environment & public policy :: essays research papers

Environmental Policy and the Government The purpose of the United States' public policy law is to implement restrictions in an effort to solve problems, which is shown with the Clean Water Act and employed to reform the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The United States government is noble in its efforts to preserve the environment through these acts, but the internal structure of public policy often retards these acts' effectiveness. This essay will explore ways in which factors such as horizontal implementation and the divided government affects the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Before one can discuss how these policies affect environmental legislation, a brief description of each must first be lucidly explained. When our government was created, a system of checks and balances was implemented to make sure that no one part of government acquires more power than others. Although this limits the power of anyone person in government, it often slows down the ability of government because a consensus can be hard with a g reat number people collaborating. Horizontal implementation pertains to the implementation with the federal government. There are specific concerns that exists which includes: the breakdown of coordination due to the largest structure of the federal government, language difficulties, the lack of control due to the threat of success by one particular agency, different perspectives, and direct change of intention due to factors such as voter pressure. It's astounding that in the heart of all this madness that anything can be accomplished at all, but thanks to the determination to be re-elected, things have work their way down the federal level or else the person in power will be impeached. Now the question is, what exactly is the Endangered Species Act? An animal is endangered if it is in danger of becoming extinct throughout all or most of its natural range in the wild. An animal is threatened if it is very likely to fall into the endangered category in "the foreseeable future". Endangered species have the possibility of generating boundless resources for the human race including medical uses, research purposes, and atmospheric contributions- namely oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis. The act also sets aside land to protect endangered species. For example, many acres of old growth forest have been set-aside in an effort to preserve the Northern spotted owl. So far, the act has been successful in helping to re-establish populations of the American alligator, the California condor, the Black-footed ferret, and many species of endangered sea turtles.

Ralph Abernathy: A leader of the Civil Rights Movement

Being a prominent leader during the Civil Rights movement was a perilous position to occupy. Very few people have the guts to make themselves the face of a movement, and even fewer succeed at it. Ralph Abernathy was an American Civil Rights activist who advocated equality alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and many others. Ralph Abernathy strived to help establish a more equal and welcoming America for all.Abernathy went on a journey to help change the way America is today and help create a more equal America for all, regardless of race or ethnicity. Ralph Abernathy began gaining the skills to be a leader at a young age, and exemplified those skills by leading multiple demonstrations. Ralph Abernathy was born on March 11, 1926, in Linden, Alabama. He was born into a time of social inequality and race segregation. Abernathy served in the United States Army during WWII and served as a platoon Sergeant, leading his own group of soldiers. After being discharged from the Army, he enrolled a t Alabama State University (ASU).While attending ASU he began to notice how the university was segregated. He gained fame when he started his first demonstrations, protesting the lack of heat and hot water in his dormitory and the dreadful food served in the cafeteria. Later, in 1951, he was called to the Civil Rights Movement when he became the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. As pastor he mentored Martin Luther King Jr. as a minister of a nearby church. They formed a close friendship that would carry on for the rest of their lives.Abernathy developed a leadership role from the start of his life which helped lead him into his role as one of the biggest Civil Rights advocates America had ever had. Abernathy organized, created, and lead multiple different protest and organizations to help the Civil Rights Movement. One of The biggest protests he organized was the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Abernathy organized it with the help of Martin Luther King Jr. and toget her they lead the biggest boycott of the whole Movement. â€Å"It was decided that black people in Montgomery would refuse to use the buses until passengers were completely integrated† (Simkin).This protest was his call to action and one of his main contributions to the movement. Another one of Abernathys main contributions to the Civil Rights Movement was that he founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Martin Luther King Jr. was president of the organization and Abernathy was secretary treasurer.   They worked together in helping to desegregate America and  teaching people how to stand up for themselves and protest non- violently. The biggest trial that Abernathy went through was when his church was â€Å"sieged† by white supremacists. 1,500 men and woman were surrounded and Abernathy was willing to give himself up to save the innocent people stuck in the church.Ultimately, he did not end up sacrificing himself, but this was also a test of his character. â€Å"Over the next few years Abernathy was arrested nineteen times† (Simkin). Abernathy proved himself to be a dedicated, powerful, and resourceful leader. As the Civil Rights Movement progressed, Abernathy's role became a less dire. When Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, Abernathy took over the role as president of the SCLC. Ralph Abernathy led â€Å"daily demonstrations in May and June 1968, just a month after King's assassination† (Kirkland). Some of the important last demonstrations he led were the: Poor Peoples March in Washington D.C. in May, 1968, Atlanta sanitation workers strike in 1968, and lastly the Charleston Hospital workers strike in 1969.Abernathy retired his position as president of the SCLC in 1977. He then ran for a spot in the Georgia Congressional Seat. He was unsuccessful in the running yet continued advocating peace until his retirement. Abernathy's journey came to an end and he retired his title as a leader of the Civil Right s Movement. To conclude, Ralph Abernathy was a dedicated Civil Rights Activist who advocated equality and justice for all. Alongside many others, he accomplished impressive feats that once seemed unreachable. He went on a journey towards helping America become a more equal country. He was tested to his limits and proved himself to be a worthy, dedicated, and powerful leader.

Freedom of Speech vs. Censorship on the Internet - 2126 Words

Freedom of Speech Vs. Censorship: Children on the Internet The internet is a very controversial communication device in today’s society. If desired, one could find information on nearly any topic they choose. Censorship and free speech is a widely discussed topic when dealing with the current freedom of the internet especially when dealing with young minds. Should the internet have censored topics which would be illegal to post and/or view freely by children? Should the internet be a free-for-all arena in which anyone could do as they wish without judgment of others opinions and views imposing on their own? So far in class and in the text Gift of Fire by Sara Baase we have seen many issues dealing with Freedom of Speech and the internet.†¦show more content†¦As a result of this and the international span of the internet, it is hard for the FCC to be an overseer of the medium. Certain controversial laws have attempted to set in place regulations that censor ethically and socially dubious materials from publication on the web. The topic that has been at the forefront of debate deals with obscene materials. This is a heated topic because the definition of obscenity is very vague and subject to interpretation. What is considered to be â€Å"obscene† can be viewed very differently depending on ones personal morals, beliefs, and values. For example, a parent who is highly religious and living in the United States may view nudity on cable television as obscene and pornographic for their child to view, while a person with the same religious beliefs living in Europe or another part of the world may just view this as art or entertainment. This is due to the difference in societal views on obscenity. To get to the root of what is considered obscene, a test for judging obscene material was set in the case of Miller v. California. This modern test for obscenity consists of three parts: â€Å"(1) the proscribed material must depict or describe sexual conduct in a patently offensive way, (2) the conduct must be specifically described in the law, and (3) the work must,Show MoreRelatedGovernments Censoring Internet Content1490 Words   |  6 Pagespros and cons of government involvement in controlling the content of the Internet. Everyday technology is getting more sophisticated, meaning that nowadays it is easy to explore about a certain issue via online connection and be near the world. In the present, as long as you have Internet connection, you have the ability to have access to all kind of information that is posted on Internet. There is a huge debate whether internet should be regulated or not, and this is excepted to continue in the upcomingRead More The Controversy Over Inte rnet Censorship Essay1152 Words   |  5 PagesThe Controversy Over Internet Censorship   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For many people, using the Internet has become practically a new way of life, especially for college students and the like.   Various types of information can be accessed at the touch of a button: anything from encyclopedias, to surveys and essays, to articles from magazines, and adult sites.   Anyone who pays for their Internet service is usually offered space for his or her own web page, and even many free services provide space for personal webRead MoreEssay Arguing the Opposition of Censorship867 Words   |  4 PagesArguing the opposition of Censorship For centuries, government nations and society have been withholding certain pieces of information from the public to ensure safety and prevent catastrophic out bursts; this detainment of public knowledge is called censoring. Censorship started in the early twentieth century, when profane literature began to surface in the wake of World War I; ever since then its been a normal part of all society. Without the use of censorship and the methods used to sustain informationRead More Censorship and the Internet Essay1213 Words   |  5 Pagesinformation available on the internet many people believe that some of this information should be censored by the United States Government. Whos to say what should be accessible and what should not? Where does it start and stop? Does internet censorship make a nation a safer place to live? There are many countries that don’t allow the use of the internet at all and some countries only censor what they don’t want their citizens to kno w. Daniel Calingaert said â€Å"The internet has provided greater spaceRead MoreAnalysis Of The Stimulus Material Given I Saw A Relationship Between Mexico And The United States Essay2124 Words   |  9 Pagesintroduction of the Internet many governments need to change. This change would come through passing different laws which would censor the Internet and in doing so, limit freedom of speech, because this is widely controversial in the US. I began to look at why this is so controversial. According to Andrea Leadsom, a Conservative Member of Parliament for South Northamptonshire, the Internet should be censored for the kids. She states this because of the many inappropriate websites on the Internet, making itRead MoreOn January 1, 2016, The Institute Of Contemporary History1736 Words   |  7 Pageshad to contend with a lot of criticism due to their strong censorship of Mein Kampf. According to one commentator, letting people read the book and make their mind meditate upon its content could do more to fight fascism rather than strict censorship (Horn). Unfortunately, not many governments view censorship in this light. In the current digital age, it is extremely hard to completely block the distribution of any book. In fact, censorship often raises the curiosity of the public, leading to an evenRead More Pornography on the Internet Essay1710 Words   |  7 PagesPornography on the Internet The Internet is a method of communication and a source of information that is becoming popular among those who are interested in the information superhighway. The problem with this world we know as Cyberspace, the ‘Net, or the Web is that some of this information, including pornographical material and hate literature, is being accessible to minors. Did you know that 83.5% of the images available on the Internet are pornographical? Did you know that the Internet’sRead MoreA Review of the Issues Surrounding Internet Censorship and Cross-National Information Conflict2681 Words   |  11 Pagesa brief review of the government censorship over internet, which is turning into a national dilemma as well as the cross-national conflict which affect the global businesses. Nowadays, internet censorship is widely accepted standard regulation that controls any information available on the internet and by using filtering tools to prevent people from accessing materials that are considered to be inappropriate. While government support the use of internet censorship as a protection of public securityRead MoreEssay on Freedom of Cyber-Speech2082 Words   |  9 PagesFreedom of Cyber-Speech      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Freedom of speech has always been an important issue in American society.   With the advent of the Internet as a high-speed communication device, this issue has become even more prominent in recent years.   This paper will explore the issue of whether the Internet should be censored. Additionally, it will investigate possible methods for undertaking this censorship.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since 1787, the Constitution has been integral part of American society.   TheRead MoreThe Case Of Naked 1607 Words   |  7 Pagesimage could be captured and shared. When Nadia s coworker one day captures a video of her sunbathing nude and shares it on the internet she begins to be harassed and her mom seems to abandon her. Nadia s co - worker, it is was unethical for her to take the video of Nadia and post it on the internet. The co - worker knew who Nadia was but decided to put it on the internet for the world to see. As her co - worker, he or she oversteps their boundaries of respecting work relationships. The co - worker