Though Affirmative Action is a current controversial issue, it is far from new; its decree has been long in the making. Perhaps it originates from amendments 13-15, the series of amendments that outlawed slavery, guaranteed equal protection under the law, and forbid racial discrimination when voting, respectively (Sykes 1). The Supreme Court’s decision in 1896, in the case of Plessy V. Ferguson, mandated separate but equal treatment for African Americans (Sykes 1). However, in 1954, the Supreme Court’s decision from Brown v. Board of Education replaced that of the Plessy v. Ferguson trial. President Lyndon Johnson was the first to use the term “Affirmative Action” in the Executive Order 11246 of 1965 (Sykes 1). This order required federal contractors to use affirmative action to make sure people were treated equally, “without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin” (Cahn 1). Two years later, Johnson amended it to include women (Cahn 1). By 1971, President Nixon issued a Revised Order No. 4 that required contractors to adopt an “acceptable affirmative action program” (Cahn 1). Over the past three decades, many debates continue as to whether or not affirmative action still belongs in America.
Affirmative action is an issue that evokes strong emotions for both supporters and non-supporters alike. Those against affirmative action argue that affirmative action does not help minorities but rather degrades them. They argue that affirmative action sends minorities the message that they can only succeed if they are given extra benefits; thus, resulting in damaged credibility. Often cited as example of affirmative action victims are that of Clarence Thomas and Colin Powell. Critics of affirmativ...
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http://www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek/voices/200304/0414action.html
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Sykes, Marquita. “The Origins of Affirmative Action.” 2004. Web. 28 March 2015.
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Tomasson, Richard F., Faye J. Crosby, and Sharon D. Herzberger. Affirmative Action: The Pros and Cons of Policy and Practice. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, 2001. Print.
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Mao Zedong was a very influential man in history. He forever changed the face of Chinese politics and life as a whole. His communist views and efforts to modernize China still resonate in the country today. Jonathan Spence’s book titled Mao Zedong is a biography of the great Chinese leader. Spence aims to show how Mao evolved from a poor child in a small rural village, to the leader of a communist nation. The biography is an amazing story of a person’s self determination and the predictability of human nature. The book depicts how a persuasive voice can shape the minds of millions and of people. It also shows the power and strength that a movement in history can make. This biography tells an important part of world history-the communist takeover of China.
He was born into a peasant family that only owned three acres of land, which has been handed for several generations now. During that time, life in China was difficult for many Chinese citizens but Mao’s family was doing better than others. His father was a grain dealer and his mother was just like any mother that wanted her son to have a religious career. Unlike Gandhi, Mao didn’t have the luxury of going overseas to a university. Although Mao wasn’t able to travel out of his home province until he was twenty-five, in the year of 1918 in Peking, China; his view of the country started to change. With limited knowledge and as a librarian worker of Peking University, he was already convinced of communism. Later, he became a primary school teacher in Hunan where he edited magazines arranged trade unions, and assembled schools of his own that were politically positioned. Initially, he tried other ways to further improve China by grasping the peasant’s attention, using force, strategic plans, and most importantly
Growing up in a traditional and wealthy family, Mao attended a good, but Confucianist primary school. It was in these years that he began his hate for Confucius, his teachings, beliefs, and policies. Mao was a revolutionist at heart, and spent his formative education years in novels instead of scholarly readings. Eventually graduating primary school, Mao worked on his family farm, getting to spend more time in books of his political choice - of Communism, Marxism, and Leninism. These books fired revolution in his soul and he developed strong political opinions, ...
Mao's period of communal reform and the establishment of the Communist party from 1949-1976 was needed in order for Deng's individual oriented, capitalist society to thrive. Mao's period encompassed the structure of a true dictatorial communist government. It strove to concentrate on unifying communities to create a strong political backbone while being economically self-sufficient and socially literate and educated in Maoist propaganda. Under Mao's leadership individual wealth was seen as a hindrance to community goals in meeting production quotas and was crushed by such policies as collectivization, land reformation, and movements such as The Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution. Under his rule, modeled under the Stalinist USSR archetype, China raised its masses from poverty and starvation to a standard of living that was considered a substantial upgrade.
In The Power of One, Peekay has a subconscious sense of isolation and intangible independency where his need to develop relationships is overdue. With this overpowering sense of solitude, Peekay remains cautious in who he pursues relationships with. Although limited, the positive relationships Peekay does decide to pursue, proves to be greater than ever imagined. Early in Courtney’s novel, Peekay initiates his first personal relationship outside of his immediate family with nothing more than a chicken. Starting off small, Peekay’s first relationship with his chicken friend, Granpa Chook, turns out to be a success. “The toughest damn chicken in the world tossed his head and gave me a beady wink. How could you go wrong with a friend like him at your side?” (Courtney, 22). This friendship is the first of which proves to be the foundation for shaping personal relationships with others as well as sparking the fire for the soon to be burning flame of independence within Peekay. In parallel situations, Peekay fosters another friendship which gives him the initial, and final direction of his life. His new companion, Hoppie Groenwald, proceeds to give Peekay motivation for the rest of his life. “Hoppie’s words were like seed pods with wings. They flew str...
Currently, the main question concerning affirmative action is whether or not it is the best way to combat inequality. Also: What groups should or should not have affirmative action? When will the problem be “solved” and affirmative action no longer necessary? While the United States is divided between 49% of citizens supporting affirmative action programs and 43% opposing them, many Americans have a difficult time even defining what affirmative action is (Gallup 2003). The term ‘affirmative action’ includes laws, policies, and programs designed to reduce or eliminate inequality (Hudson). Inequality is also a difficult term to define, but the fact that significantly fewer women and minorities enjoy high paying jobs, attend prestigious universities, and reside in wealthy neighborhoods m...
After long years of suffering, degradation, and different sorts of discrimination which the disadvantaged group of people had experienced, the “Affirmative Action Law” was finally passed and enforced for the very first time on September 24, 1965. The central purpose of the Affirmative Action Law is to combat racial inequality and to give equal civil rights for each citizen of the United States, most especially for the minorities. However, what does true equality mean? Is opportunity for everyone? In an article entitled, “None of this is fair”, the author, Mr. Richard Rodriguez explains how his ethnicity did not become a hindrance but instead, the law became beneficial. However, Mr. Richard Rodriguez realized the unfairness of the “Affirmative Action” to people who are more deserving of all the opportunities that were being offered to him. Through Mr. Rodriguez’s article, it will demonstrates to the reader both favorable, and adverse reaction of the people to the Affirmative Action, that even though the program was created with the intention to provide equality for each and every citizen, not everyone will be pleased, contented, and benefit from the law.
Smith, Dave. “Medical’ Marijuana: 10 Health Benefits That Legitimize Legalization.” www.ibtimes.com. IBT Media Inc., 8 Aug. 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2016
The rebellion Mao claims to have manifested might have distanced Mao physically from his family but, traditional Chinese values were deeply ingrained, shaping his political and personal persona. His father's harshness with dealing with opposition, his cunning, his demand for reverence from subordinates, and his ambition were to be seen in how Mao demanded harmony, order, and reverence as a ruthless dictator. Yet, Mao, was also the kindly father figure for the people of China, as manifested in characteristic qualities of Mao's mother: kindness, benevolence, and patriarchal indulgence.
Today there is considerable disagreement in the country over Affirmative Action with the American people. MSNBC reported a record low in support for Affirmative Action with 45% in support and 45% opposing (Muller, 2013). The affirmative action programs have afforded all genders and races, exempting white males, a sense of optimism and an avenue to get the opportunities they normally would not be eligible for. This advantage includes admission in colleges or hiring preferences with public and private jobs; although Affirmative Action has never required quotas the government has initiated a benefits program for the schools and companies that elect to be diversified. The advantages that are received by the minorities’ only take into account skin color, gender, disability, etc., are what is recognized as discriminatory factors. What is viewed as racism to the majority is that there ar...
According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, affirmative action is “an active effort to improve employment or educational opportunities for members of minority groups and women.” However, despite its well-intentioned policies, it has been the source of much controversy over the years. Barbara Scott and Mary Ann Schwartz mention that “proponents of affirmative action argue that given that racism and discrimination are systemic problems, their solutions require institutional remedies such as those offered by affirmative action legislation” (298). Also, even though racism is no longer direct, indirect forms still exist in society and affirmative action helps direct. On the other hand, opponents to affirm...
Mao Zedong grew up in a small farming village own by his family, in the province of Hunan. He was the eldest of three boys, despite his modest beginnings as the son of a farmer in rural China. He grew up in an environment in which education was valued only as training for keeping records and accounts, “We should heal our wound, collect our dead and continue fighting.” (“Mao Zedong Quote.”) From the age of eight Mao attended his native village's primary school, where he acquired a basic knowledge of the Confucian Classics. At 13 he was forced to begin working full-time on his family's farm. Rebelling against paternal authority (which included an arranged marriage that was forced on him and that he never acknowledged or consummated), Mao left
In 1966, Mao mobilized the Chinese youth to initiate the “Cultural Revolution”, a violent process eliminating old Chinese culture, customs, thoughts and habits, purging “counter-revolutionary” party members, and heightening Mao’s personality cult. I will summarize evidence collected from textbooks, official documents, biographies and eyewitness reports about the events between 1959 and 1966. I will describe the failure of the Great Leap Forward, Mao’s resignation as president, his power struggle with Liu Shoaqi and Deng Xiaoping and the propagating of his personality cult. Then I will identify how these events may have given Mao reasons for launching the Cultural Revolution, and whether his motives were of an ideological or selfish nature. After carrying out a Source Evaluation of the “16 Point Directive on the Cultural Revolution” and Jung Chang’s “Mao: The Unknown Story” and analysing my evidence, my essay will answer the question: To what extent were Mao’s motives for starting the Cultural Revolution ideological?
The focus of this paper is on the history of affirmative action and its relevance to our society. Affirmative action focuses on the importance of equality and equal opportunity among all people in terms of education and employment. In coordination with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunities Act of 1972, the affirmative action policy was submitted by federal agencies. Is it not true that ethnic minorities do not have the same opportunities in life as whites, and that women should be entitled to the same opportunities as men? This act is only a means to help the less advantaged members of our society. In this case the less advantage would be those of color and women (www.infoplease.com).
To sum up, online gambling should not be banned because it assists in the economic growth of a country, it reduces cost and time consumption as well as favorable and risk-free technique to gamble. The government should not only displays disadvantages but also advertise more on the advantages and benefits of online gambling to the community. This is to make sure that the community will not stereotypically reflects online gambling solely on the negative sides because a coin has two sides. Everything in the entire world has both the negative and positive sides. Thus, community should think prudently before jumping into conclusion.