# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=477 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 478 --- ## [Why is it so important for the "war on terror" to be a "war"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-important-for-the-war-on-terror-to-be-a-war/528457)
**Author:** [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Replies:** 72\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-so-important-for-the-war-on-terror-to-be-a-war/528457 "2010-02-15T17:07:24Z")
Newt Gingrich was on the Daily Show yesterday, and he suggested that the idea of trying terrorists within the U.S. criminal justice system is “radical”: \*Stewart: Why do we suggest using our justice system is radical? G… --- ## [Courage of Convictions vs. Hard-headed Practicality: Where Should Pols Draw The Line?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/courage-of-convictions-vs-hard-headed-practicality-where-should-pols-draw-the-line/527578)
**Author:** [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2010, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/courage-of-convictions-vs-hard-headed-practicality-where-should-pols-draw-the-line/527578 "2010-02-15T02:10:35Z")
I’ll draw an example from the Democrats, but I am well aware that this is an issue that happens on both sides of the aisle, and I’m sure it’s just as prevalent amongst the donkeys as the elephants. A campaign aide to fa… --- ## [Who had the last chance to avoid/preempt the Civil War?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-had-the-last-chance-to-avoid-preempt-the-civil-war/528778)
**Author:** [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-had-the-last-chance-to-avoid-preempt-the-civil-war/528778 "2010-02-15T01:39:07Z")
Was there anything President Buchanan could have done to avoid the Civil War? Alternatively, could he have used the Army to preempt Secession? What about Pierce? Did he have any options? Who was the last President with… --- ## [When technology makes it easier to break the law: what to do?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-technology-makes-it-easier-to-break-the-law-what-to-do/528634)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2010, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-technology-makes-it-easier-to-break-the-law-what-to-do/528634 "2010-02-14T05:36:12Z")
When the printing press was invented, it made it possible to break away (at least imperfectly) from the ancient tradition of censorship and proscribed works. In the modern world we’ve seen how the ability to copy electro… --- ## [Obama's Job Stimulus Program or How AIG Execs Get Millions While NASA Engineers Are Fired](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-job-stimulus-program-or-how-aig-execs-get-millions-while-nasa-engineers-are-fired/528353)
**Author:** [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Replies:** 69\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-job-stimulus-program-or-how-aig-execs-get-millions-while-nasa-engineers-are-fired/528353 "2010-02-13T21:03:18Z")
First of all, no blaming Bush and his deficit spending anymore. I’m not really sure how this would enter into the thread, but Obama keeps blaming Bush for his (admittedly) massive debts while simultaneously increasing t… --- ## [What can current states' health care plan tell us about national policy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-current-states-health-care-plan-tell-us-about-national-policy/528688)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-current-states-health-care-plan-tell-us-about-national-policy/528688 "2010-02-13T20:19:26Z")
After the Massachusetts election, some liberals here pointed out that MA’s system has many of the same features Obama wants for the country. The Daily Show recently had a segment about how Hawaii does too (mandates for … --- ## [Security Guards follow policy and stand by while girl gets beaten.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/security-guards-follow-policy-and-stand-by-while-girl-gets-beaten/528613)
**Author:** [@Captain\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_C)\ **Replies:** 73\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/security-guards-follow-policy-and-stand-by-while-girl-gets-beaten/528613 "2010-02-13T19:18:58Z")
Based on this article and footage on policeone.com: Wash. guards who saw beating 'followed training' In summary, three private security guards stood by and watched as a 15 y.o. girl was assaulted at a bus station. As … --- ## [Arguing against; "The definition of 'Marriage' is between a man and a woman".](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arguing-against-the-definition-of-marriage-is-between-a-man-and-a-woman/522231)
**Author:** [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Replies:** 243\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2010, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arguing-against-the-definition-of-marriage-is-between-a-man-and-a-woman/522231 "2010-02-13T13:25:38Z")
I had a gentle debate with co-workers on behave of gay marriage in the breakroom the other day. Although I illustrated my point ok, I would like to know the proper defense against this claim. They said; “Why not call i… --- ## [3 Reasons Not To Sweat The "Citizens United" SCOTUS Ruling](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-reasons-not-to-sweat-the-citizens-united-scotus-ruling/528328)
**Author:** [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2010, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-reasons-not-to-sweat-the-citizens-united-scotus-ruling/528328 "2010-02-13T12:56:38Z")
3:13 reason.tv video I am one of those liberals who did not like this decision at all, but the points made in this video do leave me wanting to participate in further debate to improve my understanding of the issue. Pa… --- ## [What's happening on Feb 11, Mr. Ahmadinejad?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happening-on-feb-11-mr-ahmadinejad/527952)
**Author:** [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Replies:** 111\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2010, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happening-on-feb-11-mr-ahmadinejad/527952 "2010-02-13T05:31:23Z")
This was locked out by a Mod for incorrect forum but I was interested enough to re-post it here. I’m putting it here because it’s political in nature and has a debating quality to it. President Ahmadinajad has eluded t… --- ## [Sarah Palin - Seriously?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-seriously/528029)
**Author:** [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Replies:** 275\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2010, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-palin-seriously/528029 "2010-02-13T04:09:11Z")
Is this the future voice of the country? I don’t want to get into a Republican/Democrat debate. I want to discuss her, period. I want your opinions. If you want to debate, start another thread in GD. If you want to … --- ## [New Report: Abstinence Only Education Works!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-report-abstinence-only-education-works/527597)
**Author:** [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Replies:** 64\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-report-abstinence-only-education-works/527597 "2010-02-12T22:37:05Z")
From CNN. Researches recruited African-American young people from the northeastern United States and gave them an eight-hour abstinence-only sexuality course. The average age of the participants was 12.2 years. One th… --- ## [What is the point of the Tea Party?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-the-tea-party/528038)
**Author:** [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Replies:** 62\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-the-tea-party/528038 "2010-02-12T22:11:32Z")
Conservatives are frustrated and decide to form their own political party (kind of). WTF!!! You have an irrationally conservative party called the Republican Party, much to the disappointment of Republican progressives… --- ## [Allowing Gays to Openly Serve In the US Military, But Not In Combat Arms Positions: Fair?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allowing-gays-to-openly-serve-in-the-us-military-but-not-in-combat-arms-positions-fair/527353)
**Author:** [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Replies:** 117\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allowing-gays-to-openly-serve-in-the-us-military-but-not-in-combat-arms-positions-fair/527353 "2010-02-12T21:01:31Z")
The military already discriminates against women serving in the military. Female soldiers are not allowed to serve in the infantry, Special Forces, and other Combat jobs. Assuming this is fair and acceptable, would it al… --- ## [Australian Free Speech Issues](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-free-speech-issues/525298)
**Author:** [@Cesario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cesario)\ **Replies:** 140\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/australian-free-speech-issues/525298 "2010-02-12T18:17:38Z")
This is a spin-off thread from the DUI thread. Relevant passages: \[QUOTE=not\_alice\] But because it goes so far beyond our principles and our DUI checkpoint regime, AND your country recently allowed new infringements … --- ## [Mark Levin is Wrong (And This Is a Conservative Speaking)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-levin-is-wrong-and-this-is-a-conservative-speaking/527762)
**Author:** [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Replies:** 86\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-levin-is-wrong-and-this-is-a-conservative-speaking/527762 "2010-02-12T14:06:09Z")
http://www.marklevinshow.com/Article.asp?id=1674726&spid=32346 Are you seriously trying to make decent conservatives in safe Senate seats like John McCain lose? Hopefully Hayworth will not run at all or drop out-althou… --- ## [What's The Most Accurate Bible Translation?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-accurate-bible-translation/524075)
**Author:** [@Van\_Cleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Van_Cleaf)\ **Replies:** 118\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2010, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-accurate-bible-translation/524075 "2010-02-12T07:16:41Z")
There are so many versions of the Bible out there, one has no clue as to which is the most accurate. One that is easy to understand as well. --- ## [Make Peace With The Taliban?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-peace-with-the-taliban/526959)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 168\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-peace-with-the-taliban/526959 "2010-02-12T02:38:02Z")
So Gen. McCrystal is proposing getting the Taliban into peace talks. This seems to be an admission that this war is not winnable. I expected this, as I reject the whole concept of “Nation Building”. My question is, wha… --- ## [Obscenity laws and the Internet](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscenity-laws-and-the-internet/528485)
**Author:** [@Fuzzy\_Wombats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Wombats)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscenity-laws-and-the-internet/528485 "2010-02-12T01:37:43Z")
The 11th Circuit ruled last week that the local standards rule for obscenity cases still applies to internet pornography (Unpublished opinion found here: http://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/unpub/ops/200815964.pdf) Basically,… --- ## [The Prime Directive](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prime-directive/527945)
**Author:** [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Replies:** 42\ **Last updated:** [February 11, 2010, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prime-directive/527945 "2010-02-11T23:16:24Z")
Suppose in the next century or two humanity developed interstellar travel and formed a world government. Supposing there are lesser developed but still intelligent alien races (rangng from cavemen to today’s level of tec… --- ## [Atheism is a religion!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276)
**Author:** [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Replies:** 205\ **Last updated:** [February 11, 2010, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276 "2010-02-11T22:39:28Z")
There, I’ve said it! Boy, do I feel better. C’mon guys, why can’t we just admit it to the non-non-believers? Now that the secret’s out, I feel like I can finally divulge the other secrets of the religion. First of al… --- ## [Pros/Cons of % based taxation?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pros-cons-of-based-taxation/528281)
**Author:** [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Replies:** 78\ **Last updated:** [February 11, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pros-cons-of-based-taxation/528281 "2010-02-11T18:32:36Z")
Assuming we kept “consumer taxes” and left them alone. Aka, people who have money spend more. Maybe I can’t get past my nose to look at the actual issues but I see a flat tax as being by far the most “fair” tax there co… --- ## [how transferable is accounting education between countries?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-transferable-is-accounting-education-between-countries/528484)
**Author:** [@code\_grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/code_grey)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [February 11, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-transferable-is-accounting-education-between-countries/528484 "2010-02-11T16:00:45Z")
let’s say it costs X to study accounting in America, Y to study it in Germany and Z in a place like Philippines. So how different would the resulting education be? Would a German or Philippines trained accountant need to… --- ## [Will the economy affect college applications/attendance?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-economy-affect-college-applications-attendance/528300)
**Author:** [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [February 11, 2010, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-economy-affect-college-applications-attendance/528300 "2010-02-11T05:37:43Z")
The other day my wife attended a function for lawyers at which she sat next to a recent graduate of Notre Dame’s law school. He said he was employed essentially as a research clerk, and said 1/2 of his law school class … --- ## [Are Fundamentalists the Atheist's best friend?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-fundamentalists-the-atheists-best-friend/526678)
**Author:** [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Replies:** 271\ **Last updated:** [February 11, 2010, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-fundamentalists-the-atheists-best-friend/526678 "2010-02-11T04:34:16Z")
Ross Douthat at NYTsays so. He goes on to say I’ve made this point before: that Pat Robertson does not really represent the Christianity that most Christians adhere to, but he does represent the kind of Christianity … --- ## [Is it possible in the future that there will be an end to science.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-in-the-future-that-there-will-be-an-end-to-science/520803)
**Author:** [@Patrick\_Mc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patrick_Mc)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [February 11, 2010, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-in-the-future-that-there-will-be-an-end-to-science/520803 "2010-02-11T04:29:59Z")
At some future time will science no longer be necessary to study because nature will be entirely explained? Does that go for mathematics as well? --- ## [What is Filipino culture? Is it being lost? (Are there any Filipinos here?)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-filipino-culture-is-it-being-lost-are-there-any-filipinos-here/526870)
**Author:** [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [February 11, 2010, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-filipino-culture-is-it-being-lost-are-there-any-filipinos-here/526870 "2010-02-11T02:20:29Z")
Sorry for this very long OP - I’m just really interested in this issue and I want to try to explain it well. I recently had a very long talk with my girlfriend about an issue which she sees as very important, which is t… --- ## [Double negatives make a positive! No, they don't!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/double-negatives-make-a-positive-no-they-dont/528150)
**Author:** [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [February 10, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/double-negatives-make-a-positive-no-they-dont/528150 "2010-02-10T22:02:37Z")
To give an outlet to those who got sidetracked by grammar in the U-boat thread over in GQ. Have at it! --- ## [Adjuvants. In or out?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjuvants-in-or-out/526985)
**Author:** [@Hadrian\_s\_Wall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hadrian_s_Wall)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [February 10, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjuvants-in-or-out/526985 "2010-02-10T15:17:22Z")
I am just interested in people’s opinions: Currently, in case you have not heard, there exists a novel flu virus called H1N1. The United States has produced a vaccine made from hemaglutinin proteins and does not contain… --- ## [No global warming since 1850?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-global-warming-since-1850/528311)
**Author:** [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [February 10, 2010, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-global-warming-since-1850/528311 "2010-02-10T02:17:39Z")
A coworker sent me this link after we had a short debate on global warming. \[quote=Right Wing Coworker\] The most disturbing aspect of the whole Global Warming science debate is how raw temperature data is artificially … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=476) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=478)