Assignment: Equality in America

The authors of this week's essay argue whether or not America is becoming more equal. But the assumption underlying this argument is that equality is a good thing. And, of course, based upon Thomas Jefferson's statement that "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal..," this has been our mantra even if we didn't always apply it...equally.

What about our treatment of other nations? Does our mantra of equality apply to them? This week your written assignment is to resolve the apparent conflict between Thomas Jefferson's statement "that all men are created equal" and the concept of "American exceptionalism." Should we accept one and not the other? Is American exceptionalism - exceptional?

In addition to the arguments on whether or not America is growing more equal and American Exceptionalism in the text book, use at least one more outside source. Your paper needs to be a minimum of 500 words. Use APA standards. You may not use Wikipedia for a source.

Assignment: The Constitution and Original Meaning

This week we examined two different ways of interpreting the Constitution. Using one or the other as a basis, make a case for or against the constitutionality of Roe v. Wade. State clearly from the beginning which school of thought you are flowing, then take a position, and finally show how your school of thought on constitutional interpretation informs a position you will take on retaining or overturning Roe v. Wade. Remember - and I'll restate it here - this is not so much a paper on the restriction of abortion as it is a paper using constitutional interpretation as a method to justify a positon on Roe v. Wade, one way or the other.

In addition to the arguments on original meaning in the text book, read and use the Unit 3, 3.2 on the restriction of abortion. Your paper needs to be a minimum of 500 words. Use APA standards. You may not use Wikipedia for a source.

Whistleblowers

We read this week about whistleblowers and the writers made their case that whistleblowers were good for government or bad. What about college students who cheat? How important is it to turn in another student who is cheating? Using the positions in our reading for the text, make a that whistleblowing on cheating students is either good or bad for the university.

In addition to the arguments on whistleblowing in the text book, use at least one more outside source. Your paper needs to be a minimum of 500 words. Use APA standards. You may not use Wikipedia for a source.

Assignment: Affirmative Action

The effectiveness of affirmative action - and the fairness of it - was the subject of this week's reading. For this week's written assignment, write a paper making a case for or against affirmative action for women in the military.

In addition to the arguments on affirmative action in the text book, use at least one more outside source. Your paper needs to be a minimum of 500 words. Use APA standards. You may not use Wikipedia for a source.

Whistleblowers

Please respond to the following discussion topic and submit it to the discussion forum. Your initial post should be 75-150 words in length. Then, make at least two thoughtful responses to your fellow students' posts.

Are whistleblowers helpful or harmful? That's the question we're trying to answer this week. Maybe the answer is "yes and no." Is there a line that shouldn't be crossed and if so where is it? What if the whistleblower blows the whistle for a profit even if it is something that needs to come out? Should "intent" be part of the equation?

Discussion 5: Affirmative Action

Please respond to the following discussion topic and submit it to the discussion forum. Your initial post should be 75-150 words in length. Then, make at least two thoughtful responses to your fellow students' posts.

Does affirmative action help or hurt those who have historically experienced discrimination? Some would say it condemns those it is trying to help to not gaining the skills to move up. Others say the wall - or the glass ceiling - is just too hard to break through for any kind of equality to be achieved. What do you think?

Discussion 6: Do Corporations Have Free Speech?

Please respond to the following discussion topic and submit it to the discussion forum. Your initial post should be 75-150 words in length. Then, make at least two thoughtful responses to your fellow students' posts.

Should we as a group of students be allowed to form a small corporation with the express purpose of running ads against candidates? And, if so, shouldn't that same rule apply to major corporations? Or should nobody be allowed to do this? Would Citizens United have succeeded if the court had previously ruled the injunction would not be an abridgement of speech for the ordinary person?