Teen Pregnancy Essay Example for Free

Teen Pregnancy Essay Teen Pregnancy has always been a sensitive topic to many. Recently though teen pregnancy has become a major problem in society. The question that comes to mind is then, what can be done to reduce the number of teen pregnancies? Whether it be done by way of sexual education programs or other methods it is clear that something must be done. Currently not enough is being done to fight the number of teen pregnancies. â€Å"Teenage pregnancy and birth rates both dropped in the 1990s. Increased use of contraceptives and increased abstinence among teens could explain the decrease. However, the U. S. still has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy among western industrialized nations, 42. 9 births per 1,000 females aged 15-19. In 2002, there were 431,988 births to females under twenty. Four out of ten girls become pregnant by the age of twenty. Eighty percent of these teenage pregnancies are unintended, and 79 percent of pregnant teens are unmarried. The birth rate remains high in low-income, minority neighborhoods, where the birth rate still remains at 153 and 138 births per 1,000 for black and Hispanic teenage girls respectively. Sixty percent of all teenage mothers are in poverty at the time of birth† (Teenage Pregnancy Prevention 1). These numbers plainly show that teen pregnancy is still a major problem. I believe one of the most prominent causes of teen pregnancy is stress. Many teens in today’s society are too stressed by daily life, and could be turning to pregnancies as a way of continuing their â€Å"name†. In a small Massachusetts community where teen pregnancy rates were high it was also noted that their families were also going through a rough patch. An additional cause is that teens do not have enough teaching when it comes to sexual education. Parents need to talk to their children about the dangers of sex. Doing something about this problem is something that many believe involves sexual education. A recent study showed â€Å"A growing number of sex education programs that support abstinence and the use of contraception for sexually active teens have revealed a positive effect† (Sex ed programs actually can work 14). Sex education should be made mandatory in schools. Another method that many adults believe is necessary is making items such as condoms easily available for teens. Some school nurses have gone as far as o pass out condoms to students. This however crosses a boundary with another controversial topic. One Final prevention plan involves everyone who is willing to help, by simply making sure your community clinics and help services are open long enough you can help provided teen in need with a place to go. Teen Pregnancy is a problem that can not be fixed immediately, but by promoting awareness a decline may be in the future. The general public must find a way to help the efforts in whatever means possible. One thing we do know is that without our action this problem will not be changed.

Kaffir Boy :: essays papers

Kaffir Boy Slaves in Their Homes â€Å" Sirens blared, voices screamed and shouted, wood cracked and windows shattered, children bawled, dogs barked and footsteps pounded†(7). This scene is from the autobiography Kaffir Boy written by Mark Mathabane. That is one of the scenes he had to live through every morning in apartheid South Africa. Apartheid is a policy of segregation and economic discrimination against non-whites. Apartheid system affected every black person living in South Africa during that time. It forced blacks to become slaves in their own country. The system forced blacks to live in unsanitary environments, work-degrading jobs and carry passes, and receive limited education. Blacks and whites were living in different sections during apartheid. While whites lived comfortable lives in their extravagant mansions and driving their fancy cars blacks had to live in a disease infested neighborhood with no electricity or in door plumbing. Approximately one thousand people lived in shacks that were squeezed together in a one-mile zone. The alleys were filled with dirt, rats, human wasted and diseases. Blacks lived in houses made of â€Å"old whitewash, a leaking ceiling of rusted Inx propped up by a thin wall of crumbling adobe bricks, two tiny windows made of cardboard and pieces of glass, a creaky, termite-eaten door low for a person of average height to pass through...and a floor made of patches of cement earth†(31). Living in such a degrading environment kills self-esteem, lowers work ethic and leaves no hope for the future. Degrading low paying jobs were the only jobs available for black men. Women worked as servants for whites. Men had to work in mines, clean up toilets or work as police officers abusing their own people. â€Å"Shit-men-belligerent immigrant workers who, because of what they did, were looked upon by many black people-went about the communal lavatories picking up buckets of excrement†(83). Working as servants for whites was one of the better jobs for black women. Blacks could not walk around freely in their own country without carrying a passbook. Without a passbook, blacks could not work or travel. The passbook had to be paid for by black families who did not have any money. They were arrested and put in jail if their passbooks were not in order. Blacks were trapped with no way out, not even the hope of education.

Our Dwelling Place: The Calling of the Christian Entrepreneur Essay

The founder of local grocery chain, Ukrop’s, Joseph Ukrop was devoted to his vocation of being Richmond’s local grocer. He put community first and used his grocery stores to build community. His legacy of entrepreneurship in Richmond was characterized by a distinct commitment to the Christian principles. For example although Ukrop’s was closed on Sundays and sold no alcohol, they were still able to be a market leader in the Richmond grocery industry. In 2000, they were responsible for 38. 9 percent of the grocery sales in the local market. If Joseph Ukrop’s decided to sell alcohol and required their employees to work on Sundays, the Ukrop’s company would have compromised their proclamation of Christian faith. Ukrop’s also maintained these business practices throughout the entire time of operation. This is Hebrews 13:8-9 applied: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today and forever†. They were â€Å"not carried away by divers and strange doctrines†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 2 Ukrop acknowledged Jesus as Lord in his business. The calling of the Christian entrepreneur is dynamic. Somehow, the entrepreneur must be guided by biblical principle, be influential in the marketplace while also yield profit to be successful in business. Still, this discussion asserts that when it is the Christian’s right to exercise â€Å"dominion in the earth through stewardship and enterprise. †3 It is also that entrepreneur’s responsibility to make his or her days count by forwarding the kingdom. Psalm 90: Discussion This tension between man’s place in the continuum of God’s eternity is the theme that characterizes the Hebrew poetic text of Psalm 90. This text egins the fourth division of Psalm, authored by Moses. Historically, Psalm 90 was written after the wilderness experience of forty years; the Exodus generation had perished. According to the book of Numbers, Moses witnessed the death of 1,200,000 adult Israelites that left Egypt. This was God’s judgment for the sin of Kadesh Barnea. Kadesh Barnea provides the background for the text. At Kadesh Barnea, Moses sent out twelve spies to survey the land before the people would enter. All came back with a poor report except Joseph and Caleb who asserted that the Israelites â€Å"would be able to overcome the land. 5 The Israelite people rebelled against their leadership and created a mob, from which God had to save Moses and Aaron. Therefore, by the time Psalm 90, God punishes the Israelites for worshipping idols and forgetting the Lord thy God. According to Fructenbaum, Psalm 90 can be understood in three segments: The nature of man in contrast to the eternity of God, the reason for man’s sin and the third segment is Moses appeal to God, that He visit and return again, restoring his presence to the Israelites again. good In Psalm 90:1-2 God is the dwelling place for all generations. In Hebrew, dwelling place is â€Å"habitation or refuge. God is a protective shelter for all generations. We see that although it appears that God is far off – He is accessible, indeed. Remember that by this time, the Israelites begged Moses to tell God not to appear in person, God is also eternal. Perhaps this is one of the most complex theological concepts. In this text, the mountains are used to illustrate God’s eternity. It is through this imagery that the reader is able to experience the stability of God. 7 Mountains are a constant theme in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. Mountains are a sign of God’s covenant with his people. So far God is a dwelling place and He is eternal. The second segment if the Psalm 90, beginning in verse 3, describes man’s finality. This is a stark contrast to God’s eternity. The Hebrew word for man means â€Å"frail,† and â€Å"weak. † Man who is weak will be destroyed. Good God is timeless: 4For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. 5Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up. The last segment of the Psalm is Moses’ appeal to God for him to return his presence to his people: â€Å"Return, O lord  , how long? And let it repent thee concerning thy servants. † Not only should God return, but Moses asks for complete restoration and for God to bless the work of man: â€Å"Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. A synopsis of Psalm 90 is that man God is eternal, man is finite. Therefore man should repent of his sin, turn from his wicked way and be restored to the dwelling place of the Lord God. Also, because man’s days are numbered, he should seek to be the most productive during his youth as to reflect the glory of God. There is safety and peace in God’s design. good This theme of vocation and purpose is a constant theme in the both the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. The Vocation of the Christian Entrepreneur The significance of Psalm 90 frames the meaning of vocation for the Christian entrepreneur. For the Christian entrepreneur, vocation , meaning vocare in Latin, indicates that there is a relationship between the one is calling and the one being called. 2 This call and response is affirmed in the New Testament text, John 10:27 when Jesus assures speaking to his disciples: â€Å"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. † It is also the Christian’s entrepreneur’s responsibility to fulfill God’s mandate to fill the earth. In Genesis 1-2, key tenants of the creation mandate that pronounces both our relationship and responsibility to Jehovah-Elohim (God, the Creator. ) Through worship, dominion and procreation, there exists a dynamic by which man can demonstrate the very likeness God in the earth. In text of Genesis 1-2, the capacity for humanity to innovate is authenticated. According to Genesis 1-2 and Psalm 90, humanity’s desire to deviate from this original blueprint set forth by his Creator â€Å"in the beginning,† can result in destruction. 13 Vocation outside of God’s appointment can render destruction, captivity as it did for the Israelites and the obliteration of entire generations as it did in the past for Israel in the Old Testament Hebrew text If this discussion would continue, it could explore how man is the only one of God’s creation’s that deviates from answering God’s call to produce the Creator through innovation. Even plants grow toward the light. Personal Vocation One of my mentors has taught me that your calling is something that you enjoy doing for no pay. Joseph Ukrop would close his store to help local farmers harvest their crops so they would have food through the winter. Ukrop was passionate about making sure that members of his community were fed; he cared about their nutrition. Today, the store has closed, but the Ukrop legacy of giving has lasted through their non-profit foundation. This is what I believe lies at the foundation of the Christian vocation. For many years I have searched for the thing I should be doing for the kingdom. I think it is teaching. I was a Spanish teacher in the Richmond public school system. I left teaching to pursue a career in marketing. At work, new hires get sent to me for training. I am asked to give presentations and teach the Sales division on new products. Still, I struggle with my calling to teach because it does not pay as much as I would like when I decide pursue it full time. At work, I train minimally but am paid double the salary of a teacher in Richmond, VA. However I am not content with the work I do. It seems that this door will be closed soon. On my April 23, 2012, I will be laid off after working with my current company for five years. At the same time I found out this news, I was also asked to teach at a local community college part time. I am just thankful that God was gracious enough to provide other opportunities. Some of my female co-workers have asked me to lead a Bible study after I leave. Parents still call me when their children face difficulty with Spanish before taking exams. I decided that I would start a tutoring service to supplement my job as an instructor in fall. My vocation to teach is the very thing that God has placed in me. Obeying tis call is so much better than existing outside of the dwelling place of God’s will.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - 2186 Words

In Jane Austen’s â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† the story of two unlikely lovers unfolds. Elizabeth Bennett, the second eldest of five sisters, unfortunately has a mother who wants her to marry rich. When Elizabeth first encounters Fitzwilliam Darcy they mutually dislike each other. The two characters undergo conflicts that revolve around each other. As the story progresses Mr. Darcy finds a likeness for Elizabeth that she does not return. After Mr. Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, that she rejects, he clears up all the mistakes that Elizabeth believed he had made. Elizabeth then realizes that Mr. Darcy evolves much like herself, she falls in love with him, and he finally proposes to her, which she accepts. Through Austen’s use of strong†¦show more content†¦Austen’s uses the difference in social class to deter Darcy from wanting to propose to Elizabeth rather than choosing love. Darcy believes that Elizabeth’s family is not agreeable and th at because of their social differences she would not be an appropriate match for him. Austen creates Elizabeth’s character from a family of no consequence in middle class, which makes Elizabeth seem like an even more undesirable partner. Austen characterizes Elizabeth and Darcy as intellectual equals who make them both seem hard headed. They must overcome their stubborn social out views to reach a understanding of each other and fall in love. Austen places many social undertones to express the clear division between the classes of the characters that lead to major misunderstandings. The characters go through many problems and â€Å"The novel depicts a social world highly stratified and laden with class struggle and pretension† (Chung 1). Austen uses marriage to point out clear issues within the plot because, â€Å"Indeed a woman had to marry to survive in such a society, in Elizabeth Bennett’s case the situation is dire because Mr Bennett’s fortune is to be entailed to Mr Collins because there is no son and heir to the Bennett estate† (Chung 1). Marriage to gain higher social status plays a huge role in Austen’s vision and that to raise in society a woman had to entrap a man, only for social status, to be enslaved into a lifetime of loathing. The characters in the novelShow MoreRelatedPride And Prejudice By Jane Austen Essay1724 Words   |  7 PagesThe 18th century novel, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, is a fascinating book about a young woman’s struggle with family and love. 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Whether they are confiding in each other for marriageRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen872 Words   |  4 PagesIn my personal cherished novel, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, the worlds of two immensely divergent people display the marxist idea of the importance of social status and its affect on the people. The two main characters seem to be on opposite ends of the earth in terms of an affluent Mr. Darcy being so privileged while on the contrary, Miss Elizabeth Bennet is of a lower class. Throughout the novel, there is a fine distinction between their clashing opinions and actions that are highly influencedRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen Essay1711 Words   |  7 Pageshe 18th century novel, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, is a fascinating book about a young woman’s struggle with family and love. Pride and Prejudice was originally published in 1813, but, the most common version of the story, and the one used for this research, is fr om the version published in 1892, still by only Jane Austen, though many other authors have contributed to this book over time. Austen often references the class system at the time, often noting one of the multiple heroine’s struggleRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1285 Words   |  6 PagesPride and Prejudice Analysis I.Introduction Jane Austen wrote her novels during the time period known as the Regency. The Enlightenment and the Age of Reason, a time where ideas like democracy, secularism, and the rise of developing sciences were making their way across Europe had come to an end.It was replaced with the wave of horror that was the French Revolution, a once minor revolt that escalated into a violent war, concluding with the rise of Napoleon, which whom England fought against the majorityRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1384 Words   |  6 PagesNicole Voyatzis Professor W. Acres HISTORY 1401E May 26, 2015 Discussion Paper - Pride and Prejudice Pride and Prejudice written in 1813 by Jane Austen tells the story of The Bennet’s and their five unmarried daughters. The family live as part of the lower gentry in early 19th century England. With that being said, Mrs. Bennet’s primary focus in life is to ensure that all her daughters are married, preferably to wealthy men. 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Austen’s novels critique the life of the second half of the eighteenth century and are part of the transition to nineteenth-century realism. Though her novels were by no means autobiographical, her fictional characters do shed light on the facts of her life and but more importantly, they offered aspiring writers a model of howRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen914 Words   |  4 Pages Bell 1 Natalie Bell Pedersen English 4 honors 29 February 2016 Pride and Prejudice Essay Jane Austen s novel, Pride and Prejudice, focuses on the social conflicts of England during the 1800s. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy fall in love, and face social criticism. Mr. Darcy struggles with the ideology of societal expectations while falling in love with Elizabeth Bennet. After persistent self-reflection, Mr. Darcy overcomes the stereotype of whom he should marry, and marries ElizabethRead More Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 1104 Words   |  5 Pagesrate of over 50% from 1970-2010. However, during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, marriage was often one of the few choices for a woman’s occupation. Reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen from the twenty-first century perspective might make some matters that are stressed in the book seem dated or trivial. As Pride and Prejudice was set sometime during the Napoleonic Wars, it is only fitting that finding a proper marriage is on the minds of many of the women in the book. Marriage and marrying