“At Issue” Series

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These are excellent theme books with articles about controversial issues in American life. Contributors include George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Rupert Murdoch, Jesse Jackson, Condoleeza Rice and The Jesuits! Books in this series contain a wide range of viewpoints on a single issue — in-depth discussions by leading figures. The authors are politicians, academics, journalists, leaders of NGOs etc. Articles are printed in their entirety, including footnotes and source notes. Each article is prefaced by a summary and followed by a good bibliography and detailed list of relevant organizations to contact (including websites) offering an opportunity for further research.

Are Cults a Serious Threat? (At Issue)

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Cults often hit the headline for all the wrong reasons: brainwashing, mass suicide etc. But where does the dividing line go between cults and legitimate religions? And how should society treat them? Editor: Katherine Swarts. (107 pages)
Level: Mainly Second and Third year Gymnasium

Contents: Introduction; Cults Are Prone to Crime and Violence (Robert L. Snow); Cults Are No More Violent than Other Religious Groups (Gordon Melton and David G. Bromley); Cults Brainwash Their Members (Margaret Thaler Singer); Mass Suicide Can Be the Logical Outcome of a Cult's Religious Belief (Dereck Dashke and W. Michael Ashcraft); Authorities Provoke Some Cult Mass Deaths (William Norman Grigg); Cults Are Corruptions of Legitimate Religions (Ron Rhodes); Anti-Cult Laws Are a Threat to Religious Freedom (Moira Shaw); Anti-Cult Prejudice Denies Minority Religions a Fair Hearing (James R. Lewis); Cults Foster Us-Versus-Them Attitudes (Arthur J. Deikman); The Threat of a Cult Depends on the Observer's Worldview (Eugene V. Gallagher); Organizations to Contact; Bibliography; Index.

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The CIA (At Issue)

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The CIA has been heavily criticized in recent years — for its treatment of terrorism suspects and for failures of intelligence gathering before the invasion of Iraq. Should it be reformed? Merged with other agencies? Or even abolished? Articles by amongst others Condoleeza Rice. Editor: Julia Bauder. (144 pages)
Level: Mainly Second and Third year Gymnasium

Contents: Introduction; The CIA: An Overview (Office of the Director of National Intelligence); The CIA Tortures Prisoners in the War on Terror (Jane Mayer); The CIA Kidnaps Suspects and Sends Them to Third Countries to Be Tortured (Stephen Grey); The CIA’s Treatment of Terrorism Suspects in the War on Terror is Justified (Condoleezza Rice); The CIA Politicized Evidence About Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq (James Risen); The CIA Did a Poor Job of Gathering Intelligence about WMDs in Iraq (Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction); The American Intelligence System Needs Serious Reform (Economist); The CIA Should Change the Way It Analyzes Intelligence (Gary J. Schmitt); The CIA Should Reform Its Clandestine Service (Reuel Marc Gerecht); The CIA Should Implement Modest Reforms, Not a Massive Overhaul (Bruce Berkowitz); The CIA Should Be Consolidated with Other U.S. Intelligence Agencies (National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States); The CIA Should Remain an Independent Agency (Richard A. Posner); The CIA Should Be Abolished (Chalmers Johnson); Organizations to Contact; Bibliography; Index.

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Policing the Internet (At Issue)

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The internet has changed the way we communicate, learn, work and relax. But there are dangers out there: indentity theft, online predators, e-mail con artists and much more. Policing the internet has become an issue of worldwide interest. Editor: Peggy Daniels. (131 pages)
Level: Mainly Second and Third year Gymnasium

Contents: Introduction; The Internet Needs Policing (David Talbot); Teenagers Need Policing Online (Vicki Haddock); Government Should Regulate the Internet (Ronald J. Mann and Seth R. Belzley); Government Should Not Regulate the Internet (Michael R. Nelson); Cyberterrorism Is a Serious Threat (John Mallery); Cyberterrorism Is Not a Serious Threat (Joshua Green); Identity Theft Is a Growing Problem (Sunil Dutta); Identity Theft Is Not a Growing Problem (Brian Bergstein); Internet Pornography Harms Society (Richard Jerome); Internet Pornography Benefits Society (Annalee Newitz); Social-Networking Sites Contribute to Crime (Bill Hewitt); Social-Networking Sites Do Not Contribute to Crime (Gary Stager); Cyberbullying Is a Growing Problem (Rachel Simmons); Organizations to Contact; Bibliography; Index.

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White Supremacy Groups (At Issue)

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This book looks at the new generation of white supremacists who seem respectable in their business suits but are reaching a dangerously wide audience – especially through their exploitation of the popular fear of immigration. Two articles also look at the situation in Europe. Editor: Mitchell Young. (119 pages)
Level: Mainly Second and Third year Gymnasium

Contents: Introduction; White Americans Must Build Separate Communities (John Hunt Morgan); In an Era of Racial Revolution, Whites Need to Regain Group Solidarity (Sam Francis); Nationalist Parties Defend European Culture Against Immigrant Attack (Kyle Rogers); The Belgian Nationalist Party Promotes Extremism and Xenophobia (Angus Roxburgh); Whites Feel Threatened by the Booming Hispanic Population (Roberto Lovato); Hardcore Racists Exploit Concern Over Immigration to Gain Recruits (Chip Berlet); Whites Should Work Together to Advance Their Interests (Jamie Glazov and Jared Taylor); The New White Supremacists Mask Racism with Pseudo-Intellectualism (Dennis Roddy); Women Play a Subordinate but Vital Role in White Supremacist Groups (Kathleen M. Blee); Women are Gaining Leadership Roles in White Nationalist Organizations (Lisa Turner with Russ Nieli); Behind an Innocent Facade White Supremacist Singers Spread Hate (Earl Ofari Hutchinson); Christian Identity’s Bizarre Beliefs Lead to Extreme Violence (Anti-Defamation League); White Racialists Should Lead Honorable White Lives (Robert S. Griffin); Organizations to Contact; Bibliography; Index.

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Are America's Wealthy too Powerful? (At Issue)

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Is American society dominated by Wall Streeet financiers, wealthy individuals, rich celebrities and powerful corporations who have shaped a society and a tax system that benefits them and discriminates against the poor? Editor: Stuart A. Kallen (133 pages)
Level: Mainly Second and Third year Gymnasium

Contents: Introduction; The Wealthy Profit at the Expense of the Poor and the Middle Classes (James Lardner); The Wealthy Create Opportunities and Jobs for All Americans (Donald Ruskin); Wall Street Financiers Manipulate the Stock Market to Benefit Themselves (Ian Williams); Wall Street Financiers Help Millions of Investors Profit (Karl Zinsmeister); The American Tax System Gives the Wealthy Too Much Power (Mark Zepezauer); The American Tax System Punishes the Wealthy (Bill Sizemore); Rich Celebrities Have Too Much Political Influence (Darrell M. West); Celebrities Have Little Influence on Voters (Kevin Baron); Corporations Use Their Power to Benefit the Rich (Multinational Monitor); Corporations Use Their Power to Benefit All Sectors of Society (Radley Balko); Well-Funded Environmental Groups Abuse Their Power (John Perazzo); The Greedy Practices of Corporations Are Destroying the Environment (Michael Parenti); Wealthy Corporations Unfairly Influence News Coverage (Peter Hart and Julie Hollar); America's Wealthiest Citizens Give Away Billions to Improve Education (Richard Lee Colvin); Most Rich Americans Have Worked Hard to Obtain Their Wealth (B.Z. Khasru); Bibliography; Index.

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Are American Elections Fair? (At Issue)

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In recent years, the methods used to select political candidates in the United States have come under intense scrutiny. Are American Elections Fair? examines many contentious issues surrounding elections including electronic voting machines, “redistricting”, the electoral college, and whether or not noncitizens should be allowed to participate in elections. Editor: Stuart A. Kallen (90 pages)
Level: Mainly Second and Third year Gymnasium

Contents: Introduction; Political Fundraising Has Corrupted the Electoral Process (Mark Green); Restricting Campaign Donations Violates Free Speech Rights (Sheldon Richman); The Electoral College Should Be Abolished (Lewis H. Lapham); The Electoral College Should Not Be Abolished (Michael M. Uhlmann); Electronic Voting Machines Pose a Threat to Electoral Fairness (Bev Harris and David Allen); Fears About Electronic Voting Machines are Greatly Exaggerated (John Fund); Felons Who Have Served Their Time Should be Allowed to Vote (Elizabeth Hull); Felons Should Not be Allowed to Vote (Christopher M. Tozzo); Illegal Aliens Should Not Allowed to Vote (Michelle Malkin); Noncitizens Should Be Allowed to Participate in Elections (Joaquin Avila); Organizations to Contact; Bibliography; Index.

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Cosmetic Surgery (At Issue)

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Despite the risk of serious complications and even death, millions of Americans undergo cosmetic surgery every year. The authors in this anthology examine the growing popularity of cosmetic surgery, the reasons people are seeking it, and the benefits and dangers of cosmetic procedures. Editor: Kristen Bailey. (80 pages)
Level: Mainly Second and Third year Gymnasium

Contents: Introduction; Cosmetic Surgery Helps Children with Birth Defects (Kathleen Magee and William Magee); Increasing Numbers of American Men Are Getting Cosmetic Surgery (Bill Troy); Thousands of Asians Are Turning to Cosmetic Surgery (Lisa Takeuchi Cullen); Smooth Operations (Allison Samuels); The Desire to Look Young Is the Main Reason People Seek Cosmetic Surgery (Courtney Lomax); Women's Magazines Drive the Demand for Cosmetic Surgery (Deborah A.Sullivan); Patients Can Become Addicted to Cosmetic Surgery (Viginia L. Blum); Reality TV Shows About Cosmetic Surgery Reveal Americans' Self-Absorption (Psychology Today); Teenagers Should Wait Until They Are Adults to Undergo Cosmetic Surgery (Jae-Ha Kim); Doctors Need to Follow Stricter Guidelines in Choosing Cosmetic Surgery Patients (Kimberly Shearer Palmer); Organizations to Contact; Bibliography; Index.

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Does Capital Punishment Deter Crime? (At Issue)

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The death penalty divides opinions in America and creates another divide between America and other western democracies. But does it work? Does the death penalty deter murderers? Does it deter terrorists? Among the authors are Rev. Jesse Jackson and George W. Bush. Editor: Amy Keyzer. (112 pages)
Level: Mainly Second and Third year Gymnasium

Contents: Introduction; Consistent and Swift Application of the Death Penalty Reduces Murder Rates (Wesley Lowe); The Deterrent Effect of the Death Penalty Is a Myth (Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., Jesse L. Jackson Jr., and Bruce Shapiro); An Effective Death Penalty Protects the Community from Criminals (Kent Scheidegger); The Death Penalty Saves Lives (William Otis); The Death Penalty Keeps Americans Safe from Terrorist Threats (George W. Bush); The Death Penalty Hinders the Fight Against Terrorism (American Civil Liberties Union); The Death Penalty Encourages Terrorism (Thomas McDonnell); Capital Punishment Maintains Law and Order (Mufti Zubair Bayat); Modern Societies Do Not Deter Crime with Capital Punishment (Chris Patten); Capital Punishment Does Not Make Nations Safer (Paul Simon); The Islamic World Must Reexamine Capital Punishment (Tariq Ramadan); The United States Must Reconsider the Death Penalty (Richard C. Dieter); Executions Send a Strong Deterrent Message (Peter Ryan); Organizations to Contact; Bibliography; Index.

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The Ethics of Abortion (At Issue)

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The abortion debate is as active today as it was in 1973 with Roe v. Wade. The goal of many politicians and organizations is to make abortion illegal, while others actively and vehemently defend a woman's legal right to choose. This anthology addresses the many current issues in this debate. Authors include The Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) and The Center for Reproductive Rights. Editor: Christine Watkins. (112 pages)
Level: Mainly Second and Third year Gymnasium

Contents: Introduction; Abortion Is a Woman's Right (Center for Reproductive Rights); Abortion Violates the Unborn Child's Right to Life (The Society of Jesus in the United States); Human Personhood Begins at Conception (DanKennedy); Human Personhood Does Not Begin at Conception (Brian Elroy McKinley); Human Personhood Begins in the First Weeks of Pregnancy (Maureen L. Condic); Human Personhood Begins at Birth (William Westmiller); Women Should Have Access to the Abortion Pill RU-486 (S. Boyd); The Abortion Pill RU-486 Should Be Banned (Gregory Rumno); Partial-Birth Abortion is Ethical (Rob Deters); Partial-Birth Abortion is Unethical and Should Be Banned (U.S. Congress); The Ban on Partial-Birth Abortion Undermines Abortion Rights (Gloria Feldt); Genetic Abnormality Does Not Always Justify Abortion (Shelley Burtt); Genetic Screening for Abnormality Is Morally Justified (John Gillott); Human Embryo Experimentation Can Be Morally Justified (Michael J. Meyer and Lawrence J. Nelson); Embryonic Stem Cell Research Is Unethical (Richard M. Doerflinger); Organizations to Contact; Bibliography; Index.

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Is the American Dream a Myth? (At Issue)

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Is the American Dream of economic opportunity, personal liberty and civil rights — not least for those from poor and persecuted backgrounds — still a reality in the America of today? Among the authors are Barack Obama and Rupert Murdoch. Editor: Amy Keyzer. (100 pages)
Level: Mainly Second and Third year Gymnasium

Contents: Introduction; The American Dream Still Exists (Matthew Warshauer); The American Dream Does Not Exist (Lorie A. Johnson); Today's Economy Is Killing the American Dream (Robert D. Atkinson); The American Dream is Possible in Today's Economy (Barack Obama); Affirmative Action Ensures Equal Access to the American Dream (Philip M. Deutsch); Affirmative Action Goes Against the Spirit of the American Dream (Fritz Vaughn); The Dream of Home Ownership Is Still Possible (Alphonso Jackson); The Dream of Home Ownership Is Unattainable for Many Americans (Barbara J. Lipman); Immigration Keeps the American Dream Alive (Robert Murdoch); Immigration Destroys the American Dream (John C. Vinson); Immigrants Face Barriers in Realizing the American Dream (Patricia Maldonado, Maria Rodriguez, Priya Sampath and Elizabeth Tracy); Organizations to Contact; Bibliography; Index.

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School Shootings (At Issue)

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Since the late 1990s a series of lethal, multiple-victim school shooting incidents have shocked America. Do these tragic events constitute an epidemic, or has media coverage distorted the magnitude of the problem? This anthology explores various explanations for rampage school shootings, and examines ways communities have responded. Editor: Susan Hunnicutt. (102 pages)
Level: Mainly Second and Third year Gymnasium

Contents: Introduction; School Shootings Are a Serious Problem (Katherine S. Newman); The Media Exaggerate the School-Shooting Problem (Joel Best); Violent Video Games Train School Shooters (Jack Thomsen); Violent Video Games Do Not Create School Shooters (Henry Jenkins); Protecting Athletes Who Bully Other Students Promotes School Shootings (Gary K. Clabaugh and Alison A. Clabaugh); Antidepressants May Trigger School Shootings (Kelly Patricia O' Meara); Teaching Boys to Solve Problems with Violence Promotes School Shootings (Seth Hicks); Overreacting to School Shootings Intensifies the Problem (James Alan Fox and Jack Levin); Arming Teachers and Parents Will Prevent School Shootings (Doug Hagin); Designing Safer Guns Will Reduce School Shootings (Ronald Brownstein); Gun Control Laws Will Not Stop School Shootings (Steve Chapman); School Testing Programs Overshadow School Shooting Prevention Programs (Margaret McKenna and David Haselkorn); Victims of School Shootings Struggle to Rebuild Their Lives (Vickie Bane and Jason Bane); Organizations to Contact; Bibliography; Index.

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Video Games (At Issue)

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Many Americans blame video games for youth violence (even though it has been declining) ... some want them banned. Others say that this would interfere with freedom of speech and video games promote problem solving, analytical thinking and creative expression. Editor: David M. Haugen. (104 pages)
Level: Mainly Second and Third year Gymnasium

Contents: Introduction; Excessive Video Game Playing Can Adversely Affect Children's Health (Earl Hunsinger); Some Video Game Playing Can Have a Positive Effect on Children's Health (Charlene O'Hanlon); Video Games Can Provide Health Benefits to the Sick (Betsy Streisand); Video Games Can Benefit Classroom Education (Marco Visscher); Video Games Can Shape Players' Beliefs (Matthew Quirk); Violent Video Games Teach Anti-Social Behavior (Linda Piepenbrink); Video Games Do Not Cause Violence (Rashawn Blanchard); Video Games Are Unjustly Targeted by Anti-Violence Crusaders (Daniel Koffler); Popular Video Games Are Often Misogynistic (Lauren Sandler); Video Games Are Accepting More Gay-Themed Content (Jose Antonio Vargas); Video Games Will Become More Artistically and Emotionally Satisfying (Jonathan Rauch); Organizations to Contact; Bibliography; Index.

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