Rights Contained in the U.S. Bill of Rights Essay Example for Free

Rights Contained in the U.S. Bill of Rights Essay Through the years, the Bill of Rights of the United States has stood as the embodiment of the fundamental rights and privileges of the American public — that is, for both people and important aspects of the society. As such, it is truly crucial to uphold and adhere to the said rights in the U. S. Constitution at all times. In fact, the Supreme Courts uses such foundation to implement justice and protect people from possible violations. Thus, it is through a clear identification and execution as well as appropriate description by the Supreme Court that the nation and its citizens realize the purpose and essence of the Bill of Rights. Bill of Rights: Constitution’s First Ten Amendments Mount, as the author of the online source USConstitution. net, offers an insightful outline and even relevant notes concerning the rights contained in the Bill of Rights. It is worthy to outline the Bill of Rights according to the presentation of Mount or the USConstitution. net, which states that the rights included in the Bill of Rights (the common term for the collection of the first ten amendments) are as follows: Amendment 1 Freedom of Religion, Press. Amendment 2 Right to Bear Arms. Amendment 3 Quartering of Soldiers. Amendment 4 Search and Seizures. Amendment 5 Trial and Punishment, Compensation for Takings. Amendment 6 Right to Speedy Trial, Confrontation of Witnesses. Amendment 7 Trial by Jury in Civil Case. Amendment 8 Cruel and Unusual Punishment. Amendment 9 Construction of Constitution. Amendment 10 Powers of the States and People. (2) To better understand and eventually realize the value of the Bill of Rights, Mount further explains that its initial non-inclusion in the Constitutional Convention indicates inappropriateness (1). This is because the Bill of Rights, particularly the first ten Amendments, comprises the basic rights and privileges of people and the components of the society (Mount 1). Simply put, a Constitution without a Bill of Rights can be considered as unworthy. Hence, realizing the need to clearly identify the rights and privileges which protect the public’s interests, the Bill of Rights is a part of the Constitution that must not be neglected or should not cease to exist (Mount 1). The author however clarifies that the need to respect the Bill of Rights coincides with the requirement to amend the said ten rights in order to avoid misinterpretation and incorrect application of the measure. Thus, the condition of changing the ten most important provisions is necessary that leads us now to the existence of the Bill of Rights (Mount 1). Mount then reveals that the previous efforts made by Representative James Madison were the crucial point in the realization of the Bill of Rights. It was through such event that a clear identification of what rights should come from which Amendment was carried out. The ratification of the Bill of Rights collectively known as the initial ten Amendments on December 15, 1791 (Mount 1) paved the way for the protection of people’s rights and privileges. While there are explicit descriptions and explanations on the Bill of Rights, the above-cited outline summarizes its essence in terms of the protection, freedom, and privileges of the American people. Supreme Court’s Definition Over the years, the Supreme Courts has defined the Bill of Rights as the innate rights of the people which must always be followed and preserved. This is because the nature or characteristic of the Bill of Rights poses a great significance to the lives and interests of the people and society. It is precisely the Supreme Court which supports the Bill of Rights nowadays. In a breakthrough decision, the Supreme Courts defines the Bill of Rights as fundamental forms of liberty among people. The Supreme Court has specifically decided that â€Å"After carefully considering the relevance of the 10 inviolable rights that comprise the ideological foundation on which our nation is built, the court finds that these basic freedoms remain important for the time being, and should not be overturned† (â€Å"Supreme Court Upholds Bill of Rights in 5-4 Decision† 1). Conclusion In summary, the Bill of Rights significantly outlines a person’s rights and privileges, protects one’s freedom, and signifies the condition to be empowered. While it is always emphasized that responsibility comes in every right, it is definitely highly important to observe the Bill of Rights at all times. Ultimately, it is necessary for the components of the country such as the U. S. Supreme Court to interpret the Bill of Rights as a valuable measure aimed at providing people with justice and acknowledging their rights to humane existence. Works Cited Mount, Steve. â€Å"The United States Constitution. † U. S. Constitution Online. 6 Feb. 2009. 16 July 2009. http://www. usconstitution. net/const. html#Amends. â€Å"Supreme Court Upholds Bill of Rights in 5-4 Decision. † The Onion. 14 Nov. 2008. 16 July 2009. http://www. theonion. com/content/news_briefs/supreme_court_upholds_bill

Freedom Of Expression - Our First Amendment Rights Are Threatened Essay

What is art? Can it be defined in any single painting, or sculpture? Is it even something that can be seen, or does it have to be experienced? The term "art" is so vague that it can be applied to almost anything, really. Mostly, however, art should be that which frees our imagination. It connects our conscious with our subconscious, putting into a visual form what we feel and think. It allows us to explore our inner self and fill that urge to understand our minds and our universe. Art helps us to see beyond the ordinary, to see what is in our hearts without being blinded by reality. When an artist creates a painting, it is not to create a picture; it is to create a feeling or mood. The purpose is to convey an emotion, and, it is hoped, to make the viewer experience that same emotion. The painting is really just the final result. Picasso once said "†¦the thing that counts, in painting, is the intention of the artist†¦What counts is what one wants to do, and n ot what one does†¦ In the end what was important is the intention one had." So, what happens when artists are judged only on their final result, with no consideration to the purpose of their artwork? Censorship happens. That's right, every day in America, "Land of the Free", another artist falls victim to The Censor. Everyday, despite rights guaranteed by the constitution, people are being oppressed-by school officials, librarians, committee chairpersons, and even by those in government positions. It's time everyone, everywhere, stood up for Freedom of Expression, and put and end to censorship. In September of this year, the Brooklyn Museum of Art planned an exhibit of British artwork entitled "Sensation: Young British Artists from the Saatchi Collection", the controversial art exhibit which, on it's world tour, has been shown in Germany and England. The exhibit, as well as the majority of other artwork on display in the museum, was to be funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. The NEA is a government agency that grants federal money to artists and organizations in an attempt to serve the public good by "nurturing the expression of human creativity, supporting the cultivation of community spirit, and fostering the recognition and appreciation of the excellence and diversity of our nation's artistic accomplishments". The organization was prepared to ... ...tation of New York City as a world-class center of art and culture. "The entire arts community should be grateful to Director Arnold Lehman and the BMA's Board of Directors for standing firm on the right of artists and museum-goers to make their own decisions without interference from the government," said Joan Bertin, Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Censorship. "If the city chooses to fund the arts, it simply cannot pick and choose what art is 'offensive' and what is not." In addition, "That judgment varies so widely and is so subjective that, if it were the test, publicly funded art institutions would likely have little of interest to offer beyond the most inoffensive and conventional art," Michelle Coffy, Program Director of the National Campaign for Freedom of Expression, says. It is not appropriate to censor something based solely on a failure to understand and a personal dislike. In this case, the mayor and other critics may simply be revealing their own misinterpretation of the varied cultural and artistic traditions on which artists draw, having obviously misunderstood the whole point of art in the first place-expression.

Puritan Society During the 1600’s Essay

Throughout history, many people have wanted to create a model society. During the 1600’s, Puritans in New England tried to establish a perfect society. The settlers sought to create a colony that was free, contained a strong sense of religion, and was perfect and admired. The Puritans tried to create a liberated society. They first wanted to be free from England. They wanted to prevent what had gone wrong in England from happening in their colonies. In England, many people faced persecution because of their beliefs. Many people came to America seeking religious freedom. During the reign of Charles I in England, the only way people could get religious freedom was to sail to America, mostly to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Here, the settlers placed a very strong emphasis on religious freedom. The Puritans ended up constructing the Massachusetts Bay Colony based on their religious freedoms and beliefs. The colonists managed to accomplish many of these goals. But a few of these goals did not go as they had originally wished. The freedoms in America eventually became the same as it was in England, because the government taxed all the people, church members or not, and they enforced a law forcing people to attend church services. The Puritans fulfilled the freedoms that they wanted, but these liberties did not last long. The settlers also wanted their colonies to have a very strong sense of religion. The New England Puritans were very intense in religious matters. They wanted to be a very holy society. To ensure this, the church and the government worked together; the religion was very closely connected with the Puritan political structure. Their mixture of religion and politics was based on self-government, limited government, individualism, and the community’s right to control, meaning that the community could control all its members in a common interest. They were very serious about religion because they were founded upon religious beliefs. They felt very strong about purifying the Anglican Church. Their churches because Congregational Churches; therefore, they emphasized local control and independence. The colonies, especially the Massachusetts Bay Colony, aspired to maintain this â€Å"holiness†, and they accomplished it, but it got out of hand. Their mixture of politics and religion soon turned into a theocracy, where it was hard to  see where church and state separated. As their religious freedom lessened, the colonies became more and more like England over time. The colonists wanted their colonies to be admired. In order for this to happen, the colonies needed to be â€Å"perfect†. They set boundaries about who they would let settle there: they only let religiously acceptable people in. The colonists thought that they needed a strict orthodoxy to survive. They were trying to create a holy empire, or a â€Å"city on a hill†, that would be looked up to by the rest of the world. They wanted to become a â€Å"beacon to others† (Brinkley, 1999). The governor of Massachusetts Bay, John Winthrop, described an ideal society in â€Å"Model of Christian Charity†. The settlers wanted to create a â€Å"New Jerusalem†, or John Winthrop’s â€Å"city on a hill†, to be admired by everyone, and they were willing to do almost anything to achieve it. The New England Puritans were also very hard workers, and they had a very strong work ethic. They were serious and hardworking people who led very useful lives. They were against anything that wasted time or resources, such as playing cards or gambling. They believed that if they worked hard then they would be successful; therefore they thought material success and prosperity were favors from God. Although the Puritans created a strong and energetic society that would influence American culture far after their time, they still could not live up to the ideal conditions that John Winthrop discussed. They also could not keep up their passion for religion, so in the end, their colonies were far from perfect. The settlers tried very hard to create these perfect and holy societies. They gained freedom from England, including the freedom to worship as they wanted. They then founded colonies based upon religion with a very strict and holy society. They wanted these colonies to be admired by being what they thought to be â€Å"perfect†. No matter how hard they endeavored, these colonies only became more and more like England. They New England Puritans tried very hard, but they never achieved their model society. Works Cited Brinkley, Alan. (1999). American History: A Survey, Tenth Edition. Boston: McGraw-Hill College. Sage, Henry J. (2003). Colonial American History: Puritan New England. www.nv.cc.va.us/nvsageh/Hist121/Part1/NewEngland.htm.

Media Violence: the Effect on Children

MEDIA VIOLENCE: LEADING CAUSE OF VIOLENT AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR IN YOUNG CHILDREN Introduction For many years, media violence has been a popular topic in terms of its influence over children. Exposure to violence can have significant effects on children during their development and as they form their own intimate relationships in childhood and adulthood.Researchers have that found nonaggressive children who had been exposed to high levels of media violence had similar patterns of activity in an area of the brain linked to self-control and attention as aggressive children who had been diagnosed with disruptive behavior disorder. Knowing the extent of the negative effect media has will help guide me in working with children. Does violent media cause psychological effects on children? Current research agrees that violent media is associated with aggressive behavior.Precarious behavior by children can include violence against others and lack of remorse for consequences. The Academy of P ediatrics (1999) says â€Å"More than one thousand scientific studies and reviews conclude that significant exposure to media violence increases the risk of aggressive behavior in certain children, desensitizes them to violence and makes them believe that the world is a ‘meaner and scarier’ place than it is. † This type of flawed thinking creates stressors in children that can lead to the onset of many different symptoms.Children who view media violence are more likely to have increased feelings of hostility, decreased emotional response to the portrayal of violence and injury that lead to violent behavior through imitation. If children begin to think that this type of violence is normal behavior, these thoughts are difficult to change later on in life. As written on Wikipedia (2012), one psychologist named Albert Bantura, tested his theory of the media’s extreme influence in 1963.The experiment, known as the â€Å"Bobo doll experiment†, tested diff erences in children’s behavior and actions after seeing a model being rewarded, punished or experiencing no consequences for aggressive behavior towards a Bobo doll. The results of this experiment shed light on how influential media can be on children and their behavior; children who had been exposed to the aggressive behavior exhibited nearly twice as much aggressive behavior than the control group. The findings of this experiment support Bandura's Social Learning Theory, a behaviorist theory.That is, children learn social behavior such as aggression through the process of observation learning – through watching the behavior of another person. Another view from researchers suggests that performing violent acts in video games may be more contributing to children's aggression than passively watching violent acts on television. According to this view, the more children practice violent acts, the more likely they are to perform violent acts (Cesarone, 1994). One example i s the case of Michael Carneal. He was said to have been a video game fanatic, and in 1997, he shot and killed three of his classmates.Michael Breen, an attorney in the case against Michael Carneal stated in court, â€Å"Michael Carneal clipped off nine shots in a 10-second period. Eight of those shots were hits. Three were head and neck shots and were kills. That is way beyond the military standard for expert marksmanship. This was a kid who had never fired a pistol in his life, but because of his obsession with computer games he had turned himself into an expert marksman† (Ivory, 2003), (Hanson, 1999, p. 15). This is not the only case of adolescents performing violent acts.On the other hand, the makers of these violent types of argue that it is violent children who are drawn towards these types of entertainment. They believe that a child must have been exposed to more than just media in order to exhibit behaviors that they may have seen. One hypothesis suggests that exposure to violent media can actually provide a healthy release for the frightening emotions of children and young adults. Conclusion Media is a powerful tool that can alter a child's ideas about the world. Everything that children see or hear in the media early on in their lives affects them in some way.Research shows that fictional television and film violence contribute to both a short-term and a long-term increase in aggression and violence in young viewers. Unfortunately, violence is one of the most popular forms of entertainment. The â€Å"Bobo Doll Experiment† performed in 1961 by Albert Bandura, demonstrated the human behavior is learned through social imitation and copying, rather than being inherited through genetic factors. As positive role models, we should keep the best interest of our children and limit their exposure to violent media. Works Cited Cesarone, Bernard, 1994, Video Games and Children ERIC Digest. ttp://www. kidsource. com/kidsource/content2/video. games. h tml Ivory, James D. , 2001, Video Games and the Elusive Search for their Effects on Children: An assessment of Twenty Years of Research. http://www. unc. edu/~jivory/video. html â€Å"Media Education. † Internet. http://pediatrics. aappublications. org/content/104/2/341. full. 1999 â€Å"Media Violence Research†. Internet. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Media_violence. 2012 Villani, Susan, 2003, Media Violence: More than Just Child’s Play? Facts of Life: Issue Briefings for Health Reporters vol. 8, no. 10. http://www. cfah. org/factsoflife/vol8no10. cfm.

Overview of Folk Etymology

Overview of Folk Etymology Folk etymology involves a change in the form or pronunciation of a word or phrase resulting from a mistaken assumption about its composition or meaning. Also called popular etymology. G. Runblad and D.B. Kronenfeld identify two main groups of folk etymology, which they call Class I and Class II. Class I contains folk-etymologies where some change has occurred, either in meaning or form, or both. Folk etymologies of the Class II type, on the other hand, do not usually change the meaning or form of the word, but function mainly as some popular, though false, etymological explanation of the word (Lexicology, Semantics, and Lexicography, 2000). Class I is by far the more common type of folk etymology. Connie Eble points out that folk etymology applies mostly to foreign words, learned or old-fashioned words, scientific names, and place-names (Slang and Sociability, 1996). Examples and Observations The process of altering otherwise incomprehensible words, in order to give them a semblance of meaning, is called folk, or popular, etymology. A product of ignorance, it nevertheless should not be underestimated as a factor of language history, for many familiar words owe their form to it. In kitty-corner, kitty is a jocular substitution for cater-. Cater-corner is an opaque compound, while kitty-corner (diagonally from) suggests the movement of a prowling cat. . . .Stepmother, stepdaughter, and so forth suggest the derivation from step. Yet a stepchild is not one step removed from its natural parent; -step goes back to a word meaning bereaved. Many people share Samuel Johnsons opinion that bonfire is a good fire, from French bon, but it means bonefire. Old bones were used as fuel down to the 1800s. The vowel o was shortened before -nf (a regular change before two consonants), and a native English word began to look half-French.(Anatoly Liberman, Word Origins: Etymology for Everyone. Oxford University Press, 2009) Woodchuck and Cockroach Examples: Algonquian otchek a groundhog became by folk etymology woodchuck; Spanish cucaracha became by folk etymology cockroach.(Sol Steinmetz, Semantic Antics: How and Why Words Change Meanings. Random House, 2008)   Female Historically, female, from Middle English femelle (from Old French femelle, a diminutive form of Latin femina woman/female), is unrelated to male (Old French male/masle; Latin masculus (little man/male); but Middle English femelle was clearly remodeled into female based on the association with male (approximately the 14th century) (OED). The remodeling of female brought female and male into their current and apparently sense-related and asymmetric relationship (one that many of us, now, are going to some lengths to unmake.(Gabriella Runblad and David B. Kronenfeld, Folk-Etymology: Haphazard Perversion or Shrewd Analogy.  Lexicology, Semantics, and Lexicography, ed. by  Julie Coleman and Christian Kay. John Benjamins, 2000) Bridegroom When people hear a foreign or unfamiliar word for the first time, they try to make sense of it by relating it to words they know well. They guess what it must meanand often guess wrong. However, if enough people make the same wrong guess, the error can become part of the language. Such erroneous forms are called folk or popular etymologies.Bridegroom provides a good example. What has a groom got to do with getting married? Is he going to groom the bride, in some way? Or perhaps he is responsible for horses to carry him and his bride off into the sunset? The true explanation is more prosaic. The Middle English form was bridgome, which goes back to Old English brydguma, from bride guma man. However, gome died out during the Middle English period. By the 16th century its meaning was no longer apparent, and it came to be popularly replaced by a similar-sounding word, grome, serving lad. This later developed the sense of servant having the care of horses, which is the dominant sense toda y. But bridegroom never meant anything more than brides man.(David Crystal, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language. Cambridge University Press, 2003) EtymologyFrom the German,  Volksetymologie

Performance of Fresh And Hardened Concrete Essay

Performance of Fresh And Hardened Concrete - Essay Example The researcher states that today there is an increasing trend for using recycled materials to create new concrete in order to increase sustainability and decrease costs among other factors. The effects of the recycled aggregates on the created concrete can be minimal to significant depending on a host of factors. The properties of concrete are affected both in the fresh state and in the hardened state and so there is great need to understand how the use of recycled aggregates affects concrete. The various kinds of recycled aggregates in use include recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), recycled wash glass sand, recycled rubber tyres and others. This text will attempt to analyse the effects of recycled aggregates on the fresh properties of concrete and on the properties of hardened concrete. Based on the investigations and results presented above it is obvious that the addition of recycled aggregates affects the properties of concrete significantly. The inclusion of recycled aggregates t o concrete helps to increase the sustainability and reduce the cost of the build but compromises on the strength achieved. Therefore concrete created with these methods can be utilised for less demanding tasks that require lower loading. In some cases however, the addition of aggregates has helped improve some of concrete’s abilities especially fresh concrete’s workability and other properties. More investigation into creating concrete with the inclusion of aggregates can help to boost sustainability and decrease costs further.

Manhattan New School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Manhattan New School - Essay Example School's professional teachers are hired from Bank Street College of Education, Columbia University Teachers College, New York University and Fordham University. Manhattan New School resides in the heart of Manhattan in the former PS190, which was built in 1903 (About School, Manhattan New School). According to Karen Ruzzo, school's principal, "We pride ourselves at being a highly literate community, and we also understand our responsibility to prepare students to cope with the multiple demands of an ever-changing society. As a result, children learn within real-world contexts. Along with reading and writing, instructions in mathematics, science, social studies, technology, music and art engage young learners in meaningful explorations that develop critical thinking skills" (Karen Ruzzo, Mission Statement). School's vision is to grow in the near future as a role model organization for the greater national cause, while providing the students with the opportunity to investigate a range of big ideas, to ask and answer important questions, and to develop the self-management strategies that enable them to negotiate their daily life. This shows that the school's vision is broadly based and its process creates a commitment to lifelong learning. The Manhattan New School's goals include, committing to ensure that all students benefit from a shared educational experience, and continuing to develop strategies to ensure school-wide collaboration, continuity and accountability. Although all goals direct school towards its future vision, the later set certainly is very vital for its long-term vision's success. The school's objectives for its strategies to attain its long-term vision are to establish continuity of instruction both on and across grade levels, and aligning best instructional practices in all curriculum areas with positive performance outcomes for all students. SWOT Analysis: Strengths Recognition of programs and vision Empirical and interdisciplinary education, and opportunities for student leadership development Recognized educational activities with active community outreach Significant and ongoing faculty and alumni involvement at intermediate level Small classes Extraordinary emphasis on personal attention Friendly, supportive, and comfortable in-house environment Integration of technology into the curriculum Classes primarily taught by professionals incorporation of ecological sustainability due to diversified culture Early adoption Attractive campus building and facilities while having state of the art architecture Weaknesses Lower than optimal enrollment of out-of-state and international students Insufficient diversity among students and teachers Low ratio of spending per student Average class size increasing everyday Limited school capacity Not enough programs for extra curricular activities Too many language courses Opportunities Government's importance for schools playing a larger role in community development Higher market share due to increasing population and awareness Capacity to respond for future growth Capacity to help improve intermediate education Increased demand for professional and diversified education Increasing flow of funding Greater expertise in the use of technology in teaching Access to all parts of New York City Threats Lack of sufficient funding Replica of academic programs by