Everyone likes to Argue (response to #1 on page 200)

Hurricanes are increasing in number and ferocity. This claim is not worth explaining in my opinion. The simple fact that the United States has not had a significant hurricane since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 would prove this argument to be questionable already. Where we live also is a factor—not many college students are worrying about hurricanes in northeast Indiana.

Many people die annually of cancer. Perhaps if this claim was about the causes of cancer then it would be more important to a majority of college students, but it is too simple of a statement to need arguing. Based on what we already know about cancer, not many people would disagree that many people die from it every year.

Fewer people would die of heart disease each year if more of them paid attention to their diets. This is a good argument to present. Rather than just stating that people die of heart disease, as in the last statement about cancer, this statement presents a way to act on the argument. It also could provide very important facts about a healthy diet that not many people know.

Japan might have come to terms more readily in 1945 if the Allies had not demanded unconditional surrender. This would probably be an argument important to the World War 2 buff rather than the average college student. It is an interesting historical debate, but only for people interested in the topic.

Boys would do better in school if there were more men teaching in elementary and secondary classrooms. Because of its relevance to many of my peers, this is a “claim worth arguing.” Not only is this argument relevant because of the many people majoring in education, but because of the males that have made it to college.

The ever-increasing number of minorities in higher education is evidence that racial problems have just about ended in the United States. This claim is extremely important to many people in colleges. One reason is that it deals with “higher education.” A second reason is that many people on college campuses are in a racial minority.

There are not enough high-paying jobs for college graduates these days. This claim is another that is extremely relevant to college students. I can speak for myself when I say that I want to know what kinds of high-paying jobs will be available to me when I graduate!

Hydrogen may never be a viable alternative to fossil fuels because it takes too much energy to change hydrogen into a useable form. Though it should be important because it deals with the kinds of problems our world will face when we are out of college, not many current college students would care about this claim. It is an issue that seems too far out of touch with our lives and problems.

Only one of the first forty-three presidents of the United States was Catholic. This is not a broad enough topic to interest and be important to the majority of college students. While many are admittedly Catholic, there is not necessarily an overwhelming Catholic population. There are also probably not enough students that would care whether or not their president had the same faith as them.

Political activists have grossly exaggerated the effects of the USA Patriot Act on free expression. Free expression is important to people of all age groups, but especially to college students. In a time where we are finally getting to have our own voice about things, a claim such as this would be important to research. Most college students want to know the extent of their free expression.