African American Athletes Essay Example for Free

African American Athletes Essay American student athletes have always faced stereotypes in and out of the classroom, being seen as self-segregating or dumb jocks that really wouldnt be at school if it werent for their athletic ability. Although these stereotypes are applied to both white and black athletes, African American students, especially men, feel it more than their white counterparts. African Americans are already, for the most part, seen as intellectually inferior, so when they are seen in an academic environment they are automatically judged. If they didnt get into school just for being black, they got into school for being a black athlete. Excuses are made as to why African American student athletes and pro athletes dominate in the world of sports in general. From the time the black athlete stepped into the sports arena and began to compete with whites, white people have been looking for an explanation. In his article Sailes looks into the myths and stereotypes surrounding African American athletes, most of which have been created by whites. In loosely replicated the experiment that Sailes conducted with his students and in doing so I found that the stereotypes he discusses do exist and many people strongly believe in some of the myths. I interviewed both male and female athletes and non-athletes alike and surprisingly most of their answers to my questions were the same. I asked them all the same five questions; 1. Do you think African Americans dominate in sports? 2. Which Sports? 3. Are there certain positions they are better at? 4. Why? 5. Is their demeanor on the field or court different than that of a white athlete? and 6. Have you heard any myths about why black athletes are better? Interviewee #1, A white female on the basketball team at Gettysburg College felt that black athletes were better at all sports and in all positions, but particularly in basketball and football. She has learned from experience that black athletes are more loud and aggressive. It was her belief that African Americans are better at sports because of genetics. She also said that it could be because historically they have done hard labor and had menial jobs, so their physical condition has evolved. The one myth she has heard is that African Americans have an extra bone in their leg which makes them capable of jumping higher and running faster. Interviewee # 2, an African American football player stated that blacks are better at all sports, but especially football, in such positions as cornerback, running back, and wide receiver. When asked why he felt that this is true his answer was because were just nasty like that. In regards to myths he recalled one of his high school classmates expressing to him that the reason blacks were better was because they still had some monkey left in them. Interviewee # 3, a white college graduate, non-athlete articulated that blacks are better at any sport they try but not in any positions that require brain power or thought. He said that they are not usually good quarterbacks because they arent smart enough. When I asked him why, his response was, because they are dumb Ns. He believes that they become athletes because they have no other options to get a job or get rich, unless they can rap. He also stated that the reason they can run so fast is because they are used to running from the cops. Interviewee # 4, A white male who is a former athlete said that he believes that African Americans are superior in all sports except for lacrosse and hockey, and that the reason for this is because they are much more expensive to start up and maintain- as opposed to soccer/football/basketball where all you need is a ball really. He thinks black people on the whole start out life economically feeble compared to whites and believes in the myth that they have been evolved into more muscular and stronger people because of the process of natural selection during slavery where the slave owners bought the biggest and strongest, and theyre offspring are the ones that created the people that are dominating in sports now. My last interviewee was a female African American basketball player who felt that African Americans dominate in football and basketball because it is the only sport they want to play so they strive for it. She also said that blacks are more aggressive because it means more to them. In the majority of my interviews the participants mentioned what Sailes referred to as the Mandingo Theory, in which the physical superiority of African Americans is attributed to the selection and so called breeding process along with the manual labor performed during the days of slavery. The psychological and dumb jock theories were also articulated in the answers I received from the white students for they all said at some point or another during the interview that African Americans are intellectually inferior and all they have going for them is sports, and even in the world of sports there are positions that they are mentally incapable of occupying. The one thing that I believe all the participants agreed on both black and white is that African Americans are somehow genetically different. I was really taken aback by my findings. Even though I have learned throughout this semester that people are more racist than I ever thought they were, I didnt realize that this racism is existent in literally everything. Im not really into sports and do not pay attention to them, so I had no idea that people felt this way about African American athletes. So, it seems as though African Americans are battling this war on racism on yet another front.

Imperfections in The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay -- The Bir

Imperfections in The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne Too often in this world does man attempt to perfect nature. Tampering with this sort of element most commonly leads to a disaster to come extent. Because man is never satisfied, he is constantly vying for perfection, regardless of the outcome. Such is the case in Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story, 'The Birthmark.' Aylmer's persistent attempt to perfect nature is the cause of Georgiana's demise and the affirmation that when man tampers with such a powerful component terrible things may occur. In this short story, Hawthorne uses symbolism to emphasize the strange shape of the 'earthly imperfection' (204) and his desperate need to change it. The shape of the birthmark 'bore a little similarity to the human hand' (204). Here, Hawthorne?s use of symbolism clearly illustrates a distinct connection between the shape of the birthmark as a human hand and the need to remove it by the same means. In Aylmer?s quest for perfection, he simply ignores the fact that he is tampering with an incredible force: Nature. The ?crimson hand? (206) symbolizes man always trying to change something natural: something that need not be changed. Aylmer?s subconscious obsession with science quickly becomes apparent when he realizes that he has the knowledge to potentially change something that nature has brought. At one point in the story Aylmer becomes so infatuated with removing this birthmark he dreams about how he will do so. He goes a...

Emotional Intelligence Essay

?When it comes to the five elements of Emotional Intelligence, I can relate to Self-Regulation the most which is my best aspect. In general, I am a pretty easy going type of guy. Even when someone bad mouths me or attacks me verbally, I tend to keep my cool and analyze the situation before responding back. When it comes to my job as a police officer and dealing with people, we deal with all types of emotions. Some personalities can be distressed, combative, and anxious or anger. Whatever the situation may be, I always tend to self regulate my emotions so that I can best deal with the situation. One example is during an interrogation, another officer and I will play the roles of God Cop Bad Cop, with me being the Good Cop. I am always the Good Cop because I can restrain myself when the suspect tends to be argumentative or angry. I tend to regulate my emotions and not respond in the same manner. The worst aspect of Emotional Intelligence for me would be Social Skills. This is something I am constantly struggling with. When it comes to conflicts, I tend to either avoid it or eliminated the easiest way to avoid more conflict. I know it is easier said than done, but with learning how to deal with can make me a better leader at earning respect and loyalty. I also tend to lack on praising others outwardly. For example, when I see a good arrest from a co-worker based on his observations skills, I know he did a good job and I praise him for it, but I usually don’t say it to him. Not because I do not want to but because I am not comfortable saying it outwardly. I know I can improve on praising others because it is important for your co-workers or subordinates to feel important and appreciated. It tends to bring the best out of them. When it comes to conflict resolution, I will work on reaching a solution through common techniques like negotiations or compromises.

Images of God in Genesis Free Essay Example, 1000 words

Task Images of God in Genesis God is a focal character in the lengthy narrative that is the book of Genesis; He is the most compelling character in the book. He is, in fact, the one figure whose presence ties it together from the beginning to end. From creation to the settlement of Joseph’s family in Egypt, God in one way or another is central as he interacts with other characters. This character, God, gives a coherence and structure to the extended narrative of Genesis that is often otherwise experienced as quite episodic. In the book of Genesis, all stories bring out God as the most central character thereby creating different images of Him throughout the book. This paper is about the various images of God as depicted in the stories of the creation of the world, the beginnings of history, Cain and Abel: the first murder, the flood, the tower of Babel, Abraham and Isaac, Joseph and brothers, and Moses and the exodus in the book of Genesis. The first image of God depicted in the book of Genesis is that of a creator and a sovereign designer. We will write a custom essay sample on Images of God in Genesis or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page On the first three days, spaces are created (the heavens, the seas, and dry land with vegetation) and or the next three days these spaces are populated (with the sun, moon and stars: the fish, other swarming creatures, and birds; mammals), and eventually humans. Judging from his creation God is absorbed on structures and taxonomies and hierarchy. After Adam consumes the forbidden fruit God expels him from the Garden of Eden. In genesis 3:22, God suggests that the results of combining the Knowledge of Good and Evil with the benefits offered by the tree are extremely severe (Paul, Gary & Johnson, 454). This leads to his prompt action of expelling Adam from the garden and thus from access to immortality. The struggle is brought out in that God’s prohibition soon proves on the face of it less than effective. Another image of God brought out is that of Him as a struggling parent. God molds an earthling from the dust on the ground and breaths into his nost rils a living breath creating Adam.