Jason Collins...

Link to SI Article

Learn first, Debate later...The Death Penalty

Before we can debate, we must learn. So, regardless of what you think you belief is on the death penalty, our job today and next class is simply absorb the facts, read about why some support the death penalty and why others oppose, and begin to understand that there are many reasons for why people believe what they believe.

Today, we're going to be looking solely at one website, ProCon.org. This is a pretty fabulous website that focusses on looking at controversial issues by providing both sides as objectively as possible.

Part 1: Let's look at the overall reasons why people are either for or against the Death Penalty
http://deathpenalty.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=002000

Part 2: Let's look at the background on the exactly what the Death Penalty is, what qualifies as a crime worthy of the death penalty, where the death penalty is legal, etc.
http://deathpenalty.procon.org/view.subissues.php?issueID=000132

Part 3: Let's look at some of the specific reasons why people are either for or against the Death Penalty. ProCon.org splits up the reasons into 6 categories. I'd like you to choose one to delve in deeper to and explore. I'd like for each category to have at least 2 people covering it, so we'll split them up.

1. Moral and Ethical Issues
2. Legal Considerations
3. Deterrence and Retribution
4. Social Issues
5. Death Penalty vs. Life in Prison
6. Religious Views

The Legal Argument regarding the Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect...

The Legal Argument regarding the Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect...

Pick at least 2 articles, you can read all three if you want and/or have time, and write down 

1) what are the issues facing this case?
2) what do you see will be difficult for the legal case to figure out?
3) what questions do you have?

1. Terrorism on U.S. soil: By criminal or enemy combatant?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/21/terrorism-on-us-soil-by-criminal-or-enemy-combatan/

2. Boston Suspect Is Charged and Could Face the Death Penalty

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/23/us/boston-marathon-bombings-developments.html?hp&_r=0

3. Can the Cops Make Dzhokhar Talk?

The legal ins and outs of interrogating someone who has life-threatening injuries.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2013/04/dzhokhar_tsarnaev_interrogation_can_the_government_legally_question_someone.html 

Should the U.S. have a higher minimum wage?

Project at MIT, identifying costs for families depending on location
http://livingwage.mit.edu/

Internal Revenue Service Average Costs of Food, Clothing, etc.
http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/National-Standards:-Food,-Clothing-and-Other-Items

Average Costs of Food for families, based on the US Dept of Agriculture
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/FoodPlans/2013/CostofFoodFeb2013.pdf

Rents in Boston
http://www.boston.com/realestate/news/2012/08/14/boston-rents-spiral-even-higher/sxzxKHQWw4uwibbyzGbzyL/story.html



Part 2

Background reading 
http://money.cnn.com/2013/02/12/news/economy/obama-minimum-wage/index.html

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/just-explain-it/just-explain-raising-minimum-wage-142802716.html

Opinion piece in favor of higher minimum wage
http://articles.latimes.com/2013/mar/10/opinion/la-oe-stern-camden-why-we-should-raise-the-minimum-20130310

Opinion piece against/critical higher minimum wage
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/03/statistical-problem-of-minimum-wage-and-poverty-88824.html

Some statistics to round out the discussion
From Scholastic Upfront Magazine

From the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics

http://www.bls.gov/cps/minwage2011.htm

From Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/31/college-graduates-minimum-wage-jobs_n_2989540.html?utm_hp_ref=business