Question

Reply to this post in at least 500 word. Discuss what you agreed and disagree with

The discussion board question for this week is ethical relativism correct. To understand the question, you first must know what definition of ethical relativism. According to dictionary.com, "Ethical relativism is the belief that nothing is objectively right or wrong and that the definition of right or wrong depends on the prevailing view of a particular individual, culture, or historical period". An example of ethical relativism would be homosexuality. Many countries are against homosexuality and there are countries that support them. The United States of America are one of the many countries that continue to create strides for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Community (LGBT). Uganda is one of the many countries that are against homosexuality. They have an Anti-Homosexuality Act, which was signed in 2014 that will grant you with life in prison or the death penalty

The United States has begun to grant rights to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in 2003 after the United States Supreme Court ruling in Lawrence v. Texas. Back in 1973 Texas had a law that homosexual contact was a criminal act. The police were sent to the home of Mr. Lawrence to responds to a call about weapons. When the police entered the home, they caught Mr. Lawrence and another man in a sexual act. This court ruling found that same sex sodomy is a violation of right to privacy. This day has become the foundation of many LGBT right to come. On June 26, 2015 same sex marriage was established in all fifty states.  

Uganda is one of the many countries in Africa that does not believe in Homosexuality rights. The country of Uganda has signed an Anti-Homosexuality act in 2014 with strict punishments if caught or accused of homosexual acts.  These countries ethical relativism toward homosexuality is totally different than what the United States of America has. Uganda ethical relativism towards this issue is that homosexuality is wrong and has no place in their country. Some of the penalties of getting caught is life in jail or the death penalty. Which is the main reason behind many of the people fleeing the country due to this act in Kenya where being a part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Community is more acceptable.  

  

I believe ethical relativism is correct There are multiple countries with different ways of living. Some countries believe in polygamy and other countries believe that it is wrong. We may live on the same earth, but we do not live under the same rules. In Nigeria the age of sexual consent is eleven and in the state of Virginia the age of consent is eighteen. According to girlsnotbrides.org forty-four percent of the young women are married before eighteen and seventeen percent married before fifth-teen.  

It is very easy to understand why some of my classmates may choose the ethical relativism is incorrect. A person's culture plays a large part in ethical relativism, but there are many things that are wrong even though they are culture norms. Such as in the sexual consent age in Nigeria. In my eyes at the age of eleven I do not believe a child can give consent.

Reference List  

Britton, Bianca. 2017. “Kasha Nabagesera: The Face of Uganda's LGBT Movement.” CNN. Cable News Network. March 7. https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/05/africa/her-kasha-jacqueline-nabagesera-lgbt-campaigner/index.html.

“The Supreme Court . The Future of the Court . Landmark Cases . Lawrence v. Texas (2003) | PBS.” 2018. THIRTEEN - MEDIA WITH IMPACT. Accessed June 4. https://www.thirteen.org/wnet/supremecourt/future/landmark_lawrence.html.

Blanchard, Bobby. 2017. “Why Does the Texas Criminal Code Still Ban ‘Homosexual Conduct’?” The Texas Tribune. Texas Tribune. March 27. https://www.texastribune.org/2017/03/27/why-does-texas-criminal-code-still-ban-homosexual-conduct/.

Girls Not Brides. 2018. “Nigeria - Child Marriage Around The World. Girls Not Brides.” Girls Not Brides. Accessed June 4. https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/child-marriage/nigeria/.

Answer 1

Yes, I am agreeing with the conceptual framework of ethical relativism presented in the discussion, To make it more clear I can say that Ethical relativism is the theory that holds that morality is relative to the norms of one's culture. That is, whether an action is right or wrong depends on the moral norms of the society in which it is practiced. The same action may be morally right in one society but be morally wrong in another. For the ethical relativist, there are no universal moral standards. The only moral standards against which a society's practices can be judged are its own. If ethical relativism is correct, there can be no common framework for resolving moral disputes or for reaching agreement on ethical matters among members of different societies.

Taking the example of LGBT the US Govt. Granted certain rights and privileges to LGBT community. Because the Practice of homosexuality marriage in same sex or Lesbian Marriage is termed are morally right in US, so asthe ethical relativism is also right. Of course, It may not be right in African country Uganda. The Uganda Govt. Feels that homosexuality is morally wrong and no placein the country. Uganda has strict punitive measures against those who are seen practicing these type of activities in the country.

Hence a single concept of Homosexuality is having different perspectives in different cultures.