In terms of careers I would like to think I have finally found one that would fit myself, not one that other people have chosen for me. Physical Therapy fits all the needs that I have for a job. I want a job in which I get to teach, help and care for people. I already know that I like working in pools and putting aquatics into workouts. I know as well that I want a place to work that the staff gets along, in Physical Therapy there is no race to the finish, a person can not walk in one day go through one session and walk out cured.
Therapy is a process, sometimes a long process to the road to recovery, from accident to rehabilitation. While looking on the U. S. Department of Labor web site I found that all physical therapists need to have a masters in physical therapy, while being certified by the state they are working in. The range that a therapist can make is from 46,510 to 94,810 dollars a year. Looking at the statistics to see what section of therapy pays more is home health care services. That would mean traveling to a patient not the traditional them coming to an office.
The job had the potential to be done in a large hospital or in a small treatment center, like the one that happens to be at the gym that I work at. There is a whole range of possibilities for physical therapy. As sad as it may seem, a physical therapist will not be out of a job any time soon, there are always sports injuries and adults getting older an injured do to age.
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos080.htm#earnings
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Blog 13- Emalee Ellis
The Jung Typology Test, I figured was like others I was required to fill out in high school. All the classes that they try to help you figure out what you should do with your life, that you always ended up with the worst careers from. In high school the tests told me that I would make a great museum curator, wow that sounds like so much fun and a great life. So I will admit going into the Jung test I though I would get similar responses. After taking the test and then checking what compatible jobs there might be for myself I found that it wasn’t to far off from what I do now. Some of the top hits were Education, look at that I’m an education major. Child Care Manger came up underneath the education that gave me a laugh. I work with kids and my boss always jokes that I could do her job better than she could. I am going to have to give this test credit, I feel that it has not let me down and given a little hope, that I will not end up sitting behind some desk cataloging rare paintings the rest of my life.
Old work- blog 5
Who’s taking the Kids by Jonathan Alter, describes something all too familiar to
the average family. The simple things that parents have taken for granted for
ages are now looked upon as horrible and heinous acts. The simple act of getting
something that mom forgot for dinner from the corner store is seen as a
dangerous act. I know when I was growing up my mom would never allow me to cross
the street to get to the general store literally across the road from us. “It’s
to dangerous,” was the favorite phrase. Granted I have to give my mother credit
we lived on a main road, and there was lots of traffic, but still it felt like a
privilege had been taken away. Still to this day my own mother will worry about
me crossing the road even in the cross walk. The story about the father having
to drag his child into the drycleaner’s for a 90 second errand that is another
all to real annoyance. Again when I was little I spent time with mom while she
was at work. Any time we had to leave the off
ice, I had to go with her, no matter what. Every place she had to get out of the car, I too was dragged.
I remember asking, “why do I have to go”, and getting the simple answer, because
I’m not allowed to leave you here (in the car). The world has changed or so they
keep telling us. The article and pervious life experiences tell you that, when
was that time where everything was so carefree? Did that ever exists; because I
know for myself it did not.
the average family. The simple things that parents have taken for granted for
ages are now looked upon as horrible and heinous acts. The simple act of getting
something that mom forgot for dinner from the corner store is seen as a
dangerous act. I know when I was growing up my mom would never allow me to cross
the street to get to the general store literally across the road from us. “It’s
to dangerous,” was the favorite phrase. Granted I have to give my mother credit
we lived on a main road, and there was lots of traffic, but still it felt like a
privilege had been taken away. Still to this day my own mother will worry about
me crossing the road even in the cross walk. The story about the father having
to drag his child into the drycleaner’s for a 90 second errand that is another
all to real annoyance. Again when I was little I spent time with mom while she
was at work. Any time we had to leave the off
ice, I had to go with her, no matter what. Every place she had to get out of the car, I too was dragged.
I remember asking, “why do I have to go”, and getting the simple answer, because
I’m not allowed to leave you here (in the car). The world has changed or so they
keep telling us. The article and pervious life experiences tell you that, when
was that time where everything was so carefree? Did that ever exists; because I
know for myself it did not.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
Blog 14-James Hamblin
After much contemplation, I realize a background in computers would help with any career I chose. My ultimate goal would be an electrical engineering degree, but I am thirty-one and time is of the essence. I feel that a more realistic approach would be to acquire the skills necessary for an engineering degree while completing smaller more manageable steps along the way. I am excited about an electrical degree due to the fact that I am a hands on person that likes to fix things.
An electrical engineering degree covers all aspects of electrical applications. It is an extensive discipline with many different fields of expertise. Among the many disciplines are radio, magnetism, and electronic devices. To acquire an electrical engineering degree, one must first complete a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. Then complete work study programs before being certified as a professional engineer.
Following this template I feel as though an associate’s degree, in a computer discipline, would be a good start. My current degree is for Network Administration. It covers a wide range of computer applications from accounting to hardware. I feel this is a good place for me to start and while I am continuing my education, I can also use the skills I learn to acquire appropriate jobs in the workplace.
An electrical engineering degree would be an exciting career for an individual like myself. There are many hurdles to overcome, but with patience and a bit of luck I will get there. To complete a bachelor’s degree I will need to maintain an eclectic lifestyle; both working and studying.
An electrical engineering degree covers all aspects of electrical applications. It is an extensive discipline with many different fields of expertise. Among the many disciplines are radio, magnetism, and electronic devices. To acquire an electrical engineering degree, one must first complete a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. Then complete work study programs before being certified as a professional engineer.
Following this template I feel as though an associate’s degree, in a computer discipline, would be a good start. My current degree is for Network Administration. It covers a wide range of computer applications from accounting to hardware. I feel this is a good place for me to start and while I am continuing my education, I can also use the skills I learn to acquire appropriate jobs in the workplace.
An electrical engineering degree would be an exciting career for an individual like myself. There are many hurdles to overcome, but with patience and a bit of luck I will get there. To complete a bachelor’s degree I will need to maintain an eclectic lifestyle; both working and studying.
Blog 14 Amanda Whitehead
After researching various careers I have decided I would like to become a Registered Nurse. Becoming a Registered Nurse requires hard work and dedication. Some colleges require that a student completes prerequisite classes before applying to the nursing program. These classes include Elementary Algebra,Chemistry,Pharmacology Calculations and Human Anatomy and Physiology. Most colleges offer a two year program that is a combination of classroom hours and clinical experience. Once successfully completing the program the student will have an Associate in Science Degree(ASD).Students may then take the NCLEX-RN, which is required in order to become a registered nurse in the state of Massachusetts. After passing the NCLEX-RN a student should decide a field to specialize in. Such fields are pediatrics, maternity, operating room, and emergency nursing.
I would like to become an emergency room nurse. This position requires additional certifications. These certifications include,Certified Emergency Nursing(CEN), Pediatric Advanced Life Support(Pals),Trauma Nursing Core Course(TNCC) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). Some of the duties of an emergency room nurse are triaging patients according to the severity of their condition,administering medication and assisting the attending physician with the patients care. The base salary for an emergency room nurse is around $58,000 a year.
Through this research I have learned that this field is very changeling but also very rewarding. Being a nurse in the emergency room will require compassion,energy a lot of teamwork. This job,like any other job, will have a lot of highs and lows.But there is no greater reward than knowing you helped save a life.
www.capecodhealthcare.org
www.salary.com
I would like to become an emergency room nurse. This position requires additional certifications. These certifications include,Certified Emergency Nursing(CEN), Pediatric Advanced Life Support(Pals),Trauma Nursing Core Course(TNCC) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). Some of the duties of an emergency room nurse are triaging patients according to the severity of their condition,administering medication and assisting the attending physician with the patients care. The base salary for an emergency room nurse is around $58,000 a year.
Through this research I have learned that this field is very changeling but also very rewarding. Being a nurse in the emergency room will require compassion,energy a lot of teamwork. This job,like any other job, will have a lot of highs and lows.But there is no greater reward than knowing you helped save a life.
www.capecodhealthcare.org
www.salary.com
Nursing Career Blog 14 / Soraya
The nursing program is very competitive; students
who score the highest have the greatest probability
of success in the program. Most colleges make their
final selections based on the applicant pool and space
available. Candidates must have completed high school
Algebra I, Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacology Calculations,
and other course requirements prior to going into the
program. Also CPR, CORI, CNA licenses are preferred
along with a required physical examination.
A nursing degree helps you shape your career as you
go it is a world of possibilities that appeals to you in
the different specialties available in health care. As a
nurse you can work in ambulatory care nursing, nursing
administration, cardiac care nursing, emergency nursing,
gynecology/obstetric nursing, nurse attorney, psychiatric
nurse practitioner, and so on.
I have learned that becoming a nurse is not easy. You
should have great skills such s compassion, patience,
responsability, organization, and determination to pass
through all the barriers and requirements to get your
goals.
who score the highest have the greatest probability
of success in the program. Most colleges make their
final selections based on the applicant pool and space
available. Candidates must have completed high school
Algebra I, Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacology Calculations,
and other course requirements prior to going into the
program. Also CPR, CORI, CNA licenses are preferred
along with a required physical examination.
A nursing degree helps you shape your career as you
go it is a world of possibilities that appeals to you in
the different specialties available in health care. As a
nurse you can work in ambulatory care nursing, nursing
administration, cardiac care nursing, emergency nursing,
gynecology/obstetric nursing, nurse attorney, psychiatric
nurse practitioner, and so on.
I have learned that becoming a nurse is not easy. You
should have great skills such s compassion, patience,
responsability, organization, and determination to pass
through all the barriers and requirements to get your
goals.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Blog 14 - Megan Gillespie
For the last two years I have worked with the youth group at my church, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Prior to coming to Cape Cod Community College, I spent four years working in the beauty industry. After taking a few classes I realized that my hopes for myself went beyond what the beauty industry could offer in terms of career fulfillment. I realized through working with the youth of the community that I want the work I do to go beyond the superficial layers, to the spiritual aspect of humanity. I researched careers that are related to spirituality and decided that becoming a minister suits me and my interests. It is a career that revolves around social interaction, as well as offering support, knowledge, and spiritual guidance to those in the community. This would allow me ability to inspire and share with those around me as well as being able to make a positive difference in the world. Personally, I think the youth need to be more involved in the community so my focus may be on religious education or youth ministry. During research, a recurring warning was that it is an extremely involved career. It requires offering much of your time to the community, leaving little time for one’s family and free time. I believe that the rewards would far out weigh the costs. Even if my family members were all atheists, I would still expect them to be able to understand the importance of a sense of community and would hope they would choose to be involved as well. I’m glad to have done this research, it helped me to see that I am finally ready to take on this challenge. First, I need to get over that fear of public speaking!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Blog 14 – Julie Martin
A Lifetime of Careers
My thoughts and attitudes regarding careers have been highly influenced by John Glenn. I grew up as an Air Force brat. When I was born during my father's last year of medical school he made a career choice. He joined the Air Force, a hard choice at that time for someone graduating from an Ivy League school. The reality was that not only would they pay for his residency and internship; they would also feed his family. His choice landed him in Vietnam. It also gave him the opportunity to be one of the surgeon generals for the NASA Gemini project and to work with John Glenn. When I was six or seven years old I met the famous astronaut. I don't remember that occasion, but I do remember the second time I met up with him some forty plus years later. Mr. Glenn was the motivational speaker at a corporate function. His speech was essentially about what he has learned in his lifetime. One thing that he spoke of was to always be prepared for change. He pointed out that in today's world everyone should be prepared to change their career at least four times in their lifetime. He himself had done just that as a soldier, pilot, astronaut, corporate executive, US Senator, and finally the lecture circuit. Taking his advice to heart I left my corporate job. Since then I have had a few careers of my own, all of which have required some degree of retraining and rethinking the image of the workplace. At this point I count four careers and my current path of pursuing a paralegal certificate will likely result in yet another one. I look at it all as just more tools in my bag that I can pull out when I need them. So while I am not actively looking for a new career at the moment, I am preparing for change.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Contract and Procurement Speciliast
Katherine Santangelo
Blog 14
After researching the career of contract specialist, I came to the determination that I would like to obtain and complete the necessary requirements in order to be able to excel in this career field.
This position requires the applicant to have a 4 year degree in either a accounting, law, business administration, finance, economics, or marketing program. Another option in Lu of the degree would be to have 24 semester hours in any of the following programs: accounting, business finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management. In order to qualify for a GS-9 (Entry level) position you must have all of these requirements including 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level and to qualify for a GS-11 grade level would include all of the same requirements plus 1 years specialized experience equivalent to GS-9 grade level.
The duty requirements for Contract Specialists include solicits, negotiating, administering, close-outs, terminating purchase orders and contracts, and acquiring various commodities. Additional duties include but are not limited to developing, implementing, and reviewing contracting plans for pre-award, post award, price/cost analysis and a wide variety of procurement activities. They are also responsible for providing technical advice, guidance and legal interpretation in all areas of
contracting.
The entry-level salaries range throughout various agencies but after researching the Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Prisons pay their entry-level Contract Specialists the best ($55,000.00) because they offer Law Enforcement pay based upon the risk of working in that environment.
The entry-level salaries from the various other agencies are as follows:
Air Force Personal Center $44,601.00
Defense Logistics Agency $39,330.00
Army Contracting Agency $ 45,040.00
Transportation Federal Aviation Administration $46,784.00
Small Business Administration $48,108.00
Veterans Affairs Administration $54,494.00
Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) $48,100.00
After researching this career field it has been determined that this is an in demand career field in the Federal Government and I will be working towards obtaining all of the requirements in order to apply for a position in this line of work in the future.
Bureau of Prisons,WWW.BOP.GOV/policy/progstat/4100_004.pdf
Department of Justice, 5/19/2004
Department of Homeland Security, WWW.CBP.GOV
3/28/2008
WWW.USAJOBS.COM
WWW.SIMPLYHIRED.COM/A/JOBS/LIST/T-CONTRACT+SPECIALIST
Blog 14
After researching the career of contract specialist, I came to the determination that I would like to obtain and complete the necessary requirements in order to be able to excel in this career field.
This position requires the applicant to have a 4 year degree in either a accounting, law, business administration, finance, economics, or marketing program. Another option in Lu of the degree would be to have 24 semester hours in any of the following programs: accounting, business finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management. In order to qualify for a GS-9 (Entry level) position you must have all of these requirements including 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level and to qualify for a GS-11 grade level would include all of the same requirements plus 1 years specialized experience equivalent to GS-9 grade level.
The duty requirements for Contract Specialists include solicits, negotiating, administering, close-outs, terminating purchase orders and contracts, and acquiring various commodities. Additional duties include but are not limited to developing, implementing, and reviewing contracting plans for pre-award, post award, price/cost analysis and a wide variety of procurement activities. They are also responsible for providing technical advice, guidance and legal interpretation in all areas of
contracting.
The entry-level salaries range throughout various agencies but after researching the Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Prisons pay their entry-level Contract Specialists the best ($55,000.00) because they offer Law Enforcement pay based upon the risk of working in that environment.
The entry-level salaries from the various other agencies are as follows:
Air Force Personal Center $44,601.00
Defense Logistics Agency $39,330.00
Army Contracting Agency $ 45,040.00
Transportation Federal Aviation Administration $46,784.00
Small Business Administration $48,108.00
Veterans Affairs Administration $54,494.00
Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) $48,100.00
After researching this career field it has been determined that this is an in demand career field in the Federal Government and I will be working towards obtaining all of the requirements in order to apply for a position in this line of work in the future.
Bureau of Prisons,WWW.BOP.GOV/policy/progstat/4100_004.pdf
Department of Justice, 5/19/2004
Department of Homeland Security, WWW.CBP.GOV
3/28/2008
WWW.USAJOBS.COM
WWW.SIMPLYHIRED.COM/A/JOBS/LIST/T-CONTRACT+SPECIALIST
Friday, May 2, 2008
Humanmetrics Jung Typology Test - Soraya
It was very interesting doing the Humanmetrics
Jung Typology Test. I got more involved with some
of the questions such as : you're almost never late
for appointment, you're more interested in a general
idea than in the details of its realization, you know how
to put every minute of your time to good purpose, it's
essential for you to try things with your own hands.
According to the typology test my type is INTJ
(introverted, intuitive, thinking, judging ) which does
fit me. A person with my type of personality would do
well in computer programming, natural science education,
engineering, management and law. Some people who have
my particular type are Hillary Clinton, Marie Carrie and
Andrew Grove.
People who are my type are perfectionists with the capacity
to improve upon anything that is in their interest. To me
this is the most important characteristic in my personality
for sure. Moreover introverted intuitive and extraverted
thinking is saying that type INTJ are idea people, anything
is possible and everything is negotiable. Also this type is a
workhorse, closure is the payoff for efforts expended which
also matches my personality.
I really enjoyed doing the typology test and learning about
the many things in my type INTJ which are truly compatible
with my personality.
Jung Typology Test. I got more involved with some
of the questions such as : you're almost never late
for appointment, you're more interested in a general
idea than in the details of its realization, you know how
to put every minute of your time to good purpose, it's
essential for you to try things with your own hands.
According to the typology test my type is INTJ
(introverted, intuitive, thinking, judging ) which does
fit me. A person with my type of personality would do
well in computer programming, natural science education,
engineering, management and law. Some people who have
my particular type are Hillary Clinton, Marie Carrie and
Andrew Grove.
People who are my type are perfectionists with the capacity
to improve upon anything that is in their interest. To me
this is the most important characteristic in my personality
for sure. Moreover introverted intuitive and extraverted
thinking is saying that type INTJ are idea people, anything
is possible and everything is negotiable. Also this type is a
workhorse, closure is the payoff for efforts expended which
also matches my personality.
I really enjoyed doing the typology test and learning about
the many things in my type INTJ which are truly compatible
with my personality.
HUMANMETRICS---JAMES HAMBLIN
Blog 13
The Humanmetrics Jung typology test classified me as a category type INFJ. This test, after 72 questions considers me introverted at twenty-two percent, intuitive at sixty-two percent, feeling at twenty-five percent, and judging at one percent. According to this test I am a slightly expressed introvert, a distinctively expressed intuitive personality. As well as being a moderately expressed feeling personality with an only slightly expressed judging personality.
I find it hard to believe that a simple test could give someone a simple answer. While I am sure the accuracy of this test is based on solid scientific evidence, it is only a tentative benchmark one could use to quantify oneself. To me it compares to a myriad of other tests that are proven to be misleading at best; pure propaganda at worst. A horoscope on any given day can have a certain degree of accuracy for a large amount of people. All of these things are of course based upon some structure; while not proof of anything, at least prove there is simple truth to many things.
While the entire test hinges upon whether or not I answered the questions correctly, as they apply to me, I think the test may be off a little on the judging aspect of my personality. The other categories seem to be pretty accurate as far as I can tell. I do happen to think I am extremely intuitive and it was kind of the test to say so.
The Humanmetrics Jung typology test classified me as a category type INFJ. This test, after 72 questions considers me introverted at twenty-two percent, intuitive at sixty-two percent, feeling at twenty-five percent, and judging at one percent. According to this test I am a slightly expressed introvert, a distinctively expressed intuitive personality. As well as being a moderately expressed feeling personality with an only slightly expressed judging personality.
I find it hard to believe that a simple test could give someone a simple answer. While I am sure the accuracy of this test is based on solid scientific evidence, it is only a tentative benchmark one could use to quantify oneself. To me it compares to a myriad of other tests that are proven to be misleading at best; pure propaganda at worst. A horoscope on any given day can have a certain degree of accuracy for a large amount of people. All of these things are of course based upon some structure; while not proof of anything, at least prove there is simple truth to many things.
While the entire test hinges upon whether or not I answered the questions correctly, as they apply to me, I think the test may be off a little on the judging aspect of my personality. The other categories seem to be pretty accurate as far as I can tell. I do happen to think I am extremely intuitive and it was kind of the test to say so.
Blog 13 Amanda Whitehead
When I first saw that the assignment was to take a personality test, I was a little skeptical. I did not see how answering a few questions could show who someone is as a person. Upon completing the test, I found that I am an ISFP. After reading the description of an ISFP I was a little discouraged. It started out by describing this type of person as someone who hears a different drummer.It went on to say this person could be considered a trend setter.It suggested careers such as fashion design and interior design. I was very puzzled.I do not feel that I have artistic bone in my body.
After some thought I decided to take the test again. This time I paid specific attention to the questions. After changing a few answers, the results showed I am ISFJ. This type classified me as a person who's life is centered around family. Also as person who has such a desire to serve others, she can often be taken advantage of. The career suggestions for this category are early childhood education and nursing. I was very pleased with these results. I think it described my personality very well.
This experience taught me a lot about personality types. It showed how a slight change to certain aspects personality can effect a person's career path. And even more importantly, how personality can effect how someone is viewed as a person.
After some thought I decided to take the test again. This time I paid specific attention to the questions. After changing a few answers, the results showed I am ISFJ. This type classified me as a person who's life is centered around family. Also as person who has such a desire to serve others, she can often be taken advantage of. The career suggestions for this category are early childhood education and nursing. I was very pleased with these results. I think it described my personality very well.
This experience taught me a lot about personality types. It showed how a slight change to certain aspects personality can effect a person's career path. And even more importantly, how personality can effect how someone is viewed as a person.
Blog 13 - Megan Gillespie
I had never taken the Jung Typology Test before, so I didn’t think my scoring as an INFJ-type personality would reveal much that I hadn’t already known about myself. Well, I’ll admit it. . . I was entirely wrong.
Each different ‘type’ is meant to help an individual better understand themselves and explain in unbiased terms the effect personality has on other facets of life, such as career and relationships. Having always considered myself an introvert, I never understood why other tests seemed to point me towards more social fields, like counseling and education. I thought my current hope of going into the ministry would be hindered since one perceivably has to have the same “people skills” that are associated with teaching and counseling. Although faith is large part of who I am, I don’t want to have to adjust my personality to fit a particular career choice. My livelihood should fit who I am. With this test I came to realize that my introverted side is the entire reason for my attraction to the ministry in the first place. This is because my fascination with humanity stems from quiet observations, including the contemplation of the intrinsic and extrinsic workings of individuals and society as a whole.
Through this test I realize that my tendency to be reclusive actually aids my understanding of people and the world at large. Grasping the concept of how my personality is reflected to the external world helps me utilize certain characteristics to my advantage.
Each different ‘type’ is meant to help an individual better understand themselves and explain in unbiased terms the effect personality has on other facets of life, such as career and relationships. Having always considered myself an introvert, I never understood why other tests seemed to point me towards more social fields, like counseling and education. I thought my current hope of going into the ministry would be hindered since one perceivably has to have the same “people skills” that are associated with teaching and counseling. Although faith is large part of who I am, I don’t want to have to adjust my personality to fit a particular career choice. My livelihood should fit who I am. With this test I came to realize that my introverted side is the entire reason for my attraction to the ministry in the first place. This is because my fascination with humanity stems from quiet observations, including the contemplation of the intrinsic and extrinsic workings of individuals and society as a whole.
Through this test I realize that my tendency to be reclusive actually aids my understanding of people and the world at large. Grasping the concept of how my personality is reflected to the external world helps me utilize certain characteristics to my advantage.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Blog 13- Julie Martin
Whose personality is it anyway?
Friday, April 25, 2008
Research Paper – Julie Martin
The Limits of Free Speech in Higher Education
Are students, faculty, and administrators free to speak their mind on campus? Much has been made of the restrictions of expressing one's thoughts on the college campus. Are First Amendment rights still valid in higher education? Measuring the importance of the right to free speech in one's day-to-day life can prove difficult to quantify. The First Amendment to the constitution which guarantees that "Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech" (US Const., amend. I) is an abstract idea, rarely discussed outside of the legal profession. But, hopefully it is frequently discussed on the college campus. Over the course of the history of the United States, the definition of what constitutes free speech, and more importantly what restrictions are placed on this right, has been in flux. There has been an ebb and flow between society's limits of permissiveness and restriction. These ebbs and flows invite conflict. Since the establishment of the United States through the middle of the 20th century, the free and open exchange of ideas within the confines of colleges and universities was generally exempt from the restrictions that were placed on the free speech rights of the non-academic world.
"Universities have a fiduciary obligation to promote respect for dissenting thought and freedom of inquiry and to instill the intellectual skills that foster critical, independent thinking" (Pelikan 48). In fulfilling that obligation, the college campuses provide a bellwether for the democratic health of the larger society. However, over the past 20 years there has been a noticeable increase in restrictions on the free speech heritage of the college campus. Will this relatively recent phenomenon self-adjust, or are these changes more permanent?
Defining Free Speech
The right to express one's views is codified within the First Amendment to the U. S. Constitution. Amendments to the original constitution were introduced by James Madison on June 8, 1789 just one year after its ratification by Congress. With little debate, and with few literal changes to Madison's initial proposal, these amendments became the Federal Bill of Rights (Schwartz 1006). "These first 10 amendments went into effect on December 15, 1791 when the State of Virginia ratified it, giving the bill the majority of ratifying states required to protect citizens from the power of the federal government" (The First Amendment Center).
Regarding the freedom of speech clause, Madison's primary reasoning was to protect a citizen's right to speak out against an oppressive government. Many of his contemporaries had lost property, and even their lives, for speaking out against the British crown. Now the citizens of the new nation had the legal right to speak freely. This right extended beyond political speech and certainly included the university environment. For nearly 200 years since the ratification of the Bill of Rights, censorship and restrictions on expression of ideas in the academic world usually followed a pattern. In Whose Ox is Gored? Free Speech, the War on Terror and the Indivisibility of Rights, Donald A. Downs identifies that pattern (Downs). Censorship during that period was imposed on the academic world from the outside and the censors were generally aligned with the conservative political faction of the day.
Introducing Progressive Censorship
By the second half of the 1980's "a different kind of threat to free speech, academic freedom, and civil liberty [had] already gained a foothold in higher education" (Downs 72). These threats included introduction of speech codes, anti-harassment codes, orientation programs, and new approaches to adjudicating misconduct (Downs 73). The original purpose of these speech codes and free speech zones was well-meaning. Protection and nurturing of newly diverse campus populations was and is a noble cause. However, to civil libertarians the tools used to foster the intended environment had unintended consequences.
The term politically correct had entered the mainstream American vocabulary by 1990. Allan Bloom's surprise bestseller, "The Closing of the American Mind" brought the concept to the fore of the academic world (Aiex). Now restrictions on speech were being initiated from within the college campus, and the censors were aligned with more traditional liberal political views. The use of speech codes to promote social justice issues is labeled progressive censorship by its detractors. The very groups that had been the target of censorship for two centuries were now becoming the censors.
Some Contemporary Case Studies
Before looking at some examples of progressive censorship, it is helpful to bring up a landmark case that set a benchmark for freedom of expression by students in a critical period before the development of political correctness.
In 1965, three public school students in Des Moines, Iowa were suspended from school for wearing black armbands in protest of the Government's policy in Vietnam. The students brought suit against the local school board. The complaint was dismissed by the District Court. The case eventually was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. In the 1969 case of Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 303 US 503, 1969, the court held that the First Amendment rights of the students had been violated. In making their decision, the court wrote that students "do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate" (Hudson 5). This concept of retaining one's rights once inside the "schoolhouse gate" is often used when analyzing student speech and expression cases. Two facts should be noted here. First, this case involved a public secondary school. Much of the contemporary debate over progressive censorship is centered on universities; both public and private. Second, the timing of the Tinker case was coincident with a high water mark for social conflict and activism in American history. Argument could be made that the volatile social climate affected the process and outcome of this case.
The second half of the 1980's saw a precipitous rise in the number of physical, verbal, and threatening attacks on college campuses. These attacks were motivated by differences in race, gender, religion, and sexual orientation. At the University of Michigan, a campus group called the United Coalition Against Racism threatened to bring suit against the University "for not maintaining or creating a non-racist, non-violent atmosphere on campus" (Hanson 2). By April of 1989 two years after the threatened law suit, the University's Regents had enacted a formal policy meant to identify threatening speech, and to bring swift and sure punishment to the perpetrators of the attacks. Later that year, a student under the chosen name of John Doe challenged the speech codes under the grounds that it could bring sanction against some of his academic work in the field of genetic traits of ethnic groups. A federal circuit judge ruled in favor of Doe. His ruling stated the speech policies were too vague and overly broad (Hanson 3). The judge ruled that the university could "not proscribe speech simply because it was found to be offensive" (Hanson 3).
Doe v. Michigan was a widely publicized case, receiving media attention even outside of the academic and legal worlds. It had basically held that broad university speech codes were unconstitutional. This did not have the expected effect on campus speech codes.
The proliferation of progressive speech codes continued for another decade. In another well publicized case in 2005, Lawrence Summers, then President of Harvard University made comments during an academic conference to the effect that there may be some innate differences between men and women that result in fewer women than men succeeding in careers in the fields of math or science. Within two months, "the Members of Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences passed a vote of no confidence in Lawrence H. Summers, dealing a stunning rebuke to the president of one of the world's top universities" (Abel). In an article he wrote for The Independent Institute entitled "Free Speech on Campus: Under Attack from Both Directions?", Professor Donald Downs summarized the state of progressive censorship as follows, "That the faculty of America's most renowned university considered the enforcement of a politically correct viewpoint more important than respect for free thought and the honest pursuit of truth speaks volumes about the status of free speech and academic freedom in higher education" (D. A. Downs).
A New Balance in Controlling Speech on Campus
After two decades, has the wave of political correctness crested? If not, at least there now exists a significant counter-force. A prime example of such a balancing movement which represents the First Amendment rights of individuals in higher education is the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). FIRE provides legal and educational programs in support of individual rights in the college and university community. Their primary concern is with speech codes and restrictions on freedom of expression on campuses across the United States. FIRE was founded by Alan Charles Kors and Harvey A. Silvergate. After co-authoring The Shadow University: The Betrayal of Liberty on America's Campuses, in 1998, Kors and Silvergate were flooded with hundreds of requests for support. They created the foundation in response to those requests (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education).
One of the most interesting features of the FIRE website is the Spotlight. This feature maintains a scorecard measuring the state of individual rights and liberties for many of America's campuses ( Foundation for Individual Rights in Education). Institutions earn a green, yellow, or red score based on a review of their formal policies on speech, expression and due process. Prospective students concerned with this issue can easily review the track record of a chosen school.
Summary
In the 1980's and 1990's the forces of political correctness appeared to have stepped over some ill-defined boundary. During that period the freedom to speak out on sensitive issues without fear of undue reprisal became restricted on college campuses. There are plenty of cases that would demonstrate that this situation is still active today. Despite this censorship, this paper has identified two reasons to believe that the college campus is still an ideal place for exploration and expression of ideas. The first is that when an individual feels that their rights have been suppressed, if they have the determination and resources to bring their case before the judiciary, their First Amendment rights are usually upheld. The second is that an effective counter-balance to progressive censorship is strong and growing (e.g. FIRE). As stated by the abolitionist Wendell Phillips in a speech before the Massachusetts Antislavery Society in 1852, "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty" (Freedom Keys).
Works Cited
Abel David and Marcella Bombardieri. "Summers Gets Vote of No Confidence." Boston Globe. Boston, 16 March 2005.
Aiex, Nola Kortner. "Politically Correct on Campus. ERIC Digest." 1996. ERICDigests.org. 25 April 2008 <http://www.ericdigests.org/1996-3/campus.htm>.
Downs, Donald A. "Whose Oz is Gored? Free Speech, the War on Terror, and the Indivisibility of Rights." The Good Society Volume 14.Number 1-2 (2005): 72-79.
Downs, Donald A. "Free Speech on Campus: Under Attack from Both Directions?" 28 March 2005. The Independent Institute. 25 April 2008 <http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1484>.
Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. Fire - About Fire. 25 April 2008 <http://www.thefire.org/index.php/article/4851.html?PHPSESSID=4dc8d1c22bfdf7c36c85a170cd44f429>.
Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. FIRE - Welcome to Fire Spotlight. 25 April 2008 <http://www.thefire.org/index.php/article/5826.html>.
Freedom Keys. Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Liberty. 25 April 2008 <http://freedomkeys.com/vigil.htm>.
Hanson, Jim. "University Hate Speech Code: Toward an Approach Restricting Verbal Attack." 17 November 1995. ERICDigest.org. 25 April 2008 <http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/14/62/7f.pdf>.
Hudson, David Jr. "The Silencing of Student Voices." 2003. First Amendment Center Online. 25 April 2008 <http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/pdf/Silencing.intro.pdf>.
Pelikan, Jaroslav. The idea of the University: A Reexamination. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992.
Schwartz, Bernard. The Bill of Rights: A Documentary History. New York: McGraw Hill, 1971.
The First Amendment Center. About the First Amendment. 25 April 2008 <http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/about.aspx?item=about_firstamd>.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Should Gay marriage be legal?
Katherine Santangelo
Blog 12
Marriage is defined as "the social institution under which a man and a woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments and legal ceremonies." Gay marriage should not be legal because "it is a legal and social bond between a man and a woman, foremost to support the upbringing of children."[Pg 150] Homosexual couples however, should be afforded the same "legal" rights as heterosexual couples as far as insurance and beneficiary rights and civil unions are able to provide all of these rights. "To me what is at stake in this debate is not only the potential unhappiness of children, grave as that is; it is our ability to maintain the most basic components of our humanity."[Pg 162] Why must we "redefine" the meaning of marriage so homosexual couples can have their "legal" bond? Marriage is an institution for a man and a woman, it is not and has never been intended for a man and a man nor a woman and a woman. According to Author Andrew Sullivan "When people talk about gay marriage , they miss the point. This isn't about gay marriage. It's about marriage. It's about family.It's about love. It isn't about religion."[Pg 154]If marriage is not about religion for homosexual couples then what difference does it make if it is a called marriage or civil union as long as the same rights are afforded.
"Marriage is how we are connected backward in time, through the generations, to our creator, and forward to the future beyond the scope of our own lifespan."[Pg 167] "Sanctioning homosexual marriage would require society at large to gut marriage of it's central presumptions about family in order to accommodate a few adult desires."[Pg 164] Marriage is and should always be defined as the union of one man and one woman because heterosexual marriages provide the procreative factor that creates the family unit and is a major building block of our past and present civilization. If we allow homosexual marriages it could cause enormous harm to our family's and the arrangements and upbringings of our children. " Homosexuality, is by it's very nature incompatible with the norms of traditional monogamous marriage."[Pg 163]
Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America.
New York: Pearson Education, Inc., 2007
Shulman, Sam. "Gay Marrige-and Marriage." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational Inc., 2007. 160-167.
Sullivan, Andrew. "The 'M-word': Why it Mattersto me." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational Inc., 2007. 150-154
Blog 12
Marriage is defined as "the social institution under which a man and a woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments and legal ceremonies." Gay marriage should not be legal because "it is a legal and social bond between a man and a woman, foremost to support the upbringing of children."[Pg 150] Homosexual couples however, should be afforded the same "legal" rights as heterosexual couples as far as insurance and beneficiary rights and civil unions are able to provide all of these rights. "To me what is at stake in this debate is not only the potential unhappiness of children, grave as that is; it is our ability to maintain the most basic components of our humanity."[Pg 162] Why must we "redefine" the meaning of marriage so homosexual couples can have their "legal" bond? Marriage is an institution for a man and a woman, it is not and has never been intended for a man and a man nor a woman and a woman. According to Author Andrew Sullivan "When people talk about gay marriage , they miss the point. This isn't about gay marriage. It's about marriage. It's about family.It's about love. It isn't about religion."[Pg 154]If marriage is not about religion for homosexual couples then what difference does it make if it is a called marriage or civil union as long as the same rights are afforded.
"Marriage is how we are connected backward in time, through the generations, to our creator, and forward to the future beyond the scope of our own lifespan."[Pg 167] "Sanctioning homosexual marriage would require society at large to gut marriage of it's central presumptions about family in order to accommodate a few adult desires."[Pg 164] Marriage is and should always be defined as the union of one man and one woman because heterosexual marriages provide the procreative factor that creates the family unit and is a major building block of our past and present civilization. If we allow homosexual marriages it could cause enormous harm to our family's and the arrangements and upbringings of our children. " Homosexuality, is by it's very nature incompatible with the norms of traditional monogamous marriage."[Pg 163]
Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America.
New York: Pearson Education, Inc., 2007
Shulman, Sam. "Gay Marrige-and Marriage." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational Inc., 2007. 160-167.
Sullivan, Andrew. "The 'M-word': Why it Mattersto me." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational Inc., 2007. 150-154
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
Blog 12
James Hamblin
Discrimination against homosexuality has been falling for decades and now the Constitution protects the rights of these individuals. Now, once again the Government is caught being the mediator to settle a difference of opinion. One group is for gay marriage, the other against. As stated in the essay by Michael Kinsley, “Critics and enthusiasts of Lawrence v. Texas…agreed on one thing: The next argument would be about gay marriage.”
Among the primary arguments against marriage of same sex couples is a violation of the sanctity of marriage. The “sanctity” of marriage being the coupling of a man and a woman, preferably coupled with a religious faith. The ultimate desire of such an understanding is to procreate life; as in the marriage of two people help to bring, and then rear, new life. Unfortunately, the golden age of monogamous relationships is over. Many people have several relationships in their life without a single one ending in marriage. Or perhaps, a person may be involved in an “open relationship.” My point being, it is necessary to understand the difference between a right and an opinion.
I would fully expect that one day in the future same sex marriage will be commonplace. The current struggle we face now will fade into the distance, like so many other controversial ideas in our history. It may take us a really long time to forget, like the struggle for civil liberties, but progress marches on to be met by other adversaries. The day will come when people realize same sex marriage doesn’t hurt anybody. Once that idea is commonplace I wouldn’t be surprised to see it as a launching point for similar struggles.
Work Cited
Kinsley, Micheal. "Abolish Marriage." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational Inc., 2007. 170-174.
Should Gay Marriage Be Legal?
Blog 12
Amanda Whitehead
Should gay marriage be treated any differently than heterosexual marriage? People have many different views when it comes to gay marriage. People that support gay marriage feel that marriage is a partnership between two loving,consenting adults. People that are against gay marriage feel it devalues the meaning of marriage and is something that should only happen between one man and one woman.
Andrew Sullivan author of "The 'M-Word': Why it Matters to Me" is a supporter for gay marriage. He feels that people are unclear of what gay marriage really means. He states that gay marriage is about love and family,not about religion. He feels that some gay people put up a barrier, and by not treating gay marriage the same as any other marriage only makes that barrier more clear. He states "Putting gay relationships in some other category-civil unions,domestic partnerships, whatever-may alleviate real human needs,but,by their very euphemism,by their very separateness, they actually build a wall between gay people and their own families"(154).
People also have very strong views opposing the idea of gay marriage. Sam Schulman the author of "Gay Marriage-and Marriage" has very strong views when it comes to same sex marriage. He feels that "marriage is by definition and essence, between a man and a woman. Anything else is something else" (160). He feels that to change the definition of marriage will have consequences within our society.
Even though their are many different views on gay marriage everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Just because people don't agree with something does not mean that it is wrong. No two people are the same and to judge someone for the way they look or for the way they feel is unfair. The world would be a much better place if people stopped judging each other based on race, religion or in the case,sexual preference.
Work Cited
Shulman, Sam. "Gay Marriage-and Marriage." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational Inc., 2007. 160-167.
Sullivan, Andrew. The ‘M-Word’: Why it Matters to Me." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational Inc., 2007. 152-154.
Amanda Whitehead
Should gay marriage be treated any differently than heterosexual marriage? People have many different views when it comes to gay marriage. People that support gay marriage feel that marriage is a partnership between two loving,consenting adults. People that are against gay marriage feel it devalues the meaning of marriage and is something that should only happen between one man and one woman.
Andrew Sullivan author of "The 'M-Word': Why it Matters to Me" is a supporter for gay marriage. He feels that people are unclear of what gay marriage really means. He states that gay marriage is about love and family,not about religion. He feels that some gay people put up a barrier, and by not treating gay marriage the same as any other marriage only makes that barrier more clear. He states "Putting gay relationships in some other category-civil unions,domestic partnerships, whatever-may alleviate real human needs,but,by their very euphemism,by their very separateness, they actually build a wall between gay people and their own families"(154).
People also have very strong views opposing the idea of gay marriage. Sam Schulman the author of "Gay Marriage-and Marriage" has very strong views when it comes to same sex marriage. He feels that "marriage is by definition and essence, between a man and a woman. Anything else is something else" (160). He feels that to change the definition of marriage will have consequences within our society.
Even though their are many different views on gay marriage everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Just because people don't agree with something does not mean that it is wrong. No two people are the same and to judge someone for the way they look or for the way they feel is unfair. The world would be a much better place if people stopped judging each other based on race, religion or in the case,sexual preference.
Work Cited
Shulman, Sam. "Gay Marriage-and Marriage." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational Inc., 2007. 160-167.
Sullivan, Andrew. The ‘M-Word’: Why it Matters to Me." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational Inc., 2007. 152-154.
Blog 12- Megan Gillespie
Not allowing the coming together of same-gender couples via legal marriage creates a 'separateness' that attributes to a wall being built between families and throughout society (pp.154). In the article "The 'M-Word': Why It Matters To Me" the author, Andrew Sullivan, states his belief that legal marriage between members of the same sex is the only way for a homosexual to become a 'full and equal part of the human race' (pp.154). He claims that euphemisms, such as civil union, undermine the sanctity of marriage.
Sam Schulman presents the precepts of the civil rights argument in his article “Gay Marriage - And Marriage”. Proponents of this line of reasoning state that marriage is essentially a legal contract between a man and a woman in which participants receive benefits, including tax breaks (pp.163). Both Schulman and Sullivan equate legalized marriage to spiritual satisfaction and connection to nature.
Is a government issued contract really what separates an individual from true fulfillment in their relationship? Perhaps it is the view of marriage that has been skewed, not our view of civil unions. Only a few centuries ago marriage was for procreation and love was a considered a separate human experience. Looking at the history in heterosexual terms allows an individual to see that “marriage” is an artificial connection to nature, created by society; one meant to assist financial and social standing rather than emotional fulfillment (pp.167). It is this very fact that should undermine the true sanctity of committing oneself fully to another human being. Perhaps the evolution of socially accepted views of marriage involves taking steps to reach universal fulfillment between regardless of orientation.
Taking down the wall is just as much a part of the process as building it.
Sullivan, Andrew. The ‘M-Word’: Why It Matters To Me. Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters In America. Stock. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. 153-154.
Schulman, Sam. Gay Marriage - and Marriage. Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters In America. Stock. New Work: Pearson Longman, 2007. 162-167.
Sam Schulman presents the precepts of the civil rights argument in his article “Gay Marriage - And Marriage”. Proponents of this line of reasoning state that marriage is essentially a legal contract between a man and a woman in which participants receive benefits, including tax breaks (pp.163). Both Schulman and Sullivan equate legalized marriage to spiritual satisfaction and connection to nature.
Is a government issued contract really what separates an individual from true fulfillment in their relationship? Perhaps it is the view of marriage that has been skewed, not our view of civil unions. Only a few centuries ago marriage was for procreation and love was a considered a separate human experience. Looking at the history in heterosexual terms allows an individual to see that “marriage” is an artificial connection to nature, created by society; one meant to assist financial and social standing rather than emotional fulfillment (pp.167). It is this very fact that should undermine the true sanctity of committing oneself fully to another human being. Perhaps the evolution of socially accepted views of marriage involves taking steps to reach universal fulfillment between regardless of orientation.
Taking down the wall is just as much a part of the process as building it.
Sullivan, Andrew. The ‘M-Word’: Why It Matters To Me. Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters In America. Stock. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. 153-154.
Schulman, Sam. Gay Marriage - and Marriage. Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters In America. Stock. New Work: Pearson Longman, 2007. 162-167.
Should Gay Marriage Be Legal ? Soraya
Gay marriage is controvertial the same as abortion,
and the death penalty. However, there is a solution
that can satisfy both sides. There issue of gay
marriage has been argued in many states. Some
states have banned gay marriages, and have began
to permit same-sex marriages. However 55 percent
of Americans support the US Constitution mandating
that marriage be between a man a woman.
Also opponents say that marriage is more than about
love, it has traditionally been a legal and social band
between a man and woman, foremost to support the
upbringing of children. There several different points
of the issue of the same-sex marriage.
According to the author, Andrew Sullivan , a gay
marriage sexual promiscuity, promotes stronger family
relationships both social and legal. Also gay marriage
is about love and civil marriage licenses, it is not about
religion.
On the other hand, the author Sam Schulman, points out
the view of the many opponents of same-sex marriage
who believe that our culture must preserve the integrity
of marriage between a man and woman and also protect
the children and the social ramifications.
The question is should gay marriage be legal only by law
to help gay individuals have their legal rights since they
spend many years just like a man and woman.
Is it acceptable to be married in the church or not?
Is it healthier to have a kid growing up with couple of
same-sex individuals ? Should our system and society
view these points ?
unit, is healthier for same-sex partners, and legitimizes
and the death penalty. However, there is a solution
that can satisfy both sides. There issue of gay
marriage has been argued in many states. Some
states have banned gay marriages, and have began
to permit same-sex marriages. However 55 percent
of Americans support the US Constitution mandating
that marriage be between a man a woman.
Also opponents say that marriage is more than about
love, it has traditionally been a legal and social band
between a man and woman, foremost to support the
upbringing of children. There several different points
of the issue of the same-sex marriage.
According to the author, Andrew Sullivan , a gay
marriage sexual promiscuity, promotes stronger family
relationships both social and legal. Also gay marriage
is about love and civil marriage licenses, it is not about
religion.
On the other hand, the author Sam Schulman, points out
the view of the many opponents of same-sex marriage
who believe that our culture must preserve the integrity
of marriage between a man and woman and also protect
the children and the social ramifications.
The question is should gay marriage be legal only by law
to help gay individuals have their legal rights since they
spend many years just like a man and woman.
Is it acceptable to be married in the church or not?
Is it healthier to have a kid growing up with couple of
same-sex individuals ? Should our system and society
view these points ?
unit, is healthier for same-sex partners, and legitimizes
Blog 12 - Julie Martin
Should Gay Marriage be Legal?
All four essays look for the next step, only one; “The ‘M Word’: Why it Matters to Me” looks to make gay marriage legal. The other three are basically arguing against it with slight variations. Of all the opinions expressed, Kinsley's argument to abolish government sanctioned marriage is unique in that he would move the argument to the church, temple, or mosque and out of the legislative houses (172). When that thought process is compared to one of the basic of tenets of our government; separation of church and state it provides a strong argument for his case.
Works Cited
Essig, Laurie. "Same-Sex Marriage." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in
Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in
Kinsley, Michael. "Abolish Marriage." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in
Shulman, Sam. "Gay Marrige-and Marriage." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in
Sullivan, Andrew. The ‘M-Word’: Why it Matters to Me." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Is Fast Food Responsible for a Crisis in Public Health? Soraya
Americans have been getting fatter more and more
over the years. According to Daniel Akst's article
few people believe that fast food is healthy food and
Americans spend $110 billion a year for fast food
which is up from $6 billion 30 years ago. Americans'
weight problem began to grow in the 1970's along
with the increase in the number of fast food restaurants.
We are living in a time when we don't want to take
responsability for what we eat and the consequences
are the creation of fat bodies and disease. Companies
like McDonalds and PepsiCo make a lot of money
especially with children. In addition, the options for
different types of fast food has increased during the
years.
Clothing stores are selling more larger sizes. According
to the author, Daniel Aks, as parents we have to be
responsible for getting our kids away from TV and set
an example by eating healthier foods and teaching our
children to do the same.
In another article, the author, Richard Daynard, points
out the many lawsuits against big tobacco companies
blaming them for diseases and disabilities. He compares
the addiction to cigarettes to be the same as to fast
food. He is also convinced that changing the industry's
behavior is the key to stopping the obesity epidemic.
In a third article, the author, R.A.Ames, doesn't believe
that fast food has to be blamed. He compares obesity
to smoking. In his opinion , both smoking and eating
are addictive and Americans instead of taking
responsability for their weight problems, prefer to
blame the fast food industry. Also he believes that
nobody has the right to tell someone what to do.
People are fat because they got themselves that way.
A long time ago the big issues were watching television
and smoking tobacco, now in our current time obesity
is one of the biggest concerns in the USA. The question
is how can we manage ourselves and educate our
children about the many options for food everywhere.
Who is really to blame, the fast food industry or all of
us who are obsessed with eating and don't know how
to stop.
over the years. According to Daniel Akst's article
few people believe that fast food is healthy food and
Americans spend $110 billion a year for fast food
which is up from $6 billion 30 years ago. Americans'
weight problem began to grow in the 1970's along
with the increase in the number of fast food restaurants.
We are living in a time when we don't want to take
responsability for what we eat and the consequences
are the creation of fat bodies and disease. Companies
like McDonalds and PepsiCo make a lot of money
especially with children. In addition, the options for
different types of fast food has increased during the
years.
Clothing stores are selling more larger sizes. According
to the author, Daniel Aks, as parents we have to be
responsible for getting our kids away from TV and set
an example by eating healthier foods and teaching our
children to do the same.
In another article, the author, Richard Daynard, points
out the many lawsuits against big tobacco companies
blaming them for diseases and disabilities. He compares
the addiction to cigarettes to be the same as to fast
food. He is also convinced that changing the industry's
behavior is the key to stopping the obesity epidemic.
In a third article, the author, R.A.Ames, doesn't believe
that fast food has to be blamed. He compares obesity
to smoking. In his opinion , both smoking and eating
are addictive and Americans instead of taking
responsability for their weight problems, prefer to
blame the fast food industry. Also he believes that
nobody has the right to tell someone what to do.
People are fat because they got themselves that way.
A long time ago the big issues were watching television
and smoking tobacco, now in our current time obesity
is one of the biggest concerns in the USA. The question
is how can we manage ourselves and educate our
children about the many options for food everywhere.
Who is really to blame, the fast food industry or all of
us who are obsessed with eating and don't know how
to stop.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Blog 11 Julie Martin
Is Fast Food Responsible for a Crisis in Public Health?
The past five or six years have seen an increasing amount of attention paid to the effect of body weight on the collective health of Americans. Increases in the incidence of diabetes, asthma, and other obesity-related ailments have caused the death of 300,000 people annually and increased healthcare costs by up $100 million per year (Akst 283).
There seems to be general concurrence that the causes of this phenomenon are multiple; easy availability of cheap, high-calorie food, lack of physical activity, and lack of public knowledge in the areas of basic nutrition and ability to separate facts from promotional hype. One oft-cited cause of such a fat citizenry is the unrelenting presence of corporate scale fast food restaurants.
The names are familiar; McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, etc. These businesses are profitable and present fat targets for law firms specializing in class-action cases. Not counted as targets are the street corner hotdog cart, the Gyro stand, the local pizzeria, or the gas station corn chip rack. Also not included in these highly publicized lawsuits are any of the manufacturers or distributors of the 25 different types of frozen pizza available in any grocery chain.
The law suits brought against the corporate-scale restaurants give short shrift to the question of personal responsibility. There have been no known cases where the restaurants have shackled patrons and force fed them unhealthy food. Even if this were the case, it would have to be repeated on a regular basis to produce the epidemic of girth that is the cause for the lawsuits. Allowing for a few exceptions, overweight and obese people make the choice to consume mass quantities as the character Beldar Conehead from Saturday Night Live would put it. They also make the choice to not engage in regular, vigorous physical activity.
Fast food may be a contributing factor, and is certainly an easy target for blame, but it alone is not responsible for a crisis in public health.
Works Cited
Akst, Daniel. "Finding Fault for the Fat." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational Inc., 2007. 280-285.
Is Fast Food Responsible for a Crisis in Public Health?
Blog 11 Draft
Katherine Santangelo
In today's fast paced world fast food chains are beginning to appear everywhere. The majority of Americans are well aware that most fast food is unhealthy and fattening yet, still choose to eat it because of the convenience and taste. So, why are Americans suing the fast food industry when they know what they are consuming and what the consequences of this will be? "The food that you put in your mouth got in their because your hands lifted it their, plain and simple."[pg.296] Overweight Americans need to begin to take responsibility for their weight, stop eating fast food, exercise, and eat healthier. If we continue to sugarcoat this epidemic it will only become worse and could have the potential to reach over 2/3 of the nation becoming overweight. "The "land of the Free" means that we are free to make our own decisions, but part of this freedom is the responsibility to own up to our choices." [pg.297]
Even though Americans are aware of how fattening and unhealthy fast food may be, they still have a right to know what their food contains without misleading advertising. However, the fast food industry is not responsible for the obesity epidemic, the overweight individuals are responsible. In order to begin to control this we must establish some nutrition and health programs in our schools, make physical education "physical" and a requirement to take, and remove the fattening foods, candy and sodas from our schools and parents can also begin to serve healthy meals and snacks at home. The fast food industry is not the primary cause of the obesity epidemic, it is the lack of self control and exercise that causes it.
Ames, R.A.. “Fast Food Isn't to Blame".Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters In America. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. 296-297
Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters In America.
New York: Pearson Longman, 2007.
Katherine Santangelo
In today's fast paced world fast food chains are beginning to appear everywhere. The majority of Americans are well aware that most fast food is unhealthy and fattening yet, still choose to eat it because of the convenience and taste. So, why are Americans suing the fast food industry when they know what they are consuming and what the consequences of this will be? "The food that you put in your mouth got in their because your hands lifted it their, plain and simple."[pg.296] Overweight Americans need to begin to take responsibility for their weight, stop eating fast food, exercise, and eat healthier. If we continue to sugarcoat this epidemic it will only become worse and could have the potential to reach over 2/3 of the nation becoming overweight. "The "land of the Free" means that we are free to make our own decisions, but part of this freedom is the responsibility to own up to our choices." [pg.297]
Even though Americans are aware of how fattening and unhealthy fast food may be, they still have a right to know what their food contains without misleading advertising. However, the fast food industry is not responsible for the obesity epidemic, the overweight individuals are responsible. In order to begin to control this we must establish some nutrition and health programs in our schools, make physical education "physical" and a requirement to take, and remove the fattening foods, candy and sodas from our schools and parents can also begin to serve healthy meals and snacks at home. The fast food industry is not the primary cause of the obesity epidemic, it is the lack of self control and exercise that causes it.
Ames, R.A.. “Fast Food Isn't to Blame".Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters In America. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. 296-297
Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters In America.
New York: Pearson Longman, 2007.
Is Fast Food Responsible for a Crisis in Public Health?
Blog 11
Amanda Whitehead
Is the fast food Industry to blame America's weight problem or is it just people making bad decisions when it comes to food? Millions of Americans spend millions of dollars a day eating fast food,resulting in two-thirds of Americans being overweight.Many say the reason for this is simple,Americans spend more time eating fast food and less time engaging in physical activity.Even though this matter may seem pretty cut and dry to most people, some try and blame the fast food industry.
R.A Ames the author of "Fast Food Isn't to Blame" agrees that people are just making the wrong choices when it comes to food. Ames feels that instead of taking responsibility for their weight problem fat people are blaming the fast food industry. He states "the land of the free means that we are free to make our own decisions,but part of this freedom is the responsibility to own up to our choices. It doesn't mean free to do what we want and then blame someone else when we don't like the final results"(297). This is exactly how some Americans are dealing with the obesity epidemic. Two teenagers even brought it to the point of suing MacDonald's for making them fat. Ames feels that this problem is going to become worse unless we send a message to society that this is unacceptable. Ames also suggests that obese people should have to pay higher premiums on their insurance. Because Overweight people are more susceptible to certain health risks such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
I believe Ames was absolutely right when he states "The truth is that it a whole lot easier to get fat than to stay thin"(296). Americans need to start taking more responsibility for their actions and stop eating themselves into an early grave. People need to stop pointing fingers on who is to blame and just start working on fixing the problem. If Americans would spend half as much time exercising and eating healthy as they do blaming people for their obesity,the problem would fix itself.
Work Cited
Ames, R.A.."Fast Food Isn't to Blame" Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007 295-299
Amanda Whitehead
Is the fast food Industry to blame America's weight problem or is it just people making bad decisions when it comes to food? Millions of Americans spend millions of dollars a day eating fast food,resulting in two-thirds of Americans being overweight.Many say the reason for this is simple,Americans spend more time eating fast food and less time engaging in physical activity.Even though this matter may seem pretty cut and dry to most people, some try and blame the fast food industry.
R.A Ames the author of "Fast Food Isn't to Blame" agrees that people are just making the wrong choices when it comes to food. Ames feels that instead of taking responsibility for their weight problem fat people are blaming the fast food industry. He states "the land of the free means that we are free to make our own decisions,but part of this freedom is the responsibility to own up to our choices. It doesn't mean free to do what we want and then blame someone else when we don't like the final results"(297). This is exactly how some Americans are dealing with the obesity epidemic. Two teenagers even brought it to the point of suing MacDonald's for making them fat. Ames feels that this problem is going to become worse unless we send a message to society that this is unacceptable. Ames also suggests that obese people should have to pay higher premiums on their insurance. Because Overweight people are more susceptible to certain health risks such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
I believe Ames was absolutely right when he states "The truth is that it a whole lot easier to get fat than to stay thin"(296). Americans need to start taking more responsibility for their actions and stop eating themselves into an early grave. People need to stop pointing fingers on who is to blame and just start working on fixing the problem. If Americans would spend half as much time exercising and eating healthy as they do blaming people for their obesity,the problem would fix itself.
Work Cited
Ames, R.A.."Fast Food Isn't to Blame" Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007 295-299
Blog 11 - Megan Gillespie
Numerous moral issues arise when the topic of human cloning comes up. Some perceive human replication as a form of narcissism, while others view it as a saving grace (Colvin, pp.22). We are at a stalemate between ideologies. It can’t be denied that there remains to be many unanswered questions, including when and for what reasons human cloning should be considered.
Gregory Stock, author of “The Last Human”, likens the effects of drug use for performance enhancement in sports to the idea of genetically developing a child specifically designed to exceed at certain areas (Stock, pp. 230). This ‘unnatural’ biological enhancement is widely frowned upon and seen as unfair. ‘Playing God‘, as some call it, should be criminalized to prevent reoccurrence of a new eugenics movement, like during the Nazi era.
It is believed by some that if a person is able to clone themselves or choose the characteristics of their children then there will much less diversity and more discrimination in the world (Colvin, pp. 222). On the other hand evidence seems to support the theory that genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) work together, therefore diversity is inevitable regardless of a persons origin. In fact the copied individual may be just as unique as any other. Clones are theorized to be more like an identical twin with differing characteristics then a perfect clone (Colvin, pp.221). However opponents point out that perhaps this is just another stage of evolution as a unique species .
Regardless of whether the effects would be positive or negative, remaining at a standoff about cloning will not bring resolution. There are many areas that need to be fully understood before moving forward with human replication. The first step toward better understanding how cloning may effect society is to find stable ground about the controversial topic prior to giving the technology any ability to advance or harm the human species.
Colvin, Jonathan. “Me My Clone and I.” Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. Stock. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. 220-223.
Stock, Gregory. “The Last Human.” Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. Stock. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. 228-232.
Gregory Stock, author of “The Last Human”, likens the effects of drug use for performance enhancement in sports to the idea of genetically developing a child specifically designed to exceed at certain areas (Stock, pp. 230). This ‘unnatural’ biological enhancement is widely frowned upon and seen as unfair. ‘Playing God‘, as some call it, should be criminalized to prevent reoccurrence of a new eugenics movement, like during the Nazi era.
It is believed by some that if a person is able to clone themselves or choose the characteristics of their children then there will much less diversity and more discrimination in the world (Colvin, pp. 222). On the other hand evidence seems to support the theory that genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) work together, therefore diversity is inevitable regardless of a persons origin. In fact the copied individual may be just as unique as any other. Clones are theorized to be more like an identical twin with differing characteristics then a perfect clone (Colvin, pp.221). However opponents point out that perhaps this is just another stage of evolution as a unique species .
Regardless of whether the effects would be positive or negative, remaining at a standoff about cloning will not bring resolution. There are many areas that need to be fully understood before moving forward with human replication. The first step toward better understanding how cloning may effect society is to find stable ground about the controversial topic prior to giving the technology any ability to advance or harm the human species.
Colvin, Jonathan. “Me My Clone and I.” Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. Stock. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. 220-223.
Stock, Gregory. “The Last Human.” Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. Stock. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. 228-232.
Are Designer Humans in Our Future?
Blog 11 Draft
James Hamblin
With great power comes great responsibility. In our ever changing world we are once again challenged to become more than we were before. Throughout history we have continually discovered new things which we must first learn to wield and then master. The invention of the automobile propelled our civilization into a new era, with it came the added responsibility to provide for our health. Guns allow us to ponder personal freedom issues, while planes question our security. On and on our journey goes and now we ponder the question, should we create life itself?
The science of cloning has made leaps and bounds. Starting with in vitro fertilization, then gene mapping, we have gained the tools necessary to make copies of living beings(Stock). If we, as a world community, decide to travel down this road, what exactly will cloning do for us? Cloning may give us the ability to not only make copies of ourselves, but may allow us to clone specific organs as well. Many people may consider these things good in certain situations, unfortunately every good side has a bad as well. Consider if you will, the dangers we now face with overpopulation or infectious disease. Cloning may help us to alleviate these problems but it could aggravate them as well.
Therefore I believe it would be best to weigh our options carefully. In our advanced society we embrace every new toy that comes along, half of the time we don’t even wait for the paint to dry. The truth is, every new idea or invention is usually utilized by our world in some way. For better or worse, cloning is here to stay. Therefore it would be in our best interest if we traveled down this road slowly, before we do something that we can’t un-due.
Work Cited
Stock, Gregory. "The Last Human." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007. 227-233
James Hamblin
With great power comes great responsibility. In our ever changing world we are once again challenged to become more than we were before. Throughout history we have continually discovered new things which we must first learn to wield and then master. The invention of the automobile propelled our civilization into a new era, with it came the added responsibility to provide for our health. Guns allow us to ponder personal freedom issues, while planes question our security. On and on our journey goes and now we ponder the question, should we create life itself?
The science of cloning has made leaps and bounds. Starting with in vitro fertilization, then gene mapping, we have gained the tools necessary to make copies of living beings(Stock). If we, as a world community, decide to travel down this road, what exactly will cloning do for us? Cloning may give us the ability to not only make copies of ourselves, but may allow us to clone specific organs as well. Many people may consider these things good in certain situations, unfortunately every good side has a bad as well. Consider if you will, the dangers we now face with overpopulation or infectious disease. Cloning may help us to alleviate these problems but it could aggravate them as well.
Therefore I believe it would be best to weigh our options carefully. In our advanced society we embrace every new toy that comes along, half of the time we don’t even wait for the paint to dry. The truth is, every new idea or invention is usually utilized by our world in some way. For better or worse, cloning is here to stay. Therefore it would be in our best interest if we traveled down this road slowly, before we do something that we can’t un-due.
Work Cited
Stock, Gregory. "The Last Human." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007. 227-233
Friday, April 4, 2008
Essay 3 Race
James Hamblin
Race, a subject which is hard to discuss without offending, is inexorably tied to all of our lives. Whether we like it or not everyone is categorized by race. Much of our angst comes from not knowing how to define race or how it effects our interactions. A juvenile, dare I say, European version of race separates people by color. Science has proven that the color of a person’s skin has about as much validity as the color of a person’s hair or eyes. All traits are a combination of features that all races share to one degree or another. Taking this into consideration one may wonder why racism, whether intentional or not, is so prevalent in society.
In an article by Sasha Polakow-Suransky, a person with Arab features was treated poorly by a middle aged black person. While being offended, this individual still had the presence of mind to confront the profiler and dispel a possibly volatile situation. Also, as stated by the Zogby International poll, the approval rating for racial profiling of Arab-Americans peaked at sixty percent in September of 2001(Polakow-suransky). At first it may seem that only people of African descent are victims of racism, but the previous examples prove that prejudice can exist in all individuals. Constantly on our minds, the dangers of Muslim radicals seem to have replaced racism against the black minority.
While many would shrug off such an event, the truth is this attitude is consistent in our daily lives. Many people feel it is an extension of class conflict; this person is richer or poorer than me, therefore different. This feeling of isolation, or different, between people may be a fundamental proponent to our basic fight or flight emotions. Or perhaps, America as a nation is not as mature as it thinks it is, especially when compared to a diversified community like Europe.
There is a large market for racial equality in America today. From Organizations that are pro-civil rights to clubs that cater to individual minorities, racial segregation is alive and well in our world today. Unfortunately, this only hinders our progress to become a nation of equals. While a “minority” may make a racial group to celebrate their individuality in American society, a white person is immediately classified as racist for even suggestion such a thing. If equality was really a driving force to our social system the idea of a white only club would be as common as a black only club. This idea could actually help to solidify our relations as individuals by accepting that we are all just people expressing the concept that “like attracts like.”
For Americans the idea that we may lose our individuality to racial diversity is troubling. Not many people are really racist but when looked at from a distance the reality is blurred. The issue of maintaining that individuality while encouraging diversity is simply a matter of trust. So the question of race in America may simply be whether we are mature enough as a society to be mature individuals.
Work Cited
Polakow-Suransky, Sasha. “Racial Profiling Goes Beyond Black and White.” Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007. 200-206
Race, a subject which is hard to discuss without offending, is inexorably tied to all of our lives. Whether we like it or not everyone is categorized by race. Much of our angst comes from not knowing how to define race or how it effects our interactions. A juvenile, dare I say, European version of race separates people by color. Science has proven that the color of a person’s skin has about as much validity as the color of a person’s hair or eyes. All traits are a combination of features that all races share to one degree or another. Taking this into consideration one may wonder why racism, whether intentional or not, is so prevalent in society.
In an article by Sasha Polakow-Suransky, a person with Arab features was treated poorly by a middle aged black person. While being offended, this individual still had the presence of mind to confront the profiler and dispel a possibly volatile situation. Also, as stated by the Zogby International poll, the approval rating for racial profiling of Arab-Americans peaked at sixty percent in September of 2001(Polakow-suransky). At first it may seem that only people of African descent are victims of racism, but the previous examples prove that prejudice can exist in all individuals. Constantly on our minds, the dangers of Muslim radicals seem to have replaced racism against the black minority.
While many would shrug off such an event, the truth is this attitude is consistent in our daily lives. Many people feel it is an extension of class conflict; this person is richer or poorer than me, therefore different. This feeling of isolation, or different, between people may be a fundamental proponent to our basic fight or flight emotions. Or perhaps, America as a nation is not as mature as it thinks it is, especially when compared to a diversified community like Europe.
There is a large market for racial equality in America today. From Organizations that are pro-civil rights to clubs that cater to individual minorities, racial segregation is alive and well in our world today. Unfortunately, this only hinders our progress to become a nation of equals. While a “minority” may make a racial group to celebrate their individuality in American society, a white person is immediately classified as racist for even suggestion such a thing. If equality was really a driving force to our social system the idea of a white only club would be as common as a black only club. This idea could actually help to solidify our relations as individuals by accepting that we are all just people expressing the concept that “like attracts like.”
For Americans the idea that we may lose our individuality to racial diversity is troubling. Not many people are really racist but when looked at from a distance the reality is blurred. The issue of maintaining that individuality while encouraging diversity is simply a matter of trust. So the question of race in America may simply be whether we are mature enough as a society to be mature individuals.
Work Cited
Polakow-Suransky, Sasha. “Racial Profiling Goes Beyond Black and White.” Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007. 200-206
Essay 3 Final-Dylan Hillman
Racial profiling is the inclusion of racial or ethnic characteristics in determining whether a person is more likely to fit a specific category. Originating hundreds of years ago as a police aid, racial profiling is still a major issue of debate today. For example, police use racial profiling to identify individuals more likely to commit a particular type of crime, yet some people then become targets of investigations solely on their race. In “Blind Spot,” an article by Randall Kennedy, the author states "The racial profiling controversy-like the conflicts over affirmative action-will not end soon” (182).
The controversy of racial profiling in the United States arose in December 1941, as a direct result of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Alien Land Law was then passed against Japanese landowners, forcing countless Japanese-Americans to forfeit their property and enter internment camps for the remainder of the war. The threat of attack to our nation superseded the individuals’ civil rights.
The use of racial profiling has recently stimulated new controversy as a result of the recent terrorist attacks on the United States. As soon as the connection was made between Arabs and the attacks, the entire race became suspect. Police started searching Middle Easterners without provocation. This was another case of racial profiling that was accepted by the public despite its breaking of civil liberties. The concern for safety once again surpassed the individuals’ freedom for which this country stands. One of the major debates of our time continues to question the limiting or even disregarding of individual rights in order to protect the nation.
In Kennedy's article, “Blind Spot” he discusses the fact that law enforcement uses race to make assumptions about what types of people are more likely to commit a crime. Kennedy states that the Supreme Court agrees with this practice as long as race is only one of the factors police are basing their decision on. Civil rights activists, however, disagree, stating that most racial profiling is based solely on race, without any other factors playing a part.
Another strong point is made in the article “What Looks Like Profiling Might Just Be Good Policing”. The author Heather MacDonald feels that bringing up the issue of racial profiling could result in law enforcement having a more difficult time making arrests. She states that over the past decade the nation has witnessed a decline in crime. However, over the last decade tensions have risen between police and people living in urban communities. She believes this is due to the fact people feel that they are being discriminated against solely because of their race. MacDonald gives an example of a criminal mugging and beating up pedestrians. “The victims stated that the man was a dark-skinned Latino or a light-skinned African American” (158). Would law officials be unfairly discriminating if they were to single out suspects fitting this description? In conclusion, the issue comes down to the value of safety over freedom. It is a matter of opinion that cannot truly be decided by logic or reasoning. Ironically enough, one’s race plays a large part in determining what side of the issue one might support. Also, some feel that if individual rights are lost for even one person, the possibility exists for them to be lost for all. The controversy of the racial profiling is the first of a long set of debates to come, on the topic of governmental power.
Work Cited
Kosuth,Dennis. "Memories Of Racial Profiling" Interview with Roger Shimomura. Socialistworker.org October 19,2001.p.9
Kennedy, Randall. "Blind Spot." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007. 180-182Mac Donald,Heather. "What Looks Like Profiling Might Just Be Good Policing" Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007.184-188Siggins,Peter. "Racial Profiling in an Age of Terrorism" Markkula Center for Applied Ethics forum March 12, 2002
The controversy of racial profiling in the United States arose in December 1941, as a direct result of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Alien Land Law was then passed against Japanese landowners, forcing countless Japanese-Americans to forfeit their property and enter internment camps for the remainder of the war. The threat of attack to our nation superseded the individuals’ civil rights.
The use of racial profiling has recently stimulated new controversy as a result of the recent terrorist attacks on the United States. As soon as the connection was made between Arabs and the attacks, the entire race became suspect. Police started searching Middle Easterners without provocation. This was another case of racial profiling that was accepted by the public despite its breaking of civil liberties. The concern for safety once again surpassed the individuals’ freedom for which this country stands. One of the major debates of our time continues to question the limiting or even disregarding of individual rights in order to protect the nation.
In Kennedy's article, “Blind Spot” he discusses the fact that law enforcement uses race to make assumptions about what types of people are more likely to commit a crime. Kennedy states that the Supreme Court agrees with this practice as long as race is only one of the factors police are basing their decision on. Civil rights activists, however, disagree, stating that most racial profiling is based solely on race, without any other factors playing a part.
Another strong point is made in the article “What Looks Like Profiling Might Just Be Good Policing”. The author Heather MacDonald feels that bringing up the issue of racial profiling could result in law enforcement having a more difficult time making arrests. She states that over the past decade the nation has witnessed a decline in crime. However, over the last decade tensions have risen between police and people living in urban communities. She believes this is due to the fact people feel that they are being discriminated against solely because of their race. MacDonald gives an example of a criminal mugging and beating up pedestrians. “The victims stated that the man was a dark-skinned Latino or a light-skinned African American” (158). Would law officials be unfairly discriminating if they were to single out suspects fitting this description? In conclusion, the issue comes down to the value of safety over freedom. It is a matter of opinion that cannot truly be decided by logic or reasoning. Ironically enough, one’s race plays a large part in determining what side of the issue one might support. Also, some feel that if individual rights are lost for even one person, the possibility exists for them to be lost for all. The controversy of the racial profiling is the first of a long set of debates to come, on the topic of governmental power.
Work Cited
Kosuth,Dennis. "Memories Of Racial Profiling" Interview with Roger Shimomura. Socialistworker.org October 19,2001.p.9
Kennedy, Randall. "Blind Spot." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007. 180-182Mac Donald,Heather. "What Looks Like Profiling Might Just Be Good Policing" Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007.184-188Siggins,Peter. "Racial Profiling in an Age of Terrorism" Markkula Center for Applied Ethics forum March 12, 2002
Essay 3 - Final Draft - Megan Gillespie
For centuries societies around the world have acknowledged and, in one way or another, lent support to the idea that individual human beings are categorized by their ethnicity, or race. This notion continues to be supported throughout history and modern times causing reoccurring upheavals and the passing or repeal of laws and regulations even today. However, understanding the avenues that the concept of racism has taken throughout history is key to understanding how it effects society today. This helps make it possible to celebrate racial similarities, as well as differences that make each person a unique part of the human race.
The Public Broadcasting Service recently created an interactive website regarding the issue of race. The purpose of this website is to help the audience understand the history of race. In ancient times, racial ethnicity had little to do with status. In fact, status was widely recognized by social standing. For example, the marriage of John Rolfe and Pocahontas was controversial during it‘s time due to the fact that she was a Princess to her people, where he was a commoner to his. It was their differences in social status that created such an uproar in both communities, not that he was European or she Indian (PBS). Slavery in America began with indentured servants (laborers under contract in exchange for food, land, etc.) serve as a precursor to ‘non-white slavery‘. These servants were poor Europeans, who often ended up under contract indefinitely. It wouldn’t be until the rise of African American slavery in the new world that the term ‘race’ would acquire distinct recognition in society (PBS). Educating society about the real differences between individual human beings and showing viewers that physical characteristics are not always indicative of race is the main purpose of this interactive website. Research on the human body (from DNA to skin tone) has made it possible for people to understand that there is no scientific basis for the concept of race (PBS). Race is simply another word for ‘stereotype‘. The authors claim that there is more diversity within a race than between them (PBS). However, with racism and stereotyping being so ingrained into modern society, it leaves an individual to wonder if there ever can be a world without ‘race’. Perhaps it has become a fundamental part of each human being.
Everyday people are faced with the issue of racism, although they don‘t always realize it. Many believe they are not racist, but the opposition says this is not probable. This is because racism shows itself in numerous ways and it is often so subtle that it goes unnoticed. An article in Newsweek, written by Carol Paik, discusses seemingly harmless interaction, when examined closely enough, reveals hidden tendencies for all humans to see people through racial lenses, rather than seeing the individual. She is Korean-American and at times has been mistaken for another Asian woman. This bothered her until she mistook a strangers child for her own. The mother was Caucasian, but her daughter was Asian. She urges the reader to take a closer look, as well as asking those who have been victims of racism to realize that others may simply be ‘distracted, overeager, careless, tired’, not necessarily meaning harm by what seem to be racist remarks (Paik, pars 8). On the other hand, writer Kent Garber reports a case where a black professor at Columbia University found a noose hanging from her office door. There have been similar reports in Louisiana, Connecticut and New York. The noose itself symbolizes the segregation that existed between the whites and blacks in previous decades (Garber, pars 1). Regardless of historical and scientific facts, racism is still very much alive.
The concept of race has taken on a connotation all it’s own. It’s meaning varies through a mix of human emotions from hate and anger to tolerance and acceptance. When looking at it’s place in society throughout history and daily life, race can be seen for what it really is. A state of mind.
Works Cited
Public Broadcasting Services. “Race - The Power of Illusion.” California Newsreel. Ford Foundation. 2003. March 16, 2008. http://www.pbs.org/race.
Garber, Kent. “Nationwide, a Noose too Far.” U.S. News & World Report. Vol. 143 (2007) p12.
Paik, Carol. “I’m Not What You Think Of Me.” Newsweek. Vol. 151. (2008): p 20.
The Public Broadcasting Service recently created an interactive website regarding the issue of race. The purpose of this website is to help the audience understand the history of race. In ancient times, racial ethnicity had little to do with status. In fact, status was widely recognized by social standing. For example, the marriage of John Rolfe and Pocahontas was controversial during it‘s time due to the fact that she was a Princess to her people, where he was a commoner to his. It was their differences in social status that created such an uproar in both communities, not that he was European or she Indian (PBS). Slavery in America began with indentured servants (laborers under contract in exchange for food, land, etc.) serve as a precursor to ‘non-white slavery‘. These servants were poor Europeans, who often ended up under contract indefinitely. It wouldn’t be until the rise of African American slavery in the new world that the term ‘race’ would acquire distinct recognition in society (PBS). Educating society about the real differences between individual human beings and showing viewers that physical characteristics are not always indicative of race is the main purpose of this interactive website. Research on the human body (from DNA to skin tone) has made it possible for people to understand that there is no scientific basis for the concept of race (PBS). Race is simply another word for ‘stereotype‘. The authors claim that there is more diversity within a race than between them (PBS). However, with racism and stereotyping being so ingrained into modern society, it leaves an individual to wonder if there ever can be a world without ‘race’. Perhaps it has become a fundamental part of each human being.
Everyday people are faced with the issue of racism, although they don‘t always realize it. Many believe they are not racist, but the opposition says this is not probable. This is because racism shows itself in numerous ways and it is often so subtle that it goes unnoticed. An article in Newsweek, written by Carol Paik, discusses seemingly harmless interaction, when examined closely enough, reveals hidden tendencies for all humans to see people through racial lenses, rather than seeing the individual. She is Korean-American and at times has been mistaken for another Asian woman. This bothered her until she mistook a strangers child for her own. The mother was Caucasian, but her daughter was Asian. She urges the reader to take a closer look, as well as asking those who have been victims of racism to realize that others may simply be ‘distracted, overeager, careless, tired’, not necessarily meaning harm by what seem to be racist remarks (Paik, pars 8). On the other hand, writer Kent Garber reports a case where a black professor at Columbia University found a noose hanging from her office door. There have been similar reports in Louisiana, Connecticut and New York. The noose itself symbolizes the segregation that existed between the whites and blacks in previous decades (Garber, pars 1). Regardless of historical and scientific facts, racism is still very much alive.
The concept of race has taken on a connotation all it’s own. It’s meaning varies through a mix of human emotions from hate and anger to tolerance and acceptance. When looking at it’s place in society throughout history and daily life, race can be seen for what it really is. A state of mind.
Works Cited
Public Broadcasting Services. “Race - The Power of Illusion.” California Newsreel. Ford Foundation. 2003. March 16, 2008. http://www.pbs.org/race.
Garber, Kent. “Nationwide, a Noose too Far.” U.S. News & World Report. Vol. 143 (2007) p12.
Paik, Carol. “I’m Not What You Think Of Me.” Newsweek. Vol. 151. (2008): p 20.
Essay 3 Final Draft Amanda Whitehead
Racial profiling has been around for many years and seems to still be going strong in today's society. Some say racial profiling is unfair, but others agree it is common sense when trying to protect the country. In the article “Blind Spot” by Randall Kennedy, the author states "The racial profiling controversy-like the conflict over affirmative action-will not end soon"(182). Roger Shimomura also agrees, he states "The comparison of the tragedy at the World Trade Center to Pearl Harbor brings back memories of racial profiling in World War Two when innocent Japanese Americans were placed in internment camps, and now Arab Americans are suffering the same indignity"(9).
The idea of racial profiling was highlighted in December of 1941. This is when Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese navy. In the wake of these attacks Attorney General Warren called upon district attorneys to enforce the Alien Land Law against Japanese landowners. Warren felt that having Japanese people in California would bring about more attacks such as the attack on Pearl Harbor. Eventually lead to the exclusion of all Japanese from within 200 miles of the California coast. Many believed that this was unfair, but others argued that the discrimination was necessary for the security of the country.
The issue of racial profiling was also brought up after the 9/11 attacks on America. Once it was established that the attacks on America were caused by Al Qaeda, an alliance of Islamic militant organizations, federal and local law enforcement started looking into men from Middle Eastern countries. Was this a case of racial profiling or was it just America taking precautions to avoid another devastating attack on our soil? Colleges throughout the country were contacted by federal officials trying to obtain records on middle eastern men that had entered the country in the past two years. They were checking on what these men majored in and how often they missed class. Airports became much more suspicious of men from the middle east traveling on airplanes. Racial profiling is a very touchy subject in America. Just because a person is a male of middle eastern decent, he should not be treated any differently than a Caucasian male.
In Kennedy's article “Blind Spot” he discusses the fact that law enforcement uses race to make assumptions about what types of people are more likely to commit a crime. Kennedy states that the Supreme Court agrees with this practice as long as race is only one of the factors they are basing their decision on. Civil rights activists,disagree,they feel racial profiling is based solely off race.They feel that it is wrong for police to use race in determining whether a person is likely to commit a crime. Some activists believe that the reason there are so many convicted minorities is because police use racial profiling.
In the article “What Looks Like Profiling Might Just Be Good Policing” the author Heather Mac Donald feels that bringing up the issue of racial profiling could make it harder for law enforcement to do their job. An example of this would be when a police officer is questioning a suspect he believes was involved in a crime. The officer will need to worry if he is basing his suspicion solely on race or if he has other evidence to back up his suspicion. This could affect how the officer handles the situation, which could result in the officer not being able to do his job correctly. Mac Donald states that over the past decade, the nation has witnessed a decline in crime. However, over the last decade, tensions have increased between police and people living in urban communities. She feels this is due to the fact people feel that they are being discriminated against solely because of their race. Mac Donald brings up the example that a man with a gold tooth was robbing and beating up pedestrians. The victims said the man was a dark-skinned Latino or a light-skinned African American (185). According to some, if law officials were to single out males fitting this description, they would be discriminating. Others feel that a male fitting this description should be questioned.
In conclusion, even though racial profiling can not be justified, sometimes people feel it is a necessity. Racial profiling has been around for many years and seems to not be ending anytime soon. In some cases it has shown to be a valid way of keeping Americans safe. In other cases, it has turned out to be a form of discrimination. But when it comes to providing security and keeping America safe, sometimes it is better to be safe than sorry, not matter what the consequences will be.
Works Cited
Kennedy, Randall. "Blind Spot." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007. 180-182
Kosuth, Dennis. "Memories Of Racial Profiling" Interview with Roger Shimomura. Socialistworker.org October 19, 2001.p.9
Mac Donald, Heather. "What Looks Like Profiling Might Just Be Good Policing" Grosgrain, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007.
184-188
Siggins, Peter. "Racial Profiling in an Age of Terrorism" Markkula Center for Applied Ethics forum March 12, 2002
The idea of racial profiling was highlighted in December of 1941. This is when Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese navy. In the wake of these attacks Attorney General Warren called upon district attorneys to enforce the Alien Land Law against Japanese landowners. Warren felt that having Japanese people in California would bring about more attacks such as the attack on Pearl Harbor. Eventually lead to the exclusion of all Japanese from within 200 miles of the California coast. Many believed that this was unfair, but others argued that the discrimination was necessary for the security of the country.
The issue of racial profiling was also brought up after the 9/11 attacks on America. Once it was established that the attacks on America were caused by Al Qaeda, an alliance of Islamic militant organizations, federal and local law enforcement started looking into men from Middle Eastern countries. Was this a case of racial profiling or was it just America taking precautions to avoid another devastating attack on our soil? Colleges throughout the country were contacted by federal officials trying to obtain records on middle eastern men that had entered the country in the past two years. They were checking on what these men majored in and how often they missed class. Airports became much more suspicious of men from the middle east traveling on airplanes. Racial profiling is a very touchy subject in America. Just because a person is a male of middle eastern decent, he should not be treated any differently than a Caucasian male.
In Kennedy's article “Blind Spot” he discusses the fact that law enforcement uses race to make assumptions about what types of people are more likely to commit a crime. Kennedy states that the Supreme Court agrees with this practice as long as race is only one of the factors they are basing their decision on. Civil rights activists,disagree,they feel racial profiling is based solely off race.They feel that it is wrong for police to use race in determining whether a person is likely to commit a crime. Some activists believe that the reason there are so many convicted minorities is because police use racial profiling.
In the article “What Looks Like Profiling Might Just Be Good Policing” the author Heather Mac Donald feels that bringing up the issue of racial profiling could make it harder for law enforcement to do their job. An example of this would be when a police officer is questioning a suspect he believes was involved in a crime. The officer will need to worry if he is basing his suspicion solely on race or if he has other evidence to back up his suspicion. This could affect how the officer handles the situation, which could result in the officer not being able to do his job correctly. Mac Donald states that over the past decade, the nation has witnessed a decline in crime. However, over the last decade, tensions have increased between police and people living in urban communities. She feels this is due to the fact people feel that they are being discriminated against solely because of their race. Mac Donald brings up the example that a man with a gold tooth was robbing and beating up pedestrians. The victims said the man was a dark-skinned Latino or a light-skinned African American (185). According to some, if law officials were to single out males fitting this description, they would be discriminating. Others feel that a male fitting this description should be questioned.
In conclusion, even though racial profiling can not be justified, sometimes people feel it is a necessity. Racial profiling has been around for many years and seems to not be ending anytime soon. In some cases it has shown to be a valid way of keeping Americans safe. In other cases, it has turned out to be a form of discrimination. But when it comes to providing security and keeping America safe, sometimes it is better to be safe than sorry, not matter what the consequences will be.
Works Cited
Kennedy, Randall. "Blind Spot." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007. 180-182
Kosuth, Dennis. "Memories Of Racial Profiling" Interview with Roger Shimomura. Socialistworker.org October 19, 2001.p.9
Mac Donald, Heather. "What Looks Like Profiling Might Just Be Good Policing" Grosgrain, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007.
184-188
Siggins, Peter. "Racial Profiling in an Age of Terrorism" Markkula Center for Applied Ethics forum March 12, 2002
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Essay 3 Final Version – Julie Martin
The Definition of Racial Profiling
Racial profiling is generally defined as the use of a person's race to categorize him or her. The negative implications of racial profiling can block a person from financial opportunity, educational opportunity, and due process before the law. This third area, due process before the law, is the most controversial. As it relates to the law, perhaps the most notorious aspect of racial profiling involves its use in police work.
One of the most publicized and polarizing incidents of law enforcements agents leveraging the technique of racial profiling occurred on the New Jersey Turnpike on the night of April 23, 1998, when two New Jersey State Troopers stopped and eventually shot three men. In this particular incident, NJ State Troopers John Hogan and James Kenna stopped a van on the Turnpike for speeding. The occupants of the van - Keshon Moore, Daniel Reyes, Leroy Jarmaine Grant and Rayshawn Brown - were traveling to North Carolina. Testimony as to the sequence of events after the stop differs depending on which side of the story the witness is representing. The end result was that three of the four van occupants suffered gunshot wounds. Of the four, three were black men, one was Hispanic. No weapons or contraband were found in the van (Kifner).
This incident proved to be the pivotal example of racial profiling in the public discourse. On one side, the view was put forth that this was a clear example of a programmatic practice employed by the NJ State Police that had been in use for decades. In fact, based on information presented by PBS on their website, institutionalized forms of racial identification have existed in the United States since colonial times (Cheng). The other side, in defense of the actions and responsibilities of the law enforcement community, argued that the troopers were reacting to the perceived threat of the vehicle being used as a potentially lethal weapon. The van driver did acknowledge that van was rolling after initially stopping due to an inadvertent shift into reverse gear.
In chapter 6 of What Matters in America entitled, "Can Racial Profiling Be Justified?," several articles present an analysis of the use of racial profiling by law enforcement agents. There are certainly situations where a person's racial characteristics are a vital identifying element that can be used to prevent a crime or apprehend a criminal. But the majority would agree that the use of race alone, especially with no specific crime being suspected, is unlawful. What is most dangerous, and was identified during the investigation of the April 1998 incident, is the institutionalization of the practice by a powerful public agency in this case the New Jersey State Police.
In an article written for Reason magazine, Gene Callahan and William Anderson envision an even larger institutional force behind this abuse of civil rights. Callahan and Anderson see three sources behind this type of policing, all driven by the so-called War on Drugs. In the article they claim "The sources include the difficulty in policing victimless crimes in general and the resulting need for intrusive police techniques; the greater relevancy of this difficulty given the intensification of the drug war since the 1980s; and the additional incentive that asset forfeiture laws give police forces to seize money and property from suspects" (William Anderson). In trying to define unlawful profiling, based upon a person's race, the question becomes where does an individual law enforcement officer's intuition and reaction to a specific situation end and where does a systematic abuse of civil rights begin? In his article "Blind Spot" Randall Kennedy extends the definition of racial profiling to include any judgments made by law enforcement that include a person's racial characteristics even if race is only a fractional part of the decision criteria (181-182). The law enforcement community, including public prosecutors, would probably disagree with such a broad interpretation.
Whatever the definition, profiling is easily identified after it has been experienced. Given human nature, there will always be individuals who are disrespectful of the rights of someone from another race. When this type of behavior is institutionalized or politically-driven, it is even more of a danger to all members of society.
Works Cited
Cheng, Jean (Producer & Writer). RACE- The Power of an Illusion - Race Timeline. 2003. 31 March 2008 <http://www.pbs.org/race/003_RaceTimeline/003_00-home.htm>.
Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Education, Inc., 2007.
Kennedy, Randall. "Blind Spot." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007. 180-182.
Kifner, John. "Van Shooting Revives Charges of Racial 'Profiling' by New Jersy State Police." New York Times. New York, 1998 10th May <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE7D61131F933A25756C0A96E958260> .
William Anderson, Gene Callahan. "The Roots of Racial Profiling." Reason Magazine. Los Angeles, August/September 2001 <http://www.reason.com/news/show/28138.html>.
Race in America
Katherine Santangelo
Rough Draft Essay #3
"(Racism) is not about how you look, it is about how people assign meaning to how you look." -Robin D.G. Kelley, historian.
Race as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal office of Management and Budget, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin. The meaning of race has taking on a definition of its own and it has almost become offensive to most causing feelings of resentment, anger, hate, all the way up to and including acceptance and understanding. Race has not always been present in American lives and it is a fairly
recent invention and is only a couple hundred years old. Race is ingrained in just about all aspects of American lives and it is built into our laws, traditions and institutions. "The differences in looks between humans have been a source of strength, community and personal identity and they have been the basis for discrimination and depression".
No matter what we are all tied to race in one way or another, consisting of various views on the subject throughout Americans. A prime example of how we are all tied to race would be the Presidential election with democratic rivals Sen. Hillary Clinton and Senator Barrack Obama. Senator Barrack Obama is calling for a new, and more frank review of the "complexities of race in this country that we've never really worked our way through." " Senator Obama presented his speech in such a way that a
lot of people, including those on opposites sides of the fence with their views and beliefs, heard something in it that spoke to them emotionally or spiritually. This is a historical election because it will have an exceptional change in all Americans lives, Americas first African American Presidential candidate or Americas first female Presidential candidate. This election has proven to be a historic event with voters coming out who have chosen not to vote in the past but have strong views
of the results that they want for this election.
The findings of the Harris poll show where America stands on change:
White Americans
Change- 43%
Experience- 45%
African Americans-
Change- 72%
Experience- 18%
Hispanics
Change- 51%
Experience- 37 %
Elderly (63+)
Change- 52%
Experience- 40%
Echo Boomers (18-31)
Change- 54%
Experience- 35%
This poll has shown that the majority of people want to see major changes in the way American government conducts business in regards to the war, economics, health care, immigration, education, taxes, employment, and the environment. It is evident that change is a necessity at this point and something must be done in order to sustain our quality of life in this country and protect what we have all worked so hard to
achieve.
Works cited
Science Musuem of Minnesota. "Race - Are we so different"
www.smm.org/race/about/
Associated Press. "Poll: Change more important than experience."
Cape Cod Times. www.capecodonline.com
Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America.
New York: Pearson Education, Inc. 2007.
Rough Draft Essay #3
"(Racism) is not about how you look, it is about how people assign meaning to how you look." -Robin D.G. Kelley, historian.
Race as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal office of Management and Budget, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are of Hispanic or Latino origin. The meaning of race has taking on a definition of its own and it has almost become offensive to most causing feelings of resentment, anger, hate, all the way up to and including acceptance and understanding. Race has not always been present in American lives and it is a fairly
recent invention and is only a couple hundred years old. Race is ingrained in just about all aspects of American lives and it is built into our laws, traditions and institutions. "The differences in looks between humans have been a source of strength, community and personal identity and they have been the basis for discrimination and depression".
No matter what we are all tied to race in one way or another, consisting of various views on the subject throughout Americans. A prime example of how we are all tied to race would be the Presidential election with democratic rivals Sen. Hillary Clinton and Senator Barrack Obama. Senator Barrack Obama is calling for a new, and more frank review of the "complexities of race in this country that we've never really worked our way through." " Senator Obama presented his speech in such a way that a
lot of people, including those on opposites sides of the fence with their views and beliefs, heard something in it that spoke to them emotionally or spiritually. This is a historical election because it will have an exceptional change in all Americans lives, Americas first African American Presidential candidate or Americas first female Presidential candidate. This election has proven to be a historic event with voters coming out who have chosen not to vote in the past but have strong views
of the results that they want for this election.
The findings of the Harris poll show where America stands on change:
White Americans
Change- 43%
Experience- 45%
African Americans-
Change- 72%
Experience- 18%
Hispanics
Change- 51%
Experience- 37 %
Elderly (63+)
Change- 52%
Experience- 40%
Echo Boomers (18-31)
Change- 54%
Experience- 35%
This poll has shown that the majority of people want to see major changes in the way American government conducts business in regards to the war, economics, health care, immigration, education, taxes, employment, and the environment. It is evident that change is a necessity at this point and something must be done in order to sustain our quality of life in this country and protect what we have all worked so hard to
achieve.
Works cited
Science Musuem of Minnesota. "Race - Are we so different"
www.smm.org/race/about/
Associated Press. "Poll: Change more important than experience."
Cape Cod Times. www.capecodonline.com
Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America.
New York: Pearson Education, Inc. 2007.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Draft for Essay 3
Racial profiling is the inclusion of racial or ethnic characteristics in determining whether a person is more likely to fit a specific category. Originating hundreds of years ago as a police aid, racial profiling is still a major issue of debate today. For example, police use racial profiling to identify individuals more likely to commit a particular type of crime, yet some people then become targets of investigations solely on their race. In “Blind Spot”, an article by Randall Kennedy, the author states "The racial profiling controversy-like the conflicts over affirmative action-will not end soon.”(p.182)
The controversy of racial profiling in the United States arose in December 1941, as a direct result of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Alien Land Law was then passed against Japanese landowners, forcing countless Japanese-Americans to forfeit their property and enter internment camps for the remainder of the war. The threat of attack to our nation superseded the individuals’ civil rights.
The use of racial profiling has recently stimulated new controversy as a result of the recent terrorist attacks on the United States. As soon as the connection was made between Arabs and the attacks, the entire race became suspect. Police started searching Middle Easterners without provocation. This was another case of racial profiling that was accepted by the public despite its breaking of civil liberties. The concern for safety once again surpassed the individuals’ freedom for which this country stands. One of the major debates of our time continues to question the limiting or even disregarding of individual rights in order to protect the nation.
In Kennedy's article, “Blind Spot” he discusses the fact that law enforcement uses race to make assumptions about what types of people are more likely to commit a crime. Kennedy states that the Supreme Court agrees with this practice as long as race is only one of the factors they are basing their decision on. Civil rights activists, however, disagree, stating that most racial profiling is based solely on race, without any other factors playing a part.
Another strong point is made in the article, “What Looks Like Profiling Might Just Be Good Policing”. The author Heather MacDonald feels that bringing up the issue of racial profiling could result in law enforcement having a more difficult time making arrests. She states that over the past decade the nation has witnessed a decline in crime. However, over the last decade tensions have increased between police and people living in urban communities. She feels this is due to the fact people feel that they are being discriminated against solely because of their race. MacDonald gives an example of a criminal mugging and beating up pedestrians. “The victims stated that the man was a dark-skinned Latino or a light-skinned African American”. (p.158) Would law officials be unfairly discriminating if they were to single out suspects fitting this description? In conclusion, the issue comes down to the value of safety over freedom. It is a matter of opinion, that cannot truly be decided by logic or reasoning. Ironically enough, one’s race plays a large part in determining what side of the issue one might support. Also, some feel that if individual rights are lost for even one person, the possibility exists for them to be lost for all. The controversy of the racial profiling is the first of a long set of debates to come, on the topic of governmental power.
Kennedy, Randall. "Blind Spot." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007. 180-182Siggins,Peter. "Racial Profiling in an Age of Terrorism" Markkula Center for Applied Ethics forum March 12, 2002Kosuth,Dennis. "Memories Of Racial Profiling" Interview with Roger Shimomura. Socialistworker.org October 19,2001.p.9
Mac Donald,Heather. "What Looks Like Profiling Might Just Be Good Policing" Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007.184-188
The controversy of racial profiling in the United States arose in December 1941, as a direct result of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Alien Land Law was then passed against Japanese landowners, forcing countless Japanese-Americans to forfeit their property and enter internment camps for the remainder of the war. The threat of attack to our nation superseded the individuals’ civil rights.
The use of racial profiling has recently stimulated new controversy as a result of the recent terrorist attacks on the United States. As soon as the connection was made between Arabs and the attacks, the entire race became suspect. Police started searching Middle Easterners without provocation. This was another case of racial profiling that was accepted by the public despite its breaking of civil liberties. The concern for safety once again surpassed the individuals’ freedom for which this country stands. One of the major debates of our time continues to question the limiting or even disregarding of individual rights in order to protect the nation.
In Kennedy's article, “Blind Spot” he discusses the fact that law enforcement uses race to make assumptions about what types of people are more likely to commit a crime. Kennedy states that the Supreme Court agrees with this practice as long as race is only one of the factors they are basing their decision on. Civil rights activists, however, disagree, stating that most racial profiling is based solely on race, without any other factors playing a part.
Another strong point is made in the article, “What Looks Like Profiling Might Just Be Good Policing”. The author Heather MacDonald feels that bringing up the issue of racial profiling could result in law enforcement having a more difficult time making arrests. She states that over the past decade the nation has witnessed a decline in crime. However, over the last decade tensions have increased between police and people living in urban communities. She feels this is due to the fact people feel that they are being discriminated against solely because of their race. MacDonald gives an example of a criminal mugging and beating up pedestrians. “The victims stated that the man was a dark-skinned Latino or a light-skinned African American”. (p.158) Would law officials be unfairly discriminating if they were to single out suspects fitting this description? In conclusion, the issue comes down to the value of safety over freedom. It is a matter of opinion, that cannot truly be decided by logic or reasoning. Ironically enough, one’s race plays a large part in determining what side of the issue one might support. Also, some feel that if individual rights are lost for even one person, the possibility exists for them to be lost for all. The controversy of the racial profiling is the first of a long set of debates to come, on the topic of governmental power.
Kennedy, Randall. "Blind Spot." Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007. 180-182Siggins,Peter. "Racial Profiling in an Age of Terrorism" Markkula Center for Applied Ethics forum March 12, 2002Kosuth,Dennis. "Memories Of Racial Profiling" Interview with Roger Shimomura. Socialistworker.org October 19,2001.p.9
Mac Donald,Heather. "What Looks Like Profiling Might Just Be Good Policing" Goshgarian, Gary. What Matters in America. New York: Pearson Educational, Inc., 2007.184-188
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