Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Tuckman’s model and team work Essay Example for Free
Tuckman’s model and team work Essay Introduction            People live and work within the framework of some kind of organization, a context that provides written and unwritten, formal and informal rules and guidelines about how its members should conduct themselves. Individuals belong to different families and each family has distinct religious beliefs that differ from another family.  This paper is anchored on the theoretical viewpoint of Bruce Tuckman referring to how groups are formed whether these groups can be seen in formal or informal organizations and set-ups of all kinds. This is especially applied on the teamwork and/or teambuilding. Discussion Description of the model            Tuckman introduced his theory of how groups emerge and better known by the concepts that he ascribed to the stages. His theory arose out of years of scientific observations and research in various types of groups (Tuckman, p.1).            The forming stage is described as consisting of orientation, testing, and dependence that are usually present in almost all of the groups studied. The second phase or stage is more seen by the type of characteristic behaviors or attitudes manifested by the people or individuals of a particular group where concepts such as conflict and polarization arise which in the process characterize more the resistance that is being experience by the group’s immediate scope of influence. This second stage is called the storming stage (Tuckman, p.2)            The third phase is known as norming when eventually most of the conflicts and/or resistance has been resolved giving way to an â€Å"in-group feeling†or â€Å"group cohesiveness. More often at this stage, individual members are more open, expressing themselves more and have shed their guardedness (Tuckman, p.2).            The fourth phase is called the performing stage which is more known by the characteristic traits manifested by individual members where they become more yielding to the roles and they become more cooperative to the functions whatever they may be. In addition they also are able to let their energies be directed to the tasks that are supposed to be responded to in the first place (Tuckman, p.2).            The last stage is an addendum or an additional stage to the four stages mentioned, which is adjourning and is described as the implied achievement or attainment of goals (usually) where dependency is at a minimum, where the tasks were already completed and the roles are no longer necessary and functional hence the group most likely must be dissolved (Tuckman, p.2). Application to Teamwork and Teambuilding            Understandably, before teamwork is effectively put in place and in operation, the first three stages or phases should have taken place. People adjust to new things and new situations and as Tuckman describes it, it is inherent in the process that progression from non-cohesiveness to more cohesiveness; which also implies that people cooperate less and then if the norming is achieved, will exhibit cooperativeness among themselves. This is also the process of teambuilding.            Sadly, many organizations have not manifested teamwork or have not acgieved the performing stage where tasks become important to everybody but not only that, all contributions from all members are crucial and necessary. What are the salient factors within the first two to three stages that need to be addressed? ~Team Conflicts            Disagreements with how one sees life situations are just a few of the reasons that conflicts happen so ordinarily. Just as conflicts are also integral parts of daily existence so does negotiating through them (Amason, 1996; Amason, Thompson, Hochwarter, Harrison, 1995). Studies reveal that there is â€Å"no one size fits all†when it comes to navigating the disagreements and weather through storms where conflicts are concerned. However, there are principles that are observed when successful conflict management has taken place. Managers, group leaders or any person who handles a team must have the abilities to handle people problem before this proceeds or develops into a team problem or before this affects performance. Conflicts therefore must be confronted and understood at the individual level where a person experiences inner personal struggles at varying degrees. However, this short study tackles in detail a much larger picture as it attempts to provide a succinct look at conflict resolution strategies in the area of team dynamics by examining, describing and explaining various concepts as to the understanding of these significant concepts.            Individual personal conflicts are inevitable occurrences that are usually taken for granted because of its â€Å"ordinariness.†Unless people undertakes a formal study on conflict management, he/she goes through life hitting and missing (at most) at ways of resolving issues and inner conflicts and in all probabilities, somehow manages to escape conflicts. The following important features in team dynamics are specifically indicated and described because these are crucial points in developing effective management of conflicts and developing efficient team dynamics.            Defining conflict, it is the state of disharmony brought about by differences of impulses, desires, or tendencies (Rayeski Bryant, 1994, p. 217). There are benefits as to the presence of conflicts but definitely when these are worked out. Benefits of working teams in relationship to conflict resolution strategies            Working teams in relationship to conflict resolution strategies provide benefits including personal and team growth as team members acquire insights with relationships and how these relationships are utilized to better reach worthwhile goals. In addition, working teams have optional choices rather than solitary attempts at confronting conflicts, such as higher possibility arriving at the solutions of the problems, promoting cohesiveness among the team, and increasing the involvement or participation of members. Types of Conflict            Based on the study presented by Johnson (2005), few researches actually â€Å"describe how to identify conflict.†There are seven types of conflicts depending on â€Å"who is in conflict with whom†(Fisher et al, 1995; in Johnson, 2005). These are:            ~an individual with inner conflicts totally unrelated to the team but whose best performance for the team is not achieved due to the personal problem, thus influencing the whole team            ~two distinct members are in direct conflict with each other            ~one against all members            ~all against one member            ~a lot of members against a lot of others as well            ~one whole team as against another team            ~all of the team as against one person not a part of the team.            Another type of conflict focuses on two kinds of conflict existing in a team: task (Jennsen et al., 1999) and affect (Amason et al., 1995) types of conflict. The first type is usually beneficial as it relates to objectives and goals that are to be achieved essentially in a group. The second involves relationships which entails personal preferences and the like. Most conflicts boil down to the level of affect type and more difficult to deal with especially when people really do not want to cooperate. This can also occur at the same time. Managing Conflict            Since conflict and disagreements are integral to the growth and performance of teams, it is therefore necessary that individual members and as a group, go through an education process to understand the nuances of conflict. They necessitate the learning to distinguish what healthy debates are, brainstorming and normal exchange of ideas which are important to team achieving corporate goals (Johnson, 2005). Studies by Tjosvold and colleagues (1999) show that when disagreements are brought into the open and talked about, conflicts are minimized and feelings of frustration, anger and doubts or suspicions are abated. How to prepare or prevent conflict            The presence of a team facilitator can help prepare people in conflict in confronting their fundamental disagreements and/or prevent conflicts to escalate at alarming levels. A good or excellent team facilitator can be the team leader, supervisor or an outside who knows very well the dynamics of conducting team resolutions. He/she aids everyone involved into the process and assists them to air out their grievances in a careful, non-violent manner much like in a healthy debate (Bens, 1997). Team agreements            Team agreements start off with ground rules to be able to achieve or attain at something. Coordination in any given work must take into careful account that everyone starts at somewhere and concur at a particular set of guidelines to direct the group to definite goals. Uncoordinated teams will still definitely go somewhere but perhaps not where they or someone in charge of them would want them to be. What are involved then in team agreements? Team agreements develop, protect and help preserve unity and the aspects this specifically takes on are the responsibilities and expectations, communication, participation, decision making and problem solving, managing those disagreements, conduct of participants or â€Å"cooperators†during and between meetings and consequences. The baseline agreements like these are different when management of conflict is the issue. Research reveals that whenever teams utilize this strategy, difficulties and even conflicts are reduced to a minimum (Davison, 2003). Solutions to conflict            Preparation to any eventuality tops the list when it comes to coming up with a solution to conflict. This means that understanding of the whole gamut of team dynamics including potential destructive behavior is important and essential to preventing and providing solutions to conflict. Skills by any member towards conflict resolutions, facilities to allow participants to express or ventilate themselves without threat or fear of censure are also vital. Of course, per advices by experts, those techniques and approaches that increase enhance task-related conflict and reduce affect-related conflict help reduce the presence of conflict and even remove its threat from the group. Effective planning is also a good strategy as it minimizes the conflict from escalating to a point that it becomes hard to manage already. Employing a conflict checklist can be an excellent ingredient as well in resolving and minimizing the incidence of conflict. ~Team Communication Organizations in whatever form or state thrive fundamentally on communication. Inherent in the understanding of progress, development and growth of any institution is the reality that in order to be ahead, its members should be able to know what its goals are and are united towards accomplishing those goals. As expected, team communication is a must for this to occur. It is very important that communication is always flowing and open to everyone involved. Without effective communication, an organization as teamwork, like a human body, will experience atrophy at some point and eventual deterioration of the whole system if the problem is not addressed early on. However, overdoing the system of communication or doing little for crucial areas can also become detrimental for the overall organizational health (Guffey, 2003). It is then important to consider the (1) Nature and timing of communication, (2) the Methods or technology necessary for implementation and effectiveness, and (3) the Various functions or placements of individuals and team members within that communication network (Kimball at http://www.groupjazz.com/pdf/matrix,accessed Feb.15, 2007). Many more can be added on the list except that these three are the most important when it comes to building a strategic structure on team communication. It is precisely through this rationale that a team is able to survive or flourish in the context of a bigger organization. When its individual members have highly developed communication skills then the whole team will enjoy the benefits of its resources which include the achievement of its goals. Nature or Timing of Communication            This means firstly, that the team leader knows what he needs to communicate. It is to establish a clear goal or inspiring purpose statement that can jumpstart as well as sustain all team members in the process of achieving the team’s overarching objectives. Bear in mind also that constant change is the only thing that anybody can expect in this technology – oriented society. The team must be constantly updated and able to cope and compete in such a milieu. Because of this a sensitivity to change is a must for a leader and for the rest of the team to be on the cutting edge and never waning in the process of time. Again, what is crucial here is the identification of who will be involved, what are at stake, what limitations should be imposed so as to provide focus and measurable steps for the team (Kimball at http://www.groupjazz.com/pdf/matrix,accessed Feb.15, 2007). Methods and/or Technology            To develop a communication strategy, the determination of different kinds of work need to be dealt with at the outset and constantly reinforced so as to align and create an effective network of team players. This portion precisely gears toward the understanding of the nitty gritty of the whole system. Details of the job become easier to comprehend and implement when every member is placed strategically based on their known skills, abilities and interests. There is of course, a need for apparatuses or tools other than the human resource that are provided to enhance and speed up the process. Also important is the classification of what is routine, what are the usual problems encountered on a regular basis, and also whether there are new patterns that come into view and perhaps need to be addressed in the soonest possible time (Kimball at http://www.groupjazz.com/pdf/matrix,accessed Feb.15, 2007). Various functions or placements of individuals or team members within that communication network.            In a sports game like basketball, the positioning of players is critical to the winnability of the team. It is not to be taken for granted. The accurate placement of the players’ capability and ability ascertains, to a large extent, the possibility of the team’s becoming the champion in the duration of the game. The coach does not leave to chance their aim to win the game; rather, he sees to it that his team is positioned to such a degree that winning is not only a probability but a surety. On the other hand, imagine that the players are all misplaced. A supposed â€Å"guard†has been placed to the center role, and the center player plays as a â€Å"forward†, the latter then plays as a â€Å"guard.†Obviously, this kind of team is a total mess. Being in that position guarantees the team a loss and not a victory. The human resource is unpredictable and complex. Effective communication strategies between and among team players on their specific functioning on how they perform and relate should be made and reinforced constantly. According to Lisa Kimball, â€Å"The nature of communications among the team about different parts of the work – including the frequency, the volume, and the degree of interactivity is different depending on where that work falls in the matrix†(Kimball at http://www.groupjazz.com/pdf/matrix,accessed Feb.15, 2007). As stated above, to avoid information overload, there should always be only a right measure of communication because to overdo it will diminish the interest of team members either to listen or to communicate. Conclusion            Vital to the life and continuity of a team or organization is the proper dissemination of information. This includes enough knowledge of those things and people that are involved in the whole set-up. When team communication is prioritized, teamwork is enhanced and the achievement of goals is within reach. There are many more qualities that can enhance team communication; nevertheless, this paper limits its approach to only three strategies. However, the smallness of amount of strategies in this thesis does not mean lack of comprehensiveness in dealing with the need for effective communication. The points herein discussed are generic and therefore applicable to any given situation and can be expanded to cover other details necessary to secure good communication in a team. Reference: Amason, A. C. (1996). Distinguishing the effects of functional and dysfunctional conflict on strategic decision making: Resolving a paradox for top management teams. Academy of Management Journal, 39(1), 123-148. Amason, A. C., Thompson, K. R., Hochwarter, W. A., Harrison, A. W. (1995). Conflict: An important dimension in successful management teams. Organizational Dynamics, 24(2), 20-35. Bens, I. (1997). Facilitating conflict. In M. Goldman (Ed.), Facilitating with ease! (pp. 83-108). Sarasota, FL: Participative Dynamics. Davison, Sue Canney. 2003. Creating Working Normas and Agreements. Accessed April 26, 2008 www.genderdiversity.cgiar.org/CreatingWorkingAgreementsDavison3.doc Kimball, Lisa. Developing the Team’s Communication Strategy accessed Feb.15, 2007 at http://www.groupjazz.com/pdf/matrix. Guffey, Mary Ellen. 2003. Business Communication. Thomson learning, Mason Ohio, Ch.1, p.3. Fisher, K., Rayner, S., Belgard, W. (1995). Tips for teams: A ready reference for solving common team problems. NY, NY: McGraw-Hill, Inc. Jennsen, O., Van De Vliert, E., Veenstra, C. (1999). How task and person conflict shape the role of positive interdependence in management teams. Journal of Management, 25(2), 117-141. Johnson, Debbi-Wagner. 2005. Managing Work-Team Conflict: Assessment and Preventatve Strategies. Center for Collaborative Organizations, University of North Texas. All rights reserved. Rayeski, E., Bryant, J. D. (1994). Team resolution process: A guideline for teams to manage conflict, performance, and discipline. In M. Beyerlein M. Bullock Tjosvold, D., Morshima, M., Belsheim, J. A. (1999). Complaint handling on the shop floor: Cooperative relationships and open-minded strategies. International Journal of Conflict Management, 10(1), 45-68. Tuckman, Bruce. â€Å"Forming, storming norming and performing in groups.†file:///C:/DOCUME~1/ew_tuckman-forming,storming,normingandperformingingroups.htm
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Vietnam Essay -- essays research papers
The trials and tribulations the soldiers faced at home were far worse than any battle they fought while in Vietnam. No one seemed to fully understand what these men had went through. They came home looking for love and comfort; little did they know that they had not yet experienced the worst of the war. A numerous amount of people were for the war, but the reality was, many were against it. " During 1967 public support for the war dropped sharply. By October approval of Johnson’s handling of the war dropped to 28%. A number of major metropolitan newspapers shifted from supporting the war to opposing it" (Wexler 145 ). Once the public realized that the war wasn’t all glory, they regretted the country’s involvement. The government wasn’t exactly the most reliable source of information during the war. They couldn’t be counted on when they were needed most. The government’s handling of aid for veteran’s seemed to be carelessly handled. Veterans were treated poorly and promises were broken frequently. The majority of the American population had no clue that the government was hiding information about POWs. " From September 1973 to March 1974, a series of unrelated witnesses reported the movement of nine POWs between two Laotian prison camps" ( Sauter 189 ). Similar accounts of American prisoners’ sightings were hidden from the public. Ron Kovic was not a prisoner of war. Instead he was sent home after being wounded. His return home was originally fine; everything he thought it would be. Yet he did not receive the welcome he had hoped for. Many resented him. He received blank stares and vicious glares. even his own brother was against the war. His family was baffled by the pessimistic view towards life that he had picked up along the way. In Born on the Fourth of July, Ron Kovic often mentioned that the veterans’ hospitals were torture chambers. " It is easy to lose it all here. The whole place functions smoothly, but somewhere along the way I am losing, and the rest of the people whom I can’t see in the rooms around me are losing too. Even if I heal this leg, I will lose. No one ever leaves this place without losing" ( Kovic 129 ). He felt this way, because he had seen the reality of the war, and he was appalled by the treatment the men received. Even after they had fought fo... ...attitude toward the war was bitter and aggressive. He resented the government and all people who supported the war. What had Ron become? He used to be an All-American boy. Characterized by his intense love for his country; his patriotism exuded in everything he did. However, once he realized how naive he’d been about war in general, he learned to hate it. He’d lecture to families and children not to enlist for the war, because they might not come back how they had dreamed. They might come back like him, or not even come back at all. A few choice veterans overcame the adversity, but despite the few gains made by Vietnam vets, in many situations, public perspectives toward the veterans had taken up the enemy’s bullets left off. Instead, they had bullets of hatred and rancor shot at them. Their lives were never the same. Kovic, Ron. Born on the Fourth of July. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1976. Mason, Patience H. C. Recovering from the War. New York: Penguin Books, 1990. Saunders, Jim, and Mark Sauter. The Men We Left Behind. Bethesda: Saunders and Sauter, 1993. Wexler, Sanford. An Eyewitness History: The Vietnam War. New York: Wexler, 1992 Vietnam Essay -- essays research papers The trials and tribulations the soldiers faced at home were far worse than any battle they fought while in Vietnam. No one seemed to fully understand what these men had went through. They came home looking for love and comfort; little did they know that they had not yet experienced the worst of the war. A numerous amount of people were for the war, but the reality was, many were against it. " During 1967 public support for the war dropped sharply. By October approval of Johnson’s handling of the war dropped to 28%. A number of major metropolitan newspapers shifted from supporting the war to opposing it" (Wexler 145 ). Once the public realized that the war wasn’t all glory, they regretted the country’s involvement. The government wasn’t exactly the most reliable source of information during the war. They couldn’t be counted on when they were needed most. The government’s handling of aid for veteran’s seemed to be carelessly handled. Veterans were treated poorly and promises were broken frequently. The majority of the American population had no clue that the government was hiding information about POWs. " From September 1973 to March 1974, a series of unrelated witnesses reported the movement of nine POWs between two Laotian prison camps" ( Sauter 189 ). Similar accounts of American prisoners’ sightings were hidden from the public. Ron Kovic was not a prisoner of war. Instead he was sent home after being wounded. His return home was originally fine; everything he thought it would be. Yet he did not receive the welcome he had hoped for. Many resented him. He received blank stares and vicious glares. even his own brother was against the war. His family was baffled by the pessimistic view towards life that he had picked up along the way. In Born on the Fourth of July, Ron Kovic often mentioned that the veterans’ hospitals were torture chambers. " It is easy to lose it all here. The whole place functions smoothly, but somewhere along the way I am losing, and the rest of the people whom I can’t see in the rooms around me are losing too. Even if I heal this leg, I will lose. No one ever leaves this place without losing" ( Kovic 129 ). He felt this way, because he had seen the reality of the war, and he was appalled by the treatment the men received. Even after they had fought fo... ...attitude toward the war was bitter and aggressive. He resented the government and all people who supported the war. What had Ron become? He used to be an All-American boy. Characterized by his intense love for his country; his patriotism exuded in everything he did. However, once he realized how naive he’d been about war in general, he learned to hate it. He’d lecture to families and children not to enlist for the war, because they might not come back how they had dreamed. They might come back like him, or not even come back at all. A few choice veterans overcame the adversity, but despite the few gains made by Vietnam vets, in many situations, public perspectives toward the veterans had taken up the enemy’s bullets left off. Instead, they had bullets of hatred and rancor shot at them. Their lives were never the same. Kovic, Ron. Born on the Fourth of July. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1976. Mason, Patience H. C. Recovering from the War. New York: Penguin Books, 1990. Saunders, Jim, and Mark Sauter. The Men We Left Behind. Bethesda: Saunders and Sauter, 1993. Wexler, Sanford. An Eyewitness History: The Vietnam War. New York: Wexler, 1992
Monday, January 13, 2020
Is War Ethical Essay
The question, is war ethical, should always be the first question asked and the first question answered before engaging in such a world altering, life changing endeavor. One must be sure that purpose of war is to bring peace. â€Å"That its essential aim is always peace, so if peace is forthcoming in any guise, it is morally critical for all parties to seek a return to a permanent peace rather than a momentary lapse of war†(Moseley). Unfortunately, this is not the mindset of Falcon, one of the charters in The Sirens of Baghdad. He is militant; consumed with Thanatos and with an â€Å"appetite for destruction†(Hedges 251) towards the American troops; Falcon in the event below is determined to deceive and poison the minds of his brethren against the Americans troops. The event with Falcon takes place at the barbershop in Karfr Karam. Falcon and the elders of the town are gathered there, discussing the capture of Saddam by the American force in Iraqi. After some of the elders expressed their gratitude for the Americans capturing Saddam. Falcon takes this opportunity to place his seeds of doubt. He tries to unethically persuade his brethren. He expresses to them that the Americans had no right to go after Saddam and insists that it was the people of Iraqis responsibility. He believed it was because of every Iraqi’s cowardice that Saddam tyrannized them. He references this when he said, â€Å"People have the kings they deserve†(Khadra 32). He then expressed that Saddam may have been a monster but added that he was their monster. Falcon went on to explain that Saddam was one of them and shared their blood. He added that Saddam may have been a tyrant but he was Iraqi and therefore the Americans had no business touching or going after him. Falcon expressed that he would rather have Saddam still in power rather than the infidel American troops in Iraq. Falcon believed it was the Americans’ force, not Saddam that put Iraq in dire straits. Falcon says, â€Å"Look at what they’ve made of our country: hell on earth†(Khadra 33). Falcon’s behavior is fueled by Thanatos just as the behavior of the Islamic clerics was when they were determined to convert their countrymen into devout Muslims. â€Å"They spurned the decadence of the West including what the clerics condemned as the West’s loose sexual mores, drug use and thirst for sensual gratification†(Hedges 260). In that very moment Falcon was purposely lying to demoralize the American troops. He was trying to persuade his audience that the Americans did not come to free Iraq and bring peace. Falcon felt Saddam was an excuse to take Iraq’s resources and pillage their towns and cities. He tried to fill his audience’s minds with doubt and mistrust. He was unethically deceiving his community the same way real life insurgents behave in the Iraqi war. Tariq say’s, â€Å"More and more Iraqis were fooled by the insurgents’ propaganda, and the attacks aimed at Americans and their supporters increased. My country †¦ has suffered greatly from the insurgency, and we have lost many people who believed in the U. S. message†(Abandoned in Iraq). Falcon, just like the real insurgents in Iraq dedicated to their unethical war, chose an unethical path. He spread deceitful lies and led his brethren into the jaws of Tahantos instead of guiding them towards a life of peace and happiness. The next event in The Sirens of Baghdad is fueled by the insurgents’ use of deceitful tactics. In pursuit of their unethical war, they purposely caused innocent lives to be lost in order to create media propaganda to recruit the naive young men of Iraq. They dressed in civilian clothing and hid among the people. They used the innocent women and children for cover and human shields. â€Å"A populace†¦. held hostage by a group of ragged, starving ‘rebels,’ armed with filthy rifles and rocket launchers†(Khadra 76). Their actions and behaviors are very similar to those of the real insurgency and their unethical war in Iraq. An example of this is when they gave young school children realistic toy guns to play with at the very same check points their relatives work at with US troops. This was obviously done to cause innocent bloodshed which, in turn, will create some type of media propaganda for their cause. Specialist Raven Jenks says, â€Å"It’s to train the kids to use real weapons, and also to provoke us into killing civilians†(Iraq’s young Blood). The insurgency uses this unethical tactic to create media propaganda of war. This is for the sole purpose of causing despair and rage within the people of Iraq to brainwash them and turn them against the forces that are sent to help. In the event described below, Yassen is one of the first young men in the Sirens of Baghdad to be won over by this unethical war tactic. The event takes place in the cafe in Kafr Karma. Seeds of doubt and deception have already reached the minds of Kafr Karma’s youth about American troops. Before departing for Bagdad, Sayed, Falcon’s son, purposely left a parting gift of a television for Kafr Karam’s youth at the cafe. He did this in hopes the youth would not forget his message and â€Å"that the young men of Kafra Karam would not lose sight of their country’s tragic reality†(Khadra 74). Along with the seeds of doubt and deception already planted within the young men’s minds, this gift â€Å"proved to be a poisoned chalice†(Khadra 83). It served its purpose well. The youth were griped with the images of war and enraged by the lost of innocent blood shed of their people. They began to sway to the side of the insurgency unethical war; â€Å"applauding successful ambushes and deploring skirmishes that went wrong†(Khadra 84). The young men of Kafr Karam were growing closer to Thanatos everyday and the temptation to â€Å"honor false covenants †¦. and gender†(Hedges 250),such as Saddam, was taking affect. Fully aware of the unethical wrongs Saddam committed, the youth still began to further familiarize themselves with him. Their initial delight for his capture turned to frustration. One of the youth, Yaseen, felt the publicity portraying the capture of Saddam portrayed him as a rat; dirty, confused, unshaven, and exposed to the cameras of the world. Yassen took offense to this and announced â€Å"by humiliating him like that, they were holding up every Arab in the world to public opprobrium†(Khadra 84). Yassen was clearly won over by the insurgency’s propaganda and unethical chose to aid in spreading its lies and deceit. The insurgency’s seed of doubt and deception enforced by their media propaganda enforced their campaign for the loyalty (Hedges 250) and paid off. The insurgency gained a new recruit from Kafr Karam to join their unethical war. The final event described below from The Sirens of Baghdad is a fictional example of the ultimate insanity of the insurgency’s unethical war. The Iraqi insurgency preys on the young men and boys who have been submerse in violence; â€Å"the closest analogy may be to the Taliban in Afghanistan. They offer these orphans of war a different kind of family structure cemented by the bonds of Islam†(Iraq’s Young Blood). These young Iraqis want to belong but more importantly crave purpose. Their minds are impressionable, easy to manipulate and brainwash. Making them the perfect candidates to turn into suicidal human weapons. The event described below from The Sirens of Baghdad bear witness to this product of unethical war. The main character (the narrator) turns himself into human weapon. The final event takes place in Beirut, Lebanon. The narrator has been groomed by his cousin Sayed (a member of the insurgency) since his arrival in Baghdad form Kafr Karam. The narrator, who has longed to become a suicide bomber, now receives his chance. Fully aware of his cousin’s fate, Sayed still makes the unethical decision to offer the narrator the mission. Sayed says, â€Å"you wanted some action†¦. Well, the miracle has taken place†¦. mission is now possible†(Khadra 236). The narrator accepts the unethical mission. Delighted, but aware of the possibility the narrator may change his mind before the mission, Sayed makes the unethical discussion to manipulate his young cousin once again. He says, â€Å"Kafr Karam, the forgotten, will take its place in history†(Khadra 237). Those words send the narrator into a state of purpose and honor. This is evident when he says, â€Å"He had lifted me up into the ranks of those who are revered†(Khadra 237). The narrator has made the unethical choice to become a human weapon.
Saturday, January 4, 2020
Native American Schooling Essay - 1019 Words
Native Schooling For many years Native American people have been discriminated against in the United States as well as in the Public School system. Beginning with the common-school movement of the 1830s and 1840s, which attempted to stop the flow toward a more diverse society, the school systems have continued to be geared exclusively toward WASPS (White Anglo-Saxon Protestants). Native Americans have been forced to abandon their culture and conform to our â€Å"American†ways (Rothenberg, 1998, pp. 258-259.) nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Thomas L. McKenney focused on deculturalizing the children through public schooling (Spring, 1997, p. 16). McKenney served as superintendent of Indian trade for fourteen years. After that office was†¦show more content†¦nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Another form of cultural transformation was teaching English to the Native Americans. As Moravian educator John Gambold stated in Spring’s text, â€Å"It is indispensably necessary for their preservation that they should learn our Language and adopt our Laws and Holy Religion.†Actually Sequoyah’s development of the written Cherokee language was invented for the purpose of preservation of the Cherokee culture. Reverend Gambold suggested that Sequoyah’s language was a waste of his time and should simply be forgotten. Sequoyah’s alphabet was a great success, in fact, soon after a newspaper was developed using the new language. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In 1858, Commissioner of Indian affairs, Charles E. Mix, in his annual report, stated that manual labor schools were to be established for the Native American children. This was to help prepare them for agriculture. The schools also taught basic skills in reading, writing, and arithmetic. In order to maintain harmony between the whites and the Indians Commissioner Mix â€Å"recommended that a military force should remain in the vicinity of the reservations to add in controlling the Indians (Spring, 1997, p.28).†The second idea for schooling Native American children was to send them away toShow MoreRelated Education Essay examples739 Words  | 3 PagesEducation nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In many different ways, American cultural life during the Jeffersonian Era began to appear as a reflection of the Republican vision of the future. The Republicans had observed many modernizing trends, some of them favorable and others detrimental to their view of an ideal society. American religion began to adjust to the spread of Enlightenment philosophies. However, one of the most notable alterations was the new emphasis placed upon education. 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