Student ID Cards are Not Necessary for Safety :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Wearing Student ID Cards is Not Necessary for Safety "Stop right there, young lady!" echoed through the empty hall of White Knoll High School. I broke my fast stride and turned around slowly, slightly breathless from my power-walking. When I saw Mr. Johnston striding towards me with a pen in one hand and a pad in the other, I suddenly realized what else I had forgotten that morning. Before I could reach into my book-bag pocket for the ID I had yet to put on, Mr. Johnston was beside me and slipped me the small sticker. He shook his head and said, "Now, now, Tina. I thought you would have set a better example than that. Let's try to keep that ID on, okay?" With the sticker in one hand and my tardy slip in the other, I walked to the first block class that I was already ten minutes late for with the hanging cloud of after-school ID detention waiting for me the next day. Pushing my way through the stream of people trying to leave the school at 3:20 the next day, I found my way to the discipline office. Taking my place at the end of the line that stretched out of the room and halfway down the hall, I found myself listening to a discussion about why everyone else had detention that day. "Yeah, man. I had my ID card under my jacket so they couldn't see it." "Well, I'm here for an hour today, because I had to skip detention yesterday for a doctor's appointment." "Oh yeah? Well, I've got you all beat, 'cause I got two detentions yesterday. The first one was because I left my ID in my car. Then, my sticker wasn't showing, so I got another one." After listening to all their sob stories, I shared mine involving a faulty alarm clock, an early school bus, and just plain forgetfulness. Despite the shared pity of the group, we had all taken the detentions without complaint. The routine had gone on since the first day of school, and we all knew by tha t point that there was no escaping the punishment. After finally checking in with the poor teacher stuck with the task of watching over us that afternoon, I looked at the other students in the room with me.

Angelique and the burning of montreal Essay

The day was April 10th 1734 and Montreal was on fire. Undoubtedly back then, Montreal was a very different place than it is today; it was a trade and military town of about 2000 people. Canada would still have 100 years before she became a nation and it was a time when Montreal’s social class mirrored that of its indigenous home France. Slavery was very much a part of everyday society and many citizens had slaves of African and Amerindian descent. No one on that day could have possibly foreseen what was to come and the replications it would have for centuries to come. It was an unusually mild Saturday evening and the people who had attended evening prayer were beginning to make their way home. Among them was Thà ©rà ¨se de Couagne, widow of Franà §ois Poulin de Francheville and the owner of Angà ©lique a slave of African American decent who was born in Portugal and later sold into New France. â€Å"At seven the sentry sounded the alarm ‘fire!’†, that evening a devastating fire occurred in Montrà ©al that destroyed a hospital and 45 houses on rue Saint-Paul. Someone was to blame for this catastrophe and it was Angelique. After being tried and convicted of setting fire to her owner’s home, burning much of what is now referred to as Old Montreal, she was hanged. In order to get a stronger understanding of crime and punishment in New-France, one must examine the trial in a much more in depth context. The justice system in 1700 Montreal followed the same rules as its mother country France. In terms of today’s society, the government was far less democratic. The accused had few rights and the evidence was often  faulty or based on word of mouth; torture and severe punishments were often used. In 1734, the various stages of trial, duties of the courts, witnesses, and rights of the accused were regulated by the â€Å"Ordonnance du Roi (1670).† Often the accused had no access to lawyers as they were forbidden in New-France: ARTICLE VIII. The accused, whatever their status may be, will be required to respond in their own words, without the advice of counsel, which will not be given to them, not even following the confrontation, notwithstanding all contrary methods that we abrogate. (1) Also, trials were often held without a jury (2) thus the accused stood alone in front of a judge in order to prove his or her innocence. Undoubtedly, the French law formed a very tight and respected system. The prosecution witnesses were often intimidated by court staff; witnesses for the accused were rarely presented, and â€Å"the future of the accused depended on his or her testimony (3). In many instances, little or no facts were required to be prosecuted. In the case of Angà ©lique, the day after the fire a rumour circulated which accused her and her lover Claude Thibault of setting the fire that destroyed a majority of Montreal (4). The king’s prosecutor relied on this rumour to have the two suspects arrested. At the time, French law allowed a suspect to be arrested based on â€Å"public knowledge (5),† when the community agreed that a suspect was guilty (6): â€Å"The King’s Prosecutor Advises You that according to Public Report, the Fire that occurred in this city on the day of yesterday at around seven in the evening was caused by the Negress, Slave of the widow of Sieur francheville†¦ This considered, Monsieur, may it please you to allow the said King’s Prosecutor to have this investigated, and meanwhile to have arrested and taken to the Royal gaol of this city the said Negress.† (7) In the event of a death sentence, the prosecutor was â€Å"required under the ‘Ordonnance criminelle’ of 1670,† to appeal the sentence in the name of the accused (8). New-France considered the following as crimes: crimes against religion, crimes against morality, crimes against peace, and crimes against public safety (2). Each type of crime had its own form of punishment. The title of Religious crime was only considered if some form of sacrilege took place as well as if there was a direct attack against the  church. A crime against morality would also reflect the nature of the crime; although, the idea of a morally just 1734 citizen varies greatly from a morally just person today. Many were deprived of social pleasures that society â€Å"attached to moral purity, [if one did not exercise a life of â€Å"moral purity†] he or she could be: fined, shamed, sentenced to a life in hiding, or banished from the city and from society† (2). A crime against peace would also often reflect the requirement of retribution. This was done through prison sentences, exile, correctional measures etc. The correctional measures were used to rehabilitate or return the criminal to a â€Å"normal state†. Lastly, crimes against public safety were most well known as â€Å"eye-for-an-eye† retribution. The punishments handed down for such crimes would reflect the nature of the crime and was based on reason as well as on the notion of right and wrong. Crimes against theft were met by a loss of property; however, because those who stole had few riches, capital punishment (death) was used as a means to replace financial retribution. If one murdered another, the penalty was almost always death (usually by hanging). Criminal trials were often a means for retribution for a crime against society (9). When evidence was lacking, the prosecution would ask permission to apply torture prior to a proper judgment. Many examples of harsh punishments (ie: torture) exist: Jean Baptiste Thomas negro and Francois Darles were condemned to be hanged, Charlotte Martin Ondoyà © and Marie Vennes were beaten and castigated with the rod, and Charlotte D’arragon was admonished, Thomas negro having been found guilty of Domestic thievery, Francois Darles of having concealed the items, Charlotte Martin Ondoyà ©, and Marie Vennes guilty of possessing some stolen items of little consequence. This sentence was executed on the 23 of August in Montrà ©al where the crime was committed. (10) Moreover, the most common form of punishment was â€Å"The Boot.†(2) It consisted of four planks of wound tied to the legs of the accused. Two of those planks were placed between the criminal’s legs, and the other two on the outside of the legs. All were bound with rope. A wedge was then pounded between the planks on the inside, causing the plank to spread and the rope  to tighten. The pressure of the wedge would often break the accused legs (sometimes just merely dislocating them). This practice was used as a method of extracting the truth and was excruciatingly painful (10). Torture in New-France was widely used, especially when the accused would not reveal their accomplices (if any) or admit to their guilt (2). In Angà ©lique’s case, upon appeal, â€Å"[she was] sentenced to death, but the manner in which it was to be carried out was softened: she would not have her hand severed and she would be hanged before being burned.† (7) More importantly, she was subjected to torture by the ‘boot'(4) but she never revealed any accomplice, stating that only she had started the fire.(10) Subsequent to her admission, she was executed. In the end, crime in 1734 was not seen lightly and often carried severe punishments. Perhaps fear of such severe punishment, of being arrested based on rumours and faulty evidence was supposed to act as a deterrent. Although evidence of Angelique’s trial such as court documents does exist, the lack of concrete proof of guilt obscures the events and subsequent truth of that night. She was sentenced to prosecution based solely off of rumours and word of mouth, and whether she had a past of destructive and rebellious nature or not, that in no way under a court of law in today’s standards leads one to believe she is or ever was guilty. This, however, has not prohibited her story from becoming almost legend. Many authors and figures in our society today, 200 years later utilize her story as leverage. Angelique is seen as an African American slave activist who stood up against her superiors and common law for the better of humanity. She is also viewed as the perfect example of why the old dark ways of our justice system is faulty and raises questions about the power of government and the danger of whether or not that power can condemn an innocent woman for 200 years without question. Conclusively, because the prosecution at her trial did not meet the burden proof (by today’s standards), it is impossible to know if she truly was guilty. One way or another her trial and story will continue to echo in Canadian history. Bibliography 1. Louis XIV, â€Å"Procedure relative to the interrogation of the accused, in l’Ordonnance †¦ pour les matià ¨res criminelles† (Chez les Associà ©s, 1670). 2. http://www.canadianmysteries.ca/sites/angelique/contexte/lajustice/indexen.html 3. Criminal procedures: Secondat Baron de La Brà ¨de et de Montesqieu, Charles-Louis de, â€Å"Reflections on criminal procedures in England and in France, in De l’esprit des loix † (Amsterdam et Leipsick: Nouvelle à ©dition, revue, corrigà ©e et considà ©rablement augmentà ©e par l’auteur [†¦], Chez Arkstà ©e et Merkus, n.d.), T. 3, L. 29 p. 308-9. 4. http://www.canadianmysteries.ca/sites/angelique/proces/indexen.html 5. Criminal procedure against the accused: Archives nationales du Quà ©bec, Centre de Montrà ©al, Procedure Criminel contre Marie Joseph Angà ©lique negresse — Incendiere, 1734, TL4 S1, 4136, Juridiction royale de Montrà ©al, Deposition of Étienne Volant Radisson, April 14, 1734, 1-4.) 6. Archives nationales du Quà ©bec, Centre de Montrà ©al, Procedure Criminel contre Marie Joseph Angà ©lique negresse — Incendiere, 1734, TL4 S1, 4136, Juridiction royale de Montrà ©al, Request by the King’s prosecutor for the arrest of Angà ©lique and of Claude Thibault, April 11, 1734, 1. 7. http://www.canadianmysteries.ca/sites/angelique/proces/jugementetappel/indexen.html 8. Criminal trial: Diderot, Denis et Jean le Rond d’Alembert, â€Å"The criminal trial, in l’Encyclopà ©die, ou Dictionnaire Raisonnà © des Sciences, des Arts et des Mà ©tiers † (Paris: Briasson et autres, n.d.), tome XIII, page 405. 9. Examples of punishment: France. Archives nationales, Fonds des Colonies. Sà ©rie C11A. Correspondance gà ©nà ©rale, Canada, vol 64, fol. 12-15v, Hocquart, Gilles, Letter to the Ministre de la Marine, October 1, 1735, 10. Admission of guilt Germain, Jean-Claude, â€Å"The Life and Times of Montrà ©al† (Montrà ©al: Stankà ©, 1994), tome I, pages 284-28. 4 . Relying on the â€Å"Ordonnance criminelle† of 1670, the king’s prosecutor had an arrest warrant issued against Angà ©lique based solely on this public rumour.† (http://www.canadianmysteries.ca/sites/angelique/proces/indexen.html)

Causes and Prevention of Obesity in College Students Free Essay Example, 2000 words

Moreover, they participate in a diverse range of activities that may make them either vulnerable to obesity or not. Therefore, this research will focus on analyzing the factors that make college students more vulnerable to obesity and the potential strategies that they can use in preventing the development of obesity. Research Questions This research will seek to address the following questions: What are the main factors that make college students vulnerable to developing obesity? How can college students prevent the development of obesity? Research Hypothesis The main hypothesis in this research will be: Poor diet choices are the leading contributing factors to the increasing rates of obesity among college students. Literature Review The clinical diagnosis of obesity has its basis on the Body Mass Index (BMI). The formula for calculating the Body Mass Index is as follows: The subjects weight in Kg BMI = The height in meters squared Individuals who have a BMI of 18 to 28 fall into the healthy category. However, a BMI of 25-30 qualifies one to be overweight. Obesity begins from a BMI of 30.We will write a custom essay sample on Causes and Prevention of Obesity in College Students or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now There are individuals with serious cases of obesity who may even register a BMI of above 40. The BMI calculation is currently the only available scale used in the determination of obesity cases. It relies on the weight and height proportion as illustrated in the formula above. It is surprising that many college students are proving to be either overweight or obese. A close analysis reveals that the college environment presents students with an opportunity to lead different lifestyles from those of their family (Institute of Medicine, 2012). Moreover, many of the students are overwhelmed by the freedom presented by the college environment and indulge in a wide range of activities that define their diet or lifestyle. Researchers have highlighted that college students have the freedom to choose what they can eat. Unhealthy eating habits have been highlighted as the leading cause of obesity in all the age groups. College students are prone to poor eatin g habits because of the lifestyle they adopt in school. They are likely to rely on junk foods served in fast food restaurants where they frequent. Moreover, many college students consider the sizes of portions or calorific guidelines that define healthy eating. Therefore, they are likely to indulge in binge eating, consuming larger portions of food than is required by their bodies. Many college students do not have the time to prepare healthy meals for themselves.