The Argument Culture Moving From Debate To Dialogue Analysis

In the article “The Argument Culture Moving from Debate to Dialogue,” by Deborah Tannen, she claims that there are only two sides to every situation. I agree with Tannen when she says that there are only two sides to any situations. I agree with her statement because debate topics only have two sides. Not only debate topics, but I grow up always hearing there is two sides to every story. For example, the debate topics on same-sex marriage and the death penalty, only have two sides you are either for it or against it. One of the examples that I mentioned was same-sex marriage, this is a situation that because there is only two sides a lot of people can get hurt if they are involved. For example, people that are for same-sex marriage believe

It is hurting the homosexual people that get criticizes for being gay. They have to fear walking down the street in some states, and they also have to fear losing their jobs just because they are gay. Some employers have the right to terminate employment because of an employee’s sexuality. It is also hurting the children in the foster care system, that could be adopted by the same-sex couples. Another example of a situation that hurts multiple people because there are only two sides to the issue is the death penalty. People that are for the death penalty argue that it provides closure to the victims’ families, justice is served, it is quick, painless, and humane, and it creates a form of deterrent. The people that are against the death penalty argue that it is hypocritical, it will always be cruel, they can be found innocent because of DNA testing, and it cost a lot of money because of the amount of appeals that happen. This topic hurts multiple people as well. The person that is on death row could be innocent, and if they are killed and then later found to be innocent the criminal justice system killed an innocent person. The now innocent person’s family will be grieving the loss of a loved