Obama's Speech

President elect Barack Obama made his acceptance speech in Chicago, Illinois on November 4th.  Throughout his speech, me mentioned how that night was a night of change for America.  He focussed in on the importance of that night.  Like other speeches before him, he thanked family, friends, and those who campaigned for him.  He also mentioned how they had the best political campaign in the history of elections.  Obama uses pathos by focussing on the audience and connecting with them.  He mentions how the campaign started all over the United States, and this makes the audience feel closer to him.  He used the calm voice he is known for by speaking of togetherness and unity in a patriotic way.  He also uses pathos when he mentions the puppy that his daughters are getting when they move into the White House.  He shows his respect towards McCain and Palin who lost, yet he still congratulated them for their hard work.  His speech reflected the ideas of his campaign: change for America.

Previous Speeches

I chose to write about John Kerry's 2004 concession speech.  The beginning of his speech was very personal.  He thanks everyone for their warm welcome and affection.  Then he mentions his phone call to President Bush.  Throughout his speech, he is very patriotic by mentioning the need for unity in America.  He explains how "we are required to work together", yet I find this somewhat contradicting because he also mentions says "we cannot win this election" referring to the Democratic Party as 'we' rather than America itself.  He focusses in on his supporters a lot and even responds to an individual audience member.  He uses pathos by talking about his family and mentioning all their names.  He even refers to old friends and supporters.  Also, he tells the audience that he wants to just "wrap you up in my arms".  That is another example of pathos.  He really builds on the idea of a strong audience connection.  He brings in the quote "God Bless America" to help support his ethos and it adds to the patriotism.  I somewhat got the idea that he was not certain that the votes were fair and accurate judging by his negative attitude towards the voting machines.

Sources

After searching for primary sources, I found it difficult and decided to change my topic.  I am now going to change my topic to Voter Fraud associated with ACORN.  This was a lot easier to find sources for because it is newer information that is important to voters.  When I searched under LexisNexis, there were many long articles. Gale databases did not seem as helpful, but I was still able to find information.  Debates.org offered me the transcript from the last debate between McCain and Obama when they discussed this issue. The NYT-election page seemed to be mainly secondary sources, so I did not find it as useful.

Unit 2 Topic

I am narrowing my topic down to Border Control.  People who have experience would be U.S. customs, candidates, the police, illegal aliens, etc.  People who are talking are Americans, especially ones who live close to borders, and the candidates. Primary sources include speeches from debates about the subject, or interviews with customs and guards from the border.

My Humorous Argument

I did an editorial cartoon about abortion.  It had Obama holding the door for the women to choose to walk in the abortion clinic.  The back door of the abortion clinic to the cemetery represents how some consider abortion murder.  The fence represents how some people are blinded by this fact.

I understand that my argument was meant to be thought provoking rather than humorous because the topic is so controversial.  If anyone has suggestions to make a humorous argument that would be great!

Humorous Argument

The video that I found is a satirical spoof of Sarah Palin being nominated for vice president. The link is:   http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1831461   They take information from her campaign, views, and family and turn it into something funny that people would be able to understand and maybe agree with.  For example: Sarah Palin's son's name is Trig, and because this is such an unusual name, they make a point to make it funny by calling him 'Algebra'.  In the video, the president dies.  This is making fun of McCain's age and how some feel that he is too old to be president. The video is mean to be a funny way of engaging the audience and emphasizing unusual or well known facts that are easily argued. I do not agree with the video, but I did find it funny.  So, humor is a creative and strong way to hold an argument.

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1831461

OpEd

The Right To Take Another Human's Life

    In the United States, during the heat of the election, there are two basic beliefs towards abortion: pro-life and pro-choice. Pro-life is the view that fetuses are human lives, and they have the right to live. Pro-choice leaves the mother to decide whether or not she wants to keep or dispose of the unborn baby. Now my question for you is: Why is it up to the mother to chose if she wants her unborn child to live or not? Obama emphasizes the right of women to decide, but I do not believe that is a decision we should be making. We have rationalized abortion so much that we think it is a right we should be given.

The idea of ‘when life begins’ is probably the most controversial issue within abortion. Even if you do not believe life begins at conception, there is no argument that the unborn fetus will develop into a human. If not a life already, abortion takes away a potential human life that has already started developing. Not to mention that growth, as done by the fetus, is a characteristic that is present only in living things. We are disguising murder as a ‘choice’.

    Abortion is intentionally taking away an innocent human life. Maybe more people would be against abortion if they were the ones who actually had to do the terminating. Maybe you would feel more strongly against abortion, if you had to see a picture of the fetus being terminated. People do not want to think about the actual process, and our society does not want to show it. It’s emotional. At only twelve weeks, all vital organs have begun development, and the heart is already beating. The fetus can even make a fist with its fingers.

    Abortion is a heated topic in the upcoming election, because it is so controversial. The democratic candidate argues for the right of choice, but is the choice to take away a life a right we are given? Some women tend to favor this side, because they see it as women’s rights and an opportunity of power. This is not the case at all. We need to step back and realize the morality of what we are dealing with. Women have constantly fought for maintaining equality in society, but having the right to take another human’s life is not a right we should be fighting for. Sarah Palin and her daughter prove this by being women on the pro-life side. They prove that life is sacred, and every unborn fetus deserves to live. Only a woman can make the decision of what will happen to the fetus? No. Only God can.

    It is hard to fight strongly for something when we do not know everything about the developing fetus. We are quick to make decisions for it, because, obviously, it cannot defend itself. Well, being a fetus once myself, I am qualified to argue for pro-life.  I know what it will look like less than nine months later, and that is something I would never dispose of. 

    Our society is becoming more aware of teenage pregnancy because of the recent movie Juno, a TV show called The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and the teenage pregnancies of Jaimie Lynn Spears and Bristol Palin.  We learned there are other options besides abortion. We know that teenage pregnancy may happen, and our society is trying to welcome that over abortion.

    Abortion is not a women’s right, it is not a right, and it is not right. Whether it is because of religious or moralistic views, most everyone on some level knows abortion is not just. Disposing a fetus because it conflicts with your plan is not something that can be justified. What is the justification of abortion?

    The abortion issue effects everyone, not just those who are pregnant. The candidates have two opposing views, and I advise you to vote for what you think it right. Yes, the election does not revolve around abortion, but I do believe that preserving human life is one of the most important topics.

    So I urge you to think about the right of the unborn fetuses when you are thinking about the election. Abortion is an important topic, and innocent lives are being sparred. It is not our right to decide if we should terminate a future human life. 

Arguments of Definition

For my article I chose: "The Claim: Grape Juice Has the Same Benefits as Red Wine."  Here they are claiming that Red Wine has cardiovascular benefits, as well as the ability to relax blood vessels and increase levels of HDL, but grape juice may be just as helpful. Many of the substances found that help with the heart are also found in grape juice.  Grape juice in shown to prevent the bad cholesterol from sticking to arteries.  This is a big claim to make, considering that comparing the two has not really been done before. They define both wine and grape juice as helpful and similar to each other.

For my venue and audience, I have chosen to write for the Daily Herald: Mc Henry County.  This is a newspaper in my home town.  I have chosen this because, since it is a big name newspaper, but focusses in on this specific county.  With a subject so controversial, many people are bound to have different opinions.  People will want to read this article because it is found in a popular newspaper, but the audience is not as big as the Daily Herald itself.

Arguments of Fact

The article I chose is called "Obama Outpaces McCain in Negative Ads".  This article is filled with statistics about how many ads each candidates has run for their campaign, and how much money they spent on them.  77% of Obama's ads were negative, and 56% of McCain's were.  It also mentions that Obama has put out more ads total and by state.  Although the article is stating the facts, it makes you wonder why Obama is spending so much money for all these negative connotations.  Should the candidates be spending $66 million dollars on campaigns?  It is always controversial when talking about why candidates are campaigning where they are, but this article states statistics that we are able to interpret.

Letter to the Editor

I am responding to “Simply the Wrong Woman for the Job” and focusing on the second part of the article, which centers on abortion.  It is quite obvious that Sarah Palin has strong views against abortion.  Her views; however, are not as illogical as Pollitt leads the readers to believe.  We must take a step back and remember what abortion is.  Abortion is the expulsion of a fetus.  Since when is it our choice to decide if we want an unborn baby to live or not?  Since when does our society believe that being able to expose of a fetus is a freedom we should be given?

            Abortion is a heated topic in this upcoming election, because of the two opposing views held by the candidates.  Senator Obama is for abortion, where as John McCain is against it.  When determining the harm and immoral element to abortion, the biggest concern is whether or not the fetus is an actual human life.  Yes, according to religious beliefs and scientific findings that life begins at conception.  Even if you do not belief life begins there, you know that soon it will develop into a human.  We all started out that way, and what if your parents had given up on you?

            Kartha Pollitt states, “John McCain is gambling that women will vote their gender, and not their interests.”  Since when are all womens’ interests against those of John McCain’s?  By stating this, Pollitt is putting down women by saying that we are not smart enough to look at the issues being presented.

            Many people who believe in pro-choice think it is not fair for a women to be forced into having a child when they did not chose to do so, but in most cases they did chose this.  According to The Alan Guttmacher Institute and Planned Parenthood, only 1% of abortions occur due to rape or incest.  6% are due to health problems, and 93% of abortions occur because the child in unwanted or inconvenient.  Pollitt makes such a big deal about how Palin has no exception for rape, yet this is only one percent of all abortions.  Everyone makes decisions, and sometimes it is difficult to live with those choices.  Whether it is the choice to have the baby or have an abortion, it is something one will live with the rest of their life.

            This article is so strongly against Sarah Palin, the author never mentions the other side of the argument.  You may not agree that abortions are wrong, but why do you feel they are okay?  I am all for Sarah Palin’s negative view of abortions.  Her opinions become more respectable when you hear how she went through with the birth of her son who has Down syndrome.  Every human deserves a chance to live, and I believe it should only be God’s choice of whether or not they do.

Article Link

"Simply the Wrong Woman for the Job"

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-oped0908pollittsep08,0,2184924.story

Choice of Topic

The choice of topic I chose is abortion.  Abortion is an important issue in the presidential election because it is a moral issue as well.  Everyone seems to have a variety of opinions on this subject; whether it is the question of when life begins, or the question of if the mother should have her own choice.  In this election abortion is looked at more due to the extreme opposites of the candidates.  Barack Obama is on the extreme side of pro-choice.  He believes it is up for the mother to decide what to do with the fetus.  He also believes abortion should be legal, and securing this will be one of the first steps he will make if he becomes President.  McCain is the opposite.  He believes in Pro-Life.  Most Republicans believe life begins at conception, so getting an abortion would be taking away someone's life.  Running mate Sarah Palin is extreme for Pro-Life.  She also proves that she believes what she stands for based on the birth of her down-syndrome baby and the pregnancy of her teenage daughter.

This issue is important in the election because the two sides are for extremes.  Abortion is a moral problem that should be dealt with soon.  The opinions of the candidates reflect their personal feelings, morals, and beliefs.  Abortion is relevant to everyone, and it effects millions of people all over the United States.

Aspects of the Election

Elections are important and so controversial, because everyone has different views.  Everyone has different opinions of which areas are more important and relevant than others.  Although this may seem selfish, the areas I find the most important are the ones that effect me the most as an individual.

I think the biggest concern for me is our economy.  Gas prices have risen dramatically, and I believe our government can help to stop this from happening.  We need to find a new way to receive gasoline or other energy forms rather then relying on foreign suppliers.  I am not well educated on the subject, but I know I want a president who is.  One who can lower gas prices and help fix our economy will be beneficial to all Americans.

Immigration is another issue that I am concerned with. Over the past few years, more illegal immigrants are entering our country.  It is important that we do something about this.

I am not just concerned with the specific issues themselves, but I am also interested in the morality and disposition of the candidate themselves.  People's decisions are based on their beliefs and the morality behind their beliefs.  When are future President is serving our country, their will be many issue that come up that they have not spoken about while running and campaigning.  I want to make sure our President is capable of making effective, good decisions that reflect America's views.  Anyone can talk about what they want to do and the change they want to make, but the real question is if they can really do it.  That is where a candidate's past does come in to play, whether it is previous voting records or experience. 

Arguments with Logos

Logos are arguments that are based on facts and reason.  It is easier to believe someone when we hear the statistics or the facts behind their assumptions; however, it is also easy to rebuttal and test these facts.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/us/politics/04rudycnd.html

The article that I chose is about the experience of the democratic nominee Barack Obama.  In politics, arguments are very important; basing your speeches on facts is equally as strategic.  When someone questioned the experience of Gov. Sarah Palin's experience, Rudolph Giuliani fights back by stating that "Barack Obama has never led anything."  This may seem like an assumption, but he goes on to state that he has "never governed a city, state, agency, military unit,.." Based on facts about Obama's past, one can see that this is true.  Logos focus on the structure, the claim, and the evidence of a speech or article.  The quotes from this article came from the Republican convention.  Although the two candidates mentioned, Obama and McCain's running mate Palin, may be lacking in experience, the logic and statistics point out the experience they both have and give you the opportunity to decide how you feel about it.  I believe that is the main intention of logos.  

Arguments with Pathos

In the advertisement that I chose, there is a cat standing there on two of its paws.  Based on how the cat is standing, the viewer is supposed to assume that the cat has to go to the bathroom.  The advertisement is for Fresh Step cat litter, and the tag line is: "It's hard to find your litter box if you can't smell it." [http://farm1.static.flickr.com/142/361218576_08ecb78bf5.jpg?v=0]

This advertisement uses humor to sell their product.  First, the viewer is distracted by the cat's odd, human-like behavior and then laughs when they realize it is for litter.  Unlike some humorous ads or bumper stickers, this one is not meant to offend or put down anyone.  Arguments with humor are a great way to get your product to sell.  Funny ads grab your attention and help you to remember the product.  Also, the tag-line cues into the important qualities that you want for your cat litter: no smell and not being able to find the litter box.

Blog 1

My name is Lindsay, and I am a sophomore at Texas Christian University.  I am from a suburb outside of Chicago, IL, and I am majoring in middle school math education.  I plan on being a middle school or high school mathematics teacher and hopefully coaching cheerleading.

I mainly am taking this course because it is a requirement; however I do enjoy reading and writing, so I am looking forward to this semester.  From this course, I hope to better my writing skills as well as my political knowledge.  These are both areas that are very useful where ever you are in life.  

I belive that being a good writer is very important, and hopefully this class will help me step up my skills.  For school, I have to write many papers and take notes.  Outside of school, the writing I typically do is e-mail, texting, facebook, letters, thank you cards, etc.  I feel writing is an important subject that I hope to become more skillful in.  I enjoy writing, but there is definitely always room to improve.

I usually am not interested in politics whether it be the university or on a national level.  Because this is an election year, and I am old enough to vote, I would like to research the views of the politicians.  It is important that we understand the politics of our nation.  I am looking forward to learning about politics because it is something important that I would normally would not do.  I believe I have not had an interest in politics before, because it did not seem to effect me when I was younger.  I do have many views on politics; however, I also like to hear other people's opinions.  I am understanding unless it is something I truly disagree with.  I would like to vote this year, but I understand that to do so I have to be knowledgeable on the subject matter.  Hopefully this class will help me in that area.

While reading chapter 1, I realized that everything truly is an argument.  What we say or do reflects our personality or our feelings.  The amount of time one puts towards in an assignment typically reflects their participation in the course.  Those who spend more time setting up this blog tend to be the ones more interested.  That statement can also be an argument in itself.  Everyone has different viewpoints, and I hope to read other people's blogs to better understand their personalities.  I hope my blog will reflect my personality in a positive way.

I have read, understand, and agree to the terms of the course syllabus.