Miniya's blog

Since the demise of Latin in the 15th century the world has lacked an official language of communication. The EU has two working languages (French and English) while the UN has six (French, Chinese, Arabic, Russian, English and Spanish). Many have since argued that it would be easier and contribute to global harmony if we could agree on one standard language. In fact L. L. Zamenhof created Esperanto specifically for this purpose at the end of the 19th century. However since then many have viewed English as a de-facto global language with local dialects like Singlish being spoken in many corners of the globes. The advance of English is resisted within many cultures who see language as an essential component of identity as well as a key tool for accessing the history and literatures of individual peoples.  Read More »

With its rise to the position of “hyperpower,” the global reach of the United States of America has become beyond doubt. Everywhere you look, from global politics and trade to local entertainment, cuisine and lifestyle choices, the mark of the United States is evident. But as globalization has hastened the spread of the American way of life, with its particular eating habits, popular culture, lifestyle, system of government, and values, many have begun to question the “cultural imperialism” that has spread “the American way” across the globe.  Read More »

People are being kept in unbearable poverty by immigration laws that bar them from pursuing work in the countries where it is available. Their situation is often worse than that of people who are classed as genuine refugees. By allowing them to work in rich countries we improve not only their situation but via remittances that of their family and home country. Think of the economies of the Philippines and the West Indies.  Read More »

Animals have the right to be treated as beings of value in themselves, not as the means to human ends; this principle must be applies in order to guarantee the end of cruelty to animals. The application of this principle means that animals should never be experimented upon whatever the potential gain for humanity. To infect monkeys with the AIDS virus or to expose rodents to toxic chemicals and radiation is simply not acceptable, whatever the supposed benefits.  Read More »

I don't care what you call It.  I'm just here to state that some form of a Divine Being exists. 

The world is so magnificent and wonderful, so full of variety and beauty, that it is inconceivable that it could have come about purely by chance. It is so intricate that a conscious hand must have been involved in its creation. Therefore, God exists as the creator of the world.  Read More »

Over the past 100 years, mankind has been burning increasing quantities of fossil fuels (such as coal and oil) to provide energy. This has released large volumes of a number of gases into the atmosphere, particularly CO2. At the same time, the world's remaining large forests - which help absorb CO2 - are being rapidly destroyed by commercial logging and to make way for farm land. Overall, the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have increased by 30% over the last century.When in the atmosphere, CO2 and other gases are thought to lead to a 'greenhouse effect': they allow sunlight to pass through, but absorb heat emitted by the earth, trapping it and leading to global warming. Weather records seem to support this theory. Average temperatures have increased by up to 0.6°C since the 19th century; the four hottest years since accurate records began have all been in the last decade. Unusual weather patterns such as floods and droughts have also been on the increase, with the uncharacteristically strong El Niño events of recent years causing widespread disruption. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an international body set up to study possible global warming, has concluded that "... the balance of evidence suggests that there is a discernible human influence on global climate."  Read More »

Civil rights should not be curtailed in the absence of a clear and present danger to the safety of others. The Proposition has a duty to demonstrate this risk is genuine. Furthermore, we would argue that so long as no illegal acts were committed in the creative process, the public should have a choice in deciding whether to view the resulting content. Proposition arguments about child pornography and bestiality being filmed and then displayed as art are irrelevant arguments, as these acts are illegal in the first place.  Read More »

The wealth of the earth belongs to all men or to none. Under capitalism, property is concentrated into the hands of relatively few well-off people, leaving the many with nothing and at the mercy of the rich for work, charity, etc. This leads to gross inequality, exploitation and misery. Nor is it economically efficient, as the rich have so much already they have no incentive to use their land productively. Socialism seeks to redistribute wealth and to ensure that the means of production are at the service of the whole of society, so that all can benefit and none will go without.  Read More »