The Great Debate The Great Debate weighing of key "value - PDF document

The Great Debate The Great Debate ­ weighing of key "value tensions" in judging historical events, namely law vs. ethics, private wealth vs. common wealth, freedom vs. equality, and unity vs. diversity. 1

American The Great Debate Values 2

American The Great Debate Values Write down in the example section of your Great Debate Handbook under Law: The 14th amendment to the Constitution states that, "no state will deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law." So, law protects your basic rights. 3

American The Great Debate Values Write down in the example section of your Great Debate Handbook under Ethics: The Declaration of Independence demonstrates that the government must be ethical. If the government is not using its' power in an ethical way, the government should be abolished! 4

American The Great Debate Values Write down in the example section of your Great Debate Handbook under Private Wealth: Article 14 of the Constitution says that the government shouldn't deny any person of life, liberty or property without fair legal proceedings. Property is a form of private wealth. 5

American The Great Debate Values Write down in the example section of your Great Debate Handbook under Common Wealth: In the Preamble (introduction) of the Constitution is says that two of the goals of our government are to provide for the common defence (military) and promote the general welfare. Today, many scholars have taken the term "promote the general welfare" to mean to further the progress of the common wealth of the country. (I.e. parks, schools, roads, etc.) 6

Law vs Ethics Directions: As a class, read through the following historical scenarios and drop the "boxed arrow" into the vortex (law vortex or ethics vortex) where you think the proper action belongs. If you are correct, the "boxed arrow" will stay in the vortex. If you are incorrect, the "boxed arrow" will be pushed out of the vortex. Record your answer on the "The Great Debate" Notes sheet 7

The Great Debate Law vs Ethics Law vs. Ethics Spectrum Where do you stand??? Ethics Law (higher set of laws based on moral (The law is the law and you follow it) principles that guide our conduct as human beings) * Helmet Bicycle Law * Slavery (today) * Gum chewing in schools * Death Penalty * Salem Witch Trials(back then) * Signing the Declaration of Independence * Abortion 8

The Great Debate Law vs Ethics Law or Ethics: 1966 A police officer arrests an 18­year­old student for publicly burning his draft card as a protest against the war in Vietnam. Place the arrow into the vortex where you think the police officer’s action 9

The Great Debate Law vs. Ethics Law or Ethics: 1903 A 66­year­old woman leads hundreds of children on a protest march from Pennsylvania to New York in order to draw attention to child labor practices. Place the arrow into the vortex where you think the woman’s action belongs. 10

The Great Debate Law vs Ethics Law or Ethics: 1901 A temperance crusader marches into saloons, destroying property and hacking open liquor containers with a hatchet. Place the arrow into the vortex where you think the temperance crusader’s action belongs. 11

The Great Debate Law vs Ethics Law or Ethics: 1851 A slave­catcher finds a formerly enslaved man who escaped and sought refuge in Boston. The slave­catcher, with the help of the local police, arrests the man and takes him back to his owner’s plantation in Virginia. Place the arrow into the vortex where you think the slave­catcher’s action belongs. 12

Private Wealth vs. Common Wealth Directions: As a class, read through the following historical scenarios and drop the "boxed arrow" into the vortex (private wealth vortex or common wealth vortex) where you think the proper action belongs. If you are correct, the "boxed arrow" will stay in the vortex. If you are incorrect, the "boxed arrow" will be pushed out of the vortex. Record your answer on the "The Great Debate" Notes sheet 13

Private Wealth The Great Debate vs Common Wealth Private Wealth or Common Wealth: 1903 An environmental activist takes President Roosevelt camping in Yosemite, California. The president later creates Yosemite National Park to preserve the area’s beauty for future generations. Place the arrow where you think the activist’s action belongs. 14

Private Wealth The Great Debate vs Common Wealth Private Wealth or Common Wealth: 1917 A factory owner creates an assembly line that produces automobiles fast and efficiently. His lowered manufacturing cost translates to cheaper cars, and he quickly dominates the auto market. Place the arrow where you think the factory owner’s action belongs. 15

Private Wealth The Great Debate vs Common Wealth Private Wealth or Common Wealth: 1967 A homeowner refuses to sell her property to the city, which wants to build a highway through her land. Place arrow where you think the homeowner’s action belongs. 16

Private Wealth The Great Debate vs Common Wealth Private Wealth or Common Wealth: 1817 An entrepreneur convinces a state governor to appropriate millions of dollars for a canal to connect the eastern and western parts of the state, improving shipping and creating thousands of jobs. Place the arrow where you think the entrepreneur’s action belongs. 17

Directions for the last two slides The next two slides are the writing assignment for today. You are to write a short essay for each of the two slides on your "The Great Debate" Notes sheet. Read each, "Things to spark your writing" and pick one topic from each slide. Then, in your short essay explain how the 1st slide topic applies to "freedom and/or equality" and how the 2nd slide topic applies to "unity and/or diversity". Finally, explain your position for each topic. 18

The Great Debate Law vs. Ethics Economy During the recent recession the government gave taxpayer‐funded bailouts to several large businesses, including the companies whose risky and unconvenonal (but legal) pracces created part of the economic problems that led to the recession. Some of the higher management employees connued to get bonuses, even while the company was receiving the bailout money. Some people thought this wrong. Others thought it was two necessary to retain the management talent those firms needed. The bonuses were not illegal, at least inially. Immigraon According to US law, if an immigrant from Cuba sets foot on US soil s/he can automacally be granted asylum from their nave communist Cuba. If a Haian‐or anyone else, for that maer‐lands on US soil, s/he must prove that persecuon, tyranny, injusce, etc., would make it dangerous for that individual to go back to their nave country. Some Americans see such an imbalance as unethical. Health Care Aboron‐While it is legal, many people think it is unethical. 19

Private Wealth The Great Debate vs Common Wealth Economy— “EVERYBODY agrees that the U.S. needs more and better roads, but almost nobody agrees on how to pay for two them.” Thus says a Time magazine article from 1955. One solution offered, then as now, is to allow private companies to build toll roads that drivers must pay to use. This, of course, is very different from using tax money to build public roads. 20