Equality Is The Central Point Of Discussion - 928 Words

Equality In America Throughout the history of America, equality has always been the central point of discussion in society. Many believe that America has reached the point of equality where everyone is equal. Obviously this is not the case, but we have made great strides to reach a world where everyone is equal. However, America has made great improvements in making equality relevant in todays society. Although contemporary society has succeeded in making â€Å"equality† a reality, I claim that it has also failed in addressing this theme appropriately. America has always been associated with the theme and value of equality. America’s history is thick and rich with the major theme of equality. For instance, the abolishment of slavery, which†¦show more content†¦USAID quotes, â€Å"If we can erase these inequities and put women on equal footing with men- we know we can unlock human potential on a transformational scale†. The government agency’s pu sh towards equality for women will not just benefit women, but many other people. For instance, USAID quotes, â€Å"just by empowering women farmers with the same access to land, new technologies and capital as men, we can increase crop yields by as much as 30 percent and feed an additional 150 million people†. This agency is a work in progress, but there mindset is on equality for all, which is magnificent. Contemporary society has been able to keep the value of equality relevant throughout America. The strides made by society in order to reach equality for all genders is tremendous, yet society is still in the dark over equality in other areas. While society in America has been able to keep the value of equal germane, it has also failed in making this value a reality. Writer Joseph E. Stiglitz, author of the†Great Divide†, quotes, â€Å"the gap between aspiration and reality could hardly be wider†. Stiglitz is pessimistic about the value of equality in Am erica and how it has been addressed. Stiglitz quotes, â€Å"Today, the United States has less equality of opportunity than almost any other advanced industrial country, study after study has exposed the myth that America is the land of opportunity†. Now, Stiglitz is making a huge statement by saying that

Autobiographical Writing Free Essays

I still remember my visit to Oostende, a small town in Belgium, with school staff and students in Year 8. We went there to play in a football tournament against teams from all over Europe. To me, this trip is unforgettable because I had such a great time and I felt free from the troubles of school and life in general. We will write a custom essay sample on Autobiographical Writing or any similar topic only for you Order Now Oostende was a pleasant town on the coast of Belgium. Unfortunately, the sea was deemed hazardous so we weren’t allowed on the sandy beach. But that didn’t seem to affect the holiday. The nightlife was fantastic. The staff that came with us were Mr Fletcher, Mr Fuller and Mr Curry and they let us stay out until midnight. I think they let us stay out late so that they could get drunk! Every night after dinner I would go out and buy chips and coke. I hated the food in the hotel, infact I hated the entire hotel. When I told this to Mr Curry he said, ‘what do you expect for two hundred pounds’? We often went to the arcades and played games. Once we went to play pool in a club and I proved too good for my friends. In the end we got chucked out of the club for being too noisy. The teachers often fined us. We got fined for things like swearing or forgetting something. Thankfully I didn’t get fined too much but my friend Andrew got fined the most because he kept on farting! The football tournament was held in a leisure centre and it was held over three days. There were nineteen teams in the tournament and we were drawn in Group A with the stronger teams. We played well and after intense competition, ended the group in third place. This was a remarkable achievement for us as we were expecting to lose hopelessly to every team. I think we did this well because the holiday also allowed the team to bond with each other and great team spirit was created. By finishing in third, we had given ourselves an outside chance of making it to the final. The next day was the playoffs. We had to win four matches to make it into the final. We won the first three matches 3-0, with me getting a hat trick in the second match, and managed to scrape through to the final with a narrow victory over Chiswick United in the final game. We were ecstatic and jubilant about making it to the final but out coaches told us not to get arrogant and boastful. The final kicked off at three o’clock and proved to be a close encounter. The match was like a chess match; every move or pass had to be precise- there was no room for mistakes. Our star striker, Sanjay, had given us the lead thanks to an exquisite volley but a blunder by Sid, our keeper, meant we went to half time with the scores level. The scores stayed the same until the ninetieth minute. I collected a pass from Sanjay and he made a run towards the goal. I played a through ball into his path. The defenders didn’t move, as they were appealing for offside but the decision wasn’t given. He was onside. My heart was in my mouth. He was on his own with only the goalkeeper to beat. He deceived the keeper by pretending to shoot. All he had to do was to go around him. He did but just as he was about to shoot the keeper brought him down. The referee blew his whistle. He had given us a penalty in the final minute. Sanjay was our regular penalty taker but he got injured when the keeper brought him down. The team gathered near the penalty spot to discuss who should take it. The team was panicking and, as captain, I decided that I was the only person suitable to take the penalty. I was quietly confident of scoring because I enjoyed being in pressure situations. I placed the ball on the spot and stepped backwards measuring my run up. I looked up at the keeper and he snarled at me. He said a few words to put me off. It worked. Suddenly I wasn’t so confident anymore. My heart was beating like a drum and my legs felt like jelly. The goal was shrinking every time I looked at it. I tried to pull myself together. I picked a part of the goal to aim for and said a prayer. After putting my head down I started my run up and kicked the ball with the toe of my lucky Nike boots. The ball spent an eternity in the air. ‘Yeesssss’ the crowd shouted. The ball went in. The keeper dived the wrong way. I had won the tournament for the team. In a moment of sheer jubilation, I took off my shirt and ran around the pitch. As I reel back the memories in my head I still remember how I felt that Sunday afternoon. It was one of my proudest ever moments but there was an another moment that I was equally as proud of. On the final night of the holiday, the teachers called us to the hotel for a meeting. They told us they had really enjoyed this holiday and were really impressed by the way we had played. Furthermore they said that they used the money they collected for fines to buy trophies for us. There were four trophies to acquire, and I won the player’s player award. This was an immense honour for me as I was voted for by my fellow counterparts. I had a really valuable experience on this trip. I got to know people that I didn’t really know well and became more responsible for myself. I became more independent and gained maturity as the holiday went on. How to cite Autobiographical Writing, Papers Autobiographical Writing Free Essays Buzz. That’s the alarm. I guess it must be 7. We will write a custom essay sample on Autobiographical Writing or any similar topic only for you Order Now 30 I reached from my warm quilt to activate the snooze button to grab an extra six minutes kip. Just turning over and getting comfy. Buzz. There it goes again. At this point I’ve also got my mom shouting up the stairs â€Å"Ian you’re going to be late for school if you miss the bus I’m not taking you† I kicked off the covers and dragged myself onto my feet. Half an hour later I was out the door jogging for the bus as it came up the hill. â€Å"Ian put your shoes on before you come to class, Ian take your coat off and sit down, make it look like your staying.† What a way to start the day nag nag nag. First lesson maths, â€Å"Ian take your coat off and sit down, Ian stop talking and pay attention.† The usual crowd in math’s just telling my mate about the weekend then all I hear â€Å"Ian get out.† So its 9.40 and here I am outside the door I Know more about this corridor than the cleaners. Oh no here comes the teacher think of a good excuse â€Å"Miss I was asking him the answer to a question.† Ring. Thank God for that. Its break time. Grabbed a can of coke from the machine and straight down the football pitch for a quick fifteen minute kick around before I was back in French and being nagged. Well least I thought I would be back in French in fifteen minutes. The game was in full swing we were playing the year 11. We were all over them I went in for a sly tackle and before you knew it I went down hit the floor, heard a snap, and I was nursing a funny shaped arm that looked like the u-bend of a sink. â€Å"Ian are you alright?† all the lads were shouting to me as I walked up the hill to Mr. Roycroft â€Å"Ian follow me mate I will take you to the office, that looks nasty I think you’ll have to go to the hospital.† Before you know it I was in the office with a crowd of spectators outside the door. If I had charged I would of made a fortune! In comes my sister â€Å"Oh my God. Oh my God, Ian are you alright? Does mom know yet?† Lying on the hospital bed with my shoes off everything started to sink in. Now the shock had passed the pain started to kick in I wasn’t even aloud pain killers until my parents arrived WHERE ARE THEY! First on the scene dad calm as ever â€Å"Oh dear you’ve made a mess of that haven’t you son what’s happening has anyone seen you yet.† So here I am lying in agony in a bed that more than a thousand people have been in with a dad as calm as ever and no doctors coming to sort me out although my arm is hanging off, I am obviously not very important. At least I didn’t have to go back to French and it looks like there wont be any school for a while I wonder if they’ll miss me? Eventually the doctors arrive like a pack of wolves gathering round me humming and arring talking about me like I was invisible. Ten minutes later they decide I needed to go to theatre to be put back to normal. They gave me some pain killers of some sort, which did the trick because the rest was a blur. â€Å"Ian it’s all over now you might feel some discomfort but the worst is over.† â€Å"Ian are you alright do you want me to prop up your pillows.† So in 24 hours I have got my arm in plaster to the shoulder I am lying in the same place as before, and I am in more pain now than when I did it. Next day nothing has changed not been out of bed and now I know these four walls just as well as the corridor outside the math’s room. â€Å"Ian I have some good news for you its time to go home and you will have to have six weeks off school.† That was the best news I had heard all year six weeks off school. Well I have had a really good rest without anybody nagging at me how long will that last I wonder? â€Å"Ian your teas ready. Are you listening to me? I hope you have been doing some of your school work. Ian answer me! Didn’t last very long I think I am going to change my name to Paul! 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When My Father Died free essay sample

When my father died I felt apart of me die with him, because I knew I would never see him again. Ever since that day my life has never been the same. November 9,2001 was the end, but also a new beginning. BOOM BOOM BOOM! was the sound from the guns that I heard. Suddenly my eyes were opened, I awoke from a deep sleep. I vividly remember counting seven shots, and my first thought was â€Å"Who just got killed?†. I was so terrified, because they sounded so close. I knew the shooting was very near my house, because I saw the lights from the guns reflect through my window onto my wall. I laid still in my bed and full of paranoia. As my heart pounded extremely fast, I heard a car drive off fast, the tires screeching loudly. Then I slowly looked out the window, even though I was full of fear. We will write a custom essay sample on When My Father Died or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There he was flat on his back with his arms and legs spread away from his body. I had to catch my breath, because I felt like half of my soul left my body. I became overcome with denial â€Å"No, not my dad, he wouldn’t leave me!†. Both good and bad memories flashed in my mind. Simultaneously I heard my mother screaming downstairs â€Å"I don’t know how to tell her, how and I going to tell my baby?!†. It was amazing how thin the walls were that day. A few minutes later I heard feet walking up the steps toward my room. My godmother came into my room and sat down next to me on my bed. She was hesitant, but she eventually parted her lips to say â€Å"Your father is dead†. When she told me that my father was dead I felt extreme heartache fill me. I kept thinking â€Å"My daddy was dead†. My face was wet from my tears, my throat sore from my crying, and my head throbbed from my headache. She held me and told me it would be ok but I felt otherwise . During my dads funeral I was literally in shock. All I heard were screams and cries of sorrow. At one point in time I looked around the church, and realized that there were over two hundred people who had similar feelings. I closed my eyes and opened them back up slowly because I wanted someone to tell me that this was all a bad dream, but it was reality. I probably seemed fine externally, but internally I felt like I was dieing. My pastors wife read the poem I had written about my dad to the mourners, and when my pastor preached I was open enough to listen. That’s when the casket closed, I cried so hard I thought I was going to vomit. At that point I knew he was gone forever. My body was going through a major breakdown, and I was slipping into depression. Once everyone got to the burial site, I watched to casket go into the ground. When the dirt started to be put on top of the casket my grandmother burst into tears. She had lost one of her sons and I lost my father. I had lost my father, but I had not lost hope. Being that he was abruptly taken away from me when I was only ten years old, I realized I had to develop strength instead of developing weakness. I had to gather myself and I come out of my depression. Everything around me was changing rapidly. I was no longer daddy’s baby girl, I began to see things in a different light. I had to turn something negative into something positive. What my father wanted for me in life is what I strive for now. His death has motivated me to strive for greatness. His death helped me become the person I am today. I don’t’ have any children, I’m pretty independent, and I want enjoy the better things in life. I’m proud to be his daughter.