White People and Young Black Men Essay Example for Free

White People and Young Black Men Essay Imagine walking down the street and having people stare at you or call you names, or talk behind your back. Imagine not knowing the time because nobody will tell you. Why wont they tell you the time, or spare you some change? Because you are black. Actually, because your skin is a different color, or because you are a different kind of religion. In a way I admire them because theyve survived for hundreds of years until they were free, and now that theyre free, the modern white man harasses them and beats them. I mean, they even had a world wide organization named for them. The KKK has been around for a while. The KKK, or Ku Klux Klan, began because of their intense hatred of black and Jewish people. Valerie Joseph, author of A Monument To Racism, writes that in front of Danny Carvers house, a KKK leader, in Flowery Branch, Georgia, were 8 or more signs, that read: A brain is a terrible thing to waste, thats why niggers dont have one. Another sign read; NAACP or Niggers, Alligators, Apes, Coons, and Possums. Or insisting that blacks dont have brains and that they should be treated like animals. There was also a figure in the front yard that had 4 young black men sitting on it with 2 KKK hooded members by them. To top it off, Carvers lawn was on the Atlantic highway, the main way through the capital. I strongly agree with Valerie Joseph when she says that she wanted to believe that people actually cared, she wanted to believe that there were lawyers, activists, parents, church groups of all races that were bombarding this man with phone calls and letters. She hoped that maybe teenagers would plan to smash the figures in the middle of the night. She also said that you can help stop this, all you have to do is try to accept people different than you as you do anyone else. If you cant, you dont have to express it, keep it to yourself. If you hear somebody saying something about somebody else, all you have to say is, listen, theyre just as equal as you are. If you do, pretty soon theyll quit. Many years ago, the states had to force businesses and schools to allow blacks in. For example, one of the establishments was the Brown V. Board of Education. Many years before, federal troops forced Little Rock Central High School to admit black students. The question I ask is, why would they want to be there if the government had to force the school system to let them in? Many years ago, there was a segregation where blacks and whites were separated in everyday life. They had different water fountains, restrooms, and even different lines at the movie theaters. Blacks also had to sit in the back of the bus while whites had top picks on seats and standing when a white person wanted your seat. Then, segregation was finally abolished. As blacks acquired middle-class status, just like their whites counterparts, they moved out of central cities and the sustaining buffers between lower-class blacks and the surrounding white role models, etc,were largely removed. (USA TODAY 55) I came across a Time magazine article that was titled Evict The Neighbor. It was about a couple that had been getting harassed by their neighbors and so they sued for $10 million in damages. U. S. District Court Judge Ann Williams granted a settlement agreement whereby the harassers will have to leave their home within 180 days. People continue to do these things even though they know that they could go to jail. Why? We ask ourselves, why do people do this? Well, it all started with the slaves. The African-Americans came to the United States hundreds and hundreds of years ago from Africa. Most of the slaves came from Ethiopia, Zaire, Somalia, and Nigeria. They came across that Atlantic Ocean with some of the first settlers. They were then sold to slave traders and auctioned off. But, back to the modern day; blacks should have some sort of protection or sense of safety with police officers, but lets consider the Rodney King trial in 1993 when police pulled over a drunken black man that they said was swerving all over the road. When the man, Rodney King, got out of his car, more than 3 police officers approached him and beat him almost to death. The whole thing was captured on video tape from one of the police cars dash-mounted cameras. The four identified police officers had a trial and when the verdict given was not guilty. The L. A. riots started almost immediately. People were beating others, looting stores, blacks were shooting people and beating white police officers. Some think that there would have been riots all over again if the jury would have found O. J. Simpson guilty a few years ago. Texaco, a large chain of gas stations throughout the United States, was sued for calling black employees porch monkeys and orangutans. Texaco pled guilty because an employee walked in on a faculty meeting and heard white employees copying the way African Americans talk. All the white employees were also getting promoted to higher ranks whereas black employees were working harder and receiving reduced checks. The settlement in the Texaco case was $115 million to about 1,400 current and former black workers, $26. 1 million in pay raises over five years for black employees, $35 million for a task force to set up diversity training programs, and an independent panel to oversee Texacos employment practices. Another suit was filed against Avis for refusing to serve blacks in North and South Carolina. Also, rappers, who everyone knows are mostly black, are harassed and put down daily, because of what they sing about. Nobody criticizes country singers who sing about the same thing over and over, or the love songs that all sound the same; you cant tell one apart from the other. It shouldnt matter what color that are or what they look like, its the music that they sing. Every parent thinks that rap is bad, because it has a few swear words, but not if you get the edited version. Everyone thinks that only rappers commit crimes. But in actuality, blacks make up to 12 percent of the population, and 30 percent of arrests made are blacks being arrested for violent crimes (US NEWS 93). A black man can not even get a cab for hours because cabbies are afraid to drive through the ghetto. Really, what is the ghetto? Only a place where homeless and low income black and white people live and hang out. In a recent Associated Press article, (Charles J. Ogletree, Harvard Law Professor), a powerful group of civil rights and class-action lawyers will seek compensation for American black descendants from slaves. The effort appears to be the most serious initiative to get compensation for American blacks for 244 years of legalized slavery. Ogletree stated, We will be seeking more than just monetary compensation. We want a change in America. We want full recognition and a remedy of how slavery stigmatized, raped, murdered, and exploited millions of African through no fault of their own. There are more questions than answers in the planned lawsuit, such as: when will the suit be filed, who are the defendants, and what damages will be sought? However, both public and private parties will be the subject of their efforts. This will be the most important case in the history of out country. No one knows the magnitude effect the lawsuit will have on this nation. It would have seemed better that America aggressively pursue a political solution but lawsuits and legislation have really gone nowhere in the past. It will probably come down to this, that when corporate America is hit in its own pocketbook, real change will occur. I strongly believe that the responsibility doesnt solely lie with big businesses and government but also within each one of us. one person can make a difference Making a choice to treat everyone equally, fairly, and with respect is the first step. Watching what we say by putting ourselves in anothers situation first is also doing our part. Otherwise, we just become part of the huge problem we currently have. Whats it going to bewill you be a part of the perpetual persecution of blacks or stand up for what is right.

Character in Katherine Anne Porters The Jilting of Granny Weatherall :: The Jilting of Granny Weatherall

Character in Katherine Anne Porter's â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall† â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,† a short story by Katherine Anne Porter, describes the last thoughts, feelings, and memories of an elderly woman. As Granny Weatherall’s life literally â€Å"flashes† before her eyes, the importance of the title of the story becomes obvious. Granny Weatherall has been in some way deceived or disappointed in every love relationship of her life. Her past lover George, husband John, daughter Cornelia, and God all did an injustice by what Porter refers to as â€Å"jilting.† This unending cycle of wrongdoing caused Granny to be a mixture of strength, bitterness, and ultimate fear as she faces her last moments in life. Granny gained her strength by the people that she felt jilted by. George stood Granny up at the altar. He never showed at all and it is never stated that she heard from him again. The pain forced Granny to be strong as is proven by her thoughts when she is asked if anything could be done for her. â€Å" I want you to find George. Find him and be sure to tell him I forgot him. I want him to know I had my husband just the same and my children and my house like any other woman†¦ Tell him I was given back everything he took away and more† (Porter 584). Granny did marry a man named John, but her strength was again tested when he died at a young age, leaving her to raise their children on her own. â€Å"Sometimes she wanted to see John again and point to them and say, well, I didn’t do so badly did I?† (582). She had been strong enough to carry the burden of two lost loves and raise good children at the same time. It was one of these children, Cornelia, who made her act somewhat bitterly in her last days. With her daughter whispering about her and saying she should be humored at her old age, Granny felt like she had been in some way betrayed. â€Å"It was strange about children. They disputed your every word† (584). She felt like Cornelia was treating her like a child. â€Å"The thing that most annoyed her was that Cornelia thought she was deaf, dumb, and blind. Little hasty glances and tiny gestures tossed around her and over her head saying, ‘Don’t cross her, let her have her way, she’s eighty years old,’ and she sitting there as if she lived in a thick glass cage† (582). Character in Katherine Anne Porter's The Jilting of Granny Weatherall :: The Jilting of Granny Weatherall Character in Katherine Anne Porter's â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall† â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,† a short story by Katherine Anne Porter, describes the last thoughts, feelings, and memories of an elderly woman. As Granny Weatherall’s life literally â€Å"flashes† before her eyes, the importance of the title of the story becomes obvious. Granny Weatherall has been in some way deceived or disappointed in every love relationship of her life. Her past lover George, husband John, daughter Cornelia, and God all did an injustice by what Porter refers to as â€Å"jilting.† This unending cycle of wrongdoing caused Granny to be a mixture of strength, bitterness, and ultimate fear as she faces her last moments in life. Granny gained her strength by the people that she felt jilted by. George stood Granny up at the altar. He never showed at all and it is never stated that she heard from him again. The pain forced Granny to be strong as is proven by her thoughts when she is asked if anything could be done for her. â€Å" I want you to find George. Find him and be sure to tell him I forgot him. I want him to know I had my husband just the same and my children and my house like any other woman†¦ Tell him I was given back everything he took away and more† (Porter 584). Granny did marry a man named John, but her strength was again tested when he died at a young age, leaving her to raise their children on her own. â€Å"Sometimes she wanted to see John again and point to them and say, well, I didn’t do so badly did I?† (582). She had been strong enough to carry the burden of two lost loves and raise good children at the same time. It was one of these children, Cornelia, who made her act somewhat bitterly in her last days. With her daughter whispering about her and saying she should be humored at her old age, Granny felt like she had been in some way betrayed. â€Å"It was strange about children. They disputed your every word† (584). She felt like Cornelia was treating her like a child. â€Å"The thing that most annoyed her was that Cornelia thought she was deaf, dumb, and blind. Little hasty glances and tiny gestures tossed around her and over her head saying, ‘Don’t cross her, let her have her way, she’s eighty years old,’ and she sitting there as if she lived in a thick glass cage† (582).

Stop! Wait! I Am Pulling Down a Menu!

San Jose, CA, with the smallest officer-to-resident ration in the country, is named one of the safest cities in the United States. From 1990 to 2004, officers worked on a daily basis with a text-based mobile dispatch system, which they had no problem with. A major issue happened when, in 2004, this system was replaced by a new Windows-based touch screen software, developed by Intergraph. In this new project, a new touch screen computer was installed in every patrol car. The idea of the software was correct, it was supposed to bring many benefits and simply help officers, make their life easier. The new software was designed to receive orders, send messages, write reports, receive maps of the city, and use the GPS to let officers know where they are located. The success of the software was not as planned. Even before it was installed, officers were already upset that their input was not asked about the design of the interface; nobody asked their opinion and suggestions for the creation of the new system. The software itself had way too many complications. Officers were not satisfied at all with it. Some of the issues included were the increasingly difficult to use code 99-emergency, the time it took them to find whether a person they stopped had violent criminal record, mapping and GPS inaccuracies, and unneeded information that took screen space along with difficult font to read. The software simply did not work, it crashed after two days of its debut. It was fixed and debugged, but still had major issues. Dispatchers were also very dissatisfied with the Intergraph system because of the risky delays in task execution, because it could not perform multiple tasks simultaneously, between many more. They too, thought should have been consulted during the interface design stage. To fix these issues, SJPOA provided more training to officers and hired a consultant to see what could be done. The consultant realized there were too many complex hierarchies that did not make sense for anyone who had to be using the system while driving a car. Even with all these disagreements, San Jose did not replace the system. While looking at the examples given about Chicago and San Diego, I can see there is still hope for San Jose and the implementation of the new system. Are the problems encountered by the police officers due to hardware or software? The problems encountered were due to both, hardware and software. Hardware refers to the physical components of computers and related electronic devices such as PDAs. It was stated in the case that older officers were having more trouble than the younger ones and I believe it is because they are not used to the new computers and devices. The input devices are the ones that receive signals from outside the computer and transfer them into the computer. The most common input devices are the computer keyboard and mouse, but some advices accept voice, imagine, or other signals (Oz, E. , 2009). In this case, their problems were with the touch screen computers, which can serve both as an input and output device. Software was the major problem in this case. The software implemented simply did not work; there were too many bugs and mistakes. The idea of the software was to make officer’s lives easier and not more complicated. It seems that the software was too complex and slow to be used by police officers and fire fighters, who can most of the time be in danger and in need of fast and accurate information. Whom do you think is at fault for the unsuccessful implementation of the new software? Why? I believe the fault is to be blamed on the police and city officials. Their thought was good, they wanted to improve their system, but did not get any input from the officers to know what kind of system would work for them, what they need to most, if it is speed, accuracy, GPS, what would make their lives easier. I believe it lacked communication between them. With all this information, police officials could have gone to Intergraph and explained what kind of system they were looking for, how they wanted it to be, what should have its emphasis on. People, specially the â€Å"technologically challenged,† are often not receptive of new technologies. Was this a major issue in this case? I don’t believe it was a major issue, but it was one. The case stated even the tolerant and receptive officers were having obstacles to adapt to the new system, and it also said the older officers were having more trouble than the younger ones. Technology is changing so fast and some of us can not get caught up with it many times. The older officers were used with the paper and pen method, some of them probably do not even have (or if they do they got it not too long ago) a computer at home. If they are used to computers I am sure it is not the touch screen one, it is the laptop or desktop type. All of these make it more difficult to accept the new technology but it is not something that can not be converted with training. After getting familiar with the computers and systems they will realize it is going to make their job much easier and simple. If you were the CEO of Intergraph before it assumed the project for San Jose, what would you do differently? As the CEO of Intergraph I would have talked to the officials to know exactly what they are looking for in the system and try to create one that is as easy as possible to use. I would hold a lot of training sections to the officers to make sure they knew what they were doing and how they could use the system to their advantage. I believe Intergraph probably created a system that is not compatible with what they were needing. They should have held sections with the officers to know how familiar they are with computers, what they do and do not know about it. I am sure with useful information like this the system created would have been much more user friendly and therefore more effectively used. My recommendations for this case are as follow: Hold more training sections: I believe with training this situation can be solved in a simple way. I know that much of it depends on the effectiveness of the software itself, but once it is solved and free of bugs, training sections will be helpful for officers to get very familiar with the system and start using it to their advantage. Nowadays they can no longer work with paper and pen, computers will save them a lot of time and effort if used correctly. I also believe the training sections should be done with touch screen computers instead of desktop or laptops. Officers need to be able to practice on a screen just like the one they are going to work with in the car. This will make them feel more comfortable when using the software on the job. Get input from officers: the best way to make officers and dispatchers satisfied with the new system and computers is to get them involved in the process. They should be able to give their opinion about the whole situation and give inputs on what they believe would make a difference and what would not. They are the ones who will use it al all times so they should know what kind of system they want and will fulfill their needs when time comes. Fix software error: I am sure this is something they are already working on, and as stated in the case, San Diego also had the same problem when started using the same software and now it is working much better. They worked with Intergraph to fit the system to their needs and I believe San Jose needs to do the same. Get officers more adapted to technology: with time they will understand that technology is there to make their personal and professional lives better. Resistance is an emotional response based on feelings. You cannot talk people out of their emotions. In fact, their emotions become fiercer when they sense that their feelings are being challenged. An alternative and more effective approach is to ask about the concerns regarding the change. Talk to the officers to know what is holding them back. I think some workshops and/or meetings with experts in technology would give them an idea of what is available to them. I am sure a touch screen computer with many icons and items can be scary to some of them, but after they understand how to use everything they will truly take advantage of it.

Social Cognitive Theory Definition and Examples

Social cognitive theory is a learning theory developed by the renowned Stanford psychology professor Albert Bandura. The theory provides a framework for understanding how people actively shape and are shaped by their environment. In particular, the theory details the processes of observational learning and modeling, and the influence of self-efficacy on the production of behavior. Key Takeaways: Social Cognitive Theory Social cognitive theory was developed by Stanford psychologist Albert Bandura.The theory views people as active agents who both influence and are influenced by their environment.A major component of the theory is observational learning: the process of learning desirable and undesirable behaviors by observing others, then reproducing learned behaviors in order to maximize rewards.Individuals beliefs in their own self-efficacy influences whether or not they will reproduce an observed behavior. Origins: The Bobo Doll Experiments In the 1960s, Bandura, along with his colleagues, initiated a series of well-known studies on observational learning called the Bobo Doll experiments. In the first of these experiments, pre-school children were exposed to an aggressive or nonaggressive adult model to see if they would imitate the model’s behavior. The gender of the model was also varied, with some children observing same-sex models and some observing opposite-sex models. In the aggressive condition, the model was verbally and physically aggressive towards an inflated Bobo doll in the presence of the child. After exposure to the model, the child was taken to another room to play with a selection of highly attractive toys. To frustrate participants, the child’s play was stopped after about two minutes. At that point, the child was taken to a third room filled with different toys, including a Bobo doll, where they were allowed to play for the next 20 minutes. The researchers found that the children in the aggressive condition were much more likely to display verbal and physical aggression, including aggression towards the Bobo doll and other forms of aggression. In addition, boys were more likely to be aggressive than girls, especially if they had been exposed to an aggressive male model. A subsequent experiment utilized a similar protocol, but in this case, the aggressive models weren’t just seen in real-life. There was also a second group that observed a film of the aggressive model as well as a third group that observed a film of an aggressive cartoon character. Again, the gender of the model was varied, and the children were subjected to mild frustration before they were brought to the experimental room to play. As in the previous experiment, the children in the three aggressive conditions exhibited more aggressive behavior than those in the control group and boys in the aggressive condition exhibiting more aggression than girls. These studies served as the basis for ideas about observational learning and modeling both in real-life and through the media. In particular, it spurred a debate over the ways media models can negatively influence children that continues today.   In 1977, Bandura introduced Social Learning Theory, which further refined his ideas on observational learning and modeling. Then in 1986, Bandura renamed his theory Social Cognitive Theory in order to put greater emphasis on the cognitive components of observational learning and the way behavior, cognition, and the environment interact to shape people. Observational Learning A major component of social cognitive theory is observational learning. Bandura’s ideas about learning stood in contrast to those of behaviorists like B.F. Skinner. According to Skinner, learning could only be achieved by taking individual action. However, Bandura claimed that observational learning, through which people observe and imitate models they encounter in their environment, enables people to acquire information much more quickly. Observational learning occurs through a sequence of four processes: Attentional processes account for the information that is selected for observation in the environment. People might select to observe real-life models or models they encounter via media.Retention processes involve remembering the observed information so it can be successfully recalled and reconstructed later.Production processes reconstruct the memories of the observations so what was learned can be applied in appropriate situations. In many cases, this doesn’t mean the observer will replicate the observed action exactly, but that they will modify the behavior to produce a variation that fits the context.Motivational processes determine whether or not an observed behavior is performed based on whether that behavior was observed to result in desired or adverse outcomes for the model. If an observed behavior was rewarded, the observer will be more motivated to reproduce it later. However, if a behavior was punished in some way, the observer would  be less motivated to reproduc e it. Thus, social cognitive theory cautions that people don’t perform every behavior they learn through modeling. Self-Efficacy In addition to the information models can convey during observational learning, models can also increase or decrease the observer’s belief in their self-efficacy to enact observed behaviors and bring about desired outcomes from those behaviors. When people see others like them succeed, they also believe they can be capable of succeeding. Thus, models are a source of motivation and inspiration. Perceptions of self-efficacy influence people’s choices and beliefs in themselves, including the goals they choose to pursue and the effort they put into them, how long they’re willing to persevere in the face of obstacles and setbacks, and the outcomes they expect. Thus, self-efficacy influences one’s motivations to perform various actions and ones belief in their ability to do so. Such beliefs can impact personal growth and change. For example, research has shown that enhancing self-efficacy beliefs is more likely to result in the improvement of health habits than the use of fear-based communication. Belief in one’s self-efficacy can be the difference between whether or not an individual even considers making positive changes in their life. Modeling Media The prosocial potential of media models has been demonstrated through serial dramas that were produced for developing communities on issues such as literacy, family planning, and the status of women. These dramas have been successful in bringing about positive social change, while demonstrating the relevance and applicability of social cognitive theory to media. For example, a television show in India was produced to raise women’s status and promote smaller families by embedding these ideas in the show. The show championed gender equality by including characters that positively modeled women’s equality. In addition, there were other characters that modeled subservient women’s roles and some that transitioned between subservience and equality. The show was popular, and despite its melodramatic narrative, viewers understood the messages it modeled. These viewers learned that women should have equal rights, should have the freedom to choose how they live their lives, and be able to limit the size of their families. In this example and others, the tenets of social cognitive theory have been utilized to make a positive impact through fictional media models. Sources Bandura, Albert. â€Å"Social cognitive theory for personal and social change by enabling media.† Entertainment-education and social change: History, research, and practice, edited by Arvind Singhal, Michael J. Cody, Everett M. Rogers, and Miguel Sabido, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2004, pp. 75-96.Bandura, Albert. â€Å"Social Cognitive Theory of Mass Communication. Media Psychology, vol. 3, no. 3, 2001, pp. 265-299, https://doi.org/10.1207/S1532785XMEP0303_03Bandura, Albert. Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Prentice Hall, 1986.Bandura, Albert, Dorothea Ross, and Sheila A. Ross. â€Å"Transmission of Aggression Through Imitation of Aggressive Models.† Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, vol. 63, no. 3, 1961, pp. 575-582, http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0045925Bandura, Albert, Dorothea Ross, and Sheila A. Ross. â€Å"Imitation of Film-Mediated Aggressive Models.† Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, vol. 66, no. 1, 196 1, pp. 3-11, http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0048687Crain, William. Theories of Development: Concepts and Applications. 5th ed., Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005.