Day: March 30, 2020

ONLINE ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS PATIENT WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS–MHAGC 6

OnlineOrganization That Helps Patient with Mental Health Problems–MHAGC

OnlineOrganization That Helps Patient with Mental Health Problems—MHAGC

MentalHealth Association of Great Chicago (MHAGC) is a non-profit andindependent charity organization founded in 1957 by Clifford Beers tosupport individuals with mental illness (Mental Health Association ofGreat Chicago (MHAGC)-Home, 2016). The organization spearheads inproviding education on mental health and in developing strategiesaimed at elevating the lives of the people struggling with mentaldiseases. Consequently, the organization has prevented unnecessaryloss of lives, education of communities, and prevention of mentalillness through the provision of care to vulnerable individuals.MHAGChas helped a great number of Americans living in Chicago through theprovision of mental support, prevention of diseases, and empoweringpeople to live fully in their communities.

MHAGCMission Statement

MHAGCmission is to maximize the mental and emotional wellness of Americanyouths, adult, older people and the entire community throughpromotion of prevention of mental illness, continuous empowerment byeducating the people, collaborating with other stakeholders, andimplementation of support programs.

Inthis case, the organization focuses on supporting the patients ofmental health and provision of care services other than treatment andmedication (Mental Health Association of Great Chicago (MHAGC)-Home,2016). Consequently, their programs have increased the students,volunteers and stakeholders’ awareness on both mental healthdiseases and the public mental health issues. Also, the cases ofsuicide especially involving adolescent individuals have reduced.

ServicesMHAGC Provide

Toeffectively execute their plans and achieve the organization’smission, MHAGC provides knowledge resources for differentinstitutions in Chicago including schools, healthcare systems,businesses, and communities. Also, the organization facilitates theactivities of these institutions in the provision of the socialsupport, treatment and other important services to people with amental health condition. More importantly, the organization hasfacilitated the development of research on various issues affectingthe American populations. As a result, it has created various booksincluding Mental Health Curriculum Notebook, and Adolescent MentalHandbook that has ample and researched information about the mentaldiseases such as Autism, schizophrenia, post-traumatic and substanceabuse.

Also,the organization implements various programs to educate people. Forinstance, the Mental Health Awareness in Education (MHAE) programhave enabled mentoring and creating awareness among 2000 students inthe last four years (Phillips, 2013). Finally, the organizationassists in acquiring finances through grant proposals and fundraisingevents. As a result, the organization has facilitated collectionabout $60, 135 from fundraising activities.

CurrentProjects and Programs

Currently,the organization focuses on the development and implementation ofprograms that can promote mental health wellbeing among the children,families and the community. The aim of this program is to expand theknowledge people has about mental conditions and consequently reducethe stigma and unfairness that leaves victims suffering more. Also,these programs are designed and developed according to the evolvingneeds of the community to ensure that current mental health issuesare addressed.

Onesuch program is the Learning2Live program that is developed toeducate health practitioners, law officers, counselors, teachers andparents about the most common mental disorder in adolescence. Another program 2Tough2Bully is aimed at educating parents, studentsand administrators on ways they can combat bullying while theVetted2Live program focuses on veterans and their families with themental issue (Charity Review of Mental Health Association of GreaterChicago, 2016). Other programs include Teaching with a Heart aimed ateducating teachers.

Inaddition, the organization collaborates with other organizations andindividuals to help the people with mental illness. For instance,artist Demi Lovato in collaboration with MHAGC founded the LovatoTreatment Scholarship program to finance the expenses of thosestruggling with mental or addiction problems.

ThePlans

Theorganization has expanded its activities to reach and help morepeople in America. For this reason, the organization has planned toexpand its volunteering panel where people from different places canvolunteer their services to the people with the mental condition andin raising funds (Mental Health Association of Great Chicago(MHAGC)-Home, 2016). Also, the organization has laid plans to focuson the rehabilitation centers to reach more victims. These plans,however, requires financial, labor and technological advancement tohelp more people effectively. Also, the company has engaged infurther research through organization teams and external partners tostem the issue of mental health from the community.

ChallengesFacing MHAGC

Despitethe unending efforts to help people living with mental illness, MHAGCfaces challenges that hinders it progress (Kalfas, 2016). First, theorganization lacks enough resources to expand its support and reachmore people (Phillips, 2013). In addition, it lacks enough humanresources to facilitate the ultimate success of its programs.Moreover, the organization experiences high-cost effects due to itscharity activities. For instance, the company expenses in 2012 inactivities of raising funds went up as close as 35 percent of thetotal contributions made that year (Phillips, 2013). In this case,reducing operation cost has been a big challenge to the organization.

Conclusion

MHAGChas benefited many Americans since its foundation in 1957. Itsprograms have enabled many victims of mental disease to get thesupport they require to survive. Consequently, the number of suicidecases associated with mental conditions has reduced over the pastyears in America. Also, the stigmatization of patients has reducedwhile awareness on the emotional needs of mental health victims suchas love, care and compassion granted. However, the organization faceschallenges in the execution of current practices and the plans forfuture.

References

CharityReview of Mental Health Association of Greater Chicago.(2016). Bbb.org.Retrieved 10 December 2016, fromhttps://www.bbb.org/charity-reviews/chicago/education-and-literacy/mental-health-association-of-greater-chicago-hidden-in-chicago-il-11580

Kalfas,S. (2016). MentalHealth Association of Greater Chicago (MHAGC) Volunteer Opportunities- VolunteerMatch.Volunteermatch.org.Retrieved 10 December 2016, fromhttps://www.volunteermatch.org/search/org94922.jsp#more_info_tab

MentalHealth Association of Great Chicago (MHAGC-Home.(2016). Mhagcusa.org.Retrieved 10 December 2016, from http://www.mhagcusa.org/

Phillips,M. (2013). MHAGC(Mental Health Association of Greater Chicago).prezi.com.Retrieved 10 December 2016, fromhttps://prezi.com/nt5z8t1nqjhm/mhagc-mental-health-association-of-greater-chicago/

Relationshipbetween Stress and Physical Illness

InstitutionalAffiliations

Relationshipbetween Stress and Physical Illness

Abstract

Inrecent times, there is increased awareness of the harmful effects ofstress on our physical health. This has led to the substantial amountof study being carried out to show the association between stress andphysical illness. Previous research confirms that stress iscontributes primarily to both the initiation and progression ofphysical illnesses. The vulnerability to stress varies from oneindividual to the other, and several factors influence one`ssusceptibility to stress. These factors include genetic weakness,coping mechanism, personality, and social support system. Studiesshow that temporary stress boosts the immune system, but chronicstress imposes adverse effects on the immune regime of an individualand eventually illnesses manifest. The presence of chronic stressamplifies the levels catecholamine and suppressor T cells, which inturn weakens the body’s immunity, thus, increases the danger ofviral infection. Additionally, presence of stress in overweightindividuals raises the chances of them having diabetes mellitus sinceit alters the insulin needs. Consequently, stress interferes with theconcentration of acid in the stomach and this leads to peptic ulcersand stress ulcers.

Stressis referred to as a process through which excessive environmentaldemand strains an individual’s adaptability, which results todemands on both on emotional as well as biological systems thatplaces one at a risk of physical illnesses(Thoits,2013).Things that cause the onset of stress is referred to as stressors.Stress has an impact on everyone, be it the young and elderly,wealthy and less privileged (Thoits,2013).Stress is an everyday unpleasant fact, and it is up to us to findways of dealing with it. The presence of chronic stress increases thelevels catecholamine and suppressor T cells, which eventually weakensthe immune system, thus, increases the risk of viral contamination.Stress triggers the onset of various physical illnesses such asAsthma, diabetes, ulcers, high blood pressure, headaches, and othertypes of chronic pain (Hillman,2016).

Therelationship between stress and physical illness is a complicated onesince the vulnerability to stress varies from one individual to thenext. Such that a stressful factor cause illness in one person andcannot cause the disease to another. For an illness to arise out ofstress several factors such as coping mechanism, genetic variation,type of personality and social support have to interact withstressful events (Thoits, 2013). When confronted with a problem, itis our responsibility to determine the seriousness of the problem andevaluate if we are equipped with the necessary resources to cope withthe problem. In cases where the resources are not enough to deal withthe challenges, we will perceive ourselves as being under stress, andour reaction to the situation will make the disparity in oursusceptibility to physical illnesses and overall well-being (Thoits,2013).

Physicalillness is often linked to stress because of the body’s biologicalreaction system dealing with stress. From the several types ofresearch conducted, it is evident that a large number of human beingchronic stress coping strategies result in an increase in gastriclesions tendencies and weakens the immune defense system.

Literature

UnderstandingStress

Thestudy of stress is complex, and it is hard to come up with a concretedefinition of stress. In general, stress is a stimulation thathappens when the external environmental demand exceed theindividual`s capability to react. Additionally, it can be defined asthe physical response of a body to potential threats (Mohsin&amp Wahab, 2013).There are four sources of stress, and these include environment,social stressors, physiological and thoughts perceived by brain.Environment presents one with an intense and competing demand to meetsuch as noise, weather, traffic, crime, and substandard housing.Social stressors this is due to the roles we play such as parents,caregiver, and employee. These stressors include financialconstraints, disagreements, divorce, loss of a loved one and tightdeadlines (Mohsin&amp Wahab, 2013).Physiological, it consists of situations and circumstances affectingour bodies and they are illness, aging, menopause, accidents, poornutrition, and lack of sleep. Thoughts, the brain, perceive andinterpret stressful, painful, or difficult circumstances. Thus, itdetermines if the situations are a problem or not. However, theresults are not always negative (Mohsin&amp Wahab, 2013).

Theretwo types of stress. First is eustress, which is a positive stressormainly evident in athletes and it increases motivation. The secondtype is distress, which is a harmful, stressful situation thatprimarily disrupts bodily state and occurs when the stress exceedsour ability to cope, causes wear and tear on the body system, andcauses biological system problems. According to Wike (2015), thereare two cognitive methods of appraising stress and these are primaryand secondary assessment process. The primary assessment processhelps in determining the meaning of the stressor, and potential harmto an individual. Secondary appraisal process, which assists indetermining resources to use in the event of harm (Wike, 2015).

PhysicalIllness

Theterm physical illness is used in health psychology. It refers to avariety of health conditions such as hypertension, coronary heartdisease, asthma, and chronic headaches (Hillman,2016).Health psychology uses indicators to determine what an individual issuffering from. They can observe and diagnose, or they can questionthe patient on the symptom they are experiencing. These helpclinicians in determining the causes and instructing on the bestmethod of treating them.

Stressand the Immune System

Humanbeing immune system is very susceptible to stress and our knowledgeon the relationship between the brain, and the immune reaction isderived from the field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) (Thoits,2013).The study involves the interaction of the brain, central nervoussystem, and the body’s defense against outside contamination andaberrant cell division. There is the kind of stress that last for ashort time and usually helps in redistributing cells in thebloodstream in a helpful manner. However, chronic stress tends tolast days, and it causes damaging changes in the immune system.Moreover, the longer the stress lasts, the more the damages. Chronicstress imposes an immunosuppressive effect that suppresses the body’simmunity, thus, leading to the production of excessivecorticosteroid, which causes an disparity in corticosteroid levelsand weakens the immunocompetence (Thoits,2013).The weakening of the immune system cause strain various body parts,for instance, the dwindling of the thymus due to its failure toproduce T cells needed to arouse them.

TheLink between Stress and Physical Illnesses

Effectsof stress on the immune system are both harmful and beneficial.Short-term stress serves to boost the immune system and prepare it tobe adaptive to harm or infections. However, long-term stress causesharmful effects to the body immune system. In those instances wherethe individual is sick, stress only serves to worsen the situation.

Effectsof Stress on the Digestive System

Manypeople often suffer from stomachache or diarrhea especially when theyare stressed. Stressful events trigger the release of hormones thatslows the emptying of stomach and release of stomach acid.Consequently, it stimulates the colon to empty the digestive system,and the process causes one to experience pain or diarrhea. Thehormones also cause one to experience excessive belching, fartingwhich increases one`s vulnerability to getting Crohn’s illness,which is an inflammation of the colon lining membrane(Thoits,2013).It can also increase one`s appetite causing obesity, and this leadsto further complications such as heart disease, stroke, or arthritis.

Effectsof Stress on Cardiovascular System

Mostpeople respond to stressful events by an increase in the heart rate,which in turn increase the blood pressure that causes certain bloodvessels to contract while others are dilating. Chronic stress causesthe release of hormones that raises one`s heart rate causing chestpains and an increase in the blood pressure as well as blood lipidlevels(D’Andrea, Sharma, &amp Spinazzola, 2011). Fattyfood substances contain high levels of cholesterol in the blood,which cause atherosclerosis, which can eventually lead to a heartattack. According toD’Andrea, Sharma, &amp Spinazzola (2016),chronic stress induces mast cell activation and elevated levels ofhistamine, which indicate higher chances of developing coronaryillnesses in the future. Mast cell activation plays a crucial role inneuroinflammatory illnesses which include migraines, arthritis,irritable bowel syndrome and this is evident that dysfunction in theimmune system triggers the development of other port trauma diseases.Stress also leads to prolonged cardiovascular hyperresponsivity(D’Andrea, Sharma, &amp Spinazzola, 2016).

Effectsof stress on Musculoskeletal System

Inthe presence of stress, muscle contract. Many people especially theelderly or those who spend most of their time sitting oftenexperience pain in their necks, shoulders as well as the lower back(D’Andrea,Sharma, &amp Spinazzola, 2016).Additionally, stress causes muscular twitches, headaches due totension in the muscles, migraines, and temporomandibular dysfunction(TMJ). Stress also causes skin disorders such as psoriasis to worsen,and it is considered as the major cause of asthma attacks andstrokes.

Stressand Cancer

Therehas been significant interest in the relationship between stress andcancer. Studies show there is an increase in incidences of earlydeaths especially of cancer patients who experience the loss of apartner or a loved one. Researches on women with breast cancer haveshown a significant increase in the illness among those whoexperience traumatic life experiences or loss several years prior totheir diagnosis. However, most cancer has been developing in the bodyand is only discovered after diagnosis. Therefore, it is notconclusive that chronic stress triggers the onset of cancer andfurther research is yet to be done on the relationship betweenemotional stress and the transition of the normal cell into cancerouscells. Studies further suggest that stress and lack of social supportsystem increase the risk of a man developing prostate cancer (Thoits,2013).From the research conducted by the State University of New York, menwith high-stress levels and lack a fulfilling relationship withfamily and friend have high levels of Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)and the possibility of having the antigen was tripple for men withchronic stress. Thus, a man psychological state can trigger thedevelopment of prostate disease.

Deathdue to Stress Related Diseases

Therate of morbidity and mortality is rising in an increasing manner.Psychological stress is cited as the major contributor to the sixprincipal causes of death in the America: accidental injuries,cancer, coronary heart diseases, and respiratory disorder such asasthma, liver cirrhosis, and suicide. Statistics from Meridian StressManagement Consultancy show that approximately 180,000 individualsdie from illnesses associated with stress (Thoits, 2013).Additionally, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.Sestimate that about 75% of doctor visits constitute of patientssuffering from stress-related disorders such as a headache, stomachupset, sleep problems, fatigue, and accidents.

StressCoping Mechanisms

Dealingpositively with stressful events eliminates the development orprolonging of physical illnesses. Individuals should apply thefollowing in coping with short-term stress bouts. They should dobreathing exercises, massage, meditation, progressive musclerelaxation, indulge in their hobbies, listen to good music, and spendtime with friend and families. While those dealing with, long-termstress should adopt these measures.

Changesin their Health Practices

Oftenyou hear people saying they want to change and lead healthylifestyles, such as keeping fit. There are several ways of achievingthis and it involves eating healthy, sleeping well, avoiding drugssuch as alcohol and cigarettes, and exercising. Additionally, theycan do regular doctor checkups, self- breast examination, andexercise careful driving. Research shows that people who experienceelevated levels of stress are prone to engaging in unhealthyactivities such as drunk driving which eventually causes accidents,poor health diet, lack of exercise of which many become obese(Hillman,2016).This lowers their self-esteem and eventually causes stress on theindividuals. These unhealthy behaviors cause trauma or diseases.Cigarettes cause heart disease, ulcers, and periodontal diseaseswhile alcohol causes liver failure and other bacterial infections.Thus, it is imperative for people to practice a healthy lifestyle toavoid physical illnesses.

Adherenceto Medical Advice

Itis important for the patient to adhere to doctor’s advice, forinstance, patient with cancer are advised not to smoke or consumealcohol while those with diabetes are supposed to monitor and controltheir blood glucose levels by injecting themselves with insulin.Moreover, following this advice is paramount to their health andsurvival (Mohsin&amp Wahab, 2013).Failure to observe these measures under stress can cause adverse andlong-lasting illnesses as it influences their immune system.

IllnessBehavior

Thisis an activity undertaken by the individual experiencing symptoms ofillness, by defining their state of health in search of a remedy.They include talking about the symptoms to families, friends, andclinicians and seeking help in the form of advice or medication(Hillman, 2016).

Implicationon Medical Practitioners

Thisinformation might be helpful to health professionals and individuals.Awareness should be made on the impacts of stress on the health ofpersons. This will help doctors when diagnosing patients withmultiple or unexplained diagnoses and knowing that chronic stresstriggered the onset of the illness. This knowledge empowers doctorsin coming up with methods to treat the patients either through stressintervention methods or ways to reduce stress, such as yoga,expressive writing and communicating the stress impact on theirbodies and placing more emphasis on stress reduction in their lives(Mohsin&amp Wahab, 2013).

Conclusion

Theresearch confirms that stress causes harmful health conditions sinceit alters the body’s immune system. However, it is also evidentthat short-term stress boosts a person immunity system as it preparesan individual to amass and surmount a challenge such as adaptivereaction to harm or infection. Nevertheless, long-lasting stresscauses too much damage, and the immune system eventually breakdown ifthe person does not have control over the events. Additionally,stress is seen to cause massive damage to the liver, digestivesystem, cardiovascular and the immune regime of an individual.Duration of the stress plays a fundamental role in an individualphysical health and well-being. Such that, the long-lasting thestress, the more the immune function shifts from adaptability toharmful, first in the cellular immunity and eventually to broadlevels in the immune system. The elderly and the sick are moresuscepitible to stress-related physical illnesses, as their immunesystem is weak.

Therefore,it is imperative for medical practitioners to advise patientssuffering from stress-related diseases to practices healthylifestyles as well as adopting positive stress coping mechanisms.More so, they should evaluate the needs of their patientsindividually, treat them symptomatically, and emphasize on theremoval of the stressor as the most efficient form of treatment.

Recommendationsfor dealing with Stress

Toreduce the impact of stress on an individual’s bodily health, it isimperative for individual to adopt positive stress coping mechanismssuch as engaging in physical activity such as joining the gym, takinglong walks as this helps in clearing one’s mind (McCaffrey,&amp Liehr, 2015).In addition, individuals should maintain positive social groups,where they can discuss matters stressing them since a “problemshared a problem solved” or seek the help of therapists when facedwith stressful situations.Moreover,to cope with stress, individuals can write down the issueshighlighting them by use of expressive writing (Hillman,2016).It is particularly helpful to persons showing symptoms of asthma.Another important stress coping mechanism is talking to the religiousleader and praying. More research should be conducted on therelationship between stress and breast cancer.

References

D’Andrea,W., Sharma, R., Zelechoski, A., &amp Spinazzola, J. (2016). PhysicalHealth Problems After Single Trauma Exposure: When Stress Takes Rootin the Body. Journalof the American Psychiatric Nurses Association,7(6),378-392. Retrieved fromhttp://www.traumacenter.org/products/pdf_files/japna425187.pdf

Hillman,K. (2016). The Top Illnesses Caused By Stress. Journalof Stress ManagementRetrieved from http://www.stresstips.com/top-illnesses-caused-stress/

McCaffrey,R., &amp Liehr, P. (2015). The Effect of Reflective Garden Walkingon Adults With Increased Levels of Psychological Stress.&nbspJournalof Holistic Nursing,0898010115594934.Journalof Holistic Nursinghttp://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0898010115594934

Mohsin,S. F., &amp Wahab, A. (2013). Stress Management and Steps ofManaging Stress.&nbspAsiaPacific Journal of Management &amp Entrepreneurship Research,&nbsp2(1),164.Retrieved fromhttp://search.proquest.com/business/docview/1321931729/90570BE0BC10427FPQ/31?accountid=45049

Thoits,P. A. (2010). Stress and health major findings and policyimplications.&nbspJournalof health and social behavior,&nbsp51(1suppl), S41-S53.http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022146510383499

Thoits,P. A. (2013). Self, identity, stress, and mental health. In&nbspHandbookof the sociology of mental health&nbsp(pp.357-377). Springer Netherlands.

Wike,H. K. (2015). Examining the relationship between physical activitypsychological well-being and stress in a college population.Retrieved fromhttp://scholar.utc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1319&ampcontext=theses

Can Breast Cancer Be Linked To Abortion

The incidence of breast cancer has been on the rise in the recentyears, putting thousands of light risk and ending thousands othersevery year. In response, awareness campaigns on the same subject haveincreased multiple times over, as people seek to curb the effects ofthe disease. In the course of these campaigns, many points pertinentto the disease have risen, including numerous theories as to thereasons why the disease has been so prevalent in recent years. Asimilar debate that has raged on in the recent years is whether ornot abortion should be completely legalized or outlawed in thecountry. The pro-choice movement members opine that abortion shouldnot be tolerated at all while the anti-choice camp holds that that itshould be legalized as it is the right of every woman to decide thefate of their pregnancies. Pro-choice theorists have introduced apoint of intersection for the two issues, positing that abortionincreases the risk of contracting breast cancer. This debate revolvesaround two issues that have been burning in the public debatecircles. The outcome has the potential to save many lives and,therefore, it is vital to weigh the evidence on both sides anddetermine which has the stronger argument based on their evidence. Inthis respect, the view herein is that there is no significantrelationship between the abortion and breast cancer, and the linkbetween them is a plot by the anti-choice campaigners to tilt thedebate in their favor.

Abby Ohlheiserhas garnered experience researching and reporting on generalassignment for the Washington Post. He has built a reputation formeticulous reporting and detailed research on a wide range of topics.In 2013, he leveraged this experience to investigate the alleged riskbetween breast cancer and abortion, weighing the evidence on bothsides in an article published in “The Wire” magazine andlater adopted Cengage Learning subsidiary, Greenhaven Press. In hisreport, Ohlheiser indicated that although there have been a number ofstudies in support of both sides of this argument, the best reportsreported no link between abortion and breast cancer infections(Ohlheiser, 2016). Two of eight studies reported that there is nosignificant indication that induced abortions lead to breast cancerinfection. Dr. Susan Gatspur, a prominent cancer epidemiologistagreed that these two were the most credible studies among the eight(Ohlheiser, 2016). The relationship began to emerge as the quality ofthe studies declined, she added. Ohlheiser, after considering all theevidence, concluded that since there is no credible scientific causalrelationship between abortion and breast cancer, the motivationbehind the proliferation of the poor quality reports must bepolitical (2016). The ultimate aim of the political campaign is towin support for the anti-choice campaign that perpetuates it.

Joel Brind is abiology and endocrinology professor at the City University of NewYork’s Baruch College. His prominence qualified him as the scienceadvisor to the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer, and cofounder ofthe Breast Cancer Prevention Institute. Greenhaven Press, Ohlheiser’sarticle publishers, carried his article titled &quotFaultyJournalism Denies the Link Between Abortion and Breast Cancer&quotin their Gale publication (Brind, 2016). In the article,&nbspheirrevocably refuted the argument that Ohlheiser drove in his earlierargument. He first discredits Ohlheiser’s qualification to speak onthe subject by pointing out that the latter is not a scientist but aperpetuator of faulty journalism and political interests inconvincing the public about the inexistence of the ABC link. Hisargument advances, claiming that the concept of consensus thatOhlheiser bases her conclusion on is a political and not scientificmethod, and a majority of the groundbreaking scientific discoveriesgo against the opinion of the majority. Instead, he cites a“game-changing” study in China that discovered a 44% higherchance of breast cancer incidence in women that have procured anabortion (Brind, 2016). The resultant data from the study directlyrefutes the argument driven by the pro-choice advocates, whom heclaims are overlooking an important issue for political reasons. Heclaims that the previously credible journals from the West have builta wall of denial to promote the right to abort, while others,primarily Asian journals, are increasingly establishing an undeniableABC-link, pointing to up to 2000% breast cancer risk increase (Brind,2016). He cites evidence from China, whose one-child policy increasesthe abortion rate therein. In addition, he claims that majority ofthe refuters of the ABC-link only came following the “Roe v. Wade,”the case that legalized abortion in the USA, yet claims of the linkwere existent decades before the case (Brind, 2016). Therefore, heconcludes, scientific data indicates that the ABC-link exists and thesooner the pro-choice camp accepts this fact, the sooner the breastcancer epidemic can be defeated.

Greenhavenpublishers carried yet another argument on the ABC-link, disputingthe credibility of the link. Joyce Arthur, the author, is theAbortion Rights Coalition of Canada’s executive director. Informedby the research that she conducted on her way to her current post andwhile in it, she disputes the credibility of the study from China,faulting the methodology employed therein (Arthur, 2016). She singlesout “recall bias” as the fault, whereby the interviewees ignoredevents that they are not comfortable discussing. In this respect,women in earlier studies underreported their abortions, hence theimpression of higher abortion rates that correspond to the breastcancer rate increase in the last 20 years. In the 1996 studies, manywomen underreported their abortions due to fear of stigma (Arthur,2016).. Even in the current day, there is a discrepancy in thereporting, she argues, since women already diagnosed with cancer arehighly motivated to recall and report any instances of abortion,unlike those who are cancer-free. Moreover, she cites a recent studythat reported the existence of stigma against abortion in China. Thepresence of the error, then, invalidates the entire study, which isthe premise of the argument by the anti-choice advocates. She goesahead to propose the use of cohort studies to investigate theABC-link as it is more reliable (Arthur, 2016).. Notably, sheobserves that the arguments on the link do not consider other breastcancer risk factors, which are significant in their contribution tothe increase in the breast cancer rate. She concludes, then, thatthese advocates are only fear mongers that aim to strengthen thestigma against abortion at the expense of science.

In retrospect,both sides of the debate on the link between breast cancer andabortion make valid points. Ohlheiser points to the fact that themajority of the high-quality studies point to no crediblerelationship between the two. She conducts detailed research to backup her argument and does well to bring out her point by concentratingon the quality of the studies, rather than the quantity. In hisrebuttal of Ohlheiser’s argument, Brind seeks to discredit theformer but his argument is flawed. For one, his claim Ohlheiser usesconsensus is inaccurate as she uses two of eight studies, which arealso the most credible. In addition, Joyce Arthur picks his argumentapart, proving that the study he builds his argument around isinvalid. Moreover, he does not do enough to prove that the quality ofthe Western journals has declined in all aspects. Singling out thesubject of the ABC-link fits Arthur’s rebuttal that the anti-choicecamp only singles out the evidence that suits them so as to advancetheir ulterior motives. The detail in Arthur’s study, going back intime is convincing. Coupled up with the views that Ohlheiserexpresses and complimented by the weaknesses in the argument thatBrind advances, they convinced me that the anti-choice camp ismisconstruing facts. Their respective articles are enough to convinceme that the anti-choice advocates drive an invalid argument toinstill fear in the women and convince people wrongfully that thereis a link between abortion and breast cancer, while, in fact, thereis none.

References

Arthur, Joyce. &quotAnti-Choice Groups UseFlawed Studies to Establish a Link Between Abortion and BreastCancer.&quot&nbspBreast Cancer,edited by Dedria Bryfonski, Greenhaven Press, 2016. OpposingViewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints inContext,&nbsphttps://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010982220/OVIC?u=lirn99776&ampxid=7829b0fc.Accessed 5 Dec. 2016. Originally published as &quotHow Deeply FlawedStudies on Abortion and Breast Cancer Become Anti-Choice Fodder,&quot9 Jan. 2014.

Brind, Joel. &quotFaulty Journalism Denies theLink Between Abortion and Breast Cancer.&quot Breast Cancer, editedby Dedria Bryfonski, Greenhaven Press, 2016. Opposing Viewpoints.Opposing Viewpoints in context,https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010982218/OVIC?u=lirn99776&ampxid=4671b858.Accessed 5 Dec. 2016. Originally published as &quotActivists WereQuick to Deny New Study Confirming Abortion-Breast Cancer Link,&quot,10 Dec. 2013.

Ohlheiser, Abby. &quotFaulty Science Is Usedto Support Link Between Abortion and Breast Cancer.&quot&nbspBreastCancer, edited by Dedria Bryfonski,Greenhaven Press, 2016. Opposing Viewpoints.&nbspOpposingViewpoints inContext,&nbsplink.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010982217/OVIC?u=lirn99776&ampxid=dafeeaa3.Accessed 5 Dec. 2016. Originally published as &quotThe FaultyScience of the Abortion-Breast Cancer Link,&quot&nbspTheWire, 6 Dec. 2013.

&shy&shyStudent’sNameProfessor’s NameCourseDateRomanCivilization: Comparison and Contrast of Nero’s Murder of hisMotherTheaccounts of Tacitus and Dio Cassius concerning the circumstances thatsurround Nero having her mother, Agrippa the Younger, killed are fullof a cloud of mixed reactions and told slightly differently probablybecause of the anti-Nero bias. The two stories converge in many waysand also diverge in equal measures.Tacitus’saccount records that Nero had got a romantic involvement with a verynoble woman, Poppaea Sabina, whom he considered marrying. Nerocontemplated and finalized his plans to divorce Octavia and marryPoppaea. Nonetheless, such schemes were not viable with his motherAgrippa, at least politically forcing Nero to have his mother killed.According to Tacitus, Nero was incredibly persuaded that Agrippa theYounger had to die. The issue was just the question of how her deathwould have come by, by poisoning or stabbing her. Given Agrippa’sexperience with treachery and planning of such acts, Nero consideredthe two said options by which her life was to end and decided theywere desperate and suspicious. That was the time when Tutor Anicetus,whom Nero’s mother loathed very much, became handy. When Nerosought for his piece of advice on how he should have Agrippa killed,he devised that it should take place using a self-sinking boat.Similarly, Dio Cassius’s account, on the other hand, is similar inthat it begins with a ploy to have Agrippa killed through the designof a self-sinking boat. There is also the mention of Nero’sdetermination to put to an end her mother’s domineering andpower-hungriness, using elimination of deathHereports that Agrippa became aware of his son’s plot to kill her butstill went ahead sailing on the boat to attend the regularcelebrations by his son. On their way to the ceremony, she was almostcrushed by a collapsing boat roof but escaped death narrowly by thesaving of a sofa that broke the ceiling’s fall. Even though thecollapsing portion of the vessel roof did not kill Agrippa, thedebris crashed her attendant who stood by the helm, outside. Thecrew upon seeing that the boat did not sink from the roof ceiling asplanned, theysankthe ship,but Agrippa still managed to swim to the shore. The misguidedattention of her assailants probably misdirected by the cry of herfriend, Acerronia Polla, who claimed she was Agrippa so that shecould be saved, gave her enough time and room to swim to the shore.Nonetheless, her friend did not survive. She is believed to have beensunkto death by the assailants. The news of Agrippa’s survival and howa group of admirers met reached his son who then sent three assassinsto kill her.Thestory unfolds in quite a different way according to Dio Cassius’saccount. The difference comes first in the design of the ship whichis said to have been designed to open at the bottom while inshorerather than at the sailings. There is, therefore, an apparent absenceof the falling ceiling that ended up injuring Agrippa’s aid as toldby the Tacitus. Dio Cassius maintained that Agrippa the Younger wasput aboard and while the ship was in the sea, the bottom openedletting her out into the deep where she managed to swim to the shore. Another difference in the two stories in the number of assassinssent to kill Agrippa after the news of her survival had reached Nero.While Tacitus claims three assassins were sent over there to have herkilled, Dio Cassius noted that only an assassin was sent to take herout. Dio further alleges that Nero said that he wastippedoff that Agrippa planned to kill him but ended up committing suicide,a claim that there is no mention of in Tacitus’s account. Anotherelement of the story Dio captures outside Tacitus’s account is thatAgrippa had the chance to refutethe last words asking that the assassins strike her womb that bore anabominable son.WhileTacitus seems to be unsympathetic to Agrippa, Dio Cassius is quitesympathetic to her. Tacitus’s narration paints Agrippa as being anuisance to Nera. First, she could not accept any daughter-in-law whomade it worse to think that she would take Poppaea. Secondly, shedressed in a way suggesting she wanted to sleep with her half-tipsyson who became heartbroken about it. Tacitus claims all the kissesand endearments that Agrippa lavished his son with were forerunnersof guilt. Dio’s sympathy for Agrippa is undisputedly clear when henarrated the point when she had the chance to reputethe last words asking that the assassins strike her womb that bore anabominable son.Inconclusion, the two accounts are similar in that both recognize thatEmpower Nero was very determined to have Agrippa killed for her greedand plot against him. The two, also converge that the means by whichAgrippa had to die is on a self-sinking boat. However, while theunsympathetic Tacitus claims that the ship was to besunkfrom the sailing, the sympathetic Dio claims it was to besunkfrom the bottom.Works CitedDonaldL. Wasson Roman Civilization, Fall 2016, Np. 10 – 70. Print.

2

COLDWAR IN AMERICA

Nameof the Student

ColdWar in America

Thecold war was basically as a result of joint triumphant of the twosuper powers that were the Soviet Union and on the other side theUnited States over Adolf Hitler’s Nazi empire in Europe in theSecond World War¹.This was an ideological, geopolitical and also a struggle foreconomic supremacy between the two superpowers which began in theyear 1947 when the second world war was coming to an end and followedon for a number of years due to the different ideology and opinionsregarding the actions taken by the superpowers, dissolution of SovietUnion in the year 1991 was what terminated the cold war. Thispaper will cover the beginning of world war and how the actions ofcold war later shaped the foreign affairs and domestic affairs andhow the cold war came to an end. I agree that the cold war hadadverse conditions on the policies of the United States.

Inthe year 1940’s America went through a lot of changes aftertermination of World War II, though there was no physical fightingwith the Russian, however, the effects on American society anddomestic policy felt. The economy of the countries was alsoindirectly affected because much cash put on defense, the cold warhad also been feared that with time it could certainly result inactual war, this was among the biggest concerns of Americans wholived with a fear of the unknown. This got the Americans spendingmore much on the cold war with figures up to 8 trillion while over100,000 Americans lost their lives in the war that involved Vietnamand Korea. The superpowers also had to show the world of theirstrength hence making them create nuclear weapons that could be usedto fight this also made other super powers to set high budgets ondefenses.

Adverseeffects of the cold war also resulted in other wars which theAmerican soldiers got into, the spirit of nationalism and loyaltymade many of the Americans to join the army and volunteer, theywished to perform their civic duties hence they were never at anypoint afraid to defend their country, many wars later developed thusmore men did not again want to be involved needless battles becausethey were afraid of the effects of cold war².The Americans did not want to give into the Soviet Union, so theyfocused less on the education sector and spent more on science

Theleaders of the United States planned for an alliance together withthe leaders of the Middle East which led to success against forcesthat attacked them. The cold war continues to have effects on worldaffairs in numerous ways which are clearly evident the dissolutionof Soviet resulted to single polar, which led to the United States tobe the only remaining super power. The political role of the UnitedStates was also defined by the cold war U.S held alliance with anumber of countries and had 526,000 troops that were sent to a numberof countries with the highest percentage of 326,000 in Europe and130,000 in Asia³.

TheAmericans had a feeling that it was important to consume their goodsto which would, in turn, help their economy to grow, these made asignificant impact on the economy of the US as it turned out to bethe dominant economic power in the world, this economic mighty had adirect translation to their defense might against the Soviet.President Reagan aided in the stimulation of massive economic growthwith significant cuts in tax.

Changesin the domestic policy tend to lead to the counterculture and agerebellion. However, the cold war changed America by bringing in placeforeign and local policies into the lives of Americans. It did notstop there because there were also changes in defense programs. Therewas also the introduction of science and innovation that limitededucation but enhanced programs which were intended to expandhumanity into the unknown space.

Inconclusion, evident that whatever has got a beginning does not havean end, after many years of cold war between the two superpowers thelooming fear drifted to an end, U.S and the Soviet relations improvedwell in the 1980`s⁴.During summit meeting held in Iceland 1986, Gorbachev agitated forthe reduction of ammunition from both sides. However, this did notend up well it was till 1987 when a meeting was held which led tothe signing of Nuclear Forces treaty. Those that belonged to theEastern Bloc faced a blow when they began to fall apart, and theSoviet Union did nothing in response to this, later on in themid-1990 they declared their independence. The state of confusion,however, continued as they tried to overthrow Gorbachev it was untilDecember 1991 that the Soviet Union ceased to exist.

Bibliographies

Mistry,Kaeten. &quotConfronting America: The Cold War Between The UnitedStates And The Communists In France And Italy.&quotColdWar History&nbsp12,no. 1 (2012): 179-180.

Noer,Tom. &quotAmerica, The UN And Decolonization: Cold War Conflict InThe Congo.&quotCold War History&nbsp12,no. 4 (2012): 708-709.

&nbspPettina,Vanni. &quotThe Shadows Of Cold War Over Latin America: The USReaction To Fidel Castro`s Nationalism, 1956-59&quot.&nbspColdWar History&nbsp(2010):1-1.

Rabe,Stephen G. &quotHuman Rights, Latin America, And The Cold War.&quotDiplomatic History36,no. 1 (2012): 231-236.

1^ Mistry, Karen. &quotConfronting America: The Cold War Between The United States And The Communists In France And Italy.&quot Cold War History&nbsp12, no. 1 (2012): 179-180.

2^ Noer, Tom. &quotAmerica, The UN, And Decolonization: Cold War Conflict In The Congo.&quot Cold War History&nbsp12, no. 4 (2012): 708-709.

3^ Rabe, Stephen G. &quotHuman Rights, Latin America, And The Cold War&quot.&nbspDiplomatic History36, no. 1 (2012): 231-236

4^ &nbspPettina, Vanni. &quotThe Shadows Of Cold War Over Latin America: The US Reaction To Fidel Castro`s Nationalism, 1956-59&quot.&nbspCold War History&nbsp(2010): 1-1.

MedicalMarijuana

Theuse of Cannabis sativa (marijuana) and its legalization represents agreat controversy strongly founded on the political and scientificbasis. According to Rubens (p. 121-131), both the scientific andpolitical sides conflict, thereby shaping the current debate on themedical use of the marijuana. Consequently, laws controlling ordecriminalizing of marijuana use has been enforced in many Americanstates. However, despite the existence of these strict laws,marijuana continues to be widely used while its effects continue toinfluence the economic, medical and psychological well-being of manyAmericans. Also, many studies have focused on the legal andpsychological aspect of using marijuana. With the few that havefocused on the potential of its use as a drug for chronically illpatients, results have generated hope for effective treatment ofchronic conditions. Medicalmarijuana should be legalized only in controlled environment becauseit possess great opportunities to heal chronic diseases

Thepharmacology of marijuana

Traditionally,marijuana has been used in many ancient societies for culturalmedicine, religious rituals, and in alleviating symptoms of somediseases to enhance treatment (Lusk, Teresia, and Raylon 4). Amongthese uses, the recreational purpose has been more influential thanthe use in medicine and rituals. In this case, the pharmacology ofmarijuana began a long time ago (Lynne-Landsman 1). However, thecentral focus on the plant for potential medicinal use began around1864 when the primary formulation of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) wasscientifically isolated for use in medical studies (Lusk, Teresia,and Raylon 4). Consequently, understanding on the plants chemical andbiological characteristics, the mode of influence to various bodycells, and potential use in the medical field increased.

Theamount of THC in Marijuana plant is significantly small and exists astetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA). Subjecting this acid to heattriggers a catalytic response that results in the chemical conversionof THCA into THC (Lusk, Teresia, and Raylon 4). This explains thereason behind smoking, vaporization, and boiling to generatemarijuana’s reactive components. The presence of THC in the body isfollowed by an enzymatic breakdown in the liver to further release 11–hydroxy-tetrahydro cannabinol (11-OH-THC) and 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-tetrahydrocannabinol (THCCOOH), the most activemetabolic agents.

Afterinjection, these chemicals reach the central nerves system and otherbody cells. Consequently, the user experience euphoria, insensitivityto pain, and cognitive deficits due to impairment of motor andcognitive elements of the brain (Leyton 2). The decline of cognitiveability and the euphoric excitement or delight marijuana userexperience increases the risk of accidents, permanent mentalinstability and some diseases such as schizophrenia.

Thecontroversy

Basedon recent studies, marijuana negative effects are serious than mostpeople assume. According to Leyton (2-3), heavy use of marijuana isassociated with psychological disorders and can have many seriouseffects than steroids, ketamine, and hallucinogenic substances.Furthermore, marijuana use has increased the economic costs toindividuals and placed big burdens to the America’s criminaljustice system.

Onthe other hand, marijuana has been demonstrated in different pastclinical testing environment to be useful in the treatment ofglaucoma, nausea, and vomiting (Lynne-Landsman 122). Consequently,different organizations including National Institute of Health (NIH)and Institute of Medicine (IOM) have developed reports recommendingfurther studies on the medical use of marijuana using the availabledata. In this case, there is a significant probability of marijuanastudies yielding medicinal solutions to some health conditions.

Whilethe negative effects of marijuana abuse are well known, thepotentiality of its use in medical settings continues to be promisingwith each new research study. Such knowledge and awareness have leftthe Americans divided into groups based on their viewpoints on themedical use of marijuana. However, the progress in research ishindered by possibilities of drug abuse and laws that illegalize druguse.

Marijuanause and the law

Thelegalization of marijuana use is characterized by medication andrecreational purposes. Currently, the medication use is allowed in 18states and Washington DC under the provision so of various legalinstruments. Consequently, some local penalties for medicinal useshave been removed to pave the way for research in search of treatmentand medication of chronically ill patients (Rubens 123). The Acts inmany American states allow clinically ill patients to possess and usemarijuana under strict doctor’s prescriptions.

Afterthe discovery of the medically important marijuana chemicalproperties in 1864, the physicians were allowed to treat patientsusing the drug. Due to increased popularity in medicine, theMarijuana Tax Act of 1937 was introduced to discourage the use andhandling in recreational settings. In this case, the act did notdecriminalize the use. However, this was just as start because, in1970, the US Congress developed and passed the Controlled SubstanceAct (Rubens 123-125). The law led to the grouping of drugs andmarijuana was placed in Category I together with the heroine.

Manyother laws have been enacted leading to complete illegalization ofmarijuana. However, with increased discoveries of its potential useas a drug in medicine, the government of America has faced pressuresnecessitating legalization. Although it is projected thatlegalization can increase violence, unemployment, economicconstraints and mental health issues, some states have legalizedmarijuana. California was the first in 1996, and it opened the doorfor many other states that have legalized medical marijuana.

Medicinalproperties of marijuana

Despitethe obstacles that laws pose to research on medical marijuana,numerous findings have been achieved. Past and some current studieshave focused on investigating the potential of using marijuana tocure or treat HIV/AIDs and Cancer (Lusk et al. 5). In these studies,different effects of marijuana chemicals have demonstrated somepossibilities, though not enough to declare sure medication. However,a significant number of studies have revealed the effectiveness ofthe drug in the treatment of muscle spasms, sleep improvement,anxiety disorders and chronic pain.

MedicalMarijuana improves the quality of life among the individuals inpalliative care surviving chronic illness or terminally illconditions. The reason for its use is that many drugs used to treatsuch patients are highly toxic, and therefore, advance the disease orsymptoms. THC, on the other hand, is less toxic. Besides, no lethaldose of THC has been identified in marijuana use. Also, a patientexperiencing harsh side effect such as in cancer treatment can begiven a dose of dronabinol and nabilone, the popular forms of THC.

Marijuanadrugs help reduces chronic pain among the patients with cancer. Also,most studies focusing on the beneficial traits of marijuanaestablished that nabiximol can be used in treating spasticity andneuropathic pain among the patients struggling with cancer and sicklecell anemia (Lusk et al. 6). Moreover, despite numerous studiesestablishing the positive association between marijuana and mentaldisorders, several others have found that marijuana drug helps treatseveral and popular disorders. For instance, Lusk et al. (5-7)confirm that marijuana is effective in treating loss of appetite,depression, insomnia and blood pressure. Also, the THC has been foundto reduce the plaque in the blood vessel that causes coronaryarterial disease.

However,despite such and many other potential medical use of marijuana, theside effects are widely known. Even in the established medicalprocedures using marijuana, the prolonged use can have negativeimpacts on the patients. For instance, long-term use of marijuanaamong the patients with the clinical disease can result in dependencythat leads to cognition impairment, weight loss, and liver problems.Also, using marijuana decreases the intelligence quotients among theyouths (Lynne-Landsman 13). As a result, students may acquire lowgrades at school. Other negative impacts of marijuana use aredecreased productivity at work that can lead to unemployment,antisocial behaviors, and mental disorders (madness).

Conclusion

Theuse of medical marijuana posed both risks and valuable opportunities.Most recent studies have focused on utilizing the benefits ofmarijuana while at the same time minimizing its effects in theAmerican population. Therefore, there is need to develop medicalprotocols to guide marijuana use. Such protocols should allow the useof marijuana to treat terminally ill patients where there is nobetter alternative while at the same time discouraging the use ofsuch drug among the vulnerable populations. Vulnerable populationincludes those who have increased the likelihood of extending themarijuana use even after their recovery from a condition thatnecessitated the use in the first place. Also, such drugs should notbe prescribed to a single patient for long to prevent developingdependency on the drug. Therefore, the government should reform theexisting laws and develop new ones that advocate for the safe andappropriate use of medical marijuana while at the same timepreventing illegal sources and use of the substance. Finally,research should continue to expand the existing body of knowledge onmarijuana, and potential to heal or treat major diseases.

WorksCited

Leyton,Marco. &quotLegalizing Marijuana.” N.p., 2016. Print.

Lusk,Stephanie, Teresia Paul, and Raylon Wilson. &quotThe PotentialImpact of the Legalization and Decriminalization of Marijuana on theVocational Rehabilitation Process. Why the Buzz?” N.p., 2015. Web.10 Dec. 2016.

Lynne-Landsman,Sarah D., Melvin D. Livingston, and Alexander C. Wagenaar. &quotEffectsof State Laws on Adolescent Marijuana Use&quot.N.p., 2012. Print.

Rubens,Muni. &quotPolitical and Medical Views on and ItsFuture.&quot&nbspSocialWork in Public Health.29.2 (2014): 121-131. Print.

Abortionand Right to Life

Question1

Theright to life is a moral belief derived from the understanding that ahuman being has the right to live according to pro-life debates. Thismeans that another human being should not determine the life of aperson or rather no person has the liberty to end another person’slife (Hall, 405). The issue and the understanding of the right tolife arise in arguments on matters of abortion, justifiable homicide,war, and also public health care amongst other cases. There is acommon overview of a person’s right to life, it is widelyunderstood that it is God who provides the right to life directly andnot from any living being.

Onthe other hand, the concept of body autonomy is well-thought-out tobe a human right (Hall, 417). Bodily autonomy suggests that anindividual has the right to decide who or what uses their body, forhow long and for what reason. It is the exact explanation on why aperson cannot be compelled to donate organs, life blood, or tissueirrespective of whether you are dead or alive or if you would improveor save many lives. In other words, for a person to use, have sex, oreven touch your body needs consent from you.

Thestandard argument in the pro-life debate arrives at an understandingthat all human being inclusive of the fetus, all have a right tolife. Basing on this general overview, Thomson explains in deeperdetails on the insufficient justification of the morality ofabortion. She bases her argument on the standard perception that allindividuals have a right to live, the fetus is a human being (Hall,407). Also, this means that abortion undermines the rights of thefetus and is illegal.

However,Thomson does not agree with this notion since the mother also has aright to her own body also known as body integrity. As it stands, theargument is incorrect. She believes that it is not always valid tosay that right to life of the unborn child is more important than themother’s right to bodily autonomy (Hall, 409). This is because theright to life cannot be an absolute right. For that reason, in somecases, abortion is morally permissible. He suggests that peopleshould think more unambiguously concerning how thoughts on the moralobligations that we extend to other people.

Question.2

Thomsonarrives at the conclusion that the right to life does not imply theright to anything one needs to survive and certainly not the right touse or continued use of another individual’s body to live (Hall,408). Thomson agrees that all persons have rights to life. However,that does not mean other persons are morally indebted to make sureyou stay alive or that we should have affirmative obligations foryour survival. She claims the perception that certain people have aduty to make sure one lives is morally wrong since we have failed tostop the dying in Ethiopia and Africa out of starvation.

Toderive an explicit understanding, she uses an example of theviolinist. You wake up one morning in a hospital with a prominentviolinist connected to your kidneys. As a result, he needs the use ofyour kidney for approximately nine months to survive (Hall, 417). Every individual has a right to live, the violist is a human being,and therefore, he has a right to life. So the question now arises, isit impermissible to dis-attach the violinist? Does his right to lifeoutweigh your right to bodily integrity? These are some of theillustrations that make Thomas arrive at her conclusions on the rightto live. Therefore, each person has the right over his or her body,and this right is stronger than the violinist’s right to life.Hence it is allowed to unplug the violinist.

Accordingto Thomson, abortion is not essentially morally impermissible. Inthat there are some instances when it is permissible and other timesit is not. She claims that even if many people perceive that fetus isa person, the right for a mother to carry out an abortion is morallyallowed in some circumstances. According to Thomson, abortion shouldbe permissible when the mother’s life is at risk. It is true thatboth the unborn child and the mother have a right to life andaborting the fetus is killing it but doing nothing is allowing themother to die (Hall, 420). Therefore, abortion should not always beviewed as the killing of an innocent person. Instead, it should beunderstood as a way of protecting a person from dying. A woman isjustified to defend her life if it is in danger.

Question3

Incontrast to other pro-lifers, Thomson claims in instances that awoman consents to sex, this does not mean that she automaticallyassent to pregnancy, regardless of consensual sex carrying thepossibility of being expectant. In other words, consent to sex doesnot allow the resultant fetus the consent to use the mother’s body.Thomas supports the suggestion that, if a woman agrees to unprotectedsex, does not automatically mean she’s ready for the consequencesof potentially having a fetus depend on her body for the continuedsurvival for the next nine months.

Consequently,this is to say that the woman has the right to carry out an abortiondepending on the value she places on the fetuses’ life. Ininstances where she does not grant the unborn child a moralsignificance, she can perform an abortion. This implies that, if shegives fetuses the moral status of an adult, then her right toterminate the baby is determined by consent (Hall, 423). In caseswhere she was using birth control, then it is fair enough to say thatshe did not agree to get pregnant. On the same note, Thomson claimsthat, if she was not using birth control, but she was raped, thismeans she didn’t agree to get pregnant. However, in the situationwhere one gets raped, any woman could avoid pregnancy by way ofhaving a hysterectomy. This is a risky process used to protect onefrom the possibility of pregnancy. Thomson sticks

Thomsonfirmly believes that in the above instances pointed out above, awoman should be permitted to carry out an abortion. This is becauseall individuals have total control over their bodily integrity (Hall,427). Consequently, if someone is using your body without the consentfrom you, then one has the moral right to deny the access to yourbody regardless of whether the access is necessary for theircontinued existence. Thomson sticks to her analogy that in as much asthere are occurrences that the fetus does have control over the bodyof the mother, it is without a doubt that in most instances theunborn child does not have a right to the mother’s body.

Question4

Accordingto philosopher Don Marquis, he provides a compelling view of howvaluable the future of a person can be. Marquis highlights on thevaluable future when suggesting that death or killing is an immoralthing since it denies individuals of all the activities, experiences,projects, and enjoyments that would make a person’s future sovaluable (Marquis,9). A premature killing is a bad thing because itdeprives human beings of future experiences in life. This argumentabout the valuable future extends its discussions on the immoralityof abortion practices.

Usingthis concept, Marquis strongly argues that abortion is immoral. Hesupports the notion that the key effects of killing someone resultsto the cutting short the value of his or her future and this resultsin the consequences for the ethics of abortion (Marquis, 13. Thefuture of unborn child entails a set of activities, projects, andexperiences which are also applicable to the future of young kids andadults. Consequently, since it is wrong to kill someone after thetime of birth, the same reason should be identical to fetuses. Afetus is a valuable human being it has a great future just like forthe rest of human beings. Therefore, the killing of the fetusimplicates that the fetus has been deprived the chance to enjoy thatlife. Coming to a conclusion that abortion is morally unacceptedsince it is an act of killing.

Thisargument creates an understanding that fetus should be viewed as apotential human being and the rights of potential persons shouldapply to the unborn child. His primary argument is not based on theeffects on the person committing abortion or any other form ofkilling, but its impacts on the fetus or any other victim (Marquis,14). Killing inflicts the greatest possible sufferings to the victim,and more so it deprives one from all the fine things in life thatwould probably constitute to an individual’s future. According tohis analogy, it very evident that the life position can be equated tobe impracticable since it assumes a predetermined set of attributesthat proves the value of life. Therefore, Marquis’ claim is thatabortion is morally impermissible drawing from his value for life.

Theprimary argument by Marquis is the notion that killing should becondemned because it is immoral. That is the key explanation as towhy Marquis sets out to provide an overview why abortion is immoralwithout supposing the personhood of the unborn baby. Instead, hesheds light on the aspect of developing a strong explanation on whykilling is ordinarily an illegal practice (Marquis, 16). The keyelements of his argument are what is being taken away or being robbedwhen a person is killed. Taking away the life and the future of aperson is perceived to be the highest crime since the value of lifeis priceless. Moreover, no person has the power or right to take awaya fellow human being regardless of whether it a baby in the womb oran adult.

WorksCited

Hall,Timothy. &quotAbortion, the Right to Life, And Dependence.&quot&nbspSocialTheory &amp Practice&nbsp31.3(2005): 405-429.&nbspAcademicSearch Premier.

Marquis,D. &quotAbortion and Human Nature.&quot&nbspJournalof Medical Ethics&nbsp34.6(2008): 422-426.&nbspAcademicSearch Premier.Web.&nbsp

Daniel

Daniel

Danielserved respected positions in the administrations of manyMedo-Persian and Babylonian rulers such as Nebuchadnezzar, Darius,Cyrus, and Belshazzar. A faithful man of God, Daniel was an importantfigure to the Jewish. As such, this paper will evaluate Daniels worksfocusing on his interaction with the kings of Babylon and Persia. Itwill also entail his visions and the future of the Israelites.

Asentailed in the Book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar ends the JewishKingdom and captures them destroying Jerusalem in the process. Hethen took all the royals and noble young men while employing theformer treasures of the temple to decorate his own gods’ houses. Assuch, Nebuchadnezzar was not only an enemy of the Jews but their God.Therefore, the first challenge the Israelites faced entailed worship.Though they had sinned and compelled God to punish them by allowingtheir capture, worshipping became a problem while in captivity. Theywere forced to worship other gods as instructed by Nebuchadnezzar [ CITATION Ele11 l 1033 ].

Whilecapturing the Jews, the King ordered that high-born young men whowere good looking and intelligent would serve in his court. Danielwas included in this team. Together with Hanania, Azariah, andMichael, they had no blemish. While interacting with the King ofBabylon, Daniel, and the three young men were found to be wise thanany other men. Daniel could interpret visions and dreams. Due totheir level of wisdom, they were included in the King’s personalservice. It came a time when Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that could notbe interpreted by any of his magicians, Chaldeans, sorcerers, andconjures. But Daniel with the revelation from God was able tointerpret the visions. Daniel interacted with the King to the extentthat he began believing in the true God [ CITATION Shi13 l 1033 ].

Underthe Persian rule, Daniel interacted with Darius and Cyrus as theyassisted in the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Under their reign, hecontinued to prosper since they were mostly interested in paying thetax rather than worshipping of other gods. When Darius came intopower, he restructured the administration putting Daniel as one ofthe three vice-regents over a certain section of the realm. However,due to Daniel’s intelligence, he was promoted to take charge of theentire kingdom. Due to his exemplary conduct and wisdom, othergovernors and vice-regents became jealous and strived to find ablemish in him. At this juncture, a decree was made to pray to onlythe king and no other gods. Daniel was prevented from praying to Godwhich he did not obey. Though King Darius never found a blemish inDaniel, the conspirators ensured he was punished when he was foundpraying. He ended up in a den of lions where God protected him. Itwas from this happenings that the King believed in the true God andproclaimed that He should be served across his Kingdom [ CITATION Ele11 l 1033 ].

Significanceof Daniel’s faithful living in exile

Daniel’slife in exile was significant in several ways. Through hisfaithfulness, he created a community of like-minded individuals whohad privileges and were never enslaved. Since Daniel resisted theunlawful luxuries while in captivity, God protected him from anydangers. In one instance, he was thrown into a furnace together withhis faithful friends and the den of lions. In all these places, Godprotected him and the rest of the faithful. When dealing with theKing’s commanders, Daniel used tact to answer any queries. He alsointerpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams which continually strengthenedhis peaceful stay. Daniel’s life in exile is a lesson to thecontemporary world that God is always faithful. He protects those whotrust Him. Daniel developed a unique identity while in exile due tohis faithfulness to God. Through him, the respected people such asKing Darius and Nebuchadnezzar believed in the true God [ CITATION Zon12 l 1033 ].

Daniel’svisions about the future of Israel

Danielprophesied about the rise of Medo-Persia, Roman, and Greek empireseven during the Babylonian realm. It was Daniel who first prophesiedthat the days in captivity were almost over. He acted as if themessianic kingdom was about to happen since God’s word had beenestablished. While he knew confession of sins was paramount to therealization of the prophecy, Daniel prayed to ensure the same asentailed in the Daniel 9:3-19. In this chapter, Daniel acknowledgedthe sins and asked for mercy from God. He pleaded for God’s gracewhich was sufficient and requested the fulfillment of His promises.As such, Daniels visions illustrated that the days of captivity werealmost over [ CITATION Pet112 l 1033 ].

InDaniel 9:24, Angel Gabriel appeared to help Daniel to comprehend theconcept of the messianic kingdom as well as the timetable. It was inDaniel’s era when Gabriel revealed the purpose of the 70 sevens.They were to achieve six key purposes i.e. finish transgression, makean end of sins, make reconciliation for iniquity, bring everlastingrighteousness, seal the visions and prophecy, and anoint the holiest[ CITATION Pet112 l 1033 ].

Inconclusion, Daniel was a significant prophet during the exile period.The aspects entailed in the book continue to be helpful to thecurrent generations. While in exile, the Jews faced numerouschallenges, especially concerning worship. His days in exileillustrate how faith in God is an assurance of our own protectionfrom any kind of challenges. His interaction with the Persian andBabylonian leaders helped to uplift the name of God above all othergods. As such, the life of Daniel was vital to the Jews as well asthe current generations, particularly concerning faith.

References

Bakon, S. (2013). Exile and Return. Jewish Bible Quartely, 1-9.

Farisani, E. (2011). The Israelites in Palestine during the Babylonian Exile. The Israelites in Palestine, 69-88.

Gentry, P. J. (2011). Daniel’s Seventy Weeks and the New Exodus. 26-44.

Zondervan. (2012). The Faithful Prosper while the Faithless Fall. Retrieved from The Story: http://www.alcto.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/The-Story-Jan-25-31-2016-Chapter-18.pdf

A FRAMEWORK FOR CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING 4

AFramework for Culturally Responsive Teaching

AFrameworkfor Culturally Responsive Teaching

Thearticle read, provides powerful insights on how educationthat fully respects diversity can be challenging. Thecase study illustrated in the article focuses on a United Stateshistory teacher by the name Mr. Clark.The teacher wants to share knowledge with his students on the topic“the notion of cultural pluralism” and the different roles thatour various socioeconomic upbringings play in our lives (Wlodkowski &ampGinsberg, 1995).The socioeconomic background,in this case,is used to show the belief system that our society puts in us thathave an impact on our view of day to day activities in the learningprocess as related to culture.

Inhis teaching, Clark uses collaborative and critical questioningprocedures to help students in his class tocomprehend concepts related to social class and melting pot quickly.Using this process,he engages students by asking them to brainstorm on words related toculture. Students come up with answers such as religion, language,ethnicity, and gender and food preference. After engaging students ingroups,they are surprised by how much the issues raised are fairconsidering they come from different backgrounds.

Thecommonality issue posesa question ofwhy it’s difficult for some people to become economically secureconsidering the culture elements are common amongdiverse groups ofindividualsliving in theStates. Mr. Clarks rules on the discussion of this issue gives thestudents a chance to give honest opinions on what they think is thereason. As a result of this study,students acknowledge that the difference in the viewpoint amongdifferent scholars isattributedto race and socioeconomic upbringing which take the centralpart of the broad picture of cultural pluralism resulting toprejudice.

Insummary, when handling learners from the diversecultural background, their engagement in learning about the topicthat touches on their cultures will only be possible if they areintrinsically motivated. Theidea is best solvedby the application of the motivationalframework in the learning process.

Reference

Wlodkowski,R. J., &amp Ginsberg, M. B. (1995, September). AFramework for Culturally Responsive Teaching.Retrieved December 11, 2016, from Educational Leadership:http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept95/vol53/num01/A-Framework-for-Culturally-Responsive-Teaching.aspx

REFLECTION ON MUSIC CLASS 4

Music is one of the widely accepted forms of entertainment acrossthe world. It is a genre of music that has numerous benefits rangingfrom mental to health advantages. However, many people are not awareof the roles that music plays in ensuring that a person is bothrelaxed and healthy (Reimer, 2015). Many people play music for thesole purpose of avoiding boredom and for social interaction purposes.

Thesis: Despite the general assumption that music does not havespecific advantages related to mental and physical health, it isessential to note it is paramount to listen to music at least for 20minutes daily.

The insights that this class has offered regarding music areimmense. Most people listen to music as a past time activity or forentertainment when they feel bored. However, it is now clear thatmusic has specific roles individually and at community level. It isnow clear that songs such as national anthems are unifying factor andthey should be listened to keenly because they describe the nature ofa people (Reimer, 2015). While listening to music, it is essential topay special attention to the lyrics because every song has beenidentified as having a message that it seeks to deliver to theaudience. For example, majority of songs focus on the theme of loveand hope. While listening to such songs, it is important to payspecial attention to the lyrics while undergoing a difficultsituation.

Previously, music has been long associated with crime andanti-social behaviors such as drug use and sexuality. However, thecompletion of this class has enabled me to understand that such vicesare associated to individuals and not the entire music industry(Reimer, 2015). Music seeks to educate the society and even raiseawareness regarding such vices and their negative effects.Furthermore, songs such as the one on Haiti earthquake tragedy titled“We are the world 25 for Haiti” sought to conduct a noble duty ofraising funds to support the affected people. My understanding ofmusic as a social evil has since changed and my view of artists haschanged. I now view music as a positive aspect in society and as anawareness tool that seeks to help people understand their history,feelings and country. Moreover, I have come to realize that musicplays a crucial role in enhancing people’s mental and physicalhealth. When a person dances to a tune, it acts as a form of exercisehence improving his or her physical fitness.

I have always been attracted to county music due to its soft natureand strong message of love and appreciation of women. Furthermore,most of country music artists such as Kenny Rodgers and Dolly Partonhave exceptional voices. In addition, I have always preferredclassical music because its tradition and emotional nature. Myall-time favorite classical artist has been Ludwig Van Beethoven. Themost interesting aspect of this class has been learning numerous newartists that I never knew and also learning the lyrics of some songsthat now appear entertaining.

While concluding, it is clear that there are numerous people whohave warped interpretations of what music really means. Music has arelaxing nature and entertainment aspect that improves the health oflisteners. Whereas vices such as drug use and crime are associatedwith some genres of music such as reggae and hip-hop, it is clearthat these are vices associated with particular individuals and notthe whole music genre.

References

Reimer, B. (2015).&nbspSeeking the significance of musiceducation: Essays and reflections. Lanham, Md: Rowman &ampLittlefield Education.