Banning Books Essays - Book Censorship In The United States

Banning Books Banning Books Our freedom is under attack! Censorship is clearly an attack on our freedom. There are a number of books that are banned or challenged that are great books, such as The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck or The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. These books are classics. Banning these books robs students of great literature. Censorship of books in secondary schools should not be allowed. The list of books that have been banned completely in many schools across the nation is expansive, and so are the reasons that parents and schoolboards give for banning these books. Advocates of literary censorship say that it's best for the students. Opponents say that it is detrimental to the educational system. The students have mixed emotions. Literary censorship at the secondary school level is indeed very widespread. One of the most controversial books is Huckleberry Finn, which is currently under fire by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the NAACP because it contains the word ?nigger? 39 times in the first 35 pages. They feel that the liberal use of such a derogatory word is detrimental to the self-esteem of young African-American children. The NAACP says that they want the book removed from required-reading lists, but they are not out to censor it (Campbell, par. 4). Large groups such as the NAACP are not the only people pushing for Huckleberry Finn's banning in America's schools. Small groups of parents have protested the book's status as required reading in their children's schools because of its language. Huckleberry Finn isn't the only book targeted by parents. Another frequently challenged book is Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. This book was handed out at an Irvine, California, middle school in 1992 with profane words such as ?damn? and ?hell? blocked out. Students wrote to Bradbury describing the situation and pointing out the irony that a book about the evils of censorship had to be censored before they could read it. The books were soon replaced with uncensored ones (Campbell, par. 27). The Catcher in the Rye was challenged in several school districts nationwide because of the liberal use of slang and obscene words that author J.D. Sallinger used to make the book more realistic. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird has been banned in several secondary schools for containing racist slurs. Some readers felt that the book portrayed Negroes as barbarians and criminals. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare was banned in a secondary school in Midland, Michigan, because a small group of parents felt that the character Shylock projected a negative image of Jews. Another Shakespeare classic, Twelfth Night, was banned in Merrimak, NH schools in 1996 after a prohibition of alternative lifestyle instruction act was passed by the school board. Other Shakespearean works have been challenged in various schools in America because parents and administrators felt that some characters project a homosexual image (Banned, par.7). Every person who is involved in debate over literary censorship believes that he or she is doing the right thing for the students. The advocates of literary censorship believe that exposing children to such material as Huckleberry Finn in high school will contaminate their minds with racist garbage at a time in their lives when they are searching for things to believe in. Opponents see the banning of Huckleberry Finn in many schools a form of censorship that will teach children that speaking their minds is not a good thing to do (Campbell, par. 8). However, the debate over literary censorship in schools is not a debate over whether or not literature should be censored at all. Most parents, teachers, and administrators would agree that censorship is necessary to maintain a good environment for learning. The debate is over whether or not to draw the line at Huckleberry Finn. If the book was good twenty years ago, then why all of a sudden is it not good for students to read anymore? Peo ple read the book before and they are doing just fine. If the book can stand the test of time, then it must have some value to it. Even people who consider themselves the most avid opponents of literary censorship in schools would agree that pornography

Trustworthiness and Credibility of Public Office

Trustworthiness and Credibility of Public Office Trustworthiness and Credibility of Public Office Greece Finance Minister #ProfesorVaroufakis, a political economist, economics professor, and author of several academic texts in economics and game theory, in a TV interview, warns leaders of the European Union of â€Å"inevitable contagion† if Greece leaves the eurozone. This economic prediction, regardless of evidence, was immediately taken as feasible, made the headlines of several reputable newspapers, and attracted the attention of EU leaders including the European Central Bank Manager who even recorded Varoufakis’ TV interview. What if a non-academic politician made a similar statement? Are media and public reception the same? THE BRIGHT SIDES OF ACADEMIC INTELLECTUALS WE CALL NERDS One advantage of having a strong academic background is intellectual credibility; a reputation gained from scholarly achievements and contributes to the credibility of a public official. Politics according to literature consist of relationships and interactions between people and government. However, the legitimacy of political statements is highly dependent on public official’s academic integrity and intellectual credibility. Minister Varoufakis’ political statement, therefore, is readily taken as legitimate as it was delivered by a university economics professor, academic text author or person with unquestionable academic integrity and intellectual credibility. Another advantage is the fact moral credibility is often gained when people trust your academic intellect and inspired by your professional recommendations. Results of several communication management types of research suggest that trust and credibility often determine the legitimacy of public statement that either not directly or immediately verifiable. For this reason, politicians without academic, intellectual, and moral credibility are often faced with problems legitimizing their decisions and policies. The public according to research is not only interested in finding a confusing mix of controversial or contradictory information but credibility and trustworthiness of the person making the statement. Academic and Politics are Entirely Different Worlds Academic intellectuals are normally operating under conditions of openness and free discussion, freedom to research, and pride themselves as sources of objective knowledge and worthy of public trust. For this reason, most academics usually do not agree on corporate-funded technology research that often requests them to maintain confidentiality and alter basic academic practices. These practices are some of the reasons why authors like Posner want academic intellectuals to stay out of politics. The first disadvantage of the electing academic intellectual in public office is the fact that social and political affairs are best left to experts. Second, since academic intellectuals are hired, paid, tenured, and closely controlled by professional norms, they are unlikely to become romanticized or emulated social models. Third, since a good politician possesses organizational and sociability traits, political will and patriotic heart, caring and an expert in public affairs, and a person of conscience, an objective, and norm-controlled academic intellectual are unlikely to become one. In reality, most academics are not the type of people who enjoy socializing, caring, exercising political will, and resolving issues with the conscience. In case an academic decided to enter politics and got elected, he or she is more likely to become a â€Å"judge† politician, a public servant who makes political decisions and policies based on academic objectivity and professional norms rather than conscience and political will.

Biology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Biology - Research Paper Example The uses of gene therapy are to replace absent or defective genes, deliver genetic material into cells that speed the destruction of cancer cells, deliver genetic material into cells that cause cancer cells to revert back to normal cells, deliver genes of bacteria or virus as a form of vaccination, deliver genetic material that either impedes or promotes growth of a new tissue and deliver genetic material that stimulates healing of a damaged tissue (Hecht, 2004). 1. Ex vivo gene therapy: Here, gene delivery is done in cells after being removed from the body (Hecht, 2004). These cells are grown in the laboratory. The cells are than modified outside the body and then transplanted back into the body. In some research trials, cells from blood or born marrow are taken out and cultured in a laboratory. Thereafter, the cells are exposed to the virus with the desired gene. The virus infects the cells and transfers the therapeutic genetic material into the nucleus of the cells. After this, the cells are injected into the patient’s body by vein. Gene therapy has been used to restore vision in dogs. It has also been attempted to treat Lebers congenital amaurosis, a type of inherited childhood blindness caused by a single abnormal gene. Studies have shown that tumor suppressing genes delivered in lipid-based nanoparticles reduces the number and size of human lung cancer tumors in mice. Reengineered lymphocytes have been used to attack cancer cells in metastatic melanoma and myeloid disorders. Other studies have suggested a possible cure for diseases like Hingtinton’s chorea, severe combined immunodeficiency and sickle cell diseas, thalassemia, cystic fibrosis and some cancers in the future (Genomics.energy.gov). Researchers are also experimenting with introducing a 47th (artificial human) chromosome into target cells. It is expected that this chromosome would