Reflection paper on the documentary Worse than war by Mike DeWitt with Essay

Reflection paper on the documentary Worse than war by Mike DeWitt with Daniel Goldhagen as a main star in it - Essay Example Despite the beautiful landscapes that the documentary dots the chilling events with, Goldhagen offers a concise narration of the events behind these genocides and helps in bringing out the serious atrocities. Besides this narration, the documentary brings out deeper implications of these wars with much deeper effects on victims than just the actual act of war, a view that is in most cases not brought to the international focus. As the title illustrates, most of these genocides were not just usual wars but were strategically planned and orchestrated towards weakening a certain side politically, socially, or economically, to offer the perpetrators a leeway to dominate their victims for many years into the future. For instance, the documentary takes viewers to the harrowing stories of Burundi and Rwanda survivors, revealing the real motive of the genocide. The genocide targeted the Hutu to seriously weaken their power in ensuring the Tutsis have unmatched powers to dominate the countryà ¢â‚¬â„¢s politics. The slaughter was not motivated by anything else other than to lessen the powers of Hutus, in addition to eliminating the political elites who were a threat to the prevailing political dynamics. The Hutu survivors narrated how the Tutsis killed or forced their elite tribesmen into exile. One of the respondents noted that the Tutsis wanted to kill their clan because his clan was more educated and thus perceived as a threat to the power hungry Tutsi cliques. This explains the arrest of most victims in government offices or other powerful offices, killed or incapacitated to weaken the voice of the Hutu. In other words, the documentary brings out the point that when the elite in the society is eliminated, the poor have no powers, leaving the perpetrators with an easy way to pursue their agendas with little or no criticism. In Germany, as the documentary narrates, Hitler alongside with the Nazis killed or incarcerated most of the German elites inclined to the communist s or socialist movements, which offered an excellent opportunity for the Nazis to have a total grasp of the country in 1933. After conquering Poland, similar to the Rwandese case, most of the elites in Poland were massively slaughtered, which reduced the resistance of the people towards the German policies to occupy and execute their power in Poland. Genocide is a perfect tool to consolidate power and silence any possible critiques in a regime, offering them the right environment to propagate their ideologies unopposed. Another powerful tool used in these genocides is to socially destabilize the perceived enemies by annihilating the masses from their homes and ancestral lands, which later offers some political expediency as the victims would not have the time to vote or be involved in the political affairs of the country. This was achieved in Indonesia where the mass followers of a communist party were forced into camps. Despite such annihilation, such genocides as happened in Indon esia have religious implications, which permanently alter the life of the victims long after the war. In Indonesia, as the documentary illustrates, the Muslim majority who perpetrated the genocide forced most of the non-muslins to convert into Muslim religion, which changed the victims’

Cuban Missile Crisis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cuban Missile Crisis - Assignment Example This essay will investigate this important aspect of the Cold War in terms of the causes, effects, and resolution to understand it better. In 1956, the Cuban Revolution began as an offensive rebellion against the US’s influence and control of the island nation. Under President Batista, whom the majority of Cuban nationals considered an American puppet; Cuba’s per capita income was greater than other comparative countries. However, the United States controlled most of the nation’s primary infrastructure. American companies controlled more than 90% of the island’s power and telecommunications infrastructure. Additionally, they owned half of Cuba’s railway assets and facilities, as well as control of over 40% of Cuba’s sugar production and export industry. Additionally, the country’s agricultural policy dictated the cultivation of sugar by the populace mandatory. By the time Batista was ousted from power, Cuba had the highest American investments in the Latin American region. Unfortunately, the distribution of these resources and any attached wealth was not equal. The pover ty gap was at an all-time high, which was ironical for a country with such high per capita scores. These were the beginnings of a dissent from the American influence over Cuba. In the years that followed 1956, Fidel Castro, Ernesto Che Guevara, and Castro younger brother Raul, orchestrated a series of guerilla attacks on the government’s forces in Mount Sierra Maestra. Immediately after defeating the government’s forces with the assistance of local farmers, Fidel Castro set up a shadow government that consisted of the former government’s ministerial figures. However, this shadow government did not last long as he dismissed them due to disagreements over his reform policies. Shortly after, he declared himself Prime Minister and assumed full control of Cuba. After taking over the Cuban leadership, Fidel Castro traveled to the United States to

Islam vs. Christianity Essay Example for Free

Islam vs. Christianity Essay Christianity and Islam have many similarities and can easily be compared to one another. Both trace their roots to Abraham. Both believe in prophecy, Gods messengers (apostles), revelation, scripture, the resurrection of dead, and the centrality of religious community. This last element is especially important. Both Christianity and Islam have a communitarian dimension: what the church is to Christianity the umma is to Islam. Despite these significant similarities, however, these two world religions have a number of significant differences as well. I will discuss 3 topics and go into detail about their moral teachings, roles and responsibilities (duties) and social justice issues, I will also be discussing their similarities and differences. The prophet Muhammad said: I have been sent to perfect the morals. The Quran is the criterion (furqan). Anything that contradicts the Quran is not from Islam. When it comes something like divorce in the Islam religion the bible says {2:231} And when you divorce women and they reach their prescribed time, then either retain them in good fellowship or set them free with liberality, and do not retain them for injury, so that you exceed the limits, and whoever does this, he indeed is unjust to his own soul;†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ this means that God encourages the husband and wife to appoint arbitrators as the first step to aid in reconciliation in the process of divorce. If the reconciliation step fails, both men and women are guaranteed their right to divorce as established in the Quran, but the ques tion lies in what is the procedure for each. When the man initiates a divorce, it is known as talaq. However it is different in the Christianity religion; it says that the ending of the legal union between two married people is called divorce. Throughout most ages and societies forms of divorce have existed. Divorce is an unnatural act. It states in Matthew 19:8-9 ~ 8 Jesus replied, â€Å"Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.   I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.† Also Christians believe in the concept of Original Sin which means that human beings are born as sinners, bearing the burden of the Original Sin of Adam and Eve. Muslims do not believe in the Original Sin for 2 main reasons; In the Quran, God forgave Adam for what he has done, and according to the Quran, no  one should be made to bear the burden of someone elses sin or mistake because it is unfair. A similarity that the Islam religion and Christianity religion have is People should follow the Ten Commandments and the moral teachings of the prophets. Islam, being religion of nature, understands that human beings are born with varying gifts. As they differ in their bodies and their features so they differ in their mental and other capabilities. Islam ensures just and equitable distribution of wealth among the people and, on the other hand, provides socia l security to the poor and the destitute in the form of basic necessities of life. Besides that, Islam also protects the weak from the economic exploitation by the strong. All there are various aspects and manifestations of what is called Islamic social justice. In Christianity, what then, is social justice in Biblical terms? Justice and righteousness are part of a way of life, which God expects of us as His people (see e.g. Micah 6:8; Ps. 11:7; 1John 3:7). This stems from the kind of character, which we possess, and is in turn the reflection of what God Himself is and how He acts (1John 3:7). Social justice is essentially the outworking of this way of life in our relationships with others. It is not an option that we may accept or avoid at our choice; it is a necessary part of our practical Christian living. Peace is central to these 2 faiths. This is reflected historically in their use of similar greetings meaning peace be upon you: pax vobiscum in Christianity, and salaam alaikum in Islam. Often, however, the greeting of peace has been meant primarily for members of ones own faith community. Each religion has its own roles and responsibilities, the Islam religion have there responsibilities for husbands and rights of the wife; there are four main rolls for wife’s in marriage, the first is Obeys husband on matters not against Islam, the second is Ensures the conjugal rights of the husbands; this means that With respect to intim acy, a wife may not deny herself to her husband. As this is one of the reasons why Islam legalizes marriage, because in Islam sexual intimacy is only applicable strictly to husband and wife. The third is Protects husband’s honor and property this includes to not receive anyone in his home whom he does not like. In case, she’s entrusted with any funds, she must discharge her duty wisely and thriftily. The fourth is to manage the household and upbringing of children’s welfare. The husband’s roles and responsibility is to provide  mahr (dowry), Serves as protector and the guardian of the wife, and Treats wife with kindness and fairness, which means to never throw vulgarity at the wife. In Christianity besides of the mans role of providing for the family and the women’s role says the ability to properly manage the household it says God created for husband and wife to share in the same goals but have different roles. Together they compliment one another and work together in harmony. A similarity is that Christianity and Islam believe that people should follow the Ten Commandments and the moral teachings of the prophets. When discussing differences between Christian and Islam worship, we should also note that Muslims are very attentive not just to the interior aspects of worship but to the external aspects as well. In this Muslims have much more in common with Eastern Christianity than with Western Christianity, especially Protestantism. Like E astern Christians, Muslims use their whole body in prayer. Both groups, for instance, make prostrations before God in their worship. This research project has helped/shape and strengthens my own views on another faith and my own faith, which is Christianity, I have earned a lot about Islam and I never knew that it could have some similarities to the Christian faith. When it comes to the principals, values and traditions of Christianity that I will pass on to my children and hopefully they can pass it on to theirs to keep the Christian faith going on for more generations.

Electronic Music | An introdcution

Electronic Music | An introdcution Electronic Music: The standard way of thinking about music has it that it is an important aspect of any culture and socialization. Although there is major difference in music genres from culture to culture, we all can say that music is an important part of our lives. Not only it is soothing, but it also creates individuality in individuals depending on the genre of music they like and accept. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics,†Music provides entertainment and distraction from problems and serves as a way to relieve tension and boredom. Some studies have reported that adolescents use popular music to deal with loneliness and to take control of their emotional status or mood†. Music is a great way to escape the reality and create a sense of serenity in an individual. For many years we have shifted in music rhythms and productions. Classical music and other older genres are currently overlapped by the modern day rap, hip-hop, and dance and electronic music. In our modern day so ciety, electronic music a large role on providing the listeners with great beats and rhythm but also provides to the listeners to go to an electrifying extent. Electronic music is not only part of the rave scene but musicians of different genres of music around the word produce the same beats by using the turn tables and electronic instruments. With the new and improved technologies and instruments, music is produced electronically with some bass guitars and drums, but no matter what instruments the musicians use, the production of music greatly provides the listeners with imagination. From different instrument usage, music is a great way to relieve stress and express emotions. Electronic music not only provides the listeners with a sense of emotion, but also creates imagination in individuals and serves as an inspiration to many other artists in the use of electronics. Music cannot be considered a single sound, but it is a set of beats and rhythm that create pleasure to listeners ears. Electronic music is an art, an art that is created by using electronic instruments such as turn tables. The main aspect of electronic music is that it provokes happiness to the listeners. Electronic music has different sub groups such as: Techno, Dubstep, Indie, House Tech, Trance and Dance but it does not matter to the listeners which to choose, they all produce the safe effect: create a sense of emotion in listeners. According to Leonard Meyer, â€Å"And finally, listeners, past and present, have reported with remarkable consistency that music does arouse feelings and emotion in them† (12). In other words, we as humans are full of emotion and express them in our daily lives. As electronic music played in clubs and social events, individuals feel happiness therefore undergo the state of excitement and then begin rhythmic practices such as dancing. And of cou rse, any type of music that the listeners decide to listen will experience emotion. Usually at large social performances by highly respected artists, individuals decide to wear neon colors that bring happiness to the performance. Electronic music provides the listeners with emotions due to different beats and rhythm that the audience follows. Some may decide to focus their attention on certain beat that attract their attention, however as a whole, electronic music is upbeat and surprising. Imagination is a huge process in which an individual paints a mental picture in learning styles. In a math class for instance, one may paint a mental picture of formulas to help one study, however when it is needed one must reflect back at that memory to retrieve the information. Due to the high intensity and upbeat rhythm, imagination is decided upon the individual. Some electronic musicians such as Tiesto or Armin Van Buren often use beats and rhythm that use nature sounds so therefore the listener may imagine that he or she is in a nature setting. Throughout the electronic beats that the electronic music provides, a message is conveyed. According to Leonard Meyer, â€Å"On the contrary, the musical theory and practice of many different cultures in many different epochs indicate that music can and does convey referential meaning† (3). Some music has meanings that are people can relate to. For instance, Eminem has been rapping about the meaning in his life however some genre s are turning toward explicit lyrics. Electronic music however is a set of beats that convey different messages to different individuals. People have the freedom to decide on the meaning of electronic music and what impact it has on their thoughts and imaginations. Thoughts, imaginations and reflections flow through listeners minds and an escape from reality occurs. As a result, electronic music provides the listener with many options on the relation of the meaning he or she decides to create. Our society has numerous bands that have progressed from using electric and acoustic guitars, drums and other instrument to using electronic computers and turn tables to produce new beats. Modern day artists produce their music in studios with a set of turn tables and electronic sets. More and more hip hop artist are turning toward electronic elements into their music which becomes more upbeat. The song â€Å"Feel It† by Three 6 Mafia and Sean Kingston for instance, is a great example of artists using electronic beats. Tiesto, one of the well known DJs creates the songs beats to which Three 6 Mafia raps to. Similarly, in dance clubs, DJs take ordinary hip hop songs and add a beat of electronic music for more pleasurable sounds and allow the audience to dance to. In Freedmans view, â€Å"Which brings us full circle to the original point—namely, that electronicas rise isnt just a trend. Rather, the influence of electronic elements into all forms of music seems to indica te a real turning point, a change in ideals brought on by the increased availability and affordability of computer-based music-creating programs†. Our generation has greatly become more and more technologically advanced in many aspects of daily lives. Technological advancement not only has made our healthcare, entertainment and communication better, but it also has changed the music industry. Electronic music has a major impact on different genres. Although the new technologies have a big impact on the music industries, electronic music has influenced artists to use upbeat music. As a result, an individual has the freedom to decide to listen to electronic music or not, he or she may hear electronic aspects in different songs that are heard on the radio. As I have shown, electronic music provides more than just beats and rhythm to the listeners but also allows them to find inner imagination. Electronic music has progressed from being underground to the modern day popular culture which is attracting more listeners and allows them to experience a sense of enjoyment. Once a listener hears a single electronic music song, he or she will fall in love and would want to listen more. There are numerous DJs for a listener to choose from such as: ATB, Above and Beyond, Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren and Marcus Schulz and they will provide the first time listener with a sense of excitement and surely will not disappoint them. Works- Cited Meyer, Leonard B., Emotion and Meaning in Music.Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999. Fuld, Gilbert G., Mulligan, Deborah A., and Brown, Ari. â€Å"Impact of Music in Children and Young Adults†. American Academy of Pediatrics 124 (2009): 9. Freedman, Pete. â€Å"Electronic Music Moves Its Way Into Other Genres.† The Dallas Observer 19 November 2009. Web. 13 March 2010.

Night :: essays research papers

In 1944, in the village of Sighet, Romania, twelve-year-old Elie Wiesel spends much time and emotion on the Talmud and on Jewish mysticism. His instructor, Moshe the Beadle, returns from a near-death experience and warns that Nazi aggressors will soon threaten the serenity of their lives. However, even when anti-Semitic measures force the Sighet Jews into supervised ghettos, Elie's family remains calm and compliant. In spring, authorities begin shipping trainloads of Jews to the Auschwitz-Birkenau complex. Elie's family is part of the final convoy. In a cattle car, eighty villagers can scarcely move and have to survive on minimal food and water. One of the deportees, Madame Schà ¤chter, becomes hysterical with visions of flames and furnaces. At midnight on the third day of their deportation, the group looks in horror at flames rising above huge ovens and gags at the stench of burning flesh. Guards wielding billy clubs force Elie's group through a selection of those fit to work and those who face a grim and improbable future. Elie and his father Chlomo lie about their ages and depart with other hardy men to Auschwitz, a concentration camp. Elie's mother and three sisters disappear into Birkenau, the death camp. After viewing infants being tossed in a burning pit, Elie rebels against God, who remains silent. Every day, Elie and Chiomo struggle to keep their health so they can remain in the work force. Sadistic guards and trustees exact capricious punishments. After three weeks, Elie and his father are forced to march to Buna, a factory in the Auschwitz complex, where they sort electrical parts in an electronics warehouse. The savagery reaches its height when the guards hang a childlike thirteen year old, who dies slowly before Elie's eyes. Despairing, Elie grows morose during Rosh Hashanah services. At the next selection, the doctor culls Chlomo from abler men. Chlomo, however, passes a second physical exam and is given another chance to live. Elie undergoes surgery on his foot. Because Russian liberation forces are moving ever closer to the Nazi camp, SS troops evacuate Buna in January 1945. The Wiesels and their fellow prisoners are forced to run through a snowy night in bitter cold over a forty-two mile route to Gleiwitz. Elie binds his bleeding foot in strips of blanket. Inmates who falter are shot. Elie prays for strength to save his father from death. At a makeshift barracks, survivors pile together.

Nationalism :: European Europe History

Nationalism One person or a group of people can take on a major role of the unification process that brings upon nationalism for their country. To get a better understanding of what nationalism is, one must learn the meaning of "nationalism." Nationalism is the devotion to the interests or culture of a particular nation. Nationalism is a striving force that can help a country thrive. There are also different ways that a country can achieve nationalism. Two different people/organizations with two different tactics were able to achieve a feel of nationalism among their country. The first group that will be discussed is the IRA, or the Irish Republican Army. Mohandas Gandhi started the second movement of nationalism, with his belief of "passive resistance." These two thoughts were opposite in how nationalism was attempted to be achieved. The Irish Republican Army (IRA), was started on Easter in 1916, when a group of Irish militants refused to wait any longer for their independence from Britain. The small group launched a revolt against British rule. Although the Easter Rising was quickly suppressed, the execution of 15 rebel leaders stirred wider support for their cause. When Britain again failed to grant home rule in 1919, civil war erupted in Ireland. Members of the IRA carried on a guerrilla war against British forces and their supporters. Civilians were often caught in the crossfire. The constant battle for Irish independence continues today with its gory display of violence. The IRA's goal was and still is today to achieve Irish nationalism by the abolition of the British political influence in Ireland, especially Northern Ireland. Mohandas Gandhi came from a middle-class Hindu family. At the age of 19 he was sent to England to study law. After returning to India, he tried to set up his own law practice but soon joined an Indian law firm in South Africa. For 20 years, Gandhi fought laws that discriminated against Indians in South Africa. In his struggle against injustice, he adopted the weapon of nonviolent (passive) resistance. He called it satyagraha, or "soul-force." In 1914, Gandhi returned to India and joined the Congress Party. His ideas inspired Indians of all religious and ethnic backgrounds and he encouraged them to resist British rule. Above all, Gandhi preached the ancient tradition of ahimsa, nonviolence and reverence for all life. He applied this idea to fight the British rule. By using the power of love, he believed, people could convert even the worst wrongdoer to the right course of action.

“Living With Music” by Ralph Ellison Essay

In this essay, Living With Music, Ralph Ellison speaks of the importance of music in a person’s life. He presents the contributions that it offers, such as giving people understanding, order, and meaning, while it also helps us shape our own unique social and cultural identity. Firstly, Ellison describes his first experiences with music. During his childhood years, he played a brass horn. He remembers how his music teacher and tradition says to play what he heard and felt around him, but like most music teachers do, they stress the importance of playing what a person is supposed to hear and feel, making music so unenthusiastic. He recalls of the deafening and shrieking noises he made, instead of playing a smooth flow of notes. Like most kids, he eventually gave up on playing the instrument, for he found it dead and a bore. It was later on in his life that he met up with music again. He had a neighbor that lived on top of his apartment. Her notes, apparently, were off, and sometimes she would shriek. To get back at her, he bought a speaker system, which he used to drown and to contradict her â€Å"music.† Only when he moved away to a new apartment was when he realized that he missed the music that he heard. Ralph Ellison apprehended the power of music. He realized that music can is a constant reminder of your past and of whom you were, while it reminds us of our aspirations. At the same time, it is an escape. It helps to drown the troubles in life, as he did to drown the horrible notes that his neighbor sung. Music will not only calm when one is troubled, it will resurrect and liven him.