For my research paper I decided to focus on the Patriot Act. I chose this topic because it is arguably one of the most important and controversial pieces of legislation so far in our lives, and I think that as a student and citizen I am responsible for analyzing governmental activity that has the potential to impact my life. After the September 11 terrorist attacks and the passage of the Patriot Act a wave of misleading information was circulated, and to this day I find that many people, including myself, do not have a clear view of what the Patriot Act involves and what it was made for, so I chose this topic as a tool to educate myself and develop a coherent and supportable opinion.
~~
The controversy surrounding the Patriot Act deals with its relevance and necessity, as well as some of the 'new' allowances it provides the federal government in an attempt to counter the recent terrorist threat after September 11.
~~
My research question will be, "Does the Patriot Act provide protection against the terrorist threat that is reasonable, or does it strip Americans of civil liberties?" In order to develop a well-rounded argument I hope to look at arguments from both 'sides,' look at arguments presented by both governmental and civilan watch group officials, and compare the Patriot Act to past legislation.
3 comments:
hey jen i hate to do this to you but because you'll be a partner of mine for the entire research project, i have to admit i have no idea what the patriot act is or does. perhaps you can give me a quick overview of the actual law itself? i'm sorry i can't really leave you any other comments, but hopefully once i gain a better understanding of the topic, i'll be able to do more for you.
sorry, alyssa.
ps everything was wonderfully written.
oh oh, and in response to your question, i read this really good article about the difference between interferring with smoking cigarettes verses fatty foods. what the author basically said was that smoking cigarettes even in moderation can kill you, but eating fatty foods in moderation wont harm you if 1. its in moderation and 2. its combined with other healthy habits, such as exercise. smoking, on the other hand, is always harmful. even one cigarette.
im not sure if i was supposed to respond to that here or what.. haha
Jenn, I'm so glad that you chose this topic. I remember way back in 9th grade when you and Broffman would have heated debates about it after class. It's awesome that you've taken this opportunity to further understand exactly what you and she were arguing about.
Post a Comment