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Another extra credit option
Please take the 26-question American presidential selector quiz at the link below.www.selectsmart.com/president/2008.html Then, post your top three candidates who are still viable (not the ideal *1). Finally, provide your opinion about these results. Do they surprise you, or not? Did you learn anything? If so, what, specifically?
You may post this or email to me, as one has already....
You may post this or email to me, as one has already....
Blog Archive
About Me
12 comments:
Careful Training Creates Soldiers Who Torture
Pg. 150
As professor Mika Haritos-Fatouros said, “Torturers are made, not born.” That was her finding after she studied the military regime that came to power in Greece after a 1967 coup. It fell in 1974. The dictatorship carefully trained soldiers to get information and squelch through torture. She did one of the most in depth studies on torturers that has ever been conducted. She interviewed 16 former soldiers and reviewed testimony of 21 others and their victims. Many of her interviews defied the stereotype of sadistic men who take pleasure in torture. She found that it the torturers were simply plunked from the ranks of ordinary soldiers and trained. One was from a farm family. He is a 33-year-old high school teacher, who is married with two children at the time she interviewed him, but just 18 months ago he had tortured prisoners and ordered others to torture. The army sought young recruits from rural, conservative families who were healthy, had normal intelligence, conformist in nature, and compliant. The “chosen” recruits were sent for an intensive three-month training period where they were broken down physically and mentally. This training period started almost before they arrived at the training facility. The abuse of the torturers in training intensified as the weeks went on. They were ordered to run or hop everywhere they went. The aim Haritos-Fatouros said, “was to minimize all resistance by instilling in the cadets the habit of obeying without question an order without logic.” Basically they were programmed to blindly obey authority and dehumanize their victims. They were gradually desensitized to torture. They first participated in-group beatings. The first time one torturer participated in a group beating he said he went to his cousin’s house after and cried. He also stated it got easier each time. They eventually ratcheted up to using electric shock and serious abuse. She determined the underlying goal was making the tortures believe that they were “not, in fact, inflicting a savage and horrifying violation upon another human being.” One torturer said, “They brainwashed us. It was only later we realized that what we did was inhuman.” He also stated “it was only after I finished my military service that it occurred to me that most of us beat up prisoners because we’d been beaten up ourselves.” Another torturers told her, “When I tortured, basically, I felt it was my duty. A lot of the time I found myself repeating the phrases I’d heard in the lessons, like ‘bloody communists’ and so on. I think I became worse as time went on. I became more a part of the system. I believed in the whole system.” She concluded, “We are all, under the right conditions, capable of becoming torturers.” I choose to write about this because it truly made me mad. I think that choosing soldiers and making them go to training to learn how to torture is horrible. I believe that the tactics of any military in any country should not use torture. I don’t blame these soldiers because they were basically brainwashed and didn’t realized what they were doing was wrong until they finished there service in the military. Whoever the officers were that choose to pick soldiers and send them to learn how to torture should be tortured. I don’t generally believe in an eye for and eye because it leaves the world blind, but in this case I don’t think the officers to choose soldiers will understand until it happens to them.
Lovely Jackson
Torture Debate Page 139-141
Torture, is "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions. Torture is still practiced in 160 countries according to 2005 survey. The United States government is accused of using Water Boarding on terrorist or anyone they suspect of veing a terrorist. Water Boarding is a form of torture that consists of immobilizing a person on their back with the head inclined downward, and pouring water over the face and into the breathing passages. Through forced suffocation and inhalation of water, the subject experiences the process of drowning and is made to believe that death is imminent. On December 10, 1948 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights .Article 5 states, "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." Some people think that torture is very effective and necessary.
pp. 60-61
Inside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
Dealing with the “haves” and “have nots”
Nuclear weapon states (haves) and non-nuclear states (have nots) entered into an agreement or bargain to reduce the number of nuclear arsenals world-wide. This agreement is the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Enacted in 1970, this treaty denies liberties of countries that already have nuclear weapons and allows certain liberties of those that do not have nuclear weapons.
From what I was able to gather from the information given, it seems as if some of the articles of this treaty are not as clear cut when it comes to whether or not the rights of countries to conduct research, develop, and produce nuclear energy. In reading this article, I found that “good faith measures” seem to be the best way to ensure the compliance of the countries involved in this treaty. The “haves” must, essentially promise to become a “have not” in order for the treaty to make any sense at all. In “good faith” they must disarm and destroy whatever they already have. “Have nots” must, essentially promise to not buy or produce any nuclear weapons.
A problem that I noticed in reading this article is an age old problem; accountability. What if (insert country here) decides to create a secret arsenal? What if this country decides to keep what they have, in defiance of the treaty? There does not seem to be a provision for this type of problem noted in the treaty. Despite these concerns; of which I am sure that I am not the only one to notice, the treaty was extended for an additional 25 years in 1995. Even though the world’s super powers (U.S. and Russia) still hold nuclear reserves; I suspect for fear of one that the other may still pull the trigger first, the number of arsenals world-wide has decreased from 60,000 in 1970 to about 26,000 presently. The eventual goal of this treaty has always been zero.
Susan Jones
Blog 7
Inuit Confront Hard Reality
The people in Inuit have a lot to lose from the climate change. For them, unfortunately, the climate changes have already underway. In Alaska, Western Canada and Eastern Russia have already warmed up four to seven degrees in Fahrenheit in the past fifty years. This is causing the Inuit villages destruction with the sea ice that once did protect them from the winter storms. The elders of the Inuit villages are complaining that the weather, and the location as well as the characteristics of the plant and animal species are becoming more and more unpredictable. A village off of the Alaska was forced off the island, simply because of erosion, which was caused by powerful winter storms. The Inuit’s relationship with Canada and smaller island states have since developed. But, the leaders of this island have been discouraged by the world’s failure to act forcefully to reduce the greenhouse emissions. In late 2005, they took a huge step, and filed an official legal petition with the Inter-America Commission of Human Rights (IACHR), this charged the United States with violating their human rights by not cutting the commission. In 2006,the Washington-based IACHR responded to this petition and said that the petition did not provide enough sufficient evidence to allow the proper evaluation. The Inuit people plan to continue in drawing the plan for as long as it takes.
I think that they should continue to keep pressing the issue of moving the petition, because this is not right. Many of their people are dying, because of the extreme climates. It is also making it hard for them to fish, trap and snowmobile, which are critical activities for them.
Journal 7
No: Paolo Cotta-Ramusino
The two treaties that exist to ban nuclear weapons, the production, and stockpiling, the one from 1972 and the one from chemical warfare in 1993. Would another work? The advantages to another ban are obvious. It owl end the dangers that nuclear states might use these nuclear weapons. Using another one of these treaties would outlaw nuclear weapons, making them illegal and immoral. Other obvious things are the questions connected with the transition to an effective prohibition. How do we know that some states will not retain nuclear weapons in defiance? How do we prevent states with the capability to produce nuclear weapons commercially, transition to nuclear weapons production? This author believes that if the situation were stable it would be possible. According to this author, it is not even though the last fifty years have been met with a cold peace. Much of this depends on the Unites States and Russians and their attitudes. I have to agree.
Spanish blame bombing on war in Iraq
Spain’s support of U.S. seen as critical factor
Pg. 30
The morning of March 11, 2004, four rush hour trains in Madrid were bombed resulting in 191 killed and more than 1700 injured. These bombers were attempting to intimidate the Spanish government. In February 2007, 29 men went on trial for the bombings, and claimed they belonged to a local cell of Islamic militants aligned with al Qaeda. The Spanish citizens did not view the assault as part of a war between Islam and the West. The new prime minister withdrew Spain’s 1300 troops from Iraq within weeks, risking a rupture of the close alliance Spain had enjoyed with the U.S. Many feel that bush just wants to go to Iraq for the oil, and that he really doesn’t want to help the people there.
I think that the world needs to be at peace with each other. I know that that is a huge long shot and most likely will never happen. We all have resources that are needed by others and vice versa. There should be no nuclear weapons of mass destruction or planning on bombing other people. Every culture and every person is different and it is time that everyone realizes that and gets over thinking that they are inferior to everyone. The world would be a much better place if everyone got along and didn’t think they were better than the rest of the world.
Rickey Clay
POL200
(pg. 144-145)
Torture has escalated in Iraq
Even though Sadam Hussein is no longer around to facilitate the inhumanely perpetuate torture, it is still a wide-spread issue in the country. In fact, it is said that it may now be even more of an issue now than before with concerns that the country may be in the midst of a civil war. “Bodies brought to the Baghdad morgue often bear signs of acid-induced injuries, broken limbs and wounds caused by power drills and nails…” are just some of the showings of torture reported by U.N. investigators.
Troops in Iraq (both American and Iraqi) found a Baghdad prison which is expected of being utilized as a torture facility run by the Interior Ministry; site 4. Many believe the cataclysmic upheaval of violence and torture in the country is a result of a country left in shambles through war efforts. No law and order and the rising of civil war expectancy has to be taken into consideration when searching for determining factors of the issue at hand. Also, the employment of officals and generals to participate in the war efforts in Iraq who were known to use torture tactics during their previous employment(s) can also be link to the problem. Police, jailers, and intelligence agents all have been suspected of using various torture methods; some of whom had relating types of jobs under Saddam.
The issues of torture is a direct casualty of war. Prior to the release of video tapes and audio recordings and written reports of torture (shown, heard, and described in full detail) I think that the issue was quietly accepted. No one wanted to know how information was found out during the times of war, but I believe most actually knew. It is now becoming an issue with Humans Rights Activists because of constant reporting of the violent tactics. I look at torture somewhat the same way I look at the death penalty--which I’m also opposed to: while some of the people who receive torture (death penalty) may be the scum of the Earth, we as humane people should remain implicitly “humane” in reacting to these people’s behavior rather than succumbing to the same type of response we’re persecuting them for. Also, running the risk of subjecting someone innocent to these types of decisions is too strong a risk. On a much smaller scale, expressed to the layman, torture is barbaric and Humans Rights Activists are right in their involvement. It is paramount that we show decorum in a time of turmoil to resemble a people which can react responsibly under the most extreme conditions; indirectly lowering the negative opinions and suspicion of a bad decision being made.
4/9/08
Frankly I don’t want to write from any article in the book, there are so many more things that this world has going on than what’s in the book. This world we call home is on the frits just like a computer or TV that has gone crazy. Every culture is going through their own tribulation by this I mean the U.S. is fighting a war in Iraq and Iran is one of our problems but are we dealing with them? Many in Africa go hungry and fight over diamonds. Tibet wants freedom and the acknowledgement of humanity, but yet China oppresses them. The Olympic Games are being held in Beijing and contestants are dropping out because they fear for their lives. We here in the land of the free fight about the stupid things, can’t seem to get along with our neighbors. Well speaking of killing in James City County, VA which is too close to home a neighbor was shot a point blank range by his neighbor in his head, so WOW!!! What are people thinking? Are jails are overcrowded, no help for the mentally ill, no help for our veterans, we have homeless living all around us Men, Women and Children living in filth. About 3 children A DAY die due to abuse and neglect in the U.S. We have cultures around us that believe in given children as young as 9 in some cases to men well in years for the purpose to be there wife. 400 plus children taken from Texas and most of the girls are pregnant and their under 18 years of age, the girls cannot identify their mothers because they community raise their children, most do not know whom there real father is. We have American people too lazy to get a job no matter how disgusting it may be, because they can get state assistants, but yet the Cubans and Mexicans will come in a heartbeat and take over ANY job. People are always coming over to the U.S. so they may have a better life and so they may but as an American life isn’t so grand. Gas prices have gone through the roof, rent is always increasing and they cost just to live to outrageous. As a single mother who is employed and a full time student, I struggle ever day to survive to put gas in the car or pay the bills, it’s not easily explaining to your children you can’t do anything thing this week or even eat out which is a big deal to kids and only a treat once in a while you can’t do that because we just don’t have the money too. We don’t have the money to do a lot of things and the children just don’t understand. The television and ads that run say GET YOUR EDUCATION, well I achieved an Associate’s Degree and I was denied a job because my credit was bad even though I can pass a background and have great ethics and eager to learn and get the job done my credit effects if I can get the job. And when I try to explain why my credits that way the comment is WE DON’T CARE, fix your credit and come back to us. WHAT? I can’t pay off my debts (they are my ex husbands fault ) and try and live and pay the bills that’s why I am seeking employment so I can take care of those things that have held me down. So in all my wisdom I went BACK to school again and by 12/08 will be done with my Bachelors’ degree in the same field. And will HOPE and PRAY then I will be able to get a job…. But it seems that no matter how hard I try being a good mother, hard worker, willing to get dirty and learn for the job, have good ethics and integrity, good student awesome employee which any person I’ve worked with will say but yet I still can’t find a job that will hire based on those qualities, but yet people less qualified and that does drugs will get my job. So this world that has so much to offer has so very little to actually offer hard working people that do right. You don’t classify as poverty because you make just over the income guidelines so you can’t get assistance but yet you can barely afford to live and can’t afford health care for yourself, so if you go to the ER you will rack up more bills that you won’t or can’t pay. We keep having babies to do nothing more with them than kill them, use them as pawns for divorces or marriages, as extra tax write off’s, sex objects and in the end these children grow up to be killers, mentally ill or will continue the same cycle on their own children. Why can’t we get it together and change the way we do things? I right now can only change the way I handle my situation and pray that my children will grow up to make the changes that I may not get to in my life time, but until I die I will keeping making it known that we need to make changes before we all end up killing ourselves.
I recently took the 26-question American presidental selector quiz and it revealed to me that my top three candidates were Obama, Edwards, and Clinton. However, I don't agree with the results of this quiz. Just like all other politicians before, I don't believe that these candidates will stick to their promises of reformation and adhering to what the US Constitution says.
Barrack Obama has already proved that he will not adhere to what the Constitution says when the pastor at the church he has been attending for the past 20 years has been making racially charged statements in the middle of his sermons; yet, Obama continued to attended this church. Which proves to me that Obama not only agrees with what his pastor, Jeremiah Wright, preached but that even more of are Constitutional Rights would be flushed down the toilet if he got elected as president.
John Edwards states that he is for helping illegal immigrants. I disagree with this notion of helping illegal immigrants because it takes help away from the US Citizens that need it the most. The social service system is already over taxed as it is without helping people that does not pay a single penny to keep this system going.
Hillary, as America found out back in the 1990's when she was in power the first time, proved that she will twist the Constitution to suit only her needs. She is for gun control and as America found out with the controversy that took place at Ruby Ridge back in 1992, guns (legal or illegal) don't kill people kill. Take guns away from the law-bearing citizens and crime will skyrocket.
McCain, who did not even come close, strike me as someone who is from the rich and only the rich. America don't need another Bush in office either.
However, after doing some research I learned that I'm a Constitutionist, a political party that is on the far-right end of the spectrum. I share the same ideas that they have. I also believe that the US Constitution should be strictly followed. This is a belief that I had since the fall of 1988, when at the age of 18, I had the nerve to began questioning the effectiveness and usefulness of the U.S. Constitution. By me sticking to exactly what the Constitution says I made some very powerful enemies but I'll continue questioning the Constitution until we get politicians that can do more for America than just vote themselves another undeserved pay raise.
Spanish Blame Bombing on War in Iraq
Global Issues, Pg. 32
Spain’s support of U.S. seen as critical factor
The War in Iraq was evident of many countries being preyed upon by terrorist organizations in an effort to retaliate for involvement in the Iraq war. Many Spanish citizens believed that the Prime Minister of Spain during the time of war went against their decision to oppose war efforts. Eighty percent of the Spaniards opposed the United States led war in Iraq. Despite the people’s consent, former Prime Minister Jose Maria Anzar vowed with President George Bush to invade Iraq.
Many believe the war in Iraq was solely fought over O-I-L. President George Bush insisted that the war was not because of the interest in oil, but to protect the rights of women and the local Iraqi people, as well as to seek and destroy Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). The Spaniards believed that the former Prime Minister followed President Bush’s decision even though it meant running against the will of his own people.
As a result of this war, many protestors voiced their opinions. As mentioned before, many believed the war was fought merely because of greed for oil. I personally believe that oil was indeed the motivation for this war. I understand that the U.S. has needs to sustain its level of dominance, however, we must learn to obey and trust decisions and concerns of other; especially when war conflict was heavily opposed. No nation should be allowed to march into war after a majority vote declined to go to war.
Torture Has Escalated in Iraq
Journal #8
Global Issues
Pp144-45
The level of torture perpetrated by government personnel and militias has escalated since the War. A U.N. official has reported that the use of torture is “totally out of hand”. Rumor has it that even Saddam Hussein wasn’t as bad as it is now. People are being identified with broken limbs and wounds caused by power drills, nails, acid-induced injuries and much worst. The torture is becoming so widespread because law and order has not been restored, along with continued employment of officials who use torture during Hussein’s regime. The government has been slow to respond to the reports of abuse by police, jailers and intelligence agents. Promises are being made to conduct investigations but still no action has come about. No one has made a commitment to making this issue a priority. A 2004 report indicated that after the fall of Saddam, Iraqi authorities beat detainees with cables, kicked them in the genitals and hung them by handcuffs from iron bars of cell windows for several hours. This type of abuse is unacceptable and needs to be looked into by the Iraqi government officials. Issues of this magnitude can lead an individual to think of the stability of the government. One can’t help but to ask there self who runs this country? Are government officials indirectly involved with this tactics? It is a very sad situation that can only be corrected by the people. Someone has to take a stand and over throw these people whom have been giving the power for far too long. The days of sitting down and taken the abuse needs to come to an end. One man cannot do it alone.
Truman Petway
Pages 57-59
Could terrorists get nuclear weapons?
Even with the massive widespread of nuclear weapons, they believe that a full scale nuclear attack can be less likely than a small suitcase bomb or similar object. That could still have the force to kill thousands of people. In 1998, al Qaeda leader Osama bin laden was asked on his attempts to acquire chemical and nuclear weapons of mass destruction. He simple replied that by acquiring such weapons for the defense of Muslims is their religious duty. In the nuclear threat initiative warned in a recent study that actions must be taken quickly to prevent a nuclear 9/11. This private group is founded by entrepreneur ted turner and former Sen. Nunn and they receives funding in part from financier Warren Buffet. President Bush is among many who regard a terrorist nuclear attack on American soil as the single greatest threat to the United States. At the G-8 economic summit in St. Petersburg, Russia in July of 2006, he persuaded Russian President Vladimir Putin to join him in launching the global initiative to combat nuclear terrorism. Therefore this calls for countries to improve on accounting, control and protection of nuclear and radioactive material, tighten security at nuclear facilities to prevent the acts of terrorism. They think involving the Russians is considered the key to any improvement in global nuclear security because theft of nuclear fuel from Russia’s often poorly guarded facilities is a widely recognized danger. I think today nuclear war and weapons are a very big concern. Because these other countries have this nuclear facilities they have poor security also you have the terrorist buying nuclear weapons in the black market. I feel they need to make some type of special government control over these things worldwide. And have more strict rules on nuclear weapons. They would have to do so In other to control the United States terrorist activity.
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