Homosexuality in America

Despite the United States progress toward homosexual liberation in the past few years, anti-gay and lesbian attitudes are still showing their ugly faces. Violence towards homosexuals is on the rise, conversion groups are popping up everywhere, conflict over homosexuality innateness is high, religious and personal discrimination is rampant: all this in a time when more and more gays and lesbians are coming out and their coming out at younger ages. It is a time in America when we need to support the homosexual community. Jamie Nabozny, now an openly gay man, was a troubled teenager who ttempted suicide three times and had frequently stayed in psychiatric wards. In high school he was tortured with emotional and physical violence from his peers. On one occasion in his freshmen year, two boys attacked him in the bathroom. He fell into the urinal and the boys proceeded to urinate on him. I just remember sitting there, waiting for it to get over with, recalled Nabozny (Jerome, 1). The school did nothing to prevent the harassment. Later, in his junior year, he was beaten so severely that he had to undergo exploratory abdominal surgery. Nabozny decided to sue the school district. The case was thrown out, but when he appealed to the federal courts, they decided a school could be sued for not preventing harassment. The district settled out of court, paying Nabozny $900,000 (Jerome, 5). Willi Wagner, a gay teenager who came out in ninth grade, was also harassed. Most of the time the abuse was verbal, and he was always ready with a comeback. Theyd call me a faggot and Id call them a hick, Wagner said. However, things did become violent. When Wagner and some friends were walking down the street, two vehicles stopped beside them and eight boys jumped out. Five of the boys formed a circle around Wagner, while the others beat him, leaving him with two black eyes, a broken nose and many bruises. I could feel my nose crack. It wasnt a good feeling, Wagner said of the incident. Two of the boys were put on probation for the incident; not near enough punishment for the crime (Jerome, 3). Incidents like these are quite common. In fact, one study showed that while the overall crime rate decreased four percent, anti-gay crimes rose seven percent (Peyser, 1). Another study, conducted by the Massachusetts Department of Education, found that, for homosexuals, the igh school years are filled with abuse, some of it self-inflicted. Gay and lesbian teenagers are five times more likely to use cocaine or skip school out of fear for safety than straight kids. Over thirty six percent of homosexual teens will attempt suicide each year (Jerome, 1). Conversion groups, usually run by religious denominations, are becoming more widespread. The goal of these groups is to convert homosexuals into heterosexuals, and in the meantime save them from the pits of hell. Conversion groups thrive on the idea that homosexuality is a choice, something about a person that can be changed. Some programs include butching up the men and feminizing the women. This is done by taking the males to sporting events and having make-up or shopping parties for females, or by pairing them with heterosexual mentors to show them the way to act. Others have gays and lesbians imagine members of the same sex as diseased, or perform exorcisms.. These programs say they have about a one-third success rate, success being when a homosexual is cured, that is when he or she no longer acts on urges (Schoofs, 2). Often, however, these therapies end up doing more harm than good, as hey did for Jeffrey Coates. He had been raised to believe that gay men go to hell. So after his first sexual experience with a man, Coates joined a twenty week conversion program called Desert Stream. He was recognized for making excellent progress in his group, even though he admitted that he felt absolutely no different inside.. He continued to try to become heterosexual until he finally decided suicide was less of a sin than same-sex relationships. He drank heavily one night and drove home on a narrow road, hoping to drive into the canyon. Fortunately, he made it home alive (Schoofs, 1). Now Coates is comfortable with his sexuality and does not regret his conversion experience merely because it helped him come to terms with himself. Another man, Brandon Bauer, could not be accepted as gay by his Mormon peers. He attempted suicide at age seventeen, and soon after, he was admitted into therapy under a Mormon psychologist. He told Bauer that he was under Satans influence, that Satan was making him believe that he could not change. Bauers parents were instructed to remove all magazines that might contain male underwear models and to time his showers to prevent im from masturbating. He was told that God could forgive a murderer, but He could never forgive a homosexual. It haunts me to this day, he said. Bauer began to live a double life, one as a heterosexual with kids and a wife, and another as a homosexual who drinks and has sex. Despite the fact that he now accepts his sexuality, he admits that conversion therapy has permanently scarred him (Schoofs, 3). Many people wonder if these therapies actually work. This issue was addressed by Ariel Shidlo and Michael Schroeder, two New York psychologists. In their study, they found that five out of one hundred and fifty people tested are happy with their conversion, but each of these people still have homosexual urges (Miller, 2). It may be concluded that homosexuals are not cured but merely suppressing their feelings. Often, as in the case of Kelly Kirby, the attendees end up meeting their future partners at the conversion meetings (Schoofs, 4). These ministries actually act as a transition place for many people to come out and accept their gayness, says Jeffrey Coates (Schoofs, 5). The gay curing movement is spreading because of actions like the Christian Coalition and the Family Research Councils joint effort in launching a $200,000 ad campaign. The full-page ads feature photographs of ex-gays, talk about the physical and spiritual consequences of sin and offer the solution of conversion therapy. This kinder, gentler homophobia was the brainchild of Janet Folger, who on Nightline, confessed to supporting laws that criminalize homosexual sex, proving to some the true anti-gay hate behind the facade of Christian love (Schoofs, 1). In a study administered by Gallup, only thirteen percent of Americans onsidered homosexuality as innate in 1977. By 1996, that number had climbed to thirty one percent. The study also found that Americans are twice as likely to accept homosexuality if they believe it was not a choice (Schoofs, 2). So, is it a choice Scientific evidence says no. The evidence we now have strongly suggests that this is determined. Its not purely genetic, but there doesnt seem to be any choice in the matter. One thing that is clear is that the brain of homosexuals and heterosexuals appear to be different. Studies suggest that homosexuals in many cases developed neurologically in a ay that made them more likely to become homosexual, reported University of Massachusetts (Amherst) professor of neuroscience Geert J. De Vries (Jerome, 2). More simply put, Ask some straight guy to imagine what it would be like if he was told, You cant love women and now youre going to have to love a guy. Tell em that, and then they get it, says Dave Lemon, a man who tried for years to become heterosexual (Schoofs, 2). If it were a choice, why would someone choose it Despite improvements in openness, such as the public coming out of Ellen Degeneres, many still say homosexuality is wrong. They might point to anatomy. Our bodies are not made for homosexual sex, says Michael Johnston, president of the Kerusso Ministry, The anus was not to be penetrated (Schoofs, 3). What most people dont seem to realize is that many heterosexuals practice anal sex, and that many gay men (not to mention lesbians) never do. Joseph Nicolosi, cofounder of NARTH, a secular psychological organization, said, I think the penis was made for a vagina: I dont think it was made for another mans rectum. When Nicolosi was asked if the penis was made for the hand or the mouth, other body arts where the penis is often found, he answered sharply, I dont want to get into that (Schoofs, 4). Some insist it is morally wrong or they point to the Bible, taking the Scripture literally, and say it is a sin. Many believe marriage and relationships are to be between a man and a woman. Some Americans are concerned that the homosexual community will encourage their children to be gay or lesbian. The Boy Scouts recently fought to ban gay scoutmasters. Scout spokesman Gregg Sheilds said, A homosexual is not a role model for traditional family values (Peyser, 2). As for the religious iscrimination, The gay and lesbian community is still the community you can blatantly attack and then hide behind the Bible, said Rebecca Isaacs, political director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (Revival of Hatred, 1). America is currently in a period of backward thinking, the one step back after our two steps forward. Tolerance is the only way the United States can become united at all. We must overcome our differences, end discrimination and join this fight together. No one deserves to be mistreated as homosexuals are today. Remember that all men were created equal- even gay men.

Andersonville Prison essays

Andersonville Prison essays Perhaps the most famous prison in United States military history, Andersonville Prison, or Camp Sumter as it was officially known, was the largest of several military prisons established during the Civil War. In November of 1963, a Confederate captain was sent to assess the possibility of building a prison for captured Union soldiers in the small village of Andersonville, Georgia. Its close proximity to the Southwestern Railroad, the abundance of freshwater, and its deep-south location made Andersonville an ideal Confederate prison location. Andersonville was therefore chosen as the site for a prison that would later become infamous for the thousands of prisoners that would die there before the end of the war. Construction of the 16.4 acre camp began in January of 1864. The first prisoners arrived on February 25, while the stockade was still under construction. Designed to hold 10,000 prisoners, the prison was soon overcrowded, holding 22,000 by June. Although the prison was enlarged in June to 26.5 acres, the number of prisoners continued to swell. By August 1864, more than 33,000 prisoners were confined in Andersonville. Bad sanitary conditions, crowding, lack of cooking facilities, poor food and exposure soon produced respiratory diseases, influenza and scurvy. Without drugs, the inadequate medical staff could not cope with the situation. More than 45,000 Union soldiers were sent to Andersonville during the 14 months the prison was in operation. Of these, 12,912 died from disease, malnutrition and/or exposure. Former prisoners blamed Capt. Henry Wirz, commander of the interior of the prison, for the suffering. As a result, Wirz was tried in August of 1865 after the Confederate surrender, on charges of murder and conspiring with Jefferson Davis (the Confederate leader) to murder. He was found guilty by a military commission, and hanged on November 10th, 1865. ...

Travels In Alaska essays

Travels In Alaska essays Travels in Alaska takes readers on a trip to Alaska through the vivid descriptions of the author, John Muir. The book is based on journals Muir wrote during his visits to Alaska in 1879, 1880, and 1890. These chronicles of his journey relate his observations of nature, glaciers, and the many people he met. Traveling on foot, by canoe, and dogsled Muir experienced excitement discovering unfamiliar types of lands and animals. Each summer Muir and his new found Presbyterian missionary friend S. Hall Young accompanied by Tlingit Indian guides launched extensive voyages of discovery in a thirty foot canoe. John Muir was a naturalists who loved to go to wild places and experience the wonders of nature. Chapter One of Travels In Alaska is inspired by the beautiful scenery Muir writes in his boat in route to Puget Sound. He describes the scenery, weather, and hospitality shown to him by the individuals he met during his journey through the Alexander Archipelago to Fort Wrangell and Sitka. Also, a man named Mr. Vanderbilt offered John a room and a place at his table. The Vanderbilt family occupied the best house in the fort and this is where he found a real home; with the chance to go on all sorts of excursions as opportunity offered. Muir's steamer goes first to Sitka, then on to Wrangell. The Klondike gold rush was yet to begin, but John heard of twenty-eight miners who had just gone from Sitka into the Yukon to prospect. The next summer he came across and interviewed a number of the original twenty-eight miners in S.E. Alaska in Sum Dum Bay. While in Wrangell Muir was adopted by the Stickeen tribe, and given an Indian name (Ancoutahan) that means adopted chief. Being adopted by the Stickeens was a excellent safeguard while John was on his travels among the different tribes of the archipelago. No one belonging to the other tribes would attack him, knowing that the Stickeens would hold them accountable. Muir also de...

The European Overseas Empires - Overview

The European Overseas Empires - Overview Europe is a relatively small continent, especially compared to Asia or Africa, but during the last five hundred years, European countries have controlled a huge part of the world, including almost all of Africa and the Americas. The nature of this control varied, from the benign to the genocidal, and the reasons also differed, from country to country, from era to era, from simple greed to ideologies of racial and moral superiority such as The White Mans Burden. They are almost gone now, swept away in a political and moral awakening over the last century, but the after-effects spark a different news story almost every week. A Desire to Find New Trade Routes Inspired Exploration There are two approaches to the study of the European Empires. The first is straightforward history: what happened, who did it, why they did it, and what effect this had, a narrative and analysis of politics, economics, culture, and society. The overseas empires began to form in the fifteenth century. Developments in shipbuilding and navigation, which allowed sailors to travel across the open seas with much greater success, coupled with advances in maths, astronomy, cartography, and printing, all of which allowed better knowledge to be more widely spread, gave Europe the potential to extend over the world. Pressure on land from the encroaching Ottoman Empire and a desire to find new trade routes through to the well-known Asian markets- the old routes being dominated by Ottomans and Venetians- gave Europe the push- that and the human desire to explore. Some sailors tried going around the bottom of Africa and up past India, others tried going across the Atlantic. Indeed, the vast majority of sailors who made western voyages of discovery were actually after alternative routes to Asia- the new American continent in between was something of a surprise. Colonialism and Imperialism If the first approach is the sort you will encounter mainly in history textbooks, the second is something youll encounter on the television and in the newspapers: the study of colonialism, imperialism, and the debate over the effects of empire. As with most isms, there is still an argument over exactly what we mean by the terms. Do we mean them to describe what the European nations did? Do we mean them to describe a political idea, which we will compare to Europes actions? Are we using them as retroactive terms, or did people at the time recognize them and act accordingly? This is just scratching the surface of the debate over imperialism, a term thrown around regularly by modern political blogs and commentators. Running alongside this is the judgmental analysis of the European Empires. The last decade has seen the established view- that the Empires were undemocratic, racist and thus bad- challenged by a new group of analysts who argue that the Empires actually did a lot of good. The democratic success of America, albeit achieved without much help from England, is frequently mentioned, as are the ethnic conflicts in African nations created by Europeans drawing straight lines on maps. Three Phases of Expansion There are three general phases in the history of Europes colonial expansion, all including wars of ownership between the Europeans and indigenous people, as well as between the Europeans themselves. The first age, which began in the fifteenth century and carried on into the nineteenth, is characterized by the conquest, settlement, and loss of America, the south of which was almost entirely divided between Spain and Portugal, and the north of which was dominated by France and England. However, England won wars against the French and Dutch before losing to their old colonists, who formed the United States; England retained only Canada. In the south, similar conflicts occurred, with the European nations being almost thrown out by the 1820s. During the same  period,  European nations also gained influence in Africa, India, Asia, and Australasia (England  colonized  the whole of Australia), especially the many islands and landmasses along the trading routes. This influence only increased during the nineteenth and early twentieth century, when  Britain, in particular, conquered India. However, this second phase is  characterized by the New Imperialism, a renewed interest and desire for overseas land felt by many European nations which prompted The Scramble for Africa, a race by many European countries to carve up the entirety of Africa between themselves. By 1914, only Liberia and  Abysinnia  remained independent. In 1914, the First World War began, a conflict partly motivated by imperial ambition. The consequent changes  in  Europe and the world eroded many beliefs in Imperialism, a trend enhanced by the Second World War. After 1914, the history of the European Empires- a third phase- is one of gradual  decolonization  and independence, with the vast majority of empires ceasing to exist. Given that European colonialism/imperialism affected the whole world, it is common to discuss some of the other rapidly expanding nations of the period as a comparison, in  particular, the United States and their ideology of manifest destiny. Two older empires are sometimes considered: the Asian part of Russia and the Ottoman Empire. The Early Imperial Nations England, France, Portugal, Spain, Denmark, and the Netherlands. The Later Imperial Nations England, France, Portugal, Spain, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.

American Poetry Interpretation Paper Research Proposal

American Poetry Interpretation Paper - Research Proposal Example It is quite intriguing to know that the speaker in this poem questions through several inquisitive remarks the need for building walls to his laconic neighbor, but at the same time the speaker takes the initiative every year to let his neighbor know about the wall-building task. Besides that, the speaker also repairs the walls that have been destroyed by the hunters. It is also shocking the way the seemingly peaceful neighbor is described by the speaker 'like an old-stone savage armed' (1914). John C. Kemp explains the irony in this poem as follows: 'Ironically (and there is much irony in this poem), although the speaker complains about his neighbor's unfriendliness, his own susceptibility to subjective vision and his willingness to let his imagination run away with him predispose him also to prejudicial attitudes.' (Kemp, 1979, in Modern American Poetry, 2002a). It is obvious that "Mending Wall" is concerned with the state of incommunication between the neighbors (Montiero, 1988, in Modern American Poetry, 2002a), but a central theme of this poem is related to the critical spirit of the speaker that echoes some kind of influence from authors like Emerson and Thoreau. Analyzing the speaker's attitude towards his neighbor, Racher Hadas makes the following assertations: 'What he objects to is not so much the sentiment itself as the unwillingness or inability of the other to think for himself, to "go beyond his father's saying."' (Hadas, 1976, in Modern American Poetry, 2002a). Furthermore, the use of irony, ambiguity, and critical thinking in Frost's poetry can be understood from his remarks in the essay "Education by Poetry" as follows: 'Poetry provides the one permissible way of saying one thing and meaning another. People say, "Why don't you say what you mean" We never do that, we being all of us too much poets. We like to talk in parables and in hints and indirections--whether from diffidence or some other instinct.' (Frost quoted by Raab, 1996, in Modern American Poetry, 2002a). On the other hand, in "The Road Not Taken" there is a subtle irony hidden through some ambigous lines that many readers fail to understand in their right dimension. The speaker had been faced with the challenge of choosing between two paths that in essence are equivalent ('...Then took the other, as just as fair...', '...really about the same...', '...equally lay / In leaves no step had trodden black...' (Frost, 1916)). The final stanza can be interpreted with a deeper meaning that the one that lies in the surface as Jay Parini points out: 'My guess is that Frost, the wily ironist, is saying something like this: "When I am old, like all old men, I shall make a myth of my life. I shall pretend, as we all do, that I took the less traveled road. But I shall be lying."' (Parini, 1988, in Modern American Poetry, 2002c). Indeed, the speaker chose the "road less traveled" but this doesn't mean that it was in fact the best decision in the long run (Richardson, 1997, in Modern American Poetry, 2002c). For Robert Faggen, the hidden implications of this poem can be found in the fact that 'It parodies and demurs from the biblical idea

The sale of Gatwick Airport Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The sale of Gatwick Airport - Case Study Example Gatwick Airport, the second largest airport in the United Kingdom, has been offered for sale by BAA, its owner following a move by the competition commission to push the Company to dispose three of its British airports due to dominance concerns of the Airline business market. Gatwick, being the country's second biggest airport, acts as a major component of the national infrastructure as well as a significant constituent of the British aviation industry. There have been misgivings through out the country's economic sector with many feeling that the airport has been flogged off with less attention to the bigger social effects.According to BBC NEWS (2008), the competition committee, which is charged with the job of ensuring and regulation the operations of airports in UK ruled that the BAA had no option but to give away three of the company's airports based in the UK to create more competition in the sector. It insisted that the organization have to sell two of the South East airports w hich comprises of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. Regarding this, BAA which is possessed by Spanish company Ferrovial ruled out the sell of Heathrow and Stansted thus leaving Gatwick airport for bidding. Other airports ran by the BAA includes Glasgow, Edinburgh and Scotland based Aberdeen as well as southern England based Southampton. The competition commission has been trying to make to an end the monopolistic control on airport operations to install quality of the services offered in order to provide its clients with efficiency. As a result of this, different companies have indicated their interest in purchasing the airport that has been estimated to have a value of around $ 1.8 billion as per regulators although the price for the airport is likely to be set by the current market circumstances.. Some of the major companies who have indicated there interest in Gatwick include Manchester Airports Group Plc (MAG), Global Infrastructure partners and Lysander Gatwick Investment. Since early 1970s , the control of Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted airports has been under BAA which the competition commission blames for the insufficient competition between south-east English airports and the central Scotland based ones. As per BBC NEWS(2008), this monopoly control has resulted to low levels of service provision to passengers and airline companies and as well lower the incentives for more chances of improvement. BAA has been blamed for slow implementation of new route development plans at several airports as well as being sluggish in venturing into fresh terminals and creating more runways. This situation has been contrasted with other airports such as London city and Manchester airports which have been in the front line in implementing these changes. They have been trying to expand the facilities and services and lowering charges as well as being more responsive to the special needs of the customers. . Major Airport Operators in UK and Europe Manchester Airports Group Plc (MAG) It is the second biggest airport operator in the country and runs Manchester Airport, the third largest airport in the United Kingdom, presently handling 20 million freight passengers annually and having flights to more than 180 destinations globally with over 90 airlines. Other airports ran by the operator includes Nottingham East Midlands airport, Humberside airport and Bournemouth airport. The company also runs Borealis Capital Corporation and Manchester Pension Fund. Global Infrastructure partners Is an organization that possesses London City Airport. It has a brand value of $5.64 billion fund. It is run by professional investment executives' partners who experience direct investment to the fund. London City airport is the leading commercial airport in UK. It has ten airlines operating 32 destinations all over UK and the rest of Europe. It also connects to the rest

In the news Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

In the news - Essay Example The whole scene was set up like a real time support system. The funny scenes were created as an effort to provide people a comic relief, as well as to market its low budget medicines directed to provide relief for single ailments, such as head-ache, insomnia, body ache etc. The scenes included a high-heel wearing model walking on a tread-mill to market for its â€Å"Help I have a blister† packet of bandages, and a performer sleeping in a store window to divert interest towards its â€Å"Help I can’t sleep† caplets (Olsen pgB3).The store team not only imparted information to passers by regarding ailments, but also distributed its head-ache packets and nausea medicine to polling stations and campaign offices. Their marketing style may seem comical and wacky, but the store founders claim to have conveyed a serious message. I have understood from my marketing insight that they have tried to simplify the buying process for the customers, who often seem confused by the varying brands and products on offer. People end up buying more than they need, due to excessive marketing campaigns, this simplified strategy of low dosages for single ailments not a host of ailments, made people realize what they aim to buy for lesser prices. Marketing should be done for people who are not experts, but still customers, who want simple solutions for complex problems, with creativity and fun all rolled into one. This campaign carved a niche for itself in the already crowded pharmaceutical market; it included viral videos, performance windows and tactile packaging to make the message clear, direct and on-the-spot (Olsen pgB3). Olsen, Elizabeth. "Attacking Ailments With Small Doses."New York Times  [Washington.] 09 11 2012, New York Edition pgB3. Print.