The Major Problems Facing Many Societies Social Work Essay

The Major Problems Facing Many Societies Social Work Essay Discrimination of marginalized groups is a major problem facing many societies. Most societies have marginalized groups which are discriminated against by the rest of society. Such groups include the poor, sick, old, disabled and others. In some societies, racial or religious discrimination is prevalent and people of different ethnic origin from the majority are discriminated against. During the 1960s, the United States had many cases of discrimination especially against African Americans. Clark in his book Dark Ghetto captures the racial discrimination against blacks during this period. Clark discusses problems which inhabitants and communities which live in American ghettos experience. This paper aims at comparing the experience at the Geel Organization with the experiences addressed by Clark in the book Dark Ghetto. The Geel Organization provides mentally ill patients with housing and health support to ensure they recover and achieve their potential. Since the mentally ill are usu ally discriminated against by society, the paper will compare the discrimination which African Americans experienced during the 1960s with the discrimination mentally ill patients experience today. The discussed issues will be summarized at the end. Dark Ghetto by Clark Clark analyzes problems faced by African Americans living in ghettos. He acquires an involved observers view, which includes empathy for the suffering as he undertakes his research work (Clark, 1989). Clark studies the sociological and psychological impacts which ghetto life has on African Americans. He views the problems which African Americans living in slums face as significant since they are made to believe that they cannot rise above poverty due to racist actions and policies. Clark also points out that in spite of this suffering; there is still hope for African Americans. The book evaluates the inability of people in power to empower the suffering in ghettos and the specific use of racist policies to oppress African Americans. The author finally offers solutions to end this major problem affecting the American society. Geel Community Services Geel Community Services is an organization geared towards catering for the mentally ill patients in New York City. It was founded in 1976 by the Bronx community members and health care professionals to cater for housing and health needs of mentally disables people (Geel Community Service Organization, 2011). The organization offers mentally ill patients with reliable, stable and safe places to live in. In addition, the organization ensures that they have access to support services such as health and counseling services needed for their steady recovery. This ensures that they achieve their potential and are respected by the society at large. Geel appreciates the role mentally ill patients may play in the community if they can access support needed to address their illnesses. The organization provides housing needs among other needs to achieve the organizational objectives of ensuring mentally ill patients have decent housing and health services. How the issue impacts on the work of Geel Services The paper will specifically focus on discrimination which was discussed by Clark in the book Dark Ghetto. Clark analyzes how the black community was discriminated against by the American government. During this period, there were various policies which were specifically developed to discriminate against African Americans. For instance, they were not allowed to vote, most had no access to education and work opportunities, slave trade was legalized in some states, they had no access to political positions and power, among many other forms of discrimination (Murrin et. al., 2003). Clark specifically focuses on the African Americans living in ghettos who in addition to having poverty problems, they also suffered under discrimination. Discrimination against this population segment reduced their chances of reducing poverty through empowerment. Since the blacks could not access education and employment opportunities, their subsequent generations also suffered from poverty. This was intentio nally planned by the government to ensure that this racial group was oppressed. The issue of discrimination of African Americans is similar to the issues addressed by Geel Services. This organization aims at empowering the mentally ill through providing them with housing and other forms of help in order to empower the mentally unwell and reduce discrimination by society. The mentally ill are discriminated against by society due to their mental conditions. Young mentally ill children are ridiculed by their peers, and in some cases, their guardians and parents. They usually do not have access to superior educational and health facilities as bodied children do. In addition, many mentally ill people are from poor families and they lack decent housing. When mentally disabled children are through with schooling, there are few employment opportunities. This further marginalizes them and makes it difficult for them to overcome poverty. The discrimination which black people suffered during the 1960s as addressed by Clark is similar to that experienced by disabled people today. The black people who suffered discrimination were handicapped by poverty, which made it difficult for them to escape the poverty cycle. Mentally ill people today are handicapped by disability which when combined with discrimination, makes it challenging to escape from poverty. Geel Services organization therefore strongly relates with the concepts discussed by Clark in the book Dark Ghetto. How current social policy impacts the field of practice After the 1960s, the government reversed the policies against discrimination of the Black community after the society rejected oppression of blacks. After the media highlighted the challenges faced by the black community and the African Americans demonstrated against oppression, the society rejected racial discrimination. The government therefore developed a policy where people received equal treatment in spite of their racial or ethnic backgrounds. In modern society, discrimination against the disabled is also an offence under law. Disabled people including the mentally ill should receive equal education, health and employment opportunities with able bodied people. Although this is not effectively implemented in society, public support for the mentally ill has increased over the years. The social policy barring discrimination on people based on any criteria has been important in achieving the objectives of Geel Services. Discrimination is an offense in law and people who discriminate against disabled people may be liable in courts of law. In addition, after racial discrimination declined after the 1960s, the society began accepting the marginalized in society (Kenneth Trotter, 2005). Many lobby groups and organizations emerged to cater for various causes including illnesses, education and human rights. The embracement of the marginalized in society has encouraged the Geel Services organization to spread its mission to the public in order to mobilize support to assist the mentally ill. The public has been very supportive of this cause and a high proportion of financial and non-financial support can be traced to the general public. Finally, the social policy of offering health assistance to people who cannot afford health care cover has also enabled Geel Services im prove the welfare of the mentally ill. Since most of these patients are poor, the government and private sector support for healthcare has ensured that a large number of mentally ill people gain healthcare services they need. Implications for social work practice within the field of practice in an urban setting Social work practice by Geel Organization in the field of mental health has had positive impacts on society. The organization has improved public knowledge about how to deal with people suffering from mental illnesses. This has been important in mobilizing support for mentally ill patients across New York City. In addition, the activities undertaken by this organization have led to the mobilization of resources needed to take care of the mentally ill. Public knowledge of the illnesses has encouraged generous contributions which have been used to establish decent housing and health care for the mentally ill. In addition, cooperation with the private sector and government has led to a more effective focus on the mentally ill by society. The government has drafted laws which discouraged discrimination of the mentally ill. It has also provided personnel, resources, infrastructure and funds needed to improve the standards of living of the mentally ill. The social work practice by Geel organization has also encouraged broad research on mental illnesses and their interventions. Due to increased knowledge on mental illnesses by the society, the organization has influenced numerous researches on mental illnesses and the various treatment interventions which are effective for treating these conditions. As a result, treatment interventions which combine the use of therapy and drugs have been developed and these are useful in treatment of various mental disorders. The government and private firms are increasingly donating funds towards mental health research. Undertaking research and developing treatment interventions is arguably the best way of dealing with the mental health problem in society. Community strengths currently existing regarding the issues under discussions There are various community strengths which are present in New York City as the needs of the mentally ill are addressed by Geel Organization. One of the major strengths is the public knowledge about the needs of the mentally ill. Due to extensive educational efforts by Geel Organization and other organizations which cater for the needs of the mentally ill, a large proportion of the public is aware of the needs of the mentally ill (Weare, 2000). Many people are aware of the support they require in order to recover completely. Due to this knowledge, many individuals and firms have donated resources aimed at ensuring the mentally ill have access to decent housing and health care services. This has provided the bulk of resources needed to meet Geel Organizations objectives. Another community strength currently existing in New York is support from the local and state governments in supporting the mentally ill. Unlike many states, New York has developed policies and allocated resources to effectively deal with the mentally ill people among the population. The state laws are strict regarding discrimination and this has deterred people from discriminating against the mentally ill. In addition, the government has provided resources, healthcare personnel, infrastructure and funding to ensure mentally ill people live decent lives in society. They have educational curricular and schools meant to cater for their unique needs. This makes it easier for Geel Organization to help the mentally ill in the community. Clarks work and relevance to fieldwork placement Clarks work is very relevant to the activities which are undertaken by Geel Organization. As has been discussed, Clark undertook a research to analyze how African Americans were discriminated against by the government on the basis of racial backgrounds. The research also analyzed the challenges faced in slums with regards to this marginalized grouping. This research is similar to the activities which are undertaken by Geel Organization. Geel supports another marginalized group which has been discriminated against by society; the mentally ill. The challenges which the mentally ill face in society today are similar to those faced by African Americans during the 1960s. Both the mentally ill people today and African Americans then did not have access to education, quality healthcare, decent housing, employment opportunities and other rights. The research conducted by Clark is therefore relevant to problems faced today by the mentally ill. In addition, Clark advances some solutions to the problems which African Americans faced. These solutions included an end to discrimination, better access to healthcare, education and employment opportunities, mobilizing local support for an end to discrimination, passage of strict laws which discouraged racial discrimination and giving African Americans voting rights to make political decisions. These solutions are similar to the approaches which are used by the Geel Organization to cater for needs of the mentally ill. They include advocating for health care access and housing for the mentally ill as well as mobilizing support from the public to satisfy needs of this marginalized group. This makes Clarks work relevant to the activities undertaken by Geels Organization. Summary and conclusion Various issues which relate to discrimination have been extensively addressed in the paper. Clark in the book Dark Ghetto explores the discrimination which the black community living in ghettos experienced in the 1960s. In addition to the problem of poverty, the black community was discriminated against through unequal access to opportunities and resources and this made it difficult for them to overcome poverty. However, eventually the government reversed the policies which discriminated against blacks after pressure from the American population. Geel Organization relates to the Dark Ghetto in several aspects. The organization cares for mentally ill people who have been discriminated against by society. It advocates for decent housing and health care for the mentally ill as well as an end to their discrimination. The mission of Geel Society is therefore similar to that of Clark; and end to discrimination of the marginalized. Geel Organization has succeeded in increasing awareness on the challenges facing the mentally ill. It has also contributed to mobilizing resources from individuals, private firms and the government to help the mentally ill. In addition, the organization has encouraged wide research on mental health illnesses to develop treatment interventions for the mentally ill. The government has played a crucial role of proving resources, healthcare personnel, infrastructure and funding to ensure mentally ill people live decent lives in society. In addition, strict laws have been passed to guard against discrimination of this group. This has helped improve the living conditions of the mentally ill in society. The government should allocate more resources towards infrastructure and research on mental health in order to manage mental illnesses. The local community should also continue providing support to mentally ill people in order for them to feel appreciated by society.

Alcohol And The Fetus Essay -- essays research papers

Know When to Say When   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Drinking during pregnancy is often thought of as no big deal. However, drinking during pregnancy is a very big deal. An unborn baby’s life is in the hands of the mother. If she decides to drink, she is risking the unborn’s chances of being as smart and healthy as it can be. Drinking during pregnancy opens the doors to a variety of harmful effects on the mother and her unborn baby, and until this is brought out in the open with honesty, it cannot be prevented. There are many stereotypes about the women that drink while they are pregnant. One stereotype believed by professional doctors is that women that are college-educated and wealthy are going to drink less or not at all during pregnancy, and the poorer and uneducated women are going to drink more during pregnancy. However, just as stereotypes usually turn out, the complete opposite is true. Women who receive college degrees are four times more likely to drink during pregnancy than women who only receive a high school diploma. Some statistics show that mothers who go to community and rural health centers to receive care are counseled more than mothers who go to private doctors’ offices. People should not make assumptions about something so important especially if it concerns a person’s health (Walsh 2-3).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Those assumptions may go beyond stereotyping of individuals and carry over to what is a safe level of alcohol. Some people believe that drinking a little amount of alcohol will not harm the fetus. However, in reality, â€Å"there is no known safe level of alcohol consumption for pregnant women† (Walsh 2). A woman runs the risk of having a child with defects if she drinks regularly (Orenberg 167). â€Å"Binge drinking, or heavy alcohol consumption at one sitting, is particularly hazardous to the fetus because very high levels of alcohol enter the mother’s blood stream† (â€Å"Fetal Alcohol†). High levels of alcohol consumption can leave the fetus exposed longer making birth defects more severe (â€Å"Fetal Alcohol†). The fetus is exposed longer because its organs are still developing, therefore, taking the fetus twice as long to break down the alcohol (Walsh 2). As a result of this, the fetus’ blood-alcohol level is much hi gher than the mother’s, thus meaning that at the moment the mother starts to feel the effects of the alcohol, the unborn bab... ...aired (Bunch 3:87). As for the rest of the defects that come with fetal alcohol syndrome, there is not much hope for improvement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Despite the knowledge about potential effects on the fetus, births of babies born with fetal alcohol syndrome occur often. â€Å"In industrialized Western countries about one in every hundred babies is affected† (Bunch 3:87). In fact, â€Å"eight out of every hundred pregnant women go into labor sometime after the 15th week of pregnancy, but before the pregnancy has reached its full term roughly 40 weeks. If birth occurs before the 36th week, or 9th month, the baby might be too small to survive on its own outside the womb† (Orenberg 159). Even if there is one occurrence of a baby born with fetal alcohol syndrome that is one occurrence too many.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Drinking during pregnancy opens the doors to a variety of harmful effects on the mother and her unborn baby, and until this is brought out in the open with honesty, it cannot be prevented. It is sad to hear about women that do not quit drinking when they find out that they are pregnant. It is a moral obligation not to jeopardize the well being of the unborn child.

Differences of Radical Behaviorism, Experimental Analysis of Behavior and Applied Behavior Analysis Essay

The phrase â€Å"radical behaviorism† can either be applied to a philosophy which was created by B. F. Skinner and can also be used to refer to a particular school which became known during the time when behaviorism was in power. It considers behavior as a natural science and that the behavior of animals can be understood and studied beneficially, comparable to the behavior of humans (Chiesa, 1994). On the other hand, â€Å"experimental analysis of behavior† can also refer to a school of psychology founded by B.  F. Skinner or to a philosophy that is basically from the philosophy of radical behaviorism. Data-driven examination of functional relations is one of the central principles which are incorporated in the experimental analysis of behavior. It also includes inductive examination and can be considered in contrast to the kinds of hypothetico-deductive learning theory (Skinner, 1963). â€Å"Applied behavior analysis† is an applied research of behavior and is one of the four domains in the analysis of behaviors. Furthermore, it is the science in which strategy or procedures are derived from the main philosophies of behavior are applied systematically and uses the natural science perspective in terms of its applications. The applied behavior analysis makes the technology for application in a variety of settings available. The diversity of its settings starts from individuals who have autism up to organizational improvement. In addition to this, it is mainly used to enhance the significant social behaviors and that experimentation is employed in determining the variables responsible for modifications or changes (Cooper et al, 2006). These three philosophies under psychology, though they seem to be similar to one another, may also have certain dissimilarities among them. In terms of their underlying principles and philosophy, certain dissimilarities or differences, though somehow related, can already be noticed. The radical behaviorism gained interest because of two proposals or philosophies, one is that all organismic action is determined and not free. Second is that, it refers to the consideration of the â€Å"anti-theoretical†. While on the other hand, the principles or premises utilized as basis for the experimental analysis of behavior includes that â€Å"everything that organisms do is behavior† and that â€Å"all behavior is lawful†. Central to this is the utilization of a Four-term contingency which are utilized to illustrate functional relationships in controlling behavior. The Four-term contingency are motivating operations, discriminative stimulus, behavior as response and consequences. On the other hand, in the applied behavior analysis, it considers behavior as a subject, rather than a natural science and that it is composed of an antecedent, behavior, and consequence (Cooper et al, 2006). While in radical behaviorism, no recognition is given still tat work in traditional psychology has any value or that it can be useful in a unification with behaviorism (Weiner and Freedheim, 2003). The methods, techniques, purposes and service delivery of the three philosophies in psychology also differ from one to the other. In the experimental analysis of behavior, operant conditioning chambers, which are enclosures specifically designed for holding and testing animals, and cumulative recorders, an instrument that graphically records responses from animals or subjects, are used. In the applied behavior analysis, the techniques employed include task analysis, chaining, prompting and fading. On the other hand, radical behaviorism uses operant psychology. Operant psychology is an alternative or replacement for classical conditioning which was observed by Skinner to be non-functional in accounting for behaviors which individuals are most interested of. In the operant conditioning, positive reinforcements and negative reinforcements are utilized and are used to increase the re-occurrence of a behavior. In contrasting an emphasis on the experimental analysis of behavior with an emphasis on interpretive practices in characterizing the heart of radical behaviorism does not involve a denigration of the long-range value of laboratory research (Modgil and Modgil, 1987).

Minor v. Happersett - Womens Voting Rights Denied

Minor v. Happersett - Women's Voting Rights Denied On October 15, 1872, Virginia Minor applied to register to vote in Missouri. The registrar, Reese Happersett, turned down the application, because the Missouri state constitution read: Every male citizen of the United States shall be entitled to vote. Mrs. Minor sued in Missouri state court, claiming her rights were violated on the basis of the Fourteenth Amendment. Text of Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments After Minor lost the suit in that court, she appealed to the state Supreme Court. When the Missouri Supreme Court agreed with the registrar, Minor brought the case to the United States Supreme Court. Fast Facts: Minor v. Happersett Case Argued: Feb. 9, 1875Decision Issued: March 29, 1875Petitioner: Virginia Minor, a female U.S. citizen and resident of the state of MissouriRespondent: Reese Happersett, St. Louis County, Missouri, registrar of votersKey Questions: Under the 14th Amendments Equal Protection Clause, and the 15th Amendments assurance that voting rights must not be denied or abridged ... on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude, did women have the right to vote?Majority Decision: Justices Clifford, Swayne, Miller, Davis, Field, Strong, Bradley, Hunt, WaiteDissenting: NoneRuling: The Court ruled that the Constitution  did not grant anyone, specifically female citizens of the U.S., the right to vote. The Supreme Court Decides The US Supreme Court, in an 1874 unanimous opinion written by the chief justice, found: women are citizens of the United States, and were even before the Fourteenth Amendment passedthe right of suffrage the right to vote is not a necessary privilege and immunity to which all citizens are entitledthe Fourteenth Amendment did not add the right of suffrage to citizenship privilegesthe Fifteenth Amendment was required to be sure voting rights were not denied or abridged ... on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude in other words, the amendment was not necessary if citizenship conferred voting rightswomens suffrage was explicitly excluded in nearly every state either in the constitution or in its legal code; no state had been excluded from joining the Union for lack of womens voting rights, including states re-entering the Union after the Civil War, with newly written constitutionsthe US had made no objection when New Jersey explicitly withdrew womens suffrage rights in 1807arguments about the need for womens suffrage were irrelevant to their decision s Thus, Minor v. Happersett reaffirmed the exclusion of women from voting rights. The Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, in granting suffrage rights to women, overrode this decision. Related Reading Linda K. Kerber. No Constitutional Right to Be Ladies. Women and the Obligations of Citizenship. 1998

How safe is safe enough

How safe is safe enough Chief Officers in organizations always find difficulties when answering the question of how safe is safe enough; this is because of the effects of resultant reactions in organizations. The importance of the question is crucial in that failure to answer the question well may result in junior staff not excelling in their career. Organizational leaders should acknowledge various forms of risks that affect business units to ensure success.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How safe is safe enough specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In that case, organizations should develop more understanding of risks and how to minimize them to ensure safety. Understanding risk factors is the basis to win safety for all (Hagan, Montgomery, OReilly, 2009). To view safety measures as safe, human skills and operational facilities ought to minimize risks, both personal and organizational. How safe is safe enough, considers accidents as avoidabl e and possible to eliminate. Thus, benefits accruing from any activity must outweigh the risks involved. In addition, safety is part of operations and thus should be related to functional success or failure. Even though all parties should be responsible for safety, top management must bear the ultimate duty of care. In most cases, a leader in personal or corporate level may get information regarding probable problems, but fail to act. The failure to act only demonstrates how safety is far from being achieved in organizations. Negligence on the part of management increases the risks of accidents (Hall, 2011). This shows that the organization is not safe enough. Ensuring safety involves awareness of risks at hand, responsibilities to tackle them and the impact caused. Everybody has a duty to conduct personal analysis of the weaknesses in self or associates and work best to be safe enough. Risks in business organizations are inflicted by both individual and corporate performances. This may be resulted by goal differential and market share risks. The Win against safety risks in organizations calls for stakeholders’ actions as well as corporate cultural loyalty in operations. Inadequate risk management programs promise injuries or deaths (Hagan et al., 2009). This harms corporate goodwill and results to customer displeasure and eventually losses. In case of death, a corporation has to meet costs such as recruitment costs as well insurance and lost production. Low production would be caused by low morale and emotional grief resulted by death or severe injuries.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More How safe is safe enough, depends on the willingness of people to fight hazards in the workplace. This is always intricate to most people since it involves a number of challenges in resources in terms of finances and time required. This leaves the decisi on to determine the safety of all stakeholders at the hands of top leaders who control resources in an organization. The failure of these few members of a community results to unsafe functions and programs. Hence, safety requires teamwork and authority in order to employ resources in a bid to realize enough safety. Enough safety protects life and valuable assets from hazardous risks of terrorism. Therefore, enough safety can only be achieved through the implementation of standard safety principles, and at the same time making sound risk management decisions. Environments involving high risks require stiffer programs and resources. Protection of human life, production goals, and equipment is vital in ensuring organizational success. However, leaders’ behaviors are of the essence of controlling how subordinates react to organizational hazards and corrective measures taken afterwards (Hall, 2011). A company’s preparedness to crisis, financial or operational, reduces the a dverse effects due to diverse results arising from harmful situations. To sum it up, maintaining a culture of risk management guarantees nonoccurrence of disasters and promotes enough safety. References Hagan, P. E., Montgomery, J. F., OReilly, J. T. (2009). Accident prevention manual for business industry: administration programs (13th ed.). United States: National Safety Council. Hall, J. (2011). How safe is safe enough? Journal of Flood Risk Management, 4(4), 271-272.

BUSINESS SKILL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

BUSINESS SKILL - Essay Example stand that the ability to secure the relevant book requires a careful understanding of the topic of concern, allowing one to seek assistance at the slightest possible time. The goal of the library is to provide people with new means of dealing with society issues while making changes as a way of attaining the required level of learning. Libraries are essential, and the modernisation of access to information has made them almost obsolete, but their role should not be overlooked. Jackson’s article on the issue of libraries in today’s society is valid and should be a major concern for society as a whole. The article is an informative one on this issue that meets the immediate demands of the inquisitive mind (Jackson 2011). It looks at the emergence of the internet and the growing notions that the internet is the major provider of knowledge and information required for everyday research as noted amongst the young generation (Vrana & Barbaric 2007: 437). It is for this reason that many are misguided to believe that the library is for the older generation and the isolated people, yet libraries are enriching facilities where people can study and gather critical and enlightening information (Herrera-Viedma & Lopez-Gijon 2013: 1382). Learning has changed to clicking a few links without having any means of discounting the information attained from such sources. The studies conducted on a myriad of websites have been misleading; something that continues to bother many people owing to the misconception that the internet is generally accurate (Jackson 2011). The speed of getting access to an article or information on an issue has tricked many into believing that the library is not sufficient to gather information (Rowlands et al. 2008: 292). However, Jackson notes that the society needs to change this mentality as the faà §ade is not helping the young generation in information gathering. The library has a wealth of information that can fill in the gaps that the mobile

Speed limit in texas going from 70 to 95 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Speed limit in texas going from 70 to 95 - Essay Example The speed limit of 80 is already too high, as too many people see it as an open door to go as fast as their cars will allow. According to Representative Joe Pickett of El Paso, Interstate 10 is â€Å"flat with a long line of sight and good shoulders. For people like us who travel that long distance, it could be good† to raise the speed limit even more (the_old_coach, 2011). Rightfully so, auto insurance providers are in an uproar over the bill, citing viable safety concerns. According to Jerry Johns, representative for the Southwestern Insurance Information Service, â€Å"†¦the two things that kill most people on our highways are speed and alcohol. Increasing it to 85, or even 75, will have a dramatic impact on the death and injury rate†¦ where it’s implemented† (the_old_coach, 2011). Drivers already exceed the 70 mph speed limits, and will continue to exceed the posted limits no matter how high they go. Allowing people to drive at 85 mph is simply too fast for any type of road. There is too much traffic, too many inexperienced drivers, and going at such blistering speeds is dangerous not only to the driver going the posted 80 mph, but to those who are interested in safety and economy going only 65 or 70 mph. granted, texas is the second largest state in the U.S., but that should not afford people the right to travel at any rate of speed that they so desire simply due to the size of the state in which they live. According to a recent research survey conducted by the Alberta Motor Association (2011), 88.6% of 2,394 total respondents failed to pass a basic driver knowledge test, which is based on the learner’s permit test. In order for respondents to pass this test, they had to answer 25 out of the 30 questions correctly, and the average score was 22. This is a stark reality, which most people choose not to face. Most people feel that they are the world’s best drivers, particularly those with over ten years driving exp erience. However, this does not prove that raising the speed limit from 70 to 85 will do texas any safe justice in traveling, because even the most experienced drivers have become so complacent that they can no longer pass a learner’s test. The idea of having a raised speed limit in texas is a bit grandiose, as it is unreasonable to pass such legislature. They need to consider not only the four-wheeled vehicles, but the semis as well. It is nearly impossible to fathom an 18-wheeler doing 85 mph, as their stopping distance, control and often inexperienced driver at the wheel in those cases as well are going to be a bane on texas society. The posted speed limit of 70 is rarely heeded, as most people take carte blanche with it wherever they go and cruise at a higher speed than is legal. By raising the speed limit to 85, texas is asking for more accidents, more casualties and more speeding tickets. Our law enforcement officers have a daunting job that they deal with every day, wh y would texas be silly enough to make it that much harder on them over an 85 mph speed limit? That is ridiculous. Texas is a phenomenal state, and I am proud to be a citizen. Nevertheless, it is simply foolishness to raise the speed