The course uses a variety of resources to focus students’ study on the issue of Civil Rights. The study of the rights of the accused is central to the course as well as the study of historical and current issues considered to be witch hunts.
The following resources should be helpful in understanding the complexity of the issues surrounding these topics from many different sides:
Salem Witch Trials Interactive
The Connection, “The Definition of Evil”, 9/26/01, 15:58-16:21
Online NewsHours: The Patriot Act video news report, 2/24/03
The Prisoners at Guantanamo Bay
This NPR report talks about the legality / constitutionality of keeping foreign prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay two years and more
http://www.npr.org/rundowns/segment.php?wfId=1843524
USA Patriot Act is being used in a variety of ways
NPR reports on some of the current uses of the USAPA. An interesting report on this new legislation. Excellent information for our Identity / Witch-Hunt Unit
http://www.npr.org/rundowns/segment.php?wfId=1594302
Links to gather more information regarding the USA Patriot Act and related themes:
Justice Department drafts sweeping expansion of Anti-Terrorism Act
Center for Constitutional Rights
The “Definition of Evil” as Bush spoke of it
The updated law on enemy combatants: opinions NPR
The Washington Post has articles on:
Part of Patriot Act is Struck Down (1/27/2004)
Report finds no abuse of Patriot Act (1/28/2004)
White House intensifies efforts to safeguard the
USA Patriot Act (1/30/2004)
Matrix Shares Crime Data
This NPR report (listening) talks about a new data system that is used by law enforcement to fight the war on terror, but is also very controversial since it can also be used to keep a great deal of information on millions of Americans that have no connection to terrorism. Great for our Identity / Witch-Hunt Unit.
http://www.npr.org/rundowns/segment.php?wfId=1608129
Salem Witch Trials Documents
The University of Virginia offers great documentation about this historical case of a Witch-hunt including maps and letters and actual trial transcripts!
http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/
American accused of treason story
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6252439
The North-Korean Paradox:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6252454
Jack Goldsmith Speaks to the Senate
Former Justice Department official Jack Goldsmith — a Bush critic — is the focus of this story in which he has to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the subject of civil liberties and the war on terror of the Bush administration (October 2, 2007)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14887181