Civil Discourse Answers

Zane is writing an opinion essay about the US military’s policy of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Read his first paragraph.From 1994 until 2011, the US military had a policy known as "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Members of the LGBTQ+ community had already been forbidden from serving in the military. With this law, they still could be kicked out of the military if their identities became known. However, their superior officers could not ask them to confirm their identities either. So they were allowed to serve, but only if they hid an important part of themselves. In 1994, when President Bill Clinton signed the law, some people thought it was a victory for the LGBTQ+ community, but it was a harmful policy.

Read this excerpt from the goals of the Sunrise Movement.We grow our power through talking to our communities.We talk to our neighbors, families, religious leaders, classmates, and teachers, in order to spread our word. Our strength and work is rooted in our local communities, and we are always growing in number.-Principle 2, Sunrise Movement

What is unique about a grassroots movement?

How might a group that focuses on the issue of climate change, such as the Sunrise Movement, best measure the success of their advocacy?

What might an advocate do to create change?

A member of the March for Our Lives organization writes an editorial for his school newspaper about the need to fight gun violence in schools. What is a piece of evidence he could use to support his argument?

Read the scenario.Serena is participating in a debate about free speech on social media. She is an advocate for letting people say whatever they want online. To prepare for the debate, she writes the following reasons for her argument:What is offensive to one person may not be to another.We learn from each other’s ideas even if we don’t like them.Her debate partner reminds her to note a different point of view so she can prepare to discuss it.