# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=159 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 160 --- ## [Are suicide-attack terrorists really "cowards?"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-suicide-attack-terrorists-really-cowards/753226)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 48\ **Last updated:** [May 4, 2016, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-suicide-attack-terrorists-really-cowards/753226 "2016-05-04T01:52:32Z")
Bill Maher got blasted for his comments, a long time ago, that the 9/11 terrorists weren’t “cowards,” but in this instance I think Maher was speaking unpopular truth. Call suicide-attack terrorists what you will - evil,… --- ## [New Laws](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-laws/753615)
**Author:** [@krackatinny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krackatinny)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [May 4, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-laws/753615 "2016-05-04T00:59:36Z")
Why is it that people think that new laws are needed if the old ones aren’t being obeyed? People break a law. Instead of figuring out why the existing law was broken, (and fixing it!), a lot of people want new laws add… --- ## ["White/black people" vs. "yellow/brown/red" people](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-black-people-vs-yellow-brown-red-people/753634)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [May 3, 2016, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-black-people-vs-yellow-brown-red-people/753634 "2016-05-03T23:06:26Z")
This could go into either Debates or IMHO: I was musing the other day about how in American society it is offensive to refer to people by skin color as “yellow” or “red” or “brown” but somehow “white” and “black” are OK… --- ## [Orthorexia](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orthorexia/753740)
**Author:** [@Brodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brodi)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [May 3, 2016, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orthorexia/753740 "2016-05-03T17:06:06Z")
I’ve read several articles were someone mentions that people who are really into the clean/organic/raw/vegan movement could be, in fact, suffering from a disorder called Orthorexia. Is this a “fad” herd behavior thing?… --- ## [What Is So Special About The Holocaust?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-special-about-the-holocaust/753395)
**Author:** [@Zeke\_N.Destroi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeke_N.Destroi)\ **Replies:** 76\ **Last updated:** [May 2, 2016, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-special-about-the-holocaust/753395 "2016-05-02T11:36:34Z")
The Great Leap Forward caused 18 - 45 million deaths in the space of 3 or so years … Judging from the Soviet records we now have, the number of people who died in the Gulag \[during the\] Stalinist period is likely betwee… --- ## [Field Marshall Montgomery's reputation](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/field-marshall-montgomerys-reputation/131607)
**Author:** [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [April 29, 2016, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/field-marshall-montgomerys-reputation/131607 "2016-04-29T20:16:22Z")
Field Marshall Bernard Law Montgomery is probably the best known British military leader of WWII. Despite this, he is not now held in high esteem. In fact, opinions on his abilities are almost completely negative. The po… --- ## [How do we get corruption and bribery out of politics?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-we-get-corruption-and-bribery-out-of-politics/753081)
**Author:** [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Replies:** 65\ **Last updated:** [April 29, 2016, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-we-get-corruption-and-bribery-out-of-politics/753081 "2016-04-29T03:39:32Z")
The amount of corporate money in politics is just unacceptable. It is turning our country into an oligarchy. New senators are often approached by lobbyist crooks on their first day in Washington. What can we do about i… --- ## [Opiods: Should government get between you and your doctor?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opiods-should-government-get-between-you-and-your-doctor/752852)
**Author:** [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Replies:** 58\ **Last updated:** [April 29, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opiods-should-government-get-between-you-and-your-doctor/752852 "2016-04-29T02:42:07Z")
We all know there’s an opiod epidemic that’s causing a lot of addiction and deaths. But we also know there are a lot of people living with chronic pain. As imperfect as the system is, I don’t know that politicians repl… --- ## [TTIP and the EU](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ttip-and-the-eu/753191)
**Author:** [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [April 28, 2016, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ttip-and-the-eu/753191 "2016-04-28T23:46:18Z")
TTIP is bad for the EU and UK, yet it seems that Obama is desperate to push this onto us. I for one am against it. What’s the dope in the US? For or against? TTIP and TTIP Guardian Is this just an undemocratic way f… --- ## [Wooden Skyscrapers: Bad idea or environmentally smart?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wooden-skyscrapers-bad-idea-or-environmentally-smart/753210)
**Author:** [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [April 28, 2016, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wooden-skyscrapers-bad-idea-or-environmentally-smart/753210 "2016-04-28T07:32:30Z")
Supposedly modern adhesives can be used to create laminated panels with the strength and durability of concrete and steel. Plus, according to the article, while the manufacture of concrete and steel for a 20 story buil… --- ## [Would Saudi Arabia actually sell off massive amounts of US assets?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-saudi-arabia-actually-sell-off-massive-amounts-of-us-assets/752454)
**Author:** [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Replies:** 35\ **Last updated:** [April 28, 2016, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-saudi-arabia-actually-sell-off-massive-amounts-of-us-assets/752454 "2016-04-28T06:03:15Z")
In response to pending legislation that would make an exception to the Foreign Service Immunities Act of 1976, which essentially supports the international standards of immunity that all sovereign states enjoy, including… --- ## [Leadership styles: Hitler vs. Stalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leadership-styles-hitler-vs-stalin/406916)
**Author:** [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [April 28, 2016, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leadership-styles-hitler-vs-stalin/406916 "2016-04-28T02:33:56Z")
Why is it that Hitler has come down to us as a much more “accessible” persona than Stalin? I’m curious as to whether we just have better media of Hitler (movies of speeches, etc.) or their leadership styles were do diffe… --- ## [Very young children committing suicide - is it possible?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-young-children-committing-suicide-is-it-possible/535219)
**Author:** [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [April 28, 2016, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-young-children-committing-suicide-is-it-possible/535219 "2016-04-28T02:11:34Z")
At what age do you think it would be possible for a child to knowingly commit suicide? There are two issues here: having the physical capability to commit suicide, and having the cognitive capacity to understand that yo… --- ## [Why did Judas commit suicide?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 122\ **Last updated:** [April 28, 2016, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-judas-commit-suicide/608619 "2016-04-28T00:06:09Z")
The conventional version of the story goes: Judas was a firebrand, a member of a radical group of anti-Roman revolutionaries (Judas Iscariot translates almost literally to “Judy the Knife”). He followed Jesus as long as … --- ## [SHOULD primaries be open or closed?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-primaries-be-open-or-closed/752757)
**Author:** [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Replies:** 76\ **Last updated:** [April 27, 2016, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-primaries-be-open-or-closed/752757 "2016-04-27T14:37:00Z")
Right now there is a hodgepodge state by state: open caucus; closed caucus; open primary; semi-closed primary; closed with various lengths of time free to register in one or the other party. Outside of considerations fo… --- ## [Why are so many recently privatised energy companies so poorly managed?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-recently-privatised-energy-companies-so-poorly-managed/753180)
**Author:** [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [April 27, 2016, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-recently-privatised-energy-companies-so-poorly-managed/753180 "2016-04-27T03:25:12Z")
Is it to do with the maintenance of a previously nationalised infrastructure which causes problems, or is it the fact that it’s basically a license to print money as the consumer usually has very little alternative to sw… --- ## [What is wrong with having standards?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-having-standards/752513)
**Author:** [@Chihuahua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chihuahua)\ **Replies:** 204\ **Last updated:** [April 27, 2016, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-wrong-with-having-standards/752513 "2016-04-27T02:16:51Z")
So over the last few weeks I’ve either started participated in a number of threads that revolve around the idea of social and behavioral expectations. I see this is a pretty common theme around here, even though it’s us… --- ## [If we had guaranteed income in the US, what services could be gotten rid of?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-guaranteed-income-in-the-us-what-services-could-be-gotten-rid-of/753036)
**Author:** [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [April 26, 2016, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-we-had-guaranteed-income-in-the-us-what-services-could-be-gotten-rid-of/753036 "2016-04-26T21:57:32Z")
If we had a guaranteed payment to everyone in the country of, say, $500/month, what services could be gotten rid of? Could Social Security as it exists now be done away with? What about things like school lunch, public… --- ## [The Gold Standard - Actually prefferable to fiat?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gold-standard-actually-prefferable-to-fiat/749639)
**Author:** [@Zero-syde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zero-syde)\ **Replies:** 284\ **Last updated:** [April 26, 2016, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gold-standard-actually-prefferable-to-fiat/749639 "2016-04-26T13:58:59Z")
Alright, assumptions and acknowledgements: –Fiat currencies always go to zero, with 100% certainty given sufficient time, usually with a period of wealth-destroying hyper inflation and chaos –Fiat currencies are inflat… --- ## [Parliament vs the Queen](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parliament-vs-the-queen/740360)
**Author:** [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Replies:** 115\ **Last updated:** [April 26, 2016, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parliament-vs-the-queen/740360 "2016-04-26T03:57:12Z")
So let’s say the UK Parliament passes a bill abolishing the monarchy. What would happen if the Queen refused to give her assent to such a law? Technically she still has that right even if the right hasn’t been used in ge… --- ## [The Tet Offensive narrative](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tet-offensive-narrative/752872)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [April 25, 2016, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tet-offensive-narrative/752872 "2016-04-25T22:13:37Z")
The narrative that I’ve always heard about the Tet Offensive in the Vietnam War was that it was an American military victory and a Viet Cong defeat, but the US media screwed over the soldiers (and others) by wrongfully p… --- ## [What should the US do about Soviet...er Russian...military aggression?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-us-do-about-soviet-er-russian-military-aggression/752653)
**Author:** [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Replies:** 50\ **Last updated:** [April 25, 2016, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-us-do-about-soviet-er-russian-military-aggression/752653 "2016-04-25T02:01:35Z")
It’s been in the news a lot late. Russian planes buzzing US air craft or naval vessels. This was something that happened routinely (on both sides) during the Cold War with the Soviets. However, lately the Russians hav… --- ## [Testing](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing/753049)
**Author:** [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [April 25, 2016, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testing/753049 "2016-04-25T00:24:00Z")
Just testing that the report function is working. Nothing to see here. --- ## [What's So Great About a Trial by Jury?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-great-about-a-trial-by-jury/752307)
**Author:** [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Replies:** 50\ **Last updated:** [April 24, 2016, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-great-about-a-trial-by-jury/752307 "2016-04-24T02:40:40Z")
I understand the historical reasons behind a group of British lords demanding trial by jury instead of having the king decide who walk away and who has his head roll, but what’s so great about a trial by jury in the mode… --- ## [Poverty Apologists / Apologetics](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poverty-apologists-apologetics/751287)
**Author:** [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Replies:** 488\ **Last updated:** [April 23, 2016, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poverty-apologists-apologetics/751287 "2016-04-23T05:58:54Z")
So after reading this thread and quite a few others over my time here (voter ID threads, for example) it seems to me that there’s a pretty solid cadre of people who seem to have the attitude that the problems associated … --- ## [Why LGBTQ?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-lgbtq/752731)
**Author:** [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [April 23, 2016, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-lgbtq/752731 "2016-04-23T04:34:55Z")
As far as I knew it’s always been the LGBT community. Now I sse LGBTQ on several sites, such as this one (a story on the dispute between Whole Foods and one of their customers over an alleged gay slur): I gather the Q… --- ## [What does this mean? - "Race didn't create racism, but racism created race."](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-mean-race-didnt-create-racism-but-racism-created-race/752005)
**Author:** [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Replies:** 63\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2016, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-mean-race-didnt-create-racism-but-racism-created-race/752005 "2016-04-21T16:37:45Z")
I think I understand what she’s getting at. But not sure. The distinction of common descent based upon ancestry dates back to the middle ages and was considered a scientific concept. Blumenbach was the first to divid… --- ## [Did the USA win the cold war?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-usa-win-the-cold-war/752640)
**Author:** [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2016, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-usa-win-the-cold-war/752640 "2016-04-20T06:34:06Z")
I was debating this with my friends last night. Some of us said it was a draw. I think that we won, because the cold war caused the Soviet Union to collapse. Which is closer to the truth? --- ## [Is monetary political contributions the same as speech?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-monetary-political-contributions-the-same-as-speech/751460)
**Author:** [@Oedipus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oedipus)\ **Replies:** 162\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2016, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-monetary-political-contributions-the-same-as-speech/751460 "2016-04-20T00:18:10Z")
I’ve been having a hard time with this lately - money donated to SuperPACs and doing independent expenditures obviously have a negative effect on politics in the US but I have a hard time expressing that it isn’t the sam… --- ## [Bail-ins.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bail-ins/752306)
**Author:** [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [April 19, 2016, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bail-ins/752306 "2016-04-19T15:49:16Z")
Yesterday, a bank in Austria used a bail in to help it manage its failing balance sheet. see here. Austria: A 54% "Haircut" Of Senior Creditors In First "Bail In" Under New EU Rules - Global ResearchGlobal Research - Ce… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=158) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=160)