Hate Crime Laws Essay examples -- Hate Crime Essays

Imagine you are a family member of a man who was chained up to the back of a pickup truck and drug along a gravel road for two miles until he was dead. Then imagine how you would feel after you found out that this happened just because he was a black man. Things like this sicken me. I believe that the people that are responsible for these horrific crimes should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. That is why I strongly support hate crime laws. Now, before I dive into this very controversial subject, I should probably define what hate crime laws are so you will have a better understanding of what I am talking about. As I have understood it, hate crime laws are laws that protect certain minorities or groups from bias motivated violence and harassment, and also more harshly punish people that commit these crimes against them. As I started to do my research on hate crime laws I began to notice that there are many experts that are on my side of this issue, and very few experts that oppose hate crime legislation. According to Issues and Controversies on File some experts that do not support hate crime laws believe that these laws â€Å"perpetuate inequality among U.S. citizens†. They say that hate crime laws â€Å"single out† or pick the minorities that get the special privileges while other groups don’t get any protection. The way they see it is, â€Å"why should it be any more of a crime to attack a gay person, they ask, than a heterosexual person?†(506). Other experts that oppose hate crime laws such as Don Feder, believe that these laws deny another basic concept of democracy (equality before law) by creating different classes of victims†(3). Feder says that â€Å"anti-bias laws punish ideas.† He believes that the... ...ated Violence.† Corrections Today August, 1999; 68 3.†Hate Crime Laws.† Issues and Controversies on File. Dec. 25, 1998. 4.†Hate Speech†. Issues and Controversies on File. June 4, 1999. 5.Hays, Kristen. â€Å"Suspect Charged With Hate Crime.† Vancouver Columbian Mar. 3, 2000:A2. 6.Jacobs, James B. â€Å"Hate Crime Legislation: Challenging Intolerance.† Current Sep. 1992: 7.Jost, Kenneth. â€Å"Hate Crimes.† The CQ Researcher Jan.8, 1993 8.McCafferty, Dennis â€Å"WWW.HATE.COMES TO YOUR HOME: Is it Free Speech? Or Does it Incite Violence?† USA Weekend March 26-28: 6-7 9.McCarthy, Sarah J. â€Å"Fertile Ground For Terrorist?† Humanist Jan./Feb. 1999: 15-16. 10.Sheppard, Nathaniel, Jr. â€Å"Hate in Cyberspace.† Emerge July- Aug. 1996 34-40. 11.Title 9A. Washington Criminal Code: Chapter 9A.36, Assault-Physical Harm. â€Å"West Revised Code of Washington Annotated. 1999.

Dysfunctional Families Essay

The term â€Å"Dysfunctional Family† to me means (very basically) a family that is impaired in its functioning, but still operates as a family, with the inherent love underneath all the neuroses and abnormalities. Dysfunctional families seem to have become the norm I believe. Part of the reason for this seems to be that many adult children are educators or counselors (adult children is the term for adults who are still functioning based on some of their childhood traumatic events). These adult children have evolved at a very high level intellectually but emotionally still carry unhealed wounds from their own childhood traumas. We should understand that dysfunctional families occur for many reasons. A family can become dysfunctional if any compulsive behavior is present, mental illness, rigid rules, religiosity and any situation where the outer circumstances seek control rather than facilitate the emergence of a strong inner sense of self, personal power, and life skill development. Emotional and verbal abuse are extremely destructive to one’s sense of self. The wounds for both are difficult to â€Å"make real.† Emotional abuse is less recognized, less understood, and more difficult to overcome. Dysfunctional families are universal. Addiction treatment professionals suggest 80-95 percent of families are dysfunctional to some degree. If the norm is dysfunctional, then what attributes describe a functional family? A functional family provides children with a safe and nurturing environment, supports learning during the different developmental stages, affirms the child’s worth and nurtures a sense of self confidence and autonomy. Those of us who grew up in a dysfunctional family or who were neglected or abused in different ways are disenfranchised in our grief. Our losses in childhood have not been honored; they have been disregarded. As children from dysfunctional families, we have disowned our true self; we did so to survive. I think that some children may even have a defunct family (one that was completely non-existing and dead). I wonder if â€Å"defunctional family† is a term ever used†¦if not, it should be. Rules of the dysfunctional family: While all families have rules, dysfunctional families have rigid rules which are often unspoken and unhealthy. These often include: Don’t talk (about what is really going on). Don’t trust anyone (but yourself). Don’t feel or have needs (because there is no one available to validate or respond to you). Deny there is a problem. Roles of a dysfunctional family: Family roles create special strengths in children from dysfunctional families but also â€Å"hide the scars† these children develop. These roles lead to patterns of behavior which can be problematic and difficult to let go in adulthood. These roles include: The responsible child or caretaker – attempts to maintain peace by assuming responsibility for the needs of their siblings and their parents. The family hero – is helpful within the family and successful outside of the family. The enabler – enables the alcoholic to continue drinking by covering up her or his deterioration. The scapegoat – diverts attention from the real family problems by acting out  and engaging in self-destructive behavior. They often act out the tension in the family. The clown – reduces the family’s tension with humor. The lost child – the child who copes by making as few waves as possible, their goal is to draw as little attention as possible. Growing up in a dysfunctional family can have a significant impact on adult functioning. Adults struggle with the following issues: Difficulty knowing what is â€Å"normal†, in part due to the absence of adequate adult role models. A tendency to be extremely self-critical as a result of having internalized frequent parental criticisms. In response to living with unpredictability, a strong need for control. Difficulty with intimate relationships due in part to inconsistent parental affection. Problems recognizing and expressing feelings. May confuse feelings or allow only certain feelings (sadness but not anger; anger, but not sadness). Difficulty expressing needs because they have lost touch with their own needs or are fearful of â€Å"burdening† others. An exaggerated sense of responsibility. Counter-productive perfectionism. A tendency to engage in â€Å"all or nothing† thinking and feeling. Having become accustomed in childhood to crises, feeling anxious when life seems like it is going okay. A tendency to be hyper-vigilant (keep their eye on everything, always worried). Fear of anger (their own and others). In response to parental abandonment or neglect, they develop the belief that they are not good enough, significant or lovable, and in the absence of a â€Å"good enough† sense of self are prone to feelings of shame and inadequacy. Difficulty being spontaneous and having fun. Those who did grow up in a dysfunctional family can also develop some unique strengths. These include: Increased ability to be empathic – to understand and care about others Heightened sensitivity & awareness. Tendency to take less for granted. Maturity, competence and the ability to solve problems and take charge. Greater commitment to having a healthy family and raising children with caring and compassion. Is my family dysfunctional? My family may not be dysfunctional, but I think the lifestyle and personality of my immediate family are responsible in many ways for my shyness. To put it simply, my parents are very quiet people. They don’t have, and never have had, a wide circle of friends, and they virtually never go out (apart from  the obvious, like shopping, eating, going to church and that). Because they were my role models during the early part of my life, I think I probably had trouble mixing with the other kids, (simply because I never saw them mix with other people) and this has kind of stuck with me throughout life. Not that I would say this sort of stuff to their face, because they are my folks and I love them dearly. I can only say that I’m glad I had the opportunity to move away from home, as I think it’s improved my life beyond all recognition.

Coca Cola and Coco Frio - 1731 Words

Every day , Puerto Rico is slowly adapting into the American way of life and is gradually losing what is left of their culture. Perhaps this is because Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States. The poem â€Å" Coca Cola and Coco Frio† by Martin Espada is a great example of someone who encounters the Americanized culture of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is struggling to preserve their own identity. On July 25, 1898 United States troops invaded Puerto Rico during the Spanish American War . As Olga Jimenez de Wagenheim and Kal Wagenheim stateâ€Å" The war marked new eras for both the United States and Puerto Rico. It was America’s first major step as an imperialist power , The Spanish American War was a small war , edging†¦show more content†¦And in the next seventeen years, when Puerto Ricans were granted American citizenship, by the Jones Act, the implications of this act, especially that of free trade, meant that Puerto Ricans were being treated l ike Americans, and in turn, Americanization, the process by which people of alien culture acquire American ways, standards of living and national allegiance; or the assimilation of American culture by people of foreign birth or heritage was pushed on the island, and touched all facets of the island (Guerra, 49). As a result of its status of possession of the United States, the economic facet of Puerto Rico became dependent on the United States and its capitalist economy (Dietz, 1986). It became imperative for the Puerto Ricans to Americanized because the success of the Puerto Rican economy was dependent on assimilation to American economic practices; Puerto Rico had to comply or suffer economically, more than it was already. As Puerto Rico no longer belonged to Spain, Puerto Rico was deemed a foreign market to Spain and its products, such as coffee, were highly taxed. There were no such tariffs between Puerto Rico and the United States, making the island a protected market. Now considered part of the American economy, Puerto Rico was allowed trade through United States, butShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Coca Cola And Coco Frio By Martin Espada856 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican Consumerism in â€Å"Coca-Cola and Coco Frà ­o† by Martà ­n Espada In today’s world, every person in every country has a similar image in mind when they think of the United States. Common words that come to mind are ideal, lazy, superior, and consumer. These words are associated with the United States due to American consumerism, or the practice of an increasing consumption of goods. In Martà ­n Espada’s â€Å"Coca-Cola and Coco Frà ­o,† he criticizes American consumerism by relating the people of PuertoRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Coca Cola And Coco Frio By Martin Espada1569 Words   |  7 Pagesidentify who we are and where we come from. In today’s world, it appears that cultural diffusion has become a normal part of everyone’s life as cultural trends, beliefs and customs spread quickly from one culture to another. In his poem, â€Å"Coca-Cola and Coco Frio,† Martin Espada provides his readers with a great example of cultural diffusion that a boy encounters when he visits his native country, Puerto Rico. The â€Å"fat boy† mentioned in the poem is none other than Martin Espada himself (3). By sharingRead MoreCoca Cola And The 51st State Of America1280 Words   |  6 PagesJuan Ayon WRT 102 February 26, 2016 Coca Cola And The 51st State of America Martin Espada uses his own experiences as a child of Puerto Rican descent realizing that his family and the country of Puerto Rico is losing grasp of their Puerto Rican culture, and in exchange taking in the americanized culture all in part of American Marketing. It could be like a melting pot, Puerto Rico may be a property of the United States but that does not mean that they do have to be a state of America and take in