Cherilyn Kelii

Opinion Speech

Please choose any current event or issue that you feel strongly about and create a two-minute opinion speech, as we discussed in class. Be sure to:

-Provide an opening statement, followed by a thesis that covers only ONE, NEW point of view*
-Agree or disagree in your speech with the opening statement
-Include three facts plus at least one source to support your reasoning
-Explain your connection to the topic (why you are interested or any experience/credibility support/personal story, if appropriate)
-Summarize your point of view at the end

You may use notes, a typewritten paper, write on your hand, electronic devices or speak from memory--whatever helps you to do your speech.

I will give you some leeway (15 seconds either way).

*For example, "Global warming is detrimental to our oceans" is too broad and also not a unique perspective. What do you think is the greatest challenge to our oceans? Or is there a new study or data that you wish to highlight? A stronger thesis statement would be: "The loss of coastal shorelines worldwide are the greatest threat that global warming poses to our oceans." You may wish to open your speech with something dramatic, like "Can you imagine losing New York, Houston, Amsterdam, Cairo...etc.? This is why I believe that the loss of coastal shorelines worldwide..."

Last week Wednesday was a sad day for ducks. The ban on the popular liver delicacy, foie gras, was overturned in California.

Foie gras is the product of extreme animal cruelty, therefore I feel the ban should be reinstated.

Let me first begin by telling you what foie gras is. Foie gras (fwah grah) is French for “fatty liver”. It is a food product made of duck or goose liver that has been specifically fattened. This is done through a process called gavage. In this process, workers ram metal pipes, 20-30 centimeters long, down ducks' throats two or three times a day. They pump at least 4 pounds of grain and fat into the animals’ stomachs causing their livers to swell to up to 10 times their normal size.

A ban in California was enacted on the sale and production of foie gras and although it was passed in 2004, it finally went into effect on July 1st, 2012. Since then, the ban has become one of the nations biggest food controversy, and last week Wednesday California judges overturned the ban.

The production of foie gras is detrimental to the welfare of the birds. Force-feeding injures