Individuality free essay sample

What separates me from everyone else? The difference is not what clothes I wear or the music I listen too, but what I feel inside.Ever since I was young, I have loved professional wrestling. I woke up every Saturday to watch my favorite Superstars. As I grew older, I got a lot of flak for watching this fake sport. My peers would laugh at me for following what was called a mans soap opera. So, I put my love for wrestling on the shelf. Like everyone else, I wanted to be associated with the cool clique. I yearned to be invited to the parties of the in-crowd and hang out with the popular kids. I became pretty successful. Although my Friday evenings were busy with parties, I would still wake up early Saturdays to watch wrestling. It wasnt until freshman year that I realized I wasnt being myself. We will write a custom essay sample on Individuality or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page That year, I tried many new things and activities and made new friends. In my town, football was the sport, so I decided to play football, thinking it might give me a head start in popularity. The team started with 48 athletes. At the end, there were 14 of us left. I stuck it out not because I liked it, but because I am not a quitter. That long season taught me a lesson: I wasnt a football player. More importantly, it taught me to be myself.After that season, I went back to being a wrestling fan. I watched it religiously, no matter what insults were thrown my way. I came across a quote: Dont Dream It, Be It. When I read this, my friend Dan had the same idea I had. What if we build a wrestling ring? we asked. We acquired the necessary wood and equipment for its construction. The following weekend, we met at his house. We saw our dream in a pile in his backyard. We worked from dawn to dusk to build our great establishment. By Sunday night, our mission was complete. Our hard work (combi ned with a little creativity) had paid off. We had a real ring.We decided to hold an event. We practiced for hours, trying to improve every aspect of our wrestling ability. The date was May 24th. Our show had a start time of 9: 00 p.m. To our surprise, about one hundred family, friends and fans showed up to support us. It was the most important night of my life and a complete success. Since that time, we have held five shows with as many as two hundred and fifty people turning out. We continue to live this dream. We accomplished what we set out to do.We are now well known throughout school. When I walk down the halls, I am respected by my peers. Some are the same peers who ridiculed me for watching wrestling when I was younger. When they approach me, they often say, Good match, Chris. I humbly say, Thank you, knowing I did something I believed in.As my senior year winds down, Ill remember all of my high school memories. But what will stick out most is the memory that I did something I loved, despite what everyone said or thought. I accomplished my goal I lived my dream.

Diet Essays

Smoking cessation and Obesity/ Diet Essays Smoking cessation and Obesity/ Diet Essay Smoking cessation and Obesity/ Diet Essay The productivity of every person is affected by his or her health status. Any country envisioning increasing its output must first check the health of its citizens. In the United States, the health sector is one of the departments that heavily use state’s financial resources to treat the myriad health complications that arise. More resources are being channeled to research on health problems to enable the country minimize avoidable diseases and treat those that have cure. Previously, the health policy focused more on curative measures but based on the studies that have continually added knowledge on causes of diseases, more focus is being given to preventive measures.Among the leading causes of death in the United States is cancer and diet related diseases. Cancer is the most feared disease in America and the major contributor to cancer is tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. Diet related complications have given rise to obesity whic h also contributes to many deaths in the U.S. Research has shown that obesity has extended to young children at alarming rates (http://deainfo.nci.nih.gov/ADVISORY/pcp/pcp07rpt/ExecSum.pdf). The rise in the number of obesity cases is mainly associated with some lifestyle behaviors that encourage unhealthy eating habits. Fast food junctions increased and caused similar increment to obesity cases. If the United States and the world over will win the battle over these preventable health complications, the overall productivity of the world will improve, according to President’s Cancer Panel 2006-2007 Annual Report.Governments and other organizations that deal with health problems have also proposed new approaches. Business entities have also been seen to actively participate in programs that serve to maintain good health in the workplaces. Indeed, many companies have defined health schemes in their profiles, a phenomenon that was nonexistent. Employers and the governments are aim ing at developing wellness programs as they strategize on cutting health related costs. Such programs are developed with the view of promoting a culture of wellness and individual empowerment regarding personal health.Among the current trends to curb unnecessary loss of life is by reduction of the numbers of people who smoke. The youth are the most prone to engage in tobacco use and they also contribute to the continuity of the practice. If tobacco is discouraged among this group this group, much could be achieved. Many firms in their contribution to this initiative have declared their working environment as non-smoking areas and set other places as smoking zones. Laws have been enacted to enforce these. The move is, however, opposed by tobacco companies that view the issue only in terms of profits.An important initiative taken by the government is aimed at reduction of obesity cases. Current trends indicate that half of the U.S. population is obese. The initiative is aimed at reduc ing the number of obesity cases among children especially those below 10 years. It is believed that this approach will contribute to the overall reduction of obesity cases. The initiative is targeted on children through their parents and the institutions of learning. These have more access and influence on the children (Jenner, 2005).The other trend that is increasingly noticed among the general public is the emphasis on exercise. Most health problems like obesity and other dietary and heart complications have been studied and lack of exercise had been a major contributor. Exercise is emphasized across people of all age groups more so the working population. This is because work schedules may be tight as to deny such people a chance to engage in activities. The workplace has received more attention as a leading cause of health problems and now focus has been shifted there. Companies are actively now involved in programs to encourage their workers to participate especially in sportin g activities. Exercise sessions are now available in some companies as well as establishments of sports teams. Companies have in fact been seen to encourage competition between these sports teams. However well meaning such activities are, they weigh heavily on the companies’ budgets. Various governments have enacted laws requiring companies to have health programs for their employees especially the high-risk companies dealing with chemical production. Protective gear should be availed by the companies, according to The Health Communication Unit.A most important trend is that aimed at improving diet and nutrition. As the major contributors to health problems, it is very important to adopt strategies to address them. Public education forums have become a normal way to raise awareness of the causes and preventive measures. These forums are aimed at the working people and in educational institutions. The government and other non-governmental organizations are aggressive in these campaigns. Though there lacks any law to direct this, the public health policy encourages raising awareness to the public. A change of lifestyle is proposed.Another important initiative to maintain good health is by involvement in research. The state funds research studies that are aimed at discovering the underlying causes of some health complications and the preventive method s that can help alleviate the impact on the individuals. Funding such research will always be expensive bearing in mind that health research may take several years to be conclusive.Good health cannot be attained unless it is a personal aim. The government may employ all the machinery to educate the public on the best ways to be health. But unless such advice is backed by a personal desire to engage in healthy practices, there will be no change to the already worsening situation. Discipline is highly demanded of all people. The personal desire should be extended to family and spread to the whole society. If he alth problems could be avoided, all persons should work to ensure this is achieved.

Drunk Drivers should be imprisoned on the first offence Research Paper

Drunk Drivers should be imprisoned on the first offence - Research Paper Example Many people’s lives are put to risk by this annoying habit. Drunk driving began long before the invention of automobiles. As soon as a man climbed onto the back of a transport animal and began riding, there were drunken donkey, camel, elephant and horse riding. In almost all cultures backdating to thousands of years ago, there has been awareness that drunkenness is undesirable. Moderation has always been advised since wiping out alcohol is impossible. The fact that alcohol is continually referenced through history as a bad thing proves that there have always been abusers of alcohol. These abusers have either caused harm to themselves or society at large. Almost all of us have had an experience with a drunk driver weaving in between lanes or driving on the opposite side of the road. Worse still, we have witnessed fatal accidents caused by these drunk drivers (Klein A10). No form of irresponsibility by anyone justifies such loss of lives. This ill vice has to come to an end! The government has tried to curb the menace by introducing road sobriety tests and other measures but the habit is still not dying down. Certain ages are prone to drink more than others men are responsible for 81% of drinking and driving incidences. Young men between 21 to 34 years of age contribute 11% of the incidences and 85% by people drinking above the required amounts. This is according to Centre for Disease Control and prevention (CDC). The problem is so grave that it has attracted anti-drunk driving activism. Opposition to drunk driving is as old as the automobile. One of the activists, Doris Aiken who got involved in anti-drunk driving activism in 1978 says the tragedy that inspired her involved two teenagers who she barely knew. This led her to establish an organisation called Remove Intoxicated Drivers (Baron 1, 4). An unfortunate incident is of a young girl who got an accident after a 17-year-old male

Gun Control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gun Control - Research Paper Example Thus, gun control remains an emotive aspect, as on the one hand, there is need for overall citizen safety and welfare; this at the same time providing for the freedom to bear arms as enshrined in the 2nd Amendment (Trotter). As Susan Dudley rightly views, â€Å"The right of the people to keep and bear arms in defense of themselves and of the lawful authority of the state shall not be infringed, except that the manner of bearing arms may be regulated by law.?† (39) This not only being her perspective, but an ideal that is off uttermost importance to true patriots of America. This rights traces its roots to the nation’s founding, when European colonialists settling in the Newfoundland, brought guns for protection and as a means of food provision; protection against the native populations, while food came from hunted game. With the conquest and huge tracks of land in their belonging, the settlers soon discovered the value of having armed men as protection of their new colo nies; this against hostile native Indians among other enemies. Hence, the passing of the Massachusetts Bay laws; this requiring all able-bodied men to bear arm through their joining of state militia, with other settlements following suit. (Gold 33). The American defence against King George’s (3rd ) well armed and disciplined British soldiers, proved too tough even for the aforementioned militia; this necessitating Congress’ establishment of the Continental army. Being led by George Washington, the gun provisions at first proved inadequate, but with the invention of the Colt revolver, being cheaper and firing six times in rapid succession, was to change the above scenario and hence America’s history. By utility of state-of-the-art machinery, in addition to assembly/ industrial production, America soon led the global arena in firearm production. The colt’s greatness can only be best espoused through a popular Western gun lovers’ saying ‘God cre ated men; Colonel Colt made them equal. (Gold, 34) this said, it is hence vividly clear, as to the great place, guns (firearms) possess in America’s history (Moorhouse 103). Thus, the big question, should America have gun control? This is not an easy question as it pertains to a closely held issue pertinent to its citizen’s wellbeing. As is known, the right to arms is rooted in a need for personal protection (of both life and personal property), and in the armed forces; this as espousing their overall need for establishment, security and maintenance of America’s sovereignty. This is best espoused by Gold (26): â€Å"That the right of the citizens to bear arms, in defence of themselves and the state, shall not be questioned.† Thus, should gun control be enforced? Though as aforementioned, it is the right of American citizens to bear arms, it is also the duty of the Federal government to put in check the availability and possession of firearms. â€Å"That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural and safe defence of a free State; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power† (Haerens 27). The above portends to the existent danger

New Industries in the Caribbean Essay Example for Free

New Industries in the Caribbean Essay Caribbean economies from their earliest periods of colonization were essentially agrarian based (during slavery). Economical activities included livestock farming and small farming done by the peasants. There were also trading and commerce which included the establishment of shops, inns and taverns. Large plantations were worked by a mass of slaves with the premier crop being Sugar Cane. When the colonizers first came to the West Indies they mainly grew crops such as coffee, cotton, ginger, banana and cocoa mainly for export. However during the second half of the 18th century, these crops lost their comparative advantage to sugar. When sugar experienced its depression the planters relaxed their stronghold over control of the land and some estate workers turned their attention to the peasant sector and other industries. NEW INDUSTRIES By the beginning of the twentieth century, the peasantry had begun to play a very important role in the diversification of the West Indian economies. The Royal Commissions before the Norman Commission, and the Norman Commissions had made recommendations for the development of the peasantry (Curtis: p 32). Many of the export crops recommended by the Norman Commission were already being cultivated by the peasantry. For these crops to have greater success, the peasantry would need capital for greater investment. But this capital was not forthcoming. This was due to the fact that they had limited capital, occupied small plots of land because they were charged a lot for these lands. Additionally the peasants cannot produce at subsistence level. The black peasantry in particularly faced a number of obstacles which included the increase in land prices, eviction from lands, refusal to subdivide and sell lands and also heavy taxations. The planters most of the times sold large pieces of lands for lower cost to the whites in comparison to the ex-slaves. Rice, which had been cultivated earlier as a subsistence crop in Guyana began to assume importance as a cash crop in the late nineteenth century. The abandonment of sugar cultivation on some estates made more land available, as did the opening up of riverain crown lands in 1898 on what for some were manageable terms of purchase. By 1900 government interest was being channeled through the board of agriculture ith conducted experiments in different rice varieties and supplied seed to the growers. A more objective was to develop a uniform grain size to reduce wastage in the milling process and by 1908 this had been substantially achieved. All of this stimulated further expansion so that, whereas in 1891 the land under rice amounted to only 4000 acres, there was a tenfold increase in the following two decades, and by 1917 for every ten acres planted in sugar, Guyana, eig ht acres were planted in rice. Expanding rice acreage was accompanied by the mushrooming of small mils. In 1914 there were 86 of them in existence. They were hardly elaborate structures but they were linked to the large mercantile firms in the capital and they controlled growers in the villages through a system of advances. Many of the millers, like many large rice growers were Indians who employed Indian labour, and the evidence suggests that ethnicity hardly guaranteed favourble treatment. In 1905 it was exporting to the Caribbean. Rice enjoyed considerable prosperity during the first war. In the inter-war period alternative sources of supply to the Caribbean market dried up and this provided the main basis for the steady expansion of the industry in Guyana. Guyana is by far the most important producer of rice in the Commonwealth Caribbean. There were about 20 thousand peasant farmers in 1952; by 1965 their numbers were believed to have more than doubled, reaching 45 thousand. There were 222 rice mills in 1960 and 199 in 1970. All were privately owned, except two which were owned and operated by the Rice Development Company. Bananas were first introduced into Jamaica in 1516. However the first exports took place in 1869 after the depression of sugar. As the industry flourished American companies came in to handle the trade as the peasants supplied bananas to a US [Boston] banana trader Lorenzo Dow Baker. Boston Fruit Company later formed to trade in Bananas with Caribbean and Central America which later became the United Fruit Company [UFCo]. By 1890 the value of Banana exports exceeded that of sugar and rum, and it retained this position except for a few years until the Second World War. By 1937 Jamaica provided twice as many stems as any other country in the world. It thus became a plantation crop-corporations and large entrepreneurs. Banana soon became the principal exports from Jamaica, and Windward Island. Trading partners also changed-Destination was now USA. During the war the industry declined because the ships could not be spared to transport the product. By the beginning of the nineteenth century coffee was also an important crop in Jamaica (The Banana production was done mainly by the Middle class mulattoes). During the depression sugar farmers in Trinidad turned their attention to cocoa which was the first major export of the island, and by 1900 it had become the major export once again. It retained this position until 1921 when Ghanaian cocoa began to swamp the world market. During that time too cocoa was also an important crop in St. Lucia, St. Kitts and St. Vincent. In the 1930’s citrus, which had been cultivated in the stricken cocoa areas became important. So too did Pineapples in the 19th century. Relatively small scale farmers earned cash for production of bananas, coffee, cocoa and pimento for exports. They also produced tubers, fruits and vegetables for domestic markets. A substantial part of small farming was for subsistence with relatively small surpluses for sale. Bauxite, tourism and urban-based manufacturing and services replaced export agriculture as the dominant sectors of the economy in the post-war era, as the British West Indies pursued a programme of industrialization-by-invitation The mineral resources which include bauxite, aluminum, gold et cetera have been developed by foreign capital and for the export market, to a much greater extent than the main agricultural products. In Guyana the American-owned Bauxite industry shipped its first load of ore in 1922. Expansion was steady throughout the inter-war period but it was not until the second war that bauxite became an important force in the economy. The Jamaican bauxite industry was developed by American companies after the second war. Demand for aluminum by the United States military and space programmes and by the automobile and other consumer goods industries created a lucrative market for bauxite and aluminum. As of such in 1957 Jamaica became the world’s leading bauxite producer and the main U. S. supplier. The U. S. dollar earnings from this new export financed the import of capital goods manufacturing industries that were set up to produce for the growing domestic and regional markets. The investment cycle of the multinational bauxite mining companies began topping offs as the decade of the 1960s drew to a close. Bauxite and aluminum thus replaced sugar and bananas as the leading export product after the Second World War. In 1964 Jamaican bauxite industry had over 800 registered manufacturing establishments including a cement factory, cigarette factories, breweries and bottling plants, extiles, clothing factories and plant producing soap, margarine and edible oil. In February 1967 an agreement was announced between the Jamaican government and an American metal-fabrication company to erect an aluminum plant in Jamaica. The petroleum industry in Trinidad and Tobago is the oldest mineral industry in the common-wealth Caribbean. The first successful well dates back to 1857 but it was not until the first decade of this century that the industry was established. By 1909 the country was exporting oil and by 1919 five refineries were in operation. The industry is largely owned and controlled by foreigners. The production of crude oil is mainly in the hands of four companies-Texaco, Shell, Trinidad Northern Area owned by Trinidad Tesoro, Shell and Texaco as equal partners. However by 1980 the government had purchased all foreign operations except Amoco. The tourist industry was developed after the Second World War, and this two is foreign owned and controlled. This industry is an offshoot of the banana and bauxite industry especially in Jamaica. The establishment and development of the tourist industry were facilitated by incentive legislation and special institutions. Jamaica passed the Hotels Aid Law, 1944, granting accelerated depreciation allowances and duty-free importation of materials for the construction and furnishing of hotels, and the Hotel Incentives Law, 1968, granting tax holidays and other concessions. The Hotel Aids Act passed in Barbados in 1967 allows duty free importation of building materials and equipment and grants a tax holiday of ten years. And all three territories set up Tourists Boards to promote and service the industry. As in the other generating sectors of the economies, there is a large proportion of foreign ownership in the tourist industry. In 1971 thirty-five per cent of the hotels in Jamaica were wholly foreign owned, 56 per cent wholly locally owned and 9 per cent joint ventures. Foreign ownership was more pronounced in Barbados. Foreigners owned 61 per cent of the capacity there: 33 per cent was owned by nationals of the United Kingdom. 16 per cent by Canadians and 12 per cent by Americans. Barbadians owned 34 per cent, and 5 per cent was jointly owned. Local ownership was dominant (80 per cent) among the smaller establishments which provided 25 per cent of the total capacity. Trade and commerce was also taking place in many places in the British West Indies as well. According to Beckles and Shepherd (1993) â€Å"export trade in the British Islands showed in a number of the units spectacular increases to the peak of prosperity between 1929 and 1940. † British Guiana traded with Europe and North America, commodities such as sugar cane, coffee and fruits. Trinidad exported petroleum products such as oil to places such as North America and the United Kingdom. Jamaica too traded tropical fruits, sugar cane, coffee, cocoa and other commodities with Europe and North America. In the late 1950s, Jamaica became the biggest supplier of bauxite to the United States. RACE: The Indians are concentrated mainly on the sugar estates while the Africans are concentrated in the villages and the towns. The Africans have always been more mobile geographically and socially and the chief supporters of the urbanization movement. They provide the overwhelming majority of the labour force in the bauxite industry and mining camps in the interior of Guyana, and the petroleum industry in Trinidad, and the bulk of the factory and service workers in both countries. Until the 1950s they occupied a somewhat monopolistic position in the white-collar and professional positions. The Indians supply the bulk of the field sugar workers and also the rice producers in Guyana. -Europeans owned most of the wealth-producing assets in the colonial economy. The indigenous Ihere, imported labour] populations were allowed to engage in small-scale peasant farming on the fringes of large white-owned plantations but mainly relegated to providing cheap labour for the white settlers in the expanding corporate economy. Where this posed problems, intermediary racial groups (Chinese, Indians, etc. ) were brought in to fill the gaps in labour supply. As export staples increased the wealth base of the colonial economy and as some diversification into minerals, tourism and manufacturing increased that wealth base further, commerce and services expanded. This opened up opportunities for small-scale capital and smaller entrepreneurial firms to operate alongside the large white-controlled corporations. (Thompson: p 244). In Jamaica, this intermediate minority group comprised immigrant white ethnics like the Lebanese and Jews (who joined a much older community of Jamaican Jews dating back to the period of colonization and settlement) and the Chinese, whose upper and middle echelons, occupying a shopkeeper niche, secured for the group the real and/or symbolic function of social whites. A racially mixed brown middle class also formed a component of this minority, intermediary ethnic group. The traditional white planter class was displaced both by foreign corporate capital, whose interests were concentrated on sugar, and later bauxite and tourism, and the intermediary ethnic groups with whom they eventually merged. The latter groups formed a domestic merchant and manufacturing sector alongside the transnational enclaves. A black rural middle class emerged on the basis of medium-sized holdings concentrating on export crops such as bananas, pimento, coffee and citrus. They comprised a tiny minority of the rural population, however, most of whom occupied a range between full-time peasants and full-time proletarians. The race related dualism of Caribbean economy was classically exhibited in the division between the (TNC or Jamaica-white-owned) plantation and (black) peasant economies of rural Jamaica. In 1938, this division was reflected in a tenure system which concentrated over fifty per cent of agricultural land into some 800 holdings and left nearly 100,000 poor peasants and their families with twelve per cent of the land* (Post, 1981: 2-3). In addition, the black peasant economy was itself internally stratified, partly along the lines of the division between export production and domestic food crop production, which was itself related to size of holding. In addition, there were roughly 80,000 households at the lower margins of the peasantry with an average of a quarter of an acre each. .A significant bureaucratic and professional black middle class emerged, but Blacks failed to challenge the entrenched economic positions of the intermediary-ethnic elites. In the meantime, economic frustration and disfranchisement led large numbers of peasant and working class Blacks to participate in a massive outward migration to Britain and a large-scale exodus from rural to urban areas, which translated rural poverty into urban ghettoes and urban poverty (ibid. : 252). In the late 1960s and early 1970s, many ethnic elites from the BWI began migrating abroad. This created unanticipated and unexpected new openings for black entry into the entrepreneurial class and facilitated large-scale entry of Blacks into the middle and upper levels of private sector management (ibid: 254). Blacks became well established within the corporate managerial elite and gained a foothold in many sectors of the economy manufacturing, construction, business services, tourism, commerce and agriculture alongside the still dominant minority ethnic groups. Their enterprises tended to be smaller, but a few were large. Other developments were the growth of import-trade higglering, which represented an expansion and in some cases a very lucrative enhancement of a traditional female working class role. The big corporate sector enterprises in insurance, banking, distribution, manufacturing, hotels and services remained under the predominant ownership of the economically dominant minority Jews, Whites, Lebanese and Browns. Indeed, migration of some of the less important families appears to have facilitated a consolidation and expansion of corporate ownership among the biggest capitalist families.

The Diverse Roles of Women in Movies Essay -- Film Essays

The Diverse Roles of Women in Movies In society we have a lot of women actresses. Some tend to play the motherly type, some play the manipulator type and some even play the victims of abusive relationships. No matter what women seem to be coming up in the industry of movies in more ways than before. The three movies I have chosen to analyze in my critique are Heartbreakers, Baby Boy and Stepmom. These three movies all have women in them that either play a major role or the main role. All their roles are very different in character and none of the women in these three movies play a similar role. In the movie Heartbreakers the two main women are Jennifer Love Hewitt (the daughter) and Sigourney Weaver (the mother). These two women act as â€Å"manipulators or conartists† the whole time. The whole point of the movie is for them to make different men (of age and class) to believe that they (as attractive as they are) actually love them for who they are. Throughout the movie they scam all different types of men to basically get them for their money. At one point in time Sigourney Weaver even marries a man who is madly in love with her just for his money and then she divorces him shortly after. The story continues as they use and abuse these men. Then Jennifer Love Hewitt starts to actually like one of the guys she is suppose to be scamming and her mother gives him a test to see if he actually likes her back. She tries to seduce him and she even gives him some sort of intoxicant to make him more susceptible to her. He ends up kissing her mom because he is under the influence and Jennifer sees the whole scene. She later on finds out that her mom was trying to make it seem like this was not the right one for her, but in a... ...s ex-husband. She is such a wonderful lady and the audience feels for her when watching this movie because she faces so many problems with her new step-children. Almost throughout the whole movie they are very cruel to her and sometimes even their own father. The kids cannot grasp the whole divorce situation and they have a lot of anger towards their parents for breaking up their happy home. Most of the anger is taken out on Julia Roberts because the kids see her as the â€Å"other woman† in their Dad’s life. They eventually come to realize she is a very sweet lady and all she wants to do is to get along with them. They accept her as a part of their family and they live happily ever after. Moral of the story: With a little love and understanding any relationship whether between a man and a woman or between a woman and children can eventually work out for the best.

Islam, Terrorism and the Role of Media Essay

Terrorism – Islam, the Most Widely Misunderstood Religion and the Role of Media Increasing terrorism across the globe can be contributed to many factors such as extremism, poverty and literacy rate just to name a few; however, widely misunderstood religions have been the focus of the blame, disregarding the root causes. It has been over a decade since Islam is being openly criticized for promoting terrorism. Islam is the only religion that has been constantly associated with terrorism; however, it does not promote terrorism, but actually condemns it. The only possible way to eliminate terrorism is if media and super powers such as United States, China and Russia stop taking advantage of general public and start playing a positive role in this whole blame game. Individuals from the west view that Islam promotes terrorism, have their own point of view. They trust that western values are in conflict with the Islamic values, resulting in a clash of eastern and western cultures. According to the western view point, Muslims have an aversion to the west for its successful secular state and therefore, express their hatred in the form of terrorism. There is no doubt that the values of western people are in conflict with the values of Islam. Muslims do not seem to like the idea of secularism; however, this is not the main reason for terrorist activities carried out by Muslims. First, we need to understand how terrorism arises. What is the main cause of terrorism? As Woodberry J. Dudley (2002) points out, â€Å"Terrorism is a response to built-up grievances, real or imagined. Therefore, one cannot drive out terrorism without dealing with the grievances that have led to it. The most obvious of these issues is the Israel-Palestine conflict.† Another major point raised by Western media is the doctrine of Jihad in Islam. They claim that the doctrine of Jihad in Islam plays an important role in promoting terrorism. Raphael Israeli argues in ‘The Islamic Doctrine of Jihad Advocates Violence’ and Jennifer Hurley quotes him, â€Å"Jihad has principally one meaning: a military action designed to expand the outer borders of the realm of Islam or to protect the borders of Dar al-Islam from encroaching unbelievers† (Hurley, 2000). Although it would easily appear that Jihad advocates violence, and thus results in terrorist activities from Muslims, this is untrue. One cannot come to the conclusion that Jihad  promotes terrorism just by looking at the actions of Muslims, but instead need to understand the concept of Jihad. First of all, Jihad does not mean Holy War. It means to strive for something. As Mohammed Abdul Malek points out in the following: â€Å"In reality jihad is a duty of Muslims to commit themselves to a struggle on all fronts – moral, spiritual and political – to create a just and decent society. It is not a ‘holy war’ against the Muslims during the time of the Crusades (a war instigated by the Church for religious gain). There are other words in Arabic which are more appropriate to use in a war situation, if war was the principal purpose of Jihad. Examples of such words are ‘harb’ (war) and ‘maaraka’ (battle).The Holy Quran could have used these instead of Jihad, if the intention was the declaration of war.† (Hurley 2000). Hence, it is clear that it is the misinterpretation of Jihad that has led Muslims and Non-Muslims to believe that Jihad advocates terrorism. It is understandable if the doctrine of Jihad is misinterpreted by Non-Muslims, because they may not have enough knowledge about the laws of Islam or they may not have an understanding of the teachings of the Holy Quran, the holiest book for Muslims. Yet how come various Muslims misinterpret the doctrine of Jihad? As Pervez Amir Ali Hoodbhoy, a Pakistani nuclear physicist, notes that, â€Å"Maulana Abdus Sattar Edhi, Pakistan’s preeminent social worker, and the Taliban’s Mohammad Omar are both followers of Islam, but the former is overdue for a Nobel Peace Prize while the latter is an ignorant, psychotic fiend.† (Schafer, 2002). These two men represent the two ways of understanding Islam. One understanding is what Islam says. The other is the way it can be explained so that it fits in with one’s own beliefs. The difference between the two is very obvious. Many Muslims tend to believe or explain things that fit in their beliefs. Unfortunately, this approach of understanding Islam has led to the misinterpretation of not only jihad, but the whole of Islam. On the other hand, right after the terrorist acts of 9/11, journalists were seen as being biased. Apparently, they were just doing their jobs but the after effects of the incident put them into a severe patriotic state. There is nothing wrong with being patriotic about your country and hating your enemies but while doing a job that makes you stand in front of the millions, patriotism came out as a controversial factor. (Hess, Kalb, Brookings & Shorenstein, 2003). As John McWethy, the chief national security  correspondent for ABC News, responded: â€Å"When you are on television, you are a symbol for your network. I would no more wave an American ï ¬â€šag while I am trying to report in a nonbiased way about conï ¬â€šict overseas than I would a Canadian ï ¬â€šag or a British ï ¬â€šag if I were a citizen of those countries. I’m a reporter.† (Hess, Kalb, Brookings & Shoranstein, 2003). At the same time, a majority of population residing in the Middle East and South Asia, condemn the western media for being biased against Islam. One has to agree to a certain level that American Republicans, who are known to be conservative, have control over few news channels and those channels only show one side of the story. In these critical times, the media’s role should be to help resolve the conflicts and show its audience the real face of terrorism. As Red Batario writes, â€Å"From where I stand, as a citizen and media consumer, the stories that come my way are bereft of one important thing: context and empowering information. They do not allow me to make sense of what is happening around me. The stories tell me of problems, they do not tell me that something can be done. They tell me that everything is wrong but nothing about what’s working. Other stories cite Muslim terrorists but I have yet to come across a news item identifying para-military groups who assassinated their victims as Christian terrorists.† (Batario, 2012). Western media is also responsible for not appreciating the efforts made by Muslim community on daily basis. Those journalists and new anchors have totally ignored the anti-terrorism, anti 9/11 and anti Al-Qaeda attitude shown by Muslim patriots of the west. How come they do not see how it is like to grow a beard or wear hijab and curse the terrorists; the enemies of the west at the same time. As Kamran Pasha, an author and a Hollywood filmmaker writes, â€Å"Thomas Friedman wrote an outrageous column in The New York Times claiming that no major Muslim cleric or religious body has ever issued a fatwa condemning Osama Bin Laden.† (Pasha, 2009). Fatwa means a legal pronouncement in Islam usually given by an Islamic scholar to clarify a question. (Wikipedia, 2013). The surprising part is that a ‘fatwa’ had already been issued by some Spanish Scholars in March 2005 yet Friedman chose to lie and misguided his fellow Americans and an unknown number of souls all over the world. Pasha further elaborates, â€Å"There is a real political agenda inside the media itself to keep Islam as the enemy, and to portray mainstream Muslims as a fifth column inside America. The idea that  your Muslim neighbors are silently supporting Bin Laden sells newspapers. It captures the attention of viewers of the nightly news. And it furthers the ambitions of politicians who need a rallying point to get votes.† (Pasha, 2009). It is true that most of the actions taken by the Muslims in the west go unnoticed. For example, Pakistan, a country located in South East Asia, has been fighting the war on terror for last 12 years and has lost the lives of thousands of soldiers and civilians but still media keeps portraying Pakistan as a terrorist country. My question is, what would make their voices get heard? What exactly do they have to do in order to justify that they equally condemn terrorism? I guess no one better than media can answer these questions. Media definitely needs to play a more positive role instead of neglecting the real facts. The great minds in the media who create controversial stories should emphasize on coming up with creative ideas to illuminate the audience with truth. With the help of them and general public, many atrocities can be avoided by conveying the right message to the public. As Cerge Remonde said and Batario writes, â€Å"We (the broadcast media) generate a lot of heat but very little light.† (Batario, 2012). In conclusion, Islam has widely been misinterpreted both in the western world and the Islamic world. To solve this problem, one cannot resort to war as a resolution or change the values of Islam, but instead there needs to be a change in western diplomacy to take into account the grievances held by many Muslims. The United States needs to change its foreign policies, especially concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict, which would help many Muslims believe that the United States really wants to solve the issue at hand. Not only does the responsibility lie in the hands of United States, but also the Muslim Umma (society), who as a whole need to step up and realize that what they believe in is wrong and they need to find out the truth. The authorities of Islam need to step up and take a stand. They need to educate the Muslim society and create more awareness about the true meaning of Jihad and other similar complicated concepts. If not, certainly this is only the beginning of terrorism in Islam. Not to mention, if media cooperates and stops being biased and one sided, issues bigger than terrorism could be overcome without wasting billions of dollars and many innocent civilian lives. References Batario, Red. (2012, May 21). Media’s Role in Conflict and Terrorism. Center for Community Journalism and Development. Retrieved from http://ccjdphils.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/medias-role-in-conflict-and-terrorism/ Fatwa. (2013, March 8). Wikipedia, . Retrieved September 26, 2013 from http://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fatwa&oldid=4211834. Hess, S., Kalb, M. L., Brookings, I., & Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, P. (2003). The Media and the War on Terrorism. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press. Hurley, J. A., & Hurley, J. (2000). Islam: opposing viewpoints. Greenhaven Press. Israeli, Raphael. (2001). The Islamic Doctrine of Jihad Advocated Violence. Jennifer A. Hurley (Eds.). Islam Opposing Viewpoints. (20-115) San Diego: Greenhaven Press. Malek, Mohammed A. The Islamic Doctrine of Jihad Does Not Advocate Violence. Jennifer A. Hurley (Eds.). Islam Opposing Viewpoints. (24-121). San Diego: Greenhaven Press. Pasha, Kamran. (2009, April 20). The Big Lie about Muslim Silence on Terrorism. The Huffington Post. 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