Tuesday, February 15, 2011

PS 214 Sec C - Group 4: "The Balancing Act"

PS 214 Sec C - Group 4: "The Balancing Act": As Celina had mentioned every group member covered that 60 people had been taken into custody because of terrorism acts out of 1000.

Kellie had mentioned a very good topic on the video that explained in order to arrest someone in all cases including terrorism there needs to be probably cause and there needs to be some correlation and connection between the suspect and the events. she also mentioned that authorities should be more definite and take more time in making the arrest.

Chris had brought up that the U.S. constitutes that all citizens have the right to a speedy trial and finds it interesting that the gov. can detain an individual without any evidence or the presents of a lawyer.

I believe that the government and authorities should look at the act of terrorism a bit more seriously cause it's tough to make out an actual terrorist from someone else who could have done it but didn't and I think you see a lot of that happening where they get the wrong group or people and that they should clean up there act and get things right cause its a pretty serious situation that they deal with considering it could affect the country.

Monday, February 14, 2011

"The Balancing Act"

For this weeks assignment, everyone that posted, focused mostly on the 60 people that had been taken into custody because of terrorism acts. I like how Kellie talked about the question of if we had the right to detain those 60 people, then explained how there needs to be probable cause and there needs to be some correlation or connection between the suspect and the events that occured in order to detain them.

Another good point that Kellie brought up was how we mistake innocent people for being terrorists, or being involved in terrorist acts just simply based on their ethnicity. She talks about a white American being capable of commiting the same crime. This is true, yet we would never suspect them of such an act simply because they are American.

I liked the quote that Chris put in, "you detain captured enemies not becuse they've committed a crime, but to remove them from the battle field." I think this statement is probably very true. The more enemies you have detained, then the less you have to worry about on the battle field. It creates less of a threat, and it gives the government more of a chance to pry answers out of the detained enemies.

Friday, February 11, 2011

I found this video interesting. The first segment of the video mentions the captures of 60 people who were taken in custody by the U.S. government after being lessened from a list of 1000. An interesting question that was asked during this segment was “is the U.S. a battle zone? If so is it okay to enforce military law? Juliette talked about the care of those people early in the segment she states “all we got is a piece of critical information of some guys who maybe fit the descriptions of the act.” Although Viet Dinh believes that’s a reasonable with the actions of the government he states “you can’t keep these guys in a whole forever and expect the public or constitution to ignore it.” In regards to that statement Joseph reply by stating “you detain captured enemies not because they’ve commit a crime but to remove them from the battle field.” Which is interesting because the government don’t have access to any solid evidence that’s indicates these people are enemies.
Later in the video they talked about the due process of law. According to the U.S. constitution all citizens have the right of a speedy trail. I find it interesting how the Gov. can detain an individual without any evidence or the presents of a lawyer.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Week 5 Blog

I found the video segments interesting because I always like to hear about things that are going on around us that maybe need a little more attention. The first segment explained terrorist acts such as injecting toxins in food in stores, and suicude bombings. It also stated that 60 people had been taken into custody in relation to terrorism acts, which is what much of this video was talking about.
One important topic that was brought up was the question of whether we had the right to detain those 60 people, and how did we narrow it down from 1000 suspects, to those 60? They explained that in order to arrest someone in all cases including terrorism, there needs to be probable cause, and there needs to be some correlation and connection between the suspect and the events. Innocent people may fit the characteristics of the guilty perfectly, and I think there should be more defined, specific characteristics that could tie someone to the event. I think the authorities should be definite and take more time in making an arrest. On the other hand, I think questioning a possible suspect is a good thing to take the correct precautions, especially with such a serious problem. The video also stated that we shouldnt hold people for longer than needed. For example, after someone is questioned and there is no evidence for probable cause, let them go, but be sure of that decision.
Another important point they touched on was the exaplme they gave of the man who went to a foreign country and came back and was immediately questioned because of a terrorist act that had happened. In that case, he may have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Ethnicity may have played a factor in the authorities suspicions, because many people put a face to people they think will commit these types of crimes, when in reality for instance, a white American is capable of committing the same types of crimes. I think we are too bias when it comes to placing people with certain crimes.

2/8/11

According to the Declaration of independence all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers.
Both Brandon and Jess talked about the religious aspect of Law as Jess stated “Everything that is written in this time period has religious influences in it”. He then went on to ask If God should be in involve in government?
Kellie brought up these interesting facts which I found interesting.
1. "He has compelled her to submit to laws, in the formation of which she had no voice.”
2. "He has made her, if married, in the eye of the law, civilly dead.”
3. “He has denied her the facilities for obtaining a thorough education- all colleges being closed against her.”

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Declaration of Sentiments

This weeks assignment was about women's rights, and specifically the Declaration of Sentiments. Brandon listed the reasoning's for the Declaration of Sentiments such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He also talked about the religious aspect of the Declaration, and how women felt "aggrieved, oppressed and fraudulently deprived of their most sacred rights."

Kellie found it interesting how it explained that women didn't have equal rights and how men used to be superior to women. She listed three facts that she found important. One being "He has made her, if married, in the eye of the law, civilly dead." She also talked about how she couldn't imagine living in a world where those kinds of things happened to her. I agree with her on that, I couldn't imagine living in a world like that either.

Lastly, Jesse talked about the incorporation of religion in the sentiments, and stated that everything written in that time period had religious influences. He too listed the same quote as Brandon about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He also listed a link to a good website about referring to God in the government.

I think the most important part of this Declaration of Sentiments is the quote "all men and women are created equal" This was the whole reason for this Declaration, and for women fighting for equal rights. If everyone is created equal, then women should have the same rights as men. No questions asked.

Friday, February 4, 2011

2/4/11

I believe an important piece of information that is mentioned throughout these sentiments and resolutions is the incorporation of religion. Everything that is written in this time period has religious influences in it. "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." This is just a small piece of the many references to God and a "higher power". I have found a website that has some good points when referring to God in the government. Click Here to go to that link.