Blog 2 -- DUE OCTOBER 6
Write 150 words or more in response to what you read about the Troy Davis execution. Within your comments be sure to answer these two questions: (1) Why do you think executing Troy Davis was or was not the right thing to do? and (2) Why are you for or against capital punishment in general?**
Due Oct 6.
After a day of last-minute appeals, including one made to the U.S. Supreme Court, Troy Davis was executed last week at 11:08 p.m. (Wednesday, September 21, 2011). Davis convinced hundreds of thousands of people, but not the justice system, of his innocence in the murder of off-duty police officer Mark MacPhail in 1989. Though Davis's attorneys say seven of nine key witnesses against him have disputed all or parts of their testimony, state and federal judges have repeatedly ruled against him. The execution had been set to begin at 7 p.m., but the high court’s decision was not issued until after 10 p.m.
Go here for more information about the case: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Davis_case
**Write 150 words or more in response to what you read about the Troy Davis execution. Within your comments be sure to answer these two questions: (1) Why do you think executing Troy Davis was or was not the right thing to do? and (2) Why are you for or against capital punishment in general?**
Assignment: Write 150 words or more in response to the post below. Due 9/29.
Most people today would agree that slavery is morally wrong and never should have been legal in a civilized society. But in the past many people thought slavery was okay--that there was actually nothing wrong with one person owning another. It's hard for us to imagine today that a large segment of our society condoned slavery--to the point of going to war over the issue.
What issue today compares to slavery in the past? That is, what do you see occurring in today's society that people in the future will look back on and say "I can't believe that was legal"--that it was allowed, condoned, and was common practice among many people?
When the northern states wanted to abolish slavery nationwide, many people in the southern states stood up in protest, and eventually a war broke out. What is a behavior or common practice today that some people would want to abolish, but if we tried to abolish it others would be extremely against doing so, maybe even to the point of going to war over the issue?
Name a problem/issue/behavior you recognize as wrong in our society and then explain why you think it is a problem and what might have to happen for the problem/issue to be resolved. (To answer the question click on the word "comments.")
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- English studentSep 22, 2011 10:05 AM
An ongoing issue with society is against news and media relations causing big reactions against stories that doesn't need to be heard by the public. With the recent story of the supposed "cop killer" that has caused many rallies and protests against the suspect getting the death penalty. Media relations has just given fuel to the fire to most of the stories causing it to give others bad feelings and hot tempers. It makes people want to get involved. Recently in local news they stated that there was a shooting over in a project area. As I saw it on the news it made me want to see what actually happened and go to the location and see if I could see anything. In my conclusion media relations and the local new's companies cause our society to take something small and make it big. Hypothetically speaking yes, a corrupted politician is a bad thing, but it will cause some chaos toward the politician and my bring severe consequence. Just leave things alone is what I think. If media relations and new's companies would just leave some of the small stuff or even the bigger stuff to a minimal, we wouldn't have to worry about some things. That is just what I think.
Brandon Hanley - English studentSep 22, 2011 10:05 AM
A problem in society today would have to be gay rights. A lot of straight and godly people discriminate against them because their with the same sex. But for the people that are have to live with people judging them for what they believe in. I think this is a problem for people because either they just think its wrong for the same sex to be with each other or the bible says that commitment to the same sex is a sin. But it shouldn't matter to anyone if your gay or not it should matter if the person is happy or not with the decision they have made. Gay marriage is still one of the most common things that are discussed in today's society. Many gays are fighting for what they believe in and our even getting laws passed to allow them to be married to the one they want to be with. This issue might not seem right but to the people that our or support someone that you know, and might always seem like a big deal. But it will fade away like slavery and racism which took along time to over come even if we still deal with it today, but in the end they've fought and look where they are now. this could happen and change if they keep their opinions heard and open.
Alexis Hernandez - English studentSep 22, 2011 10:06 AM
There no telling how many illegal immigrants are in the United State working for someone. Most are crossing the borders illegally with the help with someone in the United States. Now they have to work really hard and a lot of hours to try to pay the person back. But first they have to survive, cause they will work long hours with no pay and barely any food if they eat any at all. They can’t run away from them either, they have nowhere to go? Who will help someone that can’t even speak english, The police won’t help them. The police will keep you out of danger but they will also have you shipped back out to your country. So you are stuck to those kind men that help you get into the United States, Who can beat, and can rape you at any moment. In other words you’re a slave and is going to be one for a very home time on average they work about 3-7 years some can take 10 or even 15. Then when you’re finally done paying them off where you would go? Likely you don’t have any family member so you’re on your own in one of the most business.
Nicholas Bates - English studentSep 22, 2011 10:07 AM
Really the only thing I can personally think of that is morally wrong in my eyes is abortion. I'm aware that many people have extremely different views on the matter, but to me it's a disgusting thing to do. In the future society may or may not look back and wonder to themselves what the hell were we thinking, but since it is illegal in some states my guess is that it will be outlawed in most if not all in the future.
I think abortion is a problem because first of all it is murder, some will say that a fetus is not a real human being until it is born, but that's a out right lie. A baby's heart starts beating after the first few weeks of life, how can anyone take away a life that hasn't been given the chance to live and did no harm to anyone?.
I understand different people have different circumstances, but In my eyes if you can have sex willingly as a kid in junior high, a teenager in high school or college and an adult then yes you should have to take responsibility for your actions and deal with the consequence. There are so many options as to what you can do, there is adoption;so many people who want to have children can't and want to adopt children everyday.
I can understand if you are a victim of rape..that would be the most devastating thing in the world and having to carry a child of someone who did that to you...but that's all I will say about that topic because it's a touchy subject and the women in that category do not apply to my thoughts on abortion.
I also think that there would be a lot of uproar from many people if it was outlawed in every single state, do I think there would be a war over it? No not really, but I do see protests, mobs, and possibly violence if this were to ever occur. The only way to resolve this problem/issue is just to make it illegal and let that be that, possibly not applying to victims of rape because they were not willing and didn't choose this for themselves...this is what I think.
Kristina Montenegro - English studentSep 22, 2011 02:03 PM
Kristina Montenegro: I agree with everything she is saying. the biggest problem in this world i would say would be abortion. It is morally wrong! I believe it should be done no matter what happens though; even if you was raped because there is all kinds of women out there that have reason to why they can't have kids. so killing a child even if you was rapped is wrong. i know that it would be so hard to carry a child thinking about what has happened too you but i still don't find it right. what has a child done to you?, he never was asked to be brought into this world or for the parent to make a mistake like that. Everyone knows what is right and wrong. People know what protection is. They should use it if they don't want that too happen. I do think there should be some kind of fight to make sure this is illegal in all states. i don't believe in violence to solve an issue but for people to actually be grown adults about this. what if you weren't here?, what if your mom killed you?, you never got to live this life you have now?, its unfair because those children don't have a say so. so i believe that no matter what it isn't right.
Darcy Willis - English studentSep 22, 2011 02:08 PM
I think in today,s society, a big problem is discrimination. Discrimination of many different ways including race, sexual gender, religion, and convicts. The main point I want to touch on is convicts. In today's society, everyone expects convicts to get out of prison, get there life on the right track, and get a job. But what i think people fail to realize is that very few employers will hire convicts, regardless of the crime, or if they are "an equal opportunity" they won't hire you. If convicts can't get a job to be able to support there selves and families, what does society expect them to do? Nothing? In result of this, most convicts resort to selling drugs, or stealing/robbing people for a living. I think in-order for things to change that employers need to take a chance and help convicts out with employment. There are tax breaks for employers who choose to hire convicted felons.
- English studentSep 22, 2011 02:29 PM
i say that slavery was a very bad thing in the back of the day.i don't know how people can be chained up all day and getting hit just because they was not doing their work all the time. i don't see how people could work so hard in that hot sun and don't get paid for being out-side that long. i could not just be picking cotton all day and night all my life until i died.slaves did not get no water until they got done with their job was done. chained up was probably the hardest thing for the slaves. they had no freedom at all in them cotton fields.i would have water coolers for the slaves out there and for for them when they got done with their work. i would have gave them breaks at time. i would have never had them chained up. if they tried to run they would just got shot at. i would've had a play ground for the kids to on and just have the adults in the fields working hard day and night.
dre - English studentSep 22, 2011 02:35 PM
one thing that i agree with that is wrong in society is keeping abortions legal i understand what people go through and if a person’s parents do not agree on their young children having kids at the wrong time but i believe that there are people who can’t experience the feeling of having a child or even being able to say OMG..."IM PREGNANT!" that deserve and would want to take in a child if the parents are not fit for it and make them their own, treat them with love and care. Personally i don’t feel that any person should go through the stress or heartache of knowing that they canceled a life that could have been the next Grammy award winner or the next president or maybe even the richest person in the world i don’t think anyone deserves that. The world cannot continue if people and society continue to take people out of it and cancel the continuing generations.
-Angel Scott - English studentSep 25, 2011 05:04 PM
Over the summer I read a book about the abuse of women. I was shocked to see that this was still a severely ongoing issue, especially overseas and in Africa. In some of the villages there women are circumcised. It is merely to make women into objects. They also rape women on a fairly regular basis and in my opinion I find it disgusting. I think that every woman should be empowered especially in third world countries because a strong woman can do anything and a strong woman can literally raise the generation that changes the future. I think it is terrible that women are treated as objects because they are obviously people too. Women should have the exact same freedoms as a man, she can do the same things as long as you teach her. It’s scary in the places where they still do things like that and I feel like people should go over and help those women so they can live their lives without fear of being raped and abused by people who think that they are objects.
Sam Lehman - English studentSep 27, 2011 01:09 PM
ne thing I think that is morally wrong in this society now a days is abortion. I just do not understand how a mother could or even would want to take their own child’s life. Woman who can not have children would die to try over and over again to have one even though they can't. They have to adopt. I believe it is wrong on every level for any woman to have an abortion. I feel that if you are old enough to have sex then you are old enough to take care of a baby and support them. If you do not want to become pregnant then do not have sex. Abortion is a very harsh. Even when you think your baby in you is a fetus, it is still a life that is living inside you the first weeks of pregnancy. The baby does not deserve to die especially through an abortion. It is sad on all the stories you hear that people are trying to make it legal for anyone to have an abortion. If you have sex take responsibility for your actions and do not do an abortion if you do not think you can handle a baby then at least put him/her up for adoption so that someone who is unable to have a child can care and support the life that is in you!
Bailey - English studentSep 27, 2011 01:22 PM
English student said...
I think a big problem or issue in society today is how we promote drug use and sex and fast money on televisions across the world but get mad when kids result to it. If this problem was resolved by cutting out and banding somethings allowed on t.v I think death rates and teen pregnancy would go down. A down fall would be that those things sell so it would cut back on a lot of money being made and the people that are making the money would definitely have a problem with it. Partially its up to the guardians to monitor what they allow their kids to be involved in and influenced by.
-Matt - English studentSep 27, 2011 01:32 PM
I agree and i disagree about what the person above me is saying. Abortion is wrong but you can and can’t blame the mother for doing it. She might have a really serious for her doing so. Some women have abortions because they are not well enough established to take care of a child. Another reason is that it could be recommended by a doctor because of a serious maybe even a life threatening medical situation to where she has to do it even though that might be against her beliefs or just because she wants to keep her baby. I’m just saying a lot of people don’t believe in it but because you went through it doesn’t make you a baby killer. I see signs all the time when I drive by clinics of protesters waiting for young girls or women to come out the clinic and they are calling them baby killers harassing them to where the police are being called to the scene and I just think people shouldn’t judge other people when you don’t even know their reason for doing the things they do.
Calysha Atwater - English studentSep 27, 2011 01:53 PM
I believe that abortions should be legal, plain and simple. Like people said above they made the choice to have sex and they have the choice to fix it. I know for a fact if i was to have a child I’d want to father it, not give it away, and, if i am not able to give it a good life, i become a bad parent in my eyes. I'd rather fix, for lack of a better word, a mistake rather than live with it. If someone can’t have kids, adopt by all means, but not mine. Mine is mine and no matter what, i want to be in my child’s life, so adoption is not an option for me. I’d rather get rid of it and try again later than not be able to give my child the best life possible. Also like people said above, they think its ok to allow rape victims to have abortions, that’s not fair to non-rape victims who do want to go through pregnancy. Equality is what everyone wants, correct? Then why take away freedom of choice, no matter the situation?
189 Words
Jack Daniel - English studentSep 27, 2011 02:14 PM
As I read the Blog I couldn’t really think of something wrong in the world that we struggle with. As I read over some of my classmates responses I agreed with the majority of them. I see a lot of people saying that abortion is a Big problem in the world today and it is. There are a lot of teens getting abortions and even adults. Abortions are harmful and you wouldn’t know unless you look into it. You wouldn’t know unless you have either been through it our know somebody who has. The reason why I say they are bad is because of the process you have to go through. You are actually killing a growing Child. You are killing something that is growing inside of you. Some people go through abortions because of their own personal problems and some do it for no good reason at all. If you lay down and make a baby, Step up and take care of your responsibility.
Akemia Slaughter
165 words - English studentSep 28, 2011 07:50 PM
I agree with some of the posts from my fellow classmates, in my eyes i see abortion as wrong. There are other options other than ending a life. for instence you could put the chiled up for adoption, i am sure there are many family out there that are looking for kids to join their families. For example women who cant have children of their own for health reason or that they just cant conceive a chiled. these are only but a few of the families that would seek to adopt a chiled. Other families may seek to adopt out of the kindness of their hearts, to give a chiled in need a place to call home and a family who loves them. Every chiled has the right to live, make choices, and even make mistakes. Who are you to take that right away from them? However like everthing is life their is an exception and this is the only way that i believe a chiled should be aborted. If that chiled would 100% kill the mother by being born, then and only then do i think abortion should be an option
Ryan Marshall - English studentSep 28, 2011 09:00 PM
I agree with the post about the gay rights. You can’t help who you love rather it’s right or wrong. I couldn’t imagine being judge for who I love or what I believe in. There are laws that are being past to make it legal in states and I think that’s awesome. Today society needs to realize rather people like it or not its happening and need to get over it. I think just like slavery if people would just stop arguing about what is right and wrong, and listen to what these people actually have to say, they might see that they are just like us. Trying to live a life with the person that they love.
- caitlin - English studentSep 28, 2011 10:24 PM
I agree with the gay right comment because everyone has their own opinion about everything. Just like slavery, some people feel that it was okay to have black people as their servants and some didn’t. Gay rights have been a very big controversy for many years and many years to come. Some may argue that it is not okay because it is not in the bible or it is not like the old times where you were required to marry the person that your family picked for you. You cannot help that you love the same sex as you. You should be judged on the inside and now what you look like. Just like slavery, you were judged on what color you skin was not if you could read well or speak different languages. It is a very big topic that will be around for as long as peoppe still walk this earth.
Emily Harms - English studentSep 29, 2011 09:16 AM
Last year I watched a documentary on a guy named Fred Phelps, He is the owner and pastor and the westboro baptist church. The only other people who belong to his church is his crazy family. The phelps family do activities like protesting and colleges and even worse they will even go as far as bringing there picket signs to things such as funerals for fallen soldiers. These people are completely insane, their signs read things like " god hates soldiers". I cannot believe they are withing their legal rights to do things like stand at a funeral with their signs. It makes me so mad to hear about this, i wonder why the law cant to anything to stop it
- Dylan - English studentSep 29, 2011 09:20 AM
I think that rational discrimination is a big role in today's society still. Even though slavery has been gone for so long people are still racist towards other people. You can go to any place in the United States and people are still segregated. Just going through high school and junior high there was a segregation of the students, I think more people need to start opening up to new cultures and accepting people for who they are. Just because someones a different race or color people just assume that they wont like them, or they just judge them on appearance. I believe it's a very big issue and it's not really looked at in today's society even though you see it almost every day.I think people need to start or try to talk to different people in different races, so they become more open new cultures and new people.
Brandan McDaniel - English studentSep 29, 2011 09:22 AM
One topic I think that the nation faces is its discrimination against convicted felons. Yes, they have committed a crime and they should be punished, which they have, but what kind of rights are they given when they are returned back into the world. Upon release they are immediately branded with the "Scarlett Letter" and are told to go out and be a productive member of society but how is that possible when no one gives them the opportunity to even get as such as a good career. On applications you are required to put down your criminal history and right below it there is a disclaimer stating that you may still have the opportunity to be hired on but is that still really the case? If they have such difficulty getting employed with the businesses out there how does the government expect them to stay off the street and stay clean? How can they be able to meet the means of being able to provide for not only themselves but their families as well. I agree that they should be open about their criminal record but I think they should be given an equal opportunity to better their lives.
Kelly M. Cardwell - English studentSep 29, 2011 09:29 AM
I also agree with the post about the gay right comments because if someone wants to be with the same sex as they are then its what they would want. I believe that people should not be able to tell others what they should do. So like slavery wear they were told to do everything that their "owner" told them to do. Many gay people are judged an kinda told not to be with each other because its wrong or its not the thing to do. Like Emily says you should not be judged on they color of skin you are or how you look. It should be what is on the inside that counts and how people judge how you are to each other. These are very big contrivercys around the world every day. Like being gay is very looked down upon you could say. Its not that you can just change the way you feel about someone just like that because someone tells you that it is wrong its not your fault that is who you like to be with.
-Cheyenne Adams - English studentSep 29, 2011 09:36 AM
I would have to say that I agree with most of my classmates when it comes to gay rights. It should be legal across the states and all over the world. There should not be a barrier, when it comes between the love of two people. It shouldn't matter if they are either of the same sex or opposite sex. People fall in love and you can't control that. You can’t change that and never will be able to. There already plenty of states that are starting to see that there is nothing wrong with it and have been allowing into their laws for the rights of gay marriage. Most people go against this is because it’s not in their bible or not part of their religion. But they can’t be accountable for what they believe in or just because of what they think. Gay rights has been a big controversy for a quite a while now and will keep going for a long time.
-Jorge Arguelles - English studentSep 29, 2011 12:10 PM
Though abortions are considered "morally" wrong to some, I consider myself pro-choice. It's always been so controversial. In the 1950s, when abortion was illegal, women would literally try and use a coat hanger to perform self-surgery. Obviously, this lead to a lot of deaths from internal bleeding, and even infection. There are certain circumstances in which I believe it is okay for a woman to have an abortion. Of course it would be terrible if someone was able to support a child and decided to have an abortion. But if a woman is raped, unable to bear a child (could result in death), not wanting to give the baby away to adoption knowing they wouldn't be able to care for their own child, etc, then it should be okay for her to make her own decision about something that is her's. I do not, however, believe in late-term abortions. There are many other steps that could be taken to prevent that from ever going on so long before realizing they do not want the baby. That actually is killing a baby that could even possibly live with premature birth.
Delaine Hester - English studentSep 29, 2011 01:24 PM
a problem i see a problem with animal cruelty to many people today have pets that they cant take care of its not just dogs and cats even though they make up the majority there is still farm animals and almost any other animal you can think of the exotic wildlife trade traffics more than 50,000 different exotic species its calmed down since the 70s and 80s but its not just the animals there is people out there in the same conditions one way i see to fix the problem is opening more shelters and maybe even renevating some old abandon houses just gotta use effort
- English studentSep 29, 2011 01:55 PM
In society, we always go back in forth with what is right and what is wrong. An example is abortion. Some people may feel that you should not kill another human even if it has not been brought in the world just yet. Many others believe that it is your choice to do what you want to your child. Slavery and abortion are just two of the things that the world will never have an ending topic of what you should do or what you could do. At the end of the day us as people in a judgmental and hateful world will always have an opinion about something.
Amber Sutton - English studentSep 29, 2011 01:59 PM
A problem that i still see today that is morally wrong in my eyes, is racism. Blacks against whites,blacks against Hispanics, or even these races going against their own kind. I really dont think the world understands that if we all come together the world would be a better place. I am totally against the violence we have toward each other...but when you think about it the kkk did not kill each other they killed other races, not to say that its right and we should not kill each other, but they killed someone different from them and their same kind. People should realize that we were all put on this earth for a reason and i don't think that reason was to hate each other and kill each other. I think we were put here to make something out of ourselves so when that day comes when god brings us home, he can say you've accomplished your goal.
Jasmine Miller - English studentSep 29, 2011 02:08 PM
There is one topic that caught my eye, Gay Rights. First of all im Against gay rights, me growing up in a christian home my mother was very strict and made me read the bible.... and The bible says "The image of God is both male and female and is reflected in a godly union between male and female" Marrigae is made for a "Man" & a "Women" Not a man & a man or a woman & a women. God made Adam & Eve not Adam & Adam, or Eve & Eve. Thats why two men or two women couldnt reproduce a child together because there bodies are not made to be together or reproduce kids.
Tawanna Parker - English studentSep 29, 2011 10:21 PM
A very large problem in the united states i would have to say is the government. they create all the rules and set them, sure without rules it would be total madness, but the way they potray themselves of being extremely powerful and unstoppable really gets to me. they have the attitude of "we can do what ever the fuck we want and you have to follow it" type of way of thinking. they set the rules and we follow and who knows maybe in the next 10 years or so the rules that they have know were considered unlawfull. so over all i would have to say the people who create the rules and fool us into thinking that it is ok.im not against them i just think they can approch us in a more humane way.
Xeromy Kaizad
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