What the founders meant by the first Amendment

What the founders meant by the first Amendment Introduction United States is a country with rich culture and history. Worth noting is the fact that, throughout American history, religion and in particular Church has played an integral part in development of the State. Values such as democracy and freedom were brought by Christians who fled from British Monarch.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on What the founders meant by the first Amendment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, when the first amendment was entrenched into the bill of rights, the State gradually moved away from Church values and instead strengthened secularism. The Church feels cheated as they made a great contribution to the foundation of State. This paper will try to explore what the founders of the first amendment meant, when they wrote the bill (Holcomb 23). What the founders meant by the first Amendment The first amendment was written over 200 years ago by the founders who wanted to protect both the State and religion from interfering in each others tasks. However, its interpretation has raised concern as courts insist it is not absolute while the congress believes that it is. This has led to confusion over its exact meaning and relevance to the State and Church. Its meaning has always varied with each side taking to their interpretations. Even though it was written more than 200 years ago, it has endured any significant alteration. It states the congress is not to respect any established religion when making laws This was ideally meant to protect them from executing each other’s duties, and did not mean Church could not advice the State (Holcomb 12). The founders wanted openness as well as democracy in United States. They were tired of tyranny and control of information which had restricted people from airing their grievances. They had the purpose of ending this form of life forever, and therefore wrote this amendment in the bill of rights. They believed that the population needed to share information so as to live in unity and harmony. They also hoped to protect the state from a stronger religion which could begin dictatorship as was in the days of Rome. The founders feared tyranny, which they had witnessed under British monarchy and wanted a better future for the American population. However, this was interpreted in many ways to an extent that currently, the State is completely separated from Church. Instead, secularism has encroached in government, and the society at large. All religions are treated equally, even though others impact on more people than the rest. Though the founders of the bill had good intentions for the country, it is not clear why they did not seal the loopholes (Holcomb 113).Advertising Looking for essay on constitutional law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion When the first amendment was written, its aims ware established by the founders, they were intended to protect both State and Church. However, this took a twist as each side interpreted the bill to befit their conditions. This only confirms the bill was not complete in its description of relationship between Church and State. Courts have made it clear that the bill is not absolute, however the State insists on its other meaning, which keeps religion at bay. American populations, majority of which are Christians, cannot have their way, both in schools and institutions, these are the severity of such conflicts between Church and State (Holcomb 23). Work Cited Holcomb, David. â€Å"Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land: a History of Church and State in America†. USA: Oxford University Press, 2003

Imagery in Prose Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Imagery in Prose - Essay Example He wasn’t a rock star in a traditional meaning either (well, everybody knows those adored handsome guys following the sex, drugs and rock-n-roll motto); he didn’t earn a fortune of money and never grew vain. His fans found something disarming about his kind and easy-going manners, and everyone would sense something so familiar in his songs. He didn’t want to be famous worldwide and wasn’t obsessed with fame, he knew that it was a delusive thing. Now, hurrying to meet his fans (who were certainly the best fans in the world, he thought) at a charity concert, he thought about the legacy he wanted to leave: not because he was going to die, not at all. It was in his nature, this desire to be useful to the society, and he had so many plans and so many purposes. Miles wanted to communicate his message to people. â€Å"The legacy and the message,† he thought. â€Å"That’s what makes artists live forever in the minds of people. But is it enough? Is it enough to write a couple of mediocre songs? Guys like me are not starry enough to get themselves listened to.† If he shared these thoughts with his wife, she would surely say that he was too modest and underestimated his significance. Well, he did. The cellphone rang – it was Steve, the concert manager (he always communicated with all the staff himself). Miles picked up the call with his right hand, holding the driving wheel with the left one. The car lost traction on the icy turn and ran against the truck. The collision set the Range Rover afire. Everything was blurred in his eyes, and the last thing he saw before he fell into darkness was the strange fiery bird of red and gold hovering above him. Miles found himself standing near the cathedral of his hometown amidst the overwhelming crowd of grieving people dressed in black. The weather was lousy, cold rain falling from the leaden clouds; however,

Southern Distinctiveness.James C. Cobbs Away Down South Essay

Southern Distinctiveness.James C. Cobbs Away Down South - Essay Example In this book, Cobb argues that the southerners did not achieve distinctive identity with respect to politics, culture, and religion. However, he points out that the history of the Southern is the only distinctive feature of the South. He asserts that the quest for southern distinctiveness should be abandoned since it is both intellectually stultifying and politically dangerous. Indeed, I agree with Cobb’s statement that the search for southern distinctiveness should be thwarted since most of the debates, about this topic, usually trigger dangerous political arguments. Cobb identifies that the quest for southern distinctiveness is not an issue that originated in Southern regions of America, but it is the northerners, during the revolutionary era through the Civil War period, who begun stressing on the distinctiveness of the south (Cobb 222). It is until sectional crises of 1950s, originating from the remonstration of the southern region between 1860 and 1865, that the white sou therners realized the need to create their own identity (Cobb 222). After southerners lost in Confederacy, they became obsessed with the results of Civil War and Reconstruction, which dominated their imagination of forming the New South. In the quest for southern identity, New South propagandists, by 1900, had won a contest for defining post-war southern identity. They also created a remarkably comprehensive version of defining post Civil War South identity (Cobb 226). The new identity embraced the causes of the loss including a modern industrial future for the southern in alias with the northern capital. However, the New South identity failed to recognize the plights of African American, and embraced a regime of white supremacy. It is within the context of white supremacy that people begun questioning the significance of New South identity. During the second Reconstruction after World War II, the southern region was initially perceived as a confident and militant Africa-American co mmunity (Cobb 231). However, during the second Reconstruction, many southern scholars turned their feelings about their region to shame and guilt. This led to their defeat in the Civil War; something Cobb believes was as a result of disagreements and conflicts in white identity. Ironically, instead of conceding the defeat, some of the southern governors, still had the confidence to boost that the loss was as a result of their own mistakes, but not as a result of the entire nation. While the northern America was struggling to achieve a global image, the south was struggling to become Americanized. Cobb further indicates that both the white and black Americans were struggling to claim the southern identity (Cobb 229). However, African Americans, born and bred in the southern, have embraced the New South identity in a different perspective from the white southerners. Their definition of the southern identity does not include anything that relates to Lost Cause or Confederacy, but rathe r with community, place, family and culture (Cobb 234). In this case, they are trying to reclaim the identity of a region that was initially owned by white Americans. This implies that the initial definition of New South identity, which was structured by white intellectuals, was not valid enough to prove the southern distinctiveness south because it failed to recognize their presence, as members of the community, yet they participated in the Civil War and Reconstruction process (Cobb 234). This also indicates that people have mixed reactions and definitions when it comes to southern distinctiveness. Therefore, the quest for southern identity should be abolished as it creates unnecessary conflicts and dangerous politics among authors and other

Compare and Contrast Essay Example for Free

Compare and Contrast Essay In the sixteenth century, a group of English protestant who practised a more strictly disciplined Christian lifestyle were named Puritans; they immigrated to Salem also called New England in the purpose to establish a society of their own after suffering from religious persecution in England. Arthur Millers play The Crucible and Celia Reess novel Witch Child are both similar as their story evolve around this same Puritan society of the seventeenth century in Salem, Massachusetts. The restrained and rigid Puritan lifestyle is explored in detail in both texts in which people were expected to work hard and repress their emotions and opinions. The Crucible relates very closely to Witch Child in its portrayal of a main theme within Puritanism: the witchcraft hysteria that marked the early History of America. The first similarity between Witch Child and Crucible is the portrayal of a strict Puritan religion. They were so strict that they accepted every word of the Bible as totally accurate and would not question its interpretation further, an example would be the famous Thou shalt not permit a sorceress to live (2. Moses 22, 17) upon which most of the European witch trials had already been conducted. People were repressed, as entertainment and pleasure were heinous sins in which cosmetics, games, theatres and dancing were all banned. As a result in The Crucible the witchcraft madness begins after Abigail and the girls have been caught dancing in the woods. The same scenario is echoed in Witch Child they practice not just in the forestDeborah and Hannah Vane, Sarah Garner and Elizabeth Denning and others unknown were found in a barn, dancing naked. We notice in both stories a parallel in which woods and forests are associated with witchcraft. This is demonstrated in Witch Child p121: The forest is also the realm of Satan and against him and his forces guns offer no protection This insinuates the wilderness is linked to the darkness thus forest was evil. Colourful clothing was also not allowed, this idea is repeated several times in Witch Child as people were all dressed in the dark sober clothes which mark them as Puritans This suggests puritans valued plainness in religious worship and had a lack of interest in material and artificial things as those were to distract men away from the right path. Another main concept of Puritanism is the theocracy in which their society is governed. The church represents the centre of the community and it is illustrated in both The Crucible and Witch Child. Non-attendance at church was a sin in which the person would be punished and excommunicated, losing all of his property and rights. In The Crucible, Proctor does not attend church as Reverend Hale note[s] that [he is] rarely in the church on Sabbath Day he also questions Proctors way of raising his children as only two are baptized?, and furthermore Proctor is found unable to quote the last commandment which Elizabeth reminds him that it is Adultery, John. All these statement are then held against him as incriminating evidence, whereby he is found suspicious in the Witch trial. Proctor is compared to Marys Grandmother in Witch child who always attended churcheven though she did not believe a word of what was saidshe went every Sundayshe never missed a service Unlike Proctor, Marys grandmother followed the Puritan lifestyle strictly with obedience even if it differed from her beliefs. It is ironic that Marys grandmother is said to be a witch in Witch Child but was still obedient to the puritan society, whereas Proctor is only seeking defence in Abigails false accusations but it is a whores vengeance, and you must see it!; yet both characters ended up accused and executed whether being innocent or not in the witch craft trial. Deep in the psyche of the inhabitants of Puritan society was a stigma surrounding the potential of women to become cohort of the Devil. Sexual prejudice linked witchcraft to females, and specific social circumstances made certain kinds of women particularly liable to witchcraft prosecution. Throughout Witch Child Mary is subjected to rumours in the community for her desire to wander in the forest this is apparent on p149 Such wandering could draw attention. If you were seen with him rumours are also added to her literacy skills and her knowledge on plants and their medicinal or heathen remedy uses. This was unusual to the community as puritans believed women were inferior, weak, and disregarded for their intellectual value mainly because female sexuality was associated with evil, stemming from the biblical depiction of Eve tempting Adam in the Garden of Eden. The sensual power of women was feared since they had the ability to corrupt upstanding Puritan men and leads them into paths of wickedness. Deborah Vane and Abigail William closely relate to each other being the main leaders of the Witchcraft insanity in both Witch Child and The Crucible books. Their motives for such spiteful behaviour were not justified although they had several advantages in being afflicted. The girls, who normally had a very low position in the social order, were able to act in a way that usually would have been unacceptable. Their strange and sometimes even disrespectful behaviour was blamed on the witches who were torturing them and forcing them to do so I danced for the Devil; I saw him, I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil! Seeing Abigails success, the other girls follow suit and with this pattern of hysterical, self-serving accusations, the witch trials get underway as the girls were excused and even pitied. I personally believe it was a way to gain attention, just like Proctor claims in Act 2 p72 Ill tell you whats walking Salem vengeance is walking Salem. We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law! In fact this whole scenario makes the girls the most powerful persons in Salem at that time, whereas in their normal lives they would not be able to have any perspective of improving their social status in the future. Since the exhibition of their affliction represented the main evidence during the trials, they were able to decide who was going to be accused and whether these persons were going to be executed or not. Whenever a person doubted the veracity of their afflictions or tried to argue with them, they would fall into fits accusing him or her of also being a witch.

The Effect of the Kyoto-Protocol on the Earth Essay -- Environment Fos

The Effect of the Kyoto-Protocol on the Earth In the article â€Å"Global-warming Rules Begin Feb.16† by Traci Watson published in USA Today, Watson’s explanation is that this protocol on global warming is likely to have a ripple effect on the USA, even though U.S. leaders have bowed out of this treaty to avoid its potential impacts on the economy. It seems to other writers that carbon dioxide may not contribute so much to global warming and that this protocol will have a bad influence upon the economy. On the up side, however, the amount of fossil fuel use in the entire earth will certainly be decreased by the Kyoto Protocol. Consequently, improvement of air quality and environmental preservation in the entire earth should be promoted. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was adopted in 1992 to address global warming and was brought into force in 1994. The third session of the Conference of the Parties to UNFCCC (COP3) was held in Kyoto in 1997, where the Kyoto Protocol was adopted. The Protocol stipulates that 38 countries, including developed countries and economies in transition, will reduce their Green House Gases (GHGs) including CO2 respectively to total emissions 5.2% below the 1990 level during the period from 2008 to 2012. For example, reduction below 1990 levels of 8% is required for the EU, 7% for the U.S., 6% for Japan, and 0% for Russia. Even though the protocol was adopted, this treaty can take effect only if it gets approval from countries with an emissions cap whose aggregate 1990’s emissions is more than 55% of the total CO2 emissions in 1990 of capped parties. The share of the U.S. in 1990 was 36.1%, that of Japan was 8.5% and that of Russia was 17.4%. This treaty had go... ...l basis. Consequently, what I want to suggest is that the rate of fossil fuel use in the entire earth will be decreased by the Kyoto Protocol. It is clear that improvements at least in air quality and environmental preservation in the entire earth are promoted by the plan. Furthermore, there is still the possibility of GHG reductions mitigating global warming. Works Cited Patterson, Tim. †Climate Change.† EnviroTruth.org. 10 April 2002. Tatsuyoshi, Saijo. †The Kyoto Protocol and Global Environmental Strategies of the EU, the U.S. and Japan.† January 2002. < http://www.iser.osaka-u.ac.jp/~saijo/pdffiles/kpjan02.pdf> Watson, Traci. †U.S., Not Part of Kyoto Pact, Will Still Feel its Effects.† USA Today. 24 November 2004.

The Advantage of Wealth

Since time immemorial, it has been a common notion that wealth defines a person’s status in the society. It is usually associated with the amount of material things that a person owns that wealth is determined. This essay would try to evaluate the advantage of wealth in the light of the novels ’ Hedda Gabler’ by Henrik Ibsen and ‘The Great Gatsby’ by Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald.A discussion of the basic concept of wealth in each novel will first be identified. A deliberation on the advantage of wealth in each novel will be highlighted. Lastly, the essay will compare the ideas in the two novels to establish the significance of wealth.The Great Gatsby, narrated through the eyes of Nick Carraway, denotes his enthusiasm to the life of his neighbor Jay Gatsby. The novel is a love story on the surface with the concept of betrayal and true love emanating from each chapter. Nevertheless, the novel connotes on the absurdity of life, wealth and social status during the 19th century. As can be reiterated, the novel tries to undermine the fact that ‘money is tantamount to power and authority in the society’.  Basically, the novel is about the pursuit of Daisy’s love by Jay Gatsby and the means that Gatsby had used to attain his goals. It is noted that Jay and Daisy had been in love prior to her marriage to Tom. Jay had to leave because of war but they promised each other that they will someday marry and live together.Nonetheless, when Jay came back, he discovered that Daisy had married a rich and wealthy man, Tom Buchanan. Gatsby’s dream is to be with Daisy forever and to win back Daisy’s love. Since Daisy is a woman of aristocratic heritage, it is a prerequisite for him to be rich and famous to be able to succeed her love. Thus, Jay Gatsby has been blinded by money. His dream has been based on the acquisition of money, fortune and fame due to the belief that material wealth can bring back everything.  To further emphasize this viewpoint, it can be helpful to understand some quotes from the novel itself. In a statement when Gatsby imagined that Daisy will divorce Tom, he uttered ‘I’m going to fix everything just the way it was before (Fitzgerald, p. 111)’.This statement holds his faith to his wealth; it shows that despite everything, he believed that money can still fix everything. When Nick advises him that ‘you can’t repeat the past’, Gatsby replied ‘Why, of course, you can (Fitzgerald p. 111)’.   The conversation further reveals Gatsby’s confidence in the power of wealth and determination towards what he wants.One of the most exquisite remarks that Jay Gatsby had uttered is that ‘Her voice is full of money (Fitzgerald p. 144)’, in reference to Daisy. Gatsby is aware of the fact that his love for Daisy is based on attraction towards wealth. In this regard, Gatsby believed that money can substitute love since Tom had substitute Jay’s place in Daisy’s heart. Like money, love is something that needs to be acquired which determines the purpose of being for Jay. Everything that Jay spends is a way towards fulfilling his dream.Daisy on the other hand displays the significance of wealth when she married Tom Buchanan despite the fact that she is not in love with him. The novel hinted the interest that Daisy still have for Jay after all the years when she inquired ‘What Gatsby?’ and when she drunk her self before her bridal dinner crying and holding a letter (possibly from Gatsby) in another hand saying ‘Tell ‘em all Daisy’s change her mind (Fitzgerald, p. 51)’.Wealth is seen as a way to relieve the pain of being left alone. By marrying a wealthy man, Daisy can more easily mend her broken heart. She had been able to ‘moved with a fast crowd (Fitzgerald, p.52)’ and able to maintain her reputation. Money is portrayed as a way out of loneliness. Wealth is displayed as a road towards happiness and fulfillment.Hedda Gabler is actually a play written by Ibsen showing how much societal pressure and norms confine a person into a specific stereotype. The story revolves around Hedda, who is newly married to George Tesman, an aspiring professor. Hedda is described as the daughter of an aristocratic General Gabler.It is apparent from the course of the dialogue between Hedda and the other characters that she does not love her husband. It also seems as if she only married him because he can at least provide her with her needs although it may not be enough. Hedda, all throughout the story manipulated other characters into doing her will. George, Aunt Julie and the other characters wants to please her and they do their best to reach her upper-class taste.Hedda has everything she need. Nonetheless, since she has to marry to maintain her social status, she chose to marry George Tesman. Tesman is a very bookish person. H e even researched from libraries despite being on honeymoon. He relay his amazement of the museums and libraries to Aunt Julie, stating ‘Notes, documents- people didn’t know existed (Ibsen, p.13)’. Tesman is willing to do everything for Hedda yet she cannot be satisfied.The advantage of wealth lies on the respect and the treatment that Hedda receives from other people despite her unusually rude and manipulative character. Despite the fact that Aunt Julie was hurt when Hedda mistaken her new hat to be old and to belong to the maid, she still treat Hedda nicely. Aunt Julie stated ‘she’s lovely all her life (Ibsen, p.19)’.Thea also remark about Hedda’s difference with her status in the line ‘we’ve not been close†¦ you were always, in a different world from me, socially (Ibsen, p. 26)’. This shows that even though both are women of the same era, Thea still recognizes the fact that Hedda is different ‘sociallyà ¢â‚¬â„¢. Being a daughter of a respected and powerful general gives her enough freedom and authority, bestowed by the society, to be regarded more powerful than the other women.

How to Use Prepositions With Nouns in English