First Amendment Protection of Journalists Essay Example for Free

First Amendment Protection of Journalists Essay The First Amendment of the US Constitution has special provisions for freedom of expression speech and press. It has clearly defined that The freedom of speech and of the press, and the right of the people peaceably to assemble and consult for their common good, and to apply to the Government for redress of grievances, shall not be infringed† (FindLaw, 2004). There were several instances of debates and discussions on the protection of journalism under the provisions of the First Amendment. Constitutionalists agree on the point that the liberty of the press is essential for the well-being of a free state. Every person has the right to express his feelings before the public. Journalists do the same thing. They investigate on their own and provide the information regarding the policies of the government and other agencies to the public. If a journalist is not allowed to express his opinions, then it is a clear infringement into his rights. Journalists always have always used anonymous sources to gather information. It has become a part of investigational journalism. However, several times in the past, press has been subjected to castigation for reporting about the secret policies of the government quoting anonymous sources. There was always pressure on the journalists to reveal their confidential sources. Need of the First Amendment Protection of Journalists The recent incident involving former New York Times reporter, Judith Miller has unleashed a debate on the protection of confidential sources in journalism. Pulitzer Prize winner Judith Miller had to spend 85 days in jail for refusing to identify confidential sources during the investigation into the disclosure of a CIA agents identity. Eventually, she was forced to step down after working 28 years at the Times (The New York Times, 2005). It is always believed that a journalist has the right to protect the identity of a source. It may be true that this right is not absolute. There should be a limit on that to prevent any misuse of journalism expression. However, punishing the journalists for their reporting is not a right solution. The identification of anonymous sources may lead to suppression of information. The Times believes that First Amendment right to speech includes a right for the journalists in which they are not supposed to speak during the testimony in a criminal investigation. The freedom of the press to publish without any limitation is one of the fundamental aspects of the First Amendment. However, recent incidents such as the detention of Miller raised serious questions. If the journalists will be forced to reveal their sources of information, then it is unlikely that they would get more information in future. Persons, who reveal the secrets anonymously, will never provide useful information to the journalists if their identities are disclosed before the investigation agency. They would be forced to conceal the information to themselves. As a result, the public will never know the truth. If we look at the history, the First Amendment supported the freedom of press and the journalists in some instances. â€Å"In the Pentagon Papers case in 1971, the US government attempted to prevent the New York Times and the Washington Post from publishing classified documents about the Vietnam War. The government claimed that publication of such documents would jeopardize the foreign policy and prolong the war. However, the Court did not buy the arguments and dismissed them as speculations† (Powe, 1991). However, in most of the cases, it has been noticed that the First Amendment do not provide adequate protection to the journalists. Even the judges expressed their concern in some cases. In a 2002 judgment, Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said, First Amendment freedoms are most in danger when the government seeks to control thought or to justify its laws for that impermissible end. The right to think is the beginning of freedom, and speech must be protected from the government because speech is the beginning of thought† (ALA, 2002). The International Federation of Journalists has accused the United States administration of suppressing the freedom of expression by forcing journalists to disclose confidential sources of information. They believe that this is a violation of the First Amendment. In most of the cases, journalists are bullied by judges and investigating agencies. A number of high-profile legal actions against journalists have sparked a national campaign among press freedom campaigners and journalists. Journalists feel that they have stood up firmly for the First Amendment principles (IFJ, 2004). The identification of sources has become very common in the US history. Several judgments in the recent past, asked the journalists to reveal the identity of their sources. Also, in some instances they ruled that it is the right of journalists to protect their sources. The differences of opinions have made one thing clear that there is a need for a clear and visible law that would protect the rights of journalism and journalists. It is to be remembered that by protecting their sources, the journalists are just saving the whistleblowers from facing retribution. If the confidential sources are exposed, common people will be deprived of their right to know the truth. Need of a National Shield Law Earl Caldwell, a correspondent for the New York Times, was the only journalist at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. He established a rapport with the Black Panthers and had access to their confidential conversations with them. When FBI asked him to provide the notes, Earl Caldwell, a correspondent for the New York Times, was the only journalist at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. He established a rapport with the Black Panthers and had access to their confidential conversations with them (Montiel, 2005). When FBI asked him to provide the notes, he declined and took the mater to the Court. In 1970, the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recognized the existence of a protection for the journalists under the First Amendment. It rules that Caldwell did not have to identify his sources unless the government could show the real need for his testimony and the proof that such information could not be obtained elsewhere. The government appealed against this order in the Supreme Court. After long discussions, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 against Caldwell. This is an example how the judges themselves were not sure about the provisions of the First Amendment. His fight against the government led to the expansion of state shield laws protecting journalists (Montiel, 2005). The Caldwell case became the most famous one related to the First Amendment and freedom of press. It stressed on the need for federal law to protect the journalists from indictment and harassment. The state shield laws were expanded and associations were formed. â€Å"After the Caldwell case, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press was formed, which worked for preservation of journalistic rights under the First Amendment† (Montiel, 2005). It has been noticed that in the cases related to the protection of journalists under the First Amendment, judges expressed different opinions. Hence, it is very much important to have a common law which bring all of them into a common platform and provide relief to the journalists who often suffer for no fault. It is their compulsion and responsibility to protect the confidentiality of sources as they obtain the information on that promise. Contradiction in federal court rulings forced many state courts and legislatures to interpret the First Amendment from different angles. To protect journalists from unjustified testimonies, 31 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws known as shield laws (First Amendment Center, 2004). However, state shield laws often fail to guarantee the protection to the journalists. In todays digital world, most of the journalists work through television and Internet, thus securing a good name on the national and international stage. Without a national shield law, it will not be possible for them work independently without any prosecution for concealing their sources. A national shield law will not only benefit the journalists, but also it will do justice to the public. If the journalists fail to protect their private communication with people who provide useful information anonymously, it will be an infringement into their personal rights. Nobody can expect the common men to stand up openly and divulge the secrets that public should know. They would definitely be concerned about their own safety and security. Hence, such people, called as whistleblowers depend on journalists to air their grievances against the system and corrupt authorities. If their identities are not protected, it will deter others from providing useful information to expose the corrupt officials and leaders. Recently, Senator Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn proposed the legislation for protecting the journalists under the First Amendment. If the law is passed, journalists would not be forced to reveal their sources. Their notes, photographs and other materials would be protected from the federal courts, government and investigating agencies. The bill says that a court could force a journalist to disclose the sources only if that cannot be obtained anywhere else and are related to public interest (First Amendment Center, 2004). In the past few years, there have been several instances of judges threatening the journalists with fines or jails if they fail to reveal sources. The state shield laws will not serve the purpose of freedom of press. It is necessary formulate a national shield law to deal with such issues. The above bill introduced by Senator Dodd could be an important step on this regard. Conclusion In the wake of the current debate over the protection of journalists under the First Amendment, we have to look on this issue with a humanitarian approach. The press is always called as the mirror of the society. Journalists are the true soldiers of the press who always intend to uphold its value and ethics. Protecting their rights is very important for the wellbeing of the society. Prosecution of journalists for a no-crime may not augur well for people’s belief in constitutional rights. Adequate steps should be taken to pass a strong law that would protect the journalists and the confidentiality of their sources. They are well within their rights not to disclose their sources and they should not be compelled to do that. It should be kept in mind that whatever they are doing is for the benefit of the public and the society. Bibliography Allen, David S. , Jensen, Robert, editors. (1995). Freeing the First Amendment: Critical Perspectives on Freedom of Expression. New York: New York University Press. American Library Association (ALA). (2002). Retrieved 15 November 2005.

Starbucks Expansion to China

Starbucks Expansion to China Our group would like to present Starbucks story in China. Starbucks is one of the largest coffee chains in the World, ranked 631 in Global 2000 list of Forbes. The company has a unique style and atmosphere in their coffee houses. We chose China because it is the worlds most populous country with over 1.3 billion people live there and second-largest country by land area. After 1978, the countrys economy were underwent dramatic changes which involved such relief as permission for entrepreneurs to start up their own business and opening the country for foreign investment. It is obviously that Starbucks managers decided to take advantage of such opportunity to expand their business into new region. To evaluate Chinese market the company used several steps of analyses. The initial screening process helped the company answer the question: who might be interested in buying coffee in China? To introduce the Starbucks brand the company begun to distribute coffee for free to guests in several Beijings hotels in 1994. This initiative indicated that there was a strong demand for their products, particularly among foreigners in China. Local people, who strived to imitate the Western lifestyle, also showed interest for coffee drinking. In addition young generation were enchantment by brands and products from the West. These factors led Starbucks managers to learn and understand more about business climate in that Asia country. Next step for Starbucks was to determine financial and economic conditions of China. Companys managers were aware that Chinese Gross Domestic Product (GDP) continuously grew approximately 9 % on an average and a GDP per capita was US$3.800. All these factors led to rising income of middle class. That was undoubted advantage for entering Chinese market for Starbucks. At the third level of screening Starbucks faced with political restrictions. China is highly bureaucratic country with difficult processes of getting permissions and sanctions to start and run business. In order to avoid these challenges the company built and maintain firm relationship with Chinese local partners as well as government officials. In addition, Starbucks Soong Ching-Ling Foundation received $5 million donation from Starbucks to support education in countrys poorest regions. The fourth level of screening involved socio-cultural forces. It showed the biggest challenges for Starbucks, because of the old tradition of tea drinking in China. At the beginning managers didnt know how to accustomed Chinese to drink and appreciate coffee. To acquaint employees and Chinese executives with coffee drinking experience Starbucks provided different training programs for them in which they learned more about coffee and Starbucks culture. The same way the company taught customers about different flavors and types of coffee. Another aspect was Chinese shopping behaviour which was different from the US market. People in China spent main slice of their monthly budget on foods. This also led to success for the company. The fifth level of China screening was focused on competitive forces. As we mentioned before China is a tea country and the share of coffee was low. Little or no competition for Starbucks was considered as an advantage. Chinese people were familiar only with one international brand which was Nestlà ©s Nescafe. However, Nescafe is not a coffee house like Starbucks. As regards local competitions, it was a well-known Chinese brand Li Shen and Japanese brand Zhen Gou Coffee. Having taken into account all the factors of international market assessment which was done by Starbucks we think that it was right decision to enter that market. Despite of all the risks of Chinese economy and vacillating attitudes toward The West culture, there is no doubt that consumption of coffee in China will continue to grow. As a result Starbucks will benefit from it. Question # 2 Although Starbucks encountered several challenges in the process of entering into Chinese market. Starbucks had successfully expanded its business in over 20 large or medium sized cities of China, and opened about 560 storefronts in these cities by 2012. The astonishing achievement owes to its careful marketing assessment and various marketing strategies in different periods. These strategies mainly refer to 2 different modes of entering foreign markets: licensed agreement and joint venture. Licensed agreement In 1998, Starbucks adopted the mode of licensing agreement to license its Chinese partner (Beijing Mei Da), a wholesale distribution company to supply coffee beans to some selected hotels and restaurants. Starbucks realized that local partners can have the best understanding of local cultures customers and some related laws. and they have already established good relationship with local government, so it was easy to obtain the permissions and sanctions required to start and operate business in a bureaucratic country like China. Moreover, Starbucks could also maintain a high standard on the control of production, and achieve a ideal revenue in Chinese market. So licensed agreement was a optimal option for Starbucks to enter into a booming Chinas market in the mid-1990s. Joint venture A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new asset by contributing equity. Starbucks formed a joint venture with different partners at different times when it entered into Chinese market. Starbucks achieved considerable knowledge about the Chinese market conditions and then began to open Starbucks stores in China. The company adopted a strategy of having three different partners to enter different regions in Chinese market. In September 1998, Starbucks entered China under a licensing agreement with Beijing Mei Da Coffee Co.Ltd, which was as their first partner. In 1999, Starbucks formed a joint venture with the Taiwan based Uni-President Group and opened stores in Shanghai. In 2000, Starbucks entered into a joint venture with Mei-Xin International Ltd, it also called Coffee Concepts Ltd. It managed the operations in the region of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Macau, Guangzhou, and other parts of southern China. Based on our market assessment, there are some advantages for Starbucks with joint venture to enter Chinese market. First of all, Starbucks choose a good local partner to form a joint venture which can help it better understand the local laws and negotiate better with the authorities. It is beneficial for Starbucks to obtain required permissions and sanctions so that it can be opened easily. Secondly, local partners know Chinese market condition better than Starbucks; therefore, it is effective and efficient method for Starbucks to adopt a few localization strategies to satisfy different regions of customers. Last but not least, joint venture is a good way for Starbucks to reduce operation expenditure, and it also helps to reduce risks in Chinese market. Question # 3 In many ways Starbucks has changed their business strategies while operating in China. We could simply identify those changes from the case study, library sources and other sources.We have described those changes in the following paragraphs. We want our customers to recognize that were not coming to China just to make money, we are coming to China to build an enduring company that they can trust and they can view as one of their own. (Howard Schultz) Starbucks modified their menu and tried to localize its brand name by selling some food items according to the choice of the Chinese people and selling different kind of tea. They also changed their marketing and pricing strategies based on needs for the Chinese market. Our entry into Beijing is about serving people, building global relationships, and celebrating local cultures over a great cup of coffee. That is the heart and soul of the Starbucks Experience. We are excited to be working with our partners, Beijing Mei DA Coffee Co. Ltd., who shares our values and business philosophy. said Howard Behar of SCI When Starbucks started in China, one of the biggest challenges it faced was to make the consumers accustomed to drink and appreciating coffee. Arrocding to analysts, compared to other countries in which Starbucks operated this task was more difficult in China because of the age old tradition of tea drinking in the country, where coffee was seen as nothing less than a kind of Western invasion. Starbucks, like any other multinational company, had to go through the dilemma of choosing whether to follow Chinese traditional tea or take a big risk of following Starbucks culture of promoting premium coffee. The company chose to opt for its own culture and sell the idea of the Coffee drinking experience. Starbucks started by projecting the stores as a place for social gathering. The stores were also larger in area than the ones in the US, as the idea was to make the customers feel at home, relax and spend more time there. Similarly the company took initiatives to teach the customers about the different types of coffees and how to distinguish between flavors. The customers were given some samples to smell as well as sip and then describe their experience. At times if the customers did not enjoy the sample, the store employees asked them to come back again later for another tasting session or they offered them some other drink that they enjoyed. They also spoke to the customers about the positive effects drinking coffee. For example, they spoke about how drinking coffee helped to change their mood and how it was good to have coffee in the morning. On the other hand as Chinese people were accustomed with tea drinking, Starbucks other business strategy was to promote the benefit of coffee drinking to its customers and distributed free samples of coffees. The company also changed its normal store size to project itself as a place for social gathering. Localization Strategies: Normally Starbucks follows a high standard technique to maintain its stores worldwide. But in the case of China it adapted some strategies influenced by local culture and market conditions to gain Chinese peoples trust and confidence. Small changes were made in the texture, menu and store layout just to match with Chinese culture and food preferences. Within few months of opening the coffee stores, the company started observing that coffee culture is different for Chinese people than US, where people are very busy in their daily lives and they just grab their coffee and leave, but in China coffee stores were more like a place for social gathering where they can sit and talk for hours with their friends and families. Therefore, according to the market needs they had to square bigger stores. In the US a normal size of Starbcks store is about 1,200 to 1,500 square feet whereas in China they started opening stores bigger than 2,000 square feet. It was observed that the Chinese also liked to have some food along with their drink. 5 In response to that Starbucks started offering some popular Chinese foods like, curry puffs, moon cakes, and traditional cookies. Starbucks incorporates another localize strategy in every country they go, by modifying the name of Starbucks to suit the local language, like in China they Changed the name to Xing Bake where Xing represents Star and Bake was pronounced as bucks. Starbucks accepted the reality that maximum people in China like tea more than coffee though young generation is more likely to go for coffee. So they decided different menu for different stores in China. In Shanghai and westernized, the stores a standard menu where they served coffee. And in Beijing stores they introduced different tea-based drinks like coffee-flavored milk tea, green tea-flavored frappuccino etc. to attract more people. Promotional and Pricing Strategies: To promote themselves in China the company chose a different way. It was mostly depended on the people to spread goodwill through word of mouth than commercial advertisements and media products. Their knowledge, organized way of business left a good impression on customers mind. The customers were willing to pay a higher price for the brand name. As a result young, urban Chinese, who solely started to associate visiting Starbucks or being seen with a Starbucks cup, as a symbol of social status. They tried to build their reputation in terms of, product quality, customer service, employee relationship, etc. To enhance the name of Starbucks they had different strategies. From professional to students they had different ways to attract them. They started selling latest DVDs, free access of internet and also use to provide different wireless services so people can feel it like their 3rd home. Starbucks uses the highest quality coffee beans from ideal coffee producing climates. They helped Chinese farmers, made good relationships with their workers and they also made a good reputation in the supply market .As a result of good reputation, good quality and high price they were able to attract people and also maintain their luxury appeal. The company priced its coffees at around US$ 6 for a cup, which was considered by analysts as too costly , even though it was too costly by Chinese standards but they decided to continue with it because in China, high price was directly associated with quality.

Rigidity of Puritanism Exposed in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay

Rigidity of Puritanism Exposed in Young Goodman Brown    Proverbs 10:28 implies the idea of the universality of sin in saying "The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing."   In "Young Goodman Brown", Nathaniel Hawthorne illustrates this through Brown's actions.   When Brown lives a righteous life with good faith, his thoughts remain pure and happy.   He has a wonderful wife, and he enjoys the presence of everyone.   As he takes his walk into the forest and into evil ways, his hopes and faith disappear.   He no longer loves his wife in the same way, and he despises everyone whom people consider were holy.   When he loses his faith, he loses his happiness.   To regain his happiness, Brown must find his righteousness again. Puritans believe there is no hope for a sinner.   Hawthorne uses a variety of writing techniques to condemn the rigidity of Puritanism.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For example, Hawthorne uses a wide variety of diction to create a mystical and hopeless mood.   As Brown walks into the "dreary" forest, an " uncertain" feeling comes over him as he looks ahead to the "gloom" awaiting him.   The forest is very dark and dreary and these words help create the eerie mood.   These words create an insecure and unsure feeling in the reader's mind.   The reader feels as if he stands right there on the outskirts of the forest along with Brown. That type of feeling scares even the bravest of men.   Hawthorne also describes the events taking place in the forest as "devilish," "horrid," and "evil."   Evil completely surrounds Brown in the forest.   It puts a thought in him which drives him crazy. These words give a v... ...ands before him with the guilt of sin.      He can never remember these people in the same way in which he wants to. His views on the righteousness of humanity change from good to bad.   Hence, Brown loses his comradery with his neighbors, and he dies a lonely death with no hopeful verse on his tombstone.    Works Cited Benoit, Raymond.   "'Young Goodman Brown': The Second Time Around."   The Nathaniel Hawthorne Review 19 (Spring 1993): 18-21. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Complete Short Stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne. New York: Doubleday and Co., Inc.,1959. James, Henry. Hawthorne. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1997. Martin, Terence. Nathaniel Hawthorne. New York: Twayne Publishers Inc., 1965. Wagenknecht, Edward. Nathaniel Hawthorne - The Man, His Tales and Romances. New York: Continuum Publishing Co., 1989.   

Essay --

A soldier, conscripted or not, will face many stresses during their career. Serving for any amount of time is a trial, but some are more suited to the military than others. A drafted soldier may go through their entire mandatory term feeling miserable and insufficient, completely overwhelmed by the tasks that military professionals easily complete. These pressures and the denial of a choice of career should not be placed on any person. The idea of a two-year term of mandatory military service being implanted has been brought up. Military service should not be mandatory not only because it violates fundamental individual rights of humans, but also due to the fact that a military based on volunteers would operate much more impressively than one comprised of conscripted soldiers who would not have chosen to serve otherwise. One of the most fundamental problems with conscription is that it contradicts one of the main concepts that the United States was built on. The entire concept of conscription â€Å"violated fundamental principles of individual liberty† (â€Å"Should a Year†¦Ã¢â‚¬  n.pag.). To obligate one to serve in a field which they normally would not choose is to take away their rights as an individual to decide how best they should spend their working life. Aside from being ethically wrong on a basic level, conscription violates a literal law composed by the leaders of the United States. The 13th amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America says, â€Å"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction† (â€Å"Should a Year†¦Ã¢â‚¬  n.pag.). This unquestionably insists that any mandatory ... ...tary full of soldiers with this problem could very easily become insufficient. In conclusion, not only does conscription contradict fundamental human rights, it is also ineffectual due to the generally lesser-quality soldiers that it tends to produce. One of the ideas that the United States was built on, that individuals should have the liberty to decide how and where to work, is violated by the idea of conscription. Most times, drafted soldiers will perform less admirably than their professional counterparts; the general unwillingness to serve on top of the usual pressures of the military can physically and mentally impact them to a greater degree. Do not tolerate the idea of compulsory military service, especially in times such as this in which it is not at all necessary. Help those who support it understand why conscription is a blatant violation of human rights.

Hamlet and King Lear - Edgar and Lear :: comparison compare contrast essays

Hamlet and King Lear:   Madness  - Ophelia in Hamlet and Edgar in King Lear  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      In both Hamlet and King Lear, Shakespeare incorporates a theme of madness with two characters: one truly mad, and one only acting mad to serve a motive. The madness of Hamlet is frequently disputed. This paper argues that the contrapuntal character in each play, namely Ophelia in Hamlet and Edgar in King Lear, acts as a balancing argument to the other character's madness or sanity. King Lear's more decisive distinction between Lear's frailty of mind and Edgar's contrived madness works to better define the relationship between Ophelia's breakdown and Hamlet's "north-north-west" brand of insanity. Both plays offer a character on each side of sanity, but in Hamlet the distinction is not as clear as it is in King Lear. Using the more explicit relationship in King Lear, one finds a better understanding of the relationship in Hamlet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While Shakespeare does not directly pit Ophelia's insanity (or breakdown) against Hamlet's madness, there is instead a clear definitiveness in Ophelia's condition and a clear uncertainty in Hamlet's madness.   Obviously, Hamlet's character offers more evidence, while Ophelia's breakdown is quick, but more conclusive in its precision. Shakespeare offers clear evidence pointing to Hamlet's sanity beginning with the first scene of the play. Hamlet begins with guards whose main importance in the play is to give credibility to the ghost. If Hamlet were to see his father's ghost in private, the argument for his madness would greatly improve. Yet, not one, but three men together witness the ghost before even thinking to notify Hamlet. As Horatio says, being the only of the guards to play a significant role in the rest of the play, "Before my God, I might not this believe / Without the sensible and true avouch / Of mine own eyes. (I.i.56-8)" Horatio, who appears frequently throughout the play, acts as an unquestionably sane alibi to Hamlet again when framing the King with his reaction to the play.   That Hamlet speaks to the ghost alone detracts somewhat from its credibility, but all the men are witness to the ghost demanding they speak alone. Horatio offers an insightful warning: What if it tempts you toward the flood, my lord, Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff That beetles o'er his base into the sea, And there assume some other horrible form Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason, And draw you into madness?

“Saudi Arabia still projecting the real picture of Islam

The geo-political consequences after the 9-11 mishap entirely twisted the image of the Muslim countries all over the world. Many countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, Syria and Iran had to face the menace of the â€Å"War Against Terrorism† and even had to combat with their domestic security issues which set tough challenges for them to struggle to maintain their peaceful image on an international perspective. Saudi Arabia is one Islamic country which somehow managed to sustain its dignified and peaceful image on the map of the contemporary international political scenario and this was possible because of their positive and influential foreign policies, their economic stability and their potent financial role across the globe. Another factor that added to their credit was their domestic prevalence and sustenance of law and order that enabled the pace of their progress to remain uniform and also provided external favors to flourish within the country. Most of the Muslim countries have not been able to earn significance in the pace of economic progress and development of the world throughout the last century; despite being the oil producing and exporting countries like Syria could not be listed amongst the developed ones. But Saudi Arabia since its establishment of modern Kingdom back in 1932 has not only been uniform in its form of Government but also maintained a uniform pace of progress and development in all the walks of life. Its chief source of income has no doubt been the export of oil and products of petroleum as it has been one of the leading oil producing countries of the world but the Government of Saudi Arabia has always invested at a mass level to improve and upgrade the overall socio-economic representation of the country. Saudi Arabia is the center of the Islam as the entire Muslim ummah (community) ahead towards this region during the holy month of Zil Haj to perform the annual pilgrimage (HAJ) to the holy city of Kaaba, in Makkah and also to pay homage to the Prophet’s grave in Madinah. This annual tourism also brings in a lot of foreign exchange and revenue to the Saudi treasure. Apart from the earnings the organizing of this great event every year also proves the persistent efficiency of the Saudi administration and also their expertise in catering people from different regions of the world with heterogeneous backgrounds in the most homogenous environment. They have certainly proved to be very ardent custodians of the Islamic heritage of the Two Holy Places. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always kept the superb maintenance of these two Holy places in the top most priority. The Ministry of Pilgrimage, in union with other government agencies, manages the annual logistical challenge for the organization of Hajj and endorses such projects in the Kingdom and abroad that promote Islam's role in the community. The annual conducting of Hajj reflects the dedication of the leadership and citizens of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the service of Islam and this also totally negates and defies the general impression of the Muslim community as terrorists or fanatics. Apart from the religious service Saudi Arabia has also been a great donor for many Muslim countries for several humanitarian causes and also as war aid. Since 2002, Saudi Arabia has provided more than $480 million in budgetary support to the Palestinian Authority and supported Palestinian refugees through contributions to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). More than $250 million was also provided to Arab League funds for the Palestinians, and pledged $500 million in assistance over the next three years at the Donors Conference in Dec 2007; pledged $230 million to development in Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft loans to Iraq; pledged $133 million in direct grant aid, $187 million in concessional loans, and $153 million in export credits for Pakistan earthquake relief; pledged a total of $1. 9 billion to Lebanon in assistance and deposits to the Central Bank of Lebanon in 2006 and pledged an additional $1. 1 billion in early 2007. Many things may have been said in the most crucial diction about Saudi Arabia by the west especially after the 911 attacks. Some writers like Dore Gold in his book â€Å"Hatred's Kingdom: How Saudi Arabia Supports the New Global Terrorism† have stated the Saudi government to be directly involved in the plotting of the attacks and even nurturing the Al-Qaeda’s master mi nds like Osama Bin Laden. Such claims could easily be made and concocted as all the odds were tilted towards the Muslim community at the heat of the moment of the 911. But the fact is that Saudi Arabia has always been an ally for the war for peace and has supported US during the Gulf War in 1990. Secondly Saudi Arabia and US have been partners in the petroleum exports and distribution since 1970s when ARAMCO was established. Saudi Arabia is also considered to be one of the fastest developing countries of the modern era. This is because of Saudi Arabia’s free market economy which has shown remarkable progressive shifts in the recent past. It has been observed that Saudi Arabia has managed to develop its agricultural society into an advanced economy that is globally connected through modern technology and infrastructure. This depicts the progressive minded approach of the Saudi government which has always focused on the development of the country by meeting the contemporary pace of development especially in the modern means and modes communication. This leap towards progress began during the time of King Faysal who invested at a large scale for the improvement of the infrastructure and the communication system. His motto was the modernization of Saudi Arabia. This era is even known to be the renaissance of the Saudi intellect of progress and development. And since then Saudi Arabia has made an effort to become the member of WTO in December 2005. Although there may be numerous reasons why countries like Saudi Arabia become a victim of criticism under the tag of stereotypical for its people, ideas, customs and even religious beliefs but the fact and the figures regarding Saudi Arabia’s peaceful role in the present scenario political turmoil proves that associating such rigid views with such a progressive and rapidly developing country like Saudi Arabia would itself be a biased and un-scrutinized bent of thought that requires maturity of insight to comprehend.

Maggie and Dee; Two Sisters, Two Worlds

February 24, 2010 Maggie and Dee; Two Sisters, Two Worlds The genuine appreciation of heritage and family is the focus of Alice Walker’s â€Å"Everyday Use†. Dee and Maggie’s characters are the vessels that Walker uses to demonstrate the difference between appreciating possessions for their usefulness as well as their personal significance and their contrasting value as a trendy, materialistic connection. There is a palpable difference between Maggie and Dee, both in physical appearance as well as in personality traits and their treatment of the personal artifacts that come into play within the story is very telling of this. Maggie, who is self-conscious of her appearance, and will â€Å"stand hopelessly in corners, homely and ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs, eying her sister with a mixture of envy and awe† (140) is conscious of the practical uses of the artifacts. From the onset of the story we are made aware of the tenderness that their mother feels towards Maggie. Even in narrating her description of Dee, her thoughts wander back to the memory of their house burning and â€Å"Maggie’s arms sticking to me, her hair smoking, and her dress falling off her in little papery flakes† (141). In addition to her physical flaws, Maggie is described as not being very intelligent. â€Å"Like good looks and money, quickness passed her by† (142). Yet despite what could be considered as unfortunate traits, Maggie is blessed with a kinder, gentler, more likeable persona. Imagine having suffered a tragic, deforming, childhood accident. Then picture a sibling counterpart who is, by all counts, blessed with good-looks and intelligence, and who â€Å"Even her feet were always neat-looking, as if God himself had shaped them with a certain style† (143). It would be understandable to have taken that bad stroke of life’s luck and become a bitter, angry individual. However, Maggie, despite her mousy demeanor, inherits her mother’s rooted nature and appreciation for their heritage. There is no room for pretentiousness in Maggie’s life; it is one of basics; â€Å"She will marry John Thomas (who has mossy teeth in an earnest face)† (142). Maggie who knows how to quilt and chewed checkerberry snuff, already knows what her life has to offer. Her knowledge of her future is derived from her knowledge of her ancestry. There appears to be no rancor in her acceptance of this. When the climactic scene occurs and Dee asks â€Å"Can I have these quilts? † (145), Maggie’s first implied reaction is one of surprise and anger; â€Å"I heard something fall in the kitchen, and a minute later the kitchen door slammed† (145). But as someone â€Å"never used to winning anything, or having anything reserved for her† (146), Maggie succumbs and offers to let Dee have them. Although â€Å"Maggie knows how to quilt† (146), she is able to comprehend the deeper personal value of the quilts, and states that she â€Å"can ‘member Grandma Dee without the quilts†(146). Despite their value as an item of everyday use, the quilts are meaningful to Maggie, much in the way they are to her mother who remembers having quilted them with Big Dee. The scraps, the bits and pieces and â€Å"one teeny faded blue piece, about the size of a penny matchbox, that was from Great Grandpa Ezra’s uniform that he wore in the Civil War. † (145) hold deep significance to Maggie. Dee, on the other hand, is portrayed in a very different light by Walker. Commencing with her physical appearance; â€Å"Dee is lighter than Maggie, with nicer hair and a fuller figure† (141). However, their differences do not end there. Dee is intelligent, ambitious and confident. Even â€Å"At sixteen she had a style of her own and knew what style was† (142). Rather than embracing her family, there is a sense of shame for her impoverished past. â€Å"She wrote me once that no matter where we â€Å"choose† to live, she will come see us. But she will never bring her friends† (143). One can sense that despite Dee’s accomplishments and natural gifts, she is at a loss for identity and is grasping at something to hold on to by attaching herself to the relics that she wants to take away. Part of the reason that her desire to bond to her heritage via the artifacts is questionable is the fact that in the past she shunned her mother’s offer of â€Å"a quilt when she went away to college. Then she had told me they were old-fashioned, out of style† (146). Her integration into a world away from where she grew up has made her conscious of the value of her heritage, but it can be concluded that it is not for the sentimental value that her heritage holds but for the ability to flaunt that heritage to her new social circle. Dee believes that she can appreciate the value of the quilts more than Maggie, who will â€Å"be backward enough to put them to everyday use† (144). Dee wants the quilts for more materialistic reasons. She considers the quilts â€Å"priceless† (144). While both the girls came from the same upbringing and both have a desire to bond to their heritage, the reasoning behind that desire, and the difference in their motives, is indicative of their personalities. Maggie, being the one who suffered at childhood, who wasn’t blessed with beauty and intelligence, has a deeper understanding of where she came from. It was Grandma Dee and Big Dee who taught her how to quilt herself† (146). When Dee was packing up the dasher, wondering who made it, it was Maggie who responded â€Å"Aunt Dee’s first husband whittled the dash†, â€Å"His name was Henry, but they called him Stash† (145). She had a vivid recollection and genuine appreciation of her past. Dee, on the other hand, has until this point been unsuccessful at combining her good graces with a heartfelt recognition of her ancestry and her family ties. She will â€Å"use the churn top as a centerpiece in the alcove table† (145) and when asked what she would do with the quilts she responds, â€Å"Hang them† (146). One can only wonder what would happen to those pieces when the next stylish fad comes along considering her favoring of appearances over substance. Indeed, Maggie and Dee are two truly different and unique individuals with very contrasting personalities. Works Cited Walker, Alice. â€Å"Everyday Use† Literature and the Writing Process. Ed. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X Day, and Robert Funk. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River; Prentice, 2007. 140 – 146.