Terrorism in the United States and Our Civil Liberties
A Web Quest for 12th Grade Participation in Government
Students S.B.H.S.
Edwin Baez
Introduction
Terrorism has always been a threat to our civilization. However, now that it has hit home in the United States (Oklahoma City bombing in and twice the bombing of theWorld Trade Center); we are now more than ever vulnerable to possible future attacks.
The Question is: Will we have sacrificed some of our freedoms now that national Security is a priority to keep our nation safe?
You are a member of the F.B.I. and there are reports of future acts of terrorism like blowing up school buildings or bombing subways and buses affecting transportation all over the city.
Task
The learner as an average citizen or a law enforcement agent of the F.B.I. should have read and comprehend the first 10 amendments of the Constitution of the United States
Which is the Bill of Rights. The learner must determine that even if we are involved in a crisis. They must question themselves; How far can we go to improve national security without having to violate people’s constitutional rights.
The learner must also understand that we are not only at a high state of alert, but that we are at war. Should we be allowed to use racial profiling? Should landlords be allowed to call law enforcement agencies just because they have a suspicion that their tenants could be suspected terrorists just because of their ethnicity is different from many Americans. Should the I.N.S. (Immigration and Naturalization Service) get involved?
Should the Department of Justice ask the I.N.S. to revise the immigration laws of this of this nation so that it can make it much easier for the U.S. Government close its borders to foreigners?
The learner should be able to define and explain what is racial profiling and how it
Can affect American society.
-Identify different ethnic groups from South Asia and the Middle East.
-familiarize themselves with the Islamic religion and its basic fundamentals of belief.
For an example: The five pillars of faith.
-Define the concept of human rights and how it can apply even during a time of crisis.
Learners
will work with resources such as the Internet, reference books, the
New York Times, etc.
The Process
1. Groups of four students will form a team which will be a total of eight in one
Class and a team of six in another class.
2. There will be a total of 8 teams in the sixth period class and there will be a total of 6 teams in the ninth period class.
3. A representative of each group will be reporting to the Instructor for further assistance when necessary.
4. The teams will be split up to represent law enforcement agents and the other half of the teams will represent normal citizens.
5. After you gather all your research and information then you will be ready to have a debate between Federal Law Enforcement Agents and the Law abiding citizens.
6. It is necessary that you familiarize yourself with the Department of Justice and the F.B.I. office. Including the U.S. Attorney General and the Director of the F.B.I...
7. Agents are responsible to learn about some of the tactics that members of the F.B.I. use to be able to perform their duties and responsibilities. Remember!
That you will be investigating against possible attacks against U.S. interest whether is here or abroad.
8. You may want to interview an expert on terrorism or a lawyer who believes in
Protecting our civil liberties as written in our constitution.
9. You will refer to a couple of Supreme Court cases that is relevant to the topic.
- Korematsu v. U.S. 1942 and you can look for other related court cases.
10. You can refer to the following internet search engines and/or websites.
Amazon.Com
CNN.Com
MSNBC.Com
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips.htm
Evaluation
Each group will be evaluated by teams. You will get a grade of 100 points and it
Will be averaged into the percentages of tests that you will get for the Third Marking
Period. Please refer to your student contract for more information of the grading policy.
Every member of each team will be held responsible to put in their fair share of work.
The Instructor will also be using a Rubric Assessment of each group and will be addressed for evaluating Web Quest.
Conclusion
The students will be able to learn how to learn the difference between the understandings of our constitution and how it protects our civil liberties with the action
Of law enforcement agencies during critical times in our nations’ history.
Here are some rhetorical questions to encourage you to extend your thinking while
Working with this lesson:
1. Is Law enforcement really following federal guidelines according to our constitution?
Explain your answer!
2. Why are more than over one thousand (1,000) people being arrested throughout the
United States, and being detained without being charged without a crime since
September 11th, 2001? Is it because they look suspicious and may fit the profile of
A suspected terrorist? What do you think?
3. Do you think people who practice Islam in this nation are also being singled out?
As sponsors of terrorism?
4. Are Middle Eastern immigrants being discriminated against and constantly being
Watched and maybe harassed by certain people in America? Don’t they have the
Same freedoms as we enjoy?
5. Do you think that the people of America will ever return to normalcy after what
Happened
on September 11, 2001? Why or why not?