An Argumentative Essay About Abortion Sample

An Argumentative Essay About Abortion SampleAn argumentative essay about abortion can have a number of different topics. Whether the subject is an unborn child, the legal right to an abortion, or just the potential ramifications of killing the fetus, it is good to write about it. It does not matter whether the topic is controversial, and it does not matter if the essay is about the abortion of a stranger, a friend, or a loved one.An argumentative essay is not simply meant to build up emotions or build up arguments. The essay must present both sides of the story. The subject must be balanced in order to have a balanced and meaningful conclusion.Debate does not have to be on the internet, though this might be most common. Debate in the classroom and in your peer group may be necessary. The best place to do this is at your local college or university.You can find text online at websites, blogs, or discussion forums. Reading through and responding to others' arguments can keep you from b ecoming rigid and emotional. Most websites will give you a password so that you can read all of the content available.Another way to learn how to write an argumentative essay about abortion is to hear about it from someone who has written one. Debate debates are very useful. Many people who have participated in the process enjoy debating. They understand the challenges of writing an argumentative essay and how to respond to it.Think about the subject you would like to cover in your essay. If you are going to discuss abortion, talk about the emotions surrounding the issue. Write about the pros and cons of the subject, including an explanation of why you believe it is the right decision.You can prepare for writing your own essays by reading articles, newspapers, and other materials. Find out more about the subject and the history of the debate. Learn how the arguments for and against the topic are made. Knowing the information will help you create a logical argument that you can prese nt to an audience.

Case Study of Newhailes Essay Example

Case Study of Newhailes Paper Newhailes is a National Trust for Scotland (NTS) property located between the large conurbations of Edinburgh and Musselburgh and is in the early stages of its revival project. At first glance, to an untrained eye, all one might see is a magnificent house surrounded by empty fields, woodland areas and derelict walls. However, look past this initial emptiness and the true character of the landscape shows through, revealing evidence of impressive works of art and architecture that would have wowed the guests of the influential Dalrymple family that lived at Newhailes from the 18th Century until 1996. The Palladian style house is intact (figure 1), and although a bit shabby, really gives a feel as to how grand these landscaped gardens once used to be. The outlines of the lawns and Ladies Walkway are still visible and walls still stand around what used to be the flower garden, and down through the woodlands, an enchanting water garden with the remains of a Teahouse and Shell Grotto sit quietly among the trees (Baker 2007a). Figure 1: View of Newhailes house from lawn. Source: Baker (2007b) We will write a custom essay sample on Case Study of Newhailes specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Case Study of Newhailes specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Case Study of Newhailes specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The NTS talk about Newhailes being project of revival as many of the original features of the landscape are still present and just need coaxing back out in to the open (Simpson, 2007) Another term that would fit in to the project at Newhailes could be restoration which refers to repairing or rehabilitating the structures that already exist (Sales, 1995). When the NTS were given Newhailes by Lady Antonia Dalrymple in 1996, they launched the largest appeal in its history (Gilchrist, 2002) to secure and preserve both the building and its contents. The building itself was almost like a time capsule, with a great deal of interior detail, such as upholstery and wallpaper still intact. The conservators, led by Ian Gow decided to take the conserve as found approach. Gow said, There is a tapestry still hung on 1730s tacks- I was not going to sacrifice these to the goddess of Velcro. (Cited in Binney, 2003) This conserve as found approach or to do as much as necessary and as little as possible (National Trust for Scotland, 2006) is seen as the most appropriate method of conservation for the house and does make sense, because a building is a static object and largely protected from the elements. A landscape however is dynamic and alive and will just deteriorate over time and some features could disappear completely. Why is Newhailes worthy of revival? People: The Scottish architect James Smith, whose most impressive commissions were buildings such as Hamilton Palace, Lanarkshire and Dalkeith House, Edinburgh (Macaulay, 2007), originally built Newhailes for himself and his family. Financial issues forced him to sell and in 1709, Sir David Dalrymple bought the property (National Trust for Scotland, 2006). The Dalrymple family were very well known in Scotland as a dynasty comprising of lawyers, judges, and politicians and as key figures in the several generations of the Scottish Enlightenment. Like many significant figures who worked in Edinburgh, they had their country home to retire to, and this was Newhailes. Location: Newhailes is the largest area of woodland in Edinburgh (Simpson, 2007) and is a valuable area of green space. Greenspace Scotland conducted a survey in 2007 to discover what the public perception of green spaces was, how often they used them, and what they used them for. In the Edinburgh and Lothians area, 51% use the green spaces once a week or more often, with 51% using the green spaces to go for a walk, and 20% to walk their dog (Greenspace Scotland, 2007). Newhailes used to be surrounded to the north and west by the parkland areas of two neighbouring estates, Brunstane and Duddingston, but now urban developments are creeping in, making the green space of Newhailes even more valuable. A 1995 National Grid map (Appendix 1) shows the encroachment of houses on all but one side of the Newhailes property Value: Historic Scotland has registered Newhailes in their Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes (Historic Scotland, 2001) and the property also contains a number of category A, B and C listed buildings. Details of these structures can be found in Appendix 2. To be registered on the Historic Scotland list, a property must display some or all of the following values: historical, work of art, horticultural, architectural, nature conservation and scenic. The NTS have a set of principles for their conservation work and one of these principles is that they should take a holistic approach to each property and consider all the different values on an equal level. All aspects of significance should be considered, including intangible associations such as personal attachments and experiences (National Trust for Scotland, 2001) Overview of the revival project. Most generations of the Dalrymple family changed or added something to Newhailes and there are now many different layers (see Appendix 3) so the NTS are using historic maps from 1750 and 1798 as a basis for the layer they are attempting to revive. For instance, the lawn at the front of the house used to be a flower garden (Simpson, 2007), but this was much earlier than 1750, so the NTS would never consider returning it to its former use. However, the house and the landscape have many strong links to each other and the revival of the landscape should be sympathetic to these links. The NTS has produced a detailed management plan for the Newhailes landscape, to be implemented over fifty years in four phases. This plan has divided the landscape in to ten character areas. A full list of these areas is in Appendix 4. Due to the large amount of work involved in this revival project, this case study is just going to focus on the following aspects of the landscape: Gladiator and Sphinx statues: Phase 1 Flower Garden: Phase 2 Shell Grotto: Phase 3 Most of the work planned for Phase 1 of the project is for the trees and pathways. Once this preliminary work is underway, other structures around the estate can be worked on, and this will be vital in capturing the imagination of the local community. At Painshill Park in Surrey, the first structure to be renovated was the Gothic Temple (Baker 2007c) and the main reason for this was to inspire the local community and get them excited about the rest of the project. * Gladiator and Sphinx statues The NTS have sufficient evidence about these statues to be able to replace them or at least provide accurate interpretation to show what used to exist on the lawn of Newhailes. The originals were made by the famous English sculptor John Cheere, and receipts from his workshop show that the Gladiators and Sphinxes were purchased in 1740. He only ever made two styles of Gladiator: one with a dagger and one with a spear (Simpson, 2007), and the lead fixings are still visible in the stone plinths (figure 2) so it is possible to discern what the statues looked like and how big they were. Figure 2: Plinth from Gladiator. Source: Baker (2007b) There is a lot of classical iconography linking the house and landscape at Newhailes and the Sphinx are a good example of this. The famous library, created by Sir David Dalrymple, became known as the most learned library in Europe (Simpson, 2007). The Sphinx, who are creatures associated with wisdom, are thought to be guarding this learned place in the same way as the Sphinx protected the city of Thebes, home to one of the worlds oldest known libraries. The Sphinx statues were photographed and featured in an article in The Country Life magazine in 1917 (figure 3), but unfortunately were stolen, along with the Gladiators in 1949. Figure 3: Photograph of Sphinx from Country Life Magazine. Source: National Trust for Scotland (no date) John Cheere also provided statues for other properties such as Stourhead, Wiltshire and Castle Howard, Yorkshire. Castle Howard was once home to over thirty lead statues, but a number of these went missing in the 19th Century. It was decided during the restoration of Castle Howard that these sculptures were an integral and dramatic part of the landscape, and there are now 16 restored original sculptures on display in the grounds, and two copies (Castle Howard, 2005). Specialist lead restorer Michael Major rebuilt these two copies using archival evidence and traditional techniques. He constructed one of the copies, a statue of Hercules and Antaeus, using a mould taken from an identical 18th Century cast. For the second copy, a statue of Pluto and Proserpina, he used a small 17th Century copy of the original statue to scale up from, using a traditional sculpture technique called pointing (Castle Howard, 2005). The NTS have been in touch with Castle Howard, and Michael Major is able to make new sculptures based on the evidence the NTS have and the examples of John Cheeres work at Castle Howard. These sculptures are likely to cost in the region of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½20,000 each! (Simpson, 2007) However, Newhailes is still an open landscape and the sculptures would again be vulnerable to vandalism and theft. Until the statues are restored, it is planned to have some form of visual interpretation (National Trust for Scotland, 2006). Presently there is a metal book explaining about the position of the Sphinx (figure 4) that matches in with other interpretation around the landscape. Figure 4: Current interpretation for Sphinx and Gladiators Source: Baker (2007b) * Flower Garden The Flower Garden is perhaps one of the most intriguing areas of the Newhailes property as the only thing left visible is the damaged wall and structures around the outside (Baker, 2007a). The photograph in figure 5 shows the Flower Garden in the 1890s, and this is thought to be the same design that was implemented by Christian Dalrymple in 1818 with the assistance of garden designer, John Hay. Although none of the soft landscaping exists today, the NTS have lists of plants, diary entries from Christian Dalrymple and receipts from nurseries, so they know what would have been here originally, but problems sourcing these plants may still be encountered if the heritage varieties are no longer available (Goulty, 1993). This is very different from the situation at Hill of Tarvit in Fife, where there is a walled garden, but no solid evidence as to what was inside. The NTS have decided to create a new design for this garden in keeping with the Arts and Crafts style of the rest of the proper ty (Simpson, 2007) and they do know that Robert Lorimer was involved with some of the design, so can compare the new design with other Lorimer gardens in Fife, such as Earlshall and Kellie Castle. Figure 5: Flower Garden, circa 1890. Source: National Trust for Scotland (No date) The photograph in figure 6 shows the Flower Garden as it stands today, with damaged walls and established trees such as Acer pseudoplatanus. Returning an abandoned garden to cultivation of this standard can be an expensive process (Tabor, 1997) but once underway could provide additional income to the property from increased visitor numbers and plant sales. Figure 6: Remains of the Flower Garden. Source: Baker (2007b) * Shell Grotto and Cascade The Shell Grotto is thought to have been finished in 1781 and the NTS have photographs dated from around the 1960s with the roof intact, so most of the decay on the structure now has only happened in the last fifty years. As it stands today (figure 7), the Shell Grotto has no roof and the interior decoration is absent along with many of the stones that would have adorned the exterior walls. Figure 7: Front of Shell Grotto. Source: Baker (2007) When researching Newhailes, a team of archaeologists and NTS employees working in this area made many discoveries. One was that the floor in the Grotto is still intact, minus a couple of tiles but otherwise is in remarkably good condition. There is a small fireplace in the Grotto, and with the use of smoke bombs, they discovered pipes inside the walls that carried the smoke out to either side of the Grotto. In front of the structure is a large dip in the ground, which used to be a pool and featured the Shell Cascade. The brickwork of the Shell Cascade was also revealed during the archaeological research (see figure 8). For health and safety reasons and to preserve the remaining features, the floor of the grotto and the Shell Cascade have been covered back over with soil until they are ready to be restored.

Aztec and Empire Raised

Aztec and Empire Raised Aztec and Empire Raised-field Agriculture Essay 1. Ancient Americas (Pre-columbian) Mesoamerica Agriculture: Cultivation of cacao Chocolate used by elite as money and to consume (with water not milk, no cattle) Corn-meal (mixtamal) Only place that used corn meal Use of the planting stick (coa) Z Raised field lake argo (chinampas) Cultural practices Ball game Didn’t have the same language or religion (this was their similarity) Construction of multiplatform pyramids Calendar 18 20-day months +5 days, combined with 260 day ritual calendar Forms a 52 year cycle Olmecs Early Village life, around 2000 BC Olmec culture flourished 1200 BC to around 500BC Are they the origin of Mesoamerican culture? Tiwanaku Settled around 1000BC Flourished 400-1000AD First Major kingdoms Developed the ideas that the kings associated with the sun and they wanted their own land First major Andean Empire Raised-Field Agriculture Imperial colonization and Evangelization Built things out of rock therefore it lasts and tells us about how they lived and what they did 2. Aztec Empire (Pre-Columbian) classic maya and teotihuacan were there a 1000years before texcoco Aztecs and tlalcopn Founding of Tenochtitln 1200: Mexica arrive in Valley of Mexico ca. 1200 1345: Teno. was founded Tenochtitlan was in the very center of where Mexico City is now 1428: Founding of triple alliance; defeat of Atzcapotzalco 1428-1440: Reconquest of Valley of Mà ©xico A Religion of Empire? Cyclic understanding of times: months, years, â€Å"suns† Use of human sacrifice associated with Huitzilopochtli cult Aztec imperialism and religion therefore closely related Aztec Social Structure Tecuhtli: political and military leaders, judges Warrior: initially, a social group open to new members; perhaps not by 1500 Pilli(administrators) and priests: mainly inherited, but also attainable through education Macehualtà ­n (commoners), pochteca(merchants), and craftspersons Tlatlacotà ­n (slaves) 1519: An Empire in Decline? End of â€Å"productive† conquest Lack of social mobility Resentment of conquered peoples 3. Atlantic Slave Trade (Colonial) Labor and Colonialism 1600s-1740s: Colonial American economies already based on export: silver, sugar, cacao, dyes 1700s onward: Industrial revolution creates demand for raw materials and portable, urban calories 1740s to 1850s: Sugar, rum, molasses, coffee, cotton†¦ SO WHO WILL DO THE WORK Relationship to sugar and coffee estates, especially in Brazil Triangle of Trade around 1800 Manufactured goods from Euro to W. Africa Slaves from W. Africa to Brazil, US, Caribbean Sugar, tobacco, cotton, molasses, coffee from Brazil, Caribbean, US to Europe (and slaves from Caribbean to US) Historical Effects of Slavery & Plantation Society(FROM BRAZIL PPOINT) â€Å"Use it up mentality†: Destruction of Atlantic Forest to make way for coffee plantations Econ based on export ag (Sugar, coffee, rubber) until 1950s: Boom & Bust Economic and education inequality largely based on race Social impacts Mixed mode of production, monoculture, and colonialism/neo-colonialism 4. Brazilian Empire (Independence-Era) 5th largest country and 5th most populous (170 million) President Dilma Rousseff Pre Conquest Brazil Human habitation since ancient times: 500k at conquest, thousands of tribes Large parts of Amazon had been settled by 1500 Black soils: anthropogenic enhancement of the land Discovery and Colonization Discovered 1500 by Pedro lvares Cabral en route to India Initially used for Brazilwood and other extraction Sugar became main product by 1550 Independence & Empire 1807: Napoleon invades Portugal (court escapes to Braz.) 1822: Regent dom Pedro I remains in Braz when most of court returns to Europe Braz ruled as an empire until 1889 End of Empire 1889: Emperor dom Pedro II abdicates; establishment of oligarchic republic 5. Caste System (Colonial) Unequal social structure based on race Castas- indigenious, black,

Zinc and Vitamin D Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Zinc and Vitamin D - Essay Example Both of them have their own important functions which are necessary for the survival of the body. Zinc is a metallic element which is an essential product required by our body. It is present in some foods naturally alongwith certain drug supplements which contain the essential element. It is quite important in the metabolic functions of the body as it helps in improving the activity of the enzymes in the body. It is an important element for people who are undergoing growth for example children and pregnant women. It also helps in improving the immune functions of the body. The animal sources of Zinc are red meat, poultry and shellfish whereas the plant sources of Zinc are grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and rice. I think that i am getting enough of the element because my diet contains red meat and nuts almost on a daily basis. Vitamin D is also known as cholecalciferol in medical terminology. It is a fat soluble vitamin which is necessary for the absorption of calcium from the gut. Vita min D plays an important function in maintaining the calcium and phosphorus level in the blood. It is also important in preventing diseases like rickets and osteoporosis. I need the nutrient so i can balance my intake of calcium and strengthen my bones with the right deposition of calcium. Vitamin D can be found in dairy products of cheese, butter, fortified milk and cream. It is also found in fish, cereals and margarine. I think that i get enough of Vitamin D as my daily diet contains of margarine and milk. References Guyton, Arthur C, and John E. Hall.  Textbook of Medical Physiology. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders, 2006. Internet resource.

Create a definition of a hero and emphasize the core values of Saint Essay

Create a definition of a hero and emphasize the core values of Saint Leos college excellence and integrity - Essay Example heridge Knight’s â€Å"Hard Returns to Prison from the Hospital for the Criminally Insane,† John Hope Franklin’s â€Å"The Train from Hate,† and Claude McKay’s â€Å"Outcast† are all racial Others, yet they exhibit integrity and determination by and by accepting what their blackness entails while strongly believing that they are not inferior to their white counterparts. They alter the definition of a hero as someone who is confident about their self-worth even though social injustice marginalizes them as the Others. In â€Å"The Language of African Literature,† Ngugi first discusses the colonial alienation children in Kenya experiences as a result of the superiority of English over Kikuyu. In other words, the colonial power implied in the English language is perpetuated through education. Thus, Ngugi explains that he decides to write only in Kikuyu so that all local people in Kenya would be able to understand his work. The subject matter of his work includes revolutionary ideas that challenge the authority, and the government sees it as a threat as Ngugi’s writing is highly popular at the grassroots level where people are unfamiliar with English. Ngugi’s act displays his pride towards his own culture, even though it is undermined by the colonial power. His insistence to speak and write in Kikuyu has resulted in imprisonment, yet he continues to promote a wider usage of the native language so that the colonial power would no longer be able to dominate the Kenyan people in ed ucation and in everyday life. As he wrote, â€Å"We African writers are bound by our calling to do for our language what Spenser, Milton, and Shakespeare did for English† (452). This statement challenges the status quo between the Kenyan and British culture and promotes pride in Ngugi and other Kenyan people for their original language. Ngugi’s willingness to accept his blackness and his persistence in challenging the colonial oppression through writing and action exhibit

Illiberal Practices of Liberal Regimes

Illiberal Practices of Liberal Regimes Should liberal societies tolerate illiberal practices? Discuss with reference to Kukathas. Most liberal democracies would claim to be liberal societies with hardly any or no restriction on liberal practices such as freedom of speech, freedom of religious belief, or freedom of information. However, not all of the liberal societies have the same levels of illiberal practices potentially restricting the freedom of their citizens. Liberal societies need to consider whether they should tolerate illiberal practices for various pragmatic and theoretical reasons. Not all of the liberal societies are the same and therefore tolerate different levels of illiberal practices. The level of illiberal practices that liberal societies will tolerate can depend, as will be discussed, on whether there are threats to those societies than can justify illiberal practices being used to safeguard those liberal societies from greater damage. Alternatively, toleration of illiberal practices depends on whether any particular liberal society sees a need to intervene when other liberal societies would not. The following discussion, as to whether liberal societies should tolerate illiberal practices, is with reference to the arguments of Chandran Kukathas in the ‘Liberal Archipelago’ and his other works. Kukathas and his work have aroused controversy especially with regard to whether minority groups should receive extra protection or special treatment in liberal societies, for instance being able to educate their children in separated schools. Discussions of liberal societies have shifted in emphasis to pluralism and whether it should be promoted or not. That change of emphasis from past debates occurred due to a greater recognition of the increased diversity in multicultural societies and the increased social conflicts or disagreement that can entail. No liberal society is free to operate without restraints, whether those are legal restraints or illiberal practices that have evolved over time or have been applied upon an ad hoc basis. Liberal societies have to find a balance between the greatest amount of freedom for every individual within those societies with the need to maintain stability plus law and order. Liberal democracies are regarded as the best form of state that allows liberal societies to flourish with the least number of illiberal practices (Comfort, 1993 p. 345). Kukathas himself contends that although not perfect in practice that ‘democratic states have been kinder and gentler rulers’ (Kukathas, 2003 p. 195). A problem with the toleration of illiberal practices is that people’s definitions of illiberal practices differs widely and is entirely subjective. The illiberal practices of some people are the necessary and common sense measures advocated by others to maintain law and order. Liberalist me asures do not even have to be introduced by liberal societies, for instance Russia, France, and Prussia in the 18th century or present day China have adopted economic liberalism without lessening the authoritarian grip of the state (Held, 1996 p. 70). The acceptable level of illiberal practices tolerated in liberal societies is dependent on how much interference from the state in the political, economic and social spheres of societies is considered justified. Liberalism as a political, economic and social concept had evolved and changed over the centuries. Liberalism has been subject to changes and trends just like the other ideologies such as socialism and conservatism. In its original guise liberalism called for the minimum amount of state interference as possible in social and economic affairs. Liberalism contends that states were only needed to ensure that people had basic legal rights and that the property of the wealthy or businesses was protected. This classical liberalism wa s linked to the political ideas of John Locke and the economic liberalism of Adam Smith amongst others. Kukathas finds Locke’s views appealing, as Locke was a strong supporter of religious toleration and freedom of conscience (Held, 1996 p. 70). Classical liberalism stresses the freedom of individuals to do what they like, when they like and be free to use their money and their property as they like. New liberalism, which developed towards the end of the 19th century, stresses the importance of society and the role that the state has in providing welfare as well as promoting equality. Adherents of both types of liberalism claim that their form of liberalism is the true form, making the other redundant. Classical liberalism gives a greater scope for the acceptance of illiberal practices as it stresses minimum state intervention. On the other hand, new liberalism is more likely not to tolerate illiberal practices, particularly if those practices prevent welfare provision and social equality (Schumpeter, 1954 p.394). Aside from maintaining law and order plus preventing the poorest starving to death, no illiberal, or for that matter well-intentioned liberal practices, were to be tolerated, that was the belief at the centre of classical liberalism. Liberal societies emerged at different times and at different rates. Economic liberalism often emerged before political and social liberalism. This would explain how illiberal societies could embrace economic liberalism without embracing political and social liberalism. From the 19th century a more proactive form of liberalism termed new liberalism emerged that intervened in societies to tackle social and economic problems such as basic levels of welfare provision. As the 20th century progressed liberal societies embraced further interventions to ensure full employment and to counter social issues such as race and gender discrimination. The issues of diversity and multiculturalism have changed the debates over the illiberal practices that liberal societi es should tolerate. These issues have added complexity as to how illiberal is defined and whether some groups should have their illiberal practices tolerated to further diversity or whether no illiberal practices should be tolerated from any group (Bellamy in Eatwell Wright 2003 p.33). The post –war consensus on high spending liberal democracies with ever expanding social and welfare provisions, with an increasing emphasis on the pluralist nature of liberal societies was challenged by neo-liberals such as Fredrich von Hayek and John Rawls. It was such views that had a strong influence upon Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan (Bellamy in Eatwell Wright, 2003 p.39). Hayek and Rawls have also proved influential on Kukathas’ ideas concerning liberal societies tolerating illiberal practices. Rawls believes that economic liberalism needs to be combined with social justice. It is Rawls later works that interested Kukathas the most as Rawls displays libertarian views that he shares with Kukathas. Rawls thought that distinct ethnic or religious groups should receive differing levels of toleration depending â€Å"on the extent to which they can be allowed an equal place within a just system of liberty† (Rawls, 1993). Kukathas himself is an advocate of classical liberalism where state intervention is kept to the lowest possible minimum rather than later versions of liberalism in which the state intervenes more frequently to achieve set economic, social, and political aims. Kukathas has provoked debate by stating in his works that the states of liberal societies should not even intervene to promote the interests of minority ethnic or religious groups, liberal societies should only permit the toleration of these groups. Kukathas believes that the toleration accorded to such groups should not be dependent on how liberal the internal practices of such groups are. Once groups have received toleration then they can run themselves as they please as long as they are not breaking any laws. If any individual members of these groups are unhappy then they should not look to liberal societies to help them, all they need to do is leave their particular group. Liberal societies should not promote the interests o f any groups ahead of all the groups, or any particular sector within society no matter how well intended its motives are, also they should not make such treatment conditional. Toleration is beneficial to the whole of society; special treatment for individuals and groups is not. Discrimination in favour of certain groups does not benefit them in the long term and is harmful to society (Kukathas, 2003 p. 5). Kukathas regards all groups that form voluntarily to be enhancing liberal society, which includes those with illiberal practices. States are the main actors that threaten liberal society when they restrict such groups. The illiberal practices of these groups might not be illegal activities and whilst they remain within the law, no action should be taken against such groups. The motivations for such groups to form can be due to a sense of being different from the rest of society. If liberal societies are truly open and democratic, then they should accept that some people are oppos ed to the majority of the populations’ beliefs and behaviours. For people that wish to safeguard their diversity forming separate groups is a means to live how they want to live. To such groups illiberal practices are a way of maintaining their distinctiveness from the rest of their society. Groups may also believe that their illiberal practices are not illiberal at all and can be justified as part of their culture and beliefs (Kukathas, 2003 p. 36). There is one freedom that Kukathas believes that liberal societies should promote above all other freedoms and rights, which is freedom of conscience. Freedom of conscience is so important for the proper functioning of liberal societies that these societies should be prepared to tolerate illiberal practices to ensure that freedom of conscience is maintained for the maximum number of people and groups within each liberal society. Allowing freedom of conscience is perhaps the best way of achieving and maintaining a diverse and multicultural liberal society. Governments should not intervene in the internal matters of illiberal groups to remove their illiberal practices. If illiberal practices are based upon the freedom of conscience of individuals or groups then liberal societies should tolerate such practices. If individual members of such groups change their opinions and no longer accept the group’s ideological or religious viewpoints then they can leave the group. As long as i ndividual members are free to leave, then there are no reasons to end the illiberal practices of such groups (Kukathas, 2003 p.36). Kukathas does admit that some members of these groups may find it more difficult to leave than others could, for instance women and children. Women in such groups may face disadvantages such as being unable to support themselves outside of their groups through lack of education and skills. Groups may also be difficult to leave because they use propaganda to persuade doubters to remain or intimidate members into staying within the group. Kukathas again argues that liberal societies should tolerate those illiberal practices if groups ultimately allow members to leave them. As soon as illiberal practices become life threatening to members that wish to leave then it is appropriate for liberal societies to stop tolerating illiberal practices. Therefore, state intrusion into the illiberal practices of groups should be a last resort rather than undertaken lightly or with little respect for their freedom of conscience and association (Kukathas, 2003 p. 107). Kukathas contends that there are two main types of religious or social groups. There are those groups that are a ‘Union of Liberty’ and those groups that are a ‘Federation of Liberty’. States are less likely to intervene in the affairs of the Union of Liberty groups than they are to intervene with a Federation of Liberty group. Groups that are a Union of Liberty type are less likely to have illiberal practices, whilst members are more likely to be able to leave these groups without any obstructions. In contrast the groups which are Federation of Liberty type are more likely to have illiberal practices and are more likely to prevent members leaving their fold. The Union of Liberty groups are more likely to have a strategy over shared property rights and the rights of children to leave their membership, as the parents chose to join and the children did not (Kukathas, 2001 p. 43). When liberal societies opt to tolerate social and political freedoms such as freedom of religion and conscience they are voluntarily restricting their rights to intervene in the internal affairs of political or religious groups. However, the rights of states to intervene to restrict such freedoms still remain. The rights to intervene and therefore no longer tolerate illiberal practices can be used if or when groups abuse their freedoms to abuse others. Such views are put forward by those that disagree with Kukathas willingness to tolerate more illiberal practices rather than less. Kukathas’ views on pluralism and multiculturalism plus whether illiberal practices should be tolerated have been criticised by many contemporary liberal writers and academics. Those that argue against Kukathas’ views on tolerating illiberal practices most notably include Will Kymlicka. Kymlicka contends contrary to Kukathas that liberal societies are justified in denying toleration to ethnic or religious groups that have an illiberal or authoritarian hold over their members. Kymlicka sees that the majority of liberal societies tolerate illiberal practices not through choice but because of their benign negligence. Kymlicka views the tolerance of illiberal practices in liberal societies as being undesirable, especially when that the freedoms of individuals are subordinated to the freedoms of the illiberal groups that they belong to (Kymlicka, 1995 p. 239). Liberal societies should not have to tolerate illiberal practices especially when these societies have the ability to stop such illiberal practices at any point they wish to. Liberal societies should certainly end illiberal practices before the freedom and the safety of group members is at risk. Freedom of conscience should not be given priority over freedom of association or speech. At no point should liberal societies decide to place freedom of conscience above the personal safety of any of its citizens. Whilst the state in liberal societies should not have to decide on whether groups should allow their members to leave, the state does have a duty to uphold law and order or public safety or if they are under actual or potential threat. Kymlicka argues that illiberal practices are easily recognisable. Illiberal practices occur when groups â€Å"simply assign particular roles and duties to people, and prevent people from questioning or revising them† (Kymlicka, 1995 p.94). Brian Barry is another critic of the concept that liberal societies should accept or tolerate illiberal practices. Barry is arguing from a different viewpoint than Kymlicka when he criticises Kukathas for proposing that liberal societies should tolerate illiberal practices. Unlike Kymlicka, Barry is not a strong advocate of multiculturalism. In fact he argues that multiculturalism can introduce illiberal practices in to liberal societies that should not be tolerated. The basis of his arguments against the illiberal practices linked to multiculturalism are that minority ethnic and religious groups should not be allowed to exclusively educate their own children. For if these groups educate such children then they may not learn about equality and political moderation. If not monitored groups educating their own children can pass on religious and political extremism on to them. The governments of liberal societies have shown most concern over Islamic schools and the perception that they will increase illiberal practices. Muslims argue that their children are not catered for in non-Islamic schools. For instance, Britain has not provided public funding for Islamic schools, although it does for Christian and Jewish schools. In Northern Ireland, separate Roman Catholic and Protestant schools have arguably helped to maintain the sectarian divisions. By contrast, the French have kept their schools strictly secular since the revolution and will not tolerate Muslims (or any other religious group) trying to bring religious elements into schools. Education is a vital area to consider when it comes to deciding if liberal societies should tolerate illiberal practices. Therefore, deciding what should or should not be permitted and taught in schools is a highly contentious area. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks there has been a closer scrutiny of the education that Muslims receive in schools and mosques and whether tolerating illiberal practices is good or bad for the security of liberal societies (Barry, 2001). Therefore, to some extent liberal societies should tolerate illiberal practices with certain limitations to operate. Liberal societies have to maintain a balance between all the individuals and groups within them. A Liberal society usually attempts to give individuals and groups as much freedom as possible, which is what distinguishes liberal societies from illiberal societies. It should be remembered that illiberal practices are not necessarily illegal and that the state will not intervene if groups with illiberal practices keep their activities legal. Liberal societies tend to tolerate as much as they can. Toleration though has limits. Liberal societies will not tolerate illiberal practices that threaten the safety of individuals or that risk breaking down law and order or inciting violence between groups on racial, ethnic or religious grounds. There are political, social and philosophical arguments as to why illiberal practices should or should not be tolerated. Kukathas’ s trongest arguments in favour of tolerating illiberal practices is that allowing individuals or groups freedom of conscience is more important than the liberal or illiberal nature of their practices. For Kukathas toleration is the key to achieving a well- balanced diverse multicultural liberal society. Toleration is more important than making special provisions for minority groups, which are discriminatory and counter-productive. Critics of Kukathas counter his arguments by stating that liberal societies should not tolerate any illiberal practices that restrict the freedom of individuals, especially if such illiberal practices place people in danger. Much of the debate between Kukathas and his critics hinges around the rights of individuals to leave groups with illiberal practices. The thorniest issue regarding individuals leaving groups is whether children have to remain in these groups even when they did not chose to join in the first place. Kukathas contends that groups should be tolerated as long as members are free to leave. Critics of Kukathas believe that groups with illiberal practices should change those illiberal practices or at least guarantee that members can leave whenever they want to before they are tolerated within liberal societies. Critics of groups with illiberal practices point to the problems that members of these groups can face, such as not been educated, being educated with extremist views, being physically and mentally abused or simply forced to stay in these groups. Governments should not stand by and let those things happen if they can be prevented. The arguments over the toleration of illiberal practices in liberal societies have been brought in to greater focus in relation to issues concerning religious and political extremism, particularly in relation to Islam. The dividing lines between promoting diversity and multiculturalism on the one hand or appeasing to illiberal and possibly illegal practices can be blurred. Bibliography Barry B, (2001) Culture and Equality: An egalitarian critique of multiculturalism, Polity Press, Cambridge Bellamy R ‘Liberalism’ in Eatwell Wright (2003) Contemporary Political Ideologies 2nd Edition, Continuum, London Comfort N (1993) Brewer’s Politics, a phrase and fable dictionary, Cassell, London Held D, (1996) Models of Democracy 2nd edition, Polity Press, Oxford Kukathas, (2001) Can a Liberal Society Tolerate Illiberal elements? Policy 17, No. 2 Kukathas (2003) the Liberal Archipelago: A theory of Diversity and Freedom, Oxford University Press, Oxford Kymlicka W, (1995) Multicultural Citizenship, Oxford University Press

Nation of Immigrants Essay -- Immigration

The American dream is an illusion of any person aspiring to be a part of a nation that calls itself â€Å"the home of the free†. Often imagery of America communicates ideas of freedom, equality, and success in life, from these we associate the American Dream. Immigrants are trying to escape from other nations where there are people dying in the streets and families that cannot make enough money to put food on the table. These people see America as the land of prosperity and opportunity; many come to this country for refuge. This view is shared throughout American history, when the Native Americans first arrived, to the settlers forming their colonies, to the Industrial Revolution, to the gold rush, and to this very day. Many people die to reach this land full of promise for a better life. However, the land of opportunity is not open for anyone, which is contradictory due to the nature of freedom and history of immigration in the United States of America. Immigration is the reason for the foundation of our country. The colonists first fled to America in search of freedom from religious oppression. As a consequence, white men wiped out large numbers of natives from the land through disease and battle. The debate over who has the absolute right to this land will never cease – natives or immigrants. Over many, many years the immigrants have controlled America. The original immigrants have founded a nation on this land and paved a way for opportunities for all other men except the natives who they drove out to the worst pieces of real-estate. After forming a nation, the immigrants have one thing to fear, history repeating itself. This uneasiness is seen as far long ago as Benjamin Franklin who worried that the growing population of German... ...al Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. Ed. William A. Darity, Jr. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2008. 581-583. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 27 Mar. 2012. Lochhead, Carolyn. A Legacy of the Unforeseen. 2006. Elements of Argument: A Text and Reader. By Annette T. Rottenberg and Donna Haisty. Winchell. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2009. 706-10. Print. Keen, Judy. "For Immigrants, Living the Dream Is Getting Tougher." USA Today 16 June 2009. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Apr. 2012. Mintz, Steven. "Food in America." Digital History. History Online, 2007. Web. 01 Apr. 2012. . Samuelson, Robert J. The Hard Truth of Immigration. 2005. Elements of Argument: A Text and Reader. By Annette T. Rottenberg and Donna Haisty. Winchell. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2009. 704-06. Print.