A stunned moment of silence.

This response is that of a reader of the New York Times on October 4, viewing the front-page picture of a recently erected memorial to the victims of the Las Vegas massacre. The image depicts numerous rows of candles lining the Las Vegas Strip, with the occasional heart-shaped balloon and bouquet of flowers mixed into ever growing testament to the fifty-nine lives lost. While the eye of the viewer is immediately drawn to the memorial, secondary features of the image soon begin to emerge. Behind the memorial, traffic is at a standstill. In a city full of life and movement, suddenly everything has been halted. Further back in the image sits the Vegas skyline, a typically vibrant symbol of pleasure suddenly lifeless in the wake of tragedy. In closely analyzing the features of this image, readers can come to understand why this image was fit to print, serving as a reminder of the heartbreaking truth of reality. With the inclusion of this somber image on its front page, the New York Times aptly utilizes a kairotic moment to illicit an emotional response from its readers.

From this point on look at

o   Features of the image

• Memorial
• Halted traffic
• Skyline in background
• Why was this image included
• Kairotic moment-interweave this into all paragraphs

Below was initial draft. See above for updated version.

“Viva la causa!”

The chants ring through the air. Migrant workers, members of the newly minted United Farm Workers of America organization, are beginning a series of protests to decry the deplorable working conditions they have been subjected to over the years. Workers march to decry the pitiful pay and crippling financial instability. Workers march for their children, whose educations are uncertain and irregular, dependent solely upon how long their families remains in one place. They march to protest the language barrier, frustrated that their needs cannot be communicated to their employers who do not know Spanish but will also not help them learn English. The migrant farmers march united under the slogan of “Viva la causa,” hopeful this campaign will create futures better than the past.

The United Farm Workers of America was the brainchild and passion project Cesar Chavez, an Hispanic farmer himself who saw the oppression of low-wage migrants in the early 1960s. Chavez was able to rally his fellow farmers behind a common cause, and their message came to be embodied in a red flag with the words “Viva la causa” penned across the top and a black eagle painted in the middle. The flag became a symbol of the worker’s revolution, recognizable to all growers who could no longer feign ignorance to the plight of their workers.

With its bright red coloring, the United Farm Worker’s flag became an identifiable, distinct emblem of the cause. The slogan, written in the native language of most migrant farmers, articulated their strife and determination to break down the barriers that were impeding them from building better futures. The black eagle in the middle was a unifying figure for the organization, symbolizing the dignity of the members and their hope for a better future. The “Viva la causa” flag served as an effective symbol of unity for the United Farm Workers of America because of kairotic timing of its creation and the intrinsic proofs implied in the flag’s design.

·         Discuss Karios- how timing of flag’s creation was key in beginning movement

·         Discuss what the colors imply

·         Discuss what the eagle implies

·         Discuss what words imply