Online Educational Journals

Where can I find this journal ? "The contribution of education to economic growth: International comparisons" the economic value of education, George Psacharopoulos (1984 or 1985)

Do you believe in Myths? 1. Myth: One in four women in college has been the victim of rape or attempted rape. Fact: This mother of all factoids is based on a fallacious feminist study commissioned by Ms. magazine. The researcher, Mary Koss, hand-picked by hard-line feminist Gloria Steinem, acknowledges that 73 percent of the young women she counted as rape victims were not aware they had been raped. Forty-three percent of them were dating their “attacker” again. Rape is a uniquely horrible crime. That is why we need sober and responsible research. Women will not be helped by hyperbole and hysteria. Truth is no enemy of compassion, and falsehood is no friend. (Nara Schoenberg and Sam Roe, “The Making of an Epidemic,” Toledo Blade, October 10, 1993; and Neil Gilbert, “Examining the Facts: Advocacy Research Overstates the Incidence of Data and Acquaintance Rape,” Current Controversies in Family Violence eds. Richard Gelles and Donileen Loseke, Newbury Park, CA.: Sage Publications, 1993, pp.120-132; and Campus Crime and Security, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education, 1997. *According to this study, campus police reported 1,310 forcible sex offenses on U.S. campuses in one year. That works out to an average of fewer than one rape per campus.) 2. Myth: Women earn 75 cents for every dollar a man earns. Fact: The 75 cent figure is terribly misleading. This statistic is a snapshot of all current full-time workers. It does not consider relevant factors like length of time in the workplace, education, occupation, and number of hours worked per week. (The experience gap is particularly large between older men and women in the workplace.) When economists do the proper controls, the so-called gender wage gap narrows to the point of vanishing. (Essential reading: Women’s Figures: An Illustrated Guide to the Economic Progress of Women in America, by Diana Furchtgott-Roth and Christine Stolba, published by the Independent Women’s Forum and the American Enterprise Institute, Washington, D.C. 2000.) 3. Myth: 30 percent of emergency room visits by women each year are the result of injuries from domestic violence. Fact: This incendiary statistic is promoted by gender feminists whose primary goal seems to be to impugn men. Two responsible government studies report that the nationwide figure is closer to one percent. While these studies may have missed some cases of domestic violence, the 30% figure is a wild exaggeration. (National Center for Health Statistics, National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 1992 Emergency Department Summary , Hyattsville, Maryland, March 1997; and U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Violence-Related Injuries Treated in Hospital Emergency Departments: Washington, D.C., August 1997.) 4. Myth: The phrase “rule of thumb” originated in a man’s right to beat his wife provided the stick was no wider than his thumb. Fact: This is an urban legend that is still taken seriously by activist law professors and harassment workshoppers. The Oxford English Dictionary has more than twenty citations for phrase “rule of thumb” (the earliest from 1692), but not a single mention of beatings, sticks, or husbands and wives. (For a definitive debunking of the hoax see Henry Ansgar Kelly, “Rule of Thumb and the Folklaw of the Husband’s Stick,” The Journal of Legal Education, September 1994.) 5. Myth: Women have been shortchanged in medical research. Fact: The National Institutes of Health and drug companies routinely include women in clinical trials that test for effectiveness of medications. By 1979, over 90% of all NIH-funded trials included women. Beginning in 1985, when the NIH’s National Cancer Center began keeping track of specific cancer funding, it has annually spent more money on breast cancer than any other type of cancer. Currently, women represent over 60% of all subjects in NIH-funded clinical trails. (Essential reading: Cathy Young and Sally Satel, “The Myth of Gender Bias in Medicine,” Washington, D.C.: The Women’s Freedom Network, 1997.) 6. Myth: Women’s Studies Departments empowered women and gave them a voice in the academy. Fact: Women’s Studies empowered a small group of like-minded careerists. They have created an old-girl network that is far more elitist, narrow and closed than any of the old-boy networks they rail against. Vast numbers of moderate or dissident women scholars have been marginalized, excluded and silenced. (Essential reading: everything by Camille Paglia; Daphne Patai and Noretta Koertge–Professing Feminism: Cautionary Tales from the Strange World of Women’s Studies; and Christina Hoff Sommers–Who Stole Feminism? How Women have Betrayed Women) EDIT: Marx - That's why I posted it, I had more than 10, but ran out of space. Interesting silence from some.

Are red-state residents more hypocritical? According to the Census Bureau’s Statistical Abstract, states that went Republican in November accounted for eight of the 10 states with the highest divorce rates in 2006. Conservatives touted abstinence-only education, which was a flop, when real sex education was needed, most desperately in red states. According to 2006 data from the Guttmacher Institute, those red states accounted for eight of the 10 states with the highest teenage birthrates. And, a study titled “Red Light States: Who Buys Online Adult Entertainment?” that was conducted by Benjamin Edelman, an assistant professor of business at Harvard Business School and published earlier this year in the Journal of Economic Perspectives found that subscriptions to online pornography sites were “more prevalent in states where surveys indicate conservative positions on religion, gender roles, and sexuality” and in states where “more people agree that ‘I have old-fashioned values about family and marriage.’ ” Should red-state residents focus more on what happens in their own bedrooms and avoid the trap of judging what goes on in everyone else’s?

Transsexual men earn an average of 1.5% more after transition;transsexual women earn an average of 32%less.Why? Studies done show that transsexual men earn an average of 1.5% more after their transition, whereas transsexual women earn an average of 32% less: "Schilt and Wiswall found that women who become men (known as FTMs) do significantly better than men who become women (MTFs). MTFs in the study earned, on average, 32% less after they transitioned from male to female, even after the authors controlled for factors like education levels. FTMs earned an average of 1.5% more. ...the overall pattern was very clear: newly minted women were punished, and newly minted men got a little bump-up in pay. The study was just published in the Berkeley Electronic Press' peer-reviewed Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy." 'If Women Were More Like Men: Why Females Earn Less' Source: Time Magazine, 2008 article. Read the article please, lazy people. Job choices (a function of education) was controlled for and therefore had nothing to do with the results. You should even be able to grasp it from the article excerpt alone: "authors controlled for factors like education levels". BUT, that's only one part of the answer to this "complicated question". xampayne is the only person who has answered so far demonstrating any capacity for critical thinking. Congrats, big guy. Let's also not forget that women are judged more harshly for their looks than men. Many transsexual women (the ones in the real world, not professional entertainers) are not exactly very pretty. That would be another factor to examine. Its yet another from of gender discrimination.

Afghanistan applies to join Russia and CIS! What you think about it? Meeting of the CIS Parliamentary Assembly began in St.Petersburg on April 3-4. Its General Secretary Mikhail Krotov said on the eve of the meeting that Afghanistan was aspiring for membership in the Commonwealth. "Afghani delegations attended three previous meetings of the Parliamentary Assembly and this meeting is not an exception," Krotov said. "Their participation in meetings of the Parliamentary Assembly is of paramount importance for Russia and other CIS countries." Experts say meanwhile that the idea of absorbing Afghanistan into the Commonwealth is not as populist as it may appear at first sight. Its practical realization, however, requires certain efforts. Provided CIS leaders and first and foremost leaders of Russia understand the purpose of this integration correctly, the process may become quite rewarding for all involved parties. "Where Afghanistan is concerned, it needs CIS membership for development of its transport network, revival of economy, and attraction of investments from other CIS states," Dmitry Verkhoturov of Afghanistan.Ru said. Experts point out that absorption of Afghanistan by the Commonwealth will greatly benefit the latter. It will enable the Commonwealth to do away with existence of a thoroughly unstable and problematic buffer zone Afghanistan is. "Buffer zone is an area where interests of world powers collide, it is an area where big-time political games are played. It will disappear with absorption of Afghanistan by the Commonwealth. In fact, the Commonwealth with Afghanistan in it will have a direct border between itself and Pakistan, India, and China. With the buffer zone a thing of the past, everyone will have to seek agreements with all others, and that will pacify the region," to quote Alexander Sobyanin, Chief of the Strategic Planning Service of the Association of Transboundary Cooperation. Experts warn that it is wrong to view expansion of the Commonwealth into Afghanistan as an end in itself. This country should be integrated into the CIS structure, or the Commonwealth will certainly fail and may even find its very existence in jeopardy. "First and foremost, we need a foothold (military included) in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan because we cannot hope to be able to maintain a grip on Afghanistan without it. We should also recognize the fact that what we will never see the money we will be investing into this country. It is necessary to invest in the Afghani elite, in the national education and health care spheres. In short, it is necessary to set up a modernized zone in Afghanistan so as to leave its maintenance to the Afghanis themselves," Sobyanin said. He is convinced that successful integration of Afghanistan into the Commonwealth is impossible without China's support. Membership in the Commonwealth offers new opportunities to Afghanistan itself. First, it will better the chances of integration into regional organizations like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Eurasian Economic Cooperation Organization. Second, an armed conflict in Central Asia will make it necessary for the regional countries to launch a process of energetic integration even up to establishment of a common state for the purpose of dealing with the common threat. Experts say that there is only one country under whose aegis this integration may take place, and this country is Russia. The Journal of Turkish Weekly – News, Monday , 07 April 2008 http://www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=54210 Ferghana.Ru , 07.04.2008 http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.canada/browse_thread/thread/a4184325b7e9a4e6 РБК-dayly - 03 апреля 2008 г., Четверг http://www.rbcdaily.ru/2008/04/03/focus/333883

Can you Beat this Resume? CAN U BEAT THIS RESUME ! RESUME EDUCATION /Qualification: 1950: Stood first in BA (Hons), Economics, Punjab University, Chandigarh , 1952; Stood first in MA (Economics), Punjab University , Chandigarh , 1954; Wright's Prize for distinguished performance at St John's College, Cambridge, 1955 and 1957; Wrenbury scholar, University of Cambridge , 1957; DPhil ( Oxford ), DLitt (Honoris Causa); PhD thesis on India 's export competitiveness OCCUPATION /Teaching Experience : Professor (Senior lecturer, Economics, 1957-59; Reader, Economics, 1959-63; Professor, Economics, Punjab University , Chandigarh , 1963-65; Professor, International Trade, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi,1969-71 ; Honorary professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University ,New Delhi,1976 and Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi ,1996 and Civil Servant Working Experience/ POSITIONS : 1971-72: Economic advisor, ministry of foreign trade 1972-76: Chief economic advisor, ministry of finance 1976-80: Director, Reserve Bank of India ; Director, Industrial Development Bank of India; Alternate governor for India, Board of governors, Asian Development Bank; Alternate governor for India, Board of governors, BIRD November 1976 - April 1980: Secretary, ministry of finance (Department of economic affairs); Member, finance, Atomic Energy Commission; Member, finance, Space Commission April 1980 - September 15, 1982 : Member-secretary, Planning Commission 1980-83: Chairman , India Committee of the Indo-Japan joint study committee September 16, 1982 - January 14, 1985 : Governor, Reserve Bank of India . 1982-85: Alternate Governor for India , Board of governors, International Monetary Fund 1983-84: Member, economic advisory council to the Prime Minister 1985: President, Indian Economic Association January 15, 1985 - July 31, 1987 : Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission August 1, 1987 - November 10, 19! 90: Secretary-general and commissioner, south commission, Geneva December 10, 1990 - March 14, 1991 : Advisor to the Prime Minister on economic affairs March 15, 1991 - June 20, 1991 : Chairman, UGC June 21, 1991 - May 15, 1996 : Union finance minister October 1991: Elected to Rajya Sabha from Assam on Congress ticket June 1995: Re-elected to Rajya Sabha 1996 onwards: Member, Consultative Committee for the ministry of finance August 1, 1996 - December 4, 1997: Chairman, Parliamentary standing committee on commerce March 21, 1998 onwards: Leader of the Opposition, Rajya Sabha June 5, 1998 onwards: Member, committee on finance August 13, 1998 onwards: Member, committee on rules Aug 1998-2001: Member, committee of privileges 2000 onwards: Member, executive committee, Indian parliamentary group June 2001: Re-elected to Rajya Sabha Aug 2001 onwards: Member, general purposes committee BOOKS: India 's Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth - Clarendon Press, Oxford University , 1964; also published a large number of articles in various economic journals. OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Adam Smith Prize, University of Cambridge , 1956 Padma Vibhushan, 1987 Euro money Award, Finance Minister of the Year, 1993; Asia money Award, Finance Minister of the Year for Asia, 1993 and 1994 INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS: 1966: Economic Affairs Officer 1966-69: Chief, financing for trade section, UNCTAD 1972-74: Deputy for India in IMF Committee of Twenty on International Monetary Reform 1977-79: Indian delegation to Aid-India Consortium Meetings 1980-82: Indo-Soviet joint planning group meeting 1982: Indo-Soviet monitoring group meeting 1993: Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Cyprus 1993: Human Rights World Conference, Vienna RECREATION : Gymkhana Club, New Delhi; Life Member, India International Centre, New Delhi PERSONAL DETAIL: Name: Dr Manmohan Singh DOB: September 26, 1932 Place of Birth: Gah ( West Punjab ) Father: S. Gurmukh Singh Mother: Mrs Amrit Kaur Married on: September 14, 1958 Wife: Mrs Gursharan Kaur Children: Three daughters Our Indian Prime Minister seems to be the most qualified PM all over the world.. Miss American this is not mine Resume. it is our prime minister Mr. Manmohan Singh

is our primeminister one of the most qualified politicians of our time? my earlier question was deleted for unknown reasons...i'll post again cause i did not get the chance to read all the answers.. is our prime minister one of the most qualified politicians of our time?? EDUCATION /Qualification: * 1950: Stood first in BA (Hons), Economics, Punjab University, Chandigarh , * 1952; Stood first in MA (Economics), Punjab University , Chandigarh , * 1954; Wright's Prize for distinguished performance at St John's College, Cambridge, * 1955 and 1957; Wrenbury scholar, University of Cambridge , * 1957; DPhil ( Oxford ), DLitt (Honoris Causa); PhD thesis on India 's export competitiveness OCCUPATION /Teaching Experience : * Professor (Senior lecturer, Economics, 1957-59; * Reader, Economics, 1959-63; * Professor, Economics, Punjab University , Chandigarh , 1963-65; * Professor,International Trade, Delhi School of Economics,University of Delhi,1969-71 ; * Honorary professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University ,New Delhi,1976 and Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi ,1996 and Civil Servant Working Experience/ POSITIONS : * 1971-72: Economic advisor, ministry of foreign trade * 1972-76: Chief economic advisor, ministry of finance * 1976-80: Director, Reserve Bank of India ; * Director, Industrial Development Bank of India; * Alternate governor for India, Board of governors, Asian Development Bank; * Alternate governor for India, Board of governors, IBRD * November 1976 - April 1980: Secretary, ministry of finance (Department of economic affairs); * Member, finance, Atomic Energy Commission; Member,finance, Space Commission * April 1980 - September 15, 1982 : Member-secretary, Planning Commission * 1980-83: Chairman , India Committee of the Indo-Japan joint study committee * September 16, 1982 - January 14, 1985 : Governor, Reserve Bank of India * 1982-85: Alternate Governor for India , Board of governors, International Monetary Fund * 1983-84: Member, economic advisory council to the Prime Minister * 1985: President, Indian Economic Association * January 15, 1985 - July 31, 1987 : Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission * August 1, 1987 - November 10, 19! 90: Secretary-general and commissioner,south commission, Geneva * December 10, 1990 - March 14, 1991 : Advisor to the Prime Minister on economic affairs * March 15, 1991 - June 20, 1991 : Chairman, UGC * June 21, 1991 - May 15, 1996 : Union finance minister * October 1991: Elected to Rajya Sabha from Assam on Congress ticket * June 1995: Re-elected to Rajya Sabha * 1996 onwards: Member, Consultative Committee for the ministry of finance * August 1, 1996 - December 4, 1997: Chairman, Parliamentary standing committee on commerce * March 21, 1998 onwards: Leader of the Opposition, Rajya Sabha * June 5, 1998 onwards: Member, committee on finance * August 13, 1998 onwards: Member, committee on rules * Aug 1998-2001: Member, committee of privileges 2000 onwards: Member, executive committee, Indian parliamentary group * June 2001: Re-elected to Rajya Sabha * Aug 2001 onwards: Member, general purposes committee BOOKS: * India 's Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth - Clarendon Press, Oxford University , 1964; also published a large number of articles in various economic journals. OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS: * Adam Smith Prize, University of Cambridge , 1956 * Padma Vibhushan, 1987 * Euro money Award, Finance Minister of the Year, 1993; * Asia money Award, Finance Minister of the Year for Asia, 1993 and 1994 INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS: * 1966: Economic Affairs Officer * 1966-69: Chief, financing for trade section, UNCTAD * 1972-74: Deputy for India in IMF Committee of Twenty on International Monetary Reform * 1977-79: Indian delegation to Aid-India Consortium Meetings * 1980-82: Indo-Soviet joint planning group meeting * 1982: Indo-Soviet monitoring group meeting * 1993: Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Cyprus 1993: Human Rights World Conference, Vienna RECREATION : * Gymkhana Club, New Delhi; Life Member, India International Centre, New Delhi PERSONAL DETAIL: Name: Dr Manmohan Singh DOB: September 26, 1932 Place of Birth: Gah ( West Punjab ) Father: S. Gurmukh Singh Mother: Mrs Amrit Kaur Married on: September 14, 1958 Wife: Mrs Gurs

writing a letter to the editor. help. pls.? We are to write a response to the column from Edmonton Journal, "What is Canada To do with Skilled People Who Cant Find work ?" by Satya Das. This column is about the solution to unemployment which the author believes that it is skills upgrading, education and lifetime learning and training. here are some of the information from the article.. Tens of thousands of people lose their jobs in "downsizing" but we're told not to worry.. we are all suffering from the consequences of mass unemployment and its social and economic costs. Too many career and job placements demand specific skills. Of course it would be better to look for someone who is generally skilled and capable and train them. The big problem is what we do with the skilled people we already have. Skilled people deserve the right employer. In the article, some of his friends, were "overqualified" for every job they apply. They dont have secure income. they only work as part time and dont get the right job for their profession. Do we give them assitance that will help them to find the right employer?or do we keep on handing out a minimum assistance cheque and tell them they have to keep looking on their own? Right now, no government seem to be looking at a comprehensive answer. they can cut spending all they want . they can tinker with special programs all they want. none of it will really pay off unless jobless Candians are back to work. We have to find a way to keep opening doors for able people until they find secure jobs that make use of their skills. This should be the major aim--- if not the only aim-- of every government in our country. --- My question now is what do you think about satya das' argument. I know that it is convincing and that he pointed out all of his points and ideas about canada's unemployment . Now, what we have to do is write a response to the editor expressing the thoughts about any of the issue raised in the column. . i am not sure how or where to start tho. should i start with "To the editor, Satya Das " ? I dont know what to put to my essay as a response too We also have to present the ideas logically. This is a persuasion Essay. Please. Help .

What Does Illegal Immigration Cost? When George W. Bush visited the U.S. Border Patrol’s Yuma Station Headquarters in Arizona Monday — for the second time in a year — his message on illegal immigration sounded a bit tougher than in the past. “Illegal immigration is a serious problem — you know it better than anybody,” he told a group of border agents. “It puts pressure on the public schools and the hospitals, not only here in our border states, but states around the country. It drains the state and local budgets…Incarceration of criminals who are here illegally strains the Arizona budget. But there’s a lot of other ways it strains the local and state budgets. It brings crime to our communities.” The president touted his get-tough-on-the-border policies, enacted under pressure from the then-Republican Congress, and singled out Operation Jump Start, under which National Guard troops assist border agents. But he also stressed the need for “comprehensive” reform, and when he did his message sounded like the George W. Bush of old. “Past efforts at reform failed to address the underlying economic reasons behind illegal immigration,” the president said. “People are coming here to put food on the table, and they’re doing jobs Americans are not doing.” With those words, the president was revisiting the great question in the debate over illegal immigration: Is the presence of illegal immigrants, mostly from Mexico, a boon to the U.S. economy, or a drag? It’s a question that has long divided Bush supporters; the Wall Street Journal editorial page tells us that a lenient immigration policy is absolutely vital for American prosperity, while enforcement-first advocates tell us a strict policy is the only thing that will ensure continued economic health. Both have plenty of statistics to cite to make their case. But now a scholar at the Heritage Foundation, Robert Rector, has found a new and revealing way to get at the answer. Rector has just published a study, “The Fiscal Cost of Low-Skill Households to the U.S. Taxpayer,” that is ostensibly not about immigration at all. He takes the most detailed look yet at the economics of the 17.7 million American households made up of people without a high-school degree. With numbers from the Census Bureau, the Congressional Research Service, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and other government agencies, Rector found what they make, what they spend, and how much they receive in government services. The reason Rector chose to look at low-skilled workers is that it is estimated that nearly two-thirds of illegal immigrants fall into that category. (By way of comparison, slightly less than ten percent of native-born Americans are in that group.) By focusing on those workers, Rector was able to make use of information on them that is more detailed and precise than information on immigrants as a whole. And any conclusions he reached would be applicable to a large majority of illegal immigrants who are already in this country as well as those who would come here under various immigration reform proposals. Rector began by calculating the dollar value of the benefits those low-skill workers receive from the government. There are direct benefits, like Medicare and Social Security, and means-tested benefits, like food, housing and medical benefits specifically for low-income people. Then there is public education, along with population-based services like police and fire protection, parks, and roads. (Those services benefit everyone, and their cost usually increases as the population increases.) After that, there is interest on the public debts, a burden spread throughout all income groups, and the cost of what Rector calls “pure public goods” — national defense, scientific research, and a few other areas — which benefit everyone but do not necessarily rise in cost as the population rises. Rector found that in 2004, the most recent year for which figures are available, low-skill households received an average of $32,138 per household — the great majority in the form of means-tested aid and direct benefits. (Rector excluded from that figure the cost of public goods and interest; with those included, he says, each low-skill household receives an average of $43,084.) Against that, Rector found that low-skill households paid an average of $9,689 in taxes. (The biggest chunk of that was the Social Security tax — $2,509 — followed by state and local taxes, consumption taxes, property taxes, and federal income taxes, but Rector counted everything, including highway levies and lottery purchases.) In the final calculation, he found, the average low-skill household received $22,449 more in benefits than it paid in taxes — the $32,138 in benefits, excluding public goods, minus the $9,689 in taxes. Taking that $22,449, and multiplying it by the 17.7 million low-skill households, Rector found that the total deficit for such households was $397 billion in 2004. “Over the next ten years the total cost of low-skill households to the taxpayer (immediate benefits minus taxes paid) is likely to be at least $3.9 trillion,” Rector writes. “This number would go up significantly if changes in immigration policy lead to substantial increases in the number of low-skill immigrants entering the country and receiving services.” From a purely money perspective, it’s a powerful argument. At a cost of $22,449 per household per year — well, multiply that by an adult lifespan of 50 years and you have an average lifetime cost to the taxpayer of $1.1 million per unskilled worker. Increase that population with a wave of unskilled immigrants, and you’re talking a lot of money. There’s probably room for argument on Rector’s exact numbers. Jeffrey Passell, a senior research associate at the Pew Hispanic Center, questions whether some of Rector’s cost estimates might be too high. For example, the arrival of new illegal immigrations will likely not raise the cost of defending the country, he says, so perhaps future immigrants will not be quite as expensive as Rector claims. (Rector tried to address that issue by excluding the cost of pure public goods in the $22,449 figure.) Still, Passell does not question the basic premise of Rector’s report. “One of the purposes of our government is to provide support for people on the low end,” says Passell. “Of course there is a bit more spending on households on the lower end than on the high end, and of course the low-income households don’t pay as much as the high-income households. That’s not surprising.” The bigger argument over Rector’s approach is whether illegal immigrants bring economic benefits that outweigh their undisputed costs. Tamar Jacoby, an advocate of comprehensive reform who is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, points to a study done recently of immigrants in North Carolina which estimated that in the past ten years Hispanic immigrants had cost the state $61 million in benefits while being responsible for more than $9 billion in economic growth. “Yes, the individual might cost more in services,” says Jacoby, “but they are growing the pie so significantly that that cost pales in comparison.” Not so, says Rector. “The problem is, the growth to the pie that they make, they eat,” he explains. The economic growth reflected in the numbers, he says, is what the immigrant workers are making. “To the extent that they make the pie grow any bit more than what they take out of the pie in wages, it is very subtle, and it would be a tiny fraction of the gross domestic product growth,” Rector says. And that means something for the immigration debate, and for George W. Bush’s proposals. “Every one of these [reform] bills envisions bringing in millions and millions of additional low-skill immigrants with the right to access welfare and become citizens,” says Rector. “Within ten years, you would have four million of these individuals, each of whom can bring family. You’d be looking at a cost of $80 billion per year.” Perhaps Congress and the president will decide to do that. But if Robert Rector is correct, no one should underestimate the cost.

Why are most people ignorant of the fact that Hitler was a Keynesian? source: http://www.lewrockwell.com/rockwell/hitlers-economics.html For today's generation, Hitler is the most hated man in history, and his regime the archetype of political evil. This view does not extend to his economic policies, however. Far from it. They are embraced by governments all around the world. The Glenview State Bank of Chicago, for example, recently praised Hitler's economics in its monthly newsletter. In doing so, the bank discovered the hazards of praising Keynesian policies in the wrong context. The issue of the newsletter (July 2003) is not online, but the content can be discerned via the letter of protest from the Anti-Defamation League. "Regardless of the economic arguments" the letter said, "Hitler's economic policies cannot be divorced from his great policies of virulent anti-Semitism, racism and genocide…. Analyzing his actions through any other lens severely misses the point." The same could be said about all forms of central planning. It is wrong to attempt to examine the economic policies of any leviathan state apart from the political violence that characterizes all central planning, whether in Germany, the Soviet Union, or the United States. The controversy highlights the ways in which the connection between violence and central planning is still not understood, not even by the ADL. The tendency of economists to admire Hitler's economic program is a case in point. In the 1930s, Hitler was widely viewed as just another protectionist central planner who recognized the supposed failure of the free market and the need for nationally guided economic development. Proto-Keynesian socialist economist Joan Robinson wrote that "Hitler found a cure against unemployment before Keynes was finished explaining it." What were those economic policies? He suspended the gold standard, embarked on huge public works programs like Autobahns, protected industry from foreign competition, expanded credit, instituted jobs programs, bullied the private sector on prices and production decisions, vastly expanded the military, enforced capital controls, instituted family planning, penalized smoking, brought about national health care and unemployment insurance, imposed education standards, and eventually ran huge deficits. The Nazi interventionist program was essential to the regime's rejection of the market economy and its embrace of socialism in one country. Such programs remain widely praised today, even given their failures. They are features of every "capitalist" democracy. Keynes himself admired the Nazi economic program, writing in the foreword to the German edition to the General Theory: "[T]he theory of output as a whole, which is what the following book purports to provide, is much more easily adapted to the conditions of a totalitarian state, than is the theory of production and distribution of a given output produced under the conditions of free competition and a large measure of laissez-faire." Keynes's comment, which may shock many, did not come out of the blue. Hitler's economists rejected laissez-faire, and admired Keynes, even foreshadowing him in many ways. Similarly, the Keynesians admired Hitler (see George Garvy, "Keynes and the Economic Activists of Pre-Hitler Germany," The Journal of Political Economy, Volume 83, Issue 2, April 1975, pp. 391–405).

what is THE STATUS OF WOMAN IN ISLAM ? THE STATUS OF WOMAN IN ISLAM By Jamal A. Badawi CONTENTS PREFACE INTRODUCTION HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES Women in Ancient Civilization WOMEN IN ISLAM 1. The Spiritual Aspect 2. The Social Aspect (a) As a Child and Adolescent (b) As a Wife (c) As a Mother 3. The Economic Aspect 4. The political Aspect CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PREFACE Family, society and ultimately the whole of mankind is treated by Islam on an ethical basis. Differentiation in sex is neither a credit nor a drawback for the sexes. Therefore, when we talk about status of woman in Islam it should not lead us to think that Islam has no specific guidelines, limitations, responsibilities and obligations for men. What makes one valuable and respectable in the eyes of Allah, the Creator of mankind and the universe, is neither one's prosperity, position, intelligence, physical strength nor beauty, but only one's Allah-consciousness and awareness (taqwa). However, since in the Western culture and in cultures influenced by it, there exists a disparity between men and women there is more need for stating Islam's position on important issues in a clear way. Dr. Jamal Badawi's essay, The Status of Women in Islam, was originally published in our quarterly journal, Al-lttihad, Vol. 8, No. 2, Sha'ban 1391/Sept 1971. Since then it has been one of our most-demanded publications. We thank Br. Jamal for permitting us to reprint his essay. We hope it will clarify many of the misconceptions. Anis Ahmad, Director Dept. of Education and Training MSA of U.S. and Canada P.O. Box 38 Plainfield, IN 46168 USA Jumada al Thani 1400 April 1980 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. INTRODUCTION The status of women in society is neither a new issue nor is it a fully settled one. The position of Islam on this issue has been among the subjects presented to the Western reader with the least objectivity. This paper is intended to provide a brief and authentic exposition of what Islam stands for in this regard. The teachings of Islam are based essentially on the Qur'an (God's revelation) and Hadeeth (elaboration by Prophet Muhammad). The Qur'an and the Hadeeth, properly and unbiasedly understood, provide the basic source of authentication for any position or view which is attributed to Islam. The paper starts with a brief survey of the status of women in the pre-Islamic era. It then focuses on these major questions: What is the position of Islam regarding the status of woman in society? How similar or different is that position from "the spirit of the time," which was dominant when Islam was revealed? How would this compare with the "rights" which were finally gained by woman in recent decades? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- II. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES One major objective of this paper is to provide a fair evaluation of what Islam contributed (or failed to contribute) toward the restoration of woman's dignity and rights. In order to achieve this objective, it may be useful to review briefly how women were treated in general in previous civilizations and religions, especially those which preceded Islam (Pre-610 C.E.). Part of the information provided here, however, describes the status of woman as late as the nineteenth century, more than twelve centuries after Islam. Women in Ancient Civilization Describing the status of the Indian woman, Encyclopedia Britannica states: In India, subjection was a cardinal principle. Day and night must women be held by their protectors in a state of dependence says Manu. The rule of inheritance was agnatic, that is descent traced through males to the exclusion of females. In Hindu scriptures, the description of a good wife is as follows: "a woman whose mind, speech and body are kept in subjection, acquires high renown in this world, and, in the next, the same abode with her husband." In Athens, women were not better off than either the Indian or the Roman women. "Athenian women were always minors, subject to some male - to their father, to their brother, or to some of their male kin. Her consent in marriage was not generally thought to be necessary and "she was obliged to submit to the wishes of her parents, and receive from them her husband and her lord, even though he were stranger to her." A Roman wife was described by an historian as: "a babe, a minor, a ward, a person incapable of doing or acting anything according to her own individual taste, a person continually under the tutelage and guardianship of her husband." In the Encyclopedia Britannica, we find a summary of the legal status of women in the Roman civilization: In Roman Law a woman was even in historic times completely dependent. If married she and her property passed into the power of her husband . . . the wife was the purchased property of her husband, and like a slave acquired only for his benefit. A woman could not exercise any civil or public office . could not be a witness, surety, tutor, or curator; she could not adopt or be adopted, or make will or contract. Among the Scandinavian races women were: under perpetual tutelage, whether married or unmarried. As late as the Code of Christian V, at the end of the 17th Century, it was enacted that if a woman married without the consent of her tutor he might have, if he wished, administration and usufruct of her goods during her life. According to the English Common Law: ...all real property which a wife held at the time of a marriage became a possession of her husband. He was entitled to the rent from the land and to any profit which might be made from operating the estate during the joint life of the spouses. As time passed, the English courts devised means to forbid a husband's transferring real property without the consent of his wife, but he still retained the right to manage it and to receive the money which it produced. As to a wife's personal property, the husband's power was complete. He had the right to spend it as he saw fit. Only by the late nineteenth Century did the situation start to improve. "By a series of acts starting with the Married women's Property Act in 1870, amended in 1882 and 1887, married women achieved the right to own property and to enter contracts on a par with spinsters, widows, and divorcees." As late as the Nineteenth Century an authority in ancient law, Sir Henry Maine, wrote: "No society which preserves any tincture of Christian institutions is likely to restore to married women the personal liberty conferred on them by the Middle Roman Law." In his essay The Subjection of Women, John Stuart Mill wrote: We are continually told that civilization and Christianity have restored to the woman her just rights. Meanwhile the wife is the actual bondservant of her husband; no less so, as far as the legal obligation goes, than slaves commonly so called. Before moving on to the Qur'anic decrees concerning the status of woman, a few Biblical decrees may shed more light on the subject, thus providing a better basis for an impartial evaluation. In the Mosaic Law, the wife was betrothed. Explaining this concept, the Encyclopedia Biblica states: "To betroth a wife to oneself meant simply to acquire possession of her by payment of the purchase money; the betrothed is a girl for whom the purchase money has been paid." From the legal point of view, the consent of the girl was not necessary for the validation of her marriage. "The girl's consent is unnecessary and the need for it is nowhere suggested in the Law." As to the right of divorce, we read in the Encyclopedia Biblica: "The woman being man's property, his right to divorce her follows as a matter of course." The right to divorce was held only by man. "In the Mosaic Law divorce was a privilege of the husband only .... " The position of the Christian Church until recent centuries seems to have been influenced by both the Mosaic Law and by the streams of thought that were dominant in its contemporary cultures. In their book, Marriage East and West, David and Vera Mace wrote: Let no one suppose, either, that our Christian heritage is free of such slighting judgments. It would be hard to find anywhere a collection of more degrading references to the female sex than the early Church Fathers provide. Lecky, the famous historian, speaks of (these fierce incentives which form so conspicuous and so grotesque a portion of the writing of the Fathers . . . woman was represented as the door of hell, as the mother of all human ills. She should be ashamed at the very thought that she is a woman. She should live in continual penance on account of the curses she has brought upon the world. She should be ashamed of her dress, for it is the memorial of her fall. She should be especially ashamed of her beauty, for it is the most potent instrument of the devil). One of the most scathing of these attacks on woman is that of Tertullian: Do you know that you are each an Eve? The sentence of God on this sex of yours lives in this age: the guilt must of necessity live too. You are the devil's gateway: you are the unsealer of that forbidden tree; you are the first deserters of the divine law; you are she who persuades him whom the devil was not valiant enough to attack. You destroyed so easily God's image, man. On account of your desert - that is death - even the Sop of God had to die). Not only did the church affirm the inferior status of woman, it deprived her of legal rights she had previously enjoyed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- III. WOMAN IN ISLAM In the midst of the darkness that engulfed the world, the divine revelation echoed in the wide desert of Arabia with a fresh, noble, and universal message to humanity: "O Mankind, keep your duty to your Lord who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate (of same kind) and from them twain has spread a multitude of men and women" (Qur'an 4: 1). A scholar who pondered about this verse states: "It is believed that there is no text, old or new, that deals with the humanity of the woman from all aspects with such amazing brevity, eloquence, depth, and originality as this divine decree." Stressing this noble and natural conception, them Qur'an states: He (God) it is who did create you from a single soul and therefrom did create his mate, that he might dwell with her (in love)...(Qur'an 7:189) The Creator of heavens and earth: He has made for you pairs from among yourselves ...Qur'an 42:1 1 And Allah has given you mates of your own nature, and has given you from your mates, children and grandchildren, and has made provision of good things for you. Is it then in vanity that they believe and in the grace of God that they disbelieve? Qur'an 16:72 The rest of this paper outlines the position of Islam regarding the status of woman in society from its various aspects - spiritually, socially, economically and politically. 1. The Spiritual Aspect The Qur'an provides clear-cut evidence that woman iscompletely equated with man in the sight of God interms of her rights and responsibilities. The Qur'an states: "Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds" (Qur'an 74:38). It also states: ...So their Lord accepted their prayers, (saying): I will not suffer to be lost the work of any of you whether male or female. You proceed one from another ...(Qur'an 3: 195). Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily to him will We give a new life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the their actions. (Qur'an 16:97, see also 4:124). Woman according to the Qur'an is not blamed for Adam's first mistake. Both were jointly wrong in their disobedience to God, both repented, and both were forgiven. (Qur'an 2:36, 7:20 - 24). In one verse in fact (20:121), Adam specifically, was blamed. In terms of religious obligations, such as the Daily Prayers, Fasting, Poor-due, and Pilgrimage, woman is no different from man. In some cases indeed, woman has certain advantages over man. For example, the woman is exempted from the daily prayers and from fasting during her menstrual periods and forty days after childbirth. She is also exempted from fasting during her pregnancy and when she is nursing her baby if there is any threat to her health or her baby's. If the missed fasting is obligatory (during the month of Ramadan), she can make up for the missed days whenever she can. She does not have to make up for the prayers missed for any of the above reasons. Although women can and did go into the mosque during the days of the prophet and thereafter attendance et the Friday congregational prayers is optional for them while it is mandatory for men (on Friday). This is clearly a tender touch of the Islamic teachings for they are considerate of the fact that a woman may be nursing her baby or caring for him, and thus may be unable to go out to the mosque at the time of the prayers. They also take into account the physiological and psychological changes associated with her natural female functions. 2. The Social Aspect a) As a child and an adolescent Despite the social acceptance of female infanticide among some Arabian tribes, the Qur'an forbade this custom, and considered it a crime like any other murder. "And when the female (infant) buried alive - is questioned, for what crime she was killed." (Qur'an 81:8-9). Criticizing the attitudes of such parents who reject their female children, the Qur'an states: When news is brought to one of them, of (the Birth of) a female (child), his face darkens and he is filled with inward grief! With shame does he hide himself from his people because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain her on (sufferance) and contempt, or bury her in the dust? Ah! What an evil (choice) they decide on? (Qur'an 16: 58-59). Far from saving the girl's life so that she may later suffer injustice and inequality, Islam requires kind and just treatment for her. Among the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (P.) in this regard are the following: Whosoever has a daughter and he does not bury her alive, does not insult her, and does not favor his son over her, God will enter him into Paradise. (Ibn Hanbal, No. 1957). Whosoever supports two daughters till they mature, he and I will come in the day of judgment as this (and he pointed with his two fingers held together). A similar Hadeeth deals in like manner with one who supports two sisters. (Ibn-Hanbal, No. 2104). The right of females to seek knowledge is not different from that of males. Prophet Muhammad (P.) said: "Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every Muslim". (AlBayhaqi). Muslim as used here including both males and females. b) As a wife: The Qur'an clearly indicates that marriage is sharing between the two halves of the society, and that its objectives, beside perpetuating human life, are emotional well-being and spiritual harmony. Its bases are love and mercy. Among the most impressive verses in the Qur'an about marriage is the following. "And among His signs is this: That He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest, peace of mind in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Lo, herein indeed are signs for people who reflect." (Qur'an 30:2 1). According to Islamic Law, women cannot be forced to marry anyone without their consent. Ibn Abbas reported that a girl came to the Messenger of God, Muhammad (P.), and she reported that her father had forced her to marry without her consent. The Messenger of God gave her the choice . . . (between accepting the marriage or invalidating it). (Ibn Hanbal No. 2469). In another version, the girl said: "Actually I accept this marriage but I wanted to let women know that parents have no right (to force a husband on them)" (Ibn Maja, No. 1873). Besides all other provisions for her protection at the time of marriage, it was specifically decreed that woman has the full right to her Mahr, a marriage gift, which is presented to her by her husband and is included in the nuptial contract, and that such ownership does not transfer to her father or husband. The concept of Mahr in Islam is neither an actual or symbolic price for the woman, as was the case in certain cultures, but rather it is a gift symbolizing love and affection. The rules for married life in Islam are clear and in harmony with upright human nature. In consideration of the physiological and psychological make-up of man and woman, both have equal rights and claims on one another, except for one responsibility, that of leadership. This is a matter which is natural in any collective life and which is consistent with the nature of man. The Qur'an thus states: "And they (women) have rights similar to those (of men) over them, and men are a degree above them." (Qur'an 2:228). Such degree is Quiwama (maintenance and protection). This refers to that natural difference between the sexes which entitles the weaker sex to protection. It implies no superiority or advantage before the law. Yet, man's role of leadership in relation to his family does not mean the husband's dictatorship over his wife. Islam emphasizes the importance of taking counsel and mutual agreement in family decisions. The Qur'an gives us an example: "...If they (husband wife) desire to wean the child by mutual consent and (after) consultation, there is no blame on them..." (Qur'an 2: 233). Over and above her basic rights as a wife comes the right which is emphasized by the Qur'an and is strongly recommended by the Prophet (P); kind treatment and companionship. The Qur'an states: "...But consort with them in kindness, for if you hate them it may happen that you hate a thing wherein God has placed much good." (Qur'an 4: l9). Prophet Muhammad. (P) said: The best of you is the best to his family and I am the best among you to my family. The most perfect believers are the best in conduct and best of you are those who are best to their wives. (Ibn-Hanbal, No. 7396) Behold, many women came to Muhammad's wives complaining against their husbands (because they beat them) - - those (husbands) are not the best of you. As the woman's right to decide about her marriage is recognized, so also her right to seek an end for an unsuccessful marriage is recognized. To provide for the stability of the family, however, and in order to protect it from hasty decisions under temporary emotional stress, certain steps and waiting periods should be observed by men and women seeking divorce. Considering the relatively more emotional nature of women, a good reason for asking for divorce should be brought before the judge. Like the man, however, the woman can divorce her husband with out resorting to the court, if the nuptial contract allows that. More specifically, some aspects of Islamic Law concerning marriage and divorce are interesting and are worthy of separate treatment. When the continuation of the marriage relationship is impossible for any reason, men are still taught to seek a gracious end for it. The Qur'an states about such cases: When you divorce women, and they reach their prescribed term, then retain them in kindness and retain them not for injury so that you transgress (the limits). (Qur'an 2:231). (See also Qur'an 2:229 and 33:49). c) As a mother: Islam considered kindness to parents next to the worship of God. "And we have enjoined upon man (to be good) to his parents: His mother bears him in weakness upon weakness..." (Qur'an 31:14) (See also Qur'an 46:15, 29:8). Moreover, the Qur'an has a special recommendation for the good treatment of mothers: "Your Lord has decreed that you worship none save Him, and that you be kind to your parents. . ." (Qur'an 17:23). A man came to Prophet Muhammad (P) asking: O Messenger of God, who among the people is the most worthy of my good company? The Prophet (P) said, Your mother. The man said then who else: The Prophet (P) said, Your mother. The man asked, Then who else? Only then did the Prophet (P) say, Your father. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). A famous saying of The Prophet is "Paradise is at the feet of mothers." (In Al'Nisa'I, Ibn Majah, Ahmad). "It is the generous (in character) who is good to women, and it is the wicked who insults them." 3. The Economic Aspect Islam decreed a right of which woman was deprived both before Islam and after it (even as late as this century), the right of independent ownership. According to Islamic Law, woman's right to her money, real estate, or other properties is fully acknowledged. This right undergoes no change whether she is single or married. She retains her full rights to buy, sell, mortgage or lease any or all her properties. It is nowhere suggested in the Law that a woman is a minor simply because she is a female. It is also noteworthy that such right applies to her properties before marriage as well as to whatever she acquires thereafter. With regard to the woman's right to seek employment it should be stated first that Islam regards her role in society as a mother and a wife as the most sacred and essential one. Neither maids nor baby-sitters can possibly take the mother's place as the educator of an upright, complex free, and carefully-reared children. Such a noble and vital role, which largely shapes the future of nations, cannot be regarded as "idleness". However, there is no decree in Islam which forbids woman from seeking employment whenever there is a necessity for it, especially in positions which fit her nature and in which society needs her most. Examples of these professions are nursing, teaching (especially for children), and medicine. Moreover, there is no restriction on benefiting from woman's exceptional talent in any field. Even for the position of a judge, where there may be a tendency to doubt the woman's fitness for the post due to her more emotional nature, we find early Muslim scholars such as Abu-Hanifa and Al-Tabary holding there is nothing wrong with it. In addition, Islam restored to woman the right of inheritance, after she herself was an object of inheritance in some cultures. Her share is completely hers and no one can make any claim on it, including her father and her husband. "Unto men (of the family) belongs a share of that which Parents and near kindred leave, and unto women a share of that which parents and near kindred leave, whether it be a little or much - a determinate share." ((Qur'an 4:7). Her share in most cases is one-half the man's share, with no implication that she is worth half a man! It would seem grossly inconsistent after the overwhelming evidence of woman's equitable treatment in Islam, which was discussed in the preceding pages, to make such an inference. This variation in inheritance rights is only consistent with the variations in financial responsibilities of man and woman according to the Islamic Law. Man in Islam is fully responsible for the maintenance of his wife, his children, and in some cases of his needy relatives, especially the females. This responsibility is neither waived nor reduced because of his wife's wealth or because of her access to any personal income gained from work, rent, profit, or any other legal means. Woman, on the other hand, is far more secure financially and is far less burdened with any claims on her possessions. Her possessions before marriage do not transfer to her husband and she even keeps her maiden name. She has no obligation to spend on her family out of such properties or out of her income after marriage. She is entitled to the "Mahr" which she takes from her husband at the time of marriage. If she is divorced, she may get an alimony from her ex-husband. An examination of the inheritance law within the overall framework of the Islamic Law reveals not only justice but also an abundance of compassion for woman. 4. The Political Aspect Any fair investigation of the teachings of Islam o~ into the history of the Islamic civilization will surely find a clear evidence of woman's equality with man in what we call today "political rights". This includes the right of election as well as the nomination to political offices. It also includes woman's right to participate in public affairs. Both in the Qur'an and in Islamic history we find examples of women who participated in serious discussions and argued even with the Prophet (P) himself, (see Qur'an 58: 14 and 60: 10-12). During the Caliphate of Omar Ibn al-Khattab, a woman argued with him in the mosque, proved her point, and caused him to declare in the presence of people: "A woman is right and Omar is wrong." Although not mentioned in the Qur'an, one Hadeeth of the Prophet is interpreted to make woman ineligible for the position of head of state. The Hadeeth referred to is roughly translated: "A people will not prosper if they let a woman be their leader." This limitation, however, has nothing to do with the dignity of woman or with her rights. It is rather, related to the natural differences in the biological and psychological make-up of men and women. According to Islam, the head of the state is no mere figurehead. He leads people in the prayers, especially on Fridays and festivities; he is continuously engaged in the process of decision-making pertaining to the security and well-being of his people. This demanding position, or any similar one, such as the Commander of the Army, is generally inconsistent with the physiological and psychological make-up of woman in general. It is a medical fact that during their monthly periods and during their pregnancies, women undergo various physiological and psychological changes. Such changes may occur during an emergency situation, thus affecting her decision, without considering the excessive strain which is produced. Moreover, some decisions require a maximum of rationality and a minimum of emotionality - a requirement which does not coincide with the instinctive nature of women. Even in modern times, and in the most developed countries, it is rare to find a woman in the position of a head of state acting as more than a figurehead, a woman commander of the armed services, or even a proportionate number of women representatives in parliaments, or similar bodies. One can not possibly ascribe this to backwardness of various nations or to any constitutional limitation on woman's right to be in such a position as a head of state or as a member of the parliament. It is more logical to explain the present situation in terms of the natural and indisputable differences between man and woman, a difference which does not imply any "supremacy" of one over the other. The difference implies rather the "complementary" roles of both the sexes in life. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IV. CONCLUSION The first part of this paper deals briefly with the position of various religions and cultures on the issue under investigation. Part of this exposition extends to cover the general trend as late as the nineteenth century, nearly 1300 years after the Qur'an set forth the Islamic teachings. In the second part of the paper, the status of women in Islam is briefly discussed. Emphasis in this part is placed on the original and authentic sources of Islam. This represents the standard according to which degree of adherence of Muslims can be judged. It is also a fact that during the downward cycle of Islamic Civilization, such teachings were not strictly adhered to by many people who profess to be Muslims. Such deviations were unfairly exaggerated by some writers, and the worst of this, were superficially taken to represent the teachings of "Islam" to the Western reader without taking the trouble to make any original and unbiased study of the authentic sources of these teachings. Even with such deviations three facts are worth mentioning: 1. The history of Muslims is rich with women of great achievements in all walks of life from as early as the seventh century (B.C.) 2. It is impossible for anyone to justify any mistreatment of woman by any decree of rule embodied in the Islamic Law, nor could anyone dare to cancel, reduce, or distort the clear-cut legal rights of women given in Islamic Law. 3. Throughout history, the reputation, chastity and maternal role of Muslim women were objects of admiration by impartial observers. It is also worthwhile to state that the status which women reached during the present era was not achieved due to the kindness of men or due to natural progress. It was rather achieved through a long struggle and sacrifice on woman's part and only when society needed her contribution and work, more especial!; during the two world wars, and due to the escalation of technological change. In the case of Islam such compassionate and dignified status was decreed, not because it reflects the environment of the seventh century, nor under the threat or pressure of women and their organizations, but rather because of its intrinsic truthfulness. If this indicates anything, it would demonstrate the divine origin of the Qur'an and the truthfulness of the message of Islam, which, unlike human philosophies and ideologies, was far from proceeding from its human environment, a message which established such humane principles as neither grew obsolete during the course of time and after these many centuries, nor can become obsolete in the future. After all, this is the message of the All-Wise and all-knowing God whose wisdom and knowledge are far beyond the ultimate in human thought and progress.

Can someone tell me as much as they can about this article and International Trade, Tariffs, and Globalization? Essay: The Dangers Of Turning Inward Jeffrey E. Garten. Wall Street Journal. (Eastern edition). New York, N.Y.: Feb 28, 2009. pg. W.1 Abstract (Summary) Here was a city within a city, with ultra-modern buildings, movie theaters, restaurants with international cuisine, workout facilities, classrooms for executive education, accommodations for workers who had to stay late and communications capabilities that I had never seen in American companies. For better or worse, the forces of globalization have pushed them to urban areas to seek a better life. [...] it will be globalization that opens the world to them, allowing international agencies to pump in capital, multinational companies to help supply technology and management, and Western universities to transfer knowledge. » Jump to indexing (document details) Full Text (3238 words) (c) 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Reproduced with permission of copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission. [Countries are attempting to protect their own companies and workers from the economic crisis. The financial and political damage will be severe, argues Jeffrey E. Garten] Not long ago, on a visit to Bangalore, India, I made what I thought would be a 15-minute trip to the outskirts of the city. The journey took 90 minutes on roads filled with cars, trucks, bicycles, push carts, children, all kinds of animals and giant potholes. At one point my taxi was at a dead stop for what seemed like an eternity, waiting for a small group of cows to move to the side of the road. It was dusty and noisy, filled with the sounds of buzzing scooters and honking horns. We eventually came to our destination: the campus of Infosys, an Indian technology company with major operations around the world. Here was a city within a city, with ultra-modern buildings, movie theaters, restaurants with international cuisine, workout facilities, classrooms for executive education, accommodations for workers who had to stay late and communications capabilities that I had never seen in American companies. Two worlds. One globalized, the other not. One that had access to the world's capital, technology and management, the other stuck in another century. Many of Infosys's management and employees came from that poorer world. I wondered what it would take to pull up the millions of others. In the next 24 hours, approximately 180,000 people in developing countries will be moving from the countryside to cities such as Shanghai, Sao Paulo, Johannesburg. The same will happen tomorrow and every day thereafter for the next 30 years, the equivalent of creating one new New York City every two months, according to the United Nations. These men and women will need everything -- electricity, water, food, heath care, shelter, schools, computers and, of course, jobs. Many have the potential to improve not just their local environments but the world. For better or worse, the forces of globalization have pushed them to urban areas to seek a better life. And it will be globalization that opens the world to them, allowing international agencies to pump in capital, multinational companies to help supply technology and management, and Western universities to transfer knowledge. Yet if historians look back on today's severe downturn, with its crumbling markets, rising unemployment and massive government interventions, they could well be busy analyzing how globalization -- the spread of trade, finance, technology and the movement of people around the world -- went into reverse. They would likely point to the growth of economic nationalism as the root cause. Ordinary protectionism such as tariffs and quotas would be one aspect of this problem, but it won't be the worst of it because a web of treaties and the enforcement capabilities of the World Trade Organization will constrain the most egregious behavior. Economic nationalism is more insidious because it is broader, more subtle and subject to fewer legal constraints. It is a frame of mind that casts doubt on the very assumption that we live in a single international market, and that relatively open borders are a virtue. It is based on a calculation that despite all the talk about economic interdependence, nations can go it alone, and could be better off in doing so. True economic nationalists want above all to protect capital and jobs in their own countries. They see global commerce not as a win-win proposition but as a contest in which there is a victor and a loser. They are thus not focused on international agreements to open the world economy; to the contrary, they are usually figuring out how to avoid international commercial obligations. The last time we saw sustained economic nationalism was in the 1930s, when capital flows and trade among countries collapsed, and every country went its own way. World growth went into a ditch, political ties among nations deteriorated, nationalism and populi

Why this Dems want to grab everything? Carolina Journal Exclusives Dems Target Private Retirement Accounts Democratic leaders in the U.S. House discuss confiscating 401(k)s, IRAs By Karen McMahan November 04, 2008 RALEIGH — Democrats in the U.S. House have been conducting hearings on proposals to confiscate workers’ personal retirement accounts — including 401(k)s and IRAs — and convert them to accounts managed by the Social Security Administration. Triggered by the financial crisis the past two months, the hearings reportedly were meant to stem losses incurred by many workers and retirees whose 401(k) and IRA balances have been shrinking rapidly. The testimony of Teresa Ghilarducci, professor of economic policy analysis at the New School for Social Research in New York, in hearings Oct. 7 drew the most attention and criticism. Testifying for the House Committee on Education and Labor, Ghilarducci proposed that the government eliminate tax breaks for 401(k) and similar retirement accounts, such as IRAs, and confiscate workers’ retirement plan accounts and convert them to universal Guaranteed Retirement Accounts (GRAs) managed by the Social Security Administration. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, in prepared remarks for the hearing on “The Impact of the Financial Crisis on Workers’ Retirement Security,” blamed Wall Street for the financial crisis and said his committee will “strengthen and protect Americans’ 401(k)s, pensions, and other retirement plans” and the “Democratic Congress will continue to conduct this much-needed oversight on behalf of the American people.” Currently, 401(k) plans allow Americans to invest pretax money and their employers match up to a defined percentage, which not only increases workers’ retirement savings but also reduces their annual income tax. The balances are fully inheritable, subject to income tax, meaning workers pass on their wealth to their heirs, unlike Social Security. Even when they leave an employer and go to one that doesn’t offer a 401(k) or pension, workers can transfer their balances to a qualified IRA. Mandating Equality Ghilarducci’s plan first appeared in a paper for the Economic Policy Institute: Agenda for Shared Prosperity on Nov. 20, 2007, in which she said GRAs will rescue the flawed American retirement income system (www.sharedprosperity.org/bp204/bp204.pdf). The current retirement system, Ghilarducci said, “exacerbates income and wealth inequalities” because tax breaks for voluntary retirement accounts are “skewed to the wealthy because it is easier for them to save, and because they receive bigger tax breaks when they do.” Lauding GRAs as a way to effectively increase retirement savings, Ghilarducci wrote that savings incentives are unequal for rich and poor families because tax deferrals “provide a much larger ‘carrot’ to wealthy families than to middle-class families — and none whatsoever for families too poor to owe taxes.” GRAs would guarantee a fixed 3 percent annual rate of return, although later in her article Ghilarducci explained that participants would not “earn a 3% real return in perpetuity.” In place of tax breaks workers now receive for contributions and thus a lower tax rate, workers would receive $600 annually from the government, inflation-adjusted. For low-income workers whose annual contributions are less than $600, the government would deposit whatever amount it would take to equal the minimum $600 for all participants. In a radio interview with Kirby Wilbur in Seattle on Oct. 27, 2008, Ghilarducci explained that her proposal doesn’t eliminate the tax breaks, rather, “I’m just rearranging the tax breaks that are available now for 401(k)s and spreading — spreading the wealth.” All workers would have 5 percent of their annual pay deducted from their paychecks and deposited to the GRA. They would still be paying Social Security and Medicare taxes, as would the employers. The GRA contribution would be shared equally by the worker and the employee. Employers no longer would be able to write off their contributions. Any capital gains would be taxable year-on-year. Analysts point to another disturbing part of the plan. With a GRA, workers could bequeath only half of their account balances to their heirs, unlike full balances from existing 401(k) and IRA accounts. For workers who die after retiring, they could bequeath just their own contributions plus the interest but minus any benefits received and minus the employer contributions. Another justification for Ghilarducci’s plan is to eliminate investment risk. In her testimony, Ghilarducci said, “humans often lack the foresight, discipline, and investing skills required to sustain a savings plan.” She cited the 2004 HSBC global survey on the Future of Retirement, in which she claimed that “a third of Americans wanted the government to force them to save more for retirement.” What the survey actually reported was that 33 per I'm not Cons or Dems nor Libs. I just read here.. I hope you're not an American otherwise I can name you. It's addressed to Mormonism.. I apologised. Source: http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=5081 Dinodino, they're trying to take it away. They should let people choose "Work or Starve"

Conspiracy Theory. Do you find most of these thing as Nuts as I do? Here is a sample of a Spoof on the past and latest. The WTF or World Task Force has released a new comprehensive study into all possible solutions to areas stricken with Over crowed schools, huge economic downturns and the increase in School and Business closures across America and globally. After many years of tax dollars and revenues from various state lottery dollars and taxes on revenues from Casinos the WTF published in the WTF Journal on 7/09/2010 a comprehensive solution to the crisis. According to the report from spokes person and client of WTF Mr. Bullshivik the solution is for children to simply "Not Go." According to the findings this will result in the overall reduction of students so teachers can focus on actually intelligent children who will benefit from a more direct eduction, and though as a by product this will mean more hooligans in the streets joining gangs and becoming likely to increase in involvement with illegal conduct such as drugs a d prostitution, the benefits will far outweigh the crisis as providing more intelligent specialized children, increase in robotic technologies to supplant a dwindling work force, a resulting drop in excessive population issues allowing gang violence to increase and life threatening diseases to take out the extra baggage and justify the discontinuation of public assistance networks and services that are bankrupting the economy. In addition there will be better jobs available for those who abandon these regions who have received the education and such as health-care and related public services can be geared more towards the better social stock of the civilization and in the resulting slums allow nature to take its course. These regions can than be isolated and walled up and allowed to crumble and will be policed by armed soldiers and regional marshals to prevent the isolated regions that will be called WCS or World Controlled Sectors or CICs which are Civil Isolation Centers, to keep UIs or Undesirable Influences from Civil City Regions, or CCRs. Those that would otherwise continue to be a strain on the legal system including inmates from various prisons will also be reassigned to a CIC (pronounced Sick in English) which will further reduce the excessive expenses of having to build larger prison systems on valuable lands and potential centers of much needed resources and can be applied Internationally in order to preserve a Democratic Culture and Civil Society. Political Adviser, Harry Dickers agreed and expect the predominant targeted UIs to be the largest resistance in the New World Restoration Effort of House Bill NWRE 187 which also gives clear and decisive power of private vote to the new and intended UPELG-GA or Unified Political, Executive and Legislative Governance of Global Allience once such a program is initiated and will after a swift Military effort be more than sufficient in initiating the round up program called Operation Ditch the Dirt or ODTD and those who have been causing a financial burden not just in the US but in the World economy. This will include the Homeless, and those who are considered terminally ill, disabled, Mentally deficient or challenged, or don't speak the language, as well as addicts to illegal and prescription drugs, as anyone with any observable and irrevocable debts. The WTF and intended UPELG-GA plan on presenting this to countries with all the research and evidence under a secret UN meeting with nations most likely to support the efforts and the program models in exchange to private resources and shared economic benefits to the officials and their families as a UN bill called WDR or World Divine Retribution and believed it will pass with a 9 out of 10 percentile with the elimination of so called outmoded International laws. In addition the policy will allow for the discontinuation of trades with all other countries whose conditions and technological underdevelopment have only further served to stress global economic infrastructures and will be effectively cut off and allowed to perish at their own hands, and any of those intending to try and invade or sneak into "restricted countries" will be executed as threats to the Global and International security of the intended UPELG-GA. This report by the WTF has been applauded as an intelligent and un-bias approach to solving the present over all crisis the World is enduring and a Tribunal of members of the UPELG-GA will be considered as privately elected International Presidential Members. In addition Science and Technology will be the only accepted social truth in the new GA for short of the UPELG-GA and any and all religions, religious institutions and so forth will be effectively banned as psychologically detrimental to the over all progress of the New World Agenda. After the successful completion of the Agenda the Aliens will be more open to land and once more interact with the Superior global soc

Here's what the black panthers are about, according to their own website. Do you think that a group of this? nature deserves the personal protection of the president and the attorney journal or should they be reviled and prosecuted at every turn, until they are no longer able to conduct business in the open, like the kkk? www.newblackpanther.com/newsite/home2.html 1. We want freedom. We want the power to practice self-determination, and to determine the destiny of our community and THE BLACK NATION. We believe in the spiritual high moral code of our Ancestors. We believe in the truths of the Bible, Quran, and other sacred texts and writings. We believe in MAAT and the principles of NGUZO SABA. We believe that Black People will not be free until we are able to determine our Divine Destiny. 2. We want full employment for our people and we demand the dignity to do for ourselves what we have begged the white man to do for us. We believe that since the white man has kept us deaf, dumb and blind, and used every dirty trick in the book to stand in the way of our freedom and independence, that we should be gainfully employed until such time we can employ and provide for ourselves. We believe further in: POWER IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE! WEALTH IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE! ARMS IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE! 3. We want tax exemption and an end to robbery of THE BLACK NATION by the CAPITALIST. We want an end to the capitalistic domination of Africa in all of its forms: imperialism, criminal settler colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism, sexism, zionism, Apartheid and artificial borders. We believe that this wicked racist government has robbed us, and now we are demanding the overdue debt of reparations. A form of reparations was promised 100 years ago (forty acres and a mule) as restitution for the continued genocide of our people and to in meaningful measure and repair the damage for the AFRICAN HOLOCAUST (Maangamizo/Maafa). We believe our people should be exempt from ALL TAXATION as long as we are deprived of equal justice under the laws of the land and the overdue reparations debt remains unpaid. We will accept payment in fertile and mine rally rich land, precious metals, industry, commerce and currency. As genocide crimes continue, people's tribunals must be set up to prosecute and to execute. The Jews were given reparations. The Japanese were given reparations. The Black, the Red and the Brown Nations must be given reparations. The American white man owes us reparations. England owes us reparations. France owes us reparations, Spain and all of Europe. Africa owes us reparations and repatriation. The Arabs owe us reparations. The Jews owe us reparations. All have taken part in the AFRICAN HOLOCAUST and the slaughter of 600 million of our people over the past 6,000 years in general and 400 year in particular. We know that this is a reasonable and just demand that we make at this time in history. 4. We want decent housing, fit for shelter of human beings, free health-care (preventive and maintenance). We want an end to the trafficking of drugs and to the biological and chemical warfare targeted at our people. We believe since the white landlords will not give decent housing and quality health care to our Black Community, the he housing, the land, the social, political and economic institutions should be made into independent UUAMAA New African Communal/Cooperatives so that our community, with government reparations and aid (until we can do for ourselves) can build and make drug free, decent housing with health facilities for our people. 5. We want education for our people that exposes the true nature of this devilish and decadent American society. We want education that teaches us our true history/herstory and our role in the present day society. We believe in an educational system that will give our people a knowledge of self. If we do not have knowledge of self and of our position in society and the world, then we have little chance to properly relate to anything else. 6. We want all Black Men and Black Women to be exempt from military service. We believe that Black People should not be forced to fight in the military service to defend a racist government that holds us captive and does not protect us. We will not fight and kill other people of color in the world who, like Black People, are being victimized by the white racist government of America. We will protect ourselves from the force and violence of the racist police and the racist military, by any means necessary. 7. We want an immediate end to POLICE HARRASSMENT, BRUTALITY and MURDER of Black People. We want an end to Black-on-Black violence, snitching, cooperation and collaboration with the oppressor. We believe we can end police brutality in our community by organizing Black self-defense groups (Black People's Militias/Black Liberation Armies) that are dedicated to defending our Black Community from racist, fascist, police/military oppression and brutality. The Second Amendment of white America's Constitution gives a right to bear

what do you think of this? 2nd journalism assigment, honest opinions plz, i know its controvertial but i didnt pick the subject. prt 1 TEENAGE MOTHERS ON A RISE By Aimee Davis In recent years, the number of teenage mothers has hit a record high not just in Australia but all over the world. Studies have shown that the United States and New Zealand have the largest number of teen pregnancies and births in the world, while Japan and South Korea have the lowest. It is estimated that annually 13.1 million women under the age of 20 give birth, with more than 90% of these births occurring in developing countries. In Australia, The birth rates to teen mothers alone are around 19 live births for every 1, 000th teenager, coming in 6th among OECD countries for teenage pregnancy. A recent report published in the Medical Journal of Australia highlights a frightening compilation of statistics on the nation's teenagers and the results of their risky sexual behavior. Dr Henrietta Williams, the senior medical officer with Family Planning Victoria says that “We do a lot better than countries such as the States with regards to the numbers of unplanned pregnancies and the numbers of sexually transmitted infections in young people, But we don't do nearly as well as countries such as Holland, who have managed to reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies amongst teenagers dramatically in the last ten to fifteen years”. The reason for such trends, especially with the current global financial crisis is that having a baby young provides the mother with the stability required to go back to school, quit drugs and alcohol and get a job, with some Queensland schools even devising special programs for young mothers to complete their education. Professor Julie Quinlivan says that studies have shown that disadvantaged teens that fell pregnant often had better life outcomes then those who did not. She said that these girls also help save the economy money, as pregnancy helped them engaged in more services which helped them develop a more focused plan for the future. It may be controversial but from a societal or evolutionary point of view, these young women might just be doing the right thing for themselves Prof. Quinlivan says. It is an extremely common misconception that all teen mothers are likely to become bad mothers; however this is not the case; more often than not it is the socio-economic status of the parents that determine this. Professor Quinlivan says that it isn’t the age of the mother that matters, but rather the adverse social area that she originates from. “People look down on me for having a baby so young. They think that I can’t do as good of a job as someone twice my age, that I can’t afford to keep my child or that I won’t be able to take care of her. It’s hard to explain how I feel about the way these people judge me” says Amy Boneham, 19. She fell pregnant with her daughter Sienna when she was just 16. She says that having her daughter has changed her life and given her something more than parties and alcohol to think about. She runs a successful business from home to help pay the living expenses involved with having a child. “All up, I only spend about $140 dollars a week on Si Including The fee’s for kindy so it isn’t too hard on my budget” In recent times, it has become commonplace for young mothers and their partners to live at one of the couples parents’ houses while trying to find their feet, with it being widely accepted that the father will work to support the mother and child while she takes care of the baby. Christy Bennett, 16 says that while she doesn’t find it stressful juggling a baby with bills and living expenses she still likes to stay informed of the current economic situation. “My partner works, and we live with my parents for now so I have all the financial and emotional support I can get. My mother is great, she helps me out alot” Although her and her boyfriend Gene didn’t plan the birth plan the birth of their daughter, Sophia they say they couldn’t be happier. “Before Sophia my life was boring and I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, but now I have direction” Christie says. “I would love to get into reception when Sophia gets older”. The Australian government recently introduced a family income test, to determine the eligibility of the mothers in accordance with their taxable income within the first 6 months of birth for families with children born on the 1st of January onwards, with it only being available to families that have earnt under $75, 000 in this period. If the family is found eligible and the mother and/or father are under 18, then baby bonus is then payed in 13 installments, over 6 months. With the Governments new baby bonus scheme for parents under 18 it has become increasingly easy to provide for the child and to make sure that they always have appropriate food, clothes and living quarters. Danielle Graham, 17 says that the installments of $380 a fortnight instead of the previous lump sum payment takes a lot of stress off her and her partner Aaron as the payments last longer and get used more efficiently. Danielle says that these installments combined with Centrelinks parenting payments are enough to support her family for now, as her partner is currently looking for work. Although their family was semi-planned they did not expect to fall pregnant as soon as they did. “It’s really hard to take care of my son, especially with Aaron having no job. I don’t particularly pay attention to the economy but I’m certainly feeling it. Luckily we have just been approved for a Government funded house, so it will be good to have that security. I don’t know how we would cope without out parenting payments and the baby bonus”. While it can be stressful to the parents that they do not have the convenience of being able to buy all of their child’s more expensive necessiticities

Creative critism or praise needed!!!? my second journalism assigment, what do you think? TEENAGE MOTHERS ON A RISE In recent years, the number of teenage mothers has hit a record high not just in Australia but all over the world. Studies have shown that the United States and New Zealand have the largest number of teen pregnancies and births in the world, while Japan and South Korea have the lowest. It is estimated that annually 13.1 million women under the age of 20 give birth, with more than 90% of these births occurring in developing countries. In Australia, The birth rates to teen mothers alone are around 19 live births for every 1, 000th teenager, coming in 6th among OECD countries for teenage pregnancy. A recent report published in the Medical Journal of Australia highlights a frightening compilation of statistics on the nation's teenagers and the results of their risky sexual behavior. Dr Henrietta Williams, the senior medical officer with Family Planning Victoria says that “We do a lot better than countries such as the States with regards to the numbers of unplanned pregnancies and the numbers of sexually transmitted infections in young people, But we don't do nearly as well as countries such as Holland, who have managed to reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies amongst teenagers dramatically in the last ten to fifteen years”. The reason for such trends, especially with the current global financial crisis is that having a baby young provides the mother with the stability required to go back to school, quit drugs and alcohol and get a job, with some Queensland schools even devising special programs for young mothers to complete their education. Professor Julie Quinlivan says that studies have shown that disadvantaged teens that fell pregnant often had better life outcomes then those who did not. She said that these girls also help save the economy money, as pregnancy helped them engaged in more services which helped them develop a more focused plan for the future. It may be controversial but from a societal or evolutionary point of view, these young women might just be doing the right thing for themselves Prof. Quinlivan says. It is an extremely common misconception that all teen mothers are likely to become bad mothers; however this is not the case; more often than not it is the socio-economic status of the parents that determine this. Professor Quinlivan says that it isn’t the age of the mother that matters, but rather the adverse social area that she originates from. “People look down on me for having a baby so young. They think that I can’t do as good of a job as someone twice my age, that I can’t afford to keep my child or that I won’t be able to take care of her. It’s hard to explain how I feel about the way these people judge me” says Amy Boneham, 19. She fell pregnant with her daughter Sienna when she was just 16. She says that having her daughter has changed her life and given her something more than parties and alcohol to think about. She runs a successful business from home to help pay the living expenses involved with having a child. “All up, I only spend about $140 dollars a week on Si Including The fee’s for kindy so it isn’t too hard on my budget” In recent times, it has become commonplace for young mothers and their partners to live at one of the couples parents’ houses while trying to find their feet, with it being widely accepted that the father will work to support the mother and child while she takes care of the baby. Christy Bennett, 16 says that while she doesn’t find it stressful juggling a baby with bills and living expenses she still likes to stay informed of the current economic situation. “My partner works, and we live with my parents for now so I have all the financial and emotional support I can get. My mother is great, she helps me out alot” Although her and her boyfriend Gene didn’t plan the birth plan the birth of their daughter, Sophia they say they couldn’t be happier. “Before Sophia my life was boring and I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, but now I have direction” Christie says. “I would love to get into reception when Sophia gets older”. The Australian government recently introduced a family income test, to determine the eligibility of the mothers in accordance with their taxable income within the first 6 months of birth for families with children born on the 1st of January onwards, with it only being available to families that have earnt under $75, 000 in this period. If the family is found eligible and the mother and/or father are under 18, then baby bonus is then payed in 13 installments, over 6 months. With the Governments new baby bonus scheme for parents under 18 it has become increasingly easy to provide for the child and to make sure that they always have appropriate food, clothes and living quarters. Danielle Graham, 17 says that the installments of $380 a fortnight instead of the previous lump sum payment takes a lot 17 says that the installments of $380 a fortnight instead of the previous lump sum payment takes a lot of stress off her and her partner Aaron as the payments last longer and get used more efficiently. Danielle says that these installments combined with Centrelinks parenting payments are enough to support her family for now, as her partner is currently looking for work. Although their family was semi-planned they did not expect to fall pregnant as soon as they did. “It’s really hard to take care of my son, especially with Aaron having no job. I don’t particularly pay attention to the economy but I’m certainly feeling it. Luckily we have just been approved for a Government funded house, so it will be good to have that security. I don’t know how we would cope without out parenting payments and the baby bonus”. While it can be stressful to the parents that they do not have the convenience of being able to buy all of their child’s more expensive necessities immediately after

Are the new immigration laws & raids really paving a good future for the US? Children are being seperated from their parents to only be left alone with other family members or friends to only face economical hardship and psychological trauma. We have enough troubled teens in our society, and this is just adding more fuel to the fire. How can this be a good thing to our society, and the future of our children? What do you think? http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/09/10/citizen.children/index.html It was the start of a downward spiral for Quiroz. When her mother and brothers were deported, Quiroz and her 6-year-old, American-born sister had no choice but to return to Mexico City with them. Her seventh grade year was spent in a classroom where she didn't understand the language. "I never belonged there," she says. "I'd just come home, sit down, cry. I'd say, 'Mom, I can't do it.' ... I can't read or write Spanish." She adds, "I felt like there were no dreams for me." Stories like these are becoming more common, immigration analysts say, with American children caught in the middle of their mother or father's illegal status. A report last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association said these children face "increasing risk of family separation, economic hardship and psychological trauma." "It's really hard to imagine something that can be more traumatic than to be forcibly separated from their caregiver. That's the enforcement climate that we're operating in now," says Miriam Calderon, the associate director for education and children's policy at the National Council of La Raza, the largest Hispanic advocacy group in the United States.

With his super majority control over all three levels of government, how come Obama cannot get things done.? With Absolute Power, Team Obama Grows Stupid A Commentary By Michael Barone Thursday, February 11, 2010 How could such smart people do so many stupid things? That question, or variations on it, is being asked in Washington and around the country about the Obama administration. The same people who directed the campaign that defeated Hillary Clinton and routed John McCain, a campaign that raised far more money and attracted far more volunteers than any before it, have within a year come up with a legislative program that is crashing in ruins and that, to judge from recent polls, has left the Democratic Party weaker than I have seen it in almost 50 years of closely following politics. The 2008 campaign was an impressive achievement. So, in a negative way, is the 2009 legislative program that has left the Democrats in such woeful shape in 2010. Some in Washington say that the problem is that Barack Obama has chosen to rely on his campaign staff rather than the wise old heads in Washington. But Obama and his team has had the benefit of advice from those wise old heads and from the smartest political strategist the Democratic Party has produced in the past half-century, Bill Clinton. A truly wise Washington analyst, National Journal's Jonathan Rauch, says the problem is one-party government. Presidents lead better, he argues, when they are constrained by the need to get bipartisan support. There's something to that. Obama's three predecessors all had bipartisan initiatives: the 1990 tax package for George Bush 41, NAFTA approval for Clinton, the 2001 education bill and the 2003 Medicare prescription drug benefit for George Bush 43. Obama has had no bipartisan initiatives of his own. The fact that Democrats, from last July until last week, had a 60-vote supermajority in the Senate to go along with Nancy Pelosi's strong majority in the House seems to have tempted Team Obama to go the all-Democratic route on health care, cap-and-trade and fiscal policy. But even strong temptations should sometimes be resisted. I think the problem is more basic and helps to explain why the people who put together a successful campaign have not, so far at least, provided successful governance. Obama campaigned as someone who would rise above partisan divisions. He first attracted national attention in 2004, when our politics was a kind of culture war, by stressing what red state America and blue state America had in common. He campaigned in a similar vein in 2007 and 2008. But when he came to office in 2009, the cultural issues that had occupied so much of the political landscape for a dozen years had been eclipsed in importance by the financial crisis and the deepening recession. So Obama was faced with a fundamental choice. He could either chart a bipartisan course in response to the economic emergency, or he could try to expand government to Western European magnitude as Democratic congressional leaders, elected for years in monopartisan districts, had long wished to do. The former community organizer and Chicago pol chose the latter course. To the surprise of many who watched previous presidents present specific administration policies to Congress, he allowed Democratic leaders to design the stimulus package they rushed into law in six weeks. One-third of the money went to state and local governments -- an obvious payoff to the public employee unions that contributed so much money to Democrats -- and much of it went to permanently increase the baseline spending of discretionary programs, a longtime goal of Democratic congressional leaders. Federal spending was raised from about 20 percent to about 24 percent of gross domestic product, putting the U.S. on a trajectory to double the national debt as a percentage of GDP in less than 10 years. Team Obama overestimated the stimulative effect of the stimulus package and underestimated the strength of the spontaneous tea party movement that flared up in protest of this expansion of government. They underestimated as well the opposition to expanding government control over health care and, through the cap-and-trade bill, to the energy sector. And the disgust over conspicuous vote-buying on health care -- the Louisiana Purchase, the Cornhusker Kickback, the Labor Loophole. Team Obama failed to realize they were no longer running in Chicago or in the Democratic primaries or facing an electorate fed up with Republicans. And, more important, they failed to realize that vastly expanding government goes deeply against the American grain -- and against the basic appeal of their successful campaign. Michael Barone is senior political analyst for The Washington Examiner.

Why did Caesar Chavez, icon of the U.S. Latino civil rights movement, staunchly oppose illegal immigration? "Deception in the classroom: the real Cesar Chavez." San Diego Business Journal http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5565671/Deception-in-the-classroom-the.html Did you know that Cesar Chavez was not a supporter of illegal immigration? Did you also know that history shows Cesar Chavez, whose name has become synonymous with La Raza and other radical elements of the reconquista movement, was in fact effectively a Minuteman? Our schools teach that Cesar Chavez spent a good portion of his life advocating for the rights of farmworkers throughout California and the United States. But what they fail to mention is that Cesar Chavez was a vocal opponent of illegal immigration. Think about it--he was trying to raise the benefits for farmworkers in the United States. Simultaneously, there was a massive influx of virtual slave labor streaming across the southern border of the United States, thus undermining everything he fought to achieve. When farmworkers would strike as a method for achieving their goals, employers would simply recruit "strikebreakers" from south of the border, illegal immigrants, by flooding the market with cheap labor, would lower the prevailing wage and thereby drain Cesar Chavez of his ability to advocate on behalf of the organized farm labor movement. Evidence of this abounds in the historical record, such as in his testimony before Congress in 1979 when he blamed the federal government for failing to secure the border. Chavez testified that "for over 30 years, the Immigration and Naturalization Service has looked the other way and assisted in the strikebreaking." In fact, 10 years earlier, Cesar Chavez protested illegal immigration at the Mexican border, reportedly accompanied by Sen. Walter Mondale and Ralph Abernathy, head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. It has also been reported that Chavez's brother, Manuel, along with members of the United Farm Workers, patrolled the Arizona-Mexico border in a manner similar to that of our Minutemen of today. He believed that illegal immigration would directly impact the prosperity of U.S. farmworkers. He was right. Yet, his vision of the effects of illegal immigration didn't even scratch the surface of the dramatic social and economic impact it would have on America. The massive influx of illegal immigrants into the United States has cost the American taxpayer billions of dollars in services to them and their children through health care and education. It has also been said that illegal immigrants make up well over 20 percent of those in federal penitentiaries --another major expenditure that we the people can scarcely afford. I challenge our educators to recognize this reality and develop lesson plans that don't sugarcoat history, but rather slay the sacred cows of political correctness by telling the truth about Cesar Chavez and the dangers of unbridled illegal immigration. Let's see them teach that in a classroom! Sen. Bill Morrow represents California's 38th District, which includes much of North County and portions of Orange County.

People's Republic of China? CHINA PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA Head of state: Hu Jintao Head of government: Wen Jiabao Death penalty: retentionist International Criminal Court: not ratified An increased number of lawyers and journalists were harassed, detained, and jailed. Thousands of people who pursued their faith outside officially sanctioned churches were subjected to harassment and many to detention and imprisonment. Thousands of people were sentenced to death or executed. Migrants from rural areas were deprived of basic rights. Severe repression of Uighurs in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region continued, and freedom of expression and religion continued to be severely restricted in Tibet and among Tibetans elsewhere. International community Before China's election to the new UN Human Rights Council, it made a number of human rights-related pledges, including ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and active co-operation with the UN on human rights. Chinese companies continued to export arms to countries where they were likely to be used for serious human rights abuses, including Sudan and Myanmar. Human rights defenders The government crackdown on lawyers and housing rights activists intensified. Many human rights defenders were subjected to lengthy periods of arbitrary detention without charge, as well as harassment by the police or by local gangs apparently condoned by the police. Many lived under near constant surveillance or house arrest and members of their families were increasingly targeted. New regulations restricted the ability of lawyers to represent groups of victims and to participate in collective petitions. • Gao Zhisheng, an outspoken human rights lawyer, had his law practice suspended in November 2005. He was detained in August 2006 and remained in incommunicado detention at an unknown location until his trial in December 2006. In October he was formally arrested on charges of "inciting subversion", and in December he was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, suspended for five years. Journalists and Internet users The government's crackdown on journalists, writers, and Internet users intensified. Numerous popular newspapers and journals were shut down. Hundreds of international websites remained blocked and thousands of Chinese websites were shut down. Dozens of journalists were detained for reporting on sensitive issues. The government strengthened systems for blocking, filtering, and monitoring the flow of information. New regulations came into effect requiring foreign news agencies to gain approval from China's official news agency in order to publish any news. Many foreign journalists were detained for short periods. Discrimination against rural migrants Rural migrant workers in China's cities faced wide-ranging discrimination. Despite official commitment to resolve the problem, millions of migrant workers were still owed back pay. The vast majority were excluded from urban health insurance schemes and could not afford private health care. Access to public education remained tenuous for millions of migrant children, in contrast to other urban residents. An estimated 20 million migrant children were unable to live with their parents in the cities in part because of insecure schooling. • Beijing municipal authorities closed dozens of migrant schools in September, affecting thousands of migrant children. While authorities claimed to have targeted unregistered and sub-standard schools, onerous demands made it nearly impossible for migrant schools to be registered. Some school staff believed the closures were aimed at reducing the migrant population in Beijing ahead of the 2008 Olympics. Violence and discrimination against women Violence and discrimination against women remained severe. The disadvantaged economic and social status of women and girls was evident in employment, health care and education. Women were laid off in larger numbers than men from failing state enterprises. Women accounted for 60 per cent of rural labourers and had fewer non-agricultural opportunities than men. The absence of gender-sensitive anti-HIV/AIDS policies contributed to a significant rise in female HIV/AIDS cases in 2006. Only 43 per cent of girls in rural areas completed education above lower middle school, compared with 61 per cent of boys. Despite strengthened laws and government efforts to combat human trafficking, it remained pervasive, with an estimated 90 per cent of cases being women and children trafficked for sexual exploitation. • Chen Guangcheng, a blind, self-trained lawyer, was sentenced in August to a prison term of four years and three months on charges of "damaging public property and gathering people to stop traffic". He had been arbitrarily confined to his home since September 2005 in connection with his advocacy on behalf of women undergoing forced abortions in Shandong Province. On appeal, the guilty verdict was overturned and the case sent back to the lower court for retrial, but the lower court upheld the original sentence. Repression of spiritual and religious groups The government continued to crack down on religious observance outside officially sanctioned channels. Thousands of members of underground protestant "house churches" and unofficial Catholic churches were detained, many of whom were ill-treated or tortured in detention. Members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement were detained and assigned to administrative detention for their beliefs, and continued to be at high risk of torture or ill-treatment. • Bu Dongwei, a Falun Gong practitioner, was assigned to two and a half years' Re-education through Labour in June for "activities relating to a banned organization" after police discovered Falun Gong literature at his home. He had been working for a US aid organization when he was detained. • Pastor Zhang Rongliang, an underground church leader who had been repeatedly detained and imprisoned since 1976, was sentenced in June to seven and a half years' imprisonment on charges of illegally crossing the border and fraudulently obtaining a passport. Death penalty The death penalty continued to be used extensively to punish around 68 crimes, including economic and non-violent crimes. Based on public reports, AI estimated that at least 1,010 people were executed and 2,790 sentenced to death during 2006, although the true figures were believed to be much higher. The National People's Congress passed a law reinstating a final review of all death penalty cases by the Supreme People's Court from 2007. Commentators believed this would lead to a reduction in miscarriages of justice and use of the death penalty. Executions by lethal injection rose, facilitating the extraction of organs from executed prisoners, a lucrative business. In November a deputy minister announced that the majority of transplanted organs came from executed prisoners. In July new regulations banned the buying and selling of organs and required written consent from donors for organ removal. • Xu Shuangfu, the leader of an unofficial Protestant group called "Three Grades of Servants", was executed along with 11 others in November after being convicted of murdering 20 members of another group, "Eastern Lightning", in 2003-4. Xu Shuangfu reportedly claimed that he had confessed under torture during police interrogation and that the torture had included beatings with heavy chains and sticks, electric shocks to the toes, fingers and genitals and forced injection of hot pepper, gasoline and ginger into the nose. Both the first instance and appeal courts reportedly refused to allow his lawyers to introduce these allegations as evidence in his defence. Torture, arbitrary detention and unfair trials Torture and ill-treatment remained widespread. Common methods included kicking, beating, electric shocks, suspension by the arms, shackling in painful positions, cigarette burns, and sleep and food deprivation. In November a senior official admitted that at least 30 wrongful convictions handed down each year resulted from the use of torture, with the true number likely being higher. There was no progress in efforts to reform the Re-education through Labour system of administrative detention without charge or trial. Hundreds of thousands of people were believed to be held in Re-education through Labour facilities across China and were at risk of torture and ill-treatment. In May 2006, the Beijing city authorities announced their intention to extend their use of Re-education through Labour as a way to control "offending behaviour" and to clean up the city's image ahead of the Olympics. • Ye Guozhu was sentenced to four years' imprisonment in 2004 for his opposition to forced evictions in Beijing associated with construction for the Olympic games. It emerged during 2006 that Ye had been tortured while in detention. He was reportedly suspended from the ceiling by the arms and beaten repeatedly by police in Dongcheng district detention centre, Beijing, and also reportedly tortured in another prison in the second half of 2005. Uighurs in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region Government authorities in Xinjiang continued to severely repress the Uighur community and to deny their human rights, including freedom of religion and access to education. An increased number of Uighurs were extradited to China from Central Asia, reflecting growing pressure by China on governments in the region. Seventeen Uighurs remained in detention in Guantánamo Bay. • The family of exiled former prisoner of conscience Rebiya Kadeer continued to be targeted by the Chinese authorities. On 26 November her son Ablikim Abdiriyim, detained in Xinjiang awaiting trial on charges of "subversion" and tax evasion, was seen being carried out of Tianshan District Detention Centre, apparently in need of medical attention. On 27 November her sons Alim and Kahar Abdiriyim were fined heavily and Alim sentenced to seven years' imprisonment on charges of tax evasion. • Husein Celil, a Canadian citizen who fled China in the 1990s as a refugee, was arrested in Uzbekistan and extradited to China in June. He was reportedly accused of "terrorism" and denied access to family or consular representatives. Tibetans Tibetans in the Tibet Autonomous Region and other areas experienced severe restrictions on their rights to freedom of religious belief, expression and association, and discrimination in employment. Many were detained or imprisoned for observing their religion or expressing opinions, including Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns. Excessive use of force against Tibetans seeking to flee repression in Tibet continued. In September witnesses saw Chinese border patrol guards shooting at a group of Tibetans attempting to reach Nepal. At least one child was confirmed killed. • Woeser, a leading Tibetan intellectual, had her weblog shut down several times after she raised questions about China's role in Tibet. • Sonam Gyalpo, a former monk, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment in mid-2006 for "endangering state security" after the authorities found videos of the Dalai Lama and other "incriminating materials" in his house. His family learned of his trial and sentencing when they tried to visit him in detention. North Korean refugees Approximately 100,000 North Koreans were reportedly hiding in China. The authorities arrested and deported an estimated 150-300 each week without ever referring cases to UNHCR, the UN refugee agency. They also reportedly implemented a system of rewards for turning in North Koreans and heavy fines for supporting them. In September a new crackdown was reported on North Koreans residing illegally in China. Abuse of North Korean women in China was widely reported, including cases of systematic rape and prostitution. North Korean women were reportedly sold as brides to Chinese men for between US$880 and US$1,890. Some women knew they were being sold into marriage but did not know how harsh conditions in China would be. Others were lured across the border by marriage brokers posing as merchants. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region All 14 South Koreans charged with "unlawful assembly" after protesting outside World Trade Organization meetings in December 2005 were acquitted in early 2006, sparking renewed calls for an independent inquiry into the actions of the police during the protests. The UN Human Rights Committee and the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women reviewed the human rights situation in Hong Kong in March and August respectively. Both made several recommendations for reform. In September, the Hong Kong Court of Appeal upheld a lower court ruling that laws providing a higher age of consent for sexual relations for gay men than for heterosexuals were discriminatory. The authorities announced that they would not appeal the case further. Asylum-seekers continued to be refused entry without adequate consideration of their claims. Others were detained for over-staying their visas or other immigration offences. Despite lobbying from human rights and social welfare groups, the authorities confirmed that there were no plans to extend the UN Refugee Convention to Hong Kong. The authorities began to offer limited welfare assistance to asylum-seekers after UNHCR ceased its funding in May, but this was reportedly insufficient to meet basic needs. AI country reports/visits Reports • People's Republic of China: Abolishing "Re-education through Labour" and other forms of administrative detention - An opportunity to bring the law into line with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (AI Index: ASA 17/016/2006) • People's Republic of China: Sustaining conflict and human rights abuses - The flow of arms accelerates (AI Index: ASA 17/030/2006) • People's Republic of China: The Olympics count-down - failing to keep human rights promises (AI Index: ASA 17/046/2006) • Undermining freedom of expression in China: the role of Yahoo!, Microsoft and Google (AI Index: POL 30/026/2006) Visits AI representatives attended several human rights-related meetings in Beijing and Shenzhen. CHINA PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA Head of state: Hu Jintao Head of government: Wen Jiabao Death penalty: retentionist International Criminal Court: not ratified An increased number of lawyers and journalists were harassed, detained, and jailed. Thousands of people who pursued their faith outside officially sanctioned churches were subjected to harassment and many to detention and imprisonment. Thousands of people were sentenced to death or executed. Migrants from rural areas were deprived of basic rights. Severe repression of Uighurs in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region continued, and freedom of expression and religion continued to be severely restricted in Tibet and among Tibetans elsewhere. International community Before China's election to the new UN Human Rights Council, it made a number of human rights-related pledges, including ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and active co-operation with the UN on human rights. http://thereport.amnesty.org/eng/Regions/Asia-Pacific/China

Do I have potential as a writer? Dear Fellow Members of the Classes of 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 We will be graduating in one of the worst economic crisis’ of all time and trying to figure out what we will do to support ourselves for the rest of our lives. I am a member of the class of 2011 and I have been thinking about what I want to do with my life. My mind has been racing with thoughts of careers for the past few months. The scary thing about this is, not only is my mind racing with thoughts of careers but with thoughts of dollar signs. The only thing I can think of when I’m trying to figure out what I want to do with my life is how much money I can make. The thought of money is so consuming that when I think of a career path that I may be interested in the first thing I do is Google how much I would make a year. What I don’t think about and can not Google is, will this job make me happy? Will I want to wake up everyday? Will I want to go through years of school to accomplish this career? I like many of you feel like I’m being pushed into these cookie cutter careers of healthcare, education and technology. I want to be a writer one day. I want to walk into Barnes and Noble and see my book in the hands of an eager reader but instead, I will probably become a nurse because I am terrified of being caught up in this economic mess that I can not even face my dream. My greatest dream has turned into my deepest fear. I have never even told anyone close to me that I want to be a writer. My room is filled with journals and drafts of novels. My computer is filled with word documents entitled “ASDFGDFGS” and within these oddly named files is my imagination bubbling to the surface. What will our world be filled with un happy, melancholy nurses, doctors, teachers, and computer technicians dreaming of careers that they we felt were to out of reach. So I am asking you as a member of either the class of 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2013 to follow your dreams, no matter what, for those of us to paralyzed by fear to pursue our own personal legend.

Could this ever get published, could I ever be a writer? Dear Fellow Members of the Classes of 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 We will be graduating in one of the worst economic crisis’ of all time and trying to figure out what we will do to support ourselves for the rest of our lives. I am a member of the class of 2011 and I have been thinking about what I want to do with my life. My mind has been racing with thoughts of careers for the past few months. The scary thing about this is, not only is my mind racing with thoughts of careers but with thoughts of dollar signs. The only thing I can think of when I’m trying to figure out what I want to do with my life is how much money I can make. The thought of money is so consuming that when I think of a career path that I may be interested in the first thing I do is Google how much I would make a year. What I don’t think about and can not Google is, will this job make me happy? Will I want to wake up everyday? Will I want to go through years of school to accomplish this career? I like many of you feel like I’m being pushed into these cookie cutter careers of healthcare, education and technology. I want to be a writer one day. I want to walk into Barnes and Noble and see my book in the hands of an eager reader but instead, I will probably become a nurse because I am terrified of being caught up in this economic mess that I can not even face my dream. My greatest dream has turned into my deepest fear. I have never even told anyone close to me that I want to be a writer. My room is filled with journals and drafts of novels. My computer is filled with word documents entitled “ASDFGDFGS” and within these oddly named files is my imagination bubbling to the surface. What will our world be filled with un happy, melancholy nurses, doctors, teachers, and computer technicians dreaming of careers that they we felt were to out of reach. So I am asking you as a member of either the class of 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2013 to follow your dreams, no matter what, for those of us to paralyzed by fear to pursue our own personal legend.

Would this make a good article? Dear Fellow Members of the Classes of 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 We will be graduating in one of the worst economic crisis’ of all time and trying to figure out what we will do to support ourselves for the rest of our lives. I am a member of the class of 2011 and I have been thinking about what I want to do with my life. My mind has been racing with thoughts of careers for the past few months. The scary thing about this is, not only is my mind racing with thoughts of careers but with thoughts of dollar signs. The only thing I can think of when I’m trying to figure out what I want to do with my life is how much money I can make. The thought of money is so consuming that when I think of a career path that I may be interested in the first thing I do is Google how much I would make a year. What I don’t think about and can not Google is, will this job make me happy? Will I want to wake up everyday? Will I want to go through years of school to accomplish this career? I like many of you feel like I’m being pushed into these cookie cutter careers of healthcare, education and technology. I want to be a writer one day. I want to walk into Barnes and Noble and see my book in the hands of an eager reader but instead, I will probably become a nurse because I am terrified of being caught up in this economic mess that I can not even face my dream. My greatest dream has turned into my deepest fear. I have never even told anyone close to me that I want to be a writer. My room is filled with journals and drafts of novels. My computer is filled with word documents entitled “ASDFGDFGS” and within these oddly named files is my imagination bubbling to the surface. What will our world be filled with un happy, melancholy nurses, doctors, teachers, and computer technicians dreaming of careers that they we felt were to out of reach. So I am asking you as a member of either the class of 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2013 to follow your dreams, no matter what, for those of us to paralyzed by fear to pursue our own personal legend.

Calling all grammer people!!! Please, Profread my essay on homelessness? HOMELESSNESS Homelessness is a problematic issue in our society that increases more and more each year. Unemployment, poverty, low income, mental illness, and racial or sexual discrimination, huge income gap are all contributing factors for homelessness. Ending homelessness does not mean finding shelter for the homeless but finding a way to fix our broken system. Many homeless individual report mental illness as being their number one cause for becoming homeless (Yoshida). Health care costs are skyrocketing and insurance privileges are increasing. Although there are many programs and counseling services for the sick, they all require a stable housing address which the homeless do not even have. The homeless also lack a universal health-care plan that many of the services provided become useless for them. They cannot even get health insurance, because it’s only eligible only if they are employed not unemployed or self-employed. Finding work is the most painstaking part of life that the homeless go through every single day. They do not even have enough money to afford education to help them find a job. The homeless stricken by poverty and have no where to turn to. Some people who already have work are still homeless due to low income. Many employers discriminate worker based on their color of their skin. They take away their rights and give them low wages compared with other workers. They think of people with different color or racial background as disadvantaged and less skilled. The most discriminated racial groups involve Blacks and Hispanics. “[They] complain that the [blacks] are a base class and exclude them from the rights which others enjoy” (Emerson). People of different races are divided into classes that eventually lead to homelessness and poverty. “Race-as-identity” was defined all over the work force, which made it even harder for the homeless to find work (Steele). Even women are discriminated and so there is a twenty percent higher unemployment rate for women than for men (Yoshida). There’s a great income gap between the rich and the poor that the quantity of the homeless starts to rise frequently. As the rich become wealthier and begin purchasing more and more that prices begin to rise. Those whose incomes are not rising as fast are less and less able to afford the same goods that they were able to get before. There are good reasons for defining a free market with a free democracy. But a fair market is as essential to democracy as a free one. The market should not just consider the rich, but also the poor when setting prices on items. Even housing costs are disproportionately affecting people with lower income. As years go by the rental prices for primary residents increase hugely that the current residents end up becoming homeless. Aside from just low wage earners, many workers cannot afford to live where they work and so they go into debt and disappear into nothingness. These are not the only causes that lead up to homelessness. There are many other reasons that not even you or I know about. We should fix the social and economic system for the better of our community as a whole not just provide temporary shelter for the homeless. Providing such services is only going to help maintain poverty not ending it. The homeless should be given free educational training and should not be discriminated against because of their race or sex. They should all be also provided with a free health care plan including treatment for mental illnesses. We should work to end homelessness not to just uphold it. Works Cited Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Journals of Ralph Waldo Emerson. The Norton Reader. Norton & Company. New York. 2004. Steele, Shelby. On Being Black and Middle Class. P.366-379. Yoshida, Kyosuke. Homelessness in the United States. May 29, 2008. <http://dwardmac. pitzer.edu/faculty/jkaret/cbny96/ap8kyopap.html>.

Would this make a good article? Dear Fellow Members of the Classes of 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 We will be graduating in one of the worst economic crisis’ of all time and trying to figure out what we will do to support ourselves for the rest of our lives. I am a member of the class of 2011 and I have been thinking about what I want to do with my life. My mind has been racing with thoughts of careers for the past few months. The scary thing about this is, not only is my mind racing with thoughts of careers but with thoughts of dollar signs. The only thing I can think of when I’m trying to figure out what I want to do with my life is how much money I can make. The thought of money is so consuming that when I think of a career path that I may be interested in the first thing I do is Google how much I would make a year. What I don’t think about and can not Google is, will this job make me happy? Will I want to wake up everyday? Will I want to go through years of school to accomplish this career? I like many of you feel like I’m being pushed into these cookie cutter careers of healthcare, education and technology. I want to be a writer one day. I want to walk into Barnes and Noble and see my book in the hands of an eager reader but instead, I will probably become a nurse because I am terrified of being caught up in this economic mess that I can not even face my dream. My greatest dream has turned into my deepest fear. I have never even told anyone close to me that I want to be a writer. My room is filled with journals and drafts of novels. My computer is filled with word documents entitled “ASDFGDFGS” and within these oddly named files is my imagination bubbling to the surface. What will our world be filled with un happy, melancholy nurses, doctors, teachers, and computer technicians dreaming of careers that they we felt were to out of reach. So I am asking you as a member of either the class of 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2013 to follow your dreams, no matter what, for those of us to paralyzed by fear to pursue our own personal legend.

Why Islam Forbids Pork? Why Islam Forbids Pork? By: Rashid Shamsi (The Muslim World League Journal, Rajab 1420 - October 1999) Food and drink have direct effect on our health. That is why Islam has prescribed regulations about our food and drink. It lays great emphasis on our physical as well as moral health, because both of these are equally important for a healthy society. The abstention from eating pork is one of the steps taken by Islam to practise hygiene and to attain purity of soul. Islam, for the cultivation of inner faculties, insists upon the cleanliness of body and the purification of soul through Salaat (prayers) Zikr (remembrance of Allah) and other devotional duties. Islam teaches us how to attain the virtues and how to give up bad habits because both good and bad grow in the man according to his upbringing, education and environment. A human being has natural desires: food, sleep and sex being the three primary ones. He has also other natural emotions: sorrow, happiness, love, fear, disgust and avarice etc. Islam doesn't recommend the complete abrogation of these impulses but offers a method of controlling them through religious education and discipline. The prohibition of eating pork in Islam is relevant in this context. There is a saying in English that "a man becomes what he eats." According to physicians and medical experts, pork is a harmful diet. Consumption of swine-flesh creates lowliness in character and destroys moral and spiritual faculties in a man. Body and Soul The life of a man is a compound of body and soul. Anything, which is harmful for the body, hurts the soul as well. Consumption of swine-flesh reduces the feeling of shame and as such the standard of modesty. Those nations, which consume pork habitually, have a low standard of morality with the result that virginity, chastity and bashfulness are becoming a thing of the past in Europe today. The number of unwed mothers is on the increase despite of the use of pills and other contraceptives. According to a report, 60 to 70% of girls in Sweden become mothers before marriage. The formula of "skin to skin is no sin" is taking its toll but there is hardly any feeling of shame or remorse over the end-result. Since the European nations have become addicted to wine and pork, sexual freedom with all its attendant evils has got ingrained in their culture. Consequently, homosexuality has been legalized by the British Parliament. The Holy Qur'an has prohibited the swine-flesh, hence the Muslims would not dare touch it. The Bible has also forbidden swine-flesh, but Christians disregarded this order and started consuming it. The Europeans now proclaim that pork is a very powerful diet, rich in protein. Some of them further argue that since there is a great scarcity of food-stuff in the world and swines are available in abundant quantity, they should be consumed in the diet to overcome the food shortage. If this argument is true, why don't they use dog's meat as dogs too are available in abundance? The Europeans perhaps hate the mere mention of dog's meat in the same way as the Muslims shun pork. Another wrong notion about swine-flesh is that its consumption lengthens life-span, although this is a pure myth and absurdity. On the contrary, people, who abstain from pork and liquor, have a longer span of life. The Muslims in Central Asia bear a testimony to this truth. However, in the consumption of flesh Muslims are required to be selective and to distinguish between Halaal (Lawful) and Haraam (Unlawful). This step leads automatically to the deeper understanding of the need for the cultivation of a pure human nature. As blood is virtually our life-stream and whatever we consume ultimately affects the blood system, it is, therefore, necessary to exercise choice in the selection of our food and drinks as part of the requirements of the Shariah. There are certain food and drinks specified by Allah, and His Messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as forbidden. The prohibition of these food and drinks is not by any means an arbitrary action or an unwarranted decree of Allah. It is the first and foremost a divine intervention in the best interest of man and for his own benefit. The reasons behind the Divine intervention are numerous. They are of a nature intellectual and spiritual, moral and mental, physical and economic. And the sole purpose is to show man how to develop himself according to an upright course of life in order to be a healthy unit in the structure of the family, then of society and eventually of humanity at large. Reliable medical doctors and social scientists are able to realize how those food and drinks forbidden by Islam are harmful and destructive to the human spirit and morality as well as to the physique and moral fibre of man and to verify the benefits of Islamic legislations on the subjects. The prohibition is based on the aim of the purification of one's nature, because food, when consumed, doesn't merely enter the stomach and intestines and become excreta. It is absorbed and metabolized into the system and circulated to all parts of the human body, including the brain, and this in no small way affects man's nature. Take a look at the nature of the pig for example. The pig is naturally lazy and indulgent in sex, it is dirty, greedy and gluttonous. It dislikes sunlight and lacks the spirit and will to "fight." It eats almost anything, be it human excreta or anything foul and unwholesome. Amongst all animal flesh, pork is the favoured cradle of harmful germs. Pork also serves as a carrier of diseases to mankind. It is for this reason that its flesh is not suitable for consumption. Some people have argued that the "modern pig" reared in farms is given only clean foods, therefore, its flesh should be consumable. The answer is that you may feed the pig on clean, wholesome food, but you can't change its nature. It is still a pig and will always stay so. A pig is not a plant and you cannot change it by bud-grafting. Medical Reports Dr. E. Kazim. M.D. in his article "Medical aspects of forbidden foods in Islam" (July 1981 issue of Muslim Journal has described diseases carried or caused by the flesh of the swine. He writes: The pig is a scavenger. It is an omnivorous animal. It eats everything. There are many diseases carried from swine to man, particularly parasite infestations. Lately extensive research has been focused on senility-old age is characterized by hardening of inner lining of the blood vessels of the heart, brain etc. a process called atheroselerosis. When a clot forms, it results in coronary thrombosis or a heart attack, cerebral thrombosis or stroke. Different dietary factors are responsible for atheroselerosis. Gross atheroma may be produced in rabbit by feeding it with cholesterol, but when you add lard (derived from hog fat) to the cholesterol, the incidence of atheroma is increased and thus you would produce coronary thrombosis, and myocardial infraction. Besides, lard contains 2800 units of vitamin D per 100 grams and no vitamin A at all. Lately vitamin D has been held responsible for atheroma, by causing increased absorption of calcium in the blood vessels. In human beings, serum cholesterol is not dependent on the intake of cholesterol in the diet, but depends upon the proportion of animal fats in the diet, which elevates the beta-lipo protein level in the blood. Animal fats contain saturated fatty acids and these saturated fatty acids have been found to be as one of the causes of atheroma in man. Medium fat bacon contains 25% proteins and 55% fat. According to medical research, the fat content in pork is more than any other meat (beef, mutton etc.) and it takes longer to digest. Dr. M Jaffer in an article in the Islamic Review (London) of January 1997 issue has listed 16 kinds of harmful germs, which have been discovered in pork in modern researches and the diseases, which could be caused by them. The number of patients suffering from tapeworm disease is the highest in the world among pork eating nations. Other diseases attributed to pigs are caused by tri-chinelia spirates and intestinal worms occupy first place among such nations too. Dr. Glen Shepherd wrote the following on the dangers of eating pork in Washington Post (31 May 1952). "One in six people in USA and Canada have germs in their muscles - trichinosis 8 from eating pork infected with trichina worms. Many people who are infected shows no symptoms. Most of those, who do have, recover slowly. Some die; some are reduced to permanent invalids. All were careless pork caters". He continued "No one is immune from the disease and there is no cure. Neither antibiotics nor drugs or vaccines affect these tiny deadly worms. Preventing infection is the real answer." After reading the statement of Dr. Shepherd, one can realize that there is no real guarantee of safety when eating pork that one would not be affected by trichina worm. That is why modern doctors advise three prohibitions during illness: no liquor, no pork and no smoking. Muslims follow the divine law which is much higher than the medical advice. The Glorious Qur'an says, "So eat of the lawful and good food which Allah has provided for you, and thank the bounty of your Lord if it is Him you serve. He has forbidden for you only carrion and blood and swine-flesh and that which has been immolated in the name of any other than Allah; but he who is driven thereto, neither craving nor transgressing, Lo! then Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." (16:114-115) The above is the order from the Creator of the universe and the Supreme Law-Giver. All Muslims are under the obligation to obey it. This is a plain and straightforward answer to those, who usually ask why Muslims abstain from eating pork. Nevertheless, there is no sin, if a Muslims is forced by famine or starvation to eat pork in order to save his life.

Is carbon-14 dating accurate? (read the whole article or dont answer)? Answers in Genesis: Upholding the Authority of the Bible from the Very First Verse Upholding the Authority of the Bible from the Very First Verse United Kingdom United States Other Countries ... Country: United States Language: English Good news About us Contact us Home Get Answers Store Magazine Events Creation Museum Media Creation Education Support Jobs Get Answers Article archives Creation archives TJ archives E-newsletters Feedback Devotionals Creation scientists Bookstore Monthly specials Books Multimedia Magazine Translations Answers magazine Current issue Article archive Kids Answers Subscribe Renew Event calendar Request an event Video conference coordinators Speaker biographies Creation Museum Museum blog & photos Walk-through News archive Photo archive Video archive Museum support Media Search media Answers Radio Radio archive Mini-Dramas Radio stations Video on-demand Press kit Creation education Study guides Curricula Online books PowerPoint Book reviews Writing projects Support Monthly partners Pray for the ministry Items & services needed Volunteer Planned Giving Jobs Jobs at Answers in Genesis Other creationist jobs Email to a friend Print-Friendly Answers Magazine Subscribe Now! Answers, the new Bible-affirming magazine from Answers in Genesis, is now shipping! Answers features articles on a variety of topics that impact Christians today, and includes a detachable chart, a pullout children’s magazine, excellent layman and semi-technical articles and bonus content from the AnswersMagazine.com website. Our writers, scientists and publishing team believe you’ll be thrilled with Answers. So why wait? Subscribe today! What about carbon dating? by Don Batten (editor), Ken Ham, Jonathan Sarfati, and Carl Wieland First published in The Revised and Expanded Answers Book Chapter 4 How does the carbon ‘clock’ work? Is it reliable? What does carbon dating really show? What about other radiometric dating methods? Is there evidence that the earth is young? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related articles: Radiometric Dating Questions and Answers RATE research reveals remarkable results—a fatal blow to billions of years RATE group reveals exciting breakthroughs! Rating radiodating Radiometric dating breakthroughs The parable of the candle Recommended Resources: Thousands … Not Billions Thousands … Not Billions (DVD) Radioisotopes and the Age of the Earth— Volume 1 & Volume 2 & DVD The Revised and Expanded Answers Book Refuting Evolution People who ask about carbon-14 (14C) dating usually want to know about the radiometric1 dating methods that are claimed to give millions and billions of years—carbon dating can only give thousands of years. People wonder how millions of years could be squeezed into the biblical account of history. Clearly, such huge time periods cannot be fitted into the Bible without compromising what the Bible says about the goodness of God and the origin of sin, death and suffering—the reason Jesus came into the world. Christians, by definition, take the statements of Jesus Christ seriously. He said, ‘But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female’ (Mark 10:6). This only makes sense with a time-line beginning with the creation week thousands of years ago. It makes no sense at all if man appeared at the end of billions of years. We will deal with carbon dating first and then with the other dating methods. How the carbon clock works Carbon has unique properties that are essential for life on earth. Familiar to us as the black substance in charred wood, as diamonds, and the graphite in ‘lead’ pencils, carbon comes in several forms, or isotopes. One rare form has atoms that are 14 times as heavy as hydrogen atoms: carbon-14, or 14C, or radiocarbon. Carbon-14 is made when cosmic rays knock neutrons out of atomic nuclei in the upper atmosphere. These displaced neutrons, now moving fast, hit ordinary nitrogen (14N) at lower altitudes, converting it into 14C. Unlike common carbon (12C), 14C is unstable and slowly decays, changing it back to nitrogen and releasing energy. This instability makes it radioactive. Ordinary carbon (12C) is found in the carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air, which is taken up by plants, which in turn are eaten by animals. So a bone, or a leaf or a tree, or even a piece of wooden furniture, contains carbon. When the 14C has been formed, like ordinary carbon (12C), it combines with oxygen to give carbon dioxide (14CO2), and so it also gets cycled through the cells of plants and animals. We can take a sample of air, count how many 12C atoms there are for every 14C atom, and calculate the 14C/12C ratio. Because 14C is so well mixed up with 12C, we expect to find that this ratio is the same if we sample a leaf from a tree, or a part of your body. In living things, although 14C atoms are constantly changing back to 14N, they are still exchanging carbon with their surroundings, so the mixture remains about the same as in the atmosphere. However, as soon as a plant or animal dies, the 14C atoms which decay are no longer replaced, so the amount of 14C in that once-living thing decreases as time goes on. In other words, the 14C/12C ratio gets smaller. So, we have a ‘clock’ which starts ticking the moment something dies. Obviously, this works only for things which were once living. It cannot be used to date volcanic rocks, for example. The rate of decay of 14C is such that half of an amount will convert back to 14N in 5,730 years (plus or minus 40 years). This is the ‘half-life.’ So, in two half-lives, or 11,460 years, only one-quarter will be left. Thus, if the amount of 14C relative to 12C in a sample is one-quarter of that in living organisms at present, then it has a theoretical age of 11,460 years. Anything over about 50,000 years old, should theoretically have no detectable 14C left. That is why radiocarbon dating cannot give millions of years. In fact, if a sample contains 14C, it is good evidence that it is not millions of years old. However, things are not quite so simple. First, plants discriminate against carbon dioxide containing 14C. That is, they take up less than would be expected and so they test older than they really are. Furthermore, different types of plants discriminate differently. This also has to be corrected for.2 Second, the ratio of 14C/12C in the atmosphere has not been constant—for example, it was higher before the industrial era when the massive burning of fossil fuels released a lot of carbon dioxide that was depleted in 14C. This would make things which died at that time appear older in terms of carbon dating. Then there was a rise in 14CO2 with the advent of atmospheric testing of atomic bombs in the 1950s.3 This would make things carbon-dated from that time appear younger than their true age. Measurement of 14C in historically dated objects (e.g., seeds in the graves of historically dated tombs) enables the level of 14C in the atmosphere at that time to be estimated, and so partial calibration of the ‘clock’ is possible. Accordingly, carbon dating carefully applied to items from historical times can be useful. However, even with such historical calibration, archaeologists do not regard 14C dates as absolute because of frequent anomalies. They rely more on dating methods that link into historical records. Outside the range of recorded history, calibration of the 14C clock is not possible.4 Other factors affecting carbon dating The amount of cosmic rays penetrating the earth’s atmosphere affects the amount of 14C produced and therefore dating the system. The amount of cosmic rays reaching the earth varies with the sun’s activity, and with the earth's passage through magnetic clouds as the solar system travels around the Milky Way galaxy. The strength of the earth’s magnetic field affects the amount of cosmic rays entering the atmosphere. A stronger magnetic field deflects more cosmic rays away from the earth. Overall, the energy of the earth’s magnetic field has been decreasing,5 so more 14C is being produced now than in the past. This will make old things look older than they really are. Also, the Genesis flood would have greatly upset the carbon balance. The flood buried a huge amount of carbon, which became coal, oil, etc., lowering the total 12C in the biosphere (including the atmosphere—plants regrowing after the flood absorb CO2, which is not replaced by the decay of the buried vegetation). Total 14C is also proportionately lowered at this time, but whereas no terrestrial process generates any more 12C, 14C is continually being produced, and at a rate which does not depend on carbon levels (it comes from nitrogen). Therefore, the 14C/12C ratio in plants/animals/the atmosphere before the flood had to be lower than what it is now. Unless this effect (which is additional to the magnetic field issue just discussed) were corrected for, carbon dating of fossils formed in the flood would give ages much older than the true ages. Creationist researchers have suggested that dates of 35,000 - 45,000 years should be re-calibrated to the biblical date of the flood.6 Such a re-calibration makes sense of anomalous data from carbon dating—for example, very discordant ‘dates’ for different parts of a frozen musk ox carcass from Alaska and an inordinately slow rate of accumulation of ground sloth dung pellets in the older layers of a cave where the layers were carbon dated.7 Also, volcanoes emit much CO2 depleted in 14C. Since the flood was accompanied by much volcanism, fossils formed in the early post-flood period would give radiocarbon ages older than they really are. In summary, the carbon-14 method, when corrected for the effects of the flood, can give useful results, but needs to be applied carefully. It does not give dates of millions of years and when corrected properly fits well with the biblical flood. Other radiometric dating methods There are various other radiometric dating methods used today to give ages of millions or billions of years for rocks. These techniques, unlike carbon dating, mostly use the relative concentrations of parent and daughter products in radioactive decay chains. For example, potassium-40 decays to argon-40; uranium-238 decays to lead-206 via other elements like radium; uranium-235 decays to lead-207; rubidium-87 decays to strontium-87; etc. These techniques are applied to igneous rocks, and are normally seen as giving the time since solidification. The isotope concentrations can be measured very accurately, but isotope concentrations are not dates. To derive ages from such measurements, unprovable assumptions have to be made such as: The starting conditions are known (for example, that there was no daughter isotope present at the start, or that we know how much was there). Decay rates have always been constant. Systems were closed or isolated so that no parent or daughter isotopes were lost or added. There are patterns in the isotope data There is plenty of evidence that the radioisotope dating systems are not the infallible techniques many think, and that they are not measuring millions of years. However, there are still patterns to be explained. For example, deeper rocks often tend to give older ‘ages.’ Creationists agree that the deeper rocks are generally older, but not by millions of years. Geologist John Woodmorappe, in his devastating critique of radioactive dating,8 points out that there are other large-scale trends in the rocks that have nothing to do with radioactive decay. ‘Bad’ dates When a ‘date’ differs from that expected, researchers readily invent excuses for rejecting the result. The common application of such posterior reasoning shows that radiometric dating has serious problems. Woodmorappe cites hundreds of examples of excuses used to explain ‘bad’ dates.9 For example, researchers applied posterior reasoning to the dating of Australopithecus ramidus fossils.10 Most samples of basalt closest to the fossil-bearing strata give dates of about 23 Ma (Mega annum, million years) by the argon-argon method. The authors decided that was ‘too old,’ according to their beliefs about the place of the fossils in the evolutionary grand scheme of things. So they looked at some basalt further removed from the fossils and selected 17 of 26 samples to get an acceptable maximum age of 4.4 Ma. The other nine samples again gave much older dates but the authors decided they must be contaminated and discarded them. That is how radiometric dating works. It is very much driven by the existing long-age world view that pervades academia today. A similar story surrounds the dating of the primate skull known as KNM-ER 1470.11 This started with an initial 212 to 230 Ma, which, according to the fossils, was considered way off the mark (humans ‘weren’t around then’). Various other attempts were made to date the volcanic rocks in the area. Over the years an age of 2.9 Ma was settled upon because of the agreement between several different published studies (although the studies involved selection of ‘good’ from ‘bad’ results, just like Australopithecus ramidus, above). However, preconceived notions about human evolution could not cope with a skull like 1470 being ‘that old.’ A study of pig fossils in Africa readily convinced most anthropologists that the 1470 skull was much younger. After this was widely accepted, further studies of the rocks brought the radiometric age down to about 1.9 Ma—again several studies ‘confirmed’ this date. Such is the dating game. Are we suggesting that evolutionists are conspiring to massage the data to get what they want? No, not generally. It is simply that all observations must fit the prevailing paradigm. The paradigm, or belief system, of molecules-to-man evolution over eons of time, is so strongly entrenched it is not questioned—it is a ‘fact.’ So every observation must fit this paradigm. Unconsciously, the researchers, who are supposedly ‘objective scientists’ in the eyes of the public, select the observations to fit the basic belief system. We must remember that the past is not open to the normal processes of experimental science, that is, repeatable experiments in the present. A scientist cannot do experiments on events that happened in the past. Scientists do not measure the age of rocks, they measure isotope concentrations, and these can be measured extremely accurately. However, the ‘age’ is calculated using assumptions about the past that cannot be proven. We should remember God’s admonition to Job, ‘Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?’ (Job 38:4). Those involved with unrecorded history gather information in the present and construct stories about the past. The level of proof demanded for such stories seems to be much less than for studies in the empirical sciences, such as physics, chemistry, molecular biology, physiology, etc. Williams, an expert in the environmental fate of radioactive elements, identified 17 flaws in the isotope dating reported in just three widely respected seminal papers that supposedly established the age of the earth at 4.6 billion years.12 John Woodmorappe has produced an incisive critique of these dating methods.13 He exposes hundreds of myths that have grown up around the techniques. He shows that the few ‘good’ dates left after the ‘bad’ dates are filtered out could easily be explained as fortunate coincidences. What date would you like? The forms issued by radioisotope laboratories for submission with samples to be dated commonly ask how old the sample is expected to be. Why? If the techniques were absolutely objective and reliable, such information would not be necessary. Presumably, the laboratories know that anomalous dates are common, so they need some check on whether they have obtained a ‘good’ date. Testing radiometric dating methods If the long-age dating techniques were really objective means of finding the ages of rocks, they should work in situations where we know the age. Furthermore, different techniques should consistently agree with one another. Methods should work reliably on things of known age There are many examples where the dating methods give ‘dates’ that are wrong for rocks of known age. One example is K-Ar ‘dating’ of five historical andesite lava flows from Mount Nguaruhoe in New Zealand. Although one lava flow occurred in 1949, three in 1954, and one in 1975, the ‘dates’ range from less than 0.27 to 3.5 Ma.14 Again, using hindsight, it is argued that ‘excess’ argon from the magma (molten rock) was retained in the rock when it solidified. The secular scientific literature lists many examples of excess argon causing dates of millions of years in rocks of known historical age.15 This excess appears to have come from the upper mantle, below the earth’s crust. This is consistent with a young world—the argon has had too little time to escape.16 If excess argon can cause exaggerated dates for rocks of known age, then why should we trust the method for rocks of unknown age? Other techniques, such as the use of isochrons,17 make different assumptions about starting conditions, but there is a growing recognition that such ‘foolproof’ techniques can also give ‘bad’ dates. So data are again selected according to what the researcher already believes about the age of the rock. Geologist Dr Steve Austin sampled basalt from the base of the Grand Canyon strata and from the lava that spilled over the edge of the canyon. By evolutionary reckoning, the latter should be a billion years younger than the basalt from the bottom. Standard laboratories analyzed the isotopes. The rubidium-strontium isochron technique suggested that the recent lava flow was 270 Ma older than the basalts beneath the Grand Canyon—an impossibility. Different dating techniques should consistently agree If the dating methods are an objective and reliable means of determining ages, they should agree. If a chemist were measuring the sugar content of blood, all valid methods for the determination would give the same answer (within the limits of experimental error). However, with radiometric dating, the different techniques often give quite different results. In the study of the Grand Canyon rocks by Austin, different techniques gave different results.18 Again, all sorts of reasons can be suggested for the ‘bad’ dates, but this is again posterior reasoning. Techniques that give results that can be dismissed just because they don’t agree with what we already believe cannot be considered objective. In Australia, some wood found in Tertiary basalt was clearly buried in the lava flow that formed the basalt, as can be seen from the charring. The wood was ‘dated’ by radiocarbon (14C) analysis at about 45,000 years old, but the basalt was ‘dated’ by potassium-argon method at 45 million years old!19 Isotope ratios or uraninite crystals from the Koongarra uranium body in the Northern Territory of Australia gave lead-lead isochron ages of 841 Ma, plus or minus 140 Ma.20 This contrasts with an age of 1550-1650 Ma based on other isotope ratios,21 and ages of 275, 61, 0,0, and 0 Ma for thorium/lead (232Th/208Pb) ratios in five uraninite grains. The latter figures are significant because thorium-derived dates should be the more reliable, since thorium is less mobile than the uranium minerals that are the parents of the lead isotopes in lead-lead system.22 The ‘zero’ ages in this case are consistent with the Bible. More evidence something is wrong—14C in fossils supposedly millions of years old Fossils older than 100,000 years should have too little 14C to measure, but dating labs consistently find 14C, well above background levels, in fossils supposedly many millions of years old.23,24 For example, no source of coal has been found that lacks 14C, yet this fossil fuel supposedly ranges up to hundreds of millions of years old. Fossils in rocks dated at 1–500 Ma by long-age radioisotope dating methods gave an average radiocarbon ‘age’ of about 50,000 years, much less than the limits of modern carbon dating24 (see pp. 65–69 in The Revised and Expanded Answers Book for why even these radiocarbon ages are inflated). Furthermore, there was no pattern of younger to older in the carbon dates that correlated with the evolutionary/uniformitarian ‘ages’.24 This evidence is consistent with the fossil-bearing rock layers being formed in the year-long global catastrophe of the biblical Flood, as flood geologists since Nicholas Steno (1631–1687) have recognized. Even Precambrian (‘older than 545 Ma’) graphite, which is not of organic origin, contains 14C above background levels.25 This is consistent with Earth itself being only thousands of years old, as a straightforward reading of the Bible would suggest. Many physical evidence contradict the ‘billions of years’ Of the methods that have been used to estimate the age of the earth, 90 percent point to an age far less than the billions of years asserted by evolutionists. A few of them follow. Evidence for a rapid formation of geological strata, as in the biblical flood. Some of the evidence are: lack of erosion between rock layers supposedly separated in age by many millions of years; lack of disturbance of rock strata by biological activity (worms, roots, etc.); lack of soil layers; polystrate fossils (which traverse several rock layers vertically—these could not have stood vertically for eons of time while they slowly got buried); thick layers of ‘rock’ bent without fracturing, indicating that the rock was all soft when bent; and more. For more, see books by geologists Morris26 and Austin.27 Red blood cells and hemoglobin have been found in some (unfossilized!) dinosaur bone. But these could not last more than a few thousand years—certainly not the 65 Ma since the last dinosaurs lived, according to evolutionists.28 The earth’s magnetic field has been decaying so fast that it looks like it is less than 10,000 years old. Rapid reversals during the Flood year and fluctuations shortly after would have caused the field energy to drop even faster.29, 30 Radioactive decay releases helium into the atmosphere, but not much is escaping. The total amount in the atmosphere is 1/2000th of that expected if the universe is really billions of years old. This helium originally escaped from rocks. This happens quite fast, yet so much helium is still in some rocks that it has not had time to escape—certainly not billions of years.30 A supernova is an explosion of a massive star—the explosion is so bright that it briefly outshines the rest of the galaxy. The supernova remnants (SNRs) should keep expanding for hundreds of thousands of years, according to physical equations. Yet there are no very old, widely expanded (Stage 3) SNRs, and few moderately old (Stage 1) ones in our galaxy, the Milky Way, or in its satellite galaxies, the Magellanic Clouds. This is just what we would expect for ‘young’ galaxies that have not existed long enough for wide expansion.31 The moon is slowly receding from the earth at about 4 centimeters (1.5 inches) per year, and this rate would have been greater in the past. But even if the moon had started receding from being in contact with the earth, it would have taken only 1.37 billion years to reach its present distance from the earth. This gives a maximum age of the moon, not the actual age. This is far too young for evolutionists who claim the moon is 4.6 billion years old. It is also much younger than the radiometric ‘dates’ assigned to moon rocks.32 Salt is entering the sea much faster than it is escaping. The sea is not nearly salty enough for this to have been happening for billions of years. Even granting generous assumptions to evolutionists, the sea could not be more than 62 Ma years old—far younger than the billions of years believed by the evolutionists. Again, this indicates a maximum age, not the actual age.33 Dr Russell Humphreys gives other processes inconsistent with billions of years in the pamphlet Evidence for a Young World.34 Creationists cannot prove the age of the earth using a particular scientific method, any more than evolutionists can. They realize that all science is tentative because we do not have all the data, especially when dealing with the past. This is true of both creationist and evolutionist scientific arguments—evolutionists have had to abandon many ‘proofs’ for evolution just as creationists have also had to modify their arguments. The atheistic evolutionist W.B. Provine admitted: ‘Most of what I learned of the field [evolutionary biology] in graduate (1964-68) school is either wrong or significantly changed.’ 35 Creationists understand the limitations of dating methods better than evolutionists who claim that they can use processes observed in the present to ‘prove’ that the earth is billions of years old. In reality, all dating methods, including those that point to a young earth, rely on unprovable assumptions. Creationists ultimately date the earth historically using the chronology of the Bible. This is because they believe that this is an accurate eyewitness account of world history, which bears the evidence within it that it is the Word of God, and therefore totally reliable and error-free. Then what do the radiometric ‘dates’ mean? What do the radiometric dates of millions of years mean, if they are not true ages? To answer this question, it is necessary to scrutinize further the experimental results from the various dating techniques, the interpretations made on the basis of the results and the assumptions underlying those interpretations. The isochron dating technique was thought to be infallible because it supposedly covered the assumptions about starting conditions and closed systems. Geologist Dr Andrew Snelling worked on dating the Koongarra uranium deposits in the Northern Territory of Australia, primarily using the uranium-thorium-lead (U-Th-Pb) method. He found that even highly weathered soil samples from the area, which are definitely not closed systems, gave apparently valid ‘isochron’ lines with ‘ages’ of up to 1,445 Ma. Such ‘false isochrons’ are so common that a whole terminology has grown up to describe them, such as apparent isochron, mantle isochron, pseudoisochron, secondary isochron, inherited isochron, erupted isochron, mixing line and mixing isochron. Zheng wrote: Some of the basic assumptions of the conventional Rb-Sr [rubidium-strontium] isochron method have to be modified and an observed isochron does not certainly define valid age information for a geological system, even if a goodness of fit of the experimental results is obtained in plotting 87Sr/86Sr. This problem cannot be overlooked, especially in evaluating the numerical time scale. Similar questions can also arise in applying Sm-Nd [samarium-neodymium] and U-Pb [uranium-lead] isochron methods.37 Clearly, there are factors other than age responsible for the straight lines obtained from graphing isotope ratios. Again, the only way to know if an isochron is ‘good’ is by comparing the result with what is already believed. Another currently popular dating method is the uranium-lead concordia technique. This effectively combines the two uranium-lead decay series into one diagram. Results that lie on the concordia curve have the same age according to the two lead series and are called ‘concordant.’ However, the results from zircons (a type of gemstone), for example, generally lie off the concordia curve—they are discordant. Numerous models, or stories, have been developed to explain such data.38 However, such exercises in story-telling can hardly be considered as objective science that proves an old earth. Again, the stories are evaluated according to their own success in agreeing with the existing long ages belief system. Andrew Snelling has suggested that fractionation (sorting) of elements in the molten state in the earth’s mantle could be a significant factor in explaining the ratios of isotope concentrations which are interpreted as ages. As long ago as 1966, Nobel Prize nominee Melvin Cook, professor of metallurgy at the University of Utah, pointed out evidence that lead isotope ratios, for example, may involve alteration by important factors other than radioactive decay.39 Cook noted that, in ores from the Katanga mine, for example, there was an abundance of lead-208, a stable isotope, but no Thorium-232 as a source for lead-208. Thorium has a long half-life (decays very slowly) and is not easily moved out of the rock, so if the lead-208 came from thorium decay, some thorium should still be there. The concentrations of lead-206, lead-207, and lead-208 suggest that the lead-208 came about by neutron capture conversion of lead-206 to lead-207 to lead-208. When the isotope concentrations are adjusted for such conversions, the ages calculated are reduced from some 600 Ma to recent. Other ore bodies seemed to show similar evidence. Cook recognized that the current understanding of nuclear physics did not seem to allow for such a conversion under normal conditions, but he presents evidence that such did happen, and even suggests how it could happen. Anomalies in deep rock crystals Physicist Dr Robert Gentry has pointed out that the amount of helium and lead in zircons from deep bores is not consistent with an evolutionary age of 1,500 Ma for the granite rocks in which they are found.40 The amount of lead may be consistent with current rates of decay over millions of years, but it would have diffused out of the crystals in that time. Furthermore, the amount of helium in zircons from hot rock is also much more consistent with a young earth (helium derives from the decay of radioactive elements). The lead and helium results suggest that rates of radioactive decay may have been much higher in the recent past. Humphreys has suggested that this may have occurred during creation week and the flood. This would make things look much older than they really are when current rates of decay are applied to dating. Whatever caused such elevated rates of decay may also have been responsible for the lead isotope conversions claimed by Cook (above). Orphan radiohalos Decaying radioactive particles in solid rock cause spherical zones of damage to the surrounding crystal structure. A speck of radioactive element such as Uranium-238, for example, will leave a sphere of discoloration of characteristically different radius for each element it produces in its decay chain to lead-206.41 Viewed in cross-section with a microscope, these spheres appear as rings called radiohalos. Dr Gentry has researched radiohalos for many years, and published his results in leading scientific journals.42 Some of the intermediate decay products—such as the polonium isotopes—have very short half-lives (they decay quickly). For example, 218Po has a half-life of just 3 minutes. Curiously, rings formed by polonium decay are often found embedded in crystals without the parent uranium halos. Now the polonium has to get into the rock before the rock solidifies, but it cannot derive a from a uranium speck in the solid rock, otherwise there would be a uranium halo. Either the polonium was created (primordial, not derived from uranium), or there have been radical changes in decay rates in the past. Gentry has addressed all attempts to criticize his work.43 There have been many attempts, because the orphan halos speak of conditions in the past, either at creation or after, perhaps even during the flood, which do not fit with the uniformitarian view of the past, which is the basis of the radiometric dating systems. Whatever process was responsible for the halos could be a key also to understanding radiometric dating.44 Conclusion There are many lines of evidence that the radiometric dates are not the objective evidence for an old earth that many claim, and that the world is really only thousands of years old. We don't have all the answers, but we do have the sure testimony of the Word of God to the true history of the world. Recommended resources Thousands … Not Billions (DVD) Christians no longer have to puzzle over the seemingly glaring contradiction between dating methods and the Bible's account of earth history. Radioisotopes & the Age of the Earth (DVD) Radioisotopes and the Age of the Earth—Volume 1 (Hardcover) Radioisotopes and the Age of the Earth—Volume 2 (Hardcover) Results of a young-earth creationist research initiative Does Carbon Dating Disprove the Bible? (Booklet) The Young Earth (Softcover) Explains in easy-to-understand terms how true science supports a young age for the Earth. Evidence For a Young World (Booklet) Contains a dozen natural phenomena which conflict with the evolutionary idea that the earth is billions of years old. The Mythology of Modern Dating Methods (Softcover) References and notes Also known as isotope or radioisotope dating. Today, a stable carbon isotope, 13C , is measured as an indication of the level of discrimination against 14C. Radiation from atomic testing, like cosmic rays, causes the conversion of 14N to 14C. Tree ring dating (dendrochronology) has been used in an attempt to extend the calibration of carbon-14 dating earlier than historical records allow, but this depends on temporal placement of fragments of wood (from long dead trees) using carbon-14 dating, assuming straight-line extrapolation backwards. Then cross-matching of ring patterns is used to calibrate the carbon ‘clock’—a somewhat circular process which does not give an independent calibration of the carbon dating system. K.L. McDonald and R.H. Gunst, ‘An Analysis of the Earth's Magnetic Field from 1835 to 1965,’ ESSA Technical Report IER 46-IES, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C., p. 14, 1965. B.J. Taylor, ‘Carbon Dioxide in the Antediluvian Atmosphere,’ Creation Research Society Quarterly, 30(4):193-197, 1994. R.H. Brown, ‘Correlation of C-14 Age with Real Time,’ Creation Research Society Quarterly, 29:45-47, 1992. Musk ox muscle was dated at 24,000 years, but hair was dated at 17,000 years. Corrected dates bring the difference in age approximately within the life span of an ox. With sloth cave dung, standard carbon dates of the lower layers suggested less than 2 pellets per year were produced by the sloths. Correcting the dates increased the number to a more realistic 1.4 per day. J. Woodmorappe, The Mythology of Modern Dating Methods, Institute for Creation Research, San Diego, CA, 1999. Ibid. G. WoldeGabriel et al., ‘Ecological and Temporal Placement of Early Pliocene Hominids at Aramis, Ethiopia,’ Nature, 371:330-333, 1994. M. Lubenow, The Pigs Took It All, Creation 17(3):36-38, 1995. M. Lubenow, Bones of Contention, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI, pp. 247-266, 1993. A.R. Williams, Long-age Isotope Dating Short on Credibility, CEN Technical Journal, 6(1):2-5, 1992. Woodmorappe, The Mythology of Modern Dating Methods. A.A. Snelling, The Cause of Anomalous Potassium-argon ‘Ages’ for Recent Andesite Flows at Mt. Nguaruhoe, New Zealand, and the Implications for Potassium-argon ‘Dating,’ Proc. 4th ICC, pp.503-525, 1998. Note 14 lists many instances. For example, six cases were reported by D. Krummenacher, Isotopic Composition of Argon in Modern Surface Rocks, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 6:47-55, 1969. A large excess was reported in D.E. Fisher, Excess Rare Gases in a Subaerial Basalt in Nigeria, Nature, 232:60-61, 1970. See note 14, p. 520. The isochron technique involves collecting a number of rock samples from different parts of the rock unit being dated. The concentration of a parent radioactive isotope, such as rubidium-87, is graphed against the concentration of a daughter isotope, such as strontium-87, for all the samples. A straight line is drawn through these points, representing the ratio of the parent:daughter, from which a date is calculated. If the line is of good fit and the ‘age’ is acceptable, it is a ‘good’ date. The method involves dividing both the parent and daughter concentrations by the concentration of a similar stable isotope—in this case, strontium-86. S.A. Austin, editor, Grand Canyon: Monument to Catastrophe, Institute for Creation Research, Santee, CA, pp. 120-131, 1994. A.A. Snelling, Radiometric Dating in Conflict, Creation, 20(1):24-27, 1998. A.A. Snelling, The Failure of U-Th-Pb ‘Dating’ at Koongarra, Australia, CEN Technical Journal, 9(1):71-92, 1995. R. Maas, Nd-Sr Isotope Constraints on the Age and Origin of Unconformity-type Uranium Deposits in the Alligator Rivers Uranium Field, Northern Territory, Australia, Economic Geology, 84:64-90, 1989. See note 20. Giem, P., Carbon-14 content of fossil carbon, Origins 51:6–30, 2001. Baumgardner, J.R., Snelling, A.S., Humphreys, D.R., and Austin, S.A., Measurable 14C in fossilized organic materials: confirming the young earth creation-flood model, Proc. 5th ICC, pp. 127–142, 2003. Ibid. J. Morris, The Young Earth, Master Books, Green Forest, AR, 1994. Austin, Grand Canyon: Monument to Catastrophe. C. Wieland, Sensational Dinosaur Blood Report, Creation, 19(4):42-43, 1997, based on M. Schweitzer and T. Staedter, The Real Jurassic Park, Earth, pp. 55-57, June 1997. D.R. Humphreys, Reversals of the Earth's Magnetic Field During the Genesis Flood, Proc. First ICC, Pittsburgh, PA, 2:113-126, 1986. J.D. Sarfati, The Earth's Magnetic Field: Evidence That the Earth Is Young, Creation, 20(2):15-19, 1998. L. Vardiman, The Age of the Earth’s Atmosphere: A Study of the Helium Flux through the Atmosphere, Institute for Creation Research, San Diego, CA, 1990. J.D. Sarfati, Blowing Old-earth Belief Away: Helium Gives Evidence That the Earth is Young, Creation, 20(3):19-21, 1998. K. Davies, Distribution of Supernova Remnants in the Galaxy, Proc. Third ICC, R.E. Walsh, editor, pp. 175-184, 1994. D. DeYoung, The Earth-Moon System, Proc. Second ICC, R.E. Walsh and C.L. Brooks, editors, 2:79-84, 1990. J.D. Sarfati, The Moon: The Light That Rules the Night, Creation, 20(4):36-39, 1998. S.A. Austin and D.R. Humphreys, The Sea’s Missing Salt: A Dilemma for Evolutionists, Proc. Second ICC, 2:17-33, 1990. J.D. Sarfati, Salty Seas: Evidence for a Young Earth, Creation, 21(1):16-17, 1999. Russell Humphreys, Evidence for a Young World, Answers in Genesis, 1999. A review of Teaching about Evolution and the Nature of Science, National Academy of Science USA, 1998, by Dr Will B. Provine, online at http://fp.bio.utk.edu/darwin/NAS_guidebook/provine_1.html, February 18, 1999. See Woodmorappe, The Mythology of Modern Dating Methods, for one such thorough evaluation. Y.F. Zheng, Influence of the Nature of Initial Rb-Sr System on Isochron Validity, Chemical Geology, 80:1-16, p. 14, 1989. E. Jager and J.C. Hunziker, editors, Lectures in Isotope Geology, U-Th-Pb Dating of Minerals, by D. Gebauer and M. Grunenfelder, Springer Verlag, New York, pp. 105-131, 1979. M.A. Cook, Prehistory and Earth Models, Max Parrish, London, 1966. R.V. Gentry, Creation's Tiny Mystery, Earth Science Associates, Knoxville, TN, 1986. Only those that undergo alpha decay (releasing a helium nucleus). Gentry, Creation's Tiny Mystery. K.P. Wise, letter to the editor and replies by M. Armitage and R.V. Gentry, CEN Technical Journal, 12(3):285-90, 1998. An international team of creationist scientists is actively pursuing a creationist understanding of radioisotope dating. Known as the RATE (Radioisotopes and the Age of The Earth) group, it combines the skills of various physicists and geologists to enable a multi-disciplinary approach to the subject. Interesting insights are likely to come from such a group. This chapter from the book The Revised and Expanded Answers Book, published and graciously provided at no charge to Answers in Genesis by Master Books, a division of New Leaf Press (Green Forest, Arkansas). By downloading this material, you agree to the following terms with respect to the use of the requested material: AIG grants you a non-exclusive, non-transferable license to print or download one (1) copy of the copyrighted work. The copyrighted work will be used for non-commercial, personal purposes only. You may not prepare, manufacture, copy, use, promote, distribute, or sell a derivative work of the copyrighted work without the express approval of AIG. Approval must be expressed and in writing, and failure to respond shall not be deemed approval. All rights in the copyrighted work not specifically granted to you are reserved by AIG. All such reserved rights may be exercised by AIG. This Agreement, and all interpretations thereof, shall be deemed to be in accordance with Kentucky law. Any dispute arising out of this Agreement shall be resolved in accordance with Kentucky law in the Circuit Court of Boone County, Kentucky, which court shall be deemed to be the court of proper jurisdiction and venue. Help keep these daily articles coming. Find out how to support AiG. Good News | About us | Contact us | Privacy policy Home | Get Answers | Store | Events | Creation Education | Media | Radio | Creation Museum | Support Chinese | Danish | Dutch | French | German | Greek | Hungarian | Italian | Japanese | Korean | Russian | Spanish Copyright © 2006 Answers in Genesis

Could someone help me to cut down my Grad School purpose statement to about 2 pages, (it's currently 4-5)? The study of politics first grabbed my attention when I started to pursue my own examination of the Civil Rights Movement. Examining the methods employed by the Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson administrations to achieve “order over justice” at various points in the movement always bothered me. However, these same methods that I deplored with the advantage of hindsight that I now enjoy through the works of many scholars such as Taylor Branch and David Garrow led to my fascination with international and comparative politics. Particularly, Pan-Africanism and its effect on Black American political thought and activism. My study of civil rights was originally intended to be a personal examination of the people, places and events that were so critical in shaping my African-American experience. During undergrad, I found myself enchanted with classes such as Turning Points in U.S. History #1 which examined the Black slave from colonial times to the beginning of reconstruction, Turning Points in U.S. History #2 which examined the Black man during the height of the second freedom struggle know as the Civil Rights Movement, and Africana Studies which examined the modern African-American experience today in America – and was taught by a professor with a professed Pan-Africanist point of view. This Pan-Africanist prospective opened my eyes not only to Pan-Africanism, but also to having a more internationalist perspective of current events. Coincidentally, the semester I was enrolled in Africana Studies, I was also privileged to be enrolled in The History of South Africa and Middle East 2: The Modern Period simultaneously. Looking back, The History of South Africa course reinforced Ian Bremmer’s theory on “The J Curve.” I saw how domestic pressure from an increasingly unhappy but politically powerless Black majority combined with sanctions and isolation from the international community eventually hastened the inevitable breakdown of apartheid. However, I was more impressed by how President Mandela had the vision and political savvy to use his political capital to transition his country to the upper right side of the J-Curve through the combination of reconciliation, openness, and sound economic policies (However, I firmly believe that to keep South Africa from the same fate as Zimbabwe or other African countries he had no choice but to pursue the policies that he did. Mandela was thinking for the long term rather than short term, just as the Whites who voted for the transitional government were thinking.) Just as President Mandela was planning for the long term, Middle East 2: The Modern Period also taught me Theodore Herzl’s long term strategies for Zionism and the establishment of the modern nation of Israel. This was particularly fascinating for me because I was able to compare and contrast Pan-Africanism with Zionism. Although the two philosophies aren't identical, a sharp comparison of the two demonstrates when, where and how an idea is likely to take hold and evolve into a movement and why great movements don't always make for great administration and state building. As a social studies education major I was often forced to substitute courses I was eager to take in the fields of international relations and Africana studies for courses that "were required" for my major. Originally I viewed this as a negative aspect, but once again hindsight has proved that taking the required social studies education curriculum which stressed breadth (geography, history, political science, economics, sociology) over depth (single discipline) has placed me ahead of some of my peers when it comes to understanding politics and contemporary history from multiple perspectives, which is an even bigger advantage in the interdisciplinary fields of Africana studies and international relations. This was confirmed in the summer prior to my senior year of undergrad. I finally got my opportunity to take two courses that induced me to consider a change of career plans, U.S. Foreign Policy and Comparative Politics. These two courses challenged the typical American citizen's thinking of foreign affairs by requiring us to go beyond our perceptions of the policy by examining a policy's messy domestic formulation, its comparative perception overseas, and the policy's resulting consequences at home and abroad. Each course challenged mythmaking by examining harsh realities due to history, geography, economics, and sociology - not just politics. Everything plays a role seen and unseen. Although graduate school was never my intention three years earlier as I first entered college, I had now given it enough thought over the course of two years (sophomore & junior) to know that it was something I definitely wished to pursue. I knew I wanted to combine my interests in Africana studies, history, and political science/international affairs in a way that both advanced knowledge and challenged social norms and values in ways that could bring about fundamental change through practical pursuits. I needed creativity combined with hard facts, solid statistics, and in-depth analysis. I needed to study Africana studies with an emphasis in political science (international/comparative) and contemporary history. I saw this as the best path for myself because I would be able to use my breadth of studies to analyze issues from multiple angles, as well as my strong desire for in-depth analysis to dig deep into the heart/root of any issue. Coincidentally, I had been a member of the legislative body of the student government for two years. This granted me the opportunity to participate in researching issues, conducting opinion polls, and most importantly test my knowledge, judgment and interpersonal communication skills in choosing the best options and alternatives for the student body. This experience was extremely helpful in my understanding of legislative politics by providing a practical application to my theory based knowledge. In the same manner my three years spent as a resident assistant in the residence halls on campus induced me into good time management skills as well as opening my senses and sensibilities to people with different backgrounds, ideals and habits from my own. Talking with residents and learning their values and interests forced me to see each situation that arose from multiple perspectives, be they right or wrong. Being away from school for two years has been a huge advantage for me. Moving to metro N/A from central Pennsylvania (raised)/northeast Ohio (college) has also allowed me to bring the Civil Rights Movement to life through visiting museums and historic sights. Also, my southern experience has allowed me to experience life in a different region of the country which in turn has taught me just how diverse African-American thought can range on similar issues. I've invested my time in reading history, politics, old college textbooks (which seem to make even more sense now), The Washington Post, and scholarly journals such as Foreign Affairs, The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, and Policy Review. I also used my degree in education to teach tenth grade World History Honors at a local high school in N/A. This experience gave me (my last semester in undergrad I also student taught American government and Economics to high school seniors) the honor of disseminating knowledge to young intellectuals striving to push ahead in life. However, this isn't a path that can cure my intellectual hunger and curiosity. Even though I love teaching, I also love researching and creating knowledge as well. Teaching in an inner-city high school reinforced and even expanded upon my deep beliefs in "learning for learning’s sake" and keeping an open mind. Not only has my experience exposed weaknesses in me that I previously could only recognize in other people, but it also focused my graduate studies on African Americans within the African Diaspora. Growing up in Williamsport, PA, a conservative predominately white town in central Pennsylvania, I often experienced subtle (but noticeable) racism hidden under a veil of generosity. African-American history, culture and activism were 'melted' rather than 'solidified'. My college and subsequent job experience has provided me with a greater realization of my place within the African Diaspora. Naturally, my intense interest in the Civil Rights movement, international relations, and African Diaspora studies has revealed that my deepest desire is to increase communication, openness and cohesion among members of the Diaspora throughout the world. I realize that politics is what helps create history and should be taken more seriously by citizens and scholars alike. In graduate school I intend to focus on African American studies with an emphasis in contemporary history and politics (primarily international/comparative). I intend to research how the African-American "double-consciousness" (Dubois) can effectively promote U.S. foreign policy (and global stability) in ways that will strengthen Pan-Africanism. In part of this study I intend to examine contemporary African-American members of the federal government to examine their "views and proceeding actions" towards U.S. foreign policy and Pan-Africanism. This is necessary in order to examine whether African-American policy makers have "adopted" a mainstream view of foreign affairs and why. I also intend to expand upon African-American participation in foreign policy to include new African immigrants and the effect they could have on U.S. foreign policy and their former countries by empowering democracy from abroad through American soft power, particularly the media. Do we need more "African" politicians in so called "Black" communities in order to diversify thinking on both sides and foster a better working coalition among both groups? If so, what compromises will have to be made on each side? In speaking of Africa, I would love to examine the question, "Does a shared view of history decrease violence and promote cooperation between rival groups within Africa and among the African Diaspora?"

Could someone help me to cut down my Grad School purpose statement to about 2 pages, (it's currently 4-5)? The study of politics first grabbed my attention when I started to pursue my own examination of the Civil Rights Movement. Examining the methods employed by the Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson administrations to achieve “order over justice” at various points in the movement always bothered me. However, these same methods that I deplored with the advantage of hindsight that I now enjoy through the works of many scholars such as Taylor Branch and David Garrow led to my fascination with international and comparative politics. Particularly, Pan-Africanism and its effect on Black American political thought and activism. My study of civil rights was originally intended to be a personal examination of the people, places and events that were so critical in shaping my African-American experience. During undergrad, I found myself enchanted with classes such as Turning Points in U.S. History #1 which examined the Black slave from colonial times to the beginning of reconstruction, Turning Points in U.S. History #2 which examined the Black man during the height of the second freedom struggle know as the Civil Rights Movement, and Africana Studies which examined the modern African-American experience today in America – and was taught by a professor with a professed Pan-Africanist point of view. This Pan-Africanist prospective opened my eyes not only to Pan-Africanism, but also to having a more internationalist perspective of current events. Coincidentally, the semester I was enrolled in Africana Studies, I was also privileged to be enrolled in The History of South Africa and Middle East 2: The Modern Period simultaneously. Looking back, The History of South Africa course reinforced Ian Bremmer’s theory on “The J Curve.” I saw how domestic pressure from an increasingly unhappy but politically powerless Black majority combined with sanctions and isolation from the international community eventually hastened the inevitable breakdown of apartheid. However, I was more impressed by how President Mandela had the vision and political savvy to use his political capital to transition his country to the upper right side of the J-Curve through the combination of reconciliation, openness, and sound economic policies (However, I firmly believe that to keep South Africa from the same fate as Zimbabwe or other African countries he had no choice but to pursue the policies that he did. Mandela was thinking for the long term rather than short term, just as the Whites who voted for the transitional government were thinking.) Just as President Mandela was planning for the long term, Middle East 2: The Modern Period also taught me Theodore Herzl’s long term strategies for Zionism and the establishment of the modern nation of Israel. This was particularly fascinating for me because I was able to compare and contrast Pan-Africanism with Zionism. Although the two philosophies aren't identical, a sharp comparison of the two demonstrates when, where and how an idea is likely to take hold and evolve into a movement and why great movements don't always make for great administration and state building. As a social studies education major I was often forced to substitute courses I was eager to take in the fields of international relations and Africana studies for courses that "were required" for my major. Originally I viewed this as a negative aspect, but once again hindsight has proved that taking the required social studies education curriculum which stressed breadth (geography, history, political science, economics, sociology) over depth (single discipline) has placed me ahead of some of my peers when it comes to understanding politics and contemporary history from multiple perspectives, which is an even bigger advantage in the interdisciplinary fields of Africana studies and international relations. This was confirmed in the summer prior to my senior year of undergrad. I finally got my opportunity to take two courses that induced me to consider a change of career plans, U.S. Foreign Policy and Comparative Politics. These two courses challenged the typical American citizen's thinking of foreign affairs by requiring us to go beyond our perceptions of the policy by examining a policy's messy domestic formulation, its comparative perception overseas, and the policy's resulting consequences at home and abroad. Each course challenged mythmaking by examining harsh realities due to history, geography, economics, and sociology - not just politics. Everything plays a role seen and unseen. Although graduate school was never my intention three years earlier as I first entered college, I had now given it enough thought over the course of two years (sophomore & junior) to know that it was something I definitely wished to pursue. I knew I wanted to combine my interests in Africana studies, history, and political science/international affairs in a way that both advanced knowledge and challenged social norms and values in ways that could bring about fundamental change through practical pursuits. I needed creativity combined with hard facts, solid statistics, and in-depth analysis. I needed to study Africana studies with an emphasis in political science (international/comparative) and contemporary history. I saw this as the best path for myself because I would be able to use my breadth of studies to analyze issues from multiple angles, as well as my strong desire for in-depth analysis to dig deep into the heart/root of any issue. Coincidentally, I had been a member of the legislative body of the student government for two years. This granted me the opportunity to participate in researching issues, conducting opinion polls, and most importantly test my knowledge, judgment and interpersonal communication skills in choosing the best options and alternatives for the student body. This experience was extremely helpful in my understanding of legislative politics by providing a practical application to my theory based knowledge. In the same manner my three years spent as a resident assistant in the residence halls on campus induced me into good time management skills as well as opening my senses and sensibilities to people with different backgrounds, ideals and habits from my own. Talking with residents and learning their values and interests forced me to see each situation that arose from multiple perspectives, be they right or wrong. Being away from school for two years has been a huge advantage for me. Moving to metro N/A from central Pennsylvania (raised)/northeast Ohio (college) has also allowed me to bring the Civil Rights Movement to life through visiting museums and historic sights. Also, my southern experience has allowed me to experience life in a different region of the country which in turn has taught me just how diverse African-American thought can range on similar issues. I've invested my time in reading history, politics, old college textbooks (which seem to make even more sense now), The Washington Post, and scholarly journals such as Foreign Affairs, The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, and Policy Review. I also used my degree in education to teach tenth grade World History Honors at a local high school in N/A. This experience gave me (my last semester in undergrad I also student taught American government and Economics to high school seniors) the honor of disseminating knowledge to young intellectuals striving to push ahead in life. However, this isn't a path that can cure my intellectual hunger and curiosity. Even though I love teaching, I also love researching and creating knowledge as well. Teaching in an inner-city high school reinforced and even expanded upon my deep beliefs in "learning for learning’s sake" and keeping an open mind. Not only has my experience exposed weaknesses in me that I previously could only recognize in other people, but it also focused my graduate studies on African Americans within the African Diaspora. Growing up in Williamsport, PA, a conservative predominately white town in central Pennsylvania, I often experienced subtle (but noticeable) racism hidden under a veil of generosity. African-American history, culture and activism were 'melted' rather than 'solidified'. My college and subsequent job experience has provided me with a greater realization of my place within the African Diaspora. Naturally, my intense interest in the Civil Rights movement, international relations, and African Diaspora studies has revealed that my deepest desire is to increase communication, openness and cohesion among members of the Diaspora throughout the world. I realize that politics is what helps create history and should be taken more seriously by citizens and scholars alike. In graduate school I intend to focus on African American studies with an emphasis in contemporary history and politics (primarily international/comparative). I intend to research how the African-American "double-consciousness" (Dubois) can effectively promote U.S. foreign policy (and global stability) in ways that will strengthen Pan-Africanism. In part of this study I intend to examine contemporary African-American members of the federal government to examine their "views and proceeding actions" towards U.S. foreign policy and Pan-Africanism. This is necessary in order to examine whether African-American policy makers have "adopted" a mainstream view of foreign affairs and why. I also intend to expand upon African-American participation in foreign policy to include new African immigrants and the effect they could have on U.S. foreign policy and their former countries by empowering democracy from abroad through American soft power, particularly the media. Do we need more "African" politicians in so called "Black" communities in order to diversify thinking on both sides and foster a better working coalition among both groups? If so, what compromises will have to be made on each side? In speaking of Africa, I would love to examine the question, "Does a shared view of history decrease violence and promote cooperation between rival groups within Africa and among the African Diaspora?"

Could someone help me to cut down my Grad School purpose statement to about 2 pages, (it's currently 4-5)? The study of politics first grabbed my attention when I started to pursue my own examination of the Civil Rights Movement. Examining the methods employed by the Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson administrations to achieve “order over justice” at various points in the movement always bothered me. However, these same methods that I deplored with the advantage of hindsight that I now enjoy through the works of many scholars such as Taylor Branch and David Garrow led to my fascination with international and comparative politics. Particularly, Pan-Africanism and its effect on Black American political thought and activism. My study of civil rights was originally intended to be a personal examination of the people, places and events that were so critical in shaping my African-American experience. During undergrad, I found myself enchanted with classes such as Turning Points in U.S. History #1 which examined the Black slave from colonial times to the beginning of reconstruction, Turning Points in U.S. History #2 which examined the Black man during the height of the second freedom struggle know as the Civil Rights Movement, and Africana Studies which examined the modern African-American experience today in America – and was taught by a professor with a professed Pan-Africanist point of view. This Pan-Africanist prospective opened my eyes not only to Pan-Africanism, but also to having a more internationalist perspective of current events. Coincidentally, the semester I was enrolled in Africana Studies, I was also privileged to be enrolled in The History of South Africa and Middle East 2: The Modern Period simultaneously. Looking back, The History of South Africa course reinforced Ian Bremmer’s theory on “The J Curve.” I saw how domestic pressure from an increasingly unhappy but politically powerless Black majority combined with sanctions and isolation from the international community eventually hastened the inevitable breakdown of apartheid. However, I was more impressed by how President Mandela had the vision and political savvy to use his political capital to transition his country to the upper right side of the J-Curve through the combination of reconciliation, openness, and sound economic policies (However, I firmly believe that to keep South Africa from the same fate as Zimbabwe or other African countries he had no choice but to pursue the policies that he did. Mandela was thinking for the long term rather than short term, just as the Whites who voted for the transitional government were thinking.) Just as President Mandela was planning for the long term, Middle East 2: The Modern Period also taught me Theodore Herzl’s long term strategies for Zionism and the establishment of the modern nation of Israel. This was particularly fascinating for me because I was able to compare and contrast Pan-Africanism with Zionism. Although the two philosophies aren't identical, a sharp comparison of the two demonstrates when, where and how an idea is likely to take hold and evolve into a movement and why great movements don't always make for great administration and state building. As a social studies education major I was often forced to substitute courses I was eager to take in the fields of international relations and Africana studies for courses that "were required" for my major. Originally I viewed this as a negative aspect, but once again hindsight has proved that taking the required social studies education curriculum which stressed breadth (geography, history, political science, economics, sociology) over depth (single discipline) has placed me ahead of some of my peers when it comes to understanding politics and contemporary history from multiple perspectives, which is an even bigger advantage in the interdisciplinary fields of Africana studies and international relations. This was confirmed in the summer prior to my senior year of undergrad. I finally got my opportunity to take two courses that induced me to consider a change of career plans, U.S. Foreign Policy and Comparative Politics. These two courses challenged the typical American citizen's thinking of foreign affairs by requiring us to go beyond our perceptions of the policy by examining a policy's messy domestic formulation, its comparative perception overseas, and the policy's resulting consequences at home and abroad. Each course challenged mythmaking by examining harsh realities due to history, geography, economics, and sociology - not just politics. Everything plays a role seen and unseen. Although graduate school was never my intention three years earlier as I first entered college, I had now given it enough thought over the course of two years (sophomore & junior) to know that it was something I definitely wished to pursue. I knew I wanted to combine my interests in Africana studies, history, and political science/international affairs in a way that both advanced knowledge and challenged social norms and values in ways that could bring about fundamental change through practical pursuits. I needed creativity combined with hard facts, solid statistics, and in-depth analysis. I needed to study Africana studies with an emphasis in political science (international/comparative) and contemporary history. I saw this as the best path for myself because I would be able to use my breadth of studies to analyze issues from multiple angles, as well as my strong desire for in-depth analysis to dig deep into the heart/root of any issue. Coincidentally, I had been a member of the legislative body of the student government for two years. This granted me the opportunity to participate in researching issues, conducting opinion polls, and most importantly test my knowledge, judgment and interpersonal communication skills in choosing the best options and alternatives for the student body. This experience was extremely helpful in my understanding of legislative politics by providing a practical application to my theory based knowledge. In the same manner my three years spent as a resident assistant in the residence halls on campus induced me into good time management skills as well as opening my senses and sensibilities to people with different backgrounds, ideals and habits from my own. Talking with residents and learning their values and interests forced me to see each situation that arose from multiple perspectives, be they right or wrong. Being away from school for two years has been a huge advantage for me. Moving to metro N/A from central Pennsylvania (raised)/northeast Ohio (college) has also allowed me to bring the Civil Rights Movement to life through visiting museums and historic sights. Also, my southern experience has allowed me to experience life in a different region of the country which in turn has taught me just how diverse African-American thought can range on similar issues. I've invested my time in reading history, politics, old college textbooks (which seem to make even more sense now), The Washington Post, and scholarly journals such as Foreign Affairs, The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, and Policy Review. I also used my degree in education to teach tenth grade World History Honors at a local high school in N/A. This experience gave me (my last semester in undergrad I also student taught American government and Economics to high school seniors) the honor of disseminating knowledge to young intellectuals striving to push ahead in life. However, this isn't a path that can cure my intellectual hunger and curiosity. Even though I love teaching, I also love researching and creating knowledge as well. Teaching in an inner-city high school reinforced and even expanded upon my deep beliefs in "learning for learning’s sake" and keeping an open mind. Not only has my experience exposed weaknesses in me that I previously could only recognize in other people, but it also focused my graduate studies on African Americans within the African Diaspora. Growing up in Williamsport, PA, a conservative predominately white town in central Pennsylvania, I often experienced subtle (but noticeable) racism hidden under a veil of generosity. African-American history, culture and activism were 'melted' rather than 'solidified'. My college and subsequent job experience has provided me with a greater realization of my place within the African Diaspora. Naturally, my intense interest in the Civil Rights movement, international relations, and African Diaspora studies has revealed that my deepest desire is to increase communication, openness and cohesion among members of the Diaspora throughout the world. I realize that politics is what helps create history and should be taken more seriously by citizens and scholars alike. In graduate school I intend to focus on African American studies with an emphasis in contemporary history and politics (primarily international/comparative). I intend to research how the African-American "double-consciousness" (Dubois) can effectively promote U.S. foreign policy (and global stability) in ways that will strengthen Pan-Africanism. In part of this study I intend to examine contemporary African-American members of the federal government to examine their "views and proceeding actions" towards U.S. foreign policy and Pan-Africanism. This is necessary in order to examine whether African-American policy makers have "adopted" a mainstream view of foreign affairs and why. I also intend to expand upon African-American participation in foreign policy to include new African immigrants and the effect they could have on U.S. foreign policy and their former countries by empowering democracy from abroad through American soft power, particularly the media. Do we need more "African" politicians in so called "Black" communities in order to diversify thinking on both sides and foster a better working coalition among both groups? If so, what compromises will have to be made on each side? In speaking of Africa, I would love to examine the question, "Does a shared view of history decrease violence and promote cooperation between rival groups within Africa and among the African Diaspora?"

Could someone help me to cut down my Grad School purpose statement to about 2 pages, (it's currently 4-5)? The study of politics first grabbed my attention when I started to pursue my own examination of the Civil Rights Movement. Examining the methods employed by the Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson administrations to achieve “order over justice” at various points in the movement always bothered me. However, these same methods that I deplored with the advantage of hindsight that I now enjoy through the works of many scholars such as Taylor Branch and David Garrow led to my fascination with international and comparative politics. Particularly, Pan-Africanism and its effect on Black American political thought and activism. My study of civil rights was originally intended to be a personal examination of the people, places and events that were so critical in shaping my African-American experience. During undergrad, I found myself enchanted with classes such as Turning Points in U.S. History #1 which examined the Black slave from colonial times to the beginning of reconstruction, Turning Points in U.S. History #2 which examined the Black man during the height of the second freedom struggle know as the Civil Rights Movement, and Africana Studies which examined the modern African-American experience today in America – and was taught by a professor with a professed Pan-Africanist point of view. This Pan-Africanist prospective opened my eyes not only to Pan-Africanism, but also to having a more internationalist perspective of current events. Coincidentally, the semester I was enrolled in Africana Studies, I was also privileged to be enrolled in The History of South Africa and Middle East 2: The Modern Period simultaneously. Looking back, The History of South Africa course reinforced Ian Bremmer’s theory on “The J Curve.” I saw how domestic pressure from an increasingly unhappy but politically powerless Black majority combined with sanctions and isolation from the international community eventually hastened the inevitable breakdown of apartheid. However, I was more impressed by how President Mandela had the vision and political savvy to use his political capital to transition his country to the upper right side of the J-Curve through the combination of reconciliation, openness, and sound economic policies (However, I firmly believe that to keep South Africa from the same fate as Zimbabwe or other African countries he had no choice but to pursue the policies that he did. Mandela was thinking for the long term rather than short term, just as the Whites who voted for the transitional government were thinking.) Just as President Mandela was planning for the long term, Middle East 2: The Modern Period also taught me Theodore Herzl’s long term strategies for Zionism and the establishment of the modern nation of Israel. This was particularly fascinating for me because I was able to compare and contrast Pan-Africanism with Zionism. Although the two philosophies aren't identical, a sharp comparison of the two demonstrates when, where and how an idea is likely to take hold and evolve into a movement and why great movements don't always make for great administration and state building. As a social studies education major I was often forced to substitute courses I was eager to take in the fields of international relations and Africana studies for courses that "were required" for my major. Originally I viewed this as a negative aspect, but once again hindsight has proved that taking the required social studies education curriculum which stressed breadth (geography, history, political science, economics, sociology) over depth (single discipline) has placed me ahead of some of my peers when it comes to understanding politics and contemporary history from multiple perspectives, which is an even bigger advantage in the interdisciplinary fields of Africana studies and international relations. This was confirmed in the summer prior to my senior year of undergrad. I finally got my opportunity to take two courses that induced me to consider a change of career plans, U.S. Foreign Policy and Comparative Politics. These two courses challenged the typical American citizen's thinking of foreign affairs by requiring us to go beyond our perceptions of the policy by examining a policy's messy domestic formulation, its comparative perception overseas, and the policy's resulting consequences at home and abroad. Each course challenged mythmaking by examining harsh realities due to history, geography, economics, and sociology - not just politics. Everything plays a role seen and unseen. Although graduate school was never my intention three years earlier as I first entered college, I had now given it enough thought over the course of two years (sophomore & junior) to know that it was something I definitely wished to pursue. I knew I wanted to combine my interests in Africana studies, history, and political science/international affairs in a way that both advanced knowledge and challenged social norms and values in ways that could bring about fundamental change through practical pursuits. I needed creativity combined with hard facts, solid statistics, and in-depth analysis. I needed to study Africana studies with an emphasis in political science (international/comparative) and contemporary history. I saw this as the best path for myself because I would be able to use my breadth of studies to analyze issues from multiple angles, as well as my strong desire for in-depth analysis to dig deep into the heart/root of any issue. Coincidentally, I had been a member of the legislative body of the student government for two years. This granted me the opportunity to participate in researching issues, conducting opinion polls, and most importantly test my knowledge, judgment and interpersonal communication skills in choosing the best options and alternatives for the student body. This experience was extremely helpful in my understanding of legislative politics by providing a practical application to my theory based knowledge. In the same manner my three years spent as a resident assistant in the residence halls on campus induced me into good time management skills as well as opening my senses and sensibilities to people with different backgrounds, ideals and habits from my own. Talking with residents and learning their values and interests forced me to see each situation that arose from multiple perspectives, be they right or wrong. Being away from school for two years has been a huge advantage for me. Moving to metro N/A from central Pennsylvania (raised)/northeast Ohio (college) has also allowed me to bring the Civil Rights Movement to life through visiting museums and historic sights. Also, my southern experience has allowed me to experience life in a different region of the country which in turn has taught me just how diverse African-American thought can range on similar issues. I've invested my time in reading history, politics, old college textbooks (which seem to make even more sense now), The Washington Post, and scholarly journals such as Foreign Affairs, The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, and Policy Review. I also used my degree in education to teach tenth grade World History Honors at a local high school in N/A. This experience gave me (my last semester in undergrad I also student taught American government and Economics to high school seniors) the honor of disseminating knowledge to young intellectuals striving to push ahead in life. However, this isn't a path that can cure my intellectual hunger and curiosity. Even though I love teaching, I also love researching and creating knowledge as well. Teaching in an inner-city high school reinforced and even expanded upon my deep beliefs in "learning for learning’s sake" and keeping an open mind. Not only has my experience exposed weaknesses in me that I previously could only recognize in other people, but it also focused my graduate studies on African Americans within the African Diaspora. Growing up in Williamsport, PA, a conservative predominately white town in central Pennsylvania, I often experienced subtle (but noticeable) racism hidden under a veil of generosity. African-American history, culture and activism were 'melted' rather than 'solidified'. My college and subsequent job experience has provided me with a greater realization of my place within the African Diaspora. Naturally, my intense interest in the Civil Rights movement, international relations, and African Diaspora studies has revealed that my deepest desire is to increase communication, openness and cohesion among members of the Diaspora throughout the world. I realize that politics is what helps create history and should be taken more seriously by citizens and scholars alike. In graduate school I intend to focus on African American studies with an emphasis in contemporary history and politics (primarily international/comparative). I intend to research how the African-American "double-consciousness" (Dubois) can effectively promote U.S. foreign policy (and global stability) in ways that will strengthen Pan-Africanism. In part of this study I intend to examine contemporary African-American members of the federal government to examine their "views and proceeding actions" towards U.S. foreign policy and Pan-Africanism. This is necessary in order to examine whether African-American policy makers have "adopted" a mainstream view of foreign affairs and why. I also intend to expand upon African-American participation in foreign policy to include new African immigrants and the effect they could have on U.S. foreign policy and their former countries by empowering democracy from abroad through American soft power, particularly the media. Do we need more "African" politicians in so called "Black" communities in order to diversify thinking on both sides and foster a better working coalition among both groups? If so, what compromises will have to be made on each side? In speaking of Africa, I would love to examine the question, "Does a shared view of history decrease violence and promote cooperation between rival groups within Africa and among the African Diaspora?"

Could someone help me to cut down my Grad School purpose statement to about 2 pages, (it's currently 4-5)? The study of politics first grabbed my attention when I started to pursue my own examination of the Civil Rights Movement. Examining the methods employed by the Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson administrations to achieve “order over justice” at various points in the movement always bothered me. However, these same methods that I deplored with the advantage of hindsight that I now enjoy through the works of many scholars such as Taylor Branch and David Garrow led to my fascination with international and comparative politics. Particularly, Pan-Africanism and its effect on Black American political thought and activism. My study of civil rights was originally intended to be a personal examination of the people, places and events that were so critical in shaping my African-American experience. During undergrad, I found myself enchanted with classes such as Turning Points in U.S. History #1 which examined the Black slave from colonial times to the beginning of reconstruction, Turning Points in U.S. History #2 which examined the Black man during the height of the second freedom struggle know as the Civil Rights Movement, and Africana Studies which examined the modern African-American experience today in America – and was taught by a professor with a professed Pan-Africanist point of view. This Pan-Africanist prospective opened my eyes not only to Pan-Africanism, but also to having a more internationalist perspective of current events. Coincidentally, the semester I was enrolled in Africana Studies, I was also privileged to be enrolled in The History of South Africa and Middle East 2: The Modern Period simultaneously. Looking back, The History of South Africa course reinforced Ian Bremmer’s theory on “The J Curve.” I saw how domestic pressure from an increasingly unhappy but politically powerless Black majority combined with sanctions and isolation from the international community eventually hastened the inevitable breakdown of apartheid. However, I was more impressed by how President Mandela had the vision and political savvy to use his political capital to transition his country to the upper right side of the J-Curve through the combination of reconciliation, openness, and sound economic policies (However, I firmly believe that to keep South Africa from the same fate as Zimbabwe or other African countries he had no choice but to pursue the policies that he did. Mandela was thinking for the long term rather than short term, just as the Whites who voted for the transitional government were thinking.) Just as President Mandela was planning for the long term, Middle East 2: The Modern Period also taught me Theodore Herzl’s long term strategies for Zionism and the establishment of the modern nation of Israel. This was particularly fascinating for me because I was able to compare and contrast Pan-Africanism with Zionism. Although the two philosophies aren't identical, a sharp comparison of the two demonstrates when, where and how an idea is likely to take hold and evolve into a movement and why great movements don't always make for great administration and state building. As a social studies education major I was often forced to substitute courses I was eager to take in the fields of international relations and Africana studies for courses that "were required" for my major. Originally I viewed this as a negative aspect, but once again hindsight has proved that taking the required social studies education curriculum which stressed breadth (geography, history, political science, economics, sociology) over depth (single discipline) has placed me ahead of some of my peers when it comes to understanding politics and contemporary history from multiple perspectives, which is an even bigger advantage in the interdisciplinary fields of Africana studies and international relations. This was confirmed in the summer prior to my senior year of undergrad. I finally got my opportunity to take two courses that induced me to consider a change of career plans, U.S. Foreign Policy and Comparative Politics. These two courses challenged the typical American citizen's thinking of foreign affairs by requiring us to go beyond our perceptions of the policy by examining a policy's messy domestic formulation, its comparative perception overseas, and the policy's resulting consequences at home and abroad. Each course challenged mythmaking by examining harsh realities due to history, geography, economics, and sociology - not just politics. Everything plays a role seen and unseen. Although graduate school was never my intention three years earlier as I first entered college, I had now given it enough thought over the course of two years (sophomore & junior) to know that it was something I definitely wished to pursue. I knew I wanted to combine my interests in Africana studies, history, and political science/international affairs in a way that both advanced knowledge and challenged social norms and values in ways that could bring about fundamental change through practical pursuits. I needed creativity combined with hard facts, solid statistics, and in-depth analysis. I needed to study Africana studies with an emphasis in political science (international/comparative) and contemporary history. I saw this as the best path for myself because I would be able to use my breadth of studies to analyze issues from multiple angles, as well as my strong desire for in-depth analysis to dig deep into the heart/root of any issue. Coincidentally, I had been a member of the legislative body of the student government for two years. This granted me the opportunity to participate in researching issues, conducting opinion polls, and most importantly test my knowledge, judgment and interpersonal communication skills in choosing the best options and alternatives for the student body. This experience was extremely helpful in my understanding of legislative politics by providing a practical application to my theory based knowledge. In the same manner my three years spent as a resident assistant in the residence halls on campus induced me into good time management skills as well as opening my senses and sensibilities to people with different backgrounds, ideals and habits from my own. Talking with residents and learning their values and interests forced me to see each situation that arose from multiple perspectives, be they right or wrong. Being away from school for two years has been a huge advantage for me. Moving to metro N/A from central Pennsylvania (raised)/northeast Ohio (college) has also allowed me to bring the Civil Rights Movement to life through visiting museums and historic sights. Also, my southern experience has allowed me to experience life in a different region of the country which in turn has taught me just how diverse African-American thought can range on similar issues. I've invested my time in reading history, politics, old college textbooks (which seem to make even more sense now), The Washington Post, and scholarly journals such as Foreign Affairs, The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, and Policy Review. I also used my degree in education to teach tenth grade World History Honors at a local high school in N/A. This experience gave me (my last semester in undergrad I also student taught American government and Economics to high school seniors) the honor of disseminating knowledge to young intellectuals striving to push ahead in life. However, this isn't a path that can cure my intellectual hunger and curiosity. Even though I love teaching, I also love researching and creating knowledge as well. Teaching in an inner-city high school reinforced and even expanded upon my deep beliefs in "learning for learning’s sake" and keeping an open mind. Not only has my experience exposed weaknesses in me that I previously could only recognize in other people, but it also focused my graduate studies on African Americans within the African Diaspora. Growing up in Williamsport, PA, a conservative predominately white town in central Pennsylvania, I often experienced subtle (but noticeable) racism hidden under a veil of generosity. African-American history, culture and activism were 'melted' rather than 'solidified'. My college and subsequent job experience has provided me with a greater realization of my place within the African Diaspora. Naturally, my intense interest in the Civil Rights movement, international relations, and African Diaspora studies has revealed that my deepest desire is to increase communication, openness and cohesion among members of the Diaspora throughout the world. I realize that politics is what helps create history and should be taken more seriously by citizens and scholars alike. In graduate school I intend to focus on African American studies with an emphasis in contemporary history and politics (primarily international/comparative). I intend to research how the African-American "double-consciousness" (Dubois) can effectively promote U.S. foreign policy (and global stability) in ways that will strengthen Pan-Africanism. In part of this study I intend to examine contemporary African-American members of the federal government to examine their "views and proceeding actions" towards U.S. foreign policy and Pan-Africanism. This is necessary in order to examine whether African-American policy makers have "adopted" a mainstream view of foreign affairs and why. I also intend to expand upon African-American participation in foreign policy to include new African immigrants and the effect they could have on U.S. foreign policy and their former countries by empowering democracy from abroad through American soft power, particularly the media. Do we need more "African" politicians in so called "Black" communities in order to diversify thinking on both sides and foster a better working coalition among both groups? If so, what compromises will have to be made on each side? In speaking of Africa, I would love to examine the question, "Does a shared view of history decrease violence and promote cooperation between rival groups within Africa and among the African Diaspora?"