Convince skeptical readers to adopt your views on one of these topics. Consult your instructor about modifying them to make them more specific.
Health issues: National health care; health care for the elderly; mandatory HIV testing for health care workers/hospital patients/prostitutes/prisoners/marriage licenses; allowing HIV-infected doctors to perform surgery; cloning; genetic engineering; permitting the sale of human organs; assigning priorities for organ transplant recipients; prohibiting cigarette or liquor advertising on TV and radio; assisted suicide; euthanasia; Gulf War syndrome; mandatory anthrax vaccination in the military; chronic fatigue syndrome; natural, homeopathic, and herbal remedies; nutritional labeling; safety of radiated foods, bicycle or motorcycle helmet laws
Education issues: Extending the school year to twelve months, with vacations; mandatory uniforms, dress codes; vouchers, school choices, charter schools; maintaining a C average to play in sports or be in clubs; bilingual education; national standards in major subjects, or specifically in history; Ebonics/Black English; multiculturalism and the curriculum; Afrocentric education; tracking and ability grouping; gifted and talented programs; at-risk students; mandatory community service; distributing free condoms in high schools; Constitutional amendment permitting school prayer. Are boys better at math than girls?
Child development issues: effects of divorce, single parenting, spanking, maternal employment, TV watching; being raised by gay or lesbian couples; government regulation of children's TV programming and advertising,
Crime issues: effects of Rap/gangsta music; effects of violent movies/TV; dealing with sex offenders; Megan's law; dealing with drunk driving; victim compensation; date rape; capital punishment; three convictions and long prison sentences; handgun control/banning; privatizing prisons
Drug issues: legalizing hard drugs; legalizing recreational drugs; legalizing anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs; mandatory drug tests for employees; mandatory drug tests for professional/college/high school athletes; mandatory drug tests for high school/college students; allowing greatly increased medical uses of controlled substances (for example, marijuana growing and buying in California). Is Prozac/Ritalin/other drug dangerously overprescribed?
Economic issues: NAFTA; flat tax; legalizing casino gambling in Maryland; municipal/county/state subsidizing of sports and sports stadiums; rent control and homelessness; minimum wage; restricting immigration; privatizing prisons. Do corporations have a social responsibility beyond just obeying the law?
Gender issues: glass ceiling; sexual harassment; effects of media portrayals; effects of beauty and fashion advertising; women in direct ground combat; world-wide regulating of ritual female genital surgery; dangers of silicone breast implants; medical biases against women in medical research/treatment; the Promise Keepers organization; feminism. Are gender differences inherent in the brain or caused by culture and society?
Gay and lesbian issues: extending civil rights laws to ban discrimination because of sexual orientation; military service; adoption; child custody; same-sex marriage. Is there evidence that sexual orientation is biologically determined?
Environmental issues: global warming; ozone depletion; environmental treaties and trade agreements; property rights vs. environmental protection; protecting/improving the Chesapeake Bay; preserving wetlands/wilderness areas/wildlife and marine sanctuaries
Race issues: Racism and African-American progress, affirmative action in employment/college admissions; interracial adoption; media images; reparations for slavery, education issues. How does affirmative action affect Hispanics, Asian-Americans, women, other groups?
Miscellaneous issues:
Regulation or censorship of lyrics which advocate or glamorize drugs, sex, or violence
Privatization of government services (prisons, mail, social security, food inspection, etc.)
Statehood or elected congressional representation for the District of Columbia
Dealing with deadbeat dads
The Washington Redskins should change the name of its football team because "Redskins" is a racist term.
Bartenders should/should not be legally responsible for injuries caused by drunk customers they have served.
What should be the primary goal of NASA? Increase the shuttle missions; put satellites into orbit; conduct medical, industrial, technological, and environmental research; build an international space station; explore the nearby planets; explore deep space; conduct manned exploration of nearby planets or space?
Should the government censor Internet content?
Other--get instructor's approval.