Race and Affirmative Action Essay - 2807 Words

Race and Affirmative Action Race is an issue that is embedded in the nation’s history and continues to spur discussions on how the different minorities and ethnic groups must be treated fairly. Affirmative action is a recent attempt to solve the discriminations produced by racial inequality. However, affirmative action is also being scrutinized as scholars and the public debate the benefits and harms of affirmative action. A Historical View Throughout the past 30 years, affirmative action has been the answer to racial inequality. The policy began in 1965 under President Johnson. It was used to redress issues of discrimination, following the civil rights laws and constitutional guarantees on†¦show more content†¦However, by the late 1970s flaws surfaced in the affirmative action policy. Reverse discrimination became an issue, epitomized by the Bakke case of 1978. A medical school that had accepted less qualified minority applicants had rejected Allan Bakke, a white male, two consecutive years. The school had a separate admissions policy for minorities. It reserved 16 out of 100 places for minority students. The Supreme Court voted that it was unconstitutional to set inflexible quota systems in affirmative action programs. The medical school had discriminated against a white applicant. In the same ruling, however, the Court upheld the legality of affirmative action in forms other than quota sys tems. In 1979 the Supreme Court reflected the Bakke decision. The Supreme Court ruled in AFO-CIO v. Weber, 444 U.S. 889 that race-conscious affirmative action efforts designed to eliminate a conspicuous racial imbalance in an employers workforce resulting from past discrimination was permissible, as long as the actions were temporary and did not violate the rights of white employees. College admission imbalances have resurfaced as a problem for affirmative action. Recently, the Smith v. University of Washington case upheld the universitys affirmative action program, although the program could no longer be used after the passage of Initiative 200 in 1998. Initiative 200 is a controversialShow MoreRelatedRace and The Affirmative Action Policies1244 Words   |  5 PagesThe utilization of race in affirmative action policies in higher education has been a topic of contention for several decades now. Since the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, we have seen some of the most heated debates over the fairness of affirmative action and the impacts on society the utilization of race creates. With such pending questions on fairness and of the constitutionality of affirmative action policies two major Supreme Court cases have arisen, University of California RegentsRead MoreThe Race Based Affirmative Action1649 Words   |  7 Pagesas race-based affirmative action. Informally called affirmative action, it is a combination of adopted policies that construct an advantage to minority groups, giving them more possibilities to succeed in jobs, education, and other aspects of daily life. The whole concept came from the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement which advocated for equalizing the rights and opportunities for minorities. John F. Kennedy, the current president at the time, accepted the challenge and formally used â€Å"affirmative action†Read MoreThe Race Based Affirmative Action966 Words   |  4 PagesRace-based affirmative action has been challen ged by a great deal of objection during the course of it duration. According to its opponents, Affirmative action proves to be inconsistent. Affirmative action based on race increases race consciousness instead of supporting color-blind justice. By giving people special consideration to ensure equality, it contributes to inequality. The constitution of the United States calls for equal treatment, therefore, allowing racial consideration poses a contradictionRead MoreRace Based Affirmative Action On Higher Education Essay1445 Words   |  6 PagesRace-Based Affirmative Action in Higher Education In 1961, President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 10925, which created the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity, or CEEO. One purpose of the CEEO was to â€Å"recommend additional affirmative steps which should be taken by executive departments and agencies to realize more fully the national policy of nondiscrimination† (Kennedy). This executive order planted the seeds that grew into what is today known as â€Å"race-based affirmative action,†Read MoreAffirmative Action Are Effective Models For Younger Members Of Their Race1519 Words   |  7 Pagesposition that affirmative action provides young people, and really minority, with a great role model. One scholar argues: Moreover, I doubt very much that individuals who reach top positions through affirmative action are effective models for younger members of their race or sex. What, after all, do they model? A black vice president who got her job through affirmative action is not necessarily a model of how to rise through the corporate meritocracy. She may be a model of how affirmative action can workRead More Affirmative Action - The Battles Against Race-based Educational Plans2292 Words   |  10 PagesAffirmative Action - The Battles Against Race-Based Educational Plans Californias decision in 1996 to outlaw the use of race in public college admissions was widely viewed as the beginning of the end for affirmative action at public universities all over the United States. But in the four years since Californians passed Proposition 209, most states have agreed that killing affirmative action outright would deepen social inequality by denying minority citizens access to higher educationRead MoreAffirmative Action Is The Perfect Plan1173 Words   |  5 PagesAffirmative Action On March 6th, 1955, President John F. Kennedy signed executive order 10925 enforcing that government corporations not discriminate against anyone based off their race and skin color. This became â€Å"positive† discrimination otherwise known as affirmative action. Affirmative action is a method benefiting anyone who have experienced discrimination particular to one’s education and/ or employment (Affirmative Action). In today’s age affirmative action is creating â€Å"reverse racism† dueRead MoreAffirmative Action Should Not Be A Program1540 Words   |  7 Pagesmodern American government and yet is still very active today. Affirmative action is defined as â€Å"the practice of improving the educational and job opportunities of members of groups that have not been treated fairly in the past because of their race, sex, etc† (Merriam-Webster). Affirmative action creates a blatantly unfair advantage in college and job applications to non-minority r aces and is ultimately a racist law. Affirmative action is most prominent in the College admission process, where itsRead More Affirmative Action Essay1282 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to Newman, affirmative action is a â€Å"program designed to seek out members of minority groups for positions from which they had previously been excluded, thereby seeking to overcome some institutional racism† (Newman, 536). Affirmative action made its debut with a piece of legislature passed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964 and continues to this day. However, the concept of affirmative action is a controversial issue that continues to be hotly debated. Affirmative action policies are passionatelyRead MoreThe Precedency: Supporting the Affrimative Action Essay1486 Words   |  6 PagesAffirmative action is a government policy that gives opportunities to minorities, women, and any group who has been the victim of discrimination in the past. Affirmative action is the outcome of the 1960’s Civil Rights movement, growing out of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which outlawed discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or gender. It was the 1978 Supreme Court decision, The Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, which allowed for the use of race-based preferences as a means of

The Crucible By Arthur Miller - 944 Words

Long ago in the quiet town of Salem Massachusetts, witchcraft was of major concern. Throughout the chaos, keeping your name free from the attention of the village was what the townspeople wanted to do The varying degree of pride throughout the village was overpowering. If you could save yourself by throwing the blame on someone else. The Salem Witch Trials brought which out the The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, a play about vengeance and greed. The Salem Witch Trials also brought out the opportunities to inflict punishment on one s neighbor, attempt to receive others land, and end any lasting arguments.The Witch Trials brought out everyone s inner greed, jealously and the revenge they yearn to seek. Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Proctor are in constant conflict over John Proctor throughout the play. Elizabeth becomes jealous of Abigail after Abigail interacts with John Proctor. There is evidence of this conflict when the wife of Parris says, You did, you did! You drank a charm to kill John Proctor s wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor! This shows hows there is some inner jealousy involving Abigail s feelings towards Elizabeth and her relationship with John. Abigail and Elizabeth are in this on-going conflict because Abigail s affair with John. Although John Proctor doesn t feel the same was as Abigail does, Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind.Show MoreRelatedThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1269 Words   |  6 PagesAt first glance, the playwright Arthur Miller in The Crucible highlights the historical significance of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, but in fact it is an allegorical expression of his perception of McCarthyism. If the reader has some background information on Arthur Miller’s victimization as a communist, it is evident that the play is a didactic vessel illustrating the flaws of the court system in the 1950’s. The communist allegations were launched at government employees, entertainers and writersRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1681 Words   |  7 Pagesof their way to the last dying breath to make sure they leave with a good or bad reputation. In one of the recent literature study in class â€Å"The Crucible† by Arthur Miller, Miller uses characterization to illustrate reputation throughout the play. â€Å"The Crucible† takes place in Salem, Massachusetts. It is based upon the Salem witch trails. In â€Å"The Crucible†, we journey through the life of three characters who reputations plays a major role in the play. The three characters are John Proctor, AbigailRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller998 Words   |  4 Pagesmotivated by jealousy and spite. The Crucible is a four-act dramatic play production that was first performed on January 22, 1953. Arthur Miller used dialogue within the characters to cover the multiple themes; conflicts and resolutions, plus the few directions for the different actions of the play. The Salem Witch Trials were intended to be performed as the play however, when read, it can be more carefully examined and broken down to analyze the techniques. Miller, the playwright, uses literaryRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1333 Words   |  6 PagesAs the various characters in The Crucible by Arthur Miller interact, the dominant theme of the consequences of women’s nonconformity begins to slide out from behind the curtains of the play. Such a theme reveals the gripping fear that inundated the Puritans during the seventeenth century. This fear led to the famous witch-hunts that primarily terrorized women who deviated from the Puritan vision of absolute obedience and orthodoxy. Arthur Miller presents his interpretation of the suffering by subtlyRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1145 Words   |  5 PagesUnbalance Through The Centuries In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, the author reflects the persecution of communists in America in the 1950’s through a recount of the Salem witch trials. It is often presumed that Miller based his drama directly off of events that were particularly prevalent in the years surrounding the publication of The Crucible- which was released in the year 1953, towards the conclusion of the Korean War. Although there was not a literal witch hunt occurring during this timeRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1063 Words   |  5 PagesIn the English dictionary, there are three definitions of the word crucible. One is a metal container in which metals are mixed and melted. Another is a severe test. But the third definition, and the one that I think fits the best for this book, is a place or situation in which different elements interact to create something new. In my mind, this fits because all of the characters had their little grudges and dirty secrets. But when all th ose seemingly little things interact, they formed somethingRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1285 Words   |  6 Pages Rationale, Morality, Stereotypes, Pressure, Self-Censorship, Unanimity, and Mindguards. Groupthink has also taken place in our history a a country. The play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller is about a the real-life Salem Witch Trials that happened in 1692 - 1693, in Salem, Massachusetts. Some symptoms of Groupthink found in the Crucible are Rationale, Pressure, and Self-Censorship. The Groupthink symptom, Rationale, is described as when victims of Groupthink ignore warnings: they also collectivelyRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller841 Words   |  4 PagesThe Crucible is a chaotic play, throughout this American classic Arthur Miller takes the reader through multiple events of terror and insanity. While creating a great on-stage play, Arthur Miller portrays his life through the events, the characters, and plot of The Crucible. Using vivid imagery and comprehensible symbolism, Miller manipulates the real personalities of the characters and events in 1600 Salem, Massachusetts to create a symbolic autobiography. Throughout this play, the reader experiencesRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller811 Words   |  4 Pages While The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is only a four act play, it still resembles the format of a five act play. The five-act structure evolved from a three-act structure, which was made famous by Roman Aelius Donatus. Donatus came up with thre e types of plays: Protasis, Epitasis, and Catastrophe. The five-act structure helped to expand the three act structure, mainly made famous by Shakespeare through his many tragedies. Even though The Crucible contains only four acts, it still has the commonRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1052 Words   |  5 PagesBuddy Al-Aydi Ms.Healy English 9 CP 14th October 2014 The Crucible Essay The Crucible was a novel written by Arthur Miller in the 1950’s. It was written in a format of the play, portraying an allegory of the Salem Witch-Hunts led by Senator Joseph McCarthy. The book is known to have a inexplicable plot. This plot is advanced by multiple characters in the book in order to ensure that the reader maintains interest with the material that is being read. The farmer, John Proctor, would be the

Hormones (994 words) Essay Example For Students

Hormones (994 words) Essay HormonesHormones are organic substances that are secreted by plants and animals and thatfunction in the regulation of physiological activities and in maintaininghomeostasis. They carry out their functions by evoking responses from specificorgans or tissues that are adapted to react to minute quantities of them. Theclassical view of hormones is that they are transmitted to their targets in thebloodstream after discharge from the glands that secrete them. This mode ofdischarge (directly into the bloodstream) is called endocrine secretion. Themeaning of the term hormone has been extended beyond the original definition ofa blood-borne secretion, however, to include similar regulatory substances thatare distributed by diffusion across cell membranes instead of by a blood system. . Among animals, the hormones of the vertebratesparticularly those of humansand other mammalsare the best known. Most vertebrate hormones originate inspecialized tissues, called endocrine tissues, and are carried to their targetsthrough the bloodstream. Endocrine glands. A major endocrine gland invertebrates is the pituitary, which consists of two distinct sections: theanterior pituitary (or adenohypophysis) and the posterior pituitary (orneurohypophysis). The anterior pituitary is sometimes called the mastergland, because it secretes several hormones that affect the otherendocrine glands. For example, the anterior pituitary hormones thyrotropin andadrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) regulate endocrine activity in the thyroidand the outer region (cortex) of the adrenal glands, respectively. The anteriorpituitary also secretes hormones that affect the sex glands. One of these isfollicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which stimulates egg production in theovaries and sperm production in the testes. Another is luteinizing hormone (LH). In females, LH works in conjunction with FSH to regulate the female reproductivecycle and the secretion of female sex hormones. In males, LH controls theproduction of the male sex hormones. Other hormones produced in the anteriorpituitary include growth hormone, which is responsible for normal body growth,and prolactin, which promotes milk production in female mammals. Its designationas the master gland notwithstanding, the anterior pituitary itself is regulatedby substances called releasing hormones that are secreted by the hypothalamus,the part of the brain located directly above the pituitary. These hypothalamichormones stimulateor, in some cases, inhibitthe secretions of the anteriorpituitary. The posterior pituitary stores and releases two hormones: oxytocin,which causes the uterus to contract during birth, and vasopressin, which acts onthe kidneys to restrict the output of urine. These two hormones are actuallyproduced by the hypothalamus, which is linked directly to the poster iorpituitary. Other endocrine glands in vertebrates include the thyroid,parathyroids, adrenals, pancreas, and gonads (sex glands). The thyroid produceshormones that control metabolic rate and oxygen consumption. Hormones from theparathyroids are concerned with calcium concentration in the blood, and thepancreas releases insulin and glucagon, hormones that, respectively, lower andraise the blood-sugar level. Hormones from the adrenal cortex regulate glucoseand sodium metabolism. Those secreted by the central portion (medulla) of theadrenals affect the heart and the circulatory and respiratory systems; thesehormones are important in helping an individual cope with stress. The heartitself releases a hormone atrial natriuretic peptidethat helps regulateblood pressure, blood volume, and the salt and water balance within the blood. (see also Index: thyroid hormone, parathormone) The female sex hormonestheestrogens and progesteroneare produced by the ovaries. Together with FSH andLH, these hormones control the cyclical changes in the female reproductivesystemthe menstrual cycle in human females and the estrous cycle in otherfemale mammals. The estrogens also are responsible for female sexualcharacteristics. Progesterone is concerned with the maintenance of pregnancy. .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926 , .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926 .postImageUrl , .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926 , .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926:hover , .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926:visited , .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926:active { border:0!important; } .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926:active , .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926 .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub9cdfdf035669eba44546e732b0bb926:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Brain Structure Differences EssayMale sex hormonesknown as androgensinclude testosterone, which is secretedby the testes. Testosterone is responsible for the maintenance of male sexualcharacteristics. Hormone chemistry. Structurally, vertebrate hormones fall intotwo main classes. Those of the adrenal cortex and the sex organs are steroids, amajor class of lipid compounds. Virtually all other known vertebrate hormonesconsist of amino acids. Most nonsteroidal hormones are composed of chains ofamino acidseither short chains (polypeptides) or long chains (proteins). Thehormones of the adrenal medulla, however, are composed of amino acid derivativescalled amines, those of the t hyroid of a single amino acid combined with atomsof iodine. It is believed that hormones achieve their effects on target tissuesand organs through either of two mechanisms. The steroid hormones and thehormones of the thyroid can, as a result of their chemical structures, passthrough cell membranes. These hormones apparently enter a target cell andcombine with an intracellular receptor protein. The hormone-receptor complexthen enters the cells nucleus, where it apparently affects the activity ofspecific genes. Genes carry the cells hereditary blueprint for proteinsynthesis, and so the interaction of the hormone-receptor complex with the genesinfluences the cells production of proteins. Because many proteins function asenzymes within the cell, this influence on protein synthesis can havefar-reaching effects on the cells activities. The polypeptide, protein, andamine hormones are believed to operate by a different mechanism. These hormonesdo not enter the target cell; instead, they com bine with a receptor protein onthe cells outer membrane. This hormone-receptor complex apparently triggers anenzyme in the membrane, causing the synthesis of a so-calledsecond-messenger compound within the cell. This second messengerinmany cases, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP)apparently activatesenzyme systems that bring about the desired action by the cell. It isinteresting to note that both proposed mechanisms of hormone action involve thebinding of the hormone to a specific receptor molecule. This feature accountsfor the specificity of hormones; a hormone can have an effect only on cells thatpossess the appropriate receptor. Hormones probably exist in all invertebrates. In insects, neurosecretory cells in the brain produce thoracotropic hormone. This hormone stimulates glands in the thorax to secrete the hormone ecdysone,which causes the periodic molting, or shedding, of the hard exoskeleton. Anotherinsect hormone, called juvenile hormone, maintains the larval state. A decreasein juvenile hormone triggers the development of the adult characteristics. Plants also have a hormonal system, which includes auxins, gibberellins, andcytokinins, all of which promote growth. Plant hormones also include severalgrowth inhibitors, which regulate such activities as the fall of deciduousleaves in autumn and the development of dormancy in buds and seeds.

Suicide Selfish or Selfless Essay Example

Suicide: Selfish or Selfless? Paper For thousands of years, suicide has been a way many men and women have chosen to die. Though not easily defined, suicide in the Western culture is thought to be a conscious act of self-induced annihilation, best understood as a multidimensional malaise in a needful individual who defines an issue for which suicide is the best solution (Leenaars, p 349). Defined by Websters dictionary, selfish describes an act performed out of disregard for, or at the expense of another, and the selfish person is concerned chiefly or solely for his or herself. Whether or not suicide is a selfish act is an individual decision, dependent on the reason for suicide and the impact it has on other individuals. By listening to those who have failed to complete suicide, as well as loved ones of suicide victims, one can only begin to understand the feelings associated with ending ones life, as well as the repercussions of the act on others. In this way, the selfishness or selflessness of suicide can be determined on an individual basis. Suicide is often a choice of individuals whose only desire is to escape emotional or physical pain, or to avoid some huge dilemma in their lives. They do not seek death per se, but an end to life as they know it. Such a feeling is so intense that it consumes a person, and they can think of nothing or no one else, as they are drowning in their inescapable pain. At first, a suicidal person may actually feel guilt, as they know that their death will negatively impact others lives. In order to accomplish their goal, however, they must detach themselves from the guilt and rationalize their way of ending the pain. We will write a custom essay sample on Suicide: Selfish or Selfless? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Suicide: Selfish or Selfless? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Suicide: Selfish or Selfless? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer They begin to tell themselves that others may be better off without them, or that nobody would care if they died. It is a common thought among suicidal people that their death may bring some pain, but that loved ones will recover and forget it after time. The truth is, those left behind, the so-called suicide survivors are often unable to grieve in the same way as they would if their loved one had died for another reason. Suicide is generally viewed as negative in our society, and survivors must cope with feelings of shame for their lost love ones decision. Grief work is also made difficult by lingering thoughts of the idea that such a death should have been entirely preventable. Parents wonder what they did wrong -did they not show enough love? Where they responsible for making their child feel such pain? Other loved ones wonder how they could have missed the suicidal signs. They remember every argument, every negative comment they made, and feel almost certain that they alone are to blame for this persons death. In fact, the most selfish aspect of suicide is leaving loved ones with so much guilt that they may never recover. In effect, people who commit suicide for the reason of ending their pain displace their guilt and sorrow onto those that love them the most. Many suicide survivors feel that the suicide victim took their love to be cheap, and do not understand how the victim could have chosen death over them. Says suicide survivor Moira Farr to her late boyfriend, You were loved! How could you do this when so many people cared about you? How selfish of you to just throw your life away and leave the rest of us to clean up after it! How dare you show such contempt for the love freely offered to you(Farr, pp. 111-112). From a different point of view, that of the suicidal person, it is easy to see how they think that they were being anything but selfish when they were considering ending their lives. When faced with the decision of ceasing their existence, suicidal people are often already so deeply wounded that they feel guilty about their waste of life. They think it is selfish to be able to remain among the living, simply taking up space. They no longer feel deserving of the love that is being offered to them, nor the pain they are causing their loved ones as they remain alive. Thus, these individuals may kill themselves to not only end their pain, but also that of their loved ones. They may not have acted in order to be selfish, but surviving loved ones cannot possibly understand this, and are forever deeply affected. Though their intentions were not entirely selfish, there are other options that could have been explored had the suicidal person been able to further consider the consequences of such an action. Therefore, regardless of intentions, suicide in this manner is committed at the expense of others and remains selfish by definition. The legacy left behind by one who commits suicide sends a message to others that ending ones life is a way to escape problems. The suicide victim is unable to communicate their reason after the fact, and others may misunderstand it to be glorified or appropriate. Thus, the suicide victim, instead of seeking further help for problems, ends the pain, forgetting the message they are sending to those left behind. This disregard for others can also be considered selfish. Most people consider suicide of a terminally ill individual to be more acceptable than that of a physically, though arguably not emotionally healthy person. Is this type of suicide still selfish? The suicide victim understands that the family will grieve if they die now, but they know that they will die soon and wonder why it is necessary to prolong this time of pain. What they dont realize is that they force their families to live with the knowledge that their loved one died not as a direct result of disease, but rather by their own hand. Perhaps it is selfish for them to stop their pain and end their lives now instead of waiting for their time, but it is just as selfish for surviving families to force a terminally ill loved one to remain living with such pain because they will be missed. Thus, the selfishness concerning this type of suicide can be considered dual-sided. There are cases that must not be overlooked in which suicide is actually beneficial to other people, making it a genuinely selfless act. Such an example is a prisoner of war who must choose to die by his or her own sword, rather than leak information to the enemies that would compromise the safety of fellow solders. Another example would be a pilot whose plane is about to crash over a populated area. If he steers the plane away from the city, he will not have the opportunity to escape alive, but if he ejects now to save himself many innocent people will die. Though the pilot is not actively harming himself in this manner, he sees his death as the best solution to his problem, and thus fits the definition of a selfless suicide. The concept of selfless suicide also has its flaws- while some are helped by the act, others may be hurt. When the soldier takes his or her own life for the sake of the country, the act is committed for the benefit of others. At the same time, the family of the soldier is stricken with grief over losing their loved one. Can there be suicide that does not harm anyone? Not unless there can be death without pain. A completely unselfish suicide still has the ability to negatively impact others. Suicide has so many facets that it seems erroneous to classify the act as wholly selfish or unselfish. Selfishness does not necessarily have to be a negative thing-it is in our innate nature to take care of our own needs, and we are thus all guilty. On the other hand, selfishness can seriously harm others, and is a quality most people tend to avoid. Having experienced the loss of two good friends to suicide, I have felt the emotions experienced by many suicide survivors: Anger that my friends didnt try to get help, shame that they decided to commit such a deed, and guilt that I may have been able to somehow prevent their deaths. Perhaps the means for classification of selfishness of suicide lies within the individual. Many claim that suicide is a right, and it is impossible for it to be wrong or selfish. On the other hand, if we believe that our life was given to us as gift, it should not be our decision when and how we should die. The act of deciding that we should have this ultimate control may be selfish in itself, regardless of our reasoning. References: Farr, Moira. 1999 After Daniel a suicide survivors tale. Toronto: HarperCollins Publishers, Ltd. Leenaars, Antoon A. 1995 Suicide in Hannelore Wass and Robert A. Neimeyer (eds. ) Dying: Facing the Facts. Third edition. Washington D. C. : Taylor Francis.