An 8 page paper addressing power relationships; human rights concerns of the Council of Europe; and an opinion paper on the issue of gay marriage. Power relationships discussed are religious difference, police presence and majority rule. The four areas of concern of the human rights area of the Council of Europe discussed are timely judicial action; gender equality; racism; and prevention of torture. The opinion paper on gay marriage cites Lawrence v. Texas and Poe v. Ullman, as well as several scholarly sources on the issue of social change to conclude that society has not changed all that much as yet. Bibliography lists 14 sources.
Name of Research Paper File: CC6_KScrimDiff2.rtf
Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
Perry (2000) observes that religious difference has "often provided the foundation and rationale for persecution, victimization, and criminal acts of violence" (p. 192). This is certainly true, and
supported by old examples such as the Salem witch hunts and new ones including the need for Harriet Meiers to step away from consideration as Supreme Court justice. Old
and new examples also illustrate a shift in perspective over the years. In old Salem, it was necessary to be absolutely part of the mainstream which included socially-accepted religion
as part of daily life. In new Washington, acknowledging religion as part of daily life increasingly is seen as qualifying as aberrant behavior. Neither view upholds democratic values.
Police Presence Reiman (2004) quotes Bill Clinton when, as president, he announced in his 1999 State of the Union address that his balanced
budget would "help put up to 50,000 more police on the street in the areas hardest hit by crime" (p. 12). We are not to be a nation where
"big brother" watches over all citizens - who all too often are the law-abiding ones. Reiman (2004) observes that we never have been able to police our way to
lower crime rates, that reductions in crime must originate within individuals. Adding greater numbers of police all too often is only treating the symptom rather than the disease. Majority
Rule Among those belonging to the majority, at least, there is comfort in numbers and particularly when it is the majority that holds
the power. The lecture notes tell of the professor who discriminated against minority students "for their own good" (p. 3), because they would have to work doubly hard in