Trends in the tourist sector: Georgia

Trends in the tourist sector: Georgia Tourism Paths of the Black Sea Region Research and analyze of main trends of Tourism Sectors in Georgia (Part I) Abstract The study ,, Research and analyze of main trends of Tourism Sectors in Georgia† consists of two parts, in the presented article we will propose the first part of the research which had been conducted in the frames of the project â€Å"Tourism Paths of the Black Sea Region† implemented by ICCT and funded by the European Union in the BSR. The survey results will help the countries’ surrounding the Black Sea to see the strong and weak sides in terms of tourism development, enabling them to make better planning in future. The study covered the following issues: to determine local and foreign tourists preferences while traveling in Georgia, tourists’ travel motivations, main impact and influencing factors on tourists’ decision how they got the information about Georgia. Key Words: Tourism trends, tourism sectors – research and statistics Target Groups: Foreign and local tourists; Tourist Information Centres; Research design and methodology The study was carried out in target cities and municipalities covering 12 administrative units : Ambrolauri, Tbilisi, Rustavi, Tbilisi, Gori, Kvareli, Batumi, Poti, Mestia, Mtskheta, Telavi, Kutaisi. About 150 respondents were questioned. Foreign and local tourists’ survey results During the researches the following amount of the respondents participated among which 92% were foreign tourists, and 8%- the Georgian tourists . 82% of foreign tourists visited Georgia for the first time, while 18% traveled for the second time. The absolute majority of tourists who arrived in Georgia was looking for the possibilities of recreation, cultural tourism, tourism activities and mountain walking: Among the tourists were those whose aim was to have a holiday and those who showed their interest in sightseeing, attending cultural events and tasting traditional Georgian cuisine and wine. About 63% of the survey participants received the tourist information via the internet. Also the high rate went on recommendations provided by friends and relatives, resulting in a total of 44% . The role of travel agencies in the development of national tourism should be noted, which attracted 31% of total travelers: Most of the tourists prefer traveling together with the partners or friends. Respondents’ experience concerning this issue was as followed: Tourists start planning to travel much earlier before they decide to travel. It should be noted that 43% of tourists arrange their travel schedule 1-3 months before the trip, 32% -1 month before, while 26% more than 3 months in advance. Among those who plan to travel more than 3 months in advance are the families who belong to the consumer segment: The majority of tourists visiting Georgia apply to the low-cost airlines, but for local transportation they prefer a rented car, which is probably determined by a low development level of public transportation : The main stream of tourists visiting Georgia for periods was ranging from 3 to 14 days. In particular, the average duration of the visit periods was distributed as followed: During the general assessment the majority of the tourists highly estimated the conditions of the tourist sites; 86% said that the quality level of service was excellent. Only 2% complained on the service quality, while 12% refrained from answering. The impressions of the traveling were of high assessment: The tourists assessment displayed strong and weak features of the typical tourist places. In particular, the environmental contamination was detected: Ultimately, traveling along Georgia, the majority of respondents positively estimates their trip. 83% of travelers said they were satisfied with the decision to travel in Georgia . 68% of respondents believed that the experience of traveling in Georgia had exceeded all their expectations. Only 26% had a reason to express dissatisfaction, mainly due to the pollution of the environment or the low quality of service. In order to create the travel motivations of tourists, especially for the second visit, it is not enough just to possess the rich cultural, historical and natural heritage resources. There are additional factors that affect the degree of tourist’s satisfaction. During the survey/study the following priorities were determined: In Modern marketing the most effective advertising was considered to be the recommendations. The best way to determine a real impression of customers was to determine whether they recommended this product to their acquaintances. Providing from these factors, the percentage of spreading positive information among the respondents who had the second visits was very high: Tourist Information Centers in Georgia are in the development process. They can be found/are available only in the active tourist regions and cities . One of the research directions of their work was to define efficiency and quality of service . 90% of respondents said that they were satisfied with the services provided by the Information Centers: The average travel time and expenses in Georgia are different. It depended on the users age, employment status, sex and other variables. According to the overall data, the average expenditure per tourist has the rate of 1,023 EUR. Among the most low budget segment of the tourist market are students and the high budget tourist are middle-aged employed women / men. In accordance with the nationalities, most of the money spent in Georgia falls on Russian, Ukrainian and Western European tourists. The different needs of the average expenditure was as followed (amounts are in euro currency): 72% of visitors said that they did not exceed the costs incurred while traveling to Georgia by the specified amount. 20% of the guests said that the cost was much less than planned. The proportion of consumer respondents who said that the costs exceeded expectations were the students . Overall, tourism expenditure assessment is as follows: In relation to travel costs 70% said that the service was worth the fee/expenses. 64% of respondents believe that in Georgia prices are reasonable for accommodation and food service . 70% think that the prices of additional services, excursions, spa services, entertainment and other facilities are absolutely acceptable. The average age of the surveyed tourists was 37 years old, including the youngest- 19 years old, while the oldest is 65 years old . Among the respondents 44% were women and 56% men. The distribution of tourists interviewed by country of origin are as follows: Research Results of Tourist Information Centres One of the aims of the research was to share the experience and level of development of tourism in urban and regional information centers throughout the region in order to establish better tourists’ characteristics. As a result of the information obtained, it was possible to compile a profile of the typical tourist, taking advantage of the determination and identification of areas for development. The information centers were visited by 67% of foreign tourists and 33% of Georgian tourists. Among studied 12 administrative units only one region noted that there was provided a staff training sessions and communicative course of English.In other 11 regions negative answers were received about the trainings sessions in the regions that pointed to the lack of the work done in this direction. Urban and regional information centers occasionally cooperate with local public agencies and private companies involved in the tourism sector. However, a lot of work should be done, because it will encourage the rapid development of tourism at the local level: 92% of Tourist Information Centers stated that they are still working on statistical data collection. See below the tourist characteristics of the regions which were based on the data received from the Tourist Informational Centers after they had filled the questionnaires. Characteristics of tourists by region: Ambrolauri Tourist profile:Mountain Resort. The regions most active tourists:Georgian, Polish, Ukrainian, French and Israelis tourists. Consumers age:20 to 60 years. The Consumers goal: Vacation 82%, Cultural Tourism 45%, Ecotourism 20%. Interests:83% of visitors interested in cultural and natural monuments. The type of consumer:67% of tourists in the region were vacationers with families Duration of stay:42% of visitors stayed at an average of 10 days The popular means of transport:Due to the lack of transport and poor roads, 50% use a rented car, while 43% use the private cars, and a small portion of the bus. Akhaltsikhe Tourist profile:The region is rich of Historical monuments The regions most active tourists:Polish, Russian, Ukrainian and German tourists. Consumers age:20 to 50 years. The Consumers goal:In this region 68% of the visitors were oriented to the recreation and cultural tours and 31% tourists were wishing to visit relatives and friends. Interests:80% of visitors were interested in the historical and cultural monuments. The type of consumer:89% of tourists in the region, are traveling with a partner Duration of stay:52% of visitors stayed at an average of 7 days The popular means of transport:This region is easily accessible and has comfortable transport facilities. 62% of visitors used a bus / mini-bus to arrive, while 32% used train. Bolnisi Tourist profile:Historical and multi-ethnic region The regions most active tourists:Russian, Ukrainian, Azerbaijani and German tourists. Consumers age:20 to 35 years. The Consumers goal:45% of visitors to the region were cultural recreation-oriented and 40% of tourists were wishing to visit relatives. Interests: 98% of visitors were interested to view the historical sites The type of consumer:45% of tourists visited the region with a partner, while 35% of tourists were traveling with their families. Duration of stay:42% of visitors stayed at an average of 7 days The popular means of transport:Transport facilities are readily available in the region. 58% of visitors to the bus / mini bus travels, while 25% of the rented car. Borjomi Tourist profile:Healing / health resort. The regions most active tourists:Georgian, Ukrainian, Russian, Azeri and Kazakh tourists. Consumers age:25-75years The Consumers goal:The goal of the journey is to restore the health 65%, Ecotourism 20%, entertainment 5%. Interests:Nature monuments, local healing tasting water and rafting. The type of consumer:The consumer segment of families with children is 85% and the elderly couples 10%. Duration of stay:25% of visitors stayed at an average of 7 days, and 65% stayed for 8–14 days. The popular means of transport:The public transport facilities connecting the region is well developed.Most of the tourists travel by minibus 55% and 20% by train Gori Tourist profile::The Historical region The regions most active tourists:Russian, American, German and Polish tourists. Consumers age:23-65 years The Consumers goal:Cultural tourism 65%, visit to friends and relatives 25%. Interests:View historical and cultural sites 65%. The type of consumer:Single traveler 30%, middle-aged and older couples 55%. Duration of stay:about 7 days The popular means of transport:The public transport facilities connecting the region is well developed. The populartransport is a minibus 45%, rented cars 34%. Kvareli Tourist profile:The Historical region, Wine-producing region. The regions most active tourists:Georgian, Russian, American and German tourists. Consumers age:21–54 years The Consumers goal:Vacation 30%, cultural recreation-35% and Entertainment 32%. Interests:The local cuisine and wine tasting 45%, cultural sites 30%. The type of consumer:Single travelers 45%, young and middle-aged couples 40% Duration of stay:7–days – 45%, 8–14 days-30%. The popular means of transport:Rented cars 35%, own cars 32% and minibus 30%. Tbilisi Tourist profile:The capital, administrative and cultural center. The regions most active tourists:Polish, Jewish, Ukrainian, Russian, German tourists. Consumers age:21–75years The Consumers goal:Entertainment 43% , businesses tours 35% and visit of relatives / friends 34%. Interests:Cultural sites 45% taking part in events 48% of business meetings 35%. The type of consumer:Single travelers 30%, of of families 33% and of couples 37%. Duration of stay:7 days – 40%, 7–14 days – 36%. The popular means of transport:The plane 65%, own cars 25% and the train 10%. Telavi Tourist profile:The Historical region, Wine-producing region. The regions most active tourists:Czech, Polish, Belgian, Israeli tourists. Consumers age:30–50years The Consumers goal:Cultural Tourism 45%, and visit of relatives 24%. Interests:Cultural sites 67%, the local cuisine and wine tasting 63%. The type of consumer:Middle-aged couples 47%, the families 52%. Duration of stay:

Leadership Behavior and Conflict Management in Small Groups Essay

Small groups of people with common interests often come together to exchange information, collaborate and cooperate in the pursuit of a shared goal. These members have the time and space to meet and share ideas through interaction and participation. When such groups face tough and insurmountable problems it helps to have a visionary leader to help them cooperate and work together as a team (Forsyth, 2006). The study of small groups helps us to understand basic human behavior and how leaders transform groups and resolve conflicts (Hare, 1965). According to Forsyth, Donelson â€Å"Leadership is the process by which an individual guides others in their pursuits, often by organizing, directing, coordinating, supporting and motivating their efforts†. The process of leadership has evolved basically from the need to be organized. We observe similar qualities in the flock of birds that fly across the sky and among the herd of elephants deep in the jungles. But with humans, leadership processes have become as varied and complex as the many research studies that have been conducted. The leadership process is reciprocal, when it is mutually influences the leader and the follower, transactional when both the leaders and followers work together for common goals, transformational when leaders are able to inspire their followers into doing their best, cooperative when members select their leader voluntarily, adaptive when members are motivated to achieving group goals, task oriented when the leader focuses all the activities of the followers towards the achievement of group goals and relationship oriented when the focus is on the interpersonal relationship between group members. (Forsyth, 2006). While leadership processes are varied, the qualities found in leaders are also equally diverse. Though inborn personality traits are helpful in small group settings like being sociable, outgoing and expressive most leadership traits are acquired (Barrick &Mount 1991). Normally leaders tend to be more intelligent than their followers in small groups. But most groups find it difficult to handle leaders with very high intellectual abilities (C. A. Gibb, 1969). On the other hand it is very helpful if a leader is endowed with emotional intelligence and the ability to be flexible to suit the demands of a particular situation (Kenny &Zaccaro, 1983). Research studies have also shown that followers place undue importance to leaders who speak a lot more than necessary, as compared to leaders who are men of few words (Sorrentino & Boutillier, 1975). The intriguing phenomenon of effective leadership has given rise to varying theories. Each of them has their related leadership training program as well. According to Fiedler’s Contingency Theory, a leader’s effectiveness depends on the way he relates to hi followers and in his ability to control situations. Here he specified three factors that influenced the leader’s control; the cohesiveness of the group, the concentration of power in the hands of the leader and whether group goals were structured or not. Using the Least Preferred Worker Scale (LPC), he rated people who were relationship oriented high and those who were task oriented low on the LPC score. The Octants based on this show that the task oriented leaders are effective when situations are highly favorable and unfavorable and relationship oriented leaders are effective in moderate situations (Forsyth, 2006). Fiedler has taken into consideration the good and the bad leader-member relations, the structured and unstructured goals. But groups goals are sometimes partly structured, leaders have average power and there exists fair leader- member relations. This middle range seems more possible and plausible while considering small group situations. In Robert Blake and Jane Mouton’s The Leadership Grid the focus, is again on task and relationship orientation, and they have come up with five different styles of leadership. In the ‘apathetic’ approach the leader has no interest in either achieving goals or improving group relations. The ‘country club’ approach as the name suggests adopts a friendly working atmosphere. While the ‘middle road approach’ has a leader who balances the work done and maintains the morale of the people; the ‘task master’ gets the work done and is less concerned about the feelings of the group members. The ‘team work approach’, is considered the best as its members are committed to their goal and share a feeling of mutual trust and respect (Forsyth, 2006). The style of the leadership depends on the maturity of the group members according to the Situational Leadership Theory given by Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard. They emphasize that an effective leader should display four styles of leadership. An effective leader should ‘direct’ the group members when they are inexperienced, ‘coach’ them as their competence level increases, offer ‘support’ when they are moderately mature and ‘delegate’ tasks when they are committed (Forsyth, 2006). Though this approach doesn’t talk about task and relationship orientation it is feasible in small groups. The Leader Member Exchange (LMX) approach is based on how members respond to their leaders. If they value their leader there is a heightened level of efficiency, commitment and loyalty and they become a part of the privileged inner group. The others who do not respond positively form the outer group and continue to do their work. The key to the leader’s effectiveness depends on his capacity to bring all his followers within the inner group (Forsyth, 2006). The Lewin-Lippitt-White study focused on the control the leader had over his group and their level of participation. Under laboratory conditions they studied the effect of shared and unshared power in the context of small groups. Groups with an authoritarian leader reflected greater dependence and showed signs of more conflict, whereas under a democratic leader group members learnt to be more self reliant. The laissez-faire group was added later with a leader who rarely interfered and followers who learnt to make their own decisions. This group wasn’t as cohesive as the democratic style that emerged the best. The group with a democratic leader had the highest group oriented suggestions, more friendly behavior and less critical discontent (Forsyth, 2006). Since power was shared participants felt empowered to make meaningful decisions towards the achievement of a shared goal. This study in fact supports the concept of collective leadership as well. Craig L Pearce & Jay Conger (2003) studied the effectiveness of ‘shared leadership’ when the group was removed from a traditional organizational approach. They found that groups with collective leadership outperformed the leader oriented groups. They were also the most effective in small group situations. Bernard Bass (1997) presented the Theory of Transformational Leadership based on the charisma of the leader to transform his followers. Under the influence of an inspirational leader, group members unite to show increased efficiency in pursuing collective goals. A transformational leader tends to questions old beliefs and leads his followers along paths that are not chartered, setting new trends (Forsyth, 2006). With more emphasis placed on interpersonal relations these leaders are effective in both small and large groups. Being eloquent, a charismatic leader initiates dialogues on issues where differences of opinion arise. Such open minded brain storming sessions would bring about several solutions and the group might end up accepting a hybrid goal where the best ideas have been incorporated. This builds cohesiveness and improves cooperation within the group (Potter, 1996). The charismatic leaders have a reputation of integrity and their followers show a tendency to emulate them. (Eagly, Johannesen- Schmidt & Van Engen, 2003). But charismatic leaders are rare and even these exceptional leaders can get things wrong. Something that seems morally and ethically right for one person may not be so for another. Keeley, 1998). Another question that has fascinated researchers is whether men and women show different leadership behavior and do gender differences influence the process of leadership. Though historical evidence supports the fact that women have been underrepresented in leadership roles, research studies show that gender does not influence the effectiveness of a leader with both sexes displaying a balanced task and relationship orientation (Forsyth, 2006). Both men and women who hold similar positional and resource power show similarities in leadership behavior (Kanter, 1997). Women leaders show a tendency to be more agreeable, open, fair, responsible and increasingly involved in conflict management, whereas men are inclined towards power, influence and skill orientation (Forsyth, Schenker, Leary & McCown, 1985). Thus the sexes differ in the styles of leadership with women adopting transformational and participative approaches, while men are likely to exhibit authoritarian, laissez-faire and transactional styles (Eagly, Johannesen-Schmidt & Van Engen, 2003). Conflict management is a major challenge faced by leaders across the world. Conflict is a natural occurrence in competitive group situations. A disagreement over beliefs and actions can lead to a conflict if it is resisted. Through an interaction process analysis Robert Blake and his colleagues observed that group members spent one fifth of their time in making hostile comments. When task achievement became difficult, hostility increased and escalated into a conflict (Forsyth, 2006). The best method to manage conflict would be to have an open debate on the issue (Montana & Charnov, 2000), instead of ignoring or brushing aside conflicts, an effective leader should confront it head on (Davies, Burke, Calbom &Kindler, 1991). The current trend shows that leaders and followers are expected to be in contact 24/7 (Murphy & Riggio). It has in turn given rise to virtual offices, having virtual teams working out of their homes in different parts of the globe. . This increased dependence in information technology has given way to e-leadership (Avolio, Kahai & Dodge, 2000). In the future new leadership trends will be reinvented as business environments keep changing. Traditional power oriented organizations will give way to power sharing ones. Organizations will get decentralized, along with a cooperative use of resources (Forsyth, 2006). Competency then will depend on the leader’s vision of the future, intellectual capacity, strategic thinking, emotional strength and the ability to coordinate and develop human capital (Rivard, 2004). Together with team building and leadership, conflict resolution as a skill will have to be acquired by people interacting in small groups (Gregory &Parry, 2006). It will help them to lead the world that’s growing flatter.

The English Only Movement in US

Language has always been an important part of a country†s culture and way of life. When the U. S. was founded, it was common to hear as many as 20 languages spoken along with many documents that were printed in different languages. There have been many debates over establishing a national language, and a movement arose that strives to establish English as the nation†s official language. This movement is known as the â€Å"English Only† movement, and it â€Å"promotes the enactment of legislation that restricts or prohibits the use of languages other than English by government agencies and, in some cases, by private businesses† (ALCU). Many people whom support the â€Å"English Only† movement believes that multilingualism is too costly and inefficient for the government to operate in. Making English as an official language will have little day-to-day effect on the population and their lifestyles or private lives. They believe that declaring English as the official language is the fairest way to handle over 300 languages spoken in the U. S. (LIA). Many people support multilingualism and oppose having English as an official language because it is unfair to individuals who are not fluent in English. Also, they create false stereotypes of immigrants and non-English speakers. They conclude that it violates the diversity embodied in our Constitution, creating restrictions and limits instead of protecting individual rights, and it does not help the integration of language minority citizens into the American mainstream. I personally support keeping the U. S. as a multilingual nation. I feel that the nation is running smoothly enough and it does not need to be changed in that way. There are many nations that hold multiple official languages that run very smoothly. I do not see why it is necessary for our nation to require English to be an official language with more than 30 percent of the nation coming from a different ethnic group or culture. Therefore, I believe that this nation should not enforce English as the official language. For more than 200 years, Americans have gotten by without declaring English our official language. Congress had never even considered declaring English the nation's official language until 1981. The only previous official-language legislation dates back to 1923: a bill designating â€Å"American† the national tongue. Americans have traditionally resisted language legislation, beginning in 1780, when John Adams proposed to establish an official Language Academy to set standards for English. This idea was rejected by the Continental Congress as an improper role for government and a threat to individual liberties. There was no English proficiency requirement to become naturalized as a U. S. citizen until 1906 – the first major language restriction to be enacted at the federal level. Before World War I, bilingual education was common in areas where nonanglophone groups enjoyed political clout. During the 19th century, state laws, constitutions, and legislative proceedings appeared in languages as diverse as Welsh, Czech, Norwegian, Spanish, French, and of course, German. At other times, Americans have imposed restrictive language policies. California rewrote its state constitution in 1879 to eliminate Spanish language rights. In 1897, Pennsylvania made English proficiency a condition of employment in its coal fields, a none-too-subtle way to exclude Italians and Slavs. Security fears during the World War I era led to unprecedented bans on public use of the German language – in schools, on the street, during religious services, and even on the telephone. (Crawford) Proposition 227 was passed by a substantial majority of California voters. Its passage is the direct result of the state's poor student performance in English. Until its passage, California embraced bilingual education. Proposition 227 virtually ends bilingual education in California and reintroduces phonics based programs. The California Content Standards and California Education Code clearly define the course requirements under Proposition 227 and the goals for grade level performance. Many groups and organizations feel that making English the official language is essential and beneficial for the U. S. government and its citizens. These groups believe that official English promotes unity. â€Å"This long tradition of assimilation has always included the adoption of English as the common means of communication† (USE). Many studies show that immigrants learn English slower when they are supported by their native language. Since multilingual government services actually encourage the growth of linguistic enclaves, this causes the U. S. to divide into separate language groups because of racial and ethnic conflicts (USE). Also, immigrants will benefit from learning English by being able to participate in the government and the workforce. If immigrants were not proficient in English, they would be subjected to the low-skilled and low-paying jobs. â€Å"Knowledge of English leads to the realization of the American dream of increased economic opportunity and the ability to become a more productive member of society, which benefits everyone† (USE). Many organizations also feel that official English can save money from the unnecessary duplication of government services in multiple languages. â€Å"It is not the responsibility of the government to provide services in the 329 different languages spoken in the United States. It is the responsibility of each individual to either learn English or to find a friend or family member to translate† (USE). Of course there are exceptions including emergencies, foreign language instruction, safety and health services, and tourism promotions. Also, official English does not affect private businesses, religious services, or private conversations (USE). On the opposing hand, organizations oppose official English because they feel it is a violation of individual†s rights. They believe that â€Å"such laws are contrary to the spirit of tolerance and diversity embodied in our Constitution. An English Language Amendment to the Constitution would transform that document from being a charter of liberties and individual freedom into a charter of restrictions that limits, rather than protects, individual rights† (ACLU). There are some versions of the proposed English Language Amendment that disregards the government from providing services in languages other than English. These groups that oppose the â€Å"English Only† laws believe that it violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. It interferes with the right to vote for individuals who can not read English and with the right of workers to be free of discrimination in certain workplaces. â€Å"Today, as in the past, ‘English Only† laws in the U. S. are founded on false stereotypes of immigrant groups. Such laws do not simply disparage the immigrants' native languages but assault the rights of the people who speak the languages (ACLU). With the debate over â€Å"English Only† laws, a topic of bilingual education arose. Many people who support official English oppose bilingual education. They feel that â€Å"bilingual education programs rely on the unproven theory that a child must spend years becoming literate in his native language before he or she can properly learn a second language. Under their own theory, bilingual educators should not have placed an English-speaking child in a Cantonese-speaking class† (USE). Wasted funds have gone into the support of bilingual education with the schools being inefficient at teaching English. Studies have shown that these bilingual education schools have little or no effect. â€Å"At the very least, federal and state bilingual education laws must be reformed to ensure that parents can easily remove their children from bilingual education programs. Because in America, a child shouldn†t be forced to file a lawsuit to get his education in English† (USE). Since the 1960s, research has shown that multiple language skills do not confuse the mind. Quite the contrary: when well-developed, they seem to provide cognitive advantages, although such effects are complex and difficult to measure (Crawford). Another discredited notion is that children will learn a second language rapidly if they are totally immersed in it. â€Å"For generations, this philosophy served to justify policies of educational neglect – assigning minority students to regular classrooms, with no special help in overcoming language barriers. Disproportionate numbers failed and dropped out of school as a result† (Crawford). The sink-or-swim approach was ruled illegal by the U. S. Supreme Court in Lau v. Nichols. Research has shown that the quality of English exposure is the major factor in English acquisition and not the quantity. Many believe that English as a second language is best taught in natural situations, â€Å"with the second language used in meaningful contexts rather than in repetitious drills of grammar and vocabulary† (Crawford). This approach is common in bilingual education programs, coordinated with lessons in students' native language. Also, native-language instruction also helps to make English comprehensible, by providing contextual knowledge that aids in understanding. Since language has always been an important part of a country†s culture and way of life, I feel that the U. S. should keep this nation a multilingual nation. If this nation can go 200 years without making English the official language, I believe that things should continue this way. I do not feel that the possibility of saving money should substitute the ease of life for immigrants and schools. I also believe that â€Å"an English Language Amendment to the Constitution would transform that document from being a charter of liberties and individual freedom into a charter of restrictions that limits, rather than protects, individual rights† (ALCU). Also, I feel that bilingual education should continue. I feel that it is the parent†s decision where their children go to school. I do not think that the government should interfere with that. Again, I do not believe that money should even be an issue in the rights of these individuals. I agree that English as a second language should be taught in a natural, relaxed environment, â€Å"with the second language used in meaningful contexts rather than in repetitious drills of grammar and vocabulary† (Crawford). It would be hypocritical since Americans learn a foreign language using English. For these reasons I believe that English should not be the nation†s official language, and that bilingual education should continue.

Is Hamlet s Madness Genuine Or Feigned - 1671 Words

Jordan Avery Mrs. Joyner Honors English IV 17 December 2015 Is Hamlet’s Madness Genuine or Feigned? One of the most controversially discussed themes in William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, is the theme of Hamlet’s madness. Shakespeare left it up to the audience to decide whether he was truly crazy or not. Although, there are many deliberate acts of fabricated insanity repeated throughout the play. Hamlet’s life events such as the death of his father, loving someone he cannot have, and not mention the marriage of his mother to his uncle, was enough to make someone go off of the deep end. However, Hamlet even admits that he was going to â€Å"feign madness† in order to avenge his father’s death in a less apparent manner. The death of King Hamlet singlehandedly was the reason behind Hamlet’s acts of antic disposition. After Hamlet’s father died, he came back in what seemed to be an apparition. In Act I, scene V, the ghost speaks to Hamlet and claims to be his father’s spirit. In this conversation, he was asked to avenge the death of his father by killing King Claudius, which would be King Hamlet’s brother. Prince Hamlet’s worst fears about his uncle have now been confirmed and he is ready to begin the process of a hasty revenge. He promises to keep his word of obeying what the ghost asked of him by saying, â€Å"†¦meet it is I set it down that one may smile, and smile, and be a villain. At least I’m sure it may be so in Denmark. So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word†Show MoreRelatedThe Madness Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare1047 Words   |  5 PagesTate McWhorter Period: 3 The Madness in Hamlet In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, madness is a condition which is difficult to identify whether it is genuine or fraudulent. After the encounter with the ghost of Hamlet Sr. and Hamlet, Hamlet decides to put on an antic disposition. But thereafter he decides this, Hamlet s actions embody someone that is truly mad. 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Hamlet is confronted by the ghost of his father in the first act and discovers the truth of his father’s death. The Prince is horrified at the disclosure that his Uncle, King Claudius has murdered his father. He also finds himself outraged by his mother’s hasty remarriage; however, the Ghost forbids him to cause her any harm. Hamlet promises to avenge hisRead MoreHamlet s Madness And Insanity1481 Words   |  6 PagesMuch has been has been discussed of Hamlet’s madness and insanity. There have been endless arguments of whether his madness is feigned or unfeigned. Although, minimal arguments have been made about Hamlet’s pessimism. Hamlet is one of Shakespeare s most pessimistic plays, and as such it delivers the message that in a fallen world, reality often fails to match the ideal. The human experiences held up for pessimistic contemplation in Hamlet includes death, grief, loneliness, insanity, loss of meaningRead More To Be or Not to Be - Hamlets Answer Essay1367 Words   |  6 PagesTo Be or Not to Be - Hamlets Answer As Hamlet approaches a waiting Ophelia, he begins one of the most famous soliloquies in all of literature with the immortal line: To be or not to be?that is the question (III. i. 64). Yet this obvious reference to suicide only scratches the surface of the heart-rendering conflict felt by the young Dane. Hamlets impetuous desire to take his own life is only an impassioned reaction to the heavy burden of revenge that his fathers murder has placed uponRead More Comparison of Oedipus and Hamlet Essay1322 Words   |  6 PagesComparison of Oedipus and Hamlet Compare and contrast Oedipus and Hamlet. Is Oedipus more a man of action? Or is he more a man driven by whim and sudden, rash decisions? Which character is more selfless? Does Hamlet show any signs of selfish motives in his actions or inactions? Which protagonist seems more learned? wiser? more religious? more loving? more incestuous? Which seems to be a better murder investigator? Does Oedipus have any of Claudius motives when he kills the king, Laius? ThenRead MoreShakespeares Presentation of Ophelia Essay1786 Words   |  8 Pagesinstructions. Notably, Ophelia not only appears to have little understanding of Hamlets madness, but no curiosity into its cause. Like Gertrude, Ophelia has no soliloquy in which she can confide her true thoughts and feelings, which is a pity as it detracts from her character as a whole. Shakespeare achieves this deliberately of course; however, it raises the question as to why Hamlet should have been attracted to her, if indeed he ever was. Although there is no textualRead MoreComparing Hamlet And Oedipus Rex1868 Words   |  8 PagesMarcos Martinez John Q. Davis English 103 Date†¦.. Hamlet Oedipus Rex In Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, there is a seemingly close common relationship shown between the two plays regarding mainly the community and era in which they took place in. As well as different scenes throughout both stories which show very similar ideas from the writers such as, murder being the common theme in both plays. One example comes from the story, Oedipus the King, and it is that there is a direct