Social Change Model in Action in The Ocean Pacific...

Social Change Model in Action The Ocean Pacific Community Center (OPCC) is only one great example of good leadership and the Social Change Model within today’s society. OPCC is a Santa Monica based social services agency providing housing programs and helpful services for low-income and homeless youth, adults and families, battered women and their children and people living with mental illness. Good leadership can unify and bring together the best of the group. According to Komives and Wagner, everyone has it within himself or herself to become a leader and good leadership involves collaborative relationships that lead to collective action grounded in the shared values of people who work together to effect positive change (Komives †¦show more content†¦Many of the people working with the homeless population at OPCC have first hand experience about being homeless and are able to connect with everyone new entering the program on a very personal level. By sharing their real live struggles, they build a trust level and understanding that can only come from honest and personal experiences. They also understand the necessity of acknowledging each individual needs and how these need to be met before the end goal can be achieve. Personally, I really like that at OPCC no one is turned away because of an alcohol or drug addiction. Rather, it is looked at as a cause of being homeless and can’t be addressed until the basic needs of shelter and food are met. The ability to manage controversy with civility is critical in the social change process. When we can understand whom we are working with, why it is important, and how we are making a difference, we have a deeper understanding of social justice issues. We aren’t just going through the motions of action in our service, but we are being reflective, mindful, and intentional. For the most part I think that people avoid confrontation to maintain civility because they are programmed by their parents and society to avoid disagreeing with others. Many people stay away from conflict in order to avoid opening up the uncomfortable place of placing themselves in a vulnerableShow MoreRelatedThe Work Of The Cleaning Supplies Industry1720 Words   |  7 Pagesnot a good business model, they were driven by altruistic motives to help the planet one step at a time [Eng, Dinah]. When Method finally hit the shelves of America, it was almost an immediate success. Within one year, Method expanded and created a headquarters in downtown San Francisco, and sold its products to over 800 s tores across the the nation. 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Syncretism Free Essays

Religious syncretism exhibits blending of two or more religious belief systems into a new system, or the incorporation into a religious tradition of beliefs from unrelated traditions. In the case of Haitian Vodou, Vodou blends two or more religious beliefs into one system, therefore it can be characterized has syncretism. Vodou is a syncretic system derived from deeply rooted African beliefs and colonial French Catholicism. We will write a custom essay sample on Syncretism or any similar topic only for you Order Now As a reaction to being torn violently from their roots, the slaves tried to resume their cultural and religious traditions.Ancestral spirits were invoked and celebrated in secret, far from the master’s eyes. The worship of saints and the Catholic sacraments served as a screen and a support for African beliefs. The creation of a coherent belief system was extremely important in the development of a feeling of unity among the slaves which would provide them with a sense of self and community. The process of syncretization among the African religions helps to explain why Vodou found it relatively easy to accept and integrate parts of Christian religious belief and practice into the local religious activity.Resistance to conversion was met with terrible violence, so Africans already saddled with the horror of being a slave would also suffer extra depreciations because they wished to celebrate their native religion. A solution fell into place though, and this solution was nearly identical all across the Americas. The Africans would pretend to convert to Catholicism, and secretly continue their religious traditions under the guise of Christian worship. Catholic symbols, like the Eucharist and the Saints, came to have double meanings.Initially this integration was purely functional, providing a cover of legitimacy for religions that were severely proscribed. Naturally, most Africans did not want to leave behind their old traditions. But after a few generations a real syncretism became part of the duality of beliefs of the slaves themselves, who soon found it possible to accommodate both religious systems. One way in which one can see clearly an example of syncretism is that Vodou recognizes a supreme deity and so does Catholicism. However, this god does not interact directly with humanity. Humans must rely on lesser celestial beings known as laws; and in Roman Catholicism humans must rely on lesser celestial beings known as angels and saints. These creatures might appear as gods, though they are more like helpers and messengers for the supreme creator. It was a simple matter of marrying the imagery of lwas with saints and angels. Then it was simple to go to Church and pray to St. Patrick to invoke Damballah, or pray to St. Anthony to invoke Legba. There was also no need to change the structure of the supreme deity. Vodou does not reject the idea that the Christian god is any different than their supreme deity. How did Haitian Vodou come to this point? Vodou’s evolution is marked by four major developments. The first one is the integration of African beliefs and practices around the dominant Fon religion. The second was the classification of gods and emergence of new ones. The third one was the synthesis of Catholic elements; and finally the fourth one was appropriating Amerindian religious symbols.The reason that the Fon beliefs became the dominant ones was for the simple fact that the Dahomean culture was the most populous. Vodou gained the majority of its deities from the Fon received from other African religions are the terms for gods (laws), mambos, the Congo word for priestess, and special deities lie Ogun, which absorbs the place of Gu in Dahomey. The classification for gods/laws changed over the time of Vodou’s development. At first it was classified according to African ethnic origins: Rada, Kongo, Nago, and Ibo.Later, with the emergence of new deities in Haiti two major categories of deities emerged: Rada and Petwo deities. The Rada deities originate from Africa while the Petwo deities originated in Haiti, but are still believed to visit from Africa (nan ginen). Synthesis of the Catholic faith with Vodou began with the Code Noir in 1685. This code outlawed all religions except for Catholicism. According to the Code Noir, slaves must be baptized. It stated that each slave’s acceptance into the church must be preceded by a period of religious instruction in the Catholic faith.This led to restrictions for the slaves. Some of these restrictions included slaves not being able to leave the plantation, prohibit slaves from night gathering, rituals, dances, etc. , and the sale of goats were prohibited. Three theories could explain what happened. The first one simply states that both fused together to make one. The second theory, symbiosis, explains that African elements and Catholic elements existed side by side as part of a mosaic, not having true fusion.The third theory, merely draped over the African dissimulation, states that Catholic elements of ritual were merely draped over the African ones in efforts to conceal traditional religious practices in an environment that was hostile to their survival. The last theory is what I think explains this scenario the best. Vodou is more closely related to African traditions than the Catholic faith; Vodou just used the Catholic faith as a disguise.I believe if the Catholic faith was not there, it Vodou could have still emerged under Islam or Judaism, but it would have been much harder since the two latter religions are not as universal as Catholicism. The final step in the development of Vodou is the synthesis of Amerindian religions. Symbols for Vodou originated here and not in Africa. Things like the asson, the sacred rattle of the priests, and the objects used in rituals. One can conclude that Vodou started as a religion from mainly three other religions, but now Vodou has evolved into a new and unique religion. How to cite Syncretism, Papers

American Constitution

Question: Write an essay on Constitution of United States of America. Answer: Thesis Statement: The national government of United States stable and intricate regardless of minor issues that is prevalent in the structure and procedure of the government. Overview of the American government indicates varied advantages and disadvantages. Many different approaches could be applied to rectify the issues that would smoothen the problems that affect the national government. The core structure of the system and the role it performs and the process that is involved in completing the procedures are very crucial as it embodies the national government of America; it is very detailed, and the analysis requires minute focus to determine the advantages and disadvantages of the government. Though it would be convenient to compare the national government with another country and other governments yet it is crucial to the understand that regardless of the minor drawbacks of the government of America, the structure of the national government of America is comparatively stronger and intricately weaved. This essay would reflect on some strength and weakness of the national government (Zinn, 2014). Constitution: The Constitution of the United States is sometimes referred as a living constitution. The capability to adapt to the ever-changing social and political opinions and views and the needs and consequent demand of the people of America has been an instrument in the earning a name as the living constitution. Constitution is the corner stone of the federal government that ensures that the system incorporates the checks and balances, and segregation of the clustering of power has been the vantage point while the constitution was written (Vile, 2015). The strength of the Constitution of United States lies in the fact that the government and the Congress can adopt and rectify legislations. The people of United States have the power to amend the constitution through the process of election that aims at the effort to include the citizen of America to place their opinion. Moreover, the laws ensure that the laws passed should preserve the rights of the people of United States (Tushnet, 2015). The drawback of the constitution lies on the on the fact that the constitution has some vague lines which leave room for interpretation that might be subject to change and might vary with the perception of the persons interpretation. The constitution could be strengthened with the adhering to the concept that people of United States are entitled to some rights, and the constitution should be amended that these rights have to be preserved and protected. The other way that would ensure the rectification of the weakness of the constitution is that the amendments should be followed by the fact the constitution should precise and clear and no vague sections should be left for interpretation. Federalism: Federalism is one of the major innovative concepts that the US came up with in their constitution as it allows the state government and the national government to share the power. In the United States, states come first followed by strive to create concrete a national government (Redish, 2015). Main benefits that the people of America enjoy are that the policy carried out by the national bureaucratic agency is in a uniform way by the professional technocrats. If the policy would have been carried out by the different states or local bureaucratic agencies and no central body would have control over the system and the implementation would have been a major issue for the country. Moreover, the policies are carried out by the technocrats, who are considered to be experts in their field thus the technocrats are well equipped to deal with the carrying out the policies (Mason Stephenson, 2015). The drawback of the policy is the exact opposite of what the benefit suggested. The centrally administered policy is good however it reduces the flexibility of the policy by the individual state requirements. This suggests that the states cannot adopt policies that match their requirements. Branches of government: One of the major strength of the judicial branches is the ability to deny or accepted some laws at the state level. This is suggestive of the fact that the judicial branch can deny to abide by the legislation if they find out that the constitutional rights of the citizen are been violated in the state level (Law Versteeg, 2012). The drawback that restrains the judicial branch is the determination of the amount of the power of the punishment of the citizen. The amount of the punishable time has restrictions however the judges can apply their discretion of their better judgment on the determination of the minimum or the maximum time of the sentences (Neubauer Meinhold, 2016). The one way that could be applied to strengthen the abilities of the judicial branches to properly execute their powers to deny or accept the state laws would be the provision of presidential co-signing. This would ensure that the decision making process has been strengthen enough to benefit and the support of the citizens at the state level. The one way that could be suggested to rectify the weakness would be to build a jury which would be responsible for the setting the number of the sentencing by the judgment passed by the judge and the; legislation and the jury would vote on the intention or the remorse of the convict. This would ensure that the people are protected from serving a long sentence for petty crimes or no great issue. Political parties: The United States follows a two party democratic system where two parties dominate the government (HersHey, Beck, 2015). There are many pros and cons of this two party system and the political parties. The greatest advantage that distinguishes the United States from other countries is that the voters have the opportunity to place their opinion through speaking their minds regarding the political party that is governing the United States for the time being (Mayhew, 2014). The major drawback that the political parties face is that the political parties lack the opportunity of equality in the governance. The one way that would ensure the guarantee the voters to be able to express their opinions and be heard would be that the political parties should concentrate on the voters have to say and take adequate actions to ensure the opinions reach the political parties. There are various to gauge the opinion of the voters- surveys, polls, and others. To ensure the creation of equality in the political system that would allow the voters to be able to choose whom they want irrespective of the fact that the political party they want is smaller in comparison to others. The essay could be concluded with the fact that the Constitution of United States of America is very strong and has been instrumental in the smooth running of the operations and functions of the government. The constitution is the main pillar of foundation on which the country stands. The other factors like the federalism, the different branches of the government (executives, legislative and judiciary) and the two party system where the political parties play a vital role are the reasons on the strength of the national government is standing. The intricate structure and the procedure that the government follows have enabled the country to become one of the enormous powers in the world with the appreciation of the being one of the most developed country in the world. References Beard, C. A. (2012).An economic interpretation of the Constitution of the United States. Simon and Schuster. Law, D. S., Versteeg, M. (2012). The declining influence of the United States constitution.New York University Law Review,87(3), 762-858. Mason, A. T., Stephenson, G. (2015).American constitutional law: introductory essays and selected cases. Routledge. Mayhew, D. R. (2014). Placing parties in American politics: organization, electoral settings, and government activity in the twentieth century. Princeton University Press. Neubauer, D., Meinhold, S. (2016).Judicial process: law, courts, and politics in the United States. Cengage Learning. rAndon HersHey, M., Beck, P. A. (2015). Party politics in America. Redish, M. H. (2015). Federal Courts Jurisdiction, The Structure of the Federal Judicial System.Moore's Federal Practice-Civil,15. Tushnet, M. (2015).The Constitution of the United States of America: a contextual analysis. Bloomsbury Publishing. Vile, J. R. (2015).A companion to the United States Constitution and its amendments. ABC-CLIO. Zinn, H. (2014).A people's history of the United States. Pan Macmillan.

puritan dilemma Essay Example

puritan dilemma Essay There are many different reasons why migrations from the early days up to present time took place as they did. Why would people leave their place of birth or their place of comfort Thats the big question! Just like John Winthrop and his puritan believers they left England to form the America we know now, which In their eyes was New England. To begin this essay lets start of with the obvious, one reason the puritans migrated was because of the way they felt about how they viewed religion and how the church of England functioned . From the beginning allpuritans wanted to do was purify the church. They wanted ministers to teach , simplify rituals so every one could understand the masses whether you were in high class or in the low class. They also believed the church of England thought they were highest authority , in which the puritansdisagreed because they believed the bible was the righteous authority. They wanted not to only purify the church but toteach every men the righteous way , the wayof the teaching of the bible.Within these large group of puritans like in any other group you had your extremist puritans and then the more liberal puritans you might say. The liberals they really believed that the church of England could be saved and reformed but the only problem with that was people could of thought it was a act of treason going and disagreeing with the church. Up to this pointthe church of England was the most powerful hierarchy in England , some would argue even more powerful than the King or Queen of England. However the extremist were called the Separatists. These were people who gave up on any possibility that the church would be reformed in any way of their liking, the separatists were also thefirst group of people to migrate to New England later would be called pilgrims, the MassachusettsBay Company voyage to New England was thefirst voyage along with John Winthrop to be successful. Some priests

Progressive Reform Era essays

Progressive Reform Era essays The Progressive Reform era marked a huge change in American society. By the turn of the 20th century, society was becoming increasingly urbanized, with families moving to the city to find work in industries that had not existed even a few years before. Cities had always existed, of course, but they grew tremendously as immigrants came to America from many other countries to find new opportunities, and because so many people were moving from agricultural areas to the city. This helped lead to a more prosperous society, and a new middle class of people that attempted to change many aspects of society. This middle class was better off, better educated, and determined to create social change in the country, from supporting women's votes to even supporting unions and the Socialist Party in some cases. The impact of the city and factories on women and children was not nearly as positive as it was on many other members of society. Women and children often toiled for long hours and little pay in the factories, and industrialists took advantage of them in every way they could. This is why labor unions were initially formed, because many business owners were extremely cruel and manipulative of their workers, and did not pay them enough to live on, so they created an entire level of poverty-stricken wage earners as well as a thriving middle class. Technology was what allowed the cities to develop as they did. Innovations such as the railroad and the automobile helped make transporting goods easier and cheaper. There were also many manufacturing innovations, such as the assembly line invented by Ford that made manufacturing more efficient and cost-effective. This lead to development of new technologies and innovations that continue to improve Americans' lives. The new middle class created more social reformers who were concerned with the plight of the poor and immigrants, and they worked to create better working conditions and unders...

Anne Stevenson Essays - Human Development, Childbirth

Anne Stevenson " I thought you were my victory /though you cut me like a knife" (Stevenson 1-2) The opening lines of Anne Stevenson's poem The Victory set a tone of conflict. This poem, at its surface, expresses a mother's thoughts on giving birth to a son. Stevenson describes the mixed feelings many mothers have upon the delivery of their first born. The final release from pregnancy and birthing pains, coupled with the excitement of bringing a live creature into this world, at first seem a victory to the new parent. The author goes on to confute the event as a victory. Using words such as "antagonist" (5), "bruise" (6), and "scary"(13), she shows the darker side of childbirth. The mother has felt her own life's blood flowing that a stranger might live "The stains of your glory bled from my veins." (6-8). That she sees her own child as a stranger is evident in lines nine and ten, where the child is described as a "blind thing" (9) with "blank insect eyes"(10). The mother portrays her baby as a bug, not even human. In the last section of the poem, two questions are asked, attesting to the mother's internal conflict. "Why do I have to love you?/ How have you won?" (15-16). These unanswerable queries are some of the fundamental questions of our human existence. Below the topmost layer of meaning in The Victory, is an underlying theme that any parent or guardian will easily relate to. Children are born out of the great pain their mothers endure. They are helpless in one sense, yet they command the care of their parents. Stevenson describes the intrinsic helplessness of infants with the words "Blind"(9) and "Hungry"(14). Yet, this poem does not refer to new born babes alone. Birthing pains do not cease with the delivery of a child. The conflict described in this poem is felt by parents of adult children as well. All parents give of their lifeblood, at least in the emotional sense, in raising and maintaining their offspring. The Victory is a poem written as if by a mother only just delivered of a new born son, yet the themes expressed in its lines apply to all the stages of human life. Stevenson seems to stress the pain that is felt when one life brings forth another, but there are many pains felt by parents in ways unphysical. "You barb the air. /You sting with bladed cries" (11-12) these are sharp words that bring thoughts of tangible pain. These words also describe mental and emotional pain that is felt by many parents who sacrifice much for their children. The poem does not place a guilt on the baby nor, therefore on children in general. It seems to acknowledges the turmoil of birth and life as natural. The child who is born today, collects the sacrifice of its parents and will make sacrifices for the child born tomorrow. Even though The Victory is worded to sound resentful, as though the mother begrudges her child his new found life, it also has a resigned tone. The mother accepts her lot, however painful. Even deeper into this poem is the hint of feminism. The author chose the sex of this baby intentionally. She used two references to a knife, indicating pain inflicted in a manner unnatural. The knife has traditionallybeen a man's weapon. "Tiny antagonist" (9) could refer to the entire male gender. "Scary knot of desires" (13) is a reference to the sex act, which is sometimes seen as male aggression. The child is the manifestation of this act. "Hungry snarl! Small son." (14) the use of an animalistic noise directly precedes the revelation of the baby's gender. Once again Stevenson's choice of words reminds one of male aggression. The woman in the poem seems to feel cheated in bearing a male child to the man who is indirectly responsible for her condition. Why does she have to love him? Does that sum up the plight of woman? Is it Eve's curse that woman shall embrace man, though in so doing she must suffer childbirth to bring forth more men? (Or daughters who shall suffer likewise.) Is that how he has won? The Victory asks

4G Cellular Communication Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

4G Cellular Communication - Research Paper Example The technology provides high speed and quickens transmission of data from one place to another, hence making mode of communication be fast. However, the research will face some challenges in the coming years since it will require some conditions for it to run perfectly well. The objectives of the 4G cellular communication are aimed at improving the methods of communication within two groups of people as fast as possible to enhance economic growth of the world. The potential abuse of the technology occurs when individuals fail to follow the regulations provided by the technology. Introduction There always is the need for communication regardless of place and the distance. Consequently, there has been an augmented demand of wireless communication by companies globally owing to the awkwardness in using fixed wire telecommunications. The fourth Generation (4G) is a new technology seeking to address communication needs of the populace. The 4G of cellular communication are the advancements that are realized in the wireless telecommunication industries in the recent years globally. They provide fast transfer of data across electronic devices compared to the previous cellular communication approaches such as third generation (3G). The high speeds of the data transmissions upgrade the quality of communication through improvement of high definition video. According to Lu and Hu (2006), 4G is highly expected to transform the mobile communication system through upgrading smart phones to perform certain tasks that were only previously achievable by personal computers (PC). Mobile communication is going to be affected positively by the introduction of the fourth generation, since it will transform and improve its operation. In this essay, the development, challenges, uses, potential abuses by individuals, potential new developments, objectives, features, and application of the fourth generation technology are discussed broadly. Development Its history can be traced in the 19 70s when the first generation was introduced. It comprised of analog technology that was used to unravel essential problems that existed during that time. Analog systems were used to assist in communication in dissimilar places worldwide in the 1980s. However, the system was deliberate and unwieldy to use, but it was a successful discovery that initialized a technological journey. The second generation (2G) was introduced in 1980, and was used for voice applications and introduction of digital techniques that improved the speed of data transformations (Brand & Aghvami, 2002). The technology launched the use of circuit-switched data communication that enhanced use of the digital communication rather than the analog system. 2G is still used worldwide by few people since the technology involves some digital aspects, which are habitually preferable. The introduction of 3G was highly appreciated for the substantial improvements it launched in the communication expertise. The implication of 3G was that it improved the voice technology in channels (Arshad & Farooq & Shah, 2010). However, it faced a challenge since the two companies that instigated the technology failed to agree on the terms and parted ways. The 3G telecoms business has been outstandingly successful and has gained many profits in the few years since its launch. The technology has influenced the mobile technology that has subsequently assisted in the overture of internet in

Commercial Law case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Commercial Law - Case Study Example It did not lead Rein AJ to doubt the general veracity of the plaintiff. (c) The defendant in his affidavit said nothing about having received an offer from the plaintiff for $150,000 (the plaintiff on his evidence made no such offer in the telephone conversation). It was not put to the plaintiff that he had made an offer to the defendant or that the defendant had rejected it. The defendant swore in the witness box however that it had been said in an answer in cross examination. Given that that was his explanation for why the plaintiff was not entitled as highest bidder, Rein AJ found his failure to refer to it in his affidavit surprising and his evidence on this point difficult to accept. (d) The plaintiff said that when he spoke to the defendant, the defendant told him that the Wirraway had a current airworthiness certificate. The defendant when cross examined on this said that the airworthiness certificate had expired in July 2006. He said he did not recall if he told the plaintiff that there was a current airworthiness certificate. (e) The defendant's version of events, which involved him saying that he would not agree to sell the aircraft unless the buyer inspected it, is not credible and particularly so since he listed the aircraft on eBay for sale without any indication that the buyer should inspect first. (f) Further the defendant had also listed the Wirraway on the "Buy now" section of eBay for $275,000, and claimed that had anyone clicked on that he would not have sold if the Wirraway had not been inspected (T40-T41), which further diminished his credibility. (g) The defendant himself had purchased many items (including Vintage car parts) on eBay and knew that he was entitled to the items when he had been the highest bidder, and Rein AJ found his assertion that he did not understand that he was committed to sell as somewhat surprising. Question 5: The defendant argued there was no binding and enforceable agreement, what were the components of this argument (4 marks) The defendant accepted that both he and the plaintiff accepted, by clicking on an "accept" button, the terms and conditions of eBay but the defendant's argument was that there was no binding and enforceable agreement as between the plaintiff and the defendant. To support his contention

Human Rights Violations Essay Example for Free

Human Rights Violations Essay Human rights are commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being.[1] Human rights are thus conceived as universal (applicable everywhere) and egalitarian (the same for everyone). These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national and international law. The doctrine of human rights in international practice, within international law, global and regional institutions, in the policies of states and in the activities of non-governmental organizations, has been a cornerstone of public policy around the world. The idea of human rights states, if the public discourse of peacetime global society can be said to have a common moral language, it is that of human rights. Despite this, the strong claims made by the doctrine of human rights continue to provoke considerable skepticism and debates about the content, nature and justifications of human rights to this day. Indeed, the question of what is meant by a right is itself controversial and the subject of continued philosophical debate. Many of the basic ideas that animated the human rights movement developed in the aftermath of the Second World War and the atrocities of The Holocaust, culminating in the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Paris by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. The ancient world did not possess the concept of universal human rights. Ancient societies had elaborate systems of duties conceptions of justice, political legitimacy, and human flourishing that sought to realize human dignity, flourishing, or well-being entirely independent of human rights. The modern concept of human rights developed during the early Modern period, alongside the European secularization of Judeo-Christian ethics. The true forerunner of human rights discourse was the concept of natural rights which appeared as part of the medieval Natural law tradition that became prominent during the Enlightenment with such philosophers as John Locke, Francis Hutcheson, and Jean-Jacques Burlamaqui, and featured prominently in the political discourse of the American Revolution and the French Revolution. From this foundation, the modern human rights arguments emerged over the latter half of the twentieth century. Gelling as social activism and political rhetoric in many nations put it high on the world agenda. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. History of concept The modern sense of human rights can be traced to Renaissance Europe and the Protestant Reformation, alongside the disappearance of the feudal authoritarianism and religious conservativism that dominated the Middle Ages. Human rights were defined as a result of European scholars attempting to form a secularized version of Judeo-Christian ethics. Although ideas of rights and liberty have existed in some form for much of human history, they do not resemble the modern conception of human rights. According to Jack Donnelly, in the ancient world, traditional societies typically have had elaborate systems of duties conceptions of justice, political legitimacy, and human flourishing that sought to realize human dignity, flourishing, or well-being entirely independent of human rights. These institutions and practices are alternative to, rather than different formulations of, human rights. The most commonly held view is that concept of human rights evolved in the West, and that while earlier cultures had important ethical concepts, they generally lacked a concept of human rights. For example, McIntyre argues there is no word for right in any language before 1400. Medieval charters of liberty such as the English Magna Carta were not charters of human rights, rather they were the foundation and constituted a form of limited political and legal agreement to address specific political circumstances, in the case of Magna Carta later being recognised in the course of early modern debates about rights. One of the oldest records of human rights is the statute of Kalisz (1264), giving privileges to the Jewish minority in the Kingdom of Poland such as protection from discrimination and hate speech. The basis of most modern legal interpretations of human rights can be traced back to recent European history. The Twelve Articles (1525) are considered to be the first record of human rights in Europe. They were part of the peasants demands raised towards the Swabian League in the German Peasants War in Germany. The earliest conceptualization of human rights is credited to ideas about natural rights emanating from natural law. In particular, the issue of universal rights was introduced by the examination of the rights of indigenous peoples by Spanish clerics, such as Francisco de Vitoria and Bartolomà © de Las Casas. In the Valladolid debate, Juan Ginà ©s de Sepà ºlveda, who maintained an Aristotelian view of humanity as divided into classes of different worth, argued with Las Casas, who argued in favor of equal rights to freedom of slavery for all humans regardless of race or religion. In Britain in 1683, the English Bill of Rights (or An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and Settling the Succession of the Crown) and the Scottish Claim of Right each made illegal a range of oppressive governmental actions. Two major revolutions occurred during the 18th century, in the United States (1776) and in France (1789), leading to the adoption of the United States Declaration of Independence and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen respectively, both of which established certain legal rights. Additionally, the Virginia Declaration of Rights of 1776 encoded into law a number of fundamental civil rights and civil freedoms. Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen approved by the National Assembly of France, August 26, 1789. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. —United States Declaration of Independence, 1776 These were followed by developments in philosophy of human rights by philosophers such as Thomas Paine, John Stuart Mill and G.W.F. Hegel during the 18th and 19th centuries. The term human rights probably came into use some time between Paines The Rights of Man and William Lloyd Garrisons 1831 writings in The Liberator, in which he stated that he was trying to enlist his readers in the great cause of human rights. In the 19th century, human rights became a central concern over the issue of slavery. A number of reformers, such as William Wilberforce in Britain, worked towards the abolition of slavery. This was achieved in the British Empire by the Slave Trade Act 1807 and the Slavery Abolition Act 1833. In the United States, all the northern states had abolished the institution of slavery between 1777 and 1804, although southern states clung tightly to the peculiar institution. Conflict and debates over the expansion of slavery to new territories constituted one of the reasons for the southern states secession and the American Civil War. During the reconstruction period immediately following the war, several amendments to the United States Constitution were made. These included the 13th amendment, banning slavery, the 14th amendment, assuring full citizenship and civil rights to all people born in the United States, and the 15th amendment, guaranteeing African Americans the right to vote. Many groups and movements have achieved profound social changes over the course of the 20th century in the name of human rights. In Europe and North America, labour unions brought about laws granting workers the right to strike, establishing minimum work conditions and forbidding or regulating child labor. The womens rights movement succeeded in gaining for many women the right to vote. National liberation movements in many countries succeeded in driving out colonial powers. One of the most influential was Mahatma Gandhis movement to free his native India from British rule. Movements by long-oppressed racial and religious minorities succeeded in many parts of the world, among them the African American Civil Rights Movement, and more recent diverse identity politics movements, on behalf of women and minorities in the United States. The establishment of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the 1864 Lieber Code and the first of the Geneva Conventions in 1864 laid the foundations of International humanitarian law, to be further developed following the two World Wars. The World Wars, and the huge losses of life and gross abuses of human rights that took place during them, were a driving force behind the development of modern human rights instruments. The League of Nations was established in 1919 at the negotiations over the Treaty of Versailles following the end of World War I. The Leagues goals included disarmament, preventing war through collective security, settling disputes between countries through negotiation and diplomacy, and improving global welfare. Enshrined in its charter was a mandate to promote many of the rights later included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. At the 1945 Yalta Conference, the Allied Powers agreed to create a new body to supplant the Leagues role; this was to be the United Nations. The United Nations has played an important role in international human-rights law since its creation. Following the World Wars, the United Nations and its members developed much of the discourse and the bodies of law that now make up international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Philosophy The philosophy of human rights attempts to examine the underlying basis of the concept of human rights and critically looks at its content and justification. Several theoretical approaches have been advanced to explain how and why human rights have become a part of social expectations. One of the oldest Western philosophies of human rights is that they are a product of a natural law, stemming from different philosophical or religious grounds. Other theories hold that human rights codify moral behavior which is a human social product developed by a process of biological and social evolution (associated with Hume). Human rights are also described as a sociological pattern of rule setting (as in the sociological theory of law and the work of Weber). These approaches include the notion that individuals in a society accept rules from legitimate authority in exchange for security and economic advantage (as in Rawls) – a social contract. The two theories that dominate contemporary human rights discussion are the interest theory and the will theory. Interest theory argues that the principal function of human rights is to protect and promote certain essential human interests, while will theory attempts to establish the validity of human rights based on the unique human capacity for freedom. Non-governmental Organizations International non-governmental human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, International Service for Human Rights and FIDH monitor what they see as human rights issues around the world and promote their views on the subject. Human rights organizations have been said to translate complex international issues into activities to be undertaken by concerned citizens in their own community Human rights organizations frequently engage in lobbying and advocacy in an effort to convince the United Nations, supranational bodies and national governments to adopt their policies on human rights. Many human-rights organizations have observer status at the various UN bodies tasked with protecting human rights. A new (in 2009) nongovernmental human-rights conference is the Oslo Freedom Forum, a gathering described by The Economist as on its way to becoming a human-rights equivalent of the Davos economic forum. The same article noted that human-rights advocates are more and more divided amongst themselves over how violations of human rights are to be defined, notably as regards the Middle East. There is criticism of human-rights organisations who use their status but allegedly move away from their stated goals. For example, Gerald M. Steinberg, an Israel-based academic, maintains that NGOs take advantage of a halo effect and are given the status of impartial moral watchdogs by governments and the media. Such critics claim that this may be seen at various governmental levels, including when human-rights groups testify before investigation committees. Human rights defenders Main article: Human rights defender A human rights defender is someone who, individually or with others, acts to promote or protect human rights. Human rights defenders are those men and women who act peacefully for the promotion and protection of those rights. Corporations Multinational companies play an increasingly large role in the world, and have been responsible for numerous human rights abuses. Although the legal and moral environment surrounding the actions of governments is reasonably well developed, that surrounding multinational companies is both controversial and ill-defined.[citation needed] Multinational companies primary responsibility is to their shareholders, not to those affected by their actions. Such companies may be larger than the economies of some of the states within which they operate, and can wield significant economic and political power. No international treaties exist to specifically cover the behavior of companies with regard to human rights, and national legislation is very variable. Jean Ziegler, Special Rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights on the right to food stated in a report in 2003: [T]he growing power of transnational corporations and their extension of power through privatization, deregulation and the rolling back of the State also mean that it is now time to develop binding legal norms that hold corporations to human rights standards and circumscribe potential abuses of their position of power. —Jean Ziegler In August 2003 the Human Rights Commissions Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights produced draft Norms on the responsibilities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises with regard to human rights. These were considered by the Human Rights Commission in 2004, but have no binding status on corporations and are not monitored. Human rights violations Human rights violations occur when actions by state (or non-state) actors abuse, ignore, or deny basic human rights (including civil, political, cultural, social, and economic rights). Furthermore, violations of human rights can occur when any state or non-state actor breaches any part of the UDHR treaty or other international human rights or humanitarian law. In regard to human rights violations of United Nations laws, Article 39 of the United Nations Charterdesignates the UN Security Council (or an appointed authority) as the only tribunal that may determine UN human rights violations. Human rights abuses are monitored by United Nations committees, national institutions and governments and by many independent non-governmental organizations, such as Amnesty International, International Federation of Human Rights, Human Rights Watch, World Organisation Against Torture, Freedom House, International Freedom of Expression Exchange and Anti-Slavery International. These organisations collect evidence and documentation of alleged human rights abuses and apply pressure to enforce human rights laws. Wars of aggression, war crimes and crimes against humanity, including genocide, are breaches of International humanitarian law and represent the most serious of human rights violations. In efforts to eliminate violations of human rights, building awareness and protesting inhumane treatment has often led to calls for action and sometimes improved conditions. The UN Security Council has interceded with peace keeping forces, and other states and treaties (NATO) have intervened in situations to protect human rights. Substantive rights Right to life Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life. —Article 6.1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights The right to life is the essential right that a human being has the right not to be killed by another human being. The concept of a right to life is central to debates on the issues of abortion, capital punishment, euthanasia, self defense andwar. According to many human rights activists, the death penalty violates this right. The United Nations has called on states retaining the death penalty to establish a moratorium on capital punishment with a view to its abolition. States which do not do so face considerable moral and political pressure. Freedom from torture Throughout history, torture has been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion. In addition to state-sponsored torture, individuals or groups may be motivated to inflict torture on others for similar reasons to those of a state; however, the motive for torture can also be for the sadistic gratification of the torturer, as in the Moors murders. Torture is prohibited under international law and the domestic laws of most countries in the 21st century. It is considered to be a violation of human rights, and is declared to be unacceptable by Article 5 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Signatories of the Third Geneva Convention and Fourth Geneva Convention officially agree not to torture prisoners in armed conflicts. Torture is also prohibited by the United Nations Convention Against Torture, which has been ratified by 147 states. National and international legal prohibitions on torture derive from a consensus that torture and similar ill-treatment are immoral, as well as impractical. Despite these international conventions, organizations that monitor abuses of human rights (e.g. Amnesty International, the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims) report widespread use condoned by states in many regions of the world. Amnesty International estimates that at least 81 world governments currently practice torture, some of them openly. Freedom from slavery Main article: slavery Freedom from slavery is an internationally recognized human right. Article 4 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms. Despite this, the number of slaves today is higher than at any point in history,[68] remaining as high as 12 million to 27 million, Most are debt slaves, largely in South Asia, who are under debt bondage incurred by lenders, sometimes even for generations. Human trafficking is primarily for prostituting women and children into sex industries. Groups such as the American Anti-Slavery Group, Anti-Slavery International, Free the Slaves, the Anti-Slavery Society, and the Norwegian Anti-Slavery Society continue to campaign to rid the world of slavery. Right to a fair trial Main article: Right to a fair trial Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him. The right to a fair trial has been defined in numerous regional and international human rights instruments. It is one of the most extensive human rights and all international human rights instruments enshrine it in more than one article. The right to a fair trial is one of the most litigated human rights and substantial case law has been established on the interpretation of this human right. Despite variations in wording and placement of the various fair trial rights, international human rights instrument define the right to a fair trial in broadly the same terms. The aim of the right is to ensure the proper administration of justice. As a minimum the right to fair trial includes the following fair trial rights in civil and criminal proceedings: the right to be heard by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal the right to a public hearing the right to be heard within a reasonable time the right to counsel the right to interpretation Freedom of speech Main article: Freedom of speech Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used. In practice, the right to freedom of speech is not absolute in any country and the right is commonly subject to limitations, such as on libel, slander, obscenity, incitement to commit a crime, etc. The right to freedom of expression is recognized as a human right under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recognized in international human rights law in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Article 19 of the ICCPR states that [e]veryone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference and everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writin g or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice. Freedom of thought, conscience and religion Main articles: Freedom of thought, Conscience, and Freedom of religion Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance. —Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Freedom of thought, conscience and religion are closely related rights that protect the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to think and freely hold conscientious beliefs and to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; the concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion or not to follow any religion. The freedom to leave or discontinue membership in a religion or religious group—in religious terms called apostasy—is also a fundamental part of religious freedom, covered by Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Human rights groups such as Amnesty International organises campaigns to protect those arrested and or incarcerated as a prisoner of conscience because of their conscientious beliefs, particularly concerning intellectual, political and artistic freedom of expression and association. In legislation, a conscience clause is a provision in a statute that excuses a health professional from complying with the law (for example legalising surgical or pharmaceutical abortion) if it is incompatible with religious or conscientious beliefs. Rights debates Events and new possibilities can affect existing rights or require new ones. Advances of technology, medicine, and philosophy constantly challenge the status quo of human rights thinking. Future generations In 1997 UNESCO adopted the Declaration on the Responsibilities of the Present Generation Towards the Future Generation. The Declaration opens with the words: Mindful of the will of the peoples, set out solemnly in the Charter of the United Nations, to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and to safeguard the values and principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and all other relevant instruments of international law. —Declaration on the Responsibilities of the Present Generation Towards the Future Generation Article 1 of the declaration states the present generations have the responsibility of ensuring that the needs and interests of present and future generations are fully safeguarded. The preamble to the declaration states that at this point in history, the very existence of humankind and its environment are threatened and the declaration covers a variety of issues including protection of the environment, the human genome, biodiversity, cultural heritage, peace, development, and education. The preamble recalls that the responsibilities of the present generations towards future generations has been referred to in various international instruments, including the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (UNESCO 1972), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (UN Conference on Environment and Development, 1992), the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (World Conference on Human Rights, 1993) and a number of UN General Assembly resolutions relating to the protection of the global climate for present and future generations adopted since 1990. Sexual orientation and gender identity See also: LGBT rights by country or territory Sexual orientation and gender identity rights relate to the expression of sexual orientation and gender identity based on the right to respect for private life and the right not to be discriminated against on the ground of other status as defined in various human rights conventions, such as article 17 and 26 in the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and article 8 and article 14 in the European Convention on Human Rights. Through the way many because of their religious beliefs claim that they support human rights in general while denying that LGBT rights are human rights, LGBT rights stand prominent in the very defense of the universal principle of the human rights. If human rights are understood in a way that makes it possible to exclude the basic rights of certain groups only because of certain religious and cultural prejudices, we find that the principle of universality is taken right out of the human rights, and human rights are transformed to a se t of rules only reflecting certain historically values. Homosexuality is illegal in 76 countries[citation needed], and is punishable by execution in seven countries. The criminalization of private, consensual, adult sexual relations, especially in countries where corporal or capital punishment is involved, is one of the primary concerns of LGBT human rights advocates. Other issues include: government recognition of same-sex relationships, LGBT adoption, sexual orientation and military service, immigration equality, anti-discrimination laws, hate crime laws regarding violence against LGBT people,sodomy laws, anti-lesbianism laws, and equal age of consent for same-sex activity. A global charter for sexual orientation and gender identity rights has been proposed in the form of the Yogyakarta Principles, a set of 29 principles whose authors say they apply International Human Rights Law statutes and precedent to situations relevant to LGBT peoples experience. The principles were presented at a United Nations event in New York on November 7, 2007, co-sponsored by Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. The principles have been acknowledged with influencing the French proposed UN declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity, which focuses on ending violence, criminalization and capital punishment and does not include dialogue about same-sex marriage or right to start a family.[95][96] The proposal was supported by 67 of the then 192 member countries of the United Nations, including all EU member states and the United States. An alternative statement opposing the proposal was initiated by Syria and signed by 57 member nations, including all 27 nations of the Arab League as well as Iran and North Korea. Trade Although both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights emphasize the importance of a right to work, neither of these documents explicitly mention trade as a mechanism for ensuring this fundamental right. And yet trade plays a key role in providing jobs. Some experts argue that trade is inherent to human nature and that when governments inhibit international trade they directly inhibit the right to work and the other indirect benefits, like the right to education, that increased work and investment help accrue. Others have argued that the ability to trade does not affect everyone equally—often groups like the rural poor, indigenous groups and women are less likely to access the benefits of increased trade. On the other hand, others think that it is no longer primarily individuals but companies that trade, and therefore it cannot be guaranteed as a human right.[citation needed] Additionally, trying to fit too many concepts under the umbrella of what qualifies as a human right has the potential to dilute their importance. Finally, it is difficult to define a right to trade as either fair or just in that the current trade regime produces winners and losers but its reform is likely to produce (different) winners and losers. See also: The Recognition of Labour Standards within the World Trade Organisation and Investor state dispute settlement Water See also: Water politics and Right to water In November 2002, the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights issued a non-binding comment affirming that access to water was a human right: the human right to water is indispensable for leading a life in human dignity. It is a prerequisite for the realization of other human rights. —United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights This principle was reaffirmed at the 3rd and 4th World Water Councils in 2003 and 2006. This marks a departure from the conclusions of the 2nd World Water Forum in The Hague in 2000, which stated that water was a commodity to be bought and sold, not a right. There are calls from many NGOs and politicians to enshrine access to water as a binding human right, and not as a commodity. According to the United Nations, nearly 900 million people lack access to clean water and more than 2.6 billion people lack access to basic sanitation. On July 28, 2010, the UN declared water and sanitation as human rights. By declaring safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right, the U.N. General Assembly made a step towards the Millennium Development Goal to ensure environmental sustainability, which in part aims to halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Reproductive rights Main article: reproductive rights Reproductive rights are rights relating to reproduction and reproductive health. The World Health Organisation defines reproductive rights as follows: Reproductive rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. They also include the right of all to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence. — World Health Organisation Reproductive rights were first established as a subset of human rights at the United Nations 1968 International Conference on Human Rights. The sixteenth article of the resulting Proclamation of Teheran states, Parents have a basic human right to determine freely and responsibly the number and the spacing of their children. Reproductive rights may include some or all of the following rights: the right to legal or safe abortion, the right to control ones reproductive functions, the right to quality reproductive healthcare, and the right to education and access in order to make reproductive choices free from coercion, discrimination, and violence. Reproductive rights may also be understood to include education about contraception and sexually transmitted infections, and freedom from coerced sterilization and contraception, protection from gender-based practices such asfemale genital cutting (FGC) and male genital mutilation (MGM). Information and communication technologies Main articles: Right to Internet access and Digital rights In October 2009, Finlands Ministry of Transport and Communications announced that every person in Finland would have the legal right to Internet access. Since July 2010, the government has legally obligated telecommunications companies to offer broadband Internet access to every permanent residence and office. The connection must be reasonably priced and have a downstream rate of at least 1 Mbit/s. In March 2010, the BBC, having commissioned an opinion poll, reported that almost four in five people around the world believe that access to the internet is a fundamental right. The poll, conducted by the polling companyGlobeScan for the BBC World Service, collated the answers of 27,973 adult citizens across 26 countries to find that 79% of adults either strongly agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement: access to the internet should be a fundamental right of all people. Relationship with other topics Human rights and the environment There are two basic conceptions of environmental human rights in the current human rights system. The first is that the right to a healthy or adequate environment is itself a human right (as seen in both Article 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, and Article 11 of the San Salvador Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights). The second conception is the idea that environmental human rights can be derived from other human rights, usually – the right to life, the right to health, the right to private family life and the right to property (among many others). This second theory enjoys much more widespread use in human rights courts around the world, as those rights are contained in many human rights documents. The onset of various environmental issues, especially climate change, has created potential conflicts between different human rights. Human rights ultimately require a working ecosystem and healthy environment, but the granting of certain rights to individuals may damage these. Such as the conflict between right to decide number of offspring and the common need for a healthy environment, as noted in the tragedy of the commons. In the area of environmental rights, the responsibilities of multinational corporations, so far relatively unaddressed by human rights legislation, is of paramount consideration.[citation needed] Environmental Rights revolve largely around the idea of a right to a livable environment both for the present and the future generations. National security See also: National security and Anti-terrorism legislation With the exception of non-derogable human rights (international conventions class the right to life, the right to be free from slavery, the right to be free from torture and the right to be free from retroactive application of penal laws as non-derogable),[120] the UN recognises that human rights can be limited or even pushed aside during times of national emergency – although the emergency must be actual, affect the whole population and the threat must be to the very existence of the nation. The declaration of emergency must also be a last resort and a temporary measure. —United Nations. The Resource Rights that cannot be derogated for reasons of national security in any circumstances are known as peremptory norms or jus cogens. Such United Nations Charter obligations are binding on all states and cannot be modified by treaty. Examples of national security being used to justify human rights violations include the Japanese American internment during World War II, Stalins Great Purge, and the modern-day abuses of terror suspects rights by some countries, often in the name of the War on Terror.

Political Stress :: Papers

Political Stress Stress originally came from the Latin word â€Å"strictus† meaning strict. Stress causes mental or physical tension or strain, which can deform a person. In a sense, stress causes a restrictive hold on the body and mind, which causes a person to act in ways that are out of the norm for them. Stress can be described as the force itself, meaning whatever is bringing the force upon a person. Police work is very stressful due to the pressures of the job, and strict legal limitations. Many researchers have examined the basic stressors involved in policing. Violanti and Aron (1995) believe that there are two major categories mentioned by officers. These are organizational practices, and the inherent nature of police work (Spielberger, et al. 1981; Martelli et al. 1989; Violanti and Aron, 1995). Police stress has been examined by a variety of researchers, Evans et al. (1992) has reviewed a range of research studies on the police personality and coping. Most of the reviewed research argues that police officers change their coping strategies and behaviors overtime, with some of these changes actually contributing to officers reported stress experiences and stress levels. In everyday work duties, police officers are involved in a number of activities that may be very stressful, and constant exposure to these stressful events possibly leads to a number of psychological and physical outcomes (Evans, et al. 1992). Chan and Grossman (1988) studied the immediate effects of stressors which have shown that subjects report higher levels of helplessness and feelings of lack of control, and greater psychological distress including depression, anxiety, confusion and overall mood disturbances when they are stressed (Chan and Grossman, 1988). In longer terms, individuals may experience changes in their personalities, which reflect alterations of their typical coping strategies (Skolnick, 1973; Singleton, 1977). In situations of extreme stress, officers may display the symptoms usually associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Evans, et al. 1992). It is common for individuals who undergo a traumatic event to experience such emotional states such as fear, anxiety, guilt, depression, sadness, anger, and shock. Cognitive effects include difficulty with decision-making, concentration, and memory processes (Reiser and Geiger, 1984; Mitchell, 1988). More distressing symptoms of PTSD include nightmares, vivid flashbacks to the event, difficulties relating to others, self-destructive or aggressive rages, and fear of losing control (Evans, 1991). Police officers also have a high rate of stress related illness.

Are Computers Compromising Education?

Language Analysis – â€Å"Are Computers Compromising Education? † In the letter â€Å"Are Computers Compromising Education? †, A. Jones, the principal of Hightower College, explains his reasons for banning the use of computers in classrooms, informing parents of the many issues that it would have imposed on students. Jones addresses the issue in a very reasoned but concerned tone, which gradually becomes more assertive as he attempts to completely convince parents to agree with his contention, that Australia’s â€Å"computer-based ‘education revolution’ represents a false promise to the Australian public†, as it inflicts a variety of health hazards on students and is preventing them from learning â€Å"the essential social and intellectual skills that they need to flourish in the adult world†. With a formal and carefully structured, yet at times quite emotive style of writing, Jones effectively uses a variety of persuasive language techniques to justify the rationality of his decision, and to make it clear to parents that the negatives of having laptops in classrooms â€Å"far outweigh the potential benefits†. Jones appeals to the reader’s common sense through the use of seemingly logical statements, which make it seem as though his point of view is the only reasonable one, and that it should be obvious that students should not be allowed laptops in class due to the â€Å"obviously unhealthy† effects it has on not only their education, but their social lives as well. Also, in case his position as principal doesn’t give him enough credibility amongst the parents of his college, Jones appeals to the authority of Todd Oppenheimer, a leading social theorist in the US, who states that a computer-centred classroom means â€Å"downplaying the importance of conversation, of careful listening, and of expressing oneself in person†. This use of reliable evidence works with reason and logic to convince parents that Jones arguments are accurate and sensible, and that â€Å"students’ brains are becoming deadened† as they are â€Å"sadly being lost in today’s technological age†, which is stifling vital qualities in them and â€Å"fostering negative traits†. The image which was sent along with the letter to parents, shows a group of students â€Å"being nourished by traditional texts† and being aided with their work by a teacher. It highlights the importance of teacher to student learning and the essential social skills that kids can acquire through constant human interaction and direct communication, as opposed to computer-based learning and instant messaging. This image helps to support the principal’s arguments, because after parents recognise the necessity of teacher to student learning from the image, hearing that the quality of teachers declines with â€Å"every dollar spent on the purchase and maintenance of a computer† causes them to feel morally obliged to agree with Jones in the fear that they would otherwise be compromising their children’s education. The image also combines with Jones’ use of hyperbole and emotive language when he states that â€Å"by short-changing our teachers, we rob our children of a future† to give the cumulative effect of both evoking an emotional response from parents before their basic reason and logic comes into play, and shocking them into accepting his point of view that â€Å"the real world is inhabited by people, not machines, and our classrooms should reflect this reality† by ditching the idea of having laptops in classrooms, and encouraging more interaction among students and teachers in order to prepare our kids for the future. In addition to the array of emotional appeals and hyperbolic statements the writer applies throughout the letter, Jones appeals to the parent’s hip-pocket nerve by bringing to light the fact that â€Å"the cost of ‘down time’ – where the computer is being repaired – far exceeds the initial purchase cost of the unit†. Since money is one of the main driving forces in everyone’s lives, this use of persuasive language effectively influences parents to approve of the principals decision solely through their desire to be financially secure. Jones eliminates any reason for parents to oppose his views through appeals to their sense of fear and their morals and values, by referring to this issue as a â€Å"worrying phenomenon† and claiming that the constant use of computers has â€Å"a detrimental effect on children’s learning abilities†¦ and could have other damaging effects on the brain†. The negative connotations in words like ‘detrimental’ and ‘worrying’ add to his alarming tone in order to arouse fear and anxiety in parents by suggesting that if they push for laptops to be made available in classrooms, they would be doing a great deal of harm to their own children. This compels the parents of students at Hightower College to share in the principal’s point of view that the school should not be â€Å"prepared to compromise the learning abilities of students in support of a fad†. Throughout his letter, Jones relies on his concerned, yet assertive tone and use of reason and logic, to really sway the parents of Hightower College to believe that his decision to ban the use of computers in classrooms is obviously the right thing to do. The inclusion of evidence from an authoritative position, even higher than his position of principal, adds extra legitimacy to his arguments by presenting parents with a credible point of view. Jones also constantly plays with the parent’s emotions and morals while appealing to their sense of fear, because as parents they would never want to â€Å"compromise [their] children’s ability to learn† or cause any â€Å"damaging effects [to] the brains† of their kids. Jones’ application of a variety of persuasive language techniques allows him to effectively convey his arguments, and the cumulative effect that they give helps to convince parents of his point of view, that â€Å"we need to resist the temptation to dumb down the classroom, and reinstate a more responsible and human environment for our children†.

Professional Solder

What does being a professional solder mean to me? Professionalism as a solider is exemplified by the constant display of knowledge of what it means to be a soldier and showing that in your everyday duty. As a professional solider you should constantly have situational awareness, knowing how to address your superior and subordinates, maintaining your military bearing and how to do your job efficiently are the cornerstones of being a true professional solider..For instincts being a professional solder means to serve our country from foren or domestic enemies so that all the people of the United States of America can live a happy and free lives . being part of that one percent that decided to join the armed services. Having young and older generations look up to you for being who you are. It also means living up to your seven key army values. Many people know what the words are and what they mean loyalty- Bear true faith and allegiance to the U. S. Constitution, the Army, your unit and other Soldiers, duty Fulfill your obligations.doing your duty means more than carrying out your assigned tasks; Duty means being able to accomplish tasks as part of a team, respect- Treat people as they should be treated. In the Soldier’s Code, we pledge to â€Å"treat others with dignity and respect while expecting others to do the same, selfless service-Put the welfare of the nation, the Army and your subordinates before your own. Selfless service is larger than just one person, honor-Live up to Army values, integrity-do what’s right, legally and morally.Integrity is a quality you develop by adhering to moral principles. It requires that you do and say nothing that deceives others, personal courage Face fear, danger or adversity (physical or moral). But how often do you see someone actually live up to them? Being a professional solder I have to live by them values on a everyday bases. As a professional solder you also need to live by the army creed, I am an American Soldier. I am a warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States, and live the Army Values.I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade. I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself. I am an expert and I am a professional. I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat. I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life. I am an American Soldier.The main thing we pull out of all that and keep to heart it the worrier ethos, I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade. I the army we have a long and strong tradition of military structure that demands that those of lower ranks refer to their superiors in certain ways. If you do not know how to properly address superior officers, you can find yourself being reprimanded or, even worse, â€Å"smoked† (put through vigorous physical punishment).

A Hole in the Sky essays

A Hole in the Sky essays We live our days on earth carefree and happy, but for some that life is taken away in a single look in the mirror, or a visit to the doctor. In that one instant, they find out that their life could be changed forever; some find out their life is closer to the end then they thought. Skin cancer can be potentially deadly and it is caused by UV rays that come from the sun. How can we keep the number of skin cancer patients down Well, We keep our ozone together of course. The ozone layer is basically a thin layer of gasses, which has naturally occurred, such as oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere that keep UV rays from coming down to the surface. Ozone is O3, which in other words, are three oxygen atoms. The ozone layer can be found in the stratosphere, which is the layer next to the troposphere. Humans, us and other life on the surface live in the troposphere. Lets say for example that normal commercial airplanes all fly in the troposphere except for the Concorde, which flies in the lower portion of the stratosphere. Ozone has been found to be densest at the two poles and to grow thinner as you approach the equator. Its also very interesting to know that the one thing that keeps all life on the surface alive could kill all of what it protects if it was on the same level as us. Although global warming is an issue to very many normal people and scientists, people usually get it mixed up with our ozone problem. Even though an ozone hole can help to cause a greenhouse effect, which in turn causes global warming, they are not the same thing. The two are completely different topics and situations. In the past years ozone levels in different areas of the earth have been depleted but the most depletion of ozone was focused over Antarctica. It so happens that almost all the ozone over the continent was destroyed. What was truly disturbing is the fact that the ozone there is one of the thickest anywhere being several kilometers thic...

Discussion Questions Week 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion Questions Week 1 - Essay Example It aids me in analyzing purchases, printed claims, and our existing processes. As part of my responsibilities I am tasked with ordering office supplies for our modest office. Salesmen routinely contact me in regards to toner, paper, and computer supplies. They usually make claims about how many sheets can be printed with a single toner cartridge or a color ink jet cartridge. Only be reading the material completely can the specifications be assessed. I need to look at how the tests were accomplished and how it may compare to other similar products. There is a further concern about what I would need to do if the product does not live up to its expectations. The warranty and the methods of making a warranty claim needs to be critically analyzed to get a picture of its true value. These are skills I use everyday in my position. Though I often use critical thinking at work, there have been times when it was an overlooked asset. The plant had for years used a processing method that transported carcasses throughout the facility. Everyone assumed that the process was maintaining a temperature that was in accordance with the US Department of Agriculture guidelines. The common thought was that we have always done it this way and there has never been any problems. However, when one enterprising health specialist in the company did a detailed analysis, she found that the meat had an opportunity to deviate from the USDAs mandatory temperature window. A closer inspection by the engineers validated her concerns. Complacency had relegated critical thinking to the background and could have eventually cost the company in lost production. The lesson I learned from the above experience was valuable to me because it caused me to analyze my own office processes. My workflow process was taught to me by my mentors when I started there. Yet, I had never really applied critical thinking to it. I found that by using critical thinking I was able to change my workflow

Secure Software Testing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Secure Software Testing - Essay Example So, it can easily be visualized that the CCQAS is a massive system with multiple sources of data storage as well possible queries for retrieval. Testing phase with the software has been completed in two phases. The first one being the System Integration test (SIT)and in the second phase it's been the System Qualification Test (SQT). The SIT being the first phase of testing i.e., Development Test & Evaluation (DT&E) is performed by The McVey Company, Inc (TMCI). TMCI provided an independent team for this test with sole purpose being the validation of capabilities of the CCQAS system in ensuring technical specification, the rules of business, its various functionalities and other specifications mentioned in the requirement document as well as those defined by the developers and possible end users. The test environment provided for this phase of testing was similar to that of the designed production environment. TMCI role in this phase extends to testing all releases of CCQAS during the duration of SIT. Now in the second phase of DT&E it's the System Qualification Test (SQT)that needs to be performed. Here, the testing is performed by the experts of the subject matter or the service representatives.