Letter from a Birmingham Jail and The Declaration of Individualism :: Letter from Birmingham Jail

Letter from a Birmingham Jail and The Declaration of Individualism Although the time periods and goals may be different the method for bringing about change is usually the same, this method is protest. This method is supported by two different people, in two different time periods, with two different goals; these two people are Thomas Jefferson and Martin Luther King Junior. Martin Luther King Junior's letter from a Birmingham Jail was an expression of his encouragement for protest against tradition and established laws and a justification for his actions. King, a leader of a civil-rights group that supported protest against traditional views, encouraged protesting against tradition and established laws that are unjust. In his letter from Birmingham Jail King states: "It was illegal to aid and comfort a Jew in Hitler's Germany. Even so, I am sure that, had I lived in Germany at that time, I would have aided and comforted my Jewish brothers. If today I lived in a Communist country where certain principles dear to the Christian faith are suppressed, I would openly advocate disobeying that country's anti-religious laws." This excerpt shows that King encourages protest because in some situations he deems it necessary, be it in Hitler's Germany, a Communist country, or any situation in which injustices are occurring. In the last sentence of the excerpt King openly admits that he would protest against established laws or traditions. King was against the traditional views and unjust laws, which discriminated against him and his fellow people. He felt that the only way that these unjust laws and traditional beliefs would ever change would be by means of protest. He felt that without protest the laws and traditions would remain the same forever. Along with encouraging protest, King's letter was also a justification of his actions. The letter was written to his fellow clergymen to explain his prior actions and to attempt to justify them. In the letter he tried to explain to the clergy that his actions although illegal were justified and appropriate for the situation. He expressed that he exhausted every other option possible and direct action was the only available option left, which could make a difference. Similarly to King's letter from Birmingham Jail, The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson to encourage the protest of established laws and justify possible actions. But unlike King, Jefferson also encouraged individualism in his declaration. His views are distinctly stated in the first sentence of The Declaration of Independence: "When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to

Effective Strategies Essay

â€Å"Some unions feel that the organization does not compensate its members fairly, or that the organizational working conditions are less than desirable. Conversely, some employers feel that unions interfere with management decisions and impede on a positive relationship between managers and employees. There may be some truth to both perceptions† (Ashford University). I will provide a â€Å"†¦detailed explanation of the effective strategies an organization can implement to create and maintain a conducive working relationship with unions, as well as the effective strategies a union can implement to create and maintain a conducive working relationship with management† (Ashford University). I will begin by briefly describing the role of management in an organization. Management is responsible for the smooth running of the company. Keeping employees happy on the job would be one of the duties involved. Keeping up with industry standards and always moving forward with innovation, while heeding all safety regulations and laws. Working with and not against the flow of the operation to be successful while making a profit is where management can soar. Secondly I will briefly discuss the role of a union in an organization. A basic requirement of unions is that members give up their individual rights (e.g., raises based on performance) to benefit the collective (e.g., cost of living increases to all employees). Is this equitable and fair? Well members of unions negotiate as a group with the employer and this ensures more power than if they were just alone on their own. While it has been documented that â€Å"†¦union employees make 27 percent more than nonunion workers. Ninety-two percent of union workers have job-related health coverage versus 68 percent for nonunion workers. Union workers also have a great advantage over nonunion workers in securing guaranteed pensions† (howstuffworks.com). This is the bright side of union membership, so it seems that giving up rights to obtain these advantages would be sound advice. In my opinion if the union performs the duties the member/employee signed up for, then yes it would be equitable and fair to give up their rights. On the other hand if the union  performed poorly in its duties, I would consider leaving for another position elsewhere. Some of the positives that involve unions would be the capitalist ideas that make this country what it is today. Unions are there for each employee who is represented by them and protected in the work place from unfair tactics. â€Å"Capitalism is directed towards the pursuit of profits and unions are directed towards the rights of workers.† The way these opposing viewpoints can be advantageous, yet destructive, to the business community depends on the way they balance the two. â€Å"A profits interest is often referred to as a â€Å"carried interest†. A profits interest is typically given as a reward for the performance of services†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (myllcagreement.com) â€Å"This method serves as an incentive for partners to become more proactive in pursuing bigger and better profits thus contributing towards the companies’ growth† (inv estopedia.com). Growth is essential to the success of the business and the union, without losing sight of the interests of the employee (member). Growth indicates a profit is made and a company should hold in high esteem the people who made this so. So as a company grows it should ensure the employees are happy and treated fairly. They should not lose sight of the bottom line which is the business itself: them and the employees. Unions step up to make sure the employee is treated right with fair conditions and proper raises as the company moves forward. The destructive issue could occur if the employee was not rewarded as the profits increased. An unhappy employee will make for an unsuccessful business. There are some downsides to unions. Let me first say that strikes are a big part of what could possibly be the one downside, if issues do not work for the benefit of the employee represented. Although strikes were intended to get management’s attention, â€Å"The incidence of strikes has been almost steadily decreasing, and strikes now consume a minuscule portion of total working time—in the neighborhood of one-twentieth of 1 percent in most recent years† (Sloane, 2010, pg. 4). Many times a settlement takes place which will avert a strike and this is when both sides reach a compromise. If a strike ensues only a percentage of employees’ wages are paid, if they participate in picket duty. But, â€Å"For most unionized employees who agree to strike: †¢They stop getting a paycheck. †¢Their family’s healthcare and dental benefits are suspended. †¢They are not  eligible to receive state unemployment benefits. †¢Their job can be filled with a replacement worker.  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Their job can be impacted in the future, if there is a loss of customers during the strike† (cintasfreedomtochoose.com). Depending on the results of the strike, winning or losing could alter the reputation of the union and also of the employer, for better or worse depending on the results. Appropriate circumstances where a strike would be an appropriate bargaining tactic would be when a failure to communicate occurs and further negotiations need to happen. A total breakdown in communication is most always when strikes occur. Sometimes though strikes occur in an inappropriate manner and this is when the employee suffers. It is when this happens or when the public welfare is affected that a strike would be deemed inappropriate. There are many global major players are union run, I realistically know that we would be in a world of trouble without them, in example: AFL-CIO and the SEIU. To be honest with you I have the impression that unions such as these actually perform better on a political platform. With all the money and power there comes responsibility, and more often than not we hear about the corruption unions flex influencing (lobbying) individuals in the position to pass laws with ‘dark money’. â€Å"Dark Money? AFL-CIO accused of campaigning without disclosing† (watchdog.org). This in no way seems to be connected with the absolute values unions initially professed, which was to stand up for the worker and give strength to the small guy. Now as things have progressed, the red tape becomes likened to fly paper, very sticky. Unions favorably represent the needs of the higher ups and I give again the article in our Course Materials about the ‘Bitter Bargain’. The bigger the union size the less likely the small guy’s needs will be met, since large money/power weld negative actions. But with a small union it becomes an intimate task to please your members and therefore a more positive vibe is felt. â€Å"Selected Evidence About Globalization’s Impact on the U.S. Labor Market Effects on Overall Incomes and Wages† (dol.gov) is another issue that affects the bottom line of the globally competitive work environment. Free trade influences the profits or losses/jobs or unemployment of this country. It makes one wonder if this is not why large unions have become much like a small country with a government playing king of the hill. I will present two strategies/actions an organization can  implement to create and maintain a conducive, working relationship with unions. Employers set the pay scale for each job and two strategies/actions they implement to keep the peace with union members is to use the comparative norm strategy and the ability-to-pay (cost of living increase). There are different circumstances where it would be more appropriate for an organization to follow the comparative norm strategy to determine an employees’ wage rate, versus the ability-to-pay or the cost of living strategy. Depending on the industry the employee is in will be the determining factor in whether the employer has the capabilities to meet economic demands. There are classifications in the different industries, and even subgroups within the different industries. Another factor at work that divides the comparative norm would be job titles. Each place of work has a different description for job titles and they vary greatly, so in many situations a certain wage would not be appropriate for employees at different work places with the same title. Wage systems are another way that the comparative norm may not work, since the pay may be ‘by hour’, incentive systems paid individually, and group incentive systems. Benefits cannot go unnoticed and are a part of the pay system. Depending on where you live in the nation may also have an impact on the wage an employee is given (i.e. cost of living differences). Typically the minimum wage increase I have experience with would be the annual 4% cost of living wage, and this is in the American south west states. Profits made by the company you work for hold major criterion on the ability to pay a cost of living increase. In the engineering world in which I worked as a drafter for over 30 years competition to obtain the best workers and keep them is all based on wages and benefits. If some other company wanted to pull you away from your employer, they would offer more money and/or better benefits. I can recall a time when my wages were increased significantly when another company made me an offer. Finally, I will present a minimum of two strategies/actions a union can implement to create and maintain a conducive, working relationship with management. Grievances and arbitration are two of the main strategies/actions that keep the peace while a member of a union. â€Å"Grievance legal definition: A claim by a union or a unionized employee that a collective bargaining agreement has been breached†¦. The formal document in which a union claims that the employer has breached the collective  bargaining agreement and for which, arbitration is convened† (duhaime.org). The way the use of the grievance and arbitration processes and procedures can enhance the relationship between a union and management is that is can reach a position that both parties can find common ground and satisfaction. Where this same effort can be destructive is when the breakdown in trust and commitment fall into place where once the opposite was true. Monetary losses occur at this point and sometimes the union fails to properly represent the employee and resentment occurs. When â€Å"†¦confusion and uncertainty in the area of employer–employee relations† (Sloane, 2010, pg. 217) occurs, both parties lose. In conclusion, we all know that unions have their place in our society and can be run using effective strategies that have proven to work in the past and changing those strategies as new ideas surface in the workplace, effectively. There is a place for unions and people who would benefit from them. In assessing the changing complexion of the U.S. labor force two things come to mind: baby boomers and immigrants. Why, because these types of workers may find unionization attractive. New retirees and new citizens might be looking for jobs where unions have a foothold: like grocers. Do not forget the fiasco with the strikers in California who fought for 5 months and got something unwanted. â€Å"United Food and Commercial Workers’ Union†¦ The ratified contract contains no raises for the 70,000 supermarket workers it covers, but it does preserve most health benefits for current employees. However, new workers will receive lower wages and fewer benefits. Many workers said they voted for the contract reluctantly. The lengthy labor dispute took an emotional and financial toll† (Bitter Bargain). This will be copied, presumably, by fellow unions, and it leads to a running comment that unions no longer provide for the common worker as its mission statement once led its members to believe. Leaving citizens with less money in their pocket when benefits are not included on payday will erode the backbone of unions. It used to be 35% of American workers belonged to a union in 1959, now a fraction of that is true. Additionally predictions have commented that some baby boomers will exit the workforce leading to a â€Å"lower (the) overall labor force participation rate, leading to a slowdown in the growth of the labor force† (Toossi). This comes from the other side of the podium in the in the debate of how labor force will be affected. The complexion of America has changed and without changing for the better, I  fear unions will run their course, or transform into a totally new idea, without all the corruption that comes with power and money. Unions are here to stay and change is on the way if using effective strategies are on the agenda. References Retrieved from article by Mitra Toossi: http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2005/11/art3full.pdf` Bitter Bargain: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/jan-june04/strike_3-1.html# Retrieved from: http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/history/herman/reports/futurework/conference/trends/trendsVI.htm Sloane, A., Witney, F. (2010). Labor relations. (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. Pearson Learning Solutions. VitalBook file. Retrieved from: http://watchdog.org/131467/money-afl-cio-union/ Retrieved from: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/profits-interest.asp Retrieved from: http://www.myllcagreement.com/relevant-articles/what_is_the_difference_between_profits_interest_and_capital_interest.html Retrieved from: http://money.howstuffworks.com/labor-union2.htm Retrieved from: http://www.cintasfreedomtochoose.com/strikes.asp Retrieved from: http://www.duhaime.org/LegalDictionary/G/Grievance.aspx

Theme Of Irony In Oedipus The King - 913 Words

Tragic heroes continuously draw both pity, due to the characters inevitability to fail, and fear, because of the character’s fall from strength, power, and knowledge, from their audience. In Sophocles’, Oedipus the King, Oedipus’ power and knowledge are unparalleled by man as he is the only man able to solve the Riddle of the Sphinx and save Thebes. Yet after receiving an unpleasant reading from the Oracle at Delphi during a quest to find his true self, Oedipus directly challenges Apollo, and his hubris ends up preventing him from finding out who he really is; The murderer of his father, King Laius, and husband of his own mother, Jocasta. Throughout the play, Sophocles uses irony to expose Oedipus’ identity to the audience and highlight†¦show more content†¦Oedipus ironically mocks Tiresias because of his physical blindness, but does not realize his hubris blinds him from the truth, preventing him from realizing his own identity. After being told that he is the murderer of Laius, Oedipus quickly retaliated claiming that Tiresias â€Å"[has] no power or truth† and that his is blind in his â€Å"ear and mind, as well as eyes† (Sophocles 23). Oedipus defensively taunts Tiresias in an attempt to falsify his claims. Tiresias however, sticks to his claim that even though Oedipus â€Å"[has] eyes, he cannot see the evil in which [he] stands† (Sophocles 25). Tiresias highlights the irony in the fact that the great, intelligence and seeing Oedipus cannot recognize his simple fate even though it’s clear to the audience. After discovering his true identity, Oedipus blinds himself because he know no sight â€Å"would bring [him] joy† (75). After deriding Tiresias because of his blindness, Oedipus decides blinding himself â€Å"was the best thing to do† (76) as he knew he could not bear to look his children in the face. Oedipus realizes that sight is not always a blessing or effective in seeing w hat was right in front of him. Initially Oedipus’ hubris blinded him from the truth, but after learning his true identity, he decided to blind himself as punishment, soShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Irony In Oedipus The King827 Words   |  4 PagesThe presence of irony in â€Å"Myth† by Muriel Rukeyser, â€Å"My Oedipus Complex† by Frank O’Connor, and â€Å"Oedipus the King† by Sophocles link these three literary pieces together. However, each of the works utilize different forms of irony in different levels to specifically present their message. In Rukeyser’s short poem, the narrator uses verbal irony through Oedipus’ conversation with the Sphinx and dramatic irony through Oedipus’ shorthanded conclusions. O’Connor uses situational irony in his short storyRead MoreTheme Of Dramatic Irony In Oedipus The King1057 Words   |  5 Pagesentire play, Oedipus the king by Sophocles dramatic irony. Dramatic irony is when audience i s aware what is happening but the character is not. Sophocles uses dramatic irony to show us Oedipus’s character and what is expected to occur. The intention of using irony also allows us to sustain our interest in the play and keep us intrigued by what’s happening. Ironically, the play begins with dramatic irony. Suddenly after the death of King Laius, A plague has hit the city of Thebes. Since Oedipus was theRead MoreEssay on A Struggle with Fate in Oedipus the King by Sophocles578 Words   |  3 Pages Oedipus the King, a greek tragedy, is the story of a mans struggle against his fate. The author Sophocles, uses many different themes and contrasts in his writing. The most obvious theme being irony. An oracle was given by the priests of Apollo, that a son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta would murder Laius and marry Jocasta. Oedipus was taken as an infant, left to die, but was rescued by a shepard and his wife. Oedipus grows up, not knowing his true identity and fulfillsRead MoreComparison of Oedipus the King and Death of a Salesman Essay1025 Words   |  5 Pagessetting, irony, plot, characters, and theme, which will be discussed in the essay. Oedipus the King opens in a Greek amphitheatre depicting the front of a Theban palace. Throughout the play, the setting remains constant. This changes to a more fast-paced play with different settings in different places in Death of a Salesman. Dramatic irony in Oedipus the King is evident throughout, which is similar to the latter play, but in a different form. In here, the irony is evident. Oedipus the King revolvesRead MoreOedipus The King Theme Essay1076 Words   |  5 Pages Oedipus the King: Themes of Blindness and Sight in the Sophocles Oedipus the King What does it mean to truly see? Do those blessed with normal vision really see? Oedipus the King by Sophocles’ is intertwined with many powerful themes and messages, establishing what real vision and real sight are. Sophocles’ play also demonstrates that sometimes in life we have to experience great loss in order to rediscover our true selves. In Oedipus’s quest for truth, lack of self-control, ignoranceRead MoreThe True Vision of Blindness in Oedipus Rex by Sophocles Essay959 Words   |  4 Pagesthey are blind to it. In Oedipus Rex by Sophocles it is easy to see how blindness affects the transition of the story. It is said that blind people see â€Å"in a different manner† because they sense the world in a totally diferent way, such as Teiresias in the play. Oedipus Rex is a tragedy due to the content the Sophocles, the playwright, decided to include, first, murdering his father, king Laius, then marrying his mother, Jocasta, and ending by blinding himself. Oedipus has been blinded to the truthRead MoreAnalysis Of Oedipus Oedipus The King 1152 Words   |  5 Pages The theme of sight and blindness is undoubtedly important to notice while reading Oedipus the King. The number of times the words â€Å"see† or â€Å"blind† are in the play make it make it undeniably obvious that they are significant. The theme is developed throughout the dialogue, through characters such as Tiresias and Oedipus, and also directly in the irony of the play. It is important in a play about the truth because almost every character was â€Å"blind† to the truth. All of the characters, except oneRead MoreOedipus: Aristotelian or Formalist Theory772 Words   |  4 PagesTeiresias’s speech at the end of scene one of Sophocles’ play Oedipus Rex is fairly short but it is in this encounter between Oedipus and Teiresias where the main conflict of the story begins to unfold. This is a pivotal speech in the play as it helps to develop some of the major themes in the play as well as begin to build up the tragic irony at the center of the story. When this speech is analyzed using either Aristotelian or Formalist theory key elements can be found that are effective inRead MoreOedipus Rex Motifs And Symbols1319 Words   |  6 Pages Oedipus Rex Motifs and Symbols The paths (3 crossroads): Expressed three independent ways Oedipus could have chosen to continue his life, and Oedipus chose the inferior road. Oedipus’s legs: Oedipus’s damaged legs and feet symbolize his painful upbringing. As well as this, it represents his mental health, which is damaged just like his feet. Vision: Oedipus can actually see, while Tiresias is actually blind. Yet, even though he can see, Oedipus is blind enough to not recognize that he killedRead MoreEssay on Sophocles Clever Use of Dramatic Irony in Oedipus the King831 Words   |  4 PagesDramatic irony depends on the audience’s knowing something that the character does not, and in this play the audience knows Oedipus faith before he knows it himself. In this play there are several parts where Sophocles conveys his plot through dramatic irony. Dramatic irony underlines how partial human perceptive can be even when it is most reasonable and how agonizing it can be to be the costs of the misinterpretation, in some sense foreseeable. Dramatic irony is also use by Sophocles to make the