Introduction - Interest groups are a mode or mechanism by which citizens express their views and concerns and get them through to the particular elective officials who can do something about these views and concerns (Hays 2004). There are myriads of interest groups, not all of which are politically active, but quite many try influence public policy.

Thomas Jefferson, a man who penned the words, "All men are created equal," was a slave owner. To many, this is an inconceivable contradictionâ€"a hypocritical blasphemy against truth. However, Jefferson was ultimately a man of his times, mired in the social and political climate of his dayâ€"a day, when slavery was a simple, if not repugnant, fact of life. But how, exactly, did Jefferson feel about racial difference and the justification of slavery' The answer can be clearly found in his work, Notes on the State of Virginia. At the time of its writing, Jefferson's Notes was an important diplomatic document. Jefferson knew that the country desperately needed to have the support of various European nations if it was to successfully break free from the grasp of Great Britain. However, he worried that the image of the United States would be tarnished if the notion that its Indians had been conquered and enslaved. For this reason, he wrote, "An inhuman practice once prevailed in this country of making slaves of the Indians. (This practice commenced with the Spa

During slavery, religion was considered both an emancipating influence (blacks created their own churches, religious ceremonies) as well as yet another method by which whites tried to further subjugate blacks into the institution of slavery. According to Jean Toomer, though, the role of religion for blacks in the emancipated South was quite different, with many newly freed slaves viewing the mainstream religions in the latter role rather than its former. However, besides the positive rhythms of black life recorded by Toomer, he also observed and was touched by the tensions that surrounded life in the emancipated South: ". . . the bitterness, strain, and violence of the southern racial situation" (O'Daniel, 1988, 8). According to O'Daniel, in November 1921, before leaving the South, he sent a poem, "Georgia Dusk," to The Liberator, and while on the train north he began to write the sketches that appeared in the first section of Cane. Cane was an experimental novel by Toomer that celebrated black experience as symbolized by the title. "The southern experience had inspired him to a lyrical interpretation of the harshness, cruelty,

Mary Chestnut was a feminist and an abolitionist. She believed that women had a valuable public as well as private role in political life. She believed that eventually slavery would no longer be a necessary part of the South's economic life, despite its dependence on King Cotton.' Yet Mrs. Chestnut, a wife of a prominent politician, also counted herself a supporter of the Confederacy and the Southern Cause. Although she hoped the Confederacy would abolish slavery, she still believed in state's rights as a fundamental political principle. She believed that a true

My Bondage and My Freedom is widely considered to be one of the most historically influential documents produced in the midst of the abolitionist movement. Written by a former slave, the memoir served as a moving argument against the inhuman institution of slavery in American history. Interestingly, however, although Douglass was an incredibly educated man, he did not resort to arguments of reason or philosophy in the work in an attempt to illustrate the immorality of slavery. Instead, perhaps because of his education and natural intelligence, coupled with a keen awareness of public (white) sensibility, he refrained from attacking those responsible for using slaves, as well as those responsible for supporting the institution, itself. Instead, recognizing the limitations of his time and dominant social culture, he used the device of emotion to convey the brutality to the sympathetic side of his reader's psyches. The genre of the "slave memoir" was hardly a novel form during the years of the abolitionist movement. Indeed, several accounts

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the books "Maggie: A Girl of the Streets" by Stephen Crane, and "Ragged Dick" by Horatio Alger, Jr. Specifically, it will discuss in what ways social values influence the events in the two books. Social values play an intrinsic value in these two works, because social standing and values were a very important part of life during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In these two novels, the social values between rich and poor are marked, and the social values of the wealthy are what the poor strive for to better themselves. To move up in social ranking means wealth and success, and that is what both of these characters are working toward to ensure brighter futures for themselves.

During the past 40 years, black Americans have endured the painful process of having to fight for what has been considered the rights of every man since our nation's founding. The right to be considered equal with person's of a different skin color, the right to have access to the same facilities, and to be treated with respect are elements of American life which are the cornerstone of what we consider our national identity, yet only a generation ago, one group of American's were denies these building blocks of personal identity. For the African American, the journey has been long, and difficult. Only a generation ago, the unjust principle of separate but equal' was the best white Americans were willing to do. After the war, when Americans of all nationalities fought and died along side of each other, black Americans were given a measure of personal freedom and recognition. Bit the separate but equal approach was still just another way of telling the black

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the book "Let Us Now Praise Famous Men" by James Agee and Walker Evans. Specifically, it will review and discuss the book. "Let Us Now Praise Famous Men" is one of the most historically significant and memorable photographic essays of the American spirit known today. It is part social commentary, and part magnificent artistic endeavor, and anyone who stares into the eyes of these southern tenant sharecroppers cannot help but be touched by their humanity, their humility, and their rock-hard strength.

TENTATIVE THESIS: In Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, the central character of Willy Loman maintains a great determination to succeed and a mindset on the past events of his life. However, Loman is apparently obsessed with dreams, especially that which has come to be called the "American Dream," being phenomenal success in one's chosen profession. Yet Loman the salesman realizes much too late that his dreams are not based on reality which soon leads to disillusionment and personal disaster, not to mention that Loman is "lost" in a world which he does not understand.

The Age of Spiritual Machines presents a history of computers, looking at how past trends in computing have led to today's personal machines. Author Ray Kurzweil then goes beyond history to look towards the future. Most audiences are familiar with the notion that computers will one day think faster and better than humans. However, Kurzweil goes beyond such familiar ground, making specific predictions regarding how "spiritual machines" will blur the line between thinking humans and technological machines. In the first part of the book, "Probing the Past," Kurweil presents an excellent survey of how computational knowledge evolved throughout history. A gifted technological historian, Kurzweil sets the stage in this chapter by showing how these past developments have both changed the way people live and how this knowledge laid the foundations for his future predictions. Towards this, Kurzweil draws heavily from the work of heavyweights in the field -- s

Though people generally regard white collar crime as a recent phenomenon, sociologist Edwin Sutherland (1983) defines as crimes that are committed "by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation." Such crimes were thought to include illegal activities like securities fraud and tax fraud. In addition to individuals, Sutherland also stressed that legal entities like corporations could also be guilty of white collar crime. Because of the limited public knowledge regarding white collar crime, Sutherland believed that the impact of such crimes on society was greatly underestimated. By the mid-1970s, however, it became apparent that white collar crimes were no longer limited to people from wealthy and privileged backgrounds. Instead, white collar criminals came from divergent backgrounds. Therefore, instead of classifying criminals according to their socio- economic background, the United States Department of Justice (1981) r

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze two novels, "The Wars" by Timothy Findley, and "In the Skin of a Lion" by Michael Ondaatje. Specifically, it will compare both novels and how they represent the individual in relation to their community. In each of these novels, community and the individual play an important part, especially the community of family and loved ones, and how these families interact with the larger community. Communities are made up of individuals, but not all individuals can conform to the standards of the community, as these two novels clearly illustrate.

United Nations Peacekeeping is based on the principle that an impartial presence of the United Nations (UN) on the ground can ease tensions and allow negotiated solutions in a conflict situation. Known widely as "blue helmets" or "blue berets," United Nations peacekeepers have patrolled buffer zones between hostile parties, monitored ceasefires, and helped defuse local conflicts, allowing the search for enduring political settlements to continue (UN Peacekeeping, Preface). Recent years have, however, seen major changes in the number and nature of conflicts brought before the UN. The post-cold war period has been characterized by a proliferation of civil wars and other armed conflicts within States, which threaten regional, national, and international peace and security. In response to the changing nature of global conflict, the role of UN Peacekeeping, too, has evolved to a more complex operation involving military, civilian police, and other civilian personnel. Wit

Capitalist trading both at a domestic and international level would not be possible without the stock market. It is through the stock market that the transactions of financial assets occur. These stock markets also provide the world's industrialized nations with a way to conduct trade. This paper looks at how three main purposes of the stock market. First, it explains how the stock market allows individual people to make investments and participate in economic activity. The next part then looks at how the stock market allows companies and corporations to build their profits. Finally, the paper then discusses how the various stock exchanges around the world interact, forming a network for the international economy. Individual investments One of the most important purposes of the stock market for the national economy is to stimulate investment. Towards this, the stock market provides individual buyers and sellers with a platform to trade their assets.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the article "Kill Mary to Save Jodie'" by J.F.O. McAllister. Specifically, it will discuss my position and opinion about this article. This article develops a difficult situation for parents and doctors, and illustrates the complexity of determining who lives and who dies in complicated situations such as these.

All CRNAs will naturally focus on acquisition of clinical skills and specialty knowledge. CRNAs must be expected to acquire the essentials of professionalism, including accountability, humanism, physical well being, and ethics (AANA, 2004). Accountability CRNAs must place the needs of the patient above their own self- interest. The CRNA must recognize the value of being optimally prepared to provide patient care, recognize the need to participate in the health care industry as a whole, respond to the needs of society and to facilitate the optimum performance of colleagues (Wolf, 1994). Humanism CRNAs must acquire the skills that allow appropriate doctor patient relationship. Elements include integrity, compassion, and understanding of diversity, excellent communication skills, dependability and full participation in group goals (collegiality) (Newton, 1999). Physician Well-Being CRNAs must be aware of the need for physical and mental he

Today's popular discourse, especially within the American media, is rife with references to the downtrodden status of women in Islamic countries. Indeed, one has but to turn on CNN or Fox news to be met with images of suffering Muslim women. However, many mistakenly assume that the cultural and political environments in which these women are forced to endure are reflective of the religion itself. Not only is this assumption patently untrue, but many Christians would be surprised to find that Islam not only holds similar doctrinal points in common with their faith, but that Christianity, itself holds a strong core of misogynistic tenets based on Biblical texts of which many Christians are entirely unaware. When comparing Christianity and Islam's view of the position of women in faith, it is important to start at the beginning. In Christianity, this means starting with Genesis. We see that in Genesis 3: 6-17, that Eve tasted the fruit of the forbidden tree a

It seems that one of the most prevalent themes in popular discourse today is the problem of the lack of ethical business practices. From Enron to Arthur Andersonâ€"Martha Stewart to "sweatshop labor" abuses, the bottom line seems to always come before the needs of the "little guy"â€"the symbolic representation of "us all." Yet, ethical problems in business have long been an issue before today's turbulent times. Indeed, from Biblical times to the present, business ethics have always been of serious concern. Even popular entertainment is not immune to the issueâ€"and two excellent examples of the perils of the loss of equitable behavior in business occur in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice (which was, after all, popular entertainment), and in the 1930's silent film, Modern Times, by Charlie Chaplin. To be sure, one of the main themes of the Merchant of Venice is that of "good vs. evil." However, unlike other Sh

The educational community is clearly unsettled by the President's "No Child Left behind Act" (NCLB) of 2001. Even though one of the strongest planks of the president's platform was his promise to address the faltering performance of the US educational system, the resulting bill had sent shivers of nervous tension up and down the collective educational spine. Nationally the country looked forward to a president who would do more for the educational progress of the country than just throw more money at the system. Nationally, the president's record of reviving faltering education in his own state gave parents hope that their students would once again be successfully educated. However, the NCLB act is not written in the fuzzy language, which has become typical of the educational professionals. It contains objective standards for academic progress and tangible fiscal consequences for failure to improve. Schools that do not reach objective educational standards

The Last of the Mohicans, a novel written by James Fenimore Cooper in 1826, details the lives of French, English, and native Americans during the early American colonial period. Set in North America, the novel discusses the conflict among races and nationality: English battling against the French forces, and native Americans battling for their territory over the two colonizers (French and English). The novel, more than a work of literature, is also a historical account of the lives of native Americans, the positive and negative members of its race, and the complex situation they faced when they were "dispossessed" by the colonizers. History determines the events surrounding the novel to have happened during the French and Indian Wars, which lasted for seventy-five years (1698-1763). The historical period where the events in the novel take place is characterized by "[m]assacres and scalpings†traditional conceptions of honor yielded to the exigencies of

In their book, From Reliable Sources: An Introduction to Historical Methods, the authors write, "History as academic historians write it today would be almost unrecognizable to scholars working even fifty years ago, let alone in a past that is a century, two centuries - or twenty centuries - old" (Howell and Prevenier 119). The First Crusade, edited by Edward Peters, is a collection of texts that includes not only currently accepted historical views, but also primary source material. This book allows the reader an opportunity to examine the method used by the author while reading the various accounts of events. It is important for the reader to have a basic comprehension of historical methodology to understand the value and context of the texts contained in The First Crusade. There are many ways by which to record history. The methods used by historians are as different as are the historians themselves. This is why a collection of primary source materials

The 21st century will be remembered as the era of globalization. American men and women are traveling to and living in countries throughout the world, as their businesses move them from one office to another across the globe. In many cases, these businesspeople are married and are joined by their children of varying ages. According to the book The Third Culture Kid Experience by David Pollock and Ruth Van Reken, the experiences of youths who spend a significant part of their childhood living overseas are both beneficial and challenging. The authors spoke with a number of Third Culture Kid (TCK) parents about the time spent in other countries. For others who plan on going abroad or have already left, the book brings new insights and gives support knowing that one's family is not alone. It would also pay for companies to give a copy to each of its employees heading off to distant lands. For those who live in the United States, the book provides another way of looking at the im

Perhaps more than any other form of music, jazz music means America. Jazz music, like America itself, is a melting pot of ideas, emotions, and traditions. According to Joachim Berendt, jazz is a form of music that emerged in the United States as a combination of African American and European music. The instrumentation, melody, and harmony are influenced by Western music while the rhythm, phrasing, and production of sounds are influenced by African American music. When we examine at the history of jazz, we encounter a variety of musicians and styles that are unique and impressive in practically every way. Undoubtedly, jazz us unique and important to the soul of American music. One incident that emphasizes the significance of jazz occurred in 1977. This was the year that NASA launched Voyager I and included a recorded greeting for anyone who might discover it. This recording included the jazz greats Louis Armstrong and Blind Willie Johnson as representatives of Am

The landmark Miranda v Arizona decision was rooted in the case of Ernesto Miranda. On March 13, 1963, a bank worker in Phoenix, Arizona was robbed of $8.00. Police suspected and arrested Ernesto Miranda for the theft. By this arrest, Miranda already had an extensive arrest record, including robbery, burglary, assault and attempted rape and a separate juvenile record. During the two hour questioning, Miranda was not offered a lawyer. During the interrogation, Miranda confessed to the theft of the $8.00. In addition, he also confessed to the kidnapping and the rape of an 18-year- old woman 11 days earlier. This confession was the most important piece of evidence that eventually led to Miranda's conviction for rape. He was sentenced to 20 years in jail. Miranda's lawyers appealed the conviction for rape, arguing that Miranda did not understand how the Constitution's Fifth Amendment protected him from self-incrimination. The appeal was unsuccessful at

Although Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, enacted in 1862, intended freedom for all slaves, it did not completely eliminate slavery. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution were adopted after the Civil War as attempts to end discrimination. In short, the Thirteenth Amendment ended slavery, the Fourteenth Amendment declared that African Americans were citizens of the United States and were therefore allowed equal protection under the law, and the Fifteenth Amendment guaranteed African Americans the right to vote. Essentially, the Thirteenth Amendment ended slavery on paper--however, racism could not be erased so easily from the public's mindset. This mindset was especially prevalent in the South. Many laws regarding segregation and the Thirteenth Amendment were simply ignored. In fact, many Southern states adopted their own black codes as a means of getting around the amendment. These codes restricted African Americans