lady gaga supports gays in the military

All right. Another controversial topic. First, what do you think about celebrities and artists getting involved in political causes? How often does this sort of thing happen in Slovakia? Do influential people like musicians have a moral duty to use their influence to try to make the world a better place? Or should they stick to what they know and leave these issues to politicians and academics? Can they be more effective than politicians since they don't have to be so careful about pleasing constituents and maintaining a squeaky clean reputation? On the other hand, do celebrities also have a moral obligation to be a good role model? Secondly (and be respectful here!), what are the issues involved in allowing homosexuals to serve in the military. At the moment, US army officials are not allowed to ask about sex orientation and recruits should keep quiet. If they don't however, they can be kicked out. Does this seem a fair system to you or would you like to change it? Would it work in Slovakia? In Western Europe?

candidate for US senate admitted that she had dabbled in witchcraft as a high-schooler

This one is all over the news these days. Here is a British perspective, and a rather opinionated one --this is not a factual article but more of an editorial. What evidence in the text prompts me to say this? How much do you agree with the writer's perspective on all of the issues he discusses? Should candidates be judged on these sorts of things because it shows that they are hypocritical or that they lack judgment and common sense? Or is digging too far in the past and judging someone for it unfair? Finally, what's your opinion on witchcraft?

Ahmadinejad says capitalism is to blame

OK.  Big heavy topic here.  And though you may certainly disagree with him, by the quotes that appear in this article, Ahmadinejad seems to be more articulate than I thought he was.  Anyway, the topic is a good one.  What are the disadvantages of capitalism?   Are there ways to counteract these?  Is it inherently unfair because it puts too much power in too few hands?   Does it have a tendency to become unstable and collapse?  And is it partly to blame for poverty around the world or are there other reasons?  Would you have a tendency to agree with the poor countries, who say that the global system as it stands exploits them, or would you agree with Merkel, and other leaders of more developed countries, who say the poor countries are poor more because they are governed badly? 

why do people like hot peppers?

Some interesting ideas in this article.  Like how masochism is one thing that differentiates humans from other animals.  What do you think?  Why do people like pain?  Why do some like it more than others?  Masochism seems like a fairly macho thing.  Are men more into pain and risk than women?  Are young people more into it than old?  If so, why?  Why are hot peppers more prevalent in some cuisines/cultures than others?  Do you see spicy hot food as an important part of Slovak culture?

The british not too keen on a visit by the Pope

So the Pope appears to be currently on an official visit to Britain, but the British are less than enthusiastic.   Should tax-payers fund this sort of thing?  Is treating the Pope as a political head of state justified?  Should the Catholic church move towards ordaining women or allowing priests to marry?   Do the British have a right to be upset by the Catholic church’s perceived attempt to get anglican clergy to join its ranks?  How does this compare to Slovakia’s reaction to Papal visits?   Has the Catholic church’s standing fallen a bit here as well?  If not, why not?  If so, is it for the same reasons or for others?

teen gets suspended for nose piercing and claims it’s her religion

Read the article and react.  Also take a look at some of the comments on the yahoo site, which I think are pretty interesting. 


Some possible discussion questions to answer:

1. What is reasonable or unreasonable in terms of a student dress code?

2.  Is the parent doing the right thing in this situation?  What would you do if this were your daughter?

3.  Should any limits be set on what can constitute an officially recognized religion?

4.  This reminds me a bit of some European countries (at least France) which have banned Islamic headscarves in public schools on the grounds that religious symbols should not be allowed in secular schools.  What do you think?