Brave & Free

States make few efforts to promote and protect human rights. First and foremost, it is important to understand why human rights matter. Every man, woman, boy, and girl is created equal and bears the likeness of God. Fundamental human rights are endowed by God, not by government leaders. State human rights policies affirm that which is already true.  The freedom of expression, right to life, the right to work and get an education, and freedom from slavery and torture all fall under the human rights category. Being generally agreed upon as beneficial principles, these rights also contribute to international norms. Most states say that human rights are good and they are working on them, but they are inconsistent.  Inconsistency holds people and policies back. For example, the right to life is a human right and thus, in theory, it is supported by all democratic countries. However, abortion is still legal in 173 countries out of 195. Many of these nations restrict abortion, but tha...

Imagine a bratty child screaming for sugary cereal in the grocery store. If you don't know this kid, you don't have much authority over him. You just roll your eyes, grab a loaf of bread, and hightail it to the produce section. But if this is your own rotten offspring, then you are authoritative, and it is your responsibility to make him get it together. You bend down, grab his hand, and instill respectful fear in him. You may wish for a moment you could just walk away, or that he would disappear with a cloudy puff, but he's a person. He's not going anywhere, and neither are you.  North Korea is the child. He's potentially a danger to himself and others, he's constantly changing and growing, and he is his parent's problem.  The United States is the parent. Having been placed in a position of authority, it is his responsibility to never give up on the child. "The United States is the most powerful country in the world today," (Fisher). Continuing ne...

Legislative quotas will not help equailty and are undemocratic.  I do not believe that legislative quotas are important for equality and development.  First of all, men and women are created equal, but different. Thus, great care must be taken in discussions centered on gender. Men and women are both simply human, but they also have different roles.  To begin with, legislative quotas exclude candidates based on sex, even if they are otherwise qualified. "Quotas are against the principle of equality for all, since women are given preference over men," (Dahlerup).  This does not help anyone, male or female. If one woman and three men in a district want to run for a Senate seat, a legislative quota automatically gives her an unfair advantage. Consider the values and thoughts of the individual. These are what matter, not his or her gender.  Additionally, it is possible for leaders to represent their constituents well regardless of gender. A man can advocate for his ...

I have chosen Argument 2, which is that "The United States and China Can Coexist Peacefully." I have two reasons to believe this, the first of which is simple. Argument 2 is right because it is happening now. The United States and China are coexisting peacefully as I write this.   My second reason is more complex. Although they have different types of government, China and the U.S. have many similarities.  Both countries persecute religious groups for their faith. China kills Uygher Muslims and oppresses Christians, and the U.S. locked worshippers out of churches in 2020. It is worth noting that at the moment, China and the U.S. do not persecute religous groups with the same degree of severity. However, the American dike has a hole in it and will follow China's lead if no change occurs.  Furthermore, both countries are able to order their populations to imprison themselves. The first shutdowns in the U.S. were issued by states beginning on March 15, 2020, and some states ...

This is the first essay in my new series, IR Debates. If you didn't catch the introductory article, you can read it  here .  I am arguing for Argument 2, which is "States Are Down, but Not Out."  First of all, States are much older than any IGO, NGO, or MNC. Since they have been around for so long, they have fluctuated. Anything that lasts for thousands of years must change. Nonstate actors gaining influence is merely one of these changes.  Iceland is one example of a country that has changed. Settled somewhere between 870-930 C.E., it has experienced colonization and independence, paganism and Christianity, need and abundance, and monarchy and oligarchy. Additionally, it endures infamous earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. But through all of this, it remains the Republic of Iceland.  Secondly, there is something to be said for doing things the way they have always been done. Society likes to stay the same because change comes with struggle. And for states to be...