Insanity of War Essay Example for Free

Insanity of War Essay Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonnegut were two of the most influential anti-war authors of the twentieth century. Heller and Vonnegut served in Second World War; Heller flew sixty missions as a bombardier and Vonnegut was awarded the Purple Heart as an infantry scout. Throughout the Vietnam War, these two authors were idolized for the heroic anti-war masterpieces that they wrote. College students throughout the country carried the novels Heller and Vonnegut wrote everywhere they went. Heller first published his book in 1961, right in the midst of Civil Rights Movement, a perfect time for a book that challenges the power of bureaucracy. Vonnegut published his novel eight years later in 1969, during the Vietnam War, a controversial period for American citizens. One student was quoted saying, Kurt Vonnegut and Joseph Heller were part of a vanguard of writers my friends and I idolized (Golly). Through the use of complex structures, highly effective literary styles, and character portrayal, Heller and Vonnegut helped to reveal the insanity of war. Heller and Vonnegut both use a complex structure when writing their satirical anti-war novels. When writing Catch-22, Heller intentionally created a narrative that is hard to follow. While Heller admits that Catch-22 was meticulously structured in order to seem chaotic, he disagrees with the readers that claim Catch-22 is formless (Merrill 34). Merrill also claims that Heller says the real structure is artfully camouflaged (34). He speaks the ideas of multiple characters and tells the story in an unconventional manner. While the majority of the novel is written from the ideas, actions, and feelings of John Yossarian, the protagonist, Heller uses other characters to tell the story from a different perspective. An example of this comes in Chapter 6, aptly named Hungry Joe, where Heller writes the ideas and feelings of Hungry Joe (Heller 51). Another comes in the twentieth chapter, where the narrative comes from Corporal Whitcomb (Heller 198). Heller also uses an unorthodox chronology while writing Catch-22. Multiple times during the text Heller makes obvious jumps in time, be it forward or back. Heller uses the number of missions to help the reader follow the chronology of this insane structure. On the twenty-first page, Doc Daneeka declares that the colonel want fifty missions (Heller). He then declares that the Twenty-seventh Air Force only requires forty missions and later on the same page they are required fifty-five missions (Heller 58). Vonnegut also uses a complex structure when writing his book, Slaughterhouse-five, but rather than switching from character to character, he changes between past, present, future. Vonnegut uses a chronological scheme that is difficult to follow as well; he actually starts the narrative during the second chapter. He starts the novel, on page twenty-three, by talking about the past and tells us that the protagonist, Billy Pilgrim, was born in 1922 (Vonnegut). Seven pages later, he jumps to 1944 describing his position of assistant chaplain and his first time being unstuck in time (Vonnegut 30). Then, during the fifth chapter, starting on page eighty-eight, he talks about the past again. When he was twelve years old, he went on vacation to the Grand Canyon that he hated (Vonnegut). In addition to using a complex structure, Vonnegut uses the phrase So it goes over one hundred times (Slaughterhouse-Five). These writing structures both work to expose the insanity of war. Heller creates a chaotic atmosphere by writing through numerous characters and through a chronology that is anything but in a logical order. While Vonnegut employs the death of over a hundred people within Slaughterhouse-Five and uses an intensely paced, chronological mess (Vonnegut). They both write chapters and paragraphs that follow the same disorganized style. With the structures that Heller and Vonnegut use, they both create a chaotic atmosphere for their readers, similar to that of war. They attempt to place the readers in a situation that makes them feel similar to the authors, when they were in the military. Heller and Vonneguts literary style is to create tension in the mind of the reader by shifting the narrative around from character to character and to and from different time periods. They do this in order to draw the readers closer to the soldiers and bombardiers of the Second World War. By doing so, they cause the readers to begin to wonder what will be happening next in the story; much like the way the soldiers of Catch-22 do on the fictional island of Pianosa and the Slaughterhouse-Five soldiers in the German city of Dresden (Heller, Vonnegut). The overall pace of Catch-22 is slow; Heller is very descriptive and builds the setting and atmosphere. There is, however, parts of Catch-22 that are intense and fast paced. Heller uses this slow pace to build tension before the novel climaxes. Catch-22 becomes faster as it approaches the climax and the end of the novel. This change of pace ties directly to war; at first everything is slow, then suddenly, the characters are in the middle of a firefight or bombing mission, then it quickly ceases. Slaughterhouse-Five uses a slightly faster pace throughout the novel; Vonneguts narrative is much shorter and does not go into as much depth as Hellers story does. However, this is the same feeling that many soldiers of the Second World War felt. The soldiers and bombardiers do not always know what is happening next or, in regard to the current Iraqi war, which is the enemy and which is not. Heller employs another literary device, called a motif, a recurring theme or device in literature, and in the novel written by Heller, the motif was catch-22. Heller incorporates many forms of the catch-22 throughout the novel. The main catch occurs when Yossarian must continue flying missions. Obviously anyone willing to risk their lives by flying these missions is crazy. The only way to be granted permission to stop flying the missions is to ask the commanding officer, but he cannot grant permission to be grounded unless it is asked of him. However, anyone sane enough to ask a commanding officer to be grounded is clearly not insane because they have regard for their lives. Therefore, they must continue flying missions. In short, any circular argument that always works in favor of the bureaucratic system that puts it in place is a catch-22. These circular arguments trap soldiers within the chaos of war; they have no way to escape it because of the system that placed it. There is several other catch-22s in the novel Catch-22, such as the open and close case against Clevenger in which all they need is something to charge him with and how they can only meet up with Major Major Major Major in his office when he is not in his office. Vonnegut also employs the literary device motif, within his novel. He uses the phrase So it goes over one hundred times in Slaughterhouse-Five (Slaughterhouse-Five). He first uses the phrase So it goes when talking about Gerhard Mullers, a cab driver, mother, who was incinerated in the Dresden fire-storm (Vonnegut 2). During chapter nine, Vonnegut writes about how Billys wife, Valencia, dies of carbon monoxide poisoning after an accident she caused while driving to the hospital Billy was taken to after a plane accident he was involved in (Vonnegut). In the prior situation, Vonnegut ended to text with So it goes, this shows how the insanity of war causes death to mean so little to some people. The last use is on the second to last page, two hundred fourteen; he uses it after the death of Edgar Derby, an old, poor English teacher, who was arrested, tried, and shot for stealing a teapot (Vonnegut). Vonnegut uses the phrase So it goes to equalize all death. Through equalizing all death, Vonnegut brings forward how some bureaucratic systems feel about war and their effects on life. Vonnegut writes to point out the insanity of war; he shows his readers what war can cause and how his characters and their lives are affected. Hellers characters display insanity throughout Catch-22. An example of this occurs on page seventy-five, when the following conversation takes place: In sixty days youll be fighting Billy Petrolle, the colonel with the big fat mustache roared. And you think its a big fat joke. I dont think its a joke, sir, Clevenger replied. Dont interrupt Yes, sir And say sir when you do, ordered Major Metcalf. Yes, sir. Werent you just ordered not to interrupt? Major Metcalf inquired coldly. But I didnt interrupt, sir, Clevenger protested. No, and you didnt say sir, either. Add that to the charges against him, Major Metcalf directed the corporal who could take shorthand, Failure to say sir to superior officers when not interrupting them. (Heller) This conversation shows just how crazy some of Hellers characters are. Through his dialogue, Heller shows the insanity of his characters and the absurdity of war. Conversations similar to this occur a dozens of times throughout Catch-22. Another example of Heller portraying insanity occurs when the IBM machine in control of the military ranking system gains a sense of humor. After only four days of enlistment, Private Major Major Major, one of Hellers more awkward characters, becomes Major Major Major Major (Heller). This mistake portrays another chaotic situation that war created. The bureaucratic system causes confusion and people lose control of their responsibilities. The actions of war depicted in Vonneguts Slaughterhouse-five, caused a large amount of death. The center of the book, the German city of Dresden, is approximated to have had at least thirty-five thousand and some sources say up to one hundred thousand casualties in the infamous firebombing of Dresden during the Second World War (Bombing of Dresden). A few characters from Slaughterhouse-five share the same insanity of those from Catch-22, such as Roland Weary, who is intent on glorifying himself and uses the fact that he saved Billy multiple times to do it (Vonnegut). Although the characters from Slaughterhouse-five dont carry on crazy dialogues, they still portray madness through their actions, like when Wild Bob inquires if Billy is part of the regiment that he is colonel of, even though all his men are dead (Vonnegut). Heller and Vonnegut use their characters in a way that proves that war does really take a toll of a persons mental situation. Through their motifs, Catch-22 and So it goes, Heller and Vonnegut show that bureaucratic systems and death do not mix well. Systems like this shouldnt have control over such a life altering things, especially since they carry the attitude So it goes throughout the war. It really is insane for a system to be in place in which someone has absolute control over anothers life. And the ability of these people to have a So it goes attitude is as pure madness. The structure in Slaughterhouse-five and Catch-22 are very similar in that the both follow a chronology that is nowhere near in order. This is significant because it puts the reader into the insanity of war. The have the same confusion that soldier does until they realize what is really going on. Through the use of characters, motifs, and confusing chronologies; these brilliant antiwar authors capture the insanity of war.

South Africa’s Peaceful Social Change Essay Example for Free

South Africa’s Peaceful Social Change Essay An integrated society or methodological system on resolving certain conflicts is perhaps one of the key factors in buoying up peace within the post-settlement environment. The ideological milieu to such a coherent series of statements leading from a premise to a conclusion is divulged by traversing over the key figures and conceptual entities such as the merging of distinct technologies, industries, or devices into a unified whole and post-settlement context. Moreover, notions with regard to civilizations, community concepts, resolving conflicts, and building peace and order are also acknowledged in contributing essential benefits to these key figures. Given the explication above, vestiges that are relying on experience and/or observation alone often without due regard for system and theory, are shown through an excerpt from Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy. Such contemporary issues concerning methodological systems of community development and/or resolving certain conflicts have led the people, particularly South Africa’s communities, into struggling to address the needs of every citizen, motivating the entire community to fight for their rights and privileges, and acknowledging the importance of democracy to the whole country. Hence, this paper unfolds how social change takes place in a successful manner along the way where a nation struggles against the end of racial segregation—a former policy of segregation and political and economic discrimination against non-European groups in the Republic of South Africa. Contemporary Issues and Challenges in South Africa Various countries around the world have admired South Africa’s strong transition to democracy. Many of them believed that the nation would gain its victory upon observing the number of African people struggling over apartheid. Therefore, numerous countries from across the world learned that the nation’s previous form of government would have led the entire country to a certain revolution. Susan Collin Marks, one of the thousands of South Africans, has committed herself to making the strategic system of obtaining the real freedom peacefully (â€Å"Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy†). Many of her compatriots believed that if they aim to create a peaceful world, which was free from unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power (which has been marked by cynicism and rancor, prejudiced hostility or animosity, battles and impending wars), they need to find ways to resolve the conflicts in democratic means. Therefore, South Africa has garnered invaluable insights toward the course of democracy. Apartheid, which has been the mode or form of government in South Africa, unleashed a state or period of time that was marked by violence often committed by those in power that produces widespread terror. Such a royal authority prolonged for over forty years and put the number of people to imprisonment. Hence, numerous countries have considered such event as cruel and merciless regime that the entire world has ever seen subsequently to the time of Hitler in Germany (â€Å"Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy†). Indeed, it has been an extremely outstanding or unusual event that South Africa was still able to obtain a peaceful transition to democracy despite the fact that the nation has suffered such ruthless circumstances. Marks’s Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy is truly a more compelling and inspiring book that unfolds the systematic ways, which have been used by Africans in order to obtain a peaceful change in their society—from apartheid to democracy. The history of such a racial discrimination against the native inhabitants of South Africa has begun when the first Europeans from Holland arrived in the country. A former policy of segregation and political and economic discrimination against non-European groups in the Republic of South Africa has become outrageous during the rule of Dutch and British (â€Å"Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy†). A number of laws and acts have been passed, which undermined the position of non-white population; however, rampant discrimination has been acknowledged in the entire country. In the midst of 1980s, the United States of America and other democratic nations in Europe have merged their authorities in order to impose approbation against South Africa’s government leaders (Marks). Thus, the president was convinced to eradicate such a form of government in the country. When Frederik Willem de Klerk, the last State President of apartheid-era South Africa, too over the position of the late president, he continued working on a high-level overall plan embracing the general goals and acceptable procedures especially of a governmental body to end the apartheid. In addition, he ended a 30-year ban of the African National Congress (ANC) members who have tried leading the Africans into a non-racial democracy and to the propagation of the black South Africans’ rights and privileges in the country. Moreover, he has not just freed the ANC members but also given their leader, Nelson Mandela, of freedom to be one of the key figures in the new South African government and negotiate with the United Nations for the peaceful implementation of democracy. Conflict Resolution during South Africas Transition to Democracy Marks’s book Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy is considered as the key figure, which has been used by the author in order to represent a vigorous effort to attain an end of the apartheid and begin living under democratic government and non-racial discrimination society. As an analysis of the entire conceptualization of her book, contemporary issues were dealing with a methodological system of obtaining the liberty or freedom without racial discrimination in South Africa. A number of African citizens have suffered the first heartless and ruthless government, which has seen by numerous countries from across the world. Marks, based on her book, experienced a variety of circumstances that have led her to gathering different stories concerning the upper levels of South African society’s movements on the implementation of 1991 National Peace Accord. Her book written with just the right mix of empathy and sensitivity, she then represented every life and work of the key people attempting to obtain the peace in which they put themselves in risk only to achieve South Africa’s change of society in a peaceful manner. They have made this happened through their courage and hope of peace. Activists have sat in line of the negotiating table of their torturers. They have made the negotiation in such a way in order for them to show their trust and hope for the liberty or freedom without attempting to declare the civil war. Most of their compatriots have put themselves in intermediate relation to wrathful group of people and police officers who were too eager to fight or contend. Moreover, every group of people attempting to end the apartheid and freedom has worked desperately for the change of their society. Therefore, as an analysis of the entire conceptualization and view of Marks’s Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy, it becomes quite easy for every individual to learn the fact from such stories, which have been unfolded by the author. For a better comprehension, it explicates and shows the world about the methodological and/or strategic ways that South African society used in order to end apartheid and give birth to the real democracy. Such a systematic process of resolving the conflict represents the great promise of John Burton’s view of the Basic Human Needs Theory in which he believes that such a theory will stipulate material basis that determines the sources of conflict and working on the process of resolving the conflict. Works Cited Marks, Susan. Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy. New York: United States Institute of Peace Press, 2000. 256pp. Rubenstein, Richard. â€Å"Basic Human Needs: The Next Steps in Theory Development. † The International Journal of Peace Studies. Published by George Mason University Press, 2009. 1-2

The Basque Country In Spain Cultural Studies Essay

The Basque Country In Spain Cultural Studies Essay Basque Country (el Pais Vasco in Spanish) is small enclave country located in the heart of Pyrenees Mountains, which divide Spain and France from each other, the northern coastline of the Country lies in the Bay of Biscay on the Cantabrian sea. The Basque Country is made up of 6 traditional regions. The three regions to the south, within Spain forms Hegoalde (south zone), while the three to the northeast, within France, form Iparralde (north zone). The three provinces in Spain side are Vizcaya, Alava and Guipuzcoa centered around the cities of Bilbao, Vitoria and San Sebastian. Perhaps surprisingly to some, the capital of community is Vitoria, even though it is only just over half the size of the somewhat better known Bilbao city. In some resources it shows that there are four provinces in south zone. The fourth province is called Navarre, a region which Basque nationalists want to incorporate into Euskadi, but whose people want to continue being a separate entity. Navarre is just one of the territories that the Basque nationalist parties claim as Basque territory; there are also two enclaves surrounded by Basque territory Trevino and Valle de Villaverde, which belong to fellow neighboring communities of Castile de Leon and Cantabria. In French side there are three provinces: Labourd, Basse-Navarre, and Soule. Basques call these territories collectively, Euskal- Herria (Land of the Basques) or Euskadi. The region covers nearly 21.000 square kilometers, of which about 3,000 lie on French side. The 18.000 square kilometers on the Spanish side constitute about 3.6 percent of Spains total land area. Basque region has a wonderful mild climate with few extremes of temperature or weather conditions when the seasons changes. The climate, the influence of the sea, and an attractive mixture of village, mountains, hills and abundant greenery, all makes Basque Country a place of natural surprises. Around 3 million people live in this community. Almost all Basques are Roman Catholic. Traditionally, an unusually high percentage chooses to become priests and nuns. The region operates as an autonomous region; today region has its own parliament and police force, controls education and collects its own taxes. The Basque Autonomous Community is currently the wealthiest region in Spain. About 20 percent of population is engaged in agriculture. Fishing is a significant Basque industry. The Basque country has long been known as a center of Spanish industry especially the city Bilbao. The regions history as the nations iron and steel capital has led to the development of automobile and machine tool manufacturing. Shipbuilding is another profitable industry. One constant tradition that has always been strong in the Basque country is the wine-making. The areas wineries produce some of the riches wines in the world for example Rioja or Alava wines. The Basque people have preserved unique culture, the jewel of which is its language, Euskera, a pre Indo-European tongue whose mysterious origin has never been established. The fact that it is not and Indo-European language, and shows no resemblance to languages in neighboring countries has led to formulation of varieties of hypotheses to explain its existence. Owing to some similarities with the Georgian language, some linguists think it could be it could be related to languages from the Caucasus. Other relates the language to non-Arabic languages from the north of Africa. Throughout history, the Basque language has taken up words not only from French, Latin and Castilian, but also from Celtic and Arabic. On the other hand some of the words in Castilian, French and English come from Basque language. Rural communities have kept the language alive for centuries. It is estimated, nowadays, that more than 600.000 people speak Basque in seven provinces. There are 520.000 Basque speaking people in the Basque provinces in Spain, which is 25% of their total population. The Basque language is extremely difficult and complex .In addition there are number of different dialects. The Basque language was not written until the 16th century .Things has not been easy for the Basque language. Apart from having to compete with two powerful neighboring languages like French and Castilian, Basque was forbidden language during the dictatorship that followed by Civil War. For decades children had to study in an unfamiliar language and were severely punished when they spoke in Basque, even at play time. At that time an important movement to open Basque schools started. And these schools are the only ones which provide teaching in Basque. Through centuries of storytelling, the Basques have evolved a rich and colorful mythology. Basque folklore also encompasses various rituals and dances. The Basques maybe are the oldest ethnic group in Europe. They are thought to have inhabited the southwestern corner of the continent since before Indo-European peoples came to the area approximately 5.000 years ago. Surviving invasions by the Romans, Visigoths, Arabs, French and Spanish, they resisted domination by outsiders until the Middle Ages (AD 476-1450). At that time much of their territory was seized by Spaniards, Gascons and Catalans. In 1516 the Basques on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees Mountains agreed to Castilian rules but won the rights to keep degree of self-government. By the 1876 all Basque land were divided between the France and Spain. During the regime of General Francisco Franco (1939 75) the Basque language was banned and culture in the Spain provinces were ruthlessly suppressed, the Basque activists and intellectuals imprisoned and tortured for their political and cultural belief. By the 1950s, resistance groups had formed, most notably the Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) Basque Homeland and Liberty. ETA was founded in 1959 by young national activists. ETA is a Basque separatist organization. Since the creation of ETA in the Franco dictatorship, for fifty years ETA has tried achieve full independence from the Spanish country for the four Basque provinces Vizcaya, Guipuzcoa, Alava and Navarra in the eastern area of Spain and the south western areas of France of Labourd, Basse-Navarra, and Soule. ETA has been trying to become an independent state through their tactics of bombing and assassinations. Since 1959 the group has been held responsible for a number of bombings, shootings and kidnappings or killings of high profile European government figures, and its activities have claimed over 800 lives in four decades. Though believed to be a small terrorist group (with approximately 20 main activists and several hundred supporters), in December 2001, the European Union declared ETA a terrorist organization. ETA members are believed to have received training in Lebanon, Libya, South Y emen, Nicaragua and as well as to have fled to Cuba. The group also allegedly maintains close ties with the Irish Republican Army (IRA) through the both groups political wings.

Personal Identity :: essays research papers

Personal Identity Personal Identity can be broken down into three areas: 1.) Body 2.) Memory and 3.) Soul. In John Perry's "A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality" these composing aspects of personal identity are discussed at length. In the reading and class discussions the body was defined clearly as a part of one's person, even alluded to at times as a "prison" in which one cannot escape until one dies. Memory and one's Soul seemed to be lumped together many times, understandably so, for the two bare many things in common such as they are intangible, cannot be completely defined as to what each exactly is (people remember things that did not actually happen to them, are those still memories?; do you have one soul throughout your life?), and both are thought to compose one's character and beliefs. This essay will deal with the two aspects of one's personal identity which are the most obvious in day to day life, that of the body and of soul/memory. As stated beforehand, memory and the soul bare many of the same qualities. The body and soul, however, also share this trait. Perry illustrates in his essay that the body and soul are similar because there is a "link" between one another, that is they both make up a person and are responsible for the qualities associated with being an individual (height, weight, character, belief, etc.). Perry also comes back to challenge this using the analogy of a river. If one goes to a river, and then the next day goes back to the same river, the person will not say that it is a different river, although almost all of the properties of the river have changed (water molecules, pollution level, temperature, etc.). This is the same with a person, for we say that a person at adolescence is still the same person at adulthood, even though the the persons beliefs, knowledge, and character may have changed over the years. Perry answers this problem by saying that we can still regard the person as the same by the relative "similarity" of the person to how they were in the past, and that "[the] sameness of body is a reliable sign of sameness of all; of soul" . In another example, Perry differentiates between the body and the soul by saying that "personal identity" (referring to the soul/mind) cannot be based on bodily identity, for one can judge who one is without having to make any judgments about the body. Perry continues to elaborate on this by saying even if he woke

Formation of the Triple Alliance :: History

Formation of the Triple Alliance In 1871 two new major states of Europe had been formed—the German Empire and the kingdom of Italy. The new German Empire, under the hand of Otto von Bismarck, was steered carefully, always with an eye upon France, for the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71) had left France thirsting for revenge and for recovery of the lost provinces of Alsace and Lorraine. 2 Germany had allied itself with Russia and Austria-Hungary in the Three Emperors’ League, but Austria-Hungary and Russia were not the best of friends, partly because they were at odds over the Balkans and partly because Russia represented the Pan-Slavic movement, whose program threatened the very existence of Austria-Hungary. The Treaty of San Stefano (1878), following the Russo-Turkish War, furthered the cause of Pan-Slavism through the creation of a large Bulgarian state and offended Austria-Hungary as well as Great Britain. A European conference (1878; see Berlin, Congress of), called to revise the treaty, caused a sharp decline in the friendship between Russia on the one hand and Austria-Hungary and Germany on the other; Bismarck formed (1879) a secret defensive alliance—the Dual Alliance—with Austria-Hungary. 3 In 1882 Italy, angry at France chiefly because France had forestalled an Italian advance by occupying Tunis, signed another secret treaty, which bound it with Germany and Austria-Hungary. Thus was the Triple Alliance formed. It was periodically renewed until 1913. In 1882 Serbia joined the alliance, in effect, through a treaty with Austria-Hungary. Romania joined the group in 1883, and a powerful Central European bloc was created. Italy was from the first not so solidly bound to either of its allies as Germany and Austria-Hungary were to each other. Italy was in fact a rival of Austria-Hungary in the Balkans and particularly for control of the Adriatic; moreover, there remained unsettled territorial problems (see irredentism). The Triple Alliance, however, turned diplomatic history into new channels. 4 Formation of the Triple Entente The Three Emperors’ League died a slow death, but in 1890 its day was over: Germany refused to renew its reinsurance treaty with Russia, and Russia in consequence sought a rapprochement with France. At the same time France, face to face with an increasingly powerful Germany and a hostile Central European combination, felt great need of an ally, and French diplomats began to make overtures to Russia for an agreement to counterbalance the Triple Alliance. French capital aided Russian projects, especially the Trans-Siberian Railroad, and friendly diplomatic visits were exchanged.

Essay --

Throughout history, Term limits have been a very controversial issue as well as a powerful reform regarding politics. Term limits can best be defined as a restriction or a limit to a number of times an official may be elected or serve. For years, American politics have been dealing with the movement to limit political terms. Though there are some who disapprove of term limits for Congressmen, there are many Americans who have approved. There is widespread support on Term Limits, which shows us that the public is dissatisfied with what is occurring in Congress presently. In many states, cities and counties across the United States term limits have been established for state and local officials. Congress is currently running on a system of seniority. Individuals who have spent the most time in office gain more power. As a result, these Congressmen focus on how they can stay in office and that plan leaves limited room for fresh new officials to have a chance to make changes. Term l imits should be placed on our Congressmen and women because it would allow for a more efficient Congress. The problem with not having term limits is that one person in Congress exercise too much power. As John Adams said, â€Å"Without [term limits] every man in power becomes a ravenous beast of prey.† (Smith 73). Similarly, Thomas Jefferson once stated, â€Å"To prevent every danger which might arise to American freedom from continuing too long in office, it is earnestly recommended that we set an obligation on the holder of that office to go out after a certain period.† (Smith 73). Our country needs term limits in Congress for several reasons. Presently, in Congress there are members who serve very lengthy terms. Members in the House of Representatives ser... ...rse legislature.† (Epstein 855). Term Limits would make being apart of Congress more possible. Millions more Americans would find it an attractive option for them. To sum it all up, Term limits presently occur all over the country in state legislatures and they are working. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 15 states currently have term limits for legislatures. Term limits increase the likelihood of turnover in state legislatures. Term limits also weaken seniority systems in state legislatures. Term limits help non-traditional candidates such as Hispanic, African American and Asian to run for seats in state legislatures. It is time to change the system so that people who care about the future of our nation and our state can and will compete fairly to represent us. That is what democracy was meant to be, and that is what it can be again.

My Math Difficulties began with Pre-Algebra and Fractions

It was the summer before college when I had the best vacation in my life. I never had enjoyed any vacation since the past years. Too bad I became so pre-occupied with take pleasure in this escapement that I lost my penchant for learning. Summer was fast ending and I had to pack-up hastily and drive back home. And schooldays are coming. I felt like a lonely cavalier on my college’s first math class. As everyone on the class each has varied high school backgrounds, I found it hard to cope up with the subjects pace. I got a very failing mark on my first quiz. And worse, it went on until the end of the semester. My young freshman mind found it tough to adapt to such a demanding subject. I always had to sleep late at night solving problems and forgetting them when I wake up in the morning. My mouth gaped at the sight of endless assignments and workbooks. Our teacher could see our agony, our pleading eyes hoping she would blow her whistle and let us take a break from the work. Twenty pages of reading and a worn out pencil erase keeps me awake every night. I sweated over those small numbers above and below the fraction line. How could I learn all this and still have time to watch Smallville? This wasn’t a freshman’s usual anxiety. I honestly thought I hated math. What is this subject anyway? Why would I have to really put much time and agony into it? Nightmares would come in numbers dancing across my room. It would torment me just thinking about how bad my day became because of that exasperating pre-algebra exam. It would send me down lurching on the sofa everyday when I get home. Nothing had been that much demoralizing, when the test papers were returned and what you got isn’t even enough to lift your aching pride, what more than to show it to your mom. A research paper, published Anna  Sierpinska, Georgeana  Bobos and Christine  Knipping of Concordia University in Canada(August  2007), tackles about the frustration in students of mathematical courses. Their paper summarizes the reactions of the students and instructors they interviewed. They identified numerous causes of frustration, such as the fast pace of the courses, inefficient learning strategies, the need to change previously acquired ways of thinking, difficult rapport with truth and reasoning in mathematics, being forced to take PMC, insufficient academic and moral support on the part of teachers, and poor achievement (Sierpinska, Bobos and Knipping, 2007). These sources of frustration are discussed from the point of view of their impact on the quality of the mathematical knowledge that students develop in mathematical subjects. All of us go through all of the learning stages but not always on the same timetable (Hood, 1997). Sometimes, other inclinations in us, like music and arts, develop much earlier than the others and we do not fully grasp many mathematical concepts until we reach adulthood. In our course of growing up, we learn through our environment and according to our level of maturity (Hood, 1997). The book â€Å"Taking the Frustration out of Math† by Mary Hood tells us about the three distinct learning styles (auditory, visual and kinesthetic). She relates them to math learning. Along her book, she reminds us that each kid is diverse and that the parent is truly the expert on his/her own child. If a child is not grasping a concept, she recommends putting it aside and working on it again at a later date. Frustrating the child will only make a child hate math. Just because a child should be in a particular stage, does not mean that the individual child is ready for certain concepts. Eventually, he or she will be. Some websites, such as â€Å"Coping with Math Anxiety† offers various ways on coping with math frustrations. It recommends that the primary pace is to identify that math anxiety is an emotional response. And since it is an emotional reaction, it can be in a constructive or unconstructive way. Unconstructive ways comprises rationalization, suppression, and denial. By rationalization, we mean finding reasons why it is okay and perhaps even inevitable, and therefore justified, for you to have this reaction. By suppression is meant having awareness of the anxiety, but trying very, very hard not to feel it. Finally, there is denial. People using this approach probably aren’t likely to see this essay, much less read it, for they carefully construct their lives so as to avoid all mathematics as much as possible (Coping with Math Anxiety, www.mathacademy.com/pr/ minitext/anxiety). The constructive way to manage math anxiety involves making as conscious as possible the sources of math anxiety in one’ own life, accepting those feelings without self-criticism, and then learning strategies for disarming math anxiety's influence on one’s future study of mathematics (Coping with Math Anxiety, www.mathacademy.com/pr/ minitext/anxiety). I never had much luck on my first college math subject. It took me countless sleepless nights before it dawned on me that I had much more things to prove and accomplish. One time or another, each of us will be haunted by math frustrations. We may take it as a frustration forever, or we could take it as a positive challenge to move on to much greater heights, where our past failure becomes too insignificant. References Printed References: Arem, Cynthia.   Conquering Math Anxiety: A Self-Help Workbook.   Pacific Grove, CA:   Brooks/Cole Publishing, 1993. Burns, Marilyn.   The I Hate Mathematics! Book.   Little, Brown ; Company, 1975. Buxton, Laurie.   Math Panic.   London: Heinemann, 1991. Mary Hood, PhD 1997, Taking the Frustration Out of Math, Elijah Company, January 1, 1997 Online References: Coping With Math Anxiety, (www.mathacademy.com/pr/minitext/anxiety) Professors Freedman's Math Help (http://www.mathpower.com/) Soloman/Felder's Learning Styles ;