This word “be” is used here in the context of an employment relationship. The word “being” does not describe an individual thing but rather the relationship of people to one another. In this particular example, we are looking at the idea of legal equality. Legal equality simply means the fact that all people within a legal system are considered to be of equal status, regardless of sex, age, race, colour, and other factors.
In the next example, we have an issue of interpretation of contract law. We have lawyers who are interpreting the meaning of contracts. Some people argue that a reference to “one another” in the first sentence of a contract should read as meaning “one another” only with the word “being.” This argument would argue that the word “being” actually creates a reference point that invalidates the equal status claim that was created in the first sentence of the contract.
Other legal professionals and commentators on the legal profession have made similar arguments. One of these arguments centers around the word “life.” The argument is that it should read as meaning “the life.” Legal professionals have long argued that the word “life” actually creates a reference point outside of the contract that invalidates the legal equality established in the contract. As such, when lawyers attempt to introduce “life” into a discussion they are attempting to introduce the concept of equal life. It may be an effective way for a lawyer to introduce a case in court, but it does not change the reality that the equal legal status was legally established in the prior agreement.
Another example of legal reference is a distinction that is based upon gender. Many people argue that men and women are to be considered equal under the law. However, those that present this argument fails to recognize that the reference is a mere suggestion rather than an exact definition. For example, it is suggested that men and women are to be considered to be of equal mental and physical capacity. If the gender reference is changed to “men are to have the same access to capital as women” the argument falls apart. This illustrates the fact that mere suggestion is insufficient to provide the basis for establishing legal equality.
Equal Employment Opportunity laws were created to ensure that those who are legally considered to be qualified for positions of equal opportunity are provided with the same protection in the workplace that those who are not qualified may receive. This is a concept of legal equality. The intention was not to create a system where one gender could circumvent the legal rights of another to get ahead in employment. Rather, the intent was to create equal opportunity by ensuring that those who are legally considered to be qualified for positions of equal opportunity are given equal protection in the workplace. This concept is an important part of legal equality.
Educational practices also play an important role in providing legal equality. It is important to understand that although schooling provides children with a formal education that cannot be undone later, that education cannot erase legal discrimination against those who wish to advance in their careers. As such, when education includes instruction that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender, race, religion, national origin, or age, that instruction has failed to provide the legal, equal protection that it is designed to provide. For example, an instruction that instructs students to avoid taking tests that test subjects for which they may have a disadvantage, such as testing to see whether one has lower asthmatic than other students, or higher debts than other students, may have the desired effect of eliminating such individuals from consideration for employment. This would be an unjustified practice and could subject an individual to a claim for protected unfair treatment.
Legal equality examples are important for a number of reasons. In addition to providing an explanation of why equal treatment and protection are important, they also serve as helpful teaching modules for those who need to work to correct social problems. For example, in cases involving accusations of rape and/or abuse, victims will have much greater exposure to legal equality examples through legal professionals who have experience in these types of cases. Such professionals can explain how the legal system works to prevent sexual harassment from occurring in the workplace, and what constitutes legal equality, as well as the various remedies available to those who have been affected by this type of injustice. It is important for law students to understand such examples of legal equality as they prepare themselves for cases that deal with such issues on a regular basis.
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