Police Abuse Essay Example for Free

Police Abuse Essay Police brutality is the excessive, unreasonable use of force against citizens, suspects, and offenders. A study showed that most citizens complained against police officers because of the use of profanity and abusive language towards them, the use of commands to move on or get home, stopping and questioning people on the street or searching them and their cars without probable cause, the use of threats to use force if not obeyed, prodding with a nightstick or approaching with a pistol, and actual use of physical force or violence itself for no reason at all. Police brutality causes a lack of communication between minority groups and the police department and a lack of trust because of previous run-ins with brutality. In some cases police brutality runs over into an officers personal life as well. There have been several cases where an officer is arrested due to domestic violence and leads to an investigation of their work life. Most of the time there are cover ups, when domestic disputes occur so that the department does not get negative coverage if the incident was to get out, (2002, November). Ethics are considered a structure for most departments in the United States. There are several bad apples that get greedy and are cocky at times and think that they cannot be touched if they do wrong. Police departments around the U.S. have several issues with corruption, misconduct, and brutality. Most of  the time these issues are covered up so that, these officers do not give the departments bad names and people do not trust them and they, are having more crime on their hands instead of defeating the crime. In recent years, police actions, particularly police abuse has come into view of a wide, public and critical eye. While citizens worry about protecting themselves from criminals, it has now been shown that they must also keep a watchful eye on those who are supposed to protect and serve. This paper will discuss the types of police abuse prevalent today, including the use of firearms and recovery of private information. I will also discuss what and how citizens rights are taken advantage of by the police. Some measures necessary to protect ourselves from police taking advantage of their positions as law enforcement officers with greater permissive rights than private citizens. All citizens must take affirmative actions from physical brutality, rights violations, and information abuse. Members of the police force are government officials who enforce the law and maintain order. They are engaged in dangerous and stressful occupation that can involve violent situations that must be controlled. In many of these confrontations with the public it may become necessary for the police to administer force in order to take control of the situation. As unfortunate as it may seem however, police officers are injuring and even killing people through the use of excessive force and brutal treatment. In regard to police abuse, there will be many officers who feel that their job of fighting escalating street crime, gangs, narcotics violations, and other violent crimes is difficult already, to such an extent that worrying about excessive policy for abuse behavior will only further decrease their ability to fight crime effectively, efficiently, and safely. This abuse must be monitored so that police do not forget who they are serving; not themselves, but the public. This means that even the criminals, who are a part of the public, have certain rights, accurately identified as civil rights. One of the main police abuse problems is physical brutality. I think that there should be some kind of written policy that would restrict physical force to the narrowest possible range of specific situations. For example, there should be limitations on the use of hand to hand combat, batons, mace, stun  guns and firearms. However, limiting policies actions will bring much debate, especially from police officers and administrators themselves. Many feel that their firepower is already too weak to battle the weapons that criminals have out on the streets, thus limiting their legality of gun use will not only endanger them, but the innocent bystanders who must endure the hierarchy gun power creates in the benefit of criminals. In simple terms, corruption in policing is usually viewed as the misuse of authority by a police officer acting to fulfill personal needs or wants. For a corrupt act to occur, three distinct elements of police corruption must be present simultaneously: Misuse of authority, Misuse of official capacity, Misuse of personal attainment, (Kornblum 1976: p 71). It has been said that power inevitably leads to corruption, and it is yet to be recognized that , while there is no reason to suppose that policemen as individuals are any less fallible than other members of society, people are often shocked and outraged when policemen are exposed to violating the law. Not only should officers use brutality in very limited situations, I think that it would help requiring officers to file a written report after any use of physical force, regardless of how seemingly insignificant. Although, if every incidence of police abuse was requested to be reported, how many actually would be? Maybe only those serious enough, as depicted in new guidelines, would make it, leaving some space for officers to exert pressure without crossing serious and abusive policy. Another good tactic to control police brutality is to establish a system to identify officers who have been involved in an inordinate number of incidents that include the inappropriate use of physical fo rce. The incidents should then be investigated. For those offices who are frequently involved in unnecessary police brutality, they should be charged, disciplined, re-trained, and offered counseling. If such treatment proves ineffective, officers who violate abuse standards should be brought up on review before an administrative board made up of citizens and police officials. Officers will most likely ask, Is identifying abusive officers a  form of prejudice? The police officer is there to serve and protect the public who pays his or her salary. The officer should then be subject to any investigations into his or her abusive actions on the job. Yet even if internal policy and external government supervision is successful, it is difficult to say how the ethics of police officers will affect abuse policy as they are based on personal background and upbringing that have little to do with the issue at hand. While there are specific solutions to brutality and rights abuse, there are also some general solutions that could be implemented before the problems even arise. For example, there should be changes in police officer training. Some communities have demanded their officers receive higher education. However, there is no proof that well-educated officers rely less on abuse and more on departmentally sound investigation techniques. The length of training of police personnel should be increased, as has been the recent trend throughout the years. The average length of police academy programs has more than doubled, from about 300, to over 600 hours; in some cities, 900 up to even 1200 hours has become the new rule. (Silverman 1999: p 124) As the time devoted to training has increased, the institutions should also stress the importance of the growing trends in criminal activity so that they are prepared to deal with them. These include such areas as race relations, domestic violence, handling the mentally ill, and so on. This will, in turn, enable operations run more smoothly, hopefully avoiding police abuse problems in the future. Methods must be implemented which effectively deal with police who tend to cross the line, from simple situations to serious firearm use or prejudice. Some of the solutions, particularly the policy changes, will be met with controversy and will be difficult to implement. Keeping track of police actions is the next step in self-protection. There have been thousands of reported incidents of police misconduct in the countless cities throughout the nation, and probably thousands more that transpire without any mention. Law enforcement officers in the United States have been granted powerful authority to assist them in serving and protecting the people of this country. Many of them use their authority to uphold their duties with honor and  integrity. However, the abuses of these powers are taking place with more and more frequency. The police scandals that have surfaced within the past decade have been multiplying. If drastic measures are not taken to restore the integrity of the United States Law Enforcement, chaos will permeate throughout the nation. As citizens begin to lose their trust for law enforcement, they will gradually lose their trust in the system. While the threat of a world war has diminished, the violence on the streets across America has increased at a dramatic rate. Police are forced to face this violence and are sometimes caught up in the same violent and abusive cycle whole trying to fight it. Citizens realize that there are limits as to what a police officer can do. To make society a safe place for both citizens and officers, it is imperative that they work together for a comprehensive checks and balances system. The United States Constitution guarantees certain rights for everyone, and is the very backbone of this country. If these rights are to be ignored, either through permissive laws enacted by law enforcement against private citizens, or through a lack of maintenance of existing protective legislation, private citizens; which means the entire country, will become paralyzed. Because of this, the opportunity and freedom which this country is built on must be enforced, and those charged with doing so must not abuse their power. References (2002, December) Police Corruption, http://www.iejs.com/policing word-slash-word police_corruption.htm (2002, November) Addressing police misconduct, http://www.usdoj.gov (2002, November) Police brutality: the cop crimes homepage for law enforcement and government corruption, http://www.copcrimes.comword-slashwordhomepage.htm Alpert, Geoffrey P., Dunham Roger G. Police Use of Deadly Force. Washington D.C.: Police Executive Research Forum, 1995. Chevigny, Paul. Police Power. Toronto: Random House, 1994. Cohen, Henry. Brutal Justice. New York: John Jay Press, 1980. Kornblum, Alan N. The Moral Hazards. New York: D.C. Heath, 1976. Silverman, Eli B. NYPD Battles Crime. Boston: Northeastern Univ. Press, 1999.

The Scarrlet Letter :: essays research papers

The Scarrlet Letter As citizens of the United States and members of the most open society in the world it is difficult for us to picture a world where the phrases woman's rights, equal opportunity, and religious freedom have little meaning. When the surface of American history is scratched, not necessarily deeply a past of limited rights for women is soon revealed. The challenge to any author comes in painting a picture of this colonial past to both current readers and readers to come. Nathaniel Hawthorne In his book ' The Scarlet Letter'; successfully meets this task through the character of Hester Prynn. Hawthorne describes a woman with independence ahead of her time and a social order unprepared to accept her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hester's independence was promptly demonstrated at the novel's beginning. The court has ruled as punishment for her adultery she must wear an 'A'; upon her chest, that to the colonist served as a reminder of the punishment they would suffer if their sins were to be discovered, and to Hester a reminder of sin. Hester stands alone outside the court house as the close minded colonial eyes stare at her and the baby in her arms. Many women during this era of American history would look for a way to run. Hester shows little sign of uneasiness, with exception to her firm hold on the infant. At the conclusion of this scene the reader knows that this is a strong woman trying to maintain dignity in a land were a woman's independence ranked right above blasphemy on the hierarchy of values.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the novel Hester demonstrates her independence of living. Her husband never comes forward, and her lover does the same. With everyone denying relations Hester is forced to live alone. She raises the child by herself and is successful in her enterprise of sewing and hemming. Hawthorne informs us that this lifestyle of isolationism is unique to her, and convinces us that an average colonial woman could not survive under these conditions. At this point in the book Hester has shown her independence in dealing with life's crisis, and in her style of living.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The best way to understand a parents personality is to examine how they raise their children. This idea holds true when one examines closely the techniques Hester uses to raise Pearl. In this era of religious totality, independence of thought, and the teachings of those ideals commanded little

Lady Macbeth is one of the most striking characters in the play Essay

Lady Macbeth is one of the most striking characters in the play. What are your feelings toward this character and how do they change as the play progresses? What makes Lady Macbeth so striking in her first few scenes is her manipulative, vindictive nature. She is a very controlling character yet we see her troubled mind reveal itself as the play progresses. Her most famous scene, Act 5 scene 1, allows the audience to see how she has truly been affected by the murders in which she had been involved. She is sleep walking and revealing unconsciously her emotions toward the untimely deaths of King Duncan, Banquo and the Macduff household. I have little sympathy for this character because if it were not for her driving Macbeth to the murder of Duncan, he most probably would not have become so obsessed with his infatuation of becoming king. As we see in Act 1 scene 5 she is extremely ambitious about the prospect of Macbeth’s power increasing. She talks of murder without an ounce of guilt and merely worries over her husband being too gentle to actually commit the execution of the king. She refers to him being â€Å"too full o’the’milk of human kindness† and states that he is in fact ‘without ambition’ and so would not carry out the deed properly. Her personality could, however, be extremely ambitious regardless of the state of power that her husband is in, the situation could have brought out the most of her desire. In each of her scenes we see a new side to her personality. During Act 1 scene 5 we see her praying to evil spirits in her soliloquy for her to become more masculine and evil, with any feminine attributes and natures to be stripped from her, implying that she also may need a little push to make her ambitious enough to commit the murders. This also suggests to the audience that her conscious would probably not let her commit those crimes alone. She asks the evil spirits to â€Å"Come to my woman’s breasts/And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers.† However, when Macbeth arrives home, he refers to her as â€Å"my dearest love† she then immediately sets about manipulating him and goading him into the murder. When she learns of Duncan coming to dinner, she administrates ideas of looking above suspicion. She tells him â€Å"look like th’innocent flower/But be the serpent under’t.† Shakespeare uses very expressive language here with contrasting imagery of a flower (which represents good) and a serpent (which represents evil). This could also be interpreted as a metaphor for Macbeth’s relationship with his wife in that when Lady Macbeth is plotting murderous schemes and manipulating her husband, Macbeth is presented in a good and vulnerable light. The same applies for when Macbeth decides to take the murders further and the audience gains sympathy for his wife. Macbeth is left with little to say and is interrupted by his wife on several occasions in that scene, providing the audience with a clear insight into Shakespeare’s intentions for the hierarchy within the relationship. That hierarchy being where Macbeth is more or less controlled by what Lady Macbeth tells him to do, almost like a spell of her own. This provides strong evidence for those who believe that Lady Macbeth herself is a witch of some kind. In Act 1 scene 6 Duncan arrives at Macbeth’s castle with other various guests and originally comments on the pleasant air that it gives off, referring to it as â€Å"Nimbly and sweet†. This presents the audience with a dose of dramatic irony as they know that what really lies inside the castle itself is as evil and twisted as it’s inhabitants. He also refers to Lady Macbeth as â€Å"Our honoured hostess.- The love/That follows us sometime is our trouble†. The problem with Lady Macbeth in this scene is that she is elaborately polite and good natured that it could easily appear to be insincere. She tells Duncan that she has checked and double checked that everything is sufficiently in order. She tells him she will pray for him constantly and speaks of loyalty and gratitude for past kind deeds. Shakespeare is rather repetitive when it comes to Lady Macbeth’s lines, she speaks continuously of her homage to him and the effort they are making for him. This is in an obvious bid for her to gain their trust and it does indeed work. Duncan reacts graciously towards this most probably due to his age and gratitude for the effort made. Act 1 scene 7 sees Lady Macbeth belittling her husband in an attempt for him to agree whole heartedly to killing the king of Scotland. She uses foul phrases with appalling imagery such as telling Macbeth that while she was breast feeding her baby she would: â€Å"while it was smiling in my face/Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums/And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn.† She tries to come over as very menacing and heartless at this point in the play, making a point of the fact that if she had promised to kill her own child she would do so, however, after the murder of Duncan, she contradicts herself rather strongly as she comments on being able to kill her father. In Act 2 scene 2, Macbeth returns from killing the king to discuss the event with his wife. Shakespeare uses this as an opportunity for the audience to feel sympathy as we see his grief and guilt. We also get to see a very new side to Lady Macbeth, she admits that if he had not looked like her own father she would have done the deed herself, showing that underneath her hard exterior, there are elements of compassion and guilt that though she expresses little, she still feels them just like any other human being. The audience then sees her snap out of her sensitive phase and channel her emotions into reassuring and controlling her husband. She tells him to dismiss his hallucinations about the dagger and to return them to frame the guards who were guarding Duncan’s room. â€Å"These deeds must not be thought/After these ways; so, it will make us mad.† The audience could consider this as foreshadowing of what occurs as the play progresses as both Lady Macbeth and her husband experience mental disturbances because of the horrific crimes they committed. Hands are used as a metaphor throughout this scene and as an extended metaphor throughout the play. Macbeth refers to his as â€Å"hangman’s hands† and uses phrases such as â€Å"ravelled sleeve of care†, whereas Lady Macbeth is far more literal and tells him to â€Å"wash this filthy witness from your hand.† This could be interpreted as the hands representing guilt and so each character handles the guilt in different ways; Macbeth is very open about his guilt and remorse by using dramatic devices such as personification and metaphors, for example: â€Å"Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor/Shall sleep no more: Macbeth shall sleep no more. † Lady Macbeth, however, deals with her culpability in a different way in that she pretends to feel nothing towards the situation but it obviously haunts her as we see in her final scene in Act 5 scene 1 where she sleep walks and hallucinates. Shakespeare illustrates this well when Lady Macbeth mocks Macbeth for being so gentle: â€Å"My hands are of your colour, but I shame/To wear a heart so white.† She also says rather flippantly, â€Å"A little water clears us of this deed./How easy is it then! Your constancy/Hath left you unattended.† Shakespeare’s intention for this scene, I think, was to show us that there is a sensitive, guilty side underneath her shell of ambition and malevolence. Act 2 scene 3 sees Macduff discovering Duncan’s murder with great astonishment. He alerts the whole castle including Banquo, Malcolm and Donaldbain of the king’s death and so Lady Macbeth enters. She acts very much â€Å"like th’innocent flower† by pretending to be oblivious to what had happened in the previous scene, â€Å"What’s the business/That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley/The sleepers of the house?† Then with immense dramatic irony, Macduff replies calling her â€Å"gentle lady† and commenting on the fact that the talk of murderous deeds is too tender for a woman’s ears. The audience would find this somewhat amusing as they know that Lady Macbeth is solely responsible for the murder of Duncan and so would not in any way find the subject too sensitive or painful. She reacts in a way similar to that when she was attending to Duncan in Act 1 scene 6, where she is very elaborate in her efforts to help, creating a suspiciously false air about her. She then dramatically faints and is carried out, she is lucky that the people around her are so affected by the murder that they do not overtly notice her over the top antics. Lady Macbeth experiences a loss of power and control in Act 3 scene 2, where Macbeth arranges his next murder without her involvement. Shakespeare has her character showing compassion to her husband’s ‘sorriest fancies’ when he complains of insecurity about his dangerous thoughts and deeds. She tries to make him forget what has happened by instructing him: â€Å"Using those thoughts which should indeed have died/With them think on? Things without all remedy/Should be without regard; what’s done, is done.† The audience at this moment does not know that Lady Macbeth doesn’t practice these ideas herself and in fact reveals her guilt subconsciously. My feelings toward Lady Macbeth at this time are cold and my sympathy leans toward Macbeth as we see him feeling very remorseful and suicidal. He mentions, â€Å"Better be with the dead/Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace,/Than on the torture of the mind to lie/In restless ecstasy.† However as we see a new side to Macbeth where he is plotting murders without her it does make me wonder would he have killed Duncan without her influence? Lady Macbeth presents herself as the gracious hostess once more as she invites the lords to dinner in Act 3 scene 4. At the beginning of the scene the audience is presented with the news of Banquo’s slaughter. Lady Macbeth suspects this but is not directly informed as her husband has somewhat distanced himself from her, implying that he does not need her influences for villainous thoughts any more, he can do it all by himself now. This scene manages to arouse some sympathy for Lady Macbeth as we see her power lessening downfall. This could be what ultimately leads to her suspected suicide. The audience gets to understand that Shakespeare did not want to present Lady Macbeth as a character who takes pleasure in the sight of bloodshed and gore, but one who craves power and enforces her ambitions upon those she can manipulate. We also see a role reversal here for the second time in the play. She already has upset the natural order of marital hierarchy from the beginning of the play where she presents herself in the dominant role which was extremely uncommon for that period. Then as the play progresses she becomes part of a downward spiral where she loses power and the status within the marriage as she becomes the more recessive figure next to her now dominant husband. The ghost of Banquo makes an appearance at the dinner table in this scene but of course only Macbeth can see (another one of his deluded hallucinations). He becomes extremely unsettled by this and begins to shout at the ghost with a fiery passion that stuns the rest of his guests. â€Å"Thou canst not say I did it; never shake/Thy gory locks at me!† Ross initiates the lords standing up and leaving their new king in peace to rest and collect himself but Lady Macbeth being â€Å"th’innocent flower† that she pretends to be assures the lords that he is fine and is just unwell. The audience feel some sort of consideration for her as we can see her husband’s mental health deteriorates and her power disintegrate. She snaps at Macbeth â€Å"Are you a man?† as she quite obviously feels utterly embarrassed by his reactions to the ghost. She tries to use this as an opportunity to regain her status above Macbeth which is understandable as she feels defeated but is selfish considering her husband’s state. In the most dramatic scene in Lady Macbeth’s presence on stage, the audience is given the opportunity to see the REAL Lady Macbeth as her subconscious takes over her physical state. At the beginning of her last scene, Act 5 scene 1, the doctor and gentlewoman are analysing her recent behaviour, â€Å"She has light by her continually, ’tis her command.† As light is a common metaphor for purity this insinuates that she doesn’t want to be considered evil and wants to redeem herself but can’t because she is too involved to dig herself out now and so her subconscious speaks the words she cannot. â€Å"Out damned spot! Out, I say! One, two. Why then ’tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier, and afeard? What need we fear? Who knows it, when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?† This is one of the most remembered speeches in Shakespeare’s literature and is so because of its quirky formation. Shakespeare has used very disjointed language with punctuation separating every short phrase. This translates to her being very edgy and emotionally unstable. She then reels off a list of other people for which she feels responsible for their deaths as well as her husband. She refers back to the common theme of hands which has occurred throughout the play. â€Å"What, will these hands ne’er be clean?† â€Å"All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. O, O, O.† She still refers to her hands as being â€Å"little† and the need for them to be ‘sweetened’ and so this indicates the want for her to be filled with good and that she is feeling genuine guilt and mental anguish. This anguish finally leads to her suicide by unspecified means. Shakespeare probably chose not to present the death of Lady Macbeth on stag e to add to the impact of her exit and last scene and also to be slightly ambiguous. I think a dying scene would have been effective for Lady Macbeth’s last scene, she could perhaps have given a soliloquy explaining how she truly was feeling. To conclude, it is evident that Shakespeare had Lady Macbeth’s emotional state disintegrate as the play proceeded to in effect show the downfall of a control freak. It is undecided whether or not she is pretending to be the controlling evil person which her persona appears to be but that is in a way irrelevant as it was certainly influential enough to drive her husband to multiple homicides. She was certainly a brave character for going against the ‘Chain of Being’ in which God was considered to be ultimately at the top with monarchs under that and other members of society such as lords and townsfolk following after, but at the bottom were women and so she was courageous to consider herself to be above even monarchy! Though wrong it is admirable, especially considering what was said if the chain of being was to be disrupted, that chaos would arise, disrupting the natural order of life on earth and in the heavens which is seen as inexcusable. I personally think that Lady Macbeth was blamed for a lot that wasn’t entirely her fault. It is implied that because Macbeth ended Banquo’s life and slaughtered Macduff’s wife and children in a desperate bid for the throne, he was emotionally capable of murdering Duncan all by himself. In the first two acts we have little sympathy for Lady Macbeth as Shakespeare only provides the audience with her vindictive exterior, at this time we cannot see what she is truly thinking and feeling. It is only as the play progresses that we understand WHY she turns out to be the way that she is, that she has a very ambitious character and so enforces that upon her husband. She feels that Macbeth becoming king will benefit them both and sees killing the existing king as the fastest way to get to the throne. She then becomes gradually defeated as Macbeth’s ambition and obsession with becoming king begins to soar and spiral. She is then over-ridden with guilt and eventually feels that she cannot bear the guilt that torments her troubled mind and so decides to end it all.

The Unequal Treatment Of Minority Groups Essay - 1342 Words

Throughout United States history we can repeatedly see the unequal treatment of minority groups. The U.S. has always tried to reap benefits out of each decision taken, and often does not take into consideration the rights and treatment of minorities. There are many ways they have conducted their injustices to different groups of people. The two important models of minority exclusion that have been discussed as being shared among Native Americans, African Americans, and Asian Americans are apartheid and economic or political disempowerment. Apartheid is a model that was mostly seen during the â€Å"pre-civil rights race relations in the U.S.†(Week 3 Lecture 1). Apartheid literally means being separated or apart and can be encountered through racial segregation. This mode is usually enforced through means of force and threat of violence, it became challenging to sustain because of the high cost to maintain police powers in each state in order to enforce their threats.†(We ek 3 Lecture 1). Economic or political disempowerment is when existing powers or rights belonging to a group of people are taken away from them. Different groups may experience the removal of distinct rights. My thesis is that both models of exclusion created obstacles and molded the political opportunities for the previously mentioned minorities: among Native Americans, African Americans and Asian Americans the inequity of apartheid was the common model of exclusion. Once apartheid ended it would lead to theShow MoreRelatedA Long History Of Unequal Treatment Among Ethnic Minority Groups Essay1872 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction In the United States, there is a long history of unequal treatment among ethnic minority groups, particularly for African Americans. 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Catherine of Aragon - Early Life and First Marriage

Catherine of Aragon, whose parents united Castile and Aragon with their marriage, was promised in marriage to the son of Henry VII of England, in order to promote the alliance between the Spanish and English rulers. Dates: December 16, 1485 - January 7, 1536Also Known as: Katharine of Aragon, Catherine of Aragon, CatalinaSee: more Catherine of Aragon Facts Catherine of Aragon Biography Catherine of Aragons role in history was, first, as a marriage partner to strengthen the alliance of England and Spain (Castile and Aragon), and later, as the center of Henry VIIIs struggle for an annulment that would permit him to remarry and try for a male heir to the English throne for the Tudor dynasty. She was not simply a pawn in the latter, but her stubbornness in fighting for her marriage -- and her daughters right to inherit -- were key in how that struggle ended, with Henry VIII separating the Church of England from the Church of Romes authority. Catherine of Aragon Family Background Catherine of Aragon was the fifth child of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon. She was born in Alcalà ¡ de Henares. Catherine was likely named for her mothers grandmother, Katherine of Lancaster, the daughter of Constance of Castile who was second wife of John of Gaunt, himself son of Englands Edward III. Constance and Johns daughter, Catherine of Lancaster, married Henry III of Castile and was the mother of John II of Castile, Isabellas father. Constance of Castile was the daughter of Peter (Pedro) of Castile, known as Peter the Cruel, who was overthrown by his brother Henry (Enrique) II. John of Gaunt tried to claim the throne of Castile on the basis of his wife Constances descent from Peter. Catherines father Ferdinand was the great-grandson of Philippa of Lancaster, the daughter of John of Gaunt and his first wife, Blanche of Lancaster. Philippas brother was Henry IV of England. Thus, Catherine of Aragon had considerable English royal heritage herself. Her parents were also both part of the House of Trastà ¡mara, a dynasty that ruled kingdoms in the Iberian peninsula from 1369 to 1516, descended from King Henry (Enrique) II of Castile who overthrew his brother, Peter, in 1369, part of the War of the Spanish Succession -- the same Peter who was the father of Isabellas grandmother Constance of Castile, and the same Henry John of Gaunt tried to overthrow. Catherine of Aragon Childhood and Education: In her early years, Catherine traveled extensively within Spain with her parents as they fought their war to remove the Muslims from Granada. Because Isabella regretted the lack of her own educational preparation when she became a ruling queen, she educated her daughters well, preparing them for their likely roles as queens. So Catherine had an extensive education, with many European humanists as her teachers. Among the tutors who educated Isabella, and then her daughters, was Beatriz Galindo. Catherine spoke Spanish, Latin, French and English, and was well-read in philosophy and theology. Alliance with England Through Marriage Catherine was born in 1485, the same year Henry VII seized the crown of England as the first Tudor monarch. Arguably, Catherines own royal descent was more legitimate than Henrys, who was descended from their common ancestor John of Gaunt through the children of Katherine Swynford, his third wife, who were born before their marriage and later legitimized but declared ineligible for the throne. In 1486, Henrys first son, Arthur was born. Henry VII sought powerful connections for his children through marriage; so did Isabella and Ferdinand. Ferdinand and Isabella first sent diplomats to England to negotiate Catherines marriage to Arthur in 1487. The next year, Henry VII agreed to the marriage, and a formal agreement including dowry specifications was drwan up. Ferdinand and Isabella were to pay the dowry in two parts, one when Catherine arrived in England (traveling at her parents expense), and the other after the wedding ceremony. Even at this point, there were some differences between the two families over the terms of the contract, each wanting the other to pay more than that other family wanted to pay. Henrys early recognition of the unification of Castile and Aragon in the Treaty of Medina del Campo in 1489 was important to Isabella and Ferdinand; this treaty also aligned the Spanish with England rather than France. In this treaty, the marriage of Arthur and Catherine was further defined. Catherine and Arthur were far too young to actually marry at that time. Challenge to Tudor Legitimacy Between 1491 and 1499, Henry VII also had to contend with a challenge to his legitimacy when a man asserted himself to be Richard, duke of York, son of Edward IV (and brother of Henry VIIs wife Elizabeth of York). Richard and his older brother had been confined to the Tower of London when their uncle, Richard III, seized the crown from their father, Edward IV, and they were not seen again. Its generally agreed that either Richard III or Henry IV had them killed. If one had been alive, hed have a greater legitimate claim to the English throne than Henry VII did. Margaret of York (Margaret of Burgundy) -- another of the children of Edward IV -- had opposed Henry VII as a usurper, and she was drawn into supporting this man who claimed to be her nephew, Richard. Ferdinand and Isabella supported Henry VII -- and their future son-in-laws inheritance -- by helping to expose the pretenders Flemish origins. The pretender, whom the Tudor supporters called Perkin Warbeck, was finally seized and executed by Henry VII in 1499. More Treaties and Conflict Over the Marriage Ferdinand and Isabella began secretly exploring marrying Catherine to James IV of Scotland. In 1497, the marriage agreement between the Spanish and English was amended and treaties of marriage were signed in England. Catherine was to be sent to England only when Arthur turned fourteen. In 1499, the first proxy wedding of Arthur and Catherine was held in Worcestershire. The marriage required a papal dispensation because Arthur was younger than the age of consent. The next year, there was new conflict over the terms -- and especially over payment of the dowry and Catherines arrival date in England. It was in Henrys interest for her to arrive earlier rather than later, as payment of the first half of the dowry was contingent on her arrival. Another proxy wedding was held in 1500 in Ludlow, England. Catherine and Arthur Marry Finally, Catherine embarked for England, and arrived in Plymouth on October 5, 1501. Her arrival took the English by surprise, apparently, as Henrys steward did not receive Catherine until October 7. Catherine and her large accompanying party began their progress towards London. On November 4, Henry VII and Arthur met the Spanish entourage, Henry famously insisting on seeing his future daughter-in-law even if in her bed. Catherine and household arrived in London on November 12, and Arthur and Catherine were married at St. Pauls on November 14. A week of feasts and other celebrations followed. Catherine was given the titles of Princess of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and Countess of Chester. As prince of Wales, Arthur was being sent to Ludlow with his own separate royal household. The Spanish advisors and diplomats argued whether Catherine should accompany him and whether she was old enough for marital relations yet; the ambassador wanted her to delay going to Ludlow, and her priest disagreed. Henry VIIs wish that she accompany Arthur prevailed, and they both left for Ludlow on December 21. There, they both became ill with the sweating sickness. Arthur died on April 2, 1502; Catherine recovered from her serious bout with the illness to find herself a widow. Next: Catherine of Aragon: Marriage to Henry VIII About Catherine of Aragon: Catherine of Aragon Facts | Early Life and First Marriage | Marriage to Henry VIII | The Kings Great Matter | Catherine of Aragon Books | Mary I | Anne Boleyn | Women in the Tudor Dynasty

What Is At The Interest Of The Strong Or Ruler Example

Essays on What Is At The Interest Of The Strong Or Ruler Coursework Socrates View of Justice Lecturer: Justice is closely linked with being fair to other people. Socrates was mostly concerned that injustices were carried out with impunity by the leadership. Specifically, he was concerned that individuals be judged according to the law and regulations that had been laid out. Justice was not meant to be carried out by the desires of the leaders. In the clip, he offers an apology when he was as a member of the Council that was addressing the trial of the body of ten generals who had failed to collect the survivors of the sea battle. He opposed the rest of the committee’s decision of acting against the law. He was not afraid to face death or a prison sentence. Socrates views a government that acts in defiance of its set laws as an unjust government. He also identifies the actions of people who wish to break the laws as injustice. In addition, he argues that it is better to suffer from acts of injustice than to be the cause. He further states that suffering injustice can only cause physical injuries, but it does not hurt one’s character. Doing injustice to others is detrimental to one’s conscience and character (Plato, Grube, Cooper,65)Socrates places emphasis on negative justice that is not carrying acts of injustice to others. He was not concerned with positive justice that can be defined as seeing that other people get what they rightfully deserve.He identified the need to adhere to set laws especially in times of political turbulence and emergencies. Further, he stressed the importance of avoiding tempting shortcuts to violate liberties and punish wrongdoers without observing their rights. He advised that the due process of law should be followed. ReferencesPlato, Grube, G. M. A., Cooper, J. M. (2000). The trial and death of Socrates: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, death scene from Phaedo. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Pub.

St. Augustine-Human Person free essay sample

Philosophy Human Person Nowadays, human being seems to have a control in everything. Transcendent Being or God seems to have a very little role in the life of human person. Human persons are acting as superhuman or to borrow Nietzche’s term ‘ubermensch’. From different spheres in human society, man seems to be superior. Man shows his superiority in every field he belongs to. In the sphere of politics, leaders cannot agree on crafting specific laws that would serve the greater good or the interest of the public. Leaders are putting premium on the interest of the self. They fail to put forward the interest of their constituents. In looking on other field in human society, people engage in business are showing superiority by manipulating other individuals. Greater profit is the driving force for people in business world. Most often, they disrespect the rights of their employees and customers. Improper compensation is still the cry of many employees today. We will write a custom essay sample on St. Augustine-Human Person or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Inequity is still present in the business world. In the field of science, man’s superiority is also present. Man seems to have a total control of the development of human person. The presence of cloning is an evident that man is trying to control even the creation of a living creature. In this manner, man is no longer subordinate to the Creator but he shares the same power with the Creator. In the field of education, man of today fails to realize the very essence of educating oneself. Man of today always equates education with schooling. Schooling, most often promotes the attitude of superiority. Students, in order not to fail, would cheat during examination. Learning is most often measured through grade that’s why students use any means whether it is by hook or crook, just to pass from the subject. This attitude towards learning produces many individuals who are merely schooled but not educated. Schooling, sometimes promotes negative attitudes to the students who are not willing to submit to the discipline of education. All these examples are realities of today. These are realities that show that man is indeed trying to control everything-an attempt of superiority over the Creator. Despite the effort of man to control everything, he could not still explain why there are circumstances that give him no control of everything. The death of an innocent child, accidents, and plans that were never materialize despite the efforts that man exerted- all these are uncontrollable instances. Man seems cannot hold everything. Uncontrollable events cannot be comprehended by human mind. The deepness of the meaning of the event is not easy to understand. He cannot be certain of the reason why such event happened. In this point, man’s innate attitude of searching for Higher Being becomes notable. When everything left to be complicated, man moves to search for a reason or purpose why such event took place in his life. St. Augustine as a Christian philosopher understands reality always in relation to God. His understanding of reality would never be isolated with his understanding of God. God for him is the Ground of all truth (Copleston, 1950). St. Augustine found truth through introspection (inward thinking). In knowing ourselves and in knowing that man can know the truth, he is led to affirm the existence of God. It is only in God that one could find truth. In searching for truth, St. Augustine regarded sensation as a way of acquiring truth. Senses never lie or deceive if human being is just true of what he feel or see. If corporeal things are taken as corporeal things then there will be no problem. If man sees a green chair then he should say that the chair appears green to him. In that sense, he is faithful to the senses. Senses are mutable things (Copleston, 1950). In this light, human person as described by St. Augustine, is a rational soul using a mortal and earthly body (Teske, 2001). The soul is in possession of a body but does not consist of two persons but one man. The soul being superior to the body cannot be acted on by the body, but it perceives the changes in the body due to an external stimulus. The soul of human person apprehends indestructible truth, which shows that it is itself indestructible. The human person consists of soul and body can reason and can know the truth unlike the soul of an animal. This soul is created by God. In this manner, human person always reaches out to his creator in order for him to determine himself. Human person do not have the capacity to fully understand himself and others without the illumination of Transcendent Light (God), as contrary to the first paragraph of this essay which expresses man’s superiority. Human person having soul should go beyond corporeal entities in order to find bliss which is one of human’s purposes in life according to St. Augustine. If human person will insist to determine himself ,it will just end up in following a path that will mislead him to his Creator.