Pride and prejudice Coursework Letter Essay Example for Free

Pride and prejudice Coursework Letter Essay Dear Mrs Bennet, I hope that all your family is in good health. I am ashamed to confess that inquiring about your family is not the main reason of writing to you but it is nevertheless a matter which I believe is of great importance to your family. I believe that it is my duty to inform you about the recent events at Hunsford. I am sure that you will be delighted to hear that your daughter Elizabeth had been proposed to by Mr Darcy. However, it is regretful that I must inform you of Lizzys rejection of Mr Darcys marriage proposal. Yesterday in the afternoon, Mr Collins, Elizabeth and I were both invited for tea at Rosings. However Elizabeth could not accompany us because it was clearly evident that she had a migraine. At first Mr Collins was most perturbed by Elizabeths decision not to go to Rosings but I finally encouraged him not to press her anymore seeing that she was really unwell. Yet Mr Collins could not stop to remind her of how displeased Lady Catherine would be. However, on our return I went to check on Elizabeth and I was shocked to see her look paler than ever. She had dark red eyes with puffed up cheeks, as if she had been crying. When I asked her what had happened she burst into tears, and proclaimed that Mr Darcy had visited her in our absence and she then revealed that she had rejected his offer! The reason that Eliza gave for her rejection him was because of his abominable pride and conceited manner. Yet I do believe he sustains all of these ill features. However, on the contrary Mr Darcy is a secure man. His wealth is of immense amount, à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10,000 a year! As we both know, Eliza has previously made mistakes, for example turning down Mr Collins, and now Mr Darcy! She has made some ill decisions in her life and we both know well of her that she can sometimes act foolish. Yet, Eliza is my best friend and so my purpose of writing to you is to ask you to advise your daughter to marry such a man of stature. How many men can she turn down? If she carries on the way she has she will lose a future of security and wealth. Mr Collins and I are financially stable and I am fully secure. Yet, I wish I could say the same for Eliza, if she gets married. Mrs Bennet, it is both familiar to us to get married as soon as possible and grasp every opportunity as it comes. When you are secure then there will be free time to fall in love. But Eliza contradicts these opinions which both to you and myself are so imperative. She wants to marry for love yet this cannot always be the case. She does not want to marry for financial security. Mr Darcy is such a wealthy and well connected man. It is up to you Mrs Bennet to advise your daughter to not regret making dreadful decisions. I thought that I had to write about this as Eliza is my good friend.

The Cinema Of Short Films

The Cinema Of Short Films Cinema is one of the few mediums which have managed to successfully depict the true reality of society in general and our lives in particular. As like other art forms, it depicts the multiple realties that one is faced with. It explores one of the most discarded yet eternal truths which every individual experiences and that is isolation. Each individual longs for social ties despite belonging to organized societies; it is what each one of us is ultimately reduced to. A Short film is a technical description originally coined in the Indian film industry and used in the North American film industry in the early period of cinema. The description is now used almost interchangeably with short subject. Although the North American definition generally refers to films between 20 and 40 minutes, the definition refers to much shorter films in Europe, Latin America and Australasia. In New Zealand, for instance, the description can be used to describe any film that has duration longer than one minute and shorter than 15 minutes. The North American definition also tends to focus much more on character whereas the European and Australasian forms tend to depend much more on visual drama and plot twists. In this way, the North American form can be understood to be a derivation of the feature film form, usually acting as a platform for aspirant Hollywood directors. Elsewhere, short films tend to work as showcases for cinematographers and commercial directors. (Short Film) A short film manages to tell the same tale as a full length feature film, but in a shorter duration of time. It is characterized by the directors reflection of the existing social, political and economic conditions. A short film narrative is one which can easily be created by people from all walks of life, it has universal applicability. It enables directors functioning on a small budget to tell their stories to the world. The talent in creating a short film lies in communicating the message of the film to the audience in a very limited period of time. The transitions in a short film are of critical importance. What I find intriguing is how any person imbibes from their existing social conditions and produce work which is effectively communicable to most individuals. Another reason to dwell into this topic of research is that many youngsters and amateurs start by making short films and use it as a path to grow. As Daniel Wiernicki states, Short films are often popular as first steps into the film industry among young filmmakers. This is because they are cheaper and easier to make, and also their length makes shorts more likely to be watched by financial backers and others who want some demonstration of a filmmakers ability. Many things can be achieved by creating a short film so are an ideal opportunity to get recognized and get into the industry. (Wiernicki) Through this dissertation, I aim to explore the world of short films in the context of movies which have won the Cannes Short Film Palme dOr (French: Palme dOr du court mà ©trage), which is the highest prize given to a short film at the Cannes Film Festival. These short films are a representation of different cultures, ideologies, people, religion, economic background, and political thoughts and history from across the world that come together on one platform and showcase their art. The cinema is not an art which films life: the cinema is something between art and life. Unlike painting and literature, the cinema both gives to life and takes from it, and I try to render this concept in my films. Literature and painting both exist as art from the very start; the cinema doesnt. Jean- Luc Godard LITERATURE REVIEW Throughout our history, humans have looked for different forms of expressing themselves. These expressions were in the form of poetry, literature, songs, plays, dancing, etc. films are one of the latest forms of expression that has been adopted by the people around the world to portray their views on their surroundings, any event, or moment that captivates them and they want to show it to the world. The beauty of the films nowadays is that you can detract from reality and present something beyond the human imagination at the same time one can present the harsh realities of life that some dont know about. Films as a medium of communications can be used to spread ones message or view across the world. History of Cinema (History of Film) The birth of the films happened in 1878, when Eadweard Muybridge recorded a horse running in fast motion using a series of 24 stereoscopic cameras. With the development of technology came of the Silent era. Till the 1920s movies were silent, though at times they were accompanied by musicians, sound effects, or even commentary at times. 1940s to 60s- War and Post War Cinema The wartime saw immense change in the cinema as more focus was given to propaganda and patriotic films. Films like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Citizen Cane were pieces of this period. The cold war era brought movies filled with paranoia such as Invading Armies of Evil Aliens and anti- communist movies such as the Manchurian Candidate. The onset of television in the post war era also threatened the cinematic industry as a medium of watching films. During this Period, Asian Cinema specifically saw a golden age. Some of the greatest masterpieces of the Asian cinema were produced during this period. These include works like: Yasujiro Ozus Tokyo Story (1953), Satyajit Rays The Apu Trilogy (1955-1959) and The Music Room (1958), Kenji Mizoguchis Ugetsu (1954) and Sansho the Bailiff (1954), Raj Kapoors Awaara (1951), Mikio Naruses Floating Clouds (1955), Guru Dutts Pyaasa (1957) and Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), and the Akira Kurosawa films Rashomon (1950), Ikiru (1952), Seven Samurai (1954) and Throne of Blood (1957). 1970s: Post-classical cinema This term is used to describe the period following the decline of the studio system during the 1950s and 1960s and the end of the production code. During the 1970s, filmmakers increasingly depicted explicit sexual content and showed gunfight and battle scenes that included graphic images of bloody deaths. The 1980s were filled with movies releasing with sequels like Star Wars, Jaws, and Indiana Jones. The audience also started to watch movies on their VCR at home during this period. 1990s to present: Contemporary Cinema The 1990s saw the development of the independent cinema with commercial success. Special effects also ruled during this period as it was being heavily used by the successful movies of the period like: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and Titanic (1997). During the 2000s, documentary genre of film making also rose as can be seen with the success of movies such as March of the Penguins, and Fahrenheit 9/11. Increase in the problem of digital distribution due to infringement of copyrights, and piracy also has reached heights during this period. Cinema as a whole during this decade has become more global with foreign-language films gaining popularity in English-speaking markets. Films such as City of Gods (Portugese), Lagaan (Hindi), and the Passion of the Christ (Aramaic). Some have described the prevailing style of the period as postmodern because many contemporary films are apolitical, ahistorical, intertextual, and less tied to the conventions of a single genre or culture. The transnational circulation and genre hybridity of contemporary films is exemplified by the increasing global popularity of non- English speaking cinema. (Film Studies, 2009) Major Genres of Films: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime Gangster films, Drama, Epic/ Historical films, Horror, Musical, Science fiction, War (anti- war), Western, and Eastern films. They are broad enough to accommodate practically any film ever made, although film categories can never be precise. By isolating the various elements in a film and categorizing them in genres, it is possible to easily evaluate a film within its genre and allow for meaningful comparisons and some judgments on greatness. Films were not really subjected to genre analysis by film historians until the 1970s. All films have at least one major genre, although there are a number of films that are considered crossbreeds or hybrids with three or four overlapping genre (or sub-genre) types that identify them. (Dirks) History of Short Films Short subject a name initially given to Short Films came into existence in the 1910s when the majority of the feature movies were being made into loner run-time editions. The name short subject is an American film industry term, which was assigned to any film within 20 minutes long or running two reels. Short subject films could be comedy, animated, or live action. One of the best known users of short subject was Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin. In 1930s came the slowdown of the short subjects, basically produced by Warner Bros and Famous studios that owned their own theatres to showcase the films. By 1995s, the rise of television led to the strangulation of the live action- short and at the same time the fall cartoon short. Since the 1960s, majority of the directors of short films have been special studio projects or independent film makers. Since the 1980s, short film term was being used for short subject. Short film as a term describes the non- commercial film that is much shorter in time length than a feature film/ an analogy that can be drawn for short film to a feature film is that of a novella and a novel. The short filmmakers heavily depend on the short film festivals and art exhibitions to showcase their short films. At the same time, these film makers have more freedom to take up more difficult topics than normal feature films as the risks are lower. Short film making is now a growing as more and more amateurs, students, common man, and enthusiasts are taking this up because of the affordability of the technology to make such films. At the same time one can showcase his work to the world by uploading it on web portals and sharing it with others. It is an area where people are turning to as a hobby, as an art, to achieve their form expressions. (Wiernicki) Festival de Cannes The Festival is an apolitical no-mans-land, a microcosm of what the world would be like if people could contact each other directly and speak the same language. Jean Cocteau Being first large international cultural event after the World War II, the Festival de Cannes opened on 20th September, 1946. The Palme dOr was created in 1955. Palme dOr became the enduring symbol of the Cannes Film Festival, awarded each and every year since to the director of the Best Feature Film of the Official Competition. At present, Festival de Cannes invites film makers from around the world to present their work in one place and exchange cultural experiences. The selections for the awards are done from a nomination of films from all over the world, from different socio-economic backgrounds, different cultures, and different historical backgrounds. Cannes offers an opportunity to determine a particular countrys image of its cinema. Festival de Cannes is a melting pot of global cinema and filmmakers. This is the reason why I have undertaken the study of the award winning short films at festival de Cannes. (Festival History) KNOWLEDGE GAP Looking at the current literature review, we see that there is a knowledge gap regarding the study of Short Films in the contemporary cinema as a communication medium. This subject requires an in-depth analysis and more research to come up with some perspectives in this area. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES To take selected works of Short Films of contemporary cinema, last ten years winner of Cannes Palme dOr du court mà ©trage (1999-2009), and analyse the context and form of Short films. Content of the winners of the Cannes Short Film awards (1999-2009) in context of political, sociological, economical, and historical backgrounds. To study the narrative codes in the films to arrive at a deeper understanding of the short films. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The Qualitative research methodology is used in this study. The method would involve content analysis (Roland Barthes), text/narrative analysis and semiotic analysis of the movies. The Sample: The Short Film award winners of Palme dOr du court mà ©trage (Cannes Short Film Palme dOr) in Festival de Cannes in the last 10 years (1999-2009). The following Short Films have been selected for the study: Arena Megatron Ver Llover Sniffer Podorozhni Trafic Cracker Bag Eso Utan Bean Cake Anino Why the above Sample? The above following sample has been chosen for the reason being that the Festival de Cannes (le Festival de Cannes), founded in 1946, is one of the worlds oldest, finest and most prestigious film festivals which has a very good representation of directors from across the world from different cultural, political, historical, religious, economical, and sociological backgrounds. This provides us with a variety of content for our study. The above movies are selected also on the basis of them being a part of contemporary cinema. How to Study Short Films Some of the salient points/ questions that will be used to do this study of short films are as follows: Who is telling the story? Why is it being told? Does it appear to have a purpose? (media agencies, authorial voice, writers and auteurs, marketing, economics, ideology) How is it experienced? Who consumes it, where and in what way? (readers and media audiences- private and public experience, narrative structures) How is it made? (film technology, publishing and episodic publishing-the differences they make to the production process as well as to the finished product) How does it construct meaning? (film language and written language-expectations of audiences and readers, codes and conventions, narrative structures) How does it represent its subject- especially with reference to period? (representation, use of stereotypes, representation of the past) (FILM STUDY GUIDE FOR TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, 2003) Three Ways of Thinking Talking About Films (Wilder, 1997) Literary Aspects Dramatic Aspects Cinematic Aspects Who are the characters in the film? Did the actors make you forget they were acting? How? What vivid visual images did you note? What did they make you feel or think about? What is the films setting? Were costumes, make-up, and set equally important to the success of the film? What sounds or music do you remember? What did they make you feel or think about? What are the main plot elements? In what scene was an actors voice (pitch, volume, expression) particularly effective? What scenes can you understand even without dialogue? Why? From whose point of view is the story told? Select a scene that must have been difficult to act. How did the actor make his or her body movements appropriate and convincing? What scene has very effective or unusual editing? What is the theme of the film? Describe a scene in which facial expression was important. What feelings were developed? Were words necessary? If the film uses special effects, do they add to or detract from your enjoyment of the film? What is the mood of the film? Did the actors establish their characters more through dialogue or through movement and facial expressions? . What symbols did you notice? How is this film like or unlike other films by the director? Does this director have a recognizable style? . . Was there anything about the acting, set, or costumes that bothered you or interfered with your watching of the film? EXPECTED CONTRIBUTION Given that the art of making Short Films is on the upward trend it is necessary to analyze the current trends, narratives, and the context of the Short Films genre in our contemporary cinema. We have enough knowledge on feature length movies but we lack information on the Short Films of our age. The study of this medium is important as Short films are a highly effective medium of communication and will gain importance going forward. As more and more people are turning towards Short Film making due to accessibility to technology, it is one field that needs attention in our world of cinema. A study of its content will give us a better understanding of the Short Films and world around us through their camera scope is imperative.

The Scarlet Letter Essay -- essays research papers

In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne discusses the issues of guilt, pain, and truth. For many people, it is hard to accept the faults of their own failures. Most do not acknowledge the reality of their lives, and wind up suffering for their mistakes. Guilt and Sin are bad and also cause pain. Hester Prynne endures in agony and pain because of the mistake she made. In the novel, Hester rarely gives up hope. Through her suffering, Hester maintains to keep her dignity. Hester is admired because of her strong will, and her ability to ignore other's views of her. "In a moment, however, wisely judging that one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another, she took the baby on her arm, and, with a burning blush, and yet a haughty smile, and a glance that would not be abashed, looked around at her townspeople and neighbors† (Hawthorne 50). The townspeople had no right to determine Hester’s punishment. God can only make this type of judgment. She also expresses her best qualities when she stands up to Governor Bellingham, and she confronts him about Pearl. Hester, being proud, headstrong, and confident, faces him successfully and convinces Governor Bellingham into letting her keep Pearl. She is not afraid of much in her life, especially for standing up for her family. She gains knowledge each day of her life and continues to live a fierce life. â€Å"This badge hath taught me—it daily teaches me—it is te aching me at this mom...

Analyzing the character of Reverend Hale :: English Literature

Analyzing the character of Reverend Hale Mr Reverend Hale had a very controversial role in moving the story to the end how it had happened. Beside the other three main characters: Mr Proctor, Elizabeth and Abigail he was fourth biggest person who influenced the happenings the most. However, while the main characters played a kind of a passive role, he always wanted to be in the middle of attention. He was a very proud man, but naà ¯ve as well. He though that himself is an expert in the mysterious world of witches. â€Å"a tight-skinned, eager-eyed intellectual. This is a beloved errand for him; on being called here to ascertain witchcraft he has felt the pride of the specialist whose unique knowledge has at last been publicly called for. This bad self-conscious brought to attention the witchcraft. The role of his character is a good example how a not completely reliable person can mislead a whole community. Mr Hale played a crucial part in starting the witch trials and initiating the madness in the town of Salem. Though, he was the one who accused the girls of being witches and trying to get their testimony, he was always seeking the truth. He did not intend to make such a huge conflict between the villagers. Abigail used his willingness of believing in mystic creatures like witches, she realized that he can be misled easily. Moreover, through his convincing personality everybody in the town can be misled, too. Therefore, the madness was partly happened due to his intervention, because the others should have not listened or believed to him. Hale’s goodness and naivety was shown through his enlightenment. After he had realized his wrong decision, he strived for persuading all the innocent citizens to confess cooperation with the evil that they obviously had never done. He did not take into account the people’s

Data Mining and Privacy-an ethical look Essay -- Data Mining Technolog

Data Mining and Privacy-an ethical look I. Introduction In 2001, the MIT Technology Review listed data mining as one of the top 10 technologies that will change the world.[i] So, what is data mining? For many people, the simple answer is that data mining is the collecting of people’s information when logged onto the Internet. But Webopedia emphasizes that data mining is not the collection of data itself, but the statistical interpretation of it – allowing people to obtain new information or find hidden patterns within that collected data.[ii] It is the combination of these, collection and analysis, which are cause for concern. People want to know: What information is being collected about me? Who has access to that information? What decisions are people making about me based upon that information? This paper looks at how data mining is currently being used on the Internet. It examines whether our privacy rights are vulnerable. Ways in which our privacy can be protected are explored. Finally, an ethical question is considered: ‘Are we maintaining our privacy with the current usage of data mining on the Internet?’ This question is looked at from several ethical points of view. II. Examples of Data Mining Use In general, nearly every time you surf or make a purchase online, information is collected on your actions. Then targeted advertising can be presented online, emailed, snail-mailed or even phoned to you. The business concept behind this is â€Å"best predictor of future behavior is relevant past behavior† (ala Dr. Phil). One company claims that retailers can increase their return on data mining investment by 1,000 percent.[i] The first step in understanding data mining is to look at the various ways t... ...www.acm.org/sigs/sigkdd/explorations/issue4-2/thuraisingham.pdf [x] Sara Baase, A Gift of Fire (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003)44, 46, 55, 85, 86 [xi] American Civil Liberties Union, MATRIX: Myths and Reality, 10 Feb 2004, 17 Feb 2004, http://www.aclu.org/news/NewsPrint.cfm?ID=14894&c=130 [xii] Dan Verton, Senate Kills Data Mining Program, 18 Jul 2003, Computerworld, 17 Mar 2004, http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0%2Caid%2C111626%2C00.asp [xiii] Martin S Olivier, Database Privacy - Balancing Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability, SIGKDD Explorations 4:2 (December 2002): 20-27, 29 Feb 2004, http://www.acm.org/sigs/sigkdd/explorations/issue4-2/olivier.pdf [xiv] Patricia Ellen Freed, Thinking Ethically about Policy Issues, Jewish College of Nursing and Allied Health, 13 Mar 2004, http://www.icss.net/~freedos/Pages/Debate/Review.html

Journeys End †R.C.Sherriff †“Character of Stanhope” Essay

Explore the ways in which Sheriff presents the character of Stanhope â€Å"How is the dear young boy? Still drinking like a fish, as usual?† The character of Stanhope is introduced by Hardy in Act 1, without him actually making an appearance. Osborne shows respect to Stanhope and is clearly angry and annoyed by the way Hardy is dismissive of Stanhope’s ability. Already, we are presented with two contrasting views of Stanhope. By considering the way in which both characters discuss him, we can address the question of whether or not Stanhope possesses heroic qualities. The play depicts the horror of trench warfare; it gives us an insight into what life is like in the war, the reality of the war and the reality of heroism. Heroism is to show great courage and bravery. A lot of men in the war signed up because when the war was over they wanted to be seen as a hero. None of these men had any idea about the reality of the treacherous conditions in the trenches. R.C Sheriff wanted to dispel the myths about the horrors of the war and address how real men survived; the heroic men. In this essay, I am going to analyse Act 1 and Act 2, scene 2. I will look at the ways in which Sheriff uses language, stage directions and dramatic devices to present the character of Stanhope and I will address the question as to whether or not Stanhope possesses heroic qualities. In Act 1, the character of Stanhope is introduced. This has a major impact on the audience. It builds up tension for stanhopes arrival and provides the audience with valuable information about the character of Stanhope. Hardy shows disrespect towards Stanhope, for the simple reason that he ‘likes a good drink’. Osborne is indignant over these comments and continually informs Hardy of his dedication, loyalty and perseverance. â€Å"Oh he’s a good chap† Hardy says this in a patronising manner, dismissing his abilities as a leader. He does not share the same respect but instead uses Stanhope’s values as an amusement. He was particularly amused at the fact that Stanhope missed his leave. He put it down to the reason that he did not want to show his family the drunkard state he was in. Maybe, the actual reason is that he  is so loyal to his men that he does not want to abandon them. Osborne repeatedly defends Stanhope and emphasises the fact that he had seen him suffering all day, physically and mentally, then out on duty all night. â€Å"Young Stanhope goes on sticking it, day in and day out† This comment recognises Stanhope’s quality of loyalty, commitment and overwhelming mental strength. It is for these qualities that could describe Stanhope as a hero. Sheriff’s purpose of including this scene in the play is to present the audience with two contrasting views of Stanhope. By doing this, he heightens the eager anticipation and curiosity. The audience are left to develop their own opinion on the character of Stanhope. In Act 1, scene 1, Sheriff presents the audience with another characters opinion of Stanhope. We can see that Raleigh is very enthusiastic and keen to talk about Stanhope. Dramatic devices are used to create an alternative perspective if Stanhope. Osborne: D’you know him Raleigh: Yes, rather! †¦ Osborne: He’s a splendid chap Raleigh: Isn’t he? His reactions to Osborne’s comments show that he highly respects Stanhope and is in total awe of him. He looks up to Stanhope as a kind-of role model. ‘He looked splendid in it’, Raleigh’s language used to describe Stanhope suggests that he worships him. He uses words like â€Å"splendid† and â€Å"amazing† and â€Å"terrific†. This shows his excitement and wonder at being placed under his command. The scene on a whole shows Stanhope as a hero figure. Raleigh is in awe of him like a school boy idolises an older student. In Act 2, scene 2, Hibbert is taken aback when Stanhope admits to suffering from neuralgia also. Hibbert: This neuralgia of mine. I’m awfully sorry. I’m afraid I can’t stick it any longer Stanhope: I know it’s rotten isn’t it. I’ve got it like hell Hibbert: (taken aback) you have? In this scene we do not know whether Stanhope is actually suffering from neuralgia. However, it seems apparent to believe that he is from the earlier discussion of hoe Stanhope deals with pain. Hibbert is using this illness as an excuse to leave. If Stanhope is suffering from neuralgia too, then why should one leave and not the other? Stanhope takes away Hibberts excuse to leave- the fear of life the trenches. Stanhope does not want one man to jeopardise the lives of others around him. Hibbert: I’ll go right along now, I think- Stanhope: (quietly) you’re going to stay here. Stanhope shows control and authority by saying this. He stands his ground and is firm in his words, but at the same time is calm and composed. This shows his natural skill as a leader and strength to keep his men together. In this sense Stanhope can be described as showing heroic qualities, fidelity and compassionate love to all under his command. With the use of dramatic devices, the character of Stanhope is introduced to the audience. Throughout the play, Sheriff continually uses these techniques and we are left feeling totally in awe of Stanhope’s fine comradeship, born leader skills and compassionate love to all in his battalion. Although Stanhope â€Å"likes a good drink† his weaknesses are overlooked by his dedication, loyalty and perseverance. Stanhope has suffered the dreadful conditions of trench warfare but still â€Å"goes on sticking it, month in, month out†. In the eyes of his men â€Å"there isn’t a man to touch him†.

Decriminalization of Marijuana

Darnell Taylor M. Channing English 1B March 5, 2013 Decriminalization of Marijuana As I researched the internet for information about the decriminalization of marijuana, I found so much information concerning this project that it was hard putting together some thoughts. Through my research of the different topics I came to the conclusion that the ones I am writing about seem to be the most important concerning the decriminalization of marijuana. Should a person go to jail for smoking marijuana? A lot of people would say no, a person should not go to jail for smoking it.Marijuana is not a narcotic, such as heroin, or a stimulant like caffeine or tobacco, or a depressant, like alcohol. It would be easy to say marijuana is less of a threat to a person’s health than alcohol or tobacco. Marijuana became illegal on August 2, 1937 with the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act. Discrimination and racism played a big part in this because it was said that Blacks and other minorities were th e majority of marijuana users. Politicians and lack of understanding of the drug is why marijuana is still illegal today.The scientific name for marijuana is cannabis. There are two main strains of marijuana and they are called Indica and Sativa. Cannabis is known in the streets, by many other names such as dank, bud, buddha, maryjane, weed, or reefer, and has been used medically since the beginning of civilization. The oldest known evidence of cannabis use comes from a tomb in the African country of Egypt, where cannabis was found in big bundles beside the tomb. In Canada, a high-level public official said the current marijuana prohibition was not working for the benefit of that country .The number of known marijuana users has grown from 55,000 to 350 million, a fact showing that prohibition of marijuana is not working. The big push for the United States to decriminalize marijuana started in the 1970’s, when almost half the states either approved it for medical use, decrimin alized it, or completely legalized it. The people for decriminalization argue that legalizing cannabis would free up billions of dollars that we now use to prosecute users, pay for a large portion of law enforcement resources, and pay for large amounts of prison resources.It would reduce the income of street gangs and organized crime that grow, import, process, and sell illegal marijuana. With decriminalization and regulation it would provide large amounts of tax revenue and reduce enforcement costs, with little or no effect on how much is used. Decriminalization would lower the number of non-violent offenders in the prisons. The number of marijuana possession cases would also decline allowing less pressure on the Criminal Justice system. Decriminalization and legalization of marijuana are favored just because it is believed that a person’s rights should be respected.How a person lives his life, as long as he’s not hurting others, should be allowed. Users wouldnâ€℠¢t have to be scared of getting caught’ a person’s life would not be ruined for having a small amount of marijuana. A person wouldn’t lose his job because he had a little marijuana. College careers wouldn’t be ruined because of marijuana possession. The opposition also argues that cannabis on the streets today has a higher percentage of THC (the primary intoxicant), than in cannabis of an earlier time and that decriminalization will lead to more usage, more crime, and more abuse of dangerous illicit drugs.The Legal History of Marijuana in the United States: Decriminalization (1970-2000s) Check all the places that have decriminalized non-medical marijuana in the United States. Most of the states are in favor of decriminalization. They have started programs such as Drug Education or Drug Treatment in place of jail time or criminal charges for possession of small amounts of marijuana. This offense is now the lowest priority for law enforcement. In 1972, Pres ident Richard Nixon set up a committee to study marijuana use.The Commission found out that the fairness of cannabis prohibition was unclear, and that the Executive and Legislative branches had a responsibility to obey the Constitution. Even in the absence of a court ruling to do so, they did not put the study’s recommendations in action. In 1973, Oregon became the first state to decriminalize marijuana. In 1974, a Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, chaired by Senator James O. Eastland on the Marijuana-Hashish Epidemic and its impact on United States security said that evidence collected on marijuana had turned against this drug.By 1978 Alaska, California, Colorado, Mississippi, New York, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Ohio had some form of marijuana decriminalization. Certain cities and countries, especially in California, had adopted laws to further push decriminalized cannabis. When speaking against decriminalization, a 1974 study by the United States government and end orsed by then-President Ronald Reagan is being used. The results claim that in a test using monkeys, loss of brain cells was discovered. Unknown to the public was that this story was totally unfair.The monkeys were made to wear gas masks and marijuana was then pumped into their lungs non-stop for 5 minutes at a time with no fresh oxygen. It was a miracle the monkeys didn’t die and suffered only brain damage in this act of animal cruelty. Another study published in ‘The Journal of Clinical Investigation† shows that cannabis use actually stimulates cell development. It is not possible to overdose on marijuana, unlike most prescription and illegal drugs. Marijuana has yet to be proven addictive or deadly.No deaths have been linked to marijuana use. It has no known lethal dose. Health issues and family responsibilities, not legal issues, are reasons given for stopping or never starting the use of marijuana. Even the thought of it being a â€Å"gateway† drug is controversial. Research shows the real â€Å"gateway† is the illegal drug market. The â€Å"gateway† effect for marijuana could be because exposure to other illegal drugs when buying marijuana â€Å"on the streets† increases the opportunity to use other illegal drugs.Several states have taken steps about the marijuana issue by decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of the drug, reducing sanctions for amounts suitable for personal use. For marijuana that means one ounce or less. In recent history, there have been a lot of unsuccessful attempts to decriminalize cannabis. In 1974, Dr. Robert DuPont, the White House Drug Czar, began to publicly support the decriminalization of marijuana. When DuPont left government he changed his mind, seeing marijuana as a health problem and declaring â€Å"decriminalization is a bad idea†.Robert DuPont is still an active opponent of the decriminalization of marijuana. A law to legalize marijuana state-wide was put on the California Ballot in 1972. Proposition 19 was rejected by 66 percent of the votes. The Initiative reads as follows: 1. No person in the State of California, 18 years or older shall be punished, or be denied any right or privilege, by reason of such person’s planting, cultivating, harvesting, drying, processing, otherwise transporting, or possessing marijuana. 2.This provision shall in no way be construed to repeal existing legislation, or limit the enactment of future legislation, prohibiting persons under the influence of marijuana from engaging in conduct that endangers others. In Gonzales vs. Raich the courts ruled in a 6-3 decision that the Commerce Clause and the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution allowed the Federal government to ban the use of cannabis (including medical use) because Federal law is â€Å"supreme† and overrules State law.Further legalization of cannabis came in 2012 as two of three things to vote on were put on the general ballot of November 6th and were successful by wide margins. Washington’s Initiative 502 (2011) and Colorado’s Amendment 64 (2012) passed in the general election, as Oregon’s Ballot Measure 80 (2012) failed. Both of the successful measures restricted cannabis possession to adults aged 21 or over, restricted the total amount allowed and included a â€Å"DUID† (Driving under the Influence of Drugs) provision against driving under the influence of marijuana.Both specifically regulated cannabis much like hard liquor has been since the end of prohibition in the United States and avoided any changes to medical marijuana law. Initiative 502 defined marijuana based on its THC content and controlled all growth; processing and sales of marijuana based on its THC content and controlled all growth, processing and sale of marijuana under the Washington State Liquor Control Board, with restrictions against public consumption. The Colorado Measure allowed â€Å"private grows† in addition to commercial regulation.The failed Oregon law established a new State agency to regulate and tax cannabis but was less specific and allowed possession for all adults, aged 18 or older. Illegal marijuana cost taxpayers $7. 5 billion a year (enforcement, prosecution, incarceration and monitoring). It also makes growing hemp, which can be used to make cloth, paper and rope, against the law. When imported from places like Canada, Russia, and China hemp products are legal. In 1645 hemp was a cash crop in America and Europeans were growing it before that. Almost one million people a year are in trouble with the law, about marijuana. 15 billion a year goes to the â€Å"War on Marijuana†, which doesn’t look too successful. Decriminalization will reduce these numbers. There is little proof that decriminalization of marijuana use leads to an increase in marijuana use. Almost one million people a year are in trouble with the law, about marijuana. $15 bil lion a year goes to the â€Å"War on Marijuana†, which doesn’t look too successful. Decriminalization would reduce these numbers. In January, 2011, first year Arizona Republican Legislator John Fillmore introduced House Bill 2228.This bill would decriminalize marijuana possession of 2 ounces or less to a petty offense with a penalty no more than a $100 fine, similar to the laws in Colorado and California. On January 1, 1975, Senate Bill 95 made possession of under one ounce of marijuana for non-medical use punishable by a $100 fine; tougher punishments exists for amounts of more than an ounce, possession on school grounds, or violation of marijuana laws for sales or cultivation. If the offender is under the age of 21, his or her Driver’s License may be suspended for up to one year.In Mendocino County, voters in 2000 approved Measure G, which called for the decriminalization of marijuana when used, or cultivated for personal use. Measure G passed with a 58 percen t majority vote, making it the first county in the United States to declare prosecution of small-scale cannabis offenses The â€Å"lowest priority† for law enforcement. Measure G does not protect individuals who cultivate, transport, or possess marijuana for sale. Measure G was passed at the local government level making it law only in Mendocino County and does not affect existing state or federal laws.On September 30, 2010 California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law, S. B. 1449. A bill that decriminalizes the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana. The bill reduces simple possession from a misdemeanor to an infraction. This would eliminate the need to appear in court and would treat possession of less than 28. 5 grams like a traffic ticket, punishable by a $100 fine. Also in 2010, Proposition 19, titled the â€Å"Regulate, Control, and Tax Act 2010†, qualified for the November California Ballot. It was rejected by 54 percent of the voters.The Initiat ive would have legalized the recreational use of marijuana and its activities in the state of California. It would have let local governments to regulate and tax the cannabis market. In Colorado marijuana has helped the state economically with millions of dollars in revenue generated with the legalization of marijuana for adult use, regulating and taxing it the same way alcohol is regulated. Before November 6, 2012 the cities of Breckenridge and Denver, Colorado had passed Measures to make possession of up to one ounce of marijuana legal, even though possession was still a crime under tate and federal laws. Amendment 64 to the Colorado Constitution, which passed November 6, 2012, legalized recreational marijuana use under State law. In 2006 Amendment 44 was rejected by 59 percent of the voting population. Amendment 44 would have legalized possession of 28. 45 grams (approximately one ounce) or less by adults 21 or older. California is estimated to have saved a billion dollars in a t welve year period between 1976 and1988 as a result of decriminalizing marijuana. In 2003 the United States spent $12. billion on law enforcement and court costs; and $16. 9 billion in penitentiary costs, with Alaska spending as much as $25 to $30million per year enforcing marijuana prohibition laws. There is little proof that decriminalization of marijuana use leads to an increase in marijuana use. The cost of arresting and prosecuting marijuana offenders were lower instates where possession of marijuana in small amounts had been decriminalized. In places where marijuana possession is still a criminal offense and not decriminalized, there has been an increase in marijuana use.In countries where marijuana has been decriminalized there are lower rates of drug use when compared to countries where marijuana possession in small amounts is still a criminal offense punished by jail time. In 2006, marijuana was the top cash crop in 12 states, one of the top 3 cash crops in 30 states and one of the top 5 cash crops in 39 states. United States marijuana production is estimated at $35 billion annually. Some Health Benefits of Marijuana Use Should marijuana still be illegal in the United States based on its health effects, medicinal value and costs to the country?Some people suffering from afflictions have to break the law to relieve chronic pain. 1. For asthma and the common cough – Marijuana is one of the best dilators of the bronchioles (The first passageways by which the air passes through the nose to the air sacs of the lungs). 2. For AIDS Wasting Syndrome and Eating Disorders – Where â€Å"munchies† from smoking marijuana increases the user’s appetite. 3. For Crohn’s Disease, Cancer, and Migraines – Marijuana’s pain relieving qualities help. 4. For ADD and ADHD – Besides being an alternative to Ritalin, marijuana helps without any of the Ritalin side effects. . Pre Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) – Reduces pain in severe cases of PMS. 6. Tourette’s and OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) – Marijuana slows down the tics in people that have Tourette’s and the symptoms of the people with OCD. 7. For Anxiety-Marijuana calms 8. Hepatitis C-Marijuana helps improve drug therapy treatment 9. Marijuana also helps with Schizophrenia, Epilepsy, Depression, and Multiple Sclerosis. I tried to give as much information as I could to let you know what’s going on. I hope I did that. Works Cited â€Å"Decriminalization of Marijuana†, Lawrence, B. K. Studymode. com, 6 May 2005, http://www. 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