Democratic Deficit in Canada Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Democratic Deficit in Canada - Term Paper Example What and how a country faces democratic deficit is all dependent on the perception of its people towards the government policies, this thinking alone could be as a result of higher expectations of the people from its government or it could very well be because of their objectives. The subjective thinking of the people or the objective thinking is what categorizes a country to be labeled as suffering from democratic deficit or not suffering from Democratic deficit. A system usually falls under the category of Democratic Deficit because as society grows and becomes more complex the needs change and become of different priorities which need to be met by the elected representatives. Failing of which the people see it as not working as a democratic system and hence term the system Democratic Deficit. In a similar manner the democratic institutions have to be in accordance to the changing needs like for example an institution that worked for a few hundred people would not prove successful with the figures of hundreds changing to millions. Hence the Democratic Deficit sets where the government fails to keep up with the growing demand of technology and economic environment. Even the media plays a very important role to the problem of democratic deficit by publicizing one view to the extreme. ... e of the media to project the situation in a manner without thinking up tactics of promoting its own cause only then would the people be able to grasp the deficiencies if any in the government or even the good beneficial effects that the system is affording. The knowledge gain factor is directly associated with the media in the current times and one must ensure that the media plays its vital role fully and duly. What the term democratic deficit implies is that it is the differences of the different people's opinions in the sizing up of their government. We could also put it in this way that basically the people feel that they are being neglected and their needs are not addressed. By Canadian standards the democratic deficit stems from the fact that when a definite gap is seen in the involvement, trust and decision making of its people. The main characterizing point of the system to be in democratic deficit is when there is a low voter turnout; people do not take an active interest in politics and a failure of trust in the democratic institutions. Canada has shown a gradual decline of the voter turnout. This started from the Second World War and was especially marked in the years 1953, 1974 and 1980. If the recent elections were to be accounted for then one would note how the eligible voter's number was by far greater than the number who did vote and the party one. Canada has seen less interest in the Canadian politics and leadership since 1960's. Today Canada suffers from democratic deficit as the people of Canada do not have high opinions about their politicians and they simply don't trust them. They are of the opinion that those who stand to be elected are misfit and will not keep their word and are more after the money than they have any care about the people or

The future of women in politics Essay Example for Free

The future of women in politics Essay Within the realm of world politics, males vastly outnumber females. Womens suffrage is a relatively new movement. Only in the last century have women won the opportunity to vote. Since 1960, only 24 nations have elected women to leadership positions. As women gain political power, political analysts and scholars debate the influence that females will exert upon international policy. According to popular feminist views, women will reverse the violent tendencies of men and create a more peaceful world. This prediction is based on the assumption that men are inherently violent and genetically predisposed to wage war. However, the militaristic actions of female leaders like Margaret Thatcher may prove otherwise. Francis Fukuyama and Mary Caprioli explore the cultural stereotypes of women and question the relationship between politics and biology. In his essay, Women and the Evolution of World Politics, Francis Fukuyama argues that men are biologically inclined to wage war. He portrays men as violent, immoral and unable to break away from genetic programming. Citing examples of extreme violence in Bosnia, Rwanda, Sierra Lione, Georgia and Afghanistan, Fukuyama blames mens inherited aggressive tendencies for the social and political unrest in the world. Apparently, male behavior has not changed since the primitive societies like the Yanomamo. Men, according to Fukuyama, behave like the chimps at Gombe (262). While the genetic make up of humans is remarkably similar to that of chimpanzees, the unique incident at Gombe does not prove that masculinity equates with innate aggression. In fact, it is well known that wild chimpanzees are typically non-violent. At Gombe, researchers interfered with the natural environment. Chimps were suddenly faced with food shortages, and they reacted with uncharacteristic violence. Fukuyama would have his readers believe that organized violence began with mans primitive ancestors and â€Å"The Future of Women in Politics† Page # 2 continued on an unobstructed path to present day man. On the contrary, archeologists have not found cave paintings of battles. Evidence of collective violence appears tens of thousands of years beyond the time that the human species branched away from chimpanzees. War was the result of agricultural societies competing for resources. How could armies of men organize for war if society was not yet organized? Fukuyama does not answer this question. The reason that men are chosen as soldiers over women may be rooted in biology. However, it is doubtful that the reason lies in the genetic coding of their personalities. With their pronounced upper body strength, men are better equipped physically to use maces, bows and swords. Beyond that, most men do not enlist in the army to strengthen their fighting skills or satisfy their primordial thirst for killing. The US Army recruits soldiers by promoting honor, loyalty, and courage. Young men are lured in by the promise of educational benefits, health care and financial incentives. Following Fukuyamas argument, the armed forces would not have to coerce men to join. If organizing for the sake of violence is their biological calling, then why must governments institute drafts? Perhaps draft dodgers† of the future will be forced to undergo gene therapy. But, it is very unlikely that scientists will ever find a gene for aggressive or competitive behavior. Human behavior is the result of multiple genes interacting with a variety of biological and social forces. No single behavior can be associated with the X or the Y chromosome. Men are trained to fight wars. They are removed from normal society and deprogrammed. Soldiers must undergo extreme psychological conditioning to prepare for battle. Fukuyama makes an illogical leap from observing individual behavior to explaining formally organized warfare. â€Å"The Future of Women in Politics† Page # 3 War is not an impulsive act carried out by a group of aggressive males. The decision to exercise military force requires strategic planning. It is best described as a politically motivated strategy within the realm of complex foreign policy. Political leaders are predominantly male. But, this does not necessarily prove that the use of political force is limited to the male gender. As Caprioli points out, women who have obtained the power to act violently have done so (267). Only in the last 100 years have women been granted the right to participate in elections and hold elected positions. Womens suffrage is a relatively recent development in politics. The world ushered in the first female prime minister in 1960 and the first female president in 1974. Heads of state, regardless of gender, are bestowed with the power to use military force against foreign bodies. In order to compare the degrees of force ordered by male and female heads of state, Caprioli examined the Militarized Interstate Dispute (MID) data set compiled by Stuart Bremer. If Fukuyamas assessment of womens behavior was true, then MID should report that females rarely or never ordered the use of force. Contrarily, MID revealed no difference in the decisions made by men or women. Both female and male leaders rely on the use of force, most frequently. According to this evidence, female leaders are no more peaceful than their male counterparts (Caprioli, 267). The fight for womens suffrage was based on achieving political equality not to conquer the militaristic male agenda. As women rise up and gain political power, they are breaking the chains of traditional stereotypes. The role of a president is different than the role of a homemaker. In the home, women are the designated caretakers. Rearing children and maintaining the household are the foremost priorities. Obviously, women are biologically suited to give birth and breastfeed. Preparing dinner and performing chores fulfill social needs. â€Å"The Future of Women in Politics† Page # 4 Traditionally, women have been shielded from violence by cultural socialization. However, suffrage has opened up new opportunities for women to approve of and use political force. During World War II, American women were honored by images of Rosie the Riviter. The war provided millions of women with employment in the defense industry. All of these women willingly and proudly contributed to Americas military success. Furthermore, women who are employed by the State and the Defense Departments are freed from their conventional social constraints and thusly exhibit support for violence (Caprioli, 270). Female leaders share the same responsibilities and confront the same threats as males. Regardless of gender, political rulers must create laws, collect and distribute taxes, and shape foreign policy. Germany, for instance, recently elected a female chancellor who adamantly defends the US invasion of Iraq. Caprioli concludes that, As American society becomes more egalitarian with regard to the sexes, women are gaining more power. This power may not be directed toward pacifist, nurturing ideals (272). For women, achieving political equality means utilizing force as a function of political leadership. Despite social training and genetic constitution, women have proven their individual and collective ability to perform aggressive acts and their proclivity to compete for social status. Competition for social status is hardly limited to men. Prime time television in America is flooded with reality shows that pit women against each other to win fame, fortune and romance. Marketers prey upon womens social drive to keep up with the Joneses. Women are convicted for homicide, infanticide and child abuse. Although men are more likely to exhibit violent behavior, even Fukuyama admits that the number of women incarcerated for violent crimes is increasing in the same proportion to that of men (Caprioli, 272). Female guerrillas have fought. â€Å"The Future of Women in Politics† Page # 5 in Central and South America. An unsuccessful female suicide bomber was recently arrested in Jordan. Women are well known to be propagators of violence. In conclusion, Fukuyama incorrectly correlates the aggressive behavior of men with genetic programming. His example of the warlike actions of the chimps at Gombe has been taken out of context and does not prove does that masculinity equates with innate aggression. The use of violence to gain social control cannot be traced straight back to the origins of man. In fact, archeologists have yet to find evidence of organized warfare that predates the existence of agricultural societies. According to Fukuyamas logic, war is the sum of many individuals violent behaviors and actions. In reality, war is the result of complex processes within foreign policy. His assessment is far too simplistic to support his claims. Caprioli provided evidence that female heads of state are just as likely to use force as their male counterparts. As women rise to positions of ultimate political power, they are freed from the social constraints of their gender stereotypes. Based on the documented actions of female presidents and prime ministers, it is doubtful that a world run by women will be more peaceful. Works Cited Caprioli, Mary. â€Å"The Myth of Women’s Pacifism. † Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in World Politics An Original Essay Written for This Volume (1999) Ed. Rourke, John T. Guilford, CN: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin, 2005. Fukuyama, Francis. â€Å"Women and the Evolution of World Politics† Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in World Politics Ed. Rourke, John T. Guilford, CN: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin, 2005 (Reprinted from Foreign Affairs, September/October 1998).

Separation of Amino Acids by Paper Chromatography

Separation of Amino Acids by Paper Chromatography Zarafath Jameel Table of Contents (Jump to) Introduction Applications of chromatography Types of Chromatography Paper chromatography Objectives Materials Methodology Results and Calculations The chromatogram The Rf calculated results Discussion Conclusion References Introduction Chromatography, Color written work. Chroma is a Greek roots prefix for color and graphy is a Greek roots postfix for composing. It is utilized to break down, recognize, clean measure the mixes. Chromatography is the physical division of a mixture into its individual parts The segments to be differentiated are disseminated between two stages, a stationary and versatile stage. A mixture which contains the solutes is divided into unadulterated parts by disregarding it the stationary stage (an insoluble material) to which the substances stick to fluctuating degrees. The portable stage, dissolvable is convey the solutes over the stationary stage. Partition focused around the distinctive communications of the mixes with the two stages. Substances that adhere firmly to the stationary stage move gradually, while those that stay approximately or dont stick at all move quickly. Chromatography might be a systematic strategy, in which the examiner takes in the number and nature of the parts in a little measure of a mixture, yet does not really confine them. A typical expository strategy is silica-gel dainty layer chromatography. Alternately it could be a preparative technique, in which the agent utilizes a vast amount of the mixture to get useable measures of every part. A typical preparative technique including the same stages is silica-gel segment chromatography. All chromatographic frameworks needs: A stationary stage (a robust, or a fluid upheld on a strong). a versatile stage (a fluid or a gas) sample particles (mixture for detachment) Applications of chromatography In any synthetic or bio-transforming industry, the need to partitioned and decontaminate an item from a complex mixture is a fundamental and imperative venture in the creation line. This partition of mixtures is helpful to us in different ways. As, Pharmaceutical industry utilizes chromatography to confine penicillin and different anti-toxins. Proteins can even be divided into amino acids. Chromatography is additionally utilized within wrongdoing scene examination for DNA and RNA sequencing. In numerous investigative studies to recognize obscure natural and inorganic mixes. Government research facilities used to weigh colors in nourishment and vegetables contained little measures of pesticides and herbicides. Types of Chromatography There are numerous types of chromatography, yet all structures take a shot at the same rule: Partition Chromatography which incorporates a fluid film covered in a dormant suitable backing. Adsorption Chromatography which incorporates finely separated robust working as an adsorbing surface they are partitioned finely to build their surface region. Ion Trade Chromatography (which is reversible step) which incorporates ionic gatherings (ionic means holding distinctive charges) which are joined to an inactive material; this technique is utilized within purging water for instance the opposition will be between the example (water considered portable stage additionally) the stationary stage specifically. gel Chromatography (additionally called sub-atomic sieving/Gel filtration/Gel penetration/Sub-atomic prohibition) which relies on upon a suspension of a polymer having a suitable pore size (like agar) is a vital strategy for a few examination sorts, for example, differentiating hormones, chemicals organic liquids; AGAR itself is a polymer with pores, so little particles will enter into the pores may leave just in the event that it discovered a bigger pore to enter in it Paper chromatography Paper chromatography is a logical strategy for differentiating and distinguishing both colored (e.g. colors) and boring (e.g. amino acids) mixtures. In paper chromatography, the stationary stage is an extremely uniform spongy paper. Cellulose (non polar) as paper sheets makes a perfect help medium where water is adsorbed to the cellulose filaments and structures the stationary hydrophilic stage. Cellulose is a polymer of the basic sugar, glucose. The key point about cellulose is that the polymer chains have -Goodness gatherings standing out all around them. The cellulose filaments draw in water vapor from the environment and in addition any water that was available when the paper was made. You can along these lines consider paper being cellulose strands with a meager layer of water particles bound to the surface. Non-polar particles in the mixture that you are attempting to particular will have little fascination for the water atoms joined to the cellulose, thus will invest a large portion of their time disintegrated in the moving dissolvable. Atoms like this will hence travel far up the paper conveyed by the dissolvable. They will have moderately high Rf values. Then again, polar particles will have a high fascination for the water atoms and significantly less for the non-polar dissolvable. They will consequently have a tendency to break down in the slim layer of water around the cellulose strands a great deal more than in the moving dissolvable. Objectives Identify the amino acids in unknown mixer, and calculate the Rf of each amino acids by paper chromatography. Materials Chromatography tank and lid Chromatography paper Capillary tubes Amino acid samples ( Arg, Trp, Tyr, Phe and unknown mixture of AA) Beaker BAW solvent – Butan-1-ol, acetic acid, and sterile water Ninhydrin Spray can Hair drier Latex gloves Methodology 10 Ãâ€" 20 centimeters chromatography paper was arranged by drawing a line 2 cm above from the bottom of the paper and little five imprints were made at comparable space interims alongside the line drawn. With particular slender tubes, arginine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan and obscure amino corrosive mixture were tipped and were spotted on an imprint as they were named on the chromatograph paper, by touching the hairlike tubes on the chromatography paper and left them to dry and re-connected the examples a few times as the technique. After that chromatography paper was kept before the hair dryer to dry. When the BAW dissolvable of 100 ml was made by including Butan-1-ol, acidic corrosive, and sterile water in the 80:10:10 degrees. Fitting sum (around 1 cm) of BAW dissolvable was set into the chromatography tank. The chromatography paper was collapsed by the two side edges fit as a fiddle of barrel by stapling those edges close by without reaching each. After that the round and hollow chromatography paper was plunged equally into the BAW dissolvable and made to stand. Chromatography tank was shut by the cover and was left for 60 minutes. After that chromatography tank was revived and chromatography paper was expelled from the tank. The dissolvable line of the paper was checked right away and the chromatography paper was dried via hair drier. Following 05 minutes of drying, the entire paper was showered with ninhydrin by utilizing spread can. The spread paper was dried again utilizing hair drier. At last the separation went by specimen spots was stamped and separations were measured Results and Calculations The chromatogram Figure 01: The chromatogram The Rf calculated results Table 1. The results of Rf Sample Distance from star to Centre of spot (cm) Distance from start to solvent front Results / Rf Arginine 0.3 7.9 0.04 Tyrosine 1.9 7.9 0.24 Tryptophan 1.3 7.9 0.16 Phenylalanine 2 7.9 0.25 Unknown sample 0.3 7.9 0.04 1.1 7.9 0.13 Discussion In this analysis, pencil was utilized to draw the lines as opposed to pen in light of the fact that pen ink additionally moved by versatile stage and it may cause perusing mistake while taking the separation went by part from application point. At the point when setting the chromatography paper into chromatography tank the paper ought not to touch the divider of the tank, in the event that it does the paper will get polluted. The chromatogram is permitted to dry and is then showered with an answer of ninhydrin. Ninhydrin responds with amino acids to give colored mixes, primarily profound pink or purple shade. This chromatography system is likewise used to know the extremity of amino acids. In the event that an amino corrosive makes a high Rf worth means, that amino corrosive has less extremity; less extremity amino acids can without much of a stretch move towards the portable stage and shaped high Rf. High extremity amino acids dependably make less Rf esteem, it needs time to move towards the versatile stage. Wear gloves when taking care of Chromatography paper to abstain from touching the surface of the paper to be utilized for amino-corrosive chromatography in light of the fact that the skin contains amino acids the Chromatography paper as to abstain from saving amino acids from the fingers. On the off chance that it store aggravate the spots create. Regularly BAW dissolvable is use in Chromatography tank. It is a mixture segment of Butan-1-ol: Acetic corrosive: Water in a certain degree (60:15:25). Yet In this reasonable BAW mixture part of Butan-1-ol: Acetic corrosive: Water in a certain proportion (80:10:10) on the grounds that dissolvable of the BAW contain high measure of Butan-1-ol. It is cant break up in water. In this handy, utilized homogenous of the BAW result thusly change the degree of the contain parts. At the point when putting the chromatography paper into chromatography tank the paper was deliberately set ought not to touch the divider of the tank on the grounds that in the event that it touches the divider of the tank the paper will get defiled and the dissolvable ascend through the divider of the tank. The different amino acids are imperceptible. The acids might be envisioned by splashing the paper with a compound called ninhydrin. The chromatogram was permitted to dry then result of ninhydrin was spread on the chromatogram. Perception is Purple shade in light of the fact that ninhydrin responded with amino acids to give shaded mixes, essentially profound pink or violet color. Conclusion The Rf value of unknown mixture from this experiment was 0.04 and 0.13and it suggested the possibility to presence of two different amino acids such as arginine and tryptophan by having same Rf values (0.04 and 0.13). By the chromatography technique, identified the different amino acids in unknown mixers. References Ahuja, S. (2003) Chromatography and separation science, 1st ed, Amsterdam, Academic Press. , [Online] Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=KEynHdUwmFkCpg=PA101dq=chromatography+paper+techniqueshl=ensa=Xei=90rHU5_AHMTe8AXzmIGABQved=0CFAQ6AEwBw#v=onepageq=chromatography paper techniquesf=false (Accessed 03 September 2014). Banga, A. (2005) Therapeutic peptides and proteins, 1st ed, Boca Raton, Fla., CRC. , [Online] Available at: httphttp://books.google.lk/books?id=rPFw2iPB51gCdq=20+amino+acidssource=gbs_navlinks_s (Accessed 03 September 2014). Brian, M. (2000) Chromatography. [Online] Available at: http://www.files.chem.vt.edu/chem-ed/sep/chromato.html (Accessed 03 September 2014). Carraher, C. (2013) Introduction to polymer chemistry, 1st ed, Boca Raton, FL, CRC Press. , [Online] Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2862331/ (Accessed 03 September 2014). Chawla, R. (n.d.) Practical clinical biochemistry, 1st ed. , [Online] Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=HP2YAwAAQBAJdq=chromatography+paper+techniquessource=gbs_navlinks_s (Accessed 03 September 2014). Clark, J. (2007) Chemguide.co.uk. [Online] Available at: http://www.chemguide.co.uk/analysis/chromatography/paper.html (Accessed 03 September 2014). Clark, J. (2007) Paper Chromatography. [Online] Available at:http://www.chemguide.co.uk/analysis/chromatography/paper.html (Accessed 03 September 2014). Collman, J. (2001) Naturally dangerous, 1st ed, Sausalito, CA, University Science Books. , [Online] Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=LM1I9zVPcXsCpg=PA9dq=20+amino+acidshl=ensa=Xei=EVXHU_KjLJPp8AXDkoLQDgved=0CD4Q6AEwBw#v=onepageq=20 amino acidsf=false (Accessed 03 September 2014). Dasgupta, A. (2010) Advances in chromatographic techniques for therapeutic drug monitoring, 1st ed, Boca Raton, CRC Press/Taylor Francis. , [Online] Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2862331/ (Accessed 03 September 2014). Katoch, R. (2011) Analytical techniques in biochemistry and molecular biology, 1st ed, New York, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. , [Online] Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=rCU2-gvkjo0Cpg=PA43dq=chromatography+paper+techniqueshl=ensa=Xei=90rHU5_AHMTe8AXzmIGABQved=0CDwQ6AEwBA#v=onepageq=chromatography paper techniquesf=false (Accessed 03 September 2014). Phytochemical analysis, 1st ed, Boca Raton, CRC Press. , [Online] Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2862331/ (Accessed 03 September 2014). Trimpe, T. (2009) Chromatography basics. Sciencespot.net [e-book reader]. Available at: http://sciencespot.net/Media/FrnsScience/chromacard.pdf (Accessed 03 September 2014). Waksmundzka-Hajnos, M. and Sherma, J. (2011) High performance liquid chromatography in , [Online] Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=8F4LCU-AIhMCpg=PA14dq=chromatography+paper+techniqueshl=ensa=Xei=KUvHU5DrJsv_8QWp9ICIAQved=0CCgQ6AEwATgK#v=onepageq=chromatography paper techniquesf=false (Accessed 03 September 2014). Wilson, K. and Walker, J. (2000) Principles and techniques of practical biochemistry, 1st ed, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. , [Online] Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=0NvlqobpwCwCpg=PA620dq=chromatography+paper+techniqueshl=ensa=Xei=KUvHU5DrJsv_8QWp9ICIAQved=0CCMQ6AEwADgK#v=onepageq=chromatography paper techniquesf=false (Accessed 03 September 2014).

The Gay Marriage Debate :: Legalizing Gay Marriage

Within this essay, the main focus will be to develop a thorough analysis and discussion in relation to the topic of gay marriage. In order to construct this, this essay will discuss positions in favor of and against gay marriage. In reference to the position supporting gay marriage, the discussion will focus on; discrimination and equality and respect on individual’s rights. The points that will be discussed contraty to gay marriage will be building upon ideas that we rose in the debate as well as incorporating some new material. Throughout this essay, the ‘for and against’ positions will distinguish between both sides of the argument. Inclusion of scholarly articles will become evident throughout this essay to support the main points that will be made within this argument on gay marriage as well incorporating case studies that support both ‘for and against’ gay marriage. Overall, this essay will display a thorough representation and discussion on h ow gay marriage can be positioned in society with valid points made both ‘for and against’. Gay marriage has slowly become a significant factor amongst individuals of today’s society. Similarly, this leads to the discussion of homosexuals having the right to marry in society. Ultimately, conflict from the opposing position of ‘against’ gay marriage may arise that gay marriage can destroy the concept of marriage and mock the importance of procreation. In reference to this; everyone in society has the right to marry regardless of gender, thus it should be socially acceptable. However, this is why it is significant to discuss both sides of the argument, regardless of if you are ‘for’ or ‘against’ gay marriage in society. In relation to homosexuals, contradiction constantly arises that gay marriage should not be legalised. However, homosexuals do not necessarily want to get marriage but may just want the justification of having equal rights. Thus, in the case if homosexuals do want to marry at some stage of their relationship, accor ding to Nagle, â€Å"people say that banning same sex marriage is not only unfair, but it is also discriminatory† (2010, p.31). In society, denying individuals rights due to their gender, race or sexual orientation is consequently classified as discrimination. Alternatively, to go against gay marriage and not allowing either two females or to males getting married to one another can become a form of illegal discrimination towards society. It is simply giving equal rights to homosexuals and not judging or blocking them out of the marriage institution.

Mandatory Drug Tests for Welfare Recipients

Should welfare recipients be drug tested? We have many different opinions about this subject. The problem is that people are receiving free money from the government and purchasing unnecessary or illegal products. Is that fair to people who work hard to earn their money and pay the taxes to support these addictions? No, it’s not fair. The money should go straight to support the individuals’ families until they can support themselves without the help of the government. People who can afford to buy drugs don’t need help from the government.Welfare should be used for its purpose only. Without drug testing people who receive the benefit, the government has no knowledge of how the money from welfare is being used. Drug tests would solve the misusing of the welfare money, and help keep recipients clean so they can keep a job and they can take care of their family with their own earned money. Why is there welfare? Some people run into difficulties in their lives where t hey may need some time of assistance; in these cases, welfare comes into place.Welfare is meant to help people who really need it. As the saying goes, â€Å"Bad things happen to good people,† and when people can’t afford to put food on their table or can’t afford a home to live in, welfare takes action and helps them. Welfare exists to make sure people can get back on their feet, and that’s what welfare checks should be used for and only for. People on welfare should be using that money effectively and meanwhile they should be looking for a job so they can afford their home and food and at one point get out of the welfare system.People are not supposed to lay back and pretend that their welfare check is their salary and use these funds for whatever they want (Welfare Information). But it happens. Unfortunately, welfare has become a way of life for a lot of people in the US. They sit around waiting for their next check with no intention of looking for a jo b or to improve their lives in anyway (Krannebitter). Therefore welfare is creating dependable people who don’t care to get out of their couch to make a better living for themselves.The worst part is that a lot of the people on welfare also use the money that come from the pocket of people who get up early in the morning to work almost every day, to buy drugs. If people are struggling to pay rent or to get food for their family, how are they having enough to buy drugs? What happens is that a lot of the times adults take the money that they are supposed to buy clothing, food, school materials for their kids and instead use it to buy drugs. That is not air to people in the work force because we are basically funding their drug addictions, and it’s definitely not fair to their kids, because that money is supposed to help them live a better childhood (â€Å"Welfare Misuse and Drugs†). So what can we do to prevent welfare money going to drugs? We should consider drug testing welfare recipients. By doing so, we would make sure that every person who receives the help from the government is clean and are using the money efficiently.Also it would make sure they are not losing jobs because of their addictions. People who are against drug testing welfare recipients always say that the 4th amendment make the drug testing unconstitutional. People who don’t know what the 4th amendment is all about, it basically states that the U. S. constitution protects people from unreasonable search (Fourth Amendment). So how come the 4th amendment doesn’t protect me from being drug tested for a job?I’m willing to work and earn my money and to do so I undergo through a drug test every so often, so how come the people who are in the welfare system, who by the way receives the money from the taxes I pay from my paycheck, for free, should not be tested? It’s just common sense. The drug testing would encourage people to stop using drugs and us e the money in a more productive way, and as a result of that, improving their lives. Welfare money is not always used for its purpose.With that in mind, the government should come up with a solution to solve this problem who is taking money away from people who really need the system. That solution is called drug testing. Drug tests should be a part of the application for welfare and it should happen also during the period when the person is getting help from the government, as people get tested to keep their job. Drug test would not only make sure that the welfare money is used properly, it would also make sure the recipients are clean and therefore can be more productive for their families and our society.

$25 Gift Certificate Expires Today - Resumes, Cover Letters, LinkedIn Profiles, Professional Writing Help

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Pleaded vs. Pled

Pleaded vs. Pled Pleaded vs. Pled Pleaded vs. Pled By Maeve Maddox A reader asks to know the past tense and past participle of the verb â€Å"to plead†: I have heard â€Å"pled† being used. Is this correct? The question of pleaded vs. pled is the source of much online discussion, little of it neutral: I personally think it makes newscasters and journalists sound ignorant when they use â€Å"pleaded† to describe what some defendant did in the court. I am actually shocked at the number of people who assert that â€Å"pled† is correct or that â€Å"pled† sounds correct to them. The hair on my neck stands up whenever I hear someone utter the word â€Å"pled.† Some speakers despise pled as an Americanism: The past tense of the verb â€Å"to plead† is â€Å"pleaded†. â€Å"Pled†, no matter how it is spelled, is an American illiteracy. Others defend pled because it’s not an Americanism: Pled, pled, pled, pled, I shall go ahead and use it! I grew up where UK usage was prevalent, but USA usage is now the norm. PLED is UK and Pleaded is USA English. I’m writing pled, pled, pled, pled, pled!!!! Pled is not an â€Å"Americanism.† The British poet Sir Edmund Spenser (1552-1599) uses pled as a past form of the verb plead in The Faerie Queene (1590-1596): And with him to make part against her, came Many grave persons, that against her pled; (the trial of Duessa) The OED gives pleaded as the past of plead, but notes that pled is used as the past form in Scottish and US usage. A statistical analysis made by legal blogger Eugene Volokh of the use of â€Å"pleaded guilty† vs â€Å"pled guilty† and â€Å"well-pleaded† vs â€Å"well-pled† in the ALLCASES database in Westlaw shows an almost 50-50 use of the forms pled and pleaded. Volokh concludes that both uses â€Å"are fully standard† and that he sees â€Å"no basis for labeling either ‘incorrect.’ † Nevertheless, both The Chicago Manual of Style and The AP Stylebook come down firmly on the side of pleaded: pleaded; pled. The first is the standard past-tense and past-participial form. Avoid pled. –CMOS, 5.220 â€Å"Good usage versus common usage.† plead, pleaded, pleading: Do not use the colloquial past tense form, pled. –AP Stylebook. With two such influential style guides against it, pled–at least in printed matter–will probably fade away. A site for lawyers called Above the Law polled readers in 2008 and again in 2011, asking how many preferred pled to pleaded. In 2008, pled garnered 62.5% of the vote; in 2011, pled was still ahead, but the percentage of speakers preferring it had slipped to 57%. On the other hand, pled will very likely hang on in speech. Many speakers, perceiving a difference between pleaded and pled, use both, depending on context. For many speakers, pleaded carries the connotation of begging or beseeching, whereas pled is a less loaded word: The condemned man pleaded for his life. The witness pled the Fifth. Many English verbs retain two past forms that are used with different meanings. For example, the verb â€Å"to hang† retains two past forms: hanged and hung. And both CMOS and AP allow for the use of both forms: hanged; hung. Hanged is used as the past participle of hang only in its transitive form when referring to the killing (just or unjust) of a human being by suspending the person by the neck: â€Å"Criminals were hanged at Tyburn Hill.† But if death is not intended or likely, or if the person is suspended by a body part other than the neck, hung is correct: â€Å"He was hung upside down as a cruel prank.† In most senses, of course, hung is the past form of hang: â€Å"Mark hung up his clothes.† All inanimate objects, such as pictures and Christmas stockings, are hung. –CMOS, 5.220 â€Å"Good usage versus common usage.† hang, hanged, hung: One hangs a picture, a criminal or oneself. For past tense or the passive, use hanged when referring to executions or suicides, hung for other actions. –The AP Stylebook. Bottom line: Both pleaded and pled are acceptable Standard English. Use the form you prefer in speech. Use the form required by your style guide for writing. 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 Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Regarding Re:45 Synonyms for â€Å"Old† and â€Å"Old-Fashioned†Mood vs. Tense

Environmental Health and Safety

Environmental Health and Safety Free Online Research Papers The first purpose of this paper is to explain (using the given scenario) which of the following two approaches to enhance food safety would be more effective in the long run; a stronger enforcement program by the local health department or a mandatory food safety training requirement for all restaurants employees. In addition I will describe worker behaviors that may promote or compromise food safety. The scenario is there have been several complaints in your community about dirty restaurants. Several restaurants are no longer in business as a result of a television expose. You are the head of a citizen task force and have been asked to make recommendations for improved food safety. The members of the task force are at odds over which approach to food safety best serves the interests of the community. The second purpose of this paper is to describe the recommendations that I would give (using the given scenario) the public to prevent further spread of the West Nile Virus by mosquitoes and describe the recommendations that I would give the community to control the mosquito population in the community. The scenario is, recently there have been numerous reports on increased mosquito bites in several neighborhoods in your community. Your staff has investigated these reports and has found them to be justified. In fact, there have been an increasing number of complaints that mosquitoes are preventing people from staying out in the early mornings and evenings. Additionally, the local health department has informed you that there has been an increase in reported cases of encephalitis and a few deaths related to West Nile Virus. FOOD SAFETY Enforcement programs have always been required to monitor the safety of the public as a whole and there are plenty of statistics that show an increase in compliance with established regulations as a result of enforcement. However, it is my recommendation to implement a mandatory food safety training requirement for all restaurant employees. Education is always comes before enforcement. If restaurant employees are not educated in the proper food handling, preparation, or even proper cleaning procedures in the kitchen and don’t understand why it is important to follow established protocolsthen they are doomed to fail any type of standards enforcement inspections. Most public health departments have limited resources to perform inspections and therefore establishments may only get inspected one to six times per year depending on certain risk factors associated with the number and type of foods served. Even Texas state schools are only mandated to have inspections twice a ye ar for their kitchens and staff. (DSHS 2007) According to Allison Knezevich, a reporter from the Charleston Gazette in West Virginia, who wrote recent article covering restaurant food safety, â€Å"A critical violation is an infraction that is capable of spreading foodborne illness such as chicken salad that are not kept cold enough, on ice or refrigerated or employees who don’t practice adequate hand hygiene.† She also stated, â€Å"Under the current rules, an establishment can have five uncorrectable critical violations before it is shut down.† (Knezevich 2008) Worker behaviors may promote or compromise food safety. Why don’t food handlers wash their hands? Why are raw meats stored over ready-to-eat foods? Why isn’t that food stored at the required temperatures? These questions address just a couple of worker behaviors that compromise food safety. Why do workers do what they do? Often it is because of one’s opinion of the perception of the seriousness of the impact, one’s opinion of the tangible action or confidence in one’s ability to take action. Most workers will state that they didn’t realize the possible dangers or are a victim of the â€Å"it’s not my job† syndrome. The way to influence behaviors to a achieve an acceptable change is to, specify the consequences, increase awareness of a need for change, promote awareness and employ reminder systems, provide training and guidance in performing the action, use verbal reinforcement, and demonstrate desired behaviors. (Jenk ins-McLean, 2004) How does this get accomplished? Demonstrate proper handwashing, use examples of restaurant foodborne outbreaks, involve the staff in mock inspections, and possibly have weekly meetings to re-emphasize key food protection points. When this occurs you will have a restaurant staff that not only exhibits proper worker behavior, but also understands why. Food safety is an extremely important issue and food preparation is even more complex than ever. We don’t just eat meat and potatoes anymore. Today we are eating more poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables. While this is conducive to a healthier lifestyle it presents greater challenges when it comes to food safety. Mandating educational programs and professional training for restaurant employees is the best way to limit the spread of foodborne illness and will ultimately enhance food safety practices. This in turn will be reflected in a reduction of reportable public health illnesses that occur as a result of improper food preparation or handling and be evident during future enforcement inspections. VECTORS What are vectors? Vectors are insects and rodents that are capable of transmitting an infectious agent by biting, stinging, or depositing the agent either directly on the host or on some object that will come in contact with the host. In some cases, a vector acts as an intermediate host, and other times the vector is simply contaminated. The first thing that I would do is contact the Center of Disease Control (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). While the local health is involved, the CDC and the EPA have greater resources to provide and may be able to assist in providing recommendations. The EPA website states, â€Å"The CDC, works closely with state and local health departments and provides public information and develops national strategies to reduce the risk of disease transmission.† The EPA also states, â€Å"The EPA (EPA, 2007) The increased mosquito population in the community represents a serious risk as evident by the deaths related to West Nile Virus. In an effort to control and combat the mosquito population I would contact my local vector control agency and give the following recommendations to the community such as: making sure to limit the amount of free standing water around living areas, treat swimming pools and make sure they are continuously circulating, keep rain gutter s on homes unclogged, and keep screen doors closed tight. Next I would establish a community outreach program to educate users on the proper use of insect repellents and have repellents available at no cost to lower income communities to increase compliance. The West Nile Virus is a mosquito-borne disease. People get infected with the virus when they are bitten by an infected mosquito. The mosquitoes become infected with the virus when they feed on infected birds. The infected mosquitoes can spread the virus to humans and animals that they bite. It is important to know that the virus is not spread through the air or by contact. However, there is a â€Å"very† small risk of acquiring the virus through transfusion, transplants or breastfeeding. In an effort to prevent the spread of West Nile, I would recommend to the community to use the same mosquito control measures to reduce the risk of being bit by mosquitoes. In addition, I would inform the community to be on the lookout for dead birds and tree squirrels and report them to local public health departments. This can indicate the presence of the virus and the health departments will want to test the dead animal for the virus. This allows the public health department to use the information for surveillance purposes. Mosquitoes have always been known for their ability to transmit disease to the public. When people think of mosquito bites, they usually just think of the annoyance of scratching the bite area. However, with natural disasters happening more frequently, especially with all of the mid-west flooding, mosquitoes may become a bigger nuisance to the American public. References Jenkins-McLean, T., Skilton, C., Sellers, C. (2004). Engaging Food Service Workers in Behavioral-Change Partnerships. Retrieved on July 30, 2008 from metrokc.gov/health/env_hlth/behavior-change-food.pdf California West Nile Virus Website (2008). West Nile Basics. Retrieved on July 30, 2008 from http://westnile.ca.gov/wnv_faqs_basics.php Department of Health Human Services (1999) Administration Statement on Duplication in Food Safety on Behalf of The Presidents Council on Food Safety. Retrieved on July 30, 2008 from hhs.gov/asl/testify/t990804c.html Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), (2007). School Safety: Changes in the law Creating a Requirement for Two Annual Inspections. Retrieved on July 30, 2008 from dshs.state.tx.us/schoolsafety/food.shtm United States Environmental Protection Agency (2007). Mosquito Control. Retrieved on July 30, 2008 from epa.gov/pesticides/health/mosquitoes/ Research Papers on Environmental Health and SafetyMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductGenetic EngineeringInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseLifes What IfsNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeOpen Architechture a white paperStandardized Testing

Should conscience always come first in making ethical choices Essay

Should conscience always come first in making ethical choices - Essay Example Thus, it is beyond any doubt that it is particularly important in the decision making process. This paper will argue that in spite of being abstract notion, conscience should always come first in making ethical choices. To begin with, one should point out that it is generally thought that there is no stable algorithm which is able to determine every single decision that a person makes. In other words, â€Å"route to a decision is not predetermined by the mechanism. In this case we need an additional theory to explain voluntary choice†1. This means that the idea of conscience may become the element which is able to make the issue of the nature of the decision making process easier to understand. Indeed, when it comes to analyzing making a decision, there is a considerable number of variables that a person should take into account. Keeping that in mind, it is rather difficult to design a fine as well as well structured approach towards decision making in general. That is why one might heavily rely on conscience when it comes to the issue in question as this concept may provide a person with the required categories that could be later used to make a decision which a person considers to be corre ct. Another important implication that the lack of clearly defined mechanism of the decision making hold is that a person is free to choose its elements. In other words, some people might find it effective to rely on conscience while making a decision and other will dismiss this notion. Thus, the evidence as well as practice shows that if conscience comes first in the decision making process it brings positive consequences. However, a person should approach the notion of conscience with caution. The opponents of this argue that â€Å"conscience has become [the] mystery of decision-making, the enigma to which man assigns human quandaries and upon which he builds this artificial speculation as to the source of moral human choices†2. As a result this point of view

Exam2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Exam2 - Assignment Example At that time, the rent would be $ 10000 per month. The next question which arises is that, whether the entire amount of $ 4000000 would be given from internal sources of financing or an external loan should also be taken. If external loan is taken, then it would be obtained to an amount of $ 2000000 having an interest of 5% per year. If the building is constructed in 2017, then the accumulated amount of $ 4000000 can also be invested and an interest on such investment @ 3.5% would be obtained. The cost of the building would also be incrementing by 2.5% per year. Return on Investment has been calculated by taking into consideration that the interest rate on the investment of $ 4000000 is 3.5%. Question 1 Return on Investment Particulars Amount (in $) Invested Amount 4000000 Return on Investment for the year 2013 (from October to December) 35000 Return on Investment for the year 2014 140000 Return on Investment for the year 2015 140000 Return on Investment for the year 2016 140000 Tota l Return on Investment 455000 Return on Investment (in Percentage) 11.375% The return on investment is a performance measure that is used for evaluating the efficiency and accuracy of any investment (Megginson & Scott, 2008). It is an effective performance measuring tool, which helps in taking appropriate decisions by the company (Rachlin, 1997). It helps in avoiding flaws in the managerial decisions taken by any company. If the accumulated amount of $ 4000000 is invested, then an annual interest @ 2.5 percent would be earned every year till 2017. The interest earned in the 1st year is 35000 and the interest earned in next three years is $ 140000 each year. Total interest earned is $455000. Return on investment is 11.375%. Question 2 Inflation rate is described as the continuous increase in the price level of goods and services. It is calculated as the annual percentage rise. Findlay is the name of a city in Ohio, United States. The Inflation rate of United States, as projected by I nternational Monetary Fund, has been shown below: (International Monetary Fund, 2012) Within the time period of 2014 to 2018, the inflation rate as assessed by the Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index would rise to some extent and then it would remain constant at a rate of 2 percent (CBO, 2013). Determination of the projected annual inflation rate of Ohio is also necessary. ‘The Ohio Department of Transportation’ has estimated the Inflation Rate of Ohio to be: High Most Likely Low 2013 8 % 5.7% 3% 2014 10% 5.5% 3.5% 2015 8.95% 5.9% 3.5% 2016 7.5% 4.5% 1.5% 2017 7% 4% 1% Question 3 It has been stated that the value of the building would be increasing by 2.5 percent every year starting from 2014. The increment has been shown in the following table: Particulars Amount (in $) Present value of the building 4000000 Value of the building in 2014 4100000 Value of the building in 2015 4202500 Value of the building in 2016 4307562.5 Value of the building in 2017 4415251.5 6 Net Increase 415251.56 It can be seen from the above mentioned table that the value of the building increased yearly. The value of the building in 2014 increased to $ 4100000. It increased to $ 4202500 in the year 2015. In the year 2016, the value increased to $ 4307562.5 and finally in the year 2017, the value increased to $ 415251.56. Question 4 Option 1 Paying the whole amount from the internal sources of financing

Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Development - Essay Example 47). Thus development in an organizational context is dependent on some key theoretical aspects like: a) Leadership The main crux of any leadership effort is to motivate people to aspire to achieve a common goal and to extend to them the skills and the attributes that could make them work collectively as a team (Rost 1993, p. 39). A leader always has the ability and the potential to gets things done by others through following the right strategy and attitude. However, such attitude ought to rely predominantly on a feeling of respect for and trust on others and must avoid as far as possible, resorting to fear and submission (Rost 1993, p. 42). Hence, respect and mutual trust are the key elements of leadership. b) Motivation It is very common to come across the reality that varied personnel constituting an organizational team tend to have diverse purposes, goals and aspirations (Mackay 2007, p. 24). Not to say that the eventual success of any project is predominantly dependant on the c ollective commitment of all the team members to the envisaged goal. This is mostly a direct function of their levels of motivation. Motivation in an organizational context is a two pronged process. ... to be bound by a common sense of purpose, thereby extending maximum cooperation to the respective group members, the organizational leadership, the diverse stakeholders associated with the organization and the organizational administration (Lantz 2007, p. 12). Teamwork is always the final outcome of good team building and effective leadership. Team building efforts comprise of varied tasks like defining goals and targets, extending and establishing leadership, management of conflicts, and motivating the respective team members (Lantz 2007). Team building also consists of processes like encouraging the interpersonal behaviour that aids effective communication and negotiating the roles ascribed to respective team members and establishing the procedures that go with them (Lantz 2007). It goes without saying that the team building efforts in an organization are certainly bolstered by the ability of a team leader to solicit the backing and support of the top management. Team building is a lso to a great extent dependant on the ability of a team leader to come out with appropriate reward systems. d) Communication Most of the experts consider communication to be the single most important factor that could make or mar the eventual success of any project (Harris 1993). The success of a project to a great extent relies on the effective communication between team members, between team members and the leadership, and between a team and the diverse stakeholders associated with a project (Harris 1993). A hassle free and open communication is the way to success and achievement. Proper communication is the one potent way to better and improve professional relationships between the varied team members. Hence, a team leader ought to learn about the varied communication aspects of the

Are We Ready for Another Catastrophe Research Paper

Are We Ready for Another Catastrophe - Research Paper Example On the federal level, government agency reports by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and CDC (Centers for Disease and Control Prevention) will be examined by looking at decisive changes on emergency response and preparedness. On the State level, emergency management in disaster prone areas such as Florida, Texas, New York, and Mississippi will also be looked upon. Lastly, on the local level, steps taken by the community to prepare itself for major catastrophe will be examined. According to Perry & Lindell (2003), emergency preparedness refers to the readiness of a political jurisdiction to react constructively to threats from the environment in a way that minimizes the negative consequences of impact for the health and safety of the individuals and the integrity and functioning of physical structures and systems1. However, this definition does not encompass the entire scope of disasters that we face in modern society. Among these catastrophes are nuclear power plant emergencies, cyber terrorism, bio terrorism, and other man-made disasters. As such, a broader definition was provided by Nursing Clinics of America on its issue on Disaster Management and Response (2005), stating that emergency preparedness is the â€Å"comprehensive knowledge, skills, abilities and actions needed to prepare for and respond to threatened, actual, or suspected chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive incidents, man-made incidents, natural disasters or other related events.†

Clinical and Laboratory Diagnosis of Salmonellosis Essay

Clinical and Laboratory Diagnosis of Salmonellosis - Essay Example Laboratory Manual and Workbook in Microbiology Applications to Patient Care). It is also called as bacillary dysentery. Universally gastro-enteritis is caused by Shigella. It may cause bloody diarrhea also called dysentery or cause non bloody diarrhea. Shigella gains entry through epithelial lining of large intestine and obliterate the intestinal mucosa. The infection is highly contagious and is responsible for over 600,000 or more deaths per year. Most victims are from developing nations and in areas of overcrowding where poor sanitation persist; jails, mental hospitals, refugee camps, daycare or in primary schools (Scarpignato, C, Lanas A, Bacterial Flora in Digestive Disease: Focus on Rifaximin (Digestion)). Classical symptoms include watery loose stool, abdominal pain, mild fever, abdominal cramps, painful stools, frequent stools with bloody mucus. Some of the strains of Shigella are known to produce toxin that result in "hemolytic uremic syndrome"( Scarpignato, C, Lanas A, Bacterial Flora in Digestive Disease: Focus on Rifaximin (Digestion)). Clinical Sample: Stool/ feces/ blood/ rectal swab (Josephine A. Laboratory Manual and Workbook in Microbiology Applications to Patient Care)Positive cultures are obtained from blood-tinged plugs of mucus of freshly passed stools. Rectal swabs are collected if arrangements are there for rapid processing of the sample or holding solution containing: buffered glycerol saline is available (Scarpignato, C, Bacterial Flora in Digestive Disease: Focus on Rifaximin (Digestion)). Microscopic Examination: Bacillary dysentery characterized by sheets of PMN Morphology & Staining: Differential Gram staining is performed show gram negative bacilli. Processing of the clinical sample is done with the following protocol to confirm causative agent. (Josephine A. Laboratory Manual and Workbook in Microbiology Applications to Patient Care) Media: Low selectivity: MacConkey, EMB Intermediate Selectivity: Xylose Lysine Desoxycholate, Desoxycholate Citrate Agar, Salmonella Shigella agar and Hektoen enteric agar (HE) Highly selective: Bismuth sulphite (BS) agar and brilliant green agar (BG). Biochemical Tests: KIA Gas H2S MR VP Ind Cit Ure Mot Pad Lys Arg Orn ONPG K/A + + + - - + - + - + +/- + - Serological Tests of Salmonellosis: Widal test (H and O agglutination for typhoid and paratyphoid patients), CIEP, Haemagglutination, ELISA, Bactericidal Antibody test, Adherence test for detection of IgM antibodies, RIA, Co-agglutination test, Latex agglutination test, PCR, Diazo test of Urine, bacteriophage typing (Josephine A. Laboratory Manual and Workbook in Microbiology Applications to Patient Care). For detection of Salmonella, 8 hour of pre-enrichment is performed, persuaded by automated DNA extraction and a sensitive real-time PCR. Optimization of this method is done to obtain highest possible yield of cells and DNA to ensuring public health (Josefsen, M. H., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 2007). Serological Tests of Shigellosis: Slide agglutination with antisera for serogroup and serotype, PCR, ELISA, Monoclonal Antibodies test. Biochemical reactions: MR +, reduce nitrate to nitrite, citrate utilization-ve, inhibited by KCN, H2S-ve,catalase+ve, oxidase+ve,

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

Transition - Essay Example The objective of transition is to plan and adopt some educational and interactive activities which will prepare the students for further education and employment. Transition services and plans for youth with disabilities are now mandated under the recently enacted 'Education of the Handicapped Act' Amendments of 1990. Barone et al. (1991) explained that youth is the crucial time when an individual requires friendship and social interaction to disrupt the barriers of apprehension. Severely disabled students often are deprived of good communication and comprehensive skills which strengthen social relationships and they often feel secluded and isolated. The concept of Inclusion of youth with disabilities in regular classrooms helps to build a healthy and motivating relationship among the students. This concept not only enhances the career related outcomes but also reinforces the sense of belonging to Human family. Families have a critical impact on the successful transition from school to adult life for young adults with disabilities. The involvement of the parents in the transition process is mandatory as they will have a better idea of their children's temperament, interests and abilities. On the contrary parents may sometimes become very emotional and over protective which may act as a hindrance for the development of the students. Parents often tend to underestimate their children or hold unrealistic high expectations of them when compared to regular children. As Jean E. Ness explains parents always have confusion between the abilities and motivations of their children. Special Education and Support System Individuals with disabilities require more vigorous and dedicated training when compared to normal students as they have to overcome the many additional hurdles of life. Special education should be directed towards assessment and instruction of students for smooth transition from school to post-secondary activities like employment or post-secondary education. If special education teachers do not take proper interest in motivating students then there will be potential increase in number of drop outs. The support system should be concerned, organized, focused towards the goal of transition process for students. Self determination and Motivation One of the reasons for poor post school outcomes is that students with disabilities leave school without self-determination. Students who do not have the motivation to plan and manage their lives will leave school without the skills necessary to secure a meaningful job. During the transition process high risk youth should be identified and their morale should be boosted up with self confidence and mastery of self-management skills. Several recent models of student involvement in transition planning include creating a self-directed individualized education program (IEP). Difference in the Environment of instruction The idea of going to new campus or community is of a big

Are We Ready for Another Catastrophe Research Paper

Are We Ready for Another Catastrophe - Research Paper Example On the federal level, government agency reports by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and CDC (Centers for Disease and Control Prevention) will be examined by looking at decisive changes on emergency response and preparedness. On the State level, emergency management in disaster prone areas such as Florida, Texas, New York, and Mississippi will also be looked upon. Lastly, on the local level, steps taken by the community to prepare itself for major catastrophe will be examined. According to Perry & Lindell (2003), emergency preparedness refers to the readiness of a political jurisdiction to react constructively to threats from the environment in a way that minimizes the negative consequences of impact for the health and safety of the individuals and the integrity and functioning of physical structures and systems1. However, this definition does not encompass the entire scope of disasters that we face in modern society. Among these catastrophes are nuclear power plant emergencies, cyber terrorism, bio terrorism, and other man-made disasters. As such, a broader definition was provided by Nursing Clinics of America on its issue on Disaster Management and Response (2005), stating that emergency preparedness is the â€Å"comprehensive knowledge, skills, abilities and actions needed to prepare for and respond to threatened, actual, or suspected chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive incidents, man-made incidents, natural disasters or other related events.†

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

Transition - Essay Example The objective of transition is to plan and adopt some educational and interactive activities which will prepare the students for further education and employment. Transition services and plans for youth with disabilities are now mandated under the recently enacted 'Education of the Handicapped Act' Amendments of 1990. Barone et al. (1991) explained that youth is the crucial time when an individual requires friendship and social interaction to disrupt the barriers of apprehension. Severely disabled students often are deprived of good communication and comprehensive skills which strengthen social relationships and they often feel secluded and isolated. The concept of Inclusion of youth with disabilities in regular classrooms helps to build a healthy and motivating relationship among the students. This concept not only enhances the career related outcomes but also reinforces the sense of belonging to Human family. Families have a critical impact on the successful transition from school to adult life for young adults with disabilities. The involvement of the parents in the transition process is mandatory as they will have a better idea of their children's temperament, interests and abilities. On the contrary parents may sometimes become very emotional and over protective which may act as a hindrance for the development of the students. Parents often tend to underestimate their children or hold unrealistic high expectations of them when compared to regular children. As Jean E. Ness explains parents always have confusion between the abilities and motivations of their children. Special Education and Support System Individuals with disabilities require more vigorous and dedicated training when compared to normal students as they have to overcome the many additional hurdles of life. Special education should be directed towards assessment and instruction of students for smooth transition from school to post-secondary activities like employment or post-secondary education. If special education teachers do not take proper interest in motivating students then there will be potential increase in number of drop outs. The support system should be concerned, organized, focused towards the goal of transition process for students. Self determination and Motivation One of the reasons for poor post school outcomes is that students with disabilities leave school without self-determination. Students who do not have the motivation to plan and manage their lives will leave school without the skills necessary to secure a meaningful job. During the transition process high risk youth should be identified and their morale should be boosted up with self confidence and mastery of self-management skills. Several recent models of student involvement in transition planning include creating a self-directed individualized education program (IEP). Difference in the Environment of instruction The idea of going to new campus or community is of a big

Elaine Cumming and Warren Earl Henrys Disengagement Theory Essay Example for Free

Elaine Cumming and Warren Earl Henrys Disengagement Theory Essay Disengage because of reduced physical health and loss of social activities * Cummings (1975) argued that older people would experience a reduction in social contact as they grow older and becoming increasingly ‘individual’ * ‘disengaging is a natural part of aging’ *   Everyone expects death, and ones abilities will likely deteriorate over time. As a result, every person will lose ties to others in his or her society. aging  is an inevitable, mutual withdrawal or disengagement, resulting in decreased interaction between theaging  person and others in the social system he belongs to. Embardos disagreement.. * Said theory was discredited for many reasons * Argues that majority of older people remain socially involved with family and friends . Maybe choose to spend more time with people they are close to rather than seeking new friends * Current data from the office for national statistics supports the view that a majority of older people enjoy social networks * if people only interact with close friends does this mean they are disengaged? * Argued that older people need to disengage but * They need to remain ‘active’ in order to stop disengagement going too far * Argues that society should provide older people with activities * Society should provide them with education of how to make use of the activities * It is very important for older adults to remain mentally active and maintain an interest in life and enjoy the company of others * The theory assumes that a positive relationship between activity and  life satisfaction| M2 – case study 1 Alan is a 76 year old man who has recently lost his wife. He is completely disengaged. He does not try to socialise as he is still grieving from the loss of his wife and can’t seem to pull himself around. Firstly the social disengagement theory will affect Alan’s social development; he is disengaging himself from any social activities or communications as he is grieving. This will have a negative effect on his social and emotional development as he is not talking to people to help him feel better or to get things ‘off his chest’, keeping it all locked away. This will have a negative effect and will make him a lot worse. It may also have a negative effect on his physical or physiological development as he may be susceptible to depression. This may lead to physical harm. The argument against this theory will however have a positive effect on Alan as he will be socialising with other people, helping tae his mind off the loss of his wife. He will also be engaging in social activities keeping his mind active positively effecting his intellectual development, and again taking his mind off his loss. The argument to this theory would also have a positive effect on his physical development as he will be getting around more when joining in activities. Lastly joining these activities will reflect on Alan’s emotional development and maybe help him to cope with his loss more as he is not constantly grieving over it. Bromleys activity theory would have a positive effect on Alan’s, physical, intellectual, social and emotional development. As the theory states, older people should be provided with activities and educated on these topics, this will help Alan’s intellectual development as his mind is still active, as he is gaining knowledge about the activities given and his brain will be engaging in the activities keeping it active also. This will also have a positive effect on Alan’s physical development as he will be taking part in the activities, enabling him to get around and be more fit and active. His social development will be effected greatly also as he will be constantly communicating with a lot of different people. Lastly his emotional development will be effected as he may cope with his loss a bit more successfully, and he may also discover a hobby he has taken a liking to. Case study 2 Geena is 86 years old and struggles to move around a lot. She is very upset that her mobility isn’t as strong as it used to be, and gets emotional at times when she tries to do something independently and cannot. Although she is independent she does not like being alone. As Geena is a very independent woman, the social disengagement theory has a negative effect on her physical development as it states, she is disengaged because her restricted mobility to get around. Not only does this affect her social development, but her physical too as she is straining herself to complete tasks that are difficult for her. This also has a negative effect on her emotional development as it upsets her that she cannot complete daily things she feels she needs to do. This does not affect her intellectual development. The disagreement to this theory would not affect Geena a lot as she is not disengaged. However it would affect her intellectual development positively if she joined a social networking site, as this would build up her knowledge of technology, effecting her social life also as she may get in touch with some old friends. This will not affect her emotional or physical development. Bromleys activity theory may affect Geena’s emotional development negatively as she has restricted mobility and would not be able to join any physical activities without becoming distressed and upset. However, if she joined activities such as bingo this would positively affect her social development as she would get out more an interact with a variety of different people, it would positively affect her emotionally as she will be able to complete activities without having to move or becoming distressed and upset about it. Lastly it will positively affect her intellectually as it will be keeping her mind active while she is concentrating on her activities.

The Self Criticism And Reflection Education Essay

The Self Criticism And Reflection Education Essay During the college years, I had multiple hurdles that I have encountered. One of the biggest hurdles was time management and procrastination. Throughout my education, I have always been a procrastinator, even in finishing up this essay. When I go into my assignments, I will always go with good intentions and plan on getting them done early so that I will not have to worry about doing them later. However, life seems to get in the way. I always find something else that needs to be done immediately, while my assignments are not due for a few days. I also find it very difficult to motivate myself if the assignment is not due right away. I have myself convinced that I will do better under pressure. So I always end up putting myself in that situation. Although throughout my education so far this technique has worked, I certainly believe that it will not work through university. In order to change my ways of thinking about assignments and deadlines, I need to set some concrete rules for me to follow. First off, I need to set realistic goals. I often set goals that are very unlikely to get my work done. Therefore, to improve this, I will try to break my assignment into parts and give myself more than enough time to accomplish each task. By doing this, my time will be fully utilized instead of wasted. In co-curricular activities, I realized that I had done little in games and clubs within the university, despite having a number of athletic teams, training personnel as well as other facilities. I was not able to attend any of the activities and even spent most of my time playing games on my personal computer rather than being involved in real athletics. Therefore, I have made strict schedules to allow me attend my favourite games which are football and rugby. I believe sports can season me to be mentally and physically fit. Moreover, physical fitness is important for all, and is also the main core for engineers to go the distance. In life, we are bound to encounter challenges. Thus, by doing sports, I hope they can help me to steel myself in coping with the challenges in life. Furthermore, as most sports involve precision, which is fundamentally linked to engineering, it also helps me to develop the natural traits as an engineer. Through the hurdles, I also realized some of my strength. One of them is that I always get all of my work done. I always make the time and find the will to get them done. This takes a lot of self-discipline, because I could always been distracted with other matters. If I get all of my work done, then surely it will help me in final year examinations. I am also learning all that I am given in order to expand my knowledge and do well on assignments, laboratories and coursework. This will ultimately help me to be more knowledgeable throughout my life. Professional Engineering principles and personal opinions Being a professional engineer, it means that I have to work to enhance the welfare, health and safety whilst paying due regard to the environment and the sustainability of resources. Personally, there are three fundamental principles that I think we, engineers, should hold as guidance in achieving the high ideals of professional life. Firstly, without any doubt, a professional engineer should normalise themselves with integrity and honesty. Professional engineers should adopt the highest standards of professional conduct, openness, fairness and honesty. Therefore, from now, I should start training myself to be alert on the ways in which my works and actions might affect others, and duly respect the rights and reputation of others too. I also need to avoid deceptive acts and take steps to prevent corrupt practices or professional misconduct. Bribery and improper influence should not be in practice too. Other than that, I would weight leadership as one of the most important principle for professional engineers as we should aspire to high standards of leadership in the exploitation and management of technology. Being a professional engineer, it shows that I hold a privileged and trusted position in a society. Therefore, I am expected to demonstrate that as professional engineer, I am seeking to serve wider society and also be sensitive to public concern. Thus, I have to be aware of the issues that engineering and technology raise for society, and also listen to the aspirations and concerns of others. Moreover, I have to actively promote public awareness and understanding of the impact and benefits of engineering achievements. Lastly, I believe professional engineers should be accurate and rigour. We hold a duty which is to ensure that we acquire and use widely and faithfully the knowledge that is relevant to the engineering skills needed in their work in service of others. Therefore, I should always act with care and competence. I have to get my knowledge and skills up to date and also assist the development of engineering knowledge and skills in others. In addition, I should present and review engineering evidence, theory and interpretation honestly, accurately and without bias. As a Professional engineer, I also need to identify and evaluate risks before take any actions. University experiences. University life has taught me to be more self discipline. Back in college, I was assigned with daily homework and teachers will check them on regular basis to ensure that the works given were properly done. However, when I step into university life, I am trusted to complete my assignments without being reminded. I also have to relate what I have learned in class to my readings. Most importantly, I have to keep myself notified the due date of my assignments. Other than that, it teaches me to be more independent thinker. In college, teachers will still check my homework and guide me through different thinking process, whilst in university; I have to develop my own independent thinking. An obvious example is when having a discussion with course mates on certain topics, there will be conflicting views on a single subject. However, in compensation, university provides us with more resources to clarify some disputes. Conclusion Upon finishing this essay, I have learned that time management is the most critical tool towards achieving personal goals not only in education, but also in other aspects of life. I have realized that my overall academic grades, as well as in extracurricular activities, improves with proper time management and the ability to work with strict time schedules. I have also learned a lot of useful insight from this whole module. Some of them have helped me to understand myself better. The questionnaires given during SESM1015 lecture have really helped me to understand about the different learning styles and thus made me realize which style that best fits me. Knowing this information also will help me utilize my strengths and ultimately learn better. To become the cream of the cream, one must always continue to learn and progress. Therefore, I set some expectations on myself for this year. One of the expectations that I have for myself is to continue to complete all of my work because that is the only way that one can truly learn. I am also going to work on feeling more confident about myself and my abilities. I have thoughts and ideas and I want to feel like I need to share them. That is going to be difficult for me since I am an international student, I have always been a quite one, but I will work on it. I am also expecting to be presented with ideas that I have never thought of, so I can learn from them. I want to learn a lot and look back on this year from now and be glad that I took it. Overall, I want to be taught things that I need to know in order to be the best professional engineer that I can be.

Ethics in Todays Universities Essay -- Ethics Morals Morality College

"Beliefs; The university's role in instilling a moral code among students? None whatever, some argue" is an article written by Peter Steinfels. The article focuses on the opinion of several college professors about whether morality and an ethical code of conduct should be taught in universities. The article presents both sides of the argument and quotes from different educators but does not take a stand on whether ethics should be part of the university curriculum or not. My initial reaction after reading this article was that academic institutions should only focus on education. I believed that a code of ethics should be established by my parents and my family and to some extent by teachers in grade school. After all, I reasoned, by the time I was 18 and in university, I already knew what was right or wrong and there was no need to waste time on an ethics class. I started to agree with Dean Fish who is quoted in the initial paragraphs of this article as writing in "The Chronicle of Higher Education," "You can't make them into good people, and you shouldn't try." After all, people never agree on what is right or wrong and everyone has their own standards and opinions. Starting a discussion would only open up a whole can of worms so it was best for Universities to forget about teaching ethics and to do what John J. Mearsheiner says in this article, and to leave it to the student, "to figure out the truth if there is one." As I continued to read, I did figure out the truth, and changed my mind about my initial thesis--that the University should focus on academics and be "collectively silent on the issue of morality." That approach has not worked I believe. Cheating is very common within many univ... ...should be guided by what Dennis Obrien, President of the University of Rochester, mentioned in this article calls "ascetic morality inherent in the very notions of research, discovery and scientific truth," How can we have "ascetic morality," or morality of any kind if we do not talk about it, if we sweep it under the carpet and wash our hands of it, and fail to include it in the curriculum. In response to Dean Fish who said we must not address the ethics issue because it will promote "vulgar multiculturalism and a soft core version of 60s radicalism," I say, he is wrong. I feel the strength of our country derives from being a melting pot of so many cultures, beliefs and values. I agree with the author that there will be divergent views and that it may be difficult to arrive at a consensus--that should not stop us from offering Ethics as part of the curriculum.

Freud?s view of civilization Essay -- essays research papers

Freud’s view of civilization emerges from his understanding of the struggle between Eros and Death. Freud expresses the existence of two contrary instincts, Eros and Death, via starting from the speculations on the beginning of life and biological parallels. While Eros preserves the living substance and joins it into larger units, such as societies, Death dissolves these units and brings them back to their primeval state. The death drives appear to be regressive, striving for a return to a less differentiated, less organized state of tensionlessness. In contrast, Eros (which embraces sexual and life-preserving instincts) is progressive in seeking ever more differentiated forms of organized life and even the widening of differences in it as between the organism and its surroundings. Freud explains the life as concurrent or mutually opposing action of, and therefore balance between Eros and death instincts. Beside this, civilization works with Eros in order to combine individuals to form families, then families to form nations and then great unity of mankind. Actually, the founding of families aroused from the permanent need of male for genital satisfaction. As a result of this, the male wanted his sex object, the female near him, while also the female did not want to leave from her children and had to stay with the stronger male. After that, the sons discovered that a union could be stronger than a single individual by overpowering their father. Because of that, the sons imposed some restrictions to work to each other in order to preserve the new state. Therefore, there are two foundations of the communal life of the human beings: the power of love between man and woman, and woman and her child, and the compulsion to work created by external necessity. The first one of these foundations is the result of Eros and the other is the result of the death instinct, which serves for Eros to co mbine individuals. However, in most cases death distinct opposes to civilization because of the results of death instinct. Because the death instinct directs towards the external world and it occurs as an instinct of aggressiveness and destructiveness. In this way the instinct enters the service of Eros, such that the organism destroys other things instead of destroying itself. However, restriction of these instincts directed towards other things speeds up the process of destr... ...ion. However, difference between male and female is not about strength and endurance, but about the reproductive differences and the ability to nurse of female. Because of these differences, destiny of female in society was designated by the anatomy of female in the past, but this is no longer valid and nor should it be. If we look at the probable criticisms of Gerda Lerner of about the Alphonso Lingis article, Lust, we can see the main difference between them, which is the point of view about woman. Lingis mentions about woman while he is mentioning about prostitutes in Bangkok. This means that like Freud, Lingis sees woman as sex object. Furthermore, he degrades women by saying that travesties in the stage of Calypso are women than women. He does not consider the reproductive property of women and therefore he exhibits the tendency towards men. Gerda Lerner might criticize this point of view of Lingis. Other than that, these two writers do not exhibits big differences since their point of views are different. Gerda Lerner approaches to the topic historically and deal with the subordination of women. On the other hand, Lingis mentions about the representation of self and desire.

Religion and Homosexuality in the United States Essay

I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Introduction Religion-led moral crusades are not novelties in American history. The abolitionist movement, for instance, originated from religious teachings about freedom and equality among all human beings. Early education reforms and laws barring commercial business on Sundays also had similar foundations (Walzer 4). In the early 20th century, the temperance movement agitated for a prohibition on sales of alcohol due to religious beliefs about the evils of liquor. In the 1960s, black churches and religious leaders took the lead in the struggle for equality for African-Americans (Walzer 5). Since the late 1960s, however, conservative Christian denominations have increasingly become the voice of religion-based moral fervor in the United States. The 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion, is generally acknowledged as the root cause of this phenomenon. Many right-wing Christian organizations held the aforementioned ruling responsible for the prevalence of premarital sex, easier access to birth control, decriminalized abortion, homosexuality and no-fault divorce laws. They believed that for a sound and healthy society to take place, these social â€Å"evils† must be stopped (Walzer 5). Fundamentalist Christians considered homosexuality to be the most dangerous among the above-mentioned social â€Å"evils.† This is because the sexual orientation and behavior of homosexuals â€Å"(clash) with the moral and religious teachings of the Bible† (Walzer 5). Simply put, homosexuals are â€Å"immoral† for the reason that their gender and lifestyle deviates from the Judeo-Christian principle of sexual relations as a means of procreation. They must therefore be denied any venues in which they could â€Å"spread† their â€Å"immorality,† such as gay civil rights (Walzer 5). The conflict between faith and homosexuality in the US eventually divided Christians between those who regarded homosexuality as a morality issue and those who viewed homosexuality as a social justice issue that both society and organized religion must address instead of ignore (Dawkins 290). This research paper will utilize the Marxist theoretical frameworks of dialectical and historical materialism. Dialectical materialism is based on the argument that history is defined by an endless struggle between different social classes. Historical materialism, meanwhile, asserts that the present state of a given society can be explained and understood by studying its past (Boobbyer 142). These theoretical frameworks are applied to the research paper through the study of the histories of gay civil rights and church-state relations in the US. To prove the thesis, the researcher will conduct a critical analysis of current government statistics or research data that are related to the topic. Qualitative descriptions of relevant government policies or research data will likewise be carried out. II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Data and Data Analysis Conservative Christian denominations often attack homosexuality by warning the public about the increasing number of homosexuals in the US. As they are operating on the premise that homosexuals are â€Å"immoral,† these religious groups would therefore claim that the rise in homosexuality would translate to an increase in social â€Å"evils† such as HIV/AIDS and pedophilia. They would further drive this point home to audiences by bombarding them with related statistics from â€Å"reputable† sources. In the end, bigotry and homophobia are reinforced among the addressees. Recent statistics do show an increase in homosexuality in the US from previous decades. The 1994 National Health and Social Life Survey (NHSLS) showed that an estimated 4.3 million Americans (2.8 million men and 1.5 million women) identified themselves as â€Å"homosexual or bisexual† (Sprigg 78). In addition, about 1.4 million Americans (0.9% of men and 0.4% of women) were exclusively engaged in same-sex relationships since age 18 (Sprigg 78). By 2000, according to the Washington, D.C.-based gay rights organization Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the gay and lesbian population in the US reached about 10,456,405. Data from the 2000 US Census, meanwhile, revealed that the number of same-sex couples in the country rose to 601,209 from 145,130 in 1990 (Burda 1). But the aforementioned figures are misleading. The institutions that produced these statistics do not have a clear idea of what constitutes â€Å"homosexuality,† â€Å"bisexuality† and â€Å"same-sex relationships.† Numerous studies on human sexual behavior have proven that it is possible for human beings of the same sex to engage in sexual activities regardless of sexual orientation. The term â€Å"homoerotic behavior† refers to same-sex sexual behavior that is performed for reasons that do not include homosexuality. Possible motivations for homoerotic behavior are identity crisis, exploration, same-sex bonding, glorification of maleness or femaleness and lack of opposite-sex partners (Turner 158). Mistaking homoerotic behavior for homosexuality is dangerous, as doing so has detrimental effects to both homosexuals and society in general. Positive qualities that could grow out of same-sex bonding, like caring, intimacy and nurturance, are suppressed and undervalued because such traits are associated with homosexuality (Abramson and Pinkerton 239). Furthermore, negative gender stereotypes are reinforced. â€Å"Masculinity† is linked with emotional detachment and superficial forms of socialization such as drinking, smoking and gambling. â€Å"Femininity,† on the other hand, is connected to submissiveness and lack of initiative. Experts have long debunked the â€Å"connection† between homosexuality, HIV/AIDS and pedophilia. It is true that HIV/AIDS was initially called the â€Å"gay cancer† because majority of its first victims were homosexual men. But this does not mean that HIV/AIDS is a disease that is restricted to homosexuals or that homosexuals alone are responsible for its spread. HIV/AIDS is spread by behavior and not by sexual orientation. A heterosexual who practices unsafe sex is just as prone to the disease as a homosexual who has a similar lifestyle. It is also not true that homosexuals are more prone to pedophilia than heterosexuals. As a matter of fact, about 90% of sexual abuse on children was committed by heterosexual men. A 1994 study that was published in the journal Pediatrics revealed that out of 296 cases of child sexual abuse, there were only two in which the perpetrator was a homosexual. Moreover, a heterosexual partner of a close relative of the child was the alleged offender in about 82% of the said cases (Moe 70). Apart from baseless and damaging myths, another assault that Christian fundamentalists carry out on homosexuality is the elimination of gay civil rights. Proposition 8, passed in California’s general elections on November 4, 2008, was a constitutional amendment that prohibited same-sex marriage in the state. Catholic and Mormon organizations overwhelmingly supported the proposition, arguing that same-sex marriage threatened the sanctity of marriage and the family. These groups were likewise concerned that allowing same-sex marriage to remain legal in California would deprive children of the right to have a â€Å"normal† family – one that was composed of a father and a mother (Kuruvila n. pag.). The enactment of Proposition 8 is ironic, considering that one of the largest and most active homosexual communities is based in San Francisco. There were already about 18,000 same-sex couples who got married in California just four months prior to the passage of Proposition 8 (Garrison, DiMassa and Paddock n. pag.). The proposition would thus force the state’s homosexual couples to get married in one of the five remaining US states where same-sex marriage is legal – Maine, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts and Vermont (Montanaro n. pag.). Although Proposition 8 won 52% of votes (The Huffington Post n. pag.), some of California’s leaders are questioning its legality. The Democrat-controlled state Legislature, for instance, argued that the Constitution cannot be revised by a mere majority vote – it would strip the minority group of their constitutionally protected right. At present, California’s Supreme Court is dealing with a series of lawsuits that involve the contention of Proposition 8 (Ewers n. pag.). III.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Findings Even if the US Constitution clearly stated that there is an official separation between church and state, American society remains to be a â€Å"deeply religious polity† (Walzer 5). Simply put, American society is a democracy that continues to be heavily based on religious doctrine. This phenomenon is a legacy of the country’s colonial past – the first whites that came to the US were members of spiritual communities fleeing religious persecution in England. Consequently, the Founding Fathers declared that the US would not have an official state religion. All citizens were allowed to worship as they pleased and to openly propagate their faiths (Walzer 5). But this did not mean that the debate about the role of religion in American life has ended. The leaders of the US in its formative years were overwhelmingly of Christian faith. Thus, it became inevitable that the legislative and judicial philosophies of American society were founded on Christian principles. The Founding Fathers, for instance, believed that despite the absence of an official religion, the US should be a â€Å"Christian nation whose morality should be reflective of Christian values† (Walzer 4). It is true that many Christian denominations were responsible for instigating much-needed social changes in various parts of American history. But as American society became increasingly pluralistic in the succeeding centuries, the need for more secularism in its major institutions emerged. This dilemma resulted in a conflict between conservative Christian denominations and a Christian populace that was slowly becoming tolerant of behaviors that were used to be considered as deviant, such as homosexuality. In the process, certain aspects of the societal and legal discussions of gay civil rights were negatively affected (Walzer 6). Although judges are supposed to be neutral interpreters of the law, personal experiences (including religious training and beliefs) still shape their perspectives both consciously and unconsciously (Walzer 6). Indeed, Christian fundamentalist groups are notorious for their attempts to hinder the passage of or weaken laws that promote homosexual rights (Walzer 7). In the name of religion, conservative Christian organizations will not think twice about harassing homosexuals and gay rights associations, as well as interfere with the creation and enactment of gay civil rights laws. It is no longer surprising, therefore, if legal rights for homosexuals such as same-sex marriage, protection from workplace discrimination and adoption by gay parents were attained only in the recent decades. Pastor Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church is an example of how far fundamentalist Christians could go just to prove their homophobic stance. He once organized a picket at the funeral of homosexual rights activist Coretta Scott King, proclaiming that her soul would be punished in hell due to her advocacy. Since 1991, Phelps has reportedly organized 22,000 anti-homosexual demonstrations in the US, Canada, Jordan and Iraq. These protest marches of his often displayed homophobic slogans such as â€Å"THANK GOD FOR AIDS† (Dawkins 291).   IV.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conclusion Conservative Christian denominations in the US were unprepared for the increasingly liberal atmosphere of American society. They therefore harshly criticized everything that was associated with it, particularly homosexuality. For Christian fundamentalists, homosexuals were â€Å"immoral† because they do not comply with the Judeo-Christian principle of sexual relations as a means of procreation. Such a way of thinking eventually spawned all forms of harassment against homosexuals, such as damaging and baseless myths, deceptive statistics and laws that hinder the enactment of gay civil rights. It would be impossible for the US to claim that it is a Christianity-based democracy when homophobia is rampant in its turf. Homophobia can be eliminated from the country by educating people regarding the myths and the facts surrounding homosexuality. Stiffer penalties for and stricter implementation of laws against hate crimes would also help. As long as people are discriminated upon for any reason other than involvement in criminal activity, there can be no such thing as a free or just society.