Friday, December 27, 2019

A Problem Of Plastic Pollution - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 11 Words: 3355 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/04/15 Category Ecology Essay Level High school Tags: Pollution Essay Did you like this example? A million jellyfish dance in the soundless ocean as a small green sea turtles attempts to sneak up on its prey. With speed and stealth, this turtle snags the food just as a massive swarm of fog surrounds it. With a swallow of the food the turtle feels a clog, this is no jellyfish its plastic. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "A Problem Of Plastic Pollution" essay for you Create order The turtles stop breathing, it squirms and shakes in the water until all thats left is a lifeless lump of scaly green skin stuck in a protecting shell. The turtles now gone reaches land just in time to be attacked by a bird, out of the turtles neck spills a plastic bag logged in its throat. But it is not alone. Between the layers of plastic lies thousands of turned over green sea turtles shells. The never-ending surge of plastic into the worlds oceans is taking an increasing toll on iconic marine species. The Galapagos green turtles favorite food is jellyfish, so wherever jellyfish are most abundant, turtles are bound to be close by (Andrews). Unfortunately, plastic bags look like jellyfish when floating in the ocean, and if a turtle ingests a plastic bag, it forms a fatal blockage in the gut, usually resulting in death (Hardin). The plastic debris ingested by turtles can cause an intestinal blockage resulting in malnutrition, reduced growth rates, and even death. Perhaps most distressingly, turtles can starve to death because they feel full after swallowing plastic debris (Jaquet). The influx in plastic in the ocean leads to many animals such as the sea turtles suffering grand population losses due to microplastics, plastic toxicity, and plastic consumption, however, if current new technological advances, reduction of plastic, and overall human discretion in plastic occurs, the current population of sea turtles will once again rise. In the past, the United States used the ocean as personal waste disposal. In October of 1982, Peter G Ryan stated, Congress enacted the Marine protection, research and sanctions act. This is also known as the ocean dumping act. This policy declares that the U.S needs to regulate the dumping of all plastic-like materials which can affect sea turtles. But this act only controlled ocean dumping it failed to address the plastic already in the ocean. It wasnt until 1988 that Congress decided to enact the ocean dumping ban, this banned ocean dumping of all waste, especially plastic (Ryan). However, even with this act plastic still found its way to the ocean. Researches at the University of Miami set out to find where all the plastic headed and how it got there. First, they modeled a data on the currents of winds to stimulate the movement of marine debris. The result of the experiment was compared with data from satellites, and the trash was tracked by surface buoys from the NOAA (Global Drifters Program’s database)(Slat). They traced all the marine debris to a gyre in the Pacific Ocean. An Ocean Gyres is known as a system of ocean current, flowing in a circular motion, that is formed by global wind patterns and forces created by earth rotation which was observed by the researcher, Laura Parker. However, when one of these gyres circles stationary waters it acts as almost a whirlpool by dragging in plastic debris and leaving it to drift is its movement less center. Once the plastic reaches the center of the gyre, its trapped and broken down into plastic soup (Parker). That plastic then sits in the center of the gyre for years. Even if plastic was recycled, it never goes away, not for billions of years at least. Plastics take their time slowly degrading throughout billions of years stated Bob Talbot. Eventually, they become microplastics, that are invisible to the eye yet one by one they slowly pollute the ocean, gradually becoming bigger in mass, so big that it created the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. After many years of ongoing ocean dumping most areas of the ocean were now filled with the heavy toxins carried by plastics and high concentrations of pollutants from trash such as; inorganic nutrients and chlorinated patron chemicals. This uncontrolled ocean dumping caused severe depletion of oxygen levels in many ocean areas (Talbot). Leaving oceans full of trash and chemicals poisoning everything that touched it. Since plastic never biodegrades it become microplastics many turtles consume plastic almost every day they feed. Just a turtle simply opening its mouth near the Great Pacific Garbage Patch it is guaranteed to inhale at least a  ¼ a cup of plastic (Brander). As of now, around 10,000+ sea turtles die every year from eating and ingesting plastic (Tyree). But its not just the consumption of plastic that causes many turtles to die, its the combination of plastic and the chemicals it releases (BPA). As this plastic finds its way to the ocean, however, it happens to pick up twice the BPA it had before while just floating in the ocean (Halden). This plastic, as it â€Å"degrades†, then releases all of its chemicals and toxins into the ocean creating a death trap for turtles. But its not just some sea turtles that are affected by this plastic. Countless marine animals feed their babies pieces of plastic without knowing (Samokhvalova). Due to this, an estimated 700 species will go extinct in 5-6 years. As of now, 267 marine animal species are being affected by plastics. With sea turtles out of their total population, around 84% of them have been affected in some sort of way by plastic. However, out of all marine species in the world a whopping 43% are affected by plastic and the toxins it releases (Kosuth). All marine animals are affected by the plastic but it is the sea turtles that withhold the highest death rate due to plastic. The deaths of many sea turtles today are almost always plastic related. It is reported that sea turtles die from starvation, suffocation, infection, and entanglement, all of which are a direct cause of plastic. At this point in time, one in every three sea turtles has been found caught up in some sort of plastic situation. Howe ver, this is not shocking due to the fact that an estimated 1 million pieces of plastic are in every square mile in the ocean. Researchers stated that at this time it is safe to assume that at least 98% of turtles in the world have some plastic inside of them (Tyree). With almost the entire population of sea turtles withholding some sort of plastic in their system they may not have long to live. Sea turtles have also been found to have swallowed hundreds of bits of plastic. Just 14 pieces significantly increase their risk of death, according to a study. Young sea turtles are most vulnerable, the study found, because they drift with currents where the floating plastic also accumulates and because they are less choosy than adults turtles about what to eat. Even a single piece of plastic can occasionally cause death for a young turtle who consumes plastic. In one case a turtle was found with its digestive tract blocked by a soft piece of plastic; in another, its intestine was destroyed by a sharp piece of plastic. The study found that half of the juvenile turtles would be expected to die if they ingested a total of 17 plastic items. In some, a variety of plastic material was found inside their digestive tracts. As many as 329 pieces were found in just one sea turtle. Because of a turtles anatomy, they cant vomit up something once they’ve swallowed it, Dr. Hardesty said, meaning it either passes through their gut or gets stuck. For a juvenile of typical size, half the animals would be expected to die if they ingested 17 plastic items, the study concluded. (Taylor-Smith). Since humans committed to the ocean dumping prevention ACT, dumping should be reduced, but this is not the case. The National Academy of Sciences estimates that 14 billion pounds of garbage is being dumped into the ocean every year, more than 1.5 million pounds per hour. According to the Academy, the United States could be the source of approximately one-third of this ocean plastic pollution. The United States is one of the top consumers of plastic in the area and the biggest contributor to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Due to the plastic, all animals in the Pacific area are in danger especially the sea turtles. Sea turtles have diseases and unsustainable livelihoods heading their way. Imagine if you could see a turtle choking on plastics you produced and baby turtles dragging abandoned nets for months to years before dying. Plastic in the ocean is jeopardizing the natural ways of the marine life by disrupting entire bio-geo cycle causing unwanted problems. This threatens the existence of all life underwater from smaller fish to even whales. Reports say that around one million birds and 100,000 marine mammals are killed every single day due to plastic ingestion. Several marine species are on the verge of extinction because of such type of ocean pollution. Sea turtles are different though, they consume plastic garbage as food, leading to blockage in the gut and ulceration, and eventually to death. These sea turtles are also the most common victims of ‘Ghost Nets’ in the ocean. Which are stray plastic nets used for fishing and plastic crates also cause oceanic ruination, chokes turtles by getting tangled in precious reefs, causing them to break apart the process of being tangled in them is referred to as ‘Ghost Fishing. Essentially the turtles will get caught and wont have a food source. Also, the turtles may get choked. These nets if lost in the water, however, always make an appearance at the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. As mentioned earlier BPA is a hazardous material, found commonly in many plastics, and it pollutes the water badly. Bisphenol A doesn’t get diluted in water, it uses oxygen as it degrades, resulting in a low level of oxygen in the waters as oxygen levels go down. It also badly affects the survival of marine animals including whales, dolphins, and turtles. Plastic waste can either float for miles on the water or they could be submerged on the sea-bed or commonly be found on the sea-shore. But due to BPA not matter how much plastic every single piece is filled with massives amounts of BPA. Before the days of plastic, when fishermen dumped their trash overboard or lost a net, it consisted of natural materials (metal, cloth or paper that would sink to the bottom or biodegrade quickly). Plastic, however, remains floating on the surface, the same place where many genuine food sources lie and can remain in that same spot for up to 400 years unless currents pick it up. Plastic is durable and strong aka the qualities that make it so dangerous if it reaches the ocean. If plastic objects make it into the main sewer system (by being flushed down the toilet, or carried by the rain into a street drain), and the water treatment plants are overwhelmed by excessive rain, then those floating objects can float right out to sea. When heavy rains arrive in mid-summer, they swept the streets clean and overloaded combined sewers after floating out to sea, debris was blown back onto the shores. Plastic soda rings, baggies, styrofoam particles and plastic pellets are often mistaken by sea turtles as authentic. Despite only 0.05% of plastic pieces from surface waters are pellets, they comprise about 70% of the plastic eaten by Sea turtles. But plastic soda rings arent even one of the top pieces of trash in the patch. It includes cigarette butts, Paper pieces, plastic pieces, styrofoam, glass pieces, plastic food bags, plastic caps and lids, metal beverage cans, plastic straws, glass beverage bottles. The mountains of plastic forming and the drastic amount of marine animals dying from plastic is horrendous. One way we might get rid of plastic forever is through some new technological systems, like The Ocean Saviour. This vessel will be a world’s first, self-powering 70m tri-deck clean-up vessel, purposefully engineered to locate, retrieve and recycle plastic from the ocean to preserve one of our most valuable assets, the ocean, for future generations. Central to the built of the vessel is the Manta Collector Array collection systems at the side and front of the vessel which will deploy and draw in plastics. The plastics will then be fed into an onboard conveyor, chopped finely, milled and processed through onboard plasma gasification (converting organic energy into synthetic energy) process which will destroy the plastic completely with minimal atmospheric pollution. The product of this pioneering process will then be used to fuel the vessel, making it self-powering. This v essel proves that maybe the soups of plastic can be dispossessed of thought technology. The Ocean Saviour project has requested a large-scale catamaran as the most economical and stable option on the water. The open plan lower deck will be one of the main working areas of the vessel and has been specially designed to allow ventilation with hinged storm shutters which offer protection against the weather. This entire deck is dedicated to plastic removal and industrial scale recycling. Mid-deck is home to two 12m containers which will offer research laboratory facilities or VIP accommodation options and bulk storage area, for crew quarters. The wheelhouse is located on the third deck which will also house the main crew areas and helipad. However, though this is the number way to possibly remove plastic it has one downfall. A high Price. It cost 50 million dollars to make this vessel, but it may be worth it due to the estimated promise that in 40 years the entire ocean will be free of plastic, plus if we had one or maybe two more of this vessel the years would be lessened. With a plan like this plastic will be destroyed. But the ocean savior project is not alone, there are many options such as the seabin that may be slightly less effective but million of time less expensive than the Ocean Savior. The Seabin V5 is a floating garbage bin, which acts as a trash skimmer and debris interceptor. By pumping water into the device, the Seabin V5 can intercept floating debris, macro and microplastics, and microfibers. It acts as a trash skimmer, the Seabin V5 is also able to clean the water from contaminated organic material (leaves, seaweed, etc†¦). The Seabin V5 is equipped with oil absorbent pads able to absorb petroleum-based surface oils and detergent predominant in most marinas around the world. However, the Seabins is not the solution to plastic pollution. The real solution lies in Education, Science, and Systemic Change. From packaging producers, environmental regulators and to the final consumers; everybody along this chain can play a role and has the possibility, the potential, and the responsibility to be part of the solution. Seabins are installed in the water to collect and reduce the amount of mismanaged debris that from the land enter into the ocean. Seabin Project Science and Research programs take advantage of the global network of Seabins that are currently present around the world. They contribute to the understanding of the issue of marine pollution by generating a global database that will inform the public, governments, and communities about the status of their coastlines and water bodies. Seabin will also take every opportunity possible to develop new ways in which we can remove more plastics from our oceans and achieve ocean conservation and sustainability. Through this product, they aim to not only clean and spread aw areness. Though new technologies open a world of new opportunities to clean the ocean, we will never be able to achieve a clean ocean unless we regulate or even get rid of plastic. AT this very moment thousands of humans choose to limit their plastic use during the day. By limiting we limit the amount of plastic that gets in the ocean. Today California has become the first state to implement a partial ban on plastic straws. Dine-in restaurants will no longer be allowed to automatically provide customers with straws. Customers who need plastic straws will have to request them. Restaurants that violate the ban will receive warnings first, and repeat offenders will be fined at a maximum of $300. The new ban comes on the heels of previous plastic straw bans from companies and cities. This ban is mostly due to the massive amounts of dead greens sea turtles ending up on beaches in California. They are found with stomachs full of plastic and plastic straws up their nostrils. To achieve this human ne ed to contribute to and limit their overall use of plastic. Earlier this year, the Walt Disney Company announced a ban on single-use plastic straws and stirrers at nearly all its theme parks and resorts. The policy, which is set to be in place by mid-2019, will cut down on the upwards of 175 million straws and 13 million stirrers that are used at these locations each year. Paper straws will be available upon request and, for guests with disabilities, the company is developing alternative options for traditional plastic straws. Disney will also eliminate polystyrene cups at its parks and cut down its reliance on single-use plastic bags. Instead of disposable bags, guests will have the option to buy reusable shopping bags. The company will reduce the amount of plastic in guest rooms by 80 percent. However, in Orlando at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, plastic straws and cup lids have been banned since the park opened in 1998. Nearly sixty years ahead of his time Walt Disney banned plastic from the Animal Kingdom park to benefit animals and make sure they are never put in danger. Since Disney has vowed to ban plastic in early 2019 it has set off a chain reaction. Seattle banned plastic straws, and San Francisco is working to ban straws and other plastic items starting July 1, 2019. Not only that but many everyday people have been getting involved by protesting plastic or refusing to use plastic straws. All the people needed to be something to believe in and they start to react and begin to change the ways, in this case, in which they use plastic. Some steps regular people have taken to help partake in riding plastic is no plastic November. This moment not only caught the attention of governments and cities but it caught the attention of restaurants. By eliminating their use of plastic for a mouth restaurant thought why only a month why not have it year round. A number of restaurants around the U.S have taken action and eliminated plastic straw use. Metal straws and paper straws now rise to the occasion to fill the place of straws. Though many complain about the use of metal straws and paper straws its a small thing to sacrifice for a project bigger than most. The Goal of No Plastic November was not to rid plastic forever. It was merely to set off a chain reaction and show companies and the world that the people care and they want to help. Plastics have become a vital asset for humanity. Not a single person can live without it because it is included in our shoes to our toothbrushes to glasses. The worst part is that most humans dont even acknowledge the amount of plastic they use each day because it is so ingrained in everything we do. Though these extensive research new technologies seem to be the best way to go, seeing as though two vessels will minimize worldwide plastic to 20 years from now. However, as we clean the ocean we must clean the land. We must minimize the amount of plastic we use each day in hopes that by doing this we can save hundreds of species from nearing extinction. Animals such as the sea turtles are in desperate need of help. If humans take action and work to reduce or even eliminate plastic not only will we be eliminating the actual plastic install but we will e eliminating the toxicity it releases into the ocean. Then maybe, just maybe, you might catch a glimpse of a green sea turtle catching a nd eating a real jellyfish, instead of a plastic bag.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

The Texas General Land Office - 835 Words

The Texas General Land Office or TGLO, has many responsibilities throughout the state of Texas. Their main responsibility is to earn funds for the Permanent School Fund. The main way that they raise money for this goal is by leasing out the land that has been set aside for this purpose. The Texas General Land Office has around 700,000 acres for this purpose. This land is usually leased for the production of oil and gas, development of commercial property, agriculture and renewable energy projects. This fund was created to raise money for Texas schools and was created when Texas became a country in 1836. The organizations other responsibilities include the preservation of the state’s history, the conservation of state resources, surveying the land within the state, providing veterans with land and housing, maintaining the Alamo and veteran cemeteries in the state. They also educate the public about environmental problems on the coast and how to prevent them. They also monitor the coast for any oil spills and are there to help clean them up when they do happen. The TGLO achieves this goal by being split into five different divisions. These are the history and archives division, the energy and minerals division, the state lands division, the caring for the coast division, and the veterans land board division. The history and archives division is responsible for maintaining the records and maps of the state throughout its history. They also maintain all the different landShow MoreRelatedThe First Constitution of the Republic of Texas (1836)902 Words   |  4 PagesThe first cons titution of Texas adopted on March 1, 1836 opens with these words, â€Å"We, the people of Texas, in order to form a Government, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense and general welfare; and to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves, and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution†. (â€Å"Constitution of Republic of Texas† pp. 9-25.) Created in 1836, the first Constitution of the Republic of Texas was born. Fearful of attack byRead MoreThe Governor s Military And Police Powers980 Words   |  4 Pagesto assume the command of the Texas Rangers. Thus, these are the governor’s military and police powers and the functions that they are allowed to assume in office. 2. Describe the functions of o the State Board of Education. o the Texas Education Agency. 2. The functions of the State Board of Education is to set policy for public education. The Texas Education Agency is in charge of enforcing rules and regulations affecting pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade in Texas. Together these two agenciesRead MoreU.s. Constitution And The Texas Constitution Essay1109 Words   |  5 Pagesour nation. This constitution is the oldest written national document and has had 27 amendments. The current Texas constitution is the seventh document written for Texas. The previous six were all when Texas was still apart of Mexico. The current constitution hasn’t been revised since 1876, which makes it the longest state constitution in the United States. The U.S. constitution and the Texas constitution have similarities and differences. Both constitutions have a Bill of Rights. The Bill of RightsRead MoreThe Current Governor Of Texas946 Words   |  4 Pagesthe offices in that branch of government are elected directly by Texas voters. The Executive Department of the State is composed of the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Comptroller of Public Accounts, the Commissioner of the General Land Office, the Attorney General and the Secretary of State, all of whom are elected except the Secretary of State (who is appointed by the Governor). The current governor of Texas (48th) is Republican Greg Abbott, a former lawyer and former Attorney General. InRead MoreThe State Of The Texas Government1280 Words   |  6 PagesThe Texas Government is composed of three branches, the executive, legislative, and judicial branch, similar to the federal government. Each branch has its own duties and ways to check the other branches as to ensure no one has too much, or all, the power. The executive branch contains the governor, lieutenant governor, the secretary of state, attorney general, and several other commissioners and executives. The legislative branch contains the Texas House of Representative and the Texas Senate.Read MoreNo Man Should Have All That Power948 Words   |  4 Pagesleaders, states like Texas have brought it into their owns hands to even further prevent power from effecting their state’s politicians. By developing the plural executive, state governments have been able to lessen the threat that power has on leaders of the executive branch. The plural executive, though it’s several offices, numerous duties and definite distinctions from the executive branch of the government under the U.S. constitution proves to provide a political safeguard for Texas government andRead MoreThe Oil And Gas Industry1285 Words   |  6 PagesHouston, which is the fourth most populous city in the nation and t he largest in the southern U.S. and Texas, has been developing strong economy, especially in oil and gas industry. During the last decades of the twentieth century, Houston focused on developing energy industry—which comprises oil and gas exploration and production, oilfield equipment manufacturing and wholesaling, and pipeline transportation. However, some economists doubt that depending on oil and gas too much could make HoustonRead MoreThe Political Life Of James Stephen Hogg906 Words   |  4 PagesPolitical Life of James Stephen Hogg James Stephen Hogg, or Jim Hogg, was an ambitious Democrat who held many roles in Texas politics throughout his lifetime. He always had an interest in politics, because of his family background. His father Joseph Lewis Hogg was a representative for his district in the Eighth Texas Congress. Joseph also served as a state senator for the first Texas Legislature in 1846. James and his siblings were orphaned after the death of both parents. His first job was workingRead MoreManifest Destiny By James K. Polk866 Words   |  4 PagesJames K. Polk, who had been elected into office in 1844. Polk won the election by showing his support of the re-occupation of Oregon and the re-annexation of Texas. In doing so he was able to appeal to both the southern and northern expansionists. Polk spearheaded the tasks soon after entering office. Manifest Destiny is what urged The States to expand their territory, forming the country we have today. Many United States citizens had migrated into Texas, which was under the control of Mexico. ManyRead MoreFunding, Interest Groups, Elections, and the Role Between State and Local Governments in Texas1391 Words   |  6 PagesRunning Head: TEXAS GOVERNMENT Funding, Interest Groups, Elections, and the Role Between State and Local Governments in Texas Maurice Adams Mr. George Lyon POL215 University of Phoenix Funding, Interest Groups, Elections, and the Role Between State and Local Governments in Texas The state of Texas receives the majority of funding from two sources; taxes and federal receipts. â€Å"Currently, Texas is one of nine states that does not levy a personal income tax on its residents and, in addition

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Islamic Shirk and Diverse Views Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Islamic Shirk and Diverse Views. Answer: Introduction Islam is a monotheistic religion which has been coexisting with other religions for years in many parts of in the world. In Islamic tradition Shirk is the worshipping of idols and believing in multiple gods But Islam believes in only one god Allah (Khan 2015). Shirk is an unforgivable sin that one can commit. The word Shirk literally means the sharing or becoming partners. In the form of polytheism or idol worshipping God is associated with objects of worshipping, which is completely prohibited in Islam. There are several references in the Quran that support the belief. In the Quran it is mentioned as the greatest sin, as every other sin can be forgiven except disbelievers and idol worshippers (Al-islam.org 2017). Islam Is Not against Figurative Representation Figurative representations are not directly prohibited in Islam; however it becomes problematic if it becomes Shirk or worshipping the figure as a part of divine status. In the Genesis all the worshipped statues by Terah were destroyed by Abraham (Dube 2015). The hadiths discussed certain figurative representations can only be through plants, pictures and inanimate objects. Bamiyan Buddhas and The act of Shirk Bamiyan is a famous valley of central Afghanistan that became significant Buddhist centre during eighth century. In eleventh century the Muslims came in power in Bamiyan area. The Buddha statues were extremely popular among the Chinese monks and Indian Buddhists. UNESCO rewarded it by enlisting as one of the World Heritages (Whc.unesco.org 2017). In the Hindkush mountain region, the two large Buddha idols made of sandstone cliff were the main attractions. The 181 feet tall Buddha idol was carved between 591 A.D to 644 A.D and represents cultural combination of Greco Buddhist and Bamiyan traditional artistry (Litoing 2015). It is not just the contemporary Islamic practitioners of Taliban regime that attacked the idols; the idols were faceless even before the destruction. This proves that even before the Islamic era the idols have suffered various attacks. The Contribution of Taliban in The Act The Taliban regime is infamous for its obsession over religious identity and the act of breaking leads that the motives were only religious in nature. The ideology they believe in is built by Pashtun nationalism and Islamic fundamentalism (Roy 2015). Fundamentalists saw Buddhism as an easy target. However the destruction of Bamiyan Buddhas has more than just the Taliban religious identity. The edict said that the destruction was represented as an Islamic act (Harding 2001). Therefore any idols, temples are shrines representing non Islamic religions are considered to be the manifestation of polytheism and idolatry. The other idea behind the destruction could be considered as the restoration of orthodox belief. The Taliban wanted to secure that no one in the future could worship the statues. Mullah Mohammad Omar of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan raised the radical question regarding idol breaking that reflected their perception of Shirk (Litoing 2015). The Socio Religious Perspective Another connection can be made as one examines the time period when the destruction occurred. This time of the year is significant for as the time of celebrating the Eid al Adha. This is the celebration of the feast for Abrahams sacrifice (Loue 2017). Abraham sacrificed his son for fulfilling Gods desire. The time of celebration reminded them about their responsibility of life that is following Gods orders and offering him whatever is needed. Abrahams practice of idol breaking has already been discussed. So the specific time and Abrahams association with it made the Taliban feel the need more than ever. Mullah Mohammad Omars selection of the specific time seems to be more than just a coincident. The View on Negative Impacts The Islamic people prove that the idols are meaningful to them by breaking them with so much attention. Their concern for the existing idols highlights their acknowledgement of the idols power more than the worshippers. The destruction also gained huge public attention which those sites did not have during the period of preservation. Thus the idols also gained a greater status after the breaking. This demonstrates various contradictory views in protecting Tawhid and resisting shirk. Tawhid is the belief of unity of the lord (Bbc.co.uk 2014). As in Islamic tradition Allah is the god that created all the beings on the earth and everything depends on him. Islam believes that Allah is in the authority of all beings and no one else can share his authorship. Tawhid al Ibadah declares that Allah is the only one to be worshipped and Shirk paralyzes this core belief of Islam (Lamprecht 2014). The Philosophical View on Appropriation There can be other philosophical perspectives that can offer us a broader view that is associated with the practice of Islamic Shirk, if one considers that unconsciously man worships himself in the guise of God. The postmodern era has put too much stress on the concept of image. The image has been given too much importance by the postmodern man in a very commercial sense. Some theorists consider destroying the Bamiyan Buddha statutes to be a typical postmodern phenomenon (Janowski 2015). The incident can be seen as the Muslim appropriation of Buddhism (Rafiabadi 2007) The Buddhist theology is not just involved in idol making and concentrating ones good deeds on his feet. Buddha himself encouraged destroying of ones permanent self. So the obsession of the post modern era representing through idols would not have been appreciated by him. Instead he could have encouraged the statue making practice. However this is not enough to justify the destruction heritage statues by the Taliban. Conclusion Taliban are often accused of interpreting the Quran in a superficial and simplistic way. There are various interpretations of the Islamic Shirk, fundamentalists use it for some propagandist purposes, some theorists justify it through religious implications and philosophers shed different light over it (Taniguchi 2017). However from the above discussions it is undeniable that through Shirk one can understand the various perspectives related to it. Above that, the power of the understanding is capable of unfolding various aspects of religion, human acts and life over all. The Islamic understanding of Shirk possesses enough strength to uphold the diverse ideologies, beliefs and views and their bearers. References "BBC-GCSE Bitesize: Islam And Other Faiths". 2014.Bbc.Co.Uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/rs/death/islambeliefrev3.shtml. "First Greater Sin: Shirk (Polytheism)". 2017.Al-Islam.Org. https://www.al-islam.org/greater-sins-volume-1-ayatullah-sayyid-abdul-husayn-dastghaib-shirazi/first-greater-sin-shirk Centre, UNESCO. 2017. "Cultural Landscape And Archaeological Remains Of The Bamiyan Valley".Whc.Unesco.Org. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/208 Dube, Zorodzai. "The statue debate: Ancestors and'mnemonic energy'in Paul and now."HTS Theological Studies71, no. 3 (2015): 01-05. Harding, Luke. 2001. "Taliban Blow Apart 2,000 Years Of Buddhist History". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/mar/03/afghanistan.lukeharding Janowski, James. "Bamiyan, Vandalism, and the Sublime."Change Over Time5, no. 1 (2015): 28-64. Khan, Aftab Ahmad. "Just One God."Defence Journal18, no. 12 (2015): 34. Lamprecht, Mark A. "Exploration Of The Similarities Between The Unity Of Allah And The Unity Of The Triune God Of The Bible." (2014). Litoing, Nougoutna Norbert. "Rejecting shirk and promoting taw?id? A critical examination of the motivation and objective of the iconoclasts in Bamiyan (2001) and Timbuktu (2012)." PhD diss., University of Birmingham, 2015. Loue, Sana. "Religious Observances, Festivals, and Celebrations." InHandbook of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work Practice and Research, pp. 103-120. Springer New York, 2017. Rafiabadi, Hamid Naseem, ed.Challenges to religions and Islam: a study of Muslim movements, personalities, issues and trends. Sarup Sons, 2007. Roy, Olivier. "afghanistan after the taliban."Afghanistan: Identity, Society and Politics Since 1980165 (2015): 147. Taniguchi, Yoko. "Do Archaeological and Conservation Sciences Save Cultural Heritage?: Cultural Identity and Reviving Values After Demolishment." InAncient West Asian Civilization, pp. 179-197. Springer Singapore, 2017.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The English Settle America Essays - Thirteen Colonies,

The English Settle America The Pilgrims were not the first group of English people to live in America. The first group came in 1585, but their colony failed. They cam e for three reasons, to get rich, freedom of religion, and many people came because they wanted a better life. In 1607 the English started Jamestown in America. This town was in the Virginia colony. The English came to Jamestown to find gold and get rich. But they never found any. At first the Jamestown settlers didn't want to grow food or build houses. Many settlers died during the first winter. Later, more people came to live in Jamestown and the settlers began to work harder. They built farms and houses. The settlers began to grow tobacco, and then sold it to England for a lot of money. Each year, they grew more and more. The settlers brought slaves from Africa, in 1619, to help them grow the tobacco, and work as slaves in the English colonies. The Puritans were a group of people who didn't want to pray to the church of England, so in 1628, a group of Puritans came to Massachusetts for freedom of religion. Everyone that lived in Massachusetts had to pray in Puritan churches, and they didn't want their people to have freedom of religion either. Roger Williams lived with the Puritans. He told them that everyone should have the right to choose their religion, and then he left Massachusetts and traveled through the forests, and met Native Americans who helped him, and sold him land. He started the Rhode Island colony on the land in 1636, and then he started a city in Rhode Island called Providence. Which was first city in America where there was freedom of religion. Anne Hutchinson was a woman who lived in Massachusetts, and didn't have the same religious ideas as the Puritans. So in 1638, she left Massachusetts and went to Rhode Island where she started a new town. More of the English came to America to have freedom of religion. In England, Catholics were sent to jail if they prayed in Catholic churches. So, in 1634, 300 Catholics came to America and started a colony called Maryland. The Quakers were another group of people that wouldn't pray in the Church of England. William Penn was a Quaker. He started the Pennsylvania colony in 1681 on land that he bought from the Native Americans. There was piece in the Pennsylvania colony, and everyone had freedom of religion. In England there were some people who didn't have any money, and people who where in debt, were put in jail. James Oglethorpe started the George colony to help these people. In 1733, James Oglethorpe went to Georgia with 120 of these people, and they worked hard in Georgia. They started to build farms and homes, and soon many poor people from all over Europe came to live and work there. Each year more people came to live in the English colonies along the Atlantic Ocean, and by 1753 there was a total of 13 English Colonies. History