War in Iraq An Unnecessary War Essay - 1339 Words

America Troops Are Fighting an Unnecessary War In excess of 600 billion dollars has been spent on the war in Iraq since it began in 2003, plus over four thousand U.S. troops have died because of this war, and despite a struggling economy the US government is keeping our troops in Iraq with no end in sight. The war in Iraq is a current military operation that began, without a declaration of war, on March 20, 2003 and is still taking place today in 2009(Rogalski). Americans have been shielded from this war and have forgotten why we went to war in the first place. Thus clarification is needed by the American public on why the invasion on Iraq was baseless, how the mismanagement is affecting our soldiers and what the overall end result could†¦show more content†¦Various people may argue that we attacked Iraq since they are responsible for the attacks on September 11th and Americans needed to fight back. However, the Washington Post printed the following statement in June 2004, â€Å"The Sept. 11 commission reported yesterd ay that it has found no ‘collaborative relationship’ between Iraq and al Qaeda, challenging another one of the Bush administrations main justifications for the war in Iraq†(Pincus). This confirms that two of the key components for our invasion on Iraq were spurious and Bush had no explanation to proclaim war with Iraq. Former President Bush utilized his authority in an effort to make Americans feel secure, by declaring an avoidable and costly war that has yielded nothing more than debt and death. No weapons of mass destruction have been recovered along with no established link between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda; therefore, the invasion on Iraq was not justified and must end soon. Subsequently, the war in Iraq is not only unjustified, it is mismanaged and our soldiers are suffering dreadfully. The war in Iraq is not effectively being managed since numerous soldiers claim the amount of drinkable water is in short supply. Despite the billions of dollars spent on ammunition, countless soldiers claim they are not getting enough drinkable water. In a desert environment, with the average temperature reaching one hundred and twenty degrees in August, the body can lose up to four gallons of water per day.Show MoreRelatedThe War Was A Humanitarian War1275 Words   |  6 PagesThe Iraq War began in 2003 in an attempt to remove the threat of weapons of mass destruction, while also trying to free the Iraqi people from their evil dictator, Saddam Hussein. This war was costly in many different aspects in the fact that it cost the United States thousands of dollars and wounded or killed many U.S. soldiers. Despite these costs, the U.S. was successful in freeing the Iraqi people, but no weapons of mass destruction were ever found. 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I was excited for the fact that I could say that I deployed. I could simply show off my deployment patch and put something on my class A uniform. as well but the thought of possibly going there and losing my life was kind of disturbing. IRead More debate against war with Iraq Essay551 Words   |  3 PagesAgainst Topic: War I.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;One page response a. Debate points II.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Two page response a.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Introduction b. Debate points c. Conclusion War is defined for some as an armed conflict between two nations over a disputed situation, and is needed when there is nothing else that can be done. A natural occurrence that repeats it’s self through out time. While others feel that war is an unnecessary dispute, that leads

Definitions Paper Free Essays

Definitions Paper OI/361 Innovation, Design, and Creativity for a Competitive Advantage March 18, 2013 Innovation is important for progress. Without companies and people to drive new ideas in the workplace there would not be progress. The American Heritage Dictionary defines innovation states, â€Å"The acting of introducing something new† (American Heritage Dictionary 2008). We will write a custom essay sample on Definitions Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now Many forms of innovation exist, however, in business it is link to the sharing of information through desire and passion to deliver results. Furthermore, innovation does not have to be this spectacular new product. However, the innovation needs to benefit the public or business. This paper will show the definition of every term, discusses their business implications, and a comparison and contrast. Design is a tangible thing that is created from an activity. According to the University of Phoenix text, â€Å"Design is the conscious decision-making process by which information (an idea) is transformed into an outcome, be it tangible (product) or intangible (service)† (2008). Design is the link to the corporate industry because many people relate to industry. However, design is also a decision to change something. Creativity comes from the mind; the company or companies have a vision in which they want to show they have the best products on the market. What bothers these companies is they rely on raw data, evidence of success. Mohawk Carpets has brought many innovations to the flooring industry. The organization has a reputation for leading the industry in technology and quality within the flooring business. In 1997, Mohawk purchase a large ceramic tile company from Dallas Texas named Dal tile to compete in the entire flooring industry. Since the purchase Mohawk Carpets became the largest flooring manufacture in the United States through technology and innovation, design and creativity, such as self-design programs on line which allows homeowners to put in a DVD and use there creativeness and build the rooms they want resurfaces. This innovation gave Mohawk Carpet customers the ability to make decisions from home and not feel pressured while at the floor shop. Furthermore, the customers would know exactly what they want when they purchase the flooring products. Or at least have the knowledge of what questions to ask. These three facets play critical roles in organizational objectives, in today’s trends regarding business implications; companies must have an idea and be able to implement it for the success of such company. These ideas are crucial to keep an aggressive margin or stay firm against the competing businesses. Most all companies will hire an employee with creative ideas that would give the business an advantage in the trade it is in. References Contrast Innovation, Design, and Creativity Paper. StudyMode. com. Retrieved March 18, 2013, from http://www. studymode. com/essays/Contrast-Innovation-Design-And-Creativty-Paper-486741. html Von Stamm, B. (2008). Managing innovation, design, and creativity 2nd ed. Retrieved March 18, 2013, from www. ecampus. phoenix. edu How to cite Definitions Paper, Essay examples

Customer Satisfaction of Maruti free essay sample

It was in 1970 that Sanjay Gandhi envisioned the manufacture of maruti which is known popularly as the peoples car it is maruti which is known to give wheels to the nation. The first car of mauti was rolled out on Dec. 14, 1983 after a collaboration with Suzuki motors. Satisfaction is a persons feeling of pleasure or disappointment resulting from a comparing perceived performance in relation to his or her expectation. If the performance falls short of expectation, the consumer is dissatisfied. If the performance matches the expectations, he consumer is satisfied. If the performance xceeds expectation, the customer is highly satisfied or delighted. In todays competitive scenario firms consistently tries to satisfy his existing customer to get more customers in every regards. To meet the desired expectation of customers companies has to look around all aspects of products services and of course market condition, otherwise they may be out of the race. Automobile industry has the same competitiveness and every firm in the industry is consistently working for enhancing their product and services. The study widely concentrates on the level of satisfaction amongst customers for hich I did Exploratory Research to check the satisfaction level amongst the customers of Maruti as the popular punchline also says Count On Us. Introduction India is an emerging country with huge potential. The domestic economy is now growing at around 9-10% per annum and Indias importance in global terms is being reinforced by rapidly rising exports and domestic consumption. At a time when numbers of a slowdown and overheating in the Indian economy have started gaining momentum, the Indian rupee sprang a surprise by pushing the GDP fgure past the trillion-dollar crore) mark. The automotive industry is at the center of Indias new global dynamic. The domestic market expanding rapidly as incomes rise and consumer credit becomes more widely available. Manufacturers product lines are being continually expanded, as is the local automotive manufacturing base. Expectation are high that India can develop as a global hub for vehicle manufacturers and as an outsourcing center that offers the global automotive industry solution high up the automotive value chain. India eyes 25 million automotive Jobs. Indias GDP is set to double over the next decade ollar terms, the sectors contribution is set to quadruple to some $145bn The automobile industry in India accounts for a business volume of $45 billion and has the potential to grow much faster both through Indian as well as international manufacturers who have established huge facilities in the country with the worlds second largest and fastest-growing population, there is no denying Indias potential in both economic and population terms and the effect it will have on the auto industry in the years to come. The country is already off to a good start, with a well- eveloped components industry and a production level of 1 million four-wheeled vehicles a year, plus a further 5 million two- and three-wheelers. The implications, market drivers and scope of a future massive Indian vehicle market are covered in the India Strategic Market Profile, a brand-new forecast of Indian automotive and related activity to 2020. Based on Max Pembertons unique relational long-term forecasting model, it forecasts car and CV sales, demographics, materials usage, auto industry employment, and explains their inter- year of healthy growth in auto industry. INDUSTRY GROWTH [pic] Future of the Automobile in the Economy US based consultancy, keystone predicts that India will become worlds third largest automobile market by 2030. Overall size expected to exceed 20 million with compounded annual growth rate of over 12%. India Then Now 1983 Number of brands 2 Number of models 2 2008 Number of brands 30 Number of models 70 Some of the Car companies in India: Maruti Suzuki Fiat General motors (Opel, Chevrolet) Ford Hindustan motors, Mitsubishi Honda Hyundai Baja tempo Marinara Mercedes Benz Nissan San engineering Soda Toyota Top three manufacturers: Tate motors Car segmentation: This is done on the basis of size and price of the car A segment: maruti800, omni B segment: Zen, wagon-r, alto, Santo, polio, indicia C segment: esteem, accent, indigo, icon, Honda city, civic D-segment: opera, Octavia, sonata, monde, accord, corolla, Camry, Mercedes Marutis emphasis Role of the Sales Person He should be neatly dressed He should have knowledge about various products Features Variants Colors Prices Sales promotion campaigns Competitor products , their features , prices ,etc. Latest service and warranty policies Current availability Carry copy of ready reckoner Do not leave the customer unattended for more than 3 minutes Customer Care Team: Role of the Customer Care Manager: Customer Care Manager is the leader of the customer care team. He is accountable for the sales satisfaction index of the dealership. The customer care manager ensures that every customer is properly followed up and feedback is recorded. Also the customer complaints are recorded and resolved as soon as possible to the level of satisfaction. The customer care executives report to the customer care manager. Initially does the Post Sales Follow up (PSF) and monitors the feedback forms at the showroom Post sales follow up PSFs are done in order to get the first hand feedback form the customer about the xperience that they had during the sales and delivery process. The first PSF is done within the 72 hours of delivery and the voice or exact wordings of the customer are recorded. The next PSF call is made after 15 days after the vehicle is delivered. The feedback form system is a very important tool to obtain customers feedback on the experience that the customer had during the purchase of his/her car. Steps to be followed after receiving customer complaint: Firstly customer acre manager gives a control number to all complaints received and records the same in the customer complaints control register. Then customer acre manager gets in touch with the customer over the phone and expresses regret on the inconvenience faced by the customer Immediate action is taken to ensure that the customer complaint is resolved and writes a letter of apology The customer care manager along with the concerned DSE, then visits the customer, hands over the letter and takes satisfaction note from the customer Then he sends a copy of the letter and the satisfaction note to Maruti Udyog Ltd. And also files a copy of the same in the customer complaints register/flle. Then the CCM discusses the customer complaints in the weekly meeting with the eneral manager on SSI with the entire showroom staff. Necessary counter measures are taken to ensure that such complaints are not repeated in future. All sales staff and managers review customer care activities on daily, weekly and monthly basis. The SSI review meet is conducted regularly. According to Maruti A customer is the most important visitor on our premises He is not dependent on us , We are dependent on him, He is not an interruption on our work, He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider on our business, He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor serving him, Opportunity to do so How you communicate Your words Your voice Your body language Moments of truth Expectation 7% 35% 58% satisfaction- what you expected than you expected Expectationdelight more than you expected dissatisfaction reality reality When customers dont complain they go somewhere else. If you get If you get less Customers dont complain. They pass on their dissatisfaction to their colleagues , family , greengrocer, suppliers , consultants, managers , sports club, grandparents, neighbours, director, to you. Market Research Project Title Customer Satisfaction Survey of Maruti Udyog Limited Project involves: Introduction about Maruti -Procedure followed by Maruti for catering to the needs and queries of the customers -Application of Five Forces Model in the Automobile Industry -Quantitative research -Awareness regarding the facilities provided by Maruti -Overall opinion about Maruti Research Methodology: The purpose of methodology is to describe the process involved in research work. This includes the overall research design, data collection method, the field survey and the analysis of data. Research Objective: To find the satisfaction amongst the customers of Maruti. Research Design: Detailed and structured questionnaire was designed. Survey a sample of 100 customers. was designed to get information from customers about their satisfaction and overall opinion about Maruti. Sources of Data: Primary data Secondary data Field of Survey: The field work for the survey was conducted in Gurgaon and Jaipur. The exercise involved face to face interview with the customers. Analysis: The important factors and datas collected were sequentially analyzed and graphed. Limitations of the Study: The sample size is only 100 so the sample may not be truly representative of the Gurgaons and Delhis population. Analysis I Knowledgeable Salesperson I No. of Respondents Percentage 186% 14% I I Strongly Disagree I Disagree I Neither Disagree Nor Agree I I Agree I I Strongly Agree 10 186 114 86% people agreed that the sales persons are knowledgeable and 14% strongly disagreed that the sales persons are knowledgeable. I Employees spent enough time with you before sales I Percentage 164% I No. of Respondents 164 136 64% people agreed that the sales persons spent enough time with them before the I Employees spent enough time with you during sales 162% 14 162 134 62% agreed that sales persons spent enough time with them during the sales , while 34% strongly agreed that the sales persons spent enough time with them during ales and only 4% disagreed with this. I Employees spent enough time with you after sales 122 154 126 60% agreed that the sales persons spent enough time with them after sales ,26% strongly agreed with this and 14% disagreed that the sales persons spent enough time with them after sales. I Display of Merchandize 194 16 94% agreed that the display of merchandize was attractive and 6% strongly agreed that the display of merchandize was attractive. I Availability of the Product 15 191% 91% agreed that the availability of the product was there, 5% strongly agreed that the vailability was there while only 4% said they disagreed with this. I Variety/Selection of Merchandize 187% 187 87% agreed that there was variety/selection of merchandize whereas 7% strongly agreed that enough variety was there and 6% disagreed with this. I Vehicle in Good Condition 182% 116% 182 116 82% agreed that the vehicle was in good condition when delivered , 16% strongly agreed with this whereas only 2% disagreed with this. I Prices are Affordable 112% 115% 121% 112 115 152 64% strongly agreed that the prices are affordable , 21% agreed that the prices are ffordable whereas only 15% said that they neither disagreed nor agreed with this. I Attractive discounts offered | 47 127 55% agreed that the discounts offered are attractive , 34% strongly agreed with this while 11% disagreed and said that the discounts offered were not attractive. I D ©cor of the waiting area is pleasing 180 120 80%agreed that the d ©cor of the waiting area was pleasing while 20% strongly agreed that the d ©cor of the waiting area was pleasing I Offered a Test Drive | 74 74%agreed that the test drive was offered to them ,6% strongly agreed that the test rive was offered while 20% disagreed with this. I Post Sales Follow Up done regularly 159 59%agreed that the post sales follow ups are done regularly , 26% srongly agreed and 15%disagreed with this. I Responds to complaints Quickly 161% 118% 19 118 64% agreed that the response to complaints is quick , 18% strongly agreed , 12% neither agreed nor disagreed and 6% disagreed with this. I Service at Maruti Service Station is excellent 82% said that the service at maruti service station is excellent , 14% strongly agreed while only 4% disagreed with this. I Careful with Personal Information 185% 18 185

SEO title Taoism vs Buddhism - differences betwee Essays - Religion

SEO title: Taoism vs Buddhism - differences between Taoism and Buddhism H1: M ain facts about Taoism Taoism originated in Zhou China almost at the same time as the teaching of Confucius (6-5 centuries BC) in the form of an independent philosophical doctrine. The founder of Taoism is Laozi. His biography is connected with a number of legends, stories and a general halo of mysticism because there is no reliable historical and biographical information about him. But still, he is considered as the creator of the book Tao Te Ching (Book of the Way and its manifestations), created in the V - IV centuries. BC. e. - the main work, which provides the basic postulates, concepts, observations, mixed with fabulous digressions. A Taoism basic beliefof the doctrine is the concept of Tao, a comprehensive law, the Absolute. Tao - continuous movement, space, being, unity. Tao regulates the struggle of 2 cosmic opposites - the forces of Yin and Yang. It is simultaneously in a state o f motion and rest. The concept of Taoism is the observance of several dogmas, one of which is Non-intervention (the Wu Wei principle). A true Taoist will not waste his/her time and energy on good deeds and meaningless attempts to change the world. The ultimate goal is to know it, to merge into one, and then there will be happiness, which is identical to immortality. For this, it is necessary to observe a number of rules that relate to the nutrition of the body and the nutrition of the spirit, and also to observe the concept of non-action, in order to harmonize the work of the soul and the physical component of a person. The work of the spirit is the feeding of higher forces, which lead to good and bad deeds. So, for example, if a person feeds demons, then he moves away from the Tao, and his soul weakens. And if he feeds the spirits with his good deeds, then his/ her soul becomes stronger, and he approaches the Absolute. Therefore, it is important to do only good deeds, b e pure in thoughts, intentions. The work of the body is the observance of a special diet, which consists of the almost total refusal of physical food. By constant physical training, a person must bring his body to full control of reason and learn to eat his/ her own saliva and dew herbs and flowers, breathing exercises, physical and internal practices. It is believed that the teaching of the Tao helps to understand the followers of their purpose, teaches us to distinguish between good and bad, to understand the secrets of the world order, to live in harmony with our own microcosm and the macrocosm, the world inside and with nature. H2: A Brief Introduction to Buddhism Buddhism is the earliest appearance of three world religions. Other common religions - Christianity and Islam - appeared later (5 and 12 centuries later). The founder of the Buddhist teaching is a real person, named Siddhartha Gautama, known as a prince of the Shakyas, who became a path of trial, er ror, wandering, and, after all, meditation, the Buddha - the Awakened One. The central concept is Dharma, which embodies the Buddha's teaching, the truth, the path that every Buddhist must pass. One of the main goals of Buddhism is the path to nirvana. Nirvana is a state of awareness of one's own soul, achieved through self-denial, a rejection of the comfortable conditions of the external environment. Buddha, having spent a long time in meditations and deep reflections, mastered the method of control over one's own consciousness. In the process, he came to the conclusion that people are very attached to worldly goods, overly worried about the opinions of others. Because of this, the human soul not only does not develop but also degenerates. Having attained nirvana, you can lose this dependence. Therefore, the main goal of the disciples is to attain the state of the Buddha, full awakening, enlightenment, which will allow them to leave the cycle of permanent rebirths, break the circle of samsara and thereby stop suffering. Many people are attracted to Buddhism by the fact that they do not require a radical change in their

Using Nature Vs Nurture Sample Essay

Using Nature Vs Nurture Sample EssayUsing a Nature Vs Nurture sample essay to teach the subject of parenting is an interesting approach. I've used this approach with some success in the past.The Nature Vs Nurture essay can be used for either sex. But the essay is really written for mothers who have a child who has behavior or needs that are outside the typical spectrum. So here's how it works.Nurture: This is the mother who has been a stay at home mom. She has kept her child out of school and managed to raise her child on her own. But now she has a son who needs a lot of attention. It's time for her to step into the 'work' side of the family life.This type of mother has probably spent the first three decades of her child's life, just taking care of herself. She may be very self-sufficient and now it's time to help others out. She's going to start volunteering with children with disabilities, at orphanages and other places where there is need.Nature: This mother has only recently step ped outside the boundaries of her role as a mother. The child has only recently been born. She is in the early stages of child development. Her involvement will be limited to being the parent of the child.Nature: This mother has never really had a career. She has never worked full time or part time. She has never worked very long hours. But she does now.She has often had a second job, but has worked very much at the same hours. She usually works in a comfortable home setting. She is not working a full time job. But she is now working full time.Nurture: This mother has not yet accomplished her goal of being an executive or CEO. She has been a stay at home mom, but now she is looking to take on more responsibility.

With reference to the headscarf debate in France, analyze the extent to which laicite has played a major role in the French law 2004-228. The WritePass Journal

With reference to the headscarf debate in France, analyze the extent to which laicite has played a major role in the French law 2004-228. Introduction With reference to the headscarf debate in France, analyze the extent to which laicite has played a major role in the French law 2004-228. ). The majority of them are the immigrants from former French colonies in North and West Africa. Muslims constitute 5-10% of the French population, while Islam is the second largest religion in France (Tarhan, 2011). Hence, the law from 2004 led to objections and protests amongst French Muslims. They regarded the decision of French government as a sign of discrimination and violation of religious freedom in France (Wing and Smith, 2006). French government, in turn, emphasized that French secularism (known also as laicite), assuming separation between state and religion, was a main reason standing behind its decision (Astier, 2004)). Until nowadays the French law 2004-228 is very controversial. The supporters of this law believe that a ban on religious symbols confirmed a secular character of French Republic and defended French national identity. They also postulate that a ban contributed to a greater equality amongst women and men within Muslim society. The opponents, in turn, emphas ize a largely symbolic character of the ban, as it affected only Muslim girls attending public schools and did not apply to Muslim women on the streets or university students. The opponents often also rejected laicite as a basis of the French law 2004-228. Instead, they postulate that a fear of multiculturalism and growing division within the French society, especially after September 11th, had a key impact on the governmental decision (Scott, 2005). The following essay aims to examine whether French secularism, laicite, was a key factor responsible for the banning of headscarves in France. First, the essay explains the role of female headscarf in Muslim religion and tradition in order to understand a strong objection against a ban from Muslim side. Second, the essay presents shortly a debate on wearing headscarves in France that had its beginning in the 1980s. Further, the essay considers the concept of laicite in France and its impact on passing the French law 2004-228.   The essay analyzes other factors that influenced on the banning of religious symbols in France in order to compare their role and the role of laicite in passing the law. Finally, the essay considers the ban as an unsuccessful reform and presents policy recommendations. The role of headscarf in Muslim tradition The headscarf[1] is an important religious symbol in the Islamic tradition. The Quran, perceived as the source of Allah’s command by Muslims, states that: â€Å"believing women (†¦) should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils   over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, or their brothers’ sons or their sisters’ sons, or their women or the servants whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex, and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O you Believers, turn you all together towards Allah, that you may attain Bliss.† (Quran 24:31)Therefore, following Allah’s law, Muslim women are obligated to remain modest and to cover the ir beauty. Moreover, the Quran says: â€Å"O Prophet! Tell Thy wives And daughters, and the Believing women, that They should cast their Outer garments over Their Persons (when outside): That they should be known (As such) and not Molested† (Quran 33:59). It indicates that there are two purposes of the wearing of headscarves by Muslim women. First, headscarf should protect Muslim women from gazes of strange men and from being an object of stranger’s desire. Second, headscarf should help to distinguish Muslim women from women of other religions (Syed, 2001). It is worth adding that the Quran does not state precisely which parts of woman’s body should be covered. Hence, there are different types of head (and body) coverings amongst Muslim women in various countries, depending on Quran’s interpretation and culture. They range from the simple hijab, covering the head and neck to Afghani burqa, covering the entire body and leaving only so-called mesh screen so that the woman is able to see (Wing and Smith, 2006). Further, the following sentence from the Quran: â€Å"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better so that they may be recognized and not annoyed† (Wing and Smith, 2006, p.751) indicates that Muslim men are also obligated to Quran to make sure that their wives have got appropriate covering when they leave their houses. With the beginning of decolonization in the 1950s and the 1960s, the European countries, in particular France and the United Kingdom, had experienced massive immigrations from the Middle East and African countries. Most of the immigrants were Muslims. Hence, the Western countries, characterized by Christian roots had to face different religion, culture and values brought to the Europe by Muslims. Headscarf has become one of the most visible elements of these differences in the European’s public eyes (Wing and Smith, 2006). Headscarf debate in a contemporary France There are currently around 5 million of Muslims in France, constituting 5-10% of the total French population (CIA, 2012). Mostly they are immigrants from the regions such as the Maghreb, the Middle East, Turkey and Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Additionally there is an increasing number of people of European descent in France who are deciding to convert into Islam. In the recent years, Muslims in France has strongly manifested its cultural and religious separateness. They aimed to â€Å"create an Islamic identity with local institutional, societal and cultural structures† (Wing and Smith, 2006, p.753) and they focused on building new mosques and loud practices of their religion. It led to Islamophobic tendencies in France which were often manifested by hostility, discrimination in employment and housing as well as larger socio-economic exclusion of Muslim society. Currently Muslims continue to be separated from the rest of French society. Key indicators of this exclusion are li mited access to the education for Muslims, houses in the urban ghettos (known also as the zones of economic and social exclusion) but also lack of involvement in French political life and culture from the Muslim side. The debate on headscarves in France has got its root in 1989 and is known as the affaires de foulard (Scott, 2005, p. 1). At that time, three Muslim girls were expelled from their secondary state school in the town of Creil after they refused to take off their headscarves. Although it was not a first such a case (the director of this school had earlier banned Jewish students from wearing the Kippah in school), it brought an extensive attention of French media. The director of school argued that he made a decision on the basis of French laicite[2], a concept postulating separation between the state and religion (Tarhan, 2011). Muslim society was supported by Catholic, Protestant and Jewish leaders. Together, they postulated that laicite should have been regarded as toleration for other religions rather than condemnation of religion (Scott, 2005).   This approach was also accepted by the former Minister of Education, Lionel Jospin. He announced that religious symbols and clothing at schools were allowed as long as they did not threaten other religious beliefs (Tarhan, 2011). Despite this governmental announcement, a number of similar cases has dramatically increased between 1989 (400 cases) and 1994 (3000 cases), what led to racial and religious violence in France (Bowen, 2007). In 1994 the tensions were so intense that education staff were sending letter to the French government, asking for advices on how to deal with the situation. In result, new Minister of Education, Francois Bayrou implemented new rules on religious symbols in schools. He allowed only discreet symbols in schools, while he prohibited ostentatious symbols. Discreet symbols were defined as those that â€Å"demonstrated personal religious conviction† (Tarhan, 2011, p.18), while ostentatious – as those that led to discrimination and differences into the educational communities. Bayrou’s claim was controversial and brought the attention of French media. In result, the Consei l d’Etat, the highest administrative court in France, decided to investigate the controversial issue. The court rejected Bayrou’s decision and obligated school administrations and teachers to make decision on the actions of their students. The French government appointed a Muslim woman, Hanifa Cherifi, as a governmental mediator responsible for handling the wearing of headscarves. In result, the issue has grown quiet for nine years (Scott, 2005). The issue of headscarves was brought to the public attention again in 2003, when the Minister of Interiors and Cults, Nicolas Sarkozy postulated that Muslim women should take off their headscarves while posing for official identity photographs. As Muslims became an important minority in France with the beginning of the twenty first century, Sarkozy’s claim reflected growing frustration and intolerance towards visibility of religious symbols in public places amongst French politicians and society. It also brought back the issue of headscarves in schools.   In effect, French President, Jacques Chirac formed a commission led by Bernard Stasi in order to investigate the implementation of laicite in French educational institutions. . Students, teachers, intellectuals and also the European Commission got involved in the work of Stasi’s Commission. Muslim girls chose to be interviewed undercover, as they wanted to voice their opinions about wearing the hijab anonymously. The report produced by Stasi’s Commission presented an in-depth study on the role that the hijab plays in the Muslim community. In reference to Islam, one of the most important results was that young Muslim girls, that used to grow up in a society dominated by western culture and values found difficult to reaffirm their identities as Muslims by the way they had to dress. Further, it showed that young Muslim girls were often not participating in classes such as P.E (physical education) as they were afraid of violence and assaults from Muslim men’s side. Moreover, Muslim girls often confessed that they were being forced to wear the hijab by their families and peer groups. The Stasi’s Report also drew open other issues su rrounding Muslim women such as female genital mutilation and forced marriages (Vaisse, 2004). The Stasi’s Report pointed out that the existence of religious symbols in schools was not compatible with the concept of laicite. The Report postulated that the veils were responsible for the alienation of women. As secularism and gender equality were regarded as the important features of laicite, the Report recommended banning religious symbols in schools[3] (Wing and Smith, 2006). It is important to add that the critics of the Stasi’s Report aimed to undermine the validity of the report. They postulated that the report was mainly based on western perceptions on the hijab and Muslim women. The link between forced marriages, female genital mutilation and the hijab, were all based upon the commission negative image of Islam, there was no empirical research to back their findings (Schiek and Lawson, 2011). Muslim women argue that the hijab is worn voluntarily and it brings them a sense of belonging and community (Schiek and Lawson, 2011). Following the Stasi’s Report, on February 10th, 2004, French National Assembly passed the law on the banning conspicuous religious symbols in schools. A huge majority of the Assembly, 494 members, were in favour of the ban, while only 36 members voted against the ban. At the same time, 31 members abstained from voting. Similarly, on March 3rd, 2004, the French Senate also passed the same legislation. 276 voters were in favour of the ban, while 20 of them voted against the ban (Weil, 2009). The implementation of the new law was preceded by three demonstrations, respectively, on December 21st, 2004; on January 17th, 2005; and on February 14th, 2005 that aimed to stop passing the law 2004-228. Mohammed Latreche, an Islamist activist   mobilized and encouraged French citizens to participate in these demonstrations. He established a political party, Pati des msulman de France (the Party of French Muslims) with the headquarters in Strasburg. The demonstrations, showed the Muslim p ublics outrage at the law that was about to be passed. The legislative ban was regarded as an attack on Muslims with the Muslim society. Two girls even went as far as hunger strikes to show their opposition to the ban.   Some posters propagated slangs such as ‘Stasi killed me’ and ‘1 veil= 1 vote’ (Bowen, 2007). Officially, the law was implemented on March 15th and it is known as the law 2004-228. Despite the demonstrations, the legislative ban in France has been largely supported by the French society. According to Pew Research Centre (2006) 78% of the French population have supported the ban, while only 22% of the population have regarded the banning as a bad idea. The concept of laicite and its impact on the banning of headscarves in France Many scholars (i.e. Wing and Smith, Scott) believe that the concept of laicite was a key factor behind the decision on the banning of headscarves in France. Laicite has a long tradition in France and hence, it is crucial to analyze its influence on the ban of religious symbols. As it was mentioned above, laicite, known also as a French secularism, postulates separation between the state and religion as well as freedom of religion (Tarhan, 2011).   It can be viewed as passive neutrality or non-intervention by the state in the private religious domain. This interpretation suggests that the exercise of religion in the private sphere is permissible, and that the French state will not openly support overt religious practices in public spheres (Scott, 2005). Another interpretation of the laicite’ can be viewed as a more active secularism, in terms of which the nation is promoted as a fundamentally political society fiercely independent of any religious authority (Wing and Smith, 2006), and one in which the values of the state can be defended through the concept of L’ORDRE PUBLIC in order to justify interference where necessary with some religious organisations. This definition of laicite’ gives the government more control over public institutions and the amount of religious activity that goes on there, for example schools (Weil, 2009). The concept of laicite was developed during the French Revolution (1789). Initially it concerned the separation between the state and the Catholic Church, which played a major role in France in the seventeenth century. Revolutionaries aimed to redefine citizenship and nationhood and hence, to separate Catholicism from the French identity. New citizenship was meant to be universal, secular and inclusive. Instead, the French Revolution led to ‘xenophobic nationalism’ (Tarhan, 2011, p.4) which targeted foreigners as well as priests, rebels, political opponents and noblemen. Similarly, the Revolution started to reject religion rather than tolerate it. The laicisation of French public schools began with an article that was passed on June 28th, 1833. This law entailed that primary school teaching should have no religious affiliation. Further, laicite was implemented in France through the creation of the public school system, in the years 1881-2 with Jules Ferry’s public school laws (Bowen, 2007). However, despite these steps Catholicism remained an important element of French regime until the end of nineteenth century. More significant changes started in 1901 when France passed a new law, Law of Association according to which religious associations became obligated to have a state supervision. Further, in 1904 the religious communities were forbidden to provide education. In result, approximately 30,000 of clergy lost their teaching jobs and stopped taking salaries from the state. Nonetheless, the legislation passed in 1905, known as the Separation Act, is regarded as first meaningful success of secularists in France (Tarhan, 2011). The 1905 law has become the legal guideline for the separation of the state and the church. The word laicite did not appear in the 1905 law. However, the first article of the law emphasized freedom of religion in France, as it stated that: â€Å"the republic ensures freedom of conscience. It guarantees the free exerci se of religions with the sole restrictions decreed hereafter in the interest of public order† (Tarhan, 2011, p.7). The second article, in turn, declared that â€Å"The Republic does not recognize, fund or subsidize any religion. [†¦]State, departmental and commune budgets, together with all expenses relating to the exercise of religions will be abolished.† (Tarhan, 2011, p.7) and hence, it guaranteed state’s neutrality towards religions. The legislation from 1905 gave a political and legal character to the concept of laicite in France.   More importantly, it indicated that laicite was a process that had emerged in France through the confrontation about national identity between Clerics and Republicans (Scott, 2005). Although the concept of laicite in France does not show any historical links to the Islam religion, the ban on religious symbols from 2004 seems to emphasize an impact of laicite on the French politics and tradition. Nowadays laicite is regarded in France as one of the foundations of French Republic and the French collective (national) identity (The Economist, 2004). It represents a sharp contrast to Anglo-American model of multiculturalism. French believe that laicite guarantees tolerance, freedom of religion, peace as well as social cohesion. Further, laicite postulates a sharp division between public and private spheres. Religion and ethnicity can be manifested in the private sphere. However, the only visible legitimate identity in the public sphere should be French national identity. Further, the laic state has right to interfere in the religious issues if the national unity and common values of the French Republic are threatened (Weil, 2009). According to the concept, Muslim soc iety should accept French norms and culture in order to become a part of French political unity. Nonetheless, Muslims have become a significant minority in France, unwilling to adopt French tradition and lifestyle. Instead, they strongly manifested own culture, tradition and identity (The Economist, 2004). Islam was perceived not only as a religion but also as a rigorous lifestyle that rejected Western values such as liberty, freedom and laicite. Muslims were often regarded as the extremist group. Hence, French started to perceive Muslims and Islam religion as the threads to the French national unity that had to be addressed and resolved. The debate on headscarves in France confirms this negative perception of Muslims within French society (Tarhan, 2011). With the exception of laicite, there were also other factors that had an influence on the ban of religious symbols in France. As stated in the Stasi’s Report, the ban aimed to empower Muslim women and to guarantee greater equality amongst the Muslim women and men. However, in this case, the ban was just a symbolic gesture, as it only applied to the young Muslim girls in public schools and did not affect adult Muslim women, working in some public places or just walking on the streets (Bowen, 2007). In contrast, there are several external factors that might have influenced the timing of headscarves debate in France. When the first debate on headscarves took place in 1989, the Communist system in the Central and Eastern Europe collapsed. Instead, the Europe experienced massive inflows of Muslim immigrants and spreading Islam religion across the European countries. Hence, Islam quickly started to be perceived as a thread to the Western values that replaced an old thread, communism . Further, in 1994 there was a civil war in Algeria, a former colony of France that was caused by the conflict between the secular military government of Algeria and Islamic fundamentalists. The Algerian conflict indicated a possibility of similar problems between the state and its largest religious minority in France. Finally, in 2003 the Europe was still strongly affected by the consequences of September 11th (2001). Additionally, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the worsening of the conflict between Israel and Palestine resulted in sharp divergence between the West and Islam culture. At that time, French Muslims definitely identified with the Muslims in other parts of the world and the wearing of headscarves manifested such identification. French government, on the other hand, faced real threads of terrorism. Hence, the main principle of French defense became to prevent French citizens and institutions from potential challenges to their integrity (Scott, 2005). Conclusions To sum up, the ban of religious symbols in schools implemented in France in 2004 was very controversial and led to numerous protests and demonstrations in France. The supporters of the ban underlined the secular character of France and the need to separate religion from the public sector. The opponents, in turn, postulated a minor impact of the ban, as it only affected Muslim schoolgirls, constituting relatively insignificant percentage of Muslim female population in France. Without a doubt, laicite had a key impact on the legislative ban. However, the main factor behind the governmental decision was not separation between the religion and the state, regarded as a traditional element of the concept of laicite. In the contemporary France, key elements of laicite have become nation identity and unity. As the French society was characterized by a strong division on Muslims and non-Muslims as well as by strengthening Muslim influences, the French conservative government of Chirac has become responsible for protecting the French national identity. The ban was believed to be a successful tool to achieve this goal. Except laicite, there was a number of international events such as Afghan war, Iraqi war or Israeli-Palestinian conflict that strengthened Islamophobic in Western countries, in particular in secular France that has always been characterized by the opposition to multiculturalism and foreignness. Although some scholars postulate that gender equality wa s also a factor influencing French decision on the ban, there is no strong evidence to support this claim. In fact, the ban affected only small number of young Muslim girls being in public education. Nowadays it is certain that Muslims have to accept cosmopolitan values and freethinking if they aim to stay in the Western countries. Currently a number of Western countries such as United Kingdom, Spain or Germany have been characterized by a trap of two conflicting cultures. However, forcing Muslims to go against their religious practices, as applied in France seems to be counterproductive. The ban of religious symbols in France led to the riots (2005) in so-called les cites, ghettos focusing North Africans and Arabs that spread around the major French cities. During these riots two Muslim teenagers were accidently killed. However, the ban of religious symbols could have disastrous consequences. Young Muslims, rejected by the French government and regarded as a second-class society, often accept extremism and violence as the solution of their problems. The example of the United States demonstrates prominently the negative consequences of rejecting and underestimating its ethnic min ority. The young, radical Muslims in the US, trained by the conservative European imams became responsible for the dramatic events from September 11th (Kiersh, 2008). The French government should have learnt a lesson from the United States and should stop pushing its Muslim society towards extremism and encouraging violence amongst them. Instead, the French government should establish a long-term strategy in order to incorporate their Muslim minority into the environment they regard as unfriendly. The government must develop new, comprehensive measures that will help Muslims to identify with the rest of the French society and to become involved in various aspects of French lifestyle. In order to achieve these goals, the French government must focus on the reduction of job and housing discrimination in the first place as well as on changing the attitudes within the French policy towards Muslim male immigrants.   The French government can expect that other European governments (in particular British, German and Spanish governments) will be also willing to address the problem of separation between Muslims and mainstream society, as they struggle wi th the same problem. Together, these countries have enough resources to implement reforms and changes so that the Muslims can assimilate with the rest of the societies. Also the United States could probably get involved in such a cross-countries program in the framework of the War on Terror. Without a doubt, the European governments would be more willing to accept such a form of terrorism fighting rather than military interventions in the Middle East. The following concept requires in-depth analyzes and detailed policy planning. However, it would definitely bring larger and more positive outcomes than the ban of religious symbols in public schools (Kiersh, 2008). List of references: Astier, H., (2004). The deep Roots of French Secularism [online] available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3325285.stm (Accessed on 25.04.2012). Bowen, J., (2007). Why the French do not like the Headscarves. New Jersey: Princeton University CIA, (2012). The World Factbook: France [online] Available from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fr.html (Accessed on 25.04.2012). Kiersh, A., (2008). Why the Headscarf Ban is wrong for France [online] Available from: sikhcoalition.org/documents/AaronKiershEssay.pdf (Accessed on 25.04.2012). Morin, R. and Horowitz, J., (2006). European debate the Scarf and the Veil [online] Available from: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/95/europeans-debate-the-scarf-and-the-veil (Accessed on 25.04.2012). Scott, J., (2005). Symptomatic Politics: The Banning of Islamic Head Scarves in French Public Schools. New Jersey: Institute for Advanced Study. Schiek, D and Lawson, A., (2011). European Union Non-Discrimination Law and Intersectionality: Investigating the Triangle of Racial, Gender and Disability Discrimination. London: Ashgate Publishing. Syed, , (2001). Women in Islam: Hijab [online] Available from: islamfortoday.com/syed01.htm (Accessed on 25.04.2012). Tarhan, G., (2011). Roots of the Headscarf Debate: Laicism and Secularism in France and Turkey. Journal of Political Inquiry, 4, p. 1-32. The Economist, (2004). The war of the headscarves [online] Available from: economist.com/node/2404691?story_id=2404691 (Accessed on 25.04.2012). Vaisse, J., (2004). Veiled Meaning: the French Law Banning Religious Symbols in Public Schools. Washington: The Brookings Institute. Weil, P., (2009). Why the French Laicite is liberal? Cardozon Law Review, 30(6), p.2699-2714. Wing, A. and Smith, M., (2006). Critical Race Feminism Lifts in Veil?: Muslim, Women, France and the Headscarf Ban. California: UC Davis. [1] The headscarf wore by Muslim women is commonly known as hijab in the Europe. However, Quran uses two Arabic terms: â€Å"khimar† and â€Å"jilbaab† in reference to headscarf or veil. [2] The concept of French laicite will be discussed in details in the next chapter. [3] It is worth adding that Stasi’s Report also postulated the recognition of majority religious feasts as public holiday. However, this law was not passed.

Parentheses

Parentheses Parentheses Parentheses By Mark Nichol Parentheses serve several specific functions, but their general purpose is to set a grammatical unit of content off from the surrounding text. The parenthesized material can range from a single letter, numeral, or other symbol to an entire sentence. (Because enclosing more than one complete sentence in parentheses overextends the digression, it is not recommended.) Here is a summary of ways to deploy parentheses. First, a definition of terms: Parenthesis denotes a single parenthetical mark, but it can also refer to a digression, interlude, or interval enclosed in parentheses or other pairs of punctuation marks, such as commas, dashes, or brackets. The first of two parenthetical marks is an open parenthesis, and the second is a close parenthesis. The pair together are called parentheses. A parenthesis of an entire sentence can be inserted within another sentence, but omit a period after the parenthesized sentence (However, an exclamation point or question mark is acceptable!) to avoid confusion. (A complete sentence may also follow the terminal punctuation of the preceding sentence; in that case, include a period- or another terminal punctuation mark- immediately before the close parenthesis.) An incomplete sentence within parentheses is not punctuated with a period, but, again, an exclamation point or question mark is allowed. When providing an explanation or an example, the additional information can be enclosed in parentheses. Note in the following sentence how a parenthesis of a parenthesis should be formatted. (The abbreviations e.g. [â€Å"for example†] and i.e. [that is†] generally precede such information in formal and scholarly prose; in more casual contexts, the phrases are employed.) This is general American English style; British English style (and legal style and style for some other contexts) is parentheses within parentheses. Parentheses enclose the abbreviation of an acronym or initialism after the spelled-out name of an agency, company, or organization to inform the reader about how the entity will be identified on subsequent references: â€Å"The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded in 1909.† (Note that the article the is not repeated in the parenthesis, but it should precede the initialism when it appears again.) Parentheses are used to enclose a note when a reader is directed to a cross-reference or when a writer glosses (presents a brief definition of) a term, provides a citation for a quotation or a fact or figure, points out that he or she has used italics to emphasize part of a quoted passage, or otherwise annotates a quotation. Note that the location of the parenthesis in the following sentence is awkward: â€Å"Consider whether a ‘risk expert’ should serve on the committee (i.e., someone with a background in risk management or oversight relevant to the nature of the organization’s operations).† Parenthesized annotation, just like additional information enclosed in a pair of commas or dashes, should immediately follow the relevant word or phrase, as here: â€Å"Consider whether a ‘risk expert’ (i.e., someone with a background in risk management or oversight relevant to the nature of the organization’s operations) should serve on the committee.† Back-to-back parenthesis is acceptable, but this can be avoided by combining two pieces of information into one parenthesis divided by a semicolon or by reorganizing the framing text to separate the two parenthetical comments. When the items in a run-in list (a list appearing within a sentence rather than formatted vertically) are numbered, they should be enclosed in a pair of parentheses (not with a close parenthesis only)- as in â€Å"The three types of rocks are (1) igneous, (2) metamorphic, and (3) sedimentary†- but numbering is seldom necessary. Use parentheses in moderation; excessive deployment of the symbols can give text a cluttered appearance (note their ubiquity in this post) and result in an obstacle-ridden narrative flow. Often, a pair of commas will suffice in their place, and dashes are appropriate when abruptly interjecting additional information, especially when the writer wants to give an impression of sudden interruption rather than unassuming interpolation. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:15 Terms for Those Who Tell the FutureBroadcast vs Broadcasted as Past FormEpidemic vs. Pandemic vs. Endemic