Nelson Mandela Essay Example for Free

Nelson Mandela Essay In order to achieve something great, you must have desire, you must truly want it from the bottom of your heart. Born July 18, 1918, in a small town in South Africa, Nelson Mandela had the greatest passion to do anything to win his country’s independence. He fought for the rights of blacks in South Africa and for helpless people around the world. Motivated by his actions, the president of South Africa, P.W. Botha, imprisoned Mandela for twenty-seven years. When he was released in 1990, he immediately came back into the fight he had left for so long. He was elected president by the people of South Africa in 1994. His term in office ended in 1999, however, he still fought for racial equality and peace. Mandela died on December 5, 2013, in Johannesburg, South Africa. Although he has passed, his legacy still exists around the world today. Nelson Mandela should be the man of the century because he helped bring an end to apartheid in South Africa and his leadership not only affected the people of his country, but also people all around the world. According to Biography in Context, at the age of 24, Mandela joined the African National Congress which was a group who worked to establish social and political rights for blacks in South Africa. Mandela’s actions in the ANC caused him to be put in prison. Mandela stated that, â€Å"his organization only wanted equal rights for South Africans of all races, and added that the only way they would show their unhappiness was by nonviolent disruptive tactics† (Contemporary Black Biography 2). The ANC became illegal causing Mandela to form the Spear of the Nation which was a group that directed sabotage actions against government installations and other symbols of apartheid. These acts of violence resulted in life in prison for Mandela. Although he was cut-off from the entire world, he never lost hope, and the people never forgot this courageous leader. On February 11, 1990, one of the most prodigious events of the year, Mandela was free for the first time in twenty-seven yea rs. In 1993, the nation was moving closer to free and  fair elections. On Election Day, in the first-ever democratic election, Mandela had been victorious, and became the first ever black president of the Republic of South Africa. During his presidency, Mandela focused on issues such as, â€Å"health, housing, education, and the development of public utilities and economic stability. The government also introduced legislation requiring workplace safety, overtime pay, and minimum wages† (Contemporary Black Biography 5). Mandela improved his countries living just in the short years that he was in office. The words that once came out of young Mandela’s mouth, â€Å"I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die† (Contemporary Black Biography 3). These words show the power and passion behind the heart of Mandela. He was willing to die for the freedom of his people like Christ died for our sins. The love he had for his country was like the love a mother and father have for their children. His courage, strength, and dedication changed the world forever. Mandela’s actions were too tremendous to only affect the little country of South Africa. His actions affected many places around the world. He encouraged many people to stand up for their rights of freedom. Although people such as President Reagan, according to NBC News, said the ANC was a terrorist group and they should not be praised and represented around the world because it engaged in, â€Å"calculated terror†¦the mining of roads, the bombing of public places, designed to bring about further repression† (Robert Windrem). I, along with many other people, do not believe this is true. Mandela was only fighting for the freedom which his country deserved, fighting for the happiness of his people, and fighting for the generations to come. The actions that Mandela took were only caused by the first sight of violence from the British police. If you were being controlled, and forced to live your life the way certain people wanted, wouldn’t you do whatever you co uld to stop it? Nelson Mandela left a legacy that will last for hundreds of years. The  apartheid movement that he led in South Africa, not only affected South Africans, but also affected nations on the other side of the globe. He is a man who will stand out from any other in the past and upcoming centuries. I believe that Nelson Mandela is the man of the century because the world, today, would not be the same if he had never fought for the rights that we all deserve. Works Cited Contemporary Black Biography, . Biography in Context. Nelson Mandela. Contemporary Black Biography, 05 Dec 2013. Web. 13 Apr 2014. Windrem, Robert. NBC News. Nelson Mandela a terrorist until 2008. NBC News, 07 Dec 2013. Web. 13 Apr 2014.

The American Revolution, A Fight for Colonial Independence Essay

â€Å"Is there a single trait of resemblance between those few towns and a great and growing people spread over a vast quarter of the globe, separated by a mighty ocean?† This question posed by Edmund Burke was in the hearts of nearly every colonist before the colonies gained their independence from Britain. The colonists’ heritage was largely British, as was their outlook on a great array of subjects; however, the position and prejudices they held concerning their independence were comprised entirely from American ingenuity. This identity crisis of these â€Å"British Americans† played an enormous role in the colonists’ battle for independence, and paved the road to revolution. As a result of the French and Indian War, England’s attention became focused on the areas that required tending by the government other than North America, which provided the colonies with the one thing that ensured the downfall of Britain’s monarchial reign over America: salutary neglect. The unmonitored inhabitants of the colonies accustomed themselves to a level of independence that they had never possessed before, and when these rights were jeopardized by the enforcement of the Stamp Act after the Seven Year’s War, the colonists would not take it lying down. The colonies bound together in rebellion against the taxation without representation through boycotting the use of English goods, as embodied by Benjamin Franklin’s famous drawing of a snake; the â€Å"Join or Die† snake, as a whole representing the functionality and â€Å"life† of the colonies if they would work together, also forewarns the uselessness and â€Å"death† of the individual regions, suggesting that the colonies as a whole would have to fight the revolution against the Mother Country or else fail miserably... ...07-1788. Source: Thomas Bailey, The American Pageant, 11th Edition, 1998. Source: Thomas Bailey, The American Pageant, 11th Edition, 1998. Works Cited: Edmund Burke, â€Å"Notes for Speech in Parliament, 3 February 1766† Thomas Bailey, The American Pageant, 11th Edition, 1998 Hector St. John Crà ¨vecoeur, Letters from an American Farmer, composed in the 1770's, published 1781 Ellis, Elser, World History: Connections to Today, 2001 Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania Gazette, 1754 Richard Henry Lee to Arthur Lee, 24 February 1774 Declaration for the Causes of Taking up Arms, Continental Congress, 6 July 1775 Mather Byles, Cotton Mather's grandson, to Nathaniel Emmons, Arthur Wentworth Hamilton Eaton, The Famous Mather Byles: The Noted Boston Tory Preacher, Poet and Wit, 1707-1788 Thomas Bailey, The American Pageant, 11th Edition, 1998

Marriage Matters Summary Linda J, Waite

As a preface, Waite progresses through various statistics fostering today's pattern of decreased marriages. She states clearly that, â€Å"The decline in marriage is directly connected to the rise in cohabitation-living with someone in a sexual relationship without being married. † Statistics showed a vast decrease in marriages between both black and white marriages. This seems to be an epidemic in today's society providing examples which might reflect people or situations In our lives.Another one, of the many, shocking statistics show that about â€Å"one third† of births occur outside of wedlock. Waiter's worry is that marriages are statistically more beneficial to the children who are conceived and born with a stable set of parents. The first argument poses a stance that health between a family is of greater quality when the family Is complete. That being said, Waite never quite defined what a complete family Is, but the term Is connotatively a derived of a mother, f ather, and could possibly consist of children.From the paper, a family Is anything Inside matrimony. Waiter's first argument for health is that marriage appears to reduce risky and unhealthy behaviors. Marriage will also increases material well-being such as income, assets, or wealth. The last component, which I think is the most beneficial, is moral support. All of these ideals are intricate measures needed for a healthy life-all of which stem and are heightened through marriage. The second argument for a pro marriage lifestyle is that life Is easier financially through a stable Income.Incomes can either be shared or enhanced with marriage. Waite argues that single parent households are in Jeopardy due to lack of sufficient funds and energy where dual parent homes are either amplified by double income or saved by production at home. Wives tend to lead the stay at home Job of doing the duties with house work while men go to work. This leaves more time to pay attention to family as w ell as diligence In their career while the wife rears the kids and does house work; leaving much more time to relax and recoup.The third argument supported by Waiter's article supports a greater intimacy between a couple in marriage. When people think of the word intimacy, it is attached (generally) to sex. Waite argues that not only are sexual needs exceeded, but emotionally the bond is wound tighter. â€Å"The long term contract implicit in marriage- which is not implicit in cohabitation- facilitates emotional investment in the relationship, which should affect both frequency of and needs are met. The final argument is the impact of marriage on the children.Statistics show that two times as many children that are raised in one-parent families than children from two-parent families drop out of high school. A startling fact but is upheld to be true. Almost all cases of poverty were recorded by cases of children growing up in single parent homes. It summates that children are superb ly affected by the role models which are designated in their lives. The last page of the article persuades the reader to â€Å"reverse the trend† and all of the casualties invested by overdeveloped monogamous relationships.Multiple sources are accredited with the foundation of a rubber standard. The ideals in society fluctuate because of public policy and acceptance. Policies and standards must be enforced throughout society to rectify change. In summate, Waite argues that a positive lifestyle is that of which is inside of marriage. She resolves that â€Å"marriage produces individuals who drink less, smoke less, abuse substances less, live longer, earn more, are wealthier, and have children who do better- need to give more thought and effort to supporting this valuable social institution. †

Elements of Crime - 793 Words

Elements of a crime The basic components of a criminal offense are listed below;[2] generally, each element of an offense falls into one or another of these categories. At common law, conduct could not be considered criminal unless a defendant possessed some level of intention — either purpose, knowledge, or recklessness — with regard to both the nature of his alleged conduct and the existence of the factual circumstances under which the law considered that conduct criminal. However, for some legislatively enacted crimes, the most notable example being statutory rape, a defendant need not have had any degree of belief or willful disregard as to the existence of certain factual circumstances (such as the age of the accuser) that rendered†¦show more content†¦Others may require proof the act was committed with such mental elements such as knowingly or willfulness or recklessness. Arson requires an intent to commit a forbidden act, while others such as murder require an intent to pro duce a forbidden result. Motive, the reason the act was committed, is not the same as mens rea and the law is not concerned with motive. Although most legal systems recognize the importance of the guilty mind, or mens rea, exactly what is meant by this concept varies Conduct (Actus reus) All crimes require actus reus. That is, a criminal act or an unlawful omission of an act, must have occurred. A person cannot be punished for thinking criminal thoughts. This element is based on the problem of standards of proof. How can another persons thoughts be determined and how can criminal thoughts be differentiated from idle thoughts? Further, the laws purview is not to punish criminal ideas but to punish those who act upon those ideas voluntarily. Unlike thoughts, words can be considered acts in criminal law. For example, threats, perjury, conspiracy, and solicitation are offenses in which words can constitute the element of actus reus. The omission of an act can also constitute the basis for criminal liability. Concurrence In general, mens rea and actus reus must occur at the same time—that is, the criminal intent had must precede or coexist with theShow MoreRelatedUnderstanding Elements of a Crime742 Words   |  3 PagesTerrorists and terrorism Q1. Describe the importance of knowing the elements of a crime before an investigator decides on an investigative plan. It is important to know all of the elements of the crime to determine the specific goals of the investigation: whether it is fact-finding in nature; designed to bring about a criminal prosecution, or has another specific objective. Q2. What is the importance of resources as it relates to an investigative plan? 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