But the reality is that robots and electronic devices are becoming more autonomous every day. The need to regulate their use, behavior and the underlying principles that determine our attitudes towards them is becoming more pressing with each step that they are able to take away from the hands-on control of humans.

As a starting point for dealing with these issues some governments have already begun work on a charter of robot ethics and so, with the suggestions of these bodies in mind, these are the top-ten future electronic/robot ethics issues. They run from tenth in importance to the most significant and each deserves serious consideration in its own right.

10. Robots created for adult purposes should not be permitted to work with children

Somewhere between the domestic and industrial uses of robots, there is a space for robots that will serve adult only purposes. In the same way that the internet has vast potential for positive and productive contributions to our lives, yet it is mostly dedicated to disseminating the sort of content you would never show your mum, the technology of robotics may well produce devices and electronic entities that will have to be restricted to adult usage.

This raises huge ethical questions about the capacity of these machines to also work with children. If a robot was created in the genre of the “naughty-nanny”, could it serve a dual purpose of providing care and companionship for the children, while also being a plaything of the parent? Or does the parent have to invest twice?

The waste of resources is contrary to the whole premise of creating occupational and financial savings to the owner. Yet, in many countries, humans who wish to work with children must pass a series of assessments to show that they are fit to do so. It is obvious that the safety of the child must take precedence over any other consideration.

However, a further concern that this division of labor arouses is the creation of a subculture of “naughty-robots”. As technology continues to develop and fine-tune the design of these machines, does society want a class of robots that operate with a different set of moral standards to most of society?

9. Robots should remain identifiable at all times

When we think of cars rolling off an assembly line, we automatically acknowledge that, apart from some superficial features, they are identical. For this reason, cars are fitted with number plates and vehicle identification numbers so the authorities can keep track of them. It makes sense then to apply the same principle to robots.

As machines with exceptionally greater power to have an impact on a community, robots, more so than cars, need to be readily identifiable. But before images of rogue Yul Brynner cowboy-robots rampage into your mind with all guns blazing, it’s probably worth noting that we are thinking more along the lines of a malfunctioning domestic cleaning unit that is trying to vacuum aisle twelve in the supermarket. Being able to identify it will mean that its warranty can be enacted and that it can be returned to its owner more easily.

However, as other ethical issues are discussed it must be considered that, as with most technological advances, there are always people who will misuse technology for their own advantage. Whether the intent is to protect society or the robot itself, being able to identify the robot is essential to the security of the community.

8. Robots should not leave the country without a permit

A worker on the docks always raised the suspicion of customs officials as he left on his bike each night. They were sure he was stealing something, but their searches and questioning revealed nothing they could pursue. That was until they realized that he arrived every morning on foot and left every night with a new bike.

This tale is an example of the potential dangers of allowing robots to move as chattel from one country to another. Issuing a passport to a robot carries with it an assumption of humanity. But without a permit, the autonomy of a robot would make it possible for unscrupulous traders to shift bus and plane loads of robots from one country to another without necessarily paying the required duties and levies.

A further concern is the capacity of the robot to carry information across borders without restriction. Portable devices, such as smartphones and external hard drives, can hold the personal details and financial dealings of thousands of people. Consider a more advanced form of information storage device that was mobile and could act autonomously. The potential for such machines to play a role in international identity theft and financial corruption is frightening. Regulation of the movement of such robots would go some way to securing against such activity.

7. A robot should not deceive a human being

Although this appears to be a commandment leveled at the robots, it is actually a direct instruction to programmers and designers. The capacity for deceit is present within the constraints of the technology. The setting of priorities for strategies and responses when the robot is faced with interrogation allows for the owner to be protected at the expense of the truth.

While robots are expected to be developed to have greater facial expression than Hymie from Get Smart, detecting nervousness or other tell-tale signs of deception in a robot would be much harder than in a human. Other incentives to provide truthful responses, such as appeals to conscience, would have little bearing on a robot as would threats of incarceration.

The greatest dilemma in determining truthfulness in a robot will remain the ability of the robot to understand the concept of truth. As truth is always painted from the point of view of the teller, a robot can only recall events from the information it is allowed to process. Requiring it to surmise or extrapolate may be well beyond its scope.

6. Robots should always be traceable

The desire for “traceability” is an understandable precaution in an industry that has the potential to grow at an exponential rate. As more sophisticated robots are able to perform more tasks with greater autonomy, the need to be able to account for their movements and actions is fundamental to maintaining control. The Standards of the European Union in this regard demand a “black-box” system of recording for such purposes.

Yet, such a means of accountability raises the ethical question of the robot’s right to privacy. In much the same way that humans object to closed circuit television and unauthorized audio recording, the robots could raise the argument that they are entitled to privacy at times in their lives.

Similarly, in situations where robots and humans interact, the recording of the meeting may well infringe on the human’s right to privacy. Obviously, an encounter with an adult entertainment robot could cause embarrassment should it be divulged through the traceability provision. But even dealings with robots designed for innocent financial transactions or standard communication functions could present unwarranted invasions of the privacy.

At some point, discerning robot from human will become difficult. Robots will become autonomous and functioning entities. Their right to privacy, if not for their own sake, will become vital in their dealings with humans. While it may be convenient to have complete traceability, there are many ethical hurdles to face before it can become appropriate.

5. The impact of robots on unemployment

The vision of robots relieving man of the mundane, repetitious and most menial tasks has always been high on the list of reasons to create the machines. But success in this endeavor carries with it some serious ethical concerns regarding the rights of workers, both human and robotic.

Workers in the developed world already face the hardship of unemployment when their jobs are out-sourced to a country that has a lower standard of living and significantly lower pay rates. As robots take on the unskilled jobs of the working class, the income and self-worth of these human workers will deteriorate. In the face of such social change, there is a real need for the government and employers to address the wellbeing of these unemployed workers.

Furthermore, the exploitation of the robot workers leads to the creation of a sub-class of the eternally struggling poor. Attitudes and motivations that arise from a community that has limitations on employment, finances and hope can lead to the growth of crime and a disregard for authority. As robot workers become more autonomous and human-compatible, the danger of establishing a robot “ghetto” will need to be addressed.

Similarly, the ethics behind effectively instituting slavery in the form of an entity being bonded to a company or human as chattel, may well evoke strong social reaction as the humanity of the robots becomes more recognizable.

While we may dream of the day when robots carry out all the boring jobs, leaving us time for leisure and luxury, the reality may be more difficult to accept. A purposeless life may well be soul destroying and, against a backdrop of pseudo slavery, the world may be a bleak reflection of our dreams.

4. A robot should never be deliberately damaged or destroyed

The Korean charter of rights for robots has many excellent offerings to the discussion of ethics relating to robots. One of the most obvious is the setting in law that the deliberate act of damaging or destroying a robot is an offence. While the law doesn’t go so far as to use language such as “kill”, “murder” or “assault”, there are a number of ethical aspects to this regulation.

Most obvious, and some would consider whimsical, is the rights of the robot. Animals are protected in many countries from cruelty, so why should a robot, which may have strong human features, not also be protected. Is killing a robot, which possesses a human form, not the same as murdering a person?

Obviously, as an offence against the robot, the answer must be “No”. The act of destroying a machine, no matter how much it looks like your Uncle Bob, is not depriving it of life. But, perhaps the greater concern is the intent. While no life is lost, the intent of the attacker was to stop an entity functioning. If they didn’t know that the victim was a robot, the intent was premeditated murder. Such behavior cannot be tolerated in a peace-loving society.

If, however, the aggressor did know that the victim was a machine, their crime is still one of willful damage. They have permanently deprived someone of their possession and so they have also effectively committed theft.

Even if the robot was their own property, the decision to damage or destroy it, either deliberately or through neglect, indicates that there is a significant issue relating to violence that must be addressed.

3. A robot should have the capacity to kill

Beyond the tedious tasks that we would like to allocate to robots, there are the distasteful and dirty jobs that we would rather not know about. These include government sanctioned acts of violence, such as war or police actions demanding the use of deadly force. But a vital aspect of these applications of robots is the autonomy of the machine in such circumstances.

Without bothering to enter into the science fiction realm of rogue robots in a killing frenzy, the issue of a robot’s authority to take life is fundamental to its fulfilling the roles of soldier or law enforcement officer. But giving a robot the power of life and death over a human could be construed as raising its status above that of the humans it encounters.

This further complicates the civil rights of robots and issues such as privacy and freedom of movement can become more involved discussions. It would seem contradictory that a robot could be limited in the expression of opinions, but given license to shoot someone.

It could be argued that the robot is simply a weapon and that, as gun simply enacts the process of firing when the trigger is squeezed, so the robot will only carry out the act of killing when commanded. However, the practicalities of having a human controller for every robot soldier or police officer could be unworkable.

The other option would be to extend the autonomy of the robot, allowing it to make value judgments and carry out actions on its own undertaking. Understandably, this produces a range of concerns including, the moral capacity of the robot, the legal responsibility for the machine and the safety precautions in the event of a software malfunction.

While society may deplore acts of violence and wish unburden its soldiers and law enforcement officers of such tasks, there are profound issues to be discussed before these roles can be relinquished to a robot.

2. Robots should be allowed to marry

While it may appear the stuff of bizarre websites or sensationalist television programming, the concept of a person marrying a robot, or two robots marrying each other, holds more concern than the derisive shaking of our heads would suggest. Aside from the sadness of the lonely person who can find no companionship more satisfying than that of a machine, there is the fact that marriage involves a commitment from two parties. Whether a robot has the capacity to make such a commitment is questionable.

Some celebrants and would-be robot-spouses argue that their robot fulfills all their needs and that formalizing the relationship is simply a public recognition of an otherwise private bond. However, the lack of free will on the part of the robot would suggest that it could not make any decision other than that directed by its owner. On this basis, one wonders how the purpose of the marriage certificate would differ from a purchase receipt.

In a passionate, but slightly whining, voice those pursuing such a union would explain that they want to share their lives and all they have with the intended partner. This strikes at the heart of a deeper issue than the provision of companionship for the desperately lonely, that is, the concept of property ownership.

If marriage is seen only as ritualistic reciting of promises and ignores the spiritual and legal connotations that are intrinsic to the sacrament, then a robot might be the ideal partner for the sake of the performance. However, as numerous governments around the world are even reluctant to recognize same-sex marriage between humans, the chances of their recognizing marriage involving an entity with no sex or, as Mork put it, interchangeable parts is minimal.

1. Robots should be able to own property

Underlying many of the ethical issues that confront the designers and programmers of robots is the definition of humanity. For all the discussions that argue the potential for robots to reason and learn independently of man, the most salient test of a robot’s rights as a human rests in a sadly capitalistic measure. That is, the ability to own property.

As a property owner a robot would have to be recognized by the legal machinations of the state. The robot would be liable for expenses and obligations associated with the property, as well as being entitled to profits and benefits arising from it. This would provide a status that would demand that the robot have voting rights in company dealings, in addition to the power to hire and fire workers, including humans.

This would allow the robot to enter into legally binding partnerships, such as businesses, trust funds and marriages. They would the right to carry out financial dealings, and presumably other dealings, in a private and respected manner. They would also have the right to protect their property by forceful means, which in some jurisdictions would include the right to kill.

Property ownership would also produce the ethical dilemma of a robot owning another robot. The ability to possess an entity of the same nature would produce a scenario not greatly unlike slavery. At that point, all robots would have to be granted legally human status.

The presence of robots in our society creates a multitude of ethical questions. Most of these will have logical and sensible answers. But as robots become more human-like in appearance, in the roles that they play and in their legal standing, many of the worst aspects of humanity, including prejudice, discrimination and envy will need to be revisited and defeated again.

In some regards, the more that robots remain in the image of their predecessor from Lost in Space and the more that they stay clunky and machine-like, the safer it will be for all of us.

11. Whispering

A form of bullying that people may not even identify as bullying, is when young girls talk or whisper amongst one another about another girl; in her presence. The intent behind this act is to cause a feeling of alienation. They want her to feel as though she isn’t a part of their circle. They want to make her feel bad.

At some ages, the need to fit in is very prevalent. The effects that this can have on a girl can vary. Feelings of alienation can lead to feelings of not being good enough; which in turn may cause her to withdraw. On the other hand, she may begin to lash out and behave in ways that are out of character. It’s important that attention is paid to sudden changes in behavior. It could be a response to bullying.

10. Alliance building

Bullying amongst girls isn’t like it used to be. These days, they bully in packs, just like the boys do. There is always a ring leader and when she acts, so does her minions. This form of bullying can be extra stressful because there is no balance. A girl may feel intimidated because she is outnumbered. This can also be one of the most dangerous forms of bullying, for that same reason.

When the playing field is unbalanced, it is easier for a bully to force her victim to act. It’s easier to intimidate her into performing whatever tasks she wants her victim to perform, with the threat of bodily harm. They say there is strength in numbers and when it comes to bullying, this is true. Most times, however, the bully is bullying her minions into behaving as she does but they are too afraid to stand up to her.

9. Alienating

It is all too common for friends to fall out. Yet, when a friend is alienated from a group by the others for no reason and made aware of it through the actions of the others in the circle; she is being bullied. It isn’t uncommon for a bully to rear her ugly little head when she is trying to get her friends to like her more than she thinks they like the other friend. . Unfortunately, in doing so, she may use the friend that she already had as a target.

The former friend will find herself being shunned and turned away. She may find herself being left out of regular activities that were usually done as a group. She may also find herself the topic of group gossip, the target of their jokes and tricks, and the object of their teasing and taunting.

Being alienated from a group of friends can lead to depression in some young girls, as the rejection may be too much for them to handle.

8. Deliberate exclusion

Sometimes setting out to embarrass or humiliate someone is the intent from the beginning. This type of bullying is usually suffered by girls who are new to an environment or usually keep to themselves. In this instance, the more popular girls accept the other girl into their circle. After inviting her in and making her feel as though she is a part of their group, they turn against her. Admitting that it was all an act is usually something that the bully takes pride in and will be sure that it all unfolds in an arena for all to see.

This form of bullying is extremely hard on girls who are trying to find their place in a new setting. It can discourage them and cause them to become withdrawn. It isn’t uncommon for them to sometimes find refuge amongst other girls who are considered “misfits” as well.

7. Inciting others

There are instances when a bully doesn’t do her own dirty work. For some reason, they will encourage others to pick on or mistreat the person that they have ill intentions towards. They enlist the aid of others to enforce their brutality on their targets. By encouraging others to bully along with them, they intimidate their victims and feel more powerful in the process.

6. Playing jokes to embarrass or humiliate

In terms of bullying, girls can be just as ruthless as boys when it comes to dirty tricks. Gone are the old kick me signs on the back. Girls, today, often play tricks that leave lasting effects. Some may be played on the target, physically. Others are played to cause distress, humiliation and embarrassment.

Some physical ticks may include; cutting the victims hair, putting gum or sand in their hair, doing damage to their clothing or personal effects. Tricks intended to do harm in other ways include; posting embarrassing information or photos in a public forum, starting a rumor or telling a lie that may lead to others making comments or disparaging remarks.

5. Threatening Emails

Cyber bullying has been a frequent means of bullying for a few years. With so many young women spending so much time online using social networks, chatting and doing whatever else they do… it has become an easy way to reach across the globe. That means it’s only easier to reach the girl who sits next to you in math.

Sending threatening, harassing and embarrassing emails has become one of the fastest growing forms of bullying. Like bullying via cell phones, it’s also private and many young women suffer in silence. Cyber bullying has become the cause of many unfortunate events. It is imperative that parents express their availability for support in the event cyber bullying is affecting their young daughters. This will open the door of communication, without her feeling like her privacy is being breeched.

4. Prank/Harassing Phone Calls

Cell phones are a common form of bullying to carry out prank calls and threats. These repetitive calls are intended to tease, taunt and harass the victim. Normally, the calls come in rapid succession, for an extended period of time in the beginning. Over time, they may slow down but it is very rare that they stop altogether; especially if the bully is intent on getting a response or causing an effect. It isn’t unusual for bullies who use this tactic to pass the phone number of the intended target on to others.

Again, the service provider can aid in logging and tracking the harassment in various ways. Blocking a number can prove to be useless in this instance as well, since there is always another way to contact the victim.

3. Harassing Texts Messages

Cell phones are the premier means of communication today. Yet, they aren’t always used for exclusively. It isn’t uncommon for girls who are bullying someone to use texting as way to get their messages of cruel intent across. Girl bullies make it a habit of sending harassing and threatening texts to their intended targets. This is a form of bullying that can be hard to control since it takes some doing to block a number from being able to send texts. Even if the task is accomplished, there is always another phone that can be used to continue the harassment.

In the event of text bullying, all harassing, threatening or unwanted texts should be saved and reported. By contacting the service provider, you can ensure that a log of the texts is recorded.

2. Cyber Bullying

With parents allowing their kids to have social media accounts, such as Facebook, Twitter and My Space, as young as 11 or 12 years of age, online bullying has become a predominant method for girls to target and harass other girls. The use of smart phones, such as iPhones and Blackberry’s, makes this method all the more convenient and effective. In real time, girls can post embarrassing photos, spread rumors or make nasty comments about a victim and quickly reach hundreds of other peers. The impact can be immense and the results can be devastating; once a victim of cyber-bullying some girls have felt the need to change schools or undergo plastic surgery to alter a physical feature that have been targeted. Some extreme cases have led girls commit suicide.

1. Spreading rumors

Girls can be mean. They talk, they gossip and the spread rumors. This is another form of bullying that many are yet to identify as just that. When girls are intent on causing another girl emotional distress, they use their mouths to bring embarrassment to her. By simply making a statement to one other person, that statement will travel and grow as it makes its way around.

Keep in mind that the intent is to hurt the target. For this reason, many of the things that are said in regards to the victim usually don’t have a thread of truth in them. And even if there is, it’s lost by the time the rumor has made it to a 5th person. Still; rumors, name calling and malicious verbal assaults can cause emotional and psychological distress in a young girl if she isn’t equipped to deal with it.

Humans determine their own fate that’s my belief, you might choose to believe different but if you look at the world and what it’s really coming to you might be able acknowledge how all of us together made it this way. Hopefully after you’ve read through my list of Top 10 Human Responsibilities many of you will have a change of heart about things you have done that weren’t quite right and things you should have done differently. If I’ve missed anything feel free to add to the list.

10. Guide the Young

It’s a known fact that the Entertainment Industry has become a listen or watch at your own risk type of thing. Every movie and CD is rated but young kids can still walk into a store and purchase those items without question. Parents are supposed to be aware of what they’re children are watching or listening to but there is just no possible way to monitor a child or teenager 24/7. People ride around in their cars during the summer blasting their music with the cursing and sexual lyrics in it where children outside playing can hear it loud and clear but its called freedom of speech and self expression.

Your children are going to come across many negative things within their young lives and you’re not going to be able to blame the entertainment industry or others for how they choose to handle situations. Guide your children to do what’s right, to be a leader and not a follower then you shouldn’t have any future problems because you’ll know you’ve raised them right. I feel that in our time children should be aware of many things, it’s when you hide specific things that a child goes out into the world unknowledgeable and falls victim to the very things you wanted so badly to keep them away from.

9. Fight for Your Beliefs

If you have strong opinions and beliefs about something then it’s something worth fighting for. It doesn’t matter if it’s a religion, and school project idea, ideas at work, or at home. Voice your opinions on everything you feel is not right otherwise you will be taken advantage of for the rest of your life and looked over almost as if nonexistent. Your fight for your beliefs does not have to turn into a violent one to get your point across and many fail to realize that. Lots of people believe there are religious wars going on that have caused the world to become what it is, that have caused acts of terrorism that have taken hundreds of thousands of lives. There should be no religious wars going on, we’re all the same, we’re all human beings with human responsibilities. Will we wake up before it’s too late?

8. Show Love for Everyone

Love truly does make the world go around and without it all we have is hate. You know that hate has destroyed many nations in the past. Teach your children to love everyone no matter the skin color, age, differences in religion, income, or other status. While you’re teaching your children to love you might want to take note of a few things yourself.

Have you ever disliked someone because they had something you wanted whether it is a person, place, or thing? The term for those actions is called Jealousy and with jealousy comes envy and hate. Anytime hate appears love is out the door and all situations even the least expected can turn deadly.

7. Show Respect for Everyone

Even if you can’t bring yourself to love an individual you could at least show respect as you would want shown for you. If you disagree with someone or something it’s alright to voice your opinion in a respectful way. If that person is not trying to hear your thoughts on something it’s better to walk away then to try to forcefully get someone to listen. If more human beings showed respect for one another different races and religions could live amongst each other peacefully.

6. Show Respect for Animals

Are you an animal lover? If you’re not there should still be a need to show respect for animals you may come in contact with. Animal cruelty is a crime punishable to the full extinct of the law because animals cannot talk and stand up for themselves. No animal deserves to be slaughtered especially so that someone can have a fur coat to show off. People should treat animals as they would want to be treated if they were animals.

5. Punish Bad Actions

Laws have a purpose and that purpose is order. If there were no laws in the world and everybody free to do what they wanted we would be in much more of a crisis than we already are. Imagine a world without laws where our children could just walk into stores and purchase liquor, cigarettes, guns, and anything that we wouldn’t purchase for them ourselves. Imagine a world where our children didn’t have to go to school, people could steal anything they wanted, and do unimaginable acts at any time they felt. That’s not a world I’d want to be living in and surely not one you’d want to live in either. There would be no punishment for unlawful acts, no jails, and no people left on earth because we’d never survive.

It’s a belief that bad action should be punished because that’s the only way to keep things in order, protect our children and ourselves. Would you want a serial killer living next door from you free to kill, or a child rapist free to do as they please to any child? Another thought is If you were to raise your child without punishment for bad actions such as being grounded, as that child grows older he/she grows more free, more uncontrollable, and at risk for ending up in jail or death. Bad actions should never go unpunished.

4. Do what’s Right

Many politicians get into office on a wink, smile, and empty promises but the real reason is the peoples who vote them there. If we all were to do what’s right there’d be no need for worry of who the real voice of the people is. If we all were to do what’s right there’d be no worry of your child falling victim to gang violence or sexual predators. Sometimes doing what’s right can also crash some egos but we must be able to put our differences to the side and be strong enough individuals to admit our faults before condemning someone else’s. Let’s all try to do what’s right so we can create a better safer world to live in.

3. Learn

Education is available to every individual. Take advantage of getting an education so that you’ll be armed with knowledge to make a difference. Do you really think that the government or the people are going to listen to someone uneducated regarding what you feel might be serious issues? If you’re uneducated there will be nobody to help your children with their homework or really push them to finish school and obtain a higher education.

Most of the time a job you’ll have will equal your education. If you’re tired of working in those low paying jobs or not being able to afford the so called better things in life go back to school and finish your education. The dropout rate has been its lowest the last few years so somebody must be getting the message clearly. Not only do you learn through education to better yourself, you can also learn from past mistakes.

2. Help Others

Share your wealth sometimes especially when you have everything. Giving just a little will not make you poor if you are rich and have taken care of home first. I could use this in reference to our Government who is always willing to help out other countries in need but don’t take care of home first. If we have people starving over here and dying of disease you would think that they would be open to helping the ones right in their own backyard and then spreading the wealth. I realize not all people think like me but I truly wish they could.

1. Destroy All Nuclear Weapons

If the world could learn to love then there would be no need for nuclear weapons. All countries have nuclear weapons regardless of if they’ll admit it. People are always worried about another nation coming in and taking over but if we could all get along in some way the world would generally be a safe and peaceful place. If one country destroys another that country is going to have retaliation from another country, that’s the way it goes with war. What countries fail to realize is how to realize is that they can slip up and destroy their own country and people. Nobody with known nuclear weapons is willing to destroy them and that’s a really sad realization. Will the world end from a religious war or will it end because of all the nuclear weapons or the other? Do you want to know what’s meant by the other? Do your research and you shall soon find out.

10. San Pedro Prison – La Paz, Bolivia

A prison that tourists can visit, stay in and purchase copious amounts of some of the finest and cheapest cocaine Bolivia has to offer? Welcome to San Pedro Prison, where prisoners rent their cells and their families are allowed to join them. Inmates hold jobs within the community and for 1500-1800 Bolivianos can purchase cells with private bathrooms, cable TV and a private kitchen. The majority of income comes from the sale of cocaine, which is actually produced in large laboratories within the compound. Inmates retain the right the vote in national elections, unlike most other countries, and make their own laws and rules within the prison. It seems like a lovely place to serve your time, unless you’ve decided to commit a crime against women or children, which is highly frowned upon and will often lead to your injury or death by the other inmates.

9. Nuuk Correctional Institution – Nuuk, Greenland

Greenland is the world’s largest island and also one of its harshest places to reside. Greenlanders don’t believe in punishment, but rather rehabilitation and re-socialization, which is why the country contains only open prisons. Locked up only between the hours of 9:30 PM and 6 AM, inmates, including murderers and rapists, are allowed to hold down jobs in the community, go shopping, and even go to a bar if they so choose. The only time they are accompanied by prison guards on these outside excursions is during weekend hunting trips, when they are allowed to carry guns. This open system makes sense when you take a look at Greenland’s history. Up until 1976 the island didn’t have a prison system of any kind, and those who committed crimes were sent to respected community fishermen in order to be re-educated and reintroduced into society. 80% of the population is Inuit, and criminals were not ostracized because they needed all the help they could get when it came to hunting and fishing in order to survive this cruel climate. Although some of the public disagrees with the open prison system, and plans for a combined open and closed system are underway and should be completed by 2013, a recidivism rate of less than 1% suggests the arrangement may actually have something to it.

8. Tihar Prisons – New Delhi, India

Once considered to be one of the worst prisons in Asia, Tihar received a complete overhaul in 1993, introducing meditation and breathing exercises to what is now a population of 12,000 inmates held within the facility’s walls. It barely feels like a prison once inside – flowerbeds, palm trees and vast green expanses of land make up Tihar, and prisoners are seen sitting in the sun, meditating for hours. Education is provided in skills such as cosmetology, carpentry and baking, and prisoners make products that are sold on the outside, including potato chips and paintings. Inmates enjoy games of cricket and Scrabble and are able to e-mail their family members. Because of a backlogged system, the majority of detainees have not yet been convicted of a crime and are currently waiting for arraignment. Meditation was introduced in the interest of helping those who have not yet been proven guilty deal with the stress of confinement and a life among convicted criminals, but has been extended to all members of the compound, who find it reduces anger and produces a feeling of calm. The population rises by 10% every winter, as Indians commit minor crimes in hopes of entering Tihar, where they can find a warm bed and a decent meal. With all the deep breathing and deep contemplation, relaxation of the inmates (and guards) is of utmost importance.

7. Pavon Prison – Fraijanes, Guatemala (at least until September 25th, 2006)

It was a joyous day for convicts in Pavon Prison when prison authorities decided to stop controlling the interior of the prison and simply focus on manning the exterior, leaving the prisoners to their own devices and laws. The Independent Republic of Pavon, as Guatemalans began to call it, was finally taken back by the Guatemalan government on September 25th, 2006. Before that, however, the prison was run completely by convicts, from those who made the rules to the lower members of the food chain who enforced them. Although life was hard for those who weren’t in the elite class, the higher-ups enjoyed private villas complete with Jacuzzis and home gyms. They also took pleasure in a prison disco and a prison video arcade, and a few inmates made up to $25,000 a month by charging other prisoners for plots of land on which to build houses, and through the production and distribution of illegal drugs. Since the Guatemalan authorities took back the prison in 2006, there are still shady goings-on, but inmates admit Pavon Prison now feels more like, well, a prison.

6. Otisville Correctional Facility – Orange County, NY

Prisons in America actually tend to be stricter than those in some other countries. Although they have no comparison to facilities like Camp 1391 in Israel, a compound Israeli authorities deny even the existence of and which has been dubbed the “Israeli Guantanamo,” they’re certainly not as lax as the Greenland or Bolivian prisons we’ve looked at thus far. However, if you’re going to commit a crime in the U.S., you better hope your time is spent in a place like Otisville, a medium-security facility that Forbes magazine listed as one of America’s “cushiest” prisons in 2009. Otisville boasts a high Orthodox Jewish population, and although not exclusively for Jewish convicts, it was created in response to Orthodox Jews claiming that imprisonment violated their first amendment rights by being unable to accommodate their religious lifestyle. A kosher kitchen and weekly Shabbat services are among the amenities prisoners enjoy, and each year a traditional inmate-run Seder is presented on white tablecloths in the prison cafeteria. On top of the religious advantages, prisoners have use of an extensive library, a green room where they can tend to plants and vegetables, and multiple classrooms boasting a large array of courses. Bernie Madoff, the former stockbroker convicted of running the largest Ponzi scheme in history, reportedly requested to be imprisoned in Otisville, but was denied in 2009.

5. Federal Prison Camp Pensacola – Pensacola, FL

A Federal Prison Camp, or FPC, is a minimum-security prison that usually hosts prisoners who have committed white-collar crimes. In the past, inmates were allowed in the community during the day to work and were only locked up at night, and enjoyed amenities such as golf courses and cookouts. Although times have changed, most FPCs still have little or no barriers, meaning inmates could simply walk out if they so choose, but most don’t because of strict punishments imposed on those who do. At the FPC Pensacola, prisoners are allowed to leave for day jobs on the nearby Pensacola Navy base and have a large variety of recreational activities. Pensacola also hosts its own airport, making it very easy for friends and family members to visit on a whim. Prisoners can spend time with their families on weekends in a lush park filled with trees.

4. Aranjuez Prison – Aranjuez, Spain

Aranjuez is one of the only, if not the only, prisons in the world with cells available for families. The family cells, considered “5-Star” by the inmates, are large, with cribs and Disney characters adorning the walls. Children are allowed to stay with their parents until age three, and prisoners can work at the prison supermarket and take educational courses. Family cells were created to help the children bond with the parents in an environment that didn’t feel like a prison. Inmates are also treated to parenting classes, and children play outside in the compound and attend nursery school. Many people disagree whether prison is the ideal place for a child to spend their first few formative years, but Spanish authorities insist keeping families together and encouraging parental-child bonding is worth it and increases an inmate’s chances of rehabilitation.

3. BastØy Prison – BastØy, Norway

BastØy Prison is located on a small island that may remind some of a resort getaway. There are no fences or watchtowers, and prisoners reside in small wooden cottages. The cottages host four men each, and are designed so that inmates have a social life in order to ready them for their return to society. Prisoners farm or tend to livestock during the day and are allowed to enjoy leisure activities such as horseback riding and swimming once their work is done. The men are taught to cook their own food and do their own laundry, skills which authorities say will only help them once they are independent on the outside. The guards don’t use handcuffs and there are no bars on the windows and no locked doors. The warden of BastØy boasts that no inmates have ever attempted escape, and there has never been a murder or suicide, either. With a recidivism rate of less than 16%, this relaxed atmosphere has proven to be a success.

2. Halden Prison – Halden, Norway

Halden Prison is Norway’s newest correctional facility, complete with amenities such as jogging trails, a rock-climbing wall and a spacious library. There is also a music studio where prisoners can create their own melodies, and over $1 million worth of art on the walls for their viewing pleasure. Inmates live in their own private cells, which host personal bathrooms and have no bars on the walls. The compound has a two-bedroom house where convicts can enjoy overnight stays with their families, and there is a school which inmates attend in order to learn skills and possibly earn a degree so they are better suited for life on the outside. As you probably noticed from the last entry, Norway is big on rehabilitation and is a lot less concerned that prisons be punitive in nature. Prison guards don’t carry guns, and many eat and play sports with the inmates. Norwegian authorities say this fosters trust between guards and inmates and discourages violence. Half of all the prison guards are female, which authorities believe helps to lower aggression among the men.

1. Justizzentrum Leoben – Styria, Austria

Justizzentrum Leoben is a minimum security prison in Austria. Inmates in Justizzentrum have committed a range of crimes, from misdemeanors to felonies, and there are also prisoners who are still awaiting trial. These inmates, however, are housed separately from those which have already been convicted. The convicts live in one person cells with private bathrooms, and 15 men share a common living space with a living room and kitchen. The men are allowed to wear their own clothes, as normalcy is the desired effect Austrian authorities were going for. They figure that the more the prison is like the outside, the less of a chance prisoners face of being institutionalized, and this helps them to have an easier time adjusting their behavior to society. For recreation, inmates have access to two fitness rooms, a library, a walking yard and a multi-faith chapel. Inmates can also relax in their cells, which are open to the communal rooms at all times, and watch their own personal televisions.

10. Koro

At a time when a language dies every two weeks, the discovery of a new one is startling. Spoken by about 1,000 people in India’s Arunachal Pradesh state, Kono has received a lot of media coverage. Koro speakers insist that they’re part of the Aka community—intermarrying, sharing traditions, eating the same food—but strangely, they’ve managed to preserve their own distinct tongue. As researcher David Harrison put it, “There’s a sort of a cultural invisibility; they’re culturally identical…. They just happen to have a different word for everything”.

9. Arem

The Arem people have lost their own script. Now numbering 600, there are only 40 speakers of the language left in the border area between Laos and Vietnam. Fifty years ago, they were reportedly forced to move into government relocation centers, leaving their caves and temporary tree dwellings in the forest. The Arem language, which has been likened to a living laboratory of ancient Vietnamese, has gradually been absorbed into the broader Chut language family. Arem people prefer their children to be girls. As a dowry, the groom must to bring five jars of wine, ten bars of sliver, two cocks, and a large sum of money to his bride’s family. If he later does something to anger his spouse, he must bring another three jars of wine, three cocks, and another huge lump of cash to ask forgiveness. In the first place, however, every newborn must survive being dunked under water three times.

8. Gorgotoqui

An extinct language of the Chiquitanía region of the eastern Bolivian lowlands, Gorgotoqui once thrived in the colonial era. The first Jesuit missionaries arrived in what is now Bolivia (known then as Upper Peru) in 1572, and they made it the lingua franca and the sole language of the Jesuit mission. The Jesuits amalgamated different indigenous groups in the 17th Century, calling them the Chiquitano people. Chiquitos means “little ones” in Spanish—the Conquistadores had found the doors of the indigenous huts in the region small. A grammar of the language was written by a Father Ruíz (Gonzales de Barcía, 1737-38). Sadly, no one has been able to find this record.

7. Jarawa

It is a language no one else in the world knows, and none of its speakers know any other language. Jarawa, also the name for the pre-literate tribe of less than 300 living in the jungles of the middle and southern parts of Great Andaman Island in the Indian Ocean, are nomadic hunter-gatherers and subsist on tubers, animals, and fish available in the forest and sea. The name Jarawa was given to this tribe by the Great Andamanese—it means “strangers” in one of the ten languages once spoken.

Pramod Kumar has been working on a grammar of this script-less idiom, and Juliette Blevins has reconstructed a proto-language of Jarawa and its relative Onge, arguing that it may be related to Proto-Austronesian (PAN). Feared by non-Jarawa for their hostile attitude, the Jarawa were isolated until the mid-1990s. They’re now threatened by poachers and diseases like measles. Still, according to Kumar, they do not even understand the value of money. A 10 rupee-note and a 1,000 rupee-note are the same for them.

6. Amurdag

Throughout Aboriginal Australia, speaking the appropriate local language is a passport, signaling you as someone with the right to be there—to both people and the spirits of the land. In Amurdag (Amarag, Amurdak), the word for “west” is the phrase “sun go down”. “Jura” reportedly can be used to say paper, book, and office. Once reported as extinct, Australian linguists Robert Handelsmann, Nick Evans, Bruce Birch and others had been working with “last speaker” Charlie Mungulda and another remaining speaker over the years before Greg Anderson and David Harrison interviewed him for National Geographic’s Enduring Voices Project. Among other stories, he recounted the Dreamtime myth of the Rainbow Serpent, a bringer of life and death simultaneously.

5. Ayapaneco

It’s name is True Voice. Manuel Segovia, 75, and Isidro Velazquez, 69, who live in the same village of Ayapa in Mexico’s southern state of Tabasco are the last speakers of Nuumte Oote. The fact that they refuse to speak to each other is less at fault for the demise of the language than the once commonly enforced policy of explicitly prohibiting indigenous children from speaking anything but the colonial language. Mexico has 68 different indigenous languages, further divided into 364 variations. A handful of other languages are also endangered. Daniel Suslak, a linguistic anthropologist from Indiana University, has been working on a dictionary of Ayapaneco. A linguistic island encircled by much stronger indigenous languages, Nuumte Oote is especially rich in expressions inspired by nature. Kolo-golo-nay means as “to gobble like a turkey”.

4. Mortlockese

If you find yourself stranded on an island or atoll south of Truk—Etal, Lukunor, Satawan, Namoluk, Nama, and Losap—knowledge of Mortockese might come in handy. Mortlockese is a Micronesian language primarily spoken by approximately 9,000 people. It has been considered to be dialect of Chuukese (also called Trukese), but its phonology and morphology, as well as some of its lexicon, are different enough to warrant separate treatment. Chuukese is the official language of Chuuk State and has more than 60,000 speakers, and more importantly, is the language of instruction in Mortlockese schools. European and American ships began to stop at the islets to trade and rest starting in the early 1800s. Since then, Spanish, German, Japanese, and American administrations have controlled the region, the latter having the most marked impact. The community has usually seen outsiders not as invading enemies but as bearers of new resources. Unsurprisingly, the Mortlockese word for “snow” is sno.

3. Telhueche

The Welsh were not the first inhabitants of Patagonia. Among the indigenous tribes that had lived on the Patagonian plains for centuries were the “Tehuelche”, a nomadic tribe originating from the area between the River Negro and the Strait of Magellan. Their language is nearly extinct, other indigenous languages edging out Telhueche since the expansion of Mapuche culture between 1550 and 1850. The Telhueche were unusually tall and survived by hunting the guanaco (similar to the llama) and the rhea (similar to the ostrich). They most used the bow and arrow and boleadores, a weapon which had three stone balls tied to three leather cords. When thrown, the weight of the balls would tie the cord around legs of the animal and capture it. The Tehuelche relished the settlers’ bread and would often go from house to house to plead with them to exchange bread for meat. The word “bara” (Welsh for bread) was widely used by the native Patagonians. In fact, many of the Tehuelche learned some Welsh, and there is record of their descendants competing in the annual Eisteddfod in Trelew.

2. Ter Sami

Sami (Sámi, Saami) are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting parts of Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. There are two extinct Sami languages, and Ter Sami is on its way out. The Sami languages are relatively closely related but not mutually intelligible. Southern Sami speakers cannot understand their Northern Sami counterparts. The Sami languages belong to the Finno-Ugric branch of the Uralic language family, and so are related to Finnish, Estonian, and Hungarian. There are no educational materials in Ter Sami, and while text specimens, audio recordings, and dictionaries exist, no grammatical description is available. In Russia, the Kildin Sami language—the one that dominates the Kola Peninsula— is taught at the school from grades one to four. On the whole, life as a Russian Sami is hard and relatively short, with alcoholism prevalent. Here is a surviving figment of Ter Sami:

1. Mashco-Piro

A language cannot be documented by outsiders if the people who speak it cannot be contacted. The Mashco-Piro are one of the 11 indigenous peoples who have lived in voluntary isolation (“uncontacted people”) in the Peruvian Amazon since the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Mashco, which means ”naked,” is the name given by other indigenous communities. The Mashco-Piro language is frequently confused with the much more commonly-spoken Yine and Machinere languages because members of all three groups are generically referred to as “Piro” and because the identifier “Mashco” has been rejected as derogatory by many Piro speakers. Of all the indigenous peoples in Alto Purus, the Mashco-Piro are the least known. There are no reliable data on their population— the estimate is around 800. Due to the logging activity in the region, their gathering, hunting, and fishing activities are declining. The Peruvian government is trying to establish a reserve exclusively for them. Interaction with outsiders, however, is of major concern due to the Mashco-Piro’s poor immune defense capacity.

“Altruism” is the unselfish concern for others, performing acts to benefit others, sacrificing self-interest and not expecting anything in return. Altruistic qualities are important and not cultivated in our society. The world we live in now doesn’t exactly portray rampant altruism. Does your child have awareness for the need to put their interest aside to help another – just because it the right thing to do, not for the intent of gaining credit or recognition for it? Much of our parenting techniques aren’t balanced; we give, the kids take. The message teens hear is clearly, “You are the only one that matters”. Unfortunately, an attitude of disrespect and disregard for others develops.

Our children have access to more privileges, opportunities and technology than any generation before them. Many also have a lack of responsibility and hardships. Older people will tell you these things made them more gracious people. Most parents are so busy rushing to fulfill their teens wants and desires – they don’t stop to think about what kind of values this is building in their teen. I don’t think anyone plans on their children growing into selfish teenagers. Is your teen reflecting the character you had hoped for? To be altruistic, or not, is a trait that comes from within. It hinges on “what we are made of”. And what we are made of has everything to do with how we have been conditioned to think, to act, and to view others and ourselves. For many teens, thinking about themselves is an all-consuming activity. Many teens are discontent the majority of the time, but don’t know why. They have it all and want it all, from cell phones to name brand clothes; and become sulky without immediate gratification. Most seem unconcerned for how their actions affect others. Basic politeness and deference to others, like stepping aside to let an older person go by in a store, is not thought necessary. Their priorities and concerns seem to point only to themselves. Does your teen seem self-centered and become sullen when they don’t receive instant gratification? Has your child’s environment produced a self-centered teenager? Does your teen have the attitude that everything revolves around them? Is your teen never fully satisfied because what they have is never enough? This is not breeding altruistic qualities most of us desire in our children. You CAN take initiative to present opportunities to build these qualities in your teen.

Perhaps with some well-directed activities, self-interest can be expanded to include generosity to others. Exposing our teens to a personal view of the lives of others can open a different world for your teen. These altruism builders are meant to bring your teen out of the self-centered mode they are accustomed to, that we have inadvertently created. Gaining more respect for others and being aware of needs outside of their own can change a selfish attitude and positively affect their goals in life. Teenagers certainly may not see the value in doing something for others that is not reciprocated –when they could be at the texting friends! Parents should decide if the end goal of attaining more altruistic traits in their teen is worth the effort it takes to initiate these activities.

10. Help a needy neighbor

Encourage your teen to take an interest in your neighbors. Seek a neighbor or two that is in a situation that may cause them to need a helping hand. Encourage your teen to introduce themselves, offering their help with things that need to be done. Simple such as raking the yard, walking the dog, grocery shopping, or helping with minor repair work, would be kind. These are actions directed towards someone else’s needs and a sacrifice of time. The cell phone should be off to cultivate respect for others.

9. Container gardening for gift giving

Container gardening is a great way for teens to have responsibility for something other than themselves. This is especially good for teens 13-14 years of age to give to neighbors. They may be listening to their ipod as the water their plants, but they will be sacrificing some Internet time to do so! Being able to give something that was grown by them and not purchased is good lesson. Even if they don’t see a container tomato garden as “cool”, they will be proud of what it produces. When they give what they have grown, it’s a piece of their time and effort they are giving away.

8. Work with local disabled children and adults

Disabled children and adults have challenges that your teen may have never personally witnessed. Handicapped individuals have concerns far different than the average teen. Spending time helping with various tasks once a month will give the opportunity to see first hand how different life is for these strong willed, determined people. A respect for the daily challenges they overcome should develop in your teen. When they are part of something bigger than they are, such as helping an autistic child increase their abilities or a handicapped adult reach a goal, it will strengthen your teen’s character.

7. Garage sale to donate proceeds

Your teen can give a garage sale or yard sale at your home or church. Proceeds can be donated to a shelter, charity or family with needs. Let them choose what matters to them the most. Your teen will be recycling unused items and practicing charity at the same time. They are cleaning out, organizing, sacrificing time and activities to focus on a project they are not going to benefit from financially. This will expose teens to planning, organizing a project themselves, handling money, advertising, keeping up with inventory, considering the value of each item and pricing accordingly.

6. Volunteer at a hospital

Many hospitals have a teen volunteer program. Teens can commit to volunteering a number of hours each month. They can assist with visitors, entertaining children in waiting rooms, patient care and add a human element to a patient’s hospital stay. These experiences can open your teen’s eyes and hearts to situations of others that he or she has had no reason to contemplate until now. It expands your teen’s personal support network, connecting and bonding with people they would never have met. For areas that do not have provide a teen program, schedule trips to a children’s ward or cancer center on a regular basis.

5. Childcare/babysitting duties

Childcare duties teach your teen about caring for others and being responsible for their welfare. This idea does include your teen likely getting paid, but the benefits still contribute to gaining desired altruistic qualities. Your teen will have to discover patience, problem solving, and diplomatic discipline, with full focus on a younger child. Your teen’s interests will be on the backburner while they entertain and fulfill the needs of the child they are caring for. The Red Cross offers a daylong Babysitter Training Course with a certificate of completion.

4. Adopt an elderly person

There are many elderly people in our society that are lonely and isolated. Some have no one left that cares; others have family that live elsewhere, living their own lives. Kind acts like bringing baked goods, folding laundry, taking them to the store, etc. would be a bright spot in their week. Your teen can be someone they look forward to seeing, sharing stories and life lessons. Just taking time to making them feel valued and cared for, without expecting anything in return, would be a great service. Many of the elderly have fought for our country, contributed to their community and cared for others. They have much to share with our youth.

3. Volunteer to be an after school tutor

Student tutors are needed for high school through elementary. Your school may already have a student-tutoring program. If not, your teen can talk to a counselor or teacher about starting one. If your teen doesn’t feel they do well enough in a subject to tutor, they can help students from other countries to simply learn to speak English. They can also help teachers by making copies, organizing library books and decorating for the holidays, etc. This may create an interest in education for your child’s future. Your teen may actually talk to you about their day when they come home from school.

2. Community outreach and mission projects

There are many types of outreach and mission projects your teen can be a part of. Opportunities are there to help take care of others less fortunate, such as home repairs, reading programs, and food drives. Habitat for Humanity and the Salvation Army are two places to start. Talk to local community groups and churches about what types of programs are in need of volunteers. Your teen will meet people that are also putting their interest aside to help others, and that can be a positive influence on your teen.

1. Lead by example

You sacrifice daily for your family. Let them see you sacrificing unselfishly for others as well, being generous, caring and giving in your altruistic efforts. As your teen is preparing to make their weekly visit to help elderly Mrs. Smith down the street, you mention you are making a casserole to help out a bereaved family or sick friend. Let younger children help with the cooking, explaining to them the importance of helping others. Begin early teaching them to have a giving heart. There are times that you may want to volunteer with your teenager for a community project to help the needy. Even a simple gesture, like inviting someone that is lonely with no family close by to share Thanksgiving dinner with your family, is worthwhile. A great environment for building altruism is when the whole family is involved in these efforts.

Still, there is a strong and vocal movement against same sex marriage, as well. This movement, among other things, was largely responsible for the passing of Proposition 8 in California in 2008. This proposition amended the California constitution to state that marriage is defined only as being between a man and a woman. While it was a vocal minority that was able to get this measure on the ballot in California, an overwhelming majority of Californians did support the initiative. An equally vocal minority led the charge against Proposition 8. In the end, this ballot initiative is one that will be challenged in the courts many times over, and one that will certainly be talked about for years to come.

Why is it that some people oppose same sex marriages? What are the arguments against same sex marriages? The reasons vary, from arguments based on religion to others based on culture and tradition. While not everyone opposed to same sex marriage agrees on the reasons, they all do agree that marriage should be more narrowly defined as being between a man and a woman. Most people that oppose same sex marriage may do so on several grounds.

10. The religious argument

The fact of the matter is that many people who argue against same sex marriage make their argument based on religious reasons. While Roman Catholicism perhaps gets the most press coverage when it comes to religious people opposing same sex marriage, there are actually many religions that believe gay marriage to be inappropriate. Typically, the argument is made that God created men and women specifically for certain purposes, and that sexuality was meant to be shared between men and women, not between people of the same sex. It naturally follows that marriage would, by extension, be between men and women. Some religions have specific dictates against homosexuality and against same sex marriage, while others may have some variety of opinion on the issue. For example, there are many Christian denominations that oppose same sex relationships on religious grounds, while other Christian denominations fully support same sex marriage, even sanctioning the marriages and ordaining ministers that are practicing homosexuals.

9. The institutional argument

Another argument people use against same sex marriage is the institutional argument. This argument suggests that allowing same sex marriage would in a variety of ways damage the institution of marriage. Marriage, as an institution, has existed more or less in its present form for thousands of years. To allow same sex marriage is to tamper with the very fabric of the institution. In addition, they argue that allowing same sex marriage would increase the divorce rate, and eventually cheapen the institution by making divorce fast and easy, and making it more rampant. In many ways, this argument tends to be speculative, as there are no broad statistics to suggest that same sex marriage would definitely affect the divorce rate. Proponents of this argument paint a picture in which divorce is so commonplace and easy that most marriages will eventually end in divorce. They suggest “drive-thru” divorce situations, where getting a divorce is as simple and easy as renewing your driver’s license or perhaps getting tags for your Doberman.

8. The slippery slope

If same sex marriage is allowed, opponents argue, then it won’t be long before other alternative forms of marriage are commonplace. After all, if men are allowed to marry men and women are allowed to marry women, why wouldn’t one man be allowed to marry several women? Some people who support this argument suggest that it even opens the door not only to polygamy, but also to child marriage, or even bestiality. Having said that, most people who oppose same sex marriage also realize that no one is demanding child marriage or bestiality. The validity of the “slippery slope” as a logical argument in any situation is questionable at best, and many logicians, ethicists and debators will make the case that the slippery slope is limited in its application, at best. Thus, while it is likely that calls for the legalization of polygamy would follow the legalization of same sex marriage, it is not at all likely that other, abhorrent practices would be advocated.

7. The values argument

Opponent of same sex marriage often oppose same sex marriage on an ethical or value based ground. They believe that same sex relationships are immoral, and even abnormal. This is often the position of people who also make the religious argument. They see same sex relationships as sinful. However, there are also many other people who oppose same sex relationships from within a non-religious moral framework. It may be a cultural argument or natural law argument, but it ultimately makes the case that same sex relationships are immoral. This has historically been the most common argument against not just same sex marriage, but against homosexuality in general. Taken to an extreme, this particular argument has been used to try to justify other immoral behaviors, such as violence. Most people, however, who believe that same sex relationships are immoral also don’t believe in these kinds of abhorrent activities either.

6. The moral equivalency argument

If same sex couples are allowed to marry, then same sex relationships are given the moral equivalency of heterosexual relationships. In the minds of opponents, this does a couple of things. First of all, it lends moral legitimacy to same sex relationships. No longer is homosexuality to be considered immoral or even abnormal; rather, it is just as moral and normal as heterosexual marriage. This is a secondary argument, of course, to the other arguments that state that homosexuality is immoral. If you don’t start with the assumption that same sex relationships are somehow ethically wrong, then there is no problem with those relationships being morally equivalent to heterosexual relationships.

5. The child and family argument

One argument that is most often promoted by religious people, but can also be found among other opponents of same sex marriage, is the child and family argument. This argument proposes that the purpose of sex is procreation. It further proposes that the family is the basic unit of society, and that one man and one woman and their children comprise the essential elements of society. Thus, same sex marriage is outside of this social structure. It can never lead to children, as the sex is not procreative. Proponents of this argument are often also opposed to a variety of forms of birth control, including contraceptives and the pill. While it is a common argument among Roman Catholics, they are by no means the only group that makes this argument.

4. Impact on social security and other business or financial systems

For some people, the argument against same sex marriage is strictly one o f numbers. They look at financial systems, such as Social Security or insurance coverage, and they see the potential impact of allowing same sex marriage the same status as traditional marriage between a man and a woman. For example, legalizing same sex marriage could add millions of dependants to survivor benefits of Social Security. This would add billions of dollars to a system that is already overburdened. Other systems, such as private health insurance systems, would feel similar types of impact if same sex marriage were legalized. Even life and disability insurance companies are likely to feel the effects of this kind of new influx of covered individuals. All of this variation on these systems could greatly increase the cost, at a time when health insurance is already too expensive for many families and individuals to be able to afford.

3. Spread of homosexuality

One of the consequences of the moral equivalency argument (the idea that same sex marriage will give a stamp of approval to all same sex relationships) is that fewer people with homosexual tendencies will feel the need to hide their proclivities. In fact, sanctioning same sex marriage may even open the door to same sex relationships for people who otherwise may never consider such a thing. This argument assumes, in many ways, that homosexuality is a learned thing, or that there are specific elements of choice. It also assumes that the spread of homosexuality is a bad thing overall.

2. The cultural argument

Same sex relationships have been a major component of the so called “culture wars” for decade. The culture wars are a way of talking about societal values, and the conflict between “traditional” values and “modernism” or “progressive” values. Same sex relationships are just one part of the broader culture war. Other issues, such as abortion, gender roles, and many others make up the issues of the cultural argument. Many people who oppose same sex marriage on ethical or religious grounds will also be found to oppose same sex marriage on cultural grounds.

1. The argument from nature

Some people argue against same sex marriage based on a “natural law” argument. This can take several forms. One form makes an argument from design. This argument suggest that, physically, men and women have anatomy that is specifically compatible in terms of sex. Specifically, sex that doesn’t involve a penis and a vagina isn’t “natural” or legitimate sex. Many proponents of this argument even make the case that other forms of sex, even between a man and a woman, are still unnatural. Another aspect of this natural law argument tries to look at the natural universe, and make the case that the “norm” among nature is for a relationship to take place between males and females. Finally, the third leg of this argument is similar to the family argument. It states that, because sex can lead to procreation, sex that doesn’t have the potential for procreation is, to one degree or another, unnatural.

It is important to understand, when thinking about the arguments against same sex marriage, that not everyone opposed to same sex marriage does so for the same reasons. For example, not everyone who is opposed to same sex marriage is a Roman Catholic. Not everyone opposed to same sex marriage is concerned about financial systems or social security. Not everyone opposed to same sex marriage believes that it will mean the destruction of Western Culture. On the other hand, there are opponents of same sex marriage who will make their case on all of these grounds at once.

One of the most significant trends in this regard is for opponents and proponents both of same sex marriage to fight the battle on local or state levels, rather than on a national level. Thus, a supposedly “liberal” state like California may vote to ban same sex marriage, while a supposedly “conservative” state like Iowa may find that its courts give approval to same sex marriage. In addition, there is a movement that seeks to unbuckle marriage from government altogether, making it so that the states don’t recognize marriage per se, but rather any number of different types of social contracts that may be formed between people, and/or sanctioned by particular religious groups.

Ultimately, it is important to recognize that this issue won’t easily be resolved. There are people on both sides of this argument who are extremely dedicated to their positions. It may take years for the issue to be resolved.

Religious groups, politicians, and many other groups and parties are clamoring to have a say in the matter. It’s used as a platform for political campaigns, touted as an unpardonable sin, and has been the cause of violent attacks, on clinics, doctors and nurses who work there, and women who visit them. Blood boils when the topic of abortion is raised, with both the pro life and pro choice factions attempting to put their point across, but seldom ever listening to the valid arguments of the other.

Children should be a source of joy, yet the decision whether or not to have them has become a source of pain, hatred and misery. I am sure, whatever higher power is out there, never intended for this to happen, and that the violent outbreaks are a source of anguish.

However, when examining the facts, and while there are valid arguments on the part of pro life campaigners, there are the same on the part of those who are pro choice.

When you get right down to it though, the decision whether or not to become a mother rests with that woman. It is her body that will carry the child, her life that may be endangered if a difficult pregnancy occurs, and her life that will change irrevocably once that child is born, whether she chooses to keep the child, or place it up for adoption.

Here are our top ten objective arguments for pro choice.

10. No One Has the Right to Decide But You

Assuming that you live in country or state that has made elective abortion legal, you, as the potential mother to be, have the sole right to determine whether you wish to keep the fetus that is growing inside of you, or not.

For one of many reasons, whether they be financial, or because you are in a bad relationship, were rape, have a chemical dependency, or a potentially life threatening hereditary disease, or any other reason you may have, you have the right to decide on the future of your body.

Pregnancy is difficult, often dangerous, and certainly not something to be entered into lightly and caring for a child is even more so, on all counts. Making sure you are physically and mentally able to be a mother should be your first priority, rather than the decisions others would like to foist on to you.

Think about it – no one would force you to donate an organ, submit to drug testing, or any other form of invasion of your body, and if they did, it would be illegal. Bottom line? No matter what anyone says, does or threatens, the decision is yours.

9. Every Child Should be Wanted

The truth of the matter is, children who are not wanted, and not put up for adoption, are likely to end up with parents who are disinterested at best, or actively abusive at worst.

Having known people who have been adopted, it’s easy to recognize a common refrain that runs through their laments. Why didn’t they want me? Even the most well adjusted wonder why they were given up, and those that are not end up with lingering mental health disorders, stemming from their abandonment issue. They have trouble forming relationships, and may have behavioral problems as well.

In short, whether they are kept by their natural parents, or given up for adoption, the likelihood is that children who are not wanted and cherished will suffer some form of ill effect.

Interestingly enough, several of the people I have spoken to who are adopted have stated that if they ever had to choose between adoption and abortion, in the event of an unwanted pregnancy, they would choose the latter.

8. There Are Countless Destitute Children Already

It’s a fact that there are already countless thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of homeless, orphaned, or unwanted children in the world.

These children, scattered across the globe, lack proper nutrition, healthcare, education and shelter. They never have the opportunity to truly be children – to play, laugh, and be happy and carefree. Instead, they live in poverty and fear, are abused, and often die before they reach adulthood.

We can argue till the cows come home, but the money spent lobbying against abortion would be better spent helping those children. Think about it – if someone really wants an abortion, they’ll find a way to get one, regardless of what you do or say. Save your money, and save a child who is already suffering.

7. In Some Cases, Abortion is Safer

Not to generalize, but there are circumstances where the mother to be is unable to sustain a pregnancy safely, and would endanger herself, as well as her fetus, if that were to occur.

In such an instance, it makes sense to perform an abortion, saving the woman in question’s life, rather than to risk both her well being, and that of the fetus.

It’s a tough decision in most cases, and often happens to women who would dearly love to have a child, but in this case, common sense should prevail.

6. Legalized Abortions Save Lives

Going back to a point that was made earlier, if a woman is bent on aborting a fetus, whether she goes to a clean, legal, proper medical facility to achieve it, or a back street butcher, she will find a way to do it.

Of course, many women die from backstreet abortions, or contract serious illnesses, or are so scarred for life that they are never able to bear children.

It should be borne in mind that just because a woman chooses to end one pregnancy, does not mean she never intends to have children, and forcing women to seek illegal, unsafe abortions would result in this for many. Of course, you may choose to argue that she deserves what she gets for her sins, however, I could counter with “let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”

5. No Woman Should Be Forced to Mother a Child of Rape

The act of rape, in itself, is violent, abhorrent, and leaves scars for life. A rapist takes from a woman her dignity, and her feeling of security, leaving her forever fearful.

When such an act results in a child, it is not the result of love, or even carelessness, but rather, that act of violence made flesh. If a woman who has been raped is forced to carry her child to term, she will feel that child move inside her, knowing that half of it is composed of her attacker.

If she chooses to keep that child, she will forever be torn between the love of a mother for her child, and the memory of the man who brutalized her, and if the child ever finds out the truth behind their conception, they may well develop self loathing or other mental disorders.

Rape is a crime, and the perpetrators of rape should be punished, however, if women who become pregnant out of rape are forced to carry the child, they are the ones who are punished. That is not fair, in anyone’s book.

4. Chemically Dependent Mothers

More and more, in our messed up, damaged world, women who are drug addicts or alcoholics become pregnant. The fetus she carries inside of her has no chance of being born normal, or of having a normal life.

Oftentimes, these women, by circumstance, are poverty stricken or homeless, living a life of pain, unhappiness, and misery. To bring a child into a situation like that would be cruel and inhuman, and if that child will also bear the burden of physical and mental disabilities, then it should not even be a consideration.

Alcohol abuse and chemical dependence are diseases, and the sufferers are usually unable to stop, even when they are aware they are pregnant. If they do carry to term, their children are born dependent on the substances they use, or have birth defects. People who are chemically dependent are also not in control of their faculties all the time, and may not even have realized that they are pregnant, or even that they had sex, or with who.

In this situation, the only humane thing to do would be to end the child’s suffering before it begins.

3. The World Is Overpopulated

In countries like China, where strict regulations are set on the size of families, and enforced abortions are the norm for those who fail to obey, this has come into effect because the governments of those countries know they lack the resources to cater to a larger population.

The same problem is occurring around the world, where large families typically live in poverty, and borderline starvation, while those who have fewer children enjoy a better quality of life.

Food stores are dwindling, fresh water supplies are less able to cope with demand, and fossil fuels that provide life giving energy are fast dwindling, leading the world for disaster. Humans are breeding themselves out of existence, and unless something is done to slow population growth, we will continue to have more and more poverty, hunger, disease and other symptoms of over population.

By giving people the choice – whether they want to have a child, or have another child, or indeed, have a child right now, we effectively help ease the growth of our population.

2. Contraceptives are not Infallible

It’s often argued that if you don’t want children, you shouldn’t get pregnant in the first place, which is fair enough. However, how many people don’t become pregnant when their condom breaks, or their pill does not work for one reason or another?

Perhaps these people, who are doing their bit to be responsible, simply cannot afford to have a child at that time, or perhaps the woman cannot afford the expense, or time off work, that goes with having a baby. Should they then be forced to have that child, either jeopardizing their own financial futures, careers or other aspects of their lives, or should the woman be forced either to have an illegal backstreet abortion or place the child up for adoption?

While the indiscriminate practice of abortion as a means of birth control is abhorrent, and should be stopped, there are legitimate cases, where through no fault of their own, couples end up having to make this decision. Giving them all the options is only fair.

1. Morality is Relative

As you will notice from all other points on this list, the concept of morality is not a fixed point of view, able to be imposed on one and all, regardless of circumstance or any other factor.

Morality is fluid, and just as an abortion for the sake of abortion is wrong, when used as a remedy to irresponsible behavior, the outlawing of abortion under the right circumstances, and for the right reasons, is also wrong.

If we begin to make decisions for people on issues as private as what to do for their bodies, where does it stop? Do we then begin to advocate forced sterilization for people living with diseases that are hereditary, or who are chemically dependent? Do we begin forced medical screening or other invasions of privacy?

Where do the black and white areas end, and the grey areas begin? How can we justifiably call ourselves free, when government or other groups have the power to decide what we do or don’t do with our bodies?

In most cases, I believe, abortion is not a decision that is arrived at lightly. It is something that is carefully weighed, agonized over, and considered, and as such, it should be respected as the right of the individual. After all, they are the ones who will have to live with their decision, not you.

Bonus

Laren Galloway has a good Scottish surname. His parents are from New Orleans and the fact that they are both African-Americans and have produced a blue-eyed baby is amazing.

Below, you’ll find a list of 10 of the least known cultures and civilizations from our past. All of these groups have been well researched, and although their details may be common knowledge in academic circles, they’re not well known to the average person. These cultures are samplings from all over the world, from a broad range of time periods in prehistory and ancient times.

For the purposes of this list, prehistory means before writing; ancient history refers to the period after writing until the fall of the Roman Empire in AD 476. However, it’s important to recognize that these terms are arbitrary, and that many scholars will use prehistory and ancient history in different ways. Regardless, you can think of the cultures listed below as peoples who flourished before the Middle Ages, before the organization of modern city states, and before the start of most people’s knowledge of history. These are our hidden ancestors.

10. Harappan Civilization (2600 B.C. to 1900 B.C.)

The Harappan Civilization extended through what is today Pakistan. Harappan culture flourished during the mature period of the Indus Valley Civilization, so the Harappan Civilization is really a subset of this larger group. The name for the civilization comes from the first of its first discovered city, Harappa, which was unearthed in 1842. Harappan culture thrived during the same time period as Dynastic Mesopotamia and Early Egypt. As of today, more than 1,000 cities from the Harappan Civilization have been found.

The Indus Valley cities found from this time period exhibit excellent urban planning. The sewerage and drainage systems in place were far more advanced than elsewhere in the world. And the Harappans also were masters of architecture; they built walled cities with granaries, warehouses, citadels, and possibly even public baths. They were also some of the first people to develop a uniform system of weights and measures. The Harappans were skilled metallurgists too, having developed advanced skills with copper, tin, bronze, and lead.

The Harappans used a large trade network both within their civilization and outside of it. There is evidence for extensive trade between the Harappans and the Mesopotamians. Archaeologists aren’t sure if the Harappans had a writing system or not. Symbols have been found, but it has yet to be determined whether these were used for everyday writing or just as agricultural markers.

In about 1800 B.C., the Indus Valley Civilization began to decline. By 1700 B.C., all the cities had been abandoned. No one knows why the civilization waned, but the culture did live on. Its influence was felt throughout the region for years to come.

9. Valdivia Culture (3500 B.C. to 1800 B.C.)

The Valdivia Culture was made up of ancient peoples who lived near what is now modern day Valdivia, a coastal town in Ecuador. The culture was first discovered in 1956 by Emilio Estrado, who suggested that it may have been linked to the ancient Jomon culture in Japan based on similarities in pottery styles. Estrado’s theory proposed trans-Pacific trade between the two groups, but it has been largely dismissed because of a lack of evidence.

The Valdivian people lived in communities with houses built in circles around central plazas. They were sedentary people who grew corn, beans, squash, peppers, and cotton. They were skilled fishermen and occasional deer hunters. They were also excellent craftsmen, creating beautiful clay works. Mature Valdivia pottery is dark red and polished, and the trademark piece is a “Venus” figure, a female figurine that was likely used in ritual fertility ceremonies.

Eventually, the Valdivia culture died out. The area was repopulated by groups unconnected with a central culture.

8. Chavin Culture (900 B.C. to 200 B.C.)

The Chavin culture was prevalent in the highlands of Peru for more than 700 years. The influence of the culture stretched for hundreds of miles along Peru’s coast with multiple ruin sites, a fact which has led some people to call it a full-out civilization. The Chavin people domesticated llamas for pack animals, food, and wool, and developed the technique of making jerky. They were also skilled agriculturalists, growing quinoa, potatoes, and corn.

Chavin de Huantar, an impressive temple and World Heritage Site, is the most known relic of Chavin culture. The temple was an architectural masterpiece. It was given a draining system that not only kept water from destroying it, but also created a load, rushing sound for effect. The temple is built of stones that are not found anywhere near the site, which means the builders had to have brought them in from far away. It’s also home to a number of intricate carvings, including the Lancon, a 4.5-meter-long granite stone that was a central cult figure in the Chavin way of life.

Chavin art is dominated with images of fanged felines, which are thought to be examples of deities or, possibly, references to altered states of consciousness. These fanged felines can be seen in artifacts up and down the Peruvian coast, proving the Chavin influence was extensive. But although the Chavin appear to have done quite well, their culture disappeared by 200 B.C. following a century of town abandonments.

7. Achaemenid Empire (550 B.C. to 330 B.C.)

A coin from the Achaemenid Empire.

The Achaemenid Empire was one of the first Persian Empires that spanned large areas of modern-day Iran. It was arguably the largest and wealthiest empire of the ancient world, reaching across some 10.7 million square kilometers. The Achaemenid Empire, which is sometimes simply called the Persian Empire, was the entity involved in the Greco-Persian Wars, which are famous in Western history. It’s first ruler and founder, Cyrus the Great, is also responsible for freeing the Jews from the Babylonian Captivity.

During its height, the Achaemenid Empire ruled over the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotamia. Because it encompassed such a large area and many cultures, Achaemenidian art, religion, and even language were blends of many elements. However, the most dominant religion in the empire was Zoroastrianism, and the official language was Aramaic.

The Achaemenid Empire ruled in opulence for more than 200 years. But it was overthrown in just a few short years after the wars of Alexander the Great began. The regions of the Achaemenid Empire would become part of the Hellenistic State, which would eventually be overtaken by the rise of Rome.

6. Badarian Culture (4500 B.C. to 3250 B.C.)

You’ve heard of ancient Egypt, but you probably don’t know about the Badarians. The Badarians were the first people to introduce agriculture to Egypt, and they were the ancestors of the people who began the Egyptian empire. So far, scientists have found about 40 settlements and 600 graves that have been associated with the Badarian cultural tradition. From this evidence, archaeologists have discovered that Baderians grew plants, herded animals, and fished. They also buried their dead in elaborate, low cemeteries; the deceased were placed on mats, laid in shallow pits, and oriented to the south, with their heads facing west.

5. D’mt Kingdom (? 900 B.C. to 600 B.C.)

Ruins of the temple at Yeha, a city which could have been part of the D’mt Kingdom.

D’mt was a kingdom in modern day Ethiopia, dating somewhere near the 8th and 7th centuries B.C. Very little is known about the D’mt Kingdom, and archaeologists aren’t sure how it connects to the later Aksumite culture, which became prominent a few centuries later. The kingdom was based on agriculture, and there is evidence of irrigation systems. The Kingdom of D’mt could have also been the place where Ge’ez, an ancient Semitic language, was developed. Knowledge about D’mt remains murky, but it is an area of interest to scholars who work with the later empires of Ethiopia and Eritrea, which probably had some of their roots in this kingdom.

4. Gandhara (600 B.C. to A.D. 1021)

The Kingdom of Gandhara was a long reining civilization located in present-day Pakistan, Kashmir, and Afghanistan. The boundaries of the kingdom varied throughout its long existence. The kingdom was most prominent during the first centuries A.D, when Buddhist kings ruled.

Gandhara is known for its distinctive style of Buddhist art, which has Greek, Indian, Persian, and Syrian influences. The kingdom used a Prakrit, or dialect of Middle Indo-Aryan, for language; this language was commonly known as Gandhari. Gandhari was used to write the Gandharic Buddhist texts, which are the earliest Buddhist and Indian manuscripts discovered so far.

Gandhara flourished for centuries, keeping its name and local rulers while conquering empires came through. But when Mahmud of Ghazni conquered the kingdom in 1021, the name was lost. Gandhara was forgotten, or known only locally, for centuries. The British rediscovered the kingdom in the early 19th century, but it was not until the 20th century that much of the kingdom’s history was known.

3. Dorset Culture (500 B.C. to A.D. 1500)

Eskimo and Inuit peoples are commonly associated with the far upper reaches of North America, but there was another culture that predated both of these groups in most areas, especially in what is now eastern Canada. The origins of the Dorset people are not well understood, but it is known that by 500 B.C., their distinctive pottery and tools were made throughout Arctic Canada. Dorset people relied on sea creatures for food; they would hunt seals through the ice with harpoons. The Dorset people also made distinct masks and intricate carvings, both of which indicate a strong religious or shamanistic tradition.

Dorset people were once found in much of the arctic north of Canada, but they became more isolated on eastern, far north islands after the medieval warm period, which melted the ice and altered the Dorset’s food habits. Eventually, the culture became overtaken by the Inuits, who moved across the continent from Alaska.

2. Moche Culture (A.D. 100 to A.D. 800)

A Moche decapitator mural image from the Huaca de la Luna.

The Moche culture consisted of multiple groups of people who shared common styles of iconography and architecture in Peru. The Moche people lived primarily in the valleys of northern Peru, where they thrived in agriculture with a sophisticated system of irrigation. Anthropologists know a lot about the Moche from their art, which depicts many scenes from everyday life and some of ritual significance.

Based on the depictions in Moche art, human sacrifice seems to have been an important aspect of Moche culture. One place where sacrifice could have taken place was the Huaca del Sol, the central ritual temple built by the Moche civilization. This adobe building was the largest pre-Columbian structure in the Americas, but it was in large part destroyed when the Spanish looted it for gold in the 17th century. Near the Huaca del Sol sits the Huaca de la Luna, which remains more intact. This temple was definitely the site of human sacrifice; images inside it depict sacrificial victims, who were killed on the top of the temple and then hurled over the edge.

The Moche culture collapsed around A.D. 650, and it disappeared entirely by A.D. 800. No one knows for sure what happened to these people, who flourished for years. Many anthropologists suggest that a raiding tribe killed off many of the Moche. Even so, many remnants of the culture survived for generations in Peru.

1. Longshan Culture (3000 B.C. to 2000 B.C.)

An example of Longshan pottery.

The Longshan peoples lived around the Yellow River in what is now China, and they made a lot of progress toward more modern civilizations in eastern Asia. They were the first to form cities in China, and they were also some of the first peoples to harvest silk from silkworms. During the time of the Longshan, rice was a staple food and was obviously cultivated; before their time, rice was just beginning to be grown. Pottery making also reached new levels of skill during the Longshan cultural period. The Longshan used pottery wheels to create perfect vessels, which are commonly polished and black.

Based on some findings, anthropologists think the Longshan were believers in divination. They used cracked cattle bones to tell the future. One Longshan site is also believed to be an observatory, which could have been used for ancient astronomy. It might have been that Longshan people were interested in their potential future status; based on burial findings, it turns out that the Longshan maintained a highly stratified social system.

For their huge contributions to the Asian region, the Longshan were extremely important. They’re some of our lost ancestors that we should respect greatly.