Jay Z Chapter 1 Grant Matherly 1) How smart is Jay Z? In my mind, even at a young age Jay Z was a very talented and smart individual. He was able to create lyrics and use them for his raps. He was so talented at doing this that even his friends would try to steal his lyrics from him and recite them like the lyrics were their own. This shows that even though you may grow up in a rough part of the world, that there are still very gifted and intelligent people wherever you go; Jay Z is a prime example of this.
Police brutality happens all the time, all over the world, for decades now. In 1967 a mad named Herman Goldstein was one of the first to note the complex nature of the police function. He wanted police departments and facilities to identify and fix when they saw police misconduct (Champion, 2001, p. 14). Police misconduct and brutality has only gone up and numbers after this period. February of 1999 and man named Amadou Diallo was unarmed when he was fired at 41 times by police officers, and even saying that the mayor of New York City, at the time, still were acquitted, stating that “ Probably until the day I die, I will always give the police officers the benefit of the doubt” (Progressive, 2000, p. 19) There continue to be frequent reports of unjustified police shootings, with officers firing at unarmed suspects, fleeing from non-violent crimes, at the end of pursuits, during traffic stops or in other circumstances.
Venezuela’s prison La Sabeneta is one of the worst prisons due to that they have one guard to every 150 inmates. Corruption and bribery is normal with the staff and 624 hurt and 196 murdered in 1995 shows the brutality of the prison when an inmate had a gun battle with the inmates. La Sante prison in France is well known for its high suicide rate with 124 suicides in just 1999. Some have even eaten rat poison to escape from living there. Many have become slaves while others only leave their cells for 4 hours a day.
Death happens every day to people of all ages; one of the most devastating and tragic causes of death is suicide. This casualty is especially dreadful when committed by a teen or young adult. These rates have escalated to a point where the government has taken notice. "In a society in which suicide is taboo a person may be less likely to take such a drastic step than in a 'modern' society, in which it is seen as an 'understandable' response to a terrible situation," (DePaulo 147). Suicide has existed since the time of the ancient Egyptians, where suicide violated none of the moral or legal codes of the time, and the people saw it as simply a way to escape unbearable suffering.
It inspired me to never give up on my dreams and no matter how hard it gets and no matter how many struggles you have to go through, at the end it’s all worth it. What is a thug? Many people consider a thug to be some big gangster- who sells drugs, has been in trouble with the law, is rebellious, etc. According to Tupac Shakur, the term "thug" means the underdog, not a criminal or someone who is going to hit you over the head in the street- as the media portrays the word (Shakur 122). Even though the images of some rappers seem to send the wrong messages, Tupac's songs are where his real messages are.
People see thug culture on television and in video games every day which makes it more of a norm in society when it is really not. Hollywood movies and the media’s depiction of gangster make criminal behavior more acceptable and corrupt the minds of youth. Some people may think Hollywood movies, and the media’s constant display of gangster does not hurt anyone and it is just for show. People will not think criminal behavior is more acceptable because of music, movies, and video games because it is not real. Individuals understand that in those forms of entertainment, it is all for show and no one actually gets in trouble or even hurt.
HB English 100 11/24/12 Short Assignment 5 (final draft) Eat This Cancer: a six letter word that everyone knows not because they learn it, but because they have experienced it. Most people in the United States have either had cancer or witnessed the mysterious ways it invades another’s body. This tragic disease does not have a single cure, nor does it have a single cause. Tobacco use, excess alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, low fruit and vegetable intake, high body mass index; the list of causes is endless. However, after reading Mountains Beyond Mountains, a book about a man named Doctor Paul Farmer and his efforts to provide all of Haiti with medical care, I realized that cancer is not as common in Haiti as it is the United States.
His first album, 2pacalypse now, was a success among many of the underdogs of America. It made Tupac one of the first socially conscious rappers of the early 90’s because the album spoke on many of the problems going on in society. Many people were able to relate to Tupac, regardless of where they were from. Though Tupac was a born leader, he had many legal problems as well. He had constant run-ins with the law which made his leadership very controversial.
These facts make it possible for officers who commit human rights violations to escape due punishment and often repeat their offenses. Widespread police brutality exists in all cities and many countries. The system that is set up to deal with these abuses all had similar failings in each city and other countries. Complainants often face enormous difficulty in seeking administrative punishment or criminal prosecution of officers who have committed human rights violations. A national survey was taken by Seattle Times and states that had seventy percent of all police crimes against the public go unreported (Database of Abusive Police).Despite claims to the contrary from city officials where abuses have become scandals in the media, efforts to make meaningful reforms have fallen short.
Word Count: 316 Unsafe Neighborhoods Living in a safe and secure neighborhood is every American’s dream. Unfortunately, many neighborhoods in America became unsafe due to the increase of gang activities, drug activities, and violent crimes. These three elements are the causes of unsafe neighborhoods. Ten years ago, several well-known gangs had started recruiting teen-age boys and girls in my neighborhood. All day long, you could see these recruits hanging around on the street corners and sitting on the steps of vacant properties.