Media Propaganda Hides American Terrorism Essay examples -- September

Media Propaganda Hides American Terrorism    An article in this month's "Stuff" magazine for men, titled "Die American Scum" tells us that the world sucks. It sucks because while Americans have given other countries "Mickey Mouse, burgers and gum, won wars for them, kept the peace and disposed of dictators," all we have gotten in return is terrorism. The article, by John Parrish, goes on to discourage Americans from traveling to 10 "terrorist" countries including Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Colombia and Mexico.    While the article attempts to further the notion that evil terrorists in the rest of the world are out to get innocent Americans, like many other sources of contorted propaganda, it fails to look at why. Through the news, movies and magazines such as "Stuff," we are constantly bombarded with images of Middle Eastern terrorists, Colombian guerrillas or Mexican Zapatistas, all out to hurt Americans. But a look at the United States' own record and at the stereotypes bred by the media reveal that America's actions and policies generate hatred abroad. Furthermore, the image we have of a typical terrorist must be revealed for what it is - pure racism.    Ask any American what country poses the biggest threat to the United States today and most will say Iraq. Even little kids know that Saddam Hussein embodies all that is evil in the world. We see pictures of American flag-burning Iraqis and shudder with fear and confusion. But what do we expect? U.S. sanctions have caused the deaths of millions of Iraqis. How are these deaths different than those caused by so called "terrorists?" Our selfishness gives birth to a dangerous cycle. Sanctions create animosity toward the United States. This hatred may lead to terrorism... ...ontradictory actions that either further or exact terrorism. Obviously, any and all terrorism is bad. But we must open our eyes to America's own terrorist actions and look critically at why countries harbor hatred towards us. I remember watching TV and seeing Serbian youth in the streets last year angrily chanting against Americans as they tore up our country's flag. I felt afraid, but I also felt extremely guilty.    I believe that the citizens of other nations do not want to hate the American people. But when we sit quietly as our government attacks them, either with bombs or sanctions, what can we expect? We must actively resist the stereotypes and untruths that the media have the power to generate. In doing so, we can begin to show the people of other nations that we are on their side and we can decrease some of the hatred that underlies terrorism."   

Environmental program Essay

Superfund is an environmental program formed to address abandoned hazardous waste sites. It is also established by the amended Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980. The law was enacted in the height of the discovery of dumps of toxic wastes in the 1970. The law permits the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to clean up such hazardous locations and to require responsible companies/persons to do clean up or compensate the government for EPA-initiated cleanups. The Superfund cleanup procedure is intricate. It starts on the assessment of the sites and placing them on the National Priorities List, then conduct cleanups on them. Located at 4109 West Linebaugh Avenue in Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida, the Southern Solvents, Inc. served as a delivery and trade point for tetrachloroethylene. The chemical, which is also known as perchloroethylene or PCE was stored in four aboveground storage tanks in the facility from 1977 to 1985. The facility distributed the chemicals for dry cleaners located within the area. From 1985 to 1989 the facility was leased to P. J. ’s Spa and recently leased to a commercial painting company. The whole property of Southern Solvents, Inc. is about 100 feet wide and 185 feet deep. When the company is still in operations, the aboveground tanks were individually filled from tanker tanks that brought the chemicals to the facility. One former tank had a capacity of 3,000 gallons while the size of the other three is still unknown. It is believed that leaks and spills of tetrachloroethylene happened while the tanks are being filled and emptied. The tetrachloroethylene that spilled and leaked was not contained and eventually goes down into the nearby sandy soil. In 1988, when the facility’s drinking water well and several private drinking wells nearby, it was positive contamination of tetrachloroethylene and related compounds of trichloroethylene and 1,2-dichloroethan. The Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services advise instantaneously the residents within the area to stop using water from these wells and supplied bottled water to owners and tenants in the area. The Florida Cites Water Department and the Northwest Hillsborough County Utilities have four wells that draw water from an aquifer within 4 miles of Southern Solvents facility. They provide water supply to more than 46,000 people in St. Petersburg, Hillsborough County, and nearby communities. As early as 1994, EPA conducted preliminary assessment of the site and its threat to the community. On July 27, 2000, Southern Solvents site was placed on the National Priorities List (NPL). Various studies then undergoes since the signing of the Superfund Contract that commits the State for 10 percent of the cost for the clean up. Until now, there are only initial steps of chemical oxidation studies and soil vapor extractions are done into the site. Reference: Environmental Protection Agency, Florida. (2009, March 20). Southern Solvents. Retrieved March 24, 2009, from http://www. dep. state. fl. us/waste/quick_topics/publications/ wc/sites/summary/141. pdf Environmental Protection Agency, United States. (2009, January 30). Superfund. Retrieved March 24, 2009, from http://www. epa. gov/superfund/about. htm

Importance Of Individualism In Enders Game - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1373 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/08/02 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Enders Game Essay Did you like this example? In the novel Enders Game by Orson Scott Card, one of the main characters greatest fears is that he would become like his brother, Peter. While on earth, Ender was physically afraid of Peter due to threats that he would kill him. But, when Ender was taken to battle school, he no longer had to be afraid of peter in that way. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Importance Of Individualism In Enders Game" essay for you Create order While at Battle School, Ender had a small, but recurring fear, reinforced by the Battle School computer, of becoming like Peter. Peter is the boy that traps squirrels and skins them until they die. As Major Imbu of Battle school said His brother (Peter) was rejected from this program because hes one of the most ruthless and unreliable human beings weve ever laid hands on. (Card 186 par. 4). Ender has the ability to win in every situation and hates himself for it because he doesnt want to be the ruthless killing machine that he feared for over half his life. Ender is reminded of this when a fantasy game he plays at battle school shows him in a mirror with a reflection of peters face, as his own.   Enders inner struggle is inside him throughout battle school and beyond and he is reminded of it constantly.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Enders fear started out as physical danger. While he knew Peter would do nothing that would make himself get into trouble (due to the monitor), Peter would disguise it as a game so that Ender would get hurt, but never too much. While Enders sister, Valentine, knows how brutal and cruel Peter can be, she is helpless to stop it because their parents have no idea who Peter really is away from them. When Ender finally got the monitor off, Peter suggested they play, and they do, but this time Peter threatens to kill Ender and Valentine. He would want to but will have to find a better way to do it. Enders comfort during the day is based on the fact that Peter will never disrupt his image in front of anyone except Ender and Valentine. Peter would often verbally abuse Ender, and say things that Ender hated the most. The fact that he was a third and the fact that even though Ender is younger than him he is better, the only reason hes alive is because Peter was so good. Peter had the ability to find his opponents worst fear, then exploit it in the worst way possible. Ender had a similar skill, where he could totally and completely understand his opponents and beat them. In his mind this made him like Peter, a mindless killing machine with no love or compassion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Ender moves to battle school the reader gets the impression that theyll neither have to see nor worry about Peter ever again. Then the fantasy game comes into play. In the game the player must pass an impossible challenge, in this case it is a giant who offers you a choice that will always be wrong. Ender finds a way to kill the giant by attacking him instead of choosing. It was not the intended result by ends up killing him anyway. This makes Ender think of all the times where he has been helpless to Peter. Later in the fantasy game Ender encounters a mirror where shows Enders character, and in the mirror it shows Peter as Ender. This embodies Enders internal struggles and fears. By the computer showing him as Peter, it embodies his belief that he isnt any better than Peter, that his birth was a failure and how he hates himself for not just defeating his enemies but destroying them. Ender is brought to command his own army in the game at battle scho ol. While playing this game Ender is never given an advantage only detriments. Less training time, uneven stages, back to back battles, two in one day, even two armies against his. He wins every single one, not just barley as most armies would do, but would win with little to no losses of team members. For Ender this personifies the awareness of his suspicion that he could be an even better killer than Peter could, and that its what Graff and all required to defeat the buggers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ender has also experienced some traumatic ordeals that made him feel extremely close to Peter. One of these experiences occurred when Ender was only 6 years old and still on Earth. A boy called Stilson, for unknown reasons, hates Ender for being to smart for his age and for being a third child. He is a bully who traps him in the hallway the day Ender gets his monitor off. Since Stilson knows that the government is no longer watching Ender he proceeds to fight him. Ender fights hard, too hard. He beats stilson and while he is still on the floor ender proceeds to kick him again and again so neither stilson or any of his friends would ever bother him again. After the fight Ender sits by a wall and cries while saying I am just like Peter. Take my monitor away, and I am just like Peter.(Card 143 par. 3) Another boy also fought Ender, but took it more seriously and was intent on killing Ender. The boys name was Bonzo Madrid, and while Ender was in his army at b attle school, Ender disrespected him and Bonzo took it as a serious insult that Ender was even placed in his army and never let go of his animosity. In the fight Ender hits him so hard that Bonzo dosent come back up. After the fight Ender was helped by his friend, who was glad he was safe and was saying bad things about Bonzo when Ender breaks out crying and when asked if he is okay answers, I didnt want to hurt him! Why didnt he just leave me alone!(Card 304 par. 2) In both of these fights it would be the boys last act to fight Ender. What ender dosent realize is that having a multidimensional personality makes him individualized from Peter. When Peter is fighting with someone he just focuses on exposing their weaknesses, while ender is understanding his opponents and feeling compassion for them while simultaneously demolishing them. In the end of the book Ender is tricked into destroying an alien race known as buggers. After he realizes what he has done, Ender goes into a coma-lik e state and dosent wake up. This was the price he paid to learn his lesson of being individual and not being afraid of becoming Peter.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Enders internal struggle was based off the fear that he was no better than or just like Peter.   However after destroying the buggers and being deceived, he understands and loved the buggers. Through the journey of his many experiences Ender comes to realize that the source of his self doubt, that he was like Peter and destroyed without compassion, was false and deceptive. While in reality his compassion and understanding of his foes differentiated him from Peter   which gives him his unique personality and mentality. While his physical fear of Peter evolved into something else his fear of becoming Peter never went away. Even at the place where no one was ever better than he was, Peter followed and haunted him throughout battle school. After he killed all the buggers, ender went into a comma where he had horrible dreams while he continued to think, I never wanted to kill anybody. Nobody ever asked me if I ever wanted to kill anybody. In these dreams, he sees all the things that he has done that made him feel like Peter, in real life and in the fantasy game.   When Ender finally wakes up all his friends are there to help and congratulate him, and he almost kills one of his friends when he goes to wake him up. It is then that he finally realizes that he is a killer and cant change that, so he decides that he wont be like Peter and will have compassion and the mere fact that he has empathy makes him completely different from Peter. In conclusion, Ender shows us an important lesson of individualism and being who you are and not being someone else.