Case study snyder v phelps Essay Example for Free

Case study snyder v phelps Essay Snyder v. Phelps (2011) Fred Phelps, the pastor at the Westboro Church, along with his followers believes that God punishes the US for allowing homosexuality freedoms, especially within the military. To express their feelings the Westboro Church and its people sometimes picket military funerals in hopes that their voices will be heard. In 2006 Albert Snyders son who was a Lance Corporal for the United States Marine Corps was killed in the line of the duty during his time in Iraq. Matthew Snyder was killed in Anbar, Iraq when he was the gunner on a Humvee that ended up rolling after hitting something. The Westboro Church decided that they would picket Matthew Snyders funeral, notifying the sanction holding the funeral in advance what they planned on doing. When the Westboro Church and its followers arrived to picket this funeral they made sure to stage the picket on public land that was adjacent to a public street. Making sure that they didnt violate any written laws they also made sure to abide by anything that was appointed to them by the police taking care of the funeral. The Church members stood outside this church during the funeral reciting different hymns and verses from the Bible. Albert Snyder wasnt aware of what the signs said until after the whole funeral took place, claiming that he could really only see the tops and couldnt make out what they actually said. Following the funeral, Snyder noticed on the news that the signs some gruesome stuff such as, God Hates the USAI Thank God for 9/1 1, Thank God for Dead Soldiers, and Dont Pray for the USA. Snyder decided that he would then sue Fred Phelps, claiming that the picketing aused him and his family severe emotional distress. In his defense, Phelps argued that everything that took place that day was completely legal under the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution. The main issue that this case faced legally, was whether Westboros signs and comments while picketing Matthew Snyders funeral related to matters of public concern and in turn, decide whether there is too much protection under the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment. The Supreme Court made it clear that they were only going to determine this ruling ased on matters of public concern as opposed to matters of purely private significance. The Supreme Court affirmed that the picketing amounted to speech on issues that are public; they felt as if one of the main things that the First Amendment covers is the right to picket based upon public issues. The Court felt as if although the signs that were used may fall short of refined social or political commentary, the issues they highlight the political and moral conduct of th e United States and its citizens, the fate of our Nation, homosexuality in the military, and scandals involving he Catholic clergy are all matters of public import. Albert Snyder realized all of the protection under the First Amendment but he claimed in rebuttal that that picketing was intended to shape an attack on Snyder over a rather private matter. Although the Supreme Court realized that Snyder had a strong claim at the time because of the circumstances that were evident, at the same time they must also hold to the law which noted that Maryland did not have a law imposing any types of restrictions on standpoint, the Supreme Court decided that Fred Phelps and his followers were in all f their legal rights to picket that funeral. The Court expressed their acknowledgment of the picketing of a US Soldiers funeral and the idea that many Americans would feel as if the Westboro Church was morally defective, but it rejected those factors as means for any type of lawsuit that could be tendered to the church. Though a Jury ended up awarding the family of Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder millions of dollars, the US Supreme Court upheld the circuit courts dismissal of the verdict over unruly circumstances. Freedom of speech is something that is considered one of the reatest things available by both sides of the political lanes. Both Conservatives and Liberals strongly believe in freedom of speech, but it is Liberals that are more likely to take the realm of expressing themselves publically. Liberals take pride in the idea of the political left, which basically outlines their devotion to Americas First Amendment the right to free speech. Although it is usually Liberals that we see voicing their opinion publically, the Westboro Church is overall a Conservative group because of what they stand for. Most people including the media portray and roclaim that the Westboro Church is a Liberal party but when you dig deeper you start to notice that isnt really the case. The Westboro Church has many things in common with those that claim to be Conservative; both are against marriage equality, both are for the replacement of constitutional government with religious dogma of their particular form of Christianity, both are for the reduction of the rights of minorities and women, and both are for getting rid of reproductive rights and family planning. The case of Snyder v. Phelps places before us a choice where we ust decide between the ethical values of basic respect versus the legal right of the First Amendment, freedom of speech. From an ethical perspective, it is easy to decide this case based upon the ideas that we adopted over time that all in all became a social norm. The ethical value of respect at a funeral will easily make someone choose the side of Snyders in this case Just because over time we have established that funerals are meant to mourn and to pay respect to not only the fallen but also the family of that person. Although it may be interpreted that the reason that the Westboro Church chose to take action the way that they did was because it was necessary to get their point across, ethically it is frowned upon because of how we know funerals are supposed to take place. The Westboro Church had many options to establish the point that they were trying to get across such as the newspaper, TV, or the radio, but instead they chose to do it at a US Marines funeral which ended up working in their favor gaining them national recognition. Potter Stewart, a once US Justice wrote with regards to Ethics that, Ethics is knowing the difference between hat you have a right to do and what is right to do. This quote explains the complete ethical aspect of this case because it describes how legally, the Westboro Church had every right to do what they did that day but ethically they were in the wrong intruding on the privacy of a grieving family at a funeral service less than 300 feet away. While the Justices made it clear that they understood where Albert Snyder and his family were coming from, they also stood firm with the idea that the Westboro Church was practicing the First Amendment which allows the freedom of speech to he public. One of the Justices following the court case described the entire case as powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both Joy and sorrow, and as it did here inflict great pain. On the facts before us, we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker. As a nation we have chosen a different course to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate. The problem that is now faced upon America after the ruling that the Westboro Church did nothing wrong is, how much is too much in regards to a few igns becoming too many? Would enough signs have changed the nature of the content of Westboros message towards the Snyder family? The effect of this case on the public is something that isnt necessarily brought up but it is evident in many places because you have to realize that the public mainly sees this as a case of a family being stripped of what they believe should be a quiet and peaceful funeral. With the ruling ending the way it does it has the public wondering how far the First Amendment freedom of speech can really get you and the fine print behind our US Constitution. Overall, the US Supreme Court case touches many aspects whether it is ethically, legally, politically, or socially. It is hard for most ethically driven people to accept the fact that the Westboro Church not only got no penalty for what they did at Matthew Snyders funeral, but they also received no further details about stopping the picketing of funerals. In regards to legal aspects, this case set in stone that the First Amendment freedom of speech allows for not only speech that is accepted ethically but any type of speech that strays away from a personal attack. In most of he publics opinion the Westboro Church was in the wrong that day for not allowing a grieving family time to privately mourn the loss of a family member but although what they did was frowned upon they stayed within their legal rights which forces the court to drop their case. Although Albert Snyder lost this case his family was awarded millions of dollars and they also received support of the majority of the public against the Westboro Church and their actions not only that day, but in the future. Snyder left the courtroom after the ruling with not complete satisfaction but rust that his point was spread across America which was to notify them of what the Westboro Church does and what they caused not only himself, but his family.

Hiroshima Bomb :: essays research papers

Hiroshima A-Bomb The United States concealed a project to develop an atomic bomb under the name "Manhattan Engineer District." Popularly known as the Manhattan Project, it carried out the first successful atomic explosion on July 16, 1945, in a deserted area called Jornada del Muerto near Alamagordo, New Mexico. At 2:45 A.M. local time, the Enola Gay, a B-29 bomber loaded with an atomic bomb, took off from the US air base on Tinian Island in the western Pacific. Six and a half hours later, at 8:15 A.M. Japan time, the bomb was dropped and it exploded a minute later at about 560 to 600 meters over central Hiroshima. Radioactive debris was deposited by "black rain" that fell heavily for over an hour over a wide area. Thermal Hear is intense thermal heat emitted by the fireball and it caused severe burns and loss of eyesight. Thermal burns of bare skin occurred as far as 3.5 kilometers from ground zero. Most people exposed to thermal rays within 1-kilometer radius of ground zero died. The explosion melted tile and glass and all combustible materials were consumed. An atomic explosion that caused an enormous shock wave followed instantaneously by a rapid expansion of air called is the blast. This represents roughly half the explosion's released energy. Maximum wind pressure of the blast was 35 tons per square meter. Maximum wind velocity was 440 meters per second. Wooden houses within 2.3 kilometers of ground zero collapsed. Concrete buildings near ground zero (thus hit by the blast from above) had ceilings crushed and windows and doors blown off. Many people were trapped under fallen structures and burned to death. People exposure within 500 meters of ground zero was fatal. People exposed at distances of 3 to 5 kilometers later showed symptoms of aftereffects, including radiation-induced cancers. Symptoms appearing in the first four months were called acute. Besides burns and wounds, they included general malaise, fatigue, headaches, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, abnormally low white blood cell count, bloody discharge, anemia, and loss of hair. Prolonged injuries were associated with aftereffects. The most serious in this category were keloids, cataracts, leukemia and other cancers. The estimated pre-bomb population was 300,000 to 400,000. Because official documents were burned, the exact population is uncertain. With an uncertain population figure, the death toll could only be estimated. According to data submitted to the United Nations by Hiroshima City in 1976, the death count reached 140,000 by the end of December, 1945.

Lord of the Flies: Examine Goldings methods of writing in the last three paragraphs of Chapter Nine

The end of chapter 9 is very different to the rest of the novel, both in the style it is written and in what Golding is trying to portray about human nature. My first impressions of this extract are how different Golding's style of writing is; he is much more poetic, mythical way â€Å"the clear water mirrored the clear sky†. The rest of the novel is written in much more of a matter-of-fact style, through the eyes of one of the other boys, however still in third person. The way he uses adjectives such as â€Å"inaudible† create a sense of calmness and silence, which is a harsh contrast to the killing scene just before â€Å"the noise was unendurable†. This is perhaps to represent the calm, quiet spirituality of Simon's nature, and show how he is a million miles away from the other boys, who made so much noise. It could also represent the fact that Simon is now alone, both physically and metaphorically as he is the only one who knows the truth. Golding also creates an almost superhuman element to Simon, making Simon godlike or giving him the air of a Saint; â€Å"†¦dressed Simon's course hair with brightness†. This is interesting as it is something he was made a point of not doing elsewhere in the novel. He has made a point of showing how fragile human nature is- â€Å"Ralph, cradling the conch, rocked to and fro†, here showing Ralph's emotional breakdown after participating in a murder, and shown the other boys to have regressed to become subhuman â€Å"savages†, in opposition to Simon becoming almost angelic. Throughout the novel Golding has also used the island as a microcosm of the ‘real world', and towards the end of the extract he goes against this idea and describes the world beyond in great detail â€Å"itself a silver shape beneath the steadfast constellations†. I think the fact he describes this in so much detail is important, he is clearly trying to make a point of it: the fact the death of Simon is such a huge human tragedy, but yet when compared to the enormity of the natural world it pales in insignificance. Even though the novel at first seems pessimistic, and hard to believe the author was a Christian, I disagree. When Golding writes â€Å"Simon's dead body moved out to sea†, I think he is showing that amongst all the injustices in the world, those with faith and spirituality (as I think Simon is meant to represent the spiritual aspect of human nature) will go to a better place away from the horror of the world. I think the novel perhaps has a subtle underlying Christian message. You can see throughout that Golding has been very crafting in how he uses techniques to explain the importance of Simon's death in the novel, and the important differences between Simon and the other boys, and the fact Simon has not turned savage. The language he has used to show this is not typical of the rest of the novel however the symbolism is.

Competitive Advantage and Marks Spencer Free Essay Example, 3750 words

According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that Marks Spencer enjoyed the competitive advantage from the very beginning of its establishment. Mainly since the early half of 1990 the company started enjoying the greater level of competitive and business advantage in the markets of the retail industry in the United Kingdom. There are various reasons which have been helping the company for a long time to gain greater amounts of competitive advantage in the market. Most important reasons have been greater reputation with customers, very good business relationship with the suppliers of various products and services, and the greatest level of caliber as well as the greatest professional level of commitment of the workforce in the company. Various internal, as well as external business policies and strategies, have been applied by the company during the past and the present years. These have given the company greater opportunity to enjoy the competitive advantage. One of the most important internal business policies has been to give good meals to the employees at nominal prices . This policy has helped the employees to work effectively in the organization and also to gain greater interests in working with the company. We will write a custom essay sample on Competitive Advantage and Marks & Spencer or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page Due to these policies, the net balance of the company has been positive which has increased the level of a transaction of the company that enhanced the shareholder value in the company.