A Critique of For Gay Marriage, by Andrew Sullivan

A Critique of For Gay Marriage, by Andrew Sullivan In Andrew Sullivan's article, "For Gay Marriage", he is a man on a mission. He appears to be so fully committed to democratic values that he seeks to extend equal rights in marriage to homosexuals. And he makes an admirable case for equality and dignity for all people, including homosexuals. However, he could make an even stronger case by citing more studies and expert opinions.Although Sullivan's meaning is well taken by sympathetic readers, the fact is that he could overcome much of the ambiguity of his presentation by citing more concrete studies, including long-term studies, which support his key points. For example, when he makes the assertion that "in some ways the marriage issue is exactly parallel to the military" (283), it is unclear exactly what he means. Is he referring to prejudice against gay soldiers? On the other hand, is he referring to a common requirement of self-sacrifice? The answer is simply not clear because Sullivan never cites any studies of the problem he has in mind.English: This protester was on his own and letting...An even more important point for Sullivan concerns child-rearing. He asserts, one may say correctly if he already shares Sullivan's opinion, that children raised by homosexual partners are as well adjusted as children raised by traditional, heterosexual parents. This would be a perfect opportunity for Sullivan to cite several well-conducted, long-term studies which bear out his view. But does he take the opportunity? Does he cite any studies? No, not one.Another key point for Sullivan concerns the relative importance of legalizing gay marriage. He asserts that "if nothing else were done at all, and gay marriage were legalized, 90% of the political work necessary to achieve gay and lesbian equality would have been achieved" (285). But, Sullivan never explains where he gets the figure 90%. He could explain if...

Informal Report Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Informal Report - Personal Statement Example Apart from being a BA student at the Goldsmith University he has had a number of musical and theatrical experiences. I made me feel that everything was going good so far, as he showed his keen interest in the project. As I needed actors for this project, I contacted the drama department to help me out as I needed two female actors, after which six actresses contacted me through email. It was to me surprise that out of these six actresses who had contacted me, there were two actress named Michelle and Jenny who had worked with me previously in another project called 'Hello Again' therefore at this point I actually had to decided whether I should arrange for an audition for these six actresses including Jenny and Michelle or just take them without an audition. Thus I found it appropriate to discuss the issue with Sung Hyun, after we have discussed we decided to take Jenny and Michelle directly without an audition. They both happily accepted our offers. So far little progress had been reached towards the success of the project. However later I actually had to face some problems. For instance, I tried to contact Michelle so that she could provide me with the score and the script, but I wasn't able to contact neither by email nor by cell phone. Even then there were issues that were more serious and problematic; the person whom Sung Hyun referred, which we had decided to take as the music director was already involved with another therefore he was not able to join us and he told us that later he was going United States for his holidays. This was such a lack of responsibility, however no one to be blamed. Later there onwards I searched for another music director, though this wasn't easy. Finally I got an email from a person who showed interest in my project. She was a Korean and a major in music. Therefore a I discussed her offer with Sung Hyun, but she refused saying that she doesn't want to appoint a Korean, because she said what we are working on requires speaking with the native speakers and she I think th at native speakers are if not unwilling they are uncomfortable to work with the non native speaker. Even though I was quite disappointed with Sung's perception, I had nothing else than to agree to her, therefore I told her to continue to search for a music director. Thus what I could only do was to wait and wait. Thereafter Sung told me after about a couple of days that Theo wanted to work with us. But the issue was this that he could join us after his holidays were over which were only about fifteen days before the show. As the show was to be on the 27th of April, I thought that fifteen days before the show would be appropriate. After when he set the days for rehearsal on the 10th and 11th I realized that o should now call Michelle, therefore I emailed her again so that she could join us. However at this time I was able to contact her thus in her response she confirmed that she was going to join us, but after only a single day I received her conformation email, she vanished again and didn't even gave me response. Now I had nothing else to look for another actress, therefore I talked to Sung Hyun. Fortunately, Natasha was introduced to us by our music director Theo. On the other hand during this period Jonathan contacted me and asked if I was willing to work

The role of state fusion centers in preventing terrorist acts Term Paper

The role of state fusion centers in preventing terrorist acts - Term Paper Example Furthermore, most of the security agencies were not on a very high alert for any foreign attacks on the United States because such threats were considered nonexistent. Instead, security agencies concentrated on the potential from within and this was a huge flaw on their part. The American military had bases all over the world in allied countries and these had been put in place to protect American interests in these respective regions. The military had not seen much active service since the 1991 Gulf war and its presence in allied countries functioned as a deterrent to those who would wish to harm American interests. All these, however, changed after the attacks and the need for cooperation between the different security agencies in the country was realized. The origin of state fusion centers creation provide a means through which information can be gathered and shared between different law enforcement agencies, ensuring that the terrorist threat to the United States is recognized ear ly and dealt with swiftly. State fusion centers are facilities that have come to allow investigators to pool data from local, state and federal sources to ensure that the terrorist threat to the country is averted. ... The system was created to ensure that investigators had all the information they needed in order to perform their tasks effectively, and it allows local investigators to access the federal Homeland Secure Data Network. The system has been designed to provide individuals in security agencies access to classified reports from federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This has made up for the previous lack of information sharing between security agencies and has created a situation where it has become easier for terrorist threats to the nation to be detected and whenever there has been any danger, it has been swiftly countered so that the nation has remained secure (Desai, 2005). State fusion centers have become indispensable in the fight against terrorism on American soil and this has justified their continued existence of this system. The state fusion centers help security agencies to look for connections among potential terrori st suspects so that they can find more information concerning them and the danger that they may pose to the people of America. They do this by looking through hundreds of law enforcement sources around the region and these carry a large amount of information concerning individual suspects and their associates. The information that is often investigated ranges from traffic violations, to jail records and criminal histories. Furthermore, this also includes information concerning public records such as property records. As the investigation widens, and investigators identify suspects, the system can help lead authorities to known associated of the suspects who may be involved in further terrorist plots against the country or its interests elsewhere (Ratcliffe and Guidetti, 2008).

Evolution of the Nation & the Civil War Essay Example for Free

Evolution of the Nation the Civil War Essay The end of the Civil War brought about political and economic reform to the United States. Reforms in the Reconstruction Period were passed to foster and maintain economic activity, creating industries and expanding businesses, contributing to the boom of Industrial Revolution in the country. Years of political clout and debate remarkably laundered constitutional amendments for the black man’s rights (Oberholtze, 1917). Inventions paved the way to the development of new industries such as telecommunication, transportation, electricity and construction. The discovery, access to and processing of raw materials -facilitated by technology- allowed products to be transported from manufacturing factories to populated areas for distribution. Such enterprise development measures were supported by the improvement of the transport and communication system via paved roads, bridges, canals, railroads and the telegraph. New jobs were created to cater to the needs of the fast growing economy and population. Enormous infrastructures were built to accommodate the growing city dwellers and workers. Increase in profits of manufacturing industries encouraged a steady influx of immigrants working in the production lines (Engerman, 2000). Competition and increasing market goals forced companies to expand trade and operations in other countries, imperialism’s objective. Altogether, technological advancement, cheap labor and availability of capital led to America’s heavy industrialization. This period of rise and fall largely contributed to America’s development into a superpower. However, as a young nation, America was set back with undesirable impacts of industrialization. As production staff volume increased, conflict between workers and management grew. Industrial achievements due to aggressive marketing of manufactured goods and increased foreign trade introduced more white collar jobs facilitating corporate operations. Management and administrative work were better rewarded than assembly-line work, providing better opportunities for educated and powerful who came to enjoy lucrative lifestyles; while creating inequalities of wealth, discontent and rousing uprisings from laborers who formed unions to pursue their rights. Marxist leaders helped reshape capitalist thought and corporate laws. Growing market demand meant increasing supply needs leading to resource exploitation in some areas leaving irreparable damage to the environment. Concern for increased production overshadowed the seemingly abundant resources. Even large corporations who came to have leverage in policy-making used their power to generate more profit. Developments in transportation made it easy for people to move about creating a melting pot of US residents and migrants, gave way to explosion of population in urban areas, forming cities. The attraction of immigrants made uprisings in social injustices -competition and aggression- between old American settlers versus the new immigrants. Urban legislators targeted services to win the votes of increasing foreign workers maligning the democratic electoral process. Too aggressive amassing and building of wealth and power triggered the economic crash of 1873 when the government’s major investment bank, financer of government reconstruction loans and the Northern Pacific Railroad, crashed (Bancroft, 1902). For many years, new business management styles were practiced by corporations, every time cleaning up failed ventures with hopefully better alternatives. Many times, the finance and investment sector failed but lessons were dealt with outmost concern for capital and development-oriented sources. As population grew in cities, people moved to occupy the western territories. Development gradually followed increasing the number of states joining the union. At the same time, America had growing concern for the rapid growth of the British Empire. Following British example, America colonized territories and expanded the home base and also the market for its produce. American industrialists pushed for westward progression, integrating the continent-wide unified market reducing production cost and increasing value per output of production enabling American working class to earn higher than counterparts across the globe. Higher wage was initially purported by higher bid of wage levels experienced in the pre-industrialization era using slave-labor and eventually sustained by capitalism during the reconstruction period despite the increase in laborers and economic conflict many years after. Nevertheless, the labor force and farmers suffered greatly being dependent on businesses that supported their sources of income (McElvaine, 1993). The years of depression was a roller coaster ride for most corporate giants who still reap the most benefit even during economic downfall. During World War I, America tapped the international market (McElvaine, 1993). They penetrated into countries that did not have resources for food production. US production increased to cater to the needs of incapacitated economies. With its strong capitalist foundation, the US took advantage of World War I devastation across Europe and Japan (Olson, 1988). Forced to reduce trade barriers, Europe, Japan and their colonies were opened to globalization, with efforts initiated by American powers. Development of farm machinery automated farming practices and increased US production. The US became the world’s foremost producer of agricultural products in power economies like Europe and Japan were destroyed. The downside, farmers became all the more dependent on new businesses offering loans, transportation, equipment manufacturers and middle men who facilitated crop entry into international markets. Though, when the war ended, competition became stiff forcing America to make internal changes to beef up industrial efforts. This led to the development of advertising and marketing strategies encouraging people to consume. People wanted to get away from the prolonged depression and rode with the bandwagon, buying what advertisers offered. A mass culture of consumerism proliferated. This was made possible even for people who would not afford through the credit system, promoting instant access to commodities and luxuries and deferring payment with terms (McElvaine, 1993). Many US bankers reached across the globe and lent European countries for post war reconstruction. Economic instability after war did not go along US banks’ objectives and increased the risk of non-payment of loans. This would eventually lead to the Great Depression affecting businesses and communities worldwide. The entire financial industry suffered leading to property and business closures (Olson, 1988). The imposition of higher taxes on imports caused local markets to patronize locally manufactured goods. However, other countries retaliated by imposing high taxes on US exports, resulting in less foreign trade profits and eventually less power in international market penetration (McElvaine, 1993). The growing rate in stocks investment of major industrial companies caught the attention of many. Stock buying became a trend, relying in the belief that this will make people rich. The Stock Market Crash of 1929 marked the domino economic disruption made vulnerable by unequal distribution of wealth and banking problems. Renewed global strategy in achieving international trade through humanitarian and democratic efforts became America’s initiative to promote global security. Priority was also given to secure citizens through provision of social welfare. State-governed economic planning organized nationwide industrial regulations to propel the rise from the Depression. Powerful American businesses have lobbied for rights in exploring resources in other countries despite conservative and anti-colonialism proponents in US government limited US economic expansion. However, open trading between economies leveled the playing field in production and markets. The Progressive Era marked a turning point of US imperial power into a more humanist and democratic torch bearer in an effort to resolve the problems and issues brought about by industrialization and urbanization. Leaders focused on long-term goals, core values and implementation of development programs. Reformists, including President Franklin Roosevelt in the New Deal, sought to end monopolies, destroy political corruption and lessen the gap between the affluent and poor. Through the New Deal, authorized nationwide assistance to socio-economic development of individuals. Agencies were set up to provide employment, regulate mortgage and housing conditions, administered social security, consumer rights and raised funding for education, food and drug safety. Concerns of the working and business class were brought together (Mintz, 2006). Progressive ideologies affected political, social and cultural movements in the local and eventually made impacts on international human rights revolution and the initiation of international governing bodies to secure international relations in politics and economics. Radical changes in international standards and relationships were fostered. The UN and the NATO was founded in 1945 and 1948, respectively. The US became stronger despite its diversity. Operation Breadbasket was launched to increase employment of cultural minorities. From its indistinguishable character, America’s economic, social and technological transformation continues to awe the world. Today, its mandate for democracy and freedom still thrive and inspire other nationalities. References Bancroft, H. (1902). The Financial Panic of 1837. The Great Republic By the Master Historians Vol. III. Retrieved 11-5-2008 from http://www. publicbookshelf. com/public_html/The_Great_Republic_By_the_Master_Historians_Vol_III/thepanic_ce. html Engerman, S. and K. Sokoloff. (2000). Technology and Industrialization, 1790-1914. In The Cambridge Economic History of the United States, Vol. II. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. McElvaine, R. S. (1993). The Great Depression: America 1929-1941. Three Rivers Press. Mintz, S. (2006). Learn About the Progressive Era. Digital History. Retrieved 11-5-2008 from http://www. digitalhistory. uh. edu/modules/progressivism/index. cfm. Oberholtze, E. (1917). A History of the United States since the Civil War, Vol. 1. Macmillan. Olson, J. (1988). from World War I to the New Deal, 1919-1933. Historical dictionary of the 1920s. New York : Greenwood Press.

New England Patriarca Mafia Essay -- essays research papers fc

Organized crime in the United States keeps the FBI and other law enforcement agencies in a never-ending investigation of criminals suspected of the infiltration of legitimate businesses. A notorious twentieth century organized group was the New England Patriarca Mafia, or N.E.P.M.. Originating in 1915, the N.E.P.M. evolved over the early twentieth century decades, until 1954 when Raymond Loredo Salvatore Patriarca was donned as boss* and promptly began to expand its power. Due to mafia-related language that will be present throughout the paper, a page of definitions is supplied at the end of the paper. Defined words throughout the paper will be noted with an asterisk, â€Å" * †.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To gain a basic knowledge for what organized crime really is and how the N.E.P.M. falls into this category, a short summary of legal characteristics is required. As defined by the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice, organized crime is, â€Å"A society that seeks to operate outside the control of the American people and their governments. It involves thousands of criminals*, working within structures as complex as those of any large cooperation, subject to laws more rigidly enforced than those of legitimate governments. Its actions are not impulsive but rather the result of intricate conspiracies, carried on over many years and aimed at gaining control over whole fields of activity in order to amass huge profits† (P.C.C., 1970). Organized crime is a collective result of the commitment, knowledge, and actions of three components: (1) Criminal groups, who are core persons tied by racial, linguistic, ethnic or other bonds; (2) Protectors, who are persons who protect the group’s interests; and (3) Specialist support, which are persons who knowingly render services on an side-job basis to enhance the group’s interests. In order to thrive, an organized crime group needs many different elements. First, it needs an ensured continuity of members, clients, supporters, funds, etc. Additionally, it needs structure, criminality, violence, memberships based on common grounds, and a willingness to corrupt a power and profit goal. Generally, mafia organized crime groups disguise themselves behind the ownership of a legitimate business to avoid questioning from the Internal Revenue Service (I.R.S.) regarding any financial sources. The ille... ...il 2005 Connelly, Richard J. and Jim Calogero. â€Å"Raymond Patriarca Dies at 76: Reputedly Ruled N.E. Organized Crime.† Boston Globe 11 July 1984. 6 April 2005 Internal Revenue Service. Report of Income Unreported on Individual Income Tax   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Returns. Report No. 1104. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1979. Lawrence, J.M. â€Å"Judge Ok’s Suites vs. Crooked Feds.† Boston Herald 18 Sept. 2004. 6 April 2005 Machi, Mario. New-England - Boston, MA. 1997. PLR International. 5 April 2005 Organized Crime/Drug Branch, Criminal Investigation Division. An Introduction to Organized Crime in the United State. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1993. Pace, Denny F. and Jimmie C. Styles. Organized Crime: Concepts and Controls. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Prentice Hall: 1975. Pennsylvania Crime Commission. Report on Organized Crime. Harrisburg: 1970. Reuter, Peter. The Organization of Illegal Markets: An Economic Analysis. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1985. U.S. President’s Commission on Organized Crime. The Impact: Organized Crime Today: Report to the President and the Attorney General. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1986.

Assignments Physical Activity, Disease and Public Health

Obesity is becoming a leading killer disease in the world. The changing nature of life has led to change in lifestyle which has led to increased cases of lifestyle diseases.   It is estimated that more than half of the population of United States is obese or overweight.However epidemiological studies show ethnic and racial dimension with regard to prevalence of obesity in the population. African Americans especially African American women have a higher prevalence of obesity compared to other races.There are many genetic and environmental factors which have been predisposing African Americans to increased cases of obesity. Obesity does not only affect health and social life of the individual but it is also a gateway to development of many other chronic illnesses.   If not well managed, obesity leads to other terminal illnesses like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and others.Change in diet and tendency towards a sedentary lifestyle have been identified as the leading causes of ob esity all over the world.   The increasing prevalence of obesity in the population has been correlated with myriad of environmental, behavioral, physiological, and genetic factors.   Attenuated metabolic response to the exposures in the environmental combined with a number of predisposing factors and low level of energy expenditure leads to   positive energy balance which increases body weight.Several researches have underpinned the importance of diet modification and exercise in reducing body weight. However the emphasis has been mainly on diet modification with less attention on the role of exercises. Regular exercises can help to burn the excess body fats leading to reduction of obesity.In this study we are going to review a number of studies which have looked into the role of exercise in the management of obesity. The study   review a total of 10 studies from American Journal of Nutrition, JAMA, British Journal of Sports Medicine, and many   other renown medical sites. The key search words used include obesity, African Americans, Body Mass Index, and physical activitiesObesityObesity is one of the growing health problems in the world. Since the mid 20th century, the number of obese individuals in the population has been growing at an alarming rate due to the changing nature of our life.   The high prevalence of overweight and obesity is a great concern for adults, children, and adolescents not only in the United States but also in the rest of the world.  Obesity can be defined as increase in body weight due to accumulation of fat tissues. Individual weight status is usually determined by the Body Mass Index, which is a ratio of individual’s weight to height.   Body mass index has been shown as one of the most effective tools to assess the level of risk from individual weight. Obesity can be described as accumulation of fast on the body due to a positive energy balance.The food we eat is used up for body metabolism processes and the r est is stored as fats in the body adipose tissues.   If we eat too much and engage in fewer exercises, there is that energy balance in the body that is converted to fat.   Therefore the more we eat or the higher calorie foods that we eat, the more we gain weight and we end up being obese.According to the body mass index measure, a health individual should have a BMI of 18.5 – 24.9 kg/m2. The following table shows the classification of BMI and the body weight status.

The Importance of Celtic Culture in Sir Gawain and the...

The Importance of Celtic Culture in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, one can discover a variety of reasons why the Green Knight is indeed green. Some can be found in open text while others one has to search for. There is possibly another aspect involved in the holly leaf he carries in his first appearance. The deeper aspect of the Green Knight is how he ties into the beliefs and culture of the Celts. The most obvious reason why the green knight is green are stated throughout his introduction. Fellow, and his hands were green, and his face. And his armor, and his shirt, were green, all green...everything about him was elegant green (line 150-55,66). Every piece of clothing that†¦show more content†¦The fear of other ethnic groups tends to scare people even today. It then leads to misconceptions. If people are still reacting this way today, then back then it obviously is going to be worse. Immediately the Green Knight was thought of as evil because he was not a Christian. Today the same items are visible and lead to the fear and misconceptions, which is why he is feared. Many people ask what exactly makes this giant Green? Later one can imply that Morgan le Fay casts some sort of spell on him to make him green. How exactly though? One can relate the holly branch the Green Knight enters with to this problem. he wore no helmet, no mail-shirt, no neck-armor, nothing against steel or arrow..had only a branch of holly in one hand (lines 203-07). The Green Knight is very confident in his own Celtic magic. So confidant that he has his head chopped off and magically does not die. It never says anywhere that he releases the holy branch from his grasp. Therefore it must be the source of his Celtic power and his protectors at the same time. One knows that the Green Knight is indeed human. He is Bercelak just in a very clever disguise. Somehow he is protected from Morgan le Fays magic. The power of her magic would somehow have to be very strong to reach over a long distance, so it makes more sense that it is held within the holly branch.Show MoreRelatedKing Arthur, Sir Gawain and Superman Essay1160 Words   |  5 Pagescorrect because that is exactly what King Arthur, Sir Gawain and Superman do. They risk their very own lives and put themselves in front of others with their courageous acts from fighting great green knights to fighting the towns super villain. They do it all just to protect their city. The culture of the Medieval Ages valued with bravery and courtly love which was reflected in the exploits and adventures of King Arthur and Sir Gawain; the modern culture trait of compassion is embodied in the modernRead MoreSir Gawains Shield and the Green Night: A Semiotic Analysis1378 Words   |  6 PagesIn the poe m Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain must go on a quest to find the Green Knight from whom he accepted a challenge a year earlier. Because Gawain lives the chivalric code, he must keep his promise to the Green Knight and let him get one swing of the axe one year and a day after he swung the axe on him. Before leaving for this quest, Gawain was given amazing armor and a descriptive shield. This shield was more than just a shield; it had a much greater meaning like many otherRead MoreEssay about Arthurian Legends Effects on English Society2368 Words   |  10 Pagesbe Romano-British warleader, probably named Artorius, which is a Roman name for Arthur. Though the Roman legions may have left Britain in AD 410, the general population of mixed Romans and Celts, would have had generations of Roman law, education, culture and way of life† (http://legendofkingarthur.co.uk/). There are various kinds of information stating whether King Arthur was truly real. There is said t o have legends speaking of his mythical being and also people attempted to prove that there indeedRead MoreArthurian Legends Effects on English Society1104 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Industrial Revolution brought upon. The Arthurian Legends was an effect of the Romantic Era and resulted in the abstract thinking, and the beautiful arts such as music, paintings, poems, and stories. The birth of the Arthurian Legends came from Celtic mythology and medieval romance and the existence of the presence of magic confirm the conception of artistic intellect. Whether or not King Arthur truly existed the ideas of him dramatically changed the English society and English Literature to itsRead MoreEssay on Chivalry2466 Words   |  10 PagesChivalry Chivalry, as defined by Encyclopedia Americana is a system of values and ideals of conduct held by knights in medieval Europe. In its institutional form, chivalry was an informal, international order to which many, but not all, of the ruling class (nobility) belonged. The word is derived from the Latin caballus (horse) through the French chevalier (â€Å"horseman† or knight). Chivalry was born from Feudalism in the late middle ages introducing a new, feminine point of view stressing virtueRead MoreMedieval Poetry3509 Words   |  15 PagesOther popular heroes in medieval literature included El Cid, a Spanish hero, and King Arthur, a legendary Welsh character who became the protagonist of a number of works in French and English. Medieval Iceland produced a highly-developed literary culture, with sophisticated poems and sagas relating to the deeds of the heroes of the Viking Age. Medieval writers concerned themselves with love as well as adventure, particularly from the 11th century onward in France and southern Europe. Stories and poemsRead MoreStatement of Purpose23848 Words   |  96 Pages2011 Page 1 and used the statement of purpose for borderline decisions. However, of liberal arts faculty who responded, approximately half valued the essays as much as other parts of the application package. ï‚ · Determine the importance of the mentor system. The importance of the statement of purpose increases, as Robert M. Brown notes, at institutions with strong mentoring programs ―because it is the only place where an applicant can elaborate a research interest to the extent that faculty members