According to a Gallup Poll, 17% of Americans said they would never vote for a Mormon, even after Mitt Romney's religion speech. So why in a nation founded on principles of keeping religion and government separate exists such profound religious influences? Looking back at Mormonism's founding, many people do not want to elect a member of a "cult".
It is common knowledge that Romney is a practicing Mormon, but what negative influence comes from his faith? While originally involved in polygamy and other harmful beliefs, Mormonism has proved their validity as a Religion centered on the same principles as other Christian faiths. With their extensive missionary program, they help the impoverished across the world. There are extremists in the religion, but there are extremists in every religion.
Even if we lived in a society that was constitutionally meant to have religion influencing politics, Romney's religion has proved its good intentions. So why don't the polls reflect this?
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Abortion in America - Another Solution
After writing a previous article on the subject, I realized that there is also a second way to eliminate it from our nation - education about safe sex as well as the problems with abortion.
With a ban looking hard to achieve, the possibility that the people themselves will act and try to end this act by preaching and education. Within past years, abortion has decreased as anti-abortion groups have seemed to pick up momentum. There were, for instance, approximately 1.37 million abortions in 1996* compared to 1.28 abortions in 2003** according to the Guttmacher institute. In a nation with an increasing population, this looks like a good sign, however, the amount of conceptions per year or even sexually active people might be the cause. Yet this decrease in a growing population is light in the dark to anti-abortion groups. So if writing your congressman about your particular stance isn't working, try making a contribution to groups like "Right to Life" and support safe sex education in schools.
*Guttmacher Institute, 1997; www.agi-usa.org
** "Estimates of US abortion incidents, 2001-2003"; Lawrence B. Finer, Staney K. Henshaw; Guttmacher institute; 3 August 2006; http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/2006/08/03/ab_incidence.pdf
With a ban looking hard to achieve, the possibility that the people themselves will act and try to end this act by preaching and education. Within past years, abortion has decreased as anti-abortion groups have seemed to pick up momentum. There were, for instance, approximately 1.37 million abortions in 1996* compared to 1.28 abortions in 2003** according to the Guttmacher institute. In a nation with an increasing population, this looks like a good sign, however, the amount of conceptions per year or even sexually active people might be the cause. Yet this decrease in a growing population is light in the dark to anti-abortion groups. So if writing your congressman about your particular stance isn't working, try making a contribution to groups like "Right to Life" and support safe sex education in schools.
*Guttmacher Institute, 1997; www.agi-usa.org
** "Estimates of US abortion incidents, 2001-2003"; Lawrence B. Finer, Staney K. Henshaw; Guttmacher institute; 3 August 2006; http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/2006/08/03/ab_incidence.pdf
A New Perspective on Iraq
This past Tuesday, a speaker came to my school and retold of his experience serving in Iraq. There for approximately a year and half, he worked within the prison system at places like Abu Ghraib and Camp Bucca. His knowledge of the prison system from 2005 to 2006 has illuminated one of most intricate problems in Iraq for me: an end to this conflict is unable to be seen, yet the complexity of the prisons would collapse with immediate withdrawal.
While his explanation of the temporary detention centers and prisons was quite a long speech, I will try to condense it - To arrest a civilian in Iraq, a soldier does not need a warrant or police order. All they need is anything considered suspicious; the smell of gun powder, their location, being in the wrong place at the wrong time. After this, they are sent to a temporary detention center, which are usually just old buildings where they herded on to. The officers their have 13 days to interrogate and question them, with a possible 20 days in total with an extension. If they are found suspicious, they are sent to Abu Ghraib. Here they spend a minimum of 60 days while people investigate their files, take a retina scan, fingerprints, and a picture for records. About 42 arrived everyday back in 2005 and 2006 according to the officer, with around 3000 people in total. After the 60 days, the case is appealed by a case of 6 Americans and 6 Iraqis. If the detainees are proven free of guilt, they are released back into the general area of where they were caught. However, about 10%(this is a rough, ROUGH Number given by the officer) go on to Camp Bucca, the prison for the guilty. This camp had 5000 detainees, and were building new facilities as he left for home. With these overcrowded jails as well as a "guilty until proven innocent" laws, there are problems within this system.
Most of these prisoners have been arrested on charges of sectarian violence. While many Americans say to simply leave Iraq, Iraq is rebounding from a oppressive Sunni dictator and has been torn with sectarian violence. Because this is the reason for most of the country's instability, the US has been concentrated on simply stopping it by arresting these people. But with so many sent to Abu Ghraib, the officer said you can't put a timetable on Iraq. Thus many say we cannot leave Iraq because this delicate system of prisons and detentions centers would be in vain and be completely demolished. While some people believe that jailing these people and separating them must be done to stop the violence, this is really only sweeping it under the rug.
To end, this prison system is working, but not as effective as it could be. Instead, we should go to the root of problem, sectarian violence. This could be extremely difficult, but it is important that we use every possible diplomatic effort before resorting to this military prison system. Overcrowded and not to mention a large portion of the budget in Iraq, these prisons have no end in sight. It is similar to a weed: Sprouting from the roots of sectarian violence, branches of zealots have appeared. The US is cutting these branches down, but with them piling up and no knowledge of how fertile the soil still is, this unpredictable weed is becoming more of a problem. We cannot leave this weed alone to grow and block out the sun for other plants, but we also cannot simply cut it down to watch it regrow.
While his explanation of the temporary detention centers and prisons was quite a long speech, I will try to condense it - To arrest a civilian in Iraq, a soldier does not need a warrant or police order. All they need is anything considered suspicious; the smell of gun powder, their location, being in the wrong place at the wrong time. After this, they are sent to a temporary detention center, which are usually just old buildings where they herded on to. The officers their have 13 days to interrogate and question them, with a possible 20 days in total with an extension. If they are found suspicious, they are sent to Abu Ghraib. Here they spend a minimum of 60 days while people investigate their files, take a retina scan, fingerprints, and a picture for records. About 42 arrived everyday back in 2005 and 2006 according to the officer, with around 3000 people in total. After the 60 days, the case is appealed by a case of 6 Americans and 6 Iraqis. If the detainees are proven free of guilt, they are released back into the general area of where they were caught. However, about 10%(this is a rough, ROUGH Number given by the officer) go on to Camp Bucca, the prison for the guilty. This camp had 5000 detainees, and were building new facilities as he left for home. With these overcrowded jails as well as a "guilty until proven innocent" laws, there are problems within this system.
Most of these prisoners have been arrested on charges of sectarian violence. While many Americans say to simply leave Iraq, Iraq is rebounding from a oppressive Sunni dictator and has been torn with sectarian violence. Because this is the reason for most of the country's instability, the US has been concentrated on simply stopping it by arresting these people. But with so many sent to Abu Ghraib, the officer said you can't put a timetable on Iraq. Thus many say we cannot leave Iraq because this delicate system of prisons and detentions centers would be in vain and be completely demolished. While some people believe that jailing these people and separating them must be done to stop the violence, this is really only sweeping it under the rug.
To end, this prison system is working, but not as effective as it could be. Instead, we should go to the root of problem, sectarian violence. This could be extremely difficult, but it is important that we use every possible diplomatic effort before resorting to this military prison system. Overcrowded and not to mention a large portion of the budget in Iraq, these prisons have no end in sight. It is similar to a weed: Sprouting from the roots of sectarian violence, branches of zealots have appeared. The US is cutting these branches down, but with them piling up and no knowledge of how fertile the soil still is, this unpredictable weed is becoming more of a problem. We cannot leave this weed alone to grow and block out the sun for other plants, but we also cannot simply cut it down to watch it regrow.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
NBA Update
A quarter of this NBA season has already passed so I've decided to give an update on my predictions about this season.
1. The Cavs - not doing so good. I still believe they are good team and will go far in the play-offs, but their record isn't showing it. Without Lebron, they've been terrible. My Update: Off to a rocky start, but with Lebron they'll still make it far in the playoffs.
2. Chicago - one of my honorable mentions; right now they're making me look like an idiot. I still have faith; Ben(edict) Wallace is looking up and they shown tenacity especially against their rivals.
3. Orlando - Also one of my honorable mentions, they are doing great. An 8th seed team last year, they are playing like a first seed. Dwight Howard, who's on my fantasy team, has exceeded all expectations, making Grant Hill look stupid for leaving a play-off material team.
4. Phoenix, Spurs, and Detroit - All doing solid. We know how the season's gonna go, can't we fast forward to the play-offs?
5. Boston - I admit, I was a skeptic. They're too selfish, too old, they've never played before. I'm eating my own words. While they've had a relatively easy schedule, they still are showing their ability and a definite lock for the second round of the NBA play-offs, we just need to see how they do against a good team.
6. The Hornets?!?!? - Who saw this? With all their players healthy, Chris Paul playing like an all-star, and Peja knocking down treys, this team is Hot. We'll see how they do against some veteran teams, but they're going to the playoffs.
1. The Cavs - not doing so good. I still believe they are good team and will go far in the play-offs, but their record isn't showing it. Without Lebron, they've been terrible. My Update: Off to a rocky start, but with Lebron they'll still make it far in the playoffs.
2. Chicago - one of my honorable mentions; right now they're making me look like an idiot. I still have faith; Ben(edict) Wallace is looking up and they shown tenacity especially against their rivals.
3. Orlando - Also one of my honorable mentions, they are doing great. An 8th seed team last year, they are playing like a first seed. Dwight Howard, who's on my fantasy team, has exceeded all expectations, making Grant Hill look stupid for leaving a play-off material team.
4. Phoenix, Spurs, and Detroit - All doing solid. We know how the season's gonna go, can't we fast forward to the play-offs?
5. Boston - I admit, I was a skeptic. They're too selfish, too old, they've never played before. I'm eating my own words. While they've had a relatively easy schedule, they still are showing their ability and a definite lock for the second round of the NBA play-offs, we just need to see how they do against a good team.
6. The Hornets?!?!? - Who saw this? With all their players healthy, Chris Paul playing like an all-star, and Peja knocking down treys, this team is Hot. We'll see how they do against some veteran teams, but they're going to the playoffs.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Human Nature and Religion
Blaming Human Nature, many people believe the possibility of a Utopia does not exist. Man's selfishness cannot exist in a pure society, for the system would not work. Supposedly derived from evolution, this flaw can be explained as mechanism for survival - just look out for yourself and pass on your DNA. However, while it is evident that evil and greed dwells among men, a desire to be part of the better and to do what it is right seems to coexist as well. With nearly all major religions founded on laws such as the 10 Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the Five Pillars of Islam, it reveals that within the hearts of billions, there lies a struggle: personal greed and evil vs. community acceptance and love.
Human selfishness has proven to be fatal in many instances of history. In government, it has led to corruption when officials realize their power. A common complaint of citizens of any nation, corruption, has found its way into nearly every government. Our in-bred desire for success and survival has led many people to take advantage of power. However, this merely leads towards ineffective governing as well as bad leaders. In addition, the selfishness embedded within people also leads them to attempt obtaining power. Through crime and money, greed has made its mark in society. Focusing on their own personal wants, people can disregard and even hurt their communities in order to reach power.
Conversely, the social nature of humans also results in communal acceptance, sympathy, and love. Since government has been around, it has indicated that a group of people who want to work for the good of each other exists. While it may be violent, this group shows that people want acceptance and have mutual relationships with fellow neighbors. On the other hand, when one discusses the few corrupt or bad people in a society that causes it to go wrong, one must also remember the majority of other industrious and good-natured people living in that world. Furthermore, the want mutual relationships has created a desire to work for the greater good as seen in Religion, the strongest argument in this case. With nearly all major religions, the focus equates to doing good to others, because it will inevitably do good for you. Alongside human nature's social aspect, the desire for mutual relationship has thus risen which has then caused man's longing to help their fellow man, or sympathy.
While it has been known that evil is born with man, religion has illuminated the idea that love and sympathy have developed through one's life in their response to their own social nature. Not neccsarily directly placed within human nature, love and sympathy are a part of humans, like hate and greed, and thrive alongside the negative within humans.
Human selfishness has proven to be fatal in many instances of history. In government, it has led to corruption when officials realize their power. A common complaint of citizens of any nation, corruption, has found its way into nearly every government. Our in-bred desire for success and survival has led many people to take advantage of power. However, this merely leads towards ineffective governing as well as bad leaders. In addition, the selfishness embedded within people also leads them to attempt obtaining power. Through crime and money, greed has made its mark in society. Focusing on their own personal wants, people can disregard and even hurt their communities in order to reach power.
Conversely, the social nature of humans also results in communal acceptance, sympathy, and love. Since government has been around, it has indicated that a group of people who want to work for the good of each other exists. While it may be violent, this group shows that people want acceptance and have mutual relationships with fellow neighbors. On the other hand, when one discusses the few corrupt or bad people in a society that causes it to go wrong, one must also remember the majority of other industrious and good-natured people living in that world. Furthermore, the want mutual relationships has created a desire to work for the greater good as seen in Religion, the strongest argument in this case. With nearly all major religions, the focus equates to doing good to others, because it will inevitably do good for you. Alongside human nature's social aspect, the desire for mutual relationship has thus risen which has then caused man's longing to help their fellow man, or sympathy.
While it has been known that evil is born with man, religion has illuminated the idea that love and sympathy have developed through one's life in their response to their own social nature. Not neccsarily directly placed within human nature, love and sympathy are a part of humans, like hate and greed, and thrive alongside the negative within humans.
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