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2425 Redefining America3. How does Stevenson support his assertion that %u201cthe criminal justice system remains the institution in American life least affected by the civil rights movement%u201d (par. 29)?4. How does Stevenson develop a cause-and-effect relationship between lynching, public executions, and today%u2019s criminal justice system? Why is this linkage the key to his argument? Consider this statement as you develop your analysis: %u201c. . . the modern American death penalty has its origins in racial terror and is, in the words of Bright, the legal scholar, %u2018a direct descendant of lynching%u2019%u201d (par. 27).QUESTIONS Analyzing Language, Style, and Structure5. Vocabulary in Context. Stevenson characterizes lynching as %u201ca form of terrorism%u201d (par. 9). There is no universally accepted definition of %u201cterrorism%u201d within international law or even within U.S. laws. Using credible sources to guide you, try to construct a compelling definition of %u201cterrorism.%u201d What evidence does Stevenson provide to justify this word choice? How do modern-day associations with this term contribute to his central argument?6. Stevenson, a criminal justice lawyer, begins this essay with a four-paragraph personal experience and returns to that experience in his conclusion. What are the most powerful elements of Stevenson%u2019s anecdote and how do they contribute to his overall argument? Consider the repetition of the word %u201cthreat%u201d (and variations of it) in your response.7. In addition to personal experience, how do Stevenson%u2019s choices of evidence contribute to his argument? Identify the effect of historical information, statistical data, and expert opinion.8. The final four paragraphs function together as a conclusion. What rhetorical choices does Stevenson make to end his argument effectively?QUESTIONS Topics for Composing9. Analysis. Attorney and writer Bryan Stevenson%u2019s 2017 article for the New York Review of Books, %u201cA Presumption of Guilt,%u201d takes the position that the presumption of innocence%u2014the cornerstone of our legal system%u2014is not, and never has been, extended to everyone. In the essay, he describes the connection between the historical extralegal practice of lynching and our current justice system. Read paragraphs 25%u201328 carefully. Write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical choices Stevenson makes to develop his argument that the failure to acknowledge the history of lynching has led to excessive incarceration, as well as a disproportionate number of death penalty sentences for Black people.10. Argument. While the U.S. Constitution bans %u201ccruel and unusual punishment,%u201d the death penalty has existed since colonial times. Proponents of the practice argue that capital punishment is a deterrent for society%u2019s worst crimes and thus protects everyone%u2019s safety, that it is an appropriate form of retributive justice for those who have been deeply wronged, and that it is expressly permitted by the U.S. Constitution. Opponents of the death penalty maintain that the practice is discriminatory, that it violates humans%u2019 innate right to life, and that it is an irreversible punishment in an incredibly imperfect system. Write an essay that argues your position on whether the death penalty should be abolished in the United States.11. Connections. Just Mercy, a film made from Bryan Stevenson%u2019s book of the same title, is a legal drama based on his experience defending a man wrongfully accused of murder. Watch the film, and write a review as an argument supporting or challenging its effectiveness and appeal to a diverse audience.12. Speaking and Listening. Suppose that a group of students at your school has proposed a donation to the Equal Justice Initiative on behalf of their graduating class. Develop and deliver a speech making your case to an audience of school staff and parents either supporting this proposal or suggesting the donation be made to another cause. Be sure to address possible concerns in your proposal.Copyright %u00a9 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Not for redistribution.