Moral Philosophy Project:
Should the U.S not offer a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants?
Project essay:
Should the U.S not offer a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants? Written by: Teddy Rodd
Part One:
I believe letting in Illegal Immigrants will compromise our security, and deny citizens the liberty to what is rightfully theirs. In today's world there are illegal immigrants who are flooding into our country from Mexico. And once these Illegal Immigrants are over we allow them to stay. My opinions on these topics have been influenced by my parents, news/media, as well as personal research.
When I took a survey to see where I fall on the political compass I matched up to the authoritarian right. So it is no surprise that I have a high respect for laws that are put in place, in this case laws against Illegal Immigration. Given that those who come over illegally are breaking the law they must be deported. If we are going to have a law it must be enforced. The purpose of having laws is to not allow people the right to do certain things. So if we are not enforcing the laws our country has made it is harming our country by making us lose our credibility. No one will take us seriously if we do not follow through on our laws and threats.
However I believe there are casess in which the right thing to do is to break the law. These are cases when people liberties are being taken away. When this happens it is necessary for them to act out in civil disobedience to insure their rights are secure. However civil disobedience means once you have broken the law you turn yourself in accepting the punishment. An undisciplined society can not function. Furthermore I would think allowing them a way in once they cross illegally will encourage other Immigrants to come over in the future. We have to let people know that crossing illegally is not a viable course of action and will result in your deportation. The only people who enter our country should be those who go through the legal system and are deemed not a security risk.
Additionally I would push to get rid of the law of allowing children to stay if they are born here. I believe that this law results in people getting pregnant the sneaking across and having their child in the U.S to insure the child cannot be deported. We have to abolish every law which causes people to enter or country illegally
We must not detain anyone for crossing illegally. The moment that they are caught they must be thrown back to whatever country they came from otherwise we are paying for their daily needs while they are in jail.
I believe that we need to supply jobs for our citizens, not people who broke the law by entering our Country without them going through the legal process. Currently a large portion of our population is jobless and many jobs are leaving the country. We cannot afford to give what few job options we have to people who should not even be here. Yes having all these illegal immigrants does boost our economy however they did not enter the country legally therefore they often work for almost nothing. There have been cases in which companies have taken advantage of people to complete projects without having to pay them much. Insuring everyone is here legally will insure the prosperity and security of both the U.S and immigrants
In my opinion allowing undocumented immigrants to stay makes it harder for people coming through the legal way. To insure that the people coming into our country it has long been a policy to do extensive background checks to make sure they are not a security risk. So not only does letting people in unchecked present a security risk, but it makes it harder for people trying to enter the country legally because it leaves less opening for them to enter. Only a certain number are allowed each year.
We have to pay for them once they are over. Because of or health care system we have to give medical treatment to anyone who comes in. This results in millions getting care and never paying back for it. Many will live out of homeless shelters and other organizations which takes even more money from our country.
Ultimately I think letting them inside our country will not resolve whatever hardships their country is facing. The reason for people entering illegally is they are impoverished in their country and can’t get in legally so they try to sneak in. I do not like the fact that they are struggling so much that it is necessary to break the law to survive. However it is not realistic for us to let everyone in. We cannot take in entire countries that are economically disadvantaged. The way to help them is not let anyone in except through the legal system. We must help their country by giving humanitarian aid; also help them succeed economically to give their citizens the opportunity to make higher wages.
Pro Argument:
Letting in illegal immigrants will result in making our country more vulnerable to security risks, as well as denying citizens the right to what is rightfully theirs. John Milton, a famous Libertarian philosopher, would say that allowing illegal immigrants in would trample the liberties of U.S citizen. There are 11.4 million undocumented citizens in the U.S taking away money and other benefits which rightfully belong to the American people.
Those who are against deporting Illegal immigrants will say what about the children who are left behind. However Trump is quoted saying in the New York Post, “we’re going to keep the families together, but they have to go.” With Trump's plan to get rid of citizenship rights for children being born in the country, it will insure that families stay together. Until our illegal immigration policies are cleaned up concerning border security, those who enter the country illegally must face the consequences, which could result in family separation. If you break a law you cannot be exempted from punishment merely because it is an inconvenience. We must institute a zero tolerance policies for those who enter illegally, not allowing any illegal immigrant into our country, deporting illegals who already entered. The worries are not only about economy and security, Greg IP a writer of the Wall Street Journal, states “One study of 22 European countries in the 2000s found that while concerns about wages and taxes affected feelings toward immigrants, worries about ‘social, cultural, and linguistic cohesion’ mattered far more, especially among the lesser-educated” People are fearful about the U.S changing its culture from what it has become to foreign more third world cultures that will be brought in by immigration. Originally the U.S was made from cultures all around the world. All these cultures formed together to create what we know today as U.S culture, and people do not want this culture to change.
Each year we spend exorbitant amounts of money on illegal immigrants. DALIA FAHMY a writer of the ABC News writes, “The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), a conservative advocacy group that favors tighter immigration laws, argues that the answer is clear: illegal aliens cost U.S. taxpayers more than $100 billion each year.” This is money that is being used for people who are taking money from U.S taxpayers. In fact we treat Illegal Immigrants better than we do our Veterans. Michelle Malkin a writer of the town hall wrote, “Democrats led the charge to reduce cost-of-living increases in military pensions -- while blocking GOP Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions' efforts to close a $4.2 billion loophole that allows illegal aliens to collect child tax credits from the IRS, even if they pay no taxes. The fraudulent payments to illegal aliens would have offset the cuts to veterans' benefits.” This is not all there have been many cases in which Illegal Immigrants and not our veterans have being taken care of.
Considering this issue on a more economic level Greg a writer of the WSJ states “But [experts] also say the reduced competition for low-skilled jobs was a boon for some native-born construction and agricultural workers who got jobs or raises, and that the departures also saved the state money on education and health care.” This shows that getting rid of the large amounts of Illegal Immigrant who work for nothing gives the legal citizens of the U.S higher pay and opportunity Even though many who enter our country illegally are not criminals, but are in fact only searching for work, there are those who have committed violent crimes and imported drugs as well as firearms. We already have the largest number of criminals in the world, according to the U.S Bureau of Justice Statistics there are 2,220,300 adults who are in jail in our country in a poll taken in the year 2013. This number will only continue to grow if we continue to let in illegal immigrants. We cannot afford to let in anymore criminals, regardless of the fact that many illegal immigrants would not commit crimes. Letting in these illegal immigrants and having them work for almost nothing may help our economy, however, it is morally wrong as well as against the law. All who work in our country must be a citizen to ensure they are not taken advantage of. The New York Times wrote. “Last month a court in American Samoa ordered a garment factory to pay $3.5 million to 270 workers from China and Vietnam. The court described workers cheated of wages, beaten and deprived of food, something that should never have occurred anywhere, much less on American territory.” By insuring that everyone in our country is here legally, it will result in everyone being treated with the dignity themselves as humans deserve.
Furthermore, if we are going to continue letting in Illegal Immigrants, it is harmful for our country to continue calling them that. It would be better if we just opened our borders then to continue turning a blind eye to them crossing over making our country appear weak. We must have a set of rules which are always enforced. When it gets to the point where there is no longer a majority who is willing to enforce this law it must be changed to insure that the U.S keeps it credibility.
In addition to another argument made by people against deportation of Illegal Immigrants and keeping our border secure say it would cost too much, this is not true. Amber Jamieson a writer of the New York Post, writes “Trump also insisted he would get Mexico to construct a wall along the border. If Mexico refuses, a Trump administration would penalize the US ally with measures such as increasing fees on border crossings and visas, imposing tariffs and cutting foreign aid.” So the process of securing our border will not cost the exorbitant amounts of money people say it will. The Office of the United States Trade Representative writes “U.S. goods and services trade with Mexico totaled an estimated $583.6 billion in 2015. Exports were $267.2 billion;” Therefour Mexico will not be able to refuse building the wall they need our help and can’t survive under heavy sanctions from the U.S.
In conclusion our country will be secure with increased borders paid for at a low expense of the U.S government. It will stop the illegal trading of guns and drugs in between Mexico and the U.S. All who live in the county will be here working without fear, being paid the wage they deserve. It will result in there being excess jobs for all for all citizens of the U.S, Deportation will not divide families leaving one person to care for everyone. However this can only be insured if our border remains secure not allowing a single person to enter. If these Illegal Immigration laws are enforced, it will result in no Illegal Immigrants living in our country which will keep families together.
Con Argument:
Letting in Illegal Immigrants will expand the economy of the U.S as well as supplying citizens with higher paying jobs. Jeremy Bentham the founder of Utilitarianism would say that allowing illegal immigrants to work in our country would maximise the utility of U.S potential. As well as achieving the greatest number of happiness, by giving illegal immigrants much needed jobs, as well as providing U.S citizens with higher wages. Deporting the people who previously have been hired to accomplish the jobs of many companies around the world forces companies to cut down on the amount of products they produce. Hence making them lose money. … After Arizona passed a series of tough anti-immigration laws, Rob Knorr couldn’t find enough Mexican field hands to pick his jalapeño peppers. He sharply reduced his acreage and invested $2 million developing a machine to remove pepper stems. His goal was to cut the number of laborers he needed by 90% and to hire higher-paid U.S...
Deporting the people who previously have been hired to accomplish the jobs of many companies around the world forces companies to cut down on the amount of products they produce. Hence making them lose money. An argument that’s made on this topic is that it is not ethical to take advantage of Illegal Immigrants, giving them low paying jobs. However this is not true. Some are just thankful to get a job wherever they can. Pamela Constable, a writer of the Washington Post, says, “Undocumented immigrants hold more white-collar jobs and fewer blue-collar jobs today than they did before the national recession of 2007-2009, but most remain concentrated in lower-skilled, low-paying jobs”, While there are few Illegal Immigrants in high paying positions, most of the Illegal Immigrants in the U.S work blue collar jobs for very little money.
Having Illegal Immigrants in our country does in fact increase the growth of the U.S economy, providing U.S citizens with higher wages. Albert Hunt a writer of the New York Times writes, Michele Waslin a writer of the American Immigration console wrote, “Mass deportation would immediately reduce the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2.6 percent, with an annual loss of $434 billion, and reducing cumulative GDP by $4.7 trillion over 10 years” Additionally the logistics of removing such a large part of the U.S population would be exceedingly difficult to achieve. The removal of all Illegal Immigrants would be a long and possibly violent campaign. There are around twelve million Illegal Immigrants in the U.S the removal of them would make quite a notable difference in population of the U.S. Companies would be in need of new workers, however the only workers available would be U.S citizens who refuse to work for anything but a high wage. We do not have the work force to act out on such an ambitious movement, Julia Preston a writer for The New York Times writes. “Mr. Trump has said he would triple ICE’s deportation officers, to 15,000 from about 5,000. But even if that could be accomplished quickly, it would still be insufficient, experts say. The F.B.I. and other agencies would have to set aside some of their missions to help”. (Preston, et al.). Moreover, using all of our service men for the deportation of illegal immigrants would threaten United States' security by having less people fighting crime as well as defending our country in other areas. Even with the increased anti-illegal immigration force it would be very long process, separating citizens from undocumented immigrants. It would involve grabbing people out of their houses without warrants in some cases, Police pulling over individuals for the purpose of checking them for proof of citizenship. A large part of the plan is just to encourage people to leave on their own free will, for the reason that leaving voluntarily will make it easier to return to their old life in the country you belong in. Also it will result in their family avoiding harm coming to them through a forceful removal. Those who are captured will be held in areas awaiting their deportation, places similar to those of the Japanese internment camps form during World War Two. Another reason for which removing Illegal Immigrants would be a mistake is that when you apprehend the Illegal Immigrants in large numbers it results in the more dangerous and well-funded Illegal Immigrants to get in. Julia Preston a writer of The New York Times states, “Obama said wholesale deportations could make it easier for immigrant gang members and drug traffickers to escape detection. If the agents are looking for volume, they won’t spend the time to do the detective work tracking down the high-value bad guy who has fake documents, the hardened criminals in the shadows,” (Preston, et al.). Why would we keep out the Illegal Immigrants who help our country and make it so those who could be detrimental to our society an easier way into our country.
In conclusion, the removal of all undocumented citizens from our country will be one of the darkest times in our country resulting in racial discrimination against Mexicans, as well as other racial groups. It will result in economic strife for the many companies that rely on help from Illegal Immigrants who work for them. For the welfare of the country the U.S should offer a path to citizenship.
Source Citations for part One: Myself of course.
Source Citations for part Two:
Ip, Greg. "What Drives Anti-Immigration Feelings." WSJ. Wsj.com, 29 June 2016. Web. 14 Oct. http://www.wsj.com/articles/what-really-drives-anti-immigration-feelings-1467223192
Malkin, Michelle. "Michelle Malkin - How America Treats Illegal Aliens vs. Veterans." Townhall. N.p., 23 May 2014. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. http://townhall.com/columnists/michellemalkin/2014/05/23/how-america-treats-illegal-aliens-vs-veterans-n1842227
"Mexico | United States Trade Representative." Mexico | United States Trade Representative. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2016. https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/americas/mexico
Schultz, Marisa, and Amber Jamieson. "Trump on Illegal Immigrants: 'They Must Go'" New York Post. New York Post, 16 Aug. 2015. Web. 14 Oct. 2016. http://nypost.com/2015/08/16/trump-outlines-strict-plan-to-combat-illegal-immigration-they-must-go/
"Sweatshops under the American Flag." The New York Times. N.p., 10 May 2002. Web. 18 Oct. 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/10/opinion/sweatshops-under-the-american-flag.html?_r=0
Source citations for part Three:
Constable, Pamela. "Local Majority of Undocumented Immigrants Work in Low-skill Jobs." Washington Post. N.p., 26 Mar. 2015. Web. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/majority-of-undocumented-immigrants-work-in-low-skill-jobs-report-finds/2015/03/26/d
Davis, Bob. "The Thorny Economics of Illegal Immigration." WSJ. Wsj.com, 08 Feb. 2016. Web. 14 Oct. 2016. http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-thorny-economics-of-illegal-immigration-1454984443
Hunt, Albert. "Facts on Illegal Immigration." The New York Times. N.p., 19 July 2015. Web. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/20/us/politics/facing-the-facts-on-illegal-immigration.html
“MARICOPA, Ariz.—After Arizona passed a series of tough anti-immigration laws, Rob Knorr couldn’t find enough Mexican field hands to pick his jalapeño peppers. He sharply reduced his acreage and invested $2 million developing a machine to remove pepper stems. His goal was to cut the number of laborers he needed by 90% and to hire higher-paid U.S. machinists instead.”
Preston (et Al), Julia. "What Would It Take for Donald Trump to Deport 11 Million and Build a Wall?" The New York Times. The New York Times, 19 May 2016. Web. 25 Oct. 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/20/us/politics/donald-trump-immigration.html?_r=0
Political Cartoon on Illegal Immigration:
Project Reflection:
Paragraph One:
In the morality and politics of justice project we studied the different moral philosophy, the main ones being Utilitarianism, Libertarianism, and Deontology. We discussed how to know what is right and wrong. We learned about the art of doublespeak and how it is used. (Jargon, gobbledygook, enhanced language, etc.) Once we had gotten a good hold on all of these different ideas we chose a topic question which we wanted to ponder further. The topic question I created was whether the U.S should not offer a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants? We then proceed to write our first essay on our topic. Part one was written from our own experiences, which are from our parents, new articles, and what we have seen with our own eyes. Part two and three were the pro and con arguments on our question. This was done to insure that we know where everyone is coming from to give you a more educated discussion.
Paragraph Two:
At the start of the process of writing our papers my peers gave me a critique and for the sentence craft and proofreading I was given a five out of ten. Since then I have had multiple people go over the essay, as well as my humanities teacher Ashley Carruth and put it through word many times editing as I go. I think that it is an unrealistic goal to make the paper flawless, because there will always be a better way in which you could write a sentence. There's always something more that you could do, therefor the best you can do is achieve excellence. Another change I had to make was I did not directly reference to a moral philosophy. (Utilitarianism, Libertarianism, Deontology). And then for the pro argument paper, I added what a libertarian philosopher would say tying it into my topic sentence. And then for my con argument paper I wrote what a utilitarian philosopher would say. Also going back to the sentence craft I turned one of my quotes in the con argument into a block quote, using other methods to correctly present it. When I first wrote my papers I did not have that much evidence it was more knowledge which I had researched a while ago. Then I went through my different arguments and found evidence for each one trying to only use reliable resources, doing research on the writer as well as where it was posted to.
Paragraph Three:
Why are you on the side you are on despite the best arguments from the other side? OVER
Is there a middle ground or room for compromise based on your understanding of the perspectives on the pro and con side?
My question for this project was should the U.S not offer a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants? I was not for letting undocumented citizens entering our country. The only real evidence that I could find beside just the general hardship it would cause to those being deported is an economic stance. However the economic argument for keeping them is not ethical, it results on immigrants being taken advantage of, working for very low wages. So I do not believe that this is really that good of an argument. My reasoning for still believing my viewpoint despite other evidence is that of concerning security and the economic argument of it being unethical. On a security stance yes many people who come over illegally will not be a security threat, however it only takes one person to cause a great deal of pain onto others. The solution is not to take in every single immigrant/refugee into our country but to solve the problem of what is causing them to flee in the first place.
Paragraph Four:
What was most challenging for you about this project and/or presenting your perspective at exhibition? What did you learn about yourself in working through this challenge?
Going into the exhibition I was worried how my opinion would be viewed by my fellow community members considering that I’m a conservative in a very liberal town. However I was surprised that for all of my conversations no adult ever went agro. We would always keep a civilized and not condescending tone of speech. What I found even more surprising was that I was able to sway many people opinions on my issue by using the different methods of speech we have been learning in eleventh grade humanities. I used a clear non aggressive language using evidence from both sides slowly piling up my arguments in a way that actual caused change. Long lasting maybe not, I will never know for sure. Regardless though it was a very interesting experiment testing these different methods in which to influence people. Using a friendly tone of voice, making them feel good about themselves, trying to relate with them and just have a good conversation not a debate. Overall it was an excellent exhibition and I will most definitely use these methods of dialogue in the future.
In the morality and politics of justice project we studied the different moral philosophy, the main ones being Utilitarianism, Libertarianism, and Deontology. We discussed how to know what is right and wrong. We learned about the art of doublespeak and how it is used. (Jargon, gobbledygook, enhanced language, etc.) Once we had gotten a good hold on all of these different ideas we chose a topic question which we wanted to ponder further. The topic question I created was whether the U.S should not offer a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants? We then proceed to write our first essay on our topic. Part one was written from our own experiences, which are from our parents, new articles, and what we have seen with our own eyes. Part two and three were the pro and con arguments on our question. This was done to insure that we know where everyone is coming from to give you a more educated discussion.
Paragraph Two:
At the start of the process of writing our papers my peers gave me a critique and for the sentence craft and proofreading I was given a five out of ten. Since then I have had multiple people go over the essay, as well as my humanities teacher Ashley Carruth and put it through word many times editing as I go. I think that it is an unrealistic goal to make the paper flawless, because there will always be a better way in which you could write a sentence. There's always something more that you could do, therefor the best you can do is achieve excellence. Another change I had to make was I did not directly reference to a moral philosophy. (Utilitarianism, Libertarianism, Deontology). And then for the pro argument paper, I added what a libertarian philosopher would say tying it into my topic sentence. And then for my con argument paper I wrote what a utilitarian philosopher would say. Also going back to the sentence craft I turned one of my quotes in the con argument into a block quote, using other methods to correctly present it. When I first wrote my papers I did not have that much evidence it was more knowledge which I had researched a while ago. Then I went through my different arguments and found evidence for each one trying to only use reliable resources, doing research on the writer as well as where it was posted to.
Paragraph Three:
Why are you on the side you are on despite the best arguments from the other side? OVER
Is there a middle ground or room for compromise based on your understanding of the perspectives on the pro and con side?
My question for this project was should the U.S not offer a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants? I was not for letting undocumented citizens entering our country. The only real evidence that I could find beside just the general hardship it would cause to those being deported is an economic stance. However the economic argument for keeping them is not ethical, it results on immigrants being taken advantage of, working for very low wages. So I do not believe that this is really that good of an argument. My reasoning for still believing my viewpoint despite other evidence is that of concerning security and the economic argument of it being unethical. On a security stance yes many people who come over illegally will not be a security threat, however it only takes one person to cause a great deal of pain onto others. The solution is not to take in every single immigrant/refugee into our country but to solve the problem of what is causing them to flee in the first place.
Paragraph Four:
What was most challenging for you about this project and/or presenting your perspective at exhibition? What did you learn about yourself in working through this challenge?
Going into the exhibition I was worried how my opinion would be viewed by my fellow community members considering that I’m a conservative in a very liberal town. However I was surprised that for all of my conversations no adult ever went agro. We would always keep a civilized and not condescending tone of speech. What I found even more surprising was that I was able to sway many people opinions on my issue by using the different methods of speech we have been learning in eleventh grade humanities. I used a clear non aggressive language using evidence from both sides slowly piling up my arguments in a way that actual caused change. Long lasting maybe not, I will never know for sure. Regardless though it was a very interesting experiment testing these different methods in which to influence people. Using a friendly tone of voice, making them feel good about themselves, trying to relate with them and just have a good conversation not a debate. Overall it was an excellent exhibition and I will most definitely use these methods of dialogue in the future.
Korematsu v. U.S. (1944) Mock Trial:
|
|
Final Work:
Project Reflection:
Paragraph One:
We started this project with snow falling the cedars a movie which had been made of the book. The movie showed us another case of someone of Japanese descent going up against the court. The court case we were doing was about Fred Korematsu a man of Japanese descent who was arrested for breaking the exclusion order. We read in depth on this case specifically, as well as researching more into the internment camps in general. We then filed out a survey to see what role we would like to have. Then we put together all of this into a Mock court case.
Paragraph Two/Three:
In times of national crisis measures must be taken to insure that the least loss of life. The exclusion order of people of all Japanese descent achieved that mission.
First off there may not be very many Japanese who are actually a threat to this country, however, it only takes a small number to cause a great number of destruction and death. The destruction of dams’ energy plants, and other essential things would be detrimental to both the U.S populace, as well as the war effort.
For these reasons the U.S government new that the only way to insure the security of the country was to intern all of Japanese descent hanging habeas corpus. They knew there was not enough time to sort through thousands of people in a effective and timely manner.
Also there is the matter that many people of Japanese descent would have been a target of the many Americans under war hysteria. In the mock trial the prosecution called up the witness Fred Korematsu trying to beat back the claim that he changed his appearance as an act of a criminal. And instead they tried to claim that he did it out of fear. However by doing this they were supporting other claim made by the defense that it is necessary to intern them because of the risk of them being attacked.
The Internment of the Japanese Americans residing in the U.S was very hard for them when they were released back into a world where there lively hood is now gone. Leaving the Japanese people without a job and often no home. The men would go off to war fighting and dying for a country that did not trust them. They were not treated well however they were treated anywhere close to the levels of torture which the Nazi Regime and the Japanese were inflicting on others.
It was a hard choice that no one was proud of, even so the U.S knew that it was the least restrictive and the most narrowly tailored way to insure national security in the U.S. Now that we sit back in safety and security of the twentieth century it is easy for us to come to conclusions saying who was right and wrong. We are incapable of truly understanding what was going on in the heads of people during that time.
However even now I still see the choice that the government made as a hard but the right choice. It may have been a violation of the rights of certain citizens however in times war measures must be taken to insure the best outcome.
Therefore I believe that the U.S made the best choice which was presented to them trying to save the most lives.
Paragraph Four:
At the start of this project I was worried that I would not enjoy it based on my previous experience with mock trials in 8th grade. However this was a very interesting and eye opening project, which will definitely go to the top of my list for favorite projects. The part that I enjoyed the most would be exhibiting the final project at the courthouse.
I think that it would be better if we made it more like a play and had roles that were more pre developed so that way we could make the exhibition more of a performance without the speed bumps which we ran into on occasion. Or we could just do couple of full run through earlier on so we know what is going to be happening and have who the winner is based off of earlier full run through. Because of this the amount of time spent on this project would have to be lengthened.
My team seemed to function rather well with each other, all of us helping each other get are work done and explaining things when someone did not understand. I worked the most with my too different attorney, than occasionally talking with my other witnesses to keep them on track with what needed to be accomplished as well as myself.
We started this project with snow falling the cedars a movie which had been made of the book. The movie showed us another case of someone of Japanese descent going up against the court. The court case we were doing was about Fred Korematsu a man of Japanese descent who was arrested for breaking the exclusion order. We read in depth on this case specifically, as well as researching more into the internment camps in general. We then filed out a survey to see what role we would like to have. Then we put together all of this into a Mock court case.
Paragraph Two/Three:
In times of national crisis measures must be taken to insure that the least loss of life. The exclusion order of people of all Japanese descent achieved that mission.
First off there may not be very many Japanese who are actually a threat to this country, however, it only takes a small number to cause a great number of destruction and death. The destruction of dams’ energy plants, and other essential things would be detrimental to both the U.S populace, as well as the war effort.
For these reasons the U.S government new that the only way to insure the security of the country was to intern all of Japanese descent hanging habeas corpus. They knew there was not enough time to sort through thousands of people in a effective and timely manner.
Also there is the matter that many people of Japanese descent would have been a target of the many Americans under war hysteria. In the mock trial the prosecution called up the witness Fred Korematsu trying to beat back the claim that he changed his appearance as an act of a criminal. And instead they tried to claim that he did it out of fear. However by doing this they were supporting other claim made by the defense that it is necessary to intern them because of the risk of them being attacked.
The Internment of the Japanese Americans residing in the U.S was very hard for them when they were released back into a world where there lively hood is now gone. Leaving the Japanese people without a job and often no home. The men would go off to war fighting and dying for a country that did not trust them. They were not treated well however they were treated anywhere close to the levels of torture which the Nazi Regime and the Japanese were inflicting on others.
It was a hard choice that no one was proud of, even so the U.S knew that it was the least restrictive and the most narrowly tailored way to insure national security in the U.S. Now that we sit back in safety and security of the twentieth century it is easy for us to come to conclusions saying who was right and wrong. We are incapable of truly understanding what was going on in the heads of people during that time.
However even now I still see the choice that the government made as a hard but the right choice. It may have been a violation of the rights of certain citizens however in times war measures must be taken to insure the best outcome.
Therefore I believe that the U.S made the best choice which was presented to them trying to save the most lives.
Paragraph Four:
At the start of this project I was worried that I would not enjoy it based on my previous experience with mock trials in 8th grade. However this was a very interesting and eye opening project, which will definitely go to the top of my list for favorite projects. The part that I enjoyed the most would be exhibiting the final project at the courthouse.
I think that it would be better if we made it more like a play and had roles that were more pre developed so that way we could make the exhibition more of a performance without the speed bumps which we ran into on occasion. Or we could just do couple of full run through earlier on so we know what is going to be happening and have who the winner is based off of earlier full run through. Because of this the amount of time spent on this project would have to be lengthened.
My team seemed to function rather well with each other, all of us helping each other get are work done and explaining things when someone did not understand. I worked the most with my too different attorney, than occasionally talking with my other witnesses to keep them on track with what needed to be accomplished as well as myself.
Personal Philosophy Project:
Essential Questions:
- What is the purpose of your existence?
- What is happiness and what makes you happy?
- What does it mean to live a meaningful life?
- To what extent can literature shape your personal philosophy on happiness and meaning?
Project Art Piece:
Project Reflection:
Part # 1:
During this project I have developed a better understanding of my own personal philosophy. One person that I connected with was the manager of the dam in the film Dam Nation. He said something like I care about nature; however I do not believe we should get rid of every single dam.
This is the way that I think about how we should treat nature, with a more sustainability sort of look at it. I love being out in nature it is a beautiful place however we also need resources. Therefore I believe that we should take as much as we can without ruining the land and taking away the beauty from everywhere.
I want to keep nature around because humans like it on a sentimental level as well as that we will die without it. Humans are the most important thing on this planet and I believe that we should always do what is in the best interests of our species.
I disagree when those different environmentalist say that animals have just as much of a right to live here as we do trying to paint a picture that animals are somehow equal to us. We should not cause any unnecessary pain to animals however there is nothing wrong with hunting and foraging as long as you do not eradicate those resources.
We also need to keep the beauty side of nature around because humans depend on nature for psychological reasons as much as we do for survival. Like what was shown in the article called Nature walks the people in Japan are almost healed by these walks in the forest. You can get all the money you want and have the newest and best car yet you will never feel fulfillment unless you take these time in the wild. We were created in the wild therefore it is where we feel most at home.
Part # 2
Is it logical to fear death regardless of what you believe will happen after death?
I would say no whether you believe in God or believe there is nothing after death, the concept of death should not bring fear to your heart. If you are a Christ follower you should not fear because you have the hope of eternal life in paradise. And if you believe in no life after death you should not fear because if you cease to exist all fear and pain will vanish with you and you will not miss life for there is nothing of you left. Therefore it is illogical to fear death.
I know that atoms are real however assuming that they were suddenly found out to be what would this mean for us as humans?
I would say no, it would not change a thing we still feel and have that sense of place that makes us human. You do not have to know how your body works to know who you are, for much of human existence we had no idea we were made of atoms, we did not even know of cells, and people still found meaning in life.
Does the shortness of something make its value less?
I believe that the things that are short and can be taken away in an instant are the most precious thing of all. If our human lives lasted for say a million years it would be far less meaningful. You would feel that you could spend most of your life doing whatever you desired without regard for others and then spend the last thousand really trying. One example I often think of for value in short things is a firework, or a snowflake. They may both be short lived; however, their beauty is undeniable.
What are the qualities do you need in a job to find meaning?
I believe that for your time in a workplace to be meaningful you must genuinely enjoy what it is that you do and want to come to work every day. Also you need to feel as though the world would be negatively impacted if your life were to end one day. Knowing that you are making a difference can be very encouraging.
During this project I have developed a better understanding of my own personal philosophy. One person that I connected with was the manager of the dam in the film Dam Nation. He said something like I care about nature; however I do not believe we should get rid of every single dam.
This is the way that I think about how we should treat nature, with a more sustainability sort of look at it. I love being out in nature it is a beautiful place however we also need resources. Therefore I believe that we should take as much as we can without ruining the land and taking away the beauty from everywhere.
I want to keep nature around because humans like it on a sentimental level as well as that we will die without it. Humans are the most important thing on this planet and I believe that we should always do what is in the best interests of our species.
I disagree when those different environmentalist say that animals have just as much of a right to live here as we do trying to paint a picture that animals are somehow equal to us. We should not cause any unnecessary pain to animals however there is nothing wrong with hunting and foraging as long as you do not eradicate those resources.
We also need to keep the beauty side of nature around because humans depend on nature for psychological reasons as much as we do for survival. Like what was shown in the article called Nature walks the people in Japan are almost healed by these walks in the forest. You can get all the money you want and have the newest and best car yet you will never feel fulfillment unless you take these time in the wild. We were created in the wild therefore it is where we feel most at home.
Part # 2
Is it logical to fear death regardless of what you believe will happen after death?
I would say no whether you believe in God or believe there is nothing after death, the concept of death should not bring fear to your heart. If you are a Christ follower you should not fear because you have the hope of eternal life in paradise. And if you believe in no life after death you should not fear because if you cease to exist all fear and pain will vanish with you and you will not miss life for there is nothing of you left. Therefore it is illogical to fear death.
I know that atoms are real however assuming that they were suddenly found out to be what would this mean for us as humans?
I would say no, it would not change a thing we still feel and have that sense of place that makes us human. You do not have to know how your body works to know who you are, for much of human existence we had no idea we were made of atoms, we did not even know of cells, and people still found meaning in life.
Does the shortness of something make its value less?
I believe that the things that are short and can be taken away in an instant are the most precious thing of all. If our human lives lasted for say a million years it would be far less meaningful. You would feel that you could spend most of your life doing whatever you desired without regard for others and then spend the last thousand really trying. One example I often think of for value in short things is a firework, or a snowflake. They may both be short lived; however, their beauty is undeniable.
What are the qualities do you need in a job to find meaning?
I believe that for your time in a workplace to be meaningful you must genuinely enjoy what it is that you do and want to come to work every day. Also you need to feel as though the world would be negatively impacted if your life were to end one day. Knowing that you are making a difference can be very encouraging.
Personal Philosophy Poem:
Theodore J Rodd
Humanities 11 AM
3/10/2017
Three months without a bite
I lie there, no hope in sight
My eyes staring at the wall
while my doctors ask around
The doctors shake their heads concerned
Unable to shed some light.
From the leaves of fall
to winter's chill
my parents watched it all.
My arms falling to my sides, the effort now too much
The sky above weighed down my head
But unlike Atlas, I couldn’t keep it up
It was a spike being driven down my spine.
For the hundredth time my family loaded me in the car
Driving to the hospital to alleviate my pain
I stare in despair at the food in my hand
Like Tantalus, it is always out of my reach.
On the eve of January 12, 2010
The doctors find a monster in my spine
On wings of metal I soar to the children's hospital
The procedure is to remove the monster from inside.
Within twenty four hours I go under the knife
My mind asleep, my spine removed
my doctors fight it off
Thirteen hours from the mark ,the battlefield left stark
The monster's been dealt a blow, yet finished it is not.
They stitched me closed and dope me up
My body on fire, I drift awake
my legs now a dead weight
My mind slips in and out
I ask why I can’t feel my legs.
I’m a stranger to myself, staring blankly out the hospital window
The key to my legs is hidden away
My legs now small and shrunken from the time of being unused
Through the fog of the window forms run on by.
Their hearts beating, their arms pumping, their legs moving unlike mine
A week from then they rap on my door Pain And Torture enter my room
They force me up and make me stand
My parents shout aghast at them for asking me to rise
They answer if I want to walk I must begin to move.
Two months down the road I hold the wall in fear
My feet swing like a pendulum beneath me, trying to strike the ground
My foot plants down, I fall to my knees, my therapist prods me to stand
I try again and make it this time, my legs now holding my weight.
Wheeling down the hall, raiding the fridges, my doctors say it's time to go
I climb in our car, not a care in the world, I’m finally heading home
Months in these hospital rooms have left me craving for the woods
I do not worry of the trials ahead, those things seem minute.
Three rounds of chemotherapy later, one for each year
I go to school and bike around town, almost a normal guy
I can run through the woods and summit peaks, overjoyed to use my legs
Running had become my place of escape.
Thinking I won, I begin to relax causing the monster to strike again
In response my doctors nuke the monster with radiation daily
The monsters tendrils withdraw, finally admitting defeat
Even so its marks remain, now forever a part of me.
My later years were joyous times finally able to go to school
I run for track and cross country to the woods healing my mind
The wild, a key piece of human nature without it I feel unwhole
Without these places life seems to lose all meaning.
I sit on rock and lace up my shoes, the rain falling upon the ground
I tear down the trail splashing mud in the air
These times have given my life meaning.
Your time here is short, you will always have time to work
Set down your phone and exit your door,
Go explore the wild beyond
If you cheat yourself and hide under your roof
You will never find your peace.
Humanities 11 AM
3/10/2017
Three months without a bite
I lie there, no hope in sight
My eyes staring at the wall
while my doctors ask around
The doctors shake their heads concerned
Unable to shed some light.
From the leaves of fall
to winter's chill
my parents watched it all.
My arms falling to my sides, the effort now too much
The sky above weighed down my head
But unlike Atlas, I couldn’t keep it up
It was a spike being driven down my spine.
For the hundredth time my family loaded me in the car
Driving to the hospital to alleviate my pain
I stare in despair at the food in my hand
Like Tantalus, it is always out of my reach.
On the eve of January 12, 2010
The doctors find a monster in my spine
On wings of metal I soar to the children's hospital
The procedure is to remove the monster from inside.
Within twenty four hours I go under the knife
My mind asleep, my spine removed
my doctors fight it off
Thirteen hours from the mark ,the battlefield left stark
The monster's been dealt a blow, yet finished it is not.
They stitched me closed and dope me up
My body on fire, I drift awake
my legs now a dead weight
My mind slips in and out
I ask why I can’t feel my legs.
I’m a stranger to myself, staring blankly out the hospital window
The key to my legs is hidden away
My legs now small and shrunken from the time of being unused
Through the fog of the window forms run on by.
Their hearts beating, their arms pumping, their legs moving unlike mine
A week from then they rap on my door Pain And Torture enter my room
They force me up and make me stand
My parents shout aghast at them for asking me to rise
They answer if I want to walk I must begin to move.
Two months down the road I hold the wall in fear
My feet swing like a pendulum beneath me, trying to strike the ground
My foot plants down, I fall to my knees, my therapist prods me to stand
I try again and make it this time, my legs now holding my weight.
Wheeling down the hall, raiding the fridges, my doctors say it's time to go
I climb in our car, not a care in the world, I’m finally heading home
Months in these hospital rooms have left me craving for the woods
I do not worry of the trials ahead, those things seem minute.
Three rounds of chemotherapy later, one for each year
I go to school and bike around town, almost a normal guy
I can run through the woods and summit peaks, overjoyed to use my legs
Running had become my place of escape.
Thinking I won, I begin to relax causing the monster to strike again
In response my doctors nuke the monster with radiation daily
The monsters tendrils withdraw, finally admitting defeat
Even so its marks remain, now forever a part of me.
My later years were joyous times finally able to go to school
I run for track and cross country to the woods healing my mind
The wild, a key piece of human nature without it I feel unwhole
Without these places life seems to lose all meaning.
I sit on rock and lace up my shoes, the rain falling upon the ground
I tear down the trail splashing mud in the air
These times have given my life meaning.
Your time here is short, you will always have time to work
Set down your phone and exit your door,
Go explore the wild beyond
If you cheat yourself and hide under your roof
You will never find your peace.
