5 Ways to Tell if Your Company Cares About Work Life Balance

A Discussion on Islamic Militancy

Islam is a deep rooted religion that upholds otherworldliness, and requires an existence of love, confidence work and accommodation to the desire of an incomparable being called Allah by observing guidelines, set out in the mainstays of the Islamic confidence, in the showing found in the blessed book the Koran and lessons of prophets of the confidence. How at that point can a religion that claims such kindheartedness and profound otherworldliness and compliance be connected to demonstrations of terrorism?Perhaps, the most widely recognized association is found in the principal mainstay of Islam confidence, which is; to hold up under observer that there is no substance deserving of love with the exception of Allah alone, and that Muhammad was his errand person. Taken outside of any relevant connection to the issue at hand and smothered of extents maybe, with this impact, is the idea of Jihad or a blessed war (Pipes, 2002).There is no straight-out meaning of what a jihad is, one holds it to be heavenly war pursued against different Muslims who are supposed to be unbelievers because of a distinction in their translation of the fait. Then again, another meaning of jihad is the call for Muslims to dismiss the lawful furnished clash so as to achieve further otherworldly condition of illumination. Why at that point does this â€Å"militant† brand of Islam thrive?Warner (2001), an American author, feature writer who centers around Islam places that it is because of the triumphs that these aggressor bunches have accomplished, that is the reason this extreme belief system flourishes. He further said that in 2004, Muslims were on the pile, happier that a large portion of their reality counterparts (Warner, 2001). He likewise said that a few Muslims want to be on top once more; thus this suggests antagonistic relations with the Western world, as this is viewed as the wellspring of their issues (Warner, 2001).While there are just 10 to 15 percent of the Muslim world as of now embracing this conviction, with around one billion Muslims on the planet, there are effectively 100 million to 150 million of them. Combined with deception, and absence of comprehension of the Islamic confidence, this is the purpose behind such philosophy to flourish among Muslims or otherwise.REFERENCESArave, L. (n.d.). Aggressor Islam blossoms with its prosperity. Recovered February 18, 2009, fromhttp://209.85.175.132/search?q=cache:RvCXXjWGddIJ:findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20040206/ai_n11439530+why+does+militant+islam+thrive&hl=tl&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=ph

5 Tips to Help You Write a Persuasive Essay

5 Tips to Help You Write a Persuasive EssayWriting a persuasive essay is not the easiest thing to do, but the rewards far outweigh the difficulties. It takes more than just writing; it takes research, time, practice and most of all a clear purpose. Your purpose for writing an essay is to convince your reader of what you want them to believe. There are a few things that you can begin to do, before you begin your essay, to make sure that your goal is achieved.Have a Purpose When you write, you have a purpose. In order to craft a persuasive essay, you must know what your purpose is. Determine exactly what you want your reader to come away with. Write down your goal and see if it can be articulated in the way that you want it to be.Understand What Things You Know A lot of people when they begin to write their first essay are very intimidated by the idea of knowing something about the topic. This is not a problem. By realizing that the skill of persuasion comes from having knowledge and e xperience in the field, you will be able to use your knowledge effectively and will be able to apply it to your essay.Prioritize Time Spend your time doing the best thing for you. A lot of essay writing is not on a set schedule, and you should be able to do what is best for you. Choose the projects that are the most enjoyable and that you are most passionate about.Learn How to Start, Edit and Re-Edit If you are like a lot of writers, you probably have a ton of ideas. Good thing, essay writing has no time limit. It is your opportunity to get the information out there, in front of people who want to learn from you.Be Self Aware Don't take criticism personally. Everyone has their own style and habits that they need to change. Through time, you will find that you can read and re-read your own work and you will be able to improve your style and the way that you present yourself.Prioritize Time Most of us have very little time to dedicate to our careers. You want to write as well as you c an, but don't do it at the expense of others. Make the time for the research and the writing. Also, prioritize your writing by the length of time that you have to write, so that you aren't rushing through it and you don't get rushed into the topic.These are a few things that you can do to ensure that you are writing a persuasive essay. If you take the time to do them, you will find that writing is a fun and rewarding process.

Magical And Metaphysical Elements Of Magical Realism

Magical realism is a genre that incorporates magical and mystical elements into lives of ordinary people going about the monotonous activities of daily life. Everything would appear to be normal, except for a few elements that go beyond what would most likely be called ordinary. It’s a combination or merge of realist tradition in literature with the world of fantasy, as if fantasy were the most normal thing in the world. In this genre, the world that is created has a very thin line between what is real and what isn’t. It compels you too view the world through the eyes of the characters present in the story line, what’s real to them becomes real to us as viewers/readers. Realism and magic is woven together in such a way that the audience†¦show more content†¦They are an altered state of alertness/consciousness that takes us away from the current pressures and stress; some would call this escapism. Studies have determined that prisoners in penitentiaries a nd jails often use daydreaming as a means to find sanctuary from the reality of prison life. Sometimes they do this willfully, and at other times, the mind just seems to want to wander away from the current reality all on its own. Psychologist Sigmund Freud said, â€Å"It is extremely probable that myths, for instance, are distorted vestiges of the wishful phantasies of the whole nation, the secular dreams of youthful humanity†. He believes the daydreaming is a â€Å"series of methods which the human mind has constructed in order to evade the compulsion to suffer- a series which begins with neurosis and culminates in madness and which includes intoxication, self-absorption and ecstasy.† In this way the social imagination, created through myths and symbols, may provide a defense against the ‘real’ in times of social distress. Sigmund Freud talks about in â€Å"Creative Writers and Day-Dreaming† how a child’s best-love’s and most intense occupation is with his play or games. We can also go on to say that a child at play almost behaves like a creative writer, in which he creates a world of his own making and arranging objects according to his own wish. The child enj oysShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Kafka On The Shore1852 Words   |  8 Pagesoutcast 15 year old boy with a grotesque Oedipus Complex; and Nakata, a pensioner who was subject to a disastrous trauma in the Second World War. Through their stories, Murakami guides the reader through challenging concepts under the guise of magical realism: a technique he uses to develop themes and meanings that would otherwise be inaccessible to a writer with a more conventional approach. In the novel, time is bent, distances are shattered, and the preconceptions of the reader are entirely reconstructed;Read MoreTheatre and Its Double2592 Words   |  11 Pages Oriental and Occidental Theatre Here Artaud criticizes Occidental theatre for its dependence on the word and praises Oriental theatre for its independence from it. Again, Oriental theatre is superior because of its use of imagery and its metaphysical nature, whereas Occidental theatre is inferior because it is absorbed in psychology and internal struggles. â€Å"It is not a matter of suppressing speech in the theatre but of changing its role, and especially of reducing its position, of consideringRead More Faith, Reason, and Imagination Essay1995 Words   |  8 Pagesreason are both dangerous paths to follow. Some may argue that it is irrational to believe in God, because there lack of evidence of his existence. For example when we use our five senses it helps us determine the laws of logic and the metaphysical principles (like; we see the stars in the sky are bright, and know when something taste sweet or sour) that don’t require much argument. I disagree with atheist, theologies, or those that just flat out say, â€Å"There’s no God†; I believe if faithRead MoreKhasak14018 Words   |  57 Pageswere his oyster. Vijayan was chronicling a period wrecked by violent upheavals and made absurd by farcical political gains. He reflected the incomprehensibility and futility with an outward silence and an inward alertness all through. He created a magical Malabar in his works. â€Å"I have always felt that there are two kinds of writers: those who reflect the real world with its space and life and those who create a parallel world with its own space and life. Vijayan b elonged to the second genre†, observedRead MoreArt as an Embodied Imagination22095 Words   |  89 Pagesfeelings play a central role in consumer decision making and merit serious investigation, which, for this study, means that intertwining mind and body is crucial for creating an unforgettable consumer experience. The effort afoot to restore embodied realism to social scientiï ¬ c inquiry (Johnson 1999; Lakoff and Johnson 1999) has generated some of the most exciting research into consumer behavior. In this article, we address the links between embodiment and consumer experiences in order to elucidate theRead MoreArt as an Embodied Imagination22095 Words   |  89 Pagesfeelings play a central role in consumer decision making and merit serious investigation, which, for this study, means that intertwining mind and body is crucial for creating an unforgettable consumer experience. 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Drug Abuse Prevention Program Within The United States

â€Å"D.A.R.E† is an international nonprofit organization. It is the most prevalent drug abuse prevention program in the United States, which is often referred to as the most prevalent drug prevention program in the world! The original D.A.R.E. program was developed in 1983 as part of a joint effort between the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Unified School District to break the generational cycle of drug abuse, related criminal activity, and arrest. The original curriculum consisted of core elements such as resistance, skill training, and self-esteem building, supplemented with additional information on gangs and legal issues related to drug use. The program focused mainly on something called gateway drugs, which are drugs such as tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and inhalants, which usually lead to harder drug use. During its first year, the program was introduced to approximately 6 million students at a cost of $750 million ($125 per child). With the help of funding from the 1994 Safe and Drug-Free Schools and the Communities Act, D.A.R.E. dramatically expanded in the US and around the world. By 2001, economist Dr. Edward Shepard estimated that D.A.R.E. cost $1-1.3 billion annually ( $173 to $268 per student per year) to implement nationwide once all related expenses, such as police officer training and services, materials and supplies, school resources, etc., were factored in. The D.A.R.E. program is funded by both private and federal government sources.Show MoreRelatedExecutive Summary America s Most Popular Anti Drug Program Essay801 Words   |  4 Pagesmost popular anti-drug program D.A.R.E. has created an uproar. The D.A.R.E. program had many issues the main one being its ineffectiveness. How could the most widely used drug prevention program in the United States be deemed ineffective? What went wrong? â€Å"The prevention of drug abuse is an especially salient topic for school psychologists and other educational professionals. Schools are the primary setting for providing education and information aimed at the prevention of drug abuse. Previous meta-analyses†Read MoreBenefits And Limitations When Prevention Providers Are Looking For Successful Programs Essay1722 Words   |  7 PagesThere are many benefits and limitations when prevention providers are looking for successful programs. The National Institute on Drug Abuse, or NIDA, provides a large research-based guide of the most effective prevention programs. This research should be the number one tool when looking into different types of programs, although it does not include every single program. A common problem in the prevention field consists of registries missing important strategies, including environmental approachesRead MoreDrug Policy And Funding Has Not Changed Much Over The Past Two Decades1505 Words   |  7 PagesDrug policy in America has not changed much over the past two decades, but according to Sacco (2014) â€Å"over the last decade, the United States has shifted its stated drug control policy toward a comprehensive approach; one that focuses on prevention, treatment and enforcement (p.1). One approach to this is allotting billions of dollars to the Federal Drug Control Budget. As of 2014, the majority of funding for this budget went into supply reduction (59.9%), demand reduction (40.1%), and domestic lawRead MoreYouth Drug Use And Addiction1677 Words   |  7 PagesYouth Drug Use and Addiction Youth in the United States face challenges every day, some more than others. 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Injection of heroin also puts one at a significantly increasedRead MoreHIDA Case Study1087 Words   |  5 Pagesstands for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas. The agency’s main goal is to combat drug trafficking by disrupting drug trade and dismantling drug operations. Furthermore, HIDTA assists agencies in deconfliction to allow operations to function properly and without interference. HIDTA was created by Congress in the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 and assists Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that operate in areas that have been determined to be critical drug trafficking regions. HIDTARead MoreNew Rehab Programs Should Be Introduced1420 Words   |  6 Pagesthe start of the Drug War, which was the motion to use more policing in order to end the illicit drug market, the amount of arrests have increased for drug possession. Rehab programs in state and federal prisons have helped people overcome their addiction and relapse. 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The implementation of the DARE program appeared to be what America needed to begin to put a dent inRead MoreSchool Based Drug Use Prevention Programs1333 Words   |  6 PagesSchool-based drug use prevention programs have been an important part of the United State’s anti drug campaign since the late 70’s. Although there have been many different programs of all shapes and sizes, none have been bigger or more iconic than the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program. D.A.R.E. was created in 1983 by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School District. D.A.R.E. uses specially trained law enforcement officers to teach drug use prevention curriculumRead MoreHeroin Drugs And Its Effects On The Lives Of Young White Males1703 Words   |  7 PagesHeroin is making a comeback in the United States and is highly prevalent in certain areas. The heroin epidemic is sweeping across the Midwest, and claiming the lives of young white males. It is very different from the 1960’s use of heroin, and is now typically used because of its low cost and previous opioid addictions to other prescription drugs. Young white males in many different communities are becoming hooked because of the careless use of pain pills prescribed or taking them from parents’ medicine

E-Business Applications Hertz Global Holdings

Question: Discuss about theE-Business Applicationsfor Hertz Global Holdings. Answer: Introduction Hertz Rental is a division of Hertz Global Holdings which specializes in car rental. The company is located in Estero, Florida, United States of America. It was founded in 1918 by Walter Jacobs who started companys business operations in Chicago with a fleet of 12 Ford cars. The business was sold to John. D. Hertz who transformed it into a subsidiary of Yellow Truck and Coach Manufacturing Company and rebranded it as Hertz Drive Yourself System (Hertz.com 2016). The controlling stake of the company was sold to General Motors in 1925 who bought remaining shares in 1943. Hertz bought back the business from General Motors in 1953. In 1987 Hertz was sold Park Ridge Corporation which was a subsidiary of Ford Motors. In 2005 Ford Motors announced that Hertz will become a public limited company. In the same year it was declare that the business will be sold to private equity firm Merrill Lynch, Clayton, Carlyle Group and Dublin Rice for a sum of $15 billion. Hertz became a public limited company in 2006 (Hertz.com 2016). Hertz Business Operations Currently it operates in more than 150 international locations worldwide. Hertz has company managed locations in 18 countries while the rest is being franchised. It operates its car rental business under four brand names i.e. Hertz, Thrifty, Dollar and Firefly. It is the largest U.S car rental company by sales (hertz.com 2016) The company has more than 10,000 commercial and franchised locations in Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Middle East, Australia and New Zealand. Hertz is one of the principal global players in airport common use car rental companies. The company has widespread network of car rental locations in the United States and Europe (hertz.com 2016). It maintains a leading market share in car rental services by inclusive accounted revenues through its company managed location in the United States and more than 130 leading airports in the European market. Its equipment rental business is managed under its Hertz Equipment Rental brand for sale and renting of heavy tools and equipments for industrial and construction needs which has more than 300 branches located in the United States, China, Qatar, France, Canada, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom and Spain. It also operates its equipment rental business through its global franchises. Apart from its car and equipment rental business, it also operates management and leasing services through its Donlen subsidiary (hertz.com 2016). Ease of Use of E-Commerce Site Benefits to Consumers The website of Hertz gives a detailed information about the various products and services that it offers to its customers like vehicle guide (sedan, hatchback, MUV or SUV), location by providing location directory, special offers and rewards available in the specific country or territory, facility of online check-in. It further provides details related to the company, its initiatives, press releases, and career opportunities, list of authorized travel agents, partners, and customers support services (Huang and Benyoucef 2013). Benefits to Customers The website further provides business to business services through which various small and medium scale business units can look for franchise opportunities to grow with their business and contribute in expansion of Hertz (Victor Chen et al. 2013). Benefits to Company The usage of e-commerce site provides a wide variety of benefits to the business. The e-commerce has helped in rebranding the image of the company. E-commerce site has enabled the company to attract new customers through web based visibility and helps it keep a watch on the customers buying behavior. Web-based management system has helped the company in reducing its inventory management cost and further assisted it to gain competitiveness. Moreover, e-commerce site has helped the company in business analytics through which they are able to evaluate customer effectiveness, sales effectiveness, product mix and marketing campaign (Strauss 2016). E-Business Applications Used by Hertz Collaboration: Hertz emphasizes on maintaining and upgrading its collaboration with its investors, business partners, franchisee agencies and its employees. Customer Service: The Company always emphasizes on delivering high quality customer services by meeting customers demand at reasonable and affordable price. Customization: Hertz has adopted responsive web design technology that customizes the website of the company based on the device used by the user. Streamlining: It has streamlined its online portal by integrating its website with back office, customization of website, search engine optimization and purchasing made easy (Turban et al. 2015). E-Commerce Marketing Strategies Search Engine Optimization: Hertz seeks to develop innovative techniques to give its customers a memorable experience that would meet their demands appropriately. Content Creation to Increase Attractiveness: It has deployed publicly sourced matter to make the site more attractive for prospective buyers. Tailored Browsing Experience: The company has tailored its website to provide a well-structured navigation system for attracting the customers over the internet. Channel Integration: Hertz have created multiple channels to enable its consumers to experience their brand consistently irrespective of the mode of shopping. Omni-Channel: Hertz has invested in developing their own mobile based applications to make their omni-channel presence stronger Roberts and Zahay 2012). Membership: The company through its website encourages the consumers to subscribe for its membership to gain access to special offers and perks like Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program. Discounts Coupons: The company through its website offers various discounts, coupons and offers like 3 for 2 on weekends offer, 20 percent off on 7 plus days, offers from its business partners like Rex Airlines (Mata and Quesada 2014). E-Commerce Supply Chain Strategy Increase Delivery Locations: Hertz consistently emphasizes on increasing its delivery locations i.e. pick up locations by expanding its geographical coverage because online customers expects faster service delivery (Hsin Chang Tsai and Hsu 2013). Omni-Channel Presence: Hertz fund it mandatory to make its omni-channel presence because businesses across all segments have taken a turnaround with growth in internet users and customers prefer to buy products and services online instead of doing traditional shopping to save time and energy. Business Process Integration: The company has adopted various methods to integrate various processes to strengthen its supply chain and to gain competitive advantage over its competitors (Christopher 2016). E-Commerce Security Strategies Security Layering: Hertz consistently reviews and strengthens its security system by making multiple layers to avoid breach of network by cyber criminals to gain access to critical information of the company and its customers. Providing Tracking Numbers: Order identification numbers are allotted by the company to each and every order that the company receive to enhance differentiation (Wei 2014). Security Training: The company provides regular training to its employees regarding the laws and policies of the company towards customer data privacy and methods to prevent them. Upgrading System and Network: Hertz always upgrades its system and network infrastructure to ensure protection of critical and important data of the company and the customers from vulnerability to hacking (Galliers and Leidner 2014). Information Technology Architecture Hertz is one of the globally renowned vehicle rental companies having its service location in more than 140 countries. Due to the nature of its business, the information technology is highly complex and scattered which puts a lot of pressure on its information technology system and their capability to keep escalating the IT costs in control while giving the technological support to the employees. The company runs an information services centre in Dublin, Ireland which is responsible for managing business functions including bookings, customer care, financial activities, human resources and insurance. The Dublin centre provides IT support to its business in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. It also offers its support to its business in Asia, Australia and New Zealand. To improve its operational productivity, the company had two options- relocating its IT infrastructure to some other European location at considerable cost or implementation of fresher technologies (hertz.com 2016). Therefore, the IT department was vested with the task of discovering a method through which they can simplify its infrastructure and reduce IT footprint without compromising with the expectations of its employees and customers. They primary objective of was to enhance payment card industry conformity and system, reduce IT support expenditures. The department chose to take a periodical method towards adoption of virtual desktop infrastructure. 1000 desktop were virtualized in their pilot programs in Italy, United Kingdom, Germany and France. Virtualizations of additional 3000 desktops are in the pipeline across various locations in the Europe which would enable the company in reducing the number of helpdesk call by 33 percent and electricity costs by 10 per cent (hertz.com 2016). Recommendations Hertz has a single IT support centre that caters to the demand of its customers and employees across various locations around various countries in different continents which is giving rise to its IT costs and making the operation more complicated in nature, therefore in order to reduce its IT costs, it can subcontract its IT services to an expert service provider for Europe, Middle East, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Although, Hertz has a considerable amount of market share in the vehicle rental segment, the company has ample opportunity to enhance its market share in developing economies by merging with its competitors or by acquisition of smaller competitors in the market. Avis is one of the major competitors of Hertz. Therefore it should come up with multiple branding strategies to attract the loyal set of customers to acquire greater market share and increase its revenues. Conclusion Hertz is one of the major vehicle rental company having its operations in more than 140 countries. It operates its vehicle business under four different brands i.e. Hertz, Thrifty, Dollar and Firefly. Some of the e-business applications used by Hertz are streamlining, customization, collaboration and customer service. Various marketing strategies used by search engine optimization, channel integration, omni-channel and many more. Its e-commerce strategies include security training and security layering. This report also gives description about the information technology architecture of the company and various recommendations. References hertz.com. (2016)./pdfs/Hertz-Living-Journey-Sustainability-Report-2014.pdf. [online] Available at: https://images.hertz.com/pdfs/Hertz-Living-Journey-Sustainability-Report-2014.pdf [Accessed 23 Sep. 2016]. Hertz.com. (2016).Hertz Rent a Car - Save More on your Next Rental. [online] Available at: https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/ [Accessed 23 Sep. 2016]. Huang, Z. and Benyoucef, M., 2013. From e-commerce to social commerce: A close look at design features.Electronic Commerce Research and Applications,12(4), pp.246-259. Turban, E., King, D., Lee, J.K., Liang, T.P. and Turban, D.C., 2015.Electronic commerce: A managerial and social networks perspective. Springer. Strauss, J., 2016.E-marketing. Routledge. Victor Chen, J., Chen, Y. and Paolo S. Capistrano, E., 2013. Process quality and collaboration quality on B2B e-commerce.Industrial Management Data Systems,113(6), pp.908-926. Mata, F.J. and Quesada, A., 2014. Web 2.0, social networks and e-commerce as marketing tools.Journal of theoretical and applied electronic commerce research,9(1), pp.56-69. Roberts, M.L. and Zahay, D., 2012.Internet marketing: Integrating online and offline strategies. Cengage Learning. Christopher, M., 2016.Logistics supply chain management. Pearson Higher Ed. Galliers, R.D. and Leidner, D.E., 2014.Strategic information management: challenges and strategies in managing information systems. Routledge. Wei, C.H.E.N., 2014. Security Policy of E-Commerce System Based on the Cloud Computing.Journal of Guangdong Peizheng College,2, p.004. Hsin Chang, H., Tsai, Y.C. and Hsu, C.H., 2013. E-procurement and supply chain performance.Supply Chain Management: An International Journal,18(1), pp.34-51.

Sodomy Laws Should They Be Eliminated Essays - Same-sex Sexuality

Sodomy Laws: Should They Be Eliminated Alvarez, Gary page 1 Eng. 101; sec. 51 Theme II rough draft 1 February 17, 2000 SODOMY LAWS: SHOULD THEY BE ELIMINATED? During the past decade, gays and lesbians have become more assertive in expressing their rights within American society. Although gay people are gaining legal rights and protection, they continue to be victims of discriminatory laws and social intolerance. Issues such as whether gays belong in the military, in the clergy, or in the teaching profession, have stirred the passions of many people. However, the concern with condemning the sexual practices of gays and lesbians is the issue that remains at the center of attention. These sexual practices, anal and oral sex have been prohibited by the government through sodomy laws. These laws state that any sexual act between two consenting adults of the same gender is criminal behavior, and therefore it is a criminal offense. In 1986, sodomy laws were found as constitutional in the landmark case of Bowers vs. Hardwick. By a vote of five to four, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned an earlier decision of sodomy laws; the court concluded that sodomy laws did not violate the fundamental rights of homosexuals. In addition, the court justified these discriminatory laws because American social mores are deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian tradition, which apparently condemns homosexuality and its practices (ACLU Paper: Gay and Lesbian rights). Through these laws and beliefs, confidence is given to people in order to justify their discrimination towards gays and lesbians. However, what the government fails to see is that sodomy laws infringe on a person's right to personal liberty, especially that of a gay person's life. Not only are these people being denied the humanizing experience of self-expression, they are also being culturally oppressed. These kinds of laws should be eliminated because they violate a person's right to love anyone intimately, a person's right to privacy and autonomy, and a person's right from government intrusion at any given time. First, through sodomy laws the government is depriving many individuals of their most profound feelings of affection by trying to criminally punish certain acts of sexual expression. Moreover, according to a consensus and the NGLFT survey of sodomy, since 1990 an estimated 17 and a half million people have been arrested because of sodomy laws; all of these arrests consisted of gay and lesbian people (Queer Resources Directory). As seen through this statistic, these laws are used to harass gays and lesbians, and are an attempt to destroy homosexual practices. Currently, a little less than half of the states have sodomy laws; the penalties for such crimes vary from state to state (Queer Resources Directory). For instance, the state of Maryland makes sodomy a felony punishable up to ten years in prison; this law is only applicable to gays and lesbians (Queer Resources Directory). Consequently, a gay couple would be arrested for engaging in oral sex; however, a heterosexual couple would not be arrested for engaging in the same kind of sexual activity. It is evident that these punitive laws create a hostile and homophobic environment that serves as a justification for the discrimination of gays and lesbians. Therefore, the first step towards the progression of prejudice of gays and lesbians is to eliminate the foundation of the problem: sodomy laws. The second reason why sodomy laws should be eliminated is because these laws violate a person's right to privacy; they transgress on a person's right to have intimate relations that are of primary importance in a person's life. In addition, sodomy laws forbid an individual's natural expression of love to another person in meaningful ways. According to the article The Freedom of Intimate Association by Professor Kenneth Karst, in sexual relationships individuals define themselves in a significant way through their sexual intimacy (Karst 637). Defining oneself freely as long as it does not create violence is a personal liberty guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. Therefore, an individual, including gays and lesbians, should have the right to choose what nature and form these relationships are held. Finally, the right to privacy suggests that a major component of personal freedom is the right of people to live their lives without the fear