The North Shore Essay Example for Free

The North Shore Essay To travel across Minnesota, is the opportunity to experience the vast prairie lands, where an individual can see as far as the eye allows, to the lakes, where the water calms, and the trees enrich the landscape.   Perhaps no venture is as rich as the North Shore, where the terrain is varied, the fog rolls in as across what appears to be an ocean, and the view is grand.    The journey north to The North Shore, is enlivened with small towns, each filled with treasures from local artisans, and every other shop boasting of being the best in canoeing outfitters as the Boundary Waters approaches.    It is where an individual can quite literally reach the â€Å"end of the road.†Ã‚   The North Shore has had an impact on the history of Minnesota, from the settling of the land, to the economic fortunes and misfortunes. Tourism in the Duluth and North Shore area continues to expand, in this area rich in history.   The Superior Hiking Trail, a long distance footpath, was modeled after the Appalachian Trail, runs along the ridgeline adjacent to Lake Superiors North Shore from Duluth, Minnesota to the Canadian border.   By 1998, 240 miles of the project has been completed. The trail was completed with the assistance of federal, state and local governments in combination with artists, resort and business owners, and hiking enthusiasts.   The Trail was officially opened in July 1987 at Briton Peak on the Sawbill Trail. According to Backpacker magazine, Minnesota’s Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) ranks as one of the 10 best hiking trails in the country.   This trail covers 224 miles of Minnesota’s most rugged terrain, running parallel to the North Shore of Lake Superior.   Throughout the trail, there are more than two-dozen rivers and streams among the ridges of the Sawtooth Mountains.   Throughout the trail there are opportunities to see Lake Superior and numerous inland lakes.   The high ridges are covered with oak trees and maple trees.   Additional growth includes boreal evergreens, birch, and aspen.   In the valleys, cedar and spruce trees and interspersed with red and white pine. The Superior National Forest The Superior Forest is covered with 445,000 acres of surface water, more than 1,300 miles of cold-water streams and 950 miles of warm water streams flow within the boundaries of the Superior. Fish species such as walleye, northern pike, small mouth bass, lake trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, and brown trout can be found in abundance in these waters. The northern forest continues to thrive with a variety of pine, fir and spruce trees and a variety of wildlife including deer, moose, the gray wolf, and black bear.   The population of the gray wolf has returned in Northern Minnesota, where it had once dwindled.   Reports of the wolf population vary from 300 to 2500.   (www.duluthstreams.org) Lake Superior was known to the Native Americans as Gitche Gumi.   The North Shore is 150 miles long.   Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake, covers about 31,700 square miles.   Lake Superior is the deepest of the Great Lakes, as much as 700 feet deep, only 3 miles out from shore. The deepest spot, 1,332 feet, is 40 miles off Munising, Michigan. The lake is 380 miles long, 160 miles wide, and has a surface area of 31,700 square miles, and 2900 miles of shoreline. (www.duluthstreams.org) History of Lake Superior The Native Americans first traveled Lake Superior using birch bark canoes to navigate the waters of Lake Superior.   Immigrant Europeans also used birch bark canoes to explore Lake Superior as early as the 1600s.   During the 1700s, the fur trade expanded the economy of the area, increasing the usage of Lake Superior by larger, cargo-carrying vessels.   When the fur trade declined in the 1800s, the local economy focused their efforts on fishing Lake Superior.   Merchant ships increase trade and transportation. Settlement of the North Shore began following the La Pointe Treaty in 1854, in which the Native Americans gave the Minnesota shoreline of Lake Superior to the United States.   (Castle, 1915)   The signing of the La Pointe Treaty was the Ojibwe surrender of their last territory.   They didn’t fully understand the process and believed they were working toward a compromise when it occurred. Because of the rich resources of copper, iron, and timber, navigation of Lake Superior continued to grow.   With the introduction of the railroad, bulk cargo of wheat and corn became more common.   With the increase in traffic on Lake Superior, came increased risk, as ships and sailors were lost due to weather, human error or mechanical failure.   The collapse of the fur trade made an economic impact on the area of Lake   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1 Rhoda R. Gilman, The History and Peopling of Minnesota: Its Culture, Daedalus 129.3 (2000): 1, Questia, 24 Apr. 2007 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=5001774954. Superior and the Native Americans, who had once participated in trade between themselves and the Europeans.   (Castle, 1915) The waters of Minnesota flow south to the Gulf of Mexico, east to the Atlantic Ocean, and north to Hudson Bay.   Minnesota’s history is interwoven with that of Canada, â€Å"described by French traders and missionaries in the 1600s, the region was for practical purposes a part of British territory until well into the nineteenth century. Today it shares with the Province of Ontario a coastline on Lake Superior and a vast wilderness canoe country. With Manitoba it shares the agricultural wealth and the flood problems of the Red River Valley, and it depends on the prairie provinces for vital energy resourcesoil from Alberta and Saskatchewan, and hydroelectricity from northern Manitoba.†1 This area was first settled by Native Americans from the St. Lawrence Valley.   The Ojibwe Indians, settled in the areas west of Lake Michigan and Superior, in an attempt to flee the Iroquois.   â€Å"For the next century and a half the land now comprising Minnesota was included in the Canadian fur-trade systema continent-spanning network that linked American Indian cultures and resources with the commercial world of Europe. Indian people handled production on their own terms, while transportation and marketing were dominated first by licensees of the French crown and later by large British-managed monopolies.†1 1 Rhoda R. Gilman, The History and Peopling of Minnesota: Its Culture, Daedalus 129.3 (2000): 1, Questia, 24 Apr. 2007 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=5001774954. Initially, settlement of the area occurred quickly, as the rumors of copper and gold spread.   As the railroad neared, the population of Duluth grew from 14 families in January of 1869, to 3,500 people by July of 1869, mostly consisting of Scandinavian immigrants. The increase in population also brought an increase in the building of sawmills, grain elevators and warehouses, and homes. (www.mnhs.org) Following the 1873 Panic, Duluth’s population rapidly dwindled to 1,300 people.  Ã‚   A period of recovery occurred during 1879 and 1889, returning stability to the area. The economy in Duluth rapidly spread across the state, increasing the ability to trade grain from the prairies.   Two Harbors was established as the first iron ore port in Minnesota, increasing the opportunities for laborers in the state.   The fishing industry continued to grow, from 35 commercial fisherman in 1879, to 195 commercial fisherman in 1885.   The fishing industry followed the same path as the fur trade, and eventually commercial fishermen were forced to look for other work.   (Castle, 1915) As an outlet for iron, Duluth became Minnesota’s third major city.   Shipbuilding opened up new opportunities in the area, bringing further prosperity.   Railroad yards and ore docks continued to multiply after the turn of the century, to meet demand.   (Gillman, 2000, 1)   To increase the ability to transport material goods, a trail through the woods was established during the 1870.   As the railroad expanded in the state, the Duluth Iron Range Railway was constructed connecting Duluth and Two Harbors in 1889.   The road led to a great deal of change in the lives of the residents and in the economy.   No longer were the residents of the area dependent on outside vendors to transport their products.   Roads enabled them to transport their own products.   Roads also increased tourism in the area.   (Castle, 1915) As spoken by New York journalist, John St. John in 1946, while describing Lake Superior: â€Å"To the travelerlet me say a few words. Take a bark canoe, which two or three trials will make you at home in, for they are much easier to get the ‘hang’ of than most persons suppose; go to the adjacent islands, run into the caverns and grottos which cannot be reached in any other way. If you are in pursuit of pleasure, whether lady or gentleman, you can find it in the Lake Superior region, provided you can be pleased with grand scenery, water-falls, lakes and mountains.†1 (www.mnhs.org) The Sault Locks were completed in 1855, enabling steamboats on the Lakes to carry passengers and freight.   During the first year, 149 steamers carried 8,295 passengers and 5,690 tons of cargo.   (Blegen, 1963) Reportedly, Minnesota as a tourist destination began in the spring of 1826, when   the steamer Lawrence arrived in Fort Snelling, needing   to re-establish its communication with the outside world.   (www.mnhs.org)   Fort Snelling became a popular location, with steamers arriving with passengers who were on what they considered to be a â€Å"fashionable tour of the Northwest.   It wasn’t long before visitors from as far away as New Orleans, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh traveled to Minnesota for a variety of reasons. Minnesota is rich in both history and culture.   First settled by the Ojibwe Indians, Minnesota was forever altered by the European immigrants who established treaties in order to acquire the land for their settlement.   These treaties forced the Native Americans to move onto reservations.   During the time span between 1826 and 1871, six treaties and agreements with the Dakota nation, and sixteen treaties, agreements, and major pieces of legislation affecting the Ojibwe, were used to take the native land.   (Peacock, 2000) References Blegen, Theodore C. (1963) Minnesota: A History of the State. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Castle Henry A. (1915) Minnesota, Its Story and Biography, 2 vols. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company. Copway, George. Life, Letters, and Speeches. Ed. A. Lavonne Brown Ruoff and Donald B. Smith. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1997. Questia. 24 Apr. 2007 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=21009722. Duluth, Minn. a See-Worthy Seaport on Lake Superior. (2004, October 17). Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), p. 3. Retrieved April 23, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=5007582493 Gilman, R. R. (2000). The History and Peopling of Minnesota: Its Culture. Daedalus, 129(3), 1. Retrieved April 23, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=5001774954 Minnesota Historical Society.   (1996)   Minnesota Lake Superior History.   Retrieved April 23, 2007 from http://www.mnhs.org/places/nationalregister/shipwrecks Peacock, Thomas D., and Donald R. Day. Nations within a Nation: The Dakota and Ojibwe of Minnesota. Daedalus 129.3 (2000): 137. Questia. 24 Apr. 2007 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=5001775006.

Beethovens Musical Form

Beethovens Musical Form Among the musical form these three forms are evident in the works of Ludwig Beethoven. The prelude, overture and sinfonie are among the musical forms which can be seen in the composition of Beethoven. These three forms evolved since the 17th century until now. To identify the similarity of prelude, overture and sinfonie it is best to describe each form. A prelude is a piece of music which is short; it has no particular introduction to succeeding movements of a work that are usually longer and more complex. It features single rhythmic and melodic motif that is used in every measure throughout the piece. Stylistically, the prelude is improvisatory in nature. The prelude can also refer to an overture, particularly to those seen in an opera or an oratorio. Prelude can be referring to as a preface. It can stand on its own or introduce another work. Overture in music is the instrumental introduction to a dramatic, choral (1911encyclopedia.org) or, occasionally, instrumental composition. It is used as an opening to a larger dramatic work such as an opera. Overture also referred to collections of movements, known as suites. (wikipedia.com). A sinfonie is a musical composition, the extended and used for orchestra. It does not imply a specific form. There are sinfonies that are tonal works in four movements with the first in sonata form, and it is often described by music theorists as the structure of a classical (reference.com) sinfonie. Evolution of Prelude The very first preludes were lute compositions of the Renaissance era. They were free improvisations and served as brief introductions to larger pieces of music or particular larger and more complex movements; lutenists also used them to test the instrument or the acoustics of the room before performing. In the 17th century in France the keyboard preludes started. During this century the duration of each note is left to the performer. The first composer who embrace the genre is Louis Couperin, and harpsichord preludes were used until the first half of the 18th century by numerous composers including Jean-Henri d’Anglebert (1629-1691), Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (1665-1729), Franà §ois Couperin (1668-1733) and Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764), whose very first printed piece (1706) was in this form. The last unmeasured preludes for harpsichord date from the 1710s. Prelude in the 17th century in Germany led to a sectional form similar to keyboard toccatas Johann Jakob Fr oberger or Girolamo Frescobaldi. Outside Germany, Abraham van den Kerckhoven (c.1618-c.1701), one of the most important Dutch composers of the period, used this model for some of his preludes. Southern and central German composers did not follow the sectional model and their preludes remained improvisational in character with little or no strict counterpoint. In the second half of 17th century prelude are being paired with figures in the same key. Preludes were also used by some 20th century composers when writing Baroque-inspired suites. Such works include Ravels Le Tombeau de Couperin (1914/17) and Schoenbergs Suite for piano, Op. 25 (1921/23), both of which begin with an introductory prelude. Ludwig van Beethoven wrote two preludes, Op. 39; each one cycles through all of the major keys of the piano. Evolution of Overture Overture was formulated during the 17th century. As a musical form overture begins with the works of J-B Lully (1911encyclopedia.org). He devised the scheme that constitutes the typical French overture up to the time (1911encyclopedia.org) of Johann Sebastian Bach and George Friderich Handel. This French ouverture consists of a slow introduction in a marked dotted rhythm (1911encyclopedia.org), followed by a lively movement in fugato style. The slow introduction was always repeated, and sometimes the quick movement concluded by returning to the slow tempo, (1911encyclopedia.org) usually with new motivic material but occasionally recapitulating the opening, and this combined fast-slow material was sometimes also repeated. The operatic French ouverture was frequently followed by a series of dance tunes before the curtain rose. It thus became used as the prelude to a suite. (1911encyclopedia.org) Bach was able to use the French ouverture form for choruses, and even for the treatment of chorales. Thus the ouverture, properly so called, of his fourth orchestral suite became the first chorus of the church cantata. (1911encyclopedia.org). Evolution of Sinfonie In German, Symphonie was a generic term for spinets and virginals from the late 16th century to the 18th century (Marcuse 1975, 501). In the sense of sounding together the word also appears in the titles of some works by 16th- and 17th-century composers including Giovanni Gabrieli (the Sacrae symphoniae) and Heinrich Schà ¼tz (the Symphoniae sacrae). (reference.com). In the 17th century, for most of the Baroque period, the terms symphony and sinfonia were used for a range of different compositions, including instrumental pieces used in operas, sonatas and concertos—usually part of a larger work. The opera sinfonia, or Italian overture had, by the 18th century, a standard structure of three contrasting movements: fast; slow; fast and dance-like. It is this form that is often considered as the direct forerunner of the orchestral symphony. The terms overture, symphony and sinfonia were widely regarded as interchangeable for much of the 18th century. In 18th century the sinfonie has three movements, in the tempo quick-slow-quick. Symphonies at this time, whether for concert, opera, or church use, were not considered the major works on a program: often, as with concerti, they were divided up between other works, or drawn from suites or overtures. Vocal music was dominant, and symphonies provided preludes, interludes, and postludes. At the time most symphonies were relatively short, lasting between 10 and 20 minutes. Mozart’s early symphonies are in this layout. The early three-movement form was eventually replaced by a four-movement layout which was dominant in the latter part of the 18th century and most of the 19th century. The composition of early symphonies was centred on Vienna and Mannheim. The most important symphonists of the latter part of the 18th century are Joseph Haydn who wrote at .With the rise of established professional orchestras, the symphony assumed a more prominent place in concert life between approximately 1790 and 1820. Ludwig van Beethovens first Academy Concert advertised Christ on the Mount of Olives as the featured work, rather than his performances of two of his symphonies and a piano concerto. Beethoven dramatically expanded the symphony. (reference.com). His Symphony No. 3 (the Eroica), has a scale and emotional range which sets it apart from earlier works. His Symphony No. 9 takes th e unprecedented step of including parts for vocal soloists and choir in the last movement. Beethoven, together with Franz Schubert, replaced the usual genteel minuet with a livelier scherzo. (reference.com). The twentieth century also saw further diversification in the style and content of works which composers labelled as symphonies. Some composers, including, continued to write in the traditional four-movement form, while other composers took different approaches: Jean Sibelius Symphony No. 7, his last, is in one movement. (reference.com). Conclusion Prelude, overture and sinfonie are musical form that has been connected to each other to form a musical composition. Prelude if seen in an opera or an oratorio can be referred to as overture. Symphonies provided prelude. These three forms of music have been used by several musicians. Composer like Beethoven has used the three forms. Understanding the use of each form will enlighten the mind of those who are confused and not familiar in this form. References: See R. Simpson, ed., The Symphony (2 vol., 1972); D. F. Tovey, Essays in Musical Analysis: Symphonies (1935, repr. 1972); R. Nadeau, The Symphony (rev. ed. 1974); H. Chappell, Sounds Magnificent (1986). http://www.reference.com/search?r=13q=Symphony http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overture http://www.webconfs.com/search-engine-spider http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prelude_(music) http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Overture

Order, Disorder and Imagination in John Buck’s Sculptures :: Art Essays

Order, Disorder and Imagination in John Buck’s Sculptures There is always a first impression, a first glance seeping through the corner of your eye. When passing by one can’t help but to notice the overwhelming presence of John Buck’s freestanding sculptures which stand in front of the Gallery. I find myself overwhelmed by both the size and the boldness by which these sculptures speak. Their organized structural nature combines a variety of ideas from branches, birdhouses to molecular structures and globes, and in the middle of it all stands the ringing human form. Initially, the forms and elements I saw in these sculptures impressed me but their composition did not challenge or stimulate my curiosity. So I kept up with the flow of traffic and continued on walking by. I couldn’t quite figure out why I had an aversion to these sculptures. It wasn’t until I started to break down the elements of these sculptures and take a closer look within the walls of the gallery that my first impression faded and a new aur a of his work came into being. A have found an appreciation for both his ways of making and the perceptions he presents. I am a big fan of wood carving, so I am thoroughly impressed by John Buck’s carvings of both his sculptures and woodblock prints. I appreciate the details of his work for instance the visibility of the chip carving and the control he has over the bends of the wood. I am curious to know the techniques he uses to get these details and his methods to making them. I read that John Buck uses a special kind of wood called jelutong. The artist said about working with wood, â€Å" There is an automatic and direct relationship between the nature of the wood and how I am able to work with it†¦In the carving of wood there is a physical activity that is more about nature in the making –not just the concept of the image, but the actual making, is connected to nature.† His connection to nature and the environment go beyond his use of wood as a medium, but are explicit in the stories he tells. In the lecture ‘Pillar to Pole’, Bruce Gunter commented on three forces which he found impacted Buck’s art work, these being: Midwest roots, environmental degradation and relationships to humanity.

From Communism to Democracy Essays -- Government Politics Essays

From Communism to Democracy More than half a decade has passed since the sweeping political events of 1989 and 1990 in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. On December 26, 1991, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ceased to exist . In its place are the Russian federation and 14 independent countries. The impact of this change was felt across the globe, from European countries with close economic ties with the USSR to countries as far away as Cuba and Algeria. The former republics experienced the hardest time in their existence, and entered a new period of their history. Independence meant a new life for people, but not many of them expected the results. At the time sovereignty was not clearly stated, and nobody could predict what ramifications would follow. The inhabitants of the region have had to balance the positive and negative aspects of the change. Most countries were left with nothing, and they had to start everything from the very beginning. As Shor in Nations in Transit stated, for many, democracy, freedom of association, and the removal of the Soviet bureaucracy have had a positive impact. But economic uncertainty, hunger, and poverty also increased. The former republics struggle to maintain the value of the money and a decent level of life for the citizens, but the attempt to do so is failing. Many branches of the new economy are still socialized, and reforms are necessary to fulfill a change. People think that a change from communism to democracy should bring a better life, but in reality those countries suffer a period of stagnation. There are many causes for such a situation, which are revealed in different aspects of life and history. The principles of communism p... ...nge, than the reality of raw political power. Economic and democratic reforms are complementary and heavily correlated. Countries with consolidated market economies, guided by the rule of law also made progress in consolidating their transition to democracy. A transition from Communism to Democracy means more freedoms and choices, but it also needs time. Political and economic freedom means more predictable, more transparent, more constitutional, less discriminatory, and less corruption-prone lawmaking and enforcement. An authorian government can hardly engage in economic reforms, or undergo a transition to liberal democracy, without simultaneously undergoing free market economic reforms. Author: Valentin Antoci (ed_valentine@hotmail.com) February 1999 Reproduction of the Text without the author's permition is considered plagiarism and is punishable by law. From Communism to Democracy Essays -- Government Politics Essays From Communism to Democracy More than half a decade has passed since the sweeping political events of 1989 and 1990 in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. On December 26, 1991, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ceased to exist . In its place are the Russian federation and 14 independent countries. The impact of this change was felt across the globe, from European countries with close economic ties with the USSR to countries as far away as Cuba and Algeria. The former republics experienced the hardest time in their existence, and entered a new period of their history. Independence meant a new life for people, but not many of them expected the results. At the time sovereignty was not clearly stated, and nobody could predict what ramifications would follow. The inhabitants of the region have had to balance the positive and negative aspects of the change. Most countries were left with nothing, and they had to start everything from the very beginning. As Shor in Nations in Transit stated, for many, democracy, freedom of association, and the removal of the Soviet bureaucracy have had a positive impact. But economic uncertainty, hunger, and poverty also increased. The former republics struggle to maintain the value of the money and a decent level of life for the citizens, but the attempt to do so is failing. Many branches of the new economy are still socialized, and reforms are necessary to fulfill a change. People think that a change from communism to democracy should bring a better life, but in reality those countries suffer a period of stagnation. There are many causes for such a situation, which are revealed in different aspects of life and history. The principles of communism p... ...nge, than the reality of raw political power. Economic and democratic reforms are complementary and heavily correlated. Countries with consolidated market economies, guided by the rule of law also made progress in consolidating their transition to democracy. A transition from Communism to Democracy means more freedoms and choices, but it also needs time. Political and economic freedom means more predictable, more transparent, more constitutional, less discriminatory, and less corruption-prone lawmaking and enforcement. An authorian government can hardly engage in economic reforms, or undergo a transition to liberal democracy, without simultaneously undergoing free market economic reforms. Author: Valentin Antoci (ed_valentine@hotmail.com) February 1999 Reproduction of the Text without the author's permition is considered plagiarism and is punishable by law.

The Ethics of Terrorism: Employing Just War Principles Essay -- Terror

The Just War tradition has been seen as a leading perspective on the ethics of war since the writings of St Augustine were rearticulated by Thomas Aquinas. It attempts to provide a framework which validates just conflicts, whilst at the same time applying limits so as to prevent unrestrained warfare. Today, its core principles can be divided into two broad categories: ‘jus ad bellum’ (just resort to war) and ‘jus in bello’ (just conduct in war). For a war to be just, numerous criteria must be satisfied within these categories. In recent decades non-state terrorism has become increasingly high-profile; indeed, in the twenty first century it has dominated the global political agenda. It is pertinent therefore, to question whether terrorism can be ethically assessed using the Just War tradition.In this essay, I will argue that it is possible to ethically evaluate terrorism by employing Just War principles. I will show that terrorists can satisfy the most important criterion of the Just War tradition. Firstly, they can represent a ‘legitimate authority’ and can have a ‘just cause’. Secondly, terrorism can be a ‘last resort’ and offers a ‘reasonable prospect of success’. Finally, whilst many terrorists do adhere to the principle of ‘discrimination’, the notion of ‘non-combatant immunity’ and civilian innocence is over-simplified. Furthermore, terrorists may perceive themselves to be in a ‘supreme emergency’, therefore mea ning the rules of war cease to exist. Terrorism can satisfy the principle of proportionality. However, before I begin my argument, I must establish a working definition for ‘terrorism’; an important and controversial issue in itself. Walzer describes it as ‘like rape and murder†¦ an attack upon the innocent’ (2005... ...Family Research Council, Accessed Online: 07/11/2010 Roberts, Adams, (1989), ‘Ethics, Terrorism and Counter Terrorism’, Terrorism and Political Violence 1 (1), pp. 48-70 Schmidt Alex P, and Jongman Albert I, (1998) ‘Political Terrorism’ (Amsterdam, Transaction Books) Smilanski, Saul, (2004), ‘Terrorism, Justification and Illusion’, Ethics, 114, July pp. 790-805 Valls, Andrew, (2000), ‘Can Terrorism Be Justified’, In Andre Valls (ed.), Ethics in International Affairs, pp. 65-80 Walzer, Michael, (1992), ‘Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations’, (New York: Basic Books) Walzer, Michael, (2005), ‘Arguing About War’, (Yale Nota Bene) Wilkins, Burleigh Taylor, (1992), ‘Terrorism and collective responsibility’, (New York : Routledge) US State Department, (2005), ‘Country Reports on Terrorism’, Accessed online: 15/11/2010 The Ethics of Terrorism: Employing Just War Principles Essay -- Terror The Just War tradition has been seen as a leading perspective on the ethics of war since the writings of St Augustine were rearticulated by Thomas Aquinas. It attempts to provide a framework which validates just conflicts, whilst at the same time applying limits so as to prevent unrestrained warfare. Today, its core principles can be divided into two broad categories: ‘jus ad bellum’ (just resort to war) and ‘jus in bello’ (just conduct in war). For a war to be just, numerous criteria must be satisfied within these categories. In recent decades non-state terrorism has become increasingly high-profile; indeed, in the twenty first century it has dominated the global political agenda. It is pertinent therefore, to question whether terrorism can be ethically assessed using the Just War tradition.In this essay, I will argue that it is possible to ethically evaluate terrorism by employing Just War principles. I will show that terrorists can satisfy the most important criterion of the Just War tradition. Firstly, they can represent a ‘legitimate authority’ and can have a ‘just cause’. Secondly, terrorism can be a ‘last resort’ and offers a ‘reasonable prospect of success’. Finally, whilst many terrorists do adhere to the principle of ‘discrimination’, the notion of ‘non-combatant immunity’ and civilian innocence is over-simplified. Furthermore, terrorists may perceive themselves to be in a ‘supreme emergency’, therefore mea ning the rules of war cease to exist. Terrorism can satisfy the principle of proportionality. However, before I begin my argument, I must establish a working definition for ‘terrorism’; an important and controversial issue in itself. Walzer describes it as ‘like rape and murder†¦ an attack upon the innocent’ (2005... ...Family Research Council, Accessed Online: 07/11/2010 Roberts, Adams, (1989), ‘Ethics, Terrorism and Counter Terrorism’, Terrorism and Political Violence 1 (1), pp. 48-70 Schmidt Alex P, and Jongman Albert I, (1998) ‘Political Terrorism’ (Amsterdam, Transaction Books) Smilanski, Saul, (2004), ‘Terrorism, Justification and Illusion’, Ethics, 114, July pp. 790-805 Valls, Andrew, (2000), ‘Can Terrorism Be Justified’, In Andre Valls (ed.), Ethics in International Affairs, pp. 65-80 Walzer, Michael, (1992), ‘Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations’, (New York: Basic Books) Walzer, Michael, (2005), ‘Arguing About War’, (Yale Nota Bene) Wilkins, Burleigh Taylor, (1992), ‘Terrorism and collective responsibility’, (New York : Routledge) US State Department, (2005), ‘Country Reports on Terrorism’, Accessed online: 15/11/2010

Biographical Reflection of John the Baptist

Biographical Reflection of a Saint- John the Baptist Though such an accomplished man, not much is known of John the Baptist’s childhood. John, what a basic name right? Wrong, even the name of John was holy, for his name in Hebrew means, â€Å"Jehovah is gracious. † But moving on to his adult life, he pursued the life of a priest without ever being officially recognized as such. The greatest thing that occurred in his adult life was the Baptism of Christ Jesus, our Lord. However, very few people know that Jesus and John were relatives, cousins in fact. John did not know that Christ was the Messiah until the miracle at the Jordan River. When Jesus approached John and asked that he may be baptized in the way of the Lord, John said, â€Å"Should it not be you master, who cleanses me. † And Jesus replied, â€Å"I am but a servant to you, not master. † And with that, John agreed to baptize Christ, but as the water was poured out upon Christ’s head, the Holy Spirit was revealed. Known as the first disciple of the completed Christ, now unified with the Holy Spirit, John continued the mission of baptism. As for when he earned the nickname â€Å"Son of Thunder,† Christ gave the name to him, under rather adverse conditions. They were traveling together through Judea, and Christ was under ridicule. John felt they were being so unjust, so far from the best humanity could be, he asked the lord to wipe them out. At this point Christ prayed that God would forgive them, while telling John, no matter how unjust the Judeans were the Lord will never take life for his name. He was in some senses so close to divinity others asked whether he was the Messiah, however, he always replied, â€Å"Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friends of the bridegroom, which stand and hear him, rejoice greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: thus my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. † This showed his humble appreciation of Christ, by saying he must be known less, and Christ more. However shortly after the Miracle at the Jordan, king Herod for the spreading of as he put it, â€Å"an unorthodox faith,† arrested John. He spent two years in prison until he was released because of the new, changing Roman Empire. John eventually went back to baptizing at the Jordan. This career was once again short lived however, for Salome, child of Herodias, demanded his death. And thus his fate was set in stone; he was to be beheaded in A. D. 31. Once beheaded, his head was to be given to Salome on a silver platter, as a sign of disrespect. As for what I think, I feel the act of baptizing Jesus was the highest honor humanly possible. For this he was very lucky to be the one to perform so noble an act. As the first saint I had ever known, John had a substantial impact on my life. As soon as I knew what Confirmation was, I knew I had to pick the first I had known, he with the greatest impact on me, John. I remember always feeling a sense of divinity whenever I saw an illustration of him baptizing Christ. As a child, I always wanted to obtain knowledge; because of this I became increasingly familiar with him, even at an early age. The thing I liked about him the most as a child was how I shared his name. And so, this biographical reflection begins and ends with a name, John.

Comparing Plan Columbia and the Merida Initiative

The purpose of this paper will be to make a comparison between the Colombian drug cartels at the turn of the century with the mexican cartels today. The object of this comparison will be to determine the effectiveness of large scale millitary intervention against drug cartels. I will assess weather this comparison is not only justified but in any way usefull in understanding how fight a well funded well armed non-state enemy. This is a response to public comments by high ranking United States officials making this comparison (most notably secretary of state Hillary Clinton) while pledging a significant amount of American resources to such an effort. I will also attempt to answer all of the various questions that are begged by this nature of action. Most people do not realize the sheer lucrativeness of the drug trafficking business especially on an industrial scale. â€Å"The (Mexican) cartels have built a network of dealers in 231 U. S. cities from coast to coast, taking in about $39 billion in sales annually, according to the U.  S. Justice Department. † (*1) To put that into perspective, In 2009 Canada's total annual military expenditure was just over half (21 billion USD) of the total annual profit of the Mexican drug cartels in the United States. (*2) Comparing Columbia and Mexico The 1st thing that is obvious when making this comparison is the fact that Mexico is over twice the size of Columbia both in land mass and in population. In terms of governance Columbia was in a state of profound political instability from as early as the 1940's while Mexico enjoyed a relatively stable PRI government following he Mexican civil war. Geographically the two countries have nothing in common but their proximity to each other. Mexico is a largely flat terrain that poses no real problems to transportation and offers little in the way of cover. By Contrast Columbia has a large mountainous area covered in tropical forests, the majority of the drug production takes place is these remote areas. From a governmental standpoint, the Colombian government is largely decentralized compared to the federal structure in Mexico. Due to the federal government and the larger tax base the Mexican government has some extra capacity when it comes to overall resources available before assistance. As far as the method in which the governments of these two countries approach dealing with traffickers is quite diffrent, Mexico has up until very recently preferred to use it's police forces to deal with drug traffickers while Colombian governments have preferred to use their military as a police force, which is more common in most Latin American countries. The Mexican Cartels There are essentially two major Cartel groups within Mexico that fight each other for a large piece of the drug trade. The first is made up of the Tijuana cartel and the Gulf cartel make up the first major group and operates primarily out of North of East Mexico. A group known as â€Å"The Federation† is made up of of many smaller cartels and â€Å"is led by representatives of the Sinaloa, Juarez and Valencia cartels†. (*3 p. 4) members of this group as scattered all throughout the rest of Mexico. Even though these groups are concentrated in certain areas there isn't a place in Mexico that is off limits to any of these groups. All of these groups operate independently and it is not uncommon for alliances to be fickle between drug traffickers. None of the Mexican drug trafficking organizations are known to have any political allegiances or stated long term goal other then to make money and control as much turf as possible in order to achieve that end while minimizing the damage to the people of their own groups. The Mexican cartels were not always as violent as they are today, the fall of the PRI along with a strengthening of the Mexican police force is said to have resulted in the upswing in violence. Another contributing factor the recent escalation in violence is that since the fall of Major Columbian cartels (replaced mostly by smaller scale operations) Mexico and it's drug trade began to have to fill the void that was left in the US market for a period of time, greatly strengthening their financial base and ability to purchase weapons and to employ a larger number of foot soldiers from poor communities (usually with family ties to promote increased loyalty to said group and a deeper anchor within the local community). Florida was actually the main entry point for drugs during the early 80's but the strengthening of the American navy and coastguard geared towards stopping smuggling led to Mexico becoming the transit point it is today. It is most important that though Mexican troops have been used largely due to the ineffective and corruption of the police department I would not classify it as a war. The army is simply there to do carry out the actions of a police force because he regular police for cannot be trusted. There is no way for either side to declare a complete victory. It is my opinion that even if every drug trafficker in Mexico dropped dead this morning there would be a new group forming to take it's place by nightfall and it wouldn't take them long to gain momentum capital and weapons. Likewise a drug gang can never truly triumph against the state without any political agenda. The majority of the murders are between rival gangs, though there have been many police officers and politicians killed the battle is essentially between the cartel groups and each other not with the state. The increased military strength is simply a self defence response. I would argue that if the Mexican cartels were 1 hegemonic group you would probably see at least a 10 fold drop in violent crime. Columbia at the hight of the culumbian drug trade You cant tell the story of the Columbia drug trade without talking about Pablo Escobar. In 1989 Forbes magazine estimated that was the 7th richest man the world with personal assets estimated at over 25 Billion dollars. This however is not what made him a unique, he was known as an extremely charitable man by many of the poor people in Columbia giving them land, housing, employment and even building football fields, building a lot of good will among the people something that you find little evidence of on the side of the Mexican cartels. The Medellin cartel he was a part of is thought to have controlled about 80% of the cocaine market in the early 1990's and was the most prominent of the Colombian cartels at the turn of the century. This cartel was rivalled by the Cali cartel who emerged largely due to weakening of their rivals the Medellin cartel. The biggest difference between Columbia at the turn of the century and the situation in Mexico today is the existence of the various guerrilla groups that existed in Columbia, many of which are still in existence. The lines are often blurred between these guerrilla groups and the drug traffickers themselves. The standard arrangement between these guerrillas and drug traffickers was essentially protection of traffickers' production and processing areas in exchange for a handsome percentage of the profits. The profitability on investment on cocaine grown in Columbia being about 200$ for every 1$ invested, there was more then enough capital to go around. The wars between these various guerrilla groups enveloped Columbia in a civil war since eginning in the 1960's, this was far before Columbia drug trafficking organizations began to collaborate with the leftist guerrillas. By comparison Mexican cartels have no real political allegiances, their allegiance is to the dollar and the dollar alone. The fact that the terrain in Columbia is so difficult and access to remote areas is much more easy to control, these various groups are able to hold territory much more effectively then the Drug Cartels in Me xico. The aspect of some of these guerrilla groups that really begins to attract the United State's attention for obvious reasons is their leftist/socialist ideology. The oldest and most notable of these groups is FARC or â€Å"The revolutionary armed forces of Columbia†. This group has been fighting the Colombian national army as well as â€Å"right wing paramilitaries†. At first glance the conflict between these two groups seems to be one for control over the Colombian drug trade and various areas of Columbia where drugs are produced. A closer look reveals a much more sinister reality. There are a number of noticeable irregularities in the accounts of the violence. Over the course of my reasearch I kept hearing certain terms to describe the columbian drug war that you dont hear when you read on the mexican drug war. Many mentions of human rights abuses as well as massacres with large numbers of innocent people being killed, you hear of much violence in mexico but are always termed â€Å"drug related murders† implying that those killed were afiliated in organized crime. When you take a closer look at the ‘right wing guerrillas', first of all it's just about imposible to find a video of any of their leaders with any kind of mission statement or anything of the sort, second you cannot find any documentation anywhere of any known ally. Now, you tell me how does a heavily armed paramilitary group, even with drug money, take part in over 30 years of civil war including alleged armed conflict against the US millitary, without any support from any government or even any other criminal organization? If everything where as it appears at 1st glance it results in a paradox, how does major international drug trafficking organization not even have ONE known ally/accomplice? It just doesn't make any sense purely on a business level. If you look up any of the Mexican cartels as well as FARC you can find known allies. Additionally, why is there a right wing guerrilla group for decades with a right wing government in power? Finally, Why is one side of the guerrillas (FARC) involved in negotiations with the Colombian government and not the other? Even if they were to sign a peace treaty they would still be at war. The conclusion that asking these questions leads you to is that the Paramilitary groups were actually an unofficial extension of the Colombian armed forces that traces it's roots back it's formation during the cold war where they were trained by US army officers in ‘tactics of counterinsurgency' at the School of the Americas, these tactics are said to specifically target the civilian population without the support of which the guerrillas cannot continue to function. This groups true purpose is to combat communist guerrillas by what ever means necessary. Statistics show that these right wing paramilitaries are responsible for 80's of the ‘political killings' in Colombia, which upon closer examination seem more like like acts of widespread political repression of the Colombian people spanning almost a half a century and crossing the line of human rights abuse with regularity virtually without any opposition from anyone internationally, opposed only domestically by FARC. Accounts from former Colombian army officers allege that the national Colombian armed forces maintained contact regularly with right wing paramilitary groups and directed them to many of the areas where they are accused of committing human rights atrocities. (*9) It has been alleged that the right wing paramilitaries acting in concert with the Colombian national army tried to remove the rural population from certain areas altogether forcing them to become urban refuges and further isolating the FARC forces. In 2005 Columbia had the 3rd largest internal refuge population in the world. Not only that but the paramilitaries are responsible for just as much if not more of the Colombian drug trade then FARC making ‘Plan Columbia' truely appear to be a futile action according to it's officially stated goals. Assessment of â€Å"Plan Columbia† 1998-2010 (lessons learned) Assessing the success of plan Columbia really depends on what you consider to be a success. If you consider the primary objective of the operation to be to simply return control of certain areas of Columbia back to the Colombian government then it would be considered a success. However, if the primary objective was to irradiate the drug trade recent statistics show that though production of cocaine in Columbia did take a severe hit in the early 2000's it has been on the Rise again since 2006. What this confirms is that the drug trade there has not ceased but in fact evolved to meet the challenges of a changed environment. Drug trafficking organizations today are still operating but simply doing it in a more discrete manner their predecessors. Another example of the evolution that ‘Plan Columbia' sparked is the guerrillas branching out to other sympathetic paramilitaries and paramilitary terrorist groups. Members of FARC have reportedly instituted the help of various allies IRA including the since the increased military pressure. An article in British newspaper The Telegraph (*8) highlights how the increased military presence in the countryside as well as an increase in the Colombian urban population has forced FARC forces to urbanize the way in which they conduct warfare. The article highlights significant advancements made by FARC in both explosives as well as counter intelligence and urban warfare. FARC is currently considered the most well armed well trained and well funded guerrilla group in the world. The destruction of crops which was on paper, the primary objective of ‘Plan Columbia' is something that is very temporary, unless you were to actually salt the earth there is nothing to prevent anybody from planting a new crop in the same place. The united states has increased the amount of toxic defoliant that is spays on Colombia and it's citizens every year of ‘Plan Columbia'. Many have made the comparison to agent orange in Vietnam. Many health problems have already been reported with relationship to the defoliant chemical and there are concerns that this chemical is starting to poison some the amazon basin and subsequently effecting other Latin American countries to the south. This defoliant kills all crops including the ones, many of the poorest peasants who grow bananas simply for subsistence have their whole crops destroyed on a regular basis. Some have raised the issue that perhaps this alone constitutes a grave human rights violation. A foreign power spraying toxic chemicals on the population of another is something that is unheard of in the past. The most inditing fact to the type of military action undertaken is most obviously that it has been a commitment that the United States has not been able pull back on after over 6 years no decrease in spending in this area is expected. Not only that but now that the Colombian drug traffickers have evolved we're seeing a resurgence in drug activity in the country. No matter how you look at it ‘Plan Colombia' was almost a complete failure, Colombian left wing guerrillas persist, drug use in the US has never been higher, cocaine production in Columbia is increasing. The only ay in which this operation is a success is that the overall violence seems to have died down and that in the paramilitary groups, which the US created in the 1st place have been disbanded and are no longer committing horrendous atrocities against innocent people for the sole purpose of turning public opinion against FARC. It might be viewed in that instance as a success, I was about half way into my research before I heard/read anything to do with FARC's side of the story. Venezuela, Ecuador and Cuba are the only counties to formally voice support for FARC. (*10) Evaluating the Merida Innitiative One the important things to know about the Merida initiative is that the entirety of the money (400 million to start) approved by the US congress all went to American companies, to train police, to build helicopters, not one dollar of the funding of this operation ends up in non-American hands. It is expected, as was the care with ‘Plan Columbia' that the United states will exclusively employ private American defence contractors to do all the work on the ground. The reason for this is not strong enough to justify the use and possible loss of American soldiers. Also use of American soldiers to fight an urban drug war such as the one in Mexico and might cause a PR nightmare if US Soldiers are viewed as firing on Mexican population, which the drug members of the cartels can hide in plain sight, unlike the Colombian guerrillas they are not in uniform. My investigation into ‘Plan Colombia' led me to the conclusion that the comparison made by the US secretary of defence between Colombia at the turn of the century and the Mexican drug war today to be a very poor and unjustified one. As previously stated I contend that the situation in Colombia was actually a war where as the Mexican situation is simply a police ineffectiveness issue. While the comparison between the who conflicts themselves is unjustified both ‘Plan Columbia' and ‘The Merida initiative' officially have a primary goal to reduce the outflow of drugs into the united states and can still be compared in that instance. The comparison is one that mostly highlights the extreme ineffectiveness not only in terms of result but in terms of cost of this kind of policy. It essentially doesn't solve any of the problems of drug trafficking. The demand in the US for drugs is the real source of this problem. Persistent Problems (police, penal system,banking) A continuing problem that has been acknowledged but not dealt with in any meaningful way in the fact that poor farmers who have been driven into poverty by the international agricultural business (and it's dominance by the west) have no better feasible options then to grow the plants that are converted into drugs. In ‘Plan Columbia' the Colombian government instituted a program to offer coca growers money to grow alternative crops, offering them a sum in the range of 2 million pesos a year (about 950$). *7) Many coca farmers argue is not enough to live. When growing coca (rather then crops such as plantains and Pineapples) not only is the crop worth more but the drug traffickers come right to their doors to pick up the ‘coca paste' they convert the plants to. When growing the crops they are being encouraged to grow they have to transport these tons of produce on â€Å"vehicles they don't have, on roads that don't exist to sell to markets both internal and external† that they don't have access to and to compete with an international aggro business . † (*7- 5:51) It' simply not a sound development plan. less then 20% of the Plan Columbia budget is allocated towards this end) instead the budget is spent on air fumigation spaying defoliant on coca cultures. Secondly the way that the penal system is set up just about everywhere in the world makes the incarceration of major drug lords almost completely futile, they still maintain control over their organization and administer it from prison. The leaders of the Tijuana and Gulf cartels made the agreement to unite while they were both in prison (*3 p. 4), consolidating their power against the rest of the cartels in the â€Å"The Federation†. There is also a persistent (though easilly remedied) problem that the Mexican prisons themselves are not able keep powerful people in there. In the last year alone over 250 prison inmates have been broken out of prison by cartels, most recently 191 were released from from a prison in Tamaulipas by the Los Zetas cartel. This creates even more problems on other fronts, it makes it alot harder to extract information from prisoners then it is in the united states. If an inmate believes it's only a matter of time before he gets out he has no reasons to co-operate in any way, no real threat to guard against. Finally, probably the most important continuing problem is money laundering, this allows for drug operations to run smoothly by giving it a seemingly legitimate flow of cash to use for Bribes, buying up legitimate real estate and other things. Without being able to access the real money of drug kingpins makes it hard to do them any real damage that wont easily be recovered from in a very short time. Many large US banks are complicit in this activity and it is a massive source of capital for them. An article from the Bloomberg press highlights the involvment of American banks such as Wachovia Corp. Bank of America and Wells Fargo's direct complicity in money laundering operations for the mexican cartels. â€Å"Wachovia admitted it didn’t do enough to spot illicit funds in handling 378. 4 billion for Mexican-currency-exchange houses from 2004 to 2007. † (*1) To say they didn't â€Å"do enough to spot† 378 billion dollars entering their bank is laughable. There have reportedly been some efforts to pass more stringent anti-money laundering laws which have met some oppostion from the banking lobby for obvious reasons. The police force continues to be a significant problem, all the training in the world still isn't going to stop corruption, even if a relative victory is acheived and the army pulls out it would seem to me only to be a matter of time before things return to their previous state. Possible solutions In order to fix the problems associated with prisons I think a simple solution would be to transfer people associated to drug cartels to offshore or even just send them to the other side of the world somewhere a pay country X to keep them in isolation. Reducing their ability to communicate is key. Something that I think the world may sooner or later move towards provided the proper technology be available is to curb the drug trade is simply an irradiation of hand held currency. Cash is what funds all of these organizations. This is why they have to launder drug money, it's dirty, you cant buy jet planes and like with cash. If you eliminate cash, how can anyone buy drugs illegally? You cant have a large elligal operation which risks lives dailey if people can only barter for your drugs and every legitimate product is purchased through some form of debit entirely controlled by the government. In conclusion I beleive that the Merida innitiative will probably succeed to a small degree in curbing violence but not the drug trade itself. I think it will be a costly (perhaps everlasting) failure as long as people are beating a dead horse with tactics that are proven not work. The more troubling aspect of this whole research paper for me is the notion that gets brought up by several in various documentaries I watched in doing research of the American government attempted to make security policy which violates many individual freedoms with respect to terrorism all encompassing. If you can keep enforcing the notion that the drug is on the same wavelength as terrorism it gives you the right to treat all people involved in drugs (about 80% of Americans at least once in a lifetime) as people involved in terrorism and produce a progressive erosion of civil liberties which some already believe has gone to far with legislation such as The Patriot Act. Operations in mexico and Colombia set a precedent for the United States intervening (without request in the case of mexico) in domestic affairs of it's neighbours using military force. I would also argue that much of this action could be perceived as just another extension of the US military industrial complex in action. References http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-06-29/banks-financing-mexico-s-drug-cartels-admitted-in-wells-fargo-s-u-s-deal.html http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/reports/docs/Canadian%20Military%20Spending%202009.pdf http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL34215.pdf http://blogs.mcclatchydc.com/mexico/2010/12/jail-breaks-and-cartel-manpower-woes.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1559348/IRA-training-haunts-Colombias-guerrilla-war.html http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB166/index.htm