glossary, suggested reading and Web sites

What does "the rule of law" mean? Should anyone be above the law?

This is a list of important themes and video segments that can be used in classroom discussions of The People's Court.

Gabriella Szekely, was a teacher in Rosia Montana for 34 years, but now has broken her ties with the village, and taken Gold Corporation's money to leave. Margit Buran, a retired accountant is resolute --she won't deal with the Canadian company.

The Rosia Montana gold mine has the potential for causing catastrophic environmental harm. In January 2000 heavy rains and snowfall flooded a holding pond of mining waste in the Romanian city of Baia Mare, spilling more than 20 million gallons of cyanide-laced sludge into the River Tisza.

Gold Corporation began buying out homeowners in 2002, offering either cash or a home in a new community. While many people are taking advantage of the buyouts, others, like farmer Eugen David, are resisting.

John Aston, vice president of the Rosia Montana Gold Corporation, describes the company's plans in a positive light. Remus Celusa, a resident of Rosia Montana, wonders why the corporation can't mine the gold "without destroying our mountain and everything we own."

Gabriel Resources, a Canadian based multinational, plans to build the largest gold mine in Europe. Its subsidiary -- Rosia Montana Gold Corporation -- was granted a 20-year exploration license, but first it would have to buy up hundreds of houses and displace almost an entire village.

by Craig S. Smith. Journalists are supposed to be impartial, but they rarely really are. We gather information and then decide which bits to present to our audience and in what order to present them. It's by definition a manipulative process.