Modernization and Nationalism in South Korea free essay sample

Is it possible to preserve traditional Korean culture as South Korea continues to modernize and Westernize? In the 21st century, modernity is often equated with capitalism-industrialization, though the concept is more complex than that. The idea of modernity can be defined on sociological, political and cultural platforms. Modernity is a powerful notion, a departure from tradition; driven by political, social and economic developments. It is the acceptance that progress is inevitable. Because this departure from conventional, cultural practices is essential to the implementation of modernization, many societies have struggled with breaking from tradition in an effort to modernize, to varying degrees of success. The difficulties to preserve culture while modernizing has been particularly prevalent in eastern Asian cultures especially those that have been affected by the deeply conservative thinking of Confucianism after they adopted the concept from the post-feudal West. Emerging countries such as South Korea are especially burdened by trying to strike a happy balance between their traditional culture versus the prospects of modernization. We will write a custom essay sample on Modernization and Nationalism in South Korea or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Couple this with Confucianism plus the Korean peninsulas self-imposed policy of isolationism in previous centuries, which resulted in limited contact with foreign innovation and one would expect South Korea to struggle bitterly to modernize while maintaining its traditional customs. However, tools such as Korean Nationalism, the influence of Confucianism and the impact of the Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula enable Korean society to better preserve and protect their culture while entering the modern world as a dynamic nation. South Korean culture can be tough for an outsider to grapple with. Though it has imported Chinese elements, it has also been shaped by the nation’s unique experiences with shamanism. If you just skim the surface, it is a very Westernized place. The youth has wholeheartedly embraced globalization. If you take away the signs in hangul script, parts of Seoul could be mistaken for New York, London, or Berlin. Though South Korea has adopted elements from other cultures, they are determined to preserve their own. Many of the unspoken rules that govern daily interactions have not been changed from centuries past, come from the Chinese ethical/philosophical system Confucianism, which Korea adopted when it was a member of the Sinosphere. Followers of Confucianism, are governed by a system of virtues. Filial piety (? ; xiao) is considered among the greatest of these virtues. It must be shown to the living as well as the dead, hence ancestor worship, which is called jesa ( ) in Korean. Ancestor worship contributed to the conservative thought of Confucianism. Cultures that engage in ancestor worship are going to be conservative. They will not find new things attractive because that will challenge the ancestors. In contrast, Westerners perceive change as natural. Without the weight of a continuous history and the conservation of Confucianism, Westerners seemed more likely to look ahead. Western view of the future expected tangible, long-term progress. Western history is more fluid. Unlike its neighbor China, Korea’s history is not a trap. It is not a set of rigid traditions that prevent the country from modernizing, but Koreans are intent on protecting and passing on their culture. Having a conservative ideology at the core of society such as Confucianism will ultimately help protect Korean culture. Korean ethnic nationalism ( ) a political ideology and a form of ethnic identity that is prevalent in modern Korea is another way Korean society is guaranteeing that Korean culture is preserved. It is based on the belief that Koreans share a unified bloodline as well as a distinct culture. It is centered around the idea of minjok ( ), which can be translated to â€Å"nation†. The majority of the Korean population continues to identify itself as â€Å"one people† (danil minjok; ) joined by a common bloodline, ethnicity, linguistics, a shared history,etc. An ethnically defined Korea continues to gives Koreans a stimulus to national pride, and feeds hopes for the reunification of the Korean peninsula. The movement places emphasis on traditional Korean customs. Advocates wants to ensure that the next generation continues to preserve plus pass on these conventions. Korean ethnic nationalism reached its peak during the biggest threat to Korean culture in the past century. Not modernization, but the Japanese occupation of the peninsula from 1910 to 1945. During the occupation, the Japanese enacted policies trying to stomp out Korean language and culture, replacing it with Japanese language and culture. This includes censoring newspapers, prohibitions on Korean language, distortion of Korean history, relocation of cultural artifacts to Japan, Japanese-centered education, altering public monuments and so on. In general, the awareness of Korean history among Koreans declined substantially during this period; the new generation grew up with little or no awareness of their own heritage. The Japanese altered Korean history to justify their occupation of the peninsula to the international community by painting the Koreans as backwards and in desperate need of modernization. This was possible in part because Korea had sealed itself off from outside contact for centuries. Resentment of the harsh treatment of Koreans eventually led to a revival of Korean nationalism, including in-depth research projects into the standardization of Hangul and Korean culture. Historically, the central objectives of Koreas nationalist movement were the advancement and protection of Koreas ancient culture and national identity from influence. The nationalist movement was very dedicated to the restoration and preservation of Koreas traditional culture. The impact of the Japanese occupation has resulted in the nationalist movement and its attitude towards Korean culture still being very prevalent in modern Korean society. When the Japanese occupation ended, Korean nationalism was still strong, even after the division of the peninsula. Taking the lead from the West, South Korea began the process of modernizing, adopting Western ideology along the way. The results have been astonishing: Korea has been able to modernize and enter the 21st with a booming, dynamic economy. The adoption of a democracy as well as the capitalist system in the late 50s did wonders for the economy which took major economic leaps in the 80s. South Korea used to have a smaller GDP than some of the poorest countries in Asia, mostly due to the Japanese occupation during World War II, but became one of the four â€Å"Asian Tigers† and boosts one of the most booming economies in the world (#13). The nation is occasionally inaccurately thought to be poor and technologically ‘backward’, which, understandably, annoys the locals no end. South Koreans ake great pains to refer to their country as â€Å"Korea,† with no geographic distinction. In their minds, using the term â€Å"South Korea† gives legitimacy to the totalitarian doppelganger across the border. Nowhere else in the world is there a homogeneous group of people so starkly divided by ideology. South Koreans strongly believe in democracy as well as freedom. They are not so weighed down by Conf ucian values borrowed from the Chinese that they can not adopt Western political systems while still respecting their own traditions and conventions. South Koreans talk about freedom, the notion of democracy and capitalism the way many Westerners do. Koreans are proud of their country, as indicated by the strong nationalism movement, though they still take great pains to maintain their culture while modernizing. The preservation of culture can be attributed to the Korean ethnic nationalism movement, Confucian values and the peninsulas history with Japan. The lives of Koreans continue to be swayed by traditions, beliefs and rituals that outsiders might find outdated or confusing. While the country establishes itself as an affluent democracy and boosts its engagement with the outside world, its traditional culture and national identity will be preserved and protected. Works Cited primary: Hessler, Peter. Oracle Bones. New York: HarperCollins, 2006. Print. This book documents Hessler’s first-hand account of East Asia, especially China. He serves as a journalist in Beijing and travels all over the subregion, trying to explain East Asia’s past and future. I cannot say enough good things about this book, however it is biased against Marxism and the CCP. Hessler says that â€Å"[Chinese intellectuals] adopted the worst of Western systems (such as Marxism). † Hessler refrains from giving his opinion about Mao and the communist regime however he his largely sympathetic towards the victims of the Cultural Revolution he interviews/researchers and some of his writing tends to paint Mao (and other communist leaders) in a negative light. He is in China during then-President Bush’s visit to China/South Korea and seems to imply that Bush does not understand Asia, especially China. Whether or not this is an accurate statement can be debated, but these are several however minor) examples of Hessler not being as objective as he could. Kim, Mun-ju. Saeroun Sahoe Rul Yonun Sangsangnyok. Soul-si: Sidae ui Ch? ang, 2006. Print. The title translates loosely to Opening A New Social Imagination†. As far as I know, there is no official English translation, so I had to translate sections. A Seattle Public Library employee had told me would be helpful when I checked out the book (I copied the characters into a word document using a Korean keyboard and then consulted dictionaries/a friend who is fluent). The book is written by a South Korean. In general, their stance is very radical and they are especially critical of the North Korean government, claiming they are â€Å"holding the nation back from creating a more progressive society. † Cummings, Bruce. Korean Society: Civil society, democracy and the state. 2006, Print. This book covers Korean society in relation to democracy, freedom, and other Western beliefs. As the title may indicate, this book is very against the North Korean regime (especially the communist system). It makes a quick jab at the North Korean government, claiming it is â€Å"backwards† and will collapse eventually . Chang, Jung, and Jon Halliday. Mao: The Unknown Story. New York: Knopf, 2005. Print. This biography was compiled after 10 years of research and the consultation of many archives world-wide. I read it to increase my knowledge of the East Asian political climate during the Korean War/Korea-Sino relations (the index for ‘Korea’ in the back of the book was very long so I figured it was worth a read). Not only did it provide little help for my paper, but it is so biased that it cannot be taken seriously. All history is biased, but some history is more biased than others. This book is a perfect example of the latter. The writing doesnt even try to be fair and frequently takes things out of context to paint Mao as some horrible, diabolical monster. One detail that sticks out is when one of the authors states that, because Mao failed to bow to a CCP superior, he is apparently â€Å"thuggish†. The prose is sloppy and comes off like the authors have some grade-school vendetta against Mao. The man wasnt a saint, but when writing a biography one needs to be objective. Dirlik, Arif. â€Å"Modernity as history: post-revolutionary China, globalization and the question of modernity† Social History. January 2002. This article is exactly what it says on the tin: China, globalization, modernity. The article seems to agree with the idea that ‘history traps countries and prevents them from modernizing’ , and he subtly advocates for Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Eckert, Carter. Koreas Transition to Modernity, A Will to Greatness: Historical Perspectives on Contemporary East Asia. This is a short essay in a compilation of essays on East Asia. It talks about both Koreas and their attempts at modernization, praising South Korea and lambasting North Korea for its failures. It paints the country as backwards and implies that modernization could solve all of North Korea’s problems. Gi-Wook Shin, Ethnic Nationalism in Korea: Genealogy, Politics, and Legacy. Stanford University Press, 2006. This book explores nationalism in Korea in the past and present. The author admits that the Japanese occupation is a touchy topic for them, but the Japanese are still portrayed ruthlessly in relation to the rise in the Korean nationalism. Macdonald, Donald Stone. The Koreans: Contemporary Politics and Society. 2nd ed. Boulder: Westview, 1990. Print. This book covers contemporary Korean politics while covering details of the past. It has many pictures and a great bibliography. The author paints the Japanese in a horrible light, calling them barbaric. The book also hardly criticizes the North Korean regime, implying that it is oppressing Korean culture. Rostow, Walter. Stages of Economic Growth: A Non-Communist Manifesto. Cambridge University Press, 1960. Print. This book uses South Korea and its implementation of capitalism as one of its main points. At the title indicates, it is very biased against communism and criticizes North Korea, the Soviet Union, etc. Suh, Kuk-sung, Young-soo Kim, Il-sung Park, Jeong-soo Lee, and Se-jin Lee. The Identity of the Korean People: A History of Legitimacy on the Korean Peninsula. Seoul, Korea: Research Center for Peace and Unification, 1983. Print. This book deals with a myriad of subjects, summarizing what unites the Korean people. Because this book is written by so many people, I thought it would be difficult to find a bias, but the narrative is highly critical of the North Korean regime, claiming that â€Å"democracy and freedom† are integral parts of Korean history. There is a chapter of the legitimacy of South Korea, but not one about the North, ignoring the North’s sovereignty. Yi, Ki-baek. A New History of Korea. Cambridge, MA: Published for the Harvard-Yenching Institute by Harvard UP, 1984. Print. This book is a giant history of Korea. I only read the sections about the Japanese occupation, which, predictably, portrays the Japanese as horrible monsters and occasionally exaggerates the plight of the Koreans, calling any form of violence (even self-defense) by the Japanese â€Å"unnecessary†. The author essentially presents a Koreanized version of all history that occurred on the peninsula.

The 4 Best Free VIN Check Sites

The 4 Best Free VIN Check Sites SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Imagine this: You’ve been saving up to buy a new car for months. You finally find the perfect vehicle and drive it home, only to get a call a few days later. The car was stolen, and you now need to deal with a police investigation. Obviously, this scenario is extreme, but it’s not unheard of for consumers to have issues purchasing new or used cars. One way to cut down on potential problems when purchasing a car is to run a VIN report to check out the vehicle’s history before you buy it. In this article, I’ll explain what a VIN number is, why it’s important, and how to run a free VIN check through the National Insurance Crime Bureau. I’ll also review other options for free VIN reports and discuss whether or not you should pay money for a more detailed VIN report when purchasing a car. What’s a VIN Number? A VIN number is an identifying code that’s associated with a specific automobile. A VIN number is made up of 17 characters (numbers and letters) that act as the vehicle’s fingerprint. No two automobiles have the same VIN number, so you can use a VIN number to track a specific vehicle’s history, registrations, and more. You can find a car’s VIN number by looking on the driver’s side of the vehicle, either at the corner of the vehicle where the windshield meets the dashboard or on the doorpost of the driver’s side front door. You can also find a VIN number on a vehicle’s insurance card, title, and registration. Why Should I Check the VIN Number When Buying a Car? If you’re planning to buy a car (new or used), it’s important to run at least a free VIN report on the car’s VIN number to get a better understanding of its history. Running a free VIN check on the car will pull up its basic history, including information on previous claims of theft and/or accidents. You’ll want to run a VIN check when purchasing a car to make sure that the car is legally available for purchase and that it’s in good enough condition to drive. A VIN check will pull up any significant claims that have been made about the car. These include information about if the car was ever stolen and if it was ever subject to serious damage, such as flood, fire, or accident damage. Reputable car dealerships will often provide you with a copy of the VIN report for the car you’re looking to purchase, free of charge. Your salesman will likely review the report with you, noting the number of owners, any accidents or claims reported on the car, and any other issues of note, such as recalls or leftover warranties. If you’re buying a car from a dealership that doesn’t offer a free VIN check, or purchasing from a private party, you’ll want to run a free VIN report on your own to check for theft records and major accidents. Depending on the circumstances, you may also want to pay for a more detailed VIN report. I’ll discuss when to purchase a detailed VIN report in a later section. How to Use the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s Free VIN Check The National Insurance Crime Bureau is a great resource for running a free VIN lookup search to check for theft and total loss records. In this section, I’ll talk you through how to use the NICB as a resource to check the history of an automobile. The first thing you need to run a free VIN lookup at NCIB is the VIN number of the vehicle you’re looking up. As I mentioned earlier, you can find a vehicle’s VIN number on the driver’s side of the car, either where the dashboard meets the window, or in the driver’s side door. After you have the VIN number in question, go to the NICB VinCheck page and enter the VIN number where it says â€Å"Step 1.† Check the box to agree to the terms and conditions of use in â€Å"Step 2.† Enter the verification code that appears in the box for â€Å"Step 3,† then hit â€Å"search.† You’ll be taken to a page that displays the results of your free VIN lookup. You’ll receive information about the vehicle’s theft and total loss records. A theft record indicates that the car has been marked as stolen at some point in its history, while a total loss record means that the car has been damaged and marked as a loss in an accident, flood, or fire. If your VIN number shows that the vehicle has not been identified, as shown in the above screenshot, that means that the vehicle has never been stolen or had any significant damage that would signify a total loss, e.g., the car's been declared totaled. The vehicle will only be listed in this database if theft or loss records have been generated. If your vehicle shows that there’s a record for either theft or total loss, you’ll want to do more research to find out the exact details of the situation to determine if the vehicle is suitable for purchase. Other Free VIN Check Options You can get a free VIN check from a number of other sites as well. In general, these sites offer more detailed VIN reports than that of the National Insurance Crime Bureau. You can also pay at each of these sites to upgrade your VIN check and receive more information about the car you're purchasing. #1: CarFax CarFax is known as a leader in provided detailed VIN reports to consumers. In fact, many car dealerships will show you the CarFax report for the vehicle you’re looking to purchase. While the most detailed CarFax reports cost money, you can get a basic VIN report on used cars listed on CarFax’s website for free. These reports show accidents reported, owner history, usage information, and service history. #2: Research.com Research.com provides the most comprehensive free VIN report, offering extensive details about the vehicle’s inspection and performance records, safety ratings, warranty, and more. It will also tell you when and where the vehicle has been listed for sale, as well as its sale price. #3: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers a VIN lookup that gives you information about the car’s make and model, so you can know if it’s under any recall orders. Knowing about recall orders will help you decide if the car is safe to drive and if it’s facing any lengthy or costly repairs. Should You Pay for a More Detailed VIN Report? When should you pay for a more detailed VIN report? Well, a lot of it depends on how much detail you want to know about your car’s history. In general, it’s a good idea to purchase a detailed VIN report if you’re buying a used car and you can’t get one for free from the dealership or individual you’re working with. More detailed VIN reports are fairly cheap - $39.99 to check a single VIN number on CarFax, or $59.99 if you want to check a bundle of five different VIN numbers. Detailed VIN reports go into much more depth about the overall condition of the vehicle. For instance, CarFax’s detailed VIN reports offer comprehensive information about recalls, repairs, dates and times of servicing, and an overall evaluation of the vehicle’s condition. Knowing the vehicle’s condition is important for two reasons. First, it helps ensure that you’re purchasing a car that’ll actually run for you. Second, it lets you know if you’re paying a fair price for the car. Learning about a previous owner’s service records is important as well, as it shows that the car has been properly maintained. Likewise, learning about recalls and warranty information can save you money on repairs and routine service in the long run. If you’re purchasing a new car, you probably don’t need a detailed VIN report, as it won’t tell you much information about the car, since a new car won’t have any ownership or accident records. Review: How to Check a VIN Number for Free A VIN number is like a car’s fingerprint- you can look it up to learn about the car’s history. When purchasing a car, it’s important to run at least a free VIN check to lookup the car’s history and ensure that it doesn’t have any open theft or total loss records. You can also pay for more detailed VIN reports that offer information on a car’s service and ownership history, as well as detailed information about the car’s value.

Anfangen (To Begin) German Verb Conjugations

Anfangen (To Begin) German Verb Conjugations Anfangen is a strong (irregular) verb that means to begin or start. As a strong verb, it doesnt follow a strict rule and you will need to memorize how it is conjugated in its different tenses.   In addition, the verb  anfangen  is a separable prefix verb. That means that its prefix (an-) separates when the verb is conjugated, even in its past participle form (angefangen). There are cases where the prefix does not separate. These include the infinitive form such as with modals in the future tense, in dependent clauses, and in the past participle (with ge-). While a separable prefix may seem confusing, keep in mind that it is like English verbs such as fill in, clear out, etc. The difference is that in English the second word can come either right after the verb or at the end of the sentence. In German, it usually comes only at the end of the sentence. Sample Sentences With the Separable-Prefix Verbanfangen, to begin, start Present Tense Wann  fangen  Sie  an? - When do you begin? Ich  fange  heute  an. - I start today. Present Perfect Tense Wann  haben  sie  angefangen? - When did they begin? Past Perfect Tense Wann  hatten  Sie  angefangen? - When had you begun? Past Tense Wann  fingen  wir  an? - When did we begin? Future Tense Wir werden wieder  anfangen. - We will begin again. With Modals Kà ¶nnen  wir  heute  anfangen? - Can we begin today? AnfangenPresent Tense -  Prsens Deutsch English Singular Present Tense ich fange an I begin/startI am beginning du fngst an you begin/startyou are beginning er fngt an sie fngt an es fngt an he begins/startshe is beginningshe begins/startsshe is beginningit begins/startsit is beginning Plural Present Tense wir fangen an we begin/startare beginning ihr fangt an you (guys) begin/startyou are beginning sie fangen an they begin/startthey are beginning Sie fangen an you begin/startyou are beginning Examples Using the Present Tense of Anfangen Wann fangen Sie an?When do you start? Die Vorstellung fngt um sechs Uhr an.The performance begins at six oclock. AnfangenSimple Past Tense -  Imperfekt Deutsch English Singular Simple Past Tense ich fing an I began/started du fingst an you began/started er fing ansie fing anes fing an he began/startedshe began/startedit began/started Plural Simple Past Tense wir fingen an we began/started ihr fingt an you (guys) began/started sie fingen an they began/started Sie fingen an you began/started AnfangenCompound Past Tense (Present Perfect) -  Perfekt Deutsch English Singular Compound Past Tense ich habe angefangen I have begun/startedI began/started du hast angefangen you have begun/startedyou began/started er hat angefangensie hat angefangenes hat angefangen he has begun/startedhe began/startedshe has begun/startedshe began/startedit has begun/startedit began/started Plural Compound Past Tense wir haben angefangen we have begun/startedwe began/started ihr habt angefangen you (guys) have begun/startedyou began/started sie haben angefangen they have begun/startedthey began/started Sie haben angefangen you have begun/startedyou began/started AnfangenPast Perfect Tense -  Plusquamperfekt Deutsch English Singular Past Perfect Tense ich hatte angefangen I had begun/started du hattest angefangen you had begun/started er hatte angefangensie hatte angefangenes hatte angefangen he had begun/startedshe had begun/startedit had begun/started Plural Past Perfect Tense wir hatten angefangen we had begun/started ihr hattet angefangen you (guys) had begun/started sie hatten angefangen they had begun/started Sie hatten angefangen you had begun/started

Roles and responsibilities of community health Essay

Roles and responsibilities of community health - Essay Example Employers should therefore pay people enough money so that the issue of money is off the table. . Autonym involves one being allowed to do something in their own way as long as they produce good results. The urge for better understanding of skills motivates a person to work harder. Extra ordinary conditions are often brought about by having a purpose to achieve a certain goal and hence making people have purpose for something is much more important than monetary motivation. Ken Robinson argues that the current system of education has failed in creating creativity among the students. He indicates that academic inflation is being caused by people not giving value to whatever they study which he terms as ‘shifting beneath or feet. Schools have turned into institutes of constructing hypothetical careers rather than skills that one can measure. He observes that in the recent days people are studying various careers but fail to apply them in life and become completely different people. Ken believes that children have innovative capacity and talents that are squandered ruthlessly by schools. The education system has focused on more on science and humanities leaving behind art that is a subject that exercises the child’s creativity. According to me his hypothesis is very true, and most of our talents fade away with time. While in primary school I was an excellent in painting but when as my level of education goes higher, attention has shifted to science and thus my little talent has faded away. No teacher has motivated me on making a career out of painting and even my parents focus more on me having a different career rather than in my talent. Digitization of the world has led to changes in the academic sector some of which include softcopy notes and virtual schooling. One can attend classes at the comfort of their homes that are convenient to many people. Virtual schooling gives people a

EU Competition Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

EU Competition Law - Essay Example These cartels have negative impacts and it has been made illegal under EU rules on competition. The EU Courts to such cartel firms can impose heavy fines.  The pursuit of EU competition laws has been huge but there has been doubting as to the exact goals of their laws. Comparison of laws in the decentralized EU competition enforcement with other national laws on competition reveals parallel pursuits in its application. This essay analyses an overview of competition laws by the EU and its members and looks into detail the enforcement system of the EU competition law and any inconsistencies noted in the application of the rules. It also analyzes duties of such authorities when matters of enforcement of Section 101 and 102 of the TFEU are to be affected. According to Ezrachi, 1competition law is very important to the European community and its organs. Its core platform of EU is to facilitate the industry. The industry due to its competitive nature provides advantages for people involv ed and ensures proper functioning of its market and the European industry. Therefore, the EU nature must protect effective protection of such competition.The EU fosters obligatory requirement for member states to embrace converged forms of substantive procedures for enforcement of such laws. This has always posed a major challenge in the realization of unified competition laws. National laws on competition are radical towards the creation of right policies on competition regulations. These laws have been regarded as relevant for publicity of the Commission in creating effective policies. Power 2 explains that total reliance on the commission for effective enforcement of national procedures and its institutions has created the absence of clarity in the goals of its laws.EU competition law drafters lacked a clear focus on its goals since they failed to think of the best enforcement regime. These laws lack procedures for uniform practices to all members states.

Rizals life and works Essay Example for Free

Rizals life and works Essay Dr. Josà © Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda (June 19, 1861- December 30, 1896) He was an award winning poet, and brilliant critic of the Spanish historical accounts of the societies in his native pre-colonial Philippines. Full of intelligence and humility, Rizal gained the respect and admiration of prominent men from around the world. Yet, more importantly, Rizal’s love for his nation and his fellow men led him to spark a revolution that uplifted the welfare of so many. An outstanding academic, he originally planned on studying land surveying, but when his mother began to go blind, he decided to study medicine. Unable to continue his education at Manila’s University of Santo Tomas due to discrimination because he was a native, Rizal traveled to Spain to study at the Universidad Central de Madrid. Before the age of 25, Rizal had traveled to Paris to earn a second doctorate, and then to Germany, where he completed his eye specialization and was inducted as a member of the Berlin Ethnological and Anthropological Societies. A master in 22 languages, Rizal used his intellectual and writing talents to write about the Spanish Colonial elite and the atrocities committed towards the natives by the Friars in the name of the Church. He translated and published his writings in many languages. However, this meant Rizal faced strong public opposition from elites in many countries who wanted to protect their interests in colonialism. Rizal returned to the Philippines in 1892 and formed a civic movement called â€Å"La Liga Filipina.† His goal was to unite Filipinos for protection from violence and injustice and to fight for change through peaceful and legal means. Rizal was declared an enemy of the state and his organization was disbanded by the Spanish governor. â€Å"†¦our liberty will (not) be secured at the sword’s point†¦we must secure it by making ourselves worthy of it. And when a people reaches that height God will provide a weapon, the idols will be shattered, tyranny will crumble like a house of cards and liberty will shine out like the first dawn† – Josà © Rizal Even when the infamous General Baleriano Weyler (who developed harsh tactics and cruel concentration camps for the natives in Cuba a few years earlier) was transferred to the Philippines to suppress the native organizing, Josà © Rizal continued speaking out and leading tenants against the injustices oppressing them, including ever-increasing rents, evictions, and the farm destruction ordered by the General. Recognized years later by Ghandi as a forefunner in the cause of freedom, Rizal never once  backed down from his beliefs that his people needed proper representation, strong education, better protection and a better government. Yet, his undaunted courage and determination to improve the welfare of Filipinos was feared by his enemies. They quickly deported him as a rebel. Where many would give up or become discouraged, Rizal used those four years of exile to build a school, a hospital and water dam and supply system that were considered engineering marvels. His sincerity and friendliness won the trust and confidence of everyone, even his prison guards. Shortly after his return, the Philippines began a full-blown revolution. In order to disassociate with the violent uprising, which he felt would not be enough to change the minds of the wealthy Filipinos, Rizal volunteered to go serve victims of yellow fever in Cuba. He was arrested en route to Cuba and sent to prison. A prime example of his character is seen in his return voyage. The guards refused to chain him or touch him because he was known for his honesty. Rizal never took advantage of opportunities to escape. Upon his return, Josà © Rizal was charged with sedition, conspiracy and rebellion and sentenced to death. Without a chance to challenge the charges, Rizal was executed by a firing squad, and buried secretly and without a casket in unholy ground. A monument now stands in the place where he was killed. The inscription reads, â€Å"I want to show to those who deprive people the right to love of country, that when we know how to sacrifice ourselves for our duties and convictions, death does not matter if one dies for those one loves – for his country and for others dear to him.† His life and death was a catalyst that sparked the revolution against Spain and six years later would change the long-held view of the U.S. government that the Filipinos were too barbaric to govern themselves. The U.S. passed a bill in support of a Democratic government in the Philippines after hearing one of his poems read in congress. â€Å"I die without seeing the dawn brighten over my native land. You who have it to see, welcome it and forget not those who have fallen during the night!† – Josà © Rizal

Dropping The Bomb :: essays research papers

Dropping â€Å"The Bomb†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Towards the end of WWII America was faced with a dilemma. The Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor using Kamikaze pilots and were showing no signs of regret for it or any signs of not continuing these kinds of attacks. Through these actions they were also showing the world that they had no fear or respect for the American people. With both the devastating effects of Pearl Harbor, the largest most deadliest attack ever on American soil, and the Japanese’s blatant disrespect for the U.S. on our hands president Harry Truman had no other choice but to drop an atomic bomb on Japan.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dropping the atomic bomb on Japan did not just come out of the blue. We had tried to warn Japan numerous times before about the type of weapons we were capable of using and even tried to show them what the atomic bomb could do. Even after attempted peace talks with Japan they still refused to pull back. We also had tried other war tactics such as bombing them with regular bombs and even sending in ground troops to fight. Time after time Japan refused to cease fighting. If we had not chosen to drop the bomb on them then there is a good chance that we would have suffered a greater amount of loss of soldiers in continuing to fight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As it was stated before, Japan knew the basic extent of our power and they still decided to attack us, so they knew what would come of them doing this. It just became evident that they really were not prepared to â€Å"mess† with us until after the atomic bomb had been dropped. So in a way you could say that â€Å"they got what was coming to them.† We also got the response we were looking for, after the bomb was dropped, by Japan surrendering to the U.S.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some may argue that the overall effects of the atomic bomb were to devastating and that there were other means of retaliation we could have used to get our point across and to get Japan to surrender.