Rhetoric 1101

well, i tried to look at the pics last time but it wouldnt work and so this time i got it to work and personally i think the pictures are not really something that needs to be brought up in a class blog.. sorry but they just seem a little inappropraite

Erin-
Maybe you could explain a little more why you feel they are inappropriate? Is it because you do not agree with the people in the pictures? It would be more helpful if you articulated your position more clearly.

(notice that i did not make this personal like other people do) i beleive this site to not be inappropraite because seeing the people with beer in their hands is not appropraite in school. Thats all. just as a side note, i know that everyone has their opinion but i think that these people on the site are cutting down not only our President but the people who think that he is a good president and voted for him, personally, i think that these people are misrepresenting over half of americans for example in a few of the pictures people that voted for Bush were being represented as idiots, for example the second picture and the 27th picture. The people that put these things on the site should be ashamed of themselves. its disgusting.

What if Kerry had won the election and Republicans did the same sort of thing? Would that still be innapropriate?

P.S 1 Beer is inappropriate for school? Since when has beer in a picture been a problem at college? Most people at a University are of drinking age, and I think being mature college students we know how to handle pictures with beer in them! (and that is my opinion of course)

P.S 2 I feel these people who put the pictures on their site have every right to express their opinion on the President/outcome of the election. Everyone has a right to his/her own opinion...and if the site managers agree with the people in the pictures, they have every right to post those pictures and show their support.

I am not by the way saying that I agree with the people in the pictures. I am defending their right to express their opinions.

yes they have every right to say there opinion but i dont think that their opinions need to be posted on our blog, and as for the drinking thing, there is only 2 people in our class that are of drinking age (one being our prof) so maybe this link is something that is more appropraite for an upper level class and not appropraite for our class because we are not of drinking age, even though i am sure we can all handle the issue, it is still not something that needs to be promoted in or through our class, (since this is our class blog and everything) oh and as to the first question, yes i still think that it would be inappropraite if the democrats had won and the republicans were doing this and yes i still think that it would be inappropraite. thank you and this is all i have to say on this post.

Well, the site is obviously a form of grassroots foreign policy intervention. As they say on the homepage:

"Some of us — hopefully most of us — are trying to understand and appreciate the effect our recent election will have on you, the citizens of the rest of the world. As our so-called leaders redouble their efforts to screw you over, please remember that some of us — hopefully most of us — are truly, truly sorry. And we'll say we're sorry, even on the behalf of the ones who aren't."

Rhetorically, though, it doesn't give us a great deal to work with, as they're not making a detailed argument, only an apology, which is why I think you didn't get comments on the original post, Alia (I think it might have helped, too, to raise a few specific questions to which people could have responded). The site raises a good question about the power of the internet to facilitate these kinds of grassroots mass communication efforts and get a message out to the world; Alia, the link you posted was to a thread at UAE Forum (United Arab Emirates, I'm guessing), which, though most of the material seems to be in English, looks to be to some extent an international forum. I think UAE Forum and spaces like it are exactly the "everybody" -- the audience -- the creators of and contributors to "Sorry Everybody" were trying to reach.

This is also actually a good example of the difference between primary audience and secondary audience. Primary audience consists of the people whom you're targeting, and secondary audience consists of anyone else whom you're not targeting but who might end up reading your document. Of course people in the U.S. as well as those in Europe, the Middle East, etc. have looked at "Sorry Everybody." Here in the U.S., "Sorry Everybody" has probably made a lot of Bush voters angry and further polarized the rhetoric on both sides. The Democrats (and Kerry voters who are not necessarily Democrats) aren't winning any friends by participating in rhetoric like "Sorry Everybody," but I suppose they'd counter by saying they weren't doing it for the Bush voters at home. Still, they're a secondary audience, and it demonstrates a lack of rhetorical savvy that "SE" has catered to one audience while alienating another.

Kind of off the subject, but not completely: I wondered if any of you have seen this site (warning: strong language). The effect is similar; not only are southern Republicans (and Bush voters who are not necessarily Republican) pushed further away, the site dismisses the many people who love the south and call it home -- like me! -- and dismisses the MANY southern Democrats (and Kerry voters who aren't necessarily Democrats).

By the way, the Republicans in our class don't have to post on our (Me, Alia, other Democrats)'s posts. If you don't like, don't look at it. If you still don't like it, don't complain, hiding it behind some "beer" issue. We all know why you don't like it.

i feel very personally attacked by this last comment, i never said that i dont like the posts the only post that i was talking about was the one on this post and how i thought maybe it was alittle inappropraite for a rhet 1101 class and i should have every right to comment on any of the post to explain my reasoning just like you have every right to comment against my position, i should also be able to read any of the posts considering that this is a class post and we are suppose to participate and yes there are posts that i have read that i dont agree with but i have refrained from commenting on because i am afraid that i will come across wrong. i am sorry that some people do not want me commenting on their posts, if this is the case please make your posts closed so that i know not to comment. thank you.

I'm not a Democrat...

I also agree that Erin has every right to state her opinion....just like I do, just like Olzhas does, just like the people who wrote the "Sorry" signs do...that does not mean we have to agree with eachother, but we should not attack others who have differing opinions. Whoever wants to comment on any post may comment..that's what this blog is for.

To build upon what you're saying, Alia, I'd like to qualify the fact that each of us has every right to state his or her opinion by pointing out that, this being a rhetoric class, a crucial point is that you're stating that opinion to an audience composed of people who may or may not agree with you. Your attitude toward those who don't agree with you should not be adversarial and antagonistic; that kind of attitude runs counter to the goal of getting those who disagree with you to see the issue from your point of view. Sensitivity is key. Rhetoric is about putting yourself in your audience's position and adjusting your tone accordingly. This doesn't at all mean you can't express your opinion. If you'd like an example of what I'm talking about, look at some of Josh's posts and comments. Over the course of the semester, he has done a fine job of getting his points across in a way that is very audience-conscious.

Okay, I really have to go now or I'm going to miss my flight! Everyone have a relaxing and rejuvenating break.