Thursday, October 17, 2019
'In Defense of Food An Eater's Manifesto' By Michael Pollan Essay
'In Defense of Food An Eater's Manifesto' By Michael Pollan - Essay Example We are weak in a sense that we need to consult doctors and therapist to know what we must eat and follow the logo that processed food containers hold. We go by mob psychology without giving any judgment to what actually is the truth. Other animals and organisms do not have such requirements, they are capable of making a decision what they should eat and they eat what nature has offered them. Our story is different as we need a variety of different things to eat to stay fit and healthy. The author has thrown light upon the biased nature of human beings regarding what to eat, how much to eat and what sequence to follow. We have set certain parameters regarding with what a particular food item will go. This tendency came in picture because of a lot of variety has captured the market with guiding and misguiding food-labeling rules. Genetically modified food and all the variety of processed food has taken us away from our roots. What we are eating today is totally different from what our ancestors have eaten and most probably what our mothers have eaten. Food comes with various logos some are stating that they may protect against cancer but actually it has no such role. Some of the food items presented in the market are the result of vague kind of research that has been carried out in the market, for e.g. the genetically modified food are gaining much prominence these days. "Genetically Engineered" food is grown, manufactured, created, developed or changed by utilizing the techniques that brings changes in molecular or cell biology of an organism. This technique cannot be exploited in nature or under natural conditions. These techniques are mostly based on recombinant DNA technology, cell fusion, micro- and macroencapsulation, gene deletion or duplication, introduction of any gene from other organism through microinjection or by the process of transgenesis where the desired foreign gene is inserted in the early sates of development and also the techniques based on altering the position of the genes. The process does not include propagation, conjugation, fermentation, hybridization, in vitro fertilization and tissue culture method (Grubesic, 2005). These marketed food products are highly advertised in the TV, newspapers and magazines with big claims but according to the author the best food is what our grandmothers have eaten and recommends us. In the present era, in order to make maximum gains people are adopting unfair means to market the products by decorating them through packaging and variety of other methods to attract women and children. These processed food have no true food value and incorporate food additives for manufacturing, stuffing or in packaging, dispensation, preparing, treating, and packaging, food additives may also be used when long distance transporting is to be done or when the food item is to be kept for long duration. Now-a-days radiations are given to ensure the safety of food from chemicals. The food is labeled with the name of the company or firm or by any legal or commercial entity. If the research has provided us with the processed food items then research has also provided us the information about the repercussions of eating such products. The author has therefore recommended that if we eat modified food which claims to be rich in nutrition and possess
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Coginitive Coaching Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Coginitive Coaching - Assignment Example g that being honest and having integrity helps others to build trust on an individual, planning becomes key since it enables the coach present the truth, while also focusing on the beliefs about right and wrong that will inform his/her coaching (Dubrin, 2005). Observation is another vital aspect of the cognitive coaching, since it helps the coach to observe and take note of the figure of speech of the individual to be coached, which the coach then applies, to develop and show empathy (Dubrin, 2005). Empathy is an essential aspect of the coaching process that creates understanding between the coach and the individual to be coached, which is made effective when the coach applies the same figures of speech as the coached. Lastly reflection allows the coach to effectively develop superior instructions in teachers, through allowing the coach to focus on the same experiences that they have had in the past, and then use such experiences to build a persuasion strategy that will effectively i nfluence the individuals being coached towards the right direction (Dubrin,
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Mktg Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4
Mktg - Essay Example This function enables effective product assortment and rearrangement. Warehousing refers to the process of products storage through enhancement of maximum usage space, management and controlling products into and out of the warehouse, and reduction of time delays in the supply chains. Distribution centers provide warehousing services by enhancing rapid movement of products in order to maximize on the output. Cross docking provides warehousing services by reducing time delays in the supply chain through effective reception of products and shipping of the same products immediately without a need for storage (Richards 179). Fixed slot and variable slot are commonly used means of assigning products to available space. For fixed slot location, each product has its designated slots. This method has a limitation of low space utilization for products that are seasonal. On the other hand, variable slot location comprises of empty slots for storage, which are assigned products depending the availability of space. This method results in effective utilization of space. Build up is regarded as economical in comparison to build out. This is because building out results in consumption of more land, which is expensive. On the other hand, build up leads to a reduction of cubic-foot cost, but the cost of equipment for the warehouse increases. Employees in a warehouse are involved in restocking or picking out orders. This indicates that there is a need for a warehouse to create different paths and areas of operation for picking and restocking employees in order to ease congestion in the warehouse. This may need an effective information system, which has the ability to locate where employees are at all times. Enhancing warehousing security for people calls for effective consideration of the hiring process of all employees in a warehouse. With reference to facility security, high-tech (for example, closed-circuit video cameras) and low-tech (for
The Jewish Role in Bolshevik Revolution Essay Example for Free
The Jewish Role in Bolshevik Revolution Essay The vast territory of the Russian Empire at one time hosted the largest Jewish population. Within these territories, the Jewish communities flourished, and developed many new theologies and cultural traditions in spite of facing terrible persecutions (â€Å"History of Jews†). The Czars of Russia competed with each other in persecuting the Jews. The Jews were made scapegoats for all the economic and social problems of Russia. The Bolshevik revolution put an end to the Tsarist Regime. Jewish role in Bolshevik revolution is not a new theme. There is extensive literature in English, French, and German reflecting the argument that Bolshevik revolution is a Jewish conspiracy. (Sutton) Those who try to prove that the revolution was non-Russian indicate Jewish names in an attempt to remove from the Russian people the blame of the revolution of 1917.On the other hand the Jewish scholars argue that the Bolshevik leadership which pre-dominantly Jewish was not Jews in spirit.(Solzhenitsyn). However, by that logic, leading Russian Bolsheviks were also not Russian in spirit. Therefore, what exactly was the role of Jews in Bolshevik revolution? Can they be blamed for the revolution? Was there a Jewish conspiracy? What attracted them en masse toward the Bolshevik party? Let us start with the History of Jews in Russia. The History of Jews in Russia. Records exist from fourth century showing that Jews inhabited the cities of Armenia and that there were substantial Jewish settlements in Crimea. Under the influence of these Jews, the ruling class of Khazaria adapted Judaism. After the overthrow of the Khazarian Kingdom, the Jews fled to Crimea and Russian principality of Kiev. In the 11th and 12th century, the Jews appeared to have occupied a separate quarter in Kiev called the Jewish Town. At this time, Jews were also found in northeastern Russia (Hein).     Though Russia had few Jews, countries to its west were unleashing anti-Semitic pogroms. Expelled en masse from England, France, Spain, and persecuted in Germany, Jews migrated to friendly state of Polish controlled parts of Eastern Europe. The Polish ruler, Casimir III invited the Jews to settle there as a third estate, performing commercial and middleman services between the King and the Nobility. The Jews performed the function of tax collecting, money lending, estate management, and trade. After settling in Russia, they extended to Ukraine and Lithuania, which would later become part of the Russian Empire (â€Å"History of Jews†).      In 14th Century, the Lithuanians granted more privileges to the Jews. From Lithuania, they migrated to portions of western Russia. Between 16th to 18th centuries, the Jews entered Russia either illegally or with the permission of Polish or Lithuanians, as they were involved in trade (Hein). Tsarist Russia.      The Tsarist regime started the Jewish persecutions in Russia. Muscovite Russia became a very hostile environment for the Jewish people. The treatment of Jews was harsh in the reign of Ivan IV, The Terrible. For example, after his conquest of Polotsk some 300 Jews who refused to be converted to Christianity were drowned in Dvina. Jews were not tolerated in the area of Muscovy. From 1716, the policies of the Imperial Russian were openly anti-Semitic (â€Å"History of Jews†) The Pale of Settlement      In order to keep the Jews out of Russia, the Tsars established a Pale of Settlement, which included Poland and Crimea. The Jews were supposed to remain in the Pale. They needed special permission to move to Russia proper. Pogroms.      Pogroms were mob violence against the Jews. In Czarist Russia, the number of pogroms unleashed against the Jews was numerous that it is impossible to count them. These pogroms were often organized and incited (Spiro).The Czars organized the pogroms in order to divert the public attention from corruption and allow the masses to let off the steam. Jews were perfect scapegoats for economic problems of Russia. Problems of Russia had nothing to do with the Jews. The problems were total backwardness, highly corrupt and autocratic regime, and poverty. Whenever the public discontentment grew, the Czars organized a Pogrom to divert attention (Spiro).      It is arguable which of the Russian Czars was the worst to the Jews(Spiro).Let us start with Nicholas I. Czar Nicholas I (1825-1855) sought to destroy all Jewish life in Russia. His period was a painful part of European Jewish history. He ordered the conscription of Jewish youth to the military from the age of 12 and they were forced to serve in the military for 25 years (Hein). The youngsters were kidnapped, never to be seen again. Some Jewish parents were so desperate that they would cut off the index finger of their sons in order to escape the conscription (Spiro). The Jews who were not taken into military were expelled from their towns and villages. He divided the Jews as â€Å"useful†and â€Å"not useful.†The wealthy merchants involved in trade were considered as useful and others as not useful. A law was instituted prohibiting Jews from wearing traditional dresses (Hein).      Alexander II (1855-1881) brought to end the harsh treatment of Jews. He implemented new policies for the assimilation of Jews. The Jews moved out of their settlements. Those having Russian secondary school education were given greater rights. This led to many Jews enrolling themselves in Russian schools .Emancipation of Jews began slowly. There was greater visibility of Jewish activities. This increased the anger of non-Jewish communities. The increased competition resulted in the formation of Jewish proletariat and a small Jewish upper class. Many Jews entered new professions (Hein)       In 1881, Alexander II was assassinated and the situation for the Jews deteriorated. The Jews were blamed for the assassination. Thousands of Jewish homes were burned; large numbers of men, women, and children were killed. Families were reduced to a state of poverty (Hein).      The new Czar Alexander III blamed the Jews for riots. He escalated anti-Semitism by depicting the Jews as ‘Christ killers’ and oppressors of Christians. He organized one pogrom after another to keep the anger of the masses focused on the Jews. He promulgated a series laws against the Jews. These Laws were called the May laws (Spiro). He passed restrictions in Jewish landownership and prohibited Jews from living in villages. The state enforced anti-Semitic policies with waves of pogroms, which spread through the villages. These were carried out with the tacit knowledge of the government and the police supporting it. Strict restrictions banned Jews from practicing many professions. The number of Jews studying in schools was curtailed. In 1886, an Edit of Expulsion was enforced on Jews of Kiev. Moscow was ‘cleansed’ of its Jews, except a handful who were deemed ‘useful’. Alexander justified these repressive practices with these words: â€Å"But we must never forget that the Jews have crucified our Master and have shed his precious blood†(â€Å"History of Jews†).     The persecutions resulted in many Jews emigrating to other countries. More than two million fled Russia. Vast majority emigrated to United States. Some of them turned to political activism and Zionism (Hein).      When Nicholas II took over the situation deteriorated further. Pogroms become a government policy. During his tenure one of the most famous pogrom was organized in Kishinev, 1903.This pogrom received international attention. New York Times reported: It is impossible to account the amounts of goods destroyed in a few hours. The hurrahs of the rioting. The pitiful cries of the victims filled the air. Wherever a Jew was met, he was savagely beaten into insensibility. One Jew was dragged from a streetcar and beaten until the mob thought he was dead. The air was filled with feathers and torn bedding. Every Jewish household was broken into and the unfortunate Jews in their terror endeavored to hide in cellars and under roofs. The mob entered the synagogue, desecrated the biggest house of worship, and defiled the Scrolls of the Law. The conduct of the intelligent Christians was disgraceful. They made no attempt to check    the rioting. They simply walked around enjoying the frightful sport (qtd.in Spiro).      From 1903-1907 the level of violence was unbelievable. There were 284 pogroms and casualties exceeded 50000 (Spiro).      Thus, the Jews who migrated to Russia with a hope of living in peace were driven to despair by the atrocities of the Tsarist regime. The Jewish community was devastated. People were looking for a way out. They joined the ranks of radical Russians in large numbers. The leaders of socialists, J.Martov and L.Trotsky were Jewish (Hein). The centuries of oppression led to the polarization of Jews and drove them to radicalism. They were desperate to make things better (Spiro). Socialism and Radicalism.      The last 20 years of the czarist regime were a time of tension and renaissance for the Jews, especially within the younger circles. This awakening essentially stemmed from conscious resistance to, and rejection of, the oppressive regime, the degrading status of the Jew in the country, and the search for methods for change. One response to the oppressive policy of the czarist government was to join one of the trends of the Russian revolutionary movement. The radical Jewish youth joined clandestine organizations in the towns of Russia and abroad. Many Jews ranked among the leaders of the revolutionaries. The leaders of the Social Democrats included J. Martov and L. Trotsky, while Ch. Zhitlowski and G. A. Gershuni figured among the founders of the Socialist Revolutionary Party of Russia (Berdichev). With the growth of national consciousness in revolutionary circles at the close of the 19th century, a Jewish workers revolutionary movement was formed. Workers unions, which had been founded through the initiative of Jewish intellectuals, united and established the Bund in 1897. The Bund played an important role in the Russian revolutionary movement in the Pale of Settlement. It regarded itself as part of the all-Russian Social-Democratic Party but gradually came to insist upon certain national demands such as the right to cultural autonomy for the Jewish masses, recognition of Yiddish as the national language of the Jews, the establishment of schools in this language, and the development of the press and literature. The Bund was particularly successful in Lithuania and Poland, where after a short time it raised the social status of the worker and the apprentice, and implanted in them the courage to stand up to their employers and the authorities.(Berdichev) The misery of common people.      The underlining cause of Russian revolution is deep rooted in the history. For centuries, autocratic and repressive czarist regime ruled the country, while majority of population lived in utter poverty, economically and socially backward (â€Å"Russia 1917-1941†).      In 1900, approximately 110 million people lived in Russia, 97 million of which were peasants and three million were industrial workers. Russia was socially and economically backward as compared to other countries like USA, Great Britain, and France. Large majority of Russians were peasants, who lived on the dependency of soil and aristocracy. The peasantry was growing rapidly and there was great demand for land, which was in the hands of aristocracy (â€Å"Russia 1917-1941†).      Nicholas II ruled with an iron hand. The powerful sections of the society: the aristocrats, the Church, the Bureaucracy, the police and the Russian army maintained their traditional loyalty towards the Monarch. Each of these powerful elites was interested in maintaining their status and welfare. The Government was inefficient. The Tsar, Nicholas II insisted on reading every degree, which delayed the administrative decision for months. The army had been recently defeated in the war against Japan and police was chaotic. The economy was backward. The peasants were driven to misery and the food production was low. In places where industry was developing, the living conditions were so awful that the workers were angry and rebellious (â€Å"Russia 1917-1941†).     The First World War increased the existing discontentment. The war took men from the fields to the front. Railway system was clogged up so the people starved in towns. Prices rose and there was famine in 1916-1917.The Tsar took up the command over the military and the day today running of Russia was left in the hands of Tsarina who was very unpopular. The Tsarina was a German; she was overly influenced by a holy man, Rasputin. The aristocrats felt humiliated and the Church was scandalized. The Russian people lost confidence in the Romanovs (â€Å"Russia 1917-1941†).      In February, there was a general uprising. This was primarily over the lack of food and the way the war was fought. It was a spontaneous uprising. Women queuing for food joined the industrial workers sparked of the revolution. The soldiers who were sent to control the agitators joined the revolution. Tsar was forced to abdicate and a  provisional government was formed (â€Å"Russia 1917-1941†).      The Provisional government was made up of middle class politicians. They were not revolutionaries. They did not give land to the peasant and continued with war. They failed to bring in more foods into the towns. These two aspects created unrest among the public.      In April 1917, Lenin returned to Russia and promised people, Peace, Bread, and Land. This was what they wanted to hear. The Bolsheviks had catchy slogans like ‘All power to the Soviets’. By September 1917, 2 million people had joined the Bolsheviks (â€Å"Russia 1917-1941†).     The problems faced by the common people prior to the Bolshevik revolution were Shortage of food supply due to famine and war. Ruled by an autocratic regime. Awful living conditions of industry workers.     These conditions were similar to that of alienated Jews. However, apart from these problems the Jews faced intense anti-Semitic policies. The fear of impending pogroms made the life Jewish community miserable. A sense of alienation was prevailed among the Jews. The Jewish role in Bolshevik revolution.     There were many opposition parties existing during the last days of Nicholas II. The Liberals, Socialists, and Communists. The liberals wanted to establish a parliament like that of England. This group succeeded in establishing a Duma .But the Duma had no influence over the Tsar. The Socialists wanted a peasant revolution. The Communist wanted a working class revolution. The Communists were split among themselves, the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks. Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov or Lenin led the Bolsheviks (Russia 1917-1945).       Many members of the Bolshevik were ethnically Jews especially in the leadership of the party. The rival party Mensheviks had higher Jewish representation. The idea of overthrowing the Tsarist regime was very attractive to the Jewish intelligentsia because of the centuries of oppression and suffering the Jewish community had undergone.       The role played by Jews especially, the Jewish intelligentsia can be inferred by analyzing the leadership of Bolsheviks. Virtually all of the important Bolshevik leaders were Jews: they included the father of the revolution, Leon Trotsky (whose real name was Lev Bronstein: in an attempt to hide his Jewish ness, he adopted the name Trotsky); Lev Kamenev, the early Bolshevik leader who later went on to become a leading member of the Politburo, was born with the surname Rosenfeld; Grigori Zinoviev, head of the Petrograd Soviet, was born with the surname Apfelbaum; and many other famous Communists of the time, such as Karl Radek, Lazar Kaganovich; and Moses Urtisky, (the head of the Cheka) who all changed their names for reasons similar to that of Trotsky(â€Å"Suppressed Link†). Leo Trotsky was the brain behind the Bolshevik revolution. Trotsky was to lead the revolution and unquestionably, without him it would not have happened. Trotsky arrived in Russia with a large number of international communists in order to carry out the revolution.      Two weeks prior to the October revolution, Lenin convened the Bolshevik party. The central committee took the decision to seize power by violent struggle. This committee consisted of predominantly Jews. There were four Russians, one Georgian (Stalin), one Pole and Six Jews. To monitor the take over, a committee was formed with majority Jewish. Trotsky was the chairperson of â€Å"Military Revolutionary Committee†which was to carry out the actual seizer of power. Therefore, all the committees set by the predominantly Jewish Bolshevik party had majority of Jews in them (Weber). The Bolshevik revolution is described by an American Jewish community paper as largely a product of Jewish thinking and Jewish discontent (Weber). Winston Churchill stated in an article published in February 8, 1920:              â€Å"There is no need to exaggerate the part played in the creation of Bolshevism and in the actual bringing about of the Russian Revolution by these international and for the most part atheistically Jews. It is certainly a very great one; it probably outweighs all others. With the notable exception of Lenin, the majority of the leading figures are Jews. Moreover, the principal inspiration and driving power comes from the Jewish leaders†(Weber). David R.Francis, United States ambassador in Russia wrote in a dispatch:               â€Å"The Bolshevik leaders here, most of whom are Jews and 90 percent of whom are returned exiles, care little for Russia or any other country but are internationalists and they are trying to start a worldwide social revolution†(Weber). A Us military officer, captain Montgomery Schulyer sent two telegrams to Washington in March and June 1919 emphatically states the role of Jews in Bolshevik revolution. The first report said:          â€Å"It is probably unwise to say this loudly in the United States but the Bolshevik movement is and has been since its beginning, guided and controlled by Russian Jews of the greasiest type†(â€Å"Jews and Communism†). The second report said of the,           â€Å"384 commissars there were 2 Negroes, 13 Russians, 15 Chinamen, 22 Armenians, and more than 300 Jews. Of the latter number 264 had come to Russia from the United States since the downfall of the Imperial Government†(â€Å"Jews and Communism†). Post revolution.      Although the Jews were less than five percentage of country’s total population, they played a decisive role in infant Bolshevik regime. With an exception of Lenin, Leon Trotsky headed the red army, Yakov Sverdlov was the head of the Soviet government, and Grigori Zinoviev headed the communist international. They were many other prominent Jews in the initial Bolshevik government. Lenin was a thorough internationalist. He viewed his own fellow citizens with contempt (Weber) He considered nationalism as opposed to internationalism.     In March 1919, Lenin delivered a speech on anti-Jewish pogroms. According to Lenin anti-Semitism was an attempt to divert workers hatred from the oppressors towards the Jews. It was a political trick employed by the Tsar to divert popular anger towards a scapegoat (Weber)       A small group of Bolsheviks having come to power needed bureaucracy to run the government. The Bolsheviks revolution was possible because of the large presence of Jewish intelligentsia. Therefore, the Bolsheviks called upon the Jews to take up bureaucratic work of the Soviet apparatus. Many Jews responded this call. Men of Jewish origin dominated Lenin’s first politburo. Majority of Jews who were non-revolutionary and apolitical joined the Bolsheviks. In order to encourage the Jews to join the Bureaucracy, the Bolsheviks organized a Jewish division of nationalities commissariat. The Bolsheviks rejected anti-Semitism and loosened civil restrictions on the Jews (Solzhenitsyn).       The Jews were predominant in all organs of the Bolshevik government. The central committee of the Bolshevik party had 41 Jews out of 62 members. The secret police had 23 out of 36, the Council of People’s Commissars (the Soviet Government) had 17 Jews out of 21.Out of 556 important functionaries of the Bolshevik state 457 were Jews (Weber). The Russian civil war.     Russia was thrust into a civil war from 1917 to 19121, between the Bolsheviks (Red army) and the anti-Bolsheviks (white army).Anti-Semitism spread widely. The white army targeted the Jews, killing huge numbers. The Red army clamped down on anti-Semitic attacks. This created sympathy for the Red army among the Jews. Jewish youth joined the Red army in huge number. The white army was filled with anti-Semitism. Their slogan was â€Å"Kill the Jews and save Russia.†Finally, white army was defeated and the civil war ended (â€Å"Russia 1917-1945†).      Jews retained their leading roles in Soviet society until growing anti-Semitism within the Communist Party itself led to a change in policy. Trotsky was the first major Jewish casualty: he split with Stalin over the issue of international socialism. A Stalinist agent in Mexico City assassinated him in 1940 (â€Å"Suppressed Link†)      Stalin started removing all important Jews from the Soviet Communist Party. He saw Zionism, the Jewish nationalism contrary to an international socialist brotherhood. Zionism was forbidden and Zionist organization was targeted for persecutions. Secular Jews were put in charge in order to spread hatred towards Jewish religion. Jewish communities were dissolved and their properties confusicated.Traditional institutes of Jewish culture and education were closed down. Those Jews who were not Zionist were left alone and achieved prominent places within the post -Stalin Soviet (â€Å"Suppressed link†). However, Stalin maintained policy of Lenin towards anti-Semitism. In a letter dated January 12, 1931, he declared his official position:             â€Å"Anti-Semitism is of advantage to the exploiters as a lightning conductor that deflects the blows aimed by the working people at capitalism. Anti-Semitism is dangerous for the working people as being a false path that leads them off the right road and lands them in the jungle†(qtd.in â€Å"History of Jews†). He declared anti-Semitism as a crime, which deserves death penalty. Despite the official Soviet opposition to anti-Semitism, critics of USSR view it as an anti-Semitic regime. The Soviet hostility towards Jewish religion, the huge casualties during the Great Purge, the non-aggressive pact with the Nazi appear to be anti-Semitic. However, this hostility was applied to all religions and ethnic group. This reveals the fact that Bolshevism has no connection with Judaism. The Soviet Union did grant official equality of all citizens regardless of sex, race, religion and nationality.     Many thousands of Jews however left Soviet Union with most settling in Israel and United States. The Jewish Intelligentsia and Bolshevism: The Socialist ideals were being formed in the Hebrew literature as early as 1820.In a monthly journal ‘visions of a mad man’ the early socialist Moris vinchevsky writes,               â€Å"Go and tell them that all people are brothers, that in nature there are no great and no little people, lords and slaves, rich and poor, that there is not a person in the world who could say, ‘I have the right to use the fruits of your work, the labors of other people’s hands’†(qtd.in Horowitz).     For members of the assimilated Jewish intelligentsia, participating in the socialist movement was often a method of social integration. The ideology, which stressed strong class divisions rather than ethnic ones, helped them avoid the identity problems associated with assimilation and discrimination. All socialist organizations had Jewish members (â€Å"Socialism and Jews†).The concept of international brotherhood as against nationalism attracted the Jewish intelligentsia     At the close of the 19th century, the Jewish proletariat increased and numbered some 600,000. Approximately half of them were apprentices and workers employed by craftsmen, about 100,000 were salesmen, about 70,000 were factory workers, and the remainder daily workers, porters, and domestics. The desire of this proletariat to improve its material and social status, and its contacts with the revolutionary Jewish intelligentsia during the generation, which preceded the 1917 Revolution, became an important factor in the lives of the Jews of Russia (â€Å"Socialism and Jews†).     The Bolsheviks believed in organizing the party in a strongly centralized hierarchy that sought to overthrow the Tsar and achieve power. Although the Bolsheviks were not completely monolithic, they were characterized by a rigid adherence to the leadership of the central committee, based on the notion of democratic centralism. The Bolsheviks took an internationalist stance that emphasized solidarity between the workers of Russia, Germany, and the rest of the world. The philosophy of Bolsheviks was based on Marxism. Lenin was guided by a spirit of internationalism. According to him nationalism did not exist and must not exist, and that the question of nationalism divided revolutionary from reactionary socialism (â€Å"Bolsheviks†) Jewish Chronicle published in London stated,          â€Å"There is much in the fact of Bolshevism itself, in the fact that so many Jews are Bolshevists. The ideals of Bolshevism are consonant with many of the highest ideals of Judaism.†(qtd.in Weber).An American Bulletin carried the words of Rabbi S.Wise, â€Å"Some call it Marxism I call it Judaism†(qtd.in Weber)     The socialist philosophy of the Bolsheviks, which was based on Marxism appealed to the Jewish intelligentsia. The spirit of internationalism, solved the problem of nationalism in an alien land. The promise of bread and equality of the proletariat solved the problem of poverty. The stand taken by the Bolsheviks against anti-Semitism gave them the dream of security. Role of Western Jews.     The Bolshevik revolution is seen by some as a Jewish conspiracy worldwide. However, this is not entirely true. In Britain the 300000 strong Jewish communities was a recent immigration from Russia. For the indigenous Anglo-Jewry, the fate of a fellow diaspora community could no longer be distant concern. The mass immigration brought the problem to their doorstep. For the immigration, Jews political interest in Russia was not a mere academic concern but it was mixed with sentimental attachment and close family ties. It was limited to relief work, philanthropy, and diplomacy. Relief funds were collected for people affected by pogroms. Lucien Wolf the defacto foreign secretary of Anglo-Jewry engaged in diplomatic activities with British government and at League of Nations (Khadish). However, there was no involvement by the British Jews in the Bolshevik revolution.     In United States, millionaire Jews extended financial support to Bolshevik revolution. A group of wealthy Jews and Jewish firms extended financial support to Trotsky. Jacob Henry Schiff, an investment banker was one of the main financiers. Jacob Schiff was a partner in Wall Street banking house of khuhn, Loeb and company. He was an active member in most Jewish charitable organizations and lobbied for the Jewish interest. He and other Jewish leaders successfully persuaded the federal Government to direct official remonstrance to Russia on behalf of human rights of Jews there. Leo Trotsky was given $20 million for the success of the revolution (Best). On March 1917, Trotsky left along with the communist revolutionaries Jacob Schiff and Paul Warburg helped him to reach Russia. Paul Warburg who was vice chairperson of Federal Reserve board handled large sums furnished by the Germans for Lenin and Trotsky. Rothchilds, the banking dynasty of Jewish origin, Olaf Aschberg, a Jewish banker, another Jewish financier Jovotovsky were some of the wealthy Jews who financed the Bolshevik Revolution(Rivera) Though, there was communication passing between the Jewish leaders in America, Germany, France and Britain, there is no hard empirical truth that western Jews conspired together for a Bolshevik revolution (Sutton). Conclusion.     Jewish hatred for Tsarist regime had a basis in objective conditions. Of the leading European powers, Imperial Russia was most anti-Jewish. What else can we expect from centuries of oppression and suffering? However understandable, and perhaps even defensible, Jewish hostility toward the imperial regime may have been, the remarkable Jewish role in the vastly more despotic Soviet regime is less easy to justify (Weber). Sonya Margolina, a Russian born Jewish writer calls it a â€Å"historical sin†She points to the role of Jewish communists in labor camps and the systematic destruction of churches by the Jewish communists (Weber). Neverthless,it cannot be concluded that Bolshevik revolution was Jewish consiparcy.The Jewish Bolshevik leaders like Trotsky had nothing in common with the people of Pale settlement. The Bolshevik Party had many Jews holding important posts. However, there were many Non-Jews holding important posts for example, Lunacharsky, Bukharin, Kirov, Beria, Molotov, â€Å"Iron Felix†Dzerzhinsky (founder of the KGB), Kalinin (First Soviet President), many others. Whatever their religious or ethnic background the Bolsheviks were essentially atheists who hated all religious and ethnic categories. When they came to power, the Bolsheviks burned down the synagogues and killed the Rabbis as much as they did it to the Christians (Spiro).     Original Bolsheviks received funds from bankers. Some of them were Jews and many of them non-Jews. The Germans who wanted to weaken Russia did the main funding (â€Å"Stanford University†).     In the first days after October revolution made great effort to hunt down Jews for use in the state bueracracy.This is not out of the love they had for the Jews but for the abilities of the Jews. They did the same to Latvians, Hungarians, and Chinese (Solzhenitsyn). Some anti-Semites pick up some prominent Bolsheviks and claim that they were Jews. Trotsky was a Jew.However,he was one of the early critics of Stalin and  his criticisms cost him his life. There were many Jews in the leadership of Bolshevik party. As Aristotle says, â€Å"One swallow does not a summer make†(qtd.in Green), we cannot say all Jews in Russia were Bolsheviks.     We can conclude, therefore, that it is wrong to blame a single ethnicity for the crime of few individuals. We cannot blame all Germans for the Holocaust. Similarly, we cannot blame that Georgians are responsible for the atrocities of Stalin. Guilt should be assigned individually not collectively. Bolshevik revolution was a class struggle and nothing to do with ethnicity and religion (Green).                                                                Works Cited Best,Gary â€Å"Sciff ,Jacob Henry†The Online Handbook of Texas.6 June,2001.Texas State       Historical Association.10 April,2007 http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online//aricle/SS/fsc53.html       httpp://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/SS/fsc53.html  â€Å"Bolsheviks.†Wikipedia.2007 Answer.com 5April 2007.       http://www.answers.com/topic/bolshevik â€Å"Communism and the Jews†. World Association of International studies.5 April 2005. Stanford        University, California.8 April 2007http://cgi.stanford.edu/group/wais/cgi-         bin/index.php?p=1082 Green,Richard.â€Å"The Bolshevik Canard†. The Holocaust History Project. July 2000.8 April 2007          http://www.holocaust-history.org/bolshevik-canard/ Hein, Avi. â€Å"The Jewish Virtual History Tour, Russia.†Jewish Virtual Library.2007.TheAmerican          IsraelcooperativeEnterprise.http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/russia.html Horowitz, Brian.Rev.ofâ€Å"Great Russian-Jewish Historians,†ed.Lokshin.A.V.C.Menorah Review           14 September 2005.5 April 2007. http://menorahreview.org.aspx?id=17 â€Å"History of Jews in Russia and Soviet Union†.AllExperts 2006.6 April 2007.     http://en.allexperts.com/e/h/hi/history_of_the_jews_in_russia_and_the_soviet_union.htm â€Å"Jews and Communism†. March of the Titans.Ostra Publication. 1999. 6 April 2007          http://www.white-history.com/hwr61iii.htm Khadish, Sharman â€Å"Bolsheviks and British Jews†Frank Cass Publishers 1992 Rivera,David,â€Å"Final Warning: A history of the New World order†Modernhistoryproject.org          http://www.modernhistoryproject.org/mhp/ArticleDisplay.php?Article=FinalWarning Russia 1905-1945.Redruth School.2006.7 April.2007           http://www.redruth.cornwall.sch.uk/content/departments/history/gcse/russia/Russia1905- htm â€Å"Russia 1917-41†Greenfield History Site 18 March 2007.5 April2007            http://johndclare.net/Basic Russia.htm â€Å"Socialism and Jews†. Information service.Diapositive. Adam Mickiewicz Institute 8 April2007       http://www.diapozytyw.pl/en/site/slownik_terminow/socjalizm_a_zydzi/ Solzhenitsyn, Alexander â€Å"Two Hundred years Together†ed.Mark Weber.2May 2003 Adelaide        Institute 8.April 2007 http://www.adelaideinstitute.org/Dissenters/weber.htm Spiro, Ken .The Czars and The Jews.†Jewish History 23 December 2001 Aish.com.8 April2007       http://www.aish.com/literacy/jewishhistory/Crash_Course_in_Jewish_History_Part_57_-         _The_Czars_and_the_Jews.asp â€Å"Suppressed Link-Jews and Communism.†March of Titans.1999 Ostra Publication 6 April 2007          http://www.white-history.com/hwr61.htm Sutton, Antony. â€Å"Wall street and the Bolshevik Revolution.†Studies in Reformed Theology2001             April 2007. http://reformed-theology.org/html/books/bolshevik_revolution/index.html â€Å"The Jews and Bolshevism†. Jew Watch. 2000 Jew Watch Library.8 April2007.          http://www.jewwatch.com/jew-genocide-USSRchristians-sexpeditionaryforces.html Weber, Mark. â€Å"The Jewish Role in Bolshevik Revolution and Russia’s Early Soviet Regime†            5 April 2007 http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v14/v14n1p-4_Weber.html
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Mental State Examination (MSE) Case Study
Mental State Examination (MSE) Case Study Lachlan Donnet-Jones Giving examples from the case study, how would you describe Amanda’s behaviour and appearance as set out in a Mental State Examination (MSE)? A Mental State Examination (MSE) is defined as â€Å"[a] medical examination comprising the systematic evaluation of the mental status of the patient†(Dorland, 2011). A MSE evaluates many characteristics of a patient including appearance, psychomotor behaviour, speech, thinking and perception, emotional state including affect and mood, insight and judgment, intelligence, sensorium, attention and concentration, and memory (Dorland, 2011). The initial segments evaluated during a MSE are appearance and behaviour. It is important to note the patient’s appearance as this can provide useful information into the level of self-care, daily living skills and lifestyle of the patient. Behaviour is important to record as it can provide much insight into the patient’s emotional state and attitude. A MSE is an important process in determining a patient’s capacity to make [or not] independent health care decisions and provide the necessary support to better the patients welfare (Volicer, 2011). Appearance: The initial insight into Amanda’s appearance occurs as the paramedic crew arrive, finding her ‘sitting upright, looking dazed and anxious with shortness of breath’. It is apparent that Amanda appears distressed, confused and anxious enough to cause her to become dyspnoeic (shortness of breath) (Shiber and Santana, 2006). Amanda is a young woman with dyed, untidy and matted hair who presents with a poor level of personal hygiene and self-care. Amanda has many facial piercings, her pupils are extremely dilated and her arms are covered in sores. Subsequent to Amanda’s arrival at the emergency department (ED) she appears very tense and her facial expressions change rapidly from smiling to terrified. Amanda’s mother re-counted that Amanda ‘comes home dishevelled and dirty’, and that she has ‘lost a lot of weight’. Behaviour: Following the handover to the clinician at the hospital, it is observed that Amanda appears to be suffering a level of psychomotor agitation as she is ‘very tense†¦ pacing up and down the corridor wringing her hands’. Amanda appears unable to focus, demonstrated by abnormal and erratic eye movements, ‘her eyes stare intensely either into the ceiling above or at staff members’. Amanda appears to be suspicious of and distrust staff members as she distances herself as much as possible from any physical contact and enters the room ‘like she’s about to enter a trap’. During the interview Amanda screams ‘They’re everywhere. Everywhere†¦under my skin!’. Amanda appears to be experiencing tactile hallucinations, she believes there is something beneath her skin, when there is not. Amanda also appears to be experiencing auditory sensation (voices) without an authentic (real) stimulus i.e. auditory hallucinations. This is seen as she looks up at the ceiling yelling ‘Shut up shut up shut up!!!!!! then distressed, proceeds to scream and hold her ears as if to block a loud noise’ and furthermore, ‘Why am I here!!! You won’t tell her anything will you?’. Amanda talks about ‘her’, which may be referring to her mother, but it may also be referring to someone else. Define cognition and then briefly discuss how we might interpret how both Amanda’s thought content and thought form are disturbed? Cognition is defined as ‘the mental processes by which a person acquires knowledge.’ Among these are reasoning, creative actions and solving problems (Marcovitch, 2009). Cognition is an essential in determining what we think and how we think. In an MSE, thought form and thought content are used to gain an understanding of the patients thinking, specifically how they think (form) and what they are thinking of (content) (Trzepacz and Baker, 1993). Thought form is the quantity, rate, tempo and logical coherence of a person’s thoughts. The thought form may include highly irrelevant comments, frequent changes in topic and pressured or halted speech (Kaufman and Zun, 1995). In contrast, thought content refers to selective attention (focus on a selective topic), preoccupation or exaggerated concern (obsessions, compulsions and hypochondria) and distorting or ignoring reality (illusions, hallucinations and delusions) (Trzepacz and Baker, 1993). During Amanda’s interview a number of sentences allude to disturbed thought content such as ‘You know don’t you? You know it’s in my veins!’ and ‘Every one of us is falling – the whole planet is falling!’. Amanda’s exclamations are examples of unsubstantiated thinking and are possibly part of an illusion. The thought form of such exclamations is disorganised, hastily changing from one topic to another, â€Å"they’re in my veins†, â€Å"the whole planet is falling!†, ‘Shut up shut up shut up!!†and ‘Forgive me! Forgive me!’. While the specific idea changes there is a recurrent theme to Amanda’s thought content, disastrous, guilty and fearful situations that are beyond her control. It is evident based on the irrelevant topics and unsubstantiated thinking observed in Amanda’s speech that her thought content is disturbed. Amanda’s thought form also appears distu rbed demonstrated by the ‘flight of idea’s’ she experiences and her inability to focus on a relevant topic within the context of the situation (Trzepacz and Baker, 1993). Briefly explain the differences between hearing and listening. Choose two skills of listening and discuss how you would use these skills to effectively communicate with Amanda. What are some of the barriers you might face in the process? Listening is defined as ‘a complex process that encompasses the skills of reception, perception and interpretation of input.’ (Stein-Parbury, 2013). As opposed to hearing, listening is consciously chosen, one must be paying ‘active attention to what is being said’ (Stein-Parbury, 2013). Additionally there are two terms for listening, active and passive. Active listening is effective listening. It requires concentration to process words into meaning which in turn leads to learning. Hearing, or passive listening, is one of the five senses a human possesses, it is simply perceiving sound (vibrations) via the ear. Hearing alone is a subconscious process and happens automatically. A nursing research paper provides a succinct definition of the difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is ‘being there’ for patients whereas listening is ‘being with’ patients (Fredriksson, 1999). In order to conduct effective active listening and exchange information with patients a clinician needs to possess the required listening skills. There are five categories of listening skills; perceiving; interpreting; recalling; and attending and observing, which will be discussed in relation to Amanda’s case (Stein-Parbury, 2013). Observation from the clinician is important in Amanda’s case as much information can be learnt simply from observing Amanda’s behaviour. Observing involves paying careful attention to what is expressed and how it is expressed (Stein-Parbury, 2013). Non-verbal cues such as facial expression, eye contact, body posture and movements ‘[convey] emotional and relational information [Henry et al. 2012] that can inform the clinician of Amanda’s feelings and emotional state. The clinician notices that Amanda is ‘wringing her hands from time to time’, which may suggest she is feeling nervous and anxious. This is an example of observation, by paying careful attention to Amanda’s non-verbal cues (hand wringing) the clinician has an increased awareness of Amanda’s feelings. Amanda’s eyes ‘stare intensely either into the ceiling above or at staff members’, the clinician may interpret this as a sign of distrust and suspicion. Using this knowledge the clinician recognises the absence of trust and can address this in his response to build rapport. Although observing and interpreting the patient’s non-verbal cues is important, it is equally important for the clinician to provide their own non-verbal cues for the patient to interpret. This is referred to as attending. A common mnemonic used for this is SOLER (Sit squarely, Open posture, Lean forward, Eye-contact, Relaxed) (Egan, 2002). Encouragement such as quiet murmuring (e.g. â€Å"Mmm†) and head nodding is also used to show attentiveness and openness, allowing the patient to feel understood. Despite many methods of encouragement and understanding the clinician may still find barriers with particular patients. In Amanda’s case some barriers may include Amanda’s apparent lack of awareness to her environment, she may be unable to listen or acknowledge the clinician, such as when she is staring at the ceiling. Amanda’s hallucinations can potentially disrupt or prevent any congruent conversation and distort her responses. Observation and attending are important skills in listening as they are ‘fundamental in establishing effective relationships’ (Stein-Parbury, 2013). Using listening skills to develop a comprehensive understanding of Amanda’s situation the clinician can respond accordingly in a manner that matches Amanda’s needs. Define therapeutic communication. Using case study examples, explain the difficulties involved in communication when managing a complex scene that includes an anxious patient who presents in the emergency department with a distressed and demanding relative. Hungerford (2011) defines therapeutic communication as ‘a communication technique utilised by a health professional to engage with a person and enable them to achieve personal change’. It is essentially the face to face communication between clinician and patient that aims to enable positive change in the patient. An anxious patient such as Amanda can be difficult to manage, especially in the presence of bystanders or relatives who are distressed, in Amanda’s case it is her mother. While Amanda’s mother may mean well, she is most likely contributing to Amanda’s anxiety. Rather than aiding health professionals she is hindering their ability to reduce Amanda’s anxiety as she ‘[is] constantly obstructing and getting in their way causing interruptions’. In addition to increasing Amanda’s anxiety, health professional’s attention may be taken away from Amanda and focused on calming the mother down. This has a negative impa ct of the patient’s well-being, increasing the time it takes to de-escalate the situation and decrease the patient’s anxiety. Amanda’s mother’s constant interruptions have a negative impact of the patient’s well-being. For example, ‘She is not right; she is really unwell’ as heard from Amanda’s perspective is escalating the situation, making Amanda feel worse than she has too and increasing her anxiety. A potential method to avoid relatives increasing patient anxiety is to separate them. The paramedics separate them during transport, taking Amanda in the ambulance where she can receive further care that is needed, and Amanda’s mother via police. At the ED Amanda’s mother continues to interrupt clinicians. To remove the potential of increasing Amanda’s distress, the clinician interviews Amanda alone. Although Amanda’s mum provided important information it was beneficial to interview Amanda alone. In a situation where a relative is distressed and interferes with treatment it is most appropriate to kindly separate them from the patient, take them to another area where they can calm down and perhaps have a drink or some food. What are the key components of an effective handover between health professionals from different disciplines? Discuss the important considerations of patient handover in regards to objective information and confidentiality (8). A clinical handover is ‘the transfer of professional responsibility and accountability for some or all aspects of care for a patient, or group of patients, to another person or professional group on a temporary or permanent basis’ (National Patient Safety Agency, 2014). The aim of the handover is to establish effective communication of clinical information during patient transfer from the care of one health professional to another. There are numerous steps or processes involved in an effective handover. First, the clinician sending information needs to show strong leadership. Second, any members of the medical team involved in the care of the patient prior to or subsequent to the handover should have an active role in the handover. Third, a multifaceted quantity of information involving the patients past, current and future care should be provided. Finally, the fourth step is to ensure patients that are not stable are quickly reviewed, further care is planned and the tasks are prioritised appropriately (AMA, 2006). Patients expect that confidentiality is respected and personal information is treated with utmost care. Confidentiality is an important legal obligation of health professionals. Delicate and sensitive information regarding patient care should not be discussed in potentially compromised areas, ideally in private quarters away from the public. A final factor to consider during patient handover is the level of objective information. Objective information is fact-based, measurable and observable, as opposed to subjective information which is based on personal opinions, interpretations and judgement (Hjà ¸rland, 2007). Health professionals are required to avoid relaying information that is judgemental, opinion and subjective as this form of information can lead to misinformed health professionals which consequently creates poor or inappropriate patient care (Hemmings and Brown, 2009). References AMA (2006) Safe handover: Safe patients: Guidance on clinical handover for clinicians and managers. Australian Medical Association. Kingston, ACT, Australia. Dorland, (2011). Mental Status Examination. In: Dorlands illustrated medical dictionary, 20th ed. Philadelphia, USA: Elsevier Health Sciences. Egan, G. (2002). The skilled helper: a problem-management and opportunity-development approach to helping. 7th edition. Pacific Grove, California: Brooks/Cole. Fredriksson, L., 1999. Modes of relating in caring conversation: a research synthesis on presence, touch and listening. Journal of Advanced Nursing 30, 1167-1176. Hemmings, C Owen L, Brown, T 2009. Lost in translation: Maximizing handover effectiveness between paramedics and receiving staff in the emergency department,Emergency Medicine Australasia, 21, 2, pp. 102-107, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 4 May 2014. Henry, S.G., Fuhrel-Forbis, A., Rogers, M.A.M., et al., 2012. Association between nonverbal communication during clinical interactions and outcomes and outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Patient Education and Counselling 86, 297-315. Hjà ¸rland, B. (2007). Information: Objective or subjective/situational?. J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci., 58:1448–1456. doi:10.1002/asi.20620 Kaufman, D. and Zun, L. (1995). A quantifiable, Brief Mental Status Examination for emergency patients.The Journal of emergency medicine, 13(4), pp.449456. Marcovitch, H. (2009). Cognition. In:Blacks Medical Dictionary, 42nd ed. A C Black. National Patient safety Agency, (2014). As cited inSafe handover: safe patients. London: British Medical Association, p.7. Shiber, J. and Santana, J. (2006). Dyspnea.Medical Clinics of North America, 90(3), pp.453-479. Stein-Parbury, J. (2013).Patient and person. 5th ed. Sydney: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone. Trzepacz, P. and Baker, R. (1993).The Psychiatric Mental Status Examination. 1st ed. New York: Oxford University Press. Volicer, L. Mahoney, E. Hurley, A. 2011 Mental status measurement: Mini-mental state examination inEncyclopedia of nursing research, Springer Publishing Company, New York,
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Educating Americans About Islam Essay -- Terrorism Islam Islamic Essay
Educating Americans About Islam The events of September 11th 2001 created dramatic changes in the lives of peoples all across the globe. The devastating aftermath of the attacks of that day is never ending in the lives of most people – especially those who were personally affected by the horrific acts of terrorism. Muslims, in particular, have had to experience the backlashes of the September 11th events. An already misunderstood and misrepresented group of people have, in addition, had to deal with incredible biases, bigotry, misdirected hate, and religious intolerance. Many Americans who, unjustly, attack the religion of Islam and its faithful followers are, in reality, very ignorant on the subject of Islam and the beliefs of the religion. Their ignorance, fear, and need to find blame after such a traumatic event blind them from their own false stereotypes and generalizations, and they justify their own prejudice. This paper will first describe misconceptions of Islam that existed prior to the Septe mber 11th attacks and will then go on to describe how those negative stereotypes, along with the need to find blame, have caused many Muslims-Americans to experience incredible bias and discrimination, solely based on their religious beliefs. Americans, for many years, have misunderstood the nature and beliefs of Islam and the practices of its followers. The democratic values and ideals that are held sacred in the United States often skew the American peoples’ perceptions of foreign cultures and customs. In trying to understand the practices of Islam, Americans are often times unable to view Islamic traditions without being influenced by their own Western biases. Preconceived notions and stereotypes are continually ... ... http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/terror/02030810.htm, March 5, 2002. 6. â€Å"Southern Baptist Leadership Chose to Spew Hate,†http://www.islam101.com/terror/sbaptists.htm, June 24, 2002. 7. Vicki Silverman, â€Å"Muslim Americans Support Anti-Terrorism Campaign,†http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/terror/01101003.htm, October 8, 2001. 8. Susan Domowitz, â€Å"American Muslim Leaders Condemn Terrorism, Defend Muslims’ Civil Rights,†http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/terror/01091907.htm, September 18, 2001. 9. â€Å"Poll: Majority of U.S. Muslims Suffered Post-9/11 Bias,†http://www.interfaitheducationinitiative.org/images/content/CAIROnBiasAndKindness. pdf, August 21, 2002. 10. â€Å"CAIR Report: American Muslims One Year after 9/11,†http://www.islam101.com/terror/cairReport911.htm, September 2, 2002.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Case Study: Collective Bargaining at West University Essay
1. Employees decide to form a union to gain job security and higher wages or when they feel management is not doing their job correctly or fairly. The labor laws are in place that provides rights to unionize. I am not convinced they encourage, but they provide a protection to workers who feel they need the support of the union. The National Labor Relations Act of 1935 (Wagner Act) basically provides employees the right to unionize. When under a union, employees are protected in ways such as employers must bargain in good faith regarding all issues. Union members have the right to bargain over wages and other terms of their employment. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) takes union power to a higher lever as the members, who were appointed by the president, have authority to determine no unfair labor practices are occurring, appropriate bargaining units, and conducting elections to determine union representation. Basically, the NLRB oversees that the laws of the Wagner Act are being followed and the employers are not conducting any activities that can lead to charges of unfair labor practice. The labor laws give employees the right to choose a union or choose not to participate so it appears the law does not support one over the other, but supports the employees to be able to stand up for their rights when they feel the employer is using unfair labor practices. I believe this to be a very sensitive subject, because in most places I have worked, employees complain about one thing or another. I don’t think that means they should be allowed to decide to overturn the employer’s policies by organizing a union. (DeCenzo. 2010. p.343-346) 2. I believe teaching assistance should be considered employees since this position is represented by the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) which is a collective bargaining representative. Since it is supported by a union, this position would be considered an employee with the same rights to improve their working conditions. The University recognizes the GEO and seems to be familiar with union practices. It appears the university and the organized unions are able to work together and come to amicable agreements. I wonder if this is because some of the unions are made up of a younger generation who are not as demanding as a union of middle aged workers, mainly because they do not have the work experience to know what to ask for. Or maybe they are more willing to have a good labor-union relationship than the more experienced worker who may have become resentful over the years and may expect more then they deserve. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, teacher assistants â€Å"perform duties and deliver direct services to students or parents†(Teacher. May 2012.) This position is a paid position that delivers a service so it does not make sense that this position would not be considered an employee. Even those who attend school, such as Graduate Teaching Assistants, should be afforded the same protections as any other paid employee. This is similar to the RAs and CDAs who were awarded the right to unionize, even though they were undergraduate students. If undergraduates can unionize, the teacher assistants are certainly considered employees and would also have the right to unionize if they chose to do so. 3. I believe management’s reaction to employee interest in unionization differs if the employer already has a high union density. This does not mean employers are happy to have a group of employees become unionized, but I think they are familiar with the practices of a union and what is involved in working with the union to hammer out the issues raised by union members. I think the reaction would be much more positive from the employer that already has a high union density that an employer who does not. The employer without any union interaction would most likely be more negative and would not want to recognize a union within their workplace. Employers with no union involvement would most likely feel their rights were taken away or that they have lost their authority within the business. An employer who has union experience knows they are still in control of their business; however, they are aware of the negotiation process and the demands they may have to agree to. This can be a tense process as I feel unions just expect employers to bow down to all of their demands. This type of force seems like it gives the union an unfair advantage, which to me contradicts the whole reason for a union, where it was thought that the employer had the upper hand. I can only assume my lack of experience makes me form judgments that may or may not be true, but it is how it appears to me looking at it from the outside. 4.I believe some of the RA complaints were overstated because they expect to be given the same consideration as a resident, when they were informed in the (MOU) the Memo of Understanding which described the terms and conditions of the position. In the MOU, the university describes the requirements of enrollment, minimum GPA, and disciplinary guidelines. Human resource polices specifically state a violation of these disciplinary guidelines would be cause disciplinary action. It is unclear to me why the RA would compare themselves to the residents when they were entrusted with this position and are held to a higher standard. The complaint of compensation was more reasonable since they do not receive much of a monthly salary for all that is expected of them. After taxes the RA is not left with much. Since they are expected to discipline residents and are faced with the retaliation and anger from the residents, it is no wonder there is such a high turnover rate for the RA position. It is unbelievable that there are so many applicants for the position although perhaps they do not know all of the details of the position. It is most likely the reason why people apply and then quit since such a low paying position demands so much from the undergraduate student to handle. Perhaps in this situation a union is needed since it is obvious that the university is taking advantage of the students by requiring them to do much more than they are compensated for. 5. Unionization could change the culture of residence life in a negative way since the management of the company will have lost the control they once had to freely make changes to the culture and business operations. A union would now require that management to adhere to a distinct set of rules and would not have to agree with the way management decides to do business. I would assume the relationship between union and management can become quite agonizing to management as they might feel they cannot make decisions in their own business. According to an article on newswise.com, a study was conducted to evaluate the impact a union has on organization culture, and I was surprised by the results. It appears a comprehensive study of 10 years of information of both union and non-union groups was provided which included more than 7000 employee responses. It was stated that an organization is only as good as its culture and their ability to be aware of it and make changes. This is not such an easy task when a union is involved since according to the study, â€Å"unions are less likely to endorse the cultures of the organization.†This can create a division between the groups. (Unions. May 2012.) Contrary to what I would have thought, this study revealed less employee involvement and less teamwork or desire for advancement. This was surprising as the power of the union negotiation would make me assume these union members are feeling empowered since their voice is heard and they have job security. Apparently, these employees are not as happy or content as one would think. I feel this may be because the employer now has no room for change when it comes to union members and perhaps the non-union members appear to be a part of the business whereas the union members may feel they do not actually fit in, since they belong to the union. A sense of pride, belonging and appreciation motivate employees to work harder, but the union members do not have this aspect so they are less motivated. 6. Arizona has a â€Å"right-to-work†provision in which â€Å"no person shall be denied the opportunity to obtain or retain employment because of a non-membership in a union.†This protects public employees from being turned down due to non-union involvement. The employees are free to choose, and cannot be discriminated against for not supporting a union. I have never worked for a union, but I have witnessed a strike take place at a previous employer, where only some departments were unionized. The strike was out of control, and those not involved had to be protected by the protests going on in front of the building. In my opinion, this should not be allowed, that employees can use such force and violence to coerce the employer to cave to their demands. (Arizona State Senate, 2012, p.1) The NLRA covers employees in the private sector, such as those employed by Federal, state, and local government, agricultural laborers, domestic service, independent contractor, and those subject to the Railway Labor Act. The rights protected under the NLRA are those concerning the employee’s right to form, join, and assist in organizing a union, or to not participate in a union. The protections are in place so no one is forced to join a union, and union cannot force an employer to hire only union members. (National Labor Relations Board, n.d.). I believe there are protections for those who do not wish to participate in a union for a reason. As I previously described, unions can become harsh in order to get their way. I would not want to pay dues for someone else to be paid a salary to speak for me. I negotiate for myself, and my commitment to the company and desire to excel helps in terms of salary increases and other benefits. I do not believe the negotiation process of a union is a benefit to anyone by the union negotiators and it only appears to create hostility within a company that should be able to run their own business. We have other avenues to explore if we feel we are being discriminated against, such as the EEOC. 7. I agree with the decision of the Labor relations commission (LRC) that the RAs and CDAs are employees and have the right to unionize. The university â€Å"hired†the RAs and had them sign a â€Å"job†description and RA Memo of Understanding (MOU). The university laid out clear terms and conditions and requirements that must be met in order to be eligible. This who met the conditions would be eligible for the CDA, community development assistant, which, to me appears to be a type of promotion since the CDA is a mentor for the RAs although no pay increase. Each position receives compensation and must adhere to mandatory requirements such as working 20 hours a week and preparation before each semester. With all of the requirements of these positions, as well as it being a compensated position, is enough proof that this is indeed an employed position in which the employees should have the same rights as any other employee, even though they are students. It would be discrimination to deny these students the rights that any other employee receives. The LRC was absolutely correct to decide for the RAs and CDAs as these are clearly employees and it appears they are being taken advantage of by the university since they deal with all of the negativity on a daily basis with little support and do not receive a pay increase with added responsibilities of a CDA. The university is not being fair to those in these positions because they are students, but being able to become unionized will help them sort through all of the issues they face. References Arizona State Senate (2012, November 8). Labor Employment Laws. Retrieved from http://www.azleg.gov/briefs/Senate/labor%20employment%20laws.pdf DeCenzo, D. A., & Robbins, S. P. (2010). Employee Benefits. In Fundamentals of human resource management (10th ed., p. 343-346). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. National Labor Relations Board (n.d.). Employee Rights | NLRB. Retrieved , from http://www.nlrb.gov/rights-we-protect/employee-rights Teacher Assistants. (2012, May). Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes259041.htm Unions Can Present Challenges to Organizational Culture and Change. (2012, October 15). Retrieved , from http://www.newswise.com/articles/unions-can-present-challenges-to-organizational-culture-and-change View as multi-pages
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