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Handout D: The Right to Leave (The Election of 1860)

The Right to Leave?

SCENARIO 1

You and a group of friends have arranged to rent a special room at a restaurant to throw a birthday party for another friend. Each of you has agreed to pay a share of the cost.

Would you be justified in later refusing to pay your share of the cost if:

  1. You do not like the restaurant the group selects?
  2. You discover that the friend for whom you are throwing the party has secretly been saying bad things about you behind your back?
  3. You learn that some of your friends plan to smuggle in alcohol?
  4. You would never be justified in refusing.

SCENARIO 2

You voluntarily joined your school’s track team and have been training to be part of the relay team. The state championship is a week away.

Would you be justified in quitting the track team if:

  1. You get bored by training?
  2. You develop a mild injury while training that your doctor says might become a major injury if you continue to train and then compete?
  3. You discover that two other members of your team have been using steroids?
  4. You would never be justified in quitting.

SCENARIO 3

There have been several thefts and acts of vandalism in your neighborhood. Your neighborhood is far away from the nearest police station. Families in the neighborhood decide to hire a private security firm together, with every family paying a share of the cost.

Would you be justified in leaving this neighborhood association, ceasing to pay your dues, if:

  1. You don’t like the color of the security firm’s uniforms?
  2. You discover that the crime problem was really greater in another part of the town— not the part in which you live?
  3. You strongly suspect that several members of the security firm have been stealing property?
  4. You would never be justified in leaving the association.

SCENARIO 4

You have just turned 18 years old. You have been arguing with your family a lot. You move away to college and are wondering whether to end contact with your family.

Would you be justified in ending contact with your family if:

  1. Your family asked you to begin paying your own cell phone bill?
  2. Your family had lost most of your college fund as a result of bad financial decisions?
  3. Your family had been physically abusive?
  4. You would never be justified in ending contact with them.