# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=155 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 156 --- ## [Canada, Extradition, and the Death Penalty](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-extradition-and-the-death-penalty/54709)
**Author:** [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Replies:** 78\ **Last updated:** [June 15, 2016, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-extradition-and-the-death-penalty/54709 "2016-06-15T20:49:39Z")
Our Supreme Court ruled today that Canada won’t extradite persons accused of capital crimes, unless the requesting country gives an assurance that the death penalty won’t be carried out: Court won’t send men to possible … --- ## [Should we allow people to do one stupid thing in their life](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-allow-people-to-do-one-stupid-thing-in-their-life/757180)
**Author:** [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [June 15, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-allow-people-to-do-one-stupid-thing-in-their-life/757180 "2016-06-15T18:12:19Z")
The Stanford rape case to me has brought up the question about how we as a society should respond to a young person doing something really stupid. I mean lets say someone you love, is in college, has a few drinks and th… --- ## [Peter Thiel vs. Gawker: Should I be glad about this, or worried?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-thiel-vs-gawker-should-i-be-glad-about-this-or-worried/755766)
**Author:** [@TheSeaOtter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheSeaOtter)\ **Replies:** 142\ **Last updated:** [June 15, 2016, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-thiel-vs-gawker-should-i-be-glad-about-this-or-worried/755766 "2016-06-15T04:49:34Z")
So, this is much in the news today. Here’s a piece from the Times: Peter Thiel, Tech Billionaire, Reveals Secret War With Gawker - The New York Times Summary: Ten years ago, Facebook board member, PayPal co-founder and… --- ## [WHY are psome people sexually aroused by children?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-psome-people-sexually-aroused-by-children/598967)
**Author:** [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Replies:** 118\ **Last updated:** [June 15, 2016, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-psome-people-sexually-aroused-by-children/598967 "2016-06-15T01:00:37Z")
This is sort of an offshoot of the thread concernign the “To Catch A Predator” show. WHY does a person (male or female, although in my experience it’s usually male) decide he wants to have sex with someone who is not ph… --- ## [Should we teach our kids how to get drunk?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-teach-our-kids-how-to-get-drunk/756825)
**Author:** [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [June 14, 2016, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-teach-our-kids-how-to-get-drunk/756825 "2016-06-14T11:39:33Z")
The recent Stanford rape case has brought up the painful reality that way to many young people go away to college and for the first time in their lives, get totally hammered. Here is a radical thought. Let the kid get d… --- ## [Does terrorism "work?"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-terrorism-work/757048)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [June 14, 2016, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-terrorism-work/757048 "2016-06-14T08:20:35Z")
The recent thread about “Torture doesn’t work” made me think about a related topic: Whether terrorism - or, really, anything involving violence or coercion, for that matter, “works.” Let’s take al-Qaeda vs. the United … --- ## [Reopen the thread Does Islam drive homophobic violence](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reopen-the-thread-does-islam-drive-homophobic-violence/757239)
**Author:** [@T.M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.M)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [June 13, 2016, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reopen-the-thread-does-islam-drive-homophobic-violence/757239 "2016-06-13T08:58:59Z")
I think that the thread \*\*Does Islam drive homophobic violence? \*\* should be reopened I think that the news coming out of Orlando and the suspected planned attack on a Gay Pride event makes the thread very much alive,… --- ## [What if we had ignored 9/11?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-we-had-ignored-9-11/756103)
**Author:** [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Replies:** 75\ **Last updated:** [June 13, 2016, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-we-had-ignored-9-11/756103 "2016-06-13T05:00:27Z")
Instead of ineffective airport security and wars that only added to the body count, what if we had just gone back to business as usual? The War on Terror has killed well over a million people, and is still not over. It… --- ## [Same-sex relationships in cartoons aimed at kids](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-sex-relationships-in-cartoons-aimed-at-kids/755854)
**Author:** [@AtomThought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomThought)\ **Replies:** 135\ **Last updated:** [June 12, 2016, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/same-sex-relationships-in-cartoons-aimed-at-kids/755854 "2016-06-12T19:55:45Z")
I thought this would be an interesting enough topic for my first post here. I don’t recall seeing it discussed before, apologies if it has been. Over the last few years in the US, it seems that it’s becoming increasingl… --- ## [The bail industry may be about to be over?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bail-industry-may-be-about-to-be-over/755345)
**Author:** [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Replies:** 64\ **Last updated:** [June 12, 2016, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bail-industry-may-be-about-to-be-over/755345 "2016-06-12T12:59:51Z")
Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman and his wife Beth are ending their hit show Dog and Beth: On the Hunt in an attempt to save the bail industry, which is under attack nationwide. It seems the TV show Dog the Bount… --- ## [Should college textbooks be exempt from copyright?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-college-textbooks-be-exempt-from-copyright/756590)
**Author:** [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Replies:** 53\ **Last updated:** [June 10, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-college-textbooks-be-exempt-from-copyright/756590 "2016-06-10T21:59:44Z")
College textbooks are a huge burden to students. Having them copyrighted forces the students to buy from one publisher. I think this is highly unethical. “You’re buying this deluxe book from Pearson for $275 if you w… --- ## [Morphic Resonance: Promising Theory or Pseudoscience?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morphic-resonance-promising-theory-or-pseudoscience/700706)
**Author:** [@YoungKusher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YoungKusher)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [June 10, 2016, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morphic-resonance-promising-theory-or-pseudoscience/700706 "2016-06-10T21:45:24Z")
For those of you who don’t know what morphic resonance is and/or would like to read about it, I’ve provided a couple sources. I found this topic particularly interesting simply because of the evidence supporting it. I … --- ## [Sexual assault?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexual-assault/756692)
**Author:** [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Replies:** 52\ **Last updated:** [June 10, 2016, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexual-assault/756692 "2016-06-10T19:31:39Z")
I saw a recent news item about a young man who was assaulted by an object being inserted into his rectum recently. No doubt this is a terrible attack and the attackers should be convicted of a serious crime and pay for … --- ## [What is the best solution to the housing crisis?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-solution-to-the-housing-crisis/756842)
**Author:** [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [June 10, 2016, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-solution-to-the-housing-crisis/756842 "2016-06-10T18:07:37Z")
I live in Portland, Maine. We are experiencing a massive housing shortage, and I know we are not the only city in this situation. What can actually be done about it? Here, there have been developers who were intereste… --- ## [Blair - War Criminal II](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blair-war-criminal-ii/756908)
**Author:** [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [June 10, 2016, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blair-war-criminal-ii/756908 "2016-06-10T11:39:04Z")
I didn’t want to resurrect the old 2014 thread on this subject. It looks like Blair is running scared of the Chilcott report and is striking back by trying to deflect blame on to others. For exampleJeremy Corbyn Pers… --- ## [Did the War in Afghanistan create the heroin crisis?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-war-in-afghanistan-create-the-heroin-crisis/756277)
**Author:** [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [June 9, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-war-in-afghanistan-create-the-heroin-crisis/756277 "2016-06-09T17:32:33Z")
Heroin is made out of opium. Most opium now comes from Afghanistan, but the Taliban almost eradicated the opium poppies before we bombed them back to the stone age. I don’t think this is a coincidence. --- ## [Is it wrong to have sexual or relationship preferences based on race?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-wrong-to-have-sexual-or-relationship-preferences-based-on-race/756295)
**Author:** [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Replies:** 149\ **Last updated:** [June 9, 2016, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-wrong-to-have-sexual-or-relationship-preferences-based-on-race/756295 "2016-06-09T14:37:43Z")
I’ve been seeing a few articles like these being posted by gay Facebook friends lately decrying “sexual racism”. Gay men freely posting on Grindr and such that “I’m not into Asians” or “keep it white” yada yada. I see … --- ## [Andrew Cuomo issues executive order against anti-Israel divestment campaigns](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-cuomo-issues-executive-order-against-anti-israel-divestment-campaigns/756690)
**Author:** [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [June 8, 2016, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-cuomo-issues-executive-order-against-anti-israel-divestment-campaigns/756690 "2016-06-08T21:50:16Z")
While I’m a big supporter of Israel and most of their actions, this is unacceptable to me. If private people want to do private counter boycotts against organizations that divest from Israel, that’s fine, but governmen… --- ## [Hate Crimes in America: Worse than we thought?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hate-crimes-in-america-worse-than-we-thought/756649)
**Author:** [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Replies:** 54\ **Last updated:** [June 7, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hate-crimes-in-america-worse-than-we-thought/756649 "2016-06-07T20:53:05Z")
According to this New York Times article, quite a few areas have been under-reporting, or even not reporting at all, incidents of hate crimes. For clarification, Now, while the article goes on to say that the majority… --- ## [Entrepreneurship as a way out of poverty](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entrepreneurship-as-a-way-out-of-poverty/755632)
**Author:** [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Replies:** 218\ **Last updated:** [June 7, 2016, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entrepreneurship-as-a-way-out-of-poverty/755632 "2016-06-07T16:29:33Z")
So in another thread, Starving Artist offered this: Given that it’s somewhat off-topic for that thread, I figured I should make a new thread to discuss the merits of this. Essentially, as far as I understand, the claim… --- ## [What PC things today will be politically incorrect in the future?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-pc-things-today-will-be-politically-incorrect-in-the-future/752145)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 139\ **Last updated:** [June 7, 2016, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-pc-things-today-will-be-politically-incorrect-in-the-future/752145 "2016-06-07T11:12:17Z")
Someone mentioned elsewhere that there are some things today that are politically incorrect that were considered the appropriately sensitive and considerate thing to say in the past. The example used was the term “colore… --- ## [Consciousness...Part Two!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consciousness-part-two/710240)
**Author:** [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Replies:** 63\ **Last updated:** [June 7, 2016, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consciousness-part-two/710240 "2016-06-07T01:48:55Z")
Apparently some mods feel a conversation has a shelf life. That’s too bad, because if it’s truly a great debate, then the subject ought to be timeless. There were some really great ideas in the What Is Consciousness thre… --- ## [Breastfeeding versus urinating: Surely this is a false analogy.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breastfeeding-versus-urinating-surely-this-is-a-false-analogy/756487)
**Author:** [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Replies:** 55\ **Last updated:** [June 6, 2016, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breastfeeding-versus-urinating-surely-this-is-a-false-analogy/756487 "2016-06-06T04:59:50Z")
The arguments in favor of public breastfeeding, which I support, are that it’s perfectly natural, the kids need to eat when they’re hungry, it’s good for baby and mom and a host of others. If you’re offended, look away. … --- ## [Have a hard time respecting the moderately religious](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-hard-time-respecting-the-moderately-religious/693053)
**Author:** [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Replies:** 934\ **Last updated:** [June 6, 2016, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-a-hard-time-respecting-the-moderately-religious/693053 "2016-06-06T03:07:12Z")
OK, I admit up front I am an atheist and even more accurately an anti-theist… I have a hard time respecting the moderately religious. Like, you have enough common sense or intelligence to recognize that the world is not… --- ## [Marriage requiring renewal every 5 years](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marriage-requiring-renewal-every-5-years/756081)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 105\ **Last updated:** [June 6, 2016, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marriage-requiring-renewal-every-5-years/756081 "2016-06-06T02:23:17Z")
Someone had once suggested a new system of marriage, where, rather than being married for life until death or divorce, two people would only be married to each other for 7 years at a time. Then, every 7 years, they would… --- ## [What myths do we tell ourselves to keep our sanity](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-myths-do-we-tell-ourselves-to-keep-our-sanity/695520)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 152\ **Last updated:** [June 5, 2016, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-myths-do-we-tell-ourselves-to-keep-our-sanity/695520 "2016-06-05T19:06:36Z")
Like the just world hypothesis or victim blaming. The reality that bad things happen to good people is too much to bear so we create a mythos that the world cares about our morality. It seems humans need delusion to a d… --- ## [Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Implications for Christians (especially for Jesus as the son of God)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extraterrestrial-intelligence-implications-for-christians-especially-for-jesus-as-the-son-of-god/735662)
**Author:** [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Replies:** 63\ **Last updated:** [June 5, 2016, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extraterrestrial-intelligence-implications-for-christians-especially-for-jesus-as-the-son-of-god/735662 "2016-06-05T17:03:16Z")
What would the implications be for Christianity and its doctrines if extraterrestrial intelligent life was discovered? Have Christian scholars considered the question? I am not a Christian and know very little about the… --- ## [Chimiras aka "Human Animal hybrids"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chimiras-aka-human-animal-hybrids/755747)
**Author:** [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [June 4, 2016, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chimiras-aka-human-animal-hybrids/755747 "2016-06-04T11:42:44Z")
So, this link appeared recently in the Stupid Republicans forum regarding conservative’s fear mongering about mad scientists bringing the the island of Dr. Moreau to life. While pointing and laughing may be the approp… --- ## [Should car safety features be allowed to be advertised?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-car-safety-features-be-allowed-to-be-advertised/756124)
**Author:** [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [June 4, 2016, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-car-safety-features-be-allowed-to-be-advertised/756124 "2016-06-04T02:59:06Z")
Inspired by the thread about smarter cars. http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=794414 Advertising these features is basically encouraging reckless driving. It has been proven, many times, that people w… --- ## [Origins of gender identity](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origins-of-gender-identity/756349)
**Author:** [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [June 3, 2016, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origins-of-gender-identity/756349 "2016-06-03T18:15:33Z")
One thing that I do not understand re transexuality is the concept that gender identity is an inborn trait. It seems to me that gender identity is something that is slowly ingrained into a person as a result of existing… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=154) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=156)