V Civil Liberties A Affirmative Action Affirmative Action
V. Civil Liberties
A. Affirmative Action • Affirmative Action – Government policy that gives preference to minorities, women, or physically challenged people • Makes up for past discrimination • Used by employers and colleges • Practice was made unconstitutional in Nebraska in 2008
B. Right to Privacy • Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) – Constitution protects personal privacy • USA Patriot Act (2002) – Gives the federal government great powers to detain anyone expected of terrorism • Government does not have to charge you with a crime to detain you
C. Roe V Wade (1973) • Decided the question (for now) on what limits a state can have on a woman’s right of abortion • Texas law prohibited all abortions unless the mother’s life was endangered
• Supreme Court ruled the Texas law unconstitutional • Separated a pregnancy into trimesters – (3 months)
st 1 Trimester • State can pass no laws that prevent women from having an abortion
nd 2 Trimester • Acting in the interest of the mother states may regulate but not completely prohibit abortions
rd 3 Trimester • States may prohibit all abortions except those necessary to save the life of the mother
D. Peter Singer the Final Frontier on Abortion • Dr. Peter Singer – Ethic professor who teaches at Princeton • Believes that the ability to rationalize is where life begins • States that since newborns are unable to rationalize – Parents and doctors should be allowed to put them to death until the 18 th week of life
• Claims that it is no different than the practice of abortion • Unborn children like newborns can not think for themselves • Parents should also be able to put a disabled child to death
• Believes this practice would rid the world of crime and poverty • States that unwanted children are born ever day • These parents do not do a proper job of raising these children
• Children without loving parents are the cause of all evils in society • Society as a whole would be better off if these unwanted children were put to death as infants
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