The Benefits Of Marijuana Legalization

The Benefits Of Marijuana Legalization The economic recession that began around January 2008 has taking its toll on several fronts. The recession has affected the U.S. labor markets as seen in the rapidly rising unemployment and underemployment issues. U.S. jobs have declined by over 5 million over the past 12 months and the unemployment rate has risen to over 9%. The recession has also caused a steep decline in state tax revenues. As a result states are beginning to see very large budgets deficits. States are struggling to find other ways to shore up the loss in revenue that is needed to support public services. California, the Golden State has reported a $20 billion budget deficit. The state is currently spending $400 to $ 600 million more a month that they are collecting in revenues. As the reality of the deficit becomes apparent to the leaders of California, the governor has asked for solutions to their problems. What you can expect generally is no taxes and terrible cuts, absolutely terrible cuts, said Governor Schwarzenegger to press secretary Aaron McLear. Were not going to get through the deficit we have without making some really tough decisions. (www.sacbee.com) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a San Francisco Democrat, and the states two Democratic U.S. senators have said new federal aid was unlikely, given that California has already received billions of dollars from the stimulus package.The federal government is not responsible for the state of Californias budget, and we look forward to hearing a sustainable plan for the state to get its house in order, a spokesman for Ms. Pelosi said after the budget was released Friday May 14, 2010. (www.wstj.com) While the state administration debates ways to reduce the large deficit one solution has been mentioned, the legalization of marijuana. It has been estimated that a legal market for marijuana could yield revenue of $1.5 to $2.5 billion a year. Total retail sales would result in a total economic impact of $8 to $13 billion a year. The state would also save over $160 million a year in law enforcement cost for arrests, prosecutions, and imprisonment. Additional benefits would arise from more sales taxes from spinoff markets such as smokehouses, industrial hemp facilities and larger amounts of tourism. (www.canorml.org) Over 1.6 million Californians have smoked marijuana within the past 30 days, according to the most recent National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, which found 5.6% of all Americans over the age of 12 are current marijuana users. According to the survey, one-third of this population, or 530,000 Californians are daily users. Taking this survey into consideration, the California administration believes there will be sufficient demand for this product. (www.canorml.org) California has now added the Tax Cannabis Act to its November ballot which will be to legalize the cultivation, possession, and recreational use of marijuana. So why not legalize marijuana? There are several moral arguments that need to be considered: rights, justice, utilitarianism, caring, virtue and Christianity before any decisions can be made. Rights Marijuana was banned by The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 in the U.S. in 1937after 162 years of use. In 1937 Anslinger testified before Congress in favor of Marijuana Prohibition by saying: Marijuana is the most violence causing drug in the history of mankind. Most marijuana smokers are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. Marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes. (www.hempcar.org) Many supporters of legalization of marijuana believe that the prohibition laws were passed based on discrimination and lies therefore violating human rights. In general, a right is an individual entitlement to something. (pg 73, Velasquez) Rights are a powerful device according to Velasquez, when they are used to enable the individual to choose freely whether to pursue certain activities and to protect those choices. (pg 74) Prohibition will work great injury to the cause of temperance. It is a species of intemperance within itself, for it goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a mans appetite by legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A Prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded. Abraham Lincoln (1809-65), U.S. President stated during a speech on the 18th of December 1840, to Illinois House of Representatives. Allowing the government to control what individuals freely choose to do when they pose no threat to their community than they are letting the government violate their basic constitutional rights. Justice The production, distribution, and use of marijuana is a criminal offense under the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act. Retributive justice refers to the just imposition of punishment and penalties on those who do wrong. (pg88, Velasquez) In 2007, police in Californian made over 60,000 felony and misdemeanor arrests of individuals possessing marijuana. If charged with possession of marijuana it will carry large penalties for offenders in the United States. The first offence could be a fine of $500 or up to 20 years imprisonment for third or more offences. These arrests create permanent criminal records that could disqualify individuals for schooling, student loans, housing and most importantly jobs. The cost of law enforcement of the marijuana laws in California contribute to the economic problem by over $150 million per year. (pg 97) So the moral question is: Does the crime fit the punishment? How fair is this action? These questions of distributive justice arise when different people put forth conflicting claims on societys benefits and burdens. (pg 88) Utilitarianism There are no arguments that there are a several side effects that come from smoking marijuana. The advocates for marijuana use believe the only side effect is it elevates the feeling of happiness. Jeremy Bentham states that, the theory which accepts as the fundamentals of morals, utility or the greatest happiness principle, holds that ones actions are right if those actions promote happiness and wrong if they produce negative effects. The happiness is intended to produce pleasure and not pain. (pg 62) This ethical theory insists that the desire for happiness motivates human conduct. Taking into consideration the utilitarian calculations, by using marijuana in the privacy of the individuals home serves to increase their pleasure or greatest happiness principle. The government, therefore, has no right to prohibit what is ethically justifiable conduct. On the other hand for those individuals who argue against legalizing of marijuana believe that the use is wrong because marijuana destroys brain cells and could also be a gateway drug to more lethal drugs and narcotics. These advocates have successfully enacted prohibition laws banning the use of marijuana. Utilitarians stress, however, these advocates are acting unethically because they are decreasing the greatest happiness principle covered in the shield of upholding what is an essentially contested concept (pg 60), namely, the common good. Utilitarianism is also the basis of the techniques of economic cost-benefits analysis. This type of analysis is used to determine whether its present and future economic benefits outweigh its present and future costs. (pg 63) The California administration believes that by legalizing marijuana they can tax it which will help eliminates the states budget deficit problems. This will also eliminate the $150 million dollars that are spent each year by enforcing the ban on marijuana. Caring Drugs that are deemed politically, socially, medically, or religiously unfit for recreational use are often banned. Ethic reasoning based on caring sees our communities and communal relationships as a fundamental value that should be preserved and maintained. (pg 103) The position on the legalization of marijuana is different for each individual. Those positions range from blanket prohibition to permitting use in small doses. Advocates believe that legalizing the drug would be a good thing because it forces manufactures to meet regulation guidelines just like the manufactures of cigarettes and alcoholic beverages. Currently legal drugs must have ingredients lists, warning labels and purity levels clearly stated on the containers. By providing a legal supply chain of the currently illegal drug the prices will fall which would theoretically lead to the collapse of the current illegal drug industry and also lead to a reduction in crimes committed by those illegal organizations. They also argue that there will be no change in the amount of demand for marijuana due to the inelasticity of the demand. On the other side of the argument, advocates believe the state should not be involved in the distribution of substances that are considered unhealthy. They believe it is the states job to protect each citizens health and not contribute to exposing them to risky items. These advocates truly care for their communities by exhibiting the virtues of concern and love. (pg 103) These advocates are very concerned that the marijuana use will be dangerous to others beside the user. They are worried that it will contribute to the rise in health costs, create more violence that is always accompanied with drug use and most importantly contribute to the neglect of children that is always seen in drug-addicted parents. Virtue The debate going on in California over legalization marijuana has been a very controversial issue. It has been debated by both advocating sides of the issue. The advocates for legalizing marijuana argue from Aristotles moral virtue point of view. A person lives according to reason, Aristotle argued, when the person knows and chooses reasonable middle ground in his actions and desires: Moral virtue is a mean between two vices, one of excess and the other of deficiency and it aims a hitting the mean in desires and actions.(pg 110) With respect to consumable goods, temperance the virtue of being reasonable by indulging the desire but not in excess. Marijuana advocates reason that as long as it is used only for recreational purposes and not abused there should be no issues from Aristotle point of view for not legalizing it. The advocates against legalizing marijuana argue from another moral virtue point of view. They argue that economic institutions or governmental administration make people greedy and large bureaucrat organizations make people less responsible. These organizations are morally defective because they tend to create morally defective individuals. (pg 113) These advocates fear that the State of California only concern is to fix its budget deficit problems at the expense of its citizen well being. Christianity The advocates against legalizing marijuana argue that the use of any mind-altering drug is morally and spiritually damaging therefore should be kept out of reach. The book of Galatians 5:19-21states, The acts of sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debaucheryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. Keeping this scripture in mind, by participating in these deeds of the flesh will excluded one from the kingdom of heaven. This scripture also proves that smoking marijuana would not be a good Christian activity one would want to participate in. The bible predicted that people would want to participate in bad behavior in a letter the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 which states, There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of moneyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦without love, self control, not lovers of goodà ¢Ã¢â€ š ¬Ã‚ ¦lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God-having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. The argument is made that people will be lovers of the pleasures in life rather than lovers of God. The final argument is how can an individual focus on doing good works if their minds are clouded with marijuana smoke. On the side of the debate advocates for legalizing marijuana argue that the current laws are an invasion of individual rights to make their own moral decisions concerning what they do in their own homes. Prohibition is allowing the government to make moral decisions for individuals and not allowing ones to be morally accountable for their own actions. The scriptures do talk about keeping church and state separate in Luke 20:25 which states, He said to them, Then give to Caesar what is Caesars and to God what is Gods. Jesus also talked about this separating in John 15:19, If you belong to the world, it will love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you. It is also argued that although marijuana is not directly mentioned in the bible it does talk about how God gave humans plants and herbs to use for food. Then God said, I give you every herb bearing [seed] plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it .They wil l be yours for food. (Genesis 1:29) The legalization of marijuana appears to have a lot of support in California. Activists believe that taxing marijuana production and sales would bail out the cash-strapped state. The point has been made that prohibition law has been a big disaster because it has wasted billions of dollars in law enforcement resources and made criminals out of normally law bidding citizens. There are on the other hand still a lot of activists that oppose decrimalizing marijuana. They argue that with recreational marijuana use comes impaired driving, crashes and injuries to innocent parties. Critics also worry social costs far outweigh the revenue it will bring in to the state. There are several measures that need to be met in order to grow support. First sales should not be outright legalized but regulated. Next the state would need to create laws to manage the production, distribution, and sales of marijuana. Finally marijuana should be managed and controlled using the guidelines the alcohol and toba cco industries follow.

The Medieval Church, The Book of Margery Kempe and Everyman :: Book of Margery Kempe Essays

The Medieval Church, The Book of Margery Kempe and Everyman While the Reformation is generally regarded to have begun with Martin Luther’s famous treatise of 1517, the seeds of dissent sown in the 14th century had already taken full root in England by the middle of the 15th century. War, disease, and oppressive government led to a general anger toward the Catholic Church, believed to be â€Å"among the greatest of the oppressive landowners† (Norton 10). John Wycliffe, whose sermons preached against abuses in the church and attempted to shift the focus of religious faith away from church rituals and onto scriptural interpretation, was persecuted. Renaissance Humanism’s notion of individual agency was filtering across the Channel. The medieval texts The Book of Margery Kempe (probably written in the late 1430s) and Everyman (after 1485) are therefore products of turbulent religious times. Everyman, in that it highlights the importance of the sacraments and the clergy, can be seen as a response on the part of the Catholic Church to the challenges it faced. The Book of Margery Kempe gives hints into the nature of these challenges. Both texts reveal a medieval concern about the role of the clergy in England. The Book of Margery Kempe, while presented as spiritual autobiography, was also a story as transcribed by a priest. Although the manuscript was not â€Å"discovered† until 1934, it shows evidence of having been read and studied much before this time. Annotations by four additional hands, probably â€Å"monks associated with the important Carthusian priory of Mount Grace in Yorkshire† fill the margins of the British Library MS (Staley 2). Believed to retain â€Å"much of the characteristic form and expression of its author†, it nonetheless must be remembered that Kempe’s story was interpreted and presented through a very specific (clerical) lens (Norton 367). Lynn Staley, who studied the early annotations made to the original manuscript, notes that the marginal comments and underlining â€Å"are directed toward elucidating the â€Å"affective† emphasis of the text† (5). â€Å"The challenge to authority implicit in Margery’s experiences,† Staley continues, â€Å"is downplayed by highlighting those characteristics that link Margery to the conventions of spiritual ecstasy† (6). Staley suggests that Kempe’s narration is shaped â€Å"to guide subsequent readers towards a carefully controlled response, one that obviates the radical social gospel submerged in Kempe’s Narrative† (6). Given that this â€Å"radical social gospel† is nonetheless present in Kempe’s story and that it contains an ambiguous picture

Medal of Honor

When President Ronald Reagan presented Roy Perez Benavidez with his Medal of Honor in 1981, the President told the media that if someone had written a fictional story with a hero like Benavidez, nobody would have believed it. And, in fact, in his autobiography Medal of Honor: One Man’s Journey from Poverty and Prejudice, the story Benavidez tells is the stuff that movies are made of. Benavidez was an orphan in south Texas, a half-breed Indian and Hispanic in an era when neither was acceptable.He dropped out of school before even making it to high school, but as a staff sergeant in the Army during the conflict in Vietnam; he saved eight other men and prevented classified documents from falling into the hands of the enemy. (â€Å"Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipient†) In essence, Benavidez is a true American success story. He was born to migrant farm workers and received the highest commendation that the United States offers for bravery in conflict. However, it may have b een Benavidez never say die attitude that did more to establish his positive contributions to American society than his war record.As the medevac chopper landed the wounded were examined one by one. Staff Sergeant Benavidez could only hear what was going on around him. He had over thirty seven puncture wounds. His intestines were exposed. He could not see as his eyes were caked in blood and unable to open. Neither could he speak, his jaw broken, clubbed by a North Vietnamese rifle. But he knew what was happening, and it was the scariest moment of his life, even more so than the earlier events of the day. He lay in a body bag, bathed in his own blood. Jerry Cottingham, a friend screamed â€Å"That's Benavidez. Get a doc†.When the doctor arrived he placed his hand on Roy's chest to feel for a heartbeat. He pronounced him dead. The physician shook his head. â€Å"There's nothing I can do for him. † As the doctor bent over to zip up the body bag. Benavidez did the only thi ng he could think of to let the doctor know that he was alive. He spit in the doctor's face. The surprised doctor reversed Roy's condition from dead to â€Å"He won't make it, but we'll try†. (Rouse) These were the wounds that Benavidez received the day he save eight men and won a Medal of Honor, but the reality is this was not the first time he had been gravely wounded in Vietnam.Four years earlier, in 1964, Benavidez was hit with shrapnel from a land mind and doctors said he would not recover. They said he would never walk again. They were wrong. In an exerpt from his book, Benavidez explains, Night after night, I bailed out of bed, crawled for the wall at the head of my bed and pulled myself up. I pushed the nightstands ahead with my arms, pressed my feet against the cold tile floor, and dragged my dead body along until my arms were under me again. Then I'd start all over again. Finally, I was moving about two tiles at a time. . .I had learned that if I got knocked down, I had to get up and keep fighting until I knocked my opponent down, and he didn't get up. Every night I got knocked down. Every night I got back up again. . . The pain was like nothing I could have ever dreamed about. Every night it would suck the sweat and tears from my body and my soul. Every day I would go back to that little chapel and sit alone and restore my soul. I went through all the stages of blaming God, accusing, doubting, and arguing, but he never deserted me. He'd never let me leave that chapel until I was ready to try again.After chapel, I went to physical therapy to try to restore the rest of my body for my nightly battle. In therapy I'd sit with the guys with no legs, or the true paraplegics, and learn how to live in the chair. I was not a good student. I wouldn't give in to the chair. At night I was beginning to win my battle, and I wasn't going to let the therapists convince me that it was a lost cause. (â€Å"Vietnam Medal of Honor†) That strength of spirit is perhaps the most lasting contribution Benavidez made to his country. Years later, as he lay dying, Benavidez had the same attitude.With two pieces of shrapnel still in his heart and a collapsed lung and diabetes, he reportedly said â€Å"quitters never win and winners never quit,† in his last interview, saying that he wanted to recover so he could continue working as a motivational speaker. (Mishalov) Another of Benavidez’s lasting contributions to the country came in the form of his activism after winning the Medal of Honor. During the Reagan Administration, Social Security attempted to cut his disability benefits, saying that the disabled war hero should find work.Though he regretted using his Medal for political purposes, he wore it as he testified to a Congressional committee regarding the unfairness of their Social Security budget cuts (Mishalov). Benavidez’s contribution are numerous, based mostly around his attitude of try, try again. He has an elemen tary school named for him and the U. S. Navy named a ship in his honor, a rare occurrence for the Navy to honor a member of another branch of the service. But Benavidez set all the honors and praise aside, saying that he did not consider himself a hero for his actions the day he won the Medal of Honor.The heroes, he said, were the men who lost their lives for their country. His actions were simply â€Å"his duty. † (Mishalov). Benavidez died of diabetes-related complications in November, 1998. Works Cited Mishalov, Neil. â€Å"Medal of Honor: Roy P. Benavidez† June 14, 2007. Rouse, Ed. â€Å"Roy P. Benavidez† , June 14, 2007. â€Å"Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipient† http://www. medalofhonor. com/RoyBenavidez. htm>, June 14, 2007.

Free Essays on Crabbing Regulations

INTRODUCTION The water of the Chesapeake Bay is the home of one of Maryland’s most economically important animals: Callinectes sapidus. This unique creature, commonly known as the blue crab, enjoys the warm, shallow waters of the Bay which provide the perfect environment for all stages of its life (Wesche 2002). The mix of fresh and salt water is optimal for life and for submerged aquatic vegetation located in the estuary supplies a safe haven for developing crabs (Wesche 2002). The overall richness of the environment contributes in creating the idea habitat. The blue crab is a vital part of the ecosystem as well as the culture in Maryland, which is known for its crabbing industry. Chesapeake blue crabs are understood to be some of the most delicious in the world. Each year tourists come to this region just to taste the fresh meat (Greer 2002). Wesche (2002) summarizes the background of the blue crab. Early settlers documented the utilization of the blue crab by the native people of the Chesapeake Bay. The tasty meat was a staple in their diets, and the colonist soon shared the same craving. Use by individuals became the norm; however commercial marketing of this resource was sluggish due to the inability to ship the crabs to non-coastal communities without spoiling. The first big break occurred with the invention of refrigeration. As the crabbing industry began expanding, it became necessary to implement management techniques for harvesting, including regulations. For over a century these â€Å"rules of the trade† have evolved. New restrictions have been created each time the need for better management arises. Recently, a drop in the crab population and yield has led to new regulations on commercial crabbing greatly affecting the industry. This paper will focus on the controversial implementation of Maryland’s most recent crabbing regulations. This will identify the reasons for the managerial actions, as wel... Free Essays on Crabbing Regulations Free Essays on Crabbing Regulations INTRODUCTION The water of the Chesapeake Bay is the home of one of Maryland’s most economically important animals: Callinectes sapidus. This unique creature, commonly known as the blue crab, enjoys the warm, shallow waters of the Bay which provide the perfect environment for all stages of its life (Wesche 2002). The mix of fresh and salt water is optimal for life and for submerged aquatic vegetation located in the estuary supplies a safe haven for developing crabs (Wesche 2002). The overall richness of the environment contributes in creating the idea habitat. The blue crab is a vital part of the ecosystem as well as the culture in Maryland, which is known for its crabbing industry. Chesapeake blue crabs are understood to be some of the most delicious in the world. Each year tourists come to this region just to taste the fresh meat (Greer 2002). Wesche (2002) summarizes the background of the blue crab. Early settlers documented the utilization of the blue crab by the native people of the Chesapeake Bay. The tasty meat was a staple in their diets, and the colonist soon shared the same craving. Use by individuals became the norm; however commercial marketing of this resource was sluggish due to the inability to ship the crabs to non-coastal communities without spoiling. The first big break occurred with the invention of refrigeration. As the crabbing industry began expanding, it became necessary to implement management techniques for harvesting, including regulations. For over a century these â€Å"rules of the trade† have evolved. New restrictions have been created each time the need for better management arises. Recently, a drop in the crab population and yield has led to new regulations on commercial crabbing greatly affecting the industry. This paper will focus on the controversial implementation of Maryland’s most recent crabbing regulations. This will identify the reasons for the managerial actions, as wel...

Demographics, Psychographics and Personality Essay Example

Demographics, Psychographics and Personality Essay Example Demographics, Psychographics and Personality Essay Demographics, Psychographics and Personality Essay Individual Differences Important tools for segmentation They include: Demographics, psychographics and personality Consumer Motivation (Chapter 8) Consumer Knowledge (Chapter 9) Consumer Beliefs, Feelings, Attitudes and Intentions (Chapter 10) Analyzing and Predicting Consumer Behavior Demographics is the size, structure, and distribution of a population Marketers use demographic analysis as market segment descriptors and in trend analysis I- Demographics A- Structure of Markets B- Geographic Factors C- Economic Resources D- Global Markets A- Structure of Markets Market analysis requires information about People with needs Ability to buy Willingness to buy Authority to buy Affected by: Birthrate Immigration (30% of annual growth in the US) Increasing life expectancy Structure of Markets Affects demand for products and services Marketers can adapt product features, packaging, and communication strategies messages depending on changing age structure of markets Marketing to Children Children make purchases themselves Parents buy for children Marketing to Teenagers Growing in number Greater need for peer acceptance, which often guides product and brand choice More likely to switch brands quicker than other segments (Variety Seeking) Like the social aspects of shopping with friends Marketing to Young Adults 20-34 years Growing Need to buy products to set up households and for young children With many needs and greater financial constraints, they often shop at value-oriented retailers Marketing to Baby Boomers Growing in number Good market for spas, luxury travel, health clubs, cosmetics and healthy food This group may be â€Å"aging† but doesn’t want to be reminded Marketing to â€Å"Young Again† Market Referred to as mature markets, seniors elderly (65 years) Growing substantially Many in this segment are feeling, thinking, and buying younger than previous generations Many have adopted â€Å"young again† lifestyles and attitudes Cognitive age: the age a person perceives himself or herself to be. It can be used for targeting segments within this group, developing more creative content, and selecting more effective media 1. Demographics Age Structure of Markets Geographic Factors Economic Resources Global Markets Geographic Factors Geo-demography: Refers to where people live, how they learn and spend their money, and other socioeconomic factors The study of demand related to geographic areas assumes that people who live in proximity to one another also share similar consumption patterns and preferences Cities are the most important unit of analysis in most marketing plans 1. Demographics Age Structure of Markets Geographic Factors Economic Resources Global Markets Economic Resources Income: money from wages, salaries, interest, and welfare payments Wealth: a measure of a family’s net worth (assets minus liabilities) Net worth influences willingness to spend but not necessarily ability to spend, since many assets are not liquid and difficult to use How much people accumulate over the year is more a function of how much they save rather than how much they earn Targeting the Up-Market Print-oriented communication Simple ads that promote image Credibility of source selling product Product reviews influence this group Targeting the Average â€Å"Down† Market Good products at reasonable prices Promote value in ads and in store Limited services to keep prices low 1. Demographics Age Structure of Markets Geographic Factors Economic Resources Global Markets Global Market Analysis The most attractive markets are countries that are growing both in population and in economic resources Which countries will grow the most in the future? Which countries have the highest per capita income? 2. Personality Personality: consistent responses to environmental stimuli An individual’s unique psychological makeup, which consistently influences how the person responds to his or her environment 3. Personal Values Values: Represent consumer beliefs about life and acceptable behavior Unlike attitudes, values transcend situations or events and are more enduring because they are more central in the personality structure 4. Lifestyles Lifestyles: Patterns in which people live and spend time and money Reflect their AIO Measures: Activities, Interests, and Opinions Since lifestyles change readily, marketers must keep research methods and marketing strategies updated Lifestyles can affect which goods are sold and how they should be positioned Lifestyles are a very popular tool for segmentation AIO Categories of Lifestyles Psychographics An operational technique to measure lifestyles Can be used in qualitative and quantitative research methods Demographics focus more on who buys products; psychographics focus on why they buy them Lifestyle Segmentation Develop a deeper understanding of a segment or define segment (Compare to Demographics) Gain understanding of which lifestyles influence purchase and consumption behaviors Marketers can develop communication packaging strategies accordingly

REGIME CHANGE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

REGIME CHANGE - Essay Example Coup de tat involves forceful transition where a leader comes into office by overturning or rebelling against the government. In such a case, the leader has authority, but lacks legitimacy/ claim to his or her title. In most cases, regime changes towards an authoritarian regime are characterized by totalitarian actions which inhibit peoples’ freedoms (Goerman, et al., 2009). The other one involves external forces, which are characterized by external pressure from non governmental bodies such as the United Nations and NATO. The UN may pass into law interventions that are aimed to kick out a certain regime in a country (Gilligan & Sergenti, 2008). A good example is the global communities’ involvement in ousting the current regime in Syria, which is being accused of going against its peoples’ wishes and lacking legitimacy. Examples of significant regime changes across the globe include Iraq, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and even Syria. Political history of Libya Libya has a real distinct history, which dates back to the 16th century with the decline of the Berbers dynasties, to the takeover by the Turks, then the French, and then under Italy in 1912; up to the time they gained independence in 1951 (History World, 2012). During the Italian rule between 1914 and 1945, there was the introduction of fascism, which should be noted distinctively as a new method of administration of Libya back then. Italy appointed fascist governors who operated with extremes measures to the point of setting up concentration camps to subdue resistant from two major Libyan areas. Major regimes in Libya After the second world war, and under a United Nations resolution the three major regions of Tripolitania, Cyrenacia and Fezzan come together to form the present day Libya, under the leadership of King Mohammed Idris I. His term in the throne was a huge shift from the fascist rule embraced by Italy during the colonial period. His style of governance involved ruling Libya as an old fashioned monarch. This meant that democracy was thrown out of the window. This kind of rule was retrogressive to the economy of the region since the royalty used up most of the resources impoverishing the population. Eighteen years into his rule as king, King Mohammed was deposed in a bloodless military coup by the then twenty seven year old Muammur Gadaffi, a captain in the air forces. He immediately becomes the commander in chief of the armed forces. Gadaffi ruled Libya with a firm grip, creating a reputation of being a hard stance dictator who was very unpredictable, and the world over. He developed a philosophy which he used in governing Libya which he wrote in a book titled ‘The Green Book’ which was published in two volumes, one in 1978 and the other in 1980.The book highlighted a political philosophy based on Islam, Arab nationalism and socialism. Gadaffi’s reputation on the international stage suffered a significant blow due to his unpredictable nat ure. He was many times accused of supporting financially extremist groups across the globe. The use of Libya’s oil wealth in meddling in other countries affairs made the international community set up measures of controlling his influence. In April 1986, in his government’s commitment against international terrorism, Ronald Reagan the then president of the United States authorized airstrikes in Libya,

Text Analysis 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Text Analysis 2 - Essay Example Theodore of Sykeon, 1.2). The Lord Christ accepted the plea put forward by the icons and granted St. Theodore an extension of fifteen years in life. After the icons’ imploration was accepted St. Theodore soon regained his health and was able to live the life which he nearly lost. The icons played the role of an intermediary on behalf of St. Theodore pleading to God to grant him more years of life, which was accepted. This is why the Byzantines attached great importance to icons as religious figures, as evident in their art, because of their piety and role as mediators between God and humans. This story shows how the icons’ pleading convinced God of granting more life to St. Theodore and hence, this explains the importance of icons in Byzantine. Icons were held in great respect in Byzantium due to its religious symbolism. Icons represented sacred images or symbols of saints, Christ or Virgin Mary and were constructed out of a variety of media. The icons were so pervasive in Byzantium that they were found in different sizes and forms. Icons represented religious figures and were given much admiration. It can be observed that icons occupy a central place in Byzantine Art due to their connection with religion. Icons had great religious importance because of their association with holiness and divinity. From the story of St. Theodore, it is evident that icons played a central role in bringing back the saint from the edge of death by pleading to God. So, icons portrayed religious figures who were essentially holy and sacred. By the life granted to him by God, St, Theodore continued to do many miracles. He gained the support and admiration of various people who left their homes and journeyed their way to his monastery to serve him. All those who were healed refused to go home and stayed with St. Theodore. After the workmen let the demons free from the hill, the village fell into