Drug War - 2482 Words

Daniel Schifrin APCP Research Paper Period 8 Drug Policy: A Look at America’s Ineffective Approach to Drugs Introduction In January 2004, senatorial candidate Barack Obama firmly opposed the twenty two-year war on drugs, saying that the United States’ approach in the drug war has been ineffective (Debussman). Although the term, â€Å"war on drugs,† was originally coined by President Richard Nixon in 1971, it wasn’t until Ronald Reagan announced that â€Å"drugs were menacing society† that it became a major policy goal to stop widespread use. Following Reagan’s promises to fight for drug-free schools and workplaces, the United States boosted its efforts in its most recent declaration†¦show more content†¦Liberalizing drug reforms would be a step in the right direction for Colombia and would seriously burden the cartels (Leff). The drug war is a catalyst that has increased the profits of drug cartels. The illegal nature of narcotics limits supply, allowing the cartels to charge large sums of money for their product. Everytime the authorities fight ing the drug war bust a drug deal, the supply currently available goes down, and cartels are able to charge even more for drugs. The system of criminilazation created by the drug war is actually the reason that cartels are so profitable. By driving down prices, the power of drug cartels is limited. The illegality of the drug trade directs its multi-billion-dollar profits go to criminal gangs. The drugs account for the bulk of the gangs’ income and thus their firepower (â€Å"Burn†). Legalization benefits drug-producing countries by decreasing the money that cartels can use to buy firearms, 90% of which are sold to them from the United States (Ellingwood et al.). This would allow governments, rather than gangs, to govern the country. The militarization and criminalization of drugs in Latin America has led to a precipitous increase in violence, killing thousands of people and injuring many more. Economist Jeffrey Miron of CNN writes, â€Å"Prohibition creates violence because it drives the drug market underground. This means buyers and sellersShow MoreRelatedDrug Wars in Mexico1303 Words   |  6 PagesDrug Wars in Mexico While there are drug wars happening in many places of Mexico, the U.S. is trying to help the cause and stop the war. Money is not going to be enough to stop the drug wars though, America has to stop this problem at the root, which is the demand for these drugs. Many innocent citizens of Mexico are killed and constantly being threatened. Violence suffocates the streets putting visitors at risk of their lives as well. Many believe that a lot of this has to do with the corruptRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs Essay972 Words   |  4 PagesThe war on drugs have been a critical issue that has repeatedly held a great debate topic. It was in the 1906 when the first act against drug was put into effect with the Pure Food and Drug Act which required all over-the-counter medication to have label of its ingredients. Under President Nixon the first executive branch office to coordinate drug policy was formed and the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act was put into place. Two years following that the Drug Enforcement AgencyRead MoreThe War On Drug War2282 Words   |  10 Pagespresident nixon, Declared Drug abuse public enemy number one, starting an unprecedented global Campaign, the war on drug. Today the number are in the war on drug is a huge failure with devastated unintended consequences, it lead to mass incarceration in the us, to corruption, to political destabilization, and violence in latin america, asia, and africa. To systemic human right abuse across the world.†-Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell The drug war is an all out war between drug cartels the usa and mexicoRead MoreThe Drug War On Drugs1378 Words   |  6 Pagesnon-violent drug charges. These people’s lives are now forever changed because of a mistake they made. This mistake is continually made every single day and Americans are being punished in extreme ways for a non violent crime. The United States needs to decimalize all drugs because the drug war is costly, causes high incarceration rates, and isn’t effective as European drug solutions. In the 20th century, the United States government led a major renewed surge in drug prohibition called the War on DrugsRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs1821 Words   |  8 PagesThe war on drugs is a long going battle and it has created many issues all around the world and as of today the highest prison population can be found in the United States due to drug charges. About half of the inmates with in federal and state prisons can be found on drug convictions. Those charges can range from possession of an illicit substance to drug trafficking that surprisingly continues to be an issue in federal and state prisons. How can United States put an end to the war on drugs? Read MoreThe War On Drug War2268 Words   |  10 Pagespresident nixon, Declared Drug abuse public enemy number one, starting an unprecedented global Campaign, the war on drug. Today the number are in the war on drug is a huge failure with devastated unintended consequences, it lead to mass incarceration in the us, to corruption, to political destabilization, and violence in latin america, asia, and africa. To systemic human right abuse across the world.†-Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell The drug war is an all out war between drug cartels, and the governmentsRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs Essay1549 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Drug has been a serious issue in our society and criminal justice institutes due to many problems associated, including the violence, negative health benefits, social disorganization, and other negative consequences. The police agencies have adopted a policy called â€Å"The War on Drugs†, as a response to the rising drug problems. The War on Drugs has popularized variety policies and practices that significantly increased the overall number of drug arrests, and other drug related offenses(TheRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe War on Drugs Despite an estimated $1 trillion spent by the United States on the â€Å"War on Drugs†, statistics from the US Department of Justice (2010) has confirmed that the usage of drugs has not changed over the past 10 years. Approximately $350 billion is spent per year on the â€Å"war on drugs†, only $7 billion is spent on prevention programs by the federal government. The war on drugs is more heavily focused on how to control crime, instead of how to prevent it. Not only is the war on drugs costlyRead MoreWar on Drugs818 Words   |  3 Pagesunderstatement to the punishments given to drug dealers for their drug related offenses. Mandatory minimum drug sentencing was arguably established to target higher level drug dealers but recently the majority of cases have been low level drug dealers. Distributing narcotics is a serious offense, but do these people who are trying to support themselves, a family, or an addiction deserve to spend close to a lifetime incarcerated? During the 1960’s drugs became a symbol of â€Å"youthful rebellion, socialRead MoreThe War on Drugs1350 Words   |  6 Pagesstruggling with the problem of drug addiction of its citizens. This has led the federal government to take measures to restrain the problem of addiction in the United States. However, after observing these measures, such as the ‘War on Drugs’ and its consequences, scholars now question the effectiveness of the drug policy implemented. Some scholars even argue that the War on Drugs has been more harmful to American citizens than helpful. Also, scholars claim that the drug policy has had severe consequences

Led Zeppelin Musicians, Folklorists, Poets Free Essays

Led Zeppelin is generally considered to have been one of the most influential rock bands to have existed.   The band came into existence in the late 1960s from Britain, following the lead of several other musical acts which led to the coining of the term â€Å"British Invasion.†Ã‚   But unlike many other bands, Zeppelin was not only interested in making music, but in offering their own takes on classical stories, such as the Trojan war. We will write a custom essay sample on Led Zeppelin: Musicians, Folklorists, Poets or any similar topic only for you Order Now Their songs all employed a variety of poetic elements, such as rhyme scheme, metaphors, and allusions, and have connections to a number of true poems..   This can be seen when Led Zeppelin’s songs â€Å"Stairway to Heaven† and â€Å"Achilles’ Last Stand† are compared to W.H. Auden’s â€Å"The Shield of Achilles† and Lord Alfred Tennyson’s â€Å"The Lady of Shallot.† Led Zeppelin’s â€Å"Stairway to Heaven† has long been considered one of the band’s most famous contributions to the musical community.   The song has a main storyline about a woman who has spent her life concerned with material matters and never giving thought to the idea that perhaps the treasures she accumulated in life would never truly grant her a place in Heaven. There is an allusion to the buying of alms.   The practice of buying alms was a common and popular practice in the early days of the Catholic church and involved people paying a certain amount of money to priests to have their sins forgiven, thus leading to the song’s notion that by accumulating wealth, salvation might be attained. â€Å"Stairway to Heaven† also has a definite rhythm.   The song alternates from having lines that are 6 – 12 syllables long.   The stanzas begin with lines that are either 10 to 12 syllables long and each consecutive line gradually decreases the amount of syllables that are present: And it’s whispered that soon if we all call the tune  Ã‚   (12 syllables) Then the piper will lead us to reason.   (10 syllables) And a new day will dawn for those who stand long   (11 syllables) And the forests will echo with laughter.   (10 syllables) Immediately, a pattern in the rhythm can be seen.   The first line is 12 syllables and the following line is reduced by two syllables.   The third line is then one syllable less than the first line and the final line is the same as the second.   Such use of rhythm allows for the song to be more organized when set to music and for the poem to be more melodic when recited, to have a more flowing and surreal tone to it. The song also involves the use of repetition.   The first stanza incorporates the repetition of the same phrase in lines two and five of the song, â€Å"And she’s buying the stairway to heaven/ [†¦] ooh, ooh, and she’s buying the stairway to heaven.†Ã‚   That repetition is seen in the last couplet of the second verse with the phrase â€Å"Ooh, it makes me wonder† and is repeated again in the last line of fourth stanza. The poem also incorporates a sense of Arthurian legend, such as with the idea of â€Å"The Lady of Shallot† by Lord Alfred Tennyson.   Tennyson states that, â€Å"Willows whiten, aspens quiver,/ Little breezes dusk and shiver/ thro’ the wave that runs for ever† (10-12).   Led Zeppelin changes the image slightly and states that â€Å"If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow, don’t be afraid./ It’s just a spring clean for the May queen./ [†¦] Dear Lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know/ your stairway lies on the whispering wind.†Ã‚   There is an allusion to everything being alive in both examples.   Both incorporate an environment that is still except for the wind and largely pastoral. Even more similar is the idea of an idealistic young woman dressed in white.   Led Zeppelin refers to: There walks a lady we all know Who shines white light and wants to show How everything still turns to gold. And if you listen very hard  the tune will come to you at last. The image is nearly identical to the Lady of Shallot described by Tennyson: Lying, robed in snowy white that loosely flew to left and right — that leaves upon her falling light — thro’ the noises of the night [†¦] They heard her singing her last song. Both women have a sense of idealism about them that eventually leads to their greater disappointment.   The woman in â€Å"Stairway to Heaven† is soon to be disappointed by the fact that her wealth will not bring her into eternal salvation.   The Lady of Shallot is only just beginning to come to terms with the fact that Lancelot does not love her and she has thrown away her life loving someone who will never have the same affection for her.   Both women are approached as being virginal creatures: they wear white, there is a sense of innocence in their believing that everything is as beautiful as gold. Even more stirring is the idea that the final stanza of â€Å"Stairway to Heaven† refers to listeners finally being able to hear her song, while â€Å"Our Lady of Shallot† is referred to as singing one final song.   Both end with a sense of finality and tragedy.   The women are lost because of their innocence and their false hope in the world and it is the final notes of their individual songs that their existences in the world are finally realized. Led Zeppelin’s â€Å"Achilles’ Last Stand† immortalizes one of the most famous figures of the Trojan war.   In the song, Achilles speaks of leaving for the war as a means of finding greater glory in his life as a warrior and achieving the last dreams he has within him, whether or not he lives or dies.   W. H. Auden’s poem â€Å"The Shield of Achilles† personifies Achilles’ shield and makes her seem to be a maternal figure who knows that Achilles will soon suffer an untimely death at the hands of his enemies but is wholly unable to prevent the death from occurring. Auden’s poem has a definite rhythmic structure.   The main verses are seven lines each, while the more choral stanzas are eight lines, making the text more melodic when read.   Through the use of repetition, the idea of a song being present in the poem is obvious. Both â€Å"The Shield of Achilles† and â€Å"Achilles’ Last Stand† mention a number of mythical references.   â€Å"The Shield of Achilles† alludes to the gods Hephaestus and Thetis while â€Å"Achilles’ Last Stand† refers to Atlas and Albion.   The poems also refer to the same foreboding figure, a decrepit old man symbolizing Achilles’ death.   â€Å"The Shield of Achilles† refers to the man as being â€Å"a ragged urchin, aimless and alone† while â€Å"Achilles’ Last Stand† refers to the man as â€Å"to seek the man whose pointed hand/the giant step unfolds.† But the tone of the two poems differ greatly.   â€Å"Achilles’ Last Stand† is one of glory in battle and despite the fact that the persona is aware that certain death may await him, he is willing to face his fate, regardless of the outcome: When they told us we should go As I turn to you You smiled at me How could we say no? With all the fun to have to live the dreams we always had Woa the song to sing When we at last return again (1-8). The persona wants to be immortalized for his duty in battle, wants to fulfill his goal of being a legendary warrior and spoken of for years after his death.   The use of such positive ideas, such as â€Å"when we at last return† refer to a disregard for death.   Even the end of the poem, when the persona finally dies, is positive, â€Å"The mighty arms of Atlas/hold the heavens from the earth/ I know the way, know the way, know the way.†Ã‚   There is never any submission.   The persona faces death gracefully, with the mentality of a warrior. Auden’s poem is much different in its tone.   There is an idea of the shield lamenting, beginning a premature mourning of her beloved warrior.   The poem even incorporates a scene from the Holocaust’s concentration camps to make the tone of the poem that much more somber, â€Å"Barbed wire enclosed an arbitrary spot/ Where bored officials lounged (one cracked a joke)/ And sentries sweated for the day was hot.†Ã‚   The entire poem is built around the premise of death and dying, and the shield is witness to all that suffering, even though she mourns Achilles the most. Even the depiction of immortal duties are different.   When â€Å"The Final Stand of Achilles† refers to â€Å"the mighty arms of Atlas, hold the heaven from the earth†, there is a sense of masculine pride, of a true warrior succeeding in his duties even though he suffers slightly.   â€Å"The Shield of Achilles† offers a more human take on such a task.   Atlas’s duty is suddenly doled out to a number of individuals, all of whom are too weak to take on such a responsibility, â€Å"The mass and majesty of this world, all/ That carries weight and always weighs the same / Lay in the hands of others; they were small.† Through the use of repetition, rhythmic patterns, and thematic continuity, Led Zeppelin’s songs are shown to be just as poetic as musical, especially when compared to a number of poems similar in content and structure, and prove that songs are merely poems set to music. Works Cited Auden, W.H. â€Å"The Shield of Achilles.† Led Zeppelin.   â€Å"Stairway to Heaven†. Led Zeppelin.   â€Å"Achilles’ Last Stand.† Tennyson, Lord Alfred.   â€Å"The Lady of Shallot.†       How to cite Led Zeppelin: Musicians, Folklorists, Poets, Essay examples

Directors in Rehearsal A Hidden World Essay Example For Students

Directors in Rehearsal: A Hidden World Essay Describing avant-garde theatre to uninitiated readers is a daunting task. Providing plot summary and character description is often of little use since so much experimental work lacks not only a linear narrative spine, but also psychologically coherent and analyzable characters. Even more daunting than reporting on a finished performance is the attempt to document its making. Having no conventional, printed play text with which to compare the rehearsal work, the observer must try to decipher a developmental process that typically seems involuted and confusing, and to imagine the often unarticulated goal toward which the director and actors are moving. In rehearsal, it is almost impossible to know which choices are inconsequential and which will prove decisive for the completed piece. Susan Letzler Coles Directors in Rehearsal.- A Hidden World is the result of four years of documenting the developmental processes of 10 eminent avant-gardists: Elinor Renfield, Maria Irene Fornes, Emily Mann, JoAnne Akalaitis, Elizabeth LeCompte, Richard Foreman, Robert Wilson, Liviu Ciulei, Peter Sellars and Lee Breuer. Most of these directors cut their teeth in the experimental theatre of the late 1960s and 70s, and remain committed to producing visionary, audacious, often controversial work. Eight of the ten are either playwrights themselves or noted adapters and arrangers of others words. As a result, Directors in Rehearsal is focused more on the making of alternative play texts and performances than on the staging of classic plays. Coles vignettes provide a fascinating look at the working methods of some of Americas most compelling theatre artists, and will be of enormous value to those hoping to understand how these figures exercise their highly individualized visions and styl es. Cole documents in considerable detail how the directors communicate with and coach actors, how they approach blocking and text work, how they deal with the physical elements of production and how they articulate their conceptions and goals. The book is dotted with statements by the directors that enhance and clarify ones understanding of their work: Robert Wilson uses painterly terms rather than a language of motivation when he coaches actors (deliver one line with a very |hot texture, the next line with a |cold texture'); Emily Mann insists that Execution of Justice is not the story of Dan White but a collective witnessing; Irene Fornes remarks that a character is rendered whole not by piling up details by keeping something mysterious and a little bit beyond our reach. Given Coles obvious sympathy for nonnaturalistic theatre, it is hardly surprising that her most compelling chapters focus on artists who challenge the Method and the conventions of psychological realism and who elaborate a mise-en-scene that does not simply and predictably illustrate a text. Especially noteworthy are her glimpses of Forness remarkable skill at fostering a kind of dynamic immobility in her actors, an active stillness, by urging them to find that hollow, that space inside you, that place where I am when I write; Akalaitiss fascination with the mechanical and the utilitarian, and her avoidance of interpretation during the early part of the rehearsal process; Wilsons coaching actors with kinetic rather than psychological language, and his technique of creating structure not through naturalistic dialogue but by postulating lines of force on the stage (like a diagram of a tennis match); and Breuers proficiency at splintering the title character of The Warrior Ant by using multiple impersonations: narrators, singers, dancers and puppets. Throughout the book, Cole attempts to play the part of the dispassionate observer and is disinclined to take a strong interpretive stand on any of the pieces. This strategy of presenting the material in a relatively unmediated way works with those directors who most rigorously articulate their goals and methods (Fornes, LeCompte, Wilson and Sellars), but the chapters dealing with other artists are weakened by the authors reluctance to provide conceptual frameworks. Too often an overview of the piece and of the directors strategies, if present at all, is reserved for the last page of a chapter rather than used as a way of helping the reader get a handle on some admittedly difficult and obscure theatre pieces. One feels at times abandoned by the author, unable to make sense of the myriad details she has faithfully recorded. .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6 , .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6 .postImageUrl , .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6 , .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6:hover , .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6:visited , .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6:active { border:0!important; } .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6:active , .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6 .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u86749b2e9145b32d1d20aa2a1e3a5db6:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Rick Fisher: over there, over here EssayA more serious problem, however, is Coles reticence to identify the directorial concepts of those three directors who are shown working on classic plays (Renfield, Fornes and Ciulei). Particularly disappointing is her approach to Forness brilliant and groundbreaking production of Uncle Vanya (which I saw). While Cole astutely analyzes its active stillness, she misreads Forness most striking and significant interpretive choice: Yelena, for once, was characterized not as a shallow coquette, as the instigator of male rivalry and emotional excess, but as a scapegoat an especially discerning character who is consistently disfigured by be ing made a screen on which Vanya, Astrov and Serebriakov project their own ambitious and inflated desires. Cole in passing notes Forness directorial disruptions of literalistic readings of the playtex, but fails to understand that the directors disruption is not an abstracted or willful trespass but an energetic challenge to the received cultural tradition, i.e., an important feminist rereading of Chekhov. Coles inattendance to the cultural or political resonances of directorial choices is particularly problematic given her subjects, almost all of whom are renowned for transgressive and polemical work. What is a reader to make of the extraordinary level of hostility generated by Foremans Birth of the Poet, or of Breuers reconceptualization of the solitary epic hero as a multiplicity of subjects? Only sporadically does Cole offer an interpretive guide. These inconsistencies Coles uneven attention to directorial concept, power dynamics in rehearsal, and the significance (cultural and otherwise) of directors choices prevents the book from being as incisive than comprehensive as it could be. Directors in Rehearsal too often reinforces the notion that the work of the avant-garde is hermetic and elitist more a mystical rite and a comprehensible social practice. Only intermittently does Cole seem to acknowledge that simply documenting rehearsal is not enough, and that the writer who would illuminate the process of making experimental theatre must, in effect, psychoanalyze the activities of director and actors, second guess their choices, and articulate that which they prefer would remain unspoken.