As the dominant species on earth, humanity is the world's leading consumer of natural resources, and the world's leading producer of pollutants. We have a profound effect on the environment and the beings that coexist with us. Thus, we must carefully monitor our activity regarding the environment, so as to prevent harm to the earth as a whole, in particular its wildlife.
One major environmental issue is that of global warming, which is the heating up of the earth's atmosphere as a result of the entrapment the sun's rays by greenhouse gases released into the air. This "atmospheric buildup of CO2 and other greenhouse gases is largely the result of human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels" (Environmental Protection Agency). Thus, in order to protect the planet as a whole, we need to reduce our use of fossil fuels and chlorofluorocarbons, which are damaging the environment.
Otherwise, the effects could be disastrous. As the environmental group Greenpeace explains, "A combination of melting ice caps and thermal expansion of water in the oceans means that many low lying island states will be submerged." Furthermore, much of earth's life can only be supported in a certain temperature range, and numerous species would die from even a slight change in temperature.
More specifically though, humanity has caused the destruction of organisms' natural habitats and through its direct actions. Deforestation kills millions of trees per year and slash and burn agricultural practices are reducing the size of the world's rainforests at an alarming rate. When an animal's natural habitat is destroyed it stands little chance of survival. The European Environment Agency explains that as a result of habitat destruction, "whole species or populations of plants and animals have disappeared causing a loss of genetic resource that is not only regrettable from an aesthetic or philosophical point of view but also threatens man's food supply." Hence, our actions not only injure plants and animals, but also ourselves.
Global warming and habitat destruction are just two of the many examples of our negative influence on the environment. As humans, we must remember that we too are members of wildlife, and are part of the delicate balance of nature. When we actively alter that balance, we can be playing an active role in the earth's undoing, as species become extinct and the world's landscape is altered. It can only be hoped that the world's policy makers will realize the key role humanity plays in the environment, and that they will legislate in order to preserve the earth's integrity. Indeed, without their leadership, the world will surely become a seared and fetid wasteland that can no longer support life.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Euthanasia
Dictionary.com defines Euthanasia as "The act or practice of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an incurable condition, as by lethal injection or the suspension of extraordinary medical treatment. " The Catholic Church took an ardent stand on this topic when it released its "Declaration on Euthanasia," that was approved by Pope John Paul II. It states that "no one is permitted to ask for the act of killing, either for himself or herself or for another person entrusted to his or her care, nor can he or she consent to it, either explicitly or implicitly. Nor can any authority legitimately recommend or permit such an action. For it is a question of the violation of the divine law, an offense against the dignity of the human person, a crime against life, and an attack on humanity." Obviously the Church feels very strongly that everyone has the right to life and that no one but God can make the decision to take somebody's life away.
In spite of its good intentions, the Catholic Church fails to consider the question of death from the viewpoint of a dying person. If an individual is in extreme pain and wretched, anticipating death, he or she too has a "right to life" and the "dignity of the human person," and ought to be able to choose how their life should end. If people do not wish their families to see them go through undue suffering, that is not selfish; in fact, in dying, those sick people have saved their loved ones and themselves great anguish. It makes me sick that the Church would call someone a sinner because they knew that they would die in great agony, and chose instead to die with less pain.
It would be understandable if the Church made the claim that solely people who are insane should not be able to decide to be euthanized, as these people would not be making properly informed decisions. However, people of sane mind, who know full well the permanence of their actions and have discussed the issue with their families should be able to decide whether or not they want to live in pain, only to ultimately die anyway, if they can avoid the tortuous first portion.
Speaking of this matter in such simple terms as I have is not common in today's society. Critics come up with complex arguments about how approving euthanasia is a gateway to approving all suicide or even murder. That would be like me asserting that allowing people to kill in self-defense can lead to approving of people killing when there is no threat at all. Or, commentators claim that doctors simply support euthanasia for their own monetary benefit. That would be like me arguing that many doctors support people getting sick so that they could get a wage increase. These claims just don't make sense.People need to use simple logic in thinking about this issue. One, people should ask themselves: Is it not terrible for a person to die in extreme pain? And, two: does it hurt anyone else for that person to avoid dying in pain? I cannot see any answers to these questions besides: 1) yes, and 2) no. And, if these are the answers, then it would be selfish, indeed "an attack on humanity," to consider euthanasia immoral.
In spite of its good intentions, the Catholic Church fails to consider the question of death from the viewpoint of a dying person. If an individual is in extreme pain and wretched, anticipating death, he or she too has a "right to life" and the "dignity of the human person," and ought to be able to choose how their life should end. If people do not wish their families to see them go through undue suffering, that is not selfish; in fact, in dying, those sick people have saved their loved ones and themselves great anguish. It makes me sick that the Church would call someone a sinner because they knew that they would die in great agony, and chose instead to die with less pain.
It would be understandable if the Church made the claim that solely people who are insane should not be able to decide to be euthanized, as these people would not be making properly informed decisions. However, people of sane mind, who know full well the permanence of their actions and have discussed the issue with their families should be able to decide whether or not they want to live in pain, only to ultimately die anyway, if they can avoid the tortuous first portion.
Speaking of this matter in such simple terms as I have is not common in today's society. Critics come up with complex arguments about how approving euthanasia is a gateway to approving all suicide or even murder. That would be like me asserting that allowing people to kill in self-defense can lead to approving of people killing when there is no threat at all. Or, commentators claim that doctors simply support euthanasia for their own monetary benefit. That would be like me arguing that many doctors support people getting sick so that they could get a wage increase. These claims just don't make sense.People need to use simple logic in thinking about this issue. One, people should ask themselves: Is it not terrible for a person to die in extreme pain? And, two: does it hurt anyone else for that person to avoid dying in pain? I cannot see any answers to these questions besides: 1) yes, and 2) no. And, if these are the answers, then it would be selfish, indeed "an attack on humanity," to consider euthanasia immoral.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Treatment of Animals
The treatment of animals is something that some people today, I think, take for granted. Most people that I know take tremendous care of their pets, mostly dogs for that matter. But for as many loving pet owners that there are, also there are that many people that treat animals like dirt. People like that I just cannot stand for, I mean how hard is it just to be nice to your pet or just to animals in general. Now, my father and I go out hunting every now and then, mostly for deer, and I know that some people take hunting as a destructive manner, but I view that manner as controlling wildlife populations.
As we all know, for most of the summer and fall ESPN has said nothing but Michael Vick this and Michael Vick that. Michael Vick was tried and found guilty for hosting dog fights on his Atlanta house's property. I do not know all of the details that went on at that house, but what I do know is that whatever he was doing was much worse than the hunting my father and I do every year. Not only Michael Vick, but also in the movie Air Bud, there is a mean clown who hits his dog with a rolled up piece of newspaper, which gives the audience of America more reasons to have a dislike for people who treat their animals like scum. Even if it is not their pet, when people are driving down the road, I know some people who see a squirrel trying to cross the road and try to run over the squirrel. This action of purposely running over animals is equally as cruel as if you were beating your dog. You should not treat your pets badly and you should not try to cause "road kill." The least you can do is attempt to get out of the way, so that the animal trying to cross the road had some chance.
Personally, going back to the subject of hunting, I think that killing deer is not so bad as people think. The population of deer increases every year and the purpose of hunting is to help maintain the population of deer and animals in general. If hunting was made illegal, then deer would eat food that other animals should eat, then those animals would eat another animals food and so on to the point that the ecosystem is falling apart because of overpopulation. Sure shooting deer is bad, but would you rather have them slowly die from starvation or from a quick bullet to the head? I do not believe in suffering, so I would have to go with a quick blow to the head and for that matter I think that if someone is dying and there is no hope then pull the plug, but that is a topic for another blog. Cruelty to animals like Michael Vick and the clown in Air Bud are wrong, but when it comes to hunting to do not see that as cruelty to animals. I am kind to the two cats that I have and I enjoy their company when I go to bed and I also have a friend, Michael Tilton, who is the nicest most friendly person to animals I have every met. I am surrounded by people who love animals and I think that makes me have a love for animals, I hope that I can spread that care for wildlife to others around me. I just want you to know that i do not try to run over the squirrels when they try to cross the road.
As we all know, for most of the summer and fall ESPN has said nothing but Michael Vick this and Michael Vick that. Michael Vick was tried and found guilty for hosting dog fights on his Atlanta house's property. I do not know all of the details that went on at that house, but what I do know is that whatever he was doing was much worse than the hunting my father and I do every year. Not only Michael Vick, but also in the movie Air Bud, there is a mean clown who hits his dog with a rolled up piece of newspaper, which gives the audience of America more reasons to have a dislike for people who treat their animals like scum. Even if it is not their pet, when people are driving down the road, I know some people who see a squirrel trying to cross the road and try to run over the squirrel. This action of purposely running over animals is equally as cruel as if you were beating your dog. You should not treat your pets badly and you should not try to cause "road kill." The least you can do is attempt to get out of the way, so that the animal trying to cross the road had some chance.
Personally, going back to the subject of hunting, I think that killing deer is not so bad as people think. The population of deer increases every year and the purpose of hunting is to help maintain the population of deer and animals in general. If hunting was made illegal, then deer would eat food that other animals should eat, then those animals would eat another animals food and so on to the point that the ecosystem is falling apart because of overpopulation. Sure shooting deer is bad, but would you rather have them slowly die from starvation or from a quick bullet to the head? I do not believe in suffering, so I would have to go with a quick blow to the head and for that matter I think that if someone is dying and there is no hope then pull the plug, but that is a topic for another blog. Cruelty to animals like Michael Vick and the clown in Air Bud are wrong, but when it comes to hunting to do not see that as cruelty to animals. I am kind to the two cats that I have and I enjoy their company when I go to bed and I also have a friend, Michael Tilton, who is the nicest most friendly person to animals I have every met. I am surrounded by people who love animals and I think that makes me have a love for animals, I hope that I can spread that care for wildlife to others around me. I just want you to know that i do not try to run over the squirrels when they try to cross the road.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Race/Ethnicity
When you or I walk around on the street, through the halls of school, or around the mall with your friends, we all encounter different ethnicities everywhere we travel. America is known as the "melting pot" for a reason; there are a variety of races wherever one may go. The fact that America is so diverse may be a benefit to some, but others may think of it as a problem. Personally, I think that diversity is its positives and negatives. It creates a well-rounded environment, but is a well-rounded environment beneficial?
The "melting pot" of different cultures and races raises questions in society, from the business field to the playground. Is George getting the accounting job over me just because he is "Asian" and Asians are are supposedly smarter and can adapt to environments faster than others? Did he choose the Asian because he is better qualified or because he is Asian? Why did Jason not pick me for basketball, is it because I am "white" and whites are not as good as blacks like Jason? Did he not pick me because I am not as good as some other players or is it because I am white? Questions like these appear everywhere and everyday. Although, America is a "melting pot", the wide variety of races begin to cause tensions and racism in communities. A process known as affirmative action makes it hard for some groups and/or races to be accepted to certain schools. Applying to college, as we all know is stressful and time consuming, how would you feel if your wasted all your time applying to a college when it does not matter? Assuming the situation, a college accepts someone from North Dakota just so they have someone from North Dakota and they do not accept you so they can let that person in when you are more qualified, how would you feel?
Personally, I think that the well-rounded communities and the combination or different cultures have positives and negatives. Positively, as a group of different ethnicities, we have the ability to share cultures and beliefs that are respectively different to different cultures, religions, and areas. Sharing these differences brings the cultures, races, and ethnicities together, so we can live without violence and racism. Negatively, together these races and ethnicities cause tensions between groups, "clicks", and even sometimes friends. In the motion picture, Freedom Writers, violence occurs between the different races, ethnicities, and "clicks" that are present at the high school. From fist fights to shootings, violence can be said to be caused by the differences in beliefs and backgrounds. America has variety and there is something here for everyone, so why not share it instead of fighting. Fighting does not solve problems it only makes matters worse.
The "melting pot" of different cultures and races raises questions in society, from the business field to the playground. Is George getting the accounting job over me just because he is "Asian" and Asians are are supposedly smarter and can adapt to environments faster than others? Did he choose the Asian because he is better qualified or because he is Asian? Why did Jason not pick me for basketball, is it because I am "white" and whites are not as good as blacks like Jason? Did he not pick me because I am not as good as some other players or is it because I am white? Questions like these appear everywhere and everyday. Although, America is a "melting pot", the wide variety of races begin to cause tensions and racism in communities. A process known as affirmative action makes it hard for some groups and/or races to be accepted to certain schools. Applying to college, as we all know is stressful and time consuming, how would you feel if your wasted all your time applying to a college when it does not matter? Assuming the situation, a college accepts someone from North Dakota just so they have someone from North Dakota and they do not accept you so they can let that person in when you are more qualified, how would you feel?
Personally, I think that the well-rounded communities and the combination or different cultures have positives and negatives. Positively, as a group of different ethnicities, we have the ability to share cultures and beliefs that are respectively different to different cultures, religions, and areas. Sharing these differences brings the cultures, races, and ethnicities together, so we can live without violence and racism. Negatively, together these races and ethnicities cause tensions between groups, "clicks", and even sometimes friends. In the motion picture, Freedom Writers, violence occurs between the different races, ethnicities, and "clicks" that are present at the high school. From fist fights to shootings, violence can be said to be caused by the differences in beliefs and backgrounds. America has variety and there is something here for everyone, so why not share it instead of fighting. Fighting does not solve problems it only makes matters worse.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Sexual Orientation
The Catholic Church believes that relationships between same sex partners is morally wrong. The Bible states that same sex relationships are looked down upon. Personally, I think that same sex relationships are weird, but i do not have a big problem with them. A same sex connection is more commonly found today, then any period within the last decade. The evolution of the acceptance of same sex bonds has matured through the last couple of years and I think that that acceptance is connected directly with the lessening number of people going to mass every year.
Over the summer, when I was traveling the country, visiting various colleges, my mother and I stopped into a small Catholic Church in a small town in the state of West Virginia and during the mass I remember the priest saying in his homily that more and more people every year are not going to mass as often as they used to or are just not going to mass at all. I think that the falling number of participants in the Catholic Church is one of the main reasons why more people accept "gay" relationships or why more people are "coming out of the closet." The Catholic Church in the earlier days, I feel used to be much more strick about what went on inside and outside of the church, which caused a "gay" person to keep it to himself or herself because the society would not have accepted that individual. Now, not all homosexuals are from the Roman Catholic religion, but the lack of Catholic reilgion caused more Catholics to "come out", which would then cause more homosexuals of other religions to "come out."
In my personal beliefs, I think that one could call me homophobic. I do not have a problem with someone being "gay", but when that person displays actions, such as kissing, in public I do have a problem with that. I do not know why I have a problem with homosexuals showing affection, I mean men and women show affection between eachother and I am okay with those emotions, but I am just not yet comfortable with viewing intamacy between homosexuals.
Over the summer, when I was traveling the country, visiting various colleges, my mother and I stopped into a small Catholic Church in a small town in the state of West Virginia and during the mass I remember the priest saying in his homily that more and more people every year are not going to mass as often as they used to or are just not going to mass at all. I think that the falling number of participants in the Catholic Church is one of the main reasons why more people accept "gay" relationships or why more people are "coming out of the closet." The Catholic Church in the earlier days, I feel used to be much more strick about what went on inside and outside of the church, which caused a "gay" person to keep it to himself or herself because the society would not have accepted that individual. Now, not all homosexuals are from the Roman Catholic religion, but the lack of Catholic reilgion caused more Catholics to "come out", which would then cause more homosexuals of other religions to "come out."
In my personal beliefs, I think that one could call me homophobic. I do not have a problem with someone being "gay", but when that person displays actions, such as kissing, in public I do have a problem with that. I do not know why I have a problem with homosexuals showing affection, I mean men and women show affection between eachother and I am okay with those emotions, but I am just not yet comfortable with viewing intamacy between homosexuals.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Academic Integrity
I think that students should practice academic integrity because if they do not then it just makes them look like a lower person. People can damage their image by stealing some one's answers, by becoming a liar, and by slacking. Teachers and also other individuals will look at he or she and automatically stereotype that person as a cheater or whatever because they know of an instance when that boy or girl violated academic integrity.
I believe that there is no place for cheating or anything else along those lines becuase it does not get you anywhere, you are only cheating yourself in the long run. Also, if a person is caught violating academic integrity, that person gets emmbarrassed and feels like an idiot because they got caught. If that person had made the proper decision, he or she would not have been embarrassed and sure might have gotten the question or assignment wrong, but he or she would learn from his or her mistake and in the process would become a stronger person.
I will admit that when I was a Freshman at Holy Ghost, I got caught cheating on a test and tried to be sneaky about it, so I did not get caught, but I guess I was not sneaky enough. I was caught in the act by the teacher, I was embarrassed, and felt bad that I even thought about cheating. After the teacher caught me, I think she looked at me differently because I commited that wrong action, which I do not like. Then, the teacher sent me down to Mr. Chapman and I honestly told him about what I had just done. He gave me my punishment like I deserved and I can honestly say now that since that moment in Freshman year I have not cheated or violated academic integrity since and hopfully that will continue.
I believe that there is no place for cheating or anything else along those lines becuase it does not get you anywhere, you are only cheating yourself in the long run. Also, if a person is caught violating academic integrity, that person gets emmbarrassed and feels like an idiot because they got caught. If that person had made the proper decision, he or she would not have been embarrassed and sure might have gotten the question or assignment wrong, but he or she would learn from his or her mistake and in the process would become a stronger person.
I will admit that when I was a Freshman at Holy Ghost, I got caught cheating on a test and tried to be sneaky about it, so I did not get caught, but I guess I was not sneaky enough. I was caught in the act by the teacher, I was embarrassed, and felt bad that I even thought about cheating. After the teacher caught me, I think she looked at me differently because I commited that wrong action, which I do not like. Then, the teacher sent me down to Mr. Chapman and I honestly told him about what I had just done. He gave me my punishment like I deserved and I can honestly say now that since that moment in Freshman year I have not cheated or violated academic integrity since and hopfully that will continue.
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