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Honors

Honors

2.  Debate: Should President Ford have pardoned former President Nixon?  I don’t see why not.  It is perfectly legal and traditional for the President to declare pardons.  In fact, he usually pardons common criminals.  So why not pardon a former President?  That’s one reason he should.  Another is the preservation of the office of President.  I don’t think the idea that this will lead to Presidents breaking the law stands up to history, since Nixon is the only President either before of after him to become caught up in crime.  The office should be kept clean of the undignifying spectacle of its former occupant going to jail.

2.  Debate: Should President Ford have pardoned former President Nixon?  I don’t see why not.  It is perfectly legal and traditional for the President to declare pardons.  In fact, he usually pardons common criminals.  So why not pardon a former President?  That’s one reason he should.  Another is the preservation of the office of President.  I don’t think the idea that this will lead to Presidents breaking the law stands up to history, since Nixon is the only President either before of after him to become caught up in crime.  The office should be kept clean of the undignifying spectacle of its former occupant going to jail. Then again, it could be asked, what would Washington do?  Washington loved his country and sacrificed much for it.  He had a good sense of justice.  Perhaps he would put the bringing to justice of Nixon above the abstract dignity of the office, recognizing that Nixon personally disrespected the office by what he did.  If the occupant cannot be respected, how can the office?  Thus it might be better to prosecute Nixon to the fullest extent of the law.  However, my personal opinion is that President Ford made a good decision.           

  Then again, it could be asked, what would Washington do?  Washington loved his country and sacrificed much for it.  He had a good sense of justice.  Perhaps he would put the bringing to justice of Nixon above the abstract dignity of the office, recognizing that Nixon personally disrespected the office by what he did.  If the occupant cannot be respected, how can the office?  Thus it might be better to prosecute Nixon to the fullest extent of the law.  However, my personal opinion is that President Ford made a good decision.           

4. I think government surveillance is to some degree acceptable and in some cases necessary.  If there are suspected terrorists in our nation, they should be spied on and listened in on- perhaps a strategy that should have been employed in fighting Communism.  We complain that Communism was not fought effectively, yet without domestic surveillance how could it be?  It seems to me the Patriot Act can be construed as learning our lesson from fighting Communism weakly, and taking a better stand against terrorism, the next great security threat.  Of course, our government must not take a “guilty till proven innocent” attitude towards its citizens- it would be outlandish and wrong for everyone to be watched and suspected of treason.  We all imagine George Orwell’s 1984, with telescreens, hidden microphones, and Big Brother watching us at every moment.  And indeed there is a slippery slope.  But just because one day internal surveillance could get out of hand, doesn’t mean it should be avoided altogether.     

4. I think government surveillance is to some degree acceptable and in some cases necessary.  If there are suspected terrorists in our nation, they should be spied on and listened in on- perhaps a strategy that should have been employed in fighting Communism.  We complain that Communism was not fought effectively, yet without domestic surveillance how could it be?  It seems to me the Patriot Act can be construed as learning our lesson from fighting Communism weakly, and taking a better stand against terrorism, the next great security threat.  Of course, our government must not take a “guilty till proven innocent” attitude towards its citizens- it would be outlandish and wrong for everyone to be watched and suspected of treason.  We all imagine George Orwell’s 1984, with telescreens, hidden microphones, and Big Brother watching us at every moment.  And indeed there is a slippery slope.  But just because one day internal surveillance could get out of hand, doesn’t mean it should be avoided altogether.     

      

      

5. Well Mr. Schlafly, if you can include the future in a history class, so can I.  I would like to speculate about our future.  If indeed atheism is the greatest threat to our future, we must combat it with religion, especially Christianity.  Where atheism says there is no purpose to life, we must stand up and assert, there is indeed a purpose to life, to know Christ and to treat with kindness and dignity even the least of His brothers.  When atheism tells us that random evolution created the order in the world and the multitude of species, we must say no; God, in some way, expressly created all things.  When atheism tells us that religion “is but superstition which hardens hearts and enslaves minds,” we must remind them that atheists rank below religious people in charitable giving.  So what is the future of America?  A single kind word, a single good work, a single person who heeds the true calling of moral goodness, such a person is our future.  One man, who stands up to the government, and the media, and the establishment, and cries out from the rooftops the message of truth, is the future of America.  Let us pray that WE all may be the future of America.  Amen.

5. Well Mr. Schlafly, if you can include the future in a history class, so can I.  I would like to speculate about our future.  If indeed atheism is the greatest threat to our future, we must combat it with religion, especially Christianity.  Where atheism says there is no purpose to life, we must stand up and assert, there is indeed a purpose to life, to know Christ and to treat with kindness and dignity even the least of His brothers.  When atheism tells us that random evolution created the order in the world and the multitude of species, we must say no; God, in some way, expressly created all things.  When atheism tells us that religion “is but superstition which hardens hearts and enslaves minds,” we must remind them that atheists rank below religious people in charitable giving.  So what is the future of America?  A single kind word, a single good work, a single person who heeds the true calling of moral goodness, such a person is our future.  One man, who stands up to the government, and the media, and the establishment, and cries out from the rooftops the message of truth, is the future of America.  Let us pray that WE all may be the future of America.  Amen.