Student 1: “Night and Fog” really got to me. The scenes of bodies and hair and everything else brought the Holocaust to life in way I had never really seen or
even imagined previously. I learned about it in textbooks and all, but this was really different. So, I think we need to change our educational system drastically
and immediately. We should require and prioritize Holocaust education at every level, every year from elementary school through high school. We need films
like this and better prepared teachers. We need the remaining Holocaust survivors to come and talk to children and teenagers and extensive field trips to
Holocaust museums here in LA and wherever else they are. This was a wake-up call!
Student 2: I agree that the film was shocking and you’re certainly right to be concerned. But look, these horrible events took place more than 75 years go. It’s
really time to move on. While we certainly shouldn’t forget the Holocaust, we need to remember that we’re living in 2021. We have to prioritize the urgent
problems that we face now. We have climate change and global warming. And the pandemic is still with us. Many countries have almost no vaccinations
even now. World poverty and hunger rates are horrible. Sexual violence in America is seemingly at an epidemic level. So, let’s put our efforts on these
problems and not dwell so much on the horrors of the past. I’m 21 years old and I want to live in a sustainable planet!
Respond to either of these students. Once again, your actual format is not important; what matters is the substance and organization of your argument. You
can develop any argument you think makes sense and are not limited to the two specific views and positions that the two students articulate in their brief
comments above.
Sample Solution