Single Parenting Essay Example for Free

Single Parenting Essay This essay is about why I disagree with Donald Pridemore’s statement that says â€Å"Being raised in a single parent home could be considered living in a abusive situation and because of that people should not jump into divorce and find alternatives.† Child abuse is the physical, sexual or emotional mistreatment or neglect of a child. Though it is true that children are more likely to get abused in single parent homes. I think that it was unfair and ignorant to make this statement because that is putting a class of people and putting the all in the in the wrong when many of them are right with their parenting. The first reason that I oppose against Mr.Pridemore’s statement is because some people do not choose to be single parents but are put in that situation. One way people can become a single parent is if your spouse or partner is deceased. Another way to become a single parent is if you have your child at a young age with someone who you did not plan to spend your life with. You may also be a single parent because the other person just walked out. Some of these situations you cannot avoid because you can’t make someone stay alive nor can you force someone to stay with you. The 2nd reason I disagree with the statement is because people get in two parent homes too. In his statement I think people forgot that all types of parents abuse their children not just single ones. Abuse happens every day in fact, 5 children die a day from child abuse but how many of those 5 kids were raised in single parent homes? No one really knows all they know is their own opinion. The last reason why I disagree with that statement is because alternatives are not always the best thing for the parent’s relationship. If you are a victim of domestic violence it is best to leave the relationship. In 2005 spouses or intimate partners killed 1,181 women, that’s an average of about 3 women a day. That just makes me think, how many of those women had kids and could have saved their lives by just raising that child on their own. People who agree with this statement are saying that it was their fault for being beaten, their fault someone died and that they made some one walk out on them. The reality is none of that was in their control. I don’t think anyone plans to be a single parent but at the end of the day even I would do what I have to do to raise my child. Our own president was raised by a single parent for a majority of his life, and that goes to show that his mother did something right she didn’t let the men in her life reprioritize her life she always put her kids first. I have made my argument and I hope I changed some opinions of people who agreed with Mr. Pridemore’s statement. More than anything I hope this essay made people take my ideas into consideration and take pride in having a single mother. I think that some people can relate and learn off of many parts of this essay such as statistics and facts.

Chinese Kinship Systems Essay -- China Chinese Kin Kinship Essays

Chinese Kinship Systems Works Cited Missing It would be impossible to disagree with the statement that â€Å"Chinese kinship is based on male predominance†. In fact this statement may even be under-emphasizing the control and absolute power that males wield across all levels of Chinese society. Of course, where their power initially comes from though, is through the family or termed differently the â€Å"jia†. It is this extended or ideal family that cultivates the consistent patrilineal form of control/descent and dictates that residence in said â€Å"jia† is primarily patrilocal. That being said, what I hope to be able to create over the following pages is a clearer understanding of the ideal (Chinese) system of control. This ideal system,based on the ideal of male predominance, is outlined impeccably in the writings of Baker, Watson and Xiaotong. There are also excellent examples of an ideal â€Å"jia† and its power structure in Wolf’s ethnography, â€Å"The House of Lim†. But Wolfà ¢â‚¬ s ethnography also outlines examples whereby the ideal system of dominance is not always put into practice or is just not as smooth running as the writings of the 3 former anthropologists would have you believe. It is my aim then, to include examples of a patriarchal system encountering problems and realities that are difficult to explain in an â€Å"ideal† sense.There is little doubt, according to Baker, that the first and foremost aspect to understanding Chinese families and society at large is the importance placed on male relationships and descent that is traced through a male line. In contrast, women in Chinese society were given little thought and even less power. They were to be used as reproducers of the male line and to aid in home/farm labour, apart from this; women had only small amounts of power and responsibility. In fact, the patriarchal system demanded that a wife’s only connection with her husband’s family be through the husband himself. He r future then, was caught up with his and her sons only, and she is expected â€Å"to see her husband’s interests as paramount in importance† (Baker, 1979).Yet, women and childbirth, were essential to the continuation of the patrilineal system, which started with the birth of a son or sons to any kinship system be they peasant or gentry class. It was considered vitally important in Chinese society, that a wife bare a son as soon as possible not only for the... ...cumstances would be in Chieng-cua’s position –is still alive and now has a son (Lim A-bok) who is contributing a full share to the family budget. Undoubtedly this ambiguity in structure of the family influences the attitudes of Lim A-pou and her son†.This ambiguity was the eventual death of the united Lim family. Walls were mounted, positions dissolved and property/wealth were divided up as equally as possible. It was not though, the death of the patrilineal system. Patrilocal residence would continue for all of the Lim (future) families, ancestral worship would also continue and male dominance and gender inequality would still reign supreme. In fact very little underneath the surface or socially would change at all, the family would remain a residential and economic unit composed primarily of males. And in order to reproduce itself it would still be forced to import women as brides, and dispose of females born into it by marrying them off to other families. F inally, it would continue to lay heavy stress on relationships through males, and tended to play down those through females, while there was an accompanying stress on the importance of men as opposed to women (Baker, 1979).

Islam and the Muslims Essay

In September 2005 Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published twelve cartoons including a caricature of Muhammad in a bomb-shaped turban with an ignited fuse. This sparked a huge controversy that affected Muslims and Non-Muslims parts of the world. For the Muslims it was a portrayal of the prophet, Islam and the Muslims as terrorists. They feared that the cartoons might create an anti-Muslim attitude. The Jyllands-Posten apologized and the cartoonist explained that the cartoon was a protest of fundamentalist interpretations of Islam that terrorists use to base their acts on. In citing Free Speech, Jyllands-Posten had crossed the bounds of sensitivity to and respect for other people’s faith or religion. The issue should not be solely taken in the confines of the Danish system. Religion is universal and is held sacred by the believers. A bomb on Mohammad’s head is blasphemous. Given that a number of extremists and fundamentalists have used the teachings of Islam as shield of their terrorist acts, it would be most unfair to say that all Muslims behave and believe as they do. The Organization of the Islamic Conference refused to heed the clamor for death for the cartoonist even if Muslims felt that the cartoon was an insult to Muhammad. Those who thought the cartoons are non-issue as far as discrimination of Muslims is concerned is totally disgusting. Does making fun of all religious’ icons and symbolisms, exempting no one, a legal and moral excuse? Of course it does not. Doing it to all makes it all the more wrong. To the Muslims, Muhammad is revered. He is infallible. To treat him like a cartoon character to elicit fun or humor is not acceptable, it is contemptible. The Danish government’s response to the request for redress by certain Muslim sectors was passive. The courts of law where the prime minister, thru letter, referred them to were likewise evasive. Citing the wide scope of Freedom of Expression in Denmark, they refused to sanction Jyllands-Posten. The courts found no criminal act in the cartoons, for as long as the interpretation of Free Speech included public interest and respect for human rights. The courts were unilaterally in favor of the journalists and cartoonists. What justice left out and disregarded is the Muslim minority’s interest in particular and the Muslim’s human right to their religious beliefs, in general. The reaction or non-reaction of the Danish people and government in the controversy is uncharacteristic of a nation that has been ranked by the Reporters Without Borders as Top in Worldwide Press Freedom Index for 2005. There should be a certain degree of self-restraint in any freedom. It should seek to create, not to destroy. A subject like Religion must be treated with respect and tolerance. It should not be open to debates, opinions and critiques. World reaction to the controversy was predictable. The Muslim countries would be indignant. Denmark would suffer the backlash. Egypt helped diffused the situation in the Middle East. America looked the other way by accusing Syria and Iran of organizing protests and of buying Danish goods after a Muslim boycott. Judging by these reactions, the cartoon controversy was just the tip of the iceberg. Deep-seated political emotions are in the issue. The Muslim terrorists’ politically-motivated acts became religious issues in the cartoon controversy. That the terrorists were Muslims, Islam and Muhammad became the targets of caricaturing. Free Speech has taken a new form. It goes without limit, and anything and everything is fair game. What holds true for Denmark is made to be accepted by the Muslim minority in Denmark and the Muslim majority in the world. Religious figures, beliefs and practices must be left alone. They must not be used as side or main issues in any controversy. The only way to handle differences in religious beliefs is tolerance and respect. One must not be ridiculed and persecuted for his religious convictions. We must learn from the lessons of history. Terrorism must be dealt with a different but civilized option. Reference: Jyllands-Posten Muhhammad Cartoons Controvery, Wikipedia (20 February 2007), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jylalnds_posten_cartoon_controversy, date accessed: 23. Februrary 2007.

Become a Better Student With These English Study Tips

Learning a new language like English can be a challenge, but with regular study, it can be done. Classes are important, but so is disciplined practice. It can even be fun. Here are some guidelines to help you improve your reading and comprehension skills and become a better English student. Study Every Day Learning any new language is a time-consuming process, more than 300 hours by some estimates. Rather than try and cram a few hours of review once or twice a week, most experts say short, regular study sessions are more effective. As little as 30 minutes a day can help you improve your English skills over time. Keep Things Fresh Instead of focusing on one single task for the entire study session, try mixing things up. Study a little grammar, then do a short listening exercise, then perhaps read an article on the same topic. Dont do too much, 20 minutes on three different exercises is plenty. The variety will keep you engaged and make studying more fun. Read, Watch, and Listen Reading English-language newspapers and books, listening to music, or watching TV can also help you improve your written and verbal comprehension skills. By doing so repeatedly, youll begin to unconsciously absorb things like pronunciation, speech patterns, accents, and grammar. Keep pen and paper handy and write down words you read or hear that are unfamiliar. Then, do some research to learn what those new words mean. Use them the next time you are role-playing dialogue in class. Learn the Sounds Separately Non-native English speakers sometimes struggle with certain word pronunciations because they do not have similar sounds in their native tongue. Likewise, two words may be spelled very similarly, yet be pronounced quite different (for instance, tough and though), or you may encounter combinations of letters where one of them is silent (for example, the K in knife). Watch Out for Homophones Homophones are words that are pronounced the same way but are spelled differently and/or  have different meanings. There are a number of homophones in the English language, which is one of the reasons why it can so challenging to learn. Consider this sentence: Pack your clothes, then close the suitcase. Both clothes and close sound the same, but they are spelled differently and have different meanings. Practice Your Prepositions Even advanced students of English can struggle to learn prepositions, which are used to describe duration, position, direction, and relationships between objects. There are literally dozens of prepositions in the English language (some of the most common include of, on, and for) and few hard rules for when to use them. Instead, experts say, the best way to learn prepositions to memorize them and practice using them in sentences. Study lists such as this one are a good place to begin.   Play  Vocabulary and Grammar Games You can also improve your English skills by playing vocabulary games that are related to what youre studying in class. For example, if you are going to study English on topics that focus on vacations, take a moment to think about your last trip and what you did. Make a list of all the words you might use to describe your activities. You can play a similar game with grammar reviews. For example, if you are going to study conjugating verbs in the past tense, stop to think about what you did last weekend. Make a list of the verbs you use and review the various tenses. Dont be afraid to consult reference materials if you get stuck.  These two exercises will help you prepare for class by making you think critically about vocabulary and usage. Write It Down Repetition is key as youre learning English, and writing exercises are a great way to practice. Take 30 minutes at the end of class or study to write down what happened during your day. It doesnt matter whether you use a computer or pen and paper. By making a habit of writing, youll find your reading and comprehension skills improve over time. Once youre comfortable writing about your day, challenge yourself and have some fun with creative writing exercises. Choose a photo from a book or magazine and describe it in a short paragraph, or write a short story or poem about someone you know well. You can also practice your letter-writing skills. Youll have fun and become a better English student. You may even discover youve got a talent for writing.