An example of a modern unjust law

1. Take the example of an unjust law (Same Sex marriage)

2. Do some research on the subject. Possible online places to look: www.procon.org or http://www.opposingviews.com or (why not?) Google.

a. By research I simply mean basic internet searching for more information on the subject. For example, if you used the current methods of deportation as an example of unjust laws, you’ll want to look for articles and information that gives you a better sense of what I call “the conversation”:

i. What are people saying about this subject? What are the two (or more) sides of the discussion? What are the reasons people feel (continuing with the deportation example) that the current system is unjust or just? Get a sense of all the different opinions and arguments.

3. The goal of this research is to find at least one interesting source (a newspaper editorial, a short essay) that supports your unjust law and one that opposes it. In other words: find a source that agrees with you and one that disagrees with you. (This is why procon.org and opposingviewpoints.com are good places to start.)

4. Once you have the sources, write a summary of them. This requires:

a. Reading the sources closely;

b. Writing the important details of these sources in your own words (which should run at least a paragraph per source, probably more).

5. Once you have the summaries:

a. Write a thesis statement that expresses your argument. For example (sticking with deportation):

i. Since the United States’ method of deportation has done little more than break up families, stigmatize undocumented workers, and create an unethical revenue stream from overlong detention and trial processes, we must tear down the current model and create a more humane system.

The goals of this assignment are to introduce you to the wonderful world of research and to force you to examine a topic of your choosing from different perspectives. The assignment also requires close reading, summary, and response skills and offers further practice with thesis construction. (You might guess that this will be the basis of a future paper, and you’d be right! So, as Spring Break is almost upon us and some of you have asked me not to send you off with a paper to write, I am giving you this reasonable assignment. Of course, the more ambitious among you may want to get started on a first draft of your next argumentative essay.)