Argumentative Essay (300 word limit)

                                   Dominic Dominguez
                                                    Period 5                     
            Being ahead of his time Thoreau brought ideas of simplicity and experience to the world. He would live in his own cabin in nature and far away from people so he could experience life his own way. But this was in the eighteen fifties and many things have changed since the time this book was published. Although being published more than a century ago Thoreau's ideas and beliefs on how to live or just life in general can still be used today in contemporary society.

      Thoreau is all about simple things in life and that can be relatable today as he says in one of his quotes "Simplify!" if people just take out all the unnecessary objects from their life it can help. Now people have phones and computers to keep busy and  entertained but if they just trashed those objects then they will have less to worry about and instead of spending time on the internet they can be outside their home just experiencing life. Somebody can say that in minimalist houses or in nature people still have phones or computers but it is the concept of just using what they have for what you need like information nothing more. Also what is still a relevant idea is Thoreau's thought of following your dream or passion with there being risks and this is shown in this quote “Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence” like many people who love art or just have a real passion for something.

        Thoreau’s ideas are still very relevant today and will be in the future. People don't have to live in cabins to agree with Thoreau's belief's they just have to have the concept of a minimalist mentality.

Current event Journal "Guns Are Our Shared Responsibilty"

         The author of this op-ed is a very well known figure in the United states, Barack Obama and he gave his opinion and thoughts on how to help with the "crisis" of gun violence. He gives statistics of number of deaths in the united states to show his reasoning and how citizens are a big part in stopping this issue that will take time to be stopped. He also points fingers at the gun industry because they are making any improvements on the safety measures of guns like how easy it is for kids to use them or any adults to buy them. 

         Obama is trying to get the readers of this article (mainly citizens of the United States) to help with the crisis of gun violence because that is the only way that it will be solved. He is doing so by showing examples like the 15 year old who jumped in front of gunfire to save three girls and also was reaching out to the people to realize the problem we are having with guns in the states. His main focus was to inform the reader about gun violence but he does so by trying to get on an emotional level with the reader by giving reference to an actual kid who died due to this or by showing that women, gay, and African Americans rights took time to be solved but with the help of citizens uniting to make a change it has affected the United states greatly.

Obama, Barack. "Barack Obama: Guns Are Our Shared Responsibility." The New York Times. The New York Times, 2016. Web. 07 Feb. 2016.