Module 9

News Article

Girl Scouts welcomes transgender girls

The Ethical Connection

       Rosenstand (2013) states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights , that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" (p. 338). Everyone should be treated equal and given a fair chance. In the article titled Girl Scouts welcomes transgender girls the issue of whether or not to allow transgender girls in the Girl Scouts is addressed.
     
     According to Hetter (2015), “Transgender girls are welcome in the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, a stance that has attracted controversy from some conservative groups over the past week.” Some people think that transgender girls are not girls, and thus should not be able to join the Girl Scouts of America. The issue was initially addressed on the website four years ago but Hetter (2015) explains the issue may have surfaces because “the Utah Pride Center's April launch of a Girl Scout troop that welcomes children from LGBT families and transgender girls brought the guidance to national attention of activists on both sides of the issue.”
  
     The decision on whether or not to allow any person into the Girl Scouts is a decision made by local Girl Scouts councils (Hetter, 2015). I personally agree with the Girl Scouts decision to allow transgender girls to join. Hetter (2015) states from the FAQ page of the Girl Scout page, “if the child is recognized by the family and school/community as a girl and lives culturally as a girl, then Girl Scouts is an organization that can serve her in a setting that is both emotionally and physically safe."

       References

Hetter, K. (2015, May 20). Girl Scouts welcomes transgender girls. Cable News Network. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/20/living/girl-scouts-welcomes-transgender-girls-feat/index.html

Rosenstand, N. (2013). The moral of the story: An introduction to ethics (7th ed.). New 
          York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Module 8

News Article

From Wall Street newbie to millionaire by 27

The Ethical Connection

       The article listed above will take you to an article describing the success story of Jenny Q. Ta. Ta moved to the United States when she was nine years old and didn't speak any English (Kavilanz, 2015). Her drive and determination allowed her to succeed in her studies and she graduated from California State University with a degree in business information systems in just three years (Kavilanz, 2015). According to Kavilanz (2015), "At 21, she got an entry-level job at Lehman Brothers for $10 an hour as a new accounts clerk. "It was one position up from a filing clerk," she said." Ta learned as much as possible and after being told "as a woman it would take me years to advance and become a broker," she decided to depart Lehman Brothers (Kavilanz, 2015).

     Did Ta get discouraged by the idea that her gender would limit her capabilities? The answer is no. The complete opposite happened actually. Instead of getting discouraged, she was motivated to become successful and to prove others wrong. Ta did not believe that her gender was a factor in her capabilities of being successful. According to Rosenstand (2013), "The principle of equality does not imply that everyone is the same but that everyone should be treated as equals" (p. 610). Ta knew her determination would prevail.
    
     Ta opened up her own firm and became a millionaire within a year (Kavilanz, 2015). She sold that company and opened up another brokerage firm, that within a year after opening she was approached to sell (Kavilanz, 2015). She has since opened up another company that she hopes to be just as successful. Ta is an excellent example of how hard work, drive, and determination will overcome obstacles, shatter stereotypes, and prove that anything is possible.

       References

Kavilanz, P. (2015, May 11). Wall Street newbie to millionaire by 27. CNN Money. Cable News Network. Retrieved from http://money.cnn.com/2015/05/11/smallbusiness/jenny-q-ta-sqeeqee/index.html?iid=ob_homepage_tech_pool&iid=obnetwork

Rosenstand, N. (2013). The moral of the story: An introduction to ethics (7th ed.). New 
          York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Module 7

News Article

Meet the doctor who treats the homeless

The Ethical Connection

       According to Rosenstand (2013), "Too often we tend to think that certain issues are someone else's problem. Don't assume that it is someone else's responsibility" (p. 488). Christina Hoff Sommers, an American philosopher, also points out that, "a good way to learn about virtues is to read stories about someone who does something decent for others" (Rosenstand, 2013, p. 487). The story about Dr. Jim Withers is an excellent example of someone who did not sit idly by and believe that medical care for the homeless was someone else's problem.

     O'Reilly (2015) states, "For 23 years Withers has been treating the homeless -- under bridges, in alleys and along riverbanks." Dr. Withers realized that far too often homeless individuals seeking medical attention would set aside their ailments for a long period of time. When the individual did finally seek the appropriate medical attention, it would either be too late or the condition would be at a stage where it was apparent that earlier treatment could have prevented this. Rosenstand (2013) points out, "In an ethics of virtue the issue is to ask yourself what kind of person you want to be" (p. 477). Dr. Withers obviously wanted to be someone who could make a difference in his Pittsburgh community. O'Reilly (2015) reports, "Withers' one-man mission became a citywide program called Operation Safety Net. Since 1992, the group has reached more than 10,000 individuals and helped more than 1,200 of them transition into housing." Dr. Withers envisioned what kind of person he wanted to be and pursued that by helping others, which I found to be very admirable.

       References

O'Reilly, C. (2015, May 8). America's homeless doctor brings health care to streets. Cable News Network. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/07/us/cnn-heroes-homeless-doctor-jim-withers/index.html

Rosenstand, N. (2013). The moral of the story: An introduction to ethics (7th ed.). New 
          York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Module 6

News Article

Max Kellerman Surprised with Manny Pacquiao's Post-Fight Interview

The Ethical Connection

       If you were hiding under a rock somewhere, you might've not known that last night there was a Boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. After twelve rounds of fighting the judges determined that Floyd Mayweather performed at a level to reach a unanimous-decision victory. Depending on a few factors such as who you are rooting for, and your knowledge of the sport, you may have different opinions on who won the fight. According to Brooke (2015), "After the loss, boxing commentator Max Kellerman interviewed Pacquiao, who said he felt he won the fight. When asked why he felt that way, Manny said that Floyd 'didn't do anything'." Obviously Pacquiao's opinion may be slightly biased but what you have to analyze to find the truth is to seperate opinion from facts. The scorecards and evidence of performance is what will justify the judges' decision.

     The concept of opinion-based decisions is an idea that intrigued philosopher Socrates. According to Rosenstand (2013), "We think many things, and if we allow ourselves to examine those opinions, we will usually find that they are based on very flimsy evidence" (p. 407). Rosenstand (2013) states, "It must override any sort of opinion we may have, even though it may hurt the feelings of others; if they see the truth, they, too, will understand, for only ignorance leads to wrongdoing" (p. 407). So regardless of what your opinion is on who won the fight, the evidence supports the decision to appoint Mayweather the vicor.

       References

Brooke, T. (2015, May 3). Max Kellerman Surprised with Manny Pacquiao's Post-Fight Interview. Bleacher Report. Cable News Network. Retrieved from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2452202-max-kellerman-surprised-with-manny-pacquiaos-post-fight-interview?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

Rosenstand, N. (2013). The moral of the story: An introduction to ethics (7th ed.). New 
          York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Module 5

News Article

Voices of Aurora: Coping with grief, conquering life

The Ethical Connection

       According to Edwards, Scott, and Ramsay (2015), "On July 20, 2012, excited moviegoers gathered for a midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" at the Century Aurora 16 Multiplex Theater in Aurora, Colorado." Shortly into the movie, a gunman entered the theater and began opening fire on the patrons. "Twelve people were killed and another 58 were wounded," Edwards, Scott, and Ramsay (2015) reported. Fast forward to almost three years later, and the survivors as well as the friends and families of the victims, are interviewed to see how they are coping. The reason for this glimpse into the lives of those involved is because tomorrow shooting suspect James Holmes goes on trial for 165 counts, including murder and attempted murder charges (Edwards, Scott, & Ramsay, 2015).

       Do some of the victims forgive the gunman for the pain he caused? Surprisingly, some of the victims do. Those that would like to meet the shooter and say that they actually forgive him for what he has done, believe in the justice system, have religious faith, and pity the assailant. These individuals believe in a forward-looking view of justice. According to Rosenstand (2013), if there are no future benefits to be had from punishing someone, then a forward-looking theory will not recommend punishment" (p. 358). Depending on who you ask, Holmes needs to be punished, but for what reasons will it be justified. "Retribution states that a person should be punished because he or she has committed a crime, and the punishment should be in proportion to that crime," as stated by Rosenstand (2015, p. 358). Let's just hope that Holmes' punishment is sufficient enough to give closure to those involved.

       References

Edwards, M., Scott, N., & Ramsay, K. (2015, April 26). Voices of Aurora: Coping with grief, conquering life. Cable News Network. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/26/us/voices-of-aurora/index.html

Rosenstand, N. (2013). The moral of the story: An introduction to ethics (7th ed.). New 
          York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Module 4

News Article

Officer shows 'great restraint' not shooting charging suspect, chief says

The Ethical Connection

If you follow the above link it takes you to an article reported by CNN that explains the decision a police officer made in the line of duty. With all of the controversy surrounding police shootings and whether or not they are justifiable, the family of Officer Jesse Kidder purchased a body camera for him to use while on the job (McLaughlin, 2015). According to McLaughlin (2015), "The officer gets out of his car, his gun trained on a suspect who had allegedly killed his fiancee and best friend before leading police on a multicounty chase through Kentucky and Ohio." The suspect approached the officer with his hands in his pockets stating, "Shoot me, or I'll shoot you" (McLaughlin, 2015). The officer was faced with a decision. He was unaware of the consequences of his decision not to fire his weapon, but hoped for the best. According to Rosenstand (2013), "We have to make an educated guess and hope for the best, act, and wait to see the results" (p. 240). Luckily the suspect did not have a weapon and the incident ended without any fatalities. Office Kidder made the decision to not open fire in hopes of the consequences not ending in injuries or worse, death. Rosenstand (2013) states, "The true value of our action is not clear until the consequences are clear" (p. 240). It wasn't until everything was over that Officer Kidder realized he made the right decision.

                                                                       References

McLaughlin, E. C. (2015, April 19). Suspect charges New Richmond cop, who doesn't shoot. Cable News Network. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/19/us/ohio-new-richmond-officer-does-not-shoot-suspect/index.html

Rosenstand, N. (2013). The moral of the story: An introduction to ethics (7th ed.). New 
          York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Module 3

News Article

Italy Rescues Almost 1,000 Migrants Amid Spike In Deaths At Sea

The Ethical Connection

The news article above reads Italy Rescues Almost 1,000 Migrants but why would someone do such a thing. Do they feel obligated to help other human beings that may be in distress? Are they required to assist others? These are questions that we all may be faced with from one time to another. According to Reuters (2015), "Italian and merchant ships rescued around 1,000 migrants from three overcrowded skiffs near the coast of Libya and found one dead body, Italy's coast guard said." Those that heard the distress call felt that it was their duty to answer the call and assist those who were in need. Rosenstand (2013) states, “Hume believed that compassion is the one natural human feeling that holds us together in a society” (p. 205). Having compassion for others is a trait that most of us have. Just because someone may need help, doesn’t mean you have to get involved. It is the feeling of it being our moral responsibility to help others that encourages us to get involved. Rosenstand (2013) explains, “Hume believes that humans are equipped not only with self-love but also with love for others” (p. 205). Hume suggests that it is natural to have love for others.

                                                                       References

Reuters. (2015, April 11). Italy Rescues Almost 1,000 Migrants Amid Spike In Deaths At Sea. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/11/italy-rescues-migrants_n_7045666.html

Rosenstand, N. (2013). The moral of the story: An introduction to ethics (7th ed.). New 
          York, NY: McGraw-Hill.