The Anti-Free Speech Movement on Americas College Campuses

The Anti-Free Speech Movement on America's College Campuses The nation's leftists, whether in academia or the news media tout themselves as advocates of free speech. Back in 1964, it was Mario Savio a campus leftist who led the Free Speech Movement at the Berkeley campus of the University of California, a movement that without question played a vital role in placing American universities center stage in the flow of political ideas no matter how controversial, unpatriotic and vulgar. From the Nazis to the Stalinists leftists have always supported free speech rights, at least initially. Why? Because speech is important for the realization of leftist goals of command and control. People must be propagandized, proselytized and convinced. However, once the leftists are in power, as they are in most universities, free speech becomes a liability and must be suppressed. This is increasingly the case on college campuses and even finds its way into the work place. West Virginia University's student handbook reads in part: "Individuals or organizations may utilize designated free speech areas on a first-come, first-served basis without making reservations." Adding, ". . .the two designated areas for free speech and assembly will be the amphitheater area of the Mountainlair plaza and the concrete stage area in front of the Mountainlair and adjacent to the WVU Bookstore." In other words, 99 percent of West Virginia's campus was made into a censorship zone. This Nazi-Stalinist-like policy did not last long. The Philadelphia-based Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) began a campaign of public exposure and the Charlottesville, Virginia-based Rutherford Institute brought suit. This persuaded West Virginia University... ...nese, Jewish, African or Arab and hold Western values. It's no accident that western values of reason and individual rights have produced unprecedented health, life expectancy, wealth and comfort for the ordinary person. There's an indisputable positive relationship between liberty and standards of living. Western values are by no means secure. They are under ruthless attack by the academic elite on college campuses across America. These people want to replace personal liberty with government control; they want to replace equality with entitlement; they want to halt progress in the name of protecting the environment. As such they pose a much greater threat to our way of life than any terrorist or rogue nation. Multiculturalism and diversity are a cancer on our society and ironically, with our tax dollars and charitable donations to universities, we're feeding it.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Twenty

â€Å"YOU SHOULD SLEEP.' Sydney's soft voice nearly made me leap out of my skin, proving that even while in Lissa's mind, I could still stay alert. I tuned back to Sonya's dark living room. Aside from Sydney, everything was quiet and at peace. â€Å"You look like the walking dead,' she continued. â€Å"And I don't say that lightly.' â€Å"I've got to stay on watch,' I said. â€Å"I'll watch. You sleep.' â€Å"You're not trained like me,' I pointed out. â€Å"You might miss something.' â€Å"Even I wouldn't miss Strigoi beating down the door,' she replied. â€Å"Look, I know you guys are tough. You don't have to convince me. But I have a feeling things are going to get harder, and I don't want you passing out at some crucial moment. If you sleep now, you can relieve Dimitri later.' Only the mention of Dimitri made me give in. We would need to relieve each other eventually. So, reluctantly, I crawled into Sydney's bed on the floor, giving her all sorts of instructions that I think she rolled her eyes at. I fell asleep almost instantly and then woke up just as quickly when I heard the sound of a door closing. I immediately sat upright, expecting to see Strigoi busting down the door. Instead, I found sunlight creeping in through the windows and Sydney watching me with amusement. In the living room, Robert was sitting up on the couch, rubbing his eyes. Victor was gone. I turned to Sydney in alarm. â€Å"He's in the bathroom,' she said, anticipating my question. That was the sound I'd heard. I exhaled in relief and stood up, surprised at how even a few hours of sleep had energized me. If I only had food, I'd be ready for anything. Sonya didn't have any, of course, but I settled for a glass of water in the kitchen. As I stood there drinking, I noticed that the Dashkov brothers had made themselves at home: coats hanging on hooks, car keys on the counter. I quietly grabbed hold of the keys and called for Sydney. She came in, and I slipped her the keys, trying not to let them rattle. â€Å"Do you still know about cars?' I murmured. In one exquisite look, she told me that was a ridiculous and insulting question. â€Å"Okay. Can you go do a grocery run? We're going to need food. And maybe on your way out, you can, um, make sure their car has engine trouble or something? Anything that keeps it here. But not something obvious, like slashed tires.' She put the keys in her pocket. â€Å"Easy. Got any food requests?' I thought about it. â€Å"Something with sugar. And coffee for Dimitri.' â€Å"Coffee's a given,' she said. Victor stepped into the kitchen, his typically unconcerned expression making me think he hadn't heard me instructing Sydney to sabotage his car. â€Å"Sydney's getting groceries,' I said, hoping to distract him before he might notice the missing keys. â€Å"Need anything?' â€Å"A feeder would be nice, but barring that, Robert has an especial liking for Cheerios. The apple cinnamon kind.' He smiled at Sydney. â€Å"I never thought I'd see the day an Alchemist would be an errand girl. It's charming.' Sydney opened her mouth, no doubt to make some biting comment, and I quickly shook my head. â€Å"Just go,' I said. She went, and Victor soon returned to Robert's side. Convinced the brothers wouldn't be going anywhere in full daylight without a car, I decided it was time to check on Dimitri. To my surprise, Sonya was awake. She sat cross-legged on the bed with him, and the two spoke in hushed tones. Her hair was disheveled from both sleep and fighting, but otherwise, she showed no cuts or bruises from the battle. Dimitri had been the same after his transformation, escaping terrible burns. The power of a Strigoi restoration healed all injuries. Between my skinned legs and pseudo-concussion, I kind of wished someone had transformed me from a Strigoi. Sonya turned from Dimitri as I entered. A sequence of emotions passed across her face. Fear. Astonishment. Recognition. â€Å"Rose?' There was hesitancy in the word, like she wondered if I was a hallucination. I forced a smile. â€Å"It's good to see you again.' I chose not to add, â€Å"Now that you're not trying to suck the life out of me.' She averted her eyes down to her hands, studying her fingers like they were magical and wonderful. Of course, after being a monster, maybe having her â€Å"old hands' back really was wondrous. The day after his change, Dimitri hadn't seemed quite so fragile, but he'd certainly been in shock. That was also when he'd grown depressed. Was she? Or did she want to turn again, as Victor had suggested? I didn't know what to say. It was all so strange and awkward. â€Å"Sydney went for groceries,' I told Dimitri lamely. â€Å"She also stayed up so that I could sleep last night.' â€Å"I know,' he said with a small smile. â€Å"I got up once to check on you.' I felt myself flushing, somehow embarrassed that I'd been caught in weakness. â€Å"You can rest too,' I told him. â€Å"Get some breakfast, and then I'll keep an eye on everything. I have it on good authority that Victor's going to have car trouble. Also that Robert really likes Cheerios, so if you want some, you're out of luck. He doesn't seem like the sharing type.' Dimitri's smile grew. Sonya suddenly lifted her head. â€Å"There's another spirit user here,' she said, voice frantic. â€Å"I can feel it. I remember him.' She looked between Dimitri and me. â€Å"It's not safe. We're not safe. You shouldn't have us around.' â€Å"Everything's fine,' said Dimitri, voice so, so gentle. That tone was rare for him, but I'd heard it before. He'd used it on me in some of my most desperate moments. â€Å"Don't worry.' Sonya shook her head. â€Å"No. You don't understand. We †¦ we're capable of terrible things. To ourselves, to others. It's why I changed, to stop the madness. And it did, except †¦ it was worse. In its way. The things I did †¦' There it was, the same remorse Dimitri had felt. Half-afraid he'd start telling her there was no redemption for her either, I said, â€Å"It wasn't you. You were controlled by something else.' She buried her face in her hands. â€Å"But I chose it. Me. I made it happen.' â€Å"That was spirit,' I said. â€Å"It's hard to fight. Like you said, it can make you do terrible things. You weren't thinking clearly. Lissa battles with the same thing all the time.' â€Å"Vasilisa?' Sonya lifted her eyes and stared off into space. I think she was digging through memories. In fact, despite her ramblings now, I didn't believe she was quite as unstable as she'd been just before becoming Strigoi. We'd heard healings could lessen spirit's madness, and I think Robert's transformation had lightened some of the darkness within her for now. â€Å"Yes, of course. Vasilisa has it too.' She turned to me in a panic. â€Å"Did you help her? Did you get her out of there?' â€Å"I did,' I said, trying to emulate Dimitri's gentleness. Lissa and I fled St. Vladimir's for a while, partly because of warnings from Sonya. â€Å"We left and then came back and, uh, were able to stop what was hunting her.' I didn't think it was a good idea for Sonya to know that the thing–or rather, person–hunting Lissa was now sitting out in the living room. I took a step forward. â€Å"And you can help Lissa too. We need to know if–‘ â€Å"No,' said Dimitri. No gentleness now in the warning look he gave me. â€Å"Not yet.' â€Å"But–‘ â€Å"Not yet.' I shot him a glare in return but said no more. I was all for giving Sonya her recuperation time, but we didn't have forever. The clock was ticking, and we had to find out what Sonya knew. I felt like Dimitri would have been able to give us this information immediately after he'd been changed back. Of course, he hadn't been unstable beforehand, so he'd kind of had an edge. Still. We couldn't play house in Kentucky forever. â€Å"Can I see my flowers?' asked Sonya. â€Å"Can I go outside and see my flowers?' Dimitri and I exchanged glances. â€Å"Of course,' he said. We all moved toward the door, and that's when I had to ask. â€Å"Why did you grow flowers when you were †¦ like you were?' She paused. â€Å"I've always grown flowers.' â€Å"I know. I remember. They were gorgeous. The ones here are gorgeous too. Is that why †¦ I mean, did you just want a pretty garden, even as a Strigoi?' The question was unexpected and seemed to throw her off. I was about to give up on an answer when she finally said, â€Å"No. I never thought about pretty. They were †¦ I don't know. Something to do. I'd always grown flowers. I had to see if I still could. It was like †¦ a test of my skills, I guess.' I met Dimitri's eyes again. So. Beauty hadn't been part of her world. It was just like I'd told him. Strigoi were notoriously arrogant, and it seemed the flowers had simply been a show of prowess. Growing them had also been a familiar habit for her, and I recalled how Dimitri had read Western novels while Strigoi. Being Strigoi might cost someone their sense of goodness and morality, but old behaviors and hobbies remained. We took her out to the living room, interrupting a conversation between Victor and Robert. Sonya and Robert both froze, sizing each other up. Victor gave us one of his knowing smiles. â€Å"Up and around. Have we found out what we need yet?' Dimitri shot him a look similar to what I'd received when asking about interrogation. â€Å"Not yet.' Sonya dragged her gaze from Robert and moved quickly toward the patio door, pausing when she saw our shoddy patch job. â€Å"You broke my door,' she said. â€Å"Collateral damage,' I said. In my periphery, I think Dimitri rolled his eyes. Needing no guidance from us, Sonya opened the door and stepped outside. With a gasp, she came to a halt and stared upward. The sky was a perfect, cloudless blue, and the sun had crossed the horizon now, illuminating everything in gold. I went outside too, feeling the warmth of that light on my skin. Some of the night's coldness lingered, but we were in store for a hot day. Everyone else came out too, but Sonya was oblivious. She lifted her hands upward, as though maybe she could grab hold of the sun and wrap it in her arms. â€Å"It's so beautiful.' She finally looked away and met my eyes. â€Å"Isn't it? Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?' â€Å"Beautiful,' I reiterated. For some reason, I felt both happy and sad. She walked around her yard, examining every plant and flower. She touched the petals and inhaled their fragrance. â€Å"So different †¦' she kept saying to herself. â€Å"So different in the sun †¦' Several especially caught her attention. â€Å"These don't open at night! Do you see it? Do you see the colors? Can you smell that?' The questions didn't seem to be for anyone in particular. We watched, all of us kind of hypnotized. At last, she settled into the patio chair, happily gazing around, lost in sensory overload–in that beauty that had been denied to her as a Strigoi. When it became obvious she wasn't leaving for a while, I turned to Dimitri and repeated Sydney's advice about him taking a turn at sleeping while we waited for Sonya to recover. To my surprise, he actually agreed. â€Å"That's smart. Once Sonya's able to talk, we'll need to move.' He smiled. â€Å"Sydney's turning into a battle mastermind.' â€Å"Hey, she's not in charge here,' I teased. â€Å"She's just a soldier.' â€Å"Right.' He lightly brushed his fingers against my cheek. â€Å"Sorry, Captain.' â€Å"General,' I corrected, catching my breath at that brief touch. He gave Sonya a kind goodbye before disappearing into the house. She nodded, but I don't know if she really heard. Victor and Robert brought out two wooden kitchen chairs and set them in the shade. I chose a spot on the ground. Nobody spoke. It wasn't the weirdest thing I'd ever experienced, but it was certainly strange. Sydney returned later with the groceries, and I briefly abandoned the group to check in with her. Victor's keys were lying back on the counter, which I took as a good sign. Sydney unloaded an assortment of food and handed me a box of a dozen donuts. â€Å"Hope that's enough for you,' she remarked. I made a face at her presumption but took the donuts anyway. â€Å"Come on outside when you're done,' I told her. â€Å"It's like the barbecue of the damned. Except †¦ there's no grill.' She looked puzzled, but when she joined us later, she seemed to get what I'd been saying. Robert brought out a bowl of Cheerios, but neither Sydney nor Victor ate. I gave Sonya a donut, the first thing that took her attention from her yard. She held it in her hands, turning it over and over. â€Å"I don't know if I can. I don't know if I can eat it.' â€Å"Of course you can.' I recalled how Dimitri had regarded food uncertainly too. â€Å"It's chocolate-glazed. Good stuff.' She took a tentative, rabbit-sized bite. She chewed it a billion times and finally swallowed. She closed her eyes briefly and sighed. â€Å"Such sweetness.' Slowly, she continued taking more tiny bites. It took forever for her to get halfway through the donut, and at that point, she finally stopped. I'd polished off three donuts by then, and my impatience to accomplish something was growing. Part of it was still the irritability from spirit, and part of it was just my continual restlessness to help Lissa. â€Å"Sonya,' I said pleasantly, fully aware of how pissed off Dimitri was going to be at me defying his instructions. â€Å"We wanted to talk to you about something.' â€Å"Mm-hmm,' she said, gazing at bees hovering around some honeysuckle. â€Å"Is there a relative of yours †¦ someone who, uh, had a baby a while ago †¦ ?' â€Å"Sure,' she said. One of the bees flew from the honeysuckle to a rose, and she never looked away. â€Å"Lots.' â€Å"Articulate, Rosemarie,' remarked Victor. â€Å"Very articulate.' I bit my lip, knowing an outburst would upset Sonya. And probably Robert too. â€Å"This would be a secret baby,' I told her. â€Å"And you were the beneficiary on a bank account that took care of the baby †¦ an account paid for by Eric Dragomir.' Sonya's head whipped toward me, and there was no dreamy absentmindedness in her blue eyes now. A few seconds passed before she spoke. Her voice was cold and hard–not a Strigoi voice, but definitely a back off voice. â€Å"No. I don't know anything about that.' â€Å"She's lying,' said Robert. â€Å"I didn't need any powers to figure that out,' scoffed Sydney. I ignored both of them. â€Å"Sonya, we know you know, and it's really important we find this baby †¦ er, child. Person.' We'd made guesses on the age but weren't 100 percent sure. â€Å"You said you were worried about Lissa earlier. This will help her. She needs to know. She needs to know she has another family member.' Sonya turned her attention back to the bees, but I knew she was no longer watching them. â€Å"I don't know anything.' There was a trembling in her voice, and something told me that maybe I shouldn't push this after all. I couldn't tell if she was afraid or on the verge of rage. â€Å"Then why were you on the account?' This came from Victor. â€Å"I don't know anything,' she repeated. Her voice could have made icicles form on the ornamental trees. â€Å"Nothing.' â€Å"Stop lying,' snapped Victor. â€Å"You know something, and you're going to tell us.' â€Å"Hey!' I exclaimed. â€Å"Be quiet. You don't have interrogation rights here.' â€Å"You didn't seem to be doing a very good job.' â€Å"Just shut up, okay?' I looked back at Sonya, replacing my glare with a smile. â€Å"Please,' I begged. â€Å"Lissa's in trouble. This will help her. I thought you said before that you wanted to help her?' â€Å"I promised †¦' said Sonya. Her voice was so low, I could barely hear it. â€Å"Promised what?' I asked. Patience, patience. I had to remain calm. I couldn't risk a breakdown. She squeezed her eyes shut and raked her hands through her hair violently, almost like a child about to have a tantrum. â€Å"Promised not to tell. Promised not to tell anyone †¦' I had the urge to run over and shake her. Patience, patience, I repeated to myself. Don't upset her. â€Å"We wouldn't ask you to break your promise if it wasn't important. Maybe †¦ maybe you can get in touch with this person †¦' Who had she promised? Eric's mistress? â€Å"And see if it's okay to tell us?' â€Å"Oh for God's sake,' said Victor irritably. â€Å"This is ridiculous and getting us nowhere.' He glanced at his brother. â€Å"Robert?' Robert hadn't done much so far today, but at Victor's command, Robert leaned forward. â€Å"Sonya?' Still obviously distraught, she turned to look at him †¦ and her face went still. â€Å"Tell us what we need to know,' said Robert. His voice wasn't kind so much as smooth and lulling, with a faintly sinister touch. â€Å"Tell us who and where this child is. Tell us who the mother is.' This time, I did jump to my feet. Robert was using compulsion on her to get the answers. Sonya's eyes stayed locked on him, but her body began to shake. Her lips parted, though no sound came out. A tangle of thoughts swirled in my mind. Compulsion would get us what we needed to know, but something told me, it wasn't right– Sonya stopped me from any more pondering. She shot up almost as quickly as I had. She was still staring at Robert, but no longer in that transfixed, hypnotized way. She'd broken the compulsion, and now †¦ now she was pissed. The features that had been scared and fragile earlier were filled with fury. I had no magical senses, but after being with Lissa, I knew raging spirit when I saw it. Sonya was a bomb, about to explode. â€Å"How dare you †¦' she hissed. â€Å"How dare you try to compel me?' Plants and vines near Robert suddenly sprang to life, growing to impossible heights. They reached out, tangled themselves around his chair's legs, and pulled. The chair toppled over, Robert along with it. Victor moved to help his brother, but Robert was already taking matters into his own hands. Recovering remarkably fast, he narrowed his eyes at Sonya, and she went flying backward, slamming against the wooden fence. Air users could do that trick sometimes, but this wasn't air blowing her back. This was spirit's telekinetic abilities. He apparently possessed them outside of dreams too. Lovely. I'd seen spirit users battle it out before, when Avery Lazar and Lissa had gone one on one. That hadn't been pretty, particularly since more than this exterior psychic phenomena had occurred. Avery had actually dug into Lissa's mind–and mine. I didn't know Robert or Sonya's full skill set, but this couldn't end well. â€Å"Dimitri!' I yelled, springing toward Sonya. I didn't exactly know what I was going to do, but tackling her seemed like a sound plan. From what I'd observed, a lot of spirit involved eye contact with the target. And sure enough, when I managed to wrestle her to the ground, she struggled half- heartedly but mostly fought to keep her gaze on Robert. He screamed in sudden alarm, looking down at his own body in terror. Sonya was planting visions into his head. His expression hardened. He had to know it was an illusion, and a few moments later, he looked up, having broken her spell like she'd broken his earlier compulsion. Dimitri came tearing out the door at that point, just as Robert used his mind to fling one of the chairs toward Sonya. Of course, I was on top of her, so the chair hit me in the back. Dimitri picked up pretty quickly what was going on and ran toward Robert, attempting the same tactic as me. Victor, possibly thinking his brother was in physical danger, tried to pry Dimitri away, which was futile. More vines began to reach toward Robert, and I realized constraining Sonya wasn't all that useful. â€Å"Get him inside!' I yelled to Dimitri. â€Å"Get him away from her!' Dimitri had already guessed that and began dragging Robert toward the door. Even with Victor interfering, Dimitri's strength was enough to get Robert out of there and back into the house. As soon as her target was gone, all the energy seemed to fade out of Sonya. She made no more efforts to fight me and collapsed to the ground. I was relieved, having feared she'd turn on me once Robert was gone. Tentatively, still on guard, I helped Sonya sit up. She leaned against me, weak as a rag doll, and cried into my shoulder. Another breakdown. After that, it was a matter of damage control. In order to keep the spirit users apart, Dimitri had taken Robert to the bedroom and left Victor with him. Robert seemed as worn out as Sonya, and Dimitri deemed the brothers safe enough to leave alone. Sonya collapsed on the couch, and after both Dimitri and I had tried to calm her down, we stepped away while Sydney held the Moroi woman's hand. I briefly recapped what had happened. Dimitri's face grew more and more incredulous as I did. â€Å"I told you it wasn't time!' he exclaimed. â€Å"What were you thinking? She's too weak!' â€Å"You call that weak? And hey, I was doing fine! It wasn't until Victor and Robert got involved that things went to hell.' Dimitri took a step toward me, anger radiating off him. â€Å"They should never have gotten involved. This is you, acting irrational again, jumping in foolishly with no thought of the consequences.' Outrage shot through me in return. â€Å"Hey, I was trying to make progress here. If being rational is sitting around and doing therapy, then I'm happy to jump over the edge. I'm not afraid to get in the game.' â€Å"You have no idea what you're saying,' he growled. We were standing closer now, hardly any space left between us as we engaged in our battle of wills. â€Å"This may have set us back.' â€Å"This set us forward. We found out she knows about Eric Dragomir. The problem is she promised not to tell anyone about this baby.' â€Å"Yes, I promised,' piped up Sonya. Dimitri and I turned as one, realizing our argument was fully visible and audible to Sonya and Sydney. â€Å"I promised.' Her voice was very small and weak, pleading with us. Sydney squeezed her hand. â€Å"We know. It's okay. It's okay to keep promises. I understand.' Sonya looked at her gratefully. â€Å"Thank you. Thank you.' â€Å"But,' said Sydney carefully, â€Å"I heard that you care about Lissa Dragomir.' â€Å"I can't,' interrupted Sonya, turning fearful again. â€Å"I know, I know. But what if there was a way to help her without breaking your promise?' Sonya stared at Sydney. Dimitri glanced at me questioningly. I shrugged and then stared at Sydney too. If someone had asked who could stage the best intervention with a crazy woman who'd formerly been an undead monster, Sydney Sage would have been my last guess. Sonya frowned, all attention on Sydney. â€Å"W-what do you mean?' â€Å"Well †¦ what did you promise exactly? Not to tell anyone that Eric Dragomir had a mistress and baby?' Sonya nodded. â€Å"And not to tell who they were?' Sonya nodded again. Sydney gave Sonya the warmest, friendliest smile I'd ever seen on the Alchemist. â€Å"Did you promise not to tell anyone where they are?' Sonya nodded, and Sydney's smile faltered a little. Then, her eyes lit up. â€Å"Did you promise not to lead anyone to where they are?' Sonya hesitated, no doubt turning every word over in her mind. Slowly, she shook her head. â€Å"No.' â€Å"So †¦ you could lead us to them. But not tell us where they actually are. You wouldn't be breaking the promise that way.' It was the most convoluted, ridiculous piece of logic I'd heard in a while. It was something I would have come up with. â€Å"Maybe †¦' said Sonya, still uncertain. â€Å"You wouldn't break the promise,' Sydney repeated. â€Å"And it would really, really help Lissa.' I stepped forward. â€Å"It would help Mikhail too.' Sonya's mouth dropped open at the mention of her former lover. â€Å"Mikhail? You know him?' â€Å"He's my friend. He's Lissa's friend too.' I almost said that if we found the missing Dragomir, we could then take Sonya to Mikhail. Recalling Dimitri's feelings of unworthiness, I decided to avoid that tactic just now. I didn't know how Sonya would react to a reunion with her beloved. â€Å"And he wants to help Lissa. But he can't. None of us can. We don't have enough information.' â€Å"Mikhail †¦' Sonya looked down at her hands again, small tears running down her cheeks. â€Å"You won't break your promise.' Sydney was so compelling she could have been a spirit user. â€Å"Just lead us. It's what Mikhail and Lissa would want. It's the right thing to do.' I don't know which argument convinced Sonya the most. It could have been the part about Mikhail. Or it could have been the idea of doing â€Å"the right thing.' Maybe, like Dimitri, Sonya wanted redemption for her Strigoi crimes and saw this as a chance. Looking up, she swallowed and met my eyes. â€Å"I'll lead you there,' she whispered. â€Å"We're going on another road trip,' Sydney declared. â€Å"Get ready.' Dimitri and I were still standing right next to each other, the anger between us beginning to diffuse. Sydney looked proud and continued trying her best to soothe Sonya. Dimitri looked down at me with a small smile that shifted slightly when he seemed to become aware of just how close we were. I couldn't say for sure, though. His face gave little away. As for me, I was very aware of our proximity and felt intoxicated by his body and scent. Damn. Why did fighting with him always increase my attraction to him? His smile returned as he tilted his head toward Sydney. â€Å"You were wrong. She really is the new general in town.' I smiled back, hoping he wasn't aware of my body's reaction to us standing so close. â€Å"Maybe. But, it's okay. You can still be colonel.' He arched an eyebrow. â€Å"Oh? Did you demote yourself? Colonel's right below general. What's that make you?' I reached into my pocket and triumphantly flashed the CR-V keys I'd swiped when we'd come back inside. â€Å"The driver,' I said.

Constitutional Law Definition and Function

Constitutional law is a body of law based on a ratified constitution or similar formative charter dealing with the fundamental principles by which a government exercises its authority. These principles typically define the roles and powers of the various branches of the government and the basic rights of the people. Key Takeaways: Constitutional Law Constitutional law is an area of law dealing with the interpretation and application of the powers, rights, and freedoms established by a formally adopted constitution or charter. It encompasses the powers of the various branches of government and the rights of the people.Constitutional law evolves over time as it is interpreted by the courts and legislative bodies.The protection of human rights and civil liberties are common elements of constitutional law. Constitutional Law Definition By establishing the authority of the government, as well as the rights of the people, constitutional law is the foundation of all other procedural and substantive laws applied within the country. In most countries, constitutional law is derived from a written document, like the U.S. Constitution, adopted as an integral part of the country’s founding. While each of the country’s political subdivisions, such as states and provinces, may have its own constitution, the term â€Å"constitutional law† generally refers to the laws of the central government. In most federal governments, like the United States and Canada, constitutional law defines the relationship and division of powers between the central government and the state, provincial, or territorial governments. In most cases, constitutional law evolves over time it is modified by the government’s legislative or parliamentary branch and interpreted by its judicial branch.   Common elements of constitutional law include the provision and assurance of human rights and civil liberties, legislative powers, the division of governmental powers, and assurance of protection under the rule of law. Civil Liberties and Human Rights As essential elements of constitutional law, human rights and civil liberties protect the rights and freedoms of individuals against the actions of the government. Human rights refer to the natural rights and freedoms of all people no matter where they live, such as freedom from religious persecution or slavery. Civil liberties are the rights and freedoms specifically granted to individuals by a constitution, such as the right to trial by jury or protection from unreasonable search and seizure by the police.   Legislative Procedures Constitutional law establishes rules and procedures by which governments legislate, or make laws. For example, the process for enacting new laws or amending existing laws, the method of amending the constitution, and the number of terms or years a member of the legislative body may serve.   Separation of Powers In most modern nations, constitutional law divides the power of the central government among three functional branches. These branches are typically an executive branch, a legislative branch, and a judicial branch. Most constitutions divide the governmental powers in a way to ensure that no one branch can dominate the other two.   Rule of Law The constitutions of virtually all nations establish a â€Å"rule of law,† the principle under which all persons, institutions, and entities within the country—including the government itself—are held equally accountable to the laws enacted by the central government. Constitutional law strives to ensure that these laws are:   Created in public: The processes by which laws are made and enforced are clear, understandable, and open to the people.Equally enforced: The laws themselves must be clearly stated, well publicized, stable, and evenly applied.  Protective of basic rights: The laws must protect the fundamental rights of individuals, including civil liberties and human rights.Independently administered: The laws must be interpreted and applied by judges who are impartial, politically neutral, and reflect the makeup of the communities they serve.   Constitutional Law in the United States As one of the best-recognized examples of constitutional law, the United States Constitution establishes three branches of the federal government, executive, legislative, and judicial, defines the federal government’s relationship with the states, and sets forth the rights of the people.   The amendments to the Constitution, including those of the Bill of Rights, list the rights possessed specifically by the people. Rights not specifically listed in the Constitution are protected by the Tenth Amendment, which grants all rights not reserved to the federal government to the states or to the people. The Constitution also outlines and divides the powers of the three branches of government and creates a protective system of checks and balances of powers between the three branches. The first article of the Constitution creates a framework of rules by which the legislative branch creates laws, which must be approved by the President of the United States as head of the executive branch before taking effect. The U.S. Supreme Court resolves disputes involving constitutional issues. Since its landmark ruling in the 1803 case of Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court has, through the process of judicial review, acted as the ultimate interpreter of the Constitution. Decisions of the Supreme Court become a permanent part of constitutional law and are thus binding on the parties involved, as well as the federal and state governments and the people.   Sources and Further Reference â€Å"Constitutional Law.† Legal Information Institute. Cornell Law School.â€Å"Overview—Rule of Law.† United States Courts  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Primary Documents in American History: Marbury v. Madison.† U.S. Library of CongressTate, C. Neal. â€Å"Judicial Review.† Encyclopedia Britannica

Reflection Of Education - 1146 Words

One aspect that I can personally relate to would be latent functions because it was something that helped me discover more about myself. I was able to find comfort in extracurricular activities and interacted with numerous fellow students. Because of extracurricular activities, I learned that I was not just an academic person, but I also have the skills in running, playing sports and singing. Extracurricular activities were something that just helped me learned to open myself up more to people and be open to learning new things. In my own opinion, I definitely witnessed inequality in the education system because I thought it was really unfair to physically separate people into classrooms that were labeled as AP, honors and regular†¦show more content†¦A majority of the student population in my school were Hispanics and many did not show the determination or motivation to learn. We cannot assume because of the lack of their determination that they had no desire to learn. We do not know what the students are going through in their lives and maybe some had to skip school a lot to help out their parents. The students themselves would probably love to learn, but because they missed class or their scores were not up to standards, they had to be placed in â€Å"regular† classes. Being placed in a â€Å"regular† class was kind of an indirect label that, to me, was indirectly hurting them. The students were probably dealing with a lot at home and as much as they would love to learn and at tend classes, sometimes they just could not. I wish schools looked more into the backgrounds and tend more to how the student really feel about education before placing them in specific classes. There are students who love to learn, but are faced with numerous obstacles and hardships preventing them from it and when being placed in what a lot of the students considered as â€Å"not smart† classes really would push their self-esteem lower causing them to have even less determination to earn an education. My education definitely influenced my perceptions that being placed in AP and honor classes or going to a UC and not a Cal state does not make you any better than others who are in regular classes or went to a Cal State. WhatShow MoreRelatedEducation Reflection775 Words   |  4 PagesI have learned a lot about the world around me, myself, and other people. One of the more fascinating things about education is how it can make you more aware of yourself and the world aroun d you. When I think of the word â€Å"education† my first thoughts are about math and science, but after I consider everything I have gained from my education I am more apt to think of how my education has molded my character and shaped my outlook on daily experiences. As an engineering student, the majority of myRead MoreReflection On Education706 Words   |  3 Pages For block one I was put into a second grade regular education classroom at Lake Forest Hills Elementary School. I taught my writing lesson on November 8, 2017. I taught a group of four students and had them write a short narrative about their favorite Thanksgiving memory. They all love Thanksgiving and were excited to write their story and share with the others. I feel like I had some positives but also some negatives in my lesson. One positive was that I shared and explained with the studentsRead MoreReflection Of Education1202 Words   |  5 PagesWhile these are good values to have when starting my career as an educator, these abstract thoughts aren’t going to get me anywhere unless I am able to translate them into practice. Upon reflection about how to do so, I was able to come up with a few ways on how to get these thoughts into educational practice. One important practice is to institute effective, positive and accurate communication with parents as soon as possible. Starting off the year with parent-teacher conferences as early as possibleRead MoreMy Reflection Of Education In Education1210 Words   |  5 PagesGaining self-confidence and developing my teaching abilities has been a process. I have learned to regally evaluate my approaches and learning, understand more about the positive impacts of high-quality care is on ch ildren’s learning. Personal reflection has become a huge part of my personal growth. This has allowed me to put aside and recognize my personal assumptions, values, beliefs, and bias that may affect my decisions while working with children and how I plan my curriculum. Critiquing myRead MoreReflection Of Education1016 Words   |  5 PagesEducation is one of the main consents in our lives. According to Google, the definitions of education is that: â€Å"the process of receiving or giving systematic instructions, especially at a school or university†,†the theory and practice of teaching†,† the body of knowledge acquired while being education† and etc. Education starts when we are in preschool and stays with us until we graduate college. My opinion of education is different of google’s definition as in it is not giving and receiving instructionsRead MoreReflection On Education989 Words   |  4 Pagesfor the assembly lines of Ford, GM, and Chrysler. I learned how to read blueprints, use an angle grinder Ford hosts a High School Science and Technology program for STEM students, and I have been attending this event once a month since 2014. (7) Education and career goals: Be specific and tell me what program in vocational school or college, and what occupation you are interested in pursuing. Also, tell me why you have chosen this course of action (i.e., your motivation). For college, some of my topRead MoreReflection On Education2040 Words   |  9 PagesEducation: To me education is a process in which one goes through to learn about the world and develop skills in which to utilize in future activities. These future activities may include work, but if we enter a jobless society, that isn’t necessarily the case. My education is going to look similar to the education of the next decade of students. There is a routine that students follow. They go to school, they move from classroom to classroom, the eat lunch, they move to more classrooms, they mayRead MoreSpecial Education Reflection1329 Words   |  6 PagesRunning Head: REFLECTION PAPER Reflection Paper En Tseh Wang Lehigh University Special Education 332 (Education and Inclusion of Individuals with Special Needs) has been enlightening for me as a secondary mathematics educator. In the beginning of the semester, my feelings towards special education were those of apathy and insensitivity. I now understand that my feelings were due to my lack of knowledge and my judgment based on stereotypes. I always knew that making fun of studentsRead MoreReflection On Citizen Education1471 Words   |  6 PagesCitizen Education Reflection At the beginning of the second semester I didn’t know what exactly to expect from Cited as a class. I had heard that it was a lot of work, that Mr. Cangello could be a hard grader, and to pay attention if you wanted to keep up. As the semester got into full swing and I started to get a better feel for my classes, I realized, not a single part of these warnings had been false. After many warnings about plugging in our laptops in an orderly fashion, and testaments toRead MoreEducation Reflection Essay962 Words   |  4 Pagesunderstand why. Its not that they did not want me to think deeply. Their education has always sought to settle the tension between my brothers and I understand the realities of the world, while making sure that we will not accept the status quo as inevitable. And realized that this, in itself, was a meaningful form of education. One of my favorite teachers, author and researcher Paolo, speaks very clearly about the need to use education as a tool for constructive and shared human awakening. In his most

AIDS in African American Community Essay - 1296 Words

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). AIDS weakens the immune system hampering the body’s defense mechanisms. AIDS is known to be a deadly disease, especially if it is not treated in a timely manner. AIDS and HIV is an epidemic that is increasing among the African American population with roots tracing back to Africa, AIDS and HIV needs greater exposure and more awareness within the African American community and in the homosexual community. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was first recognized as a new disease in 1981 when increasing numbers of young homosexual men succumbed to unusual opportunistic infections and rare†¦show more content†¦Nearly three decades ago, there was an increase in deaths of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. Developing countries have experienced the greatest HIV/AIDS morbidity and mortality, with the highest prevalence rates recorded in young adults in sub-Saharan Africa. In South Africa over three million people are killed by this disease (Macfarlene3). After this epidemic spreaded in Africa and killed people it branched out to other countries in the world. After the spread of AIDS to Africa, it began to spread to America in 1979 when African migrated to America they began to spread this with the people (Chelala97).The earliest form of AIDS was when an patient fifteen years olds was reported to have this disease. He never traveled outside the country so it was a possibility that it was transmitted to him in 1980.After this patient died it was reported that homosexual men started dying of this disease that was unidentified. The numbers of people were dying of this disease and the Center for Disease control first started describing the symptoms (Goosby87). Scientist began to study homosexuals because they were dying of this disease. In the year of 1984 Dr.Gallo discovered the causes of the disease of AIDS and it is responsible for the virus HIV.Once the diseases were identified, HIV and AIDS quickly became an epidemic in the country. By 1994, AIDS was the leading cause of death among Americans ages 25 to 44(Gill44). This disease started to impactShow MoreRelatedAfrican Americans And African American Community852 Words   |  4 PagesAs seen through time, African-Americans have been at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing funds that are available to most people. This however has not stopped them from creating and accessing help that supports and aids their families. Through communal efforts, African-Americans have been able to create mutual aid for themselves. In these communities, there are many se ctors that have been built, but the main reason many are â€Å"making it† or able to afford and do what they are currently doingRead MoreAids : An African American Girl Who Was Suffering From Hiv Virus859 Words   |  4 Pages2015, specifically in LA downtown, I met Sara who is an African American girl who was suffering from HIV virus. She told me her sadly story when she was having sexual things with random people just because of having money. She didn’t have any knowledge about this virus. So, because of that, she got the HIV virus, and she thanked god that she treated so long to be clean. So, some people in this world don’t know what the AIDS means. So, the AIDS is a dangerous virus that attack cells human’s immune systemRead MoreHIV and African Americans Essay1578 Words   |  7 Pageshuman body is unable to fight against diseases, which can lead to Acquired Immune deficiency syndrome known as AIDS for short. The first case of the HIV/AIDS virus in the U.S. occurred in the early 1980’s. The first spark of the virus was found in San Francisco with couple of homosexual Caucasian American males. Today African Americans account for the largest proportion of HIV and AIDS in this country, represent approximately 13% of the U.S. population, but accounted for an estimated 44% of newRead MoreAfrican American Women Living With Hiv Aids1576 Words   |  7 PagesRunning Head: AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV AIDS 1 AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV AIDS 9 African American Women Living with HIV/AIDS Ruth Dionne Davis SCWK 620 Winthrop University Department of Social Work Abstract HIV/AIDS is a major concern in the African American community. African American women have the highest incidence rate of HIV infection with a steady increase over the years. Extreme poverty, unemployment, underemploymentRead MoreHealth Disparities Among African Americans1453 Words   |  6 Pagesgroups of people. African Americans are among many other groups of people that fall victim to a system that, sometimes inconspicuously creates barriers wherein people cannot adequately arm themselves with the tools to remain healthy. One of the most common health inequities among African Americans is the HIV/AIDs virus. This viruses significance is relatively recent in human history, but the damage it has done since its inception is catastrophic. In order to understand the HIV/AIDs virus as a diseaseRead MoreHiv / Aids : A Health Concern And Despite The Knowledge Of The Disease1359 Words   |  6 Pages HIV/AIDS is a health concern and despite the knowledge of the disease, the i nfections are increasing especially amongst Blacks. This topic is particularly of interest to me because I feel that there is a greater need to apply sociology to explain why the rate of infections is increasing amongst certain demographics principally in the blacks/African American in the United States and not the people of whiteness. Blacks/ African Americans are not to blame for the HIV/AIDS, the social environmentRead MoreHiv / Aids : Growing Epidemic Among African Americans1607 Words   |  7 PagesHIV/AIDS the growing epidemic among African Americans April Hampton Excelsior College ILSE SILVA-KROTT October 11, 2015 Abstract In my studies I have found that HIV/AIDS is one of the largest growing epidemics among African American’s. Along with the stigmas individuals have to face, there lay the unspoken thought process of â€Å"It wouldn’t or couldn’t happen to me†. Poverty, severe drug abuse, unprotected sex, and lack of education are just a few contributing factors toRead MoreHiv Prevention Among The Usa1285 Words   |  6 Pagesproper treatment and medical care (â€Å"What is HIV/AIDS?†). According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, African Americans are the racial/ethnic group most affected by HIV in the United States. Although African Americans only make up 12% of the population in the United States, in 2014 they accounted for 44% of HIV cases. Among all African Americans diagnosed with HIV in 2014, an estimated 73% were men and 26% were women. Of all African Americans diagnosed with HIV in 2014, an estimated 57%Read MoreHealth Disparities in HIV Essay 1060 Words   |  5 PagesHIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency Virus also known as HIV is a sexually transmitted disease. It attacks your bodys immune system. The virus destroys CD4 cells, which help your body fight diseases. HIV damages your immune system and it leads to acquired immune deficiency syndrome also known as AIDS. AIDS is the final stage in HIV, and it’s a disease where severe loss of the bodys cellular immunity occurs. The disease lowers the resistance to infection and malignancy. Anyone can get HIV/AIDS. MenRead MoreHiv and Aids in the Black Community1140 Words   |  5 PagesRunning head: HIV/AIDS in African Americans ​​1 HIV/AIDS in November 15, 2012  Research, Definition, and Statement of HIV/AIDS ​African-Americans are the ethnic group most affected by HIV/AIDS. Ironically african-americans represent 14% of the population of the United States , but represent 44% across the gender line. African-american men represent 70% of HIV infections among the ethnic group, however african-american women are also highly at risk of HIV infection. Indeed

Confidentialy and Data Protection Essay Sample free essay sample

†¢ Confidentiality and informations protection are critical when running a place based childcare service. Write an account of the importance of both. Confidentiality The definition of ‘confidential’ is ; 1. Done or communicated in assurance ; secret.2. Entrusted with the assurance of another: a confidential secretary. 3. Denoting assurance or familiarity: a confidential tone of voice. 4. Incorporating information. the unauthorized revelation of which poses a menace to national security. Tassoni. P states that confidentiality is ;‘Not sharing with other people or go throughing on personal information about the households you are working with. except when it is in the child’s best involvement to make so. ’ ( Tassoni. P. 2010 ) . As a childminder you will hold entree to information about the kids in your attention and possibly members of their household which will be considered to be confidential. This means that there are merely certain people who need to cognize this information and cipher else should hold entree to it. We will write a custom essay sample on Confidentialy and Data Protection Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Those people are the parents of the kid. myself as a childminder. in some instances the kid themselves will be cognizant besides. From clip to clip I will hold to work with regulative organic structures and people from societal services or the constabulary. In these cases it will be my duty to portion this information and assist them as I can. ever with the best involvement of the kid in head. Tassoni. P believes that‘All early old ages practicians working with kids have to be cognizant of kid maltreatment and see their ain function in protecting children’ ( Tassoni. P et Al. 2005 ) As a childminder it will be my duty to do certain that any confidential information about any kids in my attention is locked off in a safe topographic point and that I am the lone individual who has entree to the key. I will necessitate to be cognizant of the followers ;†¢ The Law†¢ Signs and symptoms†¢ How to react to a kid when he/she discloses maltreatment.†¢ Standard coverage processs.†¢ Intimate attention of kids in my attention.†¢ The function of the Childminder.†¢ Keeping secrets. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 is basically an Act that inside informations the rights of a kid. Data Protection There are many Torahs that detail the duty of those people working with kids. These Torahs are in topographic point to protect the childminder. the parents and first and foremost the kid in inquiry. The Data Protection Act 1998 inside informations that ‘sensitive information’ is any information mentioning to the followers ; ( a ) the racial or cultural beginning of the informations topic.( B ) his political sentiments.( degree Celsius ) his spiritual beliefs or other beliefs of a similar nature. ( vitamin D ) whether he is a member of a trade brotherhood ( within the significance of the M1Trade Union and Labour Relations ( Consolidation ) Act 1992 ) . ( vitamin E ) his physical or mental wellness or status.( degree Fahrenheit ) his sexual life.( g ) the committee or alleged committee by him of any offense. or ( H ) any proceedings for any offense committed or alleged to hold been committed by him. the disposal of such proceedings or the sentence of any tribunal in such proceedings. ( Data Protection Act 1998 ) . The 1998 Data Protection Act was passed by Parliament to command the manner information is handled and to give legal rights to people who have information stored about them. The Data Protection Act was developed to give protection and put down regulations about how informations about people can be used. The 1998 Act covers information or information stored on a computing machine or an organized paper filing system about populating people. The basic manner it works is by: 1. puting up regulations that people have to follow2. holding an Information Commissioner to implement the regulations It does non halt companies hive awaying information about people. It merely makes them follow regulations. If any individual was to portion confidential information with people who did non necessitate to hear it so they are. in fact. interrupting the jurisprudence. Bibliography Data Protection Act 1998 Tassoni. P et Al. 2005. NVQ Level 3 Children’s Care. Learning and Development. Heinemann Educational Publishers. Tassoni. P et Al. 2010. Level 3 Diploma Children and Young People’s Workforce Candidate Handbook. Heinemann.

John Steinbeck Essays (1201 words) - John Steinbeck, Salinas Valley

John Steinbeck A novelist is someone who writes novels, or writes a fancy work of fiction which often has a complicated plot, many major and minor characters, a significant theme, and several varied settings. A novelist will use literary devices such as characterization, tone, symbolism, imagery, and figurative language. John Steinbeck, an American novelist, uses many literary devices such as metaphors, similes, imagery, and figurative language along with excellent descriptive words to develop his characters and vividly describe their surroundings. His masterly of these and other techniques, in my opinion, is why John Steinbecks novels, like The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, have survived the test of time. Johns writing style was developed from the experiences in his life; this may be why he is so interesting to read, because John has had an interesting life. John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902 in the Salinas Fertile Valley, California. His father, John Ernst Steinbeck, was a simple farmer and the treasurer of Monterey County, California. His mother, Olive Hamilton Steinbeck, was a school teacher and she was the one person who was responsible for introducing him to the wonderful world of famous literature. She also read and taught him Shakespeare and other famous writers. John Steinbeck had two younger sisters, Ester and Elizabeth. John grew up in Salinas on a farm and was surrounded by animals and other forms of nature, this is the main reason that John had such a love of all forms of nature and wildlife. He graduated from Salinas High School in 1919 and then went to Standford University in 1920. At Standford he published The Standford Spectatorm, his first short story. Durin g a break from Standford, John got a job on Spreckels Ranch near Salinas. While he worked there, he was able to observe firsthand the lives of bindle stiffs and ranch bosses. These observations would later on become the characters in Of Mice and Men. John eventually dropped out of Standford University and began his career as a full-time writer. In 1930, Steinbeck meet Ed Ricketts, who soon is to be his life-long friend. Also that year, he married his sweetheart, Ms. Carol Henning. He then moved to Pacific Grove to find a publisher for A God Unknown. He failed to find a publisher but that did not stop him and he began writing stories for Pastures of Heaven. While writing this short story, he met another man that also became his friend for live by the name of Joseph Campbell. Joseph was a Jungian and a mythologist. He also was the person responsible for getting Steinbecks Pastures of Heaven published later that year. In 1933, Joseph also helped publish To a God Unknown and The Red Pon y Stories. 1934 was an extremely tragic year for Mr. Steinbeck, the year began good when his story, The Murder, appeared in O. Henry Prize Stories. Later that year, John was dealt a tremendous blow when his mother died. John was so upset that he did not write anything for another year. Then when he began to recover and start writing again, his father died in 1936. At that time, John Steinbeck was about half way through writing Of Mice and Men. Again because of Johns despair, he was not able to finish this book right away. But finally he was able to finish it in 1937, and it was published and became his first best seller. In 1939, Steinbecks had his favorite year, John was elected to The National Institute of Arts and Letters. He also published his Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Grapes of Wraith. The year of 1944 had many ups and downs for John Steinbeck. A wonderful event was the birth of his first son on the second of August. John had to fight to have his name removed from the cr edits of Lifeboat because he believed he did not believe in racism and he believed it was involved and promoted in the film. In 1962, Steinbeck was honored again with the award of The Nobel Prize in literature. John Steinbecks use of Charicterization and Imagery can easily be show through his best selling novel Of Mice and Men. The book