Muslims Immigration to Australia

Muslims Immigration to Australia Introduction Migration could be said to be as old as humankind. The UN definition of a migrant covers â€Å"all cases where the decision to migrate is taken freely by the individual concerned, for reasons of personal convenience and without intervention of an external compelling factor.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Muslims Immigration to Australia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the basis of this definition, a migrant is not just a term used in reference to displaced person or refugees, or those individuals who have been forced by prevailing circumstances to flee their homes (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2010). Prior to the settlement of Europeans into Australia, a majority of the visitors into the country were Muslims, specifically from the region of Indonesian archipelago. During the 16th century, traders and fishermen were the main visitors into Australia (Dunn, 2004). Muslims immigrants into Australia increased in number during the 1800s following the arrival of Afghan camel drivers (Dunn, 2004), along with a number of Muslims traders from Middle East. Statistics Egyptians were among the earliest immigrants to Australia, with about 108 migrants in 1901 (Clyne Kipp, 1999). By 2006, this population had increased to over 33,493. This increase was especially noticeable in the late 1940s and the early 1950s, following the overthrow of the monarchy in Egypt, resulting in the rise of the Arab nationalist movement. Most of them now live in Sydney (16,238) and Melbourne (11,156) (United Nations Statistics Division, 2006). In 1911, the number of Syrian and Lebanese immigrants in Australia was 1,527, a number that had increased to 33,424 by 1976 mainly as a result of the civil war in Lebanon that had started in 1975. By 2006, this number had once again increased to more than 71,000 (Department of Immigration and Citizenship, 2008. Following the start of th e Gulf War, an increasingly higher number of Iraqis have been seen to have sought for refugee status in Australia. According to the 2001 census report, it was estimated that nearly 24,760 Iraqis were already living in Australia. They consist of the Assyrians, Assyrians, Kurds, Jews, Armenians and Turkmens.Advertising Looking for essay on ethnicity studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The reasons for the need to migrate into Australia are as diverse as the nationality of these individual. Some of the most common reasons include individuals seeking for asylum due to increased incidence of violence in their war-torn countries (Ang, 2001). Accordingly, they would want to be hosted by a country that is committed to the human rights declaration for the freedom of human rights. Also, other people migrate to Australia in search of jobs from the diverse sectors of the economy, such as in the mining and exploration industr y, and the financial sector, among others. There are also those individuals moving to Australia as students, while others have been married by Australians citizens and therefore desire to move in with their families. Nevertheless, it is important to appreciate the fact that family reunion and skilled migration make up the largest proportion of the immigrants. In recent years, the detention of illegal immigrants by the authorities has sparked huge controversies amongst the academics (Forrest Dunn 2006). In the period between year 2004 and 2005 a total of 123,424 people immigrants entered Australia. The composition of the Immigrants included 1,506 South American; 54,804 Africans; 2,369 eastern European; 54,804 Asians; 18,220 from the UK; and 21,131 from Oceania. A report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics that was presented in mid 2006 reveals that at the time, nearly a quarter (24%) of the entire population in Australia considered as residents of the country had been born else where, representing 4,956,863 of the Australian total population (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2010). The purpose of this research paper is to examine the issue of immigration within the Australian context. In this case, the historical perspective of immigration in Australia shall be explored, along with the ensuing benefits to the immigrants and Australian as a nation. The research paper intends to examine the issue of Arabs immigrating to Australia as a case study, and the challenges that they have had to encounter owing to the perception of held regarding Islam and Arabs as terrorists.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Muslims Immigration to Australia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Increased cases of immigration into Australia In the space of five past years the number of North African immigrants Australia has increased considerably. Within a span of four past years North African migrants entering Australia ha ve come in the form of humanitarian entrants (Perrin Dunn 2007). This immigration upsurge is an attribute of a switch of the local focus of the humanitarian plan towards Africa. The largest proportion of North African migrants since 2000 to 2001 was of Sudan origin. The States of Victoria and of the New South Wales experienced the largest proportions of this influx. The table below depicts the respective country of birth of the Australian nationality. Country of Birth Estimated Resident Population United Kingdom 1,153,264 New Zealand 476,719 China 279,447 Italy 220,469 Vietnam 180,352 India 153,579 Philippines 135,619 Greece 125,849 Macedonia 120,649 South Africa 118,816 Germany 114,921 Malaysia 103,947 Netherlands 86,950 Lebanon (Arabic) 86,599 Sri Lanka 70,913 Serbia and Montenegro 68,879 Indonesia (majorly Muslim) 67,952 United States 64,832 Poland 59,221 Fiji 58,815 Ireland 57,338 Croatia 56,540 Bosnia-Herzegovina 48,762 Sourc e: Australia Bureau of Statistics, 2006 census. From the table we are able to see that the Arabs migrants make up 86,599 of the total migrants in Australia in the year 2006. They comprise about 1.75% of the total migrants. Collectively the Muslim make up about 154,551 (majority of Indonesia are Muslims). Thus about 3.12% migrants comprise of Muslims. Settlement patterns in Australia differ across the continent (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2010). According to the census information obtained in 2006 census, the state of New South Wales comprises the major population of the continent with the largest foreign born residents (Acker 2007). Secondly, the state of Victoria is the second largest populated state. Also, the state of Victoria has been ranked as the country’s state with the second largest group foreign-born individuals who accounts for 1,161,984 of the total population (Bryan Rafferty 1999). Of these, 50.1% are of Turkish origin, 41.6% of Italian origins, 49.4% are o f Greek descent, and 50.6% of Sri Lankan origin.Advertising Looking for essay on ethnicity studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Problems associated with immigration In a case study of a multi-ethnic residence in Dandenong (Acker 2007) the existence of clear- cut boundaries between a white and a non-white ethnicity of a migrant or Muslim background was clearly shown. According to the opinion of an Anglo Australian manager, although the immigrants act as good source of labor for car and canning industries, they contribute significantly to an increase in the proportion of the unemployed individuals living in Australia. This situation has had a somewhat negative effect on the socio-economic aspect of the Dandenong community. From a social point of view these groups of unemployed individuals seek welfare services to enable them contain their basic needs. However, not everybody can have their basic needs addressed by social service. As a result, those who are left out end up becoming disillusioned and frustrated. A number of them could even contemplate, or actually get involved in crime as a source for their livel ihood. In addition, they are also not in a position to make any substantial contribution to the economy of the country, seeing that they have no source of income. Besides, their children are not likely to attend good schools and they are also not in a position to afford the luxuries of life, such as nice homes, and cars. According to Caldwell (1987), socio-economic drawback are usually prominent in the migrants residential characterized by undesirable conditions of live including discrimination by the superior ethnic groups, unemployment, and limited job opportunities. It is evident that material affluence is used to discriminate and identify or emphasize the extent otherness of the migrants from the other ethnicity. Policies on immigration Generally, citizenship in Australia appears to be retreating from its multicultural policies (Dunn Mahtani 2001). The discrimination as highlighted by the media undermines the legitimacy of the migrants to live as free citizens. Dunn (2004) attr ibutes these incidences of discrimination to the conception of Hanson Pauline’s one nation party in 1990. One nation party’s focused on the anxiety of the citizens in as far as the issue of social transformation is concerned. In addition, the one nation party was actively focused on multiculturalism, indigenous affairs and immigration as the source of social fragmentation. These objectives were further reinforced following the 1996 inauguration of the liberal-national party coalition central government. According to Bowen (2010), this government has largely been credited for the pivotal role that it played in such important national issues as the reduction of the rates of immigration, stiffening of the entrance qualification, and decreasing access to welfare by migrants by closure of the office of multicultural affairs, among others. The 2001 election campaign was largely based on moral panics concerning ethnic crime including race raping, particularly in Sydney (Clyne Kipp n. d.) ; imminent increase in the number of illegitimate migrants in Australia (Dunn et al 2004); increased terrorist attacks in the U.S. and the Bali bombings. As a result, this culminated in the incorporation of the matters of crime and policing, cultural harmony and border security into the national integrity and welfare (Perrin Dunn 2007). This political atmosphere has a role in the marginalization of migrants of Arabic and Muslim origin. Base on the study of Immigrants to Australia, some settlement policies on fresh migrants had already been estimated. It is supposed that the changes that have been made to the settlement policies could very likely have influenced the constituent of the intake and subsequent behaviors of the migrant following their intake (Australian Consulate-General 2010). It is particularly important to note that a decrease in the humanitarian class (refugees), English language test, and a stiffening of the point test are some of the changes in the se lection procedure which have made it increasingly difficult for family members to settle in Australia. This policy reform has probably determined the human capital characteristics of the migrants. The second important reform was in the eligibility for joblessness and social security reimbursement (Dunn 2004). Initially the migrants would wait for a space of six months to qualify for the social security reimbursement. Later the space of time a migrant would take before qualifying for this service increased by two years, alongside the stiffening of the procedures for acquiring these reimbursements. The reforms determine the choice of prospect migrants in as far as the decision to apply to settle in Australia is concerned. The issue of inaccessibility to social security reimbursement could also have a profound influence on the labor market behavior of these migrant through their reservation wages. Discrimination of the Arabic and Muslim migrants According to Forrest and Dunn (2007), fo llowing the 11 September, 2001 terrorist bombing of the Twin Towers in New York City, the United States, immigrants of Arabic origin have been subjected to various forms of discrimination. Such acts of prejudice range from institutional segregation, cultural stereotyping, vandalism and assort, harassment and verbal abuse in the workplace, school, street particularly the female Arabs or Muslim Australian; assault and physical violence; and different forms of social incivility (Dunn 2001). The various surveys that have been carried out on the Anglo migrants depict a general attitude towards their Arabs counterpart that is filled with a certain amount of negativity. These Anglo immigrants are fully convinced that the presence of the Arabs and Muslims in different regions of Australia make them uneasy, angry and resentful, in effect perceiving this to portray a certain amount of displacement (Perrin Dunn 2007). In the 1970s, the Australian government played a pivotal role in as far as the repealing of the immigration policy on racial discrimination in the country is concerned. As a result, Australia has witnessed an increased number of immigrants of Islamic origin, and this has necessitated the local government need to build educational facilities and mosques (and more so in Melbourne and Sydney) to cater for the increasing number of Muslims in the cities. However, the move has not been without resistance in Australia as certain individual and groups sought to oppose the move to build mosques, a scenario which may at best, be regarded as being anti-Islamic sentiment (Bugg, n. d., p. 2). The resistance also symbolizes the significance of place as competitive terrain where class, politics, identity and power interact, and not just a physical location. The universities in Australia have also not been left out either on this matter. For example, during the 2008/2009 academic year, an important campaign was undertaken at the Melbourne-based RMIT University. This campa ign, which was quite successful, was aimed at ensuring that the dedicated prayers rooms for Muslims available on campus were returned (Ward Wood 2009). The migrants of British origin constitute the majority of the Australian population, and the represent the superior ethnic group. This is evident from the view points of male Anglo seniors who believe that unlike their Arabs counterparts who have Muslim enclave, they are devoid of social tensions. Their remarks about the Arabs clearly portray the racial prejudice they hold against them, from the point of view of social aspects (Dunn et al 2004). Certainly, the Arabs migrants are responsible for adverse events in a society. These events are the results of the strong religious doctrines they hold against the non-Muslim member of the community. The Anglo senior men attribute their sense of exclusion from certain areas, in this regard, Arncliffe, to the dreadful Islamic existence. From the interview, we can depict that the seniors blame their feeling of fear and displacement to the Arabic migrants (Perrin Dunn 2007). The terrorist attacks that were carried out on the twin Towers in New York City on September 11 culminated in a worldwide prejudice against the Muslim community. From that point on, an increasingly number of individuals changes their perception regarding the Muslims, and they would now been associated with acts of terrorism, and therefore were treated as a source of threat to national security by many countries. Consequently, it became increasingly hard for an individual of Muslim of Arab origin to gain entrance to a majority of the foreign nations, let alone secure immigration rights. With regard to Australia, the Bali bombing, besides the September attack, heightened racial bias against the Muslim Arabic Australian (Clyne Kipp n. d.). According to the records gathered by the human rights and equal opportunity commission, a Muslim Australian is subject to considerable discrimination and ‘race talk.’ In addition, a survey that targeted Arabs and Muslims respondents depicted that 75% Arab Muslim had been subject to racial violence and abuse since the September 11, terrorist attack (Dunn et al 2007). Moreover, the study by Forrest and Dunn (2007), depicted how the everyday racisms at the ethnic and individual level was higher than the institutional form; workplace, learning, police and housing. An estimate of one in every six Australian was subject to institutional racism (Dunn et al. 2004). On the other hand about 25% of Australian experienced everyday racism in restraints, retail shops, sports, disrespectful treatment on the account of ethnic difference, and name address. Dunn, Klocker, and Salabay (2007) argue that in Australia, current anti-Muslim sentiment is a product of racialization that entails sensitivity of threat and inadequacy, well practiced stereotypes of Islam, and delusion that the Other (in this context the Australian Arabic Muslims) lack the sense of belonging. These acts of racisms are not out dated color-based segregation; instead they depict specific characteristics which are evidence of racialization process in regard to Arab Muslims. On the basis of the three levels of findings, the structure of Islam is the prominent means by which racism is often propagated. To begin with, surveys on public opinion have played a leading role in helping to disclose the level of Islamaphobia among the various states of Australia, and the relevance between threat acuity and perception of foreignness and Otherness. In addition, the set of information was derived from a constituent examination of the racialized affliction of Muslims and their respective spaces. The third cluster of information was derived from an evaluation of the underlying forces of Islamaphobia, and national cultural segregation in the affairs of state response to refuge seekers. Harmful media harassment is strongly connected to antagonistic government characteristics. This adversity has had substantial effects on the Australian Muslims. This is because it supports a more pervasive Islamaphobia, misguided opposition to mosque expansion and constantly more restraining asylum seeker strategy, and disguises in the form of racist violence and arson attacks. Eventually, the racialization of Islam undermines the sense of belonging and residency for Arab Muslim Australians. The present day Australia is in confusing state as a nation of co-existence between multiculturalism and various forms of racisms. According to the survey of Sydney population, using the social constructivist initiative to scrutinize the characteristic and sociospatial circumstance of racist conduct in Australias largest EthniCity, Sydney. The findings of the studies depict a combination of compositional and contextual relations with racisms (Forrest Dunn 2007). The former suggests a broad inconsistent affiliation between socioeconomic position and patience, as well as between cultur al variation and patience. Nevertheless, the latter, depicts a place centered cultures of tolerance and intolerance influencing compositional affairs. Therefore, distribution of racism in Sydney augments a level of understanding unequaled by the aspatial study alone. This gives insight of the intricacy of restricted political cultures and can be used in the formulation of anti-racism involvement. Failure of acknowledgement remains one of the key means of re-inscribing the other. In the anti-mosque opposition in Sydney depict a form of discrimination which manifest as a discourse of nonexistence. Sydney Arabic Muslims have been represented as non-residential inside or outside the situations where mosques prospects have been proposed (Forest Dunn 2007).. In these contexts right of belonging and residency by Sydney Arab Muslims have principally been violated. Census statistics have been used to dispute the contemporary and historical constructions of Islamic nonexistence in Australia. Sydney Arab Muslims are diversified in their culture, besides their disparity in faith groups. Their presence is increasingly felt in regions beyond their apparent zones of residential center. This assortment and dynamism considerably pose a challenge for the development in Islamic community’s development (Ummah) in Sydney and provide a strong basement for further investigation. The negative misconceptions about Muslim around the globe represent Muslims as intolerant, fanatical, aggressive, misogynist, fundamentalist, and most importantly, alien. The various misconception of Islam had different application by the mosque development opposition in Sydney state of Australia in the period of the 1980s and 1990s (Dunn 2001). Dedication and intolerance are characteristics of Islam which until the present time have experienced centuries of manipulation in the West. Their reiterative manipulations have lead to the attainment of extensive potency. For instance in Sydney, they were de ployed in planning determinations and political course of choice within local governments. The accusations of aggression and misogyny did not effortlessly transformed into the basis for the numerous oppositions of the mosque development (Dunn 2001); instead they formed the basis for heightening civilian discomfort and widening antagonism. In addition, the local governments declined expansion consent for mosques on the account of the misplacement of the characteristic of the proposals to the surrounding development, underpinning the construction of mosques to be alien and misplaced. Only did the discourse of opposition towards mosque development was not shallowly based on stereotypes of Islam, instead it relied intensely on the cultural framework of the composition of a local nationality and society. Mosque expansion supporters a counter construction of Muslim as ordinary local citizen, tolerant, family oriented, peaceful and moderate (Islamic Council of New South Wales 2004). Conclu sion The prominent elements and research issues for the respective social scientists are in threefold. To begin with, the international geopolitics and domestic politics of this humanitarian movement demands critical assessment. Second, the suitability of housing services demands evaluation (Perrin Dunn 2007). Particularly, the impact and worth of privatizing service delivery the humanitarian entrants requires rigorous systematic evaluation. Lastly, more knowledge about the cultural adaptation of this group of people is crucial to allow for more considerate decision, specifically with regard of the youth. As a result, a study on the experiences of racism and the relative existence and suitability of anti-racism policies is an important undertaking that needs to be addressed as a matter of great urgency. Reforms in the industrial relations policy have had a negative impact on the employees who are disadvantaged from a social point of view. Consequently, this has resulted in the equi ty consideration for susceptible workers particularly the migrants, women and young persons. Based on the research findings of academicians in the field of immigration, the work choices policies of Australian government presided by Howard does not take into consideration the predicaments of these disadvantaged class of people. They do not offer any prospects for the lowly paid labor force (Acker 2007). Reference List ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) (2006). Australian Standard Classification of Religious Groups (ASCRG), cat. No. 1266.0, ABS, Canberra. Acker, E. (2007). Globalization and the politics of restructuring the Australian labor market Web. Available from: http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~lbh/ref/new2/18.pdf . Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2010). Australias Population Web. Available from: from abs.gov.au/. Australian Consulate-General., 2010. Skilled Migration to Australia. Visa and Citizenship Section. Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Web. Available from vfs-au-gcc.com/Skil led_Migration.pdf . Bowen ,C., 2010. Changes to Australias skilled migration program. Web. Available from minister.immi.gov.au/media/speeches/2010/ce100208.htm . Bugg, L., n. d. Religious Freedom and the Right to the City: Local Government Planning and the Rejection of Islamic Schools in Sydney, Australia. Department of Sociology and Social Policy. The University of Sydney, Australia. Web. Available from irmgard-coninx stiftung.de/fileadmin/user_upload/pdf/Cultural_Pluralism/Religion/Essay.Bugg.pdf . Bryan, D. Rafferty, M., 1999,. The Global Economy in Australia. Sydney, UK: Allen and Unwin Caldwell, J. C. (1987). Chapter 2: Population. In Wray Vamplew (ed.). Clyne,M. Kipp.S.n.dpluricentric languages in an immigration context;Spanish ,Arabic, Chinese Walter de GruyterCo,Berlin Web. Available from immi.gov.au/. Department of Immigration and Citizenship., 2008. The People Of Australia Web. Available from immi.gov.au/. Dunn, K.M., 2004: â€Å"Islam in Australia: contesting the discou rse of absence†, The  Australian Geographer, Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 333-353. Dunn, K.M., Klocker, N. Salabay, T., 2007: â€Å"Contemporary racism and Islamaphobia in Australia: racialising religion†, Ethnicities, Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 564-589. Dunn, K.M., Forrest, J., Burnley, I. McDonald, A., 2004: â€Å"Constructing racism in Australia†, Australian Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 409-430. Dunn, K.M. Mahtani, M., 2001: â€Å"Media representations of ethnic minorities†, Progress  in Planning, Vol. 55, No. 3,pp. 163-72. Dunn, K.M., 2001: â€Å"Representations of Islam in the politics of mosque development in Sydney†, Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Vol. 92, No. 3, pp. 291-308 Forrest, J. Dunn, K.M., 2007: â€Å"Constructing racism in Sydney, Australia’s largest ethni city†, Urban Studies, Vol. 44, No. 4, pp. 699-721 Perrin, R-L., Dunn, K. M., 2007: â€Å"Tracking the settlement of North African immig rants: Speculations on the Social and Cultural Impacts of a Newly Arrived Migrant Group.  The Australian Geographer, Vol. 38, No. 2, pp. 253-273. United Nations Statistics Division., 2006. Demographic Yearbook 2004 Web. Available from: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/default.htm . United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2010) Social and Human Sciences, Migrant/ Migration. Web. Available from unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-sciences/themes/social-transformations/international-migration/glossary/migrant/ . Ward, L., Wood, K., 2009. ‘Right the wrong’: the RMIT University Muslim Prayer Room Campaign 2008-2009.

Mark Twain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Mark Twain - Essay Example There are only a few students especially foreign ones who would stand up for their right. It should be of their pride that they have the knowledge to be brought to a foreign land and be given the opportunity to cultivate not just education but also the culture of the place where they are residing or studying. It would be of great pride for them to also share their culture to fellow students. Moral courage is needed for foreign students to be able to succeed in a place where they are considered different. These students should always stand up and be proud of their roots. Whenever they have a chance to share anything related to their culture, they should grab the said chance and especially when it will be helpful to the lectures or to the improvement of the awareness of other students. Students, whether local or foreign, should always rise up to the occasion whenever needed. It is not trying to be someone who know-it-all instead it is a way of challenging peers to step up and be more competitive. In the process the education sector including the learners and the educators would

Purposes and Benefits of Strategic Planning Essay

Purposes and Benefits of Strategic Planning - Essay Example Another purpose is that it doesn't allow the firm to get distracted by the prevailing conditions whether good or bad, it is a job of Manager who has done strategic planning of the firm to ensure that all the necessary activities are carried out in a planned way so that no obstruction occurs. "Strategic objectives are normally ones to be achieved over the medium to long term. They may be financial such as a certain increase in earnings per share or non financial such as a percentage increase in market share. In theory they should be capable of being quantifiable and hence susceptible to measurement" (p. 11) "In business strategy involves forming a path for the organization to follow that will lead to products or services that customer will want. This will usually mean some kind of new departure for the business, requiring the leader to implement various tactics or sub-strategies. These tactics are usually set out in the component parts of the business plan" (Hoddler, Stoughton, 2003: 20). The strategic planning process consists of two phases, the first one is strategy formulation stage, and the second one is strategy implementation stage, in the first phase we have to identify mission and strategic goals of business, of course when someone wouldn't know where someone is going, how could someone will get courage of moving forward, the second thing we have to care about is conducting competitive analysis, here we have to analyze the company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT Analysis), than the last part of first phase appears in which there is a need of developing specific strategies, the three of them are corporate, business and functional levels of strategies. In the corporate level of strategy, which tells about what businesses the organization will operate and how resources would be allocated, the second one is business level strategy that tries to define the best means of competing within a business, it also supports the corporate level stra tegy, the third one is the functional level strategy which focuses on the specific action plans for managing a specific functional area within a business, it supports the business level strategy. The second phase of planning process is strategy implementation stage in which all that is planned previously is implemented on actual situations, it means exactly to evaluate the plans and control afterwards where required. Difference between Strategic and short- term planning As mentioned earlier, the Strategic Planning is a long term planning, it consists of time that is longer than one year, more formally such planning is done while considering all the past records and resources that the company or organization has, the strategic planning is basically coping with the company's "strategy Formulation" stage in which the company has more concerns on its mission and goal statement, its SWOT analysis and other specific

Tuning Out to be Heard Loud and Clear Essay Example for Free

Tuning Out to be Heard Loud and Clear Essay There is a reason TVs and radios come with an on-off switch, so people can use them. TV and radio are as commercial as any other industry, and they should be.   Preserving the people’s interest in available public broadcasting by presenting information in a balanced manner is a nice ideal, but ultimately a foolish one if you want to maintain a free and capitalistic society.   It is drafted in The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that â€Å"Congress shall make no law.    .   .   abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.† Yet in 1949 the Fairness Doctrine was enacted which stifled this right.   It was a point of much controversy in broadcasting for nearly 40 years until it was repealed in 1987, but now there are discussions about re-enacting it.   The FCC should not require radio and television to comply with the Fairness Doctrine if they want to maintain the rights of U.S. citizens. At their core, radio and television are forms of entertainment.   One of the initial arguments of the Fairness Doctrine was that there were a limited number of frequencies available to license and that â€Å"there are many fewer broadcast licenses than people who would like to have them† (Rendall, 2005). Following that rationale there are a number of different entertainment venues people would like to operate, but they are limited by space or money or the abundance of that business present in their community.   Television and radio aren’t essential to life; they are a luxury, a form of entertainment and should be viewed as such. It is true that they also act in an informative and educational way, but it is and should be at the discretion of the broadcaster what to publish, just as it is and should be at the discretion of the recipient whether or not to tune in.   Radio and television may be available to the public, but stations/ frequencies are owned and operated by corporations.   What they offer will be driven by public interest in so much as the public will disengage if it doesn’t like what is available. Particularly with the advent of cable/ satellite television and digital radio the possibilities for viewers are virtually endless.   In 1984 the Supreme Court in FCC v. League of Women Voters concluded that the â€Å"scarcity rationale underlying the doctrine was flawed and that the doctrine was limiting the breadth of public debate† (Thierer, 1993).   Ultimately broadcasting is just another sellable product.   Mark Fowler, the FCC chair appointed by Regan in the 80s was quoted as saying, ‘The perception of broadcasters as community trustees should be replaced by a view of broadcasters as marketplace participants.’ To Fowler, television was ‘just another appliance—it’s a toaster with pictures,’ and he seemed to endorse total deregulation) ‘We’ve got to look beyond the conventional wisdom that we must somehow regulate this box.’ (Rendall, 2005). Fowler is right; it is not a broadcaster’s responsibility acting as a mouthpiece for entertainment, providing a marketable product that we have to ‘buy’ into, to act in the community interest.   Eventually the broadcaster will respond to community interest because they are the audience and essentially determine what is played on the air by their willingness to engage, but it is not a broadcaster’s responsibility to do so.   Government should not be regulating available information because broadcasting is a consumer driven market. The only discrepancy would be if we were talking about national or local government owned stations.   In the special case of those, it is in the best interest of citizens to have a balanced stream of information available particularly in a democratic political system.   Those stations would be used to inform and should be objective and/ or balanced because citizens would be using them as trusted unbiased resources.   However all other ‘public’ broadcasting sources currently available are privately owned by corporations and are and should be exclusively market driven to protect our right to free speech. It is interesting that PBS the touted public broadcasting station was generated out of a demand from citizens to create just such a network of more balanced and educational information.   It was created and driven by the market and is funded primarily by its viewers (it does get some government grant funding and private grant funding for programming), so it is clear that tuning out or more to the point demanding alternate forms of entertainment (ultimately even PBS is still a just an alternate form of entertainment) works and there is no need for regulations. The Fairness Doctrine addresses more specifically the coverage of political or current social issues. The Fairness Doctrine had two basic elements: It required broadcasters to devote some of their airtime to discussing controversial matters of public interest, and to air contrasting views regarding those matters. Stations were given wide latitude as to how to provide contrasting views: It could be done through news segments, public affairs shows or editorials. (Rendall, 2005). In enacting such a doctrine you limit the diversity available on the airwaves. In trying to follow regulations stations will be more guarded in what they present to avoid being fined or shut down by the FCC.   It actually stifles the opportunity for rigorous debate and challenges to opinion; by either not offering up the discussion of more controversial issues or by censoring them.   In 1974 the Supreme Court, while still upholding the doctrine in the Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo case concluded that it, inescapably dampens the vigor and limits the variety of public debate (Thierer, 1993). It also runs into the issue of who decides what fair coverage is.   .   .   a bunch of bureaucratic stuffed shirts at the FCC a board ultimately designed to enact ‘rules for censorship’.   How do we ensure that their own views wont taint their ‘fairness’ decisions. With the amount of available stations, forms of media, just access to get information in general, the concept of a Fairness Doctrine is outdated when people can just change the channel or disconnect all together.   Broadcasting whether for public or private availability is still just a form of entertainment and should be treated as such.   Its regulation should be deemed by its market segments because viewers are (or at least should be) more than capable of influencing what is available to them. Viewers should also be allowed to filter their own information, seek out differing opinions; after all just because an opposing view might be offered doesn’t mean that listener is obliged to stick around.   Just tuning out is the loudest and clearest form of speech and is all the regulation that is really needed. References Rendall, Steve. (2005). The Fairness Doctrine How We Lost it, and Why We Need it Back. FAIR, February 12, 2005. Retrieved March 15, 2009, from http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0212-03.htm Thierer, Adam. (1993). Why the Fairness Doctrine is Anything But Fair. The Heritage Foundation, Executive Memorandum #368, October 29, 1993. Retrieved March 15, 2009, http://www.heritage.org/Research/Regulation/EM368.cfm The Constitution of the United States. Amendment 1.

For Esme- With Love and Squalor Essay -- J.D. Salinger Literature Essa

For Esme- With Love and Squalor 1) In â€Å"For Esme- With Love and Squalor,† J.D. Salinger addresses a part of every person’s life. Everyone experiences periods in their life when they question the world and what is happening around them. Most people probably do not experience it quite as dramatic as the writer of the story, Sergeant X, does. He finds himself in the middle of the pure madness of war, and is having a hard time coping with the realities of the situation. Eventually, people find their way of dealing with these moments. Sergeant X relies on his memories of Esme to help him. The theme of the story is that the innocence of youth can serve as a healing power in times when the world seems to be falling apart. 2) â€Å"For Esme-With Love and Squalor† is essentially a story within a story; this is important to the theme of the story because the writer attempts to remove himself from the story (in first person narration) for the purpose of examination (in third person). This use of point of view makes the reader wonder what is â€Å"real† and what the author (inside the story) is â€Å"making-up.† This sounds strange because the whole story is fictitious, but Salinger makes us contemplate this and it adds to the effect of the story. 3) The first part of the story is told from first person narration. We are told the reason for writing is â€Å"†¦to edify, to instruct†¦Ã¢â‚¬  the man that Esme is about to marry. Throughout the first half of the story we are given the impression that the writer is admiring Esme for her youth and innocence, or love as the title suggests. Before the change to third person narration, we are told that this is going to be the squalid or repulsive part of the story. The writer then â€Å"disguis... ...d period of his life. 8) Innocence in a world of death, tyranny, and oppression seems ridiculous. The world has a way of destroying and making one numb to the ideals and values we once held in our youth. In Stephen Crane’s novel â€Å"The Red Badge of Courage,† we are told a story of a young man’s journey into manhood in the backdrop of the Civil War. Henry, as did Sergeant X, had a difficult time coming to terms with the realities of war. Sergeant X dwelled upon his experiences and allowed them to haunt him. We are told at the end of â€Å"The Red Badge of Courage† that Henry is able to â€Å"†¦rid himself of the red sickness of battle.† Crane writes that he turns â€Å"†¦ with a lover’s thirst to images of tranquil skies, fresh meadows, (and) cool brooks.† In â€Å"For Esme- With Love and Squalor,† Sergeant X turns to the tranquil memories of innocence triggered by Esme.

Lean On Me Film Review Essay

In the film Lean on Me, Joe Clark, played by Morgan Freeman, took on the responsibility of being the principle for a troubled inner-city high school. The students at this high school were mainly minority children, faced by issues of poverty, drugs, and racism everyday. The state of New Jersey claimed that this school was heading nowhere but down and that the teachers were unable to teach the children the basic skills they needed to survive in the world. I feel the causes of the schools poor quality was to the lack of money & funds they receive from the state which lead to poor programming. The children whom attended the school had a lack of motivation and direction. They were unsure as to what they wanted to achieve with their lives. They needed to be inspired by their teachers, and their families. However, as seen in this film, children in the inner-city setting often never find the inspiration and direction they need to succeed. Many of them have parents that do not want to play an active role in the lives of their children. I feel that in the case of this film, Joe Clark?s authoritarian methodology of administering was very effective. This school and the children who attended it needed someone to ?take charge?, and build it back up to shape. He first kicked out the ?trouble students?, then he cleaned the halls of the graffiti, then he chained the doors to keep the drug dealers out. He gave students confidence and inspiration to succeed. He gave them a common goal, to ?prove the state wrong?. He enforced in their minds that they were not ignorant and they were capable of anything. By insisting they learn the school song he gave them a sense of pride. I feel that Joe Clark did just what the school and most importantly the students needed to ?turn the school around?. In the end, his methods of leadership worked, for the students achieved just what they had set out to do, pass the basic skills test given by the state. The women who fought Joe Clark?s methodology, was played by Lynne Thigpen. She was portrayed as ?wench?, who was demanding on the city to get rid of Joe Clark because he chained the school doors and was in violation of the cities fire code. However, I feel she was really just upset because he  expelled the ?problem children? out of the school, one of whom was her son. Instead of blaming herself as a parent for the failure of her son, she turned the blame on the school system and those who run it. While some critics would say that she was being portrayed in a positive light, as being a strong and determined black women. I feel that is false, I feel she is being portrayed as ignorant and arrogant and just wants revenge for something that was her own fault because she is not being an attentive and responsible parent. I also feel that the music plays an important role in this film. The music in the film is what gives the children hope and pride. The title of the movie is from the song ?Lean on Me?, written by Bill Withers. This song has lyrics that bring hope to the children. ?Some times in our lives we all have pain, we all have sorrow, but if you are wise we know there is always tomorrow. Lean on me, when your not strong, and I?ll give you hope, I?ll help you carry on.? It is relating to the students by saying we all face struggles, but we need to have hope that we can survive, and sometimes we need to get support and inspiration from others in order to stay strong and succeed. This song reminds these children that they are not alone and they can achieve anything if they put their minds to it. I feel that this song explains the theme of the movie, in the face of trouble anyone can succeed as long as they are motivated and try their hardest, and they have the love and support of others. In conclusion, I enjoyed this movie and I feel this film was very palatable because its characters were well developed and very believable. Its screenplay was written very well and is very realistic. We, as young adults can relate to this film because the issues these children face are the same issues that children in face everyday, and even more so for those who come from the inner city themselves.

King Lear Lear The Tragic Hero Essay - 1617 Words

King Lear: Lear The Tragic Hero nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The definition of tragedy in the Oxford dictionary is, quot;drama of elevated theme and diction and with unhappy ending; sad event, serious accident, calamity.quot; However, the application of this terminology in Shakespearean Tragedy is more expressive. Tragedy does not only mean death or calamity, but in fact, it refers to a series of steps which leads to the downfall of the tragic hero and eventually to his tragic death. Lear, the main character in King Lear was affirmed as the tragic hero because the play meets all the requirements of a tragedy. In order for a character to be qualified as a tragic hero, he must be in a high status on the social chain and the hero also†¦show more content†¦Finally, Kent is banished. Because of the flaw of pride, Lear has initiated the tragedy by perturbing the order in the chain of being as he gives up his thrown, divides the kingdom and banishes his loyalist servant and loveliest daughter. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The downfall of Lear is not just the suffering of him alone but the suffering of everyone down the chain of being. For instance, Lears pride and anger caused Cordelia and Kent to be banished, and Gloucester loses his position and eyes. Everything that happened to these characters are in a chain of reaction and affected by Lears tragic flaw. If Lear did not lack of personal insight and if he did not have such an obstinate pride, he would not have banished Cordelia and Kent, then Goneril and Regan would not be able to conspire against Lear. Without the plot of Goneril and Regan, Gloucester would not have been betrayed by Edmund and lose his eyes and status due to the charge of treason. Moreover, the chain of reaction was continuous until the lowest person in the society is affected; the fool, which is the entertainer, was kicked out into the storm with Lear by Goneril because he was smart enough to tell the truth of Lears blindness. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;quot; Why, after I have cut the egg I the middle and eat nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; up the meat, the two crowns of the egg. When thouShow MoreRelatedKing Lear: Lear the Tragic Hero1662 Words   |  7 PagesKing Lear: Lear The Tragic Hero The definition of tragedy in the Oxford dictionary is, drama of elevated theme and diction and with unhappy ending; sad event, serious accident, calamity. However, the application of this terminology in Shakespearean Tragedy is more expressive. Tragedy does not only mean death or calamity, but in fact, it refers to a series of steps which leads to the downfall of the tragic hero and eventually to his tragic death. Lear, the main character in King Lear was affirmedRead MoreKing Lear : The Tragic Hero957 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many â€Å"tragic heroes† in literature in many different genres. The aspects of a tragic hero include a good man who has royalty in his blood, one tragic flaw, suffer, and then overcome their flaw once they finally open their eyes to what is really going on. Not only do tragic heroes suffer, but they cause others to suffer as well, but this can play a huge role in a work as a whole. King Lear is the tragic hero in, of course, King Lear. King Lear suffers from not knowing who he truly isRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of King Lear1277 Words   |  6 Pagesthere is no salvation for the tragic hero or any sign of optimism in the conclusion. This bleak portrayal of King Lear, through his losses, makes him the ultimate tragic hero, and the play an ultimate tragedy. In every tragedy, of course, there is a tragic hero. 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Tragedy is depicted by the downfall of a noble hero, usually through a combination of arrogance and fate. The tragic hero s wish to achieve a goal encounters limits, those of human inability, the gods, or nature. As with all tragedies, there exists a tragic hero, one who possesses a calamitous flaw that establishes the tragedy and all the sufferings that follow. In this play, the tragic heroRead MoreIs King Lear A Tragic Hero Essay1358 Words   |  6 PagesKing Lear, one of William Shakespeare s greatest tragedies, depicts a society in grim circumstances. As with all tragedies, there exists a tragic hero [1] , one who possesses a fatal flaw that initiates the tragedy and all the sufferings that follow. In this play, the tragic hero is undoubtedly the title character, King Lear. The plot is driven by the power and consequence of losses, more specifically, the losses of Lear. In the course the play, King Lear, because of his flaws, loses his authorityRead MoreKing Lear and Antigone as Tragic Hero Essay1626 Words   |  7 PagesBecause Lear is capable of change, he becomes a tragic hero; because Antigone is incapable of change, she never becomes a tragic heroine. Aristotle defines a tragic hero as someone, usually a male, who â€Å"falls from a high place mainly due to their fatal flaw.† During the highest point of the tragic hero’s life, something is revealed to the protagonist causing a reversal in their fortune. This reversal of fortune is caused by the flaw in their character. Tragedy evokes catharsis, a feeling ofRead More traglear Tragic Hero in King Lear Essay1591 Words   |  7 Pagesa series of steps that leads to the downfall of the tragic hero and eventually to his tragic death.nbsp; Lear, the main character in King Lear was affirmed as the tragic hero because the play meets all the requirements of a tragedy.nbsp;nbsp; In order for a character to be qualified as a tragic hero, he must be in a high status on the social chain and the hero also possesses a tragic flaw that initiates the tragedy.nbsp; The fall of the hero is not felt by him alone but creates a chain reactionRead MoreSuperheroes, Despite Their Differe nt Powers, All Possess1581 Words   |  7 Pagesmaintenance of strong morals. Similarly, King Lear, the tragic hero in William Shakespeare’s play, King Lear, possesses characteristics that define him as a tragic hero, as stated by Aristotle in Poetics via A.C. Bradley’s The Shakespearean Tragic Hero. King Lear is a character of high social status, and he possesses exceptional qualities that make him a well-respected king; however, throughout the play’s events, he suffers tremendously in an unusual manner. In addition, Lear, despite being a â€Å"good† characterRead MoreThe Tragedy Of King Lear By William Shakespeare1671 Words   |  7 Pagestragedy. Within his theory of tragedy is the concept of the tragic hero, whose great, ironic flaw leads to his own downfall. The tragic hero is of an elevated position in society but should, all the same, be a character with whom the audience can relate. The hero undergoes a massive revelation and experiences dramati c enlightenment. The tragedy of King Lear, written by William Shakespeare, illustrates the story of a proud and self-centered king, whose obtuse judgement shapes his demise. Lear’s impulsive