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2 Airport Security Against the Status Quo. Airport searches invade personal privacy and do little to protect the American public from terrorism. Supporting the Status Quo Airport searches are necessary to protect the American public from terrorism. Key words: TSA, Fourth Amendment

3 Alien Life Against the Status Quo. Intelligent life is probably rare in the universe, if it exists anywhere else at all. Supporting the Status Quo Intelligent life probably exists on many planets throughout the universe. Key words: The Drake Equation, The Rare Earth Hypothesis, The Fermi Paradox, SETI

4 Ancient UFOs Against the Status Quo Some evidence suggests that aliens visited the Earth in ancient times. Supporting the Status Quo There is no evidence suggesting aliens ever visited the Earth. Key words: ancient astronauts, Eric von Daniken, paleocontact

5 Atlantis Against the Status Quo. Atlantis once existed as a historical place. Supporting the Status Quo Atlantis must be considered mythical. Key words: Thera, Bimini Wall

6 Against the Status Quo. Evidence shows that Bigfoot is a living creature in North America. Supporting the Status Quo Evidence supporting Bigfoot is flawed or faked. Bigfoot Key words: sasquatch, cripplefoot, Patterson film, Memorial Day Film, Freeman Film, Minnesota Iceman

7 Boxing Against the Status Quo Boxing should be outlawed with other gladiatorial events. Supporting the Status Quo Boxing should remain a legal sport.

8 Dr-Assisted Suicide Against the Status Quo Doctors should be able to help patients end their lives. Supporting the Status Quo Doctors should not kill their patients. Key words: Physician-Assisted Suicide, Dr. Kevorkian

9 Dropouts, legalizing Against the Status Quo High school students should be allowed to drop out. Supporting the Status Quo High school students should not be allowed to drop out.

10 Electronic Voice Phenomena Against the Status Quo. The dead sometimes haunt the living and their voices can be recorded. Supporting the Status Quo The dead do not haunt the living; voices heard in recordings are figments of people’s imaginations. Key words: Electronic Voice Phenomenon, EVP

11 Extreme Sport Rescue Against the Status Quo People that engage in extreme sports should pay for their own rescues. Supporting the Status Quo People that engage in extreme sports should be rescued at the taxpayers’ expense.

12 Flight 19 of the Bermuda Triangle Against the Status Quo Flight 19 disappeared due to the mysterious powers of the Bermuda Triangle. Supporting the Status Quo Flight 19 disappeared through pilot error or natural causes.

13 Genetically Modified Foods Against the Status Quo. Genetically modified foods are a bad thing and should not be legal. Supporting the Status Quo Genetically modified foods are a good thing and should be legal. Essential Questions: Should a corporation be able to put a patent on a living thing? How otherwise can a company protect years of expensive laboratory research? Should a corporation be able to control the farms that use its genetically modified seeds? What happens when drifting pollen carries genetically modified DNA into the neighbor’s farm? Does the corporation have any control over that farm? Can a genetically modified crop drive out native species? Are genetically modified crops susceptible to the problems of monoculture? Key words: Monsanto

14 Global Warming Against the Status Quo. Global warming is caused by sunspot cycles, not human behavior, and is part of a natural cycle. Supporting the Status Quo Global warming is caused by human behavior and threatens our survival as a species. Key words: An Inconvenient Truth, The Great Global Warming Swindle

15 Gun Control Against the Status Quo The government should outlaw gun ownership. Supporting the Status Quo Citizens without convictions should continue to be able to own guns. Key words: 2 nd Amendment, gun control, Brady Act, right to bear arms

16 Against the Status Quo The Moon landing was a hoax... a television trick. Supporting the Status Quo NASA successfully landed men on the moon. Key words: moon-landing

17 Against the Status Quo Citizens of the United States are guaranteed a trial by the Constitution. Supporting the Status Quo Our government should be able to arrest American citizens and detain them indefinitely without charging them or bringing them to trial. Indefinite Detention Key words: NDAA, or National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012

18 Insanity Defense Against the Status Quo The insanity defense should be abolished. Supporting the Status Quo Mentally ill people should be cured, not punished.

19 Intelligence, Origin of Against the Status Quo A person’s intelligence-level is determined by genetics. Supporting the Status Quo A person’s intelligence-level is developed by academic work.

20 Kennedy Assassination Against the Status Quo Opponents to the status quo may choose ONE of the following possible killers of Kennedy, such as: The Mob Castro / The Cubans Khrushchev / The Soviets / the KGB The FBI The CIA Vice President Johnson The New Orleans Conspiracy Oswald, agent of the CIA The Secret Service Howard Hunt The Federal Reserve The Israelis The Cuban Exiles The American Fact-Finding Committee OR an opponent of the status quo may focus on one facet or detail of the assassination, such as: Alterations to Kennedy’s wounds The Zapruder film The Three Tramps Grassy Knoll shooter The “Magic Bullet” Supporting the Status Quo Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone, assassinated President Kennedy.

21 Lake Monsters Against the Status Quo Some lakes contain large, unknown creatures. Supporting the Status Quo There is no scientific evidence to support the existence of large, unknown lake creatures. Key words: Loch Ness, Nessie, Lake Champlain

22 Net Neutrality Against the Status Quo The Internet would be faster and better if the government controlled the content. Supporting the Status Quo Freedom on the Internet would disappear if the government controlled the content. Key words: Net Neutrality, Julius Genachowski, SOPA

23 Against the Status Quo Nostradamus made predictions that correctly forecasted some current events. Supporting the Status Quo Nostradamus made predictions so vague that they can be interpreted to fit current events. Nostradamus Key words:

24 Against the Status Quo The government should allow Americans to drill off-shore. Supporting the Status Quo The government should not allow Americans to drill off-shore.

25 Patriot Act Against the Status Quo Allowing the government to spy on citizens is unconstitutional and destroys our liberties and rights. Supporting the Status Quo Wiretapping, closed circuit cameras, and heightened airport security are necessary to keep Americans safe. Key words: Patriot Act

26 Against the Status Quo The American prison system doesn’t work. It should be replaced with…. Supporting the Status Quo The American prison system works. Prison Reform

27 Psychic Powers Against the Status Quo Some scientific investigations confirm psychic abilities in humans. Supporting the Status Quo Science does not show that any human being has psychic abilities. Key words: ESP, extra-sensory perception, precognition, remote sensing

28 Roswell Crash Against the Status Quo. An alien craft crashed in Roswell, New Mexico in Alien bodies were recovered and studied by our government. Supporting the Status Quo The Roswell UFO crash never happened. People are confused or creating a hoax.

29 Space Exploration, cost Against the Status Quo Manned space exploration is a waste of time, money, and lives. Supporting the Status Quo Manned space exploration is important for our future.

30 Against the Status Quo Our state should treat violent teens like adults. Supporting the Status Quo Our state should continue to treat violent teens as teens, not as adults. Teens Tried as Adult

31 TV, Psychological Effects Against the Status Quo. Television is harmful for children. Watching television early in life limits a person's thinking abilities. Supporting the Status Quo Television is not seriously harmful for children. Watching television has few harmful effects on a person's thinking abilities. This topic could be modified for video-gaming instead of TV watching.

32 Vegetarianism Against the Status Quo Vegetarianism is healthier than a diet that includes meat. Supporting the Status Quo Vegetarianism is not healthier than a diet that includes meat.

33 Violence on TV & Games Against the Status Quo While experiencing media violence may encourage a few unstable people to become violent, it does not contribute to the increase of violent behavior in the society as a whole. Supporting the Status Quo Experiencing media violence not only encourages a few unstable people to become violent, it also contributes to the increase of violent behavior in the society as a whole.

34 Women in Combat Against the Status Quo Women should serve in combat. Supporting the Status Quo Women should not serve in combat.

View 1 Why players should be fined/suspended for hard hits View 2 Why players shouldn ’ t be fined/suspended for hard hits

View Points: View 1: Individuals 15 and up should be allowed to get tattoos and piercings without parental permission. View 2: Individuals under the age of 18 should not be allowed to get tattoos and piercings without parental permission.

View 1 Society’s promotion of a thin body causes women to develop a distorted body image which can lead to anorexia. View 2 Biology and genetic makeup are greater risk factors for developing anorexia than society.

Status Quo: Status Quo: Cell phones should be allowed in class rooms. Against status Quo: Cell phones should not be allowed in class rooms.

39 Other Topics Should taxpayers fund more AIDS research? Should grain be used for liquor and beer? Are animal’s rights ever worth more than human rights? Should our government be this big? Are biological weapons a real threat? Are boycotts effective or not? Does censorship really exist? How do we balance the rights of crime victims against the rights of the accused? Are mass extinction events a serious threat to the human race? Is the Endangered Species List manipulated for political purposes? Does nature show signs of Intelligent Design or is Evolution completely controlled by random mutation? Do the rich already pay more than their fair share of taxes? Should the taxpayer subsidize farms? Should gambling be legal? Should Native American tribal members have more rights than the general population? Any other topic must be presented to the teacher before starting. The presentation must include both a status quo and non-status quo position. Can women’s eating disorders be linked to the fashion industry? Was there anything unusual in Hanger 19 in Area 51? Should the American Taxpayer have to cover the losses of people who chose build in flood areas? Is a high population a danger to the environment or a benefit to humankind? Should porn be banned? Can we ever get rid of nuclear weapons? Do individuals have the right to suicide? Should government impose restrictions on what kinds of foods can be served in school cafeterias? Does parental “tough love” really work? Should the use of coal be subjected to stricter environmental regulations than other fuels? Should we reform laws to make it harder to get a divorce? Should DDT be re-approved for use in the wake of recent bedbug outbreaks across the country? Do beauty contests serve any purpose in society? Do oil companies make big bucks while the rest of us pay too much? What, if any, limitations should be applied to the paparazzi? Should denial of the Holocaust be illegal? Domestic Violence Gangs Genetic Engineering Homelessness Michael Moore Nuclear Weapons Outsourcing Jobs Pork-Barrel Spending Prescription Drug Prices Prison Reform Rainforest Problems School Violence Sexual Harassment Steroids Sweatshops Free college Mainstreaming disabled children Retention of students due to failing grades Homosexuals in the military Helmet laws

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