“DYING FOR THEIR BELIEFS”

1.       BRAINSTROMING

•          How a radical position could put in danger our life.
•          Right to life should be the most important right ahead of religious principles.
•          Respect for the religions and its beliefs, cultures and its customs; is the best way to preserve the diversity.
•          The constitution should protect life of any child, ahead of any custom or belief.
•          An adult person can choose how he/she would want to live or to die.

2.       OUTLINING

I Amy Hermanson and her family          

A.      Important information about Amy Hermanson

B.      Her Parents and their beliefs

1.       Christian scientists

II Advices from some close people like friends and family about the Amy´s illness

A.      Advice of Mary Christman

B.      Call from Amy´s Aunt to the social worker

C.      Advice of Eric McHugh

D.      Position of Christian scientist

1.       Position of Hermanson´s

2.     Prayer vs. Medical attention

III Legal process

A.      Charge imposed by Sarasota County Courthouse

1.       Three degree murder and felony child abuse

B.      Position from American Law

1.       Can´t deny the medical care for religious reasons

C.      Conclusions from Autopsy

1.       Inappropriate medical attention

IV My personal position

A.      Constitutional rights

1.       Freedom of religion and children´s right to grow up healthy

B.      Right to life

1.       Protection of child´s life

C.      Culture and customs, religions and beliefs

1.       Respect them but without put in danger life.

ESSAY “DYING FOR THEIR BELIEFS”

Amy Hermanson died of diabetes on Sunday September 30, 1986, when she was seven years old; she was a child full of energy, before she got sick.  She died because her parents (William and Christine Hermanson) decided to put their religious principles ahead of protecting their daughter, they are Christian Scientists and they are members of Sarasota´s first church.

Mary Christman, a close friend´s family realized Amy wasn´t well, because she noticed the child had a strange look, her temperament had changed and she had lost weight, then Mary decided to tell them the little girl needed medical attention or she could die soon, two days after that, Amy died. Also, Amy´s Aunt realized the child over the last week had lost 10 pounds, however she ate and drank a lot, her eyes were strange and she seemed to have few energy. Mary decided to say Amy´s parents, those symptoms could be a strong sign Amy had diabetes, how the Amy´s parents didn´t want to give a medical attention, she called the social worker, but it was late, because this day she died.  June R. McHugh, director of the private Julie Rohr Academy, where Amy attended; said that when the year began, the child had some changes in her temperament; she used to cry a lot. So, McHugh called her parents and advised them Amy might be suffering from a physical ailment, the Hermanson´s didn´t pay attention, and Amy died a week after of this advice. Despite Amy wasn´t well and despite all those advices done by their friends and family, they preferred to continue with their Christian beliefs and they tried to heal her with prayer.

Because of that situation the Hermanson´s were scheduled to go on trial in Sarasota County Courthouse, they were accused for three degree murder and felony child abuse, since 1967 they couldn´t deny the medical care for religious reasons. The autopsy done by the examiner James C. Wilson from Associate Medical; concluded Amy could have saved, if she had had an appropriate medical attention before she died. 

According to the opinion of the Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz, in this trail are confronted two important constitutional rights, freedom of religion and children´s right to grow up healthy, however, above any right, the right to life is the most important thing we should fight it, and more when is a little child who requires our care.  Firstly, Is pretty important we could respect the different cultures and its customs, religions and its beliefs, because is the only way how we can preserve the diversity of customs and beliefs, and it is the best way how we could live in peace, each person should have the possibility to choose the conditions in which we would want to live or to die, but when life of a child is in danger, the constitution and its laws should provide clear tools to protect it,   and thus, we could avoid that more cases like this continue appearing.

MY HAPPIEST MEMORIES

I remember when I was a child, I enjoy intensely my life, I have pretty good memories about my childhood, because I was the happiest guy and I didn´t worry for nothing, also I had a lot of friends in the neighborhood, every day we used to play soccer with others teams in different neighborhoods, by the way, we always won every match, also we used to play some different street games like “escondidijo”, “ponchado”, “bote tarro”, “chucha” and others funny games. Every weekend I used to travel with my aunt, we were in a lot of towns and farms, there I used to play with my cousin.

I remember my schoolmates because we used to do many jokes in the break, I remember some teachers, they used to scold me because some days I talked a lot with my friends, others days I used to sleep in the class. Also we used to play soccer in the break and in the physical education class. I remember when I was boring in the class, I used to go to the coordinator and I said him that I felt a little sick and I allowed me to go to my house.

When I was a teenager, I used to be a rebel boy, because I used to escape and I went with my friend to some parties, with them I used to drink cheap wine and smoke, in that time I liked rock music and its culture, I used to be a grunge guy, and we used to go to concerts, underground parties and some bars. When I went to those places, I used to lie to my parents. However, I have always been a good student and I always had good grades, I never lost a year, because my father used to be a very strict person with me, one year he wanted me to study in a military school.          

COURSE 10:

COMPLAIN LETTER ABOUT SOMETHING YOU´VE BOUGHT

On April 13, 2012 I bought an Iphone 4 with 32 GB and I have paid $199.000 COP as down payment. I checked the phone in the store and this was working well, but when I arrived to my house, I realized the phone had some pixels in its display were burnt, then 2 hours after that I went to the store and you said me I should send it to the technical service, because they should evaluate and fix it. As I returned the phone the same day and as I did the complain among the 10 days after I bought it, I want to change by other new phone, but the salesclerk of that store said me, any fault after you leave the store need an evaluation by an technician and after that the phone should fix it.  As didn´t have an answer of the manager, I will send my complain directly to the Apple’s factory, I said him.

I think that store is using the new phones to fix other damage phones, because they never showed the box adequately close when I bought it, and for that, they is buying equipment in bad state, 2 days after I bought the phone I was talking with the supervisor, he said me, if I would want to change my phone by other new, they would give me a basic equipment, without Internet and it don´t let me use all multimedia functions than the Iphone have incorporated

Because of this negative answer, I sent a request to cancel the contracted plan, and I requested my number phone could be use with other operator. Then, some days after this request, you called me and said me “You have ten days to do any change, if the phone you bought to present any fault”, after I have received this call, I went to the store, they said me this change couldn´t do, because I had canceled my plan and in that moment had passed 10 days, they couldn´t do nothing.

In this moment I am completely upset with your service, because how is possible this situation is happening, I am going to send a complain to the factory and the SIC (superintendent´s office of industry and commerce), I hope my situation will be resolved and I hope too that won’t happen to nobody.