Exploring Fear in Howl, Basketball Diaries, and Cats Cradle Essay

"yacketayakking screaming vomiting whispering facts and memories and anecdotes and eyeball kicks and shocks of hospitals and jails and wars" (Ginsberg 11). Like many authors of the modern literature movement, Allen Ginsberg explores the bomb's psychological affects on many Americans during the 1960s. Modern literature describes the chaos of the 1960s, caused by increasing societal problems and fear of the new atomic bomb. Writings such as The Basketball Diaries, "Howl" and Cat's Cradle express concepts of fear, power, governmental control, and death. Government uses society's fear of death and the end of the world to keep control and power over the people. The atomic bomb generates such universal fear and the corrupted government fails to respond to the chaotic behavior of society or the fears of the individuals. This fear that the government achieves not only maintains control, but also causes chaos and the false belief that the government is on the public's side. The chaotic enviro nment is a result of people crying out for help and the conflicting lifestyles arise when people face the terror of death. Historically, fear has been used to control populations. For example, asearly as the 1700s, white men controlled black slaves through the fear of being killed. During slave days, in the South, the ratio was nine blacks to every white person (Nash and Graves 213). When Nat Turner, a black slave, finally revolted, the United States government responded by sending the army with tanks and guns to resist the black men. The reaction of the whites imbedded the fearof revolts within the slaves. The blacks could have successfully revolted, but were controlled by the fear of the powerful white man. The white man held the power and con... ...ld such dangers have any significance to life? Jim Carroll tells the real story of his fear of the end and the mixed feelings of what matters, what doesn't. His fear is accompanied by confusion of how to live, today, with the possibility of being killed tomorrow. Throughout "Howl," The Basketball Diaries, and Cat's Cradle it is evident that the government controlled society with the fear of the bomb. We can see how this fear influenced individuals and society as a whole. The government caused the fear in society by possessing the atomic bomb and ignoring problems arising. Society blaimed the people for their reactions to the fear of the bomb. Furthermore, the government presented itself as protector, leading to increased confusion and chaos. In modern society, deciding who is the enemy and who holds the power, determines who controls the fate of the world. Â  

Bureaucracy, Intelligence and Homeland Security Essay

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 shook the nation to its core. Politicians felt a tremendous pressure not only to go on the attack against the terrorists, but also to secure the homeland. As a result the United States’ government responded the way it often does in a crisis – It created a huge new bureaucracy. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was designed to consolidate dozens of agencies under one roof. Theoretically this would streamline the process of protecting the homeland. The Intelligence Act of 2004 was designed to better focus this process while also protecting the civil rights of Americans. Proponents of the DHS argue that there has not been a major attack on American soil since 2001. This presents an incomplete picture of the security landscape however. DHS is still very much a work in progress. It has been plagued by numerous well-publicized problems. The Department of Homeland Security has not met the strategic goals and objectives set forth in the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. Therefore, the DHS has not successfully provided national security. The Act and the Bureaucracy The consolidation of so many agencies under one roof was unprecedented in Washington. Early fears that the bureaucracy would be so unwieldy as to be out of control seemed to be justified. After 9/11 the government felt an intense pressure to do something. The lack of coordination between agencies was exposed by these attacks. Creation of the DHS was an attempt to remedy this problem, but the agency itself was a massive undertaking. In many ways it is an agency still trying to find its footing. The DHS began operations in 2003 with more than 180. 000 employees (Brzezinski, 2004). It oversees dozens of agencies with a dizzying array of responsibilities. From the start the agency has worked against long odds and excessive expectations. There is a gap between what the public expects of DHS and what DHS actually believes it can do. This makes it even more difficult for the DHS to operate effectively. A well known axiom within the intelligence community states that â€Å"The terrorists only have to be right once – we have to be right every time†. Meanwhile the American public is intolerant of failure. The reality that eventually the terrorists will succeed again is not well understood. In fact, â€Å"The very notion of trying to design a zero-terrorist-risk environment is dangerously futile† (Brzezinski, 2004). As the DHS scuffled through its first few years, Congress and the American people became impatient. In 2004 Congress took action to reform the DHS and the intelligence and security apparatus. In an effort to re-focus DHS activities to the modern threat environment, Congress passed the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. The Act revised a number of provisions of the National Security Act of 1947. It set guidelines for information sharing, inter-agency cooperation and covert operations. Five years later some of its provisions have been addressed; many have not. Prevention and Preparation The Department of Homeland Security is a vast organization with a vast number of duties. It is responsible for both day-to-day protection of the homeland and strategic long-term efforts to prevent terrorism in the future. Additionally it must respond to attacks already under way and is often called in on natural disaster situations. DHS duties on any given day include, but are not limited to: †¦ screening 1. 5 million airline passengers [and] inspecting 57,006 shipping containers†¦ very day DHS reviews 2200 intelligence reports. [It] stands watch over 8,000 federal facilities and pieces of critical infrastructure. (Brzezinski, 2004) The Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 was intended to further streamline inter-agency cooperation between the many departments of the DHS. In some cases, such as the apprehension of alleged terrorist cells in Buffalo, NY and Miami, FLA, better cooperation has been evident. However, reports of turf wars and lack of cooperation still surface periodically. In some cases the DHS has had a tin ear in regards to Congress and the American people. Frequent news stories have made the public aware of the vulnerability of U. S. ports. Only a tiny percentage of the cargo that passes through these ports is screened. Technology and manpower to do so thoroughly are still limited. In response to public pressure, Congress strengthened port security provisions in the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. The response from DHS was anything but urgent: The Department (Homeland Security) resisted 100 percent screening and offered a half measure involving known shippers†¦ Congress in 2007 mandated full inspection of shipping containers, which has not yet been implemented. (Clarke, 2008) The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is primarily responsible for both passenger and cargo security. It defends its record by pointing to several accomplishments. These include: screening of 700,000 port workers and issuing of directives mandating 100% screening of â€Å"high risk† cargo (The Library of Congress, 2004). These efforts still fall short of what Congress has mandated. Much recent focus has gone into the issue of border security. DHS has made progress on, but not completed a border fence. Border Patrol personnel have been increased. Technology for detecting illegal entry is improving, including the use of Predator drones to detect illegal crossers so Border Patrol can then be deployed. In response to criticism the DHS and ICE, its immigration division, have been forced to end the â€Å"catch and release† policy that was in place for many years. According to the DHS, the number of illegal aliens interdicted at the border has decreased. DHS and the border patrol claim this as evidence that their efforts are successful. It is likely, however, that additional factors explain the decrease in interdictions. Events in Mexico, the downturn in the U.  S. economy and more sophisticated means of entering the country also play a role. The FBI and CIA in tandem with local police are employing more sophisticated surveillance and search tools as well as providing security at large events that could be inviting targets for terrorists. Infrastructure security has improved but many important locations still lack adequate security. These include local water/sewer plants, electrical grids, mass transit systems and energy facilities. In the process of trying to provide such protections the DHS has had to face criticism from civil libertarians. An ongoing debate continues about where national security crosses the line into being an erosion of hard-earned American civil rights. This debate is likely to continue in perpetuity. The changing landscapes of threat and fear alter the position of that line. After the 9/11 attacks, Americans were much more willing to trade civil rights for a perceived sense of security. In the years since many of the actions taken during that time, such as domestic warrantless wire tapping and random airport searches have come under heavy criticism. It is likely that the DHS is engaging in a number of unknown activities that would be highly disturbing to the general public. This has always been true of the American intelligence and security establishment. There is no evidence that these activities are any worse or more prevalent since the founding of the DHS. In defense of the DHS, the organization must toe a slippery line. It is expected to take extraordinary measures to protect the nation. What is too extraordinary is never well-defined or unchanging. Bang for the Buck? The Department of Homeland Security has not been without certain successes. The Science and Technology Directorate has been a standout among the many branches of DHS. Composed of some of the finest minds in the world, the Directorate has made significant advances in a number of different areas targeted toward fulfillment of the Intelligence Act of 2004. The US-VISIT program has made progress in the area of VISA overstays. Behavior spotting software is helping agents at ports of entry to identify and address suspicious behavior. DNA mapping technology is helping to more quickly identify biological agents and assess any potential threat. At the same time an early warning system for these agents is in development. All of these developments have both civilian and military applications. On the forefront of information security is the Einstein 3 project currently undergoing testing. A Washington Post report describes the initiative this way: â€Å"the plan called for telecommunications companies to route the Internet traffic of civilian agencies through a monitoring box that would search for and block computer codes designed to penetrate or otherwise compromise networks† (Nakashima, 2009). If successful, Einstein 3 could help ensure secrecy of vital infrastructure and security information. This is all the more important in light of recent reports of widespread hacking of government computers. Analysts suspect, but are still unable to prove, that North Korean or Chinese hackers are responsible for the repeated breaches in security. The American public may have assumed that the founding of DHS represented a massive financial investment in America’s security. In reality, the DHS budget is not substantially more than its individual agencies were already receiving. The truth of the matter is that Homeland Security is a shoestring operation† (Brzezinski, 2004). This explains a lot about why measures deemed critical and necessary in 2001, and again in 2004, still have not been implemented. The agency is supposed to be free of the turf wars that plagued the intelligence community in the past. Because the individual agencies still lobby for a limited amount of funds this is not the reality. The harshest critics of the agency believe that is too much about appearing to do something and not enough about actually doing something. The confusing color-coded terror warning system is one such example. Col. David Hunt (ret. ) writes of such efforts: â€Å"Colors, duct tape and wooden desks don’t stop 10 – kiloton bombs or terrorists† (2005). With a new administration in power the DHS is considering dropping or altering the color-code warning system. Each time the alert system is raised costs are incurred by local, state and federal governments. The public has become oblivious to the system since specific information about the threat or what to do are never given. The ability of Americans to travel freely is the key to its future prosperity. For that reason a great deal of attention has been given to transportation links such as railroads, subways and airlines. The results have been mixed. Airport security, perhaps the most visible of DHS efforts has come under withering criticism. Inevitably errors will make better news than successes. The errors are numerous however, and come not only in the execution of policy but in the policies themselves. For example: â€Å"Our government keeps no fewer than twelve watch lists that we can choose from. Mind you, not one consolidated list; that would be too easy† (Hunt, 2005). Much of airport security has been federalized, but that does not mean the system is operating smoothly. The watch lists are anything but accurate. Babies and young children have been flagged. Even a U. S. Representative, Sen. Edward Kennedy was stopped because he somehow appeared on a list. Random checks that result in searches of senior citizens, disabled people and children have been a public relations nightmare for the TSA, the organization within DHS responsible for travel safety. Coping with these problems makes the jobs of airport screeners, many of whom are still being trained, all the more difficult. The TSA has required airlines to make certain security changes like locking cabin doors. On a random number of flights an armed federal air marshal is seated in the cabin. The prevalence of these marshals is a secret held tightly by the TSA. Random security checks run by independent agencies still raise concerns about the ease of getting potentially dangerous material on board domestic aircraft. Meanwhile the lack of a terrorist incident since the attempted shoe bombing by Richard Reid has led to a false sense of security. Since the border issue reached critical mass during the second term of President George W. Bush spending on border security has increased. Critics worry that this increase has come at the expense of other critical DHS efforts. â€Å"Department officials concede that most of the Homeland Security money is being funneled into one mission – controlling the border with Mexico† (Alden, 2008). The DHS and border patrol are fulfilling mandates of the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. But lack funding to complete many other initiatives. Analysis and Conclusion The Department of Homeland Security was proposed as an organization free of political influence. The reality is much different. A giant organization with tentacles stretching in numerous directions is inevitably political when funding for it is limited. DHS has the problems of any other Washington bureaucracy. The organization has garnered mixed reviews from independent analysts. To date there has not been another serious terrorist attack in the United States since 2001. A number of Al Qaeda and Al Qaeda- inspired cells have been infiltrated and brought to justice. The DHS should be given credit where credit is due in that regard. At the same time the actions of DHS have raised concerns that the civil rights of Americans are being eroded. It is also misleading to assume that the lack of attacks since 2001 is a strong indicator that the country is safe. In fact it is dangerous to assume so. The efforts of U. S. forces overseas probably have had as much to do as anything with the lack of attacks on American soil. At the same time, the enemy who successfully executed the 9/11 attacks did so after years of planning. It is very likely that they, or some other enemy is studying the cracks in the Homeland Security apparatus in preparation for a future attack. This is a 21st century reality. DHS was given license after 9/11 to take shortcuts around the civil rights of individuals in the name of national security. Each successive generation of Americans will have to decide what they are willing to give up for a sense of security that may or may not be realistic. Has the DHS protected America from terrorist attacks? Yes and no. Some of the actions it has taken have had clear-cut results. Others have not. Can it protect the homeland for the foreseeable future? Probably not. The DHS has not met many of its original mandates, as well as the mandates from the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. In certain instances it has shown the kind of bureaucratic inflexibility that allowed for the 9/11 attacks to take place. The American government has to be right every time – The terrorists only have to be right once.

The New Exciting Beauties Of Mary Fleming s The Airship...

Even when individual parties are detailed, descriptions hold no more excitement or beauty. Whilst Anne Fleming admits ‘Evelyn sadly confided that he got no pleasure from natural beauty’, his description of the airship party focuses upon how new modern beauty defies natural beauty. ‘Acres of inflated silk blotted out the sky’ and ‘lights of other cars arriving lit up the uneven grass.’ This holds a certain nostalgia for pastoral beauty, and with the country landscapes of Hetton and Brideshead casting a great aesthetic influence in later novels, perhaps Waugh already senses here that any excitement of technological beauty is fleeting, and as the ugliness of war looms, a hankering for beauties’ past sinks in. The new exciting beauties prove†¦show more content†¦The description of Brenda applying makeup is deliberately unpleasant, as she ‘spat into the eye black’ and ‘choked slightly.’ This language impli es that creating the illusion of beauty requires uncomfortable effort, and the ugliness of her adulterous intent struggles to reveal itself from beneath it. For Waugh, to highlight the ugliness of adulterous women was biographically motivated, due to the revelation of his wife’s adultery during his writing process. This only adds to his association with decadence according to Freud, whom Charles Bernheimer suggests thought contemporary decadence resulted from people having too little sex rather than too much. So sceptical is Waugh of any positivity in female beauty that in Vile Bodies the term ‘pretty’ gains negative connotations. Adam ridiculously deems Mary Mouse and the Maharajah a ‘pretty pair’ as they publicly make love on the airship balcony. The negative use of the term is only furthered when Chastity ‘in the prettiest way possible’ simpers to the drunk major against the ugliness of the war backdrop. Thus Women’s ‘prettiness’ is a fickle attempt to disguise the ugliness around them. The sense of ‘pretty’ is by its very nature shallow and transient, it’s sentiment far from the stunning or the gorgeous that true beauty in romantic literature holds. Indeed, Waugh taps into another Romantic poetic conceit here. The

Psychology Is The Scientific Study Of Psychology - 1383 Words

Psychology is defined as the scientific study of behavior of the mind. There are two things that are implied by this definition. The first that is implied is that psychology is a science. Therefore, it is able to be physically studied through measures of observation and experimentation with humans as well as animal behavior. Secondly, psychology is the study of the mind. This is including the conscious and unconscious mental states that are unable to be physically seen but can be observed. This modern-day definition of psychology brings attention to the history of psychology since it was recognized as a science in the 19th century. The term â€Å"psychology† has been around for many centuries and is derived from two Greek words: psyche which†¦show more content†¦This theory plays an important role in the development of psychology. The id is guided by the seeking of pleasure. The ego is what changes the thoughts of the id into socially acceptable behaviors. The final d ifferentiation is the incorporation of whether or not the behavior is to be put into action is the superego. This development was important to psychology of personality because Freud provided the reasoning of everything related to everything that he had the tendency to do (Sanford, 1958). This movement was also seen as a religious movement in which the philosophy became increasingly rigid and systemized in response to an attack from outside of the body (Sanford, 1958). This provided a basis of why people portray the personalities they do in social situations. After receiving his doctorate in psychology in 1931, B.F. Skinner developed a research that focused on operant conditioning. Operant behaviors were defined by their impact on the environment rather than by their form (Frost Bondy, 2006). There were three parts of operant conditioning that he coined: neutral operants, reinforcers, and punishers (McLeod, 2007). Skinner investigated operant behavior by using rats in pressing a b ar when rewarded with food (Brennan, 2003). Skinner used behavior modification as a technique that was changed the environment’s events depending on the person’s behavior. Skinner’s ideology was important to the development in psychology because

China Essay - 1268 Words

China Even since the dramatic post-1949 changes in China regarding the role of women, China has remained paternalistic in its attitudes and social reality. The land reform, which was intended to create a more balanced economic force in marriage, was the beginning of governmental efforts to pacify women, with no real social effect. Communist China needed to address the woman question. Since women wanted more equality, and equality is doled out from the hands of those in power,capitalism was examined. The economic issues of repressed Chinese women were focused on the Land Act and the Marriage Act of 1950. The Land reform succeeded in eliminating the extended familys material basis and hence, its potential for posing as a†¦show more content†¦Women did succeed in gaining materialisticly. However, culture dictates whether these governmental attempts can be successful and China has proven that they were only panaceas for the real issue. Materialistic approaches could not shadow the issue of the view in Chinese society of the role of women. In the struggle for equality, China did not go to the women to find what they believed to be the most effective answer to the issue. The paternalistic powers gave women what they thought they needed for an equalizer, not understanding the need for self-affirmation and independence. The issue the women rallied under was that men were answering the woman question. Womens organizations were not allowed their voice, which became an ironic and frustrating endorsement to the pathetic state of women in China. The One-Family, One-Child policy launched in 1979 has turned reproduction into an area of direct state intervention. The new regime under Deng made the neo-Malthusian observation that the economic gains from reform were barely sufficient to accommodate a population of one billion, given the natural population growth rate of 1.26 percent, much less provide a base for advanced industrial development. The One-Family, One-Child campaigns have therefore targeted women to limit their childbearing as a patriotic duty. The family planning policy is implemented by local units of the W.F., barefoot doctors and health workers who areShow MoreRelatedThe Between China And China980 Words   |  4 Pagesfairness and impartiality in the justice system, which along with its capitalist economy, further differentiated itself from China. This concept of â€Å"one country, two systems† is an important element of Hong Kong governance, and by extension, its people. This represents a time when Hong Kong is slowly pulling its influence away from China. 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TheseRead MoreTrade Imbalance Between China And China1365 Words   |  6 Pagesnations in the eastern hemisphere. China was one of those nations. China was a nation known for isolating itself from outside influen ce, especially from the Europeans. Soon the Europeans began to grow jealous of China s bounty of enticing goods and resources such as porcelain, tea and silk. China on the other hand did not have any need for European goods. In pursuit to put a halt to the trade imbalance between the two nations, Britain started to smuggle opium into China. The reason behind this was becauseRead MoreTrade Imbalance Between China And China1674 Words   |  7 Pagesporcelain were much desired by European and had a huge demand in the Western market. In England, tea was the most desired Chinese good and trade in tea was very lucrative. However, this created a trade imbalance because Western goods had no market in China. China was a self-sustaining country and that make it harder for Western merchant to trade with them. Apart from that, the merchants had a hard time getting into Chinese market and had to deal through Chinese middlemen in Canton. At this point, the BritishRead MorePoverty in China1079 Wo rds   |  5 Pages12/3/14 Poverty in China FRIDAY October seventeenth was Chinas first official â€Å"Poverty Alleviation Day†, a yearly assembly of discussions and pledge drives, intended to rally deliberations to battle hardship. Obviously, because of Chinas quick financial advancement, the nation as of now assuages a great deal of destitution every day: a year ago the quantity of rustic poor fell by 16.5m or in excess of 45,000 individuals every day. However that still left 82.49m individuals stuck in country

Just Listen free essay sample

Just Listen (2006) is a novel written by teen-author Sarah Dessen. It is her seventh published novel. Plot summary Annabel Greene is a girl who has it all at least, thats how it seems on TV commercials. Annabels life is far from perfect. Though, some thought that Annabel had everything people often forgot that what she wanted most was to live a normal life. Her friendship with the cruel, dramatic Sophie ended on a night she cant bear to remember; her sister Whitney moves back home because of her eating disorder, making her moody and distant, she wants to quit modeling, but cant bear to tell her mom, and she is now an outsider at her school. Then, she meets Owen Armstrong, a boy who has anger management problems and is obsessed with music. He always tells the truth no matter what, and Annabel starts developing a close bond with him, even though they are nothing alike. With his help, Annabel may start facing her fears and more importantly, speaking the truth. This story has a strong moral message and changes all the characters in some way. Characters Annabel Greene: The main character of the novel and the youngest of three sisters. Annabel used to be popular, but was almost raped by Will Cash, and her so-called best friend, Sophie, thought she was sleeping with him. As a result, she loses all of her friends and becomes a loner. She is a model, but wants to quit. Annabel has a hard time telling her mother, as she hates any confrontation of any kind. She has a habit of not telling the truth so she can try to spare peoples feelings. She meets Owen Armstrong, and develops a close bond with him. She lets him in, which she doesnt do with any other person. The pair dont speak to one another for months after a misunderstanding. Only when Emily comes to talk to Annabel about Will sexually assaulting her and speaking at a trial to have him convicted does she confront Owen after his radio show one Sunday morning. She confesses whats happened in her life since that party, and lets him convince her to testify at the trial and starts a relationship with him after they share a kiss after the trial. Owen Armstrong: A music obsessed, broody boy, who is a loner. He also has a little and very annoying sister, Mallory, who is obsessed with Annabel Greene. He had anger problems in the past which caused him to go to Anger Management classes. He meets and develops a close bond with Annabel Greene, whom he falls in love with. Along the way, he teaches her what is important, and to speak the truth. He also has his own radio show named, incidentally, Anger Management that airs every Sunday morning at seven. Once he discovers what Will did to Annabel he goes to see him where a band he knew he liked was playing just to look at him but ends up punching him instead giving him a black eye. Owen in the end of the novel, starts a relationship with her after explaining why he missed the trial and shares a kiss with her. Sophie: A cruel girl, who was Annabels best friend for four years. Originally, she was dead-set on being friends with Kirsten, but that didnt exactly work out, so she settled for Annabel, figuring shed have someone to boss around. Annabel chooses Sophies friendship over Clarkes, who was her best friend prior to Sophies arrival. Sophie was shown to be bossy, rude, and cruel to people, especially Annabel. She stops being friends with Annabel after thinking she slept with her boyfriend, Will. At the end of the novel, she ends up alone, with no friends and no boyfriend. Whitney Greene: Annabel and Kirstens middle sister, who is said to be beautiful, and was also a model. Whitney develops anorexia, weighing down the whole family. She becomes moody and distant, but starts redeeming herself at the end of the novel, thanks to her psychiatrist, Moira. Kirsten Greene: Annabel and Whitneys oldest sister, Kirsten used to be a model, but quit. She was very rebellious during her teenage years. She and Whitney stop talking to each other, though. Kirsten goes to college and enjoys her classes. She is cheery and bubbly, and has a habit of over-talking, but as the novel reaches its end, the reader finds that Kirsten has learned that listening is just as important as being heard, if not more. Emily: A girl who Annabel met at a last calendar shoot for Lakeview Models. She later abandons Annabel to be friends with Sophie instead, after Annabel becomes a loner. She almost gets raped by Will Cash, and, like Annabel, this ends her friendship with Sophie. However, unlike Annabel, she tells authorities about Will, and gets Will arrested for doing a second-degree rape. Clarke: A girl who used to be Annabels best friend, but it ended one night when Annabel chose Sophie over her, later regretting her decision. Annabel thought Clarke hated her, when in reality, she thought Annabel hated her. It appears as though she and Rolly are dating since Annabel vaguely introduced them at Bendos while waiting for the Truth Squad to come onto stage. They repair their friendship at the end of the book. Will Cash: Sophies boyfriend who second-degree raped Annabel, Emily, and other unknown girls. Will is arrested after Emily reports him and he winds up in jail. Owen punched him towards the end of the novel for what he did to Annabel after acting like he didnt even care about what hed done. Mallory Armstrong: Owens hyper, pop music loving little sister, adores Annabel because of her modeling abilities and in general. Rolly: Owens best friend and Owens radio show assistant. Later, he becomes Clarkes boyfriend. Grace: Annabels mom. She enjoys Annabels modeling, and is clinging on to that part of Annabels life. Her other daughters, Whitney and Kirsten, had already quit modeling, so Annabel was all she had left. She was heart broken when she quit at the end of the novel, but she realized her daughter was growing up, and she could make her own decisions.

Last Summer free essay sample

Thetrue meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect tosit N. Henderson On a stifling day last summer I sat underthe shady branches of a large mesquite tree in a village in Guanajuato, Mexico,eating popsicles with nine-year-old Mariana. I looked at the people and thesaplings we had just planted, and, at that moment, many pieces of my life cametogether. I felt fulfilled and focused. I was born in Toluca, Mexico andhave returned regularly to visit family and friends. I have seen poverty (in myextended family) in Mexico as well as here in the United States, making me awareof vast inequalities. My father was born into a poor family in Mexico City, andwas the first in his family to go to college. I was raised in the U.S. in amiddle-class family that provided support for my brother and me. My parentsworked hard to move from our apartment into our own condominium. We will write a custom essay sample on Last Summer or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I feelespecially responsible as one who has grown up in two cultures to promote theadvancement of minorities and greater equality among people. Sophomoreyear I volunteered at a center in Boston for inner-city youth from Somalia. Thechildren complained about their teachers, who seemed to give them homeworkwithout sufficient explanation, and they had few resources. Why, I wondered, isevery room at my high school equipped with new televisions and computers, whilesome kids just a few miles away can only dream of such resources? InMexico, a classroom like mine is an even more distant dream. I have discussedthis dilemma in a group called Students of Color, and read relevant books, likeJonathan Kozols Death At An Early Age. Talking and reading only does so much,however, and I decided I wanted to take action. In my junior year manythings came together with my involvement in the Amigos De Las Americas program,which sends high-school students to Latin American countries to do public healthvolunteer work. To finance my trip, I raised almost $4,000 selling fruit andcollecting donations. I had to balance demanding courses with weekly Amigostraining and fund-raising, Samaritans, a part-time job, a social and family life,and even an occasional DJ gig. Only later would I understand how worthwhile thisinvestment of time and energy had been. In the village of San Gabriel Ilived with a family of seven and was considered un hijo (son) by my host mother.I worked, laughed, ate and even cried with members of the community. We paintedbuildings, built latrines and stoves, planted trees, and, most important, builtlasting relationships. I felt grateful for my Mexican identity, which helped mebe accepted. Toward the end of our stay, my two partners and I gatheredabout 60 people to plant trees around the town clinic on one of the summershottest afternoons. Everyone even older women and children came and workedenthusiastically for hours removing stumps, digging holes and planting trees. Ourhands worked in unison and we accomplished our goal. At the end of theday, tired and sweaty but smiling, I sat under a tree with Mariana. I knew Iwould probably not sit under the shade of the trees we had just planted, but thatdid not matter. Someone planted this tree for the villagers and me, and I will goon to plant many trees for others.