COM 210-020
3/24/17
Blog #1 Response
Response 1
In response, I think I definitely need to look towards more extreme sources from the right side and left side such as your examples given. Because immigration is a central topic in President Trump's campaign, this immigration topic is important to me, and I know getting both sides to the immigration issues will help me get a better grasp of it. I will work on making my context not so broad and generalized, by addressing the correct and specific audiences. I now understand that every article has a particular viewpoint even if it "sounds both sided" I need to make sure of it rather than saying that an article is neutral. I need to better assess and thoroughly examine every article carefully.
You mentioned using the extreme sources more such as the Huffington Post and VOX. I chose to do VOX and noticed it is extremely left sided and liberal. The persuasive techniques and approaches VOX news used were the appeal of emotions on the audience. They state real facts regarding under the Amendments from the 1st Amendment, the 14th Amendment, and the 5th Amendment. They state, “Under the First Amendment, there should be no laws “respecting an establishment of religion” or “prohibiting the free exercise” of religion. The 14th Amendment’s command that government shall not make or enforce laws which deny to any person “equal protection of the laws,” added to the Constitution after the Civil War, was made applicable to the federal government through the Fifth Amendment; those provisions are also likely to inform the Ninth Circuit’s decision”
(Robson, 2017). I noticed in many left sided articles, that the author tends to play on the audiences emotions, especially for the topic of immigration. Usually incorporating many sob stories of immigrant’s family members being deported and all the hardships that comes with it.
Another source you mentioned in your comment was the Weekly Standard, which is mainly right sided and conservative. I noticed they stated mainly facts rather than opinions for the Weekly Standard, but were very biased on their views. “In 2013, the Obama administration admitted just 36 Syrian refugees. Thirty-six! And that was more than during the years before. To put this in context, the U.N. Refugee Agency says that since 2011, "Fifty Syrian families have been displaced every hour of every day” (Kane, 2017). I think Kane placed this quote and statement in this article to show that President Trump is doing what many presidents have already done before in the past. Maybe President Trump puts it in a more direct and morally wrong way, but President Obama did it in the past too in 2013.
The immigration ban on President Trump is not just directing to the “illegals” but it is also enforcing many religious groups such as Muslims to feel not welcomed and feared in the “melting pot” we call The United States of America.
Sources:
Robson, R. (2017, February 07). A constitutional expert explains the issues at stake in Trump's travel ban. Retrieved March 22, 2017, from http://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2017/2/7/14537716/trump-court-immigration-constitution-refugee-ban
Kane, T. (2017, March 17). The Immigration Crackdown, or Crack-up? Retrieved March 22, 2017, from http://www.weeklystandard.com/the-immigration-crackdown-or-crack-up/article/2007264#!
Remember that our goal is a broader comparison of competing narratives - not specific outlets. While one might accurately describe Vox as a more extreme, left-leaning outlet, that is merely a characterization of what you might expect to be published there. You mention that left-leaning arguments often rely on emotional appeal - but perhaps it would be more accurate to suggest that left-leaning policy arguments are often based on the idea of compassion. Also, you suggested that arguments you read in the Weekly Standard were more factual than opinion. Remember, the type of argument is often selected based on the audience.
ReplyDeleteConsider whether certain themes emerge within either ideological approach. Consider that each side goes so far as to describe the problem in very different terms. Your paper is meant as an opportunity for you to examine these themes as they are deployed in the arena of public opinion.
Good stuff here! Let me know how I can help.