To explore the ways aspects of power are shown in the poem Essay Example for Free

To explore the ways aspects of power are shown in the poem Essay This poem is a dramatic monologue about a woman whose lover is cheating on her with his mistress ‘Pauline’. The woman who is speaking talks about her feelings of hatred and betrayal, so she decides to show her lover how much she is hurt by poisoning his mistress and making him watch her die slowly. Robert Browning’s poem was set in the ancient regime when women were thought of as incapable and a lower class because of their gender. She feels that she deserves power and therefore wants control of everything she does this is portrayed by the language that he uses. The language in the laboratory is very effective. Robert Browning uses techniques such as alliteration to emphasise different moods in the poem such as ‘moisten, mash up thy powder’; the alliteration in this case is effective because it sounds angry and gives the poem a more venomous feel. This relates to the poem because it reminds us that a poison is being made. The structure of the laboratory reminds the reader of a list. This is also evident in some of the language. The line ‘A signet, a fan-mount, a filigree basket’ portrays that she has thought things and shows her determination to kill. It is also very logical which make the reader question her sanity. I believe that Robert Browning structured the poem like this to make sure that we don’t feel sympathy for her as she is shown as a cold killer. Robert Browning uses a technique called enjambment in the lines ‘with her head/ and her breast and her arms and her hands should drop dead. ’ This technique is an effective form of structure because it forces the reader to read it quickly which in effect speeds up the pace of the poem. Robert browning used this technique to make the poem more dramatic and also enables the reader to get to the end of the poem when Pauline will be killed. The poet uses repetition throughout the poem to create the image of insanity and paranoia. ‘While they laugh-laugh at me’ is used to make the reader believe that she is insane from the thought of her lover cheating on her. The word ‘laugh’ is effective because it indicates to the reader that she is beyond feeling heartache and her rage has blinded her into paranoia. The punctuation has a wide job role in the Laboratory. It is used for pace as the commas are slowing the pace down in contrast to the language and poetic techniques which are speeding it up. The role of the punctuation is particularly illustrated in the lines ‘Quickis it finished? The colours too grim! / Why not soft like the phials, enticing and dim? ’. This quote shows that the language picked was cleverly thought out as it makes the reader want to read faster, and the punctuation slows the reader again and slows the pace to make it more dramatic and tense. Throughout the poem the narrator talks about how she want to kill Pauline and how she will feel when she does it, but in this quote near the end of the poem it says: ‘Let it brighten her drink, let her turn it and stir, /And try it and taste, ere she fix and prefer! ’ this suggests that Pauline would not realise that the poison is in her glass and would taste it and stir the drink more to make it taste better and subsequently mix the poison in her glass therefore leading to her own death. In conclusion, I believe that Robert Browning uses all these techniques to engage the reader and make them feel the pain of the narrator. Through this poem I have learnt that power can go to peoples head if they use it wrongly. Throughout the essay I have been writing about Robert Browning’s unique way of putting the reader into the writing. He also uses techniques to put emotion and life into the poem. Life in the 1800s was all about power and money; the more money you had the more power and influence you had. It was hard for women to be noticed as an equal because in those times women were known as the lesser species so had no power and were property to their father until marriage when they would be transferred to the husband. Women had no say in social matters or had any influence in the community. I believe Robert Browning was trying to say that women still have emotions and are equally strong physically and mentally which is shown in the well planned out murder in the poem.

Introduction To Law And Legislation Social Work Essay

Introduction To Law And Legislation Social Work Essay Referring to case study 2: Helen, a 78 year lady, a Section. 2 and a Section. 5 of The Community Care Delayed Discharges Act 2003 have been issued and Social Services have 72 hours before they are cross charged. This Act penalises local authorities who cannot provide for discharged hospital patients, as it ensures NHS patients receive adequate care when being discharged from hospital. It sets out timescales which Social Services have to comply with and if there is a delay in discharge whereby Social Services are to blame they will be cross charged  £100.00 per day under s.6 of the Liability to make Delayed Discharge payments. This is the main provision of this Act along with on-site multi-disciplinary working. However, if the delay in service provision is down to the NHS then reimbursement does not apply and if during this process there is a dispute then this is under s.9, Dispute Resolutions of the CC(DD)A 2003. The law states that if a s.2 and a s.5 of CC(DD)A 2003 have been issued together then the process is as follows: This section applies where a section 2 notice has been given. Subsection (2) ensures that the NHS body responsible for issuing the section 2 notice to the social services authority, and any other NHS body which may need to provide services to the patient upon discharge, must consult the social services authority before deciding which services it will make available upon discharge. This is to ensure that a complete package of care can be put in place smoothly and without duplication or omission of any particular service. The responsible NHS body will in the first instance normally be a hospital but the majority of NHS services upon discharge are likely to be provided by the patients Primary Care Trust. The social services authority must be consulted about all NHS services that are to be provided The first step in the case of Helen would be to have a statutory meeting with the social services manager to discuss Helens situation and to establish the legal framework and service delivery to be applied. The NHS and Community Care Act 1990 (NHSCCA) was enacted as a result of unfair treatment of older people, as it gave them the right to an assessment to services. The main principle and rational of the NHSCCA 1990 is to provide people with relevant services to enable them to live independently in their own homes, rather than moving them into a residential setting. Although this piece of legislation is considered to be complex it has a number of powers and duties imposed on local authorities. The primary role of local authorities with community care responsibilities is to ensure that: Adult social care is delivered effectively Services users wishes are taken into account, and Services are delivered safely (Brayne Carr, 2010:508). The main statutory duty for social workers of the NHSCCA 1990 is Section 47. Under s.47 (1) as social workers we have a duty to do a needs lead assessment and this is a must in the case of Helen. The National Service Framework for Older People provides a framework for health and care services for older people, and this is an important development whereby social work assessments are integrated with health care assessments. As the duty social worker when doing an assessment there are two aspects that should be considered. First, there is the assessment of Helens needs not wants; second, bearing in mind the outcome of that assessment, the decision to provide (or not) particular services. However, during the NHSCCA 1990 s.47(1) needs lead assessment, if Helen is identified as being disabled, she has additional rights as set out in s.47(2). During this assessment the local authority must, under s.47(3)of the NHSCCA 1990, inform the Health or Housing authorities if it appears Helen may req uire services which they could provide (Braye Preston-Shoot, 2010). The roots of social care and social work lie in the National Assistance Act 1948 (NAA). Section 29, Part 3 refers to specific groups such as older people and to qualify for services under this Section the law states: A local authority may, with the approval of the Secretary of State, and to such extent as he may direct in relation to persons ordinarily resident in the area of the local authority shall make arrangements for promoting the welfare of persons to whom this section applies, that is to say persons aged eighteen or over who are blind, deaf or dumb, or who suffer from mental disorder of any description and other persons aged eighteen or over who are substantially and permanently handicapped by illness, injury, or congenital deformity or such other disabilities as may be prescribed by the Minister (www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/11-12/29/section/29). It is clear that where there is a legal statutory duty, you have to consider the implications of accountability within the social work profession and this in turn can cause tensions between legal framework and the General Social Care Councils codes of practice. For example, it is difficult to reconcile the values of anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice with some of the terminology utilised in the National Assistance Act 1948, such as deaf or dumb. However, as Helens needs meet this definition, as she is considered to be a s.29 service user and any provisions for Helen will be made under The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 s.2. This places a duty on local Authorities to assess the individual needs of everyone who falls within Section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948 (Brammer, 2010:402). In addition older people can be offered residential care under the National Assistance Act 1948 s.21 and home care and laundry services under the National Health Service Act 2006 Schedule 20(3). Under s.2 of the CSDPA 1970 the provision of welfare services, local authorities are required to provide services such as an occupational therapist (OP). The OP can do functional assessment to establish the provisions required and to aid in the transition from hospital to the home. The main provisions do not include personal care but assesses how the service users function, for example get dressed, and get out of bed in hospital or at home. The fundamental rational is to power and enable the service user to get back to their former ability. The Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudication Act 1982 s.17, provides local authorities the power to make reasonable charges for non-residential services. Under this legislation the first six weeks of intermediate care is free, NHS is free at delivery social services is not. Intermediate care or reablement is a term used to represent a range of integrated health and/or social care services that as part of an agreed care plan aim to: Promote faster recovery from illness Prevent unnecessary admission to hospital Support timely discharge following an acute hospital admission Prevent premature admission to long-term residential care Maximize your chances of living independently (www.ageuk.org.uk ). It was introduced to bridge the gap for people who were medically fit for discharge but were unable to return to independent living. Reablement typically it lasts for no more than six weeks and is provided without charge to the service user. Helen will receive the reablement service for six weeks and if further support is required, then Adult Social Care services may be chargeable. Research evidence confirms that reablement schemes are well placed both to meet the preferred outcomes of service users and to achieve cost effectiveness in service delivery, when compared with alternatives such as longer term care (Braye et al., 2004: 113). Once a community care assessment is carried out, we need to make decisions about what support will be provided for Helen. Helen would be required have a financial assessment by a Financial Assessment Benefits Advisor (FABA). The FABA will carry out an assessment on Helens financial situation and ensure she is claiming any state benefits she may be entitled to. They will need to see proof of her income and, savings and will ask for details about her expenses. This assessment is straightforward and the officers will try to make it as pleasant as possible. National guidelines published by the Department of Health called Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) provides Social Services with an eligibility framework for Adult Social Care to identify whether or not the duty to provide services under this framework. The national FACS policy states that local authorities may take account of the resources available to them in deciding which needs to meet. FACS divides need into four categories: critical, substantial, moderate or low. Thus the concept of need is determined by factors such as the availability of resources and this in turn causes tensions between policy, practice and law. Essex local authorities are just meeting critical needs at present and although having rights which are legally enforceable do not necessarily imply the need will be met due to funding within Social Services. to ensure that older people are treated as individuals and they receive appropriate and timely packages of care which meet their needs as individuals, regardless of health and social services boundaries (Department of Health, 2001a, Standard 2). Social Services are required by law to provide equipment for the home free of charge if the service user does not have any liquid assets. However, Helen does have an owner occupied property but does not have any savings, so therefore community care services will be provided by Social Services free of charge. Local authorities have the power, and in some cases a duty, to charge for certain community care services, under the National Assistance Act 1948 and the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983 (White et al, 2007). Community equipment includes aids such as raised seats, walking sticks; grab rails and shower mats, commodes and minor adaptations that assist daily living to promote independence in the home. If Helen wishes to have help managing her affairs, then provided she has mental capacity she can appoint someone else to make decisions on her behalf. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) makes it possible to produce a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) to continue beyond any future loss of capacity by Helen. The LPA can cover property and financial affairs, or personal welfare (including health care and treatment) or both. However, this must be registered with the Public Guardian before it can be used. (www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Mentalcapacityandthelaw/Makingarrangementsincaseyoulosementalcapacity/DG_185921) The more capable older people are mentally the less likely it is that others will intervene in the choices which they make. However, for relatives these decisions may provoke anxiety and quilt. In such situations the capacity of the service user becomes an important factor in the decision process. Everyone has capacity unless stated otherwise and under the Human Rights Act 1998, Article 5(1) grants a general Right to liberty and security of person. This Article covers rights to liberty, which has self-evident relevance to the detention of people with mental health problems. Under Article 5(1)(e) three conditions must be met, except in the case of an emergency: A true mental disorder must be established before a competent authority on the basis of objective medical expertise; The mental disorder must be of a kind or degree warranting compulsory confinement; The validity of continued confinement depends on the persistence of such a mental disorder (Johns, 2010:32). With regards to the allegations that Helen has dementia we must have reasonable belief before making judgements on Helens mental capacity. However, it is necessary for Social services to investigate, for example look at her medical records to see if this has been confirmed by a medical professional, such as her General Practitioner. However, there is the issue of confidentiality to be considered and as such we would require Helens consent in obtaining this kind of information. The Data Protection Act 1998 is concerned with the protection of Human Rights in relation to personal data. The aim of the Act is to ensure that personal data is used fairly and lawfully and where necessary, the privacy of individuals are respected. It sates: An Act to make new provision for the regulation of the processing of information relating to individuals, including the obtaining, holding, use or disclosure of such information (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/introduction). It is important to note that the Human Rights Act 1998, encompasses every single act within the United Kingdoms legal system. For health and social care it enables the legal framework to meet the requirements of service delivery. Due to allegations and concerns made by Stephanie, Helens daughter, it is necessary to undertake a formal documented assessment under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) Section.1. This assessment is known as the MCA model and has to be conducted by two professionals of different agencies in order to confirm Helens mental capacity. The MCA 2005 codes of practice sets out five statutory principles and these are: A person must be assumed to have capacity unless it is established that they lack capacity. A person is not to be treated as unable to make a decision unless all practical steps to help him to do so have been taken without success. A person is not to be treated as unable to make a decision merely because he makes an unwise choice. An act done or decision made, under this Act for or on behalf of a person who lacks capacity must be done, or made, in his best interests. Before this act is done, or the decision made, regard must be had to whether the purpose for which it is needed can be as effectively achieved in a way that is less restrictive of the persons rights and freedom of action (www3.hants.gov.uk/adult-services/health-wellbeing/adultmh/mental-capacity-act/mca-principles.htm). Case law refers to cases which have changed legislation and the story of an autistic man detained in Bournewood hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983, changed the rights for people who lack capacity. His carers successfully challenged his unlawful detainment and deprivation of liberty, by taking the case to the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). In 2004 the European Court judgment of the appeal of R v. Bournewood Community and Mental Health Trust, ex parte L [1998] 3 ALL ER 458, was forced to change and the Bournewood ruling and now provides extra protection for the human rights of people who lack capacity and find themselves deprived of their liberty (Brammer, 2010). There are two statues to consider when looking Helens case, the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA) and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) (both amended by the Mental Health Act 2007 (MHA 2007)), which provide different kinds of powers and duties for Social Services with regards to Helens mental capacity. Fennell (2007) indicates that both acts provide safeguarding against arbitrary deprivation of liberty which would contravene Articles 5 and 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998. Helen may be medically fit but mentally not ready to go home and if this were to happen this can delay discharge as this would require waiting for assessments to be completed and therefore, the NHS would now be responsible for the delay. As the service user/patients circumstances would have changed, the NHS would have to withdraw the existing notice and re-notify social services under s.2 of the Community Care (Delayed Discharges) Act 2003. Re-notification of this kind cancels the previous notice and restarts the process, meaning that social services must reassess the patient and, after consulting the NHS body, decide when the patient will be ready to be discharged. Social care services, which are provided by public authorities, provide support for individuals, families, carers, groups and communities. In most cases, whenever you need healthcare, medical treatment or social care, you have the right not to be discriminated against because of your age, race, gender, gender identity,  disability, religion or sexual orientation. On the 1st October 2010, the Equality Act became statute. It provides anti-discriminatory law and has replaced the Disabilities Discrimination Act 1995 and the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. provides a new cross-cutting legislative framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all; to update, simplify and strengthen the previous legislation; and to deliver a simple, modern and accessible framework of discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society (http://www.equalities.gov.uk/equality_act_2010.aspx). In summary when Helen is medically fit to leave hospital, social workers are responsible for ensuring the transition from hospital, back home is managed in a sensitive way. Helen is currently receiving meal on wheels and although additional support may be needed it is clear she will require continuing care. This is the name given to the care needed by an adult who requires help over an extended period of time to assist in their daily life. This package of care involves services and funding from both the NHS and Adult Social Care. There are many aspects to consider when working within legal frameworks in Adult Social Care, such as statutory duties, service users rights and tensions which can occur when working a multi-disciplinary setting. In order to determine a sufficient and accurate care plan, the legal statutory duties and the codes of practice laid out by the General Social Care Council should guide practice but ultimately the needs of the services user should be at the fore.

Hamlets Themes Revived in Great Expectations :: Great Expectations Essays

Hamlet's Themes Revived in Great Expectations      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many of Hamlet's themes are revived in the text of Great Expectations. Charles Dickens creates characters and plots that are intertextually linked with the elements of the fatherly ghost and revenge in Hamlet. Pip chronicles his quest for self-discovery and establishing and/or diminishing his relationships with fatherly figures. In doing so he, much like Hamlet, is challenged by situations filled with revenge and dauntless ghosts. By Dickens integrating the Hamlet motif into Great Expectations, he promotes the reader's understanding of the dominant themes and message of Pip's tragedy, which directly correlate to the character of Prince Hamlet. Dickens makes references to Hamlet throughout the novel, but he establishes strong parallels particularly in the first and thirty-first chapters of his novel. Furthermore, Dickens dedicates chapter thirty-one to an actual performance of the play. He connects the roles the reader is to recognize Pip portraying in hi s life to the actors and scenes being comically reenacted on stage. In order for Dickens to emphasize Pip's inconsistent identity, he relies on a commentary on each of the boy's attempts to play the role of someone else. Besides the resonance of Prince Hamlet in Pip's character, the fatherly figures of Joe and Magwitch are drawn in the image of the Ghost of Hamlet's father. Both Hamlet and Great Expectations bear the struggles of young men striving to fulfill their obligations to a vengeful father figure. The fatherly figures propel their "sons" to attain the place in society which they lacked a chance to themselves, but the fatherly intentions only lead to Hamlet and Pip's self-destruction. Hamlet is defeated by his contempt and lust to satisfy the revenge his father seeks through him. In Great Expectations, Pip is given the fortunate opportunity to escape the constraint of revenge; despite a difficult journey, he ultimately succeeds in becoming a gentleman. Pip, unlik e Hamlet, learns to avoid the vengeful behavior which soured his expectations; rather he accepts the just father figure of Joe and distinguishes his identity.    Parallels to Hamlet can be drawn throughout the text of Great Expectations, but the issues that relentlessly plague Pip and Hamlet are both introduced in the novel's first chapter.

Fake IDs :: essays research papers

Fake ID Just like many college students, Dana and her friends decided to go to a bar one Saturday night. The problem: Not everyone in their group was old enough to enter. The solution: Use fake ID obtained through a friend. So Dana and her friends used fake IDs to enter the bar without a problem, or so they thought. Later that night, police raided the bar. Dana's ID was confiscated and she was later arrested. It seems like everyone wants to be a different age. Many teenagers want to be either 18 or 21 so they can buy cigarettes or alcohol. And I’m sure everyone has heard their parents say they wish they were 18 again. For the most part people can’t change how old they are, but by using fake identification, someone could pretend to be an age older than what they are. More and more people are using fake ID’s. There have been many new advances in technology in recent years. Because of these advances, such as computers and internet, fake ID’s are becoming easier to get, and their quality is improving. Not too long after states find ways of making ID’s harder to duplicate, the counterfeiters are finding a way to make them. Fake ID’s no longer consist of scratching an 8 into a 3. These advances make it hard to tell apart fake ID’s from the real thing. Some websites sell fake ID’s from $50-5,000. Selling fake ID’s over the internet has increased greatly over the past few years.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The internet makes fake ID’s readily available, but according to the article â€Å"Forged in Plastic† in Missoula, most underage clients buy phony driver’s licenses from local manufacturers who use computers, scanners, laser printers, laminators, and special programs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to the San Diego Union Tribune An estimated 10 million fake ID’s are confiscated each year. During spring break last year in Florida, 10,000 fake ID’s were confiscated by using a handheld ID verification device made by Logix Company of Colorado.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are different types of people who use fake ID’s for different reasons. Many people who use fake ID’s are just teenagers who want to buy alcohol. 18, 19, and 20 year olds generally use fake ID’s to drink in bars, while high school students with fakes just go to grocery stores to find beer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are different consequences of owning or selling fake ID’s. Under-aged drinkers that go to bars and are caught with fake ID’s are usually ticketed for minor consumption and for carrying false or altered identification.

roman empire and mondern day europe Essay -- essays research papers

Part I Figure 3.3 on page 67 illustrate the influence of the Roman Empire in relation to road construction and transportation and the similarities of those early systems with modern day Europe. A great deal of events has occurred between the time periods of the two maps. The first major road system was established by the Roman Empire from 300 BC and onwards, mainly for economic, military, and administrative reasons. The road system relied on solid road engineering methods, including the laying of foundations and the construction of bridges. This was also linked with the establishment of pan-continental trading routes like the Silk Road that linked Europe and Asia by 100 BC. After the fall of the Roman Empire after the 5th century, integrated road transportation fell out of favor as most roads were locally constructed and maintained. Due to the lack of maintenance of many road segments, land transport became a very dangerous activity. It wasn’t until the creation of modern nation-stat es in the 17th century that national road transportation systems were formally established. Through central government efforts the French built their Royal Roads system spanning 24,000 km, over which a public transport service of stage-coaches carrying passengers and mail was created. The British built a 32,000 km system of turnpikes where tolls have to be paid for the use of a road. It was mostly a private sector effort. 1794 introduced the beginning of modern road transportation with the first ...

Domestic Terrorism

Domestic Terrorism in the United States Thomas A. Salisbury HSM 305 Survey of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Professor Erick Stone January 22, 2012 Domestic Terrorism in the United States Domestic terrorism is a real threat to this country. This type of attack is nothing new to this country but until the threat of international terrorism became prominent, there was not a large focus on domestic terrorism. With a look at history, domestic terrorists are a greater threat to security than international terrorists. Some of these threats are easily preventable and others are more difficult to see coming.The Department of Homeland Security needs to focus on domestic terrorist threats with the same effort as they do for international threats. The official definition of terrorism according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation is â€Å"the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social goals†. (Smith, 1994 p6). This definition guides how the FBI takes defines possible terrorist organizations and takes action against them.Terrorists may be left or right wing, from any religious background or any race. This is what makes identifying these groups of people very difficult. While law enforcement would like to say that a typical terrorist is a young, affluent, white male, for example, it is impossible to make that distinction. There is no profile that would fit terrorists in their entirety. It is possible for a terrorist from a certain group to fit a certain profile. A white supremacist group would have a certain type of person as a member. A black militant group would have a totally different type of person.With this being the case, it is important to identify the group of people rather than the individual. Some groups focus on a single issue such as anti-nuclear power or anti-fur trade while others call for greater changes in politics or ideology. A single, lone terrorist or small cell is the most difficult to detect and stop. In the history of this country, there have been numerous cases of domestic terrorism. Most people were unfamiliar with domestic terrorism until the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995. This is because most cases of domestic terrorism do not involve such a large loss of life.In many cases, the loss was financial and casualties were low, if any at all. Animal-rights groups have targeted fur dealers by setting fires in vehicles and buildings to destroy these businesses. The Ku Klux Klan may have killed people but the tended to do so one at a time. This does not create as much of a media buzz as a bombing that kills dozens. By doing this, some of these groups may stay out of the spotlight but in reality, they are more deadly than a single bomber. When unions were forming early in the twentieth century, there were incidences of terrorism on both sides.Strikers were attacked and fac tories were sabotaged. Some of these incidents resulted in the loss of life and almost all involved financial losses. Sometimes, these conflicts are taking place today. Political change is the aim of some of these groups. Communist organizations wanted to make the United States a Marxist country. Organizations also united under a common cause such as in 1981 when the Weather Underground (WU), the Black Liberation Army (BLA) and the Black Panther party united to form the May 19th Communist Organization (M19CO). (Smith, 1994).This group robbed armored cars to fund operations that resulted in the deaths of security officers. A crime that is in the headlines may actually be a terrorist attack used to gain money. Law enforcement must investigate fully to find out why the crime took place. A look back in history may show that terrorists were active even during the Revolution. The Boston Tea Party was staged by colonists who were protesting taxes imposed by the English. (Les Benedict, 2006 ). This incident, along with others, like the burning of a revenue ship in Rhode Island, was done to effect a change in English policy towards the colonies.The English would have viewed these acts as terrorism by today’s standards. Terrorism has also taken place during the Atlanta Olympics and at an abortion clinic when Eric Rudolph planted bombs that killed and injured people. Only an alert security guard at the Olympics prevented a tragedy. A current threat of terrorism is through the use of gangs by international organizations. Al-Qaeda has been closely working with the gang Mara Salvatrucha or MS-13. MS-13 has many ways of passing security at the Mexican border and wants to make money.Al-Qaeda can use them to provide resources and people to use. (Starita, 2009). MS-13 also wishes to have an international presence and a cooperation would give them prestige. Gangs in general present a threat to homeland security and this gang is one of the largest. According to some sources , there are as many as 96,000 members and many sympathizers. (Starita, 2009). This presents a large threat with the potential of many operatives and resources in place already. As with other terrorist groups, these gangs can come together if there is a common cause that suits all of them.Responsibility for preventing terrorist incidents starts with the average citizen. Law enforcement agencies have many types of incidents to respond to and anti-terrorism is only one of them. If a person notices something suspicious such as a person buying many weapons and ammunition, looking for information on bomb-making and materials or becoming radical in their ideology, it would be extremely helpful to notify an agency for an investigation. Many times the first signs of an impending attack would be noticed by a civilian. This could be a friend, family member, coworker or a store clerk.A bystander may also notice an unattended package or suspicious person in an area. This may be just enough to wa rd off the attack if the police are notified promptly. A major difficulty facing law enforcement in the prevention of these incidents is working within the justice system of the United States. The police have to follow procedures and rule laid out in the Bill of Rights and subsequent laws. These laws restrict the rights of law enforcement and protect the rights of the citizens. The First Amendment gives the freedom of religion and speech and of the press.A person can go to a mosque or church that may be radical in their teachings. They may voice their radical opinions as long as it is not an outright threat. Even printed materials about their views are legal. According to the Second Amendment, a person can buy arms and ammunition legally. In order for police to obtain a search warrant, probable cause must be present. (Les Benedict, 2006). Just because a person goes to a radical mosque, a search for bomb-making materials cannot be obtained without probable cause that the materials ar e there. A person cannot be persecuted based on loose suspicions.Therefore, a tip has to be followed up by an investigation to see if the person is doing something illegally. Only if reliable information is present can the police obtain the warrant and execute it. The warrant can be very specific on what can be searched instead of being broad. This may hamper the police from finding evidence as well. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, President George Bush, along with Congress, passed the USA-PATRIOT Act. The Act is an acronym for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism. Del Carmen, 2009). While the act was passed as a reaction to an international terrorist incident, it applies to domestic terrorism as well. This act provided new rules for electronic surveillance such as wiretaps and using technology to gain evidence. These new rules relaxed the requirements for obtaining these types of surveillance. Access to personal information was gained by using fusion centers for intelligence on suspects. The use of these centers has been criticized as being a violation of civil rights by some people. (Del Carmen, 2009).Some provisions of the act have been declared invalid by some courts and the fight against the act will continue into the future. With the provisions of the act, law enforcement has broader authority in investigating individuals and organizations that are suspected of planning terrorist acts. This authority has to be used with good police work like investigations in order to prosecute the right people. Another difficulty law enforcement has is that the process of stopping domestic terrorists is not just intelligence work and conducting a military-style operation to eliminate the threat.Criminal procedure has to be followed. Evidence must be collected in order to prosecute the offenders at a later date. This means the rules of evidence must be followed to in clude chain of custody, proper collection techniques, and documentation. Care must be taken to protect evidence during operations and after the operation is conducted. Multiple agencies may be involved and coordination is necessary between those agencies. A simple incident of a white powder coming from an envelope in the mail involves many agencies. A Hazardous Materials Team would test the powder and most likely take evidence from the scene.Not only would local police be involved but possibly state police and definitely federal law enforcement such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Postal Service Inspectors. Due to many state and federal laws being involved, there has to be coordination between these agencies as to who gets control of the evidence, suspects, and is the prosecuting agency. These difficulties have to be managed in order to prosecute properly. By prosecuting properly, this may deter future incidents. Without this determent, the terrorist may fee l that they can make future attacks without penalty.Response to an incident of domestic terrorism is a multifaceted operation. In most cases, many agencies will be involved. The type of incident that takes place and its location will determine what agencies become involved. All of these agencies have to be prepared to respond and also to cooperate with other agencies on the scene of the incident. Agencies not on the scene may also have a stake in the response and they have to be included as well. The National Incident Management System was created by a Homeland Security Presidential Directive in 2004 in order to provide for a national Incident Command System. Bullock, 2013). The ICS had been used by many agencies in the past but had not been used on a national scale. ICS was created to deal with California wildfires in the nineteen-seventies and was adopted by many fire departments to manage their incidents effectively. (Bullock, 2013). The system uses a single Incident Commander or Unified Command in a leadership position to manage the whole incident. The IC can call on other functions such as command, operations, logistics and finance as the management if the incident progresses. (Bullock, 2013). Use of this system is critical to a good response and recovery.The first agencies to respond will most likely be local fire and police departments. They are the agencies with the most resources close to the scene at the outset. The fire department and emergency medical services will primarily deal with life safety and mitigating hazards that are potentially life threatening. The local police will be the first to gather witnesses and evidence. It is important for these agencies to notify other agencies when the incident requires it. Arson may turn out to be a terrorist incident even though not readily apparent at the outset.A bombing will probably be more apparent. Recognizing an incident for what it is will help an agency bring in the appropriate resources quickly. Some other agencies that may need to be involved include the National Guard, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, FBI and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. If the incident involves radioactive material or biological hazards, the Department of Energy or the Center for Disease Control may be needed. Private companies may be needed for equipment or expertise. All of these entities have to be managed by an Incident Commander.Recognizing the hazards and the incident nature quickly is important. During the 1995 bombing of the Alfred Murrah Building in Oklahoma City, first responders noticed the crater left by the bomb and immediately consulted the FBI. (Cook, 2009). Originally the incident was thought to be a natural gas explosion. By recognizing the incident as terrorism, the proper agencies were then brought in to protect and handle evidence as well as provide some protection to the first responders. In the case of a mass casualty incident, a critical incident stress team may be needed as well.It is important for first responders to protect themselves during a terrorist incident. A secondary device may be present to kill or injure them in order to hamper rescue and recovery efforts. Eric Rudolph planted a secondary device during a bombing at an abortion clinic. This device was planted where the incident command center would be set up. (Ostrow, 1998). Rudolph has observed first responders during multiple false alarms and noticed where command was set up. All Hazards Response was a system that came about after the attacks of 9/11.The Nation Response Plan was created to facilitate an efficient response to a major incident. (Bullock, 2013). This framework helps agencies responding to an incident to integrate with other agencies and pool resources to mitigate the incident. Many agencies may be responding to an incident and a plan to handle the response was necessary. By using NIMS, ICS and the National Response Plan, agencies are coordinated the same way acr oss the country. No matter where the incident takes place, agencies can know what to expect for a system in place before their arrival on the scene.Exercises like Vigilant Guard take agencies such as the National Guard, first responders, state and federal agencies and put them together to practice a response to an incident. In order to become better at responding, these exercises must be held, and agencies willing to take part, to be successful. Domestic terrorism is a real threat to the country. The history of this country shows that this is nothing new and it can be expected to be a threat in the future. Proper planning and the use of exercises are needed to practice the coordination of various agencies.Intelligence and prosecution of offenders has to be a priority to prevent future attacks. The public has to be vigilant and notify the authorities of any suspicions. Prevention of domestic terrorism is a real threat and it is the responsibility of the whole country to prevent attac ks as well as respond properly to them. References: Bullock, J. , Haddow, G. , & Coppola, D. (2013). Introduction to homeland security: Principles of all-hazards risk management (4th Ed. ). Waltham, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann. Starita, Cynthia. (2009).Mounting Threat of Domestic Terrorism: Al-Qaeda and the Salvadoran Gang MS-13. El Paso, TX: LFB Publishing. Retrieved from http://site. ebrary. com/lib/ashford Cook, Alethia. (2009). Emergency Response to Domestic Terrorism: How Bureaucracies Reacted to the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing. New York, NY: Continuum International Publishing. Retrieved from http://site. ebrary. com/lib/ashford Cordesman, A. H. (2002). Terrorism, Asymmetric Warfare, and Weapons of Mass Destruction: Defending the U. S. Homeland. Praeger. From: http://web. ebscohost. com Smith, B. L. (1994).Terrorism in America: Pipe Bombs and Pipe Dreams. State University of New York Press. From: http://web. ebscohost. com Kamien, D. (2010). The McGraw-Hill Homeland Security Handb ook. (1st Ed. ). USA: McGraw-Hill Les Benedict, M. (2006). The Blessings of Liberty. Boston, MA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning Del Carmen, R. (2009). Criminal Procedures. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning Ostrow, R. (1998, October 15). Survivalist Charged in Olympic, Other Atlanta Blasts. Los Angeles Times. p 20. Retrieved from: http://search. proquest. com. proxy/library. ashford. edu/docview/421436549? accountid=32521

Critically evaluate Samuel Huntington’s claims in “The Clash of Civilizations?” Essay

The abrupt end of the Cold War meant that the bipolar model of thinking which had dominated the sphere of World Politics for decades became obsolete. This new phase led to a renewal in thinking in the study of International Relations dubbed â€Å"the hundred schools of thought† which led to a wide spectrum of visions about the uncertain future of world affairs. One of the more prominent visions was the late Professor Samuel Huntington’s â€Å"Clash of Civilizations? † published in a 1993 Foreign Affairs article, where he predicted a growing pattern of conflict based on differences in cultural, religious and historical identity of entities he labelled civilizations instead of the ideological differences of the Cold War Era. Huntington’s thesis was a Realist response to Fukuyama’s 1992 book, The End of History and the Last Man. Fukuyama argued that the post-1991 world was left with no viable ideological alternative to liberal democracy and the free market economy predicting a new era of global consensus on democracy, justice, human rights and cooperation. ‘The nation will continue to be a central pole of identification, even if more and more nations come to share common economic and political forms of organization. ‘i Huntington’s premise was that ‘The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural. Nation states will remain as the most powerful actors in world affairs but the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations. ‘ii The controversial nature of Huntington’s thesis ensured the stern critique by some of his fellow academics for reasons including oversimplification, neglecting contradicting factors and inaccurate predictions. The tragedy of 9/11 and the events that followed revived the confidence in his thesis by his supporters who saw this as the conformation of Huntington’s predictions notably the inconsolable clash between Islam and the West. Huntington begins by describing the historical evolution of the nature of conflicts in the Western World; from the competition between monarchs and emperors for territorial and mercantile expansion leading to the emergence of nation states beginning with the French Revolution, to the rise of ideological conflict after the Bolshevik Revolutioniii. His Eurocentric bias is clear early as he quotes and perpetuates an idea put forward before by William Lind that these were primarily ‘Western Civil Wars’. Labelling World War II, the deadliest military conflict in history which involved the majority of the world’s nations, as such greatly diminishes the involvement and sacrifices made by people across the world. Notably the Soviet Union which was mainly composed of nations Huntington would regard as part of a Slavic-Orthodox civilization sustained the highest amount of casualties totalling at around twenty-seven millioniv. Later in the paragraph, Huntington writes ‘peoples and governments of non-Western civilizations no longer remain the objects of history as targets of Western colonialism but join the West as movers of history’ as if to suggest that events occurring in non-western parts of the world somehow do not constitute as history if they don’t involve or have a felt effect upon Western society. Although the leadership of the West in fields such as science, technology and engineering for the larger part in recent centuries is indisputable; Jewish philosophy, Hindu mathematics, Muslim astronomy and engineering contributed significantly to the foundations of what we know today and this shouldn’t be undermined. The sharing and borrowing of ideas between the different corners of the world through the millennia’s that’s still going on today suggests a long-term cooperation instead of a clash of civilizations in our common pursuit of knowledge. According to Huntington a civilization is ‘ the highest cultural grouping of people and the broadest level of cultural identity’v. He divides the world’s population into seven civilizations as well as hinting at the possibility of a Caribbean and an African civilization; Africa being indeed a continent known for its vast diversity of cultures and traditionsvi. He defines a civilization by what he calls objective elements such as language, history and primarily religion as well as by the subjective self-identification of people. Huntington argues the onset of globalization has led to increased levels of interaction between peoples of different civilizations, which in turn intensifies civilization consciousness and brings to the forefront their cultural differences which unlike ideological and political differences are fundamental and much less mutable and hence less easily compromised. It’s clear that people instinctively identify themselves closely to others who share common traditions, customs and history; I hold the belief however that Huntington downplays the penetration of globalization and focuses on one aspect of its possible consequences. It’s not the differences that drive cultural conflict between peoples; it’s the lack of understanding which in turn creates prejudices and fears. The increased interactions between peoples have led to a wider acceptance of and fascination with other cultures, helping us understand why foreign societies live the way they do. Huntington argues: ‘†¦Russians cannot become Estonians and Azeri’s cannot become Armenian’vii. An Estonian living in Russia will absorb aspects of Russian culture depending on one’s willingness, length of stay and the extent to which one feels alienated or accepted by Russian society. Thus the objective elements invoked are not convincingly definitive in determining one’s identity; an Englishman may choose to convert to Islam while a Chinese citizen in Shanghai may choose to learn French as a pastime. Globalization in itself has penetrated the long-standing limitations in global trade of the past; politicians ever increasingly have to consider the global implications of domestic policy. More than ever national states around the world are dependent upon each other; the United States Demands Chinese goods while China needs the US to buy its goods. Huntington ascribes ideas such as constitutionalism, human rights, the rule of law, free markets and democracy as Western; unable to gain a foothold in other civilizations. He writes: ‘Modern democratic government originated in the West. When it has developed in non-western societies it has usually been the product of the western colonialism or imposition’viii. suggesting that somehow peoples of other civilizations may not be able to sustain or see the benefits of a form of democratic governance. The people of India would point out that democratic government was formed in their country despite, not because of the Westix. Today more than two-thirds of the world’s governments operate in some form of democracy, which reaffirms the idea that democracy is a universal value, contradicting Huntington’s view of its general Western exclusivity. If asked, most Middle-Easterners would prefer the idea of a democratic to authoritarian governancex; the limitation of democratic development in the region however is a product of the unstable and incompatible political landscape rather than the irreconcilability of the culture. Defining the religious aspects of the Western Civilization, Huntington justifies the grouping of Protestant and Catholic Christians into a single entity by emphasizing shared experiences in European history such as the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution which in turn separates them from the Orthodox Christians beyond Central Europexi. Although it is evident that the closer proximity of those events has influenced Protestants and Catholics more than their Orthodox counterparts, the closer resemblance of Catholic and Orthodox practices and beliefs as opposed to Protestants is however neglected. Huntington consistently appeals to religion as the primary source of cultural identity, rightly so, to a Christian the creeds of their religion have a profound influence on their world view and thus how they would identify themselves. When speaking of the Islamic civilization however, Huntington doesn’t seem to make the effort to differentiate between the major denominations of Shia, Sunni and Sufism which have so strongly influenced the historical and especially current political landscape of the Middle-East. In a passionate attempt to warn his fellow Americans of the potential threats that their country may face in the post-Cold War environment, Huntington essentially perpetuated ideas that were dangerous and self-fulfilling. The existence of a Confucian-Islamic connection that may threaten the West described by Huntingtonxii is yet to be empirically verified, as the Chinese and US economies remain inter-linked and Barrack Obama moves towards a policy of dialogue in the Middle-East. Given the history of US foreign policy, legislators would have found Huntington’s paradigm easy to understand and convenient in terms of implementation. A worldview of distrust towards foreign powers that demands the maintaining of military superiority in the name of security panders to the powerful military industrial complex in the US. In order to maintain peace, global stability and have any hopes of dealing with transnational issues such as global warming, policy makers should regard all nations as members of the world community and work closer with international organizations such as the UN and WTO in establishing universal laws. The alienation and coercion of other governments will indeed create an atmosphere of antagonism and hostility.