Theodore Roosevelt President, Conservationist, Man s...

Theodore Roosevelt: President, conservationist, man’s man, and an american hero. The things he did for our country before, during and after his presidency are beyond number. From his early days, he suffered from asthma and overcame it with sheer determination and regular exercise, proving his persistence (Cooper). He managed to get into Harvard, and was known to run for miles through the woods daily in order to keep physically fit. He used this same determination to enter politics and ascend to President, and also throughout his presidential terms. There is no doubt that Roosevelt contributed a great amount to society and had a lasting effect on the nation, effects that reverberate even to today. Many people assume that Theodore Roosevelt became President the same way the majority do, with a general election. In actuality, Roosevelt was first elected to the position of Vice President. Beforehand, he had been elected the governor of New York in 1898. He was often looked at as a very active governor, doing much towards stopping corruption in political offices. During his governance, he was known to crack down on big businesses, upsetting his republican party allies (PBS). In a plot to end his political career, his allies elected him to the Vice Presidency, a position often recognized as a career ending job. Running against a nobody from the democratic party, the republicans won by a landslide. Everything went according to plan until the assassination of President McKinleyShow MoreRelatedTheodore Roosevelt And His Influence On Our Lives1388 Words   |  6 PagesWho was this grad-school dropout who would preside as president of the United States and win a nobel peace prize? Theodore Roosevelt was an accomplished man that had tremendous influence on our lives today through his presidency as well as his political contributions. Over the next few pages we will take a closer look at the Theodore or â€Å"Teddy† Roosevelt’s accomplishments in life, his presidency and delve into his political policies. Theodore Roosevelt’s childhood was adventurous despite him sufferingRead MoreTheodore Roosevelt : The Great Impact On The United States1519 Words   |  7 PagesHailey Nguyen Biography of Theodore Roosevelt Period 5 would be Theodore Roosevelt was a president, father, hunter, author, and war hero. He played all these roles utilizing his hard work, integrity, and optimism that drove him to transform America. Theodore, nicknamed Teddy, made one of the greatest impacts on the United States by taking actions to reform the way people lived and ensure a successful future for the country. Teddy solved problems, and today’s problems, like global warming, isRead MoreEssay on Theodore Roosevelt1788 Words   |  8 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Theodore Roosevelt was a man on a mission. Maybe he didn ¹t know it, but he was. He affected millions of people throughout his life in many different ways. He was the leader of a famous military group, he was an author, a lawyer, and he was also the 26th president of the united states, all of these things ended up bringing him fame.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He was born in New York City on October 27, 1858 into a rich Dutch family. He was always a cowboy at heart. Even though he was born in a big city his cowboy

Can Military Force Promote Humanitarian Values Free Essays

string(53) " forces where such a need exists \(Davidson, 2012\)\." Abstract Recent years have seen an increase in humanitarian interventions which have involved military operations. However is it feasible that the two operations, military and humanitarian are compatibleThis paper investigates whether this is the case and, to do so, assesses military force in terms of the values which underpin humanitarianism. This paper utilises a case study from the Libyan conflict to assess whether there is a politicised nature in the push for military led humanitarian operations, and examines whether there is a political undertone in the increased usage of military forces. We will write a custom essay sample on Can Military Force Promote Humanitarian Values? or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is argued that this undertone serves to undermine the possibility that military forces can promote humanitarian Introduction For several decades, humanitarian intervention has been a factor in military operations. This paper examines whether military forces can promote the values of humanitarianism during aid operations. To do so this paper will examine a number of elements and seeks to define humanitarianism. In doing so, the question of what role military forces can play is considered. This includes, for example, where military forces are deployed to affected regions or states and the role which they have been asked to conduct. This paper investigates whether the underlying aims of military forces are compatible with that of humanitarianism. This paper argues that they are not and that recent years have seen developments where military action has been wrongly justified on the grounds of humanitarian intervention. What is Humanitarianism? The concept of humanitarian intervention which utilises military force can be classed as a subjective one. Whilst some commentator’s class military led humanitarian interventions as being â€Å"the use of military force to protect foreign populations from mass atrocities or gross human rights abuses† (Waxman, 2013), others such as Marjanovic (2012) define the action as being â€Å"a state using military force against another state when the chief publicly declared aim of that military action is ending human-rights violations being perpetrated by the state against which it is directed†. Yet despite the subjectivity, there is a series of components which can be extracted from these various definitions. These components include: a form of war or conflict, the potential that non-combatants will be negatively affected by this conflict; and where human rights abuses are considered to be taking place In essence, there are a number of factors which should be present when military led humanitarian assistance is being considered. Weiss (2012: 1) argues that there is an underlying notion of a â€Å"responsibility to protect† and that this has a tendency to dominate modern geo-political thinking, but instead it is arguable that the global community can be accused of cherry picking where it seeks to intervene. Weiss had previously argued that any intervention should incorporate aspects of post conflict redevelopment programming (Minear Weiss, 1995), yet since the perpetuation of military led humanitarian interventions, he has reconsidered his perspective to argue that such actions should now constitute â€Å"activities undertaken to improve the human condition† (Weiss, 2012: 1). This latter inclusion indicates that the shift in conflict dynamics, from one which is largely based on conventional warfare to the usage of non-state actors and combatants in an asymmetric confl ict zone has been a party to Weiss’s new perspective. Where values are considered, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) (2013) argue that these incorporate aspects of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence. Essentially, therefore, it can be argued that where military forces are deployed to support humanitarian operations that it is essential they act according to these guiding principles. Role of the Military in Humanitarian Interventions Recent years, particularly since the end of the Cold War (Pattison, 2010), have seen military operations to support humanitarian interventions in a number of collapsed or failed states. These include, but are not limited to, Iraq, post-Gulf War One (1991 – 2003), Bosnia – Serbia (1995), Kosovo (1999), East Timor (1999) Somalia (2002), Haiti (2004), and Libya (2011) whilst other humanitarian interventions which have required military assistance can be considered to have taken place in post conflict Iraq and Afghanistan (Pattison, 2010). Weiss (2012) argues that the concept of humanitarian intervention has increased the potential for interventions into states in order to protect non-combatants from conflict. Contrary to this, the earlier reference to cherry picking provides a casing point when the political discourse which took place at the United Nations (UN) Security Council in relation to the ongoing conflict in Syria can be considered to be a case where the window o f opportunity for intervention has now closed, particularly since this conflict has led to the involvement of Islamic State and the Kurdish Peshmerga (Dagher, 2014). Increase in Military led Humanitarian Operations As stated, recent decades, particularly since the end of the Cold War, have seen a rise in the numbers of ethnically charged conflicts and where humanitarian interventions have been considered as necessary (Kaldor, 1998). In a review of this era, Kaldor noted that there had been a change in the dynamics of conflict and that the underpinning issue was of a series of belligerents and combatants which were not constrained by international regulations, such as the Geneva Convention protocols, Laws of Armed Conflict or relevant United Nations Charters (Kaldor, 1998). This changed dynamics has perpetuated and has spread to a number of conflict zones around the world, but has also seen a rise in the usage of conventional forces to support non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Similarly, Christoplos, Longley, and Slaymaker (2004) also noted a changed emphasis in humanitarian aid provision during this era. They argued that the underpinning programmes have been utilised to create a tripartite system of humanitarianism which incorporates rehabilitation (for both state and society), development of state and social infrastructures and relief programmes which provide for maintaining civil society during crisis periods. This particular perspective reinforces a belief that military interventions can help NGOs deliver aid by providing security (Seybolt, 2007). Nevertheless the incorporation of military activity into this mix has also resulted in a further complication since military operations deploy to aid zones with a preposition of maintaining operational security. This includes the potential for combating belligerent forces where such a need exists (Davidson, 2012). You read "Can Military Force Promote Humanitarian Values?" in category "Essay examples" Stability Operations Global Humanitarian Assistance (GHA) (2013) argues that the first decade of the twenty first century has seen a near trebling of military support for NGOs in countries which have been affected by war, natural disaster or where the state infrastructure has been affected sufficiently that it is unable to assist with recovery programmes. GHA also note that peacekeeping operations have increased at a similar rate, particular in the years discussed earlier by Kaldor (1998) to the present day. UK military doctrine emphasises that any military activities which has a humanitarian focus should incorporate stability operations (Ministry of Defence, 2011). In clarifying this position, the UK Ministry of Defence added that: â€Å"The peacekeeper fulfils a mandate with the strategic consent of the main warring parties, allowing a degree of freedom to fulfil its task in an impartial manner, while a sustainable peace settlement is pursued.† (Ministry of Defence, 2011: 1.1). Such a perspectiv e indicates that the simple inclusion of additional personnel to assist NGOs is not the primary role of military forces but instead is indicative of a more political role which is intended to shape the political landscape of the affected region or state where assistance is being provided. This aspect does not sit comfortably with the principles of humanitarianism as espoused by NGOs such as the ICRC (2013). This perspective is further enforced when it is noted that the Ministry of Defence cannot rule out military action during humanitarian operations. Doctrinal papers evidence that military operations will also incorporate war fighting components as well as security duties. This was the case in Afghanistan, which was a stabilisation operation during which the UK military â€Å"had the consent of the host nation government but no other warring party (Afghanistan: Taliban 2001 – present) [†¦] A military force may decide in such situations that the defeat of a specific enemy is essential to the success of the operation.† (Ministry of Defence, 2011: 1.1). Essentially, therefore, there is a political perspective which can serve to undermine any arguments of altruism during a humanitarian operation which is supported by military efforts. Should Military led Humanitarian Interventions be justified? The UN backed military operation in Libya during its recent uprising and civil conflict was arguably mandated via humanitarian intervention based upon aid relief and assistance (United Nations, 2011). However it is arguable thatthat this particular intervention was politically motivated since it is evident that the Gaddafi regime had previously irked those states (USA, UK France) which were at the forefront of the military aspect of intervention (Boulton, 2008). The argument put forward by the trio of states sought to ensure a quick resolution to the conflict and that a perpetuation of the conflict would lead to a humanitarian crisis. Kuperman (2011) notes that Resolution, 1973 allowed for a number of additional practices by military forces. These included, for example, allowing intervening forces to stabilise the Libyan conflict, to assist the undermining of the authority of the Gaddafi regime and to help bring the conflict to a swift conclusion. To achieve this Kuperman (2011) not es that Libyan state financial and economic assets were frozen, the regime was also subjected to an arms embargo (Kuperman, 2011). It is also to be noted that the USA, France and the UK also operated outside of the mandate provided by the UN by deploying private military contractors to fight alongside insurgents seeking to overthrow the Gaddafi regime (RT News, 2012). That said, the Libyan conflict has not ended and continues to dominate local Libyan politics and society. This outcome serves only to undermine the utilitarian role of humanitarianism. It is fair to suggest that the actions by military forces were more political than humanitarian and served only to perpetuate the US led policy of regime change. This is a factor which Williamson (2011) argues has resulted in military planners utilising military force within humanitarian relief efforts and which has served only to muddy the political and societal dynamics of any affected zone. Williamson’s (2011) argument can be considered in tandem with the British military doctrine which refuses to rule out combat efforts but in relation to the post-Cold War era which has seen non-state combatants realign the battlefield to one which compares directly to a counter insurgency warzone (US Government, 2012). Legal Issues Where the Libyan case study is considered, it is worthwhile noting that, previously, Goodman (2006) had argued that there is a clear contradiction between military interventions into any state using a guise of humanitarian purposes. Goodman (2006) furthers his argument by stating that there is no legal justification for a unilateral humanitarian intervention into another country, and that it is highly unlikely that such a move will ever be likely. The rationale behind this argument is that states then have the potential to militarily intervene in other states using humanitarianism as a justification for regime change or some other ulterior motive. It is to be noted that Goodman bases his arguments upon the dynamics of recent interventions in Kosovo and Iraq as well as the refusal to intervene in the Sudan or in Rwanda (Goodman, 2006). Similarly when attempts were made to intervene militarily under the auspice of humanitarianism in Syria, this was rebuffed by the UN General Assembly s ince it was suggested that those who sought to intervene (again, the USA, UK and France) were doing so out of a political motive which involve a war fighting phase as opposed to relieving suffering on the ground, indeed a part of the proposal was to arm anti Assad militias which were aligned to the al Qaeda franchise (Benotman and Blake, 2013). The outcome of this particular policy has been the evolution of Islamic State. Conclusion In conclusion, the incorporation of a military force to benefit humanitarian operations can serve to benefit the potential for aid relief via the provision of security escorts for NGOs when operating in hostile environments. However with recent decades seeing a vast increase in the preference for military led humanitarian operations, the potential for a conflation between humanitarian principles and the advancing of political aspirations of donor states cannot be denied. This has been the case in Libya where humanitarianism was presented as a causal justification for military interventions which were mostly politically or ideologically led. With the vales of humanitarianism incorporating impartiality and neutrality it is hard to see how military forces can promote humanitarian values, particularly when their presence may result in engaging with potential belligerent forces in order to stabilise a country or region so that NGOs can conduct their own operations successfully. Essentiall y, therefore the aims of military forces (and their political masters) are vastly different from aid agencies, this serve to provide confirmation that military forces cannot promote humanitarian values, purely by virtue of their own activities and nature of their work. Bibliography Benotman, N., and Blake, R. (2013) Jabhat al-Nusra: A Strategic Briefing, London: Quilliam Foundation. Boulton, A. (2008), Memoirs of the Blair Administration: Tony’s Ten Years, London: Simon Schuster. Christoplos, I., Longley, C. and Slaymaker, T., (2004) The Changing Roles of Agricultural Rehabilitation: Linking Relief, Development and Support to Rural Livelihoods, available at http://odi.org.uk/wpp/publications_pdfs/Agricultural_rehabilitation.pdf, (accessed on 13/11/14). Dagher, S., (2014) Kurds Fight Islamic State to Claim a Piece of Syria, (online), available at http://online.wsj.com/articles/kurds-fight-islamic-state-to-claim-a-piece-of-syria-1415843557, (accessed on 13/11/14). Davidson, J., (2012) Principles of Modern American Counterinsurgency: Evolution and Debate, Washington DC: Brookings Institute. Global Humanitarian Assistance, (2013) Counting the cost of humanitarian aid delivered through the military, London: Global Humanitarian Assistance. Goodman, R., (2006) Humanitarian Intervention and Pretexts for War, (J), American Journal of International Law, Vol. 100: 107 – 142. International Committee of the Red Cross, (2013) Humanitarian Values and Response to Crisis, (online), available at https://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/misc/57jmlz.htm, (accessed on 13/11/14). Kaldor, M., (1998) New and Old Wars: Organized Violence in a Global Era, Cambridge: Polity Press. Kuperman, A., (2011) False Pretence for war in Libya, available at http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2011/04/14/false_pretense_for_war_in_libya/accessed on 13/11/14). Marjanovic, M., (2011) Is Humanitarian War the Exception?, (online), available at http://mises.org/daily/5160/Is-Humanitarian-War-the-Exception, (accessed on 13/11/14). Minear, L and Weiss, T.G., (1995) Mercy Under Fire: War and the Global Humanitarian Community, Boulder: Westview Press. Ministry of Defence, (2011) Peacekeeping: An evolving Role for the Military, London: HMSO. Pattison, M., (2010) Humanitarian Intervention and the Responsibility To Protect: Who Should, Oxford: Oxford University Press. RT News, (2012) Stratfor: Blackwater helps regime Change, (online), available at http://www.rt.com/news/stratfor-syria-regime-change-063/, (accessed on 13/11/14). Seybolt, T., (2007) Humanitarian Military Intervention: The Conditions for Success and Failure, Oxford: Oxford University Press. United Nations, (2011) Resolution 1973, (online), available at http://www.un.org/press/en/2011/sc10200.doc.htm#Resolution, (accessed on 13/11/14). US Government, (2012) Counter Insurgency, Virginia: Pentagon. Waxman, M., (2013) Is humanitarian military intervention against international law, or are there exceptions?, (online), available at http://www.cfr.org/international-law/humanitarian-military-intervention-against-international-law-there-exceptions/p31017, (accessed on 13/11/14). Weiss, T., (2012) Humanitarian Intervention, Cambridge: Polity Press. Williamson, J., (2011) Using humanitarian aid to ‘win hearts and minds’: a costly failure?, (J), International Committee of the Red Cross, Vol. 93, (884): 1035 – 1062. How to cite Can Military Force Promote Humanitarian Values?, Essay examples Can Military Force Promote Humanitarian Values Free Essays string(65) " belligerent forces where such a need exists \(Davidson, 2012\)\." Abstract Recent years have seen an increase in humanitarian interventions which have involved military operations. However is it feasible that the two operations, military and humanitarian are compatibleThis paper investigates whether this is the case and, to do so, assesses military force in terms of the values which underpin humanitarianism. This paper utilises a case study from the Libyan conflict to assess whether there is a politicised nature in the push for military led humanitarian operations, and examines whether there is a political undertone in the increased usage of military forces. We will write a custom essay sample on Can Military Force Promote Humanitarian Values? or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is argued that this undertone serves to undermine the possibility that military forces can promote humanitarian values. Introduction For several decades, humanitarian intervention has been a factor in military operations. This paper examines whether military forces can promote the values of humanitarianism during aid operations. To do so this paper will examine a number of elements and seeks to define humanitarianism. In doing so, the question of what role military forces can play is considered. This includes, for example, where military forces are deployed to affected regions or states and the role which they have been asked to conduct. This paper investigates whether the underlying aims of military forces are compatible with that of humanitarianism. This paper argues that they are not and that recent years have seen developments where military action has been wrongly justified on the grounds of humanitarian intervention. What is Humanitarianism? The concept of humanitarian intervention which utilises military force can be classed as a subjective one. Whilst some commentator’s class military led humanitarian interventions as being â€Å"the use of military force to protect foreign populations from mass atrocities or gross human rights abuses† (Waxman, 2013), others such as Marjanovic (2012) define the action as being â€Å"a state using military force against another state when the chief publicly declared aim of that military action is ending human-rights violations being perpetrated by the state against which it is directed†. Yet despite the subjectivity, there is a series of components which can be extracted from these various definitions. These components include: a form of war or conflict, the potential that non-combatants will be negatively affected by this conflict; and where human rights abuses are considered to be taking place In essence, there are a number of factors which should be present when military led humanitarian assistance is being considered. Weiss (2012: 1) argues that there is an underlying notion of a â€Å"responsibility to protect† and that this has a tendency to dominate modern geo-political thinking, but instead it is arguable that the global community can be accused of cherry picking where it seeks to intervene. Weiss had previously argued that any intervention should incorporate aspects of post conflict redevelopment programming (Minear Weiss, 1995), yet since the perpetuation of military led humanitarian interventions, he has reconsidered his perspective to argue that such actions should now constitute â€Å"activities undertaken to improve the human condition† (Weiss, 2012: 1). This latter inclusion indicates that the shift in conflict dynamics, from one which is largely based on conventional warfare to the usage of non-state actors and combatants in an asymmetric confl ict zone has been a party to Weiss’s new perspective. Where values are considered, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) (2013) argue that these incorporate aspects of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence. Essentially, therefore, it can be argued that where military forces are deployed to support humanitarian operations that it is essential they act according to these guiding principles. Role of the Military in Humanitarian Interventions Recent years, particularly since the end of the Cold War (Pattison, 2010), have seen military operations to support humanitarian interventions in a number of collapsed or failed states. These include, but are not limited to, Iraq, post-Gulf War One (1991 – 2003), Bosnia – Serbia (1995), Kosovo (1999), East Timor (1999) Somalia (2002), Haiti (2004), and Libya (2011) whilst other humanitarian interventions which have required military assistance can be considered to have taken place in post conflict Iraq and Afghanistan (Pattison, 2010). Weiss (2012) argues that the concept of humanitarian intervention has increased the potential for interventions into states in order to protect non-combatants from conflict. Contrary to this, the earlier reference to cherry picking provides a casing point when the political discourse which took place at the United Nations (UN) Security Council in relation to the ongoing conflict in Syria can be considered to be a case where the window of opportunity for intervention has now closed, particularly since this conflict has led to the involvement of Islamic State and the Kurdish Peshmerga (Dagher, 2014). Increase in Military led Humanitarian Operations As stated, recent decades, particularly since the end of the Cold War, have seen a rise in the numbers of ethnically charged conflicts and where humanitarian interventions have been considered as necessary (Kaldor, 1998). In a review of this era, Kaldor noted that there had been a change in the dynamics of conflict and that the underpinning issue was of a series of belligerents and combatants which were not constrained by international regulations, such as the Geneva Convention protocols, Laws of Armed Conflict or relevant United Nations Charters (Kaldor, 1998). This changed dynamics has perpetuated and has spread to a number of conflict zones around the world, but has also seen a rise in the usage of conventional forces to support non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Similarly, Christoplos, Longley, and Slaymaker (2004) also noted a changed emphasis in humanitarian aid provision during this era. They argued that the underpinning programmes have been utilised to create a tripartite system of humanitarianism which incorporates rehabilitation (for both state and society), development of state and social infrastructures and relief programmes which provide for maintaining civil society during crisis periods. This particular perspective reinforces a belief that military interventions can help NGOs deliver aid by providing security (Seybolt, 2007). Nevertheless the incorporation of military activity into this mix has also resulted in a further complication since military operations deploy to aid zones with a preposition of maintaining operational security. This includes the potential for combating belligerent forces where such a need exists (Davidson, 2012). You read "Can Military Force Promote Humanitarian Values?" in category "Essay examples" Stability Operations Global Humanitarian Assistance (GHA) (2013) argues that the first decade of the twenty first century has seen a near trebling of military support for NGOs in countries which have been affected by war, natural disaster or where the state infrastructure has been affected sufficiently that it is unable to assist with recovery programmes. GHA also note that peacekeeping operations have increased at a similar rate, particular in the years discussed earlier by Kaldor (1998) to the present day. UK military doctrine emphasises that any military activities which has a humanitarian focus should incorporate stability operations (Ministry of Defence, 2011). In clarifying this position, the UK Ministry of Defence added that: â€Å"The peacekeeper fulfils a mandate with the strategic consent of the main warring parties, allowing a degree of freedom to fulfil its task in an impartial manner, while a sustainable peace settlement is pursued.† (Ministry of Defence, 2011: 1.1). Such a perspectiv e indicates that the simple inclusion of additional personnel to assist NGOs is not the primary role of military forces but instead is indicative of a more political role which is intended to shape the political landscape of the affected region or state where assistance is being provided. This aspect does not sit comfortably with the principles of humanitarianism as espoused by NGOs such as the ICRC (2013). This perspective is further enforced when it is noted that the Ministry of Defence cannot rule out military action during humanitarian operations. Doctrinal papers evidence that military operations will also incorporate war fighting components as well as security duties. This was the case in Afghanistan, which was a stabilisation operation during which the UK military â€Å"had the consent of the host nation government but no other warring party (Afghanistan: Taliban 2001 – present) [†¦] A military force may decide in such situations that the defeat of a specific enemy is essential to the success of the operation.† (Ministry of Defence, 2011: 1.1). Essentially, therefore, there is a political perspective which can serve to undermine any arguments of altruism during a humanitarian operation which is supported by military efforts. Should Military led Humanitarian Interventions be justified? The UN backed military operation in Libya during its recent uprising and civil conflict was arguably mandated via humanitarian intervention based upon aid relief and assistance (United Nations, 2011). However it is arguable thatthat this particular intervention was politically motivated since it is evident that the Gaddafi regime had previously irked those states (USA, UK France) which were at the forefront of the military aspect of intervention (Boulton, 2008). The argument put forward by the trio of states sought to ensure a quick resolution to the conflict and that a perpetuation of the conflict would lead to a humanitarian crisis. Kuperman (2011) notes that Resolution, 1973 allowed for a number of additional practices by military forces. These included, for example, allowing intervening forces to stabilise the Libyan conflict, to assist the undermining of the authority of the Gaddafi regime and to help bring the conflict to a swift conclusion. To achieve this Kuperman (2011) not es that Libyan state financial and economic assets were frozen, the regime was also subjected to an arms embargo (Kuperman, 2011). It is also to be noted that the USA, France and the UK also operated outside of the mandate provided by the UN by deploying private military contractors to fight alongside insurgents seeking to overthrow the Gaddafi regime (RT News, 2012). That said, the Libyan conflict has not ended and continues to dominate local Libyan politics and society. This outcome serves only to undermine the utilitarian role of humanitarianism. It is fair to suggest that the actions by military forces were more political than humanitarian and served only to perpetuate the US led policy of regime change. This is a factor which Williamson (2011) argues has resulted in military planners utilising military force within humanitarian relief efforts and which has served only to muddy the political and societal dynamics of any affected zone. Williamson’s (2011) argument can be considered in tandem with the British military doctrine which refuses to rule out combat efforts but in relation to the post-Cold War era which has seen non-state combatants realign the battlefield to one which compares directly to a counter insurgency warzone (US Government, 2012). Legal Issues Where the Libyan case study is considered, it is worthwhile noting that, previously, Goodman (2006) had argued that there is a clear contradiction between military interventions into any state using a guise of humanitarian purposes. Goodman (2006) furthers his argument by stating that there is no legal justification for a unilateral humanitarian intervention into another country, and that it is highly unlikely that such a move will ever be likely. The rationale behind this argument is that states then have the potential to militarily intervene in other states using humanitarianism as a justification for regime change or some other ulterior motive. It is to be noted that Goodman bases his arguments upon the dynamics of recent interventions in Kosovo and Iraq as well as the refusal to intervene in the Sudan or in Rwanda (Goodman, 2006). Similarly when attempts were made to intervene militarily under the auspice of humanitarianism in Syria, this was rebuffed by the UN General Assembly s ince it was suggested that those who sought to intervene (again, the USA, UK and France) were doing so out of a political motive which involve a war fighting phase as opposed to relieving suffering on the ground, indeed a part of the proposal was to arm anti Assad militias which were aligned to the al Qaeda franchise (Benotman and Blake, 2013). The outcome of this particular policy has been the evolution of Islamic State. Conclusion In conclusion, the incorporation of a military force to benefit humanitarian operations can serve to benefit the potential for aid relief via the provision of security escorts for NGOs when operating in hostile environments. However with recent decades seeing a vast increase in the preference for military led humanitarian operations, the potential for a conflation between humanitarian principles and the advancing of political aspirations of donor states cannot be denied. This has been the case in Libya where humanitarianism was presented as a causal justification for military interventions which were mostly politically or ideologically led. With the vales of humanitarianism incorporating impartiality and neutrality it is hard to see how military forces can promote humanitarian values, particularly when their presence may result in engaging with potential belligerent forces in order to stabilise a country or region so that NGOs can conduct their own operations successfully. Essentiall y, therefore the aims of military forces (and their political masters) are vastly different from aid agencies, this serve to provide confirmation that military forces cannot promote humanitarian values, purely by virtue of their own activities and nature of their work. Bibliography Benotman, N., and Blake, R. (2013) Jabhat al-Nusra: A Strategic Briefing, London: Quilliam Foundation. Boulton, A. (2008), Memoirs of the Blair Administration: Tony’s Ten Years, London: Simon Schuster. Christoplos, I., Longley, C. and Slaymaker, T., (2004) The Changing Roles of Agricultural Rehabilitation: Linking Relief, Development and Support to Rural Livelihoods, available at http://odi.org.uk/wpp/publications_pdfs/Agricultural_rehabilitation.pdf, (accessed on 13/11/14). Dagher, S., (2014) Kurds Fight Islamic State to Claim a Piece of Syria, (online), available at http://online.wsj.com/articles/kurds-fight-islamic-state-to-claim-a-piece-of-syria-1415843557, (accessed on 13/11/14). Davidson, J., (2012) Principles of Modern American Counterinsurgency: Evolution and Debate, Washington DC: Brookings Institute. Global Humanitarian Assistance, (2013) Counting the cost of humanitarian aid delivered through the military, London: Global Humanitarian Assistance. Goodman, R., (2006) Humanitarian Intervention and Pretexts for War, (J), American Journal of International Law, Vol. 100: 107 – 142. International Committee of the Red Cross, (2013) Humanitarian Values and Response to Crisis, (online), available at https://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/misc/57jmlz.htm, (accessed on 13/11/14). Kaldor, M., (1998) New and Old Wars: Organized Violence in a Global Era, Cambridge: Polity Press. Kuperman, A., (2011) False Pretence for war in Libya, available at http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2011/04/14/false_pretense_for_war_in_libya/accessed on 13/11/14). Marjanovic, M., (2011) Is Humanitarian War the Exception?, (online), available at http://mises.org/daily/5160/Is-Humanitarian-War-the-Exception, (accessed on 13/11/14). Minear, L and Weiss, T.G., (1995) Mercy Under Fire: War and the Global Humanitarian Community, Boulder: Westview Press. Ministry of Defence, (2011) Peacekeeping: An evolving Role for the Military, London: HMSO. Pattison, M., (2010) Humanitarian Intervention and the Responsibility To Protect: Who Should, Oxford: Oxford University Press. RT News, (2012) Stratfor: Blackwater helps regime Change, (online), available at http://www.rt.com/news/stratfor-syria-regime-change-063/, (accessed on 13/11/14). Seybolt, T., (2007) Humanitarian Military Intervention: The Conditions for Success and Failure, Oxford: Oxford University Press. United Nations, (2011) Resolution 1973, (online), available at http://www.un.org/press/en/2011/sc10200.doc.htm#Resolution, (accessed on 13/11/14). US Government, (2012) Counter Insurgency, Virginia: Pentagon. Waxman, M., (2013) Is humanitarian military intervention against international law, or are there exceptions?, (online), available at http://www.cfr.org/international-law/humanitarian-military-intervention-against-international-law-there-exceptions/p31017, (accessed on 13/11/14). Weiss, T., (2012) Humanitarian Intervention, Cambridge: Polity Press. Williamson, J., (2011) Using humanitarian aid to ‘win hearts and minds’: a costly failure?, (J), International Committee of the Red Cross, Vol. 93, (884): 1035 – 1062. How to cite Can Military Force Promote Humanitarian Values?, Essay examples

Essay on Reconstruction free essay sample

The outcome of Reconstruction has been labeled a success and a failure both. When Reconstruction started in 1 865, we had just finished fighting in the Civil War. Reconstruction was a time period of trying to put the pieces of a broken America back together. It was a point in time that America tried to become a full running country once again. It wasnt easy, though. Death was a recent memory still burned into everybody minds, turning into resentment. The South was almost non-existent, both politically and economically, trying to find a way back in.Amongst all this, there were almost four million former Essay _-. :. Cur_ slaves who didnt have a clue how to make a living on their own freed by the thirteenth Amendment in 1 865, and soon became political leaders. Something had to be done, and nobody made it. A few leaders came forward with their own ideas for Recons each of them were sure that their idea was the right one. We will write a custom essay sample on Essay on Reconstruction or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Abram the president at the time, was the first person to come up with Reconstruction. The Lincoln Plan was an open one, and it stats. Retain criteria were met a Confederate state could return to the Tate had to have ten percent of voters accept emancipation of loyalty to the union, and high ranking officers of state could mol voting rights unless the president said so. Abraham Lincoln WA before he could test his plan. After his death the Republican Pa themselves The Radical Republicans, emerged with their own ICC Reconstruction. They had two main objectives. First, they were South and blamed them for the Civil War and wanted to punish Second, they wanted to help the four million freed slaves. They slaves needed protection and wanted to do that.There were the Radical Republican leaders. They were Thatched Stevens, Char and President Andrew Johnson. Thatched was a political man v place in the House of Representatives. His main concern was TTT opportunity for slaves. He wanted them to know how to make own. Charles Sumner was a senator who mostly fought for Affair political rights and their citizenship. He thought that the All me equal part of the Constitution should be for everybody. For Mac Most likely due to the fact that Johnson was Lincoln Vice Press( Reconstruction plan that just about mirrored the former PresideRadicals did not approve, though. They felt he went over the In pardons, and he wasnt paying attention to the major issue, the slaves. In 1868 Johnson was impeached. Congress stepped in v plan for Reconstruction and it was passed. They had two main I though. First, the troops were to move in and reside in the con in the South. Second, any State that wanted back into the Noir allowed to do so if they changed their 14th amendment. They a agree that everybody born in the U. S were citizens and they we treated fairly and as equals by the law.

The virtue of Religion Essays - Spirituality, Human Behavior

The virtue of Religion Religion comes from the Latin verb religre, to bind , so that we in religi on are bound to God . Religion implies that there is a supreme being that has control over our destinies and the universe. It implies se condly that man has recogn ized that there is such a being, and that he needs H is help, and that he freely subjects his life to Him by acts of homage and love which is to worship Him. When we do this habitually we possess the virtue of religion. Religion as a virtue is a, "Quality of mind and heart which inclines us to pay to God the worship due to Him." The object, motive, and act are the three elements in the notion of re ligion. God is the object. The Blessed V irgin and saints are all secondary to him becau se of their nearness to Him. Our motive is our complete dependence on God. Worship is the act of religion and we worship Him by our love and devotion. We have a strict duty to worship God becaus e he is our creato r; t herefore , H e has the right to demand our love, honor, reverence , and complete submission . We owe G od our int ernal as wel l as our external worship . Without external worship internal worship soon becomes extinct . External worship is saying prayers and not thinking about them which means nothing to God. When we put them bo th together it is very powerful, but saying prayers externally is good because it keeps us in the habit. Sometimes we express our external pray ers to arouse our internal prayer s , and we need to express pray er external ly to arouse others around us. When we utilize the sacrifices of the mass and the sacraments God wants us to profess them externally and internally. There are two different k inds of prayer, direct and indirect. When we pray directly to God th at is a direct act of religion; a n indirect act of religion is when we honor him through the saints. Direct acts of religion Prayer is an act of worship, and prayer is defined as raising our minds and hearts to God. Prayer is the simplest kind of worship. Prayer may be vocal or mental; it is vocal wh en we speak it aloud, or it can be mental when we meditate . The act of mental pray er is not necessary but it is very powerful and it will advance us in virtue. There are four great objections of prayer; adoration, thanksgiving, petition, and contrition. The most valuable act to God is adoration because it is purely love for God. Thanksgiving is giving thanks to God for whatever he has done for us . Petition is asking God to do something for us. It is the most used prayer. We do contrition when we have offended God so that we may be forgiven . The world around us isn't regulated by chance and fate ; i t is by the power and mercy of God. That is why we pray to God for rain or anything else that we need to happen in our daily lives. We pray to God not that he does not know what we need, but because He wants us to pray to Him. He expresses this wish in (Matt. 6, 32), "Your Father knoweth that you have need of these things," yet He also told us "that we ought always to pray and not to faint," (Luke 18, 1). St. Augustine says that we may pray for whatever we lawfully desire, and he also said that we should pray for all men. If someone wants to help someone then t he most powerful thing that he can do is pray for them. We are never allowed to not pray for our enemies . God counsels us on our prayers, and He says "Pray for them that persecute and calumniate you." Since prayer is speaking to God we should pray with attention and devotion. Merely speak ing words is not a prayer, we should have

Product Review of Do 2 Learn

Product Review of Do 2 Learn Visit Their Website In search of emotions cards to use as part of my social skills programs and the article I wrote on Emotional Literacy, I found Do2Learn.com, a great resource for emotions, but with a range of other offerings. Not everything on offer is of equal quality or value, but the unique quality of the free games and social skill songs make the whole site worth adding it to your favorites. In an effort to make a full offering of activities as well as their super interactive games, the publisher put up some kind of lame art and writing activities. They are overly simple, lack much specificity and replicate things that are free on other sites. The interactive games, on the other hand, are super for children with disabilities, especially students with poor skills and an interest in computers. They are also great for classrooms with Smart Boards or Promethean Boards, as these boards act as giant touch screens, and students with poor motor skills get a bit of gross motor activity in as well. A Mix of Free and Inexpensive Games and Resources The free computer games and songs come with some companion activities, which are generally sold as inexpensive digital files delivered to your email. Resources for Emotions I stumbled on the site in search of emotions cards. I have a set that was already in my classroom, but I wanted to find other resources to recommend to my readers. I stumbled on the feelings cards that  you can print on your color printer. It uses the faces of real models, faces that reflect diverse ages, races and ethnic backgrounds. And when I found the ​Feelings Game, another free resource, I was delighted. I have been using it with my class on the Smart Board in my classroom. My students take turns tapping the sad or angry person on the nose. It also has three levels, from matching the face to the emotion, moving on level 2, where you read a scenario, and choose how a person would feel, and finally reading a scenario and naming the emotion you see on the persons face. There is a second free activity is the Facial Expressions game, which allows children to manipulate facial simulations to mirror human facial expressions. In some ways they seem kind of creepy, but students on the autism spectrum love the computer, and it does help them isolate specific aspects of facial expressions, from the direction of the eyes to the shape of the mouth. A Cursory Survey of Disabilities and Disabilities Terms It seems that the creators of Do2Learn are attempting to create a comprehensive special education website, but the informational pages are cursory at best. The disabilities sections offer both definitions of the disabilities and an adjoining page that lists strategies. And List is the right word: the strategies are dense and dont provide the logic behind choosing specific interventions. They are not written with enough specificity to inform the novice, nor enough structure to help professional plan interventions. Worksheets and Activities for Students with Disabilities The Do 2 Learn team also attempt to provide a broad range of activities, activities for students from a range of ages, disabilities and challenges. I work in the same field, and know the challenges of creating attractive worksheets and materials to support the range of needs for children. They include fine motor activities like cutting, letter recognition and Math activities. I find the activities they create worthwhile, but with poor production values. By all means, feel free to use them, but they are not the reason for a trip to Do 2 Learn. Picture Cards Do2Learn has created their own pictures cards to be used for Picture Exchange. They seem pretty comprehensive, and may work as a suitable substitute for PECS, Boardmaker symbols or Pogo Symbols. They claim to have over 2,000 symbols, but without access to their picture making system, its hard to gauge the range and readability of the pictures. Still, Id check them out before purchasing one of the other two systems. Do 2 Learn: The Destination for the Feelings and Emotions Resources Put Do 2 Learn in your favorites, if you are doing social skills and emotional literacy activities. These are outstanding. The color and math Mahjong games will be fun for your students, as well. Put shortcuts on the computers your students use, especially for young students or students with emerging skills. They will enjoy them. The other activities that make it worth the trip are the social skill songs for safety. Not songs you will want on your IPod; still, paired with short videos they are catchy and will help young students with disabilities remember important steps to guarantee personal safety. By all means, make the trip. Check out Do2Learn and see if they have resources you can use. Visit Their Website

40 Back From Christmas Break Writing Prompts

40 Back From Christmas Break Writing Prompts Christmas break is over and now its time to get back into the swing of things. Your students will be very eager to talk about all that they did and received over the holiday break. A great way to give them the opportunity to discuss their adventures is to write about it. Christmas Break Writing Prompts What was the best gift that you received and why?What was the best gift that you gave, and what made it so special?Write about a place that you went over the Christmas break.Write about something you did with your family over Christmas break.How did you bring joy or happiness to someone other than your family this holiday season?What are your familys holiday traditions? Describe all of them in detail.What is your favorite Christmas book? Did you get to read it over break?Are there any parts of the holiday that you didnt like? Describe why.What are you most grateful for this holiday season?What was your favorite holiday food that you had over break?Who was the person you spent the most time with and why? What did you do with them?What would you do if Christmas, Hannukah, or Kwanza was canceled this year?What is your favorite holiday song to sing? Did you get a chance to sing it?What did you miss the most about school when you were on break and why?What was one new thing you did this h oliday break that you didnt do last year? What will you miss the most about Christmas vacation and why?Did you get to see a movie over winter break? What was it and how was it? Give it a rating.Think of three New Years resolutions and describe them and how you will keep them.How will you change your life this year? Describe the steps you are going to take.Write about the best New Years Eve party that you have ever attended.What did you do for New Years Eve? Describe in detail your day and night.Write about something you are looking forward to doing this year and why.Write about something you hope will get invented this year that will change your life.This will be the best year because†¦I hope that this year brings me†¦.Make a list of five ways your life is different this year than it was last year.Its the day after Christmas and you noticed you forgot to unwrap just one gift†¦This year I really want to learn†¦.In the next year, I would like to†¦.My least favorite thing about Christmas break was†¦List three places you wish you could have visited over winter break and why. If you had a million dollars, how would you spend it over winter break?What if Christmas only lasted one hour? Describe what it would be like.What if Christmas break was for one three days, how would you spend it?Describe your favorite holiday food and how you can incorporate that food into every meal?Write a letter to Santa thanking him for everything you received.Write a letter to the toy company about a defective toy you received.Write a letter to your parents thanking them for everything you received for Christmas,If you were an elf how would you spend your Christmas vacation?Pretend you are Santa and describe how you will spend your Christmas break. Celebrate the Holidays with Christmas Activities

Police and alcohol abuse Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Police and alcohol abuse - Research Paper Example Alcohol forms a significant component of cultural, social and interpersonal associations in most societies across the world. According to Doherty and Roche (2003), alcohol is the most widely used drug in the world in spite of its well documented adverse effects on health and social order. Medically, research has demonstrated that consuming moderate amounts of the beverage is beneficial to health by reducing incidents of cardiac ailments especially among the elderly (Lindsay, 2008). However alcohol abuse is a major global concern, affecting people in various professional backgrounds. The adverse effects of excessive alcohol consumption to the user and others are documented in numerous research studies. Excessive alcohol consumption is a major contributing factor of premature death, high morbidity rates and accidents in the population. In addition, it increases of interpersonal violence and aggravates mental illnesses such as depression resulting to high suicidal rates in the contemporary society (Doherty and Roche 2003). In the police force, alcohol consumption does not only cause health problems, but also impacts negatively on the officers’ performance. In a profession that requires high levels of alertness, alcohol use lowers reaction time and reduces mental and physical coordination. A combination of these factors results to reduced productivity in the work place, high levels of absenteeism and increases the risks of work related injuries and accidents(Lindsay, 2008). Research findings on drinking habits of police officers indicate that they drink higher quantities of alcohol in a given occasion compared to the general population (Amaranto, et al 2003). Several factors are attributed for alcohol abuse in the police.

Nursing care to transgender Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Nursing care to transgender - Research Paper Example Nursing care to transgender: Current state of knowledge Both the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force define transgender â€Å"broadly to include those who transition from one gender to another (transsexuals), and those who may not, including genderqueer people, cross-dressers, the androgynous, and those whose gender non-conformity is part of their identity† (NTDS, 2011, p. 12). Gender non-conformists include lesbians, gay, and bisexuals (NTDS, 2011, p. 12). Provision 1 of the Code of Ethics for Nurses of the American Nurses Association (2001) pointed out that â€Å"the nurse, in all professional relationships, practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of health problems.† The preamble of the Code of Ethics prescribed by the International Council of Nurses clearly and unequivocally pointed out that nursing care must be respectful and unrestricted by gender and gender orientation (ICN, 2006, p.1). In line with the codes of ethics mentioned, this review of literature seeks to find out the current state of knowledge in gender-orientation-sensitive health care. ... literature seeks to find out what material can be considered as the material that can provide a basic reference for protocols and approach towards a gender-orientation-sensitive health care. This review covers materials from 2009 to 2012 and starts from a review of literature conducted on the subject in 2009. Thus, the inclusion criteria followed for the literature review are works written from 2009 to 2012, published in nursing or health journals, and must have the word transgender in the title of the material. The exclusion criteria included materials that are unpublished or non-journal articles, published earlier than 2009, and those that are only online materials. Other materials appear in the bibliography because they are relevant to be discussed in elaborating the points articulated in the selected materials. In a review of literature Addis et al. (2009, p. 647) pointed out that â€Å"member of various groups will have different needs, risks and expectations which impact on he alth, well-being and patterns of accessing health and social care services.† Primarily based on this point, the authors justified why a review of literature on social and health care are important among the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender older people. The focus of the authors’ integrative review of literature was to find out what research has indicated to be the appropriate guidelines or principles in health care among transgender people. Addis et al. (2009) pointed out that transgender people have been largely unknown, together with the gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. Based on their 2009 review of literature, Addis et al. observed that among the main themes that can be derived in the health care studies involving the social groups are isolation and their state of mental health.

Business to Nation Building Essay Example for Free

Business to Nation Building Essay There are three particular foundations sustaining any process that concerns nation building: government representing political leadership; civil society or the citizens of the country; and business or the economic sector. These three concepts must work together and as much as possible, work together harmoniously to drive the said nation-building process forward because they serve as the hands and feet of the nation. Business is the cornerstone of prosperity in society: companies create the resources that permit social development and welfare. Companies, through their commercial operations, actively contribute to progress in society. Obviously, the government alone cannot accomplish things especially its projects and programs on its own. Had it been capable, it would already have done it. Without the businesses around, the government wouldn’t work out the plans it opt to undertake because it needs funds coming from taxes and taxes comes from these establishments. The ability to produce an added value for firms – profit – is the basic prerequisite for business, but it is also a foundation for prosperity in society. Only profitable companies are sustainable in the long term and capable of creating goods, services, processes, return on capital, work opportunities and a tax base. This is what business does better than any other sector. Hence, companies’ basic commercial operations are the primary benefit they bring to society. Companies benefit society by: Supplying goods and services that customer cannot, or do not want to, produce themselves * Creating jobs for customers, suppliers, distributors and co-workers; these people make money to support themselves and their families, pay taxes and use their wages to buy goods and services * Continually developing new goods, services and processes * Investing in new technologies and in the skills of employees * Building up and spreading international standards, e. g. or environmenta l practices * Spreading â€Å"good practice† in different areas, such as the environment and workplace safety The role of business in the development of society can be described in many ways. In another point of view, they are sometimes referred to as the company’s corporate social responsibility. Corporate Social Responsibility is a less broad concept than civic involvement. Even though there is no set, internationally accepted definition, this is often described as a voluntary responsibility that transcends the demands of national legislation and includes the human rights and environmental and social issues. Another definition of CSR uses sustainable development as a starting point. In practice, CSR means that businesses meet the demands of national legislation and, where this is inadequate, look in addition to a collection of established, fundamental freedoms and rights that are globally recognized. CSR demands that businesses manage the economic, social and environmental impacts of their operations to maximize the benefits and minimize the downsides. Business is the ‘game-changer’ of today’s world. We are significantly dependent on them. Majority of our day-to-day activities are involved with an interaction with various kinds of businesses (whether you felt hungry and decided to buy food or you just went to a parlor to have a haircut). But what’s good to know is that they do not benefit from us alone whenever we pay their goods or services but they give mutual advantage for the welfare of the greater society by having their own share in nation-building, too.

Graduation Speech :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Tonight is a turning point in our lives. We've struggled through 12 longs years together to make it to this stadium -- to wear these ridiculous looking caps and gowns as our families watch us proudly. But tonight is more than just a ceremony, it is the closing of a chapter in our lives, the end of our public education. Our education has been a time of maturing, goal-setting and self-discovery. Mostly this has been positive. Time sure flies, so my parents say, but I think it's been a long 12 years -- 13 if you count kindergarten when our parents first put us on that big yellow school bus. As time passed, we discovered that school wasn't so bad. We learned reading, writing, arithmetic, and of course, our most scholarly class: recess. Junior high was another story. We were very eager to discover ourselves and to mature -- perhaps too eager. Above all, we learned to think a lot about ourselves and not much about anything else. High school has been a time of self-discovery for all of us. Suddenly, in high school we got responsibility -- more than we wanted. We balanced jobs, sports, family, friends, and of course, homework. We also found ourselves busy with school assignments -- chasing down butterflies for our biology insect collections, parallel parking the family car for driver's ed., going to the library to actually do research and pulling all-nighters to write our term papers. It is not surprising that by the middle of 12th grade we began to develop a little syndrome -- sometimes referred to as senioritous. However, we managed to trudge through the last part of this year to achieve the dream and goal that we've worked so hard for. High school has really been about setting goals and accomplishing them. As this chapter closes in our lives, it gives way for the opening of many more chapters to come; all of which will bring new challenges. Accomplishing our dreams is what gives meaning to life. The poet Carl Sandburg said, "Nothing happens unless first a dream.

The Katrina Breakdown

The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina may be remarked as a very important aspect to understand the relationship between federal, state, and local governments when it comes to major catastrophe. In Katrina’s case, federalism is seen as central to what was largely a government-created disaster. Numerous scientific articles are trying to offer various interpretations of what went wrong and why; however, out of all perspectives, I find Stephen Griffin’s argument most persuasive. Yes, I may agree with Martha Derthick that there were both success and failures in governmental responses to the disaster, but I also find this idea less persuasive because there were more failures than successful responses. I may agree with Marc Landy’s position that federalism was put to a difficult test that required effective decisions, speed and coordination, and I agree that some citizens were not cooperating with the mandatory evacuation orders and consequently were the ones to blame. However, Griffin’s examples of governmental failure show something valuable about the nature of federalism. First of all, he proves that federalism is not simply about the fact of the existence of federal and state governments. Federalism is also about localism. Despite being dependent for their legal authority on state governments, local governments have substantial legal and political authority. Prior to Katrina, federal disaster policy had been based formally on the idea that local governments knew local conditions best. However, one of the most unusual characteristics of Hurricane Katrina was how it blasted away the entire local government infrastructure in New Orleans. It challenged assumptions as to how the federal structure needed to operate, not just during a crisis, but also in preparing for crisis situations. It also removed the basis on which the National Response Plan was built. Second, the failure to respond to the disaster exposed one of the few real structural weaknesses in the U. S. Constitution – a mechanism to coordinate the work of local, state and national governments. While Washington had difficulty making long-range plans, coordinating its actions and political decisions, local, state and federal officials were debating over who was in charge. The fractured division of responsibility – Governor Blanco controlled state agencies and the National Guard, Mayor Nagin directed city workers, and the head of FEMA, Mr. Brown, served as the point man for the federal government – meant no one was in charge. For example, the evacuation was delayed unnecessarily because the federal and state governments could not communicate effectively about who was supposed to provide transportation. It meant that officials were unaware that there were thousands of people without food, water, or bare necessities. The consequences of this governmental paralysis were appalling human suffering and the humiliation of the U. S. government in the eyes of the nation and the whole world. Another part of the problem was that the scale of devastation was vast. It appeared that Katrina was beyond the capacity of the state and local governments, and it was beyond the capacity of FEMA. Federal authorities were waiting for state authorities who were supposed to combine local decisions to request resources in an emergency. However, when local governments and communications had been wiped out, state authorities did not know what to request. The extent of the crisis meant that state officials were unable to cope. In other words, when the crisis hit, different agencies could not communicate with one another due to different types of systems. When in fact, Katrina was a national problem and could only be solved by a national mandate. It seems that the federal system must be a certain way because it has always been that way – it is a system that the founding generation designed and thought was well-justified. Among other effects, this saves officials from having to fully confront their own responsibility for how the system is run. In Katrina’s case, for instance, there was no justification for allowing local and state authorities to fight for years over who was going to buy which communications system. They should have not fight over the idea of how the block grants needed to be distributed. Indeed, they would not have been able to fight at all were it not for the federal dollars they were receiving. Unless some institutional and constitutional lessons of Katrina are learnt, if another terroristic event, or a massive earthquake, or even another hurricane happens, we will get the same ill-coordinated response. We need to stop our customary thinking about what federalism is and what it requires in order to prevent another disaster. The formal structure that does carry over from the eighteenth century is misleading because it has been supplemented and subtly altered by continuous institutional change. To quote Stephen Griffin: â€Å"The federal system as it exists today is our system, not that of the founding generation. â€Å"We† – generations still alive – created it and we are continuing to change it. † In any event, if this system is ours, we are responsible for its successful operation and we can decide to change it for good and sufficient reasons.

New Religions Essay

Present essay studies how new religions are born in the context of social, cultural and intellectual relations between people. The analysis addresses the origins of three Abrahamic religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam to trace their origins, historical and social needs that drove their development and intrinsic ties with their predecessors. The thesis is defended that the birth of religions should not be regarded as merely divine providence, intellectual development, but should be understood through the prism of socio-political developments in a given society. The origins of Christianity Christianity was not born as fully autonomous religion, but in contrast was under a great influence of Judaism (Brown, 963). This influence relates to the same canonical religious texts, including Old Testament, monotheism etc. Hence, Christianity was born simultaneously as a follower and opponent to Judaism. There is no denying the importance of the fact that social roots of Christianity should be traced in Jewish revolutionary movement against Judaist aristocracy, living in wealth and oppressing lower classes and Roman dominance, which was particularly aggressive. In its intellectual roots Early Christianity focused on critique of material goods, which is reflected in its celebration of soul, love and salvation. Such ideology was particularly successful amongst ordinary people, who saw Christianity as the source of their liberation (Bruce, 235). However, notwithstanding these social roots, Christian religion was for a long time persecuted in Judea and Roman empire in general. It did not function as state religion until AD 325 when the First Council of Nicaea took place and Constantine the Great made his historical decision. Until that time Christianity functioned within different sects, which focused on often contradictory interpretations of Bible, Greek philosophy, Gnosticism, Judaism etc (Grant, 45). Therefore, establishing Christianity as a full-fledged religion required its ascendance in the role of state religion and codification of its canonical legacy. The task was realized by St. Paul, who transformed the earlier premises of Christianity and made them affordable to interpretation by state power. Various Christian Councils later codified Christian texts and interpreted them to create unified traditions. Other interpretations of Christianity were persecuted by official Christianity, which marked the final stage in its transformation into full-fledged religion. Judaism The historical roots of Judaism should be traced back in the social need of Judea state to legitimize and develop its national autonomy in the ancient world (Shaye and Cohen, 36-39). The proof of the latter thought may be found in Tanakh (Old Testament), a canonical text of Judean tradition. Old Testament presents a Jewish nation (Childern of Israel) in their direct relationship with God, who proclaimed them the chosen nation. The latter shows that Judaism was central for Judea in positioning itself as the most progressive state in the Middle Eastern region. The historical origins of Judaism should also be traced in the need of regulating social relations in Judean society. This is the most evident in commandments or Law of Moses, which includes 613 laws, regulating various spheres of life in society. Hence, there is no denying the importance of the fact that Judaism was a very important ethical, legislative and moral tool in ancient Jewish society. Its main principles were later included in Talmud, which became the prototype of religious legislative system in general. Notwithstanding the fact that Judaism was the first monotheistic religion it was influenced by some ancient religions such as Zoroastrianism, from which Judaism borrowed certain cult practices, monotheistic ideas and philosophical mindset (Shaye and Cohen, 295). The ties of Judaism are also evident with Christianity and Islam, which form the group of common Abrahamic religions. Islam Islam has its historical roots both in Judaism and Christianity. As it is widely known, Islam uses Christian tradition of preaching Jesus; however, unlike Christianity in Muslim tradition, Jesus is regarded as a mortal person (Esposito, 23). Muhammad, the final prophet of God is regarded as a great reformer, who restored the original monotheistic tradition of Moses, Jesus and Abraham, which arguably was distorted in Christianity and Judaism. Therefore, it may be said that Islam is based on permanent reference to Judaism and Christianity, as the sources of its own development. The birth of Islam was also fostered by the ethical, intellectual and moral needs of Arab societies. Quran may be compared to Torah in this respect, because it served as the main tool for regulating social relations in Muslim societies. Its main commandments were included in Shariat law, which reflects Muslim tradition of correspondence between law and religious norms. Moreover, it should be noted that Islam was born and developed in the period of the rapid ascendance of Arab civilization as the center of power and development in Asia (Esposito, 68). Arab conquests and interrelations with the West were premised on the construction of the national and religious identity, which was found in Islam. Islam served as the tool for contrasting Muslim world with Western and allowed unifying various Muslim nations in the single task of promoting the cause of Mohammad. To sum it up, we have discussed major historical, social, cultural and ethical causes, which influenced the birth of three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The analysis shows that their birth and development should be understood as the complex process, affected not only by intellectual development, but deeper social and political processes, including revolutionary movement, the inception of new nationalist states, the relations between different civilizations etc. Bibliography Brown R. E. 1994. The Death of the Messiah: From Gethsemane to the Grave. New York: Doubleday, Anchor Bible Reference Library. Bruce F. F. , 1988. The Canon of Scripture. Intervarsity Press. Esposito, John. 2003. The Oxford Dictionary of Islam. Oxford University Press Grant, M. 1977. Jesus: An Historian’s Review of the Gospels. New York: Scribner’s. Shaye, J. D. and Cohen. 1999. The Beginnings of Jewishness: Boundaries, Varieties, Uncertainties, Berkeley: University of California Press.

College GPA Does It Really Matter

College GPA Does It Really Matter Freaking out about your GPA? Sure, you’ve been told your whole life that grades are the difference between becoming a millionaire and having a lifelong career at Taco Bell. As a college student, that idea is emphasized even more, with many vital courses for your degree having specific GPA requirements. As the end of the semester approaches, you may be spending sleepless nights worrying about whether you did enough to get your GPA to that millionaire-level or if you should just learn how to make a killer Mexican Pizza. Fortunately, your GPA isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. In fact, there are several very real reasons why your grades aren’t the end-all be-all of your college experience. Just take a look at these facts and statistics about GPA and you may be able to relax enough to keep your current grade level in perspective. 60-70% of HR recruiters think that GPA is important Okay, so GPA is important. In fact, when you’re looking for a job after college, a majority of hiring managers will want to see a GPA above 3.0. Still, if you haven’t met that magical arbitrary number, don’t worry. A full 30-40% of businesses don’t even look at GPA. Instead, they’ll be interested to see what kinds of extracurricular, community, and volunteer experiences you’ve had. 43% of letter grades given are A’s In a recent study from Teacher’s College Record, almost half of all grades that are given are A’s. This means that getting a 4.0 really doesn’t mean what it used to. Many employers know this and understand that being good at kissing the teacher’s butt doesn’t necessarily mean that a person is smarter or more qualified. Lots of influential organizations like Google and America don’t care about GPA Lazlo Bock, the Senior VP of People Operations for Google said in a New York Times interview, â€Å"GPA’s are a worthless criteria for hiring, and test scores are worthless†¦We found that they don’t predict anything.† This is proving to be a very valuable theory, with many CEOs, business leaders, and even president’s not boasting very high GPA’s. Remember what George W. Bush said: â€Å"To all the C-students: I say, you too can be president of the United States.† 45% of college dropouts leave school with a GPA between 2.0 and 3.0 The pressure to get good grades and keep them can be so overwhelming for some students that it will push them out of college altogether. It’s all about how students perceive their success. According to research from the Education Advisory Board (EAB), students who have a mixture of B’s and C’s are more likely to stay in school than those with a mix of A’s and F’s. Despite their equal potential, focusing on â€Å"perfect† grades can actually be a deterrent to success. People not concerned with GPA tend to have higher GPA’s In a small study conducted at Cal State San Marcos, researchers found that students who were most concerned about GPA were more likely to have lower ones. While this could be due to some students’ confidence in their abilities, it could also be that a lack of stress about grades helped them to do better on tests and naturally increased their scores. Your GPA may depend on your personality Although everyone has to take tests, there is a certain group of people who seem to excel naturally when it comes to bumping up their GPA. In a study done at Rice University, students who were considered â€Å"conscientious† (disciplined and goal-oriented) had higher GPA’s overall. That means GPA’s may do a good job defining the work ability of certain types of students, but completely miss the qualities of students who are more laid back and people-oriented. 51% of MBA programs ding applications based on GPA Although 51% seems like a high number, it’s actually a good thing. What this means is that, while over half of MBA programs see GPA as in indicator of success, almost half think that it’s not a big deal. So depending on your program of choice, GPA can either be a deterrent or a non-issue. Schools with tougher grading policies produce almost 60% fewer successful MBA applicants Schools who participate in grade inflation may not be as honest as others, but they have more students who are accepted into post-graduate programs. In fact, research published in PLOS One showed that students from schools with stringent grading policies (i.e., they only gave out 10% A’s) had only 12% of their applicant’s accepted. Schools with inflated grades were accepted 72% of the time – often because the school in question was seen as prestigious. Basically, it’s important to do your best in school – but don’t put too much emphasis on your GPA. Instead of fretting about how you can get that A+ rather than an A, focus on the additional value you can bring to your school and career. A person who has proven to be a creative, innovative self-starter is going to be much more attractive than a super-smart person who only knows how to take a test. Hows your GPA doing? Are you worried about your grades at the moment? Do you have some GPA success formula? Tell us more, dont be shy!

A Short Quiz About Partial Quotations

A Short Quiz About Partial Quotations A Short Quiz About Partial Quotations A Short Quiz About Partial Quotations By Mark Nichol Formatting quotations can be tricky, especially when the words between the quotation marks do not constitute a complete sentence. How would you revise these clumsily formatted partial quotations? For each example, compare your corrections to mine in the paragraphs following each one. 1. â€Å"These days, says Smith, ‘The market does the valuation work for you.’† To clarify the context, the writer has provided the quotation with an introductory phrase the person quoted did not actually utter; therefore, it is not inserted within the quotation marks. And because although â€Å"The market does the valuation work for you† is a full sentence the potential quotation is â€Å"These days, the market does the valuation work for you,† the original quote is treated as a partial quotation and therefore does not begin with an initial-capped word: â€Å"These days, says Smith, ‘the market does the valuation work for you.’† Also, the attribution tag (â€Å"says Smith†) could be relocated to follow the quotation, but the sentence’s rhythm is better as is. 2. â€Å"But he conceded that, ‘with the world like it is, the situation looks a little different now.’† If you do choose to make a partial quote immediately follow a contextual paraphrase, note that unlike as in the case of a simple attribution tag, when the paraphrased part of the sentence and the quotation portion are linked by that, they are not separated by a comma: â€Å"But he conceded that ‘with the world like it is, the situation looks a little different now.’† However, if you convert the initial phrase to an attribution tag, do insert a comma after it: â€Å"But, he conceded, ‘with the world like it is, the situation looks a little different now.’† 3. â€Å"If you own a business ‘dependent on an abundant, reliable water source,’ he said, you probably aren’t thinking about building a plant in Las Vegas.† In journalistic writing, quoted material gives the article a sense of accessibility you feel like you are there listening to the source and of veracity. But some people are more quotable than others, and some reporters are better at recording their source’s utterances better than others. Often, in the rush to capture a speaker’s comments, the reporter manages just a phrase here and there and presents them as partial quotes. Sometimes that works, and sometimes it doesn’t. Here, as is frequently true, the exact words are inconsequential because the statement is mundane; there’s no personality or pithiness in the prose. In that case, it’s usually better just to treat the information as a paraphrase a rewording of the quotation even if it includes words or phrases (or the entire sentence fragment) actually uttered by the source: â€Å"If you own a business dependent on an abundant, reliable water source, he said, you probably aren’t thinking about building a plant in Las Vegas.† 4. â€Å"Smith kept his cool, but he was clearly upset that the plan was meant to ‘discredit the committee’s work and undermine its conclusions before those conclusions are even reached.’† This partial quotation could be converted to a paraphrase, but because the issue is sensitive and the speaker is critical in his choice of words, most reporters would retain the markers indicating that these are the source’s exact words. However, although it is strongly implicit in this sentence that Roberts is the source of the partial quotation, that’s not good enough. Even if a contextual phrase preceding a partial quotation refers to the speaker, insert an attribution tag: â€Å"Smith kept his cool, but he was clearly upset that the plan was meant to, as he put it, ‘discredit the committee’s work and undermine its conclusions before those conclusions are even reached.’† 5. â€Å"He championed an $11 billion water bond ensuring ‘a reliable water supply for future generations, as well as restoring ecologically sensitive areas.’† This quotation is less stable than the previous one because it’s even less clear here that the person identified as the subject uttered the partial quotation. Make the connection clear: â€Å"He championed an $11 billion water bond ensuring, he said, ‘a reliable water supply for future generations, as well as restoring ecologically sensitive areas.’† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Congratulations on or for?How to Punctuate with â€Å"However†20 Criminal Terms You Should Know

The Belief in Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Belief in Education - Essay Example The children were having their Hindi lessons. And the teacher was seated on a chair placed inside the broken walls. We greeted each other and the children gathered around me trying to communicate with me in whatever few English words they knew. The teacher told me, â€Å"We had a proper school until last year. But it was destroyed last year in a grenade attack. You might know that in Kashmir we are having some trouble with extremists and there was a shoot out between the army and them. Thank God, it was vacation time. No child was hurt. But we lost the school building.† I was shocked though I knew a little bit about the situation in Kashmir. Even some of our friends had warned us not to go to Kashmir, but my father said, â€Å"What is the use of visiting India without seeing the paradise on Earth!† Our tour operator also said we could visit some safe areas of Kashmir if we insisted. â€Å"Why do you take this much risk to continue the school?†, I could not help a sking the teacher, â€Å"can't the children go to some other school in a safer place?† The teacher smiled and said, â€Å"You know, 25 years back, in this village, every house had at least one man who was with the extremists. But after this school came in 1985, we have two doctors, 13 school teachers, and one deputy collector even, all of them completing their 10th standard in this school. And we have fewer extremists. And of course, less unemployment. If this school is not functioning, the next nearby school is 35 kilometers away from here. How many of these children do you think will be able to go there?† I bade the children and teacher goodbye and walked back to our car. Faces of impoverished child soldiers from Sri Lanka, Africa, Lebanon... that I have seen on television flashed before my mind's eyes. Hadn't their fate been different if they had the opportunity to get a proper education? Until then I had never realized the transformation that education could bring into a man or woman. As I lived in a country where there are universal education and better opportunities to avail it, education was like environment. I was inside it and was never aware of its existence and how it molded me. Now I started thinking.