Analysis of Capital Punishment in the Films

Capital punishment can be defined as a judicial process that involves an individual being subjected to some form of severe punishment for offences committed. After watching the films titled â€Å"Thin Blue line,† â€Å"the Empty chair† and â€Å"Fighting for life in the Death Belt,† it can be noticed that they all include the theme of capital punishment.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Capital Punishment in the Films specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In some cases, it can be observed that some of the victims undergo capital punishment for crimes they did not commit. This article is a reaction journal that will expound on the issues of capital punishment as expressed in the above movies. In the movie titled the â€Å"Thin Blue Line,† Robert Woods, who is a police officer in Dallas is murdered by an individual who he had stopped for violating traffic rules. As fate would have it, Randall Adams is convicted for the crime and consequently is sentenced to life imprisonment. 12 years into his conviction, an individual who has testified as the chief witness in his case, David Harris, is found guilty for a different murder and is served with the death sentence. As the movie comes to an end, Harris confesses to have also murdered Wood and Adams is therefore set free. As one watches this film, it is difficult to miss the filmmaker’s strong opposition against capital punishment as the film exposes flaws in the criminal justice system that erroneously send many convicts to their death, some for crimes they did not commit. The movie â€Å"The empty chair† is also another movie in which capital punishment is included. This film explores an experience that many would find very difficult to deal with: that of dealing with the events following the murdering of a close member of one’s family. The storyline is about four loss stories one being that o f Renny Cushing who had to deal with the murder of his father at the hands of a neighbor who also happens to be a police officer. The other story of loss is that of Sue Norton whose parents were not only robbed but also shot for a pickup truck and 61 USD.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The other two loss stories are those of Peter and Sue Lowenstein and Susan Ramuda, whose son was murdered over Lockerbie and whose daughter was crushed to death with a rock, respectively. On a closer look these films, one gets to realize that they are about the struggles that individuals deal with following the loss of loved ones. While some will push for capital punishment to be applied to the murderers of their loved ones, others oppose the measure. For instance, Cushing turns in to a strong advocate against the death penalty sentence and heads an organization that advocates for reconciliation of the victims’ families. Interestingly, Norton becomes very a very close friend of the individual who murdered his parents and even fights, though in vain, to save the murderer from the death penalty. Those for the death penalty in the movie are represented by Ramunda who becomes a strong advocate for the death penalty and in many instances, is a counterpart of Cushing. Personally, I do not advocate for the death sentence and as such, I naturally found Norton’s and Cushing’s philosophies more compelling as I watched the movie. To some extent, I also think the makers of the film also think the same given that they seem to include Cushing in the most unforgettable moments. In the movie, Cushing argues against the death penalty by terming it as a symbol of failure by the society to satisfy the victims’ needs. Another sentence that is likely to keep lingering in the minds of viewers is the one where Cushing calls healing a process and not an event. To him, t he healing process is usually characterized by forgiveness but execution only goes to show the affected individuals’ lack of forgiveness. I completely concur with this statement and frankly, I think the makers of the films do as well. Yet another film that tackles the capital punishment issue is â€Å"Fighting for life in the Death-bed.† This film is an examination of this issue from Stephen Bright’s perspective. Bright, in the film, is among the leading lawyers in the land advocating against the death penalty, and has done so for more than two decades. The film concentrates on the remaining few days and hours of two of his clients as he vehemently tries to save them from being executed. Even though both men are found guilty of having engaged in horrible crimes, Bright comes up with strong statements challenging the stand of the criminal justice system to execute his clients. In conclusion, capital punishment is still an issue that evokes strong emotions going b y the numerous debates concerning the issue. This journal has explored three films all of which are against the death sentence.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Capital Punishment in the Films specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In my personal view, I think capital punishment is too extreme a measure especially when applied wrongly to innocent victims just as shown in the â€Å"Thin blue line.† Even for cases where the convicted individuals are guilty of grave crimes, the society should seek ways of rehabilitation and forgiving these individuals instead of subjecting them to death. 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Free Essays on Blanche Kelso Bruse

On this date, Blanche K. Bruce was born in 1841. He was the first black senator from Mississippi during the Reconstruction era. From Prince Edward County, Va., the son of a slave mother and white planter father, Blanche Kelso Bruce was well educated as a youth. After the American Civil War, he moved to Mississippi, where in 1869 he became a supervisor of elections. By 1870 he was an emerging figure in state politics. After serving as sergeant at arms in the state senate, he held the posts of county assessor, sheriff, and member of the Board of Levee Commissioners of the Mississippi River. Through these positions he amassed enough wealth to purchase a plantation in Floreyville, Miss. In 1874 Mississippi's Republican-dominated state legislature elected Bruce, a Republican, to a seat in the U.S. Senate. He served from 1875 to 1881, advocating just treatment for both blacks and Indians and opposing the policy excluding Chinese immigrants. He sought improvement of navigation on the Mississippi and advocated better relations between the races. Much of his time and energy he devoted to fighting fraud and corruption in federal elections. Bruce lost his political base in Mississippi with the end of Reconstruction governments in the South. He remained in Washington when, at the conclusion of his Senate term, he was appointed register of the Treasury. He served in that post from 1881 to 1885 and again from 1895 to 1898. He was also recorder of deeds in the District of Columbia from 1889 to 1895 and a trustee of Howard University. Blanche Bruce died on March 17, 1898 in Washington, D.C.... Free Essays on Blanche Kelso Bruse Free Essays on Blanche Kelso Bruse On this date, Blanche K. Bruce was born in 1841. He was the first black senator from Mississippi during the Reconstruction era. From Prince Edward County, Va., the son of a slave mother and white planter father, Blanche Kelso Bruce was well educated as a youth. After the American Civil War, he moved to Mississippi, where in 1869 he became a supervisor of elections. By 1870 he was an emerging figure in state politics. After serving as sergeant at arms in the state senate, he held the posts of county assessor, sheriff, and member of the Board of Levee Commissioners of the Mississippi River. Through these positions he amassed enough wealth to purchase a plantation in Floreyville, Miss. In 1874 Mississippi's Republican-dominated state legislature elected Bruce, a Republican, to a seat in the U.S. Senate. He served from 1875 to 1881, advocating just treatment for both blacks and Indians and opposing the policy excluding Chinese immigrants. He sought improvement of navigation on the Mississippi and advocated better relations between the races. Much of his time and energy he devoted to fighting fraud and corruption in federal elections. Bruce lost his political base in Mississippi with the end of Reconstruction governments in the South. He remained in Washington when, at the conclusion of his Senate term, he was appointed register of the Treasury. He served in that post from 1881 to 1885 and again from 1895 to 1898. He was also recorder of deeds in the District of Columbia from 1889 to 1895 and a trustee of Howard University. Blanche Bruce died on March 17, 1898 in Washington, D.C....

Importance of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in hazard Essay

Importance of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in hazard mitigation and preparedness planning - Essay Example They need help to successfully accomplish their mission. â€Å"To develop a better emergency management effort at the level of county emergency management agencies, these agencies must be equipped with tools that help them to overcome their resource shortfalls† (Drabek, 1990). These tools must allow them to not only reach information about the geographical, geophysical, and socioeconomic characteristics of their county, but also to determine, visualize, and analyze the possible extent of disasters. â€Å"Efficient management of potential risks can only be accomplished if the emergency managers are aware of the extent of the possible effects of disasters. Such tools can be developed to act as a decision support system for emergency management agencies, through the use of a geographic information system (GIS)† (Fulcher, 1995). Disaster management consists of various cyclical phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Because each phase is geographically related to where people, places, and things are spatially located, GIS can be a valuable tool for analysis purposes throughout each cycle. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) classifies overall emergency management into four categories: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. â€Å"Mitigation can be described as the efforts that reduce the degree of long-term risk to human life and property from natural and man-made hazards† (Ciglar, 1988). Preparedness is the activities that develop operational capabilities for responding to an emergency. Response covers the efforts taken immediately before, during, or directly after an emergency that save lives, minimize property damage, or improve recovery. Recovery includes the activities that restore vital life-support systems to minimum operating standards and long-term activities that return life to normal. Each of the 50 states has its

Karl Rahner Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Karl Rahner - Term Paper Example A Brief view of his chronology is given as; Educational Background of Karl Rahner: Education Place 1922-25 Jesuit formation in Ignatian spirituality and philosophy in Austria and Germany 1929-33 Theologies studies in Holland 1934-36 Graduation studies in philosophy at Freiburg & Martin Heideggar’s seminar 1936 Completion of doctoral and postdoctoral studies of theology at Innusbruck Works of Karl Rahner Karl Rahner was in fact a Christian catholic theologist who worked for the development of the faiths and principles of Christian religion. He wrote for the faiths of Christianity by the end of his life. Foundations of Christianity Faith These written faiths are the most important and significant among his works. These foundations describe as â€Å"summa† of catholic theology. According to Rahner himself he wrote in the preface of this book that he wrote this book for the educated readers and he regard it as a basic saving of knowledge for everyone rather than only for th e sake of theology students. In this book Rahner called the existing idea of Christianity as a formal introduction. He book basically intends to support christens and anyone to adapt Christianity by basically emphasizing the existence of Christianity. The general methodology that has been adapted is the union of theology and philosophy. The roots of this dogma presented were in the beliefs of Christ. In the works of Rahner the traditional beliefs of the catholic have been indeed worked out again with a significant importance. A part of this Rahner’s work is a combination of the deep insight of the dogmatic and metaphysical tradition along with Kerygmatic concern. The theology actually related to Peculiar theology. Concluding aspects of the faith of Christianity Generally Ranher has suggested that the basis of Christianity is reliable. Along with this it has also been concluded that he spiritual knowledge exists, although it is imperfect and limited but still it is the true fo rm of all the existing knowledge. Evolutionary concepts of Karl Rahner At the initial stages the catholic response to the evolutionary theories of the scientist Darwin was very reluctant but later on with the passage of time a linear evolutionary research was permitted to some level. The work of the two Theologists is very important in this aspect which has been emerged as the most influential work in catholic reconciliation with the theory of evolution. One of them is a well known Paleontologist and Jesuit Priest Pierre Theilhard de Chardin, the decisive works of whom have been very much useful for Catholic thinkers. The next one is Karl Rahner who in the decade of 1950 participated actively in the conferences and seminars thus striving for the correlation b/w sciences and Catholic perspectives. In the concepts presented by Karl Rahner the two core topics are modern evolutionary biology and named as emergence and the continuation of the evolutionary process. According to Karl Evolu tion is the process that continues with the survival of life and it is the process through which something new keeps on evolving without compromising the catholic concepts. Materialistic concepts for the evolution of the human life from an inanimate matter are quite controversial for catholic studies. With respect to the central thoughts in the Karl reconciliation concepts with evolutionary biology, the phenomenon of the active self-transcendence is the process by which

Business Informaton Managemnt BIM) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Informaton Managemnt BIM) - Essay Example an easy to use communication channel to various individuals and corporations, information on almost every subject is readily available and it facilitates the conducting of various activities such as personal selling, account payments, advertising, publicity and even sales transactions among others With our focus on marketing, it must be borne in mind that the new information and communication technology has revolutionised the ways of marketing communication and doing business. The advent of the internet has brought about new features that make communication relatively easy and can reach a wide range of people located in diverse geographical areas. Digital communication via the use of the internet is very fast and effective. In terms of Marketing, Kotler (1998) calls this online marketing. Various companies have set up their online channels where marketing information about their products can be readily available from time to time. The internet is a medium that uses broadcasting and publishing with the aid of connectivity of computers that are online. Unlike other traditional forms of media, the use of the internet can facilitate a two way communication between the participants involved. In this case, both the marketer and the consumers have a direct link which makes it relati vely easier for the marketer to identify the needs and interests of the consumers. Thus, according to the marketing concept, marketing managers should try to identify the needs of their customers as well as satisfy them. In some instances, these customers are isolated and located further apart but their needs have to be satisfied which prompts the managers to undertake research in a bid to keep pace with the changes taking place in the market. Strydom, (2004 p86) defines marketing research as, â€Å"the systematic design, collection, interpretation and reporting of information used to help marketers solve specific problems to take advantage of marketing opportunities.† In undertaking this

Impact of Globalisation on Nation Borders

Impact of Globalisation on Nation Borders Globalization has had its impacts on world cross-border flows e.g flow of capital. There has been an increase in international economic activity which has expanded world trade and general capital flow. Goods are flowing across national borders easily through reduced trade barriers and new transportation methods. However, it cannot be stated that the world has become borderless. The aim of this paper is to show (through examining the U.S’s border and trade between Canada) that borders still exist and impact daily trade. In fact, it can be anticipated to see that there are new types of borders or divides being formed within countries such as the U.S. Borders are being used to reinforce protection, define territories and influence prices of material imported from other countries. Borders can be viewed differently depending on their purpose and distance from which the border is being viewed. From those different perspectives we can see that the world still has borders, they just c hange in their function depending on different aspects (Globally, Transnationally or Realistic). Economies of nations are correlated through trade of goods, services, information and even migration. Economic integration reduces barriers between national economies through governments lowering tariffs and other trade barriers strengthening trade and helps create a borderless world. Technological advances in communication have also promoted integration in the way that they ease access to knowledge of further consumers and products. Borders still have impacts on markets even close countries such as, U.S product markets and neighbouring country, Canada. The idea of having no borders and complete economic integration means having no trade barriers between countries. Canada and USA have eliminated numerous barriers of trade between them, CUSFTA and NAFTA had eliminated barriers to bilateral trade for numerous goods before the recent trade agreements (Ceglowski, pg 22). Geographically, these countries are in favourable locations for trade. Greater distances would lead to higher costs for transportation and services hindering the economic integration between them. USA and Canada share one long border which can easily be crossed through land or water. Over  ¾ of the Canadian population lives within 100 miles of the U.S border therefore the two countries share a number of social, political, cultural aspects. Majority of these countries’ population speak the same language which all together encourages bilateral trade and other cross border activities. They currently exchange approximately $1 billion goods and services per day, they’re the world’s largest bilateral trade flow. However, the border still affects economic activities between them. Research shows that Canadian provinces trade much more with other Canadian provinces than the U.S states of same economic size and distance. Ontario which is roughly the same distance from Br itish Columbia and Washington traded 7 times more with B.C than Washington in 1990. Despite Washington being a larger economy there was an apparent home bias in Canadian merchandize (Ceglowski, pg 23). There are other nontariff barriers such as licensing, health and safety regulations, gov’t procedures that often impact trade. For example, in early 1990’s Ontario established a 10% tax on all can beers with the aim to encourage container reusing. However, the U.S beer manufactures saw this as a protectionist rule because they mostly sell their beer in cans which meant the tax would have a huge impact on their product (Ceglowski, pg 24). If borders were non-existent and had no impact on trade, there would be no price difference or different currencies between same products in the two countries. In the case of USA and Canada, despite the distance being significantly lower than other trading countries, prices between a city in Canada and USA are higher than it would be between cities within the same country. Even between U.S.A and Canada, there is a difference in currency which is another indicator of a border. International transactions have risks which also act as barriers for international trade (Ceglowski, pg 25). Borders still play critical roles in politics. Some may argue that their functions are changing rather than them fading. Malcolm Anderson considers borders as a dynamic element of the state; they’re used as an instrument of state policy. When governments change the place and function of their borders, it’s for specific benefits for their state and citizens. The policies and actions of state authorities are determined by clearly defined borders and borders are used as national identities. Moraczeska compares the role and place of borders according to their perception, importance and actions taken to execute rules within the borders. In her comparison, Moraczeska compares these aspects from a realistic, transnational and global aspect: Figure 1.0: Table comparing border roles, perception and importance from three aspects (Moraczewska, pg 333) From Moraczeska’s table it is clear that from a realistic, technical view, borders serve as an element of nationality and separation. It acts as a barrier against threats, the border acts to fragment regions with the aid of infrastructure made for securitization purposes and militarisation at the borders. At a transnational perspective, borders still play the role of fragmenting regions but it’s not a solid dividing line. It’s considered permeable where there’s a gradual abolition of infrastructure which opens up flows of goods, money and people. Globally, the borders are perceived as international markets. They’re viewed as a â€Å"virtual line†, a line only seen on a map but don’t exist for global markets which reinforces the concept of the world as a whole becoming borderless. We can also see that globally, the importance of a border is downplayed. It’s not viewed as a barrier but as a unifier for international flows. The border functions as a mixed market system and legal system. So the border is still connected with a territory but its function changes in the way that it divides one zone (economically, monetary, politically) from another but it’s not related to a nation-state but to a market. Borders between these different zones can be sources of profits/benefits or losses therefore, the idea of a borderless world isn’t completely true even from a global perspective (Moraczeska, pg 334-336). Whereas borders seem to be more porous when it comes to trade, U.S borders are becoming more securitized when it comes to immigration. After the terrorist attacks September 11, 2001, the U.S (and multiple other states) has become determined to gain more control over their external borders. The USA has reinforced visa requirements and immigration procedures to control international movement of people. The US has also began construction of hundreds of miles of fencing along its border with Mexico. This process doesn’t only restrict material flow from Mexico to USA but also cuts off thousands of people who benefited from job opportunities (Newman, pg 149). Many other nations around the world such as Thailand, Uzbekistan, Iran, Brazil, Botswana, Spain have also strengthened their existing border barriers (Alexander and Hagen, pg 1197-1198). U.S.A’s border strengthened since the 2002 hearing. During this hearing, technology experts were asked to find a way to fight the war on terror using risk profiling techniques. Two years from this hearing, the US Department of Homeland Security announced a $10 billion project (US VISIT) to restructure and manage US air, land and seaport of entry security. According to Accenture, this project is designed ‘to operate far beyond US boundaries’ enabling Homeland Security to assess security risks of all US-bound travellers, preventing potential threats from reaching the US borders. This biometric border brings extends the government’s ability to examine and govern multiple aspects of daily life. The US VISIT programme acts against the idea of porous international borders that are open for business. It objectifies and categorizes people as subjects and breaks them up into predictable risk factors for him or herself (e.g gender is taken as a possible risk factor f or the subject) or to others (e.g illegal immigrants) (Louise, pg 339). This programme creates multiple boarders even within USA itself. In 2003, Accenture organized workshops for American citizens suggesting that ‘well intentioned Americans should volunteer to help fight the war on terror’ however, insinuations of citizen profiling for the other ethnicities in America such as Arab Americans are never questioned for being more racial and ethnic targeting. This creates a divide between ethnicities within USA (Louise, pg 346). Even though the U.S and other nations around the world have become more open to trade, borders between nations still exist and impact trade flows. The border between USA and Canada has large impacts on the trade flow and prices between the two nations. It can be seen that if two neighboring countries such as these still have border impacts despite the banishing of a lot of barriers and tariffs, countries trading from further will be faced with border impacts as well. This proves the idea of globalization making the world borderless irrelevant. We also saw that borders can be viewed differently and can have different roles. Borders viewed from a global aspect tend to play an integrative role were as from a realistic and transnational perspective, they take on a dividing role. Borders cannot be viewed from a single perspective; they continue to function differently in different scales. Throughout this paper it was also established that borders aren’t just the markings or fences that separate one nation from another, virtual borders within countries (e.g USA) can be formed and are being formed. Therefore, it cannot be argued that the world is becoming borderless. Rather, borders are transforming. Bibliography: Amoore, Louise. Biometric Borders: Governing Mobilities in the War on Terror. Political Geography 25.3 (2006): 336-51. Political Geopgraphy, 2006. Web. 30 Oct. 2014. Ceglowski, Janet. â€Å"Has Globalization Created a Borderless World?’ Bangkok: John Stirling for The Nation, 1973. Web. 30 Oct. 2014. Diener, Alexander, and Joshua Hagen. Theorizing Borders in a ‘Borderless World’: Globalization, Territory and Identity. WILEY Online Library. Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 18 Mar. 2009. Web. 16 Nov. 2014. Moraczewska, Anna. The Chnaging Interpretation Of Border Functions In International Relations. Revista Romà ¢nă De Geografie Politică XII.2 (2010): 329-40. University in Lublin, 23 Nov. 2010. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. Newman, David. The Lines That Continue to Separate Us: Borders in Our borderless World. Progress in Human Geography 30.2 (2006): 143-61. Sage Publications. SAGE, 2006. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. Newman, David. World Society, Globalization and a Borderless World: The Contemporary Significance of Borders and Territory. World Society Foundation, 2005. Web. 16 Nov. 2014. Sparke, Matthew. From Geopolitics to Geoeconomics: Transnational State Effects in the Borderlands. Taylor Francis Online. Routledge, 19 Oct. 2007. Web. 16 Nov. 2014. Word Count: 1510 1

Sonnet and Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night Essay -- John Donne D

Sonnet and Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night how how the writer uses the form of poetry to protest against a situation or an attitude and reveal how successful you think he or she is. Sonnet & Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. Sonnet by John Donne and Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas are two poems about death that seem to convey very different messages. These poems are obviously written by two men with two very different perceptions of death. Both poems are protest poems and challenge ideas that would have been instilled in the writers from an early age. Donne ,who was a priest, would have been brought up in a society where death was feared and at a time when there was much religious debate about where the "soul" goes after death but in his poem he writes that death has no reason to be "proud" because it is not so "mighty and dreadful" as people fear. This is an idea that contrasts greatly with Thomas' poem. Thomas was brought up in a strict religious environment and he would have been taught the ideas that are present in Donne's poem, that death is just the "soul's delivery" and would be like going to sleep , that death is not the end but simply a way on towards heaven . However, Thomas' poem contradicts this idea saying that death is something that everyone should "burn" and "rave" against, this poem shows a very angry and resentful conception of death. The idea behind both poems is that the authors are protesting against death, about how death is seen and how death is treated by people, as well as protesting against how they have been taught to treat death which makes these poems very powerful. Sonnet is written in the form of a sonnet which is ironic as this form ... ...assionate style of writing. This poem also uses imagery but not in the same way as Sonnet, it's images are not really for the reader to relate to, they are fantastic, they do not really seem real but that is the point, death to Thomas is something unknown and something to dread. Thomas' poem seems much more messy than Sonnet, it is contradictory and it is not easy for the reader to understand, they must study it in more depth to get an idea of what it is really about, this however only makes the poem more interesting and realistic because it seems to be straight from Thomas' mind , a jumble of thoughts that seems just to have spilled onto the page. These two poems are forms of protest and both authors have shown that poetry is an excellent way to speak out because these poems are persuasive and convincing arguments for both their very different views.