Bad Kid free essay sample

Bad Kid It was 7:45 a.m, geometry, second hour, dark outside, and I was facing the biggest ethical dilemma of my freshman year. Ninth grade†¦what can I say. It’s vital to the adolescent psyche, and yet we all want to forget it as soon as it’s over. I wanted to fit in, but be unique. I wanted to avoid the Garbage Can at all costs. I wanted to survive. And here, sitting on my right, was my chance at survival. Scottie and Brad were older, smarter, cooler sophomores who needed a freshman’s aid in geometry. Unfortunately for me, this assistance was required in the middle of the unit test. I remember I was working on an algebraic proof when I felt a nudge on my elbow. Brad passed me his sleek iPhone. For a moment I just stared at him, unsure what he was asking. Then he whispered, â€Å"Take a picture. We will write a custom essay sample on Bad Kid or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page † And it began. In the span of seven seconds, I weighed the pros and cons. Or, more accurately, I tried to calculate the chances of my getting caught versus the benefits of possibly getting into this friend group. I looked at Scottie- that tall, tan, dark haired kid, peering around Brad with not the faintest clue on the planet, a small smirk pasted on his face. And I snapped a photo of my work. And I passed it to Brad, who was back for more within one minute. I took three more for them. I finished my test and passed it in; oddly, I couldn’t make eye contact with Mrs. Hartley. There was something pulling viciously at the base of my heart, making it hard to breathe. I had a dull pang in my core. Somebody out there is reading this right now and thinking I exaggerate the physiological symptoms I had. All I can say is this: when one makes eye contact with a parent (the â€Å"scarier† parent) right after committing a childhood crime, one feels that awful sinking feeli ng because the parent is telepathically berating the child. Think back to that feeling. Got it? That’s how I felt after that test. Rock bottom had been hit. Houston, we had a big, BIG problem. But it hadn’t been stretched to the max yet. Nope. There was more torture to come. At 9:02 the bell rang and I gathered my binders and I walked out from behind my desk and I made one step towards the door before she uttered my name. I turned, hands trembling. Without looking up from her desk, Mrs. Hartley motioned me to her desk. I approached with the distinct feeling I was rolling a giant rock in front of my tomb. â€Å"Do you have something you want to share with me?† Without waiting for a reply, she held up mine, Scottie’s and Brad’s papers. â€Å"The exact same errors, on the exact same problem. I can see Scottie and Brad doing something like this, but you? You know I can call the office right now and report you for academic dishonesty.† I felt t ears at the corners of my eyes and was horrified. I was already in trouble, and I was going to cry on top of it? I held them back with a barbed wire swallow. There was a pause that lasted approximately one third of an eternity. Then she sighed. â€Å"I’ll let it go just this once. If it happens again, your parents will find out. I will talk to Scottie and Brad about this separately.† There was a resigned look in her eyes that killed me. I had gotten off, and I could feel that slide off me, but†¦I was no longer in that category, that trust category, that golden kid territory. She didn’t trust me, and had, I believed, written me off. So I thanked her and went to my next class. A few nights later, I was standing next to my dad, surveying the insulation work we’d done that day. He was tapping in a few screws that weren’t flush with the studs. The bedrooms were being redone, and it was a project that took time and effort. I wasn’t feeling th e triumph. As I stood there, I went through the other feeling that is familiar to anyone who’s ever been a kid. To tell or not to tell? That was the question. This time, I made the right decision. I told my dad about that morning. He didn’t say anything at first, just held his hammer. I wondered if he was considering using it on my head. Then he said, â€Å"Why’d you help them?† Well, there was a core answer to that and there was surface answer. I went with the surface answer first. Just testing the waters. â€Å"I†¦felt bad for them, I guess, I don’t know, they seemed so lost and it was like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (insert unintelligible mumbling). I received that sardonic eye roll/glare which New York natives are gifted with. Dad was not impressed. â€Å"Why’d you help them? It wasn’t because you felt bad for them, you know that. You’re a freshman and they’re sophomores. And they’re ‘cool’.† â €Å"I kinda†¦wanted them to like me, I guess. I wanted them to talk to me, so I’m not- alone.† There was the core answer. I wanted to fit in, to be like the kids everybody else emulated. This particular sentiment isn’t just felt by freshmen†¦it continues. Everyone wants to blend, to be accepted. After that test and after I talked to my dad and after I finished geometry with an A and as I write this essay, I understand this urge. I also understand the effect it has on people in general, and on me. Why is it that we feel the need to follow the pack, be a white sheep, blur the lines that make us individuals? It’s simply human nature. We’re like wolves, mustangs, chickadees: social creatures. Zebras, when being stalked, shuffle together and turn their hides into a living mirage of black and white until the lioness can no longer distinguish one to attack. I think people are the same way; I think we band together because we are afraid to be picked out and hurt. It’s not a bad trait- the only problem is that it can translate into our daily lives and the choices we make. So what makes a black sheep? After that experience, I started to form what would become my high school persona, what has carried me through stress and pressure. Who am I? I’m the kid at the back of the classroom who speaks to the teacher with respect. I’m the one who takes AP classes and doesn’t flaunt it, the one who tries to keep her mouth shut so she doesn’t eat her words later. When I do say something, it’s been mulled over for a few minutes. When I hear someone express a thought, I consider it from every angle and never denounce it. Slow to anger and quick to forgive, I make friends quickly, yet I don’t actively seek them. I’m not there until I speak or am spoken to. This is who I am, and I’m comfortable in it, for now. I may be outspoken in a few years. I may be loud and energetic. I’m open to change in myself, and I believe that is one of the keys to being unique; I will never try to fit into something I’m not. Experiences like the Failed Morality Test of Ninth Grade will shape me. I am quiet, intelligent, strong as all hell and tough as nails. I learn from my mistakes. And†¦I never ever cheat.

Adolf Hitler Appointed Chancellor of Germany

Adolf Hitler Appointed Chancellor of Germany On January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed as the chancellor of Germany by President Paul Von Hindenburg. Hindenburg made the appointment in an effort to keep Hitler and the Nazi Party â€Å"in check;† however, the decision would have disastrous results for Germany and the entire European continent. In the year and seven months that followed, Hitler was able to exploit the death of Hindenburg and combine the positions of chancellor and president into the position of Fà ¼hrer, the supreme leader of Germany. Structure of the German Government At the end of World War I, the existing German government under Kaiser Wilhelm II collapsed. In its place, Germany’s first experiment with democracy, known as the Weimar Republic, commenced. One of the new government’s first actions was to sign the controversial Treaty of Versailles which placed blame for WWI solely upon Germany. The new democracy was primarily composed of the following: The president, who was elected every seven years and vested with immense powers;The Reichstag, the German parliament, which consisted of members elected every four years and based on proportional representation- the number of seats was based on the number of votes received by each party; andThe chancellor, who was appointed by the president to oversee the Reichstag, and usually a member of the majority party in the Reichstag. Although this system put more power in the hands of the people than ever before, it was relatively unstable and would ultimately lead to the rise of one of the worst dictators in modern history. Hitler’s Return to Government After his imprisonment for his failed 1923 coup known as the Beer Hall Putsch, Hitler was outwardly reluctant to return as the leader of the Nazi Party; however, it did not take long for party followers to convince Hitler that they needed his leadership once again. With Hitler as leader, the Nazi Party gained over 100 seats in the Reichstag by 1930 and was viewed as a significant party within the German government. Much of this success can be attributed to the party’s propaganda leader, Joseph Goebbels. The Presidential Election of 1932 In the spring of 1932, Hitler ran against incumbent and WWI hero Paul von Hindenburg. The initial presidential election on March 13, 1932, was an impressive showing for the Nazi Party with Hitler receiving 30% of the vote. Hindenburg won 49% of the vote and was the leading candidate; however, he did not receive the absolute majority needed to be awarded the presidency. A run-off election was set for April 10. Hitler gained over two million votes in the run-off or approximately 36% of the total votes. Hindenburg only gained one million votes on his previous count but it was enough to give him 53% of the total electorate- enough for him to be elected to another term as president of the struggling republic. The Nazis and the Reichstag Although Hitler lost the election, the election results showed that the Nazi Party had grown both powerful and popular. In June, Hindenburg used his presidential power to dissolve the Reichstag and appointed Franz von Papen as the new chancellor. As a result, a new election had to be held for the members of the Reichstag. In this July 1932 election, the popularity of the Nazi Party would be further affirmed with their massive gain of an additional 123 seats, making them the largest party in the Reichstag. The following month, Papen offered his former supporter, Hitler, the position of Vice Chancellor. By this point, Hitler realized that he could not manipulate Papen and refused to accept the position. Instead, he worked to make Papen’s job difficult and aimed to enact a vote of no confidence. Papen orchestrated another dissolution of the Reichstag before this could occur. In the next Reichstag election, the Nazis lost 34 seats. Despite this loss, the Nazis remained powerful. Papen, who was struggling to create a working coalition within the parliament, was unable to do so without including the Nazis. With no coalition, Papen was forced to resign his position of chancellor in November of 1932. Hitler saw this as another opportunity to promote himself into the position of chancellor; however, Hindenburg instead appointed Kurt von Schleicher. Papen was dismayed by this choice as he had attempted in the interim to convince Hindenburg to reinstate him as chancellor and allow him to rule by emergency decree. A Winter of Deceit Over the course of the next two months, there was much political intrigue and backroom negotiations that occurred within the German government. A wounded Papen learned of Schleicher’s plan to split the Nazi Party and alerted Hitler. Hitler continued to cultivate the support he was gaining from bankers and industrialists throughout Germany and these groups increased their pressure on Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as chancellor. Papen worked behind the scenes against Schleicher, who soon found him out. Schleicher, upon discovering Papen’s deceit, went to Hindenburg to request the President order Papen to cease his activities. Hindenburg did the exact opposite and encouraged Papen to continue his discussions with Hitler, as long as Papen agreed to keep the talks a secret from Schleicher. A series of meetings between Hitler, Papen, and important German officials were held during the month of January. Schleicher began to realize that he was in a tenuous position and twice asked Hindenburg to dissolve the Reichstag and place the country under emergency decree. Both times, Hindenburg refused and on the second instance, Schleicher resigned. Hitler Is Appointed Chancellor On January 29th, a rumor began to circulate that Schleicher was planning to overthrow Hindenburg. An exhausted Hindenburg decided that the only way to eliminate the threat by Schleicher and to end the instability within the government was to appoint Hitler as chancellor. As part of the appointment negotiations, Hindenburg guaranteed Hitler that four important cabinet posts could be given to Nazis. As a sign of his gratitude and to offer the reassurance of his professed good faith to Hindenburg, Hitler agreed to appoint Papen to one of the posts. Despite Hindenburg’s misgivings, Hitler was officially appointed as chancellor and sworn in at noon on January 30, 1933. Papen was named as his vice-chancellor, a nomination Hindenburg decided to insist upon to relieve some of his own hesitation with Hitler’s appointment. Longtime Nazi Party member Hermann Gà ¶ring was appointed in the dual roles of Minister of the Interior of Prussia and Minister Without Portfolio. Another Nazi, Wilhelm Frick, was named Minister of the Interior. The End of the Republic Although Hitler would not become the Fà ¼hrer until Hindenburg’s death on August 2, 1934, the downfall of the German republic had officially begun. Over the course of the next 19 months, a variety of events would drastically increase Hitler’s power over the German government and the German military. It would only be a matter of time before Adolf Hitler attempted to assert his power over the entire continent of Europe. Sources and Further Reading Hett, Benjamin Carter. The Death of Democracy: Hitlers Rise to Power and the Downfall of the Weimar Republic. New York: Henry Holt, 2018.  Jones, Larry Eugene. Hitler versus Hindenburg: The 1932 Presidential Elections and the End of the Weimar Republic. Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press, 2016.  McDonough, Frank. Hitler and the Rise of the Nazi Party. London: Routledge, 2012.  Von Schlabrendorff, Fabian. The Secret War Against Hitler. New York, Routledge, 1994.

Relationship between China and the United States Case Study

Relationship between China and the United States - Case Study Example And whatever the answer to these would surely rock the world. The relationship of the People's Republic of China (PRC) - to differentiate it from Imperial China to the China transformed by Mao Tse-Tung in 1949 - and the United States started bitterly, brought about by two diametrically opposed ideologies that each espouses: the United States, being the indefatigable monument of imperialism, and China, being the staunch ally of communist Russia. The world then was equatorially divided between imperialism in the west and communism in the east. And no one ever conceived that this demarcation would ever be radically altered. During this period (1949-1970) both nations regarded each other as intransigent enemies. The United States refused to acknowledge the PRC and denied China of its legitimacy being a nation by totally isolating it from the diplomatic community: it excluded China from the United Nations; it banned any trading with China; it fanned anti-communism and supported separatist movement within China (as what it did with USSR after the cold war) to divide the strong China; and it rallied South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and South Vietnam into a 'crescent-shaped alignment against communism', immediately communist China (Han-Yin Chang, 2000, p.62); that any ally having any diplomatic relations with China warrants the wrath of the powerful US. The U.S. depicted China to the world as repressive, fascistic, dictatorial, denying individual freedom that any one living in a democratic country, like America, enjoys. China on the other hand, side by side with Russia, was a front liner in the united front against US imperialism, all-out supporting national movements that decry U.S. colonialism. It was instrumental in the liberation of North Korea and North Vietnam. China portrayed the U.S. to the Chinese people and to the U.S. colonies, especially in Southeast Asia, that Uncle Sam - a derogatory depiction of the U.S. mocking it as an arrogant self-declared semi-god out to exploit nation's wealth and resources in the guise of benevolence - is nothing but a despotic aggressor, that would like to impose its hegemony over the peoples of the world. It perceived, and made all in its realm perceive, too, any U.S. action as an act of calculated subjugation and total exploitation. This marked anti-American sentiment lingers on among Chinese people until today. Such was the very hostile relationship of these two powerful nations that no peaceful gesture could lessen the tension, instead, if there was any, could have been interpreted as a mere ploy to thwart the other; that peaceful co-existence was unacceptable, because only one should rule the world. Each one representing the two contrasting ideologies, offered itself as the best social system to rule the world, both promising prosperity and humanization of society. Who could ever think that this would change' No one ever did, not even in any of these