Noras Decision in A Dolls House free essay sample

A Dolls House in the late 1800s when womens rights was a very controversial subject and the male dominated society was not yet ready to acknowledge women as equal counterparts. The antagonist of the play,Nora abandoned her husband and children without so much as a second thought. The literal sound of it may make one think it was selfish of her but if one reads between the lines one realizes that her decision was the outcome of years of built up frustration because of being under appreciated and oppressed. Noras decision,though rash was completely Justified and I would agree with her. The play starts with Nora instructing to her maid to hide the Christmas tree away before the kids come and her husband enters and fondly calls her names like squirrel and sky-lark. The first few paragraphs show how Noras role in her own house was scarcely more than taking care of her children and pleasing her husband like he were her lord. We will write a custom essay sample on Noras Decision in A Dolls House or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The names Trovald calls Nora though cute are actually quite demeaning,in fact throught the play he disrespects her lovingly but consistently. ould go to the extent of saying that Trovalds attitude toward Nora was such that one may think she was nothing more than a possession,a prize or maybe even a glorified domestic pet for her husband. Nora in Trovalds life was as a slave would be,bearing and taking care of his children in return for food and shelter. Trovald also teases Nora about her buying the Christmas ornaments and shows her little respect by saying to her things like Dont disturb me. (pg 1681) and also in Act 3 when he says. Have a good long sleep; you know you are safe and sound under my wing. He also doesnt consider her as an equal in the household matters. He bars her from taking any responsibility in the household beyond dealing with the children. She is treated, by him, like a child herself. Moreover,Torvald also expects that Nora will agree with him on all matters of importance. His opinions are to be her opinions as if Nora was nothing but a mere extension of his great self Just like Eve was no more than Adams rib,his extension. All in all, he doesnt treat Nora as his equal and this is one of the reasons she is right in leaving. There is no reason why Nora should she stay in a house where she is regarded as a pretty object of amusement instead of her rightful designation as co- family head. ln Act 2 of the play, Nora distracts Torvald from reading his mail by dancing the Tarantella. She gets her way by promising to dance and sing and fill Torvalds life with happiness. Does the situation not sound a lot like what a concubine would do to get her way with her king or what a dog would do to get its way with its master? Nora is portrayed to be a selfless and devoted wife,mother and daughter. She is he epitome of the idealistic woman in the eyes of a male dominated society. She is shown to have been her fathers doll-child living all her childhood life in her fathers doll house and later as a doll-wife in her husbands doll house,ln a way she has been treated like a doll or an inanimate object all her life. She fulfilled the duties of an idealistic girl and woman all throught her life,to the extent that she began suppressing her individuality and self respect to fulfill her duties. This made it easier to tultill ner duties but in the meanwhile,witnout ner knowledge,suppressed ner ndividuality and self awareness. She even started fearing and accepting the fact that she was no more than a commodity passed down from her father to her husband. All this while she consoled herself by thinking that her husband loved her with all his heart and that he would give anything up for her as was she. But Nora came in for a rude shock when she realized that her individuality had no existence in her husbands eyes. When Trovald reads Krogstads letter his foremost reaction is of horror at losing his reputation,Now you have ruined my entire appiness, Jeopardized my whole future. lts terrible to think of. [pg 1727] This shows how Trovald with his sweet words was a cheap hypocrite and he cared for his reputation more than for his own wife who gave so much to him. That moment sparked in Nora a sense of individuality that we all have as members of the modern society. She must have been overcome by pain as her tower of falsified consolation that her husband loved her as deeply as she did came down crashing upon her. Her decision of leaving her house behind was first instigated out of her love for her usband but later reaffirmed by the realization that her husband didnt lover her more than his reputation and prestige. Once Nora realizes that she has been treated as a child by both her husband and her father, she knows that she has been treating her own children in the same fashion. She plays with them, calls them angels, loves them, but nonetheless treats them like dolls. In Act 3, Nora says to Torvald: l have been your doll-wife, Just as at home I was papas doll-child; and here the children have been my dolls. I thought it reat fun when you played with me, Just as they thought it great fun when I played with them. [pg 1730] She then declares to Torvald that this playtime shall end and lessons shall begin clarifying to Trovald that her reason to leave was to break away from the shackles that bounded her to the Doll-house The scandal of borrowing money when Torvald was sick started this whole wonderful, but awful situation. In the very beginning (Act 1), Torvald scolds Nora for mentioning borrowing money to buy Christmas gifts. His statement foreshadows the plays end: Nora, you know what I think about that. No debt, no borrowing. There can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing and debt. And right Torvald is. Nora realizes this in the end of Act 3 and decides to leave. She can not stay in the house once her husband finds out about her scandal. Nora was right in leaving because she was convinced that she and her husband could not live in peace once the scandal was out in the open. Even if Torvald forgave her completely, Nora knew that she was not capable of being societys image of a perfect mother and wife. She foremost wanted o learn how to be independent. She wanted live out on her own instead of in her dolls house. The way Trovald spoke to and treated his wife would enrage any feminist of our time to demand his conviction. His wrong attitude could be compared to the latest controversy over the singer-composer Robin Thickes song Blurred Lines. ln fact, Trovalds behavior was ten-fold as offensive as Mr. Robin Thickes. There is no valid reason in the realm of the reality we know to treat a woman,or any human being for that matter in the manner that Trovald treated his own wife. All Nora wanted at that moment was to recover from her great fall off the horse of falsified consoling that sne nad crea ed. t She wanted to give up ner talse sense ot security and individuality and her susceptibility to dominance of any kind and wanted to make herself fit to think for herself,work for herself and foremost fulfill her duty towards herself. God has created all humans in his image and hence we are all equal. Nora leaving a house which denied her this basic right of being treated as an equal human is completely Justified in the eyes of God and worldly law. Noras Decision in A Dolls House free essay sample Ibsen wrote the play A Dolls House in the late 1800s when womens rights was a very controversial subject and the male dominated society was not yet ready to acknowledge women as equal counterparts. The antagonist of the play,Nora abandoned her husband and children without so much as a second thought. The literal sound of it may make one think it was selfish of her but if one reads between the lines one realizes that her decision was the outcome of years of built up frustration because of being under appreciated and oppressed. Noras decision,though rash was completely justified and I would agree with her. The play starts with Nora instructing to her maid to hide the Christmas tree away before the kids come and her husband enters and fondly calls her names like squirrel and sky-lark. The first few paragraphs show how Noras role in her own house was scarcely more than taking care of her children and pleasing her husband like he were her lord. We will write a custom essay sample on Noras Decision in A Dolls House or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The names Trovald calls Nora though cute are actually quite demeaning,in fact throught the play he disrespects her lovingly but consistently. I could go to the extent of saying that Trovalds attitude toward Nora was such that one may think she was nothing more than a possession,a prize or maybe even a glorified domestic pet for her husband. Nora in Trovalds life was as a slave would be,bearing and taking care of his children in return for food and shelter. Trovald also teases Nora about her buying the Christmas ornaments and shows her little respect by saying to her things like Dont disturb me. (pg 1681) and also in Act 3 when he says. Have a good long sleep; you know you are safe and sound under my wing. He also doesnt consider her as an equal in the household matters. He bars her from taking any responsibility in the household beyond dealing with the children. She is treated, by him, like a child herself. Moreover,Torvald also expects that Nora will agree with him on all matters of importance. His opinions are to be her opinions as if Nora was nothing but a mere extension of his great self just like Eve was no more than Adams rib,his extension. All in all, he doesnt treat Nora as his equal and this is one of the reasons she is right in leaving. There is no reason why Nora should she stay in a house where she is regarded as a pretty object of amusement instead of her rightful designation as co-family head. In Act 2 of the play, Nora distracts Torvald from reading his mail by dancing the Tarantella. She gets her way by promising to dance and sing and fill Torvalds life with happiness. Does the situation not sound a lot like what a concubine would do to get her way with her king or what a dog would do to get its way with its master? Nora is portrayed to be a selfless and devoted wife,mother and daughter. She is the epitome of the idealistic woman in the eyes of a male dominated society. She is shown to have been her fathers doll-child living all her childhood life in her fathers doll house and later as a doll-wife in her husbands doll house,In a way she has been treated like a doll or an inanimate object all her life. She fulfilled the duties of an idealistic girl and woman all throught her life,to the extent that she began suppressing her individuality and self respect to fulfill her duties. This made it easier to fulfill her duties but in the meanwhile,without her knowledge,suppressed her individuality and self awareness. She even started fearing and accepting the fact that she was no more than a commodity passed down from her father to her husband. All this while she consoled herself by thinking that her husband loved her with all his heart and that he would give anything up for her as was she. But Nora came in for a rude shock when she realized that her individuality had no existence in her husbands eyes. When Trovald reads Krogstads letter his foremost reaction is of horror at losing his reputation,Now you have ruined my entire happiness, jeopardized my whole future. Its terrible to think of. [pg 1727] This shows how Trovald with his sweet words was a cheap hypocrite and he cared for his reputation more than for his own wife who gave so much to him. That moment sparked in Nora a sense of individuality that we all have as members of the modern society. She must have been overcome by pain as her tower of falsified consolation that her husband loved her as deeply as she did came down crashing upon her. Her decision of leaving her house behind was first instigated out of her love for her husband but later reaffirmed by the realization that her husband didnt lover her more than his reputation and prestige. Once Nora realizes that she has been treated as a child by both her husband and her father, she knows that she has been treating her own children in the same fashion. She plays with them, calls them angels, loves them, but nonetheless treats them like dolls. In Act 3, Nora says to Torvald: I have been your doll-wife, just as at home I was papas doll-child; and here the children have been my dolls. I thought it great fun when you played with me, just as they thought it great fun when I played with them. [pg 1730] She then declares to Torvald that this playtime shall end and lessons shall begin clarifying to Trovald that her reason to leave was to break away from the shackles that bounded her to the Doll-house The scandal of borrowing money when Torvald was sick started this whole wonderful, but awful situation. In the very beginning (Act 1), Torvald scolds Nora for mentioning borrowing money to buy Christmas gifts. His statement foreshadows the plays end: Nora, you know what I think about that. No debt, no borrowing. There can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing and debt. And right Torvald is. Nora realizes this in the end of Act 3 and decides to leave. She can not stay in the house once her husband finds out about her scandal. Nora was right in leaving because she was convinced that she and her husband could not live in peace once the scandal was out in the open. Even if Torvald forgave her completely, Nora knew that she was not capable of being societys image of a perfect mother and wife. She foremost wanted to learn how to be independent. She wanted live out on her own instead of in her dolls house. The way Trovald spoke to and treated his wife would enrage any feminist of our time to demand his conviction. His wrong attitude could be compared to the latest controversy over the singer-composer Robin Thickes song Blurred Lines. In fact,Trovalds behavior was ten-fold as offensive as Mr. Robin Thickes. There is no valid reason in the realm of the reality we know to treat a woman,or any human being for that matter in the manner that Trovald treated his own wife. All Nora wanted at that moment was to recover from her great fall off the horse of falsified consoling that she had created. She wanted to give up her false sense of security and individuality and her susceptibility to dominance of any kind and wanted to make herself fit to think for herself,work for herself and foremost fulfill her duty towards herself. God has created all humans in his image and hence we are all equal. Nora leaving a house which denied her this basic right of being treated as an equal human is completely justified in the eyes of God and worldly law.

7 Places to Look for Part-time Jobs

7 Places to Look for Part-time Jobs Part-time jobs are a great opportunity to earn  income and/or develop a new  skill set if you don’t  the time or flexibility to commit to a full-time job. Unfortunately, finding a part-time job is not as simple as you might think. Consider these seven tried and true places to look in order to avoid ending up among the ranks of frustrated part-time job seekers. 1. Local Staffing AgenciesWhile some staffing agencies work only with candidates seeking full-time jobs, others specialize in flexible work arrangements and may have extensive connections with employers looking to fill part-time or seasonal positions. Contact local staffing agencies to find one that meets your needs.2. Classified Ads- Print and OnlineWhile the days of searching your local newspaper listings with a red pen in hand may be coming to an end, the classifieds remain a viable source for finding part-time work. Online help wanted advertising sites also contain part-time employment opportunities. And donâ⠂¬â„¢t forget about sites like Craigslist, which may contain less traditional jobs with more flexible hours.One word of caution: when using Craigslist and similar sites, be sure to take safety measures when it comes to giving out personal information and refrain from accepting interviews at non-public locations.3. Online Job BoardsBecause online job boards are searchable, they make it easier than ever to find a job that suits both your skill set and time constraints. Using the site-provided filter, narrow your search to part-time jobs and see only those that make sense for your schedule.4. Unemployment AgenciesDo you think of unemployment agencies as the places to go when you don’t have a job, as opposed to when you’re looking for one? Think again. Aimed at helping people find work, unemployment agencies maintain databases of current local openings. These may include both full-time and part-time opportunities in industries ranging from food service to retail to healthc are.5. Shoot SmallMany smaller companies, including startups and â€Å"solopreneurs,† are more willing to offer employees flexibility in the workplace. Why? Because they may not yet  have the funds or workload  to support a full-time employee, or may lack sufficient office space for another full-time worker. Expanding your search beyond corporate into smaller- and often specialized  organizations, such as non-profits, museums, libraries, and churches- can yield results.6. Network, Network, NetworkMany employers aren’t eager to waste time and resources advertising part-time jobs. This is where your network comes in. If you let friends- both in person and online- know that you’re looking for part-time work, you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised by what turns up.7. Consider FreelanceA new breed of freelance job boards- such as eLance and oDesk- offer scores of contract and freelance jobs for everyone from software programmers to creative writers. If yo u’re looking for a part-time job that allows you to work from home, these niche job sites deliver.While finding part-time employment can be a challenge, perseverance- and knowing where to look- will ultimately pay off in the form of a job that not only meets your scheduling needs, but also your unique skill set.

Evaluating Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Evaluating - Coursework Example Additionally, this paper presents an evaluation of 5 conflict resolution methods and a conflict resolution method that is best applicable to both teams and rationale for this decision. Finally, this paper presents a conclusion of the findings and literature applied. Interprofessional collaboration is a complex communication process that poses a number of features. According to Scholl, Koelewijn-van Loon and Sepucha, et al. (2011), interprofessional collaboration, in a nursing setting or health care environment is described as the process of division of planning, decision making, goal setting, accountability assumptions and problem solving processes which links with working jointly. This process fosters harmonization of efforts in a team or group. Working as a team or collaboratively is a common term in the health care environment, where the health care providers strive to work together in order to achieve positive health outcomes. The surgical and recovery team work in harmony to achieve their set goals and objectives which entail achieving a positive health outcome. In particular, the surgical team carries out the surgery procedures on the patients in the surgery environments whereas the recovery team plays the role of assisting the patients in recovering from the surgical procedures (Scholl et al., 2011). This entails taking the patients from the surgical room and providing them with the necessary care that they need in order to triumph over the surgery to a normal life (Schrijvers, van Hoorn & Huiskes, 2012). Over and above, both the surgical and the recovery team play a significant role in enabling the patient achieve beneficial health outcomes. This is made possible via collaborative working process where everyone embraces communication through effective reporting and handover. Interprofessional collaborations foster exchange of knowledge, improved patient health outcomes, improved health care service satisfaction and an effective

Constructivism in International Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Constructivism in International Relations - Essay Example The constructivist theory encourages that students be provided with inquiry-based learning activities as well as problem solving activities where students are able to formulate and test their ideas , draw their conclusions as well as inferences and convey their acquired knowledge in a collaborative learning environment. Constructivism changes the student from an inactive recipient of information to an active partaker in the learning process. Learners will be continually trying to obtain their personal mental model of the actual world from their views of that world. Learners keep updating their own personal mental models to mirror the new acquired information which eventually enables them to create their own understanding of the reality. It is crucial that we create good learning environments that students will use as their platforms to be able to create new knowledge and experiences and these environments are referred to as Constructivist learning environments. This theory is importa nt for the study of international relations since it facilitates learning new information and adapting to change which is very common while relating with other countries internationally. A basic principle of the constructivist social theory is that people take action toward items or entities, on the foundation of the meanings that those entities or items have for them. In international relations for example, various states act differently towards their enemies because they are a threat to them while they also act differently. towards their friends who are an input to their states. Learning how to deal and adapt to various situations that a state is exposed to is thus very important and that is well implemented through the use of constructivist theory in learning International relations. Institutionalization refers to the process of internalizing new interests as well as identities which are occurring within their environment and affecting their behaviors. Example: UNESCO officials d eclared that science policymaking is essential and good; there was however no stern attempt to attest how true that was: "States should make it their business" to coordinate and direct science or, "The development of science policy should be the responsibility of an organization at the highest level of government in the country. Also "the Science Policy Programme of UNESCO is formulated on the basis of the principle that the planning of science policy is indispensable" for the promotion as well as coordination of scientific research. These statements are not attached with any evidence that such practical entities improve science competence. Science has a

Cause and Effect Essay Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cause and Effect Assignment - Essay Example Parents may adopt a given set of strategy and action based on the normal situations or the circumstances in which they are forced to bring about an action in response to the lack of values and behavioral respect shown by their children. The disciplinary action is originally meant to bring about resoluteness and respect in the manners and behavior of the children. The impacts can be multi fold. It can be either building up a very well groomed and looked after children or in certain cases it may also include the deviation in the form of excessively restrictive environment and behavioral response by the children. Surveillance based parenting includes parenting keeping a close and unannounced check on the children. This may include observing their activities, observing their belongings in their absence and other similar actions. The disciplinary action based parenting includes adopting a relatively formal method of parenting. This may include taking punitive measures which at times even may include physically controlling. Disciplinary actions may also include grounding of children and restricting their activities. Remuneration based treatment of children is the broader form of disciplinary action. Many experts on the subject of parenting and good skills with regard to children’s brought up advocate the use of counseling, sharing, and intimacy based build up of relations. In this kind of relationship and atmosphere presence, the child feels secure, easy and gives out the information easily which allows the parents resolving their issues relatively easily and flexibly. The child does not fear any threat, punishment that may come from the parents end in the case of violation as is the case in the form of disciplinary form of parenting and guidance by the parents. Effect of counseling may lead to increased good and open relationship between the child and parent. Since it is the human nature that the

Police Use of Force | Essay

Police Use of Force | Essay There have been several issues concerning the policies that underline the use of force within the field of law enforcement. Favorable opinions, negative objections, and indecisive feelings about the use of force have varied throughout the public as well as within the criminal justice system when it comes to this policy. For a number of years, it has been extremely difficult in determining the proper definition of what is considered to be the use of force or the proper use of force, especially in regards to law enforcement. Ironically, there have been dozens of studies on police and the use of force and research concluded that there is no single accepted definition. Must police use force? Not only should the answer to this question include the circumstances surrounding the situation but it should also include the amount of force able to be used in each unique situation. This question will especially benefit a police officer when determining the amount of force that should be exerted on criminal suspects. Overall, in order for one to fully understand the various definitions of use of force, one must be able to appreciate the background, causes, and ways to reduce the use of force. The basic problem with use of force is the lack of routine, national systems for collecting data on incidents in which police use force during the normal course of duty and on the extent of excessive force and when force should be applied and how much. According to Buker (2005), the term, use of force, describes a right of an individual or authority to settle conflicts or prevent certain actions by applying measures to either: dissuade another party from a particular course of action, or physically intervene to stop them (pg201). Police are granted the authority to use force and being able to use force this is characterizes one of the most misconstrued powers granted to commissioners of the government. Law enforcement officers may define the use of force as, taking all actions to bring a hostile situation to a more manageable status. Adler (2007) found as leading police historians have demonstrated, early law enforcers worked in a hostile environment. Established during an era of soaring violence, when riots were commonplace and when social divisions cleaved cities into competing neighborhoods, American policemen, in Chicago and elsewhere, faced a daunting task. They were expected to maintain order, yet they lacked legitimacy and remained shackled to a partisan, often corrupt, institutional structure in which they were encouraged to use their influence and muscle for overtly political tasks, such as safeguarding their patrons and quelling labor unrest. All the while, American law enforcers battled to command respect and to control the streets. Types of Force There are several interpretations as to what is considered an excessive amount of force, which can vary from using bean bags guns, chemical spray, or batons. When these items are used inappropriately or excessively one may say this is using an excessive amount of force. However, since they are non-lethal they can be seen as reasonable use of force. Therefore, the amount of force a police officer uses does not solely depend on him or herself, but his or her discretion. Every situation that possibly involves the use of force is unique. Situations may be similar or seem to mirror one another, but no situation is the same. By situations varying from the differences in people, regions, beliefs, and backgrounds to tailor a particular definition, create certain guidelines for the use of force is difficult. Some people believe police should not have the power to use force, no matter what the circumstances may be. They believe everything can be solved along peaceful stipulations in which no o ne can be injured or killed (Ng, 2009). Then you have others who understand that in some situations, force is not only necessary, but is required, if serious, injury or death is avoided (Rahtz, 2007). When handling a certain situation police officers have a variety of force options from which they can choose. Officers have been granted the authority to use both physical and mental force to solve crimes and detain criminals. At certain times criminals can be very cooperative when being arrested, so there is no need for physical force the mere presence of the officer is enough to gain their control. When criminals are no so cooperative, the first step would be verbal commands, going forward the next stage to detain a criminal, would be the compliance hold which means applying physical force, which may be followed by the use of non-lethal weapons such as the baton or tasers. The last result would be resorting in applying deadly force, which by all means should attempt to be avoided unless considered necessary (Douthit, 1975). It is widely regarded that the police in any given society have a difficult job to fulfill. Dealing with criminals and placing themselves in harms way on a day to day basis is definitely an admirable calling. Although seen as difficult, there is an underlying sentiment in the general public that the job of law enforcement officers is relatively straightforward. Police are faced with tough moral decisions daily. They are to decide when and how to act when presented with violations of the law. When the use of force exceeds that which is necessary to accomplish their lawful purpose, or when their purpose is not lawful apprehension or self-defense but, rather personal retaliation, it is defined as excessive use of force and is unethical and illegal (Pollock, 2010). According to the United States Department of Justice (2008) the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) in Data Collection on Police Use of Force, states that the legal test of excessive force is whether the police officer reasonably believed that such force was necessary to accomplish a legitimate police purpose. However, there are no universally accepted definitions of reasonable and necessary because the terms are subjective and totality understood. A court in one jurisdiction may define reasonable or necessary differently than a court in a second jurisdiction. More to the point is an understanding of the improper use of force, which can be divided into two categories: unnecessary and excessive. The unnecessary use of force would be the application of force where there is no justification for its use, while an excessive use of force would be the application of more force than required where use of force is necessary (pg3). Causes According to Alpert Smith (1994), a major cause of overuse of force, possibly leading to police brutality is the belief that police officers are soldiers in a war on crime. The war mentality impulses are to do certain things that would not be allowed under normal conditions. Police adopt this mentality because of citizens, whose fear of crime has reached an all-time high, and because of politicians, who publicize the notion that tough cops prevent crime (pg127). Most suspects are compliant and require no more than a guiding arm, but those who refuse or resist, and occasionally those who do not, may provoke a forcible response. Subjects of police uses of force often respond with allegations of law enforcement brutality. Sometimes these allegations are baseless, a product of misunderstanding what might justify lawful force or of false accusation (Matthew, 2006). Other times they represent a just demand for recognition and redress for damaged bodies and spirits. The dilemma, according to Rahtz (2003), is the lack of a clear agreement on what constitutes legitimate use of force. The public, as well as the police, understand that in some situations, force is not only necessary and unavoidable, but is required, if serious injury, death or destruction of property is to be avoided (pg136). When dealing with civilian suspects and the amount of force a police can apply during an arrest it places them in a very shaky situation. When police officers make decisions and choices based on the current situation without referring to any policies and procedures, just by following ones own judgment this is called discretion (Douthit, 1975). This gives the police leeway as to when force is necessary and when it is not, within certain guidelines. For instance, a policeman cannot beat up a man for robbing a store. But, if the robber battered someone in the process of the robbery the policeman could. He could do this because there was a clear threat of danger to himself or to another officer or human being. Police must take the precise course of action to fit the circumstance, because if they are too lenient or to forceful, even when dealing with the pettiest things, they can be chastised by superiors and the public. It seems as if the use of force issue has not been taken very serious through legal aspects. Police officers are rarely reprimanded; if the officer is charged with excessive use of force the charges are nearly exonerated. This causes questions to be raised, why is it that law enforcement officers get special treatment? One may say officers charges are exonerated because; when officers are placed in a precocious situation they use their knowledge of past precedent to be excused with their force actions which may be excessive aggression. Notorious Cases of Police Brutality In 1991 a horrified videotape was broadcasted nationwide, capturing California police officers brutally beating a motorist by the name of Rodney King. This case has had a tremendous effect on law enforcement. This case caused an investigation by a special commission to see whether the brutality was extensive within the police force (Engel, 2008). Another case of police brutality happened in Brooklyn, NY a citizen by the name of Michael Mineo claimed he was sodomized with a baton by police officers. The case of Sean Bell is a case that many will remember Bell was killed on the morning of his wedding day outside of a strip club in Queens, NY. Bell and a few of his friend were out at a strip club celebrating his wedding, not to long after leaving the nightclub, Bell and his friends were confronted by a plainclothes undercover officers who did not identify themselves as officers. Bell sped off in the car and the plainclothes undercover officers let off 50 rounds into Bells vehicle, killi ng him and severely injuring his friends (Engel, 2008). Several political leaders such as Al Sharpton and the NAACP tried to fight for some justice because the outcome of this case did not seem like a feasible amount punishment. The officers were charged with manslaughter, reckless endangerment and assault but were all acquitted. On November 29, 2008, a 15-year-old girl was beaten by two King County Sheriffs Department deputies. The video shows deputies as they escorted the girl into the holding cell, when the deputies asked her to remove her shoes, and, as she slipped out of her left shoe, she appeared to kick it at the deputy. The deputy then lunged through the door and kicked her, striking either her stomach or upper thigh area, he smashed her head against a corner wall before flinging her to the floor by her hair. These events are very alarming but what is more alarming is the amount of times officers are exonerated for their actions. Where an officers initial use of force is aggravated and lawful, the line between a legal arrest and an unlawful deprivation of civil rights within the aggravated assault guidelines is relatively thin. There is no middle ground, no buffer zone. Its either reasonable or criminal. One extra baton strike, shove or control holds can make the difference between an officer doing his job and being sent to prison (Alpert Smith, 1994) Ways to Reduce Use of Force There are several ways to reduce the excessive use and improper use of force, the most important factor is to make all laws enforceable to the fullest extent no excuses. Police officers should fall under these same set of rules, they should be used as deterrence so other officers will not commit this same crime in the future. It is not a question of should or whether, but when and how much. However, police officers must learn to use force lawfully. You cannot use lethal force at will or use force when it is not permitted. The Continuum Scale is believed to be one of the most efficient sources used to ensure the appropriate amount of force is used. A use of force continuum is a standard that provides law enforcement officials security guards with guidelines as to how much force may be used against a resisting subject in a given situation. In certain ways it is similar to the military rules of engagement. It was designed as a general guide to using force in a confrontation or arrest situation and to make sure police officers use the appropriate level of force necessary in the performance of their duties (Terrill, Alpert, Dunham Smith, 2003). The scale will assist officers in applying the law and departmental policy in use of force situations, documenting the use of force, and presenting testimony in a court proceeding. The purpose of these models is to clarify, both for officers and citizens, the complex subject of use of force by law officers. Literature Review In 1977, the Police Foundation conducted a seven-city study of shooting incidents by police. The cities included Birmingham, Alabama; Detroit, Michigan; Indianapolis, Indiana Kansas City, Missouri; Oakland, California; Portland, Oregon; and Washington, D.C. The research team examined department policies on shootings, analyzed available reports, conducted extensive interviews, and rode in patrol cars as observers. Among their major findings was the observation that most departments were only beginning to develop recordkeeping procedures on police use of excessive force and repeated involvement of officers in shooting incidents. They went on to note, The lack of systematic, centralized data collection in many departments inhibits the rational development of new policies, training programs, and enforcement procedures (Bazley, Lersch, Mieczkowski, 2006). Contacts between Police and the Public, a 1999 BJS report, estimated that less than half of 1 percent of an estimated 44 million people who had face-to-face contact with a police officer were threatened with or actually experienced force. Other studies report similar statistics. It is these few situations, however, that attract public attention. Robert K. Olsen, former Minneapolis Police Chief and Past President, Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), early in 2004 called the use of force the single most volatile issue facing police departments. He noted that just one use of force incident can dramatically alter the stability of a police department and its relationship with a community (U. S. Dept of Justice, 2008). Also, according to International Association of Chiefs of Police (2001), one of the most publicly debated aspects of police use of excessive force during the last year, is the racial characteristic of participants in use of force encounters. There were 8,148 reported incidents of police use of force in which the contributors (police departments) included racial descriptions for officers and suspects. Of this total, 39% involved white officers using force on white subjects, 44% involved white officers using force on African American subjects, 7% involved African American officers using force on African American subjects and 3.4% involved African American officers using force on white subjects. Methodology The literature is in general agreement that police are in a very precarious situation when it comes to the amount of force they can apply when dealing with a civilian suspect. There is no clear definition of use of force because the terms are subjective. The research designed I would perform for this study would be the evaluative survey research method, in the sense that seeks to determine what is the proper meaning of use of force. The research would be of a quantitative analysis approach. A quantitative analysis approach is an approach which is the examination, analysis and interpretation of observations for the purpose of discovering underlying meanings and patterns of relationships. Conclusion Several key points could have been operationalized differently. When dealing with a dangerous or unpredictable situation, police officers usually have very little time to assess it and determine the proper response. Effective training as well as other guidelines can make it possible for officer to react, respond and address situations in an effective manner. Many early studies utilized official report statistics to measure the outcome of the variables use of force and excessive use of force. Early studies on the incidence of use of force focused on lethal, or deadly, force by police. Lethal force, obviously the highest level of force used by police, results in the most severe injuries to its recipients and commands the greatest attention from the media. The early studies looked at the incidence and circumstances of lethal force in individual cities. The need for improved data collection systems can also be justified by considering the legal liabilities that law enforcement agencies have with their use of force, from both lethal and less-than-lethal weapons. The research conducted over the last 30 years on police use of force consistently calls for improved data collection at the local and national level. In short, the purpose of this study was to determine the meaning of use of force, who can use force, when force should be applied and how much force is too much force. According to Buker (2005), the term of use of force describes having the right or authority to resolve conflicts or to avoid certain actions by applying measures to either: deter another party from a particular course of action, or to physically intervene to stop them (pg210). A major cause for police use of force is the belief that police officers are solders in a war on crime. Police officers are placed in serious and life threatening events on a daily basis. They have to use their discretion; ones own judgment on how to solve the problem and what they believe is the best suitable outcome. Notorious cases of police brutality have called for a special commission to investigate whether brutality was widespread in the police forces. The continuum scale is one of the most effective sources use to ensure the appropriate a mount of force is being used. All in all, one may view the use of force as a glass half empty, and some view the glass half full, which simply states it all depends on how you look at the situation.

The Active Future as Divine :: Philosophy Religion Papers

The Active Future as Divine Normally, activity is regarded as discernible, but according to relativity theory whatever is discernible lies in the past of the discernible. Only the present subjective immediacy is properly active. Subjectivity is properly understood as present becoming; objectivity as past being (so Whitehead). I propose that we extend the domain of subjective immediacy to include the future as well as the present. This future universal activity is pluralized in the present in terms of the many actualities coming into being. Subjectivity is the individualization of becoming, and so can apply to the future as a whole as well as to particular present subjects. The future as divine grows out of Whitehead's revisions of traditional notions of omnipotence and omniscience. But he separates creativity (best understood in terms of Hindu and Buddhist thought) from the God of Western theism. This separation can be overcome if God is future creativity individualized in its own realm, which is the source of the creativity within each of us. Ordinarily we think of the future as a blank background on which we imaginatively project our plans, hopes and fears. Or we may consider it as a receptacle, passively registering the conditions the present and past lays upon it. Once all these conditions are completed, it comes into being-only then it is no longer future but present. As long as it is still future and still indeterminate, we do not see how it could be active. How could the future actively receive and respond to its world? Besides the ordinary passive future we are all familiar with, I wish to propose a notion of the future which can serve as the appropriate mode of divine activity. First, I need to show how an active future is possible. Then I must try to show that God can be appropriately conceived as the activity of the future. In this account I shall be relying heavily on the process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead, primarily as found in his main work, Process and Reality (1929). In part I shall be presenting his ideas, while in part I shall be building on them in ways he did not foresee. The future is usually considered to be exclusively passive because it lacks any discernible activity. Most deem whatever discernible activity there is to be present, relegating to the past whatever is no longer active. This makes good sense for those who assume that world is constituted out of enduring substances, but it makes less sense if the world is conceived in terms of events.