Positives of the Law Essay -- essays papers

Positives of the Law When President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002, he promised that his education reform would bring hope to children. The law calls for more testing in third to eighth grade each year in reading and math (Bacon, 2003). Students will be tested to make sure that the schools are adequately teaching them the information they should know. In 53% of American schools, which receive direct Federal Government financial support because they have large numbers of low-income students, students can now transfer to another school or receive free tutoring if their school fails for two years in a row to improve the test scores of its students (Bacon, 2003). The plan also ensures that teacher quality will improve. States must now include in their plans, annual, measurable objectives that each local school district and school must meet in moving toward the goal. Schools must also now account for their progress in annual report cards (U.S. Department of Education, 2003). In addition, there will be high criterion for professional development to ensure that federal funds encourage research-based, efficient practice in the classroom (Bush, 2003). The Department of Education is trying to speed up the movement for further skilled educators. States are going to be reviewing their efforts towards better teachers (Ed teams to help states address teacher quality, 2003). The government is finding ways to be able to test teacher quality. Schools are giving pay initiatives to educators who work above and beyond (Dobbs, 2003). This will hopefully make teachers work and try harder to be better teachers. Faculty involvement is a crucial factor in making students want to be more of a part of the school. There c... ...et, http://www.ala.org Standards are listed and its gives ideas on how technology is helpful in raising standards. Bell, T. (2003). Two-thirds of high schools get ‘left behind’ warnings. Associated Press. Retrieved October 1, 2003 from Academic Universe/Lexis Nexis database. Many schools in New Jersey are receiving information that they did not meet the standards of the federal government. The schools are blaming lack of funding on the performance of their schools. Penalties may occur eventually. Polgreen, L. (2003). New york schools to compete for reading grants. New York Times, Section B, page 3. Retrieved October 1, 2003 from Academic Universe/Lexis Nexis database. New York State will receive $129 million in federal money to pay for more programs to improve literacy. Bush will give more money to low performing schools over the next six years.

Domestic Animal Abuse Essay

Domestic animal abuse is a difficult topic to separate from the agendas of those who would prevent it. The reports are certainly horrible enough on their own: a husband and wife are arrested for shipping 182 animals—mostly collies–in a tractor-trailer truck, a house is found filled with filthy, dying cats, dogs, and birds; hundreds of dogs die annually from being left unattended in the cars during the summer heat. Of course, animals do not need to die en masse for abuse to take place. Every day, family pets are forced to suffer abuse that would be otherwise aimed at human family members, they are tied outside without food and water, or they are simply ignored to death. Combating animal abuse can be difficult, however. In addition to the agendas shaping any efforts against it, no single legal definition exists for what constitutes domestic animal abuse. Because of this lack of a single definition, there can be no single form of prosecution. Yet, the significance of animal abuse goes far beyond that of the obvious cruelty to animals. It can be used as a predictor for people who develop sociopathy and has been connected with the occurrence of domestic abuse in the home. This paper will be used to discuss some of the difficulties that are associated with defining and legislating domestic animal abuse. It will also offer some discussion of the effects of this pervasive problem. Defining Domestic Animal Abuse Despite all of the annual occurrences of domestic animal abuse, there is no single definition for what constitutes such abuse. Animal rights extremist organizations, such as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA), the Humane Society for the United States (HSUS), and the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) all believe that any use of animals constitute animal abuse. Ultimately, according to these organizations, any â€Å"use† of domestic animals constitutes abuse; even merely keeping a pet in one’s home is an abusive act. Using this reason any animal husbandry, from raising chickens for eggs, to keeping cows for milk, or any participation in the meat or fur industry constitutes abuse. Medical science represents the worst of these abuses, since it â€Å"takes away the rights† of an animal by sacrificing its health or life in favor of preserving human health or lives (Goodwin and Morrison). Legal definitions of domestic animal abuse, or animal cruelty, are much broader than this very narrow stance. Many state laws define animals as being â€Å"vertebrate animals† that are not human beings, although some states also include birds such as parrots or sparrows, as well. Other states do not refer to what defines an animal at all. In addition, some states do not permit fish or shellfish to be included in the discussion. If the laws concerning the definition of â€Å"animal,† â€Å"pet† or â€Å"companion animal† are so variable, then it should come as no surprise that laws defining abuse itself are varied, as well. However, it is common to break cruelty to animals down into two broad categories: passive (acts of omission) and active (acts of commission). Although there are no clearly defined categories for these acts or inactions, there are certain â€Å"patterns of behavior† that occur under the overall umbrella of â€Å"animal cruelty† or abuse (â€Å"Animal Cruelty,† n. d. , par. 1). Passive acts of cruelty are sometimes called â€Å"animal neglect. † These kinds of cruelty usually involve withholding something from the animal, such as food or water. In addition, passive acts might include failure to act if a pet becomes infested with any kind of parasite or if a collar becomes embedded into a pet’s skin due to the growth of the pet (Pet-Abuse. com pars. 4-5). In general, neglect is treated as a minor offense if only one animal, or a small number of animals, is involved. The severity of the crime increases, however, with and increasingly large number of animals involved. Neglect cases may also be divided between unintentional neglect, caused by ignorance, and intentional or â€Å"willful† neglect, caused by knowingly mistreating an animal (Lockwood, 2006, p. 19). Active acts of cruelty include violence against animals, often referred to as â€Å"torture,† â€Å"malicious intent,† or â€Å"non-accidental injury† (â€Å"Animal Cruelty,† n. d. , par. 6). Such abuse is of greater concern than is passive animal abuse. Some forms of violent active animal abuse is associated with other crimes, such as domestic abuse or child abuse. These abuses can also be used as a predictor of other crimes. Both of these observations will be expanded upon in a later section of this paper. Animal hoarding, organized â€Å"sporting† abuse, ritualistic abuse, and the use of animals for sexual gratification are all forms of active animal abuse (Lockwood, 2006, pp. 20-23). All of these forms of animal abuse are serious issues, causing both concern and expense for the community as a whole. Even animal hording, which is sometimes caricatured in movies–perhaps with an elderly female character with a house full of skinny, yowling cats–should be a matter of concern for society. Due to the hidden concerns of this form of abuse somewhat more discussion will be given to this form of abuse than the other three mentioned. Animal hoarding is a familiar to many of us; however, it is not always recognized for the problem that it is. It seems to be increasingly common to hear about a raid on a home that contains dozens, if not hundreds, of malnourished and half-wild animals, even if it is only reported as a â€Å"human interest† story or in the late-night television comedian’s monologue. However, according to Patronek, Loar, and Nathanson (2006) animal hoarding: is an important, misunderstood, and under-recognized community problem that affects both human and animal welfare. It is responsible for substantial animal suffering and property damage. Often associated with adult self-neglect, animal hoarding can also place children, elders, and dependent adults at serious risk and can be an economic burden to taxpayers. (p. 1) Although not always recognized as a problem, animal hoarding is relatively easy to identify. It is characterized by four factors: 1) the lack of the minimum physical care needed by the animals, 2) the abuser’s inability to recognize the abuse, 3) the obsession to continue collecting animals even when the number of animals housed exceed the ability to provide ideal living conditions, and 4) the abuser’s denial that the declining conditions exist (Patronek, Loar, & Nathanson, 2006, p. 1). Despite these common factors, however, animal hoarding is not a simple problem to contain. Several different kinds of animal hoarding exist, from the fairly benign â€Å"overwhelmed caregiver† to the person who acquires animals only to exploit them. Because of the variability of situations in which a person might begin hoarding animals, these classifications are fluid and characteristics might overlap. Sporting abuse is, fortunately, not as widespread as it was even 100 years ago. However, although most people think automatically of dog fighting and chicken fighting when animal â€Å"blood sports† are mentioned, others also exist. Despite their cultural acceptance, blood sports such as bullfighting in Spain and pit sports, such as fighting dogs and wild hogs in the Southeastern United States, might still be considered animal abuse. Ritualistic abuse is considered above and beyond the ability to sacrifice animals in the practice of a religion. While religious animal sacrifice is not included in most animal abuse statutes, it is often carefully defined and controlled by the law. Other forms of ritual animal killing is considered abuse and may be an indication that person committing the act has other serious psychological issues at work. This kind of abuse is incites communities to an emotional furor, due to the association that it has with allegedly satanic rituals and other â€Å"hot button† issues. For this reason, this kind of abuse is particularly disruptive to the community. Finally, some people find sexual gratification in congress with animal â€Å"partners,† known as â€Å"bestiality. † In truth, there is no â€Å"partnership† between the human abuser and the animal being abused in such a manner. Animals cannot voluntarily decide to take a human being as a mate or not. Therefore, they must be forced to act against their instinctive drives in order to comply with their human â€Å"partner’s† desires. This act of force is a violation of animal abuse laws in many nations (Lockwood, 2006). However, it should be noted that stimulation of an animal to collect sperm for frozen or cold storage for the purposes of artificial insemination is not considered bestiality. Other Laws Concerning Animal Abuse Not all nations agree on what constitutes animal abuse. While tail docking and ear cropping is currently legal in the United States, it is considered a form of animal mutilation in the United Kingdom. The Animal Welfare Act, signed by Elizabeth II in 2006, extends animal abuse laws to include invertebrates and gives municipalities to include animals in their â€Å"foetal or embryonic form,† should they choose to do so (p. 1). However, they may only do so as long as â€Å"the appropriate national authority is satisfied, on the basis of scientific evidence, that animals of the kind concerned are capable of experiencing pain or suffering† (Animal Welfare Act, 2006, p. 1). This act also clearly defines the terms â€Å"protected animals† and â€Å"unnecessary suffering† for the purposes of the law, as well as the manner by which individuals can be held responsible for that suffering (Animal Welfare Act, 2006, p. 2). It is interesting to note that only domestic animals are defined as â€Å"protected† animals; no matter what the behavior perpetrated upon them, wild animals, by definition, cannot be abused. Germany, like the rest of the European Union, attaches a moral stance to the protection of animals through their laws. This stance is in contrast to that of the United States, which protect animals in terms of property laws. Although the European perspective may appear to be superior to some, both positions have some advantages. Moral stances are not always objective ones; however, objective stances sometimes reduce decisions to a quantifiable decision-making process, which does not always allow for human needs and opinions to enter into the equation. In addition to laws concerning the abuse and husbandry of all domestic animals, the German law also defines limits for those individuals who wish to breed domestic animals. However, with all of these limitations, The German law does not specifically cover the hoarding of animals. The Significance of Animal Abuse Animal abuse is not only significant because it brings harm to sentient beings that humans should have an obligation to protect, it is also significant because of its relationship to other problems that plague society. These issues are not limited to any one race, ethnic group, religion, age, or income level. According to Lockwood (2006) juveniles perpetrate approximately one third of all animal abuse crimes (p. 33). In such cases, animal abuse might be indicative of abuse being perpetrated within the home, either against the juvenile or another family member, or it may indicate mental disease on the part of the juvenile him or herself (Lockwood, 2006). Lockwood identifies 15 major factors in determining the danger that the animal abuser presents to society. This list includes the vulnerability and the number of the animal victims, the severity and the repetition or number of forms of abuse on the victim(s), any threats that the animal abuse might have been meant to reinforce, and the manner of recording, if any, of the abuse (p. 35). Research reported in the Juvenile Justice Bulletin (JJB) (2001) indicates a link between conduct disorder in children and animal abuse. â€Å"Conduct disorder† as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMIV) is â€Å"a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior in which the basic rights of others or major age-appropriate societal norms or rules are violated† (par. 1). In addition, the child must conform to at least three of 15 other indicators for the disorder. One of these 15 indicators is animal abuse, which may range in intensity from mild teasing to torture and killing beginning at the age of approximately 6. 5 years of age (Juvenile Justice Bulletin, 2001, par. 2). Children with Operational Defiant Disorder (ODD) or Conduct Disorder (CD) often go on to become serious offenders as adults. Children with CD often go on to be described as sociopaths later in life, as well. According to the JJB, the differences between children who abuse animals and non-abusive children are significantly different when tracked for adult arrests for violent crimes, property crimes, drug offenses, and public order offenses. The JBB concludes that â€Å"these results make it clear that animal abusers are not only dangerous to their animal victims but also may jeopardize human welfare† (par. 7). This research is backed up by â€Å"Understanding the Links,† a pamphlet put out by the British National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, which states that: If a child is cruel to animals this may be an indicator that serious neglect and abuse have been inflicted on the child. While recent research in the UK suggests that animal abuse by children is quite widespread, in a minority of more extreme cases it appears to be associated with abuse of the child, or subsequent abusive behavior by the child. (Understanding the Links, n. d. p. 5). In addition to the issue of conduct disorder, there is a definitive link between animal abuse and other forms of domestic abuse. Animal abuse is at times part of the â€Å"constellation of family violence,† although by no means is it definite that an adult who harms animals will also harm their domestic partners or their children (p. 5). Although this observation is indeed true, it is also true that animal abuse is sometimes used as a form of coercion in abusive relationships. Regardless, it appears that: o Serious animal abuse in a household may indicate the occurrence of other domestic violence o Animal abuse might be done for coercion and intimidation of family members to keep them from leaving or speaking about an abusive domestic situation. o Sexualized or aggressive behavior toward animals on the part of a child may indicate the possibility of later animal abuse when that child matures (Understanding the Links, n. d. , p. 5). Conclusion Animal abuse is a difficult crime to describe and to define. Many different forms of abuse occur under the single umbrella term. Abuse can be passive or active. Passive abuse takes place when people withhold care from animals and can range from simple ignorant (and therefore correctible) acts to malicious neglect. Active abuse, however, does not typically occur out of ignorance. Due to its effects on the human psyche, particularly in terms of young children, animal abuse is not a stand-alone issue. When domestic violence is found in a home, animal abuse is often found as well. When animal abuse occurs, it may also indicate other, serious problems in

Mean Girls and Julius Caesar - 954 Words

Julius Caesar Film vs Mean Girls Julius Caesar is an extremely old and extremely famous play written by William Shakespeare around 1599. Shakespeares plays are reflected in many movies and stories now a days and Julius Caesar is to famous that they even made thrice movies for the story. A movie that reflects the story of Julius Caesar is Mean Girls and it reflects the movie in many aspects you could think of, even though they do have some differences because the story slightly changes. How could we summarize the relationship between Julius Caesar and Mean Girls? Is Mean Girls an adaptation of Julius Caesar? Or is there no relationship among them? In my opinion, Mean Girls is an adaptation of Julius Caesar and these are my†¦show more content†¦The plans for taking down the leader, in Julius Caesar it simply consisted of backstabbing Julius Caesar in the Ides of March while in Mean Girls, Cady makes Regina fat and ruins her little by little until bad stuff happens. When the plans con to an end, Julius Caesar gets killed and Regina gets hit by a bus. Before this, in Mean Girls, Regina caused this to herself because she gave away the book to the school to make Cady get into trouble. After all the bad stuff happens, both Cady and Brutus feel sorry for what they do, Brutus says he killed Caesar and the runs to a sword into his death and Cady says she wrote the book and takes all guilt for it. You would except for the story to end here, just as it does in the movie, but the story continues for a while more, everything gets solved and Cady end up happy. Cady and Brutus are the most important characters in both of the stories, they are technically the same character but the is one more important difference I would like to include. When Cady came from Africa, she didnt know about Regina and she didnt came up with such ideas of conspirating against Regina, Janice came with those ideas and then used Cady as a tool for them to be done. In Julius Caesar, Brutus already had ideas of conspirating against Julius Caesar, but he needed a spark for himShow MoreRelatedThe Julius Caesar671 Words   |  3 Pages Julius Caesar is the one of the famous Roman generals. Many may recognize this name from the great works of Shakespeare. Before the great works of Shakespeare, Julius Caesar was famous in his Roman city which. Julius Caesar was a dictator that turned the Roman republic to the Roman Empire. Even though the life time of Julius Caesar took place in 100 BC – 44 BC, people everywhere will mention Caesar’s name and legacy. For starters, Julius Caesar’s time wasRead MoreSimilarities Between The Great Gatsby And Julius Caesar1415 Words   |  6 Pagesshares underlying similarities with the novel, Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. A novel that also told a story of a time in society, revealing the political system during the time and the powers of people in 45 B.C.. With both novels having a commentary of society during two distinct times in history, centered around two overly ambitious characters, eventually leading to the murder of both Gatsby and Caesar, The Great Gatsby, and Julius Caesar tells both the story of the downfall of two individualsRead Morejulius caesar comparation Essay examples1516 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ Comparative of Julius Caesar and Czar Nicholas ll Julius Caesar was born on July 13, 100 BC, he was a strong leader for the Romans who changed the course of history of the Roman world decisively and irreversibly. Julius Caesar was able to create the Roman Empire because of his strength and strong war strategies. Julius Caesar was to become one of the greatest generals, of nquering the whole of Gaul. In 58 BC, Caesar became governor and military commander of Gaul, which included modernRead MoreLeadership and Julius Caesar1488 Words   |  6 PagesThis can be interpreted to mean that one can be classified as a leader if he or she can put a plan into action. A leader is often like a visionary, and forward thinkers are needed in society. A visionary has a vivid imagination who makes dreams come true. They provide a backbone in society, helping to plan what is to come in the future that would be most beneficial. Without a leader that has the qualities of a visionary, no civilization has a bright future. Julius Caesar, Roman general-tur ned-rulerRead MoreLiterary Foils Of Beowulf, Julius Caesar, And Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde889 Words   |  4 Pages British Literature contains literary foils. Foils serve as a contrast to the characters. Foils are usually the antagonists and protagonists of stories. Literary foils are evident throughout British literature in the stories of Beowulf, Julius Caesar, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Foils exist in the epic Beowulf. Beowulf is written by an unknown author and is translated by Burton Raffel in the Anglo-Saxon era. There is a force, vitality, clearness and distinctiveness in the characters, not only inRead MoreShakespeares Julius Caesar and Sophocles Antigone789 Words   |  3 Pagessuch traits in Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare and Antigone by Sophocles (for example, Brutus being known as an honorable man even by his enemies), but of all the characters in both plays, Antigones and Antonys acts of nobility are most prominent. While both Antigone and Antony exhibited noble characteristics, Antigone demonstrated the most honorable character due to her good intentions and integrity. Antony did not have such an elite status in his play up until Caesar died, but many peasantsRead MoreJulius Caesar Flaws Analysis732 Words   |  3 PagesIn William Shakespeares Julius Caesar there were many people that had major faults that hurt them but also so helped them in some cases. For example; Antony, Cassius, Brutus, and even Caesar himself. in that day in age patriotism was a noble thing and as many people stated Brutus was a noble man. Brutus didnt believe Caesar should have been in power and that Caesar was overly ambitious and that his ambition would cause problems for the kingdom. When Caesar first became the ruler Cassius andRead MoreAnalysis Of Julius s The King Of The Night 907 Words   |  4 Pages As Julius led the two tigers out of the arena and released them, the adrenaline still pumping .through his veins, an impulsive thought developed in his head. Yes, it would be dangerous, but he guessed that if he found himself back in the Colosseum, the crowd would once again persuade Caesar to let him live. But he still had a part of his mind doubting his survival. But oh, how he longed to get one last glimpse of his love, but she was the Emperor s daughter, and he was low class. There wasRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Julius Caesar1641 Words   |  7 Pages EZ Julius Caesar was a crucial political figure that saw the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman empire. Through political strategy and military feats, Caesar seized significant power and influence over Roman politics and eventually declared himself a â€Å"dictator in perpetuity†. He centralized the government, passed social and bureaucratic reform, and even created the Julian calendar. However, he was soon assassinated by senators led by Marcus Brutus who stabbed him to death, afterRead MoreAct 2 Scene 1 Extended Response Julius Caesar.1222 Words   |  5 PagesAct 2 Scene 1 in William Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar is a very important one. It is where Brutus reflects about tyranny, power and its nature, and Julius Caesar. He also receives an anonymous letter asking him to â€Å"Speak, Strike, Redress!† against Caesar for the good of Rome. Eventually he meets with the rest of the conspirators and they discuss Caesars assassination. The atmosphere in Act 2 Scene 1 is almost a little bit shifty and sly in comparison to the rest of the play. Brutus is thinking