In two shining examples of rhetorical power “A letter to a Birmingham Jail” and “Malcom X’s debate at the Oxford Union” The two great leaders of the civil rights movement outline their platforms and justify their philosophies in regards to how the movement should go about achieving societal change. Although the civil rights movement was brought to national attention by the combined work of MLK and Malcom X, the rhetorical strategies employed by the two are quite different and hold varying degrees of effectiveness. These social justice warriors did not receive an equal amount of respect nor did their ideas have an equal amount of impact because…
In his article, From Identity to Politics, Craig Rimmerman analyzes gay rights movements in the United States in order to discover whether it is feasible to connect identity concerns with a liberal coalition for social, political and sex inequalities. Progressive democracy has provided some lesbian and gay rights; however, they are limited. Gay rights continue to be the focus of political efforts to promote social change through lesbian and gay movements in the United States. Rimmerman also focuses on the different ways gays and lesbians brought the AIDS epidemic to attention.…
My friends satire essay for AP English. This is literally one of the funniest thing I have ever read.…
In almost all situations, it applies to the people involved that even if a new belief is more successful than a previous one, if that previous one is believed to be successful, people will resist changing it out of fear that the new ways won’t be as successful as the former. In the case of same-sex marriages, the citizens of the United States, for the majority of the nation’s existence, have predominantly been of the Christian faith, which strictly prohibits this “sin”. From this Christian faith, the growth of the glorious nation has blossomed and flourished, but its roots are never forgotten, as shown in the United States’ Pledge of Allegiance, in which referring to the country as “one Nation, under God”. The overpowering Christian influences in today’s society hinder the enforcement of changes that could lead to a more accepting culture, including the same-sex marriages, which are met with such radical protests vying to keep their marriage illegal. As previously stated, Americans consider change as unnecessary when living comfortably with the existing societal rules, fearing that any differentiation could threaten the lives they live. Through this theory, the considerable…
There is growing attention to the issue of marriage equality for gay people in this country. As of the writing of this paper, 16 of the 50 states in the United States of America have legalized gay marriage, either by legislation or by popular vote (Wisniewski, 2013). The discourse regarding the issue becomes quite contentious largely because of non-secular ideology that has demonized the concept of homosexuality for many years. As a sociological issue, the conflict has become a divisive force for many, from political powers as far down to the family level. The constitution guarantees equal rights for all in this country; freedom of religion, speech, etc. yet appears to stall when equal rights for the gay community are involved. There has been significantly more popular support for the cause recently, but the stigma and prejudice continue to linger. Is this a moral debate or has an outdated ideology become so embraced by many that the battle has only just begun?…
On June 26, 2015, the supreme court legalized gay marriage across the United States; the fight was finally over, or so it seemed. In Kentucky, county clerk Kim Davis would not give same-sex couples marriage licenses on the basis of the fact that it was against her religious beliefs. This story has caught headlines all over and drawn attention from celebrities, politicians, among others, in particular, Time Magazine posted an article on September 7th, 2015. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in his article “Kim Davis Is Not a Patriot,” uses pathos and logos to successfully convince his audience that Kim Davis should not be heralded as a patriot, let alone a ‘national hero.’…
Henry Highland Garnet exerted powerful rhetorical strategies to the abolition and Civil Rights Movements during the nineteenth century. His spiritual and loyal appeals complimented rigorous and sometimes conflicting principles as seen in his “An Address to the Slaves of the United States of America.” The captivating rhetoric of Garnet and his ability to form new alternatives and redefine elements of contention signifies the rhetoric of strife, promoting African American loyalty and emphasizing the courage of African American males. Garnet was a dynamic elocutionist, enabling him to emotionally appeal to his audience and contribute to crucial historical and political concepts. One can also appreciate how rhetoric can affect the antiquity of beliefs and encourage social and political change with Garnet’s argumentative techniques as an example.…
Loffreda, Beth. “Losing Matt Shepard: Life and Politics in the Aftermath of Anti-Gay Murder” The New Humanities Reader. Third ed. Eds. Miller, Richard E., and Kurt Spellmeyer. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing, 2009. 368-391…
Please read “A Gay Man’s Case Against Gay Marriage” by Michael Bronski on pages 687–690 of your text. Then reply with your analysis of the rhetorical situation of the essay. What is Bronski’s reason for writing? What is his purpose and angle? Who do you think his audience might be? Finally, think about the writing strategies Bronski uses to achieve his overall purpose. Based on our discussions of commentary and argumentative writing, what strategies do you think he relies upon to present his position?…
Stoddard, Thomas B.”Gay Marriage: Make them Legal.” Current Issues and Enduring Questions A Guide to Critical Thinking and Argument with Readings. Barnet Ed. Ninth Edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007. 721-723. Print.…
Anna Moorhead Moorhead 1 Ms. Duran English 11 13 March 2015 The March on Washington Civil disobedience, according to Dr. Kings’ letter from Birmingham Jail, is a way of revolting against an injustice in a peaceful manner. The March on Washington for LGBT rights was a peaceful protest in 1993. It was against the widespread discrimination through policies like the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy. Many people resigned from the army due to this policy and turned to peaceful protesting.…
There are many controversies surrounding today's world, such as abortion, animal testing, and social reform issues. It seems that no one can come to a common agreement on the legitimacy of these topics. Personal characteristics, such as upbringing, culture, religion and ethnicity, all play a role in determining one's feelings on a given controversial issue. However, one of the most protested and discussed issues in current political debate is same-sex marriage. There is no right or wrong answer to this question, only hard pressed arguments expressing speculation regarding supposed outcomes, benefits and possible tribulations that would come along with the endorsement of gay marriage. Such ideas are shown in pieces of writing by Manuel A. Lopez, in "The Case Against Gay Marriage" and by Scott Bidstrup in " Gay Marriage: The Arguments and Motives." These issues both discuss and contend common controversy surrounding the gay marriage debate. After reading and analyzing each essay, it is observed that Manuel A. Lopez' style of writing and literary tone give him the upper hand in establishing a more effective piece.…
Martin Luther King’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail” was addressed to eight clergymen after being arrested during his non-violent protest. Without a strong rhetorical focus, the effect of this speech might not have been so impactful. Martin Luther King uses iconic, biblical, and classical references to support his point. He uses rhetorical strategies and…
Bayard Rustin was an instrumental part in civil rights and several other monumental movements in America during the postwar era. A homosexual man, Rustin encountered numerous obstacles in his pursuits of an activist lifestyle including jail time and excommunication from various progressive campaigns. Throughout history, “most men who desire men have not led gay-centered social lives, and even those who do will have passed much of their time – in work, politics, worship, voluntary associations, and civic affairs – in non-gay contexts.” Rustin was no different. In the public sphere his sexual orientation tended to be of secondary thought as he attempted to put political activism in front of personal strife. Rustin’s yearn for political activism was hindered throughout his career due to the Politics of Respectability commonly utilized by the movements of the 1960s in an attempt to connect with political leaders.…
A group who can benefit greatly from rhetorical social movement is the transgender community. They are doing everything they can right now, but still face discrimination and violence. There is a dire need to bring changes to laws and the general publics attitude towards the transgender community. I don’t know one person who wouldn’t stand up to their people being used as political talking points and being murdered so I don’t think it is a choice for them to want to change how society responds to them but a must for their own safety and rights. Most recent reports indicate twenty-six transgender people have been killed in 2016, the number does not account for possible misgendering by police, news, or victims family. Laws such as HB2 in North…