Examine attitudes towards John Walker

John Walker

Overview: John Walker is expected to arrive in the United States Wednesday. Direct students to survey people from various age groups to determine which age group is the most sympathetic and which is the least to his case. Have students decide if they agree with their surveys' results.

Curriculum Connections: U.S. History, Government, Current Events

Have students read the article "Walker expected to arrive Wednesday in U.S," and ask the following questions:

1. Who is John Walker? Why is Walker going to the U.S. District Court in Alexandria? Why do you think details of his transfer and detention are being withheld from the public? Who else is being held at the jail? What charges have been brought against Zacarias Moussaoui?

2. Who hired an attorney for John Walker? What are the charges against him? To which terrorist organizations did he allegedly provide material support or resources? Of what actions is al Qaeda suspected? What is the possible sentence for Walker if convicted?

3. His mother, Marilyn Walker, told Newsweek that "If he got involved with the Taliban, he must have been brainwashed." How would you define the term "brainwashed"? Do you think it is possible to be brainwashed? Why or why not? Do you think Walker could have been brainwashed? If this were true, would it affect your judgement of Walker's actions?

4. Share the following quotation from Robert Young Pelton, the journalist who interviewed Walker: "He doesn't feel he's done anything wrong. Obviously he's about to get a wake-up call when he lands in Virginia." What do you think will be Walker's wake-up call? Explain.

5. How do students think Americans of different ages feel about John Walker? Have students conduct a survey of people from various age groups to determine whether or not they sympathize with John Walker, and, if so, to what degree. Students might want to use bar graphs to illustrate their findings. Then, ask: Which age group was the most sympathetic? Which age group was the least sympathetic? Do you agree with any of the opinions you noted? Explain. Point out to students that their surveys were not scientific, and that they surveyed elements of their local population. What do students think a similar national survey might reveal? Why? Do students think the findings would be consistent with theirs? Why or why not?