Saturday, December 21, 2019

Immigration Is A Foreign Policy Hot Topic - 1296 Words

Immigration according to definitions online is â€Å"the movement of people into a destination country to which they are not native or do not possess its citizenship in order to settle or reside there, especially as permanent residents or naturalized citizens, or to take-up employment as a migrant worker or temporarily as a foreign worker.† However, in order to understand why immigration has become a foreign policy hot topic, we must understand the history of immigration. Since the initial settlers arrived in North America, immigration has filled the American experience. Undeniably, many of the principles that unite Americans as a nation are tied to immigration. Historically, immigration has not only outlined our visualization of the United States role around the world, but immigration has also trickled into our interpretation of human nature. One great Philosopher, and the leader of the transcendentalist movement of the Mid-19th century; Ralph Emerson saw it best. Emerson viewed immigration as a marvel that will build a new race, a new religion, a new state, and a new literature in the United States (www.foreignpolicy-infocus.org). The idealism surrounding immigration clarifies in part the profound feelings immigration induces in the public policy field. These feelings have shoved with anxieties about the economy, ethnic relations and many other issues. In recent years, however, the discussion over immigration has prolonged to integrate a wide array of foreign policy issuesShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Immigrants On The Economy908 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction From terrorism, to global warming, to immigration, hot-button political issues often affect many parts of people’s lives. When looking at the many issues facing the country, there are a rare few that only affect one aspect of life. Instead the problems in the country have diverse and extensive impacts and therefore need all-encompassing solutions. One of the issues that garners a great deal of discussion is immigration and its impacts on the economic environment. As a nation of immigrantsRead MoreEssay on Texas Policy Report1242 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Immigration Reform Impacts at the State and Federal Levels GOVT 2306-21405 Fall 2013 Word Count: 1082 Texas has a reputation throughout history of differing views from the federal government in laws and politics pertaining to social, fiscal, and educational issues. On the whole, Texas operates as a largely conservative state. Because of this, policy-making is often right wing. With the institution of a Democratic, liberal president, the State’s dissent from the Federal governmentRead MoreThe Issue Of Illegal Immigration1420 Words   |  6 Pagesthe most controversial issues in politics today is that of illegal immigration. â€Å"Immigration has been a constant source of economic vitality and demographic dynamism throughout our nation’s history.† (CAP Immigration Team, 2014) There are thousands of immigrants that arrive in the United States each year. Over the years, illegal immigration has been growing despite policies made to prevent this growth. In my opinion, immigration will continue to be a social issue that is fiercely debated duringRead MoreImmigration reform has been one of the â€Å"hot† topics that have been consistently at the forefront of800 Words   |  4 Pages Immigration reform has been one of the â€Å"hot† topics that have been consistently at the forefront of many American discussions. At this time, there are more illegal immigrants in our country than legal immigrants. This is a major controversy in the realm of other social policies. Illegal immigration, or undocumented immigrants, refers to foreign people entering the United States without government permission or violating the immigration law. This is typically done by sneaking into the country orRead MoreImmigration : Perceptions Of Immigration893 Words   |  4 PagesPerceptions of Immigration Many people around the world have to move to different countries for different situations. Some of them have to move because their parents were transferred by their work. Others are moving because they want to live in another country. There are other people that move because they are looking for new opportunities to succeed or because they are escaping because of violet reasons in their countries. This process of moving from one country to another is called immigration. This wordRead MoreThe Hot Topic of Immigration Essay791 Words   |  4 PagesImmigration remains to be a hot topic. There are many issues to consider but let’s look at stereotypes and regulatory control issues. Just what are some of the stereotypes about the economic impact of immigration in the United States? We have all heard that immigrants are taking jobs away from Americans. This stereotype is based on two fallacies: that there are a fixed number of jobs to go around, and that foreign workers are dire ct substitutes for citizens (Dangelo 236). The truth is that immigrantsRead MoreThe Impact Of Immigration On The Agriculture1723 Words   |  7 PagesThe Impact of Immigration on the Agriculture Labor Force The topic chosen is the impact of immigration on the agriculture in the United states. Within this topic, there are many aspects to be considered. How much of the labor force of the agricultural industry has included immigrants? How do the positive and negative aspects weigh out? Many people have an opinion on immigrants, but there are some that lack the basic knowledge of the positive effects of immigration. This specific topic was chosen dueRead MoreImmigration : A Concept At Odds American Culture998 Words   |  4 PagesImmigration: A concept at odds in American Culture On any given day, any media connected American will be bombarded by numerous views and commentaries on the immigration debate. On this Saturday morning, the 30th of January 2016, a perusal of CNN main homepage leads to 6 direct or indirect (political due to the upcoming election) references to the immigration debate. It is a hot topic in the media and it is a source of constant argument and rhetoric for and against with very little resolutionRead MoreWhat Immigration Brings America And How Donald Trump Views It1166 Words   |  5 PagesWhat Immigration Brings to America and How Donald Trump Views It Immigration issues have become a widely talked issue among people, since Paris was attacked in November 2015 by terrorists who migrated to France from Syria as refugees (Gallagher, 2015). In America where the Presidential Election is going to be held, people eagerly care about how the presidential candidates stand for immigration issue, because immigrants can seriously affect people’s daily lives: immigrants bring America lots of advantagesRead MoreFrance Essay813 Words   |  4 PagesThe country I decided to research was France. The reasoning behind this was due to the recent terrorist attacks. I wanted to see their immigration changes and all the other information too. So, after doing some research, here is when France joined the European Union. I found this information from Europa.eu, â€Å"they joined the European Union on January 1, 1958. They account for 13.1% of the European Union population and that population has a number is, 66,759,950. Here are some of Franceâ₠¬â„¢s most important

Friday, December 13, 2019

Real Estate Values in San Diego County Free Essays

In this paper, I’m going to talk about what cities and areas of San Diego have higher real estate prices and higher incomes and why. Although the average home value in San Diego county is higher than most of the rest of the country, there is still a large spread in average home values. The average income in San Diego county is in the top ten percent in the country. We will write a custom essay sample on Real Estate Values in San Diego County or any similar topic only for you Order Now Like home values, incomes vary greatly from place to place within the county, ranging from around $11,000 to around $110,000. According to a survey done in 2009, a region dubbed â€Å"North County Coastal† is the most wealthy region of San Diego. this area extends from Del Mar to Oceanside. This is consistent with the general trend of coastal property being more desirable and therefore wealthy people living in them. However, Imperial Beach, while having coastal property, has both a low average income and home value relative to the rest of the county. Rancho Santa Fe is the wealthiest census designated place in San Diego. It is not located on the coast. It is a part of the â€Å"North County Coastal† region. It is surrounded by other wealthy communities. The location alone is not enough to explain why Rancho Santa Fe is as an expensive of a place to live as it is. There are places like Chula Vista with comparable landscapes. The pattern of wealth distribution in San Diego County appears to be that wealthy communities are built around other wealthy communities. These places are found in a thin coastal strip in the northwest and west-central parts of the county. This pattern could be extended to explain why this strip is situated closer to Orange County than it is to the Mexican border. Patterns of home value do not completely follow natural-physical desirability but are influenced by them. The places is San Diego County with the lowest home values are found in the far east county, outside of the San Diego Urban Area. The Two cities in San Diego county with the lowest home value are Borrego Springs and Campo. The lower value of these homes can be explained by their rural location. The average home values in these cities are around $150,000 compared to over $1. 5 million in Rancho Santa Fe. The lowest income cities in the county include National City, El Cajon and Lemon grove. There is a strong parallel between high median incomes and high median home prices in San Diego county. That parallel does exist with low median incomes and median home values. The median home value in El Cajon is more than double the median home value in Borrego Springs even though the median income is higher in Borrego Springs. This can be explained by the general higher cost of living in urban areas. What I have found in this project is that there are many factors contributing to where different income groups and home values are located. I also found that there are interests that intend to mislead. One survey, published in 2009 by the county of San Diego, gave home values and net worths that the fine print said were from 2005. It seams that some try to make things look better than they are and that others try to avoid being profiled. These to factors were the biggest obstacles in researching for this project. â€Å"San Diego Metro Home Prices and Home Values in CA – Zillow Local Info. † Zillow – Real Estate, Homes for Sale, Home Prices Values. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. . â€Å"California Locations by per Capita Income. † Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 25 Nov. 2011. . â€Å"Formal and Fina San Diego Transfer of wealth study†-San Diego county http://www. energizingentrepreneurs. org/content/images/File/Formal%20and%20Final%20San%20Diego%20Transfer%20of%20wealth%20study-%20pdf. pdf How to cite Real Estate Values in San Diego County, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

The Stranger Cultural Analysis Essay Example For Students

The Stranger Cultural Analysis Essay This Novel, by Albert Camus, traces a year in the life of a young clerk, Meursault, in the 1940s who works for a shipping company in Algiers. The first thing that happens to Meursault is that he gets a telegram that his mother has departed. He takes a bus to see her and they hold the vigil. He shows no expression of remorse or sadness. Once back in Algiers Meursault goes to the public beach for a swim. There, he runs into Marie Cardona, his former co-worker. They decide to go on a date and they see a comedy movie, which is ironic after his mother’s death, and they sleep together during the night. The next day he spends just watching people in the street. That next day Meursault returns to work and works all day and while at his apartment Meursault runs into Salamano, an old man who lives in his building and owns a mangy dog. He also runs into his neighbor Raymond, who is suspected to be a pimp. Raymond invites Meursault to dinner and asks Meursault to write a nasty letter to this girl who cheated on Raymond, and Meursault complies. The next Saturday Marie comes over and asks if Meursault loves her, he doesn’t love her and doesn’t show it, and at night Meursault runs into Salamano who is crying over his dog who ran away. The following Sunday Meursault, Marie, and Raymond go to a beach house owned by Masson, one of Raymonds friends. They run into the girl’s, of whom they wrote the letter to, brothers and a knife is pulled on Raymond and cuts him. They both go different ways and later Meursault shoots one of the girl’s brothers. Meursault is then sent to jail and put on trial. He shows no remorse and over time he goes through more trials after being in prison for over a year and he is sentenced to death by the guillotine. The setting. . has done, and to free him from his entanglement. Works CitedBufacchi, Vittorio, and Laura Fairrie. Execution as Torture. Peace Review 13. 4 (2001): 511-517. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. Camus, Albert, and Matthew Ward. The Stranger. New York: Knopf, 1993. Print. 24 Apr. 2011. de Cavarlay, Bruno Aubusson. Can criminal statistics still be of scientific use? The French criminal justice system 1813-1980. Historical Methods 26.2 (1993): 69. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. Scherr, Arthur. Camuss THE STRANGER. Explicator 59. 3 (2001): 149. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. Scott, Nathan A. Albert Camus. New York: Hillary House, 1962. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. Strange, Alice J. Camus The Stranger. Explicator 56.1 (1997): 36. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 24 Apr. 2011.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Kids are not Pros Essays - Youth Athletics, Sport, Fun, Play, Kids

Kids Are Not Pros An important issue is the difference between youth and professional participants of sport. The major goals of professional sports are directly linked to their status in the entertainment industry. The goals of professional sports, simply stated, are to entertain and ultimately to make money. Financial success is of primary importance and depends heavily on a product orientation, namely winning. In the professional sport world, players are commodities to be bought, sold and traded. Their value is based on how much they contribute to winning and profit making. Professional athletes are often glorified by the media to create an image intended to generate interest in the team and to draw paying customers. The professional coach?s job is to win. A win at all costs philosophy is required for advancement. Youth sports are played to develop a child and not to exploit the child for the sake of money. The most important product is not how many wins or dollars, but rather, the quality of the experience for the child. In this sense, sport participation is an educational process whereby children can learn to cope with realities they will face later in life. Although winning is sought after, it is by no means the primary goal. The profit is measured not in the terms of dollars and cents, but in terms of the skills and personal characteristics that are acquired. Fun, a term we use quite often. Certainly it?s easy to tell when people are having fun. They show it in their expression of happiness, satisfaction, and enthusiasm. Being with others, meeting challenges, feeling the drama of uncertain outcomes, becomes more skilled-all of these add to the fun of sports. ?The importance of having fun is also shown in other scientific studies. A sport psychologist, Dr. Daniel Gould, summarized the results of two surveys conducted in the United States and Canada. The studies indicated that young athletes most often say they participate in organized sports for the following reasons: 1.To have fun. 2. To improve their skills and learn new skills. 3. To be with their friends or make new friends. 4. For thrills and excitement. 5. To succeed or win 6. To become physically fit.? (Smith, 2002) A career in professional sports or even participation at the college level is an unrealistic goal for the majority of young athletes. It is therefore important to impress on youngsters that sport is but one part of life for a well-rounded person. It is all too easy for young athletes to harbor fantasies of turning pro and to sacrifice other areas of their development in pursuit of that fabled status and its rewards of fame, money and glory. As valuable as athletics can be for development children, social and academic development, spiritual enrichment, and quality of family life should not suffer. Sport can offer both fun and fulfillment, but there is more to life than sports. Perhaps the best advice we can give is to encourage children to participate in sports if they wish. But at the same time coaches should help athletes to understand that sport participation is not an end in itself, but a means of achieving various goals. You can teach them to enjoy the process of competition for itself, rather than to focus on such end products as victories and trophies. Neither victory nor defeat should be blown out of proportion, and no coach should permit a child to define his or her self-worth purely on the basis of sport performance. By keeping sports in perspective, you can make them a source of personal growth and enrichment. Youth sports are also an important social activity in which children can make new friends and acquaintances and become part of an ever-expanding social network. Furthermore, sports an serve to bring families closer together. Finally of course, youth sports are or should be just plain fun.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Freedom after September 11 essays

Freedom after September 11 essays Freedom After the September 11th Tragedy There are a very large number of people in the United States of America that may say that freedom, as we have known it, will never be the same in this country again after the Tragedy of September 11th. Although some people may think that this event has no direct effect on the freedoms of other Americans, I have a strong belief that it does. There are two major reasons that I think our freedom is in jeopardy. One reason is because the September 11th tragedy brought a multitude of stereotypes into the minds of the ignorant in America. These stereotypes put the freedoms of Islamic Americans in jeopardy. The other reason I think that our freedom is in jeopardy is that the Taliban had friends as well. If the Taliban attacked our freedom, who is to say that their friends will I immediately thought about the Americans who are of Islamic and Muslim descent when the tragedy occurred. As an African American, I know a great deal about being stereotyped; so I can see how Islamic Americans might feel during these times. Since the tragedy, many of these Islamic Americans have been stereotyped abs being terrorists or bomb manufacturers. They are looked down on and stereotyped because of their ancestry and because of the way they look. This is a violation of their freedom. Hopefully, Americans as a whole will be able to put a stop to all of the negative stereotypes because when Islamic Americans feel that they have been robbed of their freedom, our freedom as a whole will be greatly damaged, too. Another reason that I feel our countrys freedom is in danger is because of the Talibans allies. I honestly do not think that the Taliban acted alone in their attempt to destroy the United States. Everyone has at least one friend and the Taliban is no ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Ecommerce law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ecommerce law - Essay Example Suppliers, on the other hand, are limited to bring a dispute only in the MS of the consumer's domicile (Art. 162). These rules are not limited by the 'means' that the contract was concluded (Art 151c), such that it covers contracts concluded electronically, extending the protection to e-consumers. English Common Law, on the other hand holds that the choice of law will be that chosen by the parties6 unless it is not bona fide or illegal7 and can only be overridden by the mandatory rules under the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 272. The absence of a choice of law, in this sense renders the country with the closest connection applicable.8 Under the Rome Convention (Convention), since it can apply to disputes regardless if the parties are members of a contracting state to the convention (Art 2); "a contract shall be governed by the law chosen by the parties" (Art 31). ... In the United Kingdom, these are set by the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977, as well as precedents in Common Law. In all three laws, the applicable law will be that chosen by the parties. However, under the three laws, for the rules regarding the absence of a choice of law to be enforced, it is required that 'steps necessary for the conclusion of the contract,' as well as 'specific invitation' or 'previous advertising' are conducted in a country for that country's rules to be applicable (Convention, Art 52; Regulation, Art 133a; Unfair Contract Terms Act 272).9 These provisions, however, entail certain problems. First, the lack of clear definitions regarding fundamental concepts, such the word 'professionals' for both the Regulation and the Convention; and the definition of 'goods and services' under Art 5 1 of the Convention, which does not cover the sale of software as well as content downloads, are bound to create jurisdictional problems for consumers. Second, with regard to the Convention, the rules are not flexible enough to cover changes in the geographic location of the consumer (Art 5 4), which are common in online transactions. This is in contrast to Art 15 1c of the Regulation, where the directed activity concept caters to changes in the consumer's geographic location, provided that they are within the target audience of the professional; which unfortunately is rendered problematic due to lack of legal definition of 'professional', as mentioned above. Third, the consumer is also in danger of losing the protection of his domicile' s 'mandatory rules' as stated in Art 72 due to the requirement in Art 52 that the supplier must first indicate intent to reach a certain market to be applicable, illustrating inflexibility. Last, with

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Immigration and assylum law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Immigration and assylum law - Essay Example UK is considered be a welfare state, where the constitution permits availability of required resources for its citizens and immigrants The UK government has revised its policy in this regard, and the legislators have sought the scrutiny of the process. The objective of the plan is to classify the cases of the political asylum on the basis of their eligibility. The authorities intend to implement a plan, according to which the seekers arte to be distinguished on the basis of deserving and undeserving criteria. The local population have expressed their concern over the heavy influx of political asylums, and the recent series of terrorist attacks and threats in the country has compel the authorities to revise their policies, and to thoroughly investigate the application of the asylum seekers. The government has been involved in the detention of those, whose applications have been approved, and plan to re-interrogate their application. The political asylum are considered to be problematic and homogenous group, and the government understands that it require early resolution so to avoid any chaos. The detention of the po litical asylum is therefore any bold strategy to counter for social disorder. Media has played a crucial role in this regard, the repeated discussion of political asylums, in their reports, and the expenses that government has to incur towards their health, stay and welfare, has therefore put a pressure on the government to review its policies in this regard. (Bauman, 1998) According to reports the security concerns have compel the UK government to take strong action against the asylum seekers, therefore have been incidents in the past where the asylum seekers are found guilty of criminal accusations. Asylum seekers are regularly associated with ‘illegality, racketeering and disregard for sovereign borders’. The media in its report has continuously warned the government

Monday, November 18, 2019

International Portfolio Diversification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Portfolio Diversification - Essay Example They are followed by the investment strategies pursued by three international funds. In this part, the steps that they make to highlight lucrative investment have been mentioned. Improving Returns International stocks have more chances to bring higher returns in comparison with the local stocks. Investors are considerably aware of the fact that international stocks have a wide variety of characteristics. The wide variety of characteristics is capable to increase portfolio performance by diversifying across different international markets or different industries in different countries. In this regard, investing in the foreign or international markets offers difference when compared with the investment made in domestic or national market, and this difference can be comprehended in three ways. First, barriers levied by currency controls, taxation, or investor traditions may further so divide national markets that assets are priced in a national instead of an international landscape. Sec ond, the co-variances among assets within a national market are much bigger than the co-variances among different markets. Third, exchange rates between different currencies depart from each other, exposing currency to international portfolios (Gupta & Donleavy, 2009, p. 163). ... If an investor invests 100 percent of his funds in a firm producing sunscreen lotion, he will be exposed to the risk of weather events; on rainy days there will be no sales of sunscreen lotion, but on sunny days sales will be good. If the same level of investment were divided with half in the sunscreen lotion firm and half in an umbrella manufacturing company, the investment would become immune to negative weather effects and the portfolio would generate interrupted flow of returns regardless of weather patterns. The Optimal International Portfolio Diversification brings variety in investment. The optimal international portfolio combines the same risk-free assets as before (Eiteman et al., 2010, p.438). Eiteman et al. (2010) argue that the benefits of international diversification can be comprehended on the basis of the fact that the optimal international portfolio incorporates both higher expected portfolio return and lower expected portfolio risk when compared with the purely natio nal or domestic optimal portfolio. As a result, the optimal international portfolio has been established as superior and financially lucrative as compared to the optimal domestic portfolio. Global Funds Using International Portfolio Diversification Templeton Global Bond Fund The firm uses both quantitative and qualitative analysis before investing diversified funds globally (Templeton Global Bond Fund, 2012). The firm employs both quantitative and qualitative analysis along with on-the-ground research. In order to minimize the portfolio risk and increase the chances of portfolio returns, the firm utilizes the resources of local analysts across the world to identify and highlight financially

Friday, November 15, 2019

Relationship Between Ireland And Great Britain

Relationship Between Ireland And Great Britain The years during 1815-1922 saw numerous significant events that would further Irish nationalism and culminate with the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921. OConnells Catholic Emancipation Bill resulted in Irish welfare becoming a key feature in British politics ever since. Yet, his subsequent failure to represent public opinion led to the split with Young Ireland. OConnells failure coupled with the perception of apathy displayed by the British during the Great Famine, led to the emergence of radicalised nationalism. Also, the increased emigration to the USA, as a consequence of the famine, resulted in a growing hostile attitude towards the British and led to the surfacing of new radical groups. Similarly, the initial failure of Parnells Home Rule movement led to further radicalisation amongst nationalists. Nevertheless, the long-term significance of it cannot be denied: the passing of the third Home Rule bill in 1912 was arguably a result of Parnells initial ability to convince the Liberals o f the need for such a bill. The prospect of Home Rule, however, led to the emergence of the UVF. Indeed, the Curragh mutiny that followed highlighted Asquiths wavering dedication to securing Home Rule to nationalists. Such realisations convinced the IRB of the need for the Rising of 1916. Certainly, the Easter Rising catalysed a series of events which saw the fall of the I.P.P. and the emergence of Sinn Fein. Moreover, the rising acted as an inspiration for Sinn Fein to follow and gave a degree of legitimacy to their goal. Thus, despite the great significance of the previous events, the Easter Rising can be regarded as a turning point as it replaced the moderate objective of achieving Home Rule with the more ambitious aim of Dominion Status. More importantly, it inspired Sinn Fein to exploit the increasing sympathy of the British public, which put pressure on the British government to create a treaty; previous events had failed to do this. The Catholic Emancipation Act 1829 can be regarded as a decisive moment in the British and Irish question. It served as a devastating blow to the protestant Ascendancy, which had been present since the late seventeenth century; they had now lost their political and economic supremacy. Significantly, it changed the fabric of British politics: it led to the emergence of an Irish party in the House of Commons. For the first time, the Irish Question was disclosed to the British government. Irish welfare was now to become a key feature in British politics. Additionally, OConnells popularity was exemplified in the County Clare election of 1828. Certainly, the election demonstrated the power and the possibilities that could be achieved with mass opinion. Thus, OConnells initial pragmatic ability cannot be denied: Oliver MacDonagh writes that before 1843 OConnell blazed the trail Westminster  [1]  . However, after this period OConnells record is one of resounding failure. There was an in creasing divide between OConnells ideology and general public opinion. OConnells sustained notion of peaceful methods to achieve repeal sparked a growing perception of OConnells timidity amongst the population. As Quigley argues his emphasis on moral force tactics was too outdated for the Irish national movement  [2]  . His split with Young Ireland, a group that now advocated the use of force, reinforces this notion. Nevertheless, OConnells actions were certainly significant in the course of the British and Irish question: because of his actions Irish welfare became a key issue at Westminster. Also, OConnells peaceful and constitutional methods were adopted by numerous individuals and remained prominent throughout a number of subsequent years. Ultimately, however, it cannot be seen as the turning point as the mass support for OConnell was short lived; this was followed by the dormancy of the I.P.P. for many years. Oliver MacDonagh concludes In the end he failed ingloriously two decades later his purposes and techniques had seemed almost to have vanished.  [3]   The Great Famine undeniably altered the course of the relationship between Britain and Ireland. As a consequence of the famine, more radical approaches were employed. Young Ireland, who blamed the British government for the famine, organised the armed rebellion of 1848; the rebellion was, however, a spectacular failure. Yet, it is important to consider the wider context- the famine led to a period of political apathy. As F.S.L. Lyons states the rebellion was totally out of touch with the world of reality  [4]  . The rebellion was significant, therefore, only in the long term: it was a possible inspiration to future successors for the republic to be fought and died for. There was an element of martyrdom, which became increasingly prominent in subsequent years. Of course, it is arguable that this element of martyrdom may have inspired the blood sacrifice, which was evident in the 1916 rising. Yet this is a somewhat romanticised view, it is perhaps more likely that the rebels realis ed that the constitutional methods of Gladstone and Parnell were not working and that nationalism was dying. In this way, it is similar to OConnell demise: there was a simple realisation that constitutional methods were not effective enough in persuading the British Government to enact change; mass opinion was equally crucial. The Great Famine also led to mass emigration with approximately two million immigrating to the USA. This was inevitably sparked by the widespread notion of abandonment towards the British government. Some historians go as far as to conclude that the British governments actions constituted genocide: J.P. Sweeney argues that the government manipulated fate by pushing people to the brink of extinction and turning away so not to hear the wailing  [5]  . The anti-British sentiment spread to the USA and this thus saw the emergence of the Fenians. Indeed, Fenian outrages in 1867, for instance, the incident in Manchester whereby the rebels became known as the Manchester Martyrs, arguably sparked Gladstones mission to pacify Ireland. Moreover, the American connection marked an important step in the growth of Irish-American political and financial support for Irish nationalist movements. Despite the growth of nationalist radicalisation, such groups remained to draw widespread support amongst the Irish population. Parnells Home Rule movement and its subsequent constitutional gains set a precedent for change. His commitment to pursuing constitutional methods was in direct contrast to the illicit methods of the Irish Nationalist Brotherhood, and this enabled Parnell to reach an agreement with the Irish Government. Certainly, Parnell was very effective in distancing himself from the violence that was employed by such groups: the shock Parnell displayed after the Phoenix Murders enabled Parnell to make huge constitutional gains as the government did not regard him as a threat- he made the concept of Home Rule a realistic objective; thus far no one had come close. The eventual failure of Home Rule, however, led to militant radical groups to surface. Nevertheless, Parnell had a profound impact on Anglo-Irish history. Parnell was, remarkably, able to convince a majority of the Irish population that Home Rule was a viable option. Undeniably, as Adelman states he turned the question of Home Rule from a vague ideal into practical politics  [6]  . Moreover, even after his death, the legacy of Parnells Home Rule movement shaped the policies of the Liberals. The introduction of the 1912 Home Rule Bill was, as Patricia Jalland states, arguably the logical consequence of a long-standing commitment  [7]  . It was Parnells Home Rule initiative that initially convinced the Liberals of the need to adopt a policy of Home Rule, and thus the passing of the 1912 Bill can be directly attributed to Parnells earlier constitutional methods. Of course, this went in front of many years of wholly unsuccessful attempts by other Irish Nationalist events; as one historian highlights, a few years previously it was difficult to believe any home rule bill would have had a reasonable chance of becoming law in the present generation  [8]  . The determination to secure Home Rule resulted in militant groups resurfacing. The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) now directly opposed the equally militant Irish Volunteers. Unionist leaders organised a Solemn League and Covenant, which attracted in excess of 250,000 signatures and pledged to resist the policy of Home Rule by all necessary means. Also, the Curragh Mutiny exposed the sympathy of army officers towards the unionists. Naturally, unionist preparations for an armed revolt triggered similar preparations by the nationalists. The significance of the mutiny lies in the UVFs realisation of the British governments lack of support from the army. In contrast, for the nationalists, the mutiny confirmed their suspicions of Asquiths dithering commitment to Home Rule. Moreover, the lingering prospect of civil war led to a realisation that any future attempt of Home Rule would result in similar conflict. Thus, in a sense, the realisation that civil war may have occurred enabled the Anglo -Irish Treaty of 1921 to work: it ensured the consideration of the partition of Ulster- if this was not considered then the treaty may well have broken down. Whilst this was not a turning point in itself, it did make the possibility of a later settlement a real possibility. The announcement of war in 1914 overshadowed the militancy of most nationalists and unionists. Yet the prospect of a distracted and stretched British government coupled with the recent formation of the Irish Volunteers, convinced the IRB to capitalise on the situation: on Easter Monday 1916, rebels stormed the GPO. The severely harsh punishments the British government subsequently employed sparked a widespread anti-British sentiment amongst the Irish population. It was at this point that the Easter Rising became a turning point. Indeed, within eighteen months, the demise of the I.P.P. was apparent and Sinn Fein came to occupy the place as the prevailing Irish nationalist party. Thus, the Easter Rising can be seen as a turning point as it initiated a stark reversal in public opinion. It is possible to argue that without the rising the fate of Irish politics would have been determined by the rather moderate objectives of Redmonds I.P.P. In essence, if the 1916 Easter Rising had not occ urred Ireland might well have settled for Home Rule as opposed to the more advanced option of Dominion status, which was later secured. As F.S.L. Lyons reaffirms, the whole constitutional movement, in the last analysis, was the chief casualty of 1916.  [9]   The tactics used by the rebels of 1916 also acted as an inspiration to Sinn Fein and the newly found IRA. The Rising led to an era of pursuing direct political or physical action. Certainly, their decision to boycott the Government of Ireland Act 1920 was indicative of Sinn Feins utter contempt towards British rule over Ireland. Additionally, their persistence of new terrorist tactics in the Anglo-Irish War led to the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921. However, it is important to note that ever since Parnells Home Rule Policy there was an increasing element of British sympathy present towards the Irish population. OBrien confirms this notion: Ever since the genius of Parnell compelled Gladstone to propagate the Irish question in England, the English have assumed an attitude of pity and commiseration towards Ireland  [10]  . This was crucial- many historians have argued that it was the pressure from the British public that prompted the prospect of a treaty; as D.G. Boyce writes, it was t he revolt of the British conscience, not the defeat of the British army, that obliged Lloyd George to seek terms of peace and settlement with Sinn Fein  [11]  . Nevertheless, previous events had simply failed to capitalise on this point. The Easter Rising can, therefore, be considered as the turning point as it inspired the IRA to use violence, which would spark a reaction of the British government. This in turn, sparked an outrage in Britain and thus put increased pressure on the British to secure a civilised settlement with Ireland. Of course, the initial reaction to the British Governments punishments in 1916 demonstrated to the IRA Britains propensity to alienate masses of people. In conclusion, the years 1815-1922 saw a multitude of events, which changed the relationship between Britain and Ireland. OConnell saw that Irish welfare became a key element in British politics and his constitutional methods along with his ability to garner mass support remained a prominent method in subsequent years. Yet OConnells later failure coupled with the Great Famine initiated an increasingly radical approach, resulting in Young Irelands 1848 rebellion and Fenian outrages in 1867. Similarly, Parnells initial failure to secure Home Rule led to the surfacing of militant groups. Yet, these events crucially failed to use constitutional methods based on mass support in conjunction with an element of radicalism. It was not until after the Easter Rising of 1916 where both of these methods were employed. The Rising initiated the demise of the I.P.P. and saw the emergence of Sinn Fein and the formation of the Dail Eireann. This was, of course, complemented by the creation of the IRA, which was part of the new philosophy of physical action, which stemmed from the rising. This led to Dominion status being granted to Ireland. Certainly, the notion that the rising led to the more advanced dominion status as opposed to the moderate objective of Home Rule further reiterates that the Easter Rising was the turning point in the long-standing British and Irish question; as McGarry writes the Rising is the defining event of the modern Irish republican tradition  [12]  . Word Count: 2355

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Ecotage :: Environmental Activism Essays

Ecotage In recent decades, as environmental loss has grown as fast as our population, hundreds of plans, programs, groups and organizations have been established in order to uncover and solve the causes of world-wide environmental destruction. Many of these programs are initiated and funded by federal, state and local government and are mainly targeted at general problems and result in minimal success. Other groups have been formed by private parties who usually hold more compassion and concern for the causes they are working for. However, these organizations are easily hindered by political resistance and result in equally discouraging results. Of course, there have been many instances in which environmental groups have attained victory through political debates and litigation; yet the amount of failed attempts far outweighs the victories. Political debating is incredibly difficult due to the power and financial support given to politicians by special interest groups. However, there is one other form of activism which has had an incredible success rate, at least in gaining attention and forcing their voices to be heard. This form of activism, commonly referred to as ecotage, focuses precisely on the activities of companies and industries which seriously damage the environment. These actions are never aimed at harming individuals, while private property is for the destroying. One common act of ecotage is the driving of long metal spikes vertically through the base of trees. Subsequently, as the logger attempts to saw the 'spiked' tree, the chain on the saw snaps, thus delaying the murder of the tree as well as causing a financial burden for the individual or company. Other activities involve ruining bulldozers by adding sand or similar abrasives to the gasoline, which results in seized bulldozer engines. In times of increased urgency for the protection of our remaining ecosystems, organizations such as Greenpeace and Earth First! have proven their ability to be effective and have their voices heard regarding the permanent preservation of our dwindling environment. While Greenpeace has been the traditional radical environmentalist group of the 70's and 80's, modern, revolutionary type activists feel the 'peace' is now a higher priority than the 'green'. Earth First!, started by Dave Forman, has become the front-runner in civil disobedience and direct, non-violent environmental activism. Their principles are simple, "It is a belief in biocentrism, or Deep Ecology, and a practice of putting our beliefs into action" (Unclaimed, 1997 [see references]). Earth First! feels no regard for the well-being of anyone or thing except the environment and its natural inhabitants, thus the name Earth First!.