It Is a Constant Image of Your Face Essay Example for Free

It Is a Constant Image of Your Face Essay Dennis Vincent Brutus was a South African activist, educator, journalist and poet best known for his campaign to have apartheid South Africa banned from the Olympic Games. He lived between 28th November 1924 and 26th December 2009. He was born in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and had ancestry of mixed French, Italian and South African. His activist life likens him to a crusader for his country. A knight on duty for a mistress; and this has so often appeared in his poetry. He loved South Africa deeply and did everything to win its freedom. In this poem, â€Å"It Is the Constant Image of Your Face†, he closes the first stanza by saying â€Å"my land takes precedence of all my loves†. This was his passion. While he was in prison, news broke that South Africa had been banned from the 1964 Tokyo Olympics as he had campaigned for. First Thoughts on the Poem In this poem, the poet experiences a deep feeling of guilt and remorse. The poet has framed an image of his beloved whose face is constantly before him, while he is engrossed in a world of his own; a world in which thoughts are like knives, hurling accusations at him. These accusations cut deeply into the poet’s consciousness and remind him of his treachery to his native country. Apparently, the poet has left his native home, having been captivated by the beauty and assurances of his beloved. However, deep in his heart he knows that no other love can lay claim to his loyalty but his homeland which is above all other loves. Feelings of remorse and guilt plague the thoughts of the poet. To him, leaving his country is like an act of treason and treachery. Although he prizes his beloved, he pleads for forgiveness from his country whose tenderness matches or surpasses that of the beloved. Second Thoughts on the Poem This poem is a typical Dennis Brutus poem. As is characteristic, he compares his love for South Africa, to the love he has for some other person. Maybe, a woman! He opens the poem by saying ‘the constant image’ (line 1) of his woman’s face and the ‘grave attention’ (line 3) of her eyes which survey him amid his ‘world of knives’ (line 4), accuse him perennially. This is all coming to him as a memory because in line 2, he makes the allusion to a period gone when his love was knelt before him with the frame of her face in his hands. His ‘world of knives’ can mean so many things at once. It could mean that Brutus was surrounded by apartheid South Africa with its numerous brutalities. It could also mean that he was conflicted inside him, in a way that struck him like many knives piercing at once. Again, he could be talking about the conflict between his two loves as the poem tells us as we read on. And we are yet to know what she accuses him for, but Brutus doesn’t make us wonder long. She accuses him of heart’s-treachery (line 6). No, not even accuses but convicts! He has accepted that he has been treacherous to his woman, going on to probably share his love with another. But he does not apologise for it. He tells her that none of the two of them can ‘plead excuses’ (line 7) for his seeming infidelity because apparently, he cannot stop his love for his land and she can also ‘claim no loyalty’ (line 8). I want to risk saying that he is saying that he’s not bound to be loyal to her because ‘my land takes precedence of all my loves’ (line 9). He loves his land more than all his other loves. His land is his woman’s rival. The second stanza is an attempt to pacify the heart of his woman who has been brought to the saddening realisation that she cannot have her lover all to herself. He begs mitigation (line 10), meaning that he admits that he has done wrong but is ready to give reasons for it. He calls her lover an ‘accomplice of my heart’ (line 11). That is like saying that she is equally guilty of his betrayal of his greater love. The woman is so beautiful that she has blackmailed him with her beauty (line 12) and made him a backslidden lover when it comes to his land. He has given his heart to another one outside his precedent love. In fact, her love for him has been so sweet and protective that he finds no shame in confessing his denial of his country. He calls it a ‘still-fresh treason’ (line 15). But in this confused place, a world of knives, he pleads, hopes (line 16) that his dearest love (line 16), South Africa, will pardon him freely (line 17) and not blame his woman. He ends by revealing more of his confusion, saying that South Africa, his first love, is his woman’s ‘mistress (or your match)’ (line 18), not knowing which to say is more tender. He loves one, he loves the other. One was able to conspire with his heart and steal his affection from the other, and now he does not even know whether the two are matched or one is dearer to his heart. The greater emotion here is Brutus’ guilt of diluting the apartheid struggle with other cares. His love of his land is shown here overwhelmingly. This poem is another beauty that has added a little more tonnage to my love for this most romantic of poets coming from Africa.

An Unbreakable Union Essay -- American History, Politics, Lincoln

An Unbreakable Union As Abraham Lincoln was sworn into the office of President of the United States of America, the nation was deeply divided, with several states having seceded to form the Confederate States of America. He promised to â€Å"preserve, protect, and defend† (Doc #1) the Union and its federal forts and property in the Confederacy that were being dismantled and appropriated by the South. Lincoln further promised in his address that â€Å"no State can lawfully [leave] the Union† (Doc #1) and that he would reassert the laws of the Union in the rebellious states. What role did Lincoln take in the events between his inauguration and the outbreak of the Civil War? Was he preparing for peace, or planning for war? Lincoln took a direct role in the events leading to the outbreak of hostilities. Not only did he attempt to negotiate a peaceful resolution and open dialogues with Southern officials, he tried to rein in his advisors who challenged his positions, and cemented his administra tion’s stance on the question of secession. Prior to Lincoln’s inauguration in March, Lincoln played direct and indirect roles in the events that shaped the beginning of a civil war. Although the future cabinet members around him urged him to make statements to convince the South he had no intentions of abolishing slavery in their states, he did nothing of the kind, refusing to make public statements until he was sworn into office. He refused to do this because he was already on record for saying he had no constitutional powers (until he was made president) yet, and because he felt it would be a sign of weakness to be compelled to repeat his sentiments over and again, and to be kept on the defensive: â€Å"they would seize upon almost any letter I could wri... ...secession, he was prepared for the possibility of war, but had no plans to attack the South. He made offers with the South to trade the forts for assurances of peace, and even ordered his men to surrender if it would save their lives. While Lincoln’s decision to supply the fort with provisions was a provocation and led to a Confederate attack, Lincoln never made the order to fire on the South first, and he took steps, continuously, to avoid a conflict and try to reason with the Southern government. Lincoln had no plans for war, and his reinforcement of Fort Sumter was to affirm its status as a federal fort, not to force the Confederacy into starting a war. Both sides had an aim: whether it was to gain complete independence or pull back the secessionist states into the Union, neither was willing to back down, and the responsibility for the war rests on both sides.

Cheerleading Is a Sport Essay

Cheerleading started as a male endeavor in 1898, when a University of Minnesota football fan led the crowd in verse in support of their team. It was not until World War II, when men shipped out to war, that women took over. Then cheerleaders came to represent the American ideal of femininity: wholesome apple pie with washboard stomachs, perfect teeth, and flawless complexions. Stereotypes cast them as blond, petite, and impossibly perky. â€Å"From its humble beginning cheerleading has blossomed into a competitive athletic activity with a serious image problem† (Forman 52). But today’s post-feminist youth have put a new, diverse face on cheerleading. Cheerleading in America is no longer a matter of waving pom-poms, a cute smile and being overly perky. Calling themselves athletes, not eye candy, cheerleaders are pushing harder for recognition as participants in an official sport. Today, cheerleading involves skills which require the strength of football, the grace of dance, and the agility of gymnastics. Complex maneuvers are performed which challenge the limits of the body. Safety organizations such as the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators were formed to develop safety rules to guide programs in the safe performance of cheerleading gymnastics, which include jumps, partner stunts, pyramids and tumbling. With the risks involved today, cheerleading should receive statewide recognition as a sport. Opposition to making cheerleading a sport, continually say, cheerleaders are not athletes. Confirmation of this lies in the position paper of Women’s Sports Foundation, â€Å"any physical activity in which relative performance can be judged or quantified can be developed into a competitive sport as long as (1) the physical activity includes the above defined elements and (2) the primary purpose is competition versus other teams or individuals within a competition structure comparable to other athletics’ activities†¦Cheerleading in its current format, does not meet the second criteria listed above. The primary purpose is not competition, but that of raising school unity through leading the crowd at athletic functions. † (Forman 51) Yet, as sports like football, basketball, and wrestling become more popular, so does the cheerleaders. Nay-Sayers of the movement are content to have cheerleaders just be the â€Å"back-up dancers†. Not understanding that cheerleaders are just as important as the sports teams they cheer for. Challengers say cheerleaders do not have the same time commitments as other sports teams. While they also do not recognize the physical strain put on cheerleaders bodies and the increased risk for injuries. The long-held view of cheerleading as merely another school activity is also a concern. If the athleticism of cheerleading is not recognized, the supervision will continue to fall to teachers that are not qualified to adequately supervise. Additionally, existing advisors will not receive the training necessary to provide adequate supervision of an increasingly athletic activity. Cheerleading has all the elements of a sport: competition, practice skills, teamwork, and training. It also has a year round commitment. â€Å"An important movement in the world of cheerleading is the struggle to legitimate the activity in the eyes of the public, said Laura Grindstaff, assistant professor of sociology and cultural studies at the University of California-Davis†(Coman â€Å"Cheerleading is now risker†). Cheerleaders are struggling to gain the recognition and respect they deserve for their sport. Although some colleges offer cheerleading scholarships, cheerleaders still face discrimination in high school and college athletics. It is alarming considering all the new risks involved that it has yet to be mandated in all states as a sport. Twenty six state athletic organizations have deemed cheerleading should be recognized as a sport, but what about the other twenty five? â€Å"Cheerleading was excluded as a sport when Title IX was passed, which forbids sex discrimination in educational institutions that receive federal funding† (Rondon 98). Title IX was supposed to be legislation that mandated that boys and girls receive equal sporting opportunities. But even certification only requires that coaches pass an online test; there’s no requirement for training in gymnastics or spotting techniques. † (Ebersole â€Å"Thrills and Spills†). And only about a dozen states regulate cheer according to the rules set by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). For high school football, on the other hand, all states follow the NFHS rulebook except Texas, which uses the NCAA college-level rules. â€Å"Soccer, hockey, basketball, and gymnastics cannot compete when it comes to serious back problems, fractures and, in grave cases paralysis†(Forman 51). Cheerleading is not considered a sport, so none of the safeguards that other sports have developed applies†(Forman 52). In the two states where cheerleading is classified as a sport, cheerleaders are subject to the same rules as athletes, regarding practice and travel restrictions, safety, camps, and coaching certification. Cheerleaders need th e guarantee of proper training room, proper medical care, and proper checks and screenings for participants. If properly recognized teams would be provided better training facilities, coaches would be properly trained, injuries would decrease and funding for the programs would increase. With every aspect of cheerleading becoming increasingly difficult cheerleading deserves the state-wide recognition as a sport just as any other physical sporting activity. In the words of Kane of the Tucker Center, â€Å"when the culture starts rewarding cheerleading in the same way in which it rewards women and men sports with economic parity and scholarships, not simply regulated to the sidelines, then I think we’re onto something† (Rondon 99). No longer content to just cheer on the sidelines, cheerleaders are now demanding the respect they so rightfully deserve.

Essay on Evolution Applied to Human Health and Medicine

Evolution is defined as a gradual process in which organisms become better adapted to their environment through gradual changes that occur from generation to generation. Throughout the history of life, the human species has changed to become better suited to the environment. All of the changes have ultimately resulted from mutations, which occur at the gene level. Pathogens such as bacteria or viruses that live inside of our cells have had a major influence upon our evolution (Parks, Panelli Weinstein, 2003). Pathogens have affected our evolution in two major ways, which I will focus on: antibiotic resistance and virulence. Virulence has also changed in regards to ways of reproduction and establishing a higher rate of fitness. Other†¦show more content†¦On the other hand, if a mutation increases the chances for survival, then it will be selected and will continue to be passed on through generations. Pathogens as well as their hosts can have mutations that increase their fitness. Pathogens are also in the presence of selection pressures: temperature, pH, and medicines such as antibiotics (Fitch, Leiter, Li Palese, 1991) and will, therefore, also evolve. As the human species experiences illnesses, doctors will prescribe medicine, usually an antibiotic, which will kill many of the pathogenic bacteria. In regard to pathogens, if a virus is attacking the body, an antibiotic will destroy the bacteria and leave the virus alone. Viruses or bacteria that survive medication will develop resistance to that medicine (Parkes, Panelli Weinstein, 2003). As a resistance is developed, they can also reproduce and pass the resistance trait to their offspring, increasing the level of fitness. There has been documentation of evolution resistance in bacterial populations and within individual large-scale human populations. Experimentally, there have been studies where the use of antibiotics was lessened and so was resistance in bacteria (Bull Wichman, 2001). 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