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Introduction: The first person we interviewed was Jennifer, who is a History teacher at a high school. This is what her answer was the question we asked her.
 * Transcript:
 * Jennifer Interview

Nancy: The Patriot Act was passed right after 9/11/2001 when the World Trade Centers were destroyed by terrorists. Do you think the government is acting reasonably by putting these new rules in place? Do you see any problems with the rules?

Jennifer: I think the government is acting reasonably by putting the Patriot Act into effect. I believe in times of war, there are certain measures that need to be taken. The problem is that with our histories, countries, and tragic racial history, it seems that a racial group is being pinpointed and singled out. That is one issue I have with the Patriot Act. The other problem I have with it that it creates an unbalanced power. In the executive branch gets a lot more power than I personally see it have and I feel that one of our strongest point of our government is that we have so many checks and balances. There’s always more than just one person who is in control of everything and that makes me in American feel more comfortable. That is my biggest problem with the Patriot Act. I believe as an American, during the times of war and during the time of tragedy that we’re in right now, you sacrifice to be an American and we have soldiers who are sacrificing their lives

Nancy: Do you think its okay for the FBI to interview Arab-Americans just based on their race? For example, do you think its fair for the government to pull people out of line at the airport and question them because they are Arab?

Jennifer: No, I don’t. I don’t think if you see an Arab person walking down the street that automatically means that they are a terrorists. I think that FBI would pull somebody out of the airport line, if they were about to get on the plane and they had some sort of ties to the terrorist network or group. In that case, I think it’s okay to pull them out of line. I don’t believe in racial profile in any means, but if anybody, whether if they be white or of Arab descent. If they have ties to shady organization, then most definitely I think that the FBI has the right to profile them whatever race they are.

Nancy: After the 9-11 incidents, airports started to be strict on their security system. Do you think school should start being strict in the security system? Do you think its safe enough?

Jennifer: I do believe school should be strict in our security systems. I feel that we live in a world nowadays where kids don’t necessarily misses a general statement, but kids don’t necessarily respect authority. You see a lot of kids on TV bringing guns into school or threatening teachers. There needs to be some sort of order in our society and that means that there are certain rules that you respect the authorities. And, as a teacher, I should not feel threatened when disciplining a student.

Nancy: How did your tradition or religion change after 9/11?

Jennifer: I don’t think my tradition or religion really changed after 9/11. I just think that it woke a lot of people up in whatever their religion or whatever their faith might be. I think it made them cling to that even more because we all realized our mortality. Personally, my faith was “strengthen not shaken.” But I don’t think it changed too much nor my tradition.

Nancy: Do you think society is being prejudice?

Jennifer: I think society is always prejudiced. I think every single person has prejudice inside of them, whether if they want ot admit it or not. I think the American society has learned from our history, from our racial history. As far from World War II and Japanese in term of being a good example. I think we learned from that history and I think we’re making a conscience effort not to racially profile and not to stereotype all Arab-Americans. I think we are making a conscience effort.

Jamie Interview Introduction: The next person we interviewed was Jamie. She is sixteen years old and, currently, she is a student at a high school. And this is what her thoughts and answers for the question we asked her.

Nancy: The Patriot Act was passed right after 9/11/2001 when the World Trade Centers were destroyed by terrorists. Do you think the government is acting reasonably by putting these new rules in place? Do you see any problems with the rules?

Jamie: From my opinion the question I think it is reasonable to put the patriot act in but at the same time I don’t agree with it. The reason is simple because it invades privacy and it’s a good think because like you can find out where the terrorist are at and stuff but at the same time those who are innocent their privacy is getting ruined by the patriot act.

Nancy: Do you think its okay for the FBI to interview Arab-Americans just based on their race? For example, do you think its fair for the government to pull people out of line at the airport and question them because they are Arab?

Jamie: Okay for this question I think its not fair for what the FBI is doing to the Arabian people, just because one person did something bad that doesn’t mean that all of them have to be punished for that particular person.

Nancy: After the 9-11 incidents, airports started to be strict on their security system. Do you think school should start being strict in the security system? Do you think its safe enough?

Jamie: I believe that the school should not be strict to the security system like the medal detectors because if they do they are invading our privacy and stuff. And we didn’t do anything wrong I mean…yea..it’s just…not fair enough for everybody to invade peoples privacy and take away all their like freedom and their rights and all that’s stuff so they could never hide anything. And our school is already safe enough as it is. I mean there’s plenty of teachers and security so there’s nothing wrong.

Nancy: How did your tradition or religion change after 9/11?

Jamie: Okay after the 9/11 incident my tradition and religion haven’t changed that much. So probably other religions and traditions but mine have not changed that dramatically. So I don’t think it really sucks for me but probably others do.

Nancy: Do you think society is being prejudice?

Jamie: I believe society is being prejudice to all those that are different from another. I mean all men are created equal and yet our country is treating those like Arabian people that have to look through their bags and get taken out of line and all that stuff. I mean come on! Its like the worst thing and in my opinion I’m not racist. And do society is being cruel to other races I don’t like to tolerate that.

Yukari Interview Introduction: Our next speaker is Yukari. She is twenty-four years old and currently working. This is what her thoughts about the questions.

Maggie: The Patriot Act was passed right after 9/11/2001 when the World Trade Centers were destroyed by terrorists. Do you think the government is acting reasonably by putting these new rules in place? Do you see any problems with the rules?

Yukari: Well, I definitely see that going into someone’s privacy is a problem, regardless if it’s the government or not. But if, perhaps the government had a system in a way to ask for permission to search, then I don’t think it will be a problem. It should help the nation look for a terrorist and whatnot, but I think that people have the right to be able to refuse or be notify ahead of time that their background and everything is being searched.

Maggie: Do you think its okay for the FBI to interview Arab-Americans just based on their race? For example, do you think its fair for the government to pull people out of line at the airport and question them because they are Arab?

Yukari: As much as I want to support the prevention of terrorist attack to happen, at the same time that I think it’s kind a of the same thing we have, what is called a racial profiling, where people are pulled to the side because based on their color or their race and it should never be a specifically to a certain ethnicity. If they are going to do that kind of search, it should be randomized because criminals don’t have just a single look.

Maggie: After the 9-11 incidents, airports started to be strict on their security system. Do you think school should start being strict in the security system? Do you think its safe enough?

Yukari: I definitely believe that school should have a good security system. And we’re talking about not just administrators and teachers, but we have tons of students that schools are responsible for their safety and all students should feel safe when they’re in a study environment. At the same time, I don’t think it needs to be far as checking every students’ backpack or lockers. Although at the same time, it, maybe, random search in those lockers may be a good idea.

Maggie: How did your tradition or religion change after 9/11?

Yukari: I don’t think it effected too much. I mean personally, maybe because we live in California, but it is a huge, internationally, problem and I know national level all the countries talk about that it could have been in their country. It just to be more aware. I think it’s just how it effected me the awareness of how serious these things could get and how many people can effect and how the whole world is getting involved in a single incident.

Maggie: Do you think society is being prejudice?

Yukari: I mean, it’s kind of interesting because America is known to be the “melting pot” with so many ethnicities, but at the same time we have a lot of racism compare to all of the rest of the world. So I don’t think because of the 9/11, that there are prejudice in America. There’s always been prejudice in America, but I think it has been more of awareness.

Sachiko Interview Introduction: Our next speaker is Sachiko. She is an immigrant from Japan and she’s been here for thirty years. Right now, she’s currently an office worker and this is what her thoughts about the questions.

Maggie: The Patriot Act was passed right after 9/11/2001 when the World Trade Centers were destroyed by terrorists. Do you think the government is acting reasonably by putting these new rules in place? Do you see any problems with the rules?

Sachiko: I do not know Patriot Act well enough to judge, so I am not able to tell until I see any problem or not by the act or government is acting reasonably or not, but assuming by the law of Patriot Act I believe this act will protect our country and people we need the cut the source of funds for terrorist and such. If Patriot Act was implemented these purposes to protect people from terrorists and other violent offenders, this is very important.

Maggie: Do you think its okay for the FBI to interview Arab-Americans just based on their race? For example, do you think its fair for the government to pull people out of line at the airport and question them because they are Arab?

Sachiko: No, absolutely not. People should not be judged by all ethnic, color of skin, or racial and religious background. USA should not make same mistakes as the time when of World War II. So many Japanese-American people was suffered because ancestor were Japanese.

Maggie: After the 9-11 incidents, airports started to be strict on their security system. Do you think school should start being strict in the security system? Do you think its safe enough?

Sachiko: I don’t think maybe school is not safe enough because seeing news in the school shooting, violence, and those things. This country allow people to carry guns and weapons. I don’t know the school security and the system, but seeing those news and listening to those news it is necessary to put or implements to some level the check in order to protect students and not endanger them their safety of the students.

Maggie: How did your tradition or religion change after 9/11?

Sachiko: It is not changed because my religion is Buddhism. Just I keep my face to own religion and it doesn’t change anything for me before and after 9/11.

Maggie: Do you think society is being prejudice?

Sachiko: I don’t know after 9/11 or not, but we see the news Arab people was detained by the airport security or police just he looks like Arab and for those instant, there’s a prejudice. In general, there’s a prejudice too.

David Interview Introduction: Our next speaker is David, who is thirty years old. And this is what his answer to the question.

Cynthia: The Patriot Act was passed right after 9/11/2001 when the World Trade Centers were destroyed by terrorists. Do you think the government is acting reasonably by putting these new rules in place? Do you see any problems with the rules?

David: I don’t agree with it because its an invasion of privacy, and one of these days George Bush is going to wake up with a horse’s head in his bed, if he listens to the wrong conversation.

Cynthia: Do you think it’s okay for the FBI to interview Arab-Americans just based on their race? For example, do you think its fair for the government to pull people out of line at the airport and question them because they are Arab?

David: I think it’s a bad idea because if they concentrate on just the Arab Americans they could be letting through the real culprits who could be just about anyone. I mean really terrorist can afford to transport weapons by other means. I think its time to stop pointing fingers…and…start taking action. And maybe the pilots and stewardess should take a 6 week coarse in self defense so they wont be overpowered by the terrorist.

Cynthia: After the 9-11 incidents, airports started to be strict on their security system. Do you think school should start being strict in the security system? Do you think it’s safe enough?

David: I think schools are safe as it is. They already have enough security officers and alert teachers.

Cynthia: How did your tradition or religion change after 9/11?

David: It hasn’t really changed. I try to not let their acts influence my life.

Cynthia: Do you think society is being prejudice?

David: Society has always been prejudice to a certain extend but now it’s been more so. Prejudice has always been here but now with what the government is doing children might start to believe its ok.

Our group thought people were going to be against the Patriot Act since it invaded privacy. We believed people would be strongly opposed to it. It was placed after 9/11 and it permitted the government to search someone’s house without a court order. We believed that people were going to be against pulling people out of line at airports to question them. Our group also believed that people’s traditions and religion had changed because of it. We believed that the people we interviewed would be for more security in the schools countrywide. We thought that people would answer some questions similarly. The results that we got from the interviews were not what we exactly how we thought they would turn out. In the interviews some people were against the Patriot Act, while others were for it. The people that we interviewed said that they were glad that there was more security in the airports. What they did not agree with was the fact that people were being stopped and investigated just because of their race. All of the people that we interviewed except for the teacher that was interviewed believed that school was safe enough. They said that there could only be very little change to make schools safer because schools are already pretty much secure. In all of our interviews the people agreed that their traditions and religion ad not been impacted in any way by the incident of 9/11. The results from the interviews showed that everyone’s lives were the same as before except for the fact that they were being a little more careful. Our reaction to the results form the interviews were a bit surprising. We thought that most of the answers would be very typical, but the people that were interview really went into detail about their opinions. Most of the answers that were given to us were similar to each other, but each person had their own personal reason of why they believed in those things. We did not think that most people would agree with the Patriot Act but we were surprised to see that a lot of people believed in it. The people that we interviewed surprised us with some things but we were able to understand why they had those beliefs because they were able to back up their opinions with facts.
 * Evaluation:**