Patriot Act Focus Groups and Seminar

Starter 12:

• Do you prefer Socratic Seminars to be graded or ungraded?  Explain the reasoning behind your position.
• What makes a good seminar? 
• What are you good at in seminar?  What do you need to work on?

Focus Groups (45 minutes)
You will need:
1. A pen and paper
2. A notetaker/scribe
3. The Focus Group Protocol
4. Focus groups should run roughly 45 minutes.  

Socratic Seminar:  What is the appropriate balance between national security and civil liberties?  

1. How does the Patriot Act define "domestic terrorism"?
2. Do you think participants in public protests could ever be accused of "domestic terrorism" under this definition? Why or why not?
3. The Justice Department has proposed that the government should be able to ask a court to revoke the citizenship of any American who provides "material support" to terrorists. Do you support the proposal? Why or why not?
4. Do you believe that the Patriot Act goes too far on the side of “security” and, in fact, serves to threaten “individual liberty”?  Why, or why not?

HOMEWORK:  None.  Come to class tomorrow with a computer ready to go for an in-class writing assignment on one of the seminar questions.