Civil Liberties and Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Civil Liberties and Rights - Essay Example Individuals from different areas changed into a new race of men and their prosperity and labors caused significant changes in the world in the future. Now days united States demographics are not the only ones who are changing in an unprecedented way, but also notions of assimilation. It has been noted that, as the immigrants’ size of population reaches a critical mass in some communities, they are to be transformed by the American society. Culture in America is a powerful force that influences people living in America and the entire world. (Davis, 2003, p. 213). Today, several factors have combined to allow immigrants to resist, if they decide to use assimilation, which is believed to be irresistible. It has become easier for immigrants to resist change because; cultural diversity has been accepted, with emphasis laid on industrial competitiveness. It is worth noting that Immigrants embrace the notion of cultural diversity. This is because they do not have any mechanisms, and policies that describe what cultural diversity actual means. It is pertinent to note that cultural diversity is part of the national agenda, and plays a part in supporting its production realization in the ways people play, work, and live together. During colonization, various European colonists went to where it is today known as United States. Some moved there with the hope of being free of political and religious prosecution while others were after riches and to expansion of their companies. Swedish was in the category of those who went to colonize America under their governments command. Swedish went to America in large numbers and with a purpose. Out of the large numbers, they formed communities, which kept private for them, and in these communities, there were people from many different trades and with many skills lived and prospered. Considering this large numbers, concentration of Swedish people in

Past, Present and Future Document Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Past, Present and Future Document - Essay Example It humbled me to realize just how rapidly our society is evolving based on the continually expanding role of technology. Without proper training, I would only be able to start a position with a company from the ground up and learn as I went. However, I wanted more than that. I wanted to be able to offer my services to an employer on the basis of my knowledge. The variety of courses offered by the University of Phoenix allowed me to obtain a extensive knowledge about a variety of topics which are key to survival, and success, in today's society. Prior to the advent of my enrollment in the University of Phoenix, my personal experience with the techniques and skills involved in problem solving, written and oral communication skills, information retrieval and utilization, and collaboration were practically nonexistent. In high school, classes touched upon these subjects, but did not fully delve into the implications of utilizing these skills in a business context. Prior to my enrollment in the University of Phoenix in the Business Science of Management program, I did not have a clear career goal in mind. I knew that I was interested in business applications and certainly wanted to be a member of a management team, but I did not have a specific industry in which to apply the skills I was eager to learn. I needed to experience various aspects of management before I could truly decide in which direction to pursue a business career. II. Growth A. Contribution of University of Phoenix courses The class, "Essentials of College Writing" was extremely helpful to me in taking the basic writing skills I'd used in high school to the next, more professional level. My management classes, as well as "Critical Thinking: Strategies in Decision Making" were essential in realizing the importance of problem solving, as well as collaboration, in practical business applications. Without learning these skills, I would never have been ready to accept a management position with a company based on my lack of prior experience. The class "Skills for Professional Development" offered me an overview of information retrieval and utilization that I have continually referred to throughout my journey while "Communicating in a Virtual Workplace" took that overview and expanded it to include relevant applications in a modern company. I have grown personally as well as in my professional competency. Through such courses as "Cultural Diversity" and "Ethics in Management" I have learned to view the world and its events in a more discerning manner and I found a personal affinity for exploring diversity and celebrating human differences. I also realized I am concerned with the rights of others and how ethics impacts some of our basic human rights. "Foundations of Research" also aided in helping me critically analyze various pieces of data which surround me in the everyday course of my life, such as news articles and political coverage. B. Courses with Greatest Impact The classes "Human Motivation" and "Organization Psychology" were both instrumental in having an impact on the direction of my

World Wide Issue Of Suicide

World Wide Issue Of Suicide Suicide is a world-wide issue. Suicide is commonly referred to a permanent solution to a temporary problem. A person may choose to end his/her life for many different reasons. The person may feel unhappy, angry at a situation, helpless, or feel like it is his time to go. If people have never had suicidal thoughts or have never had to deal with the issue of suicide, it is hard for them to understand why anyone may have suicidal feelings. In many parts of the world, the issues of assisted suicide and Euthanasia are being debated. Some people see assisting suicides in any way as unethical; others have an opposing view. Assisted suicide should be legal, because it is a persons own choice as to whether to live or die, and it is his/her own life. Assisted suicide and Voluntary Euthanasia are large ethical issues and are often thought of as the same thing, but there is a difference. Assisted suicide involves the passive participation of a medical professional in an individuals decision to take their own life. This may take the form of dispensing a lethal pill or providing advice. In either case, its the patient who ultimately takes the decisive action. Euthanasia, in contrast, involves a positive action on the part of a doctor to end a life at that persons request by administering the fatal dose, for example (American Psychological Assoc.). Bernice Levitz Packford, a 95-year-old woman, was interviewed about assisted suicide. She wants her life to end but does not want to take it herself. She stated as her reasons, Because I am a coward. And its lonely. Bernice also gave an explanation of euthanasia. In euthanasia, somebody is doing it to you. Im not good at defining the differences but Im not happy with that term. (American Psychological Assoc.). Euthanasia is a disturbing thought to most people; it sounds like a form of murder. Yes, someone is taking the life of another person in assisted suicide, but what makes it different from murder is that the person wanted his life to be taken. Bernice feels that assisted suicide is better that euthanasia, because her death is her own choice and doing. Many issues need to be addressed concerning assisted suicide: whether or not assisted suicide is really a persons choice, if it is ethical, and if it should be legal. Utilitarianism supports assisted suicide. Utilitarianism is the doctrine that an action is right (wrong) in the proportion to its tendency to promote (diminish) the overall happiness of everyone concerned. (Foster, 2010) Following the reasoning of utilitarianism, as long as the majority of people are happy with an action, it is ethical. The person having assisted suicide wants to die and is happy with that decision; the person believes death will bring them pleasure. As sad as losing a loved one might be, family and friends could also find joy knowing that it was the persons decision to die and that he/she is now free from pain. The majority of people could find joy from assisted suicide. Those who object to utilitarianism state that, although it is easy for people to decide what is right or wrong based on the feelings they experience, a person cannot predict their feelings nor can they predict the consequences of such a drastic action. How does the person know they will be happier after they die? Some people who are religious believe in a glorious after-life, but what about those who dont believe this, and what if an after-life does not exist? Was assisted suicide still a good choice? Bernice doesnt believe in an after-life but said, I believe a person lives on in the memories of their friends and family. She still believes that her choice for assisted suicide will bring happiness. Because utilitarianism supports the majority, another common objection to utilitarianism is that by following this theory it often violates peoples rights. Assisted suicide would not violate anyones rights, if it was legal. In fact, by not legalizing assisted suicide, it is taking away the right of the person to make a personal decision to die. Bernice said, Can Parliament find the gumption to give me the right to assisted suicide? I could then have my family and friends around me to say goodbye as I die with dignity. The lives of people belong to no one, except themselves. Denying a person control of his/her life takes away a personal right. Under the theory of utilitarianism, assisted suicide is ethical and justified; the Divine Command Theory would disagree. The divine command theory is the view that to say that an action is morally wrong is to say that god disapproves of it, and to say that an action is right is to say that god approves of it. (Foster, Review Sheet, 2010)The Divine Command Theory bases ethics on Gods teachings. To many religious people the Bible is a book of Gods moral principles and teachings. In multiple places in the Bible, God tells people what He thinks about life and suicide. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). God gave man life, and therefore the life of all man belongs to him. Using assisted suicide is against Gods moral teachings. The Bible further explains that man belongs to Him: Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were b ought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Gods teachings show that assisted suicide is opposing His will. It is not a persons right to choose to take his/her life, because their body does not belong to them; it belongs to God. A person should live a full life and die when God chooses to end their life, not when that person decides to. Under the Divine Command Theory, morals come from God. God has set up laws and morals for people to follow and obey. Legalizing assisted suicide is against Gods teachings, and therefore is unethical. Just like with all theories, there are objections to the Divine Command Theory. The Divine Command Theory is flawed, because it does not consider a group of people like Bernice who are not religious and have no moral guidance under this theory. Where are people who do not believe in God supposed to get their moral teachings? How are they to decide right from wrong? Not even all religious people can agree on Gods teachings (cite). Using the Divine Command Theory, assisted suicide would be immoral for people who believe in God; however, those who do not have such beliefs in God would be left without guidance in regard to the issue of assisted suicide. The people who would like to have assisted suicide can be placed in a general category. For the most part, the people in this group are old, have health problems, are disabled in some way, and/or are near death. These people are often in pain and are incapable of living a normal life. They are no longer healthy and, in many ways, are living on the lives of others. In this kind of situation, it is very difficult to find happiness. Although an optimistic person could find joy in any situation, most people are not that optimistic and lose hope. Many people reach a point in their life where they give up. They cant find a purpose in continuing to live and would rather die a peaceful death instead of living in misery. Even though the person wants to die, he/she doesnt want to die in a gruesome way. Assisted suicide allows a person to take his/her life in a humane way. However moral or immoral the action of assisted suicide may be, a person should have the personal right to take his/her own life. Assisted suicide needs to be separated from normal thoughts of suicide. Suicide is often thought of as an irrational decision. The common methods of suicide are often inhumane and no one likes to think of a loved one participating in them. Assisted suicide is different; it is usually accomplished with a pill or an injection. Unlike the intentions of most people who commit regular suicide, assisted suicide is never meant to hurt someone or to escape from lifes troubles; rather, the person is ready to die and is not trying to escape living. A person planning to take his/her life through an assisted suicide has made a rational decision and often discusses their plans and decisions with a number of family members as well as with professional personnel. People have a blurred perspective as to whether the choice is really the persons who is participating in assisted suicide. Making assisted suicide legal would give people the right to make the decision, thus taking away the question as to whether he/she was persuaded to make the choice. Obviously, not all would choose assisted suicide for many different reasons such as religious reasons or that they just dont want to die. If assisted suicide was legal, it is possible that more people would choose to end their lives, because it could be so easily done. Some think that making assisted suicide legal persuades people to choose that action. If assisted suicide were available, people with severe disabilities because of their old age, might feel pressured to participate in assisted suicide even if they did not want to die, because they would be made to feel like they were a burden to the world. The person might decide to participate in assisted suicide, because it would be legal and conside red the proper and respectful thing to do. Although some people may feel pressure to use assisted suicide, it would still be the persons own choice. Just like anything in life, there are always people trying to persuade others to do something, but a person has to be strong and make personal decisions. The ethics of allowing assisted suicide can be compared to the issue life support. After a traumatic accident, some people are hooked up to life support, and are more like vegetables than humans, unable to do anything on their own. The family of the person has a choice as to whether or not to keep them alive with a machine or to pull the plug and let them die. The person who is on life support has no say in the decision to end his/her life. The person might want to continue living, and might not be ready to die, but if the family decides that letting them pass on is the best decision, then it is done. If disconnecting life support to end a persons life is legal, then assisted suicide should also be legal. People who are old and/or are burdened with disabilities are not living on a machine for life but rather are depending on the people around them for life. If a person is not on life support, it is unethical for family members to decide to end a persons life, but a person should have the right to end his/her own life, and it should be considered ethical. When people lose a loved one, it can be devastating. Many people die unexpectedly and in tragic ways. Dealing with the loss of any person is hard. With assisted suicide, the passing of a person can be expected, the family can be around, the method can be humane, and the family can find comfort in knowing that it was the persons own decision. The overall situation can bring joy to everyone involved. No one should be allowed to deny a person and his/her family the right to make a decision like this. Assisted suicide should be legal.

Letter to Frank in Eveline Essay -- essays research papers

Dear Frank,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You have made the biggest difference in my life in so many ways. Ever since my mother died, I have had a tough time getting along with things. You helped me liberate myself, from all the troubles that I know of. How you help me from day to day is priceless and I want you to never forget how much I care about you. You know that our relationship has been stressed on a little because of my father’s relentless attempt to put an end to it. I want you to remember that we did continue to see each other because we know that he is wrong for trying to keep us apart and that we do mean a lot to each other.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When we decided together to go away and leave everything we know of behind, I felt a bit nostalgic of the idea. I know that I am supposed to be there with you now, but I couldn’t come and I want to explain myself. This whole idea of getting married and moving away came quite quick. You are usually always sailing everywhere, and don’t have too much care for responsibility. Now you want to settle down right away, which befuddles me. I know you want to be with me and mean good, and I the same, but there are other things I must think of in all of this. Another possible problem is your tendency to spend all your money in one shot. We have to learn together to grow and be more responsible if we are to make a big change like getting married, not to mention moving away. You know that wh...

African Americans in the Revolutionary War

Before the Revolutionary War even began, slaves started to realize that the promises to secure their freedom from England and reduce the amount of slaves were seemingly unlikely. The African Americans were segregated and determined as free or enslaved. The Atlantic Slave Trade was setup to be a successful business in the 18th century , it sent slaves to southern states that specialized in agriculture. Slavery in the North was also legal and accepted as well. However, some colonies did allow free African Americans. Even though they had their freedom, rights of these African Americans were still confined.Black Codes consisted of stipulations such as, prohibiting their right to vote, forbidding them to sit on juries, and not allowing them the ability to testify against a white person in court. These codes made it hard to really feel like they had freedom and were in no way shape or form equal to a free white American. At the beginning of the American Revolution, African Americans were d emanded to choose whether to rebel, or to stay committed to the crown. Many African American slaves fought with Britain in the war because they were promised their freedom once again.A significant amount of African American slaves died during the Revolution, some of them got away but not very many. In the United States at this time, about 95% of the African Americans living here were enslaved. They were used by the white Americans during the war because of this. In 1777 George Washington approved the right for African American slaves to enlist, but only a small percentage actually did. A lot of the Northerners thought that the south using slaves on the front line was cruel and that the south needed their slaves in order to continue growing their economy.This made the South seem incompetent without their slaves. The African Americans fought for the United States and England. This was not right to use them and the British even used their heads to make them join and fight against the U nited States. The African Americans could win their freedom and go against their masters. Crispus Attucks was a black man who was considered the first death of the American Revolution. He yelled out â€Å"Don’t be afraid! †, and led a group of protesters against the British soldiers. I believe that the Boston Massacre was one of the final straws for the need of independence.An African American named Paul Cuffe, helped the American colonies by supplying them with goods and sneaking them past British ships. Another African American who was a minute man during the Boston Massacre was Lemuel Haynes. Salem Poor was one of the African American soldiers who fought at Bunker Hill. It is said that he shot Lieutenant Colonel James Abercrombie, a British officer. Prince Whipple was born in Africa and sold into American slavery at a young age. His master was William Whipple who he fought alongside in the war, but even though he did this he remained a slave throughout the revolutio n.He was was one of the 20 African American slaves who signed the New Hamshire Legislature which was asking for the elimination of slavery within this state. African-Americans were a very helpful and prominent part in fighting at Concord, Lexington, and Bunker Hill. James Armistead successfully petitioned his master to allow him to serve with the Marquis de LaFayette and he became a double agent in General LaFayette's service. He pretended to be a Loyalist slave spying on the Americans and invaded the Bristish General, Charles Cornwallis’s headquarters.All of the knowledge he gave to LaFayette helped the Americans win at the battle of Yorktown. LaFayette was so impressed with his doing that he actually petitioned the Virginia legislature to give him his freedom. When Lafayette saw Armistead in a crowd he called him by name and hugged him in public. James Armistead’s accomplishments in the revolution were so prominent and uplifting. My favorite African American idol dur ing the revolution to learn about is Phillis Wheatley. Not only because she is an intelligent and fortifying women but also for her poetry and strength to find a passion during these times.She was the first African American woman to have her work published as an American poet. . She was born in Gambia, Africa as a slave child and took her name from the Phillis, the slave ship that brought her to Boston and from her master, John Wheatley. Wheatley was a huge supporter of America freedom as well as African American slaves freedom. She published a collection of poems including one that was a memorial for the Boston Massacre. Phillis also wrote a poem for George Washington that she mailed to Cambridge, Massachusetts, the headquarters for the commander in chief.Washington happily replied with an invitation to come and visit him. She accepted immediately and met with him in Cambridge. George Washington also passed her story and excitement on to someone he knew in the publishing industry, and her poem was printed several times for the patriot cause. Phillis Wheatley was one of the most renowned poets of the eighteenth century. She was the first African-American to publish a book of imaginative writing and the first to start the African-American literary tradition.She combined religion and neo-classicism in her poems and most of her poems propose an escape from slavery. She rejoices death and the rewards and liberty of life after death. Mary Wheatley, the daughter of the family, taught her Latin, religion, English and literature. Apparently brilliant and with an ability for learning, Phillis became fluent in English. She was able to read passages from the bible and also showed interest towards astronomy, geography, history, Latin and Greek classics and British literature. Soon enough she was considered as a full-fledged poet in the art.Wheatley was influenced by the religious beliefs of her master and hence accepted Christianity as her religion. Her story is so outsta nding to me and the most powerful and prominent of them all. Even though she wasn’t actually fighting in the revolutionary war she was making a difference in history, fighting for what she believed in and following her heart and passion. To me this is just as worthy as enlisting in the war. In many ways, George Washington himself embodied the Revolution's mixed message for African Americans.Like many of the Founding Fathers, Washington owned slaves throughout his life and was influenced by contemporary racist views about African inferiority. Initially opposed to black enlistment in the Continental Army, Washington reluctantly agreed to allow certain free blacks to fight after Lord Dunmore's proclamation threatened to bring black patriots over to the British cause. In time the valor of his patriotic black soldiers and his friendship with antislavery advocates such as the Marquis de LaFayette convinced Washington that slavery was economically unsound as well as morally wrong.Ye t he maintained an ambiguous stance toward the institution, anxious to avoid fracturing the delicate sectional balance crafted at the Constitutional Convention. Washington's relationship with African Americans, like that of the new nation itself, was contradictory. He believed in â€Å"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness† but signed the Fugitive Slave Law of 1793, he viewed slavery as a moral evil but did not free his own slaves until after his death. This is baffling to me.Over five thousand African Americans had a role in the fight for the Independence of United States. I believe that the African Americans played just as big of a role in the Revolution as every other white American soldier. Works Cited http://fas-history. rutgers. edu/clemens/AfricanAmericansRevolution. html http://www2. coloradocollege. edu/Dept/HY/HY243Ruiz/Research/revolution. html http://www. digitalhistory. uh. edu/learning_history/revolution/revolution_slavery. cfm

Essay English

Opinion column in the glamour magazine – Stereotypical jokes on intelligence – For years and years I’ve been subjected to blonde jokes. You hear blonde jokes at elementary schools, you hear them around the water cooler at work and you hear them on morning drive-time radio. Ever heard of this one before? â€Å"Q. How do you get a blonde to laugh at a joke on Saturday? A. Tell it to her on Tuesday. † Are those jokes about blondes or intelligence of a certain ethnical group really considered as funny? Are they politically correct?One could tell a joke about intelligence of almost every ethnical group or attribute of someone, does this mean that these jokes are political correct now, because everyone is affected by it? A random person tells a joke about my intelligence assuming that I am stupid just because I am blonde. I don’t care about the blonde jokes, simply because the ones who tell the joke know exactly that it is not true. If people start to bel ieve and take it personally, it could cause a lot of problems. I am aware that I am not stupid, why would I be successful in my work then?Last week I walk into the office, everything as usual; my coffe and work awaiting on my desk, the employees getting ready to work. I get introduced to a new employee. A young tall man, seems confident, blue eyes, brown hair and dressed in a suite. Let’s say: Good looking. We talk, we laugh, I spill my coffee. He laughs and immediately has a blonde joke ready. Does he never spill his coffee? I could assume he’s a dumbass, just because he has the stereotyp of a good looking arrogant man. Certainly he didn’t mean to offend me, because we both know that blonde jokes are not true. Where is the context between blonde and dullness?The answer I believe is jealousy. Blondes are also seen as men-attracter, no matter if it is true or not. â€Å"Men prefer blonde women†, therefore other hair colored women are in the shadow of the b londes. Smells of jealousy! The men are not getting blamed for prefffering the blondes, but the blondes as stupid as they are â€Å"running after men†. Jealousy? Seriously? Are human beings getting so upset that they have to discrimnate someones intelligence only because of their hair color? Hair color neither has feelings nor can it talk, so what is it about the hair color? It is not only the blondes who are hearing the jokes over and over again.The first impression of an Asian people have is that they are smart. Without even talking to them their prejusdice is that this Asian person is smarter than everyone else. What would you say about the intelligence of an American? Yes, I can forsee you would say that they have no general knowledge. A joke about Americans â€Å"How does an american search for a rabbit ? He imitates the sound of a carrot. â€Å" The joke itself is funny and everyone knows that it is not true, since it is unrealistic. The thought behind the joke though is still considered as true, that Americans are stupid.Here is the point where it could cause troubles, if people actually believe in it. One cannot judge the Americans as stupid, since their culture might have teached them differently. Eduaction is different, but judge the one who is responsible for it and not the ones who are dependet of it. If they are not intelligent, why are we then buying their products? I use my Iphone everyday, I am writing on my MacBook and I love Starbucks. They all are American products. It needs intelligence to succeed, no matter what kind of product. It could be food, clothing or technic.I’m comparing Asians, Europeans and Americans now with their culture. People also say that the geographical knowledge of Americans are the worst, but does everyone in the world besides the Americans know where Estonia is? Would you know off by heart without looking at a map? I believe half of us wouldn’t know. In the American culture, people express oneâ €™s sentiments no matter if it is right or wrong and in case it is wrong they will laugh with it and correct is whereas in Europe it is embarassing. In Switzerland, where I live, it is an embarassement if you said something „veryâ€Å" wrong and people will laugh at you and not with you.In the Asian culture, for example in the Chinese culture there is the one-child policy. Obviously the parents want his only child to be successful and need to push them, therefore their effort overall in the culture is much higher than the ones of Americans. This still does not mean that Asians are smarter, only that some put in more effort and I would consider this as positive rather than negative. Maybe some are just again jealous that they don’t have the endurance to put in enough effort to achieve a goal. All these jokes about intelligence are superficial and therefore spread easily within a community or even outside the community.There is no logic behind these jokes, since one is proud of ones individuality and the whole world discloses individuality, but these jokes show the opposite. I clearly cannot see any correlation between these to human thoughts. I will just live with the blonde jokes and be amused of them rather than being offended, they are still funny. Intelligence cannot be measured through appearance or nationality. It’s obnoxious, unfair and stereotypical to blame intelligence on appearance or on an entire nationality. The lack of intelligence or â€Å"overdose† of intelligence simply doesn’t come from these factors.