Angel on my Shoulder post 3

The section I read this week in Angel on my Shoulder, Natalie Cole gets herself into trouble. First she is asked by a detective to report check forgers in the Springfield area. She describes, “…he was very decent to me. That’s because it wasn’t me he wanted. He was after the check forgers and the various drug dealers I had come to know” (119). Cole was in an ethical dilemma. She could tell on her friends, or she could lie to the detective. It doesn’t say what she did in the book, but based on the fact that she wasn’t arrested, she probably told the detective what he wanted to hear. I think this is a good choice because I feel that one should tell the police the truth, or the police can’t do their job properly. Later, Natalie Cole is arrested for using drugs during one of her performances in Canada, but she didn’t go to jail. Instead she was put on probation, and she couldn’t leave Canada. In order to make sure that she didn’t leave, she had to visit a particular jail and sign in. Her producers, Marvin and Chuck, were in Chicago, wondering when she was coming back. Cole writes, “…but I couldn’t bring myself to tell them [Marvin and Chuck] the truth” (134). In this situation, I don’t believe this was the right thing to do. I would have told Marvin and Chuck why I was stuck in Canada, and hopefully they would still want to produce my album. This decision led to her divorce with Marvin years later.

Blog Question 2 response

Ethics is a complex topic to discuss. There are so many different opinions. In On the Waterfront directed by Elia Kazan, there, too, are different opinions about ‘ratting’ or being a whistle blower. Terry believes that a whistle blower is someone who stands up for the greater good when innocent people are being killed. Father Barry wants whistle blowers to expose the mob corruption and reveal who is killing workers. Father Barry feels God is on the side of those who protect the weak. However, Johnny Friendly disagrees with Terry and Father Barry. Johnny doesn’t support whistle blowers because he is the leader of the corruption and benefits the most from it. Every one must go along with his wishes. Initially, Charlie, Terry’s brother, supports Johnny and his corrupt group until they require Charley to finish off Terry. That is when Charley sees how the mob’s intimidation affects others and he may realize his guilt in all of it.

I believe that I am being a “tattle tale” when I blab something just to get someone in trouble but it doesn’t involve an ethical position I have taken or a cause for something. I may tattle on my brother just to get him out of my hair.
I feel that to be a whistle blower it would require me to take a position on some side of an idea. A whistle blower might be looking out for the good of others not just himself. By informing on someone, the whistleblower might realize that the decision may not benefit him at all. It makes me feel better knowing there might be a mechanic of an airline who whistle- blows. Whistle blowers benefit the greater good.

Blog Question AMS Quarter 2

In the play, “All My Sons”, Joe Keller seems to think that family comes before society. “You’re a boy, what could I do...what could I do, let them take forty years, let them take my life away?” (Miller, 69). Obviously from this quote he thinks family should come first. He did all that he did for Chris, “For you, a business for you!” (Miller, 70). Chris has a different view from his father. “I don’t know what it is, but every time I reach out for something I want, I have to pull back because other people will suffer” (Miller, 16). He’s a considerate person, and puts society before himself. Larry, even though he isn’t a character that actually has any lines, seems to agree with Chris. In his letter to Ann, “How could he have done that? Every day three or four men never come back, and he sits back there doing his business” (Miller, 83). He obviously believes, too, that one’s country is more important. In his eyes, it seems that serving your country is honorable, and for Joe Keller to kill those pilots is treason.

Obviously, ethics isn’t a black and white issue. I think it would have been acceptable for Joe to replace the parts that were faulty. If he couldn’t make the parts, then I would come forward, and I say that I was guilty. I don’t think I could live with the knowledge that I put my friend behind bars, when I too, should be behind bars. In Larry’s situation, I might have reacted differently. He didn’t know all the facts behind the conviction. Also, I’m assuming that he destroyed the plane he was flying, which is Government property. In that situation, I probably wouldn’t have killed myself. I wouldn’t talk to my dad if he was guilty, and if he wasn’t, I would probably forgive him. I think the only way to determine if something is right or wrong is our own opinion. In the end if the decision saves lives, then I would go ahead and do it. If the outcome costs more than I intended, then I would accept the consequences.