TheMockTrialReflectionFall2014

Inathoughtfullywritten,wellrevised&organizedreflection,pleaserespondtothefollowing
questions&prompts.

TheProSide

1.OpeningStatementsWhatideas&perspectiveswereestablished?
Thebasicideaoftheirverylongstatementwastohavethegovernmentinvolved
becauseitcanhelp.Theyseethegovernmentassortofaprotectiveshellforcitizens.The
governmentfundsthinglikeeducation,researchinstitutesandhospitals,thingsthatarevery
importanttosociety.Also,thegovernmentmanagesandmakessurewhatweconsumeissafe
ornot.

2.WitnessTestimonyArgumentsadvanced,evidenceexamined&majorpointsmade.
Thewitnesstestimonieswereabitconfusing,butfromwhatIunderstood,themain
reasonthewitnessesweresupportingprogovernmentwasformoney.Theweretalkingabout
thelossesaboutifthegovernmentwasnotthere.Theywerealsoarguingalotaboutlabeling
GMOs.Usingthefactthatalotofpeoplewanttheirfoodtobelabeledsotheyknowwhatisin
theirfood.
3.ClosingStatementHowthelawyerstiedtogethertheelementsofthetrial.
Thisiswherethelawyerstalkedaboutthegovernmentbeingaprotectiveshellforthe
people.Itconveyedthejusticestothinkthatthegovernmentisforsafety,whichIthinkhighly
influencedtheirvotes.

TheAntiSide

4.OpeningStatementsWhatideas&perspectiveswereestablished?
GMOscouldgrowinharshenvironments,whichcanhelpdepriveworldhunger.Also,
labelingGMOsisinasense,thegovernmentputtingabadimageonGMOswhenreally,GMOs
havebeenaroundsincethebeginningofagriculture.
5.WitnessTestimonyArgumentsadvanced,evidenceexamined&majorpointsmade.
Itwasstatedthatthegovernmentshouldnotcontrolwhatweconsumeanddonot
consume.Forthatreason,labelingGMOswouldbemisleadingsinceitwouldgiveitabadimage
forbeingdifferentfromwildfoods.GMOsareplantsthatarebredforspecificfavorabletraits,
suchasbeingabletosurviveinadroughtorincontaminatedwater.
6.ClosingStatementHowthelawyerstiedtogethertheelementsofthetrial.
Thefinishedbysayingitsnotfair/rightthatthegovernmentchooseswhatwecandoand
whatwecantdoasanindividual.Thiscontrastedtotheprosidebecausetheprosidehad
describeditasashell.

TheJusticesDeliberations&Opinions

7.SummarizetheJusticesdeliberationsWhatdidtheyfocuson&why?Whatarguments,
ideas&evidencemoststrucktheirinterest?Whatdidyouseehappeningintheirconversation?
Oneofthejusticesthoughtitwasreallyinterestingwhentheprosidementioned
celebritiesintheiropeningstatement.Buttheyalsofeltliketheprosidesargumentswas
confusingandtheyweregettingofftopicalot.Theyfeltthattheprosidewascoveringtoomany
topicsintoolittletime.Intheantigroup,mostjusticesagreedthatwetookonetopicatatime
andexplainedthoroughly.Oneortwojusticesalsonoticedtheevidencewasbeingalittle
expandedontheproside,whichwasinterruptedduringthetrial.
8.DescribeoneJusticesopinioninparticularwhatismostinterestingaboutittoyou?
Onejusticewasveryconveyedandunderstoodwhentheprosideusedametaphor
sayingthatthegovernmentwaslikeashellforUScitizens.Ifeltthatwhentheotherjustices
understoodthattoo,theyseemedalittlemoreinfluencedbywhattheprosidehadsaidtoback
thatup.
9.SummarizetheMajorityOpinionHowdidtheystructuretheirargument&why?
Theirargumentwasstructuredbytalkingabouteachindividualtopicthatroseonboth
sides.Thebiggestonebeinglabeling.Somejusticesontheantisidedidagreethatthatthere
shouldatleastbealittlebitofgovernmentinvolvement.Theantisideendeduphavingthemost
votes.Theantisidetalkedaboutmanytopicsbutexplainedeachtopicwithdetailssoeveryone
couldunderstand.

TheSignificanceoftheTrial

10.Pleasewriteyourthoughtfulresponsestothepromptsbelow:
Whateconomicideassharedorreferencedduringthetrialaremoststrikingtoyou?
Why?
Whatgovernmentalorpoliticalideassharedorreferencedduringthetrialaremost
strikingtoyou?Why?
Wheredoyoustandonatleastoneissueraisedinthetrial?

Inoticedthatduringthetrial,Ifeltthatwheneithersidewasdiscussingeachindividual
topic,thejusticeswereleaningtowardstheproside.Onetopicthatwasbroughtupoverand
overagainbythejusticeswaslabeling.WhetherornotpeoplealreadyknowthatGMOshave
beenaroundforalongtime,orforpeopletohavealabelandknowexactlywhatisinthefood.
Theprosideraisedthefactthatiftherewasnogovernment,therewouldbenoroadsorstreets.
ThisstoodouttomebecauseitwassomethingIhadn'trealizeduntilitwasmentioned,andthey
madeagoodpoint.OneissuethatIapprovedstronglyof,wastousetheadvantagesofGMOs
tohelpendworldhunger.SinceGMOshavespecialtraitstosurviveinharshweather,theycan
beplantedinplaceslikeafrica,sothattherewillbemorecrops.Butsincethegeneralpublichas
abadviewonGMOsmostwouldrefusetousethem.