Mandatory Vaccination Argumentative Essay

Mandatory vaccinations have been hotly debated in the United States for over two centuries, making the argument almost as old as the country itself. As early as 1809, Massachusetts became the first state to mandate the world's premiere vaccine. Authorities recognized the life–saving benefits of the smallpox vaccine. They chose to require inoculation to protect the community from further outbreaks. Public outrage ensued as some community members feared the new vaccine and believed they should be able to choose if they wished to receive it. The most vocal protestors formed anti–compulsory vaccination groups and were successful in getting laws overturned in many states. However, even the United States Supreme Court has upheld states' rights to require immunization. (A) Vaccinations should be...show more content...

Despite significant progress in the fight against preventable disease, millions still die needlessly each year. According to UNICEF, originally known as the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, a vaccine preventable disease is responsible for 2 million fatal infections worldwide each year. About 75% of these deaths occur in children under five years of age. (N) In more vivid terms, UNICEF notes that vaccine–preventable diseases kill a child every 20 seconds. (D) Due to high rates of childhood vaccination, the United States has experienced a dramatic reduction in such deaths. A comparison of the years 1950 and 2010 clearly illustrates the benefits of vaccinations. During this 60–year period, deaths from diphtheria reduced from 410 to 0, tetanus from 336 to 3, pertussis from 1,118 to 26, and polio from 1,904 to 0. Measles deaths dropped from 468 in 1950 to 0 in 2008, the last year a United States death rate was recorded. It's not surprising that vaccinations have been touted as one of the top ten health achievements of the 20th century by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Selfishness

Most of us assume that selfishness is both wrong and unhealthy. But is this true?

Selfishness means acting in one's rational self–interest. Contrary to popular opinion, all healthy individuals are selfish. Choosing to pursue the career of your choice is selfish. Choosing to have children—or not to have children—is selfish. Insisting on freedom and individual rights, rather than living under a dictatorship, is selfish. Indeed, even ordinary behaviors such as breathing, eating and avoiding an oncoming car when crossing the street are selfish acts. Withoutselfishness, none o f us would survive the day—much less a lifetime.

Selfishness does not mean self–destructive behavior. In other words, a car...show more content... Or, consider the envious individual who tries to get you to feel guilty for your hard–earned success. "You are lucky to have done so well," the envious person says. "Now you have a duty to share some of your success with others." Ce rtainly, a selfish person wants to share his success with those he genuinely cares about—his family, friends, or children (greater values). But why should he make sacrifices to individuals he does not know or care about (lesser values)?

Selfish individuals give to charity—if and when they choose. A selfish person is not "stingy." He simply values the use of his own judgment in making decisions about how to spend his money, and when to give it away.

Most of us assume that some selfishness is healthy, but "too much" selfishness will lead to loneliness and despair. This idea rests on an incorrect definition of selfishness. Selfishness means acting in one's rational self–interest. By " rational" I mean that one can logically prove that an action is in one's self–interest—in the long run as well as the short run.

For instance, Mr. Jones might think that it is in his self–interest to cheat on his wife, in the short run. But if he considers the long–term, he will understand that he loses her either way by lying to her. If he really loves his wife, he will feel te rrible if he lies to her. If he no longer loves his

Running head: RESEARCH ESSAY

In today's society, there are many different diets that people can follow. One of those diets is called veganism. People who follow this diet refuse to consume meat or other animal products, including eggs and dairy. Veganism is becoming more and more popular for a number of reasons. Some people go vegan because they do not want to be responsible for cruelty against animals. Others choose the vegan diet for their health or to help protect the environment. No matter what the reason, the truth is clear: the vegan diet is simply the best choice. It is better for animals, better for us, and better for the Earth.

Farm animals' lives are degrading, painful, and they endure a lot of abuse. The majority of our meat...show more content... In addition to their clean consciences, vegans can boast of healthy bodies. A meat–heavy diet can be disastrous for one's health. The World Health Organization, for instance, has linked red and processed meats to colorectal cancer (O'Connor, October 2015). Plant–based diets, on the other hand, benefit our bodies in many ways. The advantages of avoiding meat are summarized in a recent article from The Duke Health Medicine News: "Vegetarian dietary patterns are associated with lower body mass, lower prevalence and incidence of diabetes mellitus, lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components (abdominal obesity, elevated blood pressure and fasting blood sugar, high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol levels), lower hypertension, lower all–cause mortality, and in some cases, lower risk of cancer" ("Vegetarian Diets", 2015, p. 4). A vegan diet offers all of the above benefits, as well as several that aren't associated withvegetarianism: "Compared to lacto–ovo–vegetarian diets, vegan diets seem to provide some added protection against obesity, hypertension, type–2 diabetes; and cardiovascular mortality" (Le & SabatГ©, 2014, p. 2142). Despite these facts, many people remain skeptical. That vegans can obtain all the nutrients their bodies need, such as protein. This skepticism is unfounded: legumes, tofu, and other staples of the vegan diet provide plenty of protein. For example, according to the Get more content