Sex Education Should Be Legal - 2009 Words

Most couples never expect to have trouble with starting a family. After all, our parents talked to us about the â€Å"birds and the bees† and our teachers made us sit through that awkward sex education class in school, both making our young minds believe that having sex just one time would result in pregnancy. Then you get older and are ready to have a family and come to realize that there is a lot more to getting pregnant than just having sex. There is this magic time in a women’s cycle called ovulation; there is a short 24 hour window for the egg to be fertilized; there is a 20-25% chance for even a healthy couple to get pregnant each month, etc., etc., etc. All of this comes as a shock since we spend so many years trying not to get pregnant†¦show more content†¦Infertility has changed me in more ways than I could have ever imagined; some for the good, some for the bad, and some for the ugly. The ugly and the bad of our infertility journey Poor emotional health and jealousy: When being told my husband and I had a 2% chance of conceiving without infertility treatments, I knew we were in for a bumpy road. Looking back, I wish the road was just bumpy, instead of the massive boulders that constantly crushed my emotional health. The longer our battle with infertility remained, the lesser able I was to savor the great things and enjoy the fun in life. I had reached the lowest point I had ever been in my life. I was consumed by sadness and had to consciously work on being happy. I was extremely bitter and jealous of any woman with a growing belly or a new baby. Severe pre and post-natal anxiety: Fast forward to my pregnancy. Being told after our seventh infertility treatment that we were pregnant was the most incredible feeling I had ever felt. I remember the day I got the call from our nurse like it was yesterday. I could restate all of the details of where I was, what I was wearing, what I was doing; it was a magical moment. Around 20 weeks into my pregnancy, I developed insanely intense prenatal anxiety. I had been through so much heartache and pain to get pregnant that when I finally did, of course I was beyond excited, but also terrified that this dream I was living was going toShow MoreRelatedShould Sex Education Be Legal?987 Words   |  4 Pageschildren should learn in school. While some schools cater to religion being taught the same thing is not set in place for sex education. Many believe that sex education is vital in today’s world. Meanwhile others feel that the sex talk should be left up to the parents. With pregnancy rates going up and adolescents getting pregnant younger soon there will not be a choice. One thing is certain that public schools should educate children in some way. Nevertheless not all parts of sex education will beRead MoreShould Sex Education Be Legal?1680 Words   |  7 PagesSex: the elephant in the room no one likes to talk about. It is a natural act humans have done for years but also a taboo to show or acknowledge. Sex, despite being taboo, is omnipresent. It is present in discussions of God, television, dating, and other areas, all of which have played a role into my understanding of sex and sexuality. However, public education has ultimately been the main factor in maintaining my personal safe sex life. Many parents debate whether sex education should remain inRead MoreSex Education Should Be Legal Essay1891 Words   |  8 Pagesyear, and 50% of new HIV infections occur in individuals under the age of 25 (Beh 22). This can partly be attributed to the state of sex educa tion in the United States. Only 24 states require sex education be taught in schools and only 20 of those require the information to be ‘medically, factually, or technically accurate’ (â€Å"State Policies†). Abstinence-only education has been proven to be ineffective in reducing rates of teen pregnancies, STDs, and the consequences of both; has a lack of public support;Read MoreShould Gay Marriage Be Legal Defense And Education Fund Supports Same Sex Marriage?1085 Words   |  5 Pagesis legalizing same-sex marriage. In their article, â€Å"Talking About the Freedom to Marry: Why Same-Sex Couples Should Have Equality in Marriage,† the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund supports same-sex marriage. An opposing view, is given by Robert P. George, a Princeton University professor. In his article, â€Å"The 28th Amendment: It Is Time to Protect Marriage, and Democracy, in America,† he explains why he is against same-sex marriage. The Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund concludes thatRead MoreMy View and Opinion on Underage Sex Essay769 Words   |  4 PagesMy View and Opinion on Underage Sex Is the age of 16 the right age for sex to be legal? Many people have their own views and beliefs and the issue is very indecisive, but is there ever going to be an age that everyone agrees is appropriate? This is what my speech is going to be about. Many people have different opinions on what they think the legal age to have sex should be. Every year more and more children are having underage sex and this number is continuing toRead MoreThe Best Kind of Sex Education708 Words   |  3 Pages There is much controversy over which form of sex education should be taught, comprehensive sex education, or abstinence-only sex education. The definition for comprehensive sex education is responsible and balanced sexuality education that seeks to assist young people in understanding a positive view of sexuality, provide them with information and skills about caring for their sexual health, and help them acquire skills to make decisions now and in the future. It is medically accurate and providesRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Respected1123 Words   |  5 Pagessociety, same-sex marriage should be respected at the same level as traditional opposite-sex marriage. â€Å"Marriage is the ultimate affirmation of a sexual relationship. Marriage is the institution in which we not only tolerate people having sex and housing children, but we encourage it and celebrate it as a society† (Foust 3). Most states attempted to avoid the same-sex marriage issue by defining marriage between man and woman, but that soon became an unexpected controversial issue (â€Å"Same-Sex MarriageRead MoreShould Sex Education Be Taught? Essay1360 Words   |  6 Pagesaddressing sex education in my classroom. The state-mandated teaching standards promoting a biased, abstinence-only program, however, do little to communicate reliable and inclusive information about sexuality. Texas provisions and education codes relating to sex education should sustain amendments that fully address the sexual health needs of every student, regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation or sexual expression. Sex Education in Texas The topic of sex education in the UnitedRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal1254 Words   |  6 Pagesthat the majority opinion was an act of will, not of legal judgment. Under the Constitution, judges do have the power to say what the law is, but not what the actual law should be. Both the majority opinion and the dissenting opinions contain some language of interest concerning those who disagree with the legal conclusion based upon religious beliefs. The majority opinion makes a great statement about how many people, who were opposed of same-sex marriage to be wrong, were against it primarily basedRead MoreAbortion Essay879 Words   |  4 Pageslive or the right to decide. The debate whether abortion should be made legal continues to divide republicans and democrats long after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 7-2 decision on Roe v. Wade declaring abortion a â€Å"fundamental† right (Roe V. Wade). The conflict over abortion that was divided into two camps, Pro-Life and Pro-Choice, sparked different views in conservatives and liberals; supporters of both camps may come together to help in sex education, distribution of birth control, and protection to avoid

Gun Debate to Bear Arms Essay - 538 Words

For the last few years when you turn on the news there has been a mass shooting somewhere in the United States. This sparked up massive debates about the right to bear arms. Then lobbyists like the NRA, (National Rifle Association), step in and started to protect our rights to have firearms. Since then people all over the United States have been debating about gun rights. The Second Amendment, â€Å"a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed† is the most debated amendment in the Constitution. There are two sides to the gun debates. The first is the Gun Rights Activists. They stand for the right to carry guns for self-defense and personal†¦show more content†¦Some of these people also want to just ban guns all together. One this side there are a lot of smaller, unknown groups that support the Gun Control Lobby. Since this side has so many groups that support it, eac h group wants something a bit different. There could be a group that wants all guns to be ban from the public, where another group may just want longer background checks. This could become a really big problem because there could be debates going on inside that lobby. It is a problem because you can’t fight for something if you don’t know what that thing is. Right now this hasn’t become a problem yet because I believe for the time being they are just trying to get bans on high round magazines and assault rifles. Gun Control lobby makes a lot of good points like shooting at a cardboard box isn’t a sport and an assault weapon won’t save you. My opinion is very mixed now that looked at both sides. Before I looked in to the Gun Control side I hated it. I didn’t like the idea of someone trying to make it harder for me to shoot guns but now I am ok with some things that they say. I think both sides are wrong, Gun Rights is wrong because some of t he laws are way to loose and could have prevented some of the events; Gun Control is wrong because taking away all guns takes away a lot of jobs. But I also believe that both sides are right, Gun Rights is right because it is one of our amendments and we do have the right to own guns; Gun ControlShow MoreRelatedThe Second Amendment Of The United States1725 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Americans are deeply divided over the Second Amendment. Some passionately assert that the Amendment protects an individual’s right to own guns. Others, that it does no more than protect the right of states to maintain militias† (Cornell). The Second Amendment of the constitution gives citizens the right to bear arms, and is therefore one of the most important laws of the nation. This amendment holds an important value to our nation because, it prevents tyranny but, it also protects, spreads, andRead MoreA Well Regulated Militi The Founding Fathers And The Origins Of Gun Control1472 Words à ‚  |  6 PagesOrigins of Gun Control in America By Saul Cornell Introduction The Second Amendment remains one of the most controversial pieces of legislation in the contemporary America. The onset of the controversy regarding gun ownership rights can be traced back to the nineteenth century. Some of the major events that shaped the debate on gun ownership include Shay’s Rebellion and the dispute between federalists and anti-federalists. Slavery and the abolition movement also shaped the debate on gun ownershipRead MoreThe Rights Of A Free State1118 Words   |  5 PagesMrs. Lobenstein American Lit 2 December 2014 Amendment II â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.† The Right to Bear Arms According to the Second Amendment, in the Bill of Rights, the rights of the people to keep and bear arms have been enacted since December 15th, 1791. Across the 223 years this amendment has been around, there has been an abundance of history behind the Second Amendment. OverRead MoreEssay about Americans Have the Right to Keep and Bear Arms1556 Words   |  7 PagesAmericans Have the Right to Keep and Bear Arms   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Our rights as Americans started to take shape when the Constitution of the United States was drawn up by the delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Three years later, a very important part of American history called the Bill of Rights was added. The Bill of Rights is looked upon and interpreted every day. It gives the citizens of the United States many of the rights and freedoms that we value today, and some of those areRead MoreGun Control859 Words   |  4 PagesScholarly Essay: Gun Control There has been considerable debate recently in Canada over the issue of gun control. The Canadian parliament enacted the Firearms Act to enforce gun control by requiring gun owners to register their firearms. Just recently, the government of Alberta lead in a charge, including five other provinces and numerous pro-gun groups, complaining that the law is unconst... Gun Control Gun control Gun Control Part I:Introduction The issue of gun control and violenceRead MoreThe Second Amendment vs Gun Control Essay1520 Words   |  7 Pagespeople find this statement to be ridiculous. Gun control is thought of as a government policy or regulations to control or limit the sale and use of firearms. In the U.S. constitution, the 2nd Amendment states that a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. Inside America today, gun control is a major issue, especially in the political arena. People debate on the daily that not all things in societyRead MoreThe Government Authority Of The United States1558 Words   |  7 Pages2011). A big debate in recent years over whether it should be regulated by federal or state law is the debate over gun control throughout the United States. The debate over gun control in the United States today relates to the debate over federalism because of diff erent cases in recent history relating to gun control, infringement of the Second Amendment, and the unfunded mandate that goes along with the potential to ban the right to bear arms. One reason that the debate over gun control with theRead MoreDistrict of Columbia v. Heller: The Use and Permit of Handguns1529 Words   |  7 PagesWith many recent incidents that involve guns between 2012 and 2013, gun control laws have become a hot topic in America. On one hand, after the horrific incident like the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting at Newtown in 2012, most people wanting to limit guns from getting into the wrong by setting up a rigorous system that control who can and cannot obtain a gun. On the other hand, we have the people who believe that with such rigorous system in place is violated the individual rights that grantedRead MoreGun Control in America758 Words   |  4 PagesNathan 3/30/08 Gun Control in America Ever since the days of the pioneers, firearms have been an element of the American tradition as defense and a means of hunting or activity. As we progress through the 21st century the use of guns has changed significantly. The reason that the use of the gun is changing is fast and steady increase in crime and the battle for the right to have possession of a hand gun, the introduction of legislation for gun control, to try to decrease the felony in theRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States1557 Words   |  7 Pageswas passed under the condition that the Bill of Rights would be adopted. The Bill of Rights, at the time, consisted of 10 amendments; of these 10 comes one of the most controversial ones, the Second Amendment, which is the right for individuals to bear arms. This amendment was, and will continue to be one of the most controversial issues from the time of the ratification of the Constitution of the United States up to the 21st century. As a nation, there is still a battle between people who want to put

Native American Mascots free essay sample

North Dakota is currently in one of the biggest debates over a Native American team mascot. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is fighting with the University of North Dakota regarding the Fighting Sioux mascot. The Native American students have been increasing the pressure on the University to change its name. â€Å"We’re seeing more educators around the county, in middle Schools, high schools and at universities, concerned about the racial climate in schools dropping these symbols† (Johansen, 2004). Since the early 1970’s, about 1,250 of the nation’s 3,000 elementary schools, high schools, and colleges with American Indian nicknames and mascots have dropped them, said Susan Shown Harjo, president of Washington D. C. ’s Morningstar Institute (Johansen, 2001). Are we being disrespectful to the Native American people? Should the Native American people be proud that a school uses an icon as a mascot? Schools all over the country begin with a story and honoring of the Native Americans at each sporting event. Why have Native Americans asked for an end to Native American mascots? Native Americans perceive this as a racial issue. The problem has stirred up controversy because Native Americans maintain that such symbols and mascots are stereotypical and dehumanizing. They also feel it is derogatory to their tribe and people. They feel it reflects a violent caricature of Native Americans. They have heard several people make fun of the noses on the mascots. They should never use cartoons or violent images of Native Americans. One of the biggest concerns is the physiological impact that this will have on the children. For their part, many Indians feel strongly that these glorified interpretations of their past negate their right to define themselves and have a severe impact on the self-images of their children. â€Å"Copycats,† children somehow understand,† appropriate the power of the people they mimic. † These symbols are a religious significance to every tribe. This is a disrespect to imitate or misuse these symbols. The posters â€Å"Scalp the warriors,† or â€Å"Massacre the Indians. † Whether intended or not, such slogans are racial slurs. Individual tribes each have different symbols and representation. There is little regard for the differences among all the tribes. Native American mascots became an active political issue during the late 1960s. This is when the American Indian Movement (AIM) was founded. The AIM movement caused some of the Indian stereotypes to fall in the Midwest. At the University of Nebraska at Omaha, a chapter of AIM spearheaded a change of mascot from â€Å"Indians† to â€Å"Mavericks,† a beef animal with an attitude in 1971. During the same year Stanford University changed its Indian mascot to a cardinal. In the meantime, Marquette University has replaced â€Å"Warriors† in favor of â€Å"Golden Eagles. † Dartmouth changed its â€Å"Indians† to â€Å"Big Green,† and Miami of Ohio changed â€Å"Redskins† to the â€Å"Redhawks. †The U. S. Commission on Civil Rights believes that the use of Native American images and nicknames in school is insensitive and should be avoided. They declared that â€Å"the stereotyping of any racial, ethnic, religious or other group, when promoted by our public educational institutions, teaches all students that stereotyping of minority groups is acceptable, which is a dangerous lesion in a diverse society. The commission also noted that these nicknames and mascots are â€Å"false portrayals that encourage biases and prejudices that have a negative effect on contemporary Indian people. Native American and civil rights advocates maintain that these mascots may violate anti-discrimination laws. † Mr. Millman co ntends that the Civil Rights Commission’s position contradicts the federal government’s own practices. ‘Why is it all right for the U. S. government to call a piece of its military equipment the Apache,† he said, â€Å"but not for a little school in the Catskills that has had this heritage for 50 years† to call its sports teams the Indians? The National Congress of American Indians launched a campaign to bring an end to the use of Indian sports mascots. Throughout the years schools have continued to change their mascot symbols and names. A moment in history was made in February 2002 when Northern Colorado changed its name from ‘Native Pride† to ‘The Fighting Whites†. The Fighting Whites set thousands of virtual tongues wagging. Everyone had an opinion, from AIM to affiliates of the Ku Klux Klan. The reactions provide a flash-frozen ideoscape of racial humor in an age of political correctness. Within weeks, the Fighting Whites had become nearly as well known as established professional monikers. The publicity helped to sell thousands of T shirts and other items for a hastily endowed scholarship fund to aid Native American students. By the end of 2002, the team had raised $100,000 in merchandise sales for Native American students. This was also called a case of â€Å"Political correctness gone Mad! † How do the people on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian reservation in North Dakota feel? On the Standing Rock Sioux Indian reservation there is a strong Indian tradition. I personally conducted a research project to find out the true feelings of our biggest tribe in the state. I personally interviewed 2,000 people on the telephone or in person on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. I wanted each individual opinion on the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux Mascot. I first conducted interviews with the elderly people on Standing Rock. Conducting my interview I found that on average the Native American people on the Standing Rock Reservation are in favor of the Fighting Sioux Mascot. Everyone asked who suggested and started the process of this ban? I found that a majority of the elderly found the mascot offense and disrespectful. They all believe this was a big racial issue. They said the white people continued to ignore the Native American voice. The elderly people believe in the old Indian ways. They are still angry with our government on how the white people took over the land and confined them to the reservation. I do not predict there will be any way we can change the elderly minds. Speaking to the middle and young adults regarding this issue surprised me. The majority of this group is in favor of the Fighting Sioux mascot. Several members have attended games at the University of North Dakota. They said they held their heads up high before each game when the Indian people were acknowledged. I honestly can say not one school age child was against the mascot. Several of them thought it was sad that there is so much fighting going on. They said the focus should be on educating our Indian people. We need more education across the nation on Native Americans and their history. They felt there was more important things in life that need attention. I spoke with some high school students that will be attending the University of North Dakota in the fall of 2008. They have went and toured the campus. They could not even imagine how the school really supports Native American students and are proud to have them be a part of their school and tradition. The University also offered many scholarships to Native American students each year. After interviewing the students they now have plans of their own. They want to hold a debate to discuss the pros and cons of the mascot. They said they will also include the public in this debate. This visual shows that a majority of the Native Americans do not find the Fighting Sioux Mascot offensive. They believe that the Tribal Chairmen was overstepping his boundaries by speaking for all the people. Mr. His Horses Thunder has been on TV and interviewed by the state capitol’s newspaper. He always states the people of his tribe want this mascots eliminated. Everyone I spoke with had not even spoken to Mr. His Horses Thunder regarding the mascot. They spoke of this symbol with pride and honor. The people thought the best way to decide this is to hold an election on all the reservations in our state. This will allow for all the Indian people to speak their mind. Native Americans should feel honor and pride towards these mascots. I am an enrolled member in the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota. I have personally went to several sporting events where an Indian name or mascot was used. Prior to the start of a game they announce a statement of respect for the Native American people. Schools use the mascots because they stand for power and pride. They represent bravery, courage and fighting skills. The use of these mascots has been a cherished tradition. The Indian mascot symbolizes a local heritage. According to the Sports Illustrated survey 87% of Native Americans who lived off Indian Reservations did not object to the mascots. 7% who lived on the reservation did not object to the mascots. Only 33% who lived on the reservations opposed the mascots. This is an honoring of the country’s Native American past. Schools around the country use these symbols to rally the students together. Several Native American Indians have embraced schools and teams to use their mascots. This battle first started in 1 968 when the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) launches a campaign to address stereotypes images in the media. We are still continuing to fight this battle in 2008. Fans and players are constantly asking themselves if it is right to participate in the sporting events symbolizing Native American names and mascots. Fans seem to have the hardest time at the sporting events. They wonder if they should participate in the chants and cheers. The struggle and fight over the Native American team mascot has caused arguing, violence and vandalism. The mascot issue has also torn school boards apart and made a political nightmare of school board elections. The schools have thought about changing their names to reflect black and white people. The Fighting Whites caused quite a controversy. Why is this issue getting so out of hand? In his foreword to Team Spirits, Vine Deloria, Jr. identifies several reasons: residues of racism, a sense of the Indian as â€Å"other,† and the fact that â€Å"Indians represent the American past, and Europeans and Americans have been fleeing from their own past since the days of discovery and settlement† (King and Springwood, 2001 pp. ix-x). These images are ideological artifacts reflecting attitudes toward â€Å"race, power, and culture† (King and Springwood, 2002, p. 1. ). The controversial issue is causing violence across the United States. People are getting into fist fights. School Boards are fighting amongst each other and with staff. After school board meetings members are finding their vehicles vandalized. Friends and families are engaging in a war. People have been sent to the emergency room after riots broke out. I witnessed a school board meeting that became out of control. Three board members against four board members. They were calling each other names. Threatening each other with violence. Every school board meeting a member of the student council is present. What kind of example did the school board teach this student? This particular student was so scared she left the meeting immediately. The argument was sad and very disrespectful toward the Native American people. We need to quit fighting and come together as one. As a Native American I am proud of our symbols and mascots. Native Americans and American sports fans in general not only support the use of such images, but also believe that the images honor Native Americans. We need to focus on the positive aspects of these mascots and put all our energy into the schools. This has caused big debates throughout the county between communities, school boards, students, and Native American groups. With each opinion this debate will continue to rage on. The best solution to the problem is to let the Native American people vote to decide on the issue. Let the Tribes in our country vote on every mascot that is voice and can be heard. This will let the schools and world know what the majority of the Native American people feel regarding this issue.

Religious Extremism and Islam

Religious extremism cropped up from diverse Islam’s Jihad teachings. The research focuses on the reasons for the religious extremism. The research centers on the different interpretations of the Koran’s Jihad verses. Religious extremism precipitated from some Muslim religion devotees’ diverse interpretation of Koran’s Jihad verses.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Religious Extremism and Islam specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Initially, Paul Heck1 stated Islamic extremism centers on two aspects of the issue. The first aspect is extremism. One group of non-Muslim people may classify the Islamic attacks on innocent civilians as extremism. On the other hand, the Islamic perpetrators of the suicide bombings do not classify themselves as extremists. Paul Heck2 mentioned the second aspect is on the Islam religion. Some Islamic fundamentalism groups do not accept violence as a last re sort. However, all Islam devotees affirm that Jihad is part of their duties. Some groups of Islam devotees prefer to use extreme means to perpetuate their goals for spread Islam. Islam accepts assassinations and bombings, specifically suicide bombings, as the duty of every serious Islam devotee. Likewise, Shireen Burki3 emphasized Islamic terrorism or Jihad is part of the duties of Muslims to achieve their political and religious goals. Islamic terrorism cropped up in many strategic locations around the world. The Islamic extremist attacks occurred in Africa, Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the United States starting in the early 1970s. The most recently devastating Islamic extremist attack occurred in New York on September 11, 2001. Al-Qaeda’s leader, Osama Bin Laden authorized the Islamic extremist attacks. The plane attacks focused on stopping the United States’ political and military presence in the Middle East as well as in the Arabian states. The extremi st attacks also focused on the removing the corrupt and inefficient leaders of the Arab states. Another very loud reason for the extremist religious attacks is to put a stop to the United States’ military, financial, and other aids to Israel. In addition, the extremist attacks focus on returning East Timor and Kashmir under Muslim authority. The extremist members are very active convincing people to join their religious extremist acts. The terrorist attacks include kidnappings for ransom, hijackings, and suicide attacks. Shireen Burki4 opined religious extremism is an offshoot of Islamic teachings. Alia Brahimi reiterated the Islam religion teaches violence as part of the necessary acts of their religion. Religious extremism is the ideology or political act that violates the norms of society. Society norms consider killing a crime. Consequently, an extremist is any person who uses religion as a basis for killing another person.Advertising Looking for research paper on re ligion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Demetrios Caraley5 shows a vivid example is the unforgettable horrors of the September 11, 2001tragedy that hit New York and the Whitehouse. The incident is a direct act on the United States’ democratic ideology. The incident shows that Muslim religion devotees’ religious beliefs may translate to the loss of innocent lives. Osama Bin Laden was instrumental in the attack of United States soil. The secularization of the September 11, 2011 issue equates to the harmful effects of the Islamic religion’s attack on New York City that fateful day. The horrors of the September 11 event awaken the people around the world on the power of religion to kill and maim innocent civilians. The people around the world will not forget the mass suicide of the four groups of Muslim religion devotees who hijacked the four planes. The four Islamic martyr groups did not think twice befo re using the planes to commit suicide. The Islamic martyrs consider themselves rightful heirs to the king of their God, Allah. Andrew Langley6 stated 19 religious extremists hijacked four planes. Two hijacked planes jets crashed on two skyscrapers in New York. Another group rammed the Pentagon complex in Arlington, Virginia. A fourth plane, destined for Washington D.C. crashed before reaching its destination. The airplane passengers were able to fight against the fourth plane’s hijackers. Everyone in all four hijacked planes died. In addition, a majority of the people trapped in the twin towers of New York were murdered. The September 11, 2001 casualty reached 2,974 dead and thousands more injured. In other parts of the world, David Cook7 stated women and men sometimes join suicide bombings are normal activities of religious activities. Cook mentioned many radical Muslims are using the Jihad process to widen their appeal to idealistic Muslim men and women to join in the battl efield’s martyrdom operations. The religious extremist straps bombs inside one’s clothes. When they reach their targets, the religious extremists blow themselves up. As a result, the bombing activities kill both the suicide bomber and a majority of the intended targets.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Religious Extremism and Islam specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, the suicide bombings often cause massive property damages. Normally, the suicide bombers use huge explosive charges to ensure the infliction of a huge toll on major property damage and huge human lives. Malik Mufti8 theorized the Islam religion explains that suicide bombers will receive rewards for killing non-Muslims. For the religious extremists, it is a duty to kill nonbelievers. It is the duty of the religious extremists to persuade the nonbelievers to convert to the Islam religion. The non-Muslim’s refusal to convert to the Islam religion would precipitate to the Muslim’s consideration of the Muslims as enemies. The religious extremists’ killing of non-Muslims for the sake of religious obedience is part of religious activities. Thus, the religious extremists do not have second thoughts on killing innocent civilians. Killing itself may be legal or illegal. Normally, the law allows the killing another person in a self-defense capacity. It is one’s fundamental right to protect oneself against dangers to one’s person, one’s family, and one’s property, especially the home. In addition, the state courts hand down death penalties to some convicted felons. The convicted felons are meted the death penalty for heinous crimes. The killing is classified legal. However, societal norms dictate that the killing innocent civilian, in the pursuit of one’s political or religious ideologies, is illegal. This is true for every suicide bombing activity. Hi storically, many empires have suffered under so-called extremist religious organizations. The implementation of widespread Islamic terrorism complies with the Islamic religion’s duties. The extremist attacks are religiously approved attacks on the apostates. The Koran states Apostates are non-Muslims. Non-Muslims are infidels or enemies under the Koran. However many Muslim scholars and leaders opined the Koran verse on Jihad or attacks on the apostates has been taken out of context. Some Muslim leaders emphasize that the Muslims warriors should implement the Jihad or holy wars only to protect the Muslim people from outside attacks.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Muslim warriors should start a Jihad or holy war to defend their religious beliefs, in case of attacks. Osama Bin Laden emphasized that the United States is an aggressive enemy of the Islam religion. Osama Bin Laden theorized the September 11, 2001 attack on New York City was a defensive Jihad attack. The Muslim leaders are more acceptable to the defensive Jihad attack when compared to the aggressive Jihad attacks. One of major causes persuading Muslims to join the Jihad or holy war is a strong bond. The family bond encourages one member of the family to successful implement a suicide bombing attack. The strong community bond encourages members to be a martyr for the group. A martyr is one who sacrifices one’s life in a suicide bombing attack. Other factors are not as influential in convincing a Muslim devotee to murder innocent Christian civilians. Poverty is not a strong factor. Trauma is a major factor in convincing the Muslim convert to engage in the Jihad or holy war . Being in a mad state is not as influential in convincing the Muslim individual to kidnap a Christian Pastor. Ignorance will not be an equally effective factor in terms of persuading the Muslim adolescent to engage in the Holy war to kill one’s innocent neighbors. The environment is a strong factor in terms of convincing the Muslim devotees to engage in Jihad activities. Muhammad Akbar9 stated the Koran’s Surah 9 verse 111 states â€Å"Allah hath purchased of the Believers their person and their goods; for theirs is the Garden of Paradise. They fight in his cause and slay and are slain.† The quote clearly shows that all Muslim religion devotees must comply with all the religious instructions of the Koran, without exception. Research conducted showed that more Algerians living in France join extremist groups. Likewise, the more Moroccans taking up residence in Spain favor the Jihad activities. Lastly, more The Yemeni persons taking up residence in Saudi Arabia a re eager to join the suicide bombing activities. Many Muslims offer terroristic attachments to the Jihad concept. The Jihad is a struggle to succeed. The Jihad is a Muslim struggle. The Koran imposes the Jihad on the persons, communities, or groups for having harmed a Muslim person, group, or community. John Esposito10 explained the confusion regarding in interpretation of Jihad is understandable. Muslim devotees have to comply with the five pillars of the Islam faith. The Muslim religion devotees consider the Jihad or holy war as the sixth compulsory pillar. The Koran commands Jihad actions in the Muslim devotees’ struggles. Jihad is the Arabian word for struggle. The Prophet Muhammad used the Jihad or holy war to capture reach territories previously controlled by other religions. The Koranic verses serve as the law of the Muslim religion devotees. The Koran verses teach the Muslim religion devotees self-understanding, piety, mobilization, expansion, and defense (Jihad). Dep ending on the Muslim religion devotees’ situation, one’s daily life focuses on fighting injustice, oppression, and spreading the Islam faith. Other Muslim religion devotees’ daily activities include establishing a society that implements just policies on all its residents. The Muslim religion devotees’ daily duties include joining the Jihad or holy war to defend one’s faith against infidels (non-Muslims). In terms of overall impact, the communities have to protect themselves from the extremists. The United States has stepped its homeland defense to counter the Islamic extremist11. The camaraderie of Muslim religion devotees creates a strong bond among the Muslim religion devotees around the world. The Islamic brotherhood includes Muslims from North Africa, Southeast Asia, Sudan, Algeria, the Gulf regions, and the United States. Leaders of the brotherhood include Hasan al-Banna (1906 -1949) and Sayyid Qutb (1906- 1949). Some of the leaders distribut ed Islamic books and other Islamic reading materials. The materials focus on the fundamentalist principles of the Muslim faith. The Islamic religious leaders do their best to use the Koran’s verses to legitimize their extremist killing activities. The increasing distance between the Muslim religion devotees and the Christians continues to widen. Similarly, Abdul Gafoor12 theorizes the literal meaning of Jihad is â€Å"to exert†. I t is the exertion of the intellect as recognized by the Islamic Law, Sharia. Jihad can be accomplished by using one’s heart, tongue, hands, or sword. Jihad is the battle against sin and Satan in the Muslim devotees’ life. Koran’s Verse 110 states â€Å"Ye are the best of peoples evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah.† The Koran verse does not literally state devotees are required to kill innocent civilians. The above verse clearly shows that the devout Muslim religion devotees must comply with all the Koran’s instructions. The Koran states that each Muslim religion devotees must forbid what is wrong. What is wrong includes not helping in the spread of the Islamic faith. All Muslim religion devotees should go out of their way to punish all infidels for maligning or attacking the beliefs of the Muslim faith. In turn, their god, Allah, will reward them for defending their faith against the infidels. For example, Geneive Abdo13 mentioned Essam al Eryan actively complies with all policies and instructions of the Muslim Brothers organization. The Brotherhood is the Middle East’s most powerful Muslim religion devotees ‘ group. Eryan is a doctor and a radio commentator. He often attacks the government’s policies. In return, the government has been irritated by Eryan’s anti-government radio commentaries. As a deputy secretary general of Egypt’s medical doctors’ syndicate, he is a very influential p erson among the citizens. Essam al Eryan was monitored by the state police for his possible contribution to a future Jihad or holy war attack on the top government officials and bombings in public places. Further, the Brotherhood of Muslims covers many countries around the world during the 1990s. The Muslim religion devotees’ extreme efforts to spread the Islamic teachings of their Prophet Mohammad. In Egypt, the Muslim religion devotees live in an environment having a dynamic as well as different relationship among the Muslim religion devotees. The Egyptian experience includes the radical, as well as violent revolutionary Islamic activities and institutionalization of the Muslim religion devotees’ lives as politically and socially comfortable. The police were trying to find the link between Essam al Eryan’s radio commentaries and killings of policemen and tourists in Upper Egypt. The police are finding evidences to prove that Essam al Eryan is instrumental in t he firing of shots on visiting Egyptian cabinet members walking along Cairo’s busy streets. The suspecting of Essam al Eryan is grounded on his caustic criticism of the Egyptian government’s running of the state’s affairs. Essam al Eryan was a radio commentator on British Broadcasting Corporation. The government did its part to try to control the media, including Essam al Eryan’s radio commentaries. However, the Muslim Brotherhood’s primary policies include renouncing the use of violence to pursue their religious goals and objectives. A majority of the Egyptian population were critical and against the government’s secular policies. Based on the above discussion, religious extremism is a different interpretation of Islam’s Jihad teachings. ‘Some groups interpret Jihad to include attacks on innocent civilians. Other Muslim religion leaders and scholars Jihad is allowed only to defend one’s religion, family or community agai nst the infidel attackers. Indeed, religious extremism precipitated from some Muslim religion devotees’ detoured interpretation of Koran’s Jihad verses. Works Cited Abdo, Geneive. No God but God: Egypt and the Triumph of Islam. New York: Oxford Press, 2000:71. Akbar, Muhammad. The Shade of Swords Jihad and the Conflict Between Islam  and Christianity. NewYork: Routledge Press, 2002:12. Burki, Shireen. â€Å"Haram or Halal? Islamists’ Use of Suicide Attacs as â€Å"Jihad†.†Ã‚  Terrorism and Political Violence 23.4 (2011): 582-601. Caraley, Demetrios. September 11, Terrorist Attacks, and U. S. Foreign Policy. New York: Political Science Academy Press, 2003;39. Cook, David. â€Å"Women Fighting in Jihad?† Studies in Conflict and Terrorism 28.5 (2005): 375-384. Esposito, John. What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002;117. Gafoor, Abdul. Islam Jihad: Prejudice versus Reality. New York: Palgrave Press, 20 02;45. Heck, Paul. â€Å"Jihad Revisited.† Journal of Religious Ethics 32.1 (2004): 95-128. Langley, Andrew. September 11: Attack on America. New York: Compass Books, 2006;8. Mufti, Malik. â€Å"The Art of Jihad.† History of Political Thought 28.2 (2007): 189-207. Palmer, Monte, Islamic Extremism: Causes, Diversity, and Challenges. New York: Rowman Littlefield, 2008: 271 Footnotes 1 Heck, Paul. â€Å"Jihad Revisited.† Journal of Religious Ethics 32.1 (2004): 95-128. 2 Heck, Paul. â€Å"Jihad Revisited.† Journal of Religious Ethics 32.1 (2004): 95-128. 3 Burki, Shireen. â€Å"Haram or Halal? Islamists’ Use of Suicide Attacs as â€Å"Jihad†.† Terrorism and Political Violence 23.4 (2011): 582-601. 4 Burki, Shireen. â€Å"Haram or Halal? Islamists’ Use of Suicide Attacs as â€Å"Jihad†.† Terrorism and Political Violence 23.4 (2011): 582- 601. 5 Caraley, Demetrios. September 11, Terrorist Attacks, and United States Fo reign Policy, New York, Political Science Academy Press, 2002; 39. 6 Langley, Andrew. September 11: Attack on America. New York: Compass Books, 2006;8. 7 Cook, David. â€Å"Women Fighting in Jihad?† Studies in Conflict and Terrorism 28.5 (2005): 375-384. 8 Mufti, Malik. â€Å"The Art of Jihad.† History of Political Thought 28.2 (2007): 189-207. 9 Akbar, Muhammad. The Shade of SwordsL Jihad and the Conflict Between Islam and Christianity. NewYork: Routledge Press, 2002, 12. 10 Esposito, John. What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002, 117. 11 Palmer, Monte, Islamic Extremism: Causes, Diversity, and Challenges, New York: Rowman Littlefield, 2008;271 12 Gafoor, Abdul, Islam Jihad: Prejudice versus Reality. 2002; 45. 13 Abdo, Geneive. No God but God: Egypt and the Triumph of Islam. New York: Oxford Press, 2000, 71. This research paper on Religious Extremism and Islam was written and submitted by user Nelson Mclean to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.