Sometimes it is necessary to do things that are wrong in order to achieve an important goal...

“Don’t be afraid to give up the good for the great”- Steve Prefontaine.

Back in 1972 a legend was born to the media. Steve Prefontaine was an Olympic 3000m runner who ran for the U.S.A team and before that for the University of Oregon. He was incredible to watch. He would push himself harder and during certain races gamble with whatever race he was in. Calculate speed to win just at the correct moment every time. Steve proved to many that “sometimes it is necessary to do things you know are wrong in order to achieve an important goal”.  

When setting a goal I believe that you don’t see the bad. All that you picture in your mind is the wonderful outcome at the end. But for many this is not the case. To get to your goal it requires work and dedication. Sometimes this can lead to disappointments along the way. Putting down others or yourself is very common in these types of situations. They always have been. Sometimes choosing to hurt other’s happens involuntarily, but regardless sometimes it is necessary to achieve the impossible.  

Throughout history there are records of this happening. Back in 63 B.C.E during Julius Caesars reign on the Roman Empire he achieved many things. Introduced the sewer system, expanded the territory and tried to bring back the room he loved. But with these great accomplishments came a price. Rome started building a steady debt, and many were lost in the wars fought. This is not the only time though. During world war two Canada fought alongside Britain and the United states to help bring peace and end the atrocities that were taking place in Germany. Many died for this cause or developed various diseases. A more current example is the fight to stop child labour. Many invade these jail like factories to rescue the children and bring them to safety. On these raids though it is very common for people to get lost, hurt, or even arrested.  

In all of these instances passion has been the driving force behind these actions. Passion to make the world a better place or even passion for a goal or something you want to obtain physically. Since this is such a common emotion these acts are common amongst all age groups. The damage made on the course to these victories doesn’t always have to be physical. It can also be done verbally or psychologically.

When taking the gamble to hurt or do something wrong to achieve something great there is always the possibility that it might not turn out the way you thought it would. Rome over through Caesar because of his conquests. Jealousy and pride can come in the way and make matters worse.  When taking these risks (whether of being conscious about it or not) you are opening up to millions of possibilities, good and bad. This means that knowing possible outcomes and weighing options out first is always a good way to start to determine if people would profit from the occurrence in the end.

Some are willing to take the risk and be non-conformists willingly, while for others it happens by accident. Regardless of the situation there are only to outcomes, good and bad. With this being a fifty, fifty chance would you be willing to take the risk?

Julius Caesar Essay #1

When one read the word violence, one may most likely think of the negative and the down side of any subjects. But think about this: can violence bring positive change? You may think, how can something bad bring something good? This question can arouse much controversy, and but quite honestly, if violence is used with good control and limit, positive changes can be brought around.

One of the most powerful and murderous dictators in history: Joseph Stalin, the supreme ruler of the Soviet Union for a quarter of a century. His regime of terror caused the death and suffering of tens of millions, but he also oversaw the war machine that played a key role in the defeat of Nazism. His forced collectivization of agriculture cost millions of lives, while his program of rapid industrialization achieved huge increases in Soviet productivity and economic growth but at great cost. Also, the population suffered immensely during the Great Terror of the 1930s, during which Stalin purged the party of 'enemies of the people', resulting in the execution of thousands and the exile of millions to the gulag system of slave labour camps. Stalin once said in the 1920s: “Using a fraction of our population as stepping stones to better this country is a good deal.” He was partly right; he used a great amount of his fellow citizens to create a better civilization for the future generations.

            Other than one individual’s determined efforts of using violence for a better future, many groups in history also used the same method. The Black Panthers was one of those many groups. They were black revolutionary socialist organization active in the United States from 1966 until 1982. The Black Panther Party achieved national and international notoriety through its involvement in the Black Power movement and U.S. politics of the 1960s and 1970s. The Black Panther Party had a list of 26 rules that dictated their daily party work. The rules also said that members had to follow the Ten Point Program, and had to know it by heart.

1. We want freedom. We want power to determine the destiny of our black Community.

2. We want full employment for our people.

3. We want an end to the robbery by the white man of our black Community.

4. We want decent housing, fit for shelter of human beings.

5. We want education for our people that exposes the true nature of this decadent American society. We want education that teaches us our true history and our role in the present-day society.

6. We want all black men to be exempt from military service.

7. We want an immediate end to POLICE BRUTALITY and MURDER of black people.

8. We want freedom for all black men held in federal, state, county and city prisons and jails.

9. We want all black people when brought to trial to be tried in court by a jury of their peer group or peer group or people from their black communities, as defined by the Constitution of the United States

10. We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice and peace. And as our major political objective, a United Nations-supervised plebiscite to be held throughout the black colony in which only black colonial subjects will be allowed to participate for the purpose of determining the will of black people as to their national destiny.

The 10 Point Program shows what the Black Panthers strive for was for equality which was right in every way. The Black Panthers Party believed that the non-violent campaign of Martin Luther King had failed and any promised changes to their lifestyle via the 'traditional' civil rights movement, would take too long to be implemented or simply not introduced. It was just that they used violent actions and protests to achieve what they believe in. They believed that violence was the only to make dramatic changes to their unfair lives. Their public stance all involved violence. Even though the final civil changes did not take place during the BPP’s time, they played a short but important part in the civil rights movement for the equality of black people.

            The two of the uncountable important events in history are presented above. Joseph Stalin used violence to fight violence that resulted in victory and peace. The Black Panther Party used violence in order to gain equality and peace. Equality and peace are things that are basic but do not come freely. Therefore many groups and individuals choose violence to solve the problem of no basic rights. As long as violence is controlled and reasonable, good things can be brought around.

Violence Can Bring Positive Change

                                         Violence Can Bring Positive Change                    Melissa Lin

  “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” – George Orwell.

When you hear the word “violence” the first things that come to mind are probably negative. You picture fighting, blood, and death. Is that all violence is? The word violence has been misconstrued for it is only ever used to describe horrid fights or rebellions but there are always two sides to a story. Despite the common misconception of violence and it's negative effects it actually has the ability to bring about positive changes.

   Violence is not just inflicting pain. It is also a sign that shows you when things need to be changed. Only when you get hurt do you realize that something is wrong. Take a look at the famous Egyptian Rebellion in 2011. The Egyptians had many reasons to rebel, but one of the factors was the safety of the people.  They had brutal police forces that beat, stripped and stomped and left many people unconscious. When the string of attacks became continuous the people of Egypt realized something was wrong. People who were supposed to protect them from dangers were the ones causing harm to them. For them they finally realized that something needed to be done, they needed to protect themselves and stand up against the government. The violent attacks on the people were a sign to the citizens that they needed a change, and through rebellion the positive change came. The President resigned and the brutal police force attacks have come to an end.

      With the word violence, many associate it with the word power. There are different types of     power and I believe that violence requires self-power.

 “Fight for what you believe in”  

  A common and well known inspirational quote that encourages us to stand up for what we believe in, by conjuring up our self-power. It is a quote used in the present day and well used in the past. The Thirteen Colonies, also known as the United States of America were once upset with their government system. They were mistreated, taxed heavily by the British and furious about having no representatives to speak on their behalf in their government; and so the rebellion began. They killed, attacked, and ultimately were standing up for themselves. The Thirteen Colonies had chosen the violent way of getting their message across and it worked. They fought for what they believed in, and in the end they succeeded. The Thirteen Colonies had gotten the British to write the Declaration of Independence. Their people were overjoyed for their violent battle had won them a new and positive way of living their life. The United States we know of today has only become what it is now because of their violent rebellion that provided them of a solution to escape a terrible, unfair, and miserable way of life.

  Violence is a strong force. The more passion you put behind fighting for what you want the stronger the force becomes. The stronger the force is the higher the chances are of succeeding and the harder you will fight to maintain that positive solution. Only when you have truly fought for something will you want to uphold the solution. Dig deep in Canadian history and you will discover that Upper and Lower Canada were always fighting for a democratic government system. Both rebelled and used violence to communicate their feelings. They lost the rebellions but the impact of the violence on the British did get us our democratic system of government. Canadians fought for democracy and so we are always constantly checking that democracy is still intact today. Come election time they make sure everyone that is able to vote can choose to vote. They have the House of Commons that are elected by the people to represent us. Why fight for something that you have no intention of keeping? The violent ways of fighting in the past have provided us with a significant reason to maintain our democracy.

   Violence should not always be looked at as the criminal; it does more than just inflicting pain on others. History is full of violence, but without those violent battles we could not be living as comfortable as we are today. The acts of violence can heed us a warning that things need to change, it is a strong force that powers many to fight for what they believe in to get the positive solution they desire. It is with violence that propels us to maintain our new and improved positive change. Misconstrued and shamed violence has always been looked at from a negative angle. Think about what this awful violence you think of has brought us, a democracy, safer living environments, and freedom. All positive outcomes that benefit us. Step back and view violence from another angle and you will come to realize that violence can bring about positive changes.

References:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2075683/Egypt-violence-Female-protesters-brutally-beaten-metal-poles-vicious-soldiers.html

Horizons Socials 10 Textbook

http://bpr.berkeley.edu/2011/03/egypt%E2%80%99s-revolution-the-aftermath/

http://www.landofthebrave.info/declaration-of-independence-facts.htm

Julius Ceaser essay topic #1

Temptation, it grabs you instantly, but the decision is yours. The Angle or the Devil. Of course temptation always leads you to the bad things, and most of the time you might end up hurting people along the way. Other times, it could be for the right reasons that you are being tempted, but no one may seem to agree with you. So, 'it's sometimes necessary to do things you know are wrong in order to achieve an important goal.'

You fall into temptation could end you up having no one ever trusting you ever again, but is it really you to blame? You’re trying to reach your goal to be proud of whom you are, but would that mean you’re selfish? People will bring you down and mistakes will be made along the way, but not what you intentionally wanted. You feel like your chasing your goal for all the right reasons even though you may have little support. It doesn't mean you’re selfish or you’re the blame, you have the same reasons as anyone else that would want to achieve an important goal. Yes, sometimes it is necessary to do the wrong things in order to achieve an important goal because it could be the best or worst decision you ever made, but you won't wonder what happened if you ever tried to go after your goal or dream. Even if you make mistakes you need to learn from them because no one is perfect and mistakes shape our personalities and strengthen our wisdom. Most people learn differently from their mistakes, including myself. I've been in trouble for the same thing countless times, but it has taught me something; that no matter how hurt you get you will always get back up on your feet and try again.

In the beginning, I used the word 'temptation,' it’s true; temptation can bring the best or worse out of you, but what influences your decision to do so? You usually follow temptation because your trying to fight for something you care about, such as love for someone or something, but that's a whole other story. 

For example, being around the wrong influences could lead you past your goal to something worse and unexpected. Also, when disobeying your parents decision just because they disagreed with you. Now, even though these may influence your decision to achieve your important goal you have to think about the people you may hurt along the way, or if your goal is worth fighting for.

I fell into the same situation before, and I fought for my goal and I'm still fighting for it; I don't regret anything even after falling into trouble with my parents & friends, and I ended up getting hurt badly after many times of getting into trouble. I was proud of myself for trying, and one day I will prove to everyone that doubted me that all the trouble I went through was worth it. Even though you can be sneaky about your goal, sometimes, it doesn't always work out. 

I want the person that's reading this essay to remember this,

'Go with what your mind says, not your heart

Because you think beyond possibilities with your mind,

But your heart gives you feelings that you think you want,

But you’re unsure.'

The point of that quote was to say that your heart is only feelings, but your mind is what thinks is best for you because it doesn’t depend on feelings it depends on knowledge.

Even if you do go after your goal, it's always good to have someone to be able to support you through the rough times you might face so you don't easily give up. 

Sometimes you have to think of the consequences that you’re probably going to put yourself through, and the people may never trust you or give you the same respect again. These are all things to consider when you’re fighting for an important goal.

I never got to think about the consequences and the people I may hurt along the way because my goal was harmless, but it’s just the different ways people make it such a bad thing. Every now and then I wish I could see myself if I was more cautious; maybe it would have been less depressing, painful, and heartbreaking than what I experienced earlier on, but I’m glad I continued to achieve my goal because the past is the past and you can never change it, only learn from it. It shaped the person I am today and the person I will be tomorrow. 

Therefore, never give up on your goal or dreams, and don't let anyone tell you what to do with your life (well except for your parents...) because you can't always follow other people’s opinions forever; it could cause you to feel regretful and weaken yourself. If you walk your own way you can discover many things that you would have never discover if you never tried; you will also learn from your mistakes, even after many trails, it will help you in the present and future. 

My decision will help me now and later on, and even though I did hurt people to reach my goal, including myself, sometimes it’s necessary to do things you know are wrong to achieve an important goal; even if it's for love. 

Interactive Shakespeare Website List

Here are a list of websites for children filled with facts and/or activities about Shakespeare.

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/famouspeople/william_shakespeare/
• http://www.shakespeare4kidz.com/
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMkuUADWW2A

Shakespeare became a legend. His work has influenced countless art pieces ranging from music, poetry, plays, books, and modern movies. He created a different style of English that has carried on and been studied but language enthusiasts around the world. Shakespeare had a large and powerful influence on the English language. That is why I believe we study Shakespeare in today's school systems.

T&F? William Shakespeare

1. The actors who acted out William Shakespeare's plays used real swords in the plays. True
   One cannot be 100% sure that William Shakespeare allowed all of his life long plays' actors to use all real props for example a giant sword. But if we look at the best known Shakespeare play stage, the Globe Theater, then yes, for most of the plays the actors used real weapons and props including swords.
   The props in earlier stages of the Globe Theater started out as easily movable objects such as：
Swords and daggers, goblets and plates, chairs and stools, candles and torches, blood soaked handkerchiefs, writing materials, manuscripts, bottles of wine or ale, whips, books, blankets, helmets, armor, false jewels, crowns, skulls and bones, animal furs, flags and banners, caskets and containers, flowers and petals...etc
   As time went by larger items were being used in the Theater such as:
Benches, beds, thrones, cave, barrels, well, tables, canon...etc
   One of the most famous props is the canon. Canons were introduced as Globe Theater props. The cannons were situated inside the roof, in the attic above the ''Heavens.'' The cannons were used to create a dramatic special effect such as heralding great entrances especially in the plays which were about an event in history. The cannon was loaded with gunpowder and wadding and this particular Globe Theater prop led to the fire of 1613 which led to the total destruction of the Globe Theater within 2 hours.
   Special effects were very big at the time too. The imaginative use of the Globe Theater props led to some exciting and dramatic performances at the Globe Theater. The cannon, flying entrances, blood, fireworks, music and even live animals were all added.

2. Shakespeare wrote tragedies, comedies, and histories. True
   Shakespeare wrote many tragedies such as Antony and Cleopatra & Romeo and Juliet; comedies such as As You Like It & Love's Labour's Lost; histories such as King John, Richard II, Henry IV (part 1 & 2) & Henry V.

3. How did Shakespeare come up with story ideas? Answer:
   Shakespeare found nature an inspiration, and peoples' different reactions to love and life. Whole most stories in those days finished with a 'happily ever after,' Shakespeare realized that a total opposite could happen, so Shakespeare explored the many ways a romance story could end.
   The ideas for Shakespeare's plots were almost all taken from earlier stories, poems or plays. The English histories as well as the semi-historical King Lear and Macbeth were drawn from Holinshed's Chonicles. The story of Romeo and Juliet was a poem written by Arthur Brooke in 1562. Hamlet was probably based on an earlier play which was itself based on a story by Saxo Grammaticus. We have an alternate Taming of the Shrew which is very similar to Shakespeare's. Roman historians provided the source for Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra.
   Nowadays we tend to think that it was the stories which Shakespeare created, so that he deserves credit for any story of a brother of a king who murders the king and marries the widow. This is not so. Shakespeare created words for these people to say, which words showed them to be much morecomplex than any characters created beforehand and most created since.

From:
1. http://www.globe-theatre.org.uk/globe-theatre-props.htm
2. http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/
3. http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/context.html
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-shakespeares-the-tempest-based-on.htm
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plots/

William Shakespeare Facts Verification

1. William Shakespeare was a major stockholder in the Globe Theater.

A: This fact is in fact true. William Shakespeare owned 12.5 % of the Globe Theater. As a young writer he bought shares and benefited financially after his plays became popular. 

http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/resources/globe-theatre-facts

2. William Shakespeare worked mostly in the Globe Theater. 

A: This fact is also true. William Shakespeare worked mostly in the Globe Theater that the Theater was also known as the Shakespeare Globe Theater. This was where Shakespeare performed many of his greatest plays. 

http://www.shakespearebythesea.org/school/supplemental.pdf

3. William Shakespeare had style. 

A: Since William Shakespeare did not come from a noble background there are really no pictures or portraits commissioned. Based on pictures drawn after his death it is safe to say that he was a stylish man that dressed accordingly to the fashion during Elizabethan and Jacobean times.  

Notice the collar, the colour and material and shape of his clothing. For a very in depth and detailed article about fashion during Elizabethan and Jacobean times please click on the links below!



http://www.shakespeare-online.com/biography/elizabethanclothes.html

http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-clothing-allowed-men.htm

http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare-pictures.htm

Questions & Answers on Shakespeare!

1. Q: Did Shakespeare act in some of his plays?
    A: William was also an actor who performed many of his own plays as well as those of other playwrights
http://absoluteshakespeare.com/trivia/facts/facts.htm

2. Q: Was his wife Anne Hathaway?
    A: Yes, she was 26 and William was 18 when they got married and they had 3 children.
http://absoluteshakespeare.com/trivia/facts/facts.htm

3. Q: What was his family background?
    A: He was born in Stratdford-on-Avon
William's mother's name was Mary Arden. She came from a very wealthy family. Mary had eight children. 
William went to Stratford Grammar School where he got all his education. At age seven, Shakespeare studied classics in Greek and Latin.  
Shakespeares father was a mayor 
He had a daughter names Susanna, twins Judith and Hamnet. Unfortunately Hamnet died at age 11 in 1569.
No evidence of Shakespeare was found between the years of 1585-1592
William left London in 1611, and he died on his birthday and the cause is still unknown
http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/projects/renaissance/main/shakespeare.html