CATA 101  Potential Speech Topics 
Rank your top six choices in the blank provided.  If you do not want a  partner on your topic write “no partner” in the upper right corner of this sheet.  If you have someone you especially want to work with as a partner, write his/her name at the bottom of this sheet.  (You need to check with potential partners to see if they like the same topic(s) you do.)     

 

_______  1.  Fighting Terrorism  ( PATRIOT Act, Homeland Security effectiveness, civil rights issues )  [ circle one ]

 

_______  2.  Responses to "Inappropriate" Media (V-chip, ratings, violence inciting movies, video games/ratings,

                     FCC decency rules, etc.) 

_______  3.  Gay Rights (gay marriage, domestic partnership laws, etc.)

 

_______  4.  Drug law reform (e.g. medical marijuana, mandatory sentencing, decriminalization)

List a specific issue/drug _____________________________

_______  5.  Reproductive Technology or Reproductive Ethics.  List a specific issue ____________________________

 

_______  6.  The 2nd Amendment ("Right to Bear Arms" -  Gun Control)

 

_______  7.  Assisted Suicide

 

_______  8.  Election Reforms  (financing, balloting systems, advertising, registration procedures, electoral college, etc.)  [ circle one ]

 

_______  9.  School Choice / Charter Schools  [ circle one ]

 

_______  10.  Religion in Public Life (separation of church and state, Is there too much religious

 influence in politics?  Is government hostile to religion? etc.)    List specific issue _________________________

 

_______  11. Evolution vs "Intelligent Design"/Creationism, etc.

 

_______  12.  Environmental Issues. List a specific issue __________________________

 

_______  13.  Trial / Jury Reform ( TV coverage of trials, jury selection/bias issues, etc.)

 

_______  14.  Medical Care (  costs, ethics, reforms. managed care problems,   [ circle one ]  )

 

_______  15.  Drug and/or Tobacco - abuse, prevention, and regulation [ circle one of each ]

 

_______  16.  Copyright and digital file sharing ("Music/video downloading, sampling, use of images, etc.)

 

_______  17.  Intercollegiate Athletics - Reforms.  List a specific issue ______________________________

 

_______  18.  Professional Sports - Reforms.  List a specific issue _________________________________

 

_______  19.  Emergency Preparedness (FEMA. local planning, etc.).

 

_______  20.  The War in Iraq

 

_______  21.  Crime and Punishment ( juvenile justice, death penalty reform, discriminatory sentencing, eye witness testimony, DNA evidence, etc. )  

[ circle one ] or List a specific issue ____________________________

_______  22.  Other??   List a specific topic _________________________________