The Irony Of Liberation Essays - Lucille Eichengreen, Irony

The Irony Of Liberation Though this paper had a few punctuation problems, I made a B+ on it and this is a sophmore level class. The Irony of Liberation When the liberators came, they came with hope of eliminating the torture and inhumanity the Nazi Germans were imposing on the Jews. Men and women came with the hope of releasing victims from the evil claw that had grasped Jews for so long. Some liberators came with the idea that the Jews would be given a new life, a life of freedom. However, freedom was far from what Jews were given after liberation. To the many Jews, who stood on the other side of the barbed wire fence, liberation was not a time to celebrate. Yet, it was a time to try to pick up what particles of life that remained. As Lucille Eichengreen explains in her testimonial story of liberation day, liberation was not about freedom. It was expected that there would be casualties of war. U.S and Russian army men had seen victims of war before[,] [RO] and nothing could be shocking. Or could it? As army men approached the barbed wire fences, many gasped in horror, turned their heads, and some men became sick. With their fingers ringed tightly around metal threads, Jewish souls stood, gazing at young healthy men. Empty eyes gazed back at these young and healthy bodies, bodies that were an inadvertent insult to the half-living. Time was motionless at one moment, and fast-forwarded the next. After all that had happened, were these victims really free? Was it a time to celebrate? Where would they go now? Who would take them? Much less, who would believe that such inhumanity happened? The looks received by nurses were not looks that showed sympathy, nor compassion, but instead offered back the images of Nazi ideology; the idea that Jews were filthy, weak and feeble people. And they were, but not by their own free will. Though color seemed to be restored as liberators approached, it also brought back the color of emotions. For so long, Jews had numbed themselves to the atrocities they faced each day. Being ?free? now meant looking for remnants of life. For many, liberation was simply a reminder of all that was lost. Eichengreen explains, ?Despite our liberation, I was totally without hope? (340). There were those who thought of their loved ones who fell victim to the wrath of Hitler's final solution. While others, especially children wondered who would care for them. Many felt guilty that they survived and their friends and family did not. For many, liberation was not an immediate invitation to a new life. Recalling liberation day, Eichgreen says, ?I had dreamed of a great party, with fanfare, music, dancing and fireworks. There was, however, only renewed sorrow for the dead and little hope for the living?(342). Those who found the strength to journey back home were hit even harder by former neighbors. As former Jewish residents came home, many were told to leave, despite the ?liberation?. There were also those less fortunate, who had no home to return to, known as ?Displaced Persons?. Along with the displaced persons, lived Nazi sympathizers, who routinely practiced anti-Semitic behaviors. So again, the question arises: Were the Jews really ?liberated Though all may have seemed lost, one must keep in mind that the Jews are survivors. And survive is what they did. Just shortly after liberation, Jewish strangers were marrying, children were born and life prevailed. Though Jewish people will never be liberated from the nightmares of Hitler's reign, perhaps the ability to replenish life through new birth, will. Bibliography Images from The Holocaust: A Literature Anthology Jean E. Brown, Elainw C. Stephens, Janet E. Rubin

Free Essays on Cultural Context

Concept: Cultural Context â€Å"What is so technical about communication? It is such a simple thing that even persons having different ways of life can do it effectively.† Stop right there! In order for a message to be conveyed and received the cultural barrier has to be broken down or be bridged. For example, although both Jamaica and Barbados are Caribbean countries, the fruit we know as ackee in Jamaica, they know as guinep and vice versa. Now, my friend, how could a Barbadian accept the invitation of a Jamaican to a lunch of ackee and saltfish with roasted breadfruit? Through knowledge this and many more gaps have been bridged to ensure smooth conversations over cultural barriers. Chapter II Concept: Self-concept, Self-esteem, and Communication Mrs. Patricia Haakmat in her â€Å"Destiny of Hope† Seminar gave this analogy: â€Å"There was this young man. One day he was having a conversation with his teacher. Throughout the conversation, he buried his head in the ground. Then the teacher asked, â€Å"why don’t you look at me when you are speaking?† The young man confessed, â€Å"I am ugly and so I don’t want you to see my face.† Evidently, this young man has a serious problem with his self-concept. It has certainly caused him to be communicating blindly, thus not seeing the non-verbal cues of the teacher and not conveying his messages effectively by providing eye contact. Having a high self-concept is essential in communicating because our self-perception is thus accepted and a bad perception of oneself will bring pessimism to your conversations and a lack of competency and effectiveness because you may think that you are not worthy or capable. Chapter III Concept: Profanity and Vulgarity â€Å"There is no such word as a ‘bad word’.† This is a very common statement made by the ‘learned’ of our street corners in Jamaica. However, whether indecent language, expletives or to delve more in lingu... Free Essays on Cultural Context Free Essays on Cultural Context Concept: Cultural Context â€Å"What is so technical about communication? It is such a simple thing that even persons having different ways of life can do it effectively.† Stop right there! In order for a message to be conveyed and received the cultural barrier has to be broken down or be bridged. For example, although both Jamaica and Barbados are Caribbean countries, the fruit we know as ackee in Jamaica, they know as guinep and vice versa. Now, my friend, how could a Barbadian accept the invitation of a Jamaican to a lunch of ackee and saltfish with roasted breadfruit? Through knowledge this and many more gaps have been bridged to ensure smooth conversations over cultural barriers. Chapter II Concept: Self-concept, Self-esteem, and Communication Mrs. Patricia Haakmat in her â€Å"Destiny of Hope† Seminar gave this analogy: â€Å"There was this young man. One day he was having a conversation with his teacher. Throughout the conversation, he buried his head in the ground. Then the teacher asked, â€Å"why don’t you look at me when you are speaking?† The young man confessed, â€Å"I am ugly and so I don’t want you to see my face.† Evidently, this young man has a serious problem with his self-concept. It has certainly caused him to be communicating blindly, thus not seeing the non-verbal cues of the teacher and not conveying his messages effectively by providing eye contact. Having a high self-concept is essential in communicating because our self-perception is thus accepted and a bad perception of oneself will bring pessimism to your conversations and a lack of competency and effectiveness because you may think that you are not worthy or capable. Chapter III Concept: Profanity and Vulgarity â€Å"There is no such word as a ‘bad word’.† This is a very common statement made by the ‘learned’ of our street corners in Jamaica. However, whether indecent language, expletives or to delve more in lingu...

Is Obesity Destroying the Lives of Americans Essay

Is Obesity Destroying the Lives of Americans - Essay Example Obesity often comes with a lot of risk. Obesity is destroying the lives of many Americans through contributing to increase in number of health issues, medical costs, deterioration of the economy, social issues, and contributing to increases in number of depression cases. Obesity often results to a number of health issues. Obese people often have a high level of cholesterol in their bodies that have an adverse effect to their general health. Commonly, too much cholesterol in the human body often predisposes individuals in getting hypertensive diseases (Alex 38). Cholesterol in blood often results in formation of atherosclerosis that in turn contributes to hypertension states. Furthermore, a lot of cholesterol in the body often leads to production of more estrogen in the human body that in turn inhibits production of insulin. Therefore, such people become more predisposed in getting type 2 diabetes in their life time. In addition, obese people often have sleeping problems due to their massive weight. Furthermore, some obese people may have breathing problems due to excess fatty tissues compressing the respiratory tissues (Alex 40). Some studies have also concluded obesity depressing sexual drive in such individuals thereby interfering with the reproduction process. Obesity often results in increased medical cost. Obese people often become sick and acquire lifelong illnesses that become hard to treat. An excellent example could be an obese patient that develops type 2 diabetes and at the same time hypertension. Since this diseases require chronic management, these individuals and their families may require spending more in the management of such individuals. Furthermore, drugs used in treatment of some of the ailments they get may be expensive (Alex 63). Medical management of such individuals may require rigorous checkups as they spend more time in hospital being treated for their ailments. Furthermore, the medical insurances taken by such individuals often are he fty since they take in an attempt of covering for their health and other stuffs. Obesity also contributes to deterioration of the economy. Obese people often work less since they grow to extent of becoming unable to carry out some activities. Therefore, such people contribute negatively to the economy when they reach some level as there economic output reduces. Furthermore, a number of people take care of them thereby doing less on their own in contributing to the enhancement of the economy. Since the economy is often dependent on the general effort of every individual, such individuals generally contribute in destroying the American economy in general (Elise 66). Often people often become limited in doing physical stuffs and start relying on other people for their survival. Therefore, they encourage dependency instead of interdependency. For an economy to thrive, individuals in a given country often require to be more independent than dependent. Obese people sometimes wait for othe r people to work for them hence overusing others in the attempt of caring for them. Obesity leads to depression among obese individuals. The obesity rate among Americans is rapidly on the rise, and with it, so are the increasing cases of psychological dysfunctions such as depression. Depression is simply defined as a continuous feeling of hollowness, aloneness; characterized by extensive low mood swings.