Alcohol Should the US Lower the Drinking Age to 18

The introduction: some basic points of alcohol problem While analyzing the drinking age, I would like to point out some fundamentals of the so-called alcohol problem. First of all, there is a need to admit that genetic factors in alcoholism, as well as personality traits and social aspects are considered to be the key points of underage drinking.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Alcohol: Should the US Lower the Drinking Age to 18? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More So, special investigations have shown that there is a strong interdependence between hereditary and alcohol use. Thus, Leigh Sexton (2011) is of the opinion that â€Å"Where children whose biological parents were alcoholics were adopted at birth into non-alcoholic families they still had higher levels of alcohol addiction than adopted children with no alcoholic parent† (para. 2). Personality traits are also to be analyzed, as there is an o pinion that anti-social traits, lack of self-confidence are recognized to be the causes, which lead to alcohol addiction. In other words, various personality abnormalities or disorders are considered to be the primary reasons of alcohol abuse. Another important point I would like to highlight is that those parents who bring up their kids in an alcoholic home increase the risk of alcohol use by their children. The most interesting fact, however, is that alcohol abuse can be omitted. There can be no alcohol abuse, but the chances that children start drinking at 15 or 16 are still high. â€Å"Drinking in the teens nearly doubles the risk of alcohol abuse compared with those who start drinking after they enter their twenties† (Sexton, 2011, para. 5). Social drinking is one of the most complicated cases of alcohol abuse. Thus, among young gatherings drinking is considered to be desirable and even standard process. In most cases, there are friends who encourage the person to drink. On the other hand, it is also rather important to pay attention to familial behaviors. Sometimes, the parents mention that the idea to drink a cold beer seems to be quite attractive. In their turn, children comprehend such messages as normal desire to slake one’s thirst. The thesis statement Alcohol addiction of adolescents is mostly related to lack of personality development, lack of self-confidence, age-related issues, and unstable family role. Thus, the idea to lower the drinking age to 18 seems to be totally absurd. The analysis of some investigations can help to resolve the issue and take right decision.Advertising Looking for research paper on administrative law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The body: alcohol, parenting and psychological disorders Generally, alcohol abuse among youths is recognized to be the most serious problem, which is to be resolved. Prof. David J. Hanson (2011) says that â€Å"On nationa l television programs, Califano reported horror stories of alcohol abuse among college students, associating it with assault, rape, and even murder† (para. 2). Some important data shows that 60% of STD are acquired at the state of alcoholic inebriation. 90% rapes take place when the victim is drunk. 95% of illegal actions are alcohol-related. Prof. David J. Hanson (2011) states that â€Å"the average young person will have seen 100,000 beer commercials between the age of two and eighteen But just think – sixteen years or about 5,844 days occur between a person’s second and eighteenth birthday† (para. 5). In the late eighties, all fifty states of the USA prohibited alcohol drinking for those who are less than 21. The law was adopted when higher traffic fatalities were associated with alcohol-abusing persons under the age of 21. However, â€Å"many underage youth continue to consume alcohol and to experience alcohol related problems† (Hingson Kenkel, n.d., para. 1). Thus, underage drinking is one of the key problems American society is to think about. The most interesting facts, however, seem to be rather ambiguous. For instance, drinking problems are low â€Å"when children are served alcohol by their parents† (Hanson, 2011, para. 6). On the other hand, when youths are prevented from alcohol, some bigger problems appear. In other words, such prevention causes the opposite effect. However, I suppose it depends upon the principles of upbringing whether a child relies on his or her parents’ behavior and role models or no. For this reason, I would like to point out three basic principles of parenting. So, first of all, it is necessary to demonstrate good drinking behavior; the parents should expect that children will copy their mode of life. Thus, the parents are to think about their own actions. Finally, various mass media means can be used to demonstrate the positive and negative consequences of drinking. Of course , the parents should use appropriate mass media programs. Taking into account the investigation made by Patrick M. O’Malley, Ph. D., Lloyd D. Johnston, Ph. D., and Jerald G. Bachman, Ph. D. one can state that alcohol use among adolescents is a real problem. Thus, the 1997 the Monitoring the Future Study â€Å"found that 54 percent of 8th graders (almost all of whom are ages 13 to 14)Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Alcohol: Should the US Lower the Drinking Age to 18? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More reported having consumed alcohol (i.e., more than just a few sips) in their lifetime† (O’Malley, Johnston Bachman, 1998, p. 86). The most widespread alcohol problems adolescents experience are considered to be difficulties in communication, i.e. interpersonal problems, health problems, medical problems. Moreover, numerous psychological disorders appear. For instance, one is to keep in m ind that there is certain interdependence between a person’s mental state and alcohol addiction or use. †One US study found that 19.9% of the general population had one or more psychiatric disorders, but in those with alcohol abuse or dependence the figure rose to 36.6%† (Institute of Alcohol Studies, 2007, p. 3). Another important point I would like to highlight is the disorders which cause alcohol addiction. So, the most common are depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, manic-depressive illness, and schizophrenia. Young people mostly suffer from the first three disorders. I’ve pointed out that there are psychological diseases, which cause alcohol addiction; however, on the other hand, I have to notice that the opposite effect is also possible. Thus, there are many cases, when young people start to experience the above-mentioned disorders because of alcohol use. Anti-social personality disorder is also one of the most widespread consequences of alcohol dependence. The conclusion: no permission to lower the drinking age It is not a secret that alcohol is recognized to be popular psychoactive drug. In most cases, adolescents use alcohol to relax. Other popular variants are to be happy, to feel less anxious, (less inhibited, less depressed), to fit in, to celebrate, to make friends, to become confident, and to forget problems. When analyzing the reasons, one can understand what psychological problems may occur. Finally, when analyzing alcohol addiction and abuse, one is to keep in mind the fundamentals of parenting, as well as the consequences of social, health, and economic aspects of underage drinking. References Hanson, D. (2011). Alcohol. Problems and Solutions.  Web.Advertising Looking for research paper on administrative law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hanson, D. (2011). Children, Alcohol and Parenting.  Web Hingson, R., Kenkel, D.  Social, Health and Economic Consequences of Underage Drinking. Web. Institute of Alcohol Studies. (2007). Alcohol and Mental Health. Web. O’Malley, P., Johnston, L., Bachman, J. (1998). Alcohol Use Among Adolescents. Web. Sexton, L. (2011). Genetics Versus Upbringing in Alcohol Abuse.  Web. This research paper on Alcohol: Should the US Lower the Drinking Age to 18? was written and submitted by user Misael Foreman 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.

AIDS in Ghana The WritePass Journal

The Role of NGOs in the Prevention of HIV/AIDS in Ghana Introduction The Role of NGOs in the Prevention of HIV/AIDS in Ghana Introduction This dissertation will focus on the role of NGO in the prevention of HIV/AIDS in Ghana. The Republic of Ghana is located on the west coast of Africa and is bordered by Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Togo. Ghana has an estimated population of 24 million people, with Accra Ghana’s capital city having the estimated highest population of over two million people.[1] The Human Immunodeficiency Deficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemics continue to devastate the lives of individuals globally. HIV/AIDS is proven to be a great developmental challenge for states, with many initiatives to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS proving difficult. With HIV/AIDS mainly affecting adults in their industrious years, the infections are having a detrimental effect on health care systems across the world. The high cost attributed to treatment and prevention programmes have averted resources away from productive investments. Empirical evidence reveals a relationshi p between HIV/AIDS and poverty. Since its discovery, HIV/AIDS has ravaged communities, assisted with the creation of poverty and deepened the opportunities to escape it. HIV/AIDS constitutes as one of the most serious health concerns destructing human development. HIV/AIDS also threatens to reverse the progress in the most severely affected countries for decades.[2] Of the global total of people living with HIV/AIDS, 95% live in developing countries.[3] Since its existence, HIV/AIDS has continued to evolve in communities where poverty facilitates the spread of the viruses. Weak healthcare infrastructures and social inequalities have increased the potential risk of HIV/AIDS, while factors such as migration, drug use and economic instability have also enhanced the spread of transmission. The impact of HIV/AIDS has been severe on the African continent, which has some of the poorest countries in the world, meaning large populations have been affected by the epidemic. Whilst   the   number   of   people   living   with   HIV   remains   high in sub-Saharan Africa, the availability of ACT treatments has been   associated with a momentous decline of HIV/AIDS related deaths. It has been   argued that the rise of HIV/AIDS in Africa is a result of a sexual   culture[4] and that Africanswere conducting hyper-sexualised behaviour.[5] Strong prevention campaigns have also played a key role in the decrease in recent HIV/AIDS prevalence rates. After Ghana’s first case of HIV was reported in 1986[6], the disease spread gradually but stea dily until 2003, when prevalence peaked at 3.1%.[7] In 2011, the estimated adult HIV/AIDS prevalence was 2.1%, with an estimated 225478 people were living with HIV/AIDS in the country.[8] HIV prevalence differs between age, gender, residence and geographical areas. Ghanas’ Aids Commision key strategic priorities are preventing HIV/AIDS in high-risk populations such as female sex workers (FSW), men who have sex with men (MSM), and discordant couples, reducing HIV/AIDS transmission from high-risk individuals to the general population, addressing stigma and discrimination, and providing comprehensive prevention and care and access to treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), their partners, and families. The GAC has developed multiple evidence-based, comprehensive behaviour change support materials for FSW, their clients and partners, MSM, and PLWHA. The growing complexity of HIV/AIDS has led to a number of initiatives involving the skills of NGO’s. With good health care systems a commodity in some countries, NGO’s have developed programmes to assist with the demands on the state. For instance, Charity AID Africa has implemented a community testing and care unit in Kumasi to minimise the risk of future infections. Amid the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS, NGOs were used as a global trend to compensate for the short comings of the state. With HIV/AIDS being in existence for over 30 years, the relevance, efficiency and sustainability of NGO’s are all in question, now more than ever. Similar to states, NGOs face allegations of corruption, mismanagement in addition to funding cuts and state sanctions. NGO’s currently face not only the practical challenge of tackling HIV/AIDS but also the political challenge of influencing policy.   In this respect, the epidemic of HIV/AIDS and the challenge of the political economy are mutually constitutive. While some NGO’s have been successful to some degree in helping to reshape policy agendas, doubts still remain about the potential of NGO’s to reshape society. Dilemmas persist on the effectiveness of NGOS with questions asking whether they are efficient and have the agency to bring about long-term sustainable change.[9] NGO’s, such as Oxfam, have been productive in conducting programmes to tackle poverty and gaining International recognition. By way of comparison the majority of NGO’s haven’t been able to make a significant change to policy due to ideological parameters. The role of the state is important to NGO’s because the state has the power to determine the institutional nature, agenda and political relationship. The potential for NGO’s to bring about substantial change to HIV/AIDS is undiminished while the limitations of NGO practices will be explored with this paper. Despite amplified focus on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, initiatives by the Ghanaian government and NGOs have failed to eradicate the virus. Many businesses, communities, and private and religious organisations have also tried to work towards eradicating HIV/AIDS with varying results. The work carried out by those concerned with HIV/AIDS has provided vital information about the biological, behavioural and environmental factors that influence HIV/AIDS transmission. HIV/AIDS is a serious problem in Ghana and the challenge of implementing effective prevention programmes is a national priority. This study focuses on the potential role of NGOs in the significant reduction of HIV/AIDS in Ghana. The thesis is framed within wider debates concerning the impact of NGOs, with particular attention to the role of NGOs and their efforts to reduce the number of HIV/AIDS infections. This study will seek to examine the power of NGOs preventatives methods in Ghana and contribute to the theoretical framework of the role of NGOs in HIV/AIDS prevention. Specifically the aim of the study is to explore and describe the service’s NGO’s provide and how those services influence the transmission of HIV/AIDS. The study will also review the effect of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) funded policies and explore the possibility for further NGO involvement in decisio n making. The study is comprised of five chapters; in this introduction I provide a thumbnail overview of my research question and highlight the contribution I seek to make to HIV/AIDS literature. The introduction will also provide a brief account of the general background of the research, both in relation to the HIV/AIDS rates in Ghana and the number of NGO’s fighting the epidemic in the country. Chapter one and two provide a board historical perspective on the subject matter. Critical claims about the roles of NGO’s not only invoke historical views but also functions as a means by which NGO’s construct their programmes to seek political and economic interests. In chapter two I provide an outline of the theoretical outline that informs the research with particular reference to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa. I will also provide an examination of the empirical literature on NGO’s HIV/AIDS prevention programmes. In chapter two, I will also illustrate how various scholars have discussed the role of NGO’s relationship with HIV/AIDS. It also permits an appraisal of the ways in which the history of HIV/AIDS in Africa evolves and transforms states. I argue that NGO’s in some cases have had to serve the interests of their funders and consolidate to capitalist nature. This point becomes apparent when one considers from a historical perspective the obligation put on external funding from the GFATM. This study will also explain NGO’s adapting strategy to shift towards external funding objectives. Chapter three provides an outline of the methodological rationale of the study. I introduce the number of individual interviews that took place and justify why they were the most appropriate approach to pursue my research question. The methodology focuses on the role of NGO’s in the prevention of HIV/AIDS, drawing on primary and secondary sources. Ten organisations have been selected to illustrate the links between NGO’s and the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Ghana, and this study will look at what will distinguish the chosen organisations and what will be their opinions of HIV/AIDS in Ghana. The methodology will be presented in three stages, firstly providing details of the research informant, secondly an exploration into the methods chosen for data collection, finally the analysis of the data will be explained. Chapter four will discuss the results of the research and consider them in relation to the research question. The methodological considerations will also be explored in chapter four, seeking out the strength and limitations of the study. Chapter five will conclude the study with a summary of the main body of the research. The conclusion will also make comparisons with other studies and make suggestions for further research. Finally the implications of the dissertation will be speculated.

Who participates in movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Who participates in movement - Essay Example McAdam disregards strict definitions of recruitment, movement, and activism, and instead focuses on the process of an individual’s participation in activism. Risk and cost assessment gives his theories a good base. Risks taken on the part of the activist cost him something (positive or negative cost). As an example, signing a petition is a low risk, low cost activity; organizing homeless people is a high risk, high cost activity. Individuals do a conscious or subconscious risk/cost assessment before they participate in activism activities. An individual may verbally support an idea yet not physically participate in higher cost activities such as rallies or writing letters to Congress. Individuals may choose to participate in higher risk/cost activities, if those risks/costs are acceptable to him. These individuals typically â€Å"(a) have a history of activism, (b) [are] deeply committed to the ideology and goals of the movement, (c) [are] integrated into activist networks, and (d) [are] relatively free of personal constraints that would make participation especially risky† (71). By contrast, Polletta states that people join high risk/cost movements â€Å"because it is fun; because their sense of solidarity with people they know who are already in the movement demands it; because if they don’t, no one else will; because they are morally shocked and compelled by an injustice† (35). She refers to McAdam’s works and expands on the â€Å"narrative† component of recruitment. Protesters and activists, whether their actions are believed to be spontaneous or are the result of long-standing commitment to the movement, tell a powerful story that inspires others to agree and perhaps join in. Participating in protest and activism is a somewhat organic process from the individual’s point of view; people are inspired when the movement’s ideology rings true with their own ideology, and find themselves participating without really understanding how they got

Has the UK government engaged in the politics of panic over counter Essay

Has the UK government engaged in the politics of panic over counter terrorism If so, how has this affected its counter terrorism policy - Essay Example Even though the Irish republican army was suppressed by the UK government, its repercussions are now started to develop. Moreover the government is also faced with a challenging task to tackle the rising Islamic terrorists. The armed forces of UK have gained valuable experience and expertise in counterterrorism activities through three decades of fighting the Irish republican army. This involvement was quite surprising because the understandable preoccupation with terrorists in Northern Ireland diverted the attention of British intelligence agencies from international terrorism. Before the bombing of the Pan Am flight over Lockerby, the British agencies were only engaged in dealing with the Irish nationalist. But after the indictment of two Libyan nationals, the agencies reach and scope has drastically widened. During the mid 1990’s, the UK intelligence agencies and the police were quite sure that their land was used as a base by individuals and groups for promoting, funding, and planning terrorism. However these individuals were not found by the agencies as a threat to UK. Therefore they were left to continue their activities. This policy caused wide spread anger among many foreign governments including allies of the UK government. By giving low priority to international terrorism, the British authorities did not fully understand the threat from Al Qaeda. The failure of the British intelligence agencies including that of other western agencies led to the 9/11 attacks on US soil. The Al Qaeda with its deadly networks has caused headaches for the UK authorities in recent years. The threat from AL Qaeda has increased because of the participation of UK in Afghanistan and Iraq. The UK intelligence agencies have also played a major role in destabilizing the networks of the terror organiz ation as well as blocking its funding. The counter terrorism policy

Can People Govern Themselves Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Can People Govern Themselves - Essay Example According to blog â€Å"a†, a business that only puts qualified people in leadership positions gives out good result while democracy lets any fool who is elected have power and the results are chaos. To an extent, I agree with the above statement because democracy is the rule by vote and a person can be popular based on other factors other than credibility and efficiency. It is not strange to find a company that was running well on profits suddenly collapse due to poor governance based on elected leader. While it is fair to include the views of the people in running an organization or a country, it is also wise to include serious scrutiny of their character and their effectiveness to the position they are being given. Democracy is not entirely bad as sometimes people’s judgment of character can be right through various interactions with the person or people vying for a leadership position; they can be able to tell whether the person will be effective. A person with soci al skills is highly favored as he or she is thought to understand and solve problems fairly. Choosing leaders based on qualifications is the other alternative. People with high qualifications and references are thought to have a proper managerial skill, organized and goal oriented. Their dedication to their studies is believed to be also reflected in the work they are entrusted with. However, people can be highly qualified but lack the necessary values needed to work in an organization such as honesty. In summary, democracy cannot work effectively on its own.

Importance of Recycling

Importance of Recycling Dont Throw Your Future Away In the UK, on average, a person throws away almost his own bodyweight equivalent of waste material every 7 weeks. That is equivalent to filling up the Rutland Lake in just six months or pervading the London Palladium every hour. Up to 60% of this waste is recyclable. What is meant by the word recycle? A simple way to describe it is; recycle means to convert and remanufacture waste products into new materials. This means, rather than throwing these objects away, they can be used to manufacture new products. The materials that are widely recycled include, grocery bags, cloth, newspaper, cardboard, brochures and flyers, cardboard boxes, paper, aluminium cans, glass, tin, chipboard and scrap metal. Though every waste disposal place varies, these are the items which are widely accepted as recyclable items. Failing to use them to manufacture further items results in these products being thrown away in significant quantities into landfills. Some goods which are not usually recycled because of being not as cost-effective include light bulbs, petroleum products, chemicals and aerosols. A landfill is not the most ethical way of managing waste as it poses substantial threats to humans and animals, as well as plants. It is immensely important to recycle our waste in order to lower the amount of waste material in landfills, to save and create energy and to conserve raw materials. For instance to produce new paper from a plant source, it requires seventeen full grown trees to make one tonne of pure non-recycled paper. This leads to deforestation as it requires cutting down trees, leading to deforestation which is a tremendous environmental hazard. Instead of this, used and old paper can be used to manufacture new paper which can help protect both trees and 65 % of electricity. Likewise, thermoplastics can also be recycled as they can be softened and melted to reshape again and again thus decreasing the environmental hazards triggered by plastics. Furthermore, up to seventy per cent of energy can be saved by avoiding extraction, refining, transportation and processing of raw materials required for the industry. As labour is needed for collection, sorting, processing and logistics, job opportunities can also be generated through recycling. Recycling also plays a sizeable role in decreasing air, noise and water pollution by reducing incineration of waste thus protecting the atmosphere. How? By lowering the emission of greenhouse gases like methane, sulphur dioxide carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide, recycling can also help in reducing the effect of climate change which is a long-standing and prominent issue influencing the atmosphere and living species alike. All of this malefic matter contaminates many habitats and ecosystems. This in turn ruins the natural living conditions of different organisms including both plants and animals. Deforestation that occurs due to the use of wood as a raw material for several products also plays an integral role in the destruction of many habitats.   Biodiversity is being lost. The loss of a few plants and animals is not the concern here. Rather, by thrashing all forms of nature on such a grand scale we are risking our lives, threatening wildlife, gambling with the stability of nature and weather and throwing our own future away. Not only is the destruction of nature a colossal problem, Global Warming, another disastrous outcome of all that contamination, is also a topic which needs discussion as it is the most detrimental. Evidence proves that the past decade was the hottest in the past 1300 years. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has multiplied from 280 parts per million to 400 parts per million. Moreover, it is expected that an estimated increase of 8 degrees Fahrenheit in global temperature and 1 to 4 feet of upsurge in sea levels can be expected by the year 2100. This could be a monumental problem for many low lying areas and cities of the world. Not only this, numerous other climate changes such as change in precipitation patterns, increment in acidity of oceans, reduction in ice cover, permafrost, unexpected droughts and floods, intense tsunamis and hurricanes and much more can be expected. Ultimately, the havoc caused from all of this can be very well assumed. How to make world a bit better? The above mentioned can be slowed and minimised if not entirely terminated. Recycling of metals can help cut down the need for extraction of ores, reducing environmental hazards caused by mining, refining, processing and packing. Recycling of plastic can help in minimizing the deposit of landfills. As it is a polymer, it can be melted and reused several times over. Recycling paper reduces the need of chopping down of trees and ultimately could help conserve forests. It also helps to reduce the use of incineration, process involved in destruction of paper. Amongst some notable benefits of recycling, one of them is the conservation of energy. By reducing the need of new products, we can dexterously reduce the use of energy and the burning of fossil fuels used to harness energy. This could lower the emission of harmful gases drastically. Recycling plays an integral role in forefending this planet from further devastation. It is crucial for us to implement the idea of recycling into our everyday lives and play our own part in order to protect the Earth and make it a better place.

United States Involvement in Haiti :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We begin our story on December 29th in the year 2000. United States President Bill Clinton sends a letter to Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, urging him to restore democracy in his country as he had promised before. Clinton has written statements from Aristide assuring that Haiti will take part in a democratic reform in the interest of human rights. In the letter that Bill Clinton sends, he reminds Aristide of the United States’ role in his being brought back into power in 1994. Many republicans thought that President Clinton’s letter was far too polite for the situation at hand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Aristide had a lot of promises left to be fulfilled. Domestic and foreign policy reforms were yet to be seen. No members of the opposition could be found in his government. His police force and judiciary remained unprofessional. He failed to cooperate with the United States in a campaign against drug trafficking, as he was to allow the Coast Guard to patrol Haitian waters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Back in Washington, Senator Jesse Helms and Representative Porter J. Goss issued a joint statement: â€Å"Narco traffickers, criminals, and other anti-democratic elements who surround Aristide should feel the full weight of United States law enforcement.† It was of the opinion of the Republicans in America that we end all direct support for the Haitian government. With President Clinton out the door soon in the last few weeks of his term, the Republican Party members were anxious to see the differences the Bush administration would make in this situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fast-forwarding to November of 2003, President George W. Bush gave Aristide a warning. He needed to keep his word and begin some move on reforms. His country was crumbling. Not just in the sense that there was a strong division between Aristide’s government and the opposition leading to violent terrorism throughout Haiti, but more and more of Haiti’s eight million citizens were becoming impoverished, going hungry. Not only that, but the land was physically crumbling – roads were unusable and there was terrible telephone service. There is an indirect relationship between Haitian relations and demonstrations against its government. With less support, there are more attacks, and the Bush administration was not about to step in and help Haiti unless Aristide showed us some results. United States ambassador to Haiti James Foley said, â€Å"If Haiti falls into its historical path of authoritarian government, misrule, and abuse of human rights, its future will be as somber as its past.