UK: Scotland Gays And Lesbians “ Face Violence”

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This article is about the lesbians, gays and bisexuals faced with violence and intimidation in Edinburgh. The community safety unit of Edinburgh City Council studied that they were in the situation of fear due to abuse by the community. Research shows that 81% of them response verbal abuse and more than half to physical abuse, last year was 35.9% .Bisexual had gone through higher level of rape where as lesbian gone through higher incidence of attempted rape, but lower incidence of rape. However, only 12.5% of them who are engaged in sexual abuse reported to police about such incident. 133 gay men, 105 lesbians, 27 bisexual men, 18 bisexual women and 18 transgender people were interviewed.

Functionalism can be applied in this article. Functionalists stress human behavior can be controlled through social relations, or social structures. They believe that gay and lesbian exists probably due to social outcast. They are isolated for being part of the society members. Besides from being isolated or social outcast by the group member, they can be born to be as gay/lesbian/bisexual. This is termed as symbolic interaction. Interactionists believe that people's feelings and behavior as individuals can influence the way society develop. Therefore, the existence of gay/lesbian/bisexual. They criticized on Durkheim's theory on how he over emphasized social solidarity on the kind of moral cement which binds people together. With the existence of violent towards homosexual or bisexual, it develops social inequality which lead to conflict theory. It develops class of people into high and low standing.

In my opinion, social outcast can lead to suicide. Because they are being abused by certain people, they have negative thoughts towards themselves and think that they are useless to stay in the society. Homosexual and bisexual are not a sin in a society. Therefore, the institutions have to find solutions in order to protect the victims.

UK Family Problems Force Youths Onto Streets.

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The article mentioned about family problems that causes young people from homeless. It was found that almost half of 3000 people aged below 25 were homeless due to family problems like physical or other abuse and martial breakdown from parents. The problems were highlighted in three provincial areas – Lincolnshire, Crawley and Horsham in West Sussex and South Yorkshire between November 1996 and October 1997 by The Network, a partnership with the homeless charity Shelter and Midland Bank. Chris Holmes, the director of Shelter said the young people chose to be homeless due to the family breakdown and violence faced by them.

Symbolic Interaction can be applied in this article. Ernest Burgees viewed the family as “ a unity of interacting personalities” (Burgees 1926), it meant by how the roles and selves of family are shaped and personalities are affected to other personalities. According to Hochschild ( 1989), interactionists emphasize on role making, role definition, role negotiation, and role identity within a family. This includes how the roles of family member, parenting, which leads to divorces, births or deaths. Referring to the article, the personalities from the parents, for example, to abuse their children can lead to running away from home. Cross-cultural explores how family relation are shaped, good or bad, and communication between family interaction and identity negotiation.

In my opinion, family should take good care of their children. Without good parenting, the young people may result in homeless. This can weakens the social solidarity between parents. They might mix with other social identity resulted in drug abuse, or even committing crimes. As a result, it could bring trouble to the society, the country's reputation will become bad when there's many homeless people on the street. When they are homeless, they wouldn't have enough money for their needs. They became poor, they commit crimes to steal money.

Uganda Bans “Pornographic” Papers

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This article says about banning pornographic in Uganda area. The media council of Uganda urge that pornographic is only allowed to sell at specially designated shop for people over 18. Paul Mukasa, one of the councils, thinks that this move wasn't overly puritanical because many people have complaint tabloids with partially naked women and cartoons are affecting young people in Uganda. He claimed such thing was harmful and the public has agreed on banning it. He defined pornography as photography that exposed women with unclothed or under-clothed that arouse part of human body and narrates sexual intercourse. Kamunnye, newspapers which contained raunchy stories was not affected because it's not pornography.

Feminist theory can be applied. Anti-pornography feminist's object is to the role of exploitation and oppression of women. According to Catharine Mackinnon and Andrea Dworkin, most prominent anti pornography feminists in United States, believe that pornography is sexually explicit material that subordinates women. They gave harms in 2 board categories : firstly, coercion and exploitation of women actors in the production of pornography; and secondly, harms to women, both as individuals and as a group, resulting from the consumption of pornography. Feminist mentioned it gave inequality to women through discrimination. For instance, women's speech, lack of creditability, authority and influence to men. It was believed that pornography violate women's right to moral independence.

Therefore, pornography should be banned for women's civil rights. Through the article, it could give addiction to the young generation. For instant, it would give bad reputation to Uganda if they do not ban it, women's rights will be lose in that country. Some women make pornography as their carrier because they are poor, and need money for their family. To deal with this, institution must solve their problem by providing suitable job for them.

Suicide On The Tube

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This article is reported by Camille Agon mentioning on the situation and experience he had on his mind, watching a men to commit suicide on a London tube train. It occurs in the Central Line of London Underground subway system while pulling into Queensway station. There are several ways to commit suicide, some people tend to kill themselves on the tunnel. Statistic shows that 194 people killed on the tunnel track, while 50 of them died in the sooty tunnels of the tube. Average of 26 suicides per year in New York's subway and 24 died on tracks at Metro, Paris, last year. Camille Agon described about the driver's life on the tunnel, while the men was lying under his wheel with dark space, a gap as black as a coffin when he announced the train will not run at the moment. Agon observed that he might be a criminal or murder who committed crimes, he felt guilty and end his life.

Functionalism can be applied in this theory. Durkheim's theory of suicide says,"the term suicide is applied to all cases of death resulting directly or indirectly from a positive or negative act of the victim himself, which he knows will produce this result" (1982, p. 110 [excerpt from Suicide]). He emphasized that there are two social forces: social integration and moral regulation. In this case, egoisitic suicide occurred in this article, resulted from too little social integration. People are being social outcast and not bounded to the social group. They were left with little social support and guidance, therefore, they commit suicide. With this, it will decline the social solidarity to the society.

In my opinion, the institutions have to do something in order to prevent this issue to happen. The driver or passengers may feel depressed watching a man died in the tunnel. They may need psychologist to solve their mentally illness. Committing suicide at the tunnel will not only affect the suicidal men, but the whole passengers in the train. The train may lose control and end up explode.

Suicide Concern Over Older People

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This article mentioned the aging group of male from 55 years and above are twice more likely to commit suicide than the women with the same age. Help The Aged Scotland and the Royal College of Nursing had studied that the aging group are receiving lack of support. Liz Duncan, from Help The Aged Scotland, found out the elderly are 10 times into committing suicide than being attacked to dead and the Scottish Executive's Choose Life Strategy, national action plan which launched since 2003 to prevent suicides, have not given enough effort in reducing suicides in this age group. Depression is one of the common problem for the elderly. She included there were 117 old people died of suicides in 2003 and are signing the improvement care system with MSP to solve the elder's depressions.

Functionalism can be applied in this article. Because of age stratification, functionalists view in preindustrial societies, family, work and community were blinked together (Parsons, 1942). However, in industrialization, they are separated through adults to work, children to school and elderly stays anywhere. The elderly group's function has became less important and so their value decreased and can be isolated to the society. Relating to the article, the elderly may not able to produce benefits to the society, they are being social outcasted. However, interactionists focus on nature of prejudice and discrimination against the elderly. Some people put elderly as social stigma, ageism is prejudice about, and discrimination against the old person. Some of the retired people from an active working life engaged in health problems and became a burden to the society. This will weakens the social solidarity between the age group.

In my opinions, the youths should put more efforts on giving support to the elders. With this, they might not feel isolated or depressed, they felt that they are being cared in the society. Therefore, suicide rates may reduce and population will not decline.

Parents Are Blame For Britain's Culture Of Teenage Violence, Says Head teacher.

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This article mentioned that parents are the problem to lead teenage to such violence crime. Sir Alan Steer, the headmaster of an east London comprehensive, blamed the greedy and rude parents to the violence of teenage crisis because the environment of anti social behavior around them. He included parents have to set a good example for their children to follow, because they tend to duplicate adult's antagonism towards others. Sir Alan worked in Seven Steven High School for more than 20 years and he was appointed for outstanding discipline. He included that their job is to educate children, to give them education and learning resources. They have the responsible for the children as well, to give them tough and intelligent love. Some families have difficulties in controlling their children as well.

Functionalism theory can be applied in this article. Functionalists view society as a whole. It is attempted to explain social institution in order to fulfill biological needs such as basis for regulated sexual activity, economic cooperation, reproduction, socialization, and emotional support (Murdock, 1949: 1 – 22; Parsons, 1955). For the society to carry on, everyone must cooperate economically. The teenage became violent due to several reasons. They might feel isolated because nobody care for them, parents are busy with their work and unable to spare some time for them. Therefore, they join other group to form social identities such as punks, gothic or hip hops which lead to such issue. Some of the social identities are worse to commit crime, to rob the bank because of poverty in the group.

In the state and society's relation, the violent of teenage in the country would lower security to the country. People will feel unsecured as the group of violent teenage may accuse them. Deviance would occur in certain social groups because some people may think that their action and behavior are violating the cultural norms. In my opinion, the society must work together, to find solutions in order to cure the social identities.

Dangerous Driver Who Killed Two Friends While On High Cocaine Murdered In “Revenge Attack” Just Days After Leaving Prison.

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This article is about Dwayne Ayres, who is 20 years, got murdered by a gang of peoples after being jailed for two and a half years in Octorber 2007 on killing his two friends from dangerous driving. He was found taking high cocaine while driving which lead to the dead of two people. He was ensnared by a group of gang and stabbed to death in a house in Hook, Hampshire on sunday morning. He was found lying on a pool of blood by his friends and died in Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey after that. It was suspected the cause of his death is a revenge by the death of 2 person he killed earlier.

Functionalism can be applied in this article. That is how functionalist view society as a whole and not individual. Functionalism causes Dwayne Ayres to take in high cocaine which lead to dangerous driving. He take in cocaine may due to being outcasted by the society. He is being isolated by the society, nobody cares about him. Therefore, he take in high cocaine. After sentenced to jail for two and a half years, he was murdered by the gang. This can symbolic interaction. Interactionists study how human being's behavior or reaction to deal with specific stuff. In other words, interactionists view things as micro, individually and not macro, as a whole. They studied that the gang of people who killed Dwayne Ayres had some sort of hatred or emotions towards him that made such issues happened. The gang are consider deviance to the state and society as they have engaged in breaking the rules to commit crimes. There is social interaction between the gang, where acts, action or practices of two or more people mutually oriented towards each other.

In my opinion, I think that the institution must control strictly especially to such gang in order to prevent such incidence. The gang are one of social identities which create deviance to the society. If they failed to do so, the gang may become stronger or powerful to violate the society. So do people around will feel unsecured to hang out around.

British Family Under Treat As One In Three Lives Affected By Divorce.

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Over 20 millions of people in Britain are engaged in divorce or separation due to their own marriage or relationship breakdown as well as their parents. The figure rises more if the grandparents or stepparents are involved. It rises at a time where crime, violence or disorder occurs. They mentioned that children whose parents were divorced or separated, are more likely to get worse in school or engage in health problems. Government mentioned that divorce rates are low in their country, but they do not take into account of cohabiting partners which involved 2millions of them with average of 3 years relationships. Arguments were taken out in order to solve family stability and social rights to the society.

Functionalism is applied in this article. In the pre-industrial society, every family members work together in the farm, they have communication towards each other. Their social solidarity are strong. Functionalist, Parson pointed out through modernization of the industry, everyone are being split or separated that cause to the change on the function of family structure. The advance in technology upwards the social mobility between the generations. Therefore, the social stability arises. However, their social solidarity wouldn't be strong as before, functionalists understand a family disorganization will lead to divorce whenever there's role failure. Based on the article, functionalists believes that there's a role failure within the partner which leads to divorce or relationship breakups. The cohabiting partners have became a culture, social stability in UK that everyone are used to it.

In my opinion, divorce or separation rates are increasing rapidly in UK. Children are the victim on single family. It is shown that parents bringing up their children are better than single parent. Children in Britain may end up to form social identity, to cause violence or deviance in the society due to isolation caused by single parent as they will be busy earning up money to bring them up.

Palin's Daughter Is Pregnant, Get Over It.

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Palin's Daughter Is Pregnant, Get Over It.

This article mention about Sarah Palin, the daughter of Alaska governor, with just 17 years old, got pregnant. Because Senator John McCain chose her as his running mate, there are many discussions regarding this issue on the news or blogs. They announced that they will be married and keep the baby. However, some social conservatives criticize them about a girl whom 17 years old got pregnant without married at first. Some social liberals even argued that Sarah Palin can't control her own family and her conservative sexual belief are bankrupt. Some comments have stand through beside Sarah Palin that it's normal to be pregnant in the age of 17 unmarried.

Symbolic Interaction can be applied in this issue that each person has their own point of views and behavior. There is social disorder that social conservatives believe that girl should be pregnant after married. It focuses on individual but not as a whole. Some people think that in this century, it's normal to be pregnant. This can be applied to postmodernism theory where they believe culture fragmentation and reconfiguration has taken place in the last few decades that a new term is needed to characterize the culture of our times.

In my opinion, today's world is getting more modernized, with the growing to the global culture where new technology are invented people tends to think that it's not a big deal to be pregnant at the age of 17. The influence of global culture, will affect people's behavior and are all aspect of the new freedoms that culture us today. For example, people can wear the same clothes, drive the same car and live in the car. However, the pressure from Sarah Palin's social group and family might influence her decision of getting marry. And furthermore, the criticism from the social conservative can influence Palin's behaviour and might lead to suicide.

Egypt School Beating Kills Boy

Egypt School Beating Kills Boy

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This article mention about a boy, Islam Armo, who was studying in Saad Othman School and being killed by his math teacher, Haitham Nabeel Abedelhamid, for not completing his homework. His teacher got angry and tried to punish him by using ruler. After the punishment, he pulled the student out of the class and beat him forcefully until he got fainted. He was then sent to the hospital and found dead from heart failure. Mr. Abedelhamid explained that he was not intent to kill the student but to give him discipline. He was put into detention for homicide charges.

There is symbolic interaction in this article. This theory explains person who have their own behavior and point of views, who can construct his social world whereas not to follow from majority. Referring to the article, Haitham Nabeel Abedelhamid and Islam Armo believe in themselves for one not completing his homework, another to punish a student. There's also conflict theory in it, where there's class relation or struggle between high and low standing. The class between teacher and student, and the hates that accumulated from Islam Armo on not completing the homework further their relationship. And back to symbolic interaction, that causes Abedelhamid to use his own technique to punish the student. Abedelhamid thinks that he had the right to hit Islam Armo whereas Armo insist on not to finish the homework.

With the state and society's relation, the hitting of student to dead, it would cause students to have less trust on teachers because of this issues. They may think that teacher might kill them if they do not finish their work. And hence further the relations between teacher and students. Besides, parents might have grudge on teachers and blame the teacher for abusing their children. An unequal society might occur. With the conflict theory, many people will change their point of views regard to Mr. Abedelhamid for such incident. In my opinion, teacher should communicate well with the students in order to gain better understanding from the coursework.