Saturday, August 31, 2019

Burma’s Peaceful Transition to a Democratic Future Essay

Burma is an Asian country that attained its independence on 4th January 1948 and is bordered by China on the North and Thailand on the East. it was referred to as the union of Burma in 1948. On January 4th 1974 it changed its name to the union of Burma and then on 23rd September, 1888 it reverted to the union of Burma. In 1989, then it changed the name again to the union of Myanmar and this was through the efforts by the state law and order restoration council (SLORC). It is a country whose population has had a lot of significance in Burma’s politics. The Burmese government is known as Myanmar and assumed an authoritarian feature that is dominated by a military leader. There have been substantial efforts to switch to a more democratic moves but these efforts have be hampered by the military which is against this move for example in 1990, a parliamentary government was elected but the Burma’s military could not let it to convene. Burma has a population of about 50 million people and has 500,000 troops who have been helping the government to create a regime of fear by denying the citizens most of their basic rights. Some democratic leaders have come up and visualized a viable idea of freeing the people from the torture they get from the government. In 1992 with his party the National League for Democracy, managed to scoop 82 % of all country’s parliamentary seats but the military regime which used dictatorship principles declined to transfer power to the leaders that were democratically elected. For more than ten years later, Aung San Suu kyi was put on house arrest and was released only in 2002. Her release was viewed by many as the only hope to the establishment of Burmese democratic government that would be sensitive to the people’s needs unfortunately in 2003 herself and many of her supporters were killed by a rowdy mob that was sponsored by the government. This conflict between the majority and the minority became evident after Burma achieved independence in 1948. It was at this time that Aung San Suu was given the mandate to control all those areas that traditionally were not controlled by only single community. After 1948 when the Burmese constitution was signed, constitution right have not been exercised on the minorities, they also do not have pieces of land and especially those that formerly belonged to their people. Since the war period, the Burman minorities have been sidelined by the majority who are the Burmese Burma was a British colony from the 1920s and this continued up to 1948. Though the Burma’s heartland was ruled directly by the colonial powers, the surrounding regions were allowed to rule themselves and this led the loyalty to split along the ethnic lines. The dominant ethnic group is the Burmese that comprise of 68 percent of the whole population and minority accounts for the remaining 32 percent. Religion in Burma has played a key role in causing further divisions. There are many religious in Burma for example there are Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus. These religious divisions have been aggravating the situations for example in 1991; more than a quarter million Muslims were evicted from their homes. This was exacerbated by the fact that there were many alliances formed. They were forced to cross the border to Bangladesh where they were accepted as refugees by the Bangladesh government but were helped by the international community with the basic needs. Today, the Burmese government is led a prime minister whose regime is greatly accused of displacing thousands of Burmese communities both internally and externally, some community such as Karen, Mon and Kareni were forced to seek refuge in Thailand. Those that are internationally displaced receive a better treatment than those that are internally displaced as the later are mistreated by the military. It is estimated that about 600,000 citizens have been internally displaced and are constantly looking for ways they could avoid slavery. They are used as slaves by this government as many of them are conscripted in the army by force or are left with no other choice except from joining the drug network that is sponsored by the state. There are various movements that have been trying to free the population of Burma from military. Some of these are; the Junta, the Karen National Union and the Moi Tai army though their efforts did not materialize because most of the current military officials are from the community with the majority that oppresses the minorities. So, it is really hard to make any advance but there is one very vibrant group that has mobilized the minorities to participate in a non-violent peaceful demonstration. Led by Buddhist monks, these people protested against the abuse of human rights and matched in groups of more than hundred thousand protestors in the streets. The Head of the State, General Shwe who is also the chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) is greatly criticized by the United States and the European governments which have imposed various sanctions that are enforced thorough consumer boycotts. The United States of America and the European governments using their influence led other Western nations to stop cooperating with Burma. Though these governments have been relentless in enforcing bans against Burma, some western companies are still cooperating due to some loopholes in sanction application. Most of these are the oil companies. Such as the American oil company and the French oil company. Also Cherron and the Yadana natural gas pipeline that runs from Burma all the way to Thailand is so much in use. There are still Asian businesses that operate in Burma for example the Daewoo Company that invests in extracting resources. The United States government in collaboration with the European governments also imposed sanctions on Burma’s clothing as well western nations to stop sourcing from Burma and more particularly those shops that were either partially or wholly supported by the government. After those peaceful protests, a good number of people stopped getting their products from Burma and these were led by an individual like Levi Strauss who was very vibrant in keeping up with the fight against the government products for example from 1992,many American cloth and shoes companies stopped acquiring their properties from Burma. In 2003, the united government banned Burma’s imports as in accordance with the Burmese freedom and democracy Act that was amended in the year 2003 however, some people have attacked this United States strategy of forcing this government to step down as has led many people to suffer greatly. Despite these critics, the move was supported by the Burmese democratic movement and has supposed by the Burmese democratic movement and has vowed to keep encouraging the western world to impose harder and stricter sanctions against the military government (Smith M. 1991) Burma insurgency and the politics of ethnicity London and New Jersey. Zed books. The human watches in Burma have highlighted all the crimes against humanity but there is no judiciary to address the problem any such move faces strong opposition from the military government. There is no free communication that is allowed by the Burmese military government in fact no one is allowed to access the internet and the search engines such as Google, G mail, hotmail and yahoo so the Burmese citizens are less informed. What the government has done is that it does not allow these companies to operate in its territory and as such they are blocked. If people have to access materials from the internet, they must first of all be filtered and censored by the military government. They use US filtering soft wares such as the Fortinet to censor emails, web pages and pro-democratic pages. In Burma, child soldiers are forcefully conscripted. They are also forced to punish their fellow military friends by being giving death threats incase they do not as they bare told. Children are conscripted in army by force. These children are promised to be jailed if they do not accept to join the army. Since the military regime usurped power in 1962, after overthrowing sthe democratically elected government, this regime has been one of the worst violators of human rights in the whole universe. The climax reached after the (SLORC) State Law and Order Restoration Council was changed To State Peace And Development Council sometimes back in 1997, November. This party in 1988 seized the states powers established itself and forcefully removed the little pretence that was there that they were upholding the dignity of the citizens and took part in massacring the demonstrates who were demonstrating against the creation of this undemocratic regime. They were marching in the streets of Rangoon and Burmese towns and cities when the military forces descended on them killing thousands. According to the comment that was made by the amnesty international human rights violation and torture were like a Burmese institution and they even listed various forms of abuses that were perpetrated by this corrupt regime. This report was further affirmed by the United Nations and other human rights watchdog. These abuses that they listed were for example torture, murder, litany abuses, forced displacements of citizens, holding or arresting individuals and keeping them in detention houses without trials and various litany abuses. These were the activities that were characteristic of this military regime and citizens have suffered enormously under it. Children were also abused by the military that forcefully conscript them in the army and also the villagers were forced to work for the military. Children are reportedly said to have been raped and defiled by the troops. The military operations that are from time to time conducted in various villages and these led to deterioration of living standards for example this was witnessed in Karen state and Shan state in 2001. This has forced many to be to run away to the neighboring states such as Thailand while those who are unable to move out of the country were internally displaced. The internally displaced and lived in the camps for internally displaced received very harsh treatment by the ruling military regime than those who manage to seek refuge in the neighboring states. The military regime do not in any way follow the internationally agreed freedoms for example the civil and political rights though Burma is a signatory to various international peace accords. Everything that happens in this country must be censored including the exhibitions. There is completely no freedom of expression. Even publications are not spared as they are censored by the government infact it is only sports and romance magazines are not censored. The broadcasting media houses are state owned and the government has the monopoly over them. They only air information that is favorable to them for example you it is common to see junta’s generals making speeches and from these stations and instead they go for less biased information. The SLOPCS has been very determined in curtailing the freedom of speech. Though they try to censor the information given by the public media, there are international ones that give more accurate information and these are what people rely on. These are stations such as the British broadcasting corporation (BBC), the democratic voice of Burma, radio Free Asia and the Voice of America (VOA). Apart from these international radio stations, any other person who goes against this decree risked twenty years imprisonment as per the 1996 decree. These are some of the laws that are enforced by this government without any regard to the international law standards. Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from government controls and abject rural poverty. The military regime took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize the economy after decades of failure under the â€Å"Burmese Socialism†, but those efforts have since stalled. Burma has been unable to achieve monetary or fiscal stability, resulting in an economy that suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances including a steep inflation rate and an official exchange rate that overvalues the Burmese kyat by more than 100 times the market rate. Burma is a nation that is rich in various natural resources for example the country has precious such as pearls and rubies. The country is also rich in natural gases. In 1962 its economy was performing well when compared to other economies of the developing nations but the socialist party which assumed power later changed the economic status of Burma for example it replaced the capitalism mode of economy with socialism that advocated for central planning as opposed to central planning. Due to this economic change it became one of the poorest developed nations of world. In addition, most overseas development assistance was cut after the junta suppressed the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently ignored the results of the 1990 election. A crisis in the private banking sector in early 2003 followed by economic moves against Burma by the United States, the European Union, and Japan – including a US ban on imports from Burma and a Japanese freeze on new bilateral economic aid further weakened the Burmese economy. Burma is data poor, and official statistics are often dated and inaccurate. Published estimates of Burma’s foreign trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black market and border trade – often estimated to be one to two times the official economy. Better relations with foreign countries and relaxed controls at home are needed to promote foreign investment, exports, and tourism. In February 2003, a major banking crisis hit the country’s 20 private banks, shutting them down and disrupting the economy. In July and August 2003, the United States imposed a ban on all Burmese imports and a ban on provision of financial services, hampering Burma’s ability to obtain foreign exchange. As of January 2004, the largest private banks remained moribund, leaving the private sector with little formal access to credit outside of government contracts. In Burma the rate of unemployment is very high and the prices of commodities are very high and life standards are very high. According to one businessman said that the situation in Burma was moving from bad to worse and that there was looming danger of social unrest, lectures, professors and pipeline construction workers are poorly paid. Due the constant mass uprising by the democratic movement against this regime, it was rendered bankrupt in 1988 in the onset of the 21st century, it was on the lowest income generating countries in the world but it has greatly reversed this situation because it dropped its economic isolationism. It has also welcomed the foreign investors in its economy so that it would strengthen its military bases. In response to its call, UNOCAL and TOTAL oil companies came to its rescue. In Burma, there are military controlled economic sectors such as Myanmar economic holdings limited and the Myanmar economic corporation that is, UMEH and MEC respectively. These two industries which are controlled by the Burmese military are the ones that dominate the economic sector of Burma. UMEH is geared towards military strengthening while MEC is geared towards shifting the defense cost from the public sector to the private ones but both corporations have a part to play in strengthening the military base of Burma. Though European Union has been imposing economic sanctions to Burma its sanctions are not as stricter as those of the United States. It has invested a lot in Burma and it doesn’t want to lose the much that it has invested. United States has been very keen in reinforcing the bans or sanctions that have been imposed on Burma. The US government particularly has imposed a ban on its investments in this country and has also placed a ban against Burmese exports. Since the bans were proposed, US is the only nation that has implemented them. In the past, the European Union has not been imposing strict sanctions but starting from last year it has increased economic sanctions on precious metals and on imports such as gemstone and timber but they still demand for fresh elections to be held and human rights to be respected. It is only thorough these ways that the country can witness a transition from military rule to a democratic one. It had eased its sanctions basing its reasoning on its above conditions. Japan has been very friendly to Burma. It has never failed to support this military regime though on a small scale. Infact it is one of the major donor in Burma but it is reconsidering its foreign policy on Burma especially after a Japanese journalist was killed. It said that it would cut the aid that Burma gets from it. The other reason for it to withhold its financial aid was in 2003 when San Suu Kyi was kept in detention by the Junta. They believed that was the only best move that would pressurize the military regime to address the democratic principles that have never been allowed to take root in this regime. In 2002,Japan supported Burma’s government with 17 million US dollars on top of that it gave Burma the technical support it needed Japan which was all this time shying away from enforcing sanctions on Burma as the US and UK were doing, it changed its policy after this saga. The British government pressurized the European Union to increase sanctions until san Suu Kyi was realized but it was assured that these sanctions would be eased if Suu Kyi was released. That nation that seems to support Burma or appears or appears or appears to be annually to Burma face violation by the US and UK government and this has occurred to china and North Korea. This is based on misconception that these close friends would be providing economic support to this government that has little regards for its citizens. The United States for example was very bitter because Burmese government suppressed democracy and imposed its will on people and that is why it has imposed sanctions. The heroic stature of Aung San Suu Kyi has greatly helped in making Myanmar to be recognized world wide. China has been blamed for helping this region for its support. The western world cannot sway the Juntas government for this to be effective, then the regional ASEAN countries such as India, Thailand and especially china must first be willing to transform this government. China has been asking Myanmar to quell violence and control protesters but it seems this is falling on deaf ears. China has been helping Burma in international affairs management for example it has been very vibrant in keeping the issue of Burma out of the United Nation’s agenda but the United States and the British governments have been on the other side. Due to many economic sanctions that have been imposed on this regime, it finds it even hard to provide aid to its people who living in poverty. The aid that Burmese gets is below par and is the lowest in the region especially when it compared with that of the local countries for example, an individual’s aid is counted as 2. 5 dollars per head while that of Laos’s stands at 63 US dollars. China has been accused of providing Junta with military aid thus limiting the chances of democracy being realized. It has continued to conduct business relations with. Burma but it is because of some factors that are understandable and some of these are that Burma is rich in useful natural gases that china is interested in again Burma provides China with an overland route to the Indian ocean so Chinese government would not do anything to destroy its relations with Burma. Though there have been calls for better treatment of protestors, they fall on deaf ears. The amnesty international has been pressurizing the United Nations to impose embargos and sanctions on China so that peace in Burma would be realized. This is based on understanding that the Burmese military government relies on china for most of its assistance so, if china was to cut its military aid then, the Burmese government would be unable to control the nation there by creating a platform of peace transition. If the new government would come in place, it would not find it hard to sustain itself even without getting any financial aid from other countries. There are a lot of minerals that aid from other countries. There are a lot of minerals that would help the government to finance its entire government projects. The new government should create confidence among its citizens so that they would participate in the economy thereby making the economy of this nation even stronger. This government should also extend its business relations with other nations as many of them do not have those minerals and definitely they would be so much interested in them. Work cited. Altsean-Burma: Alternative Asean Network on Burma campaigns, advocacy and capacity-building for human rights. 2008. Accessed on Wednesday, March, 2008 at http://www. altsean. org/ Andrew S. Burma’s Armed Forces: Power without Glory. Norwalk: East Bridge. 2002; 45-56 Burma net News. Accessed on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at www. burmanet. org BBC News. Analysis: Burma’s economic Crisis. 15th March, 2002, 13:47 GMT Accessed at http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/business/1871326. stm Brookings. Quality, independence and impact. Retrieved on April 30, 2008 at www. brookings. edu Donald M. S. Burma-China Relations: Playing with Fire. Asian Survey, Vol. 37, No. 6, 1997; 533 International Crisis Group. Working To Reduce Crisis World Wide. Retrieved on April 30, 2008 at http://www. crisisgroup. org/home/index. cfm Myanmar. com. New Light of Myanmar. April 30, 2008 Accessed on April 30, 2008. At http://www. myanmar. com Philip S. Robertson: Sanctions Are Working in Burma. 2003. Online commentary at www. irrawaddy. org/com/2003/com31. html Accessed on August 2003. Smith M. Burma insurgency and the politics of ethnicity. London and New Jersey. 1991; 78

Friday, August 30, 2019

Life’s Path Is A Maze Essay

As a writer, I feel I am going through a maze. In the beginning I realized there is more than one path to take, either it can lead me toward success or it can lead to a dead end. In my mind I know it can be easy at times, but other times when I come to a stopping point I overthink things. I feel like my choices need to be made right away. I think of it as temptations being called from every direction. One way will lead me to the finish line and the other path will only take me back to where I had started. When I’m given a writing assignment I feel the pressures is on. I’m ready to step up and face the biggest challenge I have in English class which is essays. As I was told, it is okay to write my first draft essay badly to make it easier, but as we get further along everything seems to be going faster. â€Å"When we are finished with the essay the pressure on my decisions are finally over.† I am relieved and confident in my first draft. Hopefully this will lead m e to the key to life in English. A Radiology Technologist performs imaging of the human body for diagnosis or treating medical problems. My dream is to become a Radiology Technologist and day after day it had transformed me into an ambition which I wanted to move towards. A Radiology Technologist requires you to gain four top skills throughout your learning experience; Communication, Physical, Clinical, and Education. First, I will keep working hard at Seward so I’m able to get the appropriate basic skills for me to get into the Radiology program in Weatherford. I will acquire a variety of classes that will challenge me to write many different papers. In order for me to become successful in my career I will focus on becoming a better writer. Writing will be a huge part of my career because I will need to interview patients to learn about their medical history, write reports for referring doctors, and also communicate Therapeutic and Diagnostic position. Although this will be a challenge, I will try my best to achieve this goal. My goals for school are ridiculously challenging. I want to be able to  understand critically and accurately, which means I have to develop my own reasoning and stand up for what I believe in. My second goal is to learn to write clearly and precisely. I am determined to be able to expand my vocabulary so that I can paint a strong mental picture in someone’s mind when I’m explaining something. My third goal is to be exposed to ideas outside of my own background. I need to be able to get out of my comfort zone, I’m a shy person when it comes to doing activities that I’m not familiar with. This goal will give me the opportunity to use personal and professional skills which I will gain as I get further along in my studies. My last goal is to learn how to interact reasonably and responsibly with others. Interacting with others provide great working relationships, and successful communication. This goal helps build strong character with others as a Radiology T echnologist. â€Å"When life hands you lemons, have someone else make you some lemonade.† This is a quote I found on the internet that I’ve followed through life which has helped me now and will also allow me to face many challenges in the future. In my eyes it means when something negative happens try to make the best of it and when something positive happens you make it sweet. When I hear someone say smart goals I think of Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. My English teacher from sophomore and senior year taught me this. It means, my specific goal would be to become a Radiology Technologist. I would then ask myself how much time will this take. How will I know when my goal is accomplished? When I look at these questions it helps me realize how important my goal. I also have to think about how my goal is realistic? In my opinion yes, because it isn’t impossible to go into the medical field. You have to be willing to put others before yourself. The last part I think about is how much time this will take. I want to be able to transfer to a four year university in order for me to get the right training for my career. Dreams are the most amazing thing people can strive for. We all love to dream, to hope, and to see ourselves get better each day. Every one of us dreams of being something big in life whether it’s becoming a lawyer, doctor, or maybe a police officer. In order to pursue my dreams I have to become a stronger writer. Which means I have to complete my studies and work hard to achieve many more goals in life. If I put my best abilities forward I can accomplish my goals in the best way possible. There’s no doubt that there will be times when I feel  like giving up, but I know I can’t give up on myself and my family. I have to learn to just stand up and try even if I have to try for a thousand times. when I finally reach my goals I’ll feel happy from deep inside my heart because then I’ll l be doing exactly what I love to do and I’ll be testing my wildest dreams . I believe nothing can be compared to this moment because when you set your dreams in front of your eyes and work for them, there will be no d oubt in my mind that I will achieve them someday. I will also be able to say I’m proud of myself because I proved that there’s nothing impossible when I actually was determined to do.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL MODEL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL MODEL - Essay Example In our next league of discussion, we will emphasis on the interpersonal relationship of the smokers. Smoking and Family The problem pertaining to smoking starts percolating in the fate of our new born baby. A smoking mother not only loads his unborn child with loads of vulnerability but also paves the way for a future smoker as the recent study suggests that the smoking habit alters the genetic codes which make the child more prone to smoking in days to come. Besides the legacy of pulmonary diseases, cancer is quite evident in these babies (1). Naturally, this type of child, when grow up, will seldom depict its respect etc to the institution called family. He or she will came to know through ages who are responsible for this ailment. In another paradigm of this discussion, the smoking habit of the adults is also equally responsible for the interpersonal strained relationship in a family. In today’s urban set up where a family of four or five of the members is being forced to l ive in the dingy apartment, the much hyped question of â€Å"Passive Smoking† can not be ruled out.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Comparing and contrasting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comparing and contrasting - Essay Example An even more distressing truth is, in most cases, those who seek to overthrow the government are just as corrupt as those they are trying to overthrow, if not more so. This turmoil and unrest has led to many stories being shared, via movie renditions and books. One such book that tells of a story of this unrest in Africa is, A Long Way Gone, written by Ishmael Beah. A movie that tells of another story in Africa is, Hotel Rwanda. Though this book and movie share many similarities in their telling of the turmoil, they also have their differences. By looking at the similarities and differences of the situation, the characters, and by discovering which character is more identifiable, a more inside glimpse into the tragedies, and mercies that surround the turmoil in Africa, can be seen. Similarities and Differences in the Situation To begin with it is important to note the similarities and differences in the two situations presented. A Long Way Gone, is the story of a boy who finds himsel f alone after rebels destroy his home town. He, then, is left to wander the country side, until he is finally picked up by the government army. With this army he is coerced into fighting, against the ‘rebels’ at the young age of thirteen. ... In both of these stories the government is fighting those they deem as rebels whom, they believe, would like to overthrow their leadership. In, A Long Way Gone, Ishmael, said that at a point, when fighting for the government, the lines of good versus bad became blurred. He realized that he was the one now destroying villages of innocent people and possibly taking away families from boys, like his was taken from him. Similarly in, Hotel Rwanda, many Tutsi people who ended up being killed were innocent women and children, not soldiers who were fighting. One major difference that can be seen in these two stories, however, is the fact that in A Long Way Gone, the war that was taking place was a civil war that had been fought, between two groups of people, over a long period of time. In, Hotel Rwanda, however, it was genocide, where the government ordered the complete destruction of this race, or group of mostly unarmed people, in a day. It is said that more people died in this genocide t han all the nuclear bombs ever dropped, put together. Another difference in the situation of these stories is the fact that the war in, A Long Way Gone, was, for the most part, a political one. In, Hotel Rwanda, all though it was initially made out to be a political â€Å"war†, it was mostly a genocide of a group of people because of their beliefs, they were Christians. Similarities and Differences in the Characters It is also important to note the similarities and differences of the main characters of these stories. The main character of, A Long Way Gone, is Ishmael Beah, a young village boy. The main character of, Hotel Rwanda, is Paul Rusesabagina, the assistant manager of Miles Collines Hotel. One of the major similarities between these characters is

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

World philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

World philosophy - Essay Example My beliefs were supported with my experiences with the cognitive world, and with the aid of a rich imagination, I was able to attach the like elements to those that I do not personally experience. Just as it is with the Indians who believe in the truth that the sun lives in the earth, their culture caters to the idea that all things in the Indian world are connected to each other, in â€Å"profound unity,† may it be inanimate or animate, life is believed to exist in the essence of these things (Momaday, 190). With the sun, the Indians have attached to it a nature that can almost be human by virtue for its behavior in the heavens with which they can somehow relate to. As Momaday writes, â€Å"the sun-watcher among the Rio Grande Pueblos, whose sacred task it is to observe, each day, the very point of the sun’s emergence on the skyline, knows in the depths of his being that the sun is alive and that it is indivisible with the earth, and he refers to the farthest eastern mesa as â€Å"the sun’s house† (190), the sun-watcher courts the sun which is like a maiden being wooed, and the sun being that character is expected to go homeward. They see this oc currence as a fact because the sun undergoes changes just as a person would, and appears to move across the heavens as would a traveler, and these the Indians bear witness. They take into account what they perceive as simply as what their sight would lead them to understand. For what could be more factual than to actually experience first hand through their own senses the mechanism of that was around them. Alongside the Indians’ reverence to a â€Å"living† sun is their different perception of a timeframe. And this diverse concept of time, which is quite departed from our Western Industrialized concept of time, retains an element of preservation of moments. And perhaps this is much better, speaking about respecting

Monday, August 26, 2019

Death Penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Death Penalty - Essay Example Proponents believe it to be neither cruel nor unusual, on the contrary, they think it just and fair. The purpose of this study is to discuss the legal and moral issues that literally are of life and death importance and to demonstrate the Supreme Court’s repeated decisions that allow capital punishment is not only just but necessary to maintain justice and a free society. By definition, capital punishment is not unusual, legally speaking, unless one considers and acknowledges the racial bias that exists in the justice system. Whether or not it is cruel is not definable by law. It can only be defined by the collective social conscious of a culture. The legal interpretation of ‘cruel and unusual’ is somewhat open to debate but in general, the term ‘cruel’ refers to brutal punishments that cause excessive pain. Most legal experts agree that punishments including bodily dismemberment or torture are undoubtedly classified as cruel. Again, terminologies are open to interpretation as evidenced by the current debate at the highest level of government involving the definition of torture. The term ‘unusual’ is commonly understood to define the equitable application of punishment for a particular offense. For example, if ten people were cited for speeding and nine of them were fined $100 but one was fined $1000, this penal ty would be considered ‘unusual.’ Taken together, both ‘cruel’ and ‘unusual’ indicate that the punishment should be exacted in proportion to the offense committed. A life term in prison is an acceptable form of punishment but if it were imposed for jaywalking, this would be an unacceptable sentence because it would be considered excessive given the severity of the offense. Excessive is also open to wide interpretation in both the public and legal realm. Some would argue, for example, that imprisonment of any amount of time for ‘crimes’ such as gambling, prostitution and the

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Gender leadership style in the workforce. Who is more respected Assignment

Gender leadership style in the workforce. Who is more respected - Assignment Example There are various diversity conceptualizations as highlighted by the researchers, which define the equality in gender representation at the place of work (Qin, Muenjohn & Chhetri, 2014, 133). b). Nowadays men and women are fighting for gender equality in the executive and management positions with the study results showing that men are more effective in fighting for gender change compared to women (De Vries, 2015, 28). ii). The findings of the research indicate that an executive composed of both genders is more effective in the execution of the organization duties than one with no gender diversity (Qin, Muenjohn & Chhetri, 2014, 134). ii). The executive can use its powers to influence diversity in the workforce through allocation of posts to women by proposing a percentage for women representation (Qin, Muenjohn & Chhetri, 2014, 134). ii) In some financial institutions, the participation of women is very important in the development of the economy yet the disparity in the recruitment of managers reduces their participation (Shelley, 2011, 151). d). However, for the 200 top universities researched globally, only 28 are headed by women showing that gender bias is still a concern. Other universities lack women in te top leadership positions (Of the top 200†¦, 2015 n.p). ii). Sex, gender, perceptions, and disparity can affect the behavior of various leaders and lead to the discouragement of female leaders to take top leadership roles (Kenneth, & Tracey 2015, 109). Ghulam Abbas, JavedIqbal, AjmalWaheed, & M NaveedRiaz. (2012). Relationship between transformational leadership style and innovative work behavior in educational institutions.Journal of Behavioural Sciences, 22(3), 18. Shelley Reciniello. (2011). Is the woman the future of man? an exploration of the potential of women in the knowledge economy and of the problem of gender inequality in the workplace.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Critical Issues in Policing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critical Issues in Policing - Essay Example In addition, there are also state police agencies and federal-non-military agencies. This paper looks at various issues affecting policing in the United States. Dangers of Policing Police officers are at serious risk of losing their lives to criminals that are heavily armed. Police officers have encountered dangerous and senseless shootings from criminals. They have been gunned down while investigating cases in the United States. The criminals who possess guns kill the police officers to prevent evidence from being used in a court of law against them. In addition, terror attacks have posed dangers to the police. In particular, the 9/11 terror attacks killed several police officers (Walker and Katz, 2011). Police officers are also vulnerable to vehicle accidents. Police officers use vehicles every day and are therefore vulnerable to traffic accidents. In addition, many police officers have lost their lives in acts of homicide or in the line of duty. Police officers are also at risk of getting infected with dangerous diseases after getting into contact with body fluids of those injured during incidents. During treatment in the event of serious injuries, the officers face the risk of contracting diseases especially if proper screening of blood is not done by medical practitioners (Walker and Katz, 2011). Stress is another danger to the police officers. ... Stress has also been attributed to the increasing level of divorce cases among police officers and their spouses (Walker and Katz, 2011). Less-Than-Lethal Weapons Use of excessive force by the police officers is not allowed by law. In particular, the police officers are not required to use firearms when carrying out their normal duties in the society. Less-than-lethal weapons have been recommended for use instead. The police officers are trained to effectively use â€Å"less-than-lethal weapons† so as to reduce fatalities as they go about their duties. A verbal command is one example of less-than-lethal weapon that police officers are required to use. Suspects are commanded to do what the police officers have told them. Failure to adhere to the police verbal demands lead to another level in the use of justified force (Dempsey and Forst, 2011). Police officers can use batons and beanbags that are aimed at incapacitating a criminal from a distance. These non-lethal weapons have no penetrating contact energy and thus the criminal cannot be grossly harmed by them. The police officers are advised not to aim at the suspect’s head because the effects can be diverse when the batons or beanbags hit the head. Chemical agents such as pepper spray and mace also form part of non-lethal-weapons. The chemicals are meant to create irritation on the suspect’s skin, eyes, and cause violent coughing. The police officers can then take control of the suspect after disorienting them with these chemicals (Dempsey and Forst, 2011). Technology Used In Policing Police officers have opted to use computing power and high-tech data transmission equipment to ensure that they collect, store, analyze and share data with other

To what extent do risk , rewards and motives contribute towards an Essay

To what extent do risk , rewards and motives contribute towards an entrepreneurs goals - Essay Example In other words, he is considered to have been a key figure in the entertainment and computer industry. He is largely accredited as the inventor of the iPod, Macintosh, the iPhone and the iTunes store amongst numerous others (Entrepreneur Staff, n.d.). His participation in modern- day business has contributed largely to the understanding that the design of a product plays an important role in its public appeal. This essay gives a discussion of the important lessons than can be learnt by entrepreneurs from Steve Jobs. Motivating factors for Entrepreneurs Entrepreneurship Innovation Theory The entrepreneurship theory of innovation by Joseph Schumpeter is used to explain the factors motivating entrepreneurs within an economy. The theory describes an entrepreneur as an individual who is creative, innovative and has a positive vision towards the future. Innovation occurs when an individual introduces a new product, new production method, a new entity in a given industry or discovers a new supply of raw materials (Kuratko, 2012: 122). The theory pays attention to innovation and disregards the risk taking capabilities of an entrepreneur. This model is based on a large-scale entrepreneur who is found in a developed economy. It ignores the small-scale entrepreneurs in developing economies as they imitate innovations in fast-paced economies rather than come up with new innovations. Basing on this theory is clear that Steve job was a creator and an innovator who came up with some of the most amazing innovations in the computer and entertainment industries. He was the inventor of the iPhone, iPod, the iTunes store, the Macintosh and finally, the iCloud in June 2011 before his death (Entrepreneur Staff, n.d.). Steve Jobs continuously came up with new products in the world of technology showing that an entrepreneur is one who comes up with groundbreaking innovations in a given industry. His is motivated by the drive to make things better in a particular industry. Theory of Hi gh Achievement/Theory of  Achievement Motivation McCelland’s theory of motivation stated that entrepreneurs are characterised by their ability to do things in a better way and ability to make decisions under uncertainty. The theory states that entrepreneurs have a higher achievement orientation. These people are not motivated by external factors or money (Kuratko, 2012:122). Profit is considered the best measure for competency and success. Steve Jobs had always managed to do things in a better an innovative way and wherever he worked, he succeeded in all his undertakings. He had co- founded Apple in his parents garage in 1976 but later left the company. He returned in 1997 when the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. As an entrepreneur, Steve Jobs has always been able to generate profits in all his engagements. For instance, his Apple to innovation in collaboration with Wozniak resulted to sales of over $200 million two years after its innovation. He made the first comp uter animated film ‘Toy Story’ that fuelled his success. He took up a job at Pixar and his 80 percent share was valued at $1 billion (Entrepreneur Staff, n.d.). As earlier stated, Apple’s loss in March 1997 was $708 million. Steve Jobs took over the position as the interim CEO. He entered into a partnership with Microsoft. The company recovered by the end of 1998 and its sales had soared to