What Happens When Presidents Are Unfit to Serve

American presidents are not required to pass mental health exams or psychological and psychiatric evaluations  before taking office in the United States. But some psychologists and members of Congress have called for such mental health exams for candidates following the 2016 election of Republican Donald Trump. Even members of Trumps own administration expressed concern about his erratic behavior in office. The president described himself as a very stable genius. The idea of requiring presidential candidates to undergo mental health exams is not new, though. In the mid-1990s, former President Jimmy Carter  pushed for the creation of a panel of physicians who would routinely evaluate the most powerful politician in the free world and decide whether their judgment was clouded by a mental disability. Many people have called to my attention the continuing danger to our nation from the possibility of a U.S. president becoming disabled, particularly by a neurologic illness, Carter wrote in a December 1994 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Monitoring a Presidents Health Carters suggestion  led to the creation in 1994 of the  Working Group on Presidential Disability, whose members later proposed a nonpartisan,  standing medical commission to monitor the presidents health and issue periodic reports to the country.  Carter envisioned a panel of expert physicians who were not directly involved in the care of the president determining whether he had a disability. If the president of the United States must decide within minutes how to respond to a dire emergency, its citizens expect him or her to be mentally competent and to act wisely, wrote  Dr. James Toole, a professor of neurology at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina who worked with the working group. Because the presidency of the United States is now the worlds most powerful office, should its incumbent become even temporarily unable to exercise good judgment, the consequences for the world could be unimaginably far-reaching. There is currently no such standing medical commission in place, however, to observe a sitting presidents decision-making. The sole test of a candidates physical and mental fitness to serve in the White House is the rigor of the campaign trail and elector process. Mental Fitness in the Trump White House The idea of requiring presidential candidates to undergo mental health evaluations arose in the general election campaign of 2016, primarily because of Republican nominee Donald Trumps erratic behavior and  numerous incendiary comments. Trumps mental fitness became a central issue of the campaign and became more pronounced after he took office.   A member of Congress, Democrat Karen Bass of California, called for a mental-health evaluation of Trump before the election, saying the billionaire real-estate development and reality-television star exhibits signs of  Narcissistic Personality Disorder. In a petition seeking the evaluation, Bass called  Trump dangerous for our country.  His impulsiveness and lack of control over his own emotions are of concern. It is our patriotic duty to raise the question of his mental stability to be the commander in chief and leader of the free world. The petition carried no legal weight. A lawmaker from the opposing political party, Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California, introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives during Trumps first year in office encouraging the vice president and the Cabinet to hire medical and psychiatric professionals to evaluate the president. The resolution stated: â€Å"President Donald J. Trump has exhibited an alarming pattern of behavior and speech causing concern that a mental disorder may have rendered him unfit and unable to fulfill his Constitutional duties. Lofgren said she drafted the resolution in light of what she described as Trumps increasingly disturbing pattern of actions and public statements that suggest he may be mentally unfit to execute the duties required of him.† The resolution did not come up for a vote in the House. It would have sought the removal of Trump from office by employing the 25th Amendment to the  Constitution, which allows for the replacement of presidents who become physically or mentally unable to serve.   In December 2017, more than a dozen members of Congress invited a Yale University psychiatry professor, Dr. Bandy X. Lee, to evaluate Trumps behavior. The professor concluded: â€Å"He’s going to unravel, and we are seeing the signs.† Lee, speaking to Politico, described those signs as Trump â€Å"going back to conspiracy theories, denying things he has admitted before, his being drawn to violent videos. We feel that the rush of tweeting is an indication of his falling apart under stress. Trump is going to get worse and will become uncontainable with the pressures of the presidency.† Still, members of Congress did not act. Trump Declines to Make Health Records Public Some candidates have chosen to make their health records public, particularly when serious questions have been raised about their well being. The 2008 Republican presidential nominee, John McCain, did so in the face of questions about his age—he was 72 at the time—and previous ailments including skin cancer. And in the 2016 election, Trump released a letter from his physician that described the candidate as being in  extraordinary health both mentally and physically.  If elected, Mr. Trump, I can state unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency, wrote Trumps doctor. Trump himself said: I am fortunate to have been blessed with great genes—both of my parents had very long and productive lives. But Trump did not release detailed records about his health. Psychiatrists Cant Diagnose Candidates The American Psychiatric Association banned its members from offering opinions about elected officials or candidates for office after 1964, when a group of them called Republican Barry Goldwater unfit for office. Wrote the association: On occasion psychiatrists are asked for an opinion about an individual who is in the light of public attention or who has disclosed information about himself/herself through public media. In such circumstances, a psychiatrist may share with the public his or her expertise about psychiatric issues in general. However, it is unethical for a psychiatrist to offer a professional opinion unless he or she has conducted an examination and has been granted proper authorization for such a statement.   The policy became known as the Goldwater Rule. Who Decides If a President Is Unfit to Serve So if theres no mechanism in place by which an independent panel of health experts is able to evaluate a sitting president, who decides when there might be a problem with his decision-making process? The president himself, which is the problem. Presidents have gone out of their way to hide their ailments from the public and, more importantly, their political enemies. Among the most notable in modern history was John F. Kennedy, who didnt let the public know about his  colitis, prostatitis, Addisons disease, and osteoporosis of the lower back. While those ailments certainly would not have precluded him from taking office, Kennedys failure reluctance to disclose the pain he suffered illustrate the lengths to which presidents go to conceal health problems. Section 3 of the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which was ratified in 1967, allows a sitting president, members of his cabinet—or, in extraordinary circumstances, Congress—to transfer his responsibilities to his vice president until he has recovered from a mental or physical ailment. The amendment reads, in part: Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President. The problem with the constitutional amendment, however, is that it relies on a president or his cabinet to determine when he is unable to perform the duties of the office. The 25th Amendment Has Been Used Before President Ronald Reagan used that power in July 1985 when he underwent treatment for colon cancer. Though he did not specifically invoke the 25th Amendment, Reagan clearly understood his transfer of power to Vice President George Bush fell under its provisions. Reagan wrote to the House speaker and Senate president: After consultation with my Counsel and the Attorney General, I am mindful of the provisions of Section 3 of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution and of the uncertainties of its application to such brief and temporary periods of incapacity. I do not believe that the drafters of this Amendment intended its application to situations such as the instant one.  Nevertheless, consistent with my longstanding arrangement with Vice President George Bush, and not intending to set a precedent binding anyone privileged to hold this Office in the future, I have determined and it is my intention and direction that Vice President George Bush shall discharge those powers and duties in my stead commencing with the administration of anesthesia to me in this instance. Reagan did not, however, transfer the power of the presidency despite evidence that later showed he might have been suffering from the initial stages of  Alzheimers.   President George W. Bush used the 25th Amendment twice to transfer powers to his vice president, Dick Cheney. Cheney served as acting president for about four hours and 45 minutes while Bush  underwent sedation for colonoscopies. Key Takeaways: When a President Is Unfit to Serve Presidents and candidates seeking election to the White House are not required to pass mental health exams or psychological and psychiatric evaluations.The 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution allows members of a presidents cabinet or Congress to remove a president from office if he is mentally or physically unable to serve. The provision has never been used to permanently remove a president from office.The 25th Amendment remained a relatively obscure provision in the Constitution until Presidential Donald Trump took office. Members of Congress and even his own administration grew concerned about his behavior. Sources Karni, Annie. â€Å"Washingtons Growing Obsession: The 25th Amendment.†Ã‚  Politico, 3 Jan. 2018.Barclay, Eliza. â€Å"The Psychiatrist Who Briefed Congress on Trumps Mental State: This Is ‘an Emergency.’†Ã‚  Vox.com, Vox Media, 6 Jan. 2018.Foiles, Jonathan. â€Å"Is Donald Trump Unfit to Be President?†Ã‚  Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 12 Sept. 2018.

I Want A Wife, By Judy Brady - 1116 Words

In her essay â€Å"I Want a Wife,† Judy Brady talks about how she, a married woman, wants a wife with whom to share household responsibilities. She focuses on all the concepts that she struggles with as a woman, herself. She is expected to be taking care of her husband because of societal expectation, but the reality is that she wants someone to take care of her. The more in depth she goes, the more she emphasizes the stereotyped aspects of being a wife. From a feminist perspective, Brady argued that women want freedom to care for themselves and someone who would take care of them. Brady is tired of dealing with the treatment men gave women in the twenty-first century and before the 1970s. In the 1970s, women took a stand in the public eye to†¦show more content†¦These statistics helped women jobs percentages raise from fifty- seven percent to sixty three percent. Slowly but surely, African-American and white women who were interested in doctoral degrees rose up from fifty four to fifty five percent around the same time. White women made up twenty five to forty four percent of students, while African-American women made up fifty four to fifty five percent. These statistics show how women stepped foot out of their houses and showed what it takes to get equal treatment amongst their gender. Stereotyping is one factor, but equal treatment in the house is also required. Households demanded for a change when the women rights movement came along. Households became more organized than they had before. Compared to 1970 to now, government helped legalize birth control for mothers across the globe. This helped women be able to balance out their lives. Through legalized birth control for non-married women and other family facilities, one can say that feminism has become the core of the nationwide family planning system. In the twenty-first century, women have become the center of the world. Females have been taking in traditionally male-based jobs such as being television reporters and military soldiers. The military has been based on men for so many years, but women who have been in the military have fought hard to fight for their country alongside men. Many of the women who have succeededShow MoreRelatedJudy Brady I Want A Wife740 Words   |  3 Pagesfrom Robert Green Ingersoll said â€Å"I regard the rights of men and women equal. In Love’s fair realm, husband and wife are king and queen, sceptered and crowned alike, and seated on the self-same throne.† I define the word wife as a light of the household, she brings light by taking care of everyone needs and guiding them threw a difficult situation. So, without that light a household feels uncomplete. One of the classic essay written by Judy Brady is â€Å"I Want a Wife†. The classic essay was publishedRead MoreJudy Bradys I Want a Wife1416 Words   |  6 PagesMen or Women: Who’s the Head of the Family In Judy Brady’s â€Å"I Want a Wife† she talks about the tasks of a desired wife. There are certain things and duties required for a housewife to do. Brady describes all the helpful things done for a husband and children without even realizing all the responsibility and what she is doing. No one ever acknowledges that things done by a wife can be done by someone who was not a wife, but instead a man. Judy realizes she supports her husband so he can go backRead MoreI Want A Wife By Judy Brady1164 Words   |  5 PagesOctober 25, 2014 I Want a Husband Author of â€Å"I Want a Wife†, Judy Brady, depicts on what is the typical men view on reasons of having a wife. Brady utilizes her time era and the duties and expectations that a typical wife must handle and try to keep up with in order to keep her family running smoothly. Her story also gives women a sort of rage onto the men community because of her diction she makes the duties of a wife look like slavery. But, There are always two sides of a story so I created a shortRead MoreI Want A Wife By Judy Brady985 Words   |  4 PagesJudy Brady unraveled an intensely moving piece that shows the chauvinistic point from a man’s perspective of his expectations from his wife, â€Å"I Want a Wife† was the name of the essay. This was written in 1971 during the woman right movement to show the struggle of an inequality towards a woman; everything she does to gain open eyes of what has to change, she beams the light at an unequal world. She has written this in a sarcastic yet humorous tone, but in reality she speaks from deep inside of herRead MoreI Want A Wife, By Judy Brady961 Words   |  4 Pages In Judy Brady’s essay, â€Å"I Want a Wife†, she explains the roles that wives performed in the mid 1900’s. Brady has an incredibly sarcastic tone to her essay and finds it hysterical that husbands want their wives to fulfill their commands. In the past, women were expected to stay at home and take care of their children. Their lives consisted of cooking, cleaning, and making sure they greet their husbands when they came home from work. But times have changed; the roles of women have evolved. Now, weRead MoreJudy Brady s I Want A Wife1720 Words   |  7 PagesI decided to read Judy Brady’s memorable essay, â€Å"I want a wife.† (Judy Brady, Literature for Composition, (Third Edition) Copyright 1993) In the essay Brady speaks about her take on housewives, and all that they do. Brady describes the main character (herse lf) who classifies as a wife, and a mother. Brady then goes on to describe how a recently divorced male friend was looking for a new wife. This information soon made the author realize that she also wanted a wife. She realized that it was an abundanceRead MoreI Want a Wife by Judy Brady Essay818 Words   |  4 Pagesthe essay I Want A Wife, Judy Brady points out the different roles of a wife according to society at that time. I believe that Brady is sarcastically describing the ideal wife every man dreams of. Even though, women have been fighting for their rights for a long time now, even today women are still not equal to men in many ways. In todays society women are more respected and are acceptable for many jobs as men are, but still they are not treated equally all the times. Brady is a wife herself,Read MoreAnalysis Of I Want A Wife By Judy Brady1101 Words   |  5 Pagesgreat-grandmothers, and so on, were raised to be the sole support system for their husbands. They have act ed behind the scenes as a choreographer for their marriage and of their husbands success. Judy Brady expressed this unfair and blatantly sexist expectation of marriage in her article, I Want a Wife, which was published in 1972. Thankfully, in this era, women are no longer treated as servants, but are given credit for their hard work and dedication. Brady’s article was published during a criticalRead MoreWhy I Want A Wife, By Judy Brady1976 Words   |  8 Pagesessay, â€Å"Why I Want a Wife†, by Judy Brady. In particular, the author emphasizes and sheds light upon the truth that women, especially those that are married, have numerous responsibilities that they bear on their shoulders, which is unfair and unjustified. Men and women are differentiated right away. There has not ever been a day where I am seen equal to a man†¦ I am always seen as inferior, either intentionally or unintentionally. Society attempts to persuade me into thinking that I am less thanRead MoreAnalysis Of Judy Brady s I Want A Wife787 Words   |  4 Pagesironic writing, Judy Brady will be the one due to the perfect way she wrote: â€Å"I Want a Wife†. She targeted the married couples and all males and females who are in a relationship or planning to have one. Nevertheless, it could be understood that Brady’s words are targeting other groups of people such as singles for raising awareness. Through sarcasm, the author’s thoughts and thesis seemed to be quietly impairing her audience as they go through her essay. Judy perfectly plays a wife-seeker role to

Representing Everyday Life in Visual Cultures for Motherhood

Question: Discuss about theRepresenting Everyday Life in Visual Cultures for Motherhood. Answer: Critical analysis on the shaping of motherhood in everyday life The case of April (in Revolutionary Road) The most progressive character in the film, Revolutionary Road is that of April, who is a wiife as well as a stay-home mother. She seems to be devoted to her lovely suburban house, to her two kids as well as to her handsome husband. However, there quickly occurs the shattering of this heteronormative exterior and it can be seen that April is not a happy wife as well as mother, but a woman who is seriously depressed as well as disillusioned and simply undergoing the necessary motions, and all the while having dreams of a life that is different as well as better (Rose, 2016). Externally, April is meeting every criteria that is required for being a good wife as well as good mother, the cultural definitions that does the forcing as well as regulation of the behavioural choices of women, but internally she is feeling trapped as well as suffocated by her marriage, by motherhood, and also by the suburban neighbourhood where anything interesting is never happening (Pink, 2013). The occurs th e clear articulation of the inner turmoil of April via her various arguments with Frank. Through these dialogues, the violence regarding heteronormativity has been exposed and allowing the invisible individuals to appear to gain visibility. There occurs the exposing of the invisibility of April, being a heteronormative suburban wife through her non-normatve feelings, intense perceptions as well as drastic dreams (Oksiloff, 2016). She is in constant denial in accepting her unhappy life and does the bucking of the heteronormativity sustem that is oppressing her so strongly. More than simply having argument with her husband, April is also very proactive to change her life, and she approaches this aspect in a practical as well as productive way. She is the one who chalks out the drastic plan of shifting the entire family to Paris, where she will be breadwinner and her husband will be getting the necessary time for finding himself. April also does the planning of their future life in Paris, and even makes decisions what job she will be doing for supporting the family. April is having keen awareness of her status within heteronormativitys patriarchal constructs, but as because, knowledge, after all, is not considered to be power by itself, she does the realization that in respect of making improvements to her life, she is required manipulating her husband into accepting the plan that she has devised (Murray 2015). Therefore, she does the framing of her arguments that seemed to be clear advantages in respect of Frank and when she sensed that Frank has become fascinated by the idea, she makes the best use of the situation and appeals to the masculine ego of Frank and his sense of entitlement. By doing this, Frank becomes a putty in the hands of April. In his regard, Aprils progressive attitude is depicted by tteh fact that, she actually makes an observation of her social condiction and is having an outstanding insight in respect of social limiations as well as injustices of her time (Morley, 2017). Whe April makes the doscovery that she is pregnant for the third time, then her prime focus turns out towards the termination of the pregnancy. Even though, there has ben the addessing of abortion in nainstream movies, it is still considered being very much uncommon for a stable, married mothetr of two older children, who lives in a comfortable house and having adequate financial support, makes the determination of not havin any more children. Aprils drastic position is captured in a vivid manner by her rebellious protests when Frank makes the conclusion that pregnancy will be resulting in ending their plans regarding Paris (Levy, 2017). To have children, is not considered being a mistake. Heteronormativity does the implication of motherhood, and any sort of deviation receives social criticism. April, on the other hand, gives more priority to her personal requirements than the child that is not yet born and this is considered to be radical within a cultural scenario in which, babies are considered to be a blessing and women are supposed to have a feeling of being privileged, overjoyed as well as thankful for being mothers. April, on the other hand, would rather choose death than allowing her life to be again limited by one more baby, therefore when Frank discards their Paris plans, she feels that she is having no other option but to take her own life (Mirzoeff, 2014). The suicide of April is considered being a drastic act. Through her self-imposed botched abortion, she does the making of a strong, self-assertive statement which is to destroy her own womb in a violent manner. Through this, she is doing the simulteneous destruction of the heteronormative institution of motherood and also her individual life that has already been damaged by the institution (Jenkins, 2013). The final act of April strongly symbolizes her untiring fight against the heteronormative scripts, which imprisoned her, and the violence relating to heternormativity is having a tragic realization through the suicide committed by April. The case of Brenda (in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning) Taking into consideration the sub-theme of abortion, the film Saturday Night and Sunday Morning has much to say regarding the matter as Brenda gets pregnant. The matter is strongly debated in the present society, having a distinct division amongst those who are endorsing it and those who are opposing it. In the film, after hearing about the pregnancy of Brenda, Arthur delivers Brenda to his Aunt Ada who attempts an abortion at home, depicting an intertextual reference with Vera Drake, since the abortion method that is used is very much identical. In reference to the major theme of gender, there occurs the viewing of abortion as having a vast diffeence in the modern society (Herzfeld, 2014). The enactment of the abortion process is considered being a major decision in respect of any individual who is undertaking the same. This is because of the fact that, there occurs the taking of life of another human being in an effectivve manner. In the current age that delves with the equality of relationships as well as the disputes that are associated with abortion, the choice of a couple in doing this is generally very much a shared as well as cautious decision. In contrast, the film Saturday Night and Sunday Morning is depictng the decisions that only Brenda is undertaking, with Arthur giving a very limited view regarding this issue (Grossberg, 2014). Moreover, apart from Arthur primarily offering a solution to what was considered to be simply a problem, Arthur is showing very limited assistance in respect of Brenda. Instead, Arthur simply does the dumping of Brenda with his Aunt Ada and had strong hopes that the problem will not persist any longer. These observations strongly d epicts about the rather hasty personality of Arthur as anything else but also depicts how there has been a change in time regarding the relationship amongst a fathet as well as their child (Carson, 2016). Along with this, another very significant matter that is noticeable in the film is about the fact that, at no point after Brenda made the declaration that she is interested in keeping the baby, does Arthur then make any effort of pursuing any future association with either Brenda or her child. Reference Carson, F., Pajaczkowska, C. (Eds.). (2016).Feminist visual culture. Routledge. Grossberg, L. (2014).We gotta get out of this place: Popular conservatism and postmodern culture. Routledge. Herzfeld, M. (2014).Cultural intimacy: Social poetics in the nation-state. Routledge. Jenkins, H., Ford, S., Green, J. (2013). Spreadable media.Creating Value. Levy, A. (Ed.). (2017).Widowhood and visual culture in early modern Europe. Routledge. Mirzoeff, N. (Ed.). (2014).Diaspora and visual culture: representing Africans and Jews. Routledge. Morley, D. (2017). Not so much a visual medium, more a visible.Visual culture, 170. Murray, D. C. (2015). Notes to self: the visual culture of selfies in the age of social media.Consumption Markets Culture,18(6), 490-516. Oksiloff, A. (2016).Picturing the primitive: Visual culture, ethnography, and early German cinema. Springer. Pink, S. (2013).Doing visual ethnography. Sage. Rose, G. (2016). Rethinking the geographies of cultural objects through digital technologies: Interface, network and friction.Progress in Human Geography,40(3), 334-351. Rose, G. (2016).Visual methodologies: An introduction to researching with visual materials. Sage.

Pow Wow Highway free essay sample

Highway I enjoyed this movie, based on a book by the same name by Davis Seals, a Native activist. The story is based in the mid to late 1970’s and begins on the Northern Cheyenne Tribe’s reservation in Lame Deer, Montana. The two lead characters, Buddy Red Bow (A. Martinez) and his acquaintance (who later in the film becomes his friend), Philbert â€Å"Phil† Bono (Gary Farmer) travel to Santa Fe to rescue Buddy’s sister, Bonnie Red Bow who has been wrongfully jailed. Buddy finds out that his estranged sister has two small girls and he is determined to bring her back home to the reservation and get her out of jail. Philbert is a free spirit who sees visions and is very gentle natured. He is more in tune with the ancient traditions of their Tribe, stopping frequently to pray and meditate. Buddy Red Bow is antagonistic at first and very impatient with Philbert, but in time he starts to lose his inhibitions about praying and meditating and eventually joins Philbert in embracing the ancient chants and meditating. We will write a custom essay sample on Pow Wow Highway or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Although Buddy doesn’t see any visions like Philbert does, he respects Phil’s insights and stops complaining, eventually joining him in calling out to the spirits on their frequent stops. The plot of the story is simple enough to follow. Buddy’s sister was wrongfully arrested in Santa Fe, and she was set up as a ploy by some strip mining developer goons back on the res in Montana to keep Buddy Red Bow (the activist who’s opposed to the strip mining) off the reservation so they can get the other tribe members to give them a favorable vote so they can proceed to exploit tribal land. There are several underlying messages that become evident as you are watching the film that are begging to be noticed by the film’s director, Jonathan Wacks. Most of them are to direct the attention of the viewer as to the assimilation of the Native Americans and just how far reaching the assimilation has gone. One of the most notable scenes is how Philbert reacts to the commercial for the used cars, where the car salesman imitates stereotypical Indian words â€Å"How folks! † â€Å"We got Heap-Big Savings†. Phil was curious instead of offended and actually bought a car from the salesman, referring to it as a fine pony and then naming the old beat-up car, â€Å"Protector†. It’s heartbreaking when Philbert goes to see the medicine woman to get advice on how to go after his medicine and she ridicules him, showing him how bitter she is at their predicament. He nevertheless moves forward with his journey so that he can become a warrior. It’s his perseverance and serenity that is most endearing in this film. The beginning of the film shows the stark poverty of the reservation, making the HUD housing look luxurious compared to some of the tin lean-to’s that were being lived in. Also, the reservation seems abandoned, even showing tumbleweeds blowing by, but in the next scene shows almost everyone on the reservation are at the local bar, playing pool, drinking and smoking. It also depicts the two extreme differences in the character’s personalities – Buddy Red Bow being the volatile, hot-tempered activist and Philbert as the mild mannered and generous spirited mystic. Philbert is on his own quest to find his Medicine and Buddy is on a quest to rescue his sister. Because the two of them have lived on the reservation all their lives, Philbert remembers Buddy’s sister and offers his assistance and they take his â€Å"war pony†, the beat up Buick to go rescue her and her children. Along the way, they stop several times and there are many sad scenes that are lightly covered with humor. One such scene is where Phil stops off at one of the most sacred spots to climb to the top while Buddy sleeps in the car. He makes it to the top and opens a large candy bar to eat it then recognizes the colorful ribbons tied to the branches that mark the spot as sacred. He then carefully re-wraps the candy bar and offers it to the Spirits next to the ribbons. Another sad moment of assimilation is when the children had newly escaped from the CPS office and they asked a native woman for some money to call their mother’s friend, Rabbit. While on the phone with Rabbit, they had to sk which tribe they were from because they had no idea that they even belonged to a tribe much less that there was such a thing as a tribe, and not just â€Å"Indians† that existed because when the elderly woman gave them money for the call, she asked them which tribe they belonged to. The film is about a journey with a lot of meaning behind it. It was a way for each of them to find themselves and assess what is truly important in their lives and the need for them to get more in tune with their culture and customs.