# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=18 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 19 --- ## [SCOTUS to hear case of praying ex-football coach (yet another "religious liberty" case)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotus-to-hear-case-of-praying-ex-football-coach-yet-another-religious-liberty-case/957891)
**Author:** [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Replies:** 377\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2023, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scotus-to-hear-case-of-praying-ex-football-coach-yet-another-religious-liberty-case/957891 "2023-09-26T16:54:39Z")
AP story here: Mr. Kennedy’s side: The school district’s side: The SCOTUS side: --- ## [Woman dies from power outage, listed as homicide](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-dies-from-power-outage-listed-as-homicide/989397)
**Author:** [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2023, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-dies-from-power-outage-listed-as-homicide/989397 "2023-09-26T04:08:38Z")
Here is a news article on it: Some one intentionally damaged a power station which caused the woman who was using a supplementary oxygen machine to die with her pre-existing condition. If someone is arrested and conv… --- ## [Are American elites trying to create a class apartheid society?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-elites-trying-to-create-a-class-apartheid-society/990114)
**Author:** [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Replies:** 69\ **Last updated:** [September 25, 2023, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-american-elites-trying-to-create-a-class-apartheid-society/990114 "2023-09-25T00:44:32Z")
The current war on public education in the US, coupled with the ever-rising costs of childcare and housing, is an alarming trend that threatens to permanently impoverish and enslave the next generation. Crumbling safety … --- ## [Qualitative comparison of contemporary Eastern vs Western weapons system?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qualitative-comparison-of-contemporary-eastern-vs-western-weapons-system/988924)
**Author:** [@Celtic\_Kitsune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celtic_Kitsune)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [September 23, 2023, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qualitative-comparison-of-contemporary-eastern-vs-western-weapons-system/988924 "2023-09-23T14:18:39Z")
I wasn’t certain whether to put this one in General Questions but it probably doesn’t have a definite answer and is potentially worth a debate. I have an interest in Cold War history and part of that is the military asp… --- ## [When/why/how did attitudes towards rape victims change?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-how-did-attitudes-towards-rape-victims-change/989906)
**Author:** [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Replies:** 94\ **Last updated:** [September 21, 2023, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-how-did-attitudes-towards-rape-victims-change/989906 "2023-09-21T14:57:53Z")
Okay, so I was talking to my sister tonight, and she just this week finished reading The Women’s Room. One thing she wanted to discuss was a disturbing sequence late in the story, when a college student is raped by a str… --- ## [(Hypothetical) Should the US step in to help Armenia?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-should-the-us-step-in-to-help-armenia/971844)
**Author:** [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [September 20, 2023, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-should-the-us-step-in-to-help-armenia/971844 "2023-09-20T01:15:25Z")
I wasn’t sure if this was a P&E question or not. Inspired by this article and Russia’s recent setbacks. From my limited reading, it seemed to me that if Russia abandoned Armenia, Turkey and Azerbaijan would start invad… --- ## [India's PM Modi and his support for nonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indias-pm-modi-and-his-support-for-nonsense/838632)
**Author:** [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Replies:** 35\ **Last updated:** [September 19, 2023, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indias-pm-modi-and-his-support-for-nonsense/838632 "2023-09-19T12:02:38Z")
As an insider I prefer to laugh at the various Judeo-Christian crazinesses, but it’s sad to see the governing party of a nation that has made great strides since independence lead it down a path of mysticism and pseudosc… --- ## [Medical Ethics - Emergency Medical Care and Personal Choice](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-ethics-emergency-medical-care-and-personal-choice/989805)
**Author:** [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Replies:** 54\ **Last updated:** [September 18, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-ethics-emergency-medical-care-and-personal-choice/989805 "2023-09-18T14:55:22Z")
Continuing the discussion from Discussion thread for the "Polls only" thread: An ongoing discussion in the above thread caused me to create a new spin off. I’ll quote the sections of my first post on the subject that i… --- ## [Labor 101, or why strikes are okay](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/labor-101-or-why-strikes-are-okay/989700)
**Author:** [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Replies:** 232\ **Last updated:** [September 17, 2023, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/labor-101-or-why-strikes-are-okay/989700 "2023-09-17T17:27:14Z")
In a thread about the WGA strike (edit: and in a related thread about the SAG-AFTRA strike), there’s a lot of disagreement over what unions can and should do. The problem is that a lot of the objections to WGA and SAG-AF… --- ## [Football Concussions, the next Big Thing?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-concussions-the-next-big-thing/628696)
**Author:** [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Replies:** 145\ **Last updated:** [September 16, 2023, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-concussions-the-next-big-thing/628696 "2023-09-16T03:37:38Z")
As I understand later this year in Philadelphia a federal class suit will address brain injuries in football. Football teams are big companies. The NFL acts as a cartel. Add in youth football programs, which at some hig… --- ## [Climate Change Wars: Water - Egypt and Ethiopia](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climate-change-wars-water-egypt-and-ethiopia/847685)
**Author:** [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Replies:** 63\ **Last updated:** [September 14, 2023, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/climate-change-wars-water-egypt-and-ethiopia/847685 "2023-09-14T15:20:01Z")
Egypt is concerned over a dam being built on the Nile by Ethiopia which may reduce their water supply. Negotiations are ongoing. So no matter if the dam came on line at all or not there will be water shortages and sign… --- ## [Resolved: Body Language is an awful way of judging reliability and truthfulness](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620)
**Author:** [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Replies:** 78\ **Last updated:** [September 13, 2023, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-body-language-is-an-awful-way-of-judging-reliability-and-truthfulness/989620 "2023-09-13T19:28:53Z")
Continuing the discussion from How many men have really been cancelled by #metoo?: At the moderator’s suggestion, I’m breaking this off into a new thread Body language is notoriously unreliable at revealing deceit S… --- ## [Taking a cop's word in law enforcement incidents](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-a-cops-word-in-law-enforcement-incidents/695717)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 65\ **Last updated:** [September 12, 2023, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taking-a-cops-word-in-law-enforcement-incidents/695717 "2023-09-12T17:41:12Z")
So it seems that many (not necessarily here) are arguing that if Michael Brown did indeed steal from that store and assault that clerk, then that makes it much more likely, if not probable, that he did try to kill the po… --- ## [What if we went back to early 20th century immigration policy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-we-went-back-to-early-20th-century-immigration-policy/989076)
**Author:** [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Replies:** 175\ **Last updated:** [September 12, 2023, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-we-went-back-to-early-20th-century-immigration-policy/989076 "2023-09-12T15:18:11Z")
What bad things would happen? Let me tweak the question slightly: Of course, I don’t want to let everyone in the door except for Chinese, etc. Basically a “if you want in, and can meet certain very basic standards, in… --- ## [Not sure how to extrapolate crime rate based on this survey of defensive gun use](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-sure-how-to-extrapolate-crime-rate-based-on-this-survey-of-defensive-gun-use/989211)
**Author:** [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [September 10, 2023, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-sure-how-to-extrapolate-crime-rate-based-on-this-survey-of-defensive-gun-use/989211 "2023-09-10T19:33:38Z")
According to this survey, gun owners used a firearm defensively about 1.67 million times a year. (On the low end, a study Politifact cited from the Rand Corp estimated about 100,000 times a year). How would you do the … --- ## [Sneering at people with less formal education is class-based prejudice](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneering-at-people-with-less-formal-education-is-class-based-prejudice/988113)
**Author:** [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Replies:** 147\ **Last updated:** [September 4, 2023, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneering-at-people-with-less-formal-education-is-class-based-prejudice/988113 "2023-09-04T10:07:08Z")
To establish my lib cred, I’m referencing a story I heard on NPR the other day: The headline is not correct. Kahlenberg explicitly and repeatedly said he wanted to look at race AND class, not class INSTEAD OF race. Ju… --- ## [What Exactly Did Henry Kissinger Do?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-did-henry-kissinger-do/919181)
**Author:** [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [September 3, 2023, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-did-henry-kissinger-do/919181 "2023-09-03T19:47:34Z")
Henry Kissinger (b. 1923) was the Secretary of State under Richard Nixon and apparently Gerald Ford too. Anyway, I often read these articles about him being responsible for Pinochet. Pinochet was a particularly evil, fa… --- ## [Is the EU's Cyber Resilience Act a threat to open source?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-eus-cyber-resilience-act-a-threat-to-open-source/989350)
**Author:** [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [August 30, 2023, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-eus-cyber-resilience-act-a-threat-to-open-source/989350 "2023-08-30T15:37:13Z")
https://youtu.be/iUgAS1luxEQ?si=AqquaBo1bQ-V45Mk --- ## [Is the current accepted view that all the deaths in the Vietnam war were in vain?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-current-accepted-view-that-all-the-deaths-in-the-vietnam-war-were-in-vain/988121)
**Author:** [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Replies:** 120\ **Last updated:** [August 28, 2023, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-current-accepted-view-that-all-the-deaths-in-the-vietnam-war-were-in-vain/988121 "2023-08-28T17:05:03Z")
According to Wikipedia, around 280K US soldiers, ~500K Vietnamese soldiers, and ~500K Vietnamese civilians died in the war. In retrospect, was it a strategic blunder to get the US involved in the war? Or was getting int… --- ## ["The Good Old Days"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-good-old-days/988365)
**Author:** [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Replies:** 54\ **Last updated:** [August 20, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-good-old-days/988365 "2023-08-20T14:55:39Z")
I am spending time today avoiding gardening and reading letters to the editor. At least one of these letters mentioned how the country (the US) is going to heck in a handbasket and decried to loss of the Good Old Days. … --- ## [Discussion question: is The American Experiment a failure?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-question-is-the-american-experiment-a-failure/986036)
**Author:** [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Replies:** 327\ **Last updated:** [August 18, 2023, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-question-is-the-american-experiment-a-failure/986036 "2023-08-18T14:20:10Z")
Continuing the discussion from 7 Jan 2021 and beyond - the aftermath of the storming of the Capitol: Continuing the discussion here. The crux of the matter, as I see it, is that the USA is a melting pot that never re… --- ## [Will rejuvenation actually be available if invented?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-rejuvenation-actually-be-available-if-invented/980805)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 85\ **Last updated:** [August 17, 2023, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-rejuvenation-actually-be-available-if-invented/980805 "2023-08-17T18:56:26Z")
So let’s say that as I type this, some researchers in a lab somewhere are having an oh-my-God moment: “This rat is young again!!” Okay, so it takes awhile to show that the results can be replicated, rather longer to demo… --- ## [What's the Deal with the Falkland Islands?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629)
**Author:** [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Replies:** 411\ **Last updated:** [August 16, 2023, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629 "2023-08-16T20:54:38Z")
I have been chatting with an online friend from Argentina and he indicates that there is still a lot of sentiment that the Falkland Islands should be theirs. He seems to feel that the government is still asserting its cl… --- ## [Has authoritarianism ever done better than democracy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-authoritarianism-ever-done-better-than-democracy/979899)
**Author:** [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Replies:** 126\ **Last updated:** [August 14, 2023, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-authoritarianism-ever-done-better-than-democracy/979899 "2023-08-14T00:17:26Z")
This is actually a two parter, but there wasn’t enough room in the subject line. Several of the recent threads on the Soviet Union and Russia led me to think about the more general topic of authoritarianism (whether fas… --- ## [How did the US Civil Rights movement of the 60s succeed?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-us-civil-rights-movement-of-the-60s-succeed/981216)
**Author:** [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Replies:** 58\ **Last updated:** [August 10, 2023, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-us-civil-rights-movement-of-the-60s-succeed/981216 "2023-08-10T14:24:44Z")
This one will be slightly long, so please bear with me. Mods, please move to a different forum if appropriate, but I thought Great Debates would work best given the specific aspect of the question I’d like to focus on. … --- ## [Local income tax illegal?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/local-income-tax-illegal/988077)
**Author:** [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [August 5, 2023, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/local-income-tax-illegal/988077 "2023-08-05T12:10:51Z")
Don’t know if this belongs in GD or P&E, feel free to move. In St Louis, resident of STL county is fighting with City of St Louis over personal income tax since he works remotely, and city claims since company is physica… --- ## [It should be required of a SCOTUS judge to discern moral righteousness](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-be-required-of-a-scotus-judge-to-discern-moral-righteousness/982525)
**Author:** [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Replies:** 36\ **Last updated:** [August 3, 2023, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-should-be-required-of-a-scotus-judge-to-discern-moral-righteousness/982525 "2023-08-03T10:55:38Z")
To be a Supreme Court Justice, should one not be required to demonstrate the ability to discern the difference between what is legal, what is moral, and what is the right thing to do to avoid the appearance of bias? --- ## [The film Groundhog Day proves Heaven isn't real](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-film-groundhog-day-proves-heaven-isnt-real/987733)
**Author:** [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Replies:** 133\ **Last updated:** [August 2, 2023, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-film-groundhog-day-proves-heaven-isnt-real/987733 "2023-08-02T15:20:21Z")
Wanted to make this about a fantastic Stephen King short story, but realized I’d ruin great literature for new comers just by making a thread topic to discuss it so I found an alternative. The film Groundhog Day doesn’t… --- ## [Had he lived, JFK would not have withdrawn the US from Viet-Nam](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-he-lived-jfk-would-not-have-withdrawn-the-us-from-viet-nam/987749)
**Author:** [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Replies:** 55\ **Last updated:** [August 2, 2023, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-he-lived-jfk-would-not-have-withdrawn-the-us-from-viet-nam/987749 "2023-08-02T04:53:09Z")
\[Mods: This is really an historical debate, although the subject matter is political. For that reason, I put it in GD. If it belongs in P&E, I do apologize\] One of the enduring parts of the Kennedy legend, and a usual… --- ## [Religious Accommodation {Christian postal worker case}](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-accommodation-christian-postal-worker-case/978267)
**Author:** [@Guapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guapo)\ **Replies:** 177\ **Last updated:** [August 1, 2023, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-accommodation-christian-postal-worker-case/978267 "2023-08-01T05:35:21Z")
The US Supreme Court is set to rule on a case where a Christian postal worker was fired for refusing to work on Sundays. I’m a non-believer, but generally support reasonable religious accomodations. This got me wonderin… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=19)