A review of black lives matter a modern social movement in America Essay Example for Free

A review of black lives matter a modern social movement in America Essay Abstract The prominence of the Black Lives Matter is a reform of social justice in America. There are many layers to the movement including and having to do with feminism, an ideological change, as well as a different psychology. It holds the future of social justice. It has been over a century since the formal end to American slavery, and decades since the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s, but social justice and an egalitarian society does not yet exist. But with the knowledge and teachings that can change that attitude, the movement will continue to grow and make the strides that are necessary to change the lives of the people who help make America. Black Lives Matter: Beyond a Movement â€Å"Black Lives Matter† is very well known and everyone has a ready association when hearing it. I have always found it most interesting that this movement has come with so much mockery. Mockery in the sense that for all the people that take it seriously and for the people whose daily lives are affected, there are just as many people if not more who come with the opposition. The opposition make other slogans (i.e. â€Å"All Lives Matter†, â€Å"Blue Lives Matter†, â€Å"White Lives Matter†, etc.) This makes a mockery of the issue (Yancy Butler, 2015). They are saying, your issue is not a real one, get over it. And also saying, maybe you should think about us first, and how you are affecting our lives. It is more than a movement at the end of the day, and this is because the more people do not take the issue seriously, the more Black lives are taken in horrible ways without a valid reason. Even then, a major problem of victim blaming occurs with every one of these cases and the â€Å"Blue Life† that matters are able to get off scot-free and continue their life. So clearly the blue life matters, but what about the Black life that was taken by that blue life (Maclin, 1991)? Why are some people given the right and privilege to decide who gets to live? Of course, everyone is aware of the answers to these hypothetical questions I present. The power of the hierarchy of society and race is deep-rooted inside all of us (Maclin, 1991). And it does not seem to change, it makes strives toward changes, but it does not change like it should. It is constantly the same story day after day, decade after decade, and at this point, century after century. The big question now, asks everyone wh at they are able to do for their country. The minority population and the African-American population create America and they are just as much of the country as any other ethnicity. â€Å"We completely expect those who benefit directly and improperly from white supremacy to try to erase our existence.† (Garza, 2014). I like the usage of the word, improperly, in this article. The author is addressing the movement from the perspective of a Black queer woman. The word fits perfectly into defining so much of society. It is improper, how the current social situation is so prominent today. Roughly 50 years ago was the Civil Rights Movement, that is in the lifetime of many people alive today and yet it does not concern so many that the same issues are here today. The distribution of power and right to life has been given to a select few. Not even given, but taken by a select few, who have and continue to refuse to give it up (Garza, 2014). The right to life, it essentially has been taken from the those who are not white males- the normal (Garza, 2014). And Black lives are given the least regard to their life. Black Lives Matter also serves as an ideology. It even perhaps serves better to be categorized as an ideology. It is an ideology that brought a uniformity to the anger and frustration with the obvious social injustices occurring (Thomas, 2004). Especially, after the tragic killing of Trayvon Martin and the verdict that allowed the killer, George Zimmerman to go back home. After the ruling, the anger and sparked outrage of the Black community, made people worry for Zimmerman. It made the white community worry for their own lives. This truly is irony at its finest (Yancy Butler, 2015). It is more than a misunderstanding of the point. It was disregarded, that this verdict justified the killing of completely innocent Black lives. But rather than worrying about the people who cannot walk down a street, without having to worry about being killed. And their families who have to deal with the death of a loved one and then watch as their killer went free. But then be told that it does not ma tter. And justify it with, ‘all lives matter’ (Yancy Butler, 2015). Through my research, I noticed there are typically two different types of papers written on this topic: either from a perspective looking at the whole or from the perspective of a Black woman. I find this very interesting, there are multiple struggles going on through this entire movement and ideological change. But there is the other issue of Black feminism that also needs addressing. I find it both compelling and significant that Black women both support the greater picture with their fellow man, but also separate themselves because they are different and need something else (Thomas, 2004). Black women are similar to Black men in some ways and similar to white women in some ways, but are different from both of them- they cannot completely identify with either one, in order to find further justice (Thomas, 2004). I have always considered myself a feminist, but unfortunately, not until more recently did I know that there are actually different types of feminism and feminists struggles. There is white feminism and there is also Black feminism and Hispanic feminism (which can be grouped together and separately as well). White women argue for some basic rights such as equal pay and respect to work outside of the home. Whereas minority women fight for even more basic rights than that, such as getting hired for a job (Thomas, 2004). They are not just asking for equal pay in a salary job, but for their job applications to not be thrown away for a minimum wage job because of their name. But just like in all feminism, it is important to give people who believe and support the feminist struggle, to separate themselves from the people who do not (Garza, 2014). This is because until there is true equality, the people who support it are different, and the difference raises attention. But, looking at the b igger picture, white feminism is the issue that is raising attention and not so much of the feminist struggle of minorities (Garza, 2014). The ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement creates a new foundation in psychology. Psychology is in part the study of behavior. But the psychology most people study, leave people out, large groups of people are left out (Thomas, 2004). One of these groups is the Black community and even further is Black women (Thomas, 2004). The issues are established, many people are ignorant of it or they chose to ignore it, but knowledge serves as a powerful tool. Social justice starts from the ground up. The racial institution that America exemplifies all so much prevents Black Americans from accomplishing the ‘American dream’. The Black community is stereotypically living in poverty, living in ‘ghettos’, and cannot get jobs. They are blamed for their own issues, as they deserve what they are getting out of life (Garcà ­a Sharif, 2015). But rather than realizing that it is the racism of America that is keeping any minority and especially the Black community from going anywhere (Garcà ­a Sharif, 2015). Many Black Americans have made great accomplishments, but not only are they ignored and not taught about, but are made to seem as exceptions. Successful Black people are not like the normal Black person, they lucked out or they were given some special situation that allowed them to accompli sh anything. There is a deep-rooted problem even with the Black community, that is given from within. They are told they are hated by society and therefore they should see problems with themselves, too (Garcà ­a Sharif, 2015). No one who is not living outside of the white standard should be proud of themselves, in fact, they need to take it one step farther and be ashamed of themselves. Not only ashamed of their own appearance but be afraid to accomplish anything (Garcà ­a Sharif, 2015). Everyone is held up against the white standard, not only in physical beauty but also with development and academic development and progress. If a Black person is more successful than a white person in academics, then there must be some sort of mistake. There has to be another reason for this, perhaps something is wrong with the Black student. This is just one of the many ways social injustice is justified with society. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy with Black children (and even throughout their lives) . They are told they are problems within the classroom and if they accomplish more than a white student, it is not because they are smart. It is probably because they are too hyper or they are not listening to directions. When a person is told they are not good enough, then they will not be good enough (Garcà ­a Sharif, 2015). A person is just as good as other people tell them they are because they take on the role they are told that they have. Black Lives Matter is a â€Å"mode of address† (Yancy Butler, 2015). It is against society telling that an entire group of people that every other life is above yours. So as long as anyone who is not Black is dying, then Black lives and the unjust loss of can be addressed later (or in other words, never) (Yancy Butler, 2015). Black men and women, even boys and girls, are seen and portrayed by society and police as scary, dangerous, aggressive, and violent. Constantly, the testimonies of these murder cases will reveal the cop’s description of the victim as forceful or aggressive (Yancy Butler, 2015). When watching the videos, it is clear this just is not true. But also there is an issue of the cop’s word and racist mindsets, makes people see the video through a lens. It is quite evident that it does not matter how a Black person presents themselves because they are never good enough. The stress, discouragement, outrage, depression, etc., etc. resulting from rac ism and hate acts, is detrimental to the health of the Black community (Garcà ­a Sharif, 2015). The growing importance of social media is resulting in a large part of ‘Black Lives Matter’. Not only education but the usage of social media, I think, will only continue to help the movement toward social justice. What is so amazing about social media is that it is accessible to people all across the country and even the world, within seconds. It does not take more than a few minutes for the entire world to see the video of a horrible killing of another Black life. Or the ruling in yet another unjustified ruling letting goes another cop who killed an unarmed Black man or woman. The videos are hard to watch. And making it even better, once they are on the internet they do not ever really go away. What is so important in a movement, ideology, psychology such as Black lives matter is that the people who have died do not go forgotten. It is crucial that their names are known, giving them a life. Once they are identified and their story is told under ‘young black manâ €™, etc., their story goes with all the other people who are said to not matter. We must be able to see the totally egalitarian society, we must be able to see the possibility of in order for it to ever have a true chance. This movement starts, to say this is done, and we need this- NOW. And we have to listen and respond and see the future as such to move forward successfully. References Garza, A., Tometi, O., Cullors, P. (2014). A herstory of the# BlackLivesMatter movement. Jee-Lyn Garcà ­a, J., Sharif, M. Z. (2015). Black lives matter: a commentary on racism and public health. American journal of public health, 105(8), e27-e30. Maclin, T. (1991). Black and Blue Encounters-Some Preliminary Thoughts About Fourth   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Amendment Seizures: Should Race Matter. Val. UL Rev., 26, 243. Thomas, V. G. (2004). The psychology of Black women: Studying women’s lives in context.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Journal of Black Psychology, 30(3), 286-306. Yancy, G., Butler, J. (2015). What’s wrong with ‘all lives matter’?. New York Times, 12, 156.

Cause of Ethnic Conflict in the Middle East

Cause of Ethnic Conflict in the Middle East Politics and the Economy of the Contemporary Middle East:  Explain the cause of the ethnic conflicts in the Middle East. When referring to the nature of any conflict, it must be emphasized that no conflict is a result of a single cause. Various conflicts and rivalries which appear to be a big threat to the Middle East and Northern Africa, are also an important menace for global security. The conflicts escalated especially after the end of the era of colonialism, when territorial issues started to emerge in the region, due to the fact that the whole region was segmented to be under the mandates of several Western countries. (Bleich, 2005) This kind of conflicts can appear not only on an interstate level, but also, in many cases they can be observed on an inner-state level. Causes for these conflicts widely vary, having grounds on religious, ethnic, political and social aspects. Each of the factors constituting the conflict creates certain dynamics in generating the latter. Thus, it makes the process of understanding it fairly troublesome. On the face, one can argue that peoples living in the Middle East are highly undesirable to have any conflicts, especially the Arab population of the territory, provided that most of it shares not only the same religion, but also fairly similar traditions and history. In this essay I will try to explain the intertwined relations of ethnicity and religion as an originator of conflict, and I will try to provide the causes of ethnic conflicts in the Middle East both from inner-state and inter-state aspects, backing them up with case studies of Arab-Israeli confrontation and the Kurdish issues in Turkey, Iran and Iraq. Even long before the latest happenings of the Arab Spring, religion was recognized as an engine of Arab politics. The elections held in 2011 in Tunisia and Egypt, where Muslim Brothers and Salafist partners together won two-third of the assemblies speak in favour of the arguments that give support for the idea of political Islam. (Fakir, 2014) Even though those in lead of Middle East maintained control over religious sector of their countries, (best proof of which are al-Azhar in Egypt, Muffis in Saudi Arabia, direct influence in Iraq in case of Sadam Husein) the great pains taken by them, turned out to be not strong enough to iron out the appeal of religion. (Juergensmeyer, 2013) However, the assertion that religion occupies central role in the given conflicts is not totally justified, the best proof of which is zero involvement of Shi’a minority and Copts in Egypt, the Christian and Baha’i minorities in Iran in rebellion of 1988, irrespective of undergoing high level of religious discrimination. (Juergensmeyer, 2013) Most part of the ethnic minorities failed to accomplish their aspirations for having an autonomous state which is likely to result in future periodic confrontations. One of the major ethnic conflicts happening in this region is the issue of Kurdish people living on the territories of several countries in the Middle East. This is an issue of high priority in Turkey, Iraq, Syria and Iran, and its significance keeps growing bigger paralleled with the population of Kurdish people, who appear to be one of the biggest nations in the world, who do not have an official state (30-40 million people). (Roy, 2011) The rise of the national identity among the Kurdish people has always been a complex and controversial process. The high risk of tension is still present in the Northern part of Iraq which is mostly inhabited by the Kurdish people. It is a potential source of a great number of confrontations between Kurds and the Iraqi government. Consisting of series of wars it broke out shortly after the collapse of Ottoman Empire to last until the invasion of Iraq in the year 2003. The first phase of Iraqi-Kurdish confrontation dates back to World War I and the arrival of British forces. It was back then when the leader of Series of Kurdish uprisings against British mandate declared the short-to-leave the â€Å"Kurdish Kingdom†. Ultimately it resulted in fail. Decades that ensued saw several more attempts to negotiate and fight against Iraqi rule, however, it was not until 1961 when history witnessed First Iraqi-Kurdish War followed by negotiation stage the unfruitful nature of which triggered hostility to start second phase of the confrontation known as Second Iraqi Kurdish War. The consequence was reinvasion of the northern part of the country by Iraqi government. The recharge of the conflicts involving Kurdish parties on one side and Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on the other was witnessed by 1986 with Kurds gaining military backup from Iran. (Fox, 2005) This is the pe riod when Iraqi government implemented a campaign which brought death to estimate of around 50.000 to 100.000 people. (Human Rights Watch, 1992) Rebellions that shook Iraq after the War in Gulf saw merely Kurds to document a success, that of unrecognized autonomy in the non-fly zone. However, this was by far not the most considerable gain of Kurdish struggle. With the overthrow of Saddam rule recognition of autonomy was reached. Even after the Gulf War, when the soil for creating an independent entity was given inner struggle (between two leading parties that of Kurdish Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurds) stood wall to the way of national victory. (Fox, 2005) The case of Iraq shows that Kurdish people, being a minority in an Arab country, although most part of the minority having the same religion with Iraqi Arabs, sharing a history of several centuries as well as sharing their culture and traditions, still claimed independence, mostly due to the large population number ( an estimated 6 million people) (Roy, 2011), and the idea of self-determination, accompanied with the ethnic tensions towards Kurds by the Iraqi government. The roots of the Kurdish issue in modern day Turkey are documented as early as the desolation of the Ottoman Empire, while the first documents proving the existence of this ethnic group in this area date back to 10th and 11th centuries. (BOÄÅ ¾AZÄ °Ãƒâ€¡Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ° UNIVERSITY, 2006) Since the early era of the Ottoman Empire, Kurds lived in peace with the local peoples, the historical fact that triggered the ethnic conflict, which still has a big impact on the development of the latter is the Treaty of Sevres, according to which the Kurds were promised a vast territory, which they called Kurdistan. The promised lands were never given to the Kurdish people provided that the treaty was cancelled because of the great pains taken by the Turkish newly born democratic government. But the struggle to get a personal homeland existed ever since the signing of the treaty. The most significant reasons for the Kurdish issue are the economic underdevelopment of the Kurd populated regions, along with the political lawlessness of the Kurdish population, the passive development of the social and cultural life and the ignorance of Turkish government towards the Kurdish national human rights. The aspiration of the Kurdish people for self-determination and the desire to play a political role proportional to its population in Turkey, also gives a firm background for the escalation of the conflict. Another major factor is the geopolitical location of the so-called â€Å"Turkish Kurdistan† which is considered to be in the very central part of Middle East and although it has always been a vast arena for endless wars throughout the history, the state policy of the Turkish government clearly prompts that the idea of independent Kurdistan will never come true. The conflict between Israel and Palestine, which then developed to a bigger scale confrontation between most of the Arab world and Israel is a good example of a range of inter-state conflicts. The precise start date of the Arab-Israeli conflict is not clearly documented as far as the fight over the territory has lasted for a considerable period of time. Central subject of which appears to be the dispute over drawing clear borders between the two countries. Undoubtedly the conflict is considerably more controversial and complex. To fully understand the causes behind the conflict between Arab and Israeli people one should not downsize the number of various factors, which trigger the escalation of the tension. On contrary, a holistic approach should be applied and even the smallest constituents are to count in order to get the real picture. After the United Nations resolution 181, Jews, who counted less than one third of the inhabitance of the region, owning only eight percent of the te rritory were given the chance of owning more than fifty percent of the Palestinian territories. (UN, 1947) This gave birth to a fight between Jews and Palestinian Arabs to which a solution has not been found yet. Two confronting sides longing for homeland wanted to be gifted national independence with the help of the powerful British state, who was a big colonialist back then. Self-determination and the independence, not alien to the nature of the conflict, did not, however, occupy the central rule in its origin. Regardless of the appeal to label the conflict as ethnic or religious the fundamental cause is political, that is to say a fight for control over territories. The micro concepts which narrows down the nature of conflict to a religious aspect, thus blaming on Zionism and Jewish identity ignore the fact that Zionism is a political ideology whereas Judaism bears a religious and cultural nature. (WRMEA, 2014) Not minimizing the role of religion in the given conflict, it should be mentioned that when talking about conflicts and their causes religion, ethnicity and politics interconnect, giving birth to so-called political religion. Thus, the geopolitical nature of the given conflict, spanned throughout the whole Arab region, adding a large number of ethnic shades and transforming the allegedly ethnic conflict into a political conflict and back to an ethnic one, this time on a much bigger scale, which led to open anti-Semitic propaganda by many Arab leaders. (Adl.org, 2011) So, even if back at the roots the confrontation was more about gaining territories, further developments gave a solid ground to state that currently the nature of the latter is mostly ethnic. Taking into close considerations all the facts discussed above, we come to a conclusion that the accuracy is often lost in attempts to define the true nature of conflicts in Middle East due to the complicated and interrelated nature of the factors defining them. Territorial issues are considered to be as major causes for ethnic conflicts. Due to a number of migrations of the population, conquests, wars and other geopolitical processes the resettlement of nations was a common thing, which could lead to territorial claims. As an argument, both sides can bring up the fact that the disputed territory once belonged to either of them, which makes the solution a lot more complicated. Most part of ethnicities in the world does not own a state. (CIA, n.d.) Depending on the development level of their cultural, social, political and national self-consciousness or the fact that they used to have a state in the past, the idea of establishing a national state may emerge within a dependent ethnicit y. Inner-state ethnic conflicts may transform into big threats for national security of a certain country, and inter-state ethnic conflicts into a range of long-lasting wars and hatred between two or more ethnicities. Bibliography Civilizational, Religious, and National Explanations for Ethnic Rebellion in the Post-Cold War Middle East. Jewish Political Studies Review 13 (1-2) Spring, 2001 pp 177-204 Adl.org, (2011). ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE MUSLIM/ARAB WORLD. [online] Available at: http://www.adl.org/anti-semitism/muslim-arab-world/c/hamas-in-their-own-words.html#.VRP1FPnz2So [Accessed 24 Mar. 2015]. Bleich, E. (2005). The legacies of history? Colonization and immigrant integration in Britain and France. Theory and Society, 34(2), pp.171-195. BOÄÅ ¾AZÄ °Ãƒâ€¡Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ° UNIVERSITY, (2006). The origin of Turkeys Kurdish question: an outcome of the breakdown of the Ottoman Ancien Regime. BOÄÅ ¾AZÄ °Ãƒâ€¡Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ° UNIVERSITY. CIA, (1948). The Kurdish Minority Problem. [online] Available at: http://www.foia.cia.gov/sites/default/files/document_conversions/89801/DOC_0000258376.pdf [Accessed 23 Mar. 2015]. CIA, (n.d.). Ethnic Groups. [online] CIA. Available at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2075.html [Accessed 24 Mar. 2015]. Fakir, I. (2014). Egypt’s example looms large in Tunisia’s elections. The Nationalist. [online] Available at: http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/egypts-example-looms-large-in-tunisias-elections [Accessed 24 Mar. 2015]. Human Rights Watch, (1992). The 1991 Uprising in Iraq And Its Aftermath. [online] USA. Available at: http://www.hrw.org/reports/1992/Iraq926.htm [Accessed 24 Mar. 2015]. Juergensmeyer, M. (2013). Thinking globally pp 90-92 Klein, M. (2011). The Shift: Israel-Palestine From Border Struggle to Ethnic Conflict. Foreign Affairs, (Sept-Oct). Roy, S. (2011). The Kurdish Issue. Foreign Policy Journal. Snyder, M. (2014). Post-War Iraq: The Triangle of Ethnic Tensions. Harvard International Review, [online] 35(4). Available at: http://hir.harvard.edu/archives/5766 [Accessed 23 Mar. 2015]. UN, (1947). Partition Plan of Palestine. New York: The General Assembly of UN. Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, (2014). The Origins of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. [online] Available at: http://www.wrmea.org/the-origins-of-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict.html [Accessed 24 Mar. 2015].

Ethnography Essay -- Anthropology Culture Reflexivity Papers

Ethnography Works Cited Missing Anthropology is defined, in the most basic terms, as the study of other cultures. This field can subsequently be divided into more specific sects, and contain more precise defining characteristics, but this definition is essentially all that is needed. Anthropology is a science that attempts to look at other cultures and draw conclusions to questions that are raised while studying. An anthropologist is someone who accepts what is presented before them and is driven by an urge to understand each presentation as thoroughly as possible. Once the concept of anthropology is accepted, one must identify the means of reaching the goal of this field. In the sect of social anthropology, this vehicle is known as ethnography. This technique of studying is fundamentally, participant-observation, an attempt at becoming part of a culture in order to understand most fully. It is in this specific method, however, that disputes have arisen. As cut and dry as the definitions I have given may seem, anth ropologists have recently become disillusioned with these methods and have ventured into a new form of interpretation, known as reflexivityan analysis of the self within the fieldwork. This new form is, in essence, a breaking of the "rules of anthropology" established by early anthropologists and, similar to discoveries made in the fields of chemistry and biology, reflexivity is necessary in aiding in the advancement of this field, too. Before attention can be given to the concept of reflexivity and its benefit to anthropology, the "rules of anthropology," mentioned earlier, must be understood. Bronislaw Malinowskis "The subject, Method and Scope of this Enquiry" is a highly renowned account of early anthropolog... ...ut suggests using ones own role as another level of research to be undertaken. Anthropology began, and remains, a study of other cultures. The rules of which, defined by Malinowski and his contemporaries, included the traditional dichotomy of Self and Other. Reflexivity involves viewing the self in addition to the people of a different culture and on Self and Self instead of Other. Reflexivity is not a component that Malinowski would have included, in fact he states his opinion on the self within ethnographic work, "he may draw on himself for stimulus. But the two functions are separate, and in actual research they have to be separated both in time and conditions of work"(Malinowski,8). Advances must be made in anthropology and, despite the views of writers of the past, reflexivity has proven to be effective, successfully evolving into the field of anthropology.

Small-Scale Mining in the Philippines: a Case Study

SMALL-SCALE MINING (Lives at risk in the Philippine Gold Mines) INTRODUCTION Gold is the number one mineral produced by the Philippines in value terms. Although total local production was low relative to world production, it ranked 2nd to Africa in gold production per unit land area in 1988 and ranked 29th as top gold producer in 2002(Israel and Asirot 2002). In the year 2002–2007, the Philippines’ gold production increased by 8. 2%. This contributed an average of 2% gross domestic product (GDP) in the same period. The country was ranked 18th in the GFMs Gold Survey list of top 20 Gold Producing countries in 2007 (Teves 2008).The 2008 and 2009 data of the Philippine mining Almanac showed a significant amount of gold production by the small-scale gold mining operations in the country. Reports revealed that the small-scale mining sector contributed almost 80% of the total gold production. This is equivalent to a Php32B contribution to GDP in 2007 (ibid). The following 200 8 and 2009 data are based on the amount of gold sold to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). The highest amount of gold produced in the country at 28,198 kg and 26,112 kg, respectively were generated by the small-scale mines (fig. ). Local governments hosting the sector acknowledged the industry’s economic contribution, as it somehow provides livelihood to the local community and unemployed migrants. There are some reports on the adverse impact of small-scale mining on the environment, health and human lives. However, research studies documenting the impact of small-scale mining industry on the local economy, environment, human health, public safety and the socio-cultural condition of indigenous peoples (IPs) in the mining areas, are limited.The socio-political dynamics between small- scale miners and other stakeholders like community and civil society organizations, regulatory bodies, the government and large-scale mining companies remains undocumented. There were concerns regarding the implication of some regulatory policies on the small-scale mining industry as the application of such will prevent some IP communities from accessing their properties. Furthermore, questions arise on the actual impact of the industry on poverty alleviation. Some theory suggests that the small-scale industry may have aggravated poverty because of the weak regulation of the industry.While economically significant, small-scale gold mining has been the target of strong opposition in recent years mainly because of its various adverse environmental and social side effects. Foremost of these is mercury pollution. BACKGROUND Small-scale mining (SSM) refers to mining by individuals, groups, families or cooperatives with minimal or no mechanization, often in the informal (illegal) sector of the market. Small-scale mining relies heavily on manual labor and does not use explosives. The scope of the area allowed for small-scale mining should not exceed 20 hectares per contractor ( 1991).In the Philippines, small-scale mining operators include subsistence mining (estimated 75%), individual or family businesses (estimated 15%) and established commercial mining firms (estimated 10%) (Hentschel 2002). According to the different interviews and focus group discussions, the operation of small-scale gold mining in the country can be traced as early as 10th century or even since time immemorial in the north and as late as 1990s in south Cotabato. Furthermore, numerous foreign studies already investigated the problem of mercury pollution due to small-scale gold mining, concentrating on the experience in Brazil.High levels of mercury concentrations were found in the hair and blood samples ofthe miners and other affected people as well as in fish, soil sediments and forest and river ecosystems in small-scale gold mining areas of the Amazon region. In the Philippines, several studies also looked into mercury pollution based on the experience in Diwalwal, the largest small -scale mining site in the country (e. g. Mahinay et al. 1998, Bacani et al. 1996, Breward 1996, Balce and Cabalda 1992, Williams et al. 1995). High levels of mercury pollution were found on-site as well as in the affected places downstream.Williams et al. specifically asserted that there were already considerable mercury loads in some sectors of the Agusan River, where Diwalwal drains into, and that the water samples from the mining site itself showed higher concentrations than those in the other gold rush areas in the world. Although studies on the impact of mercury pollution due to small-scale mining were already numerous, they were generally technical in nature. Few works touched on the economic aspects of the problem and did so only in a superficial and summary manner.So far, there is no available study that conducted an economic analysis in a more detailed and quantitative way in the Philippines or elsewhere. Small-scale mining is not an important public revenue-generating sect or for the government at present because of its largely illegal nature. Viewed in a more positive light, the activity should become a solid tax base when fully licensed, given the large number of people and economic activities dependent on it. LAWS AND INSTITUTIONS IN SMALL-SCALE MINING Laws The earliest mining law in the Philippines was Commonwealth Act 137 promulgated in 1936.This legislation had no separate provision for small-scale mining since the activity was not practiced extensively then. It took effect for many years until the martial law era when it was amended through Presidential Decree (PD) 463, otherwise known as the Mineral Resources Decree of 1974. Like its predecessor, this legislation did not have separate provisions for small-scale mining. In 1984, PD 899 established small-scale mining as a new dimension in mineral development and defined it as a specific activity. Succeeding orders based on this law stipulated, among others, the rules and regulations governing he granting of small-scale mining permits and ordered the selling of the gold recovered through the activity only to the Central Bank and its authorized representatives. During the term of President Corazon C. Aquino, the Congress of the Philippines passed Republic Act (RA) 7076 or the People’s Small-Scale Mining Act of 1991. Among its important provisions, this law established the People’s Small-Scale Mining Program and described the small-scale mining areas that can be opened under it. During the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos, RA 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 was passed.This law stipulated that small-scale mining will continue to be governed by the provisions of RA 7076 and PD 1899 and their implementing rules and regulations. Institutions Prior to PD 899 in 1984, no government agency managed small- scale mining since it was not described as a formal economic sector yet. Those engaged in the activity did so without any government interference. With the passing of the law, the MGB was given the authority to administer small-scale mining. SMALL-SCALE GOLD MINING PROCESS The initial process of gold mining starts with prospecting.In prospecting, the ore quality, â€Å"vein† geologic formation and ore assaying are examined. An area with a good ore quality is prepared for tunneling. In tunneling, holing and drilling are done using pick and shovel. Others who can afford it use electric hammer jacks. These initial stages of prospecting and tunneling are the expertise of the abanteros, whose knowledge of gold mining has been shaped by years of experience. In Benguet, the Ibaloi and Kankanaey miners are known Abanteros, having inherited their skills from their ancestors. Some migrant miners from the lowlands have also learned the skill.In South cotabato, the abanteros came from diwalwal, monkayo, compostela Valley. Mine workers are hired to work on the tunnels. These are the ore and muck ore packers, Atraseros (ore exporters from inside the tunnel), ore washers (usually women), habal-habal drivers, horses and horse owners/guides as transporters of ores from the tunnel site to the processing area. Extracted ores are processed in the ball or rod mill plant for mercury amalgamation. The tailings that have accumulated for several weeks will be subjected to further cyanidation in the carbonin-Pulp (ciP) Plant.The mercury amalgamation process will recover 40% of gold from the ores while the cyanidation will recover up to 60% of gold, both refined right after the smelting and/or firing process. Gold produced in button shapes will be sold to licensed gold buyers. A detailed process flow is presented in the following diagram (fig. 2). POWER RELATIONS IN THE SECTOR The mine is viewed as a resource, with various interested key players aiming to access it and benefit from it. There are several key players in the small-scale mining industry. With respect to the mining operation, the key players include: land owners †¢ tunnel owners (individuals or cooperative and association) †¢ financiers (foreigners, migrants or local, IPs and non-IPs) †¢ the abanteros or skilled miners †¢ the mine workers which include the atraseros (ore packers and haulers) †¢ ore and sack washers (usually women and young workers) †¢ ore transporters (habal-habal drivers, horse owners or guides) †¢ processing plant workers †¢ gold traders On the trading side, gold produced by the small-mining operations are purchased by the licensed gold buyers and subsequently sold to the Bangko Sental ng Pilipinas (BSP).Non-licensed traders are also present in the areas and are commonly labeled as the â€Å"black market. † Black market traders would usually visit the community or are based in the community. Purchase price is lower in the black market but the miners save the cost of transportation in going to the city. Because of the savings in transportation, miners are encouraged to sell t heir gold to the black market. Regulation and enforcement of policies related to small-scale mining industry are under the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB).This is composed of the DENR- Mines and Geo Sciences Bureau (MBG) as the chairman and the Provincial Governor as the vice-chairman. The other members of the board are representatives from the SSM Association, large-Scale mining Operators and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs). In Benguet and South Cotabato, a number of local officials are involved in mining either as tunnel owner, land owner or financier. This presents a conflict of interest between regulating small-scale mining and operating mines. The Abanteros are usually the ones with knowledge, skill and capability to engage financiers because of their prospecting and tunnelling skills.Financiers initially provide funds for the operation of the mine but they are expected to engage with venture capitalists to expand the operation in the site. Venture capitalists can be foreign investors or locals who have the capital to infuse into the industry. Land owners, on the other hand, have the priority access over the resource, being the rightful claimants of the area. However, the land owners usually do not have the skills and the financial capacity to start a mine. Abanteros and financiers can negotiate with land owners to tap the resource.In some cases, the land owners can be financiers and tunnel owners, too. Some abanteros who have been successful in mining now act as financiers and tunnel owners; some have even managed to operate processing plants. it is common to see big-time tunnel owners and financiers also operate the processing plants in the area. Normally, all plant owners have tunnels but not all tunnel owners have processing plants. Owners of small mining operations with no processing plants pay for the use of existing processing plants, depending on the number of bags processed.MERCURY POLLUTION DUE TO SMALL-SCALE MINING The Amalgamatio n Method of Gold Processing Mercury gets into the picture in small-scale mining because it is the main agent used to separate the gold from the mined ore employing the amalgamation method of processing. Amalgamation is popular in small-scale mining areas since it is simple to apply and requires relatively low investment. The Carbon-in-Pulp (CIP) Method of Gold Processing Gold can also be processed using the CIP method. This method can process the slurry produced by amalgamation or the milled ore coming from the rod and ball mills directly.However, CIP is not used widely in small-scale mining because of the high cost of investment that it requires. The Health Impact of Mercury Pollution There are different ways by which the amalgamation method of gold processing causes mercury pollution. One way is when mercury is unintentionally spilled into the ground because of careless handling. Another is when mercury is discharged together with other wastes into inadequate tailings ponds, or wo rse, thrown away directly into rivers and waterways. Still another way is when vaporized mercury is released into the atmosphere when the amalgam is blowtorched and refined.Once in the environment, mercury is dangerous because of its potential adverse impact on human health. In the case of water pollution, part of the mercury discharged into rivers and waterways is transformed into methylmercury eaten by aquatic species and in turn consumed by people. Once inside the human body, mercury could trigger neurological disturbances as well as problems in the reproductive and other body organs (Viega 1997a). The likely symptoms are visual constriction, numbness of the extremities and the impairment of hearing, speech and gait.The release of mercury into the atmosphere during blowtorching also puts to risk human health. The activity is usually done in open containers and closed houses so the inhalation of vaporized mercury is highly possible among the people conducting it and those close by . The long-term effect of this type of exposure is the impairment of the metabolism of the human nervous system that eventually leads to certain neurobehavioral disturbances. The visible symptoms are the exhibition of exaggerated emotional responses and muscular tremors and gingivitis. PROBLEMS IN SMALL SCALE GOLD MININGPollution due to Aside from mercury pollution, small-scale mining is beset with other problems that are also important and needing serious attention. These are enumerated and discussed in brief below. Environmental Problems Cyanide Pollution Pollution due to toxic and hazardous substances other than mercury that are used in small-scale mining can also endanger human health. The highly poisonous sodium cyanide used in CIP processing, in particular, could easily kill people and fish when discharged in rivers and waterways. Despite its dangers, cyanide pollution from CIP processing has not been investigated at all in any literature.A probable reason is that, unlike merc ury, cyanide is biodegradable and eventually decomposes into carbon dioxide and ammonia (Yannopoulos 1991) making it potentially less harmful over time. Deforestation Deforestation is a natural consequence of small-scale mining since many sites are located in forested uplands. The influx of miners and their families into mining areas results to the clearing of forests for habitation space and other human activities that causes deforestation. No study investigated in detail the impact of small-scale mining on deforestation.One likely reason is that areas covered by small-scale mining are actually very small when compared to those used for other economic activities like forestry and logging (Veiga 1997b). Soil Erosion Soil erosion is another natural consequence of small-scale mining because of the mountainous and sloping topography of many mining sites. Miners level sloping land and scrape topsoil to make surface foundations stable for houses and other structures. They develop pathway s and roads across highly sloping and erosive areas and cover fertile soil with waste materials dug out of underground tunnels.There are also no studies that probed in detail the soil erosion effects of small-scale mining although this environmental impact is potentially large. Biodiversity Loss The loss of biodiversity due to small-scale mining is a direct after-math of deforestation and water pollution. Trees are cut leading to receding jungles that are natural habitats of terrestrial flora and fauna. Water pollution damages the rivers and waterways that are homes of aquatic plants and animals. As in the case of deforestation and soil erosion, there are no studies that investigated this issue.Siltation and Sedimentation of Downstream Water Bodies Siltation and sedimentation of downstream waterways occur when mine tailings and eroded soil finds their way into water bodies. They decrease the viability of affected waterways as fishing grounds, recreation sites and port areas. They al so contribute to flooding and hamper the efficient functioning of dams and irrigation networks. Like the other environmental problems, siltation and sedimentation due to small-scale mining have received scant research attention. Legal and Institutional ProblemsMining Rights Conflicts between Small-Scale Miners and Large-Scale Mining Firms Many small-scale mining areas are situated within the mining claims of large-scale companies. This situation has created conflicts between the large-scale miners on one side and the small-scale miners on the other side and prevented the smooth operations of the mining industry in general. Presence of Medium-Scale Mining Operations in Small-Scale Mining Sites Dominant presences of medium-scale mining operations have been competing for domination resulting in the significant loss of lives and deterioration of peace and order.Social Problems Worsening Social Instability in Small-Scale Mining Areas Many small-scale miners are migrants in the areas wher e they mine. Hence, they find it difficult to adapt socially with the local population. To some extent, vices like alcoholism and gambling also exist in these areas that add to the conflict. Limited Basic Services in Small-Scale Mining Areas The supply of basic services such as those relating to health and transportation and others has been limited in small-scale mining communities. This has greatly exacerbated the poor conditions and social problems within these areas.Exploitation of Women and Children in Small-Scale Mining Women and children are engaged in the gathering of ores inside tunnels and even in processing which are activities suited only for grown- up men. Although small-scale miners deny this, key informants and ocular inspection in the two case study areas confirmed this problem ECONOMIC PROBLEMS Low Price for Gold Received by Small-Scale Miners Small-scale miners sell their gold to the tunnel owners, processors or to other traders instead of directly to the Central Ba nk or its representatives.Key informants reported that underpricing of gold often occurs in these marketing channels and this contributes to the poor economic conditions the miners are in. Loss of Gold by the Country Due to Illegal Gold Trading Because small-scale miners sell their gold not to the Central Bank but to various buyers, the national government loses great amounts of gold to the detriment of the entire economy. Lack of Formal Sources of Credit for Small-Scale Miners There is lack of formal sources of credit for small-scale miners in times of need or for starting an alternative occupation.This forces them to borrow from the tunnel owners, processors, traders and unscrupulous money lenders who exploit them by charging higher interest rates or buying their gold at low prices. Lack of Alternative or Supplemental Employment Opportunities for Small-Scale Miners Small-scale mining is the only employment opportunity for many miners. Few have an alternative occupation like farmin g. Also many miners have been in mining for an average of 10 long years, which further confirms their lack of alternative employment. Technology-related ProblemsInefficient Technologies Used in Small-Scale Mining The technology used in ore extraction and gold processing results to poor ore output and gold recovery in small-scale mining. The poor ore and gold output performance has been confirmed by national and local key informants. Unsafe Technologies Used in Small-Scale Mining The unsafe techniques and procedures used in the mining of ore, such as poor timbering support, poor ventilation, and other practices have resulted to cave-ins and other accidents that disabled or took away the lives of miners.CONCLUSIONS The conflicting policies on resource extraction/development versus environmental protection and weak governance as indicated by the absence of local regulations threaten the environment and public health. The negative impacts of small-scale mining activities have been obser ved in many of these communities. Poverty and the attractiveness of immediate money from the mining industry attract children and women to work in the mines. These expose women and children to hazardous chemicals and unsafe mining practice.Small-scale mining contributes to the local economy through job creation, increasing economic activity in the communities. There is a need for the development of sound policies and laws to balance economic development and environmental sustainability. Strong enforcement of laws is a must. However, the conflict of interest of local officials who are in charge of regulation and governing the community and who also have interests in mining operations poses a threat in the strict enforcement of laws in the communities. RECOMMENDATIONS Mercury PollutionA review will show that the existing laws and regulations related to mercury pollution in small-scale gold mining are fairly adequate but monitoring and enforcement is weak. To improve on monitoring and enforcement, the following actions are suggested: * Licensing by the LGUs of all small-scale gold mining and processing operations within their jurisdiction and imposition of membership in a cooperative as a licensing requirement. * Earmarking of the licensing proceeds for the establishment and operation of a small-scale mining monitoring and enforcement unit within the management framework of LGUs. Development of an effective internal system within cooperatives that will force the proper use of hand gloves, mercury retorts and tailings ponds in small-scale mining. * Active involvement of NGOs and other responsible members of the local population in monitoring and enforcement by selectively deputizing them. * Strengthening of the Small-Scale Mining Section of the Environment and Safety Division of the MGB * Concerted effort by the national government, LGUs and NGOs to conduct education and awareness campaigns on mercury pollution. Involvement of international organizations in the fi ght against mercury pollution particularly in the promotion of technologies that can prevent or minimize it. * Serious consideration of the promotion of the CIP method of processing for small-scale mining Other Environmental Problems The national government should undertake detailed studies on cyanide pollution, deforestation, soil erosion, biodiversity loss and siltation and sedimentation in small-scale mining areas. Understanding these problems will go a long way toward finding their appropriate solutions.For the time being, the government must do better in monitoring and enforcing pertinent laws so that the problems are minimized. Legal and Institutional Problems The government should prioritize the early settlement of conflicting claims between small-scale miners and large-scale miners. One way of conducting this is to create dialogues between the two parties with the government as arbiter to find an amicable solution. Key informant from the large-scale firms in the two case stu dy areas explained that generally they are actually open to a negotiated settlement that can buy peace, goodwill and cooperation within their claims.Social Problems The social instability in small-scale mining is inherent in places where many of the population are poor and migrants. Improving the economic status of the people can help a lot to decrease the instability. This could happen when small-scale mining becomes a fully licensed activity and accepted as part of the economic mainstream. The provision of better basic social services will also help alleviate the deprived economic conditions and ease a lot of the social tensions. The exploitation of women and children is not confined to small-scale mining since it is prevalent, especially in the underground economy.The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) should take a closer look at this problem and devise ways to minimize it. Again, improving the economic lot of the miners will help curve the exploitation of women and children. The conduct of effective programs which can provide guidance and counselling to mining families will also promote compliance by the miners to the laws against exploitation. Economic Problems The problem of low price received for the gold by the small-scale miners will be addressed to a large extent when they are organized into cooperatives.As a group, they can negotiate better in the market or pay for the transportation cost to sell gold in bulk to the Central Bank. The Central bank should consider putting up buying stations in the more important mining sites. This will not only help the miners economically but also lower significantly the amount of gold lost to the black market. Technology-Related Problems The problems of inefficient and unsafe technologies are part and parcel of small-scale mining as long as the miners remain poor.Economic conditions force them to use said technologies since they cannot afford to employ more sophisticated and costly ones. Sources: * Mercury Pollution Due to Small-Scale Gold Mining in the Philippines: An Economic Analysis http://dirp4. pids. gov. ph/ris/rps/pidsrp0202. pdf * A Background Study on the Small-scale Gold mining Operations in Benguet and South Cotabato and their Impact on the Economy, the Environment, and the Community http://bantaykita. ph/pdfs/Small%20Scale%20Mining. pdf * Inquirer News Online: http://newsinfo. inquirer. et/305986/small-scale-miners-sell-less-gold-due-to-bsps-7-tax http://newsinfo. inquirer. net/338689/13-men-in-quezon-clash-met-gold-miner http://newsinfo. inquirer. net/343869/gold-miner-says-he-didnt-betray-siman http://business. inquirer. net/106807/miner-sets-aside-digging-turns-to-planting-cacao http://newsinfo. inquirer. net/359389/sleepless-miner-recounts-seeing-friends-buried-alive-2 http://newsinfo. inquirer. net/362277/police-arrest-19-small-scale-miners http://newsinfo. inquirer. net/362687/execs-say-arrests-halted-mindoro-illegal-

philippines essays

philippines essays Per Capita Income: The per capita income of a certain country is the GDP of that country divided by the total population. In the Philippines the per capita income is approximately $700. When compared to the per capita income of the United States, which is about $22,000, it is easy to tell that the economy of the Philippines is very, very poor. % FROM AGRICULTURE: 17.1 (important because you would think that since they mainly produce agricultural products that its percentage would be the highest) % FROM SERVICES: 39.2 (also important because you wouldnt think that this one would be the highest) Exports: Traditionally, the Philippines have been primarily an exporter of raw materials and an importer of manufactured goods. This is the role that many third world countries play in the global economy. Electronic and automotive parts, along with garments are the leading merchandise exports of the country. However, the Philippines also rely heavily on import inputs. The country also exports bananas, coconuts, copper, gold, lumber, pineapples and sugar. Imports: The Philippines mostly imports manufactured goods. Certain items remain subject to import regulations such as narcotic drugs, firearms, ammunition, etc. Their chief imports include chemicals, machinery, and petroleum. Trading Partners: The Philippines, like any other country, cannot produce everything that it needs. Instead, it relies heavily on foreign trade. Specialization in production allows for each nation to produce what it produces best, and to trade for products, which it cannot produce as well. This means that if you are better at one thing and I am better at another, rather than each of us trying to do both, we would each do what we are best at. Then, we would exchange what we had produced and both ...

Essay on Children should not be spanked in order to discipline them for a negative behaviorEssay Writing Service

Essay on Children should not be spanked in order to discipline them for a negative behaviorEssay Writing Service Essay on Children should not be spanked in order to discipline them for a negative behavior Essay on Children should not be spanked in order to discipline them for a negative behaviorThe permissibility of spanking children is a widely disputed question both among the general public and among researchers. In the past, spanking was viewed as one of the methods of disciplining children and making them aware of the negative consequences of their actions. However, the protection of human rights and the movement against violence which is emerging worldwide led to the enactment of laws against corporal punishment in many countries. Furthermore, the convention of the United Nations prohibits using any types of physical violence towards children. At the same time, it is important to distinguish between spanking and other cases of physical punishment. Spanking can be defined as hitting a child with an open hand on the buttocks or extremities with the intent to discipline without leaving a bruise or causing physical harm (Kazdin Benjet 99). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the viewpoints of the supporters and opponents of spanking. Key thesis of this paper is the following: children should not be spanked in order to discipline them for a negative behavior because spanking has negative consequences for their future development and mental health.Spanking in any form still represents an act of aggression directed towards the child and executed by the parent or by the person who is responsible for the childs behavior. Such behavior of a person who plays an important role in the childs life and who is often perceived as a role model by the child is likely to have a negative impact on the childs self-esteem, on the relationships with parents, etc. Spanking might undermine the basic trust to the world which is being formed in the early age. The researchers studied the impact of spanking on childs behaviors and developmental outcomes and found a large number of negative consequences for children. It was determined that spanking correlates with such negative outc omes as lower quality of relationships between parents and children, poorer mental health, lower internalization of morals, increased risk of antisocial behaviors, aggressive behaviors and delinquency (Kazdin Benjet 101).Spanking is likely to increase the childs stubbornness and therefore lead to more spanking needed in future to make the child pay attention to corporal punishment and to cause the desired behavior. Maguire-Jack, Gromoske and Berger (1961) studied the impact of spanking in early age (up to 3 years old) on childs behavior and development between 3 and 5 years old. Their findings were the following: spanking children at age 1 led to elevated levels of spanking at age 3 and caused externalizing behaviors at this age; spanking at age 3 led to the increase of externalizing and internalizing behaviors at age 5. Although the authors did not identify a relationship between cognitive skills and spanking, they found out that spanking children at age 1 caused behavioral proble ms at age 5, largely due to increased spanking at age 3 (Maguire-Jack, Gromoske and Berger 1960). Hence, spanking is a self-reinforcing issue which causes behavioral problems and starts a negative cycle of interactions between child and his or her parents.The supporters of spanking state that spanking allows to achieve immediate compliance of the child and helps to make the child aware that something very inappropriate was done. However, when parent-child relationships are healthy, there are other, less aggressive ways of making the child aware of wrong behaviors. Such methods might require more time and patience, but they do not have such long-term negative consequences as spanking. Certainly, there are various factors which influence the childs perception of spanking and determine the impact of spanking on the childs well-being. The supporters of spanking emphasize that it is necessary to distinguish between mild and occasional spanking used in extreme situations and more harsh an d frequent spanking which might indeed contribute to aggression. However, it was already shown that spanking at age 1 is strongly correlated with more spanking at age 3, which means that the childs sensitivity to spanking might reduce over time, and those parents who are prone to use spanking as a means of punishment might unintentionally move to more harsh spanking. Such dynamics of spanking illustrates that it is better to adopt other methods of managing inappropriate behaviors from the start than risk damaging the childs mental health and behavior by spanking.In general, research evidence clearly illustrates that spanking is a very risky parenting strategy which might have a negative impact on the childs behaviors, perceptions and on parent-child relationships. Moreover, people who were spanked in the childhood are more likely to become the victims of aggression in their adult life. Therefore, spanking children in order to discipline them for inappropriate behavior is inadmissibl e and it should be banned. It is difficult to convince parents to stop spanking because of two key reasons: parents are not aware of long-term negative consequences that spanking might have on the childs health and do not have alternative strategies of punishing for inappropriate behavior. It is important to educate parents about the consequences of spanking and to show alternative strategies to them. Possible alternative strategies include creating a calm down area for children, offering problem-solving scenarios for children in situations where they demonstrate improper behaviors, taking away some privileges for a particular period of time, organizing time-in when the parent stays with the child outside the situation, etc (Maguire-Jack, Gromoske and Berger 1972). Praising appropriate behaviors and discussing the consequences of misbehaviors for other people as well as their feelings also helps to avoid difficult situations in the future.

Genetically Modified Crops Position Essay

Genetically Modified Crops Position Essay Genetically Modified (Gm) foods are genetically modified organisms (GMO) that have their genome altered through genetic engineering techniques. The plants have been produced by techniques in which "foreign" genes are inserted into the microorganism, plant, or animal. The foreign genes are inserted into the GMO for some beneficial effect, (increase crop yield, insect resistance, and added nutrition). Numerous arguments dealing with GM foods, but the main arguments deal with the benefits and the risks.The argument used by biotech companies is that genetically engineered crops could be the next green revolution. They argue that GMOS can help people with insecure food supplies, especially in developing countries. For example, a genetically modified rice crop that is resistant to flooding and that can withstand being submerged for 3 weeks (usually rice crop dies underwater after one week) would mean a more secure food supply for many Asian countries. Another problem that has been devastat ing banana trees is the fungus Black Sigatoka.Top: Lesser cornstalk borer larvae extensively dam...The fungus kills banana trees and the only way of treating the fungus is with heavy doses of fungicides that are losing ground against the fungus as it builds up more and more resistance. Genetically modified banana trees that are resistant might be the only way to save many of our favorite banana varieties in grocery stores and help protect food supplies in tropical countries. Another great benefit that has nothing to do with nutrition that involve GMOs are crops that are produced for chemicals that are used in drugs and pharmaceuticals that have benefits from being able to produce many different type chemicals as well as mass production potential (GMO Compass).So genetically engineering is fairly or I should say some what embraced in the U.S. Why is that? If anyone researches GMOs on mainstream sources your notice something...