The History Of The Oromo People History Essay

The History Of The Oromo People History Essay The following summary information was adopted from the book by Gadaa Melbaa, Oromia: An Introduction to the History of the Oromo People, 1999. The Oromo are also known by another name, Galla. The people neither call themselves or like to be called by this name. They always called themselves Oromoo or Oromoota (plural). It is not known for certain when the name Galla was given to them. It has been said that it was given to them by neighboring peoples, particularly Amhara, and various origins of the word have been suggested. Some say it originated from the Oromo word gaiaana meaning river in Oromiffa. Others indicate that it came from an Arabic word qaala laa. There are other similar suggestions as to the origin of the word. The Abyssinians attach a derogatory connotation to the Galla, namely pagan, savage, uncivilized, uncultured, enemy, slave or inherently inferior. The term seems to be aimed at generating an inferiority complex in the Oromo. Culture The Oromo are one of the Cushitic speaking groups of people with variations in colour and physical characteristics ranging from Hamitic to Nilotic. A brief look at the early history of some of the peoples who have occupied north-eastern Africa sheds some light on the ethnic origin of Oromo. The Cushitic speakers have inhabited north-eastern and eastern Africa for as long as recorded history. The land of Cush, Nubia or the ancient Ethiopia in middle and lower Nile is the home of the Cushitic speakers. It was most probably from there that they subsequently dispersed and became differentiated into separate linguistic and cultural groups. The various Cushitic nations inhabiting north-east and east Africa today are the result of this dispersion and differentiation. The Oromo form one of those groups which spread southwards and then east and west occupying large part of the Horn of Africa. Their physical features, culture, language and other evidences unequivocally point to the fact that they are indigenous to this part of Africa. Available information clearly indicates that the Oromo existed as a community of people for thousands of years in East Africa (Prouty at al, 1981). Bates (1979) contends, The Gallas (Oromo) were a very ancient race, the indigenous stock, perhaps, on which most other peoples in this part of eastern Africa have been grafted. In spite of the fact that there are several indications and evidences that Oromo are indigenous to this part of Africa, Abyssinian rulers, court historians and monks contend that Oromo were new corners to the region and did not belong here. For instance the Abyssinian court historian, Alaqa Taye (1955), alleged that in the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries the Oromo migrated from Asia and Madagascar, entered Africa via Mombasa and spread north and eastwards. Others have advocated that during the same period the Oromo crossed the Red Sea via Bab el Mandab and spread westwards. Abyssinian clergies even contended that Oromo emerged from water. On this issue, based on the points made in The Oromos Voice Against Tyranny, Baxter (1985) remarked, . . . the contention that the first Oromo had actually emerged from water and therefore, had not evolved to the same level of humanity as the Amhara (i.e. treating a myth of origin as a historical fact); or, more seriously, that Oromo were late co rners to Ethiopia and hence, by implication, intruders and not so entitled to be there as the Amhara. The history of the arrival of the Oromo people in the sixteenth century in East Africa from outside is a fabrication and denial of historical facts. It is a myth created by Abyssinian court historians and monks, sustained by their European supporters and which the Ethiopian rulers used to lay claim on Oromo territory and justify their colonization of the Oromo people. Several authorities have indicated that the Oromo were in fact in the North-eastern part of the continent even before the arrival of the Habasha. According to Perham (1948): the emigrant Semites landed in a continent of which the North-East appears to have been inhabited by the eastern groups of Hamites, often called Kushites, who also include the Gallas. Paulitschke (1889) indicated that Oromo were in East Africa during the Aksumite period. As recorded by Greenfield (1965), Oromo reject the view that they were late arrivals, . . . old men amongst the Azebu and Rayya Galia dismiss talk of their being comparative newcome rs. . . . . Their own (Abyssinians) oral history and legends attest to the fact that Oromo have been living in Rayya for a long time. Beke (cited by Pankurst, 1985-86) quoted the following Lasta legend: Meniiek, the son of Solomon, . . . entered Abyssinia from the East, beyond the country of the Rayya or Azebo Gallas. There are also evidence (Greenfield et al, 1980) that at least by the ninth and tenth centuries that there were Oromo communities around Shawa and by about the fourteenth century settlements were reported around Lake Tana. The recent discovery, (Lynch and Robbins, 1978), in northern Kenya of the pillars that Oromo used in the invention of their calendar system, dated around 300 B.C., is another indication that Oromo have a long history of presence as a community of people, in this part of Africa. The so called Galla invasion of Ethiopia is also a tale. It was first written around 1590 by a monk called Bahrey and henceforth European historians and others almost invariably accepted this story as a fact. From his writing, it is evident that he was biased against Oromo. The following quotation from Bahrey, (in Beckingham et al, 1954), vividly illustrates typical Abyssinian cultural, religious and racial biases against Oromo. He began his book The History of the Galla: I have begun to write the history of the Galla in order to make known the number of their tribes, their readiness to kill people, and the brutality of their manners. If anyone should say of my subject, Why has he written a history of a bad people, just as one would write a history of good people, I would answer by saying Search in the books, and you will find that the history of Mohamed and the Moslem kings has been written, and they are our enemies in religion. In fact it appears that the main purpose of his writin g was to encourage Abyssinians against Oromo. Bahrey, Atseme, Harris, Haberiand and others description of what they called the Galla invasion of Ethiopia as an avalanche, a sudden overwhelming human wave which could be likened to a flood or swarms of migratory locust is unrealistic and difficult to imagine to say the least. The Oromos Voice Against Tyranny argued that: . . . the so-called Galla invasion of the sixteenth century was neither an invasion nor a migration. It was rather a national movement of the Oromo people . . . with the specific goal of liberating themselves and their territories from colonial occupation. It was nothing more or less than a war of national liberation. In fact the last 2000 years were occupied with a gradual expansion of Abyssinians from north to south. This expansion had been checked throughout by Oromo. It was only with the arrival of Europeans and their firearms that Abyssinians succeeded in their southward expansion mainly in the middle of last century. Abyssinian and European historians alleged that there was a sudden population explosion in the Oromo community in the sixteenth century that enabled it to invade Ethiopia. The claim lacks a scientific base. During that time no significant, if at all any, technological development such as discoveries or introductions of medicines, new and improved tools for food production, etc. took place in the Oromo community that could have been the cause for the sudden population explosion. The Oromo community had no advantages of these sorts over neighbouring communities. Different areas have been indicated as place where the Oromo developed or differentiated into its own unique community of people or ethnic group (Braukamper, 1980). According to some ethnologists and historians, the Oromo country of origin was the south-eastern part of Oromia, in the fertile valley of Madda Walaabu in the present Baale region. This conclusion was reached mainly on the basis of Oromo oral tradition. Based on scanty anthropological evidence, others have also pointed to the coastal area of the Horn of Africa, particularly the eastern part of the Somali peninsula, as the most probable place of Oromo origin. Bruce, an English traveller, indicated that Sennar in Sudan was the Oromo country of origin and that they expanded from there. It should be noted here that many European travellers have suggested the origin of peoples, including Oromo, to be where they met some for the first time, which in most cases happened to be peripheral areas. There are several groups of people in East Africa very closely related to the Oromo. For instance, the Somalis are very similar in appearance and culture. The fact that the Somali and Oromo languages share between 30 percent and 40 percent of their vocabulary could be an indication that these two groups of people became differentiated very recently. Other Cushitic-speaking groups living in the same neighborhood who are closely related to the Oromo are Konso, Afar, Sidama, Kambata, Darassa, Agaw, Saho, Baja and other groups. Oromo have several clans (gosa, qomoo). The Oromo are said to be of two major groups or moieties descended from the two houses (wives) of the person Oromo represented by Borana and Barentu (Barenttuma). Borana was senior (angafa) and Barentu junior (qutisu). Such a dichotomy is quite common in Oromo society and serves some aspects of their political and social life. The descendants of Borana and Barentu form the major Oromo clans and sub-clans. They include Borana, Macha, Tuuiiama, Wallo, Garrii, Gurraa, Arsi, Karrayyu, ltu, Ala, Qaiioo, Anniyya, Tummugga or Marawa, Orma, Akkichuu, Liban, Jile, Gofa, Sidamo, Sooddo, Galaan, Gujii and many others. However, in reality there is extensive overlap in the area they occupy and their community groups. And since marriage among Oromo occurs only between different clans there was high degree of homogeneity. The vegetation of Oromia ranges from savanna grassland and tropical forest to alpine vegetation on the mountaintops. The forests contain a variety of excellent and valuable timbers. Oromia is known for its unique native vegetation as well as for being, the center of diversity for many different species. For instance, crops like coffee, anchote (root crop), okra, etc. are indigenous to this area. The Economy Potentially, Oromia is one of the richest countries in Africa. Agriculture is the backbone of its economy. Still employing archaic methods, subsistence agriculture is the means of livelihood for more than 90 per cent of the population. There are a variety of farm animals and crop plants. Farm animals include cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys, mules, horses, camels and chicken. The Cushitic speaking communities of this region perhaps Nubians, are credited with the domestication of donkey and were the first to breed mules, (a result of a cross between a donkey and a mare). The Oromo are expert in animal husbandry through their long tradition as herdsmen. For some, cattle-rearing (pastoralism) is still the main occupation. Because of Oromias favorable climate and rich soil, many types of crops are cultivated and normally there is little need for irrigation. Normally one and sometimes two crops can be harvested annually from the same field. Among the major food crops are cereals (wheat, barley, tef, sorghum, corn, millet, etc.), fibre crops (cotton), root crops (potato, sweet potato, yam, inset, anchote, etc.), pulses (peas, beans, chick-peas, lentils, etc.), oil crops (nugi, flax, etc.), fruit trees (orange, mango, avocado, banana, lemon, pineapple, peach, etc.), spices (onion, garlic, coriander, ginger, etc. coriander and ginger also grow wild) and a variety of vegetables like okra which is indigenous to Oromia. Many varieties of these important crops occur naturally in Oromia. These diverse crop plants are very valuable natural resources. Oromo farmers have contributed to world agriculture by cultivating and developing some of the worlds crop plants and in this way have discovered new domesticated varieties. The main cash crops are coffee and chat (a stimulant shrub). Coffee, a major cash earner for many countries, has its origin in the forests of Oromia and neighboring areas. Specifically, Kafa and Limmu are considered centers of origin for coffee. It is from here that coffee spread to other parts of the globe. Coffee was one of the export items of the Gibe states. Wallagga and llubbabor regions of Oromia exported coffee to the Sudan through the inland port of Gambelia on the Baro river and border towns of Kurmuk, Gissan, etc. Hararge, because of its favorable location for communication with the outside markets through the Red Sea, has been producing one of the finest coffees for export. C offee has remained the chief export item, representing more than 60 per cent of the foreign earnings of successive Ethiopian colonial regimes. The country is also rich in wild animals and plants. Many different species are found in the waters and forests of Oromia: different kinds of fish, hippopotami, and crocodiles. Land animals include lion, leopard, rhinoceros, buffalo, giraffe, wild ass, zebra, columbus monkey and elephant. There are a number of wild animals that are found solely in Oromia, such as nyaaia, bush-buck (special type), fox (from Baale), etc. Various types of birds, many of them unique, are found around lakes and elsewhere. These creatures are a source of attraction for tourists and natural scientists alike. The forests of Oromia are a source of excellent timber. Although the major portion of the forests has been destroyed since its occupation, some still remain in the south and west. However, this is threatened by mismanagement, particularly through the fast the expanding state farms and resettlement programs. At the time of colonization a large part of Oromia was covered with forest. This has been reduced to the present 5-7 per cent. In addition to timber trees, medicinal plants and trees producing different kinds of gums, grow in abundance. Myrrh, frankincense and gum Arabic are gathered from the wild trees. Forests, besides being a source of timber, medicine and gum, are useful in the conservation of water and soil, and as shelter for wildlife. They also have an important aesthetic value. Oromia has important mineral deposits. The gold mines at Adola and Laga Dambi in the Sidamo and around Nejjo, Asosa and Birbir river valley in Wallagga regions which were the major sources of revenue for Meniiek and Haile Selassie are being exploited using modern machinery. Other important minerals found in Oromia are platinum, sulphur, iron-ore, silver and salt. As early as 1900 Meniiek granted concessions to a Swiss company to mine gold, silver and other minerals in Nejjo, Wallagga region. Later the Germans took over. English, Russian and Italian companies extracted gold and platinum at Yubdo and neighboring areas in the same region. After some 60 years, the Soviet Union is continuing this business today in the same areas. It is known that large deposits of natural gas and oil exist in Baafe and Hararge regions. The Ethiopian government announced as 1986 the discovery of a new deposit of natural gas in Baale. The hundreds of hot springs scattered over Oromia are also of economic importance. Thousands of people, including foreigners, visit these springs for their medicinal and recreational value. They are a great potential source of thermal energy. Rivers, streams and springs are plentiful. The rivers have many fails that could be used to generate electric power with little effort. The extent of this electric power could easily satisfy the power needs of Oromia and several neighbouring countries.

Final Paper on Philosophy Essay

In its known usage, the word Reality pertains to something that actually exists and which can be felt by the senses. Metaphysics, a branch of Philosophy, tries to discern reality from illusion, as it investigates on things that are real which could also be just illusions of what people want to be real—ideals. However, what can be sensed from the surroundings does not seem to be just mere illusions, as the body and the mind react to everything it senses. In Philosophy, reality usually pertains to existence since it is contrasted with nonexistence—those unreal—and mere possibilities—could be real but does not necessarily exist, unless discovered. To this date, there are still speculations about the Nature of Reality. It could be possible that people are living on their dream worlds, and not in reality (like in the Matrix movie). However, these people perceive their dream worlds as an equal of reality. Hence, they are still living in reality unless someone drags them out of that reality and into another level of reality, which is more real. 2. On a nutshell, the documentary film â€Å"Zen and Now† by Alan Watts points out that people should live in the Now which is actually the main principle of Zen philosophy. Unnecessary baggage could only hinder the person’s progress, in moving on with his or her life. Personal progress seems to be the undying aim of Zen philosophy as it promotes moving forward rather than shackling the self behind in the past. It also does not entail the idea of expecting what could happen in the future. The primary focus is the Now, neither the past nor the future. The principle of Zen pertains to establishing a harmony with the self before people could establish it with others and with the world. Hence, it should be quite simple to understand what Alan Watts wanted to convey. Living in the now is the best way to live life since it gets rid of the excess baggage that drags the person towards his or her sinkhole—the past. This baggage usually make up of the person’s regrets, basically anything negative about his or her past (events, personalities, and the like). 3. The Zimbardo film is about the Stanford Prison Experiment which was conducted by Philip Zimbardo. Basically, it entailed the role-playing of both prisoners and guards by participants who were screened before being accepted. As the film would show, the participants’ imagination grew out of hand, even with the presence of the research team. It may possibly be an act out of human nature, when these participants were given their respective roles. They acted as if it were the real deal; guards taking out their frustration towards the prisoners and prisoners would plan of escaping or creating riots within the prison. The role-playing seemed to unleash genuine human nature of many participants as some would show sadistic tendencies towards the prisoners. It also seemed that imagination initially played a part on this â€Å"unleashing† but it was more the work of the subconscious that guided these people to completely assume their respective roles. The environment, upon which a person belongs to, can have an astounding effect towards him or her. It can actually alter some of the person’s traits as it is part of human nature to adapt to certain environments. It also influences the person’s perception of his or her reality as some situations and conditions involved in the environment would affect the person. 4. The Milgram experiment entailed the testing of a person’s obedience to an authority who orders would instruct him or her to do unethical things that opposes with the person’s conscience. Many of the experiment’s participants were reluctant of administering a high voltage shock of 450 towards the receiver. As the result would show, the willingness of the participant to administer the 450-volts shock greatly conflicts with his or her conscience. They have to be coerced, threatened, or abused in order to successfully administer the shock; unless it served a higher purpose. Humans do not obey commands that can be classified as unethical, immediately. Human conscience seems to prevent the person to follow the commands without hesitation. The experiment could already be perceived as unethical because it entailed the electro-shocking of the learner by the teacher—the participant. The relationship between authority and conscience was tested in this experiment. Many of the participants were reluctant to follow the commands of the authority figure. They showed signs of disobeying the authority figure since they would believe that what they were tasked to perform is unethical. 5. Steve Pinker’s stand is to refurbish the current English Language that has been ravaged by various media influences, by reclaiming the respect for the English language. Every person is capable to speak grammatically but somehow they would choose to follow the English language that popular culture seems to promote (as mentioned, rockers, surfers, valley girls), as well as the standards proposed by Mavens which he utterly despises. As long as these two would continue to promote their version of English, then relearning proper grammar would be a hard task. The promotion of the proper usage of English will definitely be a tough road ahead for the likes of Pinker, as media and the mavens would continue to influence society. 6. Both the environment and free will play a significant role in shaping a person into what he or she can become in the future. Free will would involve decisions to certain situations that could actually be summoned by the person’s environment. However, free will would ultimately shape the person more significantly than the environment as it is his or her decisions that promote the development of the person. The environment could only play a minor role on the person’s development. It is the person’s free will that shapes his or her future. I believe on free will as the catalyst in shaping the person. Free will enables the person to participate with the environment like making the right decisions for certain situations wherein some are raised by the environment. A person could not and should not rely on fate in order to help him or her progress in life or move forward. It is all the work of free will that allows such change to occur within the person and his or her life. 7. Charlie Manson experienced social regression in his childhood life, as his mother rejected him a few times; at one point, even trading him for a pitcher of alcohol. In prison, he learned the teachings of Scientology (a cult led by L Ron Hubbard) and applied many of it to his own established philosophy that he and his followers believed in. The growing crisis of the racial tension between the whites and blacks made him fear that one day, the blacks will take over the whites’ position in society, upon which believing that the Manson family will then have control over the blacks and their society. The Manson philosophy (coded: Helter Skelter) was as destructive as it can be, as it involved spurring chaos in society. His followers were made to believe that they were following the commands of a Jesus Christ incarnate, as they were forced to do anything he commands. It was not fate that brought him into becoming the person that everyone feared in the past. It was his free will that spurred the numerous murders, ordered his â€Å"family† to commit these killings, and sent him to prison. Apparently, he did not have control over his free will as he did everything that seemed to please him. 8. There would be a noise created as it falls to the ground. However, it would not be heard by anything or anyone as there are no living creatures in the forest; unless one would consider the surrounding trees as living things (frankly speaking, they are). It is for certain that there will be noise created as the tree would come crashing down, but without a creature to hear the noise, then it would not be considered as noise in the first place. Two sides could be drawn up from this question: (1) There is a noise since it fell to the ground hard (I suppose it would be hard), and (2) there would not be a single noise as no living creature heard it. For (1), anything can make a noise, intentionally or unintentionally. So it is impossible for the tree to fall down hard silently. In (2), even if the tree creates a noise while falling down, who would be there to receive the sound and conclude it as a sort of noise? That seems to be the main problem here as most living creatures (if not, all) could hear sound. Then again, noise was created but nothing was able to receive it and conclude that it was noise. 9. The Sensory Transduction involves the detection and translation of any form of stimulus. It involves the five senses, making sensory transduction an indispensable part of people’s lives. It involves how people would interpret what they could sense. It may be possible for people to control the transduction of sensorial vibrations (usually associated with feelings), although it might require immense amounts of concentration and will power. The brain would translate these sensorial vibrations for the benefit of the individual; which he or she later translates into experience by how he or she reacts to the translated sensorial vibrations (by the brain). On the other hand, these sensorial vibrations may travel too fast for the person, enabling instinct to take its course in providing the individual how to react on the given situation; given that he or she already experienced the same condition before. I believe people could control the transduction of sensorial vibrations simply because they could choose what they want to sense. A child would close his or her eyes on the scariest parts of the horror movie simply because he or she does not want to get scared. However, it could also be considered that instinct comes into play when the person would fail to react to these transductions. 10. Universal reality is simply the existence of all things; the totality of time, space, and being. Yes, there is a Universal reality in people’s lives because everything around them exists and it will continue to exist until it is removed from time, space, and being. Basically, Universal Reality makes up everything that people could sense around them inside this chamber. People may be unaware of this fact but the Universal reality does not remain constant forever, as it could experience constant changes; changes that enable people to adapt to an altered perception of that supposed Universal reality. Somehow it is thought that all realities originated from a single source of energy or force, upon which all top religions considered as God—the universal being. Basically, the answer would be that there is an existing Universal reality as it entails everything that people would perceive as real and those that can be unreal—as some individuals could perceive them while others could not. Universal reality is all that exists in people’s realities. Hence, there is such a thing.

Persusive Essay

Persuasive Essay I believe Margaret Drabble’s statement, â€Å"Our desire to conform is greater than our respect for objective facts,† to be quite true. Throughout history, people of all ages have wanted to be accepted and belong to a group rather than look at the facts and measure what is true and false. It is very evident in our society today that not only do we want to be accepted and belong, but we also are willing to do whatever it takes, no matter what the consequences turn out to be. I agree with Drabble’s statement and believe that it is true all around the world.If you were to step outside our society and look back at it objectively, I can assure you that you would see evidence of this. No matter what age, gender, or ethnicity, people are always going to have the desire to fit in with and belong to a certain clique or group of people. From my observations, people are willing to do almost anything if it means that they will feel like they belong somewhere , no matter what the facts are. Gang membership is an extreme, but valid, case. To be initiated into a gang, you must look beyond the facts and consequences of what could happen to you, and do whatever it takes to get in.This could involve taking a person’s life, robbing a store, or doing other illegal things, but if it means becoming part of a â€Å"family,† as the leaders call it, or just getting the same tattoo as everyone else, then many people are willing to take the risk and do it. Today, a lot of young people brush aside the fact that they could end up facing serious criminal charges and spend the rest of their lives in jail. They seem heedless not only about the immorality of taking a life, but also about how they are ruining their own lives. They are often aware of the facts, but choose not to listen.Gang leaders tend to manipulate the minds of those wanting to join a gang into thinking that nothing bad could happen to them if they were to become part of the à ¢â‚¬Å"family. † Often, only former gang members have the â€Å"street cred† to get through to potential gang members concerning what they are getting into. Any objective observer of the situation could easily point out the dire consequences, but only a limited number of people have even a small chance of deterring potential gang members. To feel part of a clique or group can be a great feeling and that is usually why we do what we do in the first place.I am convinced that not a lot of people can really say that they have never felt this way before. We are taught at a young age to resist peer pressure and to say no, but as we grow up it gets harder and harder, especially during the teenage years when, if you do not do as everyone else does, then you will face discrimination. High school is one of the places where this happens everyday. I can say from first-hand experience that I used to be one of those people who were willing to do whatever it took in order to feel like I belonged.Many kids are aware of the facts about what lies ahead, but just choose to ignore them because of feeling the desire to be accepted at all costs. If kids are given the option to stay at home Saturday night and study for a test or go out to a party where the most popular kids will be, most will choose the party. It does not matter that Sunday morning the chances of having a hangover and not studying for a huge test on Monday are very likely. What matters to most kids is that they want their names on the list when everyone talks on Monday about who went to the party.Whether we, as teenagers, want to believe it or not, if there is a party, then to feel popular and accepted into the group, we will want to go. We will want to go to have fun and be with our friends, but the greater factor in our decision is that on Monday morning everyone will be talking about who went and who did not. Objective facts do not deter us. People in our society today are so obsessed with being perfe ct and fitting in that very few step back to realize many of us are doing things that we will someday regret.Drabble’s statement applies to women trying to gain â€Å"the perfect figure. † Today, the perfect shape is to be model thin, which translates to dress sizes of 00-2. Each and every day, women all around the United States starve themselves and become anorexic to fit into society’s image of how a perfect woman should look. These women believe that no one will like them if their body does not look like that of a runway model and, therefore, they do whatever it takes, no matter how serious or life threatening the consequences are.Any objective observer could tell these women that they are morbidly thin, yet the women see themselves as overweight. Many women hear about the consequences of becoming anorexic or bulimic, but, at the end of the day, the majority still choose trying to meet societal expectations over their own health. Many would deny that they are flying in the face of objective fact, but when it comes down to it, no matter how harsh or life threatening the consequences, many people will o anything to experience the unity within a group or clique—from gang membership, to being part of the â€Å"in† crowd, to actually starving to death to match an image. We need to take a step back and realize what we are doing to ourselves and that there is more in life than just pleasing others and trying to fit in. I believe that Drabble’s statement will continue to be true unless we reach a time when everyone recognizes that we should not have to sacrifice objectivity to feel united.

Legalizing Marijuana in America - 978 Words

Legalizing marijuana in America Illegal drug use is a huge part of American culture and one the most controversial of those drugs is marijuana; its technical name is Cannabis Sativa. But whether you call it cannabis, marijuana, pot, reefer, weed, bud, herb, Mary Jane, hemp, grass or wacky tabacci, it is still illegal in the United States. Actually, all over the world the deliberation rages about the harm or benefits that marijuana has to offer. Attempts to legalize it in the United States have been going on since the Marijuana Tax Act was introduced in 1937 and have thus far largely failed. The debate whether or not to legalize marijuana seems to circle around numerous points, including the recreational use verses being a gateway to†¦show more content†¦They have studies that show that marijuana is addicting, that it may cause impaired judgment and short-term and long-term memory issues. The question is who is right and do the negatives in the drug outweigh the potential be nefits to the health of the people it could help, not to mention the money that could be saved by the government if they did not have to fight the war on marijuana. The government set aside thirteen point seven billion dollars for the 2008 war on drugs and the Office of National Drug Control Policy estimates that Americans will spend ten point five billion for marijuana this year (Dubbin, 2008). That is twenty four point two billion dollars that could have been used by the government for other things. According to Harvard Economic professor Jeffrey A. Miron, â€Å"legalizing marijuana would save seven point seven billion a year in government expenditures and add six point two billion in revenue if the wacky tabacci were taxed like regular tobacco.† References AIDS.org (n.d.). Why do people with HIV use marijuana?. Retrieved February 15, 2009, from http://www.aids.org Califano, J. A., Jr (2002). Marijuana Is a Gateway Drug. Greenhaven Press. Retrieved from Dubbin, J. (2008). The War on Marijuana. Retrieved February 15, 2009, from http://ohmygov.com/ Hurley, J. A. (2000). What FactorsShow MoreRelatedLegalizing Marijuana Can Benefit Everyone in America 603 Words   |  2 Pages The legalization of marijuana is going to be beneficial to all in the U.S. because they will either be affected directly or indirectly from it. One reason why we should legalize marijuana is to help stop the Drug Cartels from illegally importing marijuana to this country and making millions every year from it, all of our currency is being exported out without being counted, which again is illegal. Legalizing marijuana will also benefit people with certain medical problems; in a way you can saveRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1474 Words   |  6 PagesMarijuana has always been a big deal in society, ever since it has become known as a street drug. In the current year of 2016, not only citizens abuse marijuana, Celebrities, professional athletes, and college students all abuse the substance for its benefits. We are becoming more aware how rec ently this year that marijuana has been legalized in ten countries and twenty five states in the United States of America. That is one half of our country that is able to use this substance. By legalizing marijuanaRead MoreMarijuana Has Always Been A Big Deal In Society, Ever Since1477 Words   |  6 PagesMarijuana has always been a big deal in society, ever since it has become known as a street drug. In the current year of 2016, not only citizens abuse marijuana, Celebrities, professional athletes, and college students all abuse the substance for its benefits. We are becoming more aware how recently this year that marijuana has been legalized in ten countries and twenty five states in the United States of America. That is one half of our country that is able to use this substance. By legalizing marijuanaRead MoreMarijuana Decriminalization and Legalization636 Words   |  3 PagesThe validity of marijuana decriminalization (and even legalization) is illustrated in the following analysis of the social, fiscal, political, and medical attributes and conceptions associated with the drug. Marijuana has been used for thousands of years, in 2008; archeologists discovered over two pounds of cannabis in a 2,700-year-old grave of a shaman found in Central Asia. (Armentano, 1) Should marijuana be legalized or at least decriminalized in America? The following information may give theRead MoreThe Origns of Marijuana726 Words   |  3 Pagesspread throughout the Islamic Empire to North America. In 1545, the cannabis spread through the county; Chile began to use the drug as a fiber. Consequently, cannabis grows throughout tropical and humid parts of the world. The seeds have been used as animal food, fiber for hemp rope and oil as a vehicle for paint (Cannabis, Coca, and Poppy). Therefore, Marijuana should be removed from the criminal justice system. Legalizing and regulation marijuana can bring cash crop under the criminal justiceRead MoreWhy Marijuana Should Be Legal1085 Words   |  5 PagesDear , Since the 1930s marijuana has been illegal in the United States. The debate to legalize marijuana has been a huge controversy since the existence of the drug. I believe that by legalizing marijuana America will be able to thrive in the future. Marijuana has been tested and proven to provide a very positive impact in the medical field, the economy, and crime. First and foremost, marijuana is legal in some states in the United States but for medical use only and other countries such as CanadaRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1269 Words   |  6 PagesAbu Matar 1 Mahmoud Abu Matar English Composition 2 Research Paper 14 April 2015 Legalizing Marijuana Marijuana is most commercialized drug in the world, so why not just legalize it? Although there are legal restraints against marijuana, 1 in 3 Americans have tried it, out of curiosity at least once. Multiple studies have proven that, marijuana is psychologically and physically healing. Medical marijuana should be legalized for its beneficial advantages, such as, treating or preventing health conditionsRead MoreLegalizing Marigjuana in the United States766 Words   |  3 Pagesprohibition in the 1930s detrimentally distorted the view of marijuana ever since it was declared illegal. Marijuana has and still continues to be looked down upon due to the unexplainable psychological effects of the human mind. Futhermore, the American society has viewed marijuana in such a negative way that it holds people to the reputation as a loser or stoner. This skewed perception of a lazy and unmotivated marijuana users in America is the result of over seventy years of propaganda and misinformationRea d MoreLegalization of marijuana789 Words   |  4 PagesAnnotated Bibliography The topic I chose is the legalization of marijuana. My research was enjoyable because I love reading on a topic that I fully support and agree with. The four sources I found are very persuading and contain strong points. I used the web for research but as I found sources, I made sure they were credible sources since this is such a debatable issue. Jacques, Renee. This Is Why Marijuana Should Be Legal Everywhere. The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 24 Oct. 2013Read MoreMarijuana Dispensaries are a Quick Fix to an Economic Crisis688 Words   |  3 PagesNeed a quick fix to the current economic crisis? How about opening thousands of marijuana dispensaries, supplying tens of thousands of Americans with jobs, and bringing in billions of tax dollars to the government. Is marijuana a threat to our society and our youth? Or is it a plant, capable of easing the pain of the sick, inhibit the growth of cancer cells, rejuvenating the weary, and bringing ease to our stressful lives. The war on drugs has been a failure and it affects us all! The current