Gays in the Military - 1427 Words

Gays in the Military, is it right? For nearly 50 years, it has been the U.S. militarys official policy to exclude homosexuals from service. In November 1992, President - elect Clinton told Americans that he planned to lift the militarys long - standing ban on gays and lesbians. Homosexual men and women, he said, should not be prevented from serving their country based on their sexual orientation. Soon after taking office in 1993, Clinton faced powerful military and congressional opposition to lifting the ban. General Colin Powell, then - chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Senator Sam Nunn, who was chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee between 1987 an 1994 and left Congress in 1996, announced that they would seek to†¦show more content†¦Throughout the 1980s, concerns about the spread of AIDS further solidified some military leaders opposition to allowing gay people to serve. The directive remained in place until 1994, when it was supersede by the dont ask, dont tell policy. Between 1980 and 1 990, the armed forces discharged an average of 1,500 service members annually because of their homosexuality. Defenders of the dont ask, dont tell policy argue that the military must do what it needs to maintain the strongest possible fighting force. In order to carry out that obligation, they say, military leaders must have the authority and discretion to set rules as they see fit to keep up morale and maintain order. On the issue of gay peoples service, they say, if military commanders maintain that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be detrimental to morale and discipline, then courts and public should respect that decision. Defenders of the ban and of the militarys current policy dispute the notion that military personnel should be afforded the same constitutional protections as civilians. Policy supporters maintain that the military is a unique institution with its own set of rules. Opponents of the current policy believe that while the military may have aShow M oreRelatedGays in the Military 966 Words   |  4 PagesThe United States military isn’t shy when it comes to the issue of gays in the military. When people think of gays in the military they usually compare them to blacks in the military. Most people use this analogy because blacks â€Å"have been oppressed and excluded from the main stream† (John Sibley). During this time period not only were black, and gay excluded from the military but women were also seen as people who didn’t belong in the arm forces. Even thought blacks in the military had to go thru differentRead MoreGays in the Military2022 Words   |  9 PagesGays In the Military Very often political institutions reflect the will of society and set the precedent for norms that will be expected of its members. The United States Military is still enforcing archaic policies which threaten to harm the principles our nation was founded upon. The principles of freedom and equality are those that every American holds closest to their heart, that is unless you are in the military and are gay. The issue of gays in the military has developed into a caseRead MoreGay s On The Military1171 Words   |  5 PagesGay’s in the military The argument about gays in the military is a very popular one today with the media and politicians alike. Both sides have valid points in this argument we will look at both points of view and try to make an informed decision based on both points of view. Military Historical Policy The Articles of War of 1916 covered the issue of homosexual behavior for the first time, although exclusion was limited to assault with the intent to commit sodomy. A revision of these regulationsRead MoreGays in the Military Essay899 Words   |  4 Pages The subject of Gays in the military has been debated over many times by many people. When dealing with whether or not gays should be allowed in the military the simple question of, Do they want to be in the military?, must be answered. After this question is answered you can begin analyzing the problem. The answer to the question, Do gays want to be in the military?, is an unquestioned yes. Gays would be proud and determined to protect this beautiful country in which we live. I personally am confusedRead More Gays in the Military Essay1362 Words   |  6 Pageshomosexuals from service. In November 1992, President - elect Clinton told Americans that he planned to lift the militarys long - standing ban on gays and lesbians. Homose xual men and women, he said, should not be prevented from serving their country based on their sexual orientation. Soon after taking office in 1993, Clinton faced powerful military and congressional opposition to lifting the ban. General Colin Powell, then - chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Senator Sam Nunn, who was chairmanRead MoreGays in the Military Essay1761 Words   |  8 Pagestell† policy that was put in place in 1993 by congress under President Clinton, in which gays are allowed to serve in the military as long as they do not disclose their sexual orientation. Recently, Obama has made good on his promise of â€Å"change†, and brought the debate on whether or not to repeal the DADT policy to congress and it is currently under review. If the policy is repealed, it would allow for gays to serve openly in the armed forces; which means that not only could they freely discloseRead MoreEssay about Gays in the Military778 Words   |  4 Pages The question of whether or not gays should be alowed in the military is a hotly debated event in curnent politics and their are many arguments for and aginst it. these very arguments give us some insight about where our society is going and how willing we really are to accept others. So now we have two citizens both wanting to join the military and both identical in everyway save the fact that one in straight and one is gay. They both pass all tests with the same score yet one is let in andRead MoreGays in the Military: An Overview of the Issue746 Words   |  3 PagesGays in the military: An overview of the issue One of the most divisive civil rights issues of recent memory revolves around the question of whether gay Americans can serve in the military and be open about their sexual orientation. Until the Clinton Administrations Dont Ask, Dont Tell (DADT) policy, evidence of homosexuality could get a soldier discharged. In fact, there were many jokes during the draft era, particularly during the Vietnam War, of unwilling straight recruits pretendingRead MoreEssay about Sexual Tolerance of Gays in the Military1252 Words   |  6 PagesTolerance of Gays in the Military In 1999, more than 1,000 men and women were discharged from military service due to their sexuality. That number has actually decreased compared to recent years. (Suro NP) Homosexuals were purged from federal employment in 1950, with Bill Clinton updating that policy in 1993 by adding the â€Å"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue† policy. (Deicher 176) This policy doesn’t work and needs to either be updated again or the ban against homosexuals lifted. Gays should beRead MoreWhy Gays Shouldn’t Serve by David Horowitz Essay1054 Words   |  5 PagesIn the essay â€Å"Why gays shouldn’t serve† by David Horowitz he states that â€Å"Don’t ask, Don’t Tell policy is a way of containing the destructive force of sex on a combat capability called Unit Cohesion. (354)† This controversial topic has surfaced more and more recently because Barack Obama wanted to let all people serve in the military, regardless of their sexual orientation. â€Å"More than 1,000 retired flag and general officers have joined us in signing an open letter to President Obama and Congress

Essay about Racial Discrimination in the U.S. Justice System

Racial Discrimination in the U.S. Justice System Introduction In modern-day America the issue of racial discrimination in the criminal justice system is controversial because there is substantial evidence confirming both individual and systemic biases. While there is reason to believe that there are discriminatory elements at every step of the judicial process, this treatment will investigate and attempt to elucidate such elements in two of the most critical judicial junctures, criminal apprehension and prosecution. Criminal Apprehension Statistical accounts show consistent accord in that African Americans are disproportionately arrested over whites. What is much less lucid, however, is the real reason for this disparity.†¦show more content†¦While both sides of this deeply entrenched controversy substantiate meaningful claims, neither of their arguments is exhaustive, although Walker, Spohn, and DeLone’s case is much more convincing. African American arrest statistics are best understood as the convergence of both a somewhat higher incidence of crime as well as racial discrimination in the criminal justice system. Although higher incidence of crime may initially appear to justify higher arrest rates, there is significant evidence demonstrating that not only is African American crime exaggerated by a racially discriminatory criminal justice system (one of the products of which is disparate arrest rates), the greater crime rates in and of themselves are a result of economic inequality. In order to understand the nature of the statistical disparity, the first aspect that must be examined is necessarily the statistics themselves. Recent data (1998) shows that more than two out of every three arrested persons are white (67.6%) and that African Americans account for only 30% of all arrests. More striking is the data adjusted per capita: African Americans are two and a half times as likely to be arrested as whites, and are even more over-represented in violent crimes, for which they are over three times as likely to be arrested. African Americans are five times as likely to be arrested in cases of robbery or murder (Walker et al., 39). There isShow MoreRelatedBlack Americans And The Criminal Justice System994 Words   |  4 PagesThe criminal justice system in the United States is evident of several deep flaws relating to the treatment of black men and women accused of committing criminal offenses. It is logical to believe that due to the U.S.’s rather dark past surrounding the treatment of black Americans, systematic racism is included under the guise of the criminal justice system. The U.S. is historically infamous for it’s open racial discrimination against black Americans, up until systematic racism became one of theRead MoreAnalysis Of Richard Wright s Black Boy 1116 Words   |  5 Pages1945 The life one will lead is predetermined by the color of their skin, the god they believe in, and the place they were born. A message not unlike this reverberated through society and government in the United States not 70 years ago. Discrimination and prejudice ran rampant throughout all of American society in 1945. Richard Wright as a black author in 1945, a true anomaly for this time, eloquently brought forth this idea in his book Black Boy. Wright wrote â€Å"Had a black boy announcedRead MoreIs The Judicial System Broken?1062 Words   |  5 Pages Rough Draft Law 206 Prof. Heller 12/02/2014 Is the Judicial System broken? In 1789, each of the thirteen states had already establish a judicial system such as criminal and civil cases. The United States Constitution is the original document in which it established fundamental laws for the national government as well as protecting the right of the citizens. The U.S Constitution was designed to avoid too much power in the system of checks and balances. As years went by, the Constitution beganRead MoreWhy The Incarceration Rate So High For Young Black Males?1428 Words   |  6 PagesAmerica has the largest justice system in the world. America also has the highest incarceration rate with over 2 million people in prison. African Americans account for approximately 40 percent of those inmates. Why is the incarceration rate so high for young black males? By examining the data and demographics, and the causes and consequences a greater understanding will be gained as to why these disparities exist. As of December 2013, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the number ofRead MoreRacial Discrimination Within The Criminal Justice System1271 Words   |  6 PagesRacial discrimination is where an employer commits race discrimination when it makes job decisions based on race or when it adopts seemingly neutral job policies that disproportionately affect members of a particular race. Federal and most state laws prohibit workplace race discrimination. Title VII -- the federal law that prohibits racial discrimination of the U.S. Constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 work in concert to ensure that each resident’s chances in the pursuit of happiness areRead MoreThe New Jim Crow Law1014 Words   |  5 Pagespolicies, and rules that equates to the American criminal justice system. This series of principles of our legal system works as an entrance to a lifelong position of lower status, with no hope of advancement. Mass incarceration follows those who are released f rom prison through exclusion and legalized discrimination, hidden within America. The New Jim Crow is a modernized version of the original Jim Crow Laws. It is a modern racial caste system designed to keep American black men and minorities oppressedRead MoreHeart of Atlanta V. United States825 Words   |  4 Pagessegregation, a system of racial separation which, while in name providing for separate but equal treatment of both white and black Americans, in truth perpetuated inferior accommodation, services, and treatment for black Americans. During the mid-twentieth century, partly as a result of cases such as Powell v. Alabama, 287 U.S. 45 (1932); Smith v. Allwright, 321 U.S. 649 (1944); Shelley v. Kraemer, 334 U.S. 1 (1948); Sweatt v. Painter, 339 U.S. 629 (1950); McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents, 339 U.S. 637Read MoreThe Death Penalty Is Not Justice1509 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"To take a life when a life has been lost is revenge, not justice.† -Desmond Tutu The death penalty is a legal punishment practiced worldwide, which includes execution being the punishment, mandated to someone convicted of a crime. The death penalty has existed since 1700 B.C. when the Code of Hammurabi was a legal document in ancient Babylonia. Ever since the Code of Hammurabi many countries have adopted this punishment including the United States. When European settlers came to America, AmericansRead MoreRacial Profiling And The Civil Rights Movement1239 Words   |  5 PagesMovements Outline Topic/Question: Have Black Lives Mattered? – Racial profiling in the justice system, increased incarceration of African Americans and the idea of â€Å"White Privilege† persists in the United States. 1. Introduction Even though America is the world dominating superpower and is known to intervene on behalf of the violation of human rights internationally, it fails to acknowledge and correct the flaws its legal and justice system present against its own citizens. African Americans have longRead MoreCriminal Justice: Racial Disparity and Discrimination and O.J. Simpson768 Words   |  4 Pages(Gardner, 2009). To this end, criminal law justice provides that the person alleging the commission of a crime must proof beyond reasonable doubt that the accused person(s) possessed mens rea, if the court is to hold a criminal liability against the accused. In the case of People of the State of California v. Orenthal James Simpson (1995) or what has come to be famously known as the O.J. Simpson Trial is a classical illustration of how highly the U.S. criminal justice regards the beyond reasonable doubt

The Mask of Benevolence free essay sample

The Mask of Benevolence BY sarniJ010 The Mask of Benevolence was honestly shocking to me and made me rethink a lot. I thought it was interesting and intriguing that it discussed the views of most hearing people and talked about why they arent necessarily right. Many of the facts, opinions, and details of how things had been dealt with in the past completely surprised me. One of the most surprising things for me was how each culture viewed one another; which was almost all negative. Of course, not all people in each category have those thoughts. The book was an amazing read for me because I was able to see nd understand some things as the deaf culture does because the author, Harlan Lane, was so specific and explained things through the thoughts she heard from people within the deaf community. In the beginning of the book, Lane discusses how the deaf culture views cochlear implants and the oral communication of deaf people. We will write a custom essay sample on The Mask of Benevolence or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page And though I was unsure why there was there was such a strong dislike of these things, it soon made sense to me. Deaf children that are forced to get an implant or to rely on oral communication get lost in an in between world of deaf and hearing. Lane stated, the implanted child will not move easily in the hearing world, it is unlikely that he will learn American Sign Language (ASL) fluently and make his own fundamental values of that community. So there is a real danger that he will grow up without any substantive communication, spoken or signed. (p4). This was extremely eye opening because although I had never thought negatively in any way about the deaf community I did have the impression that medical advancements and such implants would be viewed incredibly highly to the deaf. As most hearing people are, I uppose I was simply uneducated on the facts of cochlear implants. Lane claims that the result of the discrepancies between the implant and the natural mechanism of hearing is a sound that many formerly hearing adults have trouble interpreting and sometimes even localizing. (p219). On page 20, Lane tells a story about a woman from a large deaf family and hoped dearly that her daughter, too, would be deaf. Deaf people do not wish to hear, they simply wish for people to be more aware of their culture. They are not impaired, they were simply born into a small culture; like eing Hispanic or Jewish, why would you wish to wake up and be white one day? That is not who you are. Lane discusses so many negative things of how the hearing think of the deaf that not only completely blew me away but also made me feel disgusted toward the majority of hearing people that do look down on the deaf community. I was astonished. I honestly never knew there were that many naive people out there that saw hearing people as that much better and higher than the deaf; simply because I have never known anyone who thought that way and I never even considered that! I was in shock when I saw Lane quoting an American psychiatric publication from 1985 that stated, Profound deafness that occurs prior to the acquisition of verbal language is socially and psychiatrically devastating. (p35). Devastating?! The view of the deaf from so many hearing is outrageous! After quoting the publication, Lane went on the list several characteristics that the hearing culture has labeled to all deaf people. These characteristics included aggressive, irritable, egocentric, and even shy. How would a nearing person know it a deat person is sny or isolated? Hearing people see that the deaf person is not communicating with them and automatically assumed these things. However, how do you expect someone who does not share the same language as you chat and visit with you? That is extremely egotistically of all hearing people that think that way. And that Just goes back to hearing people expecting the deaf to learn our language. How unbelievably naive! Its not like the Hispanic culture moving here that have the ability and resources to learn English yet refuse to. The deaf have the most unique language in the world and are imply unable to learn any other language fluently. How can you learn to speak a language fluently when you are unable to hear it? As I Just stated, sign language, which I will refer to as ASL from now on even though sign is not exclusive to America, is simply the most unique language in the world. And those that deny it as a language are simply Just incredibly uneducated. Something I found interesting was when Lane discussed storytelling in the deaf community on page 16. She explained how deaf children learn the importance of storytelling and they practice at a very young age. Lane states that clear communication is highly valued; stories should be rich in detail, start at the beginning and end at the end, and contain plain talk; hinting and vague talk in an effort to be polite are inappropriate and even often offensive (p16). How is that not talking about a culture with a rich language? In fact, I feel as though the deaf can actually communicate more than the hearing. Because not only do they have the language like we do, their facial expressions and attention to detail are way beyond the average hearing person. Another point from early on in he book that I wanted to discuss was a something that I could relate to. The chapter entitled The Paternalism Indictment discusses the flaw with the teachings for deaf children. That market is completely controlled by hearing people who hardly understand the deaf and their culture and so it is all basically based of stereotypes. On page 49 Lane states, It is said to be conducted in the interest of deaf people, but the profits go almost exclusively to hearing people. And I got to see this first hand when I was a sophomore in high school. My long time best friend, Rachel, was born rofoundly deaf in one ear. She can hear fine and is in no way deaf or a part of that culture. She never once required any special treatment in school. However she did use a hearing aid or speaker box in elementary from time to time. All throughout middle school and our first year of high school she maintained a pretty high GPA. One day while we were sophomores, she randomly received a new schedule from the office. Following the new schedule, she went to her first class and discovered that they had put her in all special education classes. Obviously she was confused and pset, so she called her mother and they went to the office to sort out what was clearly a mistake. The office stated that it was not a mistake. Apparently, the school had been claiming Rachel as profoundly deaf, which she was in one ear, and requiring the special attention of any other child with a severe impairment. And of course, the school was getting large additional funds because of Rachels impairment; Shame on the school for knowing that they would receive additional benefits for claiming Rachel. And shame on the state for that matter for giving the chool extra funds because the poor school was Just so kind as to deal with all of Rachels special needs due to hearing impairment. Lane stated there are paternalistic universals and parallax in the attributions, and a claim to a civilizing burden that fails to mask the benefactors economic interest (p49).

Renewable Energy A Necessary Way of Life for Our Survival Essays

Renewable Energy: A Necessary Way of Life for Our Survival With the rising population the need for energy increases. The use of non-renewable fossil fuel is causing a negative impact on the Earth?s o-zone and climate. Imagine a life without the convenience of a computer, television, microwave or car. Imagine a planet so polluted that smog in the air is so bad that one cannot see very far, lakes and rivers are contaminated, and land irreversibly damaged from people trying to find more energy sources. One day this may be a reality if we do not do something to change how we use our energy resources. If we continue to use up our non-renewable resources, there will be nothing left for future generations. We must also have concern not only about the environmental effects but also the health effects associated with coal-fired power plants, coal mining, and the combustion of natural gas, such as heart ailments, respiratory disease, and lung cancer. We must look to renewable energy sources provide a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable alternative to coal and natural gas. Today?s society is too dependent on fossil fuels and, if they continue on this path, society will be in great danger. Therefore, we need to encourage and invest into renewable resources. ?The Rise of Renewable Energy? by Daniel Kammen, discusses the current renewable energy usage and the untapped potential in renewable energy. Fossil fuels are non-renewable resources because they take millions of years to form, and are being depleted much faster than new ones are being made. Fossil fuels include coal, petroleum, and natural gas which all contain high percentages of carbon. Fossil fuels are burned in order to fabricate energy and emit carbon dioxide as a byproduct. According to the US Department of Energy, natural processes can only absorb about half of the estimated 21 billion tons of fossil fuels that are burned each year. Some examples of renewable energy alternatives Kamman gives us are: solar cells (or photovoltaics), wind power, and biofuels. Each of these alternatives are currently in use around the world but is not being utilized to their full potential. ?Sunlight could potentially supply 5,000 times as much energy as the world currently consumes? (Kamman 75), but we are currently using only a fraction of that. Solar cells use the sunlight to generate electricity, and because their versatile size they can be used just about anywhere ?on the roof or walls of homes and office buildings, in vast arrays in the desert, even sewn into clothing? (Kamman 76). Worldwide photovoltaic installations increased by 7.3 GW in 2009, up from 6,080 MW installed during the previous year. In 1985, annual solar installation demand was only 21 MW. Wind power, is a renewable energy source that is generated by wind turbines. Wind power is increasing in the United States but is not increasing as aggressively as in Europe where wind power is being greatly utilized. The US Department of Energy published a report in 2008 outlining a plan to generate 20% of the nation?s energy demand using wind power by 2030. Wind energy has become very popular because it can be produced anywhere in the world where the wind blows with a strong and consistent force. Windier locations produce more energy, which lowers the cost of producing electricity. Most regions of the United States have very good wind resources, with a majority of usable wind resources in the western plains. Most wind turbines can be used as stand-alone applications such as generating electricity for homeowners or farmers, charging batteries, and pumping water. They can also be built close together forming a wind farm and connected to a utility power grid to supply a number of people. Another source of renewable energy is biofuel. A common biofuel used in the United States is ethanol, which is made from refined corn and gasoline; this emits some carbo n dioxide but not as much as standard gasoline. Some other biofuels are cellulosic ethanol and green diesel, both of which are cleaner than corn-based ethanol because they do not emit as much carbon dioxide. With the amount of cars on the road and the popularity of SUV?s, the amount of gasoline consumption for the