Why we should not legalize marijuana? Essay -- Drugs, Diseases

Marijuana has been used as an agent for achieving euphoria since ancient times (Narconon International, p. 1, para. 1). It was used in early Chinese culture as a medical component since as early as 2737 B.C (Narconon International, p. 1, para. 1). Its use began to spread across the pacific culture and finally ended up in Europe around 500 A.D. (Narconon International, p. 1). It was believed in this early culture to have medical effects that helped with rheumatism, gout, malaria, and even absent mindedness. It was not until the drug reached the Indian culture that it began to be used as a recreational drug for the intense euphoria the drug brought on (Narconon International, p. 1, para 1). It was though in fact the Muslim who made the drug widespread and popular in Persia and North Africa. In 1545 the Spanish introduced the drug to the European culture which eventually brought the drug to America and has since been a staple in American culture as we see it today. It was not until the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 classified marijuana along with heroin and LSD as a Schedule I drug (Narconon International, p.1, para 5 ). Today in America, marijuana is one of the most controversial issues in Congress. Leaders are using their views on legalizing it as part of their campaign ads. On June 23, 2011 DC lawmakers posed a bill to Congress to officially legalize the use of marijuana across the US. Nearly eight hundred thousand arrests are made on a yearly basis due to marijuana charges (Congress to legalize marijuana, 2011). The thought that the War on Drugs campaign that Nixon started when in office has been perceived as a failure. With this though, in 1979 the use of marijuana was at 13.9 percent and in 2008 that number had decrease... ...ith the increase of crime, violence, and drug use, legalization of marijuana today would be a wreckless and unsensable bill to pass. In the 1960’s marijuana was a common plant grown all naturally and for the most part free of additive chemicals that make the drug so dangerous today. Marijuana is one of the easiest drugs to lace and add other drugs to which intensifies the high in someone who smokes it today in comparison with someone who smoked it fifty years ago. It has had no proven medical benefits in humans and remains an addictive and harmful drug to its users. â€Å"Pot,† â€Å"grass,† â€Å"herb,† â€Å"weed,† â€Å"Mary Jane,† â€Å"reefer,† â€Å"skunk,† â€Å"boom,† â€Å"gangster,† â€Å"kif,† â€Å"chronic,† and â€Å"ganja† are some of the common street names for drugs that everyone knows yet, most people could not tell you the name of all United States presidents of the count ry they were born and raised in.

Willowbrook Reflections

Twenty-Five Years After Willower People born with intellectual disabilities and/or special needs have always been a sensitive topic in society for as long as I can remember. I grew up with a friend with Cerebral Palsy and have known people with Down syndrome, and I know the burden both the individual and families carry. I grew up in Brooklyn, New York and have lived here all my life; and I have never heard of ‘Willower the institution†. This film left me with many emotions: anger, sadness, concerned and most of all wary.Families entrusted Willower to do the right thing. Families were promised education, proper treatment, and essentially a better life for those who were Intellectually disabled. The conditions and reality wealth Holbrook were anything but that. The Individuals were treated with cruelty, negligence and a lack of compassion. With the overwhelming amount of patients, government cuts were made, creating an even worse environment. Many patients became sick. Cond itions worsen and some even died. Granted, in the sass's there was a stigma to â€Å"mental retardation† and ignorance to many disorders or conditions.However, this serves no justice in treating people in an inhumane fashion. Families did not know how to help their son or daughter, some were embarrassed and ashamed. These families felt Willower was the answer. I can't help but to draw a connection between Willower and our education system. Parents trust us teachers with their children and believe the school will take every measure to help their child succeed. Policies must be made to protect the rights of individuals with special needs. People like Patti, Luis, and Bernard are beautiful, amazing individuals. They require only patience, love, and compassion. GeraldRiviera said â€Å"All people need is humanity and compassion†, and special education needs reform and continue to improve. Willower Reflections By impreciseness Reflections on Unforgotten: Twenty-Five Years A fter Willower here all my life; and I have never heard of â€Å"Willower the institution†. This film left intellectually disabled. The conditions and reality within Willower were anything but that. The individuals were treated with cruelty, negligence and a lack of made, creating an even worse environment. Many patients became sick, conditions many disorders or conditions. However, this serves no Justice in treating people in an

The Relation of Artists to their Societies - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2036 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2018/12/14 Category Art Essay Type Research paper Level High school Tags: Artist Essay Did you like this example? Introduction The relation of artists to the society is always complicated, and as discussed in the story The Sculptors Funeral by Willa Cather, it is clearly evident, that Merrick had been alienated from his own society. Due to the reception which Merricks dead body received at his home, it was evident, that he had been alienated from his society. Similarly, other artists all over the world, have also suffered the same fate, where they are alienated from their own society or they alienated themselves, without the actual reason of such happenings, being known. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Relation of Artists to their Societies" essay for you Create order Due to that reason, this paper will focus on the Cathers view of Merrick, who was somehow alienated from his society, before moving forward to look at the lives of the artist Mozart, and finally, analyzing the relation of Mozart to other cultures for instance, China and India. Harvey Merrick, the sculptor, was considered a failure in his home town by the people who lived and new him while he was still in Kansas, before he left for the East. In Kansas, Merrick was considered a failure, because he was not driven by the need for more money, or otherwise, he did not have the urge of getting rich and being wealthy. As a teacher and a Sculptor, he lacked interest in the pursuit of material wealth, a factor which did not add up according to the residents of Kansas. Kansas was majorly composed of people who were more than determined to make more money, thus becoming wealthy. This was however not the case with Merrick, since his main aim was to explore his talent as a sculptor. The people Kansas were unreceptive, and so, they could not allow or see the need of being determined in other fields, other than being focused on gaining more, hence becoming wealthier. This consequently brings in the theme of close-mindedness in the story The Sculptures Funeral (Cather, 483). Merrick was not close-minded, a factor which made him to move from Kansas to the East, in pursuit of his dream of becoming an artist. He was not materialistic and greedy as compared to most people in Kansas, hence making him different, because he did not see things in the same way which the people of Kansas viewed them. Furthermore, he left the small town, due to its small mindedness, in order to advance his careers as a teacher and a sculptor. Merricks actions and beliefs, made most people to dislike him, and the society in general to also dislike him. The people of Kansas believed heroes could only be made in Kansas, and no one was supposed to change his mind and do things differently according to the way Merrick did. Merrick was consequently considered as an outcast, basically because he could not think, reason, or even behave in a similar way as the people of his hometown (Kansas) did (Cather, 472). They did not therefore see the need of attending a funeral of a person whom they disliked, because he went against the dictates and behaviors of the people of Kansas. Immediately after leaving Kansas for the east, he was considered an outcast, and could not therefore be respected or otherwise treated as a person from Kansas. In as much as Merrick had been alienated from his society, there were those who still believed in him, and also admired him. For instance, Jim Liard, the Lawyer, strongly believed Merrick, who had earlier on been his classmate. His students turned up at the train station, together with Jim Liard, who was drunk, and he was also in charge of the group. Steavens, is stunned when he sees a small group of people who do not resemble his master Merrick, who had turned up to receive the body at the train station (Cather, 474). Steavens had worshipped his master Merrick, since he was Merricks apprentice. He believed in Merrick, and saw him as an epitome of a good artist. He did not understand the reason as to why the people of Kansas, as well as Merricks parents did not value him, and showed little to no appreciation when his body was brought at his parents home compound. Merricks mother, was saddened by the death of his son, and as usual she could not come to terms with the reality after Merricks body arrived at home. On the other hand, the number of mourners who had turned up for funeral was very low, and this had been majorly attributed to his move to pursue his own goals (Cather, 480). Amongst those who had attended the funeral ceremony, it was only Jim Liard, the lawyer, who was able to eulogize Merrick. Jim believed in what Merrick did, and also said that he wanted to be as courageous as Merrick was when it came to the pursuance of his passion. In addition, he clearly stated that he was in the condit ion in which he was currently in, because of being a coward, and following what the society wanted him to do, hence he became a lawyer, a thing he never wanted to become. He praised the actions of Merrick, and saw him as a leader, and a person of great importance to the society, who did not allow the small mindedness of the society to pull him back (Cather, 482). Judging from the way Cather represented the story about the alienation of Merrick from the society, it is clearly evident, that the Merricks society did not value artisan, and it did not also see the need of following dreams which it had not overseen. Due to that reason, Merrick was condemned for his actions of pursuing his dreams of being an artist and a teacher, and so he was alienated from his society. This has also been the case with other artists, whom the society has perceived as being traitors, to the point of alienating them from their own society, Harvey Merrick and I went to school together, back East. We were dead in earnest, and we wanted you all to be proud of us some day. We meant to be great men. Even I, and I havent lost my sense of humor, gentlemen, I meant to be a great man. I came back here to practice, and I found you didnt in the least want me to be a great man (Cather, 483). Alienation of Mozart from his Culture Mozarts life was however different as compared to that of Merrick, since he was loved in his hometown of Salzburg, but he did not love the place. He perceived the place as being nothing but an area which could not have a musical audience, but a hall filled with tables and chair. His heart longed for a different place, a place where he could be able to compose his songs, and grow his career as a musician. This place was not Salzburg, and he believed he could reach his goals in another place other than in Salzburg (Irving, 30). The hate for Salzburg was driven from its inability to raise a musician, a factor which made Mozart to opt for Vienna, which was much more advanced, and it was also musically adapted with a theatre, entertainment, and outside entertainments in Vienna was also bigger as compared to those in Salzburg. He had written most letters to his friends and family, concerning the way he had hated Salzburg, because it could not ignite the spark of music in his life. He longe d for a place where he could be able to sing at ease, an area where the audience could appreciate his music and that was not Salzburg. As a teenager, Mozart worked as a noble Archbishops servant, where he would write songs at the pleasure of the Archbishop. He did this in order to earn money as a musician and a songwriter. He had initially travelled to different countries which included Germany, France, Austria, and Italy, in the hunt for a good job and a city which was more lucrative, and had musical opportunities. After he left to such for a job, he wrote to his father complaining about the state of Salzburg. At the age of 25 years, Mozart fell out with the Archbishop, a move which prompted him to move to Vienna which was 185 miles away (Irving, 34). He fell in love with city, because it had what he was looking for. Vienna was more erudite, because it had more sophisticated audiences, and better musicians, and the town also he had opportunity of making more money from piano lessons from those who wanted the latest music in significant social events. Vienna welcomed Mozart with warm hands, and his first piano conce rto was graced by 120 customers who had paid for the event. Mozarts performance was met with applause, where he was asked to sing again. He became famous in the town, and he started getting more concerts. In sum, Mozarts music was appreciated more in Vienna as compared to Salzburg, hence showing how his society had alienated music, because it did not appreciate the music which he was doing. When he moved out of Salzburg, things changed, and he consequently became successful, and made more money (Irving, 40). His society seemed not to appreciate what he was doing, a factor which made him to look for another area where he could be able to explore his talent. Just like Merrick, he was able to make it in Vienna which was something he could not have done while in Salzburg. This basically explains what most artists tend to pass through, while in their hometowns making them to look for other areas which can be able to support their talents. Most artists, just like Mozart and Merrick, tend to see farther, hence falling out of with their societies, in order to look for greener pastures in other areas. Relation of Mozart and Beethoven to other Societies (China and India) Mozarts works of art were highly appreciated in other cultures, particularly in the Indian and the Chinese cultures. For instance, in China, classical music gained prominence, due to the close relationship which it had to the Confucian culture. The Confucius believed the study of music was an essential way to train the mind. In addition, during the 19th century, classical music was also viewed as a symbol of prestige and western culture (Irving, 52). Most people consequently enjoyed Mozarts and Beethovens work, thus most of the Chinese currently the future of Western classical music lies in the hands of those from Asia, as compared from those in the west. In India, Mozarts work was highly appreciated, to the point where his classical music was incorporated in Hollywood films. The reception which Mozart received in India could not be compared to any other country, basically because the Indians had been waiting for such a type of music, which they could use. In addition, Mozart as a p ianist, was able to go hand in hand with the Indian singing culture, hence leading to the adoption of Mozarts songs into their own culture. Until now, most musicians are still regarded and compared to Mozart, because Mozart was a hero to the Indians (Irving, 54). He was consequently appreciated in both China and India, as opposed to the appreciation which he had earlier on received in Salzburg. Conclusion In conclusion, the relationship of artists to their societies has never been good, and this has been majorly affected by the way artists are handled by their societies. As discussed, Merrick, who was a renowned sculptor, was not respected by his own society, because he went against the dictates of his own society. He decided to open up his mind, and move from a small minded area in Kansas, towards the East in order to reach his goals. However after his death he was not accorded the respect he deserved, because he was alienated from the society. On the other hand, Mozart, a renowned musician and pianist, was a mere song writer, who worked for the Archbishop, for a little pay. Nonetheless, after moving to Vienna, he was able to become famous, thus his music was loved all over the world including China and India. Work Cited Will Cather. The Sculptors Funeral: Fiction. John, Irving. Understanding Mozarts Piano Sonata: Routledge. 2010 print.