Black Lives Matter Movement and Afrofuturism Comparison

Black Lives Matter Movement and Afrofuturism Comparison A comparison of the Black Lives Matter movement and Afrofuturism is the undertaking herein and follows. It is extremely relevant in terms of one of the constant ethno struggles persisting in society, nay, the world today.  Looking at it in those terms, the subject matter would be relevant any day, and, as Afrofuturism claims, it will remain relevant well into the future. Afrofuturism While the term Afrofuturism is credited to Mark Dery, a cyberculture theorist, attempting to explain the Black culture with internet culture (McNally 2).  Afrofuturism is the mechanism that creates and then portrays endless possibilities to the traditionally oppressed to rise above lifes challenges.  It is a mode through which imbalances are balances and unfairness turned fair, wrong transformed to right, etc.  Remember, the current mindset is that Blacks are not equal; schools are still segregated; whites are especially favored; and the future for Blacks is bleak.  Afrofuturism takes that situation and inserts into a futuristic setting the underlying theme is science fiction.  While the setting is similar to the strife and downtrodden status of Blacks, it reconstructs the expected ending from a continued life of suppression to superhero status and overcoming the odds (McNally 3).  Derys mindset is evident given the question proposed that Afrofuturism attempts to answer:   Can a community whose past has been deliberately rubbed out, and whose energies have subsequently been consumed by the search for legible traces of its history, imagine possible futures? (3). Dery further posits that in order to overcome the obliterated past, a hopeful future must be presented.  The challenge here is how to present a past that does not exist, for all practical purposes.  Thus, when history is depicted in Afrofuturistic conveyances, they are mythical in nature.  Afrofuturism is a dynamic rather than static definition which, at its bare bones, marries technology with storytelling with black.  Although, one definition includes a footnote to the effect that Afrofuturism is blind to color, race, gender, etc.  It is more a tool with which to reconcile the past with an anticipated future (Priforce). Another definition of Afrofuturism is proposed in the spirit of sociology.  That is, Afrofuturism is literary style which puts Black experiences in the central premise which is demonstrated through fantasy and science fiction (Huddleston 2). Still another definition suggests that, while the foundation of Afrofuturism is science fiction, it is science fiction written by Africans or Afrodiasporic which may be in the form of art, literature, music and scholarship (Yaszek 1).  Ã‚  The diasporic nature of the thing promises diversity within a diverse group.  The art is premised on a varied conglomeration of Blacks sprinkled around the world through no choice of theirs, but such that there is a spattering of absorbed cultures, but, unfortunately, providing the same results. Backpedaling for just a moment, another definition is in order that of diaspora.  Diaspora is Greek for to scatter.  Used in this context it means a similarly-region-specific population that has been disbursed across different areas but still have active ties based on the similar origins (What Is A Diaspora? | Idea).  So, African diaspora is that of people from Africa living in other parts of the world.  During the transatlantic slave trades, millions of Blacks were relocated throughout the U.S.  and the Caribbean (African Diaspora Cultures | Oldways) Yaszek considers Afrofuturism from the perspective of the author, artist or professor.  To that end, the main purpose of the telling of the story is, well, to tell a good story science fiction, or not.  The two next best reasons are somewhat political.  First, and as mentioned above, Afrofuturism is a vehicle with which lost history may be recovered, and, then, hopefully, understood.  Next, it also provides a forum within which hope is inspired for the future (2).  This, in a way, is an attempt to circumvent what may be described as foreshadowing or self-fulfilled prophecy in that the Black story is one of doom and gloom past and present.  And, since the future will be the present and the present will be the past, transforming the future (since there really is not anything that can be done in the present) in a positive light (or a powerful one) suggests that not only can history be changed but it challenges the norm. So, it is not surprising that the roots (no pun intended) of Afrofuturism commenced in the 1880s, alongside science fiction as a genre, with the writings of Charles Chestnutt, Susan Griggs and Edward Johnson.  All of whom authored books illustrating the Black plight, issues of slavery, creating a better world, and a society promulgated on Black knowledge and industry (Yaszek 4).  As the genre progressed to and through the 20th century, the separate-but-equal-paradigm wove its threads through the world of science fiction.  Black authors published in Black magazines and white in white.  It is worth mentioning because the distinction was not as the result of the actions of white people but due to the preferences of Black authors.  The reasoning should be unimportant, but for the sake of accuracy the claim is that the white magazines were almost too far-fetched and the Black stories were meant to be taken more seriously as story-telling rather than just science fiction entertai nment.  The afterthought is the perception that the white magazines included racially-motivated storylines. Returning to the underlying premise, that of a promising future and the potential of Blacks to use science to conquer battles and survive disasters, it is during the 1960s the white-washed science fiction intersected with Afrofuturism (Yaszek 7).  Obviously, the timing coincides with the crest of the civil rights movement.  In addition, it was a time when science fiction authors wanted to premise their work on societal relevant issues as well as scientifically modeled. The themes during this time period portrayed hope and a successful integration of two different societies which was reflected in films such as Bloodchild.  Other films were cautious and warned about history repeating itself with films such as The Spacetraders and Zulu Heart, both speculating that either Blacks will be deported from earth, chained together on a ship, or a role reversal such that while it is a replay historically it is the Blacks enslaving the whites.  Neither of which provides a positive takeaway. From 1980 to and through today, global Afrofuturism takes the definition a bit farther, technologically speaking.  This is a society of Afrofuturistics connected via internet from around the world.  The stories are still founded in the future based on the past lost; however, there is a worldwide collaboration such that the resulting stories mix histories, settings, and other region-specific attributes (Yaszek 9). This is probably the most appropriate place to introduce the Black Lives Matter campaign.  It is within this movement where the image of superhero takes on a less science fiction form and demonstrates how technology and black can make things happen, and, yes, possibly change the future. It has been only since 2013 that Alicia Garza posted the note to Facebook after the dismissal of charges against a white man for shooting a black 17 year old assuring others that our (black) lives matter.  It was the tipping point at which time Garza and others decided to change the world (not to sound too dramatic) (Day). This may sound like the atypical rally, protest or bandwagon.  Certainly, and unfortunately, the issue is the same as it has been repeated historically year after year after year.  However, the approach in this century is very different.  There is no single leader.  In movements past, male, black men such as Martin Luther King or Malcolm X played a major role in gaining interest and participation.  This time, they are all leaders.  Further, this movement is not racist it includes lesbians, women, gay, transgenders and bisexuals.  Rather than depending on media or word of mouth on the street to spread the word or organize rallies, Twitter offers a forum upon which news of black injustice may be circulated and Facebook supports the assimilation of rallies.  Photos, the ultimate purveyor of effective messaging, are shared via Tumblr and distributed on Instagram.  Events that had previously gone unnoticed or unknown were now on home pages and cell phones all over the w orld, potentially.  The audio associated with the gasping of the victim of a chokehold inflicted by law enforcement went viral (Day).  YouTube footage of a 14-year-old girl victimized by excessive force by police officers got over 500,000 views.  This is pretty strong, effective campaigning.  But, more importantly, it is real-time awareness.  It is what might change the future.  And, its technologically based.  Science fiction or This is where Black Lives Matter and Afrofuturism intersect.  The common thread is technology and the common goal is to change the future.  Black Lives Matter offers the here-and-now aspect of how Black Lives Matter which has always been missing from the story.  Instead, those stories unfold in history books or in movies long after the fact for obvious reasons.  Certainly, these types of things are not new.  What is new is realizing how broken society is and that the culture has to change. The next common thread is the skill with which these groups utilize technology, social networks and artistic media to work together towards a common goal.  The potential to complement each other is tremendous. If Black lives do not count or matter, it is very much like slavery.  People who were believed to be valueless and therefore mistreated in that vein.  The most important common thread between Black Lives Matter and Afrofuturism is the goal to dissuade racism and white supremacy.  And, to further, contradict those that, while not admitting it out loud, believe that Black people have no soul so it is okay to rape them, hang them, murder them, emasculate them, and torture them.  It was okay to do all of those things because they were thought of as being soulless and of no essential or true value beyond what monetary price they could bring. Another myth that in the past has been difficult to dispel and may have a better chance to dissipating is that of the belier that racism is no longer a factor, especially in the United States because a black President was elected.  People may think that this signals a quasi-release from any further responsibility for injustice in our society based on racism.  The fact is that while we have a black, there are many ways Obama and his family were disrespected further making the case for racism.  Even a perfunctory review of history demonstrates that no other President has been disrespected or disregarded like President Obama. The coalition of Black Lives Matter broadens the conversation around state violence to include all of the ways in which Black people are intentionally left powerless at the hands of the state, society and other individuals. To an extent, Black lives are deprived of basic human rights and dignity. Black poverty should be considered as violence or an assault. So, too, are 2.8 million Black people that are incarcerated the victims of a violent, oppressive condition.  Black Lives Matter brings those circumstances to the forefront and makes them relevant. Forgetting for the moment contributions made by Black people that are sometimes overlooked.  Society would have been deprived of a president.  Daniel Louis Armstrongs jazz and scat would never have been heard.  George Washington Carver would have never improved agriculture or invented adhesives and dyes.  Charles R. Drew would never have come up with the idea of blood banks and a system for preserving plasma long term.  W.E.B. Dubois would not have written Charlottes Web. Chicago may not have been founded if not for Jean-Baptiste-Point Du Sable.  William Henry Johnsons art would be nonexistent.  Martin Luther King, Jr., would be silent.  Contributions to the law and Supreme Court cases by Thurgood Marshall would be mute.  Elijah McCoy could not have improved the rail system or coined the phrase, The real Mccoy, meaning the best of the best.  Traffic signals and gas masks would go uninvented without Garrett Morgan.  If Rosa Parks did not get on the bus, this conv ersation may not be heard.  Mind blowing! Society can only make an educated guess on the number of contributions it missed because racism held back a talented black person or the contributions that the Black person killed by law enforcement may have contributed in his life.  Based on the black people that managed to break the bonds of racism to exhibit their talents, assumedly, society has missed out on millions of inventions, novels, songs, professionals, politicals, etc.  It is something that will never be known as there is no way to know which one of the black men sitting in prison may have invented the cure for leukemia.  This, for all intents and purposes, is part of the movement of Black Lives Matter and Afrofuturism.  A posit to realize the potential from within and without of the Black community.  A reminder that Black Lives Matter does not exist solely on the Black but on other oppressed groups such that it is the true belief that the most profound worth of the black man is that of every man that walks the earth.  Every single human being has potential.  The potential to contribute to the community, whether that community is diasporic or not; the potential to contribute to their own wellbeing and promotion whether in the name of culture, gender, ethnicity or sexual preference; and, the potential to matter. Just think for a moment of the results of forces joined between Afrofuturistics and Black Lives Matter members!  One would have the opportunity to exposure to Black history outside the white wash.  The other could contribute to changing the future by interacting with the real-time, present.  Or, science fiction creations could promulgate the future stories with real facts assimilated without any white washing.  Afrofuturism recovers the histories of counter futures created by hostile societies disapproving the diaspora that is Black.  Regardless Afrofuturistic individuals strive to redefine, translate, rework, restructure and then relate the future without the white-washed lens and based on what should have happened historically such that it could be repeated in the future (Eshun 301). The possibilities are limitless and that returns to the current definition of global Afrofuturism which contends that in this reframing (Science Fiction) of history and policy, those who are systematically oppressed are capable of transcending their less-than-desirable situation.  Nothing not even the sky is limiting.  (McNally 2). Works Cited African Diaspora Cultures | Oldways. Oldways. N.p., 2017. Web. 24 Mar. 2017. Day, Elizabeth. #Blacklivesmatter: The Birth Of A New Civil Rights Movement. the Guardian. N.p., 2017. Web. 24 Mar. 2017. Eshun, Kodwo. Further Considerations Of Afrofuturism. CR: The New Centennial Review 3.2 (2003): 287-302. Web. Huddleston, Kayla. Afrofuturism As Applied To Self-Perception: An Experimental Vignette. University of Washington (2016): n. pag. Print. McNally, Cayla. Fighting For The Freedom Of A Future Age: Afrofuturism And The Posthuman Body. Lehigh Preserve (2017): n. pag. Print. Priforce, Kalimah. Is Technologyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…  -à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…  A #Blacklivesmatter Superpower? Recognizing #Afrofuturism. Medium. N.p., 2017. Web. 24 Mar. 2017. What Is A Diaspora? | Idea. Diasporaalliance.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 24 Mar. 2017. Yaszek, Lisa. Race In Science Fiction: The Case Of Afrofuturism. A virtual introduction to science fiction 1 (2013): 1-11. Print.

Introduction To Baby Dumping Children And Young People Essay

Introduction To Baby Dumping Children And Young People Essay Baby dumping is the act of those irresponsible human who dump their babies who are younger than 12 months in the public toilet,garbage bin or even the jungle.It has become a serious social problem in our country because the number of baby dumping cases in our country keep increasing year by year.Majority of the people who involved in baby dumping cases are teenagers.This happens when teenagers have unprotected sex before marriage without any planning,unreported rape cases,sex before marriage and also prostitution.After they they have unprotected sex,they feel very pressure when they think that the baby might become a burden to them where they are not ready to take care of the baby.They are unable to make a correct decision.Immature mind of the teenagers will make them to think that the best solution is to throw the baby away because they might get rejection from their parents. Some of the boys might deny their actions because they are worried that people will look down on them.There are too many factors that can lead to baby dumping cases.Literally,baby dumping shows a bad image to the society and it will affect our countrys growth where people other countries will look down on our country.Investors will never dare to invest in a country with a lot of social problems like this.It can also affect the reputation of our country.Teenagers can easily make mistake without the proper guidance from the correct person.The government,parents and schools should work together to prevent teenagers to dump their babies. 2.0 Presentation and analysis of findings 2.1 How baby dumping affect the countrys growth 2.1.1 The negative views from other countries This issue can cause a bad image of society and country. People from other countries will never think of migrating to our country which has so many social issues. Our country will get negative views from the society and foreign countries. The action shows how cruel is our countrys citizen. 2.1.2 The number of investors who invest in our country decreases. Baby dumping cases actually affect the economic growth and our countrys economy might be stagnated when less investor invest in our country when we have a bad image. This will also affect the foreign investment in our country. People in the country will also be affected when there is problem with the economic growth of the country. The unemployment rate increases hence the crime rate will also increase accordingly. 2.1.3 The Government is spending more money The Government need to accommodate the babys expenses and this will be a burden to the government in term of money where they will also need to spend money to solve these cases. They will also need to find out the parents of those abandoned babies. When the government is spending more money on this issue, some other people who needs financial help might not get the full financial aid. 2.1.4 The increase of the number of crime rate. The number of crime rate increases due to the increase of baby dumping cases which is also a criminal where that is actually an action of the people who tries to kill or killed their babies. Those who found guilty to the case of baby dumping can be jailed for 7 years. 2.1.5 Affection to the society normal growth The action of dumping a baby will be mimicked by people all in the country when they had unwanted pregnancy and they dont have any idea what to do to the baby after giving birth .The society will become unhealthy due to this issue which keep increasing year by year. 2.1.6 Influencing the nation of the country The number of population in the country will become smaller and smaller. The country will face difficulties in developing and moving forward for improvements due to the lack of workers in various industries and our country will have to hire foreign workers which will threaten the people in our country. 2.2 Steps to prevent baby dumping cases 2.2.1 Parents should pay more attention on their children Parents have to monitor their childrens activities and behavior. They should guide them with some sex education and also teach them to differentiate between correct and wrong things to do in any situations. Besides that, they should spend more time communicating with their children to give a better understanding of what their children are actually doing. 2.2.2 Restrict the number of pornography websites in our country Pornography is one of the ways which lead to baby dumping. Teenagers could access to pornography in just a few clicks on the internet. The parties who are involved should ban some of the pornographic websites, so that teenagers will not be able to access to pornography. 2.2.3 Moral behavior by the parents Parents play an important role to educate their children about sexual behavior, the way to stay out of sexual relationships and how dangerous is unprotected sex. All these must be explained to the children and they will be able to do things rationally. Parents should teach them the way to prevent pregnancy and what will happen when the children have free sex. 2.2.4. Sex education in school The school should provide proper sex education to the students so that they will know how important is his or her body and relationships. The students have to know more about sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV and AIDS and how it affects humans body. The school counselor should always be ready to guide the students and lead them to the correct way. 2.2.5 Teenagers should learn self control techniques Teenagers nowadays normally will not able to think rationally because they are not mature enough to make decision. They should learn all the techniques of self-control to prevent them from having unprotected sex or sex before marriage that will cause unwanted pregnancy. They have to control themselves because they have the right to say NO if someone offered sex. They should attend youth camps and campaigns so they will able think rationally. 2.2.6 The government should organize campaigns and talks The government should organize more campaigns and talks and encourage more students to join to educate them with the knowledge of sex education and the effect of baby dumping to themselves, the community and the country to create awareness among the teenagers about baby dumping and free sex. 2.2.7 Create awareness through mass media Mass media is also a very important way to prevent baby dumping. This is the best way to educate and communicate with the teenagers. The mass media department can organize some programs for teenager on television or radio about the importance of protecting themselves from getting involved in sex by providing them useful information and knowledge. Moreover, they can invite psychologist and sex therapists for some special programs on sex education to have more personal discussion and allow the public to call on-air for a call session if they have any hesitation about sex. 2.2.8 New rule should be formed The government should form a new rule to restrict the teenagers below 18 years old to check-in hotel or motel without parents or guardian so that the free sex can be reduced among the teenagers so that they will not able to check in to a hotel to do something that will destroy their future. This can also prevent cases like violation to happen. 2.3 Conclusion In conclusion, the awareness of unprotected sex and sex education showed the significant link with our countrys baby dumping issues. Teenagers should have a good understanding on unprotected sex so they can prevent sex before marriage and unwanted pregnancy. Parents, government and schools should work together to educate the children about the sex education so they will not easily get involved in the unprotected sex at the young age. Teenagers should know how to protect themselves. Actions should be taken by all the parties to prevent teenagers from making a wrong decision. If no one is working on it this will literally leads to a bad reputation of our country. Government should organize more programs that not only open to teenagers but open to the public. After running all the steps of prevention, hopefully the reduction of baby dumping cases goes effectively. 6. Recommendation In order to cope with this baby dumping cases, government should come out with several policies and programs. First of all, the government may incorporate sex education in school curriculum as part of a holistic approach to tackle baby dumping cases. This approach is needed in order to provide awareness and better understanding of reproductive system and health at school level. Besides that, the government also can restructure or add the syllabus in certain subject such as Pendidikan Islam or Pendidikan Moral in order to create awareness and highlighted the consequences of social problems like free sex and baby dumping. The government also should promote Islam as a way of life especially to the Muslim youth as we can see nowadays; most of the people who involved in baby dumping were Muslims. Islamic scholars and Ulama must take this responsibility to explain to the community about Islam. However, it is important for the religious persons to use suitable method according to target group in performing this task. The government also can bring the Ulama or others religious person from other religion to give talk to the teenagers based on their belief especially when there is a program for teenagers as well as when there is a national campaign to curb with this kind of social problem. Drastic step by the government in categorizing baby dumping as a criminal amounting to murder if it meets with all the legal specifications is also can be introduced. The government can give another chance to the guilty parents if their baby is found alive but if the baby is found dead, the guilty parents need to be penalized under this criminal act. 3.0 Introduction to Information Technology Information Technology (IT) can be defined as the technology that is used to store,acquire,organize,communication and data processing.Generally,IT (Information Technology) has brought a huge improvements to the human in their daily lives.IT makes life easier where IT helps human by doing things for them faster,precise and efficient.IT contributes a lot to education, health industry, money, careers,leisure and government departments.Everyday there are new inventions and innovations such as computers,laptops,digital cameras,music players,.IT helps in the economic growth and developments of all the countries in the world.Examples of information technology include smartphones,televisions,printers,radios,music players and other electronic gadgets.Information Technology contributes a lot in education.It helps student to do things effectively and reduce the random errors that can be caused by the students.It helps college students in doing research,projects and also their assignments.Inform ation Technology also helps human in exchanging informations with each other.Information Technology has become one of the most important things in the world.Hunans nearly cant live without the help of InformationTechnology. How IT(Information Technology) influence me as a college student Communicate with lecturers through social networking I can easily start a conversation with my lecturer in just a few clicks.Group chats and discussions where we can share our thoughts with all the lecturers and giving ideas in the progress of learning new topics.It also helps me to get closer with all the lecturers,when I have any problem or question I can easily get to them and discuss with them.This helps me to improve in the progress of my course.We can even make video conference to discuss about our assignments so the lecturers can give us a better understanding of some topics. Information technology as an additional knowledge Information technology became an additional knowledge to us where we can actually make use of them after we graduate from the college in the future. There are too many things in information technology for us to learn and all those are lifelong knowledge that can be used in the world of career and create more employment opportunities. Gained ability to follow instructions Through computer, I gained the ability to follow instructions and problem solving skills.I will learn how to instruct others and also to accept opinions by others and this will help me when I work in a large organization later.This is a very goodway for me to learn and behave myself. Access to online libraries Ebrary(electronic library) is an online digital library which contains ebooks.It offers variety of books from different language which I can easily get access to it and eventually I can read books anytime and anywhere without going all the way to the library.It saves time and also will help us to get information quicker.It can also save papers where I dont need to buy or photocopy books when I need to read a book,I can easily access to the ebrary in just a few clicks. Multimedia learning resources The multimedia learning resources which can explain the phenomena and arouse my interest to learn and do thing rationally.I will be able to learn more from Information Technology that will help me in my studies and I will have more interest in process of learning in the college. Easily collect and gather information I can easily collect and gather information that I need for my assignments in the whole progress of my studies.I will have more sources to on finding of materials through internet.On the other hand,I can view news and read articles online so that I can perform better personal development and self improvement. Store and protect information With the IT inventions,now we will be able to store our documents or files into the online webstorage,where we can actually store and backup the information in the system so we will never lost it and in case if any file is missing we still have a hard copy in the system and this system is very secure which can prevent hackers from gaining access to my private information. Gained the ability to work productively and securely Ill have a better experience in time management.I can learn how to work productively and securely when the lecturers give us some work such as the typing some words and where we will need to finish it in a period of time.I can learn more about the way to manage my stuff by doing them perfectly in a given time. Develop Presentation skills. With the use of Microsoft powerpoint,now I learn the ways to present correctly.Next,I can also easily present the information for my assignment to give a better understanding of my assignment.This develops effective presentation skills to be used in the future.Presentation is very important in all types of industries in my country.This can also build more confidence in myself so i will be able to present perfectly in the future. Always get up to date information in a short time and get the latest updates. When i do my project,I can easily get the latest update of all the informations I need.I can search everything i want on the internet in order to finish my tasks and or projects.For example,i can read the latest news online,ebooks,journals and magazines.The access to all these books is very simple and it saves my time on doing my project and this will also train myself to be more responsible in doing things whether for the community or the country. Improve my technical skills and learn teamwork skills. Through Information Technology I can improve my technical skills in computers and electronic devices and I will understand how to run software on the computer that can make my work easier. Besides that, from Information Technology I learn the teamwork skills where I can use it in the future so that I can easily get used to the trend of working with a team of people in an organization .I will become more motivated in doing things. Invention of laptops The invention of laptops make my life easier.I can keep all my private documents in the laptop because im the only owner for the laptop so this is more to privacy.Furthermore,the laptop will increase the vulnerability of my data,Laptop is more convenient because it is portable and I can bring it everywhere and do my assignment any time when I feel like doing it. Conclusion IT should therefore be a must for every person especially to students,Information Technology contributes a lot to education especially in a college,the students use information technology to do their work so that they will be more efficient.Moreover,it will only help college students to complete their tasks more effective and faster besides of improving productivity.Information Technology continues to develop day by day.The new Information Technology Applications that can help in the progress of studying of the college students.Now,they can actually learn more and save time in doing tasks.Students eventually can get information easily from the internet.Students can learn a lot with Information Technology.A student will become more responsible when they come to the world of career after they graduate.This will create more employment chances to them with the knowledge of computer by the information technology. Year 04 78 67 83 76 102 79 91 total 576 Future Leaders Perception on Baby Dumping Issues In Malaysia Nazni Noordin 1+ , Zaherawati Zakaria 2 , Mohd Zool Hilmie Mohamed Sawal 3 , Zaliha Hj Hussin 4 and Kamarudin Ngah 5 1,2,4 Faculty of Administrative Science Policy Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA, P. O Box 187, 08400 Merbok, Kedah. Malaysia 3 Faculty of Information Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, P. O Box 187, 08400 Merbok, Kedah Malaysia 5 Centre for Policy Research and International Studies (CenPRIS), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Pulau Pinang Abstract. The increasing cases of outrageous acts of dumping new-born babies and foetuses in Malaysia recently alarming the Malaysian to take serious attention in handling this matter. This research was about teenagers perception on baby dumping issue. Out of 7,535 populations at four selected schools at the area of Bakar Arang State Assembly under Sungai Petani Parliamentary, Kedah, 400 students were selected as respondents. In this study, simple random sampling was used. This research used Descriptive Statistic and Pearson Correlation for data analysis purposes. Data were collected from July until October 2010. Three hypotheses were tested and accepted. The result indicates that there were positive relationship between awareness towards consequences of free sex, knowledge on sex education and religious belief towards baby dumping cases. The significant of this study was awareness creation on consequences of having free sex among youngsters as well as parents and school administration and also inclusive of religious bodies/agencies in taking seriously on the impact of this issue towards our social development in global era. Conclusion/Recommendations: The recommendations were made to the parties concerned in this issue in order to find the best solution in curbing this problem. Keywords: Baby dumping, Teen, Awareness, Sex Education, Religious Belief. 1. Introduction Lately, Malaysia is facing a serious issue regarding on baby dumping which getting more chronic and cause a lot of attention. This social problem appears every day in newspaper and mass media. From the period of January until July 2010, public were shocked, appalled, dismayed by the increasing reported cases of abandoned babies, some of whom were found dead. This incident indirectly indicated that something is wrong in our society [1][2][3][4][5]. What is actually the issue of baby dumping? It is not only just dumping new-born babies but also refers to discarding or leaving alone, for an extended period of time, a child younger than 12 months of age in a public or private setting with the intent to dispose of the child. The worse situation of this issue also can be seen when a girl gives birth in a school bathroom at night then throws the baby into the garbage or in the toilet bowl, also when a baby flung in the chicken coop, a baby swaddled in newspapers left squalling by a fly-infested dustbin, a baby abandoned under the harsh sun beating down on a wet rice field, a baby stuffed into a cabinet drawer, a baby left on the doorsteps of peoples home with notes or in a mosque. It is so embarrassing, sad and worst scenario that happened in our society. + Corresponding author. Tel.: +604- 4562519; fax: +604- 4562234 E-mail address: [emailprotected] 137 2012 International Conference on Economics Marketing and Management IPEDR Vol.28 (2012) Â © (2012) IACSIT Press, Singapore Statistics from the Malaysia Welfare Department for this year, from January to April 2010, reported that 111 unmarried young girls were pregnant. The figure, however, is just the tip of the iceberg as many cases go unreported and pregnancies terminated. It also reported in New Straits Times on 23rd July 2010, the body of a baby girl found in a bag at a bus stop near the Sultan Ismail Hospital, Johor Bahru in the morning. Also there a baby found buried. New Straits Times on 18th July 2010, reported that a fetus was found buried by the roadside in Jalan 12, Bandar Puteri Puchong, Selangor. Baby dumping is not the solution to a life problem and it could be charged under Section 317 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum jail term of seven years or fine or both according to the Malaysian law. For the past few years there are many newborn babies have been found, dead or live in the most unlikely places like rubbish dump. For instance, The Malay Mail on 26 July 2011 [5] reported that a fetus with the umbilical cord intact was found in a garbage can at Pulau Mutiara wholesale market in Jalan Makloom, Penang. This shows clearly that baby dumping is really serious problem that currently happened in our society. 2. Problem Statement Table 1.Statistic of baby dumping cases from the Headquarters of Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM): By State from 2005 until 7 April 2010 Cases of Baby Dumping Reported in Each State from 2005 until 7 th April 2010 States Number of cases Selangor 105 Johor 83 Sabah 65 Sarawak 34 Negeri Sembilan 24 Pulau Pinang 22 Perak 19 Pahang 17 Kedah 17 Kelantan 10 Terengganu 5 Melaka 3 Kuala Lumpur 2 Perlis 1 Total 407 Based on Table 1, the statistic from the Headquarters of Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) [6] indicated that there were 407 cases of baby dumping, for the past five years starting from 2005 until 7th April 2010. On average, there are 68 cases every year and these cases keep increasing. While in Figure 1.2.1, it shows that, there are 472 babies found dumped nationwide since 2005 until 16th August 2010. In year 2010 alone, it already recorded 65 cases up to 16 August 2010. That is means average 8 cases per month solely in year 2010 and this figure is not included the cases that not reported. According to Federal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Director Commissioner Datuk Seri Bakri Zinin, this year alone (2010), as at 16 August 2010, 65 dumped babies had been. As compared to 42 cases during the same period last year (2009), there is an increase in these cases [7]. Recently, the Cabinet also informed that there were 21 recorded cases of students who got pregnant out of wedlock between 2006 and 2010. Then, what about the unreported and unrecorded cases? Public belief that the figure more than what we can imagine. After all the shocking incidents proven by the data produced by PDRM and Welfare Department, we found a strong base to do this study. 3. Methods Material A simple random sampling technique was conducted among 400 students (out of total 7535 students) from Form One until Form Six (Upper Six) in secondary schools at the area of Bakar Arang State Assembly under Sungai Petani Parliamentary, Kedah. The schools involved were Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan 138Ibrahim, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sungai Pasir, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Khir Johari and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bandar Sungai Petani in Sungai Petani, Kedah.The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) in getting descriptive statistic and correlation. 4. Results Discussion 4.1. Profile of Respondents Out of 400 respondents, there were 183 (45.75%) male respondents and 217 (54.25%) female respondents. This finding showed the dominant of female respondents in this study. Regarding the age group, the respondents were in the age of 13 years old (18 students or 4.50%), followed by 14 years old (51 students or 12.75%), 15 years old (44 students or 11.00%), 16 years old (97 students or 24.25%), 17 years old (94 students or 23.50%) and lastly 18 years old and above which is 96 students or 24.00%. The highest respondents in this study was 16 years old, followed by 18 years old, 17 years old, 14 years old, 15 years old and the lowest respondents were 13 years old. The race of respondents in this study consist of three major races in Malaysia which is Malay, Chinese, and Indian and the balance was other races. From the finding, it can be concluded that the highest race in this study was Malay, which consist of 242 students (60.5%), followed by Chinese, 75 students (18.75%), Indian 67students (16.75%) and the lowest was other races which consist 16 students (4.00%). 4.2. Result of Findings H1: There is a significant relationship between awareness towards consequences of free sex and baby dumping issue from the secondary school students perspective. Table 2. Awareness on consequences of free sex towards a perspective of baby dumping issue Awareness towards consequences of free sex Baby Dumping Pearson Correlation 0.396** Sig. (2-tailed) 0.000 N 400 **. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). There was a significant relationship between awareness towards consequences of free sex and a perspective of baby dumping issue from the secondary school students perspective whereas P =0.000 and r = 0.396. Significant level is P This means, the awareness towards consequences of free sex has an influence towards perspective of the baby dumping issue. This finding was also supported by APWLD Annual Report 2010 [9]. H2: There is a significant relationship between knowledge on sex education and baby dumping issue from the secondary school students perspective. Table 3: Knowledge on sex education towards a perspective of baby dumping issue. Knowledge on sex education Baby Dumping Pearson Correlation 0.445** Sig. (2-tailed) 0.000 N 400 **. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). There was a significant relationship between knowledge on sex education and perspective of the baby dumping issue from the secondary school students perspective whereas P = 0.000 and r = 0.445. Significant level is P This means, the respondents agreed that knowledge on sex education is important in order to prevent or reduce the number of baby dumping that happen in Malaysia. Besides that, most of the respondent agreed 139that by learning sex education, teenagers will be more matured and responsible to themselves and having knowledge on sex education is important to prevent free sex among teenagers. H3: There is a significant relationship between religious belief and baby dumping issue from the secondary school students perspective. Table 4.Religious belief and a perspective of the baby dumping issue. Religious Belief Baby Dumping Pearson Correlation 0.386** Sig. (2-tailed) 0.000 N 400 **. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). There was a significant relationship between religious belief and a perspective of baby dumping issue from the secondary school students perspective whereas P = 0.000 and r = 0.386. Significant level is P 0.05 (P = 0.000). So, the researcher accepts H3. Religious belief also plays an important role in order to prevent baby dumping that increase from time to time. Other than that, most of respondents also agreed that religious belief need to apply in their daily life activity. This finding was also supported by the Azmi (2010) [1] and Coleman Testa (2007)[8]. 5. Conclusion As a conclusion, awareness towards consequences of free sex, knowledge on sex education and religious belief showed the significant relationships with the baby dumping issues in our country. Most of the respondents agreed that these three variables have a significant impact on baby dumping cases. It is important for the teenagers to understand the consequences of free sex so that they can prevent the unwanted pregnancy at the young age. Besides that, the knowledge on sex education is important to ensure the teenagers have a better understanding about their body so that they will not easily involve in free sex which can lead to the baby dumping. On top of that, the important of religious belief and practices also play a vital function. Every religion has lay down and taught about the dos and donts, about the sin and reward, and all religion prohibited the act of free sex. In order to prevent it, the government, schools, parents and teenagers should take necessary actions to stop this baby dumping issue from becoming worst. 6. Recommendation In order to cope with this baby dumping cases, government should come out with several policies and programmes. First of all, the government may incorporate sex education in school curriculum as part of a holistic approach to tackle baby dumping cases. This approach is needed in order to provide awareness and better understanding of reproductive system and health at school level. Besides

Kant and Mills Theories Essay -- social issues

Kant and Mill's Theories In July of 1994, Paul J. Hill, a former Presbyterian minister and later a pro-life activist, was prosecuted for killing Dr. John Britton, an abortion performing doctor, and James Barrett, a volunteer, outside a clinic in Pensacola, Florida. Prior to this, Hill commented on the murder of Dr. David Gunn, another abortion performing doctor, stating that it was a â€Å"biblically justified homicide (P. 215).† This statement shows how strong Hill’s beliefs were and leads one to assume that he did not regret killing Britton and Barrett. This paper will address the Hill case and determine the ethical parameter in which Paul Hill should have acted. The two philosophical approaches that will be examined and contrasted are the Kantian and Utilitarian perspectives. Kant and Mill’s point of view on the actions of Paul J. Hill will be presented based on their theories. Lastly, I will explain why I believe that Kant’s theory provides a more plausible account of morality . Kantianism and Utilitarianism are two theories that attempt to answer the moral nature of human beings. Immanuel Kant’s moral system is based on a belief that reason is the final authority for morality. John Stuart Mill’s moral system is based on the theory known as utilitarianism, which is based upon utility, or doing what produces the greatest happiness. One of Kant’s lasting contributions to moral philosophy was his emphasis on the notion of respect for persons. He considers respect for persons (a.k.a the Kantian respect) to be the fundamental moral principle of ethical philosophy. His Kantianism premise is a deontological moral theory which claims that the right action in any given situation is determined by the categorical imperative, which he calls the Supreme Principle. This imperative is a command that applies to all rational beings independent of their desires. It is a command that reason tells us to follow no matter what (P.31).† Kant considers this an objective law of reason and because it applies to all of us, he calls it a universal practical law for all rational beings. The hypothetical imperative, on the contrary, is a conditional command, which â€Å"we have reason to follow if (it) serve(s) some desire of ours (P.31).† For example, if you want X, then you will do Y, whereas with the categorical impe rative, X has nothing to do with why you do Y. Kant’s categor... ...es, I believe that Kantianism provides a more plausible account of ethics. Kantianism is more consistent of a theory and can be universally applied to all beings. It is more plausible because even if the consequences of performing an action are not necessarily the best, the agent is still obligated to perform the action because it is there duty to do so. Therefore, ethically and morally they are doing the right thing. In conclusion, this paper has discussed two main theories regarding the ethical behavior of human beings. Kantianism is a theory based on duties, maxims, willing and the categorical imperative. Also, it focuses on the motivation of actions, has clear and distinct set of universal rules, and is morally logical. On the other hand, Utilitarianism is based on the concept that we ought to do whatever produces the greatest overall utility and this will be the morally right action. Furthermore, it relies on the consequences of an action, has no set universal laws as each action is assessed on an individual basis, and morality is based on the results of the assessment. Because of these reasons, I believe that Kantianism is the more ethically plausible theory of the two.

Courage Worth Striving For Essay -- Personal Narrative War Strength Pa

Courage Worth Striving For Placing one foot in front of the other, I climbed the twisted, broken down staircase of the Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. The year was 1973, and I didn't want to be on these stairs, growing closer and closer to an unknown world that frightened me. I didn't want to witness the things I inevitably would see and hear throughout the next few hours. Can I really handle this? I thought to myself. It didn't really matter anymore. As a medic in the Vietnam Era, and I had soldiers depending on me to tend to their wounds and care for their injuries. As I neared the top, I gained sight of a heavy, thick, white door with a window in the center of it. What was on the other side of that door? I knew there was pain, suffering, and dying. For a moment, I thought about the men who had managed to survive thus far and who were now lying in hospital beds severely injured and bedridden, completely dependent on the care that was given to them. These men had wives, children, and other family members wishing desperately they would recover from the wounds they had encountered in Vietnam and return to life as they knew it before the war. Some of these men would never return to life as they had known it previously, with the reality of amputation and other life-altering treatments taking place as a customary and common practice. I wondered if I was prepared for this. The self-inflicted weight on my shoulders grew progressively heavier step by step. Those same family members hoping their loved ones would live had me to put their trust in. Me. As a trained medic, I was confident that I had the head knowledge I needed to treat the soldiers that had been flown in from Vietnam, as long as I wasn't distra... ...ing this story did not cause me to become a pacifist and reject the concept of war completely. I realize how horrendous war is, especially after hearing about my father's patient in room twelve. However, I feel it is even more appalling to ignore situations that are worse than war, such as the situation in Germany that evoked World War II. It is my belief that soldiers who have seen war value peace more than any pacifist because they know the cost. I now view my own life differently. If that soldier could speak again, I would imagine his message would be to take each day not as a guarantee, but as a gift. After hearing my father's story, my advice is this- do not take life for granted. You never know when you will be forced to find a new depth of strength you never even imagined you possessed and surrender your life for your cause, your beliefs, or your country.

The Character of Huck Finn in Mark Twains Adventures of Huckleberry Fi

The Character of Huckleberry Finn       In human nature, people are generally kind before they are aggressive towards others. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain presents many of his characters as having this type of personality. They exemplify a certain trust of others. They are always hospitable to people they do not know. His characters are also willing to help those in need. Mark Twain presents his characters as being trusting of others, hospitable to strangers, and helpful to those in need.    Two characters in Huckleberry Finn that show they have a trust for others are Jim and Huck. Jim, in fact, may have been too trusting of others. This is shown by the fact that he believed that the king and the duke were royalty, when they were actually only frauds. Jim also trusted Huck enough to know that Huck would not reveal that Jim was a run away slave. Jim went to Huck in his times of need because he trusted that Huck would be there for him. Huck was also trusting of people. He trusted that Jim would not reveal that he was still alive. He also tr...

Slumdog Millionaire Analysis

The film †Slumdog Millionare† tells a compelling story of an eighteen year old Indian boy from the dirty slums of Mumbai who manages to cash in the main prize of the TV-show †Who wants to be a millionaire?† Combined with the directing of Danny Boyle and co-direction from Indian Lovleen Tandan, this 2008 movie is a great mash up between Hollywood and Bollywood. The film based on Vikars Swarup’s novel tells a dramatic and romantic story with a twist of humour through a set of very cogent actors. The protagonist of this movie is eighteen year old â€Å"slumdog† Jamal Malik. Taking Jamal’s past in consideration, it’s highly unlikely that an uneducated boy from the Mumbai slums is able to reach the final question of â€Å"Who want’s to be a millionaire?† Some people aren’t happy with this, and he is being accused for deceit. This is primarily what we are being introduced to in the opening scene, and it starts off with Jamal being interrogated and tortured by suspicious minds who think he has cheated. The story then flashes back in time to the day he participated on the TV show. Shortly after the story takes a leap back to his childhood, where Jamal and his brother, Salim, and some friend are running away from Indian officers for playing of private property. Throughout the movie we unravel more stories of his life, which ultimately helps him win the main prize. As Jamal continues to answer questions, he looks back at his childhood. We soon find out that Jamal’s mother is killed and that Jamal is forced to live on the streets with his brother, Salim. During their stay at the reckless streets of Mumbai they meet a girl named Latika. The three of them is then later discovered by a man who runs an orphanage where they get shelter and food, in return the children is sent out on the streets during the day to collect money as beggars. As it turns out the man is not as nice as he appears to be and Jamal and Salim manages to escape, unwillingly leaving Latika behind. Once again Jamal and Salim are back on the streets. As the story progresses Jamal is portrayed as a person who never gives up on what he sets out to do. In this context, it’s his quest to find the love of his life, Latika. His love for her sets him out on a life experiencing journey which finally places him in the seat of â€Å"Who wants to be a millionaire?† His brother, Salim on the other hand is portrayed as a more dynamic person. In fact he is quite unreliable, he is not an evil person, but his selfishness and hunger for money and control hurts the ones around him, tearing him apart from his own brother and rescinding their connection. As stated earlier there are flashbacks in this movie, in fact the flashbacks are present throughout the whole movie. The fascinating thing about this though is how cleverly the directors have combined two stories running parallel to each other, making them crash together during the end and creating the present. This leaves the viewer curious how Jamal will answer the final question in an exciting and creative way. Through clever camera use and light setting, the film has an intriguing feeling to it. There is a lot of shifting between warm colours and dark colours, the latter mostly used in dramatic and scenes shot during the night. The warm colours on the other hand create a feeling of heat which fits perfectly to the setting. Also the music plays a big role in setting the mood of the film. The use of Indian music especially furthers the intriguing feeling. Focusing on camera use, it’s interesting to see the way the directors shot scenes from a children’s point of view during the flashback scenes from Jamal’s childhood. This gives the viewer a feeling that the children are small compared to the big wide world. Furthermore a lot of close-up shots are used during conversations which give the viewer the ability to see more detailed facial expressions which is something that pulls the viewer more in to the story. Also worth mentioning is the contrast we see of the wealthy parts of India compared the poor parts through the use of camera. For example we get an overview from the Mumbai slum during one of the flashbacks; this really helps stating that India has had an enormous economic growth during recent years. In my eyes the film creates a message that’s telling you to never let go of your goals, and to be optimistic and focused. Just because someone grew up with a poor and tough childhood, it does not mean that this person have a lesser intellect life or is worth less than you. Anything is possible, with good dose luck. Subliminally I think this movie also wants to show off India’s present economic situation compared to a decade ago and how India’s wealth has increased. Personally I really enjoyed watching this film, one of the main reasons for that is the way the story is laid out. It makes it exciting and it also blows some new life in to the well know â€Å"Who wants to be a millionaire?† It is certainly not the first thing I would have thought making a movie about. The fact that behind every question there is a story is quite exciting and it leaves me waiting for the next turn. On this foundation, I strongly recommend this movie to everyone.

Culture of India Essay

Indian culture can be compared to a rapid river, which takes source from a little well high in the Himalayas and flows down among blossomy valleys and thick forests, beautiful gardens and farms, small villages and big cities. Many tributaries join it, and the mainstream becomes stronger and more powerful. There is a great variety of ethnic groups and communities with their beliefs, languages and culture living in India. However, numerous aspects of exclusive traditional Indian culture can be easily spotted everywhere. For centuries, the country lived through a lot of changes, assimilated various elements of other cultures, but it successfully preserved its ancient traditions and legacy. The progression of Indian culture started from the early civilizations. Historical records of Hrappa and Brahmanic epochs (5000-800 B. C. ) prove that a great deal of traditions and cultural elements (such as Sanskrit, yoga, early Hinduism, etc. ) were practiced in those times. Buddhism and Jainism emerged in the 5th century B. C. The epoch of Mautya and Gupta Empires is called â€Å"Golden Age† of Indian culture. The Emperors of Gupta dynasty loved arts and favored the development of literature, music and early plastic arts, mostly dominated by religious motifs. As a result of European and Oriental colonization, Indian culture absorbed the elements of Greek, Roman, Chinese and other cultural traditions. Muslim conquests in the 11th-15th centuries had a great impact on Indian social and cultural life. In particular, Hinduism adopted many philosophical ideas of Sufism, and the influence of Islamic artistic traditions can be seen in Indian architecture (Gol Gumbaz, Taj Mahal), literature (the works of Amir Khusrau Dehlavi and Kabir) and music. In the 16th-18th centuries, Indian culture was again influenced by European domination that resulted in adoption of English educational system and other progressive social standards. Since Christian missionaries started changing religious and social awareness of Indian masses to a great extent, in the end of the 18th century a great reformatory movement for cultural and spiritual revival of the nation (known as Brahmo Samaj) was initiated (Henderson). Modern India has a complex ethnic composition and very diverse linguistic lines. Over 400 languages and 1,100 various dialects are spoken. Southern ethnic groups use Dravidian languages, including Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada, which are among the 15 official languages of the country. Indo-Aryan languages, such as Hindi, Marathi, Gujatari, Bangali and others, are used in the northern regions. These languages take source from ancient Sanskrit and are used by almost one third of Indian population (Culturopedia). Indian social culture is one of the most conservative and rigid in the world. Such traditions as cast system or arranged marriages are still widely practiced. On the other hand, local social environment is connected with everything relaxing, joyful and colorful. Traditional Indian clothing (sari, Lungi, Dhoti, ect. ) has a plethora of styles and colors. Also, India is known as a land of celebrations, fairs and festivals (Diwali, Ganpati, etc. ), crowded ceremonies, communication, dancing and other social leisure activities. Religious practices are central in the life of every Indian and people spend a lot of time in Hindu temples, where they socialize, listen to music and dance. Indian cultural environment is a cradle of Buddhism, one of the most influential philosophical concepts and â€Å".. a seed bed for human rights† (Henderson 4). At the same time, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Zoroastrism and other world’s religions are quite popular in modern India as well. Indian visual arts have a great range of forms and motifs, starting from intricate architecture of Hindu shrines and ending with traditional decorated textiles. Such crafts as stone work, wood work, metal works and glass products are very popular in today’s India. Indian painting has been flourishing for centuries, and there are a number of traditional artistic schools (such as Pahari, Kalighat, Kangra, Tanjore, Rajput, etc. ). Modern Indian art is dominated by social, philosophic and humanitarian motifs. Cinema industry in India has more than 100 years of history and is extremely successful and lucrative. Indian movies are being watched in many countries of the world, and they have a tremendous influence on domestic economy and cultural life. The movies portray political and social aspects, and some are based on local folklore. Indian literature and poetry take source from ancient Sanskrit, Vedic and epic texts (Ramayana, the Mahabharata) and embrace a lot of schools (Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu, Manipuri, etc. ). R. Tagore is the most known Indian writer and poet, who got the Noble prize for literature in 1913 (UCLA). In modern Indian culture, music is mostly associated with cinema, because Indian movies are filled with songs and dancing. However, there are a lot of people who are fond of classic Indian music styles (Hindu devotional dhrupad, khayal or raga). Such music is played with traditional Indian folk instruments, such as sitar and surbahar, as well as with flute, violin, tabla, veena, etc. Indian dance culture is very diverse and unique. Its roots go back to ancient epochs and have clear spiritual, expressive and cosmic elements, symbolizing human emotions (9 rasas of emotions) and unity with Gods. The contribution of Indian culture and science to the world is unprecedented. Chess, the decimal system and the concept of â€Å"zero†, significant innovations in astronomy, new medical approaches and therapeutic techniques, the first university in the world are among the most valuable and precious gifts of the Indians to the humanity. India has a unique and rich cultural heritage, which can be characterized by unity and diversity, traditionalism and innovations. Taking into account all these numerous achievements of Indian nation, it is impossible to question the opinion of Will Durant, who wrote that â€Å"†¦ Mother India is in many ways the mother of us all† (Culturopedia). Works Cited: â€Å"Encyclopedia of Indian Culture. † Culturopedia. Treasure House of India’s Culture and Heritage. 2008. 19 Oct. 2008 . Henderson, Carol E. â€Å"Customs and Culture of India. † Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002. â€Å"Manas: Culture of India. † UCLA. College of Letters and Science. 19 Oct. 2008 .