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This spreadsheet lists 500+ videos of alleged police brutality amid George Floyd protests

The videos raise serious legal and moral questions about police crowd-control tactics.

via @Whitney_hu on Twitter
  • The publicly accessible Google Sheet lists nearly 600 incidents of alleged police misconduct.
  • Each entry is organized by city, and most contain a link to a video.
  • From tear gas to rubber bullets, the videos highlight the extensive powers police are given in certain situations.
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law social change government protests Police violence Police brutality Police

How far does individual freedom reach?

The costs of prohibition are great, but can people be trusted to make the best decisions for themselves?

  • Classical liberals favor democracy because it operates as a ruling of the people by the people, rather than rule by someone else.
  • This lends itself to the concept of negative freedom, or freedom from being compelled by the state or other authority to do something. So Daniel Jacobson, professor of philosophy at University of Michigan, raises the question: Do we have absolute sovereignty over our bodies?
  • The crucial point for liberalism is that liberty ought to be the default. It shouldn't be easy to justify compulsion.
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ancient world democracy education government happiness history humanity identity law learning philosophy self society united states

Can foreign intervention lead to peaceful solutions?

Despite potential good intentions, interventionist policies are often viewed by classical liberals as violations of individual freedoms.

  • Intervention covers a range of activity broader than just war. Some interventions have more humanitarian aims, such as disaster relief and development aid.
  • Oftentimes, the drive behind many instances of intervention involves some form of political, economic, or social outcome.
  • There are important questions to consider regarding knowledge, goals, incentives, and unintended consequences. The answers to these indicate whether an intervention is necessary and appropriate.
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africa foreign policy global issues government inequality law media middle east military peace policy society surveillance technology united states war

Will conversion therapy be banned in the U.S.?

The answer depends on how we choose to balance religious freedom, social inclusion, and the search for self-identity.

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
  • Most medical and mental health organizations have condemned conversion therapy as injurious and lacking support of empirical evidence.
  • Today, 19 states and many cities have passed laws protecting youths from the practice.
  • However, lawsuits and pushback by religious organizations have limited what laws can be passed.
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health care gay law policy social change psychology religion self sex united states

How does the rule of law promote a free society?

In classical liberal philosophy, individual pursuit of happiness is made possible by a framework of law.

  • The rule of law as a principle has a philosophical history before it was popularized by classical liberalism, which can be traced back to Greek philosopher Aristotle.
  • The classical liberal conception of laws draws upon this pre-history but differs slightly. Yes, the end goal is the common good, however "goodness" varies by individual.
  • In this way of thinking, instead of telling us what will make us happy, law serves as the framework that allows us to pursue our own unique happiness.
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criminal justice education europe government happiness history justice system law philosophy policy society united states
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