United States Essay Example

United States Essay Example United States Essay United States Essay The United States enacted an embargo on Cuba in 1960; cutting off all ties with Cuba in an attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro. President Eisenhower ordered a complete stoppage of United States exports to Cuba The United States policy on Cuba proved counter-productive and negatively impacted the Cuban citizens. The embargo moved Cuba towards an oppressive government and helped Castro justify his oppression. The United States intended for the embargo against Cuba to further benefit Cuba as a country and lead Cuba more towards a democratic government.Instead this embargo forced Cuba towards a more communist government causing much more destruction than anticipated by the United States. President Eisenhower developed a plan to overthrow the Cuban President, Fidel Castro, when he determined the embargo ineffective. President Eisenhower disclosed his intention to eliminate Castro by either armed force or assassination. The tension between the United States and Cuba heightened when it became known that President Eisenhower planned to overthrow Fidel Castro. The United States entered into Southern Cuba to takeover the government by armed force.This invasion came to be known as the Bay of Pigs. The Cuban government was unaware of the exact date the exile force would land but Castro expected the imminent attack. The Bay of Pigs Invasion happened on April 17 through the 19 in 1961. A United States ship carrying all the weapons and ammunition intended for the invasion, sunk on the first day. The unsuccessful Bay of Pigs Invasion created more hostility between the United States and Cuba. After the Bay of Pigs invasion the United States pressured its allies to reduce their commerce with Cuba, in hopes of forcing Castro into submission.The Bay of Pigs Fiasco primarily caused the Soviet Union’s involvement with Cuba. The United States’ inability to make decisive decisions regarding government policies with Cuba encouraged the Soviet Union to exert more power over Cuba. The United States failure to decisively act led the Soviets to believe that their country’s economic and military involvement with Cuba would not endanger United States and Soviet relations. â€Å"The single most important event encouraging and accelerating Soviet involvement in Cuba was the Bay of Pigs Invasion. Some of Castro’s advisors wrote that he openly traded United States dominance for Soviet dominance. The embargo on Cuba significantly damaged the Cuban citizens. The embargo restricted Cubans from traveling to the United States and limited the number of United States citizens allowed to enter into Cuba. The embargo considerably impacted Cuban’s daily lives including access to basic needs such as food, health care and education. The embargo also resulted in political oppression. Nancy Pelosi reiterated this when she argued against House Resolution 927.Ms. Pelosi stated, â€Å" H. R. 927 tightens the embargo against Cuba- an embargo which has only resulted in inadequate access to medicine, to food, to healthcare, to education, and to development, for the Cuban people. It has not had an impact on Castro. It has not contributed to an open society. It has not opened any doors to freedom. † The embargo on Cuba negatively affected the daily lives of the Cuban people. The Cuban people suffered because of the embargo that ultimately provided no sizeable gain for the United States.The United States failed to overthrow Fidel Castro but continued to impose the embargo that caused pain and destruction for the Cuban citizens. Castro’s willingness to accept Soviet domination allowed Cuba to rely on the Soviets for economic support. Prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Cuba relied heavily on the Soviet’s for the majority of their imported food. When the Soviet Union fell, Cuba lost billions of dollars in economic aid. The United States knew of Cuba’s dire economic state resulting from the fall of t he Soviet Union.Yet, the United States continued ignoring the desperate state of the Cuban people hoping that the depravity of food would force a citizen revolt against Fidel Castro. The United States used food as a weapon instead of lifting the embargo and providing the aid the Cuban society desperately needed. During a subcommittee meeting about consumer affairs, Stephen Weber president of the Maryland Farm Bureau stated, â€Å" We support immediate resumption of normal trading relations with Cuba†¦ In short, food should not be used as a weapon†¦U. S. rade policy has demonstrated that more than forty years of isolationism has failed to produce a democratic reform. † The United States failed to act and in consequently the Cuban people suffered not Castro. The United States should have allowed the importation of wheat and corn in to Cuba. Helping the Cubans would have had no damaging consequences for the United States. In 1961 the Cuban government embarked on a camp aign to eradicate illiteracy. Cuba, once one of the most literate countries in the world, slowly lost their prominent lead in their advancing education system.Teacher shortages in Cuban schools made the educational process difficult. The students lacked updated books with the newly accepted ideas. Had the United States lifted the embargo on Cuba, the access to the educational tools available in the United States would have further benefited the country. Students from the United States are finding that it is extremely difficult for them to get a license to travel to Cuba for educational purposes. Cuban’s are not allowed to travel to the United States thus making it extremely difficult for them to gain intellectual freedom.The embargo limits the knowledge and growth of education between Americans and Cubans. The embargo made it almost impossible for Cubans to broaden their horizons and become familiarly with the new advances in science and technology. There is little freedom of expression in Cuba because the government controls the media. Cubans are in danger of imprisonment if they speak out against the government. The Cuban constitution allows citizens freedom of speech as long as it adheres to the objectives of a socialist society.Dissidents are prohibited from voicing their opinion about the government. If Cubans tried pursuing their individual rights imprisonment would result. Public disorder or alarming the citizens of the rights Cubans lack resulted in imprisonment. Fidel Castro justified the oppression of the Cuban citizens by declaring that any dissent against the Cuban government actually supported the United States in their attempt to overthrow Castro. â€Å" The Cuban government’s justification for oppression can be largely encapsulated in three words: the United States. The United States continued to let the government’s harsh feelings about Castro control political decision-making instead of helping citizens and political pris oners held in violation of their basic human rights. Although many political leaders in the United States are against the embargo, the United States continued to pass legislation strengthening the embargo against Cuba. The Cuban Liberty and Solidarity Act adopted on March 6, 1996 by the United States House of Representatives intensified the United States embargo against Cuba, seeking international sanctions against Castro’s government.This resolution also proposed a plan to support a transitional democratic government for Cuba. Although this bill passed, political leaders did not agree with the sanctions placed against Cuba. One of these leaders spoke candidly about her opinions on the United States embargo against Cuba. Representative Nancy Pelosi stated, â€Å"I oppose H. R. 927 [Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act of 1995]†¦ because the embargo has not contributed in any way to increased freedom and democratization in Cuba. Rather it has only made life hard f or the Cuban people.Fidel Castro is still in power and suffering no consequences from this embargo. The people of Cuba, however, suffer daily because of it. † The political leaders throughout the world disagreed with the United States and their position on the Cuban embargo. The United Nations, in October 1997, voted to support a nonbinding resolution encouraging the Americans to end the embargo against Cuba. One hundred and forty three countries supported this resolution, while only two voted with the United States those being, Israel and Uzbekistan. Most all of the countries in the World opposed the United States embargo on Cuba.Even with most of countries in the World encouraging the Unites States to lift the embargo, the United States stayed committed to its vendetta against Fidel Castro. On February 19 2008, Fidel Castro stepped down as President of Cuba. He renounced his title to his brother, Raul Castro. The United States should have taken******************** this as an opportunity to lift the embargo, and renew its political and economic ties with Cuba. The United States should have acknowledged and acted on the majority of the world’s opinion and should have given up its vendetta against Fidel Castro.This would have been a perfect time for the United Stated to open the doors to a more democratic society by providing aid instead of an embargo that had not produced any results except oppression of the people in the last half of century. The embargo placed on Cuba was intended to weaken the power that Fidel Castro had over Cuba and eventually force him to resign. Thus helping Cuba move towards a more democratic government. Instead the embargo on Cuba only strengthened Castro’s power and lead Cuba more towards a communist government.The embargo has stripped the Cubans of basic rights that could be available to them if the embargo was lifted. The intention was to help the Cuban people escape Castro’s reign but instead it forced t hem to endure years of hardships. United States Essay Example United States Essay United States Essay Before I came to the United States four years ago, I lived with my family in Japan. We were what you could call an average middle class family with equally average adherence to tradition.Japan, though recognized to be one of the worlds most modern cities, has an outlook that is very much rooted in the traditions.   We as children were brought up to be polite, respectful and avoid unnecessary and unpleasant confrontation.   Hard work and pride in our identity and culture as Japanese were the virtues we grew up with.My mother and widowed paternal grandmother who lived with us, were very traditional Japanese wives who stayed at home and believed that their duties lay in looking after their family. While the number of Japanese women opting for careers and joining the ranks of the employed have grown since the olden days, my mother always said taking care of us and her husband were the only roles she wanted to ever have.My father on the other hand was a true hard worker. I remember hi m getting up every 5:00 am to do his meditation before breakfast, then leave promptly by 7:30 for work.   He was also the head of the family so every now and then, a cousin or perhaps an uncle would come to our house and seek his advice over steaming cups of sake (hot rice wine). While the family system in Japan has evolved from the formerly strict family community, most Japanese families still designate and recognize heads of the family.   And though he doesnt say it out loud, I know that being the head of the family meant a great deal to my father the same way being able to provide for us through the salary he earned at his job.Coming to the United States has shown me the vast differences between Western and Oriental culture and society.   For instance, American women seem to be more independent and expressive of their opinions. The culture here is a bit louder than what I grew up with and the vast number of people of different races made me a little anxious as to how I will adjust and fit in.I think the feelings I had on first setting out for the unknown is somewhat similar to the people in the cases handled in Social Work.   While I am not saying that I fully understand how a person might feel after the shock of losing a leg or perhaps having problems brought about by age, gender or social class, I believe I have an idea of that feeling of fear of the unknown.On coming here, I left behind a place where everything was comfortable and familiar. Back home, I knew everyone and had a sense of familiarity with the daily life.   I believe losing that comfortable feeling of knowing ones surroundings and having a semblance of control over what one does would be a terrible thing to happen.For example, in the case of a man who has lived his life doing a job in which he has muchpride then suddenly finds himself handicapped and retired before he planned to do so. My father who takes so much pride in providing for his family and feeling a sense of accomplishme nt each day would probably be my best reference.   I know he would absolutely hate the feeling of helplessness that being handicapped for the first time can do.   As the patriarch of the family, this helplessness and loss of control will be very hard on him.If I were faced with a case similar to this, I would know that consolation and comfort will simply not be enough.   I must base my program on his primary need to still feel useful and have some sort of control so as to get his cooperation.It is not uncommon to come across cases where the people involved find it hard to accept modern or innovative ideas in terms of their rehabilitation.   My mother for instance, being the traditional Japanese mom that she is, will hate to be told to go out and enjoy other peoples company.   While for some people, treatment and readjustment works well in social groups like bingo or social clubs, my mother would feel very shy and that would make her even more uncomfortable.   A program t hat includes domestic work and hobbies like gardening and sewing will probably suit her more effectively.One thing Ive noticed is that very few people really like to be told what is good for them whether they are young or old.   I remember my paternal grandmother who, despite being told by doctors and family alike to stop working so hard because of her age and often achy arthritis, would still insist on sweeping the porch and doing her own laundry.   Often she would get angry if anyone of us tried to do these things for her.   She would often say I am just old, not crippled.  Ã‚  Ã‚   She experienced humble beginnings and so she learned to do things by and for herself.I believe that is something every caseworker should remember. It is sad that in some instances caseworkers just view people under their care a cases and no longer as people.   Perhaps it is when one has worked at something for so long or has become jaded that they just classify these mechanically.   I suppo se one might say that objectivity is good, but in human services, too much objectivity can also be bad.   After all, in order to serve humans, one must recognize them as such. As I have seen from my grandmother, everyone of whatever age, race or gender, would like and should be entitled to keep their dignity and independence whatever way and form they can.My analysis of my self and my family show not just one family, but rather a group of individuals with different personalities, needs, ages, priorities and reactions to various situations.Just the simple terms a caseworker must use in communicating with different personalities and cultures are different. Thus, more thought must be given in communication between the caseworker and subject.   We being of Japanese descent have a culture that is very different from the West. To effectively deal with and talk to a Japanese, one must first see where the subject has come from and that necessitates sufficient understanding of Japanese c ulture, traditions, and way of life. It doesnt have to be in Nihonggo but simple respect and showing that one is not entirely ignorant on anothers culture would be very helpful.I believe that my experience has also taught me that keeping an open mind and respect for other cultures would greatly increase my efficiency as a human service worker in the respect of designing programs for individuals of various ethnicity and age-culture.   I have learned to adapt the view that even with similar infirmities, two people of two different backgrounds may need an approach that is different from the other in order for an adjustment or rehabilitation plan to work.Adjustments that must be done to accommodate new developments such as handicap, infirmity, illness, old age, and the like, must be done in ways that are still familiar and acceptable to the case subject. Perhaps perfect agreement may not always be possible but one must always be open to compromise and listen. Otherwise, there may be a strong resistance as there often is to drastic change.   People still need to feel like they are who they were before whatever the life-changing event is in their situation.   They need to still be able to recognize and enforce their own will as individuals and that is something caseworkers should always recognize and respect.The social caseworkers job is to help people adjust to their new circumstance. Not to make it harder.   It is only when there is complete understanding of an individuals background, beliefs, culture, and the kind of life they grew up with according to the times that one can effectively design a program for rehabilitation that is suited to that individuals needs.   One simply cannot impose their view of how people should feel or react in any given event.   The very arrogant I know what is best for you, is, from the start, not at all good for anyone who is forced to listen to it.   Much as these people maybe represented as folders with case numbers i n the office, a human services case worker must never let the humanity and recognition of individual differences be defined by theoretical studies and too stringent objectivity.