Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Mandatory National Service Debate in the US

Mandatory National Service Debate in the US Many countries require all young adults to serve two or more years in the military as a way of providing security to their country and as a rite of passage as a citizen. The United States however does not. The closest thing to mandatory service is selective service, and until recently that only applied to male citizens age 18-25. The idea of mandatory service has gained momentum in the last few years and many lawmakers have proposed that the United States adopt this policy. Some are opposed to the idea of mandatory military service, and I agree deciding to risk your life in the defense of your country should be a personal choice, not an obligation. However, the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Habitat for Humanity, and Teach for America are all programs that supports our country, develops unity, and teaches young adults valuable work skills. The pre-amble to the constitution talks about the responsibility we have as citizens to establish justice, provide for common defense, and promote gener al welfare, and We the People means everyone equally. Most will agree that democracy only works when citizens are involved and unified with a common purpose. John F. Kennedy once said, ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your country (Kennedy). Unity starts with equality and equality starts with mandatory national service. It is a simple idea; one or two years of national service should become a countrywide requirement for all young adults as way to build unity, develop a sense of identity and provide a valuable service to their community. Most people can agree that America is more divided than ever; we lack unity and commitment to our democracy. The only way we can effectively unify and regain our sense of community is through mandatory national service. Wars unfortunately bind people together, build a sense of community and provides a common purpose, Veterans of any war share a common experience, the intensity of which creates strong and enduring relationships (Grigsby). However, war is not what binds these people together, it is the sense of service to their nation, community, each other and the greater good. Much like the military, programs like the Peace Corp and AmeriCorps show signs of creating loyalty and unity among participants. These programs bring together people of different races and backgrounds to solve complex problems that face their communities and if not for this program, their paths may have never crossed, Service creates an opportunity to work on problems of public concern and participate in the lives of others whose paths one might otherwise never cross in a structured and supportive environment (Frumkin and Miller). In addition, it garners respect and empathy for others, Some evidence exists to suggest that full-time AmeriCorps members acquire valuable civic attributes, such as cultivating respect for others (Reingold and Lenkowsky). Many great people have said, there is no greater honor than service to your country, and commitment to a cause greater than yourself. Some argue that Americans should not have to earn their citizenship through mandatory service and is a violates their freedoms or a form of slavery; even if they choose how they serve. Many leverage the 13th amendment in opposition to mandatory national service, which states, Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted shall exist in the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction (Pauwels).ÂÂ   I agree that our constitution affords us this right, and many other rights; the right to free speech, freedom of religion and the right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. However, I feel that with these rights comes responsibility. The responsibility of all citizens to support and defend our constitution, be active in our communities and be involved in the democratic process. Today two things represent citizenship in America, voting and paying taxes. A government of the people, for the peopl e and by the people certainly implies more commitment. Others believe that mandatory service delays education and work opportunities. However, I contend that national service provides both. Many of the programs available provide current volunteers with opportunities to learn valuable life and work skills that will only enhance their education and growth, One benefit of national service it thus thought to reside in its ability to open up the minds of young people to the full range of life choices available to them. While they may think, they are working for others, they may end up learning about themselves (Frumkin and Miller). There is no greater life experience than witnessing and understanding the struggle of others. Regardless of our position on mandatory national service, I think we can agree that it is vital to maintaining unity, equality, and our democracy. Mandatory national service ensures We the People are involved in protecting the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. In addition, the life skills, and the opportunity for young people to see issues from a different perspective only enhances the long-term education of our youth. I will agree, there are some issues with mandated national service, like mandated military service. As I stated before, the decision to risk your life for your country should be a choice one makes, not an obligation. However, believe that all Americans should be required to serve at least one or two years in other programs that support our country and protects our democracy. References Frumkin, Peter and Brendan Miller. Visions of National Service. Society 45.5 (2008): 436-443. ProQuest. Web. 20 Dec 2016. Frumkin and Miller discuss how national service has alternatively been a way to promote an active and engaged citizenship, accelerate personal growth, social capital and meet critical social needs. Grigsby, Carol A. Binding the Nation: National Service in America. Parameters 38.4 (2008): 109-123. ProQuest. Web. 14 Dec 2016. Grigsby discusses how soldiers have a connection to each other because of war, a life-long bond because they have seen and experienced the same thing. Kennedy, John F. Inagrual Address. 1961. Web. 22 Dec 2016. . Kennedys inaugural address discusses issues that face all Americans regardless of party, and how we only succeed if we work together. Pauwels, Andrew M. Mandatory National Service: Creating Generations of Civic Minded Citizens. Notre Dame Law Review 88.5 (2013). ProQuest. Web. 20 Dec 2016. Pauwels discusses the legality of mandatory service and articles of the constitution that specifically address involuntary servitude. Reingold, David A. and Leslie Lenkowsky. The Future of National Service. Public Administration Review 70.S1 (2010): S114-S121. ProQuest. Web. 20 Dec 2016. Reingold discusses the pros and cons of national service and leverages several studies to show the benefits and issues with AmeriCorps.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Dostoevskys The Brothers Karamazov Essay examples -- Brothers Karamaz

The Brothers Karamazov - Thriller The Brothers Karamazov is an enthralling thriller about the strive for self-redemption in the eyes of God as well as in the hearts of the Russians. The murder of Fyodor Karamazov, a foolish and heartless savage who betrays his own sons of a father's care, venomously seeps its way into Dmitri, Ivan, and Alyosha's lives causing innocence to request fault and suffering. With intricate characterizations, Dostoevsky magnificently presents the internal agony that derives from a wavering spirit. The religious teachings of the great elder Father Zosima engross the minds of the spiritually inadequate throughout the novel. Dostoevsky essentially carries these guidelines to peaceful immortality by means of the character Alyosha. At the death bed of the holy man, Alyosha absorbs the sanctified secrets and thus transmits them,through Dostoevsky's technique of linkage, into the minds of about all of the characters in the novel, creating a strong, common vine that integrates itself from the beginning paragraph to the epilogue. The main theory that ...

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Coming Of Age Personal Essay Essay

Everybody experiences coming of age in their lifetime. Coming of age is the transition from childhood to adulthood. My coming of age started in the middle of my grade 8 year and has continued up until the present. So, for me coming of age has occurred from grades 8-10. The three steps that really defined my coming of age was my traveling to Europe, starting high school and getting my first job at Tim Horton’s. My first step in my coming of age was traveling to Europe with my aunt and uncle. Firstly, I was not with my parents which made me feel more self-reliant. This was my first time riding on a plane and traveling for more than a week without my parent so at the time it seemed like a big deal. I felt that because I was not being watched over as heavily, I was more responsible and was growing up. Secondly, I was starting to travel the world for the first time and it made me think of my future. It reminded me that when I was old enough, there were going to be endless possibilities to what I could accomplish and where I could go. This is definitely an important step in growing up. Realizing that you need to start preparing for your future and start to figure out what you want to do and where you want to go. Lastly, I made new older friends that made me feel like I was growing up and expanding my â€Å"bubble†. The people I met were older then I was and were so friendly. I felt more m ature around them. Meeting new people if all part of â€Å"coming of age†. This is why traveling to Europe was the first step for me to start maturing and to start coming of age. The second step I took towards my coming of age was when I started attending high school at Sir William Mulock Secondary School. Starting high school was a big change from elementary because there was a lot more responsibility. The teachers do not come after you for late assignments and there is a lot more homework that is necessary to complete. This helped me prepare myself for after high school when my employers will need me to show initiative when completing tasks. So therefore, this was a big step in my coming of age. Secondly, when you are in high school, authorities start to treat you as a mature young adult. This means that they have fast paced learning environments and expect you to show up for class. If you miss to many classes you will not pass the course. This taught me to push myself when I was tired or sick which is a big part of growing up. When you are an adult working full time, you can’t skip work when you aren’t feeling well. So for these reasons, starting high school was a big step in my coming of age. The last and most recent step towards my coming of age was starting my part time job at Tim Horton’s. Having this job as my first job was a big responsibility. In order to keep my job I had to show up on time, manage my extracurricular activities and homework around working, ask a lot of questions and deal with co-workers. This added responsibility helped me to start to understand what working will be like once I have graduated high school. Thinking ahead for the future and obtaining responsibility is part of coming of age. Also, for this job I had to learn many new skills. When you are starting a new job there are many techniques you have yet to master such as operating the cash register and making food/beverages as well as customer service skills. Learning all of this helped to me feel more mature and useful. Lastly, the job provided me with a steady flow of cash. Earning money was something that I had never experienced before and it gave me a good feeling. It made me self-r eliant , which is a big part of growing up. Having my own money and being able to spend it on what I want is also a test to see if I can make good decisions or not as well as teaching me money management. This is an important skill for when I have moved out. Therefore , getting my own job was the most recent step in my coming of age. So for these reason, I think that my coming of age happened over my grade 8-10 years. I am not done growing up yet, but the main events leading up to this day that have started my coming of age were my traveling to Europe, starting high school and getting my first job. There will be many more events in my future that will continue my coming of age in the future, but for now I am young and am excited for the growing that I still have to do.

Friday, January 3, 2020

Living Under The Poverty Line Plans Out - 1382 Words

Poverty Walking down the broken and dusty street, the only thing on Ali’s mind was the cries and pleads of his hungry children. The patched up clothes on his body and the worry lines on his face showed his financial condition. Praying to God, Ali asked if this was the day someone would pick him up, so he could work labor and finally feed his children. Ali isn’t the only one subjected to such a situation, there are thousands of people on the streets who go through the same thing every single day. This is how the life of someone living under the poverty line plans out. Poverty is the poison found in every society, fairly common in many and rare in only a handful. People suffering from this poison have a life full of pain and terror; Moreover, some even decide to end it just to escape from this blood sucking leech. Uneven wealth distribution is what caused the poverty line to exist. Capitalism is how the modern society functions. It is the main reason for the existence of the poverty line. Capitalism is an economic system based on private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. This economic system supports and promotes a large imbalance in the wealth distribution among the general population of a nation. This makes way for the monopoly of the rich, and leads to the poor further drowning in the ocean of debt and poverty. 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