Have you ever made assumptions based on just one side of the story? John Steinbeck once wrote, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” One of the major themes in the novel Little Brother by Cory Doctorow is that seeing a scenario from a different point of view can influence a person’s actions. Following a terrorist attack on San Francisco, different actions are taken by characters depending on what they perceived. Homeland Security role in detaining all people near the terrorist attack displays how from a security point of view, everyone's is a suspect. After the terrorist attack, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is dubious of all occurrences. …show more content…
As everyone has moved forward from the tragedy of the terrorist attack, Marcus focuses on the past. Marcus explains to his friends that “I was us to fight back... I want to stay free so that I can do that” (pg.73). Marcus wants to freely go on with his life without the government taking away his privacy. In order to protect his privacy from the government, he resorts to criminalist acts. First, he installs a private server on his computer, then brings the entire city to a standstill. Marcus and his friends trick the DHS tracking algorithm, as the news reports “DHS gone haywire, blaming it all on the fake ass “security” that was supposed to be protecting us from terrorism’ (pg.132). Marcus is paranoid, his view of the DHS as an enemy has brought out his mischievous …show more content…
For Marcus’s father, the idea of having extended security after the attack makes him feel better. But more importantly, this idea that the DHS is right makes him support the loss of his own privacy. When Marcus is brought home by DHS officers his dad tells him “It’s perfectly reasonable for the police to conduct their investigations by starting with data mining” (pg.109). The cops begin to get more aggressive monitoring every person traveling on public transport and “making people scared.” Once Marcus begins his mischievous ways his dad begins to become more aware of what the DHS is actually doing. Caught in chaos his father is ““pulled over, searched, questioned” twice in one day. Marcus’s father’s point of view changes as he says “they’re spying on us all and they’re not even competent!” (pg.133). The change in point of view shows that people only respond to what they
After the fear of terrorism grew in the United States do to the Al Qaeda 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, the US Government found a need for a centralized department that umbrellas all other agencies when it comes to homeland security. The U.S. Government found this umbrella agency with the passage of the Homeland Security Act by Congress in November 2002, the Department of Homeland Security formally came into being as a stand-alone, Cabinet-level department to further coordinate and unify national homeland security efforts. (Homeland Security) With the creation of the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the government had a pinpoint location for the collection and gathering of intelligence, control of policies that effect national security, and a no fail mission. The Department of Homeland Security started to engulf other agencies and created many more, a total of 22 agencies now fall under the DHS. The DHS is control of all areas that deal with national security which included but are not limited to coastal and boarder protection, domestic terrorism, international terrorism, protection of the American people, protection of key infrastructure, protection of key resources and respond to natural disasters.
Marcus continuously fought to take down the Department of Homeland Security. Throughout the novel, Marcus always seemed to have had a plan in place whenever the Department of Homeland Security and its supports were on to him. For example, one act of disobedience was refusing to unlock his phone while in interrogation. Because of this, Marcus was punished and hold in the cell. As the story progressed, more acts of disobedience were displayed. On page 191, we saw Marcus and others participating in what was described as an illegal party at a park. Police soon shut down the function and repeated said, “THIS IS AN ILLEGAL GATHERING. DISPERSE IMMEDIATELY,” (Orwell, pg194). The next day, newspapers made the party “sound like a drunken, druggy orgy off kids who’d attacked the cops,” (Orwell, pg. 199). The impact of the Department of Homeland Security continued to press down on Marcus when his teacher, who was opened to listening to her student’s opinion, was fired and replaced with someone that obeyed the new rules and regulations. The Xnet, a program that Marcus used to speak in private with others soon was invaded by disguised Homeland Security. Marcus described this new way of life after the bombing unconstitutional. Though guards were arrested, Marcus was not freed. Marcus still had to go to trial. The Homeland Security may have been defeated, but the impact and toll it took on Marcus and those very close
O Brother Where Art Thou is a film set in 1920’s America and begins with an invocation to the muse. This film takes a modern twist on the Greek Epic, The Odyssey. Many themes come to mind when discussing O Brother Where Art Thou and Sullivan’s Travels. A Theme I find heavily intertwined in both films is the power of laughter and especially, civil inequalities. These films are about a journey of self-discovery that take the character’s everywhere and then back home. The Coen Brothers seem to not only be influenced by The Odyssey, but also of Sullivan’s Travels while filming O Brother Where Art Thou. It seems like O Brother Where Art Thou is meant to be the film within the film that Sullivan would’ve created. Some shots of Sullivan’s Travels
How would a society mature if it did not advance alongside technology? This is one of the questions impressed upon me while reading an excerpt from American poet and author Robert Bly’s book The Sibling Society. Bly defines a sibling society as a society that is filled with half-mature adults filling the void left by improper role models. They use internet and electronic entertainment as a substitution for the values and convictions that would have been imparted in them by an authoritative figure. Although we have an alarming amount of immature adults, we are not becoming a sibling society due to technology. With the use of technology, recent generations are now growing up with an awareness of the issues in the world around them, helping them
How does someone overcome the traumatic experiences they suffered with in their childhood? “Nobody had a perfect childhood, not even the kid down the street whose family seemed to have it all together. We all grew up with some sort of dysfunction, and we’re all who we are today because of it,” an excerpt from the article “The New Normal – Healing from a Dysfunctional Family.” A person’s dysfunctional childhood could sprout from neglect, abuse, loss, or psychological aspects that they have no control over but, every bad encounter can be overcome by the strongest people. “Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of extraordinarily stressful events that shatter your sense of security, making you feel helpless in a dangerous world,”( Lawrence Robinson, Melinda Smith, and Jeanne Segal). The three steps to overcome is understanding, coping, and healing (Dania Vanessa). Each of
“Before Sept. 11, the idea that Americans would voluntarily agree to live their lives under the gaze of a network of biometric surveillance cameras, peering at them in government buildings, shopping malls, subways and stadiums, would have seemed unthinkable, a dystopian fantasy of a society that had surrendered privacy and anonymity”(Jeffrey Rosen). Where were you on September 11, 2001? Do you remember the world before this tragic incident? Throughout history, the United States has adopted forms of legislation with the intention of improving national security. From prohibition, to gun laws, the outcomes of these legislations have not always been good.
Imagine waking up on a normal day, in your normal house, in your normal room. Imagine if you knew that that day, you would be taken away from your normal life, and forced to a life of death, sickness, and violence. Imagine seeing your parents taken away from you. Imagine watching your family walk into their certain death. Imagine being a survivor. Just think of the nightmares that linger in your mind. You are stuck with emotional pain gnawing at your sanity. These scenerios are just some of the horrific things that went on between 1933-1945, the time of the Holocaust. This tragic and terrifying event has been written about many times. However, this is about one particularly fascinating story called The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne.
The concept of homeland security has developed over the last decade. Homeland security as a concept was precipitated by the terrorist attacks of 9/11. However, prior to 9/11 such entities as the Gilmore Commission and the United States Commission on National Security discussed the need to evolve the way national security policy was conceptualized due to the end of the Cold War and the rise of radicalized terrorism. After 9/11, policymakers concluded that a new approach was needed to address the large-scale terrorist attacks. A presidential council and department were established, and a series of presidential directives were issued in the name of “homeland security.” These developments established that homeland security was a distinct, but undefined
In the novel Little brother the citizens of San Francisco sacrifice their individual freedoms after a terrorist attack on Bay
...ts of terrorism against the United States. Homeland security has not only proven to be effective, it has shown that it is providing safety for the U.S. and its citizens against terrorist attacks.
According to this story it is clear that Marcus has a negative perception about the installation of cameras in school for protection from terrorist. The installation of cameras is taken as a precautionary measure aimed at heightening the level of security in schools. The terrorists had indicated that schools were their next target, after blowing a bridge. In this regard, Marcus tries to put across that setting up cameras in class will not be a solution or even prevention from terrorists blowing them up. According to this, Marcus is trying to say that cameras will not be as efficient as intended. In this respect, he is calling upon a better intervention method such as improvising drones. These are considered to be more efficient and secure; they can easily spot any criminal activities, and monitor what is taking place in and around the school environment (Forsythe 22).
As a kid and you have a sibling, your always going to have arguments and disagreements. This passage is based on a hard time when my sister and I both did something wrong but did not confess to it and neither did I at first.
Everyone seems to define family differently, however, the significance of family is the same. For you, family means everything. You can always count on your parents and siblings for help and love. Family is very valuable and important to you and should never be taken for granted. No one can deny that family is the foundation of our generation. A family is where we all start our life journey and helps us grow to be successful throughout our lives.
My brothers and sister are the best motivation to me. It is not every day that we get along but when we do then it is a good day. Every day they make me want do better, not only for myself but for my mom and them also. They encourage me to do better now so that my future is bright later on. Family is always the best to have on your team especially for their support because they genuinely mean it and you know that it is coming from their heart. I know I can count on all my brothers and sister to be there for me when no one else is because they are family. I hate that they are growing every day and getting older to experience the real life. I hope even later on they will all still support me and we will not drift apart like I know
There are so many different types of family relationships. Whatever form a family takes; it is an important part of everyone’s life. My family has played an important role in my life. Good family relationships serve as a foundation to interactions with others. Supportive families will help children to thrive. The quality of the family relationship is more important than the size of the family. Making the relationships priority, communication, and providing support for one another is key to developing relationships. Family relationships are what make up our world today; they shape the ways that we see things and the ways that we do things.