Bruno Modern Masculinities Essays - Masculinity, Anthropology, Men

Bruno Modern Masculinities Essays - Masculinity, Anthropology, Men Bruno Modern Masculinities Eng 011 13 May 2013 Bruno Modern Masculinities In the article Modern Masculinities, the author Cooper Thompson explains that men in society are expected to be physically strong, tough, and independent, and have self-control over their emotions. He also believes that boys must learn to accept their vulnerability of asking for help and support in appropriate situations. Modern Masculinities relates to the movie The Dress Code because it deals with masculinity in relation to self-control. In the movie Bruno has different ways of showing his masculinity. The Dress Code challenges the stereotypes of masculinity in American culture by showing young viewers that they should not be defined by masculinity but instead define it. One way Bruno shows his masculinity is through bravery and working through fear. For example, in one scene, Bruno wears a dress in a Catholic school, while in a spelling bee contest. The nun whoops Bruno because he wears a dress. The kids bully Bruno in the school, beat him, and call him a faggot. With all of the chaos thats going around him of being bully and beaten, he still comes to school every day wearing a dress and repeating the same cycle. Bruno is not afraid of anybody; he is brave by running away from his bullies and facing up towards them even thou he gets his butt whooped. This shows viewers that no matter how people bully them and call them names, they can be strong to ignore it and live on with their lives. Another way Bruno shows his masculinity is that he is tough. He continues wearing the dress and make-up to the spelling bee contest knowing that the nuns are going to whoop him. When Bruno knows that the nuns are going to whoop him for wearing the dress, Bruno stands up for himself by saying the pope and ancient Greeks wear a dress, so why cant he wear one. Bruno accepts his vulnerability because he knows that people are going to make fun of him and beat him up. Even though Bruno is in a weak position, he is still tough when people are against him. He defends his right of wear a dress. In the same way, Cooper Thompson challenges traditional masculinity stereotypes because he believes that boys must learn to accept their vulnerability when it comes to a situation. The other way of Bruno finds his masculinity is that he is true to himself. He doesnt care what people say or do to him. He is still going to do what he wants to do and thats to wear dresses. For example, at the end of the movie, he wears a white dress at the national spelling bee finals, ends up winning the spelling bee, and gets to meet the pope because of what he wears at the spell bee final. The message the movie sends to young men is that no matter how they look or dress, theres always a good side to being who they are and not everybody else.

Executive Privilege Based on Separation of Powers

Executive Privilege Based on Separation of Powers Executive privilege is an implied power claimed by Presidents of the United States and other officials of the executive branch of government to withhold from Congress, the courts or individuals, information that has been requested or subpoenaed. Executive privilege is also invoked to prevent executive branch employees or officials from testifying in Congressional hearings. Executive Privilege Executive privilege refers to certain implied powers of the Presidents of the United States and other executive branch officials of the United States government.By claiming executive privilege, executive branch officials may withhold subpoenaed information from the Congress and refuse to testify in Congressional hearings.While the U.S. Constitution does not mention the power of executive privilege, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that it may be a constitutional exercise of the powers of the executive branch under the separation of powers doctrine.Presidents have usually claimed the power of executive privilege in cases involving national security and communications within the executive branch. The U.S. Constitution makes no mention of either the power of Congress or the federal courts to request information or the concept of an executive privilege to refuse such requests. However, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that executive privilege may be a legitimate aspect of the separation of powers doctrine, based on the constitutional powers of the executive branch to manage its own activities. In the case of United States​ v. Nixon, the Supreme Court upheld the doctrine of executive privilege in the case of subpoenas for information issued by the judicial branch, instead of by Congress. In the court’s majority opinion, Chief Justice Warren Burger wrote that the president holds a qualified privilege to require that the party seeking certain documents must make a â€Å"sufficient showing† that the â€Å"Presidential material† is â€Å"essential to the justice of the case.† Justice Berger also stated that the president’s executive privilege would more likely to be valid when applied to cases when the oversight of the executive would impair that the executive branch’s ability to address concerns of national security. Reasons for Claiming Executive Privilege Historically, presidents have exercised executive privilege in two types of cases: those that involve national security and those that involve executive branch communications. The courts have ruled that presidents can also exercise executive privilege in cases involving ongoing investigations by law enforcement or during deliberations involving disclosure or discovery in civil litigation  involving the federal government. Just as Congress must prove it has the right to investigate, the executive branch must prove it has a valid reason to withhold information. While there have been efforts in Congress to pass laws  clearly defining executive privilege and setting guidelines for its use, no such legislation has ever passed and none is likely to do so in the future. Reasons of National Security Presidents most often claim executive privilege to protect sensitive military or diplomatic information, which if disclosed, could place the security of the United States at risk. Given the president’s constitutional power as commander and chief of the U.S. Military, this â€Å"state secrets† claim of executive privilege is rarely challenged. Reasons of Executive Branch Communications Most conversations between presidents and their top aides and advisers are transcribed or electronically recorded. Presidents have contended that executive privilege secrecy should be extended to the records of some of those conversations. The presidents argue that in order for their advisers to be open and candid in giving advice, and to present all possible ideas, they must feel safe that the discussions will remain confidential. This application of executive privilege, while rare, is always controversial and often challenged. In the 1974 Supreme Court case of United States v. Nixon, the Court acknowledged the valid need for protection of communications between high Government officials and those who advise and assist them in the performance of their manifold duties. The Court went on to state that [h]uman experience teaches that those who expect public dissemination of their remarks may well temper candor with a concern for appearances and for their own interests to the detriment of the decision-making process. While the Court thus conceded the need for confidentiality in discussions between presidents and their advisers, it ruled that the right of presidents to keep those discussions secret under a claim of executive privilege was not absolute, and could be overturned by a judge. In the Court’s majority opinion, Chief Justice Warren Burger wrote, [n]either the doctrine of separation of powers, nor the need for confidentiality of high-level communications, without more, can sustain an absolute, unqualified Presidential privilege of immunity from judicial process under all circumstances. The ruling reaffirmed decisions from earlier Supreme Court cases, including Marbury v. Madison, establishing that the U.S. court system is the final decider of constitutional questions  and that no person, not even the president of the United States, is above the law. Brief History of Executive Privilege While Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first president to actually use the phrase â€Å"executive privilege,† every president since George Washington has exercised some form of the power. In 1792, Congress demanded information from President Washington regarding a failed U.S. military expedition. Along with records about the operation, Congress called members of the White House staff to appear and deliver sworn testimony. With the advice and consent of his Cabinet, Washington decided that, as the chief executive, he had the authority to withhold information from Congress. Although he eventually decided to cooperate with Congress, Washington built the foundation for future use of executive privilege. Indeed, George Washington set the proper and now recognized standard for using executive privilege: Presidential secrecy must be exercised only when it serves the public interest.