Violence

Whitman and Akutagawa (2004) argued that children who were neglected by their mother are more likely to develop antisocial and violent habits. The first connection of a child to the world is with his mother. The role of the mother is not only for physical needs such as food or clothes, but also for emotional comfort. If the child does not receive the love from his mother, it is likely that he will not be able to develop the ability to give or receive love, appreciation, or positive emotion in general. Without empathy, the child will find it difficult to connect with others and have no problem with manipulating people to satisfy his desires.

In addition, for some people who experienced traumatic event from their childhood, those disturbing memories could never be processed. Heide and Solomon (2006) pointed out that victims from trauma had to relive the terrifying moments due to the traumatic memories get pinned in the right limbic system instead of the left cerebral cortex. The authors continued to note that because memories were stored in a wrong region, the person cannot use those memories to learn from the past experience, and therefore is more open to act violently (Heide & Solomon, 2006). With a better understanding about psychopathy and sociopathy, we can have a better idea of finding appropriate treatments for children who developed PTSD symptoms from experiencing child abuse as well as better diagnostic system to recognize children displaying sociopathic tendencies.

Multisystemic Therapy for Child Abuse and Neglect (MST-CAN) was found to successfully reduce the PTSD symptomatology of surveyed adolescents by 50% and to reduce the percentage of surveyed parents exceeding clinical thresholds for psychiatric distress by 75% (Swenson, Schaeffer, Henggeler, Faldowski, & Mayhew, 2010). The reason made MST-CAN effective mainly was because it interacted with both the adolescents and their parents to achieve their own desired outcomes. This included a safety plan specifically designed for each family giving family members advices when they felt unsafe, a treatment team effectively interacted with Child Protective Services (CPS) system to ensure clinical need was considered when decision from CPS were made, a clarification process was utilized to help parents acknowledge the abuse incident and apologize to the child, and necessary cognitive-behavioral conventions (Swenson et al., 2010).

Another study was found to be effective in helping adult survivors of childhood trauma was Emotion Focused Therapy, which showed significant improvements in “symptomatology, current abuse-related problems, global and specific interpersonal problems, and self-affiliation” (Paivio & Nieuwenhuis, 2001). It should be noted that effective treatments for adult survivors of childhood trauma share the same degree of importance as treatments for children and adolescents. Even though brain injury may be more serious for adults due to the long period after the trauma, it is still possible for the treatments to help them reduce distress and have a more objective perspective towards the accident. Beside treatments for PTSD victims, a proper diagnostic system and treatments for children with conduct disorder is also crucial.

Conduct disorder is defined as a behavioral and emotional disorder that occur in children under the age of 18. A child may be diagnosed with conduct disorder when showing signs of aggressive, destructive, deceitful behavior or actions of breaking the law (Baker, 2016). It is undeniable that it takes a lot of time and effort to effectively treat conduct disorder. A complete assessment from different sources such as the child himself, caregivers, school, and possibly therapist is required, which is not always easy to obtain considering most cases occur in family with low socioeconomic status. Still, efforts in parent management training and effective interventions such as Multisystemic Therapy (MST) or Functional Family Therapy (FFT) are still continuingly being made (Baker, 2016).

In conclusion, there is not a direct relationship indicating an abused child would become a serial killer, but it is undebatable that being abused or neglected during childhood is a big factor of developing sociopathy, which is commonly identified as a trait of a serial killer. The study also agreed with theories of psychopathy mainly results from genetics while sociopathy often develops from environmental influences, including childhood trauma. Consider the fact that child abuse can possibly lead to a terrifying result as serial homicide, it is crucial to seek for appropriate treatment.

Multisystemic Therapy (MST) is believed to be the most effective intervention for both abused children and adolescents with serious conduct disorders. Emotion Focused Therapy and Functional Family Therapy are also shown to be effective. Even though having valid treatments is important, preventing child abuse and neglect from the beginning should be preferred and promoted.

Vive reached a bit further than half the book and I have been glued to the cover since day one. One major theme that Veronica Roth appears to be focusing on is that being yourself takes courage. She created this world where people are sorted into five factions based on a single test at the age of sixteen. In the earlier chapters, her family is shown to follow tradition and look at leaving the family in a bad way (reference). So when both Caleb and Beatrice Prior decide to choose a different faction and abandon there family, it shows the amount of courage taken.

During the sorting ceremony, Beatrice scrambled thoughts moving very quickly show the bravery involved in being yourself, not only to yourself but to those around you. The story opens up with a reflection. Reflection about self Image and who you are. It stars 16 year old Beatrice Prior’s curiosity in herself, which is not common for those from Vegetation. When she tries to find herself she ends up finding herself In a dangerous position, being divergent (different). Her friends, Will, AAA and Christina seem very helpful as they are somewhat outcasts (transfers) that are not with the Andorra group.

Some predictions I made were that Four, one of the Dauntless Is the son of Marcus and he Is being pushed by Max to become a leader and possibly the leader of the Dauntless. I believe he may also be divergent and have the characteristics from the brave and the selfless, hence the fact that Max would Like him to be a leader. That is why the vegetation governs, because they are Incorruptible. I also predict that the reason that Divergence Is tabooed and exiled Is because they corrupt the system.

Their abilities show the flaw In the system, and how his dyspepsia society and Its restricting thinking cannot be categorized. How can someone truly find themselves when they can only be sorted Into five different areas, where only one of the characteristics can be practiced. Another prediction Is a large war between the five factions. They all have complete differences (abnegation vs. erudite, dauntless vs. candor..? ) and are working together currently, but It only takes one diamond In the rough (divergent) to break the system.

As It seems there are many people who become factionists, this represents poverty and homeless Iranians, they may also create an uprising Like In the Hunger Games, which Is commonly related Josh The Road Journal As I finish the first half of The Road, my Minimal thoughts are that It’s a great disappoint. In terms of characters, McCarthy takes a different approach when it comes to characters. No names are given to any of the characters. However, this does not take away from character development. I am fond of the concept of a father and son as main characters.

I feel as if it adds a twist on the genre and provides more of an emotional aspect to the story. Additionally, it adds a place to relate to, as everyone as experienced some form of paternal love. With regards to the characters themselves, The father expresses a deep love for his son. Demonstrated by him harming anyone that touches him. However, as I read on the father’s health is deteriorating. I worry for their prospects of living. If the father were to die, most certainly would his son. He is too ignorant of what is happening in the world, as well as to accepting of others.

Although I wouldn’t like it, I feel the father will eventually die. In terms of setting, McCarthy does a tremendous Job of conveying a barren and gruesome wasteland. Although I have yet to learn the exact location, I have a good understanding of the scenery. The plot is typical of a book of such genre. The characters are trying to survive, and are Journeying down “The Road”. However, McCarthy spares no expense with regards to demonstrating the atrocities humans could commit. Certain scenes I found brutal to read, often pertaining to cannibalism. The theme of paternal love is prominent within the first section of the book.

Considering the main characters, this theme can be expected. McCarthy makes an effort to emphasize the man’s love for his son. At various points in the story it is explained that the man’s entire will to live lies within his son. Before his wife committed suicide, she pointed out ; “the boy was all that stood between him and death”. The quotation explains that the only thing that prevented the man from suicide was his son. Furthermore, Despite the distaste with violence the two express, the father is quick to violence if his son is harmed. When they encounter someone who threatens to harm the boy the father does not hesitate to kill him.

He expresses such thoughts when he says; ” My Job is to take care of you. I was appointed to do that by God. I will kill anyone who touches you. Do you understand? “. Throughout the story the father and son make reference to whether they are the “good guys”. They often question the actions of others and themselves. With reading, I feel McCarthy has put emphasis on humanity and morals. They speak of “carrying the fire”, which is the term they use to describe people who are moral. If such a situation was to happen in modern civilization, what extent will people go to survive?

Would people really strive to be moral in their actions, or succumb to inhumane ethos of survival? Secondly, McCarthy constantly shows the man’s determination to live. Despite his sons questions on death, and his willingness to die, the man pushes on. Even despite the advice of his wife, he cannot afford to see his son die. His love for his son is too great to let him go. I think McCarthy wants us to consider what drives us. What do we love and fight for. That through love and determination people overcome the most dire of circumstances. That if a post apocalyptic scenario were to present itself would we give up on life?

Moreover, the homophobia in the society introduces conflict within the family and leads the narrator to lose his identity and become modified into an individual that society approves of. He holds society responsible for the disintegration of this family. The story is told by a narrator whose name we never find out. Tortes does this in order to emotionally detach the readers from the character and instead, direct their focus towards the larger message that the story conveys.

Tortes uses narrative and structure in the chapter, The Night I am Made, in order to emphasize the inflict and isolation felt by the narrator because of society expectations of him. The chapter, The Night I am Made, is integral to the plot of the book because it deals with the actual problem in the narrators life. Until this point, the readers are given the sense that the family loves each other and will go to the ends of the Earth for each other. By the end of the chapter, the family is torn apart, leaving the readers to blame society for the way it influences relationships.

Tortes starts the chapter talking about the boys growing up. He Uses “They” in this chapter, as opposed to the “We” that was used in the revises chapters. This change is pronoun use signals the beginning of the isolation felt by the narrator. The narrator goes on to describe his brothers and how degenerate they have and will become. He is directly talking to his ‘Pas’ and expresses his disapproval at the way that his brothers are turning out. The narrator is different from his brothers since he works hard at school and is not rough like them.

On page 104, he refers to the Puerco Ricans as ‘having language’. Tortes proposes the concept of inherited language as being similar to inherited identity. The brothers behave the way that the father goes; they react with violence and not words. The Puerco Ricans had language because it was passed down from their ancestors, like the violence and the physical abuse was passed down from Pas to his sons. However, the narrator does not seem to be one of recipients of this gift and therefore, he feels further isolated.

The following quote solidifies this idea of isolation and the contrast that the narrator feels when compared to his brothers. “And me now. Look at me. See me there with them, in the snow – both inside and outside their understanding. See how I made them uneasy. They smelled my preference -? my sharp, sad, pansy scent. They believed I would know a world larger than their own. They hated me for my good grades, for my white ways. ” The above quote refers to the narrator as having “white ways” and therefore, not being Puerco Rican enough.

By the means of this paragraph, Tortes sets the narrator apart from his family and forces him to feel different. Tortes intentionally does not introduce or describe any characters apart from the five family members, because at the end of the book, when the narrator becomes isolated from his family, the readers are left with a sense that he rule does not have anyone in his life to love him and take care of him. Also, the last line of the chapter refers to their last night together, signifying that a big change sites to come.

The rest of the chapter is divided into smaller sub- chapters, namely Midnight, Late Night, Deep Night and Dawn. In Midnight, the readers see the first time there is real conflict that divides the brothers. Tortes switches between using ‘We’ and ‘They’ to show that the narrator is struggling between maintaining his identity as part of his family and creating one for himself. The narrator turns on his brothers, verbally abusing them. Up until this point in the story, he is the brother that is least violent; by screaming at his brothers, he is using their means to separate himself.

Tortes intentionally makes him violent but not in a physical manner, which means that his brothers can still overpower him. The following quote indicates the real violence that the narrator had kept hidden throughout the years. “l kept a journal – in it, sharpened insults against all of them, my folks, my brothers. I turned new eyes to them, a newly caustic gaze. ” These words by the narrator infirm his violent nature and are a testament to his upbringing. He is just as violent as his brothers, but only in a different way.

This difference is what makes him isolated from them. In this way, he is the same brother that grew up with the family but his sexual desires succeed in ostracize him from them. On page 1 10, the narrator describes the way his brothers held him when they were trying to beat him up. The scene is written as though it was brotherly and loving. “[T]hey didn’t want to let me go. ” They were holding him in order to hurt him but the narrators desire to feel like he was part of the Emily causes him to view this scene as one that speaks about brotherly love.

The narrator had previously claimed that his brothers would bleed for him; Tortes is now proving him wrong by turning them on him. Tortes ends Midnight by saying that there was no other boy like the narrator, solidifying his isolation from his brothers as well as the loneliness he feels. The next chapter, Late Night, describes one of the sexual encounters that the narrator has. Tortes does not confirm whether this happened within the plot or is one of the sexual fantasies from the narrator’s journal.

Either way, the sexual elation’s that the boy has with the bus driver bring him immense pleasure and result in his sexual awakening. “The cold gathered in the tips of those fingers, so every. Veer he touched me was a dull stab of This quote suggests that the bus driver was helping him understand his own sexual nature. While this was surprising to him, it helped to make sense Of his sexual desires. The quote “My brothers will lose themselves tonight; they’ll search for me in the whiteness; they’ll drown” shows that he is alone, which does not happen throughout the book.

Tortes always portrays the narrator as being tit his brothers or his family but this time, he is alone and learning about himself. By stating this, the narrator once again distinguishes himself from his brothers because he has gone to a place that they cannot access. Personally, I believe that this scene is part of the narrators journal because it is where he can be true to his identity and not worry about his brothers showing up. Instead, he is comfortable exposing himself to a stranger in the hopes of learning more about himself. The chapter closes with the narrator yelling that the bus driver made him.

By the use of this line, Tortes suggests that the sexual encounter influenced the way that the narrator created an identity for himself. The following chapter, Deep Night, sees the narrators family finding the journal that contains explicit sexual fantasies and sharp insults against his own parents. The story’ in this section begins with the following quote. “Everything easy between me and my brothers and my mother and my father was lost”. This quote suggests that a homophobic society has resulted in his family looking at him in a different light.

He is no longer their son or brother, and the simple functionality of the family dynamic is now lost to him. Even as the narrator knew that everything was falling apart because his parents and brothers had read his journal, he looks at his mother and says “I’ll kill you”. Tortes intentionally highlights the violent nature of the narrator in order to emphasize that he is conflicted between loving and hating his family for what they are putting him through. Since the violence is what holds then together, the narrator attempts one last time to find common ground between them by acting out.

His father wants to reciprocate but his brothers pull him down and thereby, isolating him from their familial unit. [S]meow, at the same time, that they were keeping him back, they were supporting him”. The narrators family, in this case, not only exhibits non-violent behavior but also act as support systems to help each other get through this situation. The fact the Tortes places the narrator outside of this family and without any support makes his isolation more explicit. Towards the end of the chapter, the narrator becomes an animal in order to try and connect with his family.

He resorts back to violence, which was a constant throughout his entire childhood. However, as he becomes more and more violent, the parents and rooters “retreat into their love for” the narrator. They oppose the approach that the narrator was taking, which means the narrator is left alone and without any means by which he can communicate with his family. On page 1 17, the narrator says the journal might have been a way of coming-out for him, so that he could be found and he could stop hiding. The only way that this would happen would be if everything was out in the open.

This did not work in favor of the narrator’s wishes and only ended up creating conflict between the narrator and his family members. The narrative in this chapter ascribes the hospital the boy will be sent to with words such as neutered, which refers to the sexless identity that the society and his family want him to have. Also, Tortes uses the phrase “still burning a youth glow’ in order to highlight the fact that the narrator is a young boy who has a lot more to accomplish in life and yet, the homophobia in the society makes it so that the will spend the rest of his days in the hospital.

The final section, Dawn, narrates the preparation for the narrator to go to the hospital in third person. The narrator is no longer talking, and therefore, Tortes is suggesting that his ice is subdued; this is similar to the way in which is identity is being suppressed by his family. Also, Tortes refers to the characters as ‘a father’, ‘his son’ etc. He does this in order to show that society has reduced these characters and their strong, familial bonds to a generic relationship. They no longer have any history or uniqueness attached to their relationships.

Instead, they are represented as a regular, loving family. By hiding their violence and past, Tortes creates a new, reductive identity for the family. While the father gives his son (the narrator) a bath, he pretends like it is a outing task. Tortes does this in order to show the readers that the father is forced to pretend to be normal and happy because it is what society expects Of him. He is not allowed to show his real emotions in the wake Of his son coming out. The father unscrews a bulb in the bathroom, claiming that it has always been too bright in there.

Tortes is suggesting that the father would prefer to do this in darkness, therefore, not being able to see his son properly. Also, this shows that the father is keen on hiding away in the darkness and doesn’t want to embrace his son. This isolates the boy and rates conflict in their relationship. As the father gives his son a bath against his will, he says, “Yeah, you got rights. What you don’t got is power”. This serves as analogy for the greater society having power over the individual even though they have rights to be themselves.

Tortes is suggesting that in this case, the society is winning the battle against the individual because of homophobia. In addition to this, the act of giving a bath renders the narrator naked and vulnerable. The father is giving his son a bath and exposing his weakest spots. Later, he goes on to dress the boy and thereby, essentially retreating a new identity for the narrator. This new identity fulfills social expectations and re-creates the sense of self that the individual has. By cleaning and dressing the boy, the father ensures that all the natural elements about the narrators personality are removed.

The bath can be seen as a form of cleansing, where the removal of dirt equals removal of character. Later on, the clipping of toenails can also be seen as the removal of unwanted parts. On page 121 , the father looks at the boy as if he was looking at a “deep cut or a too-bright morning’. These are two sore images that will most likely cake one squint and therefore, miss the actual sight. In this case, Tortes includes these images within the narrative to emphasize that the homophobic society clouds the father’s vision so that he can no longer fully appreciate his son.

The following quote describes the Isolation felt by the narrator when he hears his mother refer to his brothers as ‘the boys’, excluding him from the pack. “[H]owe quickly and fully the son in the tub is excluded from that designation; how badly the boy wishes to be out there with his brothers doing as he is told”. The quote states that the narrator wants to return a more useful time when it was possible to run around with his brothers and be referred to by his mother as normal. This loss of family isolates the narrator and creates conflict within him.

The closing scene is of the brothers swiveling snow. Snow is a natural occurrence that is controlled by human beings by activities such as swiveling. In the course of the narrative, the brothers, along with their parents, are attempting to control and remove what is natural about the narrator. Therefore, the swiveling represents manipulating the natural in order to overcome it and is directly related to what the family is owing to change the narrator’s identity. They are doing this to the extent that they are preparing for his stay at the psych ward.

Also, the fact that the brothers are swiveling snow while the narrator is inside is indicative of his isolation from the rest of the family, especially his brothers. The titles of the sub-chapters refer to times during the night, and the last one refers to dawn. Since nighttime is associated with darkness and hiding, Tortes uses Midnight, Late Night and Deep Night in order to describe the narrators true violent and sexual nature. These sub-chapters deal with the reality of the narrators situation.

Tortes makes it so that the last sub-chapter, Dawn, involves the process of eliminating the identity of the narrator in order to create a new one for him, one that is more socially acceptable. Since Dawn refers to the time of day when daylight is starting to peek in, Tortes is suggesting that the work of the society is almost done because it was successful is re-constructing a new self for the narrator. This is the self that will be used to go outside in the light and not be hidden away. At the heart of this novel is a story about a title boy growing up and unsuccessfully attempting to find his place in the world.

This ensures that the mainstream, heterosexual audience is able to relate to the story as well. As for the LIGHT community, the novel portrays different ways in which the society can affect the individual and their families. It also acknowledges the loss of identity for a LIGHT person due to the pressure vitrifying to be someone else. The overarching message is that growing up is a hard thing to do. The society which envelops this plot line is extremely homophobic and has caused the family to look at the narrator in a efferent light.

Niccole Amanita, is a tale about Michele, a nine year old boy who lives in the small Italian town of Aqua Traverse where he stumbles upon a hole which has a shocking discovery in It. This unknowingly throws Michele Into a world of danger. How great Is this danger? It’s dangerous enough that everyone becomes a volt of one type or another. Fillips, the kidnapped boy, Is a volt of kidnap. Michele, the protagonist, Is a victim of bribery and violence. Papa, Missile’s father, is a victim of poverty.

These are just a few examples of people that are victims. Everyone in the novel is a victim though. Fillips is a kind, loving boy, who is thrust into a world of danger and betrayal. He did not ask for this to happen but it happened anyway. He is kidnapped by the adults of Aqua Traverse, who have kidnapped him for a ransom. They never intended to kill Fillips, until things get out of hand and they eventually decide to kill him. This clearly shows that Fillips is a victim of kidnap. Fillips is brutally abused and treated like an animal.

This is despicable and should not be done. Unfortunately, because of the situation the whole town Is In, they become desperate and this Is why they kidnap him. This clearly shows that Fillips Is a victim. Michele Is also a victim In the novel “I’m Not Scared”. He Is not a volt Like Fillips, a victim of kidnap and violence, but rather a volt of bribery and betrayal. Often, attempted bribery takes place but Michele usually sees through this. When Michele receives the red bike from Pin, his father, he is forced to pretend that he likes it.

But really, he can see through the web of lies that are presented in these types of forms. Although there was one type of gift that was presented like this which he didn’t see the lies behind. At the beginning of the novel, when Pin returns home for the first time in a while, he brings home a model of a nodal. This is very early on in the book, at a point where Michele knows about the boy in the whole, but doesn’t start to speculate who he is or how he got there. The model gondola Is simply the beginning of the attempted bribery to say that everything Is perfectly normal.

As Pin said “Its men you should be afraid of’ and this shows that Michele Is starting to become afraid of his father as his father tries to bribe him with gifts. As Michele can see the real reason for him being given the bike this makes Michele uncomfortable and ultimately makes him a victim of bribery and betrayal. Pin, Missile’s father is a victim of poverty. He is driven to do the deeds that he does, not because he is evil, but because he is extremely poor. One may argue that Pin is an evil man but he is actually not.

He only wants to protect his family and give them the best life possible. To do this he, along with the other adults in the town, goes to the ultimate extreme by kidnapping Fillips, a helpless boy and brutally abuses him and holds him captive. This is absolutely shocking. Deep down, Pin Nominator may have some evil in him, but this side is only brought out by Sergei, the mastermind of the whole scheme. “We didn’t accept charity from anyone” Is a tote that Teresa Maltreat says, which demonstrates Just how poor the family really Is.

Being In poverty leads him to go along with Sergei, Just Like the other adults. There Is a general pattern of violence seen throughout the novel “I’m Not Scared” and there are many victims of it. The most obvious being Fillips being abused by the adults of and Teresa Nominator, Missile’s mother also getting beat up by Feline. These terrible acts of violence are seen throughout the entirety of the book and these are Just a few examples of it. At times though, these acts of violence are brought on by sudden acts f rage brought on by another event.

Often the characters that commit these acts aren’t thinking straight. In the novel “I’m Not Scared”. Everyone is clearly a victim. Everyone is a victim of different sorts, that is some are victims of kidnap and betrayal, while others are victims of bribery and poverty. As it is clearly demonstrated, Fillips is a victim of kidnap and violence, whilst Michele is a victim of bribery and violence and Pin is a victim of poverty. Being a victim of any of these types can affect the way you appear and behave. These aren’t the only characters that are victims though, everyone in the novel is.

VIOLENCE IN PLAYGROUNDS AND HOW TO CURB THE MENACE Violence is on the rise in playgrounds and there are always young children who stand defenseless in the face of their peers, who may happen to be bigger than them and as such take the advantage to pick on the little ones. A report by the Federal School Authorities in Cairo have showed there has been a 70% increase in bullying report cases in 2005 playground, compared to the 15% recorded in 2002. this vividly shows a tremendous increase in bullying on playgrounds.

Parents today have a major role to play in counseling their children over the bullying issue. However some parents may decide to tell their children to retaliate, but on a closer look that may not seem to be a good solution. Firstly, if a child decides to fight back, it puts him in an even greater risk because he may be outnumbered by the bullies and that even makes him more defenseless. Secondly, in the event of trying to defend himself, the child may adopt violent methods which he may have seen on T. V like stabbing or kicking in the guts.

Consequently, inflicting a major injury on his fellow peers. Thirdly, by parents telling their kids to stand up and defend themselves, they are passing a subliminal message to children which may seem to encourage violence among the children. My final reason is based on a childhood experience ; a child was persistently bullied by a group of children and when he decided to confront his parents about the issue they asked him to stand and defend himself. The next day he took a knife to the playground and used it on the bully.

The following are proper methods and solution to be used in such events. •Do not blame the child if he finally works up the courage to report bullying. It isn’t right to criticize him for not handling the situation. For example don’t ask him “Well, what did u do to bring it on? ”. Also remember that hitting back is not a choice at playgrounds and is not encouraged at all. It might get him into trouble especially if the playground is for the school. To sum up parents should be aware that bullying prevention programs are often a very effective way to solve the problem rather than fighting back.

Music Lyrics being NON-VIOLENT Rap music can be considered a style of art, and a way for the artists to express feelings through their words on paper. However, there are quite a few rap artists that get criticized for their lyrics. In my essay, I want to discuss why rappers use certain lyrics in their music and why people shouldn’t believe that it causes violence among the younger generations. People shouldn’t censor the music just because of violent, vulgar and abusive messages it promotes to the world.

I believe in my own mind, that there is a reason for these types of lyrics that rap artists use and I will simply explain those reasons in this essay. Rap has been called one of the most important music forces to emerge in two decades. It’s pounding beats and staccato rhymes exploded on the streets of the urban America in the early 1980s and since have become the theme music and lyrical heart of the vibrant youth culture called hip-hop ( SIRS 1993). There are many different types of rap artist. There are some that talk about money, some talk about righteousness, and the list goes on and on.

Every rap artist had their own way of expressing themselves. There are those that talk about sex, drugs, and violence who receive the negative attention( SIRS 1993). People, think this so- called gangster rap is a bad influence on children in the world and that it promotes violence and that it also is abusive to women. Delores Tucker, head of national congress of black women has been among those pressuring different record companies to stop distributing gangster rap music. There were other significant names that participated in this action.

Names like Senate Majority leader Bob dole, and former education Secretary William J. Bennett(Surveys, pg. 1). There are some rap artists that have been openly criticized for their lyrics. Rappers like Lil Kim, Too Short, Snoop Doggy Dogg, and a member from “Too Live Crew,” named Luke Skywalker. These rap artists in the past have been appointed for the things they say in their music. Lil Kim talks about sex in her music, Too Short talks about drugs, sex, and how much of a pimp he is, and Luke Skywalker talks about girls and sex.

The lyrics that these rap artist use in their music might not be suitable for everybody to listen to but I don’t think their music should be banned or criticized because you don’t have to listen to it if you don’t choose to. Rap music, how much influence does it really have on it’s youthful listeners? Many, from record company executives to high school students agree that it plays a critical role in the lives of many tans, affecting the way they dance, dress and speak(SIRS 1993). Personally, I feel that rap music is a form of art.

I think it takes a great deal of talent to write lyrics that rap artists write, because you have to use metaphors and similes, and at the same time get your point across so the listeners can understand. I give rappers a great deal of credit because I know it took them a long time to get where their at today, and I know it takes a tremendous amount of time to write a song. It’s also true and I strongly agree with that rap artists use lyrics that reflect on their childhood and the way they grew up.

That could be the reason why gangster rappers and rappers talk about sex, drugs, and violence in their music because that was what they were exposed to through out their life. Rap artists generally write about what they know because it is easier to write about things and situations that you know, and if sex, drugs and violence is what you know about, then you are going to write about situations that involve those subjects. Not just write about them in hopes to cause more violence in our world.

Young rap fans caution it is wrong and simplistic to believe music can dictate their actions. Upbringing and circumstance steer a child’s behavior, they say, not a record on a turntable or a performer posturing on stage(Newsweek, 1998). There are other reasons why gangster rappers should not be criticized for their lyrics. One reason is that I would rather hear gangster rappers talk about violence on the streets than them actually going out on the streets and participate in the violence.

Another reason why rappers shouldn’t be criticized is because the world was violent long before rap was invented, and it is not rap music that is making the world more violent then it is already. I strongly believe that people have the freedom of choice to listen to rap music and if you don’t like what rap artists talk about, then you do not have to listen to the music. If people didn’t have a choice that would be one thing, but as long as people have a choice to do or not to do something then they shouldn’t try to criticize it. To me, rap music is more than a strain.

It is the reflection of horrible suffering, struggle and pain of the ghetto life. I feel that art reflects life, so I ask myself why aren’t the National Black leaders like Delores Tucker, more concerned about where the source of rap music exists than the work denuding these types of harsh conditions(SIRS 1993). “ I think that kids know the difference between right and wrong, music and reality. They know it’s not right to go kill somebody and if there driven to that, that’s not the fault of the music,” says Jon Shecter, editor of The Source, a rap magazine(SIRS 1993).

If the people throughout the world that criticize gangster rap music would begin to really care then they would try to find and fix the conditions that this art of music comes from and stop criticizing the artist. In other words, the abusive language and rise of violence found in most gangster rap songs are the reality of our present day society. Americans should be mature enough to realize that not talking about something won’t cause it to go away. People talk about the violence of gangster rap music, but look at the violence we see on television everyday, on almost every channel you turn to.

Violence is everywhere, you might see or hear something violent every day of your life, whether it is on television, radio or in real life. Violence has been existing for hundreds and hundreds of years, gangster rap music hasn’t remotely made violence more intense or worse than it already is( Surveys, pg. 1). So is it then fair to pin point rap music and blame it’s lyrics on the violence happening around the world? Teen-agers, both black and Latino, say it is the driving beat that attracts them and many other young people to rap.

That, and the music’s honesty(SIRS 1993). It’s not the guns and drugs that make them like the music. The rappers aren’t saying to solve a problem you must kill, they are just stating what they know. In which, ever since they were young, that violence around them always ends in a shooting or stabbing, so is it right to blame them for singing about it when really they learned it from television? Sex in rap music shouldn’t be criticized either because look at all the pornography that is in the world today.

There are magazines that are being sold nearly everywhere. They have triple X rated movies that could be purchase and you could rent these kind of movies at your nearest video store(Showbiz, pg. 1). So, lyrics that talk about sex can’t hardly be no worse than the movies and magazines being sold all over the world today. When rappers talk about drugs in their songs, they could be talking about how drugs were used in their neighborhoods growing up, and maybe they had to sell drugs for a while to put food on their table( Newsweek 1998).

I feel, people get confused about what the rap artist is trying to say to people. They are missing the whole point. Just because rap artists talk about drugs in their songs doesn’t mean they are actually selling the drugs or using the drugs. These rap artists are making thousands of dollars just by making records, why would they go out and sell drugs? That doesn’t make any sense. There are plenty of artists that are positive, and speak positive aspects in their music about life, like A Tribe Called Quest, the Roots, De La Soul, and many others.

So for those that think that rap music has a negative effect on children, and people in the world, there are a lot of rappers that speak unity, and things that are positive about life(Showbiz, pg2). If a person could listen to some of these positive rap artists, they could learn about life. There have been plenty of times where I was in a terrible mood or I was upset about something, and I popped in a CD of a rapper, and after I was finished listening to the CD I felt much better. The words and phrases used, are words of actual life events and the positive things or outcomes of them.

In conclusion, I speak in favor of gangster rap, and I don’t think people should criticize these rap artists because they are speaking the truth. Situations they’ve been in are shown through their lyrics and we need to try to find the source of the problem instead of criticizing the person speaking about the problem. Drugs, Sex, and Violence are what gangster rappers are considered to be glorifying, but drugs, sex, and violence was in effect long before rap music was even thought of and so we shouldn’t use the type of music against the type of behavior caused by teens around the world. Word Count: 1667

Introduction According to World Travel and Tourism Council 1997, “Tourism Industry is the world’s prominent industries contributing $3. 6 trillion to the global gross domestic product (GDP) and employing 255 million people”. (Apostolopoulos, Sonmez &Tarlow 1999). It is also considered one of the most exciting and progressive industries which has a big impact on all other industries. Although tourism industry has shown tremendous growth in recent years providing incredible experiences to its consumers yet it remains highly prone to natural (e. g.

Tsunami, Hurricane & volcanic eruptions) and human caused calamities (e. g. war, crime & terrorism). This essay therefore discusses about terrorism in relation to tourism. It focuses on the impacts of terrorism on global tourism and provides an understanding of the relationship between political instability, terrorism and tourism. Tourism, Political Instability and Violence Definition of terrorism†: ?†The US Department of State defines terrorism as “. . . premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against civilians and unarmed military personnel by sub national groups… sually intended to influence an audience”†? (Sihmez 1998)  Definition of political instability†: ?†Political instability describes the condition of a country where a government “has been toppled, or is controlled by factions following a coup, or where basic functional pre-requisites for social-order control and maintenance are unstable and periodically disrupted”†? (Cook 1990, cited in Sihmez 1998). The study of D’Amore & Anuza 1986 states that, “Closer scrutiny of terrorism- for the purpose of understanding some of its underlying currents-begs a look at world conditions.

As a new millennium is about to begin, nations wrestle with hunger, disease, and numerous other socioeconomic and environmental problems, which are further exacerbated by the alarming growth in the world’s population rate, the combination of which may nurture terrorism. It is suggested that terrorist organizations can easily recruit members by offering better conditions to people living in undesirable circumstances in undeveloped nations”. Therefore, in a situation where terrorism is on rise, safety and stability are the two factors that cannot be ignored while undertaking travel to other countries.

Over the years, tourism industry has undergone tremendous changes wherein crime and violence have increased to a great extent. Such exertions have had a big impact on tourists altering their travel. Political instability can be categorised into various forms such as: international war, riots, social unrest, civil war, terrorism etc. “Most of the evidence on tourist motivations points to fear and insecurity as a major barrier to travel and thus a limitation on the growth of the industry.

In addition to the openly stated fear there is often an expression of lack of interest in travel, which can mask an underlying fear. In these circumstances, the possibility of terrorism, however remote, will have an effect on the tourism demand of a large number of potential tourists. ” (eds Mansfeld & Pizam1996) Political instability and tourism can be best explained with an example of crackdown by Chinese government on students who protested in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square

In a volume edited by Mansfeld & Pizam (1996), “The sight of tanks rolling into the Square; the violent battles between students and troops; the steadfastly uncompromising attitude of Chinese authorities; it was all watched by the world on prime-time television. And most people living in free societies felt revulsion and anger; those planning holidays to China cancelled, while those with a vague notion of visiting the country put it on hold for the distant future- if ever” General impacts of terrorism and political disturbances upon the tourism industry Even its demonstrated economic success does not shield international tourism from the sinister power of terrorism” (Sonmez, Sevil F. , 1998). No country is safe from the threat of terrorism and research has shown that no part of the world has been spared by it. The fear of a totally unexpected terrorist attack grips the mind of today’s tourist, irrespective of region he is travelling to. Terrorism started to take its toll on tourism from mid 80’s, when international tourism was at its peak (Sonmez, Sevil F. 1998), and it became a major concern for many countries. Its impacts vary from direct to indirect and individual to global. Usually, after a terrorist attack or violence erupted due to political clashes, a destination recovers back to its normal inflow of tourists in about a quarter, but some major incidents can also affect tourist visitation for a longer period of time, the reason being over popularity by the media (Sihmez, 1998).

For example, India was overexposed in the media after the Mumbai attacks in November 2008 which has had a negative effect on inbound tourism to India during the first quarter of 2009 (Tourism Forecasting Committee, 2008). Political disturbance, on the other hand, has long-term and deeper effects on a destination as it threatens the economy, the law and the society as a whole, thus jeopardizing the potential of a country as a tourism destination (Sihmez 1998). Economic impacts Terrorism and political turmoil mainly affect the economy of a country or a region.

Worst hit are the countries, which are majorly dependent on the tourism industry. A good example can be given from 1986, when 54% of Americans who planned to go to Europe, cancelled their bookings because of the risks implied by the rise of terrorist activities during that period (D’Amore and Anuza 1986, cited in Sihmez 1998). Furthermore, countries located nearby a politically agitated country may suffer from a perceived lack of safety by tourists who associate the neighbouring countries due to geographical proximity, although travelling in the former may be without any risk.

Countries often have to bear the costs of terrorism, in terms of investments in security, terrorism risk insurance premium, airport screening opportunity costs and consumer welfare losses to ensure safety and security for their people (Keefer P. , 2008). Psychological impacts Impacts of terrorism on tourist behaviour and decision-making process (Sihmez, 1998 pg. 13) however, depend on the type of tourists: business travellers and leisure travellers will not react the same way in regards to risk, as they do not have the same motivations and needs for travel.

Image deterioration / Negative images Natural events such as floods, tsunami or earthquakes do not have the same impact on a country’s image as a terrorist attack has. Natural calamities may draw sympathy, and may affect inflow of tourists for a short period, but people know that natural disasters are unavoidable, so the image they form of a destination is different. Fall in tourist arrivals in these destinations may recover earlier because these destinations are not perceived as ‘unsafe’, as in case of a destination, where terrorist activity is prominent.

Politically unstable environment of a destination usually has a negative and a much stronger impact on people’s mind over a longer period of time because human action is deliberate and physical injury is most of the time the aim of these actions. Examples and focus on a particular region or destination There are a lot of tourist destinations which suffer from terrorist attacks. Egypt which had almost 4 billion dollars in tourist receipts in 1999 depended a lot on the tourism revenue. However, the revenue from this sector of economy decreased due to the terrorist attacks by al-Gama’a al-Islamiya.

The first attack occurred on October 1, 1992. One British tourist was killed and two others were wounded. During the five year period about 100 tourists were killed in the attacks including the tourists from Germany, Greece, Switzerland, Japan and Great Britain. One year after the first attack tourism revenue in Egypt felt by 11 percent. However, it increased by four percent in 1994 and by 34 percent in 1995. Moreover, net increase in tourist receipts between 1993 and 1997 was 93 percent (Essner, 2003). The Egyptian government managed to sustain its tourism sector and contribute to the GSP by 5% (Weaver).

The factors of this success are the huge historic and cultural heritage of Egypt that keeps drawing international visitors, but also incentive measures taken by the industry in order to sustain inbound tourism. For instance, the national airline, EgyptAir, cut its airfares by 50% after the 1997 Luxor massacre of 58 tourists (Weaver). “Event in New York City and Washington D. C. on September 11, 2001 was one of the most significant terrorism attacks which occurred recently. This event influenced the economies of states which depended on the tourism industry a lot.

Furthermore, the whole economy of the USA was demolished which led to the global economic slump” (Pizam, 2002). Certain sectors of the tourism industry suffered from the terrorist attack. Hotel occupancy rates decreased dramatically. It “plummeted to 41. 8 percent the week following the attacks, a 52-percent decrease from the same period in 2000” (Stafford et al, 2002). In total, 3016 people died including passengers and crew on the planes, people within or beneath the Twin Towers and on the ground at the Pentagon. This attack has certain impacts on travel and tourism industry in the USA.

Security measures at the places where large number of people including tourists are likely to gather were reconsidered. The number of US National guards in the airports increased and other security measures in the airports such as better screening and checking of passengers and baggage technologies were introduced. Security measures were improved in seaports, bus stations and train station as well. It included increasing of the surveillance cameras and checkpoints. The number of security guards in these places grew up as well.

Moreover, the Federal Aviation Administration set up the program of increasing the number of bomb-sniffing dogs. The FAA trained 175 dogs for 39 airports (Goodrich, 2002). Many other countries which have high rates in tourism receipts also suffered from the terrorist attacks. Establishing of an Islamic Palestinian State in place of Israel resulted in the attacks initiated by both Israelis and Palestinians. This disturbance led to dramatic drop in 1996 in the number of tourists which grew steadily between 1970 and 1994 (Sihmez Sevil F. 1998). Another example of suffering from terrorism attack is Peru.

Attacks by the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path), a Maoist terrorist group caused the decrease in number of tourists from 350,000 in 1989 to 33,000 in 1991 (Sihmez Sevil F. 1998). Word of mouth and previous experience Media Reporting & Image making Intergovernmental relationsGovernment policies and interests Figure 1: Political instability, violence and the imaging process Hall &O’Sullivan study (cited in Mansfeld & Pizam 1996) The above figure is a model of various factors that lead to image creation of the political stability of the destination region.

Three factors: word of mouth, media and the government lead to the images creation of destination, in the tourist generating regions. Domestic tourism is equally affected by the occurrence of any kind of violence or terrorist activity. Many factors such as: promotion, tourist attractions, development, new routes, travel prices contribute in to reasonable changes in domestic as well as international tourism. As per the study of Bar-on (cited in Mansfeld and Pizam 1996), act of violence can affect tourism in following ways: “Tourists may fear being killed or injured. ” Security checks, especially at airports, may take a long time and even be unpleasant for some tourists. ” “Tour operators, travel agents and airlines may not want to risk organizing trips to specific regions. ” “Travel insurance of tourists and airlines may be difficult, limited or expensive. ” “Friends or relatives at the destination may advice against the proposed trip. ” This is also supported by Hall and O’ Sullivan study (cited in Mansfeld & Pizam 1996) which states that, “. . . tourism may decline precipitously when political conditions appear unsettled. Tourists simply choose alternative destinations.

Unfortunately, many national leaders and planners either do not understand or will not accept the fact that political serenity, not scenic or cultural attractions, constitute the first and central requirement of tourism. ” Although, political violence may not last for a longer period yet it has the tendency to leave a formidable impact on the tourism industry for many years which further can affect the confidence of the tourists and also the investors in tourism industry. Crisis management and recovery methods employed by the tourism industry Tourism has been a way for under-developed and developing countries to get more revenue.

Therefore tourists are a potential target for terrorist groups looking to destabilise and undermine these countries by cutting the revenue they get from tourism activities. Recent events such as 9/11, the Southeast Asian tsunami and the Bali bombings have had devastating consequences upon the tourism industry and have shown crisis management and recovery measures have become critical in managing a destination (Robson 2008). According to Santana (cited in Weber 1998), crisis management comprehends five steps: signal detection, preparation/prevention, containment/damage limitation, recovery and learning.

Planning and training before, during and after the crisis have also been highlighted (Santana, cited in Weber 1998). On the one hand, research has shown the tourism industry was able to fully recover from terrorist assaults in a period of six to twelve months, at the condition these events were not repeated in the future (Pizam and Fleischer, cited in Arana 2008). However, appropriate management methods must be employed and applied by destination managers in order to ensure image destination rehabilitation.

To this end, the management and coordination of human and financial resources as well as public relations through the media for example are critical when it comes to managing terrorist events at a destination (Stafford et al 2002). For instance, a set of recommendations compiling crisis management, preventive management and recovery methods through marketing could be useful for the tourism industry to restore a destination’s image (Sonmez 1998) and prevent any negative publicity from spreading (Stafford et al 2002).

Furthermore, collaboration between tourism industry actors and government organisations can often be preventive and mitigate the impacts of the crisis (Stafford et al. 2002). In terms of preventive and recovery methods, tourism destinations should promote the use of information for locals and visitors (Weber 1998) in order to ensure their own safety, for example by signalling any suspicious piece of luggage in a public space through the use of official signs posted in public areas such as airports, railway stations and stadiums.

The role of advertising and education as recovery methods is also of importance. For example, the ‘Vigipirate Plan’ was put in place by the French government in 1991 after several terrorist attacks took place in Europe in the nineties. It is made up of 4 levels of emergency (yellow, orange, red and purple) and has been greatly promoted in France at the local administration levels as well as to the general public, especially after massive terrorist attacks such as the March 2004 Madrid attacks and the July 2005 London bombings.

Furthermore, government initiatives such as the Australian travel advisory (smartraveller. gov. au) which issues travel recommendations to destinations presenting a certain degree of risk is a preventive way to avoid any accidental or dangerous event. For example, the Australian Government gives tips about Cyprus in terms of safety and security in both the Cypriot and Turkish part of the island, as well as details about local laws, entry and exit requirements and health issues (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2009).

On the other hand, tourism may be a way to enhance peace, mitigate tensions between countries and recover from any negative effects of terrorism. An example of this is given by the situation between North and South Korea (Kim 2007). Research was conducted in order to evaluate the reactions of South Koreans after visiting a natural site, Mt Gumgang, an emerging tourist destination located in North Korea. The findings suggested that South Korean visitors to North Korea had a better image of the country and the people after their tourist trip, although both countries have technically been at war for decades (Kim 2007).

To conclude, tourist destinations have the possibility to prevent terrorism actions from happening or mitigate their effects through combined policies of crisis management involving different participants such as governments and private/public tourism bodies. Nevertheless, although tourism is often a victim of terrorism and political disturbances, it can also be used as a tool to promote and enhance peace between countries affected by political tensions. References Adams, S. 2004, All the Troubles: Terrorism, War and the World after 9/11, Simon Adams, Australia Arana J. , 2008, The impact of terrorism on tourism demand,

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International Security Issues, John Wiley & Sons Ltd. , pp. 311-312 Mueller J. 2007, Reacting to Terrorism: Probabilities, Consequences and the persistence of Fear, Ohio State University, viewed 17 May, http://scholar. google. com. ezproxy. lib. uts. edu. au/scholar? hl=en&lr=&q=REACTING+TO+TERRORISM%3A+PROBABILITIES%2C+CONSEQUENCES%2C+AND+THE+PERSISTENCE+OF+FEAR&btnG=Search Pizam A. 2002, Tourism and Terrorism, Hospitality Management, Vol. 21, No 1–3 Robson, L. , 2008, Crisis Management in Tourism, Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 600–601. Sihmez Sevil F. 1998, Tourism, Terrorism and Political

Instability, Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 25, No. 2. Sonmez, S. F. 1998, Tourism, Terrorism and Political Instability, Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 25, No. 2. Stafford, G. Et al, 2002, Crisis Management and Recovery, Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly 27, Cornell University Tourism Forecasting Committee, 2008, Forecast 2008, Issue 2, Tourism Forecasting Committee, Canberra, pp 91-92 Weaver D. , Tourism Management, 2000 Weber, S. 1998, War, Terrorism and Tourism, Annals of Tourism Research, Volume 25, Issue 3, Pages 760-763 ———————– Tourists Destination Region Generating Region Media Government