Blog Eleven

As i am writing on the issue of whether cigarettes should be made illegal, i feel the best place for my essay would be in an anti-smoking campaign or a political issues magazine such as The American Spectator.

Although there is not a article directly linked to the topic i am covering in The American Spectator, there are many issues which take a stance towards one opinion and form a rebuttal. For example, there is an article in The American Spectator stating that cell phone use in cars should be banned. The writer has a strong conviction that we should not be able to drive and use a cell phone at the same time. He first relates it to being like gun control- as a cell phone, like a gun, is a tool people do not know how to use properly. He then  talks about the facts saying that talking and driving is akin to drinking and driving, which is illegal. He then talks about Mothers Against Drunk Driving which is a campaign. From this, he talks about how a drink over dinner plus an inadequate driver and a cell phone is an accident waiting to happen. I agree with the writer, i know that a lot of accidents are due to drivers being on cell phones and he made many valid points. I liked the examples the writer used to convey the negative message of driving recklessly.

http://spectator.org/archives/2009/01/14/sail-fawns-and-one-for-the-roa/1

Another example from The American Spectator,  is an article on antisemitism. This article is about the extremity of antisemitism. He believes that the scale and extremism of the anti-Semitic literature and commentary available in Arab or Muslim newspapers, magazines and TV shows, etc is "comparable only to that of Nazi Germany at its worst."He organizes this by first explaining to the reader that its a huge issue. He then goes on to give the reader some background information on antisemitism in the middle east. After that, he mentions how it has been attempted to make peace within these middle eastern countries however, antisemitism is basically fed to them so it is difficult. He talks about how Obama, the president of America got involved and the results were still 'meager', although he mentions how we should not give up. I do agree with the writer, the wounds are not too deep to heal within these countries however, it is not up to us, it is up to them. One technique he used which i liked was bringing in both sides of the argument. Putting in other points of view made his opinion seem stronger.

http://spectator.org/archives/2009/11/05/the-reality-of-middle-east-ant