For this assignment, I want to know what you think, what your position is on one key topic that we have been studying. However, this is somewhat different from simply stating your opinion. Your position on the topic must be supported by research. For example, it is not enough for you to believe that, say, free speech does not cover hate propaganda websites, and therefore, the government should step in and regulate them. Rather, you would need to have research from law reviews and articles in major newspapers to support that position. (Again, that’s just an example.)
One more note regarding source material. Encyclopedias (like Wikipedia), and sites like About.com are good starting points, but they should not be used as primary sources. (In fact, by definition, they are not primary sources.) For example, if you find information about hate groups in an article on About.com, look up their original source and confirm the information for yourself. The Auraria Library (click here) makes it so easy to find information via their website, there really is no excuse for being sloppy about finding original sources. Go to their site and research articles in academic journals, research books and book chapters in edited volumes are good examples of original sources. I will also accept newspaper and magazine articles (print or electronic) as sources if you confirm that their authors have gathered their own research. The New York Times is a good example. A Capitol Hill lobbying group’s newsletter is not a good example. Lastly, note in the rubric below that in order to receive full credit, you must include at least three external sources of research. Our course books are not an external sources. You do not need to include copies of the original sources. Just be sure to cite the material appropriately so that if your reader (me) wants to look up the information, he can do that. You DO need to include a reference list at the end of your paper. It must be properly formatted in APA style (American Psychological Association), which you can learn more about here (Links to an external site.).
Okay, on to the specifics. Choose one question from those listed below. Use books, scholarly journal articles, newspaper articles, etc. to answer that question in a 1,500-word paper (that’s about 6 – 7 pages). Choose just one (1) of the following questions to answer.
How can we have open and honest discussions with those involved in hate groups to try to help bring them back into mainstream society? Are there mechanisms you could put in place to give the members of such groups a safe space to discuss their feelings and opinions, and to try to change their minds, without driving them further into the hate movement?
What resources would you make available to families, such as those we read about in Pete Simi’s book, that might prevent them from turning to hate groups in the first place? Think about this at a societal level — what do we need to change about our economy, our political system, our social services, etc. in order to prevent needy families from turning to hate?
What changes would you propose to make to Internet regulations or social media sites to try to reign in the spread of hate online? Can this be done without serious First Amendment challenges?
If Ryan and Leeson are correct in their article, that hate groups do not necessarily commit hate crimes and that hate crimes are not necessarily committed solely by hate groups, then what can be done about hate crimes? Is the enforcement of hate crimes laws sufficient to stem the tide of hate crimes, or is there a broader response necessary?
What solution(s) would you propose to change perceptions in the U.S. on immigration? We’ve read in Gemignani and Hernandez’s article that ideologies that seek to suppress immigration do so because they have created their own narrative around why immigration is a bad thing for this country. How would you try to change that narrative?
These papers are to be 1,500 words in length, typed, double-spaced, with margins no larger than 1¼ inches and a font size no larger than 12-point. Title pages and reference pages DO NOT count as part of the 1,500-word requirement.