Trip to Oregon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Trip to Oregon - Essay Example I am exhausted.   The journey was quite an adventure passing through the Oregon Trail before settling here in Willamette Valley.   My parents chose to settle here because this is the most accessible part of Oregon where a series of trails can get anybody here.   The Oregon Trail we passed through is a 2,000 mile east to west route and I think the trail was made by the fur trappers.   The road was horrible especially during â€Å"spring when the melting snows and the up-heaving of the frost made mud† that buries the wheel of our carts. We traveled through the new invented mode of transport which is really a big cart called a wagon.   We passed through the Missouri River to the Valleys in Oregon but mostly dirt road.   Although it was more comfortable than riding horseback, the long travel was draining.   It took us a year by a wagon that I missed my 17th birthday because I was on the road with my parents on our way here.   I am going to make up that birthday wit h my debut this year.I am exhausted.   The journey was quite an adventure passing through the Oregon Trail before settling here in Willamette Valley.   My parents chose to settle here because this is the most accessible part of Oregon where a series of trails can get anybody here.   The Oregon Trail we passed through is a 2,000 mile east to west route and I think the trail was made by the fur trappers.   The road was horrible especially during â€Å"spring when the melting snows and the up-heaving of the frost made mud† that buries the wheel of our carts. We traveled through the new invented mode of transport which is really a big cart called a wagon.   We passed through the Missouri River to the Valleys in Oregon but mostly dirt road.   Although it was more comfortable than riding horseback, the long travel was draining.   It took us a year by a wagon that I missed my 17th birthday because I was on the road with my parents on our way here.   I am going to mak e up that birthday with my debut this year. Since the travel was anticipated to be long, we brought foods that can be stored to sustain us during the travel.   Among those we brought with us were dried meat, live poultry, potatoes, and beans.   I also brought furs and comfortable shirts because the weather can get extremely hot and extremely cold.  Ã‚   We met Indians along the road which was also traveling because of the enactment of the Indian Removal Act where they will be relocated. We also met other missionaries when we were near here but mostly, it was the natives who my parents intend to minister.  Ã‚  

Reflective Paper on Gay Marriage Essay Example for Free

Reflective Paper on Gay Marriage Essay Today many people have their own opinions and beliefs when it comes down to the topic of gay marriage. I personally feel that gay marriage should be legalized. Yes God said, â€Å"That marriage is to be between a man and a woman. † My question is, â€Å"What gives people the right to judge or tell another human-being who to love or how to love? † I personally feel it’s insulting to one’s integrity and people should be able to express their love how they see fit. For centuries the United States has been known for its civil rights and freedoms. Many Americans are angered by the idea of same-sex relationships and marriages. The biggest reason to why heterosexuals are against gay marriage is based primarily on their religious beliefs. So I’m wondering, â€Å"What’s wrong with the idea of two people being together who love and care for each other wanting to spend their lives together? † Of course the gay community is greatly misunderstood because many people who aren’t living a homosexual lifestyle just refuse to listen. Most of these individuals would rather be close-minded to the topic, rather than trying to understand the daily struggles and what it means to be gay in America or any other country for that matter. Same-sex couples aren’t asking for special treatment, but just to be treated the same as a straight couple. The ethical theory that provides the most support for same-sex marriage is utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is a natural way to see if an act is the right thing to do (or wrong thing to do) is to look at its results or consequences. Theories allow us the opportunity to identify the problem and then find ways on how to resolve them. One example would happen to be the ninth commandment, â€Å"Thou shall not lie. Given this statement we a human-beings, tend to lead busy lives and in order to not go against what we may have said, we’ll lie. We do this to keep from hurting one’s feelings. In doing this we as people look at the consequences of our actions to determine how we can make the situation better. It also states that there is an obvious solution that is fair and that may be one that appeals to common sense also. If we can mix races and people are allowed t o get married just because. Then why aren’t same-sex couples allowed the exact same opportunity? What makes people so against and afraid of allowing others to love and be with the person they choose? In a utilitarianism mind-set, society can’t say who should have a relationship. Much of the controversy rises from the decision on how one chooses to define or view marriage. Even though, it was between a man and a woman, man and a man, woman and a woman. Relativism is a concept that points of view have no absolute truth or validity. In contrast, people who are supporters of gay marriage tend to look at the glass â€Å"half-full† instead of just basing their decisions primarily on religious beliefs. Both sides have a very valid argument when it comes down to discussing this topic. From past occasions of inequality, gay rights are the next big step to creating change and an equal society. Many people of the Republican Party feel that allowing same-sex marriages will change how people view religion and family values. A large majority of people and organizations that are for gay marriage feel that not allowing same-sex marriage to be legal feel that it’s a violation against the law of the Equal Protection Clause. It’s the clause of the 14th Amendment that prohibits states from denying any person within the jurisdiction of equal protection. So for the laws to not allow same-sex couples marry is going to create a lot of controversy and scrutiny. Homosexuality is defined as the quality of being homosexual or as the erotic activity with another of the same sex. Up until the year of 1973, being homosexual was known to be a mental disorder, which was stated as such in psychology journals. Many often feel that legalizing gay marriage will lead to the legalizing of other things. Such as pedophilia and polygamy which are controversial subjects but not as much as gay marriage. Even though comparing pedophilia and polygamy to gay marriage is a little much, people feel that allowing gay marriage goes against their morals, their views on society, lives they want for their children, and the future. For some violating same-sex couples civil right is worth it in the end only because they want to protect the value of a man-woman type marriage. To deny gays and lesbians the right to marry is in violation of their civil rights as a citizen of the United States of America. Legalizing gay marriage is not to attack how one feels and how they view things, but so that those can have a chance at equality also. Gay marriage is a very emotional topic and is going to be for years to come. So many people feel that homosexuality is wrong and not normal and therefore believe that homosexuals don’t deserve the right to be married. People are going to debate on whether gay marriage is â€Å"right or wrong†, that’s just the way it is. For most of it Christian groups have been the â€Å"chief of state† when it boils down to same-sex marriage. Growing up in a Christian faith home we were taught that God loves everyone. So answer this question, â€Å"Does that circle of people not include gays or lesbians? † The Constitution gives our rights thanks to the founding fathers of our country. As Americans is this country we have many rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of worship, and so many more. Even though there are many rights, some are limited to an extent. In today’s society are government is controlled by politicians who make a majority of the decisions. Even though we are given freedoms for some reason we are scared of using them. The U. S. seems to be huge playing field, but then we have individuals who decide to take away balls, swings, slides, etc. Why do they get to take these things away? Gay marriage will continue to be a critical topic in today’s society, that’s just fact. A recent study shows that there are approximately 2, 900,000 homosexuals living in the U. S. Some chose not to give out there sexual orientation. The only states where gay marriage is legal are Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Maryland, Maine, and Washington. The following countries allow gay partnerships which are Norway, Sweden, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, The Netherlands, France, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, and Finland. A same-sex couple is not allowed to file a joint tax return in order to lower their taxes or allowed to visit a hospital if an illness was to occur. In this case only next of kin are allowed to make hospital visits. I feel that by allowing gay marriage across the country will then give equal rights for an individual. It will decrease the amount on violence among people and will bring the country together. People often ask, â€Å"Why can’t same-sex couples be fine with just the choice of civil union? † They say this because they couldn’t possibly understand the difference between marriage and civil union. Civil union is the legal status that ensures to same-sex couples specified rights and responsibilities of married couples. Marriage is the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage. Civil unions don’t allow the same assurance that marriage does. In our case marriages are known worldwide, as for civil unions they only exist in the state in which the couple live in. Marriage for same-sex couples happen to be way more beneficial in this case. Say for instance in a civil union, if one of the partners passes away, the living spouse cannot receive Social Security or any benefits from the government. This leaves that person in a financial crisis even though they had been with them for years. In a marriage, couples are entitled to receive their spouse’s Social Security or for that case any other benefits in case of death. This guarantees them definite financial security and rights that will protect them. In a marriage, as a couple you can move from state to state, or country to country and still be granted the same rights and protection. Where as in a civil union if you move to another state they’re rights are long being protected, that in which they were when they were living in the state they happened to be married in. One of the biggest benefits of marriage is the right to adoption. Several states don’t allow gay adoption or allow second parent adoption if an event such as loss or separation happened. Adoption is the act or process of adoption a child. Second parent adoption is when one person adopts the child of his or her partner. There are 16 states that definitely allow joint gay adoption which are; Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington D. C. , Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. One of the most widely cited arguments that happen to be against same-sex marriage rights is that it will harm children that happen to be raised in the â€Å"silver lining† of these relationships. Studies from social science research show that the evidence from this statement is not a supported argument. Scientific literature shows that children who happen to grow up with one or two gay/or esbian parents cope as well in emotional, cognitive, social, and sexual functioning as children raised in a heterosexual household. The optimal development seems to be influenced more by the nature of the relationship and interactions within the family, rather than by the structural form it takes. Since the year of 2002, studies have shown that children with same-sex parents do as well as children of parents of the opposite sex. This has allowed major psychological and health organizations such as (The American Psychological Association) and many more to support same-sex marriage and parenting. The word GLAAD stands for (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). This organization creates change. GLAAD amplifies the voice of the gay community in order to keep equality at the forefront of America’s cultural conversation. Their impact on newspapers, magazines, blogs, radio, television, movies, and so much more, which transforms attitudes to bring about real change. They hold the media accountable for the words and images they produce. When the media is allowed to be a platform to defame and stereotype the LGBT people, that’s when GLAAD steps in to take action. They leverage 25 years in media relationships and countless hours of media advocacy in order to send important messages against homophobia and discrimination. They strengthen other organizations so that they can leverage media, engage in local communities, and advance social change. Right at this present time GLAAD happens to be working with local organizations in more than 30 states to build support for equality. By collaborating with LGBT leaders and advocacy groups, happens to be the â€Å"key† to increasing the visibility of the gay community, changing hearts and minds, and securing full and lasting equality. Suicide is the third most leading cause of death among adolescents and non-suicidal self-harm occurs in 13-45% of individuals within this age group. This make this particular incident a major public health concern in today’s society. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth are particularly at risk for engaging in these behaviors. Even though, not much is known to what are the specific risk factors associated with suicidal ideas and self-harm behaviors within the population. A history of attempted uicide, impulsivity, and prospected LGBT victimization, and low social support were the reasons behind an increased risk of suicidal ideas. Lesbians are two times more likely to attempt suicide than straight woman, and gay men are six times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. Attempts by gay and lesbian youth account up to 30% of all completed suicides. Gay teens are three times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers and gay youth are four times more likely to make a suicide attempt requiring medical attention. The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. This organization was founded in 1998 by James Lecesne, Peggy Rajski, and Randy Stone, who are the creators behind the Academy Award winning short film called, â€Å"Trevor†. That is a timeless coming of age story about love, loss, and to learn how to be yourself. The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LGBTQ youth by providing life-saving and life-affirming resources. Which include 24/7 crisis intervention lifeline, digital community, and advocacy/ educational programs that create safe, supportive, and positive environment for everyone. The vision is to provide a future where the possibilities, opportunities, and dreams are the same for all youth, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Inclusiveness is one of their mantras. This organization believe that everyone should be treated like a human-being, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, ethnicity, religious practice, ability, or size. The Trevor Project is also a Champion of Change, an honor that was presented by the White House for their innovative work to save the lives of LGBTQ young people. In conclusion, I don’t think I’ll ever quite understand the argument on whether homosexuals should have the right to marry and live their lives the way they choose. As citizens of this country, we all deserve the right to experience and have happiness. Isn’t that normally part of forming relationships? It transpires when we fall in love and are able to love the one we have chosen to be with. Even, if our partner happens to be of the same or opposite sex. That shouldn’t matter because â€Å"love is love†, no matter how you see it. For me I feel that same-sex marriage shouldn’t have to resort in ethical controversy, it should be left alone. I feel this way because since the age of fourteen I knew that I was gay. Throughout middle school and high school I kept it a secret and didn’t tell anyone. It was very hard because I was scared that if I came out my family, friends, and my peers wouldn’t accept me. I went through phases of anxiety, anger, lonliness, depression, and an attempt of suicide. All because I kept who I truly was locked away all because the fear of rejection. That’s a very big â€Å"pill† to have to swallow. By deciding to keep this a secret I wasn’t able to live out my truth and be who I truly am. Recently at the beginning of this past year I decided that it was time to come out to my family and friends. It was one of the most hardest and scariest things that I’ve ever had to do but I know it had to be done. Now that I have the acceptance of my family and friends I’m now able to live my life and be truly happy. It’s as if I had been suffocating for so long and now I can breathe again. I can’t explain it but it’s the greatest feeling in the world. I want every teen or young adult struggling with who they are to be able to be okay and love themselves on the inside as well as the outside. There’s a saying, â€Å"God doesn’t make mistakes. † So for every person that’s ever been told that they’re a â€Å"mistake† just know that mistakes are okay because no one’s perfect, but never ever lose your passion to express and be who your are. I just feel like I’m finally able to live out my goals, dreams, and ambitions I have for my life. It’s as if I have been given this new lease on life called â€Å"joy†. I refuse to let anyone or anything take it away.

Civil Society In Combating Terrorism And Extremism Politics Essay

Civil Society In Combating Terrorism And Extremism Politics Essay 1. The stalemate of terrorism has always been a threat to humans of this world in one form or the other, radiating from number of causes such as insensitive religious emotions, sectarian divergences, disparity of power among leftist and rightist schools of thought, communism vs. capitalism, exploitation of the ignorant and deprived ones and lust for acquisition of resources entailing in invasions etc. However, this problem emerged as a flash point after a tragic incident of 9/11 which drew attention of world towards uprooting this cancer by taking certain counter measures. Military solution, when crucial, plays its roles to some extent but cannot fully figure out the intricacies of terrorism without taking all the communities and nation onboard. This not only educates masses about issues in war against terror but plays a key role in boosting morale of forces on frontlines. These have included the introduction of anti-terror laws; changes in reporting requirements for civil society or ganizations; and the increasing use of new border security technologies. In many countries, the impact of these measures on civil society and on citizens has been a source of great concern. The meaning of involving civil society in a wide-ranging and multidimensional response to the threat of terrorism has been stressed by various international platforms. 2. Civil society stands for a vast range of social groups, interests, representations, inbuilt tensions and conflicts. It is most evident by a range of voluntary associations including political parties, trade unions and professional bodies, private foundations, educational and research institutions and think tanks, religious, faith-based, and community-based organizations, and womens, human rights, social and environmental groups. A vibrant civil society can play a strategic role in protecting local communities, countering extremist ideologies, and dealing with political violence. 3. Civil society gives a voice to different social groups and causes, which provides a channel of expression for the marginalized and can promote a culture of tolerance and pluralism. On a more practical level, civil society groups can play a significant role in building local support for counterterrorism through education, lobbying government authorities to adopt a holistic response that respects human rights, monitoring implementation of counterterrorism measures, investigating and publicizing abuses committed in the name of fighting terrorism, giving assistance and support to victims, promoting the importance of peace and security, and providing capacity-building training. This paper will address this aspect of countering the terrorism to see where and how civil society comes into action for countering terrorism. AIM 4. To carry out an in-depth study of civil societys role in addressing terrorism, so as to identify the shortcomings hampering its efficacy with the view to enable a way forward in short and long term perspectives to make it an effective tool for combating terrorism. SCOPE 5. The paper will focus on following:- a. To briefly highlight various terrorism facets for drawing their relevancy and genesis form civil societys standpoint. b. To ponder upon the essentials that the civil society can perform in developing its profile for handling terrorism. c. To highlight the limitations that handicaps our civil societys efficacy in playing its due role in addressing terrorism. d. To bring home an affect based approach focusing on immediate and long term actions to uplift our societys role against terrorism both in cognitive and practical domains. PART I DEFINING TERRORISM AND COUNTER TERRORISM 6. The word Terrorism is very much renowned and perilous to the global world. The modern world has made a number of counter measures to face this menace. Before defining the role of civil society in combating terrorism and extremism effectively; we must understand first about terrorism, its genesis types and causes. Since, solution to any problem will prevail only by knowing its basis and objectives. 7. What is Terrorism.  [1]  Terrorism is not new, and even though it has been used since the beginning of recorded history it can be relatively hard to define. Terrorism has been described variously as both a tactic and strategy; a crime and a holy duty; a justified reaction to oppression and an inexcusable abomination. Obviously, a lot depends on whose point of view is being represented. Terrorism has often been an effective tactic for the weaker side in a conflict. As an asymmetric form of conflict, it confers coercive power with many of the advantages of military force at a fraction of the cost. Due to the secretive nature and small size of terrorist organizations, they often offer opponents no clear organization to defend against or to deter. 8. That is why pre-emption is being considered to be so important. In some cases, terrorism has been a means to carry on a conflict without the adversary realizing the nature of the threat, mistaking terrorism for criminal activity. Because of these characteristics, terrorism has become increasingly common among those pursuing extreme goals throughout the world. But despite its popularity, terrorism can be a nebulous concept. No universally accepted definition exists for the meaning of the word terrorism.Analysts examining the question have counted more than one hundred different definitions.  [2]  The lack of an agreed definition allows those in power to interpret the term for their own purposes. Political leaders often take advantage of the terms ambiguity to label their opponents terrorists. However, there are certain definitions related to terrorism exist in the world with different connotation to its application used by different countries are as:- a. United States Department of Defense. It defines terrorism as the calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological. Within this definition, there are three key elements violence, fear, and intimidation and each element produces terror in its victims. b. Federal Bureau of Investigation (United State). States that, Terrorism is the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives. c. United State Department of State. It defines terrorism to be premeditated politically-motivated violence perpetrated against non-combatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience. d. United Nations. United Nation produced this definition in 1992; An anxiety-inspiring method of repeated violent action, employed by (semi-) clandestine individual, group or state actors, for idiosyncratic, criminal or political reasons, whereby in contrast to assassination the direct targets of violence are not the main targets. The most commonly accepted academic definition starts with the U.N. definition quoted above, and adds two sentences totaling another words on the end; containing such verbose concepts as message generators and violence based communication processes. Less specific and considerably less verbose. e. British Government. The British government definition of 1974 isà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the use of violence for political ends, and includes any use of violence for the purpose of putting the public, or any section of the public, in fear. 9. Terrorism is a criminal act that influences an audience beyond the immediate victim. The strategy of terrorists is to commit acts of violence that draws the attention of the local populace, the government, and the world to their cause. The terrorists plan their attack to obtain the greatest publicity, choosing targets that symbolize what they oppose. The effectiveness of the terrorist act lies not in the act itself, but in the publics or governments reaction to the act. There are three perspectives of terrorism: the terrorists, the victims, and the general publics. The phrase one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter is a view terrorists themselves would accept. Terrorists do not see themselves as evil. They believe they are legitimate combatants, fighting for what they believe in, by whatever means possible. A victim of a terrorist act sees the terrorist as a criminal with no regard for human life. The general publics view is the most unstable. The terrorists take great pains to foster a Robin Hood image in hope of swaying the general publics point of view toward their cause. This sympathetic view of terrorism has become an integral part of their psychological warfare and needs to be countered vigorously. 10. Historical Background of Terrorism. History of terrorism is as old as the human civilization. To overview the history of terrorism one will have to depend upon the history of violence that was given a new name in French revolution. In ancient times the terrorism manifested in the form of individual and tribal riots. Later the small states faced terrorist attacks by the bigger states as a foreign aggression. Human history has witnessed countless furious wars in which millions of people were massacred in dreadful terrorist acts. The series of human subjugation is still visible even in 21st century. The violence which has been present in the human history throughout the ages has been given new name terrorism after French Revolution in 1779. We see in the history that Alexander the great and other warriors continuously killed millions of people that can also be termed as the terrorists of ancient human history. The Roman Empire also contested several dangerous wars to establish their kingdom in the world. Even the people of God continued to fight with each other in the name of religion. 11. We have the example of crusades wars between the Islamic regimes and Romans which were fought to manipulating the name of religion. Those wars also resulted in the killing of thousand of innocents just for the quest of power. The earlier organization that exhibited aspects of modern terrorist organization was the Zealots of Judea, known to the Roman as sicarii, or dagger-men. They carried on an underground campaign of assassination of Roman occupation forces, as well as any Jews they felt had collaborated with the Romans. In ancient India many wars were fought among different groups or tribes. The European nations also fought wars with each other resulting in the deaths of several innocent people. The French Revolutionary Governments coined the word terrorism by instituting systematic state terror against the population of French in the 1790s, killing thousands of people. In 20th Century the world witnessed World War I and II as big showdowns of terrorism to achieve the goals of superpower. Later the incident of atomic bombardment on Japan and human conflict in Vietnam are big human destruction which shakes the conscious of the mankind. In the last decade of 20th Century the phenomenon of terrorism continued to occur in the world more prominently after the end of cold war. The incidents of September 11 and July 7 are the height of terrorist acts. It shaped the world in the new directions. In modern times we have seen the horrible wars in Persian Gulf, Middle East and Africa in which the violence was used to terrorize the opponent. The war between Iraq and Iran, Kuwait and Iraq and deadly killings in Rwanda, Zaire and Congo are the worst recent examples of terrorism. Even these days in many countries of the world the proxy and guerrilla wars are harming and killing innocent and irrelevant people. In short, it can be firmly said that terrorism was present throughout the human history but since few decades it has been given a new dimension. This phenomenon sho uld always be seen in historical perspective to understand the issue properly. 12. Types of Terrorism. The phenomenon of the terrorism is very complex on the whole in all aspects. There is disagreement among the scholars over the types of the terrorism unlike its definition. Various attempts have been made to derive the most common types of terrorism. However, the type of terrorism must be seen in socio-historic and politico economic perspective. Encyclopedia of Britannica describes the following types of terrorism: a. Revolutionary Terrorism. It is the most common form of terrorism to achieve certain political objectives radically. Practitioners of this type of terrorism seek the complete abolition of a political system and its replacement with new structures. Modern instances of such activity include campaigns by the Italian Red Brigades, the German Red Faction (Baader Meinhof Gang), the Basque separatist group and the Peruvian Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso), each of which attempted to topple a national regime. b. Sub Revolutionary Terrorism. Sub revolutionary terrorism is rather less common. It is used not to overthrow an existing regime but to modify the existing socio-political structure. Since this modification is often accomplished through the threats of deposing the existing regime, sub revolutionary groups are somewhat more difficult to identify. An example can be seen in the African National Congress (ANC) and its campaign to end apartheid in South Africa. c. Establishment Terrorism. The Soviet Union and its allies allegedly engaged in widespread support of international terrorism during the cold war; in the 1980s the United States supported rebel groups in Africa that allegedly engaged in acts of terrorism, such as the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).These types are theoretical and directly related with nation state. The typology of the terrorism is very broad subject it can be further classified on the basis of motives, methods and subjects. Let us have a glance of some other types of terrorism for further understanding. d. Nationalist Terrorism. The aim of the nationalist terrorism is to establish a separate state or homeland for the certain ethnic, religious or tribal groups. This sort of terrorism has been popular among the most successful at winning international sympathy and concessions. It is very difficult to define terrorism because many practitioners of it claim to be the freedom fighters. They use violence to draw attention of the world to gain sympathy for their national cause. The most relevant examples of this type are the movement run by Irish republican Army in UK (IRA) and Palestine liberation organization (PLO) in Palestine. However, it is interesting fact that both of the groups renounced terrorism in 1990s and adopted the political means of conflict resolution. e. Religious Terrorism. Religious terrorism comes from many major faiths, as well as from small cults. This type of terrorism is growing rapidly and is discussed widely on the international media. Religious terrorists seek to use violence to further what they see as divinely commanded purposes, often targeting broad categories of foes in an attempt to bring about sweeping changes. f. State-Sponsored Terrorism. State-sponsored terrorism is one of the most controversial types of terrorism. In this category the state uses hidden groups to suppress anti state or anti government elements in the country. State-sponsored terrorist groups are deliberately used by radical states as foreign policy tools as Hoffman puts it, as a cost-effective way of waging war covertly, through the use of surrogate warriors or guns for hire. State sponsored terrorism is normally executed by autocratic to suppress the political opponents. The state sponsor terrorist groups are more effective, efficient and active rather than any group because of having moral, political and logistic support of the government or state. g. Inter-State or International Terrorism. This type of terrorism became evident in 20th century. Last century witnessed the events of insurgency and terrorism between two big powers in the guise of cold war. Although both the USSR and USA never confronted directly but no one can deny the proxy wars of these two powers in different parts of the world. Palestine is very clear example of the international terrorism where America supported Israel and USSR was giving backup to Al-Fateh a militant arm of Palestinian liberation organization (PLO). h. Group Terrorism. It occurs on the formation of various groups for common objectives in the society. Such groups are based on sectarian, linguistic, ethnic and tribal bases. When these groups work for the establishment of the supremacy and superiority for their own agenda it ultimately causes tension and clash with opponent groups. For example, Catholic and protestant conflict in Ireland, black white tension in US and South Africa etc. 13. Causes of Terrorism. To understand and solve the problem of terrorism it is essential for all to realize and identify the causes of terrorism. The terrorism is a complex phenomenon which has several reasons such as social, economic, religious and political etc. all these factors contribute in the enhancement and flourishing the terrorist activities. This global phenomenon has various causes and some of them are being spelled out briefly for the better understanding of the issue. This is also notable that the causes of terrorism may be different in various societies due to its religious, ethnic and political nature. a. Helplessness and Hopelessness. Helplessness which leads to hopelessness is the psychological state that enhances terrorism in the society. The society in which the people are ignored and have to suffer from socioeconomic and political injustice provide conducive environment to promote terrorism. When the people and their problem are neglected or kept aloof they ultimately express their resentment in the form of violent behavior to attract the attention of the state and the people. We can witness that in the long standing political disputes such as Palestine and Kashmir etc where the aspirations of the people were not heeded some of them started militant movements. Similarly, in communist regimes where the people were not given their socio-political rights they brought about even deadly revolution. b. Political and Economic Deprivation. Political and Economic deprivations are the main root causes of terrorism. When the political and economic rights of the certain groups are not granted it chooses the suitable method of terrorism to show their anger. This deprivation encourages the effected groups to adopt the violent ways to get their aspirations fulfilled. For example we can see that in northern states of India such as Assam, Nagaland, and West Bengal etc. the communists started guerilla war against the Indian Government. Charles Kegley while discussing the contemporary terrorism presents a root cause school of thought which asserts that political and economic deprivation are the main causes of terrorism. He views the advocates of Root Causes Theory propel that politically oppressed and economically deprived people are more prone to violent and terrorist behavior. They are deprived of their basic needs and this condition forces them to change their fate by hook or crook. c. Influence of Communist Regimes. At the end of cold war the influence of communist regimes inspired by Marxist and Leninist theories made a cause of escalation of terrorism in the world. Being influenced by such regimes many freedom movements adopted violence. We see in Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka communists and Tamales started violent movements in the last two decades of twentieth century for their freedom. d. Poverty and Economic Exploitation. In the society where there is illiteracy, hunger and economic disparity the terrorism flourishes rapidly. All these factors lead to increase in poverty which itself is the mother of terrorism. Famous philosopher Aristotle had agreed on the assertion stating that Poverty is mother of Terrorism and Revolution. We see for example in Muslim countries there is a huge amount of poverty and that is why, it becomes easier for the terrorist groups to find the interested persons due to their poor economic conditions. Daniel Pipes (2002) says that As long as there is poverty, inequality, injustice and repressive political systems, militant Islamic tendencies will grow in the world e. Easy Access to Weapons and Modern Technology. Due to incredible advancement in weapons technology and human knowledge it has become easy for the terrorists to get them easily. Hugh quantity of information about the arms manufacturing has been spread by internet which has made the access of the terrorists easy and they use weapons to get quick results the act of terrorism. f. Sheer Success of Terrorism. Terrorism is a short cut tactic for the terrorists to achieve their goals quickly. It is more result orientated rather than peaceful movement. That is why the terrorist groups adopt this for getting more results in shorter time. Easy access to weapons and widespread information of the arms technology is the cause of escalation of terrorism in modern times. g. Lack of Democracy and Dictatorship. Lack of Democracy is the main cause of terrorism in present times. The dictators and autocrat governments frighten opponents. They do it to create the fear among the masses to suppress any opposition against their governments. In undemocratic circumstances the people do not find ways to express their disagreement and as a result some of them turn to the violent means to submit their expression. We can see in many autocrat and communist states in Latin America and Africa the massive force was used against the political opponents such as in Cuba Zambia and Congo etc. h. Religious Extremism. There is a school of thought which considers that the religious extremism is the major cause of terrorism. Mark Juergensmeyer says that The religion is crucial for these acts since it gives moral justifications for the killing and provides images of cosmic war that allows activists to believe that they are waging spiritual scenarios. It does not mean that the religion causes terrorism but it does mean that the religion often provides symbols that make possible bloodshed even catastrophic acts of terrorism. As evidence we can observe that the majority of the terrorist movements are inspired by the religion or at-least it is claimed. i. Biological and Social Elements. Other than above mentioned causes sociologists have another point of view. A man is violent by nature. The sociologists present three hypotheses biological instinctual, social learning, and frustration aggression. Sigmund Freuds says that Man is embodied with an instinctive urge and appetite of attacking and subjugating others. It means that naturally human beings try to divert towards violence and terrorism by nature. The second point is that the social learning of the person also convinces him/her towards terrorism. If one grows and develops in the oppressed society one can be easily attracted towards violence and terrorism. Jean Jacques Rousseau presents the theory of social learning he says that human mind is like a blank sheet and whatever his society likes, paints on it. If one lives in violent society he/she would remain motivated towards terrorism. Theory of frustration aggression was coined by the psychologists of Yale University in 1939. T hey viewed that the aggressive behavior of a man reveals the existence of frustration in him. It means frustration produces the aggression and it is not sui genres. All above discussion does not encompass the causes of terrorism but provides view for the laymen. However, it is the common responsibility of all the stakeholders to contemplate on the issue to understand the phenomenon of the terrorism in religo-cultural and socio- economic perspective. In short, a sense of deprivation, sense of being exploited and sense of being cheated are important factors escalating terrorism in this modern era. Other than above discussion I would like to mention the causes of terrorism in the context of Pakistan as highlighted by the Gen. Pervez Musharraf President of Pakistan. He, while addressing in international seminar on Global Terrorism on August 29-2007 organized by institute of Regional studies (IRS) Islamabad pin pointed some noteworthy causes of terrorism in Pakistani and global perspecti ve. He described following causes which deserve due attention by the international community. Political deprivation and alienation are an arch cause of terrorism. This leads to hopelessness. The sense of powerlessness, which then leads to these terrorist acts. Lack of education and poverty are equally responsible for the increasing in terrorist activities. The illiterate are wrongly given the hope to go directly in to the heaven if he/she commits terrorist act for God or religion. Thus, in circumstance where there is lack of education and poverty it becomes easier for the master minds of the terrorist groups to launch the offences at the cost of the socio-economic compulsion and ignorance of the poor masses. President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has rightly indicated that the wrong understanding and misinterpretation of the religion is the important cause of terrorism. He asserts that in Pakistan there are many clerics who have limited knowledge of the teachings and values of the Islam. T hey misguide the people for their vested interests in the name of religion. 14. Counter Terrorism. Counter terrorism is also a contested concept. The term embodies a wide range of measures with differing impacts, which can be loosely characterized as the good, the bad, and the ugly. In the bad and ugly categories are Counter Terrorism Measures (CTMs) that overemphasize security and distort development and aid priorities, and that lead to extrajudicial killings, greater state repression, and increased human rights abuse. Overly restrictive counterterrorism measures constrain the social, political, and operational capacity of civil society actors and impede the work of groups promoting improvements in governance, human rights, and development. These are all important elements for reducing conditions, such as political marginalization, repression, and despair that can fuel grievances and lead to expressions of political violence. On the positive side are cooperative nonmilitary measures that enhance the capacity of governments to thwart terrorist attacks while promoting and protecting human rights. Also in the good category are policies that encourage support for sustainable development and good governance, as recommended in the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. 15. The proposed categorization is figurative and not meant to suggest absolute judgments about particular policies. The range of counterterrorism measures is extremely wide, and specific policies can have differing impacts in varying conditions and settings. Strengthened law enforcement efforts are good when they prevent attacks and bring perpetrators to justice, but these same measures can be bad if they lead to abuses and increased repression. Efforts to prevent the financing of terrorism are positive, yet programs intended to interdict such funding often have negative implications for nongovernmental groups and charities seeking to overcome oppression. The evaluation of particular counterterrorism measures depends greatly on context and the way in which specific actors implement policies. Judgments about particular policies should be based on the degree to which they contribute to genuine security and democratic governance, while also upholding the rule of law and protecting the work of peace builders and human rights defenders. 16. Counterterrorism measures are usually weighted toward the executive branch of government, with little attention to enhancing judicial independence, legislative oversight, and citizen involvement. Emergency measures passed in the name of fighting terrorism have had the effect of undermining civil liberties, restricting the ability of civil society groups to operate, and impeding development and relief activities in marginalized communities. Repressive CTMs have reversed progress achieved in recent years toward the integration of human rights and accountable governance into development policy. Individual rights and political freedoms have eroded as states have accumulated greater security powers. The nongovernmental monitoring organization Freedom House has reported an alarming erosion of global political freedom in recent years. In its 2010 annual survey the organization noted intensified repression against human rights defenders and civic activists and reported declines for polit ical freedom in countries representing 20 percent of the worlds total polities. The last few years have witnessed the longest continuous period of decline for global freedom in the organizations nearly 40-year history of publishing annual ratings.  [3]  In 2011 Freedom House noted a further decline in political freedom and a reduction in the number of countries defined as politically free. The report highlighted the continued poor performance of countries of the Middle East and North Africa, although this trend may be partially reversed if the democratic revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia, and other countries produce freer societies and more representative governments. PART II ESSENTIAL ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY 17. Civil society can play a significant role in helping states increase awareness of the threat and the impact of an attack on local communities, and in deepening public support for government action to address it, which is an essential component of any effective long-term strategy. Terrorism is obviously the state of extreme in human conflict that occurs when the violence enters in the matter. The terrorism is the result of failure in conflict resolution which can occur anywhere in the world. It is the crucial social problem of the society as well. Every stakeholder should play its due role in combating the terrorism. In combating terrorism the role of the civil society is inevitable. The broadly classified and interrelated roles of civil society in regards to preventing and reduction of terrorism are as follows:- a. Advisory and Educational Role. b. Community Services. c. Advocacy and Research. d. Legal Aspects. Advisory and Educational Role 18. Civil society organizations can play a significant advisory and educational role. They can provide policy advice and expertise on aspects of preventing terrorism that is often not available within government. Equally importantly, civil society experts may provide alternative appropriate language and terminology to public officials in addressing issues related to terrorism and security. In order to strengthen their co-operation with governments and civil society may also find it appropriate to acknowledge positive steps or measures taken by law enforcement officials and government where they occur. In addition, they may have a positive advisory role in providing concrete alternatives to counter-terrorism policies and measures that they consider to be ill-conceived. It is important to recognize, however, that the non-state sector needs to be given relevant information in order to understand the real extent of the threat and to be able to provide adequate suggestions of a response  [4]

Mothers and Daughters in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club Essay -- Joy Luck

Mothers and Daughters in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club Throughout Amy Tan’s novel, The Joy Luck Club, the reader can see the difficulites in the mother-daughter relationships.   The mothers came to America from China hoping to give their daughters better lives than what they had.   In China, women were â€Å"to be obedient, to honor one’s parents, one’s husband, and to try to please him and his family,† (Chinese-American Women in American Culture).   They were not expected to have their own will and to make their own way through life.   These mothers did not want this for their children so they thought that in America â€Å"nobody [would] say her worth [was] measured by the loudness of her husband’s belch†¦nobody [would] look down on her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (3).   To represent everything that was hoped for in their daughters, the mothers wanted them to have a â€Å"swan- a creature that became more than what was hoped for,† (3).   This swan was all of the mothers’ good intentio ns.   However, when they got to America, the swan was taken away and all she had left was one feather. America was not everything the mothers had expected for their daughters.   The mothers always wanted to give their daughters the feather to tell of their hardships, but they never could.   They wanted to wait until the day that they could speak perfect American English.   However, they never learned to speak their language, which prevented them from communicating with their daughters.   All the mothers in The Joy Luck Club had so much hope for their daughters in America, but instead their lives ended up mirroring their mother’s life in China.   All the relationships had many hardships because of miscommunication from their different cultures.   As they grew older the children realized that their ... ... and in her hurry to get away, she (falls) before she even reach(s) the corner,† (87).   This foreshadows the relationship between the mothers and daughters in The Joy Luck Club.   The daughters can not understand the reasoning behind their mothers’ decisions.   However, the mothers realize their daughters are so much like them and they do not want this to happen.   The daughters grow up being â€Å"Americanized,† but as they grow older they begin to want to understand their Chinese culture.   All of the characters learned many valuable lessons that will be passed on to their own children. Work Cited Chinese-American Women in American Culture.   http://www.ics.uci.edu/~tdo/ea/chinese.html Roella. http://members.tripod.com/~Roella/AmyTan/ Tan, Amy.   The Joy Luck Club.   New York.   Ivy Books.   1989. Tavernise, Peter.   http://www.mindspring.com/~petert/tan.htm

Gun Control vs. Crime Rate

Jessica Vickers Dr. Jonne Akens Engl 1302 25 February 2013 Gun Control vs. Crime Rate According to the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed. † In this very amendment lies the main issue of gun control. â€Å"To many, the language of the amendment appears to grant to the people the absolute right to bear arms. However, the U. S.Supreme Court has held that the amendment merely protects the right of states to form a state militia. † (Kimberlin) Gun control, or the controlling of firearms, is any act or proposal by any local, state, or federal agency to inhibit, deter, or prohibit the possession of firearms by any law abiding U. S. citizen. Some believe that by controlling the people’s possession of firearms, the violent crime rate will decrease. However, this is not the case. The contro lling of firearms, also known as an infringement of the second amendment, is irrelevant to the reduction of violent crime.Instead, further investigation into the criminals’ motives and state of mind will better resolve the rate of crime in our country. The Second Amendment is a mere twenty-seven words long. However, both campaigns of the gun control debate obtain such different interpretations from those words. â€Å"The gun-control campaign interprets the Second Amendment as if it is specifically referring to militias. The Gun-rights supporters say all the other amendments focus on individual rights, as does â€Å"â€Å"2A. † The Second Amendment helps protect what is promised in the other nine and that it is a line the government is forbidden to cross. † (Kimberlin) Kimberlin also states that, â€Å"not many nations have firearms enshrined into their constitutions, but in 1789 the Founding Fathers thought that guns were important enough to deserve one of 10 amendments that make up the Bill of Rights. † If the possession of guns for our personal protection were not an important factor, they would not be included into such an important document to our country. What the Second Amendment means, more than two centuries later, seems to depend on which side of the gun issue you are on. † (Kimberlin) This being so, further investigation of this amendment is necessary to becoming more informed on this fiery debate. Gun control is a very heavily debated topic at this point in time, especially since the shootings at Newtown and Sandy Hook have taken place. But this has been a topic of debate ever since the Prohibition Area of the early twentieth century. However, these mass shootings have triggered new debates on this controversial issue.In the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, Adam Lanza entered the school carrying multiple firearms and shot at students, as well as teachers, after shooting his mother at their home in Newtown, CT. Th ese shootings prompted further debate on the rising issue of gun control and have brought a proposal to legislation in which the sale and manufacture of certain semi-automatic firearms and magazines holding more than ten rounds of ammunition would be banned, and reduced access to certain firearms would be enforced.Although this shooting was a very tragic event, are firearms really the problem? Or should we be venturing further and investigating the minds of these criminals before they even pick up a weapon? According to Joe Wicked, â€Å"on the other side of this debate, there are concerns addressing the mental health aspect, addressing the illegal activities associated with firearms and that the law abiding citizens should be left the right to own the types of firearms and magazines that they desire and have the ability to maintain access to both the firearms and/or magazines that they choose. This side of the gun control debate points to a story in which, â€Å"a young man prese nt when a gunman began shooting at the Clackamas Mall in Portland Oregon, Nick Meli, heard the first shots fired and pulled out his concealed weapon and confronted the shooter. He did not fire, as he did not want to risk bystander’s lives. The gunman then ran and took his own life (Benner, 2012). The latter side of the debate shows how civilians are capable of stopping a crime before the police are able to arrive. â€Å"Some even claim that more guns will help to control the crime and prevent mass shootings from occurring. (Wicked) After being subjected to so much information, how is the reader to know which side is right? According to Wicked, â€Å"This can be a difficult question to answer and requires detailed analysis to come to an informed decision. Studies that have been done on the issue of gun control have found many things that gun control affects and many things that it does not affect. One key item that studies have found is that gun control laws affect the use o f specific guns in violent crimes, but do not affect the rate of crime itself. The controlling of firearms by either banning the sale, transfer, importation, or manufacture of, as well as controlling the amount of ammunition available and the storage of that ammunition, is irrelevant to the reduction of violent crime. When debating the effect that a particular law, or ban of item, has on the rate of violent crime, it is beneficial to look back at the effect that laws and bans similar to these have had on the crime rate throughout history. The 1994 Assault Weapons ban which Dianne Feinstein proposed and that of which Congress passed would be a prime example. This ban specifically selected fire arms that looked like the firearms militaries around the world used. These types of weapons are weapons not commonly used in crime. In 2010 handguns comprised 68. 5% of all gun murders in the United States (FBI, 2010). This means that in the remaining 31. 5% of gun murders, shotguns, hunting ri fles, and the banned assault weapons. Rifles constituted 0. 6% of all murders by gun. The banned assault weapons make up a subset of these rifles. We know that less than 0. 6% of all murders were by these weapons that were banned. (Wicked) Another way to look at the effectiveness of prior firearm bans, according to Wicked, is to look at the crime rate after the ban was lifted or, as in the case of the 1994 Assault Weapons ban, the ban expired. â€Å"The FBI data from 2010 shows that the five year trend in crime is that it continues to decline. Further drill downs of the data show that on average the crime rates in all categories are on the decline in the United States. If the ban were effective on reducing violent crime, the expectation would be that the crime rates would increase when the ban is lifted or it expires.Crime rates continuing to decline after the lifting of the ban suggests that factors other than the ban are affecting crime rates. (FBI, 2010). † (Wicked) This i nformation further supports the fact that there is no correlation between the controlling of firearms and the reduction of violent crime. Crime rates decreased after the expiration of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, and the evidence clearly shows that the banning of a certain weapon, causing that particular weapon to be more difficult to purchase, or causing a firearm to be too expensive to purchase will only ffect which weapon is chosen to commit a crime, not reduce the rate of crime. â€Å"Instead of deciding to ban a weapon as a response to a tragedy, the leaders of our country would better serve the people of the United States by conducting a study into the causes in society which create the situations that lead to violent crime and addressing those root causes, whether it be mental health, violent movies and games, lack of access to proper education, or whatever other root factor.Addressing the causes of the crimes will produce better long-term results in reducing violent crimes . † (Wicked) The shooters in these violent crimes were denied from purchasing firearms and in most cases resorted to taking them from a legal owner. How would gun control laws prevent this situation from happening in the future?Perhaps a mental health screening and identifying there might be a problem with these citizens in a mental aspect would be more effective than further gun laws that already denied the shooter the ability to purchase these firearms. We should be focusing on the mental aspect of this situation rather than the firearms themselves. If someone is planning on killing a massive amount of people, they most likely are not concerned with the legality of obtaining firearms. No laws against or banning of firearms have worked in the past, and they will not work now.Taking the politics out of the issue, and researching the true causes behind the crime while addressing them effectively would best serve both sides of the gun control debate. Jessica Vickers Dr. Jonne Ak ens Engl 1302 25 February 2013 Works Cited Kimberlin, Joanne. â€Å"The Second Amendment: two interpretations. † Virginian Pilot. 02 03 2008: n. page. Web. 3 Mar. 2013. Wicked, Joe, ed. â€Å"Does Gun Control Reduce Violent Crime? † Cold Dead Hands. Cold Dead Hands, 30 Jan 2013. Web. 2 Mar 2013.

Gym Proposal Allowing More Gym in School

Untied states is known to have the most obsessed people in the world, yet they continue to not do anything about it. In Shrewsbury high school we have Gym 2 days out of a 7 day schedule, and sometimes you can end up not having gym for a whole week. The recommended exercise per week is 30 minutes 3-4 times a week. Most teenagers don’t even exercise on there own outside of school excluding those who participate in sports. Our health is just as important as your educations. They should change Gym from 2 days out of a 7 day schedule to making it 3 days per week.I feel that providing gym more during the week can help teens reach or be closer to reaching there recommended exercise per a week. Obesity is one of the main issues teenagers have to deal with in the united states. Making gym 3 days a week could help students reach there recommended exercise to stay health. This is going to stop obesity but if you make it as important as learning students will realize that its and issue an d exercise on there own to help there health. Schools make students realize how important it is to study and keep your grades up and to continue you to do great in school.Well by applying gym 3 days a week it can help them get the thought of exercise nailed in there heads so they see the importance of this alone with there education. a lot of students believe that this wont help them exercise more, and it be a pointless act because they hate gym as it is already. But a lot of students don’t even realize how important exercise is to you. They’d think that there exercise level will remain the same, but if the gym teachers run tests to make sure students are exercising out of school they may take it more serious then It is taken.Of course each student will have there own goals as long as there improving in some sort of way. Making gym 3 days a week can be done a simple way, but having schools 1 hour long there usually. On certain days you don’t have gym you can hav e an independent study. Everything about school can run the same with educational part, but have gym 3 out of the 5 days you attend school. The gym teacher can provide a test every month to make sure students are improving and treat it as if it was a normal class. In Shrewsbury we have assigned gym teachers only for gym so it wont interrupt in any educational part. lot of students feel they’d fail school but by forcing the importance of this it can help students change they way they live there life and realize its just as important as there education. Knowing from being a high school student I never exercised outside of school and never even worried about exercising much. Knowing most students they did the same if not less than what I know. Your suppose to have 30 minutes of exercise 3 days a week. By purposing gym 3 days a week to the gym teachers this could help students reach that goal or if not exceeded it.Having test at the end of each month will encourage students to ha ve to do some sort of physical activity in order to pass the class showing the importance of it. Many student would say that they do exercise enough and that there physically fit, and by having gym 3 days a week is a waste of time. If there are so physically fit then it should be an essay A, and they can be role models to those who are not physically fit. This may be easier to some, than others specially those who participate in athletic sports outside of school.This may help some of the students want to be apart of those sports to get there daily exercise in by doing something they enjoy and being with other students. To wrap this all up, your health is just as important as your education. Gym isn’t going to be the one to fix all obesity, and unfit students but hopefully it can be the next step in helping that cause. This helps students realize that you need to exercise part of your daily life and make it your lifestyle not a one day week or not all kind of thing. Implying t he importance of exercise will show the students how important this is and help students exercise.