A History of Flag-Burning and Flag Desecration Laws in the U.S.

Flag-burning is a potent symbol of protest in the United States, conveying sharp criticism of the state and stirring a deeply emotional, nearly religious fury in many of its citizens. It treads one of the most difficult lines in U.S. politics, between the love of the countrys most cherished symbol and the freedom of speech protected under its Constitution. But flag-burning or desecration isnt unique to the 21st century. It first became an issue in the U.S. during the Civil War. After the war, many felt that the trademark value of the American flag was threatened on at least two fronts: once by the preference of white Southerners for the Confederate flag, and again by the tendency of businesses to use the American flag as a standard advertising logo. Forty-eight states passed laws banning flag desecration to respond to this perceived threat.  Heres a timeline of events. History of Flag Burning Chronology Most early flag desecration statutes prohibited marking or otherwise defacing a flag design, as well as using the flag in commercial advertising or showing contempt for the flag in any way. Contempt was taken to mean publicly burning it, trampling on it, spitting on it, or otherwise showing a lack of respect for it. 1862: During the Civil War-era Union occupation of New Orleans, resident William B. Mumford (1819–1862) is hanged for tearing down a U.S. flag, dragging it through the mud, and tearing it to shreds. 1907: Two Nebraska businesses are fined $50 apiece for selling bottles of Stars and Stripes brand beer, a violation of Nebraska state flag desecration law. In  Halter v. Nebraska, the U.S. Supreme Court finds that even though the flag is a federal symbol, states have the right to create and enforce local laws. 1918: Montanan Ernest V. Starr (born 1870) is arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced to 10–20 years of hard labor for failing to kiss the flag, calling it a piece of cotton with a little bit of paint. 1942: The Federal Flag Code, which provided uniform guidelines for the proper display and respect shown to the flag, is approved by Franklin Roosevelt. The Vietnam War Many antiwar protests occurred in the last years of the Vietnam War (1956–1975), and many of them included incidents of the flag being burned, decorated with peace symbols, and worn as clothing. The Supreme Court only agreed to hear three of the numerous cases. 1966: Civil rights activist and World War II veteran Sidney Street burns a flag at a New York intersection in protest against the shooting of civil rights activist James Meredith. Street is prosecuted under New Yorks desecration law for defy(ing) the flag. In 1969, the Supreme Court overturned Streets conviction (Street vs. New York) by ruling that verbal disparagement of the flag—one of the reasons for Streets arrest—is protected by the First Amendment, but it didnt directly address the issue of flag-burning. 1968: Congress passes the Federal Flag Desecration Law in  1968 in response to a Central Park event in which peace activists burned American flags in protest of the Vietnam War. The law bans any display of contempt  directed against the flag but doesnt address the other issues dealt with by the state flag desecration laws. 1972: Valerie Goguen, a teenager from Massachusetts, is arrested for wearing a small flag on the seat of his pants and is sentenced to six months in jail for contempt of the flag. In Goguen v. Smith, the Supreme Court ruled that laws that ban contempt of the flag are unconstitutionally vague and that they violate the First Amendments free speech protections. 1974: Seattle college student Harold Spence is arrested for hanging a flag upside down and decorated with peace symbols outside his apartment.  The Supreme Court ruled in  Spence v. Washington  that affixing peace sign stickers to a flag is a form of constitutionally-protected speech. Court Reversals in the 1980s Most states revised their flag desecration laws in the late 1970s and early 1980s to meet the standards set in Street, Smith, and Spence. The Supreme Court decision in Texas v. Johnson would ramp up citizen outrage. 1984: Activist Gregory Lee Johnson burns a flag in protest against President Ronald Reagans policies outside the Republican National Convention in Dallas in 1984. He is arrested under Texas flag desecration statute. The Supreme Court struck down flag desecration laws in 48 states in its 5-4 Texas v. Johnson  ruling, stating that flag desecration is a constitutionally protected form of free speech. 1989–1990: The U.S. Congress protests the Johnson decision by passing the Flag Protection Act in 1989, a federal version of the already-struck state flag desecration statutes. Thousands of citizens burn flags in protest of the new law, and the Supreme Court affirmed its previous ruling and struck down the federal statute when two protesters were arrested. A Constitutional Amendment Between 1990 and 1999, dozens of flag desecration events were subject to formal actions by criminal justice systems, but the Johnson decision prevailed. 1990–2006: Congress makes seven attempts to overrule the U.S. Supreme Court by passing a constitutional amendment  that would make an exception to the First Amendment. Had it passed, it would have allowed the government to ban flag desecration.  When the amendment was first brought up in 1990, it failed to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority in the House. In 1991, the amendment passed in the House overwhelmingly but was defeated in the Senate. The last attempt was in 2006, in which the Senate failed to confirm the amendment by one vote. Flag Desecration and Laws Quotations Justice Robert Jackson  from his  majority opinion  in  West Virginia v. Barnette  (1943), which struck down a law requiring schoolchildren to salute the flag:   The case is made difficult not because the principles of its decision are obscure but because the flag involved is our own...But freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much. That would be a mere shadow of freedom. The test of its substance is the right to differ as to things that touch the heart of the existing order.If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. Justice William J. Brennan  from his 1989  majority opinion in  Texas v. Johnson: We can imagine no more appropriate response to burning a flag than waving ones own, no better way to counter a flag burners message than by saluting the flag that burns, no surer means of preserving the dignity even of the flag that burned than by—as one witness here did—according its remains a respectful burial.We do not consecrate the flag by punishing its desecration, for in doing so we dilute the freedom that this cherished emblem represents. Justice John Paul Stevens from his dissent in  Texas v. Johnson  (1989):   The ideas of liberty and equality have been an irresistible force in motivating leaders like Patrick Henry,  Susan B. Anthony, and  Abraham Lincoln, schoolteachers like Nathan Hale and Booker T. Washington, the Philippine Scouts who fought at Bataan, and the soldiers who scaled the bluff at Omaha Beach. If those ideas are worth fighting for—and our history demonstrates that they are—it cannot be true that the flag that uniquely symbolizes their power is not itself worthy of protection from unnecessary desecration. In 2015, Justice Antonin Scalia explained why he cast the deciding vote in Johnson: If it were up to me, I would put in jail every sandal-wearing, scruffy-bearded weirdo who burns the American flag. But I am not king. Sources and Further Reading Goldstein, Robert Justin. Saving Old Glory: The History Of The American Flag Desecration Controversy. New York: Westview Press, 1995.  Rosen, Jeff. Was the Flag Burning Amendment Unconstitutional? Yale Law Journal 100 (1991): 1073–92.Testi, Arnaldo. Capture the Flag: The Stars and Stripes in American History. New York: New York University Press, 2010.Welch, Michael. Flag Burning: Moral Panic and the Criminalization of Protest. New York: Aldine de Gruyter, 2000.

Psychoanalytic Theory Of Sigmund Freud - 824 Words

Week 3 Essay First or Foundation A Look into the Psychoanalytic Theory of Sigmund Freud David Haygood Talladega College Applied Psychology 202 7/7/2017 Abstract The psychoanalytic theory by Sigmund Freud has always been argued to be one of the most controversial theories in the school of psychology. Critics have questioned how relevant the perspective of Freud is due to the fact that it holds no scientific basis. Sigmund Freuds psychoanalytic theory of personality argues that human behavior is the result of the interactions among three component parts of the mind: the id, ego, and superego. This theory, known as Freuds structural theory of personality, places great emphasis on the role of unconscious psychological†¦show more content†¦Even though Freuds family had limited finances and were forced to live in a crowded apartment, his parents made every effort to foster his obvious intellectual capacities. In 1881 Freud received his doctorate and started work under Jean-Martin Charcot (Rana 97). Freud practiced and observed hypnosis as a clinical technique, and began to formulate the beginnings of his theory on the mind. There were no unusual aspects to Freuds childhood that seem to guide him in his rationing of thinking for his theories. Freuds parents realized that he would be a scholarly child and tried to accommodate him with a solid education. Freud believed that the human personality consisted of three interworking parts: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id, the largest part of the mind, is related to desires and impulses and is the main source of basic biological needs. The ego is related to reasoning and is the conscious, rational part of the personality; it monitors behavior in order to satisfy basic desires without suffering negative consequences (Boundless.com). The superego, or conscience, develops through interactions with others (mainly parents) who want the child to conform to the norms of society (Boundless.com). Freud believed that our adult lives were shaped by childhood experiences, meaning that if children did not receive the proper nurturing, that the child would be stuck in that stage or behaviorsShow MoreRelatedSigmund Freud s Psychoanalytic Theory Of Identity1542 Words   |  7 PagesSigmund Freud s psychoanalytic hypothesis of identity, identity is made out of three components. The three components of identity are known as the id, the ego, and the superego. They cooperate to make complex human practices. The id is the main part of identity that is available from birth. This part of identity is totally oblivious and incorporates of the intuitive and primitive practices. As indicated by Freud, the id is the wellspring of all psychic vitality, making it the essential partRead MoreA Comparative Analysis of the Psychoanalytic Theories of Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Alfred Alders1012 Words   |  4 Pagessimilarities and the differences in the three theories that derived by Sigmund Freund, Carl Jung and Alfred Alders. The study will look at my personal opinion on the characteristics of the theory. An examination on the stages of Freuds theory will help to dissect personal characteristics (Burger, 2011). The use of real life examples will help to determine the Freudian defense mechanism theory. The similarities and the differences on psychoanalysis theories Sigmund Freund outlined childhood events as aRead MoreThe Theory Of Psychoanalysis On The Unconscious Phases Of Personality Development1130 Words   |  5 PagesThe theory of Psychoanalysis In the early 1800s, Psychologist and researchers were fervent in postulating and hypothesizing. Searching earnestly for answers to the many questions that were prevalent in those days. The theory of Psychoanalysis was one of such theory that was founded. Psychoanalysis emphases on the unconscious phases of personality development. The main tenets of this theory are characterized into four subsections. Firstly, it states that early childhood experiences are important inRead MorePsychoanalytic Theory And Psychodynamic Theory1247 Words   |  5 Pages Psychoanalytic Theory In this paper, I will discuss the theoretical perspective of psychoanalytic theory and discuss a few of the theorist that helped to shape and expanded upon this theory. I will focus mainly on Sigmund Freud, the founder of the psychodynamic approach and use his theory as the foundation to compare other theorist perspectives. Psychoanalytic theory is based on the belief that the human mind often represses threatening wishes or painful experiences. Repression is believed toRead MoreComparing The Work Of Sigmund Freud And A Neo Analytical Theorist1290 Words   |  6 PagesContrasting Personality Theories: Analysis of Freud and Karen Horney Yorkville University Alanna Sampson â€Æ' Abstract The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the work of Sigmund Freud and a neo-analytical theorist. This paper will compare the work of Freud and Karen Horney and begins with an introduction to the study of personality and an identification of the key elements in Freud and Horney’s theories. The paper then moves into an analysis of where Horney and Freud would find agreementRead MoreThe Psychoanalytic Approach . And Some Of The Influential987 Words   |  4 PagesThe Psychoanalytic Approach And Some of the Influential People Behind It Diane L. Williams Clatsop Community College The Psychoanalytic Approach And Some of the Influential People Behind It There are different theoretical approaches to psychology; behaviorist, humanistic, psychoanalytic, and biological. I will be discussing the psychoanalytic approach to psychology and some of the pioneers of this theory. What is the psychoanalytic approach? Psychoanalysis is a form of psychotherapy thatRead MoreEssay about Jennys Personality; Interpretation of Forrest Gump1419 Words   |  6 Pagespersonality as it is applicable to Psychodynamic theory. The paper will present my rationale for the choice to use the Psychodynamic theory to describe Jenny Curran’s personality. In addition, this paper will present a description of the psychodynamic theory utilizing the work of Sigmund Freud regarding personality development. The paper will contain a description of Jenny Curran, as well as, an analysis of her personality utilizing Psychodynamic theory focusing on structure, process, growth, developmentRead MoreEssay on Psychoanalysis1148 Words   |  5 Pagesmind. This would be Sigmund Freud. Freud, along with Carl G. Jung and Alfred Adler, has impacted the history of psychoanalysis. Further, he has influenced the lives of the men and women during the early 1900s. In todays society, the history of psychoanalysis is continually being discussed among many scholars. Paul Roazen, author of Encountering Freud: The Politics and Histories of Psychoanalysis, has dedicated his professional career to researching the impact of Freud and his followers notRead MorePsychoanalytical Theory : The Psychoanalytic Theory1217 Words   |  5 PagesPsychoanalytical Theory: Literary The Psychoanalytic theory is the theory of personality changes through many acts and gestures. Throughout many decades, different clinical methods have been proposed for training psychopathology. This therapy has undergone many different changes. With many studies completed and proved to be true, the psychoanalytic theory has become widely accepted. The psychoanalytic theory is a very important theory as it has proven why such things happen in a persons life. Read MoreAnna Freuds Role in the History of Psychology1527 Words   |  7 PagesAnna Freud, born in 1895, was the daughter of Sigmund Freud, the well-known founder of psychology and the psychoanalytic theory. Anna Freud’s work with her father and his friends and associates as well as her own personal studies, curiosities, and analyses lead her to cofound psychoanalytic child psychology. An appealing woman who did not have much of a formal education, Anna Freud, had an extensive background in psychology, an interesting theoretical perspective, and many contributions to the

A Research Study On Microbial Ecology Biogeography,...

someone who is extremely passionate and enthusiastic about biological sciences, especially in topics covering microbiology and molecular biology. I am presently working as a Research Scientist at 3-Cs Ltd, United Kingdom and I am writing to express my interest to pursue the PhD topic; â€Å"Microbial ecology: biogeography, disease dispersal and potential source of new biotech products†; because it is engaged in an integrated approach of using many interesting subjects like molecular genetics, histology, microbiology, bioinformatics etc. Going through the advert of the mentioned PhD programme, I am positive that I have the required qualities to be a successful PhD student for this programme; because along with proficient theoretical understanding of this topic, I believe that I also have a clear idea of the laboratory techniques needed to approach and complete this topic. The reason why I have chosen to study under the world renowned Bournemouth University is because of its ou tstanding reputation for scientific achievement and the advanced research facilities. I am optimistic that I will not only gain intellectual benefits from this PhD programme, but would also be considered as a strong competitor in the outside world. By completing my PhD at the Bournemouth University, I will be prepared to fulfil my personal and career objectives as I work to improve my research and developmental skills. Furthermore, I am extremely confident that working under honourable supervisor Dr. G.

Hard Times Many Symbols about Human Nature Free Essays

In Dickens’s Hard Times, there are many symbols that run through the novel. These symbols stand for much more than Just word you would come across multiple times as you read. Each symbol can mean something about human nature, human relationships, morality, and even about our society. We will write a custom essay sample on Hard Times: Many Symbols about Human Nature or any similar topic only for you Order Now Each symbol can have a different meaning to all of us. The symbols that came up frequently and that stood out to me as I read were staircase, Pegasus, smoke serpents, and fire. The first symbol that stood out to me was the staircase Mrs. Sparsit imagines. This ymbol stood out to me when Mrs. Sparsit notices that Louisa and Harthouse are spending a bunch of time together. As she notices this, she imagines that Louisa is running down some sort of staircase into a â€Å"dark pit of shame and ruin at the bottom. † I believe that this staircase represents her belief that Louisa is going to disappear with Harthouse and ruin herself forever. Mrs. Sparsit has disliked Bounderbys marriage to the Louisa and has always hoped to marry him herself. So this makes her very happy by Louisa’s action to disappear with Harthouse. Through he staircase, Dickens reveals how Mrs. Sparsit’s character is hypocritical. He also suggests that Mrs. Sparsit’s own self misinterprets the situation between Louisa and Harthouse. She misinterprets this because she ends up in shame by having an affair with Harthouse and Louisa ends up returning home to her father. The next symbol that stood out to me was the Pegasus from Mrs. Slearys circus. Mr. Slearys circus entertainers would stay at an inn called the Pegasus Arms. The symbol is inside of this inn. On the inside of this inn, the symbol is a Pegasus that is a odel of a flying horse with golden stars stuck on all over him. This symbol, the Pegasus, represents a world of fantasy and beauty from which Gradgrinds children are not a part of. There is a point when Mr. Gradgrind informs the pupils at his school that wallpaper with horses on it is unrealistic because horses do not in fact live on walls. He always taught the kids hard facts and nothing but them and to not have an imagination. The circus people however live in a world in which horses can dance and flying horses can be imagined even if they do not in fact really exist in the eal world. The name of this inn shows the contrast between the imaginative and very happy world of the circus and Mr. Gradgrind’s belief in the importance of fact and to have no imagination. Another symbol that stood out to me was the smoke serpents above Coketown. The symbol was the streams of smoke that was in the skies above Coketown. These streams are the outcome of factories and industrialization. However, these smoke serpents also represent the obliviousness of some factory owners like Bounderby. He is always so focused on making as much money and profit as he possibly can. Bounderby concludes that the serpents of smoke are a positive sign that the factories are producing and making a g prott Bounderby tails to see the smoke as a torm of unhealthy pollution because he is so concerned about making a profit. He also fails to recognize his own abuse of the hands in his factories. He does not realize how miserable and poor his workers are and is more worried about his business and himself. The final symbol that stood out to me was fire. The first time the symbol fire stood out to me was when Louisa is first introduced in Chapter 3. The narrator explains that here is a â€Å"fire with nothing to burn, a starved imagination keeping life in itself somehow. † This shows that Louisa seems she has not listened to her father’s beliefs against wondering and imagining. The fire also shows a certain kid of warmth. It is says that Louisa often stares into the fireplace when she is alone. She stares as if she sees things in the flames that others do not, like her rigid father and brother. However, there is also another kind of fire that stands out to me in Hard Times. The other time I think of fire in this novel is the fires that keep the factories running. The fire provides heat and power for machines. This shows that fire can be an example of an evil that can be used as a greater good. Through this symbol, Dickens shows the importance of imagination to show the industrialization of human nature. In conclusion, symbols can mean and represent many things in life. People use different symbols every day to represent something that they believe in. For example, many very religious people may wear a cross around their neck to show a symbol of faith Just how the Pegasus from Mrs. Slearys circus is a symbol to the people to have an imagination. How to cite Hard Times: Many Symbols about Human Nature, Papers

Effective Internal Control free essay sample

Listed below are four interbank cash transfers, indicated by the letters a, b, c and d, of a client for late December 20X1, and early January 20X2. Your answer choice for the next two questions should be selected from this list. For each of transfers a through d indicate whether cash is understated, unaffected, or overstated by the transfer and provide a brief example of what could cause the situation in which cash is either understated or overstated. a. Unaffected. b. Unaffected. c. Understated. Although there are a number of possible situations, one is that in which a check is written on the disbursing bank on the last day of December with a credit to cash, and an associated debit to some expense account so as to decrease reported profits (and taxes) for the year. d. Overstated. One situation is that in which an employee has misappropriated funds during the year, and draw a check transferring funds to the account with the shortage so as to cover the shortage. We will write a custom essay sample on Effective Internal Control or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As of December 31, the shortage is replaced, with no reduction as yet recorded in the account on which it is drawn. Since financial investments are assets with a high degree of inherent risk, companies must establish effective internal control over their investments. a. Describe the functions that should be segregated to provide good internal control over financial investments. b. Describe two other internal control policies that should be established for financial investments. a. The functions that should be segregated with respect to financial investments are: 1. Authorization of purchases and sales, 2. Custody of the securities, and 3. Maintaining records of investments. b. Other internal controls include (only two required): Establishing formal investment policies. Maintaining a complete detailed record of investments and revenue from investments. Registration of securities in the name of the company. Periodic physical inspection. Joint control over securities, or use of an independent custodian. Preparation of a budget of investment revenue. Determination of appropriate accounting by competent personnel. 3. Confirmation of accounts receivable is presumptively mandatory audit procedure. In performing this procedure, auditors use positive confirmation requests or negative confirmation requests or a combination of both. Describe three conditions which should exist for the auditors to use the negative form of request. b. If a response is not received to an initial positive confirmation request, describe the action that should be taken by the auditors, including a discussion of alternative auditing procedures. a. Audit tasks requiring specialized skill or knowledge (only three required): Identifying controls at service organizations that provide financial services for the client. Obtaining an understanding of information systems for securities and derivatives that are highly dependent on computer technology. Applying complex accounting principles. Understanding the methods of determining fair values of financial investments. Assessing inherent risk and control risk for assertions about derivatives used for hedging. b. Derivatives are financial instruments that derive their value form other financial instruments, underlying assets, or indices. c. Clients engage in financial derivative transactions for two major purposes: Hedgingto hedge changes in value of an existing asset or liability or of a prospective future transaction. Speculatingto bet on the change in value of another financial instrument, an asset, or an index. . Internal control over sales transactions is very important to the effectiveness of an organization. a. For effective control over credit sales, describe four major functions that should be segregated. b. In addition to adequate segregation of duties, describe two other internal controls over sales transactions. a. Functions that should be segregated to provide for effective internal control over sales transactions include (only four required): Authorization of sales. Credit approval. Issuance of merchandise from stock. Shipping of merchandise. Billing of accounts. Maintenance of accounting records. b. Other internal controls over sales transactions include (only two required): Verification of invoices. Prenumbered shipping documents that are accounted for by the billing department. Credit approval obtained prior to shipment of goods. Mailing of monthly customer statements. Control over written-off receivables. 5In auditing a clients inventory, the auditors must be concerned with the detection of goods that are both damaged and obsolete. a. Why are the auditors concerned with detecting damaged and obsolete goods? How do the auditors test for damaged goods in the clients inventory? c. How do the auditors test for obsolete goods in the clients inventory? a. Auditors are concerned about detecting damaged and obsolete inventory because the recorded cost of these goods may be significantly greater than their net realizable value. b. Auditors test for damaged goods by inquiry of client personnel and observation during the clients physical inventory. c. Tests for obsolescence include: 1. Review of perpetual inventory records, 2. Analytical procedures, such as calculation of ratios, such as inventory turnover, and 3. Inquiry of client personnel. 6. Observation of a clients inventory is a presumptively mandatory audit procedure. a. What part should the auditors play in planning the physical inventory? b. Describe the procedures performed by the auditors during their observation of a clients physical inventory. c. Why do the auditors document their inventory test counts in their working papers? a. The auditors should review the clients planning of the physical inventory and make suggestions for improvement. b. During the inventory observation the auditors: 1. Evaluate whether the inventory procedures are followed that assure that all items are counted and nothing is counted twice. 2. Be alert for goods that appear to be damaged or obsolete. 3. Obtain information to test the clients cutoff of purchases and sales. 4. Make test counts and record them in their working papers. 5. Make inquiries regarding goods on consignment. 6. Obtain tag control information and record the information in the working papers. c. The auditors document their test counts in the working papers to later test the accuracy of the final inventory listing. Plant and equipment are not as inherently risky as are other assets, such as inventories and accounts receivable. However, a company should still endeavor to maintain effective internal control over plant and equipment. a. Describe the principal purpose of internal controls relating to plant and equipment. b. List and describe four major controls applicable to plant and equipment. a. The principal purpose of internal controls relating to plant and equipment is to obtain maximum efficiency from the dollars invested in plant assets. The following are major internal controls for plant and equipment (only four required): Use of a plant budget to forecast and control acquisitions and retirements. Maintaining subsidiary ledger of property. Establishing a system of authorizations for acquisitions. A written statement of company policy distinguishing between capital and revenue expenditures. A policy requiring all purchases of plant and equipment through normal purchasing and receiving procedures. Periodic physical inventories. A system of retirement procedures, including serially numbered retirement work orders. Auditors should obtain evidence that there are no significant amounts of unrecorded retirements of property, plant and equipment. a. Describe two ways that the auditors obtain evidence that there are no significant amounts of unrecorded retirements of property (land). b. Describe three ways that the auditors obtain evidence that there are no significant amounts of unrecorded retirements of equipment. a. The auditors obtain evidence that there are no significant amounts of unrecorded retirements of property by (only two required): Examination of property tax bills. Vouching rent receipts from lessees. Examination of payments to mortgagee or trustee. b. The auditors obtain evidence that there are no significant amounts of unrecorded retirements of equipment by (only three required): For major purchases, investigate related retirements. Analyze the Miscellaneous Revenue account to locate cash proceeds from sale of equipment. For discontinued operations, investigate related retirements. Inquire of executives and supervisors. Investigate reductions in insurance coverage.

Serial Killer Mind Essays - Necrophiles, Murder, Ted Bundy

Serial Killer Mind In the last three decades the USA has been troubled by an approaching problem, the serial killer. A serial killer is a person who kills a number of people, usually considered over five, with a cooling off period between each murder, usually one murder at one given time). Two murders at one time occasionally happen and these murders may go on for a period of months or years until the killer is caught. Throughout the last three decades the US serial killer rate has risen 94% and it is estimated that by the next millennium it will claim an average of 11 lives a day. Serial Murder is an epidemic; there are at least 35 serial killers active in the USA today who claim one third of the annual murder rate. The USA has 6% of the world's population yet it has three quarters of all serial killers. Not only are serial killers appearing in more numbers in the US but also all over the world countries are terrorized by serial killers, which are appearing in more numbers year and year after. KILLER TRAIT: A serial killer is a typical white male, 20-30, and most of them are usually in the USA. Their main motives are sex (even though the act of sex may or may not take place), power, manipulation, domination and control. The sex motive is usually rape for an organized killer and sadism for a disorganized killer. They act in a series of 5 or more murders with a cooling off period between each murder. Serial killers can go on for months and years before they are usually caught. The victim is usually the same for every killer - prostitute, hitchhiker etc. Their victims may also have the same or similar attributes in gender, age, race, general look, residence etc. Serial killers also stick by their modus operandi very closely and may change it with experience. Most murders occur by strangulation, suffocation, stabbing etc. Serial killers act by a sex-murder fantasy based with their control, they usually live in this dream world in their teens until they act it out for real when they get into the adult stage. As each murder occurs a serial killer may be disappointed by his murder fantasy and may act it out again to achieve it to there own satisfaction. CHARACTERISTICS OF A SERIAL KILLER: 1. Killings are separate ('serial'), occurring with greater or less frequency, often escalating over a period of time, sometimes years, and will continue until the killer is taken into custody, dies, or is himself/herself killed. 2. In common with normal homicides, killing tends to be one on one. There are instances however where a serial killer has struck down more than one victim in a single incident. 3. There is no (or very little) previous connection between the perpetrator and the victim; the persons involved rarely being related. 4. Although there may be a 'pattern' or 'victim trait', individual murders within a series rarely display a clearly defined or rational motive. 5. An increasingly greater spatial mobility (since the advent of the automobile) has enabled killers (if they wish) to move rapidly from one place to another, often before a murder has even been discovered. 6. There is usually a high degree of redundant violence, or an 'overkill', where the victim is subjected to a disproportionate level of brutality. MOTIVES: These are the motives a serial killer might display (some killers display various motives): Visionaries - Acts in response to voices and is instructed by these voices to perform the act of murder. These killers are usually schizophrenic and psychotic. Missionaries - They think it is their responsibility to rid society of unwanted elements. Hedonists - Kill because murder causes them pleasure. Lust Killers - Kill for sexual gratification with acts that are usually sadistic. Thrill Killers - Kill because of a desire for a thrill or experience. Gain Killers - Kill for personal gain. The killer premeditates the act to require financial gain or materialistic goods. While gain is not the main motive in a murder some serial killers have took the opportunity to steal from their victims for their own personal gain. Power Seekers - Kill for the desire to have control over the life and death of others. Mobility: These are the classifications for the stable killer and the transient killer: The Stable Killer (eg. Gacy, Dahmer) - Lives and works in one location for an extended period. Hunts

French Passive Constructions

French Passive Constructions Passive constructions are those in which a verbs action is performed on the subject, rather than the subject performing the action as in active (normal) constructions. The passive voice is the most common French passive construction, but there are a couple of others to watch out for as well. Other French Passive Constructions Passive Infinitive: Even though the French infinitive translates as to verb, the French infinitive sometimes needs to be preceded by a preposition. This is the case with the passive infinitive, which is commonly used with indefinite and negative words, such as Il ny a rien manger - Theres nothing to eat.Passive Reflexive: In the passive reflexive construction, a normally non-reflexive verb is used reflexively in order to express the passive nature of the action, as in Ça se voit - Thats obvious.Reflexive Causative: The reflexive causative (se faire infinitive) indicates something that happens to the subject, either per someone elses implied action or wish or unintentionally. Passive Reflexive in Detail In French (and English) it is preferable to avoid the passive voice. French has numerous constructions which are commonly used in place of the passive voice, one of which is the passive reflexive. The French passive reflexive is used in place of the passive voice in order to avoid naming the agent of a verb. The passive reflexive is formed with a noun or pronoun, then the reflexive pronoun se, and finally the appropriate verb conjugation (third-person singular or plural). In essence, this construction uses a non-reflexive verb reflexively in order to demonstrate the passive nature of the action. The literal translation of the French passive reflexive (something does something to itself) is strange to English ears, but its important to recognize this construction and understand what it actually means. Ça se voit. - Thats obvious.Ça saperà §oit peine. - Its hardly noticeable.Cela ne se dit pas. -  That isnt said.Ce livre se lit souvent. - This book is often read.Comment se prononce ce mot  ?  - How is this word pronounced?Comment à §a sà ©crit  ? (informal) - How is that spelled?Un homme sest rencontrà © hier. - A man was found yesterday.Un coup de tonnerre sest entendu. - A crash of thunder was heard.Les mà »res ne se vendent pas ici. - Blackberries are not sold here.Ce produit devrait sutiliser quotidiennement. - This product should be used daily.