Classless America Essays - Discrimination, Hatred, Racism, Poverty

Classless America The myth of a "classless" American society coupled with social stratification impedes race relations in the U.S. far more than any racial differences. The never ending struggle of the "have-nots" to become one of the "haves" produces a frustration and feeling of oppression that acts as a catalyst for spawning racial tensions. Minorities see the majority of wealth in the hands of the white population and feel that the wealth is unevenly distributed. Whites hear of government programs for minorities and feel as if they are lazy or just looking for a handout. This occurs and stereotypes are formed. Combine all of this with the United States system of "dual welfare"and the perfect environment for racial strife is created. In our "classless"society of false hope the working class and poor are continually seeking opportunities to excel that just aren't there. They have been led to believe that intelligence and ambition are key contributors to one's success. This belief lays blame on the unsuccessful themselves, even if they do possess ambition and intelligence. These people are in a never ending cycle of struggle, followed by minimal rewards, which eventually produces a frustration that sometimes leads to desperate measures. Cornell West expands on this with the following statement : ". . . homicidal assaults by young black men on one another are only the most obvious signs of this empty quest for pleasure, property, and power" (Race and Racism p.123). This statement shows the extremes one will go to in his "empty quest" for a better life. This is not only happening 2 to blacks by blacks. It is happening to all races by all races. People hear of events like these and categorize them as a racial crime or a racially motivated crime just because the victims may be of a different race. As West's statement demonstrates the killings occur as a means to an end, the end being a better life. In our ever diversifying melting pot of a country, same race victim and criminal crimes are becoming less and less statistically likely anyway. Events such as these don't occur because of race. They occur because of the frustration and desperation bred by the false hope that hard work and determination leads to success. It is no mystery that most of the wealthy people in America are white. West again points out (Race and Racism p.124) that 86% of the wealth in the United States is owned by only 10% of the population. In this 10% the number of minorities is minute. The wealth owned by this few is there because they have kept it in their families throughout the generations. These are the same super-rich bloodlines as that of 150 years ago. These families were rich when no minorities (and hardly any whites for that matter) were. Almost everyone was working class or poor besides them. Minorities are aware of this uneven wealth distribution and this leads to resentment. Our government tries to compensate for this through special programs for minorities. When this occurs whatever groups are not receiving compensation see the other as lazy or as taking a handout. In 3 turn this leads to resentment. Different groups begin stereotyping each other due to the resentment which evolved through unequal wealth distribution, which itself is a product of our "classless" system. So in turn stereotypes that Mexicans are lazy, African Americans steal, Whites cannot dance and White men have small penises, Jews are ultra- thrifty, Lesbians are men haters, Gay men all like antiques, and Asians are shrewd at business and all stick together, are in all probability (definitely) unfounded. Despite the fact that these stereotypes are unfounded, much of the resentment may not be. Here in the United States as much, if not more, money is spent on programs for the rich as is spent on programs for the poor. Donna Langston points this out with the following statement: "We have a ?dual welfare' system in this country whereby welfare for the rich in the form of tax- free capital gain, guaranteed loans, oil depletion allowances, etc., is not regarded as welfare" (Race And Racism p.129). Here Langston compares the welfare of the poor (food stamps, w.i.c., medicaid, etc.) with the welfare

Comparative Criminal Justice Essays (Varied)

Comparative Criminal Justice Essays (Varied) Free Online Research Papers Our world is no longer defined by its borders; financial transactions, business meetings, and personal communications between people half the globe away can all be done within milliseconds thanks to the technology we have, literally, at our fingertips. The advent of this technology has also yielded another by-product, other than the ability to communicate at speeds Edison and Einstein only theorized about: the need to study and understand the systems of justice that exist in the many corners of our world. Since modern technology allows for nations to interact considerably more freely than they did even 10 years ago, the ability to understand and compare the many justice systems of the world is paramount. One reason why the need to study the various justice systems of the world is paramount to students, is that the status quo should never be allowed to exist unchecked. For example, a student of the American criminal justice systems does themselves a disservice if the only system of law they study and find acceptable is their own criminal justice system. â€Å"A comparative view of legal systems allows us to understand better the dimensions of our own system† (Reichel, 2008, p.4-5). Another reason to study the justice system of other countries is that it allows the student the benefit of understanding how other societies deal with various crimes and social ills. For instance, a student who only has been exposed to a legal system who imprisons those found guilty of drug offenses, should not believe themselves to be well-rounded on the subject if they do not expose themselves to other legal systems where these types of crimes are handled differently, and include alternate forms of punishment outside of their own model of criminal justice. Lastly, by studying the justice systems of other countries allows for a student to create ways in which the legal system of their own country may possibly be modified to function more effectively and efficiently. â€Å"A technique used in one country to combat crime might be successfully adapted for use in another country† (Reichel, 2008, p.5). For example, can the conflict resolution techniques for the crime of theft by the Aboriginal people of Australia be adapted into the restorative justice practices used in Houston, Chicago, or Seattle (Reichel, 2008)? It seems our world becomes smaller and smaller each passing day. However, as much as modern technology has allowed us to communicate and execute business transactions between countries as never before, it has yet to familiarize the various criminal justice systems of the world in quite the same manner as technology has allowed people in California to share computer files with people in Finland. 2. The legal traditions recognized throughout the modern world are mostly creatures of the alpha-male societies of the ancient world. As the ancient world was claimed and re-claimed by various civilizations, one lasting impression that was left, even after some civilizations changed roles from conquerors to those who became conquered, was their respective system of law. Although the maps of the world have changed, scholars recognize that four legal traditions exist in our world today. One of these traditions is the common legal tradition. Rooted in ancient Roman society, the common legal tradition is centered on three tenets: feudal practices, customs, and equity. Even after the Romans hold over the ancient world became untenable, this one facet of their legal system remained, especially in the lands of their northwest conquests, such as present day England and Wales. During the Middle Ages in Western Europe, society was clearly demarcated into three realms: the king, nobles, and peasants. The king ruled supreme over a designated country or large geographical area, the nobles were charged with ensuring that the king’s lands were governed as the king saw fit, and that taxes were also collected. The peasants’ role was that of laborers and to maintain the king’s lands. As time progressed, this class system came to include more and more layers. â€Å"By the 1200s, when feudalism was on decline, several layers of feudal relations existed, f or example, the vassals of an important baron (the vassals’ lord) were in turn the lord of their own vassals† (Reichel, 2008, p. 107.) Since the crops and the land still had to be maintained, peasants remained a constant. However, as disagreements between lords and lords, and lords and their underlings began to occur, some measure had to be in place so that each layer of the feudal world had a form of legal remedy. Borrowing from Anglo-Saxon customs, William the Conqueror (1066-1087) introduced a system by which royal courts were created where barons presided over disputes between lesser nobles, and disputes among peasants were heard by the lord of their manor rather than in a royal court (Reichel, 2008). The use of custom is also rooted in the Anglo-Saxon and English feudal epochs. During these periods there emerged a reliance on the previous decisions a court had made in deciding a case that was presently before a court. This became a practice that was more frequently used and accepted, and laid the groundwork for the current practice of allowing precedent to govern how a court decides a case, or stare decisis. Lastly, the use of equity (or fairness) also defines common law. For too long those at the bottom of the social strata, seeking a legal remedy, found that those in power either provided too little punishment or an excessive amount of it. This became most prevalent during the mid-1350s, when â€Å"the people turned to the king and asked him to add fairness to the law† (Reichel, 2008, p. 110.) With the addition of equity as a free standing and permanent facet of the common law, this legal tradition has remained viable to the present day in such countries as the United States and Australia. Another legal tradition is called the civil legal tradition. Historically, this tradition is attributed most to the ancient Romans. The Romans delineated their justice system into three bodies. These legislative bodies enacted statutes for the nobility, senators, and the common people to follow. â€Å"The earliest form of written Roman law dates to 451 and 450 BCE, when a council of 10 men inscribed 12 bronze tablets with specifics concerning the rights of Roman citizens† (Reichel, 2008, p. 112). Another ingredient of civil law is canon law. Roman civil law was the universal law of the worldly empire, and canon law was the universal law of the spiritual realm (Merryman, 1985). Whereas civil courts administered Roman civil law, ecclesiastical courts managed the canon law (Reichel, 2008). Since Roman civil law and canon law were centered on existing via statutes, the codification of each provided for the final ingredient to this type of legal tradition. â€Å"Roman law and canon law provided a tradition of codification that, in turn, emphasized a revolutionary nature of law and stressed its written form† (Reichel, 2008, p. 114-115). The polar opposite of law driven by custom, codification gives civil law a revolutionary character and written format that adds to its separate identity among legal families (Reichel, 2008). Today, civil law is used by such countries as Italy, Colombia, and Holland. A third type of legal tradition is the socialist legal tradition. This legal tradition, created by the Roman Empire being split into an Eastern and Western Empire, distinguished itself from the Roman civil legal tradition in the west mainly because of geography. â€Å"Russian legal history borrows from the Eastern or Byzantine Empire, primarily because Russia’s contact with the eastern Romans did not occur until the 10th century† (Reichel, 2008, p. 117). Prior to Russia falling under Mongol rule in the 13th century, the main source of law came from the Russian Code of Laws which was written by Grand Prince Iaroslav the Wise (Reichel, 2008). During the Mongol control of Russia, Russian princes still retained their positions as judges, since keeping them in such positions allowed the Mongols to keep control and maintain law and order of a very vast and diverse country. â€Å"Control by Mongols essentially ended by 1490, and in 1497 the Grand Prince of Moscow issued a new Code of Laws for all territories subject to Moscow† (Reichel, 2008, p. 118). These laws echoed those of the Russian Code of Laws, but they also formed the foundation of Russia’s monarchical regime, which gave the power of interpreting the law to the grand prince who, in time, became known as the czar. Another hallmark of the socialist legal tradition is the belief of law as being artificial. This mindset was cultivated by many years of the common people witnessing the law benefitting the Bourgeoisie (the nobility) while alienating the Proletariat (common people). This manner of thinking existed for a long time, so long that by the time Marxism-Leninism took over Russian society one of its main teachings was that the need for law, any law, would cease to exist. After Marxism-Leninism became the focal point of post-revolution Russia, â€Å"the primary principle directing the new Soviet law was the idea that law is subordinate to policy† (Reichel, 2008, p. 120). The thought process here was that if the concept of law is artificial, it can be applied or disregarded as policy dictates. ‘The policy to which law is subordinate places the rights of the collectivized economy and the socialist state above the idea of law or the rights of an individual† (Reichel, 2008, p.120). With the demise of the Soviet Union and the independence of many former Soviet controlled countries, the socialist legal tradition appears to be the one tradition most likely to fade away. Today, this legal tradition is used only by a few of countries (Cuba, North Korea, China, and Vietnam). The final legal tradition centers on religion, more specifically the Islamic religion. Although this tradition can encompass other religions, such as Hinduism and Judism, with more than 1.3 billion followers Muslims represent about 20% of the world’s population, and as such deserve to be selected over other religions (Reichel, 2008). Islam is based on the teachings of their recognized god Allah and his messenger named Muhammad. Whereas Catholics, Protestants, Christians, and Lutherans are all religions that in some form govern the way a person should act towards themselves and others, none of these religions are as all encompassing of a person’s life the way Islam is. â€Å"Islam recognizes no distinction between a legal system and other controls on a person’s behavior, in fact Islam is said to provide all answers to questions about appropriate behavior in any sphere of life† (Reichel, 2008, p. 123). The Islamic faith has two sources of Islamic law (referred to as Shari’a). The primary source is the Qur’an. According to Reichel (2008), â€Å"The Qur’an contains rules for the religious, personal, social, economic, and all other aspects of Muslims’ lives†. The second source is called the Sunna. It is from this source that Muslims learn of the teachings of Muhammad. This is done via statements (or hadith) Muhammad made that have been handed down through the millennia from one trusted source to another. â€Å"A hadith contains three important parts: the statement itself; an indication of its authority by reference to the chain of reporters (i.e., A heard it from B who heard it from C who heard it from a companion of Muhammad); and a comment regarding the report as being something Muhammad did, said, or approved â€Å" (Reichel, 2008, p. 125). Islamic law is divided into five schools (or madhahib) of law: the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’I, Hanbali, and Fa’afari. Each of these schools of Islamic law recognizes the four basic sources of Islamic law (the Qur’an, the Sunna, qiyas, and ijma). â€Å"Cases not seemingly answered by the Qur’an or Sunna were to be handled through a consensus of legal authorities (the ijma) and by a process of reasoning by analogy, or qiyas† (Reichel, 2008, p. 126). However, the five schools are differentiated in the manner in which they interpret the teachings of Muhammad. Today, only Afghanistan and the Maldives practice strict Islamic law, while countries such as Egypt, Iraq, Qatar, India, and Saudi Arabia practice a combination of Islamic law and other traditions. Research Papers on Comparative Criminal Justice Essays (Varied)Capital PunishmentThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationPETSTEL analysis of IndiaBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionOpen Architechture a white paper

Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 15

Personal Statement Example Moreover, I have taken part in volunteer work for different social institutions such as my local church and my local students association. For the local church, I volunteered as a math tutor for the children. My duty as a volunteer was to impart mathematical skills to children with difficulty in the area. Through this, I learnt the values of giving back to society. Moreover, in the process of volunteering, I worked as a treasurer for the Hong Kong Student Association accountable for funds in the association. Being a treasurer meant balancing the books of all income and expenditure that occurred in the association. As a result, I familiarized myself with basic manipulations in the accounting industry, and grew much passion with Business Accounting profession. It was also in this association that came to terms with language used in the accountancy field in the course of making presentations and preparing. In the association, I had to present to the members during meetings the budget of the association and account for funds that had been spent previously. I gained experience on how to use official business language and be accountable on large scale. At the end of all the volunteer programs and responsibilities I have participated in, I have amassed substantial experience and skills to motivate me to pursue business accounting. These skills range from responsibility and patience to hands on experience. As a result, I have the confidence and ability to join your institution and pursue my major without any