Online Technologies: Opportunities for Charities

Online Technologies: Opportunities for Charities Information Technology and developments in non profit organisations:  How online technologies offer new opportunities for growth to the charity organisations Table of Contents (Jump to) Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Aims and Objectives 1.3 Overview Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Charities Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Introduction As Sergeant and Jay (2004, p.2) have commented, the concept of charity and their mission of raising funds to help the poor and needy has been around for centuries. However, both the numbers and complexities of charity organisations have multiplied significantly over recent decades. Sargeant and Tofallis (2000) confirmed reports from the NCVO that in the UK as of 1998, the number of NGO’s exceeded half a million, of which 40% could be designated as Charity based organisations., This group was then reported to have a collective estimated turnover of approaching  £20 billion. Both of these statistics will have grown dramatically over the past decade. The main mission of charities is to deliver practical and constructive assistance to those in need; providing information on issues such as health problems and disability or promoting the message for fairer laws. These missions can be related to human activity, preservation of the natural world environment and its wildlife or seeking justice for those that are oppressed. However, currently charities have to face up to a number of obstacles in effectively performing the task for which they have been set up, most of which arise in two particular areas. Firstly, with the increasing growth of needy causes, there is a rise in the number of charitable organisations emerging to address these issues, increasing the competition for funds proportionately. Secondly, there is little doubt from the level of research that has been undertaken, that the charity giver is becoming increasingly discerning about the impact of their donations. This concerns centres around the desire to ensure that the gi ft has the maximum impact. Therefore, it is important to the donor that the minimum amount of that gift is used for the charity’s internal administrative purposes. Despite the fact that the â€Å"mission† of a charity has in the past often been deemed more important than â€Å"economic intentions† (Hussey and Perrin 2003, p.200), the current climate within this sector is requiring them to become more efficient if they wish to sustain the objectives of their cause. This means that thy have to look for ways in which they can improve the effectiveness and the efficiency of their operations. In this regard, although somewhat belatedly when compared with the move by commercial corporations, the charity sector is increasingly studying the benefits of using information technology processes as a means of achieving the efficiencies that are required. However, as Hackler and Saxton (2007), although some charities are incorporating information within their organisations, the extent, areas of the business covered and effectiveness of these developments has not yet been perfected in a significant number of cases. In fact, in some it is considered that with some charities it can be reducing efficiency. Indeed the research conducted by Sargeant and Tofallis (2000) concluded that â€Å"the performance of many charities would appear to fall well short of the efficient frontier with no immediately obvious explanation forthcoming for why this might be so.† Indeed, they could also find no pattern to the causes of these failures either. It is the issue of information technology in particular its effective and efficient use in charity organisations that inspired this research project. Of specific interest is the intention to assess the impact that this technology has upon the duel targets of increasing financial efficiency and improving the delivery of the main services and missions of the charity. 1.2 Aims and Objectives As stated previously, the aim of this research is to identify the ways in which information technologies can be used to improve the efficiencies of charity operations. In this regard it is intended to focus the research upon the usage of IT in the online environment. Thus the research question or hypothesis that has been set for this study is as follows: â€Å"Online information technology processes can offer charities opportunities for growth and expansion in terms of the revenue and message and mission generating areas of their operations.† To assist with the achievement of this goal the research will use the following framework of objectives: Growth and maximisation of revenue It is intended to determine the extent to which a charity can make use of the IT opportunities available using the Internet to grow its revenue base and the methods by which this can be achieved. Cost reduction and efficiency Using the same premise as that included within the previous objective it is also the intention of this paper to address the issue of the appropriate IT methods that can be employed for increasing the efficiency of the charity organisation in terms of cost control and reduction where appropriate. Mission and programmes Bearing in mind the unique purpose of the charity format, which is that it has a mission to serve a specific cause, the research will also be ensure that, in addition to the financial objectives outlined above, the information processes examined are compatible with the enhancing of the message that charities need to communicate. This will be applied to both the potential and recipient of their services. The research itself will use a mixture of data to address the research question. This will include reference to the extensive range of financial statements which are available from individual charity websites or the Charities Commission (2008) online resources, although only a sample of these reports will be utilised. To address the issues and concerns of the individual charities more directly, individual interviews will be conducted with a number of representatives from this sector. 1.3 Overview The management and presentation of the research paper has followed a logical format. Chapter two presents a review of existing literature that is available and that relates to the issues being addressed by the researcher. This includes publications and comments by academics, professional observers and other interested stakeholders. Following this critical review, in chapter three it is intended to concentrate upon the methodology that has been applied to this project. It will provide an overview of the available methods and the reasons for the method that has been adopted in this instance. Chapter four provides the in-depth results of the research findings, both that which has been gathered from primary and secondary resources and these will be analysed and discussed in more detail in chapter five. Finally, the research project will reach a conclusion in chapter six and, where considered feasible and appropriate, the researcher’s recommendations will be presented and explained . Included at the end of this study, although separated from the main body of the study, will be additional information. This will include a biography of the various resources that have been referred to or used to assist with the development of the project. In addition, in attached appendices, information that is considered of further value in understanding the issues raised and the examinations undertaken, including the transcripts of interviews, have also been included. Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1  Introduction To assess the issues of the charity use of online information technology, it is important to perform a critical review the existing literature that is available relating to various elements. In this case that will include providing a brief understanding of the charity environment. In addition, it will include a review of the information technology processes and their advantages as well as the areas where charities have been found to have deficiencies either in the usage of these technologies or the extent to which they have availed themselves of the technology itself. The chapter has been sectioned in a manner that appropriately addresses these areas. 2.2  Charities As many academics have observed, in comparison with commercial organisations, the charity is a complex organisation, not least because of its structure and mode of operations (Wenham et al 2004, Hussey and Perrin 2003 and James 1983). There are even different to the other types of non-profit organisations referred to by Hackler and Saxton (2007), such as those that are often form for regulating the decisions and objectives of various parts of nation and international political policies. An example of these would be the various organisations that have been set up in the UK to deal with the reduction of carbon emissions such as The Carbon Trust. The differences attributable to the charity organisation can be observed in many areas of the operation. For a start one of the main intentions that is needed for the organisation to qualify as a charity is for it to have a non-profit making objective (Hurray and Perrin 2003). Secondly, its mission that in the corporate sense would be classed as strategic objective is directed to the service of the external stakeholder or user (Hussey and Perrin 2003). In other words, where the purpose of the commercial organisation is to achieve financial success that will enable it to return additional value to the shareholders and potential investor, the charity’s financial aim is to utilise its funds specifically for the benefit of those whose demands and needs it is intending to address. Often, because of the break-even requirement, the charity will take on projects that are of no immediate benefit, but will have the effect of helping them to subsidise other, more highly valued activities (James 1983, p.351). Another difference in organisational processes is that the charity revenues generating activities relies heavily upon the volunteer donor (Wenham et al 2004), therefore making it difficult to predict. In addition, this places constraints upon administrative expenditure in areas such as computers and other modern equipment (Sargeanr and Jay 2004). Furthermore, because of the purpose of the charity and the need to concentrate its expenditure upon projects that are determined within its mission statement, together with the fact that funds may be limited, many charities are heavily reliant upon the efforts of voluntary employees. Many of these employees might have limited knowledge of the operational processes that are required for an efficient organisation, which can be a disadvantage (Galaskiewicz et al 2006, p.338). This is especially true if there is a sizable organisation to manage. Irrespective of these differences, to remain true to its mission statement and stated aims, every charity still has to create a strategy that allows it to address three specific operational procedures. These are the maximisation of incoming funds, minimising administrative costs to ensure the recipients of its objectives, in terms of projects and services, receive the maximum benefit and effective marketing, which is designed to attract donors and service users (Wenham et al 2004). Therefore, it is important for the charity to be organised in terms of its mission, which means having the right strategies in place (Hussey and Perrin 2003, p.215 and 218) and assessing their appropriateness. As Hackler and Saxton (2007) acknowledge, it is in these areas that the use of information technology can be considered. All charities have to be registered with the Charities Commission (2008) irrespective of their size. An integral part if this registration is the need to provide regular financial statements which Holistic Nurse Prescribing: A Case Study Holistic Nurse Prescribing: A Case Study Introduction 1 the patient and their presenting symptoms. Mr Pickles presents an interesting, complex and therapeutically challenging problem. In essence he is a gentleman with multisystem pathology who presents with an almost incidental finding which he was clearly reluctant to discuss. It is a common finding amongst experienced healthcare professionals that in any consultation it is the last 30 seconds which is the most important. As the patient stands up to go, there is the just while Im here moment when they can bring up an issue that really troubles them and may not be the real presented reason for the consultation. In this essay we shall discuss the various aspects of this situation and the measures we can take to try to help him. (Parker and Lawton 2003) 2.a holistic assessment of the pt, including any relevant medical social and psychological issues. If we start with the initial presenting symptom under discussion the impotence it is easier to work backwards from that to discuss the possible pathophysiology that can be relevant. Impotence is said to occur whenever the male fails to get an erection when it is required. This, in itself is neither unusual nor necessarily pathological. It becomes a significant symptom when the male repeatedly fails to get an erection that is sufficient for intercourse. It is quite possible to get full spontaneous erections and yet still be impotent. This is one of the major diagnostic features that distinguishes the psychogenic impotence from the purely physical. (Ackerman MD, Carey MP. 1995) There are a number of obvious physical causes of erectile dysfunction that are relevant to Mr Pickles (see on), but equally there are a number of possible psychogenic causes that may be either primary factors or possibly secondary contributory factors in the aetiology of his problems. The fact that he has recently undergone major cardiac surgery is a very relevant factor. Patients will frequently suffer from a major change in body perception when they have come to a close realisation of their own mortality. If we add to this the fact that, as the major breadwinner in the family, it is likely that Mr Pickles would have felt a major blow to his self-esteem when he was made redundant from a responsible high esteem job and forced to become a taxi driver with long working hours. This is quite apart from the anxiety and fatigue that such a job would engender.(Beck J. 1995) It is possible that the medication that Mr Pickles is taking may have a bearing on his erectile dysfunction as the male erection is dependent on the hydrostatic pressure of the blood for its maintenance. Any medication that reduces the average blood pressure, will effectively reduce the capacity to acquire and maintain an erection. In addition to this the adrenergic beta-blocker group will also selectively block the sympathetic pathways that are vital to the neurovascular control of the mechanisms of erection. Pathophysiology of diabetes and impotence Both of these topics are huge subjects, so in this essay we will restrict out considerations to those aspects which are relevant to Mr Pickles and his problems. We know that Diabetes Mellitus affects about 2% of the UK population with a specifically higher incidence in both the Asian and Afro-Caribbean communities(Nathan 1998). There is also a marked genetic component in the development of Diabetes Mellitus. Mr Pickles has Type II diabetes mellitus which is associated with a number of factors including a high BMI and increasing age. At 56 yrs. old he is currently at the peak incidence age for Type II diabetes mellitus (Gregg et al. 2003). Diabetes Mellitus is known to be associated with a number of complications. The prevalence and incidence of the complications, in general, tends to increase with the length of time that the patient has been diabetic. There is also an independent variable for complications that is directly proportional to the degree of control (as measured by the HbA1 levels). In general terms, the better the control the lower the incidence of complications (Kissebah et al. 1999) As far as Mr Pickles is concerned, there are two major complications of Type II diabetes mellitus that are directly linked with impotence and they are cardio-(macro)vascular disease and neuropathy. (Wagner et al. 1998) We can deduce that Mr Pickles has macrovascular disease by virtue of the fact that he his recovering from a CABG. And this may well be a very relevant factor in his erectile dysfunction but also there is the question of neuropathy which typically occurs in about 2.4% of the general population, but this figure rises to above 8% in the diabetic patient over the age of 60 yrs. ( Hughes 2002) Impotence tends to occur, in varying degrees, in about 10-15% of men under 40 yrs. Its incidence increases with age to the extent that 40% of men at the age of 40 yrs report a degree of impotence and this prevalence rises to 70% at the age of 70 yrs. (Gregoire 1999). If we add to this basic clinical picture the fact that there are other factors such as hypertension, smoking, cardiac neurosis, loss of self-confidence, depression and iatrogenic causes (medication etc.) all of which may well be relevant to Mr Pickles, then it can be seen that there are a plethora of potential causes of his erectile dysfunction. (Barnes, DE. 2004) Both of the first two causes (hypertension and smoking) are independent risk factors for impotence, quite apart for the fact that they are also risk factors for the development of the macrovascular complications of Diabetes Mellitus (Bowering 2001) Mr Pickles diabetic state has been recently well controlled (HbA1 of 6.5%). This is important as the incidence of development of diabetic complications is reduced by between 34-76% (depending on the particular study) for every 10% reduction in the average HbA1 reading. (Bowering 2001). In addition to all of these considerations, atherosclerosis is also a major complication of Type II diabetes mellitus, which, presumably is relevant to Mr Pickles because of his CABG, and this may be a major factor in the development of his erectile dysfunction. Management plan 3.a plan/strategy based on critical understanding of physiological and pharmaceutical issues. Any management plan must firstly be based on an accurate diagnosis. At this point in time we do not have this luxury. As we have discussed, there are anyone of a huge number of possibilities in the aetiology of Mr Pickles erectile dysfunction problem. When confronted with a problem such as this, any experienced healthcare professional may reasonably chose to manage the problem by making a rational judgement of the probabilities of any one particular cause being relevant. Implicit in such a management strategy is the fact that there are some causes that my be correctable (iatrogenic, psychological, and life style related) and there are some that may not (macrovascular damage, neuropathy and atherosclerosis). It is reasonable, in such circumstances, to discuss the situation openly with Mr Pickles and discuss with him the various treatment options. Patient empowerment and education is a vital strategy to adopt in circumstances such as this as Mr Pickles is far more likely to comply and respond if he understands the rationale behind the treatment plan.(Howe and Anderson 2003) We would suggest that an appropriate strategy would be to initially tackle the situation on two fronts. The psychological aspects of the erectile dysfunction are probably best discussed with an experienced psychologist or councillor who has expertise in this particular area. This is important because there is a considerable skill in eliciting the relevant factors from the patient. Many patients are reticent about talking openly about their imitate sexual details and there has to be a careful build up of trust and empathy on both sides. Factors such as good eye contact and a non-judgemental body stance are essential on the part of the healthcare professional if the optimal result is to be obtained Not only can the issues that are relevant be explored, but also any one of a number of psychological treatment techniques can be employed. This is a matter of considerable clinical judgement and skill and therefore probably best done by an experienced healthcare professional in that area. The pharmaceutical area can also be addressed as Atenolol is clearly not the best anti hypertensive to use as, not only will it reduce the blood pressure (which it clearly is important to do) but it also produces a counter productive beta-blockade which will not help the erectile dysfunction problem. The difficulty is that, after the CABG, Atenolol does have a degree of action on the suppression of ectopic electrophysiological foci in the myocardium which is a recognised complication of the procedure. It also is thought to have a cardioprotective effect post-myocardial infarction. It is probably a good idea to change his anti-hypertensive medication, but in the circumstances, it is probably better to seek the advice of the surgical team who performed the CABG. before making the transition. The question of Viagra has been raised by Mr Pickles. This is not as straight forward as it might initially appear. Viagra has been shown to work well in these circumstances. It has the downside that it allows sexual intercourse which is associated with increased peaks of blood pressure. As Mr Pickles is still in the postoperative recovery phase (16 weeks) it would again be sensible to consult with the surgical team as to their advice on the issue. The other problem with Viagra is that if it transpires that the long term aetiology is actually psychological rather than purely physical, then the prescription of Viagra will often breed a feeling of psychological dependence which may firstly be both inappropriate and unnecessary and secondly, very hard to break. It is probably therefore inappropriate to consider such options at this stage in the management. 4.legal and professional accountability should be discussed. The legal and professional issues are largely covered in the making of a management plan. In any area of professional competence, the best defence against criticism or censure, is the fact that a healthcare professional works from a rational evidence-based plan. It is for this reason that we have set out the rational and reasoning for the plan that we have chosen to adopt. It is actually quite permissible (legally) for a healthcare professional to be wrong on any given issue, as long as they have come to a reasoned and rational decision based on the facts that were placed before them. And behaved in a way that the majority of their professional colleagues believe is reasonable in the circumstances. It is, of course, central to these considerations, that all actions are carefully and fully recorded in the patients notes Prescribing decisions 5.a critical discussion of influences on prescribing decisions. The area of prescribing for Mr Pickles is clearly important. To some extent, we have covered the reasoning behind the change of prescription earlier in this essay. There is a common misconception amongst many members of the public (and indeed many of the less experienced healthcare professionals) that the solution to every problem comes in the form of tablets on a prescription. The whole area of patient empowerment and education is often filled with issues of lifestyle change, healthy living, self care and positive thinking which can frequently be more effective that simply giving the patient a prescription. (Boule NG et al. 2001) In the context of the NHS, it is a common observation that sometimes a prescription is given because it is the most expedient short-term measure in a given situation, (Dawes RM et al. 1974), however, time invested in an explanation to a patient as to why other measures might be equally as important is rarely time wasted., (Corrigan B. 1974) Future management 6.consider your future prescribing activity based on experience gained from this case study. In any professional area of activity, the author likes to use the mechanism of reflective practice to allow a critical assessment of a past course of action to modify future actions when faced with a similar situation. (Gibbs, G 1988) On careful reflection of this case, I believe that I may have acted rather rashly in stopping the Atenolol as a first choice. On reflection, I believe that the Atenolol did need to be changed for any one of a number of other anti-hypertensive agents but I feel that, in retrospect, I would have been wiser to take advice from the surgical team before I made that decision. Further reflection and discussion with other healthcare professionals (Marks-Moran Rose 1996), suggested that another appropriate course of action would have been to stop the antihypertensive medication altogether for a short period. This is on the grounds that his hypertension was not severe and was hitherto well controlled. If the erectile dysfunction was simply a reflection of the fact that the medication was holding his blood pressure down to a level where erection could not easily occur, a few days off the medication may allow a transient increase in his blood pressure to the point that erection could occur. As long as one was careful to monitor his blood pressure to ensure that it did not rise too far, I have been advised that this would represent a reasonable therapeutic trial to establish whether the underlying causes were mainly physical or physiological.(Wagner G et al 1998). On the face of it, this does seem reasonable but I believe that I would have to take further advice before I was fully comfortable with that decision. It follows from what has already been discussed, that I also feel that I may have been too quick to consider the pharmacological interventions before making a complete holistic assessment of the patient. There are clearly a number of lifestyle adjustments that may be relevant here such as weight loss and increasing exercise and looking for a new focus in life (to minimise any element of depression) which would be comparatively easy to achieve with appropriate empowerment and education of the patient. (Funnell R et al 2004) All in all, this is not a straight forward case. There are many elements which require careful and considered assessment. I believe that it is one of those cases that helps to point out that although there is a huge emphasis to be placed on modern scientific understanding and application of medical principles, there is also a very large element of human understanding and caring that is so very important to the successful management of patients such as Mr Pickles (Waterlow J. 1998) References Ackerman MD, Carey MP. 1995 Psychologys role in the assessment of erectile dysfunction: historical precedents, current knowledge and methods. J Consult Clin Psychol 1995; 63: 862-87 Barnes, Darryl E. 2004 Action Plan for Diabetes Copyright 2004 ISBN: 0736054596 Pub. Human Kinetics Illinois USA Beck J. 1995 Hypoactive sexual desire disorder: an overview. J Consult Clin Psychol 1995; 63: 915-927. Boule NG, Haddad E, Kenny GP, et al. 2001 Effects of exercise on glycemic control and body mass in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials. JAMA 2001;286:1218-27 Bowering (2001) Diabetic foot ulcers. Pathophysiology, assessment, and therapy. Can Fam Physician. 2001 May;47:1007-16. Dawes RM, Corrigan B. 1974 Linear models in decision making. Psychol Bull 1974;81:95-106. Funnell, and Robert M. Anderson, (2004) Empowerment and Self-Management of Diabetes Clinical Diabetes 22:123-127, 2004 Gibbs, G (1988) Learning by doing: A guide to Teaching and Learning methods EMU Oxford Brookes University, Oxford. 1988 Gregg, R. B. Gerzoff, C. J. Caspersen, D. F. Williamson, and K. M. V. Narayan (2003) Relationship of Walking to Mortality Among US Adults With Diabetes Archives of Internal Medicine, June 23, 2003; 163(12): 1440 1447. Gregoire 1999 ABC of sexual health: Assessing and managing male sexual problems BMJ, January 30, 1999; 318(7179): 315 317. Howe and Anderson 2003 Involving patients in medical education BMJ, Aug 2003; 327: 326 328. Hughes RAC. 2002 Regular review: Peripheral neuropathy BMJ, Feb 2002; 324: 466 469. Kissebah AH, Freedman DS, Peiris AN. 1999 Health risks of obesity. Med Clin North Am 1999; 73: 111-138 Marks-Moran Rose 1996 Reconstructing Nursing: Beyond Art and Science London: Balliere Tindall October, 1996 Nathan D. (1998) Some answers, more controversy, from UKPDS. Lancet 1998; 352: 832-833. Parker and Lawton 2003 Psychological contribution to the understanding of adverse events in health care Qual. Saf. Health Care, Dec 2003; 12: 453 457. Wagner G, Seanz de Tejada I. 1998 Update on male erectile dysfunction. BMJ 1998; 316: 678-682 Waterlow J. (1998) Prevention is better than cure. Nurs Times 1988; 84: 69-70 Appendix

Notes on the Battle of El Mozote

In December 1981 soldiers of the Salvadoran Army's select, American-trained Atlacatl Battalion entered the village of El Mozote, where they murdered hundreds of men, women, and children, often by decapitation. Although reports of the massacre — and photographs of its victims — appeared in the United States, the Reagan administration quickly dismissed them as propaganda. In the end, El Mozote was forgotten. The war in El Salvador continued, with American funding. When Mark Danner's reconstruction of these events first appeared in The New Yorker, it sent shock waves through the news media and the American foreign-policy establishment.Now Danner has expanded his report into a brilliant book, adding new material as well as the actual sources. He has produced a masterpiece of scrupulous investigative journalism that is also a testament to the forgotten victims of a neglected theater of the cold war The massacre at El Mozote is a book about all the horrible series of events t hat occurred at El Mozote. When one looks at the massacre, it is obvious the United States aided in these events. The United States government chose turn its eye and pretended as if nothing happened. This book introduces one to the events in El Salvador in 1981.The author gives a reconstruction of the events and shows it importance. The massacre is not to be forgotten. Mark Danner uses many specific examples to link the United States with the massacre. The United States supported a friendly regime at this time during the cold war. Danner mentions large shipments of munitions from the United States arriving at Ilopango Airport. He tells us the United States helped to reform the army so that they would not lose to the rebel cause. One can see the United States help in aiding the military figures. General Fred F.Woerner had been sent from the pentagon to assess the Salvadorian war. One thing he mentions repeatedly is the reluctance of United States aid money. He mentions the elite trai ned Aclactl Battalion, and that their American trainers had perhaps instilled their aggressiveness. He mentions that the Americans loved Monterrosa and that the Americans were desperate to finish the war. As an example Danner says, â€Å"The Americans had stepped forward to fund the war, but were unwilling to fight it† He mentions the aid of a CIA officer who claims that the largest fighting was taking place at ElMozote. This leads us to America actually acknowledging that something might have been happening at El Mozote. Reagan signed a bill called the foreign assistance act of 1961 that was to certify that the government was taking adequate steps to recognize the human rights of the people of their country before aiding them. The U. S State Department urged diplomats to undertake â€Å"a grit your teeth† approach to The Massacre at El Mozote? Mark Danner's book, â€Å"The Massacre at El Mozote: A Parable of the Cold War† tells the story of a massacre of men, w omen, and children in El Salvador.The massacre at El Mozote was not discovered until years after it occurred, and the government attempted to play it down until the truth came out. The author is attempting to show that the political cover-up that occurred after what happened at El Mozote became known is a â€Å"parable† or tale of the Cold War, because it indicates the power of large governments to cover up information they did not want the people to know or understand, while â€Å"undermining† Communism around the world. The massacre is also a parable of power, and how power can corrupt and kill.That the troops were trained by Americans is another element of the parable, and it shows how corrupt even the â€Å"best† intentions can be. The author shows that the situation was tragic and could have been avoided, but it was also ignored and played down, something that seems especially repugnant since so many of the victims were innocent women and children, who pose d little real threat to the troops By Danner's account, the next morning the soldiers must have reassembled all of the village's inhabitants and then proceeded to separate men, women and children.Once seperated, the groups were locked into the church, the convent, and some of the houses. Fomr this point forward, the soldiers interrogated, tortured, and began executing the villages men. By noon the the soldiers took the women from the children and commnecnced shooting them with machine-guns. Unbelievably, they then killed the children? â€Å"There was one in particular the soldiers talked about†¦ a girl on La Cruz whom they had raped many times during the course of the afternoon, and through it all, while the other women of El Mozote had screamed and cried as if they had never had a man, this girl had sung hymns, strange evangelical songs, nd she had kept right on singing, too, even after they had done what had to be done, and shot her in the chest. She had lain there on La Cru z with the blood flowing from her chest, and had kept on singing — a bit weaker than before, but still singing. And the soldiers, stupefied, had watched and pointed. Then they had grown tired The Massacre at El Mozote as told by Mark Danner takes place El Salvador. El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America. It shares borders with Guatemala and Honduras.El Salvador is divided into 14 departments and El Mozote is a village in one of the Departments called Morazan. According to the author, the Salvadoran Civil War 1979-1992 was a conflict waged by the Military led Government of El Salvador and coalition of left-leaning militias or guerillas called the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN). The FMLN was supported by peasants and indigenous Indian people. The United States supported the El Salvador Military government. The tensions between the classes, the halves and the halve-nots are therefore represented by the two warring factions.The harrowing events i n Mark Danner’s Massacre at El Mozote investigates and questions three central issues; the Massacre, the role of American Policies in the region during the Cold War and the executive cover-up of the events as Propaganda. One of the concerns is what responsibility (if any) did the U. S. government have for the massacre at El Mozote? El Mozote was â€Å"uniquely† different from most villages because it had resisted the Liberation Theology taught by left-leaning Catholic Priests and according to the author was â€Å"as as stronghold of the Protestant evangelical movement† (pg 19) .The villagers of El Mozote had their own chapel and referred themselves as born-again Christians and as Danner states were known for â€Å"their anti-communism† (pg 19). The villagers of El Mozote did not support the guerillas. According to Danner the Massacre at El Mozote takes place when American trained Salvadoran Armed forces called the Atlacatl Batallion arrived at the village and began systematically killing men, women and children by various means such as torturing, hangings, decapitation, and shooting. The U. S government was responsible for the massacre at El Mozote for a plethora of reasons. First, The Reagan

An Inside Look at Sadomasochism Essay - 1085 Words

An Inside Look at SM Roy F. Baumeister explores the taboo lifestyles of sadomasochism. The main theme and purpose of the piece is to find out who are masochists, and what do they put themselves through in the name of pleasure. Across the country, from sophisticated cities to subdued suburbs, men and women are acting out fantasies of sexual domination and submission. (Psychology Today 47) I believe that Baumeister describes a very accurate portrait of who one specific group of masochists is and what they do for pleasure, however, I feel that he fails to recognize the younger generation of masochists. I also feel that on the issue symbolic of sex change, Baumeister does not elaborate enough. Baumeisters findings show that the†¦show more content†¦Baumeister claims that these fantasies can range from wanting to be blindfolded during intercourse to wanting to be bound and gagged or handcuffed. Pain, being something that most humans would try to get away from at all costs is something that is sought out and even craved by the masochist. The pain fantasy seems to be the one that has the widest range of practices. According to Baumeister, some people enjoy an old fashioned, bare bottomed, over the knee spanking, (Psychology Today 47) where others would prefer having hot candle wax dripped on them. Still others enjoy needles and being whipped. The third masochistic practice that Baumeister addresses is humiliation. Some of the practices include being forced to walk on all fours, and bark like a dog or being paraded around naked in front of others who are wearing clothes. There is one memorable image that Baumeister depicts of humiliation, in which a man for his wifes birthday party had her displayed naked on the hors doeuvre table, so that every party goer who reached for a cracker or the vegetable dip had to reach across her bare self. 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The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn Symbolism Essay

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Symbolism Questions 1. Compare and Contrast Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Although Tom and Hucklberry Finn have many things in common and are very good friends, they also live a life of two totally different lifestyles. Tom, who is a dreamer, lives a life out of romantic novels, and can be amusing and exasperating at the same time. He lives a life out of drama and brings out his imagination in a realistic way. He is amusing when showing his understanding of what he has read and he loves to replay what has happened He is a leader and is idolized by many including Huck. Huck, much different than Tom, does not engage in the fantasies that Tom does and has little interest†¦show more content†¦He seems like a person who is filled with superstitions but later down the river we learn about his fine attributes like his unselfishness and his love for Huck. Because he is more than a stereotypical slave, Huck and Jim throughout the book develop a very loyal friendship and become very good friends. Jim, who acts like a father figure towards Huck because no one else is there for him., is important to the plot because he gives Huck a reason to travel on the river. Because Jim is a runaway slave, it is necessary for Huck to keep quiet in times like for instance when Huck lies to them men about him being in the raft, instead telling them that his ill â€Å"pap† is in the raft. Huck does whatever he can to keep his word that â€Å" he will not tell on Jim.† When Huck hears that Jim is jubilant at the thought of escape, and also that Jim plans to steal is necessary, his own children out of slavery, he is horrified at this and shocked at his own part in such an â€Å"immoral† undertaking. Not only a plot device, Jim is also the person who brings Huck to a series of important moral decisions throughout the book.. As they travel more and more into the their adventure, you can see a stronger and stronger bond growing between the two. They rely on each other and are both an essential part to their lives. 3. Analyze the significance of the Mississippi River in the novel. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Mississippi represents a place of good. Huck and Jim, find theirShow MoreRelatedThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Symbolism860 Words   |  4 PagesThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Symbolism Questions 1. Compare and Contrast Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Although Tom and Hucklberry Finn have many things in common and are very good friends, they also live a life of two totally different lifestyles. Tom, who is a dreamer, lives a life out of romantic novels, and can be amusing and exasperating at the same time. He lives a life out of drama and brings out his imagination in a realistic way. He is amusing when showing his understandingRead MoreEssay Symbolism: the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn1207 Words   |  5 Pageshave used symbolism to express certain feelings and emotions in discreet ways. What is symbolism? The practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or relationships (Dictionary.com). Numerous authors use the same denotations to illustrate different thoughts or ideas. Mark Twain uses various symbols, such as the river and the land to expose freedom and trouble in his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The AdventuresRead MoreEssay on Symbolism in The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn1212 Words   |  5 Pageshave used symbolism to express certain feelings and emotions in discreet ways. What is symbolism? The practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or relationships (Dictionary.com). Numerous authors use the same denotations to illustrate different thoughts or ideas. Mark Twain uses various symbols, such as the river and the land to expose freedom and trouble in his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The AdventuresRead MoreSymbolism of the Raft and River in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn480 Words   |  2 PagesSymbolism of the Raft and River in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn I chose to examine the symbolism of the raft and river, and the journey Huck and Jim take on it in Mark Twains The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn. The Raft and the Mississippi River play a major role in this book. The river comes to symbolize many things, and one important role I believe the river play is being the deliverer for both Huck and Jim. The river takes both Huck and Jim away from captivity. As Huck wasRead MoreSymbolism in â€Å"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn† by Mark Twain751 Words   |  4 Pagescurrent, makes it an ideal scene to escape civilization. In â€Å"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn† by Mark Twain, the two main characters, Huck and Jim, find peace on the Mississippi as they spend endless nights floating down stream. Becoming civilized in society is a major theme in the novel and the Mississippi river helps Huck and Jim become uncivilized as it provides them with protection from the outside world, freedom, and adventure. The Mississippi River provides Huck and Jim protection from theRead MoreRiver Symbolism In Huckleberry Finn1252 Words   |  6 PagesThis quote relates to The Adve ntures of Huckleberry Finn written by Mark Twain because, Huck Finn has a friend who goes with him on his journey to the south. In a way his friend Jim becomes almost like family. They have spent all of their time together and they have been through a lot to get to the south and be free. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a valuable novel and should be included in high school curriculum because it teaches people through river symbolism, the language used in the 1800sRead MoreHuck Finn River Symbolism1067 Words   |  5 PagesIn ï ¿ ½The Adventures of Huckleberry Finnï ¿ ½, the Mississippi River plays several roles and holds a prominent theme throughout much of the story as a whole. Huckleberry Finn and Jim are without a doubt the happiest and most a peace when floating down the river on their raft. However, the river has a much deeper meaning than just a compilation of water. It almost goes to an extent of having its own personality and character traits. The river offers a pl ace for the two characters, Huck and Jim, to escapeRead MoreThe Censorship of Huckleberry Finn Essay1273 Words   |  6 PagesThe Censorship of Huckleberry Finn Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a significant book in the history of American literature that presents readers with the truth of our past American society in aspects such as speech, mannerisms, and tradition that we must embrace rather than dismiss by censorship. It is a novel that has been praised and proclaimed America’s â€Å"first indigenous literary masterpiece† (Walter Dean Howells) as well as one that has been criticized and declared obscene. It hasRead MoreThe Concept of Race in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain631 Words   |  3 PagesWithin his criticism of Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Gregory Fowler uses examples from both the book and Mark Twain’s own life to discuss the different ways in which racism has morphed. Instead of analyzing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn critically and solely, Gregory Fowler critically analyzes parts of the book and its effect to prove the different ways in which slaver mo rphs through the uses of allusions, exemplifications, and anecdotes. Fowler’s opening paragraph consistsRead MoreMark Twain s Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn1755 Words   |  8 PagesMark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a masterpiece and an American classic according to Alex Brink Effgen, a PhD student working on the impact of Twain’s writing (Effgen). Twain expresses the problems that faced America during the 1830s to 1870s through the point of a view of a boy that indirectly expresses his hate for the accepted societal rules that are placed on ideas such as racism. Twain’s use of dialect, language and symbolism express the Realism era and creates a powerful masterpiece