Ethical Issues In U.S. Immigration Policies Essays - Demography

Ethical Issues In U.S. Immigration Policies The sun seems unrelenting as it beats down on the two families huddled together in a rickety makeshift boat. The rafters have been floating in the open sea for what seems to them like years. Their food and water supplies have run out and the littlest ones cry out of hunger. But the keep going. Because they know that once their feet touch the land of opportunity their prayers will be answered. Finally, their raft makes it to the ankle-deep waters and they are only a few short steps away from dry land and freedom. As quickly as the wave of relief and happiness rushes over the rafters, so does it disappear. The Coast Guard is there and telling them that they will be shipped back. So close to freedom. Other families know what its like to have freedom snatched away. After years of working six days a week for miniscule wages, sewing dresses or picking vegetables, they have had freedom and the opportunity of a better life taken away after being rounded up by Immigration Naturalization Services and deported back to Guatemala, Honduras, or Mexico. These are only two examples of the travesties that occur daily in the land of opportunity and freedom?the Unites States of America. The United States was built by immigrants, many seeking a new life in a new land. Before 1882, anyone could move to the United States. As the population grew, however, the Federal government decided to control immigration. But they have done this in a very inconsistent manner, letting some people in from one country more than others from another country. The current U.S. immigration policy is immoral, unethical and inconsistent in its dealings with immigrants. Early immigration laws aimed to preserve the racial, religious, and ethnic composition of the United States, which was then largely European (Wilbanks, 1993, p.1). The first immigration laws were aimed at nonwhites. In 1882, for example, the Chinese Exclusion Act suspended immigration from China for sixty years. In addition, in 1907, President Roosevelt, negotiated an informal ?gentleman's agreement? with Japan, under which the United States promised to desegregate its California schools in exchange for the promise from the Japanese government to stop the immigration of its citizens (Anderson, 1998, p.2). Soon, however, Americans were complaining about European immigrants as well, especially those of eastern and southern Europe. As a consequence, Congress passed a new law in 1921 based on quotas; only a certain number of individuals with a given background or heritage could move to the United States. And only 30 percent of those could be from eastern or southern Europe (Anderson, 1998, p.2). Again in 1952, we see the same kind of discrimination when President Truman signed the McCarran-Walter Act. Under this law, ideology became a criterion for admission. Political beliefs were questioned as the government sought to weed out people with even a marginally communist background (Wilbanks, 1993, p.4). In the last half of the century new laws emerged seeking to abolish quotas that discriminated against nationalities, replacing it instead with an overall limit of immigrants allowed into the country. These new policies, however, not only did not end discrimination and unethical treatment against immigrants but also touched off a serious illegal immigration problem. The latest and most extensive of these laws came with the 1996 Immigration Act which doubled the U.S.-Mexico border control force to 10,000 agents over five years and adds fences to the most heavily trafficked areas of the U.S.-Mexico border. The controversy over immigration emerges between advocates of the open door policy and those who support restrictions on immigration. Those Americans who support restrictions on the number of immigrants allowed into the United States annually feel that our country is ?running out of room? (Carr, 199, p.2). They also feel that we are being overrun by immigrants who intent on draining our resources. On the other hand, those who support an open-door policy, feel that the unethical treatment of immigrants must stop. These open-door supporters argue that the 700,000 immigrants allowed into the country annually is not enough. This overall limit should be lifted and replaced with an open-door policy, which would allow any number of people in without question. These supporters also

Versions of Libertarianism

Versions of Libertarianism Introduction The doctrine of libertarianism entails that people have inherent or natural rights. These rights should not be taken away (Shaw and Vincent 15). It is an immoral act for anyone or for the governments to deny people their rights.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Versions of Libertarianism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Examples of these natural rights include the right to own property, the right to personal autonomy and the right to use unused resources. According to this school of thought, the society can cooperate and coexist well when people respect their natural rights. The paper delineates the two versions of libertarianism namely total libertarianism and moderate libertarianism. Total libertarianism According to this version of libertarianism, people are protected by the government. The government has the obligation of ensuring that all the rights of people are protected. The government needs to fo rmulate rules that ensure individuals are well protected. Therefore, the citizens should be protected from activities like breach of contracts, fraud, theft and any subjection of force. Moderate libertarianism This version of libertarianism ensures that the government protects free and fair competition in the markets. People should be allowed to carry on with their businesses and other activities without restriction provided they are not violating the rights of others. For instance, there should be no monopolies, oligopolies and integrations in the market. The market should be free to allow people make progress in their duties without restrictions.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Strengths of total libertarianism One of the strengths of total libertarianism is that it ensures that people are protected from mistreatment. People have equal rights and nobody should violate the m. Further, it ensures that people coexist well in a society. It fosters transparency and honesty in the society as people respect each other’s rights. For instance, no person should steal someone’s property as this would amount to violation of natural rights. Weaknesses One weakness is that it is difficult for human beings to govern themselves. Therefore, a government should be formed to ensure that these rights are practiced. Further, the government, which is bestowed the responsibility of ensuring the protection, may not have the right mechanism or may be biased in its decisions, hence can have negative impact on the process. Strength of the moderate libertarianism This ensures that people cooperate and coexist with one another without restrictions or limitations. It enhances unity in the society. Moreover, it promotes the spirit of togetherness and discipline in a society as people make decisions at free will. Weaknesses libertarianism This form of government poses a risk of exploitation, especially in situations when it does not participate in decision-making. For instance, it leads to monopolies that may exploit innocent people.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Versions of Libertarianism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More People may take the law in their hands and cause harm to others due to the absence of a body like the government to monitor their moves. Of these two free market philosophies, total libertarianism makes more sense. It ensures that the rights of an individual are fully protected. No person is supposed to be deprived of such rights. Therefore, this allows people in a society to respect and coexist with one another well. This philosophy best addresses the current unequal distribution of wealth. The society is required to use what they have and assist one another. It is the right of every individual to own property and use available resources to uplift his/her li fe. Therefore, total libertarianism gives an equal opportunity for every member of the society to use resources to amass wealth. There is no restriction, hence it can help to alleviate unequal wealth distribution facing the world today. Shaw, William, and Vincent Barry. Moral Issues in Business. 12th ed. Paperback, 2012. Print.

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 47

History - Essay Example In over four hundred years ago, some of the settlers and Europeans coexisted peacefully, while others fought each other. Even today, many people are still migrating to America to seek a better life. Although slave trade is outdated, there is a high rise of illegal immigrants. Immigration is relevant in today’s world; it has a great impact on the economy. People who run factories, restaurants and farms, find immigrants helpful in their businesses. Immigrants are a cheap source of labor. Therefore, this means low operating costs, high profits, and low prices for commodities produced. For some Americans, immigrants are a hurt to the economy, for instance, high school drop outs who are seeking jobs say immigrants are interfering with the job entry level to take lower wages. Other groups in the society believe immigrants provide a great source of labor, which result to high yield. Immigrants spending on necessities like food, shelter and clothing leads to an increase in domestic gross product. Immigration has resulted to an increase in population, with an estimate of 82% increase from the immigrants. The immigrants come with a positive attitude to excel; they are known to be creative, industrious and adventurous. Many of the immigrants start their businesses that contribute to revenue. In social circles, racism is experienced towards the immigrants, especially the minority groups. For instance, racism exists between the Africa Americans and the non-white Latino immigrants. Attacks and fights have also been experienced between African immigrants and Africa Americans. Because of migration, religion has great diverse in America. For instance, increase in Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Politically, most of the immigrants associate with groups that address immigration issues. The issue of shared amenities is believed to strain a state with time. For instance, if water sources are not increased, then people will

Analysis of a foreign film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of a foreign film - Essay Example The major characters are Li Mu Bai ( Chow Yun Fat), Yu Shu Lien ( Michelle Yeoh), Yu Jiaolong ( Zhang Zhi-Yi), Jade Fox ( Chang Chen). The movie’s plot is great due to its historical undertones and stimulating conflict which makes the story interesting for the viewers. Even from 100 critics nationwide, it was hailed as â€Å"Best Picture of the Year† according to Sony pictures. The over-all direction can be credited to Ang Lee who is also known for the masterpiece â€Å"Sense and Sensibility†. Thus, the fusion of evocative drama and balletic martial arts is enough to entertain even a jaded moviegoer. Moreover, the story’s theme does not only focus on revenge but also on a love story that is failed from the very start. The rating given to the movie is PG-13 due to martial arts violence and sexuality. Nevertheless, the movie is appealing to moviegoers of all ages. From the characters alone, one would observe that this movie is very Asian as ethnic Chinese actors were used in this movie. The first theme that one would see in the movie is â€Å"hidden love† that eventually became a failed love affair. Yu Shu Lien and Li-Mu Bai have feelings for one another but they have so much respect for the one person they both loved. This makes them live their whole life with so much longing for each other. Although both of them are considered might warriors, they are both cowards when it comes to expressing their love for one another. This a characteristic of Asian cultures where one would place self-sacrifice over personal gains. Here, love is forbidden because they chose to do so. It was excruciating to see them subtly expressing their affection for one another through looks or subtle verbal messages. Unfortunately, they both lose the chance to express that love since Li Mu Bai died from poison darts. Love is such a terrible thing to waste and Yu Shu Lien felt the pangs of regret. Aside from these two characters, another parallel love

Criminal Law Problem question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Criminal Law Problem question - Essay Example The relevant facts in the Kennedy case are substantially similar to the facts in the given problem. In Kennedy, as in the case of Edward, the defendant merely prepared a dose of heroin for the deceased. It was the deceased who self-administered the drug as in Lisa's case. In the Kennedy case, the court ruled that defendant Kennedy cannot be held criminally liable for manslaughter. Applying the Kennedy ruling, then Edward cannot likewise be held criminally liable for Lisa's death because Edward was not the one who injected the deceased with the drug. Under the same principle, Sarah cannot likewise be held criminally liable for Lisa's death as she was not the one who injected Lisa with the drug. Notably, Edward (unlike in Kennedy) was not also the one who gave the syringe to the deceased. If Kennedy (who was the one who gave the syringe to the deceased) is not criminally liable, then a fortiori Edward should not also be held criminally liable for Lisa's death since he was not even the one who gave the syringe to the deceased. In ruling for the defendant, the Kennedy court had occasion to discuss the elements of the crime of unlawful act manslaughter: (1) that the defendant committed an unlawful act; (2) that such unlawful act was a crime and (3) that the defendant's unlawful act was a significant cause of the death of the deceased. In the given problem, Edward admittedly committed an unlawful (and criminal) act by supplying the heroin to the deceased. The mere act of supplying heroin, however, could not have possibly caused Lisa's death since "the supply of drugs would itself have caused no harm unless the deceased had subsequently used the drugs in a form and quantity which was dangerous."2 Clearly, any unlawful act manslaughter charge cannot be based on the mere act of supplying the heroin. According to the Kennedy court, the heroin (as in the given problem) is described as "freely and voluntaril

Social Structure Of Mesopotamians And Egyptians History Essay

Social Structure Of Mesopotamians And Egyptians History Essay The social structure from one empire to another can vary a lot. It depended mostly on the wealth of the empire, the way the empire came to be, and other factors. In the case of the Mesopotamians and Egyptians, there were some similarities, but also some differences. Those differences included the social roles that women played in their respective empires, among other things. The Mesopotamian Empire had many opportunities to accumulate wealth. Thus, their social structure became much more clearly defined than other Neolithic communities. In early Mesopotamia, the ruling class consisted of kings and nobles who previously were great warriors. Later on, however, royal status became hereditary. The royal class was looked upon highly, and people often thought of them as part divine. Next in the social chain were the priests and priestesses, many of whom were related to the rulers in some way. Their main responsibility was to intervene with the gods and ensure good fortune for their communities. In exchange for this service, priests and priestesses led a luxurious life. Also in the social structure were free commoners. They mostly worked as farmers in the countryside or in other manufacturing jobs. Dependent clients were another class in the social structure. They possessed no property and usually worked as agricultural laborers. The last rung on the social lad der were slaves. Slaves came from three main sources: prisoners of war, convicted criminals, and people who sold themselves into slavery in order to satisfy their obligations. Most slaves were domestic servants in wealthy households, but some worked as agricultural laborers as well. The Egyptian social structure had some similarities and differences. Like the Mesopotamians, Egyptians had a well-defined social class system. Also, the Egyptian peasants and slaves played a similar role in society as the Mesopotamian peasants and slaves. However, the organization of the ruling classes differed significantly. While Mesopotamians had a series of urban kings, Egyptians had one supreme, central ruler called the pharaoh. The Egyptians had no need for nobles since the pharaoh was the absolute ruler. Instead, Egyptians relied on professional military forces and government officials. This allowed for individuals of common birth to have a higher likelihood of attaining high positions compared to Mesopotamians. The differences between the social classes of the Egyptians and Mesopotamians allowed each of them to have their own unique empires. The conditions of women were also very different between the Mesopotamians and the Egyptians. In Mesopotamia, women had subordinate legal status. However, they did have a certain amount of influence politically, economically, and socially. At ruling courts in Mesopotamia, women sometimes advised the government. Other held great power as high-ranking priestesses. Other Mesopotamian women were able to receive a formal education and pursue a career. Unfortunately, Mesopotamian men began to progressively tighten their control over the social and sexual behavior of women in the second millennium B.C.E. Egyptian women were able to have an even bigger impact on society. There was a time when a woman pharaoh took power (Queen Hatshepsut). Other women also had substantial amounts of power as priestesses. Some got formal educations as well. The Mesopotamian and Egyptian social structures had both differences and similarities. Both empires social systems were well-defined, and included similar roles for peasants and slaves. However, the rest of their system was somewhat different, especially their ruling classes. Though both gave women some social influence, Egyptians provided more powerful opportunities for women. Both empires had a successful and well-enforced social class system.

Finding My Way Home :: Personal Narrative Religion Christianity Essays

Finding My Way Home I was the king and master of my domain, and all that I saw was good. When I decided to write new chapters in my life in the world of College Academia, I entered a realm that was anything but familiar to me. Constant battles and trials raging day and night for each month of my freshman year became known as Hades’ Gauntlet. The first challenge I faced was dealing with the seeds of conspiracy and betrayal. I was the leader in my church’s youth group for a few years, where I led my â€Å"friends† into a positive direction of peace and prosperity. Around the same time I started my college journeys, I was at my finest hour. I saw success, happiness, and admiration of many people around me. But what I didn’t see was the hidden jealousy and hatred a few people had towards me and storms over the horizon. I found myself in a dispute with a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and because his significant other at the time is the daughter of the head of the youth group, he decided it was best to banish me from the youth group and strip away my duties and sources of accomplishment and hope. He then handed over my reigns to his daughter, who treated me as harshly as the executioner to the prisoner. To add to it, he persuaded the Senior Pastor to prevent me from being in any leadership positi ons, in an effort to encourage/force me to leave the church completely. He also did this, because he, for some reason, resented my father, who decided to leave my church one month before I started my college life. What did I do to deserve this? Suddenly, the skies turned black, and this was a direct reflection of the pain I experienced. A perfectly good ministry turned into the vulture’s nest, then into a mockery of what was true and what was right. I felt that every time I walked into the same church I’ve been in my whole life, I now entered enemy lines. Each second the vipers gazed their eyes upon me, I could feel their venomous strikes invading my heart, filling it with poison. I was no longer home, and my church became a prison to me, where I was fed to the mob and the Triad of Traitors.