I strongly support illegalizing cigarettes due to their devastating effects on our society. One in every five deaths in America is due to tobacco. More than 400,000 Americans are killed by tobacco use every year and this trend continues as millions are still using tobacco products especially cigarettes. Every year, health cost and lost productivity costs the United States almost $150 billion. “For each pack of cigarettes sold in 1999, $3.45 was spent on medical care due to smoking, plus $3.73 in lost productivity, for a total cost of $7.18 per pack.” However, beside so many problems it “is the single most preventable cause of death in our society.”(American Cancer Society)
Tobacco originally grew in the Americas. Native Americans were the first one to use tobacco products and Christopher Columbus introduced tobacco to the Europeans, as he got tobacco leaves as gift from Native Americans. In earlier times it was considered as a mere cure to many diseases from toothache to cancer! And this is the main reason as to why it became so popular in Europe. However, in the 17th century there came a major reversal in the popularity of tobacco in Europe after it was found to cause addiction by Sir Francis Bacon. Since then the laws against tobacco had started to accumulate and in the same century Massachusetts banned smoking in public places. As time elapsed, more health risks about smoking were uncovered and eventually after the 1960's drastic health complications and hazards due to smoking became clearly evident to public through researches and reports such as “the Surgeon General’s report.”(University of Dayton)
Nicotine is “colorless liquid that turns brown when burned and acquires the odor of tobacco when exposed to air.” Nicotine was discovered in the early 1800’s and since then many researchers have tried to figure out how it acts on the human brain—affecting our desires. Most of the cigarettes available today contain at least 10 mg of nicotine. Nicotine is absorbed in the body from any tobacco product, from cigarettes it is absorbed by inhalation, from cigars, pipes and smokeless tobacco it is absorbed through the mucosal membranes. “Addiction is characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and use, even in the face of negative [dangerous] health consequences” and nicotine makes tobacco fit into this category. Addiction to cigarettes is what makes smokers not to quit smoking; nicotine is responsible for addiction in cigarettes and other tobacco products. Nicotine is addictive because of its unmatched ability in controlling the feelings of pleasure. The chief chemical involved in controlling the desire to use drugs is the “neurotransmitter dopamine.” And research shows that nicotine increases the level of dopamine in our nervous system. Almost every smoker admits that tobacco is harmful and some also try to quit smoking it but most of the time they fail in doing so as statistics show that only 7% of those who quit smoking “on their own” can live without smoking for more than a year. (National institute on drug abuse research report series)
As the smoker continues to smoke due to addiction he continues to take in other harmful chemicals contained in tobacco smoke. Cigarette smoke if found to contain at least 4000 ingredients of which 50 are carcinogens. Some of the commonly dangerous chemicals found in cigarettes smoke are “arsenic, acetone (used in paint stripper [ . . . ]), ammonia, carbon monoxide, cyanide, mercury [ . . .] lead.” Many dangerous diseases have been linked to occur due to these lethal substances. (Canadian Cancer Society)
Long lasting diseases like cancer, heart disease, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are all thanks to cigarettes. We saw drugs creating a disastrous impact on our children's future. We banned it. We saw health enhancers creating future problems with athletes. We banned it too. Now we have cigarettes in front of us which are still legal and are highly capable of causing severe tissue damage—causing lethal diseases-- and often leading to death.
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States. It leads to the development of cancer of the lungs, kidneys, liver, larynx (voice box), larynx (throat), stomach and other body organs. Among all these cancers, lung cancer is the most easy to occur due to cigarette smoking as more than 80% of all lung cancer deaths are due to smoking; however, it is the most preventable form of cancer.
Cigarette smoking also effects the normal functioning of the lungs. At least 7 million people suffer from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) –chronic-bronchitis and emphysema. Chronic bronchitis occurs when there is excess production of mucus by the lungs to protect it from harmful chemicals found in cigarette smoke, and this forces the smoker to severely cough. Emphysema occurs when tiny sacs of tissue that make up the lungs are distorted. The smoke inhaled from a burning cigarette makes it extremely difficult for the lung sacs to function effectively and therefore restricting oxygen supply to the blood and this endangers the smoker’s life.
Heart disease is the number one killer in America. Cigarette is the fuel to heart diseases. Smoking weakens the heart and increases the risk of a smoker or a non-smoker getting a heart stroke. Not only that, smoking also diminishes the sensory abilities of smell, taste and touch. (American Cancer Society)
Whenever it had come to banning cigarettes in public places, the tobacco industry claimed that cigarette ban would be bad for businesses like restaurants and bars. The impartial Zagat survey of the impact of New York City’s smoking ban confirmed what every other credible survey has shown: Smoking bans are popular with the public and pose no economic threat to restaurants, bars or other businesses (American Heart Association). California banned public cigarette smoking in 1998 and saw economic growth. Non-smokers freely dined at their favorite restaurant without the worries of secondhand smoke.
At this time when national security is on the nation’s priority list, wouldn’t a clean environment for children be on our priority list? Doesn’t this give a clear hint why cigarettes should be banned? Many smokers have the feeling "it’s my life; I will do whatever I want to". In a democratic society as ours, that statement is true; however, if the actions by one person leads to harm to the other, then such actions are not tolerated. This is the case with smoking. When a smoker smokes, his/her smoke severely affects all those who are in his/her vicinity. Second hand smoke is more dangerous than “directly inhaled smoke” by smoker as it contains the same obnoxious ingredients but in greater quantity. Second hand smoke consists of mainstream smoke—smoke from the smoker’s lungs and side stream smoke—smoke from the burning of tobacco. Mainstream smoke is the same as “directly inhaled smoke.” Every year, second hand smoke kills more than 1000 people in Canada. Canada is sparsely populated when compared to the US. This should give us an idea how severely second hand smoke could affect people in the US, especially in populated cities. The risk of being attacked by second hand smoke is in almost every place. A person exposed to second hand smoke is at the same risk, or perhaps more, of acquiring the mentioned dreadful diseases as would be a smoker.
“In addition to the suffering and loss caused by second-hand smoke-related deaths and the direct medical costs associated with long-term illnesses, there are significant indirect costs related to second-hand smoke. These costs include: increased absenteeism, decreased productivity, higher insurance premiums, higher cleaning costs, increased property damage resulting from tobacco use by smoking employees.”
One can be a victim of second hand smoke “at home, at work, at school, in public places such as restaurants and bars, in vehicles such as the family car.” The risk of exposure to second hand smoke could be anywhere, and the only feasible solution to this problem is through illegalizing cigarettes. (Canadian Cancer Society)
When the nation is focusing on statements like: Our children are our future shouldn’t we be worried about our children’s health? Cigarette manufacturers have secretly manipulated doses of nicotine and subjected the “slow poison” to minors. Exciting commercials, misleading information dissemination and wide promotion has lead to an increase in teenage smoking. Nearly all-first use of tobacco occurs before high school graduation. Smoking hurts young people's physical fitness in terms of both performance and endurance—even among young people trained in competitive running.
“Teens who smoke are three times more likely than nonsmokers to use alcohol, eight times more likely to use marijuana, and 22 times more likely to use cocaine. Smoking is associated with a host of other risky behaviors, such as fighting and engaging in unprotected sex.”
Low nicotine cigarettes make children good bait. Subjecting children to flavored cigarettes with low nicotine content, a platform is made focusing on making children completely addictive so that they grow up and become a potential customer. A simple thought – would you like your children to start with a flavored poison only to see a loved one go in a direction you never wanted him/her to go? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
If we all know that cigarette is a slow poison, why should we ever allow this menace to exist? A portion of people would argue that banning cigarette would cause cigarettes to enter the black market. This question was also raised when drugs were made illegal. Does this argument hold true in anybody’s mind now? Let us also demolish the black market of cigarettes if one arises! Drawings by artists that show a cigarette dangling in the mouth of a skeleton explain it all.
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Monday, May 11, 2009
Response to Literature
Writing a story can be as free and structureless as a free verse poem. Take "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin and "The Black Cat by Edgar Allen Poe for example. Kate Chopin uses very little characterization and introduction at all. This can develop two different kinds of stories. One that slowly builds up plot and suspense and gives you a feeling of the character's personality, and one that jumps right into climax of story and keeps you excited to find out where story is going.
In Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" we are only presented with the fact that Mrs. Mallard "was afflicted with heart trouble." We are given no more information of her personality nor are we given any information on her sister Josephine or her husband's friend Richard. The story then immediately begins with Josephine presenting the information to her sister that her husband has died, which is already the climax. The rest of the story is of extreme excitement and happiness so we stay rather peaked. This very quickly presents us with what the author is going to be talking about throughout the rest of the story. Mrs. Mallard takes no time to think, but explodes into tears of "wild abandonment." She then goes to her room where nearly the rest of the story takes place. We are presented with each and every emotion she goes through one after the other. "She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life." We see here her realization of freedom and the story goes on to give many more allusions to freedom for several paragraphs. There is brief explanation that Mrs.
Mallard's husband may have been a controlling man (Chopin 40). Then we experience a brief fall in emotion as Mrs. Mallard emerges from her room a new woman. We are then quickly launched back up as Brently Mallard arrives home and Mrs. Mallard shrieks in horror and passes away. Even the explanation as to how Brently shows up is extremely brief: "He had been far from the scene of accident, and did not even know there had been one" (Chopin 41).
In Edgar Allen Poe's "The Black Cat" we are given a very large introduction. It is basically an epilogue for a short story. The main character of the story presents himself as the author of the story. He then discusses his beliefs and that he himself does not believe in what he is about to write: "For the … narrative which I am about to pen, I neither expect nor solicit belief" (Poe 102). The narrator then describes how his own actions in this story have "terrified-have tortured-have destroyed" (102) him. Next he even goes all the way back to his infancy to present us with a characterization. He discusses his love for animals and his constantly being surrounded with pets by his parents. All this description of the narrator gives a feeling like we know him already. We are then introduced to his wife who is also very fond of pets. She tells him one story about how black cats are considered to be witches. This could very possibly be a foreshadowing for the rest of the story.
The story then introduces the next important character Pluto. Pluto, a cat, is given great attention and detail also. During this time we are also presented with the narrator taking on a drinking problem. This gives us a rise in action as the narrator's emotions are now slowly growing beyond his control. We then reach a climax where the narrator in a drunken stupor grabs his once faithful cat in an aggressive manner. The cat then bites his master who takes out a penknife and gouges out the cat's eye. The climax somewhat carries on with the narrator's next action being to hang the animal and get pleasure from it. Then we are presented with a fire, which takes the whole house of the narrator except for one wall. This wall has an image of a large cat with a rope around its neck, which leads us to believe this cat was quite truly a witch despite the explanation the narrator attempted to give. I am not sure if next the plot takes a fall in action or simply another rise in action to a second climax that could also be the conclusion.
The story basically seems to start anew with another cat (105). He once again grows very fond of the cat, then very disgusted with it. Finally, one night while going down some stairs with his wife, the cat trips him up and he is almost sent head first down the stairs. In extreme rage he lifts an axe to kill the animal, but his wife seized his hand. This further angering him he takes his hand back and kills his wife (106). This could be a second climax where the story can now have a third that is the conclusion. We do have a fall in action as the narrator buries the body in a wall and all is well for a while. There is rising action with visits from the police. One the final visit the police would have made the narrator ends up giving himself away and starts rapping on the wall with a cane. All of the sudden this caused a moaning sound to come from the wall and the police were tearing at it. This is our final climax and conclusion to the story as the police discover the body with a black cat resting upon its head (108).
It is now quite evident that a story can be satisfying and enjoyable to read without going to extensive introduction, body and conclusion. All authors have unique, individual styles which is what keeps us reading and interested. We want to experience all these styles so we can choose those we like and appeal most to our senses. Some of us like long, drawn out stories that give us the opportunity to get to know the characters and gives us intensified feelings or emotions. We want to experience a bond with the characters, and Poe helped us feel for the narrator. Then there's those of us who just want action and suspense right away and this is where Kate Chopin comes into play. All humans are different and all writers are different to quench our thirst for entertainment.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 700 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
In Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" we are only presented with the fact that Mrs. Mallard "was afflicted with heart trouble." We are given no more information of her personality nor are we given any information on her sister Josephine or her husband's friend Richard. The story then immediately begins with Josephine presenting the information to her sister that her husband has died, which is already the climax. The rest of the story is of extreme excitement and happiness so we stay rather peaked. This very quickly presents us with what the author is going to be talking about throughout the rest of the story. Mrs. Mallard takes no time to think, but explodes into tears of "wild abandonment." She then goes to her room where nearly the rest of the story takes place. We are presented with each and every emotion she goes through one after the other. "She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life." We see here her realization of freedom and the story goes on to give many more allusions to freedom for several paragraphs. There is brief explanation that Mrs.
Mallard's husband may have been a controlling man (Chopin 40). Then we experience a brief fall in emotion as Mrs. Mallard emerges from her room a new woman. We are then quickly launched back up as Brently Mallard arrives home and Mrs. Mallard shrieks in horror and passes away. Even the explanation as to how Brently shows up is extremely brief: "He had been far from the scene of accident, and did not even know there had been one" (Chopin 41).
In Edgar Allen Poe's "The Black Cat" we are given a very large introduction. It is basically an epilogue for a short story. The main character of the story presents himself as the author of the story. He then discusses his beliefs and that he himself does not believe in what he is about to write: "For the … narrative which I am about to pen, I neither expect nor solicit belief" (Poe 102). The narrator then describes how his own actions in this story have "terrified-have tortured-have destroyed" (102) him. Next he even goes all the way back to his infancy to present us with a characterization. He discusses his love for animals and his constantly being surrounded with pets by his parents. All this description of the narrator gives a feeling like we know him already. We are then introduced to his wife who is also very fond of pets. She tells him one story about how black cats are considered to be witches. This could very possibly be a foreshadowing for the rest of the story.
The story then introduces the next important character Pluto. Pluto, a cat, is given great attention and detail also. During this time we are also presented with the narrator taking on a drinking problem. This gives us a rise in action as the narrator's emotions are now slowly growing beyond his control. We then reach a climax where the narrator in a drunken stupor grabs his once faithful cat in an aggressive manner. The cat then bites his master who takes out a penknife and gouges out the cat's eye. The climax somewhat carries on with the narrator's next action being to hang the animal and get pleasure from it. Then we are presented with a fire, which takes the whole house of the narrator except for one wall. This wall has an image of a large cat with a rope around its neck, which leads us to believe this cat was quite truly a witch despite the explanation the narrator attempted to give. I am not sure if next the plot takes a fall in action or simply another rise in action to a second climax that could also be the conclusion.
The story basically seems to start anew with another cat (105). He once again grows very fond of the cat, then very disgusted with it. Finally, one night while going down some stairs with his wife, the cat trips him up and he is almost sent head first down the stairs. In extreme rage he lifts an axe to kill the animal, but his wife seized his hand. This further angering him he takes his hand back and kills his wife (106). This could be a second climax where the story can now have a third that is the conclusion. We do have a fall in action as the narrator buries the body in a wall and all is well for a while. There is rising action with visits from the police. One the final visit the police would have made the narrator ends up giving himself away and starts rapping on the wall with a cane. All of the sudden this caused a moaning sound to come from the wall and the police were tearing at it. This is our final climax and conclusion to the story as the police discover the body with a black cat resting upon its head (108).
It is now quite evident that a story can be satisfying and enjoyable to read without going to extensive introduction, body and conclusion. All authors have unique, individual styles which is what keeps us reading and interested. We want to experience all these styles so we can choose those we like and appeal most to our senses. Some of us like long, drawn out stories that give us the opportunity to get to know the characters and gives us intensified feelings or emotions. We want to experience a bond with the characters, and Poe helped us feel for the narrator. Then there's those of us who just want action and suspense right away and this is where Kate Chopin comes into play. All humans are different and all writers are different to quench our thirst for entertainment.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 700 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
Religion in Schools
Religion, faith, and belief are used interchangeably; yet are meant to express three very different ideas. Religion is the belief in a divine superhuman power or principle, such as the creator of all things. Faith, however, is belief without evidence and belief is the acceptance of something as true or actual. Acceptance is the key to the words faith and belief. To have faith in something you must first believe it and accept it. Everyone has faith and belief, but not everyone believes in a superhuman power.
The debate over the separation of church and state has been going on without end and has always been a hot topic of discussion. Many people have very strong opinions for or against the separation, and also there are those who have a circumstantial opinion. Part of the separation of church and state is the highly debatable subtopic of religion and prayer in public schools. While some believe that prayer in school is beneficial to the development of children and of their faith, others believe that it could completely denounce the faith. With so many religions and faiths in today’s world, how can it be determined which religion can be taught or practiced in school? Living in the “Bible Belt”, otherwise known as the south, I have heard many outrageous ideas on religion, faith, and beliefs as a whole. In the ninth grade I was told that I was going to hell because I did not go to church. This person believed that not going to church meant you had no faith and no beliefs. I was raised agnostic, without religion and church, but undeniably with beliefs and faith.
Public schools across the country have different clubs and organizations that support religion. The majority of these organizations are in support of one particular religion, whereas it should be for religion as a whole. In a school with many students, not every student will have the same religion. There is expected to be a wide variety of religions, which makes it impossible to please every student through organizations or even with courses at the school. Religion is something that should be very personal and private. Based on this, I do not believe that religion, more specifically “preaching” and prayer, should be integrated into public schools.
Everyone in the United States has the freedom to religion, the freedom to believe what he or she wants. In a poll conducted by USA Today, it was found that 71% of Americans believe the bible should be used in classes and 78% of Americans believe there should be prayer in schools. In another article in USA Today, the opinions of Al Gore and George Bush on this issue were reported. George Bush argued that religion and religious freedom should not be “stopped at the schoolhouse door”. Bush stated that “Religion is a personal, private matter and parents, not public school officials, should decide their children's religious training…I also believe that schools should not restrict students' religious liberties. The free exercise of faith is the fundamental right of every American, and that right doesn't stop at the schoolhouse door.”(USA Today)
Bush believes that religion is private for each person, and it is also their right to have their religion. While Bush’s opinion is very strong against prayer in public schools instituted by school officials, Al Gore had a very strong opinion as well. Al Gore states that “'Faith is not something that can be left at the schoolhouse door, and indeed the Constitution does not attempt to impose such an unreasonable standard. I support protecting religious freedom for all faiths. However, I oppose and I believe the Constitution prohibits mandated school prayer in public schools.”(USA Today)
Gore agrees with Bush in that religion and faith cannot be forgotten about when you step into school, but he also believes that the Constitution should be amended to “better” the rule on the separation of church and state to include the public school system. Religion is a private and personal matter and if it is brought in and instituted in the school system, there will be much conflict.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) believes that the Constitutional rights should be upheld in any governmental building or function. In a statement on the issue, the ADL said “history has demonstrated that the inevitable result of a union of government and religion is the destruction of freedom for those who believe differently from the majority.” (ADL) When religion is brought into schools, how is one to know which person belongs to which religious group without asking them? Without knowledge of this information, it would be discriminatory to institute religion into public schools. There would be no possible way to know which religious beliefs to allow in the school. There are certain approaches schools must take when teaching this subject matter. The schools position must remain neutral, objective, balanced and factual, according to the ADL. Also, the ADL explains “Teaching about religion is permissible when it is presented as part of a secular educational program. Such programs should teach the role of religion in the historical, cultural, economic and social development of the United States and other nations and should instill tolerance and respect for a pluralistic society.” (ADL)
It is impermissible to teach the teachings and beliefs of these religions in a manner of converting. It is all right to simply teach the foundations of world religions, thus they are the foundations of the world and society today. It is also unconstitutional for educators and school officials to teach religion and unconstitutional for school wide, student lead prayer.
Different people have different opinions. Whether it is about race, heritage, gender, people have many different thoughts and feelings towards these subjects. However, religion and prayer in public schools is an important issue. School officials, religious officials, and governmental officials need to realize that prayer in school is not feasible. It will not be practical to recite prayers over the intercom system or at school events. It is not fair to those who do not read from the Bible, Torah, Koran, or any other religious book. Imagine going to religious service, and having someone read out of a book you do not know the prayers of. Imagine that this belief, this religion, and the prayers being recited to you contradict what you were expecting and what you know. This would be unfair, and maybe somewhat of a disheartenment. Putting religion and prayer in schools, where it does not belong, causes the same feeling, a feeling of discomfort and unfairness. Religion is a right that everyone has, and to institute it into a public school, where there are bound to be children with different religions, is the same as denying someone of their rights and taking them away. It is discrimination against whichever religion is not taught. While prayer and religion may help aid in development, not every child or every person will develop the same. Different backgrounds, including religion and culture, produce different results. Religion should not be allowed in public schools, it would cause more harm than it will do good.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 700 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
The debate over the separation of church and state has been going on without end and has always been a hot topic of discussion. Many people have very strong opinions for or against the separation, and also there are those who have a circumstantial opinion. Part of the separation of church and state is the highly debatable subtopic of religion and prayer in public schools. While some believe that prayer in school is beneficial to the development of children and of their faith, others believe that it could completely denounce the faith. With so many religions and faiths in today’s world, how can it be determined which religion can be taught or practiced in school? Living in the “Bible Belt”, otherwise known as the south, I have heard many outrageous ideas on religion, faith, and beliefs as a whole. In the ninth grade I was told that I was going to hell because I did not go to church. This person believed that not going to church meant you had no faith and no beliefs. I was raised agnostic, without religion and church, but undeniably with beliefs and faith.
Public schools across the country have different clubs and organizations that support religion. The majority of these organizations are in support of one particular religion, whereas it should be for religion as a whole. In a school with many students, not every student will have the same religion. There is expected to be a wide variety of religions, which makes it impossible to please every student through organizations or even with courses at the school. Religion is something that should be very personal and private. Based on this, I do not believe that religion, more specifically “preaching” and prayer, should be integrated into public schools.
Everyone in the United States has the freedom to religion, the freedom to believe what he or she wants. In a poll conducted by USA Today, it was found that 71% of Americans believe the bible should be used in classes and 78% of Americans believe there should be prayer in schools. In another article in USA Today, the opinions of Al Gore and George Bush on this issue were reported. George Bush argued that religion and religious freedom should not be “stopped at the schoolhouse door”. Bush stated that “Religion is a personal, private matter and parents, not public school officials, should decide their children's religious training…I also believe that schools should not restrict students' religious liberties. The free exercise of faith is the fundamental right of every American, and that right doesn't stop at the schoolhouse door.”(USA Today)
Bush believes that religion is private for each person, and it is also their right to have their religion. While Bush’s opinion is very strong against prayer in public schools instituted by school officials, Al Gore had a very strong opinion as well. Al Gore states that “'Faith is not something that can be left at the schoolhouse door, and indeed the Constitution does not attempt to impose such an unreasonable standard. I support protecting religious freedom for all faiths. However, I oppose and I believe the Constitution prohibits mandated school prayer in public schools.”(USA Today)
Gore agrees with Bush in that religion and faith cannot be forgotten about when you step into school, but he also believes that the Constitution should be amended to “better” the rule on the separation of church and state to include the public school system. Religion is a private and personal matter and if it is brought in and instituted in the school system, there will be much conflict.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) believes that the Constitutional rights should be upheld in any governmental building or function. In a statement on the issue, the ADL said “history has demonstrated that the inevitable result of a union of government and religion is the destruction of freedom for those who believe differently from the majority.” (ADL) When religion is brought into schools, how is one to know which person belongs to which religious group without asking them? Without knowledge of this information, it would be discriminatory to institute religion into public schools. There would be no possible way to know which religious beliefs to allow in the school. There are certain approaches schools must take when teaching this subject matter. The schools position must remain neutral, objective, balanced and factual, according to the ADL. Also, the ADL explains “Teaching about religion is permissible when it is presented as part of a secular educational program. Such programs should teach the role of religion in the historical, cultural, economic and social development of the United States and other nations and should instill tolerance and respect for a pluralistic society.” (ADL)
It is impermissible to teach the teachings and beliefs of these religions in a manner of converting. It is all right to simply teach the foundations of world religions, thus they are the foundations of the world and society today. It is also unconstitutional for educators and school officials to teach religion and unconstitutional for school wide, student lead prayer.
Different people have different opinions. Whether it is about race, heritage, gender, people have many different thoughts and feelings towards these subjects. However, religion and prayer in public schools is an important issue. School officials, religious officials, and governmental officials need to realize that prayer in school is not feasible. It will not be practical to recite prayers over the intercom system or at school events. It is not fair to those who do not read from the Bible, Torah, Koran, or any other religious book. Imagine going to religious service, and having someone read out of a book you do not know the prayers of. Imagine that this belief, this religion, and the prayers being recited to you contradict what you were expecting and what you know. This would be unfair, and maybe somewhat of a disheartenment. Putting religion and prayer in schools, where it does not belong, causes the same feeling, a feeling of discomfort and unfairness. Religion is a right that everyone has, and to institute it into a public school, where there are bound to be children with different religions, is the same as denying someone of their rights and taking them away. It is discrimination against whichever religion is not taught. While prayer and religion may help aid in development, not every child or every person will develop the same. Different backgrounds, including religion and culture, produce different results. Religion should not be allowed in public schools, it would cause more harm than it will do good.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 700 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Immigration
For hundreds of years people from all over the world have fled to America from their native lands in hopes of finding a better life here. After all America is a country that takes great pride in our freedom and accomplishments. Who wouldn’t want to live in such a great nation that seeks life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for everyone? And that is just what happens. America is viewed as a “melting pot” and a nation of immigrants, but is this truly the American identity? Columnist Ben Wattenburg gives one such label; he claims that the United States is “the first universal nation”. He goes on to say, “In America, we now come from everywhere, becoming one people, getting along pretty well with each other, and vastly enriched by our pluralism”. This approach is quite valid, but can this country go on allowing millions each year, who knock on the door or simply sneak in, to stay forever? When immigration is so deeply rooted in our heritage, how can we refuse individuals the same right and privileges that our ancestors sought years ago when they arrived on this land? America can for the same reason any other nation can. After all, are not all nations “nations of immigrants”? That after hundreds and thousands of years, they were shaped to be the countries they are today. Yet because America is a fairly new country, and has not had the convenience of such a gradual process, she is seen as hypocritical for refusing any such individuals. The United States may have such a history and immigration should not cease over all, but when the U.S. Census estimated in 2000 that 8.7 million unauthorized immigrants are living within our borders, America’s immigration policies are in dire need of revising. The numbers of unauthorized immigrants are short of those that are let in legally each year. Although immigration may contribute positive aspects to society, it also has many downfalls. Immigration puts a strain on our economic system, environment and resources, and our culture. One of the most significant factors of immigration is our overall welfare and safety within the country; which seem to be taken away on September 11th.
With the seemingly infinite number of immigrants coming to America to escape the political instability, civil war, and poverty of their homelands, immigration has become one of the most heavily debated issues in the modern world. On the receiving end, the government has been forced to change the existing laws as well as create new ones where none were present in the past. In recent years, admittance was based on family reunification and work-related circumstances, but these qualifications are criticized for the lack of attention of the country’s economic well-being. Most migrants seek to live here to better their material circumstances. Their lives are not endangered in their country, but they are at a disadvantage of living in a poor economic society. Is it the United States duty as a country to provide a safe haven for these individuals merely because they were at a disadvantage from where they originated? As a country, there are enough problems internally without worrying about the well-being of outsiders. Peter Brimelow emphasizes “our moral obligations to our fellow citizens take precedence over those to others. Receiving immigrants is in any case, a hopelessly ineffective way of using our wealth to help people; it can help only a small number of people, and at the cost of overwhelming the very economic system which is producing that wealth in the first place”. Many countries do not desire to welcome newcomers. This is often due to economic reasons. Individuals fear that the migrants may take away job opportunities that word otherwise be theirs. Most incoming aliens will work for lower wages and also in poorer working conditions. Welfare is also taken into consideration. Taxpayers are not willing to pay for poor newcomers. With open immigration policies, Americans are freely helping unauthorized illegal individuals to obtain the benefits for which citizens have worked so hard to acquire. Illegal aliens may receive the same health benefits and a free public education as native- born citizens. Taxpayers are even paying for illegal aliens to attend college. In 2001 the California legislature passed a bill allowing illegal immigrants to pay the same in-state tuition as legal residents.
In addition to the United States economic welfare, immigration also alters the country’s way of life and the surrounding environment. The average immigrant today is not as skilled or as well educated as those newcomers in the past. The country should attempt to attract those that will benefit society instead of leaving a burden. America honors diversity, but how much is too much? Immigration tends to overshadow common values and ideals that Americans share. Not to mention a common language and government. The nation needs to focus less on diversity and more on the values that it takes pride in and which the country was founded on. Recent immigrants are persistent in holding on to their ethnic identity. This creates a problem for assimilation and American to find a common culture. Roy Beck believes the way of “the American people” may worsen with the addition of outsiders. Beck considers “High immigration tends to lengthen travel time; increase in air pollution; add pressures to already vulnerable resources; lower quality of schools; diminishes social cohesiveness, decreasing public safety, and generally changing the ambience and lifestyle. It is quite foolish to allow entry to those from other countries when the economy is low and resources are overwhelmed as it is. With the growth of the population, the environment also stands as one of the most prominent issues especially in developed countries. The earth does not contain an infinite amount of resources. Immigrants contribute to even more pollution. They take away land from plants and animals, pollute the air and water, and use up the already limited natural resources. Beck states “immigration makes every bad environmental situation worse”.
The lenient immigration policies of the United States pose the greatest problem to our national security. On September 11th the nation witnessed this first hand. Afterward, many Americans failed to feel safe and secure in their own homes. Because of our poorly written laws, the country assisted in the terrorist attacks. Those terrorists found no resistance entering the country and took advantage of weak system. Our government failed to keep track of the individuals for the duration of their stay as they plotted the attack on our soil. In 2000 there were more than 100,000 individuals from the Middle East, where the terrorists originated, living illegally in the U.S. These numbers do not include the more than two million people who overstay their visas each year. The Canadian border extends over four thousand miles, for which there are, three hundred patrols. Of these three hundred patrols, there is rarely any coverage after midnight. When entering into the country, the records of the individuals coming in are rarely checked to see if they are possible terrorists. More so, airport security companies have not upheld their duties in doing background checks either. Those terrorists on the flights of September 11th are required by Federal Law to be citizens, but the screeners at the airport were not diligent in doing their job and the planes were hijacked as a result. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was created to regulate immigration. The INS is largely at fault for the easy access that the terrorists obtained in the attacks. They allowed each one of the terrorists to receive legal visas and failed to deport them after their visas had expired. None of the applications for the visas were checked appropriately. Many of which were missing vital information in the process for obtaining such a visa. The country has had to suffer because of the carelessness of such agencies. The location and the intention of the individuals entering the country should be monitored at all times. After the expiration of the visa, such an individual should be immediately deported.
Overall the current immigration policies do not fulfill their basic tasks in regulating immigration. There is no clear outline of who shall be admitted as immigrants, who shall stay temporary, and who will have no access at all. It is hard to say to what to what extent our nation is responsible for the different policies of immigration, but one such model by Hardin may pose some questions. Hardin says the world is made of “lifeboats” at sea. A lifeboat represents America with fifty people with the capacity of sixty. One hundred swimmers from other boats want to enter the American boat, but obviously it is not possible. What should America do? They may choose “complete justice, complete catastrophe” and fairly allow all onboard, and the boat sinks, “moral dilemma” allow ten onboard, but which ten do they choose, or “situational ethics” allow no one on board, maintain comfort of original fifty because they did not put the swimmers out there in the first place. This is the dilemma the U.S. faces daily with their approach to immigration. America represents a land of freedom and equality, but to what extent are they obligated to share these aspects with the rest of the world? It is not possible to give it to other countries, nor is it possible for all those who want to be associated with these to come here either. High immigration brings a lot of strife to our country, even though it may have advantages also. No matter the circumstance, the policies of immigration are far too lenient and are frequently take advantage of. The country not only has the problem of those waiting for legal citizenship, but also those that have crossed the border illegally or taken advantage of their expired visas. This country allows too many individuals who are not qualified to live here. As a result it has placed a strain on our environment, the economy, and to some extent our overall well being. And there is a clear danger of our national security. The overall level of immigration needs to reduced a great deal.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 700 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
With the seemingly infinite number of immigrants coming to America to escape the political instability, civil war, and poverty of their homelands, immigration has become one of the most heavily debated issues in the modern world. On the receiving end, the government has been forced to change the existing laws as well as create new ones where none were present in the past. In recent years, admittance was based on family reunification and work-related circumstances, but these qualifications are criticized for the lack of attention of the country’s economic well-being. Most migrants seek to live here to better their material circumstances. Their lives are not endangered in their country, but they are at a disadvantage of living in a poor economic society. Is it the United States duty as a country to provide a safe haven for these individuals merely because they were at a disadvantage from where they originated? As a country, there are enough problems internally without worrying about the well-being of outsiders. Peter Brimelow emphasizes “our moral obligations to our fellow citizens take precedence over those to others. Receiving immigrants is in any case, a hopelessly ineffective way of using our wealth to help people; it can help only a small number of people, and at the cost of overwhelming the very economic system which is producing that wealth in the first place”. Many countries do not desire to welcome newcomers. This is often due to economic reasons. Individuals fear that the migrants may take away job opportunities that word otherwise be theirs. Most incoming aliens will work for lower wages and also in poorer working conditions. Welfare is also taken into consideration. Taxpayers are not willing to pay for poor newcomers. With open immigration policies, Americans are freely helping unauthorized illegal individuals to obtain the benefits for which citizens have worked so hard to acquire. Illegal aliens may receive the same health benefits and a free public education as native- born citizens. Taxpayers are even paying for illegal aliens to attend college. In 2001 the California legislature passed a bill allowing illegal immigrants to pay the same in-state tuition as legal residents.
In addition to the United States economic welfare, immigration also alters the country’s way of life and the surrounding environment. The average immigrant today is not as skilled or as well educated as those newcomers in the past. The country should attempt to attract those that will benefit society instead of leaving a burden. America honors diversity, but how much is too much? Immigration tends to overshadow common values and ideals that Americans share. Not to mention a common language and government. The nation needs to focus less on diversity and more on the values that it takes pride in and which the country was founded on. Recent immigrants are persistent in holding on to their ethnic identity. This creates a problem for assimilation and American to find a common culture. Roy Beck believes the way of “the American people” may worsen with the addition of outsiders. Beck considers “High immigration tends to lengthen travel time; increase in air pollution; add pressures to already vulnerable resources; lower quality of schools; diminishes social cohesiveness, decreasing public safety, and generally changing the ambience and lifestyle. It is quite foolish to allow entry to those from other countries when the economy is low and resources are overwhelmed as it is. With the growth of the population, the environment also stands as one of the most prominent issues especially in developed countries. The earth does not contain an infinite amount of resources. Immigrants contribute to even more pollution. They take away land from plants and animals, pollute the air and water, and use up the already limited natural resources. Beck states “immigration makes every bad environmental situation worse”.
The lenient immigration policies of the United States pose the greatest problem to our national security. On September 11th the nation witnessed this first hand. Afterward, many Americans failed to feel safe and secure in their own homes. Because of our poorly written laws, the country assisted in the terrorist attacks. Those terrorists found no resistance entering the country and took advantage of weak system. Our government failed to keep track of the individuals for the duration of their stay as they plotted the attack on our soil. In 2000 there were more than 100,000 individuals from the Middle East, where the terrorists originated, living illegally in the U.S. These numbers do not include the more than two million people who overstay their visas each year. The Canadian border extends over four thousand miles, for which there are, three hundred patrols. Of these three hundred patrols, there is rarely any coverage after midnight. When entering into the country, the records of the individuals coming in are rarely checked to see if they are possible terrorists. More so, airport security companies have not upheld their duties in doing background checks either. Those terrorists on the flights of September 11th are required by Federal Law to be citizens, but the screeners at the airport were not diligent in doing their job and the planes were hijacked as a result. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was created to regulate immigration. The INS is largely at fault for the easy access that the terrorists obtained in the attacks. They allowed each one of the terrorists to receive legal visas and failed to deport them after their visas had expired. None of the applications for the visas were checked appropriately. Many of which were missing vital information in the process for obtaining such a visa. The country has had to suffer because of the carelessness of such agencies. The location and the intention of the individuals entering the country should be monitored at all times. After the expiration of the visa, such an individual should be immediately deported.
Overall the current immigration policies do not fulfill their basic tasks in regulating immigration. There is no clear outline of who shall be admitted as immigrants, who shall stay temporary, and who will have no access at all. It is hard to say to what to what extent our nation is responsible for the different policies of immigration, but one such model by Hardin may pose some questions. Hardin says the world is made of “lifeboats” at sea. A lifeboat represents America with fifty people with the capacity of sixty. One hundred swimmers from other boats want to enter the American boat, but obviously it is not possible. What should America do? They may choose “complete justice, complete catastrophe” and fairly allow all onboard, and the boat sinks, “moral dilemma” allow ten onboard, but which ten do they choose, or “situational ethics” allow no one on board, maintain comfort of original fifty because they did not put the swimmers out there in the first place. This is the dilemma the U.S. faces daily with their approach to immigration. America represents a land of freedom and equality, but to what extent are they obligated to share these aspects with the rest of the world? It is not possible to give it to other countries, nor is it possible for all those who want to be associated with these to come here either. High immigration brings a lot of strife to our country, even though it may have advantages also. No matter the circumstance, the policies of immigration are far too lenient and are frequently take advantage of. The country not only has the problem of those waiting for legal citizenship, but also those that have crossed the border illegally or taken advantage of their expired visas. This country allows too many individuals who are not qualified to live here. As a result it has placed a strain on our environment, the economy, and to some extent our overall well being. And there is a clear danger of our national security. The overall level of immigration needs to reduced a great deal.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 700 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
Capital Punishment
The execution of fellow human beings in the pursuit of justice is as old as human history. What began thousands of years ago as a profound method of retribution involving not only the families of the victims but often the whole town; has grown and shrunk, widened and narrowed, and within the last hundred years gradually been reduced to a small minority of countries still executing their citizens for convicted crimes. It is an issue strife with controversy, and is always surrounded by debate whenever approached.
This paper will address the history of the death penalty, from the far and distant past, though history until we reach the death penalty that we are familiar with today. We will specifically address Capital Punishment within the United States, how our citizens view it and how citizens of other countries view the U.S. We will address Capital Punishment and the law, both within the Federal Legal system and the State legal systems.
Finally, we will conclude with a view into the validity of capital punishment as a useful tool within today’s society, how effective America’s legal system is in meting out accurate justice, and a glimpse into some alternate measures that could be implemented in place of the death penalty.
Stoning was the earliest form of execution with recorded stonings dating back to 3000 – 1000 B.C. There was no formal legal process at the time, therefore early executions by stoning were unceremonious and brutal affairs. A typical stoning would consist of a family member of the harmed party or a witness to the crime placing a hand on the head of the offender in order “to mark them for execution”. At this point, either one of the family members or the witness would cast the first stone. If he could not produce death alone, then the bystanders would hurl them also. As laws began to develop, Jewish law set forth a more involved execution ritual involving two witnesses, but the rudiments remained the same. “When the offender came within four cubits of the place of execution, he was stripped naked, only leaving a covering before, and his hands being bound was led up to the fatal place, which was an eminence twice a man’s height. The first executioner’s of the sentence were the witnesses, who generally pulled off their clothes for the purpose: one of them threw him down with great violence upon his loins: if he rolled upon his breast, he was turned upon his loins again, and if he died by the fall there was an end; but if not, the other witnesses took a great stone and dashed it upon his breast as he lay upon his back; and then, if he was not dispatched, all the people that stood by threw stones at him till he died.” (Johnson 11)
As history progressed more involved methods of execution were devised coupled with different forms of legal proceedings. Hanging by strangulation became a method of choice throughout much of the then “civilized world”. In the Middle Ages, executions became a sort of pageantry, involving the whole town in a form of brutal entertainment.
After being convicted of a crime and sentenced to death (Confessions were usually produced through torture immediately following capture) an elaborate ceremony followed in the town square. The accused would be paraded through the crowd, who were encouraged to heckle and ridicule. The accused was then led up before a nobleman or priest of the King’s courts who would notify him of his crime and pronounce him to be sentenced to death through various forms of mutilation and torture. Some of the more popular procedures were, hang the person, cut them down immediately prior to death, and then disembowel or carve out his intestines and cut him into four pieces (This is commonly known as “to draw and quarter”. Another method was known as “breaking on the wheel” The accused was placed upon a wheel-like platform. The executioner then proceeded to break the arms and legs of the accused with a heavy iron bar. The mangled remains were then turned rapidly, scattering gore about, until the victim was dead. Another popular medieval execution was “sawing the victim in pieces”, in this type, the accused would be strung up by his feet, and then sawed vertically in half, of course while still alive.
For certain crimes, the laws specified exactly what was to be done to the victim, down to the details to be performed on specific body parts. One such example of this follows, “Ye do respectively go to the place from whence ye came; from thence to be drawn upon a sledge to the place of execution, to be there hanged up by the neck, to be cut down while ye are yet alive, to have your hearts and bowels taken out before your faces, and your members cut off and burnt. Your heads severed from your bodies and your bodies disposed into quarters, your heads and bodies respectively disposed of according to the king’s will and pleasure; and the lord have mercy on your souls.” (Johnson 14) Needless to say executions of today are a little less violent than in the past.
Executions progressed throughout history with methods only limited to the imagination of men: Beheadings by Guillotine, Hangings on the Gallows, Firing Squads, Electric Chairs, Gas Chambers, and our most modern form of Capital Punishment, the lethal injection. We could devote an entire book on the history of executions, (which Robert Johnson has done in his book, Death Work) but, we must move on.
The United States is a fairly young country compared to many established in the world today and our legal system although young is used a basis for other legal system adaptations throughout the world. Having broke away from England and basing much of our law on the English system, it is not surprising that we brought over Capital Punishment and have had it within our legal system ever since (minus a short reprieve from 1967 to 1977).
The first recorded execution within the United States was in 1622 in the colony of Virginia, with Daniel Frank being put to death for theft. His method of execution was not stated. Although it is a known fact that the death penalty has been part of American history since before our independence, statistics were not collected until 1930 on a regular basis. From 1930 until 1967 (the year a moratorium was placed on executions) 3859 people were executed under civil jurisdiction within the U.S. Three out of every five executions that took place during that period occurred within the Southern states. Georgia had the highest total with 366 executions, followed closely by New York with 329, Texas with 297, California with 292, and North Carolina with 263. Out of those 3859 executions 3334 were for murder, 455 were for rape, and 70 were for other offenses. The United States Civilian legal system was not alone in laying out justice in the form of the death penalty. During the same period, the U.S. Army executed 160 people. 106 were for murder (21 of which also involved rape), 53 for rape, and one for desertion.
At the same time, across the Atlantic, Europe was taking the stance of abolishing the death penalty as cruel and unjust. In 1965, England abolished the death penalty under the 1965 Murder Act. Other countries across Europe were following suit if they had not already done so. The pressure from the European countries on the United States to abolish the death penalty continues to this day. Amnesty International is the largest advocate for a worldwide abolition of the death penalty and has garnered much support. Amnesty International is backed by the United Nations who has become a staunch ally to their cause. As time progresses and more and more countries abolish the death penalty, many foreigners, especially Europeans view the United States as hypocrites. The U.S. has always declared itself as a strong supporter of human rights yet most European nations view capital punishment as a violation of human rights. One such group, Death Penalty Focus, go so far as to blatantly declare the United States as “keeping company with notorious human rights abusing countries such as Iraq, Iran, and China as major advocates and users of capital punishment.”
Within the United States, public support for the death penalty remains fairly high in regard to cases involving atrocious acts of murder, yet support drops off rapidly when the offender is a minor or mentally retarded. Also, when Americans are presented with alternatives to the death penalty, a greater majority prefers life without parole to those who still favor the death penalty. Hart Research performed an interesting poll in 1995; polling police chiefs across the United States and asking them to list the most effective methods for deterring violent crime. Many answers were given in various ratios, from reducing drug abuse to better gun control but only 1% of those polled listed the death penalty as a major deterrent of violent crime.
Legal challenges to the death penalty culminated in the Supreme Court Decision Furman vs. Georgia, 408 U.S. 153 which ruled the death penalty statutes unconstitutional because under these statutes the death penalty was being applied in an “arbitrary, capricious and discriminatory manner” contrary to the eighth amendment and the due process guarantees of the Fourteenth amendment. Two of the justices (Justices Brennan and Marshall) presiding at the time declared capital punishment to be unconstitutional in all instances.
The decision of Furman vs. Georgia created waves across the entire country. More than 600 death row inmates who had been sentenced to death between 1967 and 1972 had their death sentences lifted as a result of the decision. States quickly moved to revise legislation tailored to satisfy the Supreme Court’s objections to “arbitrary imposition” of death sentences.
In 1976 three cases were brought before the Supreme Court regarding the same matter. The three cases were Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153 (1976), Jurek v. Texas, 428 U.S. 262 (1976) and Proffitt v. Florida, 428 U.S. 242 (1976). All three of these cases dealt with guided discretion and afforded sentencing courts the discretion to impose death sentences for specified crimes and provided for two-stage (bifurcated) trials. These “bifurcated” trials involved, in the first stage, the determination of the defendants guilt or innocence and, in the second, determination of the sentence after “consideration of aggravating and mitigating circumstances.” In Georgia and Texas the final sentencing decision rested with the jury and in Florida with the judge.
Also in 1976 two cases came forward to the Supreme Court, which dealt with laws providing for mandatory death penalty for specific crimes, and allowing no judicial or jury discretion beyond the determination of guilt. The Supreme Court declared that the mandatory death penalty was unconstitutional in Woodson v. North Carolina, 428 U.S. 280 (1976), and Roberts vs. Louisiana, 428 U.S 325 (1976). These rulings led directly to the invalidation of mandatory death penalty statutes in 21 states, and resulted in the modification of the sentences of hundreds of offenders from the death penalty to life sentences.
Under the new death penalty laws the first execution since 1967 took place on January 17, 1977. Convicted murderer Gary Gilmore was executed by firing squad in Utah. Although for the first several years following the new death penalty laws, executions stayed low, they began to climb once again in 1984 with 21 people executed and continued to rise rapidly with 74 executions in 1997.
The death penalty was effectively restricted to murder when the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional for rape in the 1977 decision of Coker v. Georgia, 433 U.S 584 (1977) because applying the death penalty in rape cases was disproportionate to the crime. This resulted in twenty inmates across the country being removed from death rows. Although the courts have accepted that this decision prohibits the imposition of the death penalty for all crimes not resulting in death, several states have left untouched the capital felony statutes which provide it for such offences as kidnapping and rape of a child.
As of 1998, 38 states and the federal government have capital punishment laws. The twelve states who do not have death penalty laws are: Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The District of Columbia also does not have a capital punishment law.
The push to abolish capital punishment is growing while executions still continue. Some of the statistics on Capital punishment for the year 200 are as follows. (Taken from The U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics) In 2000 85 persons in fourteen states were executed: 40 in Texas, 11 in Oklahoma, 8 in Virginia, 6 in Florida, 5 in Missouri, 4 in Alabama, 3 in Arizona, 2 in Arkansas, and one each in Delaware, Louisiana, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and California. Of those executed 49 were white, 35 were black, and 1 was American Indian. 83 were men and two were women. At the end of 2000, 37 states and the Federal prison System held 3593 prisoners under sentence of death. All had committed murder. Of the 3593 prisoners, nearly 2/3 had prior felony convictions and roughly 1/12 had a prior homicide conviction.
With this many inmates on death row the question continues to arise, “How can we insure that all the individuals we sentence to death row are 100% guilty?” Can we justify a system that executes for heinous and depraved acts of murder if we acknowledge there will be mistakes? Is the death of 100 depraved murderers worth the life of one innocent citizen wrongly convicted?
The Death Penalty Information Center in Washington D.C. stated in 1997 that of the 6000 death sentences imposed between 1973 and 1997, 400 have been innocent. Of those 400, 23 were wrongly executed. These are the injustices that many are claiming must cause the United States to abolish the death penalty. Furthermore, some studies question whether the death penalty actually deters crime. The Thorsten Sellin studies in 1962, 1967, and 1980 conclude that the death penalty was not a deterrent. Others argue that the staggering cost of death penalty cases could better be diverted to the victim’s families or for various prison counseling programs. A 1993 California study revealed that the average death penalty case cost at least 1.25 million dollars.
In conclusion, the arguments for and against capital punishment are limitless and answers may not come in our lifetimes, but one thing is certain; violent and heinous crimes have occurred throughout history and will continue to do so. Until we discover a
way to eradicate these violent crimes, there will be a need for a stern and final method of justice. The law works to the best of its ability to insure that the guilty are proven guilty beyond doubt. This paper is not designed to influence ones decisions regarding the death penalty. It is designed to educate people on capital punishment and how it works.
The future may decide that the death penalty is a violation of human rights and cause capital punishment to be abolished. In order for that to happen, there must be a unanimous decision that an alternate means of justice is in place to punish those who seek to break the law by brutally taking the life of a fellow citizen. What that alternative will be, only time will tell.
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This paper will address the history of the death penalty, from the far and distant past, though history until we reach the death penalty that we are familiar with today. We will specifically address Capital Punishment within the United States, how our citizens view it and how citizens of other countries view the U.S. We will address Capital Punishment and the law, both within the Federal Legal system and the State legal systems.
Finally, we will conclude with a view into the validity of capital punishment as a useful tool within today’s society, how effective America’s legal system is in meting out accurate justice, and a glimpse into some alternate measures that could be implemented in place of the death penalty.
Stoning was the earliest form of execution with recorded stonings dating back to 3000 – 1000 B.C. There was no formal legal process at the time, therefore early executions by stoning were unceremonious and brutal affairs. A typical stoning would consist of a family member of the harmed party or a witness to the crime placing a hand on the head of the offender in order “to mark them for execution”. At this point, either one of the family members or the witness would cast the first stone. If he could not produce death alone, then the bystanders would hurl them also. As laws began to develop, Jewish law set forth a more involved execution ritual involving two witnesses, but the rudiments remained the same. “When the offender came within four cubits of the place of execution, he was stripped naked, only leaving a covering before, and his hands being bound was led up to the fatal place, which was an eminence twice a man’s height. The first executioner’s of the sentence were the witnesses, who generally pulled off their clothes for the purpose: one of them threw him down with great violence upon his loins: if he rolled upon his breast, he was turned upon his loins again, and if he died by the fall there was an end; but if not, the other witnesses took a great stone and dashed it upon his breast as he lay upon his back; and then, if he was not dispatched, all the people that stood by threw stones at him till he died.” (Johnson 11)
As history progressed more involved methods of execution were devised coupled with different forms of legal proceedings. Hanging by strangulation became a method of choice throughout much of the then “civilized world”. In the Middle Ages, executions became a sort of pageantry, involving the whole town in a form of brutal entertainment.
After being convicted of a crime and sentenced to death (Confessions were usually produced through torture immediately following capture) an elaborate ceremony followed in the town square. The accused would be paraded through the crowd, who were encouraged to heckle and ridicule. The accused was then led up before a nobleman or priest of the King’s courts who would notify him of his crime and pronounce him to be sentenced to death through various forms of mutilation and torture. Some of the more popular procedures were, hang the person, cut them down immediately prior to death, and then disembowel or carve out his intestines and cut him into four pieces (This is commonly known as “to draw and quarter”. Another method was known as “breaking on the wheel” The accused was placed upon a wheel-like platform. The executioner then proceeded to break the arms and legs of the accused with a heavy iron bar. The mangled remains were then turned rapidly, scattering gore about, until the victim was dead. Another popular medieval execution was “sawing the victim in pieces”, in this type, the accused would be strung up by his feet, and then sawed vertically in half, of course while still alive.
For certain crimes, the laws specified exactly what was to be done to the victim, down to the details to be performed on specific body parts. One such example of this follows, “Ye do respectively go to the place from whence ye came; from thence to be drawn upon a sledge to the place of execution, to be there hanged up by the neck, to be cut down while ye are yet alive, to have your hearts and bowels taken out before your faces, and your members cut off and burnt. Your heads severed from your bodies and your bodies disposed into quarters, your heads and bodies respectively disposed of according to the king’s will and pleasure; and the lord have mercy on your souls.” (Johnson 14) Needless to say executions of today are a little less violent than in the past.
Executions progressed throughout history with methods only limited to the imagination of men: Beheadings by Guillotine, Hangings on the Gallows, Firing Squads, Electric Chairs, Gas Chambers, and our most modern form of Capital Punishment, the lethal injection. We could devote an entire book on the history of executions, (which Robert Johnson has done in his book, Death Work) but, we must move on.
The United States is a fairly young country compared to many established in the world today and our legal system although young is used a basis for other legal system adaptations throughout the world. Having broke away from England and basing much of our law on the English system, it is not surprising that we brought over Capital Punishment and have had it within our legal system ever since (minus a short reprieve from 1967 to 1977).
The first recorded execution within the United States was in 1622 in the colony of Virginia, with Daniel Frank being put to death for theft. His method of execution was not stated. Although it is a known fact that the death penalty has been part of American history since before our independence, statistics were not collected until 1930 on a regular basis. From 1930 until 1967 (the year a moratorium was placed on executions) 3859 people were executed under civil jurisdiction within the U.S. Three out of every five executions that took place during that period occurred within the Southern states. Georgia had the highest total with 366 executions, followed closely by New York with 329, Texas with 297, California with 292, and North Carolina with 263. Out of those 3859 executions 3334 were for murder, 455 were for rape, and 70 were for other offenses. The United States Civilian legal system was not alone in laying out justice in the form of the death penalty. During the same period, the U.S. Army executed 160 people. 106 were for murder (21 of which also involved rape), 53 for rape, and one for desertion.
At the same time, across the Atlantic, Europe was taking the stance of abolishing the death penalty as cruel and unjust. In 1965, England abolished the death penalty under the 1965 Murder Act. Other countries across Europe were following suit if they had not already done so. The pressure from the European countries on the United States to abolish the death penalty continues to this day. Amnesty International is the largest advocate for a worldwide abolition of the death penalty and has garnered much support. Amnesty International is backed by the United Nations who has become a staunch ally to their cause. As time progresses and more and more countries abolish the death penalty, many foreigners, especially Europeans view the United States as hypocrites. The U.S. has always declared itself as a strong supporter of human rights yet most European nations view capital punishment as a violation of human rights. One such group, Death Penalty Focus, go so far as to blatantly declare the United States as “keeping company with notorious human rights abusing countries such as Iraq, Iran, and China as major advocates and users of capital punishment.”
Within the United States, public support for the death penalty remains fairly high in regard to cases involving atrocious acts of murder, yet support drops off rapidly when the offender is a minor or mentally retarded. Also, when Americans are presented with alternatives to the death penalty, a greater majority prefers life without parole to those who still favor the death penalty. Hart Research performed an interesting poll in 1995; polling police chiefs across the United States and asking them to list the most effective methods for deterring violent crime. Many answers were given in various ratios, from reducing drug abuse to better gun control but only 1% of those polled listed the death penalty as a major deterrent of violent crime.
Legal challenges to the death penalty culminated in the Supreme Court Decision Furman vs. Georgia, 408 U.S. 153 which ruled the death penalty statutes unconstitutional because under these statutes the death penalty was being applied in an “arbitrary, capricious and discriminatory manner” contrary to the eighth amendment and the due process guarantees of the Fourteenth amendment. Two of the justices (Justices Brennan and Marshall) presiding at the time declared capital punishment to be unconstitutional in all instances.
The decision of Furman vs. Georgia created waves across the entire country. More than 600 death row inmates who had been sentenced to death between 1967 and 1972 had their death sentences lifted as a result of the decision. States quickly moved to revise legislation tailored to satisfy the Supreme Court’s objections to “arbitrary imposition” of death sentences.
In 1976 three cases were brought before the Supreme Court regarding the same matter. The three cases were Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153 (1976), Jurek v. Texas, 428 U.S. 262 (1976) and Proffitt v. Florida, 428 U.S. 242 (1976). All three of these cases dealt with guided discretion and afforded sentencing courts the discretion to impose death sentences for specified crimes and provided for two-stage (bifurcated) trials. These “bifurcated” trials involved, in the first stage, the determination of the defendants guilt or innocence and, in the second, determination of the sentence after “consideration of aggravating and mitigating circumstances.” In Georgia and Texas the final sentencing decision rested with the jury and in Florida with the judge.
Also in 1976 two cases came forward to the Supreme Court, which dealt with laws providing for mandatory death penalty for specific crimes, and allowing no judicial or jury discretion beyond the determination of guilt. The Supreme Court declared that the mandatory death penalty was unconstitutional in Woodson v. North Carolina, 428 U.S. 280 (1976), and Roberts vs. Louisiana, 428 U.S 325 (1976). These rulings led directly to the invalidation of mandatory death penalty statutes in 21 states, and resulted in the modification of the sentences of hundreds of offenders from the death penalty to life sentences.
Under the new death penalty laws the first execution since 1967 took place on January 17, 1977. Convicted murderer Gary Gilmore was executed by firing squad in Utah. Although for the first several years following the new death penalty laws, executions stayed low, they began to climb once again in 1984 with 21 people executed and continued to rise rapidly with 74 executions in 1997.
The death penalty was effectively restricted to murder when the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional for rape in the 1977 decision of Coker v. Georgia, 433 U.S 584 (1977) because applying the death penalty in rape cases was disproportionate to the crime. This resulted in twenty inmates across the country being removed from death rows. Although the courts have accepted that this decision prohibits the imposition of the death penalty for all crimes not resulting in death, several states have left untouched the capital felony statutes which provide it for such offences as kidnapping and rape of a child.
As of 1998, 38 states and the federal government have capital punishment laws. The twelve states who do not have death penalty laws are: Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The District of Columbia also does not have a capital punishment law.
The push to abolish capital punishment is growing while executions still continue. Some of the statistics on Capital punishment for the year 200 are as follows. (Taken from The U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics) In 2000 85 persons in fourteen states were executed: 40 in Texas, 11 in Oklahoma, 8 in Virginia, 6 in Florida, 5 in Missouri, 4 in Alabama, 3 in Arizona, 2 in Arkansas, and one each in Delaware, Louisiana, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and California. Of those executed 49 were white, 35 were black, and 1 was American Indian. 83 were men and two were women. At the end of 2000, 37 states and the Federal prison System held 3593 prisoners under sentence of death. All had committed murder. Of the 3593 prisoners, nearly 2/3 had prior felony convictions and roughly 1/12 had a prior homicide conviction.
With this many inmates on death row the question continues to arise, “How can we insure that all the individuals we sentence to death row are 100% guilty?” Can we justify a system that executes for heinous and depraved acts of murder if we acknowledge there will be mistakes? Is the death of 100 depraved murderers worth the life of one innocent citizen wrongly convicted?
The Death Penalty Information Center in Washington D.C. stated in 1997 that of the 6000 death sentences imposed between 1973 and 1997, 400 have been innocent. Of those 400, 23 were wrongly executed. These are the injustices that many are claiming must cause the United States to abolish the death penalty. Furthermore, some studies question whether the death penalty actually deters crime. The Thorsten Sellin studies in 1962, 1967, and 1980 conclude that the death penalty was not a deterrent. Others argue that the staggering cost of death penalty cases could better be diverted to the victim’s families or for various prison counseling programs. A 1993 California study revealed that the average death penalty case cost at least 1.25 million dollars.
In conclusion, the arguments for and against capital punishment are limitless and answers may not come in our lifetimes, but one thing is certain; violent and heinous crimes have occurred throughout history and will continue to do so. Until we discover a
way to eradicate these violent crimes, there will be a need for a stern and final method of justice. The law works to the best of its ability to insure that the guilty are proven guilty beyond doubt. This paper is not designed to influence ones decisions regarding the death penalty. It is designed to educate people on capital punishment and how it works.
The future may decide that the death penalty is a violation of human rights and cause capital punishment to be abolished. In order for that to happen, there must be a unanimous decision that an alternate means of justice is in place to punish those who seek to break the law by brutally taking the life of a fellow citizen. What that alternative will be, only time will tell.
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Thursday, May 7, 2009
Teen Violence
Everyone makes mistakes once in a while, but there are many children that cannot tell the difference between right and wrong. They grow up in a world with no rules and subsequently realize that they have made many wrong decisions that led them to undesirable moments in life. They have not only underestimated their parents but also ruined their lives by not listening to parents and not following the rules while they were young. Therefore parents should be allowed to hit their children to correct their behavior because the children might get out of hand, they might have no respect for their parents, and hitting them reasonably might be the only way the children will follow the regulations.
If children are taught and disciplined at a young age than they will not run free like wild animals. When I was a child my parents used to smack me when I was naughty. Today I consider myself a decent member of society. If I was allowed to 'get away with misbehaving' when I was a child I wouldn’t have turned out the same. All children need to be physically disciplined when they are growing up in order to learn the rights and wrongs of society and culture. This way parents will also be able to control them. For example if you compare a teenager that has been closely controlled and a teen that does whatever they want, the adolescent that has been regimented will always grow brighter. A well-disciplined juvenile will know rules and live by those regulations. Children should be closely controlled when they are still young so as they grow they could still be able to be kept under control.
Parents should always show the children that parents are the authority. I have seen a child say to their parent “ I don’t care what you say, I will go to that club.” The juvenile feels that he/she doesn’t have to follow any rules or listen to what their parents have to say because this teenager has not been disciplined enough. If the parent penalized them when this juvenile was young things would be different now. Once when I was walking up my street I saw a youngsters hit their parents out in public. These specific actions prove to us instantaneously that these children have no respect for their parents. Once a child loses respect for their parents almost nothing can change that back except for physical discipline.
How a child is disciplined will vary from child to child. For some, being sent to their room is sufficient, but for others it is not. A child should only be smacked if it is done out of love and not anger or hatred. For example if you tell a 9 year old that curfew ends at 5pm and they come home at 10pm, a responsible parent will smack promptly, as soon as disobedience is shown and warnings have failed. I see many teenagers that smoke, drink and do drugs and their parents don’t care if they keep on doing that. Why? The answer is either the parents buy them the drugs or they give it to their kids because the parent do them also, or the parents do not know anything at all. If parents care about their children and want to stop them from doing dangerous things than a slap on a backside becomes useful, but as soon as it becomes more than a temporary stinging sensation and actually causes bruising or other damage is when it becomes abuse. Therefore children should only be logically disciplined not abused.
Parents love their children very much. They want their children to become somebody, have a nice job and be proud of themselves and the decisions they have made in life. Parents only hit their children to stop their children from getting in trouble and disrespecting them. Parents should think of the force they use on their child before they do it, because when the pain grows the punishment is not called physical discipline anymore but physical abuse. Lastly children should be careful with the decisions they make because parental discipline is always going to follow them wherever and whenever wrong decisions are made.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 700 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
If children are taught and disciplined at a young age than they will not run free like wild animals. When I was a child my parents used to smack me when I was naughty. Today I consider myself a decent member of society. If I was allowed to 'get away with misbehaving' when I was a child I wouldn’t have turned out the same. All children need to be physically disciplined when they are growing up in order to learn the rights and wrongs of society and culture. This way parents will also be able to control them. For example if you compare a teenager that has been closely controlled and a teen that does whatever they want, the adolescent that has been regimented will always grow brighter. A well-disciplined juvenile will know rules and live by those regulations. Children should be closely controlled when they are still young so as they grow they could still be able to be kept under control.
Parents should always show the children that parents are the authority. I have seen a child say to their parent “ I don’t care what you say, I will go to that club.” The juvenile feels that he/she doesn’t have to follow any rules or listen to what their parents have to say because this teenager has not been disciplined enough. If the parent penalized them when this juvenile was young things would be different now. Once when I was walking up my street I saw a youngsters hit their parents out in public. These specific actions prove to us instantaneously that these children have no respect for their parents. Once a child loses respect for their parents almost nothing can change that back except for physical discipline.
How a child is disciplined will vary from child to child. For some, being sent to their room is sufficient, but for others it is not. A child should only be smacked if it is done out of love and not anger or hatred. For example if you tell a 9 year old that curfew ends at 5pm and they come home at 10pm, a responsible parent will smack promptly, as soon as disobedience is shown and warnings have failed. I see many teenagers that smoke, drink and do drugs and their parents don’t care if they keep on doing that. Why? The answer is either the parents buy them the drugs or they give it to their kids because the parent do them also, or the parents do not know anything at all. If parents care about their children and want to stop them from doing dangerous things than a slap on a backside becomes useful, but as soon as it becomes more than a temporary stinging sensation and actually causes bruising or other damage is when it becomes abuse. Therefore children should only be logically disciplined not abused.
Parents love their children very much. They want their children to become somebody, have a nice job and be proud of themselves and the decisions they have made in life. Parents only hit their children to stop their children from getting in trouble and disrespecting them. Parents should think of the force they use on their child before they do it, because when the pain grows the punishment is not called physical discipline anymore but physical abuse. Lastly children should be careful with the decisions they make because parental discipline is always going to follow them wherever and whenever wrong decisions are made.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 700 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
Christians and Muslims
Religion influences people as they go through life. At some point, everyone is subjected to one religion or another, usually choosing one to follow. I grew up in Christian home and my mother always made sure I was in church. Recently, I was taking a philosophy course which required me to write a term paper; I chose religion. Researching the paper, I discovered that my Christian faith was being questioned. I had always known that there were many religions, and that they differed, but I never realized how much they were at odds with each other. This particular attack came from the Islamic faith. Christians and Muslims have many similar beliefs, which differ slightly; however, they also have some distinctly different beliefs.
The similarities begin with Christians and Muslims believing that Jesus will return; however, Christians believe his triumphant return will be the beginning of his reign as king, while the Muslims believe he will come back, win a battle, and be killed. Christians and Muslims agree that there is salvation, but their views on obtaining salvation differ; for instance, Christians believe salvation is a gift from god and Muslims believe that salvation comes from good works. Furthermore, Christians and Muslims both believe in Hell. Muslims believe Hell is a lake of fire where non-Muslims live in torment. Christians, on the other hand believe that those who are not saved will be thrown into the fire of hell for eternity.
Both religions have other similarities, but they have many drastic differences. The differences begin when discussing the nature of man. On one hand, Muslims believe that men are basically good. They also believe some men have been guided toward right and some are left to err on their own. They believe all Muslims are naturally good, but believe their God, or Allah, will allow Satan to make them sin. On the other hand, Christians believe men have a sinful nature and are born wicked; believing they are made good through faith in Jesus Christ. Once receiving salvation, Christians try to live a Christ-like existence.
The differences continue with beliefs about Purgatory, a temporary hell where a person can be purified in order to gain entry into heaven. Muslims believe there is a purgatory. Ironically, Christians are actually split on this with Evangelical Christians having the opinion that there is no Purgatory, while Catholics Christians do believe in purgatory. Evangelical Christians believe you ascend directly to Heaven. The two religions are also at odds regarding their beliefs about eternal life. Christians believe that eternal life will consist of fellowship with God, praising God, serving God, and worshiping God. Muslims have a much different view of eternal life. They believe eternal life is filled with sensual pleasure in having sex with virgins, eating, and happiness.
Christianity and Islam are not the only religions, nor are they the only religions that disagree. A few things are common in all religions; each religion believes in a supreme power or being, there is a good and evil or positive and negative in each religion, and each religion believes the life they are living will end some day; however, the disposition of the body or soul will differ. The soul will be reincarnated, live in heaven, live in some other state, or cease to exist. It is the responsibility of each individual to hear the arguments for each religion and decide which is more suitable and convincing for them.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 700 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
The similarities begin with Christians and Muslims believing that Jesus will return; however, Christians believe his triumphant return will be the beginning of his reign as king, while the Muslims believe he will come back, win a battle, and be killed. Christians and Muslims agree that there is salvation, but their views on obtaining salvation differ; for instance, Christians believe salvation is a gift from god and Muslims believe that salvation comes from good works. Furthermore, Christians and Muslims both believe in Hell. Muslims believe Hell is a lake of fire where non-Muslims live in torment. Christians, on the other hand believe that those who are not saved will be thrown into the fire of hell for eternity.
Both religions have other similarities, but they have many drastic differences. The differences begin when discussing the nature of man. On one hand, Muslims believe that men are basically good. They also believe some men have been guided toward right and some are left to err on their own. They believe all Muslims are naturally good, but believe their God, or Allah, will allow Satan to make them sin. On the other hand, Christians believe men have a sinful nature and are born wicked; believing they are made good through faith in Jesus Christ. Once receiving salvation, Christians try to live a Christ-like existence.
The differences continue with beliefs about Purgatory, a temporary hell where a person can be purified in order to gain entry into heaven. Muslims believe there is a purgatory. Ironically, Christians are actually split on this with Evangelical Christians having the opinion that there is no Purgatory, while Catholics Christians do believe in purgatory. Evangelical Christians believe you ascend directly to Heaven. The two religions are also at odds regarding their beliefs about eternal life. Christians believe that eternal life will consist of fellowship with God, praising God, serving God, and worshiping God. Muslims have a much different view of eternal life. They believe eternal life is filled with sensual pleasure in having sex with virgins, eating, and happiness.
Christianity and Islam are not the only religions, nor are they the only religions that disagree. A few things are common in all religions; each religion believes in a supreme power or being, there is a good and evil or positive and negative in each religion, and each religion believes the life they are living will end some day; however, the disposition of the body or soul will differ. The soul will be reincarnated, live in heaven, live in some other state, or cease to exist. It is the responsibility of each individual to hear the arguments for each religion and decide which is more suitable and convincing for them.
You can order a high-quality custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis, dissertation, speech, book report or book review from our professional custom writing service. We have employed more than 700 highly qualified Ph.D. and Master's academic writers to provide students with professional academic writing help. Feel free to contact our company right now!
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