Gun Control And Its Effect On The Country - 1310 Words

Eliot Spitzer, the fifty fourth governor of New York, once said, â€Å"Yes, people pull the trigger - but guns are the instrument of death. Gun control is necessary, and delay means more death and horror† (BrainyQuote, n.d.). Many people say that gun control will not affect violence rates in a country. Also, they say that if everyone has a gun, then that will stop mass massacres. The people who believe that gun control is not needed are wrong. This is because gun control has been proven to improve the safety of a country. For example, In Australia and Britain reduced violence caused by guns by putting strict gun control. In conclusion, gun control can affect the country because it will change safety standards of the country, since it saves lives, causes less gun related crimes, and the law supports gun control. More gun control can save the lives of people. Most people who suggest no gun control give many arguments to support their cause, but one of the most common is, Guns do n t kill people, people kill people. (Rolling Stone, 2015) There are many reasons why this statement is wrong. One reason is that this is not true because guns kill people no matter who pulls the trigger of the gun. Also, it doesn t matter how much hate is in the man who pulls the trigger, like in a mass shooting, the absolute amount of damage a gun can do in a span of five to ten minutes is tremendous, thus giving the reason to limit the type of guns that one get obtain. (Rolling Stone,Show MoreRelatedEssay on Guns Dont Kill People, Criminals Kill People1187 Words   |  5 Pages Gun control is a leading concern in America today. Recent shootings and murders today have people scared and pushing forward for gun control acts. In my opinion there should not be gun control acts on any guns besides automatic guns because, automatic guns should strictly be for military use only. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. Many people push for gun control, but the effects of gun control are too severe. In this paper I claim to tell about the reasons why someoneRead MoreGun Control Gun Rights873 Words   |  4 PagesStates have gun control or gun rights? This is a question many people ask and argue over. As a citizen of this country, I would like to examine both sides of the argument and then pick my view on the topic. As of right now, the United States have more gun rights than gun control. However, there have been laws made to regulate the sale and possession of guns. Many anti-gun activists argue that the NRA (National Rifle Association) is the cause of many of the horrific events involving guns. On the otherRead MoreEssay Americans Should Keep their Right to Bear Arms1107 Words   |  5 Pagesabout controlling guns and many people are trying to discontinue giving citizens the right to own or possess firearm weapons. There are many people who think that nobody should be allowed to possess a firearm where as there are many other people that believe they deserve the right to own a firearm for many reasons. Because of the large differential between beliefs on this topic there is a large debate within the US Government whether or not to allow citizens to continue using guns and keep them. Read MoreGun Ownership And Gun Related Homicides1386 Words   |  6 PagesAbstract Several peer reviewed studies on the subject of gun ownership and gun related homicides were identified and reviewed. During the research phase it was noted that there are opponents and proponents of gun control that present logical sounding arguments, but there have been several research studies conducted that suggest that there is a positive correlational relationship between gun ownership and gun related deaths, particularly gun related homicides. This paper will review many studiesRead MoreThe Debate Over Gun Laws1672 Words   |  7 Pagesthe legal right to own a weapon that could end your life? Gun control in America has been a long fought out debate. Republicans typically believe that it should be entirely legal for Americans to own guns because it is their right from the Constitution and they need it to defend themselves. Democrats typically believe that guns should not be legal because they are dangerous weapons and they can be abused by violent people. The debate over gun laws has continued to divide American because of the manyRead MorePersuasive Essay On Gun Control1465 Words   |  6 PagesAfter every highly publicized mass shooting, the topic of gun control becomes a political hot potato being juggled by the senators, congressman, and even the sitting president of the United States. It followed the usual pattern of condemning the shooter, questioning the ease in which the shooter was able to obtain guns, and with most mass shootings, proposing a ban on assault files used in the shooting. But within a few months, when the news agencies move onto other headlines, when all the hashtagsRead MoreGuns Dont Kill People, Criminals Kill People Essay1476 Words   |  6 Pages In America, gun control has been a source of debate for decades. Recently, an increase in the frequency of mass shootings has caused the country to become extremely polarized in relation to the issue. America is often described as having a gun culture as a result of firearms being engrained in its history and perhaps, consequently, has among the highest rates of gun-related crime as well as gun ownership rates, among developed nations. There exists an abundance of scholarly work done in an effortRead MoreAmerica Should Destroy All Guns Essay733 Words   |  3 PagesGuns have always been an increasing problem in our country. A lot of people use guns for hunting and other sports where guns are needed. There are also a lot of people who are using guns to kill or injure people. This has been a problem in the United States for many years. The gun control policies that the government has put into effect just flat out have not been working. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The second amendment of the United States Constitution says, â€Å"A well regulated militia, beingRead MoreGuns, Ammunition And Its Negative Effects On Society944 Words   |  4 Pagescan the availability of guns, ammunition and its negative effects on society be a thing of the past? Claim: An analysis of the United State gun culture reveals their negative effects on society. Thesis paragraph: In the wake of recent killings and mass shooting in sandy hook and other locations across the country and communities, there has been public cries for the need for stricter gun laws and regulations. Gun violence has become a major problem facing the country. Day in day out on the newsRead Moregun control research essay1222 Words   |  5 Pages ProCon.org recently featured an article that studied gun control. â€Å"Stricter state gun laws associated with fewer gun deaths, study finds.† The article discussed gun control laws in states with stricter laws tend to have lower rates of gun related homicides, and a suicide (ProCon para. 1) Gun control in the United States is becoming a wide spread issue and is becoming a problem everywhere. Although I am living in a city with uprising crime that has been skyrocketing over the years, I wasn’t aware

Good vs Evil in the Epic of Beowulf Essay examples

In the epic poem Beowulf, there is an obvious distinction between good and evil. The hero and his foes play roles that are commonly associated with Anglo-Saxon literature. The lines are clearly drawn and expressed in the poem. As the story moves, the reader cannot mistake the roles being played, based on the characterizations in the epic, one recognizes each character for their purpose and place. The epic is named after the hero, Beowulf, who is a man â€Å"with gleaming armor.† (line 130) Because Beowulf is â€Å"the strongest of the Geats- greater than anyone in the world† he was called upon by his uncle Higlac, the king of the Geats, to save Herot from the wrath of Grendel, a terrible monster. (lines 110-111) With him he â€Å"carries...†¦show more content†¦Eventually, at a ripe old age, Beowulf finally suffers the wrath of the dragon. He epitomizes the values of a warrior society which include bravery, loyalty, and prowess in battle. As a â€Å"bloodthir sty fiend,† Grendel was the first of the foes Beowulf battles. (line 407) He is â€Å"a powerful monster,† who â€Å"was spawned in... slime.† (lines 1, 19) He is a descendant of Cain, and chose to sacrifice the Danes to no one but himself. Grendel is â€Å"set on murder.†(49-50) Nothing can â€Å"quench his thirst for evil. (lines 52-53) Grendel stalked Herot and set his wrath loose on all who came to the hall. His mother, the â€Å"she-wolf† lived in an underwater cavern. (line 572) She is the â€Å"water witch,† one that no one’s â€Å"sword could slice her evil skin.† (lines 493, 496-497) Both characters are demons living only to hate, and cause terror in the hearts of those who know of them. The third villain comes much later than the first two. The dragon is Beowulf’s last enemy, and last battle. The beast poured out fire and smoke, and was one who â€Å"coiled and uncoiled† at the sight of a human. (line 67 3) The dragon menaces Beowulf’s kingdom and as an old man he is forced to fight the beast. The antagonists are evil and uncaring of human life, each choosing to end it when they please. They are bad and it shows. One night as Grendel decides to pay a visit to HerotShow MoreRelatedBeowulf: Themes1038 Words   |  5 PagesBeowulf: Themes The Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf is the most important work of Old English literature, and is well deserved of the distinction. The epic tells the story of a hero, a Scandinavian prince named Beowulf, who rids the Danes of the monster Grendel, a descendent of Cain, and of his exploits fighting Grendel s mother and a Dragon. Throughout the epic, the Anglo-Saxon story teller uses many elements to build a certain depth to the characters. Just a few of the important character elementsRead MoreGood vs. Evil Found in Beowulf807 Words   |  3 PagesGood vs. Evil Found in Beowulf In the story of Beowulf, there are many different themes found. Many people argue the main theme found in this story. This has been argued for a very long time and will go on for many more years to come. Although many themes in this story stick out and a main theme will never be accepted, one main theme is very noticeable in the story of Beowulf. The main theme found in Beowulf is good versus evil. Good versus evil is very easy to recognize. â€Å"Some peopleRead MoreGood vs. Evil in Beowulf1456 Words   |  6 PagesGood vs. Evil in Beowulf Beowulf is longest and greatest early Anglo-Saxon poem which was composed in England sometime in the eighth century AD by a literate scop. This poem was created in the oral poetic tradition. This poem is considered as an epic because it is a long narrative poem which composed in an elevated style, dealing with the glories of hero (Tolkien 24). The setting of this epic is the six century in Denmark and southern Sweden. The protagonist, Beowulf is a noble warrior representsRead MoreTheme Of Good And Evil In Beowulf882 Words   |  4 PagesIn the epic poem, Beowulf, perhaps the most important theme seen throughout is the portrayal of good and evil, and how this portrayal impacts the story. The epic poem is about an epic hero, Beowulf, who is completely thought of as a good character and a strong warrior. The unknown author of this poem makes Beowulf out to be, ultimately, a glorified killer of the perceived monsters. However, the poem in and of itself is an opinionated story which giv es the bare amount of opposition to show that perhapsRead MoreEssay on Good vs Evil in Beowulf1568 Words   |  7 PagesIn Beowulf, the clash between good and evil is the poems main and most significant focal point. Although the epic poem Beowulf utilizes many characteristics of Christian themes, the violence in the poem relates to paganism. By exploring the characteristics of â€Å"good vs. evil† such as Cain, Grendel and Beowulf, this paper will explore the elements of Beowulf in such a light. The Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf, was originally told orally then later was written down anonymously in the Old English languageRead MoreTheme Of Christian And Pagan Elements In Beowulf978 Words   |  4 Pageselements Beowulf was written during the time that society was in the process of converting from Paganism to Christianity. Early Christianity developed in the Roman Empire, where many religions were practiced and formed into paganism. Paganism is commonly used to refer to various, largely unconnected religions and beliefs from that time period. Beowulf was written in England between the 8th and 11th century. The name of the author is unknown, but referred to as the Beowulf Poet. Beowulf is consideredRead MoreTheme Of Good And Evil In Beowulf1190 Words   |  5 PagesIn the beginning all was good; there was no evil. The start of evil was marked when a jealous angel, Satan, desired equality to God. He thrust an ever-lasting battle into play when he battled God for supremacy. One-third of all the angels in heaven, including Satan, were thrown from heaven onto Earth. God’s perfect creation became faulted when the fallen angel, Satan, tempted Adam and Eve into eating a forbidden fruit. By partaking of the forbidden fruit, sin was born on Earth. The birthing of suchRead MoreEssay on Beowulf study guide1576 Words   |  7 Pages1) Describe how we find King Hrothgar and his response to learning that Beowulf has come to his kingdom. A. The king is sad and depressed that his kingdom has fallen into such a state of disrepair. He is overjoyed to learn that Beowulf, whom he knows from stories and his father, Ecgtheow, has come to fight Grendel. Hrothgar promises Beowulf treasure if he can defeat the monster. 2) In the beginning of â€Å"Beowulf,† King Hrothgar’s hall has been deserted for twelve years. In a short essay, tell whyRead MoreCompare And Contrast Beowulf And Grendel725 Words   |  3 PagesHonors English 3 10/29/17 Grendel Point of View Essay Both the epic poem Beowulf and the novel Grendel depict the same storyline, but from different point of views. Grendel’s personality tends to be much more evil than he himself depicts in the novel. Since Grendel is the narrator of the novel, the audience only gets to know what the story is like from his point of view, which he stretches the truth on numerous occasions. But, in Beowulf, the poem has a narrator and is in the third person omniscientRead MoreEssay on Good and Evil in Beowulf1042 Words   |  5 PagesThe story of Beowulf was probably composed in England sometime in the Eighth Century AD, and written down circa 1000 AD, by a literate scop (bard) or perhaps a Christian scribe who was possibly educated in a monastery. The poem was created in oral tradition and was transferred to writing over time. It had its roots in folk tales and traditional stories until some very talented poet put it in something very near to its current form. The poem was more than likely per formed for audiences at court

Separation of Powers in the Uk Free Essays

This essay will seek to analyse the doctrine of the separation of powers and the importance of its presence within a constitution. Particular emphasis will be placed on identifying how this idea is incorporated into the United Kingdom’s (UK) constitution and the effect that recent developments of constitutional reform such as the introduction of the UK Supreme Court in place of the House of Lords has had. The doctrine of the separation of powers is an idea that can be seen in writings as far back as the time of Aristotle. We will write a custom essay sample on Separation of Powers in the Uk or any similar topic only for you Order Now This concept states that any constitution relies on the ‘three pillars of state’ which are the executive, legislative and judiciary. Montesquieu formulated this concept in the eighteenth century and in ‘L’Esprit des Lois’ wrote; â€Å"All would be lost if the same man or the same body of principle of men, either of nobles, or of the people, exercised these three powers: that of making laws, that of executing public resolutions, and that of judging the crimes or the disputes of individuals. Montesquieu’s writing sums up the idea that if in any constitution at one time, more than one of these powers are controlled by the same ‘man’ or ‘body of men’ then the power instigated becomes arbitrary and to effect a dictatorship. These three powers can be seen within the UK’s constitution, the Government (executive), Parliament (legislature) and the Courts (judiciary). The UK has been criticised suggesting that there is n o separation of powers within our constitution due to its un-codified and thus unclear nature making it hard to establish three independent bodies. This was the case for a number of reasons; firstly within the UK there are overlaps between the so called ‘powers of state’ an example of this is the set-up of government. Members of the Prime Ministers Cabinet are also Members of Parliament who have executive powers aside being able to vote in parliament, that in turn creates a direct overlap between executive and legislative powers. This can be seen as recently as this year with members of the Cabinet like Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg having executive powers whilst being able to vote in Parliament on the Tuition Fees Bill 2010. The courts also appear to exercise legislative functions along with their judicial roles through means of the common law. Judges for years have been creating and changing laws as they see fit and still to this day have the power to make binding precedents. However, the position of Lord Chancellor was regularly criticised as it held presence in all three of the ‘pillars of state’. It would appear from this that indeed the United Kingdom does not exercise the concept of separation of powers. In February 2004 the House of Lords introduced what was eventually to be The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 . This act looked to tackle two of the perceived main criticisms of the UK constitution namely the role of Lord Chancellor and to bring in a Supreme Court to take over the role of the appellate committee of the House of Lords in the judiciary as prior to this members of the House of Lords were members of both the legislature and the judiciary. The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom was thereby opened in 2009 however; it would appear questionable as to whether it has really brought around a separation of powers. If a logical approach is taken then this introduction of a new chamber has made a big change to the constitution as no longer would it be possible for law lords to sit in the judiciary and vote in parliament however, if we take an alternative view then the Supreme Court has not really changed anything within the UK’s constitution. Due to the unwritten format of our constitution it is known that many laws and procedures that countries such as the USA (who possess a written constitution) have backed up by the documented constitution itself, we very much rely on the role of convention, habit and tradition to hold the three powers in check. It has very much been convention that from before 2006 the law lords that sit in the appellate committee of the House of Lords refrain from sitting in political matters whereas; members of the Lords who exercise political functions do not participate with any matters of the judiciary. True, the introduction of the Supreme Court has made it impossible for the legislative and judicial powers to be fused as members appointed within the Supreme Court will no longer be members of the House of Lords thus making this house of Parliament solely legislative. Perhaps a more important development is that future members of the Supreme Court need not even be peers which could in time sever any link between the two chambers. The act also placed restraints on the role of the Lord Chancellor that have met the same feeling as that of the Supreme Court, whilst yes these changes are positive, the question remains were they necessary? The introduction of the UK Supreme Court is a positive step to incorporate not only more written sources to the constitution but towards properly establishing a separation of powers within the UK. However, it can be suggested that a more appropriate step to chieving this goal would be to approach different issues and ones that don’t have constraints such as being governed by convention, that continue to work against any positive steps taken to establish a separation of powers within the state. The fact that Cabinet members can vote in parliament is a direct overlap between two of the powers and maybe reform of this area should be considered as well. Perhaps the whole set up of our countries elective system is in need of reform as any party that commands a majority could effectively pass any bill they like without opposition. Tony Blair as the head of the Labour government in 1997 enjoyed such domination of parliament. The use of the Royal Prerogative has been described as ‘unconstitutional’ and came under scrutiny when Tony Blair supported the USA in the Iraq War and sent British soldiers to war. These majority governments have been described as ‘elective dictatorships’, and these are but a few examples of many things that work against our country ever having a true and complete separation of powers. The establishment of the Supreme Court in October 2009 and the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 appears to have sparked willingness for change. This could be seen in the 2010 General Election where clear emphasis was placed on constitutional reform by each major party, to mention but one is the Liberal Democrats pledge to attempt to remove the first past the post voting system to be replaced by proportional representation. The Con-Lib coalition government of 2010 has recently created a five year fixed term parliament which places the next general election on the first Thursday of May 2015. These are all changes that will eventually contribute to creating a separation of powers and to positively change the constitution. It can be seen from this that the introduction of the new Supreme Court has made a big step towards bringing about a true separation of powers in the UK. Regardless of the conventions that the House of Lords and appellate committee followed, the Supreme Court has severed any link between the judiciary and parliament. This is particularly important in present times as the rise in claims of judicial review require a completely impartial court in order to enable the judiciary to keep check of the legislative and executive branches of state and to uphold constitutional justice. It is also clear that there is at best a partial separation of power in the UK which is important to retain but it could not be said that we have incorporated this concept wholly and much more will be done over time to establish a more stable constitution for future governments. Constitutional reform in itself is not a simple task and examples of this can be seen in countries such as Bosnia who are currently struggling with reformations, which really does highlight the enormity of creating a Supreme Court and re-identifying the judicial branch of the UK. Whilst there is currently only a partial separation of powers in the UK for now, this may be starting to change. 1491 Words. Bibliography †¢Neil Parpworth, Constitutional Administrative Law (6th Edition, Oxford University Press, 2010). †¢Anthony King, The British Constitution (Oxford University Press, 2007). †¢Jeffrey Jowell and Dawn Oliver, The Changing Constitution (6th Edition, Oxford University Press, 2007). †¢Vernon Bogdanor, The New British Constitution (Hart Publishing, 2009). †¢http://www. energyobserver. com/tekst-e. php? lang=2ID=1072 accessed 07/01/2011 14:07. †¢ accessed 07/01/2011 15:36. How to cite Separation of Powers in the Uk, Papers

Israel Horovitz Essay Example For Students

Israel Horovitz Essay As you drive north out of Boston on I-93, the changes begin. Skyscrapers fall away; motels and multiplex theatres thin out and are replaced by trees and windswept sky. By the time you reach the two-lane macadam of Route 128 and turn southeast, you might be anywhere in New England. Only when 128 spills into the humble seacoast thoroughfare of East Main Street do you realize that youve arrived in a place that cant be mistaken for anywhere else. The immense, poncho-clad, wheel-twisting statue of the Gloucester Fisherman that greets every visitor to the waterfront of Gloucester, Mass. is more than a municipal emblem: it is a tribute to more than five generations of fishing families who have defined the town and sustained its principal industry through good times and bad. Even on a first encounter, the figure, despite its imposing dimensions, seems as familiar and apropos as the hale, trustworthy tar on a box of frozen fish sticks. Its a feeling, one imagines without belaboring the comparison, that Gloucester citizens have extended to a flesh-and-blood figure who has exemplified and celebrated their town in his own way: playwright Israel Horovitz. Over the past 14 years, Horovitz has fashioned himself as the voice and heart and conscience of this picturesque seaside community. As founder, artistic director and resident playwright of the Gloucester Stage Company, he has sought to capture the spirit, vitality and complexity of the local people in his series of Gloucester plays. Written and produced for GSC, many of the plays from Sunday Runners in the Rain to Park Your Car in Harvard Yard to Henry Lumper have been translated into 20-odd languages and played not only in New York but around the world. It just goes to show, Horovitz says during a conversation at a harborfront cafe, you throw a pebble into the water in Gloucester and the ripples go a long way. While success in the larger world seems to delight the 53-year-old playwright, one gets the impression that it is at present more a means to an end, allowing him the freedom to stay in his adopted town and run his theatre. A native of nearby Wakefield (a landscape explored in his seven-play Wakefield cycle of the 1970s), Horovitz remembers Gloucester as a place I was taken to on special days when I was a kid. Years later, when the New York Playwright logo was safely emblazoned on my chest, I came up here and bought a little house. He pauses, taking in the tall ships and the sailboats bobbing gently in the harbor. On the other side of this protected cove lies the Rocky Neck Art Colony. Gloucester isnt my discovery. Theres a long tradition of high art here. T.S. Eliot wrote here. Edward Hopper, John Sloane, Winslow Homer, they all painted here. When Horovitz brought his family out from their Greenwich Village home to a Victorian house it East Gloucester, It was supposed to be a summer move, he says with a sideways grin. Somehow I got terribly caught up in the life here. I started to write the Gloucester plays. They grabbed hold of me. Describing the process of researching and writing the plays, he recalls an incident which helped shape his work and its relationship to the community. Thornton Wilder was my mentor. In his later years, I used to visit him at his home in Hamden, Conn., whenever I could. One day I brought him my Wakefield plays. He read them and smiled, and pronounced one sentence that changed the course of my writing. He said, Theres not much Wakefield in there. And he was right. I had set out to write about my hometown, but the plays had very little to do with it. Wilders judgment was in his mind when Horovitz began his Gloucester cycle, and 14 years later he can rest easy in the knowledge that there is plenty of Gloucester in these works. .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde , .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde .postImageUrl , .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde , .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde:hover , .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde:visited , .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde:active { border:0!important; } .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde:active , .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8a1905b5cc65231b39a229e0917aebde:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Israel and the palestinians EssayThe first of them, The Former One-on-One Basketball Champion, ran on a double bill with Jason Millers That Championship Season to launch GSCS first season in 1980, conducted in the small back room of the Blackburn Tavern. Word got out that there was a theatre in town, and soon the room was crammed with seats and risers capable of seating 120. The companys financial state remained tenuous despite simple production values until 1985, when Horovitz produced Henry Lumper, his grim but tumultuous epic that parallels Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2. Set it the fictitious town of Glossor, it brought to light the very real drug problem in Gloucester. There was a statistic in the Boston Globe that Gloucester at that time had the worst per-capita heroin use in the country. They were smuggling it into port inside of the fish, and the dogs couldnt smell the stuff. If youre a writer, you cant just cluck at statistics like that. You have to ask why. Why were the local people doing drugs? He waves a hand across the expanse of the harbor as if to accentuate the dichotomy between serenity and turbulence. There was such a feeling of hopelessness. The real Gloucester people were lost. The economy was awful. The fishing industry had become a joke. With inspiration and inside information from a Gloucester woman (who, ironically, died of a drug overdose within a year), Horovitz painted a scathing and riveting portrait of the community in Henry Lumper. Publicity about the play forced public officials to deal with the drug issue; recognition of the human dimension of the problem gave locals a renewed sense of value. When the Blackburn Tavern was sold in 1986, GSC found a new home in a warehouse owned by Gortons fish company and used primarily for storage of industrial equipment. North Shore Fish, which christened the new space, has since opened again as the final show of the 1992 season. Set in a fish-stick plant on the eve of financial ruin, the play powerfully renders the almost Shakespearean rages and fears, dreams and passions that consume the lives of the fish people who work there. These are people whose world is circumscribed by gills, fins, entrails and hooks, who see the ocean every day but will probably never cross it. They are the people of Gloucester. Open, unpretentious and wise is the way Horovitz describes them. As the real and imaginary became enmeshed in his plays, Horovitz felt compelled to cast townspeople alongside union actors. Mick Verga was a bouncer at the Blackburn in 1980, adorned with tattoos and inclined to sneer at the theatrical people when they arrived on the scene. Twelve years later, he is in rehearsal for A Streetcar Named Desire, understudying the role of Porker in North Shore Fish, and fresh from an audition for Horovitzs upcoming film Strong Men, later, he is in rehearsal for A Streetcar Named Desire, understudying the role of Porker in North Shore Fish, and fresh from an audition for Horovitzs upcoming film Strong Men, based on another Gloucester play, Strong Mans Weak Child. This is my eighth play in five years and now Im getting called for commercials, Verga says. He calls the playwright a mentor. He advised me very well. He gives me the right feed, back, so I dont get cocky. Verga is one one of many Gloucester residents whose lives have been affected by Horovitz and his theatre. Nobody passes through Gloucester on their way to anyplace else, unless theyre going to England the hard way, the playwright says, looking out to sea with a smile. This place defines the theatre, and, of course, the theatre defines the place, because its art. He stands, brushes sand off his trousers and strolls back up East Main Street toward the theatre, acknowledging people who wave as we pass. I felt that if I could create a body of work that showed what life was like on our little dot of the planet earth, that would be an accomplishment. AT