February 12, 2014
Essay one
Same sex marriage legalization has been a continue argument for years. It was admitted as legal by California government in June 2008, but it was halted due to the passage of Proposition 8. There is no wonder why people take Proposition 8 as hate towards LGBTI community. Thus, Morse wrote a article in National Review Online to appeal more supporter, and to argue there is no hate toward LGBTI community from Proposition 8. Her rhetorical choices help to increase the probability that there are more readers will support her argument.
Morse has used a few rhetorical strategies in her article to enhance her argument. One of her specific persuasive strategies to getting more Proposition supporters is giving the impression that there is a large and diverse group of people who will be voting Proposition 8. In Morse's article, she predicted, "Millions of people are going to vote Yes on Pro 8. People of every religion and no religion are going to vote Yes on Pro 8. People with gay loved ones are going to vote Yes on Pro 8. It would be strategic, and completely unwarranted, for gay wen and lesbians to conclude that all these people hate them." (Morse, Par 7) The first three sentences generalize the range of audience by using words "Millions" "religion and no religion". Which gives the impression that it is likely everyone is a supporter of Proposition 8. Also, the phase "people with gay loved ones" enlarges the diversity of audiences. Without this phase, it sounds like only heterosexual people who has no relative of homosexuality will vote for Proposition 8; with it, it expands the boundary, people has relative of homosexuality or even the gays and lesbian may vote for proposition 8. At the last sentence, Morse used words "tragic" and "unwarranted" to enhance her argument that there is no hate and also extend her audience group to gays and lesbians. Originally, there is no obvious description imply the range of audience group. And the audience is very likely to limited to people who disagree with Proposition 8. But the last paragraph of this article clearly defines its broad range of audience. With a renewed awareness of Proposition 8 is broadly accepted, the audience is more likely to accept that Proposition 8 is not about hate and follow the majority to vote for Proposition 8.
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