U.S. Drug Policy Versus Drug Reality Essay examples -- Argumentative P

If the United States is serious about winning the war on drugs, it will have to face some hard facts about the failure of its drug policy to date. Since Reagan introduced the war on drugs in the early 1980s, the focus of anti-drug legislation has been on incarceration and eradication, not on drug education and treatment. Drug use is viewed as a crimethe same way that burglary and murder are viewed as crimeswithout examining the social and economic causes behind drug use. This categorization of drug use as criminal misrepresents the nature of addiction. Drug addicts do not abuse drugs because they are deviant or even because they consciously desire to cause harm to themselves or to those around them, they abuse drugs because they are physically dependent on those substances for survival. The only effective way to break that cycle of dependency is through extensive detoxification and treatment programs. Not all advocates of reshaping Americas drug policy are in favor of legalization or complete decriminalizaton of drug use, though such steps are being increasingly entertained as a possible solution to Americas drug problem. On the contrary, a growing number of doctors and scientists are coming out in favor of a shift in Americas policies from hard-line law enforcement to rehabilitation and education-based deterrence. The need for such a shift in policy becomes more apparent when one weighs the magnitude of government outlays on drug-related law enforcement against the ineffectiveness of the war on drugs to date. A few basic statistics on federal allocation of anti-drug funds and on federal prison records illustrate the extent to which American drug policy is focused on the blunt tool of punishment. In 1997, the federal budget f... ... their ability to impair a persons judgment, etc. The government should realize that drug users are not criminals. They should establish more government treatment facilities in low income areas so that treatment would be an option available not only to wealthy actors and models but to the anonymous mass of low-income addicts. The free distribution of sterile needles is needed to combat the transmission of AIDSnot as a tacit advocacy of drug use. At an international meeting of the United Nations Drug Control Program in 1994, the United States refused to sign any statement mentioning the phrase harm reduction, as such a stance was seen as taking a soft-line on drugs. It is time for the United States government to wake up to the reality that the future of the War on Drugs lies with doctors, educators and sociologists and not with law enforcement agents and politicians.

Homelessness In The Community Essay

Today it is impossible to keep count of the homeless men and women in our city. As we commute through our neighborhoods we see a lot of men and women sleeping on our street corners and highway by passes. As citizens and human beings we must understand that homelessness is a complex issue. Many people are homeless because of economic factors, family relationships, and mental illness. While some people do not have a choice in becoming homeless, there are individuals who make bad choices and even refuse help that is available to them. Many people in the society today feel guilty when approached by any homeless man or woman. Many of the homeless men and women have family and children. But they have chosen to take another route of life. We as people are quick to pass judgment on men and women for being homeless. When we don’t know what events took place in that person life to force them to become homeless. Statistics show people living in poverty are most at risk of becoming homeless. Economically they are at a higher risk of losing what little they already have. The number of homeless families with children has increased significantly over the past decade. There are approximately 40% of people who are homeless. In rural areas the largest groups of homeless people are families, single mothers, and children. In a 1998 survey of 30 cities,† it was found that the homeless population was 53% African-American, 35% Caucasian, 12% Hispanic, 4% Native-American, and 3% Asian (U.S Conference of Mayors1998). The ethnic makeup of homeless population varies depending upon geographic location.†Homelessness and poverty are closely linked. Poor people commonly are unable to pay for housing, food, child care, health care, and education. Choices must be mad when only their income covers some of these necessities. The world we live in today is very competitive so everyone is working and fighting to survive. This society we live in today is full of different kinds of people. Some have very impressive jobs, cars and houses. But we all have a common struggle many  citizens are just trying to live the American dream. That is full of everyday struggles to stop us from achieving our dream. As a child I am sure these homeless men and women had some type of dream. Rather than just becoming more than just another ordinary person. Many may argue that we choose the life that we live. Personally I agree, we all pick and choose who, what, and where we involve ourselves. The only person who can direct a person future is that person. I’ve only had the opportunity to get a true story to why a person was homeless. Around the age of 12 there was a lady by the name of Betty Rankin. She would always be at the Shell gas station by my house. She became homeless by choice after the passing of her husband. She started to drink stopped paying bills and eventually lost her house and was forced to move with her son. He was a very successful black man with a family of his own. Many days he would come get her and take her home. She always found a way to be unhappy and find her way back to the gas station. About 1 year ago she was raped and killed by another homeless man behind the same store she stood at every day. Past experiences and behaviors can also create significant struggles for individuals and families who are trying to escape homelessness. Being homeless can lead to arrests For behaviors such as trespassing and loitering, criminal offenses such as these, and Certainly more serious convictions can make it difficult to pass a required background check when trying to rent permanent housing. Once they have found a job and trying to turn their life around. In Atlanta, the homeless men and women congregate near Martin Luther King Jr.’s house. Within blocks of the King Center, the homeless find shelter in abandoned or run-down housing. Many Atlanta visitors see many homeless men and women with children on their way to museums and other tourist locations there are panhandlers looking for $2 for lunch. Winter months we find hundreds of homeless people spending the night on the city streets and parks. Hundreds of people swell the bus stations and shelters for warm water and a place to rest. We must do whatever we can to help the homeless. It is really easy to do so. We can volunteer at a shelter, we can protest to the government; we can donate money or clothes. It is such a shame to just sit  back and watch them struggling to survive in a cruel world.

Education Programs for Gifted Students

Started in the 1970's, America's Gifted & Talented programs are used to enhance the curriculum of students included in either category in order to challenge and strengthen their unique abilities. These students are usually provided a separate class with specialized lessons in all areas and a teacher with a special degree in gifted education. I feel that it is important that the teacher was a gifted student who would know what the students must face as â€Å"above average† members of their school. The job market for gifted education offers a wide range of opportunity and gifted teachers are needed all over the country. One of the earliest programs for gifted and talented students was set up in 1974, at The Old Donation Center, in Virginia Beach. Students scoring within the top 3% of students on an assessment test are referred here to be further challenged. These students are considered gifted and have special teachers and classes to promote development of their talents and minds. Programs like this began to pop up around the nation in the 70's; however, gifted students were looked down upon by teachers,parents, and peers. Many people considered them to be â€Å"freaks† because they were different. They didn't understand the implications of the terms â€Å"gifted† and â€Å"talented†. Most people simply expected gifted students to act more mature or to be geniuses, even though gifted students are the same as other children in their needs as human beings. Some gifted students were forced to grow up too fast and some simply ignored the fact that they were smarter than others, thus, they were lost in the shuffle. The irony of it all is that gifted-ness seems to run in families and the children of these repressed gifted students are, themselves, gifted. But what exactly is a â€Å"gifted† student? Students (elementary & secondary) are given a repertoire of tests. These tests check IQ, psychomotor ability, specific academic aptitude/talent, creative and productive thinking, leadership ability, and skills in the visual and performing arts. The main requirement, the IQ, is tested by a standardized IQ test (remember, however, that IQ tests are not always perfectly accurate). Ratings are given to each bracket of IQ scores: If a student receives a rating of â€Å"gifted† or higher (130+), he/she is considered to be a gifted student and is introduced into the designated programs. These students are given the opportunity to choose classes that are meant to teach them how to use their minds for critical thinking, reasoning, and artistic pursuits. Students in these classes are also exposed to culture, literature, and other subject areas that are not usually covered in what they term â€Å"normal classes†. The gifted classes are mainly in an open format allowing the student to create the parameters of his/her work and allowing them to be creative in their learning experience. Each class is presided-over by a teacher that has specialized degrees in gifted education. Almost every school in the United States has a need for a gifted class, making job opportunities endless; there are never enough. Gifted teachers must have both a degree in education (secondary or elementary) and a degree in special education (gifted). These teachers are individuals that must have stamina, people skills, and open minds. It is also important (to the students) that the teacher himself/herself was also classified as gifted. It sets a common bond, shows them that the teacher understands the problems they face as so-called â€Å"smart kids†. These students are often ridiculed by their peers and looked-down upon by their teachers. They are often separated from others their age by a barrier that can only be described as their â€Å"intelligence†. This is why, often, gifted teachers have degrees in administration, counseling, or psychology. All teachers that I interviewed told me that a continually upgraded education is a must (as are additional degrees). In order to keep up with the students one must attend seminars, workshops, special classes, etc. There is no end to the amount of education that could help you to understand gifted students and the role of their â€Å"teacher†. Also, if a teacher has extra educational qualifications, he/she could be asked to step up to the position of administrator or, more often, counselor. This means pay raises. Though the average salary for teachers is approximately $27,500 per year, it is â€Å"a worthwhile undertaking† according to Jane Mansueto, â€Å"It is incredible to work with gifted students. They are incredible! † She went on to remark that it is fascinating to imagine that they are of the same level of intelligence as the teacher and what they must be feeling inside. She feels that the students are not bothered by what their peers think, but actually tend to understand that other's opinions mean little compared to their own. Mrs. Mansueto taught at Elm Grove Middle School for 5 years. She commented on her role as a gifted teacher to consist of â€Å"one part mentorship, one part hardship, and one part friendship†. When asked what kind of hours she keeps, she laughed and asked if she was supposed to have time off. According to Mrs. Mansueto, unlike a â€Å"normal† teacher, a gifted teacher has no books to go by or preset material to teach, or, for that matter, a preset subject to teach. They are given a blank page and, using input from students, must draw up lessons from every subject area and constantly challenge the inquisitive minds of the gifted. Jane Mansueto attended Trinity College where she majored in both elementary education and gifted education. Her favorite part of being a gifted teacher is being with the students, working hand in hand with them to plan and carry out projects and trips. Though the pay is average, and there is not much room to be promoted if you wish to remain in the classroom, gifted teaching has its personal rewards. Jeff Simpleton, a gifted teacher as well as a former gifted student, states, â€Å"I really think that by being gifted, I am in touch with what they have to go through. They know that I can understand. † Mr. Simpleton's class consists of 6 high school students, who have many problems due to the intelligence barrier and a kind of isolation that has built up over the years between themselves and their classmates. They seem to feel that they have a reputation that they must live up to. The students try to please everyone†¦ hey push themselves with sheer motivation and determination and drive. Mr. Simpleton feels that this is â€Å"what makes them so great†. He feels hat anyone with a sense of adventure and a need for something new day after day would find teaching a gifted class to be the perfect job for them. Gifted teachers are important to the development of their students minds. They are understanding individuals who must work hard to make the curriculum interesting and challenging. With the proper education it is possible to go far as a teacher of the gifted.

Pierre Frankel in Moscow: Unfreezing Change Essay

The case describes the conundrum of Pierre Frankel, a devoted employee of H-IT which is a global IT company. He was sent to the Russian subsidiary of H-IT in Moscow, to improve the subsidiary’s performance and increase profitability. The environment that greeted Pierre on reaching the Moscow office is not at all welcoming: (i) Lebedev, who is the MD for the Russian subsidiary tried to hire a number two for himself but his move was rejected by the upper management. He knew that Pierre was the replacement and considers him a threat. (ii) The subsidiary’s 450 odd workforce considered Pierre as an outsider who is trying to bring with him a lot of structural changes and break the status quo. (iii) Many guidelines were in place, to ensure efficient functioning of the organization and were followed globally. But they were hardly ever implemented here, in the Russian subsidiary. (iv) The atmosphere that had been a result of Lebedev’s micromanagement discouraged teamwork and expression of new ideas. Not a single file could move from one desk to another without the knowledge of the MD. (v) All this can also be seen as a direct cultural implication of the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991, as a result of which, the â€Å"Trust, but verify† ideology had been instilled into the Russian way of thinking. Essentially, Frankel had to act as a change catalyst and unfreeze the current state of affairs at the Russian subsidiary. If he is able to change the status quo, he will be able to reveal the drawbacks of the current situation. This is necessary because if the Russians were to improve their ways, it was necessary for them to believe that change is needed. Some constructive steps that he took to learn the Russian ways were: (i) In the first few weeks, he met all the relevent leaders in the organization including the line of business leaders to learn more about the subsidiary’s operations and laying the ground work for change. (ii) He tried to get into the good books of Nadia Abramova, the head of HR and who was rumored to be very close to Lebedev. (iii) He tried to identify people who were open to learn and willing to change. (iv) He tried to hire a native Russian to assist him with his agenda for change. He was opposed by Lebedev in this endeavor but  Frankel managed to get some resumes with the help of Nadia Abramova. Suggested Solution: The priority areas identified by Frankel were: increasing business predictability, improve sales efficiency and focus on strategic internal processes. To bring about a change in the organization, he had to change the way the employees thought and worked. He had to make the work environment full of energy, collaboration and trust for each other. To bring about this, Frankel had to change himself because the Russians were not going to mould their ways at the command of an outsider. It was just how they had become culturally. To do this, Frankel was correct in looking to hire a Russian guy who could help him connect with the other employees better. He should then try and communicate with Lebedev with a clear-cut agenda and get him on board. Lebedev’s change of outlook is key if productivity is to be increased at H-IT’s Russian subsidiary, otherwise, his services can be done away with. However great his connections may be and however good his communication skills may be, if his management style is proving detrimental to the company, he is no good.

Persepolis View on Culture

Western Pop Culture Marianne Satraps, aka Marci, displays her life in this graphic novel to correct the misconceptions often made by the Western world. She makes sure her audience knows who she is, where she came from, and what her country is like. Though she is born and raised for much of her life in Tehran, Marianne Satraps is as much of a product of Western culture as of Middle Eastern culture. In the book you can see the Influence that the western countries have on Iran.Her parents both ascribe to Western political viewpoints and are not reluctant to let their daughter Indulge In Western popular culture. Marianne Like clothes and shoes such as Jeans, Nine's, and head scarves. She Is even rebellious about the veil they are forced to wear. Many popular music artists are referenced In Chapter 17. Kim Willed, the English pop singer In the ass, was very well known for her debut single, Kids In America, which Marl sings the chorus to. This picture In Chapter 1 7 page 134 demonstrates v ery well Marl's perspective of Western culture. E highly supports it with her fashion style that Is quite rebellious and different than any other kid her age. The size of the layout is fairly big so you can see the Nine's logo and her full outfit. The sentences are short to focus on the specific articles of clothing she is wearing. Chapter 17 also shows how Mar]xi's parents are fully supportive of her beliefs and what they do for her happiness. Her mother wanted to help Marci bring her Kim Willed poster through customs and put lots of effort in sewing it discreetly in her husband's coat.This Just shows how far her parents will go o because the coat doesn't look rather normal anymore but he is still prepared and willing to wear it for his daughter. Those who live in the West have different ideas of what the West is depending on where they are in the world. Some see it as a place for freedom, and it can also be a source of entertainment and influence. Others see it as a place of oppor tunity, wealth, and prosperity. America's pop culture has allowed Marci to obtain a little freedom and independence in the environment of the Iranian Revolution and has had a huge effect on her teenage life.

To what extent is the concept of global governance gendered Essay

To what extent is the concept of global governance gendered - Essay Example For instance, in a government, the politicians of the country usually influence the decisions that are made on a day to day basis while the normal citizen is influenced by the decisions that are made by the political leaders whether directly or indirectly. Needless to say, these kinds of decisions usually impact on both men and women. It follows without say that most of the times; the decisions are made by men since they hold most of the powerful positions almost in all of the countries the world over. In the past few decades, the advent of technological advancement has to the growth of a new kind of economy-a global economy. The internet has reduced the entire globe to nothing but a global village. The global economy has also given rise to a new system of governance which is referred to as global governance. There is a need to have a means of controlling the integrated nations. Different bodies have been setup to achieve this and the different bodies that have been setup have also c ome up with different policies. Quite unfortunately, the balance of women to men in the global government is anything but balanced. This is an important concern since women are the majority in the population and it seems not right to let the minority make decisions that affect the majority without involving the majority at some stage. This is the main reason why there has been a growing concern for gendered governance. Global governance There are many transformations in leadership and generally in society most of which can be traced to the activities and campaigns of human rights movements. Gender equality is one of the most important of the reforms that is sweeping across most modern societies today. As Rawls (2003) state, â€Å"A gendered analysis of global governance can enhance our understanding of the key concepts and frameworks as well as institutions and strategies of transformation? (p17). There are two important spheres that need to be studied to understand the concept of gendered governance since they directly influence the issue of gender and governance in the world. The first is the United Nation and how it approaches the issue of human rights and secondly is the trade policies and institutions. The concept of global governance is at best very fragmented and is therefore hardly traceable not only to agencies but even to individuals. In fact, Rosenau (2003) defines global governance as â€Å"governance without government. â€Å" however, global governance can be looked at in terms of the institutions that processes, rules and the different frameworks that help in the establishment of internationally recognized policies (Hassanali, 2000). The international policies that are often crafted are in most of the cases results of negations from a variety of parties including representatives from different countries. The stakeholders of global governance are usually drawn from different governments across the world. Apart from political leaders, there are usually members from transnational companies, global financial and trade organizations under the WTO, IMF and World Bank as well as various chapters of the UN and other relevant regional associations like the EU .Some experts believe that global civil societies which include internationally recognized NGOs that have the function of lobbying in conjunction with international gender groups like the International Trade and Gender Network (ITGN) are part and parcel of the

Social Impact of Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Impact of Technology - Essay Example These very children, who were undernourished, hailed from the underprivileged and sidelined segments of the society and also happened to be pathetically illiterate, were using the internet to have some meaningful peep into the unconcerned world surrounding their dismal existence. This conclusively explains the impact that the computers have on our society. Therein lays the power of computer, the great equalizer. The overall social impact of computer is defined by one word that is 'accessibility'. While the fall of the Berlin Wall in December 1990 initiated the demise of communism, there exists no doubt pertaining to the fact that the much touted capitalistic societies had dangerously ushered in an unequal distribution of wealth (Friedman, 2006, p.50). Till the advent of computers, there existed an unjust world in which the lucrative data and information were accessible only to a privileged few and thus the underprivileged strata of the society was highly limited in its ability to take advantage of the opportunities for growth and development. Computers turned out to be great equalizers in the sense that they enhanced the universal accessibility to information like never before. Doing so they ended up empowering the hitherto sidelined sections of the society by offering the requisite information to everybody and anybody located anywhere in the world, at the click of a mouse and that to at a relatively affordable price. It was a British computer scientist, Tim Berners-Lee, who while working for CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research at Switzerland, pioneered the concept of a World Wide Web, which was primarily intended to be a system for creating, organizing and linking documents so as to make them accessible via internet (Friedman, 2006, p. 59). This concept eventually metamorphosed into the invention of easy to install and consumer friendly commercial browsers that served as a media for universal connectivity. This made possible the interaction of multiple online computers and networks. The scope of these nascent inventions was exponentially multiplied by the advent of new software. Now the computers enabled everybody with a reasonable digital literacy to create and share digitalized information. Infact the concerned computer nerds all around the world are working hard to revolutionize the sharing of data by creating more potent software and uploading them on the internet to be acce ssed and downloaded by all for free. This ushering in of the community software is drastically cutting the power of the middlemen and the vested interests in the market for digital technology and all the related commercial and humanitarian frameworks. Computers had an unforeseeable yet salubrious impact on the way economies interact and operate. Computers not only enabled the corporations to take advantage of the resources, capital and the skilled labor