Religious Life on Planet Earth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Religious Life on Planet Earth - Essay Example The geographical terrain, vegetation and population density have a direct impact on the cultural and social life of humans which indirectly shapes their religious school of thought. Diversity in language, skin color, body shape and the male dominance seem to influence religious indoctrination, which is enforced on their offspring’s. There seem to be some pockets of populations’ on the planet who seem to be atheists but still believe in a culture of work for living, which indirectly translates into a religion itself i.e. their dedication to work for existence is fanatical to the degree of being labeled as religion. On closer observation, one comes to know that such category of societies on earth call themselves socialists. On closer observation, one can see that majority of the populations’ on Earth visualize God as a manifestation of the human form itself, as most of the worshipped entities have human shape. Christians believe in Jesus as the Son of God, Muslims believe that Muhammad was a messiah who brought the message of God to the planet while Hindus worship nature and its powers like fire, water, wind and earth which are depicted by demigods in human shape, who might possess either sex. Christians, Muslim and Sikh religions are heavily oriented towards believing that God’s manifestation is exclusively in the male form, which is the dominant sex in human society on the planet. Sub religions have emerged on the planet out of the above religions with deviants claiming superiority of their respective gods and beliefs. Surprisingly, the human population is greatly divided due to respective faiths’ and does not resist temptation to go to war with each other to prove one’s superiority over the other. Subtle activities to lure people from one religion to the other have been going on the planet once populations’ have migrated from one geographical location to the other en-masse. People on earth have built facilities and buildings exclusively for the practice of their respective religions and such buildings have exclusive architecture, are intricately designed and decorated, and revered highly to the point that people having allegiance to a particular faith bow in submission while passing across these masses of concrete. Christians’ have Churches and cathedrals, Muslims have mosques and the Hindus and Buddhists have temples. They regularly hold congregations on days earmarked as holy in their respective religions and spread the word amongst each other as well as to their young ones reproaching them not to deviate from the established doctrines. Any deviant or revolutionary behavior is highly condemned and the culprit is punished severely or ostracized from within the precincts of the religious society one represents. Religious scriptures have been maintained by all religions on the Earth in written forms’ and are revered as Holy Books by respective religious bodies and societies. S ome humans are considered more religious than others as they shun public life and devout their whole life exclusively in the service of religion. Such persons are labeled as priests with hierarchical designations which increase their stature in society. The function of religion on Earth seems to be to tame individuals into following predefined norms in social life which are conducive for survival in group living. As lower forms of animals survive simply by their physical superiority to have an edge on others representing their species, humans

Refugee Convention and the United Kingdom Essay Example for Free

Refugee Convention and the United Kingdom Essay A person who escapes tyrannical or perilous circumstances is termed as a refugee. Some of the reasons for the creation of refugees are civil disturbances, environmental disasters or war. Around three hundred thousand people obtain this status per month and comprise of women and children in the main. The United Nations requires its member states to protect such people (What are refugees? , 2005). On the 14th of December, 1950, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees of UNHCR was established by the United Nations General Assembly. Its principal objective is to afford protection to refugees and find a viable solution to their problems. Fundamentally, the UNHCR makes strenuous efforts to enable the persecuted of the world to obtain asylum and â€Å"safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country. † (Basic Facts). Article 1A(2) of the Refugee Convention states that refugees are individuals who leave their country on account of legitimate danger of persecution due to their political opinions, nationality, race or religion and who are not in a position to obtain the protection of their country (Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Adopted on 28 July 1951 by the United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons convened under General Assembly resolution 429 (V) of 14 December 1950). The Member States of the European Union exhibited quite some differences in the interpretation of this definition of refugees. It became mandatory to establish the same guidelines within the Union, in order to implement a common asylum system in the EU. Accordingly, the European Commission made a proposal in the year 2001 to the European Council, whereby the requirements for deeming a person to be a refugee were clearly described and this was in accordance with the UNHCR Refugee Convention of 1951, Article 1 of the Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees, discussions of the EC with its Member States and specialized institutions dealing with refugees like the European Council on Refugees and Exiles or ECRE and the UNHCR (The European Union clarifies what it means by refugee and subsidiary protection). This proposal comprised of several goals, some of them were to ensue the existence of basic protection, in all the Member States, for persons who required international protection. Initially, the concentration was to be on reducing the differences extant in the legislation and procedures of the various Member States. After this the aim was to restrict subsequent measures adopted by persons who were taking advantage of the variance in the laws relating to the recognition of refugees in the Member States in order to obtain subsidiary protection status. Moreover, it was a major objective of this proposal to assure adequate protection for those whose needs in this regard were genuine. Furthermore, the proposal aimed to ensure that no person could take undue advantage of the process of obtaining asylum (The European Union clarifies what it means by refugee and subsidiary protection). Consequently, in April 2004 Directive 2004/83/EC was adopted and this directive prescribes the requirements for according refugee status to stateless persons or people who do not belong to Member States of the EU. In addition, this directive describes the nature and extent of the protection to be granted to all such eligible persons (The European Union clarifies what it means by refugee and subsidiary protection). The immigration rules in the United Kingdom permit the grant of asylum to a refugee, only if it is possible for that person to establish that they face certain persecution due to their ethnicity, nationality, religion or due to the political opinions that they subscribe to if they return to their country of origin. These rules are in conformity with the United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees and Article 3 of the ECHR or European Convention on Human Rights. The result of these rules is that there is an exclusion of most of the refugees who have been permitted to reside in the UK under exceptional leave (asylum, political, 2005). In the year 1999 seventy one thousand persons sought political asylum in the United Kingdom and most of these persons were Kosovar refugees from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. A few of these applicants were from Somalia, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Turkey, Iraq, Albania and China. These numbers increased to a little over a hundred thousand by January 2000 indicating a massive increase in the influx of refugees to the United Kingdom (asylum, political, 2005). The data available with the Home Office has revealed that thirty six percent of those seeking refuge in 1999 were genuine and that an additional eleven percent had been granted asylum on compassionate grounds. However, statistics from other sources have revealed that less than ten percent of persons whose application for refuge had been refused had been deported and that the remainder continued to stay as illegal immigrants (asylum, political, 2005). On the 1st of April, 2000 the United Kingdom enacted legislation, which expeditiously dealt with straightforward cases by adopting fast track processing of their applications, substituted a food voucher system for the extant welfare benefits and made provisions for the forced occupation of accommodation around the UK. These initiatives were successful in reducing the number of pending applications to ninety thousand by May 2000. However, the United Kingdom had to incur an exorbitant expenditure of nine hundred million pounds sterling, in order to support asylum seekers during the financial year 1999 to 2000 (asylum, political, 2005). The UNHCR, which was established in 1951, has provided succour to approximately thirty million refugees. The number of persons whose status has been of grave concern to the UNHCR has increased from seventeen to twenty seven million between 1991 and 1995. These numbers stood at twenty two million at the end of the year 1999 and comprises of eleven million refugees and five million persons who had been displaced within their own countries (asylum, political, 2005). The United Kingdom received three hundred and ninety thousand applications seeking asylum in the year 2000. Out of these ninety seven thousand, seven hundred were granted the status of refugees or provided with exceptional leave to remain in the UK. This amounted to thirty one percent of total asylum applications made all over Europe. Most of the applicants belonged to countries where human rights were being infringed with impunity. Many of these refugees hailed from Iraq, Iran, Sri Lanka, Somalia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Afghanistan. The number of refugees accepted by the UK was less than the number permitted in Belgium and the Netherlands as a ratio to the population, these observations were made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Immigration and emigration, 2005). In order to compensate for the ageing population of the EU, it has to allow an influx of nearly 1. 4 million immigrants per year. The UK Home Office had undertaken reforms to its work permit system so as to allow foreign nationals to apply for such work permits in order to fill in job vacancies. The objective of these new reform proposals is to encourage legitimate immigration and thereby discourage illegal immigration. In October 2001 the Home Office had announced that the present scheme of issuing food vouchers to asylum applicants would be restructured by implementing a combined cash and identity card system (Immigration and emigration, 2005). The Ministerial Meeting on the Refugee Convention held in Geneva, provided an opportunity for the participating nations to adopt new policies to strengthen international refugee protection. Although, more than fifty years had elapsed, since the adoption of new policies in the Refugee Convention, yet nations were lagging behind in addressing the fundamental cause for refugee exodus. The cause for this situation was violation of human rights, especially during internal conflicts in the nations. Many countries were failing in their duty to respect the right to seek asylum from oppression. They were ignoring the non – refoulement principle, which held that refugees should not be deported to a place of conflict where the risk of serious breaches of human rights were prevalent (Refugee Convention a Convention for the 21st century. 2001). It is indeed deplorable to note that several countries had failed to initiate appropriate action against such infringement, as necessitated by the treaty obligations. According to Amnesty International, subsequent to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre, national governments should be required to reiterate their commitment to the Refugee Convention (Refugee Convention a Convention for the 21st century. 2001). By instituting stringent security measures, subsequent to the September 11 attacks, many countries ignored the human rights of refugees and asylum applicants. These measures targeted non – citizens of the nations. Specifically, countries with powerful economies have treated refugees and illegal immigrants alike and implemented several measures to isolate refugees. Instances have been reported where nations have unnecessarily indulged in imposing tighter security measures. One instance of this was reported in July 2001 to the Amnesty International, wherein the immigration authorities of the United Kingdom stationed at Prague airport detained travellers from the Roma ethnic minority, questioned them, did not permit them to enter the UK and prevented them from boarding flights (Refugee Convention a Convention for the 21st century. 2001). It has become essential to implement measures that provide adequate protection in situations involving mass flight of the populace of a nation. Moreover, the UN refugee institution has to be provided with sufficient funds to carry out its work. The Amnesty International has demanded of the nations that had participated in the meeting in Geneva to resolve issues involving refugee protection in conformity with the spirit of the Refugee Convention (Refugee Convention a Convention for the 21st century. 2001). In R v. Special Adjudicator, Ullah a Pakistani national claimed asylum in the UK, as he feared persecution on account of his religious beliefs; the UK authorities did not accept his petition under the Refugee Convention. The House of Lords held that in the absence of a flagrant denial or gross abuse of an individual’s rights, there could be no compromise on maintain immigration controls in the larger public interest (R v Special Adjudicator, ex parte Ullah , 2004). Several instances exist, wherein the United Kingdom and its agents were unsuccessful in providing adequate protection to refugees, who had been deployed in special camps. In Kenya, a nineteen year old girl’s modesty was outraged in the vicinity of the offices of the refugee camp authorities and similarly, two Rwandan children were killed and their mother was stabbed in a secure residence. Moreover, a number of incidents involving the gross violations of the right to life, the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and violation of the non refoulement principle were reported in these centres (New Approaches to the Asylum Process. Human Rights Watch Submission to the House of Lords, Select Committee on the European Union, Sub-Committee F (Social Affairs, Education and Home Affairs), 2003). As such the responsibility of protecting refugees is vested with the United Kingdom and the latter has to ensure that such violations do not occur in the refugee centres. In case of failure to protect refugees in the camps, the U. N. General Assembly can authorize the UNHCR to provide sufficient protection to the refugees and help the UK Government to find permanent solutions for the problem of refugees (New Approaches to the Asylum Process. Human Rights Watch Submission to the House of Lords, Select Committee on the European Union, Sub-Committee F (Social Affairs, Education and Home Affairs), 2003). The Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, Nick Hardwick, opined that, the policy being implemented by the UK Government was insufficient, and that it was endangering the lives of a number of asylum seekers. He further stated that the UK’s record of granting asylum status to Sri Lankan Tamils was dismal. France had granted asylum to around seventy three percent of the applicants and Canada had allowed eighty percent, in comparison to the woefully meagre two percent by the UK Government. Many felt that such rejection would pose grave danger for these immigrants, who could expect torture and incarceration in dehumanized prisons in Sri Lanka (New Refugee Council report warns UK not to put refugees lives at risk, 2002). From the above it becomes very clear that the UK has not been very friendly towards immigrants. In particular, after the attacks made by terrorists owing allegiance to Osama bin laden, there has been a reluctance to admit foreign nationals into the country. Several instances have come to light, wherein the UK Government had failed to take into consideration the principle of proportionality, while assessing the status of asylum seekers. There is a marked reluctance to permit persons hailing from Asia, the Middle East and Africa into the United Kingdom. This is in gross violation of the Refugee Convention of 1951. Bibliography asylum, political. (2005).In The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia including Atlas . Basic Facts. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 22, 2007, from UNHCR: http://www. unhcr. org/basics. html Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Adopted on 28 July 1951 by the United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons convened under General Assembly resolution 429 (V) of 14 December 1950. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 22, 2007, from Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights: http://www. unhchr. ch/html/menu3/b/o_c_ref. htm Immigration and emigration. (2005). Retrieved May 22, 2007, from In The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia including Atlas: http://www. xreferplus. com/entry/6435900immigration and emigration New Approaches to the Asylum Process. Human Rights Watch Submission to the House of Lords, Select Committee on the European Union, Sub-Committee F (Social Affairs, Education and Home Affairs). (2003, September). Retrieved May 22, 2007, from http://hrw. org/backgrounder/eca/asylum-process. htm New Refugee Council report warns UK not to put refugees lives at risk. (2002, February 11). Retrieved May 22, 2007, from Refugee Council Online: http://www. refugeecouncil. org. uk/news/press/2002/february/20020211newr. htm R v Special Adjudicator, ex parte Ullah , UKHL 26 (2004). Refugee Convention a Convention for the 21st century. 2001. M2 Presswire. M2 Communications, Ltd. The European Union clarifies what it means by refugee and subsidiary protection. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 22, 2007, from European Commission. Justice and Home Affairs. Refugee subsidiary protection: http://ec. europa. eu/justice_home/fsj/asylum/subsidiary/fsj_asylum_subsidiary_en. htm What are refugees? (2005). The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia i

Developing a Responsive Police Organisation Essay -- Police Organizati

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." -- Abraham Lincoln INTRODUCTION The responsibility to maintain a peaceful society is shared by each level of government; local, state, and federal. However, because crime is an immediate threat to the communities, the police have a highly visible and primary role in overcoming the threat and fear of crime. The process of policing a democratic society is complex and due to this fact, a police department is probably one of the most difficult public institutions to manage effectively. It is therefore important to have processes that are critical to operating police departments and their commitments in securing peace in the society. In order to understand the field of police administrations, one has to look further beyond the dynamism and complexity aspects of the field. Laws are constantly modified, the environments police officers regulate in continually change, new problems regularly occur, and administrative practices that were once treated as gospels are now facing constantly modifications, often challenged and in some cases, discarded. The terrorist attacks of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, have significantly changed the ways police departments police globally. The primary mission of police in local communities has become somewhat blurred as community policing efforts from the last decade fade to the emergence of security checks, intelligence gathering, and participation in join terrorism task forces. Police organisations are now facing ever changing ordeals that require the administrators to change the ways policing is performed, by which creating a more open and responsive organisation through the positiv... ...on, 2008. - Vol. 01. Blackler John Historical Influences on Australian Policing [Article] // Violence and Police Culture. - [s.l.] : Melbourne University Press. Chan Janet B. L. Changing Police Culture [Article]. Wainwright Elsina Police Join the Front Line [Article] // ASPI Strategic Insights. - 2004. - pp. 1-12. Westmarland Louise Police Ethics and Integrity: Breaking the Blue Code of Silence [Journal] // Policing and Society: An International Journal of Research and Policy. - 2005. - 2 : Vol. 15. - pp. 145-165. Wimshurst Kerry and Allard Troy Criminal Justice Education, Employment Destinations, and Graduate Satisfaction [Journal] // The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology. - 2007. - 2 : Vol. 40. - pp. 218-235. Wong Kam C. The Philosophy of Community Policing in China [Journal] // Police Quarterly. - 2001. - 2 : Vol. 4. - pp. 186-214. Developing a Responsive Police Organisation Essay -- Police Organizati "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." -- Abraham Lincoln INTRODUCTION The responsibility to maintain a peaceful society is shared by each level of government; local, state, and federal. However, because crime is an immediate threat to the communities, the police have a highly visible and primary role in overcoming the threat and fear of crime. The process of policing a democratic society is complex and due to this fact, a police department is probably one of the most difficult public institutions to manage effectively. It is therefore important to have processes that are critical to operating police departments and their commitments in securing peace in the society. In order to understand the field of police administrations, one has to look further beyond the dynamism and complexity aspects of the field. Laws are constantly modified, the environments police officers regulate in continually change, new problems regularly occur, and administrative practices that were once treated as gospels are now facing constantly modifications, often challenged and in some cases, discarded. The terrorist attacks of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, have significantly changed the ways police departments police globally. The primary mission of police in local communities has become somewhat blurred as community policing efforts from the last decade fade to the emergence of security checks, intelligence gathering, and participation in join terrorism task forces. Police organisations are now facing ever changing ordeals that require the administrators to change the ways policing is performed, by which creating a more open and responsive organisation through the positiv... ...on, 2008. - Vol. 01. Blackler John Historical Influences on Australian Policing [Article] // Violence and Police Culture. - [s.l.] : Melbourne University Press. Chan Janet B. L. Changing Police Culture [Article]. Wainwright Elsina Police Join the Front Line [Article] // ASPI Strategic Insights. - 2004. - pp. 1-12. Westmarland Louise Police Ethics and Integrity: Breaking the Blue Code of Silence [Journal] // Policing and Society: An International Journal of Research and Policy. - 2005. - 2 : Vol. 15. - pp. 145-165. Wimshurst Kerry and Allard Troy Criminal Justice Education, Employment Destinations, and Graduate Satisfaction [Journal] // The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology. - 2007. - 2 : Vol. 40. - pp. 218-235. Wong Kam C. The Philosophy of Community Policing in China [Journal] // Police Quarterly. - 2001. - 2 : Vol. 4. - pp. 186-214.

Freak the Mighty Essay

Freak the Mighty is a story about the power of a true friendship. Freak and Max are two boys who were so different, and yet had much in common with one another. Freak as well as Max both had limitations and this helped them to become friends. They both run into problems, but together they are â€Å"Freak the Mighty, slaying dragons, rescuing fair maidens, and walking high above the world. † There are differences between Freak and Max. Max is big and tall, a slow thinker, and runs away from his problems. Freak is small, smart, and tries very hard to be brave. There are similarities between the two boys, both have a disability, both do not known their dads, and both are in fear of something. In the story it shows how Max is afraid of joining life here on Earth and Freak is afraid of leaving life here on Earth. Max handles this fear by staying quiet and giving in to people when they bother him and Freak deals with his fear by convincing himself that he will be saved by receiving bionic body parts. Main Events: Freak the Mighty finds Loretta’s purse and gives it to her. Max murdering dad kidnaps him and Freak saves him by spraying a liquid at him from his water gun. Freak gets very ill and goes into the hospital. Conclusion: In the story Max was so busy rescuing adventures, treasure hunting, and slaying dragons that he did not even realize that he already had begun living life. Freak realizes that he will die, but knows that he will stay alive through Max’s story of his and Max’s adventures. When Freak dies, Max feels as if he lost a part of himself because they were friends. Loretta gives Max hope after Freak dies by telling him â€Å"nothing is a drag. Think about it! † 1 Fact and 1 Opinion One fact is that this book is for anybody to read because it shares the story about people with disabilities and what they have to go through in their lives. My opinion is that everyone in school should be made to read this book because it might help them know what people that are different from them is going through.

China’s Foreign Policy Towards International Actors Essay

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY China has one of the four oldest civilizations in the world and a written history of 4,000 years. China’s long history includes eras of primitive society, slave society, feudalism and semi feudalism, semi-colonialism and the present socialist society. The Chinese are very proud of their society. They value their own culture and religion but are open and pragmatic towards the religions and cultures of others. Chinese people in general are peaceful, hardworking and easily contented. They respect authority and elders and are patient with their fellows. They will, however, push and sacrifice for their children. The Chinese value modesty, reserved behavior and humility. They believe in harmony and tend to avoid confrontation. Chinese culture gives the Chinese people their basic identity. These core values are unique and consistent, shaped by a tradition of four thousand years of history and maintained by the same language. There is only one set of core values in the Chinese national culture, despite all the differences among these people and their societies. This cultural value system is uniquely Chinese that distinguish itself not only from Western cultures, but also from other Eastern cultures (for example, Japanese culture). China is now a global actor of significant and growing importance. It is involved in regions and on issues that were once only peripheral to its interests and it is effectively using tools previously unavailable. It is no longer necessary to emphasize integrating China into the existing constellation of norms, rules, and institutions of the international community; by and large, China is already there. It is influencing perceptions, relationships, and organizations all over the world. China’s international behavior is clearly altering the dynamics of the current international system, but it is not transforming its structure. China’s global activism is driven by an identifiable set of perceptions, objectives, and policies—some are long-standing and others are more current. Both China’s foreign policy objectives and its policies have evolved in the last decade but with more change in the latter than the former. In this sense, China has a distinct foreign policy strategy, to the extent that any nation has one. China’s strategy is best understood as comprising multiple layers, each adding to an understanding of the totality of it. This monograph analyzes these layers, assesses the challenges for China in implementing its strategy, and evaluates the implications for Bangladesh and other countries interests and policy. The monograph analyzes the content, character, and execution of China’s foreign policy towards International actors. It examines how China views its security environment, how it defines its foreign policy objectives, how it is pursuing the objectives and the consequences for other countries economic and security interests. The breadth and the rapidity of change in China’s international activities are daunting to analyze, let alone to understand.

Lauriers greatest gift to Canada essays

Lauriers greatest gift to Canada essays The Manitoba schools issue, the Boer War, the construction of a Canadian navy and the proposed reciprocity treaty with the United States were all issues that provoked emotional debates between French Canadians and English Canadians. French Canadians were fighting to preserve their culture outside Quebec and opposed any rapprochement with England; English Canadians were fighting to confine francophones to Quebec and supported any move toward closer ties with England. For more than 15 years, Laurier's policy of compromise earned him the nickname of the "Great Conciliator", and kept him at the head of the country. One of Laurier's first acts as Prime Minister was to implement a solution to the Manitoba Schools Issue. Laurier developed a compromise with Thomas Greenway, Premier of Manitoba. They agreed that Catholic education would be permitted in public schools, and French would be used in teaching, but only on a school-by-school basis depending on the numbers of French-speaking students. In 1899 Britain expected military support from Canada, as part of the British Empire, in the Boer War. Laurier was caught between demands for support for military action from English Canada, and a strong opposition from French Canada, which saw the Boer War as a reminder of its own defeat in the Seven Years' War. Henri Bourassa was an especially vocal opponent. Laurier eventually decided to send a volunteer force, rather than the militia expected by Britain, but Bourassa criticized him anyway. The British were alarmed by the German arms build-up, and Canada was forced to define its naval policy. Ontario wanted Canada to contribute to the British navy, but Quebec wanted no part of it. As so often before, Laurier sought a compromise, proposing the creation of a Canadian navy to be built and trained in accordance with British naval requirements and placed under British command if Canada chose to enter a war as an ally of Britain. This proposal sat...

African-American heritage Essays

African-American heritage Essays African-American heritage Essay African-American heritage Essay The two main characters are brothers of African-American heritage. The story of conflict is about how they come to know and understand each other. Sonnys older brother is 7 years his senior, and is the parental figure for Sonny, the older brother having made a promise to their dying mum that he would protect and parent Sonny. However, at the beginning of the story the brothers have been estranged for over a year, due to neither accepting the others values, goals and lifestyle. The older brother has a stable life and is married with children; he has become a responsible citizen as a school teacher. He has assimilated; whereas Sonny is a heroin addict jazz musician living a Bohemian life representative of the no good black.This is the 1950s in New York before the Civil Rights Movement when segregation was still practiced. The emphasis on jazz music through the story reflects the conflict between the brothers.Jazz music at the time was also dividing the African-A merican community in much the same way as the brothers were divided in approaches to life. The middle-class African-Americans is the group which the older brother falls into, they tended to downplay obvious barriers to their social successes (such as becoming a school teacher). The older brother, life many of the middle-class African-Americans at the time, wanted to believe that they could achieve high social status and standards of living, and was confident that hard work, sacrifice and perseverance would create a better and safer world for their children. This group of middle class African-Americans, like the older brother, were ready and willing to assimilate into white society fully, if they could be but given the chance. In sharp contrast, Sonny and African-Americans like him at the time (poor, unemployed, musicians and addicts) confront the status quo instead of accepting it. They perceive the struggle of the African-American to be an ongoing struggle of inequality and unaccep tance.Sonny and his cohorts sought radical social change to believe that they could ever enter access the opportunities and privileges of the white society. This divide between the brothers is highlighted when the older brother says to Sonny, Well, Sonny, you know people cant always do exactly what they want to do. Such as statement indicates the older brothers cautious and accountable way of approaching life; he willingly sacrifices his own wants and desires to that he can maintain his standing as a member of the middle-class. The older brother is worried for Sonny, he is afraid that Sonny will ultimately fail because he lacks ambition, perseverance and self-sacrifice. In response to his brother Sonny states, No, I dont know that. I think people ought to do what they want to do, what else are they alive for? This reveals Sonnys unacceptance of other people setting his goals and standards of success.Another time the brothers are watching a street musician and sonny is deeply moved b ey her ability, recognizing the deep pain experiences she must of experienced to sing as she does. Sonny is receptive to the pain of others and is transformed by it, drawing on it for his art. However, the older brother does not empathize at all with the singer or Sonnys interpretation of her music. It also contributes to the conflict between the brothers that the story is set around a war and the part the USA has to play in it. At this time, many African-Americans were seeking to prove their value and equality to their white cohorts. Volunteering to go to war however meant ongoing frustration of not obtaining their goal to prove their Americaness and of wanting to assimilate, which in turn have contributed to the brothers feelings of dissatisfaction and alienation.Eventually, by the end of the story the older brother is able to understand why Sonny is the person he is, and why he himself is the person he is. He reflects on the students in his algebra class and the poor circumstance s that they live in. He realises that these kids may not have the opportunities that he did, and that drugs and music can be a way to work through the pain for them. In trying to comprehend his brothers drug use and lifestyle the older brother questioned a friend of Sonnys who is an addict, Tell me, why does he want to die?   He must want to die, hes killing himself, why does he want to die? The friend surprises the older brother by stating thatHe dont want to die. He wants to live. Dont nobody want to die, ever. The conflict between the brothers resolves when the older brother realizes that Sonny does not want to live by anothers definition of what makes a meaningful life. He sees discrimination as a barrier to freedom and equates this with death. Hence, living the white way (right way) is living as a ghost dead.To deal with this living death, to navigate his life, Sonny (and others like him) use drugs, music and other arts to escape social death. The conflicts within the story for Sonny and his older brother (middle-class/bohemia; acceptable job/musician; sibling/parental; drug use/responsible, white/black) serve to highlight what it is that is of true value. And what makes freedom true. Sonny and his cohorts conflict with what freedom is not (handcuffed to regulations, standards and authority; segregation; inequality; profit; consumption).The multi-layer of conflict presents a real-world scenario of searching for meaning and purpose in life. Notably, Baldwin was a street preacher for many years, and his storyline reflects this influence in the conflicts between this pseudo parent-child dyad with the two brothers. Myths and legends involving two brothers are numerous and patterned around conflict; in the west the most prominent being Cain murdering Able. Across cultures, sibling conflict between brothers has been used to deliver moral messages of action and consequence, and a way of value to lead ones life. Perhaps the use of siblings in Baldwins story is to emphasize the personal nature of the conflict/s; the brothers then representing two parts of the self. Yin and yang (black and white) polarities are needed to create tension (conflict) which has gradients of resolution and disintegration (the brothers find understanding/WWII).By the end his brother realises that it is through his music of bebop jazz and blues that Sonny channels and works through his pain.They have been estranged for over a year and he reads about a drug raid in which Sonny is arrested. Through his anger the brother comes to understand his brother better. Following release form prison the older brother continues the protective role and takes Sonny into his home. He is fulfilling a promise to his mum to look after Sonny following her death. His ongoing relationship with Sonny has been fragile and intermittent. He misunderstands and mistrusts his brothers need for music, especially as it is so related to Sonnys heroin addiction which is only barely under control.