The Saint Patricks Battalion (Los San Patricios)

The Saint Patricks Battalion (Los San Patricios) The St. Patricks Battalion- known in Spanish as el Batallà ³n de los San Patricios- was a Mexican army unit comprised primarily of Irish Catholics who had defected from the invading US army during the Mexican-American War. The St. Patricks Battalion was an elite artillery unit which inflicted great damage on the Americans during the battles of Buena Vista and Churubusco. The unit was led by Irish defector John Riley. After the Battle of Churubusco, most members of the battalion were killed or captured: most of those taken prisoner were hanged and the majority of the others were branded and whipped. After the war, the unit lasted for a short time before being disbanded. The Mexican-American War By 1846, tensions between the USA and Mexico had reached a critical point. Mexico was enraged by the American annexation of Texas, and the USA had its eye on Mexicos sparsely populated western holdings, such as California, New Mexico, and Utah. Armies were sent to the border and it didnt take long for a series of skirmishes to flare into an all-out war. The Americans took the offensive, invading first from the north and later from the east after capturing the port of Veracruz. In September of 1847, the Americans would capture Mexico City, forcing Mexico to surrender. Irish Catholics in the USA Many Irish were immigrating to America at about the same time as the war, due to harsh conditions and famine in Ireland. Thousands of them joined the US army in cities like New York and Boston, hoping for some pay and US citizenship. Most of them were Catholic. The US army (and US society in general) was at that time very intolerant towards both Irish and Catholics. Irish were seen as lazy and ignorant, while Catholics were considered fools who were easily distracted by pageantry and led by a faraway pope. These prejudices made life very difficult for Irish in American society at large and particularly in the army. In the army, the Irish were considered inferior soldiers and given dirty jobs. Chances of promotion were virtually nil, and at the beginning of the war, there was no opportunity for them to attend Catholic services (by the end of the war, there were two Catholic priests serving in the army). Instead, they were forced to attend Protestant services during which Catholicism was often vilified. Punishments for infractions such as drinking or negligence of duty were often severe. Conditions were harsh for most of the soldiers, even the non-Irish, and thousands would desert during the course of the war. Mexican Enticements The prospect of fighting for Mexico instead of the USA had a certain attraction for some of the men. Mexican generals learned of the plight of the Irish soldiers and actively encouraged defections. The Mexicans offered land and money for anyone who deserted and joined them and sent over fliers exhorting Irish Catholics to join them. In Mexico, Irish defectors were treated as heroes and given the opportunity for promotion denied them in the American army. Many of them felt a greater connection to Mexico: like Ireland, it was a poor Catholic nation. The allure of the church bells announcing mass must have been great for these soldiers far from home. The St. Patricks Battalion Some of the men, including Riley, defected before the actual declaration of war. These men were quickly integrated into the Mexican army, where they were assigned to the legion of foreigners. After the Battle of Resaca de la Palma, they were organized into the St. Patricks Battalion. The unit was made up of primarily Irish Catholics, with a fair number of German Catholics as well, plus a handful of other nationalities, including some foreigners who had been living in Mexico before war broke out. They made a banner for themselves: a bright green standard with an Irish harp, under which was Erin go Bragh and the Mexican coat of arms with the words Libertad por la Republica Mexicana. On the flip side of the banner was an image of St. Patrick and the words San Patricio. The St. Patricks first saw action as a unit at the Siege of Monterrey. Many of the defectors had artillery experience, so they were assigned as an elite artillery unit. At Monterrey, they were stationed in the Citadel, a massive fort blocking the entrance to the city. American General Zachary Taylor wisely sent his forces around the massive fortress and attacked the city from either side. Although the defenders of the fort did fire on American troops, the citadel was largely irrelevant to the defense of the city. On February 23, 1847, Mexican General Santa Anna, hoping to wipe out Taylors Army of Occupation, attacked the entrenched Americans at the Battle of Buena Vista south of Saltillo. The San Patricios played a prominent part in the battle. They were stationed on a plateau where the main Mexican attack took place. They fought with distinction, supporting an infantry advance and pouring cannon fire into the American ranks. They were instrumental in capturing some American cannons: one of the few pieces of good news for the Mexicans in this battle. After Buena Vista, the Americans and Mexicans turned their attention to eastern Mexico, where General Winfield Scott had landed his troops and taken Veracruz. Scott marched on Mexico City: Mexican General Santa Anna raced out to meet him. The armies met at the Battle of Cerro Gordo. Many records have been lost about this battle, but the San Patricios were likely in one of the forward batteries which were tied up by a diversionary attack while the Americans circled around to attack the Mexicans from the rear: again the Mexican Army was forced to retreat. The Battle of Churubusco The Battle of Churubusco was the St. Patricks greatest and final battle. The San Patricios were divided and sent to defend one of the approaches to Mexico City: Some were stationed at a defensive works at one end of a causeway into Mexico City: the others were in a fortified convent. When the Americans attacked on August 20, 1847, the San Patricios fought like demons. In the convent, Mexican soldiers three times tried to raise a white flag, and each time the San Patricios ripped it down. They only surrendered when they ran out of ammunition. Most of the San Patricios were either killed or captured in this battle: some escaped into Mexico City, but not enough to form a cohesive army unit. John Riley was among those captured. Less than a month later, Mexico City was taken by the Americans and the war was over. Trials, Executions, and Aftermath Eighty-five San Patricios were taken prisoner in all. Seventy-two of them were tried for desertion (presumably, the others had never joined the US army and therefore could not desert). These were divided into two groups and all of them were court-martialed: some at Tacubaya on August 23 and the rest at San Angel on August 26. When offered a chance to present a defense, many chose drunkenness: this was likely a ploy, as it was often a successful defense for deserters. It didnt work this time, however: all of the men were convicted. Several of the men were pardoned by General Scott for a variety of reasons, including age (one was 15) and for refusing to fight for the Mexicans. Fifty were hanged and one was shot (he had convinced the officers that he had not actually fought for the Mexican army). Some of the men, including Riley, had defected before the official declaration of war between the two nations: this was, by definition, a much less serious offense and they could not be executed for it. These men received lashes and were branded with a D (for deserter) on their faces or hips. Riley was branded twice on the face after the first brand was accidentally applied upside-down. Sixteen were hanged at San Angel on September 10, 1847. Four more were hanged the following day at Mixcoac. Thirty were hanged on September 13 in Mixcoac, within sight of the fortress of Chapultepec, where the Americans and Mexicans were battling for control of the castle. Around 9:30 a.m., as the American flag was raised over the fortress, the prisoners were hanged: it was meant to be the last thing they ever saw. One of the men hanged that day, Francis OConnor, had both his legs amputated the day before due to his battle wounds. When the surgeon told Colonel William Harney, the officer in charge, Harney said Bring the damned son of a bitch out! My order was to hang 30 and by God, Ill do it! Those San Patricios who had not been hanged were thrown in dark dungeons for the duration of the war, after which they were freed. They re-formed and existed as a unit of the Mexican army for about a year. Many of them remained in Mexico and started families: a handful of Mexicans today can trace their lineage to one of the San Patricios. Those who remained were rewarded by the Mexican government with pensions and the land that had been offered to entice them to defect. Some returned to Ireland. Most, including Riley, vanished into Mexican obscurity. Today, the San Patricios are still a bit of a hot topic between the two nations. To Americans, they were traitors, deserters, and turncoats who defected out of laziness and then fought out of fear. They were certainly loathed in their day: in his excellent book on the subject, Michael Hogan points out that out of thousands of deserters during the war, only the San Patricios were ever punished for it (of course, they were also the only ones to take up arms against their former comrades) and that their punishment was quite harsh and cruel. Mexicans, however, see them in a vastly different light. To Mexicans, the San Patricios were great heroes who defected because they could not stand to see the Americans bullying a smaller, weaker Catholic nation. They fought not out of fear but out of a sense of righteousness and justice. Every year, St. Patricks Day is celebrated in Mexico, particularly in the places where the soldiers were hanged. They have received many honors from the Mexican government, including streets named after them, plaques, postage stamps issued in their honor, etc. Whats the truth? Somewhere in between, certainly. Thousands of Irish Catholics fought for America during the war: they fought well and were loyal to their adopted nation. Many of those men deserted (men of all walks of life did during that harsh conflict) but only a fraction of those deserters joined the enemy army. This lends credence to the notion that the San Patricios did so out of a sense of justice or outrage as Catholics. Some may simply have done so for recognition: they proved that they were very skilled soldiers -arguably Mexicos best unit during the war - but promotions for Irish Catholics were few and far between in America. Riley, for example, made Colonel in the Mexican army. In 1999, a major Hollywood movie called One Mans Hero was made about the St. Patricks Battalion. Sources Eisenhower, John S.D. So Far from God: the U.S. War with Mexico, 1846-1848. Norman: the University of Oklahoma Press, 1989Hogan, Michael. The Irish Soldiers of Mexico. Createspace, 2011.Wheelan, Joseph. Invading Mexico: Americas Continental Dream and the Mexican War, 1846-1848. New York: Carroll and Graf, 2007.

X-ray Exposure Components Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

X-ray Exposure Components - Essay Example the electrons’ speed is given by kVp (kilovolt potential) which then determines the x-ray beam’s penetration, thus impacting the x-ray production’s efficiency, and determining the level of image contrast. The right kVp yields differential x-ray immersion of dense and soft anatomic structures. Increasing kVp results in an increase in the penetration of an x-ray beam. If kVp is set too low, the resultant image will be devoid of density leading to a sooty or a whitewashed appearance while in case of too high kVp, the resultant image will be too dark and over exposed. The kVp controls the electrons’ energy as they displace across the tube, or it may be said that kVp controls the electron’s speed. Therefore, the higher tube potential (kVp), the larger will be the affect of the electrons. Moreover, the greater the tube potential the greater will be the penetration. Thus, kVp monitors the beam quality by monitoring the x-ray beam energy (Gray et al., 1983) . The tube intensity and exposure time could be an unequalled exposure factor (mAs). The factor, â€Å"mAs† refers to the rate of electrons flow in a predetermined time. Where, mA refers to tube current while s denotes time in seconds. Thus the two exposure factors work in combination to control the quantity of electrons discharged at the cathode and afterward the quantity of x-rays developed at the anode. The milliampere seconds (mAs) ascertains the quantity of x-rays developed per unit time, while the quantity of x-rays arriving at the film ascertains the scale of film’s blackening. Both of these factors monitor and adjust the exposure factor’s quantitative character. These exposure factors determine and influence the quality and quantity of the x-ray beam (Hecker, & Garreau, 2012). Another important factor is the distance between the focus and detector that impacts the x-ray exposure. This relationship is quite simple as the nearer the x-ray tube is placed to the film the higher will be the intensity

UGG boots case study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

UGG boots case study - Assignment Example The brand was later expanded to produce sandals, clogs, boots, slippers, and handbags. Tsubo LLC, which produces sports and dress casuals, sandals, heels, and boots. In 2003, Australian sheepskin manufacturers started selling their products online at lower prices after Decker started making millions from UGG Australia sales (Windsor, 2010). Decker sales dropped as consumers preferred the UGG product at lower prices. The actions by Australian manufacturers were unethical because Decker owned the Trademark UGG and using it to sell their goods was ripping off the corporation. In addition, another act that shows the brand’s impact on ethics is through unfair competition. This is evident when competitors imitated UGG and sold fake products to customers who had no idea that they were buying imitations. Some producers went to the extremes of using cow skin instead of sheepskin (Worley, 2014). This is wrong as these actions were taking advantage of consumers whose real intention was to buy and enjoy the benefits brought about by the real UGG Australia products. Brand names, therefore bring about the worst from people who want to take advantage an d make money from consumers who lack the knowledge of knowing whether the products they are buying is real or just a cheap imitation. The owners of the products also suffer due to reduced sales after putting in resources to produce, advertise, and market their products. Their image also suffers, as wronged consumers who bought fake products will taint their name saying that the products they are selling are of poor quality. Other people may say that it is also wrong to raise sheep for their skin and use that skin to make products. It occurs as animal cruelty to the supporters of animal rights (Seltzer 2011). There is a query whether consumers are concerned that those beautiful, comfortable, and must have items were due to shaving

High School and College Essay Example for Free

High School and College Essay Many aspects of both high school and college can be tied together. People learn many of the same things they learned in high school during their first year or two of college. They are basic general education classes. They are similar in such ways that you still have to go to class, do class work, home work, take test, and study hard. Depending on the school, teachers can also give you that one on one help. Class sizes can also be similar to high school if you attend a small college. They are both learning experiences that the individual helps write for themselves by their choices and decisions. There are similarities in the people also. Even in college cliques and groups develop, just like in high school. On the other hand, we all know that high school and college are very different. The work in high school is kind of easy. In college, its time to strap down and get to work. Theres really no room for error. Attendance is very important in high school. If you miss a day in class, the teacher would call home. In college, it’s your own responsibility. Students end up having the same friends throughout high school, because they grew up with them in elementary and middle school. Because of this, they earn an image or reputation. College is a new beginning. People are not tagged with a prior social status or image. It is an opportunity to start new and meet new people. Some people meet many of their lifelong friends in college, because they go through so much together. In a way, they are transferring to adulthood, with them by their side. High school and college are what students makes of it. High school prepares people for college. College is a new chapter in life, and also a new beginning. In a way, college is a mature version of high school. To find the true similarities and differences, people must experience both for themselves.

History Of The Prostate Gland :: essays research papers

HISTORY OF THE PROSTATE GLAND The prostate is a gland that is located just underneath the bladder. It surrounds the urethra through which a man urinates. The prostate gland is therefore vital to proper bladder control and urine flow-rate. The prostate is also essential for normal sexual function. It is the gland of ejaculation, supplying 95% of the seminal fluid and the power to push it through the urethra and out of the penis. The normal prostate in an adult man is about the size of a walnut. Its size often increases over time, however, particulary once a man gets beyond age 40. Because the urethra runs right through the middle of it, a growth spurt of the prostate will squeeze the urethra and begin to choke off the urinary flow. This can effect the ablility to urinate and perform sexually. SYMPTOMS OF PROSTATE CANCER Prostate cancer occurs when some of the cells that make up the prostate gland escape from the normal controls on their growth and start to divide, grow and spread in an uncontolled manner. At first the growth of the cancer occurs very slowly and is usually limited within the prostate gland. Later on in the course of the illness, the prostate gland cells can spread around the body, particulary to the bones where they can paues pain and disability. Estimates show that the cancer may have been growing in some men for up to 10 yearsbefore it causes symptoms and is diagnosed. Some men develop symptoms whereas others do not. In those who that do, the following symptoms are commonly found: BATHROOM TROUBLES: -Need to urinate frequently, especially at night -Sudden, incontrolable urges to urinate -Weak or interrupted urine flow -A burning sensation or pain when urinating -Blood in urine -Continuing pain in lower back, pelvis, or upper thighs BEDROOM TROUBLES: -Reduced sexual ability -Painful orgasm -Impotence- -Discomfort during intercourse There appears to be several forms of prostate cancer. Some men survive for many years with the disease and never develop symptoms. These men may be oblivious to the fact that they have a slow growing from prostate cancer and may eventually die of other causes. However, other prostate cancers can be more aggressive and can grow quickly. Prevention and Treatment More and more doctors are coming to believe that an enlarged prostate can be treated or deterred by feeding the body the nutrients it lacks.

Dramatism and Meet the Parents Essay

The theory of Burke’s dramatism provides another view of rhetoric analysis of symbolisms that have been utilized in the film. With this, the theory analyzes human relations, culture-usage, lingual properties, and the intentions and motives present within the act. The theory of dramatism by Kenneth Burke applies to the philosophical grounds of the movie, Meet the Parents. Hence, within this study, the main aim is to apply the theoretical concepts of Kenneth Burke in analyzing the proposed film, Meet the Parents. The theory presents itself in number of different arguments and contents. With the very concept of Burke presented in the theory of dramatism that states, â€Å"life is a stage where the drama continues†, he has proposed five components that guide the analysis of human intentions, culture and other symbols present within the drama. Burke contends that every act in every given scene should possess the appropriate purpose. He further emphasizes these subtheoretical components in his dramatism pentad. Within the film of â€Å"Meet the Parents†, various concepts of Burke’s theory have been portrayed. Under this theory, Burke bases the analysis under the concepts of philosophy and symbolical criticisms. From the angles of Greg Focker and her girl friend Pam Byrnes together with her family and relatives, each component of dramatism pentad forms an interacting drama throughout the film. In this study, the film is analyzed through the different components of Burke’s theory, namely: the dramatism pentad, and the implications of human relations, culture and language. Discussion Theoretical Explanation of Kenneth Burke’s Theory of Dramatism Dramatisim Methodology The concept of dramatism involves the concept of Shakespearian idealism of â€Å"world stage† wherein it considers the realistic events or practical applications of real life scenario. As for Kenneth Burke, the theoretical framework considers the world as a drama wherein real-life scenarios are placed into a theatrical presentation. The methodology of dramatism incorporates analysis and reviewing of human relations and their motives. As supported by the Gusfield (1989), dramatism is designed to show that the most direct route to the study of human relations and human motives is via a methodical inquiry into cycles or clusters of terms and their functions (p. 135). Under this consideration, the study identifies the function of dramatism framework as an approach in emphasizing the act of language symbolism that illustrates the conception of man and of human relations. The dramatism methodology is an ideal point of perspective to analyze human acts, relations, and motives in the subjects of philosophy, political science, economics, religion, literature and arts. Upon implementation, the theory suggests the importance of determining of the following variables in order to analyze the components of human acts, relations, and motives: these are speech used, the writing, and the artistic styles present. According to the book of Kennedy (1989), Burke exercises his dramatism primarily upon acts that produces written texts, although he approaches all human actions as essentially dramatic and active, having a dynamic and being analyzable in the same terms (p. 100). Even with a static and immutable character of a play, the theory of dramatism considers the presence of dynamic, changeable and elusive components that maybe present within such plays. The dramatism form of analysis considers the inquiries: â€Å"what are involved in the play? What are the people doing in it? And, why are they doing these acts? † (with this, the pentad form of analysis can be considered). Burke’s dramatism analyzes the content and thoughts of the drama though philosophical and conceptual framework. Dramatism is commonly placed alongside classical rhetoric and tagmemics as one of the standard heuristic methods of invention. The analogy of Burke’s argument provides the thought that in every actions human make, there is always an incorporation of motives or intentions. Through critical analysis under the components of pentad, these motives of actions can be revealed. Under the concept of how drama proceeds, Burke considers the need for participants in order to establish the act. The theory of dramatism considers the human world as the continued version of what has occurred in a drama; hence, calling this perspective as the rhetoric of drama. According to Styan (1992), Burke holds that man tries to control and humanize his world by means of symbolism. Symbols and symbolic structures in art are not only typically human, but all forms of symbolism must be derived ultimately from the senses (p. 4). Burke believes that the concept of symbolism can be applied in the context of human intentions like the ones present in the theatrical drama presentations. It is not surprising since his concepts are very much related to the belief that reality is just the continuity of the drama. With these principles of dramatism methodology, he has proposed five components to instruct the appropriate pattern analyzing given subjects under the concept of dramatism. Dramatism Pentad: Personalization and Depersonalization The concept of Burke ties the two perspectives of personalization and depersonalization. Burke is considering the subject of personification as part of the theatrical drama. These components should be considered in the dramatization method as well. In addition, the theory of dramatization incorporates the ideas of act, agent, scene, agency and purpose that are all incorporated to the aspects of personification. According to Krasner and Saltz (2006), dramatism is not limited in a spatial sense, as if there were one sphere to which it can be comfortably applied and a second sphere from which it should be kept away (p. 53). With this, the theoretical framework of Burke does not consider the non-personal components under the act, agent, scene, agency and purpose; hence, he has conceptualized the idea of non-dramatist. The concept of non-dramatist is limited compared to the dramatist personification, which gives birth to the concept of outer limit in a double term scene. Within the aspect of personalization, the concept of dramatism centers into critical observation of the drama’s five components: act, agent, scene, agency and purpose. In order for an act to appear, an agent must be present to perform this act within the coverage of scene. In order to facilitate and implement the acting within the scene, the agent needs to utilize various agencies that should enable the requirements of acting. The full realization of the act is then realized by providing the appropriate and pre-determined purpose within the act. The five elements that composed the theoretical foundation of dramatism are known as the â€Å"dramatism pentad†. In every term of the pentad, significant type of analysis can be employed through the means of ratio, such as â€Å"Scene-Act Ratio† or the â€Å"Scene-agent ratio†, which interlinks different variables present in the pentad (Kennedy, 1989 p. 100). In Burke’s dramatism pentad, every component should always be present in every given act in order to acquire significance and utility. In the perspective of dramatism, these pentad components are related and form part of the entire thought of the given drama; hence, every component is associated to one another. Human Interaction: Language and Culture The theory of dramatism emphasizes the use of language in facilitating communication and interaction. In addition, the theory understands the social actors possess different cultural and language variations that need to be considered in interaction. As according to Emmelman (2003), Burke’s dramatism considers the angles of cultural domains and language systems under the social actors that behave according to their cultural and social hierarchies (p. 5). The concept of theoretical Dramatism has been considered part of the influential modern rhetoric that attracted sufficient adherents and influenced the conditions of rhetoric in the twenty-first century. As according to Burke’s definition, the concept of Dramatism is a method of analysis and a corresponding critique of terminology designed to show that the most direct route to the study of human relations and human motives is via methodical inquiry into cycles or clusters of terms and their functions is a loosely constructed theory (Benoit, Hample and Benoit, 1992 p. 279). Burke in his theory considers man as an animal that is characterized by symbolic action that identifies itself within the context of language use. Burke considers language, cultural origin and the history of the agent as important symbolisms that provide the message and theme of the drama. Theoretical Application in the Film â€Å"Meet the Parents† Film Overview With the overview of the film, the study obtains the elements portraying the possible parts of the dramatism analysis. The story of â€Å"Meet the Parents† revolves in the two characters Greg Focker and her girlfriend, Pam Byrnes. The couple is actually planning to have their wedding the soonest possible time; hence, as part of tradition, Focker tries to foster some sort of familial attachments to his fiance’s family. In doing so, Focker has been confronted by the relatives of Byrne, including his fiance’s ex-boyfriend and the annoying cat. Being a type of family that is over-protective and amazingly paranoid, Pam’s family intensively tests the credibility of Focker as the rightful man for their daughter. The protagonist is somehow confronted by the Byrneses’ interrogative actions towards him. Unfortunately, the father of Pam, Jack Byrnes, has been part of the CIA investigatory team, who somehow brought Focker in the extensive examination. Despite of the troublesome scenario that Focker is facing, he is aware that this is all part of the test in order to acquire the hands of Pam. Hence, he is determined to do all his best to please and establish a good image towards his family. However, with his frequent attempts, Focker always ends up being ignored or placed in a more complicated scenario. In the film, Focker has realized the virtue that he learned from Jack, which is the Circle of Trust. This idea has facilitated the value and resolution between the courting and doubting parties. Within the circle, Focker and Jack are able to foster trust and relationship that in the end paved the way for another task, which is to meet the Fockers. In the concept of dramatism, the ending of the film provides a notion of practical continuity of the drama. Application of Dramatism Pentad Act In application of the first level of the dramatism theory, the act component presented in the film institutes the element of family versus couple’s plan of marriage. This is a typical scenario in the reality setting wherein the male is confronted by interrogations of family members, which is most commonly from the woman’s side. In this category, the main act of Jack Byrne is to initially counter the desire of Focker to marry their daughter, Pam. On the other hand, the act of Focker is to pursue the reward, that he wants to claim, which is his marriage to Pam. Despite of his efforts and negative impression towards the family of Pam, Focker manages to build some sense of rapport towards the family of Byrnes, while Jack uses this as an advantage for further his investigation on Focker’s identity and intention. The overall act of the film does not actually revolve in a quarrel between the woman’s family against Greg Focker, but rather, the act only shows the attitude of over-protectiveness of the family and tradition that they are following. Agent The agents presented within the film, mainly Greg Focker, Pam Byrnes and Jack Byrnes, facilitates the act. These characters possess different roles and perspectives in terms of rightful marriage and the obligations of establishing a relationship. The agent Focker possesses the personality of perseverance and focus in his goal for marriage. Pam Byrnes, on the other hand, has acquired the role of a clueless fiance in terms of the dispute occurring between her father and Greg. Lastly, the agent Jack Byrnes serves as the main antagonist of the film that facilitates the act of examining Focker’s credentials and candidacy for their daughter. Scene The scene of the film involves the two parties, the Focker and Byrnes, under the traditional setting of family introduction prior to marriage. The scenario in the film provides the aspect of human relationships and the type of culture being employed within the film itself. Somehow, the scenes provide an idealistic perspective on what men and women should do prior to marriage. However, within the context of the film, the incorporation of exaggerations (e. g. the examinations instituted by Jack, the character backgrounds employed within the film – Jack being CIA, etc. ) have given the scene some property of comedy out of the tradition theme that it aims to portray. Hence, the scene of the movie provides the traditional content in a comedy approach, which is facilitated by the agents present in the film. Agency As with the theory of dramatism, the component of agency facilitates the means for the agents to implement their acts. Within the novel, there are three possible agencies that have been utilized in order to illustrate the act of the three main agents: (a) For Greg, he is able to facilitate his act as the one being scrutinized by his’ fiance’s family by his decision of meeting the Byrne family; (b) For Pam, she is able to facilitate her act of being the clueless fiance by her distinct attachment towards Greg (being his fiance) and Jack (being the favorite of her father), which has given her the idea that everything is getting smooth with the two of them; (c) lastly, Jack earns his role of being the detective of her daughter’s fiance, which has been facilitated through his background of being under the CIA profession. Purpose As per analysis of the overall plot of the story, the story illustrates its very purpose by conveying the message of how the traditional scenario should be for a family introduction in couples who are planning to get married. Somehow, the story incorporates th e sense of comedy for the sake of entertainment. It has utilized some sorts of exaggerations in the characters of Jack and Greg in order to provide the aspect of their theme of comedy. Meanwhile, the message of the story is the tradition of marriage wherein the family, most especially the father of the woman, scrutinizes the man before he allows his daughter to be married. It may sometimes be as complex as shown in the movie but not that exaggerated since the movie somehow incorporates almost impossible events. Application of Human Relations, Culture and Language In application of the other concepts of the theory, the components of human relations, culture and language are illustrated in diverse forms within the story. Evidently, the form employed by the film to demonstrate human relations is by the multi-links present between Greg Focker and the Byrne family. Meanwhile, the culture presented in the film is the traditional concept of marriage employed by American from the past up until today. Lastly, to further agree with the traditions and culture the film have presented, the lingual use of American English – between the colloquial (Focker) and Byrnes (Formal) – has somehow provided a realistic features for the two opposing parties in the film. Conclusion In the conclusion of this study, the discussion has included the theoretical frameworks of dramatism by Kenneth Burke and the film Meet the Parents. The thesis of the study subjects the application of Burke’s theory of dramatism to the film Meet the Parents. As per the discussion of the theory, the concept of dramatism has involved different subcomponents that serve as guide in analyzing the human intentions, cultural background and lingual properties of the drama. The theory of dramatism moves in the idea of Shakespearean thought of the world as a stage; hence, it has provided five subcomponents to guide the critical analysis of a drama under the rhetoric philosophy. These five subcomponents involve act, agent, scene, agency and purpose, which are all interrelated and should be present in any given drama. As per application of the theory in the given film, Meet the Parents is able to acquire all these subcomponents mainly through the character symbolisms of Greg Focker, Pam Byrne and Jack Byrne. The act of the film involves the argument between the two parties due to the decision of marriage by Greg and Pam. As part of the traditional American culture in the ideal family scenery, the film has incorporated the need for family introduction prior to marriage. However, with the diverse agencies present in the characters, the act of employing intensive examination towards the male has been portrayed. Although, the film has incorporated some aspects of exaggerations for the sake of entertainment and comedy, it was still able to relay its purpose in the message of how an American family of the female treats male whenever a family introduction is initiated. Reference Benoit, W. L. , Hample, D. , & Benoit, P. J. (1992). Readings in Argumentation. Walter de Gruyter. Emmelman, D. S. (2003). Justice for the Poor: A Study of Criminal Defense Work. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. Gusfield, J. R. (1989). On symbols and society. University of Chicago Press. Kennedy, M. (1989). Theorizing Composition: A Critical Sourcebook of Theory and Scholarship in Contemporary Compositions. Greenwood Publishing Group. Krasner, D. S. , & Saltz, D. (2006). Staging Philosophy: Intersections of Theater, Performance, and Philosophy. University of Michigan Press. Styan, J. L. (1992). Modern Drama in Theory and Practice. Cambridge University Press.

The Growth of Income Inequality in the United States - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2101 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2019/07/01 Category Finance Essay Level High school Tags: Income Inequality Essay Did you like this example? Introduction In the United States, income inequality, or the uneven distribution of revenue, wages, salaries, and earnings, continues to grow rapidly. Income inequality is widening the gap between the wealthy and everyone else. Distribution of income has been established as a key determinant of social mobility. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Growth of Income Inequality in the United States" essay for you Create order Social mobility is defined as the movement of peoples between social classes in a society. Social classes most directly affect education, opportunity, and income. The income gap has grown increasingly since the 1960s, and the differing percentiles of income reflect racial and ethnic inequalities in the United States. In this paper, I will argue that John Rawlss second principle of justice is the right principle for approaching income inequality because it both instills values of justice as a function of government and combats social immobility in disenfranchised communities. Utilizing this principle, income should be redistributed with the intent of benefiting the worse off in society in order to provide citizens with fair equality of occupational opportunity and promote social mobility. Prominent experts on the topic of income inequality include Emmanuel Saez, Thomas Piketty, and Raj Chetty. Raj Chetty, leader of the Equality of Opportunity Project, utilized anonymised tax records to produce data sets proving wide societal disparities in intergenerational mobility. Lower levels of mobility are seen most clearly in disenfranchised communities. In proving that United States citizens are met with often insurmountable obstacles when attempting to rise above their parents in income and opportunity, Chetty challenges the widespread infatuation with the American Dream. Similarly, Emmanuel Saez and Thomas Piketty have published reports claiming that top marginal tax rates could be raised 50 to 70 percent without posing any threat to economic growth. These numbers offer a preventable solution for income inequality in the United States by means of taxation and subsequent redistribution of income. The lack of negative economic consequences associated with high taxation provides support for the ability of the government to mitigate the damages of intergenerational social immobility through redistribution. John Rawlss Second Principle of Justice Regarding equality of opportunity in a nation, many policy proposals reflect values of John Rawlss modern political philosophies. In A Theory of Justice, Rawls establishes two principles of justice. Most relevant to the discussion of income inequality is the second principle of justice, which states that social and economic inequalities must satisfy two conditions: (1) they are to be attached to offices and positions open to all under conditions of fair equality of opportunity and (2) they are to be to the greatest benefit of the least-advantaged members of society. In the first part of the second principle, Rawls asserts that people should be governed in a system that provides fair equality of opportunity, thus people of equal talent and willingness should not be restricted by the class they were born into. Fair equality of opportunity addresses the fact that the majority of peoples incomes are determined by the occupational opportunities and connections they are presented with as a result of their social class. This principle acknowledges inevitable income gaps but allows for these income gaps only if they are a result of equivalent discrepancies in talent or motivation rather than the inequality of opportunity regarding access to occupations and careers. The second part of the second principle, also known as the difference principle, implies that society should function to benefit primarily the worse off. In this assertion, Rawls allows for gaps in income so long as said gaps serve to ultimately benefit those in the lowest class. Income gaps should not exist if they are solely in place to exploit the lower classes. They must only exist to function in favor of those who would benefit the most. As an example, it would be morally permissible to allow for income gaps if they served to motivate the worse off to work harder in order to increase their income. As applied to income inequality and social mobility, the policy implications of Rawlss second principle of justice would call for the redistribution of income only to the extent of allowing each citizen fair opportunities and a morally acceptable standard of living. Moreover, these policies would reflect heavily the suggestions made by economists such as Chetty. In his work, Chetty identifies five determinants of social mobility: segregation, income inequality, school, social capital, and family structure. Policy regarding these five factors should promote fair equality of opportunity and also aim to better the worse off without calling for absolute equality of income among all citizens. Policies to rectify social immobility due to income inequality could expand upon the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), or a refundable tax credit given to low to medium wage workers. Tax credits such as this one work to transfer the income of the top bracketed income earners to those in the lower classes while still preventing a completely even distribution of income. In re-allocating income to the worse off, disenfranchised communities suffering from social immobility can then utilize the larger income to build better education and social structures conducive to higher rates of mobility. This would assist in the development of socially mobile communities, which would allow for improvements concerning fair equality of opportunity in future generations. As a result of fair equality of opportunity, fewer community members would suffer from lack of resources in education and occupation. Rather than remaining stagnant due to the social lottery, or the socioeconomic circumstances into whic h a person is born, community members could be granted resources based on natural talent and hard work. John Rawlss second principle as the right principle for approaching income inequality In the United States, income should be redistributed according to Rawlss second principle of justice. This principle grants the government the ability to ensure fair equality of opportunity and therefore promotes social mobility through the distribution of income tax credits and cash transfers to the worse off. Rawlss second theory of justice is directly countered by Robert Nozick in Anarchy, State, and Utopia. Nozick claims that no centralized group should be entitled to control the distribution of income. Moreover, he warns that no redistribution can be established or continuously enforced without directly interfering with peoples lives and choices as to their own voluntary transactions, or the willing and consensual trade of goods or services between a buyer and a seller. He claims that consumers hold significant power in determining the price point of goods and services. Therefore, the distribution of income as related to consumption in the United States is enabled and endorsed by citizens through their voluntary transactions. The liberty-limiting redistribution of income interferes with citizens just entitlement to their acquisitions. It should, therefore, be impermissible to allow the government to control the distribution of income if said distribution is a product of voluntary trans actions. I argue that Nozicks argument against income redistribution is invalid due to the requirements Nozick establishes in order for people to be justly entitled to their holdings. Nozick states that in order for a person to be entitled to a holding, the person must have (1) acquired the holding in accordance with the principle of justice in acquisition and (2) acquired the holding in accordance with the principle of justice in transfer. The principles of justice in acquisition and transfer specify that any holding obtained through fraudulence, enslavement, or forced exclusion from competition in exchanges cannot be considered a just holding. In examining the place of justice in entitlement to holdings, it is asserted that the fact that a thiefs victims voluntarily could have presented him with gifts does not entitle the thief to his ill-gotten gains. Justice in holdings is historical; it depends upon what actually has happened (Nozick 153). Imperative to voluntary transactions is the eval uation of who confirms the voluntary consent of both parties in a transfer of goods. Historically and currently, those in majority positions of power are granted the ability to establish whether or not the worse off consent to market practices and subsequent income distributions. Following the establishment of justice in acquisitions and transfers is the assertion that injustices in holdings must be rectified. While Nozick opposes Rawlss goal of redistribution, Nozicks concern with the rectification of injustices directly agrees with Rawlss second principle of justice. Historically, income has not been distributed fairly or justly in regards to fair equality of opportunity. Fair equality of opportunity falls in line with Nozicks justice of acquisition and transfer, as both argue that people are not entitled to goods (i.e. income) if said goods were not acquired in a system which promoted and ensured fair equality of opportunity. If justice in holdings is an issue of historical fairness, it is clear that the United States has not recovered from a history of prolonged oppression and enslavement. The modern inequality can be seen clearly in the research of Chetty and Saez, which depicts the notable lack of social mobility for African Americans and other racial minorities in the United States. According to both Nozick and Rawls, the just action would be to require the rectification of past injustices. While Rawls explicitly states that this unfairness of equality of opportunity can be alleviated by means of income redistribution, Nozick does not offer a solution concerning both how to rectify past injustices and who to hold accountable or place in charge of said rectification. While Nozick and Rawls differ in the reasoning for a redistribution of income, both provide theories of justice that could utilize redistribution as a policy implementation. Rawls calls for this redistribution on the basis of the governments contractual obligation to operate on the virtue of justice. Rawls believes this redistribution would be effective in eliminating the morally arbitrary social lottery. Moreover, Nozick would not agree that income inequalities must be in place only to benefit the worse off, but would instead allow mitigations of income inequality with the intent of rectification. Rawls and Nozick also differ in their plans for the longevity of redistribution, as Rawls argues for the governments continuous responsibility to redistribute income and ensure justice. Nozick would view such interventions as a threat to peoples rights and would allow for the least possible intervention only in cases of rectification. Nozick utilizes the case of famous basketball player Wilt Chamberlain to elaborate on the importance of voluntary transactions. He describes a scenario in which people buy basketball tickets and drop an extra twenty-five cents into a box upon their admission with the knowledge that those twenty-five cents would be directly transferred to Wilt Chamberlain. If Wilt Chamberlain ends his basketball season with 250,000 dollars, his income is significantly larger than those around him. Nozick claims that this income inequality is fair because consumers chose to voluntarily transfer their money to Wilt Chamberlains income and thus agreed to an uneven distribution of income. In this scenario, the income of Wilt Chamberlain is permissible in regards to the principles of justice of acquisition and transfer. While the concept of consensual voluntary transfers is comprehensive in theory, the transparency and simplicity of the Wilt Chamberlain example rarely occurs in real life. This theory extends to assume that the worse off fall in the lowest income bracket because they consent to their incomes through their transactions. This disregards the role of social immobility and restricted equality of opportunity as a determinant of income distribution. Rawlss view of income redistribution acknowledges the complexity and depth of income inequality, while Nozicks Wilt Chamberlain example simplifies income redistribution in order to assert that government involvement in redistribution limits personal freedoms. Conclusion Supported by the economic research of Chetty, Piketty, and Saez, Rawlss second principle of justice provides a compelling argument in favor of the redistribution of income. Rawls allows for redistribution of income with the goal of achieving a fair equality of opportunity to all citizens. Moreover, he allows for inequalities in distribution only if said inequalities would benefit the worse off in a society. The second principle of justice, contrary to views such as Nozicks, does not infringe on personal freedoms but instead works to ensure that income is acquired and transferred by just means. This principle stands in favor of Nozick by addressing the need for rectification of historical injustices in acquisition and transfer while also expanding on Nozicks need for income redistribution only for the purpose of rectification. Rawls asserts that income should be distributed justly not only for the sake of rectification but for the goal of justice in governance. Due to its ability to f ully address issues of inequality and social immobility as well as defend the governments position in ensuring economic justice, Rawlss second principle of justice is the right principle for addressing income inequality in the United States.