The End Justifies The Means Philosophy Essay

The End Justifies The Means Philosophy Essay One of the major political thinkers known to us is Niccolo Machiavelli. He is well known for the phrase the end justifies the means which is continually being the subject of discussions and discourses today (Adams and Dyson). With Machiavellis principles, we are now faced with the issue whether the desired ends is justified by the means used to achieve them. The issue will be explored in the light of Niccolo Machiavellis The Qualities of the Prince and Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail to ascertain the meaning of the phrase the end justifies the means. It cannot be denied that there are implications and difficulties when unworthy means are used to achieve worthy ends. However, one thing is sure: if an end or goal is worthy, any mean to achieve that end is justifiable provided that both ends and means are noble and good. The question whether the end justifies the means depends on the type of goal or end a person wants to achieve and the means they use. If both the means and the ends are equally noble and good, there is no question because the ends are justified by the means. This is the stand I have chosen to take. Although there are different views about the meaning of Machiavellis expression, I agree with the belief that both the ends and means should be good. Individuals are known at times to use Machiavellis phrase or expression as an excuse when they try to achieve their own goals no matter how immoral, illicit, and wrong their means are. For many individuals, it does not matter what means are used long as they get what they want. To justify their ends by some type of means sometimes involves doing a wrong thing when trying to achieve a positive end. They justify the wrong act by pointing to the outcome that was good. The wrong justification can be seen in some horrors in human history such as t he Holocaust, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagaski, the World Wars, and even the bombing of the World Trade Center. There are a lot of justifications made by many people about the ends these events serve, but one thing is true, the ends are noble but the means are not. To compare the two in what is considered wrong and morally right, one example is an individual lying about their qualifications on their resume when trying to get a good job. This individual would later justify the lying by saying that it is a means to receive a larger income to provide for his or her family more effectively. Another example would be justifying an abortion to save the mothers life. These two examples create a dilemma between what is done and what ought to be done. Machiavelli states, Because how one lives is so far distant from one ought to live, that he who neglects what is done for what ought to be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation; for a man who wishes to act entirely up to his professions of virtue soon meets with what destroys him among so much that is evil (Machiavelli, The Prince Ch. 15). Considering these two examples, the lying and taking of an innocent life can be viewed as both equally wrong. On the other hand, the end which is providing for ones own family and the saving of a womans life are both morally right. However, one must learn to distinguish what should be done in order to avoid the consequences of what is done. What if the individual lying about his or her resume was not given the job because he lied? What if the baby aborted has the cure for cancer in his or her mind? The wrong means used can lead to ruin rather than good. It cannot be denied that we all have taken part of the end justifies the means debate at some point in our lives. Means used must also be ethical, social, and morally upright. Therefore, if one mean in itself is morally bad, it cannot really serve an end that is good, even though it would appear good on the surface. A goal or purpose achieved through an upright approach is the thing justified, not those immoral, illicit, and wrong. One significant proof of a justified means to an end is exemplified in the nonviolent demonstration against segregation fought for by Martin Luther King Jr. There are a lot of ways for the African Americans back then to achieve equality and freedom in American society. They can bomb the White House. They can coerce the government through unlawful means and other immoral and wrong acts you can imagine. However, Martin Luther King Jr. and his followers chose to gain freedom through a peaceful means. Here, we can see that both the means and the ends are noble and good. His famous writing Letter from Birmingham Jail laid down the agenda of their non-violent campaign. In his letter, Martin Luther King Jr. showed that the unjust treatment of Negroes and their segregation can be solved through peaceful means. A non-violent campaign however can produce tension but it is up to the protestors to handle the tension. In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, King says, Indeed, this is the very purpose of direct action. Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it no longer be ignored. My citing the creation of tension as part of the work of the nonviolent resister may sound rather shock-ing. But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word tension. I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth (Jr. 216). Martin Luther King Jr. died as a result of the demonstrations he started but the ends are met. His belief was opposed by the Whites during that time. The Whites also uphold the idea that the end justifies the means. They say that what they do to the Negroes is done because of self-preservation. The government during that time works to preserve the State so they acted on what to be done: give the African Americans what they want. The death of Martin Luther King Jr. proved that both the ends and means may be noble, that it can be justified. Martin Luther King Jr. is an example to be followed when applying the phrase the end justifies the means. As stated by Thayer, Be strong is therefore the first and last commandment for nations and princes to observe; and Machiavelli instructs them how to use their strength (Thayer 476). In this case, Martin Luther King Jr. knew what means to use for his desired end. No one can use bad means for any good end. In saying this, it can be compared to a person trying to build a good house from bad materials it does not work. The phrase the end justifies the means can fool us all if we do not look closely to what it says. What we fail to see in this statement is the end itself. Is it really good? We all fail to see and carefully examine the means and how they affect the ends. There are a lot of difficulties and complications when unworthy means are used to achieve worthy ends. An example would be the Holocaust perpetrated by the Nazi regime (Gilbert 32). Is this end worthy after all the events that happened? Another example would be the two World Wars. Are the ends of such brutal means necessary? These complications are frequently seen in wartime situations and the political field. Governments do not care whatever means they employ just to win. They just think about victory although it means losing many lives, property, and even more morale. In these two situations, the only judgment is success and any means that would contribute to success is thought to be justified, but not by everyone. Any success can be used as the standard by which we all measure the benefit of the means. However, some benefits are superficial and do not last long. The misuse of the phrase the end justifies the means contradicts Machiavellis main point that a prince ought to think about future events and prepare for potential problems. If a person really thinks in a Machiavellian perspective, he or she would use necessary means to achieve an end to avoid future complications (Machiavelli, The Prince Ch. 14). People who pursue their dreams and their goals are more likely to take a path that is filled with obstacles. It is known that goals are achieved through very hard work. The means to attain such goals are different from the goals itself. One thing should be remembered though; both means and ends must be noble and good. What I have shown is that the ends or goals of any individual can always be justified by the means used to achieve it if only they are worthy enough. As Machiavelli points out, But to exercise the intellect the prince should read histories, and study there the actions of illustrious men, to see how they have borne themselves in war, to examine the causes of their victories and defeat, so as to avoid the latter and imitate the former (The Prince Ch. 14). There are a lot of horrific examples in justifying immoral, illicit, and wrong means but Machiavelli teaches us to learn from past experiences to achieve ends through noble and good means. In conclusion, we are all but humans who err most of the time. The values that we have as humans are what make us humans. Any means we use which violates our perception of morals and righteousness can never justify the end or the goals no matter how worthy they may seem to be. As seen in the Martin Luther King Jr. example, there are in fact a thousand ways to achieve one single end and it is up to you whether to use the noble means or the wrong means.

Demonstrate the persistence of Wordsworthian ideal of country folk Essay

Demonstrate the persistence of Wordsworthian ideal of country folk, childhood and natural education in the two texts that you have chosen. Critical Essay by Rachel Gowland. Wordsworth, as a poet of the romantic era, had several themes, which contribute to this title. This essay will be looking at these themes and discovering whether they have any relevance in the texts studied. These are, the Secret Garden and Goodnight Mr Tom. The preference for rural life and its people was at the height of fashion at the time of Wordsworth. Social reformers such as Rousseau talked about the â€Å"noble savage† and the rustic idyll was an accepted theme for artistes and poets alike. While the social revolutions may have changed by the time the texts were written, the ideals are still continued to some degree. Wordsworth had many sympathies with the victims and vagrants that wandered in the cities and the countryside. Many of his short poems were portraits of simple rural people, intended to illustrate the nature of these folk and their basic wisdom. Poems such as Michael (1880) have the characters almost fused with their natural surroundings. In Michael, patience and tenderness are the key features of the old man’s character. There is strength and a â€Å"natural affinity to the hills and fields in which he lived and worked.† 1 The Secret garden is almost a glorification of rustic folk and their simple way of life. Mary Lennox first encounters Martha, who gives her glimpses of a simple life quite alien to her. â€Å"There’s twelve of us an’ my father only gets sixteen shilling a week. I can tell you my mothers put to it to get porridge for ’em all. They tumble about on th’ moor an’ play there all day an’ mother says th’ air of th’ moor fattens ’em.† (Page 32) 2 Through Martha, she begins to emerge from her egotistical former self. She starts to think about others rather than herself. â€Å"Thank you. She said it stiffly because she was not used to thanking people or noticing that they did things for her† (Page 71) 2 Martha appears a particularly content and dignified individual, who takes pride in her work and her family. She treats Mary as an equal in many ways and is amazed by Mary’s colonial pride. Martha’s plain good sense is treated with respect throughout the book and her dialogues with Mary often bring about great changes in her young charge’s attitudes. â€Å"It was not the custom that Mistress Mary should do anything but stand and allow herself to be dressed like a doll, but before she was ready for breakfast, she began to suspect that her life at Missthlewaite Manor would end by teaching her a number of things quite new to her.† (Page 32) 2 Martha’s is described as an â€Å"untrained Yorkshire rustic† who was not trained to be subservient and had no notion that she should be. In this way she becomes an emboldened character, who helps Mary to grow through her plain sense. Martha was obviously trained well by her mother who also is a rustic woman. She is almost the guiding hand in the background, helping Mary, and later Colin, to transform. Her wisdom shines through Martha and Dickon and all the principles held in family life. Hers is the good mother, the mother earth in Wordsworth’s poems. The respect for her and her kind shines through in the text as it does in the poems, through the voice of the narrator. She is again a considered equal in the narrator’s eyes to all who she comes into contact with. This makes it possible for her to contact Colin’s father and speak to him about his charges. † I sent for you today because Mrs Sowerby said I ought to see you. † (Page 112) 2 The idea of simple sense and country wisdom is proved right in the text. It is the uneducated, untrained folk in the text who can see through the external ugliness of Mary and Colin’s characters to the beauty that lies beneath. And it is the country folk who unlock these children from their past to an almost redemption. This celebration of rural life and the people can also be seen in Good night Mr Tom. The events that occur in Will’s life in the city are overcome by the calm everyday life of the country and its folk. The main character in Wills life is Tom who exudes this country wisdom and good sense. Will takes to heart Tom’s thoughts when persevering with a new task like learning to ride a bicycle. He could hear his Dad’s words over and over again in his head. † Takes yer time, everythin’ ‘as its own time†. (Page 291) 3 Tom guides Will through his life events, helping him to come to terms with all that life throws at him. This is in marked contrast to the ideas of the psychologist, Mr Stelton, whom they both encounter in the hospital when Will is rescued. Tom’s ideas of healing through fresh air, hard work and simple country life are in conflict with the ideas of analysis and treatment. Even the appearance of Tom as a gruff, solid but warm-hearted individual is different to the description of Mr Stelton. â€Å"Tom was well into his sixties, a healthy robust, stockily built man with a head of thick white hair.† (Page 10) 3 In contrast to â€Å"The man was going bald and the hair that remained was of a thin texture. His skin was as white and shiny as a cloistered nun. He gave Tom a bland smile.† (Page 217) 3 The psychologist’s educated ideas appear foolish in response to Tom’s good sense. As in The Secret Garden the figures of authority and city education are made to look ignorant in response to the wisdom of characters such as Mrs Sowerby and Tom. The characters in the village of Little Weirworld are full of warmth and sincerity, with a genuine sense of community that includes everyone in their midst. Their simple pleasures and way of life helps them maintain a sense of calm dignity and practical sense, even in time of crisis. When Mrs Hartridge received a telegram, it was with care and concern that the villagers arranged for someone to be there when she received it. This contrasts sharply with the lack of interest shown by the people in the district where Will originally came from. â€Å"She keeps herself to herself. Bit of a madam. Thinks she’s a bleedin’ saint if you’ll excooth me languid. She does night shifts so I don’t never see her. I live next door yer see. Mind you, I don’t arf hear some funny noises. Very funny.† (Page 203) 3 Tom is ridiculed by the city folk for his accent and intention, but they appear very flippant and foolish when the full story is uncovered. â€Å"I’d like to git my hands on that women†, the warden growled furiously. His pride had been shaken badly. It was embarrassing to have them think he didn’t know his job.† (Page 207) 3 Again, it is the simple country folk in the text who can see through the external ugliness and weakness to the beauty that lies beneath. And it is the country folk who unlock Will from his past. Wordsworth and his contemporaries, viewed childhood as a time of great innocence and joy. A time when new experiences are welcomed and emotions and senses are at there most responsive There was a time when meadow, grove and stream The earth and every common sight, To me did seem Apparelled in celestial light, The glory and freshness of a dream. (Line 1-5) 4 They viewed the child as a redeemer of the adult with their innocence and freedom of mind and spirit. In the Secret Garden, the children can be seen to hold the key to all wisdom. Martha plays an important part in helping Mary to grow into a whole human being. â€Å"He wouldn’t like me.† Said Mary in her stiff, cold little way. No-one does.† Marta looked reflective again. â€Å"How does tha’ like thyself?† (Page 61) 2 In the same way Mary then passes on her newfound wisdom to Colin and they both look to Dickon to expand their experience. It is Dickon who becomes the real redeemer. He exudes healthy childhood wholesomeness. â€Å"A boy was sitting under a tree, with his back against it. He was a funny looking boy about twelve. He looked very clean and his nose turned up and his cheeks were as red as poppies and never had Mistress Mary seen such round and such blue eyes in any boys face.† (Page 92) 2 He makes Colin believe that he can get well and walk. His positive calm attitude clears the gloom from Colin’s mind and he begins to believe in himself. â€Å"When tha’ stops bein’ afraid tha’lt stand on ’em,† Dickon said with renewed cheer. â€Å"An’ tha’lt stop bein’ afraid in a bit.† (Page 206) 2 Once Mary and Colin finally learn to become children again they can then redeem Colin’s father. He begins to wonder whether he can have a relationship with his son but has many doubts. Colin changes this by becoming a positive character that is not afraid of the future or his health any more. In this way he heals himself and also his father. â€Å"It seemed actually like the laughter of young things, the uncontrollable laughter of children who were trying not to be heard.† (Page 272) 2 And â€Å"He said it all so like a healthy boy-his face flushed, his words tumbling over each other in his eagerness- that Mr Craven’s shook with unbelieving joy.† (Page 274) 2 The child as a redeemer can also be seen as a theme in Good Night Mr Tom. Will looks at Tom through the eyes of a child and as such does not see the gruff exterior that the villagers have seen for the forty years since his wife died. Will brings memories of his wife flooding back but with them comes healing. â€Å"Tom stood behind him and stared over his head into the shop. He remembered how Rachel used to spin with delight in there.† (Page 57) 3 Tom learns how to socialise again through necessity and becomes a member of the village community once more. Mrs Fletcher looked steadily into his eyes. His forehead had lost its old furrowed look. The deep pitted wrinkles had softened outwards. Behind his scowling manner was a kindly old man and if it hadn’t been for the arrival of a rather insipid little boy, she might never have known, nor might anyone else for that matter.† (Page134) 3 He responds emotionally to Will in ways that have been closed off for a long time. â€Å"He called me Dad,† he whispered croakily into the darkness. † He called me Dad.† And although he felt overwhelmed with happiness, the tears ran silently down his face. † (Page 288) 3 In the same way, Will has his own redeemer in the shape of Zach, who teaches him to like himself and believe in his own abilities. As Martha and Dickon, Zach is a positive thinker who believes anything is possible. Will had lived all his life with criticism and blame, and Zach and Tom gave him back his self-esteem. â€Å"Willie almost dropped the clod of earth he was holding. No one had ever said they liked him. He’d always accepted that no one did. Even his mum said she only liked him when he was quiet and still. For her to like him he had to make himself invisible.† (Page 77) 3 In this way both Mary Lennox and Will are similar, in that they have to learn to love themselves before they can be loved in return or learn to respond to others around them. It seems clear that the theme of natural education is persistent in both texts. In the Secret Garden there is a distinct lack of formal education in all the children encountered. Mary had a series of governesses but learnt by her own volition, because she chose too. Her education almost begins again when she reaches Misstlethwaite Manor. Through Martha and Dickon she learns how to explore, imagine and play. She begins to discover the simple pleasures of play. â€Å"The skipping rope was a wonderful thing. She counted and skipped, and skipped and counted, until her cheeks were quite red, and she was more interested than she had ever been since she was born.† (Page 71) 2 At first alone and then with Colin she explores the garden and her curiosity and thirst for knowledge begins. The awakening of the garden itself mirrors her awakening. They learn through this almost holistic approach, that through the garden and nature they become physically, socially and emotionally aware. Again it is Dickon who inspires them with his positiveness and his knowledge. Dickon, has little formal education but has a wealth of knowledge which appears to be much more useful than the facts leant in a classroom. He is a pure Wordsworthian invention. â€Å"Do you understand everything birds say?† said Mary. â€Å"I think I do and they think I do,† he said. â€Å"I’ve lived on th’ moor with ’em so long. I’ve watched ’em break shell an’ come out an’ fledge an’ learn to fly ‘an begin to sing, till I think I’m one of ’em.† (Page 95) 2 His mind is unfettered and unspoilt by a formal education, especially one that almost encourages passive learning i.e., the vessels to be filled approach, over active exploration and discovery. Mary and later Colin learn to become independent and active thinkers. â€Å"Colin saw it all, watching each change as it took place. Every morning he was brought out and every hour of each day when it didn’t rain he spent in the garden. He would lie on the grass â€Å"watching things growing,† he said. â€Å"If you watched long enough you could see the buds unsheathe themselves.† (Page221) 2 This positive attitude to learning and education can also be seen in Goodnight Mr Tom. Will has a formal education, but has to grow in spirit to progress in the mind. Again it’s the positiveness of the people and surroundings that help him to a new confidence. â€Å"We’ll begin this evening,† he said sharply. â€Å"That do?† â€Å"Wot?† â€Å"Learnin’ to read and write. I’ll teach you to write yer own name for a beginnin’.† (Page 102) 3 His times of growth and change correspond to when he is with nature. He makes friends and begins to learn how to interact whilst picking blackberries. He becomes more relaxed and confident whilst on holiday by the sea. Again there is this almost holistic approach as Will improves physically, mentally and emotionally. He is able to express himself through art and then acting as his confidence grows. Finally through nature and physical expenditure he is able to come to terms with the grief and loss in his life. In both texts the children are changed by the country folk around them and the ideals and life that they uphold. These rustic folk become educators and healers through their wisdom and plain good sense. The children bloom through a newfound confidence and most importantly an acceptance of oneself. Once this happens they can then consciously and unconsciously redeem the adults around them. In these ways the Wordsworthian ideals are prevalent throughout the texts. Bibliography ENGLISH ROMANTIC VERSE;PENGUIN BOOKS;1986. FROM BLAKE TO BYRON; BORIS FORD; PENGUIN BOOKS; 1982. THE SECRET GARDEN; FRANCES HODGESON BURNETT; PENGUIN CLASSICS; 1995. GOODNIGHT MR TOM; MICHELLE MAGORIAN; PUFFIN BOOKS; 1981. ROMANTIC CRITICAL ESSAYS; DAVID BROMWICH; CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS; 1987. BEYOND ROMANTICISM; ROUTLEDGE; 1992. LITERATURE, EDUCATION AND ROMANTICISM; ALLAN RICHARDSON; CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS; 1984.

President Nixons International and Domestic Challenges

Name Teacher AP US History September 20, 2012 President Richard M. Nixon’s administration had to face many international and domestic challenges in the United States between 1968 and 1974, some positive and some negative. His achievements in expanding peaceful relationships with both China and the Soviet Union are contrastingly different with his continuation of the Vietnam War. In the end, Nixon’s scandals and abuse of presidential power caught up to him, and his administration did much to corrode America’s faith in the government. In 1968, Richard Nixon gave his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention(Doc A).He said that it was time for a new leadership for the United States of America, and that new leadership was him. Nixon won in a very close election against Hubert Humphrey and promised to restore law and order to the nation’s cities. What everyone didn’t know was that for him to achieve his future accomplishments, he would dest roy the nation’s trust. A positive international challenge that Nixon was involved in was seeking better relations with China. Early in his first term, Nixon and his adviser, Henry Kissinger, began sending subtle proposals hinting at warmer relations to the People’s Republic of China’s government.When both countries hinted at this, Kissinger flew on secret diplomatic missions to Beijing and in July 1971, the President announced that he would visit the PRC the following year. This confused most American’s at the time because they believed that all communists countries were evil. When Nixon flew to China in February and he met with Mao Zedong. Nixon’s visit included a vast shift in the Cold War balance, putting the U. S. and China against the Soviet Union. Several months later, Nixon traveled to the U. S. S. R. and met with Leonid Brezhnev and other Soviet leaders.The result this trip was the signing of the Antiballistic Missile Treaty of 1972. The t reaty restricted the number of ICBMs each nation could manufacture and stockpile and it was part of SALT (Strategic Arms Limitations Talks). Nixon’s visits to China was a triumph because it contained the Soviet Union from expanding and gaining power. His visit to the U. S. S. R. was a diplomatic accomplishment because it improved relations with them. Nixon faced many international disputes during his presidency and some of them, he responded to negatively.Throughout the Vietnam War, President Nixon had sent a letter to President Ho Chi Minh stating that he believes the war has gone on to long and it needs to stop(Doc B). When the letter didn’t work, the biggest international challenge for Nixon was how to end the Vietnam War. Nixon and Kissinger both had a belief that they could end the war in six months, but they were proved wrong. In 1968, the same year Nixon was elected, there had been two huge events of the Vietnam War, the Tet Offensive and My Lai Massacre. Presid ent Nixon had inherited the burden of the Vietnam War and he asked the American citizens for their support(Doc D).Two months into his presidency, Nixon realized that there seemed to be no end in sight to the war. In 1969, Nixon ordered the secret bombing of Cambodia. The targets of these attacks were sanctuaries and base areas of the People’s Army of Vietnam and forces of the Viet Cong, which used them for resupply, training, and resting between campaigns across the border in the Republic of Vietnam. Nixon’s purpose for the bombing raid was because the first had been unsuccessful. The purpose of the secrecy was to protect Sihanouk. The way Nixon responded with the secret bombing was negative.He never told America or the Congress about it and that led to the distrust of the American citizens. Environmental concerns were a challenge but Nixon responded to them positively. In Nixon’s presidency, he started out opposing environmental laws. But then he realized that protecting the environment was popular and he saw it as a politically beneficial area. By the time of his resignation, he created more laws than any other president before him. In early 1970, President Nixon signed the legislation that became the National Environmental Policy Act. He announced it was the first symbolic act of â€Å"the environmental decade. Between the years of 1970 and 1972, Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency and signed laws including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Another thing he did was sign executive orders and international agreements on environmental issues. In early 1973, an international conference was held to discuss endangered species. The product of the conference was the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The U. S. needed a new legislation to meet some of the agreement’s provisions and it led to the Endangered Species Act.In Nixon’s Sta te of the Union speech in 1973, he called for stronger wildlife protection. The results of these environmental laws and international agreements made the public extremely happy. Even though Nixon’s intentions were selfish when he got involved in environmental concerns, he responded unquestionably positive. All his hard work helped pave the way for a cleaner society. In 1973, an oil crisis began when the members of the OAPEC (consisting of the Arab members of OPEC, plus Egypt, Syria and Tunisia) proclaimed an oil embargo in response to the United States decision to resupply the Israeli military during the Yom Kippur War.The embargo happened when 85% of American workers had to drive to work every day. President Nixon had to set the course of voluntary rationing. He proposed an extension of daylight savings time, had gas stations hold their sales to a max of ten gallons per customer and a maximum speed limit of 5o miles per hour, and asked companies to trim down work hours(Doc H ). The price at the pump rose from 30 cents a gallon to $1. 20(Doc C). Nixon also had Congress approve of a Trans-Alaskan oil pipeline. Nixon responded to the recession the best way possible. The embargo was lifted on March 18, 1974.The downfall of Nixon was his worst domestic challenge. America found out about his scandals and it led to his resignation as president. The Watergate Scandal starts when Nixon won the 1968 election, one of the closest elections in U. S. history. In 1970, Nixon approves a plan for a greatly expanding domestic intelligence gathering by the FBI, CIA, and other agencies. A few days later he has second thoughts and revokes his approval. Then in June of 1971, New York Times begins publishing the Pentagon Papers. The Pentagon Papers is about the Defense Department’s secret history of the Vietnam War.In September of the same year, the White House â€Å"plumbers† unit burglarizes a psychiatrist’s office to find files on the former defense an alyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers, Daniel Ellsberg. The White House plumbers unit got their name from their orders to plug leaks in the administration. The year of 1972 is a busy year. On June 17, five men were arrested trying to bug the Democrats offices at the Watergate hotel. The Washington Post reported many things that year. One was that a $25,000 check wound up in the bank account of a Watergate burglar.Another was that John Mitchell controlled a secret Republican fund used to finance widespread intelligence-gathering operations against Democrats. Nixon was reelected president in one of the largest landslides in U. S. history in 1972 against George McGovern. His inaugural address said that since he was elected in 1968, America has been better(Doc F). But the truth was, that in 1973, Nixon was turning out to be anything but great. In the beginning of 1973, former Nixon aides G. Gordon Liddy and James W. McCordJr. , convicted of wiretapping in the Watergate incident. Then, H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, and Attorney General Richard Kleindienst all resigned over the scandal. John Dean, a White House counsel, was fired. In May, Elliot Richardson taps Archibald Cox as the Justice Department’s special prosecutor for Watergate. Later, in June, John Dean tells the Watergate investigators that he discussed the Watergate cover-up with Nixon at least 35 times and the Washington Post reports it. In July, Alexander Butterfield revealed in his congressional testimony that since 1971, President Nixon had recorded all conversations in his office.When the Senate asked Nixon for the tapes, he refused. On the Saturday Night Massacre, Nixon fired Archibald Cox and Elliot Richardson and William D. Ruckelsshaus resigned. When Nixon reluctantly agreed to hand over the tape, there was an 18 minute gap. Nixon kept giving them pieces of the tape when they asked for them(Doc G). He never just handed over all the tapes. The Supreme Court ruled that Nixon must turn ove r the tape recordings. In 1974, the Washington Post reported that the inevitable was nearing(Doc I).Nixon was faced with certain impeachment, so in August of 1974, Richard Nixon became the first ever president to resign and Gerald Ford became the next president. President Richard Nixon’s presidency had many ups and downs when it came to dealing with the international and domestic challenges in the United States between 1968 and 1974. His most notable domestic actions were economic, and his international actions were his priority. Despite his ruination and disgrace in keeping secrets from America, Nixon did help establish relations with Communist China and ended the Vietnam War.

Business Fraud - Ais Writing Assignment Essays - 822 Words

Educational Credit Management Corp - ECMC, a student loan guarantee agency based off of Minnesota, announced on March 2010 that there was a security breach in their establishment. Student loan borrowers had their personal information (names, social security numbers, addresses, and dates of birth at a minimum) stolen off of the premises via â€Å"portable media†. In the article, Data Theft Hits 3.3 Million Borrowers, Pilon noted that this is believed to be the largest data breach of its kind and â€Å"could affect as many as 5% of all federal student-loan borrowers† (Para. 1). As a precaution, ECMC made arrangements with Experian, the credit protection agency, to provide credit monitoring services to borrowers affected by the data breach. In†¦show more content†¦Employees should be properly trained to understand and follow the company’s security policies. According to Romney, training â€Å"is especially needed to educate employees about social en gineering attacks, which use deception to obtain unauthorized access to information resources†(pp.261). Proper training of employees could have prevented the breach as well. Assuming that an outsider was the thief, I believe it would have been obvious that he/she was not wearing an ID badge or would have been aware of piggybacking, for example (pp. 261). Lastly, physical access controls are those that refrain entry into an area that may contain sensitive information. According to the text, this control â€Å"is essential to achieve any degree of information security†. There are a wide range of potential threats that an intruder that is left unsupervised can cause an organization such as copying files with a portable device or as daring as stealing the computer itself (Romney, 2009, pp. 262). Physical access controls had to have been lacking at ECMC. 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