Should we stop teenagers from tanning?

Legislature tries to draw tan line for teenagers

State lawmaker is right to seek more restrictions on use of tanning salons by teens. 

- Editorial from 3/23 (statesman.com)

            Because this editorial is from the Austin American Statesman, citizens of Texas and specifically Austin residents are the author’s intended audience. The author assumes that the reader knows little about the subject, which he makes clear through his explanatory language and his use of evidence to give background information/support to his argument.

            The author uses several outside sources and scholarly studies to support his argument, such as the San Diego State University study in 2006 on the large amounts of tanning salons in the Austin area. This gives him a higher level of credibility. He also incorporates a counter argument into his piece and then explains why he is not in favor of it.

            The tone used in this article diminishes the credibility of the author. He dismisses the benefits that people feel they gain from having the freedom to use tanning salons under the age of 18. As a newspaper editor, the author seems to have never used a tanning salon. The writing hints at arrogance and seems to incredulously imply the message: Why would people even do this?

            The author is in favor of passing a bill that would prohibit youth under the age of 18 to use tanning salons without a doctor’s note and a parent present. Evidence used to persuade the reader include research studies, quotes from politicians and relevant individuals/groups, such as the doctor from The Dermatological Society. The author implicitly reveals that their claim/argument is more than passive support for the bill, but he or she feels that tanning is an unnecessary activity that has become too common in our society and that there are far too many tanning salons, as evidenced by the studies showing tanning beds outnumber McDonalds restaurants and Starbucks coffee shops. He backs these personal opinions with the logic that exposure to ultraviolet rays in tanning salons can be harmful and create a risk of cancer or melanoma in order to defend his argument.

            I agree with the author that teenagers should not be carelessly engaging in activities, such as frequenting tanning salons, that can cause devastating, unhealthy, long-term damage to their bodies. 

Sobriety Checkpoints Proposed Again

Republican State Senator John Carona has proposed a bill that will legalize sobriety checkpoints in Texas. In 1990, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled checkpoints constitutional, but in 1994 the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled them illegal in Texas until the Legislature passed a law giving clear police guidelines at these checkpoints. Supporters of the bill, which include victims of drunk driving accidents, argue that it would make Texas safer because of the high number of deaths and injuries that are caused by drunk driving every year in Texas. The Statesman has the story here.

 

         “ ‘1,292 killed and about 30,000 injured last year in Texas traffic wrecks where alcohol use was a factor,’ Corona said.”

 

            Opponents of the bill point to the violations of civil liberties Texans would face if checkpoints were implemented.

            This article is important for people to read because it deals with a fundamental issue of government. How far can the government go to protect the public without violating the rights of its citizens? The issue of sobriety checkpoints is especially fascinating because drunk driving causes hundreds of deaths in Texas every year. Since checkpoint legislation has been proposed several times since 1994 and has yet to pass, the Texas legislature has till now favored the liberties of its citizens over the safety of the public in this area. The outcome of this years bill will be an indicator of government attitudes to the issue presently and how they may have changed over the last 15 years.