Nation under God Essay Example for Free

Nation under God Essay The argument regarding the use of the word God in the Pledge of Allegiance is not a new one. In fact, this argument stems from the long standing principle of separation between the church and the state which is embodied in the First Amendment of the United States constitution. Under this principle, the government and the church are to be kept separate from each other. The government is prohibited from encouraging or advancing any of the interests of a single religion. This means that the government cannot promote a single religion or impose upon its people which religion to follow (Clark 1965). It is a blanket prohibition that prevents the government from intervening in the religious beliefs of people. The second aspect of this principle recognizes that the government will invariably have to deal with religious institutions one way or the other (Clark 1965). The doctrine on the separation of church and state therefore also regulates the dealings between the church and state such that there should only be a minimal and incidental interference from the government. This is also known as the rule on excessive entanglement between the church and the state. The problem with the use of the word God in the Pledge of Allegiance is considered as a violation of the doctrine on the separation of the church and state because many religious groups claim that the use of the term God favors the Christian religion which prominently uses the term God for the Supreme Being. Other groups on the other hand argue that the word God as used in the Pledge of Allegiance is not an advancement of the Christian religion but rather an acknowledgment of some higher being that is common to all religions. This short discourse will seek to shed more light on the issue of the use of the word God in the Pledge of Allegiance. The first part will cover the historical background of the insertion of the word God in an attempt to understand the original meaning of the word God as used in the Pledge of Allegiance. The next segments will cover the points of view from the perspective of the state as contrasted to the perspective of the church on the issue. Historical Background of the Insertion of the Word God: There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the use of the word God in the Pledge of Allegiance particularly with its mandatory recitation in the public school classrooms. Most of controversy revolves around the use of the phrase â€Å"under God. † It was not until June 14, 1954 however that this highly contested phrase was inserted (Whitsitt 1896). The original tenor of the pledge of allegiance which was created by Francis Bellamy on September 7, 1892 read as follows: I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Historical Changes of the Pledge of Allegiance 1892: I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands: one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. 1892 to 1923: I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. 1923 to 1954: I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. 1954 to Present: I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. The original tenor of the Pledge of Allegiance did not contain any reference to any deity whatsoever. In response to this, the Knights of Columbus of New York City urged the assemblies to insert a reference to a deity since they felt that it was incomplete without one. The deity to which the Knights of Columbus referred to was the same one that was referred to in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (Whitsitt 1896). The words â€Å"under God† as used in Lincoln’s address, according to the Knights of Columbus, was the most appropriate one to add to the Pledge of Allegiance. It is important to note however that the phrase â€Å"under God† was never contained in the original text of the Gettysburg Address. By April 22 of the year 1951, the Board of Directors of the Knights of Columbus formally adopted a resolution to amend the recitation of Pledge of Allegiance by the members of the Knights of Columbus at the opening of each of the meetings of the 800 Fourth Degree Assemblies of the Knights of Columbus by addition of the words under God after the words one nation (Whitsitt 1896). It was not long before the whole organization had adopted the same resolution as the idea spread throughout the other Knights of Columbus organizations nationwide. On August 21, 1952, the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus adopted a resolution at its annual meeting recommending the that the change in the Pledge of Allegiance be made universal and soon petitions and copies of the resolution were sent to the Office of the President, the Vice President, who was the Presiding Officer of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. While the attempts of the Knights of Columbus were unsuccessful, they were able to convince a majority of the relevance of inserting such a phrase and soon the movement began to gain momentum (Whitsitt 1896). It was not until Senator Homer Ferguson who in his report to the United States Congress on March 10, 1954 that the movement had begun to make significant progress. In this privileged speech, Senator Ferguson said, The introduction of this joint resolution was suggested to me by a sermon given recently by the Rev. George M. Docherty, of Washington, D. C. , who is pastor of the church at which Lincoln worshipped. By this time Congress concurred with the Oakman-Ferguson resolution, and Eisenhower opted to sign the bill into law on Flag Day, June 14, 1954. The rationale for the approval and adoption of the phrase â€Å"under God† was clarified by President Eisenhower in a letter which he wrote in August of 1954 (Bradley 1996). These words [â€Å"under God†] will remind Americans that despite our great physical strength we must remain humble. They will help us to keep constantly in our minds and hearts the spiritual and moral principles which alone give dignity to man, and upon which our way of life is founded. This was actually taken from the sermon of Docherty to which President Eisenhower had taken a great interest in (Whitsitt 1896). It was eventually published by Harper Bros. in New York in 1958 and President Eisenhower took the opportunity to write to Dr. Docherty with gratitude for the opportunity to once again read the fateful sermon. Finally, on Flag Day, June 14, 1954, Congress passed the legislation that add the phrase under God to the Pledge of Allegiance. At this point, it can be argued that the insertion of the word God into the Pledge of Allegiance was actually motivated by some religious influence, particularly the Christian religion. In order to have a better understanding of the issue at hand however it is important to briefly examine the import of the doctrine of the Separation of the Church and the State. Doctrine of the Separation of Church and State: The phrase, â€Å"separation of Church and State†, is actually from a letter that was written by one of the founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, to a group that called themselves the Danbury Baptists. In the letter, Thomas Jefferson wrote that, â€Å"I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between Church and State. † This was of course in reference to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution (Whitsitt 1896). The basic precept of this doctrine is founded on a firm belief that religion and state should be separate. It covers a very wide spectrum, as mentioned in the previous sections of this discussion, ranging from the secularization or elimination of the church to theocracy wherein the state works in tandem with a religion in order to govern over the acts of people (Bradley 1996). The Secularist Perspective: The secularist perspective is that the state should be kept distant from religion and that, in the same vein, the religious institutions should also be free from any governmental interferences. This follows the second aspect of the Doctrine of the Separation of Church and State that dictates that there should be no entanglement between the Church and the State (Bradley 1996). In this perspective, the government is prohibited from citing the authority or influence of a specific religious institution for the justification of its authority (Bradley 1996). While there are some governments that claim religious justifications for their powers such as the Muslim states, the justification for such is based on the emphasis of the relationship for ceremonial and rhetorical purposes only. The acts done by the government are not meant to further the cause of any single religion but are actually for the general welfare and the benefit of the state. The state therefore does not conform to any particular religious doctrine but in fact caters to its own doctrine as mandated by the will of the people and of the Constitution (Clark 1965). Acts such as exemptions from taxation or providing funds for education and charities, though viewed as supporting religion, are in fact welfare based or â€Å"faith based† according to secularists. This reflects the view that temporal authority and spiritual authority should properly operate in complimentary spheres. The spheres where they overlap such as in moral values or property rights are areas where neither should take authority over the other but should instead offer a framework in which society can work these issues out without subjugating a religion to the state or vice versa (Bradley 1996).

Pidgins and Creoles Essay Example for Free

Pidgins and Creoles Essay Note to the Customer I’m sorry the essay cannot be revised as you say. It was an urgent order, so books could not be found. Moreover, you didn’t say that you wanted a critical analysis of the pidgins and Creoles. Revisions are only possible if the writer fails to follow the original instructions. In your next order please mention that you would like books to be used, and whether the discussion should be descriptive or analytical. Best regards, Pidgins and Creoles A pidgin is defined as a language that has been simplified from at least two different languages.    Referred to as a contact language, a pidgin may be used by those who do not originate in a given geographical area and must therefore develop a common language to be spoken in the area.   All the same, pidgin is used sparingly.   Its structure is rather simplistic.   Seeing that it serves a â€Å"simplistic purpose,† a pidgin dies out rather easily (Pidgins and Creoles, 1997). If people manage to use a pidgin for a long time, however, the contact language is expected to become richer and more complex in terms of vocabulary and structure.   In that case, the pidgin is said to have evolved.   Children may learn the evolved pidgin as their very first language or mother tongue.   If this happens, the pidgin has managed to turn into a Creole.   An example of a Creole is Tok Pisin, a language of Papua New Guinea, which was a pidgin before it turned into a national language (Pidgins and Creoles, 1997). Stafford notes that pidgins and Creoles are mostly used in third world nations because of the dramatic changes in the social and political environment experienced by the communities there.   Moreover, most of the pidgins and Creoles in the developing regions, for example, in South East Asia, are based on languages of Europe.   English, French, and Spanish are very much associated with the pidgins and Creoles of the third world.   This is because Europeans had spent time a great deal of time in the developing world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pidgins are often created for communication between immigrants and natives or missionaries and locals (Stafford).   As the pidgin evolves, the contact language develops its own grammatical rules.   Typically it is the children who must get together to formulate grammatical rules for the pidgin that they have accepted as their first language.   The fact that the Creole is generally formed without the influence of adults reveals that the formulation of grammatical rules and the application of structure to a certain language is innate behavior (Pidgin and Creole).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Insufficient education† is another reason why people of a certain region may have to develop a pidgin, and subsequently a Creole, so as to communicate with a new group of people they have come into contact with (Pidgin and Creole).   It is estimated that between ten to fifteen million people in the world speak languages that are considered creolized.   As an example, Creole based on French is spoken by seven million people in the world. These people may be found in Haiti, the French Overseas Departments of Guadeloupe, Mauritius, Martinique, Guyana, Reunion, Dominica, St. Lucia, and many islands of the Caribbean that have been influenced by the British, in addition to southwestern Louisiana (Mauritian Creole, 2005).   In the case of the pidgins that were created by these people, most probably to communicate with the Europeans they had come into contact with; French was considered the superstrate language.   If there were minority languages that contributed to the creation of a pidgin, the languages were referred to as subtrate languages (Pidgins and Creoles, 1997).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Regardless of the kinds of languages that were used in the creation of pidgins and Creoles, the fact remains that human beings have an essential need to communicate with one another.   Human beings do not appreciate invaders, so therefore people in the third world had by and large rejected the presence of the colonialists.   Nevertheless, they had to learn to communicate with the people who had become dominant on their lands.   Whether they had to communicate with the foreigners because the latter controlled their economic resources or otherwise, it may be inferred from this discussion that pidgins and Creoles would be created for as long as human civilization exists on earth.   Man is a social animal, after all. References Mauritian Creole. (2005). Pidgins and Creoles. Retrieved Dec 1, 2007, from http://kreol.mu/CreoleLanguages.htm. Patrick, P. L. (2004, Nov 14). Pidgin and Creole Languages: Origin and Relationships. Intro Sociolinguistics. Retrieved Dec 1, 2007, from http://privatewww.essex.ac.uk/~patrickp/Courses/PCs/IntroPidginsCreoles.htm. Pidgin and Creole. Retrieved Dec 1, 2007, from http://www.hevanet.com/alexwest/pidgin.html. Pidgins and Creoles. Retrieved Dec 1, 2007, from http://www.uni- due.de/SVE/VARS_PidginsAndCreoles.htm. Pidgins and Creoles. (1997, Feb 25). Retrieved Dec 1, 2007, from http://logos.uoregon.edu/explore/socioling/pidgin.html. Stafford, A. Pidgins and Creoles. Retrieved Dec 1, 2007, from http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/language/pidgcreol.html.

Graphic Enhancing Tools and Techniques

Graphic Enhancing Tools and Techniques Task 10 D1 Evaluate the tools and techniques used to enhance your original graphic. I used the program Illustrator in the creation of my original Adventurer logo because it was a good software for creating simple shapes which allowed me to utilise the full functions of what it was able to do. I also picked the software because of the fact that it allows for many ways to align and move around pieces of shapes to make the perfect shape for the logo. The software was mainly made to create simple shapes and merge them together to create a graphic, due to this it helped me create a logo which truly resembled something that would be for a big/famous gaming business or for a gaming company such as Adventurer. When making this logo I had many constraints, such as the problem of the software not being very  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   user friendly. It was a lot of hard work trying to learn all the ins and outs of the software, not knowing anything about it. When trying to use the software for the first time everything was jumbled up and confusing, when trying to find a tool to do a certain function all I found was something that did the exact opposite and worse than other software that I had previously used. The biggest limitation the software is the fact that its hard to make anything that isnt a shape or cartoon logo, such as drawing actual shapes or creating cartoony pictures with specific premade lines. When using the software the program limited me in the way that allowed me to place a shape, however it did not allow you to cut or clear pieces of the shape to get a specific size of shape, making it a lot harder to make something to pixel perfection. One time I was able to create a perfect shield however, when trying to cut a small bit off I had to resort to placing an invisible white shape to cover up the piece of line that was not cut-able. There were also limitations to what could be made, due to the game being a 15 age rated game, stopping me from going overboard with anything and trying to make it more friendly for the selected (15 and above) audience to also appreciate what we have created. I also had problems as we where limited to what software were preinstalled onto the computer to use, stopping us from using any other non preloaded software. When co-operating with the client I had to make sure that I received user feedback and produced it to the clients needs, by keeping to a corporate style, using file formats that are compatible with their software and keeping a way of allowing them to download and access the files for review at all times. The software moulded the idea of using the line tool to shape out the base and structure of my shape, allowing for a freeform and complete way of editing and bending the line to my will. Due to the way the shape turned out which was being based on a shield and sword allowed me to fill the requirements of a family friendly logo that looked good and made sence on the leaflet I was designing. I had to use techniques that enabled the graphic to be appropriate for inclusion in the leaflet, such as, having to make the leaflet extreamly clear and making it appeal to other people that were to see and look at the new games that are being devoloped. I tried to focus on making the logo being very detailed and rich with information about what the game would be by just looking at the logo itself, when looking at the logo you can see a sword and shield which is normally very common in Adventure or fighting games. Because the logo is created for the company Adventurer the copyright belongs to them, it is also because there is no use of other peoples content in the making and production of the logo. When creating the image I used three major tools, such as the line tool, which allowed me to create lines and edit them to make the shape into what looked like a shield. When doing this I was able to create more of a shape that was usable in making a completely new shape that was not supplied via the program. The square shape tool allowed me to create a base around the Adventurer logo that eventully led to me being able to cut off unwanted pieces of line by turning the square invisible. When doing this I had the problem of it clipping or dipping other shapes but was able to fix it when it was being printed. The align function was also helpful, it allowed full free roam of placing and adding layers without much trouble. It helped with aligning different shapes to make it more of a collection of shapes rather then a mess of shapes in different positions. It also easily linked together two layers that needed to be pixel perfect. All of these functions where very important to the creation of the logo, each having a different part and function when needing to piece together the shapes. Enhanced Graphic Evaluation I added a shape using the shape tool, then I have stretched out the square using the resize tool to cover the whole image, creating a sort of barrier. I have then changed the colour to yellow to match the triangles in the middle and rotated it using the rotating function so that they link together in a more colourful way and made sure any other layers remained in the background and away from the main layer. In this image I have erased the tip of the sword using the Paint Brush tool with the white colour to make the layers link together better, and by doing this I was able to make the blade look more shiny with the holster. I made sure to have the actual logo inside the box of the shape so it would not accidently overlap or overshadow any shapes already places onto it. In this step I changed the shape by deleting a section out of it using the Paint Brush tool and selection of the white paint, this allows for a new kind of pattern that looks like a futureistic forcefield blocking any danger that may fall onto it. The white paint brush also immitates a kind of rubber that I can use to blend together a layer and shape. Within this I also planned it so that I was not accidently deleting anything else along with the already placed layers. I added two lines to the top that look like chains using the Paint Brush tool and then changing the stroke type, this created a old map road path type of style or a chain from a neckless. I placed a two strokes down for each side making sure to line them up with yellow shape shield that I had placed from the last step making it line up almost perfectly with each side of the shape. For my final step I used the eraser tool and then made the outline change to a yellow paint, making it so that when I deleted something that had already been placed it would be removed and then the rubber would add outline from what it deleted which allowed for a pattern to emerge. After doing it to each side of the shape, I was able to delete some of the shield and then redraw it with the rubber making it look more unique then it did without it. The file that I created ended up being a vector image because it was created and edited within a vector package Illustrator so that it would keep its quality and size while it gets resized. The finished logo was a PNG-24 and is 59.KB with the resoultion 595842, while the Illustrator file was 1.19MB large.

Hip-Hops Musical Evolution of Rap Essay example -- The History Of Rap

The hip-hop culture began in the streets of New York City during the 1970’s and has gone through tremendous changes up until now. Hip-Hop consists of four elements: rap, graffiti, break-dancing, and the disc jockey. In this paper, I intend to fully explain the evolution of rap music, from its infancy to the giant industry it is today. Hip-Hop emerged in the 1970’s upon the arrival of a one Kool DJ Herc. Kool DJ Herc migrated to the United States from Kingston, Jamaica and settled in the West Bronx of New York. Kool DJ Herc was a disc jockey that attempted to incorporate his Jamaica style of disc jockeying, which involved reciting improvised rhymes over reggae records. Unfortunately for Kool DJ Herc New York seemed uninterested in reggae at that time. This forced Kool DJ Herc to find another appealing sound in order to please his audiences, which he did. Kool DJ Herc adapted a new style, which involved him by chanting over the instrumental or percussion sections of the popular music of the day. He learned that by taking two identical records using an audio mixer, that he could play any segment over and over, there fore extending one segment for entire song (Light, 1999). In the early 1970’s and with the emergence of disc jockeys such as Kool DJ Herc, hip-hop began to spread through urban areas of New York like â€Å"wild fire.† Kool DJ Herc, who actually coined the term â€Å"hip hop,† began to realize that this was the beginning of a new genre (Light, 1999). As this phenomena evolved the party shouts became more elaborate, d jays began to incorporate little rhymes such as â€Å"throw your hands in the air and raise ‘em like you just don’t care.† With regards to Kool DJ Herc, as he progressed eventually... ...ted Light, Alan. Vibe History of Hip Hop. Book & CD ed. New York: Three Rivers Press, October 1999. Scott, Cathy. The Murder of Biggie Smalls. 1 ed. St. Martins Press (Trade), October 2000 Ogg, Alex., David Upshal., and Alexander Ogg. The Hip Hop Years: The History of Hip Hop. Book & CD ed. Trans Atlantic Publications, Inc. September 1999. Scott, Cathy. The Killing of Tupac Shakur. 1 ed. Huntington Press; September 1997 Rose, Tricia. Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America (Music and Culture). 1ed. Wesleyan University Press; May 1994 Brewster, Bill and Frank Broughton. Last Night a Dj Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey; Grove Press; August 2000 Perkins, William Eric. Droppin’ Science: Critical Essay on Rap Music and Hip Hop Culture (Critical Perspectives of the Past). Temple University Press, October 1, 1995 Hip-Hop's Musical Evolution of Rap Essay example -- The History Of Rap The hip-hop culture began in the streets of New York City during the 1970’s and has gone through tremendous changes up until now. Hip-Hop consists of four elements: rap, graffiti, break-dancing, and the disc jockey. In this paper, I intend to fully explain the evolution of rap music, from its infancy to the giant industry it is today. Hip-Hop emerged in the 1970’s upon the arrival of a one Kool DJ Herc. Kool DJ Herc migrated to the United States from Kingston, Jamaica and settled in the West Bronx of New York. Kool DJ Herc was a disc jockey that attempted to incorporate his Jamaica style of disc jockeying, which involved reciting improvised rhymes over reggae records. Unfortunately for Kool DJ Herc New York seemed uninterested in reggae at that time. This forced Kool DJ Herc to find another appealing sound in order to please his audiences, which he did. Kool DJ Herc adapted a new style, which involved him by chanting over the instrumental or percussion sections of the popular music of the day. He learned that by taking two identical records using an audio mixer, that he could play any segment over and over, there fore extending one segment for entire song (Light, 1999). In the early 1970’s and with the emergence of disc jockeys such as Kool DJ Herc, hip-hop began to spread through urban areas of New York like â€Å"wild fire.† Kool DJ Herc, who actually coined the term â€Å"hip hop,† began to realize that this was the beginning of a new genre (Light, 1999). As this phenomena evolved the party shouts became more elaborate, d jays began to incorporate little rhymes such as â€Å"throw your hands in the air and raise ‘em like you just don’t care.† With regards to Kool DJ Herc, as he progressed eventually... ...ted Light, Alan. Vibe History of Hip Hop. Book & CD ed. New York: Three Rivers Press, October 1999. Scott, Cathy. The Murder of Biggie Smalls. 1 ed. St. Martins Press (Trade), October 2000 Ogg, Alex., David Upshal., and Alexander Ogg. The Hip Hop Years: The History of Hip Hop. Book & CD ed. Trans Atlantic Publications, Inc. September 1999. Scott, Cathy. The Killing of Tupac Shakur. 1 ed. Huntington Press; September 1997 Rose, Tricia. Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America (Music and Culture). 1ed. Wesleyan University Press; May 1994 Brewster, Bill and Frank Broughton. Last Night a Dj Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey; Grove Press; August 2000 Perkins, William Eric. Droppin’ Science: Critical Essay on Rap Music and Hip Hop Culture (Critical Perspectives of the Past). Temple University Press, October 1, 1995

Violence and Rock & Roll: Hand in Hand? :: essays research papers fc

Violence and Rock & Roll: Hand in Hand? People that have been to concerts know what kind of damage goes on, and how many innocent people are hurt by the violence that goes on at these shows. This is something that needs to end. Many people have been punched, kicked, shoved, thrown, hit by flying objects, fallen, trampled, crushed and, sadly in many cases, sexually assaulted. Concert-goers have suffered from concussions, wounds, rape, and death. All this violence can be ended, but it’s getting worse and worse by the day. The more the fans get out of hand, the more injuries people will undergo. Many people don’t want to go to concerts any more, because of the fact that there is too much hostility.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Concerts nowadays are too brutal. This violence needs to end. Even the artists that play at these shows are outraged by this aggression. Even they want to make this end. â€Å"Concerts get such a band name, because of all the [violence] and everything like that,† said Limp Bizkit (a ‘flavor-of-the-month’ band) guitarist Wes Borland. Sprains and broken bones resulting from moshing (a violent form of â€Å"dance† in which fans careen off one another) and crowd surfing (a practice in which fans are passed over head by the members of the crowd) have been common at concerts for many years. As many people remember at Woodstock ’99 the destruction at the festival was at its peak. This shows how degraded popular culture has become. â€Å"The thing that I felt was unfair, in the follow-up in the press, was the demonization of a generation,† said guitarist Tom Morello of, a popular band, Rage Against the Machine, â€Å"There was jus t this vilification of a whole generation and the bands that they like, based on this concert. I think it’s ridiculous.† (Arizona Republic, 10-3-99) But who’s to say that this violent behavior doesn’t go on at other concerts? Well, in fact it does.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One trend that has occurred at concerts, are the numbers of sexual assaults. Many girls have been groped, sexually harassed, beat, and even in many cases raped. Just at Woodstock ’99 alone there were 8 sex offences, which included an alleged mosh pit rape, which police were aware of. Tom Morello also added that, â€Å"The one thing that is absolutely unforgivable or unpardonable are the reported sexual assaults.†(Arizona Republic; Phoenix; Oct. 3, 1999) The mosh pit scene at a recent Vans Warped Tour show in Asbury Park, N.

Free Essays: The Prologues of Oedipus Rex and Everyman :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Prologues of Oedipus Rex and Everyman Two Works Cited A prologue is a miniature version of the actual text. It answers the elements of literature in a work, and exposes the reader to essential facts, as well as foreshadows the outcome of the work. The prologue also introduces themes, characters, and literary devices to complement the work. Thus, through the study of the prologues of Oedipus Rex and Everyman, one may learn much about the nature of both plays. In the prologue of Oedipus, the 'bear' pun is used. The 'bear' pun is a popular literary device used in many plays. To bear means to carry a babe; To bear can also mean to carry something heavy. The pun indicates that if one cannot bear the truth (which is a very heavy object placed on the heart) than one cannot bear new life. In order to be reborn one must suffer the bearing of truth. When Oedipus says, "I, Oedipus, who bear the famous name." (Sophocles, 715), he indicates that he is bearing the name and therefore must bear the fate that is set for him in order to conceive new life. In order for Oedipus to fully bear his name he must accept the responsibilities that follow; He must escape from the ways of the flesh. Until this time comes, the Gods must bear Oedipus's pain until he is ready to accept it. Likewise, Everyman cannot reach enlightenment (to be free of guilt) because he cannot bear the truth. God explains why Everyman cannot be enlightened as he says, "They use the seven deadly sins damnable, / As pride, covetise, wrath, and lechery . . ." (Everyman, 761). This proves that Everyman is too much of the flesh, and he uses the ways of the flesh to keep him bound to the earth. Thus, when God says, "I see the more that I them forbear" (Everyman, 761), God is bearing Everyman's truth until he is ready, when Everyman is no longer of the flesh. A major theme consistent in both works is that of suffering. In Oedipus Rex, the kingdom of Thebes is suffering because of Oedipus's sin. The suffering of Thebes is illustrated when the Priest said: The herds are sick; children die unborn, And labour is vain. The god of plague and pyre Raids like detestable lightning through the city, And all the house of Kadmos is laid waste,

Homelessness in Ireland Essay

What is Homelessness The Housing Act 1988 defines a homeless person as somebody who has no reasonable accommodation to live in or lives in a hospital, institution or night shelter because of a lack of home. Human Dignity Issue Shelter is a basic human need, yet throughout the word there a people looking for a place to live with dignity. Being homeless is more than just not having a roof over your head – it usually means that a person’s security and belongings needs are also not met. You can become homeless for many different reasons. These could include: * Being evicted * Losing your job * Health problems * A disaster such as fire or flooding In 2009 there were up to 4,000 people reported to be homeless. 800 of them were children and two hundred of these children were under the age of 12. Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist, designed a pyramid to explain the basic needs required to protect human dignity. In this pyramid he not only names shelter as a basic human need but also names the need for security. Security needs include the need to be safe and protected when if homeless, is broken. To protect human dignity the local authorities have to take action. Duties of Local Authorities towards Homeless People While the 1988 Act does not impose a duty on housing authorities to provide housing to people who are homeless, it does clearly give responsibility to the local authorities to consider the needs of homeless people and expands their powers to respond to those needs. For example authorities may house homeless people from their own housing stock or through arrangement with a voluntary body. (Simon Community, St Vincent de Paul) The Act also enables the local authority to provide a homeless person with money to source accommodation in a non -governmental institution. In addition to the provisions relating to direct responses to people presenting as homeless, Section 10 of The Act enables local authorities to provide funding to voluntary bodies for the provision of emergency accommodation and long term housing for people who are homeless. The 1988 Act requires that local authorities carry out recurrent assessments of the number of people who are homeless in their administrative area, as part of their housing needs assessment. The Health Service Executive (HSE) has responsibility for the health and in-house care needs of homeless people. In terms of funding, this means that local authorities are responsible for the costs of providing accommodation while the HSE Areas will provide funding for homeless persons’ care and welfare needs, including in-house care. Making a Difference There are many charities and voluntary organisations towards homeless people in Ireland such as: * Simon Community * The Salvation Army * St Vincent de Paul * Sonas Housing * The Peter McVerry Trust One of the biggest in known charities is Focus Ireland. Focus Ireland is a non-profitable organisation made specifically to help homeless people. Ireland, though a relatively modern country has many people, even children ‘sleep rough’ every night and it is our responsibility to help them. References www.cpa.ie www.theirishcentral.com www.whycare.ie www.focusireland.ie www.citizensinformation.ie en.wikipedia.com