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5d348070f05224eca11ec52e9358266f
|
Military recruitment in schools is less education than propaganda
Allowing members of the military into schools is a form of propaganda. They promote the military and make war seem glamorous. Soldiers in smart uniforms come into classes with specially-made videos and powerful weapons, making violence and state-organised murder seem cool. A recent report into the practice stated 'key messages are routinely tailored to children's interests: military roles are promoted as glamorous…(and) warfare is portrayed as game-like and enjoyable.’1 This encourages young people to support aggressive action abroad. It also promotes an unthinking loyalty to the state, whether its actions are right or wrong. By allowing the military in, schools are signalling to their students that these things are OK.
1 Gee, D. (2008, January). Informed Choice? Armed forces recruitment practice in the United Kingdom. Retrieved May 18, 2011, from Informed Choice: http://www.informedchoice.org.uk/informedchoice/index.php
|
[
{
"docid": "d646965c7a0f1f382bce7a2be272c04a",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace Military presentations in schools are not designed to be propaganda for their institutions, or the state as a whole, but educate the school children as to the undeniably important role that they play. State survival invariably is dependent upon the existence of a strong, well-trained armed force filled with motivated volunteers. Furthermore, demonstrations of modern technology and smart uniforms do not paint an unfair or inaccurate image of contemporary warfare. Such examples in fact illustrate the honesty of militaries in their portrayal to school children of modern combat. They act as not merely an educational tool, but a life lesson, demonstrating that the world of their video games is, in conflict zones at least, very much real.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "47a41944c9fab07d2605aa348a9945e5",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace School children are not targeted for military service; the intention is to raise awareness about the work that the military do. A Ministry of Defence spokesman in the UK stated that they 'visit about 1,000 schools a year only at the invitation of the school – with the aim of raising the general awareness of their armed forces in society, not to recruit’. Furthermore, children interested in a military career are not instantly signed up, they are granted the time until they turn 18 to decide. In addition, before official enlistment, all potential recruits are sent away on a six-week camp to find out what a career in the army will be like1\n\n1 Goff, H. (2008, March 25). Teachers reject 'Army propaganda'. Retrieved May 18, 2011, from BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7311917.stm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "91c3c1d1c6b3040bb0ba6306d01319ab",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace Military recruitment in schools is not illegal in the United States for they have not signed the relevant documents. The USA has not signed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child referred to opposite, although it has signed the UN's Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (United Nations General Assembly , 2000). However, the US military does not recruit under-18s anyway, so it is keeping to it's agreement. In any case, neither of these agreements stops recruiters visiting schools in order to make students aware of military career options once they turn 18.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6cce8390ac2d854891a870673a8d7ca2",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace Recruiters do not minimise the risks of a military career, rather the armed forces have a good story to tell and they don't prevent themselves from saying so. Furthermore, it is policy for recruitment staff to 'explain the recruits' rights and responsibilities and the nature of the commitment to the Armed Forces'1. There really are great opportunities for keen, talented young people in the military, and almost all soldiers, etc. find it a very satisfying life. And compared with the past, soldiers today are much better looked after in terms of physical, medical and psychological wellbeing. 1 Gee, D. (2008, January). Informed Choice? Armed forces recruitment practice in the United Kingdom. Retrieved May 18, 2011, from Informed Choice:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5cbd02be18980098dc143e37268deca6",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace To only ask state-funded schools to accept military recruiters ensures that those entering the military out of school are disproportionally from state-schools rather than privately-funded schools, and therefore more likely to be middle and lower-class. Furthermore, there should be no quid pro quo regarding the funding of schools, conditions for further funding should be related to the success of students and the quality of teaching, not whether the school has furthered the state's desire to see its military substantiated. Schools should in fact protect students, not expose them annually to military recruiters who can incrementally pressurize them into a military career.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "74ce6d53dbbbdf7d31d4eaaface97b31",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace The need for recruits, however genuine, does not necessitate recruitment within schools. There will of course be certain students who would be attracted voluntarily to a role in the armed services, however these students can be reached through means other than their schools. Furthermore, if the motivation of recruits is paramount, then recruits can do no more to prove their motivation than actively and independently seek out a role in the armed services, rather than having it forced upon them through visits to their schools.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fd0ecde21a6b9d3c9c7fa85d1d4cff99",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace Young people are not aware and are, in many cases, deliberately misled as to the risks of military service. School children, conditioned by modern television, film and video games as to the heroism of military service, do not often ponder the dangers inherent in conflict. Modern video games, in which war deaths are the norm and immediate 're-spawning' dulls all sensitivity to death, do not serve to educate the youth about the risks but downplay them to the point of banality. Studies indicate that military recruiters, whilst not actively seeking to downplay risks or obscure the truth, are reluctant to volunteer information that would dissuade potential recruits 1. 1 Gee, D. (2008, January). Informed Choice? Armed forces recruitment practice in the United Kingdom. Retrieved May 18, 2011, from Informed Choice:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5ba6e7499d7fe86b9a7184ea7cfa1a3b",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace However it is dressed up, all the military is interested in schools for is the chance to recruit students. The various educational materials (not always clearly marked as coming from the military) and courses on offer are all intended to interest students in a military career. Such methods are dishonest and should not be allowed in schools; Paul McGarr, a teacher in East London, stated that 'only when recruiting materials gave a true picture of war would he welcome them into his school'1. If students are genuinely interested in joining the military, they can go along to a recruitment centre outside school, potentially with their parents, and ask the necessary questions there. 1 Goff, H. (2008, March 25). Teachers reject 'Army propaganda'. Retrieved May 18, 2011, from BBC News:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "561b35be3d0eb6dc98a5450d2475311f",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace The armed services have no right to preach to the youth, particularly when they are in a trusting environment like a school. To permit any organization to advertise to schoolchildren about job prospects is misguided at a time when their critical faculties are nascent and they are endowed with the belief that what is taught at school is to be imbibed with little rebuttal. Mandated school activities like the Lord's Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance do serve to promote nationalism, but do not do so in such a way as to threaten the lives or disrupt the career paths of school children. School children must be protected from organizations that have the potential to put pressure on them and guilt trip them into signing away the rest of their young adult life. If their choices are to be respected, they must be left to develop their critical faculties and then permitted to use information available to the general public to make a decision.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ac993909104363a6c33e6672838fd01e",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace Military recruiters downplay the risks of a military career, tempting schoolchildren into a career they would not have chosen with honest information.\n\nRecruitment officers often make highly misleading pitches about life in the military. They play up the excitement and chances to travel, as well as the pay and benefits such as college fees and training in special skills. They don't talk about the dangers of military life, the casualty rates in Iraq and Afghanistan, or the thousands of young soldiers who have lost limbs or been emasculated in recent years. And they don't mention the impact of war on soldiers' mental health, or the lack of support when they leave the military. If we must have the military in our schools, then they should be made to give a much more realistic view of military life. Evidence suggests that 'whilst staff are generally willing to answer questions honestly, information that might dissuade potential recruits from enlisting is not routinely volunteered'1. If we are to accept the military in schools, they must similarly accept the moral necessity of presenting the risks of the career in a fair and truthful manner. 1 Gee, D. (2008, January). Informed Choice? Armed forces recruitment practice in the United Kingdom. Retrieved May 18, 2011, from Informed Choice:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b527ce219a29ed37024ea446be988f17",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace Military recruitment in schools is illegal\n\nRecruitment in schools is against parts of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. A set of rules that the USA signed up to in 2002 forbids the recruitment of children under the age of 181. Despite this, the American Civil Liberties Union has found that US military recruiters target children as young as 11, visiting their classrooms and making unfair promises to them2. Though the military would argue that its school visits do not constitute recruitment, if recruitment of those under 18 is wrong, then advertising to those under 18 should similarly be considered wrong. In order to live up to its pledge in 2002, the USA should stop trying to recruit in schools. 1 United Nations General Assembly . (2000, May 25). Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 18, 2011, from Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: 2 American Civil Liberties Union. (2008, May 13). Military recruitment practices violate international standards, says ACLU. Retrieved May 18, 2011, from American Civil Liberties Union:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "09b87cd57c288c06577386ee926b0def",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace School children are too young to target for military service\n\nSchool children should be protected from targeted appeals for jobs they are unprepared for, both physically and emotionally. The army is short of manpower due to high casualty rates and the unwillingness of current soldiers to reenlist. This means that they are very keen to get into schools to sign up young people. But it is not right to let them get at students who are too young to vote, or even drive. 16 and 17 year olds are not grown-up enough to make life and death decisions, like joining the army. They may not be able to see through exciting presentations or resist a persuasive and experienced recruitment officer. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, military recruiters collect data on 30 million students. The act 'grants the Pentagon access to directories of all public high schools to facilitate contact for military service recruitment'1. A huge database contains their personal details, including social security numbers, email addresses and academic records. The purpose of this is to allow recruiters to pester young people with messages, phone calls and home visits. Schools should be safe places to grow and learn, not somewhere to sign your life away before it has even properly begun. Upon enlisting, recruits enter a contract that legally binds them to the Armed Forces for up to six years2; school children should not be exposed to pressure to sign their young adolescence away. 1 Berg, M. (2005, February 23). Military recruiters have unrivaled access to schools. Retrieved May 18, 2011, from Common Dreams: 2 Gee, D. (2008, January). Informed Choice? Armed forces recruitment practice in the United Kingdom. Retrieved May 18, 2011, from Informed Choice:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8e8e29112032fe5224958322d571343e",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace All high schools accepting state funding should accept military recruiters once a year\n\nThe relationship between the state and the schools that it establishes and funds goes both ways; if schools accept state funding, the state is entitled to use schools as a platform for the military to appeal to future recruits. All state-funded schools, irrespective of location and student demographics but only high schools, would be expected to accept military recruiters once a year to speak to the entire student body. The event would be a condition of further funding for the school, however there would be no limits placed on a minimum number of students that needed to enlist as a result.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "99caeaf001dd3cc23f31b46c7a8d2ca6",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace The military is an all-volunteer force and needs a percentage of school-age recruits each year\n\nOur military is an all-volunteer force and must recruit openly to keep up its numbers. The army, navy and air force need well-educated and motivated recruits; as the pool of potential recruits shrinks, efforts to attract young people must be permitted to 'intensify and diversify' 1 The alternative is a return to the conscription and national service that offers those recruits little choice. Military recruitment in schools permits the recruitment of only those with an interest in the armed forces, allowing those who wish to pursue other endeavours that opportunity. As such, visits to schools are not about forcing militaristic propaganda on children, but about making sure that 16-18 year olds know about the military as a potential career choice. After all, college representatives and local employers are allowed to make presentations to students, so it would be unfair to keep just the military out. If you accept that we need armed forces, then you must allow them to recruit openly. 1 Gee, D. (2008, January). Informed Choice? Armed forces recruitment practice in the United Kingdom. Retrieved May 18, 2011, from Informed Choice:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1f3269250a217b285cbb37ebfa60b8af",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace The purpose of the military entering schools is not solely recruitment but awareness\n\nMilitaries provide a public service that too often goes unnoticed and underappreciated; school visits raise the level of understanding for the important job they do. In the UK the army publicly states that it does not directly recruit in schools but does visit many each year \"with the aim of raising the general awareness of the armed forces in society\"1They always visit by invitation of the Head teacher. Compared to the USA fewer young people have local or family connections with the military, so it is important for them to learn about the role the armed forces play in our country. And in both the UK and the USA the military offers other services to schools, from educational materials to leadership courses and team-building exercises. Sgt. Maj. Jerome DeJean, of the U.S. Army's 2nd Recruiting Brigade, describes their role as 'a partner in education\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "564772b02ea09b682f2d052fac66a75c",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace Young people should hear of the opportunities available in the armed services whilst in school\n\nSchool children are entitled, as part of their education, to a wide range of careers information, including potential roles in the military. It is a school's duty to offer not only paths to employment, but opportunities to engage with future employers like the military. With university places now increasingly competitive, schools must remain more vigilant than ever that they do not encourage purely academic paths to future careers. Furthermore, nationalism is a powerful factor in school curriculums worldwide, and permitting militaries into schools to talk to students is not an extension of already-permitted activities like the recital of the Lord's Prayer in British state schools or the Pledge of Allegiance in American schools. As such, it comes as little surprise that the predominant reason given for enlistment is service to country1. If schools are asked to ensure that such activities are carried out to foster national sentiment, it follows that military service should be, if not actively encouraged, respected sufficiently to grant the armed services an opportunity to engage with students. 1 Accardi, M. (2011, June 15) Army recruiters become a 'partner' In education Retrieved June 16, 2011, from The Huntsville Times:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4bf16f51153b617bf679e1cfe03ae6a3",
"text": " education general physical education university politics defence warpeace Young people are aware of the risks of military service and therefore would not be easily misled by military personnel\n\nYoung people are not stupid – they know that there are risks involved in joining the military. In fact the media usually focuses on the bad news coming out of Afghanistan and Iraq, ignoring the good work of our military there. A career in the military also offers young people a lot of benefits, and it is only right that they should get to hear about those as well. As Donald Rumsfeld noted, ‘for some of our (US) students, this may be the best opportunity they have to get a college education’1. In addition, no one is signed up on the spot in the classroom; they always get the chance to think about it over a few months or more, and to discuss the decision carefully with parents and peers. As such, military recruitment in schools should be seen as no less unethical than the visits to schools of policemen, for whom there is similar risk but little public conjecture.\n\n1Vlahos, K. B. (2005, June 23). Heavy military recruitment at high schools irks some parents. Retrieved May 18, 2011, from Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,160406,00.html\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
b75ca583bcdfdd3f7c0da11ec2de2f5b
|
Only those who are guilty have anything to fear from systems that monitor and confirm identities
Law-abiding citizens who have not and do not intend to commit any crimes should not have a problem with this motion. Carrying a single card is not a huge burden to an individual. Rather they can reap the benefits of convenience to them personally, alongside the added security benefit to their whole nation which will help to keep them safe. As it is to be issued to everyone there will not even be the inconvenience of having to spend a long time applying for the card as it is in the government’s interest to make it as simple as possible with mobile offices taking the relevant biometrics where the people live so as to have the least impact on individual’s lives as possible.
|
[
{
"docid": "036703b11458c92f489983b6c621e09e",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards It is perfectly legitimate for an innocent citizen to oppose identity cards on the grounds of how they threaten to alter society. The oppressive measure of gaining and essentially holding to ransom everybody’s intimate personal details and biometric data is hardly a soft measure; it is radical and may completely change the way in which society functions. Moreover, the fear that their card will be lost or stolen [1] , or that their information could be hacked and used by somebody else, is more than ample reason to fear or oppose the introduction of identity cards.\n\n[1] Accessed from http://www.idcardandyou.co.uk/crime.html on 10/09/11.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "d42426d3fcb540044adc69cd56e9748b",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards Just as some people have difficulty remembering so many passwords, so some people have difficulty remembering where they misplaced their belongings. This motion offers no solution if somebody should lose their identity card; given that it may be used to have access to a bank account, act as a travel card or simply be used to grant general access to the bearer, how could they possibly survive if they lost it? It is reasonable to assume that a biometric identity card might take as long or longer than a passport (which contains some biometric data) to be replaced. Given that in the UK it takes three weeks to receive a new passport if you lose it [1] and can cost between £77.50 and £112.50, this is simply too expensive and too slow for the average citizen to be able to continue with their daily life. A week without access to daily necessities such as your own bank account is too long to wait.\n\n[1] Accessed from http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Passports/howlongittakesandurgentappplications/DG_174148 on 10/09/11\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e429eaae1fc47344c2050efe0b03faf5",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards It’s perfectly fine to acknowledge that medical emergencies require fast action – but that’s the exact reason why we use medical alert bracelets [1] . We already have a simply, non-intrusive way of ensuring that somebody who suffers from an illness such as epilepsy or diabetes can be quickly identified – without the need for an expensive and illiberal measure such as identity cards. Moreover, in the need to contact a relative, why not simply use their mobile number? Even if mobile umbers were now required by the government at all times, this is still far less intrusive than the scheme which proposition proposes.\n\n[ 1 Accessed from http://medicsalertbracelets.com/ on 10/09/11\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "62949f48cb3cda5287e9a8d892825577",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards Many illegal immigrants already take steps to avoid official identification. For example, they frequently take jobs which pay cash-in-hand [1] so that they do not have to set up and authorise a bank account, or have a social security number. There is not reason why this would not continue. Moreover, this measure simply provides more fuel for injustice. These is already a problem of police officers targeting minority groups for ‘stop-and-search- checks [2] ; under this motion, this injustice would be amplified under the guise of checking for illegal immigrants. This measure is contradictory to the notion of democracy.\n\n[1] BBC. ‘The British illegal immigrants’. Published 02/02/2005. Accessed from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4226949.stm on 10/09/11\n\n[2] BBC. ‘Police stop and search powers ‘target minorities’. Published 15/03/2010. Accessed from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8567528.stm on 10/09/11.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f160c7306ff0d6524857a4c1955c3af5",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards Many countries – including America [1] and Britain [2] - already use biometric chips in passports to reinforce proof of identity when crossing national borders. If this data does not work in this case, especially since security has increased hugely since 9/11 [3] , there is no evidence to support the idea that it would suddenly be improved if this chip was in an identity card instead of an official national passport. Moreover, the biometric information on these cards has already been proved faulty. Experts have demonstrated that they could copy the biometric information provided on identity cards ‘in minutes’ [4] . Identity cards are unnecessary and will not help to prevent the crimes mentioned.\n\n[1] The Economist. ‘Have chip, will travel.’ Published 17/07/2009. Accessed from http://www.economist.com/node/14066895 on 10/09/11\n\n[2] Accessed from http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Passports/Applicationinformation/DG_174159 on 10/09/11\n\n[3] Accesssed from http://securitysolutions.com/news/security_airport_security_far/ on 10/09/11\n\n[4] The Times. ‘ “Fakeproof” e-passport is cloned in minutes.’ Published 06/08/2008. Accessed from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4467106.ece on 10/09/11.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f3f721387b033f7e1aea7fcc025ee503",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards Governments already have the majority of this information through passport applications [1] , social security numbers [2] and so on, without enormous objections by the public. Moreover, many have called for increased security since the rise of terrorist attacks [3] and comply with increased security at places like airports. This isn’t pre-emptively condemning people for criminal activity; it is, like all other security checks, a routine check to enhance the safety of the general population. There is not reason not to identify with that as a common aim.\n\n[1] Accessed from http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Foreigntravel/AirTravel/DG_176737 on 10/09/11\n\n[2] Accessed from http://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ on 10/09/11.\n\n[3] Accessed from http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report_Exec.htm on 10/09/11.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9c9ac31ccb1ccbbe5ba6b53c8c1ad1b7",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards This point alludes to a potentially tiny minority of incidents. It is likely that most people, realising the importance of their card, would not lose it. In cases where it is used properly, it could be an enormous benefit to the user and increase their convenience.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1fa1e4558bfe316ab18ae66170473fbe",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards While these crimes are obviously a problem, it doesn’t mean that other crimes which can be challenged by this scheme should be allowed to continue. Identity cards would at least make it more difficult for fraud to occur, which in cases of petty criminals would provide an active deterrent for them to try it in the first place.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "48bb3922251d219aa8e801dce4bad0cc",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards If anything, this is a reason to introduce better police training, not to abandon the concept of identity cards altogether. An unfortunate fact is that immigrants, who often come from poor backgrounds or have low levels of education, are more statistically likely to be involved in crime [1] . This ‘disproportionate’ [2] level of crime among immigrants provides a reason for the seemingly disproportionate targeting of minority groups by police authorities.\n\n[1] Accessed from http://www.cis.org/articles/2001/crime/toc.html on 10/09/11.\n\n[2] Accessed from http://www.cis.org/articles/2001/crime/toc.html on 10/09/11.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "528da051ca84771ac9f7eece124f6e7f",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards Identity cards confer advantages on their users\n\nThe average person is faced with numerous requisitions for identification every day, whether trying to access their own bank account, prove their age or prove their address. The identity card could easily incorporate all of this information to become one convenient for of identification and save the user the hassle of carrying so many documents around with them. Given that ‘the average person now has to remember five passwords, five PIN numbers, two number plates, three security ID numbers and three bank account numbers just to get through everyday life’ [1] , there is evidently a need for a single, concise form of identification. Moreover, it would help them to identify the people they have to interact with. There have been numerous cases of criminals posing as company officials such as gas workers in order to gain access to somebody’s home and steal from them [2] [3] . These identity cards would particularly help vulnerable citizens who are the most at risk of this kind of injustice. For this reason these cards should be compulsory, they would not be much use as identification if not everyone had one that could be checked by anybody.\n\n[1] Accessed from http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/150874/too_many_passwords_or_not_enough_brain_power.html on 10/09/11\n\n[2] Accessed from http://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/news/localnews/9235106.Edmonton_burglar_who_preyed_on_pensioners_jailed/ on 10/09/11\n\n[3] Accessed from http://www.westmercia.police.uk/news/news-articles/cash-stolen-by-distraction-burglars-in-kidderminster.html on 10/09/11\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a9282d0871f377cd08331777dfaf207c",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards Identity cards can assist in the efficient monitoring of immigration\n\nIllegal immigration is an enormous problem in Western nations. The UK estimates that there are more that one million illegal immigrants living in Britain [1] , likely around 2.2 million [2] . For America, this number could be as high as 11 million [3] . Identity cards would mean that, even if illegal immigrants did succeed in crossing the border, they would most likely be found out because they could not pass routine security checks required on an everyday basis because they would not have been issued an identity card. Given that illegal immigration is frequently linked to international crime such as trafficking [4] , this is clearly a problem which we need to address in a new way.\n\n[1] The Times. ‘UK home to 1m illegal immigrants.’ Published 25/04/2010. Accessed from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7107598.ece on 10/09/11.\n\n[2] The Times. ‘UK home to 1m illegal immigrants.’ Published 25/04/2010. Accessed from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7107598.ece on 10/09/11.\n\n[3] The New York Times. ‘Number of illegal immigrants in US fell, study says.’ Published 01/09/2010. Accessed from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/02/us/02immig.html on 10/09/11.\n\n[4] Accessed from http://www.fas.org/irp/threat/pub45270chap2.html on 10/09/11.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3180464241b6b2c2b733fc164416254e",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards Identity cards improve public safety\n\nIdentity cards could prove a key instrument to combat crime, terrorism and fraud. Given that terrorists have used fake passports to cross borders in the past [1] , a sophisticated identity card, possibly containing specific biometric information which cannot be easily faked, could be crucial in preventing terrorist acts in the future. In cases where the police were suspicious, they could rapidly check the identities of many people near a crime scene, which would make their investigation much swifter and more effective. The CBI also believes that ‘the creation of a single source of identity data’ [2] in the form of biometric identity cards would also decrease identity fraud. Given that identity fraud currently costs the UK £2.7 billion per year [3] , Canada over 10 million Canadian dollars per year [4] , and in America identity fraud relating to credit cards alone costs around $8.6 billion per year [5] , this is obviously a serious problem under the status quo. These crimes would be much more difficult if biometric data was required for financial transactions and other activities such as leaving or entering a country; identity cards are the best way forwards. The value of ID cards in combating terrorism and crime is much reduced if not everyone has them as the guilty would be less likely to want to get such cards unless they could somehow fake them.\n\n[1] Accessed from http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010%5C08%5C10%5Cstory_10-8-2010_pg7_17 on 10/09/11\n\n[2] Accessed from http://www.citizenshipfoundation.org.uk/main/page.php?217#arguments_identity_fraud on 10/09/11\n\n[3] Accessed from http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/agencies-public-bodies/nfa/ on 10/09/11\n\n[4] Accessed from http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/scams-fraudes/id-theft-vol-eng.htm on 10/09/11\n\n[5] Accessed from http://www.banking-gateway.com/microsites/oracle/US%20Card%20Fraud.pdf on 10/09/11\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9936b08f7d150e27ae22faf1a6f027ef",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards Identity cards can be used to locate individuals who are in danger\n\nAs biometric identity cards would be able to store medical data, they could be instrumental in saving somebody’s life. For example, if somebody suddenly suffered an epileptic fit, it would be much faster for medical staff to find out their illness and medical history no matter where there medical records are held as everyone’s records would be linked to their ID card [1] , allowing them to be treated faster and more efficiently. It would also be easier to contact a friend or relative if they knew the last place where they had used their identity card, allowing faster unity of family in a medical emergency.\n\n[1] Accessed from http://ec.europa.eu/research/research-for-europe/science-eco-bite_en.html on 10/09/11\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "70fafcd1d18caf7721aba55e7978c0e7",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards An identity card scheme is open to subversion and abuse\n\nDemanding identity cards has already been shown as a way for police officers and officials to harass minority groups by singling them out for questioning and searches [1] . This motion would simply serve as a thinly-veiled excuse for more intrusive searches which the law would not otherwise allow. This motion could also lead police to believe that those with a criminal record on their identity cards who just happen to be near a crime scene when a crime happens must be involved. This would lead to an unfair perversion of justice as those individuals are seen as the ‘usual suspects’, perhaps blinding the police eye to the real culprits if they did not previously have a criminal record.\n\n[1] Accessed from http://www.civilrights.org/publications/justice-on-trial/ on 10/09/11\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c0ff393a854285c2969166aa90bb8e80",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards The scheme would cause inconvenience and public discontent\n\nThe more information which is incorporated into identity cards, the greater the problems if they are misplaced or stolen. You would be ‘required to report the theft at a police station’ [1] rather than being able to cancel by phone, because the only way to prove that you are the owner of the card would be to have your biological information – like your fingerprints - scanned [2] . Moreover, if your details were stolen online and used without your knowledge, the ‘illusion of security’ [3] surrounding the cards would make it very difficult to probe that it was not in fact you who was using the card. Jerry Fishenden of Microsoft also pointed out that ‘if core biometric details such as your fingerprints are compromised, it is not going to be possible to provide you with new ones’ [4] . It is also unreasonable to expect someone to carry this card on them at all times, particularly if police or other authorities are able to stop and search on demand. Overall, the introduction of biometric identity card would create enormous problems for the everyday user if the slightest thing went wrong.\n\n[1] Accessed from http://www.idcardandyou.co.uk/crime.html on 10/09/11\n\n[2] Accessed from http://www.idcardandyou.co.uk/crime.html on 10/09/11.\n\n[3] Accessed from http://www.idcardandyou.co.uk/crime.html on 10/09/11.\n\n[4] Accessed from http://www.idcardandyou.co.uk/crime.html on 10/09/11.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1abe076748194ab4e51ea6ff4e88d443",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards This motion represents an unacceptable intrusion into individual liberty\n\nIntroducing identity cards, and particularly biometric identity cards, would create a ‘Big Brother’ state where each individual is constantly being watched and monitored by the government. An identity card could potentially monitor the movements of each citizen, particularly if it had to be swiped to gain entry to buildings. Moreover, requiring the biometric information of each individual defies the principle of innocent until proven guilty. Under the status quo in the UK, biometric information is only taken during the process of creating a criminal record [1] - in short, we only take biometric data after somebody has been convicted of a crime. This motion presumes that everybody is or will become a criminal. This is obviously a huge injustice to the millions of innocent, honest and law-abiding citizens who would have their data pre-emptively taken. The need to carry this card at all times will only agitate the current problems of prejudicial stop-and-search programmes which already demonstrate bias against racial and ethnic minority groups [2] . Using such an extreme measure without due cause – as most nations are currently in peacetime – is an enormous overreaction and infringes upon individual rights.\n\n[1] Accessed from http://www.parliament.uk/documents/post/postpn258.pdf on 10/09/11\n\n[2] Accessed from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8567528.stm on 10/09/11\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "830bf3997708f05336781c0402b055e8",
"text": " rights politics government house would introduce compulsory identity cards The scheme does not prevent forgery or identity theft\n\nThe entire premise of national security and crime prevention falls when biometric identity cards are in fact incredibly easy to falsify. Microchips have already been forged in a matter of minutes in an experiment to determine their security [1] , and biometric information can be gained remotely by computer through ‘cracking’, ‘sniffing’ and ‘key-logging’ [2] . Moreover, common crimes which would not require any kind of identification to be committed – vehicle theft, burglary, criminal damage, common assault, mugging, rape and anti-social behaviour [3] – would not be combated at all by this measure. Given that hackers have managed to penetrate even the highest-security sites such as the CIA database [4] , there is not only a danger that individual cards would be hacked, but that the greater database of information could be hacked. There is no such thing as an impenetrable security system. We would be far better off using the money which would potentially be funnelled into identity cards to increase computer security and police presence.\n\n[1] The Times. ‘ “Fakeproof” e-passport is cloned in minutes.’ Published on 06/08/2008. Accessed from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4467106.ece on 10/09/11.\n\n[2] Accessed from http://www.idcardandyou.co.uk/crime.html on 10/09/11\n\n[3] Accessed from http://www.idcardandyou.co.uk/crime.html on 10/09/11.\n\n[4] The Telegraph. ‘CIA website hacked by Lulz Security’. Published on 16/06/2011. Accessed from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8578704/CIA-website-hacked-by-Lulz-Security.html on 10/09/11\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
1ffa922b585b1a47316a938c440a5fcc
|
Introducing the use of violence into the justice system means that liberties that have taken centuries to secure are lost
The principle that all people are presumed innocent and, as a result, should not be abused either physically or mentally by officers of the state is one that took centuries- not to mention a great deal of blood and sweat- to establish. In the words of British Chief Justice Phillips this respect for human rights is, in and of itself, “a vital part in the fight against terror”, as if terrorism is to be defeated states that ascribe to such principles must show that they remain true to them in order to win the ideological battle.
Using torture on suspected terrorist would be to tear apart that basic principle in response to crimes, which, it has been noted, are on nothing like the scale of the industrialised warfare of the twentieth century, would be a massively damaging step. Regardless of the scale of the crime the individual must have protections against false accusation and punishment, this means that a fair trial is necessary in order to determine innocence or guilt.
|
[
{
"docid": "d66209ec3e44c0059d7b0dbafb196f54",
"text": " rights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain The era of battlefield warfare has passed. The war on terror may be a new form of combat, but the results are no less serious. Were a terrorist flying a military bomber aircraft to deliver a payload of death and destruction on one of the world’s major cities, nobody would think twice about shooting it down, killing the crew and preventing the bombing.\n\nThere is no meaningful way in which the example above is morally different from leaving a bomb in a station or on a subway train. Societies have the right to defend themselves by all means necessary. The combatants involved in this process consider themselves to be at war and revel in the fatalities they cause. It is only sensible for states to treat these individuals as though that war were a reality in the more traditional meaning of the word.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "49c7dbba38501d21c8bce0ca557db3ae",
"text": " rights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain It is perfectly possible to put legal structures in place that allow for judicial overview of the interrogation techniques used. In most Western countries – the most common targets of modern terrorism – there are already legal frameworks for judicial approval of the extension of detention periods and so forth on an emergency basis. The same form of oversight could be used here and exactly the same principle of retrospective appeal could apply to ensure that the capacity was not misused.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "78d08db323493d9bee0c41258a85fe18",
"text": " rights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain No amount of legal niceties would bring any comfort to the families of those slaughtered in terrorist atrocities around the world. When you are fighting an enemy that has no time for the European Convention on Human Rights, the US Bill of Rights, English common law or the Geneva Convention it is simply impractical to apply those standards.\n\nThe basic principle of terrorism is to cause as much fear, panic and destruction as possible. Terrorists do not have a set goal in mind, they are not functioning as rational individuals, and affording them the luxury of treating them as such ignores what they are likely to do.\n\nThe great wars of the twentieth century were fought within the confines of post-Enlightenment thought, however extreme that may have become. The wars of the 21st seem set to be Mediaeval in nature, with the promise of paradise rather than provinces as the reward for martyrdom. The defense of the values of liberty and democracy must reflect that new and chilling reality.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "08eaf66db0358bfadd883d04150c4cf2",
"text": " rights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain When battling those who would seek to replace the rule of law and democratic governance with religious decree, it is more important than ever to demonstrate that the principles of a civilised society are paramount.\n\nIn the light of that reality, for the state to use the very tools of fear and violence that they are fighting against sends out the wrong message. It means, in effect, that nations have put themselves on the same moral level as the terrorist organisations they are fighting.\n\nInstead it is important to demonstrate that actions undertaken quite legally are an effective bulwark against terror. Moreover, it is necessary to demonstrate that these values are part of a system of rule of law; that values of justice, fairness and accountability are seen as valuable both by a states’ leaders, but also by arbiters (judges) and its people.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "47aee56c74a209f23e1f01210383aed3",
"text": " rights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain The primary difficulty with the use of torture is not one of principle but one of practice – it doesn’t work. You simply have no way of checking whether the information is accurate. By using force or the threat of force, suspects are under pressure to say something- anything- that will stop the pain they are experiencing. However, information acquired this way will not necessarily be true\n\nIn the light of this, the use of torture actually slows things down the process of investigating and preventing terrorist threats. This is particularly true of terror suspects for whom death has no fear and for whom it may, in fact be a goal. A much safer approach to rooting out terrorist who seek to martyr themselves is old fashioned, and perfectly legal, investigation.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "63b0eacf7819dc6747ca3423f6b90965",
"text": " rights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain What about a biological bomb in a small town killing a few thousand. Or a lunatic with an M16 in a village killing fifty? Or preventing a single murder or rape? Anyone attempting to support the resolution must give a clear explanation of the point at which torture can be justified. How many individuals must information acquired through torture be able to save before the state is permitted to use pain and coercion against criminal and terrorist suspects in its custody?\n\nIf it is right to use torture in an attempt to prevent the death of a single individual, when that individual is a member of a crowd, then why should the use of torture to protect the life of a single individual be considered unjustifiable? It makes no difference to the individual or to their family. Torture must either be treated as being unacceptable in all circumstances, or its use in all circumstances must be permitted.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "be2d6a4c3c3d6f90161bd9ea97010b82",
"text": " rights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain Allowing torture under any circumstances will allow the prospect of its routine use\n\nThe advantage of a complete ban on torture is that it leaves no room for doubt, no possibility for confusion, no need to apply personal judgement. Under the status quo, it is simply illegal to use force or the threat of force to solicit information from a suspect, regardless of the charge.\n\nThe moment that becomes something other than a complete ban then it puts an intolerable pressure on security officials to decide when it is justified and when it is not.\n\nThe experience of Abu Grahib demonstrates how the use of abusive treatment can become routine, even trivial, all too quickly. If it is acceptable to use torture to prevent mass-murder, then why not murder? If for murder than why not rape? And so on.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ef2ded7daa6e19c7e57cd2ea4856b4ce",
"text": " rights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain If legal principles are abandoned then there is little point in defending the liberties that democratic governments say they are so keen to defend\n\nIf we accept that this is a war, then its focus is not so much political control of territory as the preservation of a way of life. It is ridiculous to fight to defend principles of equality and decency using the tool of abandoning them the moment they become inconvenient.\n\nThe forces of religious extremism wish to undo 1,400 years of democratic development. We should not assist them in that process by allowing the major powers of the West throw out the most basic principles of the rule of law. Such a move, ultimately, has the potential to be vastly more destructive than the actions of a few fanatics\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fc3dc6db58beb8dd1ba00bcb7eb678a1",
"text": " rights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain Terrorist organisations such as Al Qaida do not respect the rights of individuals and the only way to fight fire is with fire\n\nTerrorist networks use fear, pain and suffering as their stock in trade. By definition, terror organisations are not bound by legal due process or rights of appeal and review. Instead they deal out death to innocent members of society who have no power to alter the events and policies that motivate terrorists atrocities.\n\nBy contrast, the first role of governments is to protect their citizens’ safety and they should use all tools possible to ensure that innocents are not threatened with random death and destruction.\n\nIn the light of these two realities, it is appropriate for governments to take extreme measure, such as torture, to protect their citizens.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "38655e4740977c117e5ed560e34fbbaf",
"text": " rights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain Time is of the essence in a crisis. When confronted with extremists who see a virtue in their own death, extraordinary methods may be required.\n\nThe use of force and fear in enhanced interrogation gives quick results. In the event of a bomb hidden somewhere in Manhattan, it’s vital to have information quickly. Nobody, even the most diehard proponents of enhanced interrogation, would suggest that it is pleasant or should be used on a routine basis; the point is that techniques such as waterboarding are effective and fast.\n\nResponding to terrorist threats is something that needs to be dealt with in minutes or hours. Unfortunately, it is in the nature of due process and legal procedure that they trials and questioning take place in a framework of days or weeks.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f78395a34cdbd8d931167820cf796518",
"text": " rights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain In the event of an imminent attack it is only reasonable to use force to find information\n\nIf authorities have good reason to believe that there is a realistic threat of a nuclear explosion in downtown Manhattan or Tel Aviv then it is vital that as much information as possible can be gathered as quickly as possible.\n\nIf that requires pain to be inflicted on an individual to save the lives of millions then it is simply practical to do so. The harm represented by the pain caused to a single individual is outweighed by the possibility that information gathered from a forceful interrogation might save thousands of lives\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
9718a2f2c94c47ce98125f8f5f9296e4
|
Bribing good governance
The Mo Ibrahim Prize is bribing African leaders to shift towards good governance. The financial incentive is being distributed to entice leaders to follow good governance approaches and models. The fact that no questions are asked on where the money provided goes; how it is used; and what the former leaders spend it on raise further questions. Most importantly to what extent can we claim elaborate bribery is an effective means to enforce good governance within the continent? For a start having what is essentially a bribe to encourage good governance is hypoctitical. Secondly a bribe for an individual relies on that one individual’s actions. Thus in 2007 the prize was granted to Mozambique’s President Chissano. However, since 2007 declines have emerged in the scores concerning law and rights (Mo Ibrahim Foundation, 2013).
Additionally for those motivated by money the money provided cannot compete with potential returns that can be gained from natural resources, tax evasion schemes, and capital flight. The bribery incentive does not compete with potential profits gained through alternative forms corruption (Bedell, 2009).
|
[
{
"docid": "9d24fc6254561c59c39d5ecd28a1d509",
"text": "onal africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo The reward is an incentive, not a bribe; consider it as being similar to performance related pay. The prize shows how if excellent leadership is promoted and good governance encouraged the leaders will be praised, recognised and rewarded. The prize is not a bribe, but a way of incentivising leaders to follow a path towards good governance. By highlighting cases where good governance has excelled the prize draws attention to the benefits of good governance through a cost-benefit appraisal. The social, economic, and political returns are highlighted; and other African governments encouraged to follow the trend.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "24ca23d0d39ad42c1700607029e8c004",
"text": "onal africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo One of the criteria for awarding the prize is ‘demonstrated exceptional leadership’. This clearly allows the IIAG to be fed into the process as it is the IIAG that can show if the leader being considered has demonstrated this leadership. The IIAG provides a useful tool to assist in deciding the prize winner, and nominees.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "69d2f7ab0889db302c81f6a6ca616054",
"text": "onal africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo It is not contradictory to offer a reward for good governance after the leader has left office. Dictators holding onto power for long periods are one of Africa’s biggest problems. Rewarding those who step aside shows that an important part of good governance is having presidents who stick to constitutional terms. A stable transfer of power is vital in a democracy. This is something that is even more important when the transfer is to a political opponent. One of the most important advances in governance that can be made is to make be considered normal that the opposition is as loyal to the country as the government. When this happens power can easily be transferred without conflict or resulting disorder.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fa9747e4435a1f28b0725f01c5b397be",
"text": "onal africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo The committee nominating, and choosing, the final candidates remains un-bias and their expertise within multiple aspects of governance means the high standards can be maintained. Having votes would open the prize up to corruption and attempts to influence the outcome by those who are eligible. A technocratic standard is needed for good governance.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "03194f07ef9d6ca97b5d754815e76189",
"text": "onal africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo The prize is too narrowly defined. At what scale should the change be defined? For example civil-society and community leaders can make significant changes to governance at a smaller-scale; promoting democratic governance from a bottom-up initiative can work as well as top down. On another hand, should we only be focusing on the very top? What about the government officials who are not heads of state but make a change to people’s lives? The narrow focus on the head of a party or state neglects the body - such as finance ministers - that maintains that system of governance and work hard to ensure a democratic transition. The focus on heads of state may deter the state body from ensuring effective governance due to the fact their hard work is not rewarded or recognised.\n\nDue to the relatively young nature of democracy and multi-party rule across Africa, the criteria of potential prize candidates needs to be expanded. The number of former heads of states having left in the past three years is small. Therefore the criteria for nomination needs to change.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "48effa9e0b4d08c8bb0f92a1ba71bd9e",
"text": "onal africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo Although the prize has gained recognition in the Western world or ‘Global North’ to what extent is the prize, its reward, and meaning, known and understood by African citizens? If the prize is recognising African leadership citizens need to be aware of the prize in the first place - whether their country is up for nomination or not. Awareness is the only way the apparent transparency can hold power and become a reality. Citizens cannot demand change or hold the state to account when they are not aware of the index, the prize, and the so-called changes being made.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8c84ffb9606acf2b3bb19467fa8034c3",
"text": "onal africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo The prize by focusing on leaders ignores the areas where money is needed; not lining already rich people’s pockets but providing money and advice to actually set up these institutions. This means for example ensuring the police and civil servants are well enough paid they don’t resort to corruption etc. Acemoglu and Robinson (2013) highlight that there is also a ‘vicious cycle’ whereby the presence of bad institutions - authoritarian, unaccountable, with limited economic innovations - reinforce poverty and bad governance. Although offering rewards where significant change has happened is a positive model, in reality, many African states require funds to be able to enforce change in the first place and break this vicious cycle.\n\nFor good governance to be promoted rewards should not only go to the best, but also the good in a continent where bad governance dominates. For any progress to be made in governance the prize needs to lower standards of expectation, recognise where improvements are made, and use the reward to change the vicious cycle. Some change is better than none; focusing on picking the best with high standards limits any change.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8bc47798935b16c2df8d0890429a76b1",
"text": "onal africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo A contradictory approach\n\nThe prize will fail to promote good governance due to the contradictory approach it undertakes. Good governance cannot emerge and be sustained by rewarding former presidents. Having a good former president does not mean their successor will encourage their legacy to continue. Why celebrate good former leaders when we need to focus on what is happening now?\n\nMoreover why reward someone just when they can no longer do any good? The prize suffers from the contradiction of regarding giving up power as a necessary criteria to obtain the prize. This ignores that Africa does not want those who are being successful at promoting good governance to leave their post – potentially to someone who will move backwards. Having a prize for someone who could have done more good had they stayed is contradictory.\n\nFinally the prize is not good for Africa; the prize has raised negative stereotypes of African states, leaders, and systems. The attention gained by the prize not being granted for 3 out of 6 years is maintaining negative stereotypes of African leaders. This will only act to reinforce the global system of power - whereby the West intervene to implement a ‘good’ model of governance, not suited to Africa.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "580870795ee9e4797e4e011a0320fcb9",
"text": "onal africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo Is the IIAG a good measure of ‘good governance’?\n\nHow do we define, classify, and recognise good governance? The Mo Ibrahim Foundation has created the Ibrahim Index. The IIAG calculates governance across Africa and assesses it over time. The IIAG shows governance has improved across the continent since 2000; and in 2013 classified Mauritius with the highest rank and Liberia as showcasing the greatest positive change over 13 years. But does the index have the right weighting? Where ‘good governance’ is found changes depending on the weighting applied. Even odder is that although the foundation has this index it is not actually used when awarding the prize, this is awarded by a committee to those who pass the criteria that don’t include the IIAG (Mo Ibrahim Foundation, 2013). The prize is therefore methodologically unsound as a way of looking at and promoting good governance\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a8d25658e44c49c92fa48845f08435d7",
"text": "onal africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo Who's on the committee?\n\nWho decides whether governance is going in the right direction within the African continent? The prize committee includes six individuals who make the decision of who is worthy of the reward, and whether it is granted. The panel includes leading figures, not all of whom have held elected positions such as Mohamed ElBaradei, and not all of whom are African, such as Martti Ahtisaari and Mary Robinson (Mo Ibrahim Foundation Prize Committee). Among these distinguished panellists the voice of Africa’s population is missing. A prize about good governance should incorporate a people’s vote as good governance is only relevant if it helps the people. Moreover without a public voice there is a lack of transparency in the workings of the committee and the decisions made. Hardly a good standard for a governance prize.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7e428c138f66af7fe22a5fa1ed139e0f",
"text": "onal africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo Focusing on the leaders of good governance\n\nPrevious winners - such as Nelson Mandela and Pedro Pires - made significant changes to their nation-states, ending apartheid and promoting social development. The former leaders provided equality and a functioning democracy to their people. Such needs to be the aim of leaders today.\n\nProviding a prize to the highest achievers provides an example. It highlights leaders from even small countries – such as Cape Verde’s Pires – that can serve as role models for Africa’s leaders. Without the prize the most likely role models would simply be those of the biggest states who are highest profile. Mo Ibrahim (2013) has stated the prize is for “excellence, it’s not a pension”. This is why it is not always awarded. The prize is only be awarded when high-standards of good governance are replicated, and maintained, by leaders. Focusing on the top of government encourages a top down implementation of good government. When the leader acts others will follow; a comparatively small amount of money can therefore make a big difference.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "11038bf1bfb79500df36e4a0f3fd5c43",
"text": "onal africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo Transparency\n\nThe prize is helping citizens to be aware of good governance, and bad, occurring within their state. By granting the prize citizens are shown what leaders have done right; and the publication of the index - the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) - shows where improvement may be required. The prize is forcing transparency between governments and society. Information on how states are doing means citizens can take action, and demand change where change is needed. The prize is calling for African citizens to get the leadership they deserved, desired, and have a right to.\n\nBy maintaining strict standards on when, and to whom, the reward is provided gives a realistic picture of governance in Africa. It showcases the continued need for good governance; and also doesn’t give citizens and the international community a false illusion that governance is good in Africa when it is not.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "64255a2ebaf98e2f10dccc1d6e3c62a8",
"text": "onal africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo Recognition when credit is due\n\nThe past few years have seen African governments, and heads of state, reluctant to leave office; driving political coups; and leading violent crimes against humanity. Mugabe, Kabila, and Kenyatta are but a few articulating the years of sustained bad governance. The prize is only awarded when credit is due - if leaders have made a significant positive impact this will be recognised and rewarded. The prize is therefore for absolute gains in governance, not relative to other countries.\n\nAs the prize is not always awarded it avoids the pitfall that distributing a financial prize where no change has been made to political institutions would reinforce a system. The state would continue to function on undemocratic governance, and the reward would become a new example of dead money [1] . Instead it encourages improved control over aid and money transferred to African states, it shows that rewards are given based on merit. The Mo Ibrahim prize therefore encourages the good institutions that are necessary for prosperity (Acemoglu and Robinson, 2013).\n\n[1] See further readings: Moyo, 2009.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
77ec111d654b29f4d31b7ea25e630d32
|
The EU causes instability
According to Boris Johnson the European Union is “a force for instability and alienation” [1] that increasingly causes security problems such as the migration crisis. The EUs inability to solve its crises such as the economic difficulties of peripheral countries like Greece and Portugal are causing resentment and warnings that one may fall out of the Euro block. It is the EU that is creating these problems by not dealing with its crises but leaving them to fester and grow. In Greece for example only a third of Greeks have a positive view of the EU and only 17% believe integration has been good for Greece. [2]
[1] ‘EU referendum: Cameron warns UK exit could put peace at risk’, BBC News, 9th May 2016, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36243296
[2] Stokes, Bruce, and Goo, Sara Kehaulani, ‘5 facts about Greece and the EU’, PewResearchCenter, 7 July 2015, http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/07/5-facts-about-greece-and-the-eu/
|
[
{
"docid": "f1dc3090e5deb9ffd109a97f6c12e3c8",
"text": "onal europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would If there were similar crises without the EU existing as a balm and place where all countries can talk regularly and confront problems together then the security situation would be much worse. In the past it has only taken small incidents to spark a war – usually exemplified by the assassination of archduke Franz Ferdinand starting off world war I, but there have also been wars started by trade such as the ‘War of Jenkins Ear’ which became part of the war of Austrian Succession. Today the EU provides a place to negotiate disputes between members making war between member states unthinkable. Of course war would still be a very unlikely response to a dispute, but leaving the EU would mean getting rid of one of the organisations that reduces that possibility by mitigating crises.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "67b9b3a9bfb60b432135b217bda2cf90",
"text": "onal europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would In a letter to the Telegraph five former Secretary-Generals of NATO stated “The European Union… is a key partner for NATO” and that “Brexit would undoubtedly lead to a loss of British influence, undermine NATO and give succour to the West’s enemies just when we need to stand shoulder-to-shoulder across the Euro-Atlantic community against common threats”. They give sanctions imposed by the EU on Iran and Russia as examples of where the EU has lead on enhancing regional security. [1] Moreover if the EU is to create an EU force this will happen regardless of Brexit. Britain stands a much greater chance of stopping it when it has a voice in the EU with which to object.\n\n[1] Lord Carrington, Javier Solana, Lord Robertson, Jaap De Hoop Scheffer, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, ‘Letters: At a time of global instability, Britain needs to stand united with its EU allies’, The Telegraph, 10 May 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2016/05/09/letters-at-a-time-of-global-instability-britain-needs-to-stand-u/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7fead82dbb0e3202ded6dfc53d659231",
"text": "onal europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would Control of borders is important. However it is also not relevant to the debate as the UK not being a party to the Schengen agreement already has control over its borders; the UK checks passports and visas at the border just as would happen if the country were to leave the EU. Leaving would make no difference to UK border security.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "99dabdbbd3f761d9dc4ca680cd2dc7f2",
"text": "onal europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would While keeping sight of the UKs national interests is important almost all of them can be carried out as well with the European Union as outside it. In particular the whole of Europe is interested in preventing terrorism. In other areas such as maritime security it makes sense for the UK to specialise in it while other countries specialise in other areas such as having larger armies. Moreover it should be noted that the UK is in one of the safest areas of the world with no hostile states in any direction. In this sense the EU is a buffer between the UK and less stable areas such as North Africa, the Middle East, or Russia so it makes sense to work with them as part of the same organisations including the EU.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "efd8190bc90487b5c28f28557d49e31e",
"text": "onal europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would The EU simply adds to an alphabet soup of organisations that work on security in Europe. The two which matter, NATO and EUROPOL, both have little to do with the EU and would work just as well with the UK out.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ebd6172e5b6ae23faaccea11571bc47c",
"text": "onal europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would Since the end of World War II Germany and national rivalries in Western Europe not been the main threat to Europe. Instead that threat has emanated from outside the EU; largely from Russia, and then from more nebulous threats such as terrorism. In both these cases it has been military alliances such as NATO and nuclear deterrence that have kept the peace.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d93cbb9bfaafae83b22fdf34822c3c4d",
"text": "onal europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would There would still be data sharing between Britain and its neighbours even if the UK left the EU. No intelligence agency would sit on information that could save lives in another country simply because that country is no longer in the same organisation. Moreover the UK could still negotiate data sharing agreements with relevant intelligence agencies to ensure that information sharing remains fast and comprehensive.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c31e2008fa426addac23bd7a98d60db0",
"text": "onal europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would Strong control of borders is needed to keep the country secure\n\nTerrorism is often considered the biggest security threat to the UK. Ian Duncan Smith has argued that being in the EU “exposes UK to terror risk” because an “open border does not allow us to check and control people”. [1] The Schengen agreement on the free movement of people makes it easier for terrorists to move about in Europe as shown by the terrorist attacks on Paris which were planned in Brussels.\n\n[1] ‘Staying in EU 'exposes UK to terror risk', says Iain Duncan Smith’, BBC News, 21 February 2016, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35624409\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "84e44d7816fbc91f6bfe6971c74da826",
"text": "onal europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would A nation state can only rely on itself for security\n\nIn the security sphere it is national interests that are most important and no state can expect other states to have exactly the same interests. Everyone therefore needs to look after their own. In the case of the EU Britain cannot expect France or Germany to have the same security interests as the UK with its different situation – being an island rather than part of the continent. Germany is much more concerned with Eastern Europe than the UK, France much more with Northern Africa. Freedom from the EU means greater freedom for the UK to focus on its own national interests on security; terrorism, maritime defence, and building up NATO rather than any competing European force.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "765a59500a181f5c5ad42d2cb645d7f2",
"text": "onal europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would British security is dependent upon NATO not the EU\n\nNATO is “the most successful defensive alliance in history”, it saw off the USSR and Warsaw pact without a fight and has created a single security regime throughout most of Europe. [1] With its’ record NATO is clearly most important for security in Europe; it is still needed to deter Russia. The creation of an EU army on the other hand will undermine NATO and is something that will be pushed through after the referendum. [2] Britain could likely opt out, but with cooperation taking place under EU rather than NATO auspices the alliance that has kept the peace would be badly damaged.\n\n[1] London Declaration quoted by Reeve, Richard, ‘We need to talk about NATO’, OxfordResearchGroup, 17 September 2015, http://www.oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk/publications/briefing_papers_and_reports/we_need_talk_about_nato\n\n[2] Kemp, Richard, ‘It is an EU army that could bring about war’, The Telegraph, 9 May 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/09/it-is-an-eu-army-that-could-bring-about-war/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "64e9e5a535025849b962dd76f88d8076",
"text": "onal europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would Leaving will mean less communication with other security services\n\nLeaving the EU may damage relationships with key security partners such as France and Germany. Both countries would have much less reason to cooperate on security issued when not in the same organisation. There would certainly still be some cooperation but the former heads of Mi5 and Mi6, Lord Evans and Sir John Sawers have stated that the UK would lose out through not being able “to take part in the decisions that frame the sharing of data, which is a crucial part of counter-terrorism and counter-cyber work”. Sawers points out that data sharing in the EU allowed France to transfer DNA and fingerprints of one of the Brussels bombers within months – previous to EU data sharing it would have taken months slowing down critical investigations. [1]\n\n[1] ‘Row as ex-intelligence chiefs say EU membership protects UK security’, BBC News, 8 May 2016, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36239741\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7dc2afd02ab07414748ca5a72d2d4ae7",
"text": "onal europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would Security is better shared\n\nSecurity is not a zero sum game – our security does not get better if our neighbours is worse. On the contrary good French, Irish, Belgian and Norwegian security helps ensure good British security. Being in the EU provides an opportunity for cooperation between member states by creating interaction on all levels. Some integration ensures a common and cooperative response to international threats. The EU is the most obvious place to develop a coordinated response to terrorism and other, particularly non-military, security concerns throughout the region. [1]\n\n[1] Galbreath, David, ‘Professor David Galbreath on: Security in, secure out: Brexit’s impact on security and defence policy’, University of Bath IPR Blog, 24 March 2016, http://blogs.bath.ac.uk/iprblog/2016/03/24/professor-david-galbreath-on-security-in-secure-out-brexits-impact-on-security-and-defence-policy/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "019d973c5c636d4256f7a940e9d6e402",
"text": "onal europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would The EU brings together former enemies\n\nThe EU has created peace among states that formerly fought each other. Most notably Germany and France had fought each other three times in seventy-five years prior to the formation of the EU. The EU has helped make such a conflict unthinkable now. The EU as a structure restrains old rivalries through giving a joint project and goal. It ensures cooperation particularly in places where there are competing interests like Gibraltar where continued cross border access is guaranteed by being a member of the EU. [1]\n\n[1] Hague, William, ‘Leaving the EU would be disastrous for the Falklands, Gibraltar and Ulster’, The Telegraph, 9 May 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/09/leaving-the-eu-would-be-disastrous-for-the-falklands-gibraltar-a/\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
ecbcdac28b25b79dbe05dd13159e90cb
|
Internet governance is necessary to combat heinous crimes committed via the internet
The internet is a means of communication – therefore also a means of communication between criminals. And because it is global it creates global crime problems that need coordinated responses. One type of crime that has particularly become a problem on the internet is child sexual abuse material: the internet allows for an easy and anonymous distribution method which can even be secured by modern encryption methods. [1]
Governments can help fight this by requiring ISPs and mobile companies to track people’s internet histories, hand over data when requested, and allow police to get information from them without a search warrant, something which has been proposed by the Canadian government. [2] In Australia, the government even proposed mandatory filtering of all internet traffic by ISPs to automatically filter out all child sexual abuse material. [3]
Admittedly, these measures seem drastic – but in cases like these, or similar cases like terrorism, the harm prevented is more important.
[1] ‘Child Pornography on the Rise, Justice Department Reports’. 2010.
[2] ‘Current laws not focused enough to combat child porn online’. 2012.
[3] Mcmenamin, Bernadette, ‘Filters needed to battle child porn’. 2008.
|
[
{
"docid": "f518053e88c3f34c3bb376f643996a04",
"text": "ch debate internet freedom politics government digital freedoms freedom Battling hideous crimes shouldn’t lead us to draconian and ineffective policies\n\nEveryone is against child sexual abuse material. But in their drive to battle it, governments might go too far. For example, granting the police the right to search without (full) warrant is a harm to citizens’ basic right to privacy and freedom from unwarranted government surveillance. [1]\n\nThe automatic internet filtering and data retention are possibly an even worse infringement on basic civil liberties: it designates all internet traffic and therefore all internet using citizens as suspect, even before a crime has been committed. This overturns the important principle that people are presumed innocent until proven guilty.\n\nMoreover, instead of the police and prosecution changing their behavior, internet filters hardwire these new assumptions into the architecture of the internet itself. [2] This means it is more all-pervasive and less noticeable, thus constituting an even worse violation.\n\nThese draconian measures might even seem worth it, until you realise they don’t work: blocking and filtering technology makes mistakes and can be circumvented easily. [3]\n\n[1] ‘Online surveillance bill critics are siding with ‘child pornographers’: Vic Toews’. 2012.\n\n[2] Lessig, ‘Code is Law’. 2000.\n\n[3] ‘Why government internet filtering won’t work’. 2008.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "f457f0d5a403b21a176b278374b74677",
"text": "ch debate internet freedom politics government digital freedoms freedom Internet regulation isn’t an effective and legitimate means to create a safe internet\n\nSetting up CERTs aren’t an effective means to create a safer internet, because most of the threats are a result of ‘social engineering’, which means that hackers use social cues to con people into believing frauds. People usually fall for this because of their own gullibility and naïveté, like in Nigerian email scams. [1] The most effective means of combating these threats is to educate citizens directly, the FBI already does this with Nigerian email scams. [2] People and corporations are primarily responsible for their own actions, which includes taking care of their own internet security by obtaining anti-virus software, and which also includes corporations making sure their websites are safe to use or else face liability charges if they turn out not to be.\n\nMoreover, CERTs are illegitimate. They are illegitimate because they facilitate the sharing of information on specific persons across private and public organizations and because they are hard to control democratically. For example: the US-CERT is an agency residing under the department of Homeland Security. Through the sharing of information with private parties, these private parties, unwittingly, run the risk of becoming one of the government’s watch dogs. Moreover, this sharing of information is hard to control democratically: much of the information could be classified as secret, which means that citizens have no way of verifying whether public and private organizations are complying with data sharing regulations.\n\n[1] Plumer, ‘Why Nigerian email scams are so crude and obvious’. 2012.\n\n[2] FBI, ‘Nigerian letter or “419” fraud’.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1fa43b153f9a512a56b9233ce152353d",
"text": "ch debate internet freedom politics government digital freedoms freedom Government shouldn’t interfere with the internet economy\n\nIt almost never ends well when governments interfere with the internet economy. The graduated response policy against the unauthorized downloading of copyrighted content is one example: it violates the same principles as a filter against child sex abuse material, but it also doesn’t succeed in its’ goal of helping content businesses innovate their business models, which is why France is considering discontinuing it. [1] Also, other businesses are slowly replacing the old fashioned music-industry, showing that companies on the internet are fully able to survive and thrive by offering copyrighted content online. [2]\n\nWhen governments do become active in the internet economy, they’re likely to run very high risks. IT projects are very likely to fail, run over budget and time, [3] especially when it concerns governments. [4] This means that governments shouldn’t be ‘going digital’ anytime soon, as the data governments handle is too sensitive. The case of digital signatures is a good example: when the provider of digital signatures for tax and business purposes, DigiNotar, was hacked, it not only comprised the security of Dutch-Iranian citizens, [5] but also hampered government communications. [6]\n\n[1] ‘French anti-p2p agency Hadopi likely to get shut down’. 2012.\n\n[2] Knopper, ‘The New Economics of the Music Industry’. 2011.\n\n[3] Budzier and Flyvbjerg, ‘Why your IT project may be riskier than you think’. 2011.\n\n[4] ‘Government IT Projects: How often is succes even an option?’. 2011.\n\n[5] ‘Fake DigiNotar web certificate risk to Iranians’, 2011.\n\n[6] ‘Dutch government unprepared for SSL hack, report says’, 2012.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ec85d1ed62f562766a27857e04a065fc",
"text": "ch debate internet freedom politics government digital freedoms freedom As in the offline world, free speech isn’t unlimited\n\nEven in free societies, free speech isn’t always free. Free speech can be demeaning and hurtful to certain people or can even incite hatred and violence. [1] The first reason is why, under internet libel law, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are asked to remove defamatory material and blogs take to moderating their comments more, [2] and the second is why Germany and France have outlawed Holocaust denial and Nazism.\n\nAs in the previous arguments, accountable governments are attempting to strike a balance between free speech and where this can harm others. [3] A carefully struck balance between rights in the offline world shouldn’t have to be abolished, just because we’re now in the online world. [4]\n\n[1] Waldron, ‘The harm of hate Speech’, 2012\n\n[2] Alibhai-Brown, ‘Freedom of speech can’t be unlimited’, 2009.\n\n[3] Minister: The UK “emphatically” supports free speech online but there are limits, 2012\n\n[4] Schellekens, “What holds off-line, also holds on-line?”, 2006\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6db5287073252823f5533b8cb7fef932",
"text": "ch debate internet freedom politics government digital freedoms freedom With the government as final decision-maker, at least the citizens and consumers have some say\n\nRegulatory capture does sometimes happen and when it does, it’s bad. But the risk of regulatory capture isn’t a sufficient argument to keep the government away from regulating the internet, because governments can also protect citizens and consumers from big companies.\n\nAn example is the net neutrality debate. Content providers could have started paying Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to have their websites load faster than any other website (paid prioritization). Entertainment companies that also provide internet are currently being investigated for not allowing their competitors in the entertainment segment access to their network as internet provider. [1] This threatens the freedom of choice of the consumer, which is why governments have stepped in to ensure that companies aren’t allowed favour some websites. [2] If the government wouldn’t have been involved in regulating the internet, it couldn’t have stood up for consumers’ and citizens’ rights like this.\n\n[1] DOJ Realizes That Comcast & Time Warner Are Trying To Prop Up Cable By Holding Back Hulu & Netflix, 2012\n\n[2] Voskamp, ‘GOP Attempt to Overturn FCC’s Net Neutrality Rules Fails in Senate’, 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "52bb201fc92b1bff7b4541fcee1056ba",
"text": "ch debate internet freedom politics government digital freedoms freedom ‘Spying on the internet’ is nothing different from a normal police investigation\n\nObviously, governments also use the internet and social media to investigate suspects. But when they’re doing this, they’re only using information that’s publicly available online. The technical term for this is ‘OSINT’, which stands for ‘Open Source Intelligence’, which means that it’s the kind of information that anyone with access to Google and a lot of spare time could have found. [1]\n\nWhen police investigations turn up more severe suspicions, then more extreme methods can be used to obtain evidence if needed, sometimes even actively asking hackers for help. [2]\n\nBut methods like these are not necessarily bad: their disadvantages in use have to be weighed against their significant benefits. And governments are doing this, as is for example shown in Canada’s ‘Technical Assistance for Law Enforcement in the 21st Century Act’: governments try to extend the principles of due process and probable cause to the internet, but at the same time they need to be able to defend their citizens from harm. [3]\n\n[1] Wikipedia, ‘Open source intelligence’, 2012.\n\n[2] ‘NSA chief seeks help from hackers’, 2012\n\n[3] ‘Technical Assistance for Law Enforcement in the 21st Century Act’, 2012\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "07feb4e2034a43ea09b88ee2cff79a88",
"text": "ch debate internet freedom politics government digital freedoms freedom Internet regulation is necessary to ensure a safe internet\n\nCitizens, corporations, and public organizations face several security threats when online: critical infrastructure systems can be hacked, like the energy transport system, [1] citizens can fall victim to identity theft, [2] and phishing, [3] whereby hackers gain access to bank accounts or other sensitive information. Specifically, it seems that the public sector is attacked the most. [4]\n\nIn response to cyber-threats like these, many governments have set up Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs), Incident Response and Security Teams (IRTs), or Computer Security and Incident Response Teams (CSIRT; the fact that we haven’t settled on a fitting acronym yet shows how much it is still a novel phenomenon): agencies that warn citizens and organizations alike when a new threat emerges and provides a platform for (the exchange of) expertise in methods of preventing cyber-threats and exchanging information on possible perpetrators of such threats. Oftentimes, these (inter)governmental agencies provide a place where private CSIRTs can also cooperate and exchange information. [5]\n\nThese agencies provide a similar function online as the regular police provides offline: by sharing information and warnings against threats, they create a safer world.\n\n[1] ‘At Risk: Hacking Critical Infrastructure’. 2012.\n\n[2] ‘Identity theft on the rise’. 2010.\n\n[3] ‘Phishing websites reach all-time high’. 2012.\n\n[4] ‘Public sector most targeted by cyber attacks’. 2012.\n\n[5] see for example the About Us page of the US-CERT or the About the NCSC page of the Dutch CERT\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c19a94e7845a02e6ccad91f54ebae7b2",
"text": "ch debate internet freedom politics government digital freedoms freedom Internet regulation is necessary to ensure a working economy on the internet\n\nAs seen above, the internet has enabled many types of criminal behavior. But it has also enabled normal citizens to share files. Music, movie and game producers have difficulty operating in a market where their products get pirated immediately after release and spread for free instantaneously on a massive scale. The internet enables violation of their right of ownership, gained through providing the hard work of creating a work of art, on a massive scale. Since it’s impractical to sue and fine each and every downloader, a more effective and less invasive policy would be government requiring Internet Service Providers to implement a graduated response policy, which has ISPs automatically monitor all internet traffic and fine their users when they engage in copyright violation. Something along these lines has already been tried in France, called HADOPI, which has succeeded in decreasing the downloading of unauthorized content. [1]\n\nApart from this, governments also need to think about how to translate everyday offline activities onto the internet. For example, when you file your tax report offline, you would sign it with your handwritten signature. The online variant would be a digital signature. [2] Developing and deploying a digital signature would enable citizens and corporations to do business, file their tax reports and pay their taxes online.\n\n[1] Crumley, ‘Why France’s Socialists Won’t Kill Sarkozy’s Internet Piracy Law’, 2012\n\n[2] Wikipedia, ‘Digital Signatures’, 2012.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "586d274b385ce6958d4ae82a718586a5",
"text": "ch debate internet freedom politics government digital freedoms freedom Internet regjulation is a euphemism for censorship\n\nGovernments are trying to control what citizens can and can’t say online and what they can and can’t access. This can vary from France and Germany requiring Google to suppress Nazism in search results [1] to the Great Firewall of China, where the Chinese government almost fully controls what’s said and seen on the internet and has an army of censors. [2]\n\nThis type of internet censorship is bad because citizens should have freedom of speech and uninhibited access to information, [3] a right so fundamental that we have enshrined it in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [4] and reaffirmed by the participants of the World Summit on the Information Society in 2003. [5]\n\n[1] Zittrain and Edelman, Localized Google search result exclusions, 2005\n\n[2] Internet censorship in China, 2010\n\n[3] Free Speech Debate, 2012\n\n[4] article 19, Universal Declaration of Human Rights\n\n[5] Declaration of Principles, article 4, 2003\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7166deb8ee16c97ed14637b99a500960",
"text": "ch debate internet freedom politics government digital freedoms freedom Internet regulation is an attempt by big interest groups to regulate the internet in their favour\n\nLarge companies have an active interest in shaping the structure of the internet. One example of this is the Stop Online Piracy-Act (SOPA), [1] wherein U.S.-based music and movie companies proposed that they themselves would be able to police copyright infringements against websites that are hosted outside of the United States. [2]\n\nThe phenomenon whereby companies succeed in shaping government policies according to their own wishes is called ‘regulatory capture’. Another example from the telecommunications industry is the lobby effort by several large corporations, who have succeeded in eroding consumer protection in their favour. [3] If the government wouldn’t have been involved in regulating the internet in the first place, big companies wouldn’t have had any incentive to attempt regulatory capture.\n\n[1] 112th Congress, ‘H.R.3261 – Stop Online Piracy Act’\n\n[2] Post, ‘SOPA and the Future of Internet Governance’, 2012\n\n[3] Kushnick, ‘ALEC, Tech and the Telecom Wars: Killing America's Telecom Utilities’, 2012\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f291e2540e37b6fb27bc3e2a707a99a8",
"text": "ch debate internet freedom politics government digital freedoms freedom Regulating the Internet is a means for governments to spy on their citizens\n\nGovernments around the world are tracking their citizens’ activities online. [1] They can use all sorts of techniques, like automated data-mining (i.e. via trawling your Facebook and Twitter accounts) and deep packet inspection of each electronic message sent (i.e. intercepting and reading your email). All these methods are violations of important principles.\n\nThe automated data-mining violates the principle that people shouldn’t be investigated by their governments unless there is warrant for it (so there is reasonable suspicion that they have been involved in a crime). Also, data mining creates many false positives, leading to citizens being thoroughly investigated without probable cause. [2] Deep packet inspection violates people’s fundamental right to secrecy of correspondence, which is a violation of privacy.\n\nThe problem with these government policies is that they’re hard to control – even in democracies: much of the spying is done by intelligence agencies, which are often able to evade democratic control on account of the need for secrecy rather than transparency. [3]\n\n[1] Reporters Without Borders, Enemies of the internet, 2012 and Kingsley, Britain won’t be the only country snooping on people’s internet use, 2012\n\n[2] US Researchers Decide Spying On Citizens Is Bad, 2008\n\n[3] Electronic Frontier Foundation, ‘NSA Spying’.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
168abfd28d964a5213f524fbd63b6f76
|
States should not possess such destructive, cataclysmic weapons
Nuclear weapons are, by their very nature, indiscriminate and disproportional; any weapon which could not possibly be used in a responsible manner should not be permitted. Over the past fifty years, we have seen a general tendency towards limited warfare and precision weapons, allowing military objectives to be achieved with minimal loss of civilian life. The entire point of nuclear weapons, however, is their massive, indiscriminate destructive power. Their use could kill tens of thousands of civilians directly, and their catastrophic environmental after-effects would harm many more all around the world. These effects could never be morally acceptable, particularly as the basis of one’s national security strategy. They place ‘humanity and most forms of life in jeopardy of annihilation’ (Krieger, 2003). No state or leader can be entrusted, morally, with a power and responsibility that could come close to annihilating humanity.
|
[
{
"docid": "8a7dec6f23f92176ceadf2960b4cf60f",
"text": "warpeace house would abolish nuclear weapons States have the right to possess any weapon that will materially support their ambitions of survival, regardless of their destructive power. There is no greater principle than that of self-defence, and a state is entitled to develop any means by which it improves its position vis-à-vis an enemy and subsequently promotes peace in the region and internationally. Furthermore, the damage done by a nuclear weapon is no more indiscriminate or disproportional than the damage potentially caused by a prolonged aerial bombardment. In World War II for instance, far more damage was wrought by fire-bombing Tokyo than either of the nuclear attacks. The issue is therefore not whether nuclear weapons should be held, but under which circumstances they are used, or threatened. Either way, they should not be abolished.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "398f11b8a3d0a73e5e3557574afbdb2e",
"text": "warpeace house would abolish nuclear weapons States seek nuclear weapons not primarily in order to use them, but in order to take advantage of the security they offer. If states existed in a world post-disarmament, the incentives to develop nuclear weapons for reasons of security would not have disappeared, in fact they would have increased as no other state would be able to use their more powerful conventional forces against that state. As Paul Robinson notes, ‘conventional armaments…will remain the backbone of U.S. defence forces, but the inherent threat to escalate to nuclear use can help to prevent conflicts from starting, prevent their escalation, as well as bring (them) to a swift and certain end (Robinson, 2001)’. Such potential advantages will not be lost on states in a nuclear-free world.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "257278d5ace978b518f33f206a696316",
"text": "warpeace house would abolish nuclear weapons The process is implausible, primarily because whilst the actual weapons can be dismantled, the technology remains and the only effective means to deter the development of a nuclear weapon is a nuclear weapon. Even if this were not the case, such a gradual and incremental process of disarmament does not account for the weapons held by states who have not officially declared their presence, like Israel. Furthermore, though a verification agency may have universal access to nuclear stockpiles, it has little power to enforce states to adhere to treaties, precipitating the scenario whereby one state refuses to give up its final weapon and stalling the process indefinitely. Finally, this process assumes that states wish to see nuclear weapons abolished, rather than the more common assumption that states view nuclear weapons as necessary, not merely to deter other nuclear powers but for traditional deterrence and nuclear blackmail. Would all states willingly give that up?\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2d109874e34fa57a31453e4f673d11ff",
"text": "warpeace house would abolish nuclear weapons The Count was only asked to provide an advisory opinion; their adjudication had no subsequent basis in law. Anyhow, the very same jury voted unanimously that ‘there is in neither customary nor conventional international law any comprehensive and universal prohibition of the threat or use of nuclear weapons as such’ (International Court of Justice, 1996). Unlike biological and chemical weapons, for which specific treaties have been developed to regulate and prevent their use, the absence of regulation for nuclear weapons implicitly recognizes wide-held appreciation for their deterrent effects\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e6f030d25825727b46b538cc097821b8",
"text": "warpeace house would abolish nuclear weapons The abolishment of nuclear weapons does not reduce the risk of them falling into the wrong hands. While nuclear weapons can be dismantled, the weapons-grade plutonium which forms their warheads cannot simply be destroyed. Instead, they must be stored in special facilities; in Russia, there are some three hundred sites were military nuclear material is stored (National Intelligence Council, 2002). It is producing this plutonium which is in fact the most difficult stage in building a weapon - by dismantling missiles, you are therefore not destroying their most dangerous part, and hence the risk of theft does not decrease. In fact, it may increase: missile silos in Russia are still the most heavily funded part of the military, whereas in recent years it has become clear that security at storage facilities is often inadequate. Moreover, it is far easier to steal a relatively small quantity of plutonium than an entire Intercontinental Ballistic Missile; there were three such incidents in Russia in the 1990s of weapons-grade uranium theft (National Intelligence Council, 2002). Ironically, the safest place for plutonium in present-day Russia may be on top of such a missile.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a7f12c16f95cde701740065f8cb74bae",
"text": "warpeace house would abolish nuclear weapons The idea of a so-called 'nuclear deterrent' no longer applies – the United States would not be deterred from attacking a newly nuclear Iran because the U.S. would have a first strike capability so would be able to wipe our Iranian nuclear weapons before they could be used. While it is true that political leaders on both sides during the Cold War were terrified of a nuclear conflict it was as much the balance of power that maintained the peace. Neither superpower had an advantage large enough to be confident of victory. However, there is no longer nuclear deterrence. With the proliferation of nuclear weapons, some rogue states may develop the ability to strike at enemies who have no nuclear weapons of their own. Unless the country under attack is allied to another nuclear power It is not clear that any of the major nuclear powers would then strike back at the aggressor. This is further complicated by the fact that most of the emerging nuclear threats would not be from legitimate governments but from dictators and terrorist groups. Would it ever be acceptable to kill thousands of civilians for the actions of extremists?\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8f7cd7494dc75772d72ad80ea102c56e",
"text": "warpeace house would abolish nuclear weapons Nuclear weapons provide the source of the greatest possible barbarity in warfare; therefore it is disingenuous to suggest that their abolishment would only exacerbate conflicts. States do not start wars with major powers contemporaneously merely because those major powers happen to have nuclear weapons; traditional deterrence will still be as effective as it is currently. Furthermore, the abolishment of nuclear weapons would allow thereafter mutual co-operation on the issue of non-proliferation without the current fear that others are only concerned with preventing proliferation in countries likely to be opposed to their interests.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b04ace4f405953739e7d759334b40a9a",
"text": "warpeace house would abolish nuclear weapons In 1996, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. The treaty, which calls for an end to all nuclear testing, includes provisions for extensive and independent mechanisms for the monitoring of nuclear activities. Such mechanisms could easily be co-opted for use in implementing, monitoring and verifying any future nuclear disarmament process.\n\n\"The de facto global nuclear test moratorium and CTBT’s entry into force are crucial barriers to help prevent the spread of nuclear weapons to additional states and are essential to the future viability of the nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). They are the first two of the 13 practical steps for systematic and progressive nuclear disarmament that were unanimously adopted in the Final Document of the 2000 NPT Review Conference (Kimball, 2005).” Even if countries could rapidly produce a bomb without any testing they would not be able to see if it works and any state engaged in breakout would take time to make their bomb deployable on delivery vehicles.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c36c435f9f6d89ef5c71d0a67549e6ba",
"text": "warpeace house would abolish nuclear weapons The purported efficacy of nuclear deterrence drives nuclear proliferation and therefore increases the risk of nuclear weapons being utilized\n\nBy claiming the efficacy of nuclear weapons as a strategic deterrent, the current nuclear powers encourage the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (Krieger, 2003). To be a part of the so-called 'nuclear club' is seen as a matter of great prestige; when India and Pakistan recently declared their nuclear capability and held mutual tests in the 1990s, it was seen in both countries as increasing their international status. Nevertheless, tensions in the region have only increased since the mutual announcements, not least the Kargil War of 1999 that almost precipitated a nuclear war. Nations opposed to a nuclear power therefore feel that they need to develop their own capability in order to protect themselves. The declared nuclear powers must therefore take the lead in disarmament, as an example for the rest of the world.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "214c97e30c555997e26c1aa0041825cb",
"text": "warpeace house would abolish nuclear weapons Nuclear weapons can be abolished through the co-operation of nuclear powers and the establishment of an independent verification system\n\nThe co-operation of the United States and Russia, demonstrated in their regularly-renewed START treaties, confer the ability of nuclear powers to work towards a reduction in nuclear stockpiles. A new campaigning body, Global Zero, has laid out the path to nuclear abolishment, concerning first bilateral accords to reduce stockpiles in the manner already occurring. From there, they advocate the ‘universal acceptance of a comprehensive verification and enforcement system accompanied by tighter controls on fissile materials produced by civil-nuclear programmes’ (The Economist, 2011). The process will not be swift, but it is plausible and not a stretch considering the success of previous START treaties and the example of the International Atomic Energy Agency as an independent body charged with verifying nuclear installations.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "10b46359dc32fbc1d5e9689053cbf514",
"text": "warpeace house would abolish nuclear weapons Risk of nuclear weapons falling into the wrong hands\n\nWhile nuclear weapons exist, they can fall into the wrong hands. This is particularly prevalent in an environment whereby there are extremist groups actively seeking to cause instant, egregious harm to their ideological and political enemies. Such groups do not lack for funding; therefore the fear of weapons falling into the wrong hands has never been higher. This is particularly true in Russia, which now has control of all of the nuclear weapons which were distributed around the former Soviet Union. In particular during the 1990s the military was disastrously underfunded; technicians and officers who were used to a high standard of living found themselves without pay, sometimes for years. At the same time, other states and extremist groups are willing to pay substantial sums for their services, and to gain access to nuclear weapons. This same danger is now as much, if not more, of a problem in Pakistan (Ambinder, 2011). The danger of a weapon being stolen, or a nuclear base being taken over by disgruntled members of the military or other extremists, can only be ended by destroying the weapons (Allison, 1997).\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6ecac1df8932534c4055dc8239b6fbe7",
"text": "warpeace house would abolish nuclear weapons Both the use and threat of nuclear weapons are illegal\n\nThe disproportionate and indiscriminate nature of nuclear weapons use renders their possession illegal under international humanitarian law. The International Court of Justice in 1996, asked to provide an advisory opinion, declared unanimously that any use or threat of nuclear weapons had to be compatible with existing international law relating to armed conflict (International Court of Justice, 1996). The principles of discrimination and proportionality inherent in the laws of wars are codified in the Geneva Conventions of 1949, and are quite clearly violated by nuclear weapons. As such, a majority of the judges present felt that any such use or threat would ‘generally be contrary’ to those rules of international law and therefore, unanimously, ‘there exists an obligation to pursue in good faith and bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control’ (International Court of Justice, 1996).\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1d4f54a53d763f2519a61d28bda63a79",
"text": "warpeace house would abolish nuclear weapons Abolishment is an unrealistic goal\n\nThe nuclear genie is out of the bottle, and there is no way to go back. Nuclear technology exists, and there is no way to un-invent it (Robinson, 2001). Much as the ideal of global disarmament is fine, the reality is that it is impossible: it takes only one rogue state to maintain a secret nuclear capability to make the abolition of the major powers' deterrents unworkable. Without the threat of a retaliatory strike, this state could attack others at will.\n\nSimilarly, the process by which nuclear weapons are produced cannot easily be differentiated from the nuclear power process; without constant oversight it would be possible for any state with nuclear power to regain nuclear capability if they felt threatened. This is the same as the nuclear ‘breakout’ capability that many states such as Japan have whereby they can create a nuclear bomb in a matter of weeks or days – if a country has nuclear power and the technology they have this capability even when they have disarmed their nuclear weapons.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0c7376f4bb968b35940e2a2dd98b2f78",
"text": "warpeace house would abolish nuclear weapons Nuclear weapons are required for deterrence\n\nThe use of nuclear weapons would indeed be a great tragedy; but so, to a greater or lesser extent, is any war. The reason for maintaining an effective nuclear arsenal is in fact to prevent war. By making the results of conflict catastrophic, a strategic deterrent discourages conflict. The Cold War was in fact one of the most peaceful times in history, particularly in Europe, largely because of the two superpowers' nuclear deterrents: ‘the principal function of nuclear weapons was to deter nuclear attack’ (Record, 2004). During the Gulf War, for example, one of the factors which prevented Iraq from launching missiles tipped with chemical weapon warheads against Israel was the threat the USA would retaliate with a nuclear strike. Although there is no longer as formal a threat of retaliation as there was during the Cold War, the very possibility that the use of nuclear weapons by a rogue state could be met a retaliatory strike is too great a threat to ignore. Moreover, although the citizens of the current nuclear powers may be against the use of force against civilians, their opinions would rapidly change if they found weapons of mass destruction being used against them.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "68fc522da4991a195761478bf8c7ea70",
"text": "warpeace house would abolish nuclear weapons Abolishment would be counter-productive and only lead to greater barbarity in warfare\n\nNuclear weapons have a restraining effect on warfare, preventing escalation through fear of their destruction. To abolish them is therefore to act counter-productively: ‘it will not advance substantive progress on non-proliferation; and it risks compromising the value that nuclear weapons continue to contribute, through deterrence, to U.S. security and international stability’ (Robinson, 2001) Nuclear weapons are a necessary evil; the doctrine of mutually assured destruction prevented the outbreak of nuclear war during the Cold War because in the neither side was willing to risk the response and neither side could risk even a small scale war due to the threat of escalation. Nuclear weapons therefore act as a check upon the very institution of war between those states that have nuclear weapons, restraining aggressors through fear of escalation and certain destruction.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
38f44bbaa5190118957a83cc99b5cd20
|
The current system is hugely expensive; a national primary would control the scale of spending in campaigns
Immense pressure is placed on candidates to win in the early primaries and then to deliver repeat performances across “key” states. Each stage of the process is effectively a national campaign and has to be treated- and funded - as such. Even though votes in primaries are limited to the citizens of individual states, or the members of state parties, the media can communicate a poor showing in the polls or a blunder in a debate to the entire nation. The overall cost of running campaign adverts, researching a candidate’s position on a huge range of local issues and organising rallies, debates and press briefings can quickly become astronomical– hence the need to establish as decisive lead as early as possible.
A single national primary would both reduce costs and provide for a clearer result. Moreover, a single national primary would compel candidates to mount campaigns based around positive policy statements and direct involvement in issues local to states. The role of attack campaigning- aimed at undermining opponents with an early lead- would be de-emphasised. To give these practical benefits some context we should consider the 2008 campaign for the democratic party nomination. By the end of primary season, Obama and Clinton between them had raised nearly a quarter of a billion dollars. Obama won on paper, but the campaign had been dominated by the differing perspectives of two figures who would go on to be President and Secretary of State. It can hardly be in the interest of party of national unity to know that the Secretary of State thinks the President lacks the experience to receive a late night phone call concerning an international crisis.
|
[
{
"docid": "34c3b93878d40ce8c15ae74b17bc67f2",
"text": "leadership voting house would hold all us presidential primaries same day A lengthy primary campaign gives candidates time to test each other on a whole range of issues. Voters, in turn, make their decisions based on a balance of candidates’ strengths and weaknesses. Voters can do this because they have had the time to get to know the candidates well, to become familiar with their policies and positions on various issues and to analyse their professional or political backgrounds.\n\nAdmittedly the experience of getting to know- and be known by- the country is an expensive one. However, Barack Obama’s reliance on small, personal donations demonstrates that this situation need not benefit any particular sectional interest.\n\nSide opposition contend that Obama’s grass roots funding model provides a viable alternative to reliance on large donation from powerful donors. Moreover, it also serves to expand and foster public engagement in the political process.\n\nThere is also little reason to suspect that the resolution would do much to reduce expenditure on campaigns. Indeed, eliminating state-level campaigning may simply mean that candidates are forced to become more reliant on communications delivered via national media, which is both more expensive and provides fewer opportunities to address state-level issues.\n\nFinally, it should also be noted that spending in primary campaigns is already subject to a significant external control. The need to fund a full presidential election campaign will always serve to limit and moderate candidate’s ambitions, and to impose a degree of equality between wealthier candidates and those who are more reliant on grass-roots support.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "703bf4f238fc3529e3fd52e2f39af763",
"text": "leadership voting house would hold all us presidential primaries same day A national primary would disenfranchise large portions of the country, as candidates would be forced to court the support of only the most populous states as they currently do in the general election. At least with the primary system as it stands, candidates have to pay attention to all of the states and all sections within the party.\n\nStaggered primaries create a relationship of interdependence between the nomination campaigns that are run in various states. A poor showing in one state can undermine a candidate’s attempts to make gains in the following state. American political culture is much more fragmentary and heterogonous than European conceptions of the Union might lead us to believe. Each state is sufficiently large that what may seem to be a parochial “local” issue within the context of the entire Union may be of vital importance to a particular state’s voters. The protection and promotion of the politically and cultural plural nature of the states of the Union is a key aspect of the American democratic ideal. It is appropriate, therefore, that blunders in one state’s primary campaign should be open to analysis by the citizens of other states. If a president does not have a commanding understanding of the issues affecting one state, he may be unable to make effective decisions on the rights and affairs of other states.\n\nIt is also worth noting that a single national primary would also be likely to disenfranchise those who do not closely and continuously involve themselves in the political process. Staggered primaries lead major national news services to focus on the local-level issues that may affect turnout and voting in individual states. Staggered primaries allows for reflection on these regional issues. Coverage of this type brings local controversies onto the national stage and fosters cohesion and understanding between the constituent states of one of the largest federal republics in the world. However, a one off election would just deliver national totals and even where this is broken down on a state-by-state basis, there will be much less of an understanding of why certain states supported certain candidates. Only political obsessives will are likely to expend time and effort contextualising and understanding this data; the majority of the population will be less informed than under the status quo.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0af3389d68c3b9b1a4327caa12ebe51d",
"text": "leadership voting house would hold all us presidential primaries same day The primaries are simply the device by which parties select their candidates. They are part of the internal affairs of America’s independent political organisations and do not require the legitimacy of the election itself.\n\nMoving everything to one day could end up exacerbating the problems of inclusiveness and democratic deficit identified by side proposition, as the campaigns and messages of smaller candidates would be drowned out by larger, wealthier rivals and those with pre-existing contacts in the news media. Further, under the system that the resolution would bring about, donors are more likely to provide funding to ‘safe’ candidates.\n\nHowever, with a protracted campaign it is possible for a surprise result to emerge, as has happened on several occasions – for example when incumbents have failed to win key states. Relatively unknown candidates can take advantage of the extended duration of the current primary system to build a public profile and to court the attention of the media. This allows “outsiders” and individuals with a significant political reputation, but no public profile, to establish themselves within popular discourse and to begin building a relationship with swing voters.\n\nStaggered primaries also minimize the power of the central parties. A national primary would turn campaigns into entirely national events, run by the national party conventions, marginalising the role of the states and focussing on the large cities, rather than the diffuse populations of rural states.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d66974791346d8906123c6ae7449fc9e",
"text": "leadership voting house would hold all us presidential primaries same day Respecting the interests of the majority in making a decision about a candidate to represent them in a national election is not the worst idea in the world. Equally, the state parties would need to be involved as they play a central role in the general election and it is in the interest of candidates to work with them from the start.\n\nAs things stand at the moment many of the larger states are actually disenfranchised by the same process that allows state parties to portray their role in the primary as valuable and significant. There can be no approach to the current primary election “narrative” that allows the individual states to exert a proportionately fair amount of influence over the other states’ choice of nominee.\n\nCandidates with deep pockets – either their own or somebody else’s - can survive early setbacks. but it means that many candidates who do not win support in the first few states can be ruled out by the end of January. By the time Nebraska comes to make their decision in the middle of May, the issue may long since have been decided.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7b77e94c760e82b2699b2f73bad43f67",
"text": "leadership voting house would hold all us presidential primaries same day The current arrangement means that a handful of small states have a massively disproportionate impact on the primary campaigns. A genuinely national primary would even that out. Grassroots campaigns would also have a reasonable basis for operating on the national stage right up to the event.\n\nStretching the process out ultimately play to the biggest pockets. Unless grassroots candidates get an extraordinary result early, they’re knocked out. Trying to fight their way through several, effectively national campaigns, means that they only really have one chance at the moment.\n\nIt’s only sensible to make that fact reality with a structure that means all candidates are in an all or nothing race rather than a financial endurance test.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1ac92e0af21f4b90fa154a83a25ce786",
"text": "leadership voting house would hold all us presidential primaries same day Ultimately the primary campaigns, at least for the main parties, are national campaigns. As a result of more frequent and more intensive media coverage- even during early primaries- candidates have to speak to national issues. Furthermore, Super Tuesday is basically a national primary already, it just happens to exclude some of the states.\n\nThe early primaries simply work to filter out candidates attempting to use the presidential election to promote a single, poorly developed set of maverick views in front of a much larger audience than they would otherwise have access to.\n\nOnly in the event of very close races are the later states left with any meaningful decisions. It would be far more useful to admit that reality and simply hold all national primaries in early February. Contests would still be organised by the state parties (in conjunction with the state authorities where required) and states would still record their vote separately.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b33774fed338caf660304567e9eb35ec",
"text": "leadership voting house would hold all us presidential primaries same day The current system disenfranchises minorities as Iowa and New Hampshire have disproportionately low Black and Latino populations\n\nThe minority populations of both of the early states are relatively low, and this can impact on the outcome of their primaries. Minority populations- such as African and Latino Americans- and migrants who have been granted citizenship will approach the issues at the heart of a presidential campaign from a different perspective. Due to high levels of social and financial deprivation among minority populations throughout the US, African Americans are likely to vote in a way that reflects concern about laws and policies that regulate access to educational subsidies and state supported health care. Latino voters may have strong familial ties with south American nation states. Correspondingly, candidates’ positions on cross border trade and the enforcement of immigration laws are likely to influence the voting decisions of Latino Americans [i] .\n\nThere have been a number of solutions proposed to this, including the rotation of first primaries around the country. However, all this does is replicate the problem in new and imaginative ways; every state will have its own demographic abnormalities. Questions of educational aspiration and social mobility among black voters in South Carolina cannot be compared to the debates surrounding community integration and immigration in Arizona.\n\nThe only way to take a vote that is representative of the nation as a whole is to ballot the nation as a whole. Internationally the model followed is for selection of a candidate by postal ballot, demonstrating that mature democracies are entirely capable of selecting national candidates without such a protracted process.\n\nThe whole purpose of the resolution is to eliminate or control for statistical and demographic inequalities that may give certain candidates an advantage unrelated to the popularity of their policies. A national primary would apply this principle but within the context of the American model of party affiliation.\n\n[i] Kopicki, Allison, 'Iowa and New Hampshire Stand Apart', The Caucus, The New York Times, 7 December 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2aea1402cd666cc2fe621e41516e3235",
"text": "leadership voting house would hold all us presidential primaries same day The current system is undemocratic as it gives undue influence to the early states\n\nAs most primaries only serve to decide the number of delegates who will be bound to vote for a particular candidate at a party’s national convention, a presidential hopeful will be able to ignore contests later in the election cycle if he has already secured a majority of delegates. The staggered nature of primaries under the status quo allows candidates to determine when their lead has become unassailable. As a consequence, candidates will refrain from mounting campaigns in states that poll later in the election cycle. The later a state votes, the less chance it has of influencing the size of a candidate’s majority.\n\nIn 2000 and 2004, by the time New York – the third most populous state in the union – voted, both main parties had, in effect, selected their candidate. If that isn’t the perfect example of an undemocratic system, then it would be difficult to think of what might be.\n\nThe current system discriminates against lesser known candidates who are already at a disadvantage. The advantage of running all primaries during a single day in February is that it would allow lesser known candidates the time to introduce themselves to the nation. A promising but little known candidate can easily be taken out of contention during the Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina primaries. Running a single primary in February or March would give unknown candidates a full three months to mount their own media campaigns and to build up the press contacts and public profile that established candidates already enjoy. A single primary election would also do a great deal to help with a more even distribution of donations between the candidates.\n\nThe primaries effectively function as part of the general election campaign; they are certainly central to selecting the two people from whom the eventual winner will emerge. It is therefore damaging and deceptive to continue to treat them as a purely party-political issue that has no relevance for voters who are not closely involved with the republican and democrat campaign machines.\n\nA final argument concerns the role of political capital and states’ influence over candidates’ activities. Campaigning compels candidates to offer party members and voters in states incentives in return for their endorsement. These may take the form of pledges to address local issues, to provide funding to public projects or to pursue policies at a national level that are beneficial to certain states. However, states that are excluded from the primary process when a candidate secures a majority of delegates will be unable to win promises or concessions from a presidential hopeful. This creates inequalities in the ability of individual states to influence federal policy and governance, reducing the cohesiveness of the union as a whole.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8ec78d44e28430b47429ca5acb78a2c5",
"text": "leadership voting house would hold all us presidential primaries same day Primaries encourage organisation and activity at a local level\n\nThe primaries as they stand make an important statement not only about party structure, but also about national identity – a federation of states each with a full right to their time in the sun.\n\nThis is not misty-eyed nostalgia, but a simple reflection of the realities of the constitution. The balance of the rights of states, as well as a respect for the views of the majority, is reflected in the process of an extended primary campaign that assumes all states to be equal. A final decision made at a national convention acknowledges that the views of the different and distinct populations of the states of the union have been weighed against each other.\n\nThe current structure of presidential primaries ensures that the separate states of the Union are fully engaged in the selection process, irrespective of the balance of political power or the nature of that state’s political culture. The status quo gives an invaluable opportunity to, say, Texan Democrats or Republicans in Vermont to have a meaningful say in the overall outcome [d1] of the election. Even though Texas consistently supports republican candidates and Vermont Democrat, members of the minority party in both states are able to pass judgment on the candidates they consider would best serve their interests if elected. The results encourage activism and engagement at a local level and are, ultimately, good for democracy.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6442b1c54129036746022dd6f401099d",
"text": "leadership voting house would hold all us presidential primaries same day States’ rights\n\nQuite apart from the politically controversial contents of the phrase, states’ rights describes a vital and highly relevant aspect of the relationship between the individual states of the Union and the central government.\n\nThe powers held by the federal government to control and trammel the conduct of the states of the union, and to act on their behalf on issues of foreign policy is to be contrasted with states’ freedom to produce their own laws and legislation on certain issues. The debate on the areas of civil life in which a state retains authority to formulate its own laws, without interference by the federal government, remains controversial, but it can be useful in clarifying the nature of the federal bond that holds the states of the Union together.\n\nPolitical culture in the United States is characterised, not only by a patriotic attachment to the idea of the federal republic, but also to the states that individual citizens inhabit. As noted above, the cultural, religious and economic tropes of each state are highly distinctive. This attachment extends to party politics as well. Political parties within the US are based much more on a consensual, community driven interpretation of political dialog than European parties. Although fund raising and promotion activities of both the Republican and Democratic parties is organised by a central committee, these committees have little influence over the policy goals and ideological position of individual candidates.\n\nPolitical parties in each state view the process of electing a president from a deeply local perspective. The legitimacy and popularity of state primaries is largely a function of each primary’s position within the wider narrative of American politics.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ec1a4979b56458cfe383203216c858b2",
"text": "leadership voting house would hold all us presidential primaries same day Iowa and New Hampshire are ideally placed to start the primary process, specifically because they are relatively small\n\nIowa and New Hampshire are the perfect states to kick off the primary season. It ensures that the opening focus of the campaigns is outside the usual media centers of New York, D.C. and California. This serves to remind political commentators and others that there is an entire country out there.\n\nEqually, because they are relatively small states, campaigns in Iowa and New Hampshire allow candidates to set out their positions with greater clarity, in contests that popular consensus regard as highly significant, but which are also small enough not to threaten a nomination bid if lost. Put another way, the wealthy and homogenous nature of New Hampshire and Iowa allows candidate’s campaigning there to focus on making broader statements about the policies and normative projects that they will implement on a national level. Candidates can position themselves, ideologically and politically, without becoming mired in local-level issues or demographic controversies.\n\nIowa and New Hampshire function as political laboratories – isolated, controlled and equipped to allow close examination of candidates’ fundamental values and proficiencies.\n\nIt also gives grassroots candidates a chance to raise their profile and some funds before the costs of contesting the larger states become prohibitive.\n\nAttempts by larger states, notably Florida [i] , to move their primaries forward have been opposed by both parties and many activists.\n\n[i] Patrick O’Connor. Early Florida Primary Would Scramble 2012 Calendar. Wall Street Journal. September 29 2011.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
736f5ee62b8e6fb7ad383c69fa0432ee
|
US unilateral intervention is a form of the Western imperialism that has caused so much of the strife that exists in the modern world.
Western domination is not the answer to political conflict; it is the cause of many predicaments that result in the violation of human rights in countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East today. Former CIA analyst Michael Scheuer, who led the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, wrote in his 2005 book, Imperial Hubris, that “[Bin Laden] could not have his current- and increasing- level of success if Muslims did not believe their faith, brethren, resources, and lands to be under attack by the United States and, more generally, the West. Indeed, the United States, and its policies and actions, are Bin Laden’s only indispensable allies.” [1] The United States’ unwavering support for Israel and its dubious grounds for invading Iraq are further source of anger in the Arab world. [2] The US justifies its military dominance by arguing that terrorist groups pose a serious threat to American society, and then this military dominance increases support for such terrorist groups. America cannot act as the world police because such a system will never lead to peace.
[1] Scheuer, iii.
[2] Ibid.
|
[
{
"docid": "5707b10863551c6f42154df92868fb9b",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power There are currently no viable alternatives to US military dominance. All would simply lead to more strife; dominance by another, probably less peaceful power, no dominance at all leading to anarchy or a balance of power, which usually leads to war as in the 18th Century. All of these options would create considerably more conflict than there is at the moment.(See Opposition argument)\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "2b43f7b118ca98f3d4a8fc7d4be64362",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Opposition acknowledges that the US government’s obligation to act in its own nation’s best interest reflects a flaw in the US’s international role. However, this flaw is outweighed by the benefits of US protection. First, other countries can use soft power to prevent the US from abusing its military power. In 2010, US exports exceeded $1.8 trillion and imports exceeded $2.3 trillion; international trade accounted for 14% of US GDP. [1] The US is vulnerable to economic sanctions. Furthermore, the US enjoys the position it holds in international relations; were it to lose respect and bargaining power in the international community, Americans would strongly question the wisdom of government decisions. Furthermore, Americans are strongly attached to an ideal of American morality. This ideal places a check on the nation’s willingness to engage in foreign combat without any moral justification. Thus there are checks in place to keep the US from acting only in self-interest.\n\n[1] William Baumol and Alan Blinder, Macroeconomics: Principles and Policy 12th Edition, (Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning), 2011, 23.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a42da1a282abea77e93c9a1cca7a86d7",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Pro’s perspective is backwards; as long as other nations do not move towards providing viable alternatives to US military dominance, the US cannot afford to reduce its own defenses. The US should not have to provide an incentive for other nations to improve their defense systems; their own self-preservation should be a sufficient incentive. In June 2011, then-US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates warned that European NATO members’ reluctance to fund their share of NATO operations could be negative impacts for the alliance’s future. The New York Times related Gates’ words; “[Gates] warned of a ‘dim if not dismal future’ for the alliance unless its European members increased their participation, and he said that Washington would not forever pay for European security when the Europeans could do that for themselves.” [1] The US may be able to alter its role to be less unilateral, but it cannot do so until after other military entities improve their defense systems.\n\n[1] Erlanger.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2e67b55a3b566c8689f34b0fc017966f",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Pro only identifies US military failures; there are also many occasions of US military success. The Opposition case details examples of military success in Panama, Kuwait, and Bosnia. The recent success of Libyan rebel attempts to overthrow Gaddafi is partially attributable to US military assistance. [1] Furthermore, US military strategy is constantly changing and adapting. The rules of international engagement change relatively quickly; when the rise of the Soviet threat rendered isolationism impossible, the US adapted its foreign policy to a bipolar world in which mutually assured destruction was an effective means of preventing direct conflict. The fall of the USSR created a multi-polar world in which MAD became a more complex and less reliable strategy. Today, the US is adjusting to the increasing threat of Islamic terrorism. These constant changes render perfect implementation of military force impossible- this impossibility is not unique to the US. But with constant reevaluation and assistance from the international community, the US can be a reasonably effective peacekeeper.\n\n[1] Steven Erlanger, “Panetta Urges Europe to Spend More on NATO or Risk a Hollowed-Out Alliance,” New York Times, October 5, 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6e9c12505cfe47ad25ffa28d3eceabbd",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power All conflicts are a threat to the entire international community.\n\nAs is discussed in the Opposition’s arguments, conflicts have the ability to spill over into other regions and to destabilize governments. Such conflicts endanger the international community because they increase the risk of irrational/non-state actors attaining weapons of mass destruction. This is problematic because irrational actors do not necessarily have a sense of self-preservation, and thus cannot be deterred by threats of mass retaliation. Thus if such an actor attains nuclear weapons, there is little that can stop them from using such weapons. Non-state actors are problematic because governments do not know with whom they are negotiating or where/how to find them. Thus the US is justified in intervening in such conflicts as a means of self-preservation.\n\nThe Pro’s argument is based on a theory of sovereignty that is already violated in most of the conflicts in which the US interferes.\n\nThe Pro’s argument is based on the notion that the proper agent to act on behalf of a group of people is a legitimate government that has earned the right to sovereignty. The Opposition does not dispute this theory. However, many of the conflicts in which the US intervenes involve abusive governments or invading nations that violate human rights on massive scales. The people that the US seeks to protect often do not have a legitimate government to represent their interests. US protection may not be the ideal means of protecting global human rights, but it is better than not protecting them at all.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c1a2b802d2cac7c427796b8e58a79a9c",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The variety of checks upon the US military may prevent it from total global domination, but these checks are not sufficient to make the US a genuinely altruistic actor. The US justifies intervention on the grounds of promoting democracy, but selectively intervenes. The US has supported non-democratic regimes in Chile and Iran, [1] and Guatemala, and has relatively close relations with Saudi Arabia. The US rarely criticizes the Israeli government for expanding settlements, while at the same time providing support to rebel forces in Libya. The Pro does not contend that the US is a completely amoral actor. However, ideologically inconsistent foreign policy demonstrates that the US is willing to prioritize its own interests over the rights of other nations’ citizens. Thus the US is not an appropriate entity to protect global human rights or international stability.\n\n[1] James Risen, “Secrets of History: the C.I.A. in Iran,” New York Times, 2000.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dca35c58c122c66334273083611da54e",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power US unilateral intervention is a form of the Western imperialism that has caused so much of the strife that exists in the modern world. There are alternatives –while some may contend they will be worse we do not know that this is the case. The United States would remain dominant but it would not need to use its military power in the overbearing way that it does now but rather in a much more constructive way that relies on diplomacy rather than military force. (See proposition argument)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "12bda0204146e50714a816415f43116e",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power Brute force is not sufficient to maintain global security. Just as one cannot simply strike a stone repeatedly and expect to replicate Michelangelo’s David, one cannot simply produce more tanks and train more soldiers and expect to resolve the complex problems that create modern global threats. The US has failed to establish a stable and safe environment in Iraq and Afghanistan despite almost 10 years of occupation. The Pro’s arguments point to failed or misguided intervention in Vietnam, Chile, Somalia, Lebanon, Grenada, Libya, and Haiti. These examples demonstrate that the US is not receiving much benefit from the vast resources it puts into its military. The US is only one country, and thus does not have the capability to view global conflicts from an international perspective. The world would be better served by greater investment in international military entities, such as NATO or UN peacekeepers. An international response to global conflict has greater perceived legitimacy than a unilateral response by one nation; perceived legitimacy reduces backlash from groups that feel victimized. Thus US military intervention is not a very effective means of attaining sustainable peace.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "27f770d763eda3e26cc9e9ba3c134392",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Opposition correctly identifies the threat, which is nuclear war. However, hegemonic US military power is not the solution to this threat. The first nuclear arms race began during the Cold War; because neither the US nor the USSR wanted the other to have the upper hand in nuclear capacity, each produced enough weapons to destroy the entire world. In the 1970s, Pakistan developed nuclear weapons; Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto argued that “the Christians have the bomb, the Jews have the bomb, the Hindus have the bomb, why not Islam?” [1] As the US continues to increase its military strength, other nations that are not sure they can rely on the US as an ally feel compelled to increase their strength in response. This leads to a perpetual armaments race. Armaments races are a waste of resources that would be better spent on civil services, and create widespread paranoia that the other country may attack at any time. Furthermore, continuously increasing military capacity is not an effective way of combating non-state actors. Terrorist groups operate underground; because they are difficult to detect, they are most effectively addressed through community engagement with government security. Thus excessive military development puts the US and other nations at risk without effectively addressing security threats.\n\n[1] Sijo Joseph Ponnatt, “The Normative Approach to Nuclear Proliferation,” International Journal on World Peace, March 1, 2006. [ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-152972617.html]\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "641300178000410e326e6fbbc7d48e30",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The US government’s obligation to its own people is mutually exclusive to acting on behalf of the international community.\n\nA government derives its sovereignty from a social contract with its citizens. Citizens surrender some of their freedoms in exchange for government protection; if a government does not serve its people’s best interests, it is not legitimate. Thus in any situation where the interests of the American public are not aligned with those of the global population, the US military cannot serve the international community without failing to meet its obligation to its own citizenry. Because the American public has the ability to oust a leader that does not promote their interests, the military is much more likely to choose the option of serving American interests. This may not be unreasonable behavior, but it is indicative of the need for other entities- either other nations or international organizations- to have comparable military power to that of the United States.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b387fa9bb2045b6cfcf3a242c6f7083b",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power As long as the United States works unilaterally to quell violent conflict, progress is not being made towards a better, internationally coordinated system.\n\nThe United States spends approximately $700 trillion annually on its military; China, the world’s second largest military spender, spends $114 trillion. [1] The US outpaces other possible peacekeepers by such a large gap that these other powers have little incentive to even try to keep up. Unilateral US intervention undermines international actors such as UN troops because it communicates the US’s refusal to submit to the interests of the international community. Thus US military intervention becomes a “quick fix” which prevents genuine long-term stability\n\n[1] “SIPRI Military Expenditure Database,” Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "98b290613f618bc45045ba22934f558f",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power Failure after failure has made it clear that the US military is not an effective actor for maintaining international stability.\n\nThe US military makes problems worse just as often as it makes them better. The US intervened in Vietnam on the grounds of protecting the free world from communism; over 58,000 American soldiers and approximately 2 million Vietnamese civilians were killed while the US failed to subdue the Vietcong. The United States provided covert support to Augusto Pinochet after his military coup d’etat over Chile’s democratically elected government under Salvadore Allende because the US feared Allende, a socialist, would promote communism. [1] , [2] Today, Pinochet is remembered as a bloody dictator that ruled through terror for 17 years. US intervention in Somalia in 1992-94 resulted in little more than the loss of American lives. [3] The US experienced similarly negatively results during its intervention in Beirut (1982-84), Grenada (1983), Libya (1986), and Haiti (1994). [4] More recently, the US has occupied Iraq and Afghanistan for nearly ten years without brining long-term stability to the region. The United States military needs to step down from its self-assumed role as world police officer because it is not effective and its failed attempts lead to huge civilian casualties.\n\n[1] Reel and Smith.\n\n[2] “Covert Action in Chile,” U.S. Department of State, December 19, 1975.\n\n[3] Richard W. Stewart, “The United States Army in Somalia: 1992-1994,” U.S. Army Center of Military History.\n\n[4] “A Chronology of U.S. Military Interventions: From Vietnam to the Balkans,” PBS Frontline\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ce5432edff762155e872b19ec7450213",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The United States is not an appropriate agent for monitoring international security because it is only representative of one nation.\n\nThe U.S. is an independent nation, not an international entity. Thus 96% of the world population has no voice in its’ government’s decisions. [1] The US government has authority over its own citizens, and it is justified in engaging in war if its citizens are under direct threat. However, citizens of other nations have no means of expressing their opinion in the US government. If the US government abuses its power, these people have no reliable legal means of recourse. Consequently, the US government has no authority to intervene in their affairs.\n\n[1] “Country Comparison: Population,” The World Fact Book, Central Intelligence Agency.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e544bea1bb95d9e0e3112e72d6b741b8",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The United States is entitled to take measures to protect its citizens.\n\nIn a nuclear world, it is impossible to dismiss another nation’s instability as “their problem.” If a government with nuclear weapons collapses, irrational actors (such as ideological terrorist groups) may attain control of such weapons. Nuclear war has the potential to destroy all of humanity- even in the case of a limited conflict. Alexis Madrigal of Wired Science explains, “Imagine that the long-simmering conflict between India and Pakistan broke out into a war in which each side deployed 50 nuclear weapons against the other country’s megacities […] Beyond the local human tragedy of such a situation, a new study looking at the atmospheric chemistry of regional nuclear war finds that the hot smoke from burning cities would tear holes in the ozone layer of the Earth. The increased UV radiation resulting from the ozone loss could more than double DNA damage, and increase cancer rates across North America and Eurasia.” [1] Thus it is impossible for the US to turn a blind eye to conflicts and instability in other regions. Furthermore, the stakes of nuclear fallout are so high that very few chances can be taken. Even if the chance of a conflict ending in nuclear war is very small, the damages that would occur are so great that even small chances cannot be taken. Thus the US military is justified in intervening in international conflicts because such intervention can be decisively linked to the welfare of its citizens.\n\n[1] Madrigal.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6dfa54a06baf36acadb1e6764ea8fa84",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power There are currently no viable alternatives to US military dominance.\n\nThe 2011 Libyan revolution demonstrates the world’s dependence on US military support. Although NATO unanimously agreed to intervene in the revolution, less than half participated, and even fewer actually conducted airstrikes. In August 2011, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told the Wall Street Journal “The fact is that Europe couldn’t have done this on its own […] the lack of defense investment will make it increasingly difficult for Europe to take on responsibility for international crisis management beyond Europe’s borders.” [1] Other prosperous nations criticize the US on the grounds that it needs to share military power, but these nations are not actually willing to increase their own involvement in order to share responsibility. The second largest military in the world belongs to China; because China is an emerging power, the international community cannot be sure how they will wield this power. Until US allies increase their military participation so that there are viable alternatives to US military involvement, the US cannot safely step down from its active military role.\n\n[1] Filer and MacDonald.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b91bc52a3dc54a3dbb2bee12a7f61f06",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The United States has several qualities that allow it to act honorably on behalf of the international community.\n\nIt is essential that there is some agent in the international community that is able to step into situations that threaten global security, such as a collapsed government in a state with nuclear capacity. The US is an appropriate agent because its internal checks prevent it from abusing its military capacity. First, the US government contains a system of checks and balances that prevent an individual corrupt leader from going to war. Second, the US is a democracy; few civilians are eager to send their sons off to die in unnecessary wars. Thus political leaders must fear repercussions for engaging in excessive conflict. Third, the US is a relatively open economy; it is not unimpressionable to external influence. The Opposition does not contend that everything the US military does is perfect. However, the myriad of checks listed above ensures that excessive use of US military force will not go unchallenged, either domestically or internationally.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e09e72124dd95a3c9fb0cbaa945ee20c",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The United States has greater military capacity than any other entity in the world.\n\nThe US accounts for 43% of global expenditures on military. [1] The US has greater capacity to prevent global security threats than any other entity. Furthermore, the US has used limited military intervention successfully in the recent past. In 1989, the US sent 27,000 troops to Panama to protect the lives of 35,000 Americans in Panama and to protect Panama’s own citizens. The invasion led to the removal of the dictatorial leader Manuel Noriega and the implementation of an elected government. [2] In the Persian Gulf War of 1990-91, the US successfully forced Iraqi troops to retreat from Kuwait. [3] In 1995 the US used limited military tactics to protect civilians in Sarajevo from Bosnian Serb forces, leading to a peace agreement between the warring parties. [4] The Opposition does not contend that every US military intervention is or will be successful, or that military intervention is all that is necessary in addressing conflicts. The Opposition also promotes constant reevaluation of military tactics so that past tragedies are not repeated. But despite its drawbacks, US military intervention has the potential to be a source of stability and protection in the modern world from nuclear threats, terrorist attacks, and other large-scale violations of human rights.\n\n[1] “SIPRI Military Expenditure Database,” Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 2011.\n\n[2] “A Chronology of U.S. Military Interventions: From Vietnam to the Balkans,” PBS Frontline.\n\n[3] Ibid.\n\n[4] Ibid.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
cafc02e8a42f638fecec2fc2786fcff0
|
The United States is entitled to take measures to protect its citizens.
In a nuclear world, it is impossible to dismiss another nation’s instability as “their problem.” If a government with nuclear weapons collapses, irrational actors (such as ideological terrorist groups) may attain control of such weapons. Nuclear war has the potential to destroy all of humanity- even in the case of a limited conflict. Alexis Madrigal of Wired Science explains, “Imagine that the long-simmering conflict between India and Pakistan broke out into a war in which each side deployed 50 nuclear weapons against the other country’s megacities […] Beyond the local human tragedy of such a situation, a new study looking at the atmospheric chemistry of regional nuclear war finds that the hot smoke from burning cities would tear holes in the ozone layer of the Earth. The increased UV radiation resulting from the ozone loss could more than double DNA damage, and increase cancer rates across North America and Eurasia.” [1] Thus it is impossible for the US to turn a blind eye to conflicts and instability in other regions. Furthermore, the stakes of nuclear fallout are so high that very few chances can be taken. Even if the chance of a conflict ending in nuclear war is very small, the damages that would occur are so great that even small chances cannot be taken. Thus the US military is justified in intervening in international conflicts because such intervention can be decisively linked to the welfare of its citizens.
[1] Madrigal.
|
[
{
"docid": "27f770d763eda3e26cc9e9ba3c134392",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Opposition correctly identifies the threat, which is nuclear war. However, hegemonic US military power is not the solution to this threat. The first nuclear arms race began during the Cold War; because neither the US nor the USSR wanted the other to have the upper hand in nuclear capacity, each produced enough weapons to destroy the entire world. In the 1970s, Pakistan developed nuclear weapons; Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto argued that “the Christians have the bomb, the Jews have the bomb, the Hindus have the bomb, why not Islam?” [1] As the US continues to increase its military strength, other nations that are not sure they can rely on the US as an ally feel compelled to increase their strength in response. This leads to a perpetual armaments race. Armaments races are a waste of resources that would be better spent on civil services, and create widespread paranoia that the other country may attack at any time. Furthermore, continuously increasing military capacity is not an effective way of combating non-state actors. Terrorist groups operate underground; because they are difficult to detect, they are most effectively addressed through community engagement with government security. Thus excessive military development puts the US and other nations at risk without effectively addressing security threats.\n\n[1] Sijo Joseph Ponnatt, “The Normative Approach to Nuclear Proliferation,” International Journal on World Peace, March 1, 2006. [ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-152972617.html]\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "c1a2b802d2cac7c427796b8e58a79a9c",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The variety of checks upon the US military may prevent it from total global domination, but these checks are not sufficient to make the US a genuinely altruistic actor. The US justifies intervention on the grounds of promoting democracy, but selectively intervenes. The US has supported non-democratic regimes in Chile and Iran, [1] and Guatemala, and has relatively close relations with Saudi Arabia. The US rarely criticizes the Israeli government for expanding settlements, while at the same time providing support to rebel forces in Libya. The Pro does not contend that the US is a completely amoral actor. However, ideologically inconsistent foreign policy demonstrates that the US is willing to prioritize its own interests over the rights of other nations’ citizens. Thus the US is not an appropriate entity to protect global human rights or international stability.\n\n[1] James Risen, “Secrets of History: the C.I.A. in Iran,” New York Times, 2000.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dca35c58c122c66334273083611da54e",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power US unilateral intervention is a form of the Western imperialism that has caused so much of the strife that exists in the modern world. There are alternatives –while some may contend they will be worse we do not know that this is the case. The United States would remain dominant but it would not need to use its military power in the overbearing way that it does now but rather in a much more constructive way that relies on diplomacy rather than military force. (See proposition argument)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "12bda0204146e50714a816415f43116e",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power Brute force is not sufficient to maintain global security. Just as one cannot simply strike a stone repeatedly and expect to replicate Michelangelo’s David, one cannot simply produce more tanks and train more soldiers and expect to resolve the complex problems that create modern global threats. The US has failed to establish a stable and safe environment in Iraq and Afghanistan despite almost 10 years of occupation. The Pro’s arguments point to failed or misguided intervention in Vietnam, Chile, Somalia, Lebanon, Grenada, Libya, and Haiti. These examples demonstrate that the US is not receiving much benefit from the vast resources it puts into its military. The US is only one country, and thus does not have the capability to view global conflicts from an international perspective. The world would be better served by greater investment in international military entities, such as NATO or UN peacekeepers. An international response to global conflict has greater perceived legitimacy than a unilateral response by one nation; perceived legitimacy reduces backlash from groups that feel victimized. Thus US military intervention is not a very effective means of attaining sustainable peace.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2b43f7b118ca98f3d4a8fc7d4be64362",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Opposition acknowledges that the US government’s obligation to act in its own nation’s best interest reflects a flaw in the US’s international role. However, this flaw is outweighed by the benefits of US protection. First, other countries can use soft power to prevent the US from abusing its military power. In 2010, US exports exceeded $1.8 trillion and imports exceeded $2.3 trillion; international trade accounted for 14% of US GDP. [1] The US is vulnerable to economic sanctions. Furthermore, the US enjoys the position it holds in international relations; were it to lose respect and bargaining power in the international community, Americans would strongly question the wisdom of government decisions. Furthermore, Americans are strongly attached to an ideal of American morality. This ideal places a check on the nation’s willingness to engage in foreign combat without any moral justification. Thus there are checks in place to keep the US from acting only in self-interest.\n\n[1] William Baumol and Alan Blinder, Macroeconomics: Principles and Policy 12th Edition, (Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning), 2011, 23.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a42da1a282abea77e93c9a1cca7a86d7",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Pro’s perspective is backwards; as long as other nations do not move towards providing viable alternatives to US military dominance, the US cannot afford to reduce its own defenses. The US should not have to provide an incentive for other nations to improve their defense systems; their own self-preservation should be a sufficient incentive. In June 2011, then-US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates warned that European NATO members’ reluctance to fund their share of NATO operations could be negative impacts for the alliance’s future. The New York Times related Gates’ words; “[Gates] warned of a ‘dim if not dismal future’ for the alliance unless its European members increased their participation, and he said that Washington would not forever pay for European security when the Europeans could do that for themselves.” [1] The US may be able to alter its role to be less unilateral, but it cannot do so until after other military entities improve their defense systems.\n\n[1] Erlanger.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5707b10863551c6f42154df92868fb9b",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power There are currently no viable alternatives to US military dominance. All would simply lead to more strife; dominance by another, probably less peaceful power, no dominance at all leading to anarchy or a balance of power, which usually leads to war as in the 18th Century. All of these options would create considerably more conflict than there is at the moment.(See Opposition argument)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2e67b55a3b566c8689f34b0fc017966f",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Pro only identifies US military failures; there are also many occasions of US military success. The Opposition case details examples of military success in Panama, Kuwait, and Bosnia. The recent success of Libyan rebel attempts to overthrow Gaddafi is partially attributable to US military assistance. [1] Furthermore, US military strategy is constantly changing and adapting. The rules of international engagement change relatively quickly; when the rise of the Soviet threat rendered isolationism impossible, the US adapted its foreign policy to a bipolar world in which mutually assured destruction was an effective means of preventing direct conflict. The fall of the USSR created a multi-polar world in which MAD became a more complex and less reliable strategy. Today, the US is adjusting to the increasing threat of Islamic terrorism. These constant changes render perfect implementation of military force impossible- this impossibility is not unique to the US. But with constant reevaluation and assistance from the international community, the US can be a reasonably effective peacekeeper.\n\n[1] Steven Erlanger, “Panetta Urges Europe to Spend More on NATO or Risk a Hollowed-Out Alliance,” New York Times, October 5, 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6e9c12505cfe47ad25ffa28d3eceabbd",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power All conflicts are a threat to the entire international community.\n\nAs is discussed in the Opposition’s arguments, conflicts have the ability to spill over into other regions and to destabilize governments. Such conflicts endanger the international community because they increase the risk of irrational/non-state actors attaining weapons of mass destruction. This is problematic because irrational actors do not necessarily have a sense of self-preservation, and thus cannot be deterred by threats of mass retaliation. Thus if such an actor attains nuclear weapons, there is little that can stop them from using such weapons. Non-state actors are problematic because governments do not know with whom they are negotiating or where/how to find them. Thus the US is justified in intervening in such conflicts as a means of self-preservation.\n\nThe Pro’s argument is based on a theory of sovereignty that is already violated in most of the conflicts in which the US interferes.\n\nThe Pro’s argument is based on the notion that the proper agent to act on behalf of a group of people is a legitimate government that has earned the right to sovereignty. The Opposition does not dispute this theory. However, many of the conflicts in which the US intervenes involve abusive governments or invading nations that violate human rights on massive scales. The people that the US seeks to protect often do not have a legitimate government to represent their interests. US protection may not be the ideal means of protecting global human rights, but it is better than not protecting them at all.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6dfa54a06baf36acadb1e6764ea8fa84",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power There are currently no viable alternatives to US military dominance.\n\nThe 2011 Libyan revolution demonstrates the world’s dependence on US military support. Although NATO unanimously agreed to intervene in the revolution, less than half participated, and even fewer actually conducted airstrikes. In August 2011, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told the Wall Street Journal “The fact is that Europe couldn’t have done this on its own […] the lack of defense investment will make it increasingly difficult for Europe to take on responsibility for international crisis management beyond Europe’s borders.” [1] Other prosperous nations criticize the US on the grounds that it needs to share military power, but these nations are not actually willing to increase their own involvement in order to share responsibility. The second largest military in the world belongs to China; because China is an emerging power, the international community cannot be sure how they will wield this power. Until US allies increase their military participation so that there are viable alternatives to US military involvement, the US cannot safely step down from its active military role.\n\n[1] Filer and MacDonald.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b91bc52a3dc54a3dbb2bee12a7f61f06",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The United States has several qualities that allow it to act honorably on behalf of the international community.\n\nIt is essential that there is some agent in the international community that is able to step into situations that threaten global security, such as a collapsed government in a state with nuclear capacity. The US is an appropriate agent because its internal checks prevent it from abusing its military capacity. First, the US government contains a system of checks and balances that prevent an individual corrupt leader from going to war. Second, the US is a democracy; few civilians are eager to send their sons off to die in unnecessary wars. Thus political leaders must fear repercussions for engaging in excessive conflict. Third, the US is a relatively open economy; it is not unimpressionable to external influence. The Opposition does not contend that everything the US military does is perfect. However, the myriad of checks listed above ensures that excessive use of US military force will not go unchallenged, either domestically or internationally.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e09e72124dd95a3c9fb0cbaa945ee20c",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The United States has greater military capacity than any other entity in the world.\n\nThe US accounts for 43% of global expenditures on military. [1] The US has greater capacity to prevent global security threats than any other entity. Furthermore, the US has used limited military intervention successfully in the recent past. In 1989, the US sent 27,000 troops to Panama to protect the lives of 35,000 Americans in Panama and to protect Panama’s own citizens. The invasion led to the removal of the dictatorial leader Manuel Noriega and the implementation of an elected government. [2] In the Persian Gulf War of 1990-91, the US successfully forced Iraqi troops to retreat from Kuwait. [3] In 1995 the US used limited military tactics to protect civilians in Sarajevo from Bosnian Serb forces, leading to a peace agreement between the warring parties. [4] The Opposition does not contend that every US military intervention is or will be successful, or that military intervention is all that is necessary in addressing conflicts. The Opposition also promotes constant reevaluation of military tactics so that past tragedies are not repeated. But despite its drawbacks, US military intervention has the potential to be a source of stability and protection in the modern world from nuclear threats, terrorist attacks, and other large-scale violations of human rights.\n\n[1] “SIPRI Military Expenditure Database,” Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 2011.\n\n[2] “A Chronology of U.S. Military Interventions: From Vietnam to the Balkans,” PBS Frontline.\n\n[3] Ibid.\n\n[4] Ibid.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "641300178000410e326e6fbbc7d48e30",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The US government’s obligation to its own people is mutually exclusive to acting on behalf of the international community.\n\nA government derives its sovereignty from a social contract with its citizens. Citizens surrender some of their freedoms in exchange for government protection; if a government does not serve its people’s best interests, it is not legitimate. Thus in any situation where the interests of the American public are not aligned with those of the global population, the US military cannot serve the international community without failing to meet its obligation to its own citizenry. Because the American public has the ability to oust a leader that does not promote their interests, the military is much more likely to choose the option of serving American interests. This may not be unreasonable behavior, but it is indicative of the need for other entities- either other nations or international organizations- to have comparable military power to that of the United States.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b387fa9bb2045b6cfcf3a242c6f7083b",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power As long as the United States works unilaterally to quell violent conflict, progress is not being made towards a better, internationally coordinated system.\n\nThe United States spends approximately $700 trillion annually on its military; China, the world’s second largest military spender, spends $114 trillion. [1] The US outpaces other possible peacekeepers by such a large gap that these other powers have little incentive to even try to keep up. Unilateral US intervention undermines international actors such as UN troops because it communicates the US’s refusal to submit to the interests of the international community. Thus US military intervention becomes a “quick fix” which prevents genuine long-term stability\n\n[1] “SIPRI Military Expenditure Database,” Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "98b290613f618bc45045ba22934f558f",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power Failure after failure has made it clear that the US military is not an effective actor for maintaining international stability.\n\nThe US military makes problems worse just as often as it makes them better. The US intervened in Vietnam on the grounds of protecting the free world from communism; over 58,000 American soldiers and approximately 2 million Vietnamese civilians were killed while the US failed to subdue the Vietcong. The United States provided covert support to Augusto Pinochet after his military coup d’etat over Chile’s democratically elected government under Salvadore Allende because the US feared Allende, a socialist, would promote communism. [1] , [2] Today, Pinochet is remembered as a bloody dictator that ruled through terror for 17 years. US intervention in Somalia in 1992-94 resulted in little more than the loss of American lives. [3] The US experienced similarly negatively results during its intervention in Beirut (1982-84), Grenada (1983), Libya (1986), and Haiti (1994). [4] More recently, the US has occupied Iraq and Afghanistan for nearly ten years without brining long-term stability to the region. The United States military needs to step down from its self-assumed role as world police officer because it is not effective and its failed attempts lead to huge civilian casualties.\n\n[1] Reel and Smith.\n\n[2] “Covert Action in Chile,” U.S. Department of State, December 19, 1975.\n\n[3] Richard W. Stewart, “The United States Army in Somalia: 1992-1994,” U.S. Army Center of Military History.\n\n[4] “A Chronology of U.S. Military Interventions: From Vietnam to the Balkans,” PBS Frontline\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ce5432edff762155e872b19ec7450213",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The United States is not an appropriate agent for monitoring international security because it is only representative of one nation.\n\nThe U.S. is an independent nation, not an international entity. Thus 96% of the world population has no voice in its’ government’s decisions. [1] The US government has authority over its own citizens, and it is justified in engaging in war if its citizens are under direct threat. However, citizens of other nations have no means of expressing their opinion in the US government. If the US government abuses its power, these people have no reliable legal means of recourse. Consequently, the US government has no authority to intervene in their affairs.\n\n[1] “Country Comparison: Population,” The World Fact Book, Central Intelligence Agency.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3e9dbde8c9b5063726d63e7f5238e8f6",
"text": "onal americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power US unilateral intervention is a form of the Western imperialism that has caused so much of the strife that exists in the modern world.\n\nWestern domination is not the answer to political conflict; it is the cause of many predicaments that result in the violation of human rights in countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East today. Former CIA analyst Michael Scheuer, who led the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, wrote in his 2005 book, Imperial Hubris, that “[Bin Laden] could not have his current- and increasing- level of success if Muslims did not believe their faith, brethren, resources, and lands to be under attack by the United States and, more generally, the West. Indeed, the United States, and its policies and actions, are Bin Laden’s only indispensable allies.” [1] The United States’ unwavering support for Israel and its dubious grounds for invading Iraq are further source of anger in the Arab world. [2] The US justifies its military dominance by arguing that terrorist groups pose a serious threat to American society, and then this military dominance increases support for such terrorist groups. America cannot act as the world police because such a system will never lead to peace.\n\n[1] Scheuer, iii.\n\n[2] Ibid.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
7bd891150aba0b27abcfad0ff4fafe68
|
Tibetans want independence, not the 'Middle Way'
The Dalai Lama's 'Middle Way' is far from popular amongst the Tibetan population. Many ordinary Tibetans have criticised the Dalai Lama's conciliatory approach to China. His refusal to call for a boycott of the Beijing Olympic Games is symbolic of this conciliatory approach where the majority of the Tibetan population, particularly the young disagreed with him. "China does not deserve to host the Olympics. It's evident that they do not deserve the Olympics," said Tsewang Rigzin, the leader of the Tibetan Youth Congress, at Dharamshala in 2008. [1]
Tsewang Rigzin also stated “There is a growing frustration within the Tibetan community, especially in the [younger] generation... I certainly hope the Middle Way approach will be reviewed. As we can see from the protests here and all over the world, the Tibetan people remain committed to achieving independence.” [2]
The (sometimes violent) 2008 protests made it clear that many Tibetans don't support the Dalai Lama's peaceful, non-revolutionary, non-independence 'Middle Way'. The Dalai Lama even had to threaten to resign if violent protests continued. Clearly, these protests showed that the Dalai Lama's 'Middle Way' lacks support amongst the young of Tibet – the individuals who will comprise successive generations of political, religious and business leaders. [3]
Within Tibet, pro-independence protesters have recently had more leverage than 'Middle Way' voices. The 'Middle Way' is a nuanced approach to the Tibetan issue and, therefore, is a less potent rallying for Tibetans who have been marginalised or excluded by Chinese policies in the region. Calls for Tibetan Independence mobilise more support among grass-roots activists in other areas of the world. [4] This is valuable, and is an argument in favour of, at least, continuing to call for Tibetan Independence, not merely the 'Middle Way'; it has a greater impact.
In this situation, it makes no sense for the Dalai Lama to alienate so many of his young people, so many of the most dedicated to the Tibetan cause, by preaching his 'Middle Way' when he should be calling for what his people truly want and need -Tibetan independence.
[1] Bell, Thomas. “Tibetans criticise Dalai Lama's 'middle way'”. The Telegraph. 18 March 2008. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1582113/Tibetans-criticise-Dal...
[2] Bell, Thomas. “Tibetans criticise Dalai Lama's 'middle way'”. The Telegraph. 18 March 2008. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1582113/Tibetans-criticise-Dal...
[3] The Economist. “Trashing the Beijing Road”. The Economist. 19 March 2008. http://www.economist.com/node/10875823?story_id=10875823&CFID=1092371&CF...
[4] The Economist. “A flaming row”. 9 Arpil 2008. http://www.economist.com/node/11003821?story_id=11003821
|
[
{
"docid": "7e2b3d5835042a0d7a3247e6d4747a42",
"text": "government house supports dalai lamas third way tibet The average Tibetan does not actually want independence from China. For example, Dr. Lobsang Sangay, who was born in a refugee camp in India in 1968 and was named Prime Minister of the Cental Tibetan Administration (Tibetan exiles) on April 27, 2011, was once a militant of the Tibetan Youth Congress, a group that unequivocally supports Tibetan independence, but who now says he has matured and now supports the Middle Way Approach. [1] Certainly, many Tibetans want independence- of a type different to that proposed by the Dalai Lama- and some protest in favour of it. The Tibetan exile population is particularly vocal in this regard, but this should not be taken to mean that a majority of Tibetans want complete independence from China. Most Tibetans like everybody else would be happy with more freedoms within China rather than full independence. This is reflected in the views of the Dalai Lama, who seeks only greater freedoms and autonomy, but not independence, under the 'Middle Way'. [2]\n\n[1] Editorial Board of The Tibetan Political Review. “Investigating the Candidates on the Middle Way”. The Tibetan Political Review. 15 March 2011. http :// sites . google . com / site / tibetanpoliticalreview / project - updates / investigatingthecandidatesonthemiddleway\n\n[2] Barnett, Robert. “Seven Questions: What Tibetans Want”. Foreign Policy. 26 March 2008. http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2008/03/25/seven_questions_what_ti...\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "7af5481f16d84108a56c23ff48339c00",
"text": "government house supports dalai lamas third way tibet China will simply never accept independence for Tibet, and so it is not a reasonable alternative to hold up against the 'Middle Way'. Rather, whatever gains can be made by adopting the 'Middle Way' should be embraced, as the alternative is not independence but rather unchanged Chinese dominance and control.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5658bc73d2c784c554f5cb14216468b9",
"text": "government house supports dalai lamas third way tibet The Dalai Lama is the only solution for Tibet. His political advocacy as a leader and religious figure is imperative for the problem of Tibet. His commitment for non-violence and cohabitation and cooperation serves the peaceful interests of Tibet while accommodating for moderate changes. His 'Middle Way' platform is the bridge between China Tibet and world-wide international consensus on the Tibetans' right to self-determination. If resistance to China becomes more violent, as it did in 2008, then the Dalai Lama’s third way will become much more relevant as a solution that both sides can potentially sign up to. It may become the only way forward towards a compromise.\n\nIrrespective of some discontent, the Dalai Lama still enjoys the loyalty and respect of most Tibetans. [1] During the 2008 protests in Tibet, the protesters regularly chanted the Dalai Lama's name, displayed his picture and recited a \"long life\" prayer for him. [2] He remains the undisputed moral leader of Tibetan people, and as such his 'Middle Way' path still has weight.\n\n[1] The Economist. “A colonial uprising”. The Economist. 19 March 2008. http://www.economist.com/node/10880709?story_id=10880709&CFID=1092371&CF...\n\n[2] Bell, Thomas. “Tibetans criticise Dalai Lama's 'middle way'”. The Telegraph. 18 March 2008. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1582113/Tibetans-criticise-Dal...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "514f848c63d37a1485f7f741baec7118",
"text": "government house supports dalai lamas third way tibet The opinions of foreign governments and the international community have frequently failed to have any real impact upon the situation 'on the ground' in Tibet. For example, The US joined most other UN members in condemning the Chinese 'aggression' and 'invasion' of Tibet in 1950, however the Chinese exerted their authority there anyway. [1] The international community will therefore acquiesce with whatever is decided between Tibet and China – they will applaud any deal or condemn any repression but this will not affect the positions of either side. Rather, what matters is what the Tibetan population support, and there is good reason to believe that the 'Middle Way' does not satisfy them. Many younger Tibetans would prefer that the Dalai Lama push for total independence, an regret that he did not pursue a more confrontational path with China over the 2008 Olympics. [2]\n\n[1] The Office of Tibet, New York. “Historical Overview”. The Office of Tibet, New York. http://tibetoffice.org/tibet-info/historical-overview\n\n[2] Bell, Thomas. “Tibetans criticise Dalai Lama's 'middle way'”. The Telegraph. 18 March 2008. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1582113/Tibetans-criticise-Dal...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "067ad2be042af9ede74bebe805fc97ec",
"text": "government house supports dalai lamas third way tibet China's supposed strategic interests in Tibet are also why the promised autonomy under the 'Middle Way' will never truly emerge. If China's need to hold onto Tibet is really so important as made out, China will always need to keep tight control over all happenings in Tibet so as to further guarantee its security. This of course assumes China really does have vital strategic interests in controlling Tibet (as the Chinese Government claims, and as is argued opposite), however it is not entirely clear exactly what these strategic interests are. The 'Middle Way' is just a smokescreen for perpetuating the predominance of China's security interests as the most important issue in Tibet. Thus, if China does have vital strategic interests in Tibet, it will never allow it true autonomy (and so the Middle Way is hopeless), and if it has no vital strategic interests in controlling Tibet then Chinese rule there is unjustified -and independence, not the ‘Middle Way’ should be adopted.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "430d83f5887798d7175e2d0c50822c87",
"text": "government house supports dalai lamas third way tibet The 'Middle Way' is no different from the current situation. Although, theoretically, the 'Middle Way' proposition offers the Chinese authorities and ordinary Tibetans a way to harmonise their conflicting interests, it is practically no different from the political accommodation that Tibet currently subscribes to. Under the ‘Middle Way’, the Dalai Lama has expressed willingness to accept socialist rule in Tibet. He has also dropped former Tibetan demands that their homeland be offered a political relationship as expansive as China’s offer in the early-1980s to Taiwan in favour of an insistence on a Hong Kong-style ‘association’ relationship with Beijing. Since the early 2000s, in keeping with the ‘Middle Way’, his hints about a residual international personality have been kept to a minimum. Further, the autonomy arrangement sought is an amalgam of the Hong Kong ‘one country, two systems’ formula and the existing autonomy provisions of the PRC Constitution. [1] This gradual dropping of Tibetan demands under the name of the ‘Middle Way’ means that it offers little improvement from the status quo.\n\nThe background in terms of political events that led to a proposition of a \"Middle Way\" sheds more light into the fact that his strategy is just a new name on the board for the same as the provisions currently existing within the PRC constitution. [2] If the PRC sees that the ‘middle way’ is slowly reducing the demands for more freedom for Tibet then they are unlikely to embrace it as they can equally wait for more concessions. Despite all these concessions to the PRC position there are still things that China will never accept such as any idea that Tibet will be transformed into a ‘zone of peace and non-violence’ or that there should be a popularly elected legislature – it would inevitably mean others in China would believe they should have more democracy. By giving away so many concessions before negotiations but still making it impossible for the PRC to accept the Dalai Lama makes it unlikely that his middle way will get anywhere in negotiations so it is not really ‘realistic’.\n\n[1] Gupta, Sourabh. “The Dalai Lama’s Middle-Way approach needs re-adjustment”. EastAsiaForum. 8 March 2010. http :// www . eastasiaforum . org /2010/03/08/ the - dalai - lamas - middle - way - approach - and - the - need - for - re - adjustment /\n\n[2] ChinaDaily. “What is Dalai Lama's 'Middle Way'”. ChinaDaily.com.cn 26 July 2007. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-07/26/content_649545.htm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d74a1adf60af05f7140f5dc6f9b23474",
"text": "government house supports dalai lamas third way tibet The Dalai Lama is no longer relevant to Tibet's future\n\nThe Dalai Lama's influence and significance in the debate over Tibet’s future has been fading; he has resigned from all ‘formal authority’ and handed over his political role [1] , and his support for the 'Middle Way' strategy- over attempts to secure full independence- may well have reduced his influence. During the 2008 riots and protests in Lhasa in favour of Tibetan independence, a feeling of incongruity between the Dalai Lama and the desires of the Tibetan people was vocalized. A Tibetan teacher at the protests stated “We are demanding a peace dialogue between His Holiness and the Chinese. But at the moment, Dalai Lama is out of the picture. It's a Tibetan people's movement.” [2] Tibet appears to have moved beyond the 'Middle Way', but the Dalai Lama has not. For a new generation of Tibetans the Middle Way is considered to be an ineffective negotiation strategy, one that will not allow them to obtain the rights and political equality that they seek.\n\nMany activists operating within Tibet itself believe that violent confrontations comparable to the Palestinian intifada will be more effective in extracting concessions from the Chinese than the non-violent protests advocated by the Dalai Lama. [3]\n\nThe Dalai Lama himself has recognized that the 'Middle Way' may become a redundant aspect of the Tibet debate. In 2003, he told a French reporter: “If no results can be achieved in two or three years of negotiations, I would find it hard to explain to the young that the 'middle way' is more effective than seeking independence... If I fail, these young people would raise torches and cry for independence”. [4]\n\nEvents on the ground are simply the Dalai Lama's own prediction coming true, as he become less relevant and less in touch. The Chinese government has also tried to discredit Dalai Lama. The Beijing authorities have released a documentary portraying the Dalai Lama as exploiting the Tibetan people to further his own political agenda. The documentary also emphasized the increased pace of economic development in the region. [5]\n\nQuite simply, Tibet has moved beyond the Dalai Lama and his 'Middle Way', and both are increasingly irrelevant to Tibet's youth and future. The 'Middle Way' continues to be followed mostly out of a nostalgic fascination with the Dalai Lama, or out of the international community's desire for a single, moderate Tibetan voice, even if he does not represent the Tibetan people.\n\n[1] Banyan, ‘The Dalai Lama resigns So long, farewell’, The Economist, 14 March 2011, http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2011/03/dalai_lama_resigns\n\n[2] Bell, Thomas. “Tibetans criticise Dalai Lama's 'middle way'”. The Telegraph. 18 March 2008. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1582113/Tibetans-criticise-Dal...\n\n[3] Sonam, Tenzing. “Until the Last Tibetan”. Tibet Writes. 26 December 2007. http://www.tibetwrites.org/?Until-the-last-Tibetan\n\n[4] ChinaDaily. “What is Dalai Lama's 'Middle Way'”. ChinaDaily.com.cn 26 July 2007. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-07/26/content_649545.htm\n\n[5] Little, Matthew. “CCTV-4 Steps up Propaganda Against Dalai Lama”. Epoch Times. 10 April 2008. http://en.epochtimes.com/news/8-4-10/68958.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c04172d8ba181b0bea4d99f50686f574",
"text": "government house supports dalai lamas third way tibet The Chinese government is exploiting the 'Middle Way' against Tibet's interests\n\nThe Chinese government manipulates people every day, and it is clear how Beijing is manipulating the good intentions of the Dalai Lama and his 'Middle Way'. The Middle Path is therefore not only hopeless, but also dangerous.\n\nHenry Kissinger once said that in politics, one never pays for goods that have already been delivered. True to form, China is using the moderate stance of Tibet’s leadership-in-exile to extort concessions while giving nothing of substance in return. For example, Beijing spread false rumours that the Dalai Lama would be invited to China to prevent demonstrations when Hu Jintao visited the U.S. The 'Middle Way' policy is sapping momentum from the Tibet movement, depriving it of focus, and obscuring its goals. People are drifting away from a movement that appears to be drifting itself; political fervour can be difficult to sustain – especially when the Tibetan government-in-exile actually asks its supporters to behave in a passive a non-confrontational fashion. [1]\n\nBy asking Beijing for an official agreement to grant autonomous status to Tibet, the Tibetan government-in-exile will be surrendering many of the rights they are now entitled to and locking the entire Tibetan people into a constricted and precarious situation from which they cannot withdraw. Chinese restrictions will remain on the practice of Tibetan religion, culture and traditions within \"autonomous\" Tibet, the promotion of Tibetan culture, religion and traditions abroad will either be prohibited or restricted as it concerns foreign affairs, and all foreign travel will be controlled and restricted by the Chinese. [2] Accepting the Dalai Lama's 'Middle Way' will forever close the door on independence but leave Tibet still victim to China's cultural repression and control, and so it should not be supported.\n\n[1] Dondup, Ketsun Lobsang. “Independence as Tibet’s Only Option: Why the ‘Middle Path’ is a Dead End”. Phayul.com. 25 January 2007. http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?article=%E2%80%9CIndependence+as...\n\n[2] Shakabpa, Tsoltim N. “The Case Against Autonomy for Tibet”. Tibet Writes. 2 January 2008. http://www.tibetwrites.org/?The-Case-Against-Autonomy-for\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "63690ca8bfa9bbba55fade08135d3940",
"text": "government house supports dalai lamas third way tibet The 'Middle Way' has international support\n\nThe USA, the most powerful nation in the world, has been vocal in its support for the 'Middle Way' strategy. Concurrently, the US has not given any indication that it would support complete Tibetan independence – nor is it likely to. America is unlikely to jeopardise trade relations with China over the Tibetan issue by giving political legitimacy to those advocating complete independence. [1]\n\nThe European Parliament and the Scottish Parliament have also both passed motions advocating for the 'Middle Way' as a solution in Tibet. [2] [3] Such international support for the 'Middle Way' should be compared to the fact that no country in the world has ever recognised Tibetan independence. [4]\n\nOnly the involvement of international actors and inter-governmental organisations can guarantee that Tibet and China will be able to attain a peaceful and equitable equilibrium with each other. International support means that the international community would accept any change when it occurs and gives China a further incentive to negotiate for some form of the ‘Middle Way’ as it would positively benefit its international relations.\n\n[1] Valdes, Manuel. “Dalai Lama to begin 6-day U.S. visit in Seattle to discuss compassion amid turmoil in Tibet”. Associated Press. 10 April 2008. http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20080410-0236-dalailama.html\n\n[2] TibetCustom. “European Parliament Discusses Current Situation of Tibet”. TibetCustom. 26 March 2010. http://www.tibetcustom.com/article.php/20100326083417443\n\n[3] Australia Tibet Council. “Sino-Tibetan Dialogue Presented to Scottish Parliament”. Australia Tibet Council. 2011. http://www.atc.org.au/content/view/263/91/\n\n[4] The Economist. “Britain's suzerain remedy”. The Economist. 6 November 2008. http://www.economist.com/node/12570571?story_id=12570571\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "54761fed7ec46c86dbd841dbbf98f95b",
"text": "government house supports dalai lamas third way tibet The 'Middle Way' respects China's right to territorial integrity\n\nThe Chinese government has a right to protect the unity of China against Tibetan separatism. US President Abraham Lincoln, in justifying efforts to maintain the union in the face of an imminent civil war, said in 1858, “A house divided cannot stand”. [1] Unity was argued to be essential to the integrity and future of the union if the United States as a much more decentralized federal union cannot sanction such a division then a much more centralized China cannot. China can put forth the same rationale as Lincoln for forcing Tibet to remain part of China, for example when it notes argues that the concept of an independent Tibet has historically been used by what it calls ‘foreign imperialists’ to interfere in China internally and split it up so that it can more easily be controlled from abroad. As an example of this, the CIA’s support for Tibetan separatists during the Cold War is cited. [2] [3]\n\nMongolia provides a striking precedent for for Chinese worries about Tibetan independence, as it gained independence through Soviet backing and subsequently came under effective control of the USSR. [4] If Tibet were to achieve independence, both China and Tibet would be weaker, with less geopolitical strength and with greater tensions and opportunities for conflict. This is especially true in light of the history of foreign attempts to interfere with China internally, as noted above. The Dalai Lama made a similar argument himself when he stated: “Look at the European Union … What is the use of small, small nations fighting each other? Today it's much better for Tibetans to join [China].” [5] In 2008 the Foreign Minister of Cyprus similarly argued that the ‘One China’ policy, including Tibet, was necessary to safeguard China’s territorial integrity. [6] The government of Fiji has offered similar support. [7] The 'Middle Way' accounts for this need of China's whilst also offering greater autonomy to the Tibetan people, thus respecting the rights of both parties.\n\n[1] Abraham Lincoln Online. “House Divided Speech”. Abraham Lincoln Online. http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/house.htm\n\n[2] Xinhua News report Xinhua News Report. Xinhua News. http :// news . xinhuanet . com / zhengfu /2002-11/15/ content _630888. htm\n\n[3] Wonacott, Peter. \" Revolt of the Monks : How a Secret CIA Campaign Against China 50 Years Ago Continues to Fester ; A Role for Dalai Lama ' s Brother \" . Wall Street Journal . 30 August 2008. http :// online . wsj . com / article / SB 122005956740185361. html ? mod = googlenews _ wsj\n\n[4] Xinhua News report Xinhua News Report. Xinhua News. http :// news . xinhuanet . com / zhengfu /2002-11/15/ content _630888. htm\n\n[5] Liu, Melinda. “Fears and Tears”. The Daily Beast. 19 March 2008. http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2008/03/19/fears-and-tears.html\n\n[6] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus. “Cyprus supports the principle of a ‘single’ China”. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus. 20 March 2008/ . http :// www . mfa . gov . cy / mfa / mfa 2006. nsf / All /5 B 640 E 57 BE 973 A 1 FC 22574120050 A 086? OpenDocument\n\n[7] Fijilive. “Fiji backs China’s action in Tibet”. Fijilive. 24 March 2008. http :// www . fijilive . com / news _ new / index . php / news / show _ news /3075\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e46704d5ad94c098ec179778f98b6976",
"text": "government house supports dalai lamas third way tibet The 'Middle Way' is the most realistic path for Tibet and China\n\nThe Dalai Lama believes complete independence is not a viable solution for the Tibet crisis. Rather, his advocacy is aimed at creating common understanding between the Chinese and the Tibetans. He points to the model of the European Union as an example of a modern supranational political system in which different ethnicities and nationalities can cooperate to achieve an agreed ideal of prosperity.\n\n“Look at the European Union … What is the use of small, small nations fighting each other? Today it's much better for Tibetans to join [China].” [1]\n\nThe 'Middle Way' is the most practical and realistic path for Tibet and China, as it bridges the needs of the Tibetan people with and interests of China.\n\nSpecifically, the \"Middle Way\" offers a mutually beneficial course of action, as it avoids the concerns that China has regarding national unity and separation and at the same time it enables the Tibetan people to achieve de-facto equivalent of a right to self-determination.\n\nAcceptance of the 'Middle Way' would work as a signal demonstrating the increasing openness and accountability of Chinese political culture. As it is beneficial for both parties, it can be considered as a practical political course with a great potential to alleviate an ever growing strained situation. [2]\n\nChina is more likely to negotiate with Tibetan activists and leaders if their demands are limited to greater political autonomy. Conversely, China is unlikely to give up control of Tibet, as doing so would constitute a grievous blow to the territorial integrity of China itself.\n\nThe 'Middle Way' provides the current generation of Chinese leaders with an opportunity to accord greater autonomy to Tibet, without risking their domestic political capital or jeopardising China’s international standing.\n\nA key aspect of the 'Middle Way' is an undertaking by Tibetan leaders not to push for further independence if greater autonomy is granted.\n\nThe 'Middle Way' also has the advantage of being in keeping with Tibetan Buddhist beliefs, mirroring the religion’s own ‘middle way’ tradition. The Buddhist 'Middle Way' is the descriptive term that Siddhartha Gautama (the Supreme Buddha) used to describe the character of the path he discovered that led to liberation. It was coined in the very first teaching that he delivered after his enlightenment. In this sutta- known in English as The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dharma- the Buddha describes the middle way as a path of moderation between the extremes of sensual indulgence and self-mortification. [3]\n\nThe Dalai Lama's “Middle Way” in Tibet is designed, per its name, around these Buddhist principles, and so it has the advantage of being in keeping with the religious beliefs of most of Tibet's population. This adds to its practicality as it would offer a political strategy consistent with the cultural norms of most Tibetans. Therefore, the Dalai Lama's 'Middle Way's is the most practical and realistic path toward rapprochement between Tibet and China.\n\n[1] Liu, Melinda. “Fears and Tears”. The Daily Beast. 19 March 2008. http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2008/03/19/fears-and-tears .\n\n[2] Gyaltsen, Kelsang. “The Middle-Way approach”. Tibetan Bulletin, July-August 1997. http://tibetoday.com/middle_way_approach.htm\n\n[3] Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, Samyutta Nikaya, 56:11 http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than .\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
d55a66841a0b61cdad7d99b79404c8dd
|
NATO provides the EU with an effective joint military capability
As of yet, the European Union has little independent military capability to intervene in regional conflicts in neighbouring countries. The relevance of this became glaringly apparent during the 1990’s Bosnian war and later, the Kosovo War: the EU called for the ending of hostilities but only when NATO and/or the UN became involved militarily, was peace effectively enforced. Consequently, in 2002 NATO and the EU agreed on the Berlin Plus Agreement, allowing the EU to use NATO assets, provided no NATO members vetoed it. Under this agreement, the EU has been able to hold their own peacekeeping missions in the Republic of Macedonia (EUFOR Concordia) and Bosnia Herzegovina to oversee the Dayton Agreement (EUFOR Althea). [1]
[1] NATO. NATO-EU: A Strategic Partnership.
|
[
{
"docid": "e961137995db94e4761d7f9e8f6ab033",
"text": "onal europe global politics defence house would disband nato The EU would do better to develop its own military capability. Slowly but surely, the European Union is attempting to build its own defence capability through the Common Security and Defence Policy, with a strategy, defence agency and coordinating official separate from NATO. The process of creating this is slow, because it involves EU-member states sharing the sovereign control of the monopoly of violence on their territories. The EU wants this because in its own region, the EU has its own interests which it wants to protect by itself. Moreover, why would NATO-members outside of the EU consider it fair that their collective assets are used for Europe’s particular interests, especially when it involves their own related interest, as for example Turkey’s strenuous relation to the Berlin Plus Agreement shows? [1]\n\n[1] Ülgen, The Evolving EU, NATO, and Turkey Relationship.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "72ce228ad783e7d1f1eabd0f1ee056be",
"text": "onal europe global politics defence house would disband nato Strategic alliances should reflect the specific interests they serve. The threats mentioned are global threats affecting all developed countries, but they affect different countries differently. For example, Australia and New-Zealand are closer to North-Korea than Europe is. Shouldn’t they be in a strategic alliance with U.S.? Indonesia and India are growing economies and burgeoning democracies, both regularly suffering terrorist attacks. Shouldn’t they be in a strategic alliance with the U.S. and Europe? Turkey continues to have a different strategic view of the threat Iran poses and has a radically divergent strategic interest in Cyprus than the EU-members in NATO. Why is the EU allied with them through NATO whilst it has opposing strategic interests?\n\nWithout a clearly defined shared purpose and shared enemy, NATO will remain a talking shop where members with divergent interests will continue to frustrate any possible ‘coalition of the willing’, rendering NATO practically useless.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4e01ff016e48427ece475eaa20f34870",
"text": "onal europe global politics defence house would disband nato NATO has allowed many members a free ride on U.S. military capability. The little ‘burden sharing’ that is going on can’t hide the fact that the main contributor is the U.S. and that especially the EU-members have not been investing enough in their own military capability. This has led to NATO becoming, in the words of U.S. Defence Secretary, a “two-tiered alliance” between “those willing and able to pay the price and bear the burdens of alliance commitments, and those who enjoy the benefits of NATO membership”. As long as Europe continues to take a free ride on the U.S., it will never be able to either shoulder its fair share of the burden, or operate independently outside of NATO. [1]\n\n[1] Gates, Transcript of Defense Secretary Gates’s Speech on NATO’s Future. 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "78f01595d8efb9dc8f3ab5343613be8b",
"text": "onal europe global politics defence house would disband nato NATO actually undermines the authority of the UN. The attack against the Libyan regime, as well as NATO’s participation in it, has drawn severe criticism, especially from Russia and China, who see the military campaign NATO and the UK, US and France undertook as overstepping the boundaries set by resolution 1973, against their explicit wishes. If NATO ever were to operate as the de facto military arm of the UN Security Council, then China and Russia would feel alienated from the UN Security Council, simply because they’re not (veto-wielding) members of NATO. [1]\n\n[1] Rapoza, Russia and China Team Up Against NATO Libya Campaign, 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8621551cbf5338a267cf40cfaaefc216",
"text": "onal europe global politics defence house would disband nato NATO cooperates with Russia to decrease tensions. Since 2002, NATO and Russia have an on-going dialogue to discuss strategic issues in the NATO-Russia Council. This Council aims to ‘enhance political consultation and practical cooperation with Russia in areas of shared interests’ with Russia as a ‘true strategic partner’. [1] Obviously, political differences over specific issues remain: NATO stresses Georgia’s and Ukraine’s sovereignty and maintains an open door policy for their membership if they themselves want this. What matters is that through this on-going, institutionalized dialogue, NATO makes clear it sees Russia as a strategic partner, and possibly even as a future member, not as a potential enemy.\n\n[1] NATO. NATO’s relations with Russia.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fb476f5889dba93367f02c892ae672df",
"text": "onal europe global politics defence house would disband nato NATO does not cont too much it saves money. Through joint exercises and sharing intelligence, member states learn to cooperate and communicate more effectively with each other, saving efforts when, if ever, they are forced to cooperate. These benefits alone are worthwhile. Moreover, defence contractors could expect a larger, more unified market, thus driving down average cost per unit, because of NATO’s efforts in standardizing requirements.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "97139281e2b1f4c9457ff757c74328c0",
"text": "onal europe global politics defence house would disband nato NATO has sufficient safeguards to prevent accidental escalation. Article V indeed specifies that members commit themselves to assisting a fellow member when attacked, but this clause leaves enough room to remain on the safe side. First of all, the clause is only defensive, to ensure that NATO doesn’t become involved in a war of choice of any of its members, like the Gulf War. Secondly, article V allows members to choose their assistance in proportion to the actual security threat and according to their own means and goals, instead of the automatic triggers that led to World War I.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9c9f9fa741e92fd4c1609326e1641f86",
"text": "onal europe global politics defence house would disband nato Continued existence of NATO doesn’t make the world less safe. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, it is only natural for the members of NATO to have been trying to define a new purpose. But discussing to define a new threat, whether that be an enemy state or a broader global security threat, isn’t the same as creating that threat. It’s not NATO’s so-called ‘scope creep’ that makes the world more unsafe, it is actual threats that make the world unsafe, and NATO’s formidable military structure can be useful in combating these. [1]\n\n[1] NATO. NATO adopts new Strategic Concept. 2010\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c9a0db45a8000753de50ba2353ea980e",
"text": "onal europe global politics defence house would disband nato NATO provides the UN with an effective joint military capability\n\nWhen in early 2011 the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1973, calling upon countries and regional organizations to take “all necessary measures” to protect the citizens of Libya against its dictator Ghaddafi, NATO provided effective support through their ‘Operation Unified Protector’, through which it enforced the arms embargo against Ghaddafi and the no-fly zone over Libya. Moreover, the smooth cooperation between France, the UK and the US in their active campaign to provide air support for the rebels in Libya has probably been made easier by the previous cooperation these countries have had through NATO.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "558828d25f57a636e46d15c8a8e135dc",
"text": "onal europe global politics defence house would disband nato NATO allows burden-sharing and specialization amongst its members\n\nFor many members, maintaining a fully operational military that has all the required capabilities (air, sea and land plus required logistics) is impossible: they don’t have enough budget, manpower or political will to maintain a full military. NATO allows members to share their burdens and to specialise. Examples of this are NATO’s AWACS-aircraft (Airborne Warning & Control System) and NATO’s Strategic Airlift Capability. Both are instances of NATO-allies pooling resources and sharing burdens. [1]\n\n[1] NATO. AWACS: NATO’s ‘eye in the sky’.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5d3bee6bb148e02bdc70df423ebdaec9",
"text": "onal europe global politics defence house would disband nato NATO is a vital instrument to make the world safer\n\nIn spite of all the bickering, the members of the NATO-alliance still face shared threats: a nuclear armed North-Korea for example, but also international terrorism, threats to international security stemming from weak or failed states and a possibility of a nuclear Iran. As in the past, NATO provides an institutionalized dialogue between partners with shared interest: America has an easily accessible diplomatic forum through which it can garner an international coalition for its policies, and European member states can benefit from access to US military technology and know-how. That’s why throughout 2010 and 2011 NATO has successfully formulated a new ‘Strategic Concept’, a joint strategic vision shared by all members, as well as a policy to improve NATO’s involvement in stabilisation and reconstruction. [1]\n\n[1] NATO. Key NATO policy on stabilisation and reconstruction released to the public. 2011. NATO. NATO adopts new Strategic Concept. 2010.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7d20dbd35ae3bd0378be4755e423752c",
"text": "onal europe global politics defence house would disband nato NATO destabilizes peaceful relations with Russia\n\nThere are two issues keeping Russia cautious of NATO as a military alliance. The first is a proposal by the U.S. to put up a missile defence system in Poland, the Czech Republic and on warships in the Black Sea under the flag of NATO to protect against missiles from Iran or North Korea, which, according to Russia, would never fly over these countries in any attack. Russia concludes that the missile defence system therefore must be directed at them. The second issue is NATO’s plans to expand with Ukraine and Georgia, which Russia has traditionally regarded as part of their ‘sphere of influence’. As Russian president Medvedev stated in 2008: “No state can be pleased about having representatives of a military bloc to which it does not belong coming close to its borders.” [1]\n\n[1] BBC News. Medvedev warns on Nato expansion. 2008\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "301a03e598b1dce6f9df40be3b5a9e09",
"text": "onal europe global politics defence house would disband nato NATO runs the unacceptable risk of accidental escalation\n\nThe clause that ‘an attack against one means an attack against all’ (Article V) runs the risk of entangling the entire alliance in an unwanted conflict. This has happened before: World War I started out as a local conflict between the Austro-Hungarian empire and Serbia, but through their security alliances inadvertently drew in all the major powers of the world. Given that many members of NATO have unstable countries near their borders (i.e. Turkey bordering Iraq) there is a risk they could become involved in a small regional war, which then inadvertently draws in the entire world.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a5210db910f1b0b149fc51b729318e89",
"text": "onal europe global politics defence house would disband nato Continued existence of NATO makes the world less safe\n\nOriginally, NATO had a clearly defined purpose and a common enemy: the Soviet bloc. With the demise of that shared enemy, NATO’s original purpose has disappeared but its well-functioning military structure remained, leaving it open to be seized by opportunistic politicians in a classic case of ‘scope creep’. This has happened with U.S. President George Bush jr.’s push to let Ukraine and Georgia in as new members in his global campaign to spread democracy. This has only served to increase tensions with Russia (see next argument). Who is to say that something similar isn’t going to happen vis-à-vis China? [1]\n\n[1] Hamilton, Time to disband Nato now the Cold War is over? 2008\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5ca6ceff50ad32398237825f4cefeef7",
"text": "onal europe global politics defence house would disband nato NATO costs too much\n\nMaintaining an administration for NATO, with personnel and buildings, costs money. Moreover, whenever NATO-members engage in a mission, they’re supposed to fund their activities under these missions themselves. [1] Given that the original threat has passed and given that the organisation still struggles to redefine itself, why spend money on it?\n\n[1] Rapoza, Russia and China Team Up Against NATO Libya Campaign, 2011\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
7d77a152fa3a5800df441b2713799885
|
Restricting Habeas Corpus is necessary in the face of the new and dangerous threat which modern terrorism poses.
Restricting suspected terrorists’ rights to challenge their detention is necessary to ensure that that individual cannot participate in future terrorist activities. The attacks of September 11th constituted a catastrophic and unprecedented attack on US soil, and the measures undertaken by the US at Guantanamo Bay, in holding many terrorist suspects without trial, are necessary to prevent future attacks of that nature. Terror suspects still have recourse to military tribunals, which contain many of the same safeguards as the federal court system
|
[
{
"docid": "8e7ee2352b959d7df13e16500db52564",
"text": " rights international law punishment politics terrorism house would restrict There is no reason why the United States cannot uphold constitutional protections such as Habeas Corpus and effectively combat terrorism at the same time. The two are not mutually exclusive. In fact, ensuring that suspected terrorists have access to Federal courts will save much-needed resources and ensure more accurate administration of justice. In the present case, it is unclear which of the Guantanamo detainees actually committed the acts that are used to justify their indefinite detention. Allowing detainees to challenge their detention would bring clarity to this uncertain situation and free up resources in the war against terrorism.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "9aa290981051b2f815a68023e9e6558a",
"text": " rights international law punishment politics terrorism house would restrict Via legal precedent, [1] Habeas Corpus protections extend to foreign nationals detained in the US. Furthermore, to focus solely on the immigration status and purported guilt of suspected terrorists ignore the fact that Habeas Corpus exists to protect us all. Eliminating the rights for “bad people” necessarily eliminates them for the innocent as well.\n\n[1] Supreme Court of the United States, Boumediene v Bush, 553 U.S. 723 (2008), http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/06-1195.ZS.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d5655429e1e541ce020ff2c99db75e2e",
"text": " rights international law punishment politics terrorism house would restrict The current war on terror is not comparable to past wars during which Habeas Corpus was suspended. Both the Civil War and World War II were openly declared wars of limited duration following invasions by hostile forces. The “war on terror” is nebulous and open-ended. In any case, history has harshly judged arbitrary detentions during wartime. Lincoln’s Civil War detentions and Roosevelt’s Japanese internment camps of the 1940s are embarrassing chapters in US national history. The fact that former presidents improperly suspended Habeas Corpus is all the more reason to exercise caution now. Additionally, the suspension of Habeas Corpus by the UK in 1971 arguably strengthened the cause of the IRA, and made it easier for the organisation to recruit members. Western governments should be careful not to repeat the mistakes of the past\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "45fc637df1208452bb127ce69b140707",
"text": " rights international law punishment politics terrorism house would restrict Global terrorism calls for aggressive responses. We cannot allow our respective nations to be besieged by terrorists while we stand aside and do nothing. Our enemies are well aware of the legal framework in which the US authorities and their Allies operate, and will exploit it wherever possible. Constitutional freedoms are extremely important, but the security and continued existence of our nations must come first. The US and its Allies must make a stand and demonstrate that terrorism will not be tolerated.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9c29f4332bfbfb2f9f4d897e4c694d0b",
"text": " rights international law punishment politics terrorism house would restrict The hatred that terrorists feel for the US and its Allies does not depend on details of their respective legal systems. Their hate stems from our success in building a tolerant, democratic society at odds with their narrow vision of harsh conformity. Their propaganda seeks to radicalise young Muslims across the world not by arcane appeals to Habeas Corpus, but by twisted portrayals of Allied military actions against civilians in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia. If the prisoners currently held without trial in Guantanamo Bay were released, they could untold damage to the US and its Allies. The risk of this occurring clearly outweighs the ethical issues concerning the suspension of Habeas Corpus protections.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "999830fd4d50e2e5532001f2936df09b",
"text": " rights international law punishment politics terrorism house would restrict The necessity of the measures, and the size of the terrorist threat which faces the US, outweighs the possible problems posed in the opposition argument.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3d66d40d7a93b343973320e509c43dc9",
"text": " rights international law punishment politics terrorism house would restrict Enemy combatants are not US citizens and as such they should not enjoy any protection which a US citizen enjoys under the Constitution.\n\nUnlawful enemy combatants are not US citizens. The only connection they have to the US is the desire to destroy it. As such, they do not fall within the group of people the Constitution is intended to protect. [1]\n\n[1] BBC News, ‘Guantanamo appeal denied’, 12 March 2003, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2842093.stm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "86b52cd26be7bddef063a558ea4f06e0",
"text": " rights international law punishment politics terrorism house would restrict Habeas Corpus has often been suspended in times of conflict, when it has been deemed necessary.\n\nThere is a longstanding tradition of suspending Habeas Corpus protections during times of war and conflict. For example, President Lincoln suspended Habeas Corpus during the Civil War. [1] Habeas Corpus was also suspended briefly in the Hawaii during World War II, immediately after the attacks on Pearl Harbour. [2] In the UK, Habeas Corpus was suspended in 1794, after the French declared war on Britain, [3] and in 1817, [4] in order to arrest parliamentary reformers. In 1971 Habeas Corpus was again suspended in the UK in order that IRA suspects could be arrested and detained. [5] 9/11 and other Al Qaeda plots require that Western countries respond in just as determined a way. The war on terror may not follow the rules of traditional warfare, but it is a war nonetheless. These precedents show that, in certain circumstances, the suspension of Habeas Corpus is both necessary and justified.\n\n[1] Lincoln, Abraham, ‘Proclamation Suspending the Writ of Habeas Corpus’, teachingamericanhistory.org, 24 September 1862, http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=425\n\n[2] Anthony, J. Garner, Hawaii under Army Rule, Stanford University Press, p.5, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=V66lAAAAIAAJ\n\n[3] Holmberg, Tom, ‘Great Britain: Suspension of Habeas Corpus. 7 May 1794’, The Napoleon Series, July 2002, http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/government/british/c_habeus.html\n\n[4] ‘Habeas Corpus Suspension Bill’, Hansard, 24 June 1817, vol.36, cc1145-55, http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1817/jun/24/habeas-corpus-suspension-bill\n\n[5] Wilkinson, Paul, Terrorism versus Democracy: The Liberal State Response, 2nd ed., Routledge, 2006, p.82, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=uq6oCZF7iHcC&dq\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dd389f9c9b51f9b0531d45be97a5f11e",
"text": " rights international law punishment politics terrorism house would restrict Disregarding Habeas Corpus protections sets a dangerous precedent for the treatment of the soldiers and citizens of the US and its Allies when captured by foreign forces.\n\nIf the US disregards Habeas Corpus protections, it sets a dangerous precedent for the rest of the world to follow. If other countries follow suit, the citizens and soldiers of the US and its Allies abroad could also be indefinitely detained and denied legal recourse if captured by foreign forces. This is especially relevant when considering journalists covering foreign conflicts, such as those currently occurring in the Middle East. [1]\n\n[1] Staff reports, ‘USA TODAY writer, 3 other journalists captured in Libya’, USA Today, 8 April 2011, http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-04-07-libya-journalists_N.htm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c13c4bd149799b285535109623c34429",
"text": " rights international law punishment politics terrorism house would restrict Suspending Habeas Corpus undermines the moral high ground of the US and its Allies, and strengthens the cause of the terrorists which these nations are fighting against.\n\nRestrictions on Habeas Corpus undermine the war against terror and put national security further at risk. Giving terrorist suspects the protection of Habeas Corpus legitimises the war against terror by ensuring that US actions against suspected terrorists have a legal basis, and are not in contravention of the rule of law. The moment that the US and its Allies show the rule of law the disrespect that typifies the regimes which the West seeks to overthrow, the fight for ‘hearts and minds’ will be lost. This effect can easily be seen in the results of the suspension of Habeas Corpus in the UK in order to arrest suspected IRA activists in 1971 – rather than suppressing the IRA as intended it increased support for the terrorist organisation. [1]\n\n[1] Wilkinson, Paul, Terrorism versus Democracy: The Liberal State Response, 2nd ed., Routledge, 2006, p.82, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=uq6oCZF7iHcC&dq\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3ebee10b7018ef3dfb5215846778318c",
"text": " rights international law punishment politics terrorism house would restrict Suspending Habeas Corpus makes it easier for terrorist organisations to demonise the US and its Allies, and thus to recruit more terrorists in its fight against the West.\n\nBy suspending Habeas Corpus, the US is playing into the hands of terrorists and creating more would-be terrorists for the future. Enemies of the West aim to demonstrate that the US is an oppressive state in order to make its model less attractive to others. In particular, they wish to show that America is at war with Muslims in order to radicalise young Muslims both at home and overseas. The US should take heed of the precedent in Northern Ireland, where widespread internment without trial radicalised many Catholic youths in the 1970s and drove them into the arms of the IRA.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
6dbf0c3f13c796c3a84946cac982d58b
|
A directly elected upper house discourages patronage
Politicians who elect or appoint the members of the upper house have an incentive to put their friends an allies there, because this will make their decision making easier. This is patronage pure and simple: the public will have a hard time sending them away when, if ever, a scandal breaks because the members of the upper house don't depend on public opinion to remain in their seats. An example is the case of a senator in the Netherlands, Sam Pormes. After an opinion magazine revealed he once had partaken in terrorist activities, it took almost a year and several mediation attempts to get him removed from parliament. [1]
[1] Expatica, ‘Senator told to resign over 'guerrilla training''. 22 November 2005. http://www.expatica.com/nl/news/local_news/senator-told-to-resign-over-g... last consulted August 15, 2011.
|
[
{
"docid": "fc03c33a0cec5b458cca9a11ab025502",
"text": "government house believes upper house should be accountable people Appointers and electors have to think about their reputation more. Unethically and unprofessionally behaved members of the upper house can still be sent away, either by the politicians who appointed or elected them or by independent inquiry. An example of this is of a Senator in the Netherlands, Sam Pormes. After an opinion magazine revealed he once aided freedom fighters in an assault on the Dutch government, he was sent away after careful inquiry. [1]\n\n[1] Expatica, ‘Senator told to resign over 'guerrilla training''. 22 November 2005. http://www.expatica.com/nl/news/local_news/senator-told-to-resign-over-g... last consulted August 15, 2011.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "3cb2060674a7dc4093f62ac0d3f2d285",
"text": "government house believes upper house should be accountable people A directly elected upper house obfuscates the political process. An upper house has a different role in the political process than the lower house: the lower house has to channel public opinion whereas the upper house has to provide critical scrutiny and sober second thought. Its legitimacy therefore doesn't stem from backing in public opinion but from careful reflection and well thought-out arguments.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c916b2a2d8a6489eab45615d833b8753",
"text": "government house believes upper house should be accountable people Democracy isn't just 'direct elections'. Democracy is a means to ensure good governance. Stating that an appointed or indirectly elected upper house is 'undemocratic' is not enough. Instead, the proposition should show why an appointed or indirectly elected upper house hinders good governance. Moreover, given the fact that the upper house is either appointed by the directly elected executive, as in Canada, or elected by directly elected provincial legislatures, as in the Netherlands, the people still have the right to decide how they are governed, only indirectly.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "95eb77bbdc3c9f86c997fbebbd6fa839",
"text": "government house believes upper house should be accountable people Sober second thought is undemocratic. A directly elected upper house can also provide an extra cycle in the legislative process if this is deemed desirable. When it comes to 'halting hypes', we need to realize that what constitutes a political hype is also a political choice. Democracy is defined as 'rule by the people'. If public pressure for a certain law is mounting, this means that apparently a large part of the public is urgently in favor of it. If democracy truly means 'rule by the people', then the legislative should respond to this kind of public pressure and not effectively hinder the rule of the people out of some misguided notion of 'political hype'.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c36d3c8b231519a3a36d8ed7630b5f0d",
"text": "government house believes upper house should be accountable people Feedback in the legislative process reeks of cronyism. Ensuring policy is feasible by checking it with target groups and implementing partners is important. Governments often do this by calling for position papers and organizing focus groups. Using an upper house for this only reeks of cronyism: for example, why would the government award a seat to one big oil company but not to the other?\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1d1372f5d942f0c0522671c5d073c305",
"text": "government house believes upper house should be accountable people Expert opinion shouldn't play a role at the legislative stage of political decision making. Expertise is relevant for policy making, but doesn't have a place in the legislative. The legislative is a place for deliberation and negotiation amongst public interests. Expert opinion should inform policy making either via expert policy makers who work for ministries and departments and help draft legislation before it is launched, or via the public, whom they inform and persuade via articles, talk shows and publicizing research.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "613099c22ea68ec64766c44ad75993cc",
"text": "government house believes upper house should be accountable people A directly elected upper house is more effective\n\nWhen an upper house is directly elected, it will be perceived to be more legitimate by the public, because the public sees their political views directly translated into a legislative branch, albeit in a different way than the lower house. This enhanced legitimacy will help the upper house in performing their constitutional duties: whenever the upper house disagrees with either the lower house or the executive, the upper house can now strengthen their position by pointing to the public support it has.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "46f506e3746cf80960726a0f6d16f68b",
"text": "government house believes upper house should be accountable people A directly elected upper house is more democratic\n\nDemocracy means self-governance by the people, wherein citizens have the fundamental right to decide how they are to be governed and by whom. An appointed or indirectly elected upper house violates this principle, because allows a group of individuals to exercise power without having to explain or justify themselves to the public\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "898983ca3d2579165cf291d6c1735641",
"text": "government house believes upper house should be accountable people An appointed or indirectly elected upper house provides more room to involve experts\n\nAppointment or indirect election provides space to involve eminent or expert people into politics. Often, expert and eminent people don't have the time or resources to work on building a career in politics. An example is veteran professional hockey coach Jacques Demers, who was appointed by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to become a Senator. Demers has been nearly illiterate for all his life but has been a very successful coach. As a Senator, Demers helped raise awareness and generate policy to enhance literacy across Canada. [1]\n\n[1] TSN, ‘FORMER NHL COACH DEMERS TO BE NAMED TO SENATE’. 27 August 2009. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=288991 last consulted August 15, 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0f938b2d1dc6f8a33ce7208c8e79f596",
"text": "government house believes upper house should be accountable people An appointed or indirectly elected upper house provides 'sober second thought'\n\nAn extra cycle in the legislative process creates more time to reflect on the pros and cons of each piece of legislation. Moreover, the lower house is pressured by public opinion to react fast to any kind of political hype that comes up. The upper house is more free from public pressure and can thus afford to halt pieces of 'hype-legislation'.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6d3cf0983bb6977fd531da449c82938e",
"text": "government house believes upper house should be accountable people An appointed or indirectly elected upper house helps policy implementation\n\nAppointment or indirect election provides space to involve leaders of business and civil society in politics. Just like above-mentioned experts, they often don't have time to build a career in politics. But they do have first-hand knowledge of the effects of policy on their businesses and associations. By co-opting them in the legislative process, policy makers don't have to wait until policy is fully implemented to receive feedback on the feasibility of their ideas.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
d8adc08217165452ad63dcbed3a49590
|
Puerto Ricans deserve full political rights and citizenship
Currently, Puerto Ricans do not receive full political rights and equal representation, despite their American citizenship. Although it has its own Governor and legislature which handles some domestic matters, inhabitants of Puerto Rico receive no say in US federal matters or foreign policy, despite being heavily affected by them (more so than most current American states, as Puerto Rico sits in the Caribbean surrounded by other island nation-states). [1] If Puerto Rico became a US state, Puerto Ricans would then share as everyone else in full benefits from the US government, while paying taxes like everyone else.
The status quo perpetuates a semi-colonial situation in Puerto Rico, where American citizenship, which they have held since 1917, carries fewer rights than in the US proper. This has been the situation since the US captured Puerto Rico in 1898, and no other US territory has been held in limbo like this for so long. During this time Puerto Ricans have supported the US by serving in large numbers, both voluntarily and through conscription, in the US military in every major war since the Spanish-American War. [2]
However the island's current status still prompts United Nations to still debate whether Puerto Rico is a colony. [3] US congressional inquest into Puerto Rico's political situation has found that, despite the divergent views that Puerto Ricans have with respect to their preferred political status, “all factions agree on the need to end the present undemocratic arrangement whereby Puerto Rico is subject to the laws of Congress but cannot vote in it.” [4]
The former chief justice of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court, Jose Trias Monge, has written a book on the political status of Puerto Rico entitled “Puerto Rico: The Trials of the Oldest Colony in the World.” Therein he argued that just prior to the U.S. invasion, the Island enjoyed greater freedom and rights in certain areas than it does now, including an insular parliament that could legislate in matters of monetary policy, banking, import/export duties, and public credit; the ability of Puerto Rico to negotiate its own commercial treaties; Puerto Ricans were Spanish citizens, equal in all respects to mainland Spanish citizens; the Spanish Constitution applied in Puerto Rico in the same manner as it applied in Spain proper; the Autonomic Charter of 1897, which governed Puerto Rico's relation with Spain, could not be changed except with Puerto Rico's consent. [5] The political rights currently enjoyed by Puerto Ricans, such as their right to elect their own Governor, are not even guaranteed to them in the status quo. In 1993, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit stated that Congress may unilaterally repeal the Puerto Rican Constitution or the Puerto Rican Federal Relations Act and replace them with any rules or regulations of its choice. [6] To perpetuate this current second-class status is morally unacceptable in a nation which pledges itself to “liberty and justice for all”.
[1] United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. “Statehood Issues”. United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. 2004.
[2] United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. “Statehood Issues”. United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. 2004.
[3] Constitutional Rights Foundation. “BRIA 17 4 c Puerto Rico: Commonwealth, Statehood, or Independence?”. Constitutional Rights Foundation. Fall 2001 (17:4).
[4] U.S House of Representatives. ‘Puerto Rico Democracy Act’, 110th Congress. Second Session. Report #597. 2007, Washington, D.C.
[5] Monge, Jose Trias. “Puerto Rico: The Trials of the Oldest Colony in the World”. Yale University Press. 1997.
[6] Hill, Fay and Edmondson, "United States v. Sanchez, 992 F.2D 1143 (1993) United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (Paragraphs 44 – 46)"
|
[
{
"docid": "a375157f222ba0d9301bf44cde8e5a09",
"text": "government local government voting house believes puerto rico should seek Regardless of what Puerto Ricans may or may not “deserve”, the fact is that Puerto Ricans have rejected statehood many times now, making their voices heard on this issue many times since the late 1960's. The island has repeatedly voted to remain a commonwealth when votes were taken in 1967, 1993, and 1998. [1] If Puerto Ricans actually like their current status enough to vote for it when presented with the alternatives of statehood or independence, where is the injustice in that status continuing?\n\n[1] United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. “Statehood Issues”. United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. 2004.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "c0d49d6a221c23b6187c052b2f824802",
"text": "government local government voting house believes puerto rico should seek As an American state, Puerto Ricans would pay federal income taxes, which most currently do not. Some businesses would also lose tax breaks they currently enjoy. [1] This would harm not only the wealth of individual Puerto Ricans but also harm the country's economic standing, as it would become less appealing as an investment destination without these tax breaks and with the presence of federal income taxes. There is no guarantee that the extremely high rates of economic growth the pro-statehood optimists forecast will actually come about to balance out these increased costs for all Puerto Ricans. Historically statehood could have been disastrous for Puerto Rico's economy: the post-World War Two economic growth in Puerto Rico was the result of special treatment via exemption from Federal corporate taxes resulting from Puerto Rico' special non-state status. [2]\n\n[1] Constitutional Rights Foundation. “BRIA 17 4 c Puerto Rico: Commonwealth, Statehood, or Independence?”. Constitutional Rights Foundation. Fall 2001 (17:4).\n\n[2] Leibowitz, Arnold H. “Defining Status: A Comprehensive Analysis of United States Territorial Relations”. Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. 1989.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9137c4604d727d918157630e92349e79",
"text": "government local government voting house believes puerto rico should seek The foreignness of English in Puerto Rico is greater in magnitude than it was in any state at any time in our national experience, including the examples listed. Census data show that just 20 percent of the island’s residents speak English fluently. By comparison, California has the lowest proficiency rate among the 50 states, but its 80 percent proficiency rate dwarfs Puerto Rico’s. The deeply rooted preference for Spanish makes Puerto Rico’s 1993 elevation of English to “co-official” status practically irrelevant. Authentic “official English” policies increase English learning, but they will not work when English is merely an add-on to a pre-existing official language that is spoken in 95 percent of homes. [1]\n\n[1] Schultz, Tim. “A Spanish 51st State?” National Review Online. 8 March 2010.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5651fa0bf91a6a52c57035582e6e92f9",
"text": "government local government voting house believes puerto rico should seek The arguments regarding the loss of Puerto Rican culture under statehood do not stand up because Puerto Rican identity is strong and will continue to be so. Puerto Rico has been exposed to U.S. mainland cultures for over 100 years, and Puerto Rican culture and heritage has thrived and grown. Puerto Ricans and mainland citizens have moved freely between the island and the mainland with no resulting cultural dilution or weakening of Puerto Rican's strong identity, even with the large migrations of the 1930's, the 1950's and since then. There is no reason to believe this would change under statehood. Puerto Rico has adopted and adapted aspects of U.S. culture, just as we have incorporated much of Puerto Rican culture when exposed to it. Puerto Ricans, while citizens, in much the same way as Texans and others view themselves, are still Puerto Ricans despite the more than 100 years of the deep and strong relationship with the mainland United States. [1]\n\n[1] United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. “Statehood Issues”. United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. 2004.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2446c19813dc95893d888bd08c333348",
"text": "government local government voting house believes puerto rico should seek Firstly, Puerto Ricans have repeatedly rejected independence in referendums in 1967, 1993, and 1998, with the votes for independence always being fewer than those for statehood. But secondly, the reasons against Puerto Rican independence are myriad. If Puerto Rico were to vote for independence, it would be hugely costly. It is inconceivable that the U.S. would set Puerto Rico adrift without a large \"transition package\" and continued foreign aid of a large magnitude. This would be necessitated by the fact that Puerto Ricans are currently U.S. citizens, who would demand favourable treatment and help. Puerto Rico, as an island with 3.8 million people and no other significant natural resources, is not economically viable as a separate nation without significant external aid and free access to large markets like the US enjoys. With statehood, Puerto Rico can be economically viable and a contributor to the United States' wealth, but with independence it would be impoverished and isolated. [1] Moreover, the American 'melting pot' has always been about the fusion of different cultures together, not their disappearance, and this will be the same for Puerto Rican identity.\n\n[1] United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. “Statehood Issues”. United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. 2004.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a2c31941196969cfc2d099acb5b86583",
"text": "government local government voting house believes puerto rico should seek Much of this argumentation assumes that the Puerto Rican economy will not expand with statehood, which there are many good reasons to believe would occur. Look at what happened to the last two states admitted to the Union, Hawaii and Alaska. Both economies grew substantially after being admitted to the Union and became net contributors to the U.S. Treasury. Puerto Rico would receive equal treatment in both taxes and benefits, the same as the other states. Benefits to the island under the current system are limited by Congress. Those limitations would be removed. At the same time, payments of federal taxes would be phased in, as provided by the enabling legislation. It has been estimated Puerto Rico as a state will contribute nearly $2 billion to the U.S. Treasury each year. [1] How is that possible? Through economic growth. With economic growth there are more jobs, fewer unemployed, and less of a public assistance burden.\n\n[1] United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. “Statehood Issues”. United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. 2004.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bc033c816cc93bf24c9befe2246b2c81",
"text": "government local government voting house believes puerto rico should seek Puerto Rico would benefit economically from statehood\n\nAmerican statehood would lead to significant economic growth for Puerto Rico. Statehood would mean that the island would shed its ineffective and costly reliance on preferential tax credits and more fully integrate into the national economy. In a study by Hexner, Jenkins, Lad and Lame, \"Puerto Rican Statehood: A Precondition to Sound Economic Growth,\" the case is persuasively made that statehood is necessary for the island's economic growth. [1] [2] As an American state, the standard of living in Puerto Rico would profoundly improve for the average person. With average income going up, families would be able to pay their fair share of taxes while still improving their net income and standard of living. For those with low incomes, the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico would have the same access to tax relief and federal support programs as any other citizen of the country, unlike under the present status where significant disparities exist. This is particularly significant as approximately 50% of Puerto Ricans live under the federal poverty line. [3]\n\nMany areas of US Federal funding to Puerto Rico would actually improve. For example, the current 50 states can receive up to 90% reimbursement through Medicaid for critical health information technologies; Puerto Rico is not eligible for these supplements. According to 2005 Congressional testimony by Governor Anibal Acevedo-Vila, had Puerto Rico been treated like the other states, it would have received $1.7 billion dollars in federal Medicaid support instead of the $219 million received. Translated to monthly amounts, federal Medicaid support in the states approximated $330 per month per participant; the amount in Puerto Rico was about $20 per month. [4] The US is one of the richest countries on earth, and being a full part of it would give Puerto Ricans a lot of practical advantages that the independent countries of the Spanish-speaking Caribbean lack. The right to move to the US-proper and work there legally, for example, is extremely valuable. [5] Overall, therefore, there is a compelling economic case for Puerto Rico to seek American statehood.\n\n[1] Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association. “Statehood”.\n\n[2] United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. “Statehood Issues”. United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. 2004.\n\n[3] United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. “Statehood Issues”. United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. 2004.\n\n[4] Frisse, Dr. Mark. “Puerto Rico”. Wellshpere. 7 September 2008.\n\n[5] Yglesias, Matthew. “What is the Case for Puerto Rican Independence?”. Think Progress. 1 May 2010.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "09451ccbf2efc9132320a649ec35b867",
"text": "government local government voting house believes puerto rico should seek English is not a problem for Puerto Rican statehood\n\nSome have made the argument that Puerto Rico should not be a state because Puerto Ricans do not speak English, and that the US should not have a non-English speaking state. This argument does not hold up for the following reasons: English is already an official language on the island with the same status as Spanish. Puerto Ricans are already citizens of the U.S., and have been since1917. [1] There was no language requirement with the granting of citizenship then, so it makes no sense to ask this question now. In fact, there has never been a language requirement of territories entering the union in American history. English is a required subject in public schools through high school. English is the only language of the Federal Court system and all U.S. government agencies in Puerto Rico and is the common language in banking, commerce, real estate and the tourism industry. Learning English as well as Spanish just makes good sense. English is the international language of business, science, and increasingly, diplomacy. Puerto Rico should do all it can to increase English language capability. But, making it a requirement of statehood would ignore the precedents of Enabling Acts of Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arizona, all of which similarly had issues of large non-English speaking populations and gave or give these other languages some official status in law. [2]\n\n[1] United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. “Statehood Issues”. United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. 2004.\n\n[2] United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. “Statehood Issues”. United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. 2004.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "96748753dad0149cf4a34c6a440fb644",
"text": "government local government voting house believes puerto rico should seek Puerto Rican statehood is not economical for the US\n\nIf Puerto Rico were to enter the US in such a way as to harm the US economy or if it were to become a burden to the US, this could lead to resentment of Puerto Rico by the rest of the US and hamper integration. The unemployed in Puerto Rico will at least have higher welfare benefits to fall back on if statehood is granted, meaning more money lost to the U.S. treasury. [1] Puerto Rico's per capita income of $8,509 is less than one third of the US average, and about one half that of Mississippi, the poorest state. The government sector in Puerto Rico generates approximately 380,000 jobs, or 33% of total employment can be unfavourably compared to the percentage of the economy of Puerto Rico from tourism: About 6%. The average monthly per capita income in Puerto Rico $709 per month. Social Security Disability payments are at least $790 per month. Rank of a state of Puerto Rico as a state among states based on population: 25th. Rank of Puerto Rico currently if included among states based on persons receiving disability income: 16th. [2] Even with the gain to the U.S. Treasury of taxes now not being paid by Section 936 companies, the CBO put the cost of Puerto Rican statehood as $9.4 billion in the first four years. These costs do not include matters like government and court translation expenses should Puerto Rico declare itself to be a solely Spanish-speaking land. [3] [4] [5] Nor does it include the costs to the U.S. Treasury of as many as seven representatives and two Senators whose continuance in office will depend on their pleasing an impoverished constituency. Legislation to increase federal spending on social programs of all sorts need not fail narrowly in either house of the U.S. Congress, as it does at the moment, if Puerto Rico's delegation (twice the size of West Virginia's) enters the equation. [6] Clearly neither the United States nor Puerto Rico can afford Puerto Rican statehood, and it makes no sense for Puerto Rico to enter into such an unstable relationship where resentment against Puerto Rico (and Puerto Ricans living in the US) will breed fast.\n\n[1] United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. “Statehood Issues”. United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. 2004.\n\n[2] NoPuertoRicoStatehood. “Puerto Rico Statehood”. 29 May 2011.\n\n[3] United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. “Statehood Issues”. United States Council for Puerto Rico Statehood. 2004.\n\n[4] Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association. “Statehood”.\n\n[5] Schultz, Tim. “A Spanish 51st State?” National Review Online. 8 March 2010.\n\n[6] Fund, John. “Puerto Rico, the 51st State?”. The Wall Street Journal. 13 May 2010.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7d42266105881d1914c84cebba768117",
"text": "government local government voting house believes puerto rico should seek The language barrier and Puerto Rican identity\n\nPuerto Rico should not become an American state because linguistic and cultural differences continue to divide the other 50 states and Puerto Rico. This would mean that Puerto Rico would either fit incongruously into the union, or it would lose its distinct cultural identity. Historically the US administrations of Puerto Rico have pursued 'Americanization' campaigns there, focusing especially around imposing the use of the English language and casting aside 'old values'. This policy was deeply resented and strongly resisted by most Puerto Ricans, and it failed. Thus, after 91 years of intimate association, Puerto Rico remains a separate cultural nationality. [1] [2]\n\nFurthermore in terms of national identity, Puerto Rico joining the US would result in it losing the semi-independent (or at least distinct) identity which it currently has in the eyes of much of the world. To name but two examples, Puerto would no longer have its own representative in the Miss Universe Pageant (which Puerto Rico has actually won on three occasions) and they would not be recognized as an individual nation in the Olympic games, as it currently is. These international representations would be curbed under statehood, as Puerto Rico would be required to participate in the same manner as the other 50 states, and to compete to represent the United States collectively, and not Puerto Rico individually, in these international events. [3]\n\nChanging language policies would also undermine Puerto Rican culture: the territories that became Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma (who all had large and historically rooted non-English-speaking populations) were all admitted to the union by congressional enabling acts that required that “schools shall always be conducted in English” in order to ensure assimilation. [4] This would likely also be the case with Puerto Rico, and could undermine the access of future generations of Puerto Ricans to their Hispanic heritage and culture, subsuming it within the overpowering tide of English-speaking American culture. Thus the Puerto Rican people are highly independent and have immense pride in their district and rich Latin culture and Spanish language, and they should not be deprived of that culture, which statehood would arguably contribute towards.\n\n[1] NoPuertoRicoStatehood. “Puerto Rico Statehood”. 29 May 2011.\n\n[2] Schultz, Tim. “A Spanish 51st State?” National Review Online. 8 March 2010.\n\n[3] Essortment. “Puerto Rican Statehood, the An overview of the pros and cons”. Essortment.com.\n\n[4] Schultz, Tim. “A Spanish 51st State?” National Review Online. 8 March 2010.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0a7f5b3353ea9e5095d5f2a6421a2e8d",
"text": "government local government voting house believes puerto rico should seek Statehood would prevent Puerto Rican independence\n\nThe US has treated Puerto Rico as little more than a colony for 100 years, and this has seeped into the Puerto Rican mentality in harmful ways. According to educational scientists Francesco Cordasco and Eugene Bucchioni, in their 1973 work The Puerto Rican Experience: a Sociological Sourcebook, the belief that Puerto Rico cannot survive on its own results from teachings since grade school. “Puerto Ricans here and in Puerto Rico are taught three things: Puerto Rico is small and the US is big, Puerto Rico is poor and the US is rich, Puerto Rico is weak and the US is strong.” [1] Popular author and Puerto Rican culture enthusiast Jesús Omar Rivera similarly argues that “in Puerto Rico, ever since you are a child, you are told that you live on a tiny island that has no natural resources, nothing. This is what they teach you in school, on TV, the media, and it’s always negative.” He argues says this perception is a by-product of the island’s political dependence on the U.S.. “There is this colonized mentality that everything from abroad is better.” [2]\n\nNone of this would change under statehood, and arguably would get even worse as Puerto Rican culture, still perceived as 'inferior' to all things American, would decline even further. Puerto Rican nationalist Juan Mari Brás has argued “Only through a great unified movement looking beyond political and ideological differences, can the prevalent fears of hunger and persecution be overcome for the eventual liberation of Puerto Rico, breaking through domination by the greatest imperialist power of our age”. [3] Attaining Puerto Rican independence us the only great cause which can unite all Puerto Rican people and allow them to break out of this colonized mentality and reclaim their dignity as a people and as a nation. To enter into US statehood would simply be to accept this colonized mentality and the denigration of all things Puerto Rican, to the advantage of the all-consuming American culture.\n\n[1] Cordasco, Francesco and Bucchioni, Eugene. “The Puerto Rican Experience: a Sociological Sourcebook”. 1973. Littlefield, Adams, & Co..\n\n[2] Martorell, Carlos Rodríguez. “Have a Puerto Rican question? Ask El Boricuazo”. NYDailyNews. 3 June 2008.\n\n[3] Peacehost.net. “Juan Mari Brás”.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
80e897b0bbe59eddb6fa27191d0d8283
|
The Scottish relationship with the EU is likely to change after independence.
The UK's various opt outs exist because of the strong negotiating position that the whole of the UK had at the time of the signing of the various relevant treaties. Had Scotland been independent then it would not have been in the same position. It is also argued that if Scotland wants to join the EU then it implicitly wants to join the EU as it is now and could retain exceptional status only in the very short term. [1] The change in relationship would probably change the Scottish attitude to the EU, although it is hard to say whether this would be automatically in a negative way. The implication of Jose Manuel Barroso's comments quoted earlier is that Scotland will be unlikely to retain the UK's opt outs from certain areas of EU policy. Most obviously it is likely that if joining as a new state Scotland may have no choice but to join the Euro at least in the long term when it meets the convergence requirements. [2] Several polls show Scots less likely to vote for independence if Scotland would then have to join the Euro. [3] The other main sticking point would be Schengen, it has been suggested that Scotland would have to join the EU's free travel zone which the UK is not currently a member of and the main consequence of this would be border controls between Scotland and England. [4] Were Scotland to seek to avoid joining the Euro and Schengen then it would prolong the application process meaning that Scotland would be unlikely to be ready to join the EU upon independence. This point was made by the ambassador of the EU's newest member Croatia [quote=Ambassador Ivan Grdesic] if you decide to opt out on many things, you are not ready actually... [/quote] so warning that attempts to opt out of the Euro and Schengen would prolong negotiations. [5]
[1] Engel, Arno, and Parkes, Roderick, ‘Accommodating an independent Scotland: how a British-style constitution for the EU could secure Scotland’s future’, European Policy Centre, 24 October 2012, http://www.epc.eu/documents/uploads/pub_3017_scotland_s_future.pdf pp.6-7.
[2] Thorp, Arabella, and Thompson, Gavin, ‘Scotland, independence and the EU – Commons Library Standard Note’, parliament.uk, 13 July 2012, http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN06110
[3] What Scotland Thinks, ‘If an independent Scotland had to join the Euro, how would this effect your vote in a Scottish independence referendum?’, January 2013, http://whatscotlandthinks.org/questions/if-scotland-had-to-join-the-euro-how-would-this-effect-your-vote-in-a-scottish http://whatscotlandthinks.org/questions/adopting-euro-after-scotland-joing-eu-will-make-you
[4] Barnes, Eddie, ‘Scottish independence: EU may force border terms’, The Scotsman, http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/scottish-independence-eu-may-force-border-terms-1-3165731
[5] BBC News, ‘Scottish independence: Warning over EU membership plan’, 3 November 2013, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-24794438
|
[
{
"docid": "b2ba2ca418e9623a82b0876fd2128208",
"text": "onal europe politics politics general government local government house believes The Scottish Government claims that an independent Scotland would be able to join the EU with all the UK's various opt outs intact. Scotland indeed could not be forced to join the Euro because in order to do so it would have to demonstrate currency convergence for at least two years which the newly independent state obviously would not be in a position to do. [1] Therefore if Scotland retained UK opt outs there would be only a positive change in relationship with Scotland receiving greater representation in EU institutions through having its own seat in the Council of Ministers, possibly its own Commissioner, and also a reallocation of European Parliamentary constituencies that would increase its representation there (and paradoxically increase rUK representation as well). [2]\n\n[1] Noon, Stephen, ‘Euro membership’, 10 November 2011, http://stephennoon.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/euro-membership.html\n\n[2] Engel, Arno, and Parkes, Roderick, ‘Accommodating an independent Scotland: how a British-style constitution for the EU could secure Scotland’s future’, European Policy Centre, 24 October 2012, http://www.epc.eu/documents/uploads/pub_3017_scotland_s_future.pdf p.7\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "f5b2fab48d5a9c86574096bdd6c6393c",
"text": "onal europe politics politics general government local government house believes The SNP argues that the transition from being a constituent part of the UK inside the EU and being an independent state within the EU would be seamless. [1] While 'the Scottish government does not take the process of EU membership for granted' they hope to notify the EU of their intent to join the EU before the referendum and then use the period between a yes vote and independence to negotiate their accession. [2] They would have 18 months to sort out the transition between the referendum on independence on 21 September 2014 and independence in March 2016. It should be remembered that an independent Scotland should already meet all the criteria for membership as a result of having already been a member so should be able to go through membership negotiations quickly.\n\n[1] The Scotsman, ‘Scottish independence: Hague EU claims criticised’, 31 October 2013, http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/scottish-independence-hague-eu-claims-criticised-1-3168121\n\n[2] Sturgeon, Nicola, ‘Scotland’s Relationship with Europe’, The Scottish Government, 26 February 2013, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Speeches/scot-europe-sturgon-26022013 §42-5.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7a3efcf46c12ad5304cdbf246d7bc7e2",
"text": "onal europe politics politics general government local government house believes Polls consistently point to a vote to leave the EU in a prospective referendum. [1] Whether this actually happens is a moot point, such a referendum would still bring about instability in the relationship with the European Union. Scotland if independent could avoid this turbulence. At the same time a renegotiation does not mean that Scotland’s interests would be safeguarded as a British Prime Minister would be negotiating with an eye to winning any referendum. The result is that such renegotiations would likely favour English interests over Scottish ones as it is English votes the Prime Minister would need to win over.\n\n[1] UKPollingReport, ‘YouGov/Sunday Times – Con 29, Lab 40, LD 9, UKIP 14’, 19 May 2013, http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/7473 http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/7463 http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/7435 and others on the same site.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "041ec9f33fc749317fdfdef290b1dda4",
"text": "onal europe politics politics general government local government house believes Just because the Scots are less Europhobic than the English does not mean they are actually natural Europhiles. There is still a fair amount of euroscepticism in Scotland [quote=Prof. John Curtice] The rise of UKIP is also evident here albeit at a lower level [1] [/quote]. When Scots were asked 'Which institution do you think has most influence over how Scotland is run?' in 2012 9% thought the EU did, when the question was changed to 'Which institution do you think ought to have most influence over how Scotland is run?' Only 1% said the EU, which certainly implies a degree of Euroscepticism. [2] One poll asking the question 'if Scotland were independent do you think it should join the EU?' even got a no answer, with 49% saying no and 32% saying yes. [3]\n\nIndeed Scotland was more anti-european in the 1975 referendum on Europe than England. 41.6% of Scots voted no to joining the European Community compared to 31.3% of English. [4] Scottish attitudes towards the EC/EU changed in the 1980s as Thatcher was becoming increasingly Europhobic. Because of this shift some academics think that the Scottish pro-european sentiment is a result of anti-Tory feeling rather than a judgement on Europe itself. [5] If this is the case then once independence removes the threat of Tory government Scottish attitudes to Europe might well shift back into a more anti-European position.\n\n[1] BBC Newsnight Scotland, 25 October 2013 01:12 am\n\n[2] What Scotland Thinks, ‘Which Institution do you think has most influence over how Scotland is run?’, 2012, http://whatscotlandthinks.org/questions/which-institution-do-you-think-has-most-influence-over-how-scotland-is-run#line http://whatscotlandthinks.org/questions/which-institution-ought-to-have-most-influence-over-how-scotland-is-run#line\n\n[3] What Scotland Thinks, ‘If Scotland were independent do you think it should join the EU? ’, 2012 http://whatscotlandthinks.org/questions/if-scotland-were-independent-do-you-think-it-should-join-the-eu\n\n[4] Wikipedia, ‘United Kingdom European Community membership referendup 1975’, accessed 4 November 2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_European_Communities_membership_referendum,_1975\n\n[5] Carrell, Severin, ‘Salmond’s EU crisis: polling suggests Scottish voters care’, theguardian.com, 7 November 2012, http://www.theguardian.com/uk/scotland-blog/2012/nov/07/scotland-alexsalmond-europe-polls\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7348b4aadb2f7480ce935daa7f8a01c3",
"text": "onal europe politics politics general government local government house believes On the vast majority of issues rUK and Scotland have the same interests. Scotland wants to retain the UK’s opt outs on issues such as the free movement of people and the Euro. Scotland also has the same interests on the main issue for the EU; trade. Nicola Sturgeon has highlighted the benefit to Scotland of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership something that the UK is also strongly in favour of. [1]\n\n[1] Sturgeon, Nicola, ‘Scotland’s Relationship with Europe’, The Scottish Government, 26 February 2013, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Speeches/scot-europe-sturgon-26022013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a8ef5c7bb1a51d322e00c6801d0fef28",
"text": "onal europe politics politics general government local government house believes The SNP's strongest argument, repeatedly made, is that independence would allow Scots to make their own decisions. It would therefore be only right that Scots whether independent or not should be allowed their own referendum on EU membership. The principle of a referendum on EU membership is supported by 58% of Scots with only 36% opposing a referendum. [1] A vote for independence would therefore seem to be a vote in favour of the validity of referendums legitimising the need to have referendums on similarly large issues in the future. A vote for an independent Scotland is not necessarily a vote for a stable relationship with Europe.\n\n[1] McLean, Christopher, ‘Scots want EU referendum but would vote to stay in’, Ipsos MORI, 14 February 2013, http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/3131/Scots-want-EU-referendum-but-would-vote-to-stay-in.aspx\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b975c052660a4aeb6790cf3ca31e085a",
"text": "onal europe politics politics general government local government house believes The UK or rUK is not going to leave the EU.\n\nDespite the legislative activity an EU referendum is still not an immediate prospect. Legislation as it stands only calls for a referendum in the event of treaty change, which would itself take years to negotiate. The private members bill currently progressing through the Commons is likely to be butchered in the Lords and David Cameron's promise of a 2017 referendum relies on a Conservative victory in 2015. Such a victory may not happen, despite Labour's soft poll lead the natural bias of the current boundaries make an outright Conservative victory a very remote prospect. [1] Even if a referendum does get held the out supporters would then have to win it. Although polls for a prospective EU membership referendum tend to show those who favour the exit leading this cannot be taken as necessarily meaning that it is likely to happen. Polls change, the AV referendum saw numbers initially favourable to AV swing round to a decisive victory against AV over the course of the campaign. [2] There are a number of reasons why this is likely in an in/out EU referendum. A vote to leave the EU is in fact rather unlikely because of the full weight of the establishment in the staying in camp. Businesses tend to favour staying in because [quote=John Cridland, Director General of the CBI] being a member of a reformed EU is the best way to preserve market access [3] [/quote]. The CBI released a report that said that each UK household was £3,000 better off due to EU membership. [4] That is a lot of money and if opinions on the EU are anything like those on Scottish independence it is a killer argument. 56% of scots would favour independence if it would make them £500 better off but only 22% would still be in favour of independence if it would make them £500 worse off. [5] If similar swings were to occur in an EU referendum Britain would not be leaving the EU. Furthermore, the referendum is likely only to occur after a renegotiation which is bound to bring something, enough for the (presumably Conservative) Prime minister to recommend a vote to stay in, the result would be support for the EU across all three main parties, plus the nationalist parties as well. A renegotiation sufficient for a conservative PM to recommend staying in also has an interesting effect upon polled voting intentions by almost exactly reversing them. A YouGov poll (May 2013) found that while under the current terms 47% would vote to leave and only 30% to stay but after renegotiation 32% would vote to leave and 45% to stay. [6]\n\n[1] Mylles, Richard, ‘The chances of an EU referendum in the next parliament are wildly overstated’, New Statesman, 18 July 2013, http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/07/chances-eu-referendum-next-parliament-are-wildly-overstated\n\n[2] UKPollingReport, ‘Alternative Vote’, accessed 4 November 2013, http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/av-referendum\n\n[3] Cridland, John, ‘Leaving Europe would be bad for British business’, The Guardian, 17 May 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/17/business-better-off-staying-in-europe\n\n[4] CBI, ‘In with reform or out with no influence – CBI chief makes case for EU membership’, 4 November 2013, http://www.cbi.org.uk/media-centre/press-releases/2013/11/in-with-reform-our-out-with-no-influence-cbi-chief-makes-case-for-eu-membership/\n\n[5] ICM, ‘Scottish Independence Poll – September 2013’, 18 September 2013, http://www.icmresearch.com/scottish-independence-poll-september-2013\n\n[6] YouGov, ‘YouGov / Sunday Times Survey Results’, 10 May 2013, http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/2chabiz0nj/YG-Archive-Pol-Sunday-Times-results-100513.pdf p.15.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "66fb11aee3181b682ee24b371101465c",
"text": "onal europe politics politics general government local government house believes Scottish independence might be a faster route out of the EU than a referendum.\n\nBefore 2012 the SNP argued that Independence could be achieved and Scotland remain within the EU while retaining all UK opt outs with a minimal amount of trouble. However this position has since changed largely due to European commission pronouncements on the issue. [1] There is no EU precedent to the situation that Scottish independence would bring about. It has been argued that Scotland would not automatically remain part of the EU and would have to reapply. Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has said [quote=Barroso] For the European Union’s purposes, from a legal point of view, it is certainly a new state. If a country becomes independent it is a new state and then it has to negotiate into the European Union [2] [/quote] Certainly if Scotland's application to join the EU were a normal one then the 18 month timetable between referendum to independence would not give enough time to go through the process of joining the EU. Some applications have taken over a decade, the UK's own (second) application took over 5 years. The fastest application was Finland which only took 2 years 10 months between application and accession. [3] Even seemingly very minor disputes can hold up membership for long periods, a Croatia-Slovenia dispute over maritime access considerably delayed the accession of the former. Thus small disputes like with Spain over fishing rights or with Ireland over Rockall could be a considerable drag on Scotland's application. [4] None of the above are insurmountable problems and would only impose a temporary exit of Scotland from the EU. However, it is possible that Scotland will be unable to rejoin. It ought to be remembered that enlargement requires unanimous support of the current member states, which may not be forthcoming. A number of other states such as Belgium and Italy have regions with national aspirations, the most likely European opponent to Scottish independence would be Spain with its eastern region of Catalonia's independence movement often being compared to Scotland's. As a result there have been persistent rumours that Spain might veto Scottish re-entry into the EU in order to send a message to its own separatists. [5] Spain’s Prime Minister Rajoy was plain when he said [quote=Rajoy] It's very clear to me… a country that would obtain independence from the EU would remain out of the EU. [6] [/quote]\n\n[1] Carrell, Severin, ‘Barroso casts doubt on independent Scotland’s EU membership rights’, The Guardian, 12 September 2012, http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/sep/12/barroso-doubt-scotland-eu-membership McSmith, Andy, ‘The impact of that Barroso letter’, The Independent, 20 December 2012, http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/12/11/the-impact-of-that-barroso-letter/\n\n[2] Davidson, Ruth, ‘Separate Scotland would have to reapply to EU – Barroso’, Scottish Conservatives, 10 December 2012, http://www.scottishconservatives.com/2012/12/separate-scotland-would-have-to-reapply-to-eu-barroso/ [BBC Hardtalk transcript]\n\n[3] Wikipedia, ‘Enlargement of the European Union’, accessed 4 November 2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlargement_of_the_European_Union\n\n[4] Open Europe Blog, ‘Scottish independence and EU accession: tricky to pull off in one manoeuvre?’, 5 February 2013, http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/scottish-independence-and-eu-accession.html\n\n[5] York, Christopher, ‘Scottish Independence: Spain Could Veto EU Membership’, The Huffington Post, 6 December 2012, http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/12/06/scottish-independence-eu-accession-veto-spain_n_2249473.html\n\nPeterkin, Tom, ‘Scottish Independence: Spain key to Scotland’s EU hopes’, The Scotsman, 4 November 2012, http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-independence-spain-key-to-scotland-s-eu-hopes-1-2613465\n\n[6] Carrell, Severin, and Kassam, Ashifa, ‘Scottish independence: Spain blocks Alex Salmond’s hopes for EU transition’, The Guardian, 27 November 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/nov/27/scottish-independence-spain-alex-salmond-eu\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "025da7a20da434698700e6bee829c3e1",
"text": "onal europe politics politics general government local government house believes Scotland is more pro-EU than the rest of the UK\n\nAccording to a February 2013 Ipsos-mori poll Scots want an EU referendum but 53% would vote to stay in the EU and only 34% would vote to leave. Indeed if Scotland became independent those who wanted it to be in the EU rose to 61% and the number who wanted out fell to 33%. [1] In England 48% would vote to leave (as of November 2012) and 44% would vote to stay in. [2] The UK Independence Party whose principal policy platform is a desire to leave the EU has performed considerably worse in Scotland than in England. In the 2010 general election UKIP received 3.1% of the vote [3] whereas in the Scottish election the next year they only received 0.9% of the vote. [4] Similarly in the 2009 European Parliament elections UKIP came second nationally receiving almost 2.5 million votes, 16.5% [5] of all votes cast but in Scotland it came 6th, beaten by all four main parties and the Greens receiving only 5.2% of the vote. [6] Scots clearly believe their interests lie with Europe and it would be better for Scotland not to be tied to a country where sentiment is considerably more negative towards the EU.\n\n[1] McLean, Christopher, ‘Scots want EU referendum but would vote to stay in’, Ipsos MORI, 14 February 2013, http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/3131/Scots-want-EU-referendum-but-would-vote-to-stay-in.aspx\n\n[2] Social Research Institute, ‘British public split on our future with the European Union’, Ipsos MORI, 15 November 2012, http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/3075/Ipsos-MORI-Political-Monitor-November-2012.aspx\n\n[3] BBC News, ‘National Results’, Election 2010, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/\n\n[4] BBC News, ‘Scotland elections’, Vote 2011, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/election2011/region/html/scotland.stm\n\n[5] BBC News, ‘European Election 2009: UK Results’, Elections 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/elections/euro/09/html/ukregion_999999.stm\n\n[6] BBC News, ‘European Election 2009: Scotland’, Elections 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/elections/euro/09/html/ukregion_10.stm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4f8a9fd65973382df26291a44af73f62",
"text": "onal europe politics politics general government local government house believes Scotland has different interests to rUK\n\nStates are often seen as having one single unitary interest, however this is not the case the interests of different regions can be very different. It should therefore not be surprising that Scotland and rUK have different interests with relation to the EU. For example on climate change Scotland has the greatest potential for the generation of renewable energy in Europe with 25% of Europe’s tidal potential and 10% of wave potential [1] yet the UK is in favour of scrapping European targets for the generation of renewable energy. [2] UK ministers have also been accused of “working against Scotland” on agriculture being willing to accept reductions in farm support meaning that Scotland receives the lowest level in Europe. [3] Scotland’s own interests would therefore be better represented by having its own government at the negotiating table than a UK government.\n\n[1] ‘Energy in Scotland: Get the facts’, The Scottish Government, 10 July 2013, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/Facts\n\n[2] Harvey, Fiona, ‘Britain resists EU bid to set new target on renewable energy’, The Observer, 25 May 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/may/25/uk-blocks-eu-target-renewable-energy\n\n[3] McLaughlin, Mark, ‘SNP Conference: UK ministers ‘working against Scotland’’, The Independent, 19 October 2013, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/snpconference-uk-ministers-working-againstscotland-8891458.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8ca3101f0620d3ced4362cbeb906f25f",
"text": "onal europe politics politics general government local government house believes An independent Scotland would avoid having a referendum on EU membership\n\nThe Scottish National Party (SNP) has said that they would not hold an EU referendum in an independent Scotland. Scotland is [quote=Nicola Sturgeon] regardless of the direction of UK policy - Scotland is strongly committed to continuing within the EU as an independent nation [1] [/quote] A vote for independence would therefore be a vote for a stable relationship with Europe.\n\nInterestingly should Scotland become independent and accede to the EU there would have to be a treaty change to provide for Scottish representation in EU institutions. [2] This could well trigger an EU referendum in the remainder of the UK (rUK) under the 'referendum lock'.\n\n[1] Sturgeon, Nicola, ‘Scotland’s Relationship with Europe’, The Scottish Government, 26 February 2013, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Speeches/scot-europe-sturgon-26022013 §9\n\n[2] Avery, Graham, ‘HC 643 The foreign policy implications of and for a separate Scotland, Foreign Affairs Select Committee, 24 September 2012, http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmfaff/writev/643/m05.htm point 6.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
624af17bc6d9d1d6f50d57c9f00d171e
|
The novel crime of aggression leads to the prosecution of those seeking to protect human rights.
The likelihood of political prosecution is only augmented by the creation of the novel crime of 'aggression' under the Rome Statute. Any intervention in a State for the protection of human rights of some or all of its people might constitute a crime. The US or any NATO State could be prosecuted, at the request of the genocidaires, for successfully preventing genocide. Moreover, by a quirk of the drafting of the Statute, States that refuse to accept the jurisdiction of the ICC can nevertheless request the prosecution of individuals of other States for crimes alleged committed on its territory. Thus Milosevic could have demanded the investigation of NATO forces for the events of Operation Allied Force, but have precluded any investigation of the actions of the Bosnian Serb army on the same territory.
|
[
{
"docid": "adab1377937140fae3093b431752adba",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The crime of aggression is not remarkably novel. Intervening in the domestic affairs of a sovereign State is contrary to norms of conventional and customary law. The UN Charter prohibits both the unauthorised use of force against another State and any intervention in its domestic jurisdiction. Moreover, the fact that the crime of aggression has not yet been defined means that this objection to the ICC is purely hypothetical. The US should in fact be encouraged to ratify the Rome Statute in order to allow its negotiators to play an active role in the Assembly of State Parties. The Assembly is currently responsible for drafting the definition of this crime.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "f0d9348b090ae76ac391361b8bf7c2ac",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The budget of the ICC is not particularly excessive and can be maintained without US finance. The withholding of US funds from the UN budget is a familiar tactic for expressing disapproval. In 1998, the total US arrears on assessed contributions that had been approved by the Security Council amounted to over $1.3 billion1. Whilst the operation of UN institutions and operations, in particular peacekeeping, might have suffered, the UN was still able to function. Likewise, there is no reason to suggest that the refusal of the US, or even Japan, to ratify the Rome Statute, would preclude the operation of the ICC. The Statute allows the donation of additional funds and resources from other State Parties. With regard to the ICTY, the EU has consistently contributed personnel, in addition to the payment of the assessed contribution of each of the 15 States. $100 million might seem a significant expense. However, it is both trite and true that no price should be put on justice. Not least justice for thousands of victims of some of the most heinous crimes imaginable.\n\n1 Lautze, S. (2000, October). US Arrears to the UN. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from Humanitarian Exchange Magazine:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c9d8ae1688de3ce0339db452929c2ab8",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The ICC does not have too much authority, merely the necessary authority to be useful as an institution. It is the very pre-eminence of the US that demands it adhere to the international rule of law, the ICC's existence will not alter that nor lead to charges for legitimate actions. It is perfectly possible to conduct a campaign for bona fide reasons of saving lives and protecting human rights that involves the commission of war crimes. The ICC can reasonably demand that the US, or any other State, pursue their lawful ends by lawful means. Moreover, it matters not to the victim of a gross human rights violation whether the perpetrator was the regime of a rogue state or the service member of a State seeking to protect the population. Further, other States with significant military commitments overseas, such as the UK and France, have ratified the Rome Statute without equivocation. These States accept that intervening in other States to uphold international human rights demands respect for these same norms.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0759fda5f9f34be66edd5dda47597591",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise It is always in the best interest of victims for war criminals to be brought to justice, even if in the intermediate period there is a great deal of stress and suppressed grief. The ICC has the power not only to punish war criminals with incarceration, but order reparations to be paid to victims. Though financial reward cannot cover the loss of life or injury, it is a start and could not directly come from the criminal themselves without the influence and power of the ICC. Furthermore, it establishes a precedent that demonstrates to the wider public that victims will, however long it takes and however hard the ICC must work, get justice for their suffering.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1939a40de67b2e043f047020f6249eac",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise It is ludicrous to claim that the ICC will fail to deter atrocities when such an international institution has never before existed. Moreover, the ICC is not designed to be a prophylactic ; for the victims of these terrible crimes it is crucial that these offenders are apprehended, tried and punished. Retribution and protection of society are objectives not only for the domestic criminal justice system but also for the new international version. Therefore, even if the ICC failed to prevent the atrocities in the first place, a mechanism is now in place to punish those responsible. Justice is not sufficient where war crimes are concerned, but it is a start.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2a77a6116eb2022937fc257e780c6dad",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The ICC does not offer lasting peace to victims, but can instead re-open old wounds. 'It is by no means clear that 'justice' as defined by the Court and Prosecutor is always consistent with the attainable political resolution of serious political and military disputes' argues John Bolton. The ICC deals with individual criminals and specific crimes in a vacuum, it is unable to appreciate the, albeit paradoxical, notion that it may be in the best interests of the resolution of conflict for the perpetrators to go unpunished and victims to forego reparations. 'Circumstances differ, and circumstances matter'1 the ICC in offering lasting peace to victims of war crimes is unable to weigh the circumstances in the manner of an ad hoc tribunal tailored to the specific conflict.\n\n1 Bolton, J. (2002, November 12). The United States and the International Criminal Court. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "13622dcddb72cf09794e5ca7222aa615",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The US holds a unique position in the fabric of the protection of international peace and security. Whilst it might be appropriate for other States to consent to the jurisdiction of the ICC, these States do not bear the responsibilities and attendant risks beholden to the 200,000 US troops in continuous forward deployment. The armed forces of the US that have responded to three hundred per cent more contingency situations during the previous decade than during the whole of the Cold War. It is clear that the world more than ever looks to the US for its safety. Furthermore, the military dominance of the US increases the likelihood of prosecution. When rogue regimes are incapable of defeating the US by any military means, they are likely to resort to 'asymmetric challenges' to their forces. Challenging the authority of the US in the ICC will be more damaging to US interests and willingness to intervene than any conventional military opposition. The indispensable nation must therefore be permitted to dispense with the ICC.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f0b8d89ba08a804174a3f94a13dc4980",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The ICC's ability to prosecute war criminals is both overstated and simplistic. It has no force of its own, and must rely on its member states to hand over criminals wanted for prosecution. This leads to cases like that of Serbia, where wanted war criminals like Ratko Mladic are believed to have been hidden with the complicity of the regime until finally handed over in 2011. The absence of a force or any coercive means to bring suspects to trial also leads to situations like that in Libya, whereby Colonel Gaddafi is wanted by the ICC but the prosecution's case is germane if he manages his grip on power. Furthermore, it relies on external funding to operate, and can only sustain cases so long as financial support exists to see them through.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8635b3015491b1187681d81606d6dea9",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The ICC fails to prevent atrocities.\n\nThe ICC will not deter the commission of war crimes or genocide. The Third Reich augmented the crimes of the Holocaust when it became clear that the Allies would defeat them in Europe. The only expectation of the Nazi leadership was immediate execution, rather than trial in a judicial forum. Similarly, Slobodan Milosevic and the Bosnian Serb army conducted a campaign of ethnic cleansing in Kosovo whilst the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was sitting in the Hague. The calculation of whether to commit gross human rights violations is not that of the reasonable and rational individual. The existence of a court, however well intentioned, will have no effect on the commission of these crimes.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cf6ac69ecfbd890ac9b300251e99176c",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise It may be in the best interests of victims and their state for war criminals not to be brought to trial.\n\nThe ICC may well lead to the political prosecution of war criminals, but that is not necessarily the most effective means to peace, or lasting peace for victims. As U.S. policy papers have pointed out, despots like Pol Pot and Saddam Hussein did not consult lawyers over potential legal ramifications before they committed their respective human rights violations1. Furthermore, the impact on an oppressed population of a long, protracted trial of their fallen dictator is not always therapeutic for it can dredge up events of particularly melancholic qualities and grants the dictator a platform to continue his psychological control over his population.\n\n1 Elsea, J. K. (2006). U.S. Policy Regarding the International Criminal Court. Congressional Research Service, p. 22.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "16cd0fe3c63a63c9dfbe18ed82f72412",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The ICC generates crippling expenses.\n\nCautious estimates suggest an operating budget of $100 million per year1. The costs of the ICTY and ICTR have already spiralled out of control, and the latter tribunal has a legacy of maladministration and internal corruption. The US contributes 25% of the budget for both the tribunals, which amounted to $58 million in the fiscal year 20002. It is dubious whether the ICC could survive without US financial support. The UN as a whole is obligated only to fund investigations and prosecutions initiated at the request of the Security Council. Every other investigation must be funded by assessed contributions from the States that have ratified the Rome Statute. Although the UN could authorise the transfer of additional funds, the procedure would require a UN Security Council resolution that would of course be subject to the US veto. Alternatively, it is accepted that State Parties to the Statute could directly contribute funds or personnel to the ICC. However, the possibility of partiality or even corruption is manifest where States with their individual political interests are deploying and directing their own staff within the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC.\n\n1 Irwin, R. (2010, January 8). ICC Trials Hit by Budget Cuts. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from Institute for War & Peace Reporting:\n\n2 Scharf, M. P. (2000, October). The Special Court for Sierra Leone. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from American Society of International Law:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0079e518e9aab668f802c4428f59d9d8",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The ICC has too much authority.\n\nThe ICC will lead to political prosecution. American service members and senior military and political strategists will be subject to charges for legitimate military action. Any State has the power to refer an issue for investigation to the Prosecutor and the Prosecutor also has the power to commence an investigation ex proprio motu. There is no UN Security Council veto over the discretion of the Prosecutor. Moreover, the phantom of political prosecution has already materialised in the preliminary investigation mounted by the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICTY into the NATO bombing of Kosovo and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the course of 'Operation Allied Force'. The Prosecutor chose to investigate a campaign that had been undertaken with clinical precision, that had received the ex post facto support of the Security Council, and that had been directed against a military infrastructure effecting a brutal policy of ethnic cleansing. This grim precedent suggests that a Prosecutor will not hesitate to investigate any other good faith and successful military actions across the globe.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "84a99536c7697b0891e90541eb8ed7de",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The ICC offers justice to victims of war crimes.\n\nThe ICC offers a multilateral means by which international law can be brought to bear on the perpetrators of war crimes. As Amnesty International argues, 'the ICC ensures that those who commit serious human rights violations are held accountable. Justice helps promote lasting peace, enables victims to rebuild their lives and sends a strong message that perpetrators of serious international crimes will not go unpunished'. Furthermore, and for the first time, the ICC has the power to order a criminal to pay reparations to a victim who has suffered as a result of their crimes. Such reparations may include restitution, indemnification and rehabilitation. Judges are able to order such reparations whether the victims have been able to apply for them or not. Though reparations will often not be sufficient on their own for lasting peace, they are a step in the right direction and only made possible by the establishment of the ICC.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "90cdcaca5fe9733bc13e6ba760b0135f",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The deterrent effect of the Court ensures wide-spread and equal adherence to international law.\n\nUpon signing the Rome Statute in 1996, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan stated that 'the establishment of the Court is still a gift of hope to future generations, and a giant step forward in the march towards universal human rights and the rule of law'1. Such statements demonstrate the impact the Court could potentially have, as a body that simultaneously cherishes sovereignty and protects national courts whilst offering a means by which criminals in states unable or unwilling to prosecute will still be brought to justice. As the natural and permanent heir to the process started at Nuremberg in the wake of World War II2, the ICC ensures that the reach of law is now universal; war criminals, either in national or international courts, will be forced to trial as a result of the principle of universal jurisdiction1. The deterrent effect of such a court is obvious and a warning to those who felt they were operating in anarchic legal environments.\n\n1 Amnesty International. (2007, September). Fact Sheet: International Criminal Court. Retrieved May 11, 2011\n\n2 Crossland, D. (2005, November 23). Nuremberg Trials a Tough Act to Follow. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from Spiegel International\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d4ef61ad7ce4a88b19d19f4d737388fb",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The ICC allows for the prosecution of war criminals.\n\nLaw-abiding states like the United States that have yet to ratify the ICC should have nothing to fear if they behave lawfully. The Prosecutor of the ICC is only concerned with the most grave offences and it defies belief that the US would approve a strategy of genocide or systematic mass violations of human rights that could attract the jurisdiction of the ICC. Further, the discretion of the Prosecutor is not unchecked. The Statute requires that the approval of three judges sitting in a pre-trial chamber be obtained before an arrest warrant can be issued or proceedings initiated. Moreover, there is no harm to the interests of the US in being subjected to a mere preliminary investigation. In fact, it is preferable that spurious accusations are briefly examined and shown to be baseless, than that these accusations be allowed to raise doubts about the credibility of a State's actions and the impartiality of the Tribunal in question. The US acceptance of the jurisdiction of the Prosecutor of the ICTY is evident ; the US troops forming part of the KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo could equally be subject to investigation and prosecution by the ICTY. The US is prepared for its forces to operate under the scrutiny of the ICTY since it reasonably does not expect its members to commit the very crimes they are deployed to prevent.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
5ab6e87e9b285f0f01b7c69960598e4d
|
The ICC has too much authority.
The ICC will lead to political prosecution. American service members and senior military and political strategists will be subject to charges for legitimate military action. Any State has the power to refer an issue for investigation to the Prosecutor and the Prosecutor also has the power to commence an investigation ex proprio motu. There is no UN Security Council veto over the discretion of the Prosecutor. Moreover, the phantom of political prosecution has already materialised in the preliminary investigation mounted by the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICTY into the NATO bombing of Kosovo and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the course of 'Operation Allied Force'. The Prosecutor chose to investigate a campaign that had been undertaken with clinical precision, that had received the ex post facto support of the Security Council, and that had been directed against a military infrastructure effecting a brutal policy of ethnic cleansing. This grim precedent suggests that a Prosecutor will not hesitate to investigate any other good faith and successful military actions across the globe.
|
[
{
"docid": "c9d8ae1688de3ce0339db452929c2ab8",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The ICC does not have too much authority, merely the necessary authority to be useful as an institution. It is the very pre-eminence of the US that demands it adhere to the international rule of law, the ICC's existence will not alter that nor lead to charges for legitimate actions. It is perfectly possible to conduct a campaign for bona fide reasons of saving lives and protecting human rights that involves the commission of war crimes. The ICC can reasonably demand that the US, or any other State, pursue their lawful ends by lawful means. Moreover, it matters not to the victim of a gross human rights violation whether the perpetrator was the regime of a rogue state or the service member of a State seeking to protect the population. Further, other States with significant military commitments overseas, such as the UK and France, have ratified the Rome Statute without equivocation. These States accept that intervening in other States to uphold international human rights demands respect for these same norms.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "f0d9348b090ae76ac391361b8bf7c2ac",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The budget of the ICC is not particularly excessive and can be maintained without US finance. The withholding of US funds from the UN budget is a familiar tactic for expressing disapproval. In 1998, the total US arrears on assessed contributions that had been approved by the Security Council amounted to over $1.3 billion1. Whilst the operation of UN institutions and operations, in particular peacekeeping, might have suffered, the UN was still able to function. Likewise, there is no reason to suggest that the refusal of the US, or even Japan, to ratify the Rome Statute, would preclude the operation of the ICC. The Statute allows the donation of additional funds and resources from other State Parties. With regard to the ICTY, the EU has consistently contributed personnel, in addition to the payment of the assessed contribution of each of the 15 States. $100 million might seem a significant expense. However, it is both trite and true that no price should be put on justice. Not least justice for thousands of victims of some of the most heinous crimes imaginable.\n\n1 Lautze, S. (2000, October). US Arrears to the UN. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from Humanitarian Exchange Magazine:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "adab1377937140fae3093b431752adba",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The crime of aggression is not remarkably novel. Intervening in the domestic affairs of a sovereign State is contrary to norms of conventional and customary law. The UN Charter prohibits both the unauthorised use of force against another State and any intervention in its domestic jurisdiction. Moreover, the fact that the crime of aggression has not yet been defined means that this objection to the ICC is purely hypothetical. The US should in fact be encouraged to ratify the Rome Statute in order to allow its negotiators to play an active role in the Assembly of State Parties. The Assembly is currently responsible for drafting the definition of this crime.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0759fda5f9f34be66edd5dda47597591",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise It is always in the best interest of victims for war criminals to be brought to justice, even if in the intermediate period there is a great deal of stress and suppressed grief. The ICC has the power not only to punish war criminals with incarceration, but order reparations to be paid to victims. Though financial reward cannot cover the loss of life or injury, it is a start and could not directly come from the criminal themselves without the influence and power of the ICC. Furthermore, it establishes a precedent that demonstrates to the wider public that victims will, however long it takes and however hard the ICC must work, get justice for their suffering.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1939a40de67b2e043f047020f6249eac",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise It is ludicrous to claim that the ICC will fail to deter atrocities when such an international institution has never before existed. Moreover, the ICC is not designed to be a prophylactic ; for the victims of these terrible crimes it is crucial that these offenders are apprehended, tried and punished. Retribution and protection of society are objectives not only for the domestic criminal justice system but also for the new international version. Therefore, even if the ICC failed to prevent the atrocities in the first place, a mechanism is now in place to punish those responsible. Justice is not sufficient where war crimes are concerned, but it is a start.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2a77a6116eb2022937fc257e780c6dad",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The ICC does not offer lasting peace to victims, but can instead re-open old wounds. 'It is by no means clear that 'justice' as defined by the Court and Prosecutor is always consistent with the attainable political resolution of serious political and military disputes' argues John Bolton. The ICC deals with individual criminals and specific crimes in a vacuum, it is unable to appreciate the, albeit paradoxical, notion that it may be in the best interests of the resolution of conflict for the perpetrators to go unpunished and victims to forego reparations. 'Circumstances differ, and circumstances matter'1 the ICC in offering lasting peace to victims of war crimes is unable to weigh the circumstances in the manner of an ad hoc tribunal tailored to the specific conflict.\n\n1 Bolton, J. (2002, November 12). The United States and the International Criminal Court. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "13622dcddb72cf09794e5ca7222aa615",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The US holds a unique position in the fabric of the protection of international peace and security. Whilst it might be appropriate for other States to consent to the jurisdiction of the ICC, these States do not bear the responsibilities and attendant risks beholden to the 200,000 US troops in continuous forward deployment. The armed forces of the US that have responded to three hundred per cent more contingency situations during the previous decade than during the whole of the Cold War. It is clear that the world more than ever looks to the US for its safety. Furthermore, the military dominance of the US increases the likelihood of prosecution. When rogue regimes are incapable of defeating the US by any military means, they are likely to resort to 'asymmetric challenges' to their forces. Challenging the authority of the US in the ICC will be more damaging to US interests and willingness to intervene than any conventional military opposition. The indispensable nation must therefore be permitted to dispense with the ICC.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f0b8d89ba08a804174a3f94a13dc4980",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The ICC's ability to prosecute war criminals is both overstated and simplistic. It has no force of its own, and must rely on its member states to hand over criminals wanted for prosecution. This leads to cases like that of Serbia, where wanted war criminals like Ratko Mladic are believed to have been hidden with the complicity of the regime until finally handed over in 2011. The absence of a force or any coercive means to bring suspects to trial also leads to situations like that in Libya, whereby Colonel Gaddafi is wanted by the ICC but the prosecution's case is germane if he manages his grip on power. Furthermore, it relies on external funding to operate, and can only sustain cases so long as financial support exists to see them through.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8635b3015491b1187681d81606d6dea9",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The ICC fails to prevent atrocities.\n\nThe ICC will not deter the commission of war crimes or genocide. The Third Reich augmented the crimes of the Holocaust when it became clear that the Allies would defeat them in Europe. The only expectation of the Nazi leadership was immediate execution, rather than trial in a judicial forum. Similarly, Slobodan Milosevic and the Bosnian Serb army conducted a campaign of ethnic cleansing in Kosovo whilst the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was sitting in the Hague. The calculation of whether to commit gross human rights violations is not that of the reasonable and rational individual. The existence of a court, however well intentioned, will have no effect on the commission of these crimes.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cf6ac69ecfbd890ac9b300251e99176c",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise It may be in the best interests of victims and their state for war criminals not to be brought to trial.\n\nThe ICC may well lead to the political prosecution of war criminals, but that is not necessarily the most effective means to peace, or lasting peace for victims. As U.S. policy papers have pointed out, despots like Pol Pot and Saddam Hussein did not consult lawyers over potential legal ramifications before they committed their respective human rights violations1. Furthermore, the impact on an oppressed population of a long, protracted trial of their fallen dictator is not always therapeutic for it can dredge up events of particularly melancholic qualities and grants the dictator a platform to continue his psychological control over his population.\n\n1 Elsea, J. K. (2006). U.S. Policy Regarding the International Criminal Court. Congressional Research Service, p. 22.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f08ef664c3467040a623499e639e1210",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The novel crime of aggression leads to the prosecution of those seeking to protect human rights.\n\nThe likelihood of political prosecution is only augmented by the creation of the novel crime of 'aggression' under the Rome Statute. Any intervention in a State for the protection of human rights of some or all of its people might constitute a crime. The US or any NATO State could be prosecuted, at the request of the genocidaires, for successfully preventing genocide. Moreover, by a quirk of the drafting of the Statute, States that refuse to accept the jurisdiction of the ICC can nevertheless request the prosecution of individuals of other States for crimes alleged committed on its territory. Thus Milosevic could have demanded the investigation of NATO forces for the events of Operation Allied Force, but have precluded any investigation of the actions of the Bosnian Serb army on the same territory.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "16cd0fe3c63a63c9dfbe18ed82f72412",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The ICC generates crippling expenses.\n\nCautious estimates suggest an operating budget of $100 million per year1. The costs of the ICTY and ICTR have already spiralled out of control, and the latter tribunal has a legacy of maladministration and internal corruption. The US contributes 25% of the budget for both the tribunals, which amounted to $58 million in the fiscal year 20002. It is dubious whether the ICC could survive without US financial support. The UN as a whole is obligated only to fund investigations and prosecutions initiated at the request of the Security Council. Every other investigation must be funded by assessed contributions from the States that have ratified the Rome Statute. Although the UN could authorise the transfer of additional funds, the procedure would require a UN Security Council resolution that would of course be subject to the US veto. Alternatively, it is accepted that State Parties to the Statute could directly contribute funds or personnel to the ICC. However, the possibility of partiality or even corruption is manifest where States with their individual political interests are deploying and directing their own staff within the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC.\n\n1 Irwin, R. (2010, January 8). ICC Trials Hit by Budget Cuts. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from Institute for War & Peace Reporting:\n\n2 Scharf, M. P. (2000, October). The Special Court for Sierra Leone. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from American Society of International Law:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "84a99536c7697b0891e90541eb8ed7de",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The ICC offers justice to victims of war crimes.\n\nThe ICC offers a multilateral means by which international law can be brought to bear on the perpetrators of war crimes. As Amnesty International argues, 'the ICC ensures that those who commit serious human rights violations are held accountable. Justice helps promote lasting peace, enables victims to rebuild their lives and sends a strong message that perpetrators of serious international crimes will not go unpunished'. Furthermore, and for the first time, the ICC has the power to order a criminal to pay reparations to a victim who has suffered as a result of their crimes. Such reparations may include restitution, indemnification and rehabilitation. Judges are able to order such reparations whether the victims have been able to apply for them or not. Though reparations will often not be sufficient on their own for lasting peace, they are a step in the right direction and only made possible by the establishment of the ICC.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "90cdcaca5fe9733bc13e6ba760b0135f",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The deterrent effect of the Court ensures wide-spread and equal adherence to international law.\n\nUpon signing the Rome Statute in 1996, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan stated that 'the establishment of the Court is still a gift of hope to future generations, and a giant step forward in the march towards universal human rights and the rule of law'1. Such statements demonstrate the impact the Court could potentially have, as a body that simultaneously cherishes sovereignty and protects national courts whilst offering a means by which criminals in states unable or unwilling to prosecute will still be brought to justice. As the natural and permanent heir to the process started at Nuremberg in the wake of World War II2, the ICC ensures that the reach of law is now universal; war criminals, either in national or international courts, will be forced to trial as a result of the principle of universal jurisdiction1. The deterrent effect of such a court is obvious and a warning to those who felt they were operating in anarchic legal environments.\n\n1 Amnesty International. (2007, September). Fact Sheet: International Criminal Court. Retrieved May 11, 2011\n\n2 Crossland, D. (2005, November 23). Nuremberg Trials a Tough Act to Follow. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from Spiegel International\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d4ef61ad7ce4a88b19d19f4d737388fb",
"text": " rights international law politics government warpeace house would recognise The ICC allows for the prosecution of war criminals.\n\nLaw-abiding states like the United States that have yet to ratify the ICC should have nothing to fear if they behave lawfully. The Prosecutor of the ICC is only concerned with the most grave offences and it defies belief that the US would approve a strategy of genocide or systematic mass violations of human rights that could attract the jurisdiction of the ICC. Further, the discretion of the Prosecutor is not unchecked. The Statute requires that the approval of three judges sitting in a pre-trial chamber be obtained before an arrest warrant can be issued or proceedings initiated. Moreover, there is no harm to the interests of the US in being subjected to a mere preliminary investigation. In fact, it is preferable that spurious accusations are briefly examined and shown to be baseless, than that these accusations be allowed to raise doubts about the credibility of a State's actions and the impartiality of the Tribunal in question. The US acceptance of the jurisdiction of the Prosecutor of the ICTY is evident ; the US troops forming part of the KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo could equally be subject to investigation and prosecution by the ICTY. The US is prepared for its forces to operate under the scrutiny of the ICTY since it reasonably does not expect its members to commit the very crimes they are deployed to prevent.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
a8fba51a51d2ed289a4578a4411424e3
|
Remarriage rate shows that even people who go through failed marriages retain faith in the institution of marriage
50% of all divorcees in the UK go on to remarry. (National Office for Statistics 1999) This shows that, although their own marriage failed, they retain faith in the institution of marriage. The fact that, even when marriage has failed to work for them once, many people wish to give it another go shows that it is still meaningful to society. If an institution is so meaningful and relevant to modern society in this way, it cannot possibly be outdated.
|
[
{
"docid": "8d7d92e91cab07a8e663f6b3eff8392e",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution The fact that 50% of all divorcees (National Office for Statistics 1999) go on to remarry does not, as the opposition claims, show that marriage is a meaningful and relevant institution but quite the opposite. What this means is that a huge number of people vow to spend the rest of their life with another person, forsaking all others until death do them part, on multiple occasions. This does not show that society still has faith in marriage, it shows that society no longer respects the institution of marriage.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "6a844433296df6c5e6812ecbf3d416a3",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution The fact that 40% of marriages end in divorce and that this is on the rise (National Office for Statistics 1999) shows that marriage clearly does not offer the stability that the opposition claims it does. In fact, it seems that marriage offers no more stability than a stable relationship, thus making it redundant in terms of raising children.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5f2a32415c475f26e05236968bc3c430",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution In the last 20 years, the number of people in the UK who identify as religious has declined by 20%. This shows that religion as a whole is becoming less important and, with it, marriage is becoming less important. (British Social Attitudes Survey 2007)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ddd99b1937394af3deccfd63bc029a5c",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution If marriage’s main function is to protect against bereavement and divorce then it is essentially protecting against harms that it itself brings. Without marriage, bereavement and divorce would cease to be as serious harms as they currently are.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7bc776fbb1467f2b5c085266f4d2472a",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution These statistics do not conclusively prove that married life is a better way to raise a child in every case. It is harmful to promote a message that a marriage is always a better way to raise a child than a single parent family. For instance, in the case of an abusive relationship or an individual who is clearly a completely unsuitable parent, it would be better for the parent who was suitable to raise the child by themselves than to hold up a marriage that was harmful to the raising of that child.\n\nThe choice is not always between a good marriage and single parent life but often between a harmful marriage and single parent life, so marriage does not necessarily promote a better way to raise children. (Cherlin 2009)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8e9b1b9f50a08b4a57254f13f51ef5fa",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution This argument only works under the assumption that we live in a society where divorce does not exist. If a person enters into a marriage without full awareness of what they have committed to and later need to get out of that marriage, they are free to.\n\nBeing able to leave a marriage, though, does not make marriage a meaningless charade, as the proposition claims. It is still more difficult to leave a marriage than it is to leave a non-marital committed relationship and so it makes a big difference.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e36a91d3b0e0184c55bda30d3b1cd0c2",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution The idea that the existence of marriage undermines other methods of raising children is ridiculous. This is equivalent to saying that making it legal for same-sex couples to adopt undermines raising children as a heterosexual couple or as a single parent.\n\nSome people choosing to raise children in a certain way does not prevent or inhibit other people doing so in a different way.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f339151f7520595458b1f399506e4576",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution Firstly, the opposition does not accept that the proposition have proven that marriage has no function outside of religion. However, even if they had proven this, they still have not proven that marriage has no religious function and, therefore, have lost the debate anyway.\n\nThe proposition asserts that because numbers of religious people in the UK are declining, this means marriage is no longer relevant religiously. The fact is that nearly 50% of people in the UK still identify as religious. (British Social Attitudes Survey 2007)The fact that this is less than before is meaningless; it is still the case that marriage has religious significance for nearly half the country.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "76ddf6d920b7e3797c87e2034e935677",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution The purpose of marriage is not an eternal, unrelenting union, whether it is wanted or not. The purpose of marriage is to foster a more stable relationship than would be possible without marital vows. Therefore, the fact that divorce is becoming more common and easier to obtain does not undermine the institution of marriage at all.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ce9413e006f866a7a3dc83479e96dc19",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution Once a couple get married, they have made an official and legal commitment, which makes it more difficult for them to split up. This means that, irrespective of divorce statistics, adding marriage to a relationship will only serve to make it more stable and give the children of that relationship more security. Therefore marriage still gives benefits in modern society and is not outdated. (Waite 2000)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fc66081850bfcd097795a5904fbcc87e",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution Marriage promotes a better way to raise children\n\nMarriage promotes raising children as part of a monogamous couple. Without marriage, the frequency of single parent families would rise. Statistically, children who come from single parent families are more likely to live under the poverty line, more likely to be convicted of a criminal offence, more likely to become ill, less likely to complete every level of education and more likely to grow up to have low incomes themselves. (O’Neill 2002) Clearly then, marriage provides a lot of goods to children of married families, thus it provides goods in modern society and therefore cannot be outdated.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "701d031be66fb685e9e762afe2cf4f80",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution Marriage is an important institution to religious people\n\nNearly 50% of people in the UK identify as being part of some religion. (British Social Attitudes Survey 2007) Marriage is an integral part of most major religions, particularly Christianity, where it is one of the sacraments(Lehmkuhl, 1910) which are necessary for salvation (Vatican.va). which encompasses over 40% of the population of the UK. (British Social Attitudes Survey 2007) While there are still such huge numbers of people who practice religions to which marriage is integral, marriage cannot be outdated.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ae7645fc9b6c46a32b11a61b09a7d682",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution Removes the transient and casual aspects of a monogamous relationship, thus giving a child a far more stable environment.\n\nMarriage represents a commitment and a bond that is, although not unbreakable, difficult to break. This may not be appropriate for couples who wish to have a more casual relationship, however, it offers a more stable and official relationship, which is far preferable to a more transient relationship when it comes to raising a child. (Waite 2000)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "24a39b0f5fc682cae97c09960f50fc0c",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution Marriage represents a legal bond which protects both parties in a relationship\n\nMarriage has relevance to modern society in not only an emotional, religious and practical sense but also in a legal sense. According to Sir Mark Potter in English Law marriage is regarded as an \"age-old institution\" that is \"by longstanding definition and acceptance\" a formal relationship between a man and a woman primarily designed for producing and rearing children. It gives many rights in areas like property rights and pension benefits.(Travis, 2011) A marital bond gives important rights to both parties in cases of events such as severe injury, bereavement or even divorce. An institution cannot be outdated if it retains legal importance in modern society.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "06ea623d63a6555bca2126cb31f52c2d",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution Unreasonable commitment to expect of people\n\nThe average age, in the UK, to get married is approximately 30 years old. (Office for National Statistics 1999) Life expectancy in the UK is approximately 80 years. (Office for National Statistics 1999) This means the average marriage expects people to commit to maintain a certain way of life for a period that is longer than they have actually been alive. This goes hand in hand with the rise of social acceptability of people having more than one life partner in their life to show that either marriage is an unreasonable expectation of someone or a meaningless charade that is not actually expected to be maintained.(Cherlin 2009)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8979ba7ce5abe45d6b4bb5c00cd8f618",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution Undermines same-sex couples and single parent families as legitimate ways of raising children\n\nAs explained in the first proposition point, one of the primary functions of marriage is seen to be to raise children. Marriage is therefore seen as the best way to raise children. This undermines same-sex couples and single parent families raising children.\n\nThe existence of marriage is essentially saying that same-sex couples and single parents are less able of raising children than heterosexual couples. Marriage, therefore, can be seen to promote outdated ideals that our society no longer holds and, as such, is itself an outdated institution.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4007828baa192a0578a1b4daac711e57",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution Frequency and accessibility of divorce undermines the entire purpose of marriage\n\nWith pre-nuptials, which essentially amount to pre-planning for divorce, heavily on the rise, and divorces becoming ever easier to obtain, it is clear that our society no longer respects marriage as a permanent institution. Serial monogamy is also becoming ever more common, with 50% of all divorcees in the UK going on to remarry. (Office for National Statistics)\n\nSince the purpose of marriage has always been to foster a stable and permanent relationship, it is clearly an entirely outdated institution as it no longer leads to a stable or permanent relationship.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "273dc8d5f788aa416caeed2309563a6d",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution Does not provide any more of a stable environment for child rearing than a regular monogamous relationship\n\nThe main objective of marriage is often said to be bringing up children in a stable environment. However in 2010 in the UK there were 119589 divorces; 11.1 per 1000 married population. Furthermore in the same year, the median duration of a marriage remained at a low level of 11.4 years.(Rogers, 2011) This clearly does not fulfill the initial basic aim of marriage as so many marriages end In divorce with the resulting splits affecting the children. In fact, a much more stable environment can be provided by a better relationship, even without matrimonial vows (Cherlin 2009). This relationship should not have to be through marriage; rather it would simply be a partnership in the way that many couples already live today.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "41d07a4595787db23fb061e0d4b1a6f0",
"text": "marriage society family house believes marriage outdated institution Marriage should be for all by Marriage is a religious institution in a society of declining religion\n\nThe proposition believes that they have proven that marriage no longer has a social or practical function. This leaves its only function as one of religious significance. However, with the percentage of people in the UK who identify as having no religion having risen by nearly 20% in the last 20 years and the percentage of people who identify as religious having dropped by approximately the same amount (British Social Attitudes Surveys 2007). Church attendance is even lower at a mere 6%(whychurch.org.uk). As a result there needs to be a new more inclusive institution that is open to all religions and those of no religion. It is clear that marriage can no longer perform this function for everyone in society.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
2011185dada409e22e5369c4544931c1
|
It’s a personal matter – it doesn’t concern others
Wearing religious and cultural symbols are a matter of personal choice. Getting the government involved in such a personal matter is a breach of privacy. The Belgian ban has been unpopular amongst some people because those who want to wear it are being limited to staying within their homes. In France a ban on the burqa has led to increasing abuse of those who do wear it; 94% of victims of anti-Muslim physical and verbal abuse are women. [1]
[1] Irving, Helene, ‘France’s “Burqa Ban” Enforcing Not Solving Inequality’, Open Society Foundations, 13 April 2012, http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/france-s-burqa-ban-enforcing-not-solving-inequality
|
[
{
"docid": "a777995934e6860fe73d7c8284d5a5d0",
"text": "faith religion general secularism ban niqab and other face coverings schools The veil is a visible symbol intended to be seen by others so it is clearly not just personal. It could be used to conceal identity, for example in the UK a group of robbers disguised themselves in burqas to steal over a million pounds of watches in Selfridges [1] .\n\n[1] Davenport, Justin, ‘Selfridges 'burka gang' detectives arrest five men in dawn raids’, London Evening Standard, 22 October 2013, http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/selfridges-burka-gang-detectives-arrest-five-men-in-dawn-raids-8896307.html\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "b798463315f16de088a240ee07add29f",
"text": "faith religion general secularism ban niqab and other face coverings schools A ban on face coverings wouldn’t be a target to a particular faith as it would also ban veils that might be desired by people of other faiths as well. Moreover only a small minority of Muslim women in Europe wear the veil; in France with 5million Muslims it is thought that only 350 wear the face veil. [1]\n\n[1] O’Neill, Brendan, ‘There’s nothing enlightened about burka-bashing’, Spiked, 19 September 2013, http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/14046#.UoNqHuImZI0\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ddd5352160f02c7b3e5d65779d9e530e",
"text": "faith religion general secularism ban niqab and other face coverings schools Not all Muslims believe that a full veil is a necessary part of their religion or culture. On the other side must be considered a culture that believes in being able to see the people who you are dealing with. Communication is an important part of culture, and visual contact is an important part of communication.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c5cd01c4bcabcede7a59c2ba7e742bfa",
"text": "faith religion general secularism ban niqab and other face coverings schools Each religious symbol should be taken on its own merits. Unlike many other religious manifestations, the veil covers the face, which has its own problems in Western societies because it makes it harder to understand someone wearing it. This is not about the religious symbol of the burqa but about the communication problem it creates.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6981219e1b698d9c164c2a816c07a207",
"text": "faith religion general secularism ban niqab and other face coverings schools Intolerant schools are a problem because they don’t allow freedom of religious expression. In a free society, pupils should appreciate the different faiths of their fellow pupils and respect them. Without that respect, they may just end up going to separate schools which is even more divisive [1] .\n\nAs for safety, it also prevents some potential hazards such as hair getting caught in machines or flames, which when hidden won’t be a problem.\n\n[1] The Economist, ‘Faiths and schools Religious rights and wrongs, 4 September 2008, http://www.economist.com/node/12070447\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d579dd9c8a3313887329fa55a1f44d04",
"text": "faith religion general secularism ban niqab and other face coverings schools Deciding what people can and can’t wear should not be the responsibility of schools. Enforcement may be potentially simple but only at the cost of creating a conflict between schools and their Muslim pupils and staff.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3c7570570e7f6090308eabc7ee716d6b",
"text": "faith religion general secularism ban niqab and other face coverings schools No-one is in a vacuum – everyone has social pressures affecting what they wear.\n\nBanning veils itself is divisive and will create strong reactions in highly religious communities [1] . Framing laws that only ban the veil could be seen as an attack on Islam, and lead Muslim communities to think they are being unfairly targeted. The result will be that they won’t co-operate with people of other faiths. This would be bad for society and make extremists more influential.\n\n[1] Huffington Post, ‘France Bans Burqas: A Look At Islamic Veil Laws in Europe’, 4 November 2011, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/11/burqa-policies-europe_n_847575.html#s263174&title=France_\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "494cdd8c25b4d9fd1c17e96a82f866ff",
"text": "faith religion general secularism ban niqab and other face coverings schools It’s not seen as oppressive by those who wear it – instead they see at as a way of preserving their modesty and privacy. Everyone has their own tolerance as to how much clothing makes them comfortable. It’s a personal decision that should be left to the individual.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c566533a86ea2345654f2b285db54d42",
"text": "faith religion general secularism ban niqab and other face coverings schools It’s their culture and religion\n\nReligion is intimately linked to culture and people’s identity. To many people who believe that religion, it is very important to them. In a society with respect for human rights, people are able to not just have their religious beliefs, but put them in to practice.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cef4866eaa11f4172c1d02080e43f3e3",
"text": "faith religion general secularism ban niqab and other face coverings schools A ban on the veil is just a way of targeting Muslims\n\nThis measure would just be seen as a way of targeting Muslims. Religious symbols would be used as a way of singling out Muslims as a cause of division when any such problem is bigger than any one community. Muslims would be right to ask why the veil is banned while the Kirpan, a small ceremonial knife carried by Sikhs so potentially dangerous, is allowed.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "34490161e0f6f498aa7820b6d159f4e0",
"text": "faith religion general secularism ban niqab and other face coverings schools If you ban it, you have to ban everything else\n\nIf one form of religious symbolism is banned, it would be difficult to justify not banning others. If the government considers face coverings which would be seen as an attack on Muslims (while only a small minority of Muslim women wear them, they are not popular in other faiths apart from for specific uses). If the motive for such a ban is integration and uniformity, items such as the Sikh turban and potentially the Christian cross should be banned as well.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "770052ade5671a75d3ae18a898fa7e41",
"text": "faith religion general secularism ban niqab and other face coverings schools It causes problems in schools\n\nLike in society as a whole, religious symbols are divisive. It marks some out as different from the others, which could cause bullying. They may also be impractical for PE, technology or science lessons where they get in the way.\n\nFace veils also mean that people’s lips cannot be seen when they are speaking, which can cause problems with communication (especially with any D/deaf people who lip read). For this reason, a UK court considered it reasonable for a school to not permit a teacher to teach while wearing a face veil [1] .\n\n[1] BBC News, ‘School sacks woman after veil row’, 24 November 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/6179842.stm . See court case listed higher up for full legal decision (resource for teachers).\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0cb3259b3f743f63b64052dc42949f93",
"text": "faith religion general secularism ban niqab and other face coverings schools It causes division within society\n\nReligious symbols, such as the veil divide society. When some Muslim women wear the veil, it creates pressure on others to do so as well. Pressure comes from wanting to fit in, and pressure from other people in the community seeing those who don’t wear the veil as being somehow less religious.\n\nAllowing it in schools makes it more visible to non-Muslims, making them more likely to perceive it as a core part of the faith. It then gives the impression to outsiders that Islam is more extreme than it really is.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d8561978773ee01a32ccaaa1330426e8",
"text": "faith religion general secularism ban niqab and other face coverings schools The veil is a symbol of oppression on women\n\nFace coverings in particular divide men and women. Face veil is seen by some as a symbol of the oppression of women, because in some countries it is mandatory, as was the case in Afghanistan under the Taliban.\n\nWhen worn in Europe, with equality and democracy, it can be seen as a rejection of such oppression – this is why Belgium banned it [1] . Islamic dress rules are often stricter for women than men.\n\n[1] BBC News, ‘Belgian ban on full veils comes into force’, 23 July 2011, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14261921\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c19d79043b68abf01be9f38e089ec91e",
"text": "faith religion general secularism ban niqab and other face coverings schools A ban would be easy to enforce\n\nAs a face covering is very obvious, it would be a school to check to see if someone is wearing one. France [1] and Turkey [2] already have attempted such bans on headscarves, which do not cover the face.\n\nThis could be enforced by teachers, not police.\n\n[1] BBC News, ‘French scarf ban comes into force’, 2 September 2004, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/3619988.stm\n\n[2] Rainsford, Sarah, ‘Turkey divided over headscarf ban’, BBC News, 11 February 2008, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7239330.stm\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
56014ebb29f75686995ce9af20b76fc2
|
Promotes image of Catholic Church as uncaring and stubborn.
Organised religious groups, such as the Catholic Church, around the world, regardless of faith and denomination, change their official stances in an effort to keep up with a changing world. For example, the Church of England allowing women to become bishops. In doing this, these groups show that they are able to be reactive and can fit into a world that changes every day. Even the Catholic church has begun to realise that by stubbornly refusing to change its stance, the Catholic Church presents itself as unable to adapt and stuck in its ways 1. As a result, it finds that it will lose a lot of its influence and, by extension, its propensity to do good. Since its stance on contraception limits the Church's ability to do good, then it is clearly a stance that generally causes harm and, therefore, is an unjustified one.
1.Wynne-Jones 2010
|
[
{
"docid": "6fd6e66a1b5608ae96b70c18dd51e557",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes Radical changes risk stability of the Catholic Church. As outlined in the main proposition case, rather than making the Catholic Church seem as if it can move with the times, suddenly changing its stance on barrier contraception would make the Church seem weak and would lose a lot of its support. Since their stance on barrier contraception is something that the Catholic Church has stood by for a huge number of years suddenly moving on it would throw their conviction on everything into question and would have a severe negative effect on the stability of the Church.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "7f0afcf3bb2da4f18a4d54da8c494c5c",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes The Catholic Church is not a democracy. The opposition makes no mention of the huge numbers of Catholics who actually support the Church's decision to forbid barrier contraception. There is by no means a clear majority either way. Even if there was a clear majority of Catholics in favour of barrier contraception, the Church is under no obligation to change its official stances or any part of the way it works based on the opinions of members of the Church. The Church is founded on the basis that it is doing God's bidding and changing its working based on the demand of the people would undermine that.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6e4a000c6f00ee55729bb3c0adb3217a",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes This would not protect wives. In these situations the wife would be expected to have unprotected sex, so that the couple could conceive a child, even if the Church condoned the use of contraception. If a husband contracts HIV, the Catholic Church condoning or forbidding the use of condoms makes absolutely no difference to the fact that his wife is very likely to contract it also. The only action by the Church that would affect this would be to try and highlight the fact that sex outside of marriage is also forbidden to a greater degree and allowing the use of contraception would only weaken this message.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f936e9a36945835f297edb78c6f9c84d",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes The Catholic Church also forbids sex outside of marriage. The opposition has tried to ignore the fact that the Catholic Church actually does not allow sex outside of marriage either. It is not a case of the Church saying it is acceptable to have casual sex as long as contraception is not used but saying that neither is acceptable. If abstinence were practised, there would be no HIV epidemic. Since the Church preaches abstinence outside of marriage it cannot be held accountable for the HIV epidemic.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9d6d6a068d0f439dffb27731fdaa6902",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes The Catholic Church does not forbid all methods of contraception which could be used as alternatives. The Catholic Church actually condones the use of natural contraceptive methods, which essentially amount to only having intercourse at times of the month when the woman is not fertile. It is not unreasonable of the Catholic Church to expect married couples to just withhold from sex at certain times of the month if they do not wish to conceive another child. This situation gives no reason to make an exception.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7c4ab31ef23be5f15320e236006d6da2",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes More casual sex with barrier contraception is preferable to the current amount without contraception. The amount of consensual sex is not going to change no matter what the church teaches. As long as the use of barrier contraception was promoted along with this promotion of casual sex, it would be a huge net reduction in the cases of contraction of HIV. Therefore, condoning the use of barrier contraception would be the more responsible stand to take on the part of the Catholic Church.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9ee097d5b6eba0435d051f3022383860",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes This is a wilful interpretation of a highly ambiguous passage. The Church's belief that barrier contraception is against God is based entirely on a single passage of the Bible where Onan is condemned for wilfully 'spilling his seed.'1Importantly, the fact that he spilled his seed alone was not even the main reason that he was condemned. It is well within the power of the Catholic Church to officially change their belief that using barrier contraception will send people to Hell and allow its use. Since the passage is ambiguous, the decision should be made based on what is best for society and the Church as a whole. The opposition believes that in their main case they have proved that the Church lifting their ban on barrier methods of contraception would be better for society and therefore they believe they have won the debate. 138:9-10, The Book of Genesis, The Bible.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "10c50a66092b64bc91fe54881680702d",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes The commandment given is to 'go forth and multiply', not to multiply as much as possible with no thought for sustainability. Contraception can help monogamous couples control the amount of children they have and when so that they can ensure they don't have more children than they can sustainably provide for. The idea that any limitation of procreation is against God is a single interpretation of a very ambiguous passage. The Catholic Church has the freedom to choose the interpretation that is best for humanity.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "79ff838f93d461d7da551d06c0ce8edd",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes AIDS/HIV can be spread outside of having casual sex. The HIV epidemic is spread not just through people having casual sex. In many cases, wives contract HIV after their husband being unfaithful or having had premarital sex. There are also many cases where a woman has little choice in being sold off to a man and is forced to have sex with him. There are also a huge number of cases of rape where HIV is contracted. In all of these cases, if the Catholic Church had condoned barrier contraception, the likelihood of HIV being contracted as a result would have been dramatically reduced; whether that is through contraception being used in that particular instance of intercourse or through the man not contracting HIV in the first place.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "120f4966eb445292f4e7dd0598222cfe",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes The Catholic Church already has huge numbers of people leaving, this could help stop that. The Catholic Church is already becoming increasingly unpopular because of its refusal to compromise on any issue and its inability to adapt and change to keep up with an ever changing world. Rather than damage the stability of the Church, allowing barrier contraception would show that the Church is capable of change when change is necessary. Importantly, when the Church of England allowed women to become bishops, it caused some tension at the time but had no long term negative impact on the stability of the Church.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bf70e186edef2fa8ed757f3304f1adfe",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes Birth control within monogamous relationships.\n\nContraception is not just used in casual sex but within monogamous couples who want to control when they have children. The reason for this could be so they ensure that they don’t have more children than they can afford to reasonably look after.\n\nContraception can help monogamous couples to give more to the children they do decide to have and to the community, since less of their time and money will be used in maintaining a family which is larger than they can reasonably afford to control. The current cost of raising a child in Britain is calculated to be over £210,000, a very substantial sum that any responsible parent must think about before having more children 1.\n\nSince, in this case, contraception promotes a good in the community, as well as more responsible reproduction, the Catholic Church is unjustified in its blanket ban over barrier contraception.\n\n1. Insley 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "380d308187e986ea83292d11d256796c",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes In contradiction to the Catholic Church's responsibility to promote life.\n\nMany Catholic countries in Africa and South America have huge problems with AIDS and HIV with thousands of people dying as a result. In a survey carried out in 20091, it was found that in sub-Saharan Africa 22.5 million people were living with HIV/AIDS and 1.3 million people died of AIDS. An enormous number of these people contracted HIV because they did not use a condom during intercourse, under the advice of the Catholic Church. It is clear, then, that the Catholic Church's stance on barrier contraception promotes the spread of AIDS. The opposition also believes that since the Catholic Church are in a position of power over a colossal number of people, they have a responsibility to ensure the welfare of those people. They must, therefore, reduce the likelihood that the people that they have power over will die as much as they can. Their ban over the use of barrier contraception is not in line with this responsibility. 1 UNAIDS global report.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "88c5352aee4d0ab5f7ede7e18875203a",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes Opposed by much of the Church\n\nIn spite of the Catholic Church's ruling, a huge number of people who identify as Catholic do not adhere to the Church's teachings on contraception. Additionally, many Catholic priests and nuns openly support non-abortive forms of contraception, including barrier contraception. In 2003 a poll found 43% of catholic priests in England and wales were against the church's stance and a further 19% were unsure1. The Church should listen to the requests and opinions of those who are part of it 2. 1 Day, Elizabeth. \"Most Catholic priests 'do not support Rome over contraception'.\" The Telegraph, 6 April 2003, 2 Short, Claire. \"HIV/AIDS\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2ac105fafdce68605d00dd5ce9b4da72",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes Barrier contraception can protect women from husbands with AIDS/HIV.\n\nThere are many cases, particularly in South America and Africa, of men contracting HIV from sexual partners outside their marriage, be it from before they were married or from an extramarital affair and passing it on to their wives. In cases such as these, the wife may follow all of the teachings of the Catholic Church and still contract HIV. If the Church did not forbid the use of barrier contraception then the frequency of occurrences such as these would be severely limited. Since, as discussed above, the Catholic Church, has a responsibility to promote life in its people, their ban of barrier contraception is unjustified.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "738ca7cfdb4a1c5ba1efd484a921612c",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes Going back on this rule would promote casual sex\n\nCondoning the use of barrier methods of contraception would be implicitly condoning casual sex since their primary function is within that context. This is particularly important since the Catholic Church's teachings on casual sex are not taken particularly seriously already. Any action, such as the Catholic Church allowing the use of barrier contraception, that would promote casual sex in countries with severe AIDS/HIV problems, would be an incredibly irresponsible one. Pope Paul VI argued that when considering \"the consequences of methods and plans for artificial birth control. Let them first consider how easily this course of action could open wide the way for marital infidelity and a general lowering of moral standards.\" The Church's current stance on barrier contraception, therefore, is the most responsible one1. 1 Pope Paul VI. \"Humanae Vitae.\" 1968.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6f292e007c56a27eff7065098752c078",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes Protects people from spending eternity in Hell.\n\nIt is important to remember that the Catholic Church believe that barrier contraception is against God and that using it will condemn people to Hell. Therefore, even if the Church's stance on condoms is harmful, which the proposition does not accept that it is, it is less harmful than people spending an eternity suffering. In this context, therefore, the most responsible thing for the Catholic Church to do is to forbid the use of condoms and, thereby, save people from Hell1. 1 Pope Paul VI. \"Humanae Vitae.\" 1968.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ad6f3bed8a0c8f357e3e2ebaa10d19c3",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes In context of other teachings, does not promote the spread of AIDS/HIV.\n\nThe Catholic Church does not only forbid the use of barrier contraception but also of casual sex. The issue is not that the Church is being irresponsible by banning the use of barrier contraception but that people are choosing to follow some of the Church's teachings but not others. Pope Benedict XVI argues AIDS is \"a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems\"1. If people followed the Church's teachings on casual sex as well as their teachings on barrier contraception, the AIDS epidemic would be dramatically decreased. Given, therefore, that it also forbids any sex outside of marriage, the Catholic Church is totally justified in forbidding barrier methods of contraception2. 1 Wynne-Jones, Jonathan. \"The Pope drops Catholic ban on condoms in historic shift.\" The Telegraph, 20 November 2010, 2 Pope John Paul II. \"Evangelium Vitae.\" 1995.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a123cba96a2c496c3ef0e7fe979ad322",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes Radical changes risk the stability of the Catholic Church.\n\nWhenever a Church makes a radical change to its doctrines and teachings it causes a huge amount of tension within the Church. An excellent example of this is the Church of England allowing women to become bishops; a huge number of people left the Church over the controversy. Since the Catholic Church's ban over contraception of all kinds is something that it has stood fast over for a great number of years, as well as something that sets it apart from most other denominations and faiths, the proposition believes that a change in this would result in a huge amount of tension within the Church. This tension would inevitably bring about a considerable risk of large parts of the Church collapsing altogether. This would be much the same as the tensions over gay priests in the Anglican church that have led to fears of a schism1. Therefore, in the interests of its own stability, the sensible course of action for the Catholic Church to take is to maintain its ban on contraception. 1 Brown, Andrew. \"Jeffrey John and the global Anglican schism: a potted history.\" Guardian.co.uk, 8 July 2010\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8c0d814a4c6e682965a14a093a18d3b6",
"text": "sease sex sexuality international africa religion church morality house believes The Catholic Church believes that any limitation of procreation is against God.\n\nCatholics consider the first commandment given to them by God to be to 'multiply'1. In light of this, anything that limits procreation, be it the use of contraception or even condoning the use of contraception, is against God. It is important to remember that the Catholic Church's primary obligation is not to its people but to God. The Church is, therefore, justified in any action where the alternative is going against what they believe to be the wishes of God, even if it is harmful to the people of the Church. 11:28, The Book of Genesis, The Bible.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
a2bae1fc73740fb8454ae4c5549df903
|
Factors motivating publication of the cartoons
On the individual level, the cartoonists and editors would have been wiser to look to their own selfish motivations for self-preservation; they have received many death threats from religious leaders and organizations spanning the globe, in a situation reminiscent of Salman Rushdie’s publication of The Satanic Verses. That Rushdie’s book had met with a similar reaction means that it should have served as a precedent showing what the reaction would be. As the editors should have been able to anticipate the threats they would receive if they were interested in their safety they should not have published.
|
[
{
"docid": "c9f6361ea40ff6f1bb5fabffa4530457",
"text": "edia religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons Individuals are the best actors to determine for themselves what causes they are willing to make sacrifices for. This is why we allow individuals to volunteer for wars they believe are just, to serve as humanitarian aid workers in impoverished countries, or for any number of unpleasant and potentially dangerous things. If they wanted to, no one can tell the editors and cartoonists that they were wrong to take the actions they did on account of personal safety.\n\nBut anyway, it is clear that they did not comprehend the scale of the risk they were running by publishing the cartoons, so they cannot be blamed for bringing this upon themselves.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "42a02117c71c30d431e134f5447c23a4",
"text": "edia religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons If the expectation of violence or reprisal is admitted as a legitimate reason not to undertake an action which is protected under freedoms of press and speech, then that effectively stifles a great degree of discourse. This ultimately undermines the purpose of the rights, such as a freedom to publish, and the functioning of western societies like Denmark’s.\n\nIt also incentivizes groups who would resort to violence to achieve their aims; if terrorists know that Denmark and other European nations will shy away from certain seemingly controversial or offensive actions if they threaten to kill many people every time, then they can much more easily achieve their goals. We should not welcome violence, but we should not allow it to govern us either.\n\nAs the cultural editor who ran the cartoons said, “Words should be answered with words. That’s all we have in a democracy, and if we give that up, we will be locked in a tyranny of silence.” [i]\n\n[i] AFP, ‘Danish book about Muhammad cartoon controversy to go ahead despite threats’, New York Post, 29 September 2010, http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/danish_book_about_muhammad_cartoon_9EU68NwfmSaTSvK3hAiqiP\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9bc247c364fd82803bc392ecca63a0f9",
"text": "edia religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons The publication of the cartoons also resulted in a vigorous debate in Denmark, which saw its Muslim community participate in discourse in the form of debates, opinion pieces in newspapers, protests, and other democratic methods. Ultimately, then, it may well have caused a greater deal of civic integration than discord.\n\nDenmark and journalistic institutions within it ultimately have little sway over the politics and cultures of all the various Islamic countries all around the world. Newspapers in Denmark cannot reasonably be expected to gauge what the expected political reactions and emerging dynamics of Muslim communities in every other country might be because of the publication of an article or cartoon. This particular event was exceptional; newspapers publish potentially inflammatory articles and images quite regularly, but this does not result in an international reaction.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "efa556b9f8458bb36858e58c6e9bda84",
"text": "edia religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons The cartoons were intended as a democratic challenge to self-censorship, and the Danish courts recognized this when they rejected lawsuits that Muslim groups in Denmark filed against the newspaper on the grounds of hate speech. [i]\n\nFurthermore, the cartoons were targeted against the extremist fringe of Islam, and were narrowly tailored to object to the use of violent means in furthering religious causes. There is nothing wrong about pointing out the high incidence rate of terrorism and violence within radical components of a worldwide Islamic community that encompasses many different types of people spread over many nationalities. Ever since 9/11, terrorism and conservative interpretations of Islam have constantly been on the public mind and constitute a legitimate topic for discourse. It is not a hate crime to publicise cartoons that highlight this; cartoons in newspapers target groups who are otherwise in the news all the time, bankers for example, this does not mean they are inciting hatred against that group.\n\n[i] Olsen, Jan M., ‘Danish Court Rejects Suit Against Paper That Printed Prophet Cartoons’, The Washington Post, 27 October 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601650.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "93ab2d1a1b7cbeb6a8f2ad17f26bfbf7",
"text": "edia religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons There is press freedom, and there is good taste. Simply because some things are permitted in a democratic society, is not an argument for why they should be done. It would have been similarly distasteful if the newspaper had posted cartoons of Jews in concentration camps under gas showers, for instance. Where there are multiple ways to make a point, one must seek to convey one’s message in a manner that is least likely to gratuitously offend others. The editors of the newspaper were simply seeking to cause controversy and garner attention.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "885023c58066f6dae35cf2c81adacdef",
"text": "edia religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons This has not benefitted integration, but rather made Muslims in Denmark feel as though they are under assault and unwelcome in their country. Particularly for new or newer immigrants, this creates a tendency to form enclave communities around a shared religion or culture and resist the mainstream society as a bloc. All the Muslim organizations in Denmark banded together against their oppressors. The few Muslims that spoke out in defence of free speech were severely ostracized by their fellows.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2294e6037fa43b5ba708e1dc236e4c41",
"text": "edia religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons In as volatile an atmosphere as 2000s Europe, where rates of immigration from Muslim countries into an aging Europe are high, it is clearly not wise to openly antagonize a component of your population that is already having a great deal of difficulty integrating. Unlike America, Europe generally cracks down on a variety of xenophobic and hateful actions much more stringently, and should have in this case as well. Europe is a sufficiently enlightened place to restrict individuals from burning crosses or marching in salute to the Nazi party; one would hope these practices would extend to Islam as well. There therefore in some instances is to a certain extent a right not to be offended – or at least not to have certain offensive things publicized.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7d8cdac00ce950ddd5513227ddfa416a",
"text": "edia religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons There is a difference between a government banning art, and having the good sense not to do certain things in art. Further, the “artistic skill” in drawing a provocative cartoon is rather minimal; it is not as though cartoonists are held to particularly high technical standards of drawing. Rather, cartoons are usually a vehicle by which a cartoonist conveys a joke (usually at someone or some group’s expense) for a cheap laugh. Cartoons no more constitute art than graffiti with an offensive statement on a factory wall constitutes art – that is to say, not at all.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "84523acc7b33dda704b262ebeee326ce",
"text": "edia religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons Violent reactions to the cartoons could have been predicted and should have been avoided\n\nPrinting the cartoons caused the severe exacerbation of already existing tensions between Muslims and Western communities in Europe and around the world. [i] The terrorist attack on 9/11, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the Israel-Palestine conflict had already set the stage for increased cultural animosity in the prior few years, and this was added fuel to the fire that resulted in violent attacks on Danish embassies around the world. As a result of this, innocent people died in riots in Afghanistan and Pakistan when riot police stepped in.\n\nOrganized terrorist groups like the Al Qaeda network led by Bin Laden threatened violence against America and the European Union. [ii] Not only did this cause an emotional impact among Danish and European citizens as a result of increased worries of terrorist attacks, but given the number of terrorist plots that have cited the cartoons controversy as part of their inspiration, there is good reason to believe that the Denmark has become a less safe place as a result.\n\nRegardless of the original intention of the editors, they should have been able to see the controversy that would result and the likely practical outcomes of this and so restrain themselves from publishing.\n\n[i] Sullivan, Kevin, ‘Muslims’ Fury Rages Unabated Over Cartoons’, The Washington Post, 11 February 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/10/AR2006021001822.html\n\n[ii] Whitlock, Craig, ‘Bin Laden Threatens Europe Over Muhammad Cartoons’, The Washington Post, 20 March 2008, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/19/AR2008031902603.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "266f1dfbcc79e88d6d8a60f75eb411b2",
"text": "edia religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons Radical and anti western voices in Islamic communities gained authority and legitimacy as a result of the newspapers' actions\n\nThe publication of the cartoons empowered the radical fringes of many Muslim populations, by enabling them to point to the cartoons as tangible evidence of an anti-Muslim bias and anti-Muslim agenda in the West. [i] For instance, in Pakistan, these were used against the president, General Pervez Musharraf, who was perceived as being too closely aligned with the United States. Religious leaders who wanted to make the case that Denmark was deliberately offensive and a hostile environment for Muslims were able to conflate popular knowledge about the cartoon controversy with other incidents (some of them not even in Denmark) and sway support to their anti-ecumenical causes. [ii]\n\nThis set back reasonable discourse in Muslim communities about how best to integrate with the West, and ultimately resulted in the weakening of internal forces that encourage acceptance of Western culture. Such a reversal for westernising forces is likely the opposite of what the newspaper would have wanted for the Muslim world.\n\n[i] Witte, Griff, ‘Opportunists Make Use of Cartoon Protests’, The Washington Post, 9 February 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/08/AR2006020802296_2.html\n\n[ii] ‘Background: Muhammad cartoons controversy’, EuropeNews, http://europenews.dk/en/node/7143\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "37820059c46665a2e3501bf4b3db5b16",
"text": "edia religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons The cartoons constitute a religiously motivated hate crime\n\nThe cartoons effectively constituted a series of religious hate crimes, specifically designed to offend and target the Muslim community, whom the editors very well knew would be up in arms over the publication of the cartoons. This is the deliberate association of a venerated religious figure with terrorism. Not only is this in violation of Danish laws and European norms protecting minorities, but it is also simply malicious and immoral.\n\nThere was already a widespread tendency to conflate Muslims with terrorists before the cartoons; this high-profile incident risked exposing peaceful Muslims to prejudice, discrimination, and even physical danger from increased xenophobia. The cartoons controversy was soon followed by the desecration of Muslim graves at a cemetery in Denmark, for instance. [i]\n\nMany US journalism companies had the better judgment to report on the issue without reprinting the cartoons. [ii] Similarly, the Danish newspaper could have run opinion pieces describing their qualms with and thoughts on Islamic censorship, without resorting to the vulgar methods they utilized.\n\n[i] ‘Danish PM talks to Muslim group’, BBC News, 13 February 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4708312.stm\n\n[ii] Folkenflik, David, ‘U.S. Media Avoid Publishing Controversial Cartoons’, npr, 7 February 2006, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5193569\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "08ce296346699ac702543451eab44db6",
"text": "edia religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons Chilling effects of excessive cultural sensitivity\n\nArt should be given a great deal of license. Many European and American media and art outlets create art or journalistic pieces that are offensive to or poorly received by Christians and Jews, or other minorities. By limiting discourse in the form of art, we risk not only unjustly suppressing the artists’ vision, but also cheapening and the artistic community and rendering it more homogenous. Satire has been used with extreme effectiveness in making political statements before, and this was no exception. The cartoons express the cartoonists’ own views and beliefs, and the newspaper was simply providing a medium, not dictating what they should draw.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e703185a7bfb4c33fa10c2b7b72b0bfe",
"text": "edia religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons Controversy, integration and civic participation\n\nThe controversy has actually resulted in a much higher degree of civic participation by Danish Muslims than had previously been achieved, including town hall-style meetings, opinion columns, and radio and TV debates. This may have been better than anything else at integrating the Muslim community in Denmark into Western liberal democratic norms of how to resolve conflicts. Just because violence happened elsewhere in the world, where democracy does not currently hold sway, does not mean this was not a victory for Denmark. [i]\n\n[i] Rose, Flemming, ‘Why I Published Those Cartoons’, The Washington Post, 19 February 2006 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/17/AR2006021702499_2.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "41fe5d547647649815d9eea2778fb0e2",
"text": "edia religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons Free expression and journalistic integrity\n\nPublishing the cartoons was not only an important expression of press freedom, but fulfils the fundamental journalistic mission of exposing the public to important information, by forcing the examination of topics that would otherwise go unexamined. Self-censorship in Islam is an important issue that deserves consideration by a democratic public. There is a clear norm that causes Islam and Muhammad to be treated differently in the Western press than the Christian or Jewish faiths or their leading figures, and the editors felt it was important to violate that norm as a demonstration of a social phenomenon. [i] They were well within their rights to do so, and this furthered legitimate discourse about religion within Denmark and the West. It should also be remembered that demonization of Israel and the West using Christian and Jewish figures is not uncommon in the Islamic press – this is therefore a pernicious double standard. [ii]\n\nUltimately, the reaction by Muslims was unfortunate, but itself indicated the ways in which Islamic religious depictions in the press differ from their Christian and Jewish counterparts. Christian and Jewish groups have not responded with violence (though they have also sometimes staged protests), and where incidents have taken place, they were isolated and nowhere near the scale of the cartoons controversy.\n\n[i] ‘Q&A: The Muhammad cartoons row’, BBC News, 7 February 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4677976.stm\n\n[ii] ‘Q&A: The Muhammad cartoons row’, BBC News, 7 February 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4677976.stm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "de9c4eaf3d390be4aa2f4b732bddfaf1",
"text": "edia religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons Citizens of western liberal democracies should never be required to adhere to religious norms that they do not hold\n\nThere is no right not to be offended. It is one thing to show a religion respect. One respects Islam by removing shoes when visiting a mosque. However, following the taboos of a particular religion in public society does not constitute respect, but submission, and adherence to the principles of that religion, which is never required. The nature of a democratic society is that there will sometimes be disagreements about how individuals should act; insofar as Denmark has not democratically come to the conclusion that it would be better for it to be illegal to depict the prophet Mohammed in publications, it is permitted and that right must hold. [i]\n\n[i] Rose, Flemming, ‘Why I Published Those Cartoons’, The Washington Post, 19 February 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/17/AR2006021702499_2.html\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
d72ec5d341140be75c4f33260bd4c0b8
|
Celibacy is outdated
Priestly celibacy is out-dated. It sets the priest apart from the modern world and the experiences of his parishioners. Originally, around 1100 the Gregorian Reform movement in the church was keen to enforce celibacy for fear that too many married priests would leave church property and benefices to their children, or create local priestly dynasties. [1] At the time these fears were reasonable and necessary to maintain the property and discipline of the church, but today they are utterly unnecessary.
[1] Thurston, Hernert, Celibacy of the Clergy Second Period, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol.3, Robert Appleton Company, New York, 1908, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03481a.htm
|
[
{
"docid": "7de15966bdeb2311309a6f257aeaadd2",
"text": "church house would remove requirement catholic priests take vow celibacy The priest is set apart from the world. He has a unique role: he represents Christ to his parishioners. Just as Jesus led a life of chastity dedicated to God, so a priest must offer his life to God’s people.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "cb138eafad0025607587f48ac22cbe20",
"text": "church house would remove requirement catholic priests take vow celibacy Protestant churches, which do not require celibacy, are also having problems recruiting clergy. Worldwide, the number of new priests is increasing. Only the developed world has seen a decline in priestly vocations, although even here devout countries such as Poland buck the trend. A recent study showed that vocations were on the rise in dioceses in the USA that were loyal to the teachings of the church, including priestly celibacy.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a494054cf9b8dc4f036a6173068cffa8",
"text": "church house would remove requirement catholic priests take vow celibacy Celibacy and paedophilia are not connected. Sexual abuse also occurs in religions where clergy are permitted to marry. Studies have shown that sexual abusers account for less than 2% of Roman Catholic clergy, a figure comparable to clergy in other denominations, or even less than in the wider male population as a whole. [1]\n\nSexual abuse in the church is undoubtedly a serious problem to be addressed, but not one that is linked to the issue of celibacy.\n\n[1] Oddie, William, ‘Now we have real evidence – sexual abuse is not a ‘Catholic problem’, Catholic Herald, 9 August 2010, http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2010/08/09/now-we-have-r...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "27b1d0351c0cd497f1970e287cc25c01",
"text": "church house would remove requirement catholic priests take vow celibacy The earliest church fathers, including St Augustine, supported the celibate priesthood. In the fourth century, church councils enacted legislation forbidding married men who were ordained from having conjugal relations with their wives. We do not know if any of the apostles, other than Peter, were married, but we do know that they gave up everything to follow Jesus. More importantly, Jesus himself led a celibate life.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f731ed5a2fbf0b766abee32e129d627b",
"text": "church house would remove requirement catholic priests take vow celibacy Celibate priests can never experience the intimate and complicated marital relationship. They lack credibility when conducting marriage and family counselling. Married priests can better serve their parishioners because of their marital and family experiences.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6503436239b5d720de6428b8fb31bd43",
"text": "church house would remove requirement catholic priests take vow celibacy Protestant clergy, for example in the Episcopal church which has similar parish structures to Roman Catholicism, successfully balance their work in the church and their families. Were priests permitted to marry and have families, their families could serve as examples to others. In addition, marriage can provide a priest with increased social support and intimacy. Too many priests burn out through overwork and stress, having no one at home to support them and tell them its time to stop working.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "73b5842334e272783c9fba7d80a48499",
"text": "church house would remove requirement catholic priests take vow celibacy The insistence on priestly celibacy is one of the major stumbling blocks to church unity. Discussions with the Orthodox church (which has always allowed married priests) and protestant denominations such as the Episcopal (Anglican) church often founder on the different conception of priesthood held by the Catholic church. Yet there is a precedent for allowing married priests - in the 1990s when British Anglican priests who could not accept women priests left the Church of England to become Catholics, they were allowed to serve as Catholic priests despite being married. Changing the rule more generally would make ecumenical dialogue more possible and open the way to the healing of historic schisms in the body of Christ.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bcc6f5747e1be6a66553a55be45947b7",
"text": "church house would remove requirement catholic priests take vow celibacy Celibacy reduces the pool of people wanting to become priests\n\nThe number of priests in developed countries is on the decline. In Ireland in 2007 160 priests died but only nine were ordained to replace them. It is expected that the number of priests in Ireland will fall from 4758 in 2008 to 1500 by 2028. [1] As a result almost 50,000 parishes worldwide are without a priest despite the number of parishes not having risen with the increase in numbers of Catholics. [2] The prohibition on marriage pushes some men away from the priesthood. The requirement of celibacy drastically reduces the pool from which the church can select priests and means that the church is not always getting the “best and the brightest”. As a result even many within the church believe the demand for celibacy should be ended. [3]\n\n[1] McDonald, Henry, ‘Psychological vetting of would-be priests exacerbates decline’, The Guardian, 11 September 2008, http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/11/catholicism.ireland\n\n[2] Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, ‘Frequently Requested Church Statistics’, 2011, http://cara.georgetown.edu/CARAServices/requestedchurchstats.html\n\n[3] Staff reporter, ‘European theologians call for end to priestly celibacy’, CatholicHerald.co.uk, 7 February 2011, http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2011/02/07/european-theologians-cal...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7e7ea235ea9bcd1fc448cb9a9b3de926",
"text": "church house would remove requirement catholic priests take vow celibacy Priest have not always been celibate\n\nWhile celibacy had been encouraged since the beginning of the church, until the beginning of the twelfth century, when it was banned by the Lateran Councils of 1123 and 1139, Priests in the Western church were permitted to marry. [1] The Bible does not mandate celibacy and, in fact, St Peter, the first pope, was married. Even today within the Catholic Church celibacy is not universal as Eastern Rite Catholics can marry and it is the norm that they do, [2] and there are some Lutheran and Episcopalian ministers who have converted to Catholicism. [3] The true history and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church include the option for priests to marry or at least for married men to become priests.\n\n[1] Parish, Helen, Clerical Celibacy in the West: c.1100-1700, Ashgate Publishing Limited, Farnham, 2010, pp103-4, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DP5TL63BbNQC&lpg=PA104&ots=JC7wi8wmCE&dq\n\n[2] Brom, Robert H., Bishop of San Diego, ‘Celibacy and the Priesthood’, Catholic.com, 10 August 2004, http://www.catholic.com/tracts/celibacy-and-the-priesthood\n\n[3] Johnston, George Sim, ‘The Case for Priestly Celibacy’, Catholic News Agency, http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resource.php?n=1265\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ea0deb5c607404ebdc217f2f4dee9d27",
"text": "church house would remove requirement catholic priests take vow celibacy Celibacy draws sexually dysfunctional men into the priesthood\n\nThe prospect of celibacy draws sexually dysfunctional men to the priesthood. They hope that by totally denying their sexuality, they will not engage in deviant acts, but unfortunately they often cannot overcome their deviant desires. Permitting priests to marry would bring men with healthy sexual desires to the priesthood.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d835622c6372dace175b88232415cb5d",
"text": "church house would remove requirement catholic priests take vow celibacy Principles should be maintained even when it is convenient to change them\n\nThe Catholic church should not bend its principles for the sake of expediency. Many more issues divide Roman Catholicism from other churches (e.g. the authority of the Pope, the nature of the sacrament, even the wording of the creed). If the church accepted this change for the sake of convenience, where would it stop? Should women also be allowed to become priests? What about practising homosexuals? More likely such a compromise would see a further split in the church, as those who upheld traditional Catholic teaching rejected the change.\n\nLook how the Episcopal (Anglican) church is falling apart over the ordination of gay priests and women bishops, including some bishops leaving the Anglican for Catholic Church. [1] In any case, allowing priests to marry would undoubtedly lead to a two-class priesthood, with many good Catholics continuing to feel that clergy who continue to choose celibacy are superior to those who reject it. That would hardly be a healthy development for the unity of the church or for the authority of the priesthood.\n\n[1] Butt, Riazat, ‘Archbishop of Canterbury accepts resignation of Anglican bishops’, guardian.co.uk, 8 November 2011, http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/08/archbishop-canterbury-accept...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0bb8b5e4516d4aa377ab22e4f19251b3",
"text": "church house would remove requirement catholic priests take vow celibacy Celibacy grants an understanding of self-control\n\nThe celibate priest has a unique understanding of the power of self-control and the giving of self, which are key ideas in marriage. The celibate priest is in a very good position to counsel people on how to keep the marital vows such as fidelity as they have experience of keeping the much stricter vow of celibacy. [1] The priest is married to the church and can counsel couples and families using that knowledge.\n\n[1] ‘5 Arguments Against Priestly Celibacy and How to Refute Them’, catholiceducation.org, http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/facts/fm0014.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "085bcbce1905dbb8c62b975fc949aaf7",
"text": "church house would remove requirement catholic priests take vow celibacy Celibacy allows a priest to devote himself entirely to his vocation\n\nA celibate priest can devote all his time to his parishioners. A married priest must spend time with his family. Protestant clergy have balanced their work for the church with their family responsibilities only with difficulty. Many wives and families of Protestant clergy report feeling second to the congregation.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
035af3faa8bb34c4c37db120d4d09c87
|
Having children guarantees support for parents
From parents’ point of view it is also beneficial to have children as they are the only guarantee of help and support when parents get old. It has been one of the most prevailing practices around the globe for children to return their parents care and dedication. When they become elderly, parents that have lost their spouse often come and live with their children. Additionally, kids tend to look after their parents when they get chronically ill towards the end of their days. It is also the child that visits its parent in hospital. Moreover, many kids support their parent financially, which may become crucial in an era of population ageing, which will bring about drastic reductions in pensions. In China a traditional saying is “Raise children in preparation for one’s old age’ as families often have to care for senior citizens but with a declining population each person may soon be caring for two parents. There is very little in the way of social care there are old-age beds for only 1.8% of the population in China, compared with 5% to 7% in most developed and 2% to 3% in developing countries.* The best way to secure a safe future is to have children to care for you rather than assuming an overburdened state will provide.
*Worldcrunch, 2011, http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2091308,00.html?iid=pf-mai...
|
[
{
"docid": "0783e26c7218c1cfc570550cd8aca4e7",
"text": "life society family house would never have children There is no causal link between having children and being supported later in life. After children leave home they become fully independent individuals. They haven’t chosen to be born and so they shouldn’t be burdened by the parents. If kids do look after their parents it should be out of choice as it is not their duty to do so. It is government’s responsibility to take care of its citizens, so that the elderly can spend their last years in fair conditions with the possibility to live in decent old people’s homes if necessary.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "ca20351cf4f1c19946fb553aa60392ab",
"text": "life society family house would never have children People are free to choose whether or not to have children. Human beings are granted freedom of choice. The decision to have offspring is, like many others, only a matter of personal choice and there is no duty here that we can talk about. The only real responsibilities towards society that people have are those imposed on them by law. (Paying taxes or protecting a country being prime examples of these). Because society has not chosen to create a law forcing everybody to have children, we see that choosing not to bear offspring is accepted by society.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3c10a7174b67dda0fcacf3aa50c605a3",
"text": "life society family house would never have children Having children can be counterproductive in achieving a desirable society. First of all, having children is by no means necessary for possessing all those valuable traits. All of them can be developed though other experiences as well. Secondly, having kids may actually lead to society being less desirable. For instance, parents being exhausted by constant absorption with their children become less productive. They can also become disillusioned or frustrated by their offspring, which will result in their general bitterness.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "05ceb9304fa118b9961a67b9bccbe2c9",
"text": "life society family house would never have children There is a lot more in humans’ lives than having children. There are numerous differences between humans and other animals. While it may be true that the purpose of animals’ lives is to produce offspring, it is not the case when we talk about humans. People, being much more complex creatures, can contribute to society in many other ways than by having kids (for instance by artistic or scientific activities). So, although our physiology and behaviour may point to reproduction as the main purpose of our lives, these indicators are simply misleading.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "80429ad84e100111211e6eda068ce441",
"text": "life society family house would never have children Having children enriches parents emotionally. The experience of parenting triggers deep and genuine emotions, which parents would not experience otherwise. Attachment, caring, compassion, understanding, moral outrage, joy, and wonder are all inevitably a part of parenting. Many parents claim that they have never loved anybody as much as their children. Thus, having children actually enlarges both the spectrum and the intensity of emotional experiences for parents. Worrying for kids is a natural consequence of praising them so much. The more valuable something is, the more attention we pay to it. The fact that parents worry about their children that much is only a further evidence of how much children’s contribution means to parents.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3dce624ee963c324fb68b34512382684",
"text": "life society family house would never have children Not having children is not a good way to combat environmental problems. The real answer to environmental issues is developing clean technology and promoting ecological awareness. If we start to produce energy from renewable resources, switch to electrical transportation, recycle waste etc. we won’t need to reduce population in order to sustain the environment. Furthermore, a higher population living in a more eco-friendly manner would be less harmful than the current level of population with its lifestyles.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "db7604a074cfe123b63daa211cfcfed7",
"text": "life society family house would never have children There is no better present for somebody than to give him a life. Our lives are not just about money. There are so many valuable emotions, situations, experiences that have nothing to do with wealth level, for example falling in love or simply being enchanted by the world’s beauty. Even if the child is born to an impoverished family that doesn’t mean he won’t be able to rise out of the poverty. There are numerous sponsored programmes that encourage social mobility in both developing and developed countries. However, we need to accept this simple truth that life is not a sequence of only joyful events, and sometimes we have to experience a difficult situation to be able to appreciate all the good out there. Additionally, positive experiences in lives usually outweigh those negative, that’s why a vast majority of us would never change our lives for not being born. Therefore, giving a child a life is more than morally right.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c414d956715d9525c0eed2ba37d0bd45",
"text": "life society family house would never have children Any money spent on children is well used. Is there a better way to invest money than to use them to support future generations? The more we spend on children’s health care, the more productive our society will be; the more we spend on their education, the wiser our society will be; the more we spend on their cultural awareness, the more conscious of art our society will be. There is no better use of money than spending them on our kids.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "610ab891e6d44bee85ce5718bff18fa7",
"text": "life society family house would never have children Having children is one of the most fulfilling and rewarding experiences in life. When people become parents obviously they experience a major change in their lives. However, change doesn’t mean a change for worse. Raising children is not easy, but it brings about a feeling of fulfillment. For many people, having children is the main purpose in their lives. Kids enable parents to rediscover the world around them. Additionally, parents feel empowered as they can shape another human being to a previously inexperienced extent. Relationships with kids seem to be the deepest, most enduring ones. These are the very reasons why people become so upset when they cannot have children. The development of treatments such as in vitro fertilization proves how much we want to have babies. There is also substantial evidence supporting the claim that having children has a constructive rather than destructive influence on parents. Dr. Luis Angeles from the University of Glasgow in the UK has just published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, claiming that the research he has conducted suggests that having children improves married peoples' life satisfaction, making them happier.* A recent Newsweek Poll also found that children add to general levels of parents’ happiness. Fifty percent of surveyed Americans said that adding new children to the family tends to increase their happiness levels. Only one in six (16 percent) said that adding new children had a negative effect on the parents' happiness.** The evidence that having children has a devastating effect is mixed at best and in many cases outright wrong.\n\n*Bayaz, 2009, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/169018.php\n\n**Newsweek, 2008, http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2008/06/28/having-kids-makes-you-happy.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "aafe0047f68edccbb4eb7f1faf30a933",
"text": "life society family house would never have children There are better ways of eliminating gender inequality. First of all, inequality between sexes is far more complex of an issue than the proposition would like us to believe. There are many reasons why gender inequalities prevail in the society. They are grounded in different physical, psychological and social features of males and females. Moreover, they date back to prehistoric times when men and women occupied themselves with different tasks and had different responsibilities. It is too simplistic to say that by not having children gender inequalities will be eradicated. Furthermore, there are other more effective and less damaging ways of heading towards equality between sexes, such as education, affirmative action and social policy encouraging men to participate in childcare on equal basis with women.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "da02f67e07f946e0871792231d758d07",
"text": "life society family house would never have children Having children is the essence of existence for every creature\n\nThe most basic purpose of every human being, like of any other animal, is to reproduce, thus ensuring the continuity of ones species. Reproduction is even included in our very definition of life “the state or quality that distinguishes living beings or organisms from dead ones and from inorganic matter, characterized chiefly by metabolism, growth, and the ability to reproduce and respond to stimuli”.* Our bodies (physiological features), behaviour (flirting, dressing up) and sexual drives all point to that fundamental aim of our lives. It is only by having children that we can fulfil the most natural goal of our existence. Until very recently the family and ensuring its continuance has been the goal of almost every human. This is shown by how hereditary has been one of the defining features of almost every society in history, whether it is in government; through monarchy or an aristocracy, in the economy; through passing wealth down from one generation to the next.\n\n* Collins English Dictionary, 2003, http://www.thefreedictionary.com/life\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7b4c8b3e12707a2529598c5012eea312",
"text": "life society family house would never have children The act of having children makes people more desirable citizens.\n\nNot only does parenting teach responsibility, but it also triggers such feelings as love, compassion and helps develop such features as patience, devotion, tenderness, understanding. For instance, if parents learn the benefits of being patient towards their children, they are more likely to react patiently in other life situations, which in turn will lead to less aggressive society. Therefore, the more people have children, the more desirable our society becomes.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "250a39d6a0a7e12b5966d0eb587980eb",
"text": "life society family house would never have children Having children is our duty and responsibility\n\nWe cannot live without the society; it is that very society that provides us with basic goods and services such as education, health care, transportation, work. We can only interact with other people and fulfil our most basic needs if we live within the society. Therefore, we owe it to the society to ensure its continuation. It is only by having children that we can do this. Falling rates of population growth in developed countries highlight how dire the need for reproduction is. If people don’t have children today, the society will run into an enormous economic crisis tomorrow, as there will not be enough citizens to work for the growing numbers of the elderly. In the long run, not having children will lead to human beings’ extinction. If present trends continued it would only be 25 generations before Hong Kong’s female population shrank from today’s 3.75 million to just one. Similarly on current trends Japan, Germany, Russia, Italy and Spain will not reach the year 3000.* It is therefore clear that by not having children people fail to fulfil their most fundamental duty.\n\n*The Economist Online, 2011, http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/08/populations\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c83b891a914bca6d6db92efb4ccdf904",
"text": "life society family house would never have children Having children is emotionally draining for parents\n\nThe level of emotional involvement in bringing the child up is immense. Parents pour all their souls into children, who, in turn, often leave them disenchanted and exhausted. Parents also have to share their child’s problems, fears and traumas, so that the amount of grief that parents take on themselves doubles (or even triples, depending on how troublesome the child is). Not only that, but those who have offspring also become more vulnerable. They worry about their kids from the moment they are born until the day they themselves die. Parents’ to-worry-about list is endless: from child’s nutrition to summer camps, from accidents to social acceptance, from choosing a school to moving out. Having raised children, parents become emotional wrecks. All parents agree that it is emotionally draining and stressful, in 1975, advice columnist Ann Landers asked her readers, “If you had it to do over again, would you have children?” seventy percent of respondents said “no.”*\n\n*Goldberg, 2003, http://dir.salon.com/mwt/feature/2003/05/06/breeding/index2.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4f8035fa6a1e15d7198ddb8fdf3d84d8",
"text": "life society family house would never have children Not having children is environmentally friendly\n\nThe more people consume in the world, the greater the environmental damage. An average American produces 52 tons of garbage by the age of 75.* However, producing extra litter and pollution is not the only hazard that every child poses to the planet. Increasing world’s population also places incredible stress on Earth’s resources. It is estimated, for instance, that by 2025 three billion people will live in water-scarce countries. By reducing the number of human beings we will manage to avoid numerous overpopulation crises and reverse the damage done to the environment.\n\n* Tufts Climate Initiative., 2006, http://sustainability.tufts.edu/?pid=106\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d4a311c144b58f184b128a65689d2f29",
"text": "life society family house would never have children Having children is extraordinarily expensive\n\nFor majority of people children are the biggest expenditure they ever undertake. The United States Department of Agriculture reported in 2008 that the average annual expenses associated with raising a child can be as high as $22,960.* If we assume that a child will live with their parents until the age of 18 and add average cost of sending a child for 4 years to college, we arrive at the conclusion that bringing up a child in a developed country costs around $500,000. This money can be far better spent, for instance, on enhancing the standard of education or health care, subsidising economic initiative in developing countries, investing in green technologies, etc.\n\n*Boy Scouts of America, 2011, http://www.scouting.org/filestore/media/ES_Finances.pdf\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c27909c140d199cd31d29a28c946db19",
"text": "life society family house would never have children Not having children promotes gender equality\n\nSocial and economic inequalities between men and women stem primarily from the fact that women are the child bearers, and mothers overwhelmingly spend more time on childrearing tasks than do their male spouses. Not surprisingly then, many employers still discriminate against women when recruiting to work. They view females as those responsible for parenting and thus not reliable, devoted or loyal as employees. Even when there is little or no discrimination in recruitment women often hit a ‘glass ceiling’ due to breaking their careers in order to have children, in the UK a recent report by the Chartered Management Institute found it would take until 2109 to close the pay gap.* On a social level, not having children will mean more gender equality as there will be no ground for justifying an unequal labour division.\n\n*Goodley, 2011, http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/aug/31/cmi-equal-pay-report\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2695620aac6d0cd10dc6c9f0d4d05040",
"text": "life society family house would never have children Having children has a devastating effect on lives of parents\n\nParenting effectively prevents people from pursuing their own interests and fulfilling their own goals. The child becomes the center and the only valid part of parents’ lives. By having kids, people turn from free individuals into servants. They often have to abandon their careers in order to take care of the offspring. Women’s careers are most heavily affected, as women usually end up being the major childcare provider. Furthermore, people with children have much less time for socializing resulting in losing friends. Couples’ relationships are also bound to deteriorate as mother and father become more interested in a baby than in themselves. It has also been proven that couples with kids engage in sexual activities far less often than those who are childless. All of these reasons contribute to general dissatisfaction of parents who feel they have lost their own lives. As the evidence for that we can quote Daniel Gilbert, who holds a chair in psychology at Harvard. Based on his research findings, he reports that childless marriages are far happier.* Such a view is supported also by Madelyn Cain, a teacher at the University of Southern California, who says \"Statistics show childless couples are happier. Their lives are self-directed, they have a better chance of intimacy, and they do not have the stresses, financial and emotional, of parenthood.\"**\n\n*Kingston, 2009, http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/07/24/no-kids-no-grief/3/\n\n**Goldberg, 2003, http://dir.salon.com/mwt/feature/2003/05/06/breeding/index2.htm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e03ecc21c8ee5b355fc8632500e1dc50",
"text": "life society family house would never have children It is morally wrong to bring children to this cruel and miserable world.\n\nFour out of every five children will be born to families whose members survive on less than $10 a day. Around one third of children in developing countries is estimated to be underweight or stunted.* Research suggests that even in the USA, 20% of children live in poverty. And such an extreme plight of the child is only the beginning. Even if a child is born into a relatively well-off family, there are endless devastating situations he has to face during his life: war, death of family members, chronic illness, divorce, crime, and social exclusion. The list can go on and on forever. Having children is the equivalent of forcing innocent people, against their will, to experience the misery of life. Thus, it is inhumane.\n\n*Shah 2010, http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
936dcec3f676f27c592c4596a7ff0226
|
Term limits restore a concept of rotation in public office, and reestablish the concept of the citizen legislature:
It is gravely unfortunate that politics has become an accepted career path for citizens of democratic states. It is far better that participation in government be brief. To end politics as a lifetime sinecure, thereby making legislative service a leave of absence, rather than a means of permanently absconding from a productive career in the private sector, requires that there be term limits 1. Without term limits, the temptation to remain in office for life will keep people seeking reelection long after they have accomplished all the legislative good of which they are capable. It does not take long for legislators to become more occupied with their relationships with each other and with lobbyists, than with their constituents. Representative assemblies work best when they function as citizen legislatures, in which people who pursue careers other than politics enter the legislative forum for a brief time to do their country service, and then leave again to reenter society as private citizens2. Such citizen legislators who enter politics to make their mark and then leave are far more desirable than the career politicians of today who focus only on building their own power influence, rather than considering the people they were elected to represent. US states with 'citizen legislatures', where the state legislature is part time with short sessions so allowing its members to hold other jobs, were at the top of freedom indexes. New Hampshire was both the most minimal parliament and the state with most fiscal freedom according to the Ruger-Sorens Index.3 1 Will, George. 1993. Restoration: Congress, Term Limits, and the Restoration of Deliberative Democracy. New York: Free Press. 2 Bandow, Doug. 1995. "Real Term Limits: Now More Than Ever". Cato Institute Policy Analysis. 3 Rugar, William and Sorens, Jason. 2011. "The Citizen Legislature: How Reasonable Limits on State Legislative Salaries, Staff and Session Lengths Keep Liberty Alive" Policy Brief, Goldwater Institute,
|
[
{
"docid": "9147d6138bd3bafa4808616f705286f5",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce If people wish to pursue a career in politics, then it is their right to do so. There is nothing wrong with career politicians so long as they obey the will of their people and accurately represent the desires of their constituents. While there should be no bar to people seeking to enter politics on a temporary basis, placing that form of political participation over a more lasting one makes no sense. Furthermore, career politicians have valuable experience that can be extremely useful in the forming of legislation and the conducting of public business. Term limits destroy this valuable resource by casting people out of the halls of government at a fixed point, regardless of the worth they might still impart to the legislative process.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "b489b4bafa76a73e01e3188c1ae82f11",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce Term-limiting legislators insults the intelligence of the electorate. Individuals can make prudent decisions about who to vote for, and it so happens that that decision is often to keep incumbents in power. If the reason for such high reelection rates is due to an uneducated or disaffected electorate, then the problem is not be solved by simply instituting term limits. Rather, such results mean an effort must be made to educate voters and to fight voter apathy. Neither of those things is accomplished by limiting the choice of the voters.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "03879b0c8c9f5fda1b9b552458689ee5",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce A term-limited legislator suffers from the effects of being a lame duck. A final term legislator will not be able to command the same degree of leverage as one who can potentially serve another term. Building the necessary support for worthy legislation might thus prove far more difficult than it would have had the legislator not been a lame duck. Furthermore, with regard to lobby-group support, a politician on the way out who cannot seek another term has an incentive to favor groups and firms that will place him on their boards, a potentially highly lucrative retirement package for outgoing legislators, paid for often at the expense of the public.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b1c750037d1000596347a121a0a128fc",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce People are intelligent enough to recognize whether a representative is benefiting them or not. They will not vote for someone who is using his privileged position in the legislature to enrich himself or build a fiefdom of influence. Rather, legislators will only be able to stay in office so long as they do what their constituents want. If legislators are maintaining their power by other means, such as institutionalized corruption and force, it is not because there are no term limits on them, but rather because of other fundamental problems of government in those states.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "673eb7fef99d13d2f4b8c02c7214d610",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce Term limits promote greater choice in candidates and protect democracy1. While people may not be able to vote for a legislator again who has reached his limit of service, they can still vote for a continuation of his policies by voting for his chosen successor or for his political party's candidate. Limiting individual politicians to specified terms, however, prevents them from becoming too powerful and damaging the democratic system through efforts at self-enrichment and influence-peddling.\n\n1 Bandow, Doug. 1995. \"Real Term Limits: Now More Than Ever\". Cato Institute Policy Analysis.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4119ee36bb13b1317767ee102e9bd3c3",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce The dynamics of party primaries are not the same in all jurisdictions, and efforts at promoting moderate and capable candidates can still be made after the institution of term limits. Furthermore, new politicians may in fact be more willing to work on bipartisan projects, as they are not inculcated in the culture of confrontation that predominates between political parties in many legislatures. For this reason politicians of longer standing might actually be a hindrance to bipartisan compromise. It is far better to allow for a preponderance of political views by making the legislature more open. The best way to accomplish this is clearly to impose term limits.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d661bccd2e2ff8ee22c3ba27a8d6d5b2",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce Legislators may gain skill in maneuvering in the legislative arena with time, but they also gain a propensity for power grabbing and self-advancement. Politicians of long standing use their knowledge of the working of the legislature as much for the lobbyists and interest groups, who they prefer to work with rather than young, inexperienced legislators. The power of lobbyists is magnified by the solidity of the channels of political influence created by high rates of incumbency. Term limits actually serve to restrict the power of interest groups, and instead places emphasis on the production of progressive legislation.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9809467827e5bb542f5b3537aa695331",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce A politician who has to constantly concern himself with reelection has a much greater likelihood of being beholden to special interest groups and lobbyists than one who is term-limited so will actually engage in more corruption. While a term-limited legislator may suffer to a degree from lame duck status, the need to continuously seek electoral support is far more damaging to his ability to do what is right for the nation. Politicians who are not term-limited will spend more time doing what is popular than what is necessary. It is far better to have a representative who has only a limited time to enact the policies he envisions, so that he actively seeks to implement his vision, rather focusing on the short-term goal of reelection.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "980413b02c5d2676bb4cf36ce0348b52",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce Term limits create more competitive elections for public office that empower new leaders and ideas:\n\nIncumbency provides a huge election advantage. Politicians almost always win reelection. The frequency with which they win varies over time and between states, but incumbency is always a powerful advantage. This is seen most visibly in the United States Congress of the past 30 years, in which it has become virtually impossible to unseat an incumbent legislator. Legislators are reelected because they have better name recognition both with the electorate and with lobby groups. People have a tendency to vote for whom they recognize, and firms tend to support past winners who will likely continue to benefit their interests. Term limits actually increase voter choice by making elections more competitive and encouraging more candidates to run. In areas where term limits have been instituted there is far higher turnover amongst legislators, giving voters far more choice in who should represent them. In California, the institution of term limits on state legislators caused a rush of retirements, which led to 50 percent more candidates than would otherwise have been expected, as well as a marked increase in the diversity of the backgrounds of those elected [1] . Ultimately, old legislators using election machines to retain power do their country and constituents a disservice. Power is best used when it changes hands over time in order to allow for dynamic new solutions to be mooted in a changing world.\n\n[1] Bandow, Doug. 1995. \"Real Term Limits: Now More Than Ever\". Cato Institute Policy Analysis.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fa5fae986c8bbf77ed21de6b42358bf8",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce The longer a politician remains in office, the more entrenched his grip becomes, and the more likely he is to use his office to his personal advantage:\n\nPower is highly intoxicating; it can corrupt even the most scrupled individual given enough exposure over time. For this reason, power should not be left in the hands of specific individuals for too long. When a politician is firmly entrenched, he may seek to enrich himself at the expense of the public. He may seek to shower benefices on family and allies in order to maintain and strengthen his powerful position. Without term limits legislators often become self-serving individuals, more interested in craving out personal power bases than with serving the people who elected them. Because legislators are so likely to be reelected, lobbyists and special interest groups find the lines of power in states' capitals largely predictable, and are thus able to buy the influence of the permanent power nexuses in the legislature with relative ease1. Term limits serve to limit the ability of individuals to put forward self-serving legislation and to retain power indefinitely 2. Instead, by maintaining term limits, legislators have only a limited time in power, which tends to shift their focus toward genuinely benefiting the public.\n\n1 Bandow, Doug. 1995. \"Real Term Limits: Now More Than Ever\". Cato Institute Policy Analysis. 2 Green, Eric. 2007. \"Term Limits Help Prevent Dictatorships\". America.gov.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "068021a745c87112adfb8a340ecbcd0e",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce The need to constantly fight elections compromises a politician's ability to make the difficult and unpopular decisions that may be needed at a given time:\n\nA major focus of a legislator hoping to serve another term is on the next election and on vote getting. It is often the case that hard decisions need to be made by legislators, but it is difficult for them to do so when they are fixated on being reelected. Legislators have an incentive to put tough decisions off if they can retain power by doing so. An example of such seemingly perpetual procrastination is observable in the United States Congress's attitude toward social security. The fund is set to become insolvent, by some estimates, in less than two decades, yet congressmen and senators have chosen time and again to put off enacting painful, but necessary reform to the system. They find it easier to delay a decision until the next Congress, preferring their own reelection to the good of the nation. When constrained by term limits, legislators must make the most of their limited time in office, resulting in greater prioritization of difficult decisions and reform1. Furthermore, the need to constantly fight elections places politicians in the pocket of lobby-groups and election supporters to a greater degree, as they will always need to go back to them for support, and thus cannot make decisions that are in the national interest alone. While there will always be some of this behavior, it is curtailed by term limits, as legislators will, in their final term at the very least, not be beholden to as many special interests as they cannot run again. Bolder legislative action is observed from retiring legislators in the United States Congress, for example. When a congressman or senator does not intend to seek reelection, his tendency to vote along strict party lines diminishes substantially. Term limits, just like voluntary retirement, leads legislators to vote more on the basis of principle than on party stance2. The result of this is a more independent legislature, with a greater interest in actually serving the people.\n\n1 Chan, Sewell. 2008. \"Debating the Pros and Cons of Term Limits\". New York Times. 2 Scherer, Michael. 2010. \"Washington's Time for Bipartisanship: Retirement\". Time.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "326a1d16830bb25d130ae73d40050366",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce The incentive for corruption and self-enrichment in office is increased by term limits:\n\nWith term limits, a legislator will, after he enters his final permitted term of office, not have to face the electorate again, meaning he can do whatever wants, to an extent. This encourages corruption and self-enrichment on the part of legislators in their final term of office when they do not need to face the people to answer for poor management. There is likewise less incentive to follow through on election promises to supporters, since their withdrawing support can have little tangible impact on a lame duck. A study into term limits in Brazil found that \"mayors with re-election incentives are signi?cantly less corrupt than mayors without re-election incentives. In municipalities where mayors are in their ?rst term, the share of stolen resources is, on average, 27 percent lower than in municipalities with second-term mayors.\"(Ferraz, 2010) Furthermore, lame duck politicians can devote time to buddying up to businesses and organizations in order to get appointments to lucrative board seats after they leave office. This has often been the case in Western democracies, where former parliamentarians, cabinet ministers, senators, etc. find themselves being offered highly profitable positions upon their retirement (Wynne, 2004). Imposing term limits necessarily increases this sort of behavior, as politicians look more toward their retirement during their final years of office, rather than to the interests of the people. 1 Ferraz, Claudio and Finan, Frederico, (2010). \"Electoral Accountability and Corruption: Evidence from the Audits of Local Governments\" Berkeley, 2 Wynne, Michael. 2004. \"Politics, Markets, Health and Democracy\". University of Wolongong.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a1992c9e26e5cf2460714e2880419bdd",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce Term limits tend to increase partisanship between political parties and factions:\n\nTerm limits on legislators serve to exacerbate partisan tensions between political parties1. This is due to several causes. First, the increased iteration of primary elections, caused by politicians being forced out of office by term limits, in which there tends to be low voter turnout, and higher voter apathy when they happen to regularly. This leads to the selection of more conservative candidates from the right, and more radical candidates from the left. These more opposed groups forming large portions of political parties' representation will lead to more tension in the legislature. Second, newly elected politicians are often more likely to readily take the party whip when they enter the legislature. These results in more disciplined voting, which restricts the ability of moderates on either side to build consensuses on legislation. Third, the ability to build consensus and support from other parties relies on experience and deft political acumen, which are usually garnered through lengthy participation in the legislative process.2 Term limits exclude many skilled politicians from being able to use their expertise in the building of such consensus efforts. Fourth, concerns for their post-legislative career can lead to greater partisanship from retiring legislators. This is due to their need to court appointments to positions at party-affiliated, or party-leaning, think tanks, and on corporate boards favorable to their party. All of these factors lead to a less cooperative legislature when term limits are instituted. 1 Marcus, Andrew. 2010. \"Dodd and Other 'Retiring' Democrats Show Why Term Limitsare a Bad Idea\". Big Government. 2 Kouser, Thad. 2004. Term Limits and the Dismantling of State Legislative Professionalism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "54a93f7a964fe70840bd18230783057c",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce Term limits are undemocratic and suggest, falsely, that voters cannot make intelligent decisions about their representatives without guidance:\n\nTerm limits are flagrantly undemocratic. If a legislator is popular and desired by the people to continue to represent them, then it should be their choice to reelect him. The instituting of term limits assumes voters cannot act intelligently without proper guidance. This is a serious insult to voters' intelligence. The electorate can discern for itself whether a legislator is doing a good job and will vote accordingly. Preventing a potentially popular candidate from standing for reelection simply removes the right from people to make important political decisions. It is not the duty of the state to encourage more candidates to run in elections to replace politicians who are already popular and doing a suitable job1. Should the US people have not been allowed to elect Franklyn D. Roosevelt for his third term? FDR was a very popular and successful president who brought the United States out of depression and won the Second World War and it was those very successes that lead the American people to reelect him. The people, if they have the freedom to choose who should represent them, should have the freedom to choose incumbents, and to do so indefinitely if that is what the popular will demands. 1 Marcus, Andrew. 2010. \"Dodd and Other 'Retiring' Democrats Show Why Term Limitsare a Bad Idea\". Big Government.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0af3902e174617ec18f147ae16992186",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce Experienced legislators who understand the workings of the legislative system are needed for their expertise and wisdom:\n\nThe process of drafting legislation and shepherding it through the legislature often requires a delicate and practiced hand, especially when the issue under discussion is of a controversial nature. By forcing politicians out of the legislature on the basis of term limits, the depth of knowledge and experience available to the assembly is reduced, often to its serious detriment [1] . Seasoned politicians are also needed to help newcomers acclimate to the environment of the legislature; something first-time elected individuals are completely unused to. Naiveté on the part of new policymakers who are unused to the system will leave them vulnerable and exploitable. Lobbyists and special interest groups will seek to influence politicians while they develop their first impressions of life in the legislature, and will immediately capitalize upon any perceived vulnerability. Luann Ridgeway a Republican senator in the Missouri senate argues that term limits mean “we rely more on the trustworthiness of those established -- government relations individuals and staff persons -- because we have to”, [2] this would include more taking advice from the long standing lobbyists. Furthermore, legislation often requires lengthy periods of negotiation, that require not only the experienced hand of long-standing legislators, but also the continuity they offer. If legislators are constrained by term limits their time horizons are narrowed causing them to put too much emphasis on near-term, rather than long-term legislation. Clearly, term limits undermine the effective operation of government and deny the legislature an invaluable source of experience and ability.\n\n[1] Kouser, Thad. 2004. Term Limits and the Dismantling of State LegislativeProfessionalism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.\n\n[2] Coleman, Emily and Bushnel, Michael, (2009). “Legislators attribute heightened partisanship to term limits”, Missourian, 16th May 2009\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
ee5572c32ec69105291c5954de411684
|
Term limits tend to increase partisanship between political parties and factions:
Term limits on legislators serve to exacerbate partisan tensions between political parties1. This is due to several causes. First, the increased iteration of primary elections, caused by politicians being forced out of office by term limits, in which there tends to be low voter turnout, and higher voter apathy when they happen to regularly. This leads to the selection of more conservative candidates from the right, and more radical candidates from the left. These more opposed groups forming large portions of political parties' representation will lead to more tension in the legislature. Second, newly elected politicians are often more likely to readily take the party whip when they enter the legislature. These results in more disciplined voting, which restricts the ability of moderates on either side to build consensuses on legislation. Third, the ability to build consensus and support from other parties relies on experience and deft political acumen, which are usually garnered through lengthy participation in the legislative process.2 Term limits exclude many skilled politicians from being able to use their expertise in the building of such consensus efforts. Fourth, concerns for their post-legislative career can lead to greater partisanship from retiring legislators. This is due to their need to court appointments to positions at party-affiliated, or party-leaning, think tanks, and on corporate boards favorable to their party. All of these factors lead to a less cooperative legislature when term limits are instituted. 1 Marcus, Andrew. 2010. "Dodd and Other 'Retiring' Democrats Show Why Term Limitsare a Bad Idea". Big Government. 2 Kouser, Thad. 2004. Term Limits and the Dismantling of State Legislative Professionalism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
|
[
{
"docid": "4119ee36bb13b1317767ee102e9bd3c3",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce The dynamics of party primaries are not the same in all jurisdictions, and efforts at promoting moderate and capable candidates can still be made after the institution of term limits. Furthermore, new politicians may in fact be more willing to work on bipartisan projects, as they are not inculcated in the culture of confrontation that predominates between political parties in many legislatures. For this reason politicians of longer standing might actually be a hindrance to bipartisan compromise. It is far better to allow for a preponderance of political views by making the legislature more open. The best way to accomplish this is clearly to impose term limits.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "673eb7fef99d13d2f4b8c02c7214d610",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce Term limits promote greater choice in candidates and protect democracy1. While people may not be able to vote for a legislator again who has reached his limit of service, they can still vote for a continuation of his policies by voting for his chosen successor or for his political party's candidate. Limiting individual politicians to specified terms, however, prevents them from becoming too powerful and damaging the democratic system through efforts at self-enrichment and influence-peddling.\n\n1 Bandow, Doug. 1995. \"Real Term Limits: Now More Than Ever\". Cato Institute Policy Analysis.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d661bccd2e2ff8ee22c3ba27a8d6d5b2",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce Legislators may gain skill in maneuvering in the legislative arena with time, but they also gain a propensity for power grabbing and self-advancement. Politicians of long standing use their knowledge of the working of the legislature as much for the lobbyists and interest groups, who they prefer to work with rather than young, inexperienced legislators. The power of lobbyists is magnified by the solidity of the channels of political influence created by high rates of incumbency. Term limits actually serve to restrict the power of interest groups, and instead places emphasis on the production of progressive legislation.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9809467827e5bb542f5b3537aa695331",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce A politician who has to constantly concern himself with reelection has a much greater likelihood of being beholden to special interest groups and lobbyists than one who is term-limited so will actually engage in more corruption. While a term-limited legislator may suffer to a degree from lame duck status, the need to continuously seek electoral support is far more damaging to his ability to do what is right for the nation. Politicians who are not term-limited will spend more time doing what is popular than what is necessary. It is far better to have a representative who has only a limited time to enact the policies he envisions, so that he actively seeks to implement his vision, rather focusing on the short-term goal of reelection.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b489b4bafa76a73e01e3188c1ae82f11",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce Term-limiting legislators insults the intelligence of the electorate. Individuals can make prudent decisions about who to vote for, and it so happens that that decision is often to keep incumbents in power. If the reason for such high reelection rates is due to an uneducated or disaffected electorate, then the problem is not be solved by simply instituting term limits. Rather, such results mean an effort must be made to educate voters and to fight voter apathy. Neither of those things is accomplished by limiting the choice of the voters.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "03879b0c8c9f5fda1b9b552458689ee5",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce A term-limited legislator suffers from the effects of being a lame duck. A final term legislator will not be able to command the same degree of leverage as one who can potentially serve another term. Building the necessary support for worthy legislation might thus prove far more difficult than it would have had the legislator not been a lame duck. Furthermore, with regard to lobby-group support, a politician on the way out who cannot seek another term has an incentive to favor groups and firms that will place him on their boards, a potentially highly lucrative retirement package for outgoing legislators, paid for often at the expense of the public.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b1c750037d1000596347a121a0a128fc",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce People are intelligent enough to recognize whether a representative is benefiting them or not. They will not vote for someone who is using his privileged position in the legislature to enrich himself or build a fiefdom of influence. Rather, legislators will only be able to stay in office so long as they do what their constituents want. If legislators are maintaining their power by other means, such as institutionalized corruption and force, it is not because there are no term limits on them, but rather because of other fundamental problems of government in those states.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9147d6138bd3bafa4808616f705286f5",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce If people wish to pursue a career in politics, then it is their right to do so. There is nothing wrong with career politicians so long as they obey the will of their people and accurately represent the desires of their constituents. While there should be no bar to people seeking to enter politics on a temporary basis, placing that form of political participation over a more lasting one makes no sense. Furthermore, career politicians have valuable experience that can be extremely useful in the forming of legislation and the conducting of public business. Term limits destroy this valuable resource by casting people out of the halls of government at a fixed point, regardless of the worth they might still impart to the legislative process.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "326a1d16830bb25d130ae73d40050366",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce The incentive for corruption and self-enrichment in office is increased by term limits:\n\nWith term limits, a legislator will, after he enters his final permitted term of office, not have to face the electorate again, meaning he can do whatever wants, to an extent. This encourages corruption and self-enrichment on the part of legislators in their final term of office when they do not need to face the people to answer for poor management. There is likewise less incentive to follow through on election promises to supporters, since their withdrawing support can have little tangible impact on a lame duck. A study into term limits in Brazil found that \"mayors with re-election incentives are signi?cantly less corrupt than mayors without re-election incentives. In municipalities where mayors are in their ?rst term, the share of stolen resources is, on average, 27 percent lower than in municipalities with second-term mayors.\"(Ferraz, 2010) Furthermore, lame duck politicians can devote time to buddying up to businesses and organizations in order to get appointments to lucrative board seats after they leave office. This has often been the case in Western democracies, where former parliamentarians, cabinet ministers, senators, etc. find themselves being offered highly profitable positions upon their retirement (Wynne, 2004). Imposing term limits necessarily increases this sort of behavior, as politicians look more toward their retirement during their final years of office, rather than to the interests of the people. 1 Ferraz, Claudio and Finan, Frederico, (2010). \"Electoral Accountability and Corruption: Evidence from the Audits of Local Governments\" Berkeley, 2 Wynne, Michael. 2004. \"Politics, Markets, Health and Democracy\". University of Wolongong.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "54a93f7a964fe70840bd18230783057c",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce Term limits are undemocratic and suggest, falsely, that voters cannot make intelligent decisions about their representatives without guidance:\n\nTerm limits are flagrantly undemocratic. If a legislator is popular and desired by the people to continue to represent them, then it should be their choice to reelect him. The instituting of term limits assumes voters cannot act intelligently without proper guidance. This is a serious insult to voters' intelligence. The electorate can discern for itself whether a legislator is doing a good job and will vote accordingly. Preventing a potentially popular candidate from standing for reelection simply removes the right from people to make important political decisions. It is not the duty of the state to encourage more candidates to run in elections to replace politicians who are already popular and doing a suitable job1. Should the US people have not been allowed to elect Franklyn D. Roosevelt for his third term? FDR was a very popular and successful president who brought the United States out of depression and won the Second World War and it was those very successes that lead the American people to reelect him. The people, if they have the freedom to choose who should represent them, should have the freedom to choose incumbents, and to do so indefinitely if that is what the popular will demands. 1 Marcus, Andrew. 2010. \"Dodd and Other 'Retiring' Democrats Show Why Term Limitsare a Bad Idea\". Big Government.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0af3902e174617ec18f147ae16992186",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce Experienced legislators who understand the workings of the legislative system are needed for their expertise and wisdom:\n\nThe process of drafting legislation and shepherding it through the legislature often requires a delicate and practiced hand, especially when the issue under discussion is of a controversial nature. By forcing politicians out of the legislature on the basis of term limits, the depth of knowledge and experience available to the assembly is reduced, often to its serious detriment [1] . Seasoned politicians are also needed to help newcomers acclimate to the environment of the legislature; something first-time elected individuals are completely unused to. Naiveté on the part of new policymakers who are unused to the system will leave them vulnerable and exploitable. Lobbyists and special interest groups will seek to influence politicians while they develop their first impressions of life in the legislature, and will immediately capitalize upon any perceived vulnerability. Luann Ridgeway a Republican senator in the Missouri senate argues that term limits mean “we rely more on the trustworthiness of those established -- government relations individuals and staff persons -- because we have to”, [2] this would include more taking advice from the long standing lobbyists. Furthermore, legislation often requires lengthy periods of negotiation, that require not only the experienced hand of long-standing legislators, but also the continuity they offer. If legislators are constrained by term limits their time horizons are narrowed causing them to put too much emphasis on near-term, rather than long-term legislation. Clearly, term limits undermine the effective operation of government and deny the legislature an invaluable source of experience and ability.\n\n[1] Kouser, Thad. 2004. Term Limits and the Dismantling of State LegislativeProfessionalism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.\n\n[2] Coleman, Emily and Bushnel, Michael, (2009). “Legislators attribute heightened partisanship to term limits”, Missourian, 16th May 2009\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "980413b02c5d2676bb4cf36ce0348b52",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce Term limits create more competitive elections for public office that empower new leaders and ideas:\n\nIncumbency provides a huge election advantage. Politicians almost always win reelection. The frequency with which they win varies over time and between states, but incumbency is always a powerful advantage. This is seen most visibly in the United States Congress of the past 30 years, in which it has become virtually impossible to unseat an incumbent legislator. Legislators are reelected because they have better name recognition both with the electorate and with lobby groups. People have a tendency to vote for whom they recognize, and firms tend to support past winners who will likely continue to benefit their interests. Term limits actually increase voter choice by making elections more competitive and encouraging more candidates to run. In areas where term limits have been instituted there is far higher turnover amongst legislators, giving voters far more choice in who should represent them. In California, the institution of term limits on state legislators caused a rush of retirements, which led to 50 percent more candidates than would otherwise have been expected, as well as a marked increase in the diversity of the backgrounds of those elected [1] . Ultimately, old legislators using election machines to retain power do their country and constituents a disservice. Power is best used when it changes hands over time in order to allow for dynamic new solutions to be mooted in a changing world.\n\n[1] Bandow, Doug. 1995. \"Real Term Limits: Now More Than Ever\". Cato Institute Policy Analysis.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fa5fae986c8bbf77ed21de6b42358bf8",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce The longer a politician remains in office, the more entrenched his grip becomes, and the more likely he is to use his office to his personal advantage:\n\nPower is highly intoxicating; it can corrupt even the most scrupled individual given enough exposure over time. For this reason, power should not be left in the hands of specific individuals for too long. When a politician is firmly entrenched, he may seek to enrich himself at the expense of the public. He may seek to shower benefices on family and allies in order to maintain and strengthen his powerful position. Without term limits legislators often become self-serving individuals, more interested in craving out personal power bases than with serving the people who elected them. Because legislators are so likely to be reelected, lobbyists and special interest groups find the lines of power in states' capitals largely predictable, and are thus able to buy the influence of the permanent power nexuses in the legislature with relative ease1. Term limits serve to limit the ability of individuals to put forward self-serving legislation and to retain power indefinitely 2. Instead, by maintaining term limits, legislators have only a limited time in power, which tends to shift their focus toward genuinely benefiting the public.\n\n1 Bandow, Doug. 1995. \"Real Term Limits: Now More Than Ever\". Cato Institute Policy Analysis. 2 Green, Eric. 2007. \"Term Limits Help Prevent Dictatorships\". America.gov.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "01bc3c96577da46dbfcf8d20ee131f46",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce Term limits restore a concept of rotation in public office, and reestablish the concept of the citizen legislature:\n\nIt is gravely unfortunate that politics has become an accepted career path for citizens of democratic states. It is far better that participation in government be brief. To end politics as a lifetime sinecure, thereby making legislative service a leave of absence, rather than a means of permanently absconding from a productive career in the private sector, requires that there be term limits 1. Without term limits, the temptation to remain in office for life will keep people seeking reelection long after they have accomplished all the legislative good of which they are capable. It does not take long for legislators to become more occupied with their relationships with each other and with lobbyists, than with their constituents. Representative assemblies work best when they function as citizen legislatures, in which people who pursue careers other than politics enter the legislative forum for a brief time to do their country service, and then leave again to reenter society as private citizens2. Such citizen legislators who enter politics to make their mark and then leave are far more desirable than the career politicians of today who focus only on building their own power influence, rather than considering the people they were elected to represent. US states with 'citizen legislatures', where the state legislature is part time with short sessions so allowing its members to hold other jobs, were at the top of freedom indexes. New Hampshire was both the most minimal parliament and the state with most fiscal freedom according to the Ruger-Sorens Index.3 1 Will, George. 1993. Restoration: Congress, Term Limits, and the Restoration of Deliberative Democracy. New York: Free Press. 2 Bandow, Doug. 1995. \"Real Term Limits: Now More Than Ever\". Cato Institute Policy Analysis. 3 Rugar, William and Sorens, Jason. 2011. \"The Citizen Legislature: How Reasonable Limits on State Legislative Salaries, Staff and Session Lengths Keep Liberty Alive\" Policy Brief, Goldwater Institute,\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "068021a745c87112adfb8a340ecbcd0e",
"text": "eral philosophy political philosophy politics government house would enforce The need to constantly fight elections compromises a politician's ability to make the difficult and unpopular decisions that may be needed at a given time:\n\nA major focus of a legislator hoping to serve another term is on the next election and on vote getting. It is often the case that hard decisions need to be made by legislators, but it is difficult for them to do so when they are fixated on being reelected. Legislators have an incentive to put tough decisions off if they can retain power by doing so. An example of such seemingly perpetual procrastination is observable in the United States Congress's attitude toward social security. The fund is set to become insolvent, by some estimates, in less than two decades, yet congressmen and senators have chosen time and again to put off enacting painful, but necessary reform to the system. They find it easier to delay a decision until the next Congress, preferring their own reelection to the good of the nation. When constrained by term limits, legislators must make the most of their limited time in office, resulting in greater prioritization of difficult decisions and reform1. Furthermore, the need to constantly fight elections places politicians in the pocket of lobby-groups and election supporters to a greater degree, as they will always need to go back to them for support, and thus cannot make decisions that are in the national interest alone. While there will always be some of this behavior, it is curtailed by term limits, as legislators will, in their final term at the very least, not be beholden to as many special interests as they cannot run again. Bolder legislative action is observed from retiring legislators in the United States Congress, for example. When a congressman or senator does not intend to seek reelection, his tendency to vote along strict party lines diminishes substantially. Term limits, just like voluntary retirement, leads legislators to vote more on the basis of principle than on party stance2. The result of this is a more independent legislature, with a greater interest in actually serving the people.\n\n1 Chan, Sewell. 2008. \"Debating the Pros and Cons of Term Limits\". New York Times. 2 Scherer, Michael. 2010. \"Washington's Time for Bipartisanship: Retirement\". Time.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
10f040370a03ed93ab8275d5e50c00d3
|
The bombing was immoral and illegal
The use of the Atomic bomb raised immediate moral questions as to its use.
Albert Einstein argued “The American decision [to use the bomb] may have been a fatal error, for men accustom themselves to thinking a weapon which has been used once can be used again... [on the other hand] Our renunciation of this weapon as too terrible to use would have carried great weight” [1] So far Einstein has been proved wrong and the precedent thus set has not been followed. That the bombs are ‘to terrible to use’ does seem to have sunk in.
The use of the bombs was also illegal as it would have breached the Hague conventions of 1899 and 1907, signed by the US. Of Hague IV The Laws and Customs of War on Land it probably breached articles 23, forbidding the use of weapons that cause ‘unnecessary suffering’, and article 25 forbidding the attack of undefended towns. It would certainly by its indiscriminate nature have breached article 27 “In sieges and bombardments all necessary steps must be taken to spare, as far as possible, buildings dedicated to religion, art, science, or charitable purposes, historic monuments, hospitals, and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they are not being used at the time for military purposes” [2] as well as the attendant declaration forbidding attack from aircraft!
Clearly such sections forbidding attack from aircraft, or balloons in the 1899 version make the Hague convention seem antiquated but the laws of war in general remain even now as they were codified in 1907. [3] The International Court of Justice has referred back to these precedents “In the view of the vast majority of states as well as the writers there can be no doubt as to the applicability of humanitarian law to nuclear weapons. The Court shares that view.” [4] That humanitarian law included the Hague conventions. The court reconfirmed the view that “States must never make civilians the object of attack and must consequently never use weapons that are incapable of distinguishing between civilian and military targets” [5] It is noteworthy that dissensions from a position of banning the use of nuclear weapons entirely focus on the possible use with minimal civilian casualties. [6] Since the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings did not attempt to minimize civilian casualties the implication is that their use was illegal based upon the Hague conventions that were already in force.
[1] Albert Einstein, quoted by Rudolph A. Winnacker, ‘The Debate About Hiroshima’, Military Affairs, vol.11, no.1, Spring 1947, p.25.
[2] Laws and Customs of War on Land (Hague IV); October 18, 1907 http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hague04.asp
[3] Malcom H. Shaw, International Law (Cambridge, 1997), p.807.
[4] International Court of Justice advisory opinion of 8 July 1996 Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons, paragraphs 85-6. http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/95/7495.pdf?PHPSESSID=61c346606e8c49...
[5] ibid. para. 78.
[6] ibid. para. 91.
|
[
{
"docid": "dc2e26493420b7851e86fe47123d1ebd",
"text": "ethics politics warpeace house believes use atomic bombs against hiroshima and Before Hiroshima and Nagasaki the use of the Atomic Bomb did not raise profound moral questions with allied policymakers. Civilians had been intentionally targeted from the air since the start of the war and both Japanese and German cities had been already subjected to relentless bombardment. There was no compelling reason for politicians to view the Atomic bomb any differently from the London blitz or the Dresden raid. [1]\n\nThe Hague conventions had been systemically honoured only in the breach for the previous six years and so would not have given Truman or his advisors any particular heartache. The radiation effects were as yet unknown and so there was no reason to treat atomic bombs as anything more sinister than a mighty conventional bomb would be. Had the radiation been known about then it might have moved them into a category akin to chemical or biological weapons, which were already frowned upon. Chemical weapons were banned by the Hague convention in 1899. [2] This did not of course prevent their widespread use in WWI but the horrified reaction to the use of mustard gas and other agents lead to the Geneva Protocol [3] which came into force in 1928 although the US was not a signatory. In practice Atomic weapons have not been since treated as equivalent to poison gas or other ‘analogous devices’ and thus the International Court of Justice has said that they do not breach the Hague conventions or the Geneva Protocol. [4] Therefore as these were the only international laws in force at the time of the action the dropping the bombs were not illegal acts.\n\n[1] Barton J. Bernstein, ‘The Atomic Bombings Reconsidered’, Foreign Affairs, vol.74, no.1, Jan.- Feb., 1995. p.135.\n\n[2] Declaration on the Use of Projectiles the Object of Which is the Diffusion of Asphyxiating or Deleterious Gases; July 29, 1899; http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/dec99-02.asp\n\n[3] Geneva Protocol to Hague Convention http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Geneva_Protocol_to_Hague_Convention\n\n[4] International Court of Justice advisory opinion of 8 July 1996 Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons, paragraphs 54-6. http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/95/7495.pdf?PHPSESSID=61c346606e8c49...\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "f66f3068f9f3955a6d2a15ed972dd3ad",
"text": "ethics politics warpeace house believes use atomic bombs against hiroshima and The justification for the second bomb relies principally upon the argument that Japan would presume there was only one A-bomb if another was not dropped, so the destruction of Nagasaki was a necessary evil to force surrender just as much as that at Hiroshima. Indeed senior Japanese figures did argue that there was only one bomb, and even in one case that the bomb dropped on Hiroshima was not atomic at all, simply a very big conventional bomb. The Chief of the Naval General Staff Toyoda Soemu thought “it is questionable whether the United States will be able to use more bombs in rapid succession.” [1] This was a view that Anami Korechika, the army minister, shared until it was shattered by the second bomb although even then he said “The appearance of the atomic bomb does not spell the end of war” [2]\n\n[1] Admiral Toyoda quoted by Sadao Asada, ‘The Shock of the Atomic Bomb and Japan’s Decision to Surrender - A Reconsideration’ in Hiroshima in History: The Myths of Revisionism, p.37.\n\n[2] Army Minister Anami quoted by Sadao Asada, ‘The Shock of the Atomic Bomb and Japan’s Decision to Surrender - A Reconsideration’ in Hiroshima in History: The Myths of Revisionism, p.40.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7de215e4f2f4e817b384cdcdcee9bb2c",
"text": "ethics politics warpeace house believes use atomic bombs against hiroshima and Offering the preservation of the Monarchy was unlikely to have altered the outcome of the conflict by bringing peace before August 6th. This was the only concession to the Japanese that was even considered by the US government. It was thought that even this would be very hard for the American public to swallow. Truman’s personal feeling was also that nothing short of an unconditional surrender would do to avenge Pearl Harbour. [1]\n\n[1] Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, Racing the enemy: Stalin, Truman and the surrender of Japan, (Cambridge, 2005) p.291.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "46c5ffb64abfe3569b8974843cbd4472",
"text": "ethics politics warpeace house believes use atomic bombs against hiroshima and The alternatives to either invasion or atomic bombing are covered in the previous counterpoint. It can only be said that none of them are without a high human cost, though invasion spearheaded by an atomic barrage is surely the worst. The principle of advantage of the conventional bombing option being that it would be easily justifiable as only quantitively different to what the Japanese had already meted out themselves. The blockade similarly has easy justification in not being a deviation from any accepted standards as well as only indirectly attacking the home islands while putting the onus on the Japanese government to avoid starvation. Really in order to find a less costly alternative then diplomacy has to be raised for which refer to the second response argument.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dac415e6264d4d5e81621336b4dee790",
"text": "ethics politics warpeace house believes use atomic bombs against hiroshima and Having a weapon is hardly a good argument for using one, society would fall apart if ‘I have a gun thus I must shoot someone’ became an accepted maxim. Since war is policy by other means the ultimate weapon is one that achieves its policy objectives without the need to be actually be used. As to the cost, the $2.2bn translates to a little below $7,000 for each Japanese life taken.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "50ca4934546da849cc8f11c0b9575d4e",
"text": "ethics politics warpeace house believes use atomic bombs against hiroshima and It can be argued that conventional bombing could have brought about a Japanese surrender without the recourse to the use of the atomic bombs. Compared to conventional bombings the atomic bombs caused disproportionate amounts of civilian casualties. The Strategic Bombing survey estimated that in the 9 months prior to the surrender there were 806,000 Japanese civilian casualties inclusive of A-bombs, of which 330,000 were deaths. Therefore nearly a third of civilian deaths were as a result of the atomic bombings (and that is only counting those who died immediately). In Hiroshima 72% of buildings were destroyed, in Nagasaki 37.5% of buildings were destroyed. However in a conventional raid Yokohama was 47% destroyed in an hours bombing, for the comparatively light cost of 5,000 civilian fatalities. [1] Of course some conventional raids, particularly fireraids caused very heavy casualties, in particular the Tokyo firebombing of March 9th 1945 killed 100,000 and destroyed 15.8 square miles. However that is still three times the area destroyed of Hiroshima. Since the only possible justification for attack on cities is the destruction of infrastructure conventional bombing was similarly effective while being the cause of many fewer civilian deaths.\n\nAccording to the United States Strategic Bombing Survey “Based on a detailed investigation of all the facts, and supported by the testimony of the surviving Japanese leaders involved, it is the Survey's opinion that certainly prior to 31 December 1945, and in all probability prior to 1 November 1945, Japan would have surrendered even if the atomic bombs had not been dropped, even if Russia had not entered the war, and even if no invasion had been planned or contemplated.” [2] The accuracy of this prediction has since been called into question, [3] after all the allies dropped far more bombs on Nazi Germany without securing surrender. However the fact remains that the conventional bombing campaign was only just starting to get going and might have achieved decisive results.\n\nPossibly even more important for the prospects of a conventional victory, and one not clouded by the stigma of massive bombing campaigns against civilians, was the maritime blockade. By the end of the war Japan had only 700,000 tons of shipping remaining, she had started the war with 6,337,000 tons. Of 122,000 sailors in the merchant marine 27,000 were killed 89,000 wounded. For an island nation reliant on imports not just to run its industry but also to keep its people fed this was devastating. The result was starvation in the Japanese home islands. After the war it was reported that up to 10 million would die of starvation without American food aid, as a post war report to the Diet (Japanese Parliament) put it ‘the greatest cause of defeat was the loss of shipping’. [4]\n\n[1] United States Strategic Bombing Survey: Summary Report (Pacific War), http://www.anesi.com/ussbs01.htm pp.20, 23-24.\n\n[2] United States Strategic Bombing Survey: Summary Report (Pacific War), http://www.anesi.com/ussbs01.htm p.26.\n\n[3] Gian Peri Gentile, ‘Advocacy or Assessment? The United States Strategic Bombing Survey of Germany and Japan’, in Hiroshima in History: The Myths of Revisionism, (Columbia, 2007) pp.123-4.\n\n[4] Joel Ira Holwitt, “Execute against Japan”: The US decision to conduct unrestricted submarine warfare, (College Station TX, 2008) pp.166-9\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a3cfd4d8a9f33633514586f1001523e0",
"text": "ethics politics warpeace house believes use atomic bombs against hiroshima and A negotiated peace would have been preferable to the dropping of the atomic bombs\n\nIt is conventional to argue that Japan was defeated already and so the bombings were unnecessary as Sadao Asada points out this confuses defeat with surrender. However such a position seems equally to confuse surrender with peace. That there had to be an unconditional surrender seems almost unquestioned. Most wars do not end in an unconditional surrender of one side or the other, Japanese defeat was plain so a negotiated peace would normally have been set in motion when the US saw the terrible casualties it might be forced to take in its push for total victory. The Americans learnt of Japanese willingness to negotiate in July, on the 13th Secretary of the Navy Forrestal wrote in his diary “The first real evidence of a Japanese desire to get out of the war came today... Togo said further that the unconditional surrender term of the Allies was about the only thing in the way of termination of the war” [1] Stimson, Grew and Forrestal aimed at persuading president Truman to offer the Japanese promise of the preservation of the monarchy as an alternative to unconditional surrender. [2] Ultimately the Potsdam declaration set the unconditional surrender policy in stone. [3] Offering such a condition would certainly have strengthened the peace party within the Japanese cabinet and allowed them to present further resistance by the generals and admirals as endangering the monarchy. [4] However, on its own this would probably not have lead to peace, the cabinet would still have been split 3-3 with the Army and Navy ministers both opposed and with vetoes on policy. Even the most belligerent of the Japanese Cabinet, Army Minister Anami’s conditions were preservation of the Imperial institution, no military occupation of the home islands, Japanese forces were to demobilize and disarm themselves and war criminals were to be prosecuted by the Japanese themselves. [5] While these conditions are obviously ripe for exploitation, would they really disarm and try war criminals? they are not unreasonable. Just because there was no hope that the US would accept these conditions, they fly in the face of the Potsdam Declaration from which the allies would not deviate, does not mean that another alternative to unconditional surrender should not be considered as an alternative to the dropping of the Nuclear bombs.\n\n[1] Secretary Forrestal quoted by Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, Racing the enemy: Stalin, Truman and the surrender of Japan, (Cambridge MA, 2005) p134.\n\n[2] Campbell Craig and Sergay Radchenko, The Atomic Bomb and the Origins of the Cold War, (New Haven, 2008) p.69\n\n[3] Potsdam Declaration, http://www.ndl.go.jp/constitution/e/etc/c06.html\n\n[4] Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, Racing the enemy: Stalin, Truman and the surrender of Japan, (Cambridge, 2005) pp.290-1.\n\n[5] Sadao Asada, ‘The Shock of the Atomic Bomb and Japan’s Decision to Surrender - A Reconsideration’ in Hiroshima in History: The Myths of Revisionism, p. 39.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "880df64cb1e5a2f4e562dd58ec71c54c",
"text": "ethics politics warpeace house believes use atomic bombs against hiroshima and It was not necessary to use atomic weapons on a population centre\n\nThe first bomb, on Hiroshima was sufficient to achieve the objective of surrender without the use of the second bomb after only a very short period of time. There was only three days between the two bombings, an unpardonably short period. Communications between Hiroshima and Tokyo had unsurprisingly been severed, so the full effect had yet to sink in on some policy makers by the time ‘Fat Man’ was dropped. It had however already convinced Foreign Minister Togo, Prime Minister Suzuki and crucially the Emperor himself. He said upon hearing the news of Hiroshima: “Now that things have come to this impasse, we must bow to the inevitable. ... We should lose no time in ending the war so as not to have another tragedy like this.” [1] The rest of the cabinet was as yet unmoved, but even if they had been it is unlikely they would have been able to actually surrender before the second bomb was dropped.\n\nThere were significant other factors in play as well. Before the second bomb was dropped the Japanese had learnt of the Soviet attack which dashed their last hopes of mediation for a favourable settlement and they were not optimistic of their chances in that conflict, even the army’s planners expected Manchukuo’s capital Changchun would fall in two weeks. [2] Although the Cabinet was deadlocked 3 to 3 this was the case both before and after the news of Nagasaki came in, the point of fact that the US had more than one bomb although a shock to those opposed to surrender did not alter their position. Ultimately the Emperor was forced to intervene on the side of the proponents of peace, his mind had been made up even before the first bomb. It is arguable that Hiroshima was necessary to push him into acting, which was unprecedented but the Nagasaki bombing was entirely superfluous. Historian Sadao Asada’s opinion is that the second bomb was unnecessary. [3]\n\n[1] Emperor Hirohito quoted by Sadao Asada, ‘The Shock of the Atomic Bomb and Japan’s Decision to Surrender - A Reconsideration’ in Hiroshima in History: The Myths of Revisionism p.33.\n\n[2] Sadao Asada, ‘The Shock of the Atomic Bomb and Japan’s Decision to Surrender - A Reconsideration’ in Hiroshima in History: The Myths of Revisionism, p.36.\n\n[3] Sadao Asada, ‘The Shock of the Atomic Bomb and Japan’s Decision to Surrender - A Reconsideration’ in Hiroshima in History: The Myths of Revisionism, pp.38, 41-2.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cfed48f22acba83a8d3c25995dabb416",
"text": "ethics politics warpeace house believes use atomic bombs against hiroshima and The continuation of a conventional war would have been much costlier than an atomic attack\n\nThe US was planning for a massive invasion of the Japanese Home Islands (Operation Olympic). Nine divisions were to land on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. However the Japanese had ten divisions in southern Kyushu by August, and 600,000 troops on the whole island. [1]\n\nThe US army widely disseminated a figure of half a million casualties for the conquest of Japan. This was however only the figure for public consumption and some calculations went much higher. [2] On top of the US losses the same amount and probably considerably more Japanese deaths would have to be added. The estimates of US losses were so bad that atomic bombs were actually considered for use in clearing the landing beaches.\n\nChief of Staff George C. Marshall argued “We had to visualize very heavy casualties unless we had enough atomic bombs at the time to supplement the troop action.” [3] Invasion was therefore not really an alternative to the A-bomb use at all. Although the use of the bomb in a battlefield situation might be more justifiable that it was considered shows the ignorance of the radiation effects that might well have been a disaster for US forces as well as Japanese.\n\n[1] Edward J. Drea, ‘Intelligence Forecasting for the Invasion of Japan: previews of Hell, Hiroshima in History: The Myths of Revisionism, (Columbia, 2007) p.59,71\n\n[2] D. M. Giangreco, \"A score of bloody Okinawas and Iwo Jimas\": President Truman and casualty estimates for the invasion of Japan’, Hiroshima in History: The Myths of Revisionism, (Columbia, 2007), p.88\n\n[3] Edward J. Drea, ‘Intelligence Forecasting for the Invasion of Japan: previews of Hell’, pp.74-5.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "33ba44d9cdb13ad251938b21faaea71f",
"text": "ethics politics warpeace house believes use atomic bombs against hiroshima and The United States need to maximise the effectiveness of its atomic weaponry program before it could be compromised\n\nThere was no possibility of keeping nuclear weapons under wraps; scientists from several countries had been working on them. They were ripe for discovery. Robert Oppenheimer pointed out “it is a profound and necessary truth, that deep things in science are not found because they are useful; they are found because it was possible to find them” [1] If Atomic bombs were going to be developed anyway there was a compelling reason to be the first to own these weapons, even to be the first to use them. Deterrence, would not work if suspected to be a bluff or a dud, having used the bomb twice it could not be doubted that the US was willing to use it again in extremis.\n\nThe cost of building the bomb was enormous. At 2.2 billion dollars the Manhattan project cost about the same as the drive to get to the moon in the sixties, but the comparison is not adjusted for inflation. [2] The vast majority of the cost, and of the 130,000 employed in the project, was not in the development but in the building of the factories to produce the fissile material. The opportunity cost of that 2.2 billion is surely huge, how many more bombers and tanks or how many more medicines and bandages could it have bought? Not using the bomb and squandering that investment would bring that opportunity cost to life; the question is not just how many would die in months more war but how many might not have to build something unused.\n\n[ 1 Robert Oppenheimer quoted by Richard Rhodes, ‘The Atomic Bomb in the Second World War’ in C. C. Kelley (ed.), Remembering the Manhattan Project : Perspectives on the Making of the Atomic Bomb and Its Legacy, (River Edge NJ, 2005), p.18\n\n[2] ibid p.22\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3da06a75fecbeb2c70c53b560d248322",
"text": "ethics politics warpeace house believes use atomic bombs against hiroshima and The use of atomic bombs was the only was to persuade Japan's rulers to surrender\n\nFrom late 1944 Japan’s defeat was certain. The Japanese leadership knew this, but this knowledge did not equate acceptance nor did it translate into action. The Americans felt that some sort of game changer was needed to push the Japanese into surrender.\n\nAccording to Henry L. Stimson “We, [the administration] felt that to extract a genuine surrender from the Emperor and his military advisors, they must be administered a tremendous shock which would carry convincing proof of our power to destroy the Empire.” [1]\n\nThe United States Strategic Bombing Survey reckoned that to cause equivalent damage done by the Atomic Bombs using conventional weapons would require 345 B29’s. [2] However it is not the fact that the Atomic bombs saved hundreds of B29 missions that is the crucial element. That is the sheer terror that the destructive power of the atomic bombs. This made the Atomic bombs of a different order to any number of conventional B29 missions and was a crucial factor in bringing about the Japanese surrender. If the fact that a city could be levelled in a single night could make the Japanese surrender they would have done so many months previously, and many times over. Important members of the Japanese government agreed with Stimson’s assessment of the importance of shock. Prime Minister Suzuki said “The atomic bomb provided an additional reason for surrender as well as an extremely favorable opportunity to commence peace talks. I believed such an opportunity could not be afforded by B-29 bombings alone.” [3]\n\n[1] Secretary of War, Henry Stimson quoted by Rudolph A. Winnacker, ‘The Debate About Hiroshima’, Military Affairs, vol.11, no.1, Spring 1947, p.27.\n\n[2] United States Strategic Bombing Survey: Summary Report (Pacific War), http://www.anesi.com/ussbs01.htm p.24.\n\n[3] Suzuki Kantaro quoted by Sadao Asada, ‘The Shock of the Atomic Bomb and Japan’s Decision to Surrender - A Reconsideration’ in Hiroshima in History: The Myths of Revisionism, (Columbia, 2007) p. 35\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
1ffa922b585b1a47316a938c440a5fcc
|
Introducing the use of violence into the justice system means that liberties that have taken centuries to secure are lost
The principle that all people are presumed innocent and, as a result, should not be abused either physically or mentally by officers of the state is one that took centuries- not to mention a great deal of blood and sweat- to establish. In the words of British Chief Justice Phillips this respect for human rights is, in and of itself, “a vital part in the fight against terror”, as if terrorism is to be defeated states that ascribe to such principles must show that they remain true to them in order to win the ideological battle.
Using torture on suspected terrorist would be to tear apart that basic principle in response to crimes, which, it has been noted, are on nothing like the scale of the industrialised warfare of the twentieth century, would be a massively damaging step. Regardless of the scale of the crime the individual must have protections against false accusation and punishment, this means that a fair trial is necessary in order to determine innocence or guilt.
|
[
{
"docid": "70376c93e5550bda797b757dcc382b98",
"text": "ights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain The era of battlefield warfare has passed. The war on terror may be a new form of combat, but the results are no less serious. Were a terrorist flying a military bomber aircraft to deliver a payload of death and destruction on one of the world’s major cities, nobody would think twice about shooting it down, killing the crew and preventing the bombing.\n\nThere is no meaningful way in which the example above is morally different from leaving a bomb in a station or on a subway train. Societies have the right to defend themselves by all means necessary. The combatants involved in this process consider themselves to be at war and revel in the fatalities they cause. It is only sensible for states to treat these individuals as though that war were a reality in the more traditional meaning of the word.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "f556d1782425fef55eac3e2c3cff5a52",
"text": "ights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain It is perfectly possible to put legal structures in place that allow for judicial overview of the interrogation techniques used. In most Western countries – the most common targets of modern terrorism – there are already legal frameworks for judicial approval of the extension of detention periods and so forth on an emergency basis. The same form of oversight could be used here and exactly the same principle of retrospective appeal could apply to ensure that the capacity was not misused.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ab52f2b8bab070a08ccd4aa2d6e1778d",
"text": "ights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain No amount of legal niceties would bring any comfort to the families of those slaughtered in terrorist atrocities around the world. When you are fighting an enemy that has no time for the European Convention on Human Rights, the US Bill of Rights, English common law or the Geneva Convention it is simply impractical to apply those standards.\n\nThe basic principle of terrorism is to cause as much fear, panic and destruction as possible. Terrorists do not have a set goal in mind, they are not functioning as rational individuals, and affording them the luxury of treating them as such ignores what they are likely to do.\n\nThe great wars of the twentieth century were fought within the confines of post-Enlightenment thought, however extreme that may have become. The wars of the 21st seem set to be Mediaeval in nature, with the promise of paradise rather than provinces as the reward for martyrdom. The defense of the values of liberty and democracy must reflect that new and chilling reality.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3eb1ee5c7be8f222b3563462357b23c3",
"text": "ights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain When battling those who would seek to replace the rule of law and democratic governance with religious decree, it is more important than ever to demonstrate that the principles of a civilised society are paramount.\n\nIn the light of that reality, for the state to use the very tools of fear and violence that they are fighting against sends out the wrong message. It means, in effect, that nations have put themselves on the same moral level as the terrorist organisations they are fighting.\n\nInstead it is important to demonstrate that actions undertaken quite legally are an effective bulwark against terror. Moreover, it is necessary to demonstrate that these values are part of a system of rule of law; that values of justice, fairness and accountability are seen as valuable both by a states’ leaders, but also by arbiters (judges) and its people.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1431f9d08bab6aed904f42a9c8c4ab66",
"text": "ights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain The primary difficulty with the use of torture is not one of principle but one of practice – it doesn’t work. You simply have no way of checking whether the information is accurate. By using force or the threat of force, suspects are under pressure to say something- anything- that will stop the pain they are experiencing. However, information acquired this way will not necessarily be true\n\nIn the light of this, the use of torture actually slows things down the process of investigating and preventing terrorist threats. This is particularly true of terror suspects for whom death has no fear and for whom it may, in fact be a goal. A much safer approach to rooting out terrorist who seek to martyr themselves is old fashioned, and perfectly legal, investigation.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0994bbdc268710b7d32a051e1f7d150e",
"text": "ights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain What about a biological bomb in a small town killing a few thousand. Or a lunatic with an M16 in a village killing fifty? Or preventing a single murder or rape? Anyone attempting to support the resolution must give a clear explanation of the point at which torture can be justified. How many individuals must information acquired through torture be able to save before the state is permitted to use pain and coercion against criminal and terrorist suspects in its custody?\n\nIf it is right to use torture in an attempt to prevent the death of a single individual, when that individual is a member of a crowd, then why should the use of torture to protect the life of a single individual be considered unjustifiable? It makes no difference to the individual or to their family. Torture must either be treated as being unacceptable in all circumstances, or its use in all circumstances must be permitted.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4afe959c586e08605e89826eb5d1556b",
"text": "ights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain Allowing torture under any circumstances will allow the prospect of its routine use\n\nThe advantage of a complete ban on torture is that it leaves no room for doubt, no possibility for confusion, no need to apply personal judgement. Under the status quo, it is simply illegal to use force or the threat of force to solicit information from a suspect, regardless of the charge.\n\nThe moment that becomes something other than a complete ban then it puts an intolerable pressure on security officials to decide when it is justified and when it is not.\n\nThe experience of Abu Grahib demonstrates how the use of abusive treatment can become routine, even trivial, all too quickly. If it is acceptable to use torture to prevent mass-murder, then why not murder? If for murder than why not rape? And so on.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e27841aa7f6538b4ad461b8e6b5a716a",
"text": "ights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain If legal principles are abandoned then there is little point in defending the liberties that democratic governments say they are so keen to defend\n\nIf we accept that this is a war, then its focus is not so much political control of territory as the preservation of a way of life. It is ridiculous to fight to defend principles of equality and decency using the tool of abandoning them the moment they become inconvenient.\n\nThe forces of religious extremism wish to undo 1,400 years of democratic development. We should not assist them in that process by allowing the major powers of the West throw out the most basic principles of the rule of law. Such a move, ultimately, has the potential to be vastly more destructive than the actions of a few fanatics\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c7bc5a1724d6d3a672fb57a226e413c1",
"text": "ights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain Terrorist organisations such as Al Qaida do not respect the rights of individuals and the only way to fight fire is with fire\n\nTerrorist networks use fear, pain and suffering as their stock in trade. By definition, terror organisations are not bound by legal due process or rights of appeal and review. Instead they deal out death to innocent members of society who have no power to alter the events and policies that motivate terrorists atrocities.\n\nBy contrast, the first role of governments is to protect their citizens’ safety and they should use all tools possible to ensure that innocents are not threatened with random death and destruction.\n\nIn the light of these two realities, it is appropriate for governments to take extreme measure, such as torture, to protect their citizens.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8b41d272ffbf92c3891ebba0687451fa",
"text": "ights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain Time is of the essence in a crisis. When confronted with extremists who see a virtue in their own death, extraordinary methods may be required.\n\nThe use of force and fear in enhanced interrogation gives quick results. In the event of a bomb hidden somewhere in Manhattan, it’s vital to have information quickly. Nobody, even the most diehard proponents of enhanced interrogation, would suggest that it is pleasant or should be used on a routine basis; the point is that techniques such as waterboarding are effective and fast.\n\nResponding to terrorist threats is something that needs to be dealt with in minutes or hours. Unfortunately, it is in the nature of due process and legal procedure that they trials and questioning take place in a framework of days or weeks.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "339b3fcd22cd6cdf1ba7f223f6390afa",
"text": "ights philosophy ethics politics terrorism house would use torture obtain In the event of an imminent attack it is only reasonable to use force to find information\n\nIf authorities have good reason to believe that there is a realistic threat of a nuclear explosion in downtown Manhattan or Tel Aviv then it is vital that as much information as possible can be gathered as quickly as possible.\n\nIf that requires pain to be inflicted on an individual to save the lives of millions then it is simply practical to do so. The harm represented by the pain caused to a single individual is outweighed by the possibility that information gathered from a forceful interrogation might save thousands of lives\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
a3b21b630cb6ae61809bcf90d1216c7f
|
The right to life means a right to death
When we speak of the right to life it means more than merely the right to be alive, it encompasses the right to self-ownership, the notion that one’s life is one’s own and that you are not beholden to anyone else by the mere fact that you are alive. It follows from this that there can be no duty on anyone to live beyond a point of their own choosing, and there should be no attempt to interfere with suicidal behaviour whether by individuals or by the law. [1]
[1] Chobli, Michael, ‘Suicide’, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Edward n. Zalta (ed.), Fall 2009, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/suicide/#LibVieRigSui
|
[
{
"docid": "35d74016ed25482664f1f43d3455d280",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence The right to life is a positive protection against the state extinguishing that right and is limited largely to that context. A person can no more choose to give up their right to life than they can choose to give up their right to freedom from slavery.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "e8a353a613fd93a6c869929f24e6f646",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence The law and is to protect the state and the people from each other and to help guide people into making the right decisions for the whole of society. The important thing is that society should make a stand for what it believes is right and against what it believes is wrong. And suicide is clearly a wrongful, misguided and wasteful act from the point of view of society and the state.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "81c0d9ffc857e72712da9bfe8d3fe49a",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence The fact of suffering is what makes it impossible to consider suicide a legitimate choice. Someone under the duress of intense pain and/or discomfort is not going to be able to make a fully voluntary and informed choice to end their life.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bffa70a91b42d5b1c2492ca12f5cdd93",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence This is only an objection to particular cases of suicide; it cannot be made into a general case because some suicides really do only affect the individual – those in which there is no extended family or friendship group. And that an act is, on occasion, selfish is not sufficient grounds to prohibit it. Indeed, ostracising one’s friends or walking out on one’s family can upset people but we are hardly likely to deny people the liberty to make such individual, private life choices. Nobody has the right to force people to live in circumstances that cause them unhappiness. Suicide should be viewed in exactly the same way.\n\nMoreover it should be remembered that an attempt to prosecute survivors or in some way to punish relatives of those who succeed is clearly not going to help leaving grieving relatives in a worse position. [1]\n\n[1] Holt, ‘When Suicide was illegal’, 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f7752a7b9fbb7388a74e2c8c5217e765",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence Suicide is different from abortion or cloning or euthanasia in the important respect that it involves only one individual and his choice about the way he lives (and by extension, when he dies). So we can deny any link to these other phenomena. In addition, we can defend suicide on the same basis as one might plausibly and robustly defend all the others: on the basis of the value of individual autonomy. Human dignity is a value that is inextricably linked to the free exercise of individual autonomy; it is the absence of autonomy and the domination of another man over the slave that makes slavery a clear violation of basic human dignity.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f9ed08a157f27fed68e4fd82734367aa",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence Society can perfectly well spread the message that suicide is not a valid life choice without criminalizing and punishing those that have tried and failed to perpetrate it. Moreover, we have grave doubts about the practical use of anti-suicide legislation. It is highly dubious that people who are driven to contemplate suicide will be dissuaded by the knowledge that they would be breaking the law. The spectre of punishment only awaits those who fail to commit suicide. These people have already decided that their lives are not worth living; branding them criminal and punishing them is hardly likely to make them reconsider their decision.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b11e84f5422cd90938d3d2060e3283fd",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence The question whether or not human life is \"sacred\" should not intrude on the issue of suicide legislation because no clear proof is possible one way or the other. We respect human rights because we value the liberty and autonomy of individuals; we want to be able to make our own decisions and we likewise affirm the right of others to make their own decisions. The free, autonomous decision to take one’s own life should be respected as a legitimate exercise of one’s individual liberty. Human liberty is sacrosanct and should only be limited where clear social harm is caused; suicide affects only the individual and so it should be permitted\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5cb32a96d4f7a3a7814bbcf8cce72b99",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence This is not the role of the criminal law\n\nCriminal legislation is not the vehicle for society’s pronouncements on questions of how one should live one’s life. It instead involves the entirely practical exercise of ensuring that individuals are able to live freely and enjoy their freedom without fear of external interferences like theft, violence or murder. Criminal legislation should guarantee a safe space for autonomous individual action - like suicide.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5aac80ce390d56478c5e425d9ec6de39",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence We are all dying\n\nDeath is an inevitable fact of life. We will all die. Suicide is therefore not a matter of choosing between life and death per se, but of choosing the time and manner of death one wishes. We would all prefer a painless death over a slow and agonising one, and it is better to be able to prepare oneself and if possible anyone else who will be affected, so why should the difference between the two be a matter of luck and not one of choice?\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c1c71d325a70d87c353bd4baf8a5f1be",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence Suicide is a selfish act that causes suffering to others\n\nSuicide is an entirely selfish act that causes immense pain and suffering for those loved ones that are left behind. It is also cowardly; rather than facing your problems and being strong, you instead take the easy way out and kill yourself. It is important, therefore, to instil a strong sense of responsibility to one’s family and for one’s affairs and to do this by punishing those who try and fail to perpetrate this selfish and cowardly act.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a037cb131aa270e93591ca915c9af003",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence Prohibiting suicide sends the message that it is not an acceptable behaviour\n\nIndividual action is shaped by what norms and standards are set by society. By prohibiting suicide, society sends out a message that it is not an acceptable action. Legislation is a useful social tool, in that it proscribes the limits of individual action. And by failing to prohibit suicide, society fails to add the ultimate sanction of its laws into the balance of any decision whether or not to commit suicide. Many of those who have tried and failed to commit suicide never attempt it again. This suggests that many who kill themselves do so because of their particular short-term circumstances, perhaps while ill, suffering financial problems or under emotional stress, rather than through a considered and rational decision. More than 30% of suicides are precipitated by intimate partner problems, more than 10% by jobs problems and 10% by financial problems. [1] Given this, even a small deterrent will help to save many lives that are currently wasted needlessly.\n\n[1] Canters for Disease Control and Prevention, ‘Suicide: Data Sources’, 26 August 2011, http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/suicide/datasources.html#link\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ccc37974b767458f0a7f7dc85dae8d53",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence Suicide is a waste of life\n\nSuicide is a waste of life. It is an immoral act that ignores the sacrosanct nature of human life – something that is universally considered to be the case as shown by being something nearly all religions consider to be the case. [1] Failure to criminalize such a flagrant violation of the sanctity of human life condemns any society as irreligious and immoral. Nowadays we hear everyone talking about human rights; we hear precious little about human obligations. If we believe in the moral worth of human rights we do so because we think that human life is a wonderful thing and something with which we should not interfere. Whether the interference is by others or by ourselves, any action that denigrates human life is morally wrong for precisely the reason that we support human rights. We have an obligation to preserve all life, including our own.\n\n[1] Perrett, Roy Wo., ‘Buddhism, euthanasia and the sanctity of life’, Journal of Medical Ethics, Vol. 22, No. 5, October 1996, http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ADM/perrett.htm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4feed7d882bd564b9d940743cafd171b",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence Suicide undermines the sanctity of the human body\n\nLike abortion, euthanasia, cloning and genetic engineering, suicide undermines the sanctity and inviolability of the human body. It is legitimate to legislate against such actions because the sanctity of the human body is an intrinsic constituent part of the respect for human dignity, which is the sine qua non of social life in any country.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
07c9cdbfa8158b82f762154c62c33a52
|
We are all dying
Death is an inevitable fact of life. We will all die. Suicide is therefore not a matter of choosing between life and death per se, but of choosing the time and manner of death one wishes. We would all prefer a painless death over a slow and agonising one, and it is better to be able to prepare oneself and if possible anyone else who will be affected, so why should the difference between the two be a matter of luck and not one of choice?
|
[
{
"docid": "81c0d9ffc857e72712da9bfe8d3fe49a",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence The fact of suffering is what makes it impossible to consider suicide a legitimate choice. Someone under the duress of intense pain and/or discomfort is not going to be able to make a fully voluntary and informed choice to end their life.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "e8a353a613fd93a6c869929f24e6f646",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence The law and is to protect the state and the people from each other and to help guide people into making the right decisions for the whole of society. The important thing is that society should make a stand for what it believes is right and against what it believes is wrong. And suicide is clearly a wrongful, misguided and wasteful act from the point of view of society and the state.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "35d74016ed25482664f1f43d3455d280",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence The right to life is a positive protection against the state extinguishing that right and is limited largely to that context. A person can no more choose to give up their right to life than they can choose to give up their right to freedom from slavery.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bffa70a91b42d5b1c2492ca12f5cdd93",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence This is only an objection to particular cases of suicide; it cannot be made into a general case because some suicides really do only affect the individual – those in which there is no extended family or friendship group. And that an act is, on occasion, selfish is not sufficient grounds to prohibit it. Indeed, ostracising one’s friends or walking out on one’s family can upset people but we are hardly likely to deny people the liberty to make such individual, private life choices. Nobody has the right to force people to live in circumstances that cause them unhappiness. Suicide should be viewed in exactly the same way.\n\nMoreover it should be remembered that an attempt to prosecute survivors or in some way to punish relatives of those who succeed is clearly not going to help leaving grieving relatives in a worse position. [1]\n\n[1] Holt, ‘When Suicide was illegal’, 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f7752a7b9fbb7388a74e2c8c5217e765",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence Suicide is different from abortion or cloning or euthanasia in the important respect that it involves only one individual and his choice about the way he lives (and by extension, when he dies). So we can deny any link to these other phenomena. In addition, we can defend suicide on the same basis as one might plausibly and robustly defend all the others: on the basis of the value of individual autonomy. Human dignity is a value that is inextricably linked to the free exercise of individual autonomy; it is the absence of autonomy and the domination of another man over the slave that makes slavery a clear violation of basic human dignity.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f9ed08a157f27fed68e4fd82734367aa",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence Society can perfectly well spread the message that suicide is not a valid life choice without criminalizing and punishing those that have tried and failed to perpetrate it. Moreover, we have grave doubts about the practical use of anti-suicide legislation. It is highly dubious that people who are driven to contemplate suicide will be dissuaded by the knowledge that they would be breaking the law. The spectre of punishment only awaits those who fail to commit suicide. These people have already decided that their lives are not worth living; branding them criminal and punishing them is hardly likely to make them reconsider their decision.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b11e84f5422cd90938d3d2060e3283fd",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence The question whether or not human life is \"sacred\" should not intrude on the issue of suicide legislation because no clear proof is possible one way or the other. We respect human rights because we value the liberty and autonomy of individuals; we want to be able to make our own decisions and we likewise affirm the right of others to make their own decisions. The free, autonomous decision to take one’s own life should be respected as a legitimate exercise of one’s individual liberty. Human liberty is sacrosanct and should only be limited where clear social harm is caused; suicide affects only the individual and so it should be permitted\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "44e575ff453b516a6de98e4626bcbf86",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence The right to life means a right to death\n\nWhen we speak of the right to life it means more than merely the right to be alive, it encompasses the right to self-ownership, the notion that one’s life is one’s own and that you are not beholden to anyone else by the mere fact that you are alive. It follows from this that there can be no duty on anyone to live beyond a point of their own choosing, and there should be no attempt to interfere with suicidal behaviour whether by individuals or by the law. [1]\n\n[1] Chobli, Michael, ‘Suicide’, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Edward n. Zalta (ed.), Fall 2009, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/suicide/#LibVieRigSui\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5cb32a96d4f7a3a7814bbcf8cce72b99",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence This is not the role of the criminal law\n\nCriminal legislation is not the vehicle for society’s pronouncements on questions of how one should live one’s life. It instead involves the entirely practical exercise of ensuring that individuals are able to live freely and enjoy their freedom without fear of external interferences like theft, violence or murder. Criminal legislation should guarantee a safe space for autonomous individual action - like suicide.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c1c71d325a70d87c353bd4baf8a5f1be",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence Suicide is a selfish act that causes suffering to others\n\nSuicide is an entirely selfish act that causes immense pain and suffering for those loved ones that are left behind. It is also cowardly; rather than facing your problems and being strong, you instead take the easy way out and kill yourself. It is important, therefore, to instil a strong sense of responsibility to one’s family and for one’s affairs and to do this by punishing those who try and fail to perpetrate this selfish and cowardly act.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a037cb131aa270e93591ca915c9af003",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence Prohibiting suicide sends the message that it is not an acceptable behaviour\n\nIndividual action is shaped by what norms and standards are set by society. By prohibiting suicide, society sends out a message that it is not an acceptable action. Legislation is a useful social tool, in that it proscribes the limits of individual action. And by failing to prohibit suicide, society fails to add the ultimate sanction of its laws into the balance of any decision whether or not to commit suicide. Many of those who have tried and failed to commit suicide never attempt it again. This suggests that many who kill themselves do so because of their particular short-term circumstances, perhaps while ill, suffering financial problems or under emotional stress, rather than through a considered and rational decision. More than 30% of suicides are precipitated by intimate partner problems, more than 10% by jobs problems and 10% by financial problems. [1] Given this, even a small deterrent will help to save many lives that are currently wasted needlessly.\n\n[1] Canters for Disease Control and Prevention, ‘Suicide: Data Sources’, 26 August 2011, http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/suicide/datasources.html#link\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ccc37974b767458f0a7f7dc85dae8d53",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence Suicide is a waste of life\n\nSuicide is a waste of life. It is an immoral act that ignores the sacrosanct nature of human life – something that is universally considered to be the case as shown by being something nearly all religions consider to be the case. [1] Failure to criminalize such a flagrant violation of the sanctity of human life condemns any society as irreligious and immoral. Nowadays we hear everyone talking about human rights; we hear precious little about human obligations. If we believe in the moral worth of human rights we do so because we think that human life is a wonderful thing and something with which we should not interfere. Whether the interference is by others or by ourselves, any action that denigrates human life is morally wrong for precisely the reason that we support human rights. We have an obligation to preserve all life, including our own.\n\n[1] Perrett, Roy Wo., ‘Buddhism, euthanasia and the sanctity of life’, Journal of Medical Ethics, Vol. 22, No. 5, October 1996, http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ADM/perrett.htm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4feed7d882bd564b9d940743cafd171b",
"text": "eral philosophy life house believes suicide should be criminal offence Suicide undermines the sanctity of the human body\n\nLike abortion, euthanasia, cloning and genetic engineering, suicide undermines the sanctity and inviolability of the human body. It is legitimate to legislate against such actions because the sanctity of the human body is an intrinsic constituent part of the respect for human dignity, which is the sine qua non of social life in any country.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
3afa1baa8658fcacfa45826e2f2d3050
|
Expiring the Tax Cut Would Harm Small Business
A number of small businesses are owned by individuals who pay taxes as individuals. However, being small business owners they often earn enough to put them in the highest tax brackets. Given that this is true, the tax rate that these business owners would face following the abolition of the Bush tax cuts would be a rate higher than most big business. It seems unjust that small business owners would pay rates of tax at 36% or 39.6% given that businesses such as Goldman Sachs pay lower tax.
Further, the expiration of a tax cut for these small businesses means that the owners will often project less personal gain from projects that the business might undertake. A simple example (for use in a debate) is of a project that costs $100 to invest in and has a 10% chance of success, returning $1100. A tax rise could theoretically cause the return for the owner to fall from $1100 to $1000. This means that now a project that would have been profitable is no longer so and thus the owner won’t risk taking the project up.
This means that fewer projects are taken up in the thousands of small businesses that exist throughout the economy. As such, excess taxation stifles the innovations that small businesses often provide,costing the economy a great deal more in lost profits and lost market-share than is returned in tax revenue in the long run. [1]
[1] Murdock, Deroy, “Halt Reckless Spending and Extend Bush Tax Cuts,” Deseret News, 26/07/2010 http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700050783/Halt-reckless-spending-and-...
|
[
{
"docid": "bc8063a26c6d0937d1ada108b7cdfc72",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy Firstly, the harm to small business from such tax cuts could easily be mitigated by providing some measure of exception for small business owners. The U.S. already provides subsidies for small businesses that show signs of innovation and as such it seems logical that another exception could be added to prevent harm to small businesses.\n\nFurther, less that 2% of tax returns citing small business revenue come from the top two tax brackets. Most small business owners simply aren’t part of the top income bracket and further most investors in the top income brackets do not rely on small business revenue as their primary source of income. The harm should this policy go through without exception is much smaller than portrayed by opposition.\n\nFurther, the focus on small business is also a result of a “supply side” economic policy that has failed. Whilst the Bush system focused mainly upon supporting the private sector in order to create jobs, it has emerged after eight years to have had almost no effect on the number of Americans being employed, with most changes coming from government hiring. Small business makes a contribution to the economy, but nowhere near the level that opposition need for the argument to hold water. [1]\n\n[1] Gale, William, “Five Myths About the Bush Tax Cuts,” Washington Post, 01/08/2010 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/30/AR201007...\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "d9c775450210a60c78fd0cd325d0fa8e",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy As mentioned, tax cuts for the rich offer the least direct stimulus owing to the small percentage of their income that the wealthiest Americans spend on consumption. Often what is taxed is money that simply sits in bank accounts accruing interest. Given, then, that the super rich are a tiny portion of the population, despite their wealth, the immediate change the policy will have on the economy is fairly negligible.\n\nOpposition may talk about investment in businesses, however the risks that businesses take and their benefits are only truly reflected in long term statistics, which are irrelevant in the case of recession prevention as in a few years it is likely that there will not be fears of another recession. [1]\n\n[1] “A Real Debate On Taxes,” New York Times, 23/08/2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/24/opinion/24tue1.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "65cedd7e34dab0bf7d2a6f8126fbcb6c",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy There are a number of social ties that the rich have to the U.S.A. with many of them having inherited wealth or having families in the U.S.\n\nMoving to another country is inconvenient as it leads to the removal of all of these social ties, further the actual cost of moving is often enough to prevent them from doing so.\n\nFurther, many rich Americans have an attachment to America itself, either as a land where their parents prospered or as a land where they managed to earn their own wealth. As such, there are emotional ties to the country. Many have political influence in the U.S. which they would be unable to take advantage of should they leave the country. [1]\n\nFinally, it should be noted that states which routinely impose extremely low rates of personal income tax, or which refrain from taxing the bonuses paid to businesses’ senior managers obtain the majority of their state funding from natural resources revenues. Saudi Arabia is one of the largest and most active oil extractors and exporters in the world. It can make up for shortfalls in personal tax revenues by controlling the price and supply of the oil that it drills.\n\n[1] Confessore, Nicholas, “Taxes Not Seen as Making Rich Flee New York,” New York Times, 18/03/2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/nyregion/19leave.html?_r=1\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7eab0b877aa82ad01a42f448718c1777",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy The American system is one that can be changed with a popular vote. Further, the competition between the two parties and the bid to be re-elected causes them to make decisions that are good for the country so that they are credited for that by the people.\n\nWhilst the process does have flaws, it is illegitimate to call decisions made by the process unjust when the process is a clear process that can be accessed by everyone and can be changed if results are seen to be consistently unjust.\n\nIf the Republican voting base acts in the way that the proposition suggests it might simply be that the Republican voting base dislikes tax increases for reasons the proposition has not considered, such as a slippery slope effect where tax increases for the rich eventually make it more acceptable to increase taxes for the poor.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "788503cf36ebd1d8ef9e28feaf9ed2dc",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy As is mentioned in argument two of the opposition, if tax increases for the rich cause them to leave the country then it is entirely possible that this will lead to even less parity between those left behind and the poor who have to make do with even less tax revenue through redistribution.\n\nFurther, the rich are often the people who provide work for the poor through investments in enterprise and new products. Given that this is true, lower taxes for the rich often benefit the poor by allowing the rich to invest more and take more risks with their money. This often leads to innovations and the creation of new goods and services that often the poor may buy into and this allows them to improve the quality of their lives in the long run. [1]\n\n[1] Ortman, Johnathan, “Tax Incentives for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.” Entrepeneurship.org http://www.entrepreneurship.org/en/policy-forum/tax-incentives-for-entre...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "02afe647fbbb7b5b2d591419dce65d0e",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy Under current economic circumstances, the deficit is bad, and a downgrade of the credit rating has bad effects. However, stimulation of the economy during a recession is needed more.\n\nIf the economy is stimulated through lower taxes, it might cause it to recover faster and move into a boom period earlier. If this is the case, then even if the lower credit rating results in higher repayment costs, the economy returning to growth earlier will mean tax revenue is higher earlier. If that is true then it is possible that the government will recoup the cost of the tax cuts later on with higher growth.\n\nSecondly, the extension of Bush tax cuts for a two year period is unlikely to have any lasting impact on such a large deficit. Whilst the rich have a lot of money, it is entirely within their power to use accountants and other means such as offshore bank accounts to ensure that they do not bear the full brunt of the change. Bush tax cuts caused more rich people to keep their money in the U.S. This meant that despite the lower taxes, the greater amount of money kept in the U.S. meant that overall there was a net profit from the change. [1]\n\n[1] Twerkel, Amanda “Cantor Admits Extending Bush Tax Cuts Would “Dig The Hole Deeper on the Deficit – But He Doesn’t Care.”” Think Progress. 02/08/2010 http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2010/08/02/110994/cantor-bush-tax-cuts/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0318da05e70c86a070b33bcacaadfcc7",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy Expiring Tax Cuts Would Cause a Double Dip Recession\n\nWhilst the rich spend proportionately less of their income than the poor, the rest of their income is often invested in other areas and financial vehicles, boosting the economy in both the short and long term. In the short term this money allows businesses to take more risks owing to a greater pool of money to offset the risk, alongside lower interest rates. In the long term, these risks often lead to innovations that help the economy overall.\n\nIn increasing the tax burden on the rich, the spending and investment that wealthy individuals partake in is cut off, preventing these areas of the economy from growing. Recessions and recession prevention are often reliant upon public perception of an economy’s general health and the extent of its exposure to less stable economies. Due to this feedback mechanism, it is possible, therefore, that an unfounded belief that tax rises could obstruct economic growth might cause panic amongst the media and the populace. A recession might come about through the mere expectation that there will be a recession.\n\nIn fact, given that the majority of the media is controlled by the rich, it is within their best interest to report that there will be a crisis if there is a tax increase so that they can claim the policy was at fault in the future. [1]\n\n[1] Vaughan, Martin and Mckinnon, John, “Democrats Dissent on Bush Cuts,” Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748703954804575381...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b6ccbcdab0fd49d8acfec0d0094b0083",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy Expiring the Tax Cuts Would Cause Investor Movement Abroad\n\nAs mentioned in the previous arguments, the expiration of Bush tax cuts would firstly cause investors and people in the upper brackets to resort to tax avoidance methods, such as placing money in foreign accounts and using legal lacunae to reduce their tax liability.\n\nHowever in a world where the upper management of most businesses can be handled from other countries, it is prudent for those facing higher taxes in the U.S. to move away to avoid them. Most countries in the U.A.E, for example, have incredibly low tax rates for the entire population.\n\nThe reason that many American taxpayers in upper brackets have not moved away to take advantage of this is because the tax cuts and the Republican government have kept them satisfied enough that there is no reason to go through the inconvenience of moving.\n\nThe removal of the tax cuts could easily provide this impetus owing to the fact that they might result in further higher taxes for the rich down the line. As such, tax increases of this nature could cause the rich to leave the country and cease paying tax altogether. [1]\n\n[1] Bruner, John, “Where America’s Money is Moving,” Forbes, 14/06/2010 http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/14/where-the-rich-are-moving-business-belt...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "15e3103fad9dc42ac2fc1ae7a353f326",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy The Tax Cuts Only Exist Due to An Unjust System\n\nThe tax cuts that were created under a Republican government can be strongly linked with the Republican power base. The Republican party relies on a relatively small number of very rich and powerful donors. A tax cut for these people often leads to an increase in funding for the Republican party. Republican representation among the other classes generally comes from other conservative policies as opposed to one fiscal policy.\n\nFurther, there is an attitude in the U.S. among many poorer communities that tax regardless of the actual purpose is a bad thing. As such, the Republicans can often reduce taxes for the wealthy without significantly harming their voting base among other communities, despite the fact that these changes often harm poorer communities a great deal.\n\nThis means that implementation of the tax cuts was due to a political system that focuses on parties winning elections as opposed to doing what is best for America as a country. As such the system forces the Republicans to pander to the rich for funding and this leads to a worse situation for the country overall. Given that this is true, the tax cuts are unjust and should be removed. [1]\n\n[1] Creamer, Robert “Why Congress Must End Bush Tax Cuts for the Rich.” Huffington Post. 28/07/2010/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-creamer/why-congress-must-end-bus_b...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "19302d453ce94c02611b5074367e033a",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy Removing Tax Cuts for the Rich Promotes Equality.\n\nThe removal of tax cuts for the rich will help create greater equality in the U.S.\n\nFirstly it can do this by direct means, taxing the rich to a greater extent than is currently done would mean, obviously that the rich have less money and are thus more equal to the poor in income. However, further to this, money gained from such tax cuts that is not being reserved for deficit reduction can be redistributed to the poor in order to allow them to progress further in society.\n\nIncome inequality within the U.S. is significantly worse than in most other Western liberal democracies. It often leads to problems of the poor feeling disenfranchised within a society where they feel that the rich have all the influence. Poverty can lead to crime, motivated either by want and pure physical need, or by a distorted sense of entitlement fostered by consumer culture. A lack of parity in an economic system may be interpreted as justifying participation in crimes with an economic component, such as drug dealing, fraud or involvement with organised crime. [1]\n\n[1] Garofalo, Pat, “Stephen Moore Calls for raising taxes on the poor in order to pay for tax cuts for the rich.” Think Progress. 08/07/2010. http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2010/07/08/106661/moore-taxes/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "22e4a5bd36e4fb6ccd22a3e3a1684f17",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy Removing Tax Cuts Would Reduce the Deficit\n\nMaintaining Bush tax cuts would cost the government $680 billion in revenue over the next ten years according to Paul Krugman.\n\nGiven the downgrade in the U.S. credit rating by some credit agencies, it seems prudent to choose to roll back at least some of these cuts in order to please those agencies and convince them that the U.S. is taking serious action to tackle its debt. If this is the case, then they are likely to upgrade or maintain the U.S. credit rating. This is beneficial for the U.S. as it means that in the future it has smaller repayments to make on its current debt and can more readily take on debt in the future.\n\nFurther, given that the rich spend a smaller percentage of their money than the poor on consumption, an increase in taxes for the rich will firstly not cause a significant downturn in consumption and secondly, if spent responsibly by the government, will lead to further growth in the future which might cause the government to be able to recoup the money that it spends through higher tax revenue from a growing economy in the future. [1]\n\n[1] Krugman, Paul “Now That’s Rich.” New York Times. 22/08/2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/opinion/23krugman.html\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
020526c70b82d1897df1579cdd55250d
|
Expiring Tax Cuts Would Cause a Double Dip Recession
Whilst the rich spend proportionately less of their income than the poor, the rest of their income is often invested in other areas and financial vehicles, boosting the economy in both the short and long term. In the short term this money allows businesses to take more risks owing to a greater pool of money to offset the risk, alongside lower interest rates. In the long term, these risks often lead to innovations that help the economy overall.
In increasing the tax burden on the rich, the spending and investment that wealthy individuals partake in is cut off, preventing these areas of the economy from growing. Recessions and recession prevention are often reliant upon public perception of an economy’s general health and the extent of its exposure to less stable economies. Due to this feedback mechanism, it is possible, therefore, that an unfounded belief that tax rises could obstruct economic growth might cause panic amongst the media and the populace. A recession might come about through the mere expectation that there will be a recession.
In fact, given that the majority of the media is controlled by the rich, it is within their best interest to report that there will be a crisis if there is a tax increase so that they can claim the policy was at fault in the future. [1]
[1] Vaughan, Martin and Mckinnon, John, “Democrats Dissent on Bush Cuts,” Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748703954804575381...
|
[
{
"docid": "d9c775450210a60c78fd0cd325d0fa8e",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy As mentioned, tax cuts for the rich offer the least direct stimulus owing to the small percentage of their income that the wealthiest Americans spend on consumption. Often what is taxed is money that simply sits in bank accounts accruing interest. Given, then, that the super rich are a tiny portion of the population, despite their wealth, the immediate change the policy will have on the economy is fairly negligible.\n\nOpposition may talk about investment in businesses, however the risks that businesses take and their benefits are only truly reflected in long term statistics, which are irrelevant in the case of recession prevention as in a few years it is likely that there will not be fears of another recession. [1]\n\n[1] “A Real Debate On Taxes,” New York Times, 23/08/2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/24/opinion/24tue1.html\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "65cedd7e34dab0bf7d2a6f8126fbcb6c",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy There are a number of social ties that the rich have to the U.S.A. with many of them having inherited wealth or having families in the U.S.\n\nMoving to another country is inconvenient as it leads to the removal of all of these social ties, further the actual cost of moving is often enough to prevent them from doing so.\n\nFurther, many rich Americans have an attachment to America itself, either as a land where their parents prospered or as a land where they managed to earn their own wealth. As such, there are emotional ties to the country. Many have political influence in the U.S. which they would be unable to take advantage of should they leave the country. [1]\n\nFinally, it should be noted that states which routinely impose extremely low rates of personal income tax, or which refrain from taxing the bonuses paid to businesses’ senior managers obtain the majority of their state funding from natural resources revenues. Saudi Arabia is one of the largest and most active oil extractors and exporters in the world. It can make up for shortfalls in personal tax revenues by controlling the price and supply of the oil that it drills.\n\n[1] Confessore, Nicholas, “Taxes Not Seen as Making Rich Flee New York,” New York Times, 18/03/2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/nyregion/19leave.html?_r=1\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bc8063a26c6d0937d1ada108b7cdfc72",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy Firstly, the harm to small business from such tax cuts could easily be mitigated by providing some measure of exception for small business owners. The U.S. already provides subsidies for small businesses that show signs of innovation and as such it seems logical that another exception could be added to prevent harm to small businesses.\n\nFurther, less that 2% of tax returns citing small business revenue come from the top two tax brackets. Most small business owners simply aren’t part of the top income bracket and further most investors in the top income brackets do not rely on small business revenue as their primary source of income. The harm should this policy go through without exception is much smaller than portrayed by opposition.\n\nFurther, the focus on small business is also a result of a “supply side” economic policy that has failed. Whilst the Bush system focused mainly upon supporting the private sector in order to create jobs, it has emerged after eight years to have had almost no effect on the number of Americans being employed, with most changes coming from government hiring. Small business makes a contribution to the economy, but nowhere near the level that opposition need for the argument to hold water. [1]\n\n[1] Gale, William, “Five Myths About the Bush Tax Cuts,” Washington Post, 01/08/2010 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/30/AR201007...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7eab0b877aa82ad01a42f448718c1777",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy The American system is one that can be changed with a popular vote. Further, the competition between the two parties and the bid to be re-elected causes them to make decisions that are good for the country so that they are credited for that by the people.\n\nWhilst the process does have flaws, it is illegitimate to call decisions made by the process unjust when the process is a clear process that can be accessed by everyone and can be changed if results are seen to be consistently unjust.\n\nIf the Republican voting base acts in the way that the proposition suggests it might simply be that the Republican voting base dislikes tax increases for reasons the proposition has not considered, such as a slippery slope effect where tax increases for the rich eventually make it more acceptable to increase taxes for the poor.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "788503cf36ebd1d8ef9e28feaf9ed2dc",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy As is mentioned in argument two of the opposition, if tax increases for the rich cause them to leave the country then it is entirely possible that this will lead to even less parity between those left behind and the poor who have to make do with even less tax revenue through redistribution.\n\nFurther, the rich are often the people who provide work for the poor through investments in enterprise and new products. Given that this is true, lower taxes for the rich often benefit the poor by allowing the rich to invest more and take more risks with their money. This often leads to innovations and the creation of new goods and services that often the poor may buy into and this allows them to improve the quality of their lives in the long run. [1]\n\n[1] Ortman, Johnathan, “Tax Incentives for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.” Entrepeneurship.org http://www.entrepreneurship.org/en/policy-forum/tax-incentives-for-entre...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "02afe647fbbb7b5b2d591419dce65d0e",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy Under current economic circumstances, the deficit is bad, and a downgrade of the credit rating has bad effects. However, stimulation of the economy during a recession is needed more.\n\nIf the economy is stimulated through lower taxes, it might cause it to recover faster and move into a boom period earlier. If this is the case, then even if the lower credit rating results in higher repayment costs, the economy returning to growth earlier will mean tax revenue is higher earlier. If that is true then it is possible that the government will recoup the cost of the tax cuts later on with higher growth.\n\nSecondly, the extension of Bush tax cuts for a two year period is unlikely to have any lasting impact on such a large deficit. Whilst the rich have a lot of money, it is entirely within their power to use accountants and other means such as offshore bank accounts to ensure that they do not bear the full brunt of the change. Bush tax cuts caused more rich people to keep their money in the U.S. This meant that despite the lower taxes, the greater amount of money kept in the U.S. meant that overall there was a net profit from the change. [1]\n\n[1] Twerkel, Amanda “Cantor Admits Extending Bush Tax Cuts Would “Dig The Hole Deeper on the Deficit – But He Doesn’t Care.”” Think Progress. 02/08/2010 http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2010/08/02/110994/cantor-bush-tax-cuts/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7cf4f74f3765f7b0967b204eb1f3c3f0",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy Expiring the Tax Cut Would Harm Small Business\n\nA number of small businesses are owned by individuals who pay taxes as individuals. However, being small business owners they often earn enough to put them in the highest tax brackets. Given that this is true, the tax rate that these business owners would face following the abolition of the Bush tax cuts would be a rate higher than most big business. It seems unjust that small business owners would pay rates of tax at 36% or 39.6% given that businesses such as Goldman Sachs pay lower tax.\n\nFurther, the expiration of a tax cut for these small businesses means that the owners will often project less personal gain from projects that the business might undertake. A simple example (for use in a debate) is of a project that costs $100 to invest in and has a 10% chance of success, returning $1100. A tax rise could theoretically cause the return for the owner to fall from $1100 to $1000. This means that now a project that would have been profitable is no longer so and thus the owner won’t risk taking the project up.\n\nThis means that fewer projects are taken up in the thousands of small businesses that exist throughout the economy. As such, excess taxation stifles the innovations that small businesses often provide,costing the economy a great deal more in lost profits and lost market-share than is returned in tax revenue in the long run. [1]\n\n[1] Murdock, Deroy, “Halt Reckless Spending and Extend Bush Tax Cuts,” Deseret News, 26/07/2010 http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700050783/Halt-reckless-spending-and-...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b6ccbcdab0fd49d8acfec0d0094b0083",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy Expiring the Tax Cuts Would Cause Investor Movement Abroad\n\nAs mentioned in the previous arguments, the expiration of Bush tax cuts would firstly cause investors and people in the upper brackets to resort to tax avoidance methods, such as placing money in foreign accounts and using legal lacunae to reduce their tax liability.\n\nHowever in a world where the upper management of most businesses can be handled from other countries, it is prudent for those facing higher taxes in the U.S. to move away to avoid them. Most countries in the U.A.E, for example, have incredibly low tax rates for the entire population.\n\nThe reason that many American taxpayers in upper brackets have not moved away to take advantage of this is because the tax cuts and the Republican government have kept them satisfied enough that there is no reason to go through the inconvenience of moving.\n\nThe removal of the tax cuts could easily provide this impetus owing to the fact that they might result in further higher taxes for the rich down the line. As such, tax increases of this nature could cause the rich to leave the country and cease paying tax altogether. [1]\n\n[1] Bruner, John, “Where America’s Money is Moving,” Forbes, 14/06/2010 http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/14/where-the-rich-are-moving-business-belt...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "15e3103fad9dc42ac2fc1ae7a353f326",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy The Tax Cuts Only Exist Due to An Unjust System\n\nThe tax cuts that were created under a Republican government can be strongly linked with the Republican power base. The Republican party relies on a relatively small number of very rich and powerful donors. A tax cut for these people often leads to an increase in funding for the Republican party. Republican representation among the other classes generally comes from other conservative policies as opposed to one fiscal policy.\n\nFurther, there is an attitude in the U.S. among many poorer communities that tax regardless of the actual purpose is a bad thing. As such, the Republicans can often reduce taxes for the wealthy without significantly harming their voting base among other communities, despite the fact that these changes often harm poorer communities a great deal.\n\nThis means that implementation of the tax cuts was due to a political system that focuses on parties winning elections as opposed to doing what is best for America as a country. As such the system forces the Republicans to pander to the rich for funding and this leads to a worse situation for the country overall. Given that this is true, the tax cuts are unjust and should be removed. [1]\n\n[1] Creamer, Robert “Why Congress Must End Bush Tax Cuts for the Rich.” Huffington Post. 28/07/2010/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-creamer/why-congress-must-end-bus_b...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "19302d453ce94c02611b5074367e033a",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy Removing Tax Cuts for the Rich Promotes Equality.\n\nThe removal of tax cuts for the rich will help create greater equality in the U.S.\n\nFirstly it can do this by direct means, taxing the rich to a greater extent than is currently done would mean, obviously that the rich have less money and are thus more equal to the poor in income. However, further to this, money gained from such tax cuts that is not being reserved for deficit reduction can be redistributed to the poor in order to allow them to progress further in society.\n\nIncome inequality within the U.S. is significantly worse than in most other Western liberal democracies. It often leads to problems of the poor feeling disenfranchised within a society where they feel that the rich have all the influence. Poverty can lead to crime, motivated either by want and pure physical need, or by a distorted sense of entitlement fostered by consumer culture. A lack of parity in an economic system may be interpreted as justifying participation in crimes with an economic component, such as drug dealing, fraud or involvement with organised crime. [1]\n\n[1] Garofalo, Pat, “Stephen Moore Calls for raising taxes on the poor in order to pay for tax cuts for the rich.” Think Progress. 08/07/2010. http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2010/07/08/106661/moore-taxes/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "22e4a5bd36e4fb6ccd22a3e3a1684f17",
"text": " philosophy political philosophy house would remove bush tax cuts wealthy Removing Tax Cuts Would Reduce the Deficit\n\nMaintaining Bush tax cuts would cost the government $680 billion in revenue over the next ten years according to Paul Krugman.\n\nGiven the downgrade in the U.S. credit rating by some credit agencies, it seems prudent to choose to roll back at least some of these cuts in order to please those agencies and convince them that the U.S. is taking serious action to tackle its debt. If this is the case, then they are likely to upgrade or maintain the U.S. credit rating. This is beneficial for the U.S. as it means that in the future it has smaller repayments to make on its current debt and can more readily take on debt in the future.\n\nFurther, given that the rich spend a smaller percentage of their money than the poor on consumption, an increase in taxes for the rich will firstly not cause a significant downturn in consumption and secondly, if spent responsibly by the government, will lead to further growth in the future which might cause the government to be able to recoup the money that it spends through higher tax revenue from a growing economy in the future. [1]\n\n[1] Krugman, Paul “Now That’s Rich.” New York Times. 22/08/2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/opinion/23krugman.html\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
58f985c29719ffb944f46ed2605356bd
|
The dam is predicted to provide energy for all of Ethiopia
When the dam is in full effect, it should be able to provide the entirety of Ethiopia’s population with electricity. The United Nations Foundation placed access to energy as a high priority for developing countries, it enables access to key services and enables more income-generating activities [1] . If Ethiopia discontinued the project, then they would deprive their citizens of economic and health security. Using energy from a dam will have its own benefits. The energy will be renewable source and will provide energy security for this developing state, thus justifying the project.
[1] The United Nations Foundation ‘What We do: Achieving Universal Energy Access’ data accessed 10 December 2013
|
[
{
"docid": "63e46f28f8644b4ce93426490ee2e7d5",
"text": "energy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia While in theory the 6,000 MW dam can power all of Ethiopia, the reality is quite different. Areas of Ethiopia, such as Ogaden and Eritrea-Ethiopian border, are relatively unstable; making it hard to build a sufficient power grid in these regions. In Ogaden, instability in the past led to the withdrawal from the oil fields [1] , and this conflict-zone will most likely make the completion of a national grid a problem. The hurdles to producing the means to provide energy to these areas means that there probably will not be universal access to the GERD’s electricity.\n\n[1] Wikipedia ‘Ethiopia: Exports’ date accessed 10 December 2013\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "b80ba8d1c35a188ef1790aec22c4b85c",
"text": "energy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia Despite Ethiopia’s economic dreams, demand risk may mean a shortfall in profits. Internally, supply may exceed demand once the GERD is complete. The unaffordability of energy has led to low demands for electricity in the past. The possible reductions in subsidies to repay loans for building the dam will increase prices, which will then lower demand further [1] . Exporting the energy may not work either. To export power Ethiopia needs neighbours with developed transmission lines and a willingness to buy the electricity. The weak economic position of countries like Sudan [2] and poor relations with others suggest that international buyers won’t be too forthcoming.\n\n[1] Wikipedia ‘Dams and Hydropower in Ethiopia’ date accessed 12/12/13\n\n[2] World Bank ‘Project Appraisal Document on a Proposed Credit in the amount of SDR 26.44 Million’ 20 November 2007 p.20\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "551a15cc95cd8e3621020687c4a08ca9",
"text": "energy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia GERD will have environmentally positive consequences for the region. The major environmental benefit is the clean and renewable energy source. There is an unlimited supply of electricity and the production of this energy does not contribute to global carbon dioxide emissions. Another environmental benefit is that the dam will reduce the chances of flooding downstream and drought, enabling the country to better combat climate change which is worsening these factors [1] . Flood protection will prevent settled areas from being destroyed through rising river levels, benefitting Sudan and Egypt as well as Ethiopia.\n\n[1] Consulate General of Ethiopia, Los Angeles ‘Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam’ data accessed 12/12/13\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "595480cfa4d9db93c99c150d00394dae",
"text": "energy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia The colonial era agreement is outdated and does not apply to the modern world. Ethiopia’s population has now exceeded 90 million, which is more than Egypt’s 83 million, and yet it only has a small claim to the river. Many upstream countries, like Uganda, feel that the downstream countries have constrained and damaged them by denying access to majority of the Nile’s water [1] . These states have created a new agreement the Cooperative Framework Agreement in which there is a “principle of equitable… utilization” and each “state has the right to use within its territory”. [2] The upstream countries argue supersedes the old colonial treaty if it ever had any validity. [3] The Ethiopian government has assured Egypt and Sudan that they will receive enough water to live off comfortably. Sudan has been satisfied by the rearrangements [4] which implies that Ethiopia will not deprive downstream countries of access to the Nile.\n\n[1] Schwartzstein, Water Wars\n\n[2] ‘Article 3’, Agreement on the Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework, International Water Law, 2010\n\n[3] Ibrahim, ‘The Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement’, p.302\n\n[4] Peppeh,K. ‘Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt meet again to discuss GERD’ Zegabi 8 December 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a07a6f16b4cb172c0150cf06efd53f3b",
"text": "energy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia A contender to Natural Flow Theory is the Doctrine of Reasonable Use. This theory states that water can be used as long as it does not cause unreasonable damage to the flow. While there will be some loss of water to evaporation in GERD reservoir, it is predicted to be minimal compared to other dams in the region [1] . The threat from the irrigation projects can also be mitigated by developing more efficient techniques, which is a high priority of the Nile Basin Initiative [2] .\n\n[1] Water Technology ‘Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Project’ Data accessed 12/12/13\n\n[2] ‘Nile Water: Downstream versus upstream countries’ 27 May 2010\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5f124f05fb2d1fa02672dd6bfeae9602",
"text": "energy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia Geothermal power plants have their own drawbacks as well. Prime sites are often far away from population centres which means that there are losses of electricity between the plant and the customers. Drilling into heated rock is a difficult process and once complete there must be constant management to ensure that the source is not overused [1] .\n\n[1] Siegel,R.P. ‘Geothermal Energy: Pros and Cons’, Triple Pundits 15 June 12\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "65364234cb496cd73356c540895abea0",
"text": "energy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia Economic benefits of the dam for Ethiopia\n\nThe dam will produce significant economic potential for Ethiopia. In 2013, Ethiopia had to import 125,000 metric tonnes of coal to fuel its power stations. Over 50% of the country’s imports are orientated towards meeting its fuel demands [1] . If Ethiopia can replace these imports with its own energy then it can make significant savings. The diverted money could be contributed towards development, which would be assisted by greater accessibility to electricity. In addition to this, 12,000 jobs will be created [2] and Ethiopia will become an energy exporter. The excess energy from powering Africa will be enough to supply the surrounding region, making energy a viable export market for Ethiopia to tap in to [3] . In combination with the greater access electricity dependent to income-generating activities, these factors give Ethiopia hope of a positive economic future.\n\n[1] Tekle,T. ‘Ethiopia imports $1 billion in fuel from Sudan via Djibouti’ in Sudan Tribune 30 March 2013\n\n[2] Joy,O. ‘Earth, Wind, and Water: Ethiopia bids to be Africa’s powerhouse’ CNN 8 November 2013\n\n[3] Ibid\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d75ec3137d854ca5a321e5547d8b794f",
"text": "energy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia Environmental Benefits of the GERD\n\nGERD will have environmentally positive consequences for the region. The major environmental benefit is the clean and renewable energy source. There is an unlimited supply of electricity and the production of this energy does not contribute to global carbon dioxide emissions. Another environmental benefit is that the dam will reduce the chances of flooding downstream and drought, enabling the country to better combat climate change which is worsening these factors [1] . Flood protection will prevent settled areas from being destroyed through rising river levels, benefitting Sudan and Egypt as well as Ethiopia.\n\n[1] Consulate General of Ethiopia, Los Angeles ‘Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam’ data accessed 12/12/13\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "af6434f80cbddcc2087aad8541bd1e3c",
"text": "energy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia Ethiopia does not need another hydroelectric dam\n\nEthiopia’s decision to become an energy hub has led to the construction of unnecessary dams in the face of viable alternatives. Ethiopia has already constructed nine dams which produce more energy than the country consumes [1] . A significant disadvantage of these dams is that droughts can lower their energy output which, combined with lower river levels for nine months of the year, results in the dams being ineffective [2] . The Ethiopian government has already announced plans for a geothermal plant being built for 2018 to offset the disadvantages of the current dams [3] . The geothermal plant costs $0.7 billion less than the hydroelectric dam, and the company constructing it claim it will produce twice as much energy as the hydroelectric dam when the latter is at its peak [4] . It would be more viable, therefore, to invest in thermal energy rather than another hydroelectric project.\n\n[1] US Energy Information Administration ‘Ethiopia’ 30 April 2013\n\n[2] International Rivers ‘Ethiopia’s Biggest Dam Oversized, Experts say’ 5 September 2013\n\n[3] Wikipedia ‘Energy in Ethiopia’ data accessed 11/12/13\n\n[4] Maasho,A. ‘Ethiopia to get $4billion investment for leap into geothermal power’, Reuters, 24 October 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "75b6f60e58e61e64d1c662ade97c2a15",
"text": "energy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia Egypt and Sudan will have their legal rights infringed\n\nThe two downstream countries have a combined claim to a majority of the River Nile’s water. Through the Nile Waters Agreement, an old colonial treaty, Egypt and Sudan are owed 48 billion m³ and 4 billion m³ of water from the Nile respectively [1] . Each country also has a veto on any upriver activity. Both of these rights are known but ignored by the Ethiopian government, in violation of an internationally recognised treaty. This has led Egypt to be particularly prominent in claiming that their rights are being abused as 70 billion m³ of water from the Blue Nile (which they are dependent on) is used by the Ethiopians. This is a violation of the Nile Rivers Agreement and demonstrates Ethiopia’s poor position to justify the GERD construction.\n\n[1] Azikiwe,A. Water and the Geopolitics of the Nile Valley: Egypt confronts Ethiopia, GlobalResearch.ca\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8ee31c8fce3d99ba4e3145202a03b6bb",
"text": "energy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia Natural Flow Theory\n\nNatural Flow Theory (NTF) is the concept that every riparian user (land touching the water) has a right to the water unaltered and undiminished [1] . Dams tend not to disrupt water flow directly, however water use and evaporation from the large reservoir upstream from the dam could reduce the flow of the Blue Nile. In turn, this could affect downstream countries. Evaporation from the Aswan dam in Ethiopia amounts to around 14 billion cubic metres [2] . The GERD will face similar problems, meaning that the downstream countries will have a reduced water flow. The reservoir will also become a tempting target for large agricultural businesses as well. These companies, many of them foreign, have taken part in ’land grabbing’ to secure water before for large irrigation projects [3] and could potentially tap in to the large reservoir. A similar example is the Colorado River, where dams and irrigation projects have reduced the flow of the river and impacted heavily on the river delta [4] . These threats to the Blue Nile’s river flow demonstrate the likelihood of decreased access to water in the downstream countries, violating the major principle of NTF.\n\n[1] Smolen,M., Mittelstet,A. & Harjo,B. ‘Whose Water is it anyway?’ Southern Region Water Program August 2012\n\n[2] Consulate General of Ethiopia, Los Angeles ‘Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam’ data accessed 12/12/13\n\n[3] Fisher,S. ‘Africa for Sale’ International Rivers September 2011\n\n[4] Wikipedia ‘Colorado River’ date accessed 12/12/13\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
11657789424a77db32737a95ca2d1b63
|
Environmental risks
There are serious environmental factors that should be fully examined before any decision is made to approve the Pipeline project.
For one thing, the Pipeline will mostly extract Oil from Tar Sands. Extracting oil from tar sands is much more complicated than pumping conventional crude oil out of the ground. It requires steam-heating the sands to produce a petroleum slurry, then further dilution. One result of this process, the Canadian Environmental Ministry says, is that greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas sector as a whole will rise by nearly one-third from 2005 to 2020 — even as other sectors are reducing emissions. [1]
Former NASA Climatologist James Hansen has suggested that if the Pipeline is completed it is “Game Over for the Planet”. [2]
Furthermore, the path of the proposed Pipeline will bring it close to the Ogallala Aquifer which provides 30% of the United States’ total irrigation supply and 82% of the drinking water to the 2.3 million people who live within the region it serves. Furthermore, within that region is just under 20% of all US agricultural production.[3] A major spill along the Pipeline would have the potential to render the entire Aquifer unusable.
[1] Girling, Russell K., ‘The proposed Keystone XL pipeline will be built responsibly’, The Hill’s Congress Blog, 13 July 2011, http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-a-environment/171321-the-p...
[2] Mayer, Jane, ‘Taking it to the streets’, The New Yorker, 28 November 2011, http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2011/11/28/111128taco_talk_mayer#i...
[3] US Geological Survey, ‘High Plains Regional Ground-Water Study’, http://co.water.usgs.gov/nawqa/hpgw/factsheets/DENNEHYFS1.html
|
[
{
"docid": "2ce30149b047eafd1d9e5ce145618c9d",
"text": "ronment animals climate energy environment general health general Almost any form of producing and transporting oil risks an environmental disaster if things go wrong, as was demonstrated in the summer of 2010 by the major British Petroleum spill in the Gulf of Mexico.\n\nHistorically however land-based Pipelines have been far safer than Oil Freighters or off-shore platforms because of the ease of access, which means that spills can usually be responded to rapidly. The real damage with the BP Spill was due to its isolated location in deep water and the consequent difficulty of reaching it.\n\nFurthermore, fears of the carbon emissions are flawed because they are based on the assumption that if the Pipeline is not approved the Tar Sands will not be developed. But this is not the case. The Canadian Government has already shown interested in an alternative Chinese proposal which would see a Pipeline built to deliver the oil to the Pacific, and eventually to the Chinese market. [1] If the oil is going to be burned one way or another, it is best for the United States to do it, because the United States enjoys higher fuel efficiency standards and generally cleaner vehicles.\n\n[1] Yahoo news, 2012, http://news.yahoo.com/harper-visit-china-seek-deeper-economic-ties-202731193.html\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "bbb60d01f7afa70a094022a6adc47431",
"text": "ronment animals climate energy environment general health general History does show that renewable technology tends to develop when it is economically efficient. Alternatives to fossil fuels will be found when fossil fuels are too expensive to buy, and therefore people are willing to buy what is initially an inferior product. It is only then after general adoption, that the inferior product will improve to the point at which it is equal to the product it is replacing.\n\nThe fact is that as long as there are large scale supplies of fossil fuels available, and those supplies are plentiful enough to be affordable, consumers will be unwilling to accept the inferior performance they will get from electric cars, or the inferior comfort of smaller vehicles. The EU, with a far superior public transportation system is a bad comparison with the United States, as it is likely that the price at which Americans would accept the same sort of compromises is much higher, and no amount of environmental concern or preaching about alternative energy will generate the political capital to force them to if they don’t have to.\n\nFurthermore, what the opposition ignores in this argument is that it is often the poor who will suffer the most from artificially high fuel prices. Raising prices will increasingly make driving a luxury good, limiting the mobility of low income workers. This will both reduce their standard of living (i.e. ability to take vacations) and reduce their options for work and therefore for advancement.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0204b9c97f9dd953ae0971c2450304ef",
"text": "ronment animals climate energy environment general health general To say the job numbers are questionable is an understatement. The Department of State issued a report in August putting the estimated number at between 5-6000. [1]\n\nFurthermore, Trans-Canada, one of the major shareholders has backed off larger estimates in public, floating figures in the 20-25,000 range. TransCanada's initial estimate of 20,000 — which it said includes 13,000 direct construction jobs and 7,000 jobs among supply manufacturers — is far more conservative. [2]\n\nWhy the discrepancy? The Washington Post investigated and found that the same author of the Keystone report, Ray Perryman also wrote a report predicting massive job gains from a Wind Farm project. Among the predicted jobs were:\n\n“51 dancers and choreographers, 138 dentists, 176 dental hygienists, 100 librarians, 510 bread bakers, 448 clergy, 154 stenographers, 865 hairdressers, 136 manicurists, 110 shampooers, 65 farmers, and (our favorite) 1,714 bartenders.“ [3]\n\nFurthermore all of these estimates ignore potential job losses they may affect existing workers in the oil industry once the Pipeline is complete. It is perfectly possible that there will be a net loss of jobs.\n\nAs for the Unions, it will provide short-term construction jobs, which is why they support it. But almost any project would do the same.\n\n[1] United States Department of State Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, ‘Executive Summary Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Keystone XL Project’, 26 August 2011, http://www.keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov/clientsite/keystonexl.nsf/03_KX...\n\n[2] Kessler, 2011, http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/keystone-pipeline-...\n\n[3] ibid\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3c887ef37f3cf70d8c4ad6fb04687111",
"text": "ronment animals climate energy environment general health general Canada’s friendship with the United States is based on shared values, interests and a shared language, things it does not and never can share with China in the foreseeable future. As such, while delaying approval of the Keystone Pipeline might well cost the United States a pipeline, it is unlikely to cost America Canadian friendship.\n\nFurthermore, while the delay of the Pipeline project may well have made the Chinese bid more attractive, the fact that the Chinese government already owns 10% of the Canadian oil industry and was willing to put up the money [1] for a Pipeline is an indication that they may well be willing to a build a second Pipeline of their own regardless of what the United States does, even if it does not make economic sense in the short-run.\n\n[1] Radia, Andy, ‘Should the Harper government allow Chinese ownership of Alberta’s oil sands’, Canada Politics, 13 October 2011, http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/canada-politics/harper-government-allow-c...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "45a6121052bdef4f0d9432ee28310108",
"text": "ronment animals climate energy environment general health general The XL Pipeline, upon its completion would simply be replacing one source of Oil dependency with another. And what Canada makes up for in political friendliness, could be undone by the fact that US oil would be coming from a much smaller number of sources.\n\nFurthermore, resolving US supply problems will not solve the global energy shortage that will arrive as Oil deposits shrink and Chinese demand rises. Oil will remain a source of political instability.\n\nThe only true path to energy independence is to find alternative renewable sources that do not leave the United States and the rest of the world dependent on resources that are limited both in amount and in their geographical locations. The XL Pipeline might even undermine these efforts as it will create a false sense of security.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6903fde19b03e7af2cb7c6fd859d694c",
"text": "ronment animals climate energy environment general health general America should not become more dependent on oil\n\nA successful development of the Pipeline would deepen the Unite States’ dependence on Oil, and undermine the drive towards renewable fuels.\n\nHistorically, consumers switch fuels not when alternatives are available, but when economic forces cause costs to rise to such a point that it becomes inefficient not to switch. This is one reason why the EU has found such success with taxes on gasoline which brought its price above 4$ a gallon long before it reached that price on the market. The result was a rush to adopt smaller and more fuel efficient cars, and to ration other energy consuming hardware.\n\nThe main result of the Keystone Pipeline will be to lower fuel costs in the short-term, under pricing electric cars and alternative fuel sources. When gas prices finally rise, as they eventually will, the United States will find itself far behind the rest of the World in renewable technology.\n\nGiven that renewable technology will be one of the major sources of economic power in the next few decades, choosing short-term savings over-long term investment seems like a bad idea.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "32a528a5b25e53cf747641695b0009f3",
"text": "ronment animals climate energy environment general health general Job creation\n\nThe XL Pipeline project has the potential to create a large number of jobs, both in its construction, and in refining and processing at its terminal points within the United States.\n\nKeystone Pipelines has produced a report which indicates that the Pipeline should create 118,000 jobs, with as many as 250,000 in total after spinoffs have been counted. [1]\n\nLabor Unions have accepted this line and are aggressively lobbying for the Pipeline, [2] even though it means siding with Republicans and against their own party. Furthermore, Politicians ranging from Jon Huntsman to Bob Casey have embraced the job-creating p[3]otential of the Project.\n\n[1] The Perryman Group, ‘The Impact of Developing the Keystone XL Pipeline Project on Business Activity in the US’ June 2010, http://www.perrymangroup.com/reports/TransCanada.pdf\n\n[2] Fox, Liam, ‘Unions Back Keystone XL Pipeline Threatens Clash with Occupy Movement’, News Junkie Post, 3 December 2011, http://newsjunkiepost.com/2011/12/03/unions-back-keystone-xl-pipeline-th...\n\n[3] Kessler, Glenn, ‘Keystone pipeline jobs claims: a bipartisan fumble’, Washington Post, 14 December 2011, http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/keystone-pipeline-...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c28f72c9158dd01e09fdc2f563f1964b",
"text": "ronment animals climate energy environment general health general Rejecting the pipeline bid would worsen US relations with Canada\n\nCanada’s Oil reserves will be of major strategic value in the next century. Currently the United States is Canada’s preferred trading partner and strategic ally, both because of a history of past cooperation, and because the US is both more willing and able to support Canadian claims to the Arctic than China. The Pipeline would consolidate this relationship, ensuring that the development of Canada’s reserves would occur with the American market in mind, because once built, it would be far more expensive to build a second Pipeline than to simply use the existing one.\n\nThe United States, is not however, Canada’s only option. Canada is determined to sell the oil one way or another, and an American refusal will not save the environment. What it will do is make Canada look elsewhere. The Canadian government publicly floated a joint-Canadian-Chinese pipeline proposal which would bring the oil to the Pacific after the Obama Administration delayed consideration of the project until after 2012. [1]\n\nJust as the Keystone Pipeline would lock Canada into the US Market, a decision to develop Canadian reserves with the Chinese market in mind would be difficult to reverse, and undermine the energy independence of the United States rather than secure it.\n\n[1] Tan, Florence, and Hua, Judy, ‘Analysis: Harper’s bet may pay off; China open to Canadian oil’, Reuters, 25 November 2011, http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-harpers-bet-may-pay-off-china-open-045143...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "29ba71398d423f6b59177ceef54272ce",
"text": "ronment animals climate energy environment general health general The pipeline will reduce American dependence on Middle Eastern and Latin American oil\n\nCurrently, the United States imports nearly two-thirds of its Petroleum, with the leading suppliers including nations such as Nigeria, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. [1]\n\nDue to political instability and the difficult US relations with these nations, US supplies cannot be considered secure, and with the results of research into alternative sources of energy being decades away from fruition the United States needs alternative sources of oil today.\n\nOne option is Canada, which is individually already the United States’ single largest energy supplier. Canada’s known reserves total 179 billion barrels, placing it third behind Saudi Arabia, but some estimates have put its total at as high as 2 trillion barrels. [2]\n\nThe XL Pipeline project would help bring this oil overland into the United States. On the Canadian end, the increased market access would lead to rapid development, which in turn would increase Canadian capacity to the level to which it could reach a much greater portion of US demand.\n\nFurthermore, the United States enjoys close relations and an open border with Canada, meaning that this oil will likely arrive without the strings attached that come from buying from Venezuela or the Middle East. In the case of the latter the Pipeline would allow the US to disengage from the region to a degree.\n\nEven if hypothetically Canadian relations were to turn frosty, the existence of the pipeline would nevertheless ensure that the US would remain the only viable market.\n\n[1] U.S. Energy Information Administration, ‘U.S. Imports by Country of Origin’, http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_move_impcus_a2_nus_ep00_im0_mbbl_m.htm\n\n[2] Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, ‘Alberta’s Oil and Natural Gas Industry’, http://www.capp.ca/getdoc.aspx?DocId=111607&DT=NTV\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9d2676c650da84f34dbad6d438a5d581",
"text": "While Western states are willing to use surveillance technology to restrict their citizens, they do so always with a democratic mandate. That is the key difference. Democracies use surveillance technology to provide their people with the safety and security they demand, a security over which the people always have the veto of the ballot box. The non-democracy is not checked by any such power, and thus its use of surveillance technology faces no constraint.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "173638b310369e9d49e719676069f5f3",
"text": "Renting holds fewer benefits for women than ownership. For empowerment more women need to become home, and landowners. The provision of land titles to women means they have a sense of stability. In the case of Johannesburg, South Africa, a majority of young, female renters engage in different forms of transactional sex due to the expense of renting [1] . Equality in land titling will ensure women are able to save and seek safer livelihood options.\n\n[1] See further readings: Action Aid, 2012.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bf6a85af7cf2cdd676146980b127fd47",
"text": "Taking a neutral stance is a tacit endorsement of the validity of the message being spread as being worthy of discussion. Extremism does not deserve its day in court, even if the outcome were a thumping victory for reason and moderation. Besides, the nature of extremists is that they are not amenable to being convinced by reason or argument. Their beliefs are impervious to facts, and that is why debate is a pointless exercise except to give them a platform by which to spread their message, organize, and validate themselves to a wider audience.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5f2b3456d52d45e55f633ec14b6caea6",
"text": "Our world cultural heritage is extremely important and its destruction would constitute a crime against humanity.\n\nCultural property is important for many reasons. In this argument, its significance as part of our world cultural heritage will be assessed, while in the second argument, its local significance is examined.\n\nSites of cultural heritage often carry a large degree of aesthetic value. Renowned World Heritage sites like the Coliseum in Rome or the Pyramids of Giza or the Forbidden City in Beijing are truly stunning and constitute a masterpiece of architecture and a celebration of what the human mind and human culture are capable of. Their stunning beauty alone is sufficient to warrant their protection. However cultural property is more than just aesthetically valuable – they tell a story of human existence. Everything that makes up our society (our moral and aesthetic values, our language, our traditions, our way of life etc.) derives from our ancestors. Cultural property – be it in the form of archaeological sites, monuments or texts and art, provide our only means of connecting with our past. This is invaluable because of the enormous potential for understanding different cultures around the world and how they interact and often conjoin with each other. It offers opportunities for us to learn from the past and forge a better future. Recent atrocities such as the looting of museums in Bagdad and the damage caused to parts of ancient Babylon during the recent Iraq War are hugely harmful to the international community. The loss of part of our world heritage is even greater when one realises that the harms do not only affect our present day society, but all of future humanity.\n\nThe far-reaching and global nature of this harm is sufficient for it to be considered a crime against humanity. Indeed, ‘international practice in this field indicates deliberate extensive destruction of cultural heritage may be included among international crimes’. [1] The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), for example, ‘places the destruction of buildings dedicated to religion, or of historical and artistic monuments among war crimes (that are part of the broader concept of crimina juris gentium , or crimes against the peace and the security of mankind’. [2] It is therefore evident that despite the lack of a global mechanism (such as the ICC) that currently condemns the destruction of cultural property as crimes against humanity, international precedent with the ICTY suggests it would be perfectly reasonable to do so.\n\n[1] Francioni, Francesco and Lanzerini, Federico: “The Destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan and International Law”, EJIL (2003), Vol. 14 No. 4, 619–651, Oxford Journals, http://ejil.oxfordjournals.org/content/14/4/619.full.pdf\n\n[2] ibid\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b4ecc4cbc58b867604db5891cf30bdea",
"text": "Receiving countries should not and cannot afford to further protect migrants because they often free ride on health, education, and welfare systems.\n\nBecause immigrants are frequently less well off financially, and they sometimes come to a new country illegally, they cost a lot for receiving countries, and so they should not be further protected. Immigrants make heavy use of social welfare, and often overload public education systems, while frequently not pulling their weight in taxes. Illegal immigrants alone have already cost the United States “billions of taxpayer-funded dollars for medical services. Dozens of hospitals in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, have been forced to close” because they are required by law to provide free emergency room services to illegal immigrants. In addition, half a billion dollars each year are spent to keep illegal immigrant criminals in American prisons. [1] The money spent to build and maintain schools for immigrant children, and to teach them, takes away from the education of current schools, existing students, and taxpayers. This is unfair. Increasing social and economic protections and rights for migrants means increasing migration and increasing benefits that migrants receive from societies. This could be a burden that a state's welfare system is not capable of handling.\n\n[1] Colorado Alliance for Immigration Reform, \"Economic costs of legal and illegal immigration,\" accessed June 30, 2011, http://www.cairco.org/econ/econ.html .\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "35a68a74890c8e0880e2430682fd8465",
"text": "Less army influence – no coups\n\nThere has now been more than thirty years without an army coup but it has only been during the AKP government that the army has finally been cowed with the army being forced to defend its actions in court. [1] The AKP has brought about a fundamental transformation in the relationship between the military and civilian governments reducing the military’s influence; consistent with military subservience to civilian authority in other democracies. The National Security Council was turned from a executive body into an advisory board that was dominated by civilians and Parliamentary control over the military’s budget was strengthened. The Government’s control over the military was shown by the Ergenekon trials where senior army generals were accused of plotting a coup, with the result that the government showed the power of the judiciary over the military and took control over promotion. [2]\n\n[1] Demir, Firat, ‘Here's What You Need to Know about the Clashes in Turkey’, Foreign Policy, 1 June 2013, http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/06/01/here_s_what_you_need_to_know_about_the_clashes_in_turkey?page=0,1\n\n[2] Balta-Parker, Evren, and Akça, Ismet, ‘Beyond Military Tutelage? Turkish Military Politics and the AKP Government’, in Ebru Canan-Sokullu ed., Debating Security in Turkey, 15 December 2012, http://www.academia.edu/3426148/Beyond_Military_Tutelage_Turkish_Military_Politics_and_the_AKP_Government , pp.80, 87\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6b2af433d39756471b007bf79ca7e319",
"text": "The police should be equipped to react to contemporary social problems\n\nThe old-fashioned notions of friendly neighborhood unarmed policing reflect the aspirations of a different age. As armed violence has increased sharply in parts of the developed world, the police need to redefine their role so that it is a more appropriate response to contemporary problems. In the UK, for example, gun crime almost doubled in the decade to 2008, [1] while the rise in London gun crime has tripled, the police need to be able to respond to this. [2] There is also danger in being a state with unarmed police when others states have armed police forces. The unarmed nation may be seen as a “soft touch” compared to other regional nations. This can encourage an importation of criminality.\n\n[1] Whitehead, Tom, 'Gun crime doubles in a decade', The Telegraph 27 October 2009, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/6438601/Gun-crime-doubles-in-a-decade.html\n\n[2] Bamber, David, ‘Gun crime trebles as weapons and drugs flood British cities’, The Telegraph, 24 February 2002, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1385843/Gun-crime-trebles-as-weapons-and-drugs-flood-British-cities.html , accessed 20 September 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "644e8a9c2bb06c4d216f62ec1920da37",
"text": "Mexico is poor; it is the economic conditions that drive conflict not the U.S.\n\nDeclining real income drives social unrest and instability. Real incomes for workers in Mexico's manufacturing sector declined by a cumulative 2.6 percent between 1995 and 2005. It is likely that the decline in the informal economy is larger. The Government keeps a tight control over the minimum wage preventing it from rising. Although this does not affect many Mexicans directly a lot more have their wages set at a multiple of the minimum wage. At the same time there has been high unemployment and lower benefits. [1] In 1994-5 Mexico was hit hard by a financial crisis known as the ‘peso’ or ‘Tequila’ crisis. The peso depreciated by 47%, inflation went up to 52% and GDP fell by 6% not reaching its 1993 level until 1997. Unsurprisingly household income fell substantially; by 31% between 1994 and 1996, those in poverty rose from 10.4% of the population to 17% [2] Since 1996 although Mexico has experienced growth not only has it been slower than most developing countries this has been significantly cut into in real per capita terms by population growth. Mexico has large disparities in income between urban and rural areas and the gap between rich and poor has been widening. [3] The inequality leads people to be more willing to engage in the potentially lucrative drugs trafficking and the informal economy. Unemployment meanwhile makes them more likely to take drugs themselves as an escape.\n\n[1] Gundzik, Jephraim P. , ‘As Elections Approach, Mexico Faces Internal Instability', Power and Interest News report.\n\n[2] Baldacci, Emanuele, Luiz de Mello and Gabriela Inchauste, Financial crises, Poverty and Income distribution, IMF Working paper, pp.20-21.\n\n[3] Economy Watch, ‘Mexico Economy’, 24 March 2010.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2a36de21442f3f0136fad851802da74e",
"text": "Current International law on the use of force no longer matters\n\nThe international prohibition on the use of force has always been honoured in large part in the breach leading to the question of whether it should really be considered to be binding international law at all. Almost every major country has launched an illegal offensive action at some point; The USA has been involved in Kosovo and Iraq, the UK and France in attacking Egypt in 1953, China in attacking Vietnam in 1979, and Russia (as the USSR) in attacking Afghanistan also in 1979. In each instance of unilateral offensive action there will be justifications and a ‘smoke screen’ to make the conflict appear to be legal when in fact it is not. Major powers should simply admit that they do not regard the prohibition of the use of force as binding on them. Even without admitting it because international law is based upon state behaviour the use of force is legal as Michael J Glennon suggests “The consent of United Nations member states to the general prohibition against the use of force, as expressed in the Charter, has in this way been supplanted by a changed intent as expressed in deeds.” [1]\n\n[1] Glennon, Michael J., ‘How War Left the Law Behind’, The New York Times, 21 November 2002, http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/21/opinion/how-war-left-the-law-behind.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c04f9cdec46ca1953d47b21bc97c5782",
"text": "A European trade bloc can succeed without a political union\n\nThe European area only consists of liberal democracies, which consistently honour their agreements. While historically a political union might have been necessary to further strengthen the Coal and Steel Treaty (the EU as it originated) between recently belligerent states, these countries can now obtain the benefit of the trade union through multilateral agreements. They simply have to regulate protectionism and tariffs so countries can remain competitive and barriers to trade remain low. In the event that a country does not comply, the external pressure from the other countries, together with soft sanctions, is more than enough to keep the trade bloc functional.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
73b6426fa9d4221f2b2a6198e6db9e3a
|
Criminal defendants don’t get to pick and choose trial dates
Irrespective of who they are, Kenyatta and Ruto are nothing special – they’re just another two criminal defendants.
A person who is on trial murder or any other offence, whoever they are, can’t pick and choose their trial date for their own convenience or for their own business interests – why should these two particular defendants get a special privilege? Silvio Berlusconi was prosecuted by the Italian courts; the slow speed was due to the glacial pace of the Italian legal system rather than him particularly agitating for a special hold-up. The court cases were not done at his convenience.
|
[
{
"docid": "91a231a8dcfb6eead7ef2b079a97bafc",
"text": "africa law human rights international law government leadership voting Not every defendant is a head of state. While justice should aim to treat all defendants alike, there are some cases where things have to be changed in order to allow states to function.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "feb7c5aa2126131ccb4974894b265b5b",
"text": "africa law human rights international law government leadership voting Even though all parties agree to this, it is not appropriate for the ICC to be trying a sitting head of state anyway. The ICC is accepting this by holding the trial by videolink – no other court would do such a thing.\n\nWhile it sounds tempting to allow Kenyatta and Ruto to participate in their trial by Skype, they may not continue to participate and simply refuse to leave Kenya if they are convicted.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ab76bbdb05235112758992442fc52df0",
"text": "africa law human rights international law government leadership voting Kenya does not need or want government by those who hand out illegal title deeds [1] and threaten the freedom of the press [2] as Kenyatta’s government does.\n\nIn addition to that, the allegations that the president used a banned occult gang, the Mungiki, in order to perform acts of mass murder is enough to end his credibility as a leader in the country – the best interests of good governance in Kenya mean that Kenyatta should go.\n\n[1] Chanji, Tobias, “Raila Odinga says title deeds issued by President Uhuru Kenyatta illegal”, Standard Digital, November 25th 2013, http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000098610&story_title=raila-s...\n\n[2] Shiundu, Alphonce, “President retains punitive fines against media in new law”, Standard Digital, November 27th 2013, http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000098841&story_title=Kenya-p...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4b32cd9129f542d682b7bb6989c0f7e4",
"text": "africa law human rights international law government leadership voting Kenya doesn’t need a trial. The Kenyan parliament voted against such a thing – the Kenyan people decided in 2013 that they want to give Kenyatta and Ruto a democratic mandate.\n\nWhile there is a terror threat – something that Kenyatta and Ruto can deal with in their role as head of state – Kenya did not have post election violence in 2013, and ethnic conflict is not going on at a major level. Even if there is no justice, there is peace, which is more important.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cff5f556c98d9cea56f08deb0ba1f80b",
"text": "africa law human rights international law government leadership voting It is accepted as a position of international criminal law that head of state immunity does not apply before international tribunals [1] . Any such immunity that Kenya had was waived by them joining the ICC, which they did voluntarily.\n\nEven so, just because someone has a position of power does not mean they should have impunity from liability for very serious crimes.\n\n[1] Case Concerning the Arrest Warrant of 11 April 2000 (Democratic Republic of the Congo v Belgium), 14 February 2002, http://www.refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?docid=3c6cd39b4\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c2d17f9f0e2c5c286cdcb801bbd5453b",
"text": "africa law human rights international law government leadership voting A previous Kenyan government, operating with a democratic mandate, ratified the Rome Statute. Therefore, there is no interference with Kenyan sovereignty: a Kenyan government legally and lawfully submitted Kenya to the jurisdiction of the ICC.\n\nBesides, a “democratic mandate” would not stop the prosecution of a prosecution of someone for an offence committed prior to getting into office, which is what happened in Kenya. Neither is a “democratic mandate” a defence to perform crimes against humanity either in or out of office.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "66696157bf22af63ae02d5fd1e96512f",
"text": "africa law human rights international law government leadership voting Kenya is an advanced state with a functioning system of the rule of law – except for those in power. With modern video technology, Ruto and Kenyatta could oversee the governance of the country from The Hague, or, alternatively, participate in the trial through videolink.\n\nEven so, Al-Shabab are unlikely to be defeatable within the terms of Kenyatta and Ruto. Such a delay would only be useful if there was government reform or fresh elections necessary, rather than anti-terrorist action.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4997ea6b8d21a003ed12775a0e3be9ef",
"text": "africa law human rights international law government leadership voting Kenya needs the trial now\n\nWithout justice, there cannot be peace. Following the total failure of the Kenyan justice system to take action, exemplified by the Parliament’s complete and utter rejection of the Waki Commission, the ICC, which Kenya voluntarily signed up to, has to step in.\n\nEthnic violence still goes on in Kenya [1] , and if there is impunity in this case, no message will be sent out: justice must be done and seen to be done to prevent similar abuses and prevent justice being taken outside of the courts.\n\n[1] Wachira, Muchemi, “Cattle raids and tribal rivalries to blame for perennial conflict”, Daily Nation, November 18 2012, http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Cattle-raids-and-tribal-rivalries-to-blame/...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "55cb13225bd5b83fc52440265420db63",
"text": "africa law human rights international law government leadership voting Just hold the trial by videolink\n\nIt has already been agreed that defendants can appear at the court by videolink [1] for parts of the trial. This is not problematic, unless the defendants want to start representing themselves.\n\nBearing in mind that Ruto and Kenyatta have been continuing to co-operate with the trial throughout the process, there is no reason to think that they would flee the international criminal court. Either way, if they change their mind, they could simply not travel to The Hague for the trial.\n\n[1] Corder, Mike, “International court changes trial attendance rule”, The Wichita Eagle, November 28th 2013, http://www.kansas.com/2013/11/27/3145973/international-court-tweaks-tria...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4785930dffdf377f410778101f2eb10b",
"text": "africa law human rights international law government leadership voting Kenya would be better off without them\n\nKenya does not need or want government by those who hand out illegal title deeds [1] and threaten the freedom of the press [2] as Kenyatta’s government does.\n\nIn addition to that, the allegations that the president used a banned occult gang, the Mungiki, in order to perform acts of mass murder is enough to end his credibility as a leader in the country – the best interests of good governance in Kenya mean that Kenyatta should go.\n\n[1] Chanji, Tobias, “Raila Odinga says title deeds issued by President Uhuru Kenyatta illegal”, Standard Digital, November 25th 2013, http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000098610&story_title=raila-s...\n\n[2] Shiundu, Alphonce, “President retains punitive fines against media in new law”, Standard Digital, November 27th 2013, http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000098841&story_title=Kenya-p...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "34bf6af670333a3cc29ad5a7273a7f24",
"text": "africa law human rights international law government leadership voting Head of state immunity\n\nTraditionally, heads of state have had immunity in foreign courts. This is for the normal functioning of diplomacy – so heads of state can engage in business at other states and travel to summits without the risk of harassment by vexatious claims in foreign courts, or foreign governments trying to attack the decisions of other governments in their own courts.\n\nThe ICC trying sitting heads of state would set a terrible precedent of a method of regime change – not even by foreign militaries, but by the ICC prosecutor. Regimes should change according to democratic mandate not foreign courts.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "578d934f5a00ecbfa8b378753da34a1e",
"text": "africa law human rights international law government leadership voting Interferes with a democratic mandate\n\nUnlike many of the other ICC defendants, Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto have a democratic mandate from elections that “represented the will of the voters” [1] – electoral mandates given to them after their indictment by the International Criminal Court.\n\nThis must be respected by the ICC and the international community as a whole: even though they are suspected of crimes against humanity by a foreign court.\n\n[1] European Union Election Observation Mission To Kenya, General Elections 2013 :Final Report, http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/eu-eom-kenya-20...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "000379b6ff64203ac8a3dc157307dbeb",
"text": "africa law human rights international law government leadership voting A delay is necessary for national security\n\nKenya is at risk of terrorist attack. Al-Shabab, a group linked to Al Qaeda have launched a number of attacks against Kenya. In addition to the Westgate massacre, there have been grenade attacks on bus terminals [1] and suicide bombings in refugee camps [2] .\n\nKenya’s waters are also used by Somali based pirates as a ground for attacks on international shipping, including possibly targeting ships travelling towards the port of Mombasa.\n\nIt is more important to the international community to have credible action taken in order to protect the Kenyan people from terrorism. This needs a strong Kenyan government – which means that there cannot be a change due to an international trial.\n\n[1] Associated Press, “Two grenade blasts rattle Nairobi; 1 dead”, USA Today, 25/10/2011 http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2011-10-24/kenya-grenade...\n\n[2] Ombati, Cyrus, “Terror suspects die after bombs explode on them”, Standard Digital News, http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000075252&story_title=Kenya-T...\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
68c96bc09a73cf1cad1abaab568fddcc
|
The Taliban failed to provide good government for Afghanistan.
The Taliban is more concerned with religious purity than the physical welfare of the people. As a result, millions of Afghans still live in refugee camps in Iran and Pakistan, while millions of others are desperately short of food and face starvation. The Taliban made the situation worse by harassing UN workers and aid agencies, in defiance of the usual diplomatic norms, imprisoning westerners on religious charges and impeding the flow of humanitarian relief to their own people.
During the five-year history of the Islamic Emirate, much of the population experienced restrictions on their freedom and violations of their human rights. Women were banned from jobs, girls forbidden to attend schools or universities. Those who resisted were punished instantly. Communists were systematically eradicated and thieves were punished by amputating one of their hands or feet. Meanwhile, the Taliban managed to nearly eradicate the majority of the opium production by 2001. [1]
[1] Afghanistan, Opium and the Taliban, February 15, 2001 8:19 p.m. EST, http://opioids.com/afghanistan/index.html
|
[
{
"docid": "e53eb5376fe7d44f6dea196abddb5216",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government It was not the fault of the Taliban that there were several years of drought in Afghanistan, something which would cause great suffering in any peasant economy. And while some Afghan refugees specifically fled the Taliban’s austere regime, most were displaced during two decades of warfare that preceded it, or left the country for economic reasons. Nor is it surprising that the Taliban had difficult relations with the representatives of the United Nations, as it is not recognised by the UN, where the Afghanistan seat in the General Assembly was still held by the discredited regime the Taliban overthrew.\n\nThe opposition seems to think that negotiations equal to condoning human right's violations and handing over a sort of Carte blanche to the Taliban. Whereas talks pressurize such groups effectively to give up their evil ways.\n\nThe point of talks is to give very little power on very definite humanitarian conditions/terms. To trade.\n\nIf there are no talks; then the Taliban will proclaim victory (as they do already) once the coalition forces are withdrawn and continue fighting local governments at the cost of civilian lives in the region. (The eventual withdrawal of coalition forces is not being debated).The war is in an economic loss and the people/governments of the democratic nations of the UK and USA frankly care more about their/our failing economies than the state of Afghan civilians who have been suffering with the coalition's knowledge since before 1989. To clarify further for the opposition seems to not be wary of this; in democracies, countries should and in time do; work according to the will of their people.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "4ffcec86ec8f11c785133542c840be3c",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government The Taliban were not the only oppressive regime in the world and it was hypocritical to single them out, especially when many of their practices are shared by friendly, pro-western states such as Saudi Arabia. Their views were not an entirely alien imposition upon Afghan society, but were rooted in the traditions of the Pashtun, one of Afghanistan’s largest ethnic groups.\n\nThe war has done nothing to improve the conditions of women and children in the war-zone! Women' rights are already being violated in both coalition countries and the war-zone. Rape, murder and theft are soaring the world over. While petty financial crimes are reduced. [1] Domestic violence especially against women and children is on a steep climb and remains largely under-reported. Only 35% cases are reported in the UK\n\nThe proposition has however provided evidence that the conditions of Afghan and Pakistani civilians have deteriorated as a consequence of the war: air strikes, drone attacks, physio-psychological trauma and so forth.\n\nThe proposition has time and time again asserted that the war must be put to an end and the only means to win it in real terms is to talk the Taliban out of it. Both the Americans and British have a history of accomplishing peace with groups that the Taliban roots from by bargaining with them to renounce their natural guerrilla-fighting instincts.\n\n[1] Crime Statistics, http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_rap-crime-rapes , Domestic violence statistics, http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Domestic-violence-statistics\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e2c14aacb3f3a552190120f92efec737",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government Intense international demand for opium has led to poppies becoming a preferred cash crop among Afghan farmers. Although historically known for its fruit and vegetable production, the high prices commanded by opium mean that it is regarded as financially resilient, immune to large price fluctuations and still offering decent returns, even if a large proportion of a crop fails. Although the Taliban profited from levies on the opium trade, so did the warlords they displaced. In fact, in 2000 the Taliban, responding to global concern over the heroin trade and its own religious impulses, issued orders that opium should not be grown. As a result, production dropped by over 90% with a noticeable impact upon street prices of heroin in Europe. This suggests both that engagement with the Taliban was potentially constructive, and that a collapse of central control would give drug runners a free hand.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d7f0f2af66a2d77fded6c73bdb844754",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government The Taliban are not the only regime in the world to have sheltered terrorists – Syria, Iran, Iraq, Cuba and North Korea are all viewed by the USA’s State Department as state sponsors of terrorism. Indeed, although the Taliban provide shelter for terrorist groups to train, the other states could be seen to go further, by actively initiating and funding terrorism. Moreover, given that Russia and the Central Asian former soviet states have been opposed to the Taliban from the start, and backed the Northern Alliance against it in the Afghan civil war, it is hardly surprising that the Taliban backed their own rebel movements. It could also be asked whether rebels in Chechnya, Kosovo and China should be seen as terrorists or freedom fighters.\n\nThe opposition cannot be expecting the proposition to defend the reinstatement of the pseudo-religious-extremist-fundamentalist Taliban regime. We are in fact calling for exactly the opposite: Please the Taliban by negotiating with them on the coalition's terms not theirs and avert the old form of Taliban rule in the region. If the coalition leaves without any talks whatsoever then an extremist Taliban takeover of both Pakistan and Afghanistan is a distinct possibility. If the coalition leaves after buying the Taliban out while imposing conditions imperative to human rights and western values (including respect for other ethnic/religious/ideological groups). Then we have a chance for peace. To claim that aggressively fighting on the ground will end racial conflict when 9 years of fighting have only exacerbated these problems; is rather ignorant. It entails learning nothing at all from history/past-mistakes. If this kind of warfare which the Taliban are much better at; continues the war will be lost. If instead as the wonderful Obama has suggested we resort to peaceful talks this time directly with the Taliban, then we have a chance of winning.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "283b3dbc40e0b9373159f47657b98208",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government Here the argument presented by the proposition is an attempt to deceive the opposition and the house. The act that the proposition has presented has not been passed by the US government and is highly unlikely to happen in the future as well. The argument is right if the assumption that the deficits are long term. And it is not so. The deficit as a proportion of GDP is still more than manageable and more spending is needed. The only current indication of this is long term interest rates on US treasury bonds and these have been falling.\n\nSecondly from a purely economic viewpoint, the battle between US and Taliban is not entirely negative. Historically military spending can help boost growth as was shown by World War II pulling the US out of the great depression of the 1930s. What nations need when in a recession is more economic activity and the arms industry and the countless other industries a war necessitates makes this war as good as it gets for the economy. Of course there is a danger of the US budget deficit leading to higher long term lending costs but if we look at the date from the last ten years interest rates on US treasury bonds have been falling. Therefore the US can borrow cheaply, has 9 million plus unemployed and companies are not willing to hire as they are already reaping huge profits off labor cost cuts. Economically the war in Afghanistan is good for America.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d0e1c9db701a99cfb92b5dd7f5816228",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government It should first be pointed out that all conflicts are unique, products of the political and social settings in which they arise. Geopolitics and foreign policy are not as dependent on precedent as most debaters would like to think.\n\nThe main objective of the USA and the UK behind the power sharing deal in Africa is to extract the resources of the African continent. The proposition is basically trying to deceive us with this point. The power sharing deals made by the USA (collaborating with the UK, at times) are all for their own selfish interests. Be it in Africa or Iraq, USA has applied its own vested interest in most cases. Africa is very rich in resources. The US saw all of these and then shared power with the nation just to earn some benefit in utilizing the resources. Furthermore, the United States went to war against Iraq because of the Middle East country's oil reserves, a greater concern to the USA than that of searching for weapons of mass destruction (WMD) [1] and taking Saddam Hussein out of power.\n\nThe power sharing in Afghanistan and Pakistan would not only to exploit the oil resources but also have a watchful eye towards China, India and Russia.\n\n[1] Aryn Baker, «Afghan Women and the Return of the Taliban» , The Time Magazine, July 29, 20, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2007407,00.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4d3a4a39faa040144235cde2f37e83b1",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government This is the weakest argument by far. It isn't logical. As all of us who've read about Karl Popper will attest that a historical trend is not an indication of future courses unless causality can be proven. Here it can’t. It’s a different war altogether. Historical parallels make sense in college classrooms, not when a Taliban fighter faces a drone attack; Did the soviets have drones? No, they didn’t.\n\nAlso «Pakistan and Afghanistan are both pushing for talks including the Taliban» is factually incorrect. The Pakistan president said that talking with the Taliban is not an option «unless we want to breed terrorism».\n\nThe current scenario is completely different from the past, not only about the time factor but also political conditions. Previous battles were fought against not only the militia but also its supporting government. This time, the battle is against an independent Taliban force that is backing up the Al- Qaeda group.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9f63fa59b1739372c5dbd029a68fd929",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government How can the Taliban be included if they absolutely disagree on negotiating, but instead want to overthrow the government? So far the Taliban has always insisted that they will refuse to negotiate until all foreign forces are withdrawn from Afghanistan. [1] This means that we are actually making the problems worse for the people over there instead of better.\n\nWe really need to have a reliable partner in the region. Nowadays Pakistan is designated as a major non-NATO ally of the United States with fighting Taliban. In 2007, the National Security Council of Pakistan met to decide the fate of Waziristan and take up a number of political and administrative issues in order to control the “Talibanization” of the area. The meeting was chaired by President Pervez Musharraf and attended by the Chief Ministers and Governors of all 4 provinces. They discussed the deteriorating law and order situation and the threat posed to state security. The restoration of peace in North and South Waziristan will be a great challenge. The dilemma is not only that the local Taliban in North Waziristan are not ready to speak with the government, but they also disallow anyone else in the region from speaking with the authorities. In these troubled areas, political agents are seen only in their official functions and troops are limited merely to forts and bunkers. [2]\n\nYes, Pakistan already has nuclear weapon, but it is important to underline that legitimate government has it, not the terrorists group. If we go through, we can say, a ‘blackmail’ of terrorist having a nuclear weapon we are risked to have them a chance to capture the power and provide their cruel politics.\n\n[1] Andrew Blandford, «Talking with the Taliban: Should the U.S. \"Bargain with Devil\" in Afghanistan?», Harvard Negotiation Law Review, http://www.hnlr.org/?p=142\n\n[2] Sohail Abdul Nasir, «The Talibanization of the North-West Frontier», Terrorism Monitor Volume: 4 Issue: 12, June 15, 2006, 01:57 PM, http://www.jamestown.org/programs/gta/single/?tx_ttnews[tt_news]=807&tx_...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "42480212914d32a90f9240677957d655",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government The argument here presented by the proposition that the majority of people in US are fed up with the war, true. But that is because they were not the ones facing abuse at the Taliban hands or fighting a civil war which resulted in the killing of 100,000, but the minority will be slaughtered if this is allowed to happen. [1] This genocide in the making should not be allowed to happen. This will also lead to a civil war. Though the minorities are exhausted but they broke it and have a moral imperative to fix it. A lot of people have come out in support of the \"western\" forces, they will face retribution and future attempts to win hearts and minds will fail when the fickleness of our resolve is exposed. This is a slippery slope if we slide down there is no telling how far down we will fall. This should be the centre of the discussion; our opponents want to put popularity before lives and security and which is wrong.\n\n[1] Dexter Filkins, «Overture to Taliban Jolts Afghan Minorities», The New York Times, published June 26, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/27/world/asia/27afghan.html?_r=1&pagewant...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6ba4a5f31df022d92ec4d3a26027621e",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government The Taliban supports terrorist organizations, so they are not to be trusted.\n\nThe Times Square attack and the Twin Tower attacks are examples of how the Taliban are actually cultivating terrorists to carry out international terrorist acts. The Taliban sheltered international terrorists, of whom Osama Bin Laden and his Al-Qaida organisation were the most prominent. In addition to Al-Qaida’s strikes against American targets worldwide, fundamentalist terrorists trained in Afghanistan have been active in Chechnya, Kosovo, Central Asia, Indian Kashmir and China. This has resulted in the destabilisation of the region and contributed to a great deal of human misery. Therefore, the US and UK cannot afford to risk their nation's security by leaving Taliban to raise, equip and fund terrorists. Even for their own safety, they cannot leave the Taliban in power. The Obama administration is working on establishing a stable government - a government that has trained police force, trusted government officials and better educational system. Therefore, letting the Taliban share power means they will try to reinforce their own system which means none of the above can actually happen. This is not acceptable. [1]\n\n[1] The Economist, Debate: This house believes that the war in Afghanistan is winnable, May 17th 2010, http://www.economist.com/debate/days/view/516\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "041514015cc79548ff57b2fa107655a9",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government The Taliban manipulates the drug trade according to its will, so it should not be included into the government.\n\nThe Taliban are responsible for flooding the world with heroin produced from the opium grown there; over 90% of the heroin on the streets of the UK originated in Afghanistan.\n\nIn 2000, the Taliban issued a decree banning cultivation. [1] By 2001, production had reportedly been reduced from 12,600 acres (51 km2) to only 17 acres (7 ha). Opium production was reportedly cut back by the Taliban not to prevent its use, but to increase its price, and thus increase the income of Afghan poppy farmers and tax revenue. [2] Therefore, the regime relied upon levies on the movement of drugs as one of its principle sources of funding. No other government has ever been so complicit in a trade that kills and ruins lives all over the world.\n\n[1] Afghanistan, Opium and the Taliban, February 15, 2001 8:19 p.m. EST, http://opioids.com/afghanistan/index.html\n\n[2] Benjamin, Daniel, The Age of Sacred Terror by Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon, New York: Random House, c2002, p.145) (source: Edith M. Lederer, \"U.N. Panel Accuses Taliban of Selling Drugs to Finance War and Train Terrorists,\" Associated Press, 2001-05-25.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d941590a119011983b5c310220ee965d",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government The Taliban is a cruel and undemocratic regime, and so it should not be given any power.\n\nThe Taliban oppressed their own people, especially women and ethnic or religious minorities. A very strict, distinctive interpretation of Sunni Islam was enforced zealously (with public executions and amputations) as they attempted to build the world’s purest Islamic state. Television and music were banned, women had to be fully covered up and were forbidden from receiving an education or working (despite many families having lost their male members after years of warfare, and so rendering many families entirely dependent upon food aid for survival), and their access to healthcare was restricted.\n\nThe well-known story provided by Time Magazine: Aisha who ran away from her husband’s house. Her husband was abusing her physically and mentally. When she was caught by the Taliban «soldiers», she was taken to the Taliban Court and given a punishment in their law. The punishment was, her ears and nose was cut. She was then left for dead however she survived because an Afghan Rights group managed to save her. She is just one example. Therefore, if we let the Taliban participate in power-sharing, they will try to implement their form of justice which is totally biased when it comes to women. We cannot afford to sacrifice women rights for peace in Afghanistan.\n\nAnother example of the violence is the massacre of Yakaolang in January 2001: Hazaras were victimized for 4 days, detained 300 civilian adult males, including staff members of humanitarian orgnisations. Men were shot at public places. Rocket launchers were fired at Mosques were 73 women and children were sheltering. In May 2000, 26 civilians of Hazara Shi’as group were executed in robatak pass. In August 1998 Taliban captured Mazar- I- Sharif. Reports of killing of around 2000- 5000 people mostly of Hazara clan were presented. [1]\n\nAll of this shows the barbarity of the Taliban’s activities, which so far hasn’t stopped.\n\n[1] Eyewitness accounts of Taliban massacre in Yakaolang, By RAWA reporters, June, 2001 http://www.rawa.org/yakw-r.htm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3f9bba043f8791463ad713eb936debdd",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government The war is too expensive, so a deal needs to be made to end it.\n\nPresident Obama himself has said, “Ultimately as was true in Iraq, so will be true in Afghanistan; we will have to have a political solution.”\n\nAt a time when fiscal policy has become a major concern among western legislatures and commentators, the increasing cost of the war is proving to be politically contentious. Therefore, a political solution to the conflict is no longer merely desirable, but necessary. Continuing the war will cost too much, both in political and budgetary terms. USA and UK have to make financial considerations in light of the continuing aftermath of the global financial crisis. One glaring estimate suggests that America will spend over 700 billion U.S dollars on the military in 2010. The conflict in Afghanistan cost approximately $51 billion in 2009 and was expected to hit $65 billion in 2010. The purchase of air conditioning systems for Afghani facilities accounts for more than $20 billion of this figure.\n\nObama's policy of deploying more and more troops has cost the American people significantly more than the status quo would have. Every extra thousand personnel deployed to Afghanistan costs about $1 billion. [1] In the current financial climate taking on such exorbitant costs is not in the economic interest of the USA. It is not only sending troops (and reinforcements) to Afghanistan, but also the medical treatment of war veterans when they return that is costing America huge sums of money. The number of psychologically ill soldiers; as well as those suffering from near-fatal and/or debilitating injuries is still climbing tragically upwards, furthering the cost. To top that, war veterans feel that Americans are not paid enough. Mr.Obey, Rep. John P. Murtha and Rep. John B. Larson have proposed levying an annual tax of $30,000 on US citizens to 'share their(the military's) burden. [2]\n\n[1] Doug Bandow, «A War We Can't Afford The National Interests», January 4, 2010, http://nationalinterest.org/article/a-war-we-cant-afford-3344\n\n[2] ibid\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3c2f41ad7a3a317e2afc5fd5b7d9f310",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government We have successful precedents in Iraq and Africa, proving that a power-sharing approach works.\n\nAfrican countries and in Iraq have proved that power-sharing deal works. So, it means that it is possible to find a solution for Afghanistan. For example, Iraq seems to be no need for us to prove that power-sharing has worked to greatly improve conditions in the country. Conditions that horrifically grew at an incredible pace during the war in Iraq. [1] The Iraqi government comprises of many members of the late Saddam regime who have been granted amnesty for their crimes. Members of the Taliban can be instated in governments through power-sharing (not giving) deal; in the same way.\n\nTalks in Kenya ensued during the Bush administration when funds for the recuperation of fourth world African affairs were channelled to the region, jointly by the USA and UK. Both Blair and Bush worked side by side with formerly corrupt and violent African leaders to pick the Countries up. South Africa, which is ranked as an upper-middle income economy by the World Bank [2] (formerly a fourth world country) is now doing better than both India and China (third-world countries) on the economic front. [3]\n\n[1] Obama: Time for Iraqis to 'take responsibility', NBC News and news services, updated 4/7/2009 1:29:02 PM ET, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30087747/#.Tk5vjF3BDqQ\n\n[2] World Bank Data – South Africa, http://data.worldbank.org/country/south-africa\n\n[3] Bush urges Kenya power-sharing, BBC News, Last Updated: Saturday, 16 February 2008, 18:05 GMT, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7248271.stm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c89b11f7a9e69868bb0580a4db1f01e1",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government The threat of Talibanization is too great under the status quo to continue with current policy.\n\nIf a diplomatic solution is not reached or even proposed , the security situation in both Afghanistan and Pakistan will deteriorate and this is a matter of serious concern since the latter is a nuclear power. Violence in the region can only be disseminated if the Taliban feel they are not being attacked but are included; then peace has a chance of prevailing. If the region were to be left as is Increasing Taliban activity could further destabilize the border regions of Pakistan, while attacks mounted against the Afghan interior would cause significant damage and endanger thousands of live. [1]\n\nAn entrenched Afghani Taliban could support and embolden groups with similar ideologies elsewhere in central Asia and the subcontinent. For instance, groups ideologically identical to the Taliban effectively subdued the Pakistani military in the Swat Valley allowing them to impose their version of sharia law and institute measures that included closing girls' schools, banning music, and installing complaint boxes for reports of anti-Islamic behaviour. [2] Continue with the status quo and the Taliban will simply re-conquer Afghanistan when the coalition leaves.\n\n[1] Amna Saboor, «The Waziristan problem», December 14th, 2008, http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2008/12/14/the-waziristan...\n\n[2] Jane Perlez and Zubair Shan Truce in Pakistan May Mean Leeway for Taliban, The New York Times, published March 5, 2009, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/06/world/asia/06swat.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0be2f87c7b85d76fa5f4a3f040c7e37e",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government The campaign is unpopular among the majority of NATO countries citizens, so we should solve the Afghan problem in diplomatic way, specifically through a power-sharing deal with the Taliban.\n\nThe majority of citizens in the USA and the UK oppose the war in Afghanistan and want troops to come back home. As was the case in Iraq, a diplomatic solution is required to end the war as smoothly as possible. As at 12 August 2011, a total of 379 British forces personnel or MOD civilians have died while serving in Afghanistan since the start of operations in October 2001. [1] About 2000 coalition soldiers in total expired in Afghanistan. [2] More than 1340 British soldiers have been wounded in action. U.S opinion poll proclaims that 62% of Americans want troops home as soon as possible while the rest want a timetable for troop withdrawal. [3] According to Michael Moore, Obama is the new war president. He needs to prove that he is a peacemaker to retrieve the support of his people. [4] The media agrees that the war is unpopular and there needs to be an end creating sentiment like “I wish they would bring them all home.” Jonathan Freedland of The Guardian argues “I think the people in Wootton Bassett [where UK soldiers are repatriated] are representative of a very widespread... feeling, actually, of outrage on their behalf that is quite new in British politics. A complete withdrawal is in public demand. This requires a power-sharing deal.” [5]\n\n[1] Ministry of Defense, Operations in Afghanistan: British Fatalities, http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets/Operat...\n\n[2] Devin Dwyer and Luis Martinez, «Afghanistan War Costs More Than 1,000 U.S. Service Members' Lives», abcNEWS, May 28, 2010, http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-military-casualties-afghanistan-pakist...\n\n[3] CBS NEWS POLL, for release: July 13, 2010, http://www.scribd.com/doc/34290347/CBS-News-Poll-Pessimism-about-Economy...\n\n[4] Michael Moore, «An Open Letter To President Obama On Afghanistan», Posted November 30, 2009 04:00 AM, Huffpost World, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-moore/an-open-letter-to-preside_b_...\n\n[5] PBS REPORT War Weary British Seek An End in Afghanistan, Margaret Warner travels to the tiny English village of Wootton Bassett and finds growing unease about British involvement in Afghanistan, Dec. 8, 2009, Transcript http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/military/july-dec09/britain_12-08.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9801d1ad78b2db921255105f112b196c",
"text": "americas middle east house believes nato countries and government Afghan history shows failings of foreign invasion, so this campaign is also doomed to failure.\n\nNo state has ever been able to impose alien political institutions on the Afghani people, whether by force or by flattery. The Russians tried and so did the British, but neither was successful. In fact, the greatest massacre of British soldiers happened in Afghanistan in 1842. The British then awarded these tribesmen with fancy titles and the Khyber pass was thereafter protected by Pakistani and Afghan tribes (the ancestors of the Mujahadeen & then the Taliban). The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan was thus never manned by British soldiers. More than 16,000 people had set out on the retreat from Kabul, and in the end only one man, Dr. William Brydon, a British Army surgeon made it alive to Jalalabad. [1] The Russians threw bombs, tanks, landmines and napalm at the Afghan guerrilla army, the Mujahadeen. They killed around half a million people, injured many more but they still faced dismal defeat in the Soviet war in Afghanistan in the 1980's. Therefore before the situation spirals out of control, the British and the Americans should commence a power sharing deal with the Taliban. [2] The opposition may argue that the Taliban cannot be trusted. Nine insurgents are very capable of fibbing about the Pakistani intelligence. There is no way that funds siphoned off from any clandestine secret intelligence agency can realistically be traced to it. Word of mouth, especially when the mouth belongs to the enemy is rarely credible. Therefore negotiating with the Taliban directly feels ineffective. They might argue that talks solely with Pakistani-Afghan government representatives is a rather more feasible and less dangerous means of achieving the coalition's desired end. However, such talks frequented have borne little fruit. In fact Pakistan and Afghanistan are both pushing for talks including the Taliban if any progression towards peace is to be made. The coalition's ancestors were wise.\n\n[1] Robert McNamara, «Britain's Disastrous Retreat from Kabul», http://history1800s.about.com/od/colonialwars/a/kabul1842.htm\n\n[2] «Obama Will Vow Troops Leaving by July 2011», CBSNEWS, December 1, 2009 9:35 PM, Updated 3:44 p.m. ET, http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/12/01/politics/main5851527.shtml\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
c5e27ce500b8fca26a6713cf7a9baea3
|
Force does more harm than good.
The use of force is incredibly damaging to the people you are trying to protect.
Military intervention inevitably leads to further casualties and loss of civilian life. All warfare has civilian costs due to imperfect strategic information, the use of human shields and the simple fact that more bombs, troops and guns leads to more violence and thus more death of those caught in the crossfire. Adding to this the propensity of forces to hide among civilian populations and, often, the lack of identifiable military uniforms, leads to further human costs and prolonged guerrilla warfare.
Adding to human cost is the infrastructural costs of prolonged warfare, particularly seen in interventions including bombing campaigns, leads to prolonged and sustained damage caused by the use of force both during war and in reconstruction.
For example, the NATO bombing campaign in Kosovo in 1998 led to 1,200-5,000 civilian deaths [1] .
If we are aimed at protecting the human rights of individuals, the massive loss of human life, and sustained damage to basic infrastructure necessary for the functioning of the state means the use of forces furthers human rights abuses, not stops them.
[1] "Kosovo: Civilian Deaths in the NATO Air Campaign." Human Rights Watch. United Nations High Commission for Refugees, n.d. Web. 7 Jun 2011. < http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,,HRW,,SRB,,3ae6a86b0,0.html> .
|
[
{
"docid": "976344067a794b0917ec9e14cb020938",
"text": "global law human rights international law politics warpeace society Although there are some subjective elements of rights, there is generally a consensus amongst most people that fundamental human rights, such as being alive, are universally good. Although we should not impede sovereignty for subjective things, genocide, ethnic cleansing and other systematic abuses of human rights are things that are universal and thus should be protected for all people around the world.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "e1bc35d3059726689dc4542227494ca4",
"text": "global law human rights international law politics warpeace society This is unlikely to happen in the majority of cases as not all countries have an anti-Western bias and not all intervening forces have to be Western or identifiably Western. Moreover, the best way to gain the support of a population is to tangibly impact their lives and demonstrate the commitment to their protection and their cause. The best solution for anti-intervention force bias comes with the intervening force itself when real people see troops fighting in a real way to protect them and their rights. There is no more powerful way to build trust than to save a member of someone's family or community in front of their eyes. Thus, this is a self-correcting issue. Although there may be initial issues with backlash from the region, most people will welcome those who are risking their lives to save them and their families.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "15181ba19b36baa251005ac989b6dc13",
"text": "global law human rights international law politics warpeace society Most human rights abuses are motivated by ideological factors that are not rationally calculated through a \"cost-benefit-analysis.\" Much of the world's human rights abuses are committed along ethnic or religious lines and thus are not open to incentives and disincentives but are rather absolutist obligations they think they have from their religion or ethno-cultural beliefs.\n\nMoreover, most interventions are costly, damaging for the intervening forces and are generally unappealing to domestic populations in the states that are intervening. As such, the political will for intervention is usually quite low and not feasible. Most regimes will know this and thus take this \"message\" from the international community with a grain of salt and therefore have no impact on their actions.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d7d48864f09123c9013b4680a5e2d6ee",
"text": "global law human rights international law politics warpeace society Referring back to counterargument one, this again assumes the a priori existence of individual rights. Moreover, following this logic, as all individuals would, behind a \"veil of ignorance\", most certainly choose to live is a developed, prosperous nation, all developed nations would have the moral obligation to literally relocate the entire population of the developing world into their own countries. Simply because something may be seen as \"preferable\" to some people does not a moral imperative create.\n\nFurther, this experiment assumes universality of any conception of rights or \"human rights\". The subjective nature of what it means to be a human being between different faiths and cultures leads to different conceptions of what \"dignity\" means to humanity and thus enforcing the conception of \"dignity\" held by the militarily powerful on other states does not necessarily protect it, but in many ways can erode it.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8090159b531ed7a7f42fb275b222a9aa",
"text": "global law human rights international law politics warpeace society Individual rights are created by the state and do not exist in a vacuum, nor do they exist outside of the realm of the existence of a state. To argue that a “social contract” exists where one gives up their “rights” to the state is to suggest that these rights somehow exist outside of the scope of the state existing, which they do not. States empower individuals to have the capacity to do things and thus allow for practical rights to exist. The rights they allow or disallow, whether “human rights” or otherwise, are simply constructions of the state and its denial of certain rights is therefore in no way a breach of any contract or trust [1] . No state or external organisation has any right to decide what a state should or should not construct as its citizen’s rights and therefore has no basis for intervention.\n\n[1] Burke, Edmund. \"Reflections on the Revolution in France.\" Exploring the French Revolution. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jun 2011. < http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/563/> .\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "824ef4754b2aa227749cf1a1b1d612f3",
"text": "global law human rights international law politics warpeace society Foreign intervention fragments the conflict.\n\nThe use of force by foreign agents fragments conflicts which perpetuates the war. The countries who are likely to and historically have participated in humanitarian intervention are developed Western nations such as the US, UK, Canada and France either unilaterally or under organisational banners such as NATO. In the vast majority of the world, the West is not well-liked and the education systems, media and local history have created negative perceptions of the West as \"imperialists\" and colonialists. Intervention can often be seen as \"neo-colonialism\" and the West trying to assert power to change regimes inside other countries around the world. This, combined with the inevitable human cost of the use of force, turns local populations against the intervening forces and allows government forces to cast any resistance movements that cooperate with the intervening forces as traitors to their country.\n\nThis is both bad in terms of causing large military opposition from both sides of the conflict against the troops who are intervening, but also fragments the conflict. Resistance movements splinter into those cooperating with the intervening forces and those who aren't. This fractures the resistance movements, reducing their chances of success and reducing the possibility of ceasefires by fragmenting the sides of the conflict making it hard to determine who effectively represents who at the negotiating table.\n\nA good example of this can be seen by the fragmentation of Sunni and Shi'a factions in Iraq post-intervention and the further entrenchment of Sunni opposition to the Shi'a after the Western forces specifically enriched the Shi'a through power and wealth for their cooperation1.\n\n1 \"Iraq in Transition: Vortex or Catalyst?\" Chatham House 04.-2 n. pag. Web. 7 Jun 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6b709900288e7d6acd7f5d4bc1e33ac1",
"text": "global law human rights international law politics warpeace society This is an illegitimate violation of national sovereignty.\n\nHuman rights are a social construct that are derived from the idea that individuals have created on the subject. States empower individuals to have the capacity to do things and thus allow for practical rights to exist. The rights they allow or disallow, whether “human rights” or otherwise, are simply constructions of the state and its denial of certain rights is therefore legitimate practice of any state [1] .\n\nThe imposition of one state’s conception of what rights should or should not be protected is in no way morally justifiable or universally applicable. Different religions and cultures create different constructs of human dignity and humanity and thus believe in different fundamental tenets and “rights” each person should or should not have.\n\nIt is not legitimate to impede upon another state’s sovereignty due to subjective consideration imposed upon the less powerful by the superpowers of the global system.\n\n[1] Burke, Edmund. \"Reflections on the Revolution in France.\" Exploring the French Revolution. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jun 2011. < http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/563/> .\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "61cf8a9413a75af0cf7674124e9b7db8",
"text": "global law human rights international law politics warpeace society National sovereignty ends when human rights are systematically violated.\n\nStates violate their right to non-intervention through systematic human rights abuses by violating the contract of their state.\n\nStates derive their rights of control and on the monopoly of violence through what is called the ‘social contract.’ A state gains its right to rule over a population by the people of that state submitting to it their rights to unlimited liberty and the use of force on others in society to the state in return for protection by that state [1] . The individual is sovereign and submits his rights to the state who derives sovereignty from the accumulation of an entire population’s sovereignty. This is where the legitimacy and right to control a population by force comes from. When a state is no longer protecting its people, but rather is systematically removing the security and eroding away the most basic rights and life of those citizens, they no longer are fulfilling the contract and it is void, thus removing their right to sovereignty and immunity from intervention.\n\nThe necessity of intervention in such a case comes from the desperation of the situation. Regimes that use the machinery of the state and their enriched elite against their populations hold all the wealth, power and military might in the country. There is no hope for self-protection for individuals facing a powerful, organized, and well-funded national army. In such a case, the sovereignty of the individuals need to be protected from the state that abuses them.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3ab0fd5adcf08d9490adff3e6a600cf9",
"text": "global law human rights international law politics warpeace society Interventions can be small and successful.\n\nIt is the interventions that take a long time to succeed, such as Kosovo, or even fail such as Somalia, or those where many people do not buy into the justification such as Iraq that are remembered. However this forgets that there have also been many small successful interventions and sometimes the threat of intervention is enough. Sierra Leone is the forgotten conflict of Tony Blair’s premiership in the UK. In 2002 Britain sent 800 paratroopers into Sierra Leone, originally just to evacuate foreigners from the country but became an intervention when the British helped government forces drive out rebels which may have saved many lives. However it may also have emboldened Blair to help with intervention in Iraq. [1] This example also shows that it is important to have support on the ground as the British were seen as being legitimate and there was a functioning government who could do the rebuilding. Where this luxury does not exist it is important not to do as happened in Iraq and disband the civil service and prevent those natives who are qualified from running the country even if they may have been implicit in the previous regimes actions.\n\nWhere possible as little force as possible should be used. In Libya NATO only committed airpower and supplied weapons so keeping the conflict as much a domestic affair as possible. Slowly as it becomes accepted that interventions will happen the threat will become enough. Sudan may well in part have accepted the secession of South Sudan due to the US backing of the peace deal in 2005.\n\n[1] Little, Allan, ‘The brigadier who saved Sierra Leone’, BBC Radio 4, 15 May 2010, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8682505.stm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "95a024a52700a8a1da1571df6363638f",
"text": "Has made little difference in the past\n\nThe precedent of the Line Item Veto Act under President Clinton should warn against a constitutional amendment. The sums saved were laughably small, $355 million, in the context of the entire federal budget, $1.7 trillion, (0.02% of spending)1 but nonetheless provoked considerable friction between elected representatives and the White House. There was unhappiness that the large majority of his cuts were of earmarks requested by Republican members, and an allegation that the Administration had threatened a Congressman with the veto of an item dear to them unless they supported an unrelated piece of legislation.\n\n1Virginia A. McMurty, 'Enhancing the President's Authority to Eliminate Wasteful Spending and Reduce the Deficit', Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services and International Security Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Committee Hearing 15/3/2011, p.9\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b27ae8b5954e258b588b1950a30c272a",
"text": "It’s been apparent from Rio onwards that ensuring action would require both patience and an acceptance that governments and industry would only genuinely get on board when Climate Change became an emergency rather than a distant theory. That is now starting to happen in a million ways, small and large. Changing the focus to another 30 years project now would just allow for another set of delays and missed targets.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6e7ecece5833d3698ceb7737673e0e42",
"text": "State-sanctioned killing is wrong.\n\nThe state has no right to take away the life of its citizens. By executing convicts, the government is effectively condoning murder, and devaluing human life in the process. Such acts violate the right to life as declared in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights1 and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment2. On top of this, the state forces executioners to actively participate in the taking of a life, which can be unduly traumatizing and leave permanent psychological scars. Thus, a humane state cannot be one that exercises the death penalty. 1 Amnesty International. \"Abolish the Death Penalty.\" Accessed June 5, 2011. 2 European Union Delegation to the USA. \"EU Policy Against the Death penalty.\" October 10, 2010. Accessed June 5, 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f1834ff9dc1ffb83d57d815a62155095",
"text": "A delay is necessary for national security\n\nKenya is at risk of terrorist attack. Al-Shabab, a group linked to Al Qaeda have launched a number of attacks against Kenya. In addition to the Westgate massacre, there have been grenade attacks on bus terminals [1] and suicide bombings in refugee camps [2] .\n\nKenya’s waters are also used by Somali based pirates as a ground for attacks on international shipping, including possibly targeting ships travelling towards the port of Mombasa.\n\nIt is more important to the international community to have credible action taken in order to protect the Kenyan people from terrorism. This needs a strong Kenyan government – which means that there cannot be a change due to an international trial.\n\n[1] Associated Press, “Two grenade blasts rattle Nairobi; 1 dead”, USA Today, 25/10/2011 http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2011-10-24/kenya-grenade...\n\n[2] Ombati, Cyrus, “Terror suspects die after bombs explode on them”, Standard Digital News, http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000075252&story_title=Kenya-T...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ab02f92cc3b26299c19d84b3f05f1fe9",
"text": "Disrupting internet service is a form of repression.\n\nThe organization of public protests is an invaluable right for citizens living under the rule of oppressive regimes. Like in the case of the Arab Spring, internet access gives them the tools to mobilize, make their message heard, and demand greater freedoms. In such cases, under the guise of concern for public safety, these governments disrupt internet service in an attempt to stamp out legitimate democratic protests and stamp out the dissatisfied voices of their citizens [1] They are concerned not for the safety of the public, but to preserve their own grasp on power. A good example of this are the actions of the government of Myanmar when in 2007 in response to large scale protests the government cut internet access to the whole country in order to prevent reports of the government’s crackdown getting out. [2] Establishing internet access as a fundamental right at international level would make it clear to such governments that they cannot simply cut access as a tactic to prevent legitimate protests against them.\n\n[1] The Telegraph. “Egypt. Internet Service Disrupted Before Large Rally”. 28 January 2011.\n\n[2] Tran, Mark, 2007. “Internet access cut off in Burma”. Guardian.co.uk, 28 September 2007.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "00398b3d3dd909e0e07ea3510850e0c4",
"text": "Historically Democrats have presided over more economic stability whereas the GOP is the party of boom and Bust\n\nDuring the past 60 years Democrats have been considerably more likely to preside over a balanced budget than their Republican rivals. Since the OPEC shocks of the mid-70s the average unemployment rate under Republican Presidents has been 6.7 % as opposed to 5.5% under democrats. Even expanding that period out to the whole of the post-war period, unemployment has averaged 4.8% under democrats and 6.3% under democrats [i] .\n\nRepublican presidencies have been marked by higher unemployment, bigger deficits and lower wages.\n\n[i] Larry Bartels. “Why the economy fares much better under Democrats.” Christian Science Monitor. October 21st, 2010 .\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "41923e7a2f8e62762c82ab22af5ae7af",
"text": "Leaving the EU will mean the UK will have less regional influence\n\nLike it or not the UK is a part of Europe geographically and as such the countries that are most important to UK foreign policy are also in Europe. Leaving the EU will damage relations with those powers that are currently a part of the EU, and potentially also those who are used to dealing with the UK as part of the EU. The United States has noted it “benefits from a strong UK being part of the European Union” [1] in much the same way as the UK does. If this is the UK's strongest ally's view what would be the view of the powers from whom out would mean divorce? The UK will be outside the group trying to influence it rather than on the inside. The EU states will no longer need to listen to the UK on a wide range of issues where it has previously been a key voice.\n\n[1] Earnest, Josh, ‘Press Briefing by the Press Secretary Josh Earnest’, White House, 14 March 2016, https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/03/14/press-briefing-press-secretary-josh-earnest-3142016\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3f198bc44d3dad0dbd2722c6d0fad97c",
"text": "It is unthinkable that a school pupil does not know who his/her national poet is. English school pupils should be familiar with William Shakespeare, Scottish school pupils with Robert Burns and Welsh pupils with Dylan Thomas, Irish ones with James Joyce. Familiarity with one's own national poet is a basic.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "66a7b12f33a27f52a6f1acc9af045af9",
"text": "Internet regjulation is a euphemism for censorship\n\nGovernments are trying to control what citizens can and can’t say online and what they can and can’t access. This can vary from France and Germany requiring Google to suppress Nazism in search results [1] to the Great Firewall of China, where the Chinese government almost fully controls what’s said and seen on the internet and has an army of censors. [2]\n\nThis type of internet censorship is bad because citizens should have freedom of speech and uninhibited access to information, [3] a right so fundamental that we have enshrined it in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [4] and reaffirmed by the participants of the World Summit on the Information Society in 2003. [5]\n\n[1] Zittrain and Edelman, Localized Google search result exclusions, 2005\n\n[2] Internet censorship in China, 2010\n\n[3] Free Speech Debate, 2012\n\n[4] article 19, Universal Declaration of Human Rights\n\n[5] Declaration of Principles, article 4, 2003\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1eb8f28fbc267e1de90e5c1d27e539a2",
"text": "Aid money is often misspent, even when handled honestly. By imposing solutions from outside, it favors big projects, \"grand gestures\" and centralization - all of which may be inappropriate, only benefit a small number of people, and suffer from intended consequences. By contrast, the profits of trade trickle down to the whole population, giving people the power to spend additional income as they choose, for example by reinvesting it in worthwhile local industries and enterprises.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
61d5103b08d3f63c9420195647d05a69
|
Argentina inherited Spain’s claim to sovereignty
Both Argentina and the islands were under Spainish sovereignty. Spain ruled the islands from Argentina – they were therefore part of the same territory – doing so free of British intervention (or complaints) from 1770 until 1811, i.e. 41 years.
Upon independence from Spain, Argentina rightfully asserted sovereignty over the former Spanish territory, a principle that would latter be known under international law as uti possidetis juris. Britain did not claim sovereignty over the islands when Spain left them in 1811. Nor did Britain immediately challenge Argentina’s assertion of sovereignty in 1820, when David Jewett claimed the islands for Argentina, or in 1825, when the first treaty between the new country and Britain was signed.
|
[
{
"docid": "47b528156dadea98e54c0cd9202b4e7c",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland The fact that Spain never formally renounced sovereignty is irrelevant – when Britain asserted its territorial claim Spain acquiesced.\n\nAdditionally if Spain’s claim did not lapse when it evacuated its colony then surely neither did Britain’s. Nor is it obvious that Argentina should have inherited the Spanish claim to the Falklands – they lie 250 miles off the coast of mainland South America.\n\nBritain was of course not going to immediately contest the 1816 claim as she did not yet recognise Argentina so far as Britain was concern the Argentines were not sovereign and did not have sovereignty over any of their territory – at the time the UK recognised Spanish sovereignty over the mainland that Argentina claimed.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "4d26a1082638c04e91d76047b930c113",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland Vernet sought the permission of the British consulate before establishing his colony – clearly even he thought there was ambiguity over the status of the islands.\n\nMoreover the British and Spanish settlements ended not because of commercial failure but because of indirect pressure caused by war. If Argentinian sovereignty survives expulsion through war then presumably British sovereignty could survive temporary abandonment due to war.\n\nIt is also difficult to describe a settlement as permanent when it was on the point of collapse when the British took it over.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4f8423e030191ea5598f72fbda859701",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland Britain already has a working relationship with Argentina. In 2001, Tony Blair became the first British prime minister to visit Argentina since the 1982 conflict. [1] The agreements made with the Menem government show the potential for peaceful cooperation without returning the islands.\n\nIn any case, direct relations with Argentina are of little strategic or economic importance to Britain, except where they affect the Falkland Islands. Trade policy is handled on both sides at a supra-national level, through the EU and Mercosur respectively.\n\nThe Falkland Islands are simply not like other examples of decolonisation. Elsewhere Britain has given independence to the indigenous peoples of its former colonial possessions, responding to their desire for self-determination. The Falklands have no indigenous population – their inhabitants regard themselves as British in identity and have no desire to be ruled by Argentina, indeed Britain’s Prime Minister has gone so far as to say the Argentines are the ones who are sounding colonial. [2]\n\n[1] BBC News, ‘Blair’s historic Argentina visit’, 2 August 2001, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1467847.stm\n\n[2] BBC News ‘Argentina outraged at Cameron’s ‘colonialism’ remarks’, 19 January 2012, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16625963\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "51a1e3b1f8952ef846f5de16d24a0259",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland Proximity is a poor reason to make a claim to sovereignty as the Falklands lie outside the 200 mile limit that Argentina claims in the southern Atlantic. [1] The Falkland Islands today have effective self-government. They have their own elected legislature and an independent judiciary. The islands are also economically self-sufficient but for the cost of the Military Garrison – which is only necessary because of the Argentinian claim. Moreover with advances in communication the location of the settlement being thousands of miles away from Britain no longer makes much difference when it comes to governing the islands.\n\n[1] R. Reginald & J.M. Elliot, 'Tempest in a Teapot : The Falkland Islands War', The Borgo Press, 1983, http://www.falklands.info/history/hist82article11.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "22ca545e9a32a77156e4864838958a6e",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland If military costs are excluded, the islands are self-supporting. They are of great value because they bring rights to fishing and oil exploration. If the oil that has been detected in the islands’ territory can be extracted economically, the islands will be an even greater asset to Britain. [1] Strategically, they provide NATO with an airbase in the south Atlantic. Port Stanley was used as a supply base for the Royal Navy in WW1, resulting in the Battle of the Falkland Islands. [2]\n\nMoreover ‘value’ means more than products and services – the value of the inhabitant’s right to self-determination is priceless\n\n[1] Swint, Brian, ‘Oil Grab in Falkland Island Seen Tripling U.K. Reserves: Energy’, Bloomberg, 25 January 2012, http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-25/oil-grab-in-falkland-islands...\n\n[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Falkland_Islands\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "452f03cef70f006f363a35a44e09729e",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland The British colony was established only though the expulsion of the Argentinian colony. It does not matter how long ago this happened - as the legal maxim goes ‘title does not pass with theft’.\n\nColonists do not have a right to self-determination. It would be absurd if a group of people could invade some land, drive off the people living there; and then state that they have acquired the right to decide for themselves to stay there. The natural consequence of that principle would be that anyone could gain property through ethnic cleansing and long enough adverse possession.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0d7cbcd4cec3bc6152e7ecfccdee4d0a",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland It would not be possible for the UK to argue that it has a claim through prescription and the length of occupation because the original taking over the Argentine colony was not legitimate, as the islands were not res nullis.\n\nIn the Chamizal Case (Mexico vs United States), the ICJ rejected the right to title by prescription invoked by the United States because \"the physical possession taken by citizens of the United States and the political control exercised by the local and Federal Governments, have been constantly challenged and questioned by the Republic of Mexico, through its accredited diplomatic agents.\" [1]\n\n[1] The Chamizal Case (Mexico, United States), Reports of International Arbitral Awards, 15 June 1911, Vol.XI, pp.309-347\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9fba3e6c24aed60c4314d114b79ce325",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland Britain sent its soldiers to fight an unjust war. Their sacrifices do not make British occupation of the islands legal.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cfb3859ddd3d84745b2426b053be731d",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland Returning the islands would not be a sign that violence and threats are legitimate. It would be recognition of the justice of Argentina’s claim and the illegality of Britain’s occupation of the islands. In fact, it would show that illegal acts of violence, like that of 1833, will eventually be overturned.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "221c80ccc4ee67f6a6c60797d2a0f2b7",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland If Britain did not have legitimate sovereignty over the Falklands to begin with then it is illegitimate for Britain to hand that sovereignty over to the islanders.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e1dc417ee927fdbac7fff5e2d9ce1c87",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland Argentina created a permanent settlement\n\nArgentina formally took posession of the islands in 1820 and established permanent settlements in that decade. Previous settlements by Spain and Britain had been military in nature (garrisons). Britain did not protest to these acts of sovereignty. The Argentinean settlements were only ended by illegal military force, the first strike by an American warship, acting on its own initiative and encouraged by the British charge de affairs in Buenos Aires, and the second and last blow by a British taskforce.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a5f9311ef38240ad9df64ce34d877ae4",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland International relations\n\nReturning the islands would vastly improve Britain’s relationship with Argentina and Latin America as a whole. This would help Britain’s diplomatic and economic ties with the region. It would also be consistent with Britain’s post-war policy of decolonisation, which has seen it withdraw from almost every other colonial possession since 1945. Not only has Britain withdrawn from India, Africa, Malaysia and much of the Caribbean, it has also handed back Hong Kong to China – surely a similar case to that of the Falkland islands and Argentina.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dc4e64e014c1348b78214f62c9a075c1",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland Value\n\nThe islands are of minimal value to Britain. In an era of satellites and long-range ships and aircraft, the islands no longer have strategic value. Maintaining a garrison there is an unnecessary expense. Jorge Luis Borges (an Argentinean writer) likened the 1982 conflict to ‘two bald men fighting over a comb’. [1]\n\n[1] ‘Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986)’, http://kirjasto.sci.fi/jlborges.htm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fcc42e5abd14ee870ce76c5d262c9784",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland Distance\n\nThe Falkland Islands are 8000 miles from the UK – in the modern age it is absurd that one country can claim sovereignty over land halfway across the globe from it.\n\nThe needs and wishes of the Falkland islanders would be much better served if the government responsible for them was local.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a5cb03fb5b6cda4418839da27143b752",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland The islanders are the only ones who can decide.\n\nIt is the Falkland Islanders themselves who have to decide whose sovereignty they should fall under; British, Argentine or even potentially their own. The Falkland Islands are a democracy with a democratically elected Legislative Assembly and Executive Council (made from members of the Legislative Assembly). Similarly it has its own courts. The self-determination of the islanders is prominent in their constitution. [1] The Falklands have therefore been recognised by the British government as a nation just like the Scots, Welsh and Irish. This means that the decision on any change of sovereignty in the future will be up to the islanders alone to make. [2]\n\nIt is no longer up to Britain to simply cede the islands even if they wanted to.\n\n[1] The Falkland Islands Constitution Order 2008, Statutory Instruments, 2008 no. 0000, http://www.falklands.gov.fk/assembly/documents/The%20Falkland%20Islands%20Constitution%20Order%202008.pdf#\n\n[2] Ivanov, Lyubomir, ‘The Future Of The Falkland Islands And Its People’, February 2003, http://www.falklands-malvinas.com/Lyubospaper.htm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3b72404242b75b91a6eb55720fb08d3d",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland Moral Hazard\n\nReturning the islands would imply that violence and threats are legitimate ways to conduct diplomacy. Britain would be giving in to the invasion of 1982 and Kirchner’s more recent rhetoric. This would set a dangerous precedent that Britain will abandon its interests if threatened.R\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d2b6676b91fefc5371d09b367faa1f80",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland Length of occupation\n\nThe primary means of acquiring title to territory is through the effective exercise of the functions of a state within that territory. This means that Britain has a right to the territory under either ‘occupation’ (if Argentina is not considered to have occupied previously) or ‘prescription’ if it has. [1] The ICJ has stated that the claim must be\n\nI, the possession must be exercised in the character of a sovereign\n\nII, the possession must be peaceful and uninterrupted\n\nIII, the possession must be public\n\nIV, the possession must endure for a certain length of time. [2]\n\nBritain would not have difficulty arguing that it has continuously exercised sovereignty for over 170 years. It has also been peaceful (no attacking native tribes, no unrest etc). It would seem silly to transfer sovereignty to Argentina on the basis of Argentina having only occupied the islands for at most five years compared to the long period of British occupation both after and before the Argentine colony.\n\n[1] Dixon, Martin, Textbook on International Law, 6th ed., Oxford, 2007, p.155, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=aS2fv32rvMcC&printsec=frontcover#v=on...\n\n[2] International Court of Justice, ‘Reports of Judgements, Advisory Opinions and Orders Case Concerning Kasikili/Sedudu Island (Botswana/Namibia)’, 23 December 1999, http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/98/7577.pdf p.62/1103\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "309b44898af484c64c6b4ebf93268593",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland Popular sovereignty\n\nThe people of the Falklands are an established community with a right to self-determination. They are not a transitory population – many of them can trace their origins in the Islands back to the early 19th Century. They are the only successful colonists of the Falklands.\n\nThe Argentinian claim of sovereignty through inheritance of the Spanish title (uti possedetis [1] ) is not accepted as a general article of international law, and even if it was it would have to be subordinate to the Islander’s right of self-determination.\n\nIt is absurd that Argentina claims that the Islanders do not have a right to self-determination because they replaced an indigenous Argentinian population 200 years ago when Argentina consists largely of Spanish colonists who replaced the indigenous Native American population in roughly the same time period.\n\n[1] That newly independent nations inherit the claims of the old colonial states along the colonial boundaries. Dixon, Martin, Textbook on International Law, 6th ed., Oxford, 2007, p.163, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=aS2fv32rvMcC&printsec=frontcover#v=on...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7beb17670c6f52b024c7e76268d4af6d",
"text": "americas global law international law house would cede control falkland Blood has been spilt\n\nIf Britain returned the islands, it would be a profound insult to the soldiers who fought and died to liberate them in 1982. The campaign was honourably fought in defence of the rights of the people of the Falkland Islands to determine their own future. It was fought against a military dictatorship which used the campaign in a cynical attempt to divert domestic attention away from its oppressive, corrupt and incompetent rule. One of the positive consequences of British victory was that the military junta fell from power and Argentina became democratic. So Britain, Argentina and the Falkland islanders all have cause to celebrate the outcome of the 1982-83 war.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
01b19f3338d84b3d822b7a141dac7a1c
|
Humanitarian mercenaries
Mercenaries are finding a more ethical role in the form of humanitarian missions. The idea of humanitarian mercenaries is a concept of hired guns employed by governments and the United Nations to prevent genocide in the place of nation state militaries. The major benefit of using mercenaries would be the absence of a political cost should there be mercenary causalities as seen in Iraq15. There will not be waning political support from the military’s home country. Early examples include the use of mercenaries in Sierra Leone. When the Revolutionary Unified Front (RUF) was advancing on the capital Executive Outcomes and other mercenaries held back the RUF, preventing a massacre. They would later seek out and destroy elements of the rebel group. The lack of political cost makes them ideal for operations where other countries have no domestic political will to intervene.
15) Raffin,R. ‘Humanitarian Mercenaries’ 2008
|
[
{
"docid": "9ae9b33a7348165c66bf3c95dd1aa76b",
"text": "africa politics defence warpeace house believes prevalence african Firstly, the emergence of the African Union (AU) as a peacekeeping force on the continent negates the need for mercenaries. The AU’s has become increasingly involved in peacekeeping since 200316. They are more willing to involve themselves in African affairs than the West, and have deployed the lion’s share of soldiers in peacekeeping operations as in the Central African Republic17.\n\nSecondly, the UN has condemned mercenary use in general and it would seem hypocritical to begin hiring them. The UN’s weaker states have been reluctant to agree to UN mercenaries for fear they could be used against them18. The UN has actively criticised humanitarian mercenaries in the past for their lack of appreciation of conflict dynamics19, making them unlikely to employ dogs of war.\n\n16) Pan,E. ‘African Peacekeeping Operations’ December 2005\n\n17) Felix,B. ‘Militia attack Muslim neighbourhoods in Central African Republic’s Capital’ 2013\n\n18) Avant,D. ‘Mercenaries’ pg.26\n\n19) Chrisafis,A. ‘UN and aid groups criticise “Humanitarian Mercenaries’ 2007\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "b2b570159b34d403c5f11cc98f9c62fc",
"text": "africa politics defence warpeace house believes prevalence african Hired hackers don’t count as real mercenaries. While it is true that they are not a citizen of either state’s military structure and that they seek to gain profit from their venture, they do not qualify under the UN mercenary convention. To be a mercenary, one must qualify under all the conditions listed in the convention. Cyber mercenaries are not directly involved in acts of violence, which disqualifies them under Article 1, sub-section 2.A of the UN mercenary convention30. Definitions will have to be updated in the future if cyber-mercenaries are going to be considered anything other than criminals.\n\n30) United Nations ‘United Nations Mercenary Convention’ 1989\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d12e9e58b4d2d38115ff337d06fa7cb5",
"text": "africa politics defence warpeace house believes prevalence african NGOs are actively discouraged from hiring mercenaries. In 2003, UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw strongly advised against the use of mercenaries by British companies on the Ivory Coast. In addition to government deterrence, many charities are more likely to depend on the United Nations to secure conflict zones before they operate. In Darfur, aid agencies relied upon the United Nations to set up refugee camps in the region rather than seek protection from mercenaries27.\n\n27) Pham,J. ‘Send in the Mercenaries’ 2006\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f483705d84e9df6157c78b42f3e2f9fc",
"text": "africa politics defence warpeace house believes prevalence african Coups are becoming less frequent and less successful. The number of coups, which some mercenaries headed personally, has decreased from an average twenty per decade between 1960 and 1990 to ten a decade23. Success has also been less forthcoming; Simon Mann’s attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea was met with failure when he was arrested in Zimbabwe, and Bob Denard was eventually arrested by French forces for disgracing France’s reputation abroad with his frequent coups24.\n\n23) August,O. ‘Africa Rising: A Hopeful Continent’ 2013\n\n24) Mwagiru,C. ‘They Kill Africans, paid by Africans’ 2012\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "67c5ff0b32d1c08e735bca233a8c9379",
"text": "africa politics defence warpeace house believes prevalence african The majority of these laws have done little to prevent citizens from seeking a career as a mercenary. While they are commendable on principle, mercenary specific legislation has not translated in to a high number of prosecutions for mercenarism in Africa7. Examples such as Angola and Zimbabwe are rare exceptions. Mercenaries generally operate in conflict zones, where government control is weak. This makes it difficult for the state to enforce such laws, especially as the mercenaries may be working for opposition factions.\n\n7) Fallah,K. ‘Corporate actors: the legal status of mercenaries in armed conflict’, 2006 pg. 610\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f8d4439c0fd45beace100b459aadd183",
"text": "africa politics defence warpeace house believes prevalence african More than half of African countries are ruled by dictatorships. Authoritarian regimes remain numerous enough, and the opposition still prominent enough, for there to be adequate instability for mercenaries to gain employment. During the Libyan revolution, caused by the poor governance of Gaddafi’s regime, South African mercenaries attempted to extract Gaddafi from Libya with supposed Tuaregs joining his force as guns for hire14.\n\n14) Hicks,C. ‘Tuareg rebels make troubled return from Libya to Mali’ 2012\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "93175a954f9c6eb5beb1dbe607212fc0",
"text": "africa politics defence warpeace house believes prevalence african There are still enough wars and rebel movements to provide opportunity for employment. By 2013 there were 23 conflicts in Africa, with many other small militia groups actively fighting low-intensity wars. This stream of conflicts has ensured revenue for mercenaries. Reports have surfaced that ex-commander for the anti-terror unit in Liberia, Benjamin Yeaten, raised a mercenary force to fight against the army of the Ivory Coast between 2012 and 201311 With the prediction of ‘forever wars’ by Gettlemen12, where rebels have no object except banditry, mercenaries could maintain their prevalence in Africa for a long time.\n\n11) Heritage ‘Liberia: UN reports- Yeaten remains a threat to peace and security in Liberia’ 2013\n\n12) Gettlement,J. ‘Africa’s Forever Wars’ Foreign Policy 2012\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "907aa80ad62cb762b835002abf1f8e5d",
"text": "africa politics defence warpeace house believes prevalence african PMCs are just mercenaries under a different name, demonstrating a continued prevalence of the dogs of war in Africa. To escape the name, and the illegal status, of mercenary a PMC must only avoid one of the several clauses laid out by the United Nations Mercenary Convention4 While they are rarely hired for fighting roles, companies such as Military Professional Resources Inc. have demonstrated a willingness to engage in military operations; making them guns for hire5. Executive Outcomes’ operations in Sierra Leone equated to mercenary work, as they undertook offensive military operations with a force of foreign soldiers for profitable gain. In this sense, mercenaries still maintain their position on the continent.\n\n4) Sheimer,M. ‘Separating Private Military Companies From Illegal Mercenaries in International Law’, 2009 Pg. 624\n\n5) Milliard,S. ‘Overcoming Post-Colonial Myopia: A Call to Recognise and Regulate Private Military Companies’, 2003 Pg.16\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7612982d15e6760974845148f099db3f",
"text": "africa politics defence warpeace house believes prevalence african Mercenaries still have a presence in coups\n\nAfrican Mercenaries have been crucial to the success of many coups in the 21st Century, and are a ‘ubiquitous factor in the continent’s conflicts over the years, often determining the duration or outcomes of such conflicts’20. The 2013 coup in the Central African Republic saw President Francois Bozizi ousted from power and was accomplished with support of mercenaries from Chad and the Sudan21. An attempted coup by Simon Mann against Equatorial Guinea failed in 2004 and Bob Dernard’s five coups against the Comoros22 demonstrate that mercenaries still have a role in the changing of political leaders within Africa.\n\n20) Mwagiru,C. ‘Mercenaries: Are the ‘dogs of war’ still prevalent in Africa?’ 2012\n\n21) Melly,P. ‘Central African Republic: France and the CAR- Now Comes the Hard Part’ 2013\n\n22) Mwagiru,C. ‘They Kill Africans, paid by Africans’ 2012\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bb94ce85eadcb1140fabdaa1d9baddcb",
"text": "africa politics defence warpeace house believes prevalence african Cyber Mercenaries\n\nThere is a new form of mercenary appearing on the continent which is hired to use technology, rather than a gun, to fight. Cyber mercenaries are a relatively recent phenomenon. In 2013, British intelligence service GCHQ stated that nations were beginning to employ hackers to ‘attack their enemies’28. Kenya experienced attacks by cyber mercenaries in 2013, with 91% of its organisations coming under attack from these hired hackers29. There is potential for this to become a substantial form of mercenary work in the future.\n\n28) The Age ‘Hackers turn into cyber-mercenaries as nations battle a virtual war’ 2013\n\n29) Murule,R. ‘Kenya: Firms Battle Cyber Crime’ 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "698b07a42c777c49fa88f0c30582fe83",
"text": "africa politics defence warpeace house believes prevalence african Mercenaries are still hired by NGOs\n\nNon-Governmental organisations struggle to operate in conflict zones, and still hire mercenaries to protect them. Extractive industries also require security for their installations and operations in unstable regions25. The massacre of 74 civilians at a Chinese oil field in Ethiopia in 2007 and the 2013 Amenas siege demonstrate the continued need for security, which mercenaries can provide. Charities have employed mercenaries in the past to ensure better security. In 2002, mercenaries were hired by the African Rainforest and Rivers Conservation Organisation to seek out elephant poachers who they could not pursue themselves26.\n\n25) Avant,D. ‘Mercenaries’2004, pg.26\n\n26) Astill,J. ‘Charities hire gunmen to stop elephant poachers’ 2002\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4ebea26db744f6855046078ef7ba822e",
"text": "africa politics defence warpeace house believes prevalence african Legislation against mercenaries\n\nNation states and the United Nations have passed laws making mercenary activity illegal. Legislation against mercenaries prevent either seeking employment as a mercenary or hiring one. Western states such as Austria and Germany have made it illegal for citizens to become mercenaries, revoking their citizenship if they choose to do so anyway6. South Africa, a major source of hired guns, passed the ‘foreign military assistance act’ in 1998 which prohibited citizens from joining foreign wars with the exception of humanitarian intervention. In international law, the United Nations has outlawed mercenaries through the UN Mercenary Convention of 1989 which bans the use of foreign soldiers from fighting for profit. Finally, many African states have passed further legislation which restricts mercenaries operating in their countries. The trial of thirteen mercenaries in Angola and the arrests of Simon Mann’s unit Zimbabwe in 2004 were both due to their mercenary status. The increased legal pressure is a symptom of changing attitudes towards the use of mercenaries in Africa.\n\n6) Mian,Q. ‘Legal status of mercenaries’\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "76c431b9d887c809460de263242943c9",
"text": "africa politics defence warpeace house believes prevalence african Decreased Conflict and the end of the mercenary age\n\nThe decline of conflicts and mercenary freedom on the African continent has meant less work for mercenaries. The Congo conflict of the 1960s, is seen as the first mercenary age8. Hired guns fought on all sides of the conflict and enjoyed the freedom to act at their discretion. The 1976 execution of mercenaries in Angola was seen as a symbolic ending of this age. That said, mercenaries were still prevalent into the 1990s and early 2000s.\n\nSince the peak of the 1990s, however, there has been a noticeable decrease in the number of conflicts in Africa from 27 civil wars and 9 interstate wars to 5 major civil wars and no interstate wars9,10 . As wars and civil unrest are an obvious source of employment for mercenaries; this decrease in conflict leaves them with fewer opportunities. The African Union’s promise to end war on the continent by 2020 also puts the future prospects of mercenaries in to question.\n\n8) Keane,F. ‘There will be work for mercenaries in Africa until democracy replaces dictatorships’ 2004\n\n9) The World Bank ‘World Development Report 2011’ pg.52\n\n10) Wikipedia ‘List of ongoing armed conflicts’\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3eaa092d3b92af1cfd703ce179b30c75",
"text": "africa politics defence warpeace house believes prevalence african Private corporations have replaced mercenaries\n\nPrivate Military Companies (PMCs) are independent, registered, corporate actors who have risen in prominence and replaced mercenaries in their security function. PMCs are different to mercenaries in the sense that mercenaries will fight for the highest bidder. PMCs on the other hand will only work for legitimate governments and intergovernmental organisations such as the UN1. Their main roles include; support services, logical support, humanitarian support and the upholding of law and order and defensive military action2. PMC activity has seen corporations operating on behalf of the Somalian government training coast guards to deal with the threat of piracy which peaked in 20093. The legal status of PMCs, compared with mercenaries, makes them a preferable choice for the aforementioned tasks reducing the prominence of illegal hired guns.\n\n1) Jefferies,I. ‘Private Military Companies- A Positive Role to Play in Today’s International System’, 2002 Pg.106\n\n2) Jefferies,I. ‘Private Military Companies- A Positive Role to Play in Today’s International System’, 2002 Pg.107\n\n3) Stupart,J. ‘Somalia’s PMCs: What’s the Big Deal?’, 2012\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2d085a7e8c5e2b26b01adb264e4cfbe6",
"text": "africa politics defence warpeace house believes prevalence african The expansion of democracy\n\nThe increased presence of democracies on the African continent has led to greater security. Mercenary activity is usually associated with the presence of bad governance, which is most commonly featured in dictatorships. Dictatorships generally lead to corruption, unrest and economic collapse. The dispossessed in society then begin to resist, with the ensuing conflict providing employment opportunities for mercenaries. A prime example of this being Equatorial Guinea, where mercenary Simon Mann planned to use popular support to remove the infamous Teodoro Nguema13. Since the first mercenary age, however, the number of democracies has increased from 3 to 25 which has reduced instability on the continent in some regions, reducing opportunities for mercenaries.\n\n13) Keane,F. ‘There will be work for mercenaries in Africa until democracy replaces dictatorships’ 2004\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
d8fc988d0f4715250b13534d32c1a8db
|
Specialism of the United States in counter terrorism
The United States has one of the most elite and experienced counter-terrorism forces in the world, Africa could only benefit from the help they offer. Branches of the US military which specialise in counter-terrorism, such as the US Navy SEALs and Delta Force, receive rigorous training and have gained experience from numerous operations. Many African states lack the ability to train and utilise such forces, which is why US help is welcome. US military advisers were sent to Uganda to help combat the Lord’s Resistance Army [1] (LRA) and assisted with ‘an impact disproportionate to its size’ [2] . Between 2011 and 2013, the LRA’s attacks were halved and the conflict’s death toll decreased by 67%. The experience that these forces provide is visibly valuable for Africa’s counter-terrorism activities.
[1] Shanker,T., ‘Armed U.S. Advisers to Help Fight African Renegade Group’
[2] BBC, ‘US forces join jungle search for Kony’
|
[
{
"docid": "4bef71d5bb33ad9c37ae403a88e92bc1",
"text": "africa terrorism house welcomes us help fighting terrorist organisations The use of US Special Forces does not guarantee success in counter-terrorism operations. These forces have made mistakes in the past, as demonstrated by the failure in the battle of Mogadishu. Despite two years in the field, the US assisted African forces have still not found Joseph Kony (leader of the LRA) which puts the Special Forces’ usefulness in to question. There is also the issue of sending the ‘right man for the job’. Military advisors who are female or lower ranked are often not respected by the forces they train [1] .\n\n[1] Metrinko,M.J., ‘The American Military Advisor’\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "d633e16de78516ec51133da768fbdb06",
"text": "africa terrorism house welcomes us help fighting terrorist organisations Africa has witnessed significant economic growth since the inception of the ‘War on Terror’, and it is predicted that between 2013 and 2023 there will be an annual increase in GDP of 6% a year [1] . This implies that US military assistance to help counter-terrorism activities will not be needed in the future to same extent.\n\nIn addition, the emergence of the African Union’s composite peacekeeping force has created an army with counter-terrorism abilities. This force draws from multiple countries which reduces the cost for each member, creating an economically viable African force.\n\n[1] The Economist, ‘Africa rising: A hopeful continent’\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "eeb98de1f91b92da93263e7382ba5b8f",
"text": "africa terrorism house welcomes us help fighting terrorist organisations Providing military assistance against terrorism can have a negative effect on global stability. Operation Restore Hope in Somalia misappropriated the state as a terrorist haven and anti-terror missions failed to target the nature of the conflict [1] . This led to continued instability within the country which then produced a significant Islamic, terrorist movement in 2006.\n\n[1] Lyman, P. N., ‘The War on Terrorism in Africa’ pg.4\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f8328e6f04ff5862a4013cdcffeda1ac",
"text": "africa terrorism house welcomes us help fighting terrorist organisations Other actors are gaining strength in the counter-terrorism scene. Despite its weaknesses, the AU has participated successfully in counter-terrorism actions such as that of Darfur and Somalia. Other Western actors have also presented themselves as an alternative. In 2012 France intervened in Mali and prevented extremist Muslim and Tuareg separatists from gaining control of the state. The US’ response to this same incident was limited in contrast demonstrating numerous alternatives to AFRICOM.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4be8669eea2d393bee3022dfff088144",
"text": "africa terrorism house welcomes us help fighting terrorist organisations The rise in terrorist activity in Africa since 2006 has reshaped this priority. Following the Kenyan example, the Nairobi mall massacre and the subsequent attacks have acted to change the prioritisation of terrorism in some countries. In early 2014, Kenya’s Defence Secretary Raychelle Omamo stated that there was going to be a greater focus on counter-terrorism in the future [1] , this event has shown many Africans that terrorism is an issue that requires serious attention.\n\n[1] Otieno,B., ‘Kenya: China to Help Kenya Safeguard Territory’\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4e8a10f97eeba1b6e45dcc3213dd5cfc",
"text": "africa terrorism house welcomes us help fighting terrorist organisations In general, the USA’s counter terrorism assistance has led to greater regional co-operation. Shared intelligence and resources have become necessary to efficiently combat the global threat of terrorism. The US assisted a joint Mali-Niger venture to regain their desert regions, increasing co-operation between these two states [1] . Intelligence co-operation between North and Sahelian Africans has increased significantly since the beginning of the “War on Terror”, improving international relations between these countries.\n\n[1] Lyman, P. N., ‘The War on Terrorism in Africa’ pg.18\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b96ca116f18e1d8cafec74986858c1f6",
"text": "africa terrorism house welcomes us help fighting terrorist organisations The US Congress has taken steps to reduce security assistance to states which have committed mass human rights abuse [1] . In October 2013, President Obama announced cutbacks in military aid to Egypt after a military coup and crackdown on protestors [2] . In addition to these penalties, there are also good governance programmes run by USAID in unison with counter-terrorism policies to ensure a healthier transition to democracy, reducing the risk of repression [3] .\n\n[1] Ploch,L., ‘Countering Terrorism in East Africa: The U.S. Response’ pg.38\n\n[2] Gordon,M.R., ‘In Crackdown Response, U.S. Temporarily Freezes Some Military Aid to Egypt’\n\n[3] Ploch,L., ‘Countering Terrorism in East Africa: The U.S. Response’ pg.55\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9fc1fc6da626d2df5d9255e6c3abc329",
"text": "africa terrorism house welcomes us help fighting terrorist organisations Counter-terrorism helps ensure security, which is closely linked to development. Before it is possible to improve health care, education, poverty and other development factors, it is necessary to have a secure environment [1] . The action to broaden USAID’s development agenda is therefore taking a more practical approach towards ensuring that long term growth can occur in a stable environment.\n\n[1] Beswick,D. & Hammerstad,A., ‘African agency in changing security environment: sources, opportunities and challenges’ pg.476\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "34e4bab2ea833c7ae1f487c5a469df83",
"text": "africa terrorism house welcomes us help fighting terrorist organisations African states can’t afford the full cost\n\nAfrica is the least developed continent in the world and will struggle to independently maintain a specialised counter-terrorism force. Thirty four of its fifty four states are classed as ‘least developed countries’ [1] . The result of poor funding and bad governance is a decreased efficiency of security and military services in these states. In turn, this has resulted in destabilisation of the region. Wages, training, and military equipment are expenses which few African countries can afford alone. Kenya, for example, had to disband its Police Reserve unit in 2004 as unpaid officers had turned to corruption to ensure a decent wage, despite the need to combat terrorism in the state as shown by the attack on Nairobi’s Westgate shopping mall [2] . Aid from the United States enables these African states to field financially viable forces which can then participate in counter-terrorism. Before military aid was cut to Egypt in 2013, the US provided $1.3 billion annually to support one of the strongest militaries on the continent [3] .\n\n[1] The World Bank ‘Least Developed Countries’\n\n[2] Boniface,B., ‘Kenya to revive police reservists in Garissa to fight al-Shabaab’\n\n[3] BBC ‘US withholds Egypt military aid over crackdown’\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bcbcbf410795fc1f7f89516e72906350",
"text": "africa terrorism house welcomes us help fighting terrorist organisations There are few alternatives\n\nThe United States is the only significant actor in region which can be relied upon in counter-terrorism issues. Due to the “War on Terror” and a need to maintain a military equipment export industry [1] , the US has been a reliable ally for many African states. The alternatives are less attractive. African nations often dislike their neighbours involving themselves in their affairs, exemplified by the second conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo – the Great War of Africa that drew in nations across the region attempting to secure their own interests. The limited effectiveness of the AU’s army has also prevented them from becoming a prominent actor in counter-terrorism. The failure of the AU’s measures in Sudan during 2003 forced them to appeal to the UN for aid. This was effectively an admission of failure [2] , signifying these actors as weak in comparison to the USA.\n\n[1] Plumer,B., ‘The U.S. sends Egypt far more military aid than it needs’\n\n[2] Lyman, P. N., ‘The War on Terrorism in Africa’ pg.13\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "14c9964aef93d5ff9a53a930543fda05",
"text": "africa terrorism house welcomes us help fighting terrorist organisations Increased global security\n\nThe presence of US military equipment and counter-terrorism forces in Africa will result in greater security for the rest of the world. Many of the terrorist groups which have existed in the ‘ungoverned’ spaces of Africa have an international agenda. Al-Qaeda and other groups have used Africa as a base to plan attacks against the West, such as the 2004 Madrid bombing [1] . The disruption and eradication of these groups is therefore beneficial as it will prevent these groups from acting freely on the international stage.\n\n[1] Lyman, P. N., ‘The War on Terrorism in Africa’ pg.2\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2c94414b3161e814fd809d4636037f8c",
"text": "africa terrorism house welcomes us help fighting terrorist organisations Militarisation of US policy in Africa\n\nThe broadening of USAID to accommodate counter-terrorism assistance has detracted from long term development goals. When Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced the change of USAID’s focus, the agency transformed from one of development to one of a ‘quasi-security’ nature [1] . Since 2001, USAID has been forced go beyond its traditional humanitarian role. Development goals, which are crucial dealing with the root causes of terrorism such as poverty and poor state-citizen relationships [2] , are being sacrificed for short term military objectives. The military training of police has actually served to detract from development, as police financially exploit citizens with their newly gained power [3] . Africa’s urgent need for development suggests that the expansion of USAID’s role is disadvantageous for the continent.\n\n[1] Hills,A., ‘Trojan Horses? USAID, counter-terrorism and Africa’s police’ pg.629\n\n[2] Gast,E., ‘U.S. Counterterrorism in the Sahel’\n\n[3] Hills,A., ‘Trojan Horses? USAID, counter-terrorism and Africa’s police’ pg.638\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f79df7adac6db446038a5b4c88d6b114",
"text": "africa terrorism house welcomes us help fighting terrorist organisations Disrupts international relations\n\nUS counter-terrorism support of certain African states has resulted in the indignation of their rival states. Africa’s complex history of conflicts has created enmity between states. The selection of some states for counter-terrorism support has weakened relations between these states and the United States. Eritrea, for example, has been hostile towards the United States due to the latter’s support of Ethiopia, who fought a war with Eritrea from 1998-2000. Eritrea accused the US of supporting Ethiopian occupation of Eritrean lands and caused the state to withdraw from US regional counter-terrorism plans [1] .\n\n[1] Lyman, P. N., ‘The War on Terrorism in Africa’ pg.7\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "349d6da6cc3f59c98eed7d9a25ba6005",
"text": "africa terrorism house welcomes us help fighting terrorist organisations Many Africans do not prioritise counter-terrorism\n\nThe US focus on terrorism has detracted attention away from the more pressing issue of domestic crime. High rates of murder, manslaughter, rape, corruption and the illicit drug and small arms trades are of greater importance than counter-terrorism to many Africans. The misplacement of funds by USAID in states like Kenya, has detracted attention away from the major threats to citizens. Hills commented in 2006 that ‘their (Kenyans) concerns focus on the ineffectiveness of the country’s criminal justice system in the face of rising crime’ and claims that the counter-terrorist training received by them does little to improve domestic crime rates [1] .\n\n[1] Hills,A., ‘Trojan Horses? USAID, counter-terrorism and Africa’s police’ pg.637\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1ec9278dc24835d577f2a668a3bacaae",
"text": "africa terrorism house welcomes us help fighting terrorist organisations Props up authoritarian regimes\n\nThe USA has helped solidify the rule of several oppressive regimes in Africa through its counter-terrorism assistance. In an effort to prevent terrorism from gaining a foothold in Africa, US policy has supported states which have poor human rights records, allowing them to continue brutal regimes. The training and equipping of counter terrorism units by the US has been linked to increased repression and unaccountability from police forces [1] . This approach strengthened the Sudanese regime, who committed atrocities in Darfur while simultaneously received aid from the USA [2] . US support on the continent could backfire if highly trained but repressive forces become prominent.\n\n[1] Hills,A., ‘Trojan Horses? USAID, counter-terrorism and Africa’s police’ pg.638\n\n[2] Lyman, P. N., ‘The War on Terrorism in Africa’ pg.13\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
56538783c2bb32fa03603f28215cbc8f
|
ICC treats Africa differently
Africa and its leaders are treated far more contemptuously by the court. The prospect of prosecuting Barak Obama for the killing of civilians by drones which Amnesty International has suggested amount to war crimes [1] or George W. Bush for war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan is remote – yet Omar Al-Bashir and Uhuru Kenyatta have both been indicted as sitting leaders. The ICC will only prosecute if those who have committed war crimes are not going to be prosecuted locally but this is as much the case for western leaders as African ones. This points clearly to the ICC proselytizing what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ to Africans but not to other leaders – treating these leaders less respectfully and blatantly undermining African nations sovereignty in a way they would not, or would dare not, for others.
[1] ‘USA must be held to account for drone killings in Pakistan’, Amnesty International, 22 October 2013
|
[
{
"docid": "984d25e919ed62343e6dbe66ff1dc0e4",
"text": "africa law international law house believes icc biased against africa The reason western leaders have not been indicted is firstly, because their domestic judiciaries are strong and independent enough to be able to prosecute abuses when they occur. The ICC has a principle of complementarity where the ICC will only prosecute if the state themselves are unwilling or unable to prosecute. This is not the case in western countries where there is no difficulty putting members of government on trial – in the UK for example the environment secretary Chris Huhne was sent to prison for perverting the course of justice. [1] Secondly however, there is no evidence that these leaders were involved or responsible for atrocities in the same way the African leaders were. Western leaders have not authorized individual killings of civilians, or massacres, genocides or other crimes that are prosecuted by the ICC.\n\n[1] Mr Justice Sweeney, ‘Chris Huhne and Vicky Price jailed: judge’s sentencing remarks in full’, The Telegraph, 11 March 2013\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "12948cc5fa59dfc08067ffa1742f0172",
"text": "africa law international law house believes icc biased against africa The need in most cases for a referral from the UNSC certainly makes it unlikely that those states will be investigated but this does not make the court biased against Africa. Some of the cases in Africa have involved countries or their judiciaries referring themselves. In the case of Kenya’s election violence in the five years after the violence occurred very little action occurred from the domestic forces; there was a commission lead by Philip Waki that recommended a special tribunal to prosecute those involved. [1] However this never happened as a result the Waki commission handed their report over to the UN and ICC for action [2] . Unsurprisingly the case of Kenyatta has seen accusations of witness intimidation on large scales, showing that a fair trial would have been very difficult to guarantee in Kenya itself [3] .\n\n[1] Waki Report, October 2008, (large pdf)\n\n[2] Wachira, Muchemi, ‘Annan did not ambush Kenya says Justice minister’, Daily Nation, 13 July 2009\n\n[3] ‘Perceptions and Realities: Kenya and the International Criminal Court’, Human Rights Watch, 14 November 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cab2bd0ced2dec8905742a148358d8b8",
"text": "africa law international law house believes icc biased against africa While Africa is the only continent to face prosecutions, a number of other regions where atrocities have taken place are being heavily investigated, including Afghanistan, Colombia, Georgia, Honduras and South Korea [1] . These are expected to lead to prosecutions occurring. So while Africa has had the focus during the initial years of the ICC, its focus is expanding not just focused on African atrocities. It is not even solely focused on developing countries; a complaint about British actions in Iraq has been handed to the ICC. [2]\n\n[1] ‘Situations and cases’, International Criminal Court, accessed 13/2/2014\n\n[2] Owen, Jonathan, ‘Exclusive: Devastating dossier on ‘abuse’ by UK forces in Iraq goes to International Criminal Court’, The Independent, 12 January 2014\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a5e2ef100ae079037a10cb8aa63802cc",
"text": "africa law international law house believes icc biased against africa While these countries referred themselves, they did under enormous pressure from the ICC. The Prosecutors chose to ‘follow closely’ African cases to the exclusion of others and then actively invited these countries to refer themselves, under threat of seeking prosecutions on their own if the country did not comply [1] . Self-referral under pressure does not show that the ICC is not biased against Africa rather it shows either that the ICC has been more interested in Africa than elsewhere, or that it has put more pressure on African states to self-refer.\n\n[1] African Business\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "36fe3a5185038445864329b78d50fe43",
"text": "africa law international law house believes icc biased against africa That the ICC is investigating the conflicts that under some analyses may be the gravest within its jurisdiction does not mean it is not biased. Complementarity in itself shows bias; it allows countries that are considered more developed off the hook ensuring that the ICC will only look at the least developed. African states have signed up to the ICC but the result of their belief in international criminal justice has been that those who attempt to avoid international justice by not signing up to the statute have succeeded while those who accept some form of justice have been targeted.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ea424d035dbd60639fe1634b52da8e06",
"text": "africa law international law house believes icc biased against africa The point isn’t that the ICC has prosecuted in Africa; it’s that they have focused exclusively on Africa. This presents the rhetoric that Africa and Africans are somehow more violent and less moral then the rest of the world – or that Africans require more intervention than other places. This biases Africa again the rest of the world and marginalizes them in the international community.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1d23f97cd21514442078f6a440a6d702",
"text": "africa law international law house believes icc biased against africa One of strongest current criticisms of the African Union is that the ICC is ignoring its opinions. In particular, the AU has very strong views on the treatment of the Kenyan President and his deputy by the ICC in the Kenyan investigation, which the ICC has failed to engage with. Tanzanian President, Jakaya Kikwete, said 'The ICC continues to ignore repeated requests and appeals by the African Union' and this 'attitude has become a major handicap that fails to reconcile the court's secondary and complementary role in fighting impunity' [1] . This has led to African Union seriously considering leaving the union – not evidence of them being an important part of the process. Having Africans as a part of the ICC itself does not mean it listens to the African states that are parties to it.\n\n[1] Dersso, Solomon, ‘Unplanned obsolescence: The ICC and the African Union’, AlJazeera, 11 October 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7a471a01160fec8ea770d87f4ba8db06",
"text": "africa law international law house believes icc biased against africa ICC is controlled by the Security Council\n\nThe ICC can only investigate situations that are referred to it by either the host country, or the Security Council [1] . A power also exists for the prosecutor to seek investigation, though this has as yet only been used twice. As such, most atrocities that occur across the world are shielded from prosecution because such a prosecution would be against the interests of a member Security Council. Leaders do not seem to be brought for investigation until they offend the west; Charles Taylor was not prosecuted until he had a falling out with the USA, despite their soft support for him in overthrowing the Doe regime [2] . Another case in point is Uganda where the Lord’s Resistance Army has been charged, but not the Pro-US government forces, despite evidence existing they have also committed crimes [3] . It is clear then that the ICC makes decisions by broad external factors, which biases it against Africa which does not have any countries on the UNSC or any patrons sitting on the council.\n\n[1] States parties to Rome Statute, ‘Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court’, ICC, 2011\n\n[2] ‘Charles Taylor – preacher, warlord, president’, BBC News, 13 July 2009\n\n[3] ‘ICC, A Tool To Recolonise Africa’, African Business\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c07aaea9e2b4dd804a4ec59b90fc320e",
"text": "africa law international law house believes icc biased against africa Africa is overtly prosecuted\n\nAll of the twenty-four people currently indicted are African. Of the fifteen cases currently sitting before the court, all are African [1] . This in and of itself points to a large disparity between Africa and the rest of the world. It is also not at all true that Africa is the only place worthy of investigation – atrocities have occurred in the Middle East, Kosovo, Chechnya, Sri Lanka and North Korea, among others since the inception of the court. This is clearly because these other cases have powerful backers in the form of permanent Security Council members. The only conclusion to be drawn is that the ICC feels more comfortable targeting Africa then other regions where it is likely to run into opposition from powerful members of the international community.\n\n[1] ‘Situations and cases’, International Criminal Court, accessed 13/2/2014\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "876de8c7e5f4a9d82c22e723559b4c4f",
"text": "africa law international law house believes icc biased against africa Africa has a strong voice in the ICC\n\nThe ICC has gone to great lengths to involve all parts of the world in all aspects of its operations. Fatou Bensouda, from Gambia, was recently appointed Chief Prosecutor of the ICC. Moreover, Africans have twice been Vice-President of the court, and have had a fair representation of judges presiding over the court, with five of twenty-one current judges on the panel [1] . Moreover, the Africa Union played a large role in the negotiations over the Rome statute and the creation of the ICC, reflected in the large proportion of countries who are members. [2] As such, Africa’s voice is strongly heard in the ICC.\n\n[1] ‘Judge Sang-Hyun Song re-elected President of the International Criminal Court for 2012-2015; Judges Sanji Mmasenono Monageng and Cuno Tarfusser elected First and Second Vice-President respectively’, International Criminal Court, 11 March 2012\n\n[2] M urithi, Tim, ‘The African Union and the international Criminal Court: An Embattled Relationship’, IJR Policy Brief, no.8 March 2013, pp.1-2\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b4071842fd0d2aad95c886f8cf4768a1",
"text": "africa law international law house believes icc biased against africa The ICC is pursuing the gravest situations within its jurisdiction\n\nThe ICC’s jurisdiction is limited to those countries that have ratified the Rome statute. This combined with the likelihood of deadlock in the UNSC, means that many of the worst conflicts are off limits for the ICC. Using data from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program and UNHCR database since the Rome Statute came into effect in July 2002 (up to 2011) Ben Shea of the UCLA Law School finds that there has been little bias against Africa.\n\nNot only have most of the gravest conflicts taken place in Africa but the countries that were not investigated are not party to the Rome Statute. This eliminates Algeria, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Russia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Yemen and Zimbabwe. Others such as Liberia, and the Philippines only signed up after their conflict had ended. Others such as Columbia, Georgia and Mexico can be eliminated due to Complementarity (where the states are willing to investigate themselves).\n\nIn conclusion “Despite the fact that several very grave conflicts outside of Africa have occurred sometime between 2003 and 2011, once taking into account the jurisdictional obstacles of the ICC, only one country remains: Afghanistan. The fact that Afghanistan has been under preliminary examination by the ICC suggests that the Court is not biased toward Africa.” [1]\n\n[1] Shea, Ben, ‘Is the International Criminal Court targeting Africa inappropriately’, ICCForum, 17 March 2013 , Ben’s analysis is much more detailed than we have room for here so do read it for yourself.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c7db5d1b4e47ec755e90274f55bedfa1",
"text": "africa law international law house believes icc biased against africa Africa has invited ICC intervention\n\nFar from the ICC being biased against Africa it is Africa’s embrace of the ICC and the opportunity for international justice that has led to so many Africans being tried at the Hague. The reality is that the only nations to refer themselves to the ICC have been African –the DR Congo, Central African Republic, Mali and Uganda were all self-referred [1] . Likewise, the Ivory Coast referred itself to ICC jurisdiction, and referral of Darfur to the ICC from the Security Council was done so with the African Union’s support [2] . The ICC has clearly not as an institution been targeting Africa, rather it has been investigating, and then engaging in trials on situations that have been brought to it by the countries involved. Other regions of the world have not embraced the opportunity for justice in the same way so it is taking longer for investigations into war crimes in those situations by the ICC.\n\n[1] Clark, P. “Law, Politics and Pragmatism: The ICC and case selection in the DRC and Uganda” in Justice Peace and the ICC in Africa at 37.\n\n[2] Lamony, Stephen A., ‘Is the International Criminal Court really picking on Africa?’, African Arguments, 16 April 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "901ef2a49e8ccc51a517803f9de707d0",
"text": "africa law international law house believes icc biased against africa African victims deserve ICC intervention to bring justice\n\nAt the most fundamental level, many of the world’s atrocities of recent times have occurred in Africa, where weak government and mass war are rampant. Taken per head of population Africa has the most conflicts of any continent and unlike Asia its most brutal conflicts have occurred in the last couple of decades. [1] As such, it is not surprising that a focus has existed in Africa from the ICC. That the ICC has not been as strong in other continents is not evidence of bias against Africa, rather that they have work to do in other areas. But the victims of atrocities in Africa deserve their perpetrators to be brought to justice. As such, Africa is not a ‘victim’ of the ICC, but the greatest beneficiary. Africa had the greatest desire and push for international assistance in obtaining justice, and are now receiving that. This simply shows that Africa is forging a path that other regions should follow in terms of its acceptance of international criminal law.\n\n[1] Straus, Scott, ‘Wars do end! Changing patterns of political violence in sub-Saharan Africa’, African Affairs, 111/143, March 2012, pp.179-201, p.186\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
92e52fe884418e24ec21eb48626d185e
|
Repatriation poses a danger for illegal immigrants
The system of repatriating illegal immigrants can be proven harmful for these immigrants on several levels. Some illegal immigrants, although they might not fall under the official category of refugees, have fled dangerous situations such as persecution, violation of human rights and severe poverty. In 2009, France and the UK sent back several migrants that had fled the Taliban to Afghanistan when the country was still at war1. To send these people back to their country of origin would be a severe attack on their liberty and security. Having a zero-tolerance policy on illegal immigration will also make it harder for those who are trafficked to escape from criminal gangs because if they contact the authorities they will be sent home. This gives the criminals behind people-trafficking more power over their victims and will lead to worse living/working conditions in illegal industries.
1 The Telegraph, "France deports illegal Afghan migrants on joint Franco-British flight", 22 October 2009,, accessed 31 August 2009
|
[
{
"docid": "a4128db315e51d4367ef1f18238a6f3f",
"text": "global law human rights society immigration minorities house would Although it might be true that immigrants might be harmed by repatriation in some cases, the majority of illegal immigration takes place because of economic reasons, and those people can return safely. The United High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) sets the conditions for voluntary repatriation on the grounds of legal (absence of discrimination, free from persecution), physical (freedom from attack, safe routes for return) and material (access to livelihoods) safety1. If this is not the case, these people should be given temporary asylum. Victims of trafficking are usually given special protection, as is the case with the EU, which also imposes tough rules on criminals involved2.\n\n1 Refugee Council Online, \"Definitions of voluntary returns\", accessed 31 August 2011\n\n2 European Commission, \"Addressing irregular immigration\", 30 June 2011, , accessed 31 August 2011\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "a07679e715294340fb6de0eb0c63f95b",
"text": "global law human rights society immigration minorities house would Repatriation is a more direct solution to the problem, and it is not sure whether these alternatives would work. Tougher border controls will only result in immigrants finding better ways to avoid them; improving economical conditions in poor countries is a slow and insecure progress, and the situation in many developing countries in unlikely to improve anytime soon. Giving illegal immigrants temporary working visas will not stop some immigrants from staying in their host country after their visas have expired if they prefer the living conditions. Even in the case where they do decide to go back to their country of origin, this means the money they have earned will be spent there, and not in the country they have worked. This means the states loses out on revenue.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6c67e5e3566db61b18155f94ce411fc0",
"text": "global law human rights society immigration minorities house would The repatriation of illegal immigrants is not immoral because they do not have the right to be in that country in the first place. Laws are put in place to prevent people to live certain countries without a legitimate reason, and if these laws are wilfully breached, people must face the consequences. It is true that people have the right of freedom of movement, but this right is restricted to the borders of one's home country, and are widened by international agreements. But even then the freedom of movement can be restricted, even for people in Western countries. If we take the example of a European or an American that wants to go on holiday to a tropical island, we see that freedom of movements is relative. Legally this person can be free to go, but if he or she does not have money to pay a ticket or refuses to do so, this right can still be taken away.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fbfe38d7776324f53588a4afdfea7b0c",
"text": "global law human rights society immigration minorities house would It might be true that repatriation is a costly option, but so are other alternatives. Illegal immigrants are already putting a costly burden on the state by using its resources without giving much back. If this situation is left on its own, the long-term costs of keeping illegal immigrants might be higher than the relative short-term cost of repatriation. Alternatives, such as nationalisation of immigrants are also very costly and time-intensive, and would moreover encourages more potential migrants to come and obtain the country's nationality.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7c52f3815ed4c472cab29870fa640889",
"text": "global law human rights society immigration minorities house would A repatriation policy will not effectively target this area of illegal immigration. Criminal networks will always find ways of smuggling people into a country and evading detection. All a repatriation policy will do is make these gangs more sophisticated when it comes to hiding illegal immigrants. This not only makes it more difficult to discover and undermine these networks, but also puts the illegal immigrants that are involved in these criminal activities at risk. If there is a standard repatriation policy for all illegal immigrants, vulnerable groups such as trafficked women are less likely to seek help, because not only is it likely that they will be repatriated, but they also put the lives of themselves and their families at risk by going through this procedure, rather than receiving anonymous help. As a result, illegal immigrants that are often at the bottom of criminal organisation will be worse off, while the criminal at the top will get more power over their victims.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "479796a80c93be8be61d97d22300583c",
"text": "global law human rights society immigration minorities house would The repatriation of all illegal immigrants is an impossible task to start with, so if this policy is adopted and fails in its execution, this will lead to a greater loss of trust in the government. If immigration policies focus more on the integration of illegal immigrants, this will have a more beneficial effect than criminalizing them. Marking illegal immigrants as criminals that have to leave the country as soon as possible will actually incite more conflict between migrants and populists.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b5978a319ce250d10e1a16ec27090ebd",
"text": "global law human rights society immigration minorities house would It is impossible to prove that all illegal immigrants are a drain on the system and so their cost to society cannot be used as a justification for repatriation policies. Many illegal immigrants pay taxes in some way and actually contribute to the economy of a country. For instance, every time an illegal immigrant buys something, they pay the same amount of sales tax or VAT as any other person. Illegal immigrants do not always undercut the labour market. The illegal workforce is a necessary part of the economy because lawful residents do not want jobs such as casual labour, agricultural or domestic jobs. Illegal immigrants often provide vital services that would otherwise be too expensive or hard to find if regular workers were employed e.g. cleaning, childcare and manual labour. Goods would become too expensive to produce if, for example, parts of the agriculture industry had to employ lawful residents/migrants.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9d853d310635334147d4d14522b72665",
"text": "global law human rights society immigration minorities house would There are many alternatives to a repatriation policy that will more effectively target the problems caused by illegal immigration. Countries can toughen border controls and have better systems in place for granting asylum. Voluntary repatriation is unworkable, even if accompanied by financial assistance, because many illegal immigrants want to stay in the country. Involuntary repatriation is inhumane and harmful because it restricts the freedom of movement for people, and separates them from their family and friends, whilst they are forced to go back to potentially harmful situations. Repatriation will not stop the numbers of people coming to the country. Illegal immigration does not occur because a country is a 'soft touch': very few, if any, countries have no problems with illegal immigration. The reasons behind immigration are social, political and economic and have nothing to do with an individual country's policy on illegal immigration. Those who turn to illegal immigration are often desperate and will pay no attention to the immigration policies of a country.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dec2be785c742abd4d602b0fdbb336dd",
"text": "global law human rights society immigration minorities house would Repatriation is expensive and unrealistic\n\nThe repatriation of all illegal immigrants is impossible to realize, and this large-scale project would cost large sums of money. The Center for American Progress study released in March of 2010 concluded that a strategy aimed at deporting the US population of illegal immigrants would cost the government approximately $285 billion over five years. (A deportation-only policy would amount to $922 in new taxes for \"every man, woman, and child in this country).\"1 In separate research released in January, UCLA professor Raúl Hinojosa-Ojeda found that if undocumented immigrants were removed from the economy, it would reduce US GDP by $2.6 trillion over ten years.1\n\nThe impracticality of repatriation lies not only in the costs of the transportation and the help given to immigrants, but also in the time and effort of finding all illegal immigrants. A repatriation policy would be never-ending and a waste of time and money. It would be better to target only those illegal immigrants who pose a proven risk of harm to society.\n\n1. Apsan, 2010 http://news.jornal.us/article-4716.Mass-Deportation-Of-illegal-Immigrant...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8e768706dc710261c339d9a1027f4dd2",
"text": "global law human rights society immigration minorities house would Repatriation is immoral\n\nThe repatriation of illegal immigrants, even if it is not completely under coercion, is immoral. Even if the repatriation is 'voluntary', immigrants know they have no alternatives, and might agree to go back voluntary because the next step would be involuntary repatriation. This means that illegal immigrants are severely restricted in their freedom of movement. In the Western world, people can move around relatively easily, and this is seen as an inalienable right. To restrict this for people that do not come from this part of the world would be inhumane. Moreover, illegal immigrants have often built their lives in the country they reside in, having a family, sometimes children, work and a social circle. Often, children from illegal immigrants get citizenship because of their age, whilst their parents are repatriated. This forceful separation of children from their parents is a violation of their human rights, as article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that the family is the natural unit in society which is entitled to state protection1. Separating children from their mother can be seen as a violation of this right.\n\n1 United Nations, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 10 December 1948,, accessed 31 August 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "10ef227b72e0f3ff0feca3b411ff5987",
"text": "global law human rights society immigration minorities house would Alternatives are better\n\nThere are alternatives to the repatriation of illegal immigrants that are much more attainable. First of all, there has to be more attention to the root causes of migration, rather than attacking the results. The money that would be spent on repatriation could be used for prevention of immigration by focusing on border controls and improving economic conditions in countries where migrants come from. Trade agreements between developed and developing countries could be improved, which gives poorer countries more opportunities to trade. Most illegal immigrants migrate to Western countries to earn money, so if there are more opportunities for foreign workers to operate legally and on a temporary basis, with the assurance that they can come back if needed, this will remove the current incentive for many illegal immigrants to stay in their host country.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "24e795fa79e5b549a8c7afa3ee3523ef",
"text": "global law human rights society immigration minorities house would Illegal immigration is facilitated by criminal networks\n\nRepatriating illegal immigrants would lead to fewer opportunities for criminal networks to gain entry to the country. Illegal Immigration is linked to dangerous criminal activity such as people and drug trafficking, terrorism and the sex trade. An estimated 270 000 victims of human trafficking live in industrialized countries, of whom 43% are forced into commercial sexual exploitation, mostly women and girls1. This is both dangerous for those involved in illegal immigration but also increases the criminal activity in a country, putting lawful residents at risk. The state also has a duty to protect its citizens from the harms associated with illegal immigration. Illegal immigration fuels dangerous industries such as prostitution and the drug trade, repatriating illegal immigrants cuts off a vital source of labour for these industries and could contribute to the eradication of these industries.\n\n1 UN.GIFT, \"Human Trafficking: The Facts\",, accessed 31 August 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "43709b525cbf7f09d80a85d8f6918770",
"text": "global law human rights society immigration minorities house would Costs of illegal migrants and harm to labour market\n\nIllegal immigrants cost the state in money, time and resources. It is difficult to give an accurate number on the cost of illegal immigrants for the rest of the population (the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) has come up with numbers as high as $1,183 per household in the state of California1), but they are likely to put a strain on resources by not paying taxes whilst demanding social services such as healthcare and education. As a result, they take taxpayer's money away from those who are lawfully entitled to use these services and put a burden on the state. Moreover, illegal immigrants undercut the labour market by accepting low wages and working under illegal conditions. This is harmful to lawful residents because it takes employment opportunities away from them and encourages employers to seek illegal labour in order to keep costs down. Removing the illegal workforce would increase the number of jobs available to lawful residents and force employers to pay fair wages and provide safe working conditions.\n\n1 Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), \"The Costs to Local Taxpayers for Illegal Aliens\", 2006,, accessed 31 August 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5060147d628967f333fbb5b515024029",
"text": "global law human rights society immigration minorities house would There needs to be a tough stance to prevent illegal immigration.\n\nThe only way to stop the problem of illegal immigration is to take a hard-line stance and adopt policies of repatriation. This means that illegal immigrants, after it has been proven through a fair hearing that they have no legitimate reason to stay, will be granted a period of voluntary repatriation, where they receive counselling and help to return to their country. If this does not work, and the illegal immigrant wants to stay, he or she will forced to repatriate. Repatriation is needed because illegal immigrants are residing in a country which is different from their country of origin, without fulfilling the legal requirements to do so. They also do not make the same contributions to the state as other people do, such as paying taxes. This means that illegal immigrants are actively harming the legal system, the citizens of the country and legal immigrants. At the same time, the number of illegal immigrants is rising every year, with an estimated 11.5-12 million illegal immigrants living in the US alone1. These kind of numbers show that the rules on immigration need to come with tough sanctions to ensure that they are not exploited or broken in the future. Repatriation is necessary because it targets successful illegal immigrants and ensures a comprehensive immigration policy that aims to reduce illegal immigration. What this policy of repatriation will do, is that it firstly will reduce the number of illegal immigrants in the country, which will lead to a decline of harms caused by them. Secondly, it will act as a strong deterrence for future immigrants. Repatriation sends a message to potential illegal migrants that their presence in the country will not be tolerated and that any attempt to stay in the country illegally will be unsuccessful.\n\n1 BBC News, \"BBC guide on illegal immigration in the US\", 2005, accessed 31 August 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "48df4214d9ac2c79121f4c9f57c0c07e",
"text": "global law human rights society immigration minorities house would Loss of trust in the government\n\nFailing to remove illegal immigrants undermines public confidence in the government and its migration policy. In the UK, opposition leader Ed Milliband has acknowledged that Labour had lost trust in the south by underestimating the number of illegal immigrants and the impact they would have on people's wages1. People believe that allowing those who have no right to remain in the country to stay on means the whole immigration system is broken. Legitimate migrants such as refugees, students and those with visas for work will be lumped together with illegal immigrants, and calls will grow for all forms of migration to be restricted. Populist feeling may also be inflamed against ethnic minorities, with increased social tensions.\n\n1 BBC News, 2011, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13133544\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
a6e80afdde07fb9e8a6d9b0a39fc7738
|
Preconditions are like granting a veto to the extremists.
No government is monolithic. In every regime there will be moderate forces willing to use diplomacy and negotiations and extremist elements that do not. By demanding that preconditions be fulfilled before a meeting, all power is given to the extremists. Israel-Palestine is an example of this. By often demanding that violence cease before negotiations can take place, the US and Israel give a veto over negotiations to Hamas, who are the perpetrators of violence. They get to decide if and when negotiations take place. Instead, the president of the United States should always try to engage and strengthen moderates within these regimes.
|
[
{
"docid": "2b4a6351748e8db418392e079a80c11e",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without Not allowing any meetings with the President does not mean no negotiations can take place. Groundwork can be done by diplomats, negotiators, third parties, and even high-ranking administration officials from the state department, like the Secretary of State. Such tactics can also strengthen moderates. However, a meeting with the President is a powerful symbol, and it should only take place if either significant headway has been made, or if the leaders of these regimes are fully committed to negotiating, which they can prove by agreeing to preconditions.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "962b626d62f0742a6fd39283ef742bb8",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without If talks don’t take place, that doesn’t mean no actions can be taken against rogue regimes. Diplomatic pressure, third party talks or even sanctions can be effective ways to deal with states like Iran, Syria, or North Korea. Neither of these requires the President himself to sit down with these leaders.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "63cd250386441477ee889f5550095e31",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without Meeting with the leader of the United States can equally bolster a leader’s support and strengthen his or her position. After all, the US will always prefer and support a leader that is seen as reasonable and willing to compromise rather than a hard liner. Hosni Mubarak is a prime example of a dictator whose position was strengthened by his good relationship and close ties to the US [1] . Therefore, many of these dictators may see it in their interest to agree to preconditions, if that will buy them American favours.\n\n[1] Murphy, Dan. “Joe Biden says Mubarak no dictators, he shouldn’t step down.” Christian Science Monitor. 27 January 2011. http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Backchannels/2011/0127/Joe-Biden-says-Egy...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e001d74596f548ef2ac01c5c698e03a1",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without That is true. But that is mostly the case with preconditions that are strategically flawed or an attempt at political gamesmanship, when a leader makes outrageous demands the other party cannot possibly meet in order to paint them as unreasonable and unwilling to negotiate. However, chosen carefully, preconditions can set talks and negotiations on the right course, and give a strong indication of the sincerity and commitment of both parties.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6dec62646011785cb17d69c0dbf33e91",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without While legally all the world’s leaders are equal, morally they are not. For decades, the US has been the standard of what it means to be a liberal democracy and have respect your citizens’ rights and liberties. That is not arrogance; it’s moral leadership. This is a vision that the US should aggressively promote in its foreign policy. The President of the United states should not meet as equals with tyrants and dictators who oppress their own people, and endanger world peace and security. Not unless these people give any indication they are even vaguely committed to moving toward some common goals.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8cc5e81c4011634db55244bec45fcbda",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without Agreeing to sit down and talk can equally be seen as a gesture of good faith. The further requirement to prove themselves and their intentions can put off leaders who are on the fence about engaging the US on their differences. It should be remembered that the mistrust is not only one way; ‘rogue’ regimes leaders also mistrust US intentions. As a result demanding preconditions frames the negotiations, from the onset, from a position of mistrust\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "85ceba6a6b22a185aa7a1731f7c7dd90",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without No president can sit and wait until the dice fall before making a move on foreign policy. Presidents have to deal with the here and now. If the situation changes, the US will have to reassess. However, at any given time the President has to do what is in the US’s best national interest. And at times that may be meeting with unpopular dictators.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "955127fb5ecca43e32f1a3f4cb061eab",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without Sanctions will always be hanging in the background. It will also be obvious pretty soon whether the other party is really interested in negotiating or just stalling. However, diplomacy should always be tired before sanctions.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e3eee39c4ea80bd8ed80477d1d8015bc",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without The President does not just sit down with a foreign leader without previous groundwork. No preconditions does not mean no preparation. Diplomats can be dispatched in advance to gage the level of interest and the intentions of the other party. Intelligence can be gathered to take the pulse of the regime and understand what is going on in the country, whether the moment is auspicious for change and diplomacy or whether the rogue leader is just looking for a popularity boost. The President should always have a very good idea of what to expect when he or she meets with a foreign leader. They don’t just find out once they get there.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7e323a61dcf27a7af990e16d96a23297",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without The more the US waits, the stronger its opponents become.\n\nPreconditions delay engagement and negotiations. Sometimes it can take years before the parties even start talking to each other. In that time, Iran will continue to enrich uranium [1] and North Korea will continue to expand its nuclear arsenal [2] . If the US waits for preconditions to be agreed on and met, by the time president Obama gets to talk and negotiate directly with the leaders of these states, he will have a much bigger crisis to deal with. It may have even gotten to the point where diplomacy can no longer be used effectively.\n\n[1] Borger, James. “Iran’s acceleration of its nuclear programme angers the west.” Guardian. 19 July 2011. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/19/iran-acceleration-nuclear-an...\n\n[2] Neuman, Doug. “North Korea expands nuclear relationships with outcast states.” Examiner. 11 May 2010. http://www.examiner.com/korean-headlines-in-national/north-korea-expands...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1cab438e70750f1935254ab1a3b4d4bf",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without Preconditions can damage a country’s negotiating position.\n\nNo country is likely to agree to conditions that will significantly reduce its bargaining power once it gets to the table. It would be diplomatically foolish to agree to preconditions that would essentially be the subject of the negotiations and the reason why the negotiations were needed in the fist place [1] . If North Korea agreed to freeze development of its nuclear arsenal, or if Iran agreed to stop its nuclear enrichment programme, once the meeting between the two leaders took place, the position from which they started negotiating would be significantly weaker than the US’s.\n\n[1] Klein, Rick. “Obama’s Evolving Take on Meeting with Iran.” ABC News. 20 May 2008. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/Story?id=4896002&page=2#.Tv7nzCN...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d9e5f9e13e7fdcd5da6a4bc66d13d616",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without Doing away with ‘US arrogance’.\n\nFrom its early days, the Obama administration has strived to change the tide of US foreign policy, by moving away from America’s unilateralism and dismissiveness of other nations. [1] Its treatment of its foes is a product of that same attitude. The general policy not to meet or negotiate without preconditions is akin to dangling a spot at the table like some sort of prize that foreign leaders need to work for. In international law, all states are sovereign and equal with no one having a right to interfere with other’s internal affairs. This means that all leaders should treat each other with respect and deference.\n\n[1] Harnden, Toby. “Barack Obama: ‘arrogant US has been dismissive’ to allies.” The Telegraph. 3 April 2009. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/5100338/Barack-Oba...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3e556c386ded999aaa5c8ac7f57b0f50",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without Agreeing to preconditions can damage a leader’s position at home.\n\nIf, in order to meet with his counterpart, a ‘rogue leader’ needs to compromise on his and his country’s position even before he gets to the table, this would be a signal of weakness to his opponents at home and those vying for his job. For example, in North Korea, which is going through a dynastic transition [1] , the new leader Kim Jong Un is yet to become established and consolidate his status as dictator. Any concession to the sate’s designated mortal enemy, the US, might jeopardise the succession. Similarly, in Iran where Ahmadinejad has fallen from the graces of the supreme religious leader, the Ayatollah [2] , agreeing to preconditions in order to get a meeting with Obama would signal to the Iranian President’s rivals that it may be a good moment to attempt to force a change of guard.\n\n[1] “Profile: Kim Jong un”. BBC. 31 December 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11388628\n\n[2] “Ahmadinejad v Ayatollah: Who will win Iran dustup?” BBC. 8 July 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14061556\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "eb8fd67668a540fadb3b4f9a81341af0",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without Rogue leaders can exploit such meetings to bolster their legitimacy\n\nIf no proper groundwork is done before such a meeting, and no preconditions are laid out, such events can easily be used by these foreign regimes as propaganda at home to try to bolster their own legitimacy [1] . A meeting with the leader of the free world would give an opportunity to Ahmadinejad or Chavez to portray themselves as great statesmen and leaders, equals to the president of the United States. The same is true of North Korea, which is a regime that rules almost entirely through the strength of state propaganda [2] . If they don’t have to agree to any preconditions, there is no cost to these leaders exploiting a meeting with Obama to their own advantage, while having no intention to actually engage in genuine negotiations and diplomacy.\n\n[1] “Clinton: Obama is ‘naïve’ on foreign policy.” Associated Press. 24 July 2007. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19933710/ns/politics-the_debates/t/clinton-o...\n\n[2] Myers, B. R. “The Cleanest Race: How North Koreans See Themselves and Why It Matters”. Melville House. 2010.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "623d41e7c774db25c01bcecded1bc950",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without Meeting with these leaders today might jeopardize America’s interests tomorrow.\n\nThe Arab Spring demonstrated just how unpredictable and unstable some of these regimes could truly be. And the new governments coming to power are unlikely to forget America’s role in supporting their former dictator. For example, Egypt’s transition from dictatorship has led to a rise in anti-American sentiment, as the US is perceived to have been a supporter of the Mubarak regime [1] . It may not be wise for President Obama to associate himself, and the US, so closely to leaders like Assad or Ahmadinejad who are susceptible to being deposed through the same type of massive demonstrations that swept through the Arab world in 2011. Doing so without preconditions would signal a trust and deference to these leaders that may be unforgivable to their successors, and to the people of Syria and Iran.\n\n[1] Lee, Mathew. “US troubled by rising anti-Americanism in Egypt”. Associated Press. 10 August 2011. http://news.yahoo.com/us-troubled-rising-anti-americanism-egypt-18084318...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0cef07b97631741a61227383a9a98018",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without Preconditions are an essential gesture of good will.\n\nPreconditions are not about posturing or scoring some easy, early points. They play an essential diplomatic role. By agreeing to make some concessions before negotiations start in earnest, a ‘rogue state’ would signal its good faith in the negotiating process and its willingness to compromise and work diligently toward a common goal and reaching an agreement. Without such proof of commitment, the US should have every reason to doubt the true intentions of leaders like Ahmadinejad.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d8abd90da072a372e37c893f582010d1",
"text": "global house believes obama was right agree meet rogue leaders without Rogue regimes can use such meetings as a dilatory tactic to stall sanctions against them.\n\nNuclear countries like North Korea and Iran have been keen to use such a meeting as a stalling tactic against the onslaught of sanctions prompted by its nuclear programme [1] . Negotiations can be continually spun out with very little result in order to keep the United States from taking action simply by encouraging the United States to believe that there will be action after a meeting. Again, if there is no cost to them sitting down to negotiate, then negotiations are an easy way to deflect pressure, while they continue to pursue their nuclear and WMD programmes. As a result the preconditions need to be met before the negotiations to prevent such tactics from being possible.\n\n[1] Yeranian, Edward. “Iranian President Offers to Meet President Obama.” Voice of America. 2 August 2010. http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Iranian-President-Ready-...\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
4cbe458d56335a8be87059d074689d1b
|
Benefits of joining the European Union
Both Norway and Switzerland already gain from their economic association with the European Union, but they would realise much greater benefits if they formally joined the organisation. Being imperfectly integrated into the European economy means that consumers pay higher prices for goods and services than citizens of EU countries. Businesses are sheltered from full competition, which can lead to complacency and a loss of global competitiveness. And the nature of their relationships with Brussels means that their economies are inherently fragile – bilateral agreements could be cancelled by either side at any time. This would have little impact on the wider EU-economy, but would devastate much smaller Norway or Switzerland. The risks this involves were brought home in 2008 when Swiss voters had to approve an extension of the freedom of movement under the Schengen agreement to new EU-members Romania and Bulgaria; if the referendum had been rejected, the EU would have cancelled the whole bilateral deal on Schengen. [1] So unless the two countries stay in step with the EU as it moves forward towards integration, they may lose many of the benefits they have already acquired. Given that in recent deals the EU has been relatively generous in the expectation that Switzerland and Norway will be encouraged to join the Union, there is a further risk that future treatment will be much less sympathetic if Brussels recognises that this is not going to happen.
[1] EurActiv.com, ‘Populists defeated in Swiss EU labour poll’, 2009
|
[
{
"docid": "84e268af030e005cb5864250c79d3898",
"text": "europe house believes switzerland and norway should apply join eu Both countries are among the most prosperous economies in the entire world and have nothing to gain from EU membership. Through their EEA and EFTA memberships, as well as bilateral deals with Brussels, both Norway and Switzerland have access to the Single Market and are fully integrated into the European economy. While it may be true that the European Union is generous to Norway and Switzerland it is also in the EU’s interest to add Norway and Switzerland to the European Common Market even if not as full members. The chances of the European Union cancelling such agreements are remote as international agreements and trade rely on trust between partners so other partners of the EU would worry that their treaties might also be cancelled.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "596b4381eceefeef90e4165dc1be47b2",
"text": "europe house believes switzerland and norway should apply join eu It is clear why the EU would like to welcome the rich Swiss and Norwegians within its embrace, but why would either country want to sign up for a project which would involve their citizens’ taxes being given away to other countries? EU waste and fraud are legendary, so it is easy to understand why voters have consistently rejected giving up their taxes to Brussels. As latecomers they are not in a strong position to bargain over entry terms, and can expect to become major net contributors, especially as their farmers are unlikely to gain much from the Common Agricultural Policy. Estimates of the cost of membership for Switzerland were set between SFr3 billion and SFr8 billion in 2004 – more than its entire defense budget.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3a0807b97de0351e7f6a191d48adb745",
"text": "europe house believes switzerland and norway should apply join eu There is no moral obligation upon either state to join the EU. Both can continue to play a full part in promoting peace and stability outside the organization. As a NATO member with a firmly internationalist outlook, Norway already makes a big contribution to peacekeeping around the world. Indeed its valuable role as an arbiter in bitter disputes such as the Israel-Palestine and Sri Lanka-Tamil conflicts might be lost if it was merely a small part of a big power bloc. Switzerland too already contributes to building stability in the Balkans, in partnership with EU countries. But its long tradition of neutrality would be clearly compromised by EU membership, especially as a Common Foreign and Security Policy, voiced from Brussels by a High Representative on behalf of all member states, is rapidly becoming a reality.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "17e15eb9bedf33c3f9df08c65f4410f7",
"text": "europe house believes switzerland and norway should apply join eu While it is true that trading freely with the EU requires acceptance of many of its rules, neither country has given up control over those areas they consider key policy areas. These are the areas that Norway and Switzerland most important such as agriculture, fishing (highly important for Norway) and foreign affairs. The Swiss in particular have done well out of bilateral deals with the EU – would their concerns in areas such as banking and farming be listened to as carefully once they were inside the club? How much are the concerns of smaller states taken seriously in the EU today?\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7ff68b85f3cc8cfaeb3230b5e267cef8",
"text": "europe house believes switzerland and norway should apply join eu Being small may well be the best way of avoiding the effects of globalization. Globilization is not only transferring power up from the state level to a more globalized level but also down to the local level. This works to the advantage of small states and as a very decentralized state this is particularly likely to benefit Switzerland. It is notable that most the world’s wealthiest states in per capita terms are small states despite globalization supposedly meaning that countries need to create immense markets to survive. [1] In practice small states are able to rapidly change to the changing economic environment. Iceland itself is a good example, despite the crash it experienced it is recovering and is turning against the idea of EU membership as its finance minister Steingrimur Sigfusson says \"You are quicker turning a small boat around than a big ship. And that is, I think, what is being proven: that the small, vibrant Icelandic economy, including having our own currency, makes adapting quicker.\" [2]\n\n[1] Alesina, Alberto, ‘The Size of Countries: Does it matter?’, 2003, p.308\n\n[2] Henley, Paul, ‘Iceland has doubts about the euro as economy recovers’, 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "338486a0a3fa6c6321e7927edec2882a",
"text": "europe house believes switzerland and norway should apply join eu Many other countries in the European Union are proud of their sovereignty, Britain for example was also initially reluctant to join the EU and has worried about losing sovereignty ever since. All the Eastern European states have been dominated by outside powers much more recently than Norway has and yet welcome the EU. Many commentators believe that the EU is moving towards being much more based upon regions and small states, something which would fit closely with Swiss and Norwegian membership. [1]\n\n[1] Alesina, Alberto, ‘The Size of Countries: Does it matter?’, 2003, p.313\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f0a878348b754ce0b0fe43e174639b25",
"text": "europe house believes switzerland and norway should apply join eu Replacing their currencies with the Euro would also benefit both Switzerland and Norway. Over the past ten years the Euro has gained in strength and credibility, and is now clearly the world’s second currency after the dollar. The high volatility of sterling shows the danger of trying to maintain your own currency as a national virility symbol, while Iceland shows the risk small countries face when financial trouble strikes. For Switzerland, switching to the Euro would allow it to capitalize on its banking expertise by becoming a true rival to London as Europe’s financial center. For Norway, the Euro would help the country avoid “Dutch disease” – where a strong oil and gas industry pushes up the currency to the point where other businesses are severely hurt.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "88a8d21c50ab3ebe310809a7cc8cb7f1",
"text": "europe house believes switzerland and norway should apply join eu It would be easy to assimilate into the EU\n\nBoth Switzerland and Norway would be warmly welcomed within the EU family and guaranteed a speedy entry into the Union. As advanced economies with strong legal and political institutions, they would be easy for the EU to assimilate, especially given their close involvement in the Single Market already. Both would be net contributors to the EU budget, and would strengthen the EU at a time when it is still coping with poorer new members and would-be members in Eastern Europe. And by contributing financially to the EU in this way, Switzerland and Norway will benefit from increasing trade as Eastern and Central European states rapidly gain in prosperity with support from EU regional transfers.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "87d0860293cd7cf02db5f505b006895a",
"text": "europe house believes switzerland and norway should apply join eu Norway and Switzerland already implement many EU policies\n\nBoth Norway [1] and Switzerland [2] have agreements with the EU allow them the access to its enormous market that they need to survive economically, but at the same time they have to abide by EU rules that they have no influence over making. Norway in particular, as an EEA member must accept all EU single-market, employment, environment and competition rules. Switzerland meanwhile is under pressure as the European Union wants changes to EU law to be adopted automatically by the Swiss. [3] Both contribute to the EU budget as European Free Trade Area members contribute to operational and administrative expenditure. [4] Norway contributes 340million Euros per year. [5] If they joined the EU, they would at least be given a say in the regulations they have to implement, and as their presence would strengthen the relatively more free-market camp led by the UK, Ireland and Denmark, they are likely to be happier with the rules that then result.\n\n[1] The European Community and Iceland, The Principality of Liechtenstein, Then Kingdom of Norway, ‘Agreement on the European Economic Area’, 1994\n\n[2] European Economic Community and the Swiss Confederation, ‘EC Switzerland Free Trade Agreement’ 1972\n\n[3] Pop, Valentina, ‘EU looking to reset relations with Switzerland’, 2010\n\n[4] Efta.int, ‘EEA EFTA Budget’, 2011\n\n[5] Norway Mission to the EU, ’10 Basic facts about the European Economic Area’\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e7fdda545b842a50d3d00d11f3edd4cc",
"text": "europe house believes switzerland and norway should apply join eu There is little room for small states in a globalizing world\n\nBoth countries would benefit from pooling sovereignty in an increasingly globalised world. For relatively small states true independence is no longer possible, with countries like Switzerland and Norway at the mercy of bigger economic forces. Thus Switzerland for example had to bail out its biggest bank UBS with $5.23 billion In 2008 as well as taking on $50 billion of toxic assets. [1] UBS and Credit Suisse the banks that were bailed out held assets worth 680% of GDP so Switzerland could have faced a similar crash as Iceland did. [2]\n\n[1] Gow, David, ‘Switzerland unveils bank bail-out plan’, 2008\n\n[2] Theil, Stefan, ‘What the Swiss Did Right’, 2010\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "041287c7dc614343b0ea2521b91dc098",
"text": "europe house believes switzerland and norway should apply join eu The EU shares the same values as Norway and Switzerland\n\nThe European project has been a great political success in first ensuring, and then extending democracy and stability within the European continent. As strong democracies Switzerland and Norway surely belong within the EU family, and should play their part in advancing stability and European values in the future, for example in the Western Balkans. Swiss fears about compromising their neutrality should not be an issue – EU states like Ireland and Austria prize their neutrality too. And for the EU, the entry of both Norway and Switzerland at the same time would help to maintain present balance between NATO members and neutral states.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a7563ac51dd871ce4ec4c7f7bd033e85",
"text": "europe house believes switzerland and norway should apply join eu Strong traditions of Sovereignty\n\nBoth Norway and Switzerland greatly value their sovereignty and do not want to give it up to Brussels. The Swiss have a tradition of proud independence stretching back to the middle ages, while the Norwegians still remember what it was like to be politically dominated by Denmark and Sweden. In both, voters have consistently shown that they have no wish to compromise their sovereignty by joining the European Union. The Swiss particularly fear their tradition of more direct democracy would be threatened with EU membership, as laws from Brussels could not be overturned by referendum as at present. This is already having an effect on EU-Swiss relations with Switzerland unwilling to have automatically adopt evolving EU law. The Swiss would be equally worried about the role of the European Court of Justice which decides if countries infringe European law. [1]\n\n[1 ] Pop, Valentina, ‘EU looking to reset relations with Switzerland’, 2010\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "713eaeca9674f150f6ee9fab7dbce774",
"text": "europe house believes switzerland and norway should apply join eu Requirement to join the Euro\n\nEven if EU membership were in the interests of Switzerland and Norway, the requirement that all new members join the Euro provides a strong argument against joining the Union itself. At present, both countries have strong currencies, with the Swiss Franc a major international reserve currency in its own right. Through the Krone and Franc they can control their own monetary policy to suit economic conditions. By contrast, small EU states are at the mercy of the European Central Bank, having to endure interest rates that may be right for Germany or France, but which are too tight or too loose for Ireland or Belgium. This explains why EU countries such as Denmark and the UK have so far refused to join the Euro. Norway and Switzerland may also wonder whether they want to yoke themselves to profligate debtor countries like Italy, Greece, whose falling credit ratings are placing monetary union under strain at present. And neither Norway or Switzerland has the financial problems of Iceland, although the credit crunch has required Switzerland to support its international banks – in ways which EU membership might well have prevented.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
77ec111d654b29f4d31b7ea25e630d32
|
The EU causes instability
According to Boris Johnson the European Union is “a force for instability and alienation” [1] that increasingly causes security problems such as the migration crisis. The EUs inability to solve its crises such as the economic difficulties of peripheral countries like Greece and Portugal are causing resentment and warnings that one may fall out of the Euro block. It is the EU that is creating these problems by not dealing with its crises but leaving them to fester and grow. In Greece for example only a third of Greeks have a positive view of the EU and only 17% believe integration has been good for Greece. [2]
[1] ‘EU referendum: Cameron warns UK exit could put peace at risk’, BBC News, 9th May 2016, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36243296
[2] Stokes, Bruce, and Goo, Sara Kehaulani, ‘5 facts about Greece and the EU’, PewResearchCenter, 7 July 2015, http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/07/5-facts-about-greece-and-the-eu/
|
[
{
"docid": "8d293a6de05808ea1777edd3eb796217",
"text": "europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would If there were similar crises without the EU existing as a balm and place where all countries can talk regularly and confront problems together then the security situation would be much worse. In the past it has only taken small incidents to spark a war – usually exemplified by the assassination of archduke Franz Ferdinand starting off world war I, but there have also been wars started by trade such as the ‘War of Jenkins Ear’ which became part of the war of Austrian Succession. Today the EU provides a place to negotiate disputes between members making war between member states unthinkable. Of course war would still be a very unlikely response to a dispute, but leaving the EU would mean getting rid of one of the organisations that reduces that possibility by mitigating crises.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "8ee070ba764c4c7232653373062c70db",
"text": "europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would In a letter to the Telegraph five former Secretary-Generals of NATO stated “The European Union… is a key partner for NATO” and that “Brexit would undoubtedly lead to a loss of British influence, undermine NATO and give succour to the West’s enemies just when we need to stand shoulder-to-shoulder across the Euro-Atlantic community against common threats”. They give sanctions imposed by the EU on Iran and Russia as examples of where the EU has lead on enhancing regional security. [1] Moreover if the EU is to create an EU force this will happen regardless of Brexit. Britain stands a much greater chance of stopping it when it has a voice in the EU with which to object.\n\n[1] Lord Carrington, Javier Solana, Lord Robertson, Jaap De Hoop Scheffer, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, ‘Letters: At a time of global instability, Britain needs to stand united with its EU allies’, The Telegraph, 10 May 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2016/05/09/letters-at-a-time-of-global-instability-britain-needs-to-stand-u/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "adeed103730b7db7f04c6b874042b60e",
"text": "europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would Control of borders is important. However it is also not relevant to the debate as the UK not being a party to the Schengen agreement already has control over its borders; the UK checks passports and visas at the border just as would happen if the country were to leave the EU. Leaving would make no difference to UK border security.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "14c828fa6ebf2b183fd7a9d6a237df97",
"text": "europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would While keeping sight of the UKs national interests is important almost all of them can be carried out as well with the European Union as outside it. In particular the whole of Europe is interested in preventing terrorism. In other areas such as maritime security it makes sense for the UK to specialise in it while other countries specialise in other areas such as having larger armies. Moreover it should be noted that the UK is in one of the safest areas of the world with no hostile states in any direction. In this sense the EU is a buffer between the UK and less stable areas such as North Africa, the Middle East, or Russia so it makes sense to work with them as part of the same organisations including the EU.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5f44726d40f164820c890c4f93ad4434",
"text": "europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would The EU simply adds to an alphabet soup of organisations that work on security in Europe. The two which matter, NATO and EUROPOL, both have little to do with the EU and would work just as well with the UK out.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e3d9de0f71ba1cc5ad8afac6f0629ee4",
"text": "europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would Since the end of World War II Germany and national rivalries in Western Europe not been the main threat to Europe. Instead that threat has emanated from outside the EU; largely from Russia, and then from more nebulous threats such as terrorism. In both these cases it has been military alliances such as NATO and nuclear deterrence that have kept the peace.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8cc33d25bc32d9381375e33dd9ac9593",
"text": "europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would There would still be data sharing between Britain and its neighbours even if the UK left the EU. No intelligence agency would sit on information that could save lives in another country simply because that country is no longer in the same organisation. Moreover the UK could still negotiate data sharing agreements with relevant intelligence agencies to ensure that information sharing remains fast and comprehensive.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5ae567a12c6e9f5eecd300b9652121cc",
"text": "europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would Strong control of borders is needed to keep the country secure\n\nTerrorism is often considered the biggest security threat to the UK. Ian Duncan Smith has argued that being in the EU “exposes UK to terror risk” because an “open border does not allow us to check and control people”. [1] The Schengen agreement on the free movement of people makes it easier for terrorists to move about in Europe as shown by the terrorist attacks on Paris which were planned in Brussels.\n\n[1] ‘Staying in EU 'exposes UK to terror risk', says Iain Duncan Smith’, BBC News, 21 February 2016, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35624409\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d800bb535c18d918c50d1ca95deb6add",
"text": "europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would A nation state can only rely on itself for security\n\nIn the security sphere it is national interests that are most important and no state can expect other states to have exactly the same interests. Everyone therefore needs to look after their own. In the case of the EU Britain cannot expect France or Germany to have the same security interests as the UK with its different situation – being an island rather than part of the continent. Germany is much more concerned with Eastern Europe than the UK, France much more with Northern Africa. Freedom from the EU means greater freedom for the UK to focus on its own national interests on security; terrorism, maritime defence, and building up NATO rather than any competing European force.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "94c51815aeedc0a5e8204db571ee1926",
"text": "europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would British security is dependent upon NATO not the EU\n\nNATO is “the most successful defensive alliance in history”, it saw off the USSR and Warsaw pact without a fight and has created a single security regime throughout most of Europe. [1] With its’ record NATO is clearly most important for security in Europe; it is still needed to deter Russia. The creation of an EU army on the other hand will undermine NATO and is something that will be pushed through after the referendum. [2] Britain could likely opt out, but with cooperation taking place under EU rather than NATO auspices the alliance that has kept the peace would be badly damaged.\n\n[1] London Declaration quoted by Reeve, Richard, ‘We need to talk about NATO’, OxfordResearchGroup, 17 September 2015, http://www.oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk/publications/briefing_papers_and_reports/we_need_talk_about_nato\n\n[2] Kemp, Richard, ‘It is an EU army that could bring about war’, The Telegraph, 9 May 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/09/it-is-an-eu-army-that-could-bring-about-war/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c1d2b0c385c3545bfca1138d4919c698",
"text": "europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would Leaving will mean less communication with other security services\n\nLeaving the EU may damage relationships with key security partners such as France and Germany. Both countries would have much less reason to cooperate on security issued when not in the same organisation. There would certainly still be some cooperation but the former heads of Mi5 and Mi6, Lord Evans and Sir John Sawers have stated that the UK would lose out through not being able “to take part in the decisions that frame the sharing of data, which is a crucial part of counter-terrorism and counter-cyber work”. Sawers points out that data sharing in the EU allowed France to transfer DNA and fingerprints of one of the Brussels bombers within months – previous to EU data sharing it would have taken months slowing down critical investigations. [1]\n\n[1] ‘Row as ex-intelligence chiefs say EU membership protects UK security’, BBC News, 8 May 2016, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36239741\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6900706bdd6615e5cf972de9a3f898ee",
"text": "europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would Security is better shared\n\nSecurity is not a zero sum game – our security does not get better if our neighbours is worse. On the contrary good French, Irish, Belgian and Norwegian security helps ensure good British security. Being in the EU provides an opportunity for cooperation between member states by creating interaction on all levels. Some integration ensures a common and cooperative response to international threats. The EU is the most obvious place to develop a coordinated response to terrorism and other, particularly non-military, security concerns throughout the region. [1]\n\n[1] Galbreath, David, ‘Professor David Galbreath on: Security in, secure out: Brexit’s impact on security and defence policy’, University of Bath IPR Blog, 24 March 2016, http://blogs.bath.ac.uk/iprblog/2016/03/24/professor-david-galbreath-on-security-in-secure-out-brexits-impact-on-security-and-defence-policy/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b2a9b93ee4e977d5b97b298d2b92b3ab",
"text": "europe politics defence terrorism warpeace house believes leaving eu would The EU brings together former enemies\n\nThe EU has created peace among states that formerly fought each other. Most notably Germany and France had fought each other three times in seventy-five years prior to the formation of the EU. The EU has helped make such a conflict unthinkable now. The EU as a structure restrains old rivalries through giving a joint project and goal. It ensures cooperation particularly in places where there are competing interests like Gibraltar where continued cross border access is guaranteed by being a member of the EU. [1]\n\n[1] Hague, William, ‘Leaving the EU would be disastrous for the Falklands, Gibraltar and Ulster’, The Telegraph, 9 May 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/09/leaving-the-eu-would-be-disastrous-for-the-falklands-gibraltar-a/\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
1b60e0f1571711df9876e323f7f392c4
|
U.S. policies have helped create the cartels
A change in US immigration law in 1996 meant that non-citizens and foreign born citizens sentenced to more than a year in jail are deported. This moved the problem from the USA’s cities to cities in Central America creating new gangs that were already bound by ties created in the US. Effectively gangs created in the US thrived in central America where they were able to overwhelm the local government and spread north to Mexico and back into the USA helping create the network of gangs and drugs traffickers that plague Mexico today. [1] Similarly the problems in Mexico represent the success of the US in cutting of the routes through the Caribbean used previously by drugs traffickers. Colombian criminals as a result simply switched routes and began smuggling cocaine and heroin through the Central American isthmus and Pacific routes. Both smuggling routes led through Mexico. The successes of the war on drugs in Columbia has reduced the size of the drugs groups in Columbia reducing their ability to control the whole route to the USA making room for the Mexicans to take the role of middleman through Central America. [2]
[1] Wolfe, Adam, 'Central America's Street Gangs Are Drawn into the World of Geopolitics', Power and Interest News Report, 25th Aug. 2005.
[2] Logan, Samuel, ''Mexico's Internal Drug War'', Power and Interest News Report, 14th August 2006.
|
[
{
"docid": "4102151b0d3c1a1950d08557978b51cb",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible These were alien criminals who should never have been in the United States in the first place. The blame for these people being able to create drugs cartels in Central America should not lie with the United States for deporting these people but with the Central American states for not then monitoring and controlling these returnees.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "65e9a6687ac322cdc33c509f27dff6d6",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible This is claiming exactly the opposite of the previous point on U.S. demand for drugs; is not Mexican demand for guns as much to blame for guns in Mexico as U.S. supply? The US has put considerable effort into making sure that the Mexicans are able to counter cartels armed with guns with U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers training Mexican army commandoes. Similarly the Marine Corps also is working on an exchange program with the Mexican Marine Corps that will include sharing experiences on urban warfare. The US also arms the Mexican armed forces to prevent them being outgunned by the gangs. [1]\n\n[1] Bowman, Tom, 'CIA And Pentagon Wonder: Could Mexico Implode?' NPR.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "213a390627fcfd1d648117d760d5d4f9",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible There will always be two ways to solve the problem of illegal drugs, focusing on demand and focusing on supply. Focusing on supply is a valid strategy, as the US pushes the price of drugs on US streets up so it pushes the drugs beyond the ability of most people to afford the drugs and will as a result mean less drug addicts in the United States. This in turn could result in a drop in supply.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2ddf454c3f3fef74b2cdfd9461e40a0b",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible Mexico has its own problems with drugs consumption so the demand problem can’t all be blamed on the US. Mexico City's former chief of police, Gertz Manero has said there are now 4.5 million crimes a year committed in Mexico. \"90% of those are stealing or are related to stealing. And 90% of those are for less than 8,000 pesos (about US$727). Mostly this is for drugs.\" Unemployment due to liberalisation of the economy has led to mass drug consumption so drugs would continue to flow into Mexico and enrich the cartels even if the U.S. drugs market dried up. [1]\n\n[1] Evans, Leslie, 'Electoral Democracy Has Yet to Shake Mexico's Corrupt Bureaucracy', UCLA International Institute, 16 March 2005.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "19de3f3b9b2d8b46d918723fb3f2122d",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible Mexico’s government is no weaker than any other government. The country in Central America which has the lowest homicide rate is Costa Rica, [1] a country which has no standing army. [2] Yet it suffers from many of the same disadvantages that Mexico has, for example, like Mexico it is on the drugs route to the United States. This implies that at the very least having a weak government is not the whole cause of Mexico’s conflict.\n\nYes there is a weak government in Mexico, particularly at the local level, but we need to ask ourselves how the government becomes so subverted. The answer is money. There have been allegations that President Vicente Fox allowed the most powerful drug lord to escape prison in 2001 in return for $20 million. [3] If the very top of the governmental hierarchy can be subverted for money then the rest is as well.\n\n[1] Schwarz, Isabella Cota, ‘Homicide rate drops to lowest in region’ The Tico Times, 8 June 2012.\n\n[2] ‘Costa Rica’, The World Factbook, 24 May 2012.\n\n[3] Rohr, Mathieu von, ‘A Nation Descends into Violence’, Spiegel Online, 23 December 2010.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "191a5bd0b7b220f71ebddfd7d86a3b01",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible As Mexico’s biggest trading partner the United States always has a major role in the state of the Mexican economy. The United States is also partially to blame for the Peso crisis. Wall St in particular played up a ‘Mexican miracle’ helping to create a bubble, and idea that was also boosted by the US government which was making the case for the North American Free Trade Agreement at the time. [1]\n\nWe should also not be too quick to blame the economy as there is always some uncertainty in the figures; using different statistical methods you get different results. A study implies a growth rate of household income for Mexico of 4½-5½ percent per year in 1984-2006, which is substantially higher than the 2 percent implied by standard methods. [2] If this was the case then a poor economy could not be seen as much of a factor in the increase in violence and drugs trafficking.\n\n[1] Edwards, Sebastian, ‘The Mexican Peso Crisis: How much did we know? When did we know it?’ NBER working paper series, Working paper 6334, p.4\n\n[2] Carvalho Filho, Irineu de, and Chamon, Marcos, ‘The Myth of Post-Reform Income Stagnation: Evidence from Brazil and Mexico’, IMF working paper, (Aug. 2008), p.27.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1ed193b41fc21ee24675cb812d3d1a90",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible The United States can be blamed for the downward spiral. There would not be a downward spiral of fear and violence if the United States was not a source of arms for the cartels.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f7599bfc9bf08ca53f3caf49237407fc",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible U.S. supplies the guns used by drugs cartels\n\nWhile the US complains about the Mexico’s inability to stop drugs flowing north the USA seems equally unable to stop guns and weapons flowing south into Mexico. As Clinton says “Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians.” Clinton argues that one problem is that the bad guys outgun the law enforcement officers and so is supplying Mexico with better equipment such as night vision goggles, [1] however at least in the short term the only result can be an arms race and more violence as shown by the increasing violence in 2010 and 2011. [2] So long as the cartels are able to easily buy guns then the problem will not be solved. Here again the United States is to blame. The United States has 54,000 licenced gun dealers while Mexico only has one heavily guarded compound so the cartels smuggle their weapons in from the U.S. [3]\n\n[1] BBC News, ‘Clinton admits US blame on Drugs’, 26 March 2009.\n\n[2] AFP, ‘Mexico drug death toll rising again in 2011’, Fracne24, 11 January 2011.\n\n[3] Beaubien, Jason ‘At Mexico’s Lond Gun Shop, Army Oversees Sales’, NPR, 24 June 2009.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9464492919b6442909b50271ed56a01d",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible U.S. anti-drugs policy focuses on the supply of drugs not the root problem of demand\n\nFor the last two decades the USA has been focused on the supply side of reducing the drugs trade. Making it a 'war on drugs' forces a fight back from the drugs cartels leading to gunfights and instability in the countries en route. This happened in Columbia, in Peru and now in Mexico. The focus on supply, or else the containment of drugs in Mexico, is shown by the Obama's US-Mexico border policy press release that devotes a lot more space to extra boarder security to catching the drugs as they reach the US compared with one small paragraph on demand. [1] The U.S. war on drugs focusing on supply and transit routes has clearly failed and has been failing for decades. Back in 1992 Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori declared the war a failure while claiming that between 1980 and 1990, when the U.S. was engaging in military efforts to stop production and transportation, coca production increased tenfold. [2]\n\n[1] Napolitano, Janet et al. ‘Administration Officials announce U.S.-Mexico Border Security Policy: A comprehensive response & commitment’, The White House, 24 March 2009.\n\n[2] Williams, Ray B., ‘Why “The War on Drugs” Has Failed’, Psychology Today, 6 June 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "be726ddda27e106f1f881a3c7d29d606",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible U.S. demand for drugs\n\nIt is the rich US that creates the demand for drugs in the first place. Without this demand the price of drugs would be low and the profits of drugs trafficking through Mexico to the USA would disappear. In 2010 an estimated 22.6 million Americans aged 12 or over were illicit drug users. [1] And this immense drugs market was estimated to provide Mexican cartels with earnings between $13.6 and $48.4 billion. [2] Drugs are therefore a problem that is best dealt with from the perspective of reducing demand. Hillary Clinton accepted this when she said “Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade”. However the US' answer to the drugs problem has so far been the 'war on drugs' concentrating massive investment on trying to reduce supply and this includes funding the Mexican government in its war as well and at the same time as making this admission Clinton was giving $80 million to provide Mexico with Blackhawk helicopters. [3]\n\n[1] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, ‘Results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings’, NSDUH Series H-41, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 11-4658. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2011.\n\n[2] Cook, Colleen W., ‘Mexico’s Drug Cartels’, CRS Report for Congress, 16 October 2007, p.4\n\n[3] BBC News, ‘Clinton admits US blame on Drugs’, 26 March 2009.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "075f08c35fa43e012232214f8faa796c",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible Violence creates a downward spiral of violence\n\nJust as the United States cannot be blamed for weak governance in Mexico it cannot be blamed for the spiral of decline that occurs as a result of that weak government. Once the police and local government are infiltrated it becomes very difficult to stop the violence. The gangs gain enough control and power that they can no longer be stopped without a massive investment by the central government. Any who do stand up to the traffickers are killed as, for example, was Alejandro Domínguez when appointed to serve as the city police chief of Nuevo Laredo. Domínguez made it clear that he would not negotiate with the cartels. As he was leaving his office on June 8 2005, his first day on the job, he was ambushed and killed by gunmen. [1]\n\nA culture of fear exists in Mexico, as in other countries where the government fails to suppress gang warfare. Fear within the government and police force paralyses both into inaction Municipal and state officials insist that the problem is not theirs to solve, since drug trafficking is a federal crime, or they engage in denial, claiming that the situation is improving and that the violence will soon end. While journalists report the death and violence they fear to report on who caused them, the background or the causes of the violence; the media self-censors itself. [2]\n\n[1] Althaus, Dudley, and Buch, Jason, ‘Nuevo Laredo police chief killed on street’, Houston Chronicle, 3 February 2011.\n\n[2] Laurie Freeman, ‘State of Siege: Drug-Related Violence and Corruption in Mexico Unintended Consequences of the War on Drugs, WOLA Summer report (2006), pp.5-7.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2857d16fef2c478063665e2cd0135f72",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible Weak Mexican government is to blame not the U.S.\n\nWhen there is an internal conflict such as this it is almost always a weak government that is to blame for not preventing an escalation of violence. The government is to blame as it is meant to have a monopoly on the use of force, conflicts such as this drugs war occur when that monopoly on violence is broken. In Mexico the election of Vicente Fox as president may have been a democratic triumph for ending the 70 year one party rule by the P.R.I. but in terms of the effectiveness of the central government it was not a success. The National Action Party has been weak in the lower house and senate so unable to advance a legislative agenda. [1] An inability to legislate significantly reduces the ability of the federal government to respond to the drugs crisis. This reduces the ability of the Federal government to step in and sort out local problems. There has been an upsurge of social unrest of all types, not just drugs violence but protests, riots and strikes as well. [2]\n\nDrugs traffickers have taken over many local areas, the local government, police and even some of the army has been penetrated by the drugs traffickers. This leaves the local government unable to do anything against the traffickers. It was not the drugs traffickers who created the institutional problems that allowed the government to become penetrated in the first place; corruption, inefficient police forces and a weak judiciary were already a problem. [3]\n\n[1] The Economist, ‘The siesta congress’, 21 January 2012.\n\n[2] Gundzik, Jephraim P. , ‘As Elections Approach, Mexico Faces Internal Instability', Power and Interest News report.\n\n[3] Freeman, Laurie, ‘State of Siege: Drug-Related Violence and Corruption in Mexico Unintended Consequences of the War on Drugs, WOLA Summer report (2006), p.2.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5be2c0e0c00219e4328e7633142be21c",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible Mexico is poor; it is the economic conditions that drive conflict not the U.S.\n\nDeclining real income drives social unrest and instability. Real incomes for workers in Mexico's manufacturing sector declined by a cumulative 2.6 percent between 1995 and 2005. It is likely that the decline in the informal economy is larger. The Government keeps a tight control over the minimum wage preventing it from rising. Although this does not affect many Mexicans directly a lot more have their wages set at a multiple of the minimum wage. At the same time there has been high unemployment and lower benefits. [1] In 1994-5 Mexico was hit hard by a financial crisis known as the ‘peso’ or ‘Tequila’ crisis. The peso depreciated by 47%, inflation went up to 52% and GDP fell by 6% not reaching its 1993 level until 1997. Unsurprisingly household income fell substantially; by 31% between 1994 and 1996, those in poverty rose from 10.4% of the population to 17% [2] Since 1996 although Mexico has experienced growth not only has it been slower than most developing countries this has been significantly cut into in real per capita terms by population growth. Mexico has large disparities in income between urban and rural areas and the gap between rich and poor has been widening. [3] The inequality leads people to be more willing to engage in the potentially lucrative drugs trafficking and the informal economy. Unemployment meanwhile makes them more likely to take drugs themselves as an escape.\n\n[1] Gundzik, Jephraim P. , ‘As Elections Approach, Mexico Faces Internal Instability', Power and Interest News report.\n\n[2] Baldacci, Emanuele, Luiz de Mello and Gabriela Inchauste, Financial crises, Poverty and Income distribution, IMF Working paper, pp.20-21.\n\n[3] Economy Watch, ‘Mexico Economy’, 24 March 2010.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
3ba546f8ec7fe660f7b6d556717911cb
|
Violence creates a downward spiral of violence
Just as the United States cannot be blamed for weak governance in Mexico it cannot be blamed for the spiral of decline that occurs as a result of that weak government. Once the police and local government are infiltrated it becomes very difficult to stop the violence. The gangs gain enough control and power that they can no longer be stopped without a massive investment by the central government. Any who do stand up to the traffickers are killed as, for example, was Alejandro Domínguez when appointed to serve as the city police chief of Nuevo Laredo. Domínguez made it clear that he would not negotiate with the cartels. As he was leaving his office on June 8 2005, his first day on the job, he was ambushed and killed by gunmen. [1]
A culture of fear exists in Mexico, as in other countries where the government fails to suppress gang warfare. Fear within the government and police force paralyses both into inaction Municipal and state officials insist that the problem is not theirs to solve, since drug trafficking is a federal crime, or they engage in denial, claiming that the situation is improving and that the violence will soon end. While journalists report the death and violence they fear to report on who caused them, the background or the causes of the violence; the media self-censors itself. [2]
[1] Althaus, Dudley, and Buch, Jason, ‘Nuevo Laredo police chief killed on street’, Houston Chronicle, 3 February 2011.
[2] Laurie Freeman, ‘State of Siege: Drug-Related Violence and Corruption in Mexico Unintended Consequences of the War on Drugs, WOLA Summer report (2006), pp.5-7.
|
[
{
"docid": "1ed193b41fc21ee24675cb812d3d1a90",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible The United States can be blamed for the downward spiral. There would not be a downward spiral of fear and violence if the United States was not a source of arms for the cartels.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "19de3f3b9b2d8b46d918723fb3f2122d",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible Mexico’s government is no weaker than any other government. The country in Central America which has the lowest homicide rate is Costa Rica, [1] a country which has no standing army. [2] Yet it suffers from many of the same disadvantages that Mexico has, for example, like Mexico it is on the drugs route to the United States. This implies that at the very least having a weak government is not the whole cause of Mexico’s conflict.\n\nYes there is a weak government in Mexico, particularly at the local level, but we need to ask ourselves how the government becomes so subverted. The answer is money. There have been allegations that President Vicente Fox allowed the most powerful drug lord to escape prison in 2001 in return for $20 million. [3] If the very top of the governmental hierarchy can be subverted for money then the rest is as well.\n\n[1] Schwarz, Isabella Cota, ‘Homicide rate drops to lowest in region’ The Tico Times, 8 June 2012.\n\n[2] ‘Costa Rica’, The World Factbook, 24 May 2012.\n\n[3] Rohr, Mathieu von, ‘A Nation Descends into Violence’, Spiegel Online, 23 December 2010.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "191a5bd0b7b220f71ebddfd7d86a3b01",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible As Mexico’s biggest trading partner the United States always has a major role in the state of the Mexican economy. The United States is also partially to blame for the Peso crisis. Wall St in particular played up a ‘Mexican miracle’ helping to create a bubble, and idea that was also boosted by the US government which was making the case for the North American Free Trade Agreement at the time. [1]\n\nWe should also not be too quick to blame the economy as there is always some uncertainty in the figures; using different statistical methods you get different results. A study implies a growth rate of household income for Mexico of 4½-5½ percent per year in 1984-2006, which is substantially higher than the 2 percent implied by standard methods. [2] If this was the case then a poor economy could not be seen as much of a factor in the increase in violence and drugs trafficking.\n\n[1] Edwards, Sebastian, ‘The Mexican Peso Crisis: How much did we know? When did we know it?’ NBER working paper series, Working paper 6334, p.4\n\n[2] Carvalho Filho, Irineu de, and Chamon, Marcos, ‘The Myth of Post-Reform Income Stagnation: Evidence from Brazil and Mexico’, IMF working paper, (Aug. 2008), p.27.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "65e9a6687ac322cdc33c509f27dff6d6",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible This is claiming exactly the opposite of the previous point on U.S. demand for drugs; is not Mexican demand for guns as much to blame for guns in Mexico as U.S. supply? The US has put considerable effort into making sure that the Mexicans are able to counter cartels armed with guns with U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers training Mexican army commandoes. Similarly the Marine Corps also is working on an exchange program with the Mexican Marine Corps that will include sharing experiences on urban warfare. The US also arms the Mexican armed forces to prevent them being outgunned by the gangs. [1]\n\n[1] Bowman, Tom, 'CIA And Pentagon Wonder: Could Mexico Implode?' NPR.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4102151b0d3c1a1950d08557978b51cb",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible These were alien criminals who should never have been in the United States in the first place. The blame for these people being able to create drugs cartels in Central America should not lie with the United States for deporting these people but with the Central American states for not then monitoring and controlling these returnees.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "213a390627fcfd1d648117d760d5d4f9",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible There will always be two ways to solve the problem of illegal drugs, focusing on demand and focusing on supply. Focusing on supply is a valid strategy, as the US pushes the price of drugs on US streets up so it pushes the drugs beyond the ability of most people to afford the drugs and will as a result mean less drug addicts in the United States. This in turn could result in a drop in supply.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2ddf454c3f3fef74b2cdfd9461e40a0b",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible Mexico has its own problems with drugs consumption so the demand problem can’t all be blamed on the US. Mexico City's former chief of police, Gertz Manero has said there are now 4.5 million crimes a year committed in Mexico. \"90% of those are stealing or are related to stealing. And 90% of those are for less than 8,000 pesos (about US$727). Mostly this is for drugs.\" Unemployment due to liberalisation of the economy has led to mass drug consumption so drugs would continue to flow into Mexico and enrich the cartels even if the U.S. drugs market dried up. [1]\n\n[1] Evans, Leslie, 'Electoral Democracy Has Yet to Shake Mexico's Corrupt Bureaucracy', UCLA International Institute, 16 March 2005.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2857d16fef2c478063665e2cd0135f72",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible Weak Mexican government is to blame not the U.S.\n\nWhen there is an internal conflict such as this it is almost always a weak government that is to blame for not preventing an escalation of violence. The government is to blame as it is meant to have a monopoly on the use of force, conflicts such as this drugs war occur when that monopoly on violence is broken. In Mexico the election of Vicente Fox as president may have been a democratic triumph for ending the 70 year one party rule by the P.R.I. but in terms of the effectiveness of the central government it was not a success. The National Action Party has been weak in the lower house and senate so unable to advance a legislative agenda. [1] An inability to legislate significantly reduces the ability of the federal government to respond to the drugs crisis. This reduces the ability of the Federal government to step in and sort out local problems. There has been an upsurge of social unrest of all types, not just drugs violence but protests, riots and strikes as well. [2]\n\nDrugs traffickers have taken over many local areas, the local government, police and even some of the army has been penetrated by the drugs traffickers. This leaves the local government unable to do anything against the traffickers. It was not the drugs traffickers who created the institutional problems that allowed the government to become penetrated in the first place; corruption, inefficient police forces and a weak judiciary were already a problem. [3]\n\n[1] The Economist, ‘The siesta congress’, 21 January 2012.\n\n[2] Gundzik, Jephraim P. , ‘As Elections Approach, Mexico Faces Internal Instability', Power and Interest News report.\n\n[3] Freeman, Laurie, ‘State of Siege: Drug-Related Violence and Corruption in Mexico Unintended Consequences of the War on Drugs, WOLA Summer report (2006), p.2.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5be2c0e0c00219e4328e7633142be21c",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible Mexico is poor; it is the economic conditions that drive conflict not the U.S.\n\nDeclining real income drives social unrest and instability. Real incomes for workers in Mexico's manufacturing sector declined by a cumulative 2.6 percent between 1995 and 2005. It is likely that the decline in the informal economy is larger. The Government keeps a tight control over the minimum wage preventing it from rising. Although this does not affect many Mexicans directly a lot more have their wages set at a multiple of the minimum wage. At the same time there has been high unemployment and lower benefits. [1] In 1994-5 Mexico was hit hard by a financial crisis known as the ‘peso’ or ‘Tequila’ crisis. The peso depreciated by 47%, inflation went up to 52% and GDP fell by 6% not reaching its 1993 level until 1997. Unsurprisingly household income fell substantially; by 31% between 1994 and 1996, those in poverty rose from 10.4% of the population to 17% [2] Since 1996 although Mexico has experienced growth not only has it been slower than most developing countries this has been significantly cut into in real per capita terms by population growth. Mexico has large disparities in income between urban and rural areas and the gap between rich and poor has been widening. [3] The inequality leads people to be more willing to engage in the potentially lucrative drugs trafficking and the informal economy. Unemployment meanwhile makes them more likely to take drugs themselves as an escape.\n\n[1] Gundzik, Jephraim P. , ‘As Elections Approach, Mexico Faces Internal Instability', Power and Interest News report.\n\n[2] Baldacci, Emanuele, Luiz de Mello and Gabriela Inchauste, Financial crises, Poverty and Income distribution, IMF Working paper, pp.20-21.\n\n[3] Economy Watch, ‘Mexico Economy’, 24 March 2010.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f7599bfc9bf08ca53f3caf49237407fc",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible U.S. supplies the guns used by drugs cartels\n\nWhile the US complains about the Mexico’s inability to stop drugs flowing north the USA seems equally unable to stop guns and weapons flowing south into Mexico. As Clinton says “Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians.” Clinton argues that one problem is that the bad guys outgun the law enforcement officers and so is supplying Mexico with better equipment such as night vision goggles, [1] however at least in the short term the only result can be an arms race and more violence as shown by the increasing violence in 2010 and 2011. [2] So long as the cartels are able to easily buy guns then the problem will not be solved. Here again the United States is to blame. The United States has 54,000 licenced gun dealers while Mexico only has one heavily guarded compound so the cartels smuggle their weapons in from the U.S. [3]\n\n[1] BBC News, ‘Clinton admits US blame on Drugs’, 26 March 2009.\n\n[2] AFP, ‘Mexico drug death toll rising again in 2011’, Fracne24, 11 January 2011.\n\n[3] Beaubien, Jason ‘At Mexico’s Lond Gun Shop, Army Oversees Sales’, NPR, 24 June 2009.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9464492919b6442909b50271ed56a01d",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible U.S. anti-drugs policy focuses on the supply of drugs not the root problem of demand\n\nFor the last two decades the USA has been focused on the supply side of reducing the drugs trade. Making it a 'war on drugs' forces a fight back from the drugs cartels leading to gunfights and instability in the countries en route. This happened in Columbia, in Peru and now in Mexico. The focus on supply, or else the containment of drugs in Mexico, is shown by the Obama's US-Mexico border policy press release that devotes a lot more space to extra boarder security to catching the drugs as they reach the US compared with one small paragraph on demand. [1] The U.S. war on drugs focusing on supply and transit routes has clearly failed and has been failing for decades. Back in 1992 Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori declared the war a failure while claiming that between 1980 and 1990, when the U.S. was engaging in military efforts to stop production and transportation, coca production increased tenfold. [2]\n\n[1] Napolitano, Janet et al. ‘Administration Officials announce U.S.-Mexico Border Security Policy: A comprehensive response & commitment’, The White House, 24 March 2009.\n\n[2] Williams, Ray B., ‘Why “The War on Drugs” Has Failed’, Psychology Today, 6 June 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "be726ddda27e106f1f881a3c7d29d606",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible U.S. demand for drugs\n\nIt is the rich US that creates the demand for drugs in the first place. Without this demand the price of drugs would be low and the profits of drugs trafficking through Mexico to the USA would disappear. In 2010 an estimated 22.6 million Americans aged 12 or over were illicit drug users. [1] And this immense drugs market was estimated to provide Mexican cartels with earnings between $13.6 and $48.4 billion. [2] Drugs are therefore a problem that is best dealt with from the perspective of reducing demand. Hillary Clinton accepted this when she said “Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade”. However the US' answer to the drugs problem has so far been the 'war on drugs' concentrating massive investment on trying to reduce supply and this includes funding the Mexican government in its war as well and at the same time as making this admission Clinton was giving $80 million to provide Mexico with Blackhawk helicopters. [3]\n\n[1] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, ‘Results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings’, NSDUH Series H-41, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 11-4658. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2011.\n\n[2] Cook, Colleen W., ‘Mexico’s Drug Cartels’, CRS Report for Congress, 16 October 2007, p.4\n\n[3] BBC News, ‘Clinton admits US blame on Drugs’, 26 March 2009.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "76094f09139c41a5bc9f53c66b677516",
"text": "americas law crime policing house believes united states responsible U.S. policies have helped create the cartels\n\nA change in US immigration law in 1996 meant that non-citizens and foreign born citizens sentenced to more than a year in jail are deported. This moved the problem from the USA’s cities to cities in Central America creating new gangs that were already bound by ties created in the US. Effectively gangs created in the US thrived in central America where they were able to overwhelm the local government and spread north to Mexico and back into the USA helping create the network of gangs and drugs traffickers that plague Mexico today. [1] Similarly the problems in Mexico represent the success of the US in cutting of the routes through the Caribbean used previously by drugs traffickers. Colombian criminals as a result simply switched routes and began smuggling cocaine and heroin through the Central American isthmus and Pacific routes. Both smuggling routes led through Mexico. The successes of the war on drugs in Columbia has reduced the size of the drugs groups in Columbia reducing their ability to control the whole route to the USA making room for the Mexicans to take the role of middleman through Central America. [2]\n\n[1] Wolfe, Adam, 'Central America's Street Gangs Are Drawn into the World of Geopolitics', Power and Interest News Report, 25th Aug. 2005.\n\n[2] Logan, Samuel, ''Mexico's Internal Drug War'', Power and Interest News Report, 14th August 2006.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
e073b0b31765ae486d3f8935e796e26d
|
Proper democratic checks and balance are the only way to real problem-solving
There is a fine line between enough authority to fight corruption and enough authority to oppress a population. Many corrupt, authoritarian leaders have risen to power through the promise of social reform and of wiping out drug cartels and gangsters. A society living in fear and believing that all their problems will be solved by a powerful leader will never be able to overcome its problems. Empowering individuals and accepting risk is ultimately the only true solution to such problems. Even if Putin were completely pure himself, centralising power so completely gives great influence to those advisers and ministers around him and makes corruption in government inevitable. Only by building in proper democratic checks and balances, including criticism from a free media and legal system, can accountability be created and corruption or incompetence tackled.
|
[
{
"docid": "bfa659dceaea04b24bee2f336b602f2a",
"text": "europe politics government house believes russia needs strong leadership The best possible way to tackle the corruption issue, which lets face it is one of the major problems in Russia nowadays, is through a strong leader. Eastern European democratic countries are the pure example that corruption spreads when there is no strong leadership. The corruption in these countries is an obstacle to their economic development. As a matter of fact present president Dmitry Medvedev has launched policies and new projects in order to fight back corruption – “ Fighting corruption has been a top agenda of President Dmitry Medvedev. An Anti-Corruption Council was established by Medvedev in 2008 to oversee the Russia's anti-corruption campaign. The central document guiding the effort is the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, introduced by Medvedev in 2010.” (2) In fact, increasing corruption might prove to be more dangerous than terrorist attacks since it would create powerful drug, oil and weapons cartels as well as human trafficking problems. Therefore a strong leader is necessary to cope with this critical matter.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "82dede84a39950d8fd183c837799a619",
"text": "europe politics government house believes russia needs strong leadership The current president Dmitry Medvedev is working on and introducing policies toward corruption. Actually this is his main strategy. It is a well-known fact that Medvedev keeps close relations with the former president Putin and discusses Russian relations and policy with him. If the abolishment of the corruption was standing in the way of Putin, such a strategy would not have been undertaken by Medvedev. – “Speaking to a group of Russian experts and journalists, he said that corrupt officials ran Russia. \"They have the power. Corruption has a systemic nature, deep historic roots. We should squeeze it out. The battle isn't easy but it has to be fought. I don't think we can achieve tangible results in one year or two. If I am a realist we could get good results in 15.\" “(9)\n\nExactly strong leadership can deal with the difficult issue of corruption in the Russian state. And the new policies of the current president clearly present that.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "61532c31c2011ed3ddeca4aa3ad9f658",
"text": "europe politics government house believes russia needs strong leadership All of these speculations are rather unreasonable and tend to create a public opinion which does not cooperate entirely with the truth. Such drastic conclusions can be made just about any other country. It is true that Vladimir Putin is a strong leader and a powerful figure in the Russian political life, but this does not mean that he is a puppet master, who decides the entire faith of Russia and the Russian population. The political life cannot go without political games, intrigues and deals, but this is just how the policy works and this is how it has been working for a long time. Political interests mix up with business interests and it is actually important to have a strong leader in the face of Putin, who, unlike a lot of politicians will not be influenced by big corporate players or at least will not be influenced as much. Putin’s political career has been successful and his rating among the population are the simplest proof - According to public opinion surveys conducted by Levada Center, Putin's approval rating was 81% in June 2007, and the highest of any leader in the world. His popularity rose from 31% in August 1999 to 80% in November 1999 and since then it has never fallen below 65%. Observers see Putin's high approval ratings as a consequence of the significant improvements in living standards and Russia's reassertion of itself on the world scene that occurred during his tenure as President.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c2380921f7d927b6133ccff1b14ef686",
"text": "europe politics government house believes russia needs strong leadership Russia has the attributes of a democracy. It is a federal state with a constitution. It has a two chamber legislature; the lower house is the Duma with 450 members elected from nationwide party lists based upon proportional representation. The Upper house; the Federation Council has two representatives from each of Russia’s 89 regions and republics that are chosen by the regional governors and legislatures. Elections for the President are every four years who then appoints the prime minister who in turn appoints the government. Russia therefore appears to have the necessary structure to be a democracy as each of the branches or government are independent.\n\nWhat Russia is doing is combining the modern democratic governance with better control and management.\n\nShortly after one of the reporters’ death (which death is thought to be a political order) the head of the human rights organisation issued a strongly worded statement alleging the involvement of state authorities and the area's premier Ramzan Kadyrov in this particular death. This statement was not suppressed in Russia and means that there is freedom of speech. There maybe a strong amount of state control of the press similar to Italy which is a problem but the right still remains. (5)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c27db57532f0f5f5b7a7d6a456e2434b",
"text": "europe politics government house believes russia needs strong leadership Putin’s initial support was based mainly on strong promises, a series of arrests of corrupt businessmen and tough action towards Chechnya that at first seemed to give positive results. His support base, however, has been significantly damaged following his increasing tendencies to control the media and to replace elected governors with presidential appointees, and by scandals surrounding the disappearance and murder of several important journalists. He has lost the support of the NGO community and most of the intelligentsia and also the originally strong backing of the USA and President Bush.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8a19d99dc876b23b06acc82b0777079b",
"text": "europe politics government house believes russia needs strong leadership History is not destiny and a highly-selective view of Russia's past should not lead us to prefer authoritarian rule today. The Tsars and their communist successors killed millions of people through brutal rule and failed policies - made possible by the same lack of consultation and accountability that we see in Russia today. Only a vigorous multi-party democracy, fully independent legal system and free media can ensure that the disasters of the past are not repeated. Nor is there any reason why such a system could not take root in Russia - it is no more diverse than many other countries and modern communications mean that mere distance is not a problem. And there is nothing in the culture or temperament that makes Russians uniquely unsuited to democracy.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4328cbc37bc195e2c3ade87e778a7b43",
"text": "europe politics government house believes russia needs strong leadership Putting your hopes and trust in a single person can be fairly dangerous, particularly in a transition period. Putin is not the state and his ability to control and represent the state and the population at large is questionable. Putin is also not a saint and an example to be followed. His authoritarian tendencies do not have insignificant effects: at this point most Russian media is controlled by the state, decisions continue to be made behind closed doors without consultation, Russia has once again become the pariah of the international community, the Chechen conflict has spilled into new attacks against civilians resulting in the death of thousands of people including children (one only has to mention the horrible attacks in Beslan and the Moscow theatre), etc, etc. Putin’s stubborn refusal to accept international help in the case of the stuck submarine Kursk also resulted in the unnecessary death of tens of people.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dcf85d1e1a970a7e5d801871874596b9",
"text": "europe politics government house believes russia needs strong leadership All periods of transition have been chaotic by definition and reforms are by their nature disruptive. At the same time, it is only through these reforms that a future of freedom and prosperity is possible. While a long transition process can certainly cloud minds and turn people into distrustful and disillusioned individuals, one must keep in mind that it is precisely at these moments that the risk of authoritarian tendencies re-emerging is highest. The people of Russia agree in polls over and over again that democracy is and should be their future. We must not let the immediate chaos of reform scare us into a fake stability. Even if still Russians prefer stronger leadership the number of these people is decreasing and the tendency shows that more and more are starting to evaluate the true value of democracy - “…But that number is actually down from the last time VTsIOM conducted a similar survey in 2000, when 75 per cent of Russians said they favored order, and 13 per cent – democracy. “ (1)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dfaf536bb4458faea57c3660ba31f660",
"text": "europe politics government house believes russia needs strong leadership Russia does not have true democracy\n\nThe status quo in Russia is highly controversial. On the one hand it is considered a democracy – it has all the structures and norms of a democracy. On the other hand there are many attacks and proof that the Russian governance is far from democratic: The joint observer team for the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe criticised the Russian elections as \"not fair and failed to meet many OSCE and Council of Europe commitments and standards for democratic elections,\" with \"abuse of administrative resources, media coverage strongly in favour of the ruling party\". The polls \"took place in an atmosphere which seriously limited political competition\" meaning \"there was not a level political playing field\". The 2007 parliamentary election resulted in United Russia gaining 64.1% of the vote. (3)\n\nFurthermore not only there isn’t election freedom, there is not academic freedom either – “The European University at St Petersburg has been forced to suspend teaching after officials claimed its historic buildings were a fire risk. This forced all academic work to cease. The University had been running a program that advised Russian political parties, including how to ensure elections are not being rigged. The project they are involved in called Interregional Electoral Chains of Support was to develop and raise the effectiveness of electoral monitoring in Russia's regions. The university has also been attacked for having close ties to the west, particularly US and UK universities” (4)\n\nThere are cases of murdered journalists, who were “inconvenient” to the authorities. This also raises the question whether a strong leadership is better for the people.\n\nBasic freedoms are denied to the Russian population. In the 21st century this is simply unjust. Therefore strong leadership creates more wrong than it does good.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7b1bf2b7521533259d9269a5b9f2989b",
"text": "europe politics government house believes russia needs strong leadership Corruption, an essential issue in Russia, is due to the strong leadership\n\nThere is a link between the high levels of corruption and the strong leadership of Russian president and prime minister of Russia. – “Some of Russia's most prominent opposition figures have produced a report accusing Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of presiding over a boom in corruption and enriching his inner circle over the past decade… Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev themselves have 26 \"palaces\" and five yachts, which in turn require costly state upkeep, according to the report.” (8)\n\nMany argue that if it weren’t for the power of the prime minister and ex-president Putin, also his strong authority and management, corruption would have been minimized long ago.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d1550476e229edebc1aece576a6af4a6",
"text": "europe politics government house believes russia needs strong leadership The status quo reveals that several powerful and influential people are in charge of the whole state\n\nWhat is occurring in Russia now is closer to dictatorship rather than to strong leadership. Many commentators of the Russian political stage share the opinion that Medvedev is just a pawn in the hands of the former president and current prime minister – Putin. “The leading role still clearly belongs to Putin. This reflects the unspoken agreement that was reached between Putin and Medvedev,” said Yevgeny Volk, an independent political analyst in Moscow. (6) Russia’s both external and internal policy have not changed after the elections in 2008 and are following the same path, which is another argument that Putin continues to pull the strings.\n\nIn fact, the more important question is not whether or not Medvedev is a pawn, but who is actually in charge – “Kremlin-watchers say this system of interlocking and competing clans that is managed by Putin comprises the core of Russia's ruling elite. The key players, the people with decision making power, number about thirty. The inner circle, most agree, comprises about twelve people… There are something like a dozen of the most influential guys in the first circle and perhaps two dozen who are less influential in the second circle. These are not only managers but also shareholders who are not that visible or public...Not only do they manage Russia...but they also enrich themselves pretty actively.” (7) This poses the debate is such a status quo in the best interest of Russia and its people or is the exact opposite.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "77cf018f59db8cd1f3700b3f5fd48fd8",
"text": "europe politics government house believes russia needs strong leadership A strong leader has more benefits than harms\n\nPutin is the strong leader that Russia has been waiting for. His electoral success and consistently high approval rates show that the people of Russia are ready for someone who can rid their society of increasing corruption and restore a sense of calm and equality. His ability to maintain a high level of support despite what some have called authoritarian tendencies shows that people are ready to sacrifice a certain degree of freedom for the promise of stability. Enthusiasm for Putin among the young also shows that he does not only appeal to those looking back to past certainties.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8d58556c5343fec22097ed3045a895d3",
"text": "europe politics government house believes russia needs strong leadership A strong leader is working in the state’s best interest\n\nPutin’s authoritarian style is not a threat to democracy but rather a requirement for a successful and quicker transition. Having Putin control the media is probably healthier than having it be controlled by a corrupt few that promote their personal interests rather than the interest of the state and thus those of the population at large. Democracy is a goal and while certain countries believe themselves to have achieved it, they are constantly struggling to maintain it. As a young democracy, Russia is still working towards defining its own version of democracy and finding what works best in its case.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "77d66910d5669197c2c33e4dfd561445",
"text": "europe politics government house believes russia needs strong leadership Stability is more important than reform\n\nSince the fall of communism, Russia has plunged into a deep economic recession. The introduction of market reforms and privatization has led to a swift increase in inequalities coupled with an increase in corruption. The chaos of economic and political reform, along with the chaos of the break-up of former USSR, has left the majority of the population both disillusioned and distrustful of their government. In a period of such chaos, stability seems to be much more important than reform. A strong leader is the only solution to providing such stability, setting a clear direction and pulling a country at risk of falling apart together again. This is also proven from various polls among the Russian population – “…The most eye-catching statistic is the overwhelming majority of respondents who say that order is more important for Russia than democracy – 72 per cent, with 16 per cent responding conversely.” (1)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b142cfabcdcf261ee50c4c113b26b7e8",
"text": "europe politics government house believes russia needs strong leadership Russia as a state and Russians as a nation need strong leadership\n\nHistorically, Russia has always needed strong centralised leadership for it to make progress. This was true both in imperial times under tsars such as Peter the Great (who made Russia a European power and built St Petersburg) and Alexander II (who freed the serfs), and since 1917 under Lenin and Stalin. Russia is too big, too diverse and too thinly-populated for western systems of representative democracy to be applied. Culturally its people are temperamentally suited to following the decisive lead of a strong ruler who can unite them in the face of great challenges. Without such a ruler Russia is likely to fragment with local strongmen grabbing power in the regions, religious fundamentalism dominating much of the Caucasus and Central Asia, and economic stagnation.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
f46dddb430cf8a4e69a77cc88306e596
|
The importance of jobs in livelihoods - money
Jobs are empowerment. Building sustainable livelihoods, and tackling poverty in the long term, requires enabling access to capital assets. A key asset is financial capital. Jobs, and employment, provide a means to access and build financial capital required, whether through loans or wages. When a woman is able to work she is therefore able to take control of her own life. Additionally she may provide a second wage meaning the burden of poverty on households is cumulatively reduced. Having a job and the financial security it brings means that other benefits can be realised such as investing in good healthcare and education. [1] .
Women working from home in Kenya, designing jewellery, shows the link between employment and earning an income [2] . The women have been empowered to improve their way of life.
[1] See further readings: Ellis et al, 2010.
[2] See further readings: Petty, 2013.
|
[
{
"docid": "fa5f2b928687391fdd9f821683c2ce05",
"text": "ic policy international africa society gender house believes feminisation The relation between employment, money, and household poverty is not a simple correlation when we consider the type of jobs women are entering. In developing countries work in the informal economy is a large source of women’s employment (Chen et al, 2004). In the case of Sub-Saharan Africa, 84% of women in non-agricultural work are in the informal economy (ILO, 2002). Only 63% of men work in the informal economy. Women represent a large proportion of individuals working in informal employment and within the informal sector. Informal employment means employment lacks protection and/or benefits, and the informal sector involves unregistered or unincorporated private enterprises.\n\nSuch a reality limits the capability to use employment to escape poverty (see Chant, 2010). With wages low, jobs casual and insecure, and limited access to social protection schemes or rights-based labour policies, women are integrated into vulnerable employment conditions. Data has shown informal employment to be correlated with income per capita (negative), and poverty (positive) (ILO, 2011). Further, the jobs are precarious and volatile - affected by global economic crisis.\n\nWomen’s employment in Africa needs to be met with ‘decent’ work [1] , or women will be placed in risky conditions.\n\n[1] See further readings: ILO, 2014.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "f26ac2cc15cb259594d8f85c801d5d71",
"text": "ic policy international africa society gender house believes feminisation Again employment needs to be contextualised with what type of jobs are provided and entered into. It remains questionable as to whether the mental health of women improves if women are employed to work within hazardous work environments, or where there is no job security.\n\nFor example domestic workers remain vulnerable to different abuses - such as non payment, excessive work hours, abuse, and forced labour. Women may be vulnerable to gender based violence on their way to work. Furthermore, street traders are placed in a vulnerable position where the right to work is not respected. The forced eviction and harassment of female street-traders is a common story, underlined by political motivations. A recent example includes the eviction of street hawkers in Johannesburg [1] .\n\n[1] See further readings: WIEGO, 2013.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a15702e8a30a4f9cf50158e02f537d3a",
"text": "ic policy international africa society gender house believes feminisation For rights to be granted women need to be able to have a position within trade unions, and policy change is required.\n\nA recent study shows fewer women than men are found in trade unions across eight African countries looked at in a study(Daily Guide, 2011). The greatest degree of women’s involvement was from teacher and nurses unions, however, there remains a lack of representation at leadership levels. The lack of a united, or recognised, women’s voice in trade unions undermines aims for gender equality and mainstreaming for those women who are working.\n\nAdditionally, at a larger scale, policy change is required. Empowerment cannot occur where unequal structures remain - therefore the system needs to be changed. Governments need to engender social policy and support women - providing protection, maternity cover, pension schemes, and security, which discriminate against women and informal workers.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e8745dd6ab09725847f6783613e04f80",
"text": "ic policy international africa society gender house believes feminisation With the right to work within the productive sphere, the responsibility of care becomes shared. This may take some time but eventually equality will be the result. If you consider the changes occurring within the developed world - such as improved access to child-care facilities and the rise of stay at home dads, the integration of women into paid employment shows changes in gender roles. The double burden may occur temporarily, but in the long-run it will fade.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "54ef555cf237ae31a294e38d53b9d08e",
"text": "ic policy international africa society gender house believes feminisation Within Gender and Development the importance of bringing men into the picture of gender discrimination has been recognised. Therefore working with men will change enable gender roles to be changed.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3c6190b6a63b3ac3ffa4322f4c7004ff",
"text": "ic policy international africa society gender house believes feminisation Yes education may help to determine the extent to which labour participation empowers women but it is the participation itself that is the actual tool that empowers. A well-educated woman who is kept at home doing nothing is not empowered no matter how good her education might have been. In Saudi Arabia there are more women in university than men yet there is 36% unemployment for women against only 6% for men (Aluwaisheg, 2013). The women are educated, not empowered.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9761f1bcfbcc519f695acbf96d6a7a42",
"text": "ic policy international africa society gender house believes feminisation How we define empowerment is broad - encompassing all changes that women are able to make, through agency, to tackle their subordinate position. Therefore labour force participation does provide empowerment. Labour participation provides an opportunity for women to control household resources, demand rights, and organise for equal justice. There is no silver bullet, or objective, to achieve women’s empowerment.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "46f2ccac8fddd3bb2d8c6c49a5ec1c59",
"text": "ic policy international africa society gender house believes feminisation The effects of unemployment\n\nUnemployment has been linked to several health and wellbeing effects. Firstly, the psychological impact of unemployment involve a range of issues - from confidence to mental well-being. Issues of mental health problems - such as depression, suicide, anxiety, and substance abuse, need recognition in Africa. The impact of mental health may not only be on the individual, but dispersed within families and across generations. Secondly, unemployment may result in a loss of social networks and networking skills. The power of social capital, or networks, in reducing vulnerability has been widely noted. Therefore encouraging women to participate within the labour market ensures new networks are built and retained through the vital communication skills used. Finally. unemployment may affect physical health status.\n\nUnemployment may place individuals in a downward spiral, making it harder to re-enter the job market.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e84694414b27556ecd75a7f4d6a87ad7",
"text": "ic policy international africa society gender house believes feminisation Labour participation and rights\n\nLabour participation enables an awareness, and acquirement, of equal gender rights. Firstly, labour participation is challenging cultural ideologies and norms of which see the woman’s responsibility as limited to the reproductive sphere. Entering the productive sphere brings women equal work rights and the right to enter public space. By such a change gender norms of the male breadwinner are challenged. Secondly, labour force participation by women has resulted in the emergence of community lawyers and organisations to represent them. The Declaration of the African Regional Domestic Workers Network is a case in point. [1] With the rising number of female domestic workers, the network is working to change conditions - upholding Conferences, sharing information, and taking action.\n\n[1] See http://wiego.org/informal-economy/declaration-african-regional-domestic-workers-conference\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e9902b3e9bac92506e5a7ed4e03e4b3f",
"text": "ic policy international africa society gender house believes feminisation Women need alternatives for empowerment\n\nEmpowerment cannot be gained for women through employment, alternatives are required. A gender lens needs to be applied to women’s life course from the start. To tackle the discriminatory causes of gender inequality access to sexual and reproductive health rights is required for women. Access to such rights ensures women in Africa will be able to control their body, go to school, and choose the type of employment they wish to enter into.\n\nThe importance of enabling sexual and reproductive health rights for women is being put on the agenda for Africa [1] . There is a lot to be done beyond workforce participation - ending violence against women, promoting equal access to resources, opportunities and participation. Such features will reinforce women’s labour market participation, but in the jobs they want.\n\n[1] See further readings: Chissano, 2013; Puri, 2013.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4c7ccf5d4f8f08a40a26cc742733585a",
"text": "ic policy international africa society gender house believes feminisation Where are the men?\n\nIs the feminisation of labour emerging with a de-masculinisation of jobs? If so, how do women cope in the work environment? Are methods being integrated to ensure a just work environment is maintained?\n\nOvera’s (2007) study on gender relations within the informal economy indicates how tensions emerge with women and men being forced into similar occupations. The informal economy of retail trade in Ghana is becoming overcrowded as men enter into female jobs; competition is causing reductions in returns, and further, frustrations are rising against the state. Therefore if more women are entering male jobs, what are the reactions?\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6c972b01965b0d8134d264acec36a95e",
"text": "ic policy international africa society gender house believes feminisation The double burden\n\nDespite a feminising labour market there has been no convergence, or equalisation, in unpaid domestic and care work. Women still play key roles in working the reproductive sphere and family care; therefore labour-force participation increases the overall burden placed on women. The burden is placed on time, physical, and mental demands.\n\nWe need to recognise the anxieties and burdens women face of being the bread-winner, as survival is becoming ‘feminised’ (Sassen, 2002). Additionally, women have always accounted for a significant proportion of the labour market - although their work has not been recognised. Therefore to what extent can we claim increased labour force participation is empowering when it is only just being recognised?\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8a6dc2ef87fc8057ea949853ee075ada",
"text": "ic policy international africa society gender house believes feminisation Who are the women?\n\nWomen are a diverse group, and the feminisation of labour has incorporated a range of women of different ages, race, socioeconomic backgrounds and education. Such intersectionalities are important to recognise, as not all women are empowered and the empowerment is not equal.\n\nFor example, a study by Atieno (2006) revealed female participation in the labour market was influenced by education. Human capital influenced the transition into work: who was able to access labour opportunities, and which ones. Therefore inequalities among women determine the degrees, and capability, of empowerment it is therefore not labour force participation that empowers but education.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
13595b6a17ba33be68e4346587cb2e6f
|
A dam would damage the environment
Dams due to their generation of renewable electricity are usually seen as environmentally friendly but such mega projects are rarely without consequences. The Grand Inga would lower the oxygen content of the lower course of the river which would mean a loss of species. This would not only affect the river as the Congo’s delta is a submerged area of 300,000km2 far out into the Atlantic. This system is not yet understood but the plume transmits sediment and organic matter into the Atlantic ocean encouraging plankton offshore contributing to the Atlantic’s ability to be a carbon sink. [1]
[1] Showers, Kate, ‘Will Africa’s Mega Dam Have Mega Impacts?’, International Rivers, 5 March 2012, http://www.internationalrivers.org/resources/grand-inga-will-africa%E2%80%99s-mega-dam-have-mega-impacts-1631
|
[
{
"docid": "d237c1cc8e9cd792fbd2b5b5edb03893",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would Hydroelectric power is clean so would be beneficial in the fight against global warming. Providing such power would reduce the need to other forms of electricity and would help end the problem of cooking fires which not only damage the environment but cause 1.9million lives to be lost globally every year as a result of smoke inhalation. [1] Because the dam will be ‘run of the river’ there won’t be many of the usual problems associated with dams; fish will still be able to move up and down the river and much of the sediment will still be transported over the rapids.\n\n[1] Bunting, Madeleine, ‘How Hillary Clinton’s clean stoves will help African women’, theguardian.com, 21 September 2010, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/sep/21/hillary-clinton-clean-stove-initiative-africa\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "7916ee5b91aacc65f2b69035354bd314",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would The World Bank would be taking a lead role in the project and it proclaims “The World Bank has a zero-tolerance policy on corruption, and we have some of the toughest fiduciary standards of any development agency, including a 24/7 fraud and corruption hotline with appropriate whistle-blower protection.” All documentation would be in the public domain and online so ensuring complete transparency. [1]\n\n[1] Maake, Moyagabo, ‘Concern over SA’s billions in DRC Inga project’, Business Day Live, 24 March 2013, http://www.bdlive.co.za/business/energy/2013/03/24/concern-over-sas-billions-in-drc-inga-project\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a5dcfac4d2dc42c2f007663611b900ff",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would The difficulty of constructing something should not be considered a good argument not to do it. As one of the poorest countries in the world construction will surely have significant support from developed donors and international institutions. Moreover with the energy cooperation treaty between DRC and South Africa there is a guaranteed partner to help in financing and eventually buying the electricity.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b2e9bfeb4b23dfc613005d54497880dd",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would Yes they are. Big international donors like the World Bank who are supporting the project will ensure that there is compensation for those displaced and that they get good accommodation. In a budget of up to $80billion the cost of compensation and relocation is tiny.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "39f70edcbe6c91435fd2a4ec6df33518",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would While it is clear that such an immense project will have an impact we have little idea what that impact might be. Will the builders be local? Will the suppliers be local? It is likely that the benefit will go elsewhere just as the electricity will go to South Africa rather than providing electricity to the poverty stricken Congolese. [1]\n\n[1] Palitza, Kristin, ‘$80bn Grand Inga hydropower dam to lock out Africa’s poor’, Africa Review, 16 November 2011, www.africareview.com/Business---Finance/80-billion-dollar-Grand-Inga-dam-to-lock-out-Africa-poor/-/979184/1274126/-/kkicv7/-/index.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4af468fe45a3d37574a1c2ead3779ee0",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would There is currently not enough traffic to justify such a large addition to the project. If it were worthwhile then it could be done without the need for building an immense dam.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "125243d550123c06173b322ad0d7b1ef",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would In the short to medium term during the decades the dam is being built investment will surely be concentrated in one place in this vast country; in the west where the dam is, not the east where the conflicts are. Later there is little guarantee that the government will spend the proceeds wisely to develop the country rather than it disappearing through corruption. And this assumes the money flows in from the export of electricity. To enable such exports 3000km of high voltage cable will need to be laid which would be vulnerable to being cut by rebel groups seeking to hurt the government through its wallet. [1]\n\n[1] ‘Explained: The $80 billion Grand Inga Hydropower Project’, ujuh, 21 November 2013, http://www.ujuh.co.za/explained-the-80-billion-grand-inga-hydropower-project/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0322ba6aaa12e230d818d8d92b1bf173",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would It is not the best solution to Africa’s energy crisis. According to a report by the International Energy Agency as an immense dam requires a power grid. Such a grid does not exist and building such a grid is “not proving to be cost effective in more remote rural areas”. In such low density areas local sources of power are best. [1] DRC is only 34% urban and has a population density of only 30 people per km2 [2] so the best option would be local renewable power.\n\n[1] International Energy Agency, ‘Energy for All Financing access for the poor’, World Energy Outlook, 2011, http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/media/weowebsite/energydevelopment/weo2011_energy_for_all.pdf p.21\n\n[2] Central Intelligence Agency, ‘Congo, Democratic Republic of the’, The World Factbook, 12 November 2013, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cg.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7be746e15bf25aa22d6596519020a9ac",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would The cost is too high\n\nThe Grand Inga is ‘pie in the sky’ as the cost is too immense. At more than $50-100 billion it is more than twice the GDP of the whole country. [1] Even the much smaller Inga III project has been plagued by funding problems with Westcor pulling out of the project in 2009. [2] This much smaller project still does not have all the financial backing it needs having failed to get firm commitments of investment from anyone except the South Africans. [3] If private companies won’t take the risk on a much smaller project they won’t on the Grand Inga.\n\n[1] Central Intelligence Agency, ‘Congo, Democratic Republic of the’, The World Factbook, 12 November 2013, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cg.html\n\n[2] ‘Westcor Drops Grand Inga III Project’, Alternative Energy Africa, 14 August 2009, http://ae-africa.com/read_article.php?NID=1246\n\n[3] ‘DRC still looking for Inga III funding’, ESI-Africa.com, 13 September 2013, http://www.esi-africa.com/drc-still-looking-for-inga-iii-funding/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "95c54d6634fa3ad6accd791fbcab39eb",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would Such a big project is beyond DRC’s capacity\n\nThe Grand Inga dam project is huge while it means huge potential benefits it just makes it more difficult for the country to manage. Transparency international ranks DRC as 160th out of 176 in terms of corruption [1] so it is no surprise that projects in the country are plagued by it. [2] Such a big project would inevitably mean billions siphoned off. Even if it is built will the DRC be able to maintain it? This seems unlikely. The Inga I and II dams only operate at half their potential due to silting up and a lack of maintenance. [3]\n\n[1] ‘Corruption Perceptions Index 2012’, Transparency International, 2012, http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2012/results/\n\n[2] Bosshard, Peter, ‘Grand Inga -- The World Bank's Latest Silver Bullet for Africa’, Huffington Post, 21 April 2013, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-bosshard/grand-inga-the-world-bank_b_3308223.html\n\n[3] Vasagar, Jeevan, ‘Could a $50bn plan to tame this mighty river bring electricity to all of Africa?’, The Guardian, 25 February 2005, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/feb/25/congo.jeevanvasagar\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "736b5b8964992f6d508206d9286d3984",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would Dams displace communities\n\nDams result in the filling of a large reservoir behind the dam because it has raised the level of the water in the case of the Grand Inga it would create a reservoir 15km long. This is not particularly big but the construction would also displace communities. The previous Inga dams also displaced people. Inga I and II were built 30 and 40 years ago, yet the displaced are still in a shabby prefabricated town called Camp Kinshasa awaiting compensation. [1] Are they likely to do better this time around?\n\n[1] Sanyanga, Ruto, ‘Will Congo Benefit from Grand Inga Dam’, International Policy Digest, 29 June 2013, http://www.internationalpolicydigest.org/2013/06/29/will-congo-benefit-from-grand-inga-dam/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1ee1196b8ac6857f40a20cab7df775d9",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would An immense boost to DRC’s economy\n\nThe Grand Inga dam would be an immense boost to the DRC’s economy. It would mean a huge amount of investment coming into the country as almost all the $80 billion construction cost would be coming from outside the country which would mean thousands of workers employed and spending money in the DRC as well as boosting local suppliers. Once the project is complete the dam will provide cheap electricity so making industry more competitive and providing electricity to homes. Even the initial stages through Inga III are expected to provide electricity for 25,000 households in Kinshasa. [1]\n\n[1] ‘Movement on the Grand Inga Hydropower Project’, ujuh, 20 November 2013, http://www.ujuh.co.za/movement-on-the-grand-inga-hydropower-project/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e246de3e052f97a000a8c9731d224b9c",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would Will enable the rebuilding of DRC\n\nDR Congo has been one of the most war ravaged countries in the world over the last two decades. The Grand Inga provides a project that can potentially benefit everyone in the country by providing cheap electricity and an economic boost. It will also provide large export earnings; to take an comparatively local example Ethiopia earns $1.5million per month exporting 60MW to Djibouti at 7 cents per KwH [1] comparable to prices in South Africa [2] so if Congo were to be exporting 500 times that (at 30,000 MW only 3/4ths of the capacity) it would be earning $9billion per year. This then will provide more money to invest and to ameliorate problems. The project can therefore be a project for the nation to rally around helping create and keep stability after the surrender of the rebel group M23 in October 2013.\n\n[1] Woldegebriel, E.G., ‘Ethiopia plans to power East Africa with hydro’, trust.org, 29 January 2013, http://www.trust.org/item/?map=ethiopia-seeks-to-power-east-africa-with-hydro\n\n[2] Burkhardt, Paul, ‘Eskom to Raise S. Africa Power Price 8% Annually for 5 Years’, Bloomberg, 28 February 2013, http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-28/south-africa-s-eskom-to-raise-power-prices-8-a-year-for-5-years.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f820a2f48e4240744800d2b0a0c31bd9",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would The dam would power Africa\n\nOnly 29% of Sub Saharan Africa’s population has access to electricity. [1] This has immense consequences not just for the economy as production and investment is constrained but also on society. The world bank says lack of electricity affects human rights “People cannot access modern hospital services without electricity, or feel relief from sweltering heat. Food cannot be refrigerated and businesses cannot function. Children cannot go to school… The list of deprivation goes on.” [2] Conveniently it is suggested that the “Grand Inga will thus provide more than half of the continent with renewable energy at a low price,” [3] providing electricity to half a billion people so eliminating much of this electricity gap. [4]\n\n[1] World Bank Energy, ‘Addressing the Electricity Access Gap’, World Bank, June 2010, http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTESC/Resources/Addressing_the_Electricity_Access_Gap.pdf p.89\n\n[2] The World Bank, ‘Energy – The Facts’, worldbank.org, 2013, http://go.worldbank.org/6ITD8WA1A0\n\n[3] SAinfo reporter, ‘SA-DRC pact paves way for Grand Inga’, SouthAfrica.info, 20 May 2013, http://www.southafrica.info/africa/grandinga-200513.htm#.UqGkNOImZI0\n\n[4] Pearce, Fred, ‘Will Huge New Hydro Projects Bring Power to Africa’s People?’, Yale Environment 360, 30 May 2013, http://e360.yale.edu/feature/will_huge_new_hydro_projects_bring_power_to_africas_people/2656/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9ff3d93dac20853fe5c630cb32a2831d",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would A dam could make the Congo more usable\n\nWhile the Congo is mostly navigable it is only usable internally. The rapids cut the middle Congo off from the sea. The building of the dams could be combined with canalisation and locks to enable international goods to be easily transported to and from the interior. This would help integrate central Africa economically into the global economy making the region much more attractive for investment.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
4b68988916f16dd5c17bc730a34fbce8
|
Dams displace communities
Dams result in the filling of a large reservoir behind the dam because it has raised the level of the water in the case of the Grand Inga it would create a reservoir 15km long. This is not particularly big but the construction would also displace communities. The previous Inga dams also displaced people. Inga I and II were built 30 and 40 years ago, yet the displaced are still in a shabby prefabricated town called Camp Kinshasa awaiting compensation. [1] Are they likely to do better this time around?
[1] Sanyanga, Ruto, ‘Will Congo Benefit from Grand Inga Dam’, International Policy Digest, 29 June 2013, http://www.internationalpolicydigest.org/2013/06/29/will-congo-benefit-from-grand-inga-dam/
|
[
{
"docid": "b2e9bfeb4b23dfc613005d54497880dd",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would Yes they are. Big international donors like the World Bank who are supporting the project will ensure that there is compensation for those displaced and that they get good accommodation. In a budget of up to $80billion the cost of compensation and relocation is tiny.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "7916ee5b91aacc65f2b69035354bd314",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would The World Bank would be taking a lead role in the project and it proclaims “The World Bank has a zero-tolerance policy on corruption, and we have some of the toughest fiduciary standards of any development agency, including a 24/7 fraud and corruption hotline with appropriate whistle-blower protection.” All documentation would be in the public domain and online so ensuring complete transparency. [1]\n\n[1] Maake, Moyagabo, ‘Concern over SA’s billions in DRC Inga project’, Business Day Live, 24 March 2013, http://www.bdlive.co.za/business/energy/2013/03/24/concern-over-sas-billions-in-drc-inga-project\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a5dcfac4d2dc42c2f007663611b900ff",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would The difficulty of constructing something should not be considered a good argument not to do it. As one of the poorest countries in the world construction will surely have significant support from developed donors and international institutions. Moreover with the energy cooperation treaty between DRC and South Africa there is a guaranteed partner to help in financing and eventually buying the electricity.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d237c1cc8e9cd792fbd2b5b5edb03893",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would Hydroelectric power is clean so would be beneficial in the fight against global warming. Providing such power would reduce the need to other forms of electricity and would help end the problem of cooking fires which not only damage the environment but cause 1.9million lives to be lost globally every year as a result of smoke inhalation. [1] Because the dam will be ‘run of the river’ there won’t be many of the usual problems associated with dams; fish will still be able to move up and down the river and much of the sediment will still be transported over the rapids.\n\n[1] Bunting, Madeleine, ‘How Hillary Clinton’s clean stoves will help African women’, theguardian.com, 21 September 2010, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/sep/21/hillary-clinton-clean-stove-initiative-africa\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "39f70edcbe6c91435fd2a4ec6df33518",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would While it is clear that such an immense project will have an impact we have little idea what that impact might be. Will the builders be local? Will the suppliers be local? It is likely that the benefit will go elsewhere just as the electricity will go to South Africa rather than providing electricity to the poverty stricken Congolese. [1]\n\n[1] Palitza, Kristin, ‘$80bn Grand Inga hydropower dam to lock out Africa’s poor’, Africa Review, 16 November 2011, www.africareview.com/Business---Finance/80-billion-dollar-Grand-Inga-dam-to-lock-out-Africa-poor/-/979184/1274126/-/kkicv7/-/index.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4af468fe45a3d37574a1c2ead3779ee0",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would There is currently not enough traffic to justify such a large addition to the project. If it were worthwhile then it could be done without the need for building an immense dam.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "125243d550123c06173b322ad0d7b1ef",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would In the short to medium term during the decades the dam is being built investment will surely be concentrated in one place in this vast country; in the west where the dam is, not the east where the conflicts are. Later there is little guarantee that the government will spend the proceeds wisely to develop the country rather than it disappearing through corruption. And this assumes the money flows in from the export of electricity. To enable such exports 3000km of high voltage cable will need to be laid which would be vulnerable to being cut by rebel groups seeking to hurt the government through its wallet. [1]\n\n[1] ‘Explained: The $80 billion Grand Inga Hydropower Project’, ujuh, 21 November 2013, http://www.ujuh.co.za/explained-the-80-billion-grand-inga-hydropower-project/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0322ba6aaa12e230d818d8d92b1bf173",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would It is not the best solution to Africa’s energy crisis. According to a report by the International Energy Agency as an immense dam requires a power grid. Such a grid does not exist and building such a grid is “not proving to be cost effective in more remote rural areas”. In such low density areas local sources of power are best. [1] DRC is only 34% urban and has a population density of only 30 people per km2 [2] so the best option would be local renewable power.\n\n[1] International Energy Agency, ‘Energy for All Financing access for the poor’, World Energy Outlook, 2011, http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/media/weowebsite/energydevelopment/weo2011_energy_for_all.pdf p.21\n\n[2] Central Intelligence Agency, ‘Congo, Democratic Republic of the’, The World Factbook, 12 November 2013, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cg.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fa0ec2f76f7a22cab6f7b37344edaaec",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would A dam would damage the environment\n\nDams due to their generation of renewable electricity are usually seen as environmentally friendly but such mega projects are rarely without consequences. The Grand Inga would lower the oxygen content of the lower course of the river which would mean a loss of species. This would not only affect the river as the Congo’s delta is a submerged area of 300,000km2 far out into the Atlantic. This system is not yet understood but the plume transmits sediment and organic matter into the Atlantic ocean encouraging plankton offshore contributing to the Atlantic’s ability to be a carbon sink. [1]\n\n[1] Showers, Kate, ‘Will Africa’s Mega Dam Have Mega Impacts?’, International Rivers, 5 March 2012, http://www.internationalrivers.org/resources/grand-inga-will-africa%E2%80%99s-mega-dam-have-mega-impacts-1631\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7be746e15bf25aa22d6596519020a9ac",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would The cost is too high\n\nThe Grand Inga is ‘pie in the sky’ as the cost is too immense. At more than $50-100 billion it is more than twice the GDP of the whole country. [1] Even the much smaller Inga III project has been plagued by funding problems with Westcor pulling out of the project in 2009. [2] This much smaller project still does not have all the financial backing it needs having failed to get firm commitments of investment from anyone except the South Africans. [3] If private companies won’t take the risk on a much smaller project they won’t on the Grand Inga.\n\n[1] Central Intelligence Agency, ‘Congo, Democratic Republic of the’, The World Factbook, 12 November 2013, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cg.html\n\n[2] ‘Westcor Drops Grand Inga III Project’, Alternative Energy Africa, 14 August 2009, http://ae-africa.com/read_article.php?NID=1246\n\n[3] ‘DRC still looking for Inga III funding’, ESI-Africa.com, 13 September 2013, http://www.esi-africa.com/drc-still-looking-for-inga-iii-funding/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "95c54d6634fa3ad6accd791fbcab39eb",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would Such a big project is beyond DRC’s capacity\n\nThe Grand Inga dam project is huge while it means huge potential benefits it just makes it more difficult for the country to manage. Transparency international ranks DRC as 160th out of 176 in terms of corruption [1] so it is no surprise that projects in the country are plagued by it. [2] Such a big project would inevitably mean billions siphoned off. Even if it is built will the DRC be able to maintain it? This seems unlikely. The Inga I and II dams only operate at half their potential due to silting up and a lack of maintenance. [3]\n\n[1] ‘Corruption Perceptions Index 2012’, Transparency International, 2012, http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2012/results/\n\n[2] Bosshard, Peter, ‘Grand Inga -- The World Bank's Latest Silver Bullet for Africa’, Huffington Post, 21 April 2013, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-bosshard/grand-inga-the-world-bank_b_3308223.html\n\n[3] Vasagar, Jeevan, ‘Could a $50bn plan to tame this mighty river bring electricity to all of Africa?’, The Guardian, 25 February 2005, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/feb/25/congo.jeevanvasagar\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1ee1196b8ac6857f40a20cab7df775d9",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would An immense boost to DRC’s economy\n\nThe Grand Inga dam would be an immense boost to the DRC’s economy. It would mean a huge amount of investment coming into the country as almost all the $80 billion construction cost would be coming from outside the country which would mean thousands of workers employed and spending money in the DRC as well as boosting local suppliers. Once the project is complete the dam will provide cheap electricity so making industry more competitive and providing electricity to homes. Even the initial stages through Inga III are expected to provide electricity for 25,000 households in Kinshasa. [1]\n\n[1] ‘Movement on the Grand Inga Hydropower Project’, ujuh, 20 November 2013, http://www.ujuh.co.za/movement-on-the-grand-inga-hydropower-project/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e246de3e052f97a000a8c9731d224b9c",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would Will enable the rebuilding of DRC\n\nDR Congo has been one of the most war ravaged countries in the world over the last two decades. The Grand Inga provides a project that can potentially benefit everyone in the country by providing cheap electricity and an economic boost. It will also provide large export earnings; to take an comparatively local example Ethiopia earns $1.5million per month exporting 60MW to Djibouti at 7 cents per KwH [1] comparable to prices in South Africa [2] so if Congo were to be exporting 500 times that (at 30,000 MW only 3/4ths of the capacity) it would be earning $9billion per year. This then will provide more money to invest and to ameliorate problems. The project can therefore be a project for the nation to rally around helping create and keep stability after the surrender of the rebel group M23 in October 2013.\n\n[1] Woldegebriel, E.G., ‘Ethiopia plans to power East Africa with hydro’, trust.org, 29 January 2013, http://www.trust.org/item/?map=ethiopia-seeks-to-power-east-africa-with-hydro\n\n[2] Burkhardt, Paul, ‘Eskom to Raise S. Africa Power Price 8% Annually for 5 Years’, Bloomberg, 28 February 2013, http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-28/south-africa-s-eskom-to-raise-power-prices-8-a-year-for-5-years.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f820a2f48e4240744800d2b0a0c31bd9",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would The dam would power Africa\n\nOnly 29% of Sub Saharan Africa’s population has access to electricity. [1] This has immense consequences not just for the economy as production and investment is constrained but also on society. The world bank says lack of electricity affects human rights “People cannot access modern hospital services without electricity, or feel relief from sweltering heat. Food cannot be refrigerated and businesses cannot function. Children cannot go to school… The list of deprivation goes on.” [2] Conveniently it is suggested that the “Grand Inga will thus provide more than half of the continent with renewable energy at a low price,” [3] providing electricity to half a billion people so eliminating much of this electricity gap. [4]\n\n[1] World Bank Energy, ‘Addressing the Electricity Access Gap’, World Bank, June 2010, http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTESC/Resources/Addressing_the_Electricity_Access_Gap.pdf p.89\n\n[2] The World Bank, ‘Energy – The Facts’, worldbank.org, 2013, http://go.worldbank.org/6ITD8WA1A0\n\n[3] SAinfo reporter, ‘SA-DRC pact paves way for Grand Inga’, SouthAfrica.info, 20 May 2013, http://www.southafrica.info/africa/grandinga-200513.htm#.UqGkNOImZI0\n\n[4] Pearce, Fred, ‘Will Huge New Hydro Projects Bring Power to Africa’s People?’, Yale Environment 360, 30 May 2013, http://e360.yale.edu/feature/will_huge_new_hydro_projects_bring_power_to_africas_people/2656/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9ff3d93dac20853fe5c630cb32a2831d",
"text": "ic policy environment climate energy water international africa house would A dam could make the Congo more usable\n\nWhile the Congo is mostly navigable it is only usable internally. The rapids cut the middle Congo off from the sea. The building of the dams could be combined with canalisation and locks to enable international goods to be easily transported to and from the interior. This would help integrate central Africa economically into the global economy making the region much more attractive for investment.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
fc269fbadc622078de00a3d73c3294ee
|
An independent Kosovo is not a viable state
An independent Kosovo would be too small for it to be a viable state. It is one of the poorest regions in Yugoslavia, with a per capita GDP of only $2750, [1] and needs to be a part of a larger state for it to benefit from the development subsidies, economies of scale and labour movement rights that are offered by membership of a larger state. The creation of an independent sovereign state would entail the introduction of destructive tariffs and other bureaucratic obstacles to the regeneration of the region, which must be the first priority. The avid desire of Slovenia and other former communist countries to join the political and economic project of the European Union is a clear indication of the way that Balkan people should be directed.
[1] Background Note: Kosovo, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/100931.htm
|
[
{
"docid": "fccd3af4b544c963c3806b5b0a7cea93",
"text": "global government voting house would recognise kosovo independent state In the last decade Kosovo has leveraged remittances and direct investment from the Kosovar diaspora to achieve robust growth. It has also made significant progress in developing key social and economic institutions necessary for a viable state. In adopting the Euro as legal tender it has gained a strong financial anchor. Kosovo also benefits from low public debt and a strategic cash reserve. [1] It is also wrong to argue that Kosovo would be unviable because of its size as Kosovo has a population considerably larger than many independent states in Europe today (eg Iceland, Malta, Cyprus, Estonia).\n\n[1] IMF ‘Republic of Kosovo: Concluding Statement of the 2011 Article IV Consultation Mission’. May 30 2011. http://www.imf.org/external/np/ms/2011/060111.htm\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "901e33492ee13567db139866481e2835",
"text": "global government voting house would recognise kosovo independent state Whilst the ideal of Serb and Kosovar living in harmony is an honourable one, the international community should not waste energy trying to engineer such a society when both sides appear committed to exclusive, nation-state models which involve the political and social hegemony of one group over the other. Multicultural toleration is a fine liberal, democratic ideal but it does not fit every empirical reality. The tensions are too great to make such a system work.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d7573534e529f55d076f63f524f5d393",
"text": "global government voting house would recognise kosovo independent state This argument depends upon how one defines the ‘territorial integrity’ of a state in Article 2. Certainly it would not be legitimate for a state to simply declare based on an old treaty or historic claim that its territory encompassed that of a neighbour and to invade, therefore the requirement to respect territorial integrity must only refer to de facto integrity. Given that Serbia has no actual control over the territory of Kosovo it is not a violation of the rights of the Serbian state to recognise it as an independent nation.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "024aee67929270c5e97c99b44385ccbd",
"text": "global government voting house would recognise kosovo independent state The uncertainty over Kosovo’s status is a cause of tension. Drawing a line under the whole issue and making it clear that Kosovo will not revert to being part of Serbia again allows for a relaxing of nationalist tension and for serious discussions to begin over land swaps that would make the border more sensible.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "16f9d56a5afbe7c504e63917ad457398",
"text": "global government voting house would recognise kosovo independent state Under international law there are only two instances where secession is possible; in the case of foreign occupation and as a result of decolonisation. The third category espoused by the proposition is disputed and naturally leads to absurd consequences: how small a group of people on how small a plot of land can unilaterally declare independence?\n\nMoreover, the Kosovan claim for independence is not clear-cut. The population ratio of Kosovo-Albanian to Serb inhabitants of Kosovo is constantly in flux. In addition, the current ratio has far fewer Serbs because of enforced or fear-driven flight from the region after NATO intervention gave Kosovo-Albanians the upper hand in the region. In 1971 Serbs were 18.4% of the population. [1] The Kosovo-Albanians have suffered undeniably over the last decade. However, that should not lead us to ignore the very genuine historical significance of Kosovo to Serbia, particularly to the Orthodox faith. There is a historical tradition of both Serbs and Kosovo-Albanians inhabiting Kosovo. To effect a change in the sovereignty over a region on the basis of a temporary population ratio is to ignore the complexity of the issues that surround this territory.\n\n[1] Howe, Marvine, ‘Exodus of Serbians stirs province in Yugoslavia’, The New York Times, 12 July 1982, http://www.srpska-mreza.com/kosovo/serbian-exudos-nyt-7-82.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "de0c5d3433908e3b8d3a35f69bddb3ce",
"text": "global government voting house would recognise kosovo independent state Britain does though claim sovereignty over far away locations such as the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar. The controversy of those claims is not mitigated that they are populated by ethnic Britons who immigrated on assumption of British control.\n\nEthnic nationalism has a very bad history, both around the world and in the Balkans in particular. Out of the nineteenth century explosion in popularity of nationalistic ideologies grew the bitter tensions and wars of the twentieth century. The last thing that we should be doing is promoting a continuation and an extension of this divisive and destructive way of perceiving the world. Ultimately, an independent state would be created just because it was believed that there is too much bad blood between the Serbs and Kosovo-Albanians for them to live in harmony. To create an ethnically exclusive state because of animosity with another ethnic group is not a solution; it is a recipe for disaster.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "49a3d5e86e95f35433a27da7977c6faf",
"text": "global government voting house would recognise kosovo independent state Ethnic Serbs are suffering right now in Kosovo. A large portion of them have been displaced from their homes and a significant number of Serbian Orthodox churches and cemeteries have been demolished or vandalised. It is hypocritical to use to suffering of one side to justify a transfer of sovereignty while simultaneously ignoring the suffering of the other side.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ee0838315d86b1db20f45faaff641df7",
"text": "global government voting house would recognise kosovo independent state An ethnic or religious difference from the rulers of one’s country is not a sufficient condition to necessitate independence. It is perfectly possible for example to be a Muslim in a predominantly Christian country, or someone of Irish heritage living in England, without calling for a separate \"state within a state\". Not just any minority group deserves to have its call for sovereign independence recognised. There have to be additional and better reasons, other than a simple difference in ethnicity or cultural heritage if a people are to ground a valid claim for sovereign independence.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4df4d0e5710dadf86e2edef759678edf",
"text": "global government voting house would recognise kosovo independent state Now is not the appropriate time\n\nThere are still widely reported incidents between Kosovo-Albanians and Serbs. [1] Mafia-style gangs dominate the area, [2] many associated with the KLA paramilitaries who struggled against Serbia, and are involved in international crimes such as drug and people trafficking. Moreover, there was an effective Serb boycott of recent elections in Kosovo. The region has clearly not yet healed its wounds and to put even more strain on the already tense relations between the two communities is simply not advisable.\n\nIn Serb-dominated North Kosovo, schools utilities and municipalities are integrated into Serbia’s system, not Kosovo’s.\n\n[1] Potok, Zubin, ‘NATO soldiers wounded by gunfire in Kosovo clash’, Reuters, 28 November 2011, http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/28/us-kosovo-violence-idUSTRE7AR2...\n\n[2] Lewis, Paul, ‘Kosovo PM is head of human organ and arms ring, Council of Europe reports’, guardian.co.uk, 14 December 2010, http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/14/kosovo-prime-minister-llike-...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "00d289d779bf4a7043d3359c973a69e7",
"text": "global government voting house would recognise kosovo independent state It will be bad for regional stability\n\nNot only will a move toward independence be bad news for the Serb minority population and for regional relations in general. Some areas of northern Kosovo are ethnically Serb, while parts of southern Serbia have an Albanian population, so the border is likely to be in dispute. It will also increase tensions in neighbouring Macedonia. There is a large, Albanian minority in the north of Macedonia. In the aftermath of NATO intervention in Kosovo separatists attempted to put the cause of independence from Macedonia on the map. The Macedonian government is not willing to cede any of its territory and any resurgence in separatist terrorism - which would be the inevitable consequence of independence for Kosovo - would lead to bloody conflict in that region. [1] Not only Serbia but also Macedonia and Greece fear a struggle for a Greater Albania. Thus, in the interests of preserving peace and preventing loss of life, we should postpone the settlement of the question of sovereignty until tensions between the different communities subside.\n\n[1] Karon, Tony, ‘Why Macedonia Has NATO Worried’, TimeWorld, 12 March 2001, http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,102146,00.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1ee3a732b59d17ea64bf6b868b004788",
"text": "global government voting house would recognise kosovo independent state The UN charter is against it.\n\nArticle 2 of the UN charter requires all member states to ‘refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state’.\n\nSecurity Council Resolution 1244 (1999), which authorised the deployment of an international force to Kosovo to manage security and governance, explicitly affirmed the commitment of all Member States to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (the name for the Union of Serbia and Montenegro which ended in 2006) and the other States to that region. [1]\n\nRecognition of an independent Kosovo is a violation of the territorial integrity of Serbia and thus a violation of the rights of the Serbian state.\n\n[1] UN Security Council Resolution 1244 http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N99/172/89/PDF/N9917289.pdf?OpenElement\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "db816d90ff4da1e332ad46df9dd16b08",
"text": "global government voting house would recognise kosovo independent state Self-determination is a human right\n\nSelf-determination is a right recognised by the United Nations Charter and forms the basis of relations between all nations on earth. Thus, Kosovo-Albanians have international law on their side in their pursuit of an independent homeland. If the UN Charter is not explicitly on the side of the Kosovo-Albanians it is difficult to see which people it does support. The very credibility of international law and international society depends on support for causes like that of Kosovan independence where the people in a region have had their right to self-determination internally totally frustrated. [1]\n\n[1] Kumbaro, Dajena.‘The Kosovo Crisis in a International Law Perspective: Self-Determination, Territorial Integrity and the NATO intervention’. NATO Office of Information and Press. 2001. http://www.nato.int/acad/fellow/99-01/kumbaro.pdf\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c443575cdd5b16a53fa8e37f59c4f1aa",
"text": "global government voting house would recognise kosovo independent state Reversing de-facto sovereignty would be an affront to those who suffered from ethnic cleansing\n\nThe NATO action in Kosovo was justified as a humanitarian intervention to prevent the oppression and murder of Kosovo-Albanians. It makes a mockery of that action and the liberal-internationalist, humanitarian rhetoric that underpinned it, to then deny these over a million people the right to determine their own future free from outside interference. Tony Blair for example stated “We cannot let the evil of ethnic cleansing stand. We must not rest until it is reversed.” [1] If they should then choose to seek EU membership, then that is their right and a clear opportunity for them to gain greater prosperity outside Serbia.\n\nKosovar Albanians have suffered much over the last decade at the hands of Serbia. It is offensive to suggest that they must submit to any arrangement that preserves Serbian sovereignty over Kosovo. Serbia/Yugoslavia forfeited whatever right it had to govern Kosovo when it systematically discriminated against Kosovo-Albanians. It is also in Serbia’s own interests to put its own bloody past behind it and make a clean break in the interests of improving its economic and diplomatic relationships with its neighbours, and in seeking foreign aid and perhaps one day EU membership.\n\n[1] Blair, Tony, ‘Prime Minister’s speech: Doctrine of the International community at the Economic Club, Chicago’, 24 April 1999, http://keeptonyblairforpm.wordpress.com/blair-speech-transcripts-from-19...\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ead49f529ab3162d0d947bdbec41fb71",
"text": "global government voting house would recognise kosovo independent state The people of Kosovo are distinct from their neighbours\n\nKosovo-Albanians are ethnically and culturally distinct from Serbs. They live in a geographically distinct location, Kosovo which is separated from Serbia by the Prokletije, Kopaonik and Zegovac mountains. They comprise 1.7 million people, living within a distinct area, who as the majority are ethnically Albanian and religiously Muslim are clearly different from the Serbs who until recently ruled over them. There was initially a peaceful resistance movement led by Ibrahim Rugova, established after the loss of autonomy and rights the region experienced in the 1990s. However once this failed to make progress in 1997 an armed resistance movement called the Kosovo Liberation Army emerged. [1] Slobodan Milosevic the Serbian leader responded with in ethnic persecution resulting in NATO intervention which in itself should be enough reason to support independence. For all these reasons, Kosovo-Albanians deserve to be allowed to govern themselves just as much as any other people.\n\n[1] Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, ‘Background Note: Kosovo’, U.S. Department of State, 16 November 2011, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/100931.htm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e123f0960bb1f9e22085c302285e39c7",
"text": "global government voting house would recognise kosovo independent state The popular sovereignty of the Kosovan people must take precedence over other considerations\n\nThe present fact of a distinct, Kosovo-Albanian people living in Kosovo must take precedence over any traditional, religious or historical claim to Serbian sovereignty over that land. It is certainly true that Kosovo is historically and culturally important to Serbia. It has a particular significance for the Orthodox faith. However, consider the following analogy. Great Britain is, officially, a Christian country. This fact gives the British no valid territorial claim to sovereignty over Bethlehem (the literal birth-place of Christianity), particularly when there are people already living in the area. Historico-religious, traditional associations with a place can never override the rights of an indigenous population to remain in possession of its land and sovereignty.\n\nThere are clear, historical precedents for granting Kosovo independence. These precedents can be seen regionally in the post-communist independence of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia, as well as of the Baltic Republics. Globally, one can see precedents in the struggle of African countries for independence from European colonial rule. The relative proximity of Serbia to Kosovo in no way makes the situation dissimilar to the struggles of India against British rule - the British would not be content to be ruled by France just because the two countries are neighbours.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
a9c7bd6c963ffc5070287b1b1530e6c8
|
There is little interest in unification among young people in South Korea
There is one very obvious historical example which speaks to attempts to unite Korea by force: the 1950-53 war. It seems unlikely that even the most ardent supporter of reunification south of the border would be keen to repeat that fiasco which had at least 910,000 battle deaths and total death toll up to 3.5million. [1]
In addition, the younger generations have much less interest in the proposal than their parents and grandparents did.
As a result the grand coalition would run the very real risk of one of the component parts actively opposed to the proposal and the other half at the very least unhappy about it.
The assumption that the North Korean army will simply roll over or melt away is reminiscent of the ideas about swift victories in Iraq and Afghanistan and so it seems unlikely that the US public would be too keen to sign up for a second Korean War.
Ultimately to work this proposal needs the support of the peoples of North and South Korea as well as those of, at least, the US and China. There is precious little evidence that any of those things are true.
[1] ‘Inter-State War Data’, Correlates of War v.4.0, 1816-2007 , ‘Korean War’, Death Tolls for the Major Wars and Atrocities of the Twentieth Century
|
[
{
"docid": "c4c8e5c54dd85d9da5f73efa761edd78",
"text": "asia global defence house would invade and forcibly reunify korean Although the younger generation in South Korea doesn’t have the hunger for reunification of their parents and grandparents, very few are hostile to the prospect per se, they are only concerned about the cost.\n\nIt seems unlikely that this would in any way reflect the ‘50-53 war which was a battle between the US, the Soviet Union and China and just happened to be hosted on the peninsula and to its huge cost.\n\nOne of the advantages of involving China is that it would be the clearest possible demonstration to the South Korean people that the superpower was committed to the long process of rebuilding their mutual neighbour.\n\nThis answers several of the possible objections. China gets the benefits of security and South Korea gets an important ally in the process of rebuilding the North.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "ba39600f0ec6a2ca0588c00fca0b808c",
"text": "asia global defence house would invade and forcibly reunify korean China has an enormous interest in not having an unstable nuclear power on its doorstep. It also has an interest in Pyongyang doing nothing to upset the region’s relationship with the West. That in and of itself should be enough for China to at least increase the trade and support it gives to North Korea. China is already investing in North Korea, such as at the port of Rason, [1] it would want to protect these investments, Chinese firms main criticism of operating in North Korea is the business environment something that unification would improve.\n\nThe same can be said for Japan and the other Asian Tigers. Rates of growth in North Eastern Asia have been spectacular in recent years and do not look set to diminish in the long term.\n\nIt is also worth noting that the estimates for the costs of reunification vary and $5trillion is on the upper end. Also that is the cost for getting the North to where the South is now. It took the South 60 years. North Korea would be following the same path as part of a larger and richer nation and could as a result do it faster. The North has land for development that is desperately lacking in the south and a large pool of cheap labour whose living standards would be increased dramatically by the association. Even just accepting the food aid sent by the international community would be huge progress on the current situation.\n\nClearly North Korea is not going to solve all of its problems over night but simply not getting much worse every year would be a start.\n\n[1] Wong, Edward, ‘Tending a Small Patch of Capitalism in North Korea’, The New York Times, 12 October 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8bd1d0fe25c3476a05ca1e65196a6f3e",
"text": "asia global defence house would invade and forcibly reunify korean There are certainly difficulties in seeing how an independent North Korea could be reasonably expected to joined the global community of nations. However, that is not the case here. There are still ties between the North and South, of blood and kindred if nothing else, two potent forces in Korean culture and Confucian thought.\n\nThe situation is different from Iraq and the lessons of the De-Ba’athication process appear to have been learnt; that middle ranking, and often senior, apparatchiks do not necessarily have a loyalty to the former regime. De-Ba’athication was much more extensive than its equivalent in post-communist Europe where generally only those over a certain level were excluded [1] while after World War II very few Japanese were excluded from the bureaucracy. [2] It seems unlikely that the mistake would be repeated.\n\nThe closest analogy to where the North is now is not the oft-cited East Germany but South Korea’s own prodigious economic growth. On the basis of which there should be huge optimism at the prospect of reunification.\n\nReunification looks almost inevitable as the state quietly implodes. The leadership in North Korea are not fools, they see the economic data and know that change is needed. There is even talk of not accepting Kim Jong Un’s designated successor.\n\nAs a result reunification can take place after a long period of decline which leaves the country needing even more effort and money to rebuild or following decisive action.\n\nThere is every reason to suspect that there is genuine dissatisfaction in the North and certainly the accounts and actions of defectors would suggest this to be the case.\n\n[1] Williams, Kieran et al., ‘Explaining Lustration in Eastern Europe: ‘A Post-communist approach’’, SEI Working Paper No 62, 2003, p.2\n\n[2] Arato, Andrew, ‘The Occupation of Iraq and the Difficult Transition from Dictatorship’, Constellations, Volume 10, Number 3, 2003, p.9\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "75b95ef968aa3b672f9efd724e9b4f1a",
"text": "asia global defence house would invade and forcibly reunify korean There is no appetite for, and little interest in, the outside world in the North. Those reunions that have been organised have been established by the South. As far as the citizens of the North are concerned they are living in a utopia that is the envy of the world. There is little evidence that North Koreans are clamouring for reunification, although there is some appetite for it in the South, it is diminishing as the generations that remember a united country die and the younger generations take a look at the cost of doing so.\n\nIt is also highly questionable what either party would get from the union. The North would gain little except mass unemployment as they are simply not equipped for a 21st century economy and the south would get all of the social unease that usually accompanies mass unemployment. Talk of a shared culture and heritage is all very well but simply doesn’t pay the bills in is a fairly dubious claim at best – the languages are now unrecognizable to each other and the last sixty years have eradicated anything but the most romanticised views of an ancient and honorable past that never existed.\n\nNeither party brings any noticeable natural resources to the deal and the skill sets of each society are now so vastly different as to be mutually exclusive. There simply is no economic advantage.\n\nPolitically the merger would look set to cause disaster, the last thing that the South’s new and somewhat fragile democracy needs is the sudden addition of millions of unemployed citizens with no history of participating in a democratic process. It would confer second-class status on those from the North for generations to come and be more likely to create a situation that looks like Israel/Palestine than one that looks like Germany.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fb31cc4cfd0031acb7d0b39543d8c8e8",
"text": "asia global defence house would invade and forcibly reunify korean Although the famines in North Korea are now an annual fixture and are routinely exacerbated by the regimes whimsical refusals to accept food aid, it is difficult to see how the situation would be improved by what would probably be a long and protracted war followed by permanent unemployment.\n\nSouth Korea has no welfare state to speak of and retired people live off the income of the working ‘middle’ generation.\n\nMostly the situation works well but it does assume that at least somebody in the household is capable of getting a job at some point.\n\nPer capita incomes are approximately five per cent of those to the South.\n\nAlthough it is possible to make a moral argument that the world has a responsibility to avert another famine in the North, they certainly do not have the moral authority to impose, asked and unwanted, a solution that runs the very real risk of making things worse for citizens on both sides of the 38th parallel.\n\nIt is questionable as to whether the South has the right to meddle in its neighbours affairs for the rest of the world, en masse, to take it upon itself to do so is as lacking in moral authority as it is in economic credibility.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e973f41982ffe82249deaf87778ec6a1",
"text": "asia global defence house would invade and forcibly reunify korean North Korea may well be a dangerous state with an unstable leader but neither the regime nor the nation is suicidal. There may be a large military but it simply lacks the resources to mount an invasion.\n\nThe occasional demonstrations of military prowess have far more to do with negotiations about aid than they have to do with a genuine military threat to the South.\n\nIt is inconceivable that North Korea would take any significant military action without the agreement of Beijing and it is inconceivable that any military action would achieve more than a gnat bite from the point of view of either the American or Chinese military. Although Kim Jong-Il may be a master of sabre-rattling as a form of brinkmanship it is staggeringly unlikely that the sabre would ever be unsheathed.\n\nIt is worth noting that the idea that Pyongyang would commit financial suicide by attacking their main form of financial support – South Korea – is relatively ridiculous. The shifting relationship between the two Koreas has more to do with the varying level of political machismo in Seoul than it has to do with the realities of the possibility of military intervention or confrontation.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "865b20bbe132a8e223ee30f09434bc69",
"text": "asia global defence house would invade and forcibly reunify korean Forcible \"liberation\" is contrary to the principle of self determination\n\nThe absence of a civil society in North Korea makes it very difficult to know if there is a great upwelling of dissent in the country but there is certainly very little in the way of evidence of it. For the same reason, there is no obvious government in waiting, there is nothing that could take over from the triad of party, army and state that currently runs the country except and imported elite from the South.\n\nAs a result an uninvited military intervention the people of North Korea would end up, in effect being ruled by a ruling elite that they don’t know.\n\nThe influence of the regime is everywhere in the North and an occupying force would need to attempt a process similar to the disastrous de-Ba’athification actions in Iraq. The results do not seem likely to be any different.\n\nReplacing a heavily armed rogue state with a similarly heavily armed failed state would not seem to represent much in the way of progress.\n\nA rogue state can, at least, be mostly constrained by China, a border region that is part of a united Korea in name only offers no such opportunities for persuasion and coercion. Instead it would represent a ‘badlands’ causing difficulties for all around it on a daily basis with rampant crime taking the place of economic activity.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0d8c594bb01e397f7f0e1da9c8e425aa",
"text": "asia global defence house would invade and forcibly reunify korean Reunification of the Korea peninsular is unaffordable\n\nEstimates of the cost of reunification vary wildly but one thing is clear, they’re all very large. One recent estimate put it at $5 trillion – or $40,000 per capita for South Koreans for 30 years. [1]\n\nThe economy of the North is virtually non-existent, it was never that healthy even when Moscow was propping it up, in 1992 it collapsed completely. Now only the military has any money at all. A whole series on unfinished and unnecessary vanity projects are the only thing resembling an infrastructure and roads and factories would simply need to be built from scratch.\n\nAlthough it is tempting to make the comparison with the reunification of Germany, the two situations are very different. Incomes in the East were about one third to one half of those in the West and the population was about a quarter that of its more populous neighbour.\n\nThe population of the North is about half of the South and incomes are at about 5 per cent. [2]\n\nThe Republic of Koreas simply could not pay the bills and so the burden would fall on other nations, presumably China and the US.\n\nSuch a commitment would seem unlikely, it would be fantastically unpopular in the United States and unlikely to be supported for more than a couple of years. In the case of China, since they have shown little interest in developing many of their own backward, rural provinces it seems unlikely that they would commit to someone else’s.\n\n[1] Beck, Peter M., ‘The Cost of Korean Reunification’, Atlantic Council, 7 January 2010\n\n[2] Ibid\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "24b497f6d386d5a4cd1166f9cfb38a81",
"text": "asia global defence house would invade and forcibly reunify korean Kim Jong Un is unlikely to consent to any form of unified government that does not include him and his family\n\nAlthough the regime in Pyongyang has expressed an interest in a reunified country, progress has been painfully slow. It took twelve years to get from initial contact to the first meeting. It seems likely that any suggestion of reunification is more a negotiating ploy than emblematic of any serious commitment.\n\nIf reunification is to be achieved, it will happen in spite of the current leadership in the North rather than because of it.\n\nThe continued separation of the two Koreas is, in many ways, an accident of history. They were only divided in 1945 for administrative convenience. If the Soviet and American leaderships had been able to develop a more sensible agreement then the two would never have been separated in the first place.\n\nThis means that for the sake of administrative convenience sixty years ago, four thousand years of history has been torn apart.\n\nFrom the perspective of Korean culture and the Confucian beliefs that underpin it the nations should be reunited. It is clearly in the interests of the citizens in the North, whether they are aware of the fact or not. It is an idea that speaks to natural justice but is obstructed by the fact that one half of the country is run as the private fiefdom of one family. The only realistic way it will happen is through military intervention to compel the North and remove Kim Jong-Un and his cronies.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ad38d097a1b737a7a1bcaf4c925fbbdd",
"text": "asia global defence house would invade and forcibly reunify korean Despite the tyranny of Kim Jong-Un, the control he exercises over his people has eliminated the possibility of revolution\n\nThere is grinding poverty in the North as well as brutal repression and all the other trapping of a military dictatorship. The only alternative future for the North is of a failed state going economically and socially in the opposite direction from the rest of Eastern Asia but now armed with nuclear weapons.\n\nThe security threat this poses to the region is terrifying.\n\nHowever, it seems unlikely that the regime has any intention of surrendering their absolute power and the people are unlikely to remove him however bad things get, North Koreans do not have access to the tools such as mobile phones and the internet that made the Arab Spring possible. [1] Instead the people will continue to be fed a diet of propaganda and not much else.\n\nAs well as the security implications there is a simple issue of morality, in any other situation where the actions of a government were impoverishing a people to, quite literally, the point of starvation, the world would feel moved to act.\n\nIt is as clearly in the interests of North Koreans not to starve to death by the hundreds of thousands as it is in the interests of the South not to see similar numbers irradiated by a bomb on Seoul.\n\n[1] Zakaria, Fareed, ‘Zakaria: Will the North Koreans rise up?’, CNN World, 14 November 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5a81032e7f18cb9f8d7e0f6a17ec0f21",
"text": "asia global defence house would invade and forcibly reunify korean North Korea represents a clear danger to its neighbours and their allies and that is unlikely to change\n\n[1] Tania Branigan The Guardian 23 November 2010\n\n[2] Green, Shane, ‘North Korea\n\nNorth Korea is virtually the definition of a rogue state. It remains technically at war with the South and frequently this manifests itself in acts of aggression. In any other situation the regime bombing of Yeonpyeong island would have been considered an act of war and met with a military response [1] . The regime’s relentless pursuit of nuclear weaponry poses a very real threat. The regime has tested missiles at least capable of reaching Tokyo and Seoul and has indicated a desire to be able to reach Washington, [2] James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is worried that they will be able to hit the west coast within a few years. [3] It seems reasonable to assume that, with the limited resources of the state being spent on these two goals, rather than feeding the people, the regime will ultimately succeed in their ambitions. Waiting until they can actually bomb North America or Europe would make Kim Jong-Un or his successor far too secure. Although it seems unlikely that he would ever mount an attack with conventional weapons, access to an appropriate delivery system and a nuclear warhead would make his removal by military means virtually impossible. Removing him from office before this happens is essential for the security of the region and the world.\n\n[1] Tania Branigan The Guardian 23 November 2010\n\n[2] Green, Shane, ‘North Korea threatens to attack US’, The Age, 8 March 2003\n\n[3] Barnes, Julian E., ‘U.S. may be within N.Korea missile range in 3 years, official warns’, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2009\n\nthreatens to attack US’, The Age, 8 March 2003\n\n[3] Barnes, Julian E., ‘U.S. may be within N.Korea missile range in 3 years, official warns’, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2009\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
8730d3cef73baeebd5c636e35e9d5cee
|
There needs to be a response to bad behaviour internationally
The intention of international institutions is to bind countries together, to ensure they speak to each other and resolve differences, and to ensure they feel they cannot engage in aggressive actions. However when a state breaks these norms there needs to be a reaction. Russia has been willing to engage in aggressive acts time and time again. The recent occupation of Crimea is very similar to Russia’s war with Georgia in 2008; in both conflicts Russia used the excuse of Russians being in danger, in both cases Russia was there as a ‘peacekeeper’, and in both cases the action was in another sovereign country whose government did not wish Russian troops there. The result is an expansion of Russian influence and some form of annexation. [1] There was no action after the Russian conflict with Georgia except a mediated peace. [2] There now needs to be a response to actions in Crimea; throwing Russia out of the G8 is the least response.
[1] Friedman, Uri, ‘Putin’s Playbook: The Strategy Behind Russia’s Takeover of Crimea’, The Atlantic, 2 March 2014
[2] King, Charles, ‘The Five-Day War’, Foreign Affairs, November/December 2008
Traynor, Ian, Luke Harding and Helen Womack, ‘Georgia and Russia declare ceasefire’, theguardian.com, 16 August 2008
|
[
{
"docid": "b3c86df7a3859b36a39d5a8866773d02",
"text": "global politics government leadership house would throw russia out g8 If there needs to be a response to Russian actions it does not need to be this response. Much more useful would be economic sanctions against Russia; either targeted freezing of state assets and the assets of leaders, or more comprehensive sanctions that would damage Russia’s economy. Such actions would provide a real cost to aggressive action, not simply a symbolic cost. [1]\n\n[1] Verhofstadt, Guy, ‘Russia will bow to economic pressure over Ukraine, so the EU must impose it’, theguardian.com, 6 March 2014\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "3d809163ed4da9f86cf72bab3f5de56b",
"text": "global politics government leadership house would throw russia out g8 The G8 countries are the world’s most powerful countries. As such most of the powers involved in the G8 have at some point been involved in aggressive foreign interventions. The Iraq invasion did not lead to calls to throw the US and UK out, neither did the bombing of Libya lead to France’s expulsion. Using Russian actions in Ukraine as an excuse would be simple hypocrisy.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f8f5649d7fde1fe2cd96d9e5ac5fcc35",
"text": "global politics government leadership house would throw russia out g8 Sanctions by necessity harm both sides. However Russia is a much smaller economy than either the EU or US (both of which are seven-eight times bigger). Any economic retaliation and escalation will therefore harm Russia more. The threat to cut off gas supplies is a major threat but Russia can’t simply sell the gas elsewhere because its pipelines mostly go to Europe. In the 2009 ‘gas war’ which involved supplies to Europe being restricted (though not completely cut off) for 20 days Russia’s state gas company Gazprom lost $1.1billion in revenues. [1] A more complete cut off would have higher losses.\n\n[1] Pugliaresi, Lucian et al., ‘Is it time for Gazprom to hit the reset button?’, Oil&Gas Journal, 3 September 2009\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "43d089f36cbf27f9828d615c052ead60",
"text": "global politics government leadership house would throw russia out g8 It is wrong to say that Russia is not an industrialised country, it is considered by the World Bank to be a high income country. [1] It is also a democracy that holds regular elections. President Putin is held in high regard by Russians 67.8% of Russians approve of Putin’s job performance [2] – far higher than any other member of the G8.\n\n[1] The World Bank, ‘Russian Federation’, data.worldbank.org, accessed 7 March 2014\n\n[2] Luhn, Alec, ‘Ukraine crisis and Olympics boost Vladimir Putin’s popularity in Russia’, The Guardian, 6 March 2014 , note however the pollster is state run!\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0e2a665c2822f8ad497e4ac4f3841cce",
"text": "global politics government leadership house would throw russia out g8 The address by Putin was before Russia’s illegal intervention into Crimea and as such ‘settling regional conflicts’ almost certainly refers to Syria, not Crimea. Russia’s role in Syria has hardly been constructive, it has until recently stopped any resolutions on Syria [1] , but not so onerous as to require throwing the country out of the G8. With Putin in charge of the summit and so setting the agenda we can be sure that discussion of Crimea will be kept off the agenda so ensuring that any discussion is purely informal. Putin is hardly likely to make concessions at his own summit.\n\n[1] BBC News, ‘Syria crisis: UN Security Council agrees aid resolution’, 23 February 2014\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a01bdc20a0f125839dab5a3250c9dd01",
"text": "global politics government leadership house would throw russia out g8 Getting rid of Russia would not make the G8 irrelevant; it would simply return it to its core. The remaining members would me much more likely to agree and actually come up with meaningful outcomes to the summits. It might be a less effective steering committee for the global economy but at the same time it could ensure greater unity between the western powers.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fe6e430233bfe51cd1f82afd43c427c6",
"text": "global politics government leadership house would throw russia out g8 But Russia, as with any country – particularly any powerful country – is interested in symbolism and international prestige. Many analysts suggest that Putin’s takeover of Crimea may be about revenge for having ‘lost’ Ukraine, or out of a desire to set up a new greater Russia. [1] In each of these cases it is about prestige as the practical gains to Russia are small. Russia wants to be seen as a great power, kicking it out of one of the globe’s top clubs damages that ambition.\n\n[1] Speck, Ulrich, ‘Opinion Putin planning ‘Soviet Union lite’’, CNN, 4 March 2014\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "56000c87da149664e250a50d21960de1",
"text": "global politics government leadership house would throw russia out g8 While strength in numbers may seem to be useful when there are conflicts between Russia and the other G8 members this is not what the G8 should be about. Using the G8 in such a way will simply encourage Russia to dig its heels in and encourage the growth of other rival institutions. An example would be the BRIC summits between Brazil, Russia, India and China; would these have happened at all if the G8 has been more inclusive and recognised that these nations need to be involved in the G8? It is notable that the very first summit included discussion of the desire by India and Brazil to play a greater role in world affairs. [1]\n\n[1] Presidents of Russia, Brazil, China and Prime Minister of India, ‘Joint Statement of the BRIC Countries’ Leaders’, kremlin.ru, 16 June 2009\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d9e83f2ff813c66ebac361fa930d45c4",
"text": "global politics government leadership house would throw russia out g8 Aggressive acts violate the meaning of the G8\n\nThe focus of the G8 is on economic, monetary, financial and globilisation issues. Aggressive actions scare the markets – as shown by the rouble reaching new lows against the dollar and Euro – so run counter to the focus of the G8. [1] Russia has in the past also used its gas supplies as an economic weapon, this and acts of aggression such as in Crimea are repudiating the idea of globilisation. The G8 is important because there is “a good understanding among G8 members” clearly when one of those members is engaging in conflictual acts that understanding is damaged. [2] The G7 members on 2nd March 2014 in a statement responding to Russia’s aggression in the Crimea stated “Russia’s actions in Ukraine also contravene the principles and values on which the G-7 and the G-8 operate”. [3] Any member that does not follow the principles of an organisation should be suspended as a member.\n\n[1] BBC News, ‘Russian rouble hits new low against the dollar and euro’, 3 March 2014\n\n[2] Government of France, ‘The G8’, g8.fr, 2003\n\n[3] Office of the Press Secretary, ‘G-7 Leaders Statement’, whitehouse.gov, 2 March 2014\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d7092d11f84f0ea55145f6f691fc6e2b",
"text": "global politics government leadership house would throw russia out g8 Russia should never have been a member\n\nThe G8 has been meant to be a group of industrialised democracies. Russia is neither particularly industrialised, nor particularly democratic. Russia remains reliant on natural resources for much of its wealth; 30% of its GDP and 70% of exports. [1] Its most recent presidential election – that voted in Putin for a third term – was not exactly free and fair. The OSCE election observers concluded “There was no real competition and abuse of government resources ensured that the ultimate winner of the election was never in doubt”. [2] Its qualifications for membership have been questioned from the very beginning, when Russia joined the G7 were able to argue inclusion would bring it closer to the west. Yet Russia remains essentially an outsider in the group, it does not share western values and goes its own way. [3]\n\n[1] Aron, Leon, ‘The political economy of Russian oil and gas’, American Enterprise Institute, 11 April 2013\n\n[2] Eschenbaecher, Jens-Hagen, ‘Russia’s presidential election marked by unequal campaign conditions, active citizens’ engagement, international observers say’, OSCE, 4 March 2012\n\n[3] Dempsey, Judy, ‘Judy Asks: Is Russia Relevant in the G8?’, Carnegie Europe, 19 June 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "08aa205442f198af9006eadeaef25389",
"text": "global politics government leadership house would throw russia out g8 The biggest action the west can take without sanctions\n\nEuropean states, which make up half of the members of the G8, have been reluctant to take stronger economic steps against aggressive Russian actions. Russia has warned the US “We will encourage everybody to dump US Treasury bonds, get rid of dollars as an unreliable currency and leave the US market.” [1] The European countries have more reason to be concerned because they rely on Russia for their gas supplies; 39% of German gas and 9% of total energy consumption is reliant on Russia. [2] If Russia were to retaliate to sanctions it could seriously damage the European economy. This means that throwing Russia out of the G8 or other institutions is the biggest sanction that does not have any risk of economic retaliation and escalation that damage everyone.\n\n[1] RIA Novosti, ‘Putin Adviser Urges Dumping US Bonds In Reaction to Sanctions’, 4 March 2013\n\n[2] Ratner, Michael et al., ‘Europe’s Energy Security: Options and Challenges to Natural Gas Supply Diversification’, Congressional Research Service, 20 August 2013, p.10\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7bc36b76aae54035ab8a087a361fb19f",
"text": "global politics government leadership house would throw russia out g8 Allows strength in numbers\n\nRussia was originally allowed in to the G8 to encourage it to reform, or rather to provide a place where Russia’s leader can be backed into reforming. The G8 is a western institution, a forum in which an aggressive Russia has no natural allies. This means that it is the perfect place for the western democracies to voice their concerns; Russia will find itself isolated at the table and on the back foot. While at its own summit it will be even more likely to give concessions in the interests of making its own summit a success. At the last G8 summit Putin hosted in 2006 Russia made some concessions to the US in order to try and obtain WTO membership. [1]\n\n[1] Rutland, Peter, ‘Russia and the WTO: deal, or no deal?’, National Bureau of Asian Research, Special Report no.12, March 2007. Pp31-36, p.32\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7d4b66a390a8fe628e3fba2be760480c",
"text": "global politics government leadership house would throw russia out g8 Simply narrows the G8 making it irrelevant\n\nThe G8 has been losing its relevance with the rise of other countries economically. It can no longer claim to be the top eight economies as Canada is the world’s eleventh largest economy with India, Brazil and China all bigger. It is even lower (14th) if done by Purchasing Power Parity. [1] Newer more inclusive institutions such as the G20 that include other vital economies like China have been taking over its primacy on the economy. The G8 is no longer the best grouping to steer the global economy as was recognised during the 2008 financial crisis where the G20 took the lead. [2] Throwing out Russia would simply be making the G8 narrower and less important globally so reducing the institution’s influence.\n\n[1] The World Bank, ‘GDP (current US$)’, data.worldbank.org, 2012 figures\n\n[2] Cooper, Andrew F., ‘The G20 as an improvised crisis committee and/or a contested ‘steering committee’ for the world’, International Affairs, Vol.86, No.3, 2010 pp.741-757\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1d61915e775e81ba7f124cdac058cf10",
"text": "global politics government leadership house would throw russia out g8 There needs to be a place to talk\n\nGerman Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier argues that \"The format of the G8 is actually the only one in which we in the West can speak directly with Russia\". [1] Russia’s proposed priorities for the G8 summit included “fighting the drug menace, combating terrorism and extremism, settling regional conflicts, safeguarding people's health, and establishing a global management system to address risks associated with natural and man-made disasters” [2] since Russia is clearly willing to discuss regional conflicts then it makes sense to use the summit to discuss Ukraine. Since Russia has not turned up to other suggested talks, such as a meeting of the Budapest agreement group [3] (UK, US, Ukraine, Russia – the agreement guarantees Ukraine’s territorial integrity [4] ), it makes sense to go to Russia’s summit which Russia can’t avoid.\n\n[1] kms/ccp, ‘Putin agrees to Ukraine 'fact-finding' mission after talk with Merkel’, Deutsche Welle, 2 March 2013\n\n[2] Putin, Vladimir, ‘Address by President Vladimir Putin on Russia assuming the G8 Presidency’, en.g8russia.ru, 1 January 2014\n\n[3] G uardian Staff, ‘Only talks between Russia and Ukraine can solve crisis, say US and UK’, theguardian.com, 5 March 2014\n\n[4] Presidents of Ukraine, Russian Federation and United States of America, and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, ‘Budapest Memorandums on Security Assurances, 1994’, cfr.org, 5 December 1994\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4b18cc2e75bc45436c69a574b189d79c",
"text": "global politics government leadership house would throw russia out g8 Will make no difference to Russia\n\nThrowing Russia out of the G8 to punish the country – whether for aggressive acts in its near abroad, for human rights violations, or simply for corruption and economic crimes – is unlikely to make any difference to Russia. [1] Being in the G8 provides very little tangible benefit; it is all about the symbolism of it being the top club. Russia however has created its own top club in the BRICS conferences that are very similar to the G8 as a series of informal gatherings of major world leaders. Russia could rightly argue that despite having fewer members it is broader and more inclusive as it includes members from the Americas (Brazil), from Africa (South Africa), and the important players from of Eurasia (Russia, China, India). Since these powers are the rising countries why would Russia want to be associated with the declining west?\n\n[1] Judah, Ben, ‘Why Russia No Longer Fears the West’, Politico, 2 March 2014\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
80e897b0bbe59eddb6fa27191d0d8283
|
The Scottish relationship with the EU is likely to change after independence.
The UK's various opt outs exist because of the strong negotiating position that the whole of the UK had at the time of the signing of the various relevant treaties. Had Scotland been independent then it would not have been in the same position. It is also argued that if Scotland wants to join the EU then it implicitly wants to join the EU as it is now and could retain exceptional status only in the very short term. [1] The change in relationship would probably change the Scottish attitude to the EU, although it is hard to say whether this would be automatically in a negative way. The implication of Jose Manuel Barroso's comments quoted earlier is that Scotland will be unlikely to retain the UK's opt outs from certain areas of EU policy. Most obviously it is likely that if joining as a new state Scotland may have no choice but to join the Euro at least in the long term when it meets the convergence requirements. [2] Several polls show Scots less likely to vote for independence if Scotland would then have to join the Euro. [3] The other main sticking point would be Schengen, it has been suggested that Scotland would have to join the EU's free travel zone which the UK is not currently a member of and the main consequence of this would be border controls between Scotland and England. [4] Were Scotland to seek to avoid joining the Euro and Schengen then it would prolong the application process meaning that Scotland would be unlikely to be ready to join the EU upon independence. This point was made by the ambassador of the EU's newest member Croatia [quote=Ambassador Ivan Grdesic] if you decide to opt out on many things, you are not ready actually... [/quote] so warning that attempts to opt out of the Euro and Schengen would prolong negotiations. [5]
[1] Engel, Arno, and Parkes, Roderick, ‘Accommodating an independent Scotland: how a British-style constitution for the EU could secure Scotland’s future’, European Policy Centre, 24 October 2012, http://www.epc.eu/documents/uploads/pub_3017_scotland_s_future.pdf pp.6-7.
[2] Thorp, Arabella, and Thompson, Gavin, ‘Scotland, independence and the EU – Commons Library Standard Note’, parliament.uk, 13 July 2012, http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN06110
[3] What Scotland Thinks, ‘If an independent Scotland had to join the Euro, how would this effect your vote in a Scottish independence referendum?’, January 2013, http://whatscotlandthinks.org/questions/if-scotland-had-to-join-the-euro-how-would-this-effect-your-vote-in-a-scottish http://whatscotlandthinks.org/questions/adopting-euro-after-scotland-joing-eu-will-make-you
[4] Barnes, Eddie, ‘Scottish independence: EU may force border terms’, The Scotsman, http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/scottish-independence-eu-may-force-border-terms-1-3165731
[5] BBC News, ‘Scottish independence: Warning over EU membership plan’, 3 November 2013, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-24794438
|
[
{
"docid": "bde9a69620fee0dd9f020796d77e01b1",
"text": "europe politics politics general government local government house believes The Scottish Government claims that an independent Scotland would be able to join the EU with all the UK's various opt outs intact. Scotland indeed could not be forced to join the Euro because in order to do so it would have to demonstrate currency convergence for at least two years which the newly independent state obviously would not be in a position to do. [1] Therefore if Scotland retained UK opt outs there would be only a positive change in relationship with Scotland receiving greater representation in EU institutions through having its own seat in the Council of Ministers, possibly its own Commissioner, and also a reallocation of European Parliamentary constituencies that would increase its representation there (and paradoxically increase rUK representation as well). [2]\n\n[1] Noon, Stephen, ‘Euro membership’, 10 November 2011, http://stephennoon.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/euro-membership.html\n\n[2] Engel, Arno, and Parkes, Roderick, ‘Accommodating an independent Scotland: how a British-style constitution for the EU could secure Scotland’s future’, European Policy Centre, 24 October 2012, http://www.epc.eu/documents/uploads/pub_3017_scotland_s_future.pdf p.7\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "c3b118112112892d3730751c2ca1ad39",
"text": "europe politics politics general government local government house believes The SNP argues that the transition from being a constituent part of the UK inside the EU and being an independent state within the EU would be seamless. [1] While 'the Scottish government does not take the process of EU membership for granted' they hope to notify the EU of their intent to join the EU before the referendum and then use the period between a yes vote and independence to negotiate their accession. [2] They would have 18 months to sort out the transition between the referendum on independence on 21 September 2014 and independence in March 2016. It should be remembered that an independent Scotland should already meet all the criteria for membership as a result of having already been a member so should be able to go through membership negotiations quickly.\n\n[1] The Scotsman, ‘Scottish independence: Hague EU claims criticised’, 31 October 2013, http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/scottish-independence-hague-eu-claims-criticised-1-3168121\n\n[2] Sturgeon, Nicola, ‘Scotland’s Relationship with Europe’, The Scottish Government, 26 February 2013, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Speeches/scot-europe-sturgon-26022013 §42-5.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "14740a41763b3b1702f3f2d05e303925",
"text": "europe politics politics general government local government house believes Polls consistently point to a vote to leave the EU in a prospective referendum. [1] Whether this actually happens is a moot point, such a referendum would still bring about instability in the relationship with the European Union. Scotland if independent could avoid this turbulence. At the same time a renegotiation does not mean that Scotland’s interests would be safeguarded as a British Prime Minister would be negotiating with an eye to winning any referendum. The result is that such renegotiations would likely favour English interests over Scottish ones as it is English votes the Prime Minister would need to win over.\n\n[1] UKPollingReport, ‘YouGov/Sunday Times – Con 29, Lab 40, LD 9, UKIP 14’, 19 May 2013, http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/7473 http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/7463 http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/7435 and others on the same site.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4a4fdef97c34762c010d848d0affd2d1",
"text": "europe politics politics general government local government house believes Just because the Scots are less Europhobic than the English does not mean they are actually natural Europhiles. There is still a fair amount of euroscepticism in Scotland [quote=Prof. John Curtice] The rise of UKIP is also evident here albeit at a lower level [1] [/quote]. When Scots were asked 'Which institution do you think has most influence over how Scotland is run?' in 2012 9% thought the EU did, when the question was changed to 'Which institution do you think ought to have most influence over how Scotland is run?' Only 1% said the EU, which certainly implies a degree of Euroscepticism. [2] One poll asking the question 'if Scotland were independent do you think it should join the EU?' even got a no answer, with 49% saying no and 32% saying yes. [3]\n\nIndeed Scotland was more anti-european in the 1975 referendum on Europe than England. 41.6% of Scots voted no to joining the European Community compared to 31.3% of English. [4] Scottish attitudes towards the EC/EU changed in the 1980s as Thatcher was becoming increasingly Europhobic. Because of this shift some academics think that the Scottish pro-european sentiment is a result of anti-Tory feeling rather than a judgement on Europe itself. [5] If this is the case then once independence removes the threat of Tory government Scottish attitudes to Europe might well shift back into a more anti-European position.\n\n[1] BBC Newsnight Scotland, 25 October 2013 01:12 am\n\n[2] What Scotland Thinks, ‘Which Institution do you think has most influence over how Scotland is run?’, 2012, http://whatscotlandthinks.org/questions/which-institution-do-you-think-has-most-influence-over-how-scotland-is-run#line http://whatscotlandthinks.org/questions/which-institution-ought-to-have-most-influence-over-how-scotland-is-run#line\n\n[3] What Scotland Thinks, ‘If Scotland were independent do you think it should join the EU? ’, 2012 http://whatscotlandthinks.org/questions/if-scotland-were-independent-do-you-think-it-should-join-the-eu\n\n[4] Wikipedia, ‘United Kingdom European Community membership referendup 1975’, accessed 4 November 2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_European_Communities_membership_referendum,_1975\n\n[5] Carrell, Severin, ‘Salmond’s EU crisis: polling suggests Scottish voters care’, theguardian.com, 7 November 2012, http://www.theguardian.com/uk/scotland-blog/2012/nov/07/scotland-alexsalmond-europe-polls\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dd6daffbe0aa713dbe77f74e88fbce68",
"text": "europe politics politics general government local government house believes On the vast majority of issues rUK and Scotland have the same interests. Scotland wants to retain the UK’s opt outs on issues such as the free movement of people and the Euro. Scotland also has the same interests on the main issue for the EU; trade. Nicola Sturgeon has highlighted the benefit to Scotland of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership something that the UK is also strongly in favour of. [1]\n\n[1] Sturgeon, Nicola, ‘Scotland’s Relationship with Europe’, The Scottish Government, 26 February 2013, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Speeches/scot-europe-sturgon-26022013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b43b6e92828b89026fed0655c0108055",
"text": "europe politics politics general government local government house believes The SNP's strongest argument, repeatedly made, is that independence would allow Scots to make their own decisions. It would therefore be only right that Scots whether independent or not should be allowed their own referendum on EU membership. The principle of a referendum on EU membership is supported by 58% of Scots with only 36% opposing a referendum. [1] A vote for independence would therefore seem to be a vote in favour of the validity of referendums legitimising the need to have referendums on similarly large issues in the future. A vote for an independent Scotland is not necessarily a vote for a stable relationship with Europe.\n\n[1] McLean, Christopher, ‘Scots want EU referendum but would vote to stay in’, Ipsos MORI, 14 February 2013, http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/3131/Scots-want-EU-referendum-but-would-vote-to-stay-in.aspx\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8f6358bfe8ff5987f9d12ee5c99dde68",
"text": "europe politics politics general government local government house believes The UK or rUK is not going to leave the EU.\n\nDespite the legislative activity an EU referendum is still not an immediate prospect. Legislation as it stands only calls for a referendum in the event of treaty change, which would itself take years to negotiate. The private members bill currently progressing through the Commons is likely to be butchered in the Lords and David Cameron's promise of a 2017 referendum relies on a Conservative victory in 2015. Such a victory may not happen, despite Labour's soft poll lead the natural bias of the current boundaries make an outright Conservative victory a very remote prospect. [1] Even if a referendum does get held the out supporters would then have to win it. Although polls for a prospective EU membership referendum tend to show those who favour the exit leading this cannot be taken as necessarily meaning that it is likely to happen. Polls change, the AV referendum saw numbers initially favourable to AV swing round to a decisive victory against AV over the course of the campaign. [2] There are a number of reasons why this is likely in an in/out EU referendum. A vote to leave the EU is in fact rather unlikely because of the full weight of the establishment in the staying in camp. Businesses tend to favour staying in because [quote=John Cridland, Director General of the CBI] being a member of a reformed EU is the best way to preserve market access [3] [/quote]. The CBI released a report that said that each UK household was £3,000 better off due to EU membership. [4] That is a lot of money and if opinions on the EU are anything like those on Scottish independence it is a killer argument. 56% of scots would favour independence if it would make them £500 better off but only 22% would still be in favour of independence if it would make them £500 worse off. [5] If similar swings were to occur in an EU referendum Britain would not be leaving the EU. Furthermore, the referendum is likely only to occur after a renegotiation which is bound to bring something, enough for the (presumably Conservative) Prime minister to recommend a vote to stay in, the result would be support for the EU across all three main parties, plus the nationalist parties as well. A renegotiation sufficient for a conservative PM to recommend staying in also has an interesting effect upon polled voting intentions by almost exactly reversing them. A YouGov poll (May 2013) found that while under the current terms 47% would vote to leave and only 30% to stay but after renegotiation 32% would vote to leave and 45% to stay. [6]\n\n[1] Mylles, Richard, ‘The chances of an EU referendum in the next parliament are wildly overstated’, New Statesman, 18 July 2013, http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/07/chances-eu-referendum-next-parliament-are-wildly-overstated\n\n[2] UKPollingReport, ‘Alternative Vote’, accessed 4 November 2013, http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/av-referendum\n\n[3] Cridland, John, ‘Leaving Europe would be bad for British business’, The Guardian, 17 May 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/17/business-better-off-staying-in-europe\n\n[4] CBI, ‘In with reform or out with no influence – CBI chief makes case for EU membership’, 4 November 2013, http://www.cbi.org.uk/media-centre/press-releases/2013/11/in-with-reform-our-out-with-no-influence-cbi-chief-makes-case-for-eu-membership/\n\n[5] ICM, ‘Scottish Independence Poll – September 2013’, 18 September 2013, http://www.icmresearch.com/scottish-independence-poll-september-2013\n\n[6] YouGov, ‘YouGov / Sunday Times Survey Results’, 10 May 2013, http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/2chabiz0nj/YG-Archive-Pol-Sunday-Times-results-100513.pdf p.15.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9bba9b5736d43b2e663829557dfdb3ac",
"text": "europe politics politics general government local government house believes Scottish independence might be a faster route out of the EU than a referendum.\n\nBefore 2012 the SNP argued that Independence could be achieved and Scotland remain within the EU while retaining all UK opt outs with a minimal amount of trouble. However this position has since changed largely due to European commission pronouncements on the issue. [1] There is no EU precedent to the situation that Scottish independence would bring about. It has been argued that Scotland would not automatically remain part of the EU and would have to reapply. Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has said [quote=Barroso] For the European Union’s purposes, from a legal point of view, it is certainly a new state. If a country becomes independent it is a new state and then it has to negotiate into the European Union [2] [/quote] Certainly if Scotland's application to join the EU were a normal one then the 18 month timetable between referendum to independence would not give enough time to go through the process of joining the EU. Some applications have taken over a decade, the UK's own (second) application took over 5 years. The fastest application was Finland which only took 2 years 10 months between application and accession. [3] Even seemingly very minor disputes can hold up membership for long periods, a Croatia-Slovenia dispute over maritime access considerably delayed the accession of the former. Thus small disputes like with Spain over fishing rights or with Ireland over Rockall could be a considerable drag on Scotland's application. [4] None of the above are insurmountable problems and would only impose a temporary exit of Scotland from the EU. However, it is possible that Scotland will be unable to rejoin. It ought to be remembered that enlargement requires unanimous support of the current member states, which may not be forthcoming. A number of other states such as Belgium and Italy have regions with national aspirations, the most likely European opponent to Scottish independence would be Spain with its eastern region of Catalonia's independence movement often being compared to Scotland's. As a result there have been persistent rumours that Spain might veto Scottish re-entry into the EU in order to send a message to its own separatists. [5] Spain’s Prime Minister Rajoy was plain when he said [quote=Rajoy] It's very clear to me… a country that would obtain independence from the EU would remain out of the EU. [6] [/quote]\n\n[1] Carrell, Severin, ‘Barroso casts doubt on independent Scotland’s EU membership rights’, The Guardian, 12 September 2012, http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/sep/12/barroso-doubt-scotland-eu-membership McSmith, Andy, ‘The impact of that Barroso letter’, The Independent, 20 December 2012, http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/12/11/the-impact-of-that-barroso-letter/\n\n[2] Davidson, Ruth, ‘Separate Scotland would have to reapply to EU – Barroso’, Scottish Conservatives, 10 December 2012, http://www.scottishconservatives.com/2012/12/separate-scotland-would-have-to-reapply-to-eu-barroso/ [BBC Hardtalk transcript]\n\n[3] Wikipedia, ‘Enlargement of the European Union’, accessed 4 November 2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlargement_of_the_European_Union\n\n[4] Open Europe Blog, ‘Scottish independence and EU accession: tricky to pull off in one manoeuvre?’, 5 February 2013, http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/scottish-independence-and-eu-accession.html\n\n[5] York, Christopher, ‘Scottish Independence: Spain Could Veto EU Membership’, The Huffington Post, 6 December 2012, http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/12/06/scottish-independence-eu-accession-veto-spain_n_2249473.html\n\nPeterkin, Tom, ‘Scottish Independence: Spain key to Scotland’s EU hopes’, The Scotsman, 4 November 2012, http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-independence-spain-key-to-scotland-s-eu-hopes-1-2613465\n\n[6] Carrell, Severin, and Kassam, Ashifa, ‘Scottish independence: Spain blocks Alex Salmond’s hopes for EU transition’, The Guardian, 27 November 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/nov/27/scottish-independence-spain-alex-salmond-eu\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "708934c5ae3e6fc4f243dbdca53ee119",
"text": "europe politics politics general government local government house believes Scotland is more pro-EU than the rest of the UK\n\nAccording to a February 2013 Ipsos-mori poll Scots want an EU referendum but 53% would vote to stay in the EU and only 34% would vote to leave. Indeed if Scotland became independent those who wanted it to be in the EU rose to 61% and the number who wanted out fell to 33%. [1] In England 48% would vote to leave (as of November 2012) and 44% would vote to stay in. [2] The UK Independence Party whose principal policy platform is a desire to leave the EU has performed considerably worse in Scotland than in England. In the 2010 general election UKIP received 3.1% of the vote [3] whereas in the Scottish election the next year they only received 0.9% of the vote. [4] Similarly in the 2009 European Parliament elections UKIP came second nationally receiving almost 2.5 million votes, 16.5% [5] of all votes cast but in Scotland it came 6th, beaten by all four main parties and the Greens receiving only 5.2% of the vote. [6] Scots clearly believe their interests lie with Europe and it would be better for Scotland not to be tied to a country where sentiment is considerably more negative towards the EU.\n\n[1] McLean, Christopher, ‘Scots want EU referendum but would vote to stay in’, Ipsos MORI, 14 February 2013, http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/3131/Scots-want-EU-referendum-but-would-vote-to-stay-in.aspx\n\n[2] Social Research Institute, ‘British public split on our future with the European Union’, Ipsos MORI, 15 November 2012, http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/3075/Ipsos-MORI-Political-Monitor-November-2012.aspx\n\n[3] BBC News, ‘National Results’, Election 2010, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/\n\n[4] BBC News, ‘Scotland elections’, Vote 2011, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/election2011/region/html/scotland.stm\n\n[5] BBC News, ‘European Election 2009: UK Results’, Elections 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/elections/euro/09/html/ukregion_999999.stm\n\n[6] BBC News, ‘European Election 2009: Scotland’, Elections 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/elections/euro/09/html/ukregion_10.stm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "23c7afadd741faf19f398ea578d06aec",
"text": "europe politics politics general government local government house believes Scotland has different interests to rUK\n\nStates are often seen as having one single unitary interest, however this is not the case the interests of different regions can be very different. It should therefore not be surprising that Scotland and rUK have different interests with relation to the EU. For example on climate change Scotland has the greatest potential for the generation of renewable energy in Europe with 25% of Europe’s tidal potential and 10% of wave potential [1] yet the UK is in favour of scrapping European targets for the generation of renewable energy. [2] UK ministers have also been accused of “working against Scotland” on agriculture being willing to accept reductions in farm support meaning that Scotland receives the lowest level in Europe. [3] Scotland’s own interests would therefore be better represented by having its own government at the negotiating table than a UK government.\n\n[1] ‘Energy in Scotland: Get the facts’, The Scottish Government, 10 July 2013, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/Facts\n\n[2] Harvey, Fiona, ‘Britain resists EU bid to set new target on renewable energy’, The Observer, 25 May 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/may/25/uk-blocks-eu-target-renewable-energy\n\n[3] McLaughlin, Mark, ‘SNP Conference: UK ministers ‘working against Scotland’’, The Independent, 19 October 2013, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/snpconference-uk-ministers-working-againstscotland-8891458.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4b47219a9a302b80e07414f0e13296a0",
"text": "europe politics politics general government local government house believes An independent Scotland would avoid having a referendum on EU membership\n\nThe Scottish National Party (SNP) has said that they would not hold an EU referendum in an independent Scotland. Scotland is [quote=Nicola Sturgeon] regardless of the direction of UK policy - Scotland is strongly committed to continuing within the EU as an independent nation [1] [/quote] A vote for independence would therefore be a vote for a stable relationship with Europe.\n\nInterestingly should Scotland become independent and accede to the EU there would have to be a treaty change to provide for Scottish representation in EU institutions. [2] This could well trigger an EU referendum in the remainder of the UK (rUK) under the 'referendum lock'.\n\n[1] Sturgeon, Nicola, ‘Scotland’s Relationship with Europe’, The Scottish Government, 26 February 2013, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Speeches/scot-europe-sturgon-26022013 §9\n\n[2] Avery, Graham, ‘HC 643 The foreign policy implications of and for a separate Scotland, Foreign Affairs Select Committee, 24 September 2012, http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmfaff/writev/643/m05.htm point 6.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
58f985c29719ffb944f46ed2605356bd
|
The dam is predicted to provide energy for all of Ethiopia
When the dam is in full effect, it should be able to provide the entirety of Ethiopia’s population with electricity. The United Nations Foundation placed access to energy as a high priority for developing countries, it enables access to key services and enables more income-generating activities [1] . If Ethiopia discontinued the project, then they would deprive their citizens of economic and health security. Using energy from a dam will have its own benefits. The energy will be renewable source and will provide energy security for this developing state, thus justifying the project.
[1] The United Nations Foundation ‘What We do: Achieving Universal Energy Access’ data accessed 10 December 2013
|
[
{
"docid": "0119a0b0b737c0537aa0fad17523ab2b",
"text": "ergy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia While in theory the 6,000 MW dam can power all of Ethiopia, the reality is quite different. Areas of Ethiopia, such as Ogaden and Eritrea-Ethiopian border, are relatively unstable; making it hard to build a sufficient power grid in these regions. In Ogaden, instability in the past led to the withdrawal from the oil fields [1] , and this conflict-zone will most likely make the completion of a national grid a problem. The hurdles to producing the means to provide energy to these areas means that there probably will not be universal access to the GERD’s electricity.\n\n[1] Wikipedia ‘Ethiopia: Exports’ date accessed 10 December 2013\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "be2c7c4b3ea27aadaa0ac6389ad46226",
"text": "ergy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia Despite Ethiopia’s economic dreams, demand risk may mean a shortfall in profits. Internally, supply may exceed demand once the GERD is complete. The unaffordability of energy has led to low demands for electricity in the past. The possible reductions in subsidies to repay loans for building the dam will increase prices, which will then lower demand further [1] . Exporting the energy may not work either. To export power Ethiopia needs neighbours with developed transmission lines and a willingness to buy the electricity. The weak economic position of countries like Sudan [2] and poor relations with others suggest that international buyers won’t be too forthcoming.\n\n[1] Wikipedia ‘Dams and Hydropower in Ethiopia’ date accessed 12/12/13\n\n[2] World Bank ‘Project Appraisal Document on a Proposed Credit in the amount of SDR 26.44 Million’ 20 November 2007 p.20\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4c41d3dda82132d7b361f0ffc4e232cc",
"text": "ergy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia GERD will have environmentally positive consequences for the region. The major environmental benefit is the clean and renewable energy source. There is an unlimited supply of electricity and the production of this energy does not contribute to global carbon dioxide emissions. Another environmental benefit is that the dam will reduce the chances of flooding downstream and drought, enabling the country to better combat climate change which is worsening these factors [1] . Flood protection will prevent settled areas from being destroyed through rising river levels, benefitting Sudan and Egypt as well as Ethiopia.\n\n[1] Consulate General of Ethiopia, Los Angeles ‘Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam’ data accessed 12/12/13\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4136c51671b4241a0178e13de13bb60f",
"text": "ergy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia The colonial era agreement is outdated and does not apply to the modern world. Ethiopia’s population has now exceeded 90 million, which is more than Egypt’s 83 million, and yet it only has a small claim to the river. Many upstream countries, like Uganda, feel that the downstream countries have constrained and damaged them by denying access to majority of the Nile’s water [1] . These states have created a new agreement the Cooperative Framework Agreement in which there is a “principle of equitable… utilization” and each “state has the right to use within its territory”. [2] The upstream countries argue supersedes the old colonial treaty if it ever had any validity. [3] The Ethiopian government has assured Egypt and Sudan that they will receive enough water to live off comfortably. Sudan has been satisfied by the rearrangements [4] which implies that Ethiopia will not deprive downstream countries of access to the Nile.\n\n[1] Schwartzstein, Water Wars\n\n[2] ‘Article 3’, Agreement on the Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework, International Water Law, 2010\n\n[3] Ibrahim, ‘The Nile Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement’, p.302\n\n[4] Peppeh,K. ‘Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt meet again to discuss GERD’ Zegabi 8 December 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "180581dea47fb391dd822ea99e361e07",
"text": "ergy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia A contender to Natural Flow Theory is the Doctrine of Reasonable Use. This theory states that water can be used as long as it does not cause unreasonable damage to the flow. While there will be some loss of water to evaporation in GERD reservoir, it is predicted to be minimal compared to other dams in the region [1] . The threat from the irrigation projects can also be mitigated by developing more efficient techniques, which is a high priority of the Nile Basin Initiative [2] .\n\n[1] Water Technology ‘Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Project’ Data accessed 12/12/13\n\n[2] ‘Nile Water: Downstream versus upstream countries’ 27 May 2010\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "479260d7b75ef0fb33a023711eec6c0c",
"text": "ergy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia Geothermal power plants have their own drawbacks as well. Prime sites are often far away from population centres which means that there are losses of electricity between the plant and the customers. Drilling into heated rock is a difficult process and once complete there must be constant management to ensure that the source is not overused [1] .\n\n[1] Siegel,R.P. ‘Geothermal Energy: Pros and Cons’, Triple Pundits 15 June 12\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b358d9323c2ee494d4d86d2eef4ec01e",
"text": "ergy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia Economic benefits of the dam for Ethiopia\n\nThe dam will produce significant economic potential for Ethiopia. In 2013, Ethiopia had to import 125,000 metric tonnes of coal to fuel its power stations. Over 50% of the country’s imports are orientated towards meeting its fuel demands [1] . If Ethiopia can replace these imports with its own energy then it can make significant savings. The diverted money could be contributed towards development, which would be assisted by greater accessibility to electricity. In addition to this, 12,000 jobs will be created [2] and Ethiopia will become an energy exporter. The excess energy from powering Africa will be enough to supply the surrounding region, making energy a viable export market for Ethiopia to tap in to [3] . In combination with the greater access electricity dependent to income-generating activities, these factors give Ethiopia hope of a positive economic future.\n\n[1] Tekle,T. ‘Ethiopia imports $1 billion in fuel from Sudan via Djibouti’ in Sudan Tribune 30 March 2013\n\n[2] Joy,O. ‘Earth, Wind, and Water: Ethiopia bids to be Africa’s powerhouse’ CNN 8 November 2013\n\n[3] Ibid\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fdf6b2894e976ecacdb06deafc6dcbfb",
"text": "ergy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia Environmental Benefits of the GERD\n\nGERD will have environmentally positive consequences for the region. The major environmental benefit is the clean and renewable energy source. There is an unlimited supply of electricity and the production of this energy does not contribute to global carbon dioxide emissions. Another environmental benefit is that the dam will reduce the chances of flooding downstream and drought, enabling the country to better combat climate change which is worsening these factors [1] . Flood protection will prevent settled areas from being destroyed through rising river levels, benefitting Sudan and Egypt as well as Ethiopia.\n\n[1] Consulate General of Ethiopia, Los Angeles ‘Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam’ data accessed 12/12/13\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6f5989ebd5632f2d6b5e2b74944ec56e",
"text": "ergy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia Ethiopia does not need another hydroelectric dam\n\nEthiopia’s decision to become an energy hub has led to the construction of unnecessary dams in the face of viable alternatives. Ethiopia has already constructed nine dams which produce more energy than the country consumes [1] . A significant disadvantage of these dams is that droughts can lower their energy output which, combined with lower river levels for nine months of the year, results in the dams being ineffective [2] . The Ethiopian government has already announced plans for a geothermal plant being built for 2018 to offset the disadvantages of the current dams [3] . The geothermal plant costs $0.7 billion less than the hydroelectric dam, and the company constructing it claim it will produce twice as much energy as the hydroelectric dam when the latter is at its peak [4] . It would be more viable, therefore, to invest in thermal energy rather than another hydroelectric project.\n\n[1] US Energy Information Administration ‘Ethiopia’ 30 April 2013\n\n[2] International Rivers ‘Ethiopia’s Biggest Dam Oversized, Experts say’ 5 September 2013\n\n[3] Wikipedia ‘Energy in Ethiopia’ data accessed 11/12/13\n\n[4] Maasho,A. ‘Ethiopia to get $4billion investment for leap into geothermal power’, Reuters, 24 October 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "aaf5c83a27ebabe2edd40fa4afbe0fd7",
"text": "ergy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia Egypt and Sudan will have their legal rights infringed\n\nThe two downstream countries have a combined claim to a majority of the River Nile’s water. Through the Nile Waters Agreement, an old colonial treaty, Egypt and Sudan are owed 48 billion m³ and 4 billion m³ of water from the Nile respectively [1] . Each country also has a veto on any upriver activity. Both of these rights are known but ignored by the Ethiopian government, in violation of an internationally recognised treaty. This has led Egypt to be particularly prominent in claiming that their rights are being abused as 70 billion m³ of water from the Blue Nile (which they are dependent on) is used by the Ethiopians. This is a violation of the Nile Rivers Agreement and demonstrates Ethiopia’s poor position to justify the GERD construction.\n\n[1] Azikiwe,A. Water and the Geopolitics of the Nile Valley: Egypt confronts Ethiopia, GlobalResearch.ca\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "256fc904f732a82d53f638e1c24fd625",
"text": "ergy environment general water international africa house believes ethiopia Natural Flow Theory\n\nNatural Flow Theory (NTF) is the concept that every riparian user (land touching the water) has a right to the water unaltered and undiminished [1] . Dams tend not to disrupt water flow directly, however water use and evaporation from the large reservoir upstream from the dam could reduce the flow of the Blue Nile. In turn, this could affect downstream countries. Evaporation from the Aswan dam in Ethiopia amounts to around 14 billion cubic metres [2] . The GERD will face similar problems, meaning that the downstream countries will have a reduced water flow. The reservoir will also become a tempting target for large agricultural businesses as well. These companies, many of them foreign, have taken part in ’land grabbing’ to secure water before for large irrigation projects [3] and could potentially tap in to the large reservoir. A similar example is the Colorado River, where dams and irrigation projects have reduced the flow of the river and impacted heavily on the river delta [4] . These threats to the Blue Nile’s river flow demonstrate the likelihood of decreased access to water in the downstream countries, violating the major principle of NTF.\n\n[1] Smolen,M., Mittelstet,A. & Harjo,B. ‘Whose Water is it anyway?’ Southern Region Water Program August 2012\n\n[2] Consulate General of Ethiopia, Los Angeles ‘Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam’ data accessed 12/12/13\n\n[3] Fisher,S. ‘Africa for Sale’ International Rivers September 2011\n\n[4] Wikipedia ‘Colorado River’ date accessed 12/12/13\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
4ee3aea8f0449820beae7dc07631821b
|
The UNSC mostly deals with Africa
Africa’s goal is to be fully represented in all the decision-making organs of the UN, particularly in the Security Council, which is the principal decision-making organ of the UN in matters relating to international peace and security.
In 2013 the majority (23 out of 41) of UNSC resolutions concerned Africa. [1] Beyond 2013 almost 70% of issues considered are African; further 90% of peacekeeping personnel are in Africa. The African continent is keen to ensure that their opinion is considered on prospective embargos and military interventions. At the moment African countries are “preached to rather than consulted as equals” this must change. [2]
[1] United Nations Security Council, ‘Resolutions adopted by the Security Council in 2013’, un.org, 2013, http://www.un.org/en/sc/documents/resolutions/2013.shtml
[2] Spies, Yolanda K., ‘The multilateral maze and (South) Africa’s Quest for Permanent United Nations Security Council representation’, University of Pretoria, http://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/6307/Spies_Multilateral?sequence=1 , p.99
|
[
{
"docid": "b34e3961f7ee486359707ca4593cfa30",
"text": "africa global house would reserve permanent unsc seat veto power african There is no reason to believe that African opinions are disregarded when in the UNSC. Three out of 15 members is not particular disproportionate.\n\nFirst of all, many decisions are taken in the United Nations General Assembly, a completely democratic body, in which the African Union due to its 54 members has a lot of influence. Therefore Africa is not underrepresented on economic and development issues.\n\nMoreover the UNSC is usually following local concerns; the African Union has a chance to intervene on African security issues first like every other regional organisation. Indeed the AU is increasingly providing peacekeeping and even intervention as in Somalia. [1]\n\n[1] African Union Peace and Security, ‘Somalia (Forward AMISON HQ)’, African Union, 12 September 2012, http://www.peaceau.org/fr/page/40-2889-static-somalia-forward-liaison-office\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "25354e8a8a19b80091178037160d2b06",
"text": "africa global house would reserve permanent unsc seat veto power african Despite Africa’s demands for increased influence, they are not in a position of power and it is within their interest to maintain positive relations with the developed powers.\n\nThey have numbers but despite their economic growth in the past decade Africa is still more dependent than any other region on foreign help. The budgets of Ghana and Uganda, for example, are more than 50 percent aid dependent. [1] Moreover, they need foreign troops in order to maintain order and fight rebel groups. In 2013, there were 15 peacekeeping missions in Africa playing a necessary role in maintaining order in countries such as the CAR. [2]\n\n[1] Ayodele, Thompson et al., “African Perspectives on Aid: Foreign Assistance Will Not Pull Africa Out of Poverty” Cato Institute, 14 September 2005 http://www.cato.org/publications/economic-development-bulletin/african-perspectives-aid-foreign-assistance-will-not-pull-africa-out-poverty\n\n[2] “UN Peacekeeping”, Better World Campaign, http://www.betterworldcampaign.org/un-peacekeeping/missions/africa.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2a57799aa98885c8989fc0b3ab2657f4",
"text": "africa global house would reserve permanent unsc seat veto power african Countries on the UNSC do already take an interest in the Africa, illustrated by French troops helping local democratic governments form Mali and CAR defeat various outlaw rebel groups. [1]\n\nSecondly, simply giving a veto to an Africa nation, does not guarantee that they will promote beneficial policies. South Africa for example has been accused of using UNSC membership to defend human rights abusers, South Africa’s response was that human rights \"have always targeted mainly the developing countries\". [2]\n\n[1] “Sand on their boots”, The Economist, Jan 24th 2013 http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21570718-french-action-mali-seems-be-workingso-far-sand-their-boots\n\n[2] Humphreys, Joe, ‘SA defends human rights voting at UN’, The Irish Times, 20 November 2007, http://www.unwatch.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=bdKKISNqEmG&b=1319279&ct=4653987\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "58deca474bcbc0fb6be3ce9c36a9e6cc",
"text": "africa global house would reserve permanent unsc seat veto power african There is no evidence that an African state would constantly use the veto if they had it. No African state has the kind of interests around the world the current members have so a veto is only likely to be wielded over African issues. Such a veto will simply be ensuring that the African side is put before the council.\n\nMoreover an African veto would not prevent the council from being useful; it won’t even have the effect the cold war did. Since 1990 62 UNSC resolutions were adopted per year, during the cold war only 15 were on average. If the UNSC could operate then it can operate with more veto members now. [1]\n\n[1] Okhovat, Sahar, ‘The United Nations Security Council: Its Veto Power and Its Reform’, Sydney University, CPACS Working Paper no.15/1, December 2011, http://sydney.edu.au/arts/peace_conflict/docs/working_papers/UNSC_paper.pdf p.12\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4fafdb798578e6238d6ee45a74866d40",
"text": "africa global house would reserve permanent unsc seat veto power african A dispute over who which African state obtains membership is a sideshow. What matters is the principle that an African state should have permanent membership.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "65425fe698b96ce42958c2c5f0c22f58",
"text": "africa global house would reserve permanent unsc seat veto power african Assessment of fees for the UN is not done on the basis of the influence of the member within the UN, rather it is done through a formula based on national income. The payment is for membership, not to buy influence. [1]\n\nAs far as peacekeeping forces are concerned, South Africa is already a prominent contributor. In the UN’s assessments of present troop contributions for peacekeeping efforts South Africa is 10th. Its record in promoting peace on the continent includes playing leading roles to end conflicts in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and most recently in Ivory Coast. [2]\n\n[1] Committee on Contributions, ‘Regular budget and Working Capital Fund’, United Nations, 2013, http://www.un.org/en/ga/contributions/budget.shtml\n\n[2] African Union Monitor, ‘Africa and the UN Security Council Permanent Seats, Pambazuka News, Issue 204, 28 April 2005, http://pambazuka.org/en/category/aumonitor/27913\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "822597af1b6d42fa52f8cf94a427f255",
"text": "africa global house would reserve permanent unsc seat veto power african That there should be competition for a seat at the highest international table is no surprise. However this is not a reason against reform. Nor should Germany and Japan be considered stronger contenders than an African country; why should Europe get a third and Asia a second permanent member before Africa has one?\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e1a78dc60ec236632e2d1867c9bdb713",
"text": "africa global house would reserve permanent unsc seat veto power african The current UNSC Membership is outdated\n\nThe composition of the council is outdated and must adapt to a much-changed world in the 21st century.\n\nIt is clear that there is growing discontent among African countries regarding the current structure of the UNSC. “We don’t understand why you have three countries out of five countries on the Security Council as permanent members with a veto coming from Europe,” Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs minister has said. [1] South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane appealed for United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reforms and inclusion of Africa with at least two permanent seats, he made it clear that South Africa expects a UNSC seat when reform occurs. [2] The United Nations is meant to present sovereign states equally. The current membership was created in 1945 when there were 51 member states; most of them European, now there are 193 of which almost a third are African. On numbers alone in the current UNSC Africa should have between 4 and 5 members of which 1-2 should be permanent. The current distribution is selfish reflecting an imperialist past.\n\n[1] Phiri, Gift, “African nations push for permanent UNSC seat”, Al Jazeera, 26 September 2013, http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/09/african-nations-push-for-permanent-unsc-seat-2013924133231925482.html\n\n[2] Nkoana-Mashaban, Maite, ‘South Africa demands permanent African seats in UNSC’, South African Foreign Policy Initiative, 12 August 2013, http://www.safpi.org/news/article/2013/south-africa-demands-permanent-african-seats-unsc\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3ed932f88ab825e12b2e45360efafa62",
"text": "africa global house would reserve permanent unsc seat veto power african An African voice would change priorities for the better\n\nAn African state with veto power in the UNSC would have much more leverage to get African positions listened to. This is something that is particularly important as Africa is the region that is most commonly on the UN agenda. An African permanent member would likely alter the priorities of the Council for the better. It would be the first UNSC member without nuclear weapons, indeed if it were South Africa it would be a state that had given up nuclear weapons so would be in favour of disarmament. [1] There might be more attempts to solve the ‘root causes’ of conflicts rather than just providing a response when a conflict breaks out as Rwanda promoted as president of the UNSC in 2013. [2] An African member might also be more interested in development issues, pushing on climate change etc. It would provide more of a view from the South.\n\n[1] Graham, Suzanne, ‘South Africa's UN General Assembly Voting Record from 2003 to 2008: Comparing India, Brazil and South Africa’, Politikon, Vol.38, No.3, 2011, http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02589346.2011.623842#.UrQ0IeImZI0\n\n[2] Kanyesigye, Frank, ‘Rwanda Sets Priorities for UNSC Presidency’, AllAfrica, 2 April 2013, http://allafrica.com/stories/201304020025.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "46988cb627fe1bcc3e1e27d001ff6911",
"text": "africa global house would reserve permanent unsc seat veto power african International competition for seats on UNSC\n\nAfrican countries are not the only ones who wish to have a chair at the P5 table. There are more financially and military prominent countries who also have expressed their desires for having a veto power. [1] Among them, the most important are Germany and Japan who are, the second and third largest contributors to the UN budget.\n\nOffering an African state permanent membership to the UN, would likely offend Germany and Japan. The reason UNSC reform has not gone ahead is that all potential members have other powerful countries that would be opposed to their membership. Thus for example Japan is opposed by China. And the G-4 (Japan, India, Germany, Brazil) are generally opposed by the 'coffee club' of 40 mid-size countries led by Argentina, Pakistan, Italy, Mexico, South Korea and Spain. [2]\n\n[1] Parashar, Sachin, “Insistence on veto may delay UNSC reform process”, Times Of India, 16 January 2012 http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-01-16/india/30631641_1_veto-power-veto-rights-veto-issue\n\n[2] Alam, Mohammed Badrul, ‘For a Rightful Place: UNSC Reforms and Japan’, SSPC, 12 July 2005, http://www.sspconline.org/opinion/ForARightfulPlace-UNSCReformsandJapan_MohammedBadrulAlam_120705\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "16da681c1916f537461852175a384c05",
"text": "africa global house would reserve permanent unsc seat veto power african Who should get the seat?\n\nThere is not just competition from countries outside Africa but also internally. If there is only to be one permanent African member or even two who should it be? With no defined criteria for UNSC membership any African state could stake a claim. There are however three or four serious contenders. South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt have declared themselves contenders and are leaders of their sub regions. [1] Ethiopia is also a similarly sized state and if thinking about the future DR Congo has immense potential if its conflicts are ever resolved. How would these countries resolve their competing interests with only one position on offer?\n\n[1] Spies, Yolanda K., ‘The multilateral maze and (South) Africa’s Quest for Permanent United Nations Security Council representation’, University of Pretoria, http://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/6307/Spies_Multilateral?sequence=1 , p.106\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c4a586a0ac265d07a87d7f912ff6f26a",
"text": "africa global house would reserve permanent unsc seat veto power african More vetoes mean less action\n\nThe reason there are only a few states with veto power is to prevent most states from being able to block essential security action that is in the international interest.\n\nMore members increase the chances of vetoes and deadlock. There have been 263 vetoes since the founding of the UN with vetoes having been used by every permanent member. The veto is used to protect national interests not for the good of the international community. [1] States provide veto cover for censure against those they consider allies or even trading partners. Thus the most common veto in the last couple of decades has been by the USA to prevent censure of Israel. China and Russia on the other hand have prevented action against Syria and Sudan despite crises in these countries. [2]\n\nGive more countries vetoes and it will be used more often. Even worse an African country would have very different interests so would be vetoing different proposals. Thus for example in the past the USSR and USA have vetoed the admission of new members from Angola to Vietnam. An African veto might be wielded to discourage secession movements by for example vetoing the membership of South Sudan.\n\n[1] Okhovat, Sahar, ‘The United Nations Security Council: Its Veto Power and Its Reform’, Sydney University, CPACS Working Paper no.15/1, December 2011, http://sydney.edu.au/arts/peace_conflict/docs/working_papers/UNSC_paper.pdf pp.11-12\n\n[2] United Nations, ‘Security Council – Veto List’, Dag Hammarskskjöld Library, accessed 20/12/2013 http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/resguide/scact_veto_en.shtml\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6120629a3c655270a518c03b05649e3b",
"text": "africa global house would reserve permanent unsc seat veto power african Proportionality\n\nWhen looking at contributions to the UN, in 2010 no African countries are in the Top 27. [1] Those who fund an organisation deserve to lead it and have their opinion count the most. Of course, there is the need for a democratic council such as the UNGA, where all the countries, regardless of contribution deserve a right to vote, but when it comes to the UNSC, the veto power is just a privilege the African countries have not earned yet. Imagine creating a union to which a few states provide contribute the most resources, but are prevented from acting by another member who actively contributes nothing. This sort of power is unjustified.\n\nPeacekeeping and other activities the UN undertakes in Africa require money. No African state would want these operations to be diminished as Africa would be the region that has most to lose. But in return the continent has to accept the funders will get more say over the UN.\n\n[1] Browne, Marjorie, and Blanchfield, Luisa, ‘United Nations Regular Budget Contributions: Members Compared, 1990-2010’, Congressional Research Service, 15 January 2013, http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL30605.pdf , p.23\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
14ecb6fc25f01195fef559c1eb03f674
|
The potential entrants are still weak and pose a threat to the growing EAC
Most of the countries showing interest in joining the EAC are still economically weak, politically unstable, and socially divided. Somalia is the poorest state in the world; it is unstable with a high rate of terrorism [1]. DRC has yet to fully end its civil war, and has large social divides [2]. And South Sudan is a newly independent country that has not yet finished forming its governing institutions but already faces conflicts both internal and external. Accepting all these countries to the East African community now would create instability; it would clear the way for more Al shabab attacks in both Kenya and Uganda due as the borders would be open, it would clear a path for the FDLR (a rebel group that includes some of those responsible for Rwanda’s genocide) from Congo to Rwanda, a threat that the EAC is not ready to manage.
[1] Ludger, Schadomsky, ‘No stability in sight for Somalia’, dw.de, 20 June 2013 http://www.dw.de/no-stability-in-sight-for-somalia/a-16896385
[2] Jason, Stearns, ‘The Congo; a revolution deferred’, sscr.org, 8 March 2012, http://forums.ssrc.org/african-futures/2012/03/08/congo-revolution-deferred/
|
[
{
"docid": "58b8d8fa7e7553ed96e7f7811e2f362e",
"text": "africa house would widen east african community Al shabaab attacks have continued to be a huge threat to both the Ugandan and Kenyan governments with the recent attack on Westgate shopping center in Nairobi [1] and the Lugogo cricket ground in Kampala [2] despite the tight immigration policies towards Somalis. FDLR has also continued to carry out attacks in Rwanda regardless Rwanda’s efforts to prevent them [3]. Tighter immigration controls therefore has been shown not to provide solution to these threats. Instead uniting all these countries would give ground for the East African Military Command to handle such threats.\n\n[1] AFP, ‘Westgate mall, Alshabaab gunmen were suicide commandos’, telegraph.co.uk,12 Nov 2013, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/kenya/10443386/Westgate-mall-al-Shabaab-gunmen-were-suicide-commandos.html\n\n[2] BBC world news, ‘Somali militants behind Kampala world cup bombings’, bbc.co.uk, 12 July 2010, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10602791\n\n[3] Reuters, ‘Rwanda says FDLR cross from Congo attack wardens’, reuters.com, 2 Dec 2012, http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/02/us-rwanda-attack-idUSBRE8B10A020121202\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "b69247af600f7abc59b163b648aecc4f",
"text": "africa house would widen east african community Initially the EAC comprised of only three countries but after only 7 years, Rwanda and Burundi joined the bloc [1]. The new members however did not hamper the progress of the EAC but instead increased the rate of performance and improvement. If anything the two new countries added momentum in the operations of the bloc despite the fact that they were both economically weak. It is therefore not valid to assume that enlargement would hinder progress.\n\n[1] East African Community, ‘About EAC’, eac.int, http://www.eac.int/index.php?option=com_content&id=1&Itemid=53\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3117ce786e7c984cd355e97fdd0c8cb4",
"text": "africa house would widen east african community The EAC does not have a general rule that membership is only reserved for countries in the Eastern region of Africa, and the presence of the African Union does not deem other regional blocs useless. To achieve growth and integration on the continent, there is great need to unite regionally[1]. Having members that are also members of other regional organisations simply helps bring those organisations together to the benefit of all.\n\n[1] Michael, Rettig, Anne W. Kamau and Augustus, Sammy, Muluv,’ The African Union can do more to support regional integration’, brookings.edu, 17 May 2013, http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/up-front/posts/2013/05/17-african-union-support-regional-integration-kamau\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cff350605650c7e5107761c19159dc26",
"text": "africa house would widen east african community The EAC is not yet ready to fully support its missions. The East African Community military command have not helped in prevention of terrorist attacks in Kenya nor has it been able to stop the prolonged insecurities and conflicts in Burundi, besides it still needs improvement. The unity between Kenya and Uganda did not stop conflicts arising over ownership of Migingo islands on lake Victoria; membership would not mean that South Sudan and Sudan suddenly have similar interests or ameliorate their conflict.\n\nRwanda and Uganda have been recently accused of supporting insecurity in Eastern Congo (1), and the peace keeping missions in Somalia and Darfur are both AU and UN initiatives not the EAC. In practice the bloc is not yet ready to embark on such wider missions.\n\n(1) Louis, Charbonneau, and Michelle, Nicholls ‘Rwanda, Uganda arming Congo rebels- UN panel’, reuters.com, 17/10/2012 http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/17/us-congo-democratic-rwanda-uganda-idUSBRE89F1RQ20121017\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e482fbeff62ae08a7bc0c18d7cfb9737",
"text": "africa house would widen east african community Pan-Africanism is more a dream than a reality. Widening the East African Community would actually alter and destroy the meaning of Pan-Africanism because of the many challenges that come with such integration (1). Currently there are disputes within the EAC itself with Tanzania and Burundi claiming to be sidelined from the other three states. People will never at any moment feel more East Africans than citizens of a particular country; recently Rwandans who had lived in Tanzania for years were forcibly deported by the government (2) despite the fact that both countries are member states of the EAC and signed free movement into law. This is enough to explain how things would be a mess if rival countries like DRC, Sudan and Somalia were to join the bloc.\n\n(1) United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, ‘Assessing regional integration in Africa’, uneca.org, Vol.V, http://www.uneca.org/publications/assessing-regional-integration-africa-v\n\n(2) Catherine, Byaruhanga, ‘Thousands deported from Tanzania to Rwanda’, bbc.co.uk, 2 Sept 2013 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/18810.stm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9312c42f85da7f0f754582fd3e40a3a4",
"text": "africa house would widen east african community Widening the EAC will affect the emerging education systems. Most of the countries with interest to join the EAC are characterised by poor education systems. Bringing Somalia, South Sudan and DRC, into the community would bring a huge challenge to the existing systems. The inter university council of education is a new established body, policies like harmonising the education curricula are still in process of implementation and this cannot be rated a success at the moment let alone be expanded to millions more children and youths. Additionally, there are still current member states like Burundi with crippled education systems (1), why not first focus internally and deepen these institutions before expanding?\n\n(1) Concern worldwide, Burundi, ‘education’, concernusa.org http://www.concernusa.org/burundi\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0e6fae8f7e5e03db93b21c588b5afe96",
"text": "africa house would widen east african community Widening the bloc will also widen the burden of satisfying all member states which will affect economic development. The discovery of oil in Uganda has prompted concerns about how it will be extracted as a result of a green light to foreign companies to do the job [1], and Rwanda’s natural gas remain untouched due to a lack of skilled labour despite the EAC freedom of movement policies. Why then bring a bigger burden of un-extracted mineral resources that cannot be handled by EAC? And the fact that Kenya has been able to profit from such integration has not done much to lift Burundi from extreme poverty Or prevent Tanzania’s slow growth [2]. When all members are looking to export natural resources there are few benefits to the bloc, the members find themselves competing in export markets.\n\n[1] Oil review, ‘Uganda to sign oil drilling agreement with international oil firms’, oilreviewafrica.com, 15 April 2013, http://www.oilreviewafrica.com/exploration/exploration/uganda-to-sign-oil-drilling-agreement-with-international-oil-firms\n\n[2] IMF, ‘Truly integrated market would bring benefits to East Africa’, imf.org, 15 March 2012, https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2012/CAR031512A.htm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7be60f642b2a5bb96dc96efbb276e5c2",
"text": "africa house would widen east african community The EAC is not yet a strong bloc to be widened\n\nThe EAC, though a progressing bloc, is premature for widening. 48% of its budget is derived from the EU and 22% from other donor agencies and governments. Membership subscriptions barely suffice to cover staff remuneration and other administrative costs leaving no funds to support development oriented programmes [1]. 71.3% of Congolese [2] and 50.6% of South Sudanese [3] live below the poverty line; how would the EAC support such regions with a crippled budget? Creating a common market would mean bringing together poor countries that have nothing to offer or learn from each other unlike the EU which has strong economies to support weaker ones and provide role models and expertise for development.\n\nThere is a greater need to deepen the bloc by ensuring that member states are able to meet the pledged costs towards the budget. The EAC needs to make sure planned initiatives like the monetary union, customs union, and unifying education systems are well coordinated and successful before widening.\n\n[1] Dr. Khoti, Kamanga, ‘EAC Integration; progress achieved, challenges and opportunities’, ippmedia.com, 3 Nov 2013, http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/?l=61095\n\n[2] The World Bank, ‘Data; Congo,Dem Rep, world development indicators, worldbank.org, http://data.worldbank.org/country/congo-dem-rep\n\n[3] The World Bank, ‘Data;South Sudan,word development indicators,worldbank.org, http://data.worldbank.org/country/south-sudan\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4ad6f9eed327b90cedb43e08d294bca4",
"text": "africa house would widen east african community The EAC is not different from the AU which aims at integrating all African states.\n\nAll countries that have shown interest in joining the EAC are member states of the AU which oversees integration in African countries; there is no reason then for them to join another bloc that has the same aim as the African Union unless it is no longer functioning.\n\nCountries like DRC and Sudan are geographically located in different regions than East Africa and this would breach the meaning of the bloc. Additionally, these individual countries are members of other regional organisations like COMESA and SADC which puts a challenge of flexibility in adopting different policies from separate blocs. [1] For example how could a customs union operate if DRC were to be a member of two separate customs unions? any external barriers between the two could be bypassed by going through the DRC.\n\n[1] Dinka,T,Kennes,W, ‘Africa’s regional integration arrangements; history and challenges’, ecdpm.org, 2007, http://www.ecdpm.org/Web_ECDPM/Web/Content/Navigation.nsf/index2?readform&http://www.ecdpm.org/Web_ECDPM/Web/Content/Content.nsf/0/0aff1ee6dde15146c12579ce004774b2?OpenDocument\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6ef151fa5d37d855179e457ecf732481",
"text": "africa house would widen east african community Conflicts and insecurity in the region will be resolved.\n\nWidening the East African Community will help provide a strong force and voice against insecurities, conflicts and insurgencies that have torn apart much of the region.\n\nThe current EAC member states have been at the fore front of maintaining peace and security in the region, with Burundi, Kenya and Uganda sending troops to Somalia and Rwanda sending troops to Darfur and CAR.\n\nIn March 2012, the USAID assessment on East Africa regional conflict and instability highlighted that the revival and expansion of the EAC would favour a vision of promoting peace in the region (1) pointing out the Lamu project aimed at creating a transport corridor linking South Sudan to northern Kenya and the coast. Widening the bloc will make it easy for member states to support their peacekeeping missions through the East Africa community military command and also help reduce interstate invasions like Sudan and South Sudan or Rwanda and DRC as they will now be united with more closely aligned interests.\n\n(1) USAID, ‘East Africa Regional conflict and instability Assessment, usaid.gov, March 2012, http://conflict.care2share.wikispaces.net/file/view/USAID%20East%20Africa%20Conflict%20Assessment%20March2012.pdf/393864676/USAID%20East%20Africa%20Conflict%20Assessment%20March2012.pdf\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "807e08e7eab8a94af8a31b33c35b01d3",
"text": "africa house would widen east african community Education standards will be improved across the region\n\nimprovement of education among member states. It has policies such as the introduction of the inter University council of education to ensure the quality of University education, and an ongoing process of harmonising education curricula in all member countries (1). However, Africa still remains the continent with poorest quality of education and has the lowest skilled/educated labour. A large number of children fail to access basic education (2). Enlarging and deepening the EAC will therefore enhance education standards on a large part of the African continent; such policies will lift weak academic institutions in DRC, South Sudan and Somalia which are typical of their poor education systems.\n\n(1) East African Community Education, ‘Harmonisation of education and training curricula in East Africa’ eac.int, http://www.eac.int/education/index.php?option=com_content&id=53&Itemid=106\n\n(2) Kevin Watkins, ‘Narrowing Africa’s Education deficit’, brookings.com, January 2013, http://www.brookings.edu/research/reports/2013/01/foresight-africa-education-watkins\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2a13744b3f424914ec46a5cac6ec3e03",
"text": "africa house would widen east african community Economic Development will be boosted in the entire region.\n\nWidening the East African Community, will help enlarge the common market, increase production and improve regional trade as people will be able to freely do business across more than five countries.\n\nPrior to Rwanda and Burundi’s membership to the bloc in 2004, Kenya’s exports and imports to the EAC were Kshs 64 billion and Kshs 3 billion respectively this however increased after the two countries joined creating a single market of 133.5 million people. In 2009 Kenya’s exports had risen to Kshs 90.5 billion and imports to Kshs 12.5 billion [1].\n\nEthiopia, DRC and South Sudan are all mineral rich countries and are big potential markets for East Africa. Welcoming them to the community is predicted to double the production, imports and exports among member states [2] due to policies policies like the EAC trade facilitation, customs union and competition policy and law [2].\n\n[1] Mary, Odongo,’Institute of Economic Affairs; Towards an East African Community common market’, ieakenya.or.ke, 30 Jan 2011, http://www.ieakenya.or.ke/publications/doc_details/101-towards-an-east-african-community-common-market-challenges-and-opportunities?tmpl=component\n\n[2] Ernest & Young, ‘The East Africa boom’, ey.com, http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/The_East_Africa_Boom:_Dont_be_left_behind/$FILE/130219_SGF_TL_East_email_version.pdf\n\n[3] East African Community Customs, ‘market size, access and trade policy’, eu.int, http://www.eac.int/customs/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50:eac-trade-info&catid=25:eac-customs-union\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d1d4ba0f1a7bf1d7b7274a6e9239f29f",
"text": "africa house would widen east african community It will serve an example of Pan-Africanism and encourage many to join the movement.\n\nNkwame Nkurumah, one of the famous African heroes said “Africa must unite or perish”. This has been taken up by the African Union which is calling for integration across the continent (1). Widening and deepening the EAC will therefore shine a light to the ideology of Pan Africanism. Bringing more African states together under one bloc with the same vision and institutions will help people to work together regardless of ethnic or cultural differences. Citizens will feel more East Africans rather than citizens of a particular country as every citizen of the EAC member state is allowed to freely travel in the region with no difficulties or discrimination as a result of the East African Community’s freedom of movement(2). This will therefore encourage other blocs like the ECOWAS and SADC to actively perform and widen hence creating a more united Africa.\n\n(1) African Union, ‘Celebrating Pan –Africanism and African renaissance’, au.int, 10 May 2013, http://summits.au.int/50th/21stsummit/news/celebrating-pan-africanism-and-african-renaissance\n\n(2) East African Community, Towards a common market, ‘Annex on the free movement of persons’, eac.int, http://www.eac.int/commonmarket/movement-of-persons.html\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
5dd5e896b8d717f41431906b5e46fde1
|
The US had led the world through consent rather than coercion.
An important part of the liberal international order the US maintains is that power is diffused and is based on negotiation, strategic bargaining and the exercise of power through mutually-agreed rules and institutions. Globalization and the liberalization of the global economy has been actively supported by many nations in the world, some of whom—such as China, Japan, and Germany—have even used it to compete economically with the United States. Other states have also enjoyed significant decision-making powers in international institutions. For example, the World Trade Organization (WTO) decisions are made on the basis of a ‘one country, one vote’ system.[4] This consensus-based exercise of power has provided the US with a relatively large degree of legitimacy in world opinion, often outstripping the global approval ratings of other major powers.[5]
[4] Ikenberry, G. John. “Illusions of Empire: Defining the New American Order”, Foreign Affairs, March/April (2004), 144-156
Mark Beeson & Richard Higgott (2005), “Hegemony , Institutionalism and US Foreign Policy : theory and practice in comparative historical perspective” Third Word Quarterly , Vol.26, No. 7.
[5] Gallup, ‘Worldwide Appeal of U.S. Leadership Tops Major Powers’, March 24, 2011. http://www.gallup.com/poll/146771/worldwide-approval-leadership-tops-major-powers.aspx , Accessed 12th May 2011.
|
[
{
"docid": "344200aa6f9d74812921de000df0549d",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The United States has far too often relied on the use of force and coercion. For much of the Cold War and thereafter, America covertly and openly helped overthrow and wage war on governments that it perceived to be hostile to its national interests. From Latin America to Southeast Asia and the Middle East, coercion and war has often been America’s primary foreign policy tool. Moreover, this continues to the present time. Not only has Iraq highlighted America’s propensity to use force, but even the more internationally backed “war on terror” has featured unilateralism and controversial military practices such as “drone attacks,” which many say are counterproductive and undermine the importance of a law-based rather than militaristic approach to tackling terrorism.[6] Even in nominally ‘multilateral’ bodies such as the WTO and the UN, the US has often gotten its way through bribes, backdoor deals and coercive measures.[7]\n\n[6] Howard, Michael (2002), ‘What’s in a name? How to Fight Terrorism’, Foreign Affairs, January/February 2002.\n\n[7] Wade, Robert (2004), ‘The Ringmaster of Doha’, New Left Review 25, January-February 2004.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "7873c29542f2e5840c074f757355fd79",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon On closer inspection, it is evident that while many of these interventions espoused humanitarian principles, they were primarily designed to advance US strategic and geopolitical interests. Critics have been right to argue that the Iraq war was fought to gain strategic control of Middle Eastern oil and to dismantle the state-dominated economic structures of the region. No Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) were found in Iraq, and overthrowing a dictatorship could not have been a primary consideration, given America’s support for authoritarian regimes and dictatorships across the world (such as Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia). These contradictions can be seen in the recent Libya conflict, where the US suddenly endorsed regime change despite years of supporting Colonel Gaddafi. Other ‘humanitarian interventions’ have similarly been motivated in large part by self-interested strategic and geopolitical considerations.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "32241b8c209d924032ba4a2432ec62d5",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon Rather than promoting a progressive global agenda, the United States has often undermined effective cooperation and coordination between countries as a result of unilateralist and self-interested policies. Thus, it has often regarded the United Nations as an ineffectual rival to its national interests – leading the country to disasters such as the Iraq war and undemocratically vetoing internationally-backed initiatives in the UN Security Council, such as those critical of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. Rather than showing leadership, the US has also obstructed international efforts to tackle climate change, as seen by George W. Bush’s refusal to sign the Kyoto Protocol and President Obama’s signing of the deeply flawed Copenhagen Accord.[8]. Many instances have also shown America’s willingness to pursue its own commercial interests at the expense of vital international issues. One example of this was George W. Bush’s protectionism in protecting the “intellectual property rights” and the high price of drugs (including Anti-AIDS drugs) of US pharmaceuticals, which damaged the international fight against AIDS.\n\nFurthermore with regards to international terrorism, the UNSC worked through the Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) which had a minor US presence and was set up to tackle terrorism from the root causes rather than using military might.\n\n[8] On the Copenhagen Accord, see The Independent, ‘Obama’s climate accord fails the test’, 19 December, 2009. http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/obamas-climate-accord-fails-the-test-1845090.html , Accessed 13th May, 2011.\n\n[9] Mann, Michael (2003), Incoherent Empire, (London), pp. 58-59.\n\nMokhiber, Russell and Robert Weissman (2003), ‘The Two Faces of Bush in Africa’, Common Dreams, July 2003. http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0711-14.htm , Accessed 14th May 2011.\n\nUnited Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee. http://www.un.org/en/sc/ctc/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8dc8d9810196f588be421ce299eef54c",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon While the liberal order the US has constructed has benefited its allied economies in Western Europe and Japan, for much of the developing world the benefits have been few and far between. For example, many African and Asian nations have suffered tremendously from the spread of free market capitalism and the “structural adjustment programmes” imposed on them by the American-dominated International Monetary Fund (IMF). Rather than helping poorer nations, the West (led by America) has often practiced selective freed trade, whereby the markets of the developing world were opened up to foreign companies as the United States and its Western allies subsidized and provided unfair advantages to sectors of their own economies that were not as globally competitive, such as farming. This crippled the agricultural industries of many developing countries and made them dependent on importing food, directly contributing to many recent food crises. What is more, the US and its allies have manipulatively achieved this through nominally “multilateral” and “fair” institutions such as the IMF, the World Bank and the World Trade Organization (WTO).[3] Many countries have not received the benefits of this so-called “benign” open, liberal order.\n\n[3] Bello, Walden (2005). Dilemmas of Domination: The Unmaking of the American Empire, (London),\n\nStiglitz, Joseph E. (2002), Globalization and its Discontents (New York: W.W. Norton).\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "560c367cb316a5336d15b9612460de8d",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon US support for democracy has been at best hugely inconsistent, and at worst criminally apathetic. During the Cold War, the US overthrew various democratic governments (for example Iran and Guatemala in the 1950s) and supported dictatorial regimes. This has continued into the post-Cold War era, as the US support for the coup attempt against President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela in 2002 demonstrated. While the US professes support for democratic forces in the Arab world, it has also continued to give vital assistance to the strategically-important dictatorships of the Gulf, primarily Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, which have been responsible for grave human rights abuses in response to recent peaceful protests[14].The US also continues to support states such as Israel which violate international law, and also routinely flouts international law itself—as seen by wars such as Iraq, the treatment of terrorist suspects and breaches of the Geneva convention [15], the undermining of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the violation of countries’ sovereignty with ‘drone’ attacks. Clinical realpolitik, and not the pursuit of democracy and human rights, determines the use of US power.\n\n[14] Goodman, Amy (2011), ‘Barack Obama must speak out on Bahrain bloodshed’, The Guardian: Comment is Free, April 2011. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/apr/13/barack-obama-bahrain-bloodshed , Accessed 14th May 2011.The US is not a hegemon at all, but an imperialist power-an empire.\n\n[15] Chatham House, ‘Extraordinary Rendition: A summary of the Chatham House International Law Discussion’. http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/files/11390_il270308.pdf , Accessed 15th May 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "874d3c52d8e757e82ee459952334ef71",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon It is true that the US sometimes resorts to unilateral action to advance its national security interests. However, its commitment to multilateralism is more than just instrumental and cynically selective. Even George W. Bush’s unilateralism—criticized as imperialist by even mainstream analysts—was restricted to certain issues, such as arms control, nonproliferation, and the use of force against certain threatening states. Unilateral military action was only used against Iraq, and even other “rogue” states (specifically Iran and North Korea) were dealt with through diplomatic and multilateral channels.[30] As John Ikenberry argues, the “foundational” multilateralism—as seen in the liberal, open international order the US built following World War II—is still a core part of US foreign policy.[31] Moreover, George Bush Sr.’s painstaking coalition building for the first Gulf War and more recently President Obama’s commitment to working through the UN Security Council for the intervention in Libya demonstrates America’s preference for consensus-based international action.\n\n[30] Robbins, Carla Anne (2007). “Bush Foreign Policy: Grand Vision and its Application” in Fortier, John C. and Ornstein, Norman J. (eds.), Second-Term Blues: How George W. Bush Has Governed, (Washington, D.C.: The Brookings Institution, 2007), pp. 89-108.\n\n[31] Ikenberry, John G. (2003), ‘Is American Multilateralism in Decline?’, Perspective on Politics, Vol. 1. http://www.princeton.edu/~gji3/Decline.pdf , Accessed 17th May, 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b576c4e96fbdc6e1b73bb3e3ad7c11e5",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon This argument misleadingly presents the nature of US influence as essentially coercive. In fact, it is America’s “soft power”—or the ability to get what it wants through the attractiveness of its culture and political institutions—that has been instrumental in spreading American values.[25] People across the globe—from Singapore, South Korea, and Japan to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait—are fascinated by and have emulated what John Agnew terms America’s “Market-Place society,” defined by mass consumerism, the influx of American cultural products and the displacement of traditional social standards.[26] In this context, arguments of “cultural imperialism” exaggerate the level of control the US has over the process, as well as the extent to which conflicts arise.[27] The desirability of American culture and institutions in the eyes of many of the world’s people ensures that soft, and not hard, power has universalized American values.\n\n[25] Nye, Joseph (2004), “Soft Power and American Foreign Policy”, Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 119, No. 2 (2004), pp. 255-270.\n\nNye, Joseph (2004). Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics (New York: Basic Books, 2004)\n\n[26] Agnew, John (2005). Hegemony: The New Shape of Global Power (Philadelphia)\n\n[27] Sardar, Ziauddin and Merryl Wyn Davies (2003), Why Do People Hate America? (Cambridge: Icon Books Ltd.), p. 130.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5138bfe445cbc972679f9e412b9e64da",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon While the US does have a long history of intervening in various countries across the globe, this has mostly been in response to genuine threats to national security, international peace, and basic human rights in line with the UN Charter. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, a new global discourse has emerged where state sovereignty is no longer regarded as absolute in instances where states endanger international peace and commit human rights abuses.[22] Post-Cold War US interventions (Haiti, Somalia, Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya) have largely followed this discourse. Thus, rather than malignly intervening in other countries, the US has relatively benignly sought to apply pressure on violent and dictatorial regimes, with international law and the will of the international community being central to many of the actions taken. The carefully undertaken Libyan intervention demonstrates this.\n\n[22] Annan, Kofi (1999), ‘Two concepts of sovereignty’, The Economist, 18th September 1999. http://www.un.org/News/ossg/sg/stories/kaecon.html , Accessed 16th May, 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d5930147b8b6aa5510b8cc04ee21d291",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon It is a hyperbole to suggest that American-led globalization and the spread of free and open markets has been “imposed” on developing countries; globalisation has been a far more impersonal and voluntary process. Moreover, rather than being exploited, the spread of free trade and open markets has benefited developing countries; one only needs to see the success of China, and India after 1991 when it embraced neoliberal reforms to find evidence of this. More generally too, World Bank reports have suggested that poorer countries that are “more globalized” have grown faster than even developed countries, while those that are “less globalized” have seen their GDPs drop.[34] The purportedly “hub and spoke” system the US has employed has also benefited many countries, which have received security guarantees from America, and can often count on the US to help tackle regional threats and ensure stability. Middle Eastern states that cooperate with the US to tackle terrorism and a resurgent and nuclear Iran provide examples of this.\n\n[34] Meredith, Robyn and Suzanne Hoppough (2007), ‘Why Globalization is Good’, Forbes, March, 2007. http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2007/0416/064.html , Accessed 17th May, 2011.\n\nSchonwald, Josh (2002), ‘Johnson, economic development expert, discusses globalization and its benefits,’ The University of Chicago Chronicle, February 21, 2002, Vol. 21, No. 10. http://chronicle.uchicago.edu/020221/globalization.shtml , Accessed 17th May, 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7daf93bbf6db6b42cfc406b84632ca3a",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The US has provided global leadership in tackling important issues such as terrorism.\n\nAmerica’s hegemonic power has enabled it to provide global leadership on important international concerns. Because the US is affected by the same problems as many other countries in an increasingly inter-connected world (for example climate change, terrorism, epidemics, oil crises, economic recessions, the illegal drugs trade, and nuclear proliferation) it is in its interests to promote policies that are broadly globally beneficial. The US is able to utilize its considerable economic and diplomatic clout to convince its allies to back important multilateral international initiatives. One example of this was George W. Bush’s initiative on HIV/AIDS in the developing world. The United States has also used its power to unify the global effort against terrorism and provide collective security and considerable aid to various nations, as well as leading the international effort to prevent failed or weak states (such as Somalia and Yemen) falling into the hands of terrorists.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cb7d4d3a9c978ccf6892d08515f82dfd",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The US used its power to establish a set of open global institutions which have been broadly beneficial.\n\nAs Robert Cox argues, American hegemony has been successful because the US has been able to maintain its dominance through a high level of global consensus by establishing a broadly accepted rules-based liberal international economic order, and has been able to shape other states’ preferences in a manner that has awarded sufficient benefits to these states while ensuring the dominance of the US.[1] This has been what John Ikenberry terms America’s “liberal grand strategy,”* which has enabled the US to construct a relatively benign and highly institutionalized multilateral system based on open markets, free trade, and the provision of ‘public goods’, such as collective security and an open international trading regime.[2] This has allowed other countries to prosper economically and also in terms of their security; the rebuilding and success of Japan and Germany provides important examples of this.\n\n[1] Cox, Robert. ‘Gramsci, Hegemony and International Relations, Millennium, Vol. 12, No. 2, 1983, pp. 162-175.,\n\nCox, Robert. “Social Forces, States and World Orders: Beyond International Relations Theory”, in R.O. Keohane (ed.) NeoRealism and its Critics, (New York: Columbia University Press, 1986)\n\nWhere the US has used military force, it has largely done it to uphold human rights and international peace, security and prosperity.[2] Ikenberry, John G. (2002), ‘America’s Imperial Ambition’, Foreign Affairs, September/October 2002.\n\n*liberal grand strategy is a terminology that describes the USA’s long term policy goal- to promote its system to other countries.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cf850ff072a74c0332893807de7cc8af",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon Where the US has used military force, it has largely done it to uphold human rights and international peace, security and prosperity.\n\nExamining the use of American military power following the end of the Cold War shows us that the United States has pursued an agenda of tackling serious threats to international peace, security and prosperity—whether they emanate from rogue states and sponsors of terrorism, oppressive dictators, or war criminals. Humanitarian interventions in Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afghanistan and most recently Libya highlight the importance of these considerations to America’s military strategy, and the willingness of the US to put aside narrow geopolitical interests in order to pursue humanitarian goals, to the benefit of much of the world.[10] America’s military dominance and ‘command of the commons’ (sea, space and air) has also allowed it to provide global collective goods and to maintain an open international order, which is vital to international prosperity.[11]\n\n[10] Rieff, David (2003), “Liberal Imperialism”, in Andrew Bacevich (ed.), The Imperial Tense: Prospects and Problems of American Empire, (Chicago, 2003)\n\n[11] Posen, Barry R. “Command of the Commons: The Military Foundation of U.S. Hegemony”, International Security, Vol. 28, No. 1 (Summer 2003), pp. 5-46.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1f4fe69a36c7cda2184ce556816c284c",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The US has established an unjust system of unequal relationships in order to exploit developing countries.\n\nWhile Western Europe and Japan may have been awarded a privileged position in the international order the US constructed following the end of World War II, developing countries were incorporated as “subordinate elements in the global capitalist system.”[32] The global South has in effect been controlled and exploited through nominally multilateral institutions such as the IMF, the World Bank and WTO, which are designed in a way that provides wealthy countries with de facto control. The United States has also set up a “hub and spoke” system to deal with subordinate states, which is built around bilateralism, client states, ‘special relationships’, and patronage-oriented foreign policy, which serves to translate America’s power advantage into concessions from other states.[33] When subordinate states have failed to comply, they have often faced US intervention—from Guatemala, to Iran, to Chile, to Iraq. Through this system of unequal relationships the US has gained access to markets for its corporations, and enjoyed geopolitical and political control of key strategic areas. Developing countries on the other hand have often faced economic stagnation, food crises, and various attacks on their sovereignty.\n\n[32] Bello, Walden (2005). Dilemmas of Domination: The Unmaking of the American Empire, (London), pp. 153.\n\n[33] For an elaboration of how a “hub and spokes” system works, see Ikenberry, John G. (2004), “Liberalism and empire: logics of order in the American unipolar age”, Review of International Studies, 30, pp. 609-630\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0598900be966bad94ad2ca650d78a113",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The US has used its power to undermine the sovereignty of other nations, often through coercion and violence.\n\nAs Samuel P. Huntington has written, the US suffers from “benign hegemon syndrome.”[19] Its self-perception as an exceptional, virtuous superpower is at odds with the violent history of its foreign policy. Since the end of World War II, it has sought to overthrow over forty governments, and to destroy numerous populist-nationalist movements.[20] Its interventions in other countries have substantially increased following the end of the Cold War and the absence of a rival power balancing against it; one study has shown a 60% increase with an average of two interventions per year.[21] In addition, the US often interferes in the internal affairs of other countries; including through perverting elections, applying sanctions to change behaviour or influence domestic politics, propping up opposition forces, and even trying to assassinate foreign leaders (for example, Fidel Castro and more recently, arguably, Colonel Gaddafi). Therefore, while it may see itself as a benign hegemon, many see America as a rogue superpower.\n\n[19] Huntington, Samuel P. (1999), ‘The Lonely Superpower’, Foreign Affairs, March/April 1999. http://raider.mountunion.edu/~grossmmo/PS%20270/articles/lonely%20superpower.pdf , Accessed 17th May, 2011.\n\n[20] Blum, William (2002). Rogue State: A Guide to the World’s Only Superpower (London).\n\n[21] In Sardar, Ziauddin and Merryl Wyn Davies (2003), Why Do People Hate America? (Cambridge: Icon Books Ltd.), pp. 67-68.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d849fe3b0cb91cfc8c3226fc557195d5",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The US eschews multilateralism and prefers unilateralism.\n\nRather than working through international institutions and gaining the consent of the international community as a ‘benign’ hegemon would be expected to do, the United States far too often undermines multilateralism and exercises its power unilaterally. President Clinton’s military interventions during the 1990s, George W. Bush’s unilateral launching of the Iraq War, and President Obama’s use of covert drone attacks illustrate this propensity to shun multilateralism in favour of the “imperial logic” of unilateralism.[28] Indeed, since the end of the Cold War the United Nations has frequently been ignored or devalued as an institution by America. Most American policymakers are what Robert Kagan refers to as “instrumental multilateralists.” They engage with multilateral institutions for pragmatic reasons, but act unilaterally when it serves the interests of the United States. This is in contrast to many European leaders, who Kagan describes as “principled multilateralists” that are interested in multilateralism as a cornerstone of world order.[29]\n\n[28] Ikenberry, John G. (2003), ‘Is American Multilateralism in Decline?’, Perspective on Politics, Vol. 1. http://www.princeton.edu/~gji3/Decline.pdf , Accessed 17th May, 2011.\n\n[29] Kagan, Robert (2002), ‘Multilateralism, American Style’, The Washington Post, September 2002. http://www.newamericancentury.org/global-091302.htm , Accessed 17th May, 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7799feab1ceb24e88988cd915badab68",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The US is not a hegemon at all, but an imperialist power-an empire.\n\nWhile the US may not have formal colonies like the empires of the past, it is still able to pursue imperialism through its massive military juggernaut and control of the world’s financial institutions. America possesses what Chalmers Johnson called an “empire of military bases,” which are located in dozens of countries across the world and provide the US with, as Jonathan Freedland puts it, ‘the same global muscle it would enjoy if it ruled those countries directly.’[16] This coupled with its entrenched military-industrial complex allows the US to contain rivals, maintain strategic control of resources (particularly oil), and to militarily intervene in countries that threaten its imperial “interests.” The US has also shaped and structured the international political economy in a way that has given it effective control of the global institutions which ensure it remains the pre-eminent power. This is not indicative of a ‘benign’ hegemon, but a modern Rome.[17]\n\n[16] Freedland, Jonathan (2002). “Rome, AD... Rome, DC?”, The Guardian, September 18, 2002. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/sep/18/usa.comment , Accessed 16th May, 2011.\n\n[17] Wade, Robert (2002), “The American Empire,” The Guardian, 5th January, 2002.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "35825d6ebc3d937e78f17216bc54f824",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The US has arrogantly (and dangerously) sought to reshape the world in its own image.\n\nA commitment to American ‘exceptionalism’ has led US policymakers to view the United States as the political and cultural centre of the world. Consequently, they expect others to follow their own standards on political, economic and cultural issues, with free and open markets, liberal democratic structures, and individualistic cultural norms serving as models for other countries to follow. This is not simply propaganda; the US has used considerable resources to influence other nations in this respect, including military interventions, coercive austerity measures through the IMF/World Bank/WTO, economic sanctions, and the categorization of certain countries as “rogue states” for not following American standards.[23] American corporations have also been responsible for a form of cultural imperialism by exporting consumerist and materialistic ways of life around the world, often threatening indigenous cultures. In some instances this has caused what Samuel P. Huntington calls a ‘clash of civilizations,’[24] leading other cultures to respond violently to the introduction of American cultural exports, as is the case in some conservative Muslim societies and in India, where a major political party (BJP) actively orchestrates opposition to Western ideals of sexual permissiveness and individualism.\n\n[23] Huntington, Samuel P. (1999), ‘The Lonely Superpower’, Foreign Affairs, March/April 1999. http://raider.mountunion.edu/~grossmmo/PS%20270/articles/lonely%20superpower.pdf , Accessed 17th May, 2011.\n\n[24] Huntington, Samuel P. (1993), ‘The Clash of Civilizations’, Foreign Affairs, September 1993. http://www.bintjbeil.com/articles/en/d_huntington.html , Accessed 17th May 2001.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
f61ed1f6f348ff26968e3b5f64440406
|
The US eschews multilateralism and prefers unilateralism.
Rather than working through international institutions and gaining the consent of the international community as a ‘benign’ hegemon would be expected to do, the United States far too often undermines multilateralism and exercises its power unilaterally. President Clinton’s military interventions during the 1990s, George W. Bush’s unilateral launching of the Iraq War, and President Obama’s use of covert drone attacks illustrate this propensity to shun multilateralism in favour of the “imperial logic” of unilateralism.[28] Indeed, since the end of the Cold War the United Nations has frequently been ignored or devalued as an institution by America. Most American policymakers are what Robert Kagan refers to as “instrumental multilateralists.” They engage with multilateral institutions for pragmatic reasons, but act unilaterally when it serves the interests of the United States. This is in contrast to many European leaders, who Kagan describes as “principled multilateralists” that are interested in multilateralism as a cornerstone of world order.[29]
[28] Ikenberry, John G. (2003), ‘Is American Multilateralism in Decline?’, Perspective on Politics, Vol. 1. http://www.princeton.edu/~gji3/Decline.pdf , Accessed 17th May, 2011.
[29] Kagan, Robert (2002), ‘Multilateralism, American Style’, The Washington Post, September 2002. http://www.newamericancentury.org/global-091302.htm , Accessed 17th May, 2011.
|
[
{
"docid": "874d3c52d8e757e82ee459952334ef71",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon It is true that the US sometimes resorts to unilateral action to advance its national security interests. However, its commitment to multilateralism is more than just instrumental and cynically selective. Even George W. Bush’s unilateralism—criticized as imperialist by even mainstream analysts—was restricted to certain issues, such as arms control, nonproliferation, and the use of force against certain threatening states. Unilateral military action was only used against Iraq, and even other “rogue” states (specifically Iran and North Korea) were dealt with through diplomatic and multilateral channels.[30] As John Ikenberry argues, the “foundational” multilateralism—as seen in the liberal, open international order the US built following World War II—is still a core part of US foreign policy.[31] Moreover, George Bush Sr.’s painstaking coalition building for the first Gulf War and more recently President Obama’s commitment to working through the UN Security Council for the intervention in Libya demonstrates America’s preference for consensus-based international action.\n\n[30] Robbins, Carla Anne (2007). “Bush Foreign Policy: Grand Vision and its Application” in Fortier, John C. and Ornstein, Norman J. (eds.), Second-Term Blues: How George W. Bush Has Governed, (Washington, D.C.: The Brookings Institution, 2007), pp. 89-108.\n\n[31] Ikenberry, John G. (2003), ‘Is American Multilateralism in Decline?’, Perspective on Politics, Vol. 1. http://www.princeton.edu/~gji3/Decline.pdf , Accessed 17th May, 2011.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "560c367cb316a5336d15b9612460de8d",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon US support for democracy has been at best hugely inconsistent, and at worst criminally apathetic. During the Cold War, the US overthrew various democratic governments (for example Iran and Guatemala in the 1950s) and supported dictatorial regimes. This has continued into the post-Cold War era, as the US support for the coup attempt against President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela in 2002 demonstrated. While the US professes support for democratic forces in the Arab world, it has also continued to give vital assistance to the strategically-important dictatorships of the Gulf, primarily Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, which have been responsible for grave human rights abuses in response to recent peaceful protests[14].The US also continues to support states such as Israel which violate international law, and also routinely flouts international law itself—as seen by wars such as Iraq, the treatment of terrorist suspects and breaches of the Geneva convention [15], the undermining of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the violation of countries’ sovereignty with ‘drone’ attacks. Clinical realpolitik, and not the pursuit of democracy and human rights, determines the use of US power.\n\n[14] Goodman, Amy (2011), ‘Barack Obama must speak out on Bahrain bloodshed’, The Guardian: Comment is Free, April 2011. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/apr/13/barack-obama-bahrain-bloodshed , Accessed 14th May 2011.The US is not a hegemon at all, but an imperialist power-an empire.\n\n[15] Chatham House, ‘Extraordinary Rendition: A summary of the Chatham House International Law Discussion’. http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/files/11390_il270308.pdf , Accessed 15th May 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b576c4e96fbdc6e1b73bb3e3ad7c11e5",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon This argument misleadingly presents the nature of US influence as essentially coercive. In fact, it is America’s “soft power”—or the ability to get what it wants through the attractiveness of its culture and political institutions—that has been instrumental in spreading American values.[25] People across the globe—from Singapore, South Korea, and Japan to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait—are fascinated by and have emulated what John Agnew terms America’s “Market-Place society,” defined by mass consumerism, the influx of American cultural products and the displacement of traditional social standards.[26] In this context, arguments of “cultural imperialism” exaggerate the level of control the US has over the process, as well as the extent to which conflicts arise.[27] The desirability of American culture and institutions in the eyes of many of the world’s people ensures that soft, and not hard, power has universalized American values.\n\n[25] Nye, Joseph (2004), “Soft Power and American Foreign Policy”, Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 119, No. 2 (2004), pp. 255-270.\n\nNye, Joseph (2004). Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics (New York: Basic Books, 2004)\n\n[26] Agnew, John (2005). Hegemony: The New Shape of Global Power (Philadelphia)\n\n[27] Sardar, Ziauddin and Merryl Wyn Davies (2003), Why Do People Hate America? (Cambridge: Icon Books Ltd.), p. 130.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5138bfe445cbc972679f9e412b9e64da",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon While the US does have a long history of intervening in various countries across the globe, this has mostly been in response to genuine threats to national security, international peace, and basic human rights in line with the UN Charter. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, a new global discourse has emerged where state sovereignty is no longer regarded as absolute in instances where states endanger international peace and commit human rights abuses.[22] Post-Cold War US interventions (Haiti, Somalia, Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya) have largely followed this discourse. Thus, rather than malignly intervening in other countries, the US has relatively benignly sought to apply pressure on violent and dictatorial regimes, with international law and the will of the international community being central to many of the actions taken. The carefully undertaken Libyan intervention demonstrates this.\n\n[22] Annan, Kofi (1999), ‘Two concepts of sovereignty’, The Economist, 18th September 1999. http://www.un.org/News/ossg/sg/stories/kaecon.html , Accessed 16th May, 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d5930147b8b6aa5510b8cc04ee21d291",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon It is a hyperbole to suggest that American-led globalization and the spread of free and open markets has been “imposed” on developing countries; globalisation has been a far more impersonal and voluntary process. Moreover, rather than being exploited, the spread of free trade and open markets has benefited developing countries; one only needs to see the success of China, and India after 1991 when it embraced neoliberal reforms to find evidence of this. More generally too, World Bank reports have suggested that poorer countries that are “more globalized” have grown faster than even developed countries, while those that are “less globalized” have seen their GDPs drop.[34] The purportedly “hub and spoke” system the US has employed has also benefited many countries, which have received security guarantees from America, and can often count on the US to help tackle regional threats and ensure stability. Middle Eastern states that cooperate with the US to tackle terrorism and a resurgent and nuclear Iran provide examples of this.\n\n[34] Meredith, Robyn and Suzanne Hoppough (2007), ‘Why Globalization is Good’, Forbes, March, 2007. http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2007/0416/064.html , Accessed 17th May, 2011.\n\nSchonwald, Josh (2002), ‘Johnson, economic development expert, discusses globalization and its benefits,’ The University of Chicago Chronicle, February 21, 2002, Vol. 21, No. 10. http://chronicle.uchicago.edu/020221/globalization.shtml , Accessed 17th May, 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "344200aa6f9d74812921de000df0549d",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The United States has far too often relied on the use of force and coercion. For much of the Cold War and thereafter, America covertly and openly helped overthrow and wage war on governments that it perceived to be hostile to its national interests. From Latin America to Southeast Asia and the Middle East, coercion and war has often been America’s primary foreign policy tool. Moreover, this continues to the present time. Not only has Iraq highlighted America’s propensity to use force, but even the more internationally backed “war on terror” has featured unilateralism and controversial military practices such as “drone attacks,” which many say are counterproductive and undermine the importance of a law-based rather than militaristic approach to tackling terrorism.[6] Even in nominally ‘multilateral’ bodies such as the WTO and the UN, the US has often gotten its way through bribes, backdoor deals and coercive measures.[7]\n\n[6] Howard, Michael (2002), ‘What’s in a name? How to Fight Terrorism’, Foreign Affairs, January/February 2002.\n\n[7] Wade, Robert (2004), ‘The Ringmaster of Doha’, New Left Review 25, January-February 2004.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7873c29542f2e5840c074f757355fd79",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon On closer inspection, it is evident that while many of these interventions espoused humanitarian principles, they were primarily designed to advance US strategic and geopolitical interests. Critics have been right to argue that the Iraq war was fought to gain strategic control of Middle Eastern oil and to dismantle the state-dominated economic structures of the region. No Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) were found in Iraq, and overthrowing a dictatorship could not have been a primary consideration, given America’s support for authoritarian regimes and dictatorships across the world (such as Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia). These contradictions can be seen in the recent Libya conflict, where the US suddenly endorsed regime change despite years of supporting Colonel Gaddafi. Other ‘humanitarian interventions’ have similarly been motivated in large part by self-interested strategic and geopolitical considerations.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "32241b8c209d924032ba4a2432ec62d5",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon Rather than promoting a progressive global agenda, the United States has often undermined effective cooperation and coordination between countries as a result of unilateralist and self-interested policies. Thus, it has often regarded the United Nations as an ineffectual rival to its national interests – leading the country to disasters such as the Iraq war and undemocratically vetoing internationally-backed initiatives in the UN Security Council, such as those critical of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. Rather than showing leadership, the US has also obstructed international efforts to tackle climate change, as seen by George W. Bush’s refusal to sign the Kyoto Protocol and President Obama’s signing of the deeply flawed Copenhagen Accord.[8]. Many instances have also shown America’s willingness to pursue its own commercial interests at the expense of vital international issues. One example of this was George W. Bush’s protectionism in protecting the “intellectual property rights” and the high price of drugs (including Anti-AIDS drugs) of US pharmaceuticals, which damaged the international fight against AIDS.\n\nFurthermore with regards to international terrorism, the UNSC worked through the Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) which had a minor US presence and was set up to tackle terrorism from the root causes rather than using military might.\n\n[8] On the Copenhagen Accord, see The Independent, ‘Obama’s climate accord fails the test’, 19 December, 2009. http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/obamas-climate-accord-fails-the-test-1845090.html , Accessed 13th May, 2011.\n\n[9] Mann, Michael (2003), Incoherent Empire, (London), pp. 58-59.\n\nMokhiber, Russell and Robert Weissman (2003), ‘The Two Faces of Bush in Africa’, Common Dreams, July 2003. http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0711-14.htm , Accessed 14th May 2011.\n\nUnited Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee. http://www.un.org/en/sc/ctc/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8dc8d9810196f588be421ce299eef54c",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon While the liberal order the US has constructed has benefited its allied economies in Western Europe and Japan, for much of the developing world the benefits have been few and far between. For example, many African and Asian nations have suffered tremendously from the spread of free market capitalism and the “structural adjustment programmes” imposed on them by the American-dominated International Monetary Fund (IMF). Rather than helping poorer nations, the West (led by America) has often practiced selective freed trade, whereby the markets of the developing world were opened up to foreign companies as the United States and its Western allies subsidized and provided unfair advantages to sectors of their own economies that were not as globally competitive, such as farming. This crippled the agricultural industries of many developing countries and made them dependent on importing food, directly contributing to many recent food crises. What is more, the US and its allies have manipulatively achieved this through nominally “multilateral” and “fair” institutions such as the IMF, the World Bank and the World Trade Organization (WTO).[3] Many countries have not received the benefits of this so-called “benign” open, liberal order.\n\n[3] Bello, Walden (2005). Dilemmas of Domination: The Unmaking of the American Empire, (London),\n\nStiglitz, Joseph E. (2002), Globalization and its Discontents (New York: W.W. Norton).\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1f4fe69a36c7cda2184ce556816c284c",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The US has established an unjust system of unequal relationships in order to exploit developing countries.\n\nWhile Western Europe and Japan may have been awarded a privileged position in the international order the US constructed following the end of World War II, developing countries were incorporated as “subordinate elements in the global capitalist system.”[32] The global South has in effect been controlled and exploited through nominally multilateral institutions such as the IMF, the World Bank and WTO, which are designed in a way that provides wealthy countries with de facto control. The United States has also set up a “hub and spoke” system to deal with subordinate states, which is built around bilateralism, client states, ‘special relationships’, and patronage-oriented foreign policy, which serves to translate America’s power advantage into concessions from other states.[33] When subordinate states have failed to comply, they have often faced US intervention—from Guatemala, to Iran, to Chile, to Iraq. Through this system of unequal relationships the US has gained access to markets for its corporations, and enjoyed geopolitical and political control of key strategic areas. Developing countries on the other hand have often faced economic stagnation, food crises, and various attacks on their sovereignty.\n\n[32] Bello, Walden (2005). Dilemmas of Domination: The Unmaking of the American Empire, (London), pp. 153.\n\n[33] For an elaboration of how a “hub and spokes” system works, see Ikenberry, John G. (2004), “Liberalism and empire: logics of order in the American unipolar age”, Review of International Studies, 30, pp. 609-630\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0598900be966bad94ad2ca650d78a113",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The US has used its power to undermine the sovereignty of other nations, often through coercion and violence.\n\nAs Samuel P. Huntington has written, the US suffers from “benign hegemon syndrome.”[19] Its self-perception as an exceptional, virtuous superpower is at odds with the violent history of its foreign policy. Since the end of World War II, it has sought to overthrow over forty governments, and to destroy numerous populist-nationalist movements.[20] Its interventions in other countries have substantially increased following the end of the Cold War and the absence of a rival power balancing against it; one study has shown a 60% increase with an average of two interventions per year.[21] In addition, the US often interferes in the internal affairs of other countries; including through perverting elections, applying sanctions to change behaviour or influence domestic politics, propping up opposition forces, and even trying to assassinate foreign leaders (for example, Fidel Castro and more recently, arguably, Colonel Gaddafi). Therefore, while it may see itself as a benign hegemon, many see America as a rogue superpower.\n\n[19] Huntington, Samuel P. (1999), ‘The Lonely Superpower’, Foreign Affairs, March/April 1999. http://raider.mountunion.edu/~grossmmo/PS%20270/articles/lonely%20superpower.pdf , Accessed 17th May, 2011.\n\n[20] Blum, William (2002). Rogue State: A Guide to the World’s Only Superpower (London).\n\n[21] In Sardar, Ziauddin and Merryl Wyn Davies (2003), Why Do People Hate America? (Cambridge: Icon Books Ltd.), pp. 67-68.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7799feab1ceb24e88988cd915badab68",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The US is not a hegemon at all, but an imperialist power-an empire.\n\nWhile the US may not have formal colonies like the empires of the past, it is still able to pursue imperialism through its massive military juggernaut and control of the world’s financial institutions. America possesses what Chalmers Johnson called an “empire of military bases,” which are located in dozens of countries across the world and provide the US with, as Jonathan Freedland puts it, ‘the same global muscle it would enjoy if it ruled those countries directly.’[16] This coupled with its entrenched military-industrial complex allows the US to contain rivals, maintain strategic control of resources (particularly oil), and to militarily intervene in countries that threaten its imperial “interests.” The US has also shaped and structured the international political economy in a way that has given it effective control of the global institutions which ensure it remains the pre-eminent power. This is not indicative of a ‘benign’ hegemon, but a modern Rome.[17]\n\n[16] Freedland, Jonathan (2002). “Rome, AD... Rome, DC?”, The Guardian, September 18, 2002. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/sep/18/usa.comment , Accessed 16th May, 2011.\n\n[17] Wade, Robert (2002), “The American Empire,” The Guardian, 5th January, 2002.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "35825d6ebc3d937e78f17216bc54f824",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The US has arrogantly (and dangerously) sought to reshape the world in its own image.\n\nA commitment to American ‘exceptionalism’ has led US policymakers to view the United States as the political and cultural centre of the world. Consequently, they expect others to follow their own standards on political, economic and cultural issues, with free and open markets, liberal democratic structures, and individualistic cultural norms serving as models for other countries to follow. This is not simply propaganda; the US has used considerable resources to influence other nations in this respect, including military interventions, coercive austerity measures through the IMF/World Bank/WTO, economic sanctions, and the categorization of certain countries as “rogue states” for not following American standards.[23] American corporations have also been responsible for a form of cultural imperialism by exporting consumerist and materialistic ways of life around the world, often threatening indigenous cultures. In some instances this has caused what Samuel P. Huntington calls a ‘clash of civilizations,’[24] leading other cultures to respond violently to the introduction of American cultural exports, as is the case in some conservative Muslim societies and in India, where a major political party (BJP) actively orchestrates opposition to Western ideals of sexual permissiveness and individualism.\n\n[23] Huntington, Samuel P. (1999), ‘The Lonely Superpower’, Foreign Affairs, March/April 1999. http://raider.mountunion.edu/~grossmmo/PS%20270/articles/lonely%20superpower.pdf , Accessed 17th May, 2011.\n\n[24] Huntington, Samuel P. (1993), ‘The Clash of Civilizations’, Foreign Affairs, September 1993. http://www.bintjbeil.com/articles/en/d_huntington.html , Accessed 17th May 2001.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0ea9954f4f2cb5709b4bf5a9f2a97d69",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The US had led the world through consent rather than coercion.\n\nAn important part of the liberal international order the US maintains is that power is diffused and is based on negotiation, strategic bargaining and the exercise of power through mutually-agreed rules and institutions. Globalization and the liberalization of the global economy has been actively supported by many nations in the world, some of whom—such as China, Japan, and Germany—have even used it to compete economically with the United States. Other states have also enjoyed significant decision-making powers in international institutions. For example, the World Trade Organization (WTO) decisions are made on the basis of a ‘one country, one vote’ system.[4] This consensus-based exercise of power has provided the US with a relatively large degree of legitimacy in world opinion, often outstripping the global approval ratings of other major powers.[5]\n\n[4] Ikenberry, G. John. “Illusions of Empire: Defining the New American Order”, Foreign Affairs, March/April (2004), 144-156\n\nMark Beeson & Richard Higgott (2005), “Hegemony , Institutionalism and US Foreign Policy : theory and practice in comparative historical perspective” Third Word Quarterly , Vol.26, No. 7.\n\n[5] Gallup, ‘Worldwide Appeal of U.S. Leadership Tops Major Powers’, March 24, 2011. http://www.gallup.com/poll/146771/worldwide-approval-leadership-tops-major-powers.aspx , Accessed 12th May 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7daf93bbf6db6b42cfc406b84632ca3a",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The US has provided global leadership in tackling important issues such as terrorism.\n\nAmerica’s hegemonic power has enabled it to provide global leadership on important international concerns. Because the US is affected by the same problems as many other countries in an increasingly inter-connected world (for example climate change, terrorism, epidemics, oil crises, economic recessions, the illegal drugs trade, and nuclear proliferation) it is in its interests to promote policies that are broadly globally beneficial. The US is able to utilize its considerable economic and diplomatic clout to convince its allies to back important multilateral international initiatives. One example of this was George W. Bush’s initiative on HIV/AIDS in the developing world. The United States has also used its power to unify the global effort against terrorism and provide collective security and considerable aid to various nations, as well as leading the international effort to prevent failed or weak states (such as Somalia and Yemen) falling into the hands of terrorists.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cb7d4d3a9c978ccf6892d08515f82dfd",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon The US used its power to establish a set of open global institutions which have been broadly beneficial.\n\nAs Robert Cox argues, American hegemony has been successful because the US has been able to maintain its dominance through a high level of global consensus by establishing a broadly accepted rules-based liberal international economic order, and has been able to shape other states’ preferences in a manner that has awarded sufficient benefits to these states while ensuring the dominance of the US.[1] This has been what John Ikenberry terms America’s “liberal grand strategy,”* which has enabled the US to construct a relatively benign and highly institutionalized multilateral system based on open markets, free trade, and the provision of ‘public goods’, such as collective security and an open international trading regime.[2] This has allowed other countries to prosper economically and also in terms of their security; the rebuilding and success of Japan and Germany provides important examples of this.\n\n[1] Cox, Robert. ‘Gramsci, Hegemony and International Relations, Millennium, Vol. 12, No. 2, 1983, pp. 162-175.,\n\nCox, Robert. “Social Forces, States and World Orders: Beyond International Relations Theory”, in R.O. Keohane (ed.) NeoRealism and its Critics, (New York: Columbia University Press, 1986)\n\nWhere the US has used military force, it has largely done it to uphold human rights and international peace, security and prosperity.[2] Ikenberry, John G. (2002), ‘America’s Imperial Ambition’, Foreign Affairs, September/October 2002.\n\n*liberal grand strategy is a terminology that describes the USA’s long term policy goal- to promote its system to other countries.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cf850ff072a74c0332893807de7cc8af",
"text": "americas global house believes united states benign hegemon Where the US has used military force, it has largely done it to uphold human rights and international peace, security and prosperity.\n\nExamining the use of American military power following the end of the Cold War shows us that the United States has pursued an agenda of tackling serious threats to international peace, security and prosperity—whether they emanate from rogue states and sponsors of terrorism, oppressive dictators, or war criminals. Humanitarian interventions in Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afghanistan and most recently Libya highlight the importance of these considerations to America’s military strategy, and the willingness of the US to put aside narrow geopolitical interests in order to pursue humanitarian goals, to the benefit of much of the world.[10] America’s military dominance and ‘command of the commons’ (sea, space and air) has also allowed it to provide global collective goods and to maintain an open international order, which is vital to international prosperity.[11]\n\n[10] Rieff, David (2003), “Liberal Imperialism”, in Andrew Bacevich (ed.), The Imperial Tense: Prospects and Problems of American Empire, (Chicago, 2003)\n\n[11] Posen, Barry R. “Command of the Commons: The Military Foundation of U.S. Hegemony”, International Security, Vol. 28, No. 1 (Summer 2003), pp. 5-46.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
922a6181517feaa752985b3c984bfe4b
|
The present system of earmarking in Congress is wide open to abuse. The party leaderships in each house can use the offer of pork, or the threat to withhold it to enforce party discipline. “Logrolling” occurs whereby an earmark is obtained in return for support on an unrelated piece of legislation. All this leads to legislators who put party above country and vote for bad legislation in pursuit of their own vested interest. They basically “are federal dollars that members of Congress dole out to favor seekers — often campaign donors. In the process, lawmakers advocate for the companies, helping them bypass the normal system of evaluation and competition.”1Forcing pork out in the open by making Congress vote to defend it after a Presidential line-item veto is the best way to remedy matters. Overall the President is more accountable to the people as a whole than individual representatives, and with their national mandate, more able to stand up to powerful interest groups.
1 David Heath and Hal Bernton, $4.5 million for a boat that nobody wanted, The Seattle Times, 15/10/07 , accessed 5/5/11
|
[
{
"docid": "04a597d25f198db93d40c74a92d4496b",
"text": "americas politics government house wants line item veto amendment There are other means by which cutting earmarks could be achieved, without the drastic step of mutilating the work of the Founding Fathers. For a start, Congress could just ban the use of earmarks, unfortunately an attempt in 2010 was defeated 39-56 in the Senate.1 Existing rescission powers could be toughened by requiring Congress to hold a prompt vote on Presidential requests for appropriations cuts, rather than ignoring them as invariably happens now. The Impoundment power removed in 1974 could be restored. The convention that spending items in committee reports should be binding on the executive could be challenged. And the practice of legislating massive omnibus spending bills could be ended; more, smaller and more focused bills would make pork more obvious and make it more viable for a President to veto a whole bill without causing the federal government to collapse for want of funding.\n\n1 Rushing , J. Taylor, 'Senate votes down ban on earmarks 39-56', The Hill, 30/11/10,accessed 5/5/11\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "52697c86b08c91ed5bec00024657c08b",
"text": "americas politics government house wants line item veto amendment This amendment would only give the President a limited power for a limited but worthwhile purpose. The media and interest group scrutiny that accompanies the Presidency will ensure that the White House will have to justify every line-item decision made. It does not affect the Congress's power regarding policy-making, entitlement programmes or taxation. Indeed, it is little different to the existing convention of executive \"Signing Statements\" whereby the President can sign legislation while making it clear his intention not to fully implement aspects of it. It would create a budgetary separation of powers between the president and congress so introducing checks and balances against the abuse of power.1\n\n1 Ferro, Lucas and De Magalhaes, Leandro M. 'Budgetary Separation of Powers in the American States and the Tax Level: A Regression Discontinuity Design', Bristol University, Oct 2009,accessed 5/5/11\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "11ea94d8b863cfba808f4732d52ef0d1",
"text": "americas politics government house wants line item veto amendment The use of the line-item veto power by President Clinton in 1997 demonstrates the advantages of such authority. Although the power was declared unconstitutional in 1998 by the Supreme Court, while he held it Clinton demonstrated what could be achieved. He acted cautiously, only cancelling 82 appropriations, but these totalled nearly $2 billion1– a useful contribution in itself to reducing the federal deficit, and one that suggested that much bigger savings could be achieved by a more determined President. The Congressional Budget Office agreed according to the Congressional Budget Office \"The 1997 cancellations had a relatively small impact on the budget's bottom line, but that outcome may have resulted in part from temporary factors, such as last year's balanced budget agreement.\"2 This period also demonstrated that Congress would still retain the power of the purse, as it was able to overrule one of Clinton’s deletions, on the Military Construction bill worth $287billion, by majority vote in both houses.3\n\n1 It is time for congress to kill the pig, Center for individual freedom, 11/11/04, accessed 6/5/11\n\n2 The line item veto act after one year’, Congressional Budget Office, April 1998, accessed 6/5/11\n\n3 Marc Lacey, ‘Senate Votes 1st Override of Clinton Line-Item Vetos, Los Angeles Times, 26/2/1998, accessed 6/5/11\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fe121916b3c9b839bf96070053e98713",
"text": "americas politics government house wants line item veto amendment We should always be cautious of altering the United States’ Constitution. Once an amendment is passed, it is extremely hard to overturn, even if its consequences are clearly negative (as the experience of constitutionally-mandated prohibition of alcohol should make clear). It would be both difficult and unnecessary. There are problems of wording and interpretation. The 1996 Act covered 22 pages and went into great detail to define the extent and limits of Presidential authority under the legislation, including the exact meanings of “single item of appropriation”, ''direct spending'' and ''limited tax benefit'', as well as the means by which Congress could override his decisions.1 It is hard to believe that a one-paragraph amendment to the Constitution could achieve such precision, opening the budgetary process up to confusion, shifting interpretation and constant legal challenge. It is also unnecessary. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia argues \"The short of the matter is this: Had the Line Item Veto Act authorized the president to 'decline to spend' any item of spending ... there is not the slightest doubt that authorization would have been constitutional… What the Line Item Veto Act does instead -- authorizing the president to 'cancel' an item of spending -- is technically different.\"2 Thus the act could simply have been worded differently in order to make it constitutional. This would not change the substance of the ability of the ‘veto’ to cut spending.\n\n1 One hundred fourth Congress of the United States of America at the second session, “Line Item Veto Act”, 3/1/1996, The Library of Congress, accessed 6/5/11\n\n2 Supreme Court Justice Scalia quoted in Michael Kirkland, ‘Under the U.S. Supreme Court: Like the South, will line item veto rise again?’, upi.com, 17/4/11 accessed 6/5/11\n\nimprove this\n\nCOUNTERPOINT\n\n\"I do not take these matters lightly in amending the Constitution. However, I am convinced in this case it is the only way to provide the President with the same authority that 44 Governors already have to influence spending.\"1It would in general be preferable to make such a change through normal legislation, but that was attempted in 1996 and found unconstitutional. Supreme Court Justice Stevens in his majority opinion for the Supreme Court argued that it was necessary for there to be an amendment to make it constitutional, \"If there is to be a new procedure in which the president will play a different role in determining the text of what may \"become a law\", such change must come not by legislation but through the amendment procedures set forth in Article V of the Constitution.\"2\n\n1 Item veto constitutional amendment hearing before the subcommittee on the constitution of the Committee on the Judiciary House of Representatives, 23/3/00, accessed 5/5/11\n\n2 Clinton, President of the United States, et al. v. City of New York et al. No.97-1374, United States Supreme Court, 1998,accessed 5/5/11\n\nimprove this\n\nAPPENDIX\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6d6c094a992bc34103c12fdbfe1c79af",
"text": "americas politics government house wants line item veto amendment The constitution should not be amended\n\nWe should always be cautious of altering the United States’ Constitution. Once an amendment is passed, it is extremely hard to overturn, even if its consequences are clearly negative (as the experience of constitutionally-mandated prohibition of alcohol should make clear). It would be both difficult and unnecessary. There are problems of wording and interpretation. The 1996 Act covered 22 pages and went into great detail to define the extent and limits of Presidential authority under the legislation, including the exact meanings of “single item of appropriation”, ''direct spending'' and ''limited tax benefit'', as well as the means by which Congress could override his decisions.1 It is hard to believe that a one-paragraph amendment to the Constitution could achieve such precision, opening the budgetary process up to confusion, shifting interpretation and constant legal challenge. It is also unnecessary. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia argues \"The short of the matter is this: Had the Line Item Veto Act authorized the president to 'decline to spend' any item of spending ... there is not the slightest doubt that authorization would have been constitutional… What the Line Item Veto Act does instead -- authorizing the president to 'cancel' an item of spending -- is technically different.\"2 Thus the act could simply have been worded differently in order to make it constitutional. This would not change the substance of the ability of the ‘veto’ to cut spending.\n\n1 One hundred fourth Congress of the United States of America at the second session, “Line Item Veto Act”, 3/1/1996, The Library of Congress, accessed 6/5/11\n\n2 Supreme Court Justice Scalia quoted in Michael Kirkland, ‘Under the U.S. Supreme Court: Like the South, will line item veto rise again?’, upi.com, 17/4/11 accessed 6/5/11\n\nimprove this\n\nCOUNTERPOINT\n\n\"I do not take these matters lightly in amending the Constitution. However, I am convinced in this case it is the only way to provide the President with the same authority that 44 Governors already have to influence spending.\"1It would in general be preferable to make such a change through normal legislation, but that was attempted in 1996 and found unconstitutional. Supreme Court Justice Stevens in his majority opinion for the Supreme Court argued that it was necessary for there to be an amendment to make it constitutional, \"If there is to be a new procedure in which the president will play a different role in determining the text of what may \"become a law\", such change must come not by legislation but through the amendment procedures set forth in Article V of the Constitution.\"2\n\n1 Item veto constitutional amendment hearing before the subcommittee on the constitution of the Committee on the Judiciary House of Representatives, 23/3/00, accessed 5/5/11\n\n2 Clinton, President of the United States, et al. v. City of New York et al. No.97-1374, United States Supreme Court, 1998,accessed 5/5/11\n\nimprove this\n\nAPPENDIX\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2bb151f98c61d207fbf6b5bb5f38b6cf",
"text": "americas politics government house wants line item veto amendment \n\nA President would be able to abuse the power given to them in a line-item veto authority, leveraging it into undue influence over other elements of the legislative process. By threatening to veto items dear to particular Congressmen, they could obtain assent to bills, treaties and appointments that otherwise would not be forthcoming. Such intimidation would be subtle and hard to prove, but it would erode checks on the executive and fundamentally alter the balance of power within the constitution. This means that budgets are politicised even more than is currently the case. When the line item veto was previously used by Clinton republicans such as Rick Santorum argued that every decision \"has political overtones, but that's fine, it comes with the territory,\" Senator Ted Stevens went further \"We're dealing with a raw abuse of political power by a president who doesn't have to run again\".1\n\n1 Hugliotta, Guy and Pianin, Eric, 'Line-Item Veto Tips Traditional Balance of Power', Washington Post, 24/10/97,accessed 5/5/11\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cc82748f9cf9d8a812b90d46154b3c40",
"text": "americas politics government house wants line item veto amendment Has made little difference in the past\n\nThe precedent of the Line Item Veto Act under President Clinton should warn against a constitutional amendment. The sums saved were laughably small, $355 million, in the context of the entire federal budget, $1.7 trillion, (0.02% of spending)1 but nonetheless provoked considerable friction between elected representatives and the White House. There was unhappiness that the large majority of his cuts were of earmarks requested by Republican members, and an allegation that the Administration had threatened a Congressman with the veto of an item dear to them unless they supported an unrelated piece of legislation.\n\n1Virginia A. McMurty, 'Enhancing the President's Authority to Eliminate Wasteful Spending and Reduce the Deficit', Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services and International Security Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Committee Hearing 15/3/2011, p.9\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5e24673ce2c43915ba4c5692695dc7dc",
"text": "It is, of course, a matter for Lord Leveson and his inquiry to make recommendations on what the final regulatory framework should be. However the idea that newspapers are already accountable in an appropriate manner simply doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. There is, if nothing else, compelling popular support [i] on such a scale that, apparently the readers of the newspapers in question are uncertain as to whether they are up to the job themselves.\n\nThere has also been an undercurrent in the press which amounts to “well people bought it so it’s their fault really”, which also doesn’t stand up to analysis. Readers of newspapers should surely be allowed to assume that the journalists who gather their news- and style themselves as professionals- act both legally and ethically. It is not the job of readers to double check the facts and activities behind a story.\n\n[i] BBC Website. “Poll suggests public want much tighter press controls”. 14 December 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "693828589cacd796ec94c2f196501a2f",
"text": "It is not cruel if it can be shown that this restriction is in the patient’s own interest. The status quo prevents patients from living out their last days on a stream of experimental drugs. We prevent drug companies from using them as risk-free testing (under your policy drug companies would presumably be able to shrug off any responsibility for adverse consequences by saying that it was the patient’s choice to try an experimental drug), and allow them instead to receive the appropriate support for someone at the end of their life, and come to terms with that.\n\nFurther, it is important to remember that drugs at this stage are not necessarily miracle cures! If someone is refused access to a trial this is normally to reduce the risk of adverse consequences: it is wrong to give someone an experimental drug that could negatively impact the quality of their final days.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6d6f03fc49603b6b26cc0ed1448b34c7",
"text": "In market sexual transactions, each party pursues the satisfaction of her/his desires. The service provider is typically pursuing her desire for income, while the client is typically pursuing his desire for sensual enjoyment and intimate companionship. As long as each party respects the terms of the exchange, they are treating each other as beings with ends of their own, and therefore morally.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cb3313c30309046dca4f1fd903e36ab8",
"text": "Harsh interrogation is not necessarily an effective tool for extracting valuable information.\n\nHarsh interrogation of captives has not been shown to be effective (White, 2007). Those who are prepared to die to advance their cause are unlikely to yield information, no matter how much they are threatened or tortured. Where captives do provide information, they often state simply what they think that the interrogators want to hear, rather than anything that is true (Mazzetti, 2007). In addition, given the cellular nature of many terrorist organisations, those captured often have very little useful information to begin with. Even if they have been involved in a plot, they may only have information about a very small part of that plot. Furthermore, winning the trust of prisoners can lead to more effective information than the use of torture.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8bbd4fda1df24fe424bf898d36ae2dea",
"text": "Celibate priests can never experience the intimate and complicated marital relationship. They lack credibility when conducting marriage and family counselling. Married priests can better serve their parishioners because of their marital and family experiences.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "17a23be42291acc35bb63c7c09a0cdcd",
"text": "Transparency\n\nThe prize is helping citizens to be aware of good governance, and bad, occurring within their state. By granting the prize citizens are shown what leaders have done right; and the publication of the index - the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) - shows where improvement may be required. The prize is forcing transparency between governments and society. Information on how states are doing means citizens can take action, and demand change where change is needed. The prize is calling for African citizens to get the leadership they deserved, desired, and have a right to.\n\nBy maintaining strict standards on when, and to whom, the reward is provided gives a realistic picture of governance in Africa. It showcases the continued need for good governance; and also doesn’t give citizens and the international community a false illusion that governance is good in Africa when it is not.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fe26b7cc6dceaede57dc56523a2b76fe",
"text": "Celebrities are in the unusual position of requiring constant media attention\n\nThe career path of celebrities is unusual in that it accretes over time on the basis of the performers standing in the public mind. Unlike other professions this does not lend itself to taking two years out of the limelight, especially years when fame is coming to its height.\n\nThe media is notoriously fickle and equally well-known for having a short memory. It generally struggles to stay interested in a celebrity if they’re out of the limelight for more than a few weeks. It is simply unfeasible that they would remain interested when someone has been out of the spotlight for over two years. In effect this means that for a Korean musician or actor their career will finish at the age of 29.\n\nIn other profession it is possible to build a career around national service and employers know that at some point any young man they employ will need to undertake their military service but celebrities simply aren’t employed in this way.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b90fc9e98d46def1db4ad62320694cbf",
"text": "This argument is based on drastically different goals than the one that would support the fence being raised. While some individuals may want to take in illegal immigrants and provide them with generous welfare benefits and call that \"comprehensive immigration reform\", that is not what the majority of Americans want. They want illegal immigrants kept out of the country, and that in and of itself is a solution from their perspective, so to say that a fence distracts from the goal is just a straw-man. In the sense that it helps keep people out, it is working just as intended.\n\nErecting the fence and taking other measures (such as investigating employers who hire illegal immigrants) are by no means mutually exclusive, and we can do both to ensure that American jobs are going to people who are in America legally.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a8d09bc2469550201d4e783d94d982a9",
"text": "It increased conflict and instability in Libya and its neighbours.\n\nThe toppling of Muammar Gaddafi has had unpleasant side effects. Gaddafi’s army involved a large number of mercenaries, many of them Tuaregs from northern Mali. When Gaddafi was overthrown they returned to their homeland without having given up their arms. These returnees helped spark a rebellion that deposed a democratically elected president under a coup and prompted yet another western intervention[1].\n\nIn Libya the situation never fully calmed down with the country left dealing with militia groups and terrorist attacks. The US ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens was killed, Prime minister Ali Zaidan was kidnapped and there are reports of ongoing insurgencies [2]. Previously Libyans may have lived under an eccentric dictator but at least they had order and stability.\n\n[1] Owen, Jones, ‘The war in Libya was seen as a success now here we are engaging in the blowback in Mali’, independent.co.uk, 13 Jan 2013\n\n[2] Chris, Stephen, ‘Assassination pushes Libya towards civil war, two years after Gaddafi’s death’, thegurdian.com, 19 October 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ccb1994d55c68d21bf16c1a0284232a9",
"text": "By being a court for the African continent by the African continent, there will not be room for allegations of imperialism and/or racism that already exist against the International Criminal Court.\n\nIn addition, the African states that are members of the International Criminal Court have chosen to do so – it is not a violation of state sovereignty for a state to voluntarily sign a treaty even if that treaty restricts the actions of future governments.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
5438abc712f0e349a03c5baa3742a0f6
|
A rise in UN membership should be reflected also in an increase in Security Council members.
In 1945 there were only 51 UN members, so eleven Council members were adequately representing all voices. Today the UN membership has risen to almost four times the number of the original one, yet there are only fifteen voices in the Council. This means that there are many countries who do not have anyone on the security council that has similar priorities to them, their views may well be unrepresented.
|
[
{
"docid": "20076186fd1ac5583150aaadc0606d8e",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council Non-permanent members are selected to represent voices of entire regions already. Increasing the size of the Council would only make it more unwieldy as it would be extremely difficult to negotiate in such an expanded forum. The nature of the Council's work requires swift action and expansion could negatively impact on its ability to provide quick solutions for world peace.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "20512e419cd85fdd0761316a88cb2492",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council Expansion is not the right way to increase transparency, as the number of informal consultations of smaller groups (such as permanent members or only industrialised permanent members) in order to try and push though resolutions would probably rise. Reforms to enhance transparency and improve working methods are already taking place – At a 19 July 2007 informal meeting of the Open-ended Working Group on the Question of Equitable Representation on an Increase in Membership of the Security Council, some suggested a more analytical report that would, among other things, provide rationales for the Council's major decisions. [1]\n\n[1] 'Efforts to Reform Council Working Methods 1993-2007', 18/10/2007, http://www.securitycouncilreport.org/site/c.glKWLeMTIsG/b.3506555/k.DA5E/Special_Research_ReportbrSecurity_Council_Transparency_Legitimacy_and_Effectivenessbr18_October_2007_No_3.htm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5ff162c37dcae26a4b6e78c6018cd78e",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council In any case, France and the UK are still amongst the world's foremost military powers, with the world's largest nuclear arsenals after the USA and Russia, and the world's highest military expenditure after the USA and China. By contrast, the EU has no significant military to speak of, and is thus unable to project power across the globe. Given the mission of the UNSC to maintain international peace and security, eligibility for a permanent seat should be based on military power, not just economic or demographic power.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "93cb77b47bb644c47d8744c6c8e43d4a",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council There is a lack of consensus among developing countries themselves on who should get permanent seats. Nigeria, Egypt and South Africa all claim their right to an African one. The most logical candidate for an Asian seat – India – is opposed by Muslim countries, who want a permanent seat for themselves – “Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesman has politely opposed the endorsement (India’s candidacy in the UNSC), saying it will complicate the process of expanding the UN Security Council and increasing the number of its permanent members. He has referred, as has been done on several past occasions, to India’s bad record on human rights, unsatisfactory relations with its neighbours etc.” [1] Spanish speaking neighbours oppose Brazil’s candidacy because it speaks Portuguese.\n\n[1] 'A permanent UN SC seat for India?', 9/11/2010 http://tribune.com.pk/story/74621/a-permanent-un-sc-seat-for-india/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "082494f95a63cea9a2021c35eb72d9b5",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council Giving Germany a permanent seat would hardly be a step forward in an endeavour for a more equitable distribution of seats in the Council. The UK and France hold a veto power over any amendments and aren’t willing to give up their seats, so adding Germany would mean that the EU would have three permanent seats in the Council. That wouldn’t be a fair geographical distribution and wouldn’t, for that matter, be a equitable distribution either.\n\nJapan in particular is not as deserving as has been suggested; although it is rich Japan has been struggling economically for a decade while other countries (including the UK and France) have continued to grow. The Japanese economy has been recently hit by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and Fukushima nuclear disaster “Before Japan's 2011 earthquake, its economy was just starting to emerge from its deepest recession since the 1970s(…)Japan's economy is still challenged by rising commodity prices -- the country imports most of its food and oil -- and a shrinking labor pool, as its population ages. Japan's worst challenge is a national debt that is twice as big as its annual economic output.” [1]\n\nCompared to other nations, both Germany and Japan are military insignificant. Germany spends only 1.27% of its GDP on military defence, in comparison to 2.32% for UK and France. [2] This is important as the Permanent 5's status currently reflects great power realities - they are the countries most able to project power abroad and so have the ability to implement (or block) UN security decisions.\n\n[1] Amadeo, Kimberly. 'Japan's Economy', 26/08/2011 http://useconomy.about.com/od/grossdomesticproduct/a/Japan_Recession.htm\n\n[2] 'Military of the European Union' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_the_European_Union\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a934c2db23e91b15d9e1c605d64588af",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council There should be no differentiation between old and new permanent members and the new ones should get the veto power in order to preserve the interests of the regions they represent. Veto power is not as problematic with potential permanent members as it is with the current ones, as all the candidates are known for their multilateral approach and cooperation, while the same cannot be said for the current ones.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cdf7cfa8da22a72e2ba78e9266541b22",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council The EU might function as an economic union, but its original goal was to prevent war from ever happening again on the European continent. Economic integration is a means to this goal, by making member states economically too dependent on each other for them to want to declare war on each other. Given this history, the EU can contribute a lot of knowledge and experience on how to use ‘soft power’ in a foreign policy context, and given its goal of (and success in) creating everlasting peace on the continent, it should have a seat at the world’s foremost foreign policy institution. Furthermore the EU is ever closer to a political union – “German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has said his country is willing to discuss greater harmonisation of eurozone tax policy, adding that the next decade is likely to see Europe take significant steps towards closer political union.” [1] Therefore it is simply a normal step for the EU to have a say in the international affairs.\n\n[1] Willis, Andrew. 'Germany predicts EU 'political union' in 10 years', 13/12/2010, http://euobserver.com/19/31485\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a85389eccae3f79b0e4cbf5f7a830ee1",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council By including more developing countries in the Security Council, more issues of their concern would get on the Security Council's agenda. As we all know the major issues in the status quo nowadays occur mainly in developing countries. For example the consequences from global warming are worse in the developing regions. There are also the rebels in the Arab countries. There are a lot of concerns and the developed countries should give the developing ones the opportunity to participate in the process of their discussion and solution.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a280c98e3fc25d9058aadf0fee6e0fed",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council It is widely recognised that the current Security Council set-up lacks legitimacy and requires reform. Major states such as Japan, and rising powers such as Brazil, South Africa and India deserve recognition and giving them permanent status would provide representation for a much broader cross-section of humanity. It maybe hard to achieve consensus on what exactly to be the change in the UNSC, but the new international environment requests that. This is supported by a lot of leading politicians and leaders in a global aspect. \"The United States is open to UN Security Council reform and expansion, as one element of an overall agenda for UN reform\" 1\"The UN must rationally adapt itself to new world realities. It should also strengthen its influence and preserve its multinational nature and integrity of the UN Charter provisions. The reform of the UN Security Council is an essential component of its revitalization.\" 1 (Dmitry Medvedev)\n\n1 \"The reform of the United Nations Security Council: What role for the European Union?\" Bureau of Public Affairs (USA) , June 20, 2005,\n\n2 Address to the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly 23/09/2009,\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d6f32c8c9fc05ba5adefc4400c1ada3c",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council The Security council needs to be more democratic.\n\nAt the moment many countries are not heard in the council and some states may never gain a chance of being elected to the Security Council. This leaves billions of the world's population without representation in the world's highest body. How can India with over a sixth of the world's population be left out? Security Council expansion would make the UN much more democratic as there would be more participants representing more of the people of the world present in closed meetings and informal consultations. Expansion would increase the transparency and therefore the accountability of the Council – something that even countries sometimes considered to be against democracy believe is necessary “he (Seyed Mohammad Ali Mottaghi Nejad) said Iran believed that the links between the issues comprised the “basic objective” of a comprehensive reform towards a Council that was more democratic, inclusive, equitably representative, transparent, effective and accountable. “ [1]\n\n[1] 'Concluding Annual Debate on Security Council Reform, General Assembly', 12/11/2010, http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/ga11023.doc.htm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c54dd334a8a702d6f04768a4c34b5dd1",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council The EU is one of the world's largest trade blocs, has the world's largest GDP, and represents almost half a billion people.\n\nThe EU is one of the world’s largest trade blocs, has the world’s largest GDP, and represents almost half a billion people. A permanent seat for the EU would reflect those new power dimensions. The permanent seats for France and the UK are based on the fact that they were among the great powers and victors of World War II. However, the global balance of powers has shifted significantly since then: France and the UK have declined and at the same time, the EU has emerged as a major player in the international arena.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "60563fb4bef6b02ff427e660ef9ed22e",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council The current Security Council doesn't reflect the economic reality of the 21st century.\n\nThe current Security Council doesn’t reflect the economic reality of the 21st century. France and Great Britain have clearly lost their position among the most powerful nations and their role was long ago taken over by Germany and Japan. They are the 3rd and 4thworld economies. Furthermore these two countries are the second and third largest contributors to the UN budget and deserve a permanent seat in the Council. Moreover, as permanent members pay an extra share for their seat, Japan and Germany’s contributions would bring considerable amounts to the UN budget – “The three largest contributors to the United Nations, the US (22.000% of the UN budget), Japan (12.530%) and Germany (8.018%) thus together finance some 43% of the entire UN budget.” [1] Meanwhile Brazil and India have emerged as major economies and stable democracies over the past decade, and deserve recognition for their global importance.\n\n[1] Contributions to the United Nations budget http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Aussenpolitik/Friedenspolitik/VereinteNationen/StrukturVN/Finanzen/Uebersicht.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "585f957584a62e92b30d39a229dec80e",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council There is a growing imbalance between developing and developed countries representation in the Council.\n\nThere is a growing imbalance between developing and developed countries representation in the Council. Four out of five permanent members are industrialized and four out of five are “European”. The four-fifths of humankind that live in developing countries have only one spokesman among the permanent five. Giving Africa, Asia and Latin America a permanent seat is a step forward in North-South balance – “Currently, four out of five veto-bearing members are industrialized countries and the fifth, China, is rapidly approaching industrialized status. Many in the rest of the world seethe at their exclusion from this elite group. Africa, Latin America, and the Islamic world, for example, have no permanent voice on the council. Without a voice, it is understandable why many countries are unwilling to send troops or aid whenever the Security Council demands it. This imbalance, highlighted by the Iraq war, has made Security Council reform a hot topic of debate.” [1]\n\n[1] ) Teng, Michael. 'United Nations Security Council Reform Autumn 2003' http://www.stanford.edu/class/e297a/United%20Nations%20Security%20Council%20Reform.doc\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dba7f8a439d3b7d64de92066ce15f13f",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council A UNSC reform is very hard to achieve due to the many different interests and demands.\n\nReforming the UN Security Council is very difficult as no one can agree which new powers deserve representation, whether they should have a veto, and even whether permanent membership should continue to exist in any form. Japan and India seem obvious candidates for permanent status, but their candidacies are fiercely opposed by a variety of other Asian countries, while Nigeria and Egypt both feel they have a good claim to an \"African\" seat. The EU also considers it deserves a separate place. Furthermore Brazil as a very fast developing country and turning into a world power claims it also has a right in the UNSC as a permanent member. All these different demands opinions make an eventual reform or expansion of the UNSC very hard to achieve.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b59db69d7646ef53499f4314192e946c",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council In regards to an eventual separate place on the UNSC for the European Union – the EU might be an economic powerhouse and might want to coordinate foreign relations in regards to external economic policy, but at heart it is intended to be an economic union\n\nIn regards to an eventual separate place on the UNSC for the European Union – the EU might be an economic powerhouse and might want to coordinate foreign relations in regards to external economic policy, but at heart it is intended to be an economic union, not a political union. Most of its founding treaties and the daily workings of its institutions focus on creating and maintaining a single market, not on creating a shared foreign and military policy. Giving the EU representation at what is an institution for foreign and military policy is misreading what the EU was intended to be.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2f20a823906fd0334e2af8d789f81178",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council By giving five more countries veto power, the Council could come to a stalemate.\n\nThis could mean that the council ends up deadlocked more often than not as was the case during the Cold war when the two blocs almost always opposed each other. Up until 1991 (from the UN founding in 1946) there were only 700 security council resolutions due to the deadlocked nature of the council. In the 20 years since there have been over 1300 resolutions.1 The negotiation process would also be significantly longer. As a result the peace and security of the world could be endangered by this step.\n\n1 Wikipedia, United Nations Security Council resolution,\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dfc2b6d74f2d0c0b5bcc008319d8eb3f",
"text": "global house would expand united nations security council The bulk of operations approved by the Security Council are financed by industrialised nations.\n\nAs the bulk of operations approved by the Security Council are financed by industrialised nations, both because they are the main contributors to the budget1 and because the Security Council members pay more towards peacekeeping2 they should have the main role in deciding on action. Developing countries already have a voice in the Council but should not have a veto power over decisions that they do not finance. Developed countries would not agree to pay for something they are not happy with. In the contemporary world economy and business are fundamental and they are the ones who drive the world.\n\n1 Contributions to the United Nations budget\n\n2 United Nations, 'Financing Peacekeeping',\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
116d46f4c2e792472d334adc22f99849
|
Radical action needed for racial equality in South Africa
It is plain for all to see how unrepresentative rugby union in South Africa is. While there is not necessarily a deliberate policy of racism, it is very easy for biases to creep in. Across the division where the quotas will come in only about 6% of players are black, a number that should increase to 33%. [1] Quotas could help concentrate the mind to ensure that the best team is picked.
At grass roots level, there have been some cases of flat-out racial abuse of non-white players, including using racial terms that are particularly offensive in a South African context.
[1] Peacock, James, ‘Peter de Villiers says racial quotas are ‘waste of time’, BBC Sport, 15 August 2013, http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/23713530
|
[
{
"docid": "7b3e47f8495ae5d12f8d36a511f6b090",
"text": "africa sport team sports house supports racial quotas south african rugby Even if action is needed to create racial equality, are quotas the solution? There is no doubt that rugby is a sport where South Africa could be stronger if it was popular in all racial groups, but they are a blunt instrument: the way to pick the best team is to simply pick the best team. Racial equality comes when no one is picked as a result of race whether that is through negative or positive discrimination.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "94b6f40e2ced72c35034a1230bf49b2c",
"text": "africa sport team sports house supports racial quotas south african rugby Changing the demographics on the field will not be likely to change the demographics in the stands. Economic equality is still an issue – which means the change that is needed are changes in matters such as ticket prices, in order to bring in a broader base of spectators.\n\nThe way to broaden the talent pool is through policies to make it larger, not to distribute positions within it. In other words, what’s needed is resources, and a commitment to take the game in to communities where it is not so popular currently – the best players will rise to the top no matter their ethnicity.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "50ffb02ec311a19160a784add9da2d3f",
"text": "africa sport team sports house supports racial quotas south african rugby 2006 was a while ago, at a time when quotas were in force. Even so, popular support does not mean that something is a good idea. Sport should be distanced from the popular will. Most rugby fans are white, a group that had in the survey only 14% of people in favour of a quotas. Among the people that might be considered the electorate of the sport, the fans, quotas are not wanted\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6505145b1c8c7d71c7c5f4b0718a58dc",
"text": "africa sport team sports house supports racial quotas south african rugby In a society where race affects everything, can there ever be such a thing as a legitimate meritocracy? Not everyone will get the same opportunities in life. You cannot pretend factors are not there when they are. Positive discrimination such as racial quotas helps to counter act some of these factors that are weighed heavily against non-whites in playing rugby helping to create a much truer meritocracy.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "39f75a89631035ce32d054a1d08d5554",
"text": "africa sport team sports house supports racial quotas south african rugby Even if it doesn’t increase the numbers at the grass roots and youth levels, it will create more players who can be selected by the provinces for Currie Cup competition. This, in turn, could give more non-white players the development and the experience they need to make it in to the national team.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "80a4642fa297d249b14bd1609132329d",
"text": "africa sport team sports house supports racial quotas south african rugby Kevin Pietersen isn’t anything too unusual: English sporting teams have always had a number of South African and New Zealand rejects. It is natural for players to move to where they think they will be most likely to have the best prospects.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "55c2002104e13011105f45469365f82f",
"text": "africa sport team sports house supports racial quotas south african rugby The IRB did not take action against the previous system of quotas: why would they be likely to take action against a new system?\n\nAlso, there is a clear difference between the sort of racial discrimination that occurred in the sport during the apartheid era, and affirmative action policies. Positive discrimination does not prevent anyone from having a chance at playing; it simply gives those who are less fortunate a leg up.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3ba619f308ab400aee8e658dc69d017c",
"text": "africa sport team sports house supports racial quotas south african rugby Broadening participation\n\nThe talent pool in South African rugby is not as racially diverse as one would expect from the “Rainbow Nation” – some commentators have argued that England and France produce more top level black players than South Africa [1] . This is because top level players are a result of development from the grassroots up.\n\nTargets or quotas could not only improve the talent pool of today, but could broaden it for the future. A new generation of youth across all races in South Africa would be able to see that rugby union is a sport that accepts people from their backgrounds, making them more likely to participate in rugby union, either as players, coaches, referees or as a general part of the rugby fraternity.\n\n[1] Blackwell, James, ‘South African Rugby Quotas – Right or Wrong?’, Sporting Mad, 16 September 2013, http://www.sportingmad.com.au/south-african-rugby-quotas-right-wrong/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e8ace491b5cbc8d7a53d3a2182ba4f67",
"text": "africa sport team sports house supports racial quotas south african rugby Most South Africans support quotas\n\nIn 2006, the South African Social Attitudes Survey revealed that most South Africans (56%) support a quota system [1] . This support remained roughly the same over a four year period. Sport should reflect the will of the population of the country, if the population wants quotas then there should be quotas. There is particularly strong support from quotas among black people (63%) implying they feel that something needs to be done in order to let them into the sport. Doing nothing will simply ensure the status quo with very few non-white rugby players remains indefinitely.\n\n[1] Struwig, Jare, and Roberts, Ben, ‘The numbers game Public support for sports quotas’, South African Social Attitudes Survey, p.13, http://www.hsrc.ac.za/uploads/pageContent/1607/The%20Numbers%20Game.pdf\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ccf2b802ec217e9f432fdc7edf18cb43",
"text": "africa sport team sports house supports racial quotas south african rugby IRB rules\n\nRacial quotas are a breach of the views of the world governing body of Rugby Union, the International Rugby Board [1] . If this were found to be the case then it would have a large negative impact on South African rugby.\n\nAn IRB intervention would lead to at least interference by the governing body, which would be highly embarrassing for the SARU (as well as difficult for a sport which has had major political rows before), or even worse, some form of sanction or expulsion – things that could lead to long term instability in the sport, which should be avoided.\n\n[1] SARugbymag.co.za, ‘Saru quotas ‘breach IRP rules’’, 3 December 2013, http://www.sarugbymag.co.za/blog/details/saru-quotas-breach-irb-rules\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9eaa28481d63c8adc21b2de37300cbf7",
"text": "africa sport team sports house supports racial quotas south african rugby Racial quotas don’t develop new players\n\nThe quota system could lead to moving players from the regional teams who generally have less non-white players pilfering them from other unions, rather “Home growing” them [1] .\n\nFormer Springboks coach Peter de Villiers, the first non-white person in that role, has described quotas as a “waste of time [2] ”.\n\nDepending on the exact phraseology of the rules, this could even allow black players from outside South Africa (from, for example, England) to be used to fill the quota.\n\n[1] McGregor, Liz, ‘New Year, new model for SA Rugby? Here’s hoping’, Books Live, 30 December 2013, http://lizmcgregor.bookslive.co.za/blog/2013/12/30/new-year-new-model-for-sa-rugby-heres-hoping/\n\n[2] Peacock, James, ‘Peter de Villiers says racial quotas are ‘waste of time’, BBC Sport, 15 August 2013, http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/23713530\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "db8d9051c71f9b8c4b1c45593292a079",
"text": "africa sport team sports house supports racial quotas south african rugby Meritocracy\n\nIt is a value of sport in general that it should be outside the sphere of social ills like racial, religious and political tensions. Sport should be based on merit only; those who play best get onto the team.\n\nRacial quotas will lead to any non-white player in a team in a competition where quotas are being employed to being under a suspicion that they are not good enough and were only selected due to their race. As Peter de Villiers, the first black coach of the Springboks, says “Everybody will believe that these players will be picked because people are looking out for them.” [1] The result could be more racial abuse of players, not less.\n\n[1] Peacock, James, ‘Peter de Villiers says racial quotas are ‘waste of time’, BBC Sport, 15 August 2013, http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/23713530\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dfef86db3ceb6e1b88a51f39fe69e893",
"text": "africa sport team sports house supports racial quotas south african rugby Quotas can drive players away.\n\nPolicies of racial quotas can have the effect of driving players abroad. Such policies have had similar affects in cricket. Kevin Pietersen stated that racial quotas in domestic competition, requiring four non-white players per team, were a key reason for his decision to leave South Africa and move to England. Eligible due to playing in England for four years and an English parent, he successfully had an England career. In rugby union, Brian Mujati left South Africa to play in England as he did not want to be selected to fill a racial quota [1] .\n\n[1] Foy, Chris, ‘Last orders at the bar for master brewer – prop Mujati calls time on Saints career’, MailOnline, 19 April 2013, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-2311854/Brian-Mujati-play-game-Northampton-Saints-weekend.html\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
736f5ee62b8e6fb7ad383c69fa0432ee
|
US unilateral intervention is a form of the Western imperialism that has caused so much of the strife that exists in the modern world.
Western domination is not the answer to political conflict; it is the cause of many predicaments that result in the violation of human rights in countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East today. Former CIA analyst Michael Scheuer, who led the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, wrote in his 2005 book, Imperial Hubris, that “[Bin Laden] could not have his current- and increasing- level of success if Muslims did not believe their faith, brethren, resources, and lands to be under attack by the United States and, more generally, the West. Indeed, the United States, and its policies and actions, are Bin Laden’s only indispensable allies.” [1] The United States’ unwavering support for Israel and its dubious grounds for invading Iraq are further source of anger in the Arab world. [2] The US justifies its military dominance by arguing that terrorist groups pose a serious threat to American society, and then this military dominance increases support for such terrorist groups. America cannot act as the world police because such a system will never lead to peace.
[1] Scheuer, iii.
[2] Ibid.
|
[
{
"docid": "03b20081604ef2d688b870138ace2d2d",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power There are currently no viable alternatives to US military dominance. All would simply lead to more strife; dominance by another, probably less peaceful power, no dominance at all leading to anarchy or a balance of power, which usually leads to war as in the 18th Century. All of these options would create considerably more conflict than there is at the moment.(See Opposition argument)\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "e738e16c8734f35aa15ec36564241baa",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Opposition acknowledges that the US government’s obligation to act in its own nation’s best interest reflects a flaw in the US’s international role. However, this flaw is outweighed by the benefits of US protection. First, other countries can use soft power to prevent the US from abusing its military power. In 2010, US exports exceeded $1.8 trillion and imports exceeded $2.3 trillion; international trade accounted for 14% of US GDP. [1] The US is vulnerable to economic sanctions. Furthermore, the US enjoys the position it holds in international relations; were it to lose respect and bargaining power in the international community, Americans would strongly question the wisdom of government decisions. Furthermore, Americans are strongly attached to an ideal of American morality. This ideal places a check on the nation’s willingness to engage in foreign combat without any moral justification. Thus there are checks in place to keep the US from acting only in self-interest.\n\n[1] William Baumol and Alan Blinder, Macroeconomics: Principles and Policy 12th Edition, (Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning), 2011, 23.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "935f93fd0d265d447ea7b70f04e9b70e",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Pro’s perspective is backwards; as long as other nations do not move towards providing viable alternatives to US military dominance, the US cannot afford to reduce its own defenses. The US should not have to provide an incentive for other nations to improve their defense systems; their own self-preservation should be a sufficient incentive. In June 2011, then-US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates warned that European NATO members’ reluctance to fund their share of NATO operations could be negative impacts for the alliance’s future. The New York Times related Gates’ words; “[Gates] warned of a ‘dim if not dismal future’ for the alliance unless its European members increased their participation, and he said that Washington would not forever pay for European security when the Europeans could do that for themselves.” [1] The US may be able to alter its role to be less unilateral, but it cannot do so until after other military entities improve their defense systems.\n\n[1] Erlanger.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d61378a3a7d64fe03601e0eb44b15977",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Pro only identifies US military failures; there are also many occasions of US military success. The Opposition case details examples of military success in Panama, Kuwait, and Bosnia. The recent success of Libyan rebel attempts to overthrow Gaddafi is partially attributable to US military assistance. [1] Furthermore, US military strategy is constantly changing and adapting. The rules of international engagement change relatively quickly; when the rise of the Soviet threat rendered isolationism impossible, the US adapted its foreign policy to a bipolar world in which mutually assured destruction was an effective means of preventing direct conflict. The fall of the USSR created a multi-polar world in which MAD became a more complex and less reliable strategy. Today, the US is adjusting to the increasing threat of Islamic terrorism. These constant changes render perfect implementation of military force impossible- this impossibility is not unique to the US. But with constant reevaluation and assistance from the international community, the US can be a reasonably effective peacekeeper.\n\n[1] Steven Erlanger, “Panetta Urges Europe to Spend More on NATO or Risk a Hollowed-Out Alliance,” New York Times, October 5, 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7565f07cbbf85fe46336b9fa745996a6",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power All conflicts are a threat to the entire international community.\n\nAs is discussed in the Opposition’s arguments, conflicts have the ability to spill over into other regions and to destabilize governments. Such conflicts endanger the international community because they increase the risk of irrational/non-state actors attaining weapons of mass destruction. This is problematic because irrational actors do not necessarily have a sense of self-preservation, and thus cannot be deterred by threats of mass retaliation. Thus if such an actor attains nuclear weapons, there is little that can stop them from using such weapons. Non-state actors are problematic because governments do not know with whom they are negotiating or where/how to find them. Thus the US is justified in intervening in such conflicts as a means of self-preservation.\n\nThe Pro’s argument is based on a theory of sovereignty that is already violated in most of the conflicts in which the US interferes.\n\nThe Pro’s argument is based on the notion that the proper agent to act on behalf of a group of people is a legitimate government that has earned the right to sovereignty. The Opposition does not dispute this theory. However, many of the conflicts in which the US intervenes involve abusive governments or invading nations that violate human rights on massive scales. The people that the US seeks to protect often do not have a legitimate government to represent their interests. US protection may not be the ideal means of protecting global human rights, but it is better than not protecting them at all.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5be4c03992c876d69c4032301233502f",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The variety of checks upon the US military may prevent it from total global domination, but these checks are not sufficient to make the US a genuinely altruistic actor. The US justifies intervention on the grounds of promoting democracy, but selectively intervenes. The US has supported non-democratic regimes in Chile and Iran, [1] and Guatemala, and has relatively close relations with Saudi Arabia. The US rarely criticizes the Israeli government for expanding settlements, while at the same time providing support to rebel forces in Libya. The Pro does not contend that the US is a completely amoral actor. However, ideologically inconsistent foreign policy demonstrates that the US is willing to prioritize its own interests over the rights of other nations’ citizens. Thus the US is not an appropriate entity to protect global human rights or international stability.\n\n[1] James Risen, “Secrets of History: the C.I.A. in Iran,” New York Times, 2000.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f26a49f86a62593d5d924321799a8c32",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power US unilateral intervention is a form of the Western imperialism that has caused so much of the strife that exists in the modern world. There are alternatives –while some may contend they will be worse we do not know that this is the case. The United States would remain dominant but it would not need to use its military power in the overbearing way that it does now but rather in a much more constructive way that relies on diplomacy rather than military force. (See proposition argument)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ed578090eb956de31e82f50784432f5f",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power Brute force is not sufficient to maintain global security. Just as one cannot simply strike a stone repeatedly and expect to replicate Michelangelo’s David, one cannot simply produce more tanks and train more soldiers and expect to resolve the complex problems that create modern global threats. The US has failed to establish a stable and safe environment in Iraq and Afghanistan despite almost 10 years of occupation. The Pro’s arguments point to failed or misguided intervention in Vietnam, Chile, Somalia, Lebanon, Grenada, Libya, and Haiti. These examples demonstrate that the US is not receiving much benefit from the vast resources it puts into its military. The US is only one country, and thus does not have the capability to view global conflicts from an international perspective. The world would be better served by greater investment in international military entities, such as NATO or UN peacekeepers. An international response to global conflict has greater perceived legitimacy than a unilateral response by one nation; perceived legitimacy reduces backlash from groups that feel victimized. Thus US military intervention is not a very effective means of attaining sustainable peace.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "092d5fcb0e3a9b91bfdc3b90ced52800",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Opposition correctly identifies the threat, which is nuclear war. However, hegemonic US military power is not the solution to this threat. The first nuclear arms race began during the Cold War; because neither the US nor the USSR wanted the other to have the upper hand in nuclear capacity, each produced enough weapons to destroy the entire world. In the 1970s, Pakistan developed nuclear weapons; Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto argued that “the Christians have the bomb, the Jews have the bomb, the Hindus have the bomb, why not Islam?” [1] As the US continues to increase its military strength, other nations that are not sure they can rely on the US as an ally feel compelled to increase their strength in response. This leads to a perpetual armaments race. Armaments races are a waste of resources that would be better spent on civil services, and create widespread paranoia that the other country may attack at any time. Furthermore, continuously increasing military capacity is not an effective way of combating non-state actors. Terrorist groups operate underground; because they are difficult to detect, they are most effectively addressed through community engagement with government security. Thus excessive military development puts the US and other nations at risk without effectively addressing security threats.\n\n[1] Sijo Joseph Ponnatt, “The Normative Approach to Nuclear Proliferation,” International Journal on World Peace, March 1, 2006. [ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-152972617.html]\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7edfc413be4bed5f7aa9fd0846023a9f",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The US government’s obligation to its own people is mutually exclusive to acting on behalf of the international community.\n\nA government derives its sovereignty from a social contract with its citizens. Citizens surrender some of their freedoms in exchange for government protection; if a government does not serve its people’s best interests, it is not legitimate. Thus in any situation where the interests of the American public are not aligned with those of the global population, the US military cannot serve the international community without failing to meet its obligation to its own citizenry. Because the American public has the ability to oust a leader that does not promote their interests, the military is much more likely to choose the option of serving American interests. This may not be unreasonable behavior, but it is indicative of the need for other entities- either other nations or international organizations- to have comparable military power to that of the United States.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "195e9e5c9b57c83469710e625057353c",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power As long as the United States works unilaterally to quell violent conflict, progress is not being made towards a better, internationally coordinated system.\n\nThe United States spends approximately $700 trillion annually on its military; China, the world’s second largest military spender, spends $114 trillion. [1] The US outpaces other possible peacekeepers by such a large gap that these other powers have little incentive to even try to keep up. Unilateral US intervention undermines international actors such as UN troops because it communicates the US’s refusal to submit to the interests of the international community. Thus US military intervention becomes a “quick fix” which prevents genuine long-term stability\n\n[1] “SIPRI Military Expenditure Database,” Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4c0d505ca26f04f60724af431b733eb9",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power Failure after failure has made it clear that the US military is not an effective actor for maintaining international stability.\n\nThe US military makes problems worse just as often as it makes them better. The US intervened in Vietnam on the grounds of protecting the free world from communism; over 58,000 American soldiers and approximately 2 million Vietnamese civilians were killed while the US failed to subdue the Vietcong. The United States provided covert support to Augusto Pinochet after his military coup d’etat over Chile’s democratically elected government under Salvadore Allende because the US feared Allende, a socialist, would promote communism. [1] , [2] Today, Pinochet is remembered as a bloody dictator that ruled through terror for 17 years. US intervention in Somalia in 1992-94 resulted in little more than the loss of American lives. [3] The US experienced similarly negatively results during its intervention in Beirut (1982-84), Grenada (1983), Libya (1986), and Haiti (1994). [4] More recently, the US has occupied Iraq and Afghanistan for nearly ten years without brining long-term stability to the region. The United States military needs to step down from its self-assumed role as world police officer because it is not effective and its failed attempts lead to huge civilian casualties.\n\n[1] Reel and Smith.\n\n[2] “Covert Action in Chile,” U.S. Department of State, December 19, 1975.\n\n[3] Richard W. Stewart, “The United States Army in Somalia: 1992-1994,” U.S. Army Center of Military History.\n\n[4] “A Chronology of U.S. Military Interventions: From Vietnam to the Balkans,” PBS Frontline\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "98b1f786cc58b347e924077f92172f06",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The United States is not an appropriate agent for monitoring international security because it is only representative of one nation.\n\nThe U.S. is an independent nation, not an international entity. Thus 96% of the world population has no voice in its’ government’s decisions. [1] The US government has authority over its own citizens, and it is justified in engaging in war if its citizens are under direct threat. However, citizens of other nations have no means of expressing their opinion in the US government. If the US government abuses its power, these people have no reliable legal means of recourse. Consequently, the US government has no authority to intervene in their affairs.\n\n[1] “Country Comparison: Population,” The World Fact Book, Central Intelligence Agency.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d55efbb90124437d89807bd9029c4a6e",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The United States is entitled to take measures to protect its citizens.\n\nIn a nuclear world, it is impossible to dismiss another nation’s instability as “their problem.” If a government with nuclear weapons collapses, irrational actors (such as ideological terrorist groups) may attain control of such weapons. Nuclear war has the potential to destroy all of humanity- even in the case of a limited conflict. Alexis Madrigal of Wired Science explains, “Imagine that the long-simmering conflict between India and Pakistan broke out into a war in which each side deployed 50 nuclear weapons against the other country’s megacities […] Beyond the local human tragedy of such a situation, a new study looking at the atmospheric chemistry of regional nuclear war finds that the hot smoke from burning cities would tear holes in the ozone layer of the Earth. The increased UV radiation resulting from the ozone loss could more than double DNA damage, and increase cancer rates across North America and Eurasia.” [1] Thus it is impossible for the US to turn a blind eye to conflicts and instability in other regions. Furthermore, the stakes of nuclear fallout are so high that very few chances can be taken. Even if the chance of a conflict ending in nuclear war is very small, the damages that would occur are so great that even small chances cannot be taken. Thus the US military is justified in intervening in international conflicts because such intervention can be decisively linked to the welfare of its citizens.\n\n[1] Madrigal.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "70b127b3adaa95d4f05b3311ea9de005",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power There are currently no viable alternatives to US military dominance.\n\nThe 2011 Libyan revolution demonstrates the world’s dependence on US military support. Although NATO unanimously agreed to intervene in the revolution, less than half participated, and even fewer actually conducted airstrikes. In August 2011, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told the Wall Street Journal “The fact is that Europe couldn’t have done this on its own […] the lack of defense investment will make it increasingly difficult for Europe to take on responsibility for international crisis management beyond Europe’s borders.” [1] Other prosperous nations criticize the US on the grounds that it needs to share military power, but these nations are not actually willing to increase their own involvement in order to share responsibility. The second largest military in the world belongs to China; because China is an emerging power, the international community cannot be sure how they will wield this power. Until US allies increase their military participation so that there are viable alternatives to US military involvement, the US cannot safely step down from its active military role.\n\n[1] Filer and MacDonald.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fe5b4d5a85a90f98ca1bd068a502e4e3",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The United States has several qualities that allow it to act honorably on behalf of the international community.\n\nIt is essential that there is some agent in the international community that is able to step into situations that threaten global security, such as a collapsed government in a state with nuclear capacity. The US is an appropriate agent because its internal checks prevent it from abusing its military capacity. First, the US government contains a system of checks and balances that prevent an individual corrupt leader from going to war. Second, the US is a democracy; few civilians are eager to send their sons off to die in unnecessary wars. Thus political leaders must fear repercussions for engaging in excessive conflict. Third, the US is a relatively open economy; it is not unimpressionable to external influence. The Opposition does not contend that everything the US military does is perfect. However, the myriad of checks listed above ensures that excessive use of US military force will not go unchallenged, either domestically or internationally.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "46b1bfcf04d887b0950731d772214a4a",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The United States has greater military capacity than any other entity in the world.\n\nThe US accounts for 43% of global expenditures on military. [1] The US has greater capacity to prevent global security threats than any other entity. Furthermore, the US has used limited military intervention successfully in the recent past. In 1989, the US sent 27,000 troops to Panama to protect the lives of 35,000 Americans in Panama and to protect Panama’s own citizens. The invasion led to the removal of the dictatorial leader Manuel Noriega and the implementation of an elected government. [2] In the Persian Gulf War of 1990-91, the US successfully forced Iraqi troops to retreat from Kuwait. [3] In 1995 the US used limited military tactics to protect civilians in Sarajevo from Bosnian Serb forces, leading to a peace agreement between the warring parties. [4] The Opposition does not contend that every US military intervention is or will be successful, or that military intervention is all that is necessary in addressing conflicts. The Opposition also promotes constant reevaluation of military tactics so that past tragedies are not repeated. But despite its drawbacks, US military intervention has the potential to be a source of stability and protection in the modern world from nuclear threats, terrorist attacks, and other large-scale violations of human rights.\n\n[1] “SIPRI Military Expenditure Database,” Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 2011.\n\n[2] “A Chronology of U.S. Military Interventions: From Vietnam to the Balkans,” PBS Frontline.\n\n[3] Ibid.\n\n[4] Ibid.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
cafc02e8a42f638fecec2fc2786fcff0
|
The United States is entitled to take measures to protect its citizens.
In a nuclear world, it is impossible to dismiss another nation’s instability as “their problem.” If a government with nuclear weapons collapses, irrational actors (such as ideological terrorist groups) may attain control of such weapons. Nuclear war has the potential to destroy all of humanity- even in the case of a limited conflict. Alexis Madrigal of Wired Science explains, “Imagine that the long-simmering conflict between India and Pakistan broke out into a war in which each side deployed 50 nuclear weapons against the other country’s megacities […] Beyond the local human tragedy of such a situation, a new study looking at the atmospheric chemistry of regional nuclear war finds that the hot smoke from burning cities would tear holes in the ozone layer of the Earth. The increased UV radiation resulting from the ozone loss could more than double DNA damage, and increase cancer rates across North America and Eurasia.” [1] Thus it is impossible for the US to turn a blind eye to conflicts and instability in other regions. Furthermore, the stakes of nuclear fallout are so high that very few chances can be taken. Even if the chance of a conflict ending in nuclear war is very small, the damages that would occur are so great that even small chances cannot be taken. Thus the US military is justified in intervening in international conflicts because such intervention can be decisively linked to the welfare of its citizens.
[1] Madrigal.
|
[
{
"docid": "092d5fcb0e3a9b91bfdc3b90ced52800",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Opposition correctly identifies the threat, which is nuclear war. However, hegemonic US military power is not the solution to this threat. The first nuclear arms race began during the Cold War; because neither the US nor the USSR wanted the other to have the upper hand in nuclear capacity, each produced enough weapons to destroy the entire world. In the 1970s, Pakistan developed nuclear weapons; Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto argued that “the Christians have the bomb, the Jews have the bomb, the Hindus have the bomb, why not Islam?” [1] As the US continues to increase its military strength, other nations that are not sure they can rely on the US as an ally feel compelled to increase their strength in response. This leads to a perpetual armaments race. Armaments races are a waste of resources that would be better spent on civil services, and create widespread paranoia that the other country may attack at any time. Furthermore, continuously increasing military capacity is not an effective way of combating non-state actors. Terrorist groups operate underground; because they are difficult to detect, they are most effectively addressed through community engagement with government security. Thus excessive military development puts the US and other nations at risk without effectively addressing security threats.\n\n[1] Sijo Joseph Ponnatt, “The Normative Approach to Nuclear Proliferation,” International Journal on World Peace, March 1, 2006. [ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-152972617.html]\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "5be4c03992c876d69c4032301233502f",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The variety of checks upon the US military may prevent it from total global domination, but these checks are not sufficient to make the US a genuinely altruistic actor. The US justifies intervention on the grounds of promoting democracy, but selectively intervenes. The US has supported non-democratic regimes in Chile and Iran, [1] and Guatemala, and has relatively close relations with Saudi Arabia. The US rarely criticizes the Israeli government for expanding settlements, while at the same time providing support to rebel forces in Libya. The Pro does not contend that the US is a completely amoral actor. However, ideologically inconsistent foreign policy demonstrates that the US is willing to prioritize its own interests over the rights of other nations’ citizens. Thus the US is not an appropriate entity to protect global human rights or international stability.\n\n[1] James Risen, “Secrets of History: the C.I.A. in Iran,” New York Times, 2000.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f26a49f86a62593d5d924321799a8c32",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power US unilateral intervention is a form of the Western imperialism that has caused so much of the strife that exists in the modern world. There are alternatives –while some may contend they will be worse we do not know that this is the case. The United States would remain dominant but it would not need to use its military power in the overbearing way that it does now but rather in a much more constructive way that relies on diplomacy rather than military force. (See proposition argument)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ed578090eb956de31e82f50784432f5f",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power Brute force is not sufficient to maintain global security. Just as one cannot simply strike a stone repeatedly and expect to replicate Michelangelo’s David, one cannot simply produce more tanks and train more soldiers and expect to resolve the complex problems that create modern global threats. The US has failed to establish a stable and safe environment in Iraq and Afghanistan despite almost 10 years of occupation. The Pro’s arguments point to failed or misguided intervention in Vietnam, Chile, Somalia, Lebanon, Grenada, Libya, and Haiti. These examples demonstrate that the US is not receiving much benefit from the vast resources it puts into its military. The US is only one country, and thus does not have the capability to view global conflicts from an international perspective. The world would be better served by greater investment in international military entities, such as NATO or UN peacekeepers. An international response to global conflict has greater perceived legitimacy than a unilateral response by one nation; perceived legitimacy reduces backlash from groups that feel victimized. Thus US military intervention is not a very effective means of attaining sustainable peace.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e738e16c8734f35aa15ec36564241baa",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Opposition acknowledges that the US government’s obligation to act in its own nation’s best interest reflects a flaw in the US’s international role. However, this flaw is outweighed by the benefits of US protection. First, other countries can use soft power to prevent the US from abusing its military power. In 2010, US exports exceeded $1.8 trillion and imports exceeded $2.3 trillion; international trade accounted for 14% of US GDP. [1] The US is vulnerable to economic sanctions. Furthermore, the US enjoys the position it holds in international relations; were it to lose respect and bargaining power in the international community, Americans would strongly question the wisdom of government decisions. Furthermore, Americans are strongly attached to an ideal of American morality. This ideal places a check on the nation’s willingness to engage in foreign combat without any moral justification. Thus there are checks in place to keep the US from acting only in self-interest.\n\n[1] William Baumol and Alan Blinder, Macroeconomics: Principles and Policy 12th Edition, (Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning), 2011, 23.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "935f93fd0d265d447ea7b70f04e9b70e",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Pro’s perspective is backwards; as long as other nations do not move towards providing viable alternatives to US military dominance, the US cannot afford to reduce its own defenses. The US should not have to provide an incentive for other nations to improve their defense systems; their own self-preservation should be a sufficient incentive. In June 2011, then-US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates warned that European NATO members’ reluctance to fund their share of NATO operations could be negative impacts for the alliance’s future. The New York Times related Gates’ words; “[Gates] warned of a ‘dim if not dismal future’ for the alliance unless its European members increased their participation, and he said that Washington would not forever pay for European security when the Europeans could do that for themselves.” [1] The US may be able to alter its role to be less unilateral, but it cannot do so until after other military entities improve their defense systems.\n\n[1] Erlanger.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "03b20081604ef2d688b870138ace2d2d",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power There are currently no viable alternatives to US military dominance. All would simply lead to more strife; dominance by another, probably less peaceful power, no dominance at all leading to anarchy or a balance of power, which usually leads to war as in the 18th Century. All of these options would create considerably more conflict than there is at the moment.(See Opposition argument)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d61378a3a7d64fe03601e0eb44b15977",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The Pro only identifies US military failures; there are also many occasions of US military success. The Opposition case details examples of military success in Panama, Kuwait, and Bosnia. The recent success of Libyan rebel attempts to overthrow Gaddafi is partially attributable to US military assistance. [1] Furthermore, US military strategy is constantly changing and adapting. The rules of international engagement change relatively quickly; when the rise of the Soviet threat rendered isolationism impossible, the US adapted its foreign policy to a bipolar world in which mutually assured destruction was an effective means of preventing direct conflict. The fall of the USSR created a multi-polar world in which MAD became a more complex and less reliable strategy. Today, the US is adjusting to the increasing threat of Islamic terrorism. These constant changes render perfect implementation of military force impossible- this impossibility is not unique to the US. But with constant reevaluation and assistance from the international community, the US can be a reasonably effective peacekeeper.\n\n[1] Steven Erlanger, “Panetta Urges Europe to Spend More on NATO or Risk a Hollowed-Out Alliance,” New York Times, October 5, 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7565f07cbbf85fe46336b9fa745996a6",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power All conflicts are a threat to the entire international community.\n\nAs is discussed in the Opposition’s arguments, conflicts have the ability to spill over into other regions and to destabilize governments. Such conflicts endanger the international community because they increase the risk of irrational/non-state actors attaining weapons of mass destruction. This is problematic because irrational actors do not necessarily have a sense of self-preservation, and thus cannot be deterred by threats of mass retaliation. Thus if such an actor attains nuclear weapons, there is little that can stop them from using such weapons. Non-state actors are problematic because governments do not know with whom they are negotiating or where/how to find them. Thus the US is justified in intervening in such conflicts as a means of self-preservation.\n\nThe Pro’s argument is based on a theory of sovereignty that is already violated in most of the conflicts in which the US interferes.\n\nThe Pro’s argument is based on the notion that the proper agent to act on behalf of a group of people is a legitimate government that has earned the right to sovereignty. The Opposition does not dispute this theory. However, many of the conflicts in which the US intervenes involve abusive governments or invading nations that violate human rights on massive scales. The people that the US seeks to protect often do not have a legitimate government to represent their interests. US protection may not be the ideal means of protecting global human rights, but it is better than not protecting them at all.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "70b127b3adaa95d4f05b3311ea9de005",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power There are currently no viable alternatives to US military dominance.\n\nThe 2011 Libyan revolution demonstrates the world’s dependence on US military support. Although NATO unanimously agreed to intervene in the revolution, less than half participated, and even fewer actually conducted airstrikes. In August 2011, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told the Wall Street Journal “The fact is that Europe couldn’t have done this on its own […] the lack of defense investment will make it increasingly difficult for Europe to take on responsibility for international crisis management beyond Europe’s borders.” [1] Other prosperous nations criticize the US on the grounds that it needs to share military power, but these nations are not actually willing to increase their own involvement in order to share responsibility. The second largest military in the world belongs to China; because China is an emerging power, the international community cannot be sure how they will wield this power. Until US allies increase their military participation so that there are viable alternatives to US military involvement, the US cannot safely step down from its active military role.\n\n[1] Filer and MacDonald.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fe5b4d5a85a90f98ca1bd068a502e4e3",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The United States has several qualities that allow it to act honorably on behalf of the international community.\n\nIt is essential that there is some agent in the international community that is able to step into situations that threaten global security, such as a collapsed government in a state with nuclear capacity. The US is an appropriate agent because its internal checks prevent it from abusing its military capacity. First, the US government contains a system of checks and balances that prevent an individual corrupt leader from going to war. Second, the US is a democracy; few civilians are eager to send their sons off to die in unnecessary wars. Thus political leaders must fear repercussions for engaging in excessive conflict. Third, the US is a relatively open economy; it is not unimpressionable to external influence. The Opposition does not contend that everything the US military does is perfect. However, the myriad of checks listed above ensures that excessive use of US military force will not go unchallenged, either domestically or internationally.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "46b1bfcf04d887b0950731d772214a4a",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The United States has greater military capacity than any other entity in the world.\n\nThe US accounts for 43% of global expenditures on military. [1] The US has greater capacity to prevent global security threats than any other entity. Furthermore, the US has used limited military intervention successfully in the recent past. In 1989, the US sent 27,000 troops to Panama to protect the lives of 35,000 Americans in Panama and to protect Panama’s own citizens. The invasion led to the removal of the dictatorial leader Manuel Noriega and the implementation of an elected government. [2] In the Persian Gulf War of 1990-91, the US successfully forced Iraqi troops to retreat from Kuwait. [3] In 1995 the US used limited military tactics to protect civilians in Sarajevo from Bosnian Serb forces, leading to a peace agreement between the warring parties. [4] The Opposition does not contend that every US military intervention is or will be successful, or that military intervention is all that is necessary in addressing conflicts. The Opposition also promotes constant reevaluation of military tactics so that past tragedies are not repeated. But despite its drawbacks, US military intervention has the potential to be a source of stability and protection in the modern world from nuclear threats, terrorist attacks, and other large-scale violations of human rights.\n\n[1] “SIPRI Military Expenditure Database,” Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 2011.\n\n[2] “A Chronology of U.S. Military Interventions: From Vietnam to the Balkans,” PBS Frontline.\n\n[3] Ibid.\n\n[4] Ibid.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7edfc413be4bed5f7aa9fd0846023a9f",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The US government’s obligation to its own people is mutually exclusive to acting on behalf of the international community.\n\nA government derives its sovereignty from a social contract with its citizens. Citizens surrender some of their freedoms in exchange for government protection; if a government does not serve its people’s best interests, it is not legitimate. Thus in any situation where the interests of the American public are not aligned with those of the global population, the US military cannot serve the international community without failing to meet its obligation to its own citizenry. Because the American public has the ability to oust a leader that does not promote their interests, the military is much more likely to choose the option of serving American interests. This may not be unreasonable behavior, but it is indicative of the need for other entities- either other nations or international organizations- to have comparable military power to that of the United States.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "195e9e5c9b57c83469710e625057353c",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power As long as the United States works unilaterally to quell violent conflict, progress is not being made towards a better, internationally coordinated system.\n\nThe United States spends approximately $700 trillion annually on its military; China, the world’s second largest military spender, spends $114 trillion. [1] The US outpaces other possible peacekeepers by such a large gap that these other powers have little incentive to even try to keep up. Unilateral US intervention undermines international actors such as UN troops because it communicates the US’s refusal to submit to the interests of the international community. Thus US military intervention becomes a “quick fix” which prevents genuine long-term stability\n\n[1] “SIPRI Military Expenditure Database,” Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4c0d505ca26f04f60724af431b733eb9",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power Failure after failure has made it clear that the US military is not an effective actor for maintaining international stability.\n\nThe US military makes problems worse just as often as it makes them better. The US intervened in Vietnam on the grounds of protecting the free world from communism; over 58,000 American soldiers and approximately 2 million Vietnamese civilians were killed while the US failed to subdue the Vietcong. The United States provided covert support to Augusto Pinochet after his military coup d’etat over Chile’s democratically elected government under Salvadore Allende because the US feared Allende, a socialist, would promote communism. [1] , [2] Today, Pinochet is remembered as a bloody dictator that ruled through terror for 17 years. US intervention in Somalia in 1992-94 resulted in little more than the loss of American lives. [3] The US experienced similarly negatively results during its intervention in Beirut (1982-84), Grenada (1983), Libya (1986), and Haiti (1994). [4] More recently, the US has occupied Iraq and Afghanistan for nearly ten years without brining long-term stability to the region. The United States military needs to step down from its self-assumed role as world police officer because it is not effective and its failed attempts lead to huge civilian casualties.\n\n[1] Reel and Smith.\n\n[2] “Covert Action in Chile,” U.S. Department of State, December 19, 1975.\n\n[3] Richard W. Stewart, “The United States Army in Somalia: 1992-1994,” U.S. Army Center of Military History.\n\n[4] “A Chronology of U.S. Military Interventions: From Vietnam to the Balkans,” PBS Frontline\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "98b1f786cc58b347e924077f92172f06",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power The United States is not an appropriate agent for monitoring international security because it is only representative of one nation.\n\nThe U.S. is an independent nation, not an international entity. Thus 96% of the world population has no voice in its’ government’s decisions. [1] The US government has authority over its own citizens, and it is justified in engaging in war if its citizens are under direct threat. However, citizens of other nations have no means of expressing their opinion in the US government. If the US government abuses its power, these people have no reliable legal means of recourse. Consequently, the US government has no authority to intervene in their affairs.\n\n[1] “Country Comparison: Population,” The World Fact Book, Central Intelligence Agency.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3076f041c2154193b8b86f0fd73d8b97",
"text": "americas global politics warpeace house opposes us hegemonic military power US unilateral intervention is a form of the Western imperialism that has caused so much of the strife that exists in the modern world.\n\nWestern domination is not the answer to political conflict; it is the cause of many predicaments that result in the violation of human rights in countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East today. Former CIA analyst Michael Scheuer, who led the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, wrote in his 2005 book, Imperial Hubris, that “[Bin Laden] could not have his current- and increasing- level of success if Muslims did not believe their faith, brethren, resources, and lands to be under attack by the United States and, more generally, the West. Indeed, the United States, and its policies and actions, are Bin Laden’s only indispensable allies.” [1] The United States’ unwavering support for Israel and its dubious grounds for invading Iraq are further source of anger in the Arab world. [2] The US justifies its military dominance by arguing that terrorist groups pose a serious threat to American society, and then this military dominance increases support for such terrorist groups. America cannot act as the world police because such a system will never lead to peace.\n\n[1] Scheuer, iii.\n\n[2] Ibid.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
e009ebefacb93ac950e21a8682b31954
|
Giving up the rebate would mean better relations with the Europe Union
It is worth giving up the rebate to remove a constant source of tension and ill-feeling between Britain and its European partners. Until the rebate is abandoned, Britain will never be at the heart of Europe. This limits our ability to promote our other interests in Europe, as every argument always ends up back at the rebate, and weakens our moral authority. Denmark for example is similarly Euro sceptic but is fiercely opposed to the UK rebate and aims to scrap it during Denmark’s next EU Presidency in 2012. [1] Because preserving the rebate has always been the Prime Minister’s priority, every other British goal has been given up instead. This led to bad deals for Britain over the ERM, at Maastricht, and in 2002 when Tony Blair accepted a Franco-German agreement to leave the CAP unreformed until 2013. This is because Britain is inevitably on its own in any possible change to the rebate whereas on almost any other issue Britain has allies. So when Britain’s opponents can link the rebate to an issue Britain may be able to keep the rebate but will in other respects be on the losing side. [2]
[1] Jensen, Arne Nis, ‘The UK rebate – or rethinking the EU budget?’, 2011, p.27
[2] Rennie, David, and Helm, Toby, ‘Blair is all alone in Britain’s EU rebate row’, 2005
|
[
{
"docid": "b62cec7f34ff3fd2057b4a9c2387230b",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate Britain does not want to be at the heart of Europe - it wants to be in the EU, but not run by the EU. Even if the rebate went, the UK would remain outside any EU “core group” of countries, as it has chosen not to join the Schengen agreement on passport free movement, and to stay outside the Euro. Both these decisions have very wide political and popular support in the UK, and neither will be changed even if the rebate was weakly given away. So tensions will continue between Britain and its European partners, but at least by defending the rebate they will know that the UK is prepared to stand up for its interests and respect it.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "310fea9154c4fa91b48498071d139d16",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate Britain should not feel sorry for the new EU members and give up its rebate out of pity for them. They chose to enter the EU and accepted the terms of membership - including the rebate arrangements. Indeed, it could be argued that membership was not necessarily good for the former communist states - having escaped one bureaucratic and ideological superstate, they have now chosen to be ruled by another, exchanging Moscow for Brussels. EU membership will impose thousands of unnecessary regulations upon them and tie them to a “European social model” which is clearly failing in the western states - both these things could hold back their economic growth and leave them poorer than they could have been outside the EU. Even the development aid they will receive will largely be wasted because it has to be spent in ways Brussels demands rather than in locally productive investment.\n\nAnd if Britain did wish to be nice to the new member states, it could do so without giving up the principle of the rebate. Tony Blair agreed to alter the rebate in December 2005. Britain would not seek rebate payments linked to new member states agricultural and regional aid spending, but should keep the rebate in terms of spending of the original 15 EU countries who agreed .\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "df84b778f08b935b7576ece9e7f1892f",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate Britain can be on good terms with the East European states without dropping the rebate. Tony Blair in his deal on the rebate in 2005 gave a good deal to the new members of the EU which gave much more in structural funds to these members and at the same time reduced the British rebate. [1]\n\n[1] White, Michael, and Watt, Nicholas, ‘Blair clinches deal with offer of big rebate cut’, 2005\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8dab95816cdb84ac5c31f1700e13106d",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate It might be worth giving up the British rebate for serious CAP reform, but it is unnecessary. If the CAP were abolished, Britain’s net payments to the EU would automatically be much smaller anyway, so the rebate (66% of the difference between the UK’s contributions to the EU and its receipts from it) would also shrink away to insignificance. CAP reform is worth doing for its own sake, and other EU countries will only agree to it once they realise that fact - offering up the rebate will make no difference. In any case, even if the rebate was a useful bargaining chip to be cashed in, there is no chance of individual countries such as France (or Eire, Spain, Greece, Italy, Belgium, etc.) agreeing to changing the CAP at present and any one country could prevent it, so Britain should hold on to the rebate card.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "59cc83297841b553802bd70d97f6e374",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate While the UK is the only country to have so far received a rebate the Commission pointed out that the Fontainbleu agreement was based on the principle that ‘….any Member State sustaining a budgetary burden which is excessive in relation to its relative prosperity may benefit from a correction at the appropriate time.’ [1] This could clearly apply to many other countries apart from Britain, Germany and other countries could therefore ask for a rebate if they wish. While there is no other compensation mechanism like the rebate there are lump sum payments to the Netherlands and Sweden [2] while Netherlands, Sweden, Germany and Austria all have reduced rates of the European portion of VAT, [3] and the same states also pay less towards the rebate. [4]\n\n[1] Patterson, Ben, ‘The UK rebate issue’, p.2 (link downloads pdf)\n\n[2] Europa, ‘Where does the money come from?’, 2010\n\n[3] Notenboom, Harry, ‘Structure and composition of the European Union own resources System’, 2009, p.17\n\n[4] Ibid, p.15\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9a9118cbff5cc0b83dc5627ff389f142",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate With the expansion of the European Union it is no longer justified that Britain should not be paying more towards the European Union, and in particular the much poorer Eastern European states which have joined. Britain cannot expect to get as much back from the European Union as it puts in. Britain should accept being one of the biggest contributors and in return would get a bigger influence one the EU, rather than being constantly frozen out of decisions by France and Germany.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c7aecd355002f9fd66ce56d373e5c3f8",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate There may be bigger problems but the rebate is symptomatic of many of them. The reason for many of Europe’s problems is the determination for member states to take from the EU but not give and to haggle over everything rather than working together. The rebate is a prime example of one state believing that it deserves a small amount of money more than others and as such should be scrapped in order to help show that both big and small problems can be tackled through one state being willing to give up something important to it in return for others doing the same on other issues.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8b5fd8a22be4f32ff0f347f1932e8514",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate When the rebate was agreed over twenty years ago, Britain was poor after decades of decline. In fact it was the third poorest state in the then European Economic Community (after Ireland and Greece) [1] , so the size of its net contribution to the budget was clearly unfair. Now the UK is one of the EU member countries and the rebate is no longer justifiable in the way it was originally justified. The sums involved are small compared to the overall UK budget - much less than the margin of error in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s tax and spending plans, in 2003 for example Gordon Brown had to borrow £10 billion more than expected. [2] It is partly (perhaps largely) because of Margaret Thatcher’s achievements in power that the UK is so strong economically, so agreeing that the rebate is no longer necessary is a tribute to her legacy, not a betrayal.\n\n[1] OECD, ‘1984, Gross domestic product: Per head, US $, constant prices, constant PPPs, OECD base year’, 2011\n\n[2] Schifferes, Steve, ‘Chancellor to squeeze wages’, 2003\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "901c874faeb5abd2d8494323c8c3c18f",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate The rebate is bad for Britain and the EU as it leads to a complacency in the UK about the way the EU is run. Knowing that two-thirds of Britain’s net contribution will be returned anyway, British politicians and civil servants have not had to be serious about tackling waste and corruption at Brussels. Giving the rebate up would focus British minds much more clearly upon how the EU operates and would lead them to demand higher standards, both of the Commission and of their own elected representatives in the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7ada26a87cfba199529583453847ef23",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate New member states are much poorer than the UK\n\nBritain should give up the rebate in solidarity with the new member states. Most of the ten recent entrants to the EU are still struggling to overcome the legacy of communist rule and are much poorer than the previous 15 member states. In 2009 Bulgaria and Romania had less than half the average EU GDP per capita whereas the UK was about 120% EU average. [1] As one of the richest EU members, Britain has a moral responsibility to contribute its share of the money needed to allow the new member states to make a success of EU membership. It also has a self-interest in contributing to their economic development, for as they become richer their citizens will increasingly buy the services and media exports in which Britain specialises. Indeed, because the rebate is paid for by all member states the new member states will be contributing payments towards Britain’s rebate - clearly something which Britain cannot attempt to defend given the disparity in wealth.\n\n[1] Eurostat, ‘European economic statistics’, 2010, p.31\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8ba72c25ba4106ddd23d1148d3e9c352",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate Enlargement could mean a new start\n\nBritain should not alienate its natural allies among the new member states by insisting on the rebate. Like Britain, the new member states are largely economically liberal, anti-federalist regarding the future of the EU, and are pro-American in terms of foreign policy. As a result Britain is much more likely to be able to work with Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary on these issues. [1] They also recognise that Britain promoted the cause of their membership throughout the 1990s and appreciate its willingness to grant immediate free movement to their citizens who wish to work in Britain. In all these ways they are closer to Britain than to France or Germany, the two big states who have traditionally dominated EU decision-making. Enlargement presents Britain with a great opportunity to influence the future direction of Europe in partnership with these new states, but this opportunity will be lost if British insists on the rebate regardless of Central and Eastern European opinion.\n\n[1] Number 10, ‘Transcript of press conference given by the Prime Minister David Cameron at the EU Summit in Brussels on 17 December 2010’, 2010\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0935a8ff6cd94e63924134514bde207b",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate The rebate should go in exchange for CAP reform\n\nIt is worth giving the rebate up in exchange for serious reform of the EU budget, particularly of the Common Agricultural Policy which spends 40% of the EU’s budget [1] on 3% of its population. [2] The CAP not only wastes taxpayers’ money, it also raises the cost of food for European consumers, ruins the environment and prevents poor farmers in the developing world from trading their way out of poverty. Even in its own terms it is a disaster, for most CAP money goes to a small number of rich landowners running huge agribusiness estates, not to small-scale peasant farmers preserving the traditional rural way of life. If offering to give up the British rebate helps to get agreement on reform, then it is a sacrifice well worth making. Britain on the other hand favors using CAP more to protect the environment rather than encourage food production. [3]\n\n[1] Europa, ‘Budget 2011 in figures’, 2011\n\n[2] Eurobarometer, ‘Europeans, Agriculture and the Common Agricultural Policy’, 2007, p.9\n\n[3] Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, ‘The Common Agricultural Policy after 2013’, 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1428d006e454420fbff3a54352707f26",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate The Rebate is not justified\n\nThe British rebate is an undeserved anomaly - no other country has a similar arrangement to pay back part of its contribution to the EU budget. Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden all make a bigger net contribution to the EU than Britain does (in proportion to the size of their populations), [1] yet they do get special treatment. Britain knew how the EU operated when it chose to join more than thirty years ago - if it didn’t like the structure of the budget, whereby rich countries pay more than poor ones, it could have stayed outside. In any case, a few billion Euros a year is a small sum to pay for access to a huge continent-wide market, the department for Business Innovation & Skills estimated that GDP in 2006 was 2.2% higher than it would have been without a single market, [2] in Britain this would be almost $50billion.\n\n[1] BBC News, ‘EU Budget’, 2007\n\n[2] BIS, ‘The Benefits and Achievements of EU Single Market’\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b8a9dd779f97f5a2fa2f23a8d53cf4cf",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate The Rebate makes membership acceptable to the British people\n\nThe EU is a vast wasteful bureaucracy, for example creating a ‘House of European History’ for €14 million, [1] and is beyond reform. Anything to limit Britain’s contribution to this monster with pretensions to becoming a super-state is desirable. Many in the UK, between 35 and 65% of the population, [2] would prefer that we withdrew altogether, but if we can’t at least we should “starve the beast” by limiting the amount of money we give it to do harm with. Even if you think Britain should stay in the EU, you must recognise that the rebate is one of the only things that makes EU membership acceptable to ordinary people. Giving up the rebate is likely to swing British opinion strongly in favour of withdrawal.\n\n[1] Banks, Martin, ‘Parliament hits back at claims of ‘wasteful’ spending plans’, 2011\n\n[2] Hannan, Daniel, ‘Would Britain vote to leave the EU?’, 2009\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ac68d861ecd854ad9c04dfc18d69926d",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate Europe needs to tackle much bigger problems\n\nThose EU leaders who are most critical of the rebate are ignoring the EU’s real and serious problems by spending large amounts of time in rows with Britain over the rebate. Europe has immense problems such as persistent 10% unemployment, which has gone up as a result of the financial crisis, the rejection of the EU constitution by voters, the challenge of globalisation, the failure to make the single market in services work fairly, corruption and waste at Brussels, etc. This is even before the immense difficulties with the Euro which the Eurozone is currently suffering from. All these issues are much more important than the rebate for the future of the European Union. If Europe can once again become competitive economically then the financial gains for Europe will be much greater than persuading Britain to drop the rebate.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f9ed2d0d4f5c619c7b8cbb5f63f1af47",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate Britain should not pay more than other countries\n\nBritain’s rebate is completely justified. Without it Britain would pay far more into the EU than it ever received back. The UK government argues “Without the rebate, the UK's net contribution as a percentage of national income would be twice as big as France's, and 1.5 times bigger than Germany's.” [1] This is because most of the EU’s budget goes to pay for the costs of the Common Agricultural Policy and regional aid programmes. The UK’s farming sector is a very small part of the economy, and very few of its regions count as poor in Europe-wide terms, so Britain receives little funding back from the EU. Meanwhile as a result of new members joining the EU development funding has been taken away from poorer areas of Britain, many of which will no longer be eligible, to be redirected to Eastern and Central European countries which need it much more, [2] Britain’s net contribution to the EU budget will go up .The rebate recognises this and returns two-thirds of the UK’s net EU contribution (payments less receipts) every year. Even with the rebate, the UK is still the second biggest net contributor (proportional to population) of all the EU states. Over the past ten years Britain has contributed 2½ times as much to the EU budget as France has [3] - and without the rebate it would have been 15 times as much!\n\n[1] BBC News, ‘EU budget commissioner calls for UK rebate to end’, 2010\n\n[2] European Union Committee, ‘Future Financing of the European Union’, 2005, p.154\n\n[3] The Economist, ‘About a rebate’, 2005\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6fb8f4d1aa93790215f9a2f0ec8a9801",
"text": "europe house believes britain should give its eu rebate The rebate could never be regained\n\nMargaret Thatcher fought for four years to win the rebate for Britain, famously wielding her handbag at EU summits until it was agreed. Giving it up is a clear betrayal of Thatcher’s legacy and shows the present government’s unwillingness to stand up for Britain’s interests in Brussels. With the situation now different due to there being more members there is no chance of any future British Prime Minister being able to repeat Mrs Thatcher’s achievement of 1984, so once the rebate is given up, it can never be regained.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
ba08b0ef0d15529c1528d54649cdf025
|
Morsi was going to implement Islamic policies on a secular country
Another major concern of the anti-Morsi protestors on whose behalf the Egyptian army intervened was the Islamist nature of Morsi [1] . While many supported the Islamic nature of the Muslim brotherhood, there were equally many liberals and Coptic Christians who were afraid of Egypt transforming in to an Islamic state. Mubarak had managed to secure popularity within these groups by exploiting this fear that, should his regime be overthrown, extreme Islamists such as the Muslim Brotherhood would take control and deprive them of their rights. The Morsi government’s constitution was thus perceived as a threat to minority and secular rights, and thus a security issue. Even if this was not the case, Morsi should have done more to calm the population’s fear rather than allowing discord to materialise.
[1] Khalil, 2012
|
[
{
"docid": "cf6cc5f9ec9a6ea190354621be58be49",
"text": "africa middle east politics defence leadership voting house believes Morsi maintained relatively moderate rhetoric and did not declare any intention to impose sharia law. When questioned about Islamic society and non-Muslims he stated that he believed Coptic Christians had inherent rights and stated that Islam and sharia law ‘cannot be imposed on the people and it cannot be done from the top’ [1] . Morsi’s comments on the respect owed to everyone’s rights and beliefs seem to contradict any notion that he planned on enforcing a strict interpretation of sharia law.\n\n[1] El Amrani, 2011\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "376f5dd0c6ca08254d20da661e88d080",
"text": "africa middle east politics defence leadership voting house believes There have been continued protests and violence since the military coup. The post-Morsi leadership and the Egyptian army have therefore done little to bring the Egyptian crisis under control. The most notable incident was on 14th August 2013, over a month since the military coup removed Morsi, when over one thousand people were killed in a day’s fighting between security forces and protestors. Human Rights Watch declared that this was ‘the most serious incident of mass unlawful killings in modern Egyptian history’. [1] Even after the ban on un-notified protesting there have been continued demonstrations of civil disobedience. Due to the handling of these demonstrations the USA has threatened to cut some of its $1.3 billion military aid to Egypt [2] . This inability to gain control of the situation echoes the reasoning for removing Morsi.\n\n[1] Loveluck, 2013\n\n[2] Sciutto & Labott, 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bbe323ec1bd033d8677345ddf23e9c3e",
"text": "africa middle east politics defence leadership voting house believes The Morsi government arguably did not have enough time to deal with Egypt’s economic conditions. Tourism and investment had already been in decline prior to Morsi assuming power [1] . The global perception of Egypt as unstable was unavoidable following the revolution which had deposed Mubarak. The ex-dictator had been a symbol of security and stability prior to the Arab Spring. Tourism dropped from 14.7 million people to 9.8 million in the first year post-Mubarak, which led to a loss of revenue [2] . Unemployment had been on the rise prior to the Arab Spring, as was the cost of living. Morsi’s establishment had only been given one year to resolve the economic crisis which was insufficient time to put any economic recovery plan in to full effect.\n\n[1] The World Bank, accessed 2013\n\n[2] Bakr, 2012\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "59c8a64aa60b560df885d00e8febf0d7",
"text": "africa middle east politics defence leadership voting house believes The post-Morsi leadership, with the assistance of the military, have arguably continued the trend of undemocratic governing. These actions have given the impression that they are acting hypocritically by removing Morsi. In November 2013 a new law was enacted which banned peaceful protest without prior notification to the police. Believed to be aimed at Morsi’s supporters and the Muslim Brotherhood, this law sought to curb protests being conducted against the Egyptian army’s leadership [1] . As protest is a political right, many human rights groups have had a negative response to this legislation. Defiance of these laws has led to the use of teargas and violence to disperse crowds [2] . The new constitution also places the defence ministry firmly in the hands of the military, giving policy control to an unelected official [3] . The claims of the military backed authorities being anti-democratic illustrate the hypocrisy of removing Morsi.\n\n[1] G uerin, 2013\n\n[2] el-Deen, 2013\n\n[3] Aswat Masr iya, 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e52ad9ddbe8b1184f9f4b0a59c7f6699",
"text": "africa middle east politics defence leadership voting house believes While just over half of respondents to the poll thought that deposing Morsi was wrong, 46% of Egyptians felt it was the correct move [1] . This shows that there was still a large amount of support for the Egyptian army’s actions. 51% of the population is not an overwhelming figure. In addition to this, the poll which produced these results only interviewed 1,405 people. With a population of over 84 million, it is possible that majority of the population actually supported the Army.\n\n[1] Smith, 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c9de595568a4c37ccfe788dd756a78bd",
"text": "africa middle east politics defence leadership voting house believes The army should not have a position of influence in democratic, civilian politics. It is generally accepted that the military’s responsibility is to the state [1] . This means that they cannot become involved in the governing of said state, as this is a breach of the civil-military relationship. According to Huntington, ‘Politics is beyond the scope of military competence, and the participation of military officers in politics undermines their professionalism’ [2] . It is important, therefore, that civilian supremacy is maintained and that the military is subservient to the civilian government. In modern democracies it is expected that the government is held to account at the polls, as long as they act legally, rather than military whims. There is also a tendency for military figures to feel more inclined towards intervention in civil society after their initial attempt, as demonstrated by the most recent military coup as the military had previously taken charge between the fall of Mubarak and Morsi’s election. For this reason, the overthrow of the civilian government at the hands of the Egyptian military is flawed.\n\n[1] May et al., 2004\n\n[2] Huntington, 1957 pg. 16\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4b6e907b5661078b0be485483bbfec3e",
"text": "africa middle east politics defence leadership voting house believes The Morsi government had acted to monopolise their power within the government, hence undermining their democratic position. To begin with, Morsi’s cabinet had consisted of about 25% candidates from his own party, with the rest belonging to the opposition parties. This by 2013 this had dropped to roughly 1/3 Morsi supporters. This, in combination with Morsi’s extra judicial powers implied that the president was attempting to extend his political power. Many liberals feared that this would be done to enforce the Muslim Brotherhood’s agenda in Egypt [1] . To preserve the democratic integrity of the Egyptian government, the army had to intervene.\n\n[1] CNN Staff, 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "539a230dffe7653c52e6468a7b9d2ad9",
"text": "africa middle east politics defence leadership voting house believes Failed to gain control of the Egyptian crisis\n\nThe official line of argument for the Egyptian army’s intervention was that Morsi’s administration was failing to grasp control of a worsening situation [1] . The response to Morsi’s judicial immunity had been largely negative, with tens of thousands taking to the streets to protest. Soon after, pro-Morsi protestors began their own protests. Muslim Brotherhood supporters were called to defend the palace and the resulting clashes left ten dead [2] . On the 1st July 2013 millions of protestors gathered in Tahrir Square, as well as in Alexandria, Port Said and Suez [3] and the Egyptian army stated it would intervene if the government did not ‘meet the demands of the people’ by restructuring the government to appease protestors [4] . The protestors did not disperse, and there were several ministers who resigned from government. With no clear policy change in sight, Morsi had evidently failed to take control of the situation. General el-Sisi, leader of the coup, claimed that they ‘could not stay silent and blind to the call of the Egyptian masses’ [5] . The intervention was necessary as Egypt had become ungovernable.\n\n[1] El-Tablawy & Fam, 2013\n\n[2] Loveluck, 2013\n\n[3] Maqbool, 2013\n\n[4] Abdelaziz & Wederman, 2013\n\n[5] Bowen, 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "394dbbeb2b6979b1ea897a6945e6cfa1",
"text": "africa middle east politics defence leadership voting house believes Morsi’s economic and social policies had been ineffective and unpopular\n\nMorsi’s inability to tackle the main issues which faced Egypt was another issue which caused the large-scale protests leading to his removal. One of the major reasons for Egypt’s Lotus Revolution was the lack of economic reform. Rising living costs, unemployment and wage levels were causes of grievance for the majority of Egyptians. The Egyptian population hoped that, once the corruption of the Mubarak regime was replaced by a democratic system, their economic condition would improve. This was not to be the case. The Morsi government planned to reduce its fuel subsidies to entitle the country to a $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund [1] , raising the living costs of the average citizens. In conjunction with the subsidy cuts, the government failed to tackle unemployment. At the time of Morsi’s ouster from government there were 3.6 million unemployed, an increase of one million since 2010 [2] . Analysts linked the lack of jobs to the security of the state claiming that unemployment would lead to greater numbers of rioters and furthering instability [3] . In a poll assessing the Egyptians’ attitude toward their government and their future, 61% felt they were worse off than five years ago [4] . This dissatisfaction then led to dissent.\n\n[1] Werr, 2013\n\n[2] Ahram Online, 2013\n\n[3] Fam & Shahine, 2013\n\n[4] Zogby Research Services, 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "633ceb78cc6910d10e9cb713eff5fb5f",
"text": "africa middle east politics defence leadership voting house believes Morsi Undermined Democratic Principles\n\nSeparation of powers is a key democratic principle which Morsi undermined with the November 2012 declaration. The underlying idea of the separation of powers is that one branch of government should not have undue power over any other. That is why there are a number of checks and balances set out which allows each branch to constrain the actions of the others to prevent them acting illegally [1] . Morsi’s declaration that he would remove the checks and balances which the judiciary held over the presidency violated this principle. This led many to fear that Morsi was returning the country to a dictatorship where he could force through the Muslim Brotherhood’s agenda [2] , undoing the work of the Arab Spring [3] . The army’s intercession was welcomed by many as maintaining democracy [4] .\n\n[1] Wikipedia\n\n[2] CNN Staff, 2013\n\n[3] Spencer, 2012\n\n[4] Reuters, 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3af4c0a9bea0f332fb284347bb63288c",
"text": "africa middle east politics defence leadership voting house believes Mohamed Morsi had been democratically elected\n\nIt was wrong to depose Morsi as he had been chosen to serve as the first democratically elected president in Egypt. Morsi was elected as president with 51.7% of the vote. Having won the 2011-2 elections, Morsi and the Freedom and Justice party had a democratic mandate which they should have been able to fulfil. The military coup which removed them from power was therefore a violation of the democracy which Egypt had fought to establish.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c7f9b2504c505ae3ca0159dc1bc0949d",
"text": "africa middle east politics defence leadership voting house believes Most Egyptians still supported Morsi\n\nA poll conducted in November 2013 illustrated that the majority of Egyptians still supported Morsi. The Egyptian army’s claim that they were acting in the name of the people is therefore invalid. The poll, conducted by Zogby Research Services LLC, found that 51% of Egyptians believed that it was wrong to depose Morsi [1] . The fact that the army were acting to the contrary of the wishes of a sizeable proportion of the population therefore exemplifies that the army were not acting ‘for the people’ as a whole.\n\n[1] Smith, 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c9831b732051f9f13596f3bea22a6d05",
"text": "africa middle east politics defence leadership voting house believes The army has no place in a modern democracy\n\nThe army should not have a position of influence in democratic, civilian politics. It is generally accepted that the military’s responsibility is to the state [1] . This means that they cannot become involved in the governing of said state, as this is a breach of the civil-military relationship. According to Huntington, ‘Politics is beyond the scope of military competence, and the participation of military officers in politics undermines their professionalism’ [2] . It is important, therefore, that civilian supremacy is maintained and that the military is subservient to the civilian government. In modern democracies it is expected that the government is held to account at the polls, as long as they act legally, rather than military whims. There is also a tendency for military figures to feel more inclined towards intervention in civil society after their initial attempt, as demonstrated by the most recent military coup as the military had previously taken charge between the fall of Mubarak and Morsi’s election. For this reason, the overthrow of the civilian government at the hands of the Egyptian military is flawed.\n\n[1] May et al., 2004\n\n[2] Huntington, 1957 pg. 16\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
2128c960db9331542c92ea9c19b0797e
|
Judiciary are undermined
Should Guinea-Bissau become the new front of the US drug war then their judiciary will be furthered undermined. The US has frequently tried offenders from other countries in the US, superseding the local judiciary1. While this is usually due to formal agreements between states, extradition can cause indignation amongst the local population. Guinea-Bissau’s ex Naval chief Na Tchuto was arrested by American forces and, rather than allowing his home state to prosecute him, was tried by the New York District Court. This caused resentment in Guinea-Bissau towards the US2.
1) Aronofsky,D. & Qin,J. ‘U.S. International Narcotics Extradition Cases’
2) Reitano,T. & Shaw,M. ‘Arrest of Guinea-Bissau’s Drug Lords Just the First Step in the Battle Against Trafficking’, Institute for Security Studies, 12 August 2013
|
[
{
"docid": "b14ad2c4604fb4b3276b06890e11f686",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let The judicial system is not capable of handling narcotics cases fairly. Corruption and civil war have left Guinea-Bissau’s judicial system broken. Military leader General Antonio Indaj, who has alleged links to the drugs trade, has vetted all political and judicial appointments1. Considering that Guinea-Bissau has no prison, it is unlikely that those in the drug trade will be properly prosecuted. The US’ judicial system is seen as far more impartial and is, therefore, a more logical choice.\n\n1) Reitano,T. & Shaw,M. ‘Arrest of Guinea-Bissau’s Drug Lords Just the First Step in the Battle Against Trafficking’, Institute for Security Studies, 12 August 2013\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "f7b845e693f6df5950cd32f5d0ea784b",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let It is only fair that the US should have some say on domestic drug policy considering the extent of their military assistance. The offers of assistance are optional and the conditions of compliance are known by both parties. The US gave $6,495 million in military assistance to the Columbian government between 1998 and 2008 to counter the narcotics trade and the rebels who were reliant on the business1. Since this funding comes from the USA’s federal budget, the US should be able to dictate how the money is spent.\n\n1) Acevedo,B. ‘Ten Years of Plan Colombia: An Analytical Assessment’, The Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Programme, September 2008\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c46f52714c16f2580a7e53bd5435d879",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let There is a stronger focus on alternative development in drugs policy compared to the beginning of the drug war. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), historically influenced by US drug policy, has taken an increasingly alternative development-orientated stance. The UNODC has committed itself to effective alternative incomes, gender mainstreaming and community participation which demonstrates a global shift towards beneficial development1.\n\n1) United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ‘Making a difference through Alternative Development’ data accessed 30 January 2014\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cc356cc584279ca322c0be03df3dd80d",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Part of the financial assistance received by countries on the front line of the drug war is a fund for ‘strengthening of democratic institutions’. Plan Columbia, the USA’s attempt to reduce drug cultivation, saw 27% of all funding going towards democratic initiatives1. In a review by the Congressional Research Service of US drug control policy, the strengthening of the rule of law and democratic institutions is a priority for the US2. If the US drug war was brought to Guinea-Bissau then funding would most likely go towards promoting democratic institutions and a transition of power from the military to the civilians.\n\n1) Acevedo,B. ‘Ten Years of Plan Colombia: An Analytical Assessment’, The Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Programme, September 2008\n\n2) Wyler,L. ‘International Drug Control Policy: Background and U.S. Responses’, Congressional Research Service, 13 August 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e90c6b0a78110f0b49b53a5dbabcf611",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Interdiction rarely works. If Guinea-Bissau were to remove illicit drug operations from within its territories then the cartels would move elsewhere. Known as the hydra effect, once one potential drug route is cut off then another one is found and the trade continues1. This was the case for interdiction efforts between the US and Mexico. Initial government operations were successful at interdicting drugs being shipped between South American and Florida. In retaliation, traffickers began to use the US-Mexico border. The border witnesses large volumes of trade and interdicting the drugs proved to be nearly impossible2. It is logical to conclude that traffickers would find a new way to ensure drugs reached the Western markets if Guinea-Bissau sought US assistance.\n\n1) Boaz,D. ‘The Hydra-Headed Drug Business’, CATO institute, 30 June 1998\n\n2) Morton,D. ‘The War on Drugs in Mexico: a failed state?’, Third World Quarterly,39:3, pg.1639\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "baf4a91e0099ba1236bb3cddc3149e6d",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Considering that many of the military leaders have an invested interest in the drug trade, it is unlikely that Guinea-Bissau will seek help on these grounds. Antonio Indaj, the army’s Chief of Staff, was accused in 2013 of acting as a middle man in transactions between the South American cartels and the Western markets1. Not only has he been involved in drugs transactions, but Indaj has also been accessed of supplying weaponry to the FARC. This makes it unlikely that these leaders would want US assistance which would disrupt their profits and possibly leave them open to prosecution.\n\n1) Hoffman,M. ‘Guinea-Bissau and the South Atlantic Cocaine Trade’, Centre for American Progress, 22 August 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0259d96d744245cd3a58d247c4fc120d",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Corruption is still present in many states which have joined the US drug war. The war on drugs has done little, and perhaps exacerbated, Columbia’s corruption despite US assistance. In 2011, Columbian ex-government ministers were jailed and prosecuted for corruption and co-operation with paramilitaries.1Judicial reforms have also met with varied success. The Merida Initiative in Mexico, designed at removing the corruption of the cartels, has failed to address corruption in the judicial system which is still rampant. 2\n\n1) Bogota,S. ‘Closer and closer to the top’, The Economist, 29 July 2011\n\n2) Corcoran,P. ‘Mexico Judicial Reforms Go Easy On Corrupt Judges’, In Sight Crime, 16 February 2012\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "286374df120edbe1c0438f3a103e66f0",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let US assistance does not guarantee success against illicit drug organisations. Despite the militarisation of the drug war in the Reagan-era, armed gangs are still prominent throughout the drug world. In Columbia, the left wing FARC still remains despite decades of war against the Columbian and USA governments1. The FARC, who use drugs for much of its income, still control large territories in the South Eastern territories. The effectiveness of military aid is consequently uncertain.\n\n1) Acosta,N. ‘Colombia’s FARC rebels end holiday ceasefire’, Reuters, 15 January 2014\n\n2) Vulliamy,E. ‘How a tiny West African country became the world’s first narco state’, The Guardian, 9 March 2008\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f1aef19242f141878df010bed63e323a",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Sacrifice of sovereignty\n\nGuinea-Bissau would have to sacrifice its autonomy if it became the new front for the war on drugs. In order to receive assistance from the US, a state must adhere to US policy on drugs. If it fails to do so, like Bolivia did in 2009, then aid is severed under the certification system1. This restricts the recipient state’s ability to respond to the drug threat in a way that they deem suitable to their own circumstances. As a state should be free to form domestic policy without influence by external actors, the USA’s certification process is a violation of national sovereignty.\n\n1) Walsh,J. ‘U.S. Decertification of Bolivia: A Blast from the Past’, Washington Office on Latin America, 17 September 2009\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c835d433d0323fd6a0f7496c13bee164",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Gives power to military coup leaders\n\nAssistance from the US would ensure that the coup leaders of Guinea Bissau remain in power. The securitisation of issues such as drugs and ‘terror’ is encouraged by the United States. A major problem with this policy is that it provides undue power and legitimacy to those countering the threat1. In early 2014, the military were still unconstitutionally ruling over the country. The drug war provides an external threat for the military to justify their leadership position. Considering the military has refused to allow democratic elections to occur and has regularly committed coups2, the US drug war could be a perfect excuse for to remain in power until the ‘threat’ subsides.\n\n1) Crick,E. ‘Drugs as an existential threat: An analysis of the international securitization of drugs’, International Journal of Drug Policy, 2012\n\n2) BBC, ‘Guinea-Bissau drug trade ‘rises since coup’, 31 June 2012\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "287954e1aadefa3c528112c250efd074",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let War on the poor\n\nThe war on drugs has turned in to a war on the poorest in society. Through heavy handed techniques of enforcement and militarisation, the American war on drugs has failed to identify to key motivating factor for many of those involved in the trade; poverty1. Guinea-Bissau is the 5th poorest nation in the world, and other primary exports such as cashew nuts are starting to fail1. Due to lucrative profits, many of the poorer in society turn to the drug trade. US policy does not put enough of a focus on alternative development projects which can provide a livelihood through licit means. Instead they are treated as criminals and, in turn, are pushed further away from reconciliation.\n\n1) Falco,M. ‘Foreign Drugs, Foreign Wars’, Daedalus, 121:2, 2007, pg4\n\n2) The Guardian, ‘Guinea-Bissau’s dwindling cashew nut exports leave farmers facing hardship’, 23 August 2012\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1e23239726bcecbefa39e4187c9b95e8",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let US will provide equipment\n\nGuinea-Bissau should join the US drug war as they do not have the means to fight the war themselves. The local law enforcement is underfunded and ill-equipped to deal with the international threat. Guinea Bissau has one ship which patrols 350km of coastline, their officers have little in the way of land transport, petrol, phones or hand cuffs1. The limited reach of the law has allowed the cartels and gangs to prosper which, in turn, further damages law and order in Guinea Bissau. US military assistance will therefore help restore law and order to Guinea Bissau.\n\n1) Parkinson,C. ‘LatAm Drug Traffickers Set Up in Guinea-Bissau, Expand in Africa’, In Sight Crime, 29 August 2013\n\n2) Acevedo,B. ‘Ten Years of Plan Colombia: An Analytical Assessment’, The Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Programme, September 2008Shirk,D. ‘The Drug War in Mexico’, Council of Foreign Relations, March 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bb2a1eca9f8ba3be8c20411323dcb92f",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Becoming a narco-state\n\nGuinea-Bissau’s social fabric is being destroyed by the presence of the drug trade and requires international support. Guinea-Bissau has been named as Africa’s first Narco-state; a country controlled by drug cartels and gangs. Violence committed by these gangs has escalated since the arrival of the Columbian cartels in 20071. Addiction, a consequence of the cocaine and heroin use, is prevalent throughout much of the country. It was estimated in 2012 that around 20-30% of the population use crack, an extremely addictive form of cocaine, and there is only one clinic in the country2. The only people who are visibly profiting from the presence of drugs are the Columbian drug lords who have extravagant mansions and modern cars3. Guinea-Bissau cannot hope to fight the prominence of these gangs by themselves and require aid.\n\n1) Time, ‘Guinea-Bissau: World’s First Narco-State’, data accessed 28 January 2014\n\n2) Hatcher,J. ‘Guinea-Bissau: How Cocaine Transformed a Tiny African Nation’, Time, 15 October 2012\n\n3) Vulliamy,E. ‘How a tiny West African country became the world’s first narco state’, The Guardian, 9 March 2008\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "414c3df5acfdf07d8223e511ba95f65c",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Prevent drugs from reaching Western markets\n\nBy joining the war on drugs, Guinea-Bissau will be in a better position to thwart the transportation of cheap cocaine and heroin to Europe and North America. Guinea-Bissau’s position makes it ideal for the cocaine trade, where drugs can be unloaded from Latin America and then distributed more easily to the West1. Around 18 tons of cocaine (worth $1.25 billion) passes through West Africa annually, most of it travelling through the state2. US assistance and interdiction operations would help prevent illicit drugs from reaching the profitable Western markets.\n\n1) Smoltczyk,A. ‘Africa’s Cocaine Hub: Guinea-Bissau a “Drug Trafficker’s Dream”, Spiegel, 8 March 2013\n\n2) Hoffman,M. ‘Guinea-Bissau and the South Atlantic Cocaine Trade’, Centre for American Progress, 22 August 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1901982ad146164dbded8dbe4326d75f",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Deal with Corruption\n\nGuinea-Bissau’s institutions have become too corrupt to deal with the drug problem and require support. The police, army and judiciary have all been implicated in the drug trade. The involvement of state officials in drug trafficking means that criminals are not prosecuted against. When two soldiers and a civilian were apprehended with 635kg (worth £25.4 million in 2013), they were detained and then immediately released with Colonel Arsenio Blade claiming ‘They were on the road hitching a ride’1. Judges are often bribed or sent death threats when faced with sentencing those involved in the drug trade. The USA has provided restructuring assistance to institutions which have reduced corruption, such as in the Mexico Merida Initiative, and could do the same with Guinea Bissau.\n\n1) Vulliamy,E. ‘How a tiny West African country became the world’s first narco state’, The Guardian, 9 March 2008\n\n2) Corcoran,P. ‘Mexico Judicial Reforms Go Easy On Corrupt Judges’, In Sight Crime, 16 February 2012\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
3dfda50e9b3e4132a06b73c4d71e1a22
|
US will provide equipment
Guinea-Bissau should join the US drug war as they do not have the means to fight the war themselves. The local law enforcement is underfunded and ill-equipped to deal with the international threat. Guinea Bissau has one ship which patrols 350km of coastline, their officers have little in the way of land transport, petrol, phones or hand cuffs1. The limited reach of the law has allowed the cartels and gangs to prosper which, in turn, further damages law and order in Guinea Bissau. US military assistance will therefore help restore law and order to Guinea Bissau.
1) Parkinson,C. ‘LatAm Drug Traffickers Set Up in Guinea-Bissau, Expand in Africa’, In Sight Crime, 29 August 2013
2) Acevedo,B. ‘Ten Years of Plan Colombia: An Analytical Assessment’, The Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Programme, September 2008Shirk,D. ‘The Drug War in Mexico’, Council of Foreign Relations, March 2011
|
[
{
"docid": "286374df120edbe1c0438f3a103e66f0",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let US assistance does not guarantee success against illicit drug organisations. Despite the militarisation of the drug war in the Reagan-era, armed gangs are still prominent throughout the drug world. In Columbia, the left wing FARC still remains despite decades of war against the Columbian and USA governments1. The FARC, who use drugs for much of its income, still control large territories in the South Eastern territories. The effectiveness of military aid is consequently uncertain.\n\n1) Acosta,N. ‘Colombia’s FARC rebels end holiday ceasefire’, Reuters, 15 January 2014\n\n2) Vulliamy,E. ‘How a tiny West African country became the world’s first narco state’, The Guardian, 9 March 2008\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "e90c6b0a78110f0b49b53a5dbabcf611",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Interdiction rarely works. If Guinea-Bissau were to remove illicit drug operations from within its territories then the cartels would move elsewhere. Known as the hydra effect, once one potential drug route is cut off then another one is found and the trade continues1. This was the case for interdiction efforts between the US and Mexico. Initial government operations were successful at interdicting drugs being shipped between South American and Florida. In retaliation, traffickers began to use the US-Mexico border. The border witnesses large volumes of trade and interdicting the drugs proved to be nearly impossible2. It is logical to conclude that traffickers would find a new way to ensure drugs reached the Western markets if Guinea-Bissau sought US assistance.\n\n1) Boaz,D. ‘The Hydra-Headed Drug Business’, CATO institute, 30 June 1998\n\n2) Morton,D. ‘The War on Drugs in Mexico: a failed state?’, Third World Quarterly,39:3, pg.1639\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "baf4a91e0099ba1236bb3cddc3149e6d",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Considering that many of the military leaders have an invested interest in the drug trade, it is unlikely that Guinea-Bissau will seek help on these grounds. Antonio Indaj, the army’s Chief of Staff, was accused in 2013 of acting as a middle man in transactions between the South American cartels and the Western markets1. Not only has he been involved in drugs transactions, but Indaj has also been accessed of supplying weaponry to the FARC. This makes it unlikely that these leaders would want US assistance which would disrupt their profits and possibly leave them open to prosecution.\n\n1) Hoffman,M. ‘Guinea-Bissau and the South Atlantic Cocaine Trade’, Centre for American Progress, 22 August 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0259d96d744245cd3a58d247c4fc120d",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Corruption is still present in many states which have joined the US drug war. The war on drugs has done little, and perhaps exacerbated, Columbia’s corruption despite US assistance. In 2011, Columbian ex-government ministers were jailed and prosecuted for corruption and co-operation with paramilitaries.1Judicial reforms have also met with varied success. The Merida Initiative in Mexico, designed at removing the corruption of the cartels, has failed to address corruption in the judicial system which is still rampant. 2\n\n1) Bogota,S. ‘Closer and closer to the top’, The Economist, 29 July 2011\n\n2) Corcoran,P. ‘Mexico Judicial Reforms Go Easy On Corrupt Judges’, In Sight Crime, 16 February 2012\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f7b845e693f6df5950cd32f5d0ea784b",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let It is only fair that the US should have some say on domestic drug policy considering the extent of their military assistance. The offers of assistance are optional and the conditions of compliance are known by both parties. The US gave $6,495 million in military assistance to the Columbian government between 1998 and 2008 to counter the narcotics trade and the rebels who were reliant on the business1. Since this funding comes from the USA’s federal budget, the US should be able to dictate how the money is spent.\n\n1) Acevedo,B. ‘Ten Years of Plan Colombia: An Analytical Assessment’, The Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Programme, September 2008\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c46f52714c16f2580a7e53bd5435d879",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let There is a stronger focus on alternative development in drugs policy compared to the beginning of the drug war. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), historically influenced by US drug policy, has taken an increasingly alternative development-orientated stance. The UNODC has committed itself to effective alternative incomes, gender mainstreaming and community participation which demonstrates a global shift towards beneficial development1.\n\n1) United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ‘Making a difference through Alternative Development’ data accessed 30 January 2014\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b14ad2c4604fb4b3276b06890e11f686",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let The judicial system is not capable of handling narcotics cases fairly. Corruption and civil war have left Guinea-Bissau’s judicial system broken. Military leader General Antonio Indaj, who has alleged links to the drugs trade, has vetted all political and judicial appointments1. Considering that Guinea-Bissau has no prison, it is unlikely that those in the drug trade will be properly prosecuted. The US’ judicial system is seen as far more impartial and is, therefore, a more logical choice.\n\n1) Reitano,T. & Shaw,M. ‘Arrest of Guinea-Bissau’s Drug Lords Just the First Step in the Battle Against Trafficking’, Institute for Security Studies, 12 August 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cc356cc584279ca322c0be03df3dd80d",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Part of the financial assistance received by countries on the front line of the drug war is a fund for ‘strengthening of democratic institutions’. Plan Columbia, the USA’s attempt to reduce drug cultivation, saw 27% of all funding going towards democratic initiatives1. In a review by the Congressional Research Service of US drug control policy, the strengthening of the rule of law and democratic institutions is a priority for the US2. If the US drug war was brought to Guinea-Bissau then funding would most likely go towards promoting democratic institutions and a transition of power from the military to the civilians.\n\n1) Acevedo,B. ‘Ten Years of Plan Colombia: An Analytical Assessment’, The Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Programme, September 2008\n\n2) Wyler,L. ‘International Drug Control Policy: Background and U.S. Responses’, Congressional Research Service, 13 August 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bb2a1eca9f8ba3be8c20411323dcb92f",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Becoming a narco-state\n\nGuinea-Bissau’s social fabric is being destroyed by the presence of the drug trade and requires international support. Guinea-Bissau has been named as Africa’s first Narco-state; a country controlled by drug cartels and gangs. Violence committed by these gangs has escalated since the arrival of the Columbian cartels in 20071. Addiction, a consequence of the cocaine and heroin use, is prevalent throughout much of the country. It was estimated in 2012 that around 20-30% of the population use crack, an extremely addictive form of cocaine, and there is only one clinic in the country2. The only people who are visibly profiting from the presence of drugs are the Columbian drug lords who have extravagant mansions and modern cars3. Guinea-Bissau cannot hope to fight the prominence of these gangs by themselves and require aid.\n\n1) Time, ‘Guinea-Bissau: World’s First Narco-State’, data accessed 28 January 2014\n\n2) Hatcher,J. ‘Guinea-Bissau: How Cocaine Transformed a Tiny African Nation’, Time, 15 October 2012\n\n3) Vulliamy,E. ‘How a tiny West African country became the world’s first narco state’, The Guardian, 9 March 2008\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "414c3df5acfdf07d8223e511ba95f65c",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Prevent drugs from reaching Western markets\n\nBy joining the war on drugs, Guinea-Bissau will be in a better position to thwart the transportation of cheap cocaine and heroin to Europe and North America. Guinea-Bissau’s position makes it ideal for the cocaine trade, where drugs can be unloaded from Latin America and then distributed more easily to the West1. Around 18 tons of cocaine (worth $1.25 billion) passes through West Africa annually, most of it travelling through the state2. US assistance and interdiction operations would help prevent illicit drugs from reaching the profitable Western markets.\n\n1) Smoltczyk,A. ‘Africa’s Cocaine Hub: Guinea-Bissau a “Drug Trafficker’s Dream”, Spiegel, 8 March 2013\n\n2) Hoffman,M. ‘Guinea-Bissau and the South Atlantic Cocaine Trade’, Centre for American Progress, 22 August 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1901982ad146164dbded8dbe4326d75f",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Deal with Corruption\n\nGuinea-Bissau’s institutions have become too corrupt to deal with the drug problem and require support. The police, army and judiciary have all been implicated in the drug trade. The involvement of state officials in drug trafficking means that criminals are not prosecuted against. When two soldiers and a civilian were apprehended with 635kg (worth £25.4 million in 2013), they were detained and then immediately released with Colonel Arsenio Blade claiming ‘They were on the road hitching a ride’1. Judges are often bribed or sent death threats when faced with sentencing those involved in the drug trade. The USA has provided restructuring assistance to institutions which have reduced corruption, such as in the Mexico Merida Initiative, and could do the same with Guinea Bissau.\n\n1) Vulliamy,E. ‘How a tiny West African country became the world’s first narco state’, The Guardian, 9 March 2008\n\n2) Corcoran,P. ‘Mexico Judicial Reforms Go Easy On Corrupt Judges’, In Sight Crime, 16 February 2012\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f1aef19242f141878df010bed63e323a",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Sacrifice of sovereignty\n\nGuinea-Bissau would have to sacrifice its autonomy if it became the new front for the war on drugs. In order to receive assistance from the US, a state must adhere to US policy on drugs. If it fails to do so, like Bolivia did in 2009, then aid is severed under the certification system1. This restricts the recipient state’s ability to respond to the drug threat in a way that they deem suitable to their own circumstances. As a state should be free to form domestic policy without influence by external actors, the USA’s certification process is a violation of national sovereignty.\n\n1) Walsh,J. ‘U.S. Decertification of Bolivia: A Blast from the Past’, Washington Office on Latin America, 17 September 2009\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dbce0502b01f953ad04622050cd7f235",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Judiciary are undermined\n\nShould Guinea-Bissau become the new front of the US drug war then their judiciary will be furthered undermined. The US has frequently tried offenders from other countries in the US, superseding the local judiciary1. While this is usually due to formal agreements between states, extradition can cause indignation amongst the local population. Guinea-Bissau’s ex Naval chief Na Tchuto was arrested by American forces and, rather than allowing his home state to prosecute him, was tried by the New York District Court. This caused resentment in Guinea-Bissau towards the US2.\n\n1) Aronofsky,D. & Qin,J. ‘U.S. International Narcotics Extradition Cases’\n\n2) Reitano,T. & Shaw,M. ‘Arrest of Guinea-Bissau’s Drug Lords Just the First Step in the Battle Against Trafficking’, Institute for Security Studies, 12 August 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c835d433d0323fd6a0f7496c13bee164",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Gives power to military coup leaders\n\nAssistance from the US would ensure that the coup leaders of Guinea Bissau remain in power. The securitisation of issues such as drugs and ‘terror’ is encouraged by the United States. A major problem with this policy is that it provides undue power and legitimacy to those countering the threat1. In early 2014, the military were still unconstitutionally ruling over the country. The drug war provides an external threat for the military to justify their leadership position. Considering the military has refused to allow democratic elections to occur and has regularly committed coups2, the US drug war could be a perfect excuse for to remain in power until the ‘threat’ subsides.\n\n1) Crick,E. ‘Drugs as an existential threat: An analysis of the international securitization of drugs’, International Journal of Drug Policy, 2012\n\n2) BBC, ‘Guinea-Bissau drug trade ‘rises since coup’, 31 June 2012\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "287954e1aadefa3c528112c250efd074",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let War on the poor\n\nThe war on drugs has turned in to a war on the poorest in society. Through heavy handed techniques of enforcement and militarisation, the American war on drugs has failed to identify to key motivating factor for many of those involved in the trade; poverty1. Guinea-Bissau is the 5th poorest nation in the world, and other primary exports such as cashew nuts are starting to fail1. Due to lucrative profits, many of the poorer in society turn to the drug trade. US policy does not put enough of a focus on alternative development projects which can provide a livelihood through licit means. Instead they are treated as criminals and, in turn, are pushed further away from reconciliation.\n\n1) Falco,M. ‘Foreign Drugs, Foreign Wars’, Daedalus, 121:2, 2007, pg4\n\n2) The Guardian, ‘Guinea-Bissau’s dwindling cashew nut exports leave farmers facing hardship’, 23 August 2012\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
36937d767ab4aa25cfdb67aa0e51535a
|
Deal with Corruption
Guinea-Bissau’s institutions have become too corrupt to deal with the drug problem and require support. The police, army and judiciary have all been implicated in the drug trade. The involvement of state officials in drug trafficking means that criminals are not prosecuted against. When two soldiers and a civilian were apprehended with 635kg (worth £25.4 million in 2013), they were detained and then immediately released with Colonel Arsenio Blade claiming ‘They were on the road hitching a ride’1. Judges are often bribed or sent death threats when faced with sentencing those involved in the drug trade. The USA has provided restructuring assistance to institutions which have reduced corruption, such as in the Mexico Merida Initiative, and could do the same with Guinea Bissau.
1) Vulliamy,E. ‘How a tiny West African country became the world’s first narco state’, The Guardian, 9 March 2008
2) Corcoran,P. ‘Mexico Judicial Reforms Go Easy On Corrupt Judges’, In Sight Crime, 16 February 2012
|
[
{
"docid": "0259d96d744245cd3a58d247c4fc120d",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Corruption is still present in many states which have joined the US drug war. The war on drugs has done little, and perhaps exacerbated, Columbia’s corruption despite US assistance. In 2011, Columbian ex-government ministers were jailed and prosecuted for corruption and co-operation with paramilitaries.1Judicial reforms have also met with varied success. The Merida Initiative in Mexico, designed at removing the corruption of the cartels, has failed to address corruption in the judicial system which is still rampant. 2\n\n1) Bogota,S. ‘Closer and closer to the top’, The Economist, 29 July 2011\n\n2) Corcoran,P. ‘Mexico Judicial Reforms Go Easy On Corrupt Judges’, In Sight Crime, 16 February 2012\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "e90c6b0a78110f0b49b53a5dbabcf611",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Interdiction rarely works. If Guinea-Bissau were to remove illicit drug operations from within its territories then the cartels would move elsewhere. Known as the hydra effect, once one potential drug route is cut off then another one is found and the trade continues1. This was the case for interdiction efforts between the US and Mexico. Initial government operations were successful at interdicting drugs being shipped between South American and Florida. In retaliation, traffickers began to use the US-Mexico border. The border witnesses large volumes of trade and interdicting the drugs proved to be nearly impossible2. It is logical to conclude that traffickers would find a new way to ensure drugs reached the Western markets if Guinea-Bissau sought US assistance.\n\n1) Boaz,D. ‘The Hydra-Headed Drug Business’, CATO institute, 30 June 1998\n\n2) Morton,D. ‘The War on Drugs in Mexico: a failed state?’, Third World Quarterly,39:3, pg.1639\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "baf4a91e0099ba1236bb3cddc3149e6d",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Considering that many of the military leaders have an invested interest in the drug trade, it is unlikely that Guinea-Bissau will seek help on these grounds. Antonio Indaj, the army’s Chief of Staff, was accused in 2013 of acting as a middle man in transactions between the South American cartels and the Western markets1. Not only has he been involved in drugs transactions, but Indaj has also been accessed of supplying weaponry to the FARC. This makes it unlikely that these leaders would want US assistance which would disrupt their profits and possibly leave them open to prosecution.\n\n1) Hoffman,M. ‘Guinea-Bissau and the South Atlantic Cocaine Trade’, Centre for American Progress, 22 August 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "286374df120edbe1c0438f3a103e66f0",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let US assistance does not guarantee success against illicit drug organisations. Despite the militarisation of the drug war in the Reagan-era, armed gangs are still prominent throughout the drug world. In Columbia, the left wing FARC still remains despite decades of war against the Columbian and USA governments1. The FARC, who use drugs for much of its income, still control large territories in the South Eastern territories. The effectiveness of military aid is consequently uncertain.\n\n1) Acosta,N. ‘Colombia’s FARC rebels end holiday ceasefire’, Reuters, 15 January 2014\n\n2) Vulliamy,E. ‘How a tiny West African country became the world’s first narco state’, The Guardian, 9 March 2008\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f7b845e693f6df5950cd32f5d0ea784b",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let It is only fair that the US should have some say on domestic drug policy considering the extent of their military assistance. The offers of assistance are optional and the conditions of compliance are known by both parties. The US gave $6,495 million in military assistance to the Columbian government between 1998 and 2008 to counter the narcotics trade and the rebels who were reliant on the business1. Since this funding comes from the USA’s federal budget, the US should be able to dictate how the money is spent.\n\n1) Acevedo,B. ‘Ten Years of Plan Colombia: An Analytical Assessment’, The Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Programme, September 2008\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c46f52714c16f2580a7e53bd5435d879",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let There is a stronger focus on alternative development in drugs policy compared to the beginning of the drug war. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), historically influenced by US drug policy, has taken an increasingly alternative development-orientated stance. The UNODC has committed itself to effective alternative incomes, gender mainstreaming and community participation which demonstrates a global shift towards beneficial development1.\n\n1) United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ‘Making a difference through Alternative Development’ data accessed 30 January 2014\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b14ad2c4604fb4b3276b06890e11f686",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let The judicial system is not capable of handling narcotics cases fairly. Corruption and civil war have left Guinea-Bissau’s judicial system broken. Military leader General Antonio Indaj, who has alleged links to the drugs trade, has vetted all political and judicial appointments1. Considering that Guinea-Bissau has no prison, it is unlikely that those in the drug trade will be properly prosecuted. The US’ judicial system is seen as far more impartial and is, therefore, a more logical choice.\n\n1) Reitano,T. & Shaw,M. ‘Arrest of Guinea-Bissau’s Drug Lords Just the First Step in the Battle Against Trafficking’, Institute for Security Studies, 12 August 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cc356cc584279ca322c0be03df3dd80d",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Part of the financial assistance received by countries on the front line of the drug war is a fund for ‘strengthening of democratic institutions’. Plan Columbia, the USA’s attempt to reduce drug cultivation, saw 27% of all funding going towards democratic initiatives1. In a review by the Congressional Research Service of US drug control policy, the strengthening of the rule of law and democratic institutions is a priority for the US2. If the US drug war was brought to Guinea-Bissau then funding would most likely go towards promoting democratic institutions and a transition of power from the military to the civilians.\n\n1) Acevedo,B. ‘Ten Years of Plan Colombia: An Analytical Assessment’, The Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Programme, September 2008\n\n2) Wyler,L. ‘International Drug Control Policy: Background and U.S. Responses’, Congressional Research Service, 13 August 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1e23239726bcecbefa39e4187c9b95e8",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let US will provide equipment\n\nGuinea-Bissau should join the US drug war as they do not have the means to fight the war themselves. The local law enforcement is underfunded and ill-equipped to deal with the international threat. Guinea Bissau has one ship which patrols 350km of coastline, their officers have little in the way of land transport, petrol, phones or hand cuffs1. The limited reach of the law has allowed the cartels and gangs to prosper which, in turn, further damages law and order in Guinea Bissau. US military assistance will therefore help restore law and order to Guinea Bissau.\n\n1) Parkinson,C. ‘LatAm Drug Traffickers Set Up in Guinea-Bissau, Expand in Africa’, In Sight Crime, 29 August 2013\n\n2) Acevedo,B. ‘Ten Years of Plan Colombia: An Analytical Assessment’, The Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Programme, September 2008Shirk,D. ‘The Drug War in Mexico’, Council of Foreign Relations, March 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bb2a1eca9f8ba3be8c20411323dcb92f",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Becoming a narco-state\n\nGuinea-Bissau’s social fabric is being destroyed by the presence of the drug trade and requires international support. Guinea-Bissau has been named as Africa’s first Narco-state; a country controlled by drug cartels and gangs. Violence committed by these gangs has escalated since the arrival of the Columbian cartels in 20071. Addiction, a consequence of the cocaine and heroin use, is prevalent throughout much of the country. It was estimated in 2012 that around 20-30% of the population use crack, an extremely addictive form of cocaine, and there is only one clinic in the country2. The only people who are visibly profiting from the presence of drugs are the Columbian drug lords who have extravagant mansions and modern cars3. Guinea-Bissau cannot hope to fight the prominence of these gangs by themselves and require aid.\n\n1) Time, ‘Guinea-Bissau: World’s First Narco-State’, data accessed 28 January 2014\n\n2) Hatcher,J. ‘Guinea-Bissau: How Cocaine Transformed a Tiny African Nation’, Time, 15 October 2012\n\n3) Vulliamy,E. ‘How a tiny West African country became the world’s first narco state’, The Guardian, 9 March 2008\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "414c3df5acfdf07d8223e511ba95f65c",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Prevent drugs from reaching Western markets\n\nBy joining the war on drugs, Guinea-Bissau will be in a better position to thwart the transportation of cheap cocaine and heroin to Europe and North America. Guinea-Bissau’s position makes it ideal for the cocaine trade, where drugs can be unloaded from Latin America and then distributed more easily to the West1. Around 18 tons of cocaine (worth $1.25 billion) passes through West Africa annually, most of it travelling through the state2. US assistance and interdiction operations would help prevent illicit drugs from reaching the profitable Western markets.\n\n1) Smoltczyk,A. ‘Africa’s Cocaine Hub: Guinea-Bissau a “Drug Trafficker’s Dream”, Spiegel, 8 March 2013\n\n2) Hoffman,M. ‘Guinea-Bissau and the South Atlantic Cocaine Trade’, Centre for American Progress, 22 August 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f1aef19242f141878df010bed63e323a",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Sacrifice of sovereignty\n\nGuinea-Bissau would have to sacrifice its autonomy if it became the new front for the war on drugs. In order to receive assistance from the US, a state must adhere to US policy on drugs. If it fails to do so, like Bolivia did in 2009, then aid is severed under the certification system1. This restricts the recipient state’s ability to respond to the drug threat in a way that they deem suitable to their own circumstances. As a state should be free to form domestic policy without influence by external actors, the USA’s certification process is a violation of national sovereignty.\n\n1) Walsh,J. ‘U.S. Decertification of Bolivia: A Blast from the Past’, Washington Office on Latin America, 17 September 2009\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dbce0502b01f953ad04622050cd7f235",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Judiciary are undermined\n\nShould Guinea-Bissau become the new front of the US drug war then their judiciary will be furthered undermined. The US has frequently tried offenders from other countries in the US, superseding the local judiciary1. While this is usually due to formal agreements between states, extradition can cause indignation amongst the local population. Guinea-Bissau’s ex Naval chief Na Tchuto was arrested by American forces and, rather than allowing his home state to prosecute him, was tried by the New York District Court. This caused resentment in Guinea-Bissau towards the US2.\n\n1) Aronofsky,D. & Qin,J. ‘U.S. International Narcotics Extradition Cases’\n\n2) Reitano,T. & Shaw,M. ‘Arrest of Guinea-Bissau’s Drug Lords Just the First Step in the Battle Against Trafficking’, Institute for Security Studies, 12 August 2013\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c835d433d0323fd6a0f7496c13bee164",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let Gives power to military coup leaders\n\nAssistance from the US would ensure that the coup leaders of Guinea Bissau remain in power. The securitisation of issues such as drugs and ‘terror’ is encouraged by the United States. A major problem with this policy is that it provides undue power and legitimacy to those countering the threat1. In early 2014, the military were still unconstitutionally ruling over the country. The drug war provides an external threat for the military to justify their leadership position. Considering the military has refused to allow democratic elections to occur and has regularly committed coups2, the US drug war could be a perfect excuse for to remain in power until the ‘threat’ subsides.\n\n1) Crick,E. ‘Drugs as an existential threat: An analysis of the international securitization of drugs’, International Journal of Drug Policy, 2012\n\n2) BBC, ‘Guinea-Bissau drug trade ‘rises since coup’, 31 June 2012\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "287954e1aadefa3c528112c250efd074",
"text": "africa law crime policing house believes guinea bissau should not let War on the poor\n\nThe war on drugs has turned in to a war on the poorest in society. Through heavy handed techniques of enforcement and militarisation, the American war on drugs has failed to identify to key motivating factor for many of those involved in the trade; poverty1. Guinea-Bissau is the 5th poorest nation in the world, and other primary exports such as cashew nuts are starting to fail1. Due to lucrative profits, many of the poorer in society turn to the drug trade. US policy does not put enough of a focus on alternative development projects which can provide a livelihood through licit means. Instead they are treated as criminals and, in turn, are pushed further away from reconciliation.\n\n1) Falco,M. ‘Foreign Drugs, Foreign Wars’, Daedalus, 121:2, 2007, pg4\n\n2) The Guardian, ‘Guinea-Bissau’s dwindling cashew nut exports leave farmers facing hardship’, 23 August 2012\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
921eab3e07f9882fc81c6dcd078ea478
|
Development from within
Nollywood is showcasing Nigeria’s capability to sustain, build, and finance its own economy. Recent estimates suggest around 50 films are produced weekly, selling between 20,000 to 200,000 units, and creating jobs for around one million individuals (Moudio, 2013). The industry is initiating vital development, enabling Nigeria to have capital to change perceptions.
Nollywood is following previous cultural industry paths. Hollywood developed from low-budget films, and in 2013 the entertainment industry generated around $522bn in revenue, and is continuing to be one of America’s biggest sources of tourism (Statista, 2013). In Nollywood’s case, the industry is already proving to be of vital importance for regional and domestic tourism.
|
[
{
"docid": "385dd7c197ce1db372b8fcb39e7d9b2f",
"text": "modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Opportunities for development are limited as the industry continues to function informally. The informal structure means there is no legal institution controlling transactions, there is no governing body ensuring taxation is paid and revenues collected, and finally, there is little security to the workers within the industry. Financial records are limited in the industry, which makes it hard to predict the developmental scope of Nollywood and the real revenues produced.\n\nInformality prevents legitimacy; capability to assist national development; and fundamental capital losses. It also prevents it becoming a force for changing perceptions of those outside Africa. Formalisation is required for the industry to assist developmental potential [1] .\n\n[1] See further readings: McCall, 2012.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "daab9c4ea2eac1495a413a3a1b555237",
"text": "modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Fundamentally, the topics raised by Nollywood are commercialising accepted views. The industry is building a business founded on distributing images of witchcraft, abuse, and domestic violence.\n\nFirst, a majority of the films are politically incorrect and provide negative portrayals of women and sexuality. Gender roles are reinforced as women become sexualised objects, male possession, and the source of trouble - required to be put in their ‘place’. In the case of LGBT representations, homosexuality has been represented as Satanic in films such as 2010’s ‘Men in Love’ [1] . Second, in the case of witchcraft, dramas have made society more accepting of, and open to, sorcery. The films show how it remains prevalent in society and can provide a tool to access riches. With the audience interested in watching stories on witchcraft the industry is feeding such demands. Witchcraft sells; and continues to remain a prominent theme justifying why people make their decisions and action.\n\nThis is not the kind of perception change Africa needs.\n\n[1] In Nigeria homosexuality is illegal and continues to be criminalised.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c99a7aec0121871dff9d8f6a66e2bfba",
"text": "modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be First, the narrative of whether Africa is 'rising' has been debated, and requires reflection. Second, if Africa were rising will Nollywood push Nigeria to rise in the wrong direction? Nollywood is a private-sector organisation, with concentrated profits. Inequality in Nigeria has continued to rise since 1985 as shown by the GINI coefficient (Aigbokhan, 2008); and with lavish lifestyles being created for famous actresses and directors who hit ‘big money’ will Nollywood only act to benefit elites and create a new elite class? Economic growth and revenue production cannot solve the issue of poverty without tackling inequality.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "18d504368a0579e002e3576e2245d735",
"text": "modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Although the industry has encouraged entrepreneurialism we need to recognise it is also promoting risky businesses. Firstly, the individuals working in the industry are required to produce a quick turnover. The fact that no security and support is provided by the government or state means the risk of failed entrepreneurial strategies falls on the individual. The producers and directors may be forced to borrow money from loan sharks and at high interest-rates to get capital quickly; and need to be able to ensure profits are generated rapidly. Such a tenuous industry is clearly not in a position to change opinions of Africa and may instead be creating a negative perception of risk-taking and cutthroat capitalism.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b36ca032b0e93fceabdc2fcbbc2439ef",
"text": "modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be The issue of piracy is being tackled. Recognising the potential benefits Nollywood can bring to Nigeria and the scale of the piracy problem, investments are being made to stop piracy in the growing industry.\n\nInvestments have been proposed by the World Bank to tackle piracy, and ensure profits are not lost. Further, Nollywood UP, the Nollywood Upgrade Project, is providing funding to control piracy. Nollywood UP is improving the capacity of the innovative industry - by providing solutions for distribution and vital training in high-quality film making.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ad11081e3efb64ca9a9cf1f98016589e",
"text": "modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be New funding sources are emerging. The diasporic community for example are playing a central role in funding the long-term growth of the industry. Recognising potential, and being a major consumer base for the films produced, the African diaspora is investing in Nollywood.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d291bfc16d836f59e43a25662aa88e84",
"text": "modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Nollywood films are viewed globally. Channels are dedicated to the films - such as South Africa’s MultiChoice and BSkyB’s Nollywood Movies. BSkyB distributes programmes and films directly to airlines, instantly broadening the audience. Furthermore, YouTube subscribers have sought to enhance the global viewing popularity; and recently developed iROKO Partners is ensuring internet users can access Nollywood films. iROKO Partners shows the biggest markets are based in the US, UK, Canada, Italy and Germany (Kermeliotis, 2012).\n\nNew partnerships are being formed with Hollywood and global film festivals [1] , which show the future shift of broadcasting Nollywood films in cinemas. A recent film produced by Pat Nebo - ‘Dead broke’ - is set to be premiered in Lagos, Accra, and London.\n\n[1] Cannes (2013) recently showcased ‘La Pirogue’; and in the summer of 2013 France hosted its first Nollywood Week in Paris, showcasing seven of the best Nollywood films.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1a997ac63621096068a9add98c3301ed",
"text": "modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be A new perspective, raising topical issues\n\nThe first film created in Nollywood - ‘Living in Bondage’ - raised fundamental issues concerning marriage, wealth and spirituality. The film indicates the need to be aware of cults and what they can drive individuals to do. Furthermore films such ‘Street Girls’ and ‘Mama’s Girls’ provide insight into the lives of prostitutes and the sex industry. ‘Street Girls’ is enabling awareness of why girls are forced into prostitution and why they may be forced to commit criminal offences. Poverty is identified as a key driving factor.\n\nThe range of topics covered - from immigration, women, witchcraft, corruption, terrorism, and infrastructure deficits - counteract historic silences in the public sphere. The films are raising awareness to viewers by presenting the stories in a new light - understandable, humorous, and relatable; and will encourage citizens to demand change.\n\nNollywood is showing the limits of believing in a single perspective, the Western perspective, to stories on Africa.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9311e8c276b619e9ddd1991ef56a55ca",
"text": "modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Encouraging film entrepreneurs\n\nThe Nollywood industry is providing solutions to pressing issues - including high rates of unemployment. The dynamic industry provides an opportunity for youths to explore interests and invest in their talents and creativity. The recognition gained for Nollywood has shown how Nigeria's youths can initiate, and develop, a sustainable industry. Rather than seeing the rising young population as a potential threat [1] , the rise of Nollywood showcases the talent of the young population and helps overthrow perceptions of Africa just being about natural resources.\n\nAdditionally, the growth of Nollywood is continuing to encourage individuals to enter the creative industry – whether to work in production, acting or distribution, the rise of Nollywood is creating an entrepreneurial spirit, drive, and motivation to create change. Individuals are no longer relying on the government or international community to provide funds, support and infrastructure, but moulding their own futures.\n\n[1] See further readings: Urdal, 2006.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d6579e0b4ed1cd6822d2b8cd3d56754f",
"text": "modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Epitomising rising Africa\n\nNollywood epitomises Africa, and life in African spaces. The fast-pace nature of production shows how quickly things changes and everything is on the move. The structure of production shows the dynamic nature of everyday life, action, and flow of ideas. As Rem Koolhaas’ (2002) film documentary - Lagos - showed the congestion, informality, and buzz of the city needs to be viewed positively and a sign of entrepreneurialism. The documentary suggested African cities were setting a new trend to be followed by the West, and developing a rising economy. Africa is not simply in need of assistance, but rather a fast-pace environment that needs greater understanding.\n\nAfrica is rising [1] and Nollywood acts to reinforce this reality. With more films being produced, bigger revenues made, and new investors emerging, Nollywood shows Africa's economies are changing, growing, and emerging. Interest and collaborative investments being made by the World Bank shows the industry will continue to rise. Nollywood’s growth provides an alternative to the dominant Afro-pessimism.\n\n[1] See further readings: The Economist, 2013.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f81b748332bb6a9303f1c701bba0bb63",
"text": "modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Small audience viewings\n\nIn reality, Nollywood’s audience is constrained - questioning the extent to which stereotypes can be changed. First, language acts as a barrier. 56% of Nollywood films are produced in local languages - such as Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa (UNESCO, 2009). Although English accounts for 44% of films produced, the linguistic diversity may limit who sees which film and what issues are therefore discussed. Second, a majority of the films are sold in hardcopy - whether on cassette or pirate DVDs.\n\nFinally, the industry is characterised by fast and cheap production. Quantity over quality limits popularity and audience viewings. Further, the limited attention to quality means Nollywood remains at the bottom of the global value chain for film production. It is difficult to change perceptions with poor quality films.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "48b6486b481f48e1aff110222dc401c7",
"text": "modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be The problem of piracy\n\nPirated copies of Nollywood films are a key issue. Piracy emerges as an issue for two key reasons. First, the lack of the lack of legal structure - the lack of formal regulation. Legal systems and strict copyright controls are needed to ensure piracy is stopped. Second, the production system is slow - therefore alternative means of production are used to meet the growing demand for films released. New methods for distribution are required.\n\nCalls have been made for the government to take action against piracy. However, with corruption prevalent little action has been made. Half of the film profits are lost through piracy (CNN, 2009), and piracy acts to reinforce the image of bad governance, and inadequate structures, within African states. The industry is being undermined and undervalued, through the piracy market, with high costs to the entrepreneurs.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "02105345cc25415e788ae43f3e7677ab",
"text": "modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Short term hype\n\nDespite the boom in Nollywood’s industry it remains hard to get investment. With funding issues prevalent the hype surrounding Nollywood is temporary.\n\nThe difficulties in getting funding, mean films produced are often safe and politically popular - aware that funds can be gained for backing. For example, the controversial film – Boko Haram – aimed to provide an alternative perspective into the Islamist extremist group. The core subject matter was to explore terrorism; however, following the controversial story and topic, marketers dropped out, fearing a political backlash. Titles had to be changed and the film adapted to be more sensitive. The ideas behind the films, and the stories told, are being altered due to funding constraints [1] . Perspectives, on and in Africa, cannot be changed if the topics raised are altered to meet sensitivity regulations. Hegemony will persist.\n\n[1] See further readings: Hirsch, 2013.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
9718a2f2c94c47ce98125f8f5f9296e4
|
Bribing good governance
The Mo Ibrahim Prize is bribing African leaders to shift towards good governance. The financial incentive is being distributed to entice leaders to follow good governance approaches and models. The fact that no questions are asked on where the money provided goes; how it is used; and what the former leaders spend it on raise further questions. Most importantly to what extent can we claim elaborate bribery is an effective means to enforce good governance within the continent? For a start having what is essentially a bribe to encourage good governance is hypoctitical. Secondly a bribe for an individual relies on that one individual’s actions. Thus in 2007 the prize was granted to Mozambique’s President Chissano. However, since 2007 declines have emerged in the scores concerning law and rights (Mo Ibrahim Foundation, 2013).
Additionally for those motivated by money the money provided cannot compete with potential returns that can be gained from natural resources, tax evasion schemes, and capital flight. The bribery incentive does not compete with potential profits gained through alternative forms corruption (Bedell, 2009).
|
[
{
"docid": "59ffec025161665beb4e15edbbdb388d",
"text": "africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo The reward is an incentive, not a bribe; consider it as being similar to performance related pay. The prize shows how if excellent leadership is promoted and good governance encouraged the leaders will be praised, recognised and rewarded. The prize is not a bribe, but a way of incentivising leaders to follow a path towards good governance. By highlighting cases where good governance has excelled the prize draws attention to the benefits of good governance through a cost-benefit appraisal. The social, economic, and political returns are highlighted; and other African governments encouraged to follow the trend.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "aa761ba021cd56b7285104a81eb78cfe",
"text": "africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo One of the criteria for awarding the prize is ‘demonstrated exceptional leadership’. This clearly allows the IIAG to be fed into the process as it is the IIAG that can show if the leader being considered has demonstrated this leadership. The IIAG provides a useful tool to assist in deciding the prize winner, and nominees.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "98c066753d33b86ce6b257ae94d33bae",
"text": "africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo It is not contradictory to offer a reward for good governance after the leader has left office. Dictators holding onto power for long periods are one of Africa’s biggest problems. Rewarding those who step aside shows that an important part of good governance is having presidents who stick to constitutional terms. A stable transfer of power is vital in a democracy. This is something that is even more important when the transfer is to a political opponent. One of the most important advances in governance that can be made is to make be considered normal that the opposition is as loyal to the country as the government. When this happens power can easily be transferred without conflict or resulting disorder.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "988fef13f9e266153dbbd9883756c744",
"text": "africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo The committee nominating, and choosing, the final candidates remains un-bias and their expertise within multiple aspects of governance means the high standards can be maintained. Having votes would open the prize up to corruption and attempts to influence the outcome by those who are eligible. A technocratic standard is needed for good governance.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7d9ed5e023312e82c0610c7b01eb0f3a",
"text": "africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo The prize is too narrowly defined. At what scale should the change be defined? For example civil-society and community leaders can make significant changes to governance at a smaller-scale; promoting democratic governance from a bottom-up initiative can work as well as top down. On another hand, should we only be focusing on the very top? What about the government officials who are not heads of state but make a change to people’s lives? The narrow focus on the head of a party or state neglects the body - such as finance ministers - that maintains that system of governance and work hard to ensure a democratic transition. The focus on heads of state may deter the state body from ensuring effective governance due to the fact their hard work is not rewarded or recognised.\n\nDue to the relatively young nature of democracy and multi-party rule across Africa, the criteria of potential prize candidates needs to be expanded. The number of former heads of states having left in the past three years is small. Therefore the criteria for nomination needs to change.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cff285b9741bd0372ef59039cad03933",
"text": "africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo Although the prize has gained recognition in the Western world or ‘Global North’ to what extent is the prize, its reward, and meaning, known and understood by African citizens? If the prize is recognising African leadership citizens need to be aware of the prize in the first place - whether their country is up for nomination or not. Awareness is the only way the apparent transparency can hold power and become a reality. Citizens cannot demand change or hold the state to account when they are not aware of the index, the prize, and the so-called changes being made.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d00873f79e181ae6dca3f3c5ae5713f5",
"text": "africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo The prize by focusing on leaders ignores the areas where money is needed; not lining already rich people’s pockets but providing money and advice to actually set up these institutions. This means for example ensuring the police and civil servants are well enough paid they don’t resort to corruption etc. Acemoglu and Robinson (2013) highlight that there is also a ‘vicious cycle’ whereby the presence of bad institutions - authoritarian, unaccountable, with limited economic innovations - reinforce poverty and bad governance. Although offering rewards where significant change has happened is a positive model, in reality, many African states require funds to be able to enforce change in the first place and break this vicious cycle.\n\nFor good governance to be promoted rewards should not only go to the best, but also the good in a continent where bad governance dominates. For any progress to be made in governance the prize needs to lower standards of expectation, recognise where improvements are made, and use the reward to change the vicious cycle. Some change is better than none; focusing on picking the best with high standards limits any change.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8992ed30b24460899af3672ae3da2611",
"text": "africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo A contradictory approach\n\nThe prize will fail to promote good governance due to the contradictory approach it undertakes. Good governance cannot emerge and be sustained by rewarding former presidents. Having a good former president does not mean their successor will encourage their legacy to continue. Why celebrate good former leaders when we need to focus on what is happening now?\n\nMoreover why reward someone just when they can no longer do any good? The prize suffers from the contradiction of regarding giving up power as a necessary criteria to obtain the prize. This ignores that Africa does not want those who are being successful at promoting good governance to leave their post – potentially to someone who will move backwards. Having a prize for someone who could have done more good had they stayed is contradictory.\n\nFinally the prize is not good for Africa; the prize has raised negative stereotypes of African states, leaders, and systems. The attention gained by the prize not being granted for 3 out of 6 years is maintaining negative stereotypes of African leaders. This will only act to reinforce the global system of power - whereby the West intervene to implement a ‘good’ model of governance, not suited to Africa.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c986528f884b7a8d45bed6796da104a4",
"text": "africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo Is the IIAG a good measure of ‘good governance’?\n\nHow do we define, classify, and recognise good governance? The Mo Ibrahim Foundation has created the Ibrahim Index. The IIAG calculates governance across Africa and assesses it over time. The IIAG shows governance has improved across the continent since 2000; and in 2013 classified Mauritius with the highest rank and Liberia as showcasing the greatest positive change over 13 years. But does the index have the right weighting? Where ‘good governance’ is found changes depending on the weighting applied. Even odder is that although the foundation has this index it is not actually used when awarding the prize, this is awarded by a committee to those who pass the criteria that don’t include the IIAG (Mo Ibrahim Foundation, 2013). The prize is therefore methodologically unsound as a way of looking at and promoting good governance\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "675e5b2cf24da9196bed31dc037e9451",
"text": "africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo Who's on the committee?\n\nWho decides whether governance is going in the right direction within the African continent? The prize committee includes six individuals who make the decision of who is worthy of the reward, and whether it is granted. The panel includes leading figures, not all of whom have held elected positions such as Mohamed ElBaradei, and not all of whom are African, such as Martti Ahtisaari and Mary Robinson (Mo Ibrahim Foundation Prize Committee). Among these distinguished panellists the voice of Africa’s population is missing. A prize about good governance should incorporate a people’s vote as good governance is only relevant if it helps the people. Moreover without a public voice there is a lack of transparency in the workings of the committee and the decisions made. Hardly a good standard for a governance prize.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f4084eab6fe8e9be9479cb84f3acb05f",
"text": "africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo Focusing on the leaders of good governance\n\nPrevious winners - such as Nelson Mandela and Pedro Pires - made significant changes to their nation-states, ending apartheid and promoting social development. The former leaders provided equality and a functioning democracy to their people. Such needs to be the aim of leaders today.\n\nProviding a prize to the highest achievers provides an example. It highlights leaders from even small countries – such as Cape Verde’s Pires – that can serve as role models for Africa’s leaders. Without the prize the most likely role models would simply be those of the biggest states who are highest profile. Mo Ibrahim (2013) has stated the prize is for “excellence, it’s not a pension”. This is why it is not always awarded. The prize is only be awarded when high-standards of good governance are replicated, and maintained, by leaders. Focusing on the top of government encourages a top down implementation of good government. When the leader acts others will follow; a comparatively small amount of money can therefore make a big difference.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "91271414083faba58991ae3bbbe2c43d",
"text": "africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo Transparency\n\nThe prize is helping citizens to be aware of good governance, and bad, occurring within their state. By granting the prize citizens are shown what leaders have done right; and the publication of the index - the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) - shows where improvement may be required. The prize is forcing transparency between governments and society. Information on how states are doing means citizens can take action, and demand change where change is needed. The prize is calling for African citizens to get the leadership they deserved, desired, and have a right to.\n\nBy maintaining strict standards on when, and to whom, the reward is provided gives a realistic picture of governance in Africa. It showcases the continued need for good governance; and also doesn’t give citizens and the international community a false illusion that governance is good in Africa when it is not.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dc397b1d925a2079103a2d549833ba5e",
"text": "africa politics politics general government leadership house believes mo Recognition when credit is due\n\nThe past few years have seen African governments, and heads of state, reluctant to leave office; driving political coups; and leading violent crimes against humanity. Mugabe, Kabila, and Kenyatta are but a few articulating the years of sustained bad governance. The prize is only awarded when credit is due - if leaders have made a significant positive impact this will be recognised and rewarded. The prize is therefore for absolute gains in governance, not relative to other countries.\n\nAs the prize is not always awarded it avoids the pitfall that distributing a financial prize where no change has been made to political institutions would reinforce a system. The state would continue to function on undemocratic governance, and the reward would become a new example of dead money [1] . Instead it encourages improved control over aid and money transferred to African states, it shows that rewards are given based on merit. The Mo Ibrahim prize therefore encourages the good institutions that are necessary for prosperity (Acemoglu and Robinson, 2013).\n\n[1] See further readings: Moyo, 2009.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
fbb72517719e7b7b63af9a5d43616a71
|
Reality TV can be educational and have real effects in society in a way other television programmes do not
Reality TV can be very educational. They educate people by displaying disastrous consequences of someone's behaviour, thus deterring others from doing unplanned and silly actions. Programmes such as "The Apprentice" have made people think about business. Jamie Oliver has raised issues of youth unemployment and poor diet, and "Fit Club" has got people thinking about health and fitness. Jamie Oliver's inaugural reality show, 'Jamie's Kitchen', offered jobless youngsters the 'chance to train and lead a nationwide campaign to improve the quality of school meals'1. Without the TV show's popularity funding the initiative, the youngsters involved would not have had such an opportunity and school meals would still reflect what kids want to eat, not what they should be eating. Such effects on society are beneficial and should be encouraged, not restricted. 1 Jury, L. (2007, January 4). The Big Question: Has reality television had its day, or are audiences still attracted to it? Retrieved July 4, 2011, from The Independent
|
[
{
"docid": "973dd549e50ea1e1f47ad0d677e0e44e",
"text": "culture general media modern culture television house believes reality television The few reality TV programmes that are educational and beneficial do not balance the bad majority. The majority are not educational, either to the public or the participants, and the insight they purport to offer into the human psyche are misguided. As Vanessa Feltz, a contestant on the British Big Brother series, describes, contestants and viewers alike 'subscribe to this utterly specious notion that fame is entirely desirable' (BBC News, 2001), whilst Narinda Kaur, another contestant on the show, admitted \"I came away from this experience thinking 'oh my God, did I really say that?\" (BBC News, 2001). As Claudio Petruccioli, head of the Italian state broadcaster Rai, notes, 'reality TV shows put people into environments that are both unrealistic and coercive'1 Any lessons learned are therefore inapplicable to real-world situations. 1 Fraser, C. (2007, April 3). Italian TV bins reality shows. Retrieved July 4, 2011, from BBC News:\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "8f79642c4fc28ce7fac388b9b73f8ff8",
"text": "culture general media modern culture television house believes reality television Reality television is not what audiences want, it is watched simply because it is ‘there’. It is what John Humphrys calls ‘carbohydrate television’, it ‘probably hasn’t done you much harm and if it leaves you feeling a bit bloated…well you can search out of a bit of quality stuff’. [1] With tens of television channels and twenty-four hours of programming to fill, reality is simply a cheap means to ensure there is always something on TV to watch. In Italy, the evidence supports such claims, with the state broadcaster Rai deciding to scrap reality programmes in 2008 due to low demand. [2] As Rai’s President stated, ‘I don’t believe they are the type of shows the majority of our viewers expect or want from a public service broadcaster’. [3]\n\n[1] Humphrys, John. “Take this oath: First, do no harm.” 28 August 2004. The Guardian. 4 July 2011.\n\n[2] Fraser, Christian. “Italian TV bins reality shows.” 3 April 2007. BBC News. 4 July 2011.\n\n[3] Fraser, Christian. “Italian TV bins reality shows.” 3 April 2007. BBC News. 4 July 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7cde82fed3fda1e779f472bdb901b27d",
"text": "culture general media modern culture television house believes reality television Reality TV is less about exposing society and allowing us to evaluate our own behaviour than it is about 're-inforcing particular social norms'1. As such, it is deliberately misleading. If it is portrayed as being real, it implies authenticity and honesty, two things that most reality TV programmes are not. They serve not to challenge our views of society, but reinforce the often false notions we already collectively hold. For example, the US reality show \"Are You Hot?\" asks competitors to submit to appearance-rating by judges, only re-inforcing the false premise that one is defined solely by the way they look2. Furthermore, even if accepted that reality shows do present a 'real' image of society, programmes like Big Brother and Survivor erode the distinction between public and private, turning 'people with real lives and real problems and real children (into) entertainment'3. Society's entertainment cannot be allowed to come at the expense of the privacy that protects families and children. 1 Sanneh, K. (2011, May 9). The Reality Principle. Retrieved July 4, 2011, from The New Yorker 2 Becker, A. (2003, March 1). Hot or Not: Reality TV can be harmful to women. Retrieved July 4, 2011, from Pyschology Today 3 Humphrys, J. (2004, August 28). Take this oath: First, do no harm. Retrieved July 4, 2011, from The Guardian:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bb15b502131d3b613dc9caa8af92623c",
"text": "culture general media modern culture television house believes reality television Reality shows are driving out other sorts of programmes, so that often there is nothing else to watch. Reality TV is cheap and series can go on for months on end, providing hundreds of hours of viewing to fill schedules. TV bosses like this and are cutting back on comedy, music, drama and current affairs in favour of wall to wall reality rubbish. This is even worse when reality shows crowd the schedules of public service broadcasters. Stations such as the BBC in the UK, France Télévisions, or Rai in Italy have a duty to inform and educate the public. They should be made to meet that responsibility – as Rai has by saying it won’t have any more reality shows.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e0b504a3af444536b7749cade7edb3fa",
"text": "culture general media modern culture television house believes reality television Reality TV does not discourage hard work or education, rather it creates a society whereby we have shared experiences and a strong sense of community. As such, reality TV provides an important social glue. Once upon a time there were only a few television channels, and everybody watched the same few programmes. The sense of a shared experience helped to bind people together, giving them common things to talk about at work and school the next day – “water cooler moments”. Reality programs like ‘Survivor’ play that role in contemporary society with viewership being ‘almost a cultural imperative’, the experience shared simultaneously with friends and family.1\n\nFurthermore, even if it were the case that the moral lessons of reality programmes are not always advisable, just as viewers can empathize with characters in the Godfather without wanting to be them, the same applies to questionable characters and actions in reality shows.2\n\n1 Sanneh, K. (2011, May 9). The Reality Principle. Retrieved July 4, 2011, from The New Yorker\n\n2 Poniewozik, J. (2003) All the News That Fits Your Reality Retrieved July 4, 2011, from TIME MAGAZINE\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f29beee877287e2b2fd4b92c7cc813bc",
"text": "culture general media modern culture television house believes reality television Reality shows are real; they are real people operating without scripts and often, live. The fact that characters are often cast to encourage disagreements or tension does not take away from the reality of the program, in fact it only adds to it. The unrealistic settings of shows like Big Brother and Survivor do not take away from the educational value of observing how they cope. In fact, without such shows, most people would have little concept of how a group of strangers would be able to survive, co-operate and develop in such environments. As Time describes, 'they provoke, they offend but at least it's trying to do something besides help you get to sleep'. The insight therefore into the human condition is invaluable, and it is little surprise that viewers are eager to watch such programs. What is real is not always the same as what is normal, the events on Survivor Island are no less real for being in an unrealistic setting.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8df0ee034f7d219f05edd6bcf492be6b",
"text": "culture general media modern culture television house believes reality television Reality TV programmes are not corrupting. They do reflect our society, which isn't always perfect, but we should face up to these issues rather than censor television in order to hide them. When Adam Lambert, an openly gay contestant on American Idol, lost in the final of the show despite being widely regarded as the best singer, many rightfully pointed out what it demonstrated about the homophobia of American society. To deride reality shows as 'corrupting' therefore is misguided; it is society who is corrupt and reality shows that offer a potential solution. To solve a problem first requires accepting one exists, and reality shows provide a means to do that; they are a window into society, permitting everyone to reflect on the issues that are most harmful to society. As such, reality show producers should not be accused of a lack of creativity or laziness for their programmes, but congratulated for drawing attention to important issues.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b621749425dcd58c9f45f1f1f6cfb8b6",
"text": "culture general media modern culture television house believes reality television Reality shows are not becoming more corrupt or more filthy. What has changed is rather what the public defines as acceptable viewing. In other words, the gap between what is actually real and what is presented as reality is closing thanks to modern reality programs. And the gap is closing due to popular demand to see reality on their TV screens. For example, the sex shown on Scandinavian episodes of Big Brother is not shocking or unrealistic, it is only unusual in the context of what we expect to see on television. The fact it was shown only illustrates that the gap between what is actually real and what is presented as reality on television is closing. If the proposition has an issue therefore with what modern reality shows are presenting, they have an issue with society at large, not reality programs. Even if were the case that reality programmes are getting more corrupt and filthy, viewers should take the advice of former U.S. President Bush Jr. and 'put the off button on.'\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "62442d95622eb3429cfaa3c6b0099651",
"text": "culture general media modern culture television house believes reality television Reality television forces us to analyse our own behaviour as a society\n\nReality TV actually has a lot of value to our society; they are effectively anthropological experiments, allowing the public to study people and societies from the comfort of their living rooms1. Humans are endlessly different and endlessly interesting to other humans. In these programmes we see people like us faced with unusual situations. Shows like Survivor, which place a group of strangers in remote environments, make us think about what we would do in their place, and about what principles govern human behaviour in general. It also shows us people who look and act very different from us, and helps us see that actually we have a lot in common with them. MTV's reality show 'Making the Band 2', a 'hip-hop American Idol', gives centre stage to inner-city kids who would be portrayed as criminals or victims on a cop drama. There is nothing immoral about reality shows, merely the society which demands them; these shows are just a product of our values and desires. We should face up to these issues rather than censor television in order to hide them. 1 Sanneh, K. (2011, May 9). The Reality Principle. Retrieved July 4, 2011, from The New Yorker\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5b990f3fe6e391a72433e809e7aed82c",
"text": "culture general media modern culture television house believes reality television Reality television is popular and TV producers should give audiences what they want\n\nReality television programmes are very popular with audiences of all ages and types. They may not be high culture but most people do not want that from television. Most viewers want to be entertained and to escape for a while from the worries and boredom of their everyday life. American Idol rejectees who stubbornly insist that they have talent provide such escapism. [1] Furthermore, and importantly, such contestants are good natured in doing so, they are not exploited but offer themselves to reality shows. [2] Therefore, there is no harm in giving the people what they want – that is what the free market is all about. Reality shows are also popular because they exploit new technology so that millions of people can participate in the programme – typically by voting. Britain is believed to have had as many as 176 reality TV shows in a single year. [3] Such supply can only be driven by excessive demand.\n\n[1] Poniewozik, James. “Why Reality TV is Good for Us.” 12 February 2003. Time. 5 July 2011.\n\n[2] Poniewozik, James. “Why Reality TV is Good for Us.” 12 February 2003. Time. 5 July 2011.\n\n[3] Jury, Louise. “The Big Question: Has reality television had its day, or are audiences still attracted to it?” 4 January 2007. The Independent. 4 July 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5f82c58e15033cee99de65e6e65a28c6",
"text": "culture general media modern culture television house believes reality television The public can always just turn reality programmes off, or watch something else\n\nTelevision provides a wide mixture of programmes, including reality television. For those who want it, there is high quality drama such as \"The Sopranos\" or \"Pride and Prejudice\" whilst the BBC, CNN, Al-Jazeera and other international broadcasters also cover news and current affairs in great depth. Wildlife programmes on the National Geographic or Discovery bring the wonders of the natural world into our living rooms. More sports are covered in more detail than ever before. So, ultimately, reality shows have not ruined television as a whole, they have merely added another option for viewers. Indeed, because they make a lot of money for broadcasters to spend on other types of programmes, they are actually good for all viewers, regardless of personal taste for genres.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d0c1b831cff85ae0e46db7dd49196c84",
"text": "culture general media modern culture television house believes reality television Reality TV encourages people to pursue celebrity status, and discourages the value of hard work and an education\n\nReality shows send a bad message and help to create a cult of instant celebrity. They are typically built about shameless self-promotion, based on humiliating others and harming relationships for the entertainment of each other and the viewers at home. These programmes suggest that anyone can become famous just by getting on TV and \"being themselves\", without working hard or having any particular talent. Kids who watch these shows will get the idea that they don't need to study hard in school, or train hard for a regular job. As John Humphrys points out, 'we tell kids what matters is being a celebrity and we wonder why some behave the way they do' 1 As American lawyer Lisa Bloom fears, 'addiction to celebrity culture is creating a generation of dumbed-down women.'2 Reality shows encourage such addictions and promote the generally misguided belief that they should aspire to be the reality stars they watch on their televisions. 1 Humphrys, J. (2004, August 28). Take this oath: First, do no harm. Retrieved July 4, 2011, from The Guardian: 2 Becker, A. (2003, March 1). Hot or Not: Reality TV can be harmful to women. Retrieved July 4, 2011, from Pyschology Today\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1a2e5497a3aff5aec7763e7c79028747",
"text": "culture general media modern culture television house believes reality television Reality shows make for bad, lazy and corrupting television, encouraging such behaviour in society\n\nReality shows are bad, lazy and corrupting television. They mostly show ordinary people with no special talents doing very little. If they have to sing or dance, then they do it badly – which doesn’t make for good entertainment. They rely on humiliation and conflict to create excitement. Joe Millionaire, where a group of women competed for the affections of a construction worker who they were told was a millionaire, was simply cruel. The emotions of the contestants were considered expendable for the sake of making viewers laugh at their ignorance. Furthermore, the programmes are full of swearing, crying and argument, and often violence, drunkenness and sex. This sends a message to people that this is normal behaviour and helps to create a crude, selfish society. One American reality show, “Are You Hot?”, in which competitors submit to a panel of judges for ‘appearance-rating’, was blamed by eating disorder experts as encouraging the notion that ‘appearance is the most important thing’ (Becker, 2003).1 Furthermore, Paul Watson, a former reality TV show producer, believes they are ‘predictable and just creates more of the same and makes our film makers lazy’ (Jury, 2007).\n\n1 Becker, A. (2003, March 1). Hot or Not: Reality TV can be harmful to women.Retrieved July 4, 2011, from Pyschology Today\n\n2 Jury, L. (2007, January 4). The Big Question: Has reality television had its day, or are audiences still attracted to it? Retrieved July 4, 2011, from The Independent\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "40a0f8e432450e9034b03111af201bd5",
"text": "culture general media modern culture television house believes reality television The sheer number of reality programmes is now driving TV producers to create filthier, more corrupt reality shows\n\nReality TV is actually getting worse as the audience becomes more and more used to the genre. In a search for ratings and media coverage, shows are becoming ever more vulgar and offensive, trying to find new ways to shock. When the British Big Brother was struggling for viewers in 2003, its producers responded by attempting to shock the audience that little bit more1. \"Big Brother\" programmes have also shown men and women having sex on live TV in a desperate grab higher ratings to justify their continued existence. Others have involved fights and racist bullying. Do we let things continue until someone has to die on TV to boost the ratings?\n\nWhen reality is \"constructed\" then it substitutes the \"natural\" reality. This in turn has adverse effect on the natural growth of the children who are either actively involved into it or as audience become a passive recepient. We therefore in a pursuit of commercialization are taking away an inalienable right of children i.e. full personality development in a natural environment which is not contaminated by \"constructed\" reality.\n\n1 Humphrys, J. (2004, August 28). Take this oath: First, do no harm. Retrieved July 4, 2011, from The Guardian:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4816d3718839282c101244633ec1eec8",
"text": "culture general media modern culture television house believes reality television Reality shows are not 'real', therefore they have no education value\n\nReality TV is dishonest – it pretends to show “reality” but it actually distorts the truth to suit the programme makers. The shows are not really “real” – they are carefully cast to get a mix of “characters” who are not at all typical. Mostly they show a bunch of young, good-looking self-publicists, who will do anything to get on TV. Usually the programme makers try to ensure excitement by picking people who are likely to clash with each other. They then place them in unnatural situations, such as the Big Brother house or the Survivor island, and give them strange challenges in order to provoke them into behaving oddly. In The Bachelor, where a group of women compete for the affections of an eligible male, the ‘intimate dates’ they go on are filmed in front of any number of camera; that is not reality (Poniewozik, 2003).1 Finally the makers film their victims for hundreds of hours from all angles, but only show the most dramatic parts. Selective editing may be used to create “storylines” and so further manipulate the truth of what happened.\n\n1 Poniewozik, J. (2003) All the News That Fits Your Reality Retrieved July 4, 2011, from TIME MAGAZINE\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
766b0568a26d6a8429bf315b1ca6a4c4
|
To ban this type of music encourages the viewing of women as helpless, victim figures.
Many feminists criticise the idea of banning music that glorifies violence against women, as they perpetuate the idea of women as helpless victims who cannot cope with male criticism or violent language. One such group of people are 'power feminists'1 These power feminists believe that by complaining that men are depicting violent language towards women, and attempting to get this banned, the gender stereotype of women as a victim is reinforced; thus undoing any feminist progress that tries to assert men and women are equals. Power feminists believe that instead women should take this language in hand, assert/ defend themselves and retaliate in order to state that women are equals to those who produce this violent music.
1 Campbell , R. L. Part I: Power Feminist or Victim Feminist? 24 March 2004.
|
[
{
"docid": "6d9540c6ae71e393e51b5d1ec413309a",
"text": "arts modern culture gender house believes music glorifies violence against women To ban music that encourages violence against women would be done with the intention of protecting women; if it is necessary to paint them as the victims of violence that they are, that is a small price to pay. Furthermore, bans on child pornography would not be met with claims that their ban merely encourages the view of children as victims (as an argument against the practise). Why is that any different in this case?\n\nimprove this\n\nWe desire freedom of expression.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "11244686265c6ee6d972d740c11dd66b",
"text": "arts modern culture gender house believes music glorifies violence against women None of these arguments pose a significant problem. While setting criteria may be difficult and there will always be cases where it is a matter of interpretation this is not a reason not to create a strict and detailed set of criteria. There could be an appeals process to make sure that a song is not banned based purely on one individual's opinion.\n\nThat a ban on recording and selling the music could be avoided through pirating or songs being passed down orally does not matter as if this was happening the ban would already have enough of an impact. The ban does not have to be totally comprehensive in order to have the desired effect of reducing violence towards women simply that it prevents many people listening to the music. The audience would be reduced to a tiny minority and those who remain would be aware of the lyrics as they would have to specifically seek out the music rather than simply being exposed to it with little thought of what it may contain.\n\nFinally there is unlikely to be a large forbidden fruit effect, some people may want to try it in order to find out what it is like. But unlike for example drugs there are direct substitutes that would be almost exactly the same but without the violent lyrics so there is little point in going to the extra effort to get illegal versions.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1fe405183e5dc0858ddbc294e8b58049",
"text": "arts modern culture gender house believes music glorifies violence against women No 'slippery slope' situation exists. It would be clear that the ban only applies to music that glorifies violence. This is not a justification that could be infinitely expanded to cover more and more music and art. It could not be considered a precedent to ban music with a political message as most political messages do not promote violence.\n\nFar from stifling creativity it is likely to stimulate it. Artists would need to find new styles of music and would attempt to find ways around the ban while still keeping their music as near to its previous style as possible.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cba6dca599ab8a293f57277962abf4f9",
"text": "arts modern culture gender house believes music glorifies violence against women However, while freedom of expression is definitely an important concept to consider, such freedoms can only go so far. When it comes to language that promotes violence then freedom of expression is no longer sufficient reason not to ban something as a physical harm outweighs the right to freedom of expression. Many countries such as Canada, England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, Australia and India ban hate speech because it has severely damaging effects injuring people's dignity, feelings and self-respect and potentially promoting violence.1 Similarly, if we accept the arguments in the proposition arguments above, and we believe that this type of music can be harmful, then it seems that perhaps freedom of speech can be over ridden in order to protect those that this music injures (i.e. some women). Furthermore the banning of music which glorifies violence towards women may perhaps overtime lead to people's attitude toward this style of lyrics changing, and therefore any harmful attitude that arise from it may begin to be unacceptable by the majority.\n\n1 Liptak, Adam, ‘Hate speech or free speech? What much of West bans is protected in U.S.’, The New York Times, 11 June 2008\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2c572ce98107f40a6f7da9d601b08736",
"text": "arts modern culture gender house believes music glorifies violence against women Violence towards women is a common and world-wide phenomenon, occurring on every continent and throughout history. Therefore it seems crazy to suggest that levels of domestic violence are related to this small sub-culture of music that depicts violence towards women. If we are arguing that it exposes people to situations where they hear (in lyrics) or see (in music videos) then it could be countered that if anything this music is just highlighting these incidences of violence that are still occurring and we might as well ban the news or television drama as they expose people just as much without an age reference.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4c57b8f730a719334cbef8734e2ee47c",
"text": "arts modern culture gender house believes music glorifies violence against women The music is not the reason for the lack of respect for women; rather it is a much broader problem that cannot be prevented simply by targeting music. Within the part of that culture that is music the problem is not that music depicting violence toward women provides negative role models but rather that there are no positive role models to balance this. Banning music depicting violence towards women would not solve the problem as it still would not provide positive role models in order to replace the previous depiction. Therefore rather than putting energy into banning music depicting violence towards women, we should create a counter culture of strong, independent women who will not stand by domestic abuse or violence.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d0f26a90b4eb1c565e1071eb4adb646b",
"text": "arts modern culture gender house believes music glorifies violence against women The difficulty with this is that games, DVD's and films are all very visual medium, whereas music is audible and arguably a more imaginative medium. Other non-visual mediums, such as literature, are not restricted by age ratings and therefore it seems unfair to restrict music on these grounds.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "dc7900f3d4df7055ee0abf5237e396ab",
"text": "arts modern culture gender house believes music glorifies violence against women The issue of whether music is degrading to women or any other demography in society is irrelevant to the question of whether it encourages violence or aggression towards women. In fact, the proposition undermines itself through this claim by suggesting that this music should encourage violence to all segments of society; should we therefore ban all music?\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c8da5ef3e81ea860e28c75765ce92d58",
"text": "arts modern culture gender house believes music glorifies violence against women The 'Slippery-Slope' Argument\n\nBanning music that glorifies violence is at risk of the 'slippery-slope' of censorship, which occurs on two levels. Firstly that while music depicting violence towards women may be banned for the best intentions, this censorship may end up extending to other unpopular pieces of art, literature, film or news stories. It may follow that once music depicting violence is banned, that definition of violence may be expanded, afterwards that it is easier to ban songs that contain a political message as there is already precedent. While it is unlikely that it would ever be carried to such an extreme this could continue, until simply anything that is disliked by those in control of the banning is prohibited. It may also discourage people to say or publish expressions of their own for fear of them being considered pornography and being prosecuted1. Equally likely would be the spread of such bans to other forms of media as mentioned in opposition argument one.The second concern of the 'slippery slope' argument is that banning this type of music may cause a stagnation of creative output as people are scared to produce any music that might be considered offensive. This might result in no new styles of music being created and thus styles of music may begin to become torpid.\n\n1Schauer, Frederick F, Free Speech: A Philosophical Enquiry, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d09daed3ea93fab7055cfd2e3c9655a9",
"text": "arts modern culture gender house believes music glorifies violence against women It would be highly impractical to ban this music glorifying violence.\n\nThere are many reasons it would be impractical to ban certain types of music: First, who would choose what music counts as inappropriate and on what criteria? This would include concerns such as the Rolling Stone's song, 'Brown Sugar' which depicts sexual violence towards a slave by a slave owner (see scrapbook). It would be up to this censor to assert whether this song is highlighting and mocking a distressing moment in history, or whether it is glorifying this incident or merely describing it with no moral judgement. The censor would also have to then choose which of these where fitting reasons to ban the song. This is just a matter of opinion and thus no-one can be unbiased in making a decision. If this is true then it seems that no-one should have the right of it over someone else's opinion.\n\nSecond while there could be a ban made on recording or selling songs that depict violence towards women, or prohibit them being played on the radio, with current technological advances it would be very difficult to enforce a total ban. Music is widely available on thousands of websites via video/internet radio etc. More basically, music is a very communal activity and people may sing in crowds or to each other. Country songs (as a genre) have one of the highest percentages of music depicting violence towards women, and these songs tend to have an oral history. Thus even if there was a ban on new songs being recorded, these old songs would continue to be heard and new songs may be heard to a smaller audience. Thus people would still be exposed to these lyrics of women being abused in music.\n\nThe final reason it would be difficult to ban music that depicts violence towards women is that this runs a risk that this will only encourage musicians to write such songs, which become more popular for being 'forbidden fruit'.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c93a43d3e48971eccf754493a1a99fe6",
"text": "arts modern culture gender house believes music glorifies violence against women To ban music that encourages violence against women would be done with the intention of protecting women; if it is necessary to paint them as the victims of violence that they are, that is a small price to pay. Furthermore, bans on child pornography would\n\nMany of those who argue that censorship of music depicting violence towards women would be a bad thing do so on libertarian grounds. That is, they believe that to restrict the creation, circulation and consumption of this type of music would result in a restriction of people's freedom of speech/ expression. As some people enjoy and relate to the type of music that depicts these images, to deny people the right to listen to this music is to unfairly restrict their enjoyment and marginalise their tastes.\n\nSome people take this further to say that morbidity is part of the human condition. A consequence of our highly developed brains is that we become very conscious of our mortality, we become fascinated with violence as well because it is so closely linked to death, and we all want to understand death, we all want to know what happens after we die. So people end up seeking different ways of dealing with their fear of death, and one common way is desensitizing ourselves to the idea, perhaps through subjecting ourselves to an environment awash with death, i.e. music that depicts violence. This obviously extends to the creative aspect of humanity as well. We all spend a lot of time thinking about violence, so it is not really surprising that the most creative of us end up making art about it. From paintings, to music, to theatre, we are obsessed with violence in our entertainment, even gratuitous violence. We have famous painters like Francisco Goya who invoke gruesome violence for effect1 and who also receive critical acclaim; Stanley Kubrick won an Oscar nomination for directing A Clockwork Orange, a movie rampant with violence, sexuality and misogyny. Both these examples show violent art which have had both critical and commercial success. Therefore for the proposition argument to successfully defend the banning of music depicting violence towards women it would seem that we would equally have to ban films and paintings that display similar themes. This would result in a huge restriction of expression and society would potentially loose a vast amount of creative output. Furthermore from the examples given above it would seem that a ban would go against popular desire.\n\n1 Francisco Jose de Goya. 'Saturn Devoursing his Son.' Wikipedia.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b5b167ff8c41df01a896499209ac3232",
"text": "arts modern culture gender house believes music glorifies violence against women Music depicting violence to women causes and sustains the cycle of violence.\n\nMusic depicting violence to women causes and sustains the cycle of violence. The Scottish Home Affairs correspondent Lucy Adams reported in 2005 the levels of domestic abuse committed by 16-18 year olds grew by around 70%. One of the reasons suggested for this dramatic raise is the culture of music that depicts and glorifies violence towards women [1] (heraldscotland.com). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology reports that a study conducted in a variety of US states illustrated that music that depicted acts of violence 'led to more aggressive interpretations of ambiguously aggressive words, increased the relative speed with which people read aggressive vs. nonaggressive words, [...]The violent songs increased feelings of hostility without provocation or threat'. Although they are quick to assure that it is NOT the music type that has this affect, it is simply the lyrics, as even humorous aggressive songs have this effect. They conclude with the idea that 'Repeated exposure to violent lyrics may contribute to the development of an aggressive personality' and thus lead to more aggressive behaviour. While currently there is little to no research specifically on the link between domestic violence and lyrics that depict abuse to women, the current information that we have on violence and music lyrics suggests we can expect a similar effect. Thus if we were to ban music depicting violence towards women, people could not be influenced by it and levels of violence would drop.\n\n[1] Adams, L. Why rap drives teenagers to domestic abuse; Songs blamed for 70-per cent increase in young victims. Herald Scotland 7 October 2005\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "afeca537ca14fe6bc188ebb643497d48",
"text": "arts modern culture gender house believes music glorifies violence against women It would be easy to apply restrictions on music.\n\nWe already give films, DVD's and games an age appropriate rating. In the United States, the Motion Picture Association of America is charged with the responsibility of providing ratings to consumers [1] .\n\nIt would seem that it would be simple to stretch these criteria to a similar music body. Therefore people would only be subjected to violent lyrics when it is deemed they are old enough to hear or buy this material, and it would stop younger people from being exposed to this kind of music. This also means that no new state-run institution needs to be created; it would operate, like the MPAA, independently of government control. As such, claims that any form of music censorship would suffer from practical problems are short-sighted, we simply need to extend the medium that already exists.\n\n[1] Motion Picture Association of America\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1ecd8a501636e5e0d165e647693e9eea",
"text": "arts modern culture gender house believes music glorifies violence against women This type of music is degrading to everyone, not just women.\n\nWhile music depicting violence towards women appears on the surface to only demean women, it can be offensive and degrading to a range of people. One popular culture reference to a situation like this comes from the British television show called The Office, in the episode 'Merger'1. In this episode the character David Brent tells a racist joke and while this did not offend the black character present, many other characters were still offended by this joke.\n\nPeople may be offended by the ideas behind the music, as it seems that people who glorify violence towards women in song appear to think that this violence is acceptable. Men could be offended by these ideas just as much as women might. As songs like this become 'mainstream' in some cultures, everybody in that culture becomes affected by it, and some men and women may feel degraded by this association. Finally some people may argue that the person who writes and/or sings lyric that depict violence towards women degrade themselves in this act.\n\n1 DailyMotion. The Office (U.K.) - Explaining a Joke. Retrieved August 23, 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ebff5e204011b38ae39aafa0c5ade640",
"text": "arts modern culture gender house believes music glorifies violence against women Music depicting violence against women encourages men (and women) not to respect women.\n\nAsha Jennings began a boycott of misogynistic music in hip-hop, resulting in the 'take back the music' campaign supported by essence magazine. Jennings claims that this type of rap/ hip hop music is 'telling people [black women] are bitches and hos and sluts and not worthy of respect [...] And that's exactly how society is treating us'1. She continues that images of women 'tends to be objectified, degrading, very stripper-like' or as nagging vicious and manipulative money grabbers1. Jennings' worry is that in these videos women are depicted as menial, subservient and purely as the object of men's entertainment. The lyrics that go with these music videos compound these ideas of women as undeserving of male respect e.g. 'wouldn't piss on fire to put you out' (Eminem), 'Then I straight smoked the ho [...] and she thanked me' (NWE) (All lyrics in full are in the scrapbook). These images in themselves are violence towards women, as they dehumanise them. As this becomes a dominant image in society, young people who look up to these rappers mimic their behaviour and believe it is ok to disrespect women,2 as that is what they have been exposed to. This works in the same way for young girls, who cannot relate to the male rappers and so instead mimic the women they talk about, while also following their views on women. This idea that women are not deserving of respect must affect the levels of violence towards women as if you abuse someone you cannot fully respect them. Therefore if music depicting violence (and for this argument, disrespect) towards women was banned, then violence towards women in the real world would be reduced and this must be seen as a good thing.\n\n1 CNN, Hip-Hop Portrayal of Women Protested, 2005\n\n2 Burnham, L. Nightmares of Depravity. Durland 21 June 1995.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
22658febd1a7575eec2c2638edaaba5d
|
Beauty contests objectify women
Women in beauty contests are judged on their physical appearance rather than on any other qualities they may possess (the existence of a ‘talent’ element in many such contests is all very well, but ugly women simply aren’t going to win). Judging women, but not men, primarily on their looks contributes to the subjugation of women because other qualities, such as intelligence, are not seen as part of ideal femininity and therefore not as things to which women should aspire. Ideal masculinity, while in itself potentially damaging to men, tends to be construed in much wider and less restrictive terms - it is notable that male beauty contests, judging men on their physical appearance, are much less popular than female ones.
|
[
{
"docid": "3177fd4d61c95e7b520aebf7a4247bb5",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests There is nothing wrong with judging people primarily on their physical prowess - we do this all the time in competitive sport, where fitness and strength are major determinants of success. Moreover doing so is little different from judging people on non-physical qualities such as intellect. Every competition, of every kind, values certain qualities over others - we recognise that being able to lift heavy weights isn’t the prime definition of human worth, but we can still give prizes for weightlifting; similarly, we can give a prize to a beautiful woman for her beauty without implying that beauty is all that matters about anyone.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "1aa55f5e9a9d8a00c0785add8f31ee22",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Riots often have many causes and it is only the spark that is picked up upon. The example of the riots in Kaduna is misleading; there were serious underlying tensions that were the root cause. [1]\n\nBeauty contests, like sport, can be an important focus of national or regional pride. Despite the declining popularity of competitions such as Miss World in the UK, they hold an important cultural place in many parts of the world. The victories in recent years of Miss India, Miss Turkey and Miss Nigeria in Miss World competitions made many Indians, Turks and Nigerians proud, and were seen as symbolic of those countries’ progress in competing with more powerful countries on their own terms.\n\n[1] Astill, James, ‘The truth behind the Miss World riots’, The Guardian, 30 November 2002\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "08750df617af2a9fdc642ff6288df395",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests are part of the system that values women solely on their appearance. It is better to break down that system than seek to work within it.\n\nBeauty contests fail to challenge harmful political attitudes to women. Despite paying lip-service to feminist keywords such as empowerment and self-confidence, they do nothing concrete to aid the liberation of women; indeed, by reinforcing looks as the most important feminine quality, they harm women’s liberation in general. The fact that the organisers of Miss World 2002 had no problem with holding the contest in Nigeria at the same time as a high-profile case in which a woman was due to be stoned for adultery exposes the competition’s hypocrisy. [1]\n\nAssigning scholarship funds based on physical appearance rather than academic merit is unfair because it neuters the aspirations of many regardless of how hard they might work.\n\n[1] Bloom, Alexis and Cassandra Herrman, Frontline World, ‘Nigeria – The Road North’, PBS, January 2003.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4e237390d71fad614f7398c87a5cf26a",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty Pageants do limit the choice of others due to putting pressure on women to conform to this ideal of beauty which is promoted. This is limiting the lifestyle choices of many more women than choose to take part in the pageants.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "860e28d5cc2965c4ee18e8ae6ab64895",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests This is a red herring – beauty pageants are primarily about physical attractiveness. Broadcasting data shows that viewers turn off Miss America for the talent and interview portions of the show while continuing to watch the swimsuit portion. [1]\n\n[1] Peterson, Ivan, ‘A Challenge for Miss America in Reality TV Era’, The New York Times, 9 April 2005\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a1e61991662c010a4efcc8fcfef09fcd",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests are culturally insensitive\n\nThe image of female beauty promoted by beauty contests is culturally specific and western - it doesn’t matter how many Asian women win Miss World, they can still only do so if they take part in the swimsuit competition, which may well not be considered appropriate dress in their culture. This clash of cultures has led to numerous protests, demonstrations and even violence when beauty contests are going on. There were demonstrations against Miss World by feminists and Hindu nationalists when it was held in Bangalore in 1996. Riots in Kaduna in northern Nigeria over Miss World 2002 left more than 200 dead and led to the contest being moved to London. [1]\n\n[1] CNN, ‘Obasanjo blames media for Miss World riots’\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8e70003b1406f483229066c6e452bd74",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests are patriarchal\n\nBeauty contests promote an ideal of female beauty to which only a minority of women can realistically aspire, but which adds to the pressure on all women to conform to it. This can be harmful to women by encouraging dieting, eating disorders and cosmetic surgery, or simply by making them feel inadequate and ugly by comparison to this ‘ideal’ that is promoted. Moreover, these contests force the models and contestants to look even slimmer and perfect all the time, thus encouraging anorexia and bulimia.\n\nNaomi Wolf argues that \"in terms of how we feel about ourselves physically, we may actually be worse off than our un-liberated grandmothers.\" Why? Because of how \"cruelly images of female beauty have come to weigh upon us.\" [1] This pressure has therefore forced a backwards step that reduces freedom of women when in almost every other area of life there have been great advances.\n\n[1] Naomi Wolf, ‘The Beauty Myth’.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f4378599f4d27612b583f768953cde9e",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty pagents are about moral than physical aesthetics\n\nModern Beauty pageants have mandatory talent portions and are more about establishing and striving for an ‘ideal’ than rating physical beauty. This was specifically made mandatory by Lenora Slaughter in the 1938 Miss America Pageant in order to attract “ladies” to participate in the competitions. The modern form of the beauty pageant was designed by women in order to attract women. [1]\n\n[1] Hilary Levey Friedman, ‘There She Goes: A Trailblazing Feminist Beauty Queen’, Huffington Post, 15 March 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d34b5b0fed690a585838053b62ef047c",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests are an avenue of opportunity that women are entitled to pursue\n\nIn an environment where women are valued on solely on their appearance, and in which there are more opportunities for men, beauty contests give women an opportunity to improve their situations. Winning a beauty contest can be a first step toward a successful life in the future; the most attractive earn 12% more. [1] Many Hollywood actresses are former beauty queens, and they would not have reached their success without the beauty contests they won. In addition, the winners of high-profile beauty contests are able to publicize charities and causes they feel strongly about - they have a public platform they could not otherwise have gained.\n\nBeauty pageants can also empower in other ways: The Miss America competition is the largest provider of scholarship assistance for women in the world [2] , indeed it pioneered assistance for women in higher education in the 40’s and 50’s. [3]\n\n[1] Day, Elizabeth, ‘Honey Money: The Power of Erotic Capital by Catherine Hakim – review’, The Observer, 28 August 2011.\n\n[2] Miss America, 'Purpose'\n\n[3] Hilary Levey Friedman, ‘There She Goes: A Trailblazing Feminist Beauty Queen’, Huffington Post, 15 March 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9ed42ecf90a9ab150dc8b141d134e3f2",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Self defined feminists do not have the right to dictate how other women relate to their femininity\n\nA ban is a very blunt instrument with which to attack a practice. Banning beauty contests would do little to destroy the ideal of beauty as it is prevalent in many other areas of society which are unrelated to Beauty Pageants such as advertising, fashion and the entertainment industry. The only result of a ban will simply be to reduce the choice of women – who of course do choose to participate. Choice is fundamentally a good thing and everyone should have as much choice as possible so long as they are not limiting the choice of others.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "edbbe62c4dc24b60d06fab671625397f",
"text": "That such a move will reduce conflict relies on a lot of assumptions; most notably that the changes won’t spark a lot of new conflicts. Territory is the biggest source of violent conflicts among states and this will create a large number of new such conflicts. When there is a response 76.6% of the time it will be military when territory is in dispute compared to 49% when something else is the cause, and such disputes are three times as likely to escalate to war (7.3% to 2.5%). [1] The redrawing process would also mean suffering as states attempt to pre-empt new borders by moving those of the ‘wrong’ ethnicity and as insurgencies are stepped up. The Abyei area of Sudan shows what is likely to happen; it was to have a referendum to decide whether to join the North or South but the north occupied the region before it could be carried out. [2]\n\n[1] Hensel, 1998, pp.20-1\n\n[2] Copnall, 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5aa63cf1ec965eb09c142ea9ddf50815",
"text": "Democratic states have an obligation to not bolster repression abroad\n\nIt is common for Western democracies to make sweeping statements about the universality of certain rights, and that their system of government is the one that should be most sought after in the world, that democracy is the only legitimate form of government. As when Obama in Cairo proclaimed “These are not just American ideas; they are human rights. And that is why we will support them everywhere.” [1] They claim to work in the United Nations and other organizations toward the improvement of rights in other countries and clamour about the need for building governments accountability around the world, using their liberal-democratic paradigm as the model. Yet at the same time democratic governments and companies sell technologies to non-democratic allies that are used to systematically abuse the rights of citizens and to entrench the power of those avowedly illegitimate regimes. These hypocrisies read as a litany of shame. A telling example is the Blair government in the United Kingdom selling weapons to an oppressive regime in Indonesia for the sake of political expediency even after proclaiming an ‘ethical foreign policy’. [2]\n\nEven if democracies do not feel it is a defensible position to actively seek to subvert all non-democratic states, and that non-democracies should be considered semi-legitimate on the basis of nations’ right to self-determination, they should still feel morally obliged not to abet those regimes by providing the very tools of oppression on which they rely. [3] To continue dealing in these technologies serves only to make democratic countries’ statements hollow, and the rights they claim to uphold seem less absolute, a risk in itself to freedoms within democracies. Respect for rights begins at home, and actively eroding them elsewhere reduces respect for them by home governments.\n\n[1] Obama, Barack, “Remarks by the President on a new beginning”, Office of the Press Secretary, 4 June 2009, http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-Cairo-University-6-04-09\n\n[2] Burrows, G. “No-Nonsense Guide to the Arms Trade”. New Internationalist. 2002, http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Weapons/Arms_Trade.html\n\n[3] Elgin, B. “House Bill May Ban US Surveillance Gear Sales”. Bloomberg. 9 December 2012. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-09/house-bill-would-ban-surveillance-gear-sales-by-american-firms.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a0ecc8eecf80ab7c0551839c83603523",
"text": "New START is about national politics, not about the interests of the world or peace. As George Will argued in 2010: \"The (Obama) administration's ardor for ratification is understandable, as is Russia's. The president needs a success somewhere; Russia needs psychotherapy. It longs to be treated as what it no longer is, a superpower, and it likes the treaty's asymmetries.\" [1] New START is about serving these domestic political interests, not securing peace, which it will not achieve as the inspections it puts in place are highly flawed, and there remains a high probability that Russia will cheat on the treaty and augment its nuclear capabilities regardless. All this treaty does is weaken the US, and a situation where one power weakens and the other grows stronger is not good for world peace.\n\n[1] Will, George. \"Obama's time-warp focus on the New START treaty\". Washington Post. 2 December 2010. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/01/AR2010120104728.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "52307aa0dc08c29941aa8754c1906f01",
"text": "Even though polls may alter public dialogue, an explanation of what stifles debate is not sufficiently provided by the proposition. They seem to infer that ‘stifling’ by opinion polls suggests a that debate shuts down whereas we claim that a politician’s responses to public opinion is exactly what is sought by the public to make them better informed. The stifling of debate does not occur. So even though, the prop suggests that stifling debate is hindering debate, this has not been proven since responses by politicians to opinion polls are simply part of dialogue and not necessarily hindering discussion.\n\nThe observation that voter behaviour is some- how unfairly influenced through strength of numbers doesn’t include all of the close results which are often reported between platforms or candidates. The assumption that voters feeling outnumbered will often occur and will change their vote as a result cannot be made. Most citizens are already aware of their political leanings regardless of opinion polls or popular opinion. The undecided voter is not necessarily waiting on opinion polls but more likely the continuing debate occurring through the election cycle. Apathy among voters occurs for many other reasons besides the publication of opinion polls. We cannot be certain that the exclusion of public polls to protect apathetic voters will significantly outweigh the value of a more informed public. That democracy is harmed through opinion polls has not been established.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "071b08293006cf0fc572a7063775cd16",
"text": "Terrorists are engaged in war, which much remain subject to the Geneva Conventions lest it become unrestrained\n\nTerrorists are engaged in a war like any other: they unite as a political actor to undertake military action in favour of a specific cause. The fact that they do not represent one individual nation and that they are not at war with a specific list of states does not undermine this: Al Qaeda, for example, has clear goals including eliminating American influence within Muslim nations, destroying Israel and re-establishing the Caliphate (Blanchard, 2007). The fact that we may not view these causes as worthy or legitimate is irrelevant: we do not assess the merits or legitimacy of a conflict between states before deciding whether to apply the Geneva Convention. It should therefore apply equally to soldiers and terrorists. The Geneva Conventions were formed to ensure that future wars would not result in the barbarity and wanton violence that mired World War II; to deny it to terrorists would risk the undermining of norms that have developed to restrain warfare. If we don’t treat terrorists as prisoners of war therefore, we risk a return to the barbarity of warfare in the first half of the 20th century.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3dda44fa525444d7a5c09b0536335812",
"text": "Opposition claims that monitoring is ‘laziness’. Admittedly, monitoring makes digital parenting more efficient and comprehensive. But, such technology makes parenting practical, not ‘lazy’. As it is, many people blame technology for their own shortcomings. [1] Thus, parents need to know that monitoring will not do all the work for them. It is not lazy to monitor your children, it is clearly essential that children are monitored when involved in activities such as sports. The internet is a dangerous environment just as the sports field is and should have similar adult supervision.\n\n[1] Bradley, Tony. “Blaming Technology for Human Error: Trying To Fix Social Problems With Technical Tools.” About. About. 30 Mar 2005.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ef49630e9a6904324d3f30ddf7dc5873",
"text": "Providing the choice to donate at expense of one’s life will simply increase the pressure on those who do not wish to donate as they now are presented with a much bigger burden when their loved one dies as they could lawfully have prevented it. Moreover the person who is receiving the donation would also have that sense of guilt of living with the knowledge that someone actively chose to sacrifice their life for them. This guilt may well be larger than having the possibility of saving someone but not acting. [1]\n\n[1] Monforte-Royo, C., et al. “The wish to hasten death: a review of clinical studies.” Psycho-Oncology 20.8 (2011): 795-804.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6bed1de7296a67d7d59c675484321c58",
"text": "It was not the powerful arguments that are made in Mein Kampf that led to the atrocities of Nazi Germany, mostly because there are none.\n\nThe content of the book is not grounds for supressing its publication or use and so, all other things being equal, there should be a presumption in favour of publication. There is an entirely understandable interest in the publication of the book in a country where it is so notorious. It’s important to bear in mind that this is not a bomb making manual and most experts feel that the arguments are weak to the point of absurdity [i] – and the commentary will serve to enforce that point. The content of the book, in and of itself, were not therefore grounds for continued suppression of the text.\n\nGenerally speaking, it seems a relatively sensible rule of thumb that if there is no direct harm that can be shown as a result of publication and there is sufficient interest to merit doing so then it would normally be published [ii] . By doing so ahead of the end of the copyright, the state will prevent commercial publishers making a profit and this should dampen down the impact of its arrival.\n\nIt is standard to take such a presumption in favour of publication in many other circumstances, even where some groups may find doing so offensive – the Satanic Verses being a case in point. [iii]\n\nThere is no doubt that the book also has an iconic significance but that might also be said of Das Kapital and, more explicitly, the works of Lenin and Mao but they remain in print for both scholarly and popular consumption.\n\nIt seems sensible to treat Mein Kampf as just another book. If this were a recently discovered autobiography by another significant historical figure, it would almost certainly be published - even if it wasn’t very good.\n\n[i] Mein Kampf: Bavaria plans first German edition since WWII. BBC Website. 25 April 2012.\n\n[ii] Viewpoint: Let Germans read Mein Kampf. Stephen J Kramer. BBC News. 10 May 2012.\n\n[iii] Devji, Faisal, ‘Does Salman Rushdie exist?’, Free Speech Debate, 13 March 2012, http://freespeechdebate.com/en/discuss/rushdie-redux/\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "550e2864d0c0aa7a6bf7f8fcc4836878",
"text": "Forcing Israel to act would remove the United States from direct responsibility for the consequences, and allow the US to strategically “condemn” Israel’s actions.\n\nIran and Israel already have a terrible relationship, so a lot of the harms here are already sunk costs.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "346fd8b763a692f59fe6a69b5d009198",
"text": "The current arrangement means that a handful of small states have a massively disproportionate impact on the primary campaigns. A genuinely national primary would even that out. Grassroots campaigns would also have a reasonable basis for operating on the national stage right up to the event.\n\nStretching the process out ultimately play to the biggest pockets. Unless grassroots candidates get an extraordinary result early, they’re knocked out. Trying to fight their way through several, effectively national campaigns, means that they only really have one chance at the moment.\n\nIt’s only sensible to make that fact reality with a structure that means all candidates are in an all or nothing race rather than a financial endurance test.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
45d806edfb1cc46158fdbdcfdd7ce74b
|
Beauty contests are patriarchal
Beauty contests promote an ideal of female beauty to which only a minority of women can realistically aspire, but which adds to the pressure on all women to conform to it. This can be harmful to women by encouraging dieting, eating disorders and cosmetic surgery, or simply by making them feel inadequate and ugly by comparison to this ‘ideal’ that is promoted. Moreover, these contests force the models and contestants to look even slimmer and perfect all the time, thus encouraging anorexia and bulimia.
Naomi Wolf argues that "in terms of how we feel about ourselves physically, we may actually be worse off than our un-liberated grandmothers." Why? Because of how "cruelly images of female beauty have come to weigh upon us." [1] This pressure has therefore forced a backwards step that reduces freedom of women when in almost every other area of life there have been great advances.
[1] Naomi Wolf, ‘The Beauty Myth’.
|
[
{
"docid": "3177fd4d61c95e7b520aebf7a4247bb5",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests There is nothing wrong with judging people primarily on their physical prowess - we do this all the time in competitive sport, where fitness and strength are major determinants of success. Moreover doing so is little different from judging people on non-physical qualities such as intellect. Every competition, of every kind, values certain qualities over others - we recognise that being able to lift heavy weights isn’t the prime definition of human worth, but we can still give prizes for weightlifting; similarly, we can give a prize to a beautiful woman for her beauty without implying that beauty is all that matters about anyone.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "1aa55f5e9a9d8a00c0785add8f31ee22",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Riots often have many causes and it is only the spark that is picked up upon. The example of the riots in Kaduna is misleading; there were serious underlying tensions that were the root cause. [1]\n\nBeauty contests, like sport, can be an important focus of national or regional pride. Despite the declining popularity of competitions such as Miss World in the UK, they hold an important cultural place in many parts of the world. The victories in recent years of Miss India, Miss Turkey and Miss Nigeria in Miss World competitions made many Indians, Turks and Nigerians proud, and were seen as symbolic of those countries’ progress in competing with more powerful countries on their own terms.\n\n[1] Astill, James, ‘The truth behind the Miss World riots’, The Guardian, 30 November 2002\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "08750df617af2a9fdc642ff6288df395",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests are part of the system that values women solely on their appearance. It is better to break down that system than seek to work within it.\n\nBeauty contests fail to challenge harmful political attitudes to women. Despite paying lip-service to feminist keywords such as empowerment and self-confidence, they do nothing concrete to aid the liberation of women; indeed, by reinforcing looks as the most important feminine quality, they harm women’s liberation in general. The fact that the organisers of Miss World 2002 had no problem with holding the contest in Nigeria at the same time as a high-profile case in which a woman was due to be stoned for adultery exposes the competition’s hypocrisy. [1]\n\nAssigning scholarship funds based on physical appearance rather than academic merit is unfair because it neuters the aspirations of many regardless of how hard they might work.\n\n[1] Bloom, Alexis and Cassandra Herrman, Frontline World, ‘Nigeria – The Road North’, PBS, January 2003.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4e237390d71fad614f7398c87a5cf26a",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty Pageants do limit the choice of others due to putting pressure on women to conform to this ideal of beauty which is promoted. This is limiting the lifestyle choices of many more women than choose to take part in the pageants.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "860e28d5cc2965c4ee18e8ae6ab64895",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests This is a red herring – beauty pageants are primarily about physical attractiveness. Broadcasting data shows that viewers turn off Miss America for the talent and interview portions of the show while continuing to watch the swimsuit portion. [1]\n\n[1] Peterson, Ivan, ‘A Challenge for Miss America in Reality TV Era’, The New York Times, 9 April 2005\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6525e80b1aa020d960d128daa1e15bf9",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests objectify women\n\nWomen in beauty contests are judged on their physical appearance rather than on any other qualities they may possess (the existence of a ‘talent’ element in many such contests is all very well, but ugly women simply aren’t going to win). Judging women, but not men, primarily on their looks contributes to the subjugation of women because other qualities, such as intelligence, are not seen as part of ideal femininity and therefore not as things to which women should aspire. Ideal masculinity, while in itself potentially damaging to men, tends to be construed in much wider and less restrictive terms - it is notable that male beauty contests, judging men on their physical appearance, are much less popular than female ones.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a1e61991662c010a4efcc8fcfef09fcd",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests are culturally insensitive\n\nThe image of female beauty promoted by beauty contests is culturally specific and western - it doesn’t matter how many Asian women win Miss World, they can still only do so if they take part in the swimsuit competition, which may well not be considered appropriate dress in their culture. This clash of cultures has led to numerous protests, demonstrations and even violence when beauty contests are going on. There were demonstrations against Miss World by feminists and Hindu nationalists when it was held in Bangalore in 1996. Riots in Kaduna in northern Nigeria over Miss World 2002 left more than 200 dead and led to the contest being moved to London. [1]\n\n[1] CNN, ‘Obasanjo blames media for Miss World riots’\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f4378599f4d27612b583f768953cde9e",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty pagents are about moral than physical aesthetics\n\nModern Beauty pageants have mandatory talent portions and are more about establishing and striving for an ‘ideal’ than rating physical beauty. This was specifically made mandatory by Lenora Slaughter in the 1938 Miss America Pageant in order to attract “ladies” to participate in the competitions. The modern form of the beauty pageant was designed by women in order to attract women. [1]\n\n[1] Hilary Levey Friedman, ‘There She Goes: A Trailblazing Feminist Beauty Queen’, Huffington Post, 15 March 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d34b5b0fed690a585838053b62ef047c",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests are an avenue of opportunity that women are entitled to pursue\n\nIn an environment where women are valued on solely on their appearance, and in which there are more opportunities for men, beauty contests give women an opportunity to improve their situations. Winning a beauty contest can be a first step toward a successful life in the future; the most attractive earn 12% more. [1] Many Hollywood actresses are former beauty queens, and they would not have reached their success without the beauty contests they won. In addition, the winners of high-profile beauty contests are able to publicize charities and causes they feel strongly about - they have a public platform they could not otherwise have gained.\n\nBeauty pageants can also empower in other ways: The Miss America competition is the largest provider of scholarship assistance for women in the world [2] , indeed it pioneered assistance for women in higher education in the 40’s and 50’s. [3]\n\n[1] Day, Elizabeth, ‘Honey Money: The Power of Erotic Capital by Catherine Hakim – review’, The Observer, 28 August 2011.\n\n[2] Miss America, 'Purpose'\n\n[3] Hilary Levey Friedman, ‘There She Goes: A Trailblazing Feminist Beauty Queen’, Huffington Post, 15 March 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9ed42ecf90a9ab150dc8b141d134e3f2",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Self defined feminists do not have the right to dictate how other women relate to their femininity\n\nA ban is a very blunt instrument with which to attack a practice. Banning beauty contests would do little to destroy the ideal of beauty as it is prevalent in many other areas of society which are unrelated to Beauty Pageants such as advertising, fashion and the entertainment industry. The only result of a ban will simply be to reduce the choice of women – who of course do choose to participate. Choice is fundamentally a good thing and everyone should have as much choice as possible so long as they are not limiting the choice of others.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a6f72d89cfc4069b30d3344d5c38cae5",
"text": "The majority of products that are advertised treat currently under-treated conditions. Drugs dealing with diseases such as depression, diabetes, and high cholesterol are some of the most frequently advertised. These advertisements can help inform viewers about their conditions, and prompt visits to physicians, who can help treat the problem early on.\n\nAdditionally, informed citizens are good for society, as physicians do not always recommend necessary or helpful drugs. In the status quo, patients do not visit their doctors often enough to be diagnosed. Only approximately half the patients in America get beta blockers after a heart attack. Clearly, an advertisement for beta blockers would be informational, rather than harmful.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "91df68c04f736406d8fe17c988fe56e5",
"text": "The major corporations, which seem to exercise the opposition so greatly, are also major employers and major investors. In addition to which counterfeiting is a much greater threat to small corporations that are dependent on one good idea and lack the financial muscle to protect that idea, for example Ifttt, an internet startup was cloned by a Chinese company, Linggan, while it was still in beta. [i] The people that have something to fear from this agreement are those with no ideas seeking to skim a profit off the energy and effort of others [ii] .\n\nImportantly protecting intellectual property rights can also encourage innovation, by ensuring that start-ups keep creating new ideas and are sure they can profit from them. We need to ensure that there are sufficient incentives for entrepreneurs, of which intellectual property is one important component.\n\n[i] Sam, ‘Speedy Chinese Clone Copies Startup Still in Beta’, TechinAsia, 23 August 2011.\n\n[ii] A list of supporters\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c2f1896e6b7fb78923f0817299cfd8c8",
"text": "The United States has consistently demonstrated that it is a true partner in the war on organized crime in Northern Mexico. For instance, it has used unmanned drones like the ones in Pakistan to gather intelligence on Mexican drug lords.1 The relationship is healthy and Mexican officials frequently cooperate; it is certainly possible that there are underlying domestic political motivations for those politicians to be making such strong statements, and we should not necessarily take them at face value as representing the best picture of Mexican-American relations.\n\n1 Defense News. \"US Drones Track Drug Lords Over Mexic\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0bca5d07b5ebb9e7fab0736f1d1b407e",
"text": "Slums are not simply an articulation of inadequate supply of, and a hyper-demand for, housing. Alternatively, slums emerge through deterioration, crime, globalisation, and poverty. Therefore provision of housing does not provide the means for all solutions and may themselves again deteriorate into slums. Slums are heterogeneous; therefore their emergence is far from a universal causality.\n\nSecondly, it remains debatable as to whether the needs of informal settlement dwellers are met through housing schemes, such as PAHF. In previous cases, such as in South Africa’s NUSP [1] , inhabitants have been forced to relocate, causing disruptions to livelihoods. Finally, emphasis needs to be placed on building ‘homes’, not ‘houses’.\n\n[1] See further readings: NUSP, 2013.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7d999c372f7466dbf6a299ee2b8d7d4e",
"text": "Referendums are not a right. Parliament has passed no law governing when referendums must be held. Because Parliament has set itself no guidelines on when to call referendums, the public has no right to one even if similar situations in the past have warranted them. Moreover, a system of representative democracy means referendums are not necessary -- it is MPs' job to make decisions. The public have the right to vote for leaders and hold those leaders accountable, not a right to vote on individual issues.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3ad04d179a3744ff2f25e1012b8523a3",
"text": "People put up all those unflattering things about themselves online without being forced to. Those are true, even if not full, representations of them. But that one-sided representation is exactly how the person wanted to be seen. They always have an option of showcasing a better image of themselves (through photos, videos, blogs, etc.) online, but nobody owes them the right to undo something they themselves freely shared. It might be a mistake they realise later on, but mistakes do not create a right to erase everything about that mistake. Nothing in real worlds works like that – you might have made a mistake by getting to drunk at a company Christmas party, but you can't insist on co-workers pretending that never happened and not telling anyone.\n\nMoreover, there is plenty of information about how to act on the internet [5]. So we should not grant such a right to someone who did not learn how to act on the internet - they'll have to learn the hard way.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d90a534146a20bdbc4057db2adda5691",
"text": "Far from rationalising the system the European Parliament elections will become more irrational with a single constituency. Everyone will find it very odd that they can potentially vote for parties from the other side of the continent that they have never heard of. It may make the system the same everywhere but this does not mean it is a sensible system for European elections. The number of parties makes it complex, as does the concept of an international parliament where all votes go into one central pool rather than being based on nationality.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a2d95b9a9f67bbce4c0709aa91592113",
"text": "Each country should tackle its own problems\n\nEvery country is going to be affected by climate change in one way or another developed countries included. Australia has often been singled out as being a country that is “anti-climate” [1] but Australia is already being hit by bigger bushfires and sudden floods and the cost on Australian infrastructure is estimated to rise to $9billion per year by 2020 and continue rising, [2] and this is only one small slice of the costs such as crop failures due to drought, health problems – there have already been increases in dengue fever and malaria in Australia. [3] Developed countries which are also going to be severely affected by climate change have a responsibility to their own people first and should not be paying for other countries to adapt.\n\n[1] Readfearn, Graham, ‘Australia slides down to bottom on climate change performance index’, theguardian.com, 18 November 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/nov/18/australia-climate-change-un-warsaw\n\n[2] The Climate Institute, ‘Coming Ready or Not: Can Australia's infrastructure handle climate change?’, 29 October 2012, http://www.climateinstitute.org.au/articles/media-releases/coming-ready-or-not-can-australias-infrastructure-handle-climate-change.html\n\n[3] Buckley, Ralf et al., ‘Climate response Issues, costs and liabilities in adapting to climate change in Australia.’, Griffith University, 2007, http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/300643/Climate_Response_Issues.pdf , p.24\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "34d6ad133cd336ad9b2b6ff4df3232e0",
"text": "The idea that free markets are innately linked to democracy in some way is simply untrue. Equally there is a difference between markets that are free and those that are unfettered.\n\nFree markets are good to the extent that they create jobs and generate wealth. They cease to be good when they become an end in themselves, indeed when that happens, it very rarely encourages democracy.\n\nIn a situation where corporations are, by law, required to maximise profits no matter what there is clearly a role for government in setting some parameters in terms of what terms of what can be considered acceptable behaviour for corporate citizens within a civilized society.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6c5ed5e9d58c6be0f8cc505203c7d711",
"text": "The artistic drive to create is rarely stifled by having been successful. Individuals deserve to profit from their success and to retain control of what they create in their lifetime, as much as the founder of a company deserves to own what he or she creates until actively deciding to part with it. However, even patents, novel creations in themselves, have far less protection than copyright. While most patents offer protection for a total of twenty years, copyright extends far beyond the life of its creator, a gross overstretch of the right of use. [1]\n\n[1] Posner, Richard A., “Patent Trolls Be Gone”, Slate, 15 October 2012, http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/view_from_chicago/2012/10/patent_protection_how_to_fix_it.html\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
ea55d0becfda7bc84140ec85a7afc665
|
Beauty pagents are about moral than physical aesthetics
Modern Beauty pageants have mandatory talent portions and are more about establishing and striving for an ‘ideal’ than rating physical beauty. This was specifically made mandatory by Lenora Slaughter in the 1938 Miss America Pageant in order to attract “ladies” to participate in the competitions. The modern form of the beauty pageant was designed by women in order to attract women. [1]
[1] Hilary Levey Friedman, ‘There She Goes: A Trailblazing Feminist Beauty Queen’, Huffington Post, 15 March 2011
|
[
{
"docid": "860e28d5cc2965c4ee18e8ae6ab64895",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests This is a red herring – beauty pageants are primarily about physical attractiveness. Broadcasting data shows that viewers turn off Miss America for the talent and interview portions of the show while continuing to watch the swimsuit portion. [1]\n\n[1] Peterson, Ivan, ‘A Challenge for Miss America in Reality TV Era’, The New York Times, 9 April 2005\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "08750df617af2a9fdc642ff6288df395",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests are part of the system that values women solely on their appearance. It is better to break down that system than seek to work within it.\n\nBeauty contests fail to challenge harmful political attitudes to women. Despite paying lip-service to feminist keywords such as empowerment and self-confidence, they do nothing concrete to aid the liberation of women; indeed, by reinforcing looks as the most important feminine quality, they harm women’s liberation in general. The fact that the organisers of Miss World 2002 had no problem with holding the contest in Nigeria at the same time as a high-profile case in which a woman was due to be stoned for adultery exposes the competition’s hypocrisy. [1]\n\nAssigning scholarship funds based on physical appearance rather than academic merit is unfair because it neuters the aspirations of many regardless of how hard they might work.\n\n[1] Bloom, Alexis and Cassandra Herrman, Frontline World, ‘Nigeria – The Road North’, PBS, January 2003.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4e237390d71fad614f7398c87a5cf26a",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty Pageants do limit the choice of others due to putting pressure on women to conform to this ideal of beauty which is promoted. This is limiting the lifestyle choices of many more women than choose to take part in the pageants.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3177fd4d61c95e7b520aebf7a4247bb5",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests There is nothing wrong with judging people primarily on their physical prowess - we do this all the time in competitive sport, where fitness and strength are major determinants of success. Moreover doing so is little different from judging people on non-physical qualities such as intellect. Every competition, of every kind, values certain qualities over others - we recognise that being able to lift heavy weights isn’t the prime definition of human worth, but we can still give prizes for weightlifting; similarly, we can give a prize to a beautiful woman for her beauty without implying that beauty is all that matters about anyone.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1aa55f5e9a9d8a00c0785add8f31ee22",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Riots often have many causes and it is only the spark that is picked up upon. The example of the riots in Kaduna is misleading; there were serious underlying tensions that were the root cause. [1]\n\nBeauty contests, like sport, can be an important focus of national or regional pride. Despite the declining popularity of competitions such as Miss World in the UK, they hold an important cultural place in many parts of the world. The victories in recent years of Miss India, Miss Turkey and Miss Nigeria in Miss World competitions made many Indians, Turks and Nigerians proud, and were seen as symbolic of those countries’ progress in competing with more powerful countries on their own terms.\n\n[1] Astill, James, ‘The truth behind the Miss World riots’, The Guardian, 30 November 2002\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3177fd4d61c95e7b520aebf7a4247bb5",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests There is nothing wrong with judging people primarily on their physical prowess - we do this all the time in competitive sport, where fitness and strength are major determinants of success. Moreover doing so is little different from judging people on non-physical qualities such as intellect. Every competition, of every kind, values certain qualities over others - we recognise that being able to lift heavy weights isn’t the prime definition of human worth, but we can still give prizes for weightlifting; similarly, we can give a prize to a beautiful woman for her beauty without implying that beauty is all that matters about anyone.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d34b5b0fed690a585838053b62ef047c",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests are an avenue of opportunity that women are entitled to pursue\n\nIn an environment where women are valued on solely on their appearance, and in which there are more opportunities for men, beauty contests give women an opportunity to improve their situations. Winning a beauty contest can be a first step toward a successful life in the future; the most attractive earn 12% more. [1] Many Hollywood actresses are former beauty queens, and they would not have reached their success without the beauty contests they won. In addition, the winners of high-profile beauty contests are able to publicize charities and causes they feel strongly about - they have a public platform they could not otherwise have gained.\n\nBeauty pageants can also empower in other ways: The Miss America competition is the largest provider of scholarship assistance for women in the world [2] , indeed it pioneered assistance for women in higher education in the 40’s and 50’s. [3]\n\n[1] Day, Elizabeth, ‘Honey Money: The Power of Erotic Capital by Catherine Hakim – review’, The Observer, 28 August 2011.\n\n[2] Miss America, 'Purpose'\n\n[3] Hilary Levey Friedman, ‘There She Goes: A Trailblazing Feminist Beauty Queen’, Huffington Post, 15 March 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9ed42ecf90a9ab150dc8b141d134e3f2",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Self defined feminists do not have the right to dictate how other women relate to their femininity\n\nA ban is a very blunt instrument with which to attack a practice. Banning beauty contests would do little to destroy the ideal of beauty as it is prevalent in many other areas of society which are unrelated to Beauty Pageants such as advertising, fashion and the entertainment industry. The only result of a ban will simply be to reduce the choice of women – who of course do choose to participate. Choice is fundamentally a good thing and everyone should have as much choice as possible so long as they are not limiting the choice of others.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6525e80b1aa020d960d128daa1e15bf9",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests objectify women\n\nWomen in beauty contests are judged on their physical appearance rather than on any other qualities they may possess (the existence of a ‘talent’ element in many such contests is all very well, but ugly women simply aren’t going to win). Judging women, but not men, primarily on their looks contributes to the subjugation of women because other qualities, such as intelligence, are not seen as part of ideal femininity and therefore not as things to which women should aspire. Ideal masculinity, while in itself potentially damaging to men, tends to be construed in much wider and less restrictive terms - it is notable that male beauty contests, judging men on their physical appearance, are much less popular than female ones.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a1e61991662c010a4efcc8fcfef09fcd",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests are culturally insensitive\n\nThe image of female beauty promoted by beauty contests is culturally specific and western - it doesn’t matter how many Asian women win Miss World, they can still only do so if they take part in the swimsuit competition, which may well not be considered appropriate dress in their culture. This clash of cultures has led to numerous protests, demonstrations and even violence when beauty contests are going on. There were demonstrations against Miss World by feminists and Hindu nationalists when it was held in Bangalore in 1996. Riots in Kaduna in northern Nigeria over Miss World 2002 left more than 200 dead and led to the contest being moved to London. [1]\n\n[1] CNN, ‘Obasanjo blames media for Miss World riots’\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8e70003b1406f483229066c6e452bd74",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests are patriarchal\n\nBeauty contests promote an ideal of female beauty to which only a minority of women can realistically aspire, but which adds to the pressure on all women to conform to it. This can be harmful to women by encouraging dieting, eating disorders and cosmetic surgery, or simply by making them feel inadequate and ugly by comparison to this ‘ideal’ that is promoted. Moreover, these contests force the models and contestants to look even slimmer and perfect all the time, thus encouraging anorexia and bulimia.\n\nNaomi Wolf argues that \"in terms of how we feel about ourselves physically, we may actually be worse off than our un-liberated grandmothers.\" Why? Because of how \"cruelly images of female beauty have come to weigh upon us.\" [1] This pressure has therefore forced a backwards step that reduces freedom of women when in almost every other area of life there have been great advances.\n\n[1] Naomi Wolf, ‘The Beauty Myth’.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
c5763b518aa6aacb52f81113eae45b1f
|
Beauty contests are an avenue of opportunity that women are entitled to pursue
In an environment where women are valued on solely on their appearance, and in which there are more opportunities for men, beauty contests give women an opportunity to improve their situations. Winning a beauty contest can be a first step toward a successful life in the future; the most attractive earn 12% more. [1] Many Hollywood actresses are former beauty queens, and they would not have reached their success without the beauty contests they won. In addition, the winners of high-profile beauty contests are able to publicize charities and causes they feel strongly about - they have a public platform they could not otherwise have gained.
Beauty pageants can also empower in other ways: The Miss America competition is the largest provider of scholarship assistance for women in the world [2] , indeed it pioneered assistance for women in higher education in the 40’s and 50’s. [3]
[1] Day, Elizabeth, ‘Honey Money: The Power of Erotic Capital by Catherine Hakim – review’, The Observer, 28 August 2011.
[2] Miss America, 'Purpose'
[3] Hilary Levey Friedman, ‘There She Goes: A Trailblazing Feminist Beauty Queen’, Huffington Post, 15 March 2011
|
[
{
"docid": "08750df617af2a9fdc642ff6288df395",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests are part of the system that values women solely on their appearance. It is better to break down that system than seek to work within it.\n\nBeauty contests fail to challenge harmful political attitudes to women. Despite paying lip-service to feminist keywords such as empowerment and self-confidence, they do nothing concrete to aid the liberation of women; indeed, by reinforcing looks as the most important feminine quality, they harm women’s liberation in general. The fact that the organisers of Miss World 2002 had no problem with holding the contest in Nigeria at the same time as a high-profile case in which a woman was due to be stoned for adultery exposes the competition’s hypocrisy. [1]\n\nAssigning scholarship funds based on physical appearance rather than academic merit is unfair because it neuters the aspirations of many regardless of how hard they might work.\n\n[1] Bloom, Alexis and Cassandra Herrman, Frontline World, ‘Nigeria – The Road North’, PBS, January 2003.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "4e237390d71fad614f7398c87a5cf26a",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty Pageants do limit the choice of others due to putting pressure on women to conform to this ideal of beauty which is promoted. This is limiting the lifestyle choices of many more women than choose to take part in the pageants.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "860e28d5cc2965c4ee18e8ae6ab64895",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests This is a red herring – beauty pageants are primarily about physical attractiveness. Broadcasting data shows that viewers turn off Miss America for the talent and interview portions of the show while continuing to watch the swimsuit portion. [1]\n\n[1] Peterson, Ivan, ‘A Challenge for Miss America in Reality TV Era’, The New York Times, 9 April 2005\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3177fd4d61c95e7b520aebf7a4247bb5",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests There is nothing wrong with judging people primarily on their physical prowess - we do this all the time in competitive sport, where fitness and strength are major determinants of success. Moreover doing so is little different from judging people on non-physical qualities such as intellect. Every competition, of every kind, values certain qualities over others - we recognise that being able to lift heavy weights isn’t the prime definition of human worth, but we can still give prizes for weightlifting; similarly, we can give a prize to a beautiful woman for her beauty without implying that beauty is all that matters about anyone.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1aa55f5e9a9d8a00c0785add8f31ee22",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Riots often have many causes and it is only the spark that is picked up upon. The example of the riots in Kaduna is misleading; there were serious underlying tensions that were the root cause. [1]\n\nBeauty contests, like sport, can be an important focus of national or regional pride. Despite the declining popularity of competitions such as Miss World in the UK, they hold an important cultural place in many parts of the world. The victories in recent years of Miss India, Miss Turkey and Miss Nigeria in Miss World competitions made many Indians, Turks and Nigerians proud, and were seen as symbolic of those countries’ progress in competing with more powerful countries on their own terms.\n\n[1] Astill, James, ‘The truth behind the Miss World riots’, The Guardian, 30 November 2002\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3177fd4d61c95e7b520aebf7a4247bb5",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests There is nothing wrong with judging people primarily on their physical prowess - we do this all the time in competitive sport, where fitness and strength are major determinants of success. Moreover doing so is little different from judging people on non-physical qualities such as intellect. Every competition, of every kind, values certain qualities over others - we recognise that being able to lift heavy weights isn’t the prime definition of human worth, but we can still give prizes for weightlifting; similarly, we can give a prize to a beautiful woman for her beauty without implying that beauty is all that matters about anyone.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f4378599f4d27612b583f768953cde9e",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty pagents are about moral than physical aesthetics\n\nModern Beauty pageants have mandatory talent portions and are more about establishing and striving for an ‘ideal’ than rating physical beauty. This was specifically made mandatory by Lenora Slaughter in the 1938 Miss America Pageant in order to attract “ladies” to participate in the competitions. The modern form of the beauty pageant was designed by women in order to attract women. [1]\n\n[1] Hilary Levey Friedman, ‘There She Goes: A Trailblazing Feminist Beauty Queen’, Huffington Post, 15 March 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9ed42ecf90a9ab150dc8b141d134e3f2",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Self defined feminists do not have the right to dictate how other women relate to their femininity\n\nA ban is a very blunt instrument with which to attack a practice. Banning beauty contests would do little to destroy the ideal of beauty as it is prevalent in many other areas of society which are unrelated to Beauty Pageants such as advertising, fashion and the entertainment industry. The only result of a ban will simply be to reduce the choice of women – who of course do choose to participate. Choice is fundamentally a good thing and everyone should have as much choice as possible so long as they are not limiting the choice of others.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6525e80b1aa020d960d128daa1e15bf9",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests objectify women\n\nWomen in beauty contests are judged on their physical appearance rather than on any other qualities they may possess (the existence of a ‘talent’ element in many such contests is all very well, but ugly women simply aren’t going to win). Judging women, but not men, primarily on their looks contributes to the subjugation of women because other qualities, such as intelligence, are not seen as part of ideal femininity and therefore not as things to which women should aspire. Ideal masculinity, while in itself potentially damaging to men, tends to be construed in much wider and less restrictive terms - it is notable that male beauty contests, judging men on their physical appearance, are much less popular than female ones.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a1e61991662c010a4efcc8fcfef09fcd",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests are culturally insensitive\n\nThe image of female beauty promoted by beauty contests is culturally specific and western - it doesn’t matter how many Asian women win Miss World, they can still only do so if they take part in the swimsuit competition, which may well not be considered appropriate dress in their culture. This clash of cultures has led to numerous protests, demonstrations and even violence when beauty contests are going on. There were demonstrations against Miss World by feminists and Hindu nationalists when it was held in Bangalore in 1996. Riots in Kaduna in northern Nigeria over Miss World 2002 left more than 200 dead and led to the contest being moved to London. [1]\n\n[1] CNN, ‘Obasanjo blames media for Miss World riots’\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8e70003b1406f483229066c6e452bd74",
"text": "television human rights house would ban beauty contests Beauty contests are patriarchal\n\nBeauty contests promote an ideal of female beauty to which only a minority of women can realistically aspire, but which adds to the pressure on all women to conform to it. This can be harmful to women by encouraging dieting, eating disorders and cosmetic surgery, or simply by making them feel inadequate and ugly by comparison to this ‘ideal’ that is promoted. Moreover, these contests force the models and contestants to look even slimmer and perfect all the time, thus encouraging anorexia and bulimia.\n\nNaomi Wolf argues that \"in terms of how we feel about ourselves physically, we may actually be worse off than our un-liberated grandmothers.\" Why? Because of how \"cruelly images of female beauty have come to weigh upon us.\" [1] This pressure has therefore forced a backwards step that reduces freedom of women when in almost every other area of life there have been great advances.\n\n[1] Naomi Wolf, ‘The Beauty Myth’.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
84c17c3c17b64b96495b83340dbf2e95
|
There is no causal link between violent video games and aggressive behaviour
Many researchers 1/2/3 conclude that there is no causal link between violent video games and aggressive behaviour. Other influences, such as social environment, family background and peer pressure cause aggressive behaviour. Additionally, even if video games might create violent thoughts, according to researchers there is no reason for these thoughts to display themselves in action more than the aggressive thoughts caused by frustration in non-violent video games, or by the fast pace of action films (rather than their content). The small number of people who would be affected by such aggressive thoughts are people who already are habitually violent.
1 Scott, D. (1995). The Effect of Video Games on Feelings of Aggression. Retrieved June 2, 2011, from The Journal of Psychology:
2 Funk, J. B. (1993). Reevaluation of the impact of violent video games. Clinical Pediatrics, 86-90.
3 Provenzo, E. F. (1991). Video kids: Making sense of Nintendo. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
|
[
{
"docid": "52c75ec6d3210d7caecab9f4eb4fc87c",
"text": "video games computers phones internet youth house would restrict violent video The fact there are many other contributing factors to aggressive behaviour should not lead to a blind eye being turned to the effects of violent video games. As Dill & Dill found in 1998, 'if violent video game play indeed depicts victims as deserving attacks, and if these video games tend to portray other humans as targets, then reduced empathy is likely to be the consequence…thus putting the player at risk for becoming a more violent individual’1. An Anderson and Dill study in 2000 also found that ‘students who had previously played the violent video game delivered longer noise blasts to their opponents’2. Whilst it is a truism to say that the banning of violent video games will not prevent youth aggression, it will no longer be able to act as the catalyst for it in certain cases.\n\n1 Goldstein , 2001.\n\n2 Walsh , 2001.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "929bbefe60c667cee2668ebfb1121753",
"text": "video games computers phones internet youth house would restrict violent video If restrictions on the sale of alcohol can be effective, there is no reason to believe restrictions on violent video games cannot also be similarly effective. The primary role of a government is, ultimately, to protect its citizens from damaging themselves and society as a whole. It is considered acceptable and beneficial for governments to restrict the sale of dangerous things such as alcohol and tobacco to minors or even to enforce movie ratings or the use of seatbelts. Though illegal downloading programmes would permit the download of old, violent action games, video game creators would nevertheless be forced to turn their creative capacities and technology towards better, less violent games that would, over a short space of time, saturate the market.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6970fa9a6f22b0197ed948ef1f8f1d36",
"text": "video games computers phones internet youth house would restrict violent video Video games are not useful outlets for childhood aggression. Modern video games cannot be fairly compared to traditional childhood play. Computer gaming is a largely solo experience, with none of the team play involved in games of war, cowboys, etc. Playing alone also makes it easier for the boundaries between fantasy and reality to become blurred, especially with the highly realistic graphics possible with modern technology. In any case, civilisation is about taming our base instincts, not celebrating the worst parts of human nature. Furthermore, and unique to video games, aggressive behaviour or its imitation at least is rewarded and repeated during gameplay1. Video games thereafter are not merely an outlet for aggression, but the fostering and feeding of that aggressive urge.\n\n1 Gentile, D. A., & Anderson, C. A. (2003, October 16). Violent Video Games: The Newest Media Violence Hazard. Retrieved June 2, 2011, from\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "197157ddb1bef3a7dfc19a8d47706d99",
"text": "video games computers phones internet youth house would restrict violent video Each of the three approaches to proving a correlation between violent video games and criminal behaviour has its flaws. Studies that look for correlations between exposure to violent video games and real-world aggression can never prove that the games cause physical aggression1. Randomized tests, which assign subjects to play violent or nonviolent games and then compare levels of aggression, depend on lab-based measures of aggression that are difficult to compare with real-life aggression. Finally, longitudinal tests, which assess behaviour over time within a group, are a middle ground between the other two but similarly cannot prove it was the video games specifically that leads to increased aggression. In contrast to the claim that the effects of violent video games are worse than those of TV, a Potter study in 1999 found that 'children are more likely to be affected and more likely to imitate aggressive acts if the violence is depicted more realistically.'2\n\n1 Schaffer, A. (2007, April 27). Don't Shoot. Retrieved June 2, 2011, from Slate:\n\n2 Gentile, D. A., & Anderson, C. A. (2003, October 16). Violent Video Games: The Newest Media Violence Hazard. Retrieved June 2, 2011, from\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "883e28bc7a5298332c5278f571886d2c",
"text": "video games computers phones internet youth house would restrict violent video The government has no such right to restrict the right of free speech inherent in all video games. In a 2011 judgement, the American Supreme Court ruled \"while states have legitimate power to protect children from harm, 'that does not include a free-floating power to restrict the ideas to which children may be exposed.'\"1 This is in part due to the fear that to restrict violent video games would be a step towards the banning or restriction of books considered antithetical to the views of the government. A state could ban all books or films that paint a negative image of society or encourage revolution, however that is clearly the action of a dictatorial or authoritarian state. Stan Lee, the creator of comic book characters like The Hulk and Spiderman, sees a comparison to the attempt in the 1950s to restrict the sales of comic books. \"Comic books, it was said, contributed to 'juvenile delinquency'. A Senate subcommittee investigated and decided the U.S. could not 'afford the calculated risk involved in feeding its children, through comic books, a concentrated diet of crime, horror and violence.'\"2 As Lee notes, in hindsight this appears comical2. The same mistake cannot be made with violent video games.\n\n1 Holland, J. J. (2011, June 27). Can't ban violent video sales to kids, court says. Retrieved June 28, 2011 from the Associated Press\n\n2 Lee, S. (2010, September). Defend video games with Stan Lee. Retrieved June 20, 2011, from Video Game Voters Network:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "db0972cafb536c052c4c14ec53233512",
"text": "video games computers phones internet youth house would restrict violent video Violent video games, far from causing psychological disturbances, are beneficial to the mental health of children. Experiments show visual, tracking benefits from video games, particularly shoot-em-ups: US scientists Shawn Green and Daphne Bavelier, were commissioned to perform a study in 2003 by the National Institute of Health. According to the BBC, \"they found that regular players of shoot-em-ups, such as Half-Life and Medal of Honour, have much better visual skills than most of the population1. The researchers have shown that gamers were particularly good at spotting details in busy, confusing scenes1. Experimental tests show positive focus effects of video games: US scientists Green and Bavelier found focus benefits from shoot-em-up games, even to the extent that they could be used as a beneficial tool to treat Attention Deficit Disorder2.\n\n1 BBC News. (2003, May 28). Video games 'good for you'. Retrieved June 2, 2011, from BBC News:\n\n2 Olsen, S. (2005, November 8). Attention deficit disorder? Try video games. Retrieved June 2, 2011, from CNet:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9013cdfa1d5c145ab8602d2927e0402a",
"text": "video games computers phones internet youth house would restrict violent video Desensitisation is not altogether a bad development. 'For patients suffering from arachnophobia, fear of flying, or post-traumatic stress disorder, therapists are beginning to use virtual realities as a desensitization tool.'1Furthermore, society has decided to embrace violent video games, which as a result are very profitable. These games are written for adults, rather than children, and the ratings system warns of any violent content. In a modern world, the role of protecting young people should lie with responsible parents who know their kids best and take an active interest in their leisure time, discouraging or barring them from unsuitable activities. In this case, there is not enough justification for governments to intervene in people's leisure time.\n\n1 Schaffer, A. (2007, April 27). Don't Shoot. Retrieved June 2, 2011, from Slate:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d55580ea278999fb6a6a8f960257570d",
"text": "video games computers phones internet youth house would restrict violent video Video games are an outlet for childhood aggression\n\nVideo games are a useful outlet for childhood aggression. As psychologist Cheryl Olson writes, kids 'use games to vent anger or distract themselves from problems.'1 Play violence has always been a natural part of growing up, especially for boys. In the past it was considered normal for young people to act out violent fantasies in harmless way, for example with toy guns in games of cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, war, pirates, etc. These games were often inspired by films, television or comic books and magazines, just as computer games commonly are today. Now that these traditional activities are frowned upon and \"enlightened\" parents prevent children from having toy guns, aggressive play has simply moved indoors, on to the computer screen instead. Suppressing these natural instincts is not only pointless, it is probably more dangerous to remove yet another harmless outlet for aggression from the young.\n\n1 Schaffer, A. (2007, April 27). Don't Shoot. Retrieved June 2, 2011, from Slate:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1b41685cc37a4d96df37d5d959aaaae2",
"text": "video games computers phones internet youth house would restrict violent video Restrictions would be ineffective\n\nNot only is it wrong for the government to take censorship-like steps against violent video games but it is also impossible to do so effectively. Violent video games will still be available on the internet and, in fact, by restricting the sale of violent video games the government will push would-be users to illegal downloading programmes (through file-sharing systems such as Limewire) and therefore to an increasingly prevalent black market. Furthermore, most games are bought by parents or with their consent. According to industry statistics, 9 out of every 10 video games are sold to adults. Moreover, there is little evidence to say that parents don't know what they are buying because a very descriptive labelling system exists for violent video games since the establishment of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) in 1994.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "69827882828ed38f0ecf10be3a9f3da6",
"text": "video games computers phones internet youth house would restrict violent video Research has shown violent video games encourage criminal and anti-social behaviour\n\nBoth experimental and non-experimental research have shown that violent video games damage young people playing them in both the short and long term, leading to criminal and anti-social behaviour. Exposure to violent video games causes aggressive thoughts and feelings. It also creates unwanted psychological arousal and belief in a 'scary world', especially among young children. This is particularly significant as video game graphics develop to become ever more realistic. The effects of violent video games are even worse than those of films and TV because of the interactive element that exists in video games. In addition, most video games are played alone, whereas cinema and television are usually a social experience, allowing social pressures to filter the experience of violence upon the viewer. An Australian Senate Committee established to look at this issue in 1993 concluded 'there is sufficient anecdotal evidence of a linkage…that the community cannot fail to act to control a situation which has the very real potential…to affect young people’1.\n\n1 Senate Committee, 1993.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "11046db8abfafdf70faf296a38a6ac6b",
"text": "video games computers phones internet youth house would restrict violent video Violent video games can cause psychological disturbances\n\nMultiple groups contend that the interactive nature of computer games considerably blurs the line that separates fantasy from reality1. As a result, game players are likely to become psychologically disturbed by the violence contained within these products. It is conceivable that many young gamers will view the new age of video games as fair depictions or representations of reality, real-world themes, real-world personalities, real-world violence. Because violent video games frequently develop and an exaggerated level of violence and destructiveness, they may arouse a belief that in a \"scary world\". If this is true, a greater level of fear and paranoia can be expected from such gamers in the real world than is justified. This may have the potential to lead to many adverse social effects from these gamers, such as social disengagement.\n\n1 Gentile, D. A., Lynch, P. J., Linder, J. R., & Walsh, D. A. (2004). The effects of violent video game habits on adolescent hostility, aggressive behaviours, and school performance. Retrieved June 2, 2011, from Jounral of Adolescence\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8d2fefa852ae6bf1fbf06e2fc5a85dc6",
"text": "video games computers phones internet youth house would restrict violent video Violent video games desensitise users\n\nViolent video games do not only affect individuals but also society as a whole. The sole purpose of a player in these games is to be an aggressor. The heartlessness in these games and joy of killing innocent people create a desensitization and disinhibition to violence that can ultimately lead to a more violent society. A Bruce Bartholow study in 2011 proved for the first time the causal association between desensitisation to violence and increased human aggression1. They are also a very selfish, lonely form of entertainment which undermines the structure of an ordered, interdependent society. A study conducted by psychologists in 2007 found that of 430 primary school children, 'the kids who played more violent video games changed over the school year to become more verbally aggressive, more physically aggressive and less helpful to others.'2\n\n1 University of Missouri-Columbia. (2011, May 26). Violent video games reduce brain response to violence and increase aggressive behaviour. Retrieved June 2, 2011, from ScienceDaily:\n\n2 Schaffer, A. (2007, April 27). Don't Shoot. Retrieved June 2, 2011, from Slate:\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "76c79410252d9fa75f8f5deb47109624",
"text": "video games computers phones internet youth house would restrict violent video The government has a right to restrict the sale of violent video games, in order to protect law and order.\n\nThe government has the right, and indeed the obligation, to impose restrictions that increase the security of citizens and encourage peaceful relations between them. The foundation of the social contract is the state providing security for all participating citizens. If the state believes that violent video games increase the propensity of users to commit violent acts, it is obligated to impose restrictions that will prevent such effects. The rights of individual citizens to do as they wish, and play the video games they like most, however violent, is subordinate to the government's right to increase security through the enforcement of restrictions. For example, one accepts the government's right to restrict what we carry onto aircrafts in order to prevent violent attacks. That is not to say there aren't limits to what we can carry on, just as violent video games are still available to adults we can still carry laptops and mobile phones onto aircrafts. Ultimately however, it must be accepted that the government's right to protect society includes a right to restrict the sale of violent games.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
1abc1e598321e56bba98de5c1931508b
|
A presidential position enable the democratic selection of a head-of-state
The alternative to the monarch is obvious. Many states around the world have Presidential systems, either like the United States where the President fulfils both the role of the Head of State and the Head of Government combining the two roles. Or as in Italy or Germany where there is both a head of state (usually president) and a head of government (usually Prime Minister, although Germany’s is Chancellor) where the head of state is respected but is mostly a ceremonial role. Finally there may be both a head of state and head of government where both are powerful as in France. Therefore the head of state can still be in whatever role the state requires. Most importantly in all these cases the head of state is elected rather than simply gaining the position on account of birth.
|
[
{
"docid": "e087db21d9575b90d2168b1e1faafa53",
"text": "traditions politics government house would abolish monarchy The head of government will already be elected. There is no need to create a competing centre of power that has the same popular legitimacy. Just as there are worries that an elected house of lords would want more powers due to its new found legitimacy an elected head of state could demand the same. Such a change would be disruptive and is not necessary.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "2b493f907acb156318f58b1211b0a12e",
"text": "traditions politics government house would abolish monarchy There are three counter-points that can be used to challenge the proposition. Firstly, the opposition maintain that the Monarchy is highly cost-effective when compared to the expense of maintaining a Presidency with a large staff and equally stringent security requirements. Secondly, Royal residences are held in trust for the nation, and would require the same upkeep costs whether they were inhabited by a monarch or not. Thirdly, and possibly most importantly, the Monarchy more than pays its way through its generation of tourist revenue as millions visit sites associated with royalty, and through its role in promoting trade and industry abroad on royal visits. There is also evidence to suggest that the nation actually benefits financially from the Crown Estate. Figures suggested by Professor David Flint [1] are that in 2009/10 all payments to the Crown came to about £30 million. But the British government received £211 million from the Crown Estate. So the government made a very substantial profit from The Queen – about £181 million.\n\n[1] Professor David Flint, Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, available at http://www.norepublic.com.au (accessed 31/05/2011)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2a0da4a06bb97f1119691eaf1a61fcb5",
"text": "traditions politics government house would abolish monarchy On the other hand, the Monarchy could instead be seen as an institution that retains an important symbolic role as a focus for national unity. The Monarch has a less formal role as 'Head of Nation'. The Sovereign acts as a focus for national identity, unity and pride; gives a sense of stability and continuity; officially recognises success and excellence; and supports the ideal of voluntary service. [1] Since they are unelected figures which are above political conflict and can therefore help countries to avoid the political gridlock that can result from conflict between two differently elected bodies, for example within the U.S.A. between the Republicans and the Democrats. Not only does the Monarch provide a symbol of National unity but also a symbol of world-wide unity. Queen Elizabeth II is the Monarch of 16 independent countries and the Head of the Commonwealth of 54 nations across the globe.\n\n[1] The official website of the British Monarchy, The Role of the Monarchy, available at http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/HowtheMonarchyworks/HowtheMonarchyworks.aspx (accessed 31/05/2011)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f598d0d23cede1bebe4d3759349ac6c2",
"text": "traditions politics government house would abolish monarchy While the Monarchy has legal rights, the real powers of European Monarchs are negligible. For example, while the Monarch legally has the power to dissolve parliament, no Monarch has done this since William IV in 1834. Technically the Monarchy also has the power to veto any legislation that comes through Parliament, however, this power has not been exercised since Queen Anne in 1708 [1] . To the point of the concept of the Monarchy, Canadian historian Jacques Monet has suggested that ''in choosing to leave the selection of their head of state to this most common denominator in the world -- the accident of birth -- Canadians implicitly proclaim their faith in human equality; their hope for the triumph of nature over political manoeuvre, over social and financial interest; for the victory of the human person.\" [2]\n\n[1] Republic Organisation UK available at http://www.republic.org.uk (accessed 31/05/2011)\n\n[2] Canadian Monarchist Online http://pages.interlog.com/~rakhshan/pmain.html (accessed 31/05/2011)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8efb66ea956eb7baaabb2f755b2d65a5",
"text": "traditions politics government house would abolish monarchy Monarchs are not always above politics either and often become national embarrassments who also cannot act as a unifier for the nation. In an age of mass-media monarchies are no longer able to maintain the mystique which once set them apart from the common man. Instead kings, queens, princes and princesses are revealed to be mortal, fallible and sometimes foolish creatures. As their wardrobes, squabbles and failing marriages have become constant sources of media scrutiny, so any remaining respect for monarchy as an institution has waned.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4e1b4d6b90cd007aa9194659b07832ec",
"text": "traditions politics government house would abolish monarchy This could be contested due to the fact that these issues and many more like them were being campaigned for long before the Royal family was involved. While they did provide a focal point for the eye of the media, the media prefer to focus on celebrities fighting for causes. Prime examples are campaigns such as Comic Relief with involves a great deal of celebrity involvement to promote a cause. For example, in the 2011 Comic Relief which raised £102 million, a series of high profile challenges took place including Chris Moyles and Comedy Dave’s 52 hour non-stop radio marathon which raised over £2.6 million and won a Guinness World Record. While nine celebrities took part in the BT Red Nose Desert Trek across the Kasuit Desert in Kenya and raised over £1.3 million in the process. The official Comic Relief mentions that the government contributed £16 million and that the public raised £86 million, however, nowhere does it mention any contribution made by the Royal family. [1] Supporters of the Republic UK also make the point that the Royals could continue to do charity work in a republic. They do not need the official 'royal' statute to raise money for charity. The Republic UK also points out that there is a big difference between simply turning up at engagements and being an engaged patron.\n\n[1] Comic Relief, News: Record breaking £102 million total, available at http://www.comicrelief.com/news/2011-05/record-breaking-%C2%A3102-million-total (accessed 31/05/2011).\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "53b455e329312adc3738dbabf8d43fa5",
"text": "traditions politics government house would abolish monarchy Conversely, it could be argued that instead of protecting the Nation's heritage, the Monarchy has largely become an embarrassment. In an age of mass-media monarchies are no longer able to maintain the mystique which once set them apart from the common man. Instead kings, queens, princes and princesses are revealed to be mortal, fallible and sometimes foolish creatures. As their wardrobes, squabbles and failing marriages have become constant sources of media scrutiny, so any remaining respect for monarchy as an institution has waned. One key example from the U.K. member of the Monarchy Prince Harry, was his decision to attend a fancy-dress party dressed as a Nazi. Not only was this a horrific lack of judgement but it also under-minded the fact that opposing the Nazis was arguably one of the finest moments of British National Heritage.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ccca525297bedc256f432862674e0d12",
"text": "traditions politics government house would abolish monarchy There are others who could carry out these duties apart from the Prime Minister, for example, Deputy Prime-ministers for this exact purpose. Some of the key responsibilities of a Deputy Prime Minister involve both home and foreign affairs. The Deputy Prime Minister has significant responsibilities in other key Cabinet Sub-Committees, notably chairing the Home Affairs Committee which coordinates domestic policy issues including those relating to constitutional and political reform, migration, health, schools and welfare. The Deputy Prime Minister has an important foreign policy role, with responsibility for building a range of strategic relationships in Europe and across the world and for championing the Government’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goals. He is also Deputy Chair of the National Security Council which oversees all aspects of the nation’s security. [1] Those in favour of a Republic also argue that Britain has a professional diplomatic corps to represent the interests of the country both at home and abroad.\n\n[1] Deputy Prime Minister, Role and Responsibilities, available at http://www.dpm.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/deputy-prime-minister/role-and-responsibilities (accessed 31/05/2011)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "07afdfaf923142cb1155e9069754e7ba",
"text": "traditions politics government house would abolish monarchy Supervising and protecting a monarchy is an unjustifiable public expense\n\nThe costs of monarchy are unjustifiable. Typically monarchs and their immediate family receive substantial amounts of money from the state to maintain luxurious lifestyles, complete with servants, expensive holidays and hobbies. The state also spends a great deal to maintain and run palaces and other royal residences, which are seldom accessible to the general public who support them through their taxes. In the UK what is officially termed as 'Head of State Expenditure' amounted to £40 million in the 2007-8 financial year. However, this excludes the cost of security for the numerous family members and residences. Although the security costs have not been confirmed, it is estimated that it exceeds £50 million a year [1] .\n\n[1] The Monarchy in Britain, How much do they take from our pockets, available at http://www.centreforcitizenship.org/monarchy/mon5.html (accessed 31/05/2011).\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7f24062592256ac58c023b0e6f940b88",
"text": "traditions politics government house would abolish monarchy There is no divine right to leadership or privilege\n\nMonarchs no longer have divine right to rule. For centuries the main justification of royal authority was a religious one. Catholic rulers had their legitimacy supported by the Papacy, Protestants rulers often headed their own state churches; in both the monarch’s rightful authority was preached in church every Sunday, while the ruler in turn protected a single national church. Currently, the Monarch is termed 'the defender of the Protestant faith'. She or he is required to be a member of the Church of England and is not allowed to marry a Catholic. Today societies are increasingly multi-faith, indeed, fewer than 5% of adults in the United Kingdom are practising Anglicans, and many people have no religion at all; hardly anyone believes the monarch has a spiritual right to exercise authority. Indeed, those whose religion differs from that of the monarch (often ethnic minorities) may be actively alienated by the way in which a particular faith seems to be privileged. [1]\n\n[1] Centre for citizenship, The Monarchy in Britain, Religion and Race, available at http://www.centreforcitizenship.org/monarchy/mon6.html (accessed 31/05/2011)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b643a59a0e210174400e12c83ecd3e21",
"text": "traditions politics government house would abolish monarchy Monarchies, no matter how vestigal, are undemocratic\n\nThe concept of Monarchy is undemocratic. If the monarch retains any significant political powers, as they do in Belgium and the U.K. for example, these are unjustifiable. Why should the opinion of just one person, in office purely by accident of birth, be able to influence the outcome of elections or call a government. Legally, in the UK the Monarch has the power to; choose the Prime Minister, dismiss ministers and governments, dissolve parliament, refuse to agree to legislation passed by parliament, pardon convicted criminals, declare a state of emergency and raise a personal militia. [1] And in some countries like Saudi Arabia they have much more absolute power. A recent example where the Monarch had a role in the United Kingdom was within the 2010 elections where no party achieved an overall majority, the Queen therefore had to sign her approval for the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition.\n\n[1] The Monarchy in Britain, What power do they have? Available at http://www.centreforcitizenship.org/monarchy/mon2.html (accessed 31/05/2011)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4c8127ffdf4d1988f2a5ee6a376c4f0c",
"text": "traditions politics government house would abolish monarchy Separating the positions of the head-of-state and prime minister of the government makes great practical sense\n\nThe Monarchy undertakes much of the ceremonial work at home and abroad that would be necessary whether there was a monarch or not, leaving the Prime Minister free to focus more effectively upon governing. Since The Queen's first official overseas visit to South Africa in 1947, overseas visits have become one of her most important duties. The Queen pays two outward State visits each year, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh. She also regularly tours her other realms and member countries of the Commonwealth, so far the Queen has paid over 60 State visits to foreign governments. As well as overseas state visits, each year the Queen and other members of the Royal Family pay nearly 3,000 visits throughout the United Kingdom. Official functions often feature prominently in such visits, including opening new buildings, meeting local dignitaries and visiting businesses, schools, hospitals and other public buildings as well as community schemes, military units and charities. [1]\n\n[1] The Official website of the British Monarchy, Queen and Royal Visits, available at http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/RoyalVisits/Royalvisits.aspx (accessed 31/05/2011)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d97779047c057769b695866f44e1a1a5",
"text": "traditions politics government house would abolish monarchy The monarchy can serve as public role models.\n\nAlthough above party politics, modern monarchs have proved able to raise important and sometimes unpopular issues that would otherwise have been ignored. For example, in the U.K. Prince Charles has legitimised discussion of environmental issues and stimulated a lively debate about the purpose of architecture, while Princess Diana’s work with Aids sufferers helped shift public opinion. Charities are an important part of the Royal family's work, About 3,000 organisations list a member of the Royal Family as patron or president. The Queen has over 600 patronages and The Duke of Edinburgh over 700. [1]\n\n[1] The official website of the British Monarchy, Charities and patronages, available at http://www.royal.gov.uk/CharitiesandPatronages/Overview.aspx (accessed 31/05/2011)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a6104c2e543f9b5fda3abe2169e0caef",
"text": "traditions politics government house would abolish monarchy The head of state should be a position that is separate and distinct from politics\n\nMonarchy is preferable to the alternative; an elected Presidency. It avoids the partisan nature of a Presidency, inevitably associated with one of the political parties, and thus incapable of uniting the nation as monarchy can. For example in the United States there has been a campaign against President Barak Obama with the most extreme views in the ‘birther’ movement who deny he was even born in the United States. It would be impossible for him to unite the nation while one in four Americans think their President was not born in the USA. [1] In all countries public trust of politicians is sinking to new lows, another reason why an elected Presidency fails to provide a focus for national feeling. Constitutional monarchy is also a more effective system of government, vesting real power clearly in the hands of democratically accountable leaders with a mandate to govern, without all the dangers of political gridlock that can result from conflict between two differently elected bodies (e.g. in the USA or France).\n\n[1] Condon, Stephanie, ‘Poll: One in four Americans think Obama was not born in the U.S.’, CBS News, 21 April 2011, http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20056061-503544.html (accessed 9/9/11)\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "183c032d0ed1b5a36c0f2fb7d8c0d5e8",
"text": "traditions politics government house would abolish monarchy The monarchy is an important preserver of a nation's cultural heritage\n\nThe Monarchy acts as a guardian of a nation’s heritage, a living reminder of the events and personalities that have shaped it. The Monarchy is the oldest institution of government. Queen Elizabeth II is directly descended from King Egbert, who united England under his rule in 829. As such it is a powerful focus for loyalty, the Queen's title in Britain is 'Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith'. [1] The Monarchy provides a source of strength in times of crisis, for example World War II, and a reminder of enduring values and traditions. Royal traditions such as the changing of the guard are still carried out today.\n\n[1] The official magazine for Britain, The Monarchy, available at http://www.britain-magazine.com/categories/monarchy (accessed 31/05/2011).\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
e063c7b9287a2cddfc9427396e4665a8
|
Children See Violent Video Games
Whilst it might be agreed that violent video games in the hands of a person who is old enough to see them and be able to understand the context in which the violence is being wrought is acceptable, this may not be true of younger people who acquire games.
Games with violent content are often easily acquired by players too young to purchase them. They may also gain access to them at home from older siblings. Because children do not have fully developed mental faculties yet, and may not clearly separate fantasy from reality, exposure to violent games can have a large impact upon children. This has a greater impact than children seeing films that feature realistic violence because whilst a child might get bored with films owing to the lack of interaction with the medium, this is much less likely to be the case with, for example, a military shooting game, which a child might play over and over
As such, all violent video games should be banned to prevent their acquisition by young children either by accident, or owing to parental ignorance. [1]
[1] Anderson, Craig et al. The influence of media violence on youth. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2003, 4:81-110
|
[
{
"docid": "6459b505cb5797c26d896969f692bab3",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video This is empirically false\n\nAgain, the crux of opposition counter-argument is that the evidence in this regard is strongly behind opposition.\n\nIn April 2011, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission undercover shopper survey found that video game retailers continue to enforce the ratings by allowing only 13% of underage teenage shoppers to buy M-rated video games, a statistically significant improvement from the 20% purchase rate in 2009. By contrast, underage shoppers purchased R-rated movies 38% of the time, and unrated movies 47% of the time.\n\nGiven that children are able to easily access violent content in other visual media, and there is no evidence that video games are more harmful than other media, this argument falls. Further, there is a long tradition of exposing children to extremely violent content in the form of fairy tales.\n\nFurther, with greater education regarding the harms of videogames to parents (and with more parents having played video games themselves) many are becoming savvier about appropriate restrictions on their children’s video game play. Given the lack of evidence that video games are clearly or uniquely harmful, but acknowledging society’s interest in protecting vulnerable children, investing in additional parent education is a more logical response than attempting to ban all violent games. [1]\n\n[1] Federal Trade Commission. FTC undercover shopper survey on enforcement of game ratings finds compliance worst for retailers of music CDs and the highest among video game sellers. News release, 20 April 2011. http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/04/violentkidsent.shtm\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "d061df22ce6089d3c64d1f3f9d0fb10c",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video The facts are against the premise again.\n\nResearch does not support the idea that young people who play violent video games have decreased social ability. This is refuted most notably in studies by Anderson and Ford (1986), Winkel et al. (1987), Scott (1995), Ballard and Lineberger (1999), and Jonathan Freedman (2002). More recently, Block and Crain (2007) claim that in a critical paper by Anderson (and his co-author, Bushman), data was improperly calculated and produced fallacious results. Additional meta-analyses (reviews of research that attempt to statistically combine data from multiple studies for more powerful results) by other researchers, such as by Ferguson and Kilburn (2009) and Sherry (2007) have failed to find any causal link between video game violence and aggression, as have recent reviews by the Australian Government (2010) and the US Supreme Court (June, 2011).\n\nThe question of whether violent games that only allow violence as a solution to problems could negatively affect young people in subtle ways deserves further study. However, there are many aspects of video games, such as puzzle solving, that are intrinsic parts of even the basest first person shooters. Many first-person shooters themselves require tactical deployment and thinking—all of which are able to stimulate thought in people, albeit in a different manner than negotiation might do. [1] Further, newer military games are more sophisticated, often requiring the player to take one side of a conflict and then the other in different levels of the game, or forcing the player to face moral dilemmas that affect the game’s storyline or outcome.\n\n[1] Freedman, Jonathan L. Media violence and its effect on aggression: assessing the scientific evidence. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2002. ISBN 0802084257\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "92df95690e6f8f750fe94e36f9ab04bc",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video The facts are strongly against the Proposition’s analysis\n\nThe proposition’s arguments fail to stand up in the real world. Several major studies published in The Journal of Adolescent Health, The British Medical Journal and The Lancet (among others) have shown no conclusive link between video game usage and real-life violent behaviour. The Federal Bureau of Investigation found no evidence linking video game use to the massacre at Columbine (or other highly publicized school shootings). [1] There is no evidence to support the idea that people exposed to violent video game (or other violent media content) will then go on to commit crimes. [2]\n\nFurther, if violent video games were causing violent behaviour, we would expect to see rates of violent crime increase as games with realistic portrayals of violence became more widely available on popular game consoles. Instead, violent crime has decreased in recent years. Some economists have argued (based on time series modelling) that increased sales of violent video games are associated with decreases in violent crime. [3]\n\nIn Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do, researchers/authors Lawrence Kutner, PhD, and Cheryl K. Olson, ScD of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital’s Center for Mental Health and Media refute claims of violent behaviour increase caused by violent video games. The researchers' quantitative and qualitative studies (surveys and focus groups) found that young adolescents view game behaviour as unrelated to real-life actions, and this is why they can enjoy criminal or violent acts in a game that would horrify them in reality. They also found evidence that those relatively few adolescents who did not play video games at all were more at-risk for violent behaviours such as bullying or fighting (although the sample size was too small for statistical significance). The authors speculated that because video game play has gained a central and normative role in the social lives of adolescent boys, a boy who does not play any video games might be socially isolated or rejected.\n\nFinally, although more study is needed, there is some evidence to suggest that violent video games might allow players to get aggressive feelings out of their system (i.e., video game play might have a cathartic effect), in a scenario that does not harm anyone else. [4] , [5] , [6]\n\n[1] O’Toole, Mary Ellen, ‘The School Shooter: A Threat Assessment perspective’, Critical Incident Response Group, www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/school-shooter\n\n[2] Editorial. Is exposure to media violence a public-health risk? The Lancet, 2008, 371:1137.\n\n[3] Cunningham, Scott, et al., ‘Understanding the Effects of Violent Video Games on Violent Crime’, 7 April 2011, http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1804959\n\n[4] Kutner, Lawrence & Cheryl K. Olson. Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do. Simon and Schuster, 2008\n\n[5] Bensley, Lillian and Juliet Van Eenwyk. Video games and real-life aggression: A review of the literature, Journal of Adolescent Health, 2001, 29:244-257.\n\n[6] Griffiths, Mark. Video games and health. British Medical Journal, 2005, 331:122-123.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c2a627639b818f392a877dbe97b50144",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video There is a generation gap\n\nChildren in this age have grown up with computers and digital media devices where their parents have not. Whilst some parents are able to readily adapt to new technology, there are a large proportion that are unable to do so.\n\nEven if parents have adapted to the digital age, there are still lots of things their children know about that parents simply cannot keep up with. It is entirely feasible for a child to be able to keep the presence of a violent video game hidden from his or her parents through use of the various “Home” menus that all the major games consoles now possess. Further, on the computer, a user can simply Alt+Tab out of any application they are in to avoid detection.\n\nGiven there are many ways for children to avoid their parents and given the generation gap, it seems unfair to expect parents to be able to monitor their children in this way.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ad48f995eda8a8941c939d29ab38795c",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video Video games teach people to deal with frustrations in the wrong way.\n\nIn dealing with frustrations and aggression by using video games as an outlet, players of these games often assume that the problem is gone or dealt with.\n\nThis is often not the case, with many sources of frustration being ones which repeat day in and day out.\n\nGiven that this is the case, video games prevent people from dealing with the root causes of their problems and thus leave people more susceptible to frustration in the future.\n\nFurther, playing back into the first point on proposition, they teach players only one method of dealing with their problems, which is resorting to violence, so should they seek to deal with their frustrations in the real world, often the solutions they do engage with are ones which are suboptimal.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1d8b051a76296ddb0ae6b1cfbe9228bb",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video The skills learnt within video games are skills that could be learnt elsewhere without the negative problems that have been associated with video games.\n\nAll of the benefits listed are thusly moot in this context because things such as team sports are able to develop many of the skills team shooters do, whilst also improving fitness and other areas of well-being. More tactical sports can have a great impact on somebody’s intellectual well-being as well as their physical well-being.\n\nAdditionally, videogames in general might be able to improve some skills, but we are discussing violent videogames in particular. There are other, much less violent, videogames that allow people to further increase their skills.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1e053a949494f1cb2c9a704353331f33",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video Violent Video Games Cause Social Interaction Problems\n\nVideo games of a violent nature tend to fail to offer many solutions to a problem. Most military shooters have no form of negotiation with enemies; players are asked to simply kill as many nameless terrorists as possible. Given this, social interaction problems can be caused because people are presented with problems and then told that they must be solved with violence instead of other methods. In other words, physical violence is portrayed as the first-choice (and often only-choice) solution to a conflict.\n\nThis lack of portrayal of alternate solutions can stifle growth of other skills, especially amongst children and adolescents, specifically skills important to making friends and engaging in negotiation in times of conflict or pressure. Further, it encourages children to see people who oppose them as “others,” and thus presents them psychologically as enemies instead of as people who are simply different to the player and thus might have other grievances. This can lead to increases in aggression among players.\n\nThis is especially true given the relatively simplistic portrayal of conflicts within areas such as the Middle East and Afghanistan. [1]\n\n[1] \"Violent Video Games May Increase Aggression in Some But Not Others, Says New Research\". apa.org. American Psychological Association. 27 September 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "188066e243c377525fd3e34548fb6db0",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video Violent Video Games cause Violent Behaviour\n\nVideo games exist as an interactive medium. The player has control over their character and many of their character’s actions whereas in a book or movie, the audience does not. This means that the player can become invested emotionally in characters to a greater extent because of the autonomy afforded to each character.\n\nGiven that this is true it becomes more difficult to ensure dissociation between the real world and the game world with which the player interacts. With the growing drive towards realism of videogame graphics, game environments are able to look incredibly similar to real life, further blurring the distinction.\n\nIf this is the case, then a person who visits violence upon another person within a game universe feels the same emotions as someone who does so within real life, and therefore may be desensitised to real-life violence. Whilst game producers would claim that is not their aim and that their games do not cause this desensitisation, many have been actively pursuing technologies that allow for greater immersion within their game-worlds.\n\nIf this is the case then acts of violence may fail to register the same level of shock or revulsion in a person than they usually do. Given that this is true, people who play video games become more able to harm others or less likely to intervene to prevent harm.\n\nIn terms of actual evidence, there is very little to back up this analysis. Most studies supporting the concept have been debunked by others. [1]\n\n[1] Anderson, Craig & Bushman, Brad. Effects of violent video games on aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, aggressive affect, physiological arousal, and prosocial behavior: A meta-analytic review of the scientific literature. Psychological Science, 2001, 12: 353-359\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d4031530ac7501588090121063096d73",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video Video games Improve Skills\n\nFirst, the claims of harm caused by video games have not been proven.\n\nThe most criticised violent video games are generally military shooters. However, these games generally focus much more strongly on multiplayer components of the game.\n\nThese multiplayer components often require significant levels of teamwork in order for one side to be successful over the other. As such, many of these video games end up teaching players core teamwork skills as well as often teaching leadership skills when players become part of organised gaming groups.\n\nFurther, numerous researchers have proposed potential positive effects of video games on aspects of social and cognitive development and psychological well-being. It has been shown that action video game players have better hand-eye coordination and visuo-motor skills, such as their resistance to distraction, their sensitivity to information in the peripheral vision and their ability to count briefly presented objects, than non-players. Video games also promote the development of intellectual skills such as planning and problem-solving, and social games may improve the social capabilities of the individual. [1]\n\nGiven then that video games provide these benefits, banning violent games would harm the industry overall, causing many of the developers of other games which encourage these kinds of skills to lose their funding from game publishers. Put simply, the banning of violent video games would lead to fewer games overall being published and if these games have the effects listed above then a great net benefit is lost in the process. [2]\n\n[1] Green, C. Shawn & Daphne Bavelier. Action video game modifies visual selective attention. Nature, 2003, 423:534-537. http://www.mendeley.com/research/action-video-game-modifies-visual-selective-attention/\n\n[2] Olson, Cheryl K. Children’s motivations for video game play in the context of normal development. Review of General Psychology, 2010, 14: 180-187.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b20c6c929906ed2391b1448f8e1d86dd",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video The Responsibility Lies With Parents\n\nIn the digital age, young people are almost certain to be exposed to violent media content, including violent video games, even if parents attempt to restrict children’s exposure to such content in the home. Parents therefore have an obligation to educate themselves about video games (many government, industry and private websites provide such information) and to help their children become “media literate” regarding the content and context of games.\n\nThe state places responsibility on parents for the welfare of a child and in doing so the state can allow things that would potentially be dangerous for children, anything from skateboards to R-rated films, as long as parents can supervise their children. Parents need not know how to skateboard to supervise such activity, but should know about potential risks and safety equipment. This same logic applies to video games.\n\nTo not confer this responsibility on parents is to further undermine their status as role models for their children, as it assumes that parents are incapable of ensuring the safety of their children.\n\nPractically speaking, this could affect the respect they get from their children, with “The government says I can’t,” being a much weaker response when questioned about violent video games than an actual explanation of the harms behind them. [1]\n\n[1] American Psychological Association. \"Violent Video Games — Psychologists Help Protect Children from Harmful Effects\", 8 June 2004, http://www.apa.org/research/action/games.aspx\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3dbc2f12401cf1d9a065a49cf1c0825c",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video Violent Video Games Prevent Violent Behaviour\n\nIn most people’s lives there are instances where they might like to react to a situation with a level of aggression. However, owing to a number of reasons such a solution is often impossible and undesirable.\n\nIt has been theorised by psychologists that pent up frustrations with the world are the root of many psychological problems. Given that this is true then, an outlet for frustrations is required in society such that aggressive behaviour in individuals can be avoided.\n\nVideo games in this situation provide such an outlet for aggression and frustrations. Firstly aggression is dealt with through the simple act of defeating enemies within games and frustration is dealt with through the completion of goals within the video games, allowing players a sense of satisfaction upon their completion.\n\nHence, one could argue that this may result in comparatively lower levels of aggressive behaviour among video game players. This is supported by research conducted by Dr. Cheryl Olson and her team at Harvard. Studying a sample of 1,254 students aged 12 to 14 years, she found that over 49% of boys and 25% of girls reported using violent games such as Grand Theft Auto IV as an outlet for their anger.\n\nShe suggests that instead of a blanket ban on M-rated game use by young adolescents, parents should monitor how much time children spend playing games and how they react to specific game content. [1]\n\n[1] Olson, Cheryl K., et al., ‘Factors Correlated with Violent Video Game Use by Adolescent Boys and Girls’, Journal of Adolescent Health, Vol.41 no.1, pp77-83, July 2007, http://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(07)00027-4/abstract\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
85b5f89ff3096e9ff0b87dfee4f31b7d
|
Video games Improve Skills
First, the claims of harm caused by video games have not been proven.
The most criticised violent video games are generally military shooters. However, these games generally focus much more strongly on multiplayer components of the game.
These multiplayer components often require significant levels of teamwork in order for one side to be successful over the other. As such, many of these video games end up teaching players core teamwork skills as well as often teaching leadership skills when players become part of organised gaming groups.
Further, numerous researchers have proposed potential positive effects of video games on aspects of social and cognitive development and psychological well-being. It has been shown that action video game players have better hand-eye coordination and visuo-motor skills, such as their resistance to distraction, their sensitivity to information in the peripheral vision and their ability to count briefly presented objects, than non-players. Video games also promote the development of intellectual skills such as planning and problem-solving, and social games may improve the social capabilities of the individual. [1]
Given then that video games provide these benefits, banning violent games would harm the industry overall, causing many of the developers of other games which encourage these kinds of skills to lose their funding from game publishers. Put simply, the banning of violent video games would lead to fewer games overall being published and if these games have the effects listed above then a great net benefit is lost in the process. [2]
[1] Green, C. Shawn & Daphne Bavelier. Action video game modifies visual selective attention. Nature, 2003, 423:534-537. http://www.mendeley.com/research/action-video-game-modifies-visual-selective-attention/
[2] Olson, Cheryl K. Children’s motivations for video game play in the context of normal development. Review of General Psychology, 2010, 14: 180-187.
|
[
{
"docid": "1d8b051a76296ddb0ae6b1cfbe9228bb",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video The skills learnt within video games are skills that could be learnt elsewhere without the negative problems that have been associated with video games.\n\nAll of the benefits listed are thusly moot in this context because things such as team sports are able to develop many of the skills team shooters do, whilst also improving fitness and other areas of well-being. More tactical sports can have a great impact on somebody’s intellectual well-being as well as their physical well-being.\n\nAdditionally, videogames in general might be able to improve some skills, but we are discussing violent videogames in particular. There are other, much less violent, videogames that allow people to further increase their skills.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "c2a627639b818f392a877dbe97b50144",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video There is a generation gap\n\nChildren in this age have grown up with computers and digital media devices where their parents have not. Whilst some parents are able to readily adapt to new technology, there are a large proportion that are unable to do so.\n\nEven if parents have adapted to the digital age, there are still lots of things their children know about that parents simply cannot keep up with. It is entirely feasible for a child to be able to keep the presence of a violent video game hidden from his or her parents through use of the various “Home” menus that all the major games consoles now possess. Further, on the computer, a user can simply Alt+Tab out of any application they are in to avoid detection.\n\nGiven there are many ways for children to avoid their parents and given the generation gap, it seems unfair to expect parents to be able to monitor their children in this way.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ad48f995eda8a8941c939d29ab38795c",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video Video games teach people to deal with frustrations in the wrong way.\n\nIn dealing with frustrations and aggression by using video games as an outlet, players of these games often assume that the problem is gone or dealt with.\n\nThis is often not the case, with many sources of frustration being ones which repeat day in and day out.\n\nGiven that this is the case, video games prevent people from dealing with the root causes of their problems and thus leave people more susceptible to frustration in the future.\n\nFurther, playing back into the first point on proposition, they teach players only one method of dealing with their problems, which is resorting to violence, so should they seek to deal with their frustrations in the real world, often the solutions they do engage with are ones which are suboptimal.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d061df22ce6089d3c64d1f3f9d0fb10c",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video The facts are against the premise again.\n\nResearch does not support the idea that young people who play violent video games have decreased social ability. This is refuted most notably in studies by Anderson and Ford (1986), Winkel et al. (1987), Scott (1995), Ballard and Lineberger (1999), and Jonathan Freedman (2002). More recently, Block and Crain (2007) claim that in a critical paper by Anderson (and his co-author, Bushman), data was improperly calculated and produced fallacious results. Additional meta-analyses (reviews of research that attempt to statistically combine data from multiple studies for more powerful results) by other researchers, such as by Ferguson and Kilburn (2009) and Sherry (2007) have failed to find any causal link between video game violence and aggression, as have recent reviews by the Australian Government (2010) and the US Supreme Court (June, 2011).\n\nThe question of whether violent games that only allow violence as a solution to problems could negatively affect young people in subtle ways deserves further study. However, there are many aspects of video games, such as puzzle solving, that are intrinsic parts of even the basest first person shooters. Many first-person shooters themselves require tactical deployment and thinking—all of which are able to stimulate thought in people, albeit in a different manner than negotiation might do. [1] Further, newer military games are more sophisticated, often requiring the player to take one side of a conflict and then the other in different levels of the game, or forcing the player to face moral dilemmas that affect the game’s storyline or outcome.\n\n[1] Freedman, Jonathan L. Media violence and its effect on aggression: assessing the scientific evidence. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2002. ISBN 0802084257\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "92df95690e6f8f750fe94e36f9ab04bc",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video The facts are strongly against the Proposition’s analysis\n\nThe proposition’s arguments fail to stand up in the real world. Several major studies published in The Journal of Adolescent Health, The British Medical Journal and The Lancet (among others) have shown no conclusive link between video game usage and real-life violent behaviour. The Federal Bureau of Investigation found no evidence linking video game use to the massacre at Columbine (or other highly publicized school shootings). [1] There is no evidence to support the idea that people exposed to violent video game (or other violent media content) will then go on to commit crimes. [2]\n\nFurther, if violent video games were causing violent behaviour, we would expect to see rates of violent crime increase as games with realistic portrayals of violence became more widely available on popular game consoles. Instead, violent crime has decreased in recent years. Some economists have argued (based on time series modelling) that increased sales of violent video games are associated with decreases in violent crime. [3]\n\nIn Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do, researchers/authors Lawrence Kutner, PhD, and Cheryl K. Olson, ScD of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital’s Center for Mental Health and Media refute claims of violent behaviour increase caused by violent video games. The researchers' quantitative and qualitative studies (surveys and focus groups) found that young adolescents view game behaviour as unrelated to real-life actions, and this is why they can enjoy criminal or violent acts in a game that would horrify them in reality. They also found evidence that those relatively few adolescents who did not play video games at all were more at-risk for violent behaviours such as bullying or fighting (although the sample size was too small for statistical significance). The authors speculated that because video game play has gained a central and normative role in the social lives of adolescent boys, a boy who does not play any video games might be socially isolated or rejected.\n\nFinally, although more study is needed, there is some evidence to suggest that violent video games might allow players to get aggressive feelings out of their system (i.e., video game play might have a cathartic effect), in a scenario that does not harm anyone else. [4] , [5] , [6]\n\n[1] O’Toole, Mary Ellen, ‘The School Shooter: A Threat Assessment perspective’, Critical Incident Response Group, www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/school-shooter\n\n[2] Editorial. Is exposure to media violence a public-health risk? The Lancet, 2008, 371:1137.\n\n[3] Cunningham, Scott, et al., ‘Understanding the Effects of Violent Video Games on Violent Crime’, 7 April 2011, http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1804959\n\n[4] Kutner, Lawrence & Cheryl K. Olson. Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do. Simon and Schuster, 2008\n\n[5] Bensley, Lillian and Juliet Van Eenwyk. Video games and real-life aggression: A review of the literature, Journal of Adolescent Health, 2001, 29:244-257.\n\n[6] Griffiths, Mark. Video games and health. British Medical Journal, 2005, 331:122-123.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6459b505cb5797c26d896969f692bab3",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video This is empirically false\n\nAgain, the crux of opposition counter-argument is that the evidence in this regard is strongly behind opposition.\n\nIn April 2011, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission undercover shopper survey found that video game retailers continue to enforce the ratings by allowing only 13% of underage teenage shoppers to buy M-rated video games, a statistically significant improvement from the 20% purchase rate in 2009. By contrast, underage shoppers purchased R-rated movies 38% of the time, and unrated movies 47% of the time.\n\nGiven that children are able to easily access violent content in other visual media, and there is no evidence that video games are more harmful than other media, this argument falls. Further, there is a long tradition of exposing children to extremely violent content in the form of fairy tales.\n\nFurther, with greater education regarding the harms of videogames to parents (and with more parents having played video games themselves) many are becoming savvier about appropriate restrictions on their children’s video game play. Given the lack of evidence that video games are clearly or uniquely harmful, but acknowledging society’s interest in protecting vulnerable children, investing in additional parent education is a more logical response than attempting to ban all violent games. [1]\n\n[1] Federal Trade Commission. FTC undercover shopper survey on enforcement of game ratings finds compliance worst for retailers of music CDs and the highest among video game sellers. News release, 20 April 2011. http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/04/violentkidsent.shtm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b20c6c929906ed2391b1448f8e1d86dd",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video The Responsibility Lies With Parents\n\nIn the digital age, young people are almost certain to be exposed to violent media content, including violent video games, even if parents attempt to restrict children’s exposure to such content in the home. Parents therefore have an obligation to educate themselves about video games (many government, industry and private websites provide such information) and to help their children become “media literate” regarding the content and context of games.\n\nThe state places responsibility on parents for the welfare of a child and in doing so the state can allow things that would potentially be dangerous for children, anything from skateboards to R-rated films, as long as parents can supervise their children. Parents need not know how to skateboard to supervise such activity, but should know about potential risks and safety equipment. This same logic applies to video games.\n\nTo not confer this responsibility on parents is to further undermine their status as role models for their children, as it assumes that parents are incapable of ensuring the safety of their children.\n\nPractically speaking, this could affect the respect they get from their children, with “The government says I can’t,” being a much weaker response when questioned about violent video games than an actual explanation of the harms behind them. [1]\n\n[1] American Psychological Association. \"Violent Video Games — Psychologists Help Protect Children from Harmful Effects\", 8 June 2004, http://www.apa.org/research/action/games.aspx\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3dbc2f12401cf1d9a065a49cf1c0825c",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video Violent Video Games Prevent Violent Behaviour\n\nIn most people’s lives there are instances where they might like to react to a situation with a level of aggression. However, owing to a number of reasons such a solution is often impossible and undesirable.\n\nIt has been theorised by psychologists that pent up frustrations with the world are the root of many psychological problems. Given that this is true then, an outlet for frustrations is required in society such that aggressive behaviour in individuals can be avoided.\n\nVideo games in this situation provide such an outlet for aggression and frustrations. Firstly aggression is dealt with through the simple act of defeating enemies within games and frustration is dealt with through the completion of goals within the video games, allowing players a sense of satisfaction upon their completion.\n\nHence, one could argue that this may result in comparatively lower levels of aggressive behaviour among video game players. This is supported by research conducted by Dr. Cheryl Olson and her team at Harvard. Studying a sample of 1,254 students aged 12 to 14 years, she found that over 49% of boys and 25% of girls reported using violent games such as Grand Theft Auto IV as an outlet for their anger.\n\nShe suggests that instead of a blanket ban on M-rated game use by young adolescents, parents should monitor how much time children spend playing games and how they react to specific game content. [1]\n\n[1] Olson, Cheryl K., et al., ‘Factors Correlated with Violent Video Game Use by Adolescent Boys and Girls’, Journal of Adolescent Health, Vol.41 no.1, pp77-83, July 2007, http://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(07)00027-4/abstract\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1e053a949494f1cb2c9a704353331f33",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video Violent Video Games Cause Social Interaction Problems\n\nVideo games of a violent nature tend to fail to offer many solutions to a problem. Most military shooters have no form of negotiation with enemies; players are asked to simply kill as many nameless terrorists as possible. Given this, social interaction problems can be caused because people are presented with problems and then told that they must be solved with violence instead of other methods. In other words, physical violence is portrayed as the first-choice (and often only-choice) solution to a conflict.\n\nThis lack of portrayal of alternate solutions can stifle growth of other skills, especially amongst children and adolescents, specifically skills important to making friends and engaging in negotiation in times of conflict or pressure. Further, it encourages children to see people who oppose them as “others,” and thus presents them psychologically as enemies instead of as people who are simply different to the player and thus might have other grievances. This can lead to increases in aggression among players.\n\nThis is especially true given the relatively simplistic portrayal of conflicts within areas such as the Middle East and Afghanistan. [1]\n\n[1] \"Violent Video Games May Increase Aggression in Some But Not Others, Says New Research\". apa.org. American Psychological Association. 27 September 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "188066e243c377525fd3e34548fb6db0",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video Violent Video Games cause Violent Behaviour\n\nVideo games exist as an interactive medium. The player has control over their character and many of their character’s actions whereas in a book or movie, the audience does not. This means that the player can become invested emotionally in characters to a greater extent because of the autonomy afforded to each character.\n\nGiven that this is true it becomes more difficult to ensure dissociation between the real world and the game world with which the player interacts. With the growing drive towards realism of videogame graphics, game environments are able to look incredibly similar to real life, further blurring the distinction.\n\nIf this is the case, then a person who visits violence upon another person within a game universe feels the same emotions as someone who does so within real life, and therefore may be desensitised to real-life violence. Whilst game producers would claim that is not their aim and that their games do not cause this desensitisation, many have been actively pursuing technologies that allow for greater immersion within their game-worlds.\n\nIf this is the case then acts of violence may fail to register the same level of shock or revulsion in a person than they usually do. Given that this is true, people who play video games become more able to harm others or less likely to intervene to prevent harm.\n\nIn terms of actual evidence, there is very little to back up this analysis. Most studies supporting the concept have been debunked by others. [1]\n\n[1] Anderson, Craig & Bushman, Brad. Effects of violent video games on aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, aggressive affect, physiological arousal, and prosocial behavior: A meta-analytic review of the scientific literature. Psychological Science, 2001, 12: 353-359\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "74caf0865946d190199e59c4e165f641",
"text": "video games education general internet house would ban sale violent video Children See Violent Video Games\n\nWhilst it might be agreed that violent video games in the hands of a person who is old enough to see them and be able to understand the context in which the violence is being wrought is acceptable, this may not be true of younger people who acquire games.\n\nGames with violent content are often easily acquired by players too young to purchase them. They may also gain access to them at home from older siblings. Because children do not have fully developed mental faculties yet, and may not clearly separate fantasy from reality, exposure to violent games can have a large impact upon children. This has a greater impact than children seeing films that feature realistic violence because whilst a child might get bored with films owing to the lack of interaction with the medium, this is much less likely to be the case with, for example, a military shooting game, which a child might play over and over\n\nAs such, all violent video games should be banned to prevent their acquisition by young children either by accident, or owing to parental ignorance. [1]\n\n[1] Anderson, Craig et al. The influence of media violence on youth. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2003, 4:81-110\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
921eab3e07f9882fc81c6dcd078ea478
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Development from within
Nollywood is showcasing Nigeria’s capability to sustain, build, and finance its own economy. Recent estimates suggest around 50 films are produced weekly, selling between 20,000 to 200,000 units, and creating jobs for around one million individuals (Moudio, 2013). The industry is initiating vital development, enabling Nigeria to have capital to change perceptions.
Nollywood is following previous cultural industry paths. Hollywood developed from low-budget films, and in 2013 the entertainment industry generated around $522bn in revenue, and is continuing to be one of America’s biggest sources of tourism (Statista, 2013). In Nollywood’s case, the industry is already proving to be of vital importance for regional and domestic tourism.
|
[
{
"docid": "42c4d081e400845853e581523b8b8292",
"text": "media modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Opportunities for development are limited as the industry continues to function informally. The informal structure means there is no legal institution controlling transactions, there is no governing body ensuring taxation is paid and revenues collected, and finally, there is little security to the workers within the industry. Financial records are limited in the industry, which makes it hard to predict the developmental scope of Nollywood and the real revenues produced.\n\nInformality prevents legitimacy; capability to assist national development; and fundamental capital losses. It also prevents it becoming a force for changing perceptions of those outside Africa. Formalisation is required for the industry to assist developmental potential [1] .\n\n[1] See further readings: McCall, 2012.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "3d88c9ecf7abf312e330be0e0e306d8b",
"text": "media modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Fundamentally, the topics raised by Nollywood are commercialising accepted views. The industry is building a business founded on distributing images of witchcraft, abuse, and domestic violence.\n\nFirst, a majority of the films are politically incorrect and provide negative portrayals of women and sexuality. Gender roles are reinforced as women become sexualised objects, male possession, and the source of trouble - required to be put in their ‘place’. In the case of LGBT representations, homosexuality has been represented as Satanic in films such as 2010’s ‘Men in Love’ [1] . Second, in the case of witchcraft, dramas have made society more accepting of, and open to, sorcery. The films show how it remains prevalent in society and can provide a tool to access riches. With the audience interested in watching stories on witchcraft the industry is feeding such demands. Witchcraft sells; and continues to remain a prominent theme justifying why people make their decisions and action.\n\nThis is not the kind of perception change Africa needs.\n\n[1] In Nigeria homosexuality is illegal and continues to be criminalised.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0c38b11ecc3767d32239e58729c702f0",
"text": "media modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be First, the narrative of whether Africa is 'rising' has been debated, and requires reflection. Second, if Africa were rising will Nollywood push Nigeria to rise in the wrong direction? Nollywood is a private-sector organisation, with concentrated profits. Inequality in Nigeria has continued to rise since 1985 as shown by the GINI coefficient (Aigbokhan, 2008); and with lavish lifestyles being created for famous actresses and directors who hit ‘big money’ will Nollywood only act to benefit elites and create a new elite class? Economic growth and revenue production cannot solve the issue of poverty without tackling inequality.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6b4b67f29516b70a4065c97cd4fdfe08",
"text": "media modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Although the industry has encouraged entrepreneurialism we need to recognise it is also promoting risky businesses. Firstly, the individuals working in the industry are required to produce a quick turnover. The fact that no security and support is provided by the government or state means the risk of failed entrepreneurial strategies falls on the individual. The producers and directors may be forced to borrow money from loan sharks and at high interest-rates to get capital quickly; and need to be able to ensure profits are generated rapidly. Such a tenuous industry is clearly not in a position to change opinions of Africa and may instead be creating a negative perception of risk-taking and cutthroat capitalism.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9048dba3cb48b3b63c0b172ce917de3b",
"text": "media modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be The issue of piracy is being tackled. Recognising the potential benefits Nollywood can bring to Nigeria and the scale of the piracy problem, investments are being made to stop piracy in the growing industry.\n\nInvestments have been proposed by the World Bank to tackle piracy, and ensure profits are not lost. Further, Nollywood UP, the Nollywood Upgrade Project, is providing funding to control piracy. Nollywood UP is improving the capacity of the innovative industry - by providing solutions for distribution and vital training in high-quality film making.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "43017d7a5f72bc0fa3ec26784ba4977b",
"text": "media modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be New funding sources are emerging. The diasporic community for example are playing a central role in funding the long-term growth of the industry. Recognising potential, and being a major consumer base for the films produced, the African diaspora is investing in Nollywood.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b5e372be9477e28051fa66bf994b32ae",
"text": "media modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Nollywood films are viewed globally. Channels are dedicated to the films - such as South Africa’s MultiChoice and BSkyB’s Nollywood Movies. BSkyB distributes programmes and films directly to airlines, instantly broadening the audience. Furthermore, YouTube subscribers have sought to enhance the global viewing popularity; and recently developed iROKO Partners is ensuring internet users can access Nollywood films. iROKO Partners shows the biggest markets are based in the US, UK, Canada, Italy and Germany (Kermeliotis, 2012).\n\nNew partnerships are being formed with Hollywood and global film festivals [1] , which show the future shift of broadcasting Nollywood films in cinemas. A recent film produced by Pat Nebo - ‘Dead broke’ - is set to be premiered in Lagos, Accra, and London.\n\n[1] Cannes (2013) recently showcased ‘La Pirogue’; and in the summer of 2013 France hosted its first Nollywood Week in Paris, showcasing seven of the best Nollywood films.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "830d0598774ef7d4c2ea3cc7bc6983f8",
"text": "media modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be A new perspective, raising topical issues\n\nThe first film created in Nollywood - ‘Living in Bondage’ - raised fundamental issues concerning marriage, wealth and spirituality. The film indicates the need to be aware of cults and what they can drive individuals to do. Furthermore films such ‘Street Girls’ and ‘Mama’s Girls’ provide insight into the lives of prostitutes and the sex industry. ‘Street Girls’ is enabling awareness of why girls are forced into prostitution and why they may be forced to commit criminal offences. Poverty is identified as a key driving factor.\n\nThe range of topics covered - from immigration, women, witchcraft, corruption, terrorism, and infrastructure deficits - counteract historic silences in the public sphere. The films are raising awareness to viewers by presenting the stories in a new light - understandable, humorous, and relatable; and will encourage citizens to demand change.\n\nNollywood is showing the limits of believing in a single perspective, the Western perspective, to stories on Africa.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5ba4dbf73ede90f1c99f1948df3574d1",
"text": "media modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Encouraging film entrepreneurs\n\nThe Nollywood industry is providing solutions to pressing issues - including high rates of unemployment. The dynamic industry provides an opportunity for youths to explore interests and invest in their talents and creativity. The recognition gained for Nollywood has shown how Nigeria's youths can initiate, and develop, a sustainable industry. Rather than seeing the rising young population as a potential threat [1] , the rise of Nollywood showcases the talent of the young population and helps overthrow perceptions of Africa just being about natural resources.\n\nAdditionally, the growth of Nollywood is continuing to encourage individuals to enter the creative industry – whether to work in production, acting or distribution, the rise of Nollywood is creating an entrepreneurial spirit, drive, and motivation to create change. Individuals are no longer relying on the government or international community to provide funds, support and infrastructure, but moulding their own futures.\n\n[1] See further readings: Urdal, 2006.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a152bcad70a6b18a47ee47fc9aaa1c63",
"text": "media modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Epitomising rising Africa\n\nNollywood epitomises Africa, and life in African spaces. The fast-pace nature of production shows how quickly things changes and everything is on the move. The structure of production shows the dynamic nature of everyday life, action, and flow of ideas. As Rem Koolhaas’ (2002) film documentary - Lagos - showed the congestion, informality, and buzz of the city needs to be viewed positively and a sign of entrepreneurialism. The documentary suggested African cities were setting a new trend to be followed by the West, and developing a rising economy. Africa is not simply in need of assistance, but rather a fast-pace environment that needs greater understanding.\n\nAfrica is rising [1] and Nollywood acts to reinforce this reality. With more films being produced, bigger revenues made, and new investors emerging, Nollywood shows Africa's economies are changing, growing, and emerging. Interest and collaborative investments being made by the World Bank shows the industry will continue to rise. Nollywood’s growth provides an alternative to the dominant Afro-pessimism.\n\n[1] See further readings: The Economist, 2013.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8321060010b3168dae25ca776f9c3a84",
"text": "media modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Small audience viewings\n\nIn reality, Nollywood’s audience is constrained - questioning the extent to which stereotypes can be changed. First, language acts as a barrier. 56% of Nollywood films are produced in local languages - such as Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa (UNESCO, 2009). Although English accounts for 44% of films produced, the linguistic diversity may limit who sees which film and what issues are therefore discussed. Second, a majority of the films are sold in hardcopy - whether on cassette or pirate DVDs.\n\nFinally, the industry is characterised by fast and cheap production. Quantity over quality limits popularity and audience viewings. Further, the limited attention to quality means Nollywood remains at the bottom of the global value chain for film production. It is difficult to change perceptions with poor quality films.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c9cd5dbd274958a640c1c600713643e5",
"text": "media modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be The problem of piracy\n\nPirated copies of Nollywood films are a key issue. Piracy emerges as an issue for two key reasons. First, the lack of the lack of legal structure - the lack of formal regulation. Legal systems and strict copyright controls are needed to ensure piracy is stopped. Second, the production system is slow - therefore alternative means of production are used to meet the growing demand for films released. New methods for distribution are required.\n\nCalls have been made for the government to take action against piracy. However, with corruption prevalent little action has been made. Half of the film profits are lost through piracy (CNN, 2009), and piracy acts to reinforce the image of bad governance, and inadequate structures, within African states. The industry is being undermined and undervalued, through the piracy market, with high costs to the entrepreneurs.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "afc550741ddc6624fd62de21a3893a82",
"text": "media modern culture international africa house believes nollywood could be Short term hype\n\nDespite the boom in Nollywood’s industry it remains hard to get investment. With funding issues prevalent the hype surrounding Nollywood is temporary.\n\nThe difficulties in getting funding, mean films produced are often safe and politically popular - aware that funds can be gained for backing. For example, the controversial film – Boko Haram – aimed to provide an alternative perspective into the Islamist extremist group. The core subject matter was to explore terrorism; however, following the controversial story and topic, marketers dropped out, fearing a political backlash. Titles had to be changed and the film adapted to be more sensitive. The ideas behind the films, and the stories told, are being altered due to funding constraints [1] . Perspectives, on and in Africa, cannot be changed if the topics raised are altered to meet sensitivity regulations. Hegemony will persist.\n\n[1] See further readings: Hirsch, 2013.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
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222e08528b39da9ec6ba0e04dfdb3fbe
|
The historical significance of artefacts extends beyond their culture of origin
Artefacts have a historical and symbolic meaning that transcends their origins; over the years they acquire a connection with the place that they are housed. For example, the Egyptian obelisk that stands in the Piazza di San Pietro in Rome was brought to Italy in the reign of Caligula. [1] It is no longer merely an ‘Egyptian’ artefact - it has become a symbol of Roman dominance in the ancient world and the European Christian culture that succeeded it. During the Middle Ages it was believed that the ashes of Julius Caesar were contained in the gilt ball at the top [2] .
Further, all artefacts are part of a world-wide collective history. Olduvai handaxes (from countries in Eastern Africa such as Tanzania) are held in the British Museum [3] - but the people who made them are our ancestors just as much as they are the ancestors of local people. Holding these in London encourages us to see the common ground we hold with people everywhere in the world, whereas keeping them only in their local country only highlights our differences and tribal identities. “Culture knows no political borders. It never has. It’s always been mongrel; it’s always been hybrid; and it’s always moved across borders or bears the imprint of earlier contact” [4] .
[1] Saintpetersbasilica.org, ‘The Obelisk’.
[2] Wikipedia, ‘List of obelisks in Rome’, And Wikipedia, ‘Saint Peter’s Sqaure’, (Both have useful links and pictures.)
[3] The British Museum, ‘Highlights Olduvai Handaxe’.
[4] Cuno, James, author of ‘Who Owns Antiquity? Museums and the Battle over our Ancient Heritage’, quoted in Tiffany Jenkins, ‘Culture knows no political borders’, The Spectator July 2008.
|
[
{
"docid": "37ea27ca85b9df8dea1af50baa1beb70",
"text": "traditions education teaching university house would return cultural property Artefacts often have unique religious and cultural connections with the place from where they were taken, but none for those who view them in museum cases. To the descendants of their creators it is offensive to see aspects of their spirituality displayed for the entertainment of foreigners. Meanings may have accumulated around artefacts, but their true significance is rooted in its origins.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "9dccd8115ef5cec8d760beeae222988a",
"text": "traditions education teaching university house would return cultural property If the artefacts are of sufficient historical and cultural interest, scholars will travel to any location in order to study them. Indeed, the proximity of artefacts in developing countries may even stimulate intellectual curiosity and increase the quality of universities in there, which would be beneficial for world culture.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2215733ecb89462a107ecd0badf72bf5",
"text": "traditions education teaching university house would return cultural property Returning artefacts to their original locations would in the past have been an unfeasible project simply because of the risk of transporting everything. Now, however, transport is much quicker and easier and we have improved technology to make the transit less damaging to the artefact; for instance, temperature-controlled containers.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "55e2f604fdfb2a73f2e7ec9695013c7b",
"text": "traditions education teaching university house would return cultural property Many people from an artefact's country of origin never get to see them because they cannot afford to travel to a foreign museum; as such the cost of access to that museum is a very small part of the total cost. These artefacts are part of their cultural history and national identity, and it is important that local people are given the opportunity to see them. It is not all about quantity of visitors; those closest to the artefacts have the greatest right to see them. For others, it should be a privilege not a right.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6c9713735d2cd933157e3d2271fab1cd",
"text": "traditions education teaching university house would return cultural property For whatever reason the treasures were first collected, we should not rewrite history. There is no reason to politicise this argument; museums have no 'political' agenda but merely wish to preserve historical objects for their intrinsic value. Their reasons for keeping these items may be financial, or in the interests of keeping the artefacts safe and accessible to the public; whatever they may be, they are not political. Don’t the nations who have expended resources protecting and preserving these artefacts deserve in return the right to display them?\n\nAdditionally, not all artefacts held outside their country of origin are the result of imperial or exploitative relationships. The original Medieval Crown of England is held in Munich [1] . Artistic exchange has nothing to do with politics anymore.\n\n[1] Bayerische Verwaltung der staatlichen Schlösser, Gärten und Seen, ‘Treasury (Schatzkammer)'\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "802d7bbc5a97c818e05137cff03d9033",
"text": "traditions education teaching university house would return cultural property In the case of the Parthenon marbles, Lord Elgin’s action in removing them was an act of rescue as the Parthenon was being used as a quarry by the local population. [1] The Parthenon had already been destroyed by an explosion in 1687. [2] Having been removed the result was that the British protected them between 1821 and 1833 during the Greek War of Independence was occurring and the Acropolis was besieged twice. [3] Furthermore, if they had been returned upon Greek independence in 1830, the heavily polluted air of Athens would have caused extensive damage to such artefacts that would be open to the elements and Greek attempts at restoration in 1898 were as damaging as the British. [4] Today economic austerity lends new uncertainty to Greece’s commitment to financing culture.\n\nSimilar problems face the return of artefacts to African museums; wooden figures would decay in the humid atmosphere. Artefacts in Northern Africa are at risk because of the recent revolts and civil wars [5] . Wealthier countries sometimes simply have better resources to protect, preserve and restore historical artefacts than their country of origin. Our moral obligation is to preserve the artefact for future generations, and if this is best achieved by remaining in a foreign country then that must be the course of action.\n\n[1] Beard, Mary, ‘Lord Elgin - Saviour or Vandal?’, BBC History, 17 February 2011.\n\n[2] Mommsen, Theodor E., ‘The Venetian in Athens and the Destruction of the Parthenon in 1687’, American Journal of Archaeology, Vol 45, No. 4, Oct-Dec 1941, pp. 544-556.\n\n[3] Christopher Hitchens, The Elgin Marbles: Should They Be Returned to Greece?, 1998,p.viii, ISBN 1-85984-220-8\n\n[4] Hadingham, Evan, ‘Unlocking Mysteries of the Parthenon’ Smithsonian Magazine, February 2008.\n\n[5] Parker, Nick ‘Raiders of the Lost Mubarak’, , The Sun, 1st Feburary 2011.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b26826855fcb75de48cd7e62b01efe83",
"text": "traditions education teaching university house would return cultural property Although some treasures may have been acquired illegally, the evidence for this is often ambiguous. Experts agree that Greece could mount no court case because Elgin was granted permission by what was then Greece's ruling government. Lord Elgin’s bribes were the common way of facilitating any business in the Ottoman Empire, and do not undermine Britain’s solid legal claim to the Parthenon marbles, based upon a written contract made by the internationally-recognised authorities in Athens at the time. The veracity of the document can never be fully dismissed as it is a translation. And while some Benin bronzes were undoubtedly looted, other “colonial trophies” were freely sold to the imperial powers, indeed some were made specifically for the European market.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "55fda4418c56895fb47c7e439034a4cd",
"text": "traditions education teaching university house would return cultural property The artefacts' place of origin has more often than not changed dramatically since they were in situ there. It is therefore unconvincing to argue that the context of modern Orthodox Greece aids visitors’ appreciation of an ancient pagan relic. Too much has changed physically and culturally over the centuries for artefacts to speak more clearly in their country of origin than they do in museums, where they can be compared to large assemblies of objects from a wide variety of cultures. Similarly, a great many cultural treasures relate to religions and cultures which no longer survive and there can be no such claim for their return. Technology has also evolved to the point that Ancient Greece can be just as accurately evoked virtually as it could be in modern Greece [1] .\n\nCountries with cultural heritage retain the attraction of being the original locations of historical events or places of interest even without all the artefacts in place. The sanctuaries of Olympia and Delphi in Greece are a good example of this; they are not filled with artefacts, but continue to attract visitors because the sites are interesting in themselves. In 2009 2,813,548 people visited Athens, with 5,970,483 visiting archaeological sites across Greece [2] , even without the Parthenon marbles. Also, people who have seen an artefact in a foreign museum may then be drawn to visit the area it originated from. It is the tourist trade of the nations where these artefacts are held (mostly northern European nations, like Britain and France) which would suffer if they were repatriated. Lacking the climate and natural amenities of other tourist destinations they rely on their cultural offerings in order to attract visitors\n\n[1] Young Explorers, ‘A brief history of…’ The British Museum.\n\n[2] AFP, ‘New Acropolis Museum leads rise in Greek Museum visitor numbers for 2009’, Elginism, June 8th 2010. (Breakdown of visitor figures according to major destinations. )\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "479593cecfba8ceea5c545d4c74169c6",
"text": "traditions education teaching university house would return cultural property In many cases, returning an artefact may prove to be unreasonably expensive\n\nEven with modern transport links and technology, transporting every artefact in a foreign museum back to its original location would be an impractically mammoth task. The risk of damage to artefacts would be unavoidable, not to mention the possibility of theft or sabotage en route. Important artefacts in transit would be an ideal public target for acts of terrorism. Moreover, the infrastructure of developing countries is probably not sufficient to cope with that volume. Greece may have spent $200m developing a new museum but relatively it is one of the more wealthy countries of origin for artefacts in the British Museum; places such as Nigeria are unlikely to put such emphasis on cultural investment.\n\nMuseums all over the world do loan out their collections [1] . Just because they are held in another country’s museum does not mean that the place of origin would not be able to access artefacts. Creating a generous and dynamic network of sharing relics between museums would be a much more realistic way of sharing and ensuring that all could benefit from seeing them.\n\n[1] The British Museum, ‘Tours and loans’.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "35fb5cdb9137bab18c6939ca68dfe8d0",
"text": "traditions education teaching university house would return cultural property Scholars will have better access to artefacts, and more opportunities for study and collaboration, if they are stored in the west\n\nIf the Rosetta Stone had not been taken by the British in 1801, the deciphering of the ancient hieroglyphic language of the ancient Egyptian civilizations would have been near impossible. The British Museum is within just hours, and in some cases minutes, of such world-renowned institutions as Cambridge, Oxford, UCL, and Edinburgh. The scientific research that occurs in stable developed countries and scientifically excelling countries is of the highest degree, and parallels to this high level of study are simply non-existent in many underdeveloped countries.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "efbbe57540bf6252dc345fb7ebc03b1e",
"text": "traditions education teaching university house would return cultural property Artefacts should be made accessible to the largest possible number of visitors\n\nArt treasures should be accessible to the greatest number of people and to scholars, because only then can the educational potential of these artefacts be realised. In response to a question about whether museums have any social responsibility, Richard Armstrong, director at the Guggenheim, said “Absolutely, it began with the French Revolution. It is the more than a 200-year-old quest to have the most powerful cultural artefacts available to the greatest number of people. One could say it is the project of democratizing beauty” [1] . In practice this means retaining them in the great museums of the world. Further some of the world great museums, such as those in Britain and the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. are free of charge.\n\n[1] Boudin, Claudia, ‘Richard Armstrong on the Future of the Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation’, 4th November 2008.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "55a3c6e54ac8ace7e313efd39ae7dafc",
"text": "traditions education teaching university house would return cultural property Retaining artefacts is a relic of imperialist attitudes to non-occidental cultures\n\nDisplay of cultural treasures in Western museums may be seen as a last hangover from the imperial belief that “civilised” states such as Britain were the true cultural successors to Ancient Greece and Rome, and that the ‘barbarian’ inhabitants of those ancient regions were unable to appreciate or look after their great artistic heritage. Whether that was true in the 19th century is open to doubt; it certainly is not valid today and the display of imperial trophies in institutions such as the British Museum or the Louvre is a reminder to many developing nations of their past oppression. For instance, the British Museum is refusing to return 700 of the Benin Bronzes to Nigeria despite repeated requests by the Nigerian government [1] . The Rosetta stone has been the subject of demands by the Egyptian government but remains in London. These artefacts become almost souvenirs of Imperialism, a way of retaining cultural ownership long after the political power of Britain has faded. Returning them would be a gesture of goodwill and cooperation.\n\n[1] “The British Museum which refuses to state clearly how many of the bronzes it has is alleged to be detaining has 700 bronzes whilst the Ethnology Museum, Berlin, has 580 pieces and the Ethnology Museum, Vienna, has 167 pieces. These museums refuse to return any pieces despite several demands for restitution.” From Opoku, Kwame, ‘France returns looted artefacts to Nigeria: Beginning of a long process or an isolated act?’ 29th January 2010\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2582f7817a9a8cfc1ee829a133a9b1b2",
"text": "traditions education teaching university house would return cultural property Many artefacts resting in western museums were acquired illegally. Western states have a duty to retain them.\n\nArtefacts were often acquired illegally. Elgin, for instance, appropriated the Parthenon Marbles from the Ottoman authorities who had invaded Greece and were arguably not the rightful owners of the site; he took advantage of political turmoil to pillage these ancient statues. Doubt has even been cast on the legality of the 1801 document which purportedly gave Elgin permission to remove the marbles [1] . The Axum obelisk was seized from Ethiopia by Mussolini as a trophy of war; fortunately the injustice of this action has since been recognised and the obelisk was restored to its rightful place in 2005 [2] .\n\nUNESCO regulations initially required the return of artefacts removed from their country of origin after 1970,when the treaty came into force, but did not deal with any appropriations before this date due to deadlock in the negotiations for the framing of the convention that prevented inclusion of earlier removals. . However, the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects essentially removes the ambiguity about time limitations of UNESCO’s 1970 convention. Here, nations are required, in all cases, to return cultural artefacts to their countries of origin if those items were once stolen or removed illegally [3] . International law is thus on the side of returning artefacts.\n\n[1] Rudenstine, David, 'Did Elgin cheat at marbles?' Nation, Vol. 270, Issue 21, 25 May 2000.\n\n[2] BBC News, ‘Who should own historic artefacts?’, 26th April 2005,\n\n[3] Odor, ‘The Return of Cultural Artefacts to Countries of Origin’.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "552f54b82455b0373e4370f28108dc6f",
"text": "traditions education teaching university house would return cultural property Cultural artefacts are enriched when displayed in the context from which they originated\n\nCultural treasures should be displayed in the context in which they originated; only then can they be truly valued and understood. In the case of the Parthenon marbles this is an architectural context which only proximity to the Parthenon itself can provide. In the British Museum they appear as mere disconnected fragments, stripped of any emotional meaning. It may also be useful for academics to have a cultural property in its original context in order to be able to understand it, for example a carved door may be a beautiful artefact but it cannot be truly understood unless we know what the door was used for, where it leads too something for which it is necessary to see the context.\n\nCultural and historical tourism is an important source of income for many countries, and is especially important for developing countries. If their artefacts have been appropriated by foreign museums in wealthy nations then they are being deprived of the economic opportunity to build a successful tourist trade. Both the treasures themselves are being devalued as is the experience of seeing the treasures.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7843efbe5dcaa1feb2cf32edc0338bc5",
"text": "traditions education teaching university house would return cultural property Developing countries are able to guard and preserve their own cultural treasures\n\nIt may have been true that countries such as Greece were not capable of looking after their heritage in the past, but that has now changed. Since 197\n\n5 Greece has been carefully restoring the Acropolis and Athens now has a secure environment to maintain the marbles. The state-of-the-art New Acropolis Museum, which cost $200m, has now been completed to house the surviving marbles [1] , and even contains a replica of the temple, thus the marbles would appear as being exactly the same as on the real temple. Pollution control measures (such as installing pollution monitoring stations throughout metropolitan Athens and ensuring that motor vehicles must comply with emission standards [2] ) have reduced sulphur-dioxide levels in the city to a fifth of their previous levels.\n\nAt the same time the curatorship of institutions such as the British Museum is being called into question, as it becomes apparent that controversial cleaning and restoration practices may have harmed the sculptures they claim to protect. In the 1930s the British museum’s attempt to clean them using chisels caused irreparable damage. [3] They have also been irresponsible when it comes to protecting the fate of many of its artefacts: “The British Museum has sold off more than 30 controversial Benin bronzes for as little as £75 each since 1950, it has emerged”; “The museum now regrets the sales” [4] .\n\n[1] Acropolis museum, Home page.\n\n[2] Alexandros.com, ‘Greece’.\n\n[3] Smith, Helena, ‘British damage to Elgin marbles ‘irreparable’’, The Guardian, 12 November 1999.\n\n[4] BBC News, ‘Benin bronzes sold to Nigeria’, 27th March 2002.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
a2bae1fc73740fb8454ae4c5549df903
|
Factors motivating publication of the cartoons
On the individual level, the cartoonists and editors would have been wiser to look to their own selfish motivations for self-preservation; they have received many death threats from religious leaders and organizations spanning the globe, in a situation reminiscent of Salman Rushdie’s publication of The Satanic Verses. That Rushdie’s book had met with a similar reaction means that it should have served as a precedent showing what the reaction would be. As the editors should have been able to anticipate the threats they would receive if they were interested in their safety they should not have published.
|
[
{
"docid": "6d61e581d7f6a906ec8d6e33d72e818c",
"text": "media religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons Individuals are the best actors to determine for themselves what causes they are willing to make sacrifices for. This is why we allow individuals to volunteer for wars they believe are just, to serve as humanitarian aid workers in impoverished countries, or for any number of unpleasant and potentially dangerous things. If they wanted to, no one can tell the editors and cartoonists that they were wrong to take the actions they did on account of personal safety.\n\nBut anyway, it is clear that they did not comprehend the scale of the risk they were running by publishing the cartoons, so they cannot be blamed for bringing this upon themselves.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "7621f9dce466e00b4e80af10ccc2d8b4",
"text": "media religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons If the expectation of violence or reprisal is admitted as a legitimate reason not to undertake an action which is protected under freedoms of press and speech, then that effectively stifles a great degree of discourse. This ultimately undermines the purpose of the rights, such as a freedom to publish, and the functioning of western societies like Denmark’s.\n\nIt also incentivizes groups who would resort to violence to achieve their aims; if terrorists know that Denmark and other European nations will shy away from certain seemingly controversial or offensive actions if they threaten to kill many people every time, then they can much more easily achieve their goals. We should not welcome violence, but we should not allow it to govern us either.\n\nAs the cultural editor who ran the cartoons said, “Words should be answered with words. That’s all we have in a democracy, and if we give that up, we will be locked in a tyranny of silence.” [i]\n\n[i] AFP, ‘Danish book about Muhammad cartoon controversy to go ahead despite threats’, New York Post, 29 September 2010, http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/danish_book_about_muhammad_cartoon_9EU68NwfmSaTSvK3hAiqiP\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3b3d23917139c22407ca6e88b1454a69",
"text": "media religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons The publication of the cartoons also resulted in a vigorous debate in Denmark, which saw its Muslim community participate in discourse in the form of debates, opinion pieces in newspapers, protests, and other democratic methods. Ultimately, then, it may well have caused a greater deal of civic integration than discord.\n\nDenmark and journalistic institutions within it ultimately have little sway over the politics and cultures of all the various Islamic countries all around the world. Newspapers in Denmark cannot reasonably be expected to gauge what the expected political reactions and emerging dynamics of Muslim communities in every other country might be because of the publication of an article or cartoon. This particular event was exceptional; newspapers publish potentially inflammatory articles and images quite regularly, but this does not result in an international reaction.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a6e191f375d25fbc89fc026361031e7e",
"text": "media religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons The cartoons were intended as a democratic challenge to self-censorship, and the Danish courts recognized this when they rejected lawsuits that Muslim groups in Denmark filed against the newspaper on the grounds of hate speech. [i]\n\nFurthermore, the cartoons were targeted against the extremist fringe of Islam, and were narrowly tailored to object to the use of violent means in furthering religious causes. There is nothing wrong about pointing out the high incidence rate of terrorism and violence within radical components of a worldwide Islamic community that encompasses many different types of people spread over many nationalities. Ever since 9/11, terrorism and conservative interpretations of Islam have constantly been on the public mind and constitute a legitimate topic for discourse. It is not a hate crime to publicise cartoons that highlight this; cartoons in newspapers target groups who are otherwise in the news all the time, bankers for example, this does not mean they are inciting hatred against that group.\n\n[i] Olsen, Jan M., ‘Danish Court Rejects Suit Against Paper That Printed Prophet Cartoons’, The Washington Post, 27 October 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601650.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d14a6345e1739348dce61a3845e8b683",
"text": "media religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons There is press freedom, and there is good taste. Simply because some things are permitted in a democratic society, is not an argument for why they should be done. It would have been similarly distasteful if the newspaper had posted cartoons of Jews in concentration camps under gas showers, for instance. Where there are multiple ways to make a point, one must seek to convey one’s message in a manner that is least likely to gratuitously offend others. The editors of the newspaper were simply seeking to cause controversy and garner attention.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "35f71e516280a289068b289c5d8a8de5",
"text": "media religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons This has not benefitted integration, but rather made Muslims in Denmark feel as though they are under assault and unwelcome in their country. Particularly for new or newer immigrants, this creates a tendency to form enclave communities around a shared religion or culture and resist the mainstream society as a bloc. All the Muslim organizations in Denmark banded together against their oppressors. The few Muslims that spoke out in defence of free speech were severely ostracized by their fellows.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "97d7c46783a7a4a8a244b616979f2c10",
"text": "media religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons In as volatile an atmosphere as 2000s Europe, where rates of immigration from Muslim countries into an aging Europe are high, it is clearly not wise to openly antagonize a component of your population that is already having a great deal of difficulty integrating. Unlike America, Europe generally cracks down on a variety of xenophobic and hateful actions much more stringently, and should have in this case as well. Europe is a sufficiently enlightened place to restrict individuals from burning crosses or marching in salute to the Nazi party; one would hope these practices would extend to Islam as well. There therefore in some instances is to a certain extent a right not to be offended – or at least not to have certain offensive things publicized.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0e87f06c70c615a23b00f00e71d32d9d",
"text": "media religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons There is a difference between a government banning art, and having the good sense not to do certain things in art. Further, the “artistic skill” in drawing a provocative cartoon is rather minimal; it is not as though cartoonists are held to particularly high technical standards of drawing. Rather, cartoons are usually a vehicle by which a cartoonist conveys a joke (usually at someone or some group’s expense) for a cheap laugh. Cartoons no more constitute art than graffiti with an offensive statement on a factory wall constitutes art – that is to say, not at all.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a72673723dc72c933401c8df6743f542",
"text": "media religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons Violent reactions to the cartoons could have been predicted and should have been avoided\n\nPrinting the cartoons caused the severe exacerbation of already existing tensions between Muslims and Western communities in Europe and around the world. [i] The terrorist attack on 9/11, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the Israel-Palestine conflict had already set the stage for increased cultural animosity in the prior few years, and this was added fuel to the fire that resulted in violent attacks on Danish embassies around the world. As a result of this, innocent people died in riots in Afghanistan and Pakistan when riot police stepped in.\n\nOrganized terrorist groups like the Al Qaeda network led by Bin Laden threatened violence against America and the European Union. [ii] Not only did this cause an emotional impact among Danish and European citizens as a result of increased worries of terrorist attacks, but given the number of terrorist plots that have cited the cartoons controversy as part of their inspiration, there is good reason to believe that the Denmark has become a less safe place as a result.\n\nRegardless of the original intention of the editors, they should have been able to see the controversy that would result and the likely practical outcomes of this and so restrain themselves from publishing.\n\n[i] Sullivan, Kevin, ‘Muslims’ Fury Rages Unabated Over Cartoons’, The Washington Post, 11 February 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/10/AR2006021001822.html\n\n[ii] Whitlock, Craig, ‘Bin Laden Threatens Europe Over Muhammad Cartoons’, The Washington Post, 20 March 2008, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/19/AR2008031902603.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5a56c3be8e24db51633778f954256cec",
"text": "media religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons Radical and anti western voices in Islamic communities gained authority and legitimacy as a result of the newspapers' actions\n\nThe publication of the cartoons empowered the radical fringes of many Muslim populations, by enabling them to point to the cartoons as tangible evidence of an anti-Muslim bias and anti-Muslim agenda in the West. [i] For instance, in Pakistan, these were used against the president, General Pervez Musharraf, who was perceived as being too closely aligned with the United States. Religious leaders who wanted to make the case that Denmark was deliberately offensive and a hostile environment for Muslims were able to conflate popular knowledge about the cartoon controversy with other incidents (some of them not even in Denmark) and sway support to their anti-ecumenical causes. [ii]\n\nThis set back reasonable discourse in Muslim communities about how best to integrate with the West, and ultimately resulted in the weakening of internal forces that encourage acceptance of Western culture. Such a reversal for westernising forces is likely the opposite of what the newspaper would have wanted for the Muslim world.\n\n[i] Witte, Griff, ‘Opportunists Make Use of Cartoon Protests’, The Washington Post, 9 February 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/08/AR2006020802296_2.html\n\n[ii] ‘Background: Muhammad cartoons controversy’, EuropeNews, http://europenews.dk/en/node/7143\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5f2e917252db5770b9b0deda3ca40874",
"text": "media religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons The cartoons constitute a religiously motivated hate crime\n\nThe cartoons effectively constituted a series of religious hate crimes, specifically designed to offend and target the Muslim community, whom the editors very well knew would be up in arms over the publication of the cartoons. This is the deliberate association of a venerated religious figure with terrorism. Not only is this in violation of Danish laws and European norms protecting minorities, but it is also simply malicious and immoral.\n\nThere was already a widespread tendency to conflate Muslims with terrorists before the cartoons; this high-profile incident risked exposing peaceful Muslims to prejudice, discrimination, and even physical danger from increased xenophobia. The cartoons controversy was soon followed by the desecration of Muslim graves at a cemetery in Denmark, for instance. [i]\n\nMany US journalism companies had the better judgment to report on the issue without reprinting the cartoons. [ii] Similarly, the Danish newspaper could have run opinion pieces describing their qualms with and thoughts on Islamic censorship, without resorting to the vulgar methods they utilized.\n\n[i] ‘Danish PM talks to Muslim group’, BBC News, 13 February 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4708312.stm\n\n[ii] Folkenflik, David, ‘U.S. Media Avoid Publishing Controversial Cartoons’, npr, 7 February 2006, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5193569\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4d2884f3cc23b759246389a6287ed8bd",
"text": "media religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons Chilling effects of excessive cultural sensitivity\n\nArt should be given a great deal of license. Many European and American media and art outlets create art or journalistic pieces that are offensive to or poorly received by Christians and Jews, or other minorities. By limiting discourse in the form of art, we risk not only unjustly suppressing the artists’ vision, but also cheapening and the artistic community and rendering it more homogenous. Satire has been used with extreme effectiveness in making political statements before, and this was no exception. The cartoons express the cartoonists’ own views and beliefs, and the newspaper was simply providing a medium, not dictating what they should draw.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4a79e557b2186d1478bdc9a577129235",
"text": "media religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons Controversy, integration and civic participation\n\nThe controversy has actually resulted in a much higher degree of civic participation by Danish Muslims than had previously been achieved, including town hall-style meetings, opinion columns, and radio and TV debates. This may have been better than anything else at integrating the Muslim community in Denmark into Western liberal democratic norms of how to resolve conflicts. Just because violence happened elsewhere in the world, where democracy does not currently hold sway, does not mean this was not a victory for Denmark. [i]\n\n[i] Rose, Flemming, ‘Why I Published Those Cartoons’, The Washington Post, 19 February 2006 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/17/AR2006021702499_2.html\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "539e688d03297950180a6c008cef10e0",
"text": "media religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons Free expression and journalistic integrity\n\nPublishing the cartoons was not only an important expression of press freedom, but fulfils the fundamental journalistic mission of exposing the public to important information, by forcing the examination of topics that would otherwise go unexamined. Self-censorship in Islam is an important issue that deserves consideration by a democratic public. There is a clear norm that causes Islam and Muhammad to be treated differently in the Western press than the Christian or Jewish faiths or their leading figures, and the editors felt it was important to violate that norm as a demonstration of a social phenomenon. [i] They were well within their rights to do so, and this furthered legitimate discourse about religion within Denmark and the West. It should also be remembered that demonization of Israel and the West using Christian and Jewish figures is not uncommon in the Islamic press – this is therefore a pernicious double standard. [ii]\n\nUltimately, the reaction by Muslims was unfortunate, but itself indicated the ways in which Islamic religious depictions in the press differ from their Christian and Jewish counterparts. Christian and Jewish groups have not responded with violence (though they have also sometimes staged protests), and where incidents have taken place, they were isolated and nowhere near the scale of the cartoons controversy.\n\n[i] ‘Q&A: The Muhammad cartoons row’, BBC News, 7 February 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4677976.stm\n\n[ii] ‘Q&A: The Muhammad cartoons row’, BBC News, 7 February 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4677976.stm\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "64c93228019e44580efe844557f02afc",
"text": "media religion religions thb danish newspapers should not have published cartoons Citizens of western liberal democracies should never be required to adhere to religious norms that they do not hold\n\nThere is no right not to be offended. It is one thing to show a religion respect. One respects Islam by removing shoes when visiting a mosque. However, following the taboos of a particular religion in public society does not constitute respect, but submission, and adherence to the principles of that religion, which is never required. The nature of a democratic society is that there will sometimes be disagreements about how individuals should act; insofar as Denmark has not democratically come to the conclusion that it would be better for it to be illegal to depict the prophet Mohammed in publications, it is permitted and that right must hold. [i]\n\n[i] Rose, Flemming, ‘Why I Published Those Cartoons’, The Washington Post, 19 February 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/17/AR2006021702499_2.html\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
c122cabe9932df78662a1f867cc586c5
|
The internet edits what you can see without your knowledge
When you purchase a newspaper you know what biases they may contain, getting news online can be more troublesome as services such as Google and Facebook use algorithms which personalize content for you based on your interest. This creates what is known as a “filter bubble”1 whereby online services filter out news which may not be of normal interest to the reader, the problem with this is that it is often done without the user being aware of it, which clearly raises issues of trust.
1 Praiser, E. (2011) Beware Online 'Filter Bubbles' [online] [accessed 15th June 2011]
|
[
{
"docid": "45c5f63ba5ba365d264c18d69e0f507c",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past While algorithms may filter out content which does not normally appeal to a particular reader the internet itself does not block access to any information, if someone wishes to seek out another view on a topic it can be easily found by changing a search term. The idea that having news personalized behind the scenes makes online news less trustworthy is a weak proposition as the personalization constantly changes along with the users unlike inflexible newspapers chasing particular demographics.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "f553d383d9a7b6aed911d6a8967592e2",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past Normal backlighted displays can be bad for the eyes, however there are other digital technologies which address this issue, for example Amazon’s Kindle e-reader using a technology called e-ink which simulates ink on a page and requires natural light to be read 1. It could be argued that the tactile argument is flawed, because if people did prefer the tactile experience, newspapers would not be in a state of severe decline. Furthermore the concept of what constitutes a better reading experience is subjective. Shorter, more to the point text and the ability to hyperlink to related pieces of content and access information in a non-linear way could be considered a much better experience compared to reading long passages of text in a linear fashion.\n\n1 Popsci, (2010) Testing the Best: The Kindle's E Ink Pear Display [online][Accessed 2nd September 2011]\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fbd3b226236717c101500e4e2d059c5c",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past The argument that internet news tends to offer small passages of text compared to newspapers is to be liberal with the truth, due to the vast nature of the internet it offers a variety of styles and is arguably more likely to provide longer passages than newspapers as there is not space restriction as there is with newspapers which can only be a certain size, due to advertisements and printing agreements. With the ability to both search for and easily share content via social networks, the argument that newspapers are better as they prevent information overload feels weak because there are many ways in which content can be filtered to ensure that both the news you actually want and the style and perspective you prefer can be easily accessed.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b261a2d9343c685ff72224a51bd0acf0",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past As newspapers are funded by private companies they can be accused of avoiding to publish information which may damage their revenue streams, independent bloggers often do not have this issue so can be much more free in what they publish which is ultimately good for democracy. In addition to this journalists may vastly distort the truth in their reporting in order to satisfy advertisers which seek certain demographics, whereas independent bloggers do not have this concern.\n\nA consequence of online freedom is of course that anyone can publish anything but it should be down to the reader to decode what has been blogged and make up their own mind as to its accuracy, it is demeaning to suggest that consumers of news information are simply passive consumers.\n\nProfessional journalists, even when based in an official setup and with a code of ethics, are not entirely guilt free in regards to publishing inaccurate information either, there are many instances where false information has been published, for example many journalists reported the potential link between MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccination and Autism in a sensationalized way which did not entirely relate to the research and which, as a result, caused a huge number of children not being immunized 1. Perhaps the most famous recent example where journalists have behaved unethically is the phone-hacking scandal in the UK 2.\n\nTo call blogs ‘parasitic’ is also insulting and unfair. Many of them do their own research and cover issues not in the mainstream media. It’s not unique to blogging to discuss the work of others, and indeed many newspapers do so 3 So what’s the difference?\n\n1 Deer, B. (2011) The MMR-Autism Scare: An Elaborate Fraud. [online] [accessed 13th June 2011]\n\n2 BBC, (2011) Phone Hacking: US Senator Calls for News Corp Probe [online][accessed 2nd September 2011]\n\n3 Online Journalism Review (2007) Are blogs a 'parasitic' medium? [online][Accessed on 2nd September 2011]\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5917efd82fc3e5d9e4238c49dc670094",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past Other types of media can produce equally, if not better, pieces of journalism than newspapers: it’s more just a matter of style. While many TV news outlets do often strive for immediacy in their coverage they also feature special reports, such as the BBC’s flagship Panorama program, which are much more detailed and can stand on an equal footing with newspaper journalism. There are many newspapers, such as tabloids with little journalistic quality. So, the matter of quality does not come down to the type of medium being used, as this only affects style, it comes down to the person or people behind the given output.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7be77c56e3efdc2707f88345bf5d0731",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past It is true that newspapers cannot adapt as quickly as other types of media to breaking news events, however there are advantages to having slower news. Reporting news events immediately as they happen often leads to speculation as the bigger picture is often unknown by the journalists, therefore having time to digest the given event can allow for more accurate and detailed reporting rather than broadcasting facts which may not be immediately confirmable, a longer time before publication then is likely to result in more accurate, less speculative information. For example many TV news outlets were reporting, when the first plane to hit the World Trade Center on the 11th September, that it was an unfortunate accident. It of course later emerged to be the work of terrorists.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "40676aae69012f65d9255d00990aa69d",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past This argument overstates the situation. Newspapers are less profitable than they were at their peak, but newspapers have been affected by other media ever since the invention of the radio. Much of the evidence the proposition has raised focuses on the Western World. According to the World Association of Newspapers, more newspapers are being published than at any time previously. There are strong growth markets in Asia, Eastern Europe and South America. The Middle East and Africa also sustain strong markets, though there is less growth 1.\n\nFurthermore, Newspaper advertising is an effective revenue source. Advertisements in the traditional print tend to get more attention from readers than on the internet, because people read papers more intently.\n\nFinally, some newspapers are actively engaging with the internet by charging for premium content to their services. Even if they lose some customers, this is made up by a net increase in revenue2.\n\n1 World Association of Newspapers (2010) World Press Trends: Advertising Revenues To Increase, Circulation Relatively Stable. [online] [Accessed 2nd September 2011]\n\n2 Columbia Journalism Review, (2009) Print Newspapers Still Dominate Readers' Attention. [online] [Accessed 2nd September 2011]\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "83309d29b006099a5a1bf9879b94f965",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past Newspapers do still have a place in the modern media landscape; the environmental argument against them is flawed, for example the Newsprint and Newspaper Industry Environmental Action Group (NNIEAG) state that: “Recycled paper made up 77.4% of the raw material for UK newspapers in 2010” 1 so the claim regarding the amount of waste newspapers generate is not actually as high as is being suggested.\n\nWhat the argument also neglects to state is that electronic media is not entirely environmentally friendly in itself, much of the power required not only by personal digital devices but also the infrastructure needed to keep it working does not on the whole come from renewable sources, whereas printed media does makes greater use of environmentally friendly sources for its production. A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers states that: “Forestry, paper and packaging are among the most sustainable industries in existence.'” 2\n\n1 NNIEAG (2011) Newsprint and Newspaper Industry Environmental Action Group Homepage. [online] [accessed 13th June 2011]\n\n2 Two Sides (2011) Print and Paper is a Wasteful Product. [online] [accessed 16th June 2011]\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d7e48e3cb9e182fd520e85300af2b068",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past The positive side of a newspaper IS the fact you have a vast array of topics, which you would not usually consume. It broadens the mind as you may often come across stories you never usually take notice of. This opens up a whole new world of interest, whereas if people are given the role of editor they would most likely simply choose to read what already interests them and their channels of perception will become narrower. In addition to this, newspapers are not necessarily linear. They do not have to be read in a linear fashion, people can choose which stories they wish to read and reject those they do not. Newspapers are far more flexible than they are generally portrayed 1. Modern newspapers have adapted their design to increase their consumption by the public.\n\nOne good example of this is the change in size of many British newspapers, from broadsheet to tabloid 2.\n\n1. Daily Beast, 2009\n\n2. BBC, 2011\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1ab8749a74bd0a43b0036e43be323ff6",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past Newspapers provide higher quality journalism than other media\n\nAs newspapers are a slow medium, having a daily output most typically, they can produce better quality material than other news sources which strive for immediacy. Professional journalists and experts have time to consider the issues and write well structured, coherent and highly informed pieces which other types of media cannot compete with. A demonstration of the high quality of journalism found in newspapers can be seen in the fact that quite often newspapers set the news agenda for the rest of the day for other media outlets 1. Perhaps most importantly, modern graduates of schools of journalism still tend to favour working for newspapers as their long term career ambition. This is because the working conditions tend to be far superior, as is the regularity of payment and job security.\n\nThose blogging in the online media note their treatment as second-class outlets, long hours and poor pay. The best and the brightest head to newspapers 2\n\n1 Economist, (2006) Who killed the newspaper? [online] [accessed 27th July 2011]\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "042af6087f51e350322939a5611d9647",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past The balance of analysis and relevancy is better struck by newspapers\n\nThe argument that internet news tends to offer small passages of text compared to newspapers is to be liberal with the truth, due to the vast nature of the internet it offers a variety of styles and is arguably more likely to provide longer passages than newspapers as there is not space restriction as there is with newspapers which can only be a certain size, due to advertisements and printing agreements.\n\nWith the ability to both search for and easily share content via social networks, the argument that newspapers are better as they prevent information overload feels weak because there are many ways in which content can be filtered to ensure that both the news you actually want and the style and perspective you prefer can be easily accessed.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c059c0c5d30eafd833f87d633e82bf77",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past Newspapers offer a better reading experience than digital alternatives\n\nThe experience of reading from a newspaper is a far better user experience than reading from a screen, reading from a screen for long periods of time is not only bad for the eyes but quite often becomes uncomfortable. A newspaper however requires natural light to be read and therefore is not as harsh on the eyes. It could also be suggested that people actually prefer the tactile physical experience of a newspaper or book over holding an electronic device, a poll taken on the Guardian 1 website found that 76.1% preferred books, i.e, a physical experience, over a digital one.\n\nVideo and audio-based advertisements placed online around the text can also disrupt the reading process, a problem, which does not afflict newspapers.\n\n1 Guardian (2008) E-books or Real Books? [online] [accessed 13th June 2011]\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7033a571e1a303b66b35efc9a36b1531",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past Newspapers are a more trustworthy source of information than independent bloggers\n\nOnline anyone can launch a blog and start publishing, these articles could potentially be false, badly-researched or overly bias to name but a few issues, this raises the question of quality control of information online and its trustworthiness. For example a blog purportedly written by a gay woman in Damascus trying to avoid state persecution over her sexuality turned out to be a hoax, the identity of the blogger turned out to be straight 40 year old US man living in Edinburgh. 1\n\nAs newspapers are most often subject to regulations regarding what they print as well as being subject to market forces it is on the whole unlikely that they will publish something that is factually inaccurate, at least not with intent. Journalists working at newspapers are well trained and more often than not sign up to voluntary ethic codes in order to be accepted as trustworthy sources 2. Bloggers on the other hand can publish without any formal training and for the most part stay anonymous, which could lead to falsehoods being spread. Bloggers are often described as “parasitic,” since they criticize “old media,” whilst simultaneously relying upon it for the basis of their factual information. Yet Bloggers do not tend to be the groups funding news reporters across the world 3.\n\n1. BBC. (2011) Syria Gay Girl in Damascus Blog a Hoax By a US Man. [online] [accessed 15th June 2011]\n\n2.Pew Research Center, 2011\n\n3. Murley, B and Roberts, C. (2005) Biting the Hand that Feeds: Blogs and second-level agenda setting. In: Convergence Conference. BYU (Brigham Young University), 2005.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9cc9385304dabe5a8de30d3efff688a7",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past In the internet age immediacy is everything, newspapers can often contain out of date information by the time they hit the shelves.\n\nIn an interconnected global world whereby technology allows us within seconds to communicate across the globe in a variety of forms the newspaper medium becomes obsolete. In the time it takes to write, edit, print and distribute a newspaper the events being covered may very well have changed, when we have the technology to overcome this problem it seems unlikely that newspapers will continue to exist because who wants to read old news? An example of newspapers not being able to adapt to changing events can be seen with the killing of Osama Bin Laden on 2nd May 2011, the story broke too late for the morning newspapers in the UK to be able to change their pages to include the story, it was then subsequently reported a day late on the 3rd May. 1\n\n1 Front Pages Today (2011) Newspaper Headlines from UK for 3 May 2011. [online] [accessed 27th July 2011]\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "33f8250f9e34465bf67428cb9c9e7789",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past Newspapers cannot be environmentally sustained.\n\nNewspapers have no place in the modern media landscape as they are not environmentally friendly, they are a waste of paper when there are many other my efficient ways in which news can be disseminated. For example a single annual subscription to the New York Times roughly generates 520lb of waste which equates to approximately 4.25 trees being cut down per reader per year 2, when you take into account all the other publications that printed throughout the world this equates to a lot of wastage of increasingly scarce natural resources which could be avoided. Using digital tools to distribute news is more efficient as you only use resources when the content is actually required rather than the print media method in which the product is printed when it may not be necessarily purchased and consumed.\n\n1 ID2 (2011) Facts about Paper and Paper Waste. [online] [accessed 18th June 2011]\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "40b2228f4111e626e621797c64df78bd",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past People no longer consume media in a linear way, people prefer to pick and choose what news they consume\n\nWith the development of Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) and more generally the internet people have come to no longer simply consume media in a linear fashion, they take a more fragmented approach. In news consumption people no longer want to simply have one newspaper with a vast array of topics inside. They want to pick and choose which stories and columns they consume, people now prefer to pull the content they want rather than have it pushed on them. In a digital world the news consumer can become their own editor and no longer need to rely entirely on old hierarchical structures.\n",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "961f9008e53f1ff3b9f65f3b522e80b5",
"text": "media modern culture house believes newspapers are thing past Newspapers are financially unviable\n\nIn the internet age, Newspapers are no longer financially profitable businesses. They are struggling to encourage investment and to survive in the long-term. Revenue is falling across the three main streams available to newspapers: sales, advertising and subscriptions. Sales and subscriptions are dropping as consumers move to the internet for information (often the website of the newspaper themselves!)1 Advertising is not as profitable either, as increasingly advertisers look to pop-up systems on websites and buying space on search engines. Many newspapers have resorted to cutting costs (firing staff, reducing the length of the paper) and raising prices. Yet it does not seem likely that people will be willing to pay more for less.\n\n1. Keevey, R., Sattin, D and Hale, T. (2009) The Newspaper Crisis. Princeton University, 1st May 2009. Policy Research Institute for the Region: Princeton University.\n",
"title": ""
}
] |
arguana
|
80cceaf57830396c82f9d9f01ec8fd31
|
Stranger Things is set in Bloomington, Indiana.
|
[
{
"docid": "0b3b33e6ae5c1121973600fa19ee27a5",
"text": "Stranger Things Stranger Things is an American science fiction-horror web television series created , written , directed and co-executive produced by the Duffer Brothers , as well as co-executive-produced by Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen . The first season stars Winona Ryder , David Harbour , Finn Wolfhard , Millie Bobby Brown , Gaten Matarazzo , Caleb McLaughlin , Natalia Dyer , Charlie Heaton , Cara Buono , and Matthew Modine , with Noah Schnapp and Joe Keery in recurring roles . The second season will see Schnapp and Keery promoted to series regulars , along with the addition of Sadie Sink and Dacre Montgomery . Set in the fictional town of Hawkins , Indiana in the 1980s , the first season focuses on the investigation into the disappearance of a young boy by his friends , older brother and traumatized mother and the local police chief , amid supernatural events occurring around the town including the appearance of a psychokinetic girl who helps the missing boy 's friends in their own search . The second season is set a year after the first , and deals with attempts of the characters to return to normal and consequences from that season . The Duffer Brothers developed the series as a mix of investigative drama alongside supernatural elements with childlike sensibilities , establishing its time frame in the 1980s and creating a homage #Noun to pop culture of that decade . Several themes and directorial aspects were inspired and aesthetically informed by the works of Steven Spielberg , John Carpenter , and Stephen King , among others . The series was released on Netflix on July 15 , 2016 . It received critical acclaim for its characterization , pacing , atmosphere , acting , soundtrack , directing , writing and homages to 1980s genre films . The series has received several industry nominations and awards , including winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2016 . On August 31 , 2016 , Netflix renewed the series for a second season of nine episodes , which is set to be released on October 31 , 2017 .",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "a6b865b7ac1f808bd400d6da249ee583",
"text": "Outsiders (U.S. TV series) Outsiders is an American television drama series created by Peter Mattei . Set in the fictional town of Blackburg , Crockett County , Kentucky , the series tells the story of the Farrell clan and their struggle for power and control in the hills of Appalachia . It is WGN America 's third original series , which debuted on January 26 , 2016 . On March 11 , 2016 , WGN America renewed Outsiders for a second season which premiered on January 24 , 2017 . On April 14 , 2017 , WGN America announced , the series had been canceled after two seasons , with the then forthcoming last episode of the second season , airing as a series finale on the channel . Production and distributing studio Sony Pictures Television is set to shop the series elsewhere for further seasons .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "28f0f96de290d253ab306489fdd9c301",
"text": "Indianapolis Art Center The Indianapolis Art Center is an art center located in Indianapolis , Indiana , United States . The Center , founded in 1934 by the Works Project Administration during the Great Depression as the Indianapolis Art League , is located along the White River . It features fine art exhibitions , art classes and studios , a library with over 5,000 titles , and the ARTSPARK nature and art parks . As of 2008 the Indianapolis Art Center featured over 50 annual exhibitions and had over 3,000 members .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "65ad102eb78ba383dba802acfd0a5b93",
"text": "Speedway, Indiana Speedway is a town in Wayne Township , Marion County , Indiana , United States . The population was 11,812 at the 2010 census . Speedway is home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway ; it is an enclave of Indianapolis .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a99aa47454049e1392d7433e9b23b06d",
"text": "Indiana University Maurer School of Law The Indiana University Maurer School of Law is located on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington , Indiana . IU Maurer is one of the top 10 public law schools in the United States , and tied for 25th overall , according to rankings published by U.S. News and World Report . The school is named after Michael S. `` Mickey '' Maurer , an Indianapolis businessman and 1967 alumnus who donated $ 35 million in 2008 . From its founding in 1842 until Maurer 's donation , the school was known as the Indiana University School of Law -- Bloomington . The law school is one of two law schools operated by Indiana University , the other being the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law ( IU McKinney ) in Indianapolis . Although both law schools are part of Indiana University , each law school is wholly independent of the other . According to the law school 's ABA-required disclosures , 78.8 % of the Class of 2015 had obtained full-time , long-term , JD-required employment 10 months after graduation .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2ad2afa232a346632952b0067cbf17fd",
"text": "Madison Historic District (Madison, Indiana) The Madison Historic District is a historic district located in Madison , Indiana . In 2006 , it was named a National Historic Landmark due to its unique Midwestern beauty and architecture scheme . Among the prominent buildings in the district are the Lanier Mansion , one of two buildings separately considered a National Historic Landmark in the district , and the Schofield House , the birthplace of the Grand Lodge of Indiana . In total , it comprises 133 blocks of Madison , Indiana , overlooking the Ohio River in Jefferson County , Indiana . Madison 's most prominent days were before 1860 . It was a major transportation hub , taking river commerce and shipping it to the inland of Indiana . Once transportation routes changed , Madison faltered until the tourism industry saved it more than a century later . Many of the prominent buildings in the district were built by Madison-native-architect Francis Costigan , who favored the Greek Revival style . Two of these are National Historic Landmarks : the Lanier Mansion , and the Charles L. Shrewsbury House . The Lanier Mansion was the former home of James Lanier , who lent money to governor Oliver P. Morton to run the Indiana state government to circumvent the legislative process between 1862-1865 . The Shrewsbury-Windle House was built for steamboat captain Charles Shrewsbury , who would later become a mayor of Madison . Costigan , himself , built his home in the district , and it is considered one of the best uses of a narrow lot by modern architects . A thirty-foot parlor is considered the highlight of the House . Also located in the district is the restored 1895 restored Railroad Depot and the Jefferson County Historical Society museum . When the Madison & Indianapolis Railroad was first built in 1835 , Madison was far bigger than the new state capital of Indianapolis . The railroad was constructed by Irish laborers . Madison was also a major stop on the Underground Railroad , with many homes in the area having once been used for assisting the escape of slaves .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d45c151a4036353bd6203aa589c99654",
"text": "WZIM WZIM ( 99.5 FM ) is a radio station serving the Bloomington-Normal , Illinois area . The station signed on in late 2001 as WCSO , and the call letters were soon changed to WDQZ . It was a classic hits simulcast with WDQX in Peoria . In December 2005 WDQX was sold , and the simulcast with WDQZ was split . Since then the station has evolved into a more straight-ahead classic rock station . In September 2009 WDQZ stunted as an all TV theme station for a day and a half . On September 18 , 2009 WDQZ changed back to a classic hits format . Scott Robbins , longtime Bloomington/Normal host , hosted mornings on The Eagle for many years , with two different co-hosts . In April 2007 Mancow 's Morning Madhouse was added , and Robbins moved to afternoons , then off the station in August 2007 to host mornings on Cities 92.9 . In February 2008 he returned to middays on The Eagle . The syndicated Nights With Alice Cooper serves as the night show . On August 17 , 2010 WDQZ changed its call letters to WZIM . On April 5 , 2012 WZIM changed its format from classic hits to sports , branded as `` The Ticket '' . The move meant that Bloomington-Normal had an all-sports radio station for the first time . Immediately after announcing the switch , 99.5 The Ticket became the B-N flagship of the Chicago Cubs , taking over from WJEZ . WZIM is also the Bloomington-Normal affiliate for the Chicago White Sox , although the station gives first priority to the Cubs . The Ticket will also air Indianapolis Colts games in the fall . WJBC airs nearly all local sports teams . WZIM aired one local program , The Front Row , from 4-6 p.m. . The show was hosted by Dan Swaney and Paul Jackson . It was cancelled sometime in the fall of 2012 . On November 13 , 2013 at 10 am , WZIM dropped its sports format and began stunting with automated classic rock songs . On November 15 at noon , it changed its format to AC as Magic 99.5 , with the slogan , `` 80s , 90s , And Now ! '' and began promoting itself as the new home in Bloomington and Lexington for the syndicated John Tesh radio show in the morning .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d2e2b340c4a7f84196ad8057e938abc6",
"text": "Indiana (novel) Indiana is a novel about love and marriage written by Amantine Aurore Dupin ; it was the first work she published under her pseudonym George Sand . Published in April 1832 , the novel blends the conventions of romanticism , realism , and idealism . As the novel is set partly in France and partly in the French colony of Réunion , Sand had to base her descriptions of the colony , where she had never been , on the travel writing of her friend Jules Néraud .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "20018a9eddeced74a863e2bf534f635b",
"text": "Wicks Building The Wicks Building is a historic commercial building on Courthouse Square in downtown Bloomington , Indiana , United States . Built in the early twentieth century in a distinctive style of architecture , it has remained in consistent commercial use throughout its history , and it has been named a historic site because of the importance of its architecture .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "567d891f3b58b042a629f8cb5a074361",
"text": "1985–86 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team The 1985 -- 86 Indiana Hoosiers men 's basketball team represented Indiana University . Their head coach was Bobby Knight , who was in his 15th year . The team played its home games in Assembly Hall in Bloomington , Indiana , and was a member of the Big Ten Conference . The Hoosiers finished the regular season with an overall record of 21 -- 8 and a conference record of 13 -- 5 , finishing 2nd in the Big Ten Conference . IU was invited to participate in the 1986 NCAA Tournament as a 3-seed ; however , IU made a quick exit with a first-round loss to 14-seed Cleveland State . The season was memorialized and popularized by A Season on the Brink , a 1986 book by John Feinstein . For the book , Bobby Knight granted almost unprecedented access to his team , as well as insights into his private life . The book was well received and is often referred to as `` the bestselling sports book of all time . '' The book and season was later dramatized in a two-hour , made-for-ESPN movie of the same name that first aired in the spring of 2002 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a17c2cad051fef60732b66d72242a803",
"text": "Walkerton, Indiana Walkerton is a town in Lincoln Township , St. Joseph County , in the U.S. state of Indiana . The population was 2,144 at the 2010 Census . It is part of the South Bend -- Mishawaka , IN-MI , Metropolitan Statistical Area .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "78c9132399d8c73f9a4cc643f55edbb6",
"text": "McVey Memorial Forest McVey Memorial Forest is located near State Route 1 in Randolph County , Indiana . Located within the forest is Cherry Grove Cemetery which contains many historical grave sites from a local 19th century settlement known as Steubenville . With the exception of posted signs and Cherry Grove Cemetery no other evidence of Stuebenville 's existence is apparent , dubbing it a `` ghost town '' . The site also contains a memorial for three fallen soldiers from the War of 1812 . Recently several strange happenings have occurred in this woods . Hairy grass like men have been appearing and making strange noises . These occurrences have prompted the BFRO to investigate . This mystery still remains unsloved .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1f30717648416442e26c748918003fcf",
"text": "You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes You Made It Weird is a semi-weekly comedy interview podcast hosted by comedian Pete Holmes on the Nerdist network since October 25 , 2011 . The show originated under the premise that Holmes would ask his guest , usually a fellow comedian , about three `` weird '' things he knew about them , but the show has since evolved into a much more loose conversation about such complex topics as comedy , religion , and sexuality . While initially focusing on interviews with comedians , an increasing number of guests from other fields have appeared on the show , including musicians , pastors , scientists , and authors . Many guests comment on Holmes ' unique laugh , which tends to be very loud and borderline obnoxious . Katie Levine is the producer of the podcast . The show is usually recorded in-studio at the Nerdist studio at Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles , California . Since March 21 , 2012 , Holmes has recorded multiple live episodes of the podcast , in Austin at South by Southwest , New York , Bloomington , Chicago , Montreal , Quebec , San Francisco , Los Angeles at the LA Riot Festival , and Toronto at Just For Laughs . These have featured several guests rather than the usual one , and focus more on comedy rather than the in-depth discussion of a regular episode .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5bf54947dd89174607ca4914f63e2e6b",
"text": "Richland City, Indiana Richland City is a town in Luce Township , Spencer County , in the U.S. state of Indiana . Until 2008 , it was an unincorporated community ; the town 's residents voted to incorporate in the November 2008 general election . The population was 425 at the 2010 census . The town is developing plans to offer certain services to its residents . Police protection will not be provided by the town , but through an arrangement with the Spencer County Sheriff 's Department .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ec9b405b8cbfa62dc7a9d815ddee2743",
"text": "List of attractions and events in Indianapolis",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "21c0ecd93ab7d4ca7ebe7cf59a45a291",
"text": "List of cities in Indiana Indiana is a state located in the Midwestern United States . Except as noted , all cities are `` third-class '' cities with a seven-member city council and an elected clerk-treasurer . `` Second-class '' cities had a population of at least 35,000 and up to 600,000 at time of designation , and have a nine-member city council and an elected clerk . Indianapolis is the only `` first-class '' city in Indiana under state law , making it subject to a consolidated city-county government known as Unigov . To become a city of any class , however , a settlement must have a population of at least 2,000 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a9abce9e47542ed6826b33c99005d757",
"text": "Myers House Myers House may refer to : in the United States ( by state ) Myers House ( Helena-West Helena , Arkansas ) , listed on the NRHP in Arkansas Socrates A. Myers House , Salmon , ID , listed on the NRHP in Idaho Witt-Champe-Myers House , Dublin , IN , listed on the NRHP in Indiana Stephen and Harriet Myers House , Albany , NY , listed on the NRHP in New York Myers-Hicks Place , Byhalia , MS , listed on the NRHP in Mississippi John B. Myers House and Barn , Florissant , MO , listed on the NRHP in Missouri George J. Myers House , Kansas City , MO , listed on the NRHP in Missouri Myers-Masker House , Midland Park , NJ , listed on the NRHP in New Jersey Myers-White House , Bethel , NC , listed on the NRHP in North Carolina Myers Hall ( Springfield , Ohio ) , listed on the NRHP in Ohio Moses Myers House , Norfolk , VA , listed on the NRHP in Virginia Tucker House and Myers House , Washington , D.C. , listed on the NRHP in Washington , D.C. Myers House ( Martinsburg , West Virginia ) , listed on the NRHP in West Virginia Myers-Newhoff House , Janesville , WI , listed on the NRHP in Wisconsin Myers House , located in the fictional town of Haddonfield , Illinois . It was the childhood residence of the main character Michael Myers in the Halloween ( 1978 film ) which was directed by John Carpenter .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fe7ccac40aca650d63c6ef6cbc9731c3",
"text": "The Lincoln Hunters The Lincoln Hunters is a 1958 novel by Wilson Tucker . The novel , set in the year 2578 , details the story of a historian from the oppressive society of that year , who travels back in time to record Abraham Lincoln 's Lost Speech of May 19 , 1856 in Bloomington , Illinois . It contains a vivid description of Lincoln in the early stages of his career , seen through the eyes of a future American who feels that Lincoln and his time compare very favorably with the traveler 's own . The book is mentioned in 11/22/63 , a novel by Stephen King that also centers around time travel and an assassinated president . Furthermore , the protagonist springboards to 1958-the year `` Hunters '' first ran-to alter the timeline by 1963 . Category :1958 American novels Category :1950 s science fiction novels Category : American science fiction novels Category : Time travel novels Category : Novels by Wilson Tucker Category :1856 in fiction Category : Novels set in Illinois Category :26 th century in fiction Category : Fictional depictions of Abraham Lincoln in literature",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2bccb4b426314a178680353ae2153767",
"text": "Indiana University High School Indiana University High School ( IUHS ) is a co-educational , non-denominational , distance education high school with its offices located on the campus of Indiana University Bloomington , in Bloomington , Indiana , United States . It serves students around the world and provides individual courses and diploma programs to students , online or through the mail . IUHS also offers student services , such as career counselling and `` life experience credits '' for non-academic achievement . Indiana University High School is the founding member of the Indiana Virtual Learning Consortium and was ranked as the `` second best online high school '' by The Best Schools . IUHS is a 21st Century Scholarship School .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ce6d4787036d8a6b4f52fc3f69e76a1f",
"text": "Hoosier Hill Hoosier Hill is the highest natural point in the state of Indiana at 1257 ft above sea level . It is in the rural area of Franklin Township , Wayne County to the northwest of Bethel . The nearest intersection to the high point is Elliot Road and County Line Road . The nearest major landmark is Interstate 70 and Richmond 11 miles ( 17.5 km ) to the south . The Hill sits on private property ; the high point sits in a forested area surrounded by farmland . In 2005 , an Eagle Scout candidate named Kyle Cummings ( Troop 820 from Lakeside Park , Kentucky ) , in cooperation with the property owner , built a trail , sign and picnic area at the high point . Geologically , the hill sits in the Dearborn Upland , an area of high terrain in southeast Indiana that sits on top of the geologic structure known as the Cincinnati Arch . However , Hoosier Hill is located in a portion of the upland buried underneath glacial debris known as the Tipton Till Plain . As a result , while the average elevation of this upland region is 1100 + / -100 feet above sea level , the topographic relief is gentle where the `` hill '' is no more than 30 feet higher than the surrounding landscape of gently rolling farmland . While the high topography seen at Brown County State Park , which sits in the Norman Upland in south central Indiana , can be mistaken to be a high point ( where relief is 400 -- 500 feet from valley to hilltop ) , the elevations of hilltops ranges from 800 -- 1050 feet . A.H. Marshall was the first person to successfully climb each U.S. state highpoint . He completed the task in 1936 after standing atop Hoosier Hill .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8b3b6ea3a90d1c780d77adbb4f8ef3bd",
"text": "Seelyville, Indiana Seelyville is a town in Lost Creek Township , Vigo County , in the U.S. state of Indiana . The population was 1,029 at the 2010 census . It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area .",
"title": ""
}
] |
fever
|
e57b68aaf388a67a743372b31b5786eb
|
As the Vietnam War raged in 1969, Yoko Ono and her husband John Lennon did not have two week-long Bed-Ins for Peace.
|
[
{
"docid": "52bb512aca1e7ce2d57b9dbccfae2382",
"text": "Bed-In As the Vietnam War raged in 1969 , Yoko Ono and her husband John Lennon held two week-long Bed-Ins for Peace , one at the Hilton Hotel in Amsterdam and one at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal , each of which were intended to be non-violent protests against wars , and experimental tests of new ways to promote peace . The idea is derived from a `` sit-in '' , in which a group of protesters remains seated in front of an establishment until they are evicted , arrested , or their demands are met . The public proceedings were filmed , and later turned into a documentary movie . The film Bed Peace was made available for free on YouTube in August 2011 by Yoko Ono , as part of her website `` Imagine Peace '' .",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "c5d340711e53a760e25cdce46193d0c6",
"text": "Ciaran McKeown Ciaran McKeown ( born 1943 ) is a former peace activist in Northern Ireland . Born in Derry to a Roman Catholic family , McKeown served as a Dominican novice for eight months in his youth . He then attended Queen 's University Belfast , where he studied philosophy , becoming the first Catholic to be elected president of the university 's student council . He was also elected chair of the National Democrats , a ginger group linked with the National Democratic Party . He became president of the Union of Students in Ireland in 1969 , based in Dublin , and stood in Dublin South-West at the 1969 Irish general election , taking last place , with only 154 votes . In 1970 , McKeown became a reporter for The Irish Times , then later worked for The Irish Press , as their Belfast correspondent . Given his experience of reporting on the emergence of The Troubles , he supported the 1975 creation of `` Women for Peace '' , a Northern Ireland-based movement , by Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan . When his involvement became more widely known , the movement changed its name to `` Community of Peace People , '' or simply `` Peace People '' . Although McKeown became known as a thoughtful and calm presence in the leadership of the organisation , his criticisms of the reluctance of church authorities to speak out on sectarian issues did cause tensions . Corrigan and Williams won the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize , but McKeown was not made a party to it . However , the Ford Foundation made a grant to the group , which included a salary for McKeown , enabling him to become full-time editor of Peace by Peace , the group 's newspaper , also completing a year as editor of Fortnight Magazine , in 1977 . McKeown , Corrigan and Williams all stepped down from the leadership posts in 1978 , although McKeown continued to edit Peace by Peace . His articles brought him into conflict with the group 's new leadership , while financial disagreements massively reduced the group 's membership . Ultimately , his belief that the group should call for special status for paramilitary prisoners led to a split , with Williams and her leading supporter , Peter McLachlan , resigning in February 1980 . McKeown could no longer survive on the group 's salary , nor could he find work as a journalist , so he retrained as a typesetter . He published his autobiography , The Passion of Peace , in 1984 ; this was almost immediately withdrawn following a claim that it libelled a journalist , although it was later reissued with an additional note .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9b24be052e4fbe86c127483f9a56659f",
"text": "On being asked for a War Poem thumb | right | Photograph of William Butler Yeats taken by Charles Beresford in 1911 `` On being asked for a War Poem '' is a poem by William Butler Yeats written on February 6 , 1915 in response to a request by Henry James that Yeats compose a political poem about World War I. Yeats changed the poem 's title from `` To a friend who has asked me to sign his manifesto to the neutral nations '' to `` A Reason for Keeping Silent '' before sending it in a letter to James , which Yeats wrote at Coole Park on August 20 , 1915 . The poem was prefaced with a note stating : `` It is the only thing I have written of the war or will write , so I hope it may not seem unfitting . '' The poem was first published in Edith Wharton 's The Book of the Homeless in 1916 as `` A Reason for Keeping Silent '' . When it was later reprinted in The Wild Swans at Coole , the title was changed to `` On being asked for a War Poem '' .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7aafb9982d065ef17df391669c32845c",
"text": "Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins Unfinished Music No. 1 : Two Virgins is the first of three experimental albums released by John Lennon and Yoko Ono on Apple Records . It was the result of an all-night session of musical experimentation with Yoko in John 's home studio at Kenwood , while his wife , Cynthia Lennon , was on holiday in Greece . Their debut recording is known not only for its avant-garde content , but also for its cover which features the couple naked : This made the album controversial to both the public and the parent record company EMI , which refused to distribute it . In an attempt to avoid controversy , the LP record was sold in a brown paper bag , and distributed by Track and Tetragrammaton in the United Kingdom and the United States respectively . Two Virgins , while failing to chart in the UK , reached number 124 in the US . The album was followed six months later by Unfinished Music No. 2 : Life with the Lions .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "999677de8cee7065b32598806022f793",
"text": "Bad to Me `` Bad to Me '' is a song credited to Lennon -- McCartney . In late interviews , John Lennon said that he wrote it for Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas while on holiday in Spain . However , in a 1964 interview he said that he and Paul McCartney wrote it in the back of a van , so Paul contributed to it . Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas released their recording of the song in 1963 and it became their first number 1 in the UK Singles Chart . Paul McCartney was present during the recording session at Abbey Road Studios . The single would be released in the US the following year , and become a top-ten hit there , reaching number 9 . It became one of the first occasions a Lennon -- McCartney composition made the US Top 40 recorded by an artist other than the Beatles ( the first being `` A World Without Love '' by Peter & Gordon ; another being `` Goodbye '' by Mary Hopkin ) . Bootlegs exist of Lennon 's original demo of the song , which was recorded on 31 May 1963 . An acoustic demo from the same era was released on iTunes in December 2013 on the album The Beatles Bootleg Recordings 1963 . Terry Black released a version of the song on his 1965 debut album , Only 16 . Graham Parker recorded a version of the song for the 2003 album Lost Songs of Lennon & McCartney , new versions of 17 Lennon -- McCartney songs that were originally released by other artists . Leif Garrett also recorded a version of the song for his self-titled debut album . Finnish rock band Hurriganes covered this song in their third album , Crazy Days . Recordings of `` Bad to Me '' as the Beatles may have performed it are available on the 1989 album by Bas Muys entitled Secret Songs : Lennon & McCartney and on the 1998 release It 's Four You by the Australian tribute band The Beatnix .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d274ce0861ebf8bce32fcb86260e0d37",
"text": "Beatlemania in the United Kingdom The phenomenon known as Beatlemania originated in the United Kingdom , birthplace of the Beatles , when the band first realised enormous popularity there in 1963 . Returning in 1962 from a highly formative two-year residency in Germany , the Beatles achieved a commercial breakthrough with their second UK single release , `` Please Please Me '' early in 1963 , but gained `` Superstar '' status with the release of `` She Loves You '' later that year . There followed an almost non-stop series of concerts and tours , attended with feverish enthusiasm across the UK , for the whole of the following year . The Beatles ' popularity in the UK came to exceed even that of the notable American artists Tommy Roe , Chris Montez and Roy Orbison , whose UK chart success at the time did not keep them from being overshadowed by the Beatles during their 1963 nationwide tours with the lower-billed band -- an achievement previously unknown for a UK act . With intense media interest in the Beatles during 1963 , the year was also taken up with TV shows , press interviews and a weekly radio show . Despite these demands the band found time for many sessions in the recording studio , releasing two albums and four singles during the year . 1963 was also the year when Lennon 's son Julian was born . By the end of 1963 , Beatlemania would begin to spread internationally . The single `` I Want to Hold Your Hand '' entered the US charts on 18 January 1964 , selling one-and-a-half million copies in under three weeks , and the following month the Beatles made their first visit to America . The great interest in the Beatles brought about a major change in US attitudes to popular music and marked the start of the phenomenon known as the British Invasion .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fe9761c0b629832c4a69965e2acb6339",
"text": "Blue Jay Way `` Blue Jay Way '' is a song recorded by the English rock band the Beatles . Written by George Harrison , it was released in 1967 on the group 's Magical Mystery Tour EP and album . The song was named after a street in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles where Harrison stayed in August 1967 , shortly before visiting the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco . The lyrics document Harrison 's wait for music publicist Derek Taylor to find his way to Blue Jay Way through the fog-ridden hills , while Harrison struggled to stay awake after the flight from London to Los Angeles . As with several of Harrison 's compositions from this period , `` Blue Jay Way '' incorporates aspects of Indian classical music , although the Beatles used only Western instrumentation on the track , including a drone-like Hammond organ part played by Harrison . Created during the group 's psychedelic period , the track makes extensive use of studio techniques such as flanging , Leslie rotary effect , and reversed tape sounds . The song appeared in the Beatles ' 1967 television film Magical Mystery Tour , in a sequence that visually re-creates the sense of haziness and dislocation evident on the recording . While some reviewers have dismissed the song as monotonous , many others have admired its yearning quality and dark musical mood . The website Consequence of Sound describes `` Blue Jay Way '' as `` a haunted house of a hit , adding an ethereal , creepy mythos to the City of Angels '' . Among its continued links with Los Angeles , the song was one of the first Beatles tracks that cult leader Charles Manson adopted as the foundation for his Helter Skelter theory of an American race-related countercultural revolution . Artists who have covered the song include Bud Shank , Colin Newman , Tracy Bonham , Siouxsie and the Banshees and Greg Hawkes .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d280ae6a099e100715b2779b96321f85",
"text": "Conflict in Vietnam and at Home `` Conflict in Vietnam and at Home '' was a speech given on March 18 , 1968 by U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy at Kansas State University . Having only declared his candidacy for president two days before , the address was Kennedy 's first official campaign speech . He discussed student protests , consequences of the Vietnam War , and Lyndon B. Johnson 's leadership of the country .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b21ddaa1f05644beb97e1cf849bc8afb",
"text": "The Army Hour The Army Hour was a radio news program in the United States , broadcast on NBC April 5 , 1942-Nov . 11 , 1945 . Planning for The Army Hour , with Col. Edward M. Kirby in charge , began soon after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor . Sponsored by the War Department and the U.S. Army , the program brought `` on-the-spot stories and demonstrations from Army bases and fields of battle '' to listeners back home in America . The program was `` an attempt to bring the reality of the war home to the American people through the power and immediacy of radio . '' One reviewer wrote in a newspaper that the secretary of war had compared The Army Hour broadcasts to `` full-scale military operations ... as far as communications are concerned , '' and the writer agreed . NBC 's investment was significant , also . In 1957 , CBS executive Lou Cowan ( who helped to develop The Army Hour while working with the Office of War Information ) said that the program was `` presented at an annual cost of a half-million dollars to the network -LSB- NBC -RSB- with no financial return . '' Radio historian John Dunning wrote that the program `` gave Americans their first in-depth look at the war and how it was being fought , '' and a 1942 article in the trade publication Billboard described it as `` a weekly official message and a source of authoritative information from the Army to the civilian population of the country ... '' In 1943 , another article in Billboard commented about Army Hour : `` excellent substitute for first-hand knowledge of war ; genuine picture of what loved ones are living thru ; calm and objective presentation of facts of war . ''",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c1b2c763c83f176486a076d6e4b97c94",
"text": "True Love Waits (song) `` True Love Waits '' is a song by the English alternative rock band Radiohead . Its lyrics address love , ageing , and abandonment . Radiohead first performed `` True Love Waits '' in 1995 , and singer Thom Yorke performed it alone on acoustic guitar or Rhodes piano numerous times in the following years . The band and their producer Nigel Godrich attempted to record it for their albums OK Computer ( 1997 ) , Kid A ( 2000 ) and Amnesiac ( 2001 ) , but struggled to find an arrangement that satisfied them , and it became one of their most famous unreleased songs . A live recording from the Amnesiac tour was released on I Might Be Wrong : Live Recordings ( 2001 ) . In 2016 , a studio version of `` True Love Waits '' was finally released as the closing track on Radiohead 's ninth album , A Moon Shaped Pool , rearranged as a minimal piano ballad . Both versions of the song received positive reviews , and several critics felt the long wait made the studio version more powerful . Though it was not released as a single , `` True Love Waits '' entered the French SNEP and US Billboard Hot Rock Songs singles chart , peaking at 181 and 43 respectively .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "23868457db777a6bcb07e660c3100d12",
"text": "Linda McCartney Linda Louise , Lady McCartney ( née Eastman ; formerly See ; September 24 , 1941 -- April 17 , 1998 ) was an American musician , photographer , animal rights activist , entrepreneur and publisher who was married to Paul McCartney of the Beatles . Prior to marrying Paul , she was a professional photographer of celebrities and contemporary musicians , with her work published in music industry magazines . Her photos were also published in the book Linda McCartney 's Sixties : Portrait of an Era , in 1992 . Linda married McCartney in 1969 at St John 's Wood Church in London . Her daughter , Heather Louise , from her first marriage to Melville See , was adopted by her new husband . Together , the McCartneys had three other children . In 1971 , after they married and following the break-up of the Beatles the previous year , Paul and Linda McCartney recorded the album Ram . Shortly afterwards , they formed the band Wings . She continued to be part of her husband 's touring band following Wings ' break-up in 1981 up until The New World Tour in 1993 . She was an animal rights activist and wrote and published several vegetarian cookbooks , and founded the Linda McCartney Foods company with her husband . In 1995 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and died from the disease in 1998 at the age of 56 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1a985c8e5246f56e5b24c48fc43e4b9a",
"text": "Only a Northern Song `` Only a Northern Song '' is a song by English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 album Yellow Submarine . Written by George Harrison , it was recorded mainly in February 1967 during the sessions for Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band but the Beatles chose not to include it on that album . Instead , it was one of the four new songs that the band provided for the 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine , to meet their contractual obligations to United Artists . Harrison wrote `` Only a Northern Song '' out of dissatisfaction with his status as a junior songwriter with the Beatles ' publishing company , Northern Songs . The lyrics and music convey his disenchantment at how the company retained the copyright for the songs it published , and at how , following its public listing in 1965 , the major shareholders profited more from his compositions than he did . The recording features Hammond organ , played by Harrison , and an overdubbed montage of assorted sounds including trumpet blasts and spoken voices , anticipating John Lennon 's 1968 sound collage `` Revolution 9 '' . Due to the difficulty in assembling the completed track from two tape sources , `` Only a Northern Song '' remained a rare song from the Beatles ' post-1963 catalogue that was unavailable in true stereo until 1999 . That year , it was remixed for inclusion on the album Yellow Submarine Songtrack . The song has received a varied response from reviewers ; while Ian MacDonald dismisses the track as a `` self-indulgent dirge '' , the website Ultimate Classic Rock identifies it as one of the Beatles ' best works in the psychedelic rock genre . A version of the song with a different vocal part , and omitting the sound collage overdubs , was issued on the Beatles ' 1996 outtakes compilation Anthology 2 . Gravenhurst and Yonder Mountain String Band are among the artists who have covered `` Only a Northern Song '' .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2f5347a45adab3b2279a264eb2b34f39",
"text": "It's Alright (I See Rainbows) It 's Alright ( I See Rainbows ) is the sixth solo album by Yoko Ono , and her second release after the death of husband John Lennon . As a variation of a theme concerning its predecessor , the back cover features a transparent image of Lennon in a then-contemporary photo of Yoko and Sean , depicted in Central Park . This album marks her first foray into new wave sounds and 1980s pop production . It charted at # 98 in the US . All songs are written , composed , arranged , produced , and sung by Ono . In 1997 , the album was remastered by Ono and Rob Stevens for release on CD by Rykodisc .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "17369810ed4fea2f91a766f56ceb199c",
"text": "Nowhere Man: The Final Days of John Lennon Nowhere Man : The Final Days of John Lennon , first published in 2000 and written by New York journalist Robert Rosen , who in 1981 had access to John Lennon 's diaries , is a controversial account of the ex-Beatle 's last five years . The book disputes the official view of Lennon as a contented househusband raising his son Sean and baking bread while Yoko ran the family business . Instead , Nowhere Man portrays Lennon 's daily life at the Dakota as that of a `` tormented superstar , a prisoner of his fame , locked in his bedroom raving about Jesus Christ , while a retinue of servants tended to his every need . '' Rosen says that he used his memory of Lennon 's diaries as `` a roadmap to the truth . '' The final part of the book , The Coda , focuses on the mental disintegration of Lennon 's assassin , Mark David Chapman , and includes Chapter 27 , the so-called missing chapter of J.D. Salinger 's classic novel of disaffected youth , The Catcher in the Rye , that `` inspired '' Chapman to murder Lennon . It was Chapman 's goal , according to Rosen , to write Chapter 27 `` in Lennon 's blood . '' Originally written in 1982 , the manuscript remained unpublished for 18 years . Soft Skull Press acquired the rights to the book in 1999 and brought out the hardcover edition the following year . Quick American Archives then picked up the rights and published the paperback edition in 2002 . Nowhere Man was a bestseller in the United States ( Los Angeles Times , September 3 , 2000 ) , England ( Mojo , October 2000 ) , and Japan ( Amazon.co.jp , October 2000 ) . In 2003 , Random House Mondadori brought out a Spanish-language edition in Latin America . The book received extensive coverage and was excerpted in such publications as Proceso , La Jornada , El Universal , Reforma , Semana , Gatopardo , Soho , El Heraldo , El Mercurio , La Tercera , Las Últimas Noticias , and The Clinic . Nowhere Man appeared on bestseller lists in Mexico and Colombia . The other foreign editions were published by DHC ( Japan , 2000 ) , Fusion Press ( UK , 2000 ) , Hannibal ( Germany , 2001 ) . and Coniglio ( Italy 2011 ) . The title of the book refers to The Beatles ' song `` Nowhere Man '' ( which was written and sung primarily by Lennon ) .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5d92b2cd291824a03c2b20bf4d8a85a2",
"text": "We Can Work It Out `` We Can Work It Out '' is a song by the English rock band the Beatles , written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon . It was first issued as a double A-side single with `` Day Tripper '' in December 1965 . The release marked the first time that both tracks on a Beatles single were designated as joint A-sides . The song was recorded during the sessions for the band 's Rubber Soul album . `` We Can Work It Out '' is a comparatively rare example of a Lennon -- McCartney collaboration from this period in the Beatles ' career , in that it recalls the level of collaboration the two songwriters had shared when writing the group 's hit singles of 1963 . This song , `` A Day in the Life '' , `` Baby , You 're a Rich Man '' and `` I 've Got a Feeling '' , are among the notable exceptions .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bb6dc3335453d82e1250eb8cb26e1b1a",
"text": "Borrowed Time (John Lennon song) `` Borrowed Time '' is a song from John Lennon and Yoko Ono 's last album , Milk and Honey . While the single failed to chart in the United States , it charted at number 32 in the UK Singles Chart . The B-side features Ono 's song `` Your Hands '' from the same album .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ce3bd54251d72e62f130c777e6981136",
"text": "Hear Me Lord `` Hear Me Lord '' is a song by English musician George Harrison , released on his 1970 triple album All Things Must Pass . It appeared as the last track on side four of the original LP format and is generally viewed as the closing song on the album , disc three being the largely instrumental Apple Jam . Harrison wrote `` Hear Me Lord '' in January 1969 while still in the Beatles , but it was passed over for inclusion on what became the band 's final album , Let It Be ( 1970 ) . Musically , the song is in the gospel-rock style , while the lyrics take the form of a personal prayer , in which Harrison seeks help and forgiveness from his deity . Along with `` My Sweet Lord '' , it is among the most overtly religious selections on All Things Must Pass . The recording was co-produced by Phil Spector and features musical contributions from Eric Clapton , Gary Wright , Billy Preston , Bobby Whitlock and other musicians from Delaney & Bonnie 's Friends band . On release , Ben Gerson of Rolling Stone described `` Hear Me Lord '' as the album 's `` big statement '' and a `` majestic plea '' . Harrison performed the song at the Concert for Bangladesh on 1 August 1971 , during the afternoon show only , although the recording has never been issued officially .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b25b6c7ad061b71724b5ad685f62fe67",
"text": "Art and World War II War is a common theme in art and has inspired great works of art . Throughout history , most representations of war depict military achievements and often show significant battle scenes . However , in the 19th century a `` turn '' in the visual representation of war became noticeable . Artists started to show the disastrous aspects of war instead of its glorified events and protagonists . Such a perspective is best exemplified by Goya 's series , The Disasters of War ( 1810-1820 , first published in 1863 ) , and Otto Dix 's portfolio , Der Krieg ( published in 1924 ) . During World War II , both traditions are present . For instance , Paul Nash 's Battle of Britain ( 1941 ) represents a scene of aerial combat between British and German fighters over the English Channel . On the other hand , André Fougeron 's Street of Paris ( 1943 ) focuses on the impact of war and occupation on civilians . In connection to World War II , the relations between art and war can be articulated around two main issues . First , art ( and , more generally , culture ) found itself at the centre of an ideological war . Second , during World War II , many artists found themselves in the most difficult conditions ( in an occupied country , in internment camps , in death camps ) and their works are a testimony to a powerful `` urge to create '' . Such creative impulse can be interpreted as the expression of self-preservation , a survival instinct in critical times .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0cccff7bfd6b9214982046fc72de48ea",
"text": "Hello Vietnam `` Hello Vietnam '' is the title of a song written by Tom T. Hall and recorded by American country music singer Johnnie Wright . It spent twenty weeks on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles chart with three weeks at number one . The single , with backing vocals from Wright 's wife , Kitty Wells , was Wright 's most successful release on the U.S. country music chart as a solo singer . His singing partner from Johnnie and Jack , Jack Anglin , was killed in a car accident in March 1963 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9647875f5f680afa59b047eeaefdb8e1",
"text": "Le Déserteur `` Le déserteur '' ( The Deserter ) is a famous anti-war song written by French singer Boris Vian and released on May 7 , 1954 during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu . It was first sung by Marcel Mouloudji , in 1954 . Subsequently , it was forbidden by the French censor to be sold or broadcast until 1962 . It was later translated into English , Italian ( by Luigi Tenco , Ornella Vanoni and Ivano Fossati ) , Spanish , Swedish ( `` Jag står här på ett torg '' , Lars Forssell ) , Dutch ( `` De deserteur '' by Peter Blanker ) , Catalan and Danish and then many other languages . In the United States , it was a major anti-war song by Joan Baez during the Vietnam War . The song is in the form of a letter written to the French President by a man who states that he is going to refuse his call to arms and desert , and explains his reasons for doing so . In the late 1970s , the song was covered by nuclear protesters in Brittany , as a direct apostrophe to the fierce pro-nuclear French president Giscard d'Estaing in the Plogoff struggle . A stanza of the song appears in Thomas Pynchon 's novel V. The last stanza of the song was altered to complete the idea that the `` Deserter '' is asking for peace by recommendation of Mouloudji . In the original stanza , he is armed when he faces pursuers . Below is the original French stanza and its English translation .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5a724f6a41c6e3f2432886b4420e6b04",
"text": "Operation Cedar Falls Operation Cedar Falls was a military operation of the Vietnam War conducted primarily by US forces . The aim of this massive search and destroy operation was to eradicate the so-called `` Iron Triangle '' , an area located in close proximity to Saigon which had become a major stronghold of the communist National Liberation Front ( NLF ) or Viet Cong . The operation began on January 8 , 1967 , and ended on January 28 , 1967 . Operation Cedar Falls was the largest American ground operation of the Vietnam war : Two Army divisions , one infantry and one paratrooper brigade , as well as one armored cavalry regiment participated in the operation ; altogether , Operation Cedar Falls involved 30,000 US and South Vietnamese troops . The Viet Cong , however , chose to evade this massive military force by either fleeing across the border to Cambodia or hiding in a complex system of underground tunnels . Nevertheless , the Allied forces uncovered and destroyed some of the tunnel complexes as well as large stockpiles of Viet Cong supplies . In the course of the operation , so-called tunnel rats were introduced to infiltrate Viet Cong tunnel systems . In an attempt to permanently destroy the Iron Triangle as a Viet Cong stronghold , Operation Cedar Falls also entailed the complete deportation of the region 's civilian population to so-called New Life Villages , the destruction of their homes , as well as the defoliation of whole areas . Most senior officers involved in planning and executing the operation later evaluated it as a success . Most journalists and military historians , however , paint a bleaker picture . They argue that Cedar Falls failed to achieve its main goal since the Viet Cong 's setback in the Iron Triangle proved to be only temporary . Moreover , critics argue that the harsh treatment of the civilian population was both morally questionable as well as detrimental to the US effort to win Vietnamese hearts and minds driving many into the ranks of the Viet Cong instead . Therefore , some authors cite Operation Cedar Falls as a major example for the misconceptions of the American strategy in Vietnam and for its morally troublesome consequences .",
"title": ""
}
] |
fever
|
d0f38468b0c41e11054b778a8973b98f
|
David Beckham has zero middle names.
|
[
{
"docid": "d8796d388a7800513a6f791fbe6dde3b",
"text": "David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham , ( -LSB- ˈbɛkəm -RSB- born 2 May 1975 ) is an English former professional footballer . He played for Manchester United , Preston North End , Real Madrid , Milan , LA Galaxy , Paris Saint-Germain , and the England national team for which he held the appearance record for an outfield player until 2016 when Wayne Rooney surpassed his total . He is the first English player to win league titles in four countries : England , Spain , the United States and France . He announced his retirement in May 2013 after a 20-year career , during which he won 19 major trophies . Known for his range of passing , crossing ability and bending free-kicks as a right winger , Beckham was runner up in the Ballon d'Or , twice runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year and in 2004 he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world 's greatest living players . He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2008 . A global ambassador for the sport , Beckham is regarded as a British cultural icon . Beckham 's professional club career began with Manchester United , where he made his first-team debut in 1992 aged 17 . With United , he won the Premier League title six times , the FA Cup twice , and the UEFA Champions League in 1999 . He then played four seasons with Real Madrid , winning the La Liga championship in his final season with the club . In July 2007 Beckham signed a five-year contract with Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy . While a Galaxy player , he spent two loan spells in Italy with Milan in 2009 and 2010 . He was the first British footballer to play 100 UEFA Champions League games . In international football , Beckham made his England debut on 1 September 1996 at the age of 21 . He was captain for six years , earning 58 caps during his tenure . He made 115 career appearances in total , appearing at three FIFA World Cup tournaments , in 1998 , 2002 and 2006 , and two UEFA European Championship tournaments , in 2000 and 2004 . Beckham has consistently ranked among the highest earners in football , and in 2013 he was listed as the highest-paid player in the world , earning over $ 50 million in the previous 12 months . He has been married to Victoria Beckham since 1999 and they have four children . He has been a UNICEF UK ambassador since 2005 , and in 2015 he launched 7 : The David Beckham UNICEF Fund . In 2014 , MLS announced Beckham and a group of investors would own an expansion team in Miami , which would begin in 2016 or 2017 .",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "d34813f2d12065c93cd6aa48a1835b2f",
"text": "David Smith (footballer, born 1970) David Smith ( born 26 December 1970 ) is a former professional footballer . He was a midfielder who played for Norwich City F.C. ( where he began his career ) , Oxford United F.C. , Stockport County F.C. , Macclesfield Town F.C. and Drogheda United . He came through the youth team and reserves at Norwich and played 18 times for the first team . His league debut was in April 1990 against Derby County . He played 198 times for Oxford ( 2 goals ) , and 60 games for Stockport .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b2a30ac50035ea0d01e043d7bbdcede4",
"text": "Todd Kane Todd Arthur Lucien Kane ( born 17 September 1993 ) is an English footballer who plays for Chelsea , as a right back , but also has the ability to be used as a right wing back , right midfielder as well a left back .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5b4a1333a758ca49ba66f08eea51d537",
"text": "History of Stoke City F.C. Stoke City Football Club was formed in 1863 as Stoke Ramblers Football Club by former pupils of the Charterhouse School whilst they were apprentices at the North Staffordshire Railway . The club dropped the Ramblers from their name in 1878 , and in 1888 they were founding members of the Football League . In 1925 , the club 's name was changed for the final time to Stoke City Football Club when Stoke-on-Trent was granted city status . The club moved in 1997 to the Britannia Stadium , a 28,383 all-seater stadium ; having spent 119 years at the Victoria Ground . In the 2007 -- 08 season , Stoke won promotion from the Football League Championship , the second tier of English football , and as of 2008 -- 09 are playing in the top flight ( currently Premier League ) for the first time since the 1984 -- 85 season , when they were relegated with a total of 17 points , a record low unsurpassed for 21 years . Stoke 's only major trophy was the 1972 Football League Cup , won when they beat Chelsea 2 -- 1 in the final at Wembley Stadium before a crowd of 97,852 . The club have also won the Football League Trophy twice , in 1992 and 2000 . In terms of league achievement the closest Stoke have come to winning the title was in the 1946 -- 47 season where a final day defeat cost Stoke top spot .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "48115158f641bdac41bc051bcdbee2f0",
"text": "1960–61 Chelsea F.C. season The 1960 -- 61 season was Chelsea Football Club 's 47th of competitive football , and their 35th in the English top flight . Chelsea 's performances and results were erratic throughout the season , typified by large victories over Arsenal , Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion and heavy defeats against Manchester United , Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley , culminating in a sixth consecutive mid-table finish since their Championship success in 1955 . The club were also victims of an upset in the FA Cup , losing 2 -- 1 at home to Fourth Division side Crewe Alexandra . The season was nonetheless a watershed in the club 's history ; frustrated at the club 's lack of direction , Chelsea 's star player Jimmy Greaves joined AC Milan at the end of the season . Manager Ted Drake , his position weakened by the Crewe result in particular , would also leave the club early into the next season . Despite the lack of tangible success , the season produced a series of records . Chelsea scored 98 league goals , a record that stood until Chelsea 's record breaking 2009 -- 10 season and conceded 100 goals -- another club record . Greaves scored 41 league goals , plus another two in the League Cup for a seasonal total of 43 , which has never been bettered by another Chelsea player . Greaves also notched six hat-tricks ( another club record for a single season ) , and during the campaign scored his 100th career league goal ; at the age of 21 , still the youngest ever player to do so .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "50c8642a1b7b4079ad58136f708052ff",
"text": "2013–14 Everton F.C. season The 2013 -- 14 season was Everton 's 22nd season in the Premier League and 60th consecutive season in the top division of English football . It was also Everton 's 115th season of league football and 117th season in all competitions . It was the first season without David Moyes as manager since 2002 , with Moyes leaving Everton to succeed Alex Ferguson as manager of Manchester United . In addition , the club crest was redesigned ahead of this season for the first time since 2000 . On 5 June 2013 , Roberto Martínez was announced as the new Everton manager , having left his post at relegated FA Cup holders Wigan Athletic . Everton finished in sixth position in the domestic league in the previous season , missing out on qualification for the UEFA Europa League , meaning it failed to qualify for any European competitions for the fourth season running . Everton 's Premier League campaign began in August 2013 with Martínez changing their style of play to a possession based , attractive brand of football which initially led to three successive draws to start the season . A first victory came in the next match 1 -- 0 against Chelsea and by Christmas Everton had only suffered one defeat , a run which included a win over Moyes ' Manchester United , the first time the club had tasted success at Old Trafford in 21 years . The team almost went an entire year unbeaten at home but lost 1 -- 0 against Sunderland on Boxing Day . Everton 's progress stalled somewhat in the early part of 2014 with three losses in four games against Liverpool , Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea , before winning seven league games in a row for the first time since 1987 . The spell contained perhaps Everton 's best performance of the season when they defeated Arsenal 3 -- 0 . The streak was ended with a 3 -- 2 home defeat by Crystal Palace , but Everton returned to do the double over Manchester United for the first time since 1969 . Moyes was sacked as their manager a day later . Two defeats in a row after this ended Everton 's Champions League hopes but a finish of 5th in the league table is their highest in five years with Everton qualifying for next season 's Europa League . Martínez utilised the loan market during the season , with Romelu Lukaku ( on loan from Chelsea ) being Everton 's top scorer with 16 goals in all competitions . The emergence of young players such as Ross Barkley , John Stones and summer signing James McCarthy was also a feature of his debut season in charge , with Barkley going on to be selected for England 's World Cup squad . Right back Séamus Coleman was named Everton 's player of the year . In the cup competitions Everton lost in the sixth round of the FA Cup ( entered at round three ) and the third round of the League Cup ( entered at round two ) .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f0f82d0056bb19cfe60aa4857151bcfd",
"text": "Nick Chatterton Nicholas John `` Nick '' Chatterton ( born 18 May 1954 ) , is an English retired footballer who played as a midfielder in the top three divisions of the Football League . Chatterton was born in South Norwood , London . Chatterton started his career in 1973 at Crystal Palace , where he was the son of the club 's groundskeeper Len Chatterton . In 1979 , he moved to neighbouring south London club , Millwall . In 1986 , he moved to Colchester United , where he finished his career .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "10aa3e56dc523c393e2e8cb3c1d8b082",
"text": "Trevor Brooking Sir Trevor David Brooking , CBE ( born 2 October 1948 ) is a former England international footballer , manager , pundit and football administrator ; he now works as director of football development in England . He played most of his career for West Ham United making 647 appearances for the club . He won the 1975 FA Cup and the 1980 FA Cup in which he scored the only goal . He was also the club 's player of the season on four occasions and caretaker manager on two occasions in 2003 . Brooking played 47 times for England , scoring five times . He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire ( MBE ) in 1981 , elevated to Commander of same order ( CBE ) in 1999 , and knighted in 2004 . In 2009 a stand at Upton Park was named after Brooking . Since retiring from playing , he has taken up a number of positions in broadcasting as an on-air analyst and in football and sports administration .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "54220dff8557203e1e6e3cfc83bbbb80",
"text": "Craig Ramage Craig Ramage ( born 30 March 1970 in Derby , England ) is an English former footballer who played in midfield for six clubs .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fec98ad86af3a94daaf84add991699d2",
"text": "Glenn Keeley Glenn Matthew Keeley ( born 1 September 1954 in Barking , Essex , England ) , is an English footballer who played as a central defender in the Football League .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "acbc132b3fbff5def1e512dff97145ed",
"text": "2008–09 Manchester United F.C. season The 2008 -- 09 season was Manchester United 's 17th season in the Premier League , and their 34th consecutive season in the top division of English football . After winning a third consecutive Premier League title for the second time to equal Liverpool 's record of 18 league titles , the team aimed to become the first team to retain the European Cup since Milan in 1990 . However , they were beaten 2 -- 0 by Barcelona in the final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on 27 May 2009 . United started their season in August 2008 by winning the Community Shield . In December 2008 , the club became the first English side to win the FIFA Club World Cup when they beat LDU Quito 1 -- 0 in the final . Two months later , on 1 March 2009 , the club added the 2008 -- 09 League Cup to their trophy cabinet with a 4 -- 1 penalty shootout win over Tottenham Hotspur after a goalless 120 minutes in the final . United secured a third consecutive Premier League with a goalless draw at home to Arsenal on 16 May 2009 . This made them the first team ever to win three consecutive English top flight titles on two separate occasions , having previously done so between 1999 and 2001 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6944a188694cfcc446509edb88dc6b80",
"text": "Roger Draper Roger Draper is the former Chief Executive of Sport England from 2003 to 2006 , and the Lawn Tennis Association from 2006 to 2013 . In his time at Sport England , Draper had overall accountability for business turnover of # 340m , and was involved in London 's 2012 Olympic bid , and the Wembley National Stadium construction project . As Accounting Officer for Sport England , he had responsibility for reporting to Parliament through the Secretary of State for Culture , Media and Sport , and represented the organisation at a wide range of Select Committees , including the Public Accounts Committee hearing on the Wembley National Stadium Project , in 2003 . He also led a major review and reorganisation of the # 450m spent on sport in the UK . This included the completion of the # 120m English Institute of Sport network of high performance facilities including new centres at Bath and Loughborough Universities , and a review of corporate governance across a number of sports , including athletics , hockey , rugby league , golf , cricket , boxing , karate and bowls . Draper joined the LTA in 2006 and published the ` Blueprint , a Strategy for British Tennis ' , which set out his plans to transform the national governing body for British tennis . This included a complete restructure of the organisation , a new commercial strategy and programme , the introduction of Talent ID , and a comprehensive review and rebuild of all the LTA 's major events . During his time at the LTA , turnover grew by 45 % to # 65m , and commercial revenues increased by three and a half times , in part the result of a ground-breaking Lead Partner agreement with pensions provider Aegon UK . British Tennis membership grew by 500 % and the number of juniors playing competitive tennis sevenfold . Draper was also responsible for introducing a new mini tennis programme and a nationwide talent ID system for British tennis . During this period , Great Britain won the Junior Davis Cup for the first time , and a number of British juniors won grand slam singles and doubles titles . In 2007 Draper withdrew funding from Naomi Broady , then age 17 and the leading junior , as a disciplinary measure for posting pictures and comments online wholly unrelated to tennis . This resulted in a feud which has resulted in Broady refusing to play for GB ever since and funding her own career . The general opinion of observers was that Draper was reflecting an LTA mindset which discredited tennis and put back attempts to widen participation beyond a narrow wealthy social group . In 2013 , Andy Murray became the first British man to win the Wimbledon singles title for 77 years . Despite a growth in the number of children playing tennis , Draper 's tenure was criticised for failing to increase levels of participation among adults . The problems of participation came to a head when in December 2012 Sport England announced that # 10.3 million of the LTA 's # 17.4 million funding total had been put on hold , with Sport England chief executive Jennie Price telling Press Association Sport : `` Tennis has not performed well in terms of participation '' . Sport England subsequently released the funding to the LTA . After his salary package at the LTA was revealed to be # 640,000 in 2012 , Draper and the LTA received further criticism , including from Baroness Billingham , the Chair of Parliament 's All-Party Tennis Group . His 7 1/2 year tenure as chief executive of the LTA came to an end in March 2013 when he announced that he would stand down in September 2013 Draper opposed the creation of the # 40 million National Tennis Centre at Roehampton , and in August 2014 , it was reported that the centre was to close , just 7 years after it was opened .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ee8082e4698d5d992d311add7a1eb126",
"text": "History of Arsenal F.C. (1966–present) The history of Arsenal Football Club from 1966 to the present day covers the third , fourth , and fifth periods of success in Arsenal 's history , including three Doubles , a Cup Double , and success in European football . Following Bertie Mee 's appointment in 1966 , Arsenal won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup , their first European trophy , in 1969 -- 70 , and their first League and FA Cup double in 1970 -- 71 . The Double-winning side , however , was soon broken up and the following decade was characterised by a series of near misses : Arsenal lost three FA Cup finals ( 1971 -- 72 , 1977 -- 78 , and 1979 -- 80 ) and the 1979 -- 80 Cup Winners ' Cup final on penalties . The club 's only success during this time was an FA Cup win in 1978 -- 79 against Manchester United . After stagnation in the 1980s , the return of former player George Graham as manager in 1986 brought a third period of glory . Arsenal won the League Cup in 1986 -- 87 , the Football League Centenary Trophy in 1988 , two League title wins in 1988 -- 89 and 1990 -- 91 , the FA Cup and League Cup double in 1992 -- 93 and a second European trophy , the Cup Winners ' Cup , in 1993 -- 94 . However , Graham 's reputation was tarnished when it was revealed that he had taken kickbacks for signing certain players and he was sacked in 1995 . Arsenal fifth period of success came with the appointment of Arsène Wenger in 1996 . Under him , Arsenal won a second league and cup double in 1997 -- 98 and then a third in 2001 -- 02 . In addition , the club were victorious in the 2002 -- 03 and 2004 -- 05 FA Cups , and won the Premier League in 2003 -- 04 without losing a single match . In 2005 -- 06 became the first London club to reach the UEFA Champions League Final , and lost 2 -- 1 against FC Barcelona . During the following close season , they left their longstanding home of Highbury to the new Emirates Stadium nearby .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4a7453f89ed772fe60d53b31c3468b24",
"text": "John Beck (footballer) John Alexander Beck ( born 25 May 1954 ) is an English former footballer and manager . As a player , he made nearly 500 Football League appearances for five clubs between 1972 and 1989 . As a manager , he had a highly successful spell in charge of Cambridge United in the early 1990s , when he guided the club to two successive promotions and two successive quarter-final appearances in the FA Cup . Beck took the club from the Fourth Division to the Second and very nearly to the new Premier League at the end of the 1991 -- 92 season , where they ended their campaign fifth in the Second Division , their highest ever league finish . . In 2010 , he was appointed manager of Conference National club Histon , but resigned two games into the 2010 -- 11 season .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bed27951144a38b250197e12b2ea3e13",
"text": "David Button David Robert Edmund Button ( born 27 February 1989 ) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Fulham . He earned 31 caps for England from U16 to U20 level .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8c1addc6878a9bac27d6c8186ec9db12",
"text": "1957–58 Manchester United F.C. season The 1957 -- 58 season was Manchester United 's 56th season in the Football League , and their 13th consecutive season in the top division of English football . The season marked the biggest tragedy in the club 's history as eight players , three club officials and ten other passengers died as a result of their injuries in the Munich air disaster on 6 February 1958 on their way back from a European Cup quarter-final away to Red Star Belgrade . Centre-half Mark Jones , captain Roger Byrne , full-back Geoff Bent , winger David Pegg , right-half Eddie Colman , inside-right Bill Whelan and centre-forward Tommy Taylor were all killed instantly . Left-half Duncan Edwards was in hospital for two weeks before he too died on 21 February . Winger Johnny Berry and centre-half Jackie Blanchflower were both injured to such an extent that they never played again , while several of the surviving players were unavailable for a considerable amount of time as they recovered from their injuries . Manager Matt Busby was badly injured , and his assistant Jimmy Murphy ( who was not on that fateful flight ) took charge of the first team until the end of the season as Busby recovered from his injuries . Club secretary Walter Crickmer and coaches Tom Curry and Bert Whalley were all killed in the crash , which claimed a total of 23 lives . Despite the decimation of their squad , a makeshift United side still managed to reach the FA Cup final that season , where they lost to Bolton Wanderers . They also reached the semi-finals of the European Cup . However , their league form suffered after the crash and their title challenge faded as they finished ninth in the final table . With the United squad decimated by death and injuries in the aftermath of the Munich tragedy , a number of younger players broke through into the first team . These included winger Shay Brennan and forward Mark Pearson . Another notable new member of the side was goalkeeper Harry Gregg , signed in December 1957 a few weeks before the Munich crash , and who was hailed a hero for his rescue efforts in the crash . United 's top scorer for the season was Dennis Viollet , who found the net 23 times in all competitions and 16 times in the league despite being out of action for some two months as he recovered from injuries sustained in the Munich crash .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e2e875e3c26f9748e3e4fa16faa67932",
"text": "Eric Dier Eric Jeremy Edgar Dier ( born 15 January 1994 ) is an English professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the England national team . A versatile defensive player , Dier has been deployed as a defensive midfielder , a centre-back and a right-back . Dier grew up in Portugal , where he came through the youth ranks at Sporting CP , making his reserve and senior debuts in 2012 after a loan to Everton . In 2014 , he moved to Tottenham Hotspur on a five-year contract for a fee of # 4 million . Despite interest from Portugal , Dier opted to represent England in international football . He made his debut for the senior team in November 2015 , and was chosen for UEFA Euro 2016 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e3b39e612dd90efcf21a3aa64f63739f",
"text": "James Milner James Philip Milner ( born 4 January 1986 ) is an English professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Liverpool . A versatile player , he has been utilised in many different positions such as on the wing , in midfield and most recently at left-back . Milner 's talent in football , cricket , and long-distance running was recognised at a very young age . He represented his school in these sports and played football for amateur teams from Rawdon and Horsforth . He supported Leeds United from a young age and was a season ticket holder at the club . In 1996 , he joined the Leeds United youth academy . He made his debut for the first team in 2002 aged only 16 and gained prominence as the youngest player to score in the Premier League . While at Leeds United , he spent time on loan at Swindon Town to gain experience as a first-team player . Following his move to Newcastle United , he was loaned to Aston Villa for a season . He went on to make over 100 appearances for Newcastle , before returning to Aston Villa on a permanent transfer in 2008 . After playing an influential role in Aston Villa 's run to the 2010 League Cup Final and being named 2009 -- 10 PFA Young Player of the Year , Milner joined Manchester City for a reported # 26m transfer fee in 2010 , going on to win the 2011 -- 12 and 2013 -- 14 Premier League titles , 2010 -- 11 FA Cup and 2013 -- 14 League Cup . After five seasons with Manchester City , Milner signed for Liverpool on a free transfer in 2015 . Milner made a record 46 appearances for the England national under-21 football team , playing at the 2007 and 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championships . He also played 61 appearances for the full English national team , scoring once against Moldova . He was selected for the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup squads , as well as the 2012 and UEFA Euro 2016 UEFA Euro Championships . Milner retired from international football in 2016 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e46e961cd0f26d7f2aacfe3a5f7d36b0",
"text": "Tyne–Wear derby The Tyne-Wear derby , also known as the North East derby and the Wear-Tyne derby is a local derby between the association football clubs Sunderland and Newcastle United . The derby is an inter-city rivalry in North East England with the two cities of Sunderland and Newcastle just twelve miles apart . Sunderland play their home matches at the Stadium of Light whilst Newcastle play their home matches at St. James ' Park . The first meeting of the two sides took place in 1883 , with the first competitive fixture being an 1888 FA Cup tie , which Sunderland won 2 -- 1 . To date , both teams have won the fixture 53 times , whilst sharing 49 draws -- one of which Sunderland went on to win via a penalty shootout . Sunderland have dominated the Tyne -- Wear derby in recent seasons . They are currently undefeated in the last nine matches between the local rivals , including six consecutive victories from 14 April 2013 to 25 October 2015 . The most recent meeting of the two sides , on the 20th March 2016 , was a Premier League match at the St James ' Park and ended in a 1 -- 1 draw , with Jermain Defoe opening the scoring for Sunderland before Aleksandar Mitrovic equalised for Newcastle . Yann M'Vila , who has played in both games , describes it as bigger than the Milan derby .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "49764b6c62b72bd7f6bcbcb3438a57d2",
"text": "Premier League Player of the Month The Player of the Month is an association football award that recognises the best Premier League player each month of the season . The recipient is chosen by a panel assembled by the League 's sponsor , and announced alongside the Manager of the Month on the first or second Friday of the following month . It has been called the Carling Premiership Player of the Month ( 1994 -- 2001 ) , the Barclaycard Premiership Player of the Month ( 2001 -- 2004 ) , Barclays Player of the Month ( 2004-2016 ) , and presently it is the EA SPORTS Player of the Month . The Premier League was formed in 1992 , when the members of the First Division resigned from The Football League . These clubs then set up a new commercially independent league that negotiated its own broadcast and sponsorship agreements . The inaugural season had no sponsor until Carling agreed to a four-year deal for # 12 million that started the following season . Carling introduced new Manager of the Month and Manager of the Season awards for the 1993 -- 94 season , supplementing the existing Football Writers ' Association and Professional Footballers ' Association Player of the Year awards . For the 1994 -- 95 season they introduced the Player of the Month award , which was first awarded to Jürgen Klinsmann for his performances in his team in August 1994 . Steven Gerrard has been Player of the Month the most with six awards . Five players have won the award in consecutive months ; Robbie Fowler ( 1995 -- 96 ) , Dennis Bergkamp ( 1997 ) , Cristiano Ronaldo ( 2006 ) , Harry Kane ( 2015 ) and Jamie Vardy ( 2015 ) . 12 individuals have won two awards in a season : Ryan Giggs , Ruud van Nistelrooy , Thierry Henry , Wayne Rooney , Peter Odemwingie , Robin van Persie , Daniel Sturridge , Luis Suárez , Jamie Vardy , Sergio Agüero , Heung Min Son and Ashley Young , who is also the only player to win the award three times in a calendar year . Robbie Keane has won the award while playing for three different clubs ( Coventry City , Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur ) . Nine other players have won the award playing for two different clubs . The award has been shared on six occasions : by Blackburn Rovers 's Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton in November 1994 , Liverpool 's Robbie Fowler and Stan Collymore in January 1996 , Southampton 's Kevin Davies and Manchester United 's Andy Cole in November 1997 , Arsenal 's Dennis Bergkamp and Edu in February 2004 , Tottenham Hotspur strikers Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane in April 2007 and Liverpool duo Steven Gerrard and Luis Suárez in April 2014 . Almost half of the Player of the Month awards have gone to English players ,87 English wins , 191 awards : = % and the majority of foreign winners have been French or Dutch . Manchester United have had more Player of the Month awards than any other club .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "761c0dc4ad7a95d6b78f202817cf9610",
"text": "Jimmy Dimmock James Henry `` Jimmy '' Dimmock ( 5 December 1900 -- 23 December 1972 ) was a footballer who scored the winning goal for Tottenham Hotspur in the 1921 FA Cup Final . He played as an outside left and became the fans ' favourite with his mazy runs and trickery , and also won three caps for England .",
"title": ""
}
] |
fever
|
fbc015958a945d51d2325b61a33da276
|
Indiana Jones has only been portrayed by Harrison Ford.
|
[
{
"docid": "8722a16e8520ad5a051b2f62f781a48c",
"text": "Indiana Jones Henry Walton `` Indiana '' Jones Jr. ( also shortened to Indy ) is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise . George Lucas created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials . The character first appeared in the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark , to be followed by Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in 1984 , Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989 , The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles from 1992 to 1996 , and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008 . The character is also featured in novels , comics , video games , and other media . Jones is also featured in the Disney theme park attraction , Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea , as well as the Disneyland Paris attraction Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril . Jones is most famously played by Harrison Ford and has also been portrayed by River Phoenix ( as the young Jones in The Last Crusade ) and in the television series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles by Corey Carrier , Sean Patrick Flanery , and George Hall . Doug Lee has supplied the voice of Jones for two LucasArts video games , Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis and Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine , David Esch supplied his voice for Indiana Jones and the Emperor 's Tomb , and John Armstrong for Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings . The character is distinguished by his appearance ( bullwhip , fedora , satchel and leather jacket ) , sense of humor , deep knowledge of many ancient civilizations and languages , and fear of snakes . Since his first appearance in Raiders of the Lost Ark , Indiana Jones has become one of cinema 's most famous characters . In 2003 , the American Film Institute ranked him the second greatest film hero of all time . He was also named the 6th Greatest Movie Character by Empire magazine . Entertainment Weekly ranked Indy 2nd on their list of The All-Time Coolest Heroes in Pop Culture . Premiere magazine also placed Indy at number 7 on their list of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time .",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "37fc246ad14b06cfe5ceb0620a118c1c",
"text": "Howard Freeman Howard Freeman ( December 9 , 1899 -- December 11 , 1967 ) was an American stage actor of the early 20th century , and film and television actor of the 1940s through the 1960s . Freeman was born in Helena , Montana , and began working as a stage actor in his 20s . He did not enter the film industry until he was over 40 , in 1942 , when he played a small uncredited role in Inflation . Despite his late start in film acting , Freeman would build himself a fairly substantial career in that field that would last over twenty three years . From 1943 onward he worked on a regular basis , sometimes in uncredited roles , but more often than not in small but credited bit or supporting parts . He appeared in ten films in 1943 , and another eighteen from 1944 through 1945 . In 1946 Freeman would appear in twelve films , the most notable of which was his first film of that year , Abilene Town , starring Randolph Scott and Lloyd Bridges , and California , starring Barbara Stanwyck and Ray Milland . From 1947 through 1950 Freeman appeared in twenty films , and in 1951 he began appearing on numerous television series , which would be his main acting roles for the remainder of his career , lasting into 1965 . He appeared in three episodes of Studio One , along with many other TV series , including Car 54 , Where Are You ? and Route 66 . He retired from film and television acting in 1965 , and settled into retirement in New York City , where he was living at the time of his death on December 11 , 1967 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "08457daae1a4893dbe3cf42bcaad6c69",
"text": "Seymour Cassel Seymour Joseph Cassel ( born January 22 , 1935 ) is an American actor . Cassel first came to prominence in the 1960s in the pioneering independent films of writer/director John Cassavetes . The first of these was Too Late Blues ( 1961 ) , followed by Faces ( 1968 ) , for which he was nominated for an Academy Award and won a National Society of Film Critics Award . Cassel went on to appear in Cassavetes ' Minnie and Moskowitz ( 1971 ) , The Killing of a Chinese Bookie ( 1976 ) , Opening Night ( 1977 ) and Love Streams ( 1984 ) . He has further appeared in a number of independent and Hollywood film productions . Notable titles include Coogan 's Bluff ( 1968 ) , The Last Tycoon ( 1976 ) , Valentino ( 1977 ) , Johnny Be Good ( 1988 ) , Mobsters ( 1991 ) , In the Soup ( 1992 ) , Honeymoon in Vegas ( 1992 ) , Indecent Proposal ( 1993 ) , Beer League ( 2006 ) and Fort McCoy ( 2011 ) . Like Cassavetes , Wes Anderson has frequently cast Cassel , first in Rushmore ( 1998 ) and then in The Royal Tenenbaums ( 2001 ) and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou ( 2004 ) .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cfa35d52262a244c563a4b1cac34afb7",
"text": "Indiana Jones Adventure The Indiana Jones Adventure is an enhanced motion vehicle dark ride attraction at Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea , based on the Indiana Jones film series . Guests accompany intrepid archaeologist Dr. Indiana Jones on a turbulent quest , aboard military troop transport vehicles , through a dangerous lost temple guarded by a supernatural power . The attraction premiered as Temple of the Forbidden Eye at Disneyland in Anaheim , California on March 3 , 1995 , and opened to the general public on March 4 , 1995 . A second , and nearly identical , version of the ride opened as Temple of the Crystal Skull on September 4 , 2001 at Tokyo DisneySea in Chiba , Japan , unrelated to the 2008 film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a76fc6a24ce2dd48aa2de128f86b826b",
"text": "Davy Jones (Pirates of the Caribbean) Davy Jones is a fictional character in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series , portrayed by Bill Nighy . He appears in the second and third films , Dead Man 's Chest and At World 's End , respectively , and cameos in the series ' fifth installment , Dead Men Tell No Tales . He is the captain of the Flying Dutchman ( based on the ghost ship of the same name ) . The computer-generated imagery used to complete Jones was named by Entertainment Weekly as the tenth favorite computer generated film character in film history , only behind King Kong in 2007 . The work on Davy Jones by Industrial Light and Magic earned them the 2006 Academy Award for Visual Effects for Dead Man 's Chest '' . The character is based on the superstition of Davy Jones ' Locker . In contrast to the historical legends , the film 's Jones is a villain .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f8f3dd579236615f15cb5715efba2aed",
"text": "Billy Dee Williams William December `` Billy Dee '' Williams Jr. ( born April 6 , 1937 ) is an American actor , artist , singer , and writer . He is best known for his role as Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars film franchise , as well as acting in the movies Brian 's Song , Nighthawks , The Last Angry Man , Carter 's Army , and for playing Harvey Dent in Tim Burton 's Batman ( 1989 ) .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a0ab95b07216f9cefd824aece117c05e",
"text": "Gary Cooper filmography The filmography of Gary Cooper chronicles the film appearances of American actor Gary Cooper . After starting his career in 1925 as a film extra and stuntman , Cooper made his official cinematic debut in 1926 in the Samuel Goldwyn production The Winning of Barbara Worth . He went on to become a contract player with Paramount Pictures where he established himself as a popular leading man prior to the end of the silent film era . Cooper 's future in the sound era was assured with the release of The Virginian ( 1929 ) , his first all-talkie film . For the next 32 years , he would be one of cinema 's top money-making stars . From 1936 to 1957 , Cooper ranked 18 times among the top ten box office attractions -- a record when he died in 1961 , and later surpassed only by John Wayne , who ranked among the top ten 25 times , Clint Eastwood ( 21 times ) and Tom Cruise ( 20 times ) . Cooper was nominated for the Best Actor Academy Award five times and won twice , for Sergeant York ( 1942 ) and High Noon ( 1952 ) . The latter film boosted his popularity , resulting in him being the number one box office attraction in 1953 . Cooper received a third Academy Award -- an honorary one -- just prior to his death in 1961 . His final film , The Naked Edge , was released shortly after his death . As of February 2008 , more than half of Gary Cooper 's feature films are available on DVD , while others not yet on home video are available for television broadcast . Unfortunately , at least two of his silent films -- Beau Sabreur ( 1928 ) and The Legion of the Condemned ( 1928 ) -- are now considered lost films . Another of his silent films , Wolf Song ( 1929 ) , was originally released as a part talkie , but survives only as a silent film . One of Cooper 's earliest talkies , Paramount on Parade ( 1930 ) , survives incomplete . The prints that are available for television are missing all but one of the film 's Technicolor scenes -- a partial restoration of these scenes was done by the UCLA Film Archives . This filmography contains sections for Cooper 's work as an extra in the earliest part of his film career , his feature film appearances , his occasional appearances in short films , and a section for a compilation film . Due to its length ( 92 films ) , the listing of his feature films is divided in four sections . Cooper 's film roles are listed , as well as the names of each film 's director and co-stars . Cooper 's awards and nominations are also listed . Except where noted , all of his films were shot in 35mm black and white . All films released prior to Lilac Time ( 1928 ) are silent films and all from The Virginian ( 1929 ) onward are sound films . The films made during the silent-to-sound transition are noted as being either silent or sound films . As an addendum , Cooper 's handful of television appearances are also listed .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1a985c8e5246f56e5b24c48fc43e4b9a",
"text": "Only a Northern Song `` Only a Northern Song '' is a song by English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 album Yellow Submarine . Written by George Harrison , it was recorded mainly in February 1967 during the sessions for Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band but the Beatles chose not to include it on that album . Instead , it was one of the four new songs that the band provided for the 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine , to meet their contractual obligations to United Artists . Harrison wrote `` Only a Northern Song '' out of dissatisfaction with his status as a junior songwriter with the Beatles ' publishing company , Northern Songs . The lyrics and music convey his disenchantment at how the company retained the copyright for the songs it published , and at how , following its public listing in 1965 , the major shareholders profited more from his compositions than he did . The recording features Hammond organ , played by Harrison , and an overdubbed montage of assorted sounds including trumpet blasts and spoken voices , anticipating John Lennon 's 1968 sound collage `` Revolution 9 '' . Due to the difficulty in assembling the completed track from two tape sources , `` Only a Northern Song '' remained a rare song from the Beatles ' post-1963 catalogue that was unavailable in true stereo until 1999 . That year , it was remixed for inclusion on the album Yellow Submarine Songtrack . The song has received a varied response from reviewers ; while Ian MacDonald dismisses the track as a `` self-indulgent dirge '' , the website Ultimate Classic Rock identifies it as one of the Beatles ' best works in the psychedelic rock genre . A version of the song with a different vocal part , and omitting the sound collage overdubs , was issued on the Beatles ' 1996 outtakes compilation Anthology 2 . Gravenhurst and Yonder Mountain String Band are among the artists who have covered `` Only a Northern Song '' .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8647b2eb8a26e412ed44ffe47fcb933d",
"text": "Alien (film) Alien is a 1979 British-American science-fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott , and starring Sigourney Weaver , Tom Skerritt , Veronica Cartwright , Harry Dean Stanton , John Hurt , Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto . The film 's title refers to a highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature that stalks and kills the crew of a spaceship . Dan O'Bannon wrote the screenplay from a story he wrote with Ronald Shusett , drawing influence from previous works of science fiction and horror . The film was produced by Gordon Carroll , David Giler and Walter Hill through their Brandywine Productions and distributed by 20th Century Fox . Giler and Hill made revisions and additions to the script . Shusett was executive producer . The eponymous Alien and its accompanying elements were designed by Swiss artist H. R. Giger , while concept artists Ron Cobb and Chris Foss designed the human aspects of the film . Alien launched the Alien franchise and is chronologically the first of the main series , with the prequel series set in an earlier timeframe . Alien received both critical acclaim and box office success , receiving an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects , Saturn Awards for Best Science Fiction Film , Best Direction for Scott , and Best Supporting Actress for Cartwright , and a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation , along with numerous other award nominations . It has remained highly praised in subsequent decades , being considered one of the greatest films of all time . In 2002 , the film was deemed `` culturally , historically or aesthetically significant '' by the Library of Congress and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry . In 2008 , it was ranked as the seventh-best film in the science fiction genre by the American Film Institute , and as the 33rd greatest film of all time by Empire magazine . The success of Alien spawned a media franchise of novels , comic books , video games , and toys . It also launched Weaver 's acting career by providing her with her first lead role , and the story of her character Ellen Ripley 's encounters with the Alien creatures became the thematic thread that ran through the sequels Aliens ( 1986 ) , Alien 3 ( 1992 ) and Alien : Resurrection ( 1997 ) . , a crossover with the Predator franchise produced the Alien vs. Predator series , which includes Alien vs. Predator ( 2004 ) and Aliens vs. Predator : Requiem ( 2007 ) , and also a prequel series of films , which includes Prometheus ( 2012 ) and Alien : Covenant ( 2017 ) .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "98ae9cd8803abb69bfea7b1fa36a3d7d",
"text": "Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy ( -LSB- ˈniːmɔɪ -RSB- March 26 , 1931 -- February 27 , 2015 ) was an American actor , film director , photographer , author , singer and songwriter . He was known for his role as Spock of the Star Trek franchise , a character he portrayed in television and film from a pilot episode shot in late 1964 to his final film performance released in 2013 . Nimoy began his career in his early twenties , teaching acting classes in Hollywood and making minor film and television appearances through the 1950s , as well as playing the title role in Kid Monk Baroni . Foreshadowing his fame as a semi-alien , he played Narab , one of three Martian invaders , in the 1952 movie serial Zombies of the Stratosphere . In December 1964 , he made his first appearance in the rejected Star Trek pilot `` The Cage '' , and went on to play the character of Spock until the end of the production run in early 1969 , followed by eight feature films and guest slots in the various spin-off series . The character has had a significant cultural impact and garnered Nimoy three Emmy Award nominations ; TV Guide named Spock one of the 50 greatest TV characters . After the original Star Trek series , Nimoy starred in Mission : Impossible for two seasons , hosted the documentary series In Search of ... , narrated Civilization IV , and made several well-received stage appearances . He also had a recurring role in the science fiction series Fringe . Nimoy 's public profile as Spock was so strong that both of his autobiographies , I Am Not Spock ( 1975 ) and I Am Spock ( 1995 ) , were written from the viewpoint of sharing his existence with the character . In 2015 an asteroid was named 4864 Nimoy in his honor . In September 2016 , For the Love of Spock , a feature-film documentary that covered his life and career , was released .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e76e91231a6cca0dfe83c5833043eda8",
"text": "Bridget Jones Bridget Jones is a franchise based on a fictional character of the same name . British writer Helen Fielding started her Bridget Jones 's Diary column in The Independent in 1995 , while chronicling the life of Jones as a thirtysomething single woman in London as she tries to make sense of life and love with the help of a surrogate `` urban family '' of friends in the 1990s . The column lampooned the obsession of women with women 's magazines such as Cosmopolitan and wider social trends in Britain at the time . Fielding published the novelisation of the column in 1996 , followed by a sequel in 1999 called Bridget Jones : The Edge of Reason . Both novels were adapted for the big screen in 2001 and 2004 , starring Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones , and Hugh Grant and Colin Firth as the men in her life : Daniel Cleaver and Mark Darcy , respectively . After Fielding had ceased to work for The Daily Telegraph in late 1998 , the feature began again in The Independent on 4 August 2005 and finished in June 2006 . Helen Fielding released a third novel in 2013 , Bridget Jones : Mad About the Boy , which is set 14 years after the events of the second novel . The fictional character `` Bridget Jones '' was named on the 2016 Woman 's Hour Power List as one of seven women judged to have had the biggest impact on women 's lives over the past 70 years , alongside Margaret Thatcher , Barbara Castle , Helen Brook , Germaine Greer , Jayaben Desai and Beyoncé .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ad47dc43670072898442977a55502324",
"text": "Character (arts) A character ( sometimes known as a fictional character ) is a person or other being in a narrative work of art ( such as a novel , play , television series , or film ) . The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person , in which case the distinction of a `` fictional '' versus `` real '' character may be made . Derived from the ancient Greek word χαρακτήρ , the English word dates from the Restoration , although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749 . From this , the sense of `` a part played by an actor '' developed . Character , particularly when enacted by an actor in the theatre or cinema , involves `` the illusion of being a human person . '' In literature , characters guide readers through their stories , helping them to understand plots and ponder themes . Since the end of the 18th century , the phrase `` in character '' has been used to describe an effective impersonation by an actor . Since the 19th century , the art of creating characters , as practiced by actors or writers , has been called characterisation . A character who stands as a representative of a particular class or group of people is known as a type . Types include both stock characters and those that are more fully individualised . The characters in Henrik Ibsen 's Hedda Gabler ( 1891 ) and August Strindberg 's Miss Julie ( 1888 ) , for example , are representative of specific positions in the social relations of class and gender , such that the conflicts between the characters reveal ideological conflicts . The study of a character requires an analysis of its relations with all of the other characters in the work . The individual status of a character is defined through the network of oppositions ( proairetic , pragmatic , linguistic , proxemic ) that it forms with the other characters . The relation between characters and the action of the story shifts historically , often miming shifts in society and its ideas about human individuality , self-determination , and the social order .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "eaae1e701c147de343115c1c88cbf2f6",
"text": "Indiana Jones in the Lost Kingdom Indiana Jones in the Lost Kingdom is a puzzle video game developed by Michael J. Hanson and published by Mindscape for the Commodore 64 . The game is based on the Indiana Jones series , and was released in North America around January 1985 , while a U.K. version was released in March 1985 . Gameplay requires the player to think like fictional archaeologist Indiana Jones to solve the puzzles of each level , as the game does not provide the player with any rules or gameplay information ; the game 's cover advertised , `` Nobody told Indiana Jones the rules . And no one will tell you . ''",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "18d70b10763d2726dfdb3aaf6a2e4c78",
"text": "Doug Jones (actor) Doug Jones ( born May 24 , 1960 ) is an American actor and former contortionist known for roles in the science fiction , fantasy , and horror genres , often wearing heavy makeup to play nonhuman characters . He is perhaps best known for his collaborations with filmmaker Guillermo del Toro , starring in Mimic , as Abe Sapien in Hellboy and Hellboy II : The Golden Army , the Faun and the Pale Man in Pan 's Labyrinth , Crimson Peak and The Shape of Water . He has appeared in films such as Tank Girl , Hocus Pocus and The Bye Bye Man . He also portrayed the titular Silver Surfer in the superhero film Fantastic Four : Rise of the Silver Surfer , as well as appearing in the TV series Falling Skies , Buffy the Vampire Slayer and del Toro 's The Strain . He is currently a series regular in Star Trek : Discovery , as Lt. Saru .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2bfc6e682c0f8be8dee868bde8079428",
"text": "Robert Watts Robert Watts ( born 23 May 1938 ) is a British film producer who is best known for his involvement with the Star Wars and Indiana Jones film series .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "727345278309a73012f2a75ba6c093c6",
"text": "Highlander (film) Highlander is a 1986 British-American adventure action fantasy film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen . It stars Christopher Lambert , Sean Connery , Clancy Brown , and Roxanne Hart . The film narrates the climax of an ages-old battle between immortal warriors , depicted through interwoven past and present-day storylines . Christopher Lambert plays swordsman Connor MacLeod from Scottish Highlands , known as the Highlander , one of a number of immortal warriors , who can only be killed by decapitation . After initial training by another highly skilled immortal swordsman , Ramirez ( Sean Connery ) , MacLeod lives on for several centuries , eventually settling in New York City , managing an antiques shop . In 1985 , he falls in love with a policewoman named Brenda and finds out that he must face his biggest enemy , Clancy Brown 's Kurgan , who wishes to kill MacLeod and to obtain `` the Prize '' -- a special ability which is given to the last living immortal warrior , vast knowledge and the ability to enslave the entire human race . Highlander enjoyed little success on its initial theatrical release , grossing over $ 12 million worldwide against a production budget of $ 19 million , and received mixed reviews . Nevertheless , it became a cult film and launched Lambert to stardom . The film inspired a franchise which included film sequels and television spin-offs . Its tagline , `` There can be only one '' , has carried on throughout the franchise , as have the songs provided for the film by the rock band Queen .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "81012be8f45796fa89f8d21031da66ab",
"text": "Gary Jones (costume designer) Gary Jones ( born February 24 , 1947 ) is an American costume designer who has nearly 60 costume credits in films and TV . He is perhaps most known for his work on films such as Oz the Great and Powerful and The Talented Mr. Ripley . He was nominated at the 72nd Academy Awards in the category of Best Costumes for his work on the film The Talented Mr. Ripley . His nomination was shared with Ann Roth .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ec7e1bd98bcaed4b3675597ed8766ec2",
"text": "Harry Harrison (writer) Harry Max Harrison ( born Henry Maxwell Dempsey ; March 12 , 1925 -- August 15 , 2012 ) was an American science fiction author , known for his character the Stainless Steel Rat and for his novel Make Room ! Make Room ! ( 1966 ) . The latter was the rough basis for the motion picture Soylent Green ( 1973 ) . Harrison was ( with Brian Aldiss ) the co-president of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group . Aldiss called him `` a constant peer and great family friend '' . His friend Michael Carroll said , `` Imagine Pirates of the Caribbean or Raiders of the Lost Ark , and picture them as science-fiction novels . They 're rip-roaring adventures , but they 're stories with a lot of heart . '' Novelist Christopher Priest wrote in an obituary ,",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d27073b4433bb5f0e3d208f95495d263",
"text": "Sam Rockwell Samuel Rockwell ( born November 5 , 1968 ) is an American actor known for independent and mainstream films . He is known for his leading roles in Lawn Dogs ( 1997 ) , Confessions of a Dangerous Mind ( 2002 ) , Matchstick Men ( 2003 ) , The Hitchhiker 's Guide to the Galaxy ( 2005 ) , Choke ( 2008 ) , Moon ( 2009 ) , Seven Psychopaths ( 2012 ) , and Mr. Right ( 2015 ) , as well as for his supporting roles in The Green Mile ( 1999 ) , Galaxy Quest ( 1999 ) , The Assassination of Jesse James ( 2007 ) , Frost/Nixon ( 2008 ) , Conviction ( 2010 ) , Iron Man 2 ( 2010 ) , Cowboys & Aliens ( 2011 ) , The Way , Way Back ( 2013 ) , and Poltergeist ( 2015 ) .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "33009e0cb072181e24e90f1bedc2440c",
"text": "Lash LaRue Alfred `` Lash '' LaRue ( June 15 , 1917 -- May 21 , 1996 ) was a popular western motion picture star of the 1940s and 1950s . He had exceptional skill with the bullwhip and taught Harrison Ford how to use a bullwhip for the Indiana Jones movies . LaRue was one of the first recipients of the Golden Boot Awards in 1983 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "646983da0bd77a6ea1a51693bd125fbc",
"text": "Corey Carrier Corey Thomas Carrier ( born August 20 , 1980 ) is an American former child actor , also known as just `` Core '' . He is best known as playing Indiana Jones , aged 8 -- 10 , in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles . Carrier was born in Middleborough , Massachusetts to Thomas and Carleen . He has a younger sister named Bethany . He attended an acting school at The Priscilla Beach Children 's Theatre Workshop . His hobbies include baseball , gymnastics , wrestling , fencing , guitar , ice skating and basketball . He attended Clark University in Worcester , Massachusetts as an undergraduate .",
"title": ""
}
] |
fever
|
a31835beae3ffe4d7cc6bc97a98a4a25
|
The Great Gatsby centers on a youthful person with over a million dollars.
|
[
{
"docid": "9d85779e1d1260da6a0c008e50d19d19",
"text": "The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald that follows a cast of characters living in the fictional town of West Egg on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922 . The story primarily concerns the young and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his quixotic passion and obsession for the beautiful former debutante Daisy Buchanan . Considered to be Fitzgerald 's magnum opus , The Great Gatsby explores themes of decadence , idealism , resistance to change , social upheaval , and excess , creating a portrait of the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties that has been described as a cautionary tale regarding the American Dream . Fitzgerald -- inspired by the parties he had attended while visiting Long Island 's north shore -- began planning the novel in 1923 , desiring to produce , in his words , `` something new -- something extraordinary and beautiful and simple and intricately patterned . '' Progress was slow , with Fitzgerald completing his first draft following a move to the French Riviera in 1924 . His editor , Maxwell Perkins , felt the book was vague and persuaded the author to revise over the next winter . Fitzgerald was repeatedly ambivalent about the book 's title and he considered a variety of alternatives , including titles that referenced the Roman character Trimalchio ; the title he was last documented to have desired was Under the Red , White , and Blue . First published by Scribner 's in April 1925 , The Great Gatsby received mixed reviews and sold poorly ; in its first year , the book sold only 20,000 copies . Fitzgerald died in 1940 , believing himself to be a failure and his work forgotten . However , the novel experienced a revival during World , and became a part of American high school curricula and numerous stage and film adaptations in the following decades . Today , The Great Gatsby is widely considered to be a literary classic and a contender for the title `` Great American Novel . '' In 1998 , the Modern Library editorial board voted it the 20th century 's best American novel and second best English-language novel of the same time period .",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "ad47dc43670072898442977a55502324",
"text": "Character (arts) A character ( sometimes known as a fictional character ) is a person or other being in a narrative work of art ( such as a novel , play , television series , or film ) . The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person , in which case the distinction of a `` fictional '' versus `` real '' character may be made . Derived from the ancient Greek word χαρακτήρ , the English word dates from the Restoration , although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749 . From this , the sense of `` a part played by an actor '' developed . Character , particularly when enacted by an actor in the theatre or cinema , involves `` the illusion of being a human person . '' In literature , characters guide readers through their stories , helping them to understand plots and ponder themes . Since the end of the 18th century , the phrase `` in character '' has been used to describe an effective impersonation by an actor . Since the 19th century , the art of creating characters , as practiced by actors or writers , has been called characterisation . A character who stands as a representative of a particular class or group of people is known as a type . Types include both stock characters and those that are more fully individualised . The characters in Henrik Ibsen 's Hedda Gabler ( 1891 ) and August Strindberg 's Miss Julie ( 1888 ) , for example , are representative of specific positions in the social relations of class and gender , such that the conflicts between the characters reveal ideological conflicts . The study of a character requires an analysis of its relations with all of the other characters in the work . The individual status of a character is defined through the network of oppositions ( proairetic , pragmatic , linguistic , proxemic ) that it forms with the other characters . The relation between characters and the action of the story shifts historically , often miming shifts in society and its ideas about human individuality , self-determination , and the social order .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2a6f98dda8e83d84c67cc7f0a7f384e3",
"text": "Ponzi scheme A Ponzi scheme ( -LSB- ˈpɒn.zi -RSB- also a Ponzi game ) is a fraudulent investment operation where the operator , an individual or organization , pays returns to its investors from new capital paid to the operators by new investors , rather than from profit earned through legitimate investments or business activities . Operators of Ponzi schemes usually entice new investors by offering higher returns than other investments , in the form of short-term returns that are either abnormally high or unusually consistent . Ponzi schemes occasionally begin as legitimate businesses , until the business fails to achieve the returns expected . The business becomes a Ponzi scheme if it then continues to operate under fraudulent terms . Whatever the initial situation , the perpetuation of the high returns requires an ever-increasing flow of money from new investors to sustain the scheme . The scheme is named after Charles Ponzi , who became notorious for using the technique in the 1920s . The idea , present in novels ( for example , Charles Dickens ' 1844 novel Martin Chuzzlewit and 1857 novel Little Dorrit each described such a scheme ) , was actually performed in real life by Ponzi with his operation which took in so much money that it was the first to become known throughout the United States . Ponzi 's original scheme was based on the arbitrage of international reply coupons for postage stamps ; however , he soon diverted investors ' money to make payments to earlier investors and himself .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bfcfab98b5b363f571c3b71e498304c3",
"text": "Key demographic The key demographic is a term in television ratings that refers to the most desirable demographic group to a given advertiser . Key demographics vary by network , time of day , and programming type , but they are generally composed of individuals who are younger and more affluent than the general public : `` Young adult viewers have been TV 's target demographic for decades , because they 're thought to have less brand loyalty and more disposable income . '' Most key demographic groups consist of adults who are somewhere in age between 18 and 54 . For example , the key demographic for reality television is women with disposable income aged 18 to 34 whereas for the WB Television Network it is `` eighteen - to thirty-four-year-old , educated , white , affluent viewers '' Television programming is tailored to members of its key demographics : `` Despite the increase in time-shifting to watch recorded television and shows on the Internet , the use of television as an advertising vehicle is still determined by demographic characteristics or who is watching at what time . '' The subset of ratings that only includes the key demographic of 18 - to 49-year-olds is often referred to as the `` key demo '' . Certain radio formats ( especially those dubbed `` classic '' ) and television outlets may target persons 35 to 64 , especially since the late 2000s recession wiped out many career opportunities for millennials , since the 35 -- 64 demographic has much more disposable income .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f84b311f2c643bc3da87f52ab045f0ac",
"text": "Sibylle Riqueti de Mirabeau Sibylle Aimée Marie-Antoinette Gabrielle de Riquetti de Mirabeau , Comtesse de Martel de Janville ( 16 August 1849 -- 28 June 1932 ) was a French writer who wrote under the pseudonym Gyp . She was born at the château de Coëtsal near Plumergat , in the département of the Morbihan , in Brittany , her father , Joseph-Arundel de Riquetti , comte de Mirabeau , 1820 -- 1860 , being the great-grandson of Victor de Riquetti , marquis de Mirabeau ( Mirabeau Père ) , noted 18th-century economist , and grandnephew of Honoré Mirabeau the celebrated revolutionary orator . In view of her later opinions , it is interesting to remember that Sibylle was actually descended from Octave Mirabeau 's royalist younger brother , André-Boniface-Louis de Riquetti , vicomte de Mirabeau , ( 1754 -- 1792 ) known as Mirabeau-Tonneau because of his notorious embonpoint , who famously broke his sword in front of France 's Revolutionary Assembly ( where he represented the nobility of the Limousin ) while bitterly crying out : `` now that The King is giving up his kingdom , a nobleman no longer needs a sword to fight for him ! '' Although , in her memoires , `` Gyp '' stated that she had been born on August 15 , which happens to have been Napoleon Bonaparte 's birthday , her birth certificate reads `` morning of August 16 , 1849 '' , according to her biographer , W. Z. Silvermann . At her father 's request , the name on her birth certificate was revised to read `` Sibylle Aimée Marie Antoinette Gabrielle '' . Sibylle 's mother , the comtesse de Mirabeau , née de Gonneville ( 1827 -- 1903 ) was also a writer , who contributed to Le Figaro . In 1869 , Sibylle married count Roger de Martel de Janville , by whom she had three children . Gyp wrote humorous sketches and novels which brazenly denounced her own fashionable society as well as the French republic 's political class . She hated republicanism , populist democracy , and party shenanigans ; supported Boulanger ; and was a fanatical anti-Semite & anti-Dreyfusard ; in fact , while testifying at a court case in 1899 she gave her profession as `` anti-Semite '' rather than `` writer '' . She began with some articles in La Vie parisienne in February 1877 , then in La Revue des Deux Mondes . Starting in 1880 , she began to publish in book form , under the pseudonym of Gyp , a total of more than 120 works , many highly successful : Petit Bob , ( 1882 ) , Les Chasseurs , Un trio turbulent , Autour du mariage ( 1883 ) , Ce que femme veut ( 1883 ) , Sans voiles ( 1885 ) , Autour du divorce ( 1886 ) , Dans le train ( 1886 ) , Mademoiselle Loulou ( 1888 ) , Bob au salon ( 1889 ) , L'éducation d'un prince ( 1890 ) , Passionette ( 1891 ) , Oh ! la grande vie ( 1891 ) , Une Election à Tigre-sur-mer ( 1890 ) , based on Gyp 's experience supporting a boulangiste candidate , Marriage civil ( 1892 ) , Ces bons docteurs ( 1892 ) De haut en bas ( 1893 ) , Le Mariage de Chiffon ( 1894 ) , Leurs âmes ( 1895 ) , Le Cœur d'Ariane ( 1895 ) , Le Bonheur de Ginette ( 1896 ) , Totote ( 1897 ) , Lune de miel ( 1898 ) , Israel ( 1898 ) , L'Entrevue ( 1899 ) , Le Pays des champs ( 1900 ) , Trop de chic ( 1900 ) , Le Friquet ( 1901 ) , La Fée ( 1902 ) , Un Mariage chic ( 1903 ) , Un Ménage dernier cri ( 1903 ) , Maman ( 1904 ) , Le Cœur de Pierrette ( 1905 ) , Les Flanchards ( 1917 ) , Souvenirs d'une petite fille ( 1927 -- 1928 ) , etc. . Her best-known work is probably Le Mariage de Chiffon , filmed in 1942 by Claude Autant-Lara . Because of her unpopular opinions , the comtesse was the victim of several attempts on her life as well as of a sensational kidnapping . Gyp , self-styled `` last of the Mirabeaus '' , died at Neuilly-sur-Seine on 28 June 1932 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fddff19ac1068b5226e0b5f2075a65cf",
"text": "List of teen films Teen film is a film genre targeted at teenagers and young adults in which the plot is based upon the special interests of teenagers and young adults , such as coming of age , first love , rebellion , conflict with parents , teen angst , and alienation . Some of these films are targeted at adults as well as teenagers . Teen films have been a trope of the cinema industry for decades since the 1950s . At this time , the film industry saw a greater market for teens with more disposable income and therefore more money to spend on leisure activities , largely going to films . Because of the boom in teen viewers , drive-in movie theaters were also very popular . However , even the silent era had teen films . Recently , online streaming services such as Netflix have created a resurgence in the `` tween '' and teenage-oriented film .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ddf08f4c24e7aeaa2c012f56de9fbb50",
"text": "Dandy A dandy historically , is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance , refined language , and leisurely hobbies , pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of self . A dandy could be a self-made man who strove to imitate an aristocratic lifestyle despite coming from a middle-class background , especially in late 18th - and early 19th-century Britain . Previous manifestations of the petit-maître ( French for small master ) and the Muscadin have been noted by John C. Prevost , but the modern practice of dandyism first appeared in the revolutionary 1790s , both in London and in Paris . The dandy cultivated cynical reserve , yet to such extremes that novelist George Meredith , himself no dandy , once defined cynicism as `` intellectual dandyism . '' Some took a more benign view ; Thomas Carlyle wrote in Sartor Resartus that a dandy was no more than `` a clothes-wearing man '' . Honoré de Balzac introduced the perfectly worldly and unmoved Henri de Marsay in La fille aux yeux d'or ( 1835 ) , a part of La Comédie Humaine , who fulfils at first the model of a perfect dandy , until an obsessive love-pursuit unravels him in passionate and murderous jealousy . Charles Baudelaire defined the dandy , in the later `` metaphysical '' phase of dandyism , as one who elevates æsthetics to a living religion , that the dandy 's mere existence reproaches the responsible citizen of the middle class : `` Dandyism in certain respects comes close to spirituality and to stoicism '' and `` These beings have no other status , but that of cultivating the idea of beauty in their own persons , of satisfying their passions , of feeling and thinking ... . Dandyism is a form of Romanticism . Contrary to what many thoughtless people seem to believe , dandyism is not even an excessive delight in clothes and material elegance . For the perfect dandy , these things are no more than the symbol of the aristocratic superiority of mind . '' The linkage of clothing with political protest had become a particularly English characteristic during the 18th century . Given these connotations , dandyism can be seen as a political protest against the levelling of egalitarian principles , often including nostalgic adherence to feudal or pre-industrial values , such as the ideals of `` the perfect gentleman '' or `` the autonomous aristocrat '' . Paradoxically , the dandy required an audience , as Susann Schmid observed in examining the `` successfully marketed lives '' of Oscar Wilde and Lord Byron , who exemplify the dandy 's roles in the public sphere , both as writers and as personae providing sources of gossip and scandal . Nigel Rodgers in The Dandy : Peacock or Enigma ? questions Wilde 's status as a genuine dandy , seeing him as someone who only assumed a dandified stance in passing , not a man dedicated to the exacting ideals of dandyism .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "35885d23808908b2aec855f4172f2398",
"text": "The Famous Five (series) The Famous Five is the name of a series of children 's adventure novels written by English author Enid Blyton . The first book , Five on a Treasure Island , was published in 1942 . The novels feature the adventures of a group of young children -- Julian , Dick , Anne and Georgina ( George ) -- and their dog Timmy . The stories take place in the children 's school holidays after they have returned from their respective boarding schools . Each time they meet they get caught up in an adventure , often involving criminals or lost treasure . Sometimes the scene is set close to George 's family home at Kirrin Cottage in Dorset , such as the picturesque Kirrin Island , owned by George and her family in Kirrin Bay . George 's own home and various other houses the children visit or stay in are hundreds of years old and often contain secret passages or smugglers ' tunnels . In some books the children go camping in the countryside , on a hike or holiday together elsewhere . The settings , however , are almost always rural and enable the children to discover the simple joys of cottages , islands , the English and Welsh countryside and sea shores , as well as an outdoor life of picnics , lemonade , bicycle trips and swimming . Blyton intended to write only six or eight books in the series , but owing to their high sales and immense commercial success she went on to write twenty-one full-length Famous Five novels , as well as a number of other series in similar style following groups of children discovering crime on holiday in the countryside . By the end of 1953 more than six million copies had been sold . Today , more than two million copies of the books are sold each year , making them one of the biggest-selling series for children ever written , with sales totalling over a hundred million . All the novels have been adapted for television , and several have been adapted as films in various countries . Blyton 's publisher , Hodder & Stoughton , first used the term `` The Famous Five '' in 1951 , after nine books in the series had been published . Before this , the series was referred to as `` The ` Fives ' Books '' .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b95ff6edca830fe3ff9bc2786dfe0c03",
"text": "Baby boomers Baby boomers are the demographic cohort following the Silent Generation . There are no precise dates when the cohort birth years start and end . Typically , they range from the early-to-mid 1940s and end from 1960 to 1964 . Increased birth rates were observed during the post -- World War II baby boom making the baby boomers a relatively large demographic cohort . The term `` baby boomer '' is also used in a cultural context , so it is difficult to achieve broad consensus of a precise date definition . Different people , organizations , and scholars have varying opinions on who is a baby boomer , both technically and culturally . Ascribing universal attributes to such a generation is difficult , and some believe it is inherently impossible , but many have attempted to determine their cultural similarities and historical impact , and the term has thus gained widespread popular usage . Baby boomers are associated with a rejection or redefinition of traditional values . Many commentators , however , have disputed the extent of that rejection , noting the widespread continuity of values with older and younger generations . In Europe and North America , boomers are widely associated with privilege , as many grew up in a time of widespread government subsidies in post-war housing and education , and increasing affluence . As a group , baby boomers were the wealthiest , most active , and most physically fit generation up to the era in which they arrived , and were amongst the first to grow up genuinely expecting the world to improve with time . They were also the generation that received peak levels of income ; they could therefore reap the benefits of abundant levels of food , apparel , retirement programs , and sometimes even `` midlife crisis '' products . The increased consumerism for this generation has been regularly criticized as excessive . One feature of the boomers was that they have tended to think of themselves as a special generation , very different from those that had come before . In the 1960s , as the relatively large numbers of young people became teenagers and young adults , they , and those around them , created a very specific rhetoric around their cohort , and the changes they were bringing about . This rhetoric had an important impact in the self perceptions of the boomers , as well as their tendency to define the world in terms of generations , which was a relatively new phenomenon . The baby boom has been described variously as a `` shockwave '' and as `` the pig in the python . '' The term `` Generation Jones '' is sometimes used to describe those born between 1954 and 1965 . The term is typically used to refer to the later years of the Baby boomer cohort ( 1954-1960 ) and the early years of Generation X ( 1961-1965 ) .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "951f1c8174d31694d3103cef5598aec6",
"text": "Council on Books in Wartime The Council on Books in Wartime ( 1942 -- 1946 ) was an American non-profit organization founded by booksellers , publishers , librarians , authors , and others , in the spring of 1942 to channel the use of books as `` weapons in the war of ideas '' ( the Council 's motto ) . Its primary aim was the promotion of books to influence the thinking of the American people regarding World War II , to build and maintain the will to win , to expose the true nature of the enemy , to disseminate technical information , to provide relaxation and inspiration , and to clarify war aims and problems of peace . The Council co-operated with the Office of War Information ( OWI ) and other Government agencies , but was itself a voluntary , unpaid , non-Governmental organization . The Council attempted to achieve its goals by acting as a clearinghouse for book-related ideas , by being an intermediary between the book-trade industry and government agencies , by offering advice to publishers , and by handling all forms of public relations including distribution of reading lists and pamphlets , lectures , radio programs , newsreels , and book promotion and publication . In 1942 , the Council created a War Book Panel to choose titles officially recommended by the Council . These titles were republished by Council member publishers with a seal of approval , a large `` I '' on the front cover meaning an `` Imperative '' book . 6 `` Imperative '' books were published between 1942 and 1945 ( see War Book Panel ) . In the spring of 1943 , the Council launched the effort for which it would become best known , the Armed Services Editions . By the time the program ended in 1947 , it had printed 122,951,031 books , selling them to the government at an average cost of just over six cents a volume . The Armed Services Editions brought high-end books to a mass audience , and helped popularize the emerging paperback format . One of the most popular ASE books was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn ( 1943 ) by Betty Smith , and the ASE 's distribution of F. Scott Fitzgerald 's novel The Great Gatsby helped revive interest in the book . In 1944 , the Council launched Oversees Editions , Inc , a subsidiary aimed at distributing American books to civilian populations abroad , to promote a positive view of American culture . With the end of World War II , the Council on Books in Wartime ceased active operations on Jan 31 , 1946 but maintained its corporate entities to deal with the dispersal of remaining funds and the safekeeping of records . Some of those involved on the Council include : W. W. Norton of W. W. Norton & Company , Bennett Cerf of Random House , George A. Hecht of Doubleday & Co. , and Mark Van Doren .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "46bcccb0f9905706030780fa49b43708",
"text": "Fidelity Fiduciary Bank `` Fidelity Fiduciary Bank '' is a song from Walt Disney 's film Mary Poppins , and it is composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman . The song sung by the stodgy old bankers at the Dawes , Tomes , Mousely , Grubbs Fidelity Fiduciary Bank , led by the `` Elder Mr. Dawes '' ( Dick Van Dyke ) , to George Banks 's two children , Jane and Michael , in an attempt to get Michael Banks to invest his tuppence in the bank . As the song continues the pressure is on George , a junior clerk at the bank , to sway Michael . When Michael finally , and ever so slightly , opens his hand that has the tuppence , the elder Mr. Dawes takes the tuppence from him . Michael protests very loudly , which causes panic and mayhem . A run on the bank ensues . The song is not present in the stage musical version of the score . A verse which Mr. Banks sings in an attempt to convince Michael to invest his money goes like this : has as its origins an essay by C. C. Turner titled ` Money London ' in the book edited by G. R. Sims called Living London ( London : 1903 ) :",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e67aaa4f6a89fbf3fed7fbc1599522e9",
"text": "The Temptations of Jean-Claude Killy `` The Temptations of Jean-Claude Killy '' is an article published in the premiere issue of Scanlan 's Monthly in March 1970 , written by Hunter S. Thompson . The subject of the article is Jean-Claude Killy , the alpine skiing champion who , in the 1968 Winter Olympics , became the second alpine skier ever to win three gold medals in a single olympic games . By the time of the article Killy , then 26 , was retired from skiing and had embarked on the next phase of his career -- endorsements . Thompson 's article follows Killy around the United States during his marketing tour for the Chevrolet automotive company . As he attends automotive shows , holds press conferences , and makes appearances for television ( all in conjunction with fellow Chevrolet spokesman , O.J. Simpson ) Thompson chronicles the newly flush world of celebrity sports endorsements . Though endorsement by a sports figure was not an entirely new concept , the world-wide magnitude of Killy 's stardom made his Chevrolet contract something of a fascination for Thompson . The article 's focus on the relative depths of the new pitch-man status obtained by Killy so shortly after the incredible heights he had achieved develops through acerbic descriptions of the settings Killy finds himself in , the automotive executives that profit by him , and the fans and onlookers who make him such a valuable spokesman . Through it all , Killy 's focus on his own enormous profit is a source of worry to Thompson . The trend he sees developing is one of larger-than-life stars -- athletes of the highest physical standards who have achieved feats unimaginable by normal people -- demeaning themselves and their accomplishments by agreeing to shill for a few extra dollars . An enormous sports fan himself , Thompson is distraught by this turn of events and wonders that Killy was never quite sure `` why I was embarrassed for him in those scenes . '' Thompson compares Killy to F. Scott Fitzgerald 's Gatsby : although , unlike that character , Killy 's dollars are earned honestly , the author concludes while watching Killy 's selling of himself that `` nothing in his narrow , high-powered experience can allow him to understand how I can watch his act and say that it looks , to me , like a very hard dollar -- maybe the hardest . '' The article was later included in Thompson 's collection The Great Shark Hunt ( 1979 ) .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "98ebb8647c30f2321ce84ddd31c8f350",
"text": "The New York Times Fiction Best Sellers of 1963 This is a list of adult fiction books that topped The New York Times Fiction Best Seller list in 1963 . The list is notable for being blank for part of the winter as the New York Times , like many other newspapers in the city , worked its way through a major newspaper strike . When the strike ended in March , the political thriller Seven Days in May led the list , having also been at the top at the start of the strike in December 1962 . It lasted there only one week before being overtaken by J.D. Salinger 's second No. 1 bestseller in 18 months , the anthologized novellas , `` Raise High the Roof Beam , Carpenters '' and `` Seymour : An Introduction '' . Salinger 's book led the list for 14 weeks through the spring of 1963 . Daphne du Maurier 's The Glass-Blowers then spent six weeks on the list , followed by Morris West 's novel about the Vatican , The Shoes of the Fisherman ( 14 weeks ) . On October 6 , Shoes gave way to Mary McCarthy 's semi-autobiographical novel The Group , which would spend the next 20 weeks at the top , closing out the year .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "85d30ad1242317a1d979e4006c369881",
"text": "Michael Foster (writer) Michael Foster ( 1904-1956 ) was an American novelist , journalist , screenwriter and cartoonist . Foster , who was born August 29 , 1904 , in Hardy , Arkansas , was a graduate of the Chicago Art Institute and became a reporter and cartoonist for newspapers in Salina , Kansas , Los Angeles , California , and , by 1937 , Seattle , Washington . His nickname was `` Gully . '' In 1926 , he was working on the Los Angeles Express , a daily newspaper . A friend , Charles Harris Garrigues , wrote that Foster <blockquote> writes , paints , and has been called the second most promising of the young poets in America by the Lit Dig -LSB- Literary Digest '' ' -RSB- -- does n't know one note of music from another and improvises the most beautiful piano music ... He roomed down at the house for a while until we had a fight over a novel he 's writing and then he moved out -- went on a three weeks ' drunk and only started back to work when I threatened to knock his block off if he did n't . </blockquote> Foster 's first novel , Forgive Adam , was published in 1935 by W. Morrow and Co. . Margaret Wallace of the New York Times said of the author : Michael Foster , a young newspaper man on the Pacific Coast , is the newest recruit to the ranks of the hard-boiled novelists . In the brief declarative sentences of his prose style , in his method of consistent understatement , in his attitude of weary and rather self-conscious disillusionment , he has aligned himself with the school of Hemingway and his imitators . The second novel , American Dream , came in 1937 . American Dream told the story of `` a disillusioned newspaperman who discovers through old family letters what America meant to the writers and what America should mean to him . Several scenes are reminiscent of the tawdry political atmosphere rendered in Ben Hecht 's and Charles MacArthur 's 1928 play , The Front Page . '' . Los Angeles Times reviewer Milton Merlin said that the work was : not an entirely satisfying novel , but it is an ambitious enterprise and an exceptionally compelling story told with feeling and facility ... . Foster , a Seattle reporter , chooses a member of his profession for his central figure . Shelby Thrall , a disillusioned idealist at 30 , reviews three generations of Thralls in an attempt to recapture the meaning of the `` American Dream . '' Shelby 's recollections , stirred by a pile of old , crumbling letters in the attic , cover a span of three generations ... Two books followed -- To Remember at Midnight ( 1938 ) and House Above the River ( 1946 ) . About his final book , The Dusty Godmother ( 1949 ) . reviewer A.C. Spectorsky wrote in the New York Times that Foster had expanded a slick-magazine short story into a light novel which disappoints largely because it has frequent and unfulfilled intimations and overtones of being far more than just that . Garrigues wrote in 1957 after Foster 's death that when Foster `` had done penance to his father by The American Dream , '' he had done all he had to do ... . he had written himself out when he made peace with his father , who was dead ; after that , he drank himself to death trying to find something that was not in him . '' Foster died on March 25 , 1956 , in California .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f8146a9e7fd4aca78a0b74d3fe10ffed",
"text": "American upper class The American upper class is a social group consisting of the people who have the highest social rank and who are usually rich . People of this social class are socioeconomically distinguishable from other classes by its greater influence , power , and wealth . The American upper class is composed of members born into this class , called members of Old money ; as well as those who have acquired their wealth and influence within their own generation , called the Nouveau riche . In a CNBC Millionaire Survey it can be observed that a majority of millionaires polled , representing the wealthiest 10 percent of Americans , described themselves as middle class ( 44 % ) or upper middle class ( 40 % ) . `` The study of attitudes is reasonably easy -LSB- ... -RSB- it 's concluded that for roughly 70 % of the population -- the lower 70 % on the wealth/income scale -- they have no influence on policy whatsoever . They 're effectively disenfranchised . As you move up the wealth/income ladder , you get a little bit more influence on policy . When you get to the top , which is maybe a tenth of one percent , people essentially get what they want , i.e. they determine the policy . So the proper term for that is not democracy ; it 's plutocracy . '' -- Noam Chomsky . Many Politicians , heirs to fortunes , top business executives , CEOs , successful venture capitalists , those born into high society , and some celebrities may be considered members of this class . Some prominent and high-rung professionals may also be included if they attain great influence and wealth . The main distinguishing feature of this class , which is estimated to constitute roughly 1 % of the population , is the source of income . While the vast majority of people and households derive their income from wages or salaries , those in the upper class derive their income from investments and capital gains . Estimates for the size of this group commonly vary from 1 % to 2 % , while some surveys have indicated that as many as 6 % of Americans identify as `` upper class . '' Sociologist Leonard Beeghley sees wealth as the only significant distinguishing feature of this class and , therefore , refers to this group simply as `` the rich . '' Sociologists such as W. Lloyd Warner , William Thompson and Joseph Hickey recognize prestige differences between members of the upper class . Established families , prominent professionals and politicians may be deemed to have more prestige than some entertainment celebrities who in turn may have more prestige than the members of local elites . Yet , contemporary sociologists argue that all members of the upper class share such great wealth , influence and assets as their main source of income as to be recognized as members of the same social class . As great financial fortune is the main distinguishing feature of this class , sociologist Leonard Beeghley at the University of Florida identifies all `` rich '' households , those with incomes in the top 1 % or so , as upper class . In 1998 , Bob Herbert of The New York Times referred to modern American plutocrats as `` The Donor Class '' ( list of top donors ) and defined the class , for the first time , as `` a tiny group -- just one-quarter of 1 percent of the population -- and it is not representative of the rest of the nation . But its money buys plenty of access . ''",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1f84d98969e4c4a792f83dc35b95a0fd",
"text": "Go West, young man `` Go West , young man '' is a phrase often credited to the American author and newspaper editor Horace Greeley concerning America 's expansion westward , related to the then-popular concept of Manifest Destiny . It was first stated by John Babsone Lane Soule in an 1851 editorial in the Terre Haute Express , `` Go west young man , and grow up with the country . '' Greeley later used the quote in his own editorial in 1865 . Greeley favored westward expansion . He saw the fertile farmland of the west as an ideal place for people willing to work hard for the opportunity to succeed . The phrase came to symbolize the idea that agriculture could solve many of the nation 's problems of poverty and unemployment characteristic of the big cities of the East . It is one of the most commonly quoted sayings from the nineteenth century and may have had some influence on the course of American history . Some sources have claimed the phrase is derived from Greeley 's July 13 , 1865 editorial in the New York Tribune , but this text does not appear in that issue of the newspaper . The actual editorial instead encourages Civil War veterans to take advantage of the Homestead Act and colonize the public lands :",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b6df95be1cea64cae01b4cc7aad1c50c",
"text": "Paul Eldridge Paul Eldridge ( May 5 , 1888July 26 , 1982 ) was an American poet , novelist , short story writer and teacher . The son of Leon and Jeanette Eldridge ( Lafleur ) , he was born in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania on May 5 , 1888 . He later married a fellow writer , Sylvette de Lamar ( author of a 1932 novel Jews and the Cross ) . He received his B.S. from Temple University in 1909 , his M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1911 , and a doctorate from the University of Paris in 1913 . He was a teacher of romance languages at the high school level in New York until his retirement in 1945 . He was a lecturer on American Literature at the Sorbonne in 1913 and at the University of Florence in 1923 . He later was an instructor of English literature at Saint John 's College in Philadelphia , from 1910-1912 , and was a member of the Authors ' and Dramatists ' League of the Authors ' Guild of America . He is best known for collaborating with the American decadent novelist and poet George Sylvester Viereck on a trilogy of exotic fantasy novels from 1928 to 1932 , My First Two Thousand Years : the Autobiography of the Wandering Jew , Salome : the Wandering Jewess and the Invincible Adam . A highly prolific author , many of his later books were published by E. Haldeman-Julius in his `` Big Blue Books '' series . He died at the age of 94 in a New York City nursing home on July 26 , 1982 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "170316168093e35ce2227177edba175b",
"text": "Père Goriot Le Père Goriot ( -LSB- lə pɛʁ ɡɔʁjo -RSB- , Old Goriot or Father Goriot ) is an 1835 novel by French novelist and playwright Honoré de Balzac ( 1799 -- 1850 ) , included in the Scènes de la vie privée section of his novel sequence La Comédie humaine . Set in Paris in 1819 , it follows the intertwined lives of three characters : the elderly doting Goriot ; a mysterious criminal-in-hiding named Vautrin ; and a naive law student named Eugène de Rastignac . Originally published in serial form during the winter of 1834/35 , Le Père Goriot is widely considered Balzac 's most important novel . It marks the first serious use by the author of characters who had appeared in other books , a technique that distinguishes Balzac 's fiction . The novel is also noted as an example of his realist style , using minute details to create character and subtext . The novel takes place during the Bourbon Restoration , which brought profound changes to French society ; the struggle by individuals to secure a higher social status is a major theme in the book . The city of Paris also impresses itself on the characters -- especially young Rastignac , who grew up in the provinces of southern France . Balzac analyzes , through Goriot and others , the nature of family and marriage , providing a pessimistic view of these institutions . The novel was released to mixed reviews . Some critics praised the author for his complex characters and attention to detail ; others condemned him for his many depictions of corruption and greed . A favorite of Balzac 's , the book quickly won widespread popularity and has often been adapted for film and the stage . It gave rise to the French expression `` Rastignac '' , a social climber willing to use any means to better his situation .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3fec39132fa48cd35c75e1fe7cc4162a",
"text": "Wealth and Poverty Wealth and Poverty is a best-selling 1981 non-fiction book by investor and author George Gilder . After completing Visible Man in the late 1970s Gilder began writing `` The Pursuit of Poverty . '' In early 1981 Basic Books published the result as Wealth and Poverty . The book was an analysis of the roots of economic growth . Reviewing it within a month of the inauguration of the Reagan Administration the New York Times reviewer called it `` A Guide to Capitalism '' . It offered , he wrote , `` a creed for capitalism worthy of intelligent people . '' The book was a New York Times bestseller and eventually sold over a million copies . In Wealth and Poverty Gilder extended the sociological and anthropological analysis of his early books in which he had advocated for the socialization of men into service to women through work and marriage . He wove these sociological themes into the economic policy prescriptions of supply-side economics . The breakup of the nuclear family and the policies of demand-side economics led to poverty . Family and supply-side policies led to wealth . In reviewing the problems of the immediate past -- the inflation , recession , and urban problems of the 1970s -- and proposing his supply-side solutions , Gilder argued not just the practical but the moral superiority of supply-side capitalism over the alternatives . `` Capitalism begins with giving , '' he asserted , while New Deal liberalism created moral hazard . It was work , family , and faith that created wealth out of poverty . `` It is this supply-side moral vision that underlies all the economic arguments of Wealth and Poverty , '' he wrote . In 1994 Gilder asserted that America has no poverty problem , that the real problem is the `` moral decay '' of the `` so-called poor '' , and that their real need is `` Christian teaching from the churches . '' He calls the poor in America `` the so-called poor '' who have been `` ruined by the overflow of American prosperity '' , and asserts they have more purchasing power than the middle class in Japan in the 1990s . Wealth and Poverty advanced a practical and moral case for supply-side economics and capitalism during the early months of the Reagan administration and made him Ronald Reagan 's most quoted living author .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6e36ac5d7be5686ada1f456734f6eb52",
"text": "Geoffrey T. Hellman Geoffrey T. Hellman ( February 13 , 1907 -- September 26 , 1977 ) was the son of writer and rare-books dealer , George S. Hellman . Born in New York City , he was also the great-grandson of banking titan Joseph Seligman , and thus , by ancestry , part of the city 's German-Jewish elite who referred to themselves as Our Crowd . He attended Yale and contributed to the Yale Daily News , the Yale Literary Magazine and campus humor magazine The Yale Record . Upon graduating in 1928 , he wrote for the New York Herald Tribune 's Sunday book supplement thanks to a recommendation by Thornton Wilder . By 1929 , he secured a position at The New Yorker magazine as a reporter for the `` Talk of the Town '' section . Though he contributed to numerous publications in his career , he would be affiliated and most firmly identified with The New Yorker . While with The New Yorker , Hellman wrote extensively about New York institutions such as the New York Zoological Society and the Bronx Zoo , the Metropolitan Museum of Art , the Metropolitan Opera House , the Museum of Modern Art , the New York Public Library , the Pierpont Morgan Library , the United Nations , and the New York Stock Exchange , to promote public awareness of these institutions and of interesting events they sponsored . He also wrote about prominent people such as author Louis Auchincloss ; New York Parks Commissioner Robert Moses , who sent him story ideas ; and architect Frank Lloyd Wright . Because of his background and family connections , he was also The New Yorker '' 's link to Manhattan society , reporting on parties , local clubs and societies such as the Grolier Club , The Explorers Club , the National Audubon Society , and the American Geographical Society , and exclusive restaurants , from which he collected an impressive number of menus . His books include compilations of his pieces that appeared in The New Yorker ( ` How to Disappear for an Hour ' and ` Mrs. De Peyster 's Parties ' ) and a book about the Smithsonian Institution ( ` Octopus on the Mall ' ) and a history of the American Museum of Natural History ( ` Bankers , Bones and Beetles ' ) . As recently as June 2013 his research for an 1940 profile on Robert Ripley was cited for its exhaustive scope in a review of the latest Ripley biography . From 1936-1938 , he was also the associate editor of Life magazine . During World War II , Hellman was in Washington D.C. where he wrote for the Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs , the War Department and helped to write a top-secret history of the OSS . In addition to his pursuits as a writer , Hellman was an enthusiastic butterfly collector .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "309d177e6834ba3804ef3dd615d9742e",
"text": "Too big to fail The `` too big to fail '' theory asserts that certain corporations , particularly financial institutions , are so large and so interconnected that their failure would be disastrous to the greater economic system , and that they therefore must be supported by government when they face potential failure . The colloquial term `` too big to fail '' was popularized by U.S. Congressman Stewart McKinney in a 1984 Congressional hearing , discussing the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 's intervention with Continental Illinois . The term had previously been used occasionally in the press . Proponents of this theory believe that some institutions are so important that they should become recipients of beneficial financial and economic policies from governments or central banks . Some economists such as Paul Krugman hold that economies of scale in banks and in other businesses are worth preserving , so long as they are well regulated in proportion to their economic clout , and therefore that `` too big to fail '' status can be acceptable . The global economic system must also deal with sovereign states being too big to fail . Opponents believe that one of the problems that arises is moral hazard whereby a company that benefits from these protective policies will seek to profit by it , deliberately taking positions ( see asset allocation ) that are high-risk high-return , as they are able to leverage these risks based on the policy preference they receive . The term has emerged as prominent in public discourse since the 2007 -- 08 global financial crisis . Critics see the policy as counterproductive and that large banks or other institutions should be left to fail if their risk management is not effective . Some critics , such as Alan Greenspan , believe that such large organisations should be deliberately broken up : `` If they 're too big to fail , they 're too big '' . More than fifty prominent economists , financial experts , bankers , finance industry groups , and banks themselves have called for breaking up large banks into smaller institutions . In 2014 , the International Monetary Fund and others said the problem still had not been dealt with . While the individual components of the new regulation for systemically important banks ( additional capital requirements , enhanced supervision and resolution regimes ) likely reduced the prevalence of TBTF , the fact that there is a definite List of systemically important banks considered TBTF has a partly offsetting impact .",
"title": ""
}
] |
fever
|
eb14f157b4f601275a5f22b10e6cca6a
|
Shane Black and Chris Miller wrote Iron Man 3.
|
[
{
"docid": "cd6b40b5352ddd37268c14da9d3af767",
"text": "Iron Man 3 Iron Man 3 ( stylized onscreen as Iron Man Three ) is a 2013 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sequel to 2008 's Iron Man and 2010 's Iron Man 2 , and the seventh film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . Shane Black directed a screenplay he co-wrote with Drew Pearce , which uses concepts from the `` Extremis '' story arc by Warren Ellis . The film stars Robert Downey Jr. , Gwyneth Paltrow , Don Cheadle , Guy Pearce , Rebecca Hall , Stephanie Szostak , James Badge Dale , Jon Favreau , and Ben Kingsley . In Iron Man 3 , Tony Stark deals with posttraumatic stress disorder caused by the events of The Avengers , while investigating the reemergence of the Ten Rings , led by the mysterious Mandarin and comes into a conflict with an old enemy : Aldrich Killian . After the release of Iron Man 2 in May 2010 , Favreau , who served as director , decided not to return , and in February 2011 Black was hired to write and direct the film . Black and Pearce opted to make the script more character-centric and focused on thriller elements . Throughout April and May 2012 , the film 's supporting cast was filled out , with Kingsley , Pearce , and Hall brought in to portray key roles . Filming began on May 23 , and lasted through December 17 , 2012 , primarily at EUE/Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington , North Carolina . Additional shooting took place at various locations around North Carolina , as well as Florida , China , and Los Angeles . The visual effects were handled by 17 companies , including Scanline VFX , Digital Domain , and Weta Digital . The film was converted to 3D in post-production . Iron Man 3 premiered at Le Grand Rex in Paris on April 14 , 2013 . It began its release on April 25 , 2013 , internationally , and debuted in the United States one week later on May 3 . The film received generally positive reviews and was commercially successful , grossing over $ 1.2 billion worldwide , the second highest-grossing film of 2013 overall , and the second-highest-grossing film at the domestic box office released in 2013 . It became the sixteenth film to gross over $ 1 billion and the 5th-highest-grossing film of all time , with its opening weekend ranking as the 6th-highest-grossing opening of all time . The film also received a nomination for Academy Award in the category of Best Visual Effects , and received another nomination for BAFTA Award in the same category .",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "c6e6776f18a69bea1f3325b77b6a5c40",
"text": "Hangar 13 (company) Hangar 13 is an American video game developer founded on December 4 , 2014 , as a subsidiary of 2K Games . It is based in Novato , California , in the area of the former Hamilton Air Force Base . Headed by comic book and video game writer Haden Blackman , the studio 's debut title was Mafia III , which was released on October 7 , 2016 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c074c81dccb7bb21a8b562630a392a05",
"text": "Personal Velocity: Three Portraits Personal Velocity : Three Portraits is a 2002 American independent film written and directed by Rebecca Miller .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "478a607f18f102a18f9fd18fb6ca38b9",
"text": "Iron Man: Rise of Technovore is a direct-to-video anime film by Madhouse that follows up on the Marvel Anime series . It is directed by Hiroshi Hamasaki , an anime director best known for works like Shigurui : Death Frenzy and Texhnolyze , and based on a story written by Brandon Auman . Matthew Mercer and Norman Reedus voiced Tony Stark and Punisher respectively .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1769e5c52aaf5e4512faac3561a745da",
"text": "Kennedy Miller Mitchell Kennedy Miller Mitchell ( before 2009 known as Kennedy Miller ) is an Australian film , television and video game production house in Potts Point , Sydney , that has been producing television and film since 1978 . It is responsible for some of Australia 's most well known and successful films , including the four Mad Max films , the two Babe films , and the two Happy Feet films . Kennedy Miller Mitchell is one of Australia 's oldest existing film production companies , and the internationally most successful . Many of the films are directed by the co-founder , George Miller , though he sometimes takes an organisational role and prefers to use someone else to direct , as with Babe , which was directed by Chris Noonan . The company 's most recent project was the fourth Mad Max film , titled Mad Max : Fury Road . After being `` in development hell for 25 years '' , the film was released to critical acclaim on May 15 , 2015 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "533577062f6b997466aec7203c904e29",
"text": "Christopher Cook (writer) Christopher LaVaughn Cook ( born August 3 , 1952 ) is an American writer whose writing styles and genres include journalism , non-fiction , scriptwriting and fiction , including short stories , novellas and novels .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7ca80f762d3294219cb9ddef89d5ab65",
"text": "X-Men Forever X-Men Forever is the name of three comic book series published by Marvel Comics featuring the mutant superhero group the X-Men . The first is a 2001 miniseries , unrelated to the others . The second and third are the work of writer Chris Claremont .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4a4cef110ecdb679c24fdcd612673fce",
"text": "Gears of War Gears of War is a video game franchise created and originally owned by Epic Games , developed and managed by The Coalition , and owned and published by Microsoft Studios . The series focuses on the conflict between humanity , the subterranean reptilian hominids known as the Locust Horde , and their mutated counterparts , the Lambent & the Swarm . The franchise consists of five third-person shooter video games , which has also been supplemented by a comic book series and five novels . The first installment , titled Gears of War , was released on November 7 , 2006 for the Xbox 360 . The game follows protagonist Marcus Fenix , a soldier in the Coalition of Ordered Governments tasked to lead a last-ditch effort to destroy the Locust Horde and save humanity . Two subsequent titles , Gears of War 2 ( 2008 ) and Gears of War 3 ( 2011 ) , continued Fenix and humanity 's ongoing conflict with the Locust Horde and Lambent forces . In 2013 , Epic Games and Microsoft released Gears of War : Judgment , a prequel to the series ' first title , which instead focuses on Damon Baird , one of Fenix 's squad-mates . Gears of War : Ultimate Edition was released for Microsoft Windows on March 1 , 2016 . The series ' third sequel , Gears of War 4 , is set 25 years after Gears of War 3 and follows Marcus Fenix 's son , JD , as he battles new foes that threaten humanity . Gears of War was developed by Epic Games . Cliff Bleszinski , who has previously worked on Epic 's Unreal Tournament games , served the series ' lead game designer for the first three installments . He was inspired by gameplay elements from Resident Evil 4 , Kill Switch , and Bionic Commando . The series was also guided by Rod Fergusson , the executive producer and director of development of Epic Games until 2012 . The first four installments of the Gears of War series used a modified version of the Unreal Engine 3 engine . On January 27 , 2014 , Microsoft acquired all rights to the franchise from Epic Games . Canadian studio The Coalition developed Gears of War 4 , which was released on October 11 , 2016 for the Xbox One and Windows 10 . Gears of War became one of the best-selling franchises for the Xbox 360 . The series is well known for its emphasis on cover-based combat , in which players can use objects to avoid gunfire or safely engage enemies . All five installments in Gears of War featured several multiplayer modes that allowed players to compete against each other or team-up to battle AI opponents on Xbox Live . The Gears of War games have been amongst the most popular and most played titles on Xbox Live .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8ab65ef2fa913efea0db11765290e5d9",
"text": "Bruce Golden Bruce Edward Golden ( born December 3 , 1952 ) is an American writer of science fiction , a satirist , and a journalist .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "169cf3c51d330e4b745e41c48df18598",
"text": "Oxygen (Miller novel) Oxygen is the third novel by English author , Andrew Miller , released on 6 September 2001 through Sceptre . Although the novel received mixed reviews , it was shortlisted for both a Man Booker Prize and a Whitbread Award in 2001 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fb1a0192df5037093557b1d59585adff",
"text": "Third Hawkins Born Maurice Hawkins , Third Hawkins is a recognized music producer in and out of the DMV area including his hometown of Baltimore , Maryland . He has been producing music for over 10 years and was formally in the r & b group JONDOE . His group was signed to a demo deal with Universal Music Group during the late 90 's but an album never formed . After performing on the Apollo Theater the group decided to disband and Third Hawkins began his production career . Buying music equipment piece by piece he started working with local artist including a young group which he helped formed . After working with several local artist Third began writing for different singers and became one of Baltimore and Dc 's most unknown talent . He started Ghostwriting for artist because he did not want the notoriety that comes with fame . QUOTE : `` My goal is to become the best multi-genre African American male author of the future . '' Third Hawkins hits the scene with the pure gifted talent of story telling in a way that captivates each reader as if they were a part of the story twisting Urban Literature writing in a way that has never been done . . QUOTE : `` I have done so many things in my life that has made me become the man I am today . Some good and some bad but none of them do I regret . '' Third Hawkins began his journey in the music business in an R&B group called JONDOE of which they were signed to a major record label but never produced a full album . It was then when he focused his talent for writing songs and developing them into musical love stories that he began his curiosity for the literary arts . Although writing is what he loved to do music was always his passion . Producing tracks for local and other music artist . Performing at the legendary Apollo theater and other venues are what inspired him to become a better artist . Between work and relationships the music in his life dwindled and the love he once had left after years of R&B changed in the musical domain . He began to write short stories just for fun and one day while on the subway train . Using nothing but his data phone began texting his first book , `` My Only Syn '' . After writing the book and seeing how new found friends that were writers were screwed over by several publishing companies Third started his own publishing company , 3rdHawkins Publishing and began to write the self acclaimed drama `` Wake Me When It 's Over '' based on the life of a strong man trying to survive living with depression . `` I look at urban novels as the future of literary art because of the fact that it 's as real as you can get in telling a story . Hip Hop was once looked at as a genre in music that would never last and now the stories that they tell have influenced all genres of music from rock to country . Every one has some sort of story to tell and some stories may help even if it 's just one person who will read my book and can relate : I am satisfied and feel I have done my job as an author . ''",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c4a8657c06afb438f60bf922db251712",
"text": "Death's Head Death 's Head is a fictional character appearing in British comics and American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character is depicted as a robotic bounty hunter ( or rather , as he calls himself , a `` freelance peace-keeping agent '' ) . The character was created by writer Simon Furman and artist Geoff Senior for the company 's Marvel UK imprint . Furman decided to use Death 's Head in his Transformers stories , but believed that characters appearing in Transformers `` were prone to be absorbed into that title 's catchall copyright '' ( allowing Hasbro to contest their ownership ) and led to a one-page strip titled `` High Noon Tex '' ( which was subsequently published in various Marvel UK titles ) being hastily created to establish Marvel 's ownership of the character . Furman has stated that he chose the name Death 's Head for the character while unaware of the `` Nazi-connotations of the name '' . The character was later redesigned and relaunched as Death 's Head II , acting as one of the flagship characters for Marvel UK 's 1990s expansion . This version of Death 's Head also inspired two spin-off characters , Death Wreck and Death Metal , each of which starred in its own limited series . Later , in 2005 , fans used a poll on Marvel 's website to vote for the character 's return . This led to a third version of Death 's Head , Death 's Head 3.0 , created by original Death 's Head writer Simon Furman . Simon Furman said in 2011 that the character was still popular because `` he 'll never change or compromise or grow or repent or agonise like most comic book characters . He 's this unchanging , uncompromising rock that other characters bounce off . But you still kind of love him . Weird . ''",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5cec38d0f69136c48543ebb09379f1f9",
"text": "Gloom 3 Gloom 3 ( also known as Ultimate Gloom and Gloom 3 : Zombie Edition ) is a 1997 game for the Amiga computer . Gloom 3 was the third proper , commercially released clone of the immensely popular first person shooter Doom in the Gloom series on the Amiga . Gloom 3 's author , Gareth Murfin , was proprietor of Alpha Software , with additional graphics made by James Caygill and Jason Jordache The game was one of two games produced by Alpha Software for the Amiga , the other being Zombie Massacre , at a time when the machine was being squeezed out of the market . Although the game was critically well received by publications such as CU Amiga , at the time of release games for the Amiga were on the decline and not deemed commercially viable , and the game received criticism for its appearance .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "738be1ae11fb57dacecd6f8e1e8fbca5",
"text": "Tony Lee Tony Lee is a British comics writer , screenwriter , audio playwright , and novelist .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0380be13fd7682356b1b78b885f85458",
"text": "Punisher: War Zone (2012 series) Punisher : War Zone , also known as The Punisher War Zone vol . 3 is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics about the vigilante The Punisher . The series was written by Greg Rucka and was a follow up to his previous Punisher series from 2011 , the series was meant to finish the story Rucka had begun in the 2011 series . The interior illustration was done by Carmine Di Giandomenico .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a5598e83acf9d563f84deab9a8d7e2d9",
"text": "The Brave Archer 3 The Brave Archer 3 , also known as Blast of the Iron Palm , is a 1981 Hong Kong film adapted from Louis Cha 's novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes . The film was produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio and directed by Chang Cheh , starring Alexander Fu Sheng and Niu-niu in the lead roles . The film is the third part of a trilogy and was preceded by The Brave Archer ( 1977 ) and The Brave Archer 2 ( 1978 ) . The film has two unofficial sequels , The Brave Archer and His Mate ( 1982 ) and Little Dragon Maiden ( 1983 ) , both of which were based on The Return of the Condor Heroes . The theme song of the film , Say Cheung Kei , was composed by Chang Cheh , arranged by Joseph Koo and performed in Cantonese by Jenny Tseng .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "87e453d996be73368c0e01d7b7f24007",
"text": "The Caretaker Trilogy The Caretaker Trilogy is a series of science fiction thrillers with an ecological theme , written for young adults by the award-winning American novelist and screenwriter , David Klass . The first book in the series , Firestorm ( 2006 ) , was the first book ever endorsed by Greenpeace and was praised by critics for its combination of entertainment value and environmental message , garnering an American Library Association ( ALA ) Best Book citation , a starred review from Publishers Weekly , and a favorable review by the New York Times Book Review . The story focuses on Jack Danielson , a teenager sent back from the future to save the world 's oceans . Whirlwind , the second book in the Caretaker Trilogy , tells the story of Jack 's efforts to save the Amazon rain forest ; published in March 2008 by Farrar , Straus and Giroux . The third book in the trilogy is Timelock , published in 2009 . Firestorm has been optioned by Warner Bros. and the production company Thunder Road . A screenplay for the movie version is in active development .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c28371d5b5f409e1676e0a7ebda95abe",
"text": "Three Strikes (comics) Three Strikes is a black & white comic book series from Oni Press written by Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir , featuring art by Brian Hurtt . Three Strikes is a crime drama about Rey Quintana , a young man with a troubled past who is trying to make something of his life when he makes a bad decision and shoplifts a present for his girlfriend . Sentenced to more than 20 years for his minor crime due to California 's `` Three Strikes And You 're Out '' laws , Rey goes on the run . The story is also about bounty hunter Noah Conway , an ex-cop who has screwed up his personal life and who has no sympathy for lawbreakers like Rey . When Rey goes on the run , Noah is hired to bring him in , and the two men both undergo radical transformations as one hunts the other . Category : Oni Press titles",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1c92744367e0ee5ba3380d393ecacfe3",
"text": "Their Dead Lives Their Dead Lives is a zombie apocalypse trilogy written by the American author Zack Scott . The satirical trilogy follows four self-involved friends who must face the past in order to save the future . The novels in the trilogy are titled FOUR ( 2011 ) , VITAL BLOOD ( 2014 ) , and A BLANKET FOR DECAY ( 2016 ) . Chapters of each novel are told by a single character 's limited POV , including the core four : Jeff , Alec , Scot , and Kale . Other major and minor characters have POV chapters . On April 4 , 2016 , Zack Scott announced that he is working on a sequel series titled '' THEIR DEAD WORLD ' .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "38e3dde3f88f9b18b6f15f2f4c347e88",
"text": "Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely are a duo of American screenwriters and producers . They are known for their work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , having written the three Captain America films ( The First Avenger , The Winter Soldier , and Civil War ) , Thor : The Dark World , and will be writing Avengers : Infinity War and its untitled sequel ; and having created the Agent Carter TV series . They are also the screenwriters of The Chronicles of Narnia film franchise . They made their screenwriting debut in 2004 with The Life and Death of Peter Sellers , for which they won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries , Movie or a Dramatic Special . They also wrote the films You Kill Me and Pain & Gain .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c938045287a83d68520ec8c47b91fb94",
"text": "Gears of War 3 Gears of War 3 is a 2011 military science fiction third-person shooter video game developed by Epic Games and published by Microsoft Studios for the Xbox 360 . Originally due for release on April 8 , 2011 , the game was delayed and eventually released on September 20 , 2011 . Gears of War 3 received more than one million pre-orders . It is the third installment of the Gears of War series . The story was written by science fiction author Karen Traviss . A sequel , titled Gears of War 4 , was announced in June 2015 and was released on October 11 , 2016 .",
"title": ""
}
] |
fever
|
e3b9f0677baec16862434e3d2ceae840
|
Blair is Jonathan Hensleigh's middle name.
|
[
{
"docid": "febc52f2f1329ccee0fc962e3fb24ccc",
"text": "Jonathan Hensleigh Jonathan Blair Hensleigh ( born February 1959 ) is an American screenwriter and film director , working primarily in the action-adventure genre , best known for writing film such as Jumanji , Die Hard with a Vengeance , and Armageddon , as well as making his own directorial debut with the 2004 comic book action film The Punisher .",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "be7336a91018008ec2bab3136d941a04",
"text": "Blair Dunlop Blair Dunlop ( born February 11 , 1992 ) is an English musician and actor .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e5aafdf038746c783139341e63710a02",
"text": "William Blair (Nova Scotia politician) William M. Blair ( May 25 , 1836 -- June 17 , 1919 ) was a farmer and political figure in Nova Scotia , Canada . He represented Colchester County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1878 to 1886 as a Liberal-Conservative member . He was born in Onslow , Nova Scotia and educated there . In 1864 , he married Harriet Blair . He was lieutenant-colonel in the militia , commanding a Highlanders battalion from Pictou , Hants and Colchester . Blair was an arent promoter of modern farming , and was deeply involved in agricultural reform efforts in Nova Scotia . He was president of the Onslow Agricultural Society and chairman of the Agricultural Exhibition Committee , was a prominent member of the Nova Scotia Farmers ' Association from its inception in 1895 until his death , and participated in lobbying the provincial government for the creation of a provincial School of Agriculture in 1885 ( which became the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in 1905 ) . Most substantively , Blair was the first supervisor of the federally funded Experimental Farm in Nappan , Nova Scotia , heading it from its creation in 1887 until his retirement in 1896 . He died in 1919 . His son was William Saxby Blair who followed in his father 's footsteps in agricultural promotion , being the first supervisor of the Experimental Farm in Kentville , Nova Scotia from its creation in 1912 until his retirement in 1938 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "288abe0f4d83506e28f0f2149949d3e3",
"text": "Holly (name) Holly is an English-language surname and given name . Holly is a special name and known as an English or Irish surname ( variant Holley ) it is either locational , ultimately derived an Old English hol lēah '' -LSB- dwelling by -RSB- the clearing by the hollow '' , or descriptive , from hol-ēage `` hollow-eyed '' . In Ireland , it was also used as a translation of the name Mac Cuilinn , which is derived from cuileann , the Gaelic name of the holly tree , and by extension sometimes of the similar-sounding McQuillan surname of Ulster . The masculine names Holly , Hollie were derived from the surname , but have mostly fallen out of use since the mid 20th century due to the rise in popularity of the feminine name . Hollis is an English surname derived from a Middle English holis '' -LSB- dwelling by -RSB- holly trees '' ; it was also used as a masculine given name . Holly ( variant Hollie ) was first used as a feminine given name in the 20th century , as a `` botanical '' name given to girls , in reference to , or at least secondarily associated with , the holly tree . While the feminine name is on record in the United States since the 1930s , its surge in popularity was due to Holly Golightly , the socialite protagonist in Truman Capote 's Breakfast at Tiffany 's ( 1958 ) , which was made into a film starring Audrey Hepburn in 1961 . The name of this character is stated to be short for Holiday ( rather than a reference to the plant ) . The name peaked in popularity in the United States in the 1970s and 1980s , and has declined since , ranking at # 380 in the United States as of 2009 . It was popularly given in England and Wales during the 2000s , staying in the top 30 girls ' names throughout 1996 -- 2012 , with a peak at rank # 12 in 2002 ( and dropping to rank # 33 as of 2013 ) . A tendency to give the name to girls born on or near Christmas has also been observed . More recent eccentric spellings of the feminine name include Holli ( 1970s ) , Holleigh , Hollee , Hollye .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2f86589a009a23b8d5d8067149bf5f47",
"text": "Dike Blair Dike Blair ( born 1952 in New Castle , Pennsylvania ) is an American artist . He graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with an M.F.A. , in 1977 . He lives in New York City .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8c2afa5af9a6c45211faffc2faa78f79",
"text": "S. Robert Blair Sidney Robert `` Bob '' Blair , ( 13 August 1929 -- 18 April 2009 ) was a Canadian engineer and businessman . Born in Port of Spain , Trinidad , where his father Sidney Blair was managing an oil refinery , the young Sidney Robert Blair would be educated in various settings then begin his studies at Queen 's University in Kingston , Ontario at age 16 . In 1951 , he graduated from there in chemical engineering . He worked across North America in the construction and gas operations and in 1969 became President and Chief Executive Officer of NOVA Corporation . Blair has three sons and two daughters from his marriage to Lois which ended in divorce by the early 1970s . He was Canada 's Commissioner General at Expo 2000 . In 1980 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and was promoted to Companion in 1985 . Blair died at North Vancouver 's Lions Gate Hospital on 18 April 2009 . His last residence was in North Vancouver .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6a91957d1c4b91d6ecd6cd2d42fb6688",
"text": "Bernard Blair Bernard Blair ( May 24 , 1801 -- May 7 , 1880 ) was an American politician and a U.S. Representative from New York .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e32ec5e55ab76c28285c9f51706fa980",
"text": "Blatcherism Blatcherism is a term formed as a portmanteau of the names of two British politicians , Tony Blair ( Labour Party ) and Margaret Thatcher ( Conservative Party ) . It has been used by critics of monetarism and neo-liberal economics to refer to the thesis that a policy model of the Thatcher government , distinct from One Nation Conservatism , was resurrected when Blair came to power . It echoed ` Butskellism ' , frequently used to describe the post-war consensus on a mixed economy with moderate state intervention to promote social goals , particularly in education and health . Editorial comment by Red Pepper before the 1997 General Election that brought Blair to power may be the earliest usage . Another early sighting of this term was in 2001 , used by Brian Lee Crowley , a Canadian commentator . The term has also been used , for example , by the journalist Alexander Cockburn , in preference to Blairism .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a2678e92a24e64e48a9195f73e73f923",
"text": "Blair Castle Blair Castle stands in its grounds near the village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire in Scotland . It is the ancestral home of the Clan Murray , and was historically the seat of their chief , the Duke of Atholl , though the current ( 12th ) Duke , Bruce Murray , lives in South Africa . The castle stands in Glen Garry , and commands a strategic position on the main route ( now the A9 road ) through the central Scottish Highlands . The castle is a category A listed building , and the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland , the national listing of significant gardens .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1bfa1d78f6efc00f872fa2bbf032a19b",
"text": "Ron Blair Ronald Edward Blair ( born September 16 , 1948 in San Diego , California ) is an American musician notable for being the bassist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers . He was originally the band 's bassist from 1976 to 1982 . In 2002 , he returned to the group after a 20-year hiatus , replacing his own replacement , the late Howie Epstein .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8c7d7397a0b6bcdbb69c36df0710c1b9",
"text": "Jonathan Cain (cricketer) Jonathan Blair Cain ( born 25 October 1969 ) was a New Zealand domestic cricketer for Auckland . A right-hand batsman and wicket keeper , Cain played eight first-class matches and three List-A across the 1994/95 New Zealand domestic season .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "323d73698f3330f3c39aaa8b8a151062",
"text": "Jocelyn Jocelyn is a surname and first name . It is a unisex ( male/female ) name . Variants include Josalyn , Jocilyn , Joscelyn , Joscelin , Josceline , Joseline , Jocelin , Jocelyne , Jocelynne , Jocelynn , Joslin , Joslyn , Joclyn , Joselyn , Joselyne , ` Jocylen and Josslyn ; people who have this name may find it is often misspelled by others . The name may derive from Josselin , a locality in Brittany , France , and was introduced to England after the Norman Conquest . It may also derive from the Germanic name Gauzlin , also spelled Gozlin or Goslin . It is Latinized as Iudocus or Judocus , from Breton Iodoc , diminutive of iudh ( `` lord '' ) . In French , the spelling `` Jocelyn '' is exclusively male . The female counterpart is spelled `` Jocelyne '' . The Irish name Oisdealbh is sometimes erroneously attributed to a translation of Jocelyn , to Gaelicize Jocelyn de Angulo 's given name . In fact , MacOisdealbhaigh is the Gaelic translation of his brother Hostilo ( or Hostilio ) de Angulo 's given name . It is Hostilo 's descendants who would bear the surname Mac Oisdealbhaigh ( son of Oisdealbh or Hostilo ) . The surname would later be anglicized to Costello , Costelloe , and Costellow .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ed4effddb27564eec427f5b74fdf4640",
"text": "Poem on the Evil Times of Edward II Poem on the Evil Times of Edward II , also known as The Simonie and Symonie and Couetise , is a Middle English poem in three distinct versions probably composed and modified over a century by anonymous authors . The original poem , perhaps not exactly reproduced by any of the surviving texts , has been dated to 1321 by Thomas Wright ( 1839 ) , to 1327 by J. Aberth ( 2000 ) , and to 1322-30 by Dan Embree and Elizabeth Urquhart ( 1991 ) . Version A is in Edinburgh , National Library of Scotland , MS Advocates 19.2.1 . It is 476 lines long , breaking off in mid-stanza . It can be s dated to the 1320s or 30s . Version B is in Oxford , Bodleian Library , MS Bodley 48 . It is 413 lines long , but 216 lines have been cut from the manuscript . It can be dated to the 1320s Version C is in Cambridge , Peterhouse MS 104 . It is 468 lines long , apparently complete . It might be dated to any point up to the date of the manuscript itself -- 1375-1425 . The three versions vary radically from one another -- much more extensively than is usual for a text that has been merely copied and much more chaotically than is plausible for a text revised by its author . Each version has unique inclusions and omissions ; only 35 percent of the lines in A are shared by B and C. It was a `` social protest '' poem that arose in the aftermath of the Great Famine of 1315-1317 . It clearly targeted the negligences and vices of specific social groups , such as the clergy and nobility , within the context of the failures of the Great Famine and wars of the early 14th century . The tradition of social protest poems in England would later culminate with Piers Plowman -- see Piers Plowman tradition for further discussion .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "061fda0e0bcf016980fd0decaf7a3767",
"text": "Matt Blair Matt Blair ( born September 20 , 1950 ) was an outside linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League for all 12 seasons of his career from 1974 to 1985 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1cb7daf7f1bb3dfe54e163ebd00c4d8c",
"text": "The Serena Also Rises `` The Serena Also Rises '' is the 23rd episode of the CW television series , Gossip Girl . It was also the fifth episode of the show 's second season . The episode was written by Jessica Queller and directed by Patrick Norris . It originally aired on Monday , September 29 , 2008 on the CW . In the midst of Fashion Week , a furious Blair Waldorf ( Leighton Meester ) plans on sabotaging Serena van der Woodsen ( Blake Lively ) after Serena claims her Queen Bee status and rejecting her for New York socialite Poppy Lifton ( Tamara Feldman ) , during her mother 's fashion show . Jenny Humphrey ( Taylor Momsen ) becomes a casualty of Blair 's schemes as her father Rufus Humphrey ( Matthew Settle ) begins to see through her Jenny 's lies . Meanwhile , Dan Humphrey ( Penn Badgley ) decides to hang out with Chuck Bass ( Ed Westwick ) to improve his writing , incidentally discovering a darker side to Chuck . Lily Bass ( Kelly Rutherford ) finds difficulty in her marriage with Bart Bass ( Robert John Burke ) when details behind her past are uncovered .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d00875262e797a742c50f26cd9eb85cc",
"text": "A Journey A Journey is a memoir by Tony Blair of his tenure as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom . Published in the UK on 1 September 2010 , it covers events from when he became leader of the Labour Party in 1994 and transformed it into `` New Labour '' , holding power for a party record three successive terms , to his resignation and replacement as Prime Minister by his Chancellor of the Exchequer , Gordon Brown . Blair donated his # 4.6 million advance , and all subsequent royalties , to the British Armed Forces charity The Royal British Legion . It became the fastest-selling autobiography of all time at the bookstore chain Waterstones . Promotional events were marked by antiwar protests . Two of the book 's major topics are the strains in Blair 's relationship with Brown after Blair allegedly reneged on the pair 's 1994 agreement to step down as Prime Minister much earlier , and his controversial decision to participate in the 2003 invasion of Iraq . Blair discusses Labour 's future after the 2010 general election , his relations with the Royal Family , and how he came to respect President George W. Bush . Reviews were mixed ; some criticised Blair 's writing style , but others called it candid . Gordon Brown was reportedly unhappy over Blair 's comments about him , while David Runciman of The London Review of Books suggested there were episodes from Blair 's troubled relationship with his Chancellor that were absent from A Journey . Labour politician Alistair Darling said the book demonstrates how the country can be changed for the better when a government has a clear purpose , while the New Zealand Listener suggested Blair and his contemporaries had helped to write New Labour 's epitaph . Some families of servicemen and women who were killed in Iraq reacted angrily , with one antiwar commentator dismissing Blair 's regrets over the loss of life . Shortly after the release of A Journey , the screenwriter of the 2006 film The Queen , which depicts Blair 's first months in office , accused Blair of plagiarising a conversation with Elizabeth II from him .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8eddcc2434d794fd4c95f5086191aadd",
"text": "Jonathan Hampton Jonathan Hampton ( 1712 - 1 November 1777 ) was an American colonial surveyor , merchant , and militia officer involved with New Jersey 's frontier fortifications and defenses along the Delaware River during the French and Indian War ( 1755-1763 ) . In 1755 , the Royal Governor Jonathan Belcher and the colonial legislature authorized the construction of stone blockhouse fortifications along the colony 's Delaware River frontier to thwart violent incursions by disaffected Native Americans and their French allies as hostilities led to the French and Indian War . These incursions and other hostilities were a continuation of a European conflict between France and England called the Seven Years ' War . The act authorizing these fortifications also appointed Jonathan Hampton as the victualler and paymaster of a military unit , the New Jersey Frontier Guard , to man these forts . To supply these troops , Hampton built the Military Road linking the provincial capital at Elizabethtown ( now Elizabeth ) with Morristown and the Delaware River valley ( then called the Minisink ) in 1756-1757 . This road followed Native American trails and became the route of subsequent roads , including the Union Turnpike , and present-day New Jersey Route 10 , U.S. Route 206 , and County Route 510 . The Military Road 's western terminus ends at the Old Mine Road , an old road following the Delaware and Neversink River valleys between Esopus ( now Kingston ) in Ulster County , New York , and the Delaware Water Gap . Hampton established a large headquarters fort , Fort Johns , on the hillside overlooking the `` Shapanack Flats '' section of the Delaware valley near the Van Campen 's Inn in Walpack Township . Hampton owned many large tracts of land in Sussex County 's Paulins Kill valley . Shortly after the creation of the county , Hampton offered several acres from these tracts to the county for the building of a courthouse ( built 1762-1765 ) and a public green . Nearby , he offered tracts for a proposed school , and to the Anglican church for a church and parsonage for the local rector . Hampton was a freemason , and a Bible donated in 1770 to Saint John 's Lodge No. 1 , Ancient York Masons in New York City was later used in the inauguration of George Washington , and later in the inaugurations of Warren G. Harding , Dwight D. Eisenhower , Jimmy Carter , and George H. W. Bush . Hampton 's name and its dedication is inscribed on the front page of the Bible . Hampton died 1 November 1777 in Elizabethtown , New Jersey allegedly while celebrating news of the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga two weeks earlier . The Sussex County municipality of Hampton Township was named in his honor .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0d80a755b7b619830c19db871e7be0c6",
"text": "Blair Levin Blair Steven Levin is an American lawyer formerly with the Federal Communications Commission , who served as the Executive Director of the National Broadband Plan from 2009 to 2010 . During the Presidency of Bill Clinton he was chief of staff to FCC chairman Reed Hundt from 1993 to 1997 . From 2001 through 2008 , he worked as a policy analyst for Legg Mason and then Stifel Nicolaus . Barron 's Magazine noted that as an analyst , Levin `` has always been on top of developing trends and policy shifts in media and telecommunications ... and has proved visionary in getting out in front of many of today 's headline making events . '' In 2008 , he co-chaired the technology , innovation and government reform transition team for President-elect Barack Obama and subsequently served as the Executive Director for the effort that produced the National Broadband Plan . FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has noted that as to Levin 's role in broadband policy , `` no one 's done more to advance broadband expansion and competition through the vision of National Broadband Plan and Gig.U . '' He has spoken at many conferences on telecommunications policy . Along with former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt , Levin authored The Politics of Abundance : How Technology Can Fix the Budget , Revive the American Dream , and Establish Obama 's Legacy . He has received a number of awards for his work on broadband including `` Visionary of the Year '' from Computers for Youth and `` Community Broadband Visionary of the Year '' from the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors . He is now a non-resident fellow at the Metropolitan Policy Project of the Brookings Institution . He also is the Executive Director of the Gig.U project , a consortium of research university communities seeking to accelerate the deployment of next generation networks in the United States . The project has led to a number of communities obtaining next generation networks . He worked on the 1982 campaign of Mayor Tom Bradley 's unsuccessful run for California governor and disputes the so-called Bradley Effect . From 1984 through 1993 , he was a lawyer with Parker , Poe , Adams and Bernstein in Raleigh , North Carolina . He graduated summa cum laude from Yale College and is a graduate of Yale Law School .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "68542ef70df4d1588f8e269aaaa3ce72",
"text": "David Blair David Blair may refer to : David Blair ( dancer ) ( 1932 -- 1975 ) , British ballet dancer David Blair ( encyclopedist ) ( 1820 -- 1899 ) , Irish Australian journalist and encyclopaedist David Blair ( golfer ) ( 1917 -- 1985 ) , Scottish amateur golfer David Blair ( journalist ) ( born 1973 ) , British journalist , working for The Daily Telegraph David Blair ( mariner ) ( 1874 -- 1955 ) , British second officer , transferred off the Titanic David Blair ( physicist ) ( born 1946 ) , Australian physicist Blair ( poet ) ( David Blair , 1967 -- 2011 ) , American performance poet David Blair ( information technologist ) ( 1947 -- 2011 ) , information retrieval scientist David Blair ( rugby union ) ( born 1985 ) , Scottish rugby player David H. Blair ( 1868 -- 1945 ) , Commissioner of Internal Revenue , 1921 -- 1929 David Blair ( director ) , British movie and TV director David Blair Motorsports , a former NASCAR racing team",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f7b128354093870055fbdee4adb32f62",
"text": "W. Robert Blair W. Robert Blair II ( October 22 , 1930 -- January 18 , 2014 ) was an American politician , lawyer , and businessman , Born in Clarksburg , West Virginia , Blair received his bachelor 's degree from West Virginia University and his law degree from West Virginia University College of Law . He then served in the United States Air Force as a judge advocate . In 1966 , Blair moved to Illinois and eventually lived in Forest Park , Illinois . Blair practiced law in Chicago , Illinois and owned a real estate business and a restaurant . Blair was a Republican and served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1967 to 1977 . He served as speaker in 1971 and 1975 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "12303171d6b3ccf1a04b26c0544fc5e0",
"text": "Bennett (name) Bennett ( also spelled ` Bennet ' ) is an English and Irish language surname ( and , less commonly , given name ) ; related to the medieval name Benedict , both ultimately from Latin Benedictus `` blessed '' . Bennett is the English spelling of the Anglo-Norman name Ben -LSB- n -RSB- et ( Modern French first name Benoît , surname Bénet ) . The oldest public record of the surname is dated 1208 in County Durham . §",
"title": ""
}
] |
fever
|
69cba3e77b29695034c1d32753c6ae63
|
Liverpool F.C. was valued at $1.55 billion at one point.
|
[
{
"docid": "54321a234bb54eff066aac839d6a76cd",
"text": "Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club ( -LSB- ˈlɪvərpuːl -RSB- ) is a professional association football club based in Liverpool , Merseyside , England . They compete in the Premier League , the top tier of English football . The club has won 5 European Cups , 3 UEFA Cups , 3 UEFA Super Cups , 18 League titles , 7 FA Cups , a record 8 League Cups , and 15 FA Community Shields . The club was founded in 1892 and joined the Football League the following year . The club has played at Anfield since its formation . Liverpool established itself as a major force in both English and European football during the 1970s and 1980s when Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley led the club to 11 League titles and seven European trophies . Under the management of Rafa Benítez and captained by Steven Gerrard Liverpool became European champion for the fifth time , winning the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final against Milan in spite of being 3 -- 0 down at half time . Liverpool was the ninth highest-earning football club in the world for 2014 -- 15 , with an annual revenue of $ 391 million , and the world 's eighth most valuable football club in 2016 , valued at $ 1.55 billion . The club holds many long-standing rivalries , most notably the North West Derby against Manchester United and the Merseyside derby with Everton . The club 's supporters have been involved in two major tragedies . The first was the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985 , where escaping fans were pressed against a collapsing wall in the Heysel Stadium , with 39 people -- mostly Italians and Juventus fans -- dying , after which English clubs were given a five-year ban from European competition . The second was the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 , where 96 Liverpool supporters died in a crush against perimeter fencing . The team changed from red shirts and white shorts to an all-red home strip in 1964 which has been used ever since . The club 's anthem is `` You 'll Never Walk Alone '' .",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "0aa136c789debb0280bbcd8f77e5e012",
"text": "1977–78 Birmingham City F.C. season The 1977 -- 78 Football League season was Birmingham City Football Club 's 75th in the Football League and their 44th in the First Division . They finished in 11th position in the 22-team division . They entered the 1977 -- 78 FA Cup at the third round proper and lost to Derby County in the fourth , and lost to Notts County in their opening second-round match in the League Cup . They entered the Anglo-Scottish Cup but failed to progress past the group stage . Twenty-two players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition , and there were ten different goalscorers . Forward pairing Keith Bertschin and Trevor Francis played in all 48 first-team matches of the season -- midfielder Terry Hibbitt missed only one -- and Francis was the club 's top scorer with 29 goals , of which 25 were scored in the league . Both Francis and Hibbitt had been ever-present in the previous season . After defeats in the first four league matches of the season , Willie Bell was sacked in September and succeeded by former England national manager Sir Alf Ramsey , a member of the club 's board of directors . Ramsey lasted only six months , leaving the club ostensibly for health reasons , but his biography suggests he was `` locked in an increasingly bitter three-way dispute with his star player , Trevor Francis , and the board '' . After initially accepting a transfer request from Francis , the board changed their minds , reluctant to `` incur the wrath of already disgruntled fans '' , so Ramsey handed in his notice . The Times reported that `` Sir Alf said he told the board -LSB- in February -RSB- that he intended to quit and sever his links with the club . ... He said at a board meeting on February 20 he recommended both Francis and the defender , Joe Gallagher , should be transfer listed . The board agreed but three days later changed their minds about Francis . Sir Alf said he then decided to opt out because of the board 's policy . '' Blackburn Rovers manager Jim Smith took over , having decided , according to the Rovers ' website , that `` Birmingham City offered better career prospects '' .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "340b250a705b919e45da47d1f429ceba",
"text": "1986–87 Manchester United F.C. season The 1986 -- 87 season was Manchester United 's 85th season in the Football League , and their 12th consecutive season in the top division of English football . The pressure on manager Ron Atkinson after last season 's failed title challenge remained strong after United lost their opening three games of the season , and despite some decent results in the following few weeks , United bowed out of the League Cup in a fourth round replay defeat at Southampton , prompting the dismissal of Atkinson on 6 November 1986 after more than five years in charge . Alex Ferguson was confirmed as Atkinson 's successor within hours , recruited from Scottish side Aberdeen , where he had enjoyed considerable success in the previous seven years . United recovered well in the league after his appointment and finished 11th , managing to scratch up some impressive results including winning both of their league clashes with Liverpool ( results which helped deprive Kenny Dalglish 's side of the league title ) , a 4 -- 1 home win over Newcastle United on New Year 's Day 1987 , a 2 -- 0 home win over a resurgent Arsenal and a 2 -- 0 win at Old Trafford in the Manchester derby which helped push City towards relegation . Their win at Liverpool also made them the only team to win at Liverpool in the league all season . However , United were prevented from finishing even higher in the league by a few disappointing results after Ferguson 's arrival , beginning with a 2 -- 0 defeat in their first game under Ferguson at Oxford United , losing both of their clashes with newly promoted Wimbledon , being beaten at Old Trafford by Norwich City just after Christmas and suffering a 4 -- 0 defeat at Tottenham near the end of the season , although by the time of the Tottenham game it was mathematically impossible for United to either win the title or suffer relegation ( there was no prospect of European qualification due to the ongoing ban on English clubs in Europe following the Heysel disaster two years earlier ) . United also failed to win any another away games in the league apart from the visit to Liverpool on Boxing Day . United 's improvement under Ferguson during the season was achieved without making any major signings , although it was widely expected that he would spend heavily on new players during the 1987 close season . He went on to pay Celtic # 850,000 for high-scoring striker Brian McClair . He strengthened the defence by paying Arsenal # 250,000 for experienced full-back Viv Anderson . Unsuccessful bids were also made for several other players : Ferguson expressed an interest in bringing striker Mark Hateley back to England from Milan , but the player opted to remain overseas and signed for AS Monaco instead . He also made a bid to bring Peter Beardsley back to the club from Newcastle United , but the England international forward instead joined Liverpool for a British record fee . Ferguson was offered the chance to sign Watford winger John Barnes , but declined to make an approach for the player due to his faith in Jesper Olsen in the same position .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "afb806c7207a8c2902d7dc2f99c365ef",
"text": "Graeme Le Saux Graeme Pierre Le Saux ( -LSB- ləˈsoʊ -RSB- ; born 17 October 1968 ) is a retired Jèrriais and English professional footballer of French ancestry . He played from 1989 to 2005 starting as a left winger ( often wearing the number 7 shirt - right winger Dennis Wise would wear number 11 ) during his first spell at Chelsea , eventually becoming a left back for Chelsea , Blackburn Rovers and Southampton , and for the England national football team . He came out of retirement in 2012 by signing with Wembley in order to appear in the club 's FA Cup fixtures . After beginning playing in Jersey , he moved to England and debuted for Chelsea in 1989 . He left Chelsea in 1993 to join the Blackburn side being built by wealthy benefactor , Jack Walker , and was part of their 1994 -- 95 Premier League winning team . In 1997 , he returned to Chelsea , staying there for six seasons until moving to Southampton in 2003 . He announced his retirement from football upon Southampton 's relegation from the Premier League in 2005 . In his club playing career , he scored 20 goals from 403 club appearances . He was twice named in the Professional Footballers ' Association Team of the Year , in 1995 with Blackburn and in 1998 with Chelsea . His return to Chelsea in 1997 in a # 5 million transfer made him the most expensive defender in English football . As an England international , he made 36 senior appearances from 1994 until 2000 , including starting all four England games at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France , and scoring one international goal , against Brazil .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b84f9eef1ab867b4d50f83dcbe30291a",
"text": "Bank of England club The Bank of England club is a nickname in English association football for a football club which has a strong financial backing . It was used to refer to Arsenal F.C. in the 1930s as well as in recent times for being the last of the Premier League 's Big Four clubs to be owned primarily by English investors .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "969c174fb0348dddd6894b85851bfb40",
"text": "1946–47 Liverpool F.C. season The 1946 -- 47 season was the 55th season in Liverpool F.C. 's existence , and ended their season as Champions , winning the title by one point from Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers . The chances of them doing the double was over by being beaten in the FA Cup Semi-Finals by 2nd Division Burnley .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e3b39e612dd90efcf21a3aa64f63739f",
"text": "James Milner James Philip Milner ( born 4 January 1986 ) is an English professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Liverpool . A versatile player , he has been utilised in many different positions such as on the wing , in midfield and most recently at left-back . Milner 's talent in football , cricket , and long-distance running was recognised at a very young age . He represented his school in these sports and played football for amateur teams from Rawdon and Horsforth . He supported Leeds United from a young age and was a season ticket holder at the club . In 1996 , he joined the Leeds United youth academy . He made his debut for the first team in 2002 aged only 16 and gained prominence as the youngest player to score in the Premier League . While at Leeds United , he spent time on loan at Swindon Town to gain experience as a first-team player . Following his move to Newcastle United , he was loaned to Aston Villa for a season . He went on to make over 100 appearances for Newcastle , before returning to Aston Villa on a permanent transfer in 2008 . After playing an influential role in Aston Villa 's run to the 2010 League Cup Final and being named 2009 -- 10 PFA Young Player of the Year , Milner joined Manchester City for a reported # 26m transfer fee in 2010 , going on to win the 2011 -- 12 and 2013 -- 14 Premier League titles , 2010 -- 11 FA Cup and 2013 -- 14 League Cup . After five seasons with Manchester City , Milner signed for Liverpool on a free transfer in 2015 . Milner made a record 46 appearances for the England national under-21 football team , playing at the 2007 and 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championships . He also played 61 appearances for the full English national team , scoring once against Moldova . He was selected for the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup squads , as well as the 2012 and UEFA Euro 2016 UEFA Euro Championships . Milner retired from international football in 2016 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4cb254cde2271f41078e56c7a84290a8",
"text": "1994–95 Blackburn Rovers F.C. season The 1994 -- 95 season was Blackburn Rovers F.C. 's third season in the Premier League , and their third consecutive season in the top division of English football . The season was marked by the club winning the Premier League title , ending their 81-year run without an English league title . They ended up winning the title by a one-point margin over Manchester United . Rovers led the way for most of the season , but a 2 -- 1 defeat at Kenny Dalglish 's old club Liverpool on the final day of the season briefly appeared to threaten their title hopes . Manchester United however could only draw ( 1 -- 1 ) at West Ham so the league title was back at Blackburn for the first time since 1914 . Jack Walker 's dream had come true : within five years of buying the club , he had taken them from strugglers in the old Second Division to champions of England . Early exits from the League Cup , FA Cup and UEFA Cup to Liverpool , Newcastle and Trelleborg respectively were frustrating for Rovers in 1994 -- 95 , but turned out for the best as they could concentrate on the league challenge . Kenny Dalglish won the Premier League Manager of the Year award for leading Blackburn to success , Alan Shearer won both the Golden Boot for contributing 34 of Blackburn 's 80 league goals and also the PFA Players ' Player of the Year award as nominated by his fellow professionals . Graeme Le Saux , Colin Hendry , Tim Sherwood and Shearer all made it into the PFA Team of the Year .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "df7ba6244e65f2575f0d66121dee9c8d",
"text": "Bank of England Building, Liverpool The Bank of England Building is a Grade I listed building located in Liverpool , England . It was designed by Charles Robert Cockerell and built in a Neoclassical style between 1845 -- 1848 . The building was constructed as one of three branch banks for the Bank of England in the mid-19th century . The building combines several neoclassical architectural styles , notably Greek , Roman and Renaissance . The most evident of these is Greek , with four Doric style columns ` tying ' the ground and first floors together . The building itself is raised up from ground level , sitting atop a rough granite plinth . Despite only being three bays wide and seven bays deep , the building 's design was seen to give it an `` overwhelmingly massive and powerful '' appearance . The building is regarded as one of Cockerell 's most impressive and was described by Nikolaus Pevsner as a `` masterpiece of Victorian architecture '' .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "078d0a0acb43cea3284723a87990571b",
"text": "1983 FA Charity Shield The 1983 FA Charity Shield was the 61st FA Charity Shield , an annual football match played between the winners of the previous season 's First Division and FA Cup competitions . The match was played on 20 August 1983 at Wembley Stadium and contested by Liverpool , who had won the 1982 -- 83 First Division , and Manchester United , who had won the 1982 -- 83 FA Cup . Manchester United won 2 -- 0 with a brace from captain Bryan Robson . It was Liverpool 's first competitive game under the management of Joe Fagan , who had been promoted from the coaching staff to replace the retiring Bob Paisley .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2d7a9bcfe35a647070a315b364442374",
"text": "Gary Lineker Gary Winston Lineker , OBE ( -LSB- ˈlɪnᵻkər -RSB- born 30 November 1960 ) is an English retired footballer and current sports broadcaster . He holds England 's record for goals in FIFA World Cup finals , with 10 scored . Lineker 's media career began with the BBC , where he has presented the flagship programme Match of the Day since the late 1990s . He has also worked for Al Jazeera Sports , Eredivisie Live , NBC Sports Network and currently hosts BT Sport 's coverage of the UEFA Champions League . Lineker began his football career at Leicester City . and finished as the First Division 's joint top goalscorer in 1984 -- 85 . He then moved to League Champions Everton where he developed as a clinical finisher , scoring 30 goals in 41 games . His first team honours came at Barcelona , where he won the Copa del Rey in 1988 and the European Cup Winners ' Cup in 1989 . He returned to England in 1989 , joining Tottenham Hotspur , and over three seasons he scored 67 goals in 105 games and won the FA Cup . Lineker 's final club was Nagoya Grampus Eight and he retired in 1994 after two seasons at the Japanese side . Lineker made his England debut in 1984 , earning 80 caps and scoring forty-eight goals over an eight-year international career , finishing as England 's second highest scorer behind Bobby Charlton , before he was overtaken by Wayne Rooney . His international goals-to-games ratio remains one of the best for the country and he is regarded as one of the all-time best English strikers . He was top scorer in the 1986 World Cup and received the Golden Boot , the only time an Englishman has achieved this feat . He is also the only player to have won the English golden boot with three different clubs ( Leicester City , Everton and Tottenham Hotspur ) . Even though he enjoyed a long career , Lineker was never cautioned by a referee for foul play and never received a yellow or red card . As a result of this accomplishment he was honoured in 1990 with the FIFA Fair Play Award . In a senior career which spanned 16 years and 567 competitive games , Lineker scored a total of 282 goals at club level . Added to the 48 goals he scored in internationals , he managed a total of 330 goals . After his retirement from football he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame . He later led a consortium that invested in his old club Leicester , saving it from bankruptcy , and was appointed honorary vice-president . He is a keen supporter of Leicester City FC .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "950c62d82db6c962c6b42c0be2b95f4c",
"text": "Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club -LSB- ˈblækbɜrn_ˈroʊvərz -RSB- is a professional association football club based in Ewood , Blackburn in the county of Lancashire , England . It competes in League One following its relegation from the Championship at the conclusion of the 2016 -- 17 season . The club was established in 1875 , becoming a founding member of The Football League in 1888 . It is one of only three clubs to have been both a founder member of the Football League and the Premier League ( the others being Aston Villa and Everton ) . In 1890 , Rovers moved to Ewood Park . Blackburn Rovers have been English champions three times , and have won six FA Cups and one Football League Cup . Blackburn are the only extant club to have won three consecutive FA Cups . The club has spent the majority of its existence in the top flight of English football ( 72 years ) . In 1992 , Rovers gained promotion to the new Premier League a year after being taken over by local entrepreneur Jack Walker , who installed Kenny Dalglish as manager . In 1995 , Rovers became Premier League champions . In the 1998 -- 99 season , the club was relegated . It was promoted back to the Premier League two years later , in the 2000 -- 01 season . It has qualified for the UEFA Cup four times : once as League Cup winners , twice as the Premier League 's sixth-placed team and once via the Intertoto Cup . The 2011 -- 12 season marked the club 's 72nd , non-consecutive , year in the top flight . Rovers are currently one of only six clubs to have won the Premier League , along with Arsenal , Chelsea , Manchester United , Manchester City and Leicester City . The club 's motto is `` Arte et Labore '' , `` By Skill and Hard Work '' in Latin .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "50c8642a1b7b4079ad58136f708052ff",
"text": "2013–14 Everton F.C. season The 2013 -- 14 season was Everton 's 22nd season in the Premier League and 60th consecutive season in the top division of English football . It was also Everton 's 115th season of league football and 117th season in all competitions . It was the first season without David Moyes as manager since 2002 , with Moyes leaving Everton to succeed Alex Ferguson as manager of Manchester United . In addition , the club crest was redesigned ahead of this season for the first time since 2000 . On 5 June 2013 , Roberto Martínez was announced as the new Everton manager , having left his post at relegated FA Cup holders Wigan Athletic . Everton finished in sixth position in the domestic league in the previous season , missing out on qualification for the UEFA Europa League , meaning it failed to qualify for any European competitions for the fourth season running . Everton 's Premier League campaign began in August 2013 with Martínez changing their style of play to a possession based , attractive brand of football which initially led to three successive draws to start the season . A first victory came in the next match 1 -- 0 against Chelsea and by Christmas Everton had only suffered one defeat , a run which included a win over Moyes ' Manchester United , the first time the club had tasted success at Old Trafford in 21 years . The team almost went an entire year unbeaten at home but lost 1 -- 0 against Sunderland on Boxing Day . Everton 's progress stalled somewhat in the early part of 2014 with three losses in four games against Liverpool , Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea , before winning seven league games in a row for the first time since 1987 . The spell contained perhaps Everton 's best performance of the season when they defeated Arsenal 3 -- 0 . The streak was ended with a 3 -- 2 home defeat by Crystal Palace , but Everton returned to do the double over Manchester United for the first time since 1969 . Moyes was sacked as their manager a day later . Two defeats in a row after this ended Everton 's Champions League hopes but a finish of 5th in the league table is their highest in five years with Everton qualifying for next season 's Europa League . Martínez utilised the loan market during the season , with Romelu Lukaku ( on loan from Chelsea ) being Everton 's top scorer with 16 goals in all competitions . The emergence of young players such as Ross Barkley , John Stones and summer signing James McCarthy was also a feature of his debut season in charge , with Barkley going on to be selected for England 's World Cup squad . Right back Séamus Coleman was named Everton 's player of the year . In the cup competitions Everton lost in the sixth round of the FA Cup ( entered at round three ) and the third round of the League Cup ( entered at round two ) .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9ecdecce5b2b6d1e38c790e93579dfc8",
"text": "Liverpool Old Boys' Amateur Football League The Liverpool Old Boys ' Amateur Football League is an association football competition based in Liverpool , England . Founded in 1923 , it currently hosts 44 teams across four divisions . Whilst no formal arrangements exist , its highest level frequently serves as a supplier of clubs to the Liverpool County Premier League . As such , the competition can be said to occupy placings at levels 14 to 17 of the English football league system .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a55447e62be4532f1d77b6518bd3dafc",
"text": "Firoz Kassam Firoz Kassam ( born 1955 ) is a British businessman . Born and brought up in Tanzania , of Indian descent , he came to Britain at the age of 19 . He owned Oxford United F.C. from 1999 to 2006 , and was named the 309th wealthiest person in the UK in the Sunday Times Rich List 2009 with an estimated fortune of # 180 million . Starting out with a fish and chip shop , Kassam made his fortune as a slum hotelier and in the 1980s was labelled a `` merchant of misery '' . He bought run-down London hostels and hotels and was paid by local councils to fill them with homeless people and asylum seekers , until the inmates rebelled over the conditions in which they were being housed . In 1999 , Kassam bought Oxford United F.C. for # 1 , also taking over its debts , estimated to be in the region of # 13m . In 2000 , he resumed building a 12,500-capacity stadium at Minchery Farm on the edge of Oxford , which he called the Kassam Stadium . Construction of this stadium had actually been in progress since 1997 , but was suspended in the early stages due to the club 's financial problems . The fourth side of the stadium was left empty due to Oxford 's decline in the league , as they had dropped down two divisions while the stadium was being built . The development includes a hotel , cinema , bowling alley , gym , health centre and restaurants . Oxford United played its first game there on 18 August 2001 , in Division Three of the Football League . Kassam sold the football club in 2006 , but retained ownership of the stadium through his company Firoka with Oxford United ( and later also London Welsh RFC ) as tenants . Oxford United 's old home , the Manor Ground in Headington , was sold by Kassam , first to his own holding company for # 6 million , and then to developers for # 12 million in 1999 . The ground has since been demolished and developed into the Manor Hospital , which opened in October 2004 . Kassam also owns the historic mansion and grounds of Heythrop Park which he purchased in 1999 for # 15m . The site recently underwent a # 50 million rebuilding programme and has been developed into a luxury hotel and spa with an 18-hole championship golf course and restored landscape gardens . In August 2005 , he purchased Studley Castle in Warwickshire , a hotel and conference centre formerly owned by Phoenix Venture Holdings , the consortium who owned carmaker MG Rover from 2000 until 2005 . In February 2006 , Kassam 's Firoka company was announced as the preferred bidder for the redevelopment of Alexandra Palace in London . The whole Palace would be given to Firoka on a 125-year lease for commercial uses . As it is held on a charitable trust , and Firoka is a private company , this proposal was very controversial . It was subject to agreement of the charity commission , which received 350 objections to the lease to develop a multi-use exhibition , leisure and entertainment complex . On 5 October 2007 in the High Court , Mr Justice Sullivan granted an application by a member of the conservationist Save Ally Pally group to quash the Charity Commission 's Order authorizing the lease .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5933919f469a4775fd39d6e3028ea926",
"text": "List of Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. records and statistics Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English football club based in Wolverhampton . The club was founded as St Luke 's in 1877 , soon becoming Wolverhampton Wanderers , before being a founder member of the Football League in 1888 . Since that time , the club has played in all four professional divisions of the English football pyramid , and been champions of all these levels . They have also been involved in European football , having been one of the first English clubs to enter the European Cup , as well as reaching the final of the first staging of the UEFA Cup . This list encompasses all honours won by Wolverhampton Wanderers and records set by the club , their managers and their players . The player records section includes details of the club 's leading goalscorers and those who have made most appearances in first-team competitions , as well as transfer fee records paid and received by the club . A list of streaks recording all elements of the game ( wins , losses , clean sheets , etc. ) is also presented .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "32b70caa8ebb8e15d67a17616bd5cf42",
"text": "Thames Valley Royals proposal Shortly before the end of the 1982 -- 83 Football League season , Robert Maxwell , the then-owner and chairman of Oxford United Football Club , announced that he had made a deal with the owners of nearby Reading to amalgamate the two teams to create a new club he proposed to name `` Thames Valley Royals '' . This appellation combined a loose term for the geographical region , `` Thames Valley '' , with the Reading team 's nickname , `` the Royals '' . With each team having financial problems , Maxwell claimed that both were on the verge of going out of business and that uniting them was necessary for the region to retain a Football League club . Maxwell envisioned Thames Valley Royals ' future home as an unspecified location somewhere between Oxford and Reading where a new stadium would be built , perhaps Didcot ; home matches would alternate between Oxford and Reading in the meantime . Both sets of supporters promptly embarked on mass demonstrations against the merger , including protest marches and a 2,000-man sit-in on the pitch at Oxford before a match on 23 April . Maxwell pressed on with his plan regardless , insisting that `` nothing short of the end of the Earth '' would prevent its fruition . The proposed amalgamation was stopped by the actions of one of Reading 's board directors , Roy Tranter , and Roger Smee , a businessman and former Reading player . Smee disputed the legitimacy of the controlling interest in Reading held by the faction of three Reading board members that backed the merger plan , including the chairman Frank Waller , and Tranter launched a legal challenge to the sale of certain shares on 22 April 1983 . Waller and his boardroom allies resigned under pressure from the rest of the Reading board on 12 May 1983 , and at an extraordinary shareholders ' meeting in July , Smee took over the club , ending the amalgamation plans .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a53eefcf79eaa53ccae363220485044b",
"text": "1973 UEFA Cup Final The 1973 UEFA Cup Final was an association football match played over two-legs between Liverpool of England and Borussia Mönchengladbach of West Germany . The first leg was played at Anfield , Liverpool on 10 May 1973 and the second leg was played on 23 May 1973 at the Bökelbergstadion , Mönchengladbach . It was the final of the 1972 -- 73 season of Europe 's secondary cup competition , the UEFA Cup . Liverpool and Mönchengladbach were both appearing in their first final , although Liverpool had previously reached the final of the European Cup Winners ' Cup losing 2 -- 1 to Borussia Dortmund . Each club needed to progress through four rounds to reach the final . Matches were contested over two legs , with a match at each team 's home ground . The majority of Liverpool 's ties were won by at least two goals , the exception was the semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur , which Liverpool won on the away goals rule . Borussia Mönchengladbach 's ties were predominantly one-sided . The West German team won by at least four goals in all four of their ties , a 9 -- 2 aggregate victory over Kaiserslautern represented their biggest margin of victory . Watched by a crowd of 41,169 at Anfield , Liverpool took the lead in the first leg when Kevin Keegan scored in the 21st minute . Another goal by Keegan in the first half , extended Liverpool 's lead and a further goal by Larry Lloyd meant Liverpool won the first leg 3 -- 0 . Therefore , in the second leg at the Bökelbergstadion , Liverpool had to avoid losing by three clear goals to win the competition . A crowd of 34,905 watched Borussia take the lead in the 29th minute courtesy of a Jupp Heynckes goal , he scored again 11 minutes later to double Borussia 's lead . Borussia were unable to find the third goal they needed to take the match into extra-time and won the second leg 2 -- 0 . Thus , Liverpool won the final 3 -- 2 on aggregate to win their first European trophy .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "344acb1ab2fe5743c4982fdcfee21af2",
"text": "Stanley Park Stadium Stanley Park was a proposed football stadium in Stanley Park , Liverpool that if built , would have become home to Liverpool Football Club , replacing their current home ground Anfield . The stadium had a planned capacity of 60,000 ( potentially expandable to 73,000 ) all-seated . There were two designs that were given planning permission . One was designed by architects AFL with a capacity of 60,000 , the second was a more expensive futuristic design by Dallas-based architects HKS , which would originally seat 60,000 with capacity for further expansion to 73,000 . As of January 2012 only small site preparation work had been completed . A change in owners resulted in the plans for Stanley Park Stadium being reexamined . In October 2012 new owners Fenway Sports Group announced their decision to redevelop and expand the current club stadium Anfield ( in a similar way that they redeveloped Fenway Park for the Boston Red Sox ) rather than proceed with the planned new stadium .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "72c55ae57ebc2cade78aa69c533affef",
"text": "Kenny Dalglish Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish , MBE ( born 4 March 1951 ) is a Scottish former footballer and manager . In a career spanning 22 years , he played for Celtic and Liverpool , winning numerous honours with both . He is Scotland 's most capped player of all time with 102 appearances , and also Scotland 's joint-leading goal scorer , with 30 goals . Dalglish won the Ballon d'Or Silver Award in 1983 , the PFA Player of the Year in 1983 , and the FWA Footballer of the Year in 1979 and 1983 . In 2009 FourFourTwo named Dalglish as the greatest striker in post-war British football , and in 2006 he topped a Liverpool fans ' poll of `` 100 Players Who Shook the Kop '' . He has been inducted into both the Scottish and English Football Halls of Fame . Dalglish began his career with Celtic in 1971 , going on to win four Scottish First Divisions , four Scottish Cups and one Scottish League Cup with the club . In 1977 , Liverpool manager Bob Paisley paid a British transfer record of # 440,000 ( # today ) to bring Dalglish to Liverpool . His years at Liverpool were among the club 's most successful periods , as he won six Football League First Divisions , two FA Cups , four League Cups , seven FA Charity Shields , three European Cups and one UEFA Super Cup . For these achievements and his style of play he was given the name King Kenny by Liverpool supporters . Dalglish became player-manager of Liverpool in 1985 after the resignation of Joe Fagan , winning a further three First Divisions , two FA Cups and four FA Charity Shields , before resigning from Liverpool in 1991 . Eight months later Dalglish made a return to football management with Blackburn Rovers , whom he led from the Second Division to win the Premier League in 1995 . Soon afterwards he stepped down as Blackburn manager to become Director of Football at the club , before leaving altogether in 1996 . In January 1997 Dalglish took over as manager at Newcastle United . Newcastle finished runners-up in both the Premier League and FA Cup during his first season , but they could only finish 13th in 1997 -- 98 , which led to his dismissal the following season . Dalglish went on to be appointed Director of Football at Celtic in 1999 , and later manager , where he won the Scottish League Cup before an acrimonious departure the following year . Between 2000 and 2010 Dalglish focused on charitable concerns , founding The Marina Dalglish Appeal with his wife to raise money for cancer care . In January 2011 Dalglish was appointed Liverpool 's caretaker manager after the dismissal of Roy Hodgson , becoming the permanent manager in May 2011 . Despite winning the League Cup which earned them a place in the Europa League and reaching the FA Cup Final , Liverpool could only finish 8th in the Premier League , and Dalglish was dismissed in May 2012 . In October 2013 , Dalglish returned to Anfield as a non-executive director . On 3 May 2017 , it was announced that in recognition of Dalglish 's contribution to the club and community , the stadium 's Centenary Stand was to be renamed the Kenny Dalglish Stand .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "11f5d5119161efdeaa68ef0140983a53",
"text": "Fenway Sports Group Fenway Sports Group , LLC ( FSG ) , is an American sports investment company . It is the parent company of Major League Baseball 's Boston Red Sox and Premier League soccer club Liverpool F.C. FSG was founded in 2001 as New England Sports Ventures ( NESV ) when John W. Henry joined forces with Tom Werner , Les Otten , The New York Times Company , and other investors to successfully bid for the Red Sox . NESV formally announced its name change to Fenway Sports Group in March 2011 . In addition to owning the Red Sox and Liverpool F.C. , the Boston-based limited liability company also owns the home stadiums for both teams ( Fenway Park and Anfield ) and Fenway Sports Management ( which in turn owns the Salem Red Sox of the Class A Carolina League , a minor league baseball franchise ) , plus 80 % of the New England Sports Network ( NESN ) and 50 % of Roush Fenway Racing , with cars entered ( current as of 2015 season ) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup , NASCAR Xfinity and IMSA Sports Car racing competitions . In an April 2014 article in Forbes , senior editor Kurt Badenhausen called FSG `` the most sophisticated , synergistic player in the coming age of international sports conglomerates '' .",
"title": ""
}
] |
fever
|
06625e6634b97d6530ca86e05b973df2
|
Peter Davison has been in a BBC show.
|
[
{
"docid": "cd584a780d08191bed5e74363d4b40e2",
"text": "Sink or Swim (TV series) Sink or Swim is a BBC TV sitcom from the 1980s with Peter Davison as the lead character Brian Webber . Brian Webber lives in a flat above a petrol station in London ( in the last series he moved to Newcastle to attend university ) . He 's trying hard to make his way in the world , thus far with limited success . His girlfriend , Sonia , is a very serious minded young woman who is passionate only about things like vegetarianism and ecology . When Brian 's younger brother , Steve , arrives in London looking for somewhere to stay , his lazy , cynical , noisy `` Northern lout '' attitude disrupts Brian 's already messy life . Like Only Fools and Horses , Sink or Swim was filmed in Bristol doubling for London . It ran for three series between 4 December 1980 and 14 October 1982 and was written by Alex Shearer , who later wrote the Nicholas Lyndhurst sitcom The Two of Us for LWT from 1986 to 1990 . Production of the sitcom overlapped the first two years of Davison also starring as the Fifth Doctor in Doctor Who , which imposed constraints on the recording schedules .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "49ad46836aa7e40011bece9f0331dda9",
"text": "Peter Davison Peter Davison ( born Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett on 13 April 1951 ) is an English actor with many credits in television dramas and sitcoms . He became famous as Tristan Farnon in the BBC 's television adaptation of James Herriot 's All Creatures Great and Small stories . His subsequent starring roles included the sitcoms Holding the Fort and Sink or Swim , the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who , Dr. Stephen Daker in A Very Peculiar Practice and Albert Campion in Campion . He later played David Braithwaite in At Home with the Braithwaites , `` Dangerous '' Davies in The Last Detective and Henry Sharpe in Law & Order : UK .",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "4d8708b518c378978d93b14e689924da",
"text": "Prime Suspect Prime Suspect is a British police procedural television drama series . It stars Helen Mirren as Jane Tennison , one of the first female Detective Chief Inspectors in Greater London 's Metropolitan Police Service , as she rises to rank of Detective Superintendent whilst confronting the institutionalised sexism that exists within her job .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "94e7a99475323fe9a980d594c7d7fbde",
"text": "Did You See...? Did You See ... ? was a long-running British television review programme that began on the BBC2 in 1980 . The programme took a look back at the week 's television with a discussion between the presenter and three guests . In the first run there was also a pre-filmed last segment on an aspect of TV by an independent reporter . . The presenters of Did You See ... ? were the journalist and broadcaster Sir Ludovic Kennedy , who fronted the programme from 1980 to 1988 , and from 1991 to 1993 Jeremy Paxman . Sarah Dunant hosted the show while Kennedy was absent due to ill health . The format was to review the week 's TV highlights , followed by an in depth review and critique of three selected shows with a panel of three public figures ( not necessarily ` celebrities ' ) . Significant editions of Did You See ... ? include a 1986 edition which featured a look at the history of Blue Peter in which former presenter Peter Purves recalled that on the death of Blue Peter pet parrot Joey , the show 's editor Biddy Baxter called him in floods of tears . He speculated that had he himself died , Baxter would have been far less upset and would not have been likely to be calling his co-presenters telling them that he had died . This particular feature was one of several that was later expanded and extracted from the series , shown in a stand-alone documentary format . Sea of Faith , a 1984 documentary series examining the history of Christianity in the modern world , was featured on another edition . Several of the features were dedicated to Doctor Who . In 1982 , there was an item on The Cybermen , to mark their first appearance in the series in seven years . A later feature took a general look at monsters from the series .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d7d1ac0bc7856e910ea3199dd66fdb45",
"text": "The Living Planet The Living Planet : A Portrait of the Earth is a BBC nature documentary series written and presented by David Attenborough , first transmitted in the UK from 19 January 1984 . The sequel to his pioneering Life on Earth , it is a study of the ways in which living organisms , including humans , adapt to their surroundings . Each of the twelve 55-minute episodes ( one fewer than his previous series ) featured a different environment . The executive producer was Richard Brock and the music was composed by Elizabeth Parker of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop . Part of David Attenborough 's ` Life ' series , it was followed by The Trials of Life ( 1990 ) . However , before the latter , Attenborough wrote and presented two shorter series : The First Eden ( 1987 ) , about man 's relationship with the natural habitats of the Mediterranean , and Lost Worlds , Vanished Lives ( 1989 ) , concerning the discovery of fossils .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d27d7bb60c3a67663bf60b4fcbfabdf3",
"text": "The King Is Dead (TV series) The King is Dead is a British comedy show created , written by and starring Simon Bird . Also presenting are Nick Mohammed and Katy Wix . It aired on Thursdays at 10.30 pm on BBC Three , with repeats on both Friday and Saturday .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e5234a837eab13278f8cd132cf5b5152",
"text": "Fear, Stress & Anger Fear , Stress & Anger is a British sitcom that aired on BBC Two in 2007 . Starring Peter Davison and Pippa Haywood , it was written by Michael Aitkens . There is no studio audience or laugh track .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b5fe5e3a9d90b471e38d1a0f7581fa6b",
"text": "The Alternative DJ The Alternative DJ was a radio program that aired from July 1995 to August 1995 . There were 4 half-hour episodes and it was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 . It starred Peter Jeffrey , Judi Spiers , and Oliver Senton .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d21f09249dc8162b22855ae2773d7b17",
"text": "The Young Ones (TV series) The Young Ones is a British sitcom , broadcast in the United Kingdom from 1982 to 1984 in two six-part series . Shown on BBC2 , it featured anarchic , offbeat humour which helped bring alternative comedy to television in the 1980s and made household names of its writers and performers . In 1985 , it was shown on MTV , one of the first non-music television shows on the fledgling channel . In a 2004 poll , it ranked at number 31 in the BBC 's list of Britain 's Best Sitcoms .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8ffe1a9d6c8cb950232032e4e0ee23d3",
"text": "Son of Man (play) Son of Man is a television play by British playwright Dennis Potter which was first broadcast on BBC1 on 16 April 1969 , in The Wednesday Play slot . An alternative depiction of the last days of Jesus , Son of Man was directed by Gareth Davies and starred Irish actor Colin Blakely . The treatment of the subject matter led to Potter being accused of blasphemy by Christian morality campaigner Mary Whitehouse . Jesus was depicted as being tormented by self-doubt , repeatedly crying out `` Is it me ? '' as he struggles with his own nature as God incarnate whilst being vulnerable to human frailty . Potter 's work focuses on Jesus 's message of universal love , but eschews any mention of miracles or the resurrection . The character of Judas Iscariot is identified with the rich young man of the synoptic gospels . The play was shot on videotape over three days on a very limited budget : Potter was later to say that the set `` looks as though it 's trembling and about to fall down . '' It was also adapted for the stage and played at the Roundhouse , London , with Frank Finlay in the leading role . The stage version of Son of Man was first produced on 22 October 1969 , at the Phoenix Theatre , Leicester .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "52a0cef3c12503f0c207fc6d2e4b8687",
"text": "BBC Entertainment BBC Entertainment is an international television channel broadcasting comedy , drama , light entertainment , reality and children 's programming ( some regions only ) from the BBC , Channel 4 and other UK production houses . The channel broadcasts regional versions to suit local demands and replaces BBC Prime . It is wholly owned by BBC Worldwide .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "54ee3944b1a50c3b71721b721a8b882e",
"text": "Saturday Live (UK TV series) Saturday Live was a British television comedy and music show broadcast by Channel 4 from 1985 to 1987 , and in 1988 as Friday Night Live . Influenced by the American show Saturday Night Live ( in particular its use of guest hosts ) , it was produced by Paul Jackson . The series made stars of Ben Elton , Harry Enfield , Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie , and featured appearances ( in some cases first television appearances ) by Patrick Marber , Morwenna Banks , Chris Barrie , Emo Philips , Tracey Ullman , Craig Ferguson , Craig Charles and many others . The show featured comic duo Adrian Edmondson and Rik Mayall in their act The Dangerous Brothers . All episodes were transmitted live , although some material was pre-recorded . Recordings of shows were edited into compilation repeats , retitled Saturday Almost Live . The show was succeeded by Friday Night Live , a shorter and slightly more tightly-formatted show with Elton as the permanent host , which ran for a single series in 1988 . The show 's titles consisted of reforming clay animations , highly comparable to early MTV idents .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5800d6aad53067622445fa582a1ff9cf",
"text": "Spitting Image Spitting Image is a British satirical puppet show , created by Peter Fluck , Roger Law and Martin Lambie-Nairn . The series was produced by ` Spitting Image Productions ' for Central Independent Television over 18 series which aired on the ITV network . The series was nominated and won numerous awards during its run including 10 BAFTA Television Awards , including one for editing in 1989 and two Emmy Awards in 1985 and 1986 in the Popular Arts Category . The series featured puppet caricatures of celebrities prominent during the 1980s and 1990s , including British Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major and other politicians , US president Ronald Reagan , and the British Royal Family ; the series was the first to caricature Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother ( as an elderly gin-drinker with a Beryl Reid voice ) . One of the most-watched shows of the 1980s and early 1990s , the series was a satire of politics , entertainment , sport and British culture of the era , and at its peak it was watched by 15 million people . The series was cancelled in 1996 , after viewing figures declined . ITV had plans for a new series in 2006 , but these were scrapped after a dispute over Ant & Dec puppets used to host Best Ever Spitting Image , which were created against Roger Law 's wishes .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a06df7b0f722557443dfd2656e5ac69e",
"text": "It Takes a Worried Man It Takes a Worried Man is a British TV sitcom . It was made by Thames Television and ran for three series , broadcast from to . The first two series were broadcast on the ITV network , and the third and final series on Channel 4 . Most episodes were written by the star , Peter Tilbury , who played office worker Philip Roath . The title comes from a line in the folk song Worried Man Blues .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d78388668892c77f8d33c9733e149688",
"text": "BBC Natural History Unit The BBC Natural History Unit ( NHU ) is a department of the BBC which produces television , radio and online content with a natural history or wildlife theme . It is best known for its highly regarded nature documentaries , including The Blue Planet and Planet Earth , and has a long association with David Attenborough 's authored documentaries , notably Life on Earth . The Natural History Unit is a specialist department within BBC Factual Production , which is itself part of BBC Studios . Each year it produces around 100 hours of television and 50 hours of radio programmes , making it the largest wildlife documentary production house in the world . The BBC commissions programmes from the Unit for broadcast on five terrestrial television channels ( BBC One , BBC Two , BBC Four , CBBC and CBeebies ) and BBC Radio 4 . Content is marketed internationally under the BBC Earth brand by the corporation 's commercial arm , BBC Worldwide . Original content is also broadcast on the Earth Unplugged YouTube channel . The Unit has been based in Broadcasting House , Bristol since its formation in 1957 , and has been headed by Julian Hector since 2016 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c73565df74445e79dbabd7ccf67b7a42",
"text": "This World (TV series) This World is a current affairs programme which produced by the BBC and broadcast on BBC Two in the United Kingdom , first airing on 4 January 2004 . The programme also airs worldwide occasionally through BBC World News on digital services , satellite and cable in many countries . The series is mainly focused on social issues and current affairs stories around the world .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4422dfd80ca15879fee921fc824c5ebc",
"text": "Peter Macann Peter Macann is a former British actor , reporter , and television presenter familiar to millions of viewers for his role co-hosting the BBC 's popular flagship science show Tomorrow 's World in the late 1980s and early 1990s . Since retiring from the BBC , he has worked as a consultant for various corporations on managing culture change within their organizations . He currently lives in Buckinghamshire .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "874996477f7f5e17bd46d29e180ca01a",
"text": "That Mitchell and Webb Sound That Mitchell and Webb Sound is a comedy sketch show on BBC Radio 4 which started on 28 August 2003 . A second series was broadcast in 2005 with a third starting on 24 May 2007 . The series became adapted for television as That Mitchell and Webb Look in 2006 . The series is seen in some ways a follow-up to The Mitchell and Webb Situation , a sketch show shown on Play UK in 2001 . That Mitchell and Webb Sound returned to BBC Radio 4 for a fourth series in 2009 , the first episode broadcasting on 25 August 2009 . A fifth series was announced in September 2013 , and began transmission on 26 November 2013 . The series stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb who also write a fair amount of the material . Also performing in the show are James Bachman and regular Mitchell and Webb collaborator Olivia Colman . Sarah Hadland joined the cast for the fourth series . Apart from Mitchell and Webb , a fair proportion of the sketches are written by the other cast members and other writers . These include Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain ( the writers of Peep Show , in which Mitchell and Webb star ) , Mark Evans , David Quantick , Jonathan Dryden Taylor , Toby Davies , Simon Kane and John Finnemore . It is produced by Gareth Edwards .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "cb155e7c7fca45c93595ed997188530c",
"text": "The Catherine Tate Show The Catherine Tate Show is a British television sketch comedy written by Catherine Tate and Aschlin Ditta . Tate also stars in all but one of the show 's sketches , which feature a wide range of characters . The Catherine Tate Show airs on BBC Two and is shown worldwide through the BBC . Collectively , the show has been nominated for six BAFTA Awards , two British Comedy Awards and an Emmy Award , and it has won two Royal Television Society Awards , two British Comedy Awards and a National Television Award since its debut in 2004 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8f2287c65a4138e9a6764066c4edcbdb",
"text": "Life in the Snow Life in the Snow is a 2016 British television show created by the BBC Natural History Unit .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a982da1fd0657a5589db23fa32ab89a2",
"text": "Doctor Who Doctor Who is a British science-fiction television programme produced by the BBC since 1963 . The programme depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called `` The Doctor '' , an extraterrestrial being from the planet Gallifrey . He explores the universe in a time-travelling space ship called the TARDIS . Its exterior appears as a blue British police box , which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired . Accompanied by a number of companions , the Doctor combats a variety of foes , while working to save civilisations and help people in need . The show is a significant part of British popular culture , and elsewhere it has gained a cult following . It has influenced generations of British television professionals , many of whom grew up watching the series . The programme originally ran from 1963 to 1989 . There was an unsuccessful attempt to revive regular production in 1996 with a backdoor pilot , in the form of a television film titled Doctor Who . The programme was relaunched in 2005 , and since then has been produced in-house by BBC Wales in Cardiff . Doctor Who has also spawned numerous spin-offs , including comic books , films , novels , audio dramas , and the television series Torchwood ( 2006 -- 2011 ) , The Sarah Jane Adventures ( 2007 -- 2011 ) , K-9 ( 2009 -- 2010 ) , and Class '' ( 2016-present ) , and has been the subject of many parodies and references in popular culture . Twelve actors have headlined the series as the Doctor . The transition from one actor to another is written into the plot of the show with the concept of regeneration into a new incarnation -- an idea introduced in 1966 to allow the show to continue after the departure of original lead William Hartnell who was becoming very ill at the time . The concept is that this is a Time Lord trait through which the character of the Doctor takes on a new body and personality to recover from a severe injury or anything that would otherwise kill a normal person . Each actor 's portrayal differs , but all represent stages in the life of the same character and form a single narrative . The time-travelling feature of the plot means that different incarnations of the Doctor occasionally meet . The current lead , Peter Capaldi , took on the role after Matt Smith 's exit in the 2013 Christmas special `` The Time of the Doctor '' . In 2017 , Capaldi confirmed he would be leaving at the end of the tenth series , with his final appearance being the 2017 Christmas Special .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7fcfe0909d42a2902e5c9267c95fd68a",
"text": "Not Only... But Also Not Only ... But Also was a popular 1960s BBC British sketch comedy show starring Peter Cook and Dudley Moore .",
"title": ""
}
] |
fever
|
0734f9410de3961fcba575cb27a0a7a1
|
Dustin Hoffman is an award-winning actor.
|
[
{
"docid": "213f620461fcfa95eb34d0c85c4adb76",
"text": "Dustin Hoffman Dustin Lee Hoffman ( born August 8 , 1937 ) is an American actor and a director , with a career in film , television , and theatre since 1960 . Hoffman has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters . He won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1980 for Kramer vs. Kramer , and in 1989 for Rain Man . Widely considered one of the finest actors in history , Hoffman first drew critical praise for starring in the play , Eh ? , for which he won a Theatre World Award and a Drama Desk Award . This achievement was soon followed by his breakthrough 1967 film role as Benjamin Braddock , the title character in The Graduate . Since that time , Hoffman 's career has largely been focused on the cinema , with sporadic returns to television and to the stage . Hoffman 's notable films include : Midnight Cowboy , Little Big Man , Straw Dogs , Papillon , Lenny , Marathon Man , All the President 's Men , Kramer vs. Kramer , Tootsie , Rain Man , Hook , and Wag the Dog . He made his directorial debut in 2012 , with Quartet . Along with 2 Academy Award wins , Hoffman has been nominated for 5 additional Academy Awards , and he was nominated for 13 Golden Globes , winning 6 ( including an honorary award ) . He has won 4 BAFTAs , 3 Drama Desk Awards , 2 Emmy Awards , and a Genie Award . Hoffman received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1999 , and the Kennedy Center Honors Award in 2012 .",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "de618f64d3c06a7157a7ddc9cf31e1b0",
"text": "9th Primetime Emmy Awards The 9th Emmy Awards , later referred to as the 9th Primetime Emmy Awards , were held on March 16 , 1957 to honor the best in television of the year . The ceremony was held at the NBC Studios in Burbank , California . Desi Arnaz hosted the event . All nominations are listed , with winners in bold and series ' networks are in parentheses . Categories were sorted based on running time , instead of by genre . The top shows of the night were Caesar 's Hour and Playhouse 90 . Each show won a then-record five major awards , ( however , two of Playhouse 90 's wins came in now defunct categories ) . Caesar 's Hour became the first show to be nominated in all four major acting categories . Caesar 's Hour also made history when it swept the four acting categories . After over fifty years , it remains the only comedy or drama series to win every major acting award . In 2004 , the miniseries Angels in America became the second show , and first miniseries/television movie , to sweep the acting field .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "c9713caaa9368da3ecf14d3474681057",
"text": "Boychoir (film) Boychoir is a 2014 American drama film directed by François Girard and written by Ben Ripley . The film stars Dustin Hoffman , Kathy Bates , Debra Winger , Josh Lucas and the American Boychoir School .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d8f48b52fbc3d575b45e20e727e89198",
"text": "Dustin (name) Dustin is a surname and mainly masculine given name .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "406e72f609b838eaf56a446e6f2ba9a7",
"text": "Dustin Lee Abraham Dustin Lee Abraham is an American actor , producer and screenwriter . He penned the 2001 cult movie How High for Method Man and Redman . As of 2009 , he produces and writes for CSI : Crime Scene Investigation . On December 6 , 2007 , film director William Friedkin directed an episode of CSI : Crime Scene Investigation , Cockroaches , written and produced by Abraham .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9f23b470ef4753baa5ef333589377605",
"text": "Family Business (film) Family Business is a 1989 American comedy-drama heist film directed by Sidney Lumet with a screenplay by Vincent Patrick , based on his novel . It stars Sean Connery , Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1445773c08da50707979a85167e4edf4",
"text": "Houston Film Critics Society Awards 2010 The 4th Houston Film Critics Society Awards were presented on December 18 , 2010 . These awards for `` extraordinary accomplishment in film '' are presented annually by the Houston Film Critics Society ( HFCS ) based in Houston , Texas . The organization , founded in 2007 , includes 22 film critics for print , radio , television , and internet publications in the greater Houston area . The awards are co-sponsored by the Houston Film Commission , Southwest Alternate Media Project , Women in Film and Television/Houston , WorldFest , and the Houston Cinema Arts Society . The nominations for the 2010 awards were announced on December 12 , 2010 . Eligible films do not need to have played or opened in a Houston film theater prior to the nomination deadline , merely made available to the HFCS membership at a screening or on DVD . Along with the 13 `` best of '' category awards , this year also saw the introduction of a new category for `` Worst Movies of the Year '' . The Social Network , True Grit , and 127 Hours each received six nominations , all including the Best Picture , Actor , Direction , and Original Score categories . The Social Network was the HFCS 's most awarded film of 2010 taking top honors in the Best Picture , Best Director ( David Fincher ) , Best Actor ( Jesse Eisenberg ) , and Best Screenplay ( Aaron Sorkin ) categories . Inception was the only other film to garner multiple awards , winning both the Best Original Score ( Hans Zimmer ) and Best Cinematography ( Wally Pfister ) prizes . The other acting awards went to Natalie Portman as Best Actress for Black Swan , Hailee Steinfeld as Best Supporting Actress for True Grit , and Christian Bale as Best Supporting Actor for The Fighter . The remaining film honors went to Toy Story 3 as Best Animated Film , Restrepo as Best Documentary , and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as Best Foreign Language Film . `` We Are Sex Bob-Omb '' by Beck from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was named the Best Original Song . The HFCS 's first-ever award for `` Worst Picture '' was given to Jonah Hex starring Josh Brolin . In addition to the category awards , the HFCS presented their annual Lifetime Achievement Award to Sissy Spacek and its Humanitarian Award to George Clooney . Clooney was selected for `` selflessly using his celebrity for greater good '' . The HFCS award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema awards were presented to Charles Dove , director of the Rice University Media Center , and Hector Luna , the founder and editor of C-47 Houston .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a56ecd2b07d430a364f44ba3fad5be70",
"text": "Restoration (1995 film) Restoration is a 1995 American historical drama film directed by Michael Hoffman . It stars Robert Downey , Jr. as a 17th-century medical student exploited by the king . The film , which is based on the novel of the same title by Rose Tremain , was filmed in Wales and won two Academy Awards .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "752227b3b7a63d61f5f2d679802fae77",
"text": "Golden Boot Awards The Golden Boot Awards is an American acknowledgment of achievement honoring actors , actresses , and crew members who have made significant contributions to the genre of Western television and movies . The award is sponsored and presented by the Motion Picture & Television Fund . Money raised at the award banquet is used to help finance various services offered by the Fund to those in the entertainment industry . Actor Pat Buttram conceived the idea of the Golden Boot Award , and the first ones were presented in 1983 . The awards appear to have been discontinued since 2007 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8f48201ac26eae38efbb726483e6c38b",
"text": "Michael Hoffman Michael or Mike Hoffman may refer to :",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f898b20442bf87a815ad9386312d10e2",
"text": "Jerzy Hoffman Jerzy Hoffman ( -LSB- ˈjɛʐɨ ˈxɔfman -RSB- ; born March 15 , 1932 ) is a Polish film director and screenwriter .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5a1d800f3a58ce0e26dc0d8caddded51",
"text": "Goodfellas Goodfellas ( stylized as GoodFellas ) is a 1990 American crime film directed by Martin Scorsese . It is an adaptation of the 1986 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi , who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese . The film narrates the rise and fall of mob associate Henry Hill and his friends over a period from 1955 to 1980 . Scorsese initially named the film Wise Guy and postponed making it ; later , he and Pileggi changed the name to Goodfellas . To prepare for their roles in the film , Robert De Niro , Joe Pesci , and Ray Liotta often spoke with Pileggi , who shared research material left over from writing the book . According to Pesci , improvisation and ad-libbing came out of rehearsals wherein Scorsese gave the actors freedom to do whatever they wanted . The director made transcripts of these sessions , took the lines he liked best , and put them into a revised script , which the cast worked from during principal photography . Made on a budget of $ 25 million , Goodfellas grossed $ 46.8 million . It received positive reviews from critics and was nominated for six Academy Awards , including Best Picture and Best Director , with Pesci winning Best Actor in a Supporting Role . The film won five awards from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts , including Best Film and Best Director . Additionally , Goodfellas was named the year 's best film by various critics ' groups . Goodfellas is widely regarded as one of the greatest films in the crime genre . In 2000 , it was deemed `` culturally , historically , and aesthetically significant '' and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress . Its content and style have been emulated in numerous other films and television shows .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "14fdb2b2ff9374372c5b351ee1f2fb5d",
"text": "Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series . In early Primetime Emmy Award ceremonies , the supporting categories were not always genre , or even gender , specific . Beginning with the 22nd Primetime Emmy Awards , supporting actors in comedy have competed alone . However , these comedic performances often included actors from miniseries , telefilms , and guest performers competing against main cast competitors . Such instances are marked below : # -- Indicates a performance in a Miniseries or Television film , prior to the category 's creation . § -- Indicates a performance as a guest performer , prior to the category 's creation .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "64daf635e0704799258b62ebaea7c666",
"text": "Art film An art film is typically a serious , independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience . An art film is `` intended to be a serious artistic work , often experimental and not designed for mass appeal '' ; they are `` made primarily for aesthetic reasons rather than commercial profit '' , and they contain `` unconventional or highly symbolic content '' . Film critics and film studies scholars typically define an art film as possessing `` formal qualities that mark them as different from mainstream Hollywood films '' , which can include , among other elements , a sense of social realism ; an emphasis on the authorial expressiveness of the director ; and a focus on the thoughts , dreams , or motivations of characters , as opposed to the unfolding of a clear , goal-driven story . Film scholar David Bordwell describes art cinema as `` a film genre , with its own distinct conventions '' . Art film producers usually present their films at specialty theatres ( repertory cinemas , or , in the U.S. , `` arthouse cinemas '' ) and film festivals . The term art film is much more widely used in the United States , the UK and Australia than in Europe , where the term is more associated with `` auteur '' films and `` national cinema '' ( e.g. , German national cinema ) . Because they are aimed at small niche market audiences , they can rarely get the financial backing that will permit large production budgets , expensive special effects , costly celebrity actors , or huge advertising campaigns , as are used in widely released mainstream blockbuster films . Art film directors make up for these constraints by creating a different type of film , which typically uses lesser-known film actors ( or even amateur actors ) and modest sets to make films that focus much more on developing ideas or exploring new narrative techniques or film-making conventions . A certain degree of experience and knowledge are required to fully understand or appreciate such films . One mid-1990s art film was called `` largely a cerebral experience '' that one enjoys `` because of what you know about film '' . This contrasts sharply with mainstream `` blockbuster '' films , which are geared more towards escapism and pure entertainment . For promotion , art films rely on the publicity generated from film critics ' reviews , discussion of their film by arts columnists , commentators and bloggers , and `` word-of-mouth '' promotion by audience members . Since art films have small initial investment costs , they only need to appeal to a small portion of the mainstream viewing audiences to become financially viable .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4d3f56123540da179ece607c09c505eb",
"text": "48th Academy Awards The 48th Academy Awards were presented March 29 , 1976 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion , Los Angeles . The ceremonies were presided over by Walter Matthau , Robert Shaw , George Segal , Goldie Hawn , and Gene Kelly . This year , ABC took over broadcast rights from NBC , and continues to broadcast them today . ( NBC 's coverage of the 1976 NCAA Final Four aired opposite the ceremony ; during the presentation of the Best Film Editing award , the winner was jokingly announced ( by presenter Elliott Gould ) as `` Indiana , 86 -- 68 '' ; the Indiana Hoosiers had won the NCAA Final Four that night . ) Miloš Forman 's One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest made a `` clean sweep '' of the major categories : Best Picture , Best Actor , Best Actress , Best Director and Best Screenplay ( Adapted ) . It was the second of three films to date to accomplish the sweep , following It Happened One Night in 1934 and preceding The Silence of the Lambs in 1991 . French actress Isabelle Adjani received her first nomination for Best Actress this year , making Adjani , 20 at the time , the youngest actress to be nominated in the leading actress category , breaking the record set by 22-year-old Elizabeth Hartman in 1967 . This record would later be surpassed by 13-year-old Keisha Castle-Hughes in 2004 , and again in 2013 by nine-year old Quvenzhane Wallis . Adjani also presented the Best Film Editing award that night along with Gould who delivered the Indiana joke during the presentation . At age 80 , George Burns became the oldest acting and Best Supporting Actor awardee , a record which stood until Jessica Tandy won Best Actress in 1989 . For males , Burns was succeeded by Christopher Plummer , who won Best Supporting Actor in 2012 for Beginners at the age of 82 . Jaws was followed 25 years later by Traffic for a film that won all its nominations except Best Picture . Jaws is one of the few films to be nominated for Best Picture but not for directing , acting , or writing .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "57fa02595e2d219579ab7e8c4afddfd8",
"text": "52nd Academy Awards The 52nd Academy Awards were presented April 14 , 1980 , at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles . The ceremonies were presided over by Johnny Carson who , in noting the long duration of the production , joked that President Jimmy Carter was working hard for their `` release '' from the ceremonies , a clear reference to the Iranian hostage crisis . Among the nominees for Best Supporting Actor were 8 year-old Justin Henry -- the youngest Best Supporting Actor nominee ever -- and 79-year-old Melvyn Douglas . This was the largest age difference between two competing actors in Oscar history until 2013 . Ironically , their age difference was partially the reason why Douglas did not attend the Oscars that night , despite winning the award . Henry was nominated for Kramer vs. Kramer , which out of its eight other nominations , finished with five awards , including Best Picture , Best Director for Robert Benton , and Best Actor for Dustin Hoffman .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d4b8f1aba9dc803d1cf199d65be6e3e6",
"text": "Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play The Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play is an honor presented at the Tony Awards , a ceremony established in 1947 as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre , to actors for quality leading roles in a Broadway play . The awards are named after Antoinette Perry , an American actress who died in 1946 . Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the Tony Award Productions , a joint venture of The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing , to `` honor the best performances and stage productions of the previous year . '' Despite the award first being presented in 1947 , there were no nominees announced until 1956 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "602da3ec064923fa9f123b395e5b9c03",
"text": "Tootsie Tootsie is a 1982 American comedy film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Dustin Hoffman , with a supporting cast that includes Bill Murray , Jessica Lange , Teri Garr , Dabney Coleman , Charles Durning , Geena Davis ( in her acting debut ) , and Doris Belack . The film tells the story of a talented but volatile actor whose reputation for being difficult forces him to adopt a new identity as a woman in order to land a job . The film was adapted by Larry Gelbart , Barry Levinson ( uncredited ) , Elaine May ( uncredited ) and Murray Schisgal from the story by Gelbart and Don McGuire . In 1998 , the Library of Congress deemed the film `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry . The theme song to the film , `` It Might Be You , '' which was sung by singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop , whose music was composed by Dave Grusin , and whose lyrics were written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman , was a Top 40 hit in the U.S. , and also hit 1 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "def0aedff5557d0ee35128535de300bd",
"text": "American Film Institute The American Film Institute ( AFI ) is an American film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States . AFI is supported by private funding and public membership .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "06bee763ab88bf322c23edce2ef326cd",
"text": "Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards 2014 The 20th Dallas -- Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards honoring the best in film for 2014 were announced on December 15 , 2014 . These awards `` recognizing extraordinary accomplishment in film '' are presented annually by the Dallas -- Fort Worth Film Critics Association ( DFWFCA ) , based in the Dallas -- Fort Worth metroplex region of Texas . The organization , founded in 1990 , includes 30 film critics for print , radio , television , and internet publications based in north Texas . The Dallas -- Fort Worth Film Critics Association began presenting its annual awards list in 1993 . Birdman was the DFWFCA 's most awarded film of 2014 , taking five top honors . Birdman won in Best Picture , Best Actor ( Michael Keaton ) , Best Director ( Alejandro G. Iñárritu ) , Best Cinematography ( Emmanuel Lubezki ) , and Best Screenplay ( Alejandro G. Iñárritu , Nicolás Giacobone , Alexander Dinelaris Jr. , and Armando Bo ) . Another film , Boyhood , earned multiple 2014 honors from the DFWFCA . The coming-of-age tale received top honors in the Best Supporting Actress ( Patricia Arquette ) as well as being presented the Russell Smith Award as the `` best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film '' of the year . The award is named in honor of late Dallas Morning News film critic Russell Smith . Reese Witherspoon was named Best Actress for her role as Cheryl Strayed in Wild . The other films earning honors were Sweden 's Force Majeure for Best Foreign Language Film , Citizenfour as Best Documentary Film , and The Lego Movie for Best Animated Film .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d5ca80ac8f89c0da3ee8dfa187d59aef",
"text": "Dust (1985 film) Dust is a 1985 film directed by Marion Hänsel based on the J. M. Coetzee novel In the Heart of the Country . The film was shot in Spain and is a French-Belgian production . The film was selected as the Belgian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 58th Academy Awards , but was not accepted as a nominee . It won the Silver Lion prize , awarded to the best first or second major work by a director , at the 1985 Venice Film Festival . The jury recognised Jane Birkin 's performance as amongst the best of the year , but decided not to award a best actress prize because all of the actresses they judged to have made the best performances were in films that won major awards .",
"title": ""
}
] |
fever
|
3e78609341426f6a220d47dcc87e077e
|
Julius Caesar is only a book.
|
[
{
"docid": "cb64b5cb8aea159b632c69a6988f44f8",
"text": "Julius Caesar (1953 film) Julius Caesar is a 1953 epic Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film adaptation of the play by Shakespeare , directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz , who also wrote the uncredited screenplay , and produced by John Houseman . The original music score is by Miklós Rózsa . The film stars Marlon Brando as Mark Antony , James Mason as Brutus , John Gielgud as Cassius , Louis Calhern as Julius Caesar , Edmond O'Brien as Casca , Greer Garson as Calpurnia , and Deborah Kerr as Portia .",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "8ed3f684c5efdacb529ae75e02c8416b",
"text": "The Emperor's Games The Emperor 's Games is the third and last book in a historical fiction trilogy about the 1st-century Roman Empire . Set primarily in Rome and Lower Germany circa AD 81-83 , it follows the adventures of a pair of Roman brothers -- one free-born and one slave-born -- as they serve in the Roman legions .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "843ab1b7b0b903a0a542aba009809da6",
"text": "Tusculum portrait The Tusculum portrait or the Tusculum bust is one of the two main portrait types of Julius Caesar , alongside the Chiaramonti Caesar . Being one of the copies of the bronze original , the bust is dated to 50 -- 40 BC and is housed in the permanent collection of the Museo d'Antichità in Turin , Italy . Made of fine grained marble , the bust measures 33 cm in height . The portrait 's facial features are consistent with those on coins struck in Caesar 's last year , particularly on the denarii issued by Marcus Mettius . The bust 's head is prolonged , forming a saddle shape which was caused by Caesar 's premature ossification of the sutures between the parietal bone and the temporal bone . The portrait also exhibits dolichocephalia . According to several scholars , the Tusculum portrait is the only extant portrait of Caesar made during his lifetime . The Tusculum portrait was excavated by Lucien Bonaparte at the forum in Tusculum in 1825 and was later brought to Castello d'Aglie , though it was not recognised as a bust of Caesar until Maurizio Borda identified it in 1940 . The portrait was exhibited in the Louvre alongside the Arles bust . There are three known copies of the bust , in the Woburn Abbey and in private collections in Florence and Rome .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e0df8701385d9bc1ae5f7106586108ef",
"text": "Caesar and Pompey Caesar and Pompey is a Jacobean era stage play , a classical tragedy written by George Chapman . Arguably Chapman 's most obscure play , it is also one of the more problematic works of -LSB- -LSB- English Renaissance theatre | English Renaissance drama",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fb89410f44f522d62482ee6060fc60a1",
"text": "Bible The Bible ( from Koine Greek τὰ βιβλία , tà biblía , `` the books '' ) is a collection of sacred texts or scriptures that Jews and Christians consider to be a product of divine inspiration and a record of the relationship between God and humans . Many different authors contributed to the Bible . What is regarded as canonical text differs depending on traditions and groups ; a number of Bible canons have evolved , with overlapping and diverging contents . The Christian Old Testament overlaps with the Hebrew Bible and the Greek Septuagint ; the Hebrew Bible is known in Judaism as the Tanakh . The New Testament is a collection of writings by early Christians , believed to be mostly Jewish disciples of Christ , written in first-century Koine Greek . These early Christian Greek writings consist of narratives , letters , and apocalyptic writings . Among Christian denominations there is some disagreement about the contents of the canon , primarily the Apocrypha , a list of works that are regarded with varying levels of respect . Attitudes towards the Bible also differ amongst Christian groups . Roman Catholics , Anglicans and Eastern Orthodox Christians stress the harmony and importance of the Bible and sacred tradition , while Protestant churches focus on the idea of sola scriptura , or scripture alone . This concept arose during the Protestant Reformation , and many denominations today support the use of the Bible as the only source of Christian teaching . With estimated total sales of over 5 billion copies , the Bible is widely considered to be the best-selling book of all time . It has estimated annual sales of 100 million copies , and has been a major influence on literature and history , especially in the West , where the Gutenberg Bible was the first book printed using movable type .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "00d437f6261f956262812d44d636ccde",
"text": "The Druid King The Druid King is a 2003 historical novel by American novelist Norman Spinrad . The novel is set during the Gallic Campaigns of Julius Caesar . The main protagonist of the novel is Vercingetorix and the plot follows his rise to power to become king of the Gauls and his eventual surrender to Caesar at the Battle of Alesia . The book is a novelisation of an early version of the script for Vercingétorix , la Légende du Druide Roi , a French language film .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e685fdb95807ebdaadf982428fafdb77",
"text": "Tacitus Publius ( or Gaius ) Cornelius Tacitus ( -LSB- ˈtæsᵻtəs -RSB- -LSB- ˈtakɪtʊs -RSB- ; c. AD 56 -- c. AD 120 ) was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire . The surviving portions of his two major works -- the Annals and the Histories -- examine the reigns of the Roman emperors Tiberius , Claudius , Nero , and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors ( AD 69 ) . These two works span the history of the Roman Empire from the death of Augustus , in AD 14 , to the years of the First Jewish -- Roman War , in AD 70 . There are substantial lacunae in the surviving texts , including a gap in the Annals that is four books long . Tacitus ' other writings discuss oratory ( in dialogue format , see Dialogus de oratoribus ) , Germania ( in De origine et situ Germanorum ) , and the life of his father-in-law , Agricola , the Roman general responsible for much of the Roman conquest of Britain , mainly focusing on his campaign in Britannia ( De vita et moribus Iulii Agricolae '' ) . Tacitus is considered to be one of the greatest Roman historians . He lived in what has been called the Silver Age of Latin literature , and is known for the brevity and compactness of his Latin prose , as well as for his penetrating insights into the psychology of power politics .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "08897375cf82325d380a83e631fff908",
"text": "Early life and career of Julius Caesar The early career of Julius Caesar was characterized by military adventurism and political persecution . Julius Caesar was born on July 13 , 100 BC , into a patrician family , the gens Julia , which claimed descent from Iulus , son of the legendary Trojan prince Aeneas , supposedly the son of the goddess Venus . His father died early , and his family status put him at odds with the Dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla , who almost had him executed . At about that time , Caesar found himself captured by pirates , only to crucify his former captors after he was ransomed . Before long he began his military career . He served in Hispania , married Sulla 's granddaughter and was elected chief priest , all in rapid succession . Shortly after this , he was suspected , though not convicted , of involvement in the Catiline Conspiracy . Before long he was leaving for a governorship in Hispania and positioning himself to be one of the most important figures in history .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a979caf100f9368eb96d37ba5b294b44",
"text": "London (novel) London is a historical novel by Edward Rutherfurd published in 1997 , which charts the history of London from 54 B.C. to 1997 . The novel begins with the birth of the River Thames and moves to 54 B.C. , detailing the life of Segovax , a curious character with slightly webbed hands and a flash of white hair . Seqovax becomes the ancestor of the Ducket and Dogget families , prominent fictional families woven into the novel . Historical figures , such as Julius Caesar , Geoffrey Chaucer , William Shakespeare , and Pocahontas , make appearances alongside fictional characters and historical kings and queens of England .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "076141383b33669eed1a71fdf438f6e1",
"text": "Acta Senatus Acta Senatus , or Commentarii Senatus , were minutes of the discussions and decisions of the Roman Senate . Before the first consulship of Julius Caesar ( 59 BC ) , minutes of the proceedings of the Senate were written and occasionally published , but unofficially ; Caesar , desiring to tear away the veil of mystery which gave an unreal importance to the Senate 's deliberations , first ordered them to be recorded and issued authoritatively in the Acta Diurna . The keeping of them was continued by Augustus , but their publication was forbidden . A young senator ( ab actis senatus ) was chosen to draw up these acta , which were kept in the imperial archives and public libraries . Special permission from the city prefect was necessary in order to examine them .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f7c879b83c12e693a1a357fb6b908912",
"text": "Julius (software) Julius is an open source speech recognition engine . Julius is a high-performance , two-pass large vocabulary continuous speech recognition ( LVCSR ) decoder software for speech-related researchers and developers . It can perform almost real-time decoding on most current PCs in 60k word dictation task using word 3-gram and context-dependent HMM . Major search techniques are fully incorporated . It is also modularized carefully to be independent from model structures , and various HMM types are supported such as shared-state triphones and tied-mixture models , with any number of mixtures , states , or phones . Standard formats are adopted to cope with other free modeling toolkit . The main platform is Linux and other Unix workstations , and also works on Windows . Julius is open source and distributed with a revised BSD style license . Julius has been developed as part of a free software toolkit for Japanese LVCSR research since 1997 , and the work has been continued at Continuous Speech Recognition Consortium ( CSRC ) , Japan from 2000 to 2003 . From rev. 3.4 , a grammar-based recognition parser named `` Julian '' is integrated into Julius . Julian is a modified version of Julius that uses hand-designed DFA grammar as a language model . It can be used to build a kind of voice command system of small vocabulary , or various spoken dialog system tasks .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "96663296bc5309239249c7c25cdfb0bf",
"text": "Servius Tullius Servius Tullius was the legendary sixth king of Rome , and the second of its Etruscan dynasty . He reigned 575 -- 535 BC . Roman and Greek sources describe his servile origins and later marriage to a daughter of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus , Rome 's first Etruscan king , who was assassinated in 579 BC . Servius is said to have been the first Roman king to accede without election by the Senate , having gained the throne by popular support ; and the first to be elected by the Senate alone , without reference to the people . Several traditions describe Servius ' father as divine . Livy depicts Servius ' mother as a captured Latin princess enslaved by the Romans ; her child is chosen as Rome 's future king after a ring of fire is seen around his head . The Emperor Claudius discounted such origins and described him as an originally Etruscan mercenary , named Mastarna , who fought for Caelius Vibenna . Servius was a popular king , and one of Rome 's most significant benefactors . He had military successes against Veii and the Etruscans , and expanded the city to include the Quirinal , Viminal and Esquiline hills . He is traditionally credited with the institution of the Compitalia festivals , the building of temples to Fortuna and Diana and , less plausibly , the invention of Rome 's first true coinage . Despite the opposition of Rome 's patricians , he expanded the Roman franchise and improved the lot and fortune of Rome 's lowest classes of citizens and non-citizens . According to Livy , he reigned for 44 years , until murdered by his daughter Tullia and son-in-law Tarquinius Superbus . In consequence of this `` tragic crime '' and his hubristic arrogance as king , Tarquinius was eventually removed . This cleared the way for the abolition of Rome 's monarchy and the founding of the Roman Republic , whose groundwork had already been laid by Servius ' reforms .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0e5efdbaeb62e8a0c67bab745c089615",
"text": "Ius __ NOTOC __ Ius or Jus ( Latin , plural iura ) in ancient Rome was a right to which a citizen ( civis ) was entitled by virtue of his citizenship ( civitas ) . The iura were specified by laws , so ius sometimes meant law . As one went to the law courts to sue for one 's rights , ius also meant justice and the place where justice was sought . On the whole , the Romans valued their rights as the greatest good of Roman citizenship ( Civitas Romana ) , as opposed to citizenship in other city-states under the jurisdiction of Rome but without Roman rights . Outsiders ( peregrini ) and freedmen ( libertini ) perforce used Roman lawyers to represent them in actions undertaken under the jurisdiction of Roman law . Representation was one of the civic obligations ( munera ) owed to the state by citizens . These munera ( on which account the citizens were municipes ) included military service as well as paying taxes , but specialized obligations might also be associated with functions of elected offices or assigned by the government , such as paying the cost of road or aqueduct maintenance . Some of these functions were highly lucrative , such as tax collecting , since the collector collected much more than he owed the government , but for the most part functionaries were appointed for their wealth and were expected to assume the costs as their munus . If they did not , they were tried and sometimes executed . Violation of the iura of other citizens , whether in office or out , was a serious matter , for which the punishment might be death .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "50c7f7f848e579dc6c03bade0120d247",
"text": "Siege of Massilia -RCB- | - | | -RCB- The Siege and naval Battle of Massilia was an episode of Caesar 's civil war , fought in 49 BC . Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus had become proconsul of Gaul and was sent to gain control of Massilia ( modern Marseille ) in order to oppose Caesar . As Caesar marched to Hispania ( en route to the Battle of Ilerda ) , the Massiliots closed their gates to him , having allied with Ahenobarbus and the Optimates . Roused by their hostile actions , he commenced a siege against Massilia , leaving the newly raised 17th , 18th , and 19th legions to conduct the siege . These were the same legions that would be wiped out at Teutoburg Forest 58 years later . He also placed Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus in charge of his fleet there . After the siege had begun , Ahenobarbus arrived in Massilia to defend it against the Caesarian forces . In late June , Caesar 's ships , although they were less skillfully built than those of the Massiliots and outnumbered , were victorious in the ensuing naval battle . Gaius Trebonius , Caesar 's legatus , conducted the siege using a variety of siege machines including siege towers , a siege-ramp , and a `` testudo-ram '' . Gaius Scribonius Curio , careless in adequately guarding the Sicilian Straits , allowed Lucius Nasidius to bring more ships to the aid of Ahenobarbus . He fought a second naval battle with Decimus Brutus in early September , but withdrew defeated and sailed for Hispania . Caesar built a stationary tower , 30 ft. square and six stories in height , under the very walls of the city and in face of a rain of missiles from its engines . The walls of the tower were of brickwork 5 ft. thick . When the lowest storey was built it was covered with a solid fireproof roof which was not secured to the walls but rested upon them like a lid . The eaves projected considerably , and from them screens were hung on all sides , covering all the walls . By means of screws the whole canopy , roof and screens , was now raised to the height of one storiey and the workmen proceeded to build the walls of that storiey under its protection . This process was repeated in the same manner until the full height of the tower was attained . The Massiliots valiantly defended against the siege machines and works . They threw down burning pitch and pine-shavings and the Caesarians undermined the foundations of their city walls . At one point they seemed likely to surrender and declare a truce , but at night they cunningly destroyed the siege works in a gross violation of the treaty , according to Caesar 's own account ( Bellum Civile 2.14 ; alternatively , Dio 41.25.2 records that the Massiliots destroyed these works in response to a surprise attack by the Caesarian forces ) . The city 's inhabitants were then near surrender . At the final surrender of Massilia , Caesar showed his usual leniency and Lucius Ahenobarbus escaped to Thessaly in the only vessel that was able to escape from the Populares . Afterwards , Massilia was allowed to keep nominal autonomy , due to ancient ties of friendship and support of Rome , along with some territories while most of its empire was confiscated by Julius Caesar .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f690adaba5d1b0b9894e745f8609fcdf",
"text": "Augustus Caesar Buell Augustus Caesar Buell ( September 4 , 1847 -- May 23 , 1904 ) was an American author who wrote several biographies of great Americans , following the success of a book about his experiences in the Civil War . Most material in these biographies that was not plagiarized was ( as was discovered too late for many subsequent scholars ) fabricated . In 1876 he was briefly arrested following an accusation of libel .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "7c05e23e74355473c8cbe12fc59136a5",
"text": "Supplements to the Satyricon Petronius 's Satyricon , the only realistic classical Latin novel ( probably written c. AD 60 ) , survives in a very fragmentary form . Many readers have wondered how the story would begin and end . Between 1629 and the present several authors in various languages have attempted to round the story out . In certain cases , following a well-known conceit of historical fiction , these invented supplements have been claimed to derive from newly discovered manuscripts .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b28a0b5bd3973f3948cb6b02290e8caf",
"text": "Caesar (McCullough novel) Caesar : Let the Dice Fly is the fifth historical novel in Colleen McCullough 's Masters of Rome series .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9182a90196fd281ac524076f30aea078",
"text": "Livius Andronicus Not to be confused with Livy , the Augustan-era historian whose Latin name is Livius . Lucius Livius Andronicus ( c. 284 -- c. 205 BC ) was a Greco-Roman dramatist and epic poet of the Old Latin period . He began as an educator in the service of a noble family at Rome by translating Greek works into Latin , including Homer 's Odyssey . They were meant at first as educational devices in the school he founded . He wrote works for the stage -- both tragedies and comedies -- which are regarded as the first dramatic works written in the Latin language of ancient Rome . His comedies were based on Greek New Comedy and featured characters in Greek costume . Thus , the Romans referred to this new genre by the term comoedia palliata ( fabula palliata ) . The Roman biographer Suetonius later coined the term `` half-Greek '' of Livius and Ennius ( referring to their genre , not their ethnic backgrounds ) . The genre was imitated by the next dramatists to follow in Andronicus ' footsteps and on that account he is regarded as the father of Roman drama and of Latin literature in general ; that is , he was the first man of letters to write in Latin . Varro , Cicero , and Horace , all men of letters during the subsequent Classical Latin period , considered Livius Andronicus to have been the originator of Latin literature . He is the earliest Roman poet whose name is known .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "684282d38a143da3155f207769feafe8",
"text": "Augustan History The Augustan History ( Latin : Historia Augusta ) is a late Roman collection of biographies , written in Latin , of the Roman Emperors , their junior colleagues , designated heirs and usurpers of the period 117 to 284 . Supposedly modeled on the similar work of Suetonius , The Twelve Caesars , it presents itself as a compilation of works by six different authors ( collectively known as the Scriptores Historiae Augustae ) , written during the reigns of Diocletian and Constantine I and addressed to those emperors or other important personages in Rome . The collection , as extant , comprises thirty biographies , most of which contain the life of a single emperor , while some include a group of two or more , grouped together merely because these emperors were either similar or contemporaneous . However , the true authorship of the work , its actual date , and its purpose , have long been matters for controversy amongst historians and scholars , ever since Hermann Dessau in 1889 rejected both the date and the authorship as stated within the manuscript . Major problems include the nature of the sources it used , and how much of the content is pure fiction . For instance , the collection contains in all about 150 alleged documents , including 68 letters , 60 speeches and proposals to the people or the senate , and 20 senatorial decrees and acclamations . Virtually all of these are now considered to be fraudulent . By the second decade of the 21st century , the overall consensus supported the position that there was only a single author who was writing either at the end of the 4th century or the beginning of the 5th century , and who was interested in blending contemporary issues ( political , religious and social ) into the lives of the 3rd century emperors . Further , that the author used the fictitious elements in the work to highlight references to other published works , such as to Cicero and Ammianus Marcellinus in a complex allegorical game . Despite these conundrums , it is the only continuous account in Latin for much of its period and is thus continually being re-evaluated , since modern historians are unwilling to abandon it as a unique source of possible information , despite its obvious untrustworthiness on many levels .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b029831fdf4bc3495ac7334707db260d",
"text": "Julius of Rome Julius was a member of the Roman Senate . He is recorded by St. Eusebius and St. Pontian , as a martyr .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5f228be9c3f78aca473cf1cdd026677c",
"text": "We Were There The We Were There books are a series of historical novels written for children . The series consists of 36 titles , first released between 1955 and 1963 by Grosset & Dunlap . Each book in the series is a fictional retelling of an historical event , featuring one or more children as primary characters . The books were written by a number of different authors , each writing from one to seven of the books ; the authors included Benjamin Appel , Jim Kjelgaard , Earl Schenck Miers , William O. Steele , and others . Each book 's byline also lists a separate `` historical consultant , '' who was a specialist in the historic topic covered by that particular book . The historical consultants were typically college professors or , in the case of war-related stories , retired military officers ; among the more noteworthy consultants for the series were the historians Bruce Catton , Walter Prescott Webb and A. B. Guthrie , Jr. . The books are illustrated with black-and-white line art , with color drawings on the dust jacket . The dust jackets of the original printings of the books describe the series as follows : We Were There books are easy to read and provide exciting , entertaining stories , based upon true historic events . Each story is checked for factual accuracy by an outstanding authority on this particular phase of our history . Though written simply enough for young readers , they make interesting reading for boys and girls well into their teens . The original hardbound editions of the books were followed by several other printings , including editions for book clubs and libraries . The books were later reissued with hardbound picture covers ( using the original dust jacket artwork ) , and softcover editions of some books became available in the 1970s . Three of the books are available from Lamppost Publishers and American Home School Publishers . Most of the original books are available in varying used conditions from various sellers through Amazon , although selection will naturally vary at any given time .",
"title": ""
}
] |
fever
|
1dd6b32e355fe5fe225f24b53aa2984e
|
No Reservations got a mixed reception from critics.
|
[
{
"docid": "770b562493d468fc8ff4e2a9f4df7314",
"text": "No Reservations (film) No Reservations is a 2007 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Scott Hicks . Starring Catherine Zeta-Jones , Aaron Eckhart and Abigail Breslin , the screenplay by Carol Fuchs is an adaptation of an original script by Sandra Nettelbeck , which served as the basis for the 2001 German film Mostly Martha , and revolves around a hard-edged chef whose life is turned upside down when she decides to take in her young niece following a tragic accident that killed her sister . Patricia Clarkson , Bob Balaban and Jenny Wade co-star , with Brían F. O'Byrne , Lily Rabe , and Zoe Kravitz -- appearing in her first feature film -- playing supporting roles . The film received a mixed reception by critics , who found it `` predictable and too melancholy for the genre '' , resulting in a 41 % overall approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes . Upon its opening release on July 27 , 2007 in the United States and Canada , No Reservations became a moderate commercial success : The film grossed $ 12 million in its opening weekend , eventually grossing over $ 43 million at the domestic box-office and over $ 92 million worldwide . Breslin was nominated for a Young Artist Award for her performance .",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "9f8eae82a811d860f395f9b32b466621",
"text": "Cultural assimilation of Native Americans The cultural assimilation of Native Americans was an assimilation effort by the United States to transform Native American culture to European -- American culture between the years of 1790 -- 1920 . George Washington and Henry Knox were first to propose , in an American context , the cultural transformation of Native Americans . They formulated a policy to encourage the `` civilizing '' process . With increased waves of immigration from Europe , there was growing public support for education to encourage a standard set of cultural values and practices to be held in common by the majority of citizens . Education was viewed as the primary method in the acculturation process for minorities . Americanization policies were based on the idea that when indigenous people learned United States ( American ) customs and values , they would be able to merge tribal traditions with American culture and peacefully join the majority of the society . After the end of the Indian Wars , in the late 19th and early 20th centuries , the government outlawed the practice of traditional religious ceremonies . It established Native American boarding schools which children were required to attend . In these schools they were forced to speak English , study standard subjects , attend church , and leave tribal traditions behind . The Dawes Act of 1887 , which allotted tribal lands in severalty to individuals , was seen as a way to create individual homesteads for Native Americans . Land allotments were made in exchange for Native Americans ' becoming US citizens and giving up some forms of tribal self-government and institutions . It resulted in the transfer of an estimated total of 93 e6acre from Native American control . Most was sold to individuals or given out free through the Homestead law , or given directly to Indians as individuals . The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 was also part of Americanization policy ; it gave full citizenship to all Indians living on reservations . The leading opponent of forced assimilation was John Collier , who directed the federal Office of Indian Affairs from 1933 to 1945 , and tried to reverse many of the established policies .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e33b097fdfa2393bef0ea9bcd75da940",
"text": "Romantic racism Romantic racism is a form of racism in which members of a dominant group project their fantasies onto members of oppressed groups . Feminist scholars have accused Norman Mailer , Jack Kerouac , and other Beatnik authors of the 1950s of romantic racism . They maintain that the dominant mainstream culture of the 1950s in the United States stressed conformity and held up middle-class suburban families as the cultural ideal , and that it was indifferent to art and literature , upheld racial segregation , and despised or ignored black achievements , such as jazz . Those , like the novelist Norman Mailer , who felt limited by or alienated from mainstream culture , sought out influences from other cultures as form of rebellion . Mailer , a great fan of jazz music , created his concept of what it meant to be `` hip , '' or a member of the white urban counterculture , largely on his perception of the culture of urban African-Americans ( with whom the expression `` hip '' , meaning `` in the know '' , originated ) and articulated his vision in his essay `` The White Negro . '' Mailer , who considered himself an opponent of Victorian sexual repression and regimentation , idealized what he saw as the sexual and other freedoms of minority and other counter-cultural groups , overlooking the fact that in these groups sexual exploitation of women sometimes occurred.These critics consider his depictions of what he imagines African-American life to be like as an instance of what they call `` romantic racism '' , contending that he implies that in urban ghettoes -- filled with sex , drugs , and violence -- life is somehow enriched , rather than hurt , by poverty and crime . Mailer 's essay has also been criticized for spreading the stereotype of African-American men as hypermasculine and hypersexual .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "17369810ed4fea2f91a766f56ceb199c",
"text": "Nowhere Man: The Final Days of John Lennon Nowhere Man : The Final Days of John Lennon , first published in 2000 and written by New York journalist Robert Rosen , who in 1981 had access to John Lennon 's diaries , is a controversial account of the ex-Beatle 's last five years . The book disputes the official view of Lennon as a contented househusband raising his son Sean and baking bread while Yoko ran the family business . Instead , Nowhere Man portrays Lennon 's daily life at the Dakota as that of a `` tormented superstar , a prisoner of his fame , locked in his bedroom raving about Jesus Christ , while a retinue of servants tended to his every need . '' Rosen says that he used his memory of Lennon 's diaries as `` a roadmap to the truth . '' The final part of the book , The Coda , focuses on the mental disintegration of Lennon 's assassin , Mark David Chapman , and includes Chapter 27 , the so-called missing chapter of J.D. Salinger 's classic novel of disaffected youth , The Catcher in the Rye , that `` inspired '' Chapman to murder Lennon . It was Chapman 's goal , according to Rosen , to write Chapter 27 `` in Lennon 's blood . '' Originally written in 1982 , the manuscript remained unpublished for 18 years . Soft Skull Press acquired the rights to the book in 1999 and brought out the hardcover edition the following year . Quick American Archives then picked up the rights and published the paperback edition in 2002 . Nowhere Man was a bestseller in the United States ( Los Angeles Times , September 3 , 2000 ) , England ( Mojo , October 2000 ) , and Japan ( Amazon.co.jp , October 2000 ) . In 2003 , Random House Mondadori brought out a Spanish-language edition in Latin America . The book received extensive coverage and was excerpted in such publications as Proceso , La Jornada , El Universal , Reforma , Semana , Gatopardo , Soho , El Heraldo , El Mercurio , La Tercera , Las Últimas Noticias , and The Clinic . Nowhere Man appeared on bestseller lists in Mexico and Colombia . The other foreign editions were published by DHC ( Japan , 2000 ) , Fusion Press ( UK , 2000 ) , Hannibal ( Germany , 2001 ) . and Coniglio ( Italy 2011 ) . The title of the book refers to The Beatles ' song `` Nowhere Man '' ( which was written and sung primarily by Lennon ) .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4f0d7e9fa022abff58ae6db95de49e87",
"text": "We Have Never Been Modern We Have Never Been Modern is a 1991 book by Bruno Latour , originally published in French as Nous n'avons jamais été modernes : Essai d'anthropologie symétrique ( English translation : 1993 ) . The book is an `` anthropology of science '' that explores the dualistic distinction modernity makes between nature and society . Pre-modern peoples , argues Latour , made no such division . Contemporary matters of public concern such as global warming , the HIV/AIDS pandemic and emerging biotechnologies mix politics , science , popular and specialist discourse to such a degree that a tidy nature/culture dualism is no longer possible . This inconsistency has given rise to post-modern and anti-modern movements . Latour attempts to reconnect the social and natural worlds by arguing that the modernist distinction between nature and culture never existed . He claims we must rework our thinking to conceive of a `` Parliament of Things '' wherein natural phenomena , social phenomena and the discourse about them are not seen as separate objects to be studied by specialists , but as hybrid made and scrutinized by the public interaction of people , things and concepts .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "13db858565383fcd5d793cf212e1142d",
"text": "Lannan Literary Awards The Lannan Literary Awards are a series of awards and literary fellowships given out in various fields by the Lannan Foundation . Established in 1989 , the awards are meant `` to honor both established and emerging writers whose work is of exceptional quality '' , according to the foundation . The foundation 's awards are lucrative relative to most awards in literature : the 2006 awards for poetry , fiction and nonfiction each came with $ 150,000 , making them among the richest literary prizes in the world . The awards reflect the philosophy governing the Lannan Foundation , a family foundation established by J. Patrick Lannan , Sr. in 1960 . It describes itself as `` dedicated to cultural freedom , diversity and creativity through projects which support exceptional contemporary artists and writers , as well as inspired Native activists in rural indigenous communities . '' Awards have been made to acclaimed and varied literary figures such as David Foster Wallace , William Gaddis , Lydia Davis , William H. Gass , Steve Erickson and W.S. Merwin . The foundation has also recognized people known as much for their public intellectual activities as for their literary talents , such as Barbara Ehrenreich and Edward Said . The foundation also gives a `` Cultural Freedom Prize '' for the stated purpose of recognizing `` people whose extraordinary and courageous work celebrates the human right to freedom of imagination , inquiry , and expression . '' Prize winners include Elouise P. Cobell , Robert Fisk , Eduardo Galeano , , Mahmoud Darwish , Arundhati Roy , Helen Caldicott and Cornel West . The foundation does not accept applications for awards or fellowships . Candidates are suggested anonymously `` by a network of writers , literary scholars , publishers , and editors , '' with the foundation 's literary committee making the final determination . The foundation also `` provides financial assistance to tribes and nonprofits that serve Native American communities ... '' For instance , it gave more than $ 7 million in grants to the Blackfeet Reservation Development Fund from 1998 to 2009 , to support litigation on behalf of Native Americans with interests in trust lands . This nonprofit was created by Elouise P. Cobell and her legal team to bring claims against the United States for mismanaging lands held in trust for Native Americans . The Cobell v. Salazar case was filed in 1996 and settled in 2009 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ca19c019b8cae94e0ca3ffd398931eb5",
"text": "Climate change denial Climate change denial , or global warming denial , is part of the global warming controversy . It involves denial , dismissal , unwarranted doubt or contrarian views which strongly depart from the scientific opinion on climate change , including the extent to which it is caused by humans , its impacts on nature and human society , or the potential of adaptation to global warming by human actions . Some deniers do endorse the term , but others often prefer the term climate change skepticism , although this is a misnomer for those who deny anthropogenic global warming . In effect , the two terms form a continuous , overlapping range of views , and generally have the same characteristics : both reject , to a greater or lesser extent , mainstream scientific opinion on climate change . Climate change denial can also be implicit , when individuals or social groups accept the science but fail to come to terms with it or to translate their acceptance into action . Several social science studies have analyzed these positions as forms of denialism . Campaigning to undermine public trust in climate science has been described as a `` denial machine '' of industrial , political and ideological interests , supported by conservative media and skeptical bloggers in manufacturing uncertainty about global warming . In the public debate , phrases such as climate skepticism have frequently been used with the same meaning as climate denialism . The labels are contested : those actively challenging climate science commonly describe themselves as `` skeptics '' , but many do not comply with common standards of scientific skepticism and , regardless of evidence , persistently deny the validity of human caused global warming . Although scientific opinion on climate change is that human activity is extremely likely to be the primary driver of climate change , the politics of global warming have been affected by climate change denial , hindering efforts to prevent climate change and adapt to the warming climate . Those promoting denial commonly use rhetorical tactics to give the appearance of a scientific controversy where there is none . Of the world 's countries , the climate change denial industry is most powerful in the United States . Since January 2015 , the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works has been chaired by oil lobbyist and climate change denier Jim Inhofe . Inhofe is notorious for having called climate change `` the greatest hoax ever perpetrated against the American people '' and for having claimed to have debunked the alleged hoax in February 2015 when he brought a snowball with him in the Senate chamber and tossed it across the floor . Organised campaigning to undermine public trust in climate science is associated with conservative economic policies and backed by industrial interests opposed to the regulation of emissions . Climate change denial has been associated with the fossil fuels lobby , the Koch brothers , industry advocates and libertarian think tanks , often in the United States . More than 90 % of papers sceptical on climate change originate from right-wing think tanks . The total annual income of these climate change counter-movement-organizations is roughly $ 900 million . Between 2002 and 2010 , nearly $ 120 million ( # 77 million ) was anonymously donated via the Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund to more than 100 organisations seeking to undermine the public perception of the science on climate change . In 2013 the Center for Media and Democracy reported that the State Policy Network ( SPN ) , an umbrella group of 64 U.S. think tanks , had been lobbying on behalf of major corporations and conservative donors to oppose climate change regulation . Since the late 1970s , oil companies have published research broadly in line with the standard views on global warming . Despite this , oil companies organized a climate change denial campaign to disseminate public disinformation for several decades , a strategy that has been compared to the organized denial of the hazards of tobacco smoking by tobacco companies .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "5d9af613fa5f951d965b53b37366c9b8",
"text": "Hellgate treaty The Treaty of Hellgate was signed in Hellgate on July 16 , 1855 between Indian commissioner Isaac Stevens and the Native American tribes located in western Montana . The treaty was ratified by Congress , signed by President James Buchanan , and proclaimed on April 18 , 1859 . The tribes involved in the signing of the treaty entailed the Bitterroot Salish , Pend d'Oreille , and the Kootenai . The tribes negotiated the Hellgate treaty with the United States in 1855 . From the start , treaty negotiations were plagued by serious translation problems . A Jesuit observer , Father Adrian Hoecken , said that the translations were so poor that `` not a tenth of what was said was understood by either side '' . But as in the meeting with Lewis and Clark , the pervasive cross-cultural miscommunication ran even deeper than problems of language and translation . Tribal people came to the meeting assuming they were going to formalize an already-recognized friendship . Non-Indians came with the goal of making official their claims to native lands and resources . Isaac Stevens , the new governor and superintendent of Indian affairs for Washington Territory , was intent on obtaining cession of the Bitterroot Valley from the Salish . Many non-Indians were already well aware of the valley 's potential value for agriculture and its relatively temperate climate in winter . Due to the resistance of Chief Victor ( Many Horses ) , Stevens ended up inserting into the treaty complicated ( and doubtless poorly translated ) language that defined the Bitterroot Valley south of Lolo Creek as a `` conditional reservation '' for the Salish . Victor put his X mark on the document , convinced that the agreement would not require his people to leave their homeland . No other word came from the government for the next fifteen years , so the Salish assumed that they would indeed stay in their Bitterroot Valley forever . Based on the terms of the accord , the Native Americans were to relinquish their territories to the United States government in exchange for payment installments that totaled $ 120,000 dollars . The territories in question entailed everything from the main ridge of the Rocky Mountains at the 49th parallel to the Kootenai River and Clark Fork to the divide between the St. Regis River and the Coeur d'Alene River . From there , the ceded territories also extend to the southwestern fork of the Bitterroot River and up to Salmon River and Snake River . The treaty was ratified on March 8 , 1859 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4b4f5ca67a332c0cbef486824f4a4406",
"text": "National Hotel, Toronto The National Hotel was a hotel built on the southeast corner of King and Sherbourne streets , in Toronto , Ontario , Canada . Under pressure for condominium apartment redevelopment , the City of Toronto attempted to preserve the building , designating it a heritage site in 2009 , but the building was eventually torn down in 2013 . The hotel 's north and west facades were preserved as part of the new condominium development , examples of `` facadism '' in Toronto . The hotel was originally called the `` British Exchange Inn '' when it was run by its first proprietor George Ross . The hotel was listed in the 1856 Boulton Atlas . In 1861 , tax records show it was a three story brick building . In 1868 , the hotel was rebuilt and renamed the Grand Central Hotel and was managed by a William Burke , who expanded the building east -- `` likely in response to legislation enacted under pressure from the temperance movement '' . Hotels needed to offer a certain number of rooms to rent before they were entitled to a liquor license . Charles Brewer , the owner in 1905 , further expanded the structure to the south . The architect responsible for the 1905 expansion was Henry Simpson , a protege of E.J. Lennox , whose design was in the Richardsonian Romanesque style . The `` Terry Museum '' , one of Toronto 's first museums , was housed in the hotel from 1874 to 1878 . The property was listed on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties in 1973 . Despite this , in 2009 Ram 's Head Development , the building 's owners , announced plans to replace the building with an 18-storey high-rise . The plan stirred controversy and the City of Toronto applied to have the property designated under the Ontario Heritage Act . The building was protected under the heritage act on October 27 , 2009 . This was appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board ( OMB ) . The OMB ordered the City of Toronto to approve the development with the retention of the north and west facades . Demolition proceeded in 2013 . The `` King + '' condominium development opened in 2015 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9899176531546abcb014dbe388d9f88e",
"text": "An Experiment in Criticism An Experiment in Criticism is a 1961 book by C. S. Lewis in which he proposes that the quality of books should be measured not by how they are written , but by how they are read . To do this , the author describes two kinds of readers . One is what he calls the `` unliterary '' , and the other the `` literary '' . He proceeds to outline some of the differences between these two types of readers . For example , one characterization of an unliterary reader is that the argument `` I 've read it before '' is a conclusive reason not to read a book . In contrast , literary readers reread books many times , savoring certain passages , and attempting to glean more from subsequent readings . Lewis also argued that judging books by whether they are `` lowbrow '' or `` highbrow '' is not necessarily fruitful ; many `` lowbrow '' books prove to be valuable to a literary reader willing to approach without prejudgment . He noted that books classified as `` lowbrow '' , such as science fiction , are also capable of inducing a passion to re-read and imparting experience which changes reader 's worldview . Lewis suggests that books which are capable of doing this may prove to have enduring merit regardless of their genre of origin . He suggested that attempting to judge the literary merit of books based on traditional criteria may not prove fruitful . Thus , Lewis suggests that a quality book is one that someone , anyone will re-read . A highbrow view that such a book is poor quality has failed to appreciate whatever qualities merit re-reading by someone .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "6b3b442e2dbaada432a044019cbc44a0",
"text": "Minaki Lodge Minaki Lodge ( -LSB- mɪˈnæki -RSB- ) , formerly part of the chain of Canadian National Hotels , was originally built in 1914 by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway ( GTPR ) . Located on the route of the National Transcontinental Railway ( NTR ) at Minaki , Ontario , between Sioux Lookout and Winnipeg , where the railway crosses the Winnipeg River , this rustic resort hotel named Minaki Lodge and the railway station also called Minaki , is an Ojibwa word that has been variously translated as Beautiful Water or Good Land . The NTR and GTPR went bankrupt and were nationalized as part of the Canadian National Railways . CNR president Sir Henry Thornton rebuilt the hotel on a more lavish scale , but it burned down as it was about to open in 1925 . Undaunted , he rebuilt it on an even more lavish scale using Scottish stonemasons , Swedish lot cutters and English gardeners to build and landscape a soaring granite and log building that opened in 1927 . Thirty trainloads of soil were brought from a farm in Manitoba to build a golf course on the rock of the Canadian Shield . Minaki Lodge remained a luxurious resort until after the Second World War , but travel patterns changed and the railway , emphasizing freight and no longer interested in attracting passenger traffic , sold it in the early 1950s . Over the next 50 years the hotel passed through many hands and many renovations . The Ontario government owned it for some years and spent an estimated $ 50-million on upgrading it , only to sell it to a hotel chain for $ 4-million . The Conservative government that spent most of the money called the resort The Jewel of the North . Opposition Liberal and New Democratic Party politicians called it a boondoggle and a sinkhole . Owners since then have included a nearby Indian band , a Texan speculator and a Calgary , Alberta , real estate developer . The main building , which was not insured , burned to the ground in a spectacular fire in October , 2003 , and the resort has not operated since . The resort 's 9-hole golf course has been tended only sporadically in recent years . In 2012 , former Manitoba cabinet minister Bob Banman and real estate developer Bob Schinkel submitted a plan to redevelop the former site of the lodge as condominium apartments and individually-owned cottages . The local cottagers ' association opposes the development , expressing concerns about the project 's sewage treatment facilities .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "afb9a29fcddbb48509c8594d5b40e610",
"text": "Dawes Act The Dawes Act of 1887 ( also known as the General Allotment Act or the Dawes Severalty Act of 1887 ) , adopted by Congress in 1887 , authorized the President of the United States to survey American Indian tribal land and divide it into allotments for individual Indians . Those who accepted allotments and lived separately from the tribe would be granted United States citizenship . The Dawes Act was amended in 1891 , in 1898 by the Curtis Act , and again in 1906 by the Burke Act . The Act was named for its creator , Senator Henry Laurens Dawes of Massachusetts . The objectives of the Dawes Act were to lift the Native Americans out of poverty , to stimulate assimilation of them into mainstream American society , and to transfer lands under Indian control to white settlers . Individual household ownership of land and subsistence farming on the European-American model was seen as an essential step . The act provided that the government would classify as `` excess '' those Indian reservation lands remaining after allotments , and sell those lands on the open market , allowing purchase and settlement by non-Native Americans . The Dawes Commission , set up under an Indian Office appropriation bill in 1893 , was created to try to persuade the Five Civilized Tribes to agree to allotment plans . ( They had been excluded from the Dawes Act by their treaties . ) This commission registered the members of the Five Civilized Tribes on what became known as the Dawes Rolls . The Curtis Act of 1898 amended the Dawes Act to extend its provisions to the Five Civilized Tribes ; it required abolition of their governments , allotment of communal lands to people registered as tribal members , and sale of lands declared surplus , as well as dissolving tribal courts . This completed the extinguishment of tribal land titles in Indian Territory , preparing it to be admitted to the Union as the state of Oklahoma . During the ensuing decades , the Five Civilized Tribes lost 90 million acres of former communal lands , which were sold to non-Natives . In addition , many individuals , unfamiliar with land ownership , became the target of speculators and criminals , were stuck with allotments that were too small for profitable farming , and lost their household lands . Tribe members also suffered from the breakdown of the social structure of the tribes . During the Great Depression , the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration supported passage on June 18 , 1934 of the US Indian Reorganization Act ( also known as the Wheeler-Howard Law ) . It ended land allotment and created a `` New Deal '' for Indians , renewing their rights to reorganize and form their self-governments .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1445773c08da50707979a85167e4edf4",
"text": "Houston Film Critics Society Awards 2010 The 4th Houston Film Critics Society Awards were presented on December 18 , 2010 . These awards for `` extraordinary accomplishment in film '' are presented annually by the Houston Film Critics Society ( HFCS ) based in Houston , Texas . The organization , founded in 2007 , includes 22 film critics for print , radio , television , and internet publications in the greater Houston area . The awards are co-sponsored by the Houston Film Commission , Southwest Alternate Media Project , Women in Film and Television/Houston , WorldFest , and the Houston Cinema Arts Society . The nominations for the 2010 awards were announced on December 12 , 2010 . Eligible films do not need to have played or opened in a Houston film theater prior to the nomination deadline , merely made available to the HFCS membership at a screening or on DVD . Along with the 13 `` best of '' category awards , this year also saw the introduction of a new category for `` Worst Movies of the Year '' . The Social Network , True Grit , and 127 Hours each received six nominations , all including the Best Picture , Actor , Direction , and Original Score categories . The Social Network was the HFCS 's most awarded film of 2010 taking top honors in the Best Picture , Best Director ( David Fincher ) , Best Actor ( Jesse Eisenberg ) , and Best Screenplay ( Aaron Sorkin ) categories . Inception was the only other film to garner multiple awards , winning both the Best Original Score ( Hans Zimmer ) and Best Cinematography ( Wally Pfister ) prizes . The other acting awards went to Natalie Portman as Best Actress for Black Swan , Hailee Steinfeld as Best Supporting Actress for True Grit , and Christian Bale as Best Supporting Actor for The Fighter . The remaining film honors went to Toy Story 3 as Best Animated Film , Restrepo as Best Documentary , and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as Best Foreign Language Film . `` We Are Sex Bob-Omb '' by Beck from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was named the Best Original Song . The HFCS 's first-ever award for `` Worst Picture '' was given to Jonah Hex starring Josh Brolin . In addition to the category awards , the HFCS presented their annual Lifetime Achievement Award to Sissy Spacek and its Humanitarian Award to George Clooney . Clooney was selected for `` selflessly using his celebrity for greater good '' . The HFCS award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema awards were presented to Charles Dove , director of the Rice University Media Center , and Hector Luna , the founder and editor of C-47 Houston .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "db25db20778f4b72be21233ce7f596b4",
"text": "While Europe Slept While Europe Slept : How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within is a 2006 book by Bruce Bawer . It was Bawer 's second book dealing with the issue of religious fundamentalism , following his earlier Stealing Jesus : How Fundamentalism Betrays Christianity , a critique of fundamentalist Christianity published in 1998 . While Europe Slept argues that Europe 's democratic traditions and open society face a growing demographic and cultural threat from Europe 's Muslim immigrant communities , who according to Bawer reject Enlightenment values and resist integration . Bawer blames this trend primarily on an alleged `` self-destructive passivity '' among Europeans , whom he regards as `` appeasing '' essentially incompatible philosophies like radical Islam in the name of religious tolerance . Bawer compares this approach unfavorably with what he sees as a more robust American tradition which proudly asserts its values and expects immigrants to adopt them . The book received mixed reviews , with some strongly supporting its arguments while others rejected or even ridiculed them . Some felt the book raised important questions but failed to adequately make its case . The book received a 2006 nomination in the `` Criticism '' category from the National Book Critics Circle , a choice which was met with condemnation from two former members of the organization .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b95208e443e2759021f858099b13ed21",
"text": "List of accolades received by 127 Hours 127 Hours is a 2010 British independent biographical adventure film directed by Danny Boyle . It stars James Franco in the principal role as real-life mountain climber Aron Ralston , whose hand was trapped under a boulder in a Utah ravine for more than five days in April 2003 . Adapted from Ralston 's autobiography Between a Rock and a Hard Place , 127 Hourss screenplay was written by Boyle and Simon Beaufoy . Distributors Fox Searchlight and Pathé gave the feature limited releases in the United States and United Kingdom on 5 November 2010 and 7 January 2011 , respectively . It grossed # 35.8 million at the box office by the end of its worldwide theatrical run . Rotten Tomatoes , a review aggregator surveyed 215 reviews and judged 93 % to be positive . Additionally , 127 Hours appeared on more than two dozen movie reviewers ' Top Ten lists for the best movies of 2010 . The film has received honors for its direction , music , cinematography and writing , as well as for the lead performance by Franco . At the 68th Golden Globe Awards ceremony , 127 Hours earned three nominations : for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Drama , Best Original Score and Best Screenplay . The picture was nominated in nine Satellite Award categories , including direction , score , sound , original song and visual effects . It also received nine nominations from the Broadcast Film Critics Association . The 64th British Academy Film Awards nominated it for eight of their awards , including Best Director , Best Editing , Best Music and Best Sound . Additionally , 127 Hours was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Film , but lost to The King 's Speech . It performed similarly at the 83rd Academy Awards , where it was nominated in six categories : Best Actor , Best Adapted Screenplay , Best Film Editing , Best Original Score , Best Original Song ( for `` If I Rise '' ) and Best Picture , but lost respectively in all categories to The King 's Speech , The Social Network , and Toy Story 3 . Franco was named Best Actor by the New York Film Critics Online and 2010 Independent Spirit Awards . He also received recognition from the Screen Actors Guild , at their 17th annual ceremony . Franco 's arm amputation scene towards the end of 127 Hours was nominated at the viewer-voted 2011 MTV Movie Awards . Boyle 's and Beaufoy 's efforts on the movie 's script earned them nominations from the Writers Guild of America and Evening Standard British Film Awards . Along with producer Christian Colson , Boyle garnered another nomination , this time from the Producers Guild of America . The Detroit Film Critics Society honored Boyle as Best Director . Suttirat Larlarb 's input on the movie 's production design earned her one nomination from the Art Directors Guild . The film 's cinematography garnered nominations at the 2010 Houston Film Critics Awards and the 2010 San Diego Film Critics Society Awards . The American Film Institute listed 127 Hours as one of the ten best movies of 2010 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a05aac68298a72c3c382dea5f29b0f39",
"text": "No Doubt No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim , California , that formed in 1986 . Since 1994 , the group has consisted of vocalist Gwen Stefani , bassist and keyboardist Tony Kanal , guitarist and keyboardist Tom Dumont , and drummer Adrian Young . Since the mid-1990s in live performances and the studio , they have been supported by keyboardist and trombonist Gabrial McNair and keyboardist and trumpeter Stephen Bradley . The ska sound of their song `` Trapped in a Box '' ( 1992 ) that was featured on their first album No Doubt ( 1992 ) failed to make an impact . The Beacon Street Collection ( 1993 ) is a raw expression of their sound , inspired by ska punk and released independently by the band under their own record label . The album sold over 100,000 copies in 1995 , over three times as many as their first album . The band 's diamond-certified album Tragic Kingdom ( 1995 ) helped launch the third-wave ska revival of the 1990s , and `` Do n't Speak '' , the third single from the album , set a record when it spent 16 weeks at the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart . The group 's next album , Return of Saturn ( 2000 ) , despite its Top 40 hit single `` Simple Kind of Life '' , did not match the success of their previous album but received critical praise and was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 43rd Grammy Awards . Fifteen months later , the band reappeared with Rock Steady ( 2001 ) , which incorporated reggae and dancehall music into their work . The album was primarily recorded in Jamaica and featured collaborations with Jamaican artists Bounty Killer , Sly and Robbie , and Lady Saw . The album produced two Grammy-winning singles , `` Hey Baby '' and `` Underneath It All '' . Hella Good was also nominated for a Grammy award . On 22 November 2002 , No Doubt received the Key to the City of Anaheim , given by the Mayor of Anaheim , Tom Daly , in Disneyland during the band 's appearance on ` Breakfast with Kevin and Bean ' ( KROQ-FM ) where they performed five songs . After a 2004 tour the band embarked on solo projects , with Stefani releasing two successful solo albums Love . Angel . Music . Baby . ( 2004 ) and The Sweet Escape ( 2006 ) while Tom Dumont released his own solo music project , Invincible Overlord . In 2008 , the band resumed working slowly on their sixth effort , titled Push and Shove ( 2012 ) , and released their single `` Settle Down '' . They have sold over 33 million records worldwide .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "86084993280e8253fc7b4eb19ba7d878",
"text": "Conservatism Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes retaining traditional social institutions in the context of culture and civilization . By some definitions , conservatives have variously sought to preserve institutions including religion , monarchy , parliamentary government , property rights and the social hierarchy , emphasizing stability and continuity , while the more extreme elements called reactionaries oppose modernism and seek a return to `` the way things were '' . The first established use of the term in a political context originated with François-René de Chateaubriand in 1818 , during the period of Bourbon restoration that sought to roll back the policies of the French Revolution . The term , historically associated with right-wing politics , has since been used to describe a wide range of views . There is no single set of policies that are universally regarded as conservative , because the meaning of conservatism depends on what is considered traditional in a given place and time . Thus conservatives from different parts of the world -- each upholding their respective traditions -- may disagree on a wide range of issues . Edmund Burke , an 18th-century politician who opposed the French Revolution but supported the American Revolution , is credited as one of the main theorists of conservatism in Great Britain in the 1790s . According to Quintin Hogg , the chairman of the British Conservative Party in 1959 , `` Conservatism is not so much a philosophy as an attitude , a constant force , performing a timeless function in the development of a free society , and corresponding to a deep and permanent requirement of human nature itself '' . In contrast to the tradition-based definition of conservatism , political theorists such as Corey Robin define conservatism primarily in terms of a general defense of social and economic inequality . From this perspective conservatism is less an attempt to uphold traditional institutions and more `` a meditation on -- and theoretical rendition of -- the felt experience of having power , seeing it threatened , and trying to win it back . ''",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "64daf635e0704799258b62ebaea7c666",
"text": "Art film An art film is typically a serious , independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience . An art film is `` intended to be a serious artistic work , often experimental and not designed for mass appeal '' ; they are `` made primarily for aesthetic reasons rather than commercial profit '' , and they contain `` unconventional or highly symbolic content '' . Film critics and film studies scholars typically define an art film as possessing `` formal qualities that mark them as different from mainstream Hollywood films '' , which can include , among other elements , a sense of social realism ; an emphasis on the authorial expressiveness of the director ; and a focus on the thoughts , dreams , or motivations of characters , as opposed to the unfolding of a clear , goal-driven story . Film scholar David Bordwell describes art cinema as `` a film genre , with its own distinct conventions '' . Art film producers usually present their films at specialty theatres ( repertory cinemas , or , in the U.S. , `` arthouse cinemas '' ) and film festivals . The term art film is much more widely used in the United States , the UK and Australia than in Europe , where the term is more associated with `` auteur '' films and `` national cinema '' ( e.g. , German national cinema ) . Because they are aimed at small niche market audiences , they can rarely get the financial backing that will permit large production budgets , expensive special effects , costly celebrity actors , or huge advertising campaigns , as are used in widely released mainstream blockbuster films . Art film directors make up for these constraints by creating a different type of film , which typically uses lesser-known film actors ( or even amateur actors ) and modest sets to make films that focus much more on developing ideas or exploring new narrative techniques or film-making conventions . A certain degree of experience and knowledge are required to fully understand or appreciate such films . One mid-1990s art film was called `` largely a cerebral experience '' that one enjoys `` because of what you know about film '' . This contrasts sharply with mainstream `` blockbuster '' films , which are geared more towards escapism and pure entertainment . For promotion , art films rely on the publicity generated from film critics ' reviews , discussion of their film by arts columnists , commentators and bloggers , and `` word-of-mouth '' promotion by audience members . Since art films have small initial investment costs , they only need to appeal to a small portion of the mainstream viewing audiences to become financially viable .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d81c724cb9bf9628cce016fe7bc5531a",
"text": "No Colour Bar No Colour Bar : Black British Art in Action 1960 -- 1990 is a major public art and archives exhibition , the first of its kind in the UK , held at the Guildhall Art Gallery , City of London , over a six-month period ( 10 July 2015 -- 24 January 2016 ) , with a future digital touring exhibition , and an associated programme of events . No Colour Bar took its impetus from the life work and archives of Jessica Huntley ( 23 February 1927 -- 13 October 2013 ) and Eric Huntley ( born 25 September 1929 ) , Guyanese-born campaigners , political activists and publishers , who founded the publishing company Bogle-L'Ouverture Publications and the associated Walter Rodney Bookshop . Comprising contemporary fine art combined with archive materials , the multi-media exhibition features the work of seminal Black British artists and historically significant activists , and was described by Colin Prescod ( chair of the Institute of Race Relations ) as an `` exposition of startling and radical imaginative works , addressing grand British cultural and historical matters , and touching on themes of existential and social restlessness '' . Participants in the Caribbean Artists Movement , such as Winston Branch , Aubrey Williams , Ronald Moody and Errol Lloyd , are featured together with other prominent artists , including Eddie Chambers , Sonia Boyce , Sokari Douglas Camp , Denzil Forrester and Chila Kumari Burman , with works on display across all media : painting sculpture , painting , drawing , illustration , photography and film . In conjunction with the art and archives , panels and talks led by the exhibition curators , Makeda Coaston and Katty Pearce , and featuring individual artists , writers and publishers , including Eddie Chambers , Errol Lloyd , Denzil Forrester , Fowokan , Donald Hinds , Kadija George , Dorothea Smartt , Arif Ali , Sarah White , as well as Eric Huntley himself , were programmed . Within the exhibition is a purpose-built interactive installation by Michael McMillan , in conjunction with sound and visual specialists Dubmorphology , that recreates the famed Walter Rodney Bookshop , which was formerly located in West Ealing , functioning as a cultural hub of the community until it closed at the beginning of the 1990s .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4c207d90afac4e84fbfc9eec1a46ef9c",
"text": "Roger Bennett (playwright) Roger Bennett ( 1948 -- 1997 ) was an Arrernte man from Central Australia , an actor , and a playwright . His best known works are Up the Ladder and Funerals and Circuses . His works dealt with his life experiences , particularly the travelling boxing tents , where his father , Elley Bennett was a boxing champion during the 1940s and 1950s . Roger himself had also fought in the travelling tents . Up the Ladder was first performed at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 1990 , in a production directed by Bob Maza . The play subsequently moved to Melbourne , 1995 , for a long stint at the Melbourne Workers Theatre and came to Sydney in 1997 for the Festival of the Dreaming . According to the Sydney Morning Herald , Up the Ladder takes the audience right inside the spangled , sweaty , tatty and deceptive world of the travelling sideshow carnival , from tawdry fake snake charmers to the sawdust of the boxing ring . -LSB- co-director -RSB- Enoch says the Aboriginal culture comes through in the play 's physicality , mocking humour and the sparse nature of the dialogue . Critics have hailed it as a `` feel-good show '' , `` full of fun and good humour '' . The fact that the play emphasizes positive aspects of the Aboriginal experience in travelling shows led at least one reviewer to criticize it as apolitical . Wesley Enoch `` however argues that any play about Aboriginal people is political , '' stating that Having black people on stage punching the shit out of each other is political . But this is not agit prop . I think we are entering into a phase - culturally , artistically , politically - where it is actually about the nuance of racism . In 2003 , the play travelled to Tokyo . Staged by the Rakutendan Theatre Company and directed by Enoch ( Ilbijerri Theatre Cooperative ) , the play used many Japanese actors . In Funerals and Circuses , first performed at the Adelaide Festival in 1992 , Bennett dealt with issues of racism and inter-racial relationships in a small , racially tense town in South Australia . The music of Paul Kelly was used in this production . Bennett was an actor as well as a playwright . He served as writer in residence at the Araluen Centre for Arts and Entertainment in Alice Springs and at Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute in Adelaide . Bennett 's works are often studied in Australian high schools , including the New South Wales Higher School Certificate , for the issues they tackle .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "90ea72a560ab1a4e886473573a17f895",
"text": "The Critic The Critic is an American prime time animated series revolving around the life of New York film critic Jay Sherman , voiced by actor Jon Lovitz . It was created by writing partners Al Jean and Mike Reiss , who had previously worked as writers and showrunners ( seasons 3 and 4 ) on The Simpsons . The Critic had 23 episodes produced , first broadcast on ABC in 1994 , and finishing its original run on Fox in 1995 . According to PopMatters , `` the creators -LSB- said -RSB- they intended the series as their ` love letter to New York . ' '' Episodes featured movie parodies with notable examples including a musical version of Apocalypse Now , Howard Stern 's End ( Howards End ) , Honey , I Ate the Kids ( Honey , I Shrunk the Kids/The Silence of the Lambs ) , The Cockroach King ( The Lion King ) , Abe Lincoln : Pet Detective ( Ace Ventura : Pet Detective ) , Scent of a Jackass and Scent of a Wolfman ( Scent of a Woman ) . The show often referenced popular movies such as Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and The Godfather , and routinely lampooned actor Marlon Brando and actor/director Orson Welles . They also spoofed Dudley Moore , usually as his character Arthur Bach from the 1981 film Arthur . Despite the ratings improving , The Critic was cancelled after two seasons . It continued to air through reruns on Comedy Central and then on Locomotion . From February 1 , 2000 to 2001 , ten webisodes were later produced using Adobe Shockwave , and were broadcast on AtomFilms.com and Shockwave.com . In 2004 , the DVD box set was released , which includes all 23 TV episodes ( in their original production order ) and the webisodes . In the late 2000s , reruns of the show aired again on ReelzChannel in the US and on Teletoon 's programming block Teletoon at Night in Canada . As of 2016 , the first season can be viewed for free on Crackle .",
"title": ""
}
] |
fever
|
5491fdf832fb24739534b69c0a4ab806
|
International Relations only includes the entertainment industry.
|
[
{
"docid": "d645e80b91e256fa66693f9091049511",
"text": "International relations International relations ( IR ) or international affairs , depending on academic institution , is either a field of political science , an interdisciplinary academic field similar to global studies , or an entirely independent academic discipline in which students take a variety of internationally focused courses in social science and humanities disciplines . In both cases , the field studies relationships between political entities ( polities ) such as states , sovereign states , empires , inter-governmental organizations ( IGOs ) , international non-governmental organizations ( INs ) , non-governmental organizations ( NGOs ) , and multinational corporations ( MNCs ) , and the wider world-systems produced by this interaction . International relations is an academic and a public policy field , and so can be positive and normative , because it analyzes and formulates the foreign policy of a given State . As political activity , international relations dates from the time of the Greek historian Thucydides ( c. 460 -- 395 BC ) , and , in the early 20th century , became a discrete academic field ( No. 5901 in the 4-digit UNESCO Nomenclature ) within political science . In practice International Relations and International Affairs forms a separate academic program or field from Political Science , and the courses taught therein are highly interdisciplinary . For example , international relations draws from the fields of : technology and engineering , economics , communication studies , history , international law , demography , philosophy , geography , social work , sociology , anthropology , criminology , psychology , gender studies , cultural studies , culturology , and diplomacy . The scope of international relations comprehends globalization , diplomatic relations , state sovereignty , international security , ecological sustainability , nuclear proliferation , nationalism , economic development , global finance , as well as terrorism and organized crime , human security , foreign interventionism , and human rights , as well , as , more recently , comparative religion .",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "15de4fea6d1defb9167a6e11108320bb",
"text": "Cinema of India The cinema of India consists of films produced across India . Cinema as a medium has gained immense popularity in the country and as many as 1,600 films in various languages of India are produced annually . Indian films have also come to be followed throughout South Asia , the Greater Middle East , Southeast Asia and other countries . Dadasaheb Phalke is known as the `` father of Indian cinema '' . The Dadasaheb Phalke Award , for lifetime contribution to cinema , was instituted in his honour , by the Government of India in 1969 , and is the most prestigious and coveted award in Indian cinema . In the 20th century , Indian cinema , along with the Hollywood and Chinese film industries , became a global enterprise . As of 2013 , in terms of annual film output , India ranks first , followed by Nollywood , Hollywood and China . In 2012 , India produced 1,602 feature films . The Indian film industry reached overall revenues of $ 1.86 billion ( 93 billion ) in 2011 . This is projected to rise to $ 3 billion ( 200 billion ) in 2016 . In 2015 , India had a total box office gross of , the fourth largest in the world outside North America . Enhanced technology paved the way for upgrading from established cinematic norms of delivering product , altering the manner in which content reached the target audience . Biopics like Dangal and CGI-laden epics like Baahubali emerged as transnational blockbusters grossing over $ 200 million each in early 21st century . Indian cinema found markets in over 90 countries where films from India are screened . The Indian government extended film delegations to foreign countries such as the United States of America and Japan while the country 's Film Producers Guild sent similar missions through Europe . The provision of 100 % foreign direct investment has made the Indian film market attractive for foreign enterprises such as 20th Century Fox , Sony Pictures , Walt Disney Pictures and Warner Bros. . Indian enterprises such as AVM Productions , Prasad 's Group , Sun Pictures , PVP Cinemas , Zee , UTV , Suresh Productions , Eros Films , Ayngaran International , Pyramid Saimira , Aascar Films and Adlabs also participated in producing and distributing films . Tax incentives to multiplexes have aided the multiplex boom in India . By 2003 as many as 30 film production companies had been listed in the National Stock Exchange of India , making the commercial presence of the medium felt . The South Indian film industry defines the four film cultures of South India as a single entity . They are the Telugu , the Tamil , the Malayalam and the Kannada industries . Although developed independently over a long period , gross exchange of film performers and technicians as well as globalisation helped to shape this new identity . The Indian diaspora consists of millions of Indians overseas for which films are made available both through media such as DVDs and by screening of films in their country of residence wherever commercially feasible . These earnings , accounting for some 12 % of the revenue generated by a mainstream film , contribute substantially to the overall revenue of Indian cinema , the net worth of which was found to be 1.3 billion in 2000 . Music in Indian cinema is another substantial revenue generator with the music rights alone accounting for 4 -- 5 % of the net revenues generated by a film in India .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9ebfb5c3f4db55bd8ba2fd010886169e",
"text": "Showbiz Extra Showbiz Korea is a daily television entertainment news show that covers the South Korean entertainment industry broadcast in South Korea and throughout Asia on Arirang TV , which premiered on April 10 , 2002 . The show is produced in Korea , but broadcast in the English language . It 's also available on Viki with subtitles in multiple languages . The show features segments that include `` Showbiz Today '' about the latest issues facing the Korean entertainment industry ; `` K-Chitchat '' that features a panel of experts discussing the latest Korean entertainment issues ; `` Stars ' Big Match '' that highlights stars gaining worldwide fame ; `` Fashion 101 '' that explores fashion and beauty trends of Korean celebrities ' `` Issue Makers '' that spotlights stars in the news this week ; `` Film Digest '' that features the latest movie releases ; and `` On Scene '' that takes you on filming sets , press conferences and showcases .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "19b190bce3bb86f308a7f7343a099710",
"text": "Industrial musical An industrial musical is a musical performed internally for the employees or shareholders of a business , to create a feeling of being part of a team , to entertain , and/or to educate and motivate the management and salespeople to improve sales and profit . It can be used to increase staff awareness of public relations , advertising , marketing or corporate image . Other terms for industrial musicals include the corporate musical or industrial show , but the latter can also refer to trade shows , which are publicity events organized by businesses in a specific industry to promote their products to potential buyers . Industrial musicals are not restricted to corporations or to businesses involved in industry . They should not be confused with industrial music , or with musicals produced by businesses to be seen by the general public , for example , Disney 's stage production of The Lion King .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f2dd71cd472a15eee10544e3ee9b8109",
"text": "General Entertainment was a Japanese film production company and video game developer . The company filed for bankruptcy in August 12 , 2011 .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "4a913a508bcb016d99cd6c7e4975a6a1",
"text": "Major film studio A major film studio is a production and film distributor that releases a substantial number of films annually and consistently commands a significant share of box office revenue in a given market . In the North American , Western , and global markets , the major film studios , often simply known as the majors , are commonly regarded as the six diversified media conglomerates whose various film production and distribution subsidiaries collectively command approximately 80 to 85 percent of U.S. and Canadian box office revenue . The term may also be applied more specifically to the primary motion picture business subsidiary of each respective conglomerate . The `` Big Six '' majors , whose operations are based in or around the Los Angeles neighborhood of Hollywood , are all centered in film studios active during Hollywood 's Golden Age of the 1930s and 1940s . In three cases -- 20th Century Fox , Warner Bros. , and Paramount -- the studios were one of the `` Big Five '' majors during that era as well . In two cases -- Columbia and Universal -- the studios were also considered majors , but in the next tier down , part of the `` Little Three '' . In the sixth case , Walt Disney Studios was an independent production company during the Golden Age ; it was an important Hollywood entity , but not a major . Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , United Artists , and RKO were majors . Today , Disney is the only member of the Big Six whose parent entity is still located near Los Angeles ( actually , on Disney 's studio lot and in the same building ) . The five others report to conglomerates headquartered in New York City , Philadelphia , and Tokyo . Of the Big Six , Paramount is the only one still based in Hollywood , and Paramount and Fox are the only ones still located within the Los Angeles city limits , while Disney and Warner Bros. are located in Burbank , Columbia in Culver City , and Universal in the unincorporated area of Universal City . Most of today 's Big Six control subsidiaries with their own distribution networks that concentrate on arthouse pictures ( e.g. Fox Searchlight Pictures ) or genre films ( e.g. Sony 's Screen Gems ) ; several of these specialty units were shut down or sold off between 2008 and 2010 . The six major studios are contrasted with smaller production and/or distribution companies , which are known as independents or `` indies '' . The leading independent producer/distributors -- Lionsgate Films , The Weinstein Company , and former major studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer -- are sometimes referred to as `` mini-majors '' . From 1998 through 2005 , DreamWorks SKG commanded a large enough market share to arguably qualify it as a seventh major , despite its relatively small output . In 2006 , DreamWorks was acquired by Viacom , Paramount 's corporate parent . In late 2008 , DreamWorks once again became an independent production company ; its films were distributed by Disney 's Touchstone Pictures until 2016 , at which point distribution switched to Universal . The Big Six major studios are today primarily backers and distributors of films whose actual production is largely handled by independent companies -- either long-running entities or ones created for and dedicated to the making of a specific film . The specialty divisions often simply acquire distribution rights to pictures in which the studio has had no prior involvement . While the majors still do a modicum of true production , their activities are focused more in the areas of development , financing , marketing , and merchandising . Those business functions are still usually performed in or near Los Angeles , even though the runaway production phenomenon means that most films are now mostly or completely shot on location at places outside Los Angeles . Since the dawn of filmmaking , the U.S. major film studios have dominated both American cinema and the global film industry . U.S. studios have benefited from a strong first-mover advantage in that they were the first to industrialize filmmaking and master the art of mass-producing and distributing high-quality films with broad cross-cultural appeal . Today , the Big Six majors routinely distribute hundreds of films every year into all significant international markets ( that is , where discretionary income is high enough for consumers to afford to watch films ) . It is very rare , if not impossible , for a film to reach a broad international audience on multiple continents and in multiple languages without first being picked up by one of the majors for distribution .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "da1667b3653395b3623332156d06d8a3",
"text": "New international division of labour In economics , the new international division of labor ( NIDL ) is an outcome of globalization . The term was coined by theorists seeking to explain the spatial shift of manufacturing industries from advanced capitalist countries to developing countries -- an ongoing geographic reorganization of production , which finds its origins in ideas about a global division of labor . It is a spatial division of labor which occurs when the process of production is no longer confined to national economies . Under the `` old '' international division of labor , until around 1970 , underdeveloped areas were incorporated into the world economy principally as suppliers of minerals and agricultural commodities . However , as developing economies are merged into the world economy , more production takes place in these economies . This has led to a trend of transference , or what is also known as the `` global industrial shift '' , in which production processes are relocated from developed countries ( such as the US , European countries , and Japan ) to developing countries in Asia ( such as China , Vietnam , and India ) and Latin America . This is because companies search for the cheapest locations to manufacture and assemble components , so low-cost labor-intensive parts of the manufacturing process are shifted to the developing world where costs are substantially lower . Companies do so by taking advantage of transportation and communications technology , as well as fragmentation and locational flexibility of production . From 1953 to the late 1990s , the industrialized economies ' share of world manufacturing output declined from 95 % to 77 % , and the developing economies ' share more than quadrupled from 5 % to 23 % . The resultant division of labor across continents closely follows the North -- South socio-economic and political divide , wherein the North -- with one quarter of the world population -- controls four fifths of the world income , while the South -- with three quarters of the world population -- has access to one fifth of the world income .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "1b5e95ff12f84ee2f028a9c8527a4f70",
"text": "Corporate entertainment Corporate entertainment describes private events held by corporations or businesses for their staff , clients or stakeholders . These events can be for large audiences such as conventions and conferences , or smaller events such as retreats , holiday parties or even private concerts . It is also commonly used to mean corporate hospitality , the process of entertaining guests at corporate events . The companies that provides corporate entertainment are called Corporate Event Planners or Corporate Booking Agencies .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "697580c81479770dc6c70a31e36dd7f8",
"text": "B movie A B movie is a low-budget commercial movie , but one that is not an arthouse film . In its original usage , during the Golden Age of Hollywood , the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature . Although the U.S. production of movies intended as second features largely ceased by the end of the 1950s , the term B movie continues to be used in the broader sense it maintains today . In its post -- Golden Age usage , there is ambiguity on both sides of the definition : on the one hand , the primary interest of many inexpensive exploitation films is prurient ; on the other , many B movies display a high degree of craft and aesthetic ingenuity . In either usage , most B movies represent a particular genre -- the Western was a Golden Age B movie staple , while low-budget science-fiction and horror films became more popular in the 1950s . Early B movies were often part of series in which the star repeatedly played the same character . Almost always shorter than the top-billed films they were paired with , many had running times of 70 minutes or less . The term connoted a general perception that B movies were inferior to the more handsomely budgeted headliners ; individual B films were often ignored by critics . Latter-day B movies still sometimes inspire multiple sequels , but series are less common . As the average running time of top-of-the-line films increased , so did that of B pictures . In its current usage , the term has somewhat contradictory connotations : it may signal an opinion that a certain movie is ( a ) a genre film with minimal artistic ambitions or ( b ) a lively , energetic film uninhibited by the constraints imposed on more expensive projects and unburdened by the conventions of putatively `` serious '' independent film . The term is also now used loosely to refer to some higher-budgeted , mainstream films with exploitation-style content , usually in genres traditionally associated with the B movie . From their beginnings to the present day , B movies have provided opportunities both for those coming up in the profession and others whose careers are waning . Celebrated filmmakers such as Anthony Mann and Jonathan Demme learned their craft in B movies . They are where actors such as John Wayne and Jack Nicholson first became established , and they have provided work for former A movie actors , such as Vincent Price and Karen Black . Some actors , such as Bela Lugosi , Eddie Constantine and Pam Grier , worked in B movies for most of their careers . The term B actor is sometimes used to refer to a performer who finds work primarily or exclusively in B pictures .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8101760cb122c9513e65eec894aecd52",
"text": "Interpersonal relationship An interpersonal relationship is a strong , deep , or close association or acquaintance between two or more people that may range in duration from brief to enduring . This association may be based on inference , love , solidarity , regular business interactions , or some other type of social commitment . Interpersonal relationships are formed in the context of social , cultural and other influences . The context can and may and perhaps will vary from family or kinship relations , friendship , marriage , relations with associates , work , clubs , neighborhoods , and places of worship . They may be regulated by law , custom , or mutual agreement , and are the basis of social groups and society as a whole .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "64daf635e0704799258b62ebaea7c666",
"text": "Art film An art film is typically a serious , independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience . An art film is `` intended to be a serious artistic work , often experimental and not designed for mass appeal '' ; they are `` made primarily for aesthetic reasons rather than commercial profit '' , and they contain `` unconventional or highly symbolic content '' . Film critics and film studies scholars typically define an art film as possessing `` formal qualities that mark them as different from mainstream Hollywood films '' , which can include , among other elements , a sense of social realism ; an emphasis on the authorial expressiveness of the director ; and a focus on the thoughts , dreams , or motivations of characters , as opposed to the unfolding of a clear , goal-driven story . Film scholar David Bordwell describes art cinema as `` a film genre , with its own distinct conventions '' . Art film producers usually present their films at specialty theatres ( repertory cinemas , or , in the U.S. , `` arthouse cinemas '' ) and film festivals . The term art film is much more widely used in the United States , the UK and Australia than in Europe , where the term is more associated with `` auteur '' films and `` national cinema '' ( e.g. , German national cinema ) . Because they are aimed at small niche market audiences , they can rarely get the financial backing that will permit large production budgets , expensive special effects , costly celebrity actors , or huge advertising campaigns , as are used in widely released mainstream blockbuster films . Art film directors make up for these constraints by creating a different type of film , which typically uses lesser-known film actors ( or even amateur actors ) and modest sets to make films that focus much more on developing ideas or exploring new narrative techniques or film-making conventions . A certain degree of experience and knowledge are required to fully understand or appreciate such films . One mid-1990s art film was called `` largely a cerebral experience '' that one enjoys `` because of what you know about film '' . This contrasts sharply with mainstream `` blockbuster '' films , which are geared more towards escapism and pure entertainment . For promotion , art films rely on the publicity generated from film critics ' reviews , discussion of their film by arts columnists , commentators and bloggers , and `` word-of-mouth '' promotion by audience members . Since art films have small initial investment costs , they only need to appeal to a small portion of the mainstream viewing audiences to become financially viable .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "91abf20b2a5f9420528f17f04784776b",
"text": "International crime International crime may refer to : Crime against international law Crime against humanity Crime against peace War crime International criminal law or it may refer to transnational crime and transnational organized crime . The four biggest areas of transnational crime are : Drug trafficking Arms trafficking Money laundering Smuggling of cultural artifacts Trans-national trafficking in human beings receives a great deal of attention by international bodies because of its particularly intimate nature . It may also refer to : International Crime ( 1938 film ) , a film directed by Charles Lamont Category : International criminal law",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f224280fc6c49f7b1aef16ff3c913c27",
"text": "Only Love Only Love may refer to : `` Only Love '' ( Nana Mouskouri song ) ( 1986 ) `` Only Love '' ( Wynonna Judd song ) ( 1993 ) `` Only Love '' ( The Braxtons song ) ( 1997 ) `` Only Love '' ( Anggun song ) ( 2011 ) `` Only Love '' ( Ben Howard song ) ( 2012 ) `` Only Love '' ( Shaggy song ) ( 2015 ) `` Only Love '' , Brotherhood of Man song from the album Singing a Song ( 1979 ) `` Only Love '' , a song by Alkaline Trio from the album My Shame Is True ( 2013 ) Only Love , a 1997 novel by Erich Segal Only Love , a novel by Ann Maxwell writing as Elizabeth Lowell Only Love ( film ) , 1998 made-for-TV film starring Marisa Tomei",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "850e8cfa27284c27f527a84055abc0ab",
"text": "World Economy and International Relations World Economy and International Relations is the flagship journal of the IMEMO Institute in Moscow published from 1957 . It is available at practically all the major research libraries of the world , dealing with Russian and East European affairs . The open access version of OCLC WorldCat lists as of January 7 , 2009 , the following holdings for the title under the Russian catalogue entry : Australia 4 Canada 3 UK 7 USA 95 The transcription World Economy and International Relations alone yields currently 656 global book publications , quoting from the journal on Google Book Search .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "29cc7090fcffb26b06653f3b02865dba",
"text": "International Arts and Entertainment Alliance The International Arts and Entertainment Alliance ( IAEA ) is a global union federation of trade unions . The alliance has three sections : the International Federation of Actors ( FIA ) , the International Federation of Musicians ( FIM ) , and the Media , Entertainment and Arts section of the UNI Global Union ( UNI-MEI ) . Trade unions affiliate to the appropriate section ; 90 unions hold membership of the International Federation of Actors , and 70 unions hold membership of the International Federation of Musicians . In 2007 , the alliance joined the Council of Global Unions .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ecc53938de5f1b16ff8efd02fff761f6",
"text": "American University School of International Service The School of International Service ( SIS ) is American University 's school of advanced international study in the areas of international politics , international communication , international development , international economic relations , peace and conflict resolution , global environmental politics , and U.S. foreign policy . The School of International Service was created when AU 's Hurst Anderson was urged by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to create a school of practitioners prepared for foreign policy beyond the U.S. -- Soviet rivalry . Since 1957 , SIS has prepared thousands of graduates to represent their country in the global arena by `` waging peace '' and employing the hallmarks of thoughtful diplomacy . SIS is the largest school of international relations in the United States , enrolling more than 2,000 students from over 150 countries . The school makes extensive use of the academic and governmental resources offered by the university 's location in Washington , D.C. Foreign Policy , in its 2015 rankings of top international affairs programs , ranked the school 's master 's and undergraduate programs as 8th - and 9th-best in the world , respectively . SIS is also consistently ranked in conjunction with American University 's School of Public Affairs as a leading program in the country by U.S. News & World Report 's college and university rankings . SIS is also a full member of The Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "471988de30007725fde9ab307a52eab4",
"text": "Culture of the United Kingdom The culture of the United Kingdom is influenced by the UK 's history as a developed island country , a liberal democracy and a major power ; its predominantly Christian religious life ; and its composition of four countries -- England , Wales , Scotland and Northern Ireland -- each of which has distinct customs , cultures and symbolism . The wider culture of Europe has also influenced British culture , and Humanism , Protestantism and representative democracy developed from broader Western culture . British literature , music , cinema , art , theatre , comedy , media , television , philosophy , architecture and education are important aspects of British culture . The United Kingdom is also prominent in science and technology , producing world-leading scientists ( e.g. Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin ) and inventions . Sport is an important part of British culture ; numerous sports originated in the country , including football . The UK has been described as a `` cultural superpower '' , and London has been described as a world cultural capital . The Industrial Revolution , which started in the UK , had a profound effect on the socio-economic and cultural conditions of the world . As a result of the British Empire , significant British influence can be observed in the language , law , culture and institutions of a geographically wide assortment of countries , including Australia , Canada , India , the Republic of Ireland , New Zealand , Nigeria , Pakistan , South Africa , the United States and English speaking Caribbean nations . These states are sometimes collectively known as the Anglosphere , and are among Britain 's closest allies . In turn the empire also influenced British culture , particularly British cuisine . The cultures of England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland are diverse and have varying degrees of overlap and distinctiveness .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "151623f42266e9deea25fa8d3de56f0d",
"text": "Policy studies Policy studies is the combination of policy analysis and program evaluation . It `` involves systematically studying the nature , causes , and effects of alternative public policies , with particular emphasis on determining the policies that will achieve given goals . '' Policy Studies also examines the conflicts and conflict resolution that arise from the making of policies in civil society , the private sector , or more commonly , in the public sector ( e.g. government ) . It is frequently focused on the public sector but is equally applicable to other kinds of organizations ( e.g. , the not-for-profit sector ) . Some policy study experts graduate from public policy schools with public policy degrees . Alternatively , experts may have backgrounds in policy analysis , program evaluation , sociology , psychology , philosophy , economics , anthropology , geography , law , political science , social work , environmental planning and public administration . Traditionally , the field of policy studies focused on domestic policy , with the notable exceptions of foreign and defense policies . However , the wave of economic globalization , which ensued in the late 20th and early 21st centuries , created a need for a subset of policy studies that focuses on global governance , especially as it relates to issues that transcend national borders such as climate change , terrorism , nuclear proliferation , and economic development . This subset of policy studies , which is often referred to as international policy studies , typically requires mastery of a second language and attention to cross-cultural issues in order to address national and cultural biases . For example , the Monterey Institute of International Studies at Middlebury College offers Master of Arts programs that focus exclusively on international policy through a mix of interdisciplinary and cross-cultural analysis called the `` Monterey Way '' .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "2ce1226f0b9ca6b90ec80e32113b9ca7",
"text": "Internal conflict An internal conflict is the struggle occurring within a character 's mind . Things such as the character views for , but ca n't quite reach . As opposed to external conflict , in which a character is grappling some force outside of him or herself , such as wars or a chain breaking off a bike , or not being able to get past a road block . The dilemma posed by an internal conflict is usually some ethical or emotional question . Indicators of internal conflict would be a character 's hesitation or self-posing questions like `` what was it I did wrong ? '' . An internal conflict can also be a decision-making issue . The term `` internal conflict '' is also widely used to describe a military conflict within a nation , such as a civil war . An internal conflict is a non-international conflict . It can be because of political , economic or religious causes .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "fe826812c3735989c6311210163b868d",
"text": "Motion Picture Editors Guild The Motion Picture Editors Guild ( MPEG ) is the guild that represents freelance and staff motion picture film and television editors and other post-production professionals and story analysts throughout the United States . The Motion Picture Editors Guild ( Union Local 700 ) is a part of the 500 affiliated local unions of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees ( IATSE ) , a national labor organization with 104,000-plus members . There are more than 6,000 members of the Editors Guild . The MPEG negotiates collective bargaining agreements ( union contracts ) with producers and major motion picture movie studios and enforces existing agreements with employers involved in post-production . The MPEG provides assistance for securing better working conditions , including but salary , medical benefits , safety ( particularly `` turnaround time '' ) and artistic ( assignment of credit ) concerns .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "8ca827acd2974bd8d23fec2ce5f19a11",
"text": "IMG img or IMG is an abbreviation for image img or IMG may also refer to : IMG ( company ) , global sports and media business headquartered in New York City but with its main offices in Cleveland , originally known as the `` International Management Group '' , with divisions including : IMG Academy , an athletic training complex in Bradenton , Florida with facilities for multiple sports IMG Artists , a performing arts management company with multiple worldwide offices IMG College , a college sports marketing agency based in Winston-Salem , North Carolina IMG Models , a modeling agency based in New York IMG ( file format ) , the file extension of several different disk image formats which store a full digital representation ( image ) of disk drive or storage media IMG , a prefix for camera image file names commonly used in Design rule for Camera File system -LSB- img -RSB- , a tag used in BBCode to place an image , an HTML element used to place an image ; see IMG Worlds of Adventure , the largest indoor amusement park in the world located in Dubai , United Arab Emirates Imagination Technologies , a semiconductor IP company ( also known as ImgTec ) Inside Mac Games , a game news site for the Macintosh Integrated Microbial Genomes System , a framework for comparative analysis of the genomes sequenced by the Joint Genome Institute International Marxist Group , a Trotskyist group in Britain between 1968 and 1982 International medical graduate , a physician who has graduated from a medical school outside of the country in which he or she intends to practice International Medical Group ( Uganda ) , a conglomerate of health-related businesses headquartered in Kampala , Uganda Iterated monodromy group , a concept in mathematics related to symbolic dynamics",
"title": ""
}
] |
fever
|
68b5633afb17172e7aa6a2e9229b041d
|
The Who's first single was "My Generation".
|
[
{
"docid": "226d2319de4af734e009009eef1e377e",
"text": "The Who The Who are an English rock band that formed in 1964 . Their classic line-up consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey , guitarist and singer Pete Townshend , bass guitarist John Entwistle , and drummer Keith Moon . They are considered one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century , selling over 100 million records worldwide and holding a reputation for their live shows and studio work . The Who developed from an earlier group , the Detours , and established themselves as part of the pop art and mod movements , featuring auto-destructive art by destroying guitars and drums on stage . Their first single as the Who , `` I Ca n't Explain '' , reached the UK top ten , followed by a string of singles including `` My Generation '' , `` Substitute '' and `` Happy Jack '' . In 1967 , they performed at the Monterey Pop Festival and released the US top ten single `` I Can See for Miles '' , while touring extensively . The group 's fourth album , 1969 's rock opera Tommy , included the single `` Pinball Wizard '' and was a critical and commercial success . Live appearances at Woodstock and the Isle of Wight Festival , along with the live album Live at Leeds , cemented their reputation as a respected rock act . With their success came increased pressure on lead songwriter and visionary Townshend , and the follow-up to Tommy , Lifehouse , was abandoned . Songs from the project made up 1971 's Who 's Next , which included the hit `` Wo n't Get Fooled Again '' . The group released the album Quadrophenia in 1973 as a celebration of their mod roots , and oversaw the film adaptation of Tommy in 1975 . They continued to tour to large audiences before semi-retiring from live performances at the end of 1976 . The release of Who Are You in 1978 was overshadowed by the death of Moon shortly after . Kenney Jones replaced Moon and the group resumed activity , releasing a film adaptation of Quadrophenia and the retrospective documentary The Kids Are Alright . After Townshend became weary of touring , the group split in 1982 . The Who occasionally re-formed for live appearances such as Live Aid in 1985 , a 25th anniversary tour in 1989 and a tour of Quadrophenia in 1996 -- 1997 . They resumed regular touring in 1999 , with drummer Zak Starkey . After Entwistle 's death in 2002 , plans for a new album were delayed . Townshend and Daltrey continued as the Who , releasing Endless Wire in 2006 , and continued to play live regularly . The Who 's major contributions to rock music include the development of the Marshall stack , large PA systems , use of the synthesizer , Entwistle and Moon 's lead playing styles , Townshend 's feedback and power chord guitar technique , and the development of the rock opera . They are cited as an influence by hard rock , punk rock and mod bands , and their songs still receive regular exposure .",
"title": ""
}
] |
[
{
"docid": "c6e975e07f5c2224072993195d1403f8",
"text": "Pepsi Generation The Pepsi Generation was the theme of an advertising campaign for Pepsi-Cola , a U.S. brand of soft drink , that launched in 1963 as the result of a slogan contest . A new car was awarded to the writer of the winning slogan . The contest was the brainchild of Alan Pottasch , a Pepsico advertising executive , and it was won by Appleton , Wisconsin resident , Ellen M. Reimer . Her slogan invited consumers to `` Come Alive ! You 're the Pepsi Generation ! '' The original `` Come Alive '' jingle was performed by singer Joanie Sommers in her memorable `` breathy '' vocal style . Earlier campaigns for Pepsi-Cola had emphasized price competition . Twelve ounce Pepsi bottles gave you twice as much soft drink as six ounce standard Coca-Cola bottles , and Coca-Cola was by far the leading brand of soft drink . Pepsi formerly ran a campaign that featured the jingle : Pepsi-Cola hits the spotTwelve full ounces , that 's a lot!Twice as much for a nickel , tooPepsi-Cola is the drink for you . This 1969 jingle focused on the simple proposition that Pepsi was just as good as Coke , but better value . The Pepsi Generation campaign represented a major shift away from that line of thinking ; rather than being just as good as Coke , Pepsi was different from Coke . The Pepsi Generation and its associated jingle -- You 've got a lot to liveAnd Pepsi 's got a lot to give . told Pepsi drinkers , now enrolled in the Pepsi Generation , that Pepsi-Cola was taking a stand with the `` young '' side of the 1960 era `` generation gap '' . Television ads featuring the campaign typically displayed young people pursuing exotic entertainments like motorcycle or watercycle riding or piloting a windship through a desert , while an announcer described Pepsi drinkers as people who saw the `` young view of things '' . `` Who is the Pepsi Generation ? Livelier , active people with a liking for Pepsi-Cola ! '' Previous Coca-Cola advertisements had featured Norman Rockwell styled images of small towns and nostalgic scenes , as well as traditional figures such as Santa Claus . Pepsi told soft drink consumers that there are Coke people , and there are Pepsi people , and if you 're a Pepsi person you are young , and the future 's on your side . The original lyrics were : There 's a whole new way of livin ` Pepsi helps supply the drive.It 's got a lot to give for those who like to live'Cause Pepsi helps themcome alive.It 's the Pepsi GenerationComin ' at ya , goin ' strong ... Put yourself behind a PepsiWhen you 're livin ... you belong ... You 've got a lot to live ... and Pepsi 's got a lot to give ... You 've got a lot to live ... and Pepsi 's got a lot to give ... This `` image campaign '' inspired Coca-Cola to do a similar `` hip '' campaign in 1971 , `` I 'd Like to Teach the World to Sing ( in Perfect Harmony ) , '' which also sold the lifestyle rather than the soft drink per se . Pottasch , creator of the campaign , said that `` For us to name and claim a whole generation after our product was a rather courageous thing that we were n't sure would take off . '' The `` Pepsi Generation '' was one of the first and best known instances of what came to be known as `` lifestyle marketing '' . It focused on portraying Pepsi drinkers as possessing desirable qualities such as youth , rather than on the characteristics of the product itself . Pottasch said that `` Pepsi was young , spirited , people doing active things -- playing volleyball on the beach ... . but younger we said in mind , in attitude , in feeling . Young in spirit . Young in heart . '' Pottasch repeated the themes of the Pepsi Generation with the 1984 campaign , `` The Choice of a New Generation '' . In 1997 , during Super Bowl XXXI , a sequel campaign featured the theme `` GeneratioNext '' .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "b95ff6edca830fe3ff9bc2786dfe0c03",
"text": "Baby boomers Baby boomers are the demographic cohort following the Silent Generation . There are no precise dates when the cohort birth years start and end . Typically , they range from the early-to-mid 1940s and end from 1960 to 1964 . Increased birth rates were observed during the post -- World War II baby boom making the baby boomers a relatively large demographic cohort . The term `` baby boomer '' is also used in a cultural context , so it is difficult to achieve broad consensus of a precise date definition . Different people , organizations , and scholars have varying opinions on who is a baby boomer , both technically and culturally . Ascribing universal attributes to such a generation is difficult , and some believe it is inherently impossible , but many have attempted to determine their cultural similarities and historical impact , and the term has thus gained widespread popular usage . Baby boomers are associated with a rejection or redefinition of traditional values . Many commentators , however , have disputed the extent of that rejection , noting the widespread continuity of values with older and younger generations . In Europe and North America , boomers are widely associated with privilege , as many grew up in a time of widespread government subsidies in post-war housing and education , and increasing affluence . As a group , baby boomers were the wealthiest , most active , and most physically fit generation up to the era in which they arrived , and were amongst the first to grow up genuinely expecting the world to improve with time . They were also the generation that received peak levels of income ; they could therefore reap the benefits of abundant levels of food , apparel , retirement programs , and sometimes even `` midlife crisis '' products . The increased consumerism for this generation has been regularly criticized as excessive . One feature of the boomers was that they have tended to think of themselves as a special generation , very different from those that had come before . In the 1960s , as the relatively large numbers of young people became teenagers and young adults , they , and those around them , created a very specific rhetoric around their cohort , and the changes they were bringing about . This rhetoric had an important impact in the self perceptions of the boomers , as well as their tendency to define the world in terms of generations , which was a relatively new phenomenon . The baby boom has been described variously as a `` shockwave '' and as `` the pig in the python . '' The term `` Generation Jones '' is sometimes used to describe those born between 1954 and 1965 . The term is typically used to refer to the later years of the Baby boomer cohort ( 1954-1960 ) and the early years of Generation X ( 1961-1965 ) .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "be2af1170ecafe94044e02a20f55be6c",
"text": "Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act The Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act is an award given by the British Phonographic Industry ( BPI ) , an organisation which represents record companies and artists in the United Kingdom . The accolade is presented at the Brit Awards , an annual celebration of British and international music . The winners and nominees are determined by the BRIT Awards voting academy with over 1,000 members , which comprise record labels , publishers , managers , agents , media , and previous winners and nominees . The award was first presented in 1977 as two awards as `` British Male Newcomer '' and `` British Female Newcomer '' which were won by Graham Parker and Julie Covington . When the Brit Awards was held for the second time in 1982 , the awards `` British Male Newcomer '' and `` British Female Newcomer '' became joint as one award for both male and female acts as well introducing groups acts to award . The first award for the joint `` British Newcomer '' was won by The Human League . In 2003 the award was renamed to `` British Breakthrough Act '' .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e59c9d1d1144502ceeddb5541ebe152d",
"text": "Who'll Be the One `` Who 'll Be The One '' is a song written by Harry Vanda and George Young . It was originally recorded by the Australian rock group the Easybeats in 1967 . The song was a follow up to their successful single `` Friday On My Mind '' . The single was a flop in the U.K. , however it reached # 12 on the Go-Set charts in Australia",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e2d6b506d6bd1d4121f6d57627195397",
"text": "Who Knows Who `` Who Knows Who '' is a collaboration song by English alternative rock band Muse and English hip hop artist Mike Skinner . Not originally intended for official release , an early version of the song leaked onto several Muse internet forums in August 2008 . The song was officially released as the B-side to the 7 '' vinyl edition of the single `` Uprising '' on 7 September 2009 . The lyrics were written by Skinner and the music was written by Muse 's Matthew Bellamy .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "f5c56022a5411dddc5de70acfa5a4f75",
"text": "My Generation: The Very Best of The Who My Generation : The Very Best of The Who is one of The Who 's many greatest hits collections , released by Polydor Records internationally and MCA Records in the United States in 1996 . Its release coincided with the release of the remastered original albums ( omitting My Generation for contractual reasons ) and thus contained the newly remastered versions of the songs , and some also remixed .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "276eea2c69cc3119c7b5a0e2098d20fd",
"text": "Chemical generation The Chemical Generation refers to a collection of writers in the 1990s who added a literary dimension to the hedonistic ecstasy culture of the era . In its most singular guise , it could be said to include Irvine Welsh , Roddy Doyle , Alan Warner , John King , Jeff Noon , Nicholas Blincoe , Gordon Legge and Laura Hird - all of whom participated in the survey of the scene carried by the Steve Redhead book for Canongate ( also publishers of Rebel Inc. ) , Repetitive Beat Generation . The book 's title was an attempt to draw a parallel between the ecstasy culture ( singled out by government as ` repetitive beats ' ) and the Beat generation before it . Key works include Irvine Welsh 's Ecstasy and Daren King 's Boxy an Star . The concept of a group of writers addressing drug culture was further developed in 1997 by Sarah Champion , whose Disco Biscuits became the UK 's bestselling fiction anthology of all time . In addition to the authors listed above the book was notable for the inclusion of writers such as Alex Garland , Bill Drummond , Will Self , Grant Morrison , Esther Freud , Douglas Coupland , Neal Stephenson , Poppy Z. Brite and Robert Anton Wilson . As the relevance of club culture faded with the onset of a return to guitar-based bands in the ascendancy , the writers progressed onto more staple projects , though there was an overlap with many of the writers present in 2000 's New Puritans anthology . Their style and approach has been mirrored among younger British writers however , such as Richard Milward and Michael Smith .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "97d62729b1a139552df8c58514ed2db5",
"text": "Blow Your Cool! Blow Your Cool ! is Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus ' third album , released in May 1987 and contains their hit single `` What 's My Scene ? '' . The single reached # 3 on the Australian Music Charts . The band 's American label , Elektra Records , was hoping that they could come up with something a bit easier to market than the witty , 1960s-obsessed pop/rock of Stoneage Romeos and Mars Needs Guitars ! , so they paired the group with producer Mark Opitz , who had previously produced records for AC/DC , INXS , and the Divinyls . Background vocals on two tracks were supplied by The Bangles . It was recorded both in Sydney and LA. . The album reached No. 120 on the Billboard 200 album charts in 1987 . `` When the Blow Your Cool ! touring was over Clyde retired from the road and the band . At this point we persuaded Rick Grossman to join , contributing his tremendous bass skills to the band , and so we had reached what was to be our ultimate line-up . After that we only changed our haircuts ( and underwear ) . '' - Dave Faulkner . EMI re-released the album on February 6 , 2005 with four additional tracks , a fold out poster and liner notes by Vicki Peterson ( The Bangles ) . One of the additional tracks , `` The Generation Gap '' was their first recording with Grossman , and had been released as a single-only in 1988 ; it was their cover of Jeannie C. Riley 's 1970 country song .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "aaf9426cbe9003d40ff653d9b21ad9ca",
"text": "My Generation (Limp Bizkit song) `` My Generation '' is a song by the American nu metal band Limp Bizkit . It was released in October 2000 as a single from the album Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water . The song was released as the first single simultaneously with `` Rollin ' ( Air Raid Vehicle ) '' .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "425e14b8f1c6fcfba3552977e0cfa82f",
"text": "What My Heart Wants to Say What My Heart Wants to Say is the debut album from the runner-up of the first series of Pop Idol , Gareth Gates . The album was released on 26 October 2002 , almost a year after his success on the show . The album was produced by a team of well-known producers , including Steve Mac , Jewels & Stone , Mike Peden and Cathy Dennis . The album features a range of Gates ' own material , as well as covers of some of his favourite songs . Four singles were released from the album : `` Unchained Melody '' , `` Anyone of Us ( Stupid Mistake ) '' , `` Suspicious Minds '' , and the title track , `` What My Heart Wants to Say '' . In the UK , the album went on to achieve double platinum success , selling over 600,000 copies , and peaking at # 2 on the UK Albums Chart .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "0824e23e153d2aa2acdf655c779b881d",
"text": "Phases (The Who album) Phases is a box set compiling the first eight studio albums by The Who , as well as the Live at Leeds album , in LP form . This box set was released in the United Kingdom and West Germany .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "bc759fb2d9e395aa331f8953f6992245",
"text": "Chelsea (band) Chelsea are an English punk rock band , formed in London in 1976 . Three of the four original band members went on to found Generation X. More than two decades after its release , `` Right to Work '' , Chelsea 's debut single , was included in Mojo magazine 's list of the best punk rock singles of all time .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "e6719badc273c3f396702b1b973564c7",
"text": "The Teenagers The Teenagers are an American integrated doo wop group , most noted for being one of rock music 's earliest successes , presented to international audiences by DJ Alan Freed . The group , which made its most popular recordings with young Frankie Lymon as lead singer , is also noted for being rock 's first all-teenaged act .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "371df6227350c1cb73412059946441d1",
"text": "The Prodigy discography English electronic music group The Prodigy has released six studio albums , one live album , one compilation album , one mix album , three extended plays , twenty-one singles and twenty-two music videos . Hailed as pioneers of genres such as rave , techno and big beat , the group have sold over 20 million albums worldwide . The Prodigy 's first release was the 1991 EP What Evil Lurks . Experience , the group 's debut studio album , was released in September 1992 . It peaked at number 12 in the United Kingdom and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry ( BPI ) . Experience spawned the singles `` Charly '' , `` Everybody in the Place '' , `` Fire '' / `` Jericho '' , `` Out of Space '' and `` Wind It Up ( Rewound ) '' , all of which were top 12 hits in the United Kingdom . Music for the Jilted Generation , the group 's second studio album , was released in July 1994 . The album peaked at number one in the UK , also reaching the top ten in countries such as Australia and New Zealand . Earning a platinum certification from the BPI , Music for the Jilted Generation spawned the UK top ten singles `` One Love '' and `` No Good ( Start the Dance ) '' . The Prodigy 's third studio album The Fat of the Land was released in June 1997 , becoming a huge commercial success . The album peaked at number one in multiple countries , including the United Kingdom and the United States . The Fat of the Land received multi-platinum certifications from the BPI , the Australian Recording Industry Association ( ARIA ) , and the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . `` Firestarter '' , the album 's first single , peaked at number one in the United Kingdom and hit the top ten in multiple other countries . It also gave the group their biggest hit in the United States , where it peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold by the RIAA . The album 's second single `` Breathe '' also performed well commercially , reaching the top ten in multiple countries and becoming the group 's second consecutive UK number-one hit . `` Smack My Bitch Up '' , the album 's final single , peaked at number 8 in the UK . The group released their fourth studio album Always Outnumbered , Never Outgunned in August 2004 . Their style had changed from rave and breakbeat to more of an electronic rock style . The album topped the charts in the United Kingdom , earning a silver certification from the BPI . Always Outnumbered , Never Outgunned spawned three singles , including the UK top 20 hit `` Girls '' . Invaders Must Die , the group 's fifth studio album , was released in February 2009 . The album became the band 's fourth consecutive studio album to top the charts in the UK . Among its four singles were the UK top ten hits `` Omen '' and `` Warrior 's Dance '' , both of which received silver certifications from the BPI .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "d7a3fd12d5ae3dbc7ad56efcb79c57a5",
"text": "Be Lucky `` Be Lucky '' is a song by The Who , written by Pete Townshend and recorded for the band 's compilation album The Who Hits 50 ! released in 2014 and for their proposed 2017 new album . The song is the first new material released by The Who in the eight years since their 2006 studio album Endless Wire . The royalties from `` Be Lucky '' benefited Teen Cancer America , a US outgrowth of Roger Daltrey 's successful UK charity , the Teenage Cancer Trust .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "3cffcce834b96175e960723bd10ebed9",
"text": "Rise (Public Image Ltd song) `` Rise '' is a single released by post-punk group Public Image Ltd in 1986 . It was the first single from their fifth studio album , Album . The song was written by John Lydon about apartheid in South Africa and specifically about Nelson Mandela , as Lydon stated in a 2013 Glastonbury interview , . Lydon also referred to Northern Irish RUC interrogation techniques , such as electric torture , in an MTV interview in 1987 . It was one of the group 's biggest commercial hits , peaking at # 11 on the UK Singles Chart and being featured on albums in both the Hits and Now That 's What I Call Music ! series in the UK . The song contains the phrase ` May The Road Rise With You ' , which is a rephrasing of the old Irish blessing `` may the road rise up to meet you '' . `` Rise '' was featured in the films `` The Rules of Attraction '' , `` The Promotion '' , and `` Remarkable Power '' . Steve Vai contributes his guitar work to the track while former Miles Davis drummer Tony Williams contributes drums , Bill Laswell plays fretless bass and L. Shankar plays violin . Liam Howlett of The Prodigy included it on his instalment of the Back to Mine mix album series .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "a5ee10aa5a1b0bfbfbfe3ff8ed9497d5",
"text": "Step One Step One is the debut album by British pop group Steps . It was released in the UK and Europe on 11 September 1998 . The album charted at number two on UK Albums Chart upon its release , going on to spend 64 weeks in the chart . It was beaten to number one by This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours by Manic Street Preachers , who also beat their single One for Sorrow to number one on the UK Singles Chart . In 2000 , the album was re-released in the US , containing songs from both Step One and its successor , Steptacular . The tracks `` 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 '' , `` Last Thing on My Mind '' , `` One for Sorrow '' , `` Heartbeat '' and `` Better Best Forgotten '' were released as the singles in UK . In 2000 , the album was certified 5 × Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry , and has sold over 1.4 million copies in the UK . The album contains some covers -- `` Last Thing on My Mind '' was originally released as a single by female pop group Bananarama , while `` Love U More '' was originally recorded by techno/house band Sunscreem , `` Experienced '' was originally recorded by boyband Worlds Apart and `` Stay With Me '' appears on Romeo 's Daughters ' self-titled début album . The album cover itself was the inspiration behind the group 's 2017 album Tears on the Dancefloor . `` Tragedy '' , which was recorded for the Bee Gees tribute album , was paired up with `` Heartbeat '' as a double A-side single and also featured as a bonus track on some international editions of the album .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "ce23a5c1d3186b01b41aba6b063f0273",
"text": "Legends (Five Star album) Legends '' is the name of a 2005 triple CD compilation album by British pop group Five Star . It was the group 's fourth ` Greatest Hits ' collection issued by BMG Camden in 2005 as a general release , to celebrate the band 's 20 years since their first hit single . The album was issued on CD only . The 41-track album comprises remastered versions of all 40 tracks from Five Star 's first four albums with RCA/BMG ( replacing the full version of `` Strong as Steel '' with the single edit ) with the addition of the 1989 Greatest Hits single `` With Every Heartbeat '' , but omitting the only remaining released song from their RCA/BMG catalogue , 1989 's `` Something about my baby '' .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "9edb62bf3c6a61bcd43a73b744948047",
"text": "The Who Tour 1971 The Who Tour 1971 was a series of performances and tours by The Who in which they performed material from Pete Townshend 's rock opera Lifehouse , much of which would then appear on their 1971 album Who 's Next .",
"title": ""
},
{
"docid": "095999062c2871daba0c516b7c7b72e7",
"text": "Who You Are (Pearl Jam song) `` Who You Are '' is a song by American rock band Pearl Jam . Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co-written by drummer Jack Irons and guitarist Stone Gossard , `` Who You Are '' was released on July 30 , 1996 as the first single from the band 's fourth studio album , No Code ( 1996 ) . The song topped the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart . It peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 . The song was included on Pearl Jam 's 2004 greatest hits album , Rearviewmirror ( Greatest Hits 1991 -- 2003 ) . On Pearl Jam 's greatest hits album , `` Who You Are '' has a slight lyric change . Instead of `` circumstance , clapping hands '' , it 's `` avalanche , falling fast '' .",
"title": ""
}
] |
fever
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