The University of Memphis American Government Paper

Your paper should be three (full) to five pages of content. You

must tell me what you are writing about or defending in your

first paragraph. You should pick three reasons why you are

taking the stand you have chosen. Do not ask questions in your

paper. Make assertions!

Absolutely no Wikipedia or encyclopedia sources. I want you

to critically think about why you are for something or against it

as you write. PAPER SHOULD BE TYPED, TWELVE FONT

AND DOUBLE-SPACED. I expect a minimum of four

sources!!!!!!!! Your textbook can be used as a source.

As far as length is concerned, anything submitted less

than three FULL pages (that means three full pages and one

sentence on page four, minimum) will be given an automatic

grade of 59. Failure to submit a paper results in a 0 grade. For

each day late, your paper will be deducted one letter grade.

1 am looking for college-level writing. I recommend you let

someone in the Writing Center (Patterson Hall) or ESL (Mitchell

Hall look over your paper.

Grading is based on quality of writing (40%), Quality of

research (30%) and quality of critical thinking (30%).

You may only choose from this set of topics:

1. Give three reasons for or against over-the-

counter access to birth control pills. Should

government make these products easier / more

affordable for poor women to access or should they

continue to be regulated by doctors (which means

money for office visits and the added expense of

pills.) Should government be involved IN ANY

MANNER relative to this issue? You may want to read

the chapter in your text on the right to privacy, Roe

v. Wade and Griswold v. Connecticut for historical

context.

2. Define the phrase “defund the police.” Do you

agree with the phrase? Give three reasons for or

against the concept. Be sure and offer against the concept. Be sure and offer proof of your

position.

3. Choose an example of a “Banned Book” after both

researching Banned Books and the freedom of the

press in the First Amendment. Give three reasons

why your chosen book should be banned or three

reasons why it should NOT be banned. Think about

the implications of banning (or not banning) it on

education and society to support your argument.

Examples are Harry Potter, The Scarlet Letter,

Maniac Magee, A Lesson Before Dying, Native Son,

James and the Giant Peach, Huckleberry Finn, Brave

New World, Fifty Shades of Grey, Peyton Place and

To Kill A Mockingbird.

4. Recently, 29 year-old Brittany Maynard made

national news with her controversial decision to have

a doctor-assisted suicide. Oregon’s “Death with

Dignity Act” allows for the terminally ill, cancer

patients like Maynard, to end their lives before the

disease further debilitates them. Only five states

total have laws like this. Do you think euthanasia

should be legal? Give three reasons why people

should or should not be able to end their lives

through legal medical means.

5. Give three reasons for or against the removal of

Confederate Statues from public grounds. Is this

about erasing history or about something else? What

does this have to do with the socialization process?

Read the book chapter on Civil Liberties and free

speech. What is the issue, if any, in this

controversy?

6. Give three reasons for or against the distribution of

menstrual products for young women in public

schools. Is this a function of government or merely a

noble idea better left to religious institutions and

nonprofits?

Recently the Ride administration has pronosed was

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