Jones v. Clear Creek ISD (1992)

If government officials do not have the authority to write prayers for public school students or even to encourage and endorse prayers, can they allow the students themselves vote on whether or not to have one of their own recite prayers during school? Some Christians tried this method of getting official prayers into public schools, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that its constitutional for students to vote on having prayers during graduation ceremonies. Background Information The Clear Creek Independent School District passed a resolution allowing high school seniors to vote for student volunteers to deliver nonsectarian, non-proselytizing religious invocations at their graduation ceremonies. The policy allowed but did not require, such a prayer, ultimately leaving it to the senior class to decide by majority vote. The resolution also called for the school officials to review the statement before presentation to ensure that it was indeed nonsectarian and non-proselytizing. Court Decision The Fifth Circuit Court applied the three prongs of the Lemon test and found that: The Resolution has a secular purpose of solemnization, that the Resolutions primary effect is to impress upon graduation attendees the profound social significance of the occasion rather than advance or endorse religion, and that Clear Creek does not excessively entangle itself with religion by proscribing sectarianism and proselytization without prescribing any form of invocation. What is odd is that, in the decision, the Court admits that the practical result will be exactly what the Lee v. Weisman decision did not permit: ...the practical result of this decision, viewed in light of Lee , is that a majority of students can do what the State acting on its own cannot do to incorporate prayer in public high school graduation ceremonies. Usually, lower courts avoid contradicting higher court rulings because they are obligated to adhere to precedent except when radically different facts or circumstances force them to reconsider previous rulings. Here, though, the court didnt provide any justification for effectively reversing principle established by the Supreme Court. Significance This decision seems to contradict to the decision in Lee v. Weisman, and indeed the Supreme Court ordered the Fifth Circuit Court to review its decision in light of Lee. But the Court ended up standing by its original judgment. Some things are not explained in this decision, however. For example, why is prayer in particular singled out as a form of solemnizing, and it is just a coincidence that a Christian form of solemnization is picked? It would be easier to defend the law as secular if it only called for solemnization generally while singling out prayer alone at the very least serves to reinforce the privileged status of Christian practices. Why is such a thing put up to a student vote when exactly that is least likely to take into account the needs of minority students? The law presumes that its legitimate for a majority of students to vote to do something at an official school function which the state itself is forbidden from doing. And why is the government permitted to decide for others what does and does not qualify as permitted prayer? By stepping in and asserting authority over what sorts of prayer are permitted, the state is in effect endorsing any prayers which are delivered, and thats precisely what the Supreme Court has found to be unconstitutional. It was because of that last point that the Ninth Circuit Court came to a different conclusion in Cole v. Oroville.

Chapter 25 the Grapes of Wrath - 1466 Words

THE SPRING IS BEAUTIFUL in California. Valleys in which the fruit blossoms are fragrant pink and white waters in a shallow sea. Then the first tendrils of the grapes swelling from the old gnarled vines, cascade down to cover the trunks. The full green hills are round and soft as breasts. And on the level vegetable lands are the mile-long rows of pale green lettuce and the spindly little cauliflowers, the gray-green unearthly artichoke plants. And then the leaves break out on the trees, and the petals drop from the fruit trees and carpet the earth with pink and white. The centers of the blossoms swell and grow and color: cherries and apples, peaches and pears, figs which close the flower in the fruit. All California†¦show more content†¦The meat turns dark and the crop shrivels on the ground. And the pears grow yellow and soft. Five dollars a ton. Five dollars for forty fiftypound boxes; trees pruned and sprayed, orchards cultivated—pick the fruit, put it in boxes, load the trucks, deliver the fruit to the cannery—forty boxes for five dollars. We can t do it. And the yellow fruit falls heavily to the ground and splashes on the ground. The yellowjackets dig into the soft meat, and there is a smell of ferment and rot. Then the grapes—we can t make good wine. People can t buy good wine. Rip the grapes from the vines, good grapes, rotten grapes, wasp-stung grapes. Press stems, press dirt and rot. But there s mildew and formic acid in the vats. Add sulphur and tannic acid. The smell from the ferment is not the rich odor of wine, but the smell of decay and chemicals. Oh, well. It has alcohol in it, anyway. They can get drunk. The little farmers watched debt creep up on them like the tide. They sprayed the trees and sold no crop, they pruned and grafted and could not pick the crop. And the men of knowledge have worked, have considered, and the fruit is rotting on the ground, and the decaying mash in the wine vat is poisoning the air. And taste the wine—no grape flavor at all, just sulphur and tannic acid and alcohol. This little orchard will be a part of a great holding next year, for the debt will have chokedShow MoreRelatedGrapes of Wrath - Chapter 25 Analysis1462 Words   |  6 PagesAP Language, Per. 5 12 January 2013 Grapes of Wrath Analysis The cold, soaked earth, which was a source of life not too long ago, abducts a young child while the mother can only watch hopelessly as the husband shovels mounds of dirt. This event is not too different than most that citizens living during the Dust Bowl had to deal with. The self-destructive nature caused the American people to keep expanding and shaping the land as they saw fit. Because of this they overworked the land which, combinedRead MoreGrapes of Wrath: the Theme of Decay in Chapter 25864 Words   |  4 Pageswhich â€Å"drop and dry with black shreds hanging from them†. The purple prunes, which now â€Å"carpet the ground†, fill the valley with â€Å"the odor of sweet decay†. Pears are left to be devoured by the yellowjackets, and give off a smell of â€Å"ferment and rot†. Grapes are not good enough to make good wine, and the wine that is made from them is â€Å"the smell of decay and chemicals†. As we can see, the text goes into quit e a lot of detail in the description of the different fruits decaying all over the State. FruitsRead More Chapter 25 of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Essay examples2622 Words   |  11 PagesChapter 25 of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck In the twenty-fifth chapter of his novel The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck presents the reader with a series of vivid images, accompanied by a series of powerful indictments. Steinbeck effectively uses both the potent imagery and clear statements of what he perceives as fact to convey his message. This short chapter offers a succinct portrayal of one of the major themes of the larger work. Namely, the potential bounty of nature corruptedRead More Comparing and Contrasting the Novel and Movie Version of The Grapes of Wrath968 Words   |  4 PagesComparing and Contrasting the Novel and Movie Version of The Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck wrote the The Grapes of Wrath in 1939 to rouse its readers against those who were responsible for keeping the American people in poverty. The Grapes of Wrath tells the story of the Joad family, migrant farmers from Oklahoma traveling to California in search of an illusion of prosperity. The novels strong stance stirred up much controversy, as it was often called Communist propaganda, and banned fromRead MoreEssay on Rhetorical Analysis- the Grapes of Wrath967 Words   |  4 PagesRhetorical Analysis- The Grapes of Wrath â€Å"You don’ know what you’re a-doin’,† were Casy’s last words before he died as a martyr. Casy died for his cause, his belief that the elite were not truly aware of how their greed was causing the suffering of the weak and that the weak could only surpass their sorrows if they worked together. Steinbeck uses chapter 25 of Grapes of Wrath to portray this very message. Steinbeck uses an array of rhetorical devices such as symbolism and the use of a instructiveRead MoreThe Grapes of Wrath Synthesis Essay891 Words   |  4 Pagesargued human nature is intrinsically violent and aggressive. This can be seen in chapter 25 of The Grapes of Wrath: the mindless destruction of resources ultimately amounts to nothing productive. 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John Steinbeck is worthy of the praise he has received for his contributions to American literature because he added a new genre as well as a new narrative device, depicted the lives of the poor, and went toRead More The Pain of the Okies Exposed in The Grapes of Wrath Essay1485 Words   |  6 PagesThe Pain of the Okies Exposed in The Grapes of Wrath      Ã‚  Ã‚   The Dust bowl was an ecological and human disaster in the Southwestern Great Plains regions of the United States in the 1930s. The areas affected were Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. The poor handling of the land and years of drought caused this great disaster (Jones History). 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A Comparison of Macbeth and Crime and Punishment Essay Example For Students

A Comparison of Macbeth and Crime and Punishment Essay Shakespeares Macbeth and Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment explore the psychological depths of man. These two works examine tragedy as represented through the existential beliefs of many philosophers. Existentialist theory expresses the idea that man can satisfy his own needs, regardless of social codes, if he has the energy and ambition to act. Both Macbeth and Raskolnikov have the ambition to act, but each struggles internally with their actions, frightened of the consequences. Although these works examine the tragedy and remorse of Macbeth and Raskolnikov, the idea of a driving force within each character remains evident. Ultimately, William Shakespeares Macbeth and Fyodor Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment present similar aspects of the existential philosophy that examine the thoughts and actions of the two protagonists. The existential principle remains apparent within these works. The themes of existentialism vary, but one main focus is that man appeases himself by acting on his desires. Ignorance and hollowness penetrate human existence, creating anxiety, reverence, and dejection Moore Bruder 503. And man faces, as the most prominent fact of human existence, the need to decide how he is to live within this absurd and irrational world Moore Bruder 504. Macbeth employs many existentialist concepts. Macbeths murdering of Duncan to obtain his kingship displays a basic existentialist philosophy in that he eliminated his obstacles in order to fulfill his ambition Gellrich 17. The witches who constantly taunt Macbeth drive him to his ultimate goal Craig 255. Dostoevsky also employs an existentialist philosophy in his novel. The set of unconscious drives Cox 42 that propel Raskolnikov to commit his crime reveal that human nature is not entirely definable by its rationalityJalava 1. This relates to existentialism by virtue of people occasionally performing certain actions that cannot be explained Jalava 6. Both the works of Shakespeare and Dostoevsky suggest existential approaches to tragedyGellrich 257 that ultimately determines the protagonists fate. The two protagonists, Macbeth and Raskolnikov, possess tragic flaws that lead to their downfalls. Confronted with numerous alternative courses of action, the tragic hero agonizes in his intentions and understands that he is going to suffer no matter which choice he makes Gellrich 17. The tragic hero is recognized primarily because he is a free and responsible agent whose extraordinary stature is established in a refusal to accept the limitations posed from without, Gellrich 256 moreover exhibiting existentialist concepts. Existential tragedy remains elucidated within the works of Shakespeare. The problems of a tragic hero tend to come out into the open and lead to his demise in that every tragic heros rapport manifests itself in its own way such as the hallucinations of Macbeth Honigmann 69. The virtue and bravery shown in Macbeth are overcome by the evil force of the witches who draw him to his demise Somerville 33. Similarly, Raskolnikov evinces himself as the epitome of a tragic agent. Raskolnikov commits the murder because he was drawn by a power over which he now has no control, Goddard 14 thus once again exhibiting the existential philosophy  that man has no control over his actions. Tragically, Raskolnikov struggles internally wondering why he committed such a horrible deed, further illustrating the point of existentialists in that mans conduct is unexplainable Bradbury 38. The existential theory explains the motivation for both protagonists. The philosophy of existentialists stresses mans determination to satisfy his aspirations. The bases for their belief stems from the conception of the human condition, Stone 1 referring to the manner in which mans actions are justified. The existentialist ideas focus on the irrationality behind mans behavior Jalava 1. Furthermore, Macbeth demonstrates his motivation through his thoughts and actions. Illustrating the theory of existence as fallacious, and feeling ashamed of his actions, Macbeth loses his mind Somerville 33. Of course, the thought of becoming king at last drove Macbeth to acquire his ultimate goal, transforming him from a noble man to an irrational and senseless one Campbell 238. Lastly, Raskolnikov exhibits inspiration for his actions through his rational. Dostoevskys Raskolnikov commits murder because he feels the need to affirm something to himself about his own identity, explaining the existential concept of filling the emptiness within ones self. Cox 42. Raskolnikov, moreover, feels a void in his life for which some form of stimulus must complete, thus justifying the existential belief about the preposterousness of human nature Kern 127. .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82 , .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82 .postImageUrl , .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82 , .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82:hover , .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82:visited , .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82:active { border:0!important; } .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82:active , .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82 .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1339fb938de7d6687f8eb7cc59e04f82:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Big Brother and The Weakest Link EssaySymbolism and imagery in both works present existential concepts. Shakespeares symbols illustrate the inner feelings and ambitions of his protagonists. The nightmares of Macbeth reveal Macbeths desire to obtain the kingship, and yet his nightmares also show how uncomfortable Macbeth is with his decision to murder Duncan, presenting no reason for his absurd actions Goddard 14. The nightmares, of which Macbeth has no control, displays the existential philosophy Goddard 14. Furthermore, Macbeth contains dark imagery that relates to existentialism. The constant references to night foreshadows the evil deeds that are soon to occur Spurgeon 330. Night, moreover emphasizing the existential principles, lies as the only safe place where Macbeth can commit evil deeds which might appall the devil Spurgeon 331. Dostoevskys usage of recurrent imagery illustrates man attempting to appease his intentions. The crossing of a bridge or a river stands as a symbol for the decision-making process Cox 56. Raskolnikov frequently sways back and forth between the extremes of aggression and submission Cox 57 when he is on a bridge, illustrating the existential belief of how absurdity and separation permeate mans existence Moore Bruder 503. Feelings of remorse which resemble existential concepts surface after the deeds of both Macbeth and Raskolnikov. Existentialism remains the bases for both protagonists penitence. A view of an existential philosophy states human existence is ultimately absurd and inexplicable, Kern 144 meaning that every action by man raises questions. And yet another similar notion of the existential theory maintains the constant irrationality of existence and how it creates anxiety Moore Bruder 503. Macbeth possesses regret for his insane actions. Macbeths guilt overwhelms him to the point where it drives him insane, demonstrating the  frustration behind acts of irrationality Craig 262. Macbeth, well aware of the consequences for his actions, and revealing attributes associated with existential concepts, is ready to accept responsibility for his inconceivable deed Craig 265. In addition, Raskolnikov exhibits existential beliefs through his remorse. Showing the absurdity so often referred to in existential philosophy, Raskolnikov, feeling tremendous guilt after killing the old woman, refuses to feel any desire for anything Dostoevsky 8. The terror of contempt Dostoevsky 8 frightens Raskolnikov more than anything else because he realizes the stupidity behind his behavior. Existentialist concepts exist in the punishment of Shakespeares Macbeth and Dostoevskys Raskolnikov. Chastisement remains evident in these works through the existential philosophy. Existential philosophers insist that the irrational actions of humans cannot be explained Moore Bruder 498. Men, according to existentialism, decide their own existence or fate through their thoughts and actions Kern 147. Macbeths punishment defines his existence. Forced to live with his actions, Macbeth confronts many obstacles that attempt to challenge his sanity, further depicting the existential concepts of irrationality Craig 262. Secondly, as a result of Macbeths murdering of Duncan, Macbeth, himself is slain, illustrating the existential point that absurdity creates treachery and demise Craig 267. Moreover, Dostoevskys Raskolnikov suffers a painful fate. Demonstrating the implausibility of the existential philosophy, Raskolnikov is separated from the other convicts by his social background and his solitary temperament Bradbury 35. The most pressing punishment of Raskolnikov is the disintegration of his mind and character, Dostoevsky 8 which accounts for the existential concept involving the deterioration of mans existence. Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment and Shakespeares Macbeth explore the depths of irrationality in both Raskolnikov and Macbeth. Both Shakespeare and Dostoevsky create characters who decide their own existence. The tragedy of these protagonists comes as a direct result of their actions. After each commits his murder, an uneasy feeling enters the bodies of Macbeth and Raskolnikov, ultimately leading to their downfalls. U.S. News World Reports Brian Duffy compared the Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski, to a character worthy of Dostoevsky, 30 commenting on Dostoevskys criminal ingenious. Shakespeares Macbeth idealizes the tragic hero whose absurd actions cause destruction. These two masterpieces examine redemption through suffering Wasiolek 2 that dramatizes the philosophic principles of existentialism.