Racial Profiling Essay Example for Free

Racial Profiling Essay On February 4, 1999, Amadou Diallo, an unarmed 22 year-old immigrant from New Guinea, West Africa, was shot and killed in the narrow vestibule of the apartment building where he lived. Four white officers, Sean Carroll, Kenneth Boss, Edward McMellon and Richard Murphy fired 41 bullets, hitting Diallo 19 times. All four were members of the New York City Police Departments Street Crimes Unit, which, under the slogan, We Own the Night, used aggressive stop and frisk tactics against African- Americans at a rate double that groups population percentage. A report on the unit by the state attorney general found that blacks were stopped at a rate 10 times that of whites, and that 35 percent of those stops lacked reasonable suspicion to detain or had reports insufficiently filled out to make a determination. Thousands attended Diallos funeral. Demonstrations were held almost daily, along with the arrests of over 1,200 people in planned civil disobedience. In a trial that was moved out of the community where Diallo lived and to Albany in upstate New York, the four officers who killed Diallo were acquitted of all charges (â€Å"The Diallo† online). Racial Profiling is any police or private security practice in which a person is treated as a suspect because of his or her race, ethnicity, nationality or religion. This occurs when police investigate, stop, frisk, search or use force against a person based on such characteristics instead of evidence of a persons criminal behavior. It often involves the stopping and searching of people of color for traffic violations, known as â€Å"DWB† or â€Å"driving while black or brown. † (Meeks 17). After 9/11, racial profiling has become widely accepted as an appropriate form of crime prevention. People were sought after based solely on the fact that they were of Arab descent. But racial profiling did not start with September 11th racial profiling has been around for ages. Tracy Maclin, a professor at Boston University School of Law, says that racial profiling â€Å"can trace its historical roots [back] to a time in early American society when court officials in cities like Philadelphia permitted constables and ordinary citizens the right to take up all black persons seen gadding abroad without their masters permission. † (Meeks 164). The term profiling first became associated with law enforcement’s nterference in drug trafficking during the late 1970s. In 1985, the Drug Enforcement Administration instituted Operation Pipeline, an intelligence-based assessment of the method by which drug networks transported bulk drugs to drug markets, and began training local and state police in applying a drug courier profile as part of highway drug interdiction techniques. Under Operation Pipeline, police were trained to apply a profile that included evidence of concealment in the vehicle, indications of fast, point-to-point driving, as well as the age and race characteristics of the probable drivers. In some cases, the profiling technique was distorted, so that officers began targeting black and Hispanic male drivers by stopping them for technical traffic violations as a pretext for determining whether or not drivers were carrying drugs (Weitzer 133). A 1998 Department of Justice investigation of these practices raised awareness of this issue and defined racial profiling as the practice of singling out members of racial or ethnic groups for relatively minor traffic or petty criminal offenses in order to question and/or search them for drugs, guns, or other contraband (â€Å"History† 1). In 1999, the American Civil Liberties Union launched a nationwide campaign against racial profiling, entitled â€Å"Arrest the Racism: Racial Profiling in America. † This campaign included research, phone hotlines to report incidents, online complaint forms, advertising campaigns that included radio, television, print and billboards, advocacy for legislation, and a communications program synchronized with litigation efforts across the country. This campaign has inspired a movement against racial profiling by local, state and national organizations. Community organizations have been involved in advocating for legislation, increasing visibility of their racial profiling concerns, and encouraging police departments to begin data collection. More than 20 states have passed legislation prohibiting racial profiling and/or mandating data collection on stops and searches, hundreds of individual jurisdictions have voluntarily begun to collect data, and several jurisdictions are collecting data on racial profiling as a result of federal or state court settlements or consent decrees. In February 2001, during an address to a joint session of Congress, President George W.  Bush said of racial profiling, â€Å"It is wrong and we will end it in America. † (â€Å"History† 1) California, alone, has enacted legislation which mandates sensitivity training, but there is currently no legislation mandating data collection. In 1999, Governor Gray Davis vetoed legislation that would have required law enforcement agencies to collect data to show whether people of color are stopped by police at disproportionate rates. Bills that would have prohibited racial profiling and required data collection either died on inactive file or had important content removed before being passed. A large number of individual jurisdictions are collecting data either voluntarily, through court settlements, or through federal consent decrees. S. B. 205, which amended the California Penal Code section 13519. 4, entitled Racial and Cultural Diversity Training, defines racial profiling as â€Å"the practice of detaining a suspect based on a broad set of criteria which casts suspicion on an entire class of people without any individualized suspicion of the particular person being stopped. † This legislation outlines the inappropriateness of racial profiling, and mandates cultural awareness training for civil servants. The federal code which is used to address racial profiling and other questionable procedures is Title 42, U. S. C. , Section 14141, which makes it unlawful for state or local law enforcement agencies to allow officers to engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives persons of rights protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States. This law is commonly referred to as the Police Misconduct Statute. This law gives the Department of Justice the right to reprimand and/or sanction law enforcement agencies that use policies or practices which support a pattern of misconduct by officers. The action taken by the department is directed against the agency as a whole, not against individual officers. Although efforts have been made to ban the use of racial profiling as a law enforcement tool, no jurisdiction in the U. S. has addressed the problem in a way that is both effective and all-inclusive. Currently, twenty-nine states have passed laws concerning racial profiling, but state and federal protections against this problem continue to be extremely lacking. Further, some states are even passing legislation that supports racial profiling, such as Arizona’s new SB 1070, which aims to curb the problem of illegal entry into the U.  S. While immigration issues continue to be a problem in the U. S. , this law basically allows law enforcement officials to stop any citizen randomly to verify their legal residence in the country. Police practices that are viewed as racially motivated will ultimately lead to more frequent and severe interactions with law enforcement, and eventually leads to a distrust of the police. This is an unhealthy position, as law enforcement practices aren’t effective when you are fearful of those whose job is to protect and serve the citizens (Blumer 4). There is not much research available that addresses the question of why racial differences exist in citizens’ relations with the police. Part of the explanation can be found in the group-position thesis, which is discussed in the research by Bob Hutchings 64), and states: â€Å"the group-position thesis focuses on inter-group competition over material rewards, status, and power. Racial attitudes which reflect individual-level feelings and beliefs also mirror a collective sense of group cohesion, unlike other racial groups. These perceptions include (1) perceived threats: dominant group members’ fears that their group is at risk of losing privileges or resources to competing racial groups, and (2) perceived advantages: minority group members’ beliefs that their group interests will be enhanced by challenging the prevailing racial order. The group-position thesis has been used to explain inter-group racial attitudes. † The thesis further outlines the entitlement of dominant groups to resources, and the attraction to institutions that serve their interests; an example of this would be the attraction of the White race to the criminal justice system. The police are often seen as allies by the â€Å"dominant ethnic group†, especially in deeply divided societies where the police can be used as an instrument for suppressing â€Å"subordinate groups† (Bobo ump; Hutchings 70). This relationship between the police and dominant groups is less obvious in more democratic societies, but the authors state that even in these societies, the superior group builds strong relations with the police. In the United States, white people’s support for the police has traditionally been strong and, at the same time, whites tend to see racial minorities as inclined to criminal or violent behavior. In the 2000 General Social Survey, for example, half of whites viewed blacks as ‘violence-prone’. †(Weitzer ump; Tuch 1021) For whites who follow these views, there is a tendency to condone police suspicion and disparate treatment of minorities as â€Å"rational discrimination† (Weitzer 153). These attitudes may b e more strongly held by some whites than by others, but the group-position thesis predicts that these views are fairly common throughout the white population (Bobo ump; Hutchings 72). Racial profiling has been occurring throughout our nation, and even the world, for as far back as any of us can remember. Racial profiling stems from racism, and fear of people who are different, ethnically and culturally, than the person making the judgments. Sadly, it spreads even further than that, and clouds the judgment of the people who are in positions of authority, even when they come from the same ethnic background. Racism, classism, sexism and all the other –isms combine to create trends such as these, which affect more than just the person being judged; it affects their families, friends, neighborhoods, communities, etc. Like all other issues that deal with the problem of –isms, the only way to change the dominant perception is to change the way people are programmed throughout life and their experiences. Until that day, no legislation or rule is going to change the way people feel about the minority, or perceived lower class, group.

Organic Solar Cells History, Principles and Efficiency

Organic Solar Cells History, Principles and Efficiency Solar Cells Solar cells are cells or devices use for converting sunlight into electric cur ­rent (electricity) or voltage. They are also called photovoltaic cells (PV) or devices and the process of generating electricity from sunlight is called pho ­toelectric effect. Solar Energy conversion through photovoltaic effect can be achieved with many materials at different lifetimes. Over the years many research and development have been conducted in the area of solar energy (thin film applications)[1]-[3]. But most of these developments have been in inorganic solar cells with conventional silicon base solar cells dominating in the production of solar energy in the commercial market [4]-[5]. Silicon base cells for thin film application have enormous advantages like good absorp ­tion rate of sunlight, suitable band gap for photovoltaic applications, longer lifetimes and improving efficiency. But the process of silicon base cells gen ­eration of voltage is tedious and above all very expensive fo r the commercial market. Research for alternatives to silicon has been ongoing for some time now with some other inorganic materials like Copper Indium Gallium Sele ­nium (Cu-In-Ga-Se)[6], Cadmium Sulfide (CdS)[7], Lead Cadmium Sulfide (PbCdS)[8], etc. But some have similar production problems like the silicon and as well expensive. Others also are of dangerous elements which are not environmentally friendly (CdS, PbCdS, etc). Another alternative to silicon base cells in terms of thin film (solar cells) research for photovoltaic applica ­tion could be organic solar cells (also known as plastic solar cells)[9]. With this, photocurrents are generated from organic materials. In this review, brief history of organic solar cells is discussed, the basic principle of operation is outlined and some performance in terms of the materials absorption rate, efficiency, stability and degradation and comparison between organic solar cells and inorganic solar cells (silicon) are also discussed. Chapter 2 Organic Solar cells (Plastic Solar cells) The infancy of organic solar cells began in the late 1950s [10]. At this time, photoconductivity in some organic semiconductor cells (anthracene, chlorophyll) were measured with voltage of 1 V by some research groups[11] ­[12].They proposed that if a single layer PV cell is illuminated consisting of an organic layer, sandwich cell with low work function metal (aluminum, Al) and a conducting glass of high work function (indium tin oxide, ITO), photoconductivity will be observed. With this interesting result and less cost effective of these organic semiconductor cells and also a possibility of doping these materials to achieve more encouraging results caught up with many researchers in this field. The work done since has been unprecedented as shown in figure 2.1 on the next page. In the 1960s, semiconducting properties were observed in dyes partic ­ularly in methylene blue [13]. Efficiency of 10−5 % in sunlight conversion was reported in the early 1970s to an improvement of 1 % in the early 1980s [14]. This was achieved through an interesting phenomenon known as heterojunction[15]. This phenomenon is a surface between semiconduct ­ing materials of dissimilar layers. Photovoltaic devices were applied with heterojunction where donor-acceptor organic cells were tailored together. In recent years, photoconductivity has been measured in dyes and the dye so ­lar cells have progressively been improved for laboratory cells[16]. Currently power conversion efficiency of organic photovoltaics in single-junction devices is over 9 %[17] and that of multi-junction cell is over 12 %[18]. Some materials of organic solar cells are dyes and some polymers like origomers[19], dendrimers[20], liquid crystal materials[21] and self-assembled monolayers [22]. All these need to be prepared carefully to obtain optimum efficiency and stability[23] Figure 2.1: Number of publications is plotted against the year of publications. This shows the inception of organic solar cells and how much interest the field has generated among scientists and the commercial entities over the years. Years below 1990 saw less publication (1960 to 1970 -10 and 1980 to 1990  ­29) compared to the years in the figure. Principle of Operations. In recent time, organic solar cells are of different operations due to their usage. Similar to inorganic solar cells, organic solar cells can be used to convert sunlight into electricity with the aid of a semiconductor. The basic principle behind this operation is outline below: Most organic solar cells have very thin material layer either single or multi-layer where there is a strong absorption of light sandwich between two electrodes, an anode (A) and a cathode (C). The anode (usually indium tin oxide ITO) is transparent and has a high work function. The cathode (aluminum) is opaque and has a low work function. The material layer is usually a photosensitive organic semiconductor. When light of appropriate energy (sunlight) is incident on it, an electron is excited from the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) to a lower uncopied state called lowest uncopied molecular orbital (LUMO) leaving a hole in the HOMO. This leads to exciton formation. That is, there is a creation of an electron-hole pair which is strongly bounded together. As the electron stays at the LUMO, there is a loss in energy by the electron through thermal relaxation as the electron penetrates the energy band gap. The electron-hole pair diffuses in ­dependent of the electric field and are separated (exciton dissociation) at the interface between the donor state (HOMO) and the accepter state (LUMO). The electron is collected at one end of the electrode (cathode) and the hole at the other end of the electrode (anode) thereby generation photocurrent in the process. If the electron and the hole after separation do not reach the interface, their absorbed energies are dissipated out and no photocurrent is generated. Step by step principle is illustrated in pictorial form below: Figure 3.2: a) Light is incident on an electron (red). (b) Electron is excited from the HOMO to the LUMO creating a hole (black) at the HOMO. (c) Exciton formation of electronhole pair. (d) Diffusion of exciton independent of electric field. (e) Exciton dissociation. (f) Collection of charges. Chapter 4 Performance 4.1 Absorption of light. In organic solar cells, the thin organic semiconducting layer is responsible for light absorption. This layer has a valence band which is densed with electrons and a conduction band. These bands are separated by an energy gap. When the layer absorbs light, an excited state is created. This state is characterized by an energy gap. The energy gap is the energy difference between the higher energy state (LUMO) and the lower energy state (HOMO). It is usually of the range of (1.0 -4.0) eV[24] and it is determined as: Eg = ELUMO − EHOMO . (4.1) Where Eg is the energy gap in electron volts (eV), ELUMO is the energy at LUMO (higher energy state) and EHOMO is the energy at HOMO (lower energy state). The energy gap usually serves as an activation energy barrier. This acti ­vation energy barrier needs to be overcome before an electron is excited from the lower energy state to the higher energy state. The excited electron has energy greater than or equal to this activation energy barrier. This energy is determined as: h.c Ephoton = ≠¥ Eg . (4.2)ÃŽ »photon Where Ephoton is the energy of the incident photon (light), h is Plancks constant (6.626 Ãâ€"10−34 Js), c is speed of light (2.997 Ãâ€"108 ms−1) and ÃŽ »photon is wavelength of the photon (≈ (400 -700) nm). As the excited electron remains at the LUMO, a hole is created in the HOMO. The electron undergoes thermal relaxation as it remains at the LUMO and this result in loss of energy by the electron. This energy loss is compensated for as: El = Eelectron − Eg . (4.3) Where El is thermal energy loss of the electron, Eelectron is the energy of the electron at the LUMO and Eg is the energy gap. Figure 4.1: (a) Thin organic semiconductor layer (with both LUMO and HOMO) with energy gap (Eg). (b) Incident light of greater energy than the energy gap excites electron (red) from HOMO to LUMO. This creates a hole (black) at the HOMO (c) Energy lost by the electron through thermal relaxation. 4.2 Stability and Degradation In solar cell application, long operational lifetime performance is required. To achieve this, stability and degradation are few of the key important issues to look at in real-time application. Over the years, stability of organic solar cells has improved very much in terms of their power conversions[25]. This is clearly shown in the figure below: Ideally the advantages of organic solar cells with their low cost materi ­als, recyclable, easy production and production in large quantities, à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡exibility and durability (low weight), stability should be optimum. These advantages somehow also affect the stability of the organic cells. The active layer (thin organic semiconducting layer) component which is a core component of the cells is sometimes prone to degradations. These degradations occur dur ­ing their production (printing in bulk quantities and rolling them together thereby introducing some mechanical properties which then affect the mor ­phology of the active layer) and also reactions from weathering (UV light, oxygen, water). Extensive work on photo stability of some organic solar cells (large number of polymers) has been investigated by Manceau et al[27]. Figure 4.2: Organic Photovoltaic (OPV) production with progression in years shown. The years below 2010 had lower production of OPVs (> 0.5 MW) [26]. Chapter 5 Comparism between organic solar cells and inorganic solar cells (Silicon base solar cells). Organic and inorganic solar cells serve similar applications but they interest ­ing differences in terms of how they are made. Organic solar cells are cheap in terms of materials, production and are recyclable, they have very thin solar cells with little energy in making them, they are à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡exible, durable and have low weight, they are colourful and they have easy production and can be produced in large areas. But they have low efficiency and lifetime compared to silicon base solar cells. Inorganic solar cells are cost effective in terms of materials, production and are not recyclable, much energy is need to have thin layer cells, they are rigid and not durable, they are of dark grey materials with dark blue to black coat ­ing, they have complicated production and are difficult to produce in large areas. But they have good light absorption rate, better efficiency and longer lifetime. Chapter 6 Conclusion Organic solar cells can be alternative to silicon base solar cells with its in ­teresting applications. They can be fabricated into our day to day usage materials and equipment with low cost technology in serving their purpose. Efficiency and stability still remains areas that should be addressed in the future to optimally have good power conversions.

Strategic Positioning of Hilton Hotel Groups in the UK

Strategic Positioning of Hilton Hotel Groups in the UK Strategic Positioning of Hilton Hotel groups in the hospitality industry in UK? Back Ground Study: Hotels and their branding strategies are famous all over the world. If we look around us we can see that the success of a hotel is in its brand emphasis. To stay in business and to beat the competition around them, all hotel groups engage in brand implementation. The logo itself would stand out on its own, from the minute a customer enters a hotel, they will be centred on the brand image starting from napkins, towels, spoons, etc. A trend in todays hospitality industry is the interest to cater to different market segments under one brand name. To achieve this many big reputed hotels, acquire or enter into some alliance with smaller hotels and provide them with the main hotel logo, brand name and similar facilities/services. Thus making it a part of the main hotel brand. Since more and more hotels are moving ahead with this same kind of strategy there is an enormous competition in this sector at present. To focus in depth on this matter I have decided in taking Hilton Hotels Corporation as a case study. This hotel group is one of the leading names in the global hospitality sector, with more than 2,800 hotels and 490,000 rooms in more than 80 countries, including 150,000 team members worldwide. The company owns, manages or franchises a hotel portfolio of some of the best known and highly regarded brands, including Hilton, Conrad, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations, Homewood Suites by Hilton, and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection. There are may other international hotel chains like, Marriot, Holiday Inn, Intercontinental and Radisson which are as competitive as Hilton and are following the path of global branding, but they are only very new entrants in this field. To portray a global image and enhance a world over brand large investments are required. Government policies, economical changes, political issues like September 11th have affected the Hotel industry world wide during recent times. Making this kind of a huge investment is very risking for hotels until their long term objectives show profits. During the years Hilton Hotel as a corporate has been able to create a brand for itself in this competitive lodging industry, proving their capabilities by continuously portraying increase in its revenue every year, by diversifying its products and acquiring other valuable hotels to add to it corporate chain. Hilton as a corporate has been able to cater to the needs of different types of guests. Based on needs of the customers they are able to providing the required facilities and services. Thus being able to keep up its own brand movement and also create publicity in all segments of the market needs. Acquiring hotels which are based overseas has also enabled the company to expand its operations and serve its clientele. To validate my assumptions and to clear my doubts, I have tried engaging in a journal article Brand Equity, Brand Preference and Purchase Intent (Cathy J. Cobb- Walgren, 1995). Here I intend to demonstrate how branding can help a hotel be well renowned and at the same time be able to cater to all segments. Research Question: How does a traditional luxury hotel group react strategically to the incoming global pressure from niche brands? (Case Study Hilton International) Research Objective: Main objective of this research will be to identify the current market positioning of the hotel groups, taking Hilton as a case study, to find out how the each hotel chains competes each other in a global market. I will compare brand segmentation and competitive advantage and brand value different hotel chains. Research Methodology I will compare the performance of Hilton Hotel in each of the areas of its operations (Customer satisfaction, Competitiveness, Productivity, Profitability) against other major players in the market .To find out the core competencies of the company it is also required to do a SWOT analysis. This analysis would help in focusing on the companys strength, weakness, opportunities and threat, which would help in achieving an internal picture of Hilton as a whole. It would be beneficial using Porters five competitive forces (Micheal Porter 1980) to find out Hiltons external opportunities and threats. I will be interviewing General Managers to understand the current market trends and companys main objectives and plans for the future. It is essential to use Hilton as a case study to evaluate how hotels interested in the branding concept operate world over. Due to the above mentioned (Background) specialities in Hilton Hotels Corporation it will be much helpful to take it as a case study to understand; what are the integrities in undergoing brand diversification with in the industry. Time Scale: June 5 to June 20 : Review books and any literature related to the matter June 9th : 1st Meeting with the supervisor June 22nd to June 29th : Prepare a research strategy and review main literature June 30th to July 3rd: Meeting with Hotel Managers to conduct interviews July 4th to July 10th : Putting the data together and analysising it. July 11th to July 23rd : Reviewing Hilton data as a case study and linking it with the theoretical literature July 24th to August 2nd : Preparing the SWOT analysis to find out the core capabilities of Hilton August 3rd to August 15th: Preparing for Potters five forces to get a track of Hiltons external opportunities and threats August 16th to August 24th: Formulating the first draft together August 25th to September 1st: Completing the Project Resources: The expenses occurred while travelling to take interviews will be bared by myself. I do have access on the intranet of Hilton since I have been previously for this company. I have also access to the Leeds University library and Hotel and catering international Management Association (HCIMA) to help me in the review of literature. References http://hiltonworldwide1.hilton.com/en_US/ww/business.do http://hiltonworldwide1.hilton.com Cathy J. Cobb-Walgren, Cynthia A. Ruble, Naveen Donthu; 1995. Brand Equity, Brand Preference and Purchase Intent. Journal of Advertising [online], 24(3), [Accessed 19th April 2008], p.25-44. Available from World Wide Web : Potters Five Forces (Micheal Porter 1980).

feminaw Edna Pontellier’s Predicament in Kate Chopins The Awakening :: Chopin Awakening Essays

Edna's Predicament in The Awakening Dr. Mandelet, speaking more as a wise, older man than as a medical authority, seems to understand Edna's predicament. When Mr. Pontellier asks for his advice concerning the strange behaviour of his wife, the doctor immediately wonders, "Is there any man in the case?" (950). While Edna thinks she is expressing her independent rights, Dr. Mandelet knows her heart is still tied to the need for a man in her life, and to an uncontrolled submission to sexual passion. After her self-proclaimed release from her husband's narrow world of prescribed gender roles, Edna begins to act spontaneously, without considering, as Leonce would wish, "what people would say" (977). During a visit to Mademoiselle Reisz, she boldly displays her new attitude, refusing the more modest hot chocolate in favor of a "man's drink": "I will take some brandy," said Edna, shivering as she removed her gloves and overshoes. She drank the liquor from the glass as a man would have done. Then flinging herself upon the uncomfortable sofa she said, "Mademoiselle, I am going to move away from my house on Esplanade Street." (962) However, she will be moving "[j]ust two steps away" (962), she admits, betraying the fact that her feminist step forward will be hindered by at least two steps back. Her new assertiveness will not be enough to shield her from the difficulties of her changing life. Although she expresses herself to Robert in what she deems an "unwomanly" style (990), she is still a victim of societal conditioning, wanting to surrender her identity to another person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cristina Giorcelli writes that "Transitional states are inevitably states of inner and outer ambiguity. In her quest for her true self, Edna loses, or enhances with the addition of the opposite ones, her original gender connotations and social attributes" (121). Such a reading, however, risks simplifying the story in its attempt to clarify exactly that which is ambiguous. Although Giorcelli agrees that the story's message is blurred, she seems to contradict herself when she argues that, Through her androgyny Edna succeeds in achieving the wholeness of a composite unity, both integral and versatile, both necessary and free. Triumphing over sex and role differentiations ontologically implies sub- jugating that which substantiates but curtails, and ethically it entails mastering the grim unilaterality of responsibility. The bourgeois crisis that Edna endures--the discrepancy between duty toward others and right toward herself[--] .

The Treaty of Versailles :: World War I History

The Treaty of Versailles Despite Woodrow Wilson's plan for peace near the end of World War I, he failed to gain Congressional support for the Treaty of Versailles. The Treaty of Versailles was intended to be a peace agreement between the Allies and the Germans. However, once the negotiation of the Treaty, the Allies found they had conflicting ideas and motives surrounding the reparations and wording of the Treaty. The Treaty formally placed the responsibility for the war on Germany and its allies and imposed on Germany the burden of paying the debts of war. In addition to foreign opposition, Wilson couldn't even gain support for the treaty in the United States. Because of weaknesses in the treaty, domestic opposition, and failure to compromise, the treaty gained very little congressional support. The Treaty of Versailles was very controversial. Some countries opposed the treaty due to multiple weaknesses. For example, the Treaty humiliated Germany. The war-guilt clause forces Germany to accept sole responsibility for World War I. And although German militarism had played a major role in igniting the war, other countries in Europe had been guilty of provoking diplomatic crises before the war. Another weakness in the Treaty was that Russian government felt that the Treaty ignored its needs. In the Treaty, Russia was excluded from the peace conference, even though Russians had fought with the Allies for three year, and suffered higher casualties than any other country. There was also much dispute concerning the distribution of territory in the Treaty. The Treaty of Versailles established nine new countries, and changed many boundaries, and there was debate about the fairness. There was also much opposition to the treaty in the United States, which is what Woodrow Wilson faces when he returned with the treaty. Some people, including Herbert Hoover, believed it was too harsh. Others didn't think the treaty really did any good because it shifted the set of colonial rulers to another set, instead of eliminating the imperialism. Also, some minorities objected to the treaty because the new boundaries it established for some countries didn't satisfy their demands for independence. For example, Wilson hadn't tried to obtain Ireland's independence from Great Britain. Most of all, the opposition to the treaty in the United States was the debate over the League of Nations. A few opponents believed that the League of Nations threatened the U.S. foreign policy of staying clear of European affairs, the Monroe Doctrine.

Noy: A glimpse of our society’s status Essay

The movie ‘Noy’, directed by Dondon Santos and starred by Coco Martin, allowed us to take a look into the lives and different problems of an ordinary Filipino. This brought us the chance to have a closer look to the issues of this country concerning drugs, poverty, education, crimes, family and many others. ‘Noy’ showed us how one’s decisions and actions can affect the lives and beliefs of many people. This reaction paper is not about how good the movie was, in terms of how well it has been directed or portrayed by the actors, not in a perspective of a movie critique but in a view of an ordinary student and a concerned citizen. This would be about the social issues and problems that has been sited in the film and are very relevant nowadays. In the movie, Noy is living in an uncomfortable and struggling life with his manicurist mother, crippled brother and a smart sister. Their family lived in a house floating on flood water. He faked some of his documents, his diploma and demo reel, and posed to be a journalist to the hope that their status in life would change. He started working on a documentary about Senator Noynoy Aquino which was way back then, running for presidency. Later on, his brother has been involved to drugs and his sister got blind. After that, everything got messy and he eventually got killed by the drug pushers/addicts. As what has shown in the movie, education, poverty, crimes and drugs, these four things are interrelated with each other. Why? Most Filipinos was not able to go to school, not because they chose or wanted to, but because they cannot afford; because of poverty. As a result of this, they are opt to fool other people, to do crimes, to be involved in drugs. This scenario has been a cycle in our society and has always been the main problems. Upon knowing those things, what can we do? How can we lessen these scenarios? That’s what we need to figure out.Yes, these problems are not simple. It’s a nation’s problem, but if each of us will take an action to at least resolve  these, it may help a lot. There’s a large number of jobless Filipinos especially in poor, rural areas. We can put up community projects in which they can be involved ,like for example establishing nurseries, making recycled crafts (to help in segregating waste that is considered to be one of the factors for flooding), weaving and others. With this projects, they can earn and at least be helpful in their daily expenses. These can also be beneficial to take them away from doing crimes and drugs as well. We can be or have volunteer teachers for out-of-school children. We may not be able to send them to school, but at least we can teach them the basics, how to count, read and write. We can lend them books for them to practice and study. We can communicate with LGUs and the local government to help in giving those children other resources or even scholarships for them to have a formal education. Though, we should not always be dependent in the government, as what has also shown in the movie. We can make a change. We can help other people if we want to, even a little unselfish act will do as long as we will do it wholeheartedly. We all have the shared responsibility in serving this nation. Let us all be involved in empowering every Filipino in any way we can do. Ignorance is a plague in our society. We should set our eyes open to the reality that this world keeps on hiding from us. Stop being ignorant , instead be vigilant.

Mediated Argument for Abortion Essay

Our sexual society has changed so much that many teenage and unwed mothers have turned to abortion as an alternative. As I have grown from being a teenager to a young adult I have encountered numerous pregnant young ladies who have had no idea of whether to have an abortion or keep the baby. Many of them have been young and aren’t mentally, emotionally, or financially stable to take on that kind of responsibility. I decided to discuss the matter of abortion because I don’t think many young women know too much about the subject. First, what is abortion? An abortion is a procedure, either surgical or medical, to end a pregnancy by removing the fetus and placenta from the uterus. (Health Scout) Many people believe that the procedure is immoral and hurts the human race as a whole. Others on the other hand think that it protects women’s rights and that it is discriminatory to outlaw abortion. I plan to discuss the matter at hand by equally presenting both sides of the issue and comparing the pros and cons of abortion. While looking into the subject of abortion you must first come to realize what is growing inside of the mother and distinguish whether or not it is considered to be a life. The main question that poses a conflict is that whether the fetus is considered to be a person before it is fully developed while it’s still in the womb. It has been found that the sperm fertilizes the eggs with twelve hours and ultimately becomes what they call the â€Å"zygote† containing all the chromosomes needed to create a new â€Å"human life.† (Abortion) Many argue, that since the fetus is a â€Å"potential person† and has not fully developed yet, that it should not have the rights of a human being. They figure since it’s only a piece of tissue that the mother is housing, that she has the right to get rid of it if she chooses. Others argue that the fetus is more than just tissue and that it should have the same rights as the woman. They feel that the fetus is just a phase in the process of becoming a person and that life occurs at conception. In the article â€Å"Nine Reasons†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Israel Steinmetz and Planned Parenthood both express their views on the same topic. Planned Parenthood argues that the woman is more than just her fetus and that she has the right to choose. They are saying that giving a fetus the rights of a living, breathing human being is wrong and that the fetus’ rights do not supersede those of the woman. The  Supreme Court backed this statement on January 22, 1973 when they gave women the right to control their reproductive choices. (Abortion) The Supreme Court decided that only in the third trimester, where the baby is said to be â€Å"viable†, does the court have to consider the rights of the unborn child. In concurrence with my earlier research, Steinmetz also argues that the fetus is more than just piece of tissue and a person’s genetic makeup happens at conception. He believes that in the first trimester the baby is not yet â€Å"fully developed† but has a small brain and can feel pain and vibration; therefore it is a human being. In Missouri they also adhere to the belief that life happens at conception and unborn children have protectable welfare in life and health. (Abortion) The next question that arises is that whether or not abortions are morally wrong. Many people seem to think since the law allows it that it must be morally right, but I personally think that many people simply don’t think about the issue at hand. Being morally wrong or write goes back into the discussion of the whether or not the fetus is a human being. Of course if the fetus is a human being it would be morally wrong to abort it because that would be considered as taking a life. On the other hand if it isn’t considered to be a human being then why would it matter if the mother chooses to have an abortion? John O’Connor points out â€Å"there are three kinds of people that consider abortion to be acceptable and moral: (1) those who believe that since the fetus is not yet fully developed it does not achieve the status of a human until birth; (2) those that believe that since the law permits it that it is morally acceptable and (3) those who just don’t think about the subject at all.† He understands all of these aspects but still considers the underlying purpose of abortion: that it kills babies inside of their mother’s womb. (Abortion) Some would argue that abortions should not be considered a moral decision let alone immoral, because the person considering the procedure is making their decision on how it will later affect their lives. There are a number of reasons that abortions are occurring whether it be because she is an unprepared teenage mother or a victim or husband or boyfriend pressure. Abortion rights activists believe that abortion is a choice and important right that women should be able to openly consider. Pro-choice advocates believe that having the right to choose to have an abortion should ultimately outlaw the rights of a fetus. As said earlier the Supreme Court stated that it only considers  the right of the fetus when it is viable, but when exactly do you draw the line on viability? If a person was on a kidney machine, that person would no longer be viable. Another example of viability would be directly at birth, you are able to survive on your own but if left alone you will die, which ultimately means that you are not viable. (Anti-Abortionist†¦) So if the Supreme Court only considers the fetus’ rights when it is viable wouldn’t that mean that our rights would not be considered until we were of age to survive on our own? With all this being said the question still stands whether or not abortion is considered immoral or morally right. Another question, which I think the most important, is whether abortion is safe for the mother and the fetus. Steinmetz and Planned Parenthood analyze both sides and aspects of the issue. Planned Parenthood seems to think that making abortion legal has improved women’s health in some kind of way. They stated that the availability of an abortion has helped lessen medical complications that could have resulted from pregnancy. Steinmetz argues that Planned Parenthood’s figures show that many women had complications due to aborting their babies. (Nine Reasons†¦) On a positive note, with legalization of abortion came the remarkable decrease in abortion-related deaths. Before abortion was legalized women had to turn to back-alley butchers, illegal pregnancy-ending drugs and life-threatening self-abortion techniques. Since legalization women have had the benefit of advanced medical knowledge and equipment. Although abortion is said to be safe and the risk of death has dra stically decreased, there are still risks of complications. You also have to take into consideration which trimester the abortion is going to occur. The longer a person waits the, the more complication and greater the risk of death. Normally, since pregnancy is a natural process within the woman’s body and because the procedure is intrusive the body will experience both long-term and short-term effects. Since abortion was legalized abortion advocates has made the process look â€Å"risk free† instead of portraying the actual view of the issue. (Abortion) In addition to the medical complications come the psychological and physical complications. Most women that decide to have an abortion have not been properly informed of all its possible risks and complications. The doctors do not inform the patient of the degree of pain they might experience nor do  they add in the fact that there will be mental pain and complications. Severe bleeding, puncture of the uterus and cardiac arrest are only a few of the possible complications due to abortions. Along with those come the chance of never being able to have kids again and breast cancer. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute in 1994 found that women who had abortion increased their chances of getting breast cancer before the age of forty-five by fifty percent and teenagers under the age of eighteen who had an abortion after eighth week or pregnancy by eight hundred percent. (Is Abortion Safe) These are only some of the physical complications that might accompany having an abortion. As for mental complications, Post-Abortion Syndrome is known to occur. During PAS, which is a form of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, often occurs as a result to having an abortion. Women suffering PAS may experience development of eating disorders; depression and thoughts of suicide; and alcohol and drug abuse to only name a few. (Safe Haven) In my opinion the mental effects could have a much greater effect on you than the physical ones. Last but not least I would like to discuss the issue of a wanted child. Many people justify having an abortion by saying that they aren’t able to take care of the child or simply just don’t want to take that kind responsibility. My problem with that would be that they took the risk of not having safe sex and knowing the consequences. This issue posed the problem of â€Å"an unwanted child†. Adoption advocates have continued to argue that an unwanted child is a justifiable reason for abortion, when in all actuality no child is unwanted there are just unwanting parents. Some simply believe that it is wrong to bring an unwanted child into the world because they are more susceptible abuse and neglect. They argue that having an abortion eliminates the risk retaliation by kids on others due to the abusive childhood. The ultimate alternative to abortion would be adoption. There are many families that are unable to have kids that would love to have the child that a mothe r wants to abort. Participants in the abortion process go through numerous screenings and spend a lot of money to achieve their dream of having a child. No matter what side you choose to be on, the fact still remains that the  ultimate goal is to promote a healthier life whether it be for the fetus or the mother. Both sides agree that life is supposed to be preserved and that it is a process. In addition to these common points some others have to be considered. Senator Clinton pointed out that whether not you are for or against abortion we should all agree that every child should be wanted. (CNS News) We all should also agree that the woman has the right to know the risks and procedure. There is no real solution for this issue because we cannot say that doing one thing specifically could fix the problem. Whether it is legal or illegal there is still a chance that women would turn to abortions. Abortions are said to protect women rights but there could be laws passed to both protect women rights and lessen the morality issue of abortion. Anti-Abortionists believe that the fetus is a person from conception; the only way this could be proved is through thorough research. Both sides of the issue propose sufficient arguments but the question is, is either right or wrong. Abortion will always be a highly controversial topic and it will be difficult to determine just one solution. Reference List: 1.Cozic, Charles, and Stacey Tipp. Abortion: Opposing View Points. San Diego: Greenhaven Inc, 1991. 2.†Is Abortion Safe; Alternative to Abortion.† Abortion Medical Rights. National Right to Life. 8 Mar 2007 . 3.Steinmetz, Israel , and Planned Parenthood. â€Å"Nine Reasons Abortion Should Be Illegal.† (1998): 3-4. 6. 4.Jones, Susan. â€Å"Senator Hillary Clinton Seeks ‘Common Ground’ on Abortion.† (2005): 1. 5.†Abortion.† Health Scout. 2001. Health Central Network. 8 Mar 2007 . 6.†Abortion: The anti-abortionist’s arguments.† Abortion Arguments: Pro and Con. 8 Mar 2007 .