The House Negro and the Field Negro Essay Example for Free

The House Negro and the Field Negro Essay There are two kinds of Negroes in the American society, according to Malcolm X. They are the subservient house Negro† and the subversive â€Å"field negro. † After making a detailed comparison between the two in the body of his speech, he categorically describes himself a â€Å"field negro† (X, Malcolm 1). Malcolm X is what he said he is as a field negro – a defiant black nationalist, with little regard, if at all, in the social institutions founded by white American masters, a representative of the mass of African Americans struggling to unfetter the chain that held the black people to slavery for over four centuries. Malcolm X was a man for his times, a man who witnessed in his youth the racial abuses of America’s white colonial rulers, a philosophical and religious thinker whose bold ideas and expressive rhetoric found acceptance among many African Americans who had long been subjected to racial abuse and debasement. He styled himself to represent the mass of American Africans, suited up in gentlemanly elegance to earn the respect and attention of his audience. Malcolm X delivered his speech in plain language no fancy words, no discombobulated phrases to distract his listeners. He went straight to the point and tackled issues with surgical competence and sharpness. He explained the term â€Å"house slaves† in plain and simple English, in a manner that all his audience could relate to, like the willingness of â€Å"house slaves† to pay three times the price of a house to be able to brag â€Å"I’m the only Negro out here† (Breitman 11). So the crowd roared in mock agreement. In like manner, he said a â€Å"field negro† represented the masses. He said â€Å"when the master got sick, the field Negro prayed that he’d die. † Nothing could be more graphic than that to illustrate a person’s contempt for another. Then, he said â€Å"I am a field Negro† (X, Malcolm 1) to show where he stood on the issue. He was a confident public speaker, gesturing like a true professional, like a brilliant pastor behind his pulpit. He knew his audience and made sure that he delivered the message that they wanted to hear and did it with aplomb as he underscored every sound bite that appealed to them. He was Master X behind the rostrum. His message reverberated across America with the same force and appeal that catapulted Martin Luther King Jr. into American consciousness. However, his message had none of the diplomacy and statesmanship presented by King. Malcolm X’s message was radical, uncompromising, violent, and sweeping – and should be better viewed and understood in the context of the era which bred his kind. He preached tit-for-tat as a principle of self-defense and belittled King’s calls for â€Å"civil disobedience† and â€Å"non-violence. † Malcolm X envisioned an entirely different route in his efforts to liberate the black people from slavery. His idea of freedom and liberation was for the establishment of a black republic within the United States or return of black people to their respective homelands in Africa, ideas that tended to divide rather than unite more African Americans. Moreover, he made more enemies than friends in the process of advancing these ideas in the forum of public opinion. Clearly, his ideas were more of a vindictive reaction to centuries of slavery, discrimination, and persecution in the hands of their American masters rather than a well-thought out plan to correct inequities which many well-meaning white Americans had along realized to be wrong and were willing to rectify. Malcolm’s ideas have more rhetoric than bites, more wishful thinking than real. His allegations of racism were directed to all white Americans, which maybe true but not that quite all encompassing. White American could likewise allege that Malcolm X was a racist for putting all white American together as abusive slave drivers. While some may practice racism, white Americans can claim that not everyone is racist, which is quite true. Malcolm X is a racist himself for his unforgiving tirades against white Americans. Racism is wrong no matter who practices it – black, white, yellow, or brown. As a Muslim convert, he cited the Koran, the Muslim bible, to preach the principle of â€Å"an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth† (Breitman 12). He said, â€Å"If someone lays his hand on you, send him to the cemetery† (Breitman 12). While he supported King’s civil rights movement in principle, he distanced himself from actively supporting the movement through King’s numerous sit-ins and other protest actions that reverberated across America and roused leaders from Washington D. C. to take notice and spur them to seriously consider the issues presented. The success of the civil rights movement was correctly attributed to King’s strategy of â€Å"civil disobedience† not sanctioned by X’s Muslim religion. If his plan to fight â€Å"tooth for tooth,† then the turn of events in the United States would have been different, with the black people being probably shot down for terrorism and mayhem. Then, that would have ended the black American’s struggle for liberty and independence. As if Malcolm X’s call to arms and racist statements were not enough, he called for the return of American Africans to their home countries and the establishment of a black republic within the United States which this writer believes could have altered the course of American history. He called for the establishment of a Pan African Republic to consolidate all black Americans in the United States. It was an outrageous proposal, but nevertheless it won support among the many members of the black community, particularly the young. It was primarily his forceful voice and the compelling drama that he managed to inject into his speeches that enthralled audiences. He was not the ambulant speaker that many of today’s so-called TV evangelists practice to appeal to TV viewers, strolling around the stage as they deliver their speeches. He was regal as he stood firm on the podium, cool and calculating, an authoritative figure that spoke in forceful cadence, his hand movements providing the beat from which his voice would follow in different speed, pitches and timbres. He spoke from memory and extemporaneously, reading his lines from the ohs and ahs of his audience, spending more time and adding more lines on issues that drew the most reaction from his audience. He appealed to his audience’s heart, telling them stories from everyday life and from classic books that chronicle their struggles as a people, like Uncle Tom’s Cabin. He described the â€Å"house negro† as Uncle Tom, outfitted in suit just like his master and happy to be in his company. He said there were more Uncle Toms in their midst as the crowd roared in agreement (Breitman 12). . But he assured his audience that there are more â€Å"field Negros† in their midst, all of whom were firm in their belief in freedom and independence for all black Americans. He told them they need to be firm and strong, that it was alright to defend one’s self from force and intimidation. To kill their enemies if and when necessary to uphold one’s identity (Breitman 12). . He said it was not alright to suffer in silence and invoked the Koran, the Muslim bible, as the source of his enlightenment. He appealed even to criminal elements to be prepared for a possible encounter against the whites. He told them to be in the forefront of the struggle and drew the loudest cheers. Malcolm X was the opposite of Dr. Luther King, who espoused peace. If King was a rebel, X was a revolutionary who hated white Americans, no matter who they were. They had only two similarities, or maybe three. They were both blacks, both supported civil rights and liberties, and both were fiery speakers and staunchly independent-minded. Later, they were both to die in assassin’s bullets. The speeches of Malcolm X were fiery from beginning to end – and his speech on the house and field Negros were no exception. At the end of his speech, he once again stoke the fire of what he claimed to be 400 years of slavery and discontent by a call to arms, urging all blacks not just in America but across the globe to rise in arms against white America. His speech was always laden with hate and bigotry, urging everyone to take arms in the guise of self-defense. His humor, while evident and indeed funny, was lost in the mood of his message, comical yet contemptuous. While his premises were sound, it appeared that his conclusion was not. This writer believes any call for violence is unjustified when the other party shows a sincere desire to listen and understand the concerns of the opposite camp. Malcolm X’s insistent calls to arms were valid only when white America refused to talk. When it expressed its desire to settle matters over a negotiating table, then Malcolm X’s revolutionary actuations were no longer valid and, therefore, inconsistent with our nature as rational human beings. Moreover, there was no need to draw a wedge between the home negro and the field negro if they were both willing to listen and understand what the other party has to say. So, what is wrong if the house negro is used by white America to sound out the field negro for a possible peace talk. To sustain peace in the United States, all parties involved in the conflict should discuss the issues in a civil manner, rather than fight over it in the battlefield. It was enough for Malcolm X to explain the distinction between the house Negro and the field Negro, but debasing one over the other was outright uncalled for, uncivil, and a threat to peace. The speech was far from neutral and simply being informative. It was racism seen from other end. It had Malcolm X’s signature all over it for his unequivocal posture over racism, self-hate, and community empowerment taken to an extreme that is too obtrusive for complacency and comfort. This former â€Å"ghetto youth† is a dangerous icon for today’s rebellious youth. Works Cited Answers.Malcolm X, Religious Figure / Civil Rights Figure. 2007. 24 September 2007 Breitman, George. Malcolm X Speaks: Selected Speeches and Statements. 1990. Grove Press. Finkelman, Paul, ed. Malcolm X. MSN Encarta. 2007. 24 September 2007 Ursula Mctaggart, Ursula. The Oratory of Malcolm X. Solidarity National Office, Detroit, MI. 24 September 2007. X, Malcolm. The House Negro and the Field Negro. Speech by Malcolm X 4 February 1965. Iowa lakes Community College. http://www. iowalakes. edu/directories/faculty/burns/informative/Malcolm_X`s_House-Field_Negro_speech. htm/. X, Malcolm. Interview with A. B. Spellman and Malcolm X. Monthly Review. 16 May 1964. 24 September 2007 X, Malcolm. Transcript. The House Negro and the Field Negro. 4 February 1965. http://www. iowalakes. edu/directories/faculty/burns/informative/Malcolm_Xs_House-Field_Negro_speech. htm X, Malcolm. The House Negro and the Field Negro. Perf. Malcolm X. YouTube. 24 September 2007 ;. X, Malcolm. The Undiscovered Malcolm X: Stunning New Info on the Assassination, His Plans to Unite the Civil Rights and Black Nationalist Movements the 3 `Missing` Chapters From His Autobiography. Democracy Now! 21 Feb. 2005. 24 September 2007.

Campaign Strategy Essay Example for Free

Campaign Strategy Essay 1) What are the goals of the campaign? 2) What questions need to be answered to reach those goals? This is a list of general campaign questions to help start your research process. These are not research questions. Each general campaign question should generate a list of more specific research questions. For example, What is the issue/problem? could lead to the question, What is the history of lead poisoning in our community? General questions to ask about a campaign: 1. What is the issue/problem? (Understand their arguments. ) 2. What are the solutions or alternatives? (Develop our arguments.) 3. Who else is trying to change the problem, how effective are they, and what are their solutions? (Potential allies. Locate a niche. Avoid obstacles and duplication of effort.) 4. Who can implement those solutions? Who has the power? (The Targets) 5. What kind of campaign would it take to convince them? (Feasibility test.) A. How long would victory take? What are the time constraints? B. What are tactics and paths to a victory? C. What are the opportunities or obstacles? D. What has worked for other organizations on similar campaigns? 6. Who are the other players? A. Who would support change? (Allies) B. Who opposes change? (Opposition) C. Who could become allies/opposition, but are currently neutral? 7. Does our base have the power and resources to win this campaign? 8. Will this campaign build our movement, base, or organization? WHAT IS A CAMPAIGN STRATEGY? A campaign can be seen as an organised, purposeful effort to create change, and it should be guided by thoughtful planning. Before taking action, successful campaigners learn as much as possible about: * the existing situation * who is affected by the campaign issue both positively and negatively * what changes could improve the situation * what resources, tactics and tools are available to implement a campaign that will address the issue. Campaigners use this knowledge to create their strategy, which guides them in planning, implementing, marketing, monitoring, improving and evaluating their campaign. A campaign strategy should answer the †¨following questions: Problem, Vision, Change 1. What problem are you confronting? 2. What is your vision of how the world will be, once the problem is resolved? 3. What change/s would bring about this vision? Stakeholders, Relationships,Targets 4. Who is affected, positively or negatively, by the problem? 5. How are these people or groups related to the problem and to each other? 6. Who are you trying to reach? 7. If your campaign is successful, who will be affected? Answering key questions repeatedly, at each stage of your campaign, about the problem, solution, stakeholders and targets as well as the tactics, message and tools you will use, will help develop your campaign strategy. Your campaign strategy will guide what you do and it should be updated regularly as the campaign is implemented and the situation changes. CREATE A COMMON VISION Its useful to involve your whole campaigning group in exploring the problem, your vision and the changes sought: a shared understanding of the problem will stimulate ideas about possible actions to take, and will also help your group to stay motivated and focussed during the campaign. Creating a common vision will also help determine ways to monitor, and adjust the implementation of, the campaign if necessary. Activity 1: PROBLEM SOLUTION CHANGE 1. Discuss and decide, as a group, what core problem your campaign seeks to address. Elaborate all the adverse effects of this problem. 2. Each person in the group should create their own answer to the following question: What would a world without this problem be like? * Use words, diagrams, illustrations. * Imagine unlimited resources (money, power, etc). * Discuss and enumerate all the benefits of this proposed world. 3. Combine your individual visions of the future to create a single common vision for the campaign. Discuss in depth which broad actions or changes would resolve the problem you identified, so as to arrive at the world you have envisioned. These necessary actions are the main focus of your campaign. Discuss the scope of your campaign: decide whether it has multiple components (sub-campaigns). If it does, you may choose either to narrow the focus of your campaign or create a multiple-campaign strategy. UNDERSTAND THE CAMPAIGNS STAKEHOLDERS Stakeholders are people, groups, organisations, or institutions that are connected to your issue. They may support your campaign, be adversely affected by the issue in question, have the power to change the situation, or even be responsible for the problem you have identified. An important task when designing your campaign is to learn as much about the stakeholders as possible. You should: * Understand each stakeholders relationship to the problem and your proposed solution * Define the relationships between different stakeholders * Determine the ability and willingness of stakeholders to help or hurt your campaign * Identify which of these stakeholders your campaign should concentrate on to create the change your desire. Activity 2: MAPPING STAKEHOLDERS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS Start creating a map in which entities with a stake in your issue are represented as circles, or nodes, and lines between these circles represent relationships. It is good to use sticky papers (post-it notes) for this activity because they can be moved about as required. 1. Discuss the interaction that is at the root of the problem your campaign wants to address. Who creates the problem? Who is affected by it? How and why are these entities connected to one another? 2. Continue, taking notes as you go along, until you can identify the interaction between entities (nodes) that most represents what you seek to change. 3. Identify all of the nodes between which this kind of interaction is happening. 4. Place these nodes at the center of your map. 5. Identify the relationships of these central nodes with others nodes on your map. Start locally and move outward regionally, nationally, internationally and globally, if relevant. Depending on your problem, expand your map with two or more levels of nodes (marking these in a clear way): * First level: entities with direct contact to the central nodes (family / local) * Second level: entities with contact to the first level (regional / national) * Third level: nodes with general influence on the issue (international / institutional) 6. Next, draw lines representing relationships between these nodes and identify the kind of relationship they have; for example: * Power * Mutual benefit * Conflict * Potential After mapping out as many stakeholders as you can, you will have a graphic representation of your stakeholders relationships with your issue. Next you should analyse how your stakeholders may help achieve the change/s you seek. For more information on how to do this, see New Tactics in Human Rights Tactical Mapping. Activity 3: FROM STAKEHOLDERS TO TARGETS Begin defining specific objective/s of your campaign. Consider each stakeholders level of support and level of influence in the context of your campaign objective/s. 1. In simple, active terms, define what would resolve your problem and bring about the change you seek. Your objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. 2. Using the list of the stakeholders from the previous activity, identify as many as possible who could help achieve your objective. 3. Draw a horizontal and a vertical axis on a large sheet of blank paper (shown here). Place the stakeholders as follows: * The vertical axis represents their level of influence in achieving the goal of your objective from most influential (top) to least influential (bottom). * The horizontal axis represents whether they are likely to oppose (left) or support (right) your campaign. 4. After you place all the stakeholders on the paper, identify the most influential entities or individuals as potential primary targets, those who can make the change you seek. Note their level of support or opposition for this change. 5. Discuss the relationship of these entities to other stakeholders. You may already have this information on your stakeholder map from Activity 2. 6. Identify stakeholders who support your campaign and have influence on or relationships with your primary target group. They are your secondary targets, or participant groups, who could become actively involved in helping your campaign achieve its goals. Locate them on your graph and identify two or three participant groups to concentrate on. (Adapted from The Change Agencys Power Mapping exercise.) Activity 4: FROM TARGETS TO TACTICS Now you have identified the target audiences that your campaign needs to communicate with, and what relationships they have with other entities with a stake in the problem, you can consider what tactics will best address your target and participant groups? 1. Draw a half-circle, divided into wedges. Place those who most support your campaign on the left side of the spectrum; those who oppose you the most on the right. 2. Use your maps and sticky papers, placing each target and stakeholder in a wedge according to their level of support for your cause. The result is a spectrum of stakeholders, a few of whom you have identified as primary or secondary targets. A five-wedge diagram would include the following: a. Active allies: supportive and motivated to achieve your goals b. Allies: may benefit from your success c. Neutral parties: may not be involved or affected currently d. Opponents: may suffer from your success e. Active opponents: actively interfere with your activities 3. Use this diagram to help decide which tactics to consider, depending on each stakeholders location on the spectrum. For example: f. Supportive: use mobilisation tactics g. Neutral: use educational. visualisation tactics h. Opposing: use disruption, interference tactics (Adapted from New Tactics in Human Rights Spectrum of Allies exercise.) This card was created by Namita Singh and Ali Gharavi in collaboration with Tactical Tech. There are four essential elements to every successful capital campaign: the Case; Leadership; Prospects; and, the Plan. This article is last in a series addressing each element and will focus on designing a successful capital campaign plan. You cannot do everything at once, but you can do one thing at a time. Begin by designing a comprehensive campaign strategy that works well you and your organization. Every successful campaign begins with a plan. The campaign plan is a detailed set of procedural guidelines for campaign leaders and volunteers. The successful campaign plan is built with two overriding principles in mind: (1) Anything other than a complete success is entirely unacceptable; and (2) To ensure the complete success of this fundraising effort, the campaign must be formally declared (and treated) as the primary institutional priority of the organization throughout the fundraising timetable. Recognizing and stating these basic truths puts you into the mindset to make the dec isions and commitments necessary for a successful campaign. From there, we begin to incorporate essential fundraising elements into a comprehensive strategy. Just as there are the four essential elements of a successful campaign (Case, Leadership, Prospects and Plan) there are many vital techniques at work within a good fundraising plan, among them the use of: personal visits, a phased approach, specific gift requests, lead and major gift solicitation, pledge type gifts. Personal visits always yield more money. People give to people—people they love, people they admire, people they respect and even people they fear. Often it is the personal relationship of the volunteer making the request that has the most sway with the potential donor. Our classic technique demands that we employ a phase-by-phase approach to our fundraising, always asking for the largest gifts first, and then medium sized gifts and finally smaller gifts. This ensures that we create enthusiasm and build momentum. Our success, as evidenced by our rapidly rising fundrais ing totals and our large average gift, will pull undecided people toward us and encourage them to give. Victory has a thousand fathers, yet defeat is always an orphan. One of the most important concepts we must use is to ask for a specific gift. We should be asking mostly with a view of our need in mind, but with some view of their means in mind as well. As we articulate the request, we want to make it clear that the reason we are asking them for this specific amount is because we need it if we are to succeed. It is important that they not get the sense that we are asking them for this amount just because we think they have it, or because we think that is what they â€Å"ought to give,† but only because â€Å"we have this enormous need and a limited number of people of means to whom we can turn.† If people are going to help you achieve ambitious plans, they need to know what is required of them. You must always ask for the specific gift. Every campaign that is successful in reaching its potential is going to do a good job of soliciting Leadership and Major Gifts. Clearly some families are especially able to help because of their material blessings. Within the fundraising industry, it is a well-known fact that approximately 80% of the money (or more) will come from just 20% of the people (and sometimes fewer). These Leadership and Major Gifts set the pace for others to follow and they provide the financial foundation upon which to build a successful campaign. Much time is spent, early in the campaign, trying to determine who should be challenged to consider a gift of this significant nature. A well-run campaign will always stress equal effort, equal stretching or even equal sacrifice from every prospective donor, but not equal giving. Each prospect should be encouraged to do their individual best. Another element of a successful campaign plan is to offer people the opportunity to make pledges, rather than one-time gifts, and to offer longer pledge redemption periods where appropriate and possible. Depending upon the length of the pledge redemption period, pledges are usually two—three times larger than one-time contributions. In today’s busy world, people often budget their money very carefully. If a family were going to give you $100 per month, you would rather have that run for 60 months (5 years) than 36 months (3 years), would you not? Narrowing the pledge collection period is not going to get this family (which is giving out of current income) to pay the money any sooner. It will merely get you a smaller pledge. There are many other important aspects of a solid fundraising plan, including: Financial Goals and Objectives Clearly stated goals tied to both the leaders responsible for attaining them and the timeline over which they are to be accomplished. A Detailed Campaign Timetable Giving form to function, the timetable gives us an orderly way to approach a complex task, ensuring the most important things are going to be done first. Organizational Chart Clarifying the responsibilities of each campaign leader and showing everyone how they are related to one another. Description of Leadership Roles and Responsibilities Written instructions delineating the job responsibilities of each leader/volunteer. Campaign Phases and/or Divisions and Tracks of Activity Another form of timeline, breaking out major phases of activity and tracks of action. Many phases may go on simultaneously, while others will be the only activity underway at that given time. Lead and Major Gift Programs This most important track of activity begins during the early quiet phase of the campaign and continues until the potential for such gifts has been exhausted. Commemorative Gift Plan A comprehensive plan to commemorate the gifts of your campaign donors, especially major and leadership donors which might include naming opportunities, public recognition and memorabilia that you can give to outstanding leaders/donors (such as a scale model of a building, etc.). Keep in mind that the plan may evolve as the campaign moves forward. Often this is a function of actual early results, and who is giving at what levels. Who is accepting a leadership role? Preparing a detailed timetable and organizational chart is a good way of measuring the progress of the campaign in relation to the plan and detecting when necessary adjustments or revisions may be needed. It also provides a specific measure of accountability. Establish goals for each constituency and phase. Everyone needs to know what is expected of him or her! A statistical summary of the number and level of gifts required to reach the campaign goal for each phase of activity should be kept regularly. This list should be constantly monitored against progress to date and should be consulted daily to develop a precise order of solicitation, thus providing us a plan and timetable for asking. In summary, the campaign plan is one of the four essential elements of a successful capital campaign and must be carefully researched and crafted. Remember to keep a close eye on the fundraising plan and modify it in view of your actual experiences. The plan is your road map to success. Remember, it is static while the world is very dynamic. Use the plan as your basic guide, maintaining your liberty to deviate from it briefly where called upon, and you will find it serves you quite nicely and leads to your fundraising success.

The Role Of Women In Islam Theology Religion Essay

The Role Of Women In Islam Theology Religion Essay In todays day and age, there is a general perception that womens rights reached its momentum with the start of the Womens Liberation Movement of the 20th century, specifically between the 1970s-1980s. However, from the Islamic point of view, womens liberation was not started by some radical political groups of the West, but was revealed by Allah to Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) in as long ago as the 7th century. The Quran and the Traditions of the Prophet (Hadith and Sunna) guarantee every Muslim woman certain rights and duties. II. Women in Ancient Civilizations In order to get achieve a better insight of the status of women today, it is worthwhile to preview how women were treated in previous civilizations and religions that precede Islam (Pre-610 C.E). India: During the era of the Aryan civilization (2500 B.C), women were accorded almost the same status as men. Women were educated, had a say in their marriage decisions and own their own properties. Even prostitutes were admired for their expertise in the art of music and dance and widows were allowed to remarry. This trend took a nose-diving turn with the start of the Medieval era (1500 B.C) and unfortunately resulted in practices like Satti( dying with the husband at the funeral pyre), Jauhar (wives immolating themselves when they realized that their husbands were going to die in enemy hands) and child marriages. Rome: was a typically male dominated society; so much so that in the Roman Republic a man could legally kill his wife or daughter if they questioned his authority. Women were also kept out of positions of power. They were not allowed to be senators, governors, lawyers, judges or any of the other official positions involved in running the Roman Empire. Women were also not allowed to vote in elections. Athens: In the 5th century women in ancient Athenian societies were given no legal rights and were allowed to leave the house only for short distances with a chaperone. It was a common belief that women were emotional creatures who were dangerous to themselves and needed to be taken care of by men. Although women might own some personal items and have charge of a slave or two, they could not own property or enter into contracts. III. Rights of a Muslim woman In the Quran Allah frequently addresses both the man and the woman. In one passage Allah reveals: For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women who are patient, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allahs praise For them all has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward. (33:35) i) Social Status: As a daughter -In Pre-Islamic Arabian tribes, the practice of female infanticide was a norm. However, according to the Quran, this practice is prohibited in Islam:- And when the girl (who was) buried alive is asked, for what sin she was killed. (81:8-9). -Moreover, the Quran even rebukes the unwelcoming attitude of some parents:- And when one of them is informed of (the birth of) a female, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief.   He hides himself from the people because of the ill of which he has been informed.   Should he keep it in humiliation or bury it in the ground?   Certainly, evil is what they decide. (Quran 16:58-59). -Parents of a daughter are expected to treat her with justice and equality:- Whosoever supports two daughters until they mature, he and I will come on the Day of Judgment as this (and he pointed with his fingers held together). -The education of girls is supported:- Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every Muslim. As a wife Islam views marriage as an equal partnership.   When a person gets married they neither marry a slave nor a master.  It is the basic, fundamental ideological fundamental of a Muslim that servitude belongs to God alone. Hence the Quran states:- And among His signs is this: That He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest, peace of mind in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Lo, herein indeed are signs for people who reflect. [Quran 30:21] To foster the love and security that comes with marriage, Muslim wives have several rights: the first one is to receive mahr from the husband, which is a gift as part of the marriage contract A wife has the right to kind treatment. The Prophet (P.B.U.H)) said: The most perfect believers are the best in conduct. And the best of you are those who are best to their wives. As far as divorce is concerned, God provides general guidelines for the process of divorce with emphasis throughout on both parties upholding the values of justice and kindness in formalizing the end to their marriage:- And when you divorce women and they have [nearly] fulfilled their term, either retain them according to acceptable terms or release them according to acceptable terms, and do not keep them, intending harm, to transgress [against them]. (Surah 2. 231) God encourages the husband and wife to appoint arbitrators as the first step to aid in reconciliation in the process of divorce. If the reconciliation step fails, both men and women are guaranteed their right to divorce as established in the Quran, but the question lies in what is the procedure for each. When a divorce is initiated by the man, it is known as talaq. The pronouncement by the husband may be verbal or written, but once done, a waiting period of three months (iddat) must take place in which there are no sexual relations even though the two are living under the same roof. The waiting period helps prevent hasty decisions made in anger and enables both parties to reconsider as well as determine if the wife is pregnant. If the wife is pregnant, the waiting period is lengthened until she delivers. At any point during this time, the husband and wife are free to resume their relationship, thereby stopping the divorce process. At this time, the husband remains financially respons ible for the support of his wife. The divorce initiated by the wife is known as khu (if the husband is not at fault) and entails the wife giving her dowry to end the marriage because she is the contract breaker. In the instance of talaq where the husband is the contract breaker, he must pay the dowry in full in cases where all or part of it was deferred. As a mother Mothers have greater right and deserve more kindness, help service, good treatment and companionship than the fathers because the mother is the first one to care for the children and she suffers more directly with daily hardships in their upbringing. This tradition indicates that a mother has three times the rights of that of a father due to the sufferings she experiences during the various stages of her childs life; in pregnancy, delivery, nursing, and raising the child. And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful and good to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship. The duration of carrying him (in the womb) and weaning is two years. So thank Me and to your parents; unto Me is the final destination. [31:14] ii) Economic Aspect a) Womans Right to Property (Inheritance): From what is left by parents and those nearest related there is a share for men and a share for women, whether the property be small or large, a determinate share. (Surah 4, Ayah 7) b) Financial Security and Inheritance Laws: Financial security is assured for women. They are entitled to receive marital gifts without limit and to keep present and future properties and income for their own security, even after marriage. No married woman is required to spend any amount at all from her property and income on the household. The woman is entitled also to full financial support during marriage and during the waiting period (iddah) in case of divorce or widowhood. Some jurists require, in addition, one years support for divorce and widowhood (or until they remarry, if remarriage takes place before the year is over). A woman who bears a child in marriage is entitled to child support from the childs father. c) Employment: Whilst women carry the heavy burden of bearing and rearing children, they may still be at par with men, that is, they have the right to seek employment as long as this does not interfere with her primary role as a wife and a mother. In Islam, however, the value and importance of women in society and the true measure of their success as human beings, is measured with completely different criteria: their fear of Allah and obedience to Him, and fulfillment of the duties He has entrusted them with, particularly that of bearing, rearing and teaching children. iii) Political Rights Any fair investigation of the teachings of Islam into the history of the Islamic civilization will surely find a clear evidence of womans equality with man in what we call today political rights. This includes the right of election as well as the nomination to political offices. It also includes womans right to participate in public affairs. Both in the Quran and in Islamic history we find examples of women who participated in serious discussions and argued even with the Prophet (P) himself During the Caliphate of Omar Ibn al-Khattab, a woman argued with him in the mosque, proved her point, and caused him to declare in the presence of people: A woman is right and Omar is wrong. Although not mentioned in the Quran, one Hadeeth of the Prophet is interpreted to make woman ineligible for the position of head of state. The Hadeeth referred to is roughly translated: A people will not prosper if they let a woman be their leader. This limitation, however, has nothing to do with the dignity of woman or with her rights. It is rather, related to the natural differences in the biological and psychological make-up of men and women. According to Islam, the head of the state is no mere figurehead. He leads people in the prayers, especially on Fridays and festivities; he is continuously engaged in the process of decision-making pertaining to the security and well-being of his people. This demanding position, or any similar one, such as the Commander of the Army, is generally inconsistent with the physiological and psychological make-up of woman in general. It is a medical fact that during their monthly periods and during their pregnancies, women undergo various physiological and psychological changes. Such changes may occur during an emergency situation, thus affecting her decision, without considering the excessive strain which is produced. Moreover, some decisions require a maximum of rationality and a minimum of emotionality a requirement which does not coincide with the instinctive nature of women. Even in modern times, and in the most developed countries, it is rare to find a woman in the position of a head of state acting as more than a figurehead, a woman commander of the armed services, or even a proportionate number of women representatives in parliaments, or similar bodies. One can not possibly ascribe this to backwardness of various nations or to any constitutional limitation on womans right to be in such a position as a head of state or as a member of the parliament. It is more logical to explain the present situation in terms of the natural and indisputable differences between man and woman, a difference which does not imply any supremacy of one over the other. The difference implies rather the complementary roles of both the sexes in life. IV.Conclusion In this report, the status of women in Islam has been described as purely given in the Quran and revealed by the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H). However, the role of women has not only been shaped by Islamic text but also by the history and culture of the Muslim world. Moreover, the issue of women in Islam has been viewed as highly controversial through the centuries. While it is believed that these revelations on womens liberation in the Quran made major improvements in the oppressed status of women in pre-Arab societies, the deterioration of this status took place soon after the death of the Prophet (P.B.U.H). With the growth of the Womens Liberation Movement in the West, many feminist writers came to view the practice of wearing the veil as a symbol of womens oppression and subservience to men. The hijaab in Islam is given as a way for women to conceal their attractiveness and appear dignified so that attention is drawn more to their character than physical beauty. Islam enjoins modest dress for both men and women, and in a Muslim society, the men as well as the women typically dress conservatively. The Quran tells them to dress modestly and cover their hair in all public situations, others insist that their whole body including hands and face are to be covered, yet others understand the guidance to mean a more general attitude of modesty both in dress and attitude. Many Muslim women freely choose to dress modestly in order to avoid the public scrutiny, judgments, and social dynamics associated with physical appearance. By dressing in ways that do not draw attention. Additionally, polygamy is seen as a sign of inequality amongst men and women. This concept is clarified stating that polygamy was introduced as a means to protect women and children who may otherwise be taken advantage of. Moreover, there are strict conditions placed on men to provide equal time and money to all their wives. The rights of divorce are also open to the wife if she is unfairly treated. The Prophet Muhammad was married to his first wife, Khadijah, for 25 years, and he did not take other wives until after her death. His marriages to several widows and divorcees in later years were primarily contracted for political and humanitarian reasons, as was expected of a man in his position. His home life was characterised by love, consideration, kindness and respect. Despite all these teachings in Islam it is no secret that some brutal traditions are still prevalent in many Muslim societies. In many parts of Pakistan, female infanticide is still on the rise. According to the Edhi Foundation, some 1000 babies were found dead in different parts of Pakistan in the year 2011. Even though the Hijaab is meant to be a symbol of modesty and social identity there are innumerable societies where the purdah is more of a cultural restriction than a matter of choice. Domestic violence against women is almost a norm in many societies where women dont come forward to claim their rights.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: Book and Film :: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, John Boyne

The book The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne is about a young boy, Bruno, whose father is a soldier in the German army during WWII. Bruno lives with his parents and his older sister, Gretel. They live in a five story house in Berlin. He goes to school and has three best friends that he goes on adventures with. One day he comes home to find their maid packing his things. They move to a three story house in Germany because his dad was promoted and needs to be closer to his work. Bruno is getting really upset that he can no longer see his friends or his grandparents. He is stuck in his house and can’t explore as much as he would like because there is no one to explore with. He notices something out his window one day, a large fenced in area with little tiny dots moving. He asks his sister and maid Maria what they are but they don’t know. He decides one day that he is going to explore the fenced in area, so he leaves when no one is looking and explores it for about two hours walking up and down the fence looking for something. Finally he comes across I boy about the same size of him so he goes up and talks to him. The boy’s name is Shmuel and they are the same age. Bruno learns that he is stuck behind the fence and has nothing to wear but the striped pajamas. Bruno doesn’t understand why he is there but is told how awful it is behind the fence. One day when Shmuel gets sent to shine glasses at his house him and Bruno start talking. A soldier see them and Bruno told him he didn’t know who he was, and the soldier beats the boy, Bruno feels terrible and want to make it up to Shmuel. Bruno wants to understand why the life behind the fence is so awful and why Shmuel isn’t happy. Bruno thinks it’s not better, but interesting because there are other kids to play with. They form a strong bond that can't be broken by anything and it makes him realize that his friends in Berlin weren't as special as Shmuel is and their friendship. The two boys have been talking and have been friends for about a year and decide that Bruno wants to go on the other side of the fence to see what its like and help him find his papa.

A Closed Family In Anne Tylers Dinner At The Homesick Restaraunt Essay

A Closed Family: Growth Through Suffering   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The novel Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant is one of Tyler’s more complex because it involves not only the growth of the mother, Pearl Tull, but each of her children as well. Pearl must except her faults in raising her children, and her children must all face their own loneliness, jealousy, or imperfection. It is in doing this that they find connections to their family. They find growth through suffering.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Cody Tull, the oldest child and the one most damaged by the failure of his parents’ marriage he becomes an aggressive, quarrelsome efficiency expert.†(Voelker 126) He feels that it his fault that Beck, the father, left. Especially when they bring up the arrow incident. Cody never really feels like a family as he expresses: â€Å"You think were a family†¦when in particles, torn apart, torn all over the place?†(Tyler 294). He never recovers from his father leaving.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The optimism of Ezra is never noticed by the family. He never let his past affect his life and very little bothered him. The family does not notice his optimism because Cody resented it, Jenny ignored it and Pearl misunderstood it. His optimism is shown when Cody is reflecting on their childhood, about how bad it was and how their mother was a â€Å"shrieking witch†. Ezra responds, â€Å"She wasn’t always angry. Really she was angry very seldom, only a few times widely spaced, that happ...

Karen Horney: Her Life and Work Essay -- Feminine Psychology Essays

Karen Horney: Her Life and Work Karen Horney, a psychoanalyst perhaps best known for her ideas regarding feminine psychology, faced much criticism from orthodox Freudian psychoanalysts during her time. Robert Sternberg said that creativity is always a â€Å"person-system interaction† because many highly creative individuals produce products that are good, but that are not exactly what others expect or desire. Thus, creativity is only meaningful in the context of the system that judges it. If this is true, I believe that Karen Horney made truly creative contributions to the field of psychology, and particularly to the domain of psychoanalysis. She broke rules in a domain that was itself fairly new, and in doing so presented ideas that have been in use to this day. She did so in a system that bombarded her with a fair amount of criticism because her ideas were different from those that Freud and his disciples supported. However, she made her mark as a master in her domain and has managed to have a nu mber of her ideas incorporated into ego psychology, systems- theory, and a number of self-actualizing schools of psychotherapy. Howard Gardner has studied many creative masters within the context of his theory of the three core elements of creativity. These include the relation between the child and the adult creator, the relation between the creator and others, and the relation between the creator and his or her work. Karen Horney’s childhood and adult life have been reflected in much of her work. She was born in 1885, the end of the Victorian era. Horney’s father was a â€Å"God-fearing fundamentalist who strongly believed that women were inferior to men and were the source of all evil in the world† (Hergenhahn & Olson... ...usly shaped her personality and later influenced her psychoanalytic theory. In turn, her personality affected her relations with others in her domain, her family, her peers, her critics, and her supporters. It allowed her to obtain and hold prominent positions in psychology and to help countless patients. Horney took much pride in her work; she refused to allow orthodox Freudian doctrine and its supporters to prevent her from voicing the theories that she carefully constructed from years of personal introspection integrated with observations of societal influence. References Gardner, Howard (1993). Creating Minds. New York: Basic Books. Hergehhahn, B. R. and Olson, M. H. (1999). An Introduction to Theories of Personality. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Rubins, Jack L. (1978). Karen Horney: Gentle Rebel of Psychoanalysis. New York: The Dial Press.

Lago in Act 1 Scenes

Thus, by carrying out the role as a villain, he highlights the animalistic traits evident within people of the Venetian society. Although Iago is a white man who holds a fairly high status within Venetian society, he is crude and uncouth, often swearing and making references to the devil.By using he imagery of being â€Å"plague[ed] with flies†, he makes reference to the devil, which is extremely inappropriate for a man held win such high regard. Furthermore, through this example, he associates himself with darkness and evil despite being a white man-who are supposedly considered pure and heathen. Also, by using the symbolism of â€Å"an old black ram†, he again associates himself with darkness and the devil. The â€Å"old black ram† symbolises the devil, which has the connotations of being evil, dark, and terrible.Hence, making the distinction between light and darkness nclear and confusing, bringing to light the idea that darkness might be evident in light, and vice versa. Because Othello has defied his position in society as a black man by proving himself through his talents and his honourable actions, he is still discriminated by Iago, who voices out his disdain for him openly. He uses the symbolism of a â€Å"Barbary horse† to represent Othello.This is extremely demeaning to Othello, a man of royal lineage who has carried himself off with only the utmost integrity and honour. This shows hat although he has many merits and is regal in his actions and demeanour, he is still associated with the stereotype that all blacks are barbarians. Furthermore, the sibilance within â€Å"the gross clasps ofa lascivious Moor† highlights the sinister and libidinous traits that Blacks are stereotypically known to possess.This forms a disgusting impression of Othello, by simply Judging him according to his skin colour. Thus, through lagds characterisation of Othello through his ethnicity, he forms a racist impression of Othello and thus, is able to highlight the significance of one's thnicity and how difficult, if not impossible, this boundary is to surpass. By agitating Brabantio, Iago makes a fool of the high ranking senator, and this brings forth the idea that people in position of power might not be worthy of it.The run-on lines evident between â€Å"Sir, sir, sir-† and â€Å"But thou must need to be sure† shows how little Brabantio thinks of using his â€Å"spirit† and his â€Å"place† to punish Iago and Roderigo. This emphasizes the fact that people of power can carelessly make use of it to their own benefit. In Brabantio's case, he threatens to punish them as they have disturbed his rest.The triviality of their offence is mismatched with the threat that Brabantio has faced them with, showing that he has taken advantage of his power and thus, might not be worthy of it. Also, the run-on lines evident between â€Å"For thus does not think before acting. This is not appropriate for some one holding such a high position as he is expected to give thought before carrying out his actions, or the resultant effect of his carelessness might have great impact on society.Hence, Iago shows the inadequacy of Brabantio and through this, questions the significance of people's merits when being placed in power. Thus, through his mischief, Iago incites people to display their raw, animalistic traits, and displays his own as well. This results in the surfacing of problems within Venetian society that eventually accumulates to result in various tragedies. Hence, Iago is significant in masterminding the eventual tragedy, and the beginnings of this are evident in act 1 scene 1 and 2.