Persuasive Essay On Refugees - 1096 Words

To be defined as a refugee you would have been a person who was forced to leave your country in order to escape war. Every needs help in their own way. I might need help on some homework that I am having trouble with, but refugees are truly in desperate need for help. They are having a rough time in their own country maybe because of war. They are forced to leave to country if the want to be safe. They will life so they can continue to have their life and make it a good one. To be called a refugee is the opposite of an insult; it is a badge of strength , courage, and victory. This quote was from the Tennessee Official For Refugees. This is a good quote because if you were able to make it out of the country that poses a threat to their†¦show more content†¦Since that, the number of Syrian refugees that need help is way too high. The refugees need somewhere to go and need somewhere to stay. They are struggling to stay alive because there is so much war going on and there donâ €™t have anywhere to go. Refugees need to flee from their home country because it is no longer safe and is filled with war. The refugees need help because they aren’t able to have or get some of essential living needs as a matter of fact lets take water for instance. They might not live by a clean water source. They might have lived by a water source, but it was damaged by drought or because of the war. We need clean water to live and not become sick. I get that we want to protect our country from attacks, but not all refugees want to commit a terrorist attack on our country. As a matter of fact a coffee shop is opened and all the workers are refugees. This gives refugees an opportunity to work and make a living. This allows refugees to come to the U.S. because they needed our help and once they come into the U.S. they are able to make a living and so there are able to afford a lifestyle. Refugees need someone to help protect them when they can not do it themselves. We can be that person the can protect the refugees from war. TheyShow MoreRelatedRefugees Persuasive Essay1220 Words   |  5 PagesRefugees should be allowed into the United States under certain conditions only, including a positive background, Eligible for a job and will respect our nation as well as the people in it. Just imagine that your little town is being attacked or even a natural disaster may be occurring and having nowhere to go, what would you do? How would you survive? By the US starting to turn away refugees thousands of peoples lives are being taken away when we could easily be helping them out by taking themRead MorePersuasive Essay On Refugees1331 Words   |  6 PagesAlone? Scared? And very worried. That would be hard wouldnt it. Would you want a home? Mr. Trump has been a target for many people involving refugees and the people coming into our country. So many people in our country ta lk about this issue everyday about letting people into our country and the decisions are very split. The United States should accept refugees under the following conditions, if they have a clean criminal record, if they are children and if they have a plan for a job. Because if theyRead MorePersuasive Essay On Refugees973 Words   |  4 Pagesethnic, tribal and religious violence are leading causes of refugees fleeing their countries. When people flee their own country, and seek sanctuary in another country, they apply for asylum – the right to be recognized as a refugee and receive legal protection and material assistance. An asylum seeker must demonstrate that his or her fear of persecution in his or her home country is well-founded. More than a million migrants and refugees crossed into Europe in 2015, the conflict in Syria continuesRead MorePersuasive Essay On Accepting Refugees1503 Words   |  7 PagesThis is what the debate of welcoming refugees is over. The situation for these refugees back home (in the Middle East) is absolutely horrible, with no place to go, and no idea what is next. With the wars, persecution, and natural disasters that propel them to leave, people want to welcome them into our country. But even though we want to welcome them, we have to hold up on our actions and think about this a bit. We do have a screening process for these refugees, and this is where we check their applicationsRead MoreThe Syrian Refugee Crisis869 Words   |  4 Pagesgrowth of a person, but in a much more metaphysical fashion. To give an example, throughout this performance task, I have evolved as a writer, student, and team member. This is clearly exemplified through the steps my team and I took to complete this essay. We began with plainly discussing all of my members’ ideas, eventually deciding our top three topic choices. Finally, we chose the Syrian refugee crisis as our paper’s topic. From there, we decided that the whole crisis was too broad and I alreadyRead MoreMy Journey Through Writer’S Composition Has Been A Rocky1213 Words   |  5 Pagesbut from these experiences I have grown as a writer overall. The essays I have written for this course demonstrate that I have developed critical thinking and have shown minor improvements in my communication skills. They also demonstrate that though I have made some progress in personal responsibility and general writing skills, I still have work to do. From Writer’s Composition Two, I have developed an understanding of persuasive writing, and I now am able to pick a topic or a claim and argue itRead MoreThe Syrian Refugee And Migration Crisis1423 Words   |  6 Pagestheoretical perspectives or paradigms: realist, liberal -pluralist and critical† (Goldstein et al., 4) This essay will examine two of the three main theoretical perspectives explained in Goldstein et al.’s academic textbook; namely, realist and liberal-pluralist and subsequently match them with the viewpoints expressed in two news articles written on the Syrian refugee and migration crisis. This essay will analyze the article by Canadian Press for the Huffington Post and the article by Patrick KingsleyRead MoreLogical Fallacies. Logical Fallacies Can Be Found In Many1288 Words   |  6 PagesPost Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc. The Slippery Slope relies on the faulty conclusion that a small change â€Å"will inevitably lead to large changes that are widely recognized as undesirable† (Gunderman). A Slippery Slope example is: if we let in more Syrian refugees we will inevitably let in many terrorists and then American will fall under terrorist control. Another illegitimate argument Logical Fallacy is the Hasty Generalization. This fallacy relies on â€Å"insufficient or biased inf ormation† the conclusion isRead MoreEssay1797 Words   |  8 Pagesyear 2014 can be recognized as the beginning of the migrant crisis in Europe when thousands of immigrants crossed European borders (Metcalfe-Hough, 2015). Also during last few years, many far-right-parties in Europe has been successful. While some persuasive explanations are used to explain that growing support for far-right parties, with growing migration problems, some atypical country units drew my attention. In my work, I focus on country units (states, and constituencies) with a small number ofRead MoreThreats to Bioreserves4807 Words   |  20 PagesAbstract Eight global crises – human economy, climate change, exponential human population growth, ecological overshoot, biotic impoverishment and the reduction of biodiversity, renewable resource depletion, energy allocation, and environmental refugees – affect each other and affect and are affected by the biosphere. Some, perhaps all, are close to tipping points that, if tipped, will result in irreversible change. And yet, no sense of urgency is apparent. If any one of the eight interactive crises

Alexander the Great His Influence on Future military...

Great men have lived on the face of the earth and left marks of their prowess and legacy that men of the present and even the future find it hard to emulate; a good example of such men is Alexander the Great. This paper seeks to explain further Alexander’s military genius and its positive impact on military impact over the past centuries. The paper also gives a well thought analysis why Alexander was so much successful in his wars and conquests. His big empire spread all the way from Gibraltar to the Punjab and in his leadership made Greek the lingua franca of his new World (Cary, M, 1932). His real name was Alexandros III Philippou Makedonon; he was also known as Alexander III but many have referred him as Alexander the Great in praise†¦show more content†¦Alexander went to Corinth for the assembly of the Greek league and was named the supreme commander of all Greece. At that time the Thebans’ revolted; he destroyed everything in their city except the temples. This served as a reminder to the other communities and tribes in Macedonia respected and honored Alexander. He proceeded to conquer the Asia Minor, and used his knowledge to plan and organize the army. During the Persian expedition Alexander had in his army more than 100 000 but only a few fought. Alexander honored veterans; he left them in charge of cities. He was a military genius and could change his army within seconds and used to make decisions as fast as possible. He could even change his plan of action if the enemy changed plans. To him it was not about numbers but leadership and plan in battle. The first commander to have backup reserves was Alexander; this affected the way wars were staged and fought in the coming years. Alexander defeated the Persians; he was an unwavering fighter and fought with his soldiers. He conquered the Phoenician coast, Syria and Egypt (Louis, W. R, 1984). The battle of his life was when he crossed over to India near the Indus River. Despite the terrain Alexander’s leadership in the army produced victory and India became a part of Macedonian Dynasty. During Alexander’s tenure as the king of the empire he respected other people’s traditions and culture although this saw theShow MoreRelatedAlexander The Great s Influence On The Persian Empire1453 Words   |  6 PagesAlexander the Great, he is one the most glorified and historically significant leaders within history. Unique, the one word that could be used to describe the details and importance of his life. Unlike his predecessors that came before him, what sets him apart has to be how he rose to power and how he used that power. And even though he only lived until the age of 33, he accomplished what those that came before him failed to do so. The topics to be discussed are how he rose to power and what he managedRead MoreThe Death Of Marshal De Saxe956 Words   |   4 Pagesexposed to the military lifestyle of his time at a very young age, which would be a major contributor to his future success. He would eventually serve under and study with such greats as Alexander the Great and then be hired to serve in the French Army. This would lead him to earn the title of â€Å"Marshal-General of the Kings camps and armies† while serving under the French. He died in 1750 of â€Å"putrid fever†, which is a very un-glorified death compared to a death on a battlefield. Over his life he wouldRead MoreGenghis Khan And The Mongol Empire Essay1578 Words   |  7 PagesGenghis Khan and his successors during the 13th and 14th centuries (between the years 1206-1368), the Mongol Empire, with a military force of unparalleled strength, succeeded in unifying large regions in order to establish new economies and create the largest contiguous land empire in history. By having a democracy similarly present within the Roman Empire and adopting a structu re comparable to the satraps of the Persian Empire, the Mongol Empire’s organized government assisted the Great Khans’ effortsRead MoreThe Reign Of Alexander The Great1141 Words   |  5 PagesAlexander the Great In 338 BC Phillip II of Macedonia, became ruler of Greece after a lengthy battle. Phillip’s plans to war against Persia were cut short when he was assassinated in 336 BC. Speculation suggest that Phillip’s previous wife, Olympias and his son Alexander may have been involved in the assassination plot. The murder had taken place after Olympias and Alexander were forced out of Macedonia once Phillip had remarried Cleopatra, who was much younger. In the wake of his father’s deathRead MoreGeneral Pete Quesada And The Triumph Of Tactical Air Power During World War II1318 Words   |  6 PagesQuesada and the Triumph of Tactical Air Power in World War II I would like to begin my paper with the quote by John Kennedy â€Å"learning and Leadership are indispensable to each other.†1 I think it is a great saying about leadership I have ever heard. There are many books about leadership. But if someone wants to be a good leader and if they do not have leadership abilities, character from birth, they will never be able to be a good leader. When we say leader, we have to think about people who are ableRead MoreThe Death Of Alexander, The Egyptian Pharaoh Essay1593 Words   |  7 PagesPtolemy, Alexander’s general who became the Egyptian Pharaoh following the death of Alexander, narrates the story at an old age to scribes in Egypt. Ptolemy, a primary source for many of the events in the history of Alexander, did, in fact, write down his accounts of those events. Unfortunately, those documents no longer exist. Understandably, the film does not attempt to cover all of the battles in which Alexander and his troops fought, rather it basically covers two of the major battles in spectacularRead MoreThe Death Of Alexander And The Egyptian Pharaoh Essay1579 Words    |  7 Pagesglimpse at his often-times tumultuous relationships with his mother, who insists he is the son of Zeus, and his father who exiles Alexander and his mother from the kingdom for insubordination. Ptolemy, Alexander’s general who became the Egyptian pharaoh following the death of Alexander, narrates the story at an old age to scribes in Egypt. Ptolemy was present and was a primary source for many of the events in the history of Alexander and he did, in fact, write down his accounts of those eventsRead MoreAncient Greece : A Form Government System Essay2462 Words   |  10 Pagesphilosophers and artists to thrived and be recognized as great in today’s modern civilization. What we call democracy today, is a form government system rooted from Ancient Greece. Macedonians much like their Greek neighbors shared the same traits in regards to having a ferocious attitude from a life’s perspective in general these individuals were considered to be rough. Unlike Ancient Greece, the Macedonia ancient empire lack and failed to produce great philosophers, artist, or actors whose stage worksRead MoreConventional and Irregular Warfare1484 Words   |  6 PagesGiulio D ouhet, in his seminal treatise on air power titled The Command of the Air, argued, â€Å"A man who wants to make a good instrument must first have a precise understanding of what the instrument is to be used for; and he who intends to build a good instrument of war must first ask himself what the next war will be like.† The United States (US) military establishment has been asking itself this exact question for hundreds of years, in an attempt to be better postured for the future. From the CivilRead More Edsons and Carlsons Raiders Essay2578 Words   |  11 Pagestoughest soldiers in his unit. He retired from the Army as a First Sergeant, after peacetime was called, and headed for civilian life. Carlson’s goal of combative experience was not answered in the Army, but the need for armed service would be too strong to be denied. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Carlson soon enlisted again, but this time in the Marine Corps as a private at the end of World War I where he was soon selected for Officer Candidate School. The Marine Corps recognized his small unit actions

The Psychological Effects Cults Have on People Free Essays

This paper will address the meaning of the word cult. While also touching briefly on why its difficult to describe what a cult is and how it could be compared to Christianity and Jews. I also give some examples of people who started groups/cults with the art of persuasion; Leading some of their member to even commit murders and suicide. We will write a custom essay sample on The Psychological Effects Cults Have on People or any similar topic only for you Order Now Finally by the end paper one would fully understand the roles cults play in the physiological process of a person. For many years, cult leaders always had a psychological hold on their followers’ minds. Whether it was to kill other people or to kill themselves, they did it without question. Some cult leaders used fear, violence and guilt as a means of a weapon to control the minds of their followers. Other cult leaders used persuasive and spiritual speeches that made their followers believe they were doing good and fulfilling God’s plan. Because cult leaders are powerful through psychological offenses, the people that belong to their cults are brainwashed into doing things they wouldn’t normally do in their right state of mind. For years, there have been problems surrounding the definition of the term ‘cult’. The literal and traditional meanings of the word cult, which are more fully explored at the entry Cult (religion), come from the Latin cultus, meaning â€Å"care† or â€Å"adoration,† as â€Å"a system of religious belief or ritual; or: the body of adherents to same. † In French or Spanish, culte or culto simply means â€Å"worship† or â€Å"religious attendance†; therefore an association cultuelle is an association whose goal is to organize religious worship and practices. The word for â€Å"cult† in the popular English meaning is secte (French) or ecta (Spanish). In formal English use, and in non-English European terms, the cognates of the English word â€Å"cult† are neutral, and refer mainly to divisions within a single faith, a case where English speakers might use the word â€Å"sect†. Hence Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism are cults within Christianity. However, in common usage, â€Å"cult† has a very negative connotation, and is generally applied to a group in order to criticize it. Understandably, most groups, if not all, that are called â€Å"cults† deny this term. Some groups called â€Å"cults† by some critics may consider themselves not to be â€Å"cults†, but may consider some other groups to be â€Å"cults†. Although anti-cult activists and scholars did not agree on precise criteria that new religions should meet to be considered â€Å"cults,† two of the definitions formulated by anti-cult activists are: Cults are groups that often exploit members psychologically and/or financially, typically by making members comply with leadership’s demands through certain types of psychological manipulation, popularly called mind control, and through the inculcation of deep-seated anxious dependency on the group and its leaders. Cult: A group or movement exhibiting a great or excessive devotion or dedication to some person, idea, or thing and employing unethically manipulative techniques of persuasion and control designed to advance the goals of the group’s leaders to the actual or possible detriment of members, their families, or the community. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines cult as: â€Å"a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also: its body of adherents. Indeed, any religion involving unconditional worship and unquestioning obedience to God could be labeled as a cult (using the derogatory suggestion of the word), since such a religion would have that high level of dependency, obedience, and unwavering compliance ascribed to cults by definition. Many mainstream religions still require their members to believe in God unquestioningly, to have faith that he is good and that what he does is good, to consider one’s own wants and needs as unimportant while accepting the will of God as paramount. All of these are certainly characteristics commonly attributed to cults, but while it would not be unreasonable to apply this definition of a cult to any dogmatic religion that requires strict compliance with God’s word and will as a condition of membership, the notion of applying the word â€Å"cult† to Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or any other major world religion today is considered absurd. There are those who make this very claim: that those who worship God fit the classic depiction of cult members in their dogmatism, unswerving obedience, and denial of self. This highlights the problematic nature of defining what is and is not a cult. The problem with defining the word cult is that purported cult members generally resist being called a cult, and the word cult is often used to marginalize religious groups with which one does not agree or sympathize. Some serious researchers of religion and sociology prefer to use terms such as new religious movement (NRM) in their research on cults. Such usage may lead to confusion because some religious movements are â€Å"new† but not necessarily cults, and some purported cults are not religious or overtly religious. Where a cult practices physical or mental abuse, some psychologists and other mental health professionals use the terms cult, abusive cult, or destructive cult. The popular press also commonly uses these terms. However, not all cults function abusively or destructively, and among those that psychologists believe are abusive, few members would agree that they suffer abuse. Other researchers hold the view that classifying a religious movement as a cult is generally used as a subjective and negative label and has no added value; instead, they argue that one should investigate the beliefs and practices of the religious movement. The field of cults and new religious movements is studied by sociologists, religious scholars, and psychologists and psychiatrists. The debates about a certain purported cult and cults in general are often polarized with widely divergent opinions, not only among current followers of a purported cult and disaffected former members, but sometimes even among scholars and social scientists. Psychologists, among them those specialized in group psychology, studied what cognitive and emotional traits make people accept to join a cult and to stay loyal to it. Some groups, particularly those labeled by others as cults, view the designation as insensitive, and feel persecuted by their opponents whom they often believe to be part of the â€Å"anti-cult movement†. Such groups often defend their position by comparing themselves to more established, mainstream religious groups such as Catholicism and Judaism. The argument offered in this case can usually be simplified as, â€Å"Christianity and Judaism can also be defined as cults under some definitions of the term, and therefore the term cult is superfluous and useless. Members of groups referred to as cults have been known to engage in long discussions over the definition of the word â€Å"cult. † Critics of alleged cult groups state that by doing so, these persons have been known to waste large amounts of time and effort that would be better spent examining the actions of the groups in question, in order to reveal why these groups are referred to as cults. Another problem with writing about cults comes about because they generally hold belief systems that give answers to questions about the meaning of life and morality. This makes it difficult not to write in biased terms about a certain cult, because writers are rarely neutral about these questions. Some writers who deal with the subject choose to explicitly state their ethical values and belief systems to deal with this difficulty. For many scholars and professional commentators, the usage of the word â€Å"cult† applies to abusive behavior, and not to a belief system. For members of competing religions, use of the word remains pejorative and applies primarily to rival beliefs, and only incidentally to behavior. In the sociology of religion, the term cult is a part of the subdivision of religious groups into sects, cults, and denominations. In these terms, it is a neutral term, referring to a religious movement with novel beliefs and a high degree of tension with the surrounding society. Cults, in this sense, may or may not be dangerous, abusive, etc. By this definition, most of the groups which have been popularly labeled cults are indeed cults. In some cults people don’t join them, they are recruited by the cults. Philip Zimbardo explains, â€Å"People join interesting groups that promise to fulfill their pressing needs. They become cults when they are seen as deceptive, defective, dangerous, or as opposing basic values of their society† (Zimbardo 212). The fact is, the recruitment techniques that cults employ are quite effective. Cults obviously want to be successful, so they seek to recruit the most capable people who can effectively serve them. Many cult members are doctors, lawyers, professors, and high profile celebrities responsible citizens. This is why some cults have survived for decades and functioned efficiently despite a high turnover rate, public disapproval and angry parents. People often believe cult members must have been neglected by their families. But this conclusion is in sharp contrast to the actions taken by many concerned families who will devote their money and time in intervention efforts to bring their children out of such groups and home again. Zimbardo urges people not to stereotype cult members. Rather than asking â€Å"What kind of people join cults? he suggests we should instead ask, â€Å"What was so appealing about this group that so many people were recruited/seduced into joining it voluntarily? What needs did the group fulfill that were not met by ‘traditional society? ‘† (Zimbardo 126). It is also important to note that cults make many promises to potential recruits in the initial phases of induction–it is often not until months or years later that the recruit reali zes that these promises were ploys to gain their compliance. However, by that time, the member is already submerged in the group and likely in submission to and under the undue influence of its leadership. Since at least the 1940s, the approach of orthodox or conservative or fundamentalist Christians was to apply the meaning of cult such that it included those religious groups who used (possibly exclusively) non-standard translations of the Bible, put additional revelation on a similar or higher level than the Bible or had practices deviant from those of traditional Christianity. These unorthodox groups can be rather large or small. Understandably, these groups deny that they are cults. By 1967, Charles Manson had spent most of his adult life in jail, mostly for such offenses as car theft and credit card fraud. He also worked some time as a pimp. He gathered a group of followers, which he referred to as the Family, a group bound together by fanatical loyalty to Manson, and an abolishment of all moral precepts. He soon afterwards moved to Los Angeles, at first basing himself and the Family in Pacific Palisades and then taking over an unused ranch in the western San Fernando Valley formerly used to make western movies, the Spahn Ranch. Inspired by the Beatles song â€Å"Helter Skelter† and other songs off the White Album he became convinced of an impending race war and nuclear attack, based on Biblical prophecy in the Book of Revelation. He implied to his followers that he was Jesus Christ, saying he had died before, some 2000 years ago. However when asked directly in court he said, â€Å"I may have implied on several occasions to several different people that I may have been Jesus Christ, but I haven’t decided yet what I am or who I am. (Bugliosi 341) Around the time the family was formed, he is said to have begun calling himself by a slightly different name, Charles Milles Manson (his real name was â€Å"Charles Willis Manson†), allegedly because it could be read symbolically as â€Å"Charles Will Is Man’s Son†. Although only a few members of the Family came to national attention, the Family itself seems to have been quite a significant size, estimates of up to 100 people (of v arying degrees of involvement) associated with the Family have been quoted beyond the â€Å"hard core† of around 30. On the night of August 9, 1969, Manson directed some members of the Family to commit murder. These were Charles â€Å"Tex† Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Susan Atkins, at or around midnight entered the home of actress Sharon Tate, wife of director Roman Polanski, who was eight months pregnant, and murdered her along with friend, Hollywood hairstylist Jay Sebring, and house guests Abigail Folger, the coffee heiress, and her lover Voytek Frykowski. Before entering the house, they had shot to death Steven Parent, an 18 year old youth who was leaving the property and had unwittingly seen the intruders. Linda Kasabian was the look-out and driver, and later received immunity for submitting evidence against the group. She told Manson, â€Å"I’m not like you, I can’t kill anybody†(Bugliosi 312) and evinced shock and horror at finally seeing the pictures of the killings in court. The victims had been stabbed ferociously many dozens of times, and words were left on the walls in their blood. The following night in the Los Feliz section of Los Angeles, California, businessman Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary LaBianca were also murdered in their home, once again by members of the Family. On this occasion, Manson apparently went along to â€Å"show them how to do it† with less tumult, and pacified the victims, tying them up before returning to the car to tell his followers to commit the murders. There was no apparent connection between the victims of the murders, but the crimes were prosecuted by Los Angeles assistant district attorney Vincent Bugliosi in a single trial. Members of the Manson Family had previously been responsible for the murder of Gary Hinman, a music teacher, in Topanga and were suspected of other murders. They claimed a total of some 35 killings, not counting those after the trial, of which several were considered likely or plausible, but were not tried on most of these either for lack of evidence, or because the perpetrators were already sentenced to life for the Tate/La Bianca killings. It begins with the Beatles, and with the Beatles’ celebrated White Album that came out in 1968. In it, while tripping on acid, Manson heard the message that put it all together for him. There would be a war between blacks and whites; whites would lose. Manson and his followers would hide out in the desert when the slaughter took place. When it was over they would emerge from their hiding places and somehow convince the blacks that they should be made the leaders of this new world. He got all this not just from the Beatles but also from the Bible. Perhaps his most fascinating connection was to put side by side the Beatles song â€Å"Revolution 9† with Revelations 9 from the Bible. Revelations, the final book of the New Testament, has always been the favorite of mystics because its wild apocalyptic imagery is so bluntly addressed not to the literal but to symbolic consciousness. For those who read scripture not as a moral code of social behavior nor as a literal history book but as a symbolic rendering of a reality out of time and out of mind, the book of Revelations is the proof text. In the book Helter Skelter, Susan Atkins is quoted in saying â€Å"The whole thing was done to instill fear in the establishment and cause paranoia. Also to show the black man how to takeover the white man. † When asked to describe the start of Helter Skelter, she defined it as â€Å"The last war on the face of the earth. It would be all the wars that have ever been fought built one on top of the other†(293). To Manson, Judgment Day, Armageddon, and Helter Skelter were one and the same, a racial holocaust which would see the black man emerge triumphant. David Berkowitz became known as the ‘Son of Sam’ after taunting letters from him to police investigating the case were published in newspapers. At a court in Brooklyn, New York, Berkowitz admitted all the killings which in 1977 had residents of three New York boroughs living in fear. He also admitted wounding seven people before he was arrested in August 1977. Berkowitz, who acquired his proficiency with guns through a three-year stint in the US army, said he had no motive other than â€Å"excitement† for carrying out the shootings. However, the Son of Sam nickname was adopted after Berkowitz used the term to describe himself in an anonymous letter to police in April 1977. The first killing attributed to Son of Sam occurred in July 1976 when 18-year-old Donna Lauria was shot as she sat in a car with a friend in the Bronx district of New York. However police did not realize there was a serial killer on the loose until another two people had been murdered and several more injured. The link was not made until March 1977 when it was found the gun used to kill Ms Lauria had also been used in the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Virginia Voskerichian. The press initially dubbed Berkowitz â€Å"the . 44 Killer† after the calibre of gun he used. â€Å"Unlike a number of other high profile criminals, Berkowitz kept to him self†(Terry xiv) He was eventually captured after being linked to the scene of the final killing through a parking ticket issued when he left his car parked illegally. Berkowitz quickly confessed and claimed he was ordered to kill by a neighbor’s dog. He also admitted to being behind the unsolved stabbings of several women, all of whom survived. In June 1978 David Berkowitz was sentenced to 365 years in jail. Over the years Berkowitz has hinted he did not work alone. Conspiracy theorists believe Berkowitz was part of a satanic cult and that others were involved in the shootings. â€Å"The group’s main goals were power, greed and terrorism. It is the embodiment of organized evil†(Terry xii). They also believe that the members in this satanic cult did not also work with Berkowitz, but also worked with Charles Manson and had been part of ‘the Family. The Peoples Temple was a cult that is best known for a mass suicide at Jonestown, Guyana, on November 18, 1978. The Temple was founded in 1953, at Indianapolis, Indiana, by Reverend Jim Jones. In Indianapolis, and at the California cities of Ukiah, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, where Jones extended new branches of his church, they earned a good reputation for aiding the cities’ poorest citizens, especially racial minorities, drug addicts, and the homeless. Soup kitchens, daycare centers, and medical clinics for elderly people were set up, along with counseling programs for prostitutes and drug addicts who wanted to change their lives. Then disturbing accounts began to spring up, told by a few people who had succeeded in leaving the cult. â€Å"Jones has a power that operates on fear, guilt and extreme fatigue. While we were in it we did many strange things. We signed over all of our property. We wrote and signed false, self-incriminating statements. We had to admit that we were homosexuals and that we molested our children. We had to participate in painful punishments for such minor things as forgetting to call Jones â€Å"Father,† forgetting to pay a bill, or for giving a piece of candy to a child. Some of the punishments were beatings, humiliations and medications that made people appear to die (later to be resurrected by Jones). The beatings were intensely brutal. Many times the beatings would be done on children four and five years old. The board they used was three-quarter of an inch thick and about two and a half feet long. Children were beaten the number of times decided by Pastor Jones, often as many as 150 times. During the beating, Jim Jones would demand that a microphone be held to the child’s mouth so that the audience could hear the groans of pain. The microphone was unnecessary as the screams could be heard throughout the whole building. After the beating the child or adult would be held up and forced to say, â€Å"Thank You, Father. † If they didn’t say this, they would be beaten again. We were so frightened of him and his power that we would have sworn to anything he asked. We believed that he would always take care of us and would never harm us, even though we witnessed daily atrocities that should have convinced us otherwise. It is impossible to explain the effect of his brainwashing. We do know that it took months after we left to be able to think and act as normal, reasonable people†(Mills 13). Jones was stealing from his followers, faked the miracle healings, was punishing the members severely, practicing sodomy with male members, and now considered himself the new Messiah. By now, journalists, law enforcement officials, and politicians were showing interest in Jones’ group. Jim Jones reacted with frequent long and angry speeches, where he claimed that the defectors lied, and the outside world was trying to destroy them. At the time, more former members told of beatings and abuse within the People’s Temple, and relatives of members insisted that members were being forced to remain there against their will. Jones reacted by moving his church, over 800 followers, to Guyana. The followers were promised a tropical paradise, free from the wickedness of the outside world, but when they arrived, they were forced to work by Jones’ orders, and together they built Jonestown. In November 1978, the cult was visited by Leo Ryan, a United States Congressman, who was investigating claims of abuse. A number of Temple members expressed a desire to leave along with the Congressman, and the entire group went to the local airstrip. Temple security guards fired on the group, killing Congressman Ryan, three journalists, and a Temple member who wanted to leave. The shootings were captured on film by one of the journalists who died in the attack. Later that day, Jones ordered his congregation to drink a cyanide-laced soft drink in the Jonestown mass suicide. Those who resisted were shot, strangled or injected with cyanide. Jones was found with a shot wound in his head. Upon investigation his body contained high doses of drugs. In all, 914 people died. Mind control theories are based on the premise that an outside source can control an individual’s thinking, behavior or consciousness. Such theories have ethical and legal implications. The mind control theories as applied to membership in new religious movents assumes that no one would join such a group if he knew what he was getting into. In Helter Skelter, Bugliosi states about Manson’s control over his ‘family’ â€Å"A domination so complete, that they would do anything he told them to do. Including murder. Getting this evidence was especially difficult because Manson rarely gave direct orders. Usually, he’d suggest, rather than command, though his suggestions had the force of commands†(287). The recruit is not to be held responsible for his actions, since he was â€Å"under control†. Neither scientists nor sociologists generally consider this model a viable theory. Theories vary as to the degree of control attained and the methods used to attain it (either direct or more subtle). When these methods are used forcibly on captives, most sources refer to it as â€Å"brainwashing† Although to their followers, Reverend Jim Jones and Charles Manson were all messianic and each possessed the uncommon ability to totally control and dominate the lives of those who believed in them. Clearly, many influences from the outside world influence people’s minds, such as advertising, media manipulation, and propaganda. Politics plays a role in the forming of cults. Charles Manson had a hatred towards police. In Helter Skelter, Manson states â€Å"I have x’d myself from your world. You have created the monster. I am not of you, from you, nor do I condone your unjust attitude toward things, animals, and people that you do not try to understand. I stand opposed to what you do and have done in the past. You make fun of God and have murdered the world in the name of Jesus Christ. My faith in me is stronger than all of your armies, governments, gas chambers or anything you may want to do to me. I know what I have done. Your courtroom is man’s game. Love is my judge†(Bugliosi 412). His hatred was directed towards them because he believed that they were the ones that created him into a monster. Therefore, cult leaders are powerful through psychological offenses, the people that belong to their cults are brainwashed into doing things they wouldn’t normally do in their right state of mind. Cult leaders used various ways of molding a follower’s mind and brainwashing them to do things for them. Some cult leaders used punishments as a way of breaking the follower’s that were resistant to their demands. Others used and perfected the art of persuasion. Either way, the mind of their followers or ‘family’ are in total control of the leader. How to cite The Psychological Effects Cults Have on People, Papers

SEX EDUCATION Essay Example For Students

SEX EDUCATION Essay Word Count: 1228 Thesis: should be taught in middle schools to make our children aware and help them with decisions in the future. Audience: All District #150 Personnel SEX EDUCATION Essay should be taught in middle schools to make our children aware and help them with decisions in the future. When children enter middle school many of them are going through adolescent changes. This school district needs to help educate these hormone raging teens about sex education. Not only will this program teach sex education, it will also give teens the chance to ask questions and receive help if they are in a sexual situation. District #150 makes up about three quarters the schools in Peoria and if you make room for a sex education program to help your students, many other schools will follow your example. You can help stop teen sex at an early age with guidance. With a sex education program in your curriculum, you will see success in the students lives and notice a change in attitude toward the opposite sex. As you walk down the middle school hallways, you see more young teenage girls that are pregnant. Many of these girls knew the chances of getting pregnant without using a condom, but really they didnt care. According to Faye Wattleton, the staggering rates and devastating consequences of teen pregnancy in America are well document (Wattleton 51). It seems clear that many of the girls are unaware of the results of having unprotected sexual intercourse. These girls and even young men should be given the opportunity to learn about the outcomes of sex. When a teenage girl is making out with her boyfriend and things start to grow intense, most just go along with sex because they think nothing will happen. With this program you can help decrease more than 1,000,000 US teenagers becoming pregnant each year, intentionally (Donavon 28). Helping find the answer to a problem is a start, but solving the task takes time. Pregnancy is a major effect when young teens have unprotected sex but diseases also are being transferred between parties. With the HIV/AIDS virus and STDs like Gonorrhea, spreading throughout the state, District #150 middles schools should be aware of the symptoms. When I was in middle school we had a very small discussion on sex education. Truthfully, I remember very little because the program was very brief When I entered high school we had a little better explanation about diseases but I was still clue less. Maybe if we taught these middle school students the effects and showed the pictures of affected people, they might actually consider using protection. Debra Haffner states, 95% of adults want HIV/AIDS education to their children (Haffner 54). I talked to a teacher, Candace Walrath, at Broadmoor Junior High, and she has her students do an STD activity. Two students, male and female, are given a half glass of water. Each student pours their half into the partners cup and vice versa, sharing body fluids, just like unprotected sexual intercourse (Walrath). Then the student break up and performs the experiment with a different partner. The more information you teach about the diseases caused by unprotected sex, the more teens will think before having unprotected sex. Diseases can change the minds of young teenagers but there are many different types of protection they should be aware of so there is an option if sexual intercourse happens. I know my high school health teacher told me about condoms and birth control but most teens are scared to ask about these contraceptives. Young teens think that if they ask about condoms or birth control, questions about having sex will come to the adults mind. At Planned Parenthood free condoms are given to sexually active teens and even birth control methods. Places like these are good for these teens because confidentiality, is a must with sexual active teenagers. (YM, Love). Your school can help by making the students aware of these places. Even if your program shows a teem how to use a condom, telling them places to get them will lead to a higher use of protection. Hate Crime Prevention Act Essay A YM survey states that 41% of teens dont know why they didnt use protection (YM Love). Students need to know their options so they can use protection. Teach these students that if they do decide to have sex, there are ways to prevent diseases and pregnancy but where is the respect in a sexual situation. .

Legal brief »Ochampaugh v. Seattle free essay sample

Facts Ordinary pond owned by the city Popular with area residents for fishing and swimming The two boys were familiar with the pond and had gone there before. Neither boy could swim. There were no warning signs around the pond. The pond, while man-made, was In existence before the city purchased the land. Issue Was the pond a trap or extraordinarily dangerous enough to render it an attractive nuisance to children and thus create a negligent situation on the part of the land owner upon which the pond was placed?Rules It is conceded that the rule in this Jurisdiction Is that a natural body of water, or an artificial body of water having natural characteristics, Is not In and of Itself an attractive nuisance. No duty to trespassers except not to willfully cause the injury . However, in the case of infant trespassers, there is the attractive nuisance doctrine: 1 . The condition must be dangerous In and of Itself; 2. We will write a custom essay sample on Legal brief ? »?Ochampaugh v. Seattle or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The conditions must be attractive and ensuing to young children; 3. The children, because of their youth, must be incapable of understanding the danger involved; 4.The condition must have been left unguarded ATA place where children go; or where they could be reasonably expected to go; 5. It must have been reasonably feasible either to prevent access or to render the condition innocuous without destroying Its utility. Analysis Drowning is a commonly-known danger of which six and eight-year olds are capable of understanding. Furthermore, there were many more instances of recreational use of the pond compared to the number of drowning. Therefore, the pond Is not dangerous. Because it fails to meet the first requirement of the attractive nuisance citrine, the pond is not an attractive nuisance.Since there is no attractive nuisance, there is no liability on the part of the city. Conclusion Lower-court ruling affirmed that the pond Is not an attractive nuisance under the doctrine. It does not meet the element of being dangerous in and of itself. Would the court apply the attractive nuisance doctrine given the following changes In fact: 1) The pond was 300 feet wide rather than 100? 1 OFF pond was surrounded by a concrete walkway built by the city? 4) The water was clear, rather than muddy? 5) The plaintiffs sons were 3 and 4 rather than 6 and 8?

Abortion since Row v. Wade essays

Abortion since Row v. Wade essays Abortion has quickly become the most powerful social issue in the United States since slavery . Abortion is a topic that is very controversial because it deals with the potential life of a human being. There have been many Supreme Court cases dealing with the abortion controversy, including the landmark 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade that protected a womans constitutional right to have an abortion. This case was the turning point for women, and almost all of the Supreme Court cases that would follow would reaffirm the decision reached in Row v. Wade. In the year 1969, a woman named Norma McCorvy became pregnant after allegedly being raped. Norma, who would later adopt the pseudonym, "Jane Row" , wished to end her pregnancy by abortion; however, the Texas law outlawed abortions except for the instance when it would save the mothers life. In 1970, McCorvy filed a class action suit in the Federal District Court in Dallas. The district court ruled that the Texas law was unconstitutionally vague . The law infringed the womans right to choose whether or not to have a child. Justice Blackmun drafted a new set of guidelines which clearly detailed when an abortion would be legal. 1) For the first trimester, the decision to have an abortion is held totally up to the woman and her doctor. 2) During the second trimester, the state may regulate the abortion, depending on the doctors decision. 3) In the third trimester, the state may forbid the abortion in the interest of protecting potential life. The rulings in the case Roe v. Wade immediately affected abortion laws in all fifty states . The case had a huge impact on the abortion controversy in the United States. Aside from giving women new rights, it opened the doors for more change in legislation. Roe v. Wade was not the end of the abortion law battle. In 1976, two lawyers and two members of Planned Parenthood of central Missouri filed a suit...

Gender Behaviors in Battle of Algiers, Mother India and A Widows Voice Essay

Gender Behaviors in Battle of Algiers, Mother India and A Widows Voice - Essay Example This paper draws a comparison between the gender behaviors as depicted in Battle of Algiers, Mother India, and A Widow’s Voice. Battle of Algiers is a 1966 war film, which dwells on the situations of women in a warring country. Mother of India shows the struggles of women in harsh economies, taking care of their families. â€Å"A Widow’s Voice† is a very popular literary text, which has the theme of widowhood, including the problems widows face. One thing that is common between both movies and the literary text is that they all offer a comprehensive insight into the gender behaviors in their respective contexts. Battle of Algiers, Mother India, and A Widow’s Voice are similar in their depiction of women’s strength. Battle of Algiers and Mother India commonly undermine the power of men while highlighting that of women while Mother India and A Widow’s Voice commonly feature domestic women’s sacrifices and men’s selfishness. In con clusion, drawing a comparison between these three works was quite challenging, as these have different themes, and are of different genres. However, with the approach employed, a clear comparison of gender behaviors in these works has been achieved. Generally, women have been portrayed as very important people in the society. Women take care of their families, which are the basic unit of the society. However, the main issue is that despite all these, the society, especially men, do not appreciate women the way they should. These three works indirectly call for the need for women empowerment in society.

Compare and contrast the attitudes of the Scientific School of Essay

Compare and contrast the attitudes of the Scientific School of Management thought (Taylor et al) with those of the Human Relations Movement (Mayo et al) with regard to people at work - Essay Example uding the determination of the most effective way to coordinate tasks, careful selection of employees for different positions, proper training and development of the workforce, and the introduction of economic incentives in order to motivate employees. Taylor’s scientific management theory is widely used today and underlies many management techniques from work study to standard costing. In scientific management theory, Taylor believed that management’s objective should be to secure maximum prosperity for both employers and employees in both the short and long term. He was able to arrive at this principle by studying the causes of hostility and inefficiency in the workplace. In his investigation, Taylor believed that left to their own devices, workers toiled inefficiently, basing their work practices on custom and habit rather than on scientific principles. In addition, he attributed hostility to the belief among workers that increases in output would naturally result in unemployment and that the traditional practice created inefficient methods of work and that workers restricted their outputs in order to protect their interests. (Cascarion and Esch, p. 106) Taylor called this as workers’ engagement in â€Å"soldiering.† He outlined two types of soldiering: Systematic soldiering, on the other hand, is the concerted restriction of output and the more problematic of the two. This attitude was rooted in management’s failure to develop appropriate authority and legitimation for standard work. (Collins 1998, p. 11) Taylor addressed this challenge by studying each job in order to discover the best way in doing it. He was able to identify the best means of control. He developed four approaches to management designed to be able to recruit and maintain workers – whose needs and attitudes towards work are met: Through the previous principles Taylor was able to design a set of standards in regard to control and workers’ wages in terms of scientifically

Global Paper and Paper Products Industry Porter's Six Forces Analysis Research

Global and Products Industry Porter's Six Forces Analysis - Research Paper Example Porter’s six forces analysis of the global paper industry would involve certain factors such as threat of new entrants, rivalry among existing firms, threat of substitute products or services, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers and relative power of other stakeholders. The explanations of the factors are given below: Threat of New Entrants Economies of scale The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the global paper industry has increased simultaneously with the growing usage of the paper by its consumers. In certain cases, the usage of papers remains intact where the GDP growth is witnessed to be almost stagnant. The global paper industry produces paper products of $750 billion each year comprising small enterprises globally (Scheihing, 2005). Product Differentiation Product differentiation is one of the most challenging measures of expanding or intensifying a business or industry. With the intense use of internet, the usage of paper is however decreasing day by day and as a result the global paper industry is trying to diversify or differentiate their products and trying to expand their product lines, especially based on the quality aspect (Scheihing, 2005). Capital Requirement A new entrant to the paper industry initially requires around $4.5 Million capital which may be recognized as a demanding level to position themselves in the industry (Scheihing, 2005). Switching Cost The switching cost for the paper industry is low. Therefore, the scope of new entrants is high, as new entrants can any time switch over to another industry if they do not feel competitive in the paper industry incurring minimum cost (Uronen, 2010). ... Capital Requirement A new entrant to the paper industry initially requires around $4.5 Million capital which may be recognized as a demanding level to position themselves in the industry (Scheihing, 2005). Switching Cost The switching cost for the paper industry is low. Therefore, the scope of new entrants is high, as new entrants can any time switch over to another industry if they do not feel competitive in the paper industry incurring minimum cost (Uronen, 2010). Accesses to Distribution Channels The distribution channel of the paper industry comprises of various, dealers, shareholders, retailors, and consumers to serve the ultimate customers in the corporate and educational sectors. Notably, these better facilities to an industry encourage the new entrants to enter the existing market (Uronen, 2010). Cost Disadvantages Independent of Size Due to the high installation cost, and high maintenance cost, the probability of new entrants reduces. However, due to the independence of dete rmining the size of the firms the scope of new entrants rises depicting a moderate level of threat to new entrants (Uronen, 2010). Government In relation to the global paper industry, the government has implemented certain rules and norms, laws, and regulations. In addition, there are many associations who are protesting against paper industry due to the usage of forest products and deforestations (Uronen, 2010). Rivalry among Existing Firms Number of Competitors There are too many paper mills or companies existing within the global paper industry, but the top five existing competitors are Paper Associates PTY.LTD, International Paper Company, Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, Georgia-Pacific LLC and Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA among others (SKC, 2012). Rate of Industry Growth

The Alma Ata Declaration

The Alma Ata Declaration The Alma Ata Declaration was formally adopted at the International Conference on Primary Health Care in Alma Ata (in present Kazakhstan) in September 1978 (WHO, 1978). It identifies and stresses the need for an immediate action by all governments, all health and development workers and the world community to promote and protect world health through Primary Health Care (PHC) (ibid). This has been identified by the Declaration as the key towards achieving a level of health that will allow for a socially and productive life by the year 2000. The principles of this declaration have been built on three (3) key aspects which include: Equity It acknowledges the fact that every individual has the right to health and the realisation of this requires action across the health sector as well as other social and economic sectors. Participation It also identifies and recognises the need for full participation of communities in the planning, organisation, implementation, operation and control of primary health care with the use of local or national available resource. Partnership It strongly supports the idea of Partnership and collaboration between government, World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF, other international organisations, multilateral and bilateral agencies, non-governmental organisations, funding agencies, all health workers and the world community towards supporting the commitment to primary health care as well as increasing financial and technical support especially in developing countries. Other important principles identified by the Declaration include: health promotion and the appropriate use of resources. The declaration calls on all governments to formulate strategies, policies and actions to launch and sustain primary health care and incorporate it into the national health system. It was endorsed by the World Health Assembly in 1978 hence enshrining it into the policy of the WHO (Horder, 1983). Background Back in the 1960s and 1970s, many developing countries of the world gained independence from their colonial leaders. In efforts to provide good quality healthcare service for the population, these new governments established teaching hospitals, medical and nursing schools most of which were located in urban areas (Hall Taylor, 2003) thus creating a problem of access to good quality health service especially for people that reside in rural communities. Successful programmes were initiated by Tanzania, Sudan, Venezuela and China in the 1960s and 1970s to provide primary care health services that was basic as well as comprehensive (Benyoussef Christian, 1977; Bennett, 1979). It is on the basis of these programmes that the term Primary Health Care was derived (Hall Taylor, 2003). In low income countries, the primary health care strategy as described by the Alma Ata was very influential in setting health policy during the 1980s however in high income countries such as the United Kingdom, it was considered irrelevant on the presumption that the level of primary care service was already well developed (Green et al., 2007). Primary health care has been defined in the Declaration of Alma Ata as; essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community through their full participation and at a cost that the community and country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self reliance and self-determination. It forms an integral part both of the countrys health system, of which it is the central function and main focus, and of the overall social and economic development of the community. It is the first level of contact of individuals, the family and community with the national health system bringing health care as close as possible to where people live and work, and constitutes the first element of a continuing health care process. (WHO, 1978) The Alma Ata Declaration brought about a shift on emphasis towards preventive health, training of multipurpose paramedical workers and community based workers (Muldoon et al., 2006). In order to achieve the global target of health for all by the year 2000, goals were being set by the WHO (WHO, 1981) some of which include: At least 5% of gross national product is spent on health. A reasonable percentage of the national health expenditure is devoted to local health care. Equitably distribution of resources At least 90% of new-borne infants have a birth weight of at least 2500g. The infant mortality rate for all identifiable subgroups is below 50 per 1000 live-births. Life expectancy at birth is over 60 years. Adult literacy rate for both men and women exceeds 70%. Trained personnel for attending pregnancy and child birth and caring for children for at least 1 year of age. It has been over 30 years now that the Declaration of Alma Ata was adopted by the WHO. A look at the current health trend around the world especially in developing countries such Nigeria, Ghana, Niger, Zimbabwe and so many others will reveal that the goal of achieving health for all by the year 2000 through primary health care has not been a reality. Although there have been reasonable improvement in immunisation, sanitation and access to safe water, there is still impediments in providing equitable access to essential care worldwide (WHO, 2010) What went wrong? Lawn et al. (2008) explain that the Cold War significantly impeded the desired impact expectation of the Alma Ata Declaration in the sense that global developmental policy at that time was dominated by neo-liberal macro economical and social policies. The effect of this on poorer countries of the world particularly in Africa was implementation of structural adjustment programmes in effort to reduce budget deficit through devaluations in local currency and cuts in public spending. This resulted in the removal of subsidies, cost recovery in the health sector and cut backs in the number of medical health practitioners that could be hired. The introduction of user charges and encouragement of privatisation of services during this period had an untoward effect on poor people who could not afford to pay for such services. The combination of these factors hence resulted in part to the crippling of the quality of service that can be provided at the primary care level. People who could afford such service resorted to health service offered at secondary or tertiary care which in most cases is difficult to access. The introduction of a new concept of Selective Primary Health Care as proposed within a year of the adoption of the Alma Ata Declaration by Walsh Warren (1979) changed the dimension of primary health care. This interim approach was proposed due to the difficulty experienced in initiating comprehensive primary health care services in countries with authoritarian leadership (Waterston, 2008). Walsh Warren (1979) argued that until comprehensive primary health care can be made available to all, services that are targeted to the most important diseases may be the most effective intervention for improving health of a population. The measures suggested include; immunisation, oral rehydration, breast feeding and the use of anti malarias. This selective approach was considered as being more feasible, measurable, rapid and less risky, taking away decision making and control away from the community and placing it upon consultants with technical expertise hence making it more attractive partic ularly to funding agencies (Lawn et al., 2008). An example of a selective primary care approach is the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI). Selective primary health care is concerned with providing solutions to particular diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis while comprehensive primary care as proposed the Alma Ata begins with providing a strong community infrastructure and involvement towards tackling health issues (Baum, 2007). The shift in maternal, new-borne and child health as a result of programmes that removes control from the community hinders the actualisation of the goals of primary health care as emphasized by the Alma Ata Declaration. The reversal of policy in the 1990s by the WHO and other UN agencies to discourage traditional birth attendants and promoting facility based birth with skilled personnel (Koblinsky et al., 2006) is an example of such. The World Banks report Investing in Health which was published in 1993 saw the World Bank become a great influence and major key player in international public health as such robbing the WHO of the prestigious position (Baum, 2007). It considers investments for interventions that only have the best impact on population health as such removing local control and advocating a vertical approach to health. This move counteracts the process of the social change described by the Alma Ata Declaration which is necessary for realisation of its goals. These go to show that consistency both in leadership (locally and globally), policy as well as good evidence (to drive policy making and actions), are important ingredients for global initiatives to succeed. What went right? Even with the several elements that prevailed against the achievement of the collective goals of the Alma Ata Declaration, several case studies show that when provided with a favourable environment, primary health care as prescribed by the Alma Ata is sufficient to bring about a significant improvement in the health status of any population or country. Case study 1: Primary Health Care in Gambia Using data obtained from a longitudinal study conducted by the United Kingdom Medical Research Council over a 15 year period for a population of about 17,000 people in 40 villages in Gambia, Hill et al. (2000) compared infant and child mortality between village with and without primary health care. The extra services that were provided in the villages with primary health care include: a village health worker, a paid community nurse for every 5 villages and a trained traditional birth attendant. Maternal and child health services with vaccination programme were accessible to residents of both primary health care and non primary health care villages. There was marked improvement in infant and under 5 mortality in both sets of villages. After primary health care system was established in 1983, infant mortality dropped from 134/1000 in 1982 83 to 69/1000 in 1992 94 in the primary health care villages and from 155/1000 to 91/1000 in non primary health care villages over the same period of time. Between 1982 and 83 and 1992-94, the death rates for children aged 1-4 fell from 42/1000 to 28/1000 in the primary health care villages and from 45/1000 to 38/1000 in the non primary health care villages. However, in 1994 when supervision of primary health care was weakened, infant mortality rate in primary health care villages rose to 89/1000 for primary health care village in 1994 96. The rate in non primary health care village fell to 78/1000 for this period. The implementation and supervision of primary health care is associated with a significant effect on infant mortality rates for these groups of villages that benefitted from the programme. Case study 2: Under 5 mortality and income of 30 countries To assess the progress for primary health care in countries since Alma Ata, Rohde et al. (2008) analysed life expectancy relative to national income and HIV prevalence in order to identify over achieving or under achieving countries. The study focused on 30 low income and middle income countries with the highest year reduction of mortality among children less than 5 years of age and it described coverage and equity of primary health care as well as other non health sector actions. The 30 countries in question have scaled up selective primary care (immunisation, family planning) and 14 of these countries have progressed to comprehensive primary care which has been marked with high coverage of skilled birth attendants. Equity with skilled birth attendance coverage across income groups was accessed as well as access to clean water and gender inequality in literacy. These 30 countries were grouped into countries with selective primary care; mixture of selective and comprehensive primary health care; and comprehensive primary health care alone. The major players among countries with comprehensive primary health care are Thailand, Brazil, Cuba, China and Vietnam. Overall, Thailand tops the list and it has comprehensive primary health care. Maternal, new-borne and child health in Thailand were prioritised even before Alma Ata and has been able to increase coverage for immunisation and family planning interventions. The Government investment in district health systems provided a foundation for comprehensive primary health care in maternal, new-borne and child health as well as other essential services. Community health volunteers also played a significant role towards Thailands medical advancement. They promoted the use of water sealed latrines to improve sanitation and were very instrumental towards the decline of protein calorie malnutrition in pr e-school children in the past 20 years (WHO, 2010). Participation of the community health volunteers is a major source of community involvement into health care of Thailand (ibid). The following factors were identified as important lessons from high achieving countries: accountable leadership and consistent national policy progress with time; building coverage of care and comprehensive health systems with time; community and family empowerment; district level focus which is supported by data to set priorities for funding, track results as well as identify and redress disparities; and prioritising equity, removing financial barriers for poorest families and protection against unavoidable health cost. Case study 3: Integration of cognitive behaviour based therapy into routine primary health care work in rural Pakistan Rahman et al. (2008) in a cluster-randomised control study in Pakistan shows the benefits derived when cognitive behaviour therapy in postnatal depression is integrated with community based primary health care. Training was provided to the primary health care workers in the intervention group to deliver psychological intervention. The health care workers also receive monthly supervision and monitoring. Significant benefit (lower depression and disability scores, overall functioning and perception of social support) was reported in the intervention group to suggest that this kind of measures as supported by the Alma Ata can drive the initiative towards Health for all. It is evident and clear that countries that practiced comprehensive primary health care as enshrined by the Alma Ata reaped great benefits in terms of population health improvement. Although it has been argued that comprehensive primary health care is too idealistic, expensive and unattainable (Hall Taylor, 2003), evidence suggest that it is more likely to deliver better health outcomes with greater public satisfaction (Macinko et al., 2003). This kind of care can deal with up to 90% of health demands in low income countries (World Bank, 1994). Relevance of Alma Ata in this present time Our present world that has been characterised by marked epidemiological transition in health. Low income countries as well as high income ones are faced with increasing prevalence of non communicable as well as chronic disabling disease (Gillam, 2008) hence, the existence of infectious diseases (malaria, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis etc), and diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. For low income countries such as sub-Sahara African Countries, this constitutes a major health problem because their health systems are mainly oriented towards providing services inclined with maternal and child health, acute or episodic illnesses. As such current health systems need to have the capacity to provide effective management for the current disease trend. The Alma Ata provides a foundation for how such effective health service can be provided. Because, primary health care is the first line of contact an individual has to health care, it is thus very influential in determining community heal th especially when the community is fully empowered to participate. As societies modernise, as it is the case in our current world, the level of participation increases and people want to have a say in what affects their lives (Garland Oliver, 2004). Thus, the level participation in health care is better off and more powerful in this present time than it was when it was the Alma Ata was adopted. Evidence suggest that the values as enshrined by the Alma Ata are becoming the mainstream of modernising societies and it is a reflection of the way people look at health and what they expect from their health care system (WHO, 2008). Alma Ata failed in some countries because the Government of such countries refused to put strategies towards sustaining a strong and vibrant primary health care system that is appropriate to the health needs of the community such that access is improved, participation and partnership is encouraged and health is improved in general. There is no goal standard guideline or manual on Alma Ata but individual governments have to develop their own strategies which should be well suited towards meeting their own needs. The Alma Ata founding principles is still relevant towards achieving these goals especially as it brings health care to peoples door step as it encourages training of people to efficiently and effectively deliver health services. Evidence has shown that there is a greater range of cost effective interventions than was available 30 years ago (Jamison et al., 2006). It is for these reasons that primary health care is essential towards achieving the millennium development goals e specially as it concerns child survival, maternal health, and HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other diseases. The Alma Ata emphasises the importance of collaboration as an important tool towards introducing, developing and maintaining primary health care. This partnership as supported by the Alma Ata is essential to increase technical and financial support to primary health care especially in low income countries. It is a current trend to find an increasing mixture of private and public health systems as well as increasing private-public partnerships. Governments, donor and private organisations are now working together to promote and protect health unlike after Alma Ata (OECD, 2005). There is also increased funding and this is shifting from selective global funds to strengthening health systems through sector wide approaches (Salama et al., 2008). This kind of collaborations is a step in the right direction and when it is strengthened according to the principles of the Alma Ata, it will not only improve the buoyancy of the health care system but also improve participation and equity in the sense that health care is more qualitative and accessible to the people. The years that followed after adoption of the Alma Ata by WHO member states was characterised by unstable political leadership and military dictatorship especially among low income countries which lead to neglect of the health sector. This created unfriendly environments for the development and maintenance of stable primary health care systems. In this current times however, most countries have embraced the democratic system of leadership that promotes equity, participation and partnership. Health equity is continually enjoying prominence in the dialogue of political leaders and ministries of health (Dahlgren Whitehead, 2006). Thus, the environment being created is friendlier to the Alma Ata hence making it more relevant in this time. Thirty years ago, the values of equity, people centeredness, community participation and self determination embraced by the Alma Ata was considered as being radical but today these values have become widely share expectations for health (WHO, 2008). Our current time has been marked by gross technological advancement which was not available in the 1970s. There is also an increased wealth of knowledge and literature on health and on the growing health inequalities between and within countries all of which was not available 30 years ago. All these put together provides a relevant foundation to support the Alma Ata in the present time making it more relevant in delivering effective health care service. Conclusion The prevailing political and economic situation around the world make the Alma Ata more relevant than it was in 1978. However, there is still need for more to be done. There is need for the revitalisation of primary health care according to the tenets of the Alma Ata and progress made should be consistently monitored. There is also the need for an increased commitment to the virtues of health for all as well as increased commitment of resources towards primary health care which should be driven by good evidence base. It is important that emphasis be changed from single interventions that produce short term or immediate results to interventions that will create an integrated, long term and a sustainable health care system. Even with the challenges being faced so far with full implementation of the Alma Ata, the ideals are relevant still relevant now more than ever.

The Future Never Just Happened, It Was Created :: Teaching Philosophy Education Essays

The Future Never Just Happened, It Was Created My philosophy on education is that it is important to instill values and knowledge into our children at an early age to ensure a great future for them as well as enhancing their contributions to society. Will and Ariel Durant famous for several quotations on life and civilization summed up how important education is for the future of our children and society. "We have to help children take advantage of education so they can have the best future possible for themselves and the rest of society." I have a strong belief that education is the key to a prosperous happy future for our children and the future leaders of tomorrow's society. Being a teacher, what a wonderful way of ensuring a child has every opportunity to reach their dreams and create a wonderful future for themselves. The future can be ten minutes from now or thirteen years from kindergarten to a graduating senior. I hope I can make a difference in the children I am privileged to have in my classroom. I feel it is my moral responsibility to ensure each child entrusted to me a chance to create his or her future with the knowledge of education. I hope to be a motivator of creative thinking and good decision-making. I want the children I teach to be able to leave my classroom feeling confident and sure that they have acquired the skill to be independent thinkers. Knowing each child has a unique quality to contribute wonderful ideas and the confidence to share them with their classmates with a feeling of accomplishment. Starting with elementary students and instilling this quality will give them better opportunities as they grow. I want to be this t eacher, the teacher who inspires them to plant a seed to grow into success. Froebel referred to kindergarten as "a children's garden", this is exactly the way I feel. As a teacher, I hope to have a nurturing garden no matter of the grade level. Children deserve to feel safe, secure, and have confidence in the teacher. I would expect nothing less of myself. I have often imagined what type of classroom I will have. I envision a welcoming, warm atmosphere with bulletin boards decorated for the season at hand. Children making snowflakes, autumn leaves, colorful eggs or bright stars for a warm summer's night.