Crisis Communicaitons Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Crisis Communicaitons Plan - Essay Example It outlines major methods for reacting to these situations in a quick and effective manner. It is the principal goal of this Crisis Communication Plan to set up guidelines for handling the recent controversial situation and to ensure that school staff are well familiar with these procedures as well as their roles in this situation. The Crisis Communication Plan is designated to be utilized along with the common decision-making hierarchy of the school and in no way supplants this decision-making process. While addressing the media and the general public, the school will deliver factual data and messages that will be most beneficial to the school and to the school district. We aim at helping the mass media through provision of information which will enable them to air unbiased and true information about the school, which will not discredit the its position as a reliable educational establishment and educational leader. In all procedures of communication, the school will set up a positive opportunity for the general public that will position the educational sector as a whole (Crisis Communication Plan: Nonprofit Toolkit). Messages about the drug abuse problem and alleged involvement of our school teachers in drugs delivery will be solution oriented, responsive and directed at effective action. They will reinforce the school’s leadership position. The following School Communications Plan will serve as a guide to crisis communication for our school. Its overall purpose is to facilitate management of communications in the context of crisis. It includes necessary organizational considerations. The next section will inform about the objectives of the plan. 4. Successfully manage the data distribution, in particular dissemination of crucial and sensitive information to the sources of the mass media, which will make the current data available for the members of the public, staff

Is Race A Major Issue In US Today Politics Essay

Is Race A Major Issue In US Today Politics Essay Historically, the problem of racism persisted in the US. In fact, racism in the United States has existed since the founding of the state.  Society, founded by white men, differing in their national and religious grounds, was very different with their attitude towards other groups.  Victims of racism were non-white indigenous population Indians and black slaves. Significant progress in overcoming racism in the U.S. has been in the 1960s, when the success of the movement of the struggle for civil rights there were taken considerable political and socio-economic measures to ensure equality and overcoming age-old gulf that separates African American, Native American and other minority groups from  mainstream of American life.  However, racism still remains one of the hottest topics in American public life. Although the race problems take significant place in the life of the people in the United States, there are examples of the improvement of the situation. Imagined differences are built into the main quality and turn into a hostile psychological attitudes towards some ethnic group, the unit that separates people psychologically, and then theoretically justifies a policy of discrimination. Race is a major issue in the United States today but it is important to place emphasis on the fact that, today, race issues tend to change although the problem of racism has not been eliminated yet. Definition of racism In order to understand the current situation in the US concerning race issues, it is necessary to dwell upon the definition of the concept of racism. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that the concept of racism is closely intertwined with the concept of discrimination because racism implies the discrimination on the ground of race of an individual. At the same time, the concept of racism can be defined as the violation of basic rights and liberties of individuals because of their race. In this regard, racism can have different manifestations, including the oppression of racial minorities and their discrimination. In the past, cases of racism occurred frequently and racial minorities suffered from the severe oppression from the part of the dominant white majority. As the matter of fact, racism can exist in any multiracial societies. Therefore, the emergence of racism in the US can be viewed as a natural effect of the domination of racial group over others. On the other hand, it is worth mentioning the fact that the concept of racism changed and evolved in the course of time. In the past, racism was taken for granted and the violation of rights of non-white Americans was a norm. For instance, it is possible to refer to numerous cases of lynching of African Americans in the beginning of the 20th century. By the mid-20th century, the attitude of Americans has changed under the impact of the growing Civil Rights movement and effective work of civil rights activists. The Civil Rights movement of the 1950s 1960s contributed to the consistent change in racial relations in the US but the Civil Rights movement still failed to solve the problem of racism in the US. In spite of consistent legislative and social changes, race issues and the problem of racism persisted in the US in the second half and late 20th century. Race issues still involved the problem of discrimination and unequal opportunities for white and non-white Americans. The problem persisted and, today, this problem needs the effective solution. Modern perception of racism In actuality, the modern perception of racism has changed consistently compared to the past. At this point, it is necessary to dwell upon the changes that have occurred in the society to understand the essence of the change of the perception of racism in the modern society. First of all, it has been already mentioned above that, in the past, racism was taken for granted, it was a sort of norm. Cases of violence and murders of representatives of minorities were frequent. Steadily, the attitude to racism changed. Today, the problem of racism is viewed from a bit different angle. To put it more precisely, today, racism refers to the field of the under-representation of certain racial groups in the political life of the US. In addition, many representatives of racial minorities suffer from discrimination in the workplace, when they fail to obtain equal job opportunities. At the same time, today, socioeconomic position of people and their job opportunities as well as their participation in the political life of the country depend on their educational background. At this point, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that the access to education and opportunities to receive higher education are crucial in the modern society. As a result, education, being unavailable to certain racial groups, to minorities, becomes one of the most important issues provoking tension between representatives of different racial groups in the US. The role of education in the life of the modern society can hardly be underestimated because the modern technology keeps progressing and people should come prepared to use new technology to succeed in their professional life and to play an active part in the social, political and economic life of the country. For instance, the emergence of mass media and new telecommunication technologies contribute to the consistent growth of the speed of spreading information. In this regard, many specialists indicate to the fast spread of information The Boyfriends Death (Brunvand, 78) story by J.H. Brunvand. The information is spread nationwide fast that naturally affects consistently race issues. To put it more precisely, the fast spread of information can affect consistently the public opinion, including cases when information refers to race issues. In this respect, it is possible to refer to some cases of violence from the part of white police officers in regard to African Americans and other minorities. The information being spread fast nationwide evoke strong opposition within the society to cases of racial discrimination. Discrimination In actuality, the problem of racial discrimination persists and the President of the US, Barak Obama does recognize this problem. At the same time, he attempts to unite the nation and eliminate racial differences: We the people, in order to form a more perfect union. (Obama, 304). In actuality, race issues have changed consistently but the problem of racism persists in the American society: And yet words on a parchment would not be enough to deliver slaves from bondage, or provide men and women of every color and creed their full rights and obligations as citizens of the United States. What would be needed were Americans in successive generations who were willing to do their part through protests and struggle, on the streets and in the courts, through a civil war and civil disobedience and always at great risk to narrow that gap between the promise of our ideals and the reality of their time. (Obama, 305). In fact, the US society still suffers from wide gaps between the dominant racial group, i.e. white Americans, and minorities, i.e. non-white Americans. In such a situation, the development of new, effective solutions to the problem of racism, racial inequality, racial discrimination and other race issues is essential. At this point, it is very important that the US policy makers, namely the US President, are conscious of the importance of solution of the problem of race issues: unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories, but we hold common hopes; that we may not look the same and we may not have come from the same place, but we all want to move in the same direction towards a better future for of children and our grandchildren. (Obama, 306). Hence, the union of the nation is the ultimate goal of current policies of the US government but it is still important to find effective tools, which can help to solve the problem of racism and other racial issues. Current issues and limitations In actuality, it is possible to single out new, emerging racial issues, which aggravate the problem of racism and make relations between different racial groups extremely complicated. At this point, it is possible to refer to the speech delivered by Barak Obama, who stated: At various stages in the campaign, some commentators have deemed me either too black or not black enough. We saw racial tensions bubble to the surface during the week before the South Carolina primary. The press has scoured every exit poll for the latest evidence of racial polarization, not just in terms of white and black, but black and brown as well. (Obama, 307). At this point, it is possible to raise the problem of the the growing racial diversity and emergence of new racial tensions, including tension between minorities. What is meant here is the fact that today racial issues refer not only to relations between the white majority and non-white minorities but also to relations between non-white minorities. In fact, the aforementioned problem can lead to the radicalization of the US society: expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America; a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam. (Obama, 308). The radicalization of the society will lead to the consistent deterioration of the socioeconomic and political situation in the US and it may undermine the existing social order. Hence, the solution of the problem of race issues is essential for the stability of the existing social order in the US. Future directions In such a context, the US authorities should define clearly the major priorities and strategies that can help the US to solve the problem of racism and race issues. In this regard, Barak Obama argues that: by investing in our schools and our communities; by enforcing our civil rights laws and ensuring fairness in our criminal justice system; by providing this generation with ladders of opportunity that were unavailable for previous generations. (Obama, 310). In fact, Obama indicates to one of the possible ways to improve the current situation in the US society and to solve, at least partially, the problem of the tension between different racial groups. The President suggests the complex solution, which focuses on key areas, where race issues arise, including, education, justice system, civil rights protection, and others. In such a situation, Obama gives insight toward the ultimate goal of the suggested changes may be defined as follows: a country that has made it possible for one of his own members to run for the highest office in the land and build a coalition of white and black; Latino and Asian, rich and poor, young and old is still irrevocably bound to a tragic past. But what we know what we have seen is that America can change. That is true genius of this nation. What we have already achieved gives us hope the audacity to hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow. (Obama, 309). Obviously, this is an optimistic forecast for the future elimination of existing problems related to race issues. Nevertheless, the strategy is defined clearly but still the US lacks effective tools with the help of which the problem of racism and race issues can be eliminated. Conclusion Thus, taking into account all above mentioned, it is possible to conclude that the problem of racism and race-related issues persists. Although officially a race cannot be identified as a major issue problem in the United States, there are still many issues and details considering the race issue. All in all, the race still remains one of the major problems in the United States, which is still not solved. In fact, this means that the US still suffers from the discrimination and oppression of minorities. In this respect, the US authorities are conscious of the fact that race issues may pose a number of serious problems and, what is more, they may lead to the radicalization of the US society. Therefore, the solution of this problem becomes strategically important for the US authorities. In actuality, the US authorities, namely the President of the US, defined the major priorities in the development of their policies to tackle the problem of racial discrimination and other race issues. Obviously, the unity of the entire country is of the utmost importance and the unity of all Americans, regardless of their race, can unite the nation. However, it is still unclear how the President of the US is going to unite the nation and to eliminate wide gaps that persist between different racial groups. As long as these gaps exist, the US will deal with race issues.

Why Capital Punishment? :: essays research papers fc

Death Penalty Thirty eight states in the United States enforce the death penalty. Some people are in favor of the death penalty, but that may be because they have not been directly involved with it. Sometimes people can change their views about an issue when that issue all of a sudden becomes a part of their lives. Death is not something to be played with. Someone's life should not be put in the hands of another person or the government. These are the five ways people are murdered by the government: Lethal injection is the most common form of execution. This is when a prisoner is strapped to a gurney, while two needles are placed in each arm. Two different types of chemicals are released putting the inmate to sleep. A third chemical, a muscle relaxer, is released causing the prisoner to stop breathing within minutes. Approximately five states use the gas chamber as a method of execution. A prisoner is strapped down in a chamber where acid is released into a pan. Tablets are then dropped in the pan causing a chemical reaction that causes a deadly poisonous gas to knock the prisoner unconscious. Death occurs within minutes. Gas masked men decontaminate the body with bleach so as not to harm themselves while removing the body. Only a few states still use two of the oldest forms of execution today. Firing squads and hanging are still methods of executing criminals in the United States. Five or more men shoot a prisoner, sometimes killing him/her right away, when states kill by firing squads. When states use the hanging method, they try to set the noose just right so as not to allow suffocation, and to snap the neck and kill the inmate instantly. However, if done incorrectly, suffocation and suffering sometimes occur. Probably the most cruel and unusual method of execution is death by the electric chair. When a prisoner is strapped into this chair, his/her organs are burned. The inmate's flesh may catch on fire, and he/she may vomit blood. He/she may also violently twitch or leap forward as his/her insides are being electrocuted. One may be able to handle the fact that a criminal is being put to death. They might think that a criminal has done wrong, so they deserve to die. What they might not be thinking about is that criminal may be someone's son or daughter, mom or dad, niece or nephew, brother or sister, husband or wife.

Research Paper on Plato

Abstract Many Philosophers made a difference in society but Plato is perhaps recognized as the most famous. His writings have had a profound effect on people, politics, and the philosophy throughout the centuries. He was a public figure and he made major contributions to society. Plato helped to lay the philosophical foundations of modern culture through his ideas and writings. One of the most philosophical thinkers of Western civilization, Plato is the only author from ancient Greek times whose writings survive intact. His collection consists of thirty-five dialogues and thirteen letters, though the authorship of some is contested.Plato was born in Athens, into a prosperous aristocratic family. His Father’s name was Ariston and his Mother’s name was Perictione. His relative named Glaucon was one of the best-known members of the Athenian nobility. Plato's name was Aristocles, his nickname Plato originates from wrestling circles, Plato means broad, and it probably refers either to his physical appearance or his wrestling style. â€Å"Plato is, by any reckoning, one of the most dazzling writers in the Western literary tradition and one of the most penetrating, wide-ranging, and influential authors in the history of philosophy,† (Kraut, 2009).Plato was born during the Golden Age of Athens’s which saw the birth of classical architecture, drama, arts and politics. However, as he was growing up he observed the decline of Athens as a cultural center. He witnessed instances of cruelty, disloyalty, and dishonesty and it was in clear violation of his values. It was also during this time that Plato fell under the influence of Socrates, who engaged the people of Athens in philosophical discussions. â€Å"It was into this bright, sly, worldly atmosphere that Socrates appeared, moving questioningly about the streets of Athens†. Plato 1984). In 339 Socrates was brought to trial and charged with having false Gods and corrupting the youth. Soc rates was found guilty on the charge and was sentenced to death. The execution of Socrates weighed heavily on Plato and he turned away from politics, he thought the behavior of the courts was unjust. He decided not to get involved in political life, instead he decided to leave Athens with other friends of Socrates to travel and study. During his travels he met with all kinds of people and studied not only philosophy but geometry, astronomy, and religious teachings.Socrates was extremely influential to Plato and he was the main character in numerous writings, he was also influenced by Heraclitus, Parmenides, and the Pythagoreans. One of the most important goals Plato set for himself was to keep the memory of Socrates alive by recording and bringing about the kind of impact that Socrates had on people. Nearly all of Plato’s work takes the structure of dialogues in which Socrates is usually the main character. One of the goals of a Plato’s dialogue is to engross the reade r in philosophical questions related to the ideas being discussed.The Socrates of the Platonic dialogues is modeled after the real Socrates but it is in part an imaginary character used to impart Platonic themes. Plato’s dialogues are divided into three groups, the early or Socratic dialogues; the dialogues of middle age; and the dialogues of old age. In the early dialogues, Socrates is the main character, but it is generally believed that Plato is expressing his own views. These are the only remaining dialogues of Socrates teachings hence; they are referred to as the Socratic dialogues. In The Apology Socrates was accused of having false gods and corrupting the youth.While on trial Socrates claimed that he was innocent and was not at all wise, â€Å"Men of Athens, I honor and love you; but I shall obey God rather than you, and while I have life and strength I shall never cease from the practice and teaching of philosophy†¦ Understand that I shall never alter my ways, n ot even if I have to die many times. † (Plato 1984). Middle Dialogues During Plato's middle period he wrote the following, Meno, Republic, Euthydemus, Menexenus, Cratylus, Phaedrus, Symposium and Phaedo. The most important difference between these writings and his earlier works is that he is establishing his own voice in philosophy.In the Meno Plato introduces us to the Socratic idea that no one knowingly does wrong, â€Å"Virtue is the desire of things honourable and the power of attaining them. † Plato (1984). In the Phaedo we become familiar with the platonic doctrine of the Forms; this is where Plato makes a claim as to the immortality of the soul. Plato's most influential work, The Republic, is part of the middle dialogues. It is a discussion of the virtues of justice, courage and wisdom. It addresses the question of how do humans approach living a good life. The dialogue finishes by looking at various forms of government and describing the ideal state.The allegory of the â€Å"Myth of the Cave† is also in The Republic it is an important writing because it contains the main points of his philosophy. It is intended to be a metaphor for education and it explains issues regarding the theory of knowledge. Plato believed one must explore the belief that a greater reality exists. It is through this belief that a person can gain greater insight into true reality and become enlightened. Without it we are like the prisoners of a cave who only see the shadows of objects and live in complete darkness. â€Å"And now, I said, let me show in a figure how far our nature is enlightened or unenlightened, behold!Human beings living in an underground den† (Plato 1927). It is only through philosophy that we can come out of the cave into the true world. â€Å"Who is best suited to rule the state – lovers of opinion or â€Å"true philosophers†? (Plato 1927) His final years at the Academy he wrote the later dialogues which included the Parmenides, Theatetus, Sophist, Statesmas, Timaeus, Critias, Philebus, and Laws. It should be noted that Socrates has a minor role in these writings. Plato examines his metaphysical theories through these dialogues. He discusses art, dance, music, poetry, drama, and ethics in connection to immortality and the mind.He also dedicates himself to the philosophy of mathematics, politics and religion. Plato argued that women were qualified to play a role in politics and philosophy. In The Republic, Socrates argued that women were as capable as men in pursuit of accomplishments. There is a suggestion that women should be educated for their roles in the class of guardians and possibly work next to men. A woman’s role could be significant in society, but different from a man’s role. Even though Plato believed that women were necessary in a working society, he did not mean he thought women were equals of men.Plato thought that women lacked the strength of men and that women were more suited for other responsibilities in life. â€Å"If women are expected to do the same work as men, we must teach them the same things. † (Plato 1927) The impact of Plato’s work cannot be measured or calculated. His writings had great influence on the entire intellectual development of Western civilization. Despite the fact that Plato did not leave a well-formed, rigid philosophical system he is considered the father for all forms of philosophical idealism and dualism. The object of education is to teach us to love what is beautiful. † (Plato 1984). After he died the Academy continued until AD 529, when it was closed due to its pagan teachings. Neo-Platonism, founded by the 3rd-century philosopher Plotinus, was an important development of Platonism. It was a philosophical system which was as a combination of Platonic, Pythagorean, and Aristotelian elements. Originally it was opposed to Christianity but later on it integrated it. It dominated European thought until the 13th century and re-emerged during the Renaissance.The most important Renaissance Neo-Platonist was â€Å"Marsilio Ficino† who developed significant ideas from Plato and Neo-Platonism. Ficino founded of the Academy in Firenze and was responsible for the circulation of Neo-Platonic ideas. Ficino is credited with translating all of Platos’ dialogues into Latin and produced a great work called Platonic Theology, in which he outlines Neo-Platonism. His philosophy is based on the doctrine that the human soul is the center of the cosmos. It is the only thing that sits between the world of ideas and the world is the soul.Neo-Platonism was revived in the 17th century by the Cambridge Platonists such as Cudworth and Smith. The school stressed the importance of reason, maintaining that faith and reason are not that different. Rene Descartes an 18th century philosopher and Neo-Platonist developed a method to achieve truths. If something is not recognized by the intelle ct or reason can be classified as knowledge. According to Descartes. These truths are gained â€Å"without any sensory experience† (Descartes). He argued that as a result of his method, reason alone determined knowledge and that this could be done independently of the senses. Cogito ergo sum, I think therefore I exist† (Descartes) Plato developed an absolutist ethical theory which is that there is a greater good toward which to aspire. He developed this theory to respond to the skepticism and the beliefs of the Sophists who Plato felt did not preach wisdom, but rather their opinions. Plato tried to protect the part of reasoning in human life though he had resistance from the ancient Greek preachers know as the Sophists. They came from different cities and proclaimed that they were able to impart knowledge to young men how to live prosperous lives.Even though the Sophists did not belong to a school and did not have a common creed, some opinions were typical of them as a group and were absolutely conflicting to the views of Plato. The Sophists were great communicators and skilled public speakers. Plato felt that the Sophists were more likely to appeal to emotions rather than to reason. According to Plato philosophers influence people’s souls not their bodies and Plato agreed with Socrates in thinking that the nurturing of the soul is more vital than the nurturing of the body.Furthermore, he also believed that true leaders need to have wisdom, and knowledge. Plato's influence has been monumental as one philosopher said the history of philosophy is simply â€Å"a series of footnotes to Plato. † (Whitehead) Plato's has been criticized down through the centuries for his philosophy of the forms. His ideas of the just life and an ideal state are complex. Plato tended to specifically ignores much of human nature. Plato did not think in the realm of the physical world, he was always looking to a different one where things exist only if he can prove there existence.References Kraut, R. (2009, Sept) Plato Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/plato; Plato. (1984) Great dialogues of Plato New York: Mentor Books trans. by Benjamin Jowett Blackburn, S. (1945) The republic of Plato. (45 ed. ). London: Oxford University Press, USA. trans. By Desmond Lee Descartes. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/descartes-works; Alfred North Whitehead. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/whitehead/

Jesus vs Hercules

Myths and Religion are generally presumed to be two entirely different things. Myths are seen as stories shared between groups of people that are part of a cultural identity, while Religion is a belief that a group of people of a cultural identity share. Although they differ in certain aspects, they still hold similarities. Comparable to bible stories, myths have different versions which are both inspirational, as well as entertaining to those who do not believe them to be true. Along with this major similarity, there are parallels to specific stories. Various nurturing aspects of Hercules from Greek mythology, and Jesus Christ from the Bible are similar, including their birth, life and ultimately death in their respective lives. Right from their births, Jesus and Hercules’ lives are comparable. Jesus was born of a virgin mother, Mary, while Hercules was born of Alcmene, who was impregnated by Zeus. Although both their mothers were not virgins, their birth was similar in the sense that they were both half mortal and half god. Jesus and Hercules both had mortal mothers and gods as fathers. They were both raised by other men who played the role of a father in their lives – Joseph for Jesus, and (name) for Hercules. As babies, Jesus and Hercules’ lives were both in danger. Herod, who was the king at the time Jesus was born, wanted him killed as he was afraid Jesus was to be the next king. To solve this, he sent out armies of men to kill every newborn in the city. Jesus was saved when an angel appeared in Joseph’s dream to warn them about the danger. In the case of Hercules, his stepmother was the one that wanted him killed. She was jealous that her husband Zeus slept with multiple women and wanted baby Hercules dead. She let two venomous serpents into his crib, but being the son of Zeus, Hercules was born with great strength, and was able to easily catch and strangle the serpents to death. During their time on earth, Jesus and Hercules lived fairly normal lives as men in their towns. Jesus started to perform miracles in his home town around the age of thirty where as Hercules was always seen as a mighty strong man. Hercules and Jesus were both icons, Jesus the icon of Christianity and Hercules the icon for the Greeks. They both had many followers as young men who seemed to have later been abandoned during times or turmoil and danger. Jesus when he was preaching about God lost many followers as the Pharisees claimed Jesus’ works a cult, where as Hercules lost his followers when cursed by Hera his stepmother in a fit of anger killed his own wife and children. Although many seem to think of Hercules as a redeemer and saviour, Hercules did not save the world in any sense nor did he ‘redeem’ people as a whole. He defeated bad guys and rescued good guys, but never granted salvation from sin or died to save any followers as Jesus gave up his life to save the world. During the few end years of their lives, Jesus and Hercules were made to suffer a great deal. Jesus had to live being ridiculed and shamed where as Hercules lived in exile away from everyone as he spent twelve years doing the twelve labour he brought on himself to make up for the remorse he felt for brutally murdering his family. Ultimately Jesus and Hercules both met with violent deaths, Jesus died on the cross out of own free will for the love of his people, even though he did not voluntarily decide to die on a cross. Hercules on the other hand voluntarily decided to died on a pyre of fire as stories mention he wanted to get rid of the body that was responsible with the killing of his family.