CAUCUS+H Presentation

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Caucus Group H

**Our society is based on the idea that all persons have equal rights and opportunities as everyone else, but you have the choice to take these opportunities and harder working citizens can advance in society and become higher paid workers.** **Created by: Jack Bebinger, Zach Owens, Sarah H euerman, Givi Garcia, and Lexie Morrison **

VISION

Our ideal American society is based on the idea that all persons are truly equal and have equal rights and opportunities if you are a legal US citizen. Everyone has the freedom of choice but your rights and choices can be restricted if you endanger, harm, or end another persons life. Everyone is equal in society but harder working, dedicated, more qualified citizens can advance in society and become bosses and other positions like that. Our society believes that you work for what you have and its your fault if you don't have what you want.

ARGUMENTS **Affirmative Action is Unfair and Unnecessary** **Sarah H and Lexie M** Our society is against affirmative action, we believe that a truly equal society does not need this for minorities to prosper. If all citizens are really treated as equals then there is no reason for affirmative action to exist because everyone will have an equal chance at the same opportunities. Three of the main characters, in the Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, June May and August Boatwright own a successful business. Even though they are black they made it to where they are by hard work and dedication. Another person who did not need affirmative action is Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. When he applied to Yale he told the school to consider his race in the process of accepting applicants without seeing anything wrong with that, but now "Thomas [says] he was unable, even when he was nominated to the Supreme Court, to erase the stigmatizing effects of racial preference. ‘Once it is assumed that everything you do achieve is because of your race, there is no way out'" (de Vogue, Ariane). A well deserving student that had the opposite problem of Clarence Thomas was Allan Bakke. Allan Bakke was a more than eligible student applying to the University of California, but his chance of getting in was taken away because 16 spots were instead reserved for minorities. Affirmative action was established to create a truly color blind society, but if it was truly a color blind society then school acceptance would be based on scholar, not race. According to Melvin Urofsky a professor of history and constitutional law at the University of Virginia Commonwealth, “The ant-discrimination laws say you can’t close doors to minorities and women… Affirmative Action says you’ve got to open doors and invite them". But affirmative action is just creating reverse discrimination instead of helping close the gap between minorities and the majority. Affirmative Action is not necessary in our society because everyone will be equal.

**Gay Rights** In our society we believe that people should have the choice in who they marry. If two men or two women get married it doesn’t affect you so why would so many people be against gay marriage if it doesn’t affect them in any way. In Annie Trexler’s one minute debate she stated “…believe that it’s no one else’s business if two men or two women want to get married. Two people of the same sex who love each other should be allowed to publically celebrate their commitment and receive the same benefits of marriage as opposite sex couples.” People who love each other should be able to get married and not have to worry about what other people say about them. Same sex marriage is legal in 6 states including Washington d.c., other states should join these six because people who love each other should be able to get married even if it is same sex. In the 1960’s interracial marriages were illegal under the Anti-miscegenation laws or miscegenation laws until 1967, why can’t people of the same sex have the freedoms of people of different races. People of different races have the freedom to marry so people of the same sex should have the same freedom. In our society we are pro choice and believe that whoever you marry is your choice and you shouldn’t be judged or denied marriage whether you marry the same or opposite sex.
 * Jack bebinger **

**Body Rights**

** Works Cited ** Affirmative Action Jost, K. (1995, April 28). Rethinking Affirmative Action. //CQ Researcher//, //5//, 269-392. Retrieved from []

Kid, Sue Monk. //Secret Life of Bees//. New York: Viking Penguin Books, 2002. Print.

B, Bobby. "University of California vs. Bakke." //Who is a Person?// Wikispaces, Sept. 2011. Web. 27 Oct. 2011.

De Vogue, Ariane. "'Silent' Justice Outspoken on Affirmative Action." Abcnews.go.com. N.p., 30 Sept. 2007. Web 27. Oct. 2011.

CALL TO ACTION Our ideal American society is a individualistic meritocracy since you are responsible for your own decisions and opportunities. People are in charge of choices such as about marriage, their body,education and their future without any government interference. "The foundation of individualism lies in one's moral right to pursue one's own happiness. This pursuit requires a large amount of independence, initiative, and self-responsibility... Politically, true individualism means recognizing that one has a right to his own life and happiness." Shawn E. Klein

•organize in extended power paragraphs •establish the credibility of sources with appositive statements •credit sources internally and with Works Cited •edit to remove mechanics and language usage errors


 * Significant ExclusionsSociety Today-X---Significant Inclusions **