“A Change of Heart about Animals” by Jeremy Rifkin

One of Rifkin’s claims is that animals are more like humans than we realize. Researchers have discovered that animals feel many of the same emotions that humans do. They feel pain, suffer and experience stress, affection, excitement, and even feel love. Rifkin also claims that many fast food restaurants are the ones that are funding research. Fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s, Burger King, and KFC are among the many that provide funds for research.  Because of the funds given by McDonalds, they have found that pigs crave affection and are easily depressed if left alone or denied time with other pigs. Another one of his claims is that because of the research that has been done, it is changing how humans view animals. Rifkin’s last claim is that learned behavior is genetically wired activity. Learning is passed on from parent to offspring. Scientists know that geese have to teach their offspring their migration routes. Rifkin makes his article very persuasive by comparing animals to humans.  Rifkin uses examples of how animals have similar emotions as humans. This makes the reader realize that animals aren’t as different from humans as they may think. This also further helps the author gain support for research. I do think that Rifkin’s strategy was effective because he gives many examples of how animals are more similar to humans that most people think. It makes people rethink things and think about the idea in a whole new light. 

Response to "Do We Have the Courage to Stop This?"

Kristof’s main claims in the passage, “Do We Have the Courage to Stop This?”, are that the United States should impose stricter laws and regulations on gun control and that if these stricter laws are not enforced soon that the safety of both ourselves and others could be endangered. Kristof believes that guns should have stricter regulations because there is evidence that there are more people dying of gun shootings than the amount of people dying of car accidents. According to the center of public crisis, firearms claim the life of someone every 20 minutes. There are stricter rules on less important things such as cafeteria food and ladders but not on the possession of guns. Because of the lack of gun control, there have been many mass shooting around the world. There was a school shooting in Connecticut and thirteen  mass shootings in Australia. “It is more difficult to adopt a pet than to buy a gun” said a Facebook follower of Kristof. It has become such a common thing in American to possess guns for various purposes. Kristof proposed an idea from Canada that requires a 28 day waiting period and the support of two people to vouch for the buyer. I do not think that this strategy would be effective because the gun buyer could easily just have two of his friend vouch for him, and he could want the gun for the wrong reasons and the seller would never know. Another reason why this could not work would be the plan does not limit people from possessing guns; it just prolongs the amount of time it takes for them to obtain the firearm. 

8/26/14

What is your prospective major? 
My prospective major is biology.

Have you ever used the terms “claims” and “evidence” in a class?  If so, what was the class and how did you use them? 
Yes, I have used the terms "claims" and "evidence" in a class. These terms were used in various science  and history classes. 

What writing activities do you enjoy outside of school (blogging, tweeting, journaling, etc.)?  What do you write about and how often do you do it? How do you feel about yourself as a writer? 
I enjoy writing tweets, copying quotes, and writing instagram captions. In these writings, I tend to write about how I am feeling at the time or about what I am currently doing, and I write about how moving quotes affect or apply to my life. I do not think that I am a particularly good writer but my writing tends to suffice for important assignments.