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Criminal Rights

One of the foremost democracies in the world has championed rights as the core value of any good government. It has substantially pursued to inject this value in every facet of the life of its citizens as well as every aspect of the community. It in fact is proud to be the country that is built on rights and the idea that the said rights are to be respected, protected and given sufficient avenue for expression. Moreover it is known throughout the world as the country that is synonymous to civil libertarianism. The United States has built up a state with the idea that rights are what a country should be all about. But lately we are no longer certain as to this nature of the U.S.  In recent years we have seen the United States do and become a state is hypocritical to its own values and own nature. Many, both domestically and internationally, criticize it because of its so – called abandonment of its highest ideals and outright self – contradiction. America has done horrible things in the most recent past, things that puts to question what it really stands for and what is its fundamental philosophy.

Chief among them is right that is enshrined in the United States constitution known as the right to information. This right is founded on truth that the citizenry rightfully are granted. This also means that the citizens of the United States have the right to be told especially of very important and pressing matters that concern them. By extension institutions in society especially media institutions are duty – bound and are tasked to facilitate the enjoyment and application of the right to information.

In recent news the government have passed and put into effect laws prohibiting media institutions and their representatives from covering and inquiring into oil spill clean – up operations. What so wrong if they do? And what is so wrong of the people being told about such things? The answers to these questions are not clear. The greater doubt lies in the fact that the United States has to ask itself these questions that have no place in American socio – cultural and political make – up. This is not the United States that the American Revolution fought so hard to establish. The other notable discrepancy is that the law came into being at the height of the oil spill issue in the Gulf of Mexico. This is clearly an attempt by the government to muzzle all info about the oil spill and that is prescribes a punishment for violation. Now suddenly rights are criminal and that their free and valid exercise would entail punishments. Now citizens would be punished for their validly expression of rights. Authoritarianism is slowly supplanting democracy in the U. S. The United States must now forget its true nature and path that it dangerously is on is the one that leads to the very thing the United States has the most contempt for political repression.

July 6, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , | Leave a Comment

Environmental Damage Could Get Much Worse Every Single Day

The environment found in one country is not isolated from those in other countries. The environment or eco system is a global network that is the very fabric on which all life on the planet is sustained. Consequently all life on the planet needs it to survive and thrive. Any damage to it is never localized and contained in the part of the planet where the environment is damaged. Human beings, being the most sentient of all life on the planet have a greater collective responsibility as to the preservation of the environment. Moreover since it is also human beings that have accelerated the decline of the environment ours is the greater responsibility to the environment. But the many nations of man all have their own set of concerns and problems and they often approach a problem on their own. This is most true especially in problems involving environmental damage when in fact these problems involve everyone. Any and all damage to the environment concerns everyone. Moreover no one nation can contain an environmental problem for long and eventually its adverse effects will begin to resonate throughout the entire ecological system.

In recent news a damaged oil pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico has drawn global attention and concern as it took awhile for the spill to be, stopped, contained and its damage slowly undone. It polluted the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and hampered marine life and ecology in that area. But the real consequences of that spill is not yet fully revealed for we are yet to see the ecological backlash from the environment as a whole. The only good that was reaped from that incident was a new understanding of environmentalism and inter – relationships of countries particularly their role in ecological preservation. Environmentalism is the idea that the environment is to be protected and preserve and its degradation be kept when possible to a minimum and not permanent. And in the 21st century this cannot be done by any single nation but rather this is most potently attainable via collective effort – countries working together for the same goals.

When the spill occurred despite the United States’ stand that it will assume responsibility over it many countries from across the globe responded and participated in dealing with the oil spill. That was not just a fleeting event in time rather that was a powerful step that instantaneously evolved environmentalism and environmental policy application. Now any and all problems of the environment would be responded to collectively and not just by a few. This growing trend just might be the key to undoing the decades of environmental decay that the human race has inflicted on the global ecological system. After all nations, all peoples and each and every member of the human race have a stake in this planet. Either we all work to protect and better it or the human race will loose its current habitation.

July 3, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , , | Leave a Comment

Environmental Call for All: Marine Life struggling due to Oil Spill in Gulf

Code Pink activist marched down the BP PLC (British Petroleum-Public Limited Company) corporate headquarters in Houston last Monday, May 24, calling the BP executives to clean up the oil rig explosion in Gulf Mexico.

Protesters are becoming more aware of the environmental disadvantages of the BP Oil Spill or Deepwater Horizon oil spill or the Gulf of Mexico oil spill or the Macondo blowout. This April 20 oil explosion and fire on the drilling rig of the deepwater horizon owned by Transocean Ltd. leased by BP PLC with eleven killed and 17 injured awakens the environmental sensitivity of about 100 protesters. Most of these activists are the women from code pink who demonstrated the reality of environmental hazards caused by the oil spill in Gulf of Mexico. They also wore costumes and brought banners to air out their grievances towards this oil spill incident.

Currently, the spill’s impact on shore now stretches across 150 miles, from Dauphin Island, Alabama to Grand Isle, Louisiana. Oil has been pouring into the Gulf from a blown-out undersea well at a rate of at least 210,000 gallons per day. Some of the natural inhabitants and ecosystem in the affected areas are gradually damage and deteriorating. With oil pushing at least 12 miles into marshes of Louisiana – two major pelican rookeries are now coated in crude. Pelicans are especially vulnerable to oil because they dive into the water to feed. Oil has also reached a 1,150-acre oyster ground. Eventually, this year’s crop young oysters will perish. There are 264 birds, sea turtles and dolphins had been found dead or stranded on shore that may have been affected by the oil spill. There are also reports that the phytoplankton and fishes are continuously struggling with the lack of sufficient oxygen brought about the oil spill.

With the continuous call of the environmentalist groups, the BP plc announced that they are willing to utilize any less toxic and environmental friendly chemicals to lessen the environmental risks and damages as they removed the spill from the affected coastlines and marshes. THE BP PLC is also open to switch to any alternative equipments or chemicals as long as it is readily available. Meanwhile, BP is still using a contentious chemical dispersant to fight the oil, despite orders from federal regulators to use something less toxic.

Just like any other living organism existing in this world, we all share vulnerability especially when we encounter disasters. This oil spill incident threatens the ecosystem of the living creatures of affected areas. Eventually, we can suffer its consequences in the long run. Despite the progressing innovations and technology, the lives of the fragile living marine creatures are placed in an untoward difficulty and higher risks. Humans and other living organism in this world live in a continuous interconnected system making us work as one giant working community sharing each other’s resources but with this man-made disaster happens, we are somewhat overlooking the minority of the system making them suffer and perish. As part of this system, we should awaken our inner sensitivity towards the environment and rebuild the system that had been damage.

Resources:

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010/05/24/general-energy-us-gulf-oil-spill_7632217.html?feed=rss_asia

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100524/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gulf_oil_spill_today_2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill

May 28, 2010 Posted by | News | , , , | Leave a Comment

   

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