What is Gans claim
Gans criticizes Journalistic theory of Democracy laying down its pros and cons. He believes that one of the theories biggest deceptions is that a democracy works through citizens information. He claims to bring what news the citizens need to participate in and what makes of an informed citizen. Being from a sociology background, Gans questions the basis of information that is supplied to the citizens of varied socio-economic backgrounds.
What is Stones claim
Stone claims that the Free Press should be critical of governments working, should provide a platform to raise ideas and opinions and report comprehensibly in a timely manner.
What are Gans major reasons in supporting this claim
Gans believes that power plays a crucial role in producing information. Although Freedom of Press shuns the notion of power but the rich individuals and Interest groups have access to politicians which in turn regulate news. Therefore, Democracy is the outcome of Free Press but the access to right information is always missing.
What are Stones reasons in supporting this claim
Stone believes that Free Press has become one of the large-selling businesses in the market and values pathos, drama and titillation of the facts which produces yellow journalism. To stop titillation of facts, Stone prescribes accuracy in news reporting and that it should be subjected to rigorous self-criticism.
What are the similarities and differences between Stone and Gans claims
Both Stone and Gans talk about the abuse of power which results to distortion and misunderstanding of facts. Therefore, the journalists need to understand the institutions that endanger democracy. They believe that journalists should report citizens active participation in society by reporting accurate information. Gans focuses on not blindfold accept what is given by the political institutions thus, journalists need to analyze the stories. Whereas, Stone emphasizes on self-governing. Hence, both lay a set of protocols for the limitations of a journalist.
The poem entitled Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon English epic poem narrating heroic adventures of a warrior named Beowulf. Little is known on the historical background of this piece of literature. Different historians believed that this epic was written in the eight or the ninth century based on the language used and on its style of writing. Some of the poems texts were lost after the original manuscript was burned. Different writers made their translations from the original manuscript left after the fire and soon published their works in different languages.
The story revolves on the life of a brave Geatish warrior, Beowulf who after hearing the news that an evil giant, Grendel was terrorizing the Kingdom of Danes, had the courage to travel across the sea to offer his aid to stop this villain. Fortunately, Beowulf successfully defeated the evil giant and was rewarded by the Danish king ruling the land he protected. The serenity was brought back to Danes until one day, Grendels mother attacked Danes to take revenge for his son. Beowulf again defeated the giant and once again brought peace and order to the land of Danes. After helping the Danish people, Beowulf returned to his land and fought in many battles. After the death of his king and his prince, he was crowned as the new king of Geats. He was well-loved by his people and feared by the enemies as well. He reigned for fifty years until one day, a dragon attacked their land. Beowulf, together with his warriors tried to stop the dragon from destroying their beloved land. Beowulf was able to kill the dragon, however, he was badly injured after the fight which cause his gradual death. The warriors of Geats that were with him on their quest felt really guilty for abandoning their king during the fight. It was only Wiglaf, one of his trusted warriors who stood by him up to the last minute of his life.
Many critics argue about the real nature of the poem, whether it is a pagan form or a Christian form of literature. Others believe that the poem was originally made by a pagan writer and was then edited by a Christian writer who got a copy of the original manuscript and then added Christian concepts to the poem. Some of the practices performed by the characters in the poem reflected pagan beliefs and traditions. Such practices were as follows the burial performed by the characters (cremation and funeral ship), their worship to many gods (there is even a time when the Danish people lose hope already that they actually called for the help of devils),their consultations to the omens which was a kind of fortune-telling in the present day and lastly, their great love for wealth and power up to the point that they even worship these luxuries in life.
Though many pagan practices were showed in the poem, others still believe that this could be considered as a Christian work since Christian values were also incorporated with the story of Beowulf. Some of these values were humility, sacrifice and generosity. Humility was manifested by Beowulf every time he won a battle. He always say that his courage, without Gods protection is not enough to win a battle. He also believes that things happen according to the will of the Lord. Sacrifice was made by Beowulf when he fought the dragon still even though he was already old that time and after his warriors abandoned him in the middle of the battle. He sacrificed his own life for the sake of his people. He chose to die for his people to live.
Generosity was shown by the Danish King when he built a hall where he could share his wealth to the people. Aside from the Christian values, biblical characters were also mentioned in the poem. It was said that Grendel, the evil giant who violently killed many Danish people in the story was as descendant of the Cain, a biblical character who was known for his bad reputation of killing his own brother, Abel. The family to which the giants in the poem came is also the group of people disowned by God in the Old Testament.
In my opinion, the poem is more of a Christian literature than a pagan literature. The practices mentioned in the story may have reflected the pagan culture in some aspects but the totality of the whole story is more on a Christian perspective. The concept of good and evil is well-emphasized in the story, that God does not allow evil to conquer the world which was mainly where the Christian doctrines revolve. It can also be noticed that the authors points of view on certain topics tackled in the poem were more on a Christian side.
The possible main reason why this poem may be mistaken as a pagan work is because of the settings as well as the pagan traditions included in the story. The author of this work may have used them just to give the readers a picture of the situation of the people before since it is known that paganism was practiced before Christianity came. The writer may have wanted to give his views on certain pagan tradition in a sort of even correcting some of which by using the doctrines of Christianity.
To wrap this up, one can say that the story of Beowulf, may be a pagan or a Christian literary piece is indeed an inspirational work where one can learn a lot of important things in life.
Much of the freedom that America now enjoys is owed mostly to the people in the past who chose to reject injustice in all forms at whatever costs. Today, Barack Obama of a once segregated ethnicity is the president of the most powerful nation in the world. This is the most visible proof that the lives of those men and women, risked for the cause of liberty and justice for all, was never in vain.
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Thomas Jefferson, with 187 years apart in authorship of A Letter from a Birmingham Jail by King and of The Unanimous Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen United States of America by Jefferson, are among the important figures in the quest for freedom and equality not only in America but in the whole world.
The Age of Enlightenment in Europe had to a large extent influenced the early minds of the American colonists. The various philosophers in Age of Reason or Enlightenment like Secondat and Montesquieu used satire to covertly criticize society and the crown. People started to question and think. Most of John Lockes ideas on government were the basis of pertinent portions in the Declaration of Independence by the Thirteen United States. The kind of government that America had adopted is from Montesquieus The Spirit of the Laws, which is protective of liberty. Voltaire wrote of the grave injustice of religious intolerance and the slave trade.
Voltaire wrote of the Freedom of Speech which is in the Constitutions Bill of Rights. Rosseaus kind of democracy resides in the collective will of the people. Thomas Paine urged the colonists to rebel against their colonial master who abuse their rights. Paines ideas did not gain initial following, but continued abuses by England over the colonies finally drove the colonists into action. The Enlightenment had opened the eyes and thinking of the colonists on their rights and how their government must guarantee and protect these rights. Guided by the Enlightened thinkers, Thomas Jefferson wrote the most enduring and exceptionally important document of the Nation, that stood for the natural and inalienable rights of people, a just governments duty to preserve and protect those rights, a government whose power comes from the citizens it serves and the same people who can seek to overthrow such government in the event it has become unjust.
Despite several revisions, the Declaration of Independence remained basically as Jefferson had crafted it. The beautifully worded and moving Declaration enumerated the abuses of England over the American colonies. Twenty five years down the road, on March 4, 1801, Thomas Jefferson in his First Inaugural Address , asked the people
Sometimes it is said that man can not be trusted with the government of himself.
Can he, then, be trusted with a government of others Or have we found angels
in the form of kings to govern him Let history answer the question.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an advocate of non-violent campaigns to protest racial segregation. He championed human rights causes and was a leading figure of the civil rights movement. King and his people suffered physical abuse, humiliation, discrimination against, and all the psychological pain, resentment, fear, and anger these maltreatments had caused. Kings approach was a 4-step process which included determining the existence of injustice, negotiating, purifying oneself and finally direct action.
King and Jefferson were both advocates of freedom. Jefferson authored the Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom in Virginia. The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen United States, which was crafted by Jefferson, embodied the desire of the colonists to break free from British colonial rule. Jefferson lent the brilliance of his pen to articulate the aspirations of the colonists for true independence. Kings presence and leadership among his segregated brothers had a more personal involvement in the cause of freedom. He suffered incarceration, violence was committed against his person and he experienced untold hardship for the cause he wanted to win. The circumstances when they fought for freedom were very different. In Jeffersons time, the thirteen colonies had only one, collective wish. They wanted the abuses of England stopped and for America to self-rule. During the time when King rallied his people, America was already independent of foreign rule, but the desire for freedom was of a different kind where only the colored were affected and were the ones wanting of such freedom to enjoy the rights guaranteed every citizen of a free nation.
The common ground for both King and Jefferson in their pursuit of liberty was their vision of a free American where all men are equal. They both blazed the trail to freedom so the future will be better for the succeeding generations. Jefferson opposed a foreign master, King fought a domestic oppressor. Jefferson was part of the Continental Congress that declared independence from British rule. King protested against an oppressive society when he said, We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed. Jeffersons Declaration led to a revolution, Kings mass actions were met with violence. These were the obstacles that they had to overcome for the freedom they desired. The risks in the name of freedom, in the words of the Declaration, were to mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.
The reward of freedom has been won and kept strong. Individual freedoms are rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Had Thomas Jefferson been alive today he would be very tolerant of gay marriages citing the protective cloak of the persons rights to the pursuit of their happiness. Neither would Martin Luther King, Jr. object as he would be the first to defend equal rights, to possibly include gay rights.
