http://action.aclu.org/privacypower/index.html
http://www.aclu.org/pizza/
This week we turned in an essay where we talked about civil liberties and I found this website that addresses civil liberty issues. The above links are two parts of the site that I found interesting. The one about ordering pizza in particular stuck me as odd... could that really happen to us? At this rate, maybe. All the civil liberty violations that have been escalating for centuries COULD one day very soon become this different.
Stephanie
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Perverted Times
Some say we live in "Perilous Times" but others believe it's more of "Perverted Times"...
"Perverted," just like "perilous" can be interpreted a number of ways. The dictionary definition of perverted is:
1. Pathology. changed to or being of an unnatural or abnormal kind: a perverted interest in death.
2. turned from what is right; wicked; misguided; distorted.
So what does this mean?? People see "perverted" as something like a pedophile or a sex offender, but really it can be anything like torture, an innocent person going to jail, or even someone with a mental problem. It all depends on who is looking at it. I think that is a large part of why we live in these so called "perverted times;" how there is no wrong and right. There is no fine line between the two. The older generations of our society usually do not understand the teenagers and therefore think they are "corrupt" because they have different values, while the teenagers think the same of the older people. The thing is times change, and no one can agree on what is right. So are these "Perverted Times"? Are we "turned from what is right"?
"Perverted," just like "perilous" can be interpreted a number of ways. The dictionary definition of perverted is:
1. Pathology. changed to or being of an unnatural or abnormal kind: a perverted interest in death.
2. turned from what is right; wicked; misguided; distorted.
So what does this mean?? People see "perverted" as something like a pedophile or a sex offender, but really it can be anything like torture, an innocent person going to jail, or even someone with a mental problem. It all depends on who is looking at it. I think that is a large part of why we live in these so called "perverted times;" how there is no wrong and right. There is no fine line between the two. The older generations of our society usually do not understand the teenagers and therefore think they are "corrupt" because they have different values, while the teenagers think the same of the older people. The thing is times change, and no one can agree on what is right. So are these "Perverted Times"? Are we "turned from what is right"?
QUASI WAR PRIMARY SOURCES WITH LINKS
The Quasi War with France
Primary Sources
John Adams - Message to the Senate and House of March 19, 1798
Regarding Reports of the Envoys to France
United States, March 19, 1798.
Gentlemen of the Senate and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:
The dispatches from the envoys extraordinary of the United States to the French Republic, which were mentioned in my message to both Houses of Congress of the 5th instant, have been examined and maturely considered.
While I feel a satisfaction in informing you that their exertions for the adjustment of the differences between the two nations have been sincere and unremitted, it is incumbent on me to declare that I perceive no ground of expectation that the objects of their mission can be accomplished on terms compatible with the safety, the honor, or the essential interests of the nation.
This result can not with justice be attributed to any want of moderation on the part of this Government, or to any indisposition to forego secondary interests for the preservation of peace. Knowing it to be my duty, and believing it to be your wish, as well as that of the great body of the people, to avoid by all reasonable concessions any participation in the contentions of Europe, the powers vested in our envoys were commensurate with a liberal and pacific policy and that high confidence which might justly be reposed in the abilities, patriotism, and integrity of the characters to whom the negotiation was committed. After a careful review of the whole subject, with the aid of an the information I have received, I can discern nothing which could have insured or contributed to success that has been omitted on my part, and nothing further which can be attempted consistently with maxims for which our country has contended at every hazard, and which constitute the basis of our national sovereignty.
Under these circumstances I can not forbear to reiterate the recommendations which have been formerly made, and to exhort you to adopt with promptitude, decision, and unanimity such measures as the ample resources of the country afford for the protection of our seafaring and commercial citizens, for the defense of any exposed portions of our territory, for replenishing our arsenals, establishing foundries and military manufactures, and to provide such efficient revenue as will be necessary to defray extraordinary expenses and supply the deficiencies which may be occasioned by depredations on our commerce.
The present state of things is so essentially different from that in which instructions were given to the collectors to restrain vessels of the United States from sailing in an armed condition that the principle on which those orders were issued has ceased to exist. I therefore deem it proper to inform Congress that I no longer conceive myself justifiable in continuing them, unless in particular cases where there may be reasonable ground of suspicion that such vessels are intended to be employed contrary to law.
In all your proceedings it will be important to manifest a zeal, vigor, and concert in defense of the national rights proportioned to the danger with which they are threatened.
JOHN ADAMS.
Under Adams, “Every consideration of the public welfare was swallowed up in a continual grasp for power, in an unbounded thirst for ridiculous pomp, foolish adulation, and selfish avarice.”
-Matthew Lyon, New Haven Gazette
From the Fifth Congress. The Alien Act:
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=001/llsl001.db&recNum=689
“Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That no alien shall be admitted to become a citizen of the United States, or of any state, unless in the manner prescribed by the act, intituled ‘An act to establish an uniform rule of naturalization; ant to repeal the act heretofore passed on the subject,’ he shall have declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States, five years, at least, before his admission, and shall, at the time of his application to be admitted, declare and prove, to the satisfaction of the court having jurisdiction in the case, that he has resided within the United States fourteen years, at least, and within the state or territory where, or for which such court is at the time held, five years, at least, besides conforming to the other declarations, renunciations and proofs, by the said act required, any thing therein to the contrary hereof notwithstanding: Provided, that any alien, who is residing within the limits, and under the jurisdiction of the United States, before the twenty-ninth day of January, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, may, within one year after the passing of this act–and any alien who shall have made the declaration of his intension to become a citizen of the United States, in conformity to the provisions act, intituled ‘An act to establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and to repeal the act heretofore passed on that subject,’ may, within four years after having made the declaration aforesaid, be admitted to become a citizen, in the manner prescribed by the said act, upon his making proof that he has resided five years, at least, within the limits, and under the jurisdiction of the United States: And provided also, that no alien, who shall be a native, citizen, denizen or subject of any nation or state with whom the United States shall be at war, at the time of his application, shall be then admitted to become a citizen of the United States.”
Annotation (overview) of the previous text:
“No alien shall become a citizen, unless he shall have declared his intention to become such, five years before his admission. He shall declare and prove fourteen years residence within the United States, and five years in the state, &c. where he applies; besides otherwise conforming to the former act.”
-Statute II, June 18, 1798
Helpful primary source websites:
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Alien.html
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/quasi.htm
http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=16
Primary Sources
John Adams - Message to the Senate and House of March 19, 1798
Regarding Reports of the Envoys to France
United States, March 19, 1798.
Gentlemen of the Senate and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:
The dispatches from the envoys extraordinary of the United States to the French Republic, which were mentioned in my message to both Houses of Congress of the 5th instant, have been examined and maturely considered.
While I feel a satisfaction in informing you that their exertions for the adjustment of the differences between the two nations have been sincere and unremitted, it is incumbent on me to declare that I perceive no ground of expectation that the objects of their mission can be accomplished on terms compatible with the safety, the honor, or the essential interests of the nation.
This result can not with justice be attributed to any want of moderation on the part of this Government, or to any indisposition to forego secondary interests for the preservation of peace. Knowing it to be my duty, and believing it to be your wish, as well as that of the great body of the people, to avoid by all reasonable concessions any participation in the contentions of Europe, the powers vested in our envoys were commensurate with a liberal and pacific policy and that high confidence which might justly be reposed in the abilities, patriotism, and integrity of the characters to whom the negotiation was committed. After a careful review of the whole subject, with the aid of an the information I have received, I can discern nothing which could have insured or contributed to success that has been omitted on my part, and nothing further which can be attempted consistently with maxims for which our country has contended at every hazard, and which constitute the basis of our national sovereignty.
Under these circumstances I can not forbear to reiterate the recommendations which have been formerly made, and to exhort you to adopt with promptitude, decision, and unanimity such measures as the ample resources of the country afford for the protection of our seafaring and commercial citizens, for the defense of any exposed portions of our territory, for replenishing our arsenals, establishing foundries and military manufactures, and to provide such efficient revenue as will be necessary to defray extraordinary expenses and supply the deficiencies which may be occasioned by depredations on our commerce.
The present state of things is so essentially different from that in which instructions were given to the collectors to restrain vessels of the United States from sailing in an armed condition that the principle on which those orders were issued has ceased to exist. I therefore deem it proper to inform Congress that I no longer conceive myself justifiable in continuing them, unless in particular cases where there may be reasonable ground of suspicion that such vessels are intended to be employed contrary to law.
In all your proceedings it will be important to manifest a zeal, vigor, and concert in defense of the national rights proportioned to the danger with which they are threatened.
JOHN ADAMS.
Under Adams, “Every consideration of the public welfare was swallowed up in a continual grasp for power, in an unbounded thirst for ridiculous pomp, foolish adulation, and selfish avarice.”
-Matthew Lyon, New Haven Gazette
From the Fifth Congress. The Alien Act:
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=001/llsl001.db&recNum=689
“Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That no alien shall be admitted to become a citizen of the United States, or of any state, unless in the manner prescribed by the act, intituled ‘An act to establish an uniform rule of naturalization; ant to repeal the act heretofore passed on the subject,’ he shall have declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States, five years, at least, before his admission, and shall, at the time of his application to be admitted, declare and prove, to the satisfaction of the court having jurisdiction in the case, that he has resided within the United States fourteen years, at least, and within the state or territory where, or for which such court is at the time held, five years, at least, besides conforming to the other declarations, renunciations and proofs, by the said act required, any thing therein to the contrary hereof notwithstanding: Provided, that any alien, who is residing within the limits, and under the jurisdiction of the United States, before the twenty-ninth day of January, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, may, within one year after the passing of this act–and any alien who shall have made the declaration of his intension to become a citizen of the United States, in conformity to the provisions act, intituled ‘An act to establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and to repeal the act heretofore passed on that subject,’ may, within four years after having made the declaration aforesaid, be admitted to become a citizen, in the manner prescribed by the said act, upon his making proof that he has resided five years, at least, within the limits, and under the jurisdiction of the United States: And provided also, that no alien, who shall be a native, citizen, denizen or subject of any nation or state with whom the United States shall be at war, at the time of his application, shall be then admitted to become a citizen of the United States.”
Annotation (overview) of the previous text:
“No alien shall become a citizen, unless he shall have declared his intention to become such, five years before his admission. He shall declare and prove fourteen years residence within the United States, and five years in the state, &c. where he applies; besides otherwise conforming to the former act.”
-Statute II, June 18, 1798
Helpful primary source websites:
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Alien.html
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/quasi.htm
http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=16
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Modern Day Witch Hunts
Bolos wrote a blog on the accusations of witchcraft that is currently occuring in more than one country in Africa. This is partially based off of the Bantu religion, and as an excuse to expel children from the family in order to not have to care for them anymore. "'The witches situation started when fathers became unable to care for the children,' said Ana Silva, who is in charge of child protection for the children’s institute. 'So they started seeking any justification to expel them from the family.'" But that made me wonder--is it only children who are being accused of witchcraft? The article claims it is the modern-day Crucible, but is it only children being convicted of witchcraft? Or are they just showing all of the cases of children to obtain the sympathy of the readers?
On the second page of the article, there are examples of how children have been treated and why they have been accused: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/15/world/africa/15witches.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2 At the bottom is a case where the boy's mother would not believe that he had only confessed to a witch only to save his life, which is in fact, like the Crucible almost exactly.
On the second page of the article, there are examples of how children have been treated and why they have been accused: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/15/world/africa/15witches.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2 At the bottom is a case where the boy's mother would not believe that he had only confessed to a witch only to save his life, which is in fact, like the Crucible almost exactly.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
The Quasi War with France
In the Quasi War with France, in total the US captured 85 French ships, while the French captured over 2,000 US vessels! The US is always quick to criticize other peoples and countries, but never our own actions. When I was researching the Quasi War, I came across the US State Department's summary of the war, and there was not much information, perhaps because the main points of the war are all major criticisms for the United States, such as the Alien and Sedition Acts.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/nr/16318.htm
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/nr/16318.htm
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