http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/22/opinion/ghitis-journalists-syria/index.html
"What The World Owes The Slain Journalists" by Frida Ghitis
This CNN article details two journalists that were killed covering the situation in Syria. Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik were dedicated to their work, even in such turmoil, because they felt it was important that the world knew what was happening.
This article is more of a tribute than a hard news piece and Ghitis is in admiration of Colvin and Ochlik, and others like them. Most telling of her feelings, she writes, "I believe they subscribed to my own journalistic creed, that what happens everywhere, anywhere, deserves our attention. We are all citizens of the world. When a dictator massacres his people, we cannot, we should not, avert our gaze."
Ghitis writes about journalists as great altruists. She praises their courage to put themselves in the line of danger, for the greater good: "Let's remember that hundreds of reporters and photographers and producers risk their lives every day because they want us all to see the reality of what is happening in our dangerous, turbulent world. Let's remember that hundreds of them have died -- in the crossfire, in accidents, in medical emergencies away from medical facilities -- because they chose to take risk. They chose to take the risk, but they did not choose to die."
I read this piece, and I cannot help but be moved. Ghitis does not come out and use the word altruism, but that is so clearly what is being described. In this case, the journalists were the ultimate altruists. They willingly gave up their lives for the good of others.
I think it is remarkable that the journalists did that, because extreme altruism is so rare. This is not to say the journalists were pure altruists, all the time. But in their work, in this way, they were just that. Most people would not make the choice they make, particularly over and over again.
Ghitis is right in saying we ought to behave differently toward journalists. They deserve our thanks and praise for their service, similar to our military men and women. Journalists are fighting the intellectual part of our wars.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Teen drinking dead
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/bs-md-co-teen-death-20120221,0,2002827.story
This Baltimore Sun article talks about an incident that has haunted me for a little over a week. On February 18, a 13-year old boy was killed in a tragic accident. Michael Thomas Truluck had been out with friends drinking Four Loko, an energy drink with alcohol.
Truluck had thrown up twice when his mother's fiance picked him up. Once in the moving vehicle, he again needed to vomit and unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the car door, and leaned out to throw up. Instead he fell our of the car and was hit by another vehicle. He was rushed to a local hospital where he died hours later.
Truluck's mother has been an image of strength and grace. She has spoken freely to the media, in hopes that her family's tragedy can be an example for others. She has urged parents to pay more attention to their children, as she herself had no idea her son drank. She has urged her son's friends to stop their drinking, to see the real life dangers and risks.
Truluck was a student at Parkville Middle School. I work at Parkville High School. For the last week I have seen memorial t-shirts worn and heard of the candlelight vigils. One of my favorite student-athletes was neighbors with Truluck. My heart aches for these students.
My fear, the underlying tragedy, is that Truluck's mother's message will be missed. The majority of students I hear are lamenting that Michael was wearing his seatbelt. They are saying "if only" in regards to him buckling up, but not about the drinking.
This article states that about 2,000 high-school and college-age youths died from alcohol poisoning in 2010. It's sad to see a local face become a statistic, but that is an important number. My wish for my students is that they learn this statistic, and having a face to put to it makes it more real.
The classic immaturity of the students is to not know the law is there for a good reason. They think they are invincible, that these actions are cool. They fail to realize that some rules are not made to be broken, but are in place for a good reason. It's tragic, yet understandable that teenagers cannot comprehend this.
It's tragic, and not at all understandable to me, that adults don't realize this. Truluck and his friends acquired alcohol from an unidentified adult. This fact is the greatest ethical issue I see here. No driver involved was or will be charged with anything relating to Michael's death. He alone was at fault for taking of his seatbelt and opening the door. However, should the adult who purchased the alcohol be identified, I can only hope they will be charged with everything applicable. Morally, I believe that person has the greatest cross to bear.
This Baltimore Sun article talks about an incident that has haunted me for a little over a week. On February 18, a 13-year old boy was killed in a tragic accident. Michael Thomas Truluck had been out with friends drinking Four Loko, an energy drink with alcohol.
Truluck had thrown up twice when his mother's fiance picked him up. Once in the moving vehicle, he again needed to vomit and unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the car door, and leaned out to throw up. Instead he fell our of the car and was hit by another vehicle. He was rushed to a local hospital where he died hours later.
Truluck's mother has been an image of strength and grace. She has spoken freely to the media, in hopes that her family's tragedy can be an example for others. She has urged parents to pay more attention to their children, as she herself had no idea her son drank. She has urged her son's friends to stop their drinking, to see the real life dangers and risks.
Truluck was a student at Parkville Middle School. I work at Parkville High School. For the last week I have seen memorial t-shirts worn and heard of the candlelight vigils. One of my favorite student-athletes was neighbors with Truluck. My heart aches for these students.
My fear, the underlying tragedy, is that Truluck's mother's message will be missed. The majority of students I hear are lamenting that Michael was wearing his seatbelt. They are saying "if only" in regards to him buckling up, but not about the drinking.
This article states that about 2,000 high-school and college-age youths died from alcohol poisoning in 2010. It's sad to see a local face become a statistic, but that is an important number. My wish for my students is that they learn this statistic, and having a face to put to it makes it more real.
The classic immaturity of the students is to not know the law is there for a good reason. They think they are invincible, that these actions are cool. They fail to realize that some rules are not made to be broken, but are in place for a good reason. It's tragic, yet understandable that teenagers cannot comprehend this.
It's tragic, and not at all understandable to me, that adults don't realize this. Truluck and his friends acquired alcohol from an unidentified adult. This fact is the greatest ethical issue I see here. No driver involved was or will be charged with anything relating to Michael's death. He alone was at fault for taking of his seatbelt and opening the door. However, should the adult who purchased the alcohol be identified, I can only hope they will be charged with everything applicable. Morally, I believe that person has the greatest cross to bear.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Dead, unnoticed in public for 23 hours
http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-02-04/news/31022949_1_waitress-grim-discovery-chen
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Chris Brown: women want to be beaten?
Do women want Chris Brown to beat them? http://bit.ly/yZFXgn (via @cnn)
Dog bit anchor; going home
http://www.9news.com/news/article/249501/222/Animal-shelter-Dog-who-bit-news-anchor-will-go-home
Here's a happy story in the news, even though it was born out of potential tragedy.
Max, an Argentine Mastiff, bit a news anchor, Kyle Dyer, when Dyer was interviewing the dog and the canine's owner. Max was trapped on an icy pond and his owner, a firefighter, risked his life to rescue the dog.
Max bit Dyer in the face during the interview. Per Denver regulations and policy, Max was quarantined at the animal shelter for 10-days, before being returned home to his owner.
Dyer received medical treatment and also was able to return home without issue.
The remarkable aspect of this incident is Ms. Dyer herself. When an animal attacks, with or without provocation, the reaction of the victim heavily sways the outcome of the animal's life. By choosing to be calm and not see herself as a victim, Dyer essentially saved Max's life. Good, bad, or indifferent, animal attack outcomes are typically left to subjective opinion. Had Dyer reacted strongly to this incident, she easily could've campaigned for and won the decision to have Max put down.
Instead of perpetuating the problem, and adding problem upon problem, Dyer and her news station went public to address the proper way of interacting with a new dog. The suggestions given by the animal behaviorist, Suzanne Hetts, indicate Dyer was partially responsible for Max's attack.
By putting her ego aside and considering what was important and what was right, Dyer was actually able to save the life of another living creature (and how Buddhist?!)
Footnote: Here are the 10 tips for interacting with a new dog, as featured on the 9NEWS show (courtesy of Hetts):
1. Let the dog come to you - don't reach for the dog
2. Keep your hands near your side
3. Avoid eye contact
4. Avoid facing the dog - turn the side of your body to the dog
5. Stand up straight or sit on the floor - don't lean over the dog
6. Keep your face away from the dog's face
7. No hugging or kissing unless you know the dog very well
8. Pet the dog under the chin
9. Limit speaking to the dog
10. Always watch the dog's body language
Here's a happy story in the news, even though it was born out of potential tragedy.
Max, an Argentine Mastiff, bit a news anchor, Kyle Dyer, when Dyer was interviewing the dog and the canine's owner. Max was trapped on an icy pond and his owner, a firefighter, risked his life to rescue the dog.
Max bit Dyer in the face during the interview. Per Denver regulations and policy, Max was quarantined at the animal shelter for 10-days, before being returned home to his owner.
Dyer received medical treatment and also was able to return home without issue.
The remarkable aspect of this incident is Ms. Dyer herself. When an animal attacks, with or without provocation, the reaction of the victim heavily sways the outcome of the animal's life. By choosing to be calm and not see herself as a victim, Dyer essentially saved Max's life. Good, bad, or indifferent, animal attack outcomes are typically left to subjective opinion. Had Dyer reacted strongly to this incident, she easily could've campaigned for and won the decision to have Max put down.
Instead of perpetuating the problem, and adding problem upon problem, Dyer and her news station went public to address the proper way of interacting with a new dog. The suggestions given by the animal behaviorist, Suzanne Hetts, indicate Dyer was partially responsible for Max's attack.
By putting her ego aside and considering what was important and what was right, Dyer was actually able to save the life of another living creature (and how Buddhist?!)
Footnote: Here are the 10 tips for interacting with a new dog, as featured on the 9NEWS show (courtesy of Hetts):
1. Let the dog come to you - don't reach for the dog
2. Keep your hands near your side
3. Avoid eye contact
4. Avoid facing the dog - turn the side of your body to the dog
5. Stand up straight or sit on the floor - don't lean over the dog
6. Keep your face away from the dog's face
7. No hugging or kissing unless you know the dog very well
8. Pet the dog under the chin
9. Limit speaking to the dog
10. Always watch the dog's body language
Dem women protest hearing
http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/sarahposner/5705/democratic_women_walk_out_of_%22freedom_of_religion%22_hearing_%7c_/
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Prop 8 unconstitutional
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204136404577209183209519256.html?KEYWORDS=JESS+BRAVIN
"Court Rejects Ban on Gay Marriage" by Geoffrey Fowler and Jess Bravin
Fowler and Bravin's article focuses on the federal appellate court ruling that California's ban on gay marriages (Prop 8) was unconstitutional, specifically in violation of the 14th Amendment. If this ruling is upheld, gay marriages will be allowed to resume in California. Recognizing same-sex marriage was not mandated.
The judges ruled in such a manner that was said to be obviously attempting to avoid scrutiny.
One of the leaders of the Prop 8 movement said that they always knew this battle would ultimately be decided in the Supreme Court. Further appeals are expected to make their way to Capitol Hill.
The other side talked about fairness and equality and discrimination.
The article goes on to discuss the "what if" scenario of when this issue will be heard by the Supreme Court. The theory proposed (based on liberal/conservative agendas of justices) is that Justice Kennedy would be the deciding vote, one way or another.
This article excites me, because it's a cause I care about. I cannot wait to see this issue brought before the Supreme Court, and I hope that the Appellate Court's ruling that banning same-sex marriages is unconstitutional holds true.
I think seeing issues like this provides an interesting look into what people value most. An individuals value system is inseparable from where they stand on issues like this. Is it a civil rights issue? Is religion a good reason to stand on?
Certainly there is a bit of absolutism when discussing the US Constitution.
"Court Rejects Ban on Gay Marriage" by Geoffrey Fowler and Jess Bravin
Fowler and Bravin's article focuses on the federal appellate court ruling that California's ban on gay marriages (Prop 8) was unconstitutional, specifically in violation of the 14th Amendment. If this ruling is upheld, gay marriages will be allowed to resume in California. Recognizing same-sex marriage was not mandated.
The judges ruled in such a manner that was said to be obviously attempting to avoid scrutiny.
One of the leaders of the Prop 8 movement said that they always knew this battle would ultimately be decided in the Supreme Court. Further appeals are expected to make their way to Capitol Hill.
The other side talked about fairness and equality and discrimination.
The article goes on to discuss the "what if" scenario of when this issue will be heard by the Supreme Court. The theory proposed (based on liberal/conservative agendas of justices) is that Justice Kennedy would be the deciding vote, one way or another.
This article excites me, because it's a cause I care about. I cannot wait to see this issue brought before the Supreme Court, and I hope that the Appellate Court's ruling that banning same-sex marriages is unconstitutional holds true.
I think seeing issues like this provides an interesting look into what people value most. An individuals value system is inseparable from where they stand on issues like this. Is it a civil rights issue? Is religion a good reason to stand on?
Certainly there is a bit of absolutism when discussing the US Constitution.
Wash State same sex marriage
Washington state lawmakers OK same-sex marriage http://bit.ly/wlyUVq (via @cnn)
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Brain bank: concussions
Brain bank examines athletes' hard hits http://bit.ly/xHNTgJ (via @cnn)
The day after homecoming, Nathan complained of headaches. But nothing unusual, until five days later, when his mom received a call from his athletics trainer. "Nathan's telling me he's still having headaches. You need to go take him to the emergency room.'"
Kansas is one of 34 states that require a player to be cleared by a health care professional before they return to play. In addition, Kansas also requires that players and their parents sign a waiver acknowledging the risks of concussions.
Ex-NFL players talk about concussionsBut right before halftime, his parents noticed Nathan was acting strangely. "I watched him walk off the field, and I said, 'He's walking funny.' I mean, I know that kid so well," said Connie. Her phone rang. It was someone on the bench by Nathan.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta has been following the 2011 season of a North Carolina high school football team. In 2008, a player on the team died after sustaining a head injury during a game. For a closer look at the health and safety issues on the playing field, watch "Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Big Hits, Broken Dreams," this Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET.
(CNN) -- For 17-year-old Nathan Stiles, his senior year was supposed to be the best yet.
He was a straight-A student and homecoming king at Spring Hill, Kansas, High School, and was the Broncos' star running back. He was a starter on the varsity basketball team and loved to sing at church. He was the son any mother dreamed of having.
His mom, Connie, recalls, "He was an athlete, but school was important. His grades, his teachers and just having a family ... he had his priorities right."
The final game of his senior year turned out to be the final game of his life. Nathan died playing the game he loved, football. His autopsy would reveal he died of second-impact syndrome, when a player is hit again before the brain has had a chance to heal from an initial concussion.
But it would turn out that those repetitive hits Nathan took on the field would also make him the youngest reported case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). It's a degenerative disease found in football players and other athletes in contact sports who get repeated hits to their heads.
Kansas is one of 34 states that require a player to be cleared by a health care professional before they return to play. In addition, Kansas also requires that players and their parents sign a waiver acknowledging the risks of concussions.
And so Connie did. Nathan had a CT scan and the doctors reported a clean bill of health. Yet, to be on the safe side, doctors kept him out of play for three weeks.
When Connie and Nathan returned to the doctor's office three weeks later, Connie remembers Nathan turning to her and asking "Now, Mom, are you OK with this?" She didn't want him to, but it was hard for her to say no. "You know, it's his choice," she said.
His first game back, Connie remembers him getting hit. "I saw him kind of get stunned. But he walks out and tells Ron, 'Oh I've never felt better, that was the best game, I never felt so good.'" He even took his ACTs the following day and had no complaints. The headaches that had bothered Nathan several weeks before were gone, or at least appeared so to his parents.
Big hits, broken dreams
The following week was the final game of his career. Nathan intercepted the ball and sprinted toward the end zone. Touchdown. "If you would watch him run, he had a flow about him that was just beautiful. I mean it looked so graceful," remembers his dad, Ron.
PareExplain it to me: ConcussionsEx-NFL players talk about concussionsBut right before halftime, his parents noticed Nathan was acting strangely. "I watched him walk off the field, and I said, 'He's walking funny.' I mean, I know that kid so well," said Connie. Her phone rang. It was someone on the bench by Nathan.
"Get over here. Something's wrong," she heard.
By the time Ron and Connie made it to the bench, it was too late. Nathan had collapsed on the sidelines. His mother rushed to his side, trying to get him to wake up. "Come on buddy, it's your mama, come on!" she urged. But instead of waking up, Nathan began seizuring.
He was airlifted to The University of Kansas Medical Center, some 50 miles away, and rushed into surgery. Four hours later, the doctors came out to tell Ron and Connie they stopped the bleeding in his brain, but Nathan's lungs and heart were too weak to go on.
By 4 a.m. the following morning, Nathan was off life support.
Nathan's autopsy revealed he died from multiple hits to the head, also known as second impact syndrome. As Ron and Connie tried to determine what was next, Ron received a call he never expected. "You know when you get a telephone call after your son dies saying they want your son's brain, sometimes that's a hard call to get."
On the other end of the line was Chris Nowinski, one of the co-directors of the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy. The center works with the VA Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy (CSTE) Brain Bank, and together they work to understand what those hard hits on the field are doing to the brain, by looking inside the brain.
Nowinski spends his time tracking football and sport related deaths and having to make the difficult calls to their families. "I have called hundred of families within 48 hours of their loved ones dying, and it's never easy." Instead he focuses on the fact that the bank's work will protect families in the future. "I hate every call we make, but you know, I honestly, I have to prep and think of the positives that come out of it."
The Brain Bank is the world's largest collection of athlete brains. Since its inception in 2008, the bank has documented more than 50 cases of CTE. Much of that work is in the hands of Dr. Ann McKee, the bank's director and neuropathologist. She actually dissects the brain to track the trauma, and what she's finding in the brains of some players in their 40s and 50s is astonishing.
"You expect a pristine brain. I saw a brain that was riddled with tau proteins. I was stunned at how similar that brain was to the boxers who lived into their 70s," she said. Tau proteins are the same type of proteins found in brains of Alzheimer's patients.
But to see the same type of damage in 17-year-old Nathan Stiles' brain was something that surprised even McKee. It's the youngest case she's documented, and for her that was a call to action. "It tells you that we've really got to protect our kids," she said. "It's not just car seats and seatbelts, but it's making sure that when they go out to play sports that we take proper precaution and we give them proper advice."
And that means making sure that athletes take the time to recover from concussions, and making sure they aren't playing symptomatic, while having headaches or memory problems.
For Ron and Connie Stiles, the findings and the warnings were too late to save their son. But Ron knows that Nathan's legacy will live on as researchers learn more about concussions and how to treat them.
"I think there are some issues that need to be looked at, and I think that's happening," he said. "And I think that Nathan is helping that."
Second teacher arrested
Second teacher arrest in lewd bondage inquiry http://bit.ly/Ae4SHT (via @cnn)
In one week's time two different teachers at Miramonte Elementary School have been arrested due to allegations of lewd acts on children.
First, Mark Berndt, 61, was arrested and charged with 23 acts of lewd conduct on a child. Berndt was accused of photographing more than two-dozen students while they were bound in his classroom. The photos also show spoons filled with a substance (suspected to be semen) by the students' mouths.
The second teacher arrested was 49-year old Martin Springer. Springer was accused of fondling two 7-year old girls.
It is unknown if the two girls Springer molested were also involved in Berndt's "game".
I said it in a previous article, and I'll say it again. Adults have a responsibility to children. We are supposed to protect them. School system employees particularly make the choice to take on that responsibility. The welfare of others is not optional.
I suppose this issue would make a compelling argument against hedonism. I can only assume the teachers alleged acts gave them some form of pleasure, and it appears that seeking their pleasure was the only concern. I believe pleasure is not bad, in and of itself, but pleasure at the expense of harm to others is wrong.
In one week's time two different teachers at Miramonte Elementary School have been arrested due to allegations of lewd acts on children.
First, Mark Berndt, 61, was arrested and charged with 23 acts of lewd conduct on a child. Berndt was accused of photographing more than two-dozen students while they were bound in his classroom. The photos also show spoons filled with a substance (suspected to be semen) by the students' mouths.
The second teacher arrested was 49-year old Martin Springer. Springer was accused of fondling two 7-year old girls.
It is unknown if the two girls Springer molested were also involved in Berndt's "game".
I said it in a previous article, and I'll say it again. Adults have a responsibility to children. We are supposed to protect them. School system employees particularly make the choice to take on that responsibility. The welfare of others is not optional.
I suppose this issue would make a compelling argument against hedonism. I can only assume the teachers alleged acts gave them some form of pleasure, and it appears that seeking their pleasure was the only concern. I believe pleasure is not bad, in and of itself, but pleasure at the expense of harm to others is wrong.
DUI pardon
http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/03/justice/mississippi-pardon-dui/index.html
(Side note: I'm realizing that so far every article I've found to discuss the ethics of is a tragic instance. I really hope by the end of the semester I find something that is a positive, perhaps an example of ethics at work.)
This article looks at the drunken driving record of a Mississippi man named Harry Bostick, and how he was pardoned by the former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour.
Bostick, a convicted felon, was jailed for violating the terms of a previous DUI sentence. While in jail he applied for and was granted a full pardon for his felony DUI from March 2009. The 2009 arrest was Bostick's third DUI.
One week after Bostick was driving drunk and was involved in an accident that killed an 18-year old girl.
A review of Bostick's pardon application details the high-profile supporters he had. His pardon was also expedited by Barbour's final term coming to an end.
The Parole Board says they don't know how this could've happened; the governor's representative says he didn't know about subsequent charges. In short, no one wants to take responsibility.
Politics will also be an easy target for ethical studies. So often the game is about "who you know" and politicians pat each other on the back. They seem to live by different standards than the average person. It seems that's what happened here. Bostick was awarded a fourth chance and released from jail largely due to the status of the people in his corner.
Is this justice? Not even close. This is injustice, in the most plain sense. As Aristotle would say, this is lack of virtue. I'm not naive enough to think the average politician is moral, but I wish that corruption weren't so prevalent.
(Side note: I'm realizing that so far every article I've found to discuss the ethics of is a tragic instance. I really hope by the end of the semester I find something that is a positive, perhaps an example of ethics at work.)
This article looks at the drunken driving record of a Mississippi man named Harry Bostick, and how he was pardoned by the former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour.
Bostick, a convicted felon, was jailed for violating the terms of a previous DUI sentence. While in jail he applied for and was granted a full pardon for his felony DUI from March 2009. The 2009 arrest was Bostick's third DUI.
One week after Bostick was driving drunk and was involved in an accident that killed an 18-year old girl.
A review of Bostick's pardon application details the high-profile supporters he had. His pardon was also expedited by Barbour's final term coming to an end.
The Parole Board says they don't know how this could've happened; the governor's representative says he didn't know about subsequent charges. In short, no one wants to take responsibility.
Politics will also be an easy target for ethical studies. So often the game is about "who you know" and politicians pat each other on the back. They seem to live by different standards than the average person. It seems that's what happened here. Bostick was awarded a fourth chance and released from jail largely due to the status of the people in his corner.
Is this justice? Not even close. This is injustice, in the most plain sense. As Aristotle would say, this is lack of virtue. I'm not naive enough to think the average politician is moral, but I wish that corruption weren't so prevalent.
NY Town: tics, Erin Brocovich
http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/03/us/new-york-students-illness/index.html
This CNN article first struck me as something out of a modern horror movie. In LeRoy, New York, 16 people (14 teen girls, one teen boy, and one 36-year old woman) have suddenly developed strange symptoms: uncontrollable twitching and verbal tics. Most patients have been diagnosed with "conversion disorder" and their doctors are saying stress is the most likely cause. Nothing can account for that number of patients in such a small town though.
The 15 teenagers all attend the same high school; school and EPA officials guarantee everything is safe there. However, environmental groups have doubts. Erin Brockovich, famously portrayed by Julia Roberts in a 2000 film detailing her early activism/investigative career, got involved after hearing about a toxic spill (1 ton of cyanide and 30,000 gallons of trichloroethylene) from 41-years ago.
The article goes on to detail the symptoms and experiences of some of the patients.
Reading this article leaves me horrified. I have to stop to challenge myself to shut down my emotional reactions, but the parallels to Brockovich's early work, combined with her involvement, make it difficult for me to read this and remain neutral.
There are two glaring moral areas I see, and they both deal with responsibility and duty. One is in relation to each other, to children specifically. The other is in relation to the environment, our planet.
Environmentally we all have a responsibility to protect our world and our resources. We have to be concerned with what chemicals we use and allow to get into our water, soil, etc. To read about a spill is just a devastating disappointment. However the spill may have occurred, someone and some corporation bears the moral burden of being at fault. More recently, this reminds me of the Gulf Coast oil spill. Accidents happen, but when they destroy natural habitats, the ripple effect is widespread.
In relation to our children, students, this is just horrifying. Adults have a responsibility to the youth and the school system especially. I coach at a public high school and know that my first and foremost job is to help these students. I am responsible for their well-being when they are with me and I am supposed to teach them and help them have better lives. Coaching a sport is really a secondary or tertiary responsibility.
Though I'm not a moral absolutist, I have no problem saying that other school system employees ought to feel the same responsibility, because it is one that you volunteer for. To read that school officials want to promise that everything is safe does not surprise me. They are obviously concerned with covering their own butts, but it's disappointing. There are some instances where I believe the right thing to do is focus on the well-being of others, and this is a perfect example of such a time.
This CNN article first struck me as something out of a modern horror movie. In LeRoy, New York, 16 people (14 teen girls, one teen boy, and one 36-year old woman) have suddenly developed strange symptoms: uncontrollable twitching and verbal tics. Most patients have been diagnosed with "conversion disorder" and their doctors are saying stress is the most likely cause. Nothing can account for that number of patients in such a small town though.
The 15 teenagers all attend the same high school; school and EPA officials guarantee everything is safe there. However, environmental groups have doubts. Erin Brockovich, famously portrayed by Julia Roberts in a 2000 film detailing her early activism/investigative career, got involved after hearing about a toxic spill (1 ton of cyanide and 30,000 gallons of trichloroethylene) from 41-years ago.
The article goes on to detail the symptoms and experiences of some of the patients.
Reading this article leaves me horrified. I have to stop to challenge myself to shut down my emotional reactions, but the parallels to Brockovich's early work, combined with her involvement, make it difficult for me to read this and remain neutral.
There are two glaring moral areas I see, and they both deal with responsibility and duty. One is in relation to each other, to children specifically. The other is in relation to the environment, our planet.
Environmentally we all have a responsibility to protect our world and our resources. We have to be concerned with what chemicals we use and allow to get into our water, soil, etc. To read about a spill is just a devastating disappointment. However the spill may have occurred, someone and some corporation bears the moral burden of being at fault. More recently, this reminds me of the Gulf Coast oil spill. Accidents happen, but when they destroy natural habitats, the ripple effect is widespread.
In relation to our children, students, this is just horrifying. Adults have a responsibility to the youth and the school system especially. I coach at a public high school and know that my first and foremost job is to help these students. I am responsible for their well-being when they are with me and I am supposed to teach them and help them have better lives. Coaching a sport is really a secondary or tertiary responsibility.
Though I'm not a moral absolutist, I have no problem saying that other school system employees ought to feel the same responsibility, because it is one that you volunteer for. To read that school officials want to promise that everything is safe does not surprise me. They are obviously concerned with covering their own butts, but it's disappointing. There are some instances where I believe the right thing to do is focus on the well-being of others, and this is a perfect example of such a time.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Post soccer match riot causes 70+ deaths
From my MSNBC app: http://bit.ly/Apj7h9
This article discusses a great tragedy in Cairo -- 74 people (one of whom was a police officer) reported dead after a riot following a soccer match. The best team in Egypt, Al-Ahly, lost in a shocking upset to Al-Masry, which caused fans (soccer fans are known as hooligans for a reason) to riot. The final score was 3-1.
Struck by the enormity of this event, the goalkeeper for Al-Ahly was quoted as saying he and his teammates had made the decision to quit playing soccer.
This article connects this riot to recent politically-inspired violence, although there is no real relation. This riot was purely about the game. There is just a familiarity about the violence in the streets. The greatest similarity seems to be the lack of police control, in any case of violence or rioting.
An even greater tragedy is that this isn't the first such post-soccer riot and likely won't be the last. History is strewn with such riots after matches. The article reports that this incident was the worst since 1996, when a stampede left 78 people dead in a Guatemalan stadium.
When this alert popped up on my phone today I wasn't even surprised. More than anything, that saddened me. Soccer is something I am very passionate about, but even I cannot emotionally comprehend how it turns into this type of a situation.
In class last night, we touched on values and how they pertain to an individuals code of ethics. I think this is a strong example of how values can affect peoples choices. For less privileged people, in poorer countries than the USA, they seem to place a much higher value on their city's or country's pride in context of sports.
I have been known to cry over sports losses, and even that is an extreme for a middle class American. But to storm a field, stampeding and crushing those around me? As important as sports are, the situation would have to be very different to prompt me to react so strongly.
This article discusses a great tragedy in Cairo -- 74 people (one of whom was a police officer) reported dead after a riot following a soccer match. The best team in Egypt, Al-Ahly, lost in a shocking upset to Al-Masry, which caused fans (soccer fans are known as hooligans for a reason) to riot. The final score was 3-1.
Struck by the enormity of this event, the goalkeeper for Al-Ahly was quoted as saying he and his teammates had made the decision to quit playing soccer.
This article connects this riot to recent politically-inspired violence, although there is no real relation. This riot was purely about the game. There is just a familiarity about the violence in the streets. The greatest similarity seems to be the lack of police control, in any case of violence or rioting.
An even greater tragedy is that this isn't the first such post-soccer riot and likely won't be the last. History is strewn with such riots after matches. The article reports that this incident was the worst since 1996, when a stampede left 78 people dead in a Guatemalan stadium.
When this alert popped up on my phone today I wasn't even surprised. More than anything, that saddened me. Soccer is something I am very passionate about, but even I cannot emotionally comprehend how it turns into this type of a situation.
In class last night, we touched on values and how they pertain to an individuals code of ethics. I think this is a strong example of how values can affect peoples choices. For less privileged people, in poorer countries than the USA, they seem to place a much higher value on their city's or country's pride in context of sports.
I have been known to cry over sports losses, and even that is an extreme for a middle class American. But to storm a field, stampeding and crushing those around me? As important as sports are, the situation would have to be very different to prompt me to react so strongly.
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