The Rise of Extremist Groups, Disparity and Poverty

Introduction Terrorism is the most immediate and significant threat to international security and peace. By definition, terrorism refers to the use of extreme violence by non-state actors against civilians or society for political and ideological goals. Although terrorism is not a new phenomenon, it has become increasingly common in the last two decades where it has led to deaths of thousands of innocent civilians across the world.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Rise of Extremist Groups, Disparity and Poverty specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Despite the negative consequences that terrorists have posed to the society, the fight against the vice has become more difficult with time, especially in the light of the increasing support for the violent actions against civilians from extremist groups. Extremist groups use radicalization to amass support for their activities. This strategy has become a very c ommon and real problem, which has led to people being radicalized into violent extremism (RVE) . However, the force that drives groups and societies vulnerable to radicalization into violent extremism has been a major issue in the quest for finding a solution to this growing problem. Looking at many programs and projects that are aimed at reducing extremism and radicalization, the use of financial aids and other programs for alleviating the lives of people where extremism is common is a major theme. Such an approach is a clear indication of the prevailing perception of the relationship between poverty, disparity, and extremism. This paper investigates the successful rise of extremist groups and their link to poverty and disparity. The Consensus Relating to Extremist Groups and Extremism What causes extremism? What motivates people to join extremist groups? Such questions have been at the center of efforts that have been put towards curbing extremism and extremist groups in the quest for making the world a better and more peaceful place. The questions are indeed set for a good reason, especially with reference to the ongoing proliferation of extremist terrorist groups across the world. Since 2010, there has been a 53% rise in the number of terrorist groups and militias across the world. According to White and Halm (2002), the group’s main agenda is to attack civilians and government installations in an outright hatred for the current leadership or international actors such as the United States and its allies who have been accused of harassing or committing other crimes against the communities where these extremist groups exist . For instance, the Al-Qaeda group, which is one of the well-known extremist and terrorist groups, has a deep hatred for the United States, which it accuses of infringing on the rights of Muslims. According to the group, the US should be attacked and exposed to extreme violence.Advertising Looking for research paper on politic al sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The extremist groups claim that such actions are aimed at ensuring that they (the groups) can be left alone to establish their governance in the areas that they control. The actions are also meant to keep away the international actors such as the US from interfering.  In the last 10 years, the effects of extremist groups have been felt across the world, especially in the Middle East and North Africa region. Following the Arab Uprising in the Arab world, many governments have been destabilized to the extent of leading to serious problems and challenges in terms of delivering services to the members of the society . Without stability and strong governance from the central governments, it is difficult for the government to provide an environment where businesses can thrive. This situation leads to an increase in unemployment and poverty among other societal problems.  From the above ana lysis, extremism and terrorism have become a serious international security agenda. In the quest for reducing the effects and reach of terrorism, the US and other international players have dedicated billions of dollars to providing relief aid that is aimed at increasing education and the economic status of communities that are viewed as vulnerable to such extremist ideologies. The perceptions of these efforts by the US and its allies are that poverty and marginalization are key factors that make people, especially the youths, vulnerable to extremism. However, so far, little has been achieved. More extremist groups are sprouting or expanding to the level of coming up with new approaches to violence (White Halm, 2002). This situation is a cause for worry concerning the future of international security. The Link between Poverty and Extremism Poverty relates to the lack and inadequacy of material possessions to enable a decent livelihood for people. More than 1.2 billion people in the world live below the poverty line. They survive on less than a dollar while approximately half of the world’s population lives on less than 2 dollars a day . Poverty levels are increasing by the day. The situation has caused many communities, and most importantly youths, who are finding the effects of poverty unbearable, and hence the reason why they have opted for new ways of making a living. It is also important to note that violence and lawlessness are majorly found in impoverished nations and/or marginalized communities and hence the reason why poverty and its linkage to violence and lawlessness has been a subject of growing research. Researches have led to different outcomes and recommendations that relate to the main factors that make people vulnerable to extremism and terrorist ideologies.  A research by Tessler and Robbins (2007) scrutinizes the link between discrete financial features and support for violence.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Rise of Extremist Groups, Disparity and Poverty specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The study confirms, â€Å"Neither personal nor societal economic circumstances are crucial factors that determine attitudes towards terrorism that is directed towards the United States and other nations† (Tessler Robbins, 2007, p. 323). Another research by Shafiq and Sinno (2010) used Pews Global Attitudes Survey (GATS) data from 2005. The study found that the relationship between income, education, and support for suicide bombing varies from one country to another and from one target to another. Another study by Chiozza (2011), which involved close to 15 Islamic countries, realized that the backing of Islamist radicalism was at the peak among the metropolitan underprivileged class. From these researches, it is important to conclude that low-income people or poor individuals are more likely to support violent extremist groups compare d to those who have a higher income. A good example is the support for Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan where it is evident that poverty has played a major role in amassing support from youths and local populations, which have been left in poverty with minimal access to government services and development. While support for terrorist groups and their violent activities may vary from one territory to another or a nation to another, such support is majorly determined by two characteristics, namely poverty and inequality. These two factors are all centered on the economic and political discrimination that has become unbearable in the marginalized communities. According to Tessler and Robbins (2007), economic discrimination against minority groups can reveal why such underprivileged communities often support domestic extremist groups . Such individuals or minority groups often support the extremist groups since the group’s ideologies resonate with the plight of those who are disappointed by domestic politics of economic marginalization. The ideologies also offer an attentive option of economic freedom or means of achieving various policy goals that they deem impossible to achieve unless the follow the approaches that the extremist groups suggest . In this case, even when an individual is not personally experiencing poverty (but he or she can witness it among other members of the society), he or she may end up being persuaded to support the extremist group’s ideologies of violence and terror to push for change . Indeed, this notion is an important explanation of why more youths, even from the rich countries, are leaving their affluent lives to take arms in support of terror activities, especially in Syria, through the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) or in Somalia through the Al-Shabaab terrorist group.Advertising Looking for research paper on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Marginalization and Extremism For a very long time, many Islamic nations in the Middle East and North Africa have been ruled through dictatorship where people in key government activities have had very limited freedom of expression. Such leadership has allowed the growth of dissidence, especially from the educated class and the youths who feel that there is a need for a change in governance to give people more say concerning the way they are governed . The Arab Spring is an important indicator of the end of people’s tolerance for such leadership, which only benefits the elite while marginalizing and oppressing the majority of those who are led. Beginning in 2010 in Tunisia, the ‘Spring’ or what can been viewed as a revolution saw many civilians take into streets in protests, which were both violent and non-violent, requesting changes in leadership and governance in favor of democracy and democratic leadership . Countries such as Libya are characterized by prosper ity in terms of income and living standards. However, the lack of other benefits such as the freedom of expression and the right to partake in decisions relating to leadership was enough motivation for bringing civilians together to demand the ousting of the leadership of the day, which was seen as a great hindrance to what the society wanted. By the end of the movement, the Arab world has experienced enormous changes in leadership and democratic process, which although have been slow to take root, are a clear sign of what can motivate people into supporting extremist groups . A good example is Egypt. Despite the enactment of the preferred government led by Morsi, the country’s adoption of even more strict Sharia law, which was not in line with what the society expected, led to a new revolution and consequently the ousting of Morsi. It was evident that the society was willing to go to the greatest depths to support even the extreme groups as long as dictatorial and marginaliz ing leadership was the devil that was being fought. Another important example of the way marginalization or inequality is a major reason why groups support terrorism can be obtained from the case of Somalia’s extremist group, which has launched many and often-disastrous attacks on countries it deems enemy such as Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia. Since the African Union’s AMISOM forces, which have a majority membership from the Kenya Defense Forces, Ethiopia, and Uganda entered the lawless country of Somalia to flush out the terrorist group, there has been an increasing wave of radicalization and extremism across the region . Kenyan youths form the major culprit who has become an easy target for radicalization. The youths are being turned into enemies of their nations. Indeed, the Kenyan government has been grappling with the challenges that the Al-Shabaab outfit poses, especially in terms of the radicalization of the young people. The genesis of this problem can be traced to the marginalization of youths who are growing up and becoming adults without any meaningful means of earning a living .  In this case, even the youths may not believe in the ideologies that are posed by the terrorist groups. The opportunity of making a living with very attractive packages of salary makes it very easy to radicalize such youths .   What options do they have when the choice is between poverty and prosperity even if the cost of joining the terrorist group means taking up arms and killing innocent people? The case of Al-Shabaab and its radicalization of youths across East Africa can be witnessed in other regions of the world where terrorism is thriving. This situation can solely be pinned to poverty and marginalization. Discussion From the above review of studies, it is evident that the rise of extremist groups can be greatly attributed to many factors. However, poverty and disparity play the biggest role. For a long time, many governments in areas where terrorist groups thrive have ignored the plight of their people. They have focused on only the welfare of the elite while exposing many people to poverty and helplessness. This situation has led to resentment and great hatred towards those who are viewed as being the main cause of such societal problems. Firstly, poverty makes living difficult and almost impossible to bear. When the government is not doing enough to provide the people with opportunities for making a living, it slowly loses its authority of such people. Hence, they slowly opt to carry out all possible activities to make a living . When youths are growing up without an idea of what they can make of themselves, the situation leaves many questions on the people concerning the legitimacy of the government of the day if it cannot address the obvious challenges that the society is facing. The presence of poverty provides extremist groups the best launch pad for success in the activities and their reach in two main ways. The extremi st groups understand the problems the people are undergoing. Hence, they can easily convince them on who deserves to be the enemy, in this case, the government of the day or any other group such as international actors, including the US among others. When the enemy is identified, actions that are necessary for eliminating the enemy mostly include violence (Bjorgo Horgan, 2009; Shafiq Sinno, 2010). Such actions become very viable. For instance, providing security and a means of earning a living are major motivators for many militants who join the group. Many terrorist groups have financiers or financial activities that ensure that they can support their members with good lives and a means of earning a living. When presented with such an opportunity, many youths and people willingly join these groups by taking up arms to fight against the ‘enemy’ . Therefore, it is evident that poverty is closely linked to extremism and the proliferation of extremist groups across the w orld.  Secondly, marginalization and disparities between the rich and poor are a major cause of extremism. In many nations, the ruled or the population does not have a say on matters that greatly influence their welfare. This situation attracts a major disparity between the elite or the political class and the ordinary citizens. The government and other individuals who are close to power have access to the best lives possible while the ordinary citizens are left to grapple with all kinds of problems . Of great significance is the iron fist approach to leadership that some governments use with total disregard for democratic process that can allow those who are ruled to be part of the decision-making process on issues that they hold dear. At the end, the government implements unpopular decisions where any opposition is responded to with brutal force, which often violates all human rights that the citizens should enjoy. When the people are tired of such leadership styles, extremist g roups become the only way out of such marginalization and/or the only viable option towards equality . In this case, people are oppressed to become an easy target for radicalization since they easily resonate with the ideologies of the extremist groups, which promise to use all means possible to overthrow and organize a more representative government . Even though most of such ideologies and goals never become successful, they still reflect the motivation of the members of the extremist groups as far as their quest for equality is concerned. Conclusion As long as poverty and inequality dominate the society, it will be difficult for the world to rid itself of extremism and extremist groups. The ideologies of such groups are based on the desire to fight the ‘enemy’ who has caused poverty and marginalization. While researchers have given different opinions on the causal link between poverty, marginalization, and extremism, it is evident that cases of violence and lack of p eace are majorly found in areas where poverty and marginalization prevail.  However, the support for poverty and disparity as major causal factors can be explained since the two issues give extremist groups a good starting point towards convincing members of the target communities into embracing their ideologies. Once the government or other actors are portrayed as the enemy and the cause of the problems that members of the society face, taking up arms is just a part of the problem since extremism takes root. Concisely, to eliminate extremism and terrorism, it is important for world governments and other players to find a way of ensuring inclusivity and equality for all people. Eliminating poverty must be a major goal for all governments. It is only after the achievement of prosperity for all people that the world will stand a chance to be at peace without extremist groups. Reference List Aftab, S. (2008). Poverty and Militancy. Conflict and Peace Studies, 1(10), 65-86. Bjorgo, T. , Horgan, J. (2009). Leaving Terrorism Behind: Individual and Collective Disengagement. New York, NY: Routledge. Chiozza, G. (2011). Winning Hearts and Minds: The Political Sociology of Popular Support for Suicide Bombings. Nashville, Tennessee: Vanderbilt University. Jones, G. (2014). A Persistent Threat: The Evolution of Al Qa’ida and Other Salafi Jihadists. Washington, DC: RAND Corporation. Piazza, J. (2011). Poverty, Minority Economic Discrimination, and Domestic Terrorism. Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 48(3), 339-353. Shafiq, M., Sinno, A. (2010). Education, Income and Support for Suicide Bombing; Evidence from Six Muslim Countries. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 54(1), 146-178. Tessler, M., Robbins, M. (2007). What Leads Some Ordinary Men and Women to Approve of Terrorist Acts Against the United States? Journal of Conflict Resolution, 51(2), 305-328. White, J., Halm, S. (2002). Terrorism and Homeland Security. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. This research paper on The Rise of Extremist Groups, Disparity and Poverty was written and submitted by user Alexzander W. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. 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How Many Recommendation Letters For College Do I Need

How Many Recommendation Letters For College Do I Need SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Colleges ask for all different numbers of recommendation letters. Each college sets its own policy, so it's always a good idea to double check each school on your list to make sure you understand exactly what it wants. Typically, colleges want you to send a recommendation letter from your counselor. Additionally, they may ask for one, two, or, in rare cases, three letters from your teachers. This guide will go over the different guidelinesso you know how many recommendationsto collectwhen applying to colleges. First, let’s go overthe different options. How Many Recommendation Letters Do Schools Require? You might need anywhere from zero to four letters of recommendations. As mentioned above, the majority of colleges want to see at least an evaluation from your school counselor. On top of this, many colleges, especially those selecting on the basis of academic merit, seek one or two teacher recommendations. Few colleges want to see three; usually, you’ll only need three recs if you’re applying to military school. To find information on your specific colleges of interest, you can look on their admissions websites. If you’re using the Common Application, then your app should also be customized to each school and its expectations. While this guide doesn’t cover every single college in the US (there are thousands!), it will go over some popular schools and their recommendation letter requirements. Let’s start with schools that have minimum requirements and work our way up to the schools with the most. You're off the hook for recommendation letters at these schools. Popular Schools with No Recommendation Requirement There are some schools, including competitive ones, that don’t require any recommendation letters at all. Some of these may have a general â€Å"no rec letter† policy, but still advise you to check with your particular department or program. Others may ask you to send a recommendation letter later in the year. Some of you reading this might breathe a sigh of relief, while others may want to send a rec letter and be disappointed. If you fall into the latter group, should you send your letter(s) anyway? Again, it’s always a good idea to check your school’s website for information or call its admissions office directly for its advice. Some schools will read your letters if you want to send them, while others arerather adamant about not sending any. Here are a few schools that, generally speaking, don’t require recommendation letters: Penn State University (unless specified by a program) University of California schools University of Minnesota University of Texas University of Washington Now for the schools that require one letter of recommendation - but only from your counselor. If you're applying to any of the schools below, then a trip to your guidance department is in order. Popular Schools that Require One Counselor Recommendationand No TeacherRecommendations These schools just want to see an evaluationfrom your school counselor. As you can see, most of these schools are open to you sending a teacher evaluation if you think it will be helpful to your application. College of William and Mary (teacher recommendationis optional) Georgia Institute of Technology (teacher evaluation is recommended, but not required) James Madison University (teacher recommendation is optional) University of Richmond If you do decide to send a teacher rec when it’s not required, make sure it’s a strong, substantial letter that you feel will truly help your candidacy. A common requirement of many four year colleges is one counselor recommendation and one teacher recommendation. These next schools want you to send two letters of recommendation, as indicated by the diesmbodied floating hand. Popular Schools that Require One Counselor and One Teacher Recommendation These schools want to seeoneletter each from your school counselor and a teacher. University of Delaware (one required, suggests that most applicants submit more than one letter) Georgia Tech Mills College NYU University of Maryland University of Massachusetts University of Virginia Wake Forest University More selectivecolleges tend to require a counselor letter of rec and two teacher letters of recommendation. Check out of some popular schools with this requirement below. If you're applying to any of the schools below, hopefully you have three smiling educators ready to write amazing things about you! Popular Schools that Require One Counselor and Two Teacher Recommendations Since these schools are particularly selective for academic ability, it makes sense that they want to hear about you and your work as a student from two different teachers. Amherst College Duke University Sarah Lawrence College Barnard College Emory University Scripps College Bates College Harvard University Skidmore College Boston College Harvey Mudd College Smith College Bowdoin College Haverford College Stanford University Brown University Johns Hopkins University Swarthmore College Bryn Mawr College Juilliard School Syracuse University California Institute of Technology Massachusetts Institute of Technology Trinity College Case Western Reserve University Middlebury College United State Coast Guard Academy Colby College Mount Holyoke College University of Chicago Colgate University New England Conservatory of Music University of Pennsylvania Colorado College Oberlin College Vanderbilt University Columbia University Occidental College Washington and Lee University Connecticut College Pitzer College Wellesley College Cornell University Pomona College Wheaton College** Dartmouth College* Princeton University Williams College Davidson College* Reed College Yale University *Dartmouth and Davidson additionally require a peer recommendation with the two teacher recommendations.**Wheaton requires one teacher rec and one pastoral rec Up until this point, you either had no choice in your recommender (as with your counselor) or could just choose one teacher. But as for the schools that require two letters, do they have any requirements about who exactly you ask to recommend you? Guidelines for Your TwoTeacher Recommendations In terms of who you ask, colleges typically ask you to provide a range of perspectives, like one letter from a science or math teacher and one from a humanities or social studies teacher (this includes technical schools like MIT and CalTech). The other common policy is that the school leaves the choice up to you. In pretty much any case, you should ask two teachers from core courses. If you’re applying to an art or performance school, like Juilliard or the New England Conservatory of Music, then one of your letters should be an artistic recommendation from a private studio teacher, conductor, coach, or artistic mentor. As you saw above, a select few schools, like Dartmouth, Davidson, and Wheaton, get specific about additional peer or pastoral recommendations, but these are definitely exceptions. Now that you have a sense of the colleges that want two teacher recommendations, take a look at the few that want three (FYI,they’re all military schools). Military Schools that Require One Counselor and Three Teacher Recommendations These schools also require a nomination from a Congressperson, which essentially counts as another recommendation, bringing the number required up to five! US Air Force Academy US Navy Academy (math, English teachers and Blue Gold officer) US Merchant Marine Academy US Military Academy (West Point) Above, we briefly touched on whether or not you should send a letter even if your school doesn’t require it. On a similar note, should you ever send an extra letter? Extra! Extra! Read all about me! Can You Send Extra Recommendation Letters? Logistically, you should be able to send an extra recommendation letter via mail or assigning an additional recommender on your school application or Common Application. Many schools allow this option, but you should be cautious and make sure you understand your school's opinion about sending extra material. Each school has its own stance on supplemental letters. If your school allows it, you want to make sure an extra letter adds something substantial to your application and comes from an authoritative source, like a community supervisoror spiritual leader with whom you've worked closely. Another circumstance in which an extra letter could be a good idea is if you attend a huge high school and haven't gotten to know your teachers or counselor very well. Again, make sure to learn about your school's policy. You don't want to play into the old admissions saying, "The thicker the file, the thicker the kid." Admissions officers usually don't look fondly on too much extra material. Rather than helping your application, excessive supplemental could just end up raising red flags about the strength of your candidacy. While researching your colleges' requirements is a critical first step in planning your recommendation letters, there are several other factors that require your attention. Read on for more on gathering recommendation letters, along withthe resources that canhelp you through the process. Tell me more. What Else Do You Need to Know About Recommendation Letters? Before you invite your recommenders to submit their letters online, you should be thoughtful about who you ask and howyou make your requests. Make sure to ask teachers of core subjects who know you well and give them all the necessary information at least a month in advance, if not in the spring of junior year. To get your best letter, part of this information should be a detailed resume and "brag sheet." Plus you can make appointments with your teachers and counselor to talk about your goals and what you'd like them to include in your letter. Finally, make sure you understand your rights surrounding your rec letters and how to approach the FERPA question on your application. Then you can invite your recommenders and know that you did everything you could to get the best letters for your college application. The rest is up to them, except for that final step in the process - sending thank you cards for all their help! What's Next? Now that you have access to guides on everything you need to know about rec letters, check out this complete guide that takes you through the steps of applying to college. This guide includes everything you need to know about the appplication process. If you're just starting to research colleges, check out this article on how to choose a college and all the questions to ask yourself when planning for your future! Want to improve your SAT score by 160points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Being Gay in America

What two people do with their lives is up to them but when they try and add another person into their lives, it changes the circumstances. Gays have been trying to fight for their rights for years. The Society for Human Rights in Chicago is the country’s earliest known gay rights organization. Wisconsin was the first state to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its official list of mental disorders (InfoPlease). Just recently the military got rid of its â€Å"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell† policy allowing gays to serve in the military openly. I don’t see anything wrong with two people getting married to each other, but I don’t feel that homosexuals should be capable to receive the same benefits of marriage like heterosexuals. If a gay person wants to be married then they should but they also should be taxed for being in a same sex marriage. I feel like they should get taxed because it is not natural for a man to be with a man or a woman to be with another woman. Two of the same sex cannot bear children therefore it is not acceptable to me. Homosexuals are trying to get the same equal opportunity as heterosexual marriages unless they are willing to pay some kind of payment. Under the Defense of Marriage Act made in 1996, it states that a gay married couple can take advantage of state laws with the benefits of marriage, but not any of the benefits by federal law (DOMA). The benefits that heterosexual marriages aren’t authorized to are social security, tax, estate, veteran and military, federal employment, and immigration. The law also states that marriage is legal union between one man and one woman. Under the law, no state may be required to distinguish same sex marriage considered to be marriage in another state. There are six states that consent same sex marriages which are Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. Since most states don’t allow same sex marriage, many homosexuals have ended up going with civil union. Civil union is lawfully documented union like to marriage, but it is not marriage. It is the declaration of a partnership shared by a couple. Civil union isn’t recognized by the federal government and under the Defense of Marriage Act other states don’t have to oblige to recognize them. States that allow civil union are California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin. If you are gay that is fine. What you do behind closed doors is your problem, but many gays are adopting children and raising kids into their lifestyle. In our society today, it has been an all-time high of suicides due to bullying. Why would you want to put a child in that kind of situation where they will be picked on because they have two dads or moms? Cited Section 1. ) DOMA. www. domawatch. org. 28November 2011 2. ) www. hrc. org/issues. 28November 2011 3. ) INFOPLEASE. www. infoplease. com. 28November2011 4. ) Being Gay in America What two people do with their lives is up to them but when they try and add another person into their lives, it changes the circumstances. Gays have been trying to fight for their rights for years. The Society for Human Rights in Chicago is the country’s earliest known gay rights organization. Wisconsin was the first state to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its official list of mental disorders (InfoPlease). Just recently the military got rid of its â€Å"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell† policy allowing gays to serve in the military openly. I don’t see anything wrong with two people getting married to each other, but I don’t feel that homosexuals should be capable to receive the same benefits of marriage like heterosexuals. If a gay person wants to be married then they should but they also should be taxed for being in a same sex marriage. I feel like they should get taxed because it is not natural for a man to be with a man or a woman to be with another woman. Two of the same sex cannot bear children therefore it is not acceptable to me. Homosexuals are trying to get the same equal opportunity as heterosexual marriages unless they are willing to pay some kind of payment. Under the Defense of Marriage Act made in 1996, it states that a gay married couple can take advantage of state laws with the benefits of marriage, but not any of the benefits by federal law (DOMA). The benefits that heterosexual marriages aren’t authorized to are social security, tax, estate, veteran and military, federal employment, and immigration. The law also states that marriage is legal union between one man and one woman. Under the law, no state may be required to distinguish same sex marriage considered to be marriage in another state. There are six states that consent same sex marriages which are Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. Since most states don’t allow same sex marriage, many homosexuals have ended up going with civil union. Civil union is lawfully documented union like to marriage, but it is not marriage. It is the declaration of a partnership shared by a couple. Civil union isn’t recognized by the federal government and under the Defense of Marriage Act other states don’t have to oblige to recognize them. States that allow civil union are California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin. If you are gay that is fine. What you do behind closed doors is your problem, but many gays are adopting children and raising kids into their lifestyle. In our society today, it has been an all-time high of suicides due to bullying. Why would you want to put a child in that kind of situation where they will be picked on because they have two dads or moms? Cited Section 1. ) DOMA. www. domawatch. org. 28November 2011 2. ) www. hrc. org/issues. 28November 2011 3. ) INFOPLEASE. www. infoplease. com. 28November2011 4. )

Nventory Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Nventory Management - Essay Example il industry has its core competency in the efficient supply chain system; it has developed a highly integrated and IT enabled logistics structure so that the demand and supply of its offerings is efficiently managed. Once the level of any product reaches a pre-determined level, the IT system automatically places an order at the supplier location. The supplier ensures that the goods are delivered within the agreed time period so that the problem of shortage is completely eliminated. Similarly, UPS, the leading postal carrier service provider ensures that it implements the direct-to-store approach effectively. In this approach, the step of distribution center is completely eliminated and the inventory is moved directly from the manufacturer to the consumer; there is no need of warehousing the stock and the holding and warehousing costs are completely eradicated from the supply chain (Muller, 2011). With the help of IT-enabled supply chain frameworks, the supplier-manufacturer relations have strengthened and the orders are fulfilled on time with shorter lead times and excellent level of the operational efficiency is attained. In order to ensure that the appropriate inventory management system is in place, the companies have made it mandatory that the best inventory management technique is implemented. For instance, Continental Airlines has ensured that it has the most efficient Materials Resource Planning (MRP) system within its business operations so that the in-flight services related to food and beverages are efficiently performed. As a result, its cost has reduced by US$40 million on yearly basis. With the help of this system, the inventory is adequately managed and it has been able to enhance its levels of proficiency and customer expectation by a significant amount (Wild, 2012). The Internet-enabled links between the partners of supply chain (inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics and distribution) have enhanced the collaboration and coordination

Gentiva Health Services Financial Analysis Report Term Paper

Gentiva Health Services Financial Analysis Report - Term Paper Example The paper is divided into the following sections: background information, revenue analysis, financial analysis and management. Finally, the last section gives a conclusion based on the author’s point of view on the soundness of the company’s activities. Outline Outline 3 Background Information 4 Operating Revenue 5 Financial Management 7 Sources of capital 8 Capital Expenditure Management 9 Financial management analysis 9 Conclusion 11 Background Information Gentiva health services provider is one of the largest health care and hospice providers in the majority of the states in America. In 1971, Gentiva launched its home healthcare business and under the umbrella of Olsten Corporation, a split took place in March 2000 separating Olsten and Gentiva Health services, which is now one of the largest health service providers in the nation and ranked among the ten largest after acquiring The Health field Group, Inc., in 2006. Gentiva Health Services provides hospice services throughout 420 locations and at least forty-one states. These services include skilled nursing, hospice services, nutrition, social work, and disease management education. The company also takes part in assisting needy people in their daily living activities. The proposed introduction of the health services reform that requires health service providers to cut down service charges has tremendously affected the organization’s business. In response to the proposed regulation, the organization sold thirty-four of its branches in 2011 and has sold another bunch of ten branches in 2012. As a result of these sales, there are short lived and long-term effects on the expenditures and revenues earned by the company (financial performance). The effects of the recent acquisitions and dispositions on short term securities are evident on the balance sheet totals. These dispositions have reduced the short term securities owned by the company. Part of the accrued benefits from the sale of it s branches has been directed to make strategic acquisitions in pursuant of increased fixed assets portfolio. Following the closure of some branches, there is a reduction in accounts receivables as a result of reduction in numbers of customers served by the closed branches. Newly acquired branches may take time before they build a substantial number of customers. Gentiva company endeavors to venture into new market niches, this implies an increase in the inventory of the company. Overall cost of running the company may immensely reduce as a result of the reduction in the workload due to closure of some branches. Closed branches will reduce accrued revenue and expenses for the company. New business ventures require new employees; initially this may raise the running expenses especially due to training costs. With the expansion, the company will reduce operational costs and expenses and claim a high market niche. To retain its relevance in the presence of the reduced health service cha rges as indicated by the health reform, each service provider must engage extra efforts; else, most of the service providers may find it difficult to cope with the incorporation of the new law. This paper gives an analysis of the activities of Gentiva Health services in relation to revenue management, financial analysis and financial management with an aim to evaluate the soundness of the organization’

Juvenile Justice Process and Corrections Essay Example for Free

Juvenile Justice Process and Corrections Essay The following research will discuss the juvenile process system. Starting with the intake process it will discuss each step of the process and the options the defendant will be given. There are concerns and certain weaknesses the process has where it may give opportunity of unlawful and informal negotiation may be occurring. It will also further discuss the considered factors that will determine the juvenile’s sentence. A recent example of the juvenile process is the case of the victim Michael Brewer, which was set on fire by five other teenagers in 2009 over a 40 dollar video game debt. Three out of the five accused were waived to adult court awaiting a criminal trial. Matthew Bent who initiated the burning of Michael Brewer requested a new trial on the grounds of jury misconduct. On October 2012 Deerfield Beach judge denied the request for insufficient evidence. In this particular case the accused crime were considered severe and were waived to adult court where they are less concerned in rehabilitation and more concerned in sentencing a proper punishment for their crimes. The victim was ignited using rubbing alcohol and has suffered severe psychological impact from the even. According to Sun-Sentinel (2012) â€Å"He remembered the cool feeling of rubbing alcohol splashing on him. He remembered the burning sensation, the impulse to run and jump into the pool. He remembered wanting to stay in the water and seeing the first results of the horrific attack hed just endured.† Matthew Bent is suspected to attacking Michael Brewer for several reasons such as, forcing the victim to purchase an item, snitching, and attempting to steal Michael Brewers fathers bicycle. Denver Jarvis an accomplice to the crime pored rubbing alcohol on Michael Brewer. On October 13, 2009 all the suspects were taken in to custody. On November 10, 2009 the major role players of the crime are charged as adults with second degree murder. Bent attorney tried to have the case waivered back to the juvenile system however it was declined. Intake officers screen juvenile cases to determine which should be prosecuted or sent to diversion programs. Intake is a screening that will determine if juvenile should be released, given a future court hearing, diversion programs, prosecution, or waiver to adult criminal court. Intake officers gather and create a social record of the accused and discuss options with the juvenile’s parents or guardian (Champion, 2010). The intake process is informal; while an attorney can be present it is not really necessary since the purpose of the procedure is to determine other attention the child may need other than the juvenile court system. Cases where the juvenile is released to their parents or cases dropped must be approved by the juvenile prosecutor. The release to a juvenile to parents or guardian may encompass terms and conditions that they should follow. This is a formal binding contract in which cases the contract is broken by either the juvenile or the parents the court has the right to continue with other punitive actions. Legal factors must be taken in to consideration prior to make these decisions. It is important to understand that each jurisdiction differ in their intake process. A growing concern during the intake process is that more defense attorneys have been attending this process and conversations that are similar to plea bargains are occurring with the intake officer. The outcome of the sentencing is determined by several different factors such as, seriousness, type of crime, age, and criminal record, evidence for and against the defendant. Many believe there are too many juvenile incarcerations occurring the public mandates to rehabilitate the juveniles, however little enfaces and importance is given to the type of funding the program needs. In conclusion, the juvenile justice system has a very similar process system except for the primary objective. The primary objective is to rehabilitate, whereas criminal courts do not focus on rehabilitating. Diversion programs and waivers are great options to find the ideal punishment for particular crimes. Juveniles have more options as to how to serve their sentence unless they are waivered in to criminal court. References Champion, D. J. (2010). The juvenile justice system: Delinquency, processing, and the law. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. The Burning of Michael Brewer. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/michaelbrewer/

Symbolism of the Mississippi River in Huckleberry Finn Essay examples -

Rivers are often associated with freedom and growth as they are vast and constantly moving and progressing. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is no exception as Mark Twain beautifully paints a picture of a boy who grows significantly during his journey down the Mississippi River. In the beginning of the novel, Huckleberry Finn yearns for his freedom from people who hold him down such as the Widow Douglas and Pap. Ironically, he finds freedom in a place nearby: the river. When he first begins to travel down the river, Huck is more or less self-involved with his own personal motives in mind when running away. He complains about boredom and loneliness when what he really wanted in the first place was to be left alone. When he comes upon Jim, he is overjoyed to be with someone finally and being that it is a Negro man running for his freedom, he begins his growth as a character. As he moves down the river, we see his growth in stages and much of it is due to his experiences on the wate r, which ultimately becomes his moving home. Twain uses narrative devices and literary techniques to exemplify Huck’s relaxed yet lonesome attitude toward the Mississippi River. In the beginning, Huck tells us that â€Å"two or three days and nights went by† (135). Usually, two or three days when running away seems like an eternity but, for Huck, â€Å"they slid along so quiet and smooth and lovely† (135). He is relaxed on the river and shows this by his ability to lose track of time and watch it slip by. Huck describes his daily routine, which seems more suitable for a vacationer than a runaway, like this: â€Å"Soon as night was most gone, we stopped navigating and tied up-nearly always in the dead water under a tow-head, and then cut young cottonwoods and w... ...hor’s use of description and literary techniques. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, there is much talk of being alone or being cast away from society. This is most understood when Mark Twain describes the vastness of the river. His narrative devices and literary techniques help us feel these characteristics. Loneliness is a reoccurring theme as well and how better to feel the loneliness that Huck is experiencing than to describe the slow-moving life on the large, open Mississippi River. Twain does a beautiful job of this throughout the novel and especially in this passage. What we are left feeling for Huck is hope, Hope that he finds the freedom he is looking for. Hope that he can help Jim to the free states, and hope that he will never be lonely again. Work Cited Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, London: W.W. Norton and Company, 1999.

By Choice or Chance Essay

By Choice or Chance? The Boat English 12 Alex McDonald The Boat written by Alistair MacLeod, is a story told from the perspective of a man looking back on his life. It’s about the difficult lifestyle that fishermen in Nova Scotia lead. The story is told about the man’s childhood, focusing on this father and the fishing lifestyle he has grown up in. The story really focuses in on the father-son relationship, where the father would prefer his son getting an education and not having to live the dangerous lifestyle he does, which in the end kills him. The father in the story commits suicide at the end of the story by jumping off his boat durning a storm. Many things contribute to his death such as the fact that he no longer wanted his son to follow in his footsteps as a fisherman, he was never really meant to be a fisherman in general and all together the father was just not happy with his life. The father never wanted his son to follow in his footsteps and become a fisherman. He had always wanted his son to be able to go and get an education, unlike him. He burned and reburied over and over again and his lips still cracked so that they bled when he smiled, and his arms, especially the left, still broke out into the oozing salt-water boils as they did ever since as a child I had first watched him soaking and bathing them in a variety of ineffectual solutions. The chafe-preventing brackets of brass kinked chain that all the men wore about their wrists in early spring were his full season and he shaved but painfully and only once a week. â€Å"(Page 121). The father is obviously unhappy and cannot find any other way out of his lifestyle. In this story the father does not lead a very happy life, from the disappointment of his career, to his family. All of his children except his son no longer lived at home, or even visit, his wife was constantly unhappy with her own life which took a toll on him and the two other reasons already discussed made the father unhappy. â€Å"He had to marry my mother and checked the dates on the flyleaf of the Bible where I learned that my oldest sister had been born a prosaic eleven months after the marriage, and I felt myself then very dirty and debased for my lack of faith and for what I had thought and done. And then there came into my heart a very great love for my father and I thought it was very much braver to spend a life doing what you really do not want rather than selfishly following forever your own dreams and inclinations. And I knew then that I could never leave him alone to suffer the iron-tipped harpoons which my mother would forever hurl into his soul because he was a failure as a husband and a father who had retained none of his own. And I felt that I had been very small in a little secret place within me and that even the completion of high school was for me a silly shallow selfish dream. So I told him one night very resolutely and very powerfully that I would remain with his as lng as he lived and we would fish the sea together. And he made no protest but only smiled through the cigarette smoke that wreathed his bed and replied,† â€Å"I hope you will remember what you’ve said†(121-122) This quote is where you start to realize that the author is foreshadowing the suicide of the father, so at the end it is no wonder he finial decides to end his life of suffering through a job he hated and his son’s. The father is just so unhappy with his life that he cannot deal with it anymore. He hates seeing his son become the man he is. The perfect place to end his life in his eyes is on the boat he was bound to for so many years. The father commits suicide because he no longer wants his son to have to follow in is footsteps as a fisherman, he was never meant to be a fishermen, and in general he was just not happy with his life.

Plato’s Concept of Justice

Aside from â€Å"reason,† the concept of justice is a common topic in every dialogue of Plato like in â€Å"Parmenides† and â€Å"Timaeus†. However, it is in â€Å"The Republic† that the concept of justice is intensively argued, scrutinized, and differentiated. Specifically, the dialogue on the essence of justice in â€Å"The Republic† is largely brought up by the challenging inquiries of Glaucon and Adeimantus. Glaucon, spoken as devil’s advocate, classified justice similarly to the goods chosen, not for the goods themselves, but for the other things that they may bring. Glaucon argued that people do not want anyone to obstruct their unceasing desire for everything and only act in such a way that they avoid unjust treatment. As an analogy, he used the story of Gyges' ring, the ring that gives magical invisibility to its bearer. Anyone who becomes a possessor of that ring can hardly resist the temptation of becoming like a god among others. He or she, unrestrained by justice, will use the ring to satisfy his desires for everything. On the contrary, Socrates pointed out that justice, both in itself and what it brings is good while injustice, even unnoticed, is injurious. Thus, to confute the impressive challenge of Glaucon, Socrates it is imperative to understand the essence of justice before one can really know whether justice is good in itself or it is good due to the things which come from it. However, to expound the Plato's concept of justice, the different gaps in his arguments are needed to be filled with the missing premises. Historical Background In the ancient time, Greeks conceive justice through the poets' ideas like those of Hesiod. Hesiod described justice by conforming to certain set of acts; to avoid Zeus' punishment and achieve his rewards, man must act in accordance with Zeus' will. However, this concept of reward and punishment has lost its credibility during the late period of the fifth century. As people came to observe that most unjust men flourish as good citizens continue to suffer hardships and trials, they denounced the pre-conceived notion that rewards are given to the good doer while punishments are inflicted to the unjust. Consequently, as democracy in the Athenian society evolves, few Athens can hardly see to give importance on the afterlife and the questions on the essence of justice became a great controversy. This controversy was exacerbated by the Sophists who act as hired tutors for wealthy students. Sophists denied the existence of the standards or objective truth concerning right and wrong. They rather treated morality and law as the bases of truth. For instance, Antiphon publicly declared that one must choose to be unjust for it is an advantage. Hence, Plato decided to defend justice against the Sophistic challenge. The Argumentation Thrasymachus claimed that justice is merely an advantage of the stronger citizens. In Book I, he argued that the societal norms and mores are merely conventions which serve as constraints for those who abide with them while others who ignore them are benefited. Whereas the unjust people gain power, become strong and rulers in the society, the weak conform to the justice which places them in a disadvantaged position. Thrasymachus then believed that the justice's norms and mores are merely conventions promulgated by the strong, powerful people and the rulers to protect their own interest and keep the weak into the state of oppression. On the other hand, the second book presented Thrasymachus' challenges not only to the standards of right and wrong but also on the Socrates' method of searching for the truth, the method of elenchus. The Socrates' method of finding the truth commences by building up ideas from the people's beliefs. Thus, if Thrasymachus is impeccable with his notions, truth about justice is merely imposed by rulers. This gave a great task to Socrates to assert that justice is both good and desirable and it is more than conventions; rather, it is connected to the standards of morality and it is our advantage to adhere with it. In the progression of the argumentation in Plato's â€Å"The Republic,† justice was discussed and described in different ways. Some of these ideas were rejected for they inaccurately described justice. Hence, in the end, the argumentation does not only lead to what justice is but also defined what it is not. By analogy, the conception of justice was compared to the political structure of the city and the components of an individual. â€Å"Justice emerges from the relation of these parts in both the city and the individual. † Although justice, in form, is not identical to the structure of the city or the form of the soul, the manner of the various parts of the soul or city must function imply the harmony that the justice could bring. Justice in the city and the individual’s soul is the relating and functioning of parts in a systemic way to produce a graceful harmonious result. † In its comparison with the city, â€Å"justice is everyone doing one's part into the best of what he or she can and not meddling in others business†. On the other hand, justice results when the three compone nts of the soul function in a graceful manner. Thus, as the individual parts of the soul and the city work properly, the resulting harmony is excellence in their function. This resulting excellence then is justice. In the case that one of their integral parts does not function well, the entity or individual suffers resulting to the lack of justice. Justice then for the individual is internal as he or she tries to align it from the soul with his or her body's external actions which in turn directly affected by the external world; hence, a just person will not commit unjust actions. In such way, the internal justice of the person is directly affected by the external world. Moreover, Book I presented the conception of justice as an internal virtue and external quality with more complexities and implications. The discussions of such can be directly seen from the propositions of Thrasymacus, Cephalus and Polemarcus which scrutinized by Socrates. Cephalus perceived justice as telling the truth and paying one's debts while Polemarchus proposed that â€Å"justice is giving each what is owed to them. † Socrates told is not always true as perceived by Cephalus for it could create disastrous results like in returning weapon to a mentally-defective person who could harm others and even herself or himself. Even the conception of Polemarchus is defective for it signifies the intention to help friends and to do harm to enemy. Socrates argued that a just person must not do anything harm to anyone for he or she must do good things and doing harm to anyone is not good. Nevertheless, Thrasymachus conceived justice as â€Å"the advantage of the stronger and obeying the rulers,† which was contradicted by Socrates due to its insufficiency. Thrasymachus' notion can also be stated as â€Å"advantage of the stronger,† which requires a deeper interpretation. In this way, Thrasymachus suggested that justice can only be fully understood by a person in power. So as to become powerful and ruler, that person must possess knowledge in producing justice and ruling for his or her favor. If the ruler has knowledge and knowledge is good, this goodness will lead everyone to happiness while happiness is ultimately justice. Looking gain at the proposition of Thrasymachus, he pointed out two essential things between the ruler and the ruled. First, the ruling group or person who will create laws is stronger and advantageous. Then, these laws inflict punishments to the ruled group which place them in a disadvantageous position. Thus, justice is compliance with the laws made by the rulers. As such, in the ideal world of Thrasymachus, the rulers pass laws for their favor and entirely for their own benefits. On the other hand, the ruled group is mandated to obey the laws in order to avoid punishments and to achieve the collective good. By implementing this, the ruler helps the ruled group to attain internal personal justice as well as to help the city in pursuing justice for â€Å"the individual justice echoes out to effect the city as a whole. † Therefore, compliance with the laws is also justice. The â€Å"good† for Thracymachus is doing what perceived to be good. Eve though there is no standard good, one must do things which bring profits and benefits to self. On the other hand, the powerful can act the way they want for the laws are made for their own favor. Meanwhile, the soul's function is living. Everything that functions has excellence and justice is the excellence of the soul. As well, the achievement of justice will eventually lead to the well-living and the happiness of a person. As justice leads to happiness and â€Å"just† person is also a happy one, the person has happiness if he or she has the sense on justice and the person is only â€Å"just† when he or she has happiness. Therefore, Thrasymachus believed that happiness is the end goal. Furthermore, Thrasymachus added that justice is only advantageous for the stronger and it is better to be unjust than just. Since getting more things bring happiness, it is better to get more in life. He suggested that if it is possible to act without the consequences of one's actions, anybody would transgress the set obligations and legal standards. Since laws are merely created to benefit the stronger, anybody may probably choose to act in a way which benefits him or her. In this manner, the person acts unjustly if in this way he or she will be benefited. By living then in unjust manner the person will be benefited and eventually will attain happiness. These propositions of Tharsymachus were largely shaped by his position as a sophist with no morality standards or objective truth belief. Man is capable of pretending just externally but internally unjust. For Thrasymachus, this ability is an advantage because the person can obtain the external reward of pretending as just while simultaneously avoiding the consequences of being unjust internally. In addition, the unjust man can take the advantage of the â€Å"just† man in a similar fashion. Thrasymachus set the example of a man who is a good tax payer and a law-abiding citizen as compared to the unjust tax evader who violated the law due to the belief that laws are not beneficial to him or her. For Thrasymachus, this situation necessitates a special skill or craft which can be perfected through practice. That is, an individual can possibly perfect the skills of being unjust while simultaneously pretending as a just person. Originally, it was Polemarchus who assumed that justice is a craft or skill which was debunked by Socrates but in the same argument Thrasymachus has fallen. Hence, by using the same analogy as with Polemarchus, Socrates was able to refute the proposition of Thrasymachus. Finally, at the end of Book I, Thrasymachus agreed with Socrates that a just man attains happiness while the unjust man falls into the trap of misery. As Thrasymachus retracted his previous propositions, Socrates further explained that the unjust man is unwise and ignorant. A wise man seeks the trail of other wise men that existed and made a path of wisdom; knowledge and wisdom must be achieved by a man to become just. Furthermore, Thrasymachus ideas of justice contradicted the Socrates’ a band of thieves’ analogy. As injustice brings hatred, each member of the band of thieves will come to a moot point where they could hardly trust one another which eventually lead to misunderstanding and separation. If injustice results to such worst ending, we may say then that only justice can preserve love and unity among individuals. Thus, justice is again associated with the â€Å"good† while the injustice is to unbeneficial which denounced the notion of Thrasymachus that injustice is beneficial than justice. Therefore, Thrasymachus ultimately believed that the soul directs the person’s life. This means that an individual with a good soul lives a good and beneficial life while an individual with a bad soul has a miserable life. In connection to this, Socrates firmly stated that a just man has a better life than the unjust for â€Å"justice is the peculiar excellence or virtue of the soul. † Plato’s â€Å"The Republic† presented a systematic analogy of the soul and the city. Plato proved that the human soul has various parts that work harmoniously. On the other hand, the city has different structures that work for the common good in order to attain peace and order and to avoid civil war. Whereas the social structures of the city must collectively work for the common good, the components of the soul must maintain harmonious relationships for the achievement of a collective functional excellence. As the soul functions justly, it is working with excellence which is the utmost functional goal of the soul itself. The Nature of Actions As discussed above, man’s action is a basis of justice. Man acts in way to attain happiness and to avoid pain. As such, Plato believed that the supreme good is the ultimate goal of every human endeavor. What then is the â€Å"good† for a man that can be possibly attained through his endeavors? It is happiness but relatively defined; vulgar men associated it with pleasure while people with refined character ascribed it to honor. While these things are pursued to achieve happiness in one’s self, but â€Å"good† should be pursued not only for happiness but for the â€Å"good† itself—as an end. The â€Å"good† brings happiness and is associated with function or activity. For instance, if you are a behest pianist then, you are good in playing piano for you are functioning well. The well-performance of your function creates happiness not only for yourself but also for the others, thus, giving you a unique identity. In the same line of reasoning, soul is an aspect of humans that differentiated them from the rest of the animals. Thus, man’s function concerns the soul. The rational component of the soul controls man’s impulses, thus, makes him virtuous. Therefore, â€Å"human good turns out to be an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue, and if there are more than one virtue, in accordance with the best and most complete. † Meanwhile, the nature of man’s actions was classified as voluntary, nonvoluntary and involuntary. Involuntary actions are done against one’s disposition; voluntary actions are in accordance with the disposition; and nonvoluntary actions are accidentally done due to ignorance. Since virtue governs one’s disposition to act in accordance with the â€Å"good,† the primary basis then of a virtuous action is the goodness of choice. For an action is always a product of premeditated choice of an individual for the attainment of one’s purpose, it is therefore voluntary. This also satisfies the conditions that Plato believed are necessary for virtue: knowledge, volition, and doing. On the other hand, if an individual was forced for a certain action, although seem involuntary, he is still responsible for that action for he has a choice for not doing. Meanwhile doing things because of ignorance is involuntary if at the end, one recognizes ignorance while failure to do so, makes it nonvoluntary. For instance, if a drunkard is addicted to liquor due to inability to discern virtuous things, the person then is guilty of ignorance and the action is nonvoluntary. If at some point of time, the person realized his ignorance, the action then becomes involuntary. With these, only ignorance can excuse an action to be called a vice but has limitation. If after realizing virtuous things, the person has continued to be a drunkard, then the action is voluntary and he is therefore vicious. It is common sense to us, for example, that insufficient food and water taken into the body results to poor nutrition while a balanced diet ensures good health. â€Å"So too is it, then, in the case of temperance and courage and other virtues. † Avoidance of fears leads to timidity while extreme braveness endangers one’s life; absolute abstinence creates insensibility while hedonism shapes one’s indulgence. Since wrong doings are committed due to pleasure and noble character is avoided due to pain, pleasures and pain then are subjects of every virtue. Just and temperate actions are done by a man who has the sense of justice and temperance. â€Å"But if the acts that are in accordance with the virtues have themselves a certain character it does not follow that they are done justly or temperately. † Several conditions are necessary for the conduct of every virtuous action: knowledge of virtues; disposition for virtuous actions; and power to do virtuous actions. Hence, knowledge on virtues is not enough to become virtuous; rather, the disposition to put virtues into actions is a must. Limitations of Human Judgment Through the hierarchy of things here in the world, we perceive that several creatures are much better, thus, higher than the others: creatures that are alive are better than inanimate objects; living organisms that have senses are much better than plants; and humans that are alive have senses, and have the gift of reason are much perfect to the rest of the creations. However, even if we are the highest form of living organisms, we are not capable of an absolute understanding of reality. For we judge reality based the way we perceive things, beauty, truth or evil. In order to perceive, we make use of definite criteria that if are correct, entails the veracity of our judgment. Can we absolutely perceive the truth? In judging, we are guided by the truth but we do not judge the truth. The truth therefore is higher than us. Nonetheless, in perceiving the truth, we must grasp with something that does not change (solid basis). For if our basis changes, the left over is just a part of the truth. This is also true in perceiving the real essence of justice. In trying to explain free choices through other things may limit the rationale for the true justice. For different things may require different explanations. Hence, in trying to conceive for the real sense of justice, this may lead us to a perilous situation that is substituting vagueness to its real essence.

Deviance Is the Recognized Violation of Cultural Norms Essay Example

Deviance Is the Recognized Violation of Cultural Norms Essay Example Deviance Is the Recognized Violation of Cultural Norms Paper Deviance Is the Recognized Violation of Cultural Norms Paper According to the three social foundations of deviance: 1) Deviance varies according to cultural norms, 2) People become deviant as others define them that way, and 3) Both norms and the way people define situations Involve social power, all behavior whether good or bad Is shaped by society. When you are a victim of child abuse you social skills arena as strong as others. When youre being abused as a child you hold yourself back from society for fear that someone might find out about your situation. You dont interact with others to assure that your problem isnt the topic of discussion. As a child, when oer in a home where you are constantly being abused, either physically or mentally, then you perceive that as being a cultural norm. You feel it is k to hurt others because that was how you were brought up. When you are raised in an abused home you may not understand what is classified as deviant to the rest of the world and therefore act in the way in which you know how. Official statistics indicate that arrest rates peak in late adolescence and drop steadily thereafter. As human beings, we all need to be loved. As humans when we feel that we are not being loved, we are determined to go and find love somewhere. And most of the times, as the saying goes, Find love in all the wrong places. When you are abused as a child you tend to cling to people or things that accept you and make you feel wanted. When you are not at home you are going to do any and everything you can to take your mind off the fact that when you get home you are in a world of hurt. No matter what It Is. It can be bowling, it can be reading, it can be watching movies, or it can be stealing, fighting, or even destroying property. As a child you are not as Informed on what is wrong and what is right. And for the most part as a child you probably dont are you Just want to be loved and be around people who dont hurt you. As you get older In childhood the less you can depend on others and the more you branch out from your social norm. The moment someone comes to you and appears to care about you, or the first thing you find to do to take your mind off being abused, that will be the person and/or thing that carries you for the rest of your life. And as you get older you arent going to do It to the same degree as you did before, you are going to want to be more Involved. According to Robert Martens Strain Theory, the extent ND kind of deviance depend on whether a society provides the means to achieve cultural goals. For example, people who are living In poverty see very little hope of being successful if they play by the rules and obey the law. If you are a child and you are Dealing souses, you see very little nope AT Dealing nappy unless you ay something to take your mind off of being abused. Because norms and situations involve social power, you are going to do something that makes you feel like a big person and that you have clout. Even though there are productive things you can do that will allow o to achieve the goal of feeling like somebody, using unconventional means to achieve a culturally approved goal also known as innovation Just seems easier. But, there are, people who obsessively stick to the rules so that they at least feel respectable, this is called ritualism. There are some people who were abused as a child and decided that they were not going to live their life as a victim. They focus on the good to overcome the bad. They dont follow the rules to necessarily be successful but they continuously follow the rules because they dont want to do wrong. Then you have people who when they are faced with the inability to succeed they retreat by rejecting both cultural goals and means. A lot of times, when you are continually a victim you get to the point where you dont care about anyone else or anything, and all that matters is that you are content. You arent worried about being successful, you arent worried about doing right, all you are worried about is that you are feeling the way you are feeling because you made the choice. Like retreats, rebels reject both the cultural definition of success and the conventional means of achieving success by taking it one step further and forming a counterculture and seeking new goals through new means. This also describes the theory formed by Richard Collard and Lloyd Olin, which propose that crime doesnt necessarily result from limited legitimate opportunity but also from readily accessible illegitimate opportunity. Sociologist Travis Hirsch developed the theory that social control depends on anticipating the consequences of ones behavior. He assumes that for some, Just thinking about the reactions of family and friends is enough to make you o right, but on the other hand, you have people who think that they have little to lose from deviance and are likely to become rule-breakers. When you are a victim of child abuse, the place you call home is the worst and last place that you want to be. Therefore, you are determined to find someone else and something to make your return home a better one. According to Hirsch conformity is linked to four different types of social control. First, you have attachments where strong social attachments encourage conformity, but also when you come from a weak family, peer, and school allegations such as being a victim of child abuse it leaves you freer to engage in deviance. Second, you have opportunity. The greater a persons access to legitimate opportunity, the greater the advantages of conformity. On the other hand, someone with little confidence, who constantly is belittled and made to feel inferior, in future success if freer to drift toward deviance. Third, you have involvement. When you are extensively involved in legitimate activities, deviance is inhibited. On the contrast, people who hang out waiting for something to happen, or are trying to get away, eave the time and energy to engage in deviant activity. Lastly, there is belief. Strong beliefs in conventional morality and respect for authority figures restrain tendencies toward deviance. But then you have people who are constantly exposed to immorality or the lack of morality, have weak consciences and are more open to temptation. Alexander Liaisons points out that the people we tend to define, as deviants, are typically those who share the trait of powerlessness. Being a victim of child abuse, winter mentally or phonically Is one AT ten ways people are mace to Tell powerless. It is at this point when they are forced to find something or someone else to occupy their time, ease their mind, better their situation, or even feel respectable. Not everything about deviance is considered bad. According to Mile Druthers, two of the four essential functions performed by deviance are that, responding to deviance brings people together and it encourages social change. People typically react to serious deviance like in the September 1 1, 2001 attack where people across the U. S joined to protect the country and bring those responsible to Justice. Deviant people SSH a societys moral boundaries, which is why many organizations are formed today. According to www. Childbeds. Com, child abuse can be labeled as anything from: child homicide, child pornography, child prostitution, neglect and abandonment, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual offenses, computer crimes, and even religious exemptions to criminal child abuse and neglect. Just like there are many forms of child abuse there are also many ways to prevent child abuse. One of the best ways, I believe, is to stop child abuse before it starts through prevention programs. There are support programs for new parents which provide support for arenas still in the prenatal stage and for those in the post-natal stage. Then there are nationally known programs such as Parent Effectiveness Training (P. E. T. ), the Parent Nurturing Program, and Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (S. T. E. P. , which use various approaches toward parenting education and are distinct in their use of teaching tools such as reward and punishment, praise, and specific encouragement. They even have a family screening and treatment program in which a visitor comes in the home to detect problems children may be having, Just to name a few. Under no circumstance should a child be abused. But in the horrible case that there are there are many ways to get help. A person should not have to lean to deviance to feel wanted, accepted, or loved. There are positive means to achieving desired goals. Being a victim of child abuse, many things that affect me now could have been prevented if I would have had the proper care and treatment provided as a child my mother was a drug abuser and a child abuser. I got beat everyday all day and sometimes it took days for me to recover, I may have missed school, doctor appointment anything to hide the fact that she was beating me at home. Not only as I a victim of physical abuse, Im also a victim of sexual abuse provided by my own mother and others in my family. Then one she finally cracked, she tried to kill me I got beat all day almost half dead. Then she took a knife and stabbed 5 times and shot me in my arm and threw bleach in my face and told me she would kill me and bury me in the back yard and she was going to be on the run. She asked me did I have any last words and I told her to let me kill myself to you will not go to hell. She said no because she want me to die slow like I have made her do all these years because I was a mistake and a burden. Then someone answered my prayers and I made it to the hospital and they had to put me under Jane Doe to protect that she would not find me and try and hurt me again. Before I left she told me if I told anyone what she was doing to me she would find me and kill me. Now I was a victim of psychological abuse. My mother hurt me so bad and installed so much fear in my heart and mind, to winner I outhunt 1 010 not deserve to De love or to give love. From tens a lot AT my personal relationship has failed for me. I think everyone is going to hurt me or leave me so I hurt them first so I cant get hurt. Being abused at a stage where you are helpless and cant protect yourself is cruel.

Immunology Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Immunology - Coursework Example In 1 sentence or less, explain what could explain the failure of this vaccine. 21. In 2002, Diane Mathis and colleagues discovered the function a molecule named AIRE that was critical for the prevention of multi-organ autoimmune disease. How would you best describe the function of AIRE? Vaccination refers to the injection of a microbe so as to accelerate the immune system to counter the microbe, thus preventing disease. Immunizations or Vaccinations, work through stimulation of the immune system. The fundamental concern, it is impractical to manage cellular processes to make sure that a virus that is replication-deficient will not naturally become replication-competent. If a virus turns into replication-competent, it possibly will re-acquire any characteristics of pathogenic connected to the wild-type germ and could lead to illness. Lymphocytes are believed to enter the lymph nodes through a cascade of steps. Step 1: Cells initially roll on and tether endothelium via selectin-mediated interactions; then go through a stimulated improvement in integrin activity (step 2. It then triggers them to abide firmly by endothelium through the connection of Ig super-family molecules of adhesion and integrins (step 3). The cells that are firmly attached then trail a chemoattractant incline into tissues (step 4). The integrins and selectins necessary for the first step involve L-selectin. Step 3 requires lymphocyte integrin LFA-1 (aLb2) that mediates firm adhesion through obliging to its ICAM-1, HEV-expressed counter-receptors. The molecules that are efficient in performing step 2 and step 4 functions are Chemokines. CD28 and CTLA-4 are homologs, which each bind B7; however, have opposing roles. Even though CD28 co-stimulates T cells, CTLA-4 prevents activation of T cells through blocking cell cycle progression and cytokine production. CTLA-4 is swiftly induced after activation of T cells and has remarkable inhibitory properties.

Compare and contrast Austrian and Post-Keynesian criticisms of the Essay

Compare and contrast Austrian and Post-Keynesian criticisms of the standard neoclassical view of the competitive process - Essay Example Essentially, this paper would tackle about the problematic assumptions of the neoclassical model. Specifically, there will be a discussion on the different competitive processes described under the Neoclassical, Austrian, and Post-Keynesian approaches. There will also be a brief comparison between the Austrian and Post-Keynesian critics towards the neoclassical model, based on the different elements scrutinised by both Kirzner and Lavoie. Lastly, this paper will present the proposed alternative lines of thought of Kirzner and Lavoie, in their attempt to correct the mishaps created by the neoclassical model. II. Brief Overview of the Neoclassical Perspective The Neoclassical approach views the real world of market economies to be exactly representative of markets at equilibrium state. It assumes that the world mirrors the interrelationships present in equilibrium condition of the market. It also contends that the market is composed of agents whose maximisation desires fit each otherâ €™s wants (Kirzner, 1997, p.63). ... As long as the price lets demand and supply to intersect, the market will work efficiently. An additional assumption of the Neoclassical approach states that individuals and firms are expected to make rational decisions for their own benefit, so that individuals are expected to make decisions geared towards utility maximisation while firms are assumed to be always aiming for profit maximisation. Lastly, the Neoclassical model assumes that individuals and firms are given full relevant information about the market (Kirzner, 1997, p.63). With all these assumptions, it is not surprising to see economists who perceive the Neoclassical view as some kind of a classic utopia in economics. For some, it failed to account several important characteristics of a market economy. Economists also began to contest the utmost motive of both individuals and firms in the buy, sell, and trade of goods and services. Some of them proposed that firms and individuals are not inherently maximisation-seekers b ecause they also have other ulterior motives in interacting with the market. Last and most importantly, economists start to go back to the question of equilibrium theory set in the neoclassical model. They continue to examine the elements built under this equilibrium model and attempts to invalidate the realism of the theoretical framework set in this assumption. III. Similarities between the Fundamental Characteristics of Austrian and Post-Keynesian Approaches The Fundamental Question on Neoclassical Theory on Markets’ State of Equilibrium Among this multitude of converging economists are Israel Kirzner and Marc Lavoie. Although each of them belongs to different schools of thought, both economists challenge the neoclassical perspective and its critical elements.