Cultural Diversity Thinking About Diversity and Inclusion Essay Example for Free

Cultural Diversity Thinking About Diversity and Inclusion Essay What are the dimensions of cultural diversity? Identify and briefly explain the dimensions by referencing both textbooks. In reading both textbooks and doing further research on the Internet I, believe La Trobe University best summed up the dimensions of cultural diversity. The dimensions of diversity can be divided into two groups, primary dimensions, and secondary dimensions. â€Å"While each dimension adds a layer of complexity to individual identity, it is the dynamic interaction among all the dimensions that in? ences self-image, values, opportunities and expectations† (La Trobe University). Primary dimensions are characteristics unique to an individual. Examples would include age, gender, mental and physical abilities, race, ethnic heritage, and sexual orientation. â€Å"These six differences are termed core dimensions of diversity because they exert an important impact on our early socialization and a powerful, sustained impact on our experiences, values, assumptions and expectations throughout every stage of life. Secondary dimensions are less visible, and many contain a greater element of choice† (La Trobe University). Examples would include geographical location, military and work experience, income, religion, first language, family status, and education. With what ethnic, cultural, or other groups do you identify? Describe what members of your social circle have in common. I am a White female who grew up in a middle-class environment. I have no specific ethnic or cultural group that I identify with because I am of mixed race. As stated in one our readings there are no longer any â€Å"pure races. My father is Lithuanian, while on my mother’s side there is Bohemian, Italian, and German. I consider myself to be American. While growing up I was exposed to many cultures. I had Whites, African Americans, and Asians in my neighborhood as well as in school. My mother taught me to be open to everyone, no matter his or her skin color, even though she contradicted herself when it came to dating someone from another race. On the other hand, my mother’s family was very prejudice. My first husband was Jamaican and my mother did come to terms with her contradictions in her beliefs. Not one family member from my mother’s side of the family attended my wedding but all family members from my husbands’ family attended. I am thankful for the values my mother instilled in me. What is the difference between diversity and inclusion? According to The University of Tennessee Libraries Diversity Committee (2003), â€Å"Diversity can be defined in many different ways. Diversity is a commitment to recognizing and appreciating the variety of characteristics that make individuals unique in an atmosphere that promotes and celebrates individual and collective achievement. Examples of these characteristics are: age; cognitive style; culture; disability (mental, learning, physical); economic background; education; ethnicity; gender identity; geographic background; language(s) spoken; marital/partnered status physical appearance; political affiliation; race; religious beliefs; sexual orientation. † Like diversity, inclusion can be defined in many different ways. Oxford Dictionaries defines inclusion, as the action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure. Inclusion is to have the same choices and opportunities that other people have. Being appreciated and accepted for whom you are. An inclusive environment is one in which every individuals unique perspective contributes to the overall success of the organization (Kottak Kozaitis, 2003). What is the importance of workplace diversity training? If we are to understand the importance of diversity training, we first must define workplace diversity. According to Schaefer (2011), workplace diversity is defined as â€Å"the ways in which people differ that may affect their organizational experience in terms of performance, motivation, communication, and inclusion. Being â€Å"inclusive† means that diverse employees believe that they are vital contributors to the organizational mission, not marginalized, or tolerated. † The importance or advantages of workplace diversity training, affects all areas of business as stated in the following areas. Creativity is increased because different cultures can offer insightful alternatives others may not have considered. Productivity is increased when people of all cultures pull together toward a inspiring goal. New language skills are developed enabling people from other cultures help us understand not just their words but also the meaning behind what they are saying. By connecting to people with different backgrounds, others will gain a greater perspective on how different cultures operate and experience greater success in areas of global business. New processes are created when people with different ideas come together and collaborate. What is your experience with workplace culture? Could there be, or could there have been, more inclusive? I did experience workplace culture while enlisted in the United States Air Force for 10 years. The military employs many people from diverse backgrounds. More than 60 years ago in 1948, Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981 abolishing segregation in the military and ordering full integration of all the services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin. This order was more symbolic than effective so to level the playing field Equal Pay Act of 1963 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 were enacted. Still, these acts did not meet the needs of women in the workforce and the Equal Employment Act of 1972 was signed. The percentage of women enlisting in the Air Force has tripled because this act was signed. Even though I never personally experienced discrimination, being a female in the military, sexual harassment is still a very big issue. The military has tried to take the steps necessary to lessen these issues by having mandatory sexual harassment, sensitivity, and cultural diversity training but these problems still exist. All the training in the world will be of no benefit if military does not take a stand and punish those who do not follow the rules instead of brushing it under the table. Please note that, this is my opinion and does not reflect the opinions of other women in the military.

The Persian Gulf War Was NOT Iraqs Fault :: essays research papers fc

At 2:00 A.M. (local time) on August second 1990, Saddam Hussein sent the Iraqi military across the border into Kuwait, and sparked a war whose repercussions are still being felt. Today what eventually became known as the Persian Gulf War, featured the largest air operation in history; and a senseless destruction paralleled only to Danzig or Hiroshima. Even though Saddam was the one who physically invaded Kuwait, is balking at United Nations resolutions, and is generally known as a tyrant. He should not be destroyed . The Gulf War was nothing more than the United States attempting to establish, as former President Bush so aptly termed, the â€Å"New Order†. The United States supported Saddam Hussein and the Ba’ath regime prior to the Kuwaiti invasion. They even gave Saddam a â€Å"Green Light† to go ahead and invade. If Saddam were to leave power Iraq would either be plunged into a Lebanon style civil war or face another ruler no better than Saddam himself. The United States is contemplating another invasion of Iraq, however it is having a difficult time of gaining support of the Arab countries. While many people in this country believe Saddam Hussein should be destroyed, that he is a totalitarian dictator and gross human rights violator. He is, in fact, a stabilizing force in his country and the Middle-East, standing up to the only remaining superpower. The consensus currently prevalent in this country is that Saddam Hussein, the leader of Iraq, is a totalitarian dictator, thirsty for blood and prestige, who seems dedicated to disobeying the United States. It would seem Iraq is intent on keeping United Nation inspectors out of its own country, although technically â€Å"Iraq barred only American members of the inspection teams from carrying on their work†(Nelan 54). The Iraqi â€Å"Dictator† seems to have decided he would rather be bombed than inspected. He apparently has no regard for the international community, and yet still wants them to lift sanctions. Also the Iraqi: â€Å"government stopped Ritter from investigating sensitive sites, calling him a spy and complaining that his team was too ‘Anglo-American’... the Iraqis also revealed Ritter was looking for evidence Iraq tested chemical and biological weapons on humans - charge Baghdad called ‘a shear lie’† (Watson 34). Those reports of human testing are obviously false. â€Å"[E]ven Saddams strongest foes, including the C.I.A. seems to doubt them(Watson 34)†. In fact, the only testing done by Iraq was on dogs. There were no inspectors around when the U.S. committed the crimes at Tuskegee, or when hundreds of servicemen were exposed to radiation during the atomic tests in the sixties. The Iraqi â€Å"dictator† has stayed in power for some 6 years since sanctions were imposed.

Fast Food in the Cafeteria Essay

Many people think that fast food is bad for our health and that it shouldn’t be allowed in school. More healthful options should be promoted but what’s the use of healthy food in school if the kids don’t want to eat it? Nobody least of all adults LIKE eating healthy if given a choice everyone always goes for the fast food. When we eat lunch at school we get the bad end of the stick. they feed us cardboard pizza, meat that isn’t even meat and has been washed in ammonia to kill bacteria, we get fries that aren’t fries, slimy ravioli, and lunch that generally looks unappetizing and tastes little better than that. the dilemma is should schools offer fast food such as KFC, Taco Bell or McDonalds? I say yes. Based on 2009 US Industry report, there were 303,989 fast food locations in the US alone. â€Å"Fast food was the main food source for up to 38% of children† stated researcher Shanthy Bowman, PhD, with the U. S. Department of Agriculture in Beltsville, Maryland. She also demonstrated that when kids eat fast food, they eat more food all day long and over one year time period, a child can pack on 6 extra pounds because of high fast food eating. The result of overeating is a nation that is becoming obese and overweight. The result of obesity? More illness and soaring healthcare problems. When we say fast food, we are thinking ‘junk food’ yum†¦ (insert drool here). Fast food has become one and the same from hamburgers to pizzas, to French fries, hot dogs and more. Fast food has high calories, fats, saturated fats, sugar and salt content. The fats, sugar, and salt in fast food draw us kids like a magnet and because fast food doesn’t contain much fiber we don’t feel full afterward so we tend to eat more later on. Compared with kids didn’t eat fast food, fast food eaters ate an average of 187 more calories a day. At that rate, â€Å"the child would gain 6 extra pounds each year, if they didn’t get enough exercise to burn it off†, wrote PhD Bowman. At the same time, fast food causes a number of health problems in children. The excess of sugar in fast food and sodas lead to diabetes in children; their bodies failing to produce the insulin that controls the sugar levels and metabolism. Fats and saturated fats lead to high levels of cholesterol in the blood, Cholesterol leads to various heart problems, These heart problems increase the risk of major heart diseases such as Coronary Heart Disease. Also the lack of vitamins can make the children become anemic, lethargic and get tired very easily. Deficiency in calcium makes their teeth, nails and bones weak. Many times the added preservatives and coloring agents used in fast food can cause cancer in children. The most common and the core cause of all the diseases in children, is obesity due to fast food. Obese children spend little time doing physical activities or sports, and this lack of activity leads to a sedentary lifestyle, which further on leads to mental stress and other emotional disturbances. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, results from 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey showed that 17 percent of children and teenagers ages 2-19 years are obese. That means one in 6 children is obese. Are you tired of eating nasty, dried, greasy, overcooked, overpriced cafeteria food? I know I am. It’s time to make a change. It would be a good idea for a fast food chain to consider opening their newest location in schools because doing so would help students and increase money for the school. â€Å"As they try to keep pace with student taste, lunchrooms across the country have given up meatloaf and mashed potatoes for brand-name fast-food items. † (source B) Bringing in a fast food restaurant as a matter of fact would be good because it would help students. Students would stop skipping lunch a start eating in the cafeteria, Eating lunch is better than not eating. Studies show how test scores improve when students eat. When students like lunch, they’ll eat it! They won’t be tempted to throw it out or give it to another student. In addition to helping students, a fast food restaurant in the cafeteria would benefit the school because first of all, the restaurant would give a percentage of its profits to the school and secondly the restaurant might even participate in the Adopt-a-School program. With more students buying lunch, profits would increase, and if other students hear that that school has fast food in the cafeteria they might be attracted to the school because of the restaurant, increasing profits even more. All this extra money could be used for supplies, computers, or books, all of which would make our educational experience at school much better than it is now. Helping students and schools is something that everyone enjoys doing. Putting a fast food restaurant in place of cafeteria food would do both. Hopefully if we got this restaurant no one would ever think of the food as being nasty, greasy, overcooked or overpriced, everyone would be happy. Cafeterias are a vital part of a student’s high school career. It is a place of social interactions and various degrees of shenanigans, whether it is over breakfast, lunch, or walking to classes with friends. Cafeterias are not just for keeping society’s niches alive, however, as school cafeterias are also used to provide a form of food for the general student body. Cafeteria food has been a theme of debate for years and will remain to be so for years to come. From the bagged-lunch versus the school-prepared dilemma, to the question of what exactly is in the meat-like substances cafeteria food has an air of mystery and intrigue. While there are admittedly many reasons not to consume the cafeteria food, it has a few redeeming qualities about it. Food provided through the public education system can sometimes have a less-than-savory flavoring when first chewed over, but soon becomes edible when the taste is acquired. Cafeteria food may be tasteless and inedible at times, but remember: â€Å"what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. † After four years of consuming the bland entrees, students graduate high school with brand-new taste buds and an aversion to all things flavorful and delicious. If variety is the spice of life, cafeteria food is as spicy as a Flamenco dancer. One never knows what he or she will receive on Wednesdays- pizza, hotdogs, or a creative combination of the two. Not only is the student unsure of exactly where the â€Å"chicken† patties come from, or what they are really made of, but the school lunches provide an array of fruit and salad. Most students have no choice in what they eat for lunch they eat it because they are hungry and have no other option. fast food in the cafeteria though would change that. Students could eat what they liked and even if they paid for it the funds would go to the school and the school could use that money to buy things for the students that would enhance our learning experience. every student would go to lunch and actually eat the food even if they had to pay for it because it’s something they like to eat, not tasteless junk. So overall putting fast food in the cafeteria is a good thing but also a bad thing. It’s a debate that would probably go on forever but nobody would win. decide whether to put it in the cafeteria or not. either way it makes no difference except to our taste buds. BIBLIOGRAPHY Nicole Harms ehow contributor â€Å"obesity & coronary heart disease† Monycutza007 â€Å"Children Adn Fast Food† 11/27/10 < http://www. cyberessays. com/Term-Paper-on-Children-Adn-Fast-Food-23508/> Amy Kalafa August 22nd, 2011 â€Å"Whats in Your Childs School Lunch? † â€Å"The unsavory nutrition facts on cafeteria food† google. com fast food in the cafeteria.

Synthesis Essay Do Violent Video Games Cause Aggressive...

Violent Video Games Made Me Do It School shootings years ago in Paducah, Kentucky; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Littleton Colorado, have raised the question time and time again. Do violent video games have an influence on children and their aggressive behavior? In all three of these brutal shootings, all the shooters were students who habitually played violent video games. The Columbine High School students who murdered thirteen and wounded twenty-three in Littleton before committing suicide after the shooting, enjoyed playing Doom, a bloody and violent video game. One of the shooters made a customized version of Doom: two shooters, unlimited ammunition, extra weapons, and victims who couldn’t fight back. This customized version of the game†¦show more content†¦And as for the victims of bullies, Funk says â€Å"that because of the fantasy roles that they can take on in a violent video game, victims are appealed to this because they want to change their identity and build self-esteem† (Funk 110). Fu nk also believes that the age of the child playing the video game can be a reason why they are affected. She says that children that are below the age of 12 are most likely to be affected because that is the age when children begin to find what their morals are and compare their morals to others. She says that violent video games â€Å"short circuit† this process. Funk also states that children with impaired emotion regulation are more likely to become addicted to video games. She says that if these types of children are not able to play their games, they experience types of withdrawal, and she gives examples of experiments where children acted out aggressively at not being able to play their games. But none of these points prove that violent video games are directly linked to aggressive behavior. In contrast, Goldstein focuses on the experiments of mainly children to prove that there is not enough evidence to show that violent video games cause aggressive behavior. Goldstein continues to argue that real aggression cannot be measured in a lab. He says that too many experiments are inconsistent with their results to come to a conclusion that these gamesShow MoreRelatedVideo Games : Improving Critical Life Skills1587 Words   |  7 PagesMandley-Stilwell December 1, 2016 How Video Games are Bolstering Critical Life Skills in Children In 1972 Magnavox Odyssey and Atari developed and released what has come to be understood as the first video game titled, Pong. 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