Do you think that our current war in Iraq is a “modern day Crusade”? Why or why not? Also, what lessons can we learn from the Crusades that might be helpful in evaluating our current situation in the Middle East? Check out this link for help: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1184489

Commentator and historian James Reston draws parallels between the Crusades and the current conflict in the Middle East. Click on the Listen in the top left corner of the page to access the audio clip.

Hard Feelings

Throughout history, there have been numerous instances of one group of people violating the rights and liberties of another. We discussed a variety of examples in class including the following:
The Holocaust – Jews and Nazi Germans
American Slavery – African Americans and White Americans
Dropping the Atomic Bomb – Japanese and Americans
The Civil War – North and South
Destruction of culture, etc. – Native Americans and White Americans
The Crusades – Muslims and Christians
Do you think it is acceptable for a group of people or an entire culture to hold a grudge against another for something that took place generations ago? For example, is it understandable for Native Americans to distrust and generally dislike White Americans for events that happened over 100 years ago? Are there any instances where its OK to hate another group of people? Explain your answer.

Crusaders

After learning about the Crusades of the Middle Ages, do you think it's appropriate for schools to use "Crusaders" as a school mascott? Why?

Good v. Evil

For centuries, people have been debating the “nature of man”. The basic question is…are humans naturally evil or good? Philosophers like Confucius believed that people are inherently good natured and should work towards the greater benefit of society. John Locke concurred, offering his “blank slate” philosophy. According to Locke, humans are born without innate (inborn) ideas and are generally good natured. Conversely, philosophers such as Laozi and Thomas Hobbes believe that humans are naturally evil and they must be placed under strict legal control in order to maintain stability and peace.
What do you think? How are humans born? Are we naturally good or are we born wicked with criminal desire? What makes us who we are?

Close the Gap

The gap between rich and poor continues to grow in America. The middle class is shrinking. In your opinion, how could we close the gap between rich and poor?