Agent orange in Vietnam: Effects and remediation

Agent orange in Vietnam: Effects and remediation ABSTRACT Many types of herbicides were used during the Vietnam War for the purpose of destroying the forests, where Vietnamese soldiers sheltered. Among them, the chemical that was used the most and most hazardous was Agent Orange. This paper, based on secondary research, will discuss some main issues of Agent Orange in Vietnam. In particular, three facets are mentioned, including the effects of Agent Orange on the environment and human in Vietnam, the manner of overcoming its consequences and the struggle for justice for Agent Orange sufferers. Overall, the paper draws the conclusion that the remediation of Agent Orange effects is gradually carried out, but it requires a lot of time and manpower to basically clean-up the remainder of the toxic. Agent Orange In Vietnam: Effects And Remediation Introduction. In Vietnam War, the U.S. Army used a chemical substance called Agent Orange to reveal Vietnam soldiers’ cover and shelters during their chemical warfare in Vietnam. Agent Orange is a name of the herbicide established for military, which contains a dangerous chemical contaminant called dioxin. Dioxin in Agent Orange is a highly toxic and it can cause disabilities, birth defects, diabetes and even cancer. The main purpose of using this deadly substance is to destroy dense terrain in jungles, where Vietnam Armies may be hiding; and to devastate Vietnam’s vegetation and sources of food. It is noteworthy that Agent Orange was sprayed up to about 50 times concentration recommended by manufacturers for eliminating plants in agriculture. The Agent was sprayed over South Vietnam by trucks, boats, infantryman backpack sprayers, and mostly by cargo aircrafts. In fact, not only the environment was destroyed, but human who exposed to the chemical could also be associated with seriou s health issues. It affected both Vietnamese people, and U.S Army veterans, who directly spread this substance into environment. This paper discusses the tremendous impacts of Agent Orange on environment as well as on people in Vietnam, how to remedy its consequences and describes the struggle for justice for Agent Orange victims. Effects of Agent Orange in Vietnam. Effects of Agent Orange on environment. For the first time in human history, a kind of noxious herbicide was used on a large scale in Southern Vietnam, and it caused severe consequences for the ecological environment. In fact, about 72 liters of herbicides (include 44 liters of Agent Orange) was sent out by U.S Army. 86% of the toxic was sprayed directly onto forest land, while 14% remaining was sprayed straight onto agriculture land, where mostly planted rice (H.T 2005). Such enormous amount of these fatal herbicides had created many terrific impacts on environment in Vietnam. From 1965 to 1971, the U.S Military sprayed Agent Orange over approximately 24% of Southern Vietnam, at least 5 million acres of forests and 500,000 acres of crops were destroyed (Vo, cited in Joseph 2011), corresponding to 12% of forest cover and 5% of arable land in total area (H.T 2005). As said by Stellman (cited in Vo 2009, unpub.), they sprayed the herbicide repeatedly in high concentrations, which comprised 3-4 mg/l, much higher than in circumstance of large-scale production and emergency. As a result, this chemical toxin had killed trees, animals, caused ecological imbalance and did great damage to forest resources. The abundant rainforest ecosystem completely vanished, and replaced by a ragged ecosystem. Various types of forests and natural resources in Southern Vietnam were influenced. Animals’ natural habitat was also heavily affected. A lot of plants in forests died and this led to the depletion of genetic resources of a number of rare species. The use of Agent Orange and some else herbicides in Vietnam War had devastated vast areas of forests, which is a very essential basis for stable development of Vietnam. Besides the ecosystem, the soil was also contaminated as a result of the herbicides. The nutrient composition of the soil was damaged and the topsoil became exhausted. When the forests were exterminated, the soil would no longer be covered, and this brought about soil erosion. Research have pointed out that 3.3 million hectares of natural land, including 2 million hectares of domestic forest land were affected by herbicides. In many large areas, land has not been able to be used for cultivation and grazing livestock because the toxic have absorbed deeply into the soil. Since the contaminant dioxin is not broken down quickly and easily in soil, even today, traces of dioxin are still found in soil in many parts of Southern Vietnam. Effects of Agent Orange on human. A. Schecter J. Constable wrote that â€Å"There is no doubt that during and after the war, many Vietnamese absorbed this very toxic material (dioxin). It is our belief from toxicological research and epidemiological studies from many countries that this dioxin probably resulted in significant health effects in Vietnam.† Dioxin, even with infinitesimal amounts could seriously damage human’s health and reduce the lives of people exposed to it as well. In fact, dioxin can cause a great deal of diseases, such as Hodgkin’s disease, mental disorders, soft-tissue sarcoma, diabetes and several kinds of cancer (Martin 2009). Additionally, there is a potential that it can create several legacies for future generations. According to War Legacies Project (Dwernychuk et al. n.d.), herbicides, including Agent Orange had compromised about 4.5 million Vietnamese civilians and 2.8 million U.S veterans. Among them, it is estimated by the Vietnamese Red Cross that up to 3 million Vietnamese have suffered health effects and 150,000 children were born with birth defects (Fawthrop, 2004). The truth is there are so many people were killed by Agent Orange that there are not any firm statistics of the number of people died after exposing to this chemical toxic. With people who survived in the chemical warfare, dioxin would exist in their body for at least 10-12 years. Consequently, their offspring might be at risk of legacies, although they were born many years after war and far from battlefields. There are some kinds of birth defects namely cleft lip, cleft palate, fused digits, muscle malformations and paralysis; and some developmental disabilities as stated by NAS (cited in Dwernychuk et al. n.d.). More dangerous, plants and animals, which are sources of human’s food might consumed dioxin in soil and water, then the toxic may enter bodies through food chain, destroying human from cells. In short, the consequences of Agent Orange/Dioxin are enormous, long lasting and not been thoroughly studied. For those reasons, there have not been any ways to overcome its effects completely and swiftly. Remediation of the consequences of Agent Orange. Process of overcoming Agent Orange’s effects on environment and human. To surmount the consequences of Agent Orange/Dioxin in Vietnam, it requires both effort from this country and the U.S government. The very first thing needed is starting an afforestation program to green the area destroyed by Agent Orange. Scientists have planted rapidly growing trees to create the necessary coverage for bare land, and then they intercropped native plants to recover the featured ecosystem. Furthermore, a project called â€Å"Training for local human resources to restore forest ecosystem and reuse of degraded land due to the effects of toxic chemicals during the war† was launched with the financial support from Ford Foundation (Vo 2009). On the U.S Government’s side, they have also launched a project to clean up Agent Orange in Vietnam. Accordingly, they are providing $43 million to diminish the contamination degree in an area of 73,000 meters square from 2013 to 2016 (Ho, cited in Perry 2012). A decontamination clean-up site was established in Da Nang to allow the clean-up and Vietnam and the United States are looking at new sites in Dong Nai and Binh Dinh in the near future. Both of the two nations also hope to reach the target of fundamentally resolving the aftermath of Agent Orange/Dioxin by 2020. Besides, addressing health issues is also an integral part on the way eradicating Agent Orange/Dioxin in Vietnam. A report in the Make Agent Orange History (2012) revealed that in an effort to remedy health effects, Vietnamese government makes a grant of about $40 million each year to Agent Orange victims. The Vietnam Red Cross has also raised a donation of more than $22 million to assist Vietnamese affected by the toxic herbicides. Likewise, the Ford Foundation, UNICEF along with other organizations and contributors has given $39.1 for health care and other services for the sufferers. An amount of $40.1 million had also been distributed for remediation and health programs by the U.S Congress The struggle for justice for Agent Orange victims. For many years, Vietnam has tried to require the U.S government to take responsibility for environmental and health consequences of Agent Orange used in Vietnam. Nevertheless, the negotiations are still not getting anywhere. As a consequence, a group of Vietnamese scientists decided to sue 39 chemical companies and those people who responsible in a number of courts in America (Dinh 2005). However, the lawsuits were judged unfairly and all dismissed. Although did not achieve the goal, the lawsuit has helped many people around the world have a closer look at the tragedy of Agent Orange. In the meantime, Vietnamese community has launched a campaign to appeal for the support from people around the world by collecting signatures. Fortunately, public opinion is supporting the lawsuit very strongly. The more good news is, in 2009, the Tribunal of Conscience concluded that the using Agent Orange of the U.S government is a war crime against humanity and a genocide crime human and environment and Vietnam. Accordingly, the U.S government and 39 chemical companies must take full responsibility and compensate the victims of Agent Orange (Hoang 2009). That is the biggest success so far of the Vietnam Association of Vi ctims of Agent Orange so far. However, the struggle to find justice for the victims is still challenging. Vietnamese people have to be persistent, thus, it requires the help of millions of people to heal the â€Å"Orange Pain†. Conclusion The above analysis has pointed out a great deal of massive consequences of Agent Orange on both the environment and human in Vietnam. Numerous negative effects caused by this chemical toxic still remain until now and they are likely to continue to exist in many, many years. Meanwhile, the process of overcoming the consequences is still carried out step by step by Vietnam, along with the help of the USA as well as many other organizations. What is more, the fight for the rights of casualties also has achieved certain success. However, these are the very first steps. In order to completely eliminate the effects of Agent Orange, this process need a lot more time and effort as well as the assistance of millions, even billions of people around the world. REFERENCES Dinh Vuong 2005, ‘Và ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ¥ kià ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¡n cà ¡Ã‚ »a cà ¡c nà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¡n nhà ¢n chà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¥t Ä‘Ã ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â€ž ¢c da cam/Dioxin Vià ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¡t Nam Hà  nh trà ¬nh Ä‘Ã ²i cà ´ng là ½Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, Khoa Hoc Phap Ly Magazine, vol. 3, viewed 22 February, 2014. Dwernychuk, W Bailey, C., n.d.,‘Health effects of Agent Orange/Dioxin’, War Legacies, viewed 15 February, 2014, http://www.warlegacies.org/health.htm. Fawthrop, T. 2004, ‘Vietnams War against Agent Orange’, BBC News story, viewed 18 February, 2014, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3798581.stm. H.T, 2005, ‘Chà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¥t Ä‘Ã ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â€ž ¢c mà  u da cam huà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ · dià ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¡t mà ´i trÆ °Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ng à ¡Ã‚ »Ã… ¸ Vià ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¡t Nam nhÆ ° thà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿ nà  o?’, Khoahoc, viewed 12 February, 2014, http://www.khoahoc.com.vn/doisong/moi-truong/tham-hoa/606_Chat-doc-mau-da-cam-huy-diet-moi-truong-o-Viet-Nam-nhu-the-nao.aspx. Hoang Nghia 2009, ‘Toà   à ¡n LÆ °Ãƒâ€ Ã‚ ¡ng tà ¢m Nhà ¢n dà ¢n thà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿ già ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ºi: Cà ´ng là ½ là   lÆ °Ãƒâ€ Ã‚ ¡ng tri nhà ¢n loà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¡i’ [online] Available at URL: http://www.tapchicongsan.org.vn/Home/Binh-luan/2009/1887/Toa-an-Luong-tam-Nhan-dan-the-gioi-Cong-ly-la-luong.aspx (Accessed 23 February, 2014) Joshep, J. 2011, ‘Là ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¹ch sà ¡Ã‚ »Ã‚ ­ chà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¥t Ä‘Ã ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â€ž ¢c Da cam và   Dioxin à ¡Ã‚ »Ã… ¸ Vià ¡Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬ ¡t Nam’, viewed 10 February, 2014, http://www.aspeninstitute.org/vi/policy-work/agent-orange/history. ‘Make Agent Orange History 2012’, ‘Solutions for Agent Orange In Vietnam’, viewed February 20, 2014), http://makeagentorangehistory.org/agent-orange-resources/background/solutions-for-agent-orange-in-vietnam/. Martin, M.F., 2009, Vietnamese Victims of Agent Orange and U.S.-Vietnam Relations, United States Congressional Research Service, p.10, viewed 14 February, 2014 Perry, M. 2012, ‘U.S. starts its first Agent Orange cleanup in Vietnam’ [online] Available at URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/09/us-vietnam-usa-agentorange-idUSBRE87803K20120809 (Accessed February 20, 2014) Vo Quy, 2009, Report in the cahier of Agent Orange, 2nd at United States House of Representatives, viewed 14 February, 2014. `

Authoritarian Government for the Philippines

Closing Government, Rebuttal research Motion: â€Å"This house believes that an authoritarian government will help the Philippines progress. † I. Expected Argument â€Å"The form of government doesn’t matter and the progress of the country will depend on the kind of leader we have as a president. † II. Counter-Argument â€Å"Unlike in other forms of the government, the authoritarian form of government allows us to make a standard to what kind of leader is best for our country. † III. Explanation Since the authoritarian government aims for a person single-handedly leading our country, all citizens must adhere and go by the ideals set by the leader himself. The only time the country will be in chaos during an authoritarian regime is when the citizens don’t agree with the leader. This can be solved by a very strict criteria and standard of what kind of leader our president should be. The standards can be ranged from what kind of school he graduated from, to experiences in leadership. Being a leader of a country is not simply a face who everybody recognizes from television or somebody who bribes and cheats his way into position. Setting a standard is faster and more possible when we have an authoritarian government. Other governments have to be associated and linked with â€Å"freedom†, and so it is rarely possible to set a specific standard for electing a president because they promote independence and freedom of whomever wants to be a president. It is most likely that there could be an unsuitable leader that is elected to be president in a democratic form of government (because it is â€Å"everybody’s ball game†, quoted from my father) – that is the reason why until now, Filipinos are still protesting about our presidents and how they do not do anything to solve our problems. When we have a proper judgement of who to elect leader, we can have a more disciplined nation, economy follows right after because when we have a leader with one single vision to improve on our problems, the processes can be faster. The standard set can reflect how much our president can help us with our economy. Stocks can go higher, we can export more high priority local goods, and we can improve on our nationalism at the same time. We have to put our electoral nominees to the test so that we can have a more progressive country in terms of economy. IV. Examples In a smaller scale, the application of an authoritarian government can be associated with how one runs a company with the president as the CEO, and the different local governments in our country as the different departments in an office building. In a publicly owned company, the CEO must be a good role model to his employees in order to make them do their job properly. The CEO must provide the needs of the employees and in turn, the employees give their hard work and talent in their business. Trust is therefore developed and it makes running the business flow easily. When people choose a CEO, they do not just choose out of a whim. They pick people who are trained specially for the position and they have a guideline on who to assign the position of CEO or any other big name in a company. Effective CEOs are those who amidst crisis, can still maintain the stock prices and make them the same amount as every normal day. However, when they appoint a bad CEO, it can be seen when the stocks drop low for about 40 to 50% even when there is no serious problem. In that case, he should really be ousted. Singapore, having an authoritarian government led by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, has an economy relatively corruption free and has one of the highest GDPs (Gross Domestic Products) in the world. It would not have been possible to have such a successful economy if not for such a qualified Prime Minister for their country. I believe that it is possible for it to happen in our country, the Philippines, as long as we have a specific guideline and criteria in nomitating and electing our country’s leader. V. Sources 1) â€Å"Country Rankings. † (accessed January 20, 2012) http://www. heritage. org/index/Ranking. aspx 2) Huff, W. G. â€Å"Cambridge Journal of Economics. † (accessed January 23, 2012) http://cje. oxfordjournals. org/content/19/6/735. abstract

Anglo-Saxon Heroic Poetry - 5673 Words

Old English poetry is divided into two types: the Heroic, the sources of which are pre-Christian Germanic myth, history and custom; and the Christian. Heroic, or Epic Poetry belongs to one of these two types and refers to long narrative poems celebrating the great deeds of one or more legendary heroes, in a grand, ceremonious style. In its strict use by literary critics, the terms Heroic Poetry or Epic are applied to a work that meets the following criteria: such a poem must be related in an elevated style, and centered upon a heroic or quasi-divine figure on whose actions depends the fate of a tribe, a nation, or the human race. The hero, usually protected by or even descended from gods, performs superhuman exploits in battle or in†¦show more content†¦Features of legend building evident in epic include the following: 1.The heros near-invulnerability; 2.The heros fighting without conventional weapons (as in Beowulfs wrestling Grendel); 3.The heros inglorious youth; 4.The heros auspicious birth, an attempt at the reconstruction of the early life of a notable adult; 5.Transference of the deeds and events associated with one hero to another of similar name. Such events would include the gods arming a hero ( a metaphor for wondrous strength so great it must have seemed to have divine origins) and the hero is descending to the Underworld ( a metaphor for facing and overcoming death); 6.Historical inclusiveness: the poem presents a whole culture in microcosm - although the action is localized, flashbacks and inset narratives widen the epics geographical and chronological scope to include the whole of that races world and culture heroes; 7.The hero is a dramatic protagonist in each scene of a play that is too big for any stage Milton employed the epic machinery of Homer and Virgil while attempting to redefine their ethos from that of the man of action to that of the man of patient endurance and love. In attempting to make this shift, Milton was surely recognizing that the heroic poem is essentially non-Christian since it is based on the deeds of a man of physical action, a warrior and military leader. Although an epic may be either a folk original (primary), it must be unified inShow MoreRelatedAngloSaxon Literature Essay632 Words   |  3 Pagesthe Anglo-Saxon Period (449-1066), we see that many of their narratives, stories were simply passed down orally due to the lack of education prior to the era of Christianity. During the Anglo- Saxon Era literature initially began to be written down by the monks of the Christian Monasteries. The Anglo-Saxons contributed many details to human nature. The Anglo-Saxons named our modern day weekdays after Greek Gods. Heroism within an epic poem was often present du ring this period. Epic poetry wasRead MoreExodus : A Culturally Blended Anglo Saxon Britain1398 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Exodus† in a Culturally Blended, Anglo Saxon Britain The Old English poem â€Å"Exodus† exemplifies the complex mixture of influencing forces within Anglo Saxon culture at the time of its writing. As discussed in class, sixth and seventh century (the time leading up to the creation of â€Å"Exodus†) Britain were periods of increased Christian missionary work. It is important to note, however, that while Christian missionaries began to greatly influence and shape Anglo Saxon Britain, the conversion of its peopleRead MoreTheme Of Paganism In Beowulf1179 Words   |  5 PagesThe longest epic poem ever written in the genre of Old English is â€Å"Beowulf†, it has been composed in the native language as spoken during the Anglo-Saxon reign in England, preceding the Norman Conquest. Beowulf is regarded as a classic tale which relates the defeat of evil and triumph of good. The poem is divided into three acts. Christian and Pagan Influences in Beowulf: The Pagan deities, rituals as well as pagan ideas influenced Beowulf, when it was being created, though the passing down ofRead MoreThe Epic of Beowulf733 Words   |  3 PagesBeowulf is the oldest anglo-saxon poem written in English. The poem describes the heroic deeds of Beowulf in his fight against monsters. Even if the events narrated in the poem take place in Denmark, the poem was transmitted by oral language between the anglo-saxon even 200 years after its creation. Anglo-saxons did not consider themselves british, but vikings, and their heroes were always from Scandinavia. The author of Beowulf is anonymous. The original poem was written on sheep tanned leatherRead MoreTrace the Development of English Lit During Any One Period...as Part of Your Discussion Highlight How Significant Events in the Influence the Writing...Additionally Show How Characteristics of the Genre the Writer Uses3085 Words   |  13 Pagesno limitations to where you can go. This quotation may apply to the span of the Anglo-Saxon period because of the coherent linkage to the origination of the English dialect and the modernization of English Literature. Over the years English literature has evolved greatly. There have been diverse changes to the structure and development of English language since the advent of Old English dialect during the Anglo-Saxon period to what we now speak and consider to be English language. â€Å"Old English isRead MorePeriods of English Literature1515 Words   |  7 Pagesthroughout the centuries, most especially if one considers the differences between the Old English, Renaissance and Romantic periods. The Anglo-Saxon history is undoubtedly very interesting to study, as the period spans several centuries and several different inhabitants of the land now known as England. The main characteristic of this time was the heroic ideal, which was the attempt by a hero to do things such as sailing a ship through a storm and taming a horse better than anyone else. TheRead MoreHistory Of Ancient Poetry Ghosh ( 1 )995 Words   |  4 PagesHistory of the ancient poetry GHOSH (1) The period of time of concerning 500-100AD in British history was characterized by foreign invasions and internal struggles. This resulted within the admixture of many races, tongues and cultures. Once the Romans departed from British Isles in 407 AD fighting continuing between the Picts and therefore the Scots who had lost their common enemy. The fifth century additionally saw conquests and therefore the gradual occupationRead MoreBeowulf : Portrait Of Anglo Saxon Society Essay2057 Words   |  9 PagesPortrait of Anglo-Saxon Society The Middle Ages in England began with the withdrawal of the Romans and the arrival of various Germanic tribes (the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes), during the mid-fifth century. These tribes, which became known as the Anglo-Saxons, were composed of people from North Germany, Denmark and northern Holland, and took control of most of Britain, except for lands such as Scotland, Wales or Cornwall (Hindley 23). They brought with them the tradition of oral poetry, specificallyRead MoreThe Importance Of Heroism In Beowulf1073 Words   |  5 PagesBeowulf is a classic, epic story which theme focuses on good versus evil, â€Å"Beowulf is essentially a heathen poem† (Bodek) said F.A Blackburn because it consists of elements drawn from Anglo-Saxons culture before they were converted to Christians. It is tidily divided into three parts; The battle with Grendel, The battle with Grendel’s mother and the battle with the Dragon. The poem deals with Germanic forebears, the Danes, t he Geats and the Swedes. This story features a super-strong warrior BeowulfRead More The Anglo-Saxon poems, The Wanderer, The Seafarer, and The Wife’s Lament3469 Words   |  14 PagesThe Anglo-Saxon poems, â€Å"The Wanderer,† â€Å"The Seafarer,† and â€Å"The Wife’s Lament† The Old English, or Anglo-Saxon, era of England lasted from about 450-1066 A.D. The tribes from Germany that conquered Britain in the fifth century carried with them both the Old English language and a detailed poetic tradition. The tradition included alliteration, stressed and unstressed syllables, but more importantly, the poetry was usually mournful, reflecting on suffering and loss.1These sorrowful poems from

The Digression of Discrimination - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1095 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/03/28 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Discrimination Essay Did you like this example? Discrimination is extremely prominent and critically important in American life. It has significant and detrimental effects on the health of many Americans. But there isnt too much being done about it. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Digression of Discrimination" essay for you Create order Within this Free Country, we face discrimination in many forms. When dealing with police, employers, buying houses, doctors, slurs and much more. Gentrification is one of the big issues throughout the country. Gentrification is a general term for the arrival of wealthier people in an existing urban district, a related increase in rents and property values, and changes in the districts character and culture. Gentrification is seen as a good thing in many peoples eyes Who wouldnt want to see less crime, increases in economic activity and a happier environment? Unfortunately, its disproportionately less enjoyable for people who maybe arent as wealthy. Gentrification has caused lots of conflicts that teeter on the line of racial issues and social justice. In many neighborhoods, Gentrification is undoubtedly a problem. Many people struggle to keep up with the extreme variables that come with gentrification. The minority group is usually removed because of higher rates and lots of economic change. It is often hard for lower-income households to find shelter and a place to settle. There is an obvious high extent of segregation of colored people in certain neighborhoods and white people living in other neighborhoods and its quite an observable phenomenon in the country. Although America has always been a multicultural country, many groups are subjected to discrimination in different ways. Thankfully America has come a very long way since the days of slavery, and strides were made and are still being made towards granting equal rights we still see a prevalent issue. There is a clear divide between groups. Many minority groups face racial bias when applying for jobs and finding income. This results in poorer communities and an economic divide in the country that is statistically racial. Many authors and other people have talked about this in not only literature but through artwork and even some modern day music. For example, James Baldwin talks about the racial tension through his books like The Fire Next Time. Baldwin has said To be a Negro in this country and t o be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time expressing what many people experience because they have darker skin. Artworks such as New Kids in the Neighborhood (Negro in the Suburbs) by Norman Rockwell express the same thing. This painting depicts what it feels like to be excluded and misunderstood for looking different. It shows colored children and white children seeing each other for was is presumably the first time and how they seem to misunderstand one another. Not only is it racism, but its also with religion and sex. Muslims and other religious groups face the same issues every day. After the tragedy of September 11th, Muslims have been called terrorists, kicked off planes and so much more. Moreover, women in America struggle with being turned down because of the gender they portray even in modern times. Although now women can vote and work the jobs they desire, there is still sexism and discrimination against a majority of them. Learning to understand one another, learning more about others and seeing the problems instead of ignoring them could help. An example is The Danger of a Single Story. by Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. She explains how people perceived her differently just based on the fact that she was from Africa. She expresses how people assumed she listened to tribal music and didnt u nderstand English. And how basing an idea of a person off of where they come from or the single idea others might have of them is what causes issues between races.Show a people as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again and that is what they become meaning that if a culture is based off a single idea, nobody will truly understand what its like. Enforcing learning about other cultures and understanding of differences could greatly improve how people see each other. As James Baldwin said, It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have. If the community ignores the issue and turns the other cheek, theyll never make any progress. Learning to deal with the issue and fight for whats right is the best way to help boost the country. In similarity the text, Thank You, Maam. by Langston Hughes, the lesson that is taught it to be kind in order to teach people how to act. She takes him in as if he were her own and teaches him right from wrong instead of sending him straight to prison.You ought to be my son. I would teach you right from wrong. Least I can do right now is to wash your face. Are you hungry?(Hughes) Treating people the same way she did would make a huge impact on the way America is. Unfortunately, racism and sexism will never come to a halting stop, there is something that humanity could do to make progress. America could improve the country as a community by following hard but straightforward steps. There is no simple way but by learning to be more open-minded, everything could greatly improve. Education is the first step. By educating people about issues, cultures, mental health, new ideas and more, everyone would have a better understanding of one another. The second step is to focus on positive movements and good things about others. The third step is to support and include everyone and as a planet, the human race will be a better group to be a part of. Works Cited Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. The Danger of a Single Story. TED, July 2009. Baldwin, James. The Fire Next Time. First Vintage International Edition, 1993. Conley. Communities Promote Diversity. American City and County, 15 March 2012. Grant, Benjamin. What is Gentrification? Flag Wars, PBS, 17 June 2003. Hughes, Langston. Thank You, Maam. The Short Stories of Langston Hughes, Childs World, Inc., 1958. McIntosh, Peggy. White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. Wellesley College Morgenthau, Henry. The Negro and the American Promise. American Experience, Season 16, 18 Jan. 2004. Racism in America: Small Town 1950s Case Study Documentary Film. YouTube, Accessed on 7 December 2018. Rockwell, Norman. New Kids in the Neighborhood (Negro in the Suburbs). Brooklyn Museum, 1967. Turner, Marjory Austin, and Annette Rowlings. Promoting Neighborhood Diversity, Benefits, Barriers, and Strategies. The Urban Institute, August 2009. Smithsimon, Gregory. Are African American Families More Vulnerable in a Largely White Neighborhood? Cause And How It Doesnt Always Equal Effect, Melville House, 7 December 2018.