Do Women Regret Having Abortions

Political and legal arguments that seek to limit womens access to abortion often use the logic that the procedure is an emotionally dangerous one that leads to distressing feelings of regret. U.S.  Supreme Court Justice Kennedy used this logic to uphold a 2007 ban on late-term abortions, and others have used it to make arguments in support of laws regarding parental consent, mandatory ultrasound viewing, and waiting periods prior to the procedure. Though previous research had found that most women felt relief immediately following the termination of pregnancy, no study had ever examined the long-term emotional effects. A team of social scientists lead by Drs. Corinne H. Rocca and Katrina Kimport of the Bixby Center for Global Public Health at the University of California-San Francisco have done just that, and found that a full 99 percent of women who abort pregnancies report that it was the right decision not just right after the procedure, but consistently over three years following it. The study was based on telephone interviews with 667 women recruited from 30 facilities across the U.S.  between 2008 and 2010, and included two groups: those who had first-trimester and later-term abortions. Researchers asked the participants if having the abortion was the right decision; if they felt negative emotions about it like anger, regret, guilt, or sadness; and if they had positive emotions about it, like relief and happiness. The first interview took place eight days after each woman initially sought the abortion, and follow-ups occurred roughly every six months over three years. The researchers looked at how responses evolved over time among the two groups. The women who participated in the study averaged 25 years of age when their first interview took place, and were racially diverse, with about a third white, a third Black, 21 percent Latina, and 13 percent of other races. The survey noted that more than half (62 percent) were already raising children, and more than half (53 percent) also reported that the decision to have an abortion was a difficult one to make. Despite that, they found near unanimous results across both groups showing that women consistently believed that having an abortion was the right decision. They also found that any emotions associated with the procedure--positive or negative--declined over time, suggesting that the experience leaves very little emotional impact. Further, the results show that  women thought about the procedure less frequently as time passed, and after three years thought about it only rarely. The researchers found that women who had planned pregnancies, who had a hard time deciding to abort in the first place, Latinas, and those neither in school nor working were less likely to report that it was the right decision. They also found that perception of stigma against abortion in ones community, and a lower level of social support, contributed to an increased likelihood of reporting negative emotions. The findings from this study are deeply important because they invalidate a very common argument used by those who seek to limit access to abortion, and they show that women can be trusted to make the best medical decisions for themselves. They also show that negative emotions related to abortion stem not from the procedure itself, but from a cultural environment hostile to it.

Setting And Attachment Theory Of A Family - 966 Words

I. SETTING AND ATTACHMENT THEORY A. John Bowlby. C.Main and Solomon B. Mary Ainsworth II.SECTIONS ON TRANSITIONS A.Moving to School B.Starting and Moving Through Day Care C.Birth of a Sibling D.Step Families/ Adoption or Foster Care E.Moving Home F.Living Outside of the Home G.Family Breakdown H.Loss of Significant People I.Moving Between Settngs or Carers I.There are a number of Significant theories of ATTACHMENT that we should be aware of when considering children s overall development.ATTACHMENT is important as it affects a child s long term social and emotional development. A.John Bowlby s THEORY of ATTACHMENT -he recognised and devised one of the most important theories,which is that of ATTACHMENT.He started that a†¦show more content†¦Passing through different stages, young children s development maybe affected by TRANSITIONS and significant events.There are some events for which adults can prepare them.You need to consider the following transitions: A.Moving to School ----For some children,moving to School can cause a level of anxiety that affects their behaviour and how they relate to others. In our setting,we evaluate communication and correspondence with new parents, ensuring them information is clear and welcoming,develop a clean setting-in policy and share it with parents, offer them a welcoming pack, hold story time or drop in sessions so new families can get to know the provisions before the child starts. Ask parents for as much information as possible about their child including their feeding, dietary requirements, sleeping and changing routines, invite parents to stay with the child especially on settling stage. B.STARTING AND MOVING THROUGH DAY CARE ----This can be traumatic and cause upset for children depending on their age and how much they are used to being at home with the parent or carer. We can help to spend time with children putting together,books that can be takenShow MoreRelatedThe Provision Of Equality, Diversity And Inclusive Practice1144 Words   |  5 Pagesfor the child and their family. This plan could ensure that the parents stay longer on the child first visit. Home visits can be helpful too. This individual plan will benefit the child, their parents and also the practitioners. If the family didn’t speak English then this might cause concerns for the child and also the setting. The setting could overcome this by supporting the child by bringing an interpreter into the school. The parents can have support from the setting by the school providingRead MoreChildren and Young People’s Development.1105 Words   |  5 PagesJohn Bowlby’s attachment theory has had a huge influence on practice. à ¢â‚¬Å"His work on maternal separation, attachment, and loss...has profoundly influenced practice†, Pedder, (2010:p130). Bowlby’s attachment theory talks about how important it is for a child to have a primary caregiver and how a child need’s to have a strong bond with their main carer. From Bowlby’s research and theory there has been a great influence on policies and practice as, has been stressed how important it is to provide childrenRead MoreThe Purpose Of Behavior Management Policies Within Educational Settings1281 Words   |  6 Pageswill explore and evaluate the purpose of behaviour management policies within educational settings. It will analyse developmental differences and environmental influences, which may affect both the cause and management of children’s behaviour in real life settings, linking to theories of leadership and behaviour management. Finally, this essay will conclude by reflecting upon the most effective methods and theori es of behaviour management, in relation to children and adults within educational environmentsRead MoreChild Development Theories That Have A Degree Of Influence Over Current Practice1316 Words   |  6 Pagesdevelopment theories that have a degree of influence over current practice. Each of which both have criticism and contrasting theories. John Bowlby (1907-1990) developed the Theory of Attachment, influenced by the work of Sigmund Freud’s 1926 theory of cupboard love, which suggested that babies form attachments with those who meet their physiological needs, for example; feeding and security. His theory has influenced practice in settings globally and has also influenced other theories and experimentsRead MoreThe Key Theories Of Attachment1646 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Bowlby, the backbone of attachment theories will be discussed throughout this essay to explain and evaluate the key theories of attachment. Health and well-being which is made up of four factors ‘physical, intellectual, emotional and social (Jones, 2016), will also be discussed within the essay. The definition of attachment is ‘an act of attaching or the state of being attached. (Dictionary, 1400) This will be showed in the assignment, using theorists to analyse the meaning. Sharing theRead MoreThe Primary Focus Of Educational Psyc hology765 Words   |  4 Pageschild’s educational achievement such as pre-natal development, caregiver attachment, culture, household make-up, economics, cognitive ability, and environment to name a few. Several theorists can impact the practices of Educational Psychology, two in particular are Urie Bronfenbrenner and John Bowlby. With either of their theories in mind, looking at the child as an individual is non-existent. Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecologial Theory describes development as an interaction between people, physical environmentRead MoreBandura s Theory On Social Learning1734 Words   |  7 PagesC1 Bandura s theory is based on social learning. He emphasises the importance of observing and modelling the behavior, attitudes and emotional reaction from others. Children from large families or children who attend day care may do this a lot, they will always be observing other children or their siblings behavior, attitude or emotional reactions even if they don’t intend to. . In society, children are surrounded by many influential models, such as parents within the family, characters on children’sRead MoreLisa Is A Candidate For Interventions That Address Her1622 Words   |  7 Pagesaddress her traumatic past, her attachment disruptions, and the internalizing behaviors. She could possibly benefit from Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC) treatment or CBT. Her internalizing behaviors may impart be associated with her insecure attachment that was a result of her not feeling safe and aforementioned disruptions with attachment figures. The attachment theory has be en well researched and studies have made a correlation between disruptions in attachment and mental health issues.Read MoreEcological Systems Theory By Urie Bronfenbrenner1556 Words   |  7 PagesEcological Systems Theory The Ecological Systems Theory was founded by Urie Bronfenbrenner. This theory focuses on the impact of the environment on a child’s overall development. The identifying characteristics of Bronfenbrenner’s theory are the five systems used to organize external influences within a child’s development. These systems are the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem. Each system is aligned with specific interaction levels. The microsystem is consideredRead MoreRochester Youth Development Study: Relationship Between Family and Juvenile Delinquency1052 Words   |  5 PagesThe behavior among juveniles and family problems among their homes is a major issue at hand in our society today. According to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (2010), in the year 2010, 784 juveniles were arrested for murder, 2,198 for rape, and 35,001 for aggravated assault. The amount of juveniles being involved in violent crimes is very detrimental to all aspects of our society, but environmental factors are a major component of this issue that needs to be analyzed. The question

Winston and Julia free essay sample

The Theme of 1984 by George Orwell It is apparent that there are many themes present in the book 1984 and there have been many arguments as to which one is the most significant, but it seems obvious that the most prevalent one is that love is the best aspect in life. While the world of 1984 is one where love is nearly impossible to exist, a pair of souls, Winston and Julia, beat the devastating odds and loved each other despite the certain doom they faced. There has been some argument as to whether Julia and Winston really loved each other, but after closely analyzing the book it is clear that they do. If love can have such a significant effect on one in the present world, just imagine how it could change life for the better for one in the world of 1984. This is why the only good thing in Winston Smith’s life is his relationship with Julia. ? Firstly, because of Julia’s influence Winston grew dramatically healthier and happier. Before Winston and Julia got together, Winston was often very sick, very depressed, thin, continuously drinking, and had a varicose ulcer on his ankle that caused him pain and misery. After the pair met, however, Winston’s whole life turned around. â€Å"Winston had dropped his habit of drinking gin at all hours. He seemed to have lost the need for it. He had grown fatter, his varicose ulcer had subsided†¦ the process of life had ceased to be intolerable (Orwell, 124). † Not only did he grow healthier physically, but mentally too. Julia was someone Winston could talk to about his thoughts and beliefs, and she was someone he could confide in. She also showed Winston that it was possible to go behind the Party’s back and do things that were forbidden, things that could show him life and make him happy. Winston had the weight of a world of mixed feelings on his shoulders before he found Julia, who shares many of his thoughts; in that sense, Julia was a great companion for Winston to relate with. ? Secondly, Julia is the one and only reason Winston has to fight for when against O’Brien’s tortures. When Winston is in the Ministry of Love in Part III, his body and mind are being broken down and ultimately destroyed, but he has visions of Julia and the memories of how much he loves, cherishes, and cares for her is the strength he needs to fight the Party. In one part, Winston actually feels Julia’s presence, and he thus knows that he must hold on for her sake. â€Å"Julia! Julia! Julia, my love! Julia! † For a moment he had had an overwhelming hallucination of her presence. She had seemed to be not merely with him, but inside him. It was as though she had got into the texture of his skin. In that moment he had loved her far more than he had ever done when they were together and free. Also, he knew that somewhere of other she was still alive and needed his help (Orwell, 230). † Winston, it is clear, would not have been able to hold onto his mind or his beliefs for as long as he did when against the Party if he was not able to recall Julia, her love for him, and his love for her. Without Julia, Winston would not have had anything to dream of or live for, and he likely would have caved much quicker under O’Brien than he actually did in the novel. Most importantly, Julia is the one who helps Winston to experience love and passion, as he never had before. She contacts Winston and risks being turned into the Thought Police by him because of her love for him. She also opens his eyes to the powerful emotions and feelings in the world that their bodies can experience, the ones that the Party is trying to get rid of. Their passion for each other is not expressed an ywhere in the novel better than when they first meet. â€Å"The next moment, it was hard to say by whose act, she was in his arms. At the beginning he had no feelings except sheer incredulity. The youthful body was strained against his own, the mass of dark hair was against his face, and yes! actually she had turned her face up and he was kissing the wide red mouth. She had clasped her arms about his neck, she was calling him darling, precious one, loved one (Orwell, 100). † It is obvious that the two feel very strongly and passionately for each other, and they brighten one another’s life by risking being together. Some have argued that their relationship is merely shallow and physical, however it is clear throughout the novel that Winston and Julia show much love and commitment towards each other, and to accuse them of being in the relationship solely for the act of sex is a terrible misconception of the bond they share. They lie together, yes, but they also yearn to just stand side by side, to gaze into each other’s eyes, to touch one another’s fingertips, and to hold each other’s hand; most importantly, they converse. Several times throughout the novel the pair is found discussing life, the past, and the Party. If they were together only for sex and the physical aspects of a relationship, then they obviously would not bother with this couple-like act of compassion and love. Winston and Julia share a strong and important bond that is the only aspect in Winston’s life that keeps him fighting against the Party and living life day-to-day. If Winston had never met and had a relationship with Julia, his life would have been terribly miserable and he would have been far worse off. Julia made Winston happy, healthy and strong, and she showed him love that he would never have otherwise experienced. As lovers from the past had also done, the two sacrificed for each other, and their love made them stronger. Love, whether arguable or not, is blatantly the strongest and longest lasting force in the universe. It brings people together, brightens lives, and gives the people of the world something to fight for. Love is the most powerful emotion one can experience, and relationships are the best aspect in our lives.

Racial Slavery in America

The study of the history of the development of America reveals the issue of race as being central in the economic, social and political development of the nation. The phenomenon of racial slavery in America emerged with the demands in the Southern states concerning the economic viability of controlled and bound labor.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Racial Slavery in America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The existence of norms and values that restricted the free citizens from exploiting each other initiated the emergence of racial exploitation. The discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus provided a new source of labor upon which America’s prosperity would thrive. An analysis of the social and economic structure of the colony of Virginia illustrates that the distortion of the indentured servant system in the colony made the concept of racial slavery considerably attractive. The separation of indenture servants and English landowners marked the onset of racial slavery with Massachusetts becoming the first colony to legalize slavery in 1641 (Dattel, 2009). In Virginia, laws on slavery stated that the child of a slave was automatically subject to enslavement, which made slavery a generational phenomenon. The story of the seizure of Anthony Johnson’s land following a declaration by a jury in Virginia that the government could reposes Johnsons’ land because he was a negro promoted the acceptance of racial exploitation directed towards Negros, mulattos and Indians. IN 1672, the king of England embarked on a venture to feed the increasing demand for slaves and charted the Royal African Company, which was at the center of British slave trade. The 1698 declaration by the England Parliament that any Briton was at liberty to trade in slaves marked the onset of a period of 50 years during which millions of Africans in slave ships reached the coasts of North and So uth America.Advertising Looking for term paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As the European empire expanded, the colonization of America brought with it vast tracts of land that required intensive labor. The arrival of a Dutch ship loaded with slaves from Africa provided a solution to the problem of working on the harsh conditions that had proved unfavorable for the natives. The fluctuation of tobacco prices eased the demand for slaves, which later increased with the invention of the cotton gin and the replacement of tobacco with cotton as the main cash crop. The expansion of plantations in America in the 18th century demanded an increase in the supply of laborers causing a peak in the transatlantic slave trade. The demand for laborers in the South increased with the invention of the cotton gin, which increased the cultivation cotton on a large scale due to the enhanced processing capability. In this regard, the South became a major hub for the slave trade and cotton-growing regions experienced an explosion of the slave population. The impact of slavery is evident in the transformation and equalization of economies in both low country and upcountry because it had become easier to process both the long staple and short staple cotton grown in the two regions respectively. However, political inequality persisted as evident by the fact that the electoral value of the salves in the upcountry was only three-fifths of a vote. Slavery played a key role in the Westward expansion because the land seized from the Indians provided new settlements in which cultivation of tobacco and cotton blossomed. The territorial expansion of U.S involved the movement of American settlers with their slavers into news territories as evident by the case of Texas. The ban on slavery in Texas by the Mexican government, aimed at taming the influence of Americans, faced considerable opposition by slave owners who forced f reed slaves into signing life indenture contracts.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Racial Slavery in America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Tension between the Mexican government and American settlers caused an outbreak of a rebellion, which eventually led to the annexation of Texas and the concession of New Mexico and California. The onset of the demise of slavery began with the establishment of an anti-slavery movement spearheaded by William Wilberforce and the Quakers. The growing unease regarding the slave trade even among key participants such as Europe saw Denmark take a leading step in abolishing slave trade in 1792 (Horton Horton, 2005). In 1807, Britain enacted regulations that stipulated stiff fines on any individuals found guilty of importing slaves into Britain. Slavery was a central theme in the years following the break of the Civil War, which although having began as a struggle to prevent the segregation of the North and the South, tilted towards the freeing of slaves. In the early years of the War, a large number of Southern slaves escaped to the North, which was a favorable occurrence for the Union considering that the slaves served as cooks, guards and soldiers. The slaves were escaping oppression and exploitation in the North, which included physical and sexual abuse as evident by the narrations of Harriet Jacobs in the book â€Å"Life of a Slave Girl†. The status of a slave as property meant that plantation owners could use them in whatever way they wanted including sexual exploitation of women and the sale of salve family members. Harriet’s narrations bring to light the cruel and sadistic treatment of slaves, which thrived on proclamations such as the 1857 Scott Decision by the U. S Supreme Court categorizing slaves as subhuman property devoid of any rights whatsoever. Narratives, such as â€Å"Life of a Slave Girl† played an important role in changing the perspective of the whites on slaves because the affluent middle class had the time and resources to read the literature.Advertising Looking for term paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The fleeing of slaves from the South was detrimental to the chances of the Southerners winning the Civil War and the desperation for soldiers forced the Confederate army to begin enlisting African Americans. However, the decision came late and the Union army, which had a large number of volunteers and fleeing slaves from the South, gained an edge over the Confederate army. The enactment of laws demanding the seizure and freeing of slaves as part of the property of dissidents in the South was a step forward towards the abolishment of slavery. According to the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, slaves in the rebelling states would gain outright freedom in a hundred days starting from September 22, 1862 (Ward, 2008). The ease on regulations restricting blacks from joining the U.S Army and creation of units such as the Colored Troopers created a system through which freed slaves influenced the outcome of the Civil War. The end of the Civil War in 1865 provided an opportunity for ind ividuals in the Congress and other anti-slavery groups to champion for the adoption of the 13th Amendment, which constitutionally outlawed slavery in America and strengthened the ban on slave trade that had been in place since 1807. References Dattel, E. R. (2009). Cotton and race in the making of America: the human costs of  economic power. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee. Horton, J. O., Horton, L. E. (2005). Slavery and the making of America. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Ward, A. (2008). The slaves’ war: the Civil War in the words of former slaves. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. This term paper on Racial Slavery in America was written and submitted by user Kenny Hartman to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Growth Of The Internet Essays - Cultural Globalization,

Growth Of The Internet Growth Of The Internet Many years ago a network was born having several computers connected and now, that same network has millions of computers connected at all times, it's called the Internet. This paper will explain the evolution and growth of the Internet. I will offer a guided tour though the evolution of the Internet and explain what this effect has on its growth and popularity. It's like a plague growing across the world, signs of its growth are seen everywhere. The Internet was started as an experiment to test networks to try and develop a network that could survive a nuclear attack. While the net has never needed to survive a nuclear blast its design has proven again and again how robust it is. It has with stood many an attack from construction, people digging up cables, to lightning blowing up a router. The network has always recovered and bypassed the problem. The Internet began as the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) during the cold war in 1969. It was developed by the US Dep artment of Defense's (DOD) research people in conjunction with a number of military contractors and universities to explore the possibility of a communication network that could survive a nuclear attack. It continued simply because the DOD, DOD's contractors, and the universities found that it provided a very convenient way to communicate (Wendell). The ARPANET was a success from the very beginning. Although originally designed to allow scientists to share data and access remote computers, e-mail quickly becomes the most popular application. The ARPANET became a high-speed digital post-office as people used it to collaborate on research projects and discuss topics of various interests. By 1971 the ARPANET grew to 23 hosts connecting universities and government research centers around the country (Net Timeline.). In 1973 the first international connections were made with England and Norway. Growth continued at a steady pace, by 1987 there were over 10,000 hosts, then by 1989 it had e xploded to 100,000 (Rowse). Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf are key members of a team, which created Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), the common language of all Internet computers. For the first time the loose collection of networks which made up the ARPANET is seen as an Internet, and the Internet as we know it today is born. The mid-80s marks a boom in the personal computer and super-minicomputer industries. The combination of inexpensive desktop machines and powerful, network-ready servers allows many companies to join the Internet for the first time. Corporations begin to use the Internet to communicate with each other and with their customer's (Net Timeline.). The general public gets its first vague hint of how networked computers can be used in daily life as the commercial version of the ARPANET goes online. By 1988 the Internet is an essential tool for communications, however it also begins to create concerns about privacy and security in the digital world. New words, such as hacker, cracker and electronic break-in, are created. These new worries are dramatically demonstrated on Nov. 1, 1988 when a malicious program called the Internet Worm temporarily disables approximately 6,000 of the 60,000 Internet hosts (Net Timeline.). These concerns lead to the formation of the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to address security. In the early 90's the ARPANET was decommissioned and forced to leave, leaving only the vast network of networks the Internet. The number of hosts by now exceeded 300,000 (Howe). In 1990, HyperText Markup Language (HTML), a hypertext Internet protocol which could communicate with graphic information on the Internet, was introduced. Each individual could create graphic pages (a Web site), which then became part of a huge, virtual hypertext network called the World Wide Web (WWW). The enhanced Internet was informally renamed the Web and a huge additional audience was created. As the Internet celebrates its 25th anniversary in 1996, the military strategies that influenced its birth become historical footnotes. Approximately 40 million people are connected to the Internet. More than $1 billion per year changes hands at Internet shopping malls, and Internet related companies like Netscape are the darlings of high-tech investors. Users in almost 150 countries around

J. Edgar Hoover essays

J. Edgar Hoover essays John Edgar Hoover was born on January 1, 1895. His father's name was Dickerson Hoover. His mother was Anne Marie Scheitlin Hoover. He was the youngest of 3 children, his brother, Dickerson Jr. who was 15 years older and his sister, Lillian, who was 13 years older. After he quit school after his father's mental breakdown, John became a messenger boy for the Library of Congress. During that time he spent his evenings studying for a law degree at George Washington University. He graduated in 1917. After graduation his uncle helped him get a job with the Justice Department. In 1919, the attorney general of the United States, made Hoover his special assistant. His job as the special assistant was to lead an organization formed to gather evidence on communists in the United States. In 1921, Hoover became assistant director of the Bureau of Investigation. In 1924, Hoover became the director of the Bureau of Investigation. In 1935 Hoover pushed for and was eventually approved by Congress, the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Before then Bureau agents had few powers. They were not armed and were not allowed to arrest individuals. After the Congress act, agents were armed and had the power to arrest individuals all around the country. Hoover then started a scientific crime detention laboratory. He also started the FBI Academy. He then appointed Clyde Tolsen assistant director. After World War 2, Hoover believed that many ranking Government officials were members of the communist party. President Truman didnt believe his accusations, so he bagan to leak information about the suspected communists in the government. As a member of the HUAC, House Un-American Committee, he started the investigation of suspected communists in the entertainment industry and was able to name 151 entertainers that had communist belie ...

Module Islam and Modernity - assignment Documentary analysis

Module Islam and Modernity - Documentary analysis - Assignment Example Both the books have successfully drawn the attention of the readers towards the traditionally depraved condition of the Muslim women in Egypt and presented an appeal to the Egyptian intellectual class to initiate an improvement in their status and assign them equality with men in terms of political, social and economic rights. Historical and Political Context The author feels that it is his moral obligation as an author to communicate to the society his liberal views about the emancipation of women in the Egyptian society. Looking at the erstwhile scenario, he feels that the upliftment of the status of the women in society is not only desirable but also essential and integral to the positive growth and development of his future generations. So he considers it high time that his thoughts broke free from the shackles of passive reflection and found concrete expression in his literary works. However the author fears that this honest expression of his sincere views might be termed as â⠂¬Å"heresy† by the religious fanatics. ... t improved in the Western countries owing to the growing impact of technology and diminishing geographical boundaries resulting in a warmer approach towards new innovations and an openness to change. But despite all these formative changes on the global platform, unfortunately, the scenario in the Islamic countries remains the same. These countries seem somewhat immune to the new changes and events prevailing in their surrounding world. The author claims that this could be attributed to the fact that in addition to a hostility to change propagated by tradition, the people in these countries exhibit a kind of intellectual lethargy which inhibits the growth of their minds. This intellectual lethargy dissuades them from pondering over new ideas and persuades them to seek a convenient refuge under the dead and decaying customs and traditions, in order to circumvent the discomfort of speculation. The outcome is that any idea or opinion that seems to be going against the flow of tradition is labelled as â€Å"heresy† or defiance of religion. Going by this logic, the author’s views on woman empowerment can also be classified as heresy. But here the author clarifies that his work is presented as a revolt against not religion, but tradition. It is intended to defy not Islam, but the rigid and stifling traditions that need to be either mended or discarded. Detailed Analysis Having declared at the outset that he does not conform to the Islamic traditions, the author wonders why the Muslims are so keen on sticking to their traditions whichideally should be done away with. They fail to realise that in their attempt to conform to their traditions they are actually working against the laws of Nature- God’s laws of creation- the Law of Change. They seem to undermine the fact that