V. Civil LibertiesV. Civil Liberties V. Civil LibertiesV. Civil Liberties

A. Affirmative Action• Affirmative Action – Government

policy that gives preference to minorities, women, or physically challenged people

• Makes up for past discrimination • Used by employers and colleges• Practice was made unconstitutional in

Nebraska in 2008

B. Right to Privacy

• Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) – Constitution protects personal privacy

• USA Patriot Act (2002) – Gives the federal government great powers to detain anyone expected of terrorism

• Government does not have to charge you with a crime to detain you

C. Roe V Wade (1973)• Decided the question (for now) on

what limits a state can have on a woman’s right of abortion

• Texas law prohibited all abortions unless the mother’s life was endangered

•Supreme Court ruled the Texas law unconstitutional

•Separated a pregnancy into trimesters – (3 months)

1st Trimester•State can pass no laws that prevent women from having an abortion

2nd Trimester

•Acting in the interest of the mother states may regulate but not completely prohibit abortions

3rd Trimester•States may prohibit all abortions except those necessary to save the life of the mother

D. Peter Singer the Final Frontier on

Abortion• Dr. Peter Singer – Ethic professor

who teaches at Princeton • Believes that the ability to rationalize is

where life begins• States that since newborns are unable

to rationalize – Parents and doctors should be allowed to put them to death until the 18th week of life

• Claims that it is no different than the practice of abortion

• Unborn children like newborns can not think for themselves

• Parents should also be able to put a disabled child to death

• Believes this practice would rid the world of crime and poverty

• States that unwanted children are born ever day

• These parents do not do a proper job of raising these children

•Children without loving parents are the cause of all evils in society

•Society as a whole would be better off if these unwanted children were put to death as infants