Abortion: Should Abortion Be Legal?

Abortion: Should Abortion Be Legal? Throughout the history people have agreed and disagreed with many significant issues. And in the face of controversial arguments everyone has their very own opinion. Even though it is more likely that reasonable people might agree with a logical argument, there are some that are not very easy to convince because it contradicts their view points. Such is the case of the controversial issue of abortion. To understand better why people support abortion, first we have to comprehend what abortion is.According to the National Right to Life, the term abortion refers to â€Å"any premature expulsion of a human fetus, whether naturally spontaneous, as in a miscarriage, or artificially induced, as in a surgical or chemical abortion. † (www. nrlc. org, March 4, 2013). The definition is only useful to appreciate the real problem more precisely. In this paper I will focus on four key arguments that support pro-abortion; and I will present my opinion on e ach one to evaluate if the argument works or not through the usage of rhetorical thinking.Finally, I will conclude by briefly stating my opinion regarding this issue after analyzing these arguments of the other side of the coin. One of the most talked about arguments that support abortion is â€Å"Abortion is a Fundamental Right. † In Jan. 22, 1973 the US Supreme Court recognized â€Å"A woman's right to choose abortion is a ‘fundamental right’† in the case Roe v. Wade. Lower federal courts had declared†¦ denying a woman the right to decide whether to carry a pregnancy to term violated basic privacy and liberty interests contained in the Constitution.The court concluded that Constitutional rights to privacy and liberty protected a woman's right to terminate her pregnancy. †(NAF. org, 5 March 2013). This is a strong argument because it is about abortion in the terms of its legal premises. The Supreme Court had to give the woman the reason because that is what is written in the Constitution. Besides, it is much easier to let a person win a case than changing the Constitution. Even though the arguments presented in court defended the woman very assuredly.The final decision did not even mention any rights of the potential life that was forming or whatsoever, which is wrong because the woman can do anything that she wants with her body, but the fetus that I inside her is a totally distinct individual with different DNA and factions. For these reasons, this argument is a dilemma because while abortion gives the woman the right to make decisions on her body, it eliminates the legal rights of the unborn child. Another slightly more sensible pro-abortion argument is â€Å"Abortion in the Case of Pregnancy Due to Rape. According to the website Libertarians for Life, â€Å"Pregnancy due to rape acts against the woman's liberty. In some sense, it's a perpetuation of the aggression of the rapist. Regardless of the practical problems of pregnancy, rape is a major trauma, and the pregnancy complicates that still further. † (Walter, 10 March 2013). This argument has a sense of pathos, in the way that it conveys a tragic experience with an undesired pregnancy. The author highlights how keeping the pregnancy could lead to a major psychological trauma.A different but as well as sensible pro-abortion topic is the issue of â€Å"Abortion gives couples the option to choose not to birth babies with severe and life-threatening medical conditions. † According to PROCON. org, â€Å"The X syndrome, the most common genetic form of mental retardation, affects about 1 in 4,000 males and 1 in 8,000 females. One in 800 babies have Down Syndrome, and one in 3,500 babies are born with Cystic Fibrosis. It is not right to sentence a child to life with an acute handicap. † (PROCON. org, 5 March 2013) This argument conveys a lot of sense of pathos.It is effective because the only people that can actually understand this deeply are the parents and family involved. However, I still strongly disagree with taking away an innocent human’s life. Besides, with so many technological advantages, it is sad to see that people don’t test themselves before deciding to have a baby and later find, during the pregnancy, that the baby that’s coming will have a mental or physical disadvantage. In addition, there is no proof that showing that Down Syndrome people feel ‘sentenced’ or in any disadvantage.It is just the parents that see that the baby is different, not the baby himself. Therefore, this should also be considered a hasty generalization because the family and others see that the baby will be born with a disadvantage, they think that the baby will be miserable—but there’s no proof of that. Mary Gordon, a pro-choice woman author of A Moral Choice, gives her opinion and brings up a very important issue in favor of abortion: â€Å"Abortion transformed from a public into a private issue. She stated that â€Å"The RU-486 pill, which can induce abortion early on, exists. † She added that women were going to obtain it whether or not it is â€Å"legally available. † Her claim is that â€Å"If abortion can occur through chemical rather than physical means, in the privacy of one’s home, most people not directly involved will lose interest in it. As abortion is transformed from a public into a private issue, it will cease to be perceived as political; it will be called personal instead. † (Gordon 190).I think Gordon is right at some point—when she softens out the issue that by making a medical rather than a physical abortion it would then become more personal rather than political, some people might even change their view point, just like they did with the morning-after pill. However, I still believe that if there is already a morning-after pill, then there should be no reason for any woman to wait until conf irming her pregnancy in order to take action. Why not taking the morning-after-pill after an unprotected intercourse to avoid any problem on the first place?Time is very crucial in all aspects; women that wait to see if they are pregnant take a very high risk that can lead to either an unwanted pregnancy or worse—an abortion. On the other hand, I think she is trying to cover the sun with one finger. She is exposing a slippery slope fallacy by sort of saying that if people don’t see the problem, then there should be no problem at all, which isn’t true because not by covering the problem, it will make it disappear. Who knows maybe by doing abortions at home there could be more risks involved.In conclusion, I believe that Abortion is a cruel, immature and unfair way to end a pregnancy. No one should end a pregnancy because it is their responsibility to use contraceptives on the first place. If a woman cannot afford to buy contraceptives, then she should control her instincts instead of getting pregnant to get rid of the unborn baby afterwards. Besides, medicine is so advanced nowadays which really makes abortion a despicable choice for an apathetic woman.Even though, I do respect their opinions regarding their â€Å"freedom†, I do not think that they have much of consideration for the lives of their unborn babies. The reasons why a woman could end her pregnancy are endless. There are tons of excuses—some good others not much—that will always come into sight, but if we start taking wise choices from the beginning, then, we will be able to determine that who pays the consequences is not the person that made the damage but the innocent baby that the mom-to-be does not want to give the right to live.Moreover, if abortion was made illegal again, then hundreds of lives would be saved every year. Besides, life is the most valuable gift anyone can have and possibly give. But like the saying goes: to each their own. Since abortion is legal, it is really up to the woman to take a wise and moral decision and to opt for different alternatives before abortion. Works Cited: Gordon, Mary. â€Å"Should Abortion Be Restricted? † Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Political Issues. By George McKenna and Stanley Feingold. 18th ed. N. p. : McGraw-Hill Companies,Inc, 2012. 188-96. Print.Taking Sides Ser. NAF, Staff. â€Å"National Abortion Federation: Pro-Choice and Proud. † National Abortion Federation: Pro-Choice and Proud. N. p. , n. d. Web. 5 Mar. 2013. NRL, Staff. â€Å"Abortion: Some Medical Facts. † Abortion: Some Medical Facts. National Right to Life, n. d. Web. 4 Mar. 2013. ProCon, Staff. â€Å"Abortion ProCon. org. † Abortion ProCon. org.  © 2013 a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit, 5 Feb. 2013. Web. 5 Mar. 2013. Walker, John. â€Å"Abortion in the Case of Pregnancy Due to Rape. † Libertarians for Life – Abortion in the Case of Pregnancy Due to Rape. N. p. , 1998. Web. 10 Mar. 2013.

Bachelor of Arts Community development Essay

The unit explores the power of ideas to change the world and ourselves, focusing on their birth, transmission, evolution, and personal and global impact. Through the study of selected themes, students are introduced to the knowledge and approaches central to the arts, social sciences and humanities, and are invited to reflect on competing moral and social arguments. The development of writing and critical thinking skills are a core focus of the unit. The unit is arranged around four different topics, each of which is allocated five or six lectures and three tutorials. Each topic consists of an organising theme which is used to focus a set of contrasting disciplinary perspectives from within the arts, social sciences and humanities. For 2014, the four organising themes are: ââ€" ¦The individual and the community. ââ€" ¦Violence ââ€" ¦Truth and representation ââ€" ¦The good life The key aims of this unit are as follows: ââ€" ¦To introduce students to a range of methodological, conceptual and theoretical appraoches to the main discipline areas covered in the Bachelor of Arts degree. ââ€" ¦To show how social and moral issues may be examined from diverse perspectives, so as to result in differing evaluations, each offering potentially valuable illuminations. ââ€" ¦To provide students with the conceptual tools to become more articulate and reflective in their examination of social and moral issues. The majors which comprise the Bachelor of Arts in 2014 are: ââ€" ¦Asian Studies ââ€" ¦Australian Indigenous Studies ââ€" ¦Communication and Media Studies ââ€" ¦Community Development ââ€" ¦Criminology ââ€" ¦Education Studies ââ€" ¦English and Creative Writing ââ€" ¦Games Art and Design ââ€" ¦History ââ€" ¦Indonesian ââ€" ¦Interactive Digital Design ââ€" ¦International Aid and Development ââ€" ¦Japanese ââ€" ¦Journalism ââ€" ¦Legal Studies ââ€" ¦Philosophy ââ€" ¦Photography ââ€" ¦Public Relations ââ€" ¦Politics and International Studies ââ€" ¦Radio ââ€" ¦Religion ââ€" ¦Security, Terrorism and Counterterrorism Studies ââ€" ¦Social and Developmental Psychology ââ€" ¦Sociology ââ€" ¦Sound ââ€" ¦Sustainable Development ââ€" ¦Theatre and Drama ââ€" ¦Tourism and Events ââ€" ¦Web Communication

Browning Peal Essay

This is because they represent natural beauty that has been created by God, which compliments the woman Browning is talking about because it shows his feelings on how he believes they don’t have to try to be beautiful. Roses also represent love and passion, the colour red is an intimate colour that represents seduction and sometimes danger as seen in ‘Of Mice and Men’ where Curley’s wife is referred to as having â€Å"full rouged lips† and â€Å"red fingernails†. The thorns on roses continues this theme of potential risk, because the simple idea of men picking roses for women could injure the man due to the thorns on the stem, this could represent how men have to fight past the hard things in love to get to the beauty or the woman. In ‘Women and Roses’, Browning also uses roses as a representation of the stages through a woman’s life going into womanhood and how she grows from a young shoot full of promise to something incredibly beautiful and natural and eventually to an old and wilted flower, â€Å"bees pass it unimpeached†. The poem is about finding perfect love with a woman, which is represented as finding a rose with no thorns, thorns being the trouble in a relationship or a woman. Browning wrote ‘Prospice’ after his beloved wife, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, died in 1861. The poem shows Browning’s beliefs on death and how he feels that he will once again be reunited with his love in the afterlife. The title ‘Prospice’ can be translated as ‘look forward’, and in this poem, published in 1864, Browning is most likely looking forward to death, when he expects ‘I will clasp thee again’, meaning he will be with Elizabeth once more. Such optimism seems to contrast noticeably with the religious doubt or searching of many Victorian writers. But Browning does not claim that there is anything easy about facing death, instead he shows one way of coping. He gives the ‘Arch Fear’, death, a ‘visible form’ so that he can imagine taking him on in one last fight to show that he will not be taken easily, ‘Barriers’ and ‘guerdon’ suggest a tournament took place. In ‘A Woman’s Last Word’ Browning uses Roman numerals to show the breaking down of a omplex subject such as a woman’s feelings after an argument. By doing this it makes it easier for the reader to follow and distinguish the different stages of feelings the character goes through and also shows the changes in direction of her attitude until she reaches submission towards her love. This is a good technique used as he wrote the poem from a woman’s point of view and has gone into a lot of detail on how she feels and reacts to the argument. Browning Peal Essay This is because they represent natural beauty that has been created by God, which compliments the woman Browning is talking about because it shows his feelings on how he believes they don’t have to try to be beautiful. Roses also represent love and passion, the colour red is an intimate colour that represents seduction and sometimes danger as seen in ‘Of Mice and Men’ where Curley’s wife is referred to as having â€Å"full rouged lips† and â€Å"red fingernails†. The thorns on roses continues this theme of potential risk, because the simple idea of men picking roses for women could injure the man due to the thorns on the stem, this could represent how men have to fight past the hard things in love to get to the beauty or the woman. In ‘Women and Roses’, Browning also uses roses as a representation of the stages through a woman’s life going into womanhood and how she grows from a young shoot full of promise to something incredibly beautiful and natural and eventually to an old and wilted flower, â€Å"bees pass it unimpeached†. The poem is about finding perfect love with a woman, which is represented as finding a rose with no thorns, thorns being the trouble in a relationship or a woman. Browning wrote ‘Prospice’ after his beloved wife, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, died in 1861. The poem shows Browning’s beliefs on death and how he feels that he will once again be reunited with his love in the afterlife. The title ‘Prospice’ can be translated as ‘look forward’, and in this poem, published in 1864, Browning is most likely looking forward to death, when he expects ‘I will clasp thee again’, meaning he will be with Elizabeth once more. Such optimism seems to contrast noticeably with the religious doubt or searching of many Victorian writers. But Browning does not claim that there is anything easy about facing death, instead he shows one way of coping. He gives the ‘Arch Fear’, death, a ‘visible form’ so that he can imagine taking him on in one last fight to show that he will not be taken easily, ‘Barriers’ and ‘guerdon’ suggest a tournament took place. In ‘A Woman’s Last Word’ Browning uses Roman numerals to show the breaking down of a omplex subject such as a woman’s feelings after an argument. By doing this it makes it easier for the reader to follow and distinguish the different stages of feelings the character goes through and also shows the changes in direction of her attitude until she reaches submission towards her love. This is a good technique used as he wrote the poem from a woman’s point of view and has gone into a lot of detail on how she feels and reacts to the argument.

Implementation plan for an after-school exercise program Essay

Implementation plan for an after-school exercise program - Essay Example The classes will be based on how to eat healthier foods, undertake physical activity, and behavioral classes. The program will be undertaken after the students are done with their studies. The process of undertaking the exercise will be through exercise, especially group activities. The table below illustrates the programs schedule on how the program will be addressed. The program will be carried out at one of the Monroe County Community Corporation elementary schools’ gym for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes. That is from 4:00 pm to 5:10 pm, and the program will be carried out only on Mondays. Plyometrics require a person to do complete warm-up through skipping, lunging, high knee matching. All plyometric exercises should be undertaken at a fast pace. During this time, one should minimize constant with the ground for the least amount of time possible. This is aimed at stretching the muscles for least amount of time, and hence allowing them to store energy. Power hops: The hands are placed behind the head, squat, and then perform double leg hops. After landing, one should dip into a squat position, and repeat the entire process. This is done while one is in a single place (Waehner, 2013). Horizontal jumps: this involves double leg hops to a horizontal direction. One should jump as far forward that allows one to keep leaping without losing any balance. One should start short in the program and increase the distance after realizing developments. Fartlekking: this involves the use of a high school or college track. It involves starting at the middle of one of the straightway, and jogging to the middle of the first run. One then sprints though the rest of the turn before jogging back to the middle of the straightway. At this point, the exercises that one undertakes comprise of 10 pushups, 10 jumping jacks, 10 star jumps, and 10 sit-ups, all of which rotate through. After the exercise is performed, one then continues to the next straightway and

Research Reports Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reports - Research Paper Example In other words, the research report chosen substantially conforms to the standard template or outline presented in the text (Trieschmann, Dennis, Northcraft and Niemi, 2000, pp. 1130-1141). To be specific, the chosen research report details an Abstract, an Introduction, a section on Methods, a Results section, and a Discussion section. The Conclusion is lumped together with the Discussion, and forms the last part of that section, and ties with the first paragraph of the Discussion section too. The first paragraph looks at the factors that impact MBA program performance and research performance, and they are different, with also differing performance ratings for each set of criteria for all of the business schools examined. Meanwhile, the other half of that Conclusion found in the first paragraph of the Discussion section is in the last paragraph, and details a recommendation for business schools to be more balanced in their emphasis on both MBA program performance and business research performance. In this sense, based on the Discussion above, this research report deviates somewhat from the standard outline in the text, in that there is no separate Conclusion section. Other than that, the research report substantially complies with all of the required sections in the template (Trieschmann, Dennis, Northcraft and Niemi, 2000, pp. 1130-1141). To further discuss, the research report details a Discussion section that substantially tackles research implications, limitations, and directions/suggestions for future research, though not in the ordering as specified in the text outline. As already mentioned above, the Conclusion can be found as consisting of the first and last paragraphs of the section. Meanwhile, directions for future research are found right in the middle of the section, around the fifth and sixth paragraphs out of nine paragraphs, whereas in the text outline Future

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 12

Leadership - Essay Example He has been known to be one of the biggest revolutions in the computer industry. Bill Gates has built a strong image for himself and has grown to be recognised as the best entrepreneurs in the world. He has set down examples, is admired by many as well as has been criticized for his style of business (Lesinki, 2006). There have been mixed views on his style of working and he has been criticized of being anti competitive. The above mentioned names are of two extra ordinary leaders, who have created a strong image for themselves and have been recognised across the world. Both these leaders have had their own styles of leading their people. Since this is a very vast topic to be discussed, this report will only deal with the aspect of their leadership in terms of communication. Communicating with the people is the most important as it a leader requires to use their people by communicating to them what exactly they require (Griessman, 2004). Focusing on the communication of Abraham Lincoln, it is seen that he has been extremely good at communicating with his people. He used a number of different tricks like story telling and humour, which assisted him strongly to send out the required message and also relate to the people alongside. He strongly believed that this would allow the audience to take back a clear painted picture of what is being told rather than forget all the statistics and details while wal king out of the room. This is a very strong form of communication and although he had a very limited experience, he has been able to rightly connect with the audience and convey the message to all. He strongly believed that if a person needed to convey something to others, it is essential that the person knows what they are talking about. This he believed could be got only with a lot of reading, and hard work. Being a lawyer, Lincoln had learned the importance of questioning

Erectile dysfunction & Gender Identity disorder Essay

Erectile dysfunction & Gender Identity disorder - Essay Example As an erection is so intrinsically tied to masculinity, not being able to achieve one often attacks a man’s sense of his own man-hood. He feels shame and guilt, which often instigates further issues in achieving an erection. In this particular case, a differential diagnosis is helpful because the inability to achieve an erection is caused by a myriad of factors, ranging from daily routine, to physical ailments, and to psychological problems. In creating a list of these three areas, doctors are able to ascertain which area, or what combination of factors is causing the problem. Understanding the root of the problem, which is frequently caused by issues outside of the man’s sexual life, will enable doctors to create an appropriate treatment to rectify the problem. This treatment may take the form of a healthier lifestyle, which involves limiting smoking, drinking, eating unhealthy foods, recreational drug use, lack of sleep, etc. These issues may also contribute to physic al ailments which are contributing to the problem, such as obesity. Finally, the doctor can address the psychological problems involved in the disorder, including feelings of self worth, a possible history of sexual abuse, stress at work, and marital and familial problems. The video included two men, both of which were Caucasian and, presumably, from the middle class. Historically, White men have not had to explain their sexuality, nor have they experienced attacks on their sexuality in terms of being defined as barbaric, as seen in the depiction of African males, or as too effeminate, as seen in the depiction of Asian males. In this regard, White males may be more inclined to visit a doctor and receive the necessary treatment to cure the problem. However, the significance of machismo or the centrality of the male in gender relations may prevent a non-White

Short book reviews and comparison of reviews Essay

Short book reviews and comparison of reviews - Essay Example Pramoedya Ananta Toer. This Earth of Mankind. New York: Penguin, 1996. Vol. 1 of Buru Quartet. Print. This Earth of Mankind is a novel about modernity, civilization, sex and sexuality in the society. The novel is set around the main protagonist, Minke who reflects on the real meaning of modernity, which he associates with â€Å"learning and science.†1 The idea of modernity and civilization is advanced as Minke shows his interest in electricity;2 he demonstrates modernity by using trains and smaller machines driven by oil and not steam. The novel starts by explaining factors of globalization and hence modernity. The novel also manifests the inner conflict in the main protagonists arising from conflict of interest between the colonized and the colonizer. The author utilizes the narrative approach to detail the life of the main protagonists, and how the protagonists advance the themes of colonialism, modernity, and sexuality. Through describing various inventions and developments in science, the author brings out development of modernity in the novel, and how it impacts the lives of the main protagonists. The author utilizes symbolism and descriptive language throughout the book. For example, the use of aspirin as the most powerful medicine to be discovered by humanity to symbolizes effects of modernity on humanity. The main perspective in the novel is the importance of the native Javanese culture as the main protagonists still fight to keep their identity in the society despite the rapid spreading forces of modernity that seek to abolish such cultures. This is observed through Minke who tries to find his real identity despite being in a Dutch school. The novel also brings out the ills of modernity in the society as prostitution and brothels became a status symbol in the society,3 and the oppression of the natives as seen in the rape of Annelies by Robert; a way to exert power for being associated with Europeans. The issue of mixed blood brews much conflict as Maurit’s father commits blasphemy by mixing the native and white blood, which is unforgivable. Thus the white is taken as a much superior race that cannot mix with the low class native blood. This is an issue of superiority complex, where the white is viewed as being much superior tot eh native. However, dispute the issue of mixed blood being contentious, the whites still continue to sleep with native prostitutes in brothels and to sire children with the natives, which is also mixing the native and white blood. The whites are thus hypocritical. This makes them to reconsider the racial boundaries and in some cases, the native can actually be assimilated into the white society to enjoy the prestige; an example being Minke who enjoys the prestige of the whites though from a mixed blood. Inner conflict in the main protagonists is the main aspect in the novel. Minke in his setting struggles to find his real identity in a society that ranks his native class at the lower end of social hierarchy. He is lonely and is forced to live with constant questioning by fellow students who probably were skeptical regarding his ability to make it in sciences as whites do.4 Nyai Ontosoroh faces serious inner struggles; she is a mistress to a white, though a native and is even mistreated by the same whites for being a native; she is used as a sex

Race and your Community Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Race and your Community - Research Paper Example The population of New York City is about 8 million people. All of them belong to different races and ethnic groups, so some of them look like me, but the majority of the population differs greatly (Crenshaw et al 1996). Diverse world views cause persons to selectively attend to information and to perceive similar information differently, though the same kinds of information are potentially available to each person regardless of race. Thus, racial identity models propose that the earlier stages (or the mono-racial types) are associated with poorer adjustment than later stages because in the earlier stages, the person has to expend considerable energy in screening out or denying potentially identity-shattering information (Schaefer 2006). Ethnic diversity is a historical process in New York so the majority of people treat other people as equals (Aronson, 2007). The leaders within my community treat white people the same way as other races and nationalities paying no attention to racial differences. Racial identification issues per se are not likely to be the primary concerns. Although racial issues will not automatically disappear from her or his life, she or he is not afraid to tackle them when they occur. Moreover, her or his life issues are now centered around becoming the best person he or she can become rather than the best Black person because such dichotomies no longer have meaning for her or him. In seeking a counselor, the Internalizing client may prefer a Black counselor, but he or she will judge the counselor regardless of his or her race on the basis of the quality of her or his demonstrated skills. Likewise, the Internalizing counselor no longer regards the clients race as either a major asset or deficit. It just is (Crenshaw et al 1996). Consequently, he or she attempts to help the immigrant resolve presenting problems and/or become self-actualized, but recognizes that

Memories of my childhood Essay Example for Free

Memories of my childhood Essay Thinking back when I was ten brings up a lot of memories of my childhood. I was a tom boy and a big eater because of my high metabolism and extremely high energy level. I look back at my favorite foods and there are many that come to mind. I loved Chef Boyardee Ravioli and Spaghetti O’s. I also loved my mom’s homemade chicken and dumplings and bisquits, peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and mom’s cookies. These have been my favorites throughout the years with the exception of the Chef Boyardee Ravioli and Spaghetti O’s. My mom has taught me how to prepare some of her recipes so that I may pass them on to my children and them to theirs. I think I will continue to eat these dishes until my body can no longer handle the ingredients that make these dishes so scrumptious. My mother is 52yrs old and still enjoys these foods she is in very good health with the exception of her osteoporosis so if I continue taking care of myself and my body and nothing bad happens besides what already has happened, I think I should be able to eat these dishes for a very long time. There are several reasons why dietary modifications need to be changed throughout the different stages of life. From birth the old age are metabolism is constantly changing, we go from a high energy intake to a slowed metabolism. Healthful diets help promote the growth of infancy into your older adulthood, and it helps with the productivity to help prevent obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol, certain diseases, strokes, heart attacks, and osteoporosis.

Recruitment Methods of ISIS

Recruitment Methods of ISIS Abstract This paper covers a small area of topics on the infamous organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). These topics include: a brief history of the organization, who ISIS is recruiting, why the recruits are joining, and the methods in which ISIS uses to recruit its members. Because of ISIS’s clever and effective recruiters and their methods of recruitment, they are on their way to establishing a caliphate, which refers to uniting all Muslims for the purpose of total, world domination. Recruitment Methods of ISIS According to communication strategist and cyber war expert advisor, James P. Farwell (2014), in the summer of 2014, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) made an ostentatious appearance onto the worldwide stage, with the desire to institute its religious authority across the world (Farwell, 2014, p. 49). ISIS developed a caliphate, led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (p. 49). The organization’s primary tool for increasing its influence across the globe has been â€Å"brute violence† (Farwell, 2014, p. 49). However, through their methods of recruitment, they have tried to establish credibility and implement legitimacy by skillfully advertising their propaganda through social networking and cyber technology, making it look attractive to prospective fighters (Farwell, 2014, p. 49). This paper will discuss who ISIS is recruiting, why the recruits are joining ISIS, and the recruitment methods that the organization uses to gather members, in order to accomplish their purpose of conquering the world. The slogan, â€Å"Baqiya wa tatamadad,† as stated by Amanda Borquaye (2016), is the slogan created by ISIS, meaning ‘â€Å"lasting and expanding,’† which has produced fearin many different areas around the world (p. 28). As recorded by author, Patrick Cockburn (2015), during summer of 2014, throughout the course of several weeks, ISIS altered politics in the Middle East (p. 1). Jihadi soldiers intertwined religious â€Å"fanaticism† and military experience to succeed in war against Iraqi, Syrian, and Kurdish forces (Cockburn, 2015, p. 1). ISIS aimed to destroy the Sunni opposition to the regimes in Iraq and Syria while it extended all throughout those areas (Cockburn, 2015, p. 1). ISIS did not show any concern that the list of their enemies grew greater over time, which included such areas as the United States and Iran (Cockburn, 2015, p. 1). As history has shown, ISIS generating enemies has not been a problem.    As Iraq and Syria began to disperse into their separate communities, the Shia, Sunni, Kurds, Alawites, and Christians were struggling to survive (Cockburn, 2015, p. 1). If someone was not in compliance with the ideology of Islam, they were labeled as â€Å"apostates† and â€Å"polytheists† and forced to flee or were brutally murdered (Cockburn, 2015, p. 1). The scare tactics and the forms of public violence that ISIS started using to torment their adversaries were the most extreme that had been seen in several decades (Cockburn, 2015, p. 1). The members of ISIS desire to restructure the world by committing violent acts (Cockburn, 2015, p. 5). Parts of this ideology can be attributed to the war in Iraq in 2003 and the war in Syria in 2011 (Cockburn, 2015, p. 5). Because of events like these, ISIS has discovered a new battlefield in which they are able to fight and flourish (Cockburn, 2015, p. 5). They have managed to accomplish this task by recruiting as many jihadists a s possible. Who are they recruiting? ISIS prompts their recruits to institute and obtain a caliphate, which means ‘â€Å"a unified Muslim state run according to a strict interpretation of Islamic law’† (Borquaye, 2016, p. 28). As believed by dedicated jihadists, violence is the single method in which to achieve this caliphate (Borquaye, 2016, p. 28). Over a significant amount of time, ISIS has developed the abilities of recruiting Westerners, despite viewing themselves as common enemies of the West and everything that Western culture honors and represents (Borquaye, 2016, p. 28). According to Lisa Blaker (2015), of the University of Maryland, there has been an estimated 3,000 or more nationalists from Western countries that have immigrated to the Middle East to join ISIS, contributing to the extremist movement (3). Some of these Western nationalists that ISIS is recruiting are American teenagers. According to Husna Haq, a correspondent for the news organization, The Christian Science Monitor, there are four reasons why teenagers, especially American teens, are being seduced in joining ISIS (Blaker, 2015, p. 4). The first reason is that organizations like ISIS are able to help young people to develop a sense of identity (Blaker, 2015, p. 4). They intentionally target this demographic because these teenagers are lost and have no sense of belonging or purpose (Blaker, 2015, p. 4). Joining groups like these makes them feel like they finally have a family and a purpose in life (Blaker, 2015, p. 4). The second reason is that ISIS functions as an advanced propaganda machine (Blaker, 2015, p. 4). Because we live in the Internet age and it is popular among young people, the Internet is an easy tool to lure members of this age group (Blaker, 2015, p. 4). The third reason is that ISIS creates a sense of religious obligation, which is why it is so attractive to American teenagers (Blaker, 2015, p. 4). Lastly, ISIS has made females one of their biggest demographics that they recruit (Blaker, 2015, p. 4).   The demographic of young Muslim-American females seems to be very popular (Blaker, 2015, p. 4). The most common group of Muslim-American females who join are those who feel isolated from their non-Muslim peers (Blaker, 2015, p. 4). Surprisingly, there appears to be a great desire for the recruitment of females to join ISIS. One of the most popular demographics that ISIS recruits are women. In these cases, they have had success by women recruiting other women (Blaker, 2015, p. 5). One of the most effective recruiters is Umm Ubaydah, who immigrated from Europe to Syria in 2014 (Blaker, 2015, p. 5). She has a blog that she uses as a recruitment tool for women (Blaker, 2015, p. 5). Her posts typically incorporate information on what to bring, the appropriate type of clothing, a sufficient amount of money, and includes information about what everyday life for women is like in Syria (Blaker, 2015, p. 5). Additional information that she posts include support on how to cope when leaving one’s family (Blaker, 2015, p. 5). A Senior Counter Extremism Researcher for the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, Erin Marie Saltman, claimed that women are successful as recruiters of other women because there is a sense of comfort manifested when communicating with fellow women (Blaker, 2015, p. 5). Conversing with a fellow woman provides a sense of consolation of leaving one’s family (Blaker, 2015, p. 5-6). As reported by CNN, about 1 in 6 ISIS recruits are women (Blaker, 2015, p. 6).   Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Alberto Cerzone and Anita Peresin (2015), professors of counterterrorism at George C. Marshall Center, roughly ten percent of ISIS’s Western recruits are females. As of 2015, it was estimated that there were over 200 Western females who abandoned their homes to join ISIS, the majority of them from France (Cerzone and Peresin, 2015, p. 499). The rest of the women were from other European nations, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, and Belgium, with the numbers constantly rising (Cerzone and Peresin, 2015, p. 499). The International Centre for Study of Radicalization at Kings College London, found the majority of these females are between the ages of 16-24, but some are as young as thirteen (Cerzone and Peresin, 2015, p. 499). The majority of these females run away to the Middle East without telling their parents, which raises concerns and questions for security experts and the general Western culture (Cerzone and Peresin, 2015, p. 499). They typically come from Muslim families or have converted to Islam, but in either instance, families are appalled that their daughters are interested in joining this â€Å"violent jihad† (Cerzone and Peresin, 2015, p. 499).   Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Lauren Vogel (2016), of CMAG News, ISIS has also been recruiting doctors and health workers. The recruitment of these specialists began in 2015 when ISIS increased its focus of establishing control over territory to institute a caliphate, which they believe will bring all of the Muslims together to conquer the world (Vogel, 2016, p. 1). Since the summer of 2015, ISIS had advertised the need for doctors through social media, blogs, splashy magazines, and high-budget videos to showcase the state’s emerging health system (Vogel, 2016, p. 1). The advertisements show off the substantial amount of services they provide, the latest facilities and equipment, experienced professionals, and two medical schools (Vogel, 2016, p. 1). ISIS is especially eager for medical professionals because a numerous amount of local doctors have left the organization’s territory (Vogel, 2016, p. 1). There have been reports of doctors who were forced to treat patients at gunpoint, some who were targeted for arrest, and others who were executed for refusing to provide care (Vogel, 2016, p. 1). Like others that ISIS recruits, there are various reasons why they are recruiting medical professionals. Lorne Dawson, co-director of the Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security and Society, said, â€Å"‘It’s a storm of factors, from a quest of significance and identity, to maybe some experience of discrimination’† (Vogel, 2016, p. 1). A popular reason why these professionals join is because of social justice (Vogel, 2016, p. 2). A large number of medical professionals are driven by altruism, and the determination to assist others, and the radical message uses that (Vogel, 2016, p. 2). Dawson says, â€Å"‘People find it amazing that a doctor would want to be part of this ultraviolent group committing atrocities, but on the flipside a lot of what ISIS does looks like humanitarian, social welfare and medical work’† (Vogel, 2016, p. 2). Another possible factor that draws doctors is discrimination (Vogel, 2016, p. 2). An American survey was done that showed that 24% of Muslim doctors often were victims of religious discrimination in their careers and 14% currently were experiencing it in the workplace (Vogel, 2016, p. 2). No matter for what reasons medical professionals are attracted to ISIS, they still go through the same radicalization process as any other recruit (Vogel, 2016, p. 2).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Methods of recruitment ISIS’s skills of maneuvering media is a significant factor in the way that they recruit (Borquaye, 2016, p. 28). ISIS has used the Internet and online social media as a tool of circulating their message (Borquaye, 2016, p. 28). They use these forms of media in hopes of recruiting individuals, especially young people, to join them in the Middle East and fight alongside them with other jihadists, or simply to support the organization (Blaker, 2015, p. 1). These supporting roles typically fall to the young women who join (Blaker, 2015, p. 1). ISIS has designated â€Å"sympathizers† to carry out acts of violence wherever they may be when they are not able to travel to the Middle East (Blaker, 2015, p. 1). Social media networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube do not have complete sanctions that restrict ISIS propaganda from spreading across the world in real time (Blaker, 2015, p. 1). UK surveillance chief, Robert Hannigan, said, â€Å"ISIS and other extremist groups use platforms like Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp to reach their target audience in a language it understands. Their methods include exploiting popular hashtags to disseminate their message† (Blaker, 2015, p. 4). In 2015, John Greenberg, of the Tampa Bay Times, conducted research which found that each day, there are up to 200,000 pro-ISIS tweets per day (Blaker, 2015, p. 1). This study also counted re-tweets and some that were generated through computer programs (Blaker, 2015, p. 1). Some of these tweets even included death threats to Twitter’s CEO and other Twitter employees (Blaker, 2015, p. 2). According to extremism analyst, J.M. Berger (2015), there were 46,000 Twitter accounts that were owned by supporters of ISIS as of the year 2014. Since then, Twitter has suspended a great number of accounts by ISIS supporters, but the supporters simply create other accounts after suspension (Berger, 2015). As of today, there is estimated to be around 40,000 accounts owned by ISIS supporters, with about 2,000 who primarily tweet in English (Berger, 2015).   Ã‚  Ã‚   One form of social media advertising that ISIS uses that is extremely effective is videos. According to a reporter for TheBlaze, Sara Gonzales (2017), ISIS posted a video this past April that featured a boy who seemed to be around the age of six or seven years old, taking part in a double-beheading. The group increasingly uploads videos that are sophisticated, good quality, and with pictures that contain impressive visual effects (Blaker, 2015, p. 1). They post various videos, each one different from another (Borquaye, 2016, p. 28). The goal is to make a different video that will appeal to each of the demographics that they are trying to reach (Borquaye, 2016, p. 28). Their most significant speeches were uploaded to the Internet in seven languages and the videos they post present similar violent characteristics to those used in Hollywood films (Borquaye, 2016, p. 28). Many of the videos that they publish have music with lyrics that have been translated to English and various other European languages (Blaker, 2015, p. 3). The newest videos that they have published feature English-speaking jihadists (Blaker, 2015, p. 3). Sean Heuston, who teaches English and film studies at The Citadel, has done extensive research on extremist video propaganda (Blaker, 2015, p. 3). He said, ‘â€Å"Its actually surprising how contemporary and hip-looking some of these things are, especially considering the fact that the messages that they are promoting are essentially medieval’† (Blaker, 2015, p. 3).    This sort of recruiting technique has enabled the organization to disperse powerful and emotional images (Farwell, 2014, p. 50). This narrative emphasizes that the strength and dominance of ISIS is increasing, asserting that full control is inevitable (Farwell, 2014, p. 50). Many of these images are intended to portray the organization’s members as fearsome warriors by showing gruesome beheadings and executions that are meant to torment their adversaries (Farwell, 2014, p. 50). However, ISIS also post images that display foot soldiers eating candy bars and holding cats, communicating that although ISIS is strictly Islamic, they also advocate for the welfare of people, and not just killing them (Farwell, 2014, p. 50). As written by Imran Awan (2017), ISIS also portrays the fighters in their videos with a â€Å"‘moral conscious’† by showing them helping and protecting civilians (p. 139). A number of their videos feature members visiting fighters in infirmaries and handing out candy to children (Awan, 2017, p. 139). This shows the attempt to showcase the supposed compassionate feature of ISIS.   Ã‚   Additionally, ISIS has developed their own app, which a person could download for free in order to stay updated with current information on the group (Awan, 2017, p. 139). The app was titled â€Å"‘The Dawn of Glad Tidings’† (Awan, 2017, p. 139). However, the app was detected and suspended after it (Awan, 2017, p. 139). Once the app was downloaded, users were able to view tweets, links, hashtags, pictures, videos and comments on their own accounts (Awan, 2017, p. 139). The majority of the information on the app was controlled by ISIS’s â€Å"social media arm† (Awan, 2017, p. 139).   Ã‚   Dr. Anne Speckhard, Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University, and researcher, Lorand Bodo (2017), conducted a short study, measuring the dissemination of ISIS propaganda on the Internet. The study mainly included observing search engines, such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). They based their study on prior research that was gathered from Facebook (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). They used hashtags, keywords and phrases in English and Arabic that were familiar to ISIS members, endorsers, and distributors on social networks (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). As they expected, they found a good number of social network accounts, Internet sites, and forums that were promoting ISIS propaganda (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). Interestingly enough, they found that each one of those sources were connected to the same source, which they called the â€Å"Daily Harvester† (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). In this particular situation, the Daily Harvester is referred to as â€Å"Abu Abdellah Al-Ifriqi† (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). It is presumed that Abu Abdella is an official representative of ISIS (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). Speckhard and Bodo observed Abu Abdellah over the course of a month, while determining the keywords and phrases that he was using to spread his message (2017). They found four specific stages that surfaced in monitoring his activity (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). First, Abdellah observed official ISIS media channels, like Amaq News Agency and Al-Hayat Media (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). Second, he gathered audio, files, news reports, pictures, and videos, in which he uploaded into one document (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). Third, Abdellah posted documents only to two websites, which were justpaste.it and addpost.it (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). These â€Å"‘paste-websites’† permit any person to post a link that may be shared (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). Lastly, he posted the generated link on social networking sites, forums, and various different websites to reach as many individuals as he can, with a wide â€Å"compendium† of the latest ISIS propaganda (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). However, Abu Abdellah is not the sole Daily Harvester (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). There are many Daily Harvesters, each one as dangerous as the other (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). They are extremely dangerous because they are able to disseminate large quantities of ISIS propaganda, with just a click of a link, which makes it available to anybody (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). Essentially, anybody who is capable of maneuvering Google can attain this information and simply input it into Google Translator to see and read in their own language (Speckhard and Bodo, 2017). Due to the ease of access of this information, it would be hard to stop or even attempt to counteract these methods that ISIS uses to recruit its members.      Conclusion The goal of ISIS from the beginning was to develop a caliphate, in which they would unite all Muslims to achieve global dominance (Vogel, 2016, p. 1). Thus far, they have taken steps to accomplish that by performing significant acts of violence and making themselves known on the Internet, mainly through social networking sites (Farwell, 2014, p. 49). Popular ways of doing this are creating high-quality videos, and tweeting thousands of times a day from thousands of pro-ISIS Twitter accounts (Berger, 2015). Because of their cleverness and the forms ISIS uses to promote their propaganda, it is not an outrageous thought that total domination could be inevitable (Farwell, 2014, p. 50). References Awan, I. (2017). Cyber-Extremism: Isis and the Power of Social Media. Society, 54(2), 138-148. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs12115-017-0114-0.pdf. Berger, J. (2015, October 23). Tailored Online Interventions: The Islamic States Recruitment Strategy. https://ctc.usma.edu/posts/tailored-online-interventions-the-islamic-states-recruitment-strategy Blaker, L. (2015). The Islamic State’s Use of Online Social Media. The Journal of the Military Cyber Professionals Association, 1(1), 1-9. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=mca Borquaye, A. (2016). Countering the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria: Why the West Has it Wrong. JUIS. 2027-34. Cervone, A., & Peresin, A. (2015). The Western Muhajirat of ISIS. Taylor & Francis, 38(7), 495-509. http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&sid=d6ffa458-1214-4bad-96b5-b4c5c0931508%40sessionmgr102 Cockburn, P. (2015). The rise of Islamic State: ISIS and the new Sunni revolution. London: Verso. Farwell, J. P. (2014). The Media Strategy of ISIS. Survival (00396338), 56(6), 49-55 Gonzales, S. (2017, April 18). Latest ISIS recruit video shows young school-aged boy participating in execution. http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/04/18/latest-isis-recruit-video-shows-young-school-aged-boy-participating-in-execution/ Speckhard, A., & Bodo, L. (2017, April 23). How ISIS Disseminates Propaganda over the Internet Despite Counter-Measures and How to Fight Back. http://moderndiplomacy.eu/index.php?option=com_k2view=itemid=2494%3Ahow-isis-disseminates-propaganda-over-the-internet-despite-counter-measures-and-how-to-fight-back Vogel, L. (2016). Why are Doctors Joining ISIS?. Canadian Medical Association.   http://www.cmaj.ca/content/early/2016/01/11/cmaj.109-5217.full.pdf