# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=94 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 95 --- ## [Politics on College Campuses;Smug, Self-righteous and Intolerant](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politics-on-college-campuses-smug-self-righteous-and-intolerant/814834)
**Author:** [@JBGUSA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBGUSA)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [May 26, 2018, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/politics-on-college-campuses-smug-self-righteous-and-intolerant/814834 "2018-05-26T21:53:07Z")
Bret Weinstein, a biology professor at Evergreen State College in Washington state, refused to participate in a "day of absence” at the college to protest "racial injustice.” Potential Weinstein refused to absent hims… --- ## [Police use info from genealogy site to ID the Golden State Killer suspect. Does that bother you?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-use-info-from-genealogy-site-to-id-the-golden-state-killer-suspect-does-that-bother-you/813200)
**Author:** [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Replies:** 72\ **Last updated:** [May 26, 2018, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-use-info-from-genealogy-site-to-id-the-golden-state-killer-suspect-does-that-bother-you/813200 "2018-05-26T21:16:57Z")
Police used DNA info on genealogy websites to track down Golden State Killer suspect The Sacramento DA’s office matched DNA from a crime site against a genealogy website database, to narrow down the search for the Golde… --- ## [Better human rights - North Korea, or ancient Rome/Babylon/Egypt/etc.?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-human-rights-north-korea-or-ancient-rome-babylon-egypt-etc/814770)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [May 26, 2018, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/better-human-rights-north-korea-or-ancient-rome-babylon-egypt-etc/814770 "2018-05-26T19:21:50Z")
So, from a human-rights standpoint, which society would a person have had more freedom, or also, less likelihood of being tortured/imprisoned/executed - modern day North Korea, or some ancient civilization like Rome, Gre… --- ## [Gorsuch confirmation hearing](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorsuch-confirmation-hearing/782653)
**Author:** [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Replies:** 529\ **Last updated:** [May 25, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorsuch-confirmation-hearing/782653 "2018-05-25T13:20:53Z")
Today marked the commencement of the confirmation hearings for Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court. It doesn’t appear that there were any earth-shattering moments, and after a day of hearings, it seems like his nom… --- ## [Why is there something instead of nothing?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-something-instead-of-nothing/814351)
**Author:** [@senoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/senoy)\ **Replies:** 97\ **Last updated:** [May 24, 2018, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-something-instead-of-nothing/814351 "2018-05-24T19:21:33Z")
The greatest metaphysical question. I have yet to hear any satisfactory answer. It makes sense to me anyway that a state of “Nothing” is a state with the fewest contingencies and thus most expected. For ‘Nothing’ to ‘ex… --- ## [Is Twitter-blocking by The President a violation of the 1st Amendment?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-twitter-blocking-by-the-president-a-violation-of-the-1st-amendment/788366)
**Author:** [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Replies:** 169\ **Last updated:** [May 23, 2018, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-twitter-blocking-by-the-president-a-violation-of-the-1st-amendment/788366 "2018-05-23T20:29:51Z")
Interesting essay from the Consumerist website seems to indicate that the answer is more complicated than it seems. To dumb-down the article, on the one hand Twitter’s rules allow you, as a private citizen, to block anyo… --- ## [Data, facts, and institutional/systemic racism/bigotry/bias](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-facts-and-institutional-systemic-racism-bigotry-bias/814278)
**Author:** [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Replies:** 104\ **Last updated:** [May 23, 2018, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/data-facts-and-institutional-systemic-racism-bigotry-bias/814278 "2018-05-23T18:31:53Z")
We’ve had many discussions on this board in which the disagreement boils down to, fundamentally, whether systemic and institutional bigotry/racism/bias exists as a significant force in America, in the justice system, pol… --- ## [Gentrification is bad](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentrification-is-bad/805935)
**Author:** [@Nadnerb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nadnerb)\ **Replies:** 252\ **Last updated:** [May 23, 2018, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gentrification-is-bad/805935 "2018-05-23T15:00:26Z")
Why it’s bad: It causes a community to be less affordable. It prices out long time residents. It is profit driven, and not community driven. And allow me to cite some references: \*7 Reasons Why Gentrification Hurts C… --- ## [Did the Parkland students really get what they wanted?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-parkland-students-really-get-what-they-wanted/812221)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 190\ **Last updated:** [May 22, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-parkland-students-really-get-what-they-wanted/812221 "2018-05-22T16:44:30Z")
In terms of publicity, the Parkland students have brought considerable attention to the gun issue, but in terms of substantive policy, they got clear backpacks and long TSA-like security lines. They hardly got a single g… --- ## [Why is Kelly Sadler's statement about John McCain referred to as 'a joke' in the US?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kelly-sadlers-statement-about-john-mccain-referred-to-as-a-joke-in-the-us/814348)
**Author:** [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Replies:** 53\ **Last updated:** [May 22, 2018, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-kelly-sadlers-statement-about-john-mccain-referred-to-as-a-joke-in-the-us/814348 "2018-05-22T11:33:23Z")
… rather than as ‘a callous statement made in earnest’? I refer, of cause, to White House staffer Kelly Sadler’s statement ‘It doesn’t matter, he’s dying anyway’ in the context of McCain’s opposition to Gina Haspel’s no… --- ## [Should there be federal sports wagering laws?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-federal-sports-wagering-laws/814261)
**Author:** [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [May 21, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-federal-sports-wagering-laws/814261 "2018-05-21T16:44:46Z")
The other day the SCOTUS said that states could legalize sports wagering if they wanted to, and it appears that many are trying to get it done before the next football season starts. But the leagues, both professional a… --- ## [Was the Arpaio pardon unconstitutional?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-arpaio-pardon-unconstitutional/814129)
**Author:** [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Replies:** 71\ **Last updated:** [May 18, 2018, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-arpaio-pardon-unconstitutional/814129 "2018-05-18T18:42:18Z")
is Redish right? Are there constitutional limits to presidential pardon powers? Can a president pardon a government official who has violated citizens’ constitutional rights, or do those constitutional rights outweigh… --- ## [Cybersecurity coordinator out of NSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cybersecurity-coordinator-out-of-nsc/814241)
**Author:** [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [May 18, 2018, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cybersecurity-coordinator-out-of-nsc/814241 "2018-05-18T17:58:37Z")
John Bolton has followed through on his earlier intention to remove the cyber-security coordinator from the NSC. This seems incredibly foolhardy, given recent developments regarding Russian hacking of our infrastructur… --- ## [Drug Price Reduction Plan](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-price-reduction-plan/814039)
**Author:** [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Replies:** 92\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2018, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-price-reduction-plan/814039 "2018-05-17T17:48:15Z")
Secretary Of Health And Human Services Alex Azar has released a plan for reducing the cost of pharmaceuticals in the US (at the moment they are about double the cost as in other OECD nations). Here it is: The document… --- ## [Are some people aware thet their SO is a paedophile but choose to do nothing?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-aware-thet-their-so-is-a-paedophile-but-choose-to-do-nothing/814072)
**Author:** [@Dunmurry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunmurry)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2018, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-aware-thet-their-so-is-a-paedophile-but-choose-to-do-nothing/814072 "2018-05-17T15:36:59Z")
Well I have always thought that now there must be a significant amount of people who are aware that their SO is a paedophile but choose to do nothing about it. I would like to find out why this is. They’re in a position … --- ## [Your company/division pivots and starts working on weapons of war - what is right and why?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-company-division-pivots-and-starts-working-on-weapons-of-war-what-is-right-and-why/814215)
**Author:** [@Textual\_Innuendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Textual_Innuendo)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [May 17, 2018, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-company-division-pivots-and-starts-working-on-weapons-of-war-what-is-right-and-why/814215 "2018-05-17T08:43:33Z")
Inspired by the stories about Google working on war drone image recognition AI, and 12 affected employees leaving the company for ethical reasons. Is Google wrong to do this? Are the employees wrong to leave? On the o… --- ## [PA Court Ruling Could Cause Major Problems for Frackers](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pa-court-ruling-could-cause-major-problems-for-frackers/814063)
**Author:** [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [May 15, 2018, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pa-court-ruling-could-cause-major-problems-for-frackers/814063 "2018-05-15T11:23:51Z")
https://www.bna.com/frackers-feeling-shaken-n57982092520/ Whatever the pros and cons of fracking, I can see the logic behind the ruling. Thoughts? --- ## [The Holocaust Industry.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-holocaust-industry/814176)
**Author:** [@mrka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrka)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [May 15, 2018, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-holocaust-industry/814176 "2018-05-15T00:25:03Z")
This is an interview with Polish lawyer, commentator and politician S. Michalkiewicz. He is a conservative. Unfortunately it’s in Polish. His comments are about the USA and recent events such as signing a… --- ## [What were the goals and achievements of the various waves of feminism](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-goals-and-achievements-of-the-various-waves-of-feminism/813988)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [May 14, 2018, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-the-goals-and-achievements-of-the-various-waves-of-feminism/813988 "2018-05-14T12:02:15Z")
My understanding is there have been 3 waves of feminism. I don’t know if we are in a 4th yet or still in the 3rd. Anyway, here is my understanding. First wave - 1890-1930. Pushed for women’s right to vote and work in s… --- ## [The US has lost in Afghanistan, time to get out for good.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-has-lost-in-afghanistan-time-to-get-out-for-good/813638)
**Author:** [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Replies:** 54\ **Last updated:** [May 12, 2018, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-has-lost-in-afghanistan-time-to-get-out-for-good/813638 "2018-05-12T13:36:20Z")
Reading this doesn’t bode well for Afghans; Now I’ve resisted for a long time that the US was losing in Afghanistan, but in some respects its turned into more of a problem than Iraq was, as there’s no viable exit str… --- ## [Ava DuVernay hiring only female directors](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ava-duvernay-hiring-only-female-directors/813719)
**Author:** [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Replies:** 174\ **Last updated:** [May 11, 2018, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ava-duvernay-hiring-only-female-directors/813719 "2018-05-11T14:19:27Z")
As discussed in this article, Ava DuVernay is hiring only female directors for season 3 of her TV show Queen Sugar, along with as many other female writers/producers/etc as possible, and is quoted as saying “I invite you… --- ## [Netanyahu: we caught Iran red-handed!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netanyahu-we-caught-iran-red-handed/813373)
**Author:** [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Replies:** 182\ **Last updated:** [May 11, 2018, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netanyahu-we-caught-iran-red-handed/813373 "2018-05-11T08:49:34Z")
Today, Bibi Netanyahu made a major address showing a ton of documents obtained by Israeli intelligence showing that Iran had a secret nuclear weapons program, which had been denied by all of Iran’s top leaders. These do… --- ## [Speed and cell phone laws - Self-Inflicted Drag on Productivity](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speed-and-cell-phone-laws-self-inflicted-drag-on-productivity/813588)
**Author:** [@JBGUSA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBGUSA)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [May 10, 2018, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speed-and-cell-phone-laws-self-inflicted-drag-on-productivity/813588 "2018-05-10T13:36:44Z")
The invention of the automobile and the creation of modern high-speed highways were a great stimulus to the nation’s economy, from enhanced productivity and the connection of remote markets to each other. Far less tim… --- ## [How would the major religions approach sentient AI's?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-major-religions-approach-sentient-ais/813833)
**Author:** [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [May 10, 2018, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-major-religions-approach-sentient-ais/813833 "2018-05-10T10:20:21Z")
Assuming for the purposes of this thread that sometime in the not too distant future what for all purposes appear to be genuine sentient Artificial Intelligence has been created.\* How would the major world religions dea… --- ## [Racism vs low Social Mobility](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-vs-low-social-mobility/813714)
**Author:** [@Delicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delicious)\ **Replies:** 39\ **Last updated:** [May 8, 2018, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-vs-low-social-mobility/813714 "2018-05-08T23:03:33Z")
A lot of debates about the effects of racism get fairly muddied by the fact that ethnic minorities tend to be disproportionately in lower income brackets and poor people tend to get it worse regardless of race. The topi… --- ## [Joy Reid Says She Was Hacked (But She Wasn't)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joy-reid-says-she-was-hacked-but-she-wasnt/813248)
**Author:** [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Replies:** 64\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2018, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joy-reid-says-she-was-hacked-but-she-wasnt/813248 "2018-05-06T22:03:39Z")
Somehow, the claims made by Joy Reid that the ten-plus-year-old blog posts with vaguely homophobic language were fabrications seems to have gotten little attention here on the SDMB, or perhaps my search skills are lackin… --- ## [The US is more corrupt than most developing countries](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-more-corrupt-than-most-developing-countries/812791)
**Author:** [@Textual\_Innuendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Textual_Innuendo)\ **Replies:** 72\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2018, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-is-more-corrupt-than-most-developing-countries/812791 "2018-05-06T16:46:04Z")
So first, I will stipulate: I have lived in multiple developing countries. I have done business in multiple developing countries. I know corruption there is real and exists, and have had it personally affect both pers… --- ## [Political Correctness in our universities](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correctness-in-our-universities/813108)
**Author:** [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Replies:** 312\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2018, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correctness-in-our-universities/813108 "2018-05-06T14:37:20Z")
Once again, we’re seeing the doubleplus ungood forces of political correctness targeting anyone at an American university who doesn’t join in their groupthink. Is free speech really so poorly valued in our nation’s acade… --- ## [Racist Presidents.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-presidents/813234)
**Author:** [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2018, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-presidents/813234 "2018-05-06T01:32:30Z")
I often hear people lament this or that president was racist. Washington and Jefferson owned slaves. I once read a quote from the Lincoln-Douglas debates (sorry no cite for now). Lincoln said, yes, blacks were intellect… --- ## [Why were the Japanese so cruel in World War II?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034)
**Author:** [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Replies:** 351\ **Last updated:** [May 5, 2018, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034 "2018-05-05T23:00:31Z")
Especially to the Chinese. I just finished watching “John Rabe” on Netflix, about where a Nazi was disgusted by the Japanese atrocities (you know you got it bad if he’s writing Hitler to tell the Japanese to cool it). Be… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=93) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=95)