​Civil Liberties/Civil Rights Discussion Board

Assignment:

Part 1:

How does the U.S. Constitution protect the civil rights and civil liberties of Americans?

When can or should the majority limit the civil liberties, such as free speech, of an unpopular/minority/fringe individual or group? Why?

In addition to the use of your course materials (below), your response must include direct references, including citations, to at least two of the four presenters in the following TED radio hour, “The Right to Speak”:

– https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/632611360/the-right-to-speak?showDate=2018-07-27 (Links to an external site.)

Part 2:

Give a contemporary political example illustrating the current state of civil liberties or civil rights in the United States. Be sure to explain, specifically, the relevance of your example to civil liberties or civil rights as depicted in this course. Use your e-text and cite your sources.

Part 3:

Reply, thoughtfully, to the postings of at least two of your colleagues.

Source Material:

• TED radio hour, “The Right to Speak”: https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/632611360/the-right-to-speak?showDate=2018-07-27 (Links to an external site.)
• Open to Debate e-text

• Chapter Three Civil Liberties
• Chapter Four Civil Rights

• Power-point lecture outlines (in the Canvas Modules):

• Chapter Three Civil Liberties
• Chapter Four Civil Rights
• Video Lectures, also in the Course Content Folders (many students find these to be particularly helpful):

• Chapter Three Civil Liberties (esp. parts 2-4b)
• Chapter Four Civil Rights
• American Government Examined e-reader:

• Chapter Ten: Mill
• Chapter Four: Anthony, ERA, or King

Tips for Success:

• I will be looking for direct references to assigned readings and podcasts (author and page # citations are adequate). Again, this is an assignment in which I am looking for your ability to display your knowledge of course materials!

  – I recommend composing your content in an offline text editor and then copying and pasting in post. That way you will have an offline copy of all of your hard work!
  – You are required to reply to two of your peers in this forum; reply first to those students who have not had a lot of replies. In your replies, provide some thoughtful feedback on their ideas. Are you all basing your decisions on the same type of reasoning? Might you be able to point someone to some resources from the course that they would find helpful?