We continue our conversation on the Alien Enemies Act, this week looking at some of the arguments that critics of the legislation raise. 

We start by looking at one of its earliest critics, Thomas Jefferson, who argued that the Alien Enemies Act bordered on tyranny and argued that the president should not have unilateral power to remove or arrest those who the president feels is a risk, without due process. We also look at the argument that the act is outdated, as it calls for use during times of declared war, and most modern conflicts do not include a formal declaration, thus creating a space of ambiguity that critics argue leaves space for misapplication. 

Today we begin looking at the Alien Enemies Act, which was invoked earlier this year by Donald Trump. The Alien Enemies Act is a piece of legislation that gives the president of the United States the ability to detain, monitor, and remove citizens of a hostile nation that are living within the United States during times of war and national crisis. 

We explore the history of this law and some of the instances in which it has been invoked during America's history. We also explore some of the arguments raised by those who support this act and why and when they support its use. 

We continue our conversation around art and whether or not you can separate art from the artist. This week we take the position that you can separate art from the artist and look at some of the logic behind the position. 

We explore the concept that literary critic, Rowland Barthes argues in his essay "The Death of the Author" in which he argues that once a piece of art is created, the ownership of assigning meaning to it is released from the author and belongs to the reader, or the audience. 

Have you ever had a film or piece of music ruined for you because of something an actor or musician has done or said in real life? Today we dive into the question of whether or not you can separate the art from the artist, and whether or not you should. 

We look at some arguments for those who argue that you cannot separate the art from the artist, and we look at some examples of real life art that is directly infused with the beliefs and worldviews of the artist. 

We continue our conversation around boycotts and the question as to whether or not they are effective as a means of protest. The word "boycott" comes from the name of Captain Charles Boycott, an English land agent in Ireland during the 1800s, who became so unpopular with his tenants that the entire community refused to do any sort of business with him. The movement was so effective that he fled the country within a year, and the term has been used ever since. 

Today we look at some of the arguments that supporters of boycotts cite and we look at some examples in history of successful boycotts, including the Montgomery Bus Boycotts of the 1950s and the BP Boycott of 2010.

Today we are talking about boycotts! Boycotts are a form of activism where consumers refuse to do business with an organization in an effort to pressure that organization to change their practices or policy. Some argue that boycotts are an effect and simple means of creating financial pressure on an organization, while others argue that they are not as effective as their organizers may hope. 

We look at the argument against boycotts, and some of the challenges they face. We look at a couple real-world examples of boycotts that failed and explore what led to them not accomplishing their goals. 

This week we are taking a break from our normal routine and are trying something a little different. I am getting a bit personal this week and talking about the importance of human connection and community. This is something I have been delving into the last few years and I wanted to take this week and share a bit about what I am finding. 

We take a look at the book "Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital”, where American political scientist, David Putnam, explores the declining involvement of Americans within social civic groups, and the results of that decline. 

We continue our conversation around isolationism, this week we look at some of the arguments that critics of isolationism raise when arguing against it. 

We look at economic and geopolitical advantages to staying involved in the global village, and look at some of the consequences of what can occur when a country steps away from it, or reduces it engagement with international trade partners. 

We begin looking at the topic of isolationism. Isolationism is when a country minimizes its international activity in favor of focusing almost exclusively on domestic issues, and it has been a topic of debate within the United States, more or less, since the nation began. 

Today we look at a couple of the reasons that supporters of isolationism tend to bring up when trying to plead their case. We also look at a couple instances from US history where the United States shifted its focus inward and look at some of the long term benefits that have come from those periods. 

We continue our conversation around using screens as a means of occupying children. Today we look at the position that some parents take in arguing against using screens with children in public. 

We look at some research around the topic, specifically research that points out the risks around becoming too dependent on screens, and the developmental and social implications that dependence can carry for children in the long term.