Select ONE of the following topics from your viewing of When the Levees Broke, the documentary of Hurricane Katrina.  

·         Are there two Americas, divided along lines of race and class(socio-economics)?

·         In a democratic society, should the government be held responsible for the safety, health, and well-being of its citizens? If so, to what extent?

·         Would Katrina be seen as a “signature moment in American history,” as Spike Lee asserts? If it were, what would be different?

·         Should private citizens be held accountable for what they did or did not do to save themselves or others? What is the difference between civic duty and heroism?

·         Did the breaching of the levees challenge the way in which race and class are perceived in the United States?

·         What is the role of media in a democratic society when there is a national disaster?  Was the media’s widespread characterization of those who evacuated New Orleans as “refugees” racist or sensationalist?

Remember to use details from the documentary and from your own experiences, readings, and observations to explain your answer.