Language Cultural Diversity and the War on Terror essays

Language Cultural Diversity and the War on Terror essays Cultural awareness and the careful use of language and rhetoric have enhanced the global war on terrorism. Language is a powerful tool that can either act to demonize the enemy or to increase the understanding of the enemy through cultural awareness. Cultural awareness itself is a powerful tool in the arsenal against terrorism, as it allows for the better understanding of the enemy, thus enhancing the effort on the global war on Perhaps one of the most important and inherent dangers in the war on terror is the prospect of demonizing and oversimplifying the enemy. Dan Rather, famous anchor and managing editor of CBS News, illustrates the danger of such an approach. In answer to David Letterman's question, "Why do these people hate us'", Rather responded, "They're evil" (cited in Corliss, 2001). In Rather's defense, the interview took place shortly after the tragedy of September 11th, and he was likely overwhelmed with shock and grief. Nonetheless, his answer does illustrate both the power of language and a lack of cultural awareness on our understanding about the war on terror. Traditional military terms like Charlie (describing the Viet Cong), (Wikipedia) are also examples of the use of language to distance us from the enemy as individuals. Rather's sort of rhetoric is dangerous, as it serves to dehumanize our enemies and portray them as completely evil and ourselves as entirely righteous. Notes Fedler (2001), "When we totally dehumanize our enemies, the terrorists, once again, have won." In doing this, those fighting the war on terrorism are "drawn into the simplistic dualism of the terrorists who see themselves as totally righteous and all Americans as totally evil" Crucial in combating such dualism is the concept of cultural awareness. Further, cultural awareness gives America the benefit of a better understanding of the motivations and subtext ...

What to Do If Your College Friend Is Bullied

What to Do If Your College Friend Is Bullied In this article we’re going to take a look at some â€Å"safe plays† you can depend on should a bullying issue come up with someone you’re close to. These days it’s no joke. Our point here is to make sure you’re informed and you can cover your freaking ass as well. And, with that said let’s get right to it. 1 Examine Whether It’s an Isolated Incident or an Issue Honestly, saying the word â€Å"bully† these days on campus is like saying â€Å"bomb† on an airplane. People don’t just go throwing it around or jumping to conclusions. If your friend hasn’t been roughed up physically, then take the time to evaluate the matter closely. Was is coincidental or situational in nature? Is it likely to happen again, or has it been going on for a while? Is your friend overreacting†¦honestly? Furthermore, the last thing you want to do is to cause a bunch of drama or potentially label someone a bully only to find out that it was all just a big misunderstanding. And secondly, people today need to be a little more resilient. Sometimes these situations are points in the road that define our characters. Confrontations, if they don’t get violent, are a part of life. If it’s an issue, confront your friend about it. If a serious physical, emotional, psychological or verbal abuse is taking place, then you need to confront not the bully, but your friend about it. What’s up? How long has this been going on? How serious is it? Why haven’t they stood up for themselves yet, or if they have, why haven’t they sought help up to this point? Let’s be honest, many times it’s the weaker that get picked on. Weaker in many different senses of the word, not just physically. This type of treatment wears down on us and takes its toll, especially when we’re younger. 2 Figure Out If It’s Possible to Confront the Bully Without Making Things Worse No, you shouldn’t â€Å"confront† anyone on a social media channel. That’s just downright childish. Confrontations should ideally happen in controlled and safe or public environments where a physical encounter (otherwise known as big trouble) can be avoided. Is it possible to simply confront this person and in the matter of fact ask, â€Å"Why are you bullying me/my friend?† Put them on the spot. Don’t be afraid to confront them publically if they are indeed a bully and no one has had the guts to do it yet. Oftentimes this can be the wakeup call that â€Å"bullies† which are human being too, need. But, if it’s likely to cause trouble or just doesn’t seem like the smart play then avoid the person or group and skip to the next strategy. There’s no reason to put your or your friends safety at risk. If the goal is revenge, or is anger-based then step back and take a deep breath. These days is this really something you want to risk? Colleges are deathly afraid of bad press, and bullying is a paramount issue that no colleges want to be attached to. 3 Take Advantage of Any College Mediation Counselors or Services Chances are your college has mediation counselors and services that can pretty much take care of the situation for you. They’ll arrange the confrontation in a highly controlled environment. 9 times out of 10 mediation services get things worked out without more trouble. And, there’s absolutely no shame in turning to them. Again, â€Å"bullying† is like kryptonite. Everyone wants to avoid it. These people are trained to solve problems. If you’re a freshmen or sophomore living in dorms there’s probably a mediation counselor for your dorm. Regardless, the perpetrator will know afterwards that they’re on watch and their college career is now â€Å"on the radar† so make sure that contacting mediation services is warranted. 4 Don’t Even Think About Retaliating in a Way That Will Create a Much Bigger Problem To be blunt, the cops could so easily get involved and if they do then you’re in for some serious trouble if you’re a part of the shenanigans. And here’s the elephant in the room: school shootings. The sad fact is that they’re way too common these days they’re oftentimes connected to some form of bullying. No one’s saying you’ll do anything like that, but if you or your friend start talking tough or saying retarded things about retaliating someone is likely to take you at your word, call the cops and you could have a full-on swat team invade your dorm room. This is serious! Don’t retaliate. Be an adult and do things the right way. And, if your friend is out looking for trouble that could jeopardize your life and your goals, then maybe you should reexamine your friendship? What do you think?