a white person for the same house. The real estate industry made a large effort to create all black suburbs, which ended up being highly overcrowded. The newly created suburban communities quickly turned into slum areas, which caused property values to decrease significantly. This trend continued for many years after. Realtors additionally contributed to this racial segregation by using scare tactics to guide prospective home buyers to stay clear of certain neighborhoods, all with their racial prejudices leading the fight. These are just a few examples of the many federal programs that displaced residents in the black communities. There was a huge misconception linked to segregation based on race. This misconception was that African Americans simply couldnââ¬â¢t afford to live in middle class neighborhoods and chose to live in areas where waste and filth was welcomed. According to Clifton Hood, communities with the highest racial and ethnic residents were located near commercial hazardous waste facilities. To be exact, ââ¬Å"Three out of the five of the largest commercial hazardous waste landfills in the U.S. were located in predominantly Black or Hispanic communities.â⬠(331)^1 Reader) Blacks and other minorities were placed in these undesirable living areas because of race and poverty issues. The government soon began to create large subdivisions; however, strict conditions were enforced and only Whites were allowed to purchase the homes, giving African Americans limited options. African Americans were eventually forced to live in apartments due to the fact that the values of the homes purcha sed by the Whites nearly doubled, resulting in many African Americans being forced out because they couldnââ¬â¢t afford the houses. Realtors used this idea to their advantage, and obviously knew that African Americans wouldnââ¬â¢t ever have enough money to afford them. The government once again, masked behind their racism, passed zoning ordinances that would exclude minorities. The ordinances prevented apartments from being built in suburbs that had existing single-family (white) homes, making it obvious to most that they wanted to make the suburb racially exclusive. This racial trend seemed to continue on for many years. Behind racial discrimination lies the members of the federal government. While some of the members were behind the newly implemented laws, other members were not able to openly admit their desire to keep African Americans separate from whites. If one were to look back as early as the inception of the U.S. Census in 1790, the way Blacks were categorized was based on the percentage of their blood. This was a very cruel way to view a human being, no matter their race, or ethnic background. The American government started their misconstrued conception of race based on those African American categorizations. As time passed, and leadership evolved, America somehow was able to desegregate the buses, the restaurants, the schools, as well as other things, but their biggest challenge has always been desegregating neighborhoods. Desegregating neighborhoods is essential in order for people to come together as a community. If people are segregated in the areas in which they live, the poten tial for unity is simply not there. To this day, neighborhoods are still failing to desegregate, but the main issue behind it is that people tend to stay in the areas in which they were born. People donââ¬â¢t have the ambition to overcome adversity. According to Sharkey, ââ¬Å"Urban neighborhoods became battlegrounds where African Americans, who sought to live wherever they chose and have equal status under the law and equal representation in government, faced fears and violent resistance.â⬠(14)^4 All policies that were formulated were racially explicit and were prevalent at every level of government, federal, state and local. In cities such as Chicago, African Americans were restricted to the ââ¬Å"black beltâ⬠by law. The black belt was the area they were segregated to live in by the city officials. Being contained to one area of the city, African Americans still continued to live in places that suffered from poverty, crime, and political corruption. These neighborhoods were not created by coincidence, but were created by institutions that pressured realtors to ensure that neighborhoods would not be integrated. Having cities discriminate against people for the color of their skin, even after the Emancipation, caused outrage. No matter where minorities migrated to, they could never escape racial discrimination, whether it be from the Government, city members, or white supremacists. For example, the author who wrote Uncivil War talks about the Five New Orleans Street Battles. These battles addressed how the South ultimately was not at peace after the Civil War. Riots and fighting occurred in th e streets of New Orleans because many African Americans could not afford to leave and had to stay in the vicinity of where they had been freed. African Americans were contained to certain areas due to Jim Crow Laws and Black Codes. The riots that broke out were between white supremacists who still believed in the confederacy and ex union troops. This would determine the future of the southern society. Even after the Civil War, racial discrimination seemed to still be apparent because everyone was still divided with his or her own thoughts and ideas. The southern states wanted no part of the way the government and union was being run, and were trying to find every way around assimilating to these new ideas of racial equality and created laws known as ââ¬Å"Black Codes.â⬠Black codes clearly violated African Americans civil rights and were used to model how people, such as government officials and citizens, were against the ideas and were not willing to except equality. These codes had the potential to arrest African Americans who were homeless, had no job, were wondering the streets, and required them to work. This was again a prime example of how the South was racially discriminating against African Americans. They were finding ways around the Unions laws to still keep slavery alive. A culmination of Black Codes, the segregating of houses, race riots, and poverty, it was apparent that no matter what African Americans did, they clearly couldnt escape racial discrimination. Therefore, African Americans tried everything they possibly could to beat the system of inequality. Life for African Americans remained extremely difficult (mentally and physically). Due to the competitive nature of America, and the need of money to succeed in society, African Americans were willing to do whatever necessary to achieve social status and a bank account. For African Americans turned to a life of crime, doing, and selling anything they may need to support their family and achieve the ââ¬Å"American Dreamâ⬠. A social activist, Martin Luther King Jr., was responsible for a majority of the American Civil rights movement in the 1950ââ¬â¢s. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for the rights of African Americans and even lead the Montgomery bus boycott, as well as the March on Washington. The Montgomery Bus Boycott evolved after the arrest of Rosa Parks. Parks, after a very long day of work, refused to give up her seat to a white passenger. During this time in history, African Americans were forced to sit in the back of the bus and were supposed to give up their seat for a white passenger if the seats in the front ran out. Arresting Rosa Parks is a sign of racial discrimination in the south and the people had to fight for what is right. Choosing Martin Luther King Jr. as the protest leader, the people fought for Rosa Parks and created the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The boycott lasted 381 days, which put an economic stress on the mass transit system and local businesses. Martin Luther King Jr. was a target of white supremacists during the American Civil rights movement, which later lead to his assassination. The assassination of King confirms that the fight against racial discrimination was a struggle. Whites were willing to go that extra step just so they didnââ¬â¢t have to adapt to a new way of life. In the south, people had the hardest time acknowledging African Americans as ââ¬Å"freeâ⬠and equal according to the law. Another example of how African Americans fought back against racial discrimination was ââ¬Å"sit- insâ⬠. In Greensboro, North Carolina on February 1st, 1960, four black college students sat in the ââ¬Å"Whites Onlyâ⬠section at a restaurant. When asked to leave, the students refused and decided to stay as a way to protest against racial discrimination in public places. They were denied service immediately and white supremacists would surround themâ⬠¦.(need to finish with other ways people tried to fight back racial discrimination). Paragraph about Los Angelos Paragraph about Present Day. What is this American Dream that individuals are searching for? For most it is typically represented buying a home, and having a job to provide for living needs. Most Americans have their home and job as their greatest asset. It provides the means for a family and everyday life. There are really no characteristics that have not been discriminated against in our society. However, with many challenges still in place, race and opportunity, although slightly improved continues to remain unequal and sadly the gap grows. Urban history has really been simply put, moving people to solve problems but perhaps instead of looking at it so simplistically individuals should evaluate the roots to it all in racism. Why do people only try to make move when there are people of color and poor? Why do individuals restrict those with language barriers and cultural differences? How has it become normal to take privilege over time for middle class whites when it is clear as day that it still continues in our lives? Who are these city planners? Has anyone ever looked at their racial bias in their decision-making? Is it even possible after all of this progression and growth that we still in 2018 remain stuck in the racist theme of city planning. Our misconception of race masked behind our government and others has fueled the fire to many aspects of our world. City planners, the government, realtors and many others, have played a key role in creating structural barriers and ethnic issues that make racial inequalit ies in housing, jobs, and our everyday life still persistent today. In due time one can only hope our perceptions of people change all based on views of race. Bibliography [1]Steven H. Corey and Lisa Krissoff Boehm, The American Urban Reader History and Theory (Nueva York: Routledge, 2011). 71 [1]James K. Hogue, Uncivil War: Five New Orleans Street Battles and the Rise and Fall of Radical Reconstruction (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2011). 3Kenneth T. Jackson, Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of America (New York: Oxford University Press, 1985). 4PATRICK SHARKEY, UNEASY PEACE: The Great Crime Decline, the Renewal of City Life, and the next War on Violence (S.l.: W W NORTON, 2019).
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Questions On Granger Causality Test Table 3 - 1632 Words
5.1.5 RESULT FOR GRANGER CAUSALITY TEST Table 3: Pairwise Granger Causality Tests Date: 12/31/16 Time: 03:14 Sample: 1980 2014 Lags: 9 Null Hypothesis: Obs F-Statistic Probabiliy EXPORTS does not Granger Cause RGDP 26 11.0158 0.00228 RGDP does not Granger Cause EXPORTS 1.96909 0.19193 EMPL does not Granger Cause RGDP 26 9.44839 0.00365 RGDP does not Granger Cause EMPL 5.54812 0.01712 IMPORTS does not Granger Cause RGDP 26 0.95566 0.53661 RGDP does not Granger Cause IMPORTS 0.72990 0.67732 GDI does not Granger Cause RGDP 26 0.55345 0.79919 RGDP does not Granger Cause GDI 0.57093 0.78707 INFRAT does not Granger Cause RGDP 26 2.95875 0.08333 RGDP does not Granger Cause INFRAT 1.02953 0.49626â⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦At first we couldnââ¬â¢t rejected the null hypothesis because result from table 1 shows that only two variables were stationary at level while four variables became stationary at first difference and the result gives us the strong proof of unit root in the variables. Therefore all variables were tested at first difference and the ADF test make known that all the variables became stationary at first difference, therefore, the null hypothesis at first difference of unit root were rejected so we concluded by saying that the variables became stationary after first difference. Which means that the variables are co-integrated of order one I(1), and this give us the chance to performed co-integration analysis. From the result, we realized that international trade in Liberia more than decades has produced a very little significant impact on economic growth. As a result, the viewpoint of the economy as of (1980-2014) is not much hopeful in spite of the constant trade flow into Liberia though, the country economy still undergoes so many problems, in this light, all variables using as proxies to international trade, only imports (IMP) was positive and significant while other remained significant but negative. This indicates major problems in the economy of Liberia and also confirmed why the nation economy has recorded a trade deficitShow MoreRelatedGlobalization and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from Nigeria5797 Words à |à 24 PagesEMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM NIGERIA By KELECHI IYOKO. Abstract The concomitant unequal distribution of the benefits of Globalisation and the fear expressed by most developing countries about the negative impact of globalization, has made the question on the relationship between globalization (characterized by foreign direct investment, economy openness and net capital flows) and Economic Growth both in developed and developing countries lie at the heart of debates on economic development policyRead MoreHuman Capital Formation in Bangladesh4299 Words à |à 18 Pagesrun co-integration between the variables. The Granger Causality test is use to check the causal relationship between the variables. The results of ARDL co-integration shows that there is no co-integration exist among the variables. Secondary School education does granger cause to the Gross capital formation. But the Gross capital formation does not granger cause to the Secondary school education. In this way, the results also shows that GDP does granger cause to the Secondary School education but SecondaryRead MoreRelationship Between Exchange Rate and Stock Market7383 Words à |à 30 PagesAbstract The paper examines the long and short run relationship between stock prices and exchange rate in the context of Pakistan. We used monthly data of KSE-100 index and PKR/US$ and applied Cointigration, correlation and standard granger causality tests to check the long and short run association between stock prices and exchange rate. Our findings show that relationship between KSE-100 index and exchange rate is insignificant. There is no evidence of any short-run or long run associationRead MoreEssay on The Economics of Financial Markets1724 Words à |à 7 Pagesthe tradable producers are, the more the government will depreciate the exchange rate through employment of a float. ââ¬Å"Cross-country, time-series tests on Latin American data indicate that the larger the share of manufacturing in the GDP of a country, the more likely it was to use a float or a backward-looking crawling peg.â⬠(Hall, 2005, p. 27) These tests also indicate that the more the manufacturing in GDP, the more likely the states ditches a fixed exchange. Presently, there has been a wide differenceRead MoreWord of Mouth10606 Words à |à 43 PagesThus, invitations (i.e., WOM referrals) have been the foremost driving force for sites to acquire new members. As social networking sites mature, they may begin to increase their use of traditional marketing tools. Therefore, management may begin to question the relative effectiveness of WOM at this stage. The objective of this research is to develop and estimate a model that captures the dynamic relationships among new member acquisition, WOM referrals, and traditional marketing activities. In doingRead MoreThe Effects of Foreign Direct Investment on Economic Growth in Malaysia3880 Words à |à 16 Pageseconomies that compete with Malaysia over FDI inflows into developing countries can be the reason of slowdown of FDI flow into Malaysia. The FDI flows in Malaysia tend to be randomly fluctuating and unstable, though it also reaches an average inflow of US$3 billion per year. (Oti-Prempeh, 2003) identified that, there are three factors that influence the attraction of FDI in Malaysia which is its undervalued currency, degree of openness, low cost of labour moderately low inflation rate. According toRead MoreBackground Of Study Of Malaysia10269 Words à |à 42 Pagesarmed forces, the unemployed and first-time job seekers, but excludes homemakers and other unpaid caregivers and workers in the informal sector. In a given year in a row, the unemployment rate in this country considered as a stable fluctuation between 3 to 4% per year. Malaysia s unemployment rate stability over the past decade is quite stable and the expected rate for the total population growth in Malaysia is growing rapidly. This means that the government and society have good coordination to controlRead MoreState Regulation On Uber And Cab Drivers Essay1322 Words à |à 6 Pagesequitable distribution of income and wealth and to improve the performance of economy (Geoff, 2006), such as the debate on state regulation on Uber and cab drivers in WNPR News recently in the United State. In the meanwhile, one of the key economic questions, what variables contribute the difference in levels of growth of GDP among countries, has a continuing discussion among economists in their papers. Is there any casual relationship between regulation and growth of GDP? Hall and Jones (1999) showedRead MoreFinancial Development and Economic Gro wth: Evidence from China9260 Words à |à 38 Pagessystem by identification of co-integrating vectors through tests of over-identifying restrictions. The empirical results suggest that there exists a unidirectional causality from economic growth to financial development, conclusions departing distinctively from those in the previous studies. D 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. JEL classification: C32; O11; G28 Keywords: Financial development; Economic growth; Multivariate VAR; Causality; China 1. Introduction The economic growth of China isRead MoreSupply and Demand and Market Definition8366 Words à |à 34 Pagesend, the real issue being to establish whether or not firms have significant market power, i.e. the power to increase prices. This objective is rather different to the traditional neo-classical economic view of a market. The introduction of the SSNIP test in the US Department of Justice 1982 Merger Guidelines resulted in the development of new methods for defining markets and for measuring market power directly, thus eliminating the need to define the market at all. I INTRODUCTION M arket definition
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
The Nuclear Family - 1156 Words
American families have changed tremendously over the past years. Families did not only face the change in their status or social behavior, but also faced a change in their lifestyle. Now there are different types of families with different types of norms and values. Families are socially, ethnically and very expressively diverse than ever before. Back in the time, the role family was totally different, the parents were more strict than today. It could be said that the nuclear family is the nucleus of a society that reproduces through this type of family. what is the meaning of the nuclear family?. Basically, the nuclear family has as main characteristic that it is a concept of family that is a role and perfect familiar group that conformsâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦33). In addition, today we can see so many families that does not fit in the traditional family. Now most of the families both parents work and take care about the kids and the households. It is common to see unmarried couples with two or three children. For example, my parents started a relationship when they were eighteen years old, after two years my mom got pregnant. My older brother born and three years later my parents got married. In that time was not very common to see families like mine, but my parents did not care about it. Nevertheless, some people still think that the nuclear family is the same that was in the 50ââ¬â¢s, but the truth is that the time is changing and a lot of people are focusing more in the modern families. Back in the time, being a single parent was considered wrong. It was completely different and out of the typical and traditional nuclear family. But now single parenthood is considered more acceptable. One parent families may still result from the death of a significant other, but now also come about through decisions or divorce. For example, I have so many aunts that are single moms, some of they are divorced, others are widows, and a few of them does not know wh o are the father of their kids. I grew up in Guatemala and this is so common to happen in my country. Being raised by only one parent seems impossible, but children of single parents can be just as progressive with emotional, social and behavioural skills as those with twoShow MoreRelatedThe Nuclear Family Essay1347 Words à |à 6 Pages The Diminishing Nuclear Family Hadar Mustafa Jun29, 2015 Introduction More often than not, stable and functional families serve as a prerequisite to a good society. Hence, the societyââ¬â¢s support system for families must be flexible because needs and goals of families vary over time (Loveless, 2007). However, nuclear families face many challenges because parenting, child-rearing, and other economic responsibilities had to be done by two adults only (Bowden Smith, 2010). In thisRead MoreThe Nuclear Family Replaced the Extended Family After Industrialisation679 Words à |à 3 PagesThe Nuclear Family Replaced the Extended Family After Industrialisation Talcott Parsons believed that the nuclear family developed mainly as a result of industrialisation. He thought that before the industry took over the functions of the family, the families were extended units of production. This means that the work and home lives were combined and so each family member taught another one skill for life such as education. Parsons says that the extended family stayed togetherRead MoreNuclear Family: Definition, Advantages Disadvantages993 Words à |à 4 Pagesand elsewhere, assess the view that the nuclear family is no longer the norm. 24 marks The traditional nuclear family is defined as being a family consisting of a heterosexual couple with 2 or more dependent children (own or adopted) with a clear division of labour. Meaning the men are the instrumental role (breadwinner) and the women are the expressive role (domestic and caring/childcare). Over time this has changed and the nuclear family as become less dominant, some sociologistsRead MoreMarried with Children: The Evolution of the Nuclear Family1396 Words à |à 6 Pages Constance Ahrons, a doctor who coined the term ââ¬Å"binuclear familyâ⬠once said, ââ¬Å"Pessimists say that the family is eroding. Optimists say the family is diversifying. Both points of view are right. Families are more diverse and they are more in trouble-but not because of their diversity. The families of today-whatever their size or shape-are in crisis because our economy is failing, our national resources are shrinking, and our governmental policies to support them are inadequate.â⬠This quote givesRead MoreThe Effects Of Nuclear Family On Modern Society950 Words à |à 4 PagesOver the past few decades social scientists have been engaged debates about family change and influences in modern society, with one of the main themes being the strength and relevance of the nuclear fami ly. Those who believe that the nuclear family unit is breaking down often site the fact that social structures holding up the nuclear family, such as marriage, are collapsing ââ¬ËThe chances in some societies are now less that 50-50â⬠¦ that a child will live continuously to adult-hood with both naturalRead MoreInfluence of Nuclear Family to Development of Antisocial Behaviour795 Words à |à 4 PagesIntroduction A nuclear family is a family comprising of parent(s) and children. This model of family is an important aspect in modeling the future of the children. It is within the family environment that a child learns the art of socialization. The family is the first teacher of any child. Therefore, the family a child grows in has a major part to determine how a child will turn out to be later in life. A child is a product of his/her family. There has been a major evolution of the structureRead MoreExamining the View that the Traditional Nuclear Family is in Decline1344 Words à |à 6 Pagesthe View that the Traditional Nuclear Family is in Decline When evaluating the view that the traditional nuclear family (of two opposite sex married parents living in a household that contains only them and their own dependant children), is in decline, I will be taking various pieces of research and evidence from Sociologists, Journalists and other sources, into consideration in order to try to determine how true this view is. The nuclear family would appear to be foundRead MoreWhat Does Your Family Fit The Nuclear? Essay1303 Words à |à 6 PagesQuestion: To what extent does your family fit the ââ¬ËNuclearââ¬â¢ family, which is still, against the evidence seen as the norm in Western society? Growing up, I never really understood what a ââ¬Å"normalâ⬠family was supposed to look like. Before I was even born, my parents had split for good (although the were never married). I stayed primarily with my mother, and it was just the two of us for about four years, although we stayed with others along the way. I interviewed my mother about this time in herRead MoreThe Nuclear Family : America s Ideal Misery Essay1359 Words à |à 6 PagesThe Nuclear Family: Americaââ¬â¢s Ideal Misery Many of us overlook the importance of something as simple as ââ¬Å"familyâ⬠because it has been something we are familiar with since our first day on this planet, never thinking twice about to topic. Truth be told, the family unit is crucial to who we are and what we value, and even in the bigger picture, the cultural importance it has on society. When we explore one of the most signature family units to date, the nuclear family, we learn its optimistic appealRead MoreThe Extent to Which Social Policies Reflect and Support the Traditional Nuclear Family938 Words à |à 4 PagesSocial Policies Reflect and Support the Traditional Nuclear Family Social policy is the package of measures taken to solve a social problem. I intend to assess the New Right and New Left, the taxation law, the Child Support Agency, the fact that the government encourages families to look after themselves, and that 16- 18 year olds donââ¬â¢t get job seekers allowance. The New Right is traditional. It supports the nuclear family and is for being economically independent, not
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Peyotism Essay Example For Students
Peyotism Essay The white mans reality are his streets with their banks, shops, neon lights and traffic, streets full of policemen, whores, and sad-faced people in a hurry to punch a time clock. But this is unreal. The real reality is underneath all this. Grandfather Peyote helps you find it. Crow DogPeyote, a hallucinogenic plant that is commonly used as a recreational drug, has a much greater meaning for members of the peyote religion. By examining the effects of peyote along with its role in the rituals and beliefs of the Native American Church it becomes apparent why it is such an integral part of the religion. The trade and knowledge of this sacred plant was already well defined in regions of Mexico well before European conquest and its ceremonial use was already underway in the tribes of the area in which it grew. This religious use eventually spread through North American regions. Along with its migration, the basic rituals and ceremonies changed along the way. The organization of religion involving peyote and the principle rituals had become commonly practiced among the Comanche and Kiowa tribes by the mid-eighteen hundreds. The Native American Church formed in 1921, beginning in Oklahoma. Soon after this initial formation, state and local incorporation followed in many places and continue to do so to this day. (Aberle, 19) Now, some form of peyote religion is common to most tribes of the North American continent. Peyote (Lophophora williamsii) is a very small, low growing, fuzzy type of cactus. Most of the cactus is actually underground in a long root. Both the flesh and roots can be e aten.When dried the flesh resembles brown overcoat buttons, which is where the term peyote buttons came from. Peyote isnt found just anywhere. It grows in the wild over only a small portion of the Southwestern United States known as the Peyote Garden. Precisely, Corpus Christi, Texas, Deming, New Mexico, Durango, Mexico and Puebla , Mexico bind the area in which this plant can be found and harvested. (Aberle, 5)Containing eight different alkaloids, the most important being mescaline, peyote causes a number of effects. The experience begins with an euphoric quality. It heightens the sensations to sound, color, form and texture. Further into the experience, visions begin to occur. These visions can include detailed, realistic pictures and sounds. The interpretation of these visions rather than the visions themselves are what peyotists consider most important. The peyote experience is characterized by a strong feeling of personal significance of the internal and external stimuli encoun tered during the experience. Many find themselves asking, What does this mean to me?The Native American Church came to the Indians during their darkest hour. It was around the time when the last of the buffalo had disappeared from the plains. They were left starving, helpless and with little of their old lives remaining to cling to. In the words of a member of the NAC, Mary Crow Dog, The Native American Church became the religion of the poorest of the poor, the conquered, the despoiled. Peyote made them understand what was happening and made them endure. It was the only thing that gave them strength in those, our darkest days. It was obvious that a militant religion could not have survived under white dominance. The formation of this religion was a response to the degraded status on Native Americans. Its goal- internal peace and harmony rather than competition. This idea was highly relevant to the socio-economic situation that these indigenous people were being faced with. For many, this was exactly what they needed to continue on. Since the beginning, there has been strong opposition to the Native American Church by several groups. The traditionalist Indians opposed it believing that it was a threat to traditional tribal culture. Modernist Indians as well as whites opposed the religion also saying that it was heathenistic and backward. In the early stages, peyote meetings were illegal not for the use of peyote, but because Native American rituals in general were outlawed. But, in 1934, under John Collier, the Bureau of Indian Affairs enacted a policy of non-interference with peyotism. There have been state laws prohibiting the sale, use or possession of peyote, but all such laws have been repealed since the sixties (Aberle, 18).At the present, it is legal for those acting on behalf of the Native American Church to buy or harvest peyote for their religious needs. Public Speaking EssayThe use of prayer, song, drumming and the joint eating of the peyote at various times throughout the night as well as the drinking of cold water at midnight and early morning are all key elements to the ritual. These practices are all believe to be forms of communication with the Great Spirit. During prayer, there is a staff passed around the meeting to all male participants. The staff is considered male, so females are not allowed to pray with the staff. It is believed that when you pray with the staff, your thoughts travel up it and messages from the Great Spirit travel back down. The drums also aid in the communication. It is said that when a man drums, you can read his mind. Everyone also takes part in the peyote songs. Typically, the songs do not contain words, but whether or not to add words is up to the singer. The Church members believe that with peyote to guide you, the meanings of these songs can be deciphered. The drum itself is symbolic of the India ns heartbeats. The Fire Chief starts a fire in the center of the gathering. It is said to represent the eternal life that passes from one generation to the next. The smoke from the cedar incense is then sprinkled over the fire at various times during the night. It is believed to represent all green, living things and to purify everything that the smoke touches.The feather fan and the gourd are also integral parts of the ceremony. The gourd is representative of the Spirit Voice. While the songs are going on, the feather fan is waved in the air to catch the songs. These fans can be made of different types of feathers, all of which symbolize something different. For example, the Water Bird Feather Fan is a chief symbol of the peyote religion and is used to bless the water before drinking it, while the Hawk Feather Fan is a symbol of understanding. All of the materials used during the ceremony are considered to be sacred and symbolic of something the Indians consider important. These ma terials help in the communication with the Great Spirit, which is the ultimate goal of the meeting. Peyotism is, indeed, a unique religion. The members of the Native American Church take this powerful medicine in order to communicate directly with the Great Spirit. They follow a strict ethical code and believe that peyote will help them understand their lives more fully. I greatly admire the idea of reflecting on ones own situation in order to live a tranquil, honest life. The religion was formed as a way of unifying Native Americans and helping them accept and deal with the situation they are faced with. Peyotism has proven largely successful in achieving these goals, making it a wonderful thing for the indigenous people of this country. Works CitedAberle, David F. The Peyote Religion Among the Navajo. Vol. 52. New York: Wenner-Gren Foundation, 1966. Crow Dog, Mary and Richard Erdoes. Lakota Woman. New York: Harper Perennial, 1991. Hultkrantz, Ake. Native Religions of North America. San Francisco: Harper Row Publishers, 1987. Mercado, Leo. Peyote religion: Spiritual Soul Food. 8 Mar.1999. http://www.csp.org/nicholas/A57.html.
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