Abstract This paper reviews Dirk Johnson's article "Foes of Death Penalty See New Hope" which appeared in the New York Times and came out strongly against the death penalty. Besides the points brought up in Johnson's article, the paper also provides arguments against the death penalty. It shows, for example, that opponents of the death penalty contend that the costs of implementing death sentences are much more than the costs of life imprisonment. They argue that the extra funds needed to investigate, prosecute, and appeal capital cases should be spent on crime reduction efforts, such as additional police officers and more prison cells.
From the Paper "One of the main reasons that the people in law enforcement do not support the death penalty is because they do not believe it is a deterrent to crime (Leone 24). The change that would have the largest effect on reducing violent crime is strengthening families and neighborhoods, along with swift and sure punishment. Even when it comes to killing police officers the death penalty is not a deterrent. ?Texas, by far the leading death penalty state, for the past six years has been the leading state in the number of police officers killed (Leone 24).? By comparison, in 1994, New York, with no death penalty, had about one-third as many police officers killed as Texas. Over two-thirds of the police chiefs do not believe that the death penalty significantly reduces the number of homicides (Leone 24). Well over 80% of the respondents believe that murderers do not think of the consequences before committing homicide. The death penalty fails as a law enforcement tool because the most violent portion of the population is least likely to be deterred by prospective punishment (Leone 24). Many of the people who might face the death penalty live in a culture of violence. They are most likely to be killed by a rival gang member than by the state."
Abstract This paper is an in-depth discussion of multiculturalism, it defines it and states that an entirely different view of culture is needed in the intellectual discourse of society. Elst analyzes culture using the example of analyzing sex. Elst makes it clear in his analysis that pluralities of identity are the norm, that everyone is multi-ethnic and multi-racial in some fashion. Finally, the paper concludes that each individual should study and redefine his own culture.
From the Paper "Even in the current, mainstream political debate over what constitutes ?multiculturalism,? it is common cultural parlance to view culture as a static entity. Multiculturalism is defined as the manner in which more cultures are integrated into the fabric of the dominant discourse, rather than as a way of deconstructing notions of how culture itself is perceived and misperceived. As the title of Dirk Van Der Elst's book Culture as Given, Culture as Choice, suggests, however, framing the debate in such a fashion is not necessarily the most radical choice. Elst suggests that nothing really exists as ?culture,? rather culture itself is a constructed, socially produced norm."
Tags: cultural, multiculturalism, Dirk, Van, Der, Elst, social, norm
Abstract The paper studies the situation in Algeria as leadership and stability are being exchanged for radicalism. The writer looks at the writings of Dirk Axtmann about the nature of human identity in order to assess the inclination in Algeria to align itself with extremism. The writer traces the tragic events that have lately unfolded in the troubled country.
From the Paper "At least 60,000 of Algeria's 28.6 million people have died in more than five years of conflict. The killings have been blamed for the most part on the Armed Islamic Group and other militant Islamic organizations, whose targets have included working women, unveiled women, government employees, journalists, academics, Roman Catholic clerics and even Islamic theologians who did not meet these groups' fundamentalist criteria (Algerian military linked to massacre of civilians, 1998, p. A15)."
Abstract The author of this paper discusses Tim Dirks' criteria for movie success, and suggests that "Scream" (1996) is a more successful movie, financially and artistically, than "I Know What You Did Last Summer" (1997). The paper analyzes how "I Know What You Did Last Summer" is a financially successful film, in terms of box office draw and in terms of having a sequel, which is one sign of financial success. The paper further analyzes how "Scream", on the other hand, is a successful movie in more than just financial ways, including artistic innovation and outstanding acting.
From the Paper "Some other successful movies "provide hidden meanings, new psychological truths, great visual moments, mythic resonance, philosophical insight, lyrical beauty, fresh insights into how to view the world, or enlightened understanding", e.g., The Big Sleep (1946) or Chinatown (1974). Others (e.g., Steven Spielberg's break-out movie Jaws (1975) are simply huge financial blockbusters.
In terms of the relative success of two other movies, Scream (1996) with its $100+ million box office gross (Berardinelli) and I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), which had a cumulative domestic box office of $69 million("The Movie Business in 1997") are both successful in terms of one of Dirks' criteria for movie success: box office draw."
