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Abolitionists: John Brown and Nat Turner

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Slavery has always hit the headlines whenever we talk of the colonial period. This was a very difficult time for Africans since at the time they were primitive and powerless since they did not possess the weapons the whites had. They were captured and taken to the United States as slaves (Ranganathan & Bratman, 2021). Different people, leaders included, attempted to free the Africans from slavery but bore no fruits. Therefore, the heroes of the time resorted to violence as the best way of being free people and slaves to no one. However, even after the abolition of slavery in most parts of the American states, black Americans were considered inferior to white people (Ranganathan & Bratman, 2021). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the heroism of Nat Turner and John Brown. It will also discuss the similarities and differences between the two and the events that surrounded the decision they made toward fighting slavery.

My interpretation of Turner is that he is a hero. He had been a slave since he was born and he did not have hope that freedom was coming soon. However, his belief and religion pushed him to believe that he was the chosen one to free the black people from slavery. There was no possibility that if he could sit down with the whites, they could agree on freeing the slaves. Therefore, his decision to use violence to fight for the freedom of his people was the best at the moment under the circumstances (Greenberg, 2021). Whether this violence bore fruit or not, Nat Turner could still be a hero.

John brown was a white man of Puritan heritage. He is famously known for fighting against injustices toward the black slaves yet he is a white man. This was considered a crime because he turned against his people to fight along with a different race. His belief in God is superior to human beings made him fight for the rights of the slaves because he believed all human beings were equal (Greenberg, 2021).

Brown grew up among abolitionists and had a strong belief in the golden rule and human rights. Nat Turner had been a slave since he was born but he strongly believed he was the chosen one to save his people from slavery. The two were driven by the desire to seek justice for the black people and despite being religious they resorted to violence (Greenberg, 2021). Their rebellions were a success because in the end slavery was abolished and the black people got their freedom despite the attitude of the whites that they were inferior.

John Brown was a middle-class white man who went against his people to fight for the rights of the black people while Nat Turner was a black man fighting for the freedom of his people. John Brown was born a free man into a free state while Nat Turner was born a slave (Cash, 2019). They were both religious and had strong beliefs on human rights and aimed at freeing the blacks from slavery. They both believed that they had been chosen to deliver the blacks from slavery.

Nat Turner and John Brown should both be remembered as heroes who brought freedom upon the black people who had been oppressed for a long time as slaves. There should be historical books written about their struggle and beliefs that led to the abolition of slavery and portraits of the two so that people can see them and always remember where their freedom comes from. The two are like links between the blacks and the whites, they, therefore, deserve to be remembered by everyone in all generations.

Nat Turner and John Brown seem to be God-sent or the chosen ones just as they believed they were. There is no other way we can have two very different people fighting for the same course as if they were born for it (Cash, 2019). They should both be considered great heroes who fought for human rights and freed blacks from slavery.

References

Cash, J. W. (2019). Nat Turner: Misguided,” fragmented, disjointed” Images. Mississippi Quarterly, 72(1), 117-145. http://doi.org/10.1353/mss.2019.0004Greenberg, K. S. (2021). In the Matter of Nat Turner: A Speculative History by Christopher Tomlins. Journal of the Early Republic, 41(3), 507-510. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/803795Ranganathan, M., & Bratman, E. (2021). From urban resilience to abolitionist climate justice in Washington, DC. Antipode, 53(1), 115-137. https://doi.org/10.1111/anti.12555

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Brutus’ Character

Brutus is one of the main characters in the play ‘Julius Caesar’ by Shakespeare. Throughout the play, Brutus aims to uphold his loyalty to Rome over all else, including his friendship with Caesar and his love for Portia. His loyalty and honor are the most important qualities that Brutus possesses. For any human being, these would be desirable qualities, and the people of Rome respect Brutus for this. However, Brutus faces a challenge in balancing his private and public life because of conflicts between his love for his friends and loyalty to Rome, and this conflict ultimately becomes his greatest undoing.

Brutus agrees with Cassius that Caesar has become a threat to Rome; he has become too ambitious. Cassius lets Brutus in on a plan to assassinate Caesar and redeem Rome. Many people look up to Brutus for his honor and loyalty, and this convinces them to get behind the assassination plot. One of the most critical decisions that Brutus makes in the play is to support the assassination of Caesar. Brutus tells Cassius that although he loves Caesar like a brother, he is willing to put the good of Rome before his friendship with Caesar (1.2.84-91). Brutus says that he loved Rome more than he did Caesar, and that is why he decided to take part in the assassination (Wiseman). After an argument with Cassius, Brutus exclaims that he would never wrong his enemies, let alone harm a brother (4.2.39-40). However, this statement shows that Brutus in inconsistent in his words and actions; he took part in killing Caesar, although he loved him like a brother. Brutus’ inconsistency and idealism led him to make the wrong decisions in both his private and public life and led to his death (Peters). He committed suicide in the battle of Philippi when they faced defeat.

Works Cited

Peters, Cameron Luke, and Peter Anderson. “‘The Tragedy of Marcus Brutus?’: An Inquiry into the Intrigues of William Shakespeare’s adaptation of Plutarch’s Lives into Julius Caesar.” (2015).

Wiseman, Timothy Peter. Julius Caesar: Roman General. Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC, 2017.

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Abortion

Abortion is one of the leading controversial subjects in the United States. Different political figures have had different views on the issue of abortion. Statistics show that Americans are paradoxically more likely to be against abortion than are people in other wealthy countries like Germany and France. As much as this is true the reality is the rate of pregnancy termination in America is higher than those in other wealthy countries.

Researchers from Guttmacher Institute sited two major reasons for this outcome. For many women, abortion is the only way out because to them having a baby will sort of interfere with their freedom. A baby needs a lot of care and attention. Many women in America prioritise their education and work. This makes it impossible for them to include a baby in such an equation. The issue of limited resources also makes abortion favourable to many Americans. Taking care of a pregnancy to giving birth and raising up a baby is very expensive. The issue of limited resources and additional responsibilities leaves women with no other choice than to abort.

I identify as a pro-life because I believe that every life is sacred regardless of whether it is a foetus or a born baby. In my opinion I think it is very essential to come up with neutral laws and policies that merge these two different schools of thought. The government should legislate laws and policies that clearly state what is legal and illegal as it relates to abortion. The set laws should outline limited circumstances under which a pregnant woman is allowed to have an abortion. To avoid all these controversies, extensive research in the area of abortion should be conducted which will enable policy and law makers end this controversy by stating clearly the dos and don’ts as it relates to abortion

Management and Discrimination

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Abstract

This paper will assess case studies of unprofessional behaviors and discrimination by professionals and business people. In so doing, it aims at bringing to attention of the reader that such behaviors are unethical and should be avoided for the sake of a harmonious society.

Introduction

Racial /sectarian discrimination is whereby people in authority make decisions favoring one race or sect of people or people of a particular origin. It also occurs where biased decisions are made relying ethnic or sectarian groups in an organization (Akcam, 2009).

Case 1: The Root Causes or Sources of Conflict

One of the causes of discrimination may be because an individual belongs to a certain group (Callahan & Anderson, 2001). The manager wrongly perceived Eman’s application as undeserving based on their racial and sect differences, and discriminated against her. Although Noor had fewer qualifications than Eman, the manager hired her instead of Eman who was more qualified and more experienced. Consequences of such cases like Eman’s, if left to go unaddressed, may make people give up in life not because they are not qualified, but because they been victims of discrimination. As a solution, people’s rights should be respected and protected. Discriminating against people on any basis is responsible for the increasing cases of conflicts (Chiplin & Sloane, 2001). Sectarian discrimination has caused many problems and its practice should not be entertained at all. Denying Eman a chance was the cause of conflict (protest over the manager) as a way of seeking justice for Eman (Repa 2010).

Balance of Bargaining Power

In this first case study, we find that the bargaining power of the employer seems to be more than that of employees. This is seen in the case study where the saloon manager has the final say on whom to employ. The manger therefore denied Eman a chance although Eman was more qualifications than Noor. This is evidence that the employees have little bargaining power. For principles of justice and fairness to prevail, employees should form an association so that they have bargaining power and for protection of their basic rights including not to be discriminated against on any basis.

Case 2: The Root Causes or Sources of Conflict

In this case, we find the height of discrimination where even doctors discriminate against helpless Sunni casualties. Sectarianism prevailed over the doctors’ moral and noble obligation to act professionally. Except for one doctor, other doctors refused to cooperate in treating the victims who were not their sect members. The victims had a right to be treated even if they were of a different sect. This kind of discrimination also causes conflicts as people may rise to push or lobby for their rights. Discriminating against the Sunni students was unethical (Gabriel, 2010) since all doctors are under the Hippocratic Oath to keep patients away from harm.The Bargaining Power Balance

Doctors have a bigger bargaining power over patients since their specialty is a rare skill, which, only them have. By default, patients are at a disadvantaged position to bargain with doctors. They can only hope that the doctors will act professionally or that the law will prevail in case of any unethical behavior from the doctors. It means that the bargaining power of the leaders in the medical field is higher because they decide whom to favor. The doctor who volunteered had little bargaining power to convince the other doctors to help him. Bargaining power of the victims was low since they were not professionals and had to rely entirely on the doctors.

References

Akcam, T. (2009). A shameful act: The Armenian genocide and the question of Turkish responsibility. New York, NY: Metropolitan Books.

Callahan, G. & Anderson, W. (2001). The roots of racial profiling: Reason online reason foundation. New York, NY: Cengage Leanings.

Chiplin, P. & Sloane, P. J. (2001). Tackling discrimination at the workplace: An analysis of sex discrimination in Britain. London: CUP Archive.

Repa, K. B. (2010). Your rights in the workplace. Michigan, MI: Nolo.

Gabriel P., (2010). How to Be a Great Leader and a Great Manager both At the Work Place and At Home. New York: Blue Sky

Mid-Autumn Festival

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Mid-Autumn Festival

China is a famous country with a rich culture and popular tradition of folk art as well as traditional festivals. The Chinese culture is full of a variety of distinctive symbols that are commonly relished by the Chinese locals and other individuals mainly in the Asian countries who have cultural exchange with China. There are also several festivals that are commemorated and of vital importance to the people of China (Zhang, 2013). Key concepts in Chinese philosophy. One of the most important events is known as the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is also known as the Moon Festival and it is a harvest event that is commonly feted in China as well as in other Asian countries like Singapore and Vietnam. This festival is the second biggest and celebrated festival in China after the famous Chinese New Year. The event typically happens during the eighth month on the 15th day of the Chinese lunar calendar although it lacks a fixed day in the calendar during the full moon period (Xu et al. 2018). In this year, celebrations have been set to start on 24th September. Its name originates as a result of being celebrated during the middle period of the autumn season.

Moreover, the day is also regarded as the Moon Festival because when it occurs, the moon is usually in its well-formed state. Consequently, it is reflected as a harvest fete as, by the time it happens, the fruits, grain, and vegetables are already harvested, and individuals are in happy moods. The event celebration occurs typically in the evening where families come together and light lanterns, eat the moon cakes they have prepared while appreciating the moon.

The Origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival

Over time, worshipping the moon has been an essential aspect of the Chinese culture. The festival is dated to have started for more than 2000 years ago. However, the event is surrounded by many myths that suggest its establishment. For example, there is a story that says that Chinese rulers in the Zhou dynasty used to worship the moon during autumn for a plentiful harvest in the subsequent year. The day was officially celebrated as a customary festival during the timely (618-907) in Tang reign (Lin, 2012). Since then the following dynasties continued to commemorate it, and it continued to become more popular whereby new customs for celebrations have been established. The festival was recognized in 2006 by the Chinese government as a cultural heritage, and more so it was made a national public holiday in 2008. Since then the event is celebrated annually during the autumn season.

Legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival

For a long time, China was an agricultural society. This notion helped the country in the creation of various kinds of legends as well as public celebrations, for instance, the Mid-Autumn Festival. According to the Chinese agricultural culture, seeds are typically planted, and crops are afterward harvested according to the moon cycles. During the harvest time, the moon that shines is known as the harvest moon. The geneses of the moon are further explained by many legends that comprise of different variations (Asif et al, 2019). Many stories are surrounding the Moon Festival, for example, most stories suggest that an individual is evacuated to the moon for either doing good or bad things and more so the person can be seen again during the Mid-Autumn festival. The following are some of the legends surrounding the Mid-Autumn Festival.

A Lady in the Moon Festival Legend

In the past, the earth was encompassed with ten suns, and each of them was illuminating the earth for a specific time. On a particular day, all the stars decided to come together and burn the ground using the heat. On seeing this, a certainly experienced archer known as Hou Yi protected the land by shooting down nine suns and there was only left only one. Hou Yi was also a dictatorial ruler at one time he stole a bottle from a goddess that contained a magical mixture of immorality. On realizing the act performed by her husband Change saw the portion and decided to drink it to save the citizens from her husband oppressive rule. Immediately after taking part, Change saw herself floating to the moon, and she was stranded there. Due to the love that Hou Yi had towards his wife, he could not shoot down the moon. Consequently, when the moon shines through the skies brightly, Change is still being seen dancing away.

The Man in the Moon Legend

This is another legend whereby a man is expatriated to the moon. The story is about a middle-aged man known as Wu Kang who was an impatient individual and lacked interest for anything. He could not tolerate or keep up with what he was learning, and therefore he used to change traineeships programs as he became bored in doing the same thing over and over. Kang wanted to become immortal, and hence one day he went to the mountains where an immortal man taught him (Bredon & Mitrophanow, 2005). Some of the teachings he received were about herbs for curing illnesses, but after some time he got bored with the instructions. The immortal tried everything to teach Kang, but again, it did not last for long. The mentor became so angry by Kang that he decided to send him to the moon and given some things to meet before being returned to the earth. The task was difficult, and Kang could not reach them, and he remained to the Moon Palace. Therefore in the Moon Festival, Kang is still seen trying to accomplish the assignment that he was given of cutting down the tree.

The Mooncake Legend

During the early periods of the Yuan Dynasty, China was controlled by the Mongolian rule. The majority of the locals did not cherish the rue and therefore and their leaders decided that it was time to take back control of the territory. Since the Moon Festival was near, the leaders decided to use baked cakes that were containing some messages of the plan of an attack (Yuan, 2016). This was meant to hide their plans from the outsiders. On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the rebels succeeded in attacking the government where they eventually overthrew it. Later on, they established the Ming dynasty to commemorate this legend; mooncakes are still being eaten up to now.

How the Mid-Autumn Festival Is Celebrated

Generally, the Festival presents a chance for individuals to have a good time together, though there exist some traditions that have to be followed. During the evening of the festival, families usually gather together and have dinner with their extended families at the grandparent’s home. Different foods are taken for dinner, for example, taro, duck as well as other local foods. The foods are prepared mainly in the afternoon and eaten in the evening. The most common method in which individuals celebrate is through eating mooncakes (Xu et al.2018). Most of the mooncakes are baked and filled with lotus paste and salty egg York while there are others that contain fruits, seeds, and red beans. In the festival, people tend to share the mooncakes among the family members and their friends.

Today, mooncakes are presented to friends as well as relatives to show love and that they wish each other a happy and long life. However, traditional foods seem to be changing. Currently, the younger generation have the foods that they prefer over the traditional foods, and the majority of them do not like eating the mooncakes, and they prefer to eat whatever they feel like. There are other celebration undertakings like lantern displays and playing lantern riddles. All these celebration activities are fascinating to watch and also to participate in.

Moreover other than the local individuals, Mid-Autumn Festival attracts several individuals especially tourists from other countries who are interested in the festival. The cities that have access to rivers, as well as other water bodies, attract many individuals. They practice the traditions of lighting lanterns and then watches them as they float downstream during the middle of the night (Siu, 1999). The spectacle is so beautiful that it attracts many individuals who come to view the scenery.

Immediately after dinner, traditionally the families are required to present sacrifices to the moon. The sacrifice aims to strengthen their beliefs that the moon will give them good luck. Symbolic fruits and mooncakes are the common types of foods used for the offerings. The event happens during the night, and when the weather is favorable, they tend to go out to a park and eat the mooncakes while gazing at the charming look of the full moon.

Mid-Autumn Festival in Shanghai

Shanghai is one of the largest cities in China. Therefore it holds a very massive number of the Chinese population, and more so it has a rich culture of Chinese traditions. The town has many beautiful and historical sites which makes it an excellent destination for tourists around the world. Moreover, the city’s customs and traditions are widespread and famous around China. As one visits this city during the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations, the way the event is celebrated will have to be amazing, and this starts with the people’s customs and traditions. One of the most notable customs that is still being celebrated in Shanghai is moon worship (Chen, 2015). There are other customs like reunion dinners as well as moonwalking that are also there. The following are the top Mid-Autumn Customs in Shanghai:

The Moon Offering

In prehistoric times, it was believed that the moon was in. Yin is the female portion of the yin-yang philosophy. Therefore during the full moon celebration, women used to worship the moon first then followed by men. It was also alleged that there was no need for men to celebrate the full moon. The event is celebrated by individuals putting tables in the open air when the moon rises. Afterward, they offer some food like mooncakes, melons, taro, and fruits among other foods. Offering to the moon is a custom that is being practiced by the majority of Chinese locals, and it started a long time ago (Lin, 2012). Although several traditions seem to have been forgotten, offering to the moon is widely recognized, and it appears that it will continue.

Shanghai Moon Alters

In Shanghai, there is a custom known as the burning incense cups also referred to as mini moon altars and is practiced during Mid-Autumn. Traditionally, the moon alters are typically created by offering shops. The platforms are then decorated and placed with colorful banners as well as flags. The Muslin is then placed around the altar, and beautiful pictures of the pavilions and also the Moon Palace are introduced. The most splendid incense scene on Mid-Autumn Festival usually is in Nanyuan, also known as “South Garden.”

The Family Reunion Dinner

This is a custom that is celebrated by family members. It occurs immediately after the moon celebration whereby the family members usually come together and drink the reunion wine while having an appreciation of the moon dinner. The custom is celebrated in most regions of Shanghai, and it is considered as one of the best ways to bring families together.

Walking under the Moonlight

Conventionally, a Chinese woman staying at her parent’s home was required to travel to the family of her husband during the Moon Festival evening to go “moonwalking” according to the customs. Shanghainese people recognize this event. The women take a walk while appreciating the full moon. One of the typical moon walking endpoints is Lujia Stone Bridge that is located outside Xiaodongmen. The place is well known for attracting many local individuals as well as foreigners (Bredon & Mitrophanow, 2005). The reflection of the bright full moon bobbling in the water while contrasting delightfully with the bright moon brings a fantastic view to all the visiting individuals. The bridge is not the only spot with pleasant Mid-Autumn atmosphere as there are other iconic spots in Shanghai.

Best Places to Visit in Shanghai during the Mid-Autumn Festival

Shanghai is rich in several areas to visit during the Mid-Autumn Festivals. However, these places differ in terms of the features that they offer visitors. The following are some of the famous and best places to visit during the Mid-Autumn Festival period:

Jin Mao Tower

The Jin Mao Tower is among the highest buildings in Shanghai, and it is about 1380 ft. above the ground. Therefore when people want to experience a clear view of the moon at the time of the festival, the building stands out as the right choice. It has 88 floors, and the last top floor exists as an excellent observation platform for the full view of the moon. Also one can gain a dramatic panoramic sight of town’s skyline when the outstanding lights of its massive towers rotate harmoniously. Consequently, this is an excellent platform to view the city’s skyline not only in Mid-Autumn Festival but also in other days as it offers a spectacular view of the horizon.

The Oriental Pearl TV Tower

The tower is 468 meters upward, and it is was once the highest in Asia as well as the third tallest globally. Inside this tower, several places are right for enjoying the moon view as well as Mid-Autumn. For example, the tower houses a hotel that is situated near the top, shops and also cafes. Due to its tallness, most of the floors provide a beautiful view of the whole city, and thus it rests as a perfect place for holding some of the Mid-Autumn events. The revolving restaurant at the tower offers couples and families an exclusive Mid-Autumn dinner. They can also take an elevator up to the top of the building where they can experience a closer view of the moon.

The Bund

This is possibly the popular site to hold the Mid-Autumn Festival. The reason is that the place provides a moderately tranquil atmosphere and also due to the presence of various restaurants and tea rooms that are lined along with it. There is also the waterfront part that gives individuals visiting the site a leisure walk while enjoying the nightly scenery on River Huangpu every year in the Mid-Autumn Festival. There are several bars and restaurants especially along the South Binjiang Road where the locals and tourists can have some drinks or a family dinner while celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival (Wei, 2011). The availability of a cruise boat on Huangpu River makes the place enjoyable as one can board a cruise boat and have beautiful scenery of the wonderful lights bopping in the sky together with the view of the moon.

Sheshan

This is a popular resort used by families especially the local Shanghai families to spend time together during Mid-Autumn Festival. The locals typically visit the Happy Valley for fun day time and then proceed to a hotel near the site where they observe the moon by the lakeside mainly during the night (Martínez, 2017). Those who love astronomy are not left behind since there is a viewpoint at the mountain top whey they experience a perfect and a closer look at the full moon.

Shanghai Disney Resort

The park started its operation in 2016, and it is considered as the leading one in mainland China. The place is well equipped with several things like having movie characters with Chinese culture. An excellent example is the Chinese Zodiac Murals that are found in the Gardens of Imagination. It is also cheaper in pricing compared to other parks like Hong Kong Disneyland, and therefore this enables it to receive many customers.

Zhujiajiao Water Town

The place is located 50 kilometers from the Bund. It is an ancient town that is characterized by magnificent old buildings. It has several waterways, traditional Chinese-style houses as well as 36 antediluvian bridges. The place is mostly lit by lanterns that are usually placed hanging by the old buildings particularly during the night of Mid-Autumn Festival. While at this place, one can spend time at one of the riverside hotels with friends and familiesn (Wang, 2018). It corresponds to Venice city in Italy in that the area has several well-preserved bridges as well as the availability of boat rides.

North Street is seen as the well maintained old street between the nine famous old streets in Zhujiajiao. The street has some ancient buildings that date back in the Qing Dynasty period. In contemporary times, numerous businesses are located along the street for example bars, restaurants and more so some coffee shops. There are other things to do while in Zhujiajiao Water Town, for example, visiting the Kezhi Yuan, going at Qing Dynasty Post Office, visiting the Fangshen Bridge and most importantly having a ride on the Zhujiajiao cruise.

Lingshan Park

The park is well known for bubble runs. At the time of Mid-Autumn Festival, the place receives several visitors who are fascinated by the things found at this place, for example, the fashionable colored foam bogs. The bubble runs are common to individuals of all age, and they attract thousands of people both the locals and tourists.

Marketers Preparation for the Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn festival means business for several retailers. During this time goods associated with the event are on high demand due to the high number of individuals both locals and foreigners. It occurs only once per year, and during this time, retailers try as much as possible to market their goods. For example, there is always some sampling of free mooncakes everywhere whereby each business is trying to woo the customers to try their products. The festival, for example, the 2019 event offers an excellent opportunity for advertisers and other stakeholders in marketing to launch campaigns as well as display their products. The event attracts both the local and international retailers and hence competition level is always high. The target audience for the festival is mainly the traditional Chinese as well as the mooncake lovers. Apart from free sampling, there is another standard method for retailers to advertise in the festive season (Zhang, 2013). Over the years, outdoor advertising has played a significant role in marketing the event, and this is due to the increase in digital advertising. Moreover, the existence of big physical billboards has also proved to work out well during these festivals. The following are some of the best ways to advertise during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Picking the Right Location

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, many people usually flock the major Chinese cities for mooncake roadshows to look for the finest and cheapest mooncakes. Other famous events include night performances, street light-ups as well as mass lantern walks. Chinatown together with other significant towns like Shanghai are the main highlights of the game due to the number of individuals they usually attract. Therefore these are good advertising location for marketers and they should put a lot of emphasis on these places.

Knowing Your Audience

For effective advertising, it is always good for businesses to advertise to the right audience. Most of the individuals celebrating this event are the Chinese who are appreciative of their traditions, or they love the lantern experience and eating mooncakes. Therefore for a company that is engaging in these products, it is suitable for these companies to engage their audience through proper planning out of the mid-Autumn Festival.

Conclusion

The Mid-Autumn Festival is among the popular most significant events in China. Many myths and legends surround the festival. It is the second biggest lunar festival not only in China but in most Asian countries. Being among the major festival in China, there is an official holiday designated for the event, and as a result, many individuals come together to celebrate the day at different places around China. China is full of various travel destinations that are attractive to both local and foreign visitors. The primary method of celebrating the day is worshipping the moon while enjoying the mooncakes under the full moonlight. The Mid-Autumn Festival offers an excellent platform for retailers and marketers to sell and advertise their goods. Therefore the Mid-Autumn event has significant advantages for the people of China at large.

References

Asif, M., & Ali, M. (2019). Chinese Traditions Folk Art, Festivals and Symbolism.

Bredon, J., & Mitrophanow, I. (2005). The Moon year: A record of Chinese customs and festivals. Routledge.

Chen, X. (2015). China’s Key Cities: From Local Places to Global Players.

Kuo, J. M., Coakley, J., & Wood, A. (2010). The lunar moon festival and the dark side of the moon. Applied Financial Economics, 20(20), 1565-1575.

Lin, G. (2012). Thanking the moon: celebrating the mid-autumn moon festival. Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Ma, G. (2015). Food, eating behavior, and culture in Chinese society. Journal of Ethnic Foods, 2(4), 195-199.

Martínez, P. G. (2017). Urban authenticity at stake: A new framework for its definition from the perspective of heritage at the Shanghai Music Valley. Cities, 70, 55-64.

Siu, K. W. M. (1999). Lanterns of the mid-autumn festival: A reflection of Hong Kong cultural change. Journal of popular culture, 33(2), 67.

Wang, H. (2018). A beautiful scene at Lu Gou bridge on the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival day, named “Lu Gou Xiao Yue”.

Wasserstrom, J. N. (2008). Global Shanghai, 1850–2010: a history in fragments. Routledge.

Wei, L. (2011). Chinese festivals. Cambridge University Press.

Xu, G., Chen, Y., & Xu, L. (2018). Traditional Festivals. In Introduction to Chinese Culture (pp. 229-251). Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore.

Yuan, H. (2016). The Moon Festival and the Stories Behind.

Zhang, D. (2013). Key concepts in Chinese philosophy.

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Middle Archaic period

The Middle Archaic period was a drier and warmer time in various parts of eastern North America and it coincided with the Middle Holocene geological era. Some scholars believe that this time was when humans were adapting to the climate interval, there were early middle archaic where they were smaller sites that were similar and while they were found in the different settings of the environment they only had few artifacts. Also, there was the late middle archaic period that was often found in wet areas that had diverse and rich foods which ensured that all year round they were resources to be used. During this period a lot of changes were witnessed; the paper will focus on the archaeological evidence that depicted these changes and the factors that explained the changes.

Firstly, the major change that was experienced was technological innovation. The evidence that depicted this was very clear evidence of the change in the tools where they adopted new ground tools example the plummets and they used antler artifacts example the fish hooks. Additionally, they developed various tools for processing food example the manos and grinding stones that they used for grinding corn foods. The trade pattern also changed from barter trade that had been common to long-distance trade, this change was evidenced by some exotic artifacts, this change also depicted the social networks developed. Also, there was a drastic change in mobility with few people being mobile with the few not involved in residential mobility but logical mobility and they adopted to year-round occupations minimizing the past moving occupations. Also, there were some changes in social organization and settlement where tribes emerged that were not in the earlier period, this can be evidenced by the open mating networks that were seen.

The archaeologists relied on various factors to try to explain the changes that took place during this period they included, the increase in the population where most people occupied the base camps that had various features example, the processing and storage pits. Also, there was the emergence of the making of ceramic pots, people adopted various plant exploitation strategies while they used more riverine resources. The increased strategies employed to fight the post-glacial warming that was being experienced too played a role in the changes and the change from the occasional large killings to regular small killings. These changes were also brought by the decreased use of high-quality materials since the people lacked the opportunity to go too far areas to fetch the products. The decreased mobility is believed to have been caused by the various where rarely people moved during winter since the food reduced and they always settled near the water areas because of lack of surface water. Lastly, their reliance on the local food sources encouraged the change to trading with other people from far areas

From this period, it is evident that the people during this period despite the advancements they experienced where they had better tools that made their work easier they also experienced various problems. During the early middle archaic period, they experienced the lack of eligible mates because of their low population which facilitated that they had to be in keen contact and the constant mobility in search of better resources decreased their population. While it is evident that this period experienced various changes we can say it was the beginning of a cycle that exists even today.

Works Cited

G. Anderson, David, and Kenneth E. Sassaman. Early And Middle Holocene Periods, 9500–3750 BC. 2004, pp. 3-14, http://pidba.org/anderson/cv/Anderson%202004%20Smithsonain%20Handbookpdf.pdf. Accessed 7 Mar 2020.

Management And Leadership Application Papers

Introduction

The terms “leaders” and “managers” have for a long time been some of the most commonly used in the business world. This should, of course, underline the importance or fundamental nature of individuals that hold these titles as far as the success and sustainability of the business entities is concerned (Goldsmith et al, 2003). While these terms are often used synonymously, leaders and managers are two distinctive individuals for whom there is no overlap.

First, managers rule while leaders are simply followed. Managers have to obtain their positions of authority through loyalty and time dedicated to the success of the business entity rather than as a result of their leadership qualities whereas may, in fact, incorporate no organizational skills but uses his vision to unite the people behind him. Leaders are people who naturally follow or go through with their choices whereas managers have to be obeyed.

In addition, there are variations in perspectives between the two individuals. While managers have incremental thinking, leaders often have radical thoughts. Scholars note that managers do things in the right manner whereas leaders strive to do the right thing (Goldsmith et al, 2003). This statement underlines the fact that managers strive to do things in line with the rules and the policies of the business entity whereas leaders often have to follow their own intuition, which, in fact, may be more beneficial to the business entity. Leaders are more emotional than managers, which explains why individuals are more inclined to follow leaders than managers especially considering that people, more often than not, follow their emotions than intelligence (Goldsmith et al, 2003). More often than not, leaders stand out by exhibiting differences between them and others. They would question known conventions, as well as assumptions usually made while seeking truth and making decisions on the basis of fact rather than prejudice. In most cases, they have an incredible preference for creativity and innovation.

In addition, management is usually made up of individuals that have particular experience in the field in question and who, more often than note, have worked through the various stages in the business entity to get to those positions of authority (Goldsmith et al, 2003). Managers usually have perfect knowledge as to the operations and functioning of each layer in the system, not to mention that they may possess incredible technical knowledge pertaining to the same (Goldsmith et al, 2003). This is different from leaders who, while they may possess knowledge about the operations and functionality of the various layers, may be new arrivals in the business entity who have bold, creative and fresh ideas even though they may not be incredibly experienced.

Characteristics of Future Leaders

The importance of leaders in organizations can never be gainsaid. They are usually responsible for the execution of specific tasks in organizations or entities. It goes without saying that leaders must possess certain characteristics in order to lead (Marquis & Huston, 2009). However, changing times call for a change in the traits so that leaders can adjust or adapt to the new requirements. This underlines the fact that future leaders will need to have particular traits.

First, future leaders will need to be incredibly visionary. Studies by the Harvard Business Review over the past several years show that almost half of the individuals in management have no trust in the senior leadership (Goldsmith et al, 2003). They do not believe that the leaders have credible plans nor do they have confidence in the ability of the leaders to carry out these plans. However, leaders of the future will need to come up with ways in which they can articulate their visions so as to gain support from the followers.

In addition, leaders of the future will need to be adaptable to changes. Business environments are changing at a more rapid pace than in the past (Armstrong & Stephens, 2005). This is especially with regard to innovation, technology and the opportunities that are coming up every now and then. Leaders of the future will need strategic flexibility to adapt, as well as change mid-course (Armstrong & Stephens, 2005). They will need to persistently monitor and review programs, products, markets and new technologies and adapt accordingly so as to remain relevant in the market.

In addition, future leaders will need to have high levels of integrity. Recent times have seen some undesirable events in the business arena involving business entities such as WorldCom and Enron. These have demonstrated how lapses in integrity may result in the bankruptcy of benchmark companies. This has, therefore, forced followers to demand integrity so that they can believe in their visions.

Moreover, it is imperative that future leaders possess preparation and risk management traits. In some cases, employees do not outline potential risks fearing the disruption of business. However, future leaders will need to be open and implement risk management to prepare everyone for unforeseen crisis (Armstrong & Stephens, 2005).

Lastly, future leaders will need communication and networking skills (Marquis & Huston, 2009). Creation of formal and informal networks would assist future leaders comprehend the true perceptions of their followers, which would then boost their performance, as well as reduce inefficiencies. Industry is developed through developing informal social circles, networking groups and customer relationships (Marquis & Huston, 2009).

References

Goldsmith, M., Greenberg, C., Robertson, A & Hu-Chan, M (2003). Global Leadership: The Next Generation. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Marquis, B. L., & Huston, C. J. (2009). Leadership roles and management functions in nursing: Theory and application. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Armstrong, M., & Stephens, T. (2005). A handbook of management and leadership: A guide to managing for results. London: Kogan Page.

Beerel, A. C. (2009). Leadership and change management. Los Angeles: SAGE.

Book Review Analysis

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Bryan Burrough, Chris Tomlinson, and Jason Stanford’s Forget the Alamo is a true account of Texas’s struggle for independence in 1836. The Alamo was a Franciscan mission located in San Antonio, Texas, where Texans fought for independence from Mexico. It is an important site for Texans as about 180 rebels from Texas lost their lives while defending the State of Texas before being defeated by Mexico’s General Santa Anna. Worth noting the three reviews are done by the National Public Radio (NPR), the New York Times, and Dan Patrick do an excellent job in providing potential readers with the account of events leading to the battle. Each review is informative and gives the readers a clear idea of what transpired in the most famous battle in Texas’ history.

To begin with, the review conducted by the New York Times is largely liberal biased. Without a doubt, the reviewers are open to accepting new ideas and opinions of other individuals. I hold this review to be unbiased because it takes into consideration the perspective that the Alamo is the most misunderstood and least understood battle in American history. The authors of this review write that the true history of the battle remains obscured by a veneer of folklore (Knowlton, 2021). Additionally, the review points out that fun in the book comes from demolishing the prevailing white supremacists’ notion. This notion is what other authors refer to as the Heroic Narrative in the history of Texas. Without a doubt, the New York Times is a trusted book reviewer. It is a renowned American newspaper founded 170 years ago in 1851 with headquarters in New York City. The article is reliable because the reviewer has been categorized as the national newspaper of record and won a total of 132 Pulitzer Prizes, the most number of prizes won by any newspaper. The book review is helpful to the readers because it gives them an idea of what the book is about. After reading this review, one is curious to read the entire book to find out exactly how the Alamo battle transpired.

Dan Patrick’s review of Forget the Alamo has a conservative bias. In the book, the authors claim that Texans revolted because the centralist Mexican government was about to take possession of Texans slaves. The author of this review largely refutes this claim saying that it is a bold assertion to make without concrete evidence ((“3 Sly Guys & Their Alamo Lies: “Forget the Alamo” Debunked – Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor,” 2021). The reviewers refute this claim and hold that Texans did not revolt because the Mexican government would take the slaves. The reviewers refer to the authors of the book as tricksters that hide behind dense prose. The reviewers refute this claim because they are traditionalists who do not want to accept that slavery was at the center of the battle between Texans and Mexicans. Worth noting, Dan Patrick is a trusted reviewer. Dan Goeb Patrick is a renowned American radio talk show host, politician, and television broadcaster. Under Greg Abbott, Patrick served as Texas 42nd lieutenant governor which makes him the best person to review the battle of the Alamo. The fact that he has served in Texas’ government makes him the best person to talk about the state’s history because he is familiar with it. Undoubtedly, the book review is useful. It ignites curiosity in readers to want to know more about the Alamo battle.

The review conducted by NPR adopts a relatively center-minded approach. It is neither too conservative of liberal. The review describes the book as challenging the misconceptions that surround the conflict. The text challenges the misconception that Davy Crocket was a martyr who fought to death instead of surrendering (Davies, 2021). The review notes that academicians now believe that Crockett surrendered and was executed. This shows that the reviewers consider both sides of the story. NPR is known as an organization that specializes in book news, book reviews and author interviews. They bring the latest news relating to books and have reviews over 100 books. This makes them a reliable source of information. The book reviews are useful because they leave readers in curiosity. They want to know the nitty-gritty of the battle and hence they are likely to purchase the book and read it.

References

Davies, D. (2021). NPR Cookie Consent and Choices. Retrieved 3 November 2021, from https://www.npr.org/2021/06/16/1006907140/forget-the-alamo-texas-history-bryan-burroughKnowlton, C. (2021). Two Books on the Bizarreness of Texas. Retrieved 3 November 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/08/books/review/forget-the-alamo-bryan-burrough-chris-tomlinson-jason-stanford-a-single-star-and-bloody-knuckles-bill-minutaglio.html3 Sly Guys & Their Alamo Lies: “Forget the Alamo” Debunked – Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor. (2021). Retrieved 3 November 2021, from https://www.danpatrick.org/3-sly-guys-their-alamo-lies-forget-the-alamo-debunked-2/

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Abnormal Memory Disorders

PART A. Two Environmentally Influenced Abnormal Memory Disorders

Dementia is an abnormal memory disorder caused by environmental factors. The disease is caused by damage to the brain, which leads to progressive loss of the thinking ability due to brain damage. The condition leads to deterioration of the thinking capacity, impaired reasoning, and personality changes. The syndrome is most common in aging persons and may be challenging to diagnose since there are no tests that have ever been done for its diagnoses. However, the consciousness of dementia affected people usually is not affected, although it can cause disability (Henderson).

Another environmentally influenced memory disorder is the Wernicke- Korsakoff Syndrome, which is mostly caused by excessive consumption of alcohol. The disease is also a result of the lack of vitamin B1 available in thiamine. The main features of the syndrome include brain dysfunction, an altered mental state as well as other brain abnormalities. The symptoms of this disorder include short term memory, increased confusion, and amnesia. Victims of the condition are mostly reported to have abused alcohol in their past or present. They are most likely unable to process new information or activities. Victims also develop inattentiveness and agitation, while most of them appear to be apathetic (Kuhn et al.).

PART A. Two Genetically Predisposed Abnormal Memory Disorders

One of the genetically predisposed memory disorder is Huntington’s disease (HD). The condition is characterized by mood changes and loss in mental abilities, especially for the old. Other symptoms include unsteady movement and a general lack of coordination in humans. The disease is caused by a huntingtin gene mutation in humans and passed on to generations of the infected people. The condition can be diagnosed through genetic testing to the pre-exposed victims prior to the symptoms showing off. However, there is no cure for HD, and full-time care is required for patients at their late stages of the disease. Study shows that the disease affects both men and women equally, and most of them develop other conditions such as pneumonia and heart diseases due to the movement disorder (Labadorf et al.).

Another memory disorder caused by genetic factors includes Parkinson’s disease (PD). The condition is mostly associated with a movement disorder, such as being slow, impaired balance, fatigue and muscles being rigid. Further symptoms may appear as the disease progress, such as sexual problems and difficulty in swallowing food. PD is closely related to aging since most of the symptoms shown by its patients are available in aging people. Also, PD causes memory dysfunction similar to that in aging due to the destruction of the frontal lobe. Parkinson’s disease is mostly associated with cognitive impairment and difficulty in memory recognition (Lill and Christina).

Part B: Description of How the Aging Process Affects Memory, Intelligence, and Learning

As people grow older, they tend to be slower in digesting information in their brains than in their younger days. The reason is that most of there are changes in the nervous system where information inputs are translated into output. Also, the aging process minimizes the storage and retrieval capacity for information in the memory and, thus, older people will most often forget past details to process new information in their brain. Therefore, reaction time to a stimulus is faster in youths than in older adults, which means that the young will more likely respond to a surprise, unlike the elderly.

Intelligence is also affected by the aging process in that it is most common for older people to make decisions based on logic than the young. The topic is, however, debatable when based on factors such as the speed of response and verbal skills. The IQ of a person increases as they grow older, but only up to a maximum age where it starts reducing. Therefore younger adults can be said to be more intelligent than older adults. Also, learning deteriorates with the aging process. Older people take more time to understand and remember information than younger ones. The ability of the brain to process new information and hold on to it is lost as people grow older. I would, therefore, agree with the phrase that aging is inevitable, and so is memory loss and learning ability (Limbert et al.)

Part B: Techniques That Can Be Used To Improve Memory and To Continue Learning throughout a Lifetime.

People can boost and maintain their memory through healthy lifestyles. Some of the techniques that could be helping in keeping our mind intact include meditation, taking coffee, eating berries, physical exercise, and having enough sleep. Meditation helps in maintaining the short-term or working memory in that it allows people to concentrate on the short-tern information. Besides, taking coffee before an activity has been proven as a memory booster. Research that involved taking a caffeine pill after a learning task showed that remembering was boosted for 24 hours. In this study, participants were made to memorize images and later tested with different photos. The learners on caffeine would more clearly remember the pictures they had seen without confusion (Nicholson and Catherine).

Another essential technique is the visualization of information. Once the eyes have seen something, it will be easier for the brain to register the image, unlike when giving information about an unseen object. Thus, paying attention to objects, images, or pictures helps a lot in boosting and maintaining memory. Older people may draw objects from their imaginations of the information they receive to help them remember the information in the future. Finally, relating new information to something already known boosts our memory. For example, establishing relationships between the known and unknown during studying helps students understand and remember the issue (Nicholson and Catherine).

Works Cited

Henderson, Victor W. “Dementia with lewy bodies.” (2017).

Kuhn, James, Shweta Akhouri, and Edward J. Newton. “Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome.” (2019).

Labadorf, Adam, Andrew G. Hoss, and Richard H. Myers. “Huntington’s Disease.” Neuroimmune Pharmacology. Springer, Cham, 2017. 503-516.

Lill, Christina M. “Genetics of Parkinson’s disease.” Molecular and Cellular Probes 30.6 (2016): 386-396.

Limbert, Megan J., Jennifer A. Coleman, and Angela Gutchess. “Effects of aging on general and specific memory for impressions.” Collabra: Psychology 4.1 (2018)..

Nicholson, Roscoe, and Catherine O’Brien. “Impact of the Educational Boost Your Brain and Memory Program among Senior Living Residents.” The International Journal of Aging and Human Development 85.4 (2017): 456-471.

Death Penalty In Illinois

There is a definite problem concerning the death penalty in Illinois. Many deal with problems concerning the rights of the defendant while being on trial for murder; others deal with a convict’s rights after they are found guilty and sentenced to death. Should a convict have the right to re-trial if there isn’t an adequate amount of circumstantial evidence? Should there be a criterion that has to be met by evidence in order to pursue the death penalty or should a court just be able to kill someone as long as they please?

On March 9, 2000, George Ryan appointed a commission to determine whether or not Illinois capital punishment was fair and accurate. Many reforms were taken into action in the attempt to rid the Illinois death penalty of any flaws. I believe that this 24- month process was a big waste of time and effort. How exactly can the Illinois court system be re-defined to make it entirely fair and at the same time accurate? How many times have you made a resolution that was deemed fair and accurate? Probably never!

The actions taken to rid the court systems of problems concerning the death penalty have never really been resolved, they have just came up somewhere else and in a different way. The idea of the court system finding a defendant not-guilty and sentencing them to death is completely ridiculous, considering they are being charged with killing two or more people. But one can be sentenced to death if they kill someone of higher authority than a normal citizen; we are talking about an officer, or a firefighter etc. This is also ridiculous, because why are their lives held up on a higher pedestal than any other person. Although I do feel, that once someone kills, it won’t take much for them to kill again. So why should the court system look past the people who have only killed one person? Do they really deserve to live any more than people who have killed more than one person? I would have to say no on that one. The Illinois court system has only been redefined once, and I believe that the court system should appoint a commission on a scheduled basis to re-determine the court system and it’s procedures. This should be done to ensure that accuracy and fairness prevails.

Even though most Illinois citizens support capital punishment there are still people who disagree with its entirety. People feel that the commission’s focused on individual cases, and because of this there is no possible way to ensure that there can be an accurate solution to these problems.

The state of Illinois attempts to seek fairness within the death penalty by issuing a stat- wide Commission, which includes: an attorney general, three prosecutors, and a retired judge. They all look over the local state’s attorney’s judgments within a death penalty case, which encompasses the next issue. How can the death penalty be fair when there is a commission that looks over every case? What’s the point of having a trial if the head commission is going to make the final decision in each case? Pre-trail hearings shouldn’t decide if a defendant is worthy of the death penalty. The relevance of information should be determined within the trail itself. Bias in the court system would then be harder to create, because the court would not know what type of evidence would be brought to trial. In some instances, evidence is tossed out because of its unreliability. What would happen if an eyewitness testified that the defendant is not guilty and specifies evidence that was earlier deemed as unreliable?

In today’s court system, information about the defendant’s past is relevant to the trial itself. In other words, the court’s decision on whether or not a human is guilty of a crime is relevant within the death penalty trial itself. The decision to sentence someone to the death penalty should not have anything to do with their past (before the crime was committed). People feel that it is immoral and unconstitutional to look into someone’s past during a trial. Some believe that pre-trial hearings are everything but fair.

Also it is unfair and inaccurate for the state to view other death sentences in an attempt to aid in the decision process pertaining to the death penalty. To look at a past trial in order to aid further decision on a present trial is wrong. How many people do you know have some kind of a past? Judges would be making their ultimate decisions with the help of evidence from past cases that are irrelevant to the trial at hand. The death penalty should be abolished altogether. There has been steps made fixing the death penalty’s flaws but it seems that these problems are far from gone. Harry A Blackmun states “ The court in my view has engaged in a futile effort to balance the constitutional demands…human error is inevitable and because our criminal justice system is less than perfect, searching appellate review of death sentences and their underlying convictions is a prerequisite to a constitutional death penalty scheme” (69).

The death penalty abroad is a difficult subject to discuss. The significance of it brings difficulty to the governor and his commission when trying to make new proposals that are correcting the ones that were first brought into effect. The Commission has the right to discuss openly their thoughts on each topic within the death penalty. The Governor has the final decision on whether or not to put each proposal into effect. Because of this it took almost 24 months for George Ryan’s Commission to develop these guidelines, which focused on finally making the Illinois death penalty fair and just. However the problems that were trying to be solved never really were.

After writing these proposals the Commission agreed that if the death penalty still seems to be the same it should be abolished altogether. Many skeptics wonder why the death penalty in Illinois hasn’t been eradicated yet. Skeptics say that in fact the same problems are resurfacing, creating new problems for the Illinois death penalty Commission to deal with. Some feel that the death penalty is morally wrong: Some feel that the death penalty is a waste of scarce resources. It costs between two and seven million dollars just to execute on convict. Some skeptics feel that the proposals made by the Commission, which were vital to absolute reform, would never be fully active.

According to Scott Turow a world famous author of law states that the capital jurisprudence isn’t in order:One reason our capital jurisprudence is such a mess is because even the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, who have long experience in making and sticking with hard decisions, have waffled. Harry A. Blackmun is hardly alone. In the last twenty-five years, Justices Stewart, White, Powell, and Stevens have also taken varying positions when confronted with the question of whether or not capital punishment as currently practiced is constitutionally tolerable (115).

This provides further reason to abolish the death penalty. When confronted these people who have served the U.S. Supreme Court for at least twenty-five years agree that the death penalty should be abolished. Turow also served for the Commission with an attempt to reach new proposals.

Turow himself states that the death penalty today is such a mess that it should be abolished. Why would people who have served as justices of the U.S. Supreme Court want to get rid of the death penalty all together? One reason is that they have had years of experience with the death penalty and have been as close to its purpose and nature as humanly possible. They have finally come to the conclusion that there is no righteous reasoning behind the death penalty. The death penalty and all of its components are inevitable to failure (114-15).

I agree with the Abolitionists views regarding the death penalty. We should expose the death penalty to the citizens of Illinois. The media proves to be a major factor of the death penalty. Through the media citizens are becoming effectively aware of reoccurring problems within Illinois’ justice system. After all, this is truly a way for everyone in Illinois to become aware of what is happening within our court system. For example if people could see an authority of the Illinois justice system talking negatively about the death penalty there would be a greater chance for people to feel concerned instead of indifferent. Citizens just don’t understand the death penalty’s entirety. Most people focus on cases where the defendant has raped and killed a little girl. They would rather see him killed then sympathize for his claim of innocence. Is it righteous for the court system to kill? Isn’t that just committing the same heinous crime that we are trying to stop from happening?

We shouldn’t really question ourselves about the death penalty being fair or not considering the various mistaken convictions within Illinois Justice System. On December 15, 2002 George Ryan pardoned three-dozen men from the death penalty and commuted several more to life without parole. Convictions were made on the basis of an officer’s false testimony. Life without parole should replace the death penalty in Illinois. Not only is it cheaper for an inmate to live in jail throughout his natural life but also it is more humane. Besides the system can’t serve justice after someone is already dead. The government’s vigilant actions aren’t deterring Illinois from crime; the death penalty is state-sanctioned killing that only continues the cycle of violence. In fact Illinois crime rate is higher than ever.

I feel that the commission should have never brought the victims’ families into the research that was taking place during the moratorium. It is bad enough that some of the victims’ families have sat through re-trials and have witnessed unbearable information time and time again. Why should the families have to suffer any more because of the justice system? Many would agree that true closure isn’t possible for the families, according to the professional web site Progress Report “studies have shown that the continual process of appeals necessary to insure the due process…force families to confront the gruesome details of the crime many times over, making it impossible to get on with their lives.” The death penalty should be abolished if the justice system has to learn from families who have nothing to do with the crime at all.

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22 year old college junior