Black Stork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Black Stork - Essay Example It was the belief of those that ascribed to this type of world view that such a human was possible and the only thing that was stopping the further evolution of mankind was societal constructs of mercy and value towards all life equally. The proponents of the eugenics movement, Dr. Harry J. Haiselden himself a member, advocated for a more direct approach towards achieving this particular interpretation of Darwin’s theories (Pernick, 1996). The rational for this particular worldview was not formed from a state of mind that espoused hatred, malice, or contempt for human life; instead, the proponents of eugenics sought to create an idealistic world in which society would no longer be plagued by disease, and genetic disorders – a world in which a superhuman would eventually emerge. As such, opponents to the eugenics movement quickly crystallized around the belief and notion that all human life was sacred and it was not for the doctor/attending physician or anyone else for t hat matter to deem what life was not worthy of being saved through his own inaction allow an infant to die (Voluntary Euthanasia, 1932). As such, in 1919 a silent movie entitled Black Stork began to be shown in the then rare theaters. The movie was concentric around the actions/inactions of Dr. Harry J. Haiselden which led to the deaths of many infants the doctor deemed unworthy of life. Although this name is not likely to ring any bells currently, this was a medical doctor whose exploits were the thing of tabloid newspapers at the time. Due to the fact that Dr. Haiselden was a strong proponent of eugenics he was known to withhold treatment from certain infants that when born required immediate surgical procedures to ensure their continued longevity. As such, Dr. Haiselden was known to withhold theses procedures deeming it as a mercy to the child and to society to prevent them from being a drain on their parents and the society at large. As such, the movie displayed in detail the pr ocess through which the doctor would make these determinations as well as the graphic display of the corpses of the dead and dying infant with its own mother. This practice alone caused the film to have to be edited on a number of occasions in order to tone down the graphic displays of death and dying that were presented to the audience (CITE). The idea of eugenics, coupled with the fact that many in society were willing to carry to an ultimate end the theory of natural selection (aided by human hands) and survival of the fittest, meant that a term was brought into the lexicon of the medical community and society at large in a new and revamped way. The term itself, â€Å"Euthanasia† had previously had a much different meaning; however, due to the exploits of individuals such as Doctor Haiselden, the meaning grew from â€Å"efforts to ease the sufferings of the dying without hastening their death" to â€Å"actively or inactively ending life in an effort to end suffering† (Capron, 1974). As such, the term greatly progressed from what was its original meaning. Furthermore, the movement was presented to society in ways that they could no longer ignore the implications that such practices brought along with them. It is interesting to theorize what would have happened with eugenics and euthanasia had Hitler not risen to power in Germany during the early 1930’s (Benzenho?fer, 2010). Due to the Third Reich’s belief that racial superiority was the best model

Conservation of the Everglades National Park Research Paper

Conservation of the Everglades National Park - Research Paper Example The Park is home to several species of wildlife such as herons, egrets, wood storks, red-shouldered hawks, snail kites, wild turkeys, woodpeckers, and warblers. In addition, it is the only Park in the world with two contrasting species of animals coexisting in the same ecosystem. For example, alligators, commonly found in temperate climatic zones, live with crocodiles, only found in tropical zones. Since the Park receives both freshwater and saltwater from different sources, plants and animals from temperate and tropical climatic zones are a common feature. Funding from external sources is necessary to support conservation programs aimed at preserving the existing ecosystem, as well as develop lasting solutions to slow down the effects of global warming on the Park’s flora and fauna. Diversity and biological interrelationships among the life forms in the area During the dry season often experienced between December and April, the alligator digs out large holes in the limestone that provides shelter for turtles, insects, wading birds, and fish. These holes provide a secure place for these animals to cool down during the day before returning to their habitats at night (Spoolman & Miller, 2011). Moreover, during the wet seasons, alligators spread out the marshes floating on the water to make way for wading birds and other freshwater animals. The life cycle of the snail kites is dependent upon the availability of the apple snail, which is its staple prey in the Park. Due to the seasonal water flow affecting the Park, the population of the apple snails is diminishing, endangering the survival of the snail kites. Thus, conservancy strategies have been put in place to control the use of water in the Park so as to reverse the current seasonal dry spells that, for years, have disrupted the Park’s ecosystem. For there to be a stable balance between the predators and their prey, conservancy programs should be modeled towards reversing the effects of global w arming currently affecting the flora and fauna native to the Park (Balint, Stewart, Desai, & Walters, 2011). Mangrove trees provide nesting grounds for different species of birds living in the Park. Furthermore, snakes prey on these birds for survival, thus keeping the mangrove forest intact would strengthen this food chain, providing a balance between the two species dominant in the Park. Human intrusions threatening the Park Although the Park is protected from the inside, its surroundings are constantly being destroyed by human activities, such as building canals to redirect water from the river for irrigation. The water channeled off the Park is being utilized by the neighboring communities to water their plantations, as well as for domestic use. Besides, the canal’s major objective is to control flooding during the rainy season when water from the springs overflows to the plantations surrounding the Park (Parrish, 2011). Water from the â€Å"River of Grass† is curr ently being used to irrigate sugarcane plantations located between the Park and Lake Okeechobee. It is said that the river no longer flows to the Park as it used to when the Park was opened since most of the water is being tapped for domestic and industrial use.