Banning The Confederate Flag On Campus - 916 Words

Students at Castleton University, a liberal arts college in Vermont, have begun to voice their concerns over the use of the Confederate flag on campus. Currently, the university does not have a policy on the flag and some students feel that there should be one implemented. The article references the flag being prevalent on campus as a material creation; seen in windows, laptops, and bumper stickers. The displaying of the flag is a behavior. Some students find the flag offensive and inappropriate; while others believe that the flag is an expression of constitutional rights and is a historical symbol. Cultures mentioned in the article within the college culture are African American culture, southern culture, and United States culture as a whole. Though no Caucasians were featured in the article, I believe it’s worth noting that the school has â€Å"a white population of 87.9 percent†. Like many college campuses, Castleton is a fairly heterogeneous community where many different subcultures have their own beliefs and values. The pattern of the flag as a symbol is not cut and dry. The flag that we know as the Confederate Flag today was actually never the Confederate Army’s official flag. It was the Confederate battle flag of Northern Virginia. It is now a part of the culture and history of the United States. The meaning of the flag is dynamic. It has changed over time. The meaning of the flag is not shared. Its meaning varies from a simple historical material creation to aShow MoreRelatedThe Battle Of The Confederate Flag At The University Of Mississippi1371 Words   |  6 Pagesamount of fanfare over racially divisive traditions. The majority of these traditions are due to the geographical location of the university and its support of the confederate army during the Civil War. This essentially married the university to symbols of the confederacy in the form of traditions, including the presence of the confederate flag at football games, the Colonel Reb mascot, and the singing of â€Å"From Dixi e with Love† (Waldron). The University of Mississippi’s (Ole Miss) traditions are perceivedRead MoreThe Battle Of The Confederate Flag1719 Words   |  7 PagesThe confederate flag has been a symbol of power that has caused oppression throughout its existence, but recently, more than ever, it has come under fire due to its association with racism. In June of 2015, Dylann Roof executed nine people inside of a Black church in South Carolina. As the media began to dig into this homegrown terrorist s background, they uncovered symbols that he attached his ideologies to. One prominent symbol was the confederate flag. In the immediate following weeks there wereRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagessays, The new flag I designed has red and white stripes with thirteen stars, is she explaining the flag? No, she is just describing it. She is not explaining where the flag came from or what motivated her to make it. She isn’t talking about causes. Nor is she arguing about the flag. However, if Betsy Ross says something a little more elaborate, such as The new flag I designed has red and white stripes with thirteen stars for the thirteen new states, she is describing the flag and also explaining

Should Prison Reform Be More Effective Without Incarceration

Diana Pena Research Paper First Draft November 17, 2015 Prison reform is the attempt to improve conditions inside prison and to find other ways for a penal system to be more effective without incarceration (Leher, 2013). The effect of prison on ex-inmates has a negative influence when trying to interact with society. According to the National Institute of Justice, about 68% of prisoners go back to prison within 3 years of their release. Prisoners may not know how to integrate back into society in the sense where, they do not have the correct training in how to communicate with society. Society views prisoners as a criminal that would never change or improve their lives. This view results in stigma. Stigma is the judgement made by society to those who may have a negative reputation in the general public (Angermeyer Schomerus, 2012.) I propose a program where a group of prisoners, according to their crime, be appointed to a counselor that has a fully understanding on the crime and their potential mental state. Also, there would be a federal reform where prisoners can learn how to interact with society, along with getting a job when released. There are over 9 million prisoners â€Å"cycling† through many different kinds of prisons (Caporrizo 2011, November 30). America’s correctional system has been arresting many people which results in prison overcrowding. During the 1960s and ‘70s, the United States got â€Å"tough on crime†, in other words, stepping up their arrestsShow MoreRelatedThe Major Punishment For Criminal Acts1526 Words   |  7 Pagesan estimated 2338,000 individuals are in state prisons, more than 90,000 are in the federal prison, and more than 5,000 are in juvenile facilities. In the same way, more than 20,000 are in territorial prisons and military prisons, as well as local jails. By October 2013, America had the highest rate of incarceration across the globe at 718 per 100,000 people. It is equally important to note that as of December 2014, the International C entre for Prison Studies reported that there were 2, 783,689 prisonersRead MoreIncarceration Of The United States Criminal Justice System1744 Words   |  7 PagesIncarceration Rates in the US are The United States criminal justice system has failed to rehabilitate criminals. Even after being punished for their crimes, convicts continue their wrongdoings without having gained valuable lessons from being incarcerated and are sent back to prison. Jails are supposed to aid those imprisoned by helping them gain skills that will reduce future occurrences and enable them to act morally in society. Punishing criminals is not as productive as it isRead MoreEssay about Traditional and Non-Traditional Methods of Sentencing881 Words   |  4 PagesPrisons are designed to confine individuals convicted of committing crimes. These facilities are used to rehabilitate offenders while keeping them isolated from the community so they can do no more harm to law abiding citizens. The goal of jails and prisons are to simply keep offenders from committing more crimes while encouraging them to become productive members of society. Traditional forms of corrections consist of prison tim e, restitution, probation or parole. However, there are some non-traditionalRead MoreBring Back Flogging Essay1060 Words   |  5 Pagespresents the use of corporal punishment as an alternative to the current system of imprisonment. Published in February of 1997, the article states that flogging would be a more effective means of punishment than jail. He insists it would be less expensive and serve as a deterrent to first time offenders. Jacoby’s thoughts on prison reform are legitimate, but his reasoning behind the use of corporal punishment is flawed. He fails to provide reasonable support for his argument which leaves the reader guessingRead MoreThe Problem Of Prison Population1536 Words   |  7 PagesAfter decades trying to prevent it, prison population continued to increase. Mandatory minimum sentences and the privatization created more prisoners, rather than cutting down on the amount incarcerations. Since the 1980’s, the prison population has quadrupled and today one in every one hundred adults are in prison (Mandatory Minimums (HBO)). Infact, America leads the world in prisoners with 20% of the earth’s prison population (The Prison Crisis). In a study done by The American Prospect, chartsRead MoreMass Incarceration During The United States1322 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish 3 Honors 30 March 2017 Mass Incarceration in the United States There are too many people in prison in our country and any people in prison today are non-violent drug offenders. The American war on drugs has targeted people in poverty and minorities, who are more likely to be involved in drug use. This has created a pattern of crime and incarceration and â€Å"...[a] connection between increased prison rates and lower crime is tenuous and small.† (Wyler). The prison system in our country today focusesRead MoreRehabilitation Programs Should Be Abolished1669 Words   |  7 Pagesfree† has more people imprisoned in proportion to its population than any other developed country in the world. There are over 2 million prisoners throughout the United States, and approximately 750,000 of them will be released within the year. With the current methods in place in the prison system, most offenders will likely fall back into the same way of life that originally landed them in jail. In fact, roughly two-thirds of prisoners being released toda y will end up back in prison within theRead MoreThe Punishment Of Prison System825 Words   |  4 Pages In principle, prison system plays important role in the society through reforming and punishing offenders sent to prison and preventing potential offenders. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of in prisoners in the US prisons system, because prison is used as the primary correction facility for offenders while ensuring justice to offended (Guerino 20). Prisons comprise of offenders who are above the county jail level. Further, inmates comprise of people from differentRead MoreThe Effects Of Incarceration On The Correctional System Essay1629 Words   |  7 PagesAlternatives to Incarceration It has been said â€Å"bad company corrupts good morals†. Parents sometimes use this phrase in hopes of keeping their children from hanging out with the wrong crowd. The prison system is no different. Locking up people in jail should be a consequence that most want to avoid thus decreasing the crime rate. In 1976, William Nagel found that incarceration did not stop criminals from committing crimes. In fact, if overcrowded prisons are increasing with more people being bookedRead MoreIncarceration Policy And Crime Reduction1332 Words   |  6 Pagesreview, studies on the relationship between incarceration policy and crime reduction is yet to be clear for utilization by policymakers. In most cases, researchers agree that increased incarceration may perhaps have a positive effect on the reduction of crime rates. However, it is the scale of this action that has a limiting scope attached to it when empirical studies are carried. For instance, Stemen (2007) observes that a 10 percen t increase in incarceration may lead to about 2 to 4 percent reduction

Faded Walls Free Essays

Michael was apprehensive as he approached his dorm. The scratched paintwork and the incomplete door number seemed so much more intriguing than usual. As he stared at the space where the eight should be he drifted into thinking about the argument last night with his long-term girlfriend Zara. We will write a custom essay sample on Faded Walls or any similar topic only for you Order Now They had been together for as long as he could remember (well, three years to be exact), and last night was the first major argument they’d had. It all started when Zara bought fish and chips. Michael had never received his favourite take-out meal from her once, in the three years they’d been together, and that brought up considerable questioning in itself. Anyway Michael was halfway through his plaice when it came, â€Å"Michael, I’ve been accepted.† The silence that followed was deadly. To a person outside this relationship it would seem ridiculous but Michael knew what she meant. In November, after successful results in the deciding mid-term Zara had applied for a job as a reporter on the Seattle Express, a well-acknowledged paper in the state and a job, which could set Zara in the path for success. He had heard nothing more of it and with relief he had let the subject slip from his mind. But now it was back and Michael was furious! His outrage was not so much in terms of what Zara herself had done but at the terrible timing of the paper. They had just set-up arrangements for the future, which suited him fine and now this was happening. â€Å"How can you do this? I have stuck with you through everything and now you’re doing this to me.† It was strange but while Michael poured his heart out the only thing he could see in the front of his mind was how did the wallpaper get in such a bad state and why was this new colour emerging out of the marigold that was once there. â€Å"You selfish creep! I have worked so hard for this and now all you can think about is yourself.† â€Å"Alright, alright just calm down for a second and we’ll work through this.† â€Å"I’m sorry Michael but there’s nothing to work through. I must take this opportunity no matter what I have to leave behind, it’s the only way I can get ahead in life, look after myself, you see?† Michael was left speechless and disgusted, firstly at how she could disgard him as something to leave behind and even more revolting the tone of pity that crept into her voice as she realised the context of what she was actually saying. With that Michael stormed out! Furious, but with a blank mind as to where to go. The first place that came to him was Johnny’s. He arrived at 486 some ten minutes later and came up with a valid excuse as to why he was there. As soon as he walked through the door two things immediately struck him. Firstly there was a girl sprawled amorphously across the sofa, which may not appear to be an odd thing, for a nearly twenty year-old male to have a girl of the same age in his room, but this was Johnny he was talking about, the same man who had seemed to repel the opposite sex in any shape, size or form for the whole three years he had known him. Then there was the chair. Sunk in the far left corner of the room was the oldest, grottiest, most repulsive chair he had ever seen. This disgusting obtrusion had been cut to bits through the ages to leave it looking like a sort of scratching post for cats and to add insult to what looked like very painful injury someone had had the decency to spill what looked like some type of jam down it. If he had to take a guess it would be blueberry. The hours didn’t sail by unfortunately for Michael, who was left in the sitting room thinking about Zara and the fact that he knew (but was determined not to admit) that he would end up having to apologise for whatever was said the night before, regardless of who said what, for there to be any hope in hell of Zara staying. At approximately ten past one in the morning Michael fell asleep after hours of thinking and repeating the fact that he did love her and he supposed anyone you loved was worth fighting for. It was ten past ten and Michael had overslept. Remembering the hours he spent last night trying to save his relationship, he thought he might as well put this time to use and change his thoughts into action. He hurried out of the cluttered room and, after realising he was not yet dressed, just had time to grab the door which was swinging madly back into place after. Correcting his actions Michael dressed scruffily into some Levi’s, second-day underwear and a crinkled Gap t-shirt and left 486 for his own dorm. After tracing the space where the six used to be for the infinite time he thought that there would be no way that this door will open of its own accord. He thought he would gently help it in its way, slowly turning the scratched doorknob as if it would break at the slightest extra movement, he cautiously moved the door forward and in less time than he would’ve preferred he was in. He thought about running straight back out again but the only way he could’ve done that is if he was ten years younger and the room he was entering was that of his older sister and not that of his girlfriend. So he was stuck. Then something so out of the ordinary happened that put Michael into a state of shock for the next few seconds. It was Zara, and she was actually running towards him. The wind was knocked out of him as she wrapped her arms tighter and tighter around him, pressing her body forcefully up against his own. â€Å"Oh god. I’ve been thinking about you all night. How can I have been so stupid, to throw away what we have for this†, waving the ticket to America in the air. â€Å"Ohhhhhh†, Michael sighed, his heartbeat racing at the thought of what she just said. Thinking of some carefully worded, beautiful and meaningful thing to say, what came out was, â€Å"I really do love you†. What happened next was; in the space of just under an hour two bedsprings were broken, as were many foreign laws and for some reason there was a pack of cards strewn across the floor. At the end of it Zara felt closer to Michael than she ever had and the wallpaper didn’t seem so much of an issue any more in his mind. â€Å"Oh crap!† Zara blurted out. â€Å"What?† Michael was really hoping there wasn’t anything negative that would ruin this moment. â€Å"The dance†, Zara had been planning the end-of-semester dance all year and wasn’t going to waste all this now they were back together again. â€Å"Can’t we just forget about it?† â€Å"Oh please Michael. This is my one chance to see everyone before we leave† Michael seeing the need in her expression admitted to himself that this was a thing he had to do and was sure he could get through it easily if only for her sake, so of course, he said he’d go. After the third call into the bedroom where Zara was getting changed he realised why she took the trouble of two and a half hours preparing. Zara looked stunning. There was no other word for it, as Michael thought to himself that maybe deciding on coming was the right decision for his sake as well. They arrived the breathtaking couple she had dreamed about all through the semester, and took to the dance floor straight away to a Westlife number. It was getting late now as the crowd on the floor slowly started to thin and Zara whispered in Michaels ear before heading off to the toilet. Michael was left standing against the wall slightly annoyed at Zara’s timing as the slow song played its first chords, something by Duran Duran, a tasteless track in Michael’s mind. Just then he saw a figure slowly move through the crowd in his direction. It was Jessica Lees from his biology class, a geeky, awkward girl who still had braces at the age of nineteen (which disturbed Michael more than he would consciously admit). She was obviously drunk as she pressed her hands against his chest. â€Å"You’re very sexy Michael King, do you know that?† This was a situation Michael really did not want to be in and just as he tried to politely leave she had him pushed up against the wall and in the next second brought her chapped lips up against his. The worst thing was the braces; grating and grating his gums he finally pushed her away after the worst experience of his life. He searched the hall until there were only a dozen people left, the last couples determined not to leave until the tape had played out. He thought she must have just gone back to the dorm for some urgent reason; he put it down to some womanly thing. However he couldn’t for the life of him think what. He returned back to the dorm, repeating his past performance of slowly opening the door at a speed which no other person could manage, thinking Zara would by now be asleep so it would be best not to wake her. Opening the door he could see the room fully now and to his surprise it was spotless, which it had never been before. It was then he noticed two other things, far more disturbing than the last: a folded piece of A4 paper and marigold wallpaper where Zara once kept her bags. How to cite Faded Walls, Papers