The ASPCA ethics question help
For your consideration. Choose one of the four:
A: Inmate Dwayne Stafford, 25, assaulted Dylann Roof, 22, who is accused of murdering on racial hatred grounds nine black churchgoers in Charleston in June 2015. Stafford is black; Roof is white. A social media campaign urged donations for Stafford in support of his attack: he got out of his cell to beat up Roof who was in the shower.. Legally, it may be argued that under the Eighth Amendment, nobody incarcerated, whatever crime they are charged for, merits “cruel and unusual punishment” in addition to the punishment of prison itself. (Roof awaits trial and may face the death penalty.) Ethically, argue for or against the morality of Stafford’s Aug. 2016 action.
B: An ASPCA ad featuring singer Sarah MacLachlan raised more donations for the Humane Society than any other fundraiser in history. Its photos of abused puppies and sad kittens worked. As humans, we are hard-wired to respond to large eyes and round faces with compassion. Is this use of advertising ethical, if it triggers our instincts?
C: Is voting for a candidate who wins with (a bare?) majority the fairest way to achieve agreement among the populace? What if a candidate wins by a landslide? There will still be those who do not accept his or her victory, and will feel that the system is rigged against those with less power or clout. Is representative democracy, as it requires citizens and residents to accept the dictates of a single politician who acts on behalf of all, the most equitable method of carrying out the will of all of the people?
D: Is armed protest ethically acceptable? How far does one have to agitate by peaceful means of assembly, as the First Amendment protects, before exhausting legal methods? Are advocates of “by any means necessary” and “speaking truth to power” ever morally justified in advocating violent resistance against an unjust system?
Parameters for your paper week 2:
·1. Answer the question raised in your one chosen case study above. You do not have to write an “English class” style paper this week. Simply respond to the case study, and then apply your response using #3 below. Do not repeat the case study or the questions in your response. This is not a research paper, so type only your original answer. No title page needed, just your name and date. Add citations if needed, but this is meant to be a response in your own words. TurnItIn is applied for work uploaded to Dropbox week 2.
·2. While writing your answer, incorporate the ideas of “good vs. evil,” “wrong vs. right,” and “ought/should be vs. what is.”
·3. Explain in your answer to your case study how both Augustine and Aquinas would have solved the problem based on what we learned about each here in the materials and course, and if they differ, why? This may be easier to answer if YOU first solve the dilemma yourself ethically, and then work backward to brainstorm how Augustine and Aquinas might have insights to offer about your solution. (Be creative–this will challenge you.)
·4. Your answer should be between one-and-a-half to two pages, 500-750 words, double spaced.
