Pornography and Ethics

Table of Contents Introduction Definition of pornography Ethical aspect of pornography Unethical aspect of Pornography Independent perspectives Conclusion References Introduction The modern society is saturated with many sexual images such shirtless male athletes and barely clothed females in advertisement and movies. In addition, nudity or soft-core pornography and explicit sex scenes or hardcore pornography shown in public televisions and over the internet are becoming more and more acceptable into the society.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Pornography and Ethics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This raises two questions; the effect of living in a society saturated with sexual images and existence of morals in modern society. Historically, sexual images served the purpose of worshipping gods, adorning pottery and criticizing the political elites. Thus, sexual images were imbedded in the religious , legal and moral context i.e. sexuality was never thought of as a separate sphere of life. However, in modern this perspective has ceased to exist. Sex is considered a form of advanced calisthenics i.e. an act whereby two people come together without consideration of its physical context. The set of all modern sexual images constitute pornography because they serve no intended purpose other than gratification. However, this is notion is pornography is partially accurate as it give a vague correlation between sexual images and pornography. This paper is going to assess the extent to what extent is the definition of pornography qualified to be used, and if pornography is ethical in modern society. Definition of pornography Ethics examines the basic concepts of values. This is because, values shape what individuals define as wrong or right, moral or immoral, fair or unfair, good or bad etc. In more general terms, ethics is focused on inventing or studying systems that individuals may refer to when addressing ‘what is good’ (Beauchamp, 2002).Advertising Looking for research paper on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ethics also seeks to provide answers on how a person ought to be living or carrying out his duties. As consequence, it is an important and complex component that should be integrated in law, religion and the society in general as a base for definition of morals or standards. Thus, everybody in one way or another should understand and practice ethic to morally upright (Beauchamp, 2002). Pornography can be defined as materials that portray erotic content, or the set of all obscene materials, which are intended to cause sexual arousal. These materials can be in the form of literature, pictures and videos. However, this definition is ambiguous. This is because the concept sexual arousal and the definition of obscenity or erotic materials are relative terms i.e. they depend on an i ndividual or the social context under which they appear or exist. Moreover, this definition fails to answer a simple question; how much content must be there for a material to be classified as obscene or erotic? Can it be a single image, a whole video clip or suggestive dialogue? Under the umbrella of ethics, Pornography is can be redefined as a struggle or fight that describes an argument, not a thing, about erotic representation. For example, if a group of persons decided that an erotic representation is beautiful, then it is likely to be considered a creative artwork. Thus, pornography in such a contest and a struggle between those who attempt to create erotic material and those who attempt to suppress it, or a contest between allowing or denying an individual the right to display explicitly sexuality (Strossen, 2000). However, this struggle is not uniform globally and is dependent on the social values of a given locality. For instance, walking in bikini is normal in some places and others it is considered obscene. Ethical aspect of pornography The pornography, a subsector of the entertainment industry, is the most profitable sector to venture in. So far, it is the richest industry with an unexplainable exponential growth rate. As at 2007, this industry was recorded to have generated a total revenue of $57 billion worldwide, with the top four most selling erotic material being in the form of adult videos, escort videos, magazines and sex clubs respectively.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Pornography and Ethics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This revenue was much greater than the total combination of revenues received from professional football, baseball, and basketball franchise (Family safe media, 2011). Egoism and Welfarism perspectives of ethics justify the ethical nature of pornography. In this view, the humongous revenue arising from pornography suggests that the indust ry is a major form of lucrative employment to the actors, website mangers, movie directors and other direct or indirect participants. Moreover, it is the shortest route to becoming famous and it assists the government in earning revenue. Therefore, this industry is a means of obtaining income is legally, and is more acceptable than begging or stealing. Moreover, it does not require sophisticated training or advanced degrees to venture in or to be successful (Strossen, 2000). Thus, the industry serves the interests of the participants and is therefore ethical. Pornography is the new adopted tool for advertising. This is because of the psychological association that potential consumers have attached to sexuality. Men are visual creatures while women like attention. Thus, images of beautiful, naked or barely dressed women attached in advertisement attract men and give the product an association beauty. On the other hand, women would watch the adverts in order to ascertain what makes im ages gain that much attention. Overall, the objective of the product advertisement is achieved (Attwooll Brockmà ¶ller, 2001). Leisure is the outcome of an experience or activity i.e. the feeling of satisfaction. Pornography viewing is a form of entertainment and leisure activity that many modern people have adopted. Nowadays, it is very common to find people over the weekend sitting and relaxing just watching erotic materials over the internet or on DVD.Advertising Looking for research paper on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To such individuals, it is source of pleasure, satisfaction, and to group viewers, it is means of bonding together (Strossen, 2000). Thus under the hedonistic utilitarianism, which requires that people should maximizes all the avenues of pleasure in the short life span for an individual’s own good, seeking pleasure through pornography is ethical (Tà ¤nnsjà ¶, 2008). The hidden nature of sexuality has for a long time forbidden parents from talking about sex to their children. Children left with option of learning about sex from schools, which do not effectively teach about sex. However, the most hilarious TV commercials and soap operas, watched by children and adults, openly display pornographic materials. Actors discuss morality, act getting pregnant and extramarital affairs, and above all, they have scenes that portray sexuality as a process whereby two people meet fall in love or not but eventually fall to bed. This begs the question of appropriateness of the audience. Th us, existence of pornographic materials has transformed sex education. Parents are coerced to openly speak about sex to their children, least they may regret what their children may become. Unethical aspect of Pornography In religious perspective, human body is compared with temple of god and sex is considered a religious form of intimacy and hence sacred. Also, sex is considered a divine gift that gives human beings the divine power of co-creation. Thus , it should be done by only married couples in a dignified manner, for the purpose of procreation. Thus pornography demoralizes sex by addressing with casualness and in a careless manner. The slow and gradual introduction of pervert principles makes those perceived to be lesser evils acceptable. Pornography operates in a similar manner, and through it sexually explicit contents have become widespread acceptable (Tà ¤nnsjà ¶, 2008). Thus, it encourages acceptance of sexual perversion and adultery which are considered sin before god . In most instances, people who come into constant with despicable images are prone sexual acts such as to premarital sex, sodomy, lesbianism and sex outside marriage, which are condemned in the holy books such as the Bible and Quran. â€Å"Consequentialists† argue that morals attached to action are subject to the outcome. The outcomes associated with addiction to, prolonged or continuous consumption pornographic content has very negative repercussions (Tà ¤nnsjà ¶, 2008). For instance, it leads to building up of tolerance towards plain sex. As consequence, an individual is tempted â€Å"to explore more deviant forms of sexuality† such as fetishism, and â€Å"paraphilias†. Moreover, the hype portrayed by porn stars can lead frigidity and sexual dysfunction, which are detrimental to marriages, and are major contributors of divorce, promiscuity and clandestine relationship within the marriage circle. This makes pornography unethical. Existence of Pornography con tent in work places, places the workplace at a risk that can attract legal liability, loss of production and loss of bandwidth. Firstly, pornography is addictive and may make employees less focused on work related issues hence becoming less productive. Secondly, Pornographic content can lead to arousal of employees and may encourage sexual harassment and intercourses at work places. Sexual harassment may attract legal liability. Lastly, transfer of pornographic materials over peer to peer networks consumes a lot of company’s connection bandwidth and this can cripple the networking services of an organization. Technology is becoming so cheap that it has made access to erotic content easy for children. Children who view pornographic materials act out the sexual fantasies that they see with other children and adults. This has significantly contributed to fornication and premarital sex, teenage pregnancy, venturing into prostitution at an early age, and contacting of sexually tra nsmitted diseases. Thus the outcome or consequence of having pornographic materials has negative effects on children and must be considered unethical (Tà ¤nnsjà ¶, 2008). Pornography supports the interests of few individual and therefore under the utilitarian approach, pornography is unethical.Feminists argue that pornography is has no entertaining value but rather a degradation of women. It promotes violence against women and also portrays them as weak and undeserving respect (Soble, 2006). Further, it promotes social vices and affects the attitudes of the user by endorsing rape myths, misogynist and negative attitudes towards women. They also view child pornography as immoral because it is a means of exploiting or abusing underdeveloped children for the sole purpose of making money. Moreover, they describe the audience as mentally incompetent or people with biological flaws, who other than protecting children enjoy their subordination (Soble, 2006). Independent perspectives It i s almost impossible to take a side over the concept of pornography. All actions in some way are justified by accompanied reasons. However, reasons that may justify a given action are not necessarily the motivating factors over the actions. Thus, the reasons given by different people as to why pornography is ethical or not, are not necessarily the same as their motivation for watching or not watching erotic materials. I find the argument against pornography more appealing in the sense that it is driven by reason rather than motivation. According to Kant, moral judgment is means of guiding behavior but it only expresses feelings and not facts. For instance, if a person derives pleasure from viewing erotic contents then it is moral (Tà ¤nnsjà ¶, 2008). However, this perspective cannot be used to justify pornography because feelings change frequently and without reason. This is unlike facts that are very difficult to change. Thus, ethical nature of pornography should be guided by fact s only, which strongly disapprove pornography. Hume argues that â€Å"actions are guided by faith and desires†. Thus the degree to which pornography is wrong or right depends on what the individual motivation or desires (Tà ¤nnsjà ¶, 2008). For example, religious persons oppose pornography because it is contrary to their faith. However, a porn actor or actress see the pornography as means of earning a living hence they would support it. Therefore, if an action is ethical and motivating then it considered right. The problem with this view is that faith and desires are relative and thus cannot be used to establish the ethical nature of pornography. Deontologists argue that it â€Å"is our duty to act morally at all times†. However, not all duties are absolute i.e. everything that is considered either moral or immoral have cases in which their rules are bent. Moreover, in reality morals and the associated theories do not provide all answers, and so every action must be guided by insight and proper judgment (Tà ¤nnsjà ¶, 2008). Therefore, Pornography is wrong based on its consequences or impacts. However, if watching or acting pornography can be justified if it is driven by positive motives (Attwooll Brockmà ¶ller, 2001). For example, a porn star that makes a living through acting erotic movies is justified to be involved in such an act. I strongly support the concept that â€Å"pornography is unethical†. This is because every individual is brought up under some societal values and norms for which engagement in pornography or with pornographic materials is not one of them. Pornography is a creation of the modern society, mainly as result of the hidden nature of sexuality, unemployment, and moral decadence. Although it exists it does not mean that people have to conform to it. Moreover, the amount of damage to the society resulting from pornography industry far outweighs the benefits i.e. very few stand to benefit heavily at the expense o f many people. The damages caused by pornography are real. Therefore pornography should be controlled- in terms of the quantity and access of the content- for the well being of the society at large. However, a total ban of pornography is barbaric and violation of an individual’s freedom to choice or freewill. Moreover, it may signal the end of livelihood of many who primarily depend on this industry. Conclusion The definition of pornography in an ethical context is ambiguous. This is because the boundaries to which an action or concept can be declared ethical are not clear. Thus any definition of pornography given, based on the type or quantity of the content, is subjective. The proponents of the pornography base most of their arguments based on egoism, freewill and motivation. Thus to them pornography is ethical as long as it addresses their own needs if comes at the expense of the society. They argue mainly on income, fame, business and education. On the other hand, the ant agonists of pornography justify their views on religious grounds, utilitarianism and consequentialism. According to them, pornography degrades the society and has detrimental effects in workplaces, marriages and above severely affects growth of children. References Attwooll, E. Brockmà ¶ller, A. (2001) Applied Ethics At The Turn Of The Millennium: Proceedings Of The 19th World Congress Of The International Association For Philosophy Of Law And Social Philosophy (IVR), New York, June 24-30, 1999 California: F. Steiner Beauchamp, P.T. (2002) Philosophical Ethics: An Introduction to Moral Philosophy. Illinois: McGraw-Hill College Family Safe Media (2010) Preserving Family Values in a Media Driven Society. From www.Familysafemedia.com. Accesses on October 29, 2011 Soble, A. (2006). Sex from Plato to Paglia: A Philosophical Encyclopedia. Ohio: Greenwood Strossen, N. (2000) Defending Pornography: Free Speech, Sex, and the Fight for Women’s Rights New York: New York University Tà ¤nnsjà ¶, T. (2008) Understanding Ethics: An Introduction to Moral Theory UK: Edinburgh University This research paper on Pornography and Ethics was written and submitted by user Hulkl1ng to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Linguistic and racial diversity Essay Example

Linguistic and racial diversity Essay Example Linguistic and racial diversity Essay Linguistic and racial diversity Essay Situated between Asia, Africa and Europe, the Middle East is a cultural and ethnic mosaic of linguistic and racial diversity. The region consists of a large number of ancient civilizations stretching back some 3000 years. During this time, people crossed the region through trade and invasion routes and brought with them a plethora of traditions, cultures and religion which still exist today. Middle eastern countries each have their own unique identity and culture, but also share many fundamental beliefs and traditions. The Middle Eastern region consists of Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. The region has a population of 200,000,000 with various dialects of Arabic and Persian. The region also speaks English as well as French in Lebanon. Religion  Three of the worlds major religions originated from the Middle East. These religions include Islam, Judaism and Christianity with the majority of the people in the region practicing Islam. Judaism and Christianity while minor to Islam are mainly practiced in Israel and Lebanon. In this region, Islam is a way of life and governs politics, moral values and various aspects of behavior such as how one should dress. Islam impacts the daily lives of people differently depending on what country they are in. Communication in this region is relatively indirect and relies on nonverbal cues and figurative forms of speech. Saving face and respecting an individuals honor are key drivers in the this indirect communication style and is prevalent throughout the Middle East. When communicating with individuals, a direct no should be avoided, and you should be prepared to interpret seemingly indefinite comments and gestures. Directly criticizing a Middle Eastern counterpart is considered impolite and brings shame to that persons honor. The Middle East region has been characterized by civil unrest and violence among ethnic and religious groups, with much of the region struggling with political turmoil and conflict among differing ideologies, progressive steps marked by peace treaties and international assistance have helped to stabilize parts of the Middle East. The written language, Arabic and Hebrew, is written right to left. The working week in the region tends to begin on Sunday and end on Thursday, with some countries beginning on Saturday and ending on Wednesday. Friday is the Muslim holy day and is considered part of the weekend. In Israel, the Sabbath is on Saturdays and many businesses will be closed. People in this region have a more flexible attitude towards time and do not always start or finish at the scheduled time. Punctuality will be expected of foreigners, although local nationals may not be as punctual. The region is predominantly Muslim and time must be allocated during the workday to allow for prayer, which may interrupt the daily business schedule. When Muslims are at prayer, they should not be interrupted. Individuals should remember that it is rude to eat or drink inform of Muslims during Ramadan due to fasting, do not use your left hand, particularly when eating, because it is considered unclean in parts of the Middle East. Individuals should never cross their legs, nor should they display the soles of the foot towards some. Orthodox Muslims do not eat pork, nor do they drink alcohol or discus female members of their family. India Overview   he official name of India is the Republic of India. India is a creative blend of cultures, religions, races and languages. The nations identity and social structure remain protected by a rich cultural heritage that dates back at least 5000 years, making India one of the oldest civilizations in the world. An understanding of the traditions and ways of communicating with others is vital to the success of any business organization. This forms the basis of Indias society. India has 21 official languages including Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Bengali, Kashmiri as well as English.  Religion  Religion is a way of life in India, and must be respected in order to maintain successful business relationships. Although the traditional cast system has been eliminated, attitudes still remain and both aspects of Indian culture still influence the hierarchical structure of business practices in India today. The elimination of the cast system was a direct outcome of Hinduism. Fatalism is a concept that stems from one of the most characteristic traits of Indian culture, spirituality. The notion of karma and that everything happens for a reason is still significant in the decision making process of many Indians. It also influences the concept of time in India and as a consequence business negotiations may take longer and are never rushed. India has a greater acceptance of hierarchical settings, this is due to a strong sense of community and group defined orientation. This is a region where several generations often live together under one roof, creating a noticeable lack of privacy and a smaller concept of personal spa

Only the President Can Veto Bills

Only the President Can Veto Bills The U.S. Constitution grants the President of the United States the sole power to veto- say â€Å"No†- to bills passed by both houses of Congress. A vetoed bill can still become law if Congress overrides the president’s action by obtaining a supermajority vote of two-thirds of the members of both the House (290 votes) and the Senate (67 votes).    While the Constitution does not contain the phrase â€Å"presidential veto,† Article I requires that every bill, order, resolution or other act of legislation passed by the Congress must be presented to the president for his or her approval and signature before it officially becomes law. The presidential veto clearly illustrates the function of the system of â€Å"checks and balances† designed for the U.S government by the nation’s Founding Fathers. While the president, as head of the executive branch, can â€Å"check† to the power of the legislative branch by vetoing bills passed by Congress, the legislative branch can â€Å"balance† that power by overriding the president’s veto. The first presidential veto occurred on April 5, 1792, when President George Washington vetoed an apportionment bill that would have increased the membership of the House by providing for additional representatives for some states. The first successful congressional override of a presidential veto took place on March 3, 1845, when Congress overrode President John Tyler’s veto of a controversial spending bill.    Historically, Congress succeeds in overriding a presidential veto in less than 7% of its attempts.For example, in its 36 attempts to override vetoes issued by President George W. Bush, Congress succeeded only once. The Veto Process When a bill is passed by both the House and Senate, it is sent to the presidents desk for his signature. All bills and joint resolutions, except those proposing amendments to the Constitution, must be signed by the president before they become law. Amendments to the Constitution, which require a two-thirds vote of approval in each chamber, are sent directly to the states for ratification. When presented with legislation passed by both houses of Congress, the president is constitutionally required to act on it in one of four ways: sign it into law within the 10-day period prescribed in the Constitution, issue a regular veto, let the bill become law without his signature or issue a pocket veto. Regular Veto When Congress is in session, the president may, within the 10-day period, exercise a regular veto by sending the unsigned bill back to the chamber of Congress from which it originated along with a veto message stating his reasons for rejecting it. Currently, the president must veto the bill in its entirety. He may not veto individual provisions of the bill while approving others. Rejecting individual provisions of a bill is called a line-item veto. In 1996, Congress passed a law granting President Clinton the power to issue line-item vetoes, only to have the Supreme Court declare it unconstitutional in 1998. Bill Becomes Law Without Presidents Signature When Congress is not adjourned, and the president fails to either sign or veto a bill sent to him by the end of the 10-day period, it becomes law without his signature. The Pocket Veto When Congress is adjourned, the president can reject a bill by simply refusing to sign it. This action is known as a pocket veto, coming from the analogy of the president simply putting the bill in his pocket and forgetting about it. Unlike a regular veto, Congress has neither the opportunity or constitutional authority to override a pocket veto. How Congress Responds to a Veto When the President returns a bill to the chamber of Congress from which it came, along with his objections in the form of a veto message, that chamber is constitutionally required to reconsider the bill. The Constitution is silent, however, on the meaning of reconsideration. According to the Congressional Research Service, procedure and tradition govern the treatment of vetoed bills. On receipt of the vetoed bill, the Presidents veto message is read into the journal of the receiving house. After entering the message into the journal, the House of Representatives or the Senate complies with the constitutional requirement to reconsider by laying the measure on the table (essentially stopping further action on it), referring the bill to committee, postponing consideration to a certain day, or immediately voting on reconsideration (vote on override). Overriding a Veto Action by both the House and the Senate is required to override a presidential veto. A two-thirds, supermajority vote of the Members present is required to override a presidential veto. If one house fails to override a veto, the other house does not attempt to override, even if the votes are present to succeed. The House and Senate may attempt to override a veto anytime during the Congress in which the veto is issued. Should both houses of Congress successfully vote to override a presidential veto, the bill becomes law. According to the Congressional Research Service, from 1789 through 2004, only 106 of 1,484 regular presidential vetoes were overridden by Congress. The Veto Threat Presidents often publicly or privately threaten Congress with a veto in order to influence the content of a bill or prevent its passage. Increasingly, the â€Å"veto threat† has become a common tool of presidential politics and is often effective in shaping U.S. policy. Presidents also use the veto threat in order to prevent Congress from wasting time crafting and debating bills they intend to veto under any circumstances.

World religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

World religion - Essay Example Since there are many versions of the holy text, there are various underpinning of the concept of Karma in Hinduism. The common grounds on which the concept of Karma is accepted and practiced in Hinduism are the life hereafter. It is stated that the life after death depend upon the deeds of a person. The role or the body that the person will enliven would depend on the actions that include animal, bird or human etc. In order to successfully obtain a peaceful second life, one needs to go through the process of Moksha. The process of karma is also known as process of samsara in Hindu religion (Plate). Karma is considerably a physical substance in the religion of Jainism. It is stated that the deeds and words that are uttered by humans make them live the life they are living. It is important to utter good words so that the substance of karma remains alive and is not affected. The present life of an individual is basically dependent upon the life they spent before. The presence of karma, being a physical substance, is present in the universe around us. The substance is carried from one life to another is by the soul that is also known as Jiva. There is an avid possibility of expiry of the particles if the individuals intend to cause any damage to others. It is considered that the followers of Jainism try to get away with the cycle of re-birth for which they try to take care of their karma or particles of karma that would tag along their soles in the next life as well. The definition of physical particles has been remarked over and over in the religion of Jainism. The concept of kar ma remains strict and firm unlike Hinduism. The concept of karma remains similar in Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. It is state by the followers of Buddhism that the impact of the deeds in the present life directly impacts the next life. The present time is also a product of the previous lives. For

Six Sigma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Six Sigma - Essay Example s is that it helps them grow into effective and informed managers capable of understanding the business from the perspective of cost, quality and delivery. It also helps the employees to perceive the role of improvement from a practical point of view (SNEE & HOERL 2003: 4). As reported by General Electric company which is the most-valued company listed in the numerous United State stock exchanges and it provides different lines of products, the use of six sigma had the following impacts (BREYFOGLE, CUPELLO & MEADOWS 2001: 32): 3. In the trailer leasing business there was a 62% reduction on time spent at the repair workshops that lead to massive productivity achievement for their customers and in their company it is three times faster than the competitors because of the application of six sigma. 4. In the plastic business there was an additional 300 million pounds of new capacity and the company saved 400 million pounds on investment and was projecting to save the same amount by the year 2000 (BREYFOGLE et al., 2001:33). The fact that General Electric Company made huge profits through employing the six sigma does not mean that any company can employ it without precaution because it is not a fast get rich plan. It is a very complex, but it is an initiative with a possibility of rewarding very well. Employing traditional six sigma methodologies has propelled projects into the system that may not have any value to the whole organization (BREYFOGLE 2003:6). Traditionally, six sigma was used by manufacturing companies but presently it is being used by other corporations so it may be viewed that it will disappear with time. Putting into consideration that the other quality improvement programs do not achieve the expected results in financial savings, it is imperative for companies to integrate the six sigma which is flexible and vigorous (AKPOLAT 2004: 4). The six sigma tools that a company should focus on are: voice of technology evaluations, benchmarking,

Manifest Destiny Essay Example for Free

Manifest Destiny Essay Manifest Destiny is defined as a belief that it was Gods will that Americans spread over the entire continent, and to control and populate the country as they see fit. Many expansionists conceived God as having the power to sustain and guide human destiny. It was white mans heavy burden to conquer and Christianize the heathen and savage land. While the positive side of Manifest Destiny was a surge of enthusiasm and energy from the white settlers for pushing West, the negative side was the belief that the white man had the right to destroy anything and anyone namely Indians who got in the way. Tracing the path of Manifest Destiny across the West would highlight mass destruction of tribal organizations, confinement of Indians to reservations, and full blown genocide. The dark side of Manifest Destiny revealed the white mans belief that his settlement of the land and civilization of its native peoples was preordained. While the whites were occupying the land, they decimated the Indian population, causing many tribes to flee their relentless onward push, or try to compromise with treaties and agreements. One such tribe to fall victim to the white encroachment upon their territory was the Nez Perce of North Western Oregon. The Nez Perce agreed to an 1855 treaty that guaranteed the tribe most of their traditional homeland in the Wallowa Valley of northeast Oregon to try to accommodate the white people who were beginning to invade their lands. Unfortunately, gold was soon discovered upon the Nez Perce land and the settlers wanted a larger portion of that land. The resulting 1863 treaty was agreed to by some tribal chiefs, but not all. Those who refused to sign were given an ultimatum in 1877, and rather than risk war, the non-treaty Nez Perce chiefsJoseph, Looking Glass, White Bird, Toohoolhoolzote, Bald Headdecided to move their people onto the smaller remaining section of the reservation, towards Fo rt Lapwai. Look more:  manifest destiny essay There were nearly 800 of the Nez Percemen, women and childrenand a herd of about 2,000 Appaloosa horses on the trek. On the way to Lapwai, things fell apart. A few young warriors were goaded into taking revenge on several whites who had killed tribal members in the past, and the U.S. Army retaliated by attacking the Nez Perce at White Bird Canyon, Idaho. Giving up the attempt to move to the reservation, the Nez Perce chiefs resolved to  flee to the east and seek out their Crow allies in Montana. When the Crow tribes showed them no friendship and tried to steal their horses, the Nez Perce set off for Canada. They almost made it, but the U.S. Army caught up with them and defeated them 45 miles shy of the border. Although the Nez Perce were one of the welcoming tribes that met Lewis and Clark, their kind efforts led to revenge, misunderstanding, deceit, greed and death. Another tribe which was victimized by the United States were the Cupeà ±os. The Cupeà ±os were a small tribe, one of the smallest Native American tribes in Southern California. It was unlikely that they ever numbered more than 1,000 at a time. They once occupied a territory approximately 10 square miles in diameter in a region of the San Luis Rey River in the valley of San Jose de Valle. Before 1810, the Cupans had very little contact with outsiders Spanish or otherwise. They had lived on their land for countless generations, their land including the medicinal hot springs and the village called Cupa. Unfortunately for the Cupenos, the pioneers who trekked West through the southern route, took a trail which trespassed upon their territory. To add insult to injury, American officials in San Diego concluded that a reasonable source of revenue would be taxation upon the Indians of the back country. The Cupans were assessed a $600 tax that with great resentment was finally paid by the villagers. By the late 1800s the hot sulfur springs found on the Cupa territories were becoming very popular and attracting visitors from Los Angeles and San Diego. The popularity of the destination and the growing California population began the events which ultimately led to the expulsion of the Cupans from their homeland. Four years after California became a state, a land survey commission was formed, and cattleman Juan Jose Warner claimed 47,500 acres of what is now Warner Springs. Warner Springs makes up the majority of the Cupan homeland. The property was later purchased by former California Governor John Downey in 1880. Downey then filed a lawsuit later pursued by his heirs after  his death claiming title to the land and demanding eviction of the Cupenos from the property. The Cupas argued before the courts that Mexican law, as well as the peace treaty that ended the war between Mexico and the United States, ensured Indian rights and precluded the hostile takeover of their land. They argued to no avail. The California courts agreed with Downey and in 1901 the United States Supreme Court affirmed the judgment ordering removal of the Indians. President Rutherford Hayes, prompted by the Supreme Court holding, declared the Indians trespassers and ordered the tribe relocated to Pala, California, just beyond the Palomar Mountains where a 10,000-acre reservation had been established. Pala was a Luiseno reservation then, not Cupa. This act marked the first time in U.S. history that two distinct Indian tribes were herded together in one reservation. This was a blemish upon a nation that prided itself on leading the world into the 20th Century and the cultural and political renaissance that accompanied such a transition.

Governance in the CNMI Essay -- Unicameral, Bicameral, legislature, Uni

Is the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) better yet with a Unicameral Legislature or with the current Bicameral Legislature? According to Wikipedia, the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature is defined as the territorial legislature of the United States of America (Wikipedia). The legislative branch of the Marianas is bicameral. It consist of twenty members in the lower House of Representatives, and an upper house Senate with nine members. The Representatives serve two-year terms, and the Senators serve four-year terms, both without term limits. Both houses of the legislature convene and conduct their meetings on the Island of Saipan, the capital island of the Northern Mariana Islands. The House seats are elected in seven districts. Two districts have one seat each, one for Tinian & Aguiguan, and one for Rota. The remaining five districts elect multiple members, two with three members and two with six members which are all located in Saipan. According to the Mariana Islands Constitution, the requirements for House of Representative are a minimum age of 21, must be a residence of the Commonwealth for at least three consecutive years, and a registered voter in the district you represented. Reapportionment occurs every ten years following the census. Together with the Senate, the Constitution permits the Legislature to enact a higher residence requirement (CNMI Government laws). The Senate seats are divided into three districts containing three seats each from Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. The Senate seats are divided into two classes that are similar to the classes of the United States Senate. One class consisting of a single Senator from each district, and the second class consisting of two Senators from... ... Mariana Islands, 1998- 2013. Web. Retrieved from http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/northern_mariana_islands.htm Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Country Brief. Home page. Bilateral, Sept. 2013. Web. Retrieved from http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/cnmi/ Farrell, Don. â€Å"Tinian: A Brief History.† Tinian. (Original work published 2012) Northern Marianas Commonwealth. Home page. Legislature, 2006. Web. Retrieved from http://www.cnmiago.gov.mp/government.html Covenant of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Home page. Web. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Mariana_Islands Covenant. Law revision commission, 2013. Home Page. Web. Retrieved from http://cnmilaw.org/cnmicovenant.html Farrell, Don. Personal Interview. 26 Nov. 2013 Cruz, Peter. Personal Interview. 29 Nov. 2013