Persuasive Writing: Halloween Debate (Rebuttal)

Dear Matthew,
I do agree that some 14 year olds should grow up and not scare kids, but not all of them do that. Just because some 14 year olds are immature and scare kids, it does not mean that all 14 year olds should stop trick-or-treating. If somebody is out of middle school and wants to go trick-or-treating, then he should be able to go ( as long as he doesn’t do anything wrong, of course ). I do agree that some kids should not go out on Halloween, but just because some 14 year olds go scare kids, does not mean that the others that are mature and have good spirit shouldn’t be able to go trick-or-treating. Sincerely, Derrick S.

Matthew S. Rebuttal against Derrick S. A.M. Core Your argument makes great points but I say it is invalid. First, many people have different perspectives of right and wrong. Second, yes there are kids who are mature and do the right thing but these kids unfortunately in the minority. Third, it takes maturity to get candy from the store and leaving candy for kids. Halloween is holiday where kids are supposed to be the happiest not the high schoolers. Besides, most high schoolers will probably do the wrong thing and scare kids. Although many people can differentiate the difference between right and wrong the standards for it vary. This whole debate is about whether it is right or wrong to stop trick or treating in middle school, high school, or elementary school. As you may have noticed from the comments, the responses are diverse with opinion. Also, there is a difference between knowing right and wrong than actually doing what is right or wrong. My next reason is even though there are some mature kids there are not many. Everyone has their own opinion on what is mature and what is not. If they happen to know how to act mature it is still different being responsible and not frightening kids. Sadly, I think most of kids know how to behave but most of them don’t. My evidence behind this is I have witnessed the capacity of maturity that children in middle school have and from my point of view it is the majority of kids who are not responsible. You say in your argument it is mature to not scare people during Halloween. I say being mature is not trick or treating. It takes will to not go around and terrify young kids, but it takes a kind and selfless person to go to the store and buy candy with their own money instead of going around and asking for free candy. If people go around trick or treating they may also ruin the poor children’s Halloween by taking a bunch of candy and leaving sufficient amounts for all the kids in the neighborhood. If everyone stops trick or treating in high school then those are 4 years that kids will not get their full desire if treats. Your point of view has many strong points and you pierced quite a few wounds in my argument. It is possible that your perspective may be right because I don’t celebrate Halloween so I have never experience going from door to door saying trick or treat. But I still believe that trick or treating should be stopped in middle school. My first reason was many people have different point of views on what the right thing is and wrong thing is. My next reason was there are kids who act their age but their numbers decimate as time wears on. My last reason was it takes a caring and empathetic person to buy candy from the store and leaving candy for kids. There are two sides you can take. On one side there is a trick or treater that wishes to continue his tradition and go get candy. On the other side there is one who decides to let the next generation have fun as they once did. Which path do you choose? Sincerely, Matthew S.