Finders keepers my ethical dilemma Essay

Introduction My mother always told me I must learn to think for myself, question a situation and most importantly, I must learn to say ‘NO’, cause when the devil shows or makes you an unbelievable offer it’s harder than you think to say ‘NO’. Regardless of ethnicity, religion or culture when faced with a moral dilemma there is no telling how you would react or what your decision will be, even if you grew up as a devout Catholic like I did, and were expected to obey the Ten Commandments till the day you die or ‘burn for eternity in hell!’, or if you are lucky, spend part of eternity in purgatory atoning for you sins. Often we are placed in situations that test our ethical resolve. Lapses in ethics due to a dilemma can occur because of the simplest of issues like a need or fear. A dilemma is a situation requiring a choice between equally undesirable alternatives. An ethical dilemma can also be known as a moral dilemma or temptation. Moral temptations are viewed as â€Å"the right choice verses the wrong choice†. The right choice is not necessarily the easy choice. Any situation in which there are two choices to be made, neither of which resolves the situation in an ethically acceptable fashion nor provides a satisfactory outcome for the chooser adequately describes a dilemma. Ethical dilemmas assume that the chooser will abide by societal norms, such as codes of law or religious teachings, in order to make the choice ethically impossible. Knowing how to best resolve difficult moral and ethical dilemmas is never easy. Situation I Found Myself In Three years ago I left my job as a teacher to work in an employment agency to gain ipractical accounting experience. Not long after I started working the owner fired her sister and sister-in-law leaving me as the only member of staff. In December of that same year a pastor well known to my employer came into the office and placed an envelope on the chair next to where he sat down. He got up and left the envelope there. Firstly, I had no idea the envelope contained. So when I saw the envelope I thought it was empty and I was pretty annoyed that this man had left an empty envelope on the chair and didn’t have the courtesy to throw his rubbish in the bin!! So instead of taking the initiative to throw the envelope in the bin, I left it there. Yes I left it there on the chair. Secondly thing you should know is that my boss and I were not on the best terms. My boss obviously irritated that I made no attempt to throw the envelope in the bin asked me to do so. As I picked up the envelope I realized it was not empty, I looked inside only to become conscious that not only was it not empty, but it actually contained a large sum of money in one hundred dollar bills. In fact it contained thirty thousand dollars. Yes, THIRTY THOUSAND! My dilemma at that very moment was whether to confirm to my boss that envelope was empty throw it in the bin and take the money when she left the office or let her know the envelope contained a large sum of money and it is possibly belonged to the pastor. But what if it did not belong to the pastor? I would lose out on some much needed money and besides, if it did not belong to the pastor we may not be able to find out who it belonged to. And I believe in my heart of hearts if we did not find who it belonged to my boss would have claimed the money herself. Finding the rightful owner could have been a challenge, as a great deal of different people passed through the office on a daily basis, most of whom we did not know and the pastor was not the only one in the office at the time. I needed the money, Christmas was right around the corner and getting presents for the family that year was going to be a challenge as my salary was less than it was previously. Here I was faced with a way out, but what should I do? It will help, surely help and with a little left over for the future it couldn’t hurt! This predicament can be examined through the paradigm of right verse right or right verses wrong. A paradigm refers to the framework or pattern of thought we use to determine and perceive events surrounding us. It is considered as the lens we see our life through, helping us to interpret the world around us and determine how we interact with this world. Our paradigm is infused with prejudice, assumptions, expectations and beliefs from which our values ethics and rules flow. On one hand wrong argues ‘finders keepers’, how it could be wrong to keep something that may not make it to the right person any way. On the other hand right argues that keeping something that don’t belong to you without trying to genuinely find the rightful owner or taking an action that will deny the rightful owner the opportunity to recover their lost item is as good as stealing. It is against the law to take something that doesn’t belong to you and you can go to jail if caught and convicted. Regardless of religion or social strata, honesty, responsibility, fairness, respect and compassion are considered the five main values. You only need to fail in one; if you’re not honest you will still be considered unethical even if you’re fair, responsible, and deeply compassionate. Without realizing it our actions and response to ethical situations is guided by the principles of ethical decision making. According to Kidder there are three such principles. The first is called Ends-Based Thinking: doing whatever is needed to produce the greatest good for greatest number. The second is The Rule Based Thinking: which focuses on what we ought to do rather than what we think is best and or might work. Third is the Care– Based Thinking: which is chiefly based on the golden rule â€Å"do onto others as you will have them do unto you†. The use of these principles is to help you determine the correct course of action when faced with a dilemma, not provide an automatic solution to moral problems and issues. So here I am with thirty thousand dollars in my hand. I had no idea it was that much at the time and the only thing I can think is I started asking myself questions and turning over the answers in my mind. The first thing I asked is what are the benefits of keeping this money? Is it fair? What if the person trace back their steps what would I say? What if it is for something important? If I was in this same situation how will I feel? Will I want this person to do everything in his power to give me back my money? WHAT IF I GET CAUGHT? What then? Is this the person I want to become? And my answers at the time was ‘Screw religion yes it is fair, I found it fair and square’. I don’t have to worry about getting what I need done I have more than I need now. So what if he comes back it’s just not here and if I am really good, which I was and still am, I won’t get caught. But if I were in that situation I would be devastated and would want whoever found it to remember me and try to get it to me. But I also did not want to become that person who has to think twice about being honest. So when my boss passed by and asked is there anything in the paper I opted to do unto others as I will have them do unto me as the care base thinking commands. I turned to her and said ‘yes’ with a shocked expression on my face ‘it has money a lot of money. I think it belongs to the pastor’. The money was returned to the pastor; I was out an extra thirty thousand dollars and had a guilt free conscience. In the end when dealing with moral issues and dilemmas riddled with moral complications we must deliberate for ourselves, keeping a careful eye on both the facts and on the ethical considerations involved. No situation is just cut and dry. Having good intentions and intuition is not all. Living an ethical life, being a good person, requires a disciplined commitment to think and act in accordance with the fundamental principles of right and wrong. Bibliography 2009 Loyola Marymount University. (n.d.). Resolving an Ethical Dilemma. Retrieved July 28 th, 2013, from http://www.lmu.edu/copyright LoveToKnow, Corp. (2013, May Wednesday). Ethical dilemma Examples. Retrieved july 29th, 2013, from Your Dictonary Examples: http://examples.yourdictionary.com/ethical-dilemma-examples.html  © Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.. (2013). dilemma. (n.d.). Retrieved July 28th, 2013, from Dictonary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dilemma Free Dictionary. (2013, January). paradigm-difinition of paradigm by the free online dictonary,thesaurus and encyclopedia. Retrieved July 27th, 2013, from The Free Dictionary: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/paradigm Heathfield, S. M. (2013, January). Workplace Ethics- Did you bring your Ethics To Work Today. Retrieved July 29, 2013, from About.com Human Resources: http://humanresources.about.com/od/businessethics/qt/workplace-ethics.htm Josephson, M. (2010, December 4th). The Groung Rules of Ethics. Retrieved August 2 nd, 2013, from Business Ethics and Leadership: http://josephsoninstitute.org/business/blog/2010/12/the-ground-rules-of-ethics/ R.Komives, S., Lucas, N., & R.McMohan, T. (2007). Chapter 6 Leading with Integrity and Moral Purpose. In Exploring Leadership second edition (pp. 179-211). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. The Contrarian . (2013, January). The Paradigm Problem: Everything You KnowIs Wrong. Retrieved August 1st, 2013, from Contrarianism An assult of thought on the unthinking: http://www.contrarianism.net/2011/04/04/the-paradigm-problem-everything-you-know-is-wrong/

Impetus to Department of Homeland Security Essay

Abstract This is a case study into the impetus of The Department of Homeland Security due to the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and the increase awareness of terrorist attacks. This study will also cover the Oklahoma City and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and why it did not have the full impact or awareness of the 9/11 attack. Also, the study will try inject ways that the two earlier kinds of attacks could have been prevented according to the protection strategy in place today. Title of Paper (Does not Count as Heading) The word terrorist and terrorism is synonymous in that they both are used as violent acts to frighten the people in an area as a way of trying to achieve a political goal. The 9/11 attack on The World Trade Center serves as a prime example to the type of terror that Americans have never witness before. It showed that our great nation was venerable to a new kind of attack where people do not value life but value their pursuit of life, liberty, and justice much more. These are the type of organization or people who will die for a justice cause. These very people lead to the Impetus of The Department of Homeland Security. The main reason the 9/11 attack was so gruesome was the fact that the organization did not need weapons of mass destruction to accomplish it goal. The organized group of the Taliban or Al Qaeda, as known by some, was able to commandeer two 747 planes and launch an attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. This was a strategic threat that was well plan and the funding of it leader Osama bin Laden. These types of suicide missions that were televised to the nation through the media signified the dawn of a new kind of threat and that a new kind of organization or rational think had to be formed. This formidable threat lead to the formation of the Department of Homeland Security with the expressed mission of keeping our people, cyber, and critical infrastructure safe from terrorists and natural disasters. This is the third largest federal department that encompasses state, local, and the private sector. Of course this is not the first time that our soil has been threatened by extremist or terrorist groups. For example, on the morning of April 19, 1995, an ex-Army soldier and security guard named Timothy McVeigh parked a rented Ryder truck in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City(n.d.). He was about to commit mass murder. Inside the vehicle was a powerful bomb made out of a deadly cocktail of agricultural fertilizer, diesel fuel, and other chemicals(n.d.). McVeigh got out, locked the door, and headed towards his getaway car(n.d.). He ignited one timed fuse, then another. McVeigh’s anger with the federal government on how his colleagues was treated at the Waco incident cause massive destruction and the loss of 168 human beings lives. Although, this was one of the worst home grown act of terrorist it did not gain that much dramatic impact from society and politicians because it was small scale and did not appear to have the funding to escalate to large scale terrorism. It also did not have the mass appeal of the 9/11 incident that was broadcast to the nation. Only the after mass was on display. Plus the ingredients used in making the bomb were your everyday garden variety, not weapons of mass destruction. Another example of the destructive nature of a terrorist group was the bombing of the Epicenter Parking Center under the World Trade Center. On Friday, February 26, 1993, Middle Eastern terrorism had arrived on American soil with a bang(n.d.). A small group of Islamic terrorist detonated a bomb that caused a massive crater killing 6 people and injuring thousands of others. The intent was to topple one building into the other collapsing both. The Federal Bureau of Investigation had intelligence information on this group but did not foresee them as a threat. Again, this incident did not have the dramatic impact as the 9/11 attack because the group was small scale and did not have the funding to inflict the damage of weapons of mass destruction. There were no ties to a large terrorist group with unlimited funding and followers. In both of these examples as stated neither gain the grandeur nature of the 9/11 attack because of they were not televised live as the event occurred, they did not have the notoriety or followers as Taliban or Al Qaeda terrorist group, they not have the funding of group capable of amassing weapons of mass destruction, and they were not the all for nothing suicidal group that would have giving their life for a cause. What we have in place today that could have thwart the attacks in the examples are different agencies are task with investigating specific areas and that is what they specialize in. For example, if one department had the responsibility of investigating the intelligent on the Islamic terrorist group they would have been more inclined to have arrested the group before they did any damage. The deployment of explosive sniffing dogs at critical infrastructure sites may have been able to detect the bombs before they were detonated. Surveillance camera located at critical location may a detected the vans being abandon for an undetermined time and helped to identify those involved. Quotations (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/history/famous-cases/oklahoma-city-bombing (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2008/february/tradebom_022608 References http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/history/famous-cases/oklahoma-city-bombing http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/history/famous-cases/oklahoma-city-bombing Gaines, Larry K., and Victor E. Kappeler. Homeland security. Boston: Prentice Hall, 2012. Print.

The significance of disillusionment in the two main characters Essay

The significance of disillusionment in the two main characters - Essay Example So, disillusionment prevailing inside an individual’s mind apart making their life a problematic or miserable one, will also create problems to theirs related and associated lives. His/her life will become a big complicated problem, which can be solved only by the person’s themselves, with some aid from others. This aspect of disillusionment has been visible in many fictional characters as well. That is, many fictional characters from different genres of work have faced disillusionment in course of the story. So, this paper will analyze the significance of disillusionment in the two fictional characters, Emma and the governess, who were featured in Jane Austen’s Emma and Henry James’s The Turn on the Screw, respectively. Emma, the female protagonist of the Jane Austin’s play, is the daughter of a wealthy gentleman, who is raised with a lot of comfort. Even though the character of Emma shows care toward others and is well intentioned, it borders on self-centrism with a dose of over-confidence and stubbornness. â€Å"†¦the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself† (Austin). Also, being from a wealthy household, Emma hasn’t faced many problematic and stressing issues in her life. But, these favorable times begins to change, when she faces certain problems in her personal life, with her self-centered attitude and stubbornness accentuating the situation. This is when, the disillusionment enters her mind, complicates her life and importantly ‘corrects’ her mindset in the final analysis. That is, the disillusionments, which were result of certain mistakes committed on her part, actually turned her into an emo tionally stronger person, and thus showed its significance. Emma commits the first mistake and gets little disillusioned, when she attempts to â€Å"match make† her teenage friend Harriet to the local vicar, Mr. Elton. And, when Mr. Elton rejects Emma attempts on the account of

Business Management Theories Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Management Theories - Article Example This text offers a comparative analysis of various management theories their inherent influences. The articles note that there are critical management flaws that have that have been experienced over the years. For instance, the ideological tendencies that are taught and the subsequent theories that have been developed do not align with the dynamics experienced in the field. The intrinsic roles of managers cannot be over emphasized. Managers have a sole responsibility to take care of the firms and furthering moral tenets as appropriate. While the managers take up their responsibilities as aligned, there is increased concern on the moral obligations. Organizations vary from one end to the other, and the application of management ideas is intrinsically different (Ghoshal 2005, p.75). The status of managers has significantly reduced, and there are sustained efforts to redefine the role of managers and their importance. Theories and various research studies are critical in determining the extent to which managers operate at various management levels. The fixed structures that exist limit the capacity of the managers to operate as appropriate. Various management practices are enhanced from the various theories that have been produced over time. Theories and studies are critical in guiding managers on how they should conduct business and enhance operations while doing business. The relationship between managers and workers in of the essence. Workers are more concerned with the social issues and democratic space over which they can air their views than strict entities that do not provide such tendencies (Carey 1977, p.33). The limitations that exist in establishing proper management practices, including management of workers is significantly altered by the various scientific thoughts and studies. Scientific models or theories developed as guiding principles of management do not

Reflection paper Utopia book by Thomas Moore Essay

Reflection paper Utopia book by Thomas Moore - Essay Example It is such worrying that people are predisposed to resignation instead of believing and working towards the realization of such society. Personally, I believe that such society can be achieved eventually when everybody gets better. When we all get better as people, our priorities will change from superfluity towards improvement and rationality. Eventually we will also avoid war seeing its ill effects and will instead work towards the achievement of an ideal society. Many may criticize Moore’s idea of Utopia as outdated and being such, it is no longer applies to modern society. I disagree with that and idea in fact, Moore’s assessment of society is still true today especially with our consumerist tendency where we are lured towards consumerism by advertisements that draw us into the trap of materialism which More have adequately described. This consumerism, superfluity or love of gold as Moore puts it, is still the source of all the ills of our society which had been true during Moore’s day and it is still true

Case study in business at college level Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Case study in business at college level - Essay Example Penetration or predatory pricing is the opposite and means setting a low price in anticipation of future cost declines in order to grab a bigger share of a growing market (Bagozzi 54-55). Price skimming works for the products Gadgets2u.com sells (line 58). Predatory pricing works best once the level of sales starts to decline, with the effect of discouraging any potential competitors. 2.a) Gadgets2u.com's problem (lines 44-46) is not in the structure but in the lines of communication between project teams and staff (lines 39-43). This is common in fast-growing e-businesses and the solution is "not to automatically transform the flat structure into a formal hierarchy, but to make the hyperarchical system efficient by making it easier for project team leaders to communicate with each other, collect and evaluate the relevant information, and make decisions" (Amor 48). Gadgets2u.com's matrix structure is hyperarchical1 and characterized by flexibility, fast information flow, and quick decision-making. Improving communication efficiency will make the structure scalable or adaptable to growth. 2.b) Homeworking (or telecommuting) is done by five employees (line 138), but if their productivity is low and having them in the office will improve it, or if they have new assignments where their office presence is needed, then bringing them to the office is acceptable. Otherwise, this will backfire. The employee(s) may resign or be demotivated, leading to lower productivity and worse problems. Homeworking is a good way to keep and motivate good employees, especially creative types or those with health problems or multiple roles2 (family or community). Good employees are satisfied if they know they are more productive working from home and their contributions to the company's success are recognized. It is assumed that workers are given full management support and resources (communication lines, clear assignments, etc.). The appraisal system (line 137) will give Tom and the management more information on this matter (if homeworking is productive, motivating, or not). 3.a) Holding too much stock is a problem because stock costs money and space (which costs something and is therefore also money). Declining future sales may affect profits. Holding too little stock is also a problem because if the goods sell very well, the market will be frustrated with the company. Market satisfaction seems to be a problem lately (lines 119-120), although distribution is the main reason for that. 3.b) Just-in-time (JIT) stock control, currently under study by the management (lines 98-99) is one of the ultimate goals of any e-business (Amor 49). JIT is a system where inflow and outflow of stocks are balanced, or where the company has almost exactly the amount of goods that the market wants to buy (Germane 192). JIT requires near-perfect coordination between Gadgets2u.com and the suppliers, and demands accurate knowledge of market behavior which, because it is very dynamic, is difficult to predict. This ideal of

Schizophrenia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Schizophrenia - Essay Example People fail to understand that the behavior displayed by people suffering from schizophrenia is not a result of ‘madness’ but is a result of the mental problems they have. The case of Andrea Yates is an example of what people suffering from schizophrenia are capable of doing if help and support is not extended to them at the right time and in a right way. Diagnosis And Symptoms People suffering from schizophrenia display maladjusted behavior and thinking pattern. According to DSM-IV-TR, the diagnosis of schizophrenia is done on the basis of symptoms that are visible in the behavior and the thinking pattern of people who suffer from it (First & Tasman, 2010, p.245). People suffering from schizophrenia have delusions, hallucinations, incoherent and disorganized speech, excessively catatonic behavior and rigid physical movements (First & Tasman, 2010, p.245). According to Barch (2003), the defining aspect of schizophrenia is the deficits in cognitive functions and the distu rbed thought process (Weiten, Lloyd, Dunn & Hammer, 2009, p.502). This deteriorates patient’s daily routine and relationships with people as he talks in chaotic and illogical manner and there is no sense in his talk (Weiten et al., 2009, p.502). Most of the times, people suffering from schizophrenia have auditory hallucinations where they hear voices from non-existent or absent people and act accordingly (Weiten et al., 2009, p.502). ... a Yates Andrea Yates, a 37 year old woman from Texas, drowned her five young children to death, under the influence of severe mental illness (Greene, Fortune, Heilbrun & Nietzel, 2007, p.215). Andrea had a long history of mental illness. Andrea’s mental illness was hereditary as her father, two brothers and a sister, suffered from depression and other mental illness in different degrees (Wade & Tavris, 2006, p.600). Andrea was suffering from clinical depression and episodes of psychotic illness from years and was under treatment for the same (Wade & Tavris, 2006, p.600). After the numerous psychotic episodes, she was hospitalized and was diagnosed with schizophrenia and postpartum depression (Greene et al., 2007, p.215). According to â€Å"The Andrea Yates Case† (2005), she was hospitalized just one month prior to the killings as it was evident that if she is left alone without supervision, she might get violent (Greene et al., 2007, p. 215). Moreover, after having her fourth baby, her psychiatrist had suggested her and her husband not to have another baby saying that she will go deeper in depression if more responsibility comes her way (Wade & Tavris, 2006, p.600). However, according to Yardley (2001), her husband overlooked the warning and refused birth control saying that they â€Å"would like to have as many babies as nature will allow† (Wade & Tavris, 2006, p.600). The overwhelming responsibility of raising kids and doing their home schooling took its toll on Andrea and she went into severe depression and psychotic episodes (Wade & Tavris, 2006, p.600). On June 20, 2001, Andrea drowned each of her children one by one in a tub filled with water and later, laid them in bed and covered them with sheet (Greene et al., 2007, p.215). The eldest child was found floating

History of Race, Sport, and Culture in Modern America Essay

History of Race, Sport, and Culture in Modern America - Essay Example The issue of racial differences between black and white races has come into special focus with the enormous strides being made in genetic mapping and other scientific protocols that attempt to pinpoint the markers of human biodiversity. One application for these studies in eugenic is determining the reason for the dominance of African Americans in sports. This paper will provide a summary of the studies and issues that deal with the social, cultural and political nuances of genetic racial differences in American sports history. The research used for this paper included online journals, commentaries from sports analysts and articles from the Jon Entine Website. There was also considerable material that gave insights on the various viewpoints for and against the concept of racial differences as a determinant of athletic prowess. The history of football, basketball, baseball, track and field and boxing were investigated as it pertained to African Americans, as well as the issues and controversies that attended the progress of African American athletes. Related research that dealt with the social implications of genetics and statistics that illustrated the trends in sports were also included. Jon Entine's book released in 2000 entitled Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We Are Afraid to Talk About It has been vilified by equal rights advocates as a thinly veiled attempt to further propagate racism in sports. However, at this point, the historical insight into African American participation in sports as provided in the book and various other sources will be briefly discussed. (Mosley) It is in the US that the stereotype of the "dumb jock" proliferated in society. In essence, it embodies the idea that physical prowess is inversely proportionate to intellectual capacity, a popular generalization that is the heart of the controversy behind African American athletic ability. (Entine) In European history athletic prowess was considered an indication of intelligence, and leaders were often chosen among the most successful fighters and best warriors. However, the 19th century saw the proliferation of pseudo sciences in Europe that claimed to quantify intelligence and other human characteristics by measuring the skull and other body parts. (Entine) The work of physician Samuel George Morton, for example, popularized the idea of eugenics and racial differences by using craniometry, or the ranking of racial intelligence based on the typical skull size of a certain race. His collection of 600 skulls was the basis of modern day racism in the US, where Asians and Caucasians are ranked at the top of the craniometrical scale while Africans and Native Americans were near the bottom. Many accepted this as incontrovertible truth that races like the Africans and Jews are less civilized, and thus inferior. (Entine) This began the ranking of racial and ethnic groups in which, unremarkably, white Europeans came out as the most superior intellectually and those of African descent were relegated to almost animal-like status. (Entine) The nineteenth century also saw the establishment of racial discrimination as a matter of public policy because Europeans did not want interracial mixing in their population. Their basis for discrimination were IQ tests that revealed that those of

Nike Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Nike - Essay Example The question whether Nike should have continued supporting Armstrong after the doping scandal is simple – no. Companies support sports personalities not only because of their achievements, but also because of what they stand for and symbolize – strong spirit, unbreakable will, lots of sacrifices and long hours of training for which they haven’t been paid for. The moment you stop being a symbol of good will and values, you stop being valued yourself. Armstrong deceived his fans, sponsors and everyone that supported him. So in my opinion it is understandable that if you are caught misrepresenting the very core morals and principles you were supposed to guard, you will stop representing the company that stood behind you. Corporations are not only guided by their profits and annual returns – but they also have public responsibilities. Companies want to make money contracting famous faces to represent their brand. But world recognized businesses also give back to communities and social projects. Hence they can’t allow themselves to lose face before their stakeholders and undermine a brand that existed long before Armstrong and will continue to be on the market long after he is

American Revolution Essay Example for Free

American Revolution Essay Black American also referred to as African Americans are the US citizens with an African origin. Some of them are descendants of survivors of Africans who were brought to America as slaves to work in sugar plantations. Other black communities in America are as a result of voluntary immigration from the African community. African Americans make the largest minority group in the present United States of America. The African American community has for a long time been neglected and discriminated, they had little or no rights at all, which caused them to form movements to fight and campaign for the recognition of their rights. In the United State, women have been facing harsh treatments from their male counterparts. They have also been denied quite a number of rights. This research is intended to look into the similarities and differences that exist between the progression of the black Americans and American women in the United States. (Felder, 1990) Progression of blacks For many years, blacks Americans in the United States have been the poorest community in the country. They were regarded as slaves and had no rights to own properties and work. As time went by, they were allowed to grow crops and keep livestock. Though they could intermarry with other communities, they were still poor and could not have right over their spouses married from other communities. African Americans were regarded as immigrants to the country and therefore taken inferior to the indigenous communities. After several attempts to fight for their rights, they formed movements to champion for their rights as other communities in the United States. These movements were fighting for equality in different sphere of life including the right to own properties, the right to employment, to vote, and others. The civil rights movement started in early 20th century. These movements were encouraged by the extending role of the government in developing the economy and society. This encouraged the starting of businesses and jobs for blacks, the establishment of judicial law to protect the rights of all Americans rather than protecting businesses and whites only. The former US president, Mr Franklin Roosevelt, who was in power by then, appointed the judges who favored the rights of African Americans. Mr Hugo Black was appointed to head the Supreme Court as the judge. This contributed to blacks accessing schooling like whites without any sort of discrimination as before. The government was clearly supporting the rights of the black community in championing their rights. At the start of the Second World War in Europe, African Americans brought their demand to fair treatment than it was during the First World War. They said through Medias that for them to contribute in the war, African Americans enrolled in the military had to be trained like their white counterparts while other civilians were to work in the same industries the white worked. In 1941, blacks organized a march to Washington lead by Randolph Philip A. to demand the government to have blacks contracted in the defense department as the whites. This encouraged the government to order the creation of equal employment committee to enforce the practice of fair employment. The formation of the committee did not solve the matter but discrimination of the blacks went on. During the war, though the blacks contributed to about less that a quarter of the military personnel, they were trained as pilots in the armed forces without any discrimination. This did not fully solve the matter for there were others who were put in a delicate position without any combat. After the government allowed the equal employment of blacks and whites, many blacks migrated to north for employment in war industries than they had migrated to south during the First World War. This migration was encouraged by an urge to have a much better incomes as others. There was much tension in their new homes in fear of racial oppressions. Those who migrated to the north had to use their economic and political influence in supporting civil right for those who were left in south. (African-American, 2008). The blacks had gained much influence and were widely working against racial discrimination and were even challenging the registrar of voters in southern courthouse and could sue school boards for equality in education provision. The movement was gaining after the blacks were able to fight racism in Europe and in America. The war encouraged more blacks to fight racism in Europe and later extended to Asia. After the war, the blacks had gained momentum which encouraged the president to have uniform civil rights in the country but was rejected by the congress. This movement helped the blacks to have most of the rights that were initially enjoyed by the whites only including right to education, right to vote, and right to participate in politics. Since then, African Americans have greatly enjoyed full rights of citizenship of the United States. As a result of this, blacks are able to strive for higher seats in the government and in other areas. Recently the blacks have progressed to a point of vying the highest seat in the country. Example of this is Illinois senator Mr. Barak Obama. (History made, 2008) After the war, rights movement continued with a success, different forms of discrimination had already been overturned and this time it was on equal education provision and opportunities. After much emphasis on equal education provision that challenged primary and secondary education, the court ruled that segregating racial education was against the constitution. Segregating education faced a major challenge by whites opposing the ruling of the court; this called the whites to have mass resistance in complying with the segregation orders. Firing the black school employees who were on the favor of segregation was another tactic that was used by the whites and creating whites private schools other than boycotting the integrated schools that incorporated both races. During the first years, the schools were not desegregated, but this gradually proceeded as the schools as the segregation had already taken part in the neighborhood. In overcoming this some schools sent their students in different neighborhoods. After much struggle by the whites to fight segregation, they formed a group called Ku Klux Klan (KKK). The group used all form of violence and threats against anybody who was supporting the desegregation or the rights of the blacks. With support from the media they performed all forms of terrorism especially in the southern states in the early second quarter of the 20th century. Though there were still threats and violence, this did not end the struggle for the rights of the blacks, it had to move beyond the education provision to challenge other affected areas like in public transport and other public service provisions. The black community was annoyed by the whites for being rude and abusive. A bus boycott was organized in Alabama after a white passenger expected a black passenger to excuse him from the bus seat, this kind of harassment contributed to organizing for a boycott within a night which was a success, this called in court attention and the segregation in busses were to start immediately factors that helped in ending the continuous harassment of the blacks by the whites in the city. Martin Luther King who chaired the Montgomery Improvement Association, organized a boycott through his organization, King’s plea to Christians was to create a non discriminatory impression of people in the whole country. King wanted the violent and harsh ways to a non violent way of encouraging segregation. In the University of North Carolina, four black students started yet another protest against the whites’ only counters, though it was not a new for of protest, it had spread through out Carolina within days, this lead to desegregation of restaurants across the southern states. This movement showed clearly that whites and blacks are alike and they could show they were against segregation openly. The students found a nonviolent committee in 1960, the formation of the committee was to help the students organize sit-ins movements. It was encouraged that civil rights movements should only be based on individual communities of the blacks. This was to enforce change to the local communities rather than the national change. The voters’ registration campaign started in 1964, though the community level activism had started in 1961, there was a heavy commitment in heavily concentrated black territories mostly in rural areas of southern states. The blacks believed that voting was the only way to empower them and had to ensure that they participated in changing of the racism policies in the south. The activist Robert Moses through Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) worked hard in registering blacks and teaching them the importance of voting, skills the required and the necessary responses applying for voter registration. The exercise faced a great opposition from the whites they went a head in threatening Robert and even beating and sending him to jail. The efforts of Mississippi to recruit both whites and blacks in colleges and other professions were thought to attract attention from the whole nation. This lead in having more active politician who later formed Mississippi freedom democratic party (MFDP) after they were rejected by the white democrats as members in their delegation. The actions of the whites were challenged when the blacks participated in the media interviews to represent Mississippi. The voting right was initiated by the blacks and began protesting in court houses in Selma, when they were unsuccessful, they proceeded to Montgomery where they faced police beating and were tear-gassed, the scene was televised and shocked many, this encouraged King to lead hundreds of people to a 50 mile march to Montgomery . The Selma march got great supports which in turn lead to enactment of the law which protected southern states blacks to vote. The president Johnson proposed the passage of rigors act by the congress in the 1965. After the amendment of the act, most of the requirements that restricted the blacks from voting were suspended. After this, the blacks were able to vie for major offices seats and were able to win in all districts. (Martin Luther King, Jr. 1958 ,46 ) Progression of women in the US Though the republic of America was founded on ideas of equality, liberty and freedom, it proved to be difficult to achieve in practice. Women in the United States were not regarded as equal to men despite of their important roles they played in forming and shaping the US. Their lives were confined in the domestic world and were not given enough chances to spearhead their causes in the education, social and in political arena This led to the rise of women activism in politics. They started realizing the power of politics in constructing women identity in the society. They realized that they could also play an important role of Republic motherhood by instilling republican and freedom values to their children. There were few women like Abigail Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, and others who become prominent public figure in the political arena. They championed for the rights of women. (History of women, 2008) During the American war with the British, women played great roles like boycotting of British goods and contributing to the economy of the country. They held several demonstrations that opened their eyes to some issues rather than being at home with their children. Some women participated in political activism that progressed women to another level. Some women participated in the in the progression of women by serving in the army. Although it was considered abnormal for women to enter in the war, most of them broke these rules and directly participated in the war. Other women like Deborah Sampson played the role of men in order to be allowed to enter into the war and fight in the front line alongside men. (Morton, 1980) She presented herself as a volunteer using male names to be recruited in the army. The last time she participated in the war, she was recognized as Robert Shertliffe. She served under the command of Captain Nathan for three years performing various duties until she was injured and could no longer continue fighting. She was later relieved of her duties and rewarded for the role she played in the army as a revolutionary warrior. Women played great roles in shaping the future of the counterparts. With the laid foundation by former women, modern women are able to compete with their male counterparts for the big positions in the job market, politics and in education achievements (Ellet, 1969). Hilary Clinton is a good example of a woman who has fought against the odds and was competing for the highest seat in the country. Another example is John McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin who would be the vise president if McCain wins; another woman who has fought to the higher seat is the American secretary of states Condoleezza Rice. (Mark, 2008) Similarities of blacks and women in America There are several similarities between the blacks and women in the United States. At first, they were regarded as people who were not much important to the society and their work was to serve the white man. They had to proof their capability in order to be regarded as important figure in the community. With formation and participation in movements and demonstrations, they found objections and were termed as illegally demonstrating and were facing brutal beatings and other sort of punishments. Blacks’ participation in the movements and protesting the rule of whites brought about a great change that its impact is felt in the modern America. Blacks have equal rights as whites in the country and the can access anything as their fellow whites are accessing. Were it not for the activists who volunteered and fought against the poor treatment of women by men, women could still be â€Å"stay at home mom† as they used to be. Blacks and women have climbed the ladder to the righted world and they have the right to do whatever a man can do (Wikipedia, 2008). In the current America, being a woman or black has no restriction in exercising ones right. None has more rights than the other and are all protected buy human rights which has not specified the race, religion or gender, provided its human being. The voting right was initiated by the blacks and began protesting in court houses in Selma, when they were unsuccessful, they proceeded to Montgomery where they faced police beating and were tear-gassed. The scene was televised and it shocked many people, which encouraged King to lead hundreds of people to a 50 mile march to Montgomery. The Selma march got great supports which in turn lead to enactment of law which protected southern states blacks to vote. The president Johnson proposed the passage of rigors act by the congress in the 1965. After the amendment of the act, most of the requirements that restricted the blacks from voting were suspended. After this the blacks were able to vie for major offices seats and were able to win in all districts. As each has gained the right to vote is a very important role in the welfare of the country, with all participating, democracy is exercised and only with majority supporters gains the access to any political seat. Conclusion The movement of civil rights in the United States has gone through major challenges before achieving a tremendous success. The total commitment of the activists was of benefit to the whole nation’s blacks and women. The recognition of capability of blacks and women has brought equality and has contributed to the growth of the economy. The movement also helped the blacks to access education like any other American without discrimination and also led to segregation of schools and other public services. The enactment of voting rights gave the blacks and women an opportunity to exercise politics like their white counterparts which in turn brought a better service provision to all citizens. Participation of blacks and women in national welfare activities like in war led to victory of the nation. Reference: African-American, 2008, retrieved from www. en. wikipedia. org/wiki/African_American on 3rd 10/2008 Ellet, E. 1969, The women of the American Revolution, New York; Haskell Felder, J. 1990, Black Origins and Lady Liberty, Daily Challenge. July 16, History made, 2008, Obama becomes first nominee of major party, retrieved from www. elections. foxnews. com/2008/08/27/history-made-obama-becomes-1st-black-nominee-of-major-party History of women, 2008, retrieved from www. en. wikipedia. org/wiki/History_of_women_in_the_United_States on 3rd 10/08 Mark E, 2008, career progression of minority and women, retrieved from /www. defenselink. mil/prhome/careerprog. html, on 3rd 10/08 Martin Luther King, Jr. 1958, Stride Toward Freedom New York: Harper Row Morton, M. 1980, The Liberty Daughters: the Revolutionary Experience of American women 1750-1800. Boston: Little brown Retrieved from www. African-American_Civil_Rights_Movement_ (1955-1968). htm on 3rd10/08 Wikipedia, 2008, African-American civil rights movement (1955-1968)

Youth Crime Juvenile

Youth Crime Juvenile Everyone needs proper love and care from his or her parents. Growing up, a lot of changes takes place and come the adolescent period, learning about life takes on full force. This means that a person could either be influenced into taking a positive or negative person in character. This goes to show that juveniles do not turn into criminals overnight. There is always tell-tale signs before anything bad occurs. These youths would have been craving for their parents attention for a long period. Therefore, it is safe to say that more often than not, youths who turn to committing crimes lack parental guidance and attention, thus driven by negative influences to seek attention, fun and cheap thrills through the wrong methods. Juvenile crimes are on the rise these days. Juveniles are law offenders aged mostly from 12-17. However, certain books or journals would state the starting age at 10 and end it at 18. Therefore, there are no exact age group. Instead, a rough estimation that youths are those in their teens. Usually, youths do not commit serious offences. They are more prone to petty crimes like traffic offences, drug addiction, and even illegal immigrants (Kassim n.d.) However, illegal immigrants do not mean that Malaysian youths travel aboard without passports; instead it implies the number of youths who enter the country illegally. Drug offences are also one of the highest because although illegal and a lot are being done to stop it, drugs and narcotics are still, unfortunately, within reach of anyone. This covers trading, transporting, smuggling and even private consumption of drugs. The causes of youths turning to crimes have a wide range of reasons. This includes the internal reasons, which is the background of the individual himself, and the external reasons which is the area he lives in and the peers he mixes with. We start off with the internal reason, which is the individuals background. It has been shown that broken homes are a main factor on why youths rebel and turn to crimes. This is because the child who does not have enough love and care from his family will have low self-esteem, become lonely and will soon develop anger and hatred towards others due to his own lack of guidance (Kassim n.d.). Parents who are too strict or too lenient, despite giving adequate attention to the child too can produce negative attitudes. When a parent is too strict, they have the concept of children should only do as told, not what is right (Wickliffe n.d.). this is because a child that have no say on his own would go out into the outside world and behave as he likes without knowing the consequences of his action. On the other hand, parents who are too lenient too have bad effects on kids. This is because a child who has too much freedom gets away with anything he did easily, no matter how serious his faults are. Next, theres the home environment factor. Homes that are dilapidated beyond the acceptable level causes stress towards the kids, thus causing them to stray outside their homes (Kassim n.d.). They do not feel at ease staying in an uncomfortable house, therefore they go out to release the stress. However, the group of people they meet outside their home is a whole different matter. Once outside their home and away from the watchful eye of their parents, youths tend to hang out with peers of the same fate. This means that the people they mix with are probably also homeless and steal or rob for a living, or are addicts. The financial status of the individual is another major cause for delinquency. Youths who do not come from financially secured families are prone to thefts. Their reasons are that they have to support their families and themselves. Now, we talk about the external factors. Peer influences and the open-ness of the media are also to blame for the rise in juvenile crimes. Peer influences are usually closer to home and places where the youths hang out. Peer influences are very easily absorbed because even a normal youth have troubles fitting into the crowd, what more would a troubled teen feel? In order to be accepted, youths tend to mix around with peers of the same age or group, e.g. same race, background, or even history. The media plays an unfortunately high role in these juvenile crimes because the effects of the programs shown are absorbed in a blink of an eye. The television does not care what ages of audience are watching (Reasons for Juvenile Crime n.d.). The amount of graphic and violent shows aired on TV is enough to tell a child that crimes are a norm in the world. These leads to the children growing up to be youths who want to emulate what they see on TV. Not only that, the youths turn into violent indi viduals and release their anger in a wrong manner. These youths have highly aggressive behaviours. The area that a youth lives in is also another factor to why he turns into a criminal (Milburn 1999). This is because when a person lives in a notorious area, the people living there are the people whom he communicates most. This means that they â€Å"bad† people are your closest friends, thus youd hang out together often, doing things that the majority wants to do, which is more often than not, negative activities. The area alone is never at fault of such delinquencies. It is often coupled with peer influences that, together, group up to be one strong influence. In the long run, the youth who was once innocent, starts to indulge in crimes, starting small, then slowly gathering courage to increase to weight of the crime. There are ways to curb these problems. Firstly, there is the â€Å"start from home† solution. This means that the parents of youths itself should monitor their childrens reaction to anger, distress and negative emotions. Parents should be able to recognise a childs bad behaviour and nip it from the bud. When the problem is identified, it is easier to help the parents help the child. If a child tends to show absolute anger to the slightest thing, then it is best that the child is sent for psychological treatment. Another method is not involving the parents only, but also the school. The schools and higher learning institutions should have stricter rules and regulations (The Solution to Juvenile Crime Is Simple n.d). For example, when a student is absent, the teachers and lecturers should take the initiative to inform parents. They should understand that a child is being placed under their responsibility for a certain period of time in a day. Students who misbehave in schools shouldnt be slapped with penalty points and just forgotten. Parents must be informed. Solutions to these juvenile problems are harder to execute, because the consent of the youth must be gained. Without it, the youth may refuse to receive treatment and therefore not attend the courses prepared. The use of psychologists is usually recommended for anger management. This is a one-on-one process, which is private and personal, thus encouraging the youth to be more honest and open. This would ensure that the youth has the best and professional method of help, instead of just seminars and talks which more often than not, is ignore and attended just because they have to. Next step is usually done when the juvenile is already caught. He is sent for a rehabilitation program (Kassim n.d). This program varies for youths who are already educated from every level and youth who were school drop-outs. This is because fully educated juveniles have a shorter period of rehab and lesser activities. Within this rehabilitation program too, there are character building camps in order to mould the youth into a better person and making him realise that not everything is not correctable. This program also helps them realise that after prison, they will still be able to blend in with the society (Kassim n.d.). Other than professional help, simple things like community programs are also helpful. This is because the juveniles are able to mix around healthily in a safe and good environment. The activities are refreshing and recreational, something very much suitable for the youths who have spent long periods behind bars. Not only do the juveniles have an activity to do, he is also making friends and keeping out of trouble at the same time. This is not only benefiting the parents, but also the society. The society can rest assured that there are steps taken to ensure that a good living environment is catered to them. The conclusion of my research paper is that the steps in preventing these increasing numbers are obviously not sufficient. This is because if the steps and methods used to curb these happenings are working, the numbers would not be increasing and the newspapers would not be printing that much of juvenile cases almost everyday. We should not only rely on the policemen and schools. Instead, the parents and friends of these juveniles should be supportive in helping them believe that they can change their lives, and still be accepted regardless of their past history. The community will be a better place, and so will the country be more peaceful if everyone worked together to ensure that their children does not stray through the wrong path in life. If everyone care and was serious in stopping their children from sitting behind bars, then surely lesser teens would be involved in crimes due to the â€Å"lack of attention† factor. The society should work together in ensuring that the youths of today really become leaders of tomorrow, and that the saying does not become a forgotten theory. If everyone just keep pointing fingers onto one another, nothing will change and the numbers of juvenile delinquencies will just keep on increasing. References: Kassim, Abd Wahab Juveniles on Remand: Trends and Practises in Malaysia Retrieved; November 17, 2007, from http://www.unafei.or.jp/english/pdf/PDF_rms/no68/13_Malaysia_p196-208.pdf Wickliffe, Joseph A Why Juveniles Commit Crimes Retrieved: November 17, 2007, from http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/2000/2/00.02.07.x.html#top Five Year Juvenile Delinquency Trends and Conditions Retrieved: November 18, 2007, from http://www.djj.state.fl.us/Research/Trends.html#top Juvenile Justice: Facts And Figures Retrieved: November 18, 2007, from http://www.abanet.org/media/jjqa.html Milburn, Caroline 1999, Leap in violent juvenile crime Retrieved: November 18, 2007, from http://www.fww.org/famnews/0322a.htm Reasons for Juvenile Crime Retrieved: November 18, 2007, from http://www.cyberessays.com/Politics/84.htm The Solution to Juvenile Crime Is Simple Retrieved: November 19, 2007, from http://www.public.asu.edu/~jvanasu/ucai/rose/