Essay Thirteen Days by Robert Kennedy - 978 Words

Thirteen Days by Robert Kennedy Thirteen Days, by Robert Kennedy, is a portrayal of the drama surrounding the Cuban missile crisis, and an analysis of the ordeal. There are two sides to this conflict which was played out in the post-World War II era. On one hand you have the Communists of the Soviet Union, whose desire to bring all of Europe under their heel would nearly spark a war that would annihilate the human race. On the other stands the Americans who wished the vindication of right and to prevent the further spread of Communism. The tensions begin to mount after Germany and Berlin were divided among the victorious countries of the Allies and three major power blocs formed. The countries that had been newly formed in the†¦show more content†¦When Joseph Stalin died, power went to an obscure Communist official named Nikita Khrushchev. His goal was to have the Soviet Union be an equal to the United States militarily and economically. Although he tried to soften Stalins brutal tactics, Soviet foreign policy remained the same. This ruthless treatment of satellite nations that tried to break free fostered further distrust between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. At the inauguration of our new president, John F. Kennedy, Khrushchev decided to test Kennedys resolve with renewed pressure on Berlin via the construction of the Berlin Wall. However, none of these events were to equal the effect that came from one small island ninety miles off of the coast of Florida, the small island of Cuba. When Fidel Castro took over Cuba by means of a revolution, he quickly established his government as the first openly Communist government in the western hemisphere. He petitioned the Soviet Union for aid, which was cheerfully given him. These events went against our current policies, as well as the Monroe Doctrine, which established us as the police force of the western hemisphere. Ninety miles away from the greatest bastion of Capitalism was now residing its greatest foe. This tense situation was brought to a boiling point by the arrival ofShow MoreRelatedThirteen Days786 Words   |  4 PagesThirteen days is a historical account of the Cuban Missile Crisis. It is told from the perspective of Robert F. Kennedy, senator and brother to President John F. Kennedy. It is an account of the thirteen days in October of 1962. It lasted from the 16th to the 28th. During this time many crucial events in United States. These thirteen days were the time period in which the fate of the world was decided. The focus of the book was on the decision of both the United States and Russia. The UnitedRead MoreEssay on Rfks 13 Days619 Words   |  3 PagesThirteen Days is an autobiography written by Robert F. Kennedy. It is based upon the memories of RFK during the Cuban missile crisis. He vividly recalls the thirteen days between October 16 and October 28, 1962. Within these thirteen days, havoc and stress faced the White House, especially to Senator RFK and his brother, President John F. Kennedy. The story is about the handling of the crisis by one brother and the personal account of the other. The two worked together to keep America and theRead MoreNineteen Days : A Memoir Of The Cuban Missile Crisis968 Words   |  4 PagesThirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis by Robert Kennedy is a book that details those almost fateful 13 days in October of 1962 that could have resulted in the dest ruction of mankind. Robert Kennedy was the brother of President John F. Kennedy; he served as the United States Attorney General and â€Å"closest cabinet advisor and confidant† during JFK’s presidential administration. The book sets out to provide you detail of just how difficult of a decision the president was tasked with regardRead MoreThe Cuban Missile Crisis And Its Effect On The Moral Position Of The United States987 Words   |  4 Pages In Thirteen Days, Robert Kennedy recollects his time with President John F. Kennedy in handling the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Cuban Missile Crisis, as described in Thirteen Days, started on October 16, 1962. President John F. Kennedy was provided with a photograph that gave little evidence of a missile base. The whole area was about the size of a football field and, to many of the cabinet, seemed like nothing. Kruschev, the chairman of the USSR said that there was nothing to worry about. WhenRead MoreJohn F. Kennedy s Pres ident Of The Cuban Missile Crisis902 Words   |  4 PagesThirteen Days In October of 1962 a pressing matter arose during John F. Kennedy’s presidential term. It was made apparent that the Soviet Union was holding and building missiles in Cuba, it was named the Cuban missile crisis. Being a dangerously close country to the United States, JFK knew he needed to make a smart and safe decision, and fast. Kennedy had suspicions that this option would cause a third World War and end in a nuclear fallout. Kennedy’s determination to be a participative leader wasRead MorePresident John F. Kennedy: Hero or Villain Essay1295 Words   |  6 PagesPresident John F. Kennedy: Hero or Villain? For thirteen days, the United States’ government and citizens waited with abated breath, fearing the nuclear annihilation of their great nation. These thirteen days between October 16 and 28, 1962 are now known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. Briefly this crisis can be explained as a confrontation between two of the world’s greatest superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, which nearly instigated a nuclear calamity that could have destroyed bothRead MoreThe Door to Annihilation: Who Dares to Open it? Essay1346 Words   |  6 Pages In October of 1962, the world came close to annihilation for thirteen days. It is caused by the Soviet Union’s clandestine action of putting nuclear missiles in Cuba, which the United States perceived as an offensive and dangerous move. The two countries know that they are capable of destroying the entire world with the nuclear weapons, so they plan each step slowly and carefully. If there is any mistakes in the process, the price is destruction of every human civilization. Policies like brinksmanshipRead MoreThe Cuban Missile Crisis And The Soviet Union1062 Words   |  5 Pagestensions between the countries and brought the United States and the Soviet Union as close to war as they have ever come (Byrne 69). The world leaders during this time were President John F. Kennedy of the United States, Russian Premier – Nikita Khrushchev and Communist Leader, Fidel Castro of Cuba (Donaldson Thirteen Days). The Cuban Missile Crisis represents a period of history where the United States took a strong stand against the Soviet Union, Communist ideology and Cuba. In 1961, as part of NATO sRead MoreThirteen Days vs. the real Cuban Missile Crisis969 Words   |  4 PagesThe movie Thirteen Days directed by Roger Donaldson is about the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. It is often referred to as a docudrama as it is very entertainment oriented but still remains close to the roots of what actually happened. Since it was produced at a later date than many other films portraying the events, Thirteen Days was able to access recently declassified information which helped in attaining a more historically accurate film. Although there were some discrepancies with what happenedRead More Analysis of Thirteen Days Directed by Robert Donaldson Essay1563 Words   |  7 PagesAnalysis of Thirteen Days Directed by Robert Donaldson â€Å"Good evening my fellow citizens†¦This Government, as promised, has maintained the closest surveillance of the Soviet Military buildup on the island of Cuba. Within the past week, unmistakable evidence has established the fact that a series of offensive missile sites is now in preparation on that imprisoned island. The purpose of these bases can be none other than to provide a nuclear strike capability against the Western Hemisphere.† These

Prescription Drug Abuse a Growing Epidemic in the United States Free Essays

Prescription Drug Abuse: A Growing Epidemic in the United States Prescription drug abuse and related overdoses are a major public health issue that continues to grow each year. The National Institute on Drug Abuse explains prescription drug abuse as â€Å"the intentional use of a medication without a prescription. † (U. We will write a custom essay sample on Prescription Drug Abuse: a Growing Epidemic in the United States or any similar topic only for you Order Now S. Health and Human Services, 2011) Since prescription drugs are legal and readily prescribed to alleviate pain and suffering, it poses a big challenge to control them. Many people, especially younger adults, feel that they are safer than illicit drugs because they can be found in their family medicine cabinet. Over the years, the number of people abusing these drugs has increased significantly. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), in 2007 there were â€Å"approximately 27,000 unintentional drug overdose deaths† in the United States. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012) The use of prescription drugs continues to be the number one cause of these overdoses, more than heroin and cocaine combined. As part of the CDC’s study, they reported that over a ten-year period, between 1997 and 2007, the number of milligrams of prescription opioids prescribed per a person increased from 74 milligrams to 369 milligrams. In 2000, pharmacies dispensed 174-million opioid prescriptions and in 2009, it increased to 257 million prescriptions. These are both major contributors to prescription drug abuse and overdoses due to the fact that prescription drugs are so easily available. As a result of this study, the CDC has classified prescription drug abuse as an epidemic. (Executive Office of the President of the United States, 2011) Prescription drug abuse spans across a wide range of populations. The prevalence of prescription drug abuse is higher among men, individuals between the ages of 18-64, non-Hispanic whites, service members, and poor, rural populations. The highest rate of prescription drug abuse is by young adults between the ages of 18-25. (U. S. Health and Human Services, 2011)) Of the individuals who reported non-medical prescription drug abuse, 70 percent reported getting the prescription drugs from a friend or relative, 18 percent reported getting it from one doctor, and less than 5 percent reported buying it from a drug dealer or stranger. (Executive Office of the President of the United States, 2011) Younger adults are at higher risk for overdose because they have a higher tendency to mix prescription drugs with alcohol or other illicit drugs. Multiple studies have revealed associations between prescription drug abuse and higher rates of cigarette smoking, heavy episodic drinking, and marijuana, cocaine, and other illicit drug use among adolescents, young adults, and college students in the United States. † (U. S. Health and Human Services, 2011) This results in numerous emergency room visits for this particular popula tion. Between 2004 and 2009, the number of emergency room visits related to non-medical use of prescription drugs nearly doubled. Executive Office of the President of the United States, 2011) Young adults are not the only population of prescription drug abusers that has continued to increase over the years. In 2008, the Department of Defense reported that one in nine active-duty service members reported prescription drug abuse. (Executive Office of the President of the United States, 2011) A study done by the Office of National Drug Control Policy found that â€Å"approximately two million adults age 50 and older used prescription-type drugs non-medically in the past year. (Executive Office of the President of the United States, 2011) As you can see, the prescription drug abuse problem is not limited to a specific population. It effects people throughout their lifetime. Newspaper Article A recent article in the Boston Globe called â€Å"Antidote offers addicts’ families sli ver of comfort: Nasal spray credited with reversing more than 1,800 drug overdoses†, talked about the distribution of Naloxone in the community as a way to prevent an overdose. Naloxone is an opiate antidote that can be given to someone who you suspect has overdosed. It can be administered intranasally or by injection. Massachusetts is one of the few states that have implemented a Naloxone distribution program. Beginning in 2006, Massachusetts’s health officials have been distributing Naloxone to individuals who are most likely to witness an overdose such as outreach workers, homeless shelter employees, active drug users and family members. (Canaboy, 2013) The article goes on to talk about the effect the Naloxone programs have had in Massachusetts. In 2010, overdoses were responsible for 738 deaths in Massachusetts, which was twice the number of motor-vehicle deaths. Canaboy, 2013) Studies have showed that the Naloxone programs have had a positive effect in the communities where it is distributed. There were also positive results found in a study done in California by two agencies that implemented Overdose Prevention Programs using Naloxone. The rate of overdose deaths was reduced between 27 percent and 46 percent in the communities where Naloxone was distributed in 2009. (Canaboy, 2013) As shown by this article, drug overdoses continue to be a major public health issue in communities throughout Massachusetts. With the help of programs like the Naloxone discussed in this article, there is hope that health officials and communities can work together to fight against it using harm reduction programs in conjunction with other treatment programs. Healthy People 2020 One of the topics for Healthy People 2020 is substance abuse. The goal of this topic is to â€Å"reduce substance abuse to protect the health, safety, and quality of life for all, especially children. † (Healthy People 2020, 2012) Healthy People 2020 reported that 22 million Americans had drug or alcohol problems in 2005 and 95 percent of them were not even aware of their problem. Healthy People 2020, 2012) They also reported that 273,000 people who recognized they had a problem with drugs or alcohol were unsuccessful in obtaining treatment. It’s reasons like this that Healthy People 2020 felt that substance abuse was an important topic to focus on for the future. Under the substance abuse topic in Healthy People 2020 there are two specific objectives directly related to prescription drug use. They state the following: â€Å"objective SA-12 reduce drug-induced deaths† and â€Å"SA-19 reduce the past-year nonmedical use of prescription drugs. (Healthy People 2020, 2012) Both these objectives are directly related to the issues discussed in the Boston Globe article and other initiatives that the Federal Government has outlined as part of their plan. Nursing Diagnosis One of the NANDA diagnoses that relates to prescription drug abuse and overdoses is Ineffective Community Self-Health Management. Carpenito-Moyet describes this diagnosis as â€Å"a pattern in which the community experiences or is at high risk to experience difficulty integrating a program for prevention/treatment of illness and the sequelae of illness and reduction of risk situations. † (p. 28) This can be related to the Naloxone program discussed in the Boston Globe article and other treatment services in general. The article talks about how there are only a few states that have been willing to implement the Naloxone program. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released a report on â€Å"Prescription Drug Overdoses – a U. S. Epidemic† which talked about the National agenda to combat prescription drug abuse. In the report, it talked about how the public health approach needs to include both secondary and tertiary prevention programs such as the Naloxone program discussed in the Boston Globe article. Executive Office of the President of the United States, 2011) There are current programs out there but individuals are not successful in accessing them for one reason or another. The CDC’s report discussed the need to remove barriers to make treatment programs more accessible in the communities. The report stated, â€Å"Office-based care can be less stigmatizing and more accessible to all patients, especially those residing in rural areas. † (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012) Another NANDA diagnosis that is related to prescription drug abuse and overdose is deficient knowledge. This is defined by Carpenito-Moyet as, â€Å"the state in which an individual or group experiences a deficiency in cognitive knowledge or psychomotor skills concerning the condition or treatment plan. † (p. 269) This is directly related to the prescription drug abuse and overdose problem in a number of ways. It applies to the individuals who are actively using drugs, the prescribers who are prescribing the drugs to individuals, and the community in general. The Office of National Drug Control Policy developed a plan to combat the prescription drug problem. In their report, Epidemic: Responding to America’s Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis, they developed four major areas of focus, the first being education. The report stated that â€Å"A crucial first step in tackling the problem of prescription drug abuse is to education parents, youth, and patients about the dangers of abusing prescription drugs while requiring prescribers to receive training in the safe and appropriate use of these drugs. † (Executive Office of the President of the United States, 2011) Educating individuals about the dangers of prescription drugs is just as important or even more important than illicit drugs. People feel that prescription drugs aren’t as bad because a doctor prescribes them. Education is also required for family members and community members to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of drug abuse or an overdose. The Boston Globe article talks about how part of the Naloxone program is to educate whomever it is getting the Naloxone how to recognize an overdose. It’s important for them to know what signs to look for. Conclusion As evidence by the Boston Globe article and multiple reports put out by the federal government and different state agencies, prescription drug abuse is a major public health issue that needs to be addressed. It needs to be addressed at all levels, starting with the federal government’s drug policies and working down to the individuals who are abusing drugs. The population of individuals abusing prescription drugs varies for different reasons. There needs to be more treatment and prevention programs available to the different populations that address the specific needs of each. There are current programs established, like the Naloxone, that are shown to work. We need to keep moving in the right direction to implement and grow these types of programs in order to succeed in reducing the prescription drug abuse problem in the United States. Works Cited Canaboy, C. (2013, March 2). Antidote offers addicts’ families sliver of comfort: Nasal spray credited with reversing more than 1,800 drug overdoses. Boston Globe , p. A. 1. Carpenito-Moyet, L. (2008). Handbook of Nursing Diagnosis (12th ed. ). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012, January 13). CDC Grand Rounds: Prescription Drug Overdoses — a U. S. Epidemic:. Retrieved March 3, 2013, from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www. cdc. gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6101a3. htm Executive Office of the President of the United States. (2011, April). Prescription Drug Abuse | The White House:. Retrieved March 3, 2013, from The White House: http://www. whitehouse. gov/ondcp/prescription-drug-abuse Healthy People 2020. 2012, September 6). Substance Abuse – Healthy People:. (U. S. Health and Human Services) Retrieved March 3, 2013, from Healthy People 2020: http://www. healthypeople. gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview. aspx? topicid=40 Lankenau, S. E. , Wagner, K. D. , Silva, K. , Kecojevic, A. , Iverson, E. , McNeely, M. , et al. (2012). Injection Drug Users Trained by Overdose Prevention Programs: Responses to Witnessed Overdoses. Journal of Community Health , 38, 133-141. Stanhope, RN, DSN, FAAN, M. , Lancaster, RN, Ph. D, FAAN, J. (2012). Public Health Nursing: Population-Centered Health Care in the Community (8th ed. ). Maryland Heights, MS: Elsevier, Inc. U. S. Health and Human Services. (2011, December). Prescription Drug Abuse. Retrieved March 3, 2013, from National Institute on Drug Abuse: http://www. drugabuse. gov/publications/topics-in-brief/prescription-drug-abuse U. S. Health and Human Services. (2011, October). Prescription Drugs: Abuse and Addiction. Retrieved March 3, 2013, from National Institute of Health: http://www. drugabuse. gov/publications/research-reports/prescription-drugs How to cite Prescription Drug Abuse: a Growing Epidemic in the United States, Papers

Industrial Action free essay sample

This assignment will be based on Industrial Action within SA over the past few years. It will begin by a brief explanation of what Industrial Action is from a legal point of view, the context of industrial action over the past five years or so, the contribution factors to industrial action and the increase in violence during the industrial action.With reference from a UNISA handle, industrial action is accepted worldwide as an integral part of collective bargaining. It can take different forms; these include a strike, a lock-out, picketing, a product boycott and protest action. Barker amp; Holtzhausen: define the term industrial action as meaning â€Å"action by unions, employees or employers, to pressurize the other party in the furtherance of an industrial dispute†. They go on to state it usually refers to strikes and lock-outs but could also include picketing, product boycotts, sit-ins, go-slow strikes and other actions which disrupt the productive process. 2. In some nations like Korea, South Africa, France and Spain where strike action helped democratize society; general strikes are still being used for mass mobilization and political protest. * Labour’s strike effectiveness and organizational strength have long been connected. Throughout history, work stoppages have been used for economic and political purposes, to alter the balance of power between labour and capital within single workplaces, entire industries, or nationwide. Strikes have won shorter hours and safer conditions, through legislation or contract negotiation. Theyve fostered new forms of worker organization such as industrial unions, that were badly needed because of corporate restructuring and the reorganization of production. Strikes have acted as incubators for class consciousness, rank-and-file leadership development, and political activism. In other countries, strikers have challenged and changed governments that were dictatorial and oppressive. South Africa has just been degraded on its security rating from a BBB+ to a triple BBB and the impact this will have on the economy is not a positive one. The rating loss can cost our economy about R8 billion in interests a year – twice the amount of the cost of the toll roads. Someone will have to pay, and it’s us, the ordinary people, who will have to foot the bill – further eroding our ability to save money. It’s the union’s undisciplined labour actions that largely cause the degrading of the security rating of our economy. Unions and strikers don’t realise their actions also have a macro-economic impact that affects everyone around us. At a micro level we should realise that all our actions will also have an impact on our personal financial position. This increased cost of finance will prevent us from being able to save sufficiently for other needs. The increased cost of country debt will increase taxes and other duties, and prevent us from saving. * Strikes in SA over the years have grown and also gotten out of hand and causing our country to lose foreign investors. There has been an increase in violence causing facility damages (e. g: roads, shops etc), in some instances it would affect us importing foreign goods or even exporting our goods to foreign countries. Lives of people has been lost, families have been affected by this. We have had the public sector getting involved in industrial action even though prohibited from this. It’s like sectors in SA believe that in order to get what you demand we need industrial actions. The trigger for most strikes has been wages and wage differentials, where employers seek a wage increase. Unions communicate this to employers then this leads to disputes which further on can be driven/lead to strikes. * Unions and employers relying on 3rd parties to negotiate on their behalf, sometimes these negotiators / facilitators don’t even have the right skills at hand or might not have any personal understanding or knowledge of the interest of the parties in dispute. Bargaining in bad faith not taking economic circumstances into mind. Personal political issues, some unions/ workers use strikes as a mean to direct political action in the absence of any other means of legitimate expression. * Bad working conditions. * Partied being dishonest about what they really want and having the perception that they can just receive what they demand without taking other factors into consideration.   There’s a song â€Å"Money makes the world go round† indeed it does, money and other factors has lead to high industrial actions which further lead to increased violence. Looking at the Marikana Massacres: Article by James North The Marikana strike in South Africa is finally over, but the legacy of the massacre that took place there two months ago may prove to be as enduring as that of the Sharpeville massacre more than four decades earlier. On March 21, 1960, the South African police fired into a crowd of demonstrators protesting the apartheid pas s laws at Sharpeville, killing sixty-nine. On August 16, 2012, the South African police fired at a crowd of striking wildcat miners at Marikana, killing thirty-four. Not surprisingly by, many in South Africa have labelled Marikana the Sharpeville of our times, all the more devastating because the fingers pulling those triggers were controlled by a government voted into power to realize the aspirations of the majority rather than to shoot them down. * Looking at the truck driver strike: Article from News 24 Johannesburg Officials said on Wednesday that striking truck drivers set alight vehicles and intimidated a driver in separate incidents in Cape Town and Durban on Wednesday. Three people were hospitalised, said eThekwini metro police spokesperson Eugene Msomi. A driver and his two assistants were injured when they tried to get away from striking drivers on Wednesday afternoon, said Msomi. * Farm Worker strike: the farm workers also demanded a wage increase of about a R150 a day, this lead to violence of street being vandalised and some of them even looted stores for food.   Industrial actions over the past years have grown out of control. Not only ffecting employers and employees negatively but affecting the entire countries economy in terms of our macro and micro economy. This resulted in increasing violence (deaths, vandalising, looting, job loss etc). In most cases it appeared to be for wage increase but if we took a greater look into industrial action we can pick up that there’s whole lot of other factors contributing to industrial action. What’s amazing is that industrial action doesn’t always provide us with what we expected instead we stand to lose more. What are we as an economy doing to rectify this is like a rhetorical question amongst ourselves? It seems to be that the only action at hand is to bury the dead and move on, quickly to the next fiasco.