The Culture Of Pakistan An Interview With Sohail Shah Essays

The Culture of Pakistan: An Interview with Sohail Shah Introduction to Sociology, MTW 10am Mrs. Linda Cook February 15, 1995 I am always fascinated with other people's cultures. The New York or Californian culture always amazes me although these states are in the United States. These areas of the nation seem very different than Texas. I do not have any friends that have recently moved here from another culture so, I set out to my neighborhood Stop N Go. The clerks at this convenience store are all from other countries. One clerk whom I have talked to many times, named Sohail Shah, always spoke of Pakistan. I often listened to his stories of being in the Karachi police force or of Pakistan's different customs. Sohail Shah, a thirty year old male clerk at the Stop N Go located on North Braeswood near Chimney Rock, has been in the United States for four years. He moved here with his wife and two children to "escape punishment". Sohail claims he was in the secret police protecting the president when many governmental changes were made. Many of his co-workers were put in jail for many years for reasons he would not openly discuss. He has to work two jobs because his wife does not work. According to Mr. Shah, she will never work. In Pakistan, women are to stay home and raise children. Currently, Sohail is observing the holy month of fasting called Ramadan. This is observed during the ninth month of the Islamic year and is ordained by the Koran, the Islam holy book. The fasting begins every morning at dawn and ends immediately at sunset. Muslims cannot eat, drink or smoke at all. In the evening, regular activities resume. The Islam driven culture of Pakistan shapes everyday life. Each day, all Muslims pray five times. The first is before sunrise, the second around noon, the third in the late afternoon, the fourth immediately after sunset, and the fifth before retiring and before midnight. They face the Kaaba, which is a small box in Mecca. No matter where a Muslim is, he will pause, face the East, and pray when it is time. When Sohail lived in Pakistan, he lived in a house with his whole fa mily. As an adult, he lived with his parents and siblings as well as his wife and children. The house was large enough to accommodate over fourteen people. All the women stayed home to keep up the house and prepare meals. If the women were to go to the market, they would completely cover themselves except for their eyes. Women were not to be seen in public without covers. Also, the wives wait for their husbands to come home before eating. The Koran approves of polygamy, allowing up to four wives. If a Pakistani decides to marry a second wife, his first wife must approve of her. Shah says polygamy is not very common in Pakistan. A typical day in Pakistan for Shah was to wake up before sunrise and pray. His wife would prepare breakfast for him before he left for work. He would leave for his police work when an armored truck stopped at his house. He was an officer in the police force before being promoted to the secret police. Shah rode around Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan, in the truck with twelve other rifle carrying policemen the entire day. Although there is nearly zero crime in Pakistan, the threat of terrorism keeps the police busy. The crime situation is based on severe punishments such as amputation of a hand for stealing. In addition, the people of Pakistan have a very strong conscience. People leave their homes and businesses unlocked while away. When Sohail returned home, his wife would have dinner already made for him and his entire family would eat when all the men returned from work. While the men are away, the women take care of the children, bake bread, and make pottery or baskets to sell at the market. His large family would then discuss different topics of interest before retiring. I found that the funeral arrangements are somewhat strange. First, women may go to the wake when a person dies but may not

Andrew Jackson A True Man of the People

Andrew Jackson A True Man of the People Abstract Andrew Jackson the 7th U.S president was born on 1767 in one of the states in the U.S. Orphaned at a young age, Jackson spent his teenage life hopping from one job to another and he even had a stint in a British Jail. At the age of only twenty four years, Jackson married Donelson Robards who was a divorcee.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Andrew Jackson: A True Man of the People specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the dying years of the 18th century, he served in the Tennessee Constitutional Convention, House of Representatives, Senate and even in the Tennessee Supreme Court. During the battle of the Tennessee troops and the Creeks in 1812, Jackson was the commanding officer and he helped in delivering victory to the Tennessee troops. Jackson was elected as the 7th U.S President in 1828 and for the years that he was on the throne, he introduced reforms, which favored the common man from the politica l class that had existed for a long time. Andrew Jackson: A True Man of the People Introduction Andrew Jackson the 7th U.S president was born on 1767 in one of the states in the U.S. Orphaned at a young age, Jackson spent his teenage life hopping from one job to another and he even had a stint in a British Jail. At the age of only twenty four years, Jackson married Donelson Robards who was a divorcee. In the dying years of the 18th century, he served in the Tennessee Constitutional Convention, House of Representatives, Senate and even in the Tennessee Supreme Court.Advertising Looking for research paper on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More During the battle of the Tennessee troops and the Creeks in 1812, Jackson was the commanding officer and he helped in delivering victory to the Tennessee troops. In the following years, Jackson’s aptitude in war was evident when he helped in the capture of two Engli shmen suspected of terrorism in Pensacola. Jackson was elected as the 7th U.S President in 1828 and for the years that he was on the throne, he introduced reforms, which favored the common man from the political class that had existed for a long time.1 The reason why Andrew Jackson is known as â€Å"A Man of the People† is the numerous reforms that he introduced to help the common person in America. Once he ascended to the throne, Jackson engineered constitutional reforms that granted him permission to carry out far-reaching reforms without being limited by the constitution. In addition to the domestic reforms, he vetoed a bill seeking to enlarge the United States Bank and constantly ensured that he was informed of any improvements in the internal affairs of the federal government. The policies  that he introduced were so popular with the working class and the plantation farmers from all over the country such that he received a landslide victory in his reelection bid in 183 2.2 Indeed, Andrew Jackson is believed to be the president who vetoed the most bills in the American History. His policy in life was that one needed to reward loyalty and to constantly ensure that he appealed to the masses. In order to ensure that he was in touch with the public, he appointed men and women who were in touch with the society as his personal advisors.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Andrew Jackson: A True Man of the People specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This was in contrast with his predecessors who only relied on their cabinet for advice. While this was laudable, it had a negative effect since most of the cabinet members were rich people who only wanted to protect their interests without being concerned on how it affected the common person. However, Jackson knew that if people were to believe that he had their best interests at heart then he had to have advisers who were closer to the peop le. 3 When he first ascended to the presidency, numerous sectional issues that had not been addressed by previous presidents existed. Many states from the South were of the opinion that they needed to retain most of their rights. However, Jackson felt that if America was to prosper then there was need to ensure that all the states were reading from the same script. Since most of the states were complaining of tariffs, he introduced a moderate tariff that was supposed to apply in all the states. Despite his good intentions, South Carolina wanted to nullify the tariff and declare it unconstitutional. However, Jackson stood his ground and forced South Carolina to adhere to the tariffs. In 1832, Jackson used his immense power to veto a charter for the Second Bank of America. Although the government claimed that the bank could lead to more investments, Jackson saw it as a mere strategy by the wealthy to increase their wealth at the expense of the poor. This forced the government to save their money in the existing banks, which then loaned it to the ordinary people. Because the federal money was in excess, the banks were forced to lend out the money in an indiscriminate manner and this led to high levels of inflation.Advertising Looking for research paper on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In order to pacify the people and stop the easy flow of money, Jackson demanded that no liquid money was to pay for any land purchase but instead gold or silver was to be used. Although this would pose problems later on, it solved the problem and this led people to believe him even the more. Jackson’s intention was well intended and it coincided with his nature of putting the interest of the people first.5 In 1830, Jackson showed another side of his caring nature when he supported the expulsion of Indians from Georgia. Although the act made him to be chastised by the West, his only consolation was that he had the support of the people. To support his actions, Jackson invoked the Indian Removal Act that had been passed in 1830. However, the American Supreme Court had passed a ruling preventing the government from expelling them but Jackson disregarded the ruling. In what later came to be known  as the Trail of Tears, government troops led close to 15,000 Indians from Georgia to their ancestral land. Indeed, a president who is ready to risk losing support from his peer countries and even disregards a court decision to support the wishes of the masses is nothing but a man of the people.6 After retiring from active politics in 1836, Jackson maintained a lively interest in national politics. In order to ensure that he was not locked from national politics and from making decisions touching on the common person, Jackson had handpicked Martin Van Buren as his successor. Buren’s election ensured that Jackson would remain in the limelight and influence major decisions. In fact, it is believed that Andrew Jackson was a major figure in white House until the time of his death on June 8, 1845. In the years before his death, Jackson prevented the reintroduction of the Second Bank of the United States Charter, which he believed would oppress the ordinary Americans. Although there are many explanations for Jackson’s interest in ordinary citizens, it is believed that his poor upbringing made him close to them. Once he ascended to the presidency, he did anything possible to ensure that they were free from oppression by the political elite.7 Conclusion Andrew Jackson is considered as one of the greatest American presidents in history. To begin with, he was the first President in the U.S to come from a poor background. Having been orphaned from a young age, Jackson had to overcome many  odds to become the American president. After spending many years with ordinary  citizens, Jackson felt closer to them and he constantly fought for their rights when he became president. On more than one occasion, Jackson risked losing the support of the States and that of other nations to fight for causes that he believed would help the poor. Even after his two terms had expired, Jackson worked behind the scenes to ensure that the bills he had blocked were not reintroduced. This can only be considered nothing but a great and pure love for the peopl e that he represented. Footnotes 1Kelly, Martin. Andrew Jackson-7th President of the United States, 2011. Web. http://americanhistory.about.com/od/andrewjackson/p/pjackson.htm 2Watson, Thomas. The Life and Times of Andrew Jackson, 1912. Press of the Jeffersonian pub. Co, 23-25. Print. 3Wilentz, Sean. Andrew Jackson, 2006. Times Books, 3-10. Print. compromise tariff was enacted to ensure that no state paid higher tariffs than others did and this increased his standing among the people who had for long had to content with uneven distribution of resources. 4 4Kelly, Martin. Andrew Jackson-7th President of the United States, 2011. Web. http://americanhistory.about.com/od/andrewjackson/p/pjackson.htm 5Wilentz, Sean. Andrew Jackson, 2006. Times Books, 3-10. Print. 6Berry, Christina. â€Å"Andrew Jackson-The Worst President the Cherokee Ever Met† All Things Cherokee, n.d. Web. allthingscherokee.com/articles_culture_events_020201.html. 7Wilentz, Sean. Andrew Jackson, 2006. Times Book s, 3-10. Print. Berry, Christina. â€Å"Andrew Jackson-The Worst President the Cherokee Ever Met† All Things Cherokee, n.d. Web. allthingscherokee.com/articles_culture_events_020201.html. Kelly, Martin. Andrew Jackson-7th President of the United States, 2011. Web. http://americanhistory.about.com/od/andrewjackson/p/pjackson.htm Watson, Thomas. The Life and Times of Andrew Jackson, 1912. Press of the Jeffersonian pub. Co, 23-25. Print. Wilentz, Sean. Andrew Jackson, 2006. Times Books, 3-10. Print.

Most Important Things In Human Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Most Important Things In Human Life - Essay Example Man is a social animal and it is almost impossible for a human to lead an isolated life. Relations ships are what makes man different from other animals. As per the Holy Bible, when God created Adam, He found that a companion is necessary for Adam and created Eve also. In other words, God himself was aware that it is difficult for a human to conduct a lonely life. Marriage or staying together is a holy act intended for human by God not only for creating offspring but for the success of the life as well through personal relationships Personal relationships help human to share their worries and stresses with others. It is impossible for the current generation to suppress all the tensions and worries in his/her mind. Psychologists are of the opinion that sharing of stresses with others can make a person feel relaxed and so many psychological problems can be reduced or removed if the person gets somebody for sharing his/her problems. Love is a basic character of all human beings. In fact, human life is established on the axis of love only by God. When love fails, problems will be started to creep in. Personal relationships are one way of expressing love towards others. In fact, people can make heavens in this world itself through love and personal relationships. Many people believe that the current conflicts in the world, like the Iraq war, Afghan war and the Israel-Palestine wars are occurred because of the lack of relationships between people and the countries. Achievements may not last long, but personal relationships are long-lasting ones. Suppose a person has earned a lot of wealth and failed to keep good relationships with others. The achievement of that person may not be remembered by others for more than a particular period of time.