Blog 23: Issues in our American Society

Choose TWO of the four New York Times: Upfront magazine articles to read: "Should I take a job promoting cigarettes?", "Driven to Distraction", "Is your lunch causing Global Warming?', or "Locked away forever?" All of the articles introduce controversial subjects highly debated in our current American society and provide data to support the argument being made.

After reading two of the articles, write a one-paragraph response to each. Consider the following questions for each editorial [your commentary need not be in this order]:

-How does the author of the news article support a specific position on the issue? Provide an example of this slanted perspective.

-What is your personal opinion on the subject under debate? Why do you support/ refute the article's points? [ex. Cigarettes- Why would you take the job/ not take the job?; Locked away- How old do you think an individual needs to be to tell right from wrong?; Global warming- What does your diet mostly consist of?; Distraction- Who do you know that texts while driving?]

-What statistics/ collected data/ pictures/ etc. does the author choose to make his/ her point(s) in the editorial? How are they effective?

In "Driven to Distraction, the author supports his main point of don't text while driving. He uses specific examples of how driving while texting could kill, and its new stricter laws. He keeps bringing up Utah as the strictest penalty because he is from Utah, but he is not using specific examples of how other states aren't as tough with their laws. As a new driver I believe texting while driving is terrible, and thinking that it is another thing that impairs the judgement of the driver is terrifying. I agree with the strict penalties he points out, like going away for texting while driving as long as drunk driving. The author uses the years of jail time and the amount of how heavy the fine is. He also cites specific examples of people being killed by texting while driving.

In "Locked Away Forever?" the author does not really take a position, he cites different people in jail and what age they committed their crime. I believe the criminal should go away for life, especially if they have committed multiple infractions. The author gives specific examples of the ages and what percent of the criminals who were under the legal age committed the crime.

[Posted: 3.12.10, end of the period; two paragraphs; 10 points]

*If you are absent, see me to get the articles and make up this blog.