Question One
Civil disobedience was viewed in different ways by various scholars. For Martin Luther King, civil disobedience should be used to pass over government rules. He also asserted that the theory of natural law and contemporary consent may be required by the law as a genuine act of civil disobedience. He also considered civil disobedience in the form of non-violent refusal to obey the laws of the government. Civil disobedience may be applied on a large scale to force the government to negotiate changes. It is also conscientious. This implies that it may be motivated by religious convictions and the commitments to equality, democracy and also justice to undertake peaceful protests (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy par. 1 and 2).
Protestors should also remain nonviolent because violence diminishes the authority of a cause. When the protesters resort to violence, they typically appear as criminals. The Christianity aspect of Martin Luther may have been the cause for him to advocate for peaceful protest as a way of seeking for rights or justice (Morris par. 15).
The just laws are those that are in harmony with the legislation of God. As for the unjust laws, they are not per the legislation of God or even the natural law. The law can be said to be just if it upholds the personality of a person. However, if it happens that an act degrades the person and their personality, then it is considered to be unjust. To Martin, various concepts can be used to explain further the notion of unjust laws. For instance, there is segregation which is considered to be unjust since it disrupts the soul and damages the personality. People who partake in segregation usually have a false sense of what being superior means over those that are oppressed. Inferiority is then developed in those who are oppressed (Morris par. 5 and 6).
Question 2
James Baldwin described the psychological effects of race as one that affects the identity of a person in the society. Racism leads to trauma in a person. The shock is created once a person faces rejection from others. The trauma may also arise from a person being called names. In this case, Baldwin and his people were shouted at and called ‘Negroes!’ which was a form of an insult since they had their particular names that could be used to refer to them. Racism also leads to the intellectual deficiency in a person. This is because those who are undergoing racism are usually denied opportunities to learn and get the knowledge and experience that others are gaining. The intellectual deficiency also results from the people not being able to express themselves for fear of being looked down upon due to their race. The people who are victimized due to their race also feel as though they are under slavery. Their roles in the society are not recognized and as such they cannot even raise their opinions concerning any matter. These people are often left to follow what has been set for them by the majority race. Their opportunities in the society are also limited. They can perform little tasks and as such feel that they are under-exploited. The sense of self in a person is also destroyed as a result of undergoing racism, and they only look down on themselves (Bloom 193). They, therefore, advocated for the fair treatment of all the people in the society and equal opportunities as well. There is also advocating of the civil rights movement to fight for the rights of those who are undergoing discrimination due to racism. This will be seen as a move to make the government also support the fight against the practice (Balto par. 3 and 4).
Question 3
Stop and frisk is the act by which a police officer initiates the stop of an individual on the street based on reasonable suspicion that the person may be conducting or indulging in criminal activity. This act is said to reduce crime and occurs at a high rate in places where people of a particular race reside (Center for Constitutional Rights par. 1).
The act of stop and frisk has various pros and cons. The pros are that it has led to the reduction in the levels of crime in the larger cities such as New York. It has also kept the number of firearms that were frequently seen on the streets as people walked by at a low level. The practice has also been observed to protect the minority in the community. These are individuals who are under the high influence of being attacked or even become victims of crime. Stop and frisk have, however, been seen to lead to the increase in the case of social profiling. This is where the black race is linked to crime and hence is the highest targets of the act. It is also a form of violation of the rights of people who have said the act is not within the law (Fagel pg 2 and 4).
Judge Shneidlin ruled that stop and frisk should be eliminated since it is unconstitutional and discriminates some races (Benz par. 1). As for me, I think the policy should continue since it has been seen to reduce the rates of crime including murder in the society. The practice is aimed at places that are most susceptible to crime based on the previous history. For instance, racial profiling is an issue that mostly affects the black race where they are primarily associated with crimes and drug abuse, and if the practice targets in such areas where these people are found, then it will achieve practical results.
Question 4
The charter and traditional schools, both provide innovative education in the form of an extensive curriculum. The charter schools, however, have better results in comparison to the traditional public schools. The systems of the charter schools are also better and much improved when compared to the public schools. This is regarding the provision of quality education and facilities needed for the curriculum development (Pascual 10). The charter schools also reach to the students in the society, unlike the public schools. They look out for children who may be missing the opportunity to benefit from quality education. They ensure that these children have been located and enrolled in school. The charter schools are, therefore, seen to have high regard for the upbringing of every child, unlike the public schools. The public schools on the other hand offer transportation for children to and from school, unlike in the charter schools where this is availed (Pascual par. 9).
Diane Ravitch has asserted that the depiction the charter schools have been given is seen as a disaster for the public schools. The argument that the charter schools deliver better performance of students has been evidenced because they are given the opportunity to select their students and as such only pick the bright ones. Most of the schools referred to as charter schools are found in the neighborhoods of very wealthy communities and, therefore, they serve the kids of the affluent people. This was Diane Ravitch’s argument, and he, therefore, referred to the comparison of the charter and public schools as a myth since the two are entirely different. Public schools are also overcrowded, but the chartered schools only enroll a certain number of children (Ravitch par 5 and 8). The measurements applied to compare these schools are also false, since the two are on a different level. Standardized tests should not be used to measure the performance of teachers. Teachers can be evaluated according to the way they perform duties such as disciplining students. A good teacher is one who brings out the best in learners such as the right attitudes to the society.
Question 6
Optimism in life can be hard to maintain, especially when one is undergoing tough times. However, it can be easily managed according to Paul Farmer. He devoted to engaging in faith -based groups as a way of finding the right positive energy to conduct activities. There is also a sense of satisfaction that is found when we help others as well. Being responsible is also a good way to find joy and be happy.
In spite of the miserable lives of the people of Haiti, Farmer has managed to maintain his roles in the community. This is by helping create institutions that will also extend their support of the population of Haiti and help curb the consequences of things such as deforestation (Partners in Health par 2 and 3).
Self-interest and altruism are further depicted in the context of Farmer in that our ego should be dropped if we want to help others in the society. Having an ego or rather pride will not make us achieve what we want in the society. Self-interest is all about having the desire to be involved in the lives of others in a positive way. The human condition is, therefore, supposed to drive us to have the thoughts to conduct various voluntary activities in the society. These are such as helping the poor and sick in the community (Svoboda par 2 and 4).
Works Cited
Balto, Simon. James Baldwin’s America and the Paradox of Race. 2012. 20 March 2016 <http://www.progressive.org/news/2012/12/179677/james-baldwin%E2%80%99s-america-and-paradox-race>.
Benz, Dorothee. Landmark Decision: Judge Rules NYPD Stop and Frisk Practices Unconstitutional, Racially Discriminatory. 21 August 2014. 20 March 2016 <https://ccrjustice.org/home/press-center/press-releases/landmark-decision-judge-rules-nypd-stop-and-frisk-practices>.
Bloom, Harold. James Baldwin. New York: Chelsea House, 2007. Print.
Center for Constitutional Rights. Stop and Frisk: The Human Impact. 15 January 2009. 20 March 2016 <http://ccrjustice.org/stop-and-frisk-human-impact>.
Fagel, Mari. Beyond the Numbers: A Debate Over the Effects of NYPD Stop and Frisk. 24 July 2012. 20 March 2016 <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mari-fagel/beyond-the-numbers-_b_1536589.html>.
Morris, Lisa Anne. What Martin Luther King Jr. Said About Civil Disobedience. 3 August 2014. 20 March 2016.
Partners in Health. In D.C., Paul Farmer speaks about responsibility, optimism in Haiti. 19 September 2011. 20 March 2016 <http://www.pih.org/blog/in-dc-paul-farmer-speaks-about-responsibility-optimism-in-haiti>.
Pascual, Psyche. Public vs. private vs. charter schools. 2016. 20 March 2016 <http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/public-private-charter-schools/>.
Ravitch, Diane. Better education for all. 10 March 2015. 20 March 2016 <http://dianeravitch.net/2015/03/10/21-myths-about-charter-schools/>.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Civil disobedience. 20 December 2013. 20 March 2016 <http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/civil-disobedience/>.
Svoboda, Elizabeth. Altruism as Enlightened Self-Interest. 25 November 2013. 20 March 2016 <Altruism as Enlightened Self-Interest>.
