For my rhetorical analysis essay, I chose an video posted by the official NRA youtube account. It starkly contrasts from my first civic artifact, as this image takes the opposing stance on the gun control debate within the United States. While both circulated on social media, they employ entirely different tactics- and the tactics they do share, they take in completely different directions.

Thesis:

Throughout the history of the United States, young voter turnout has statistically always been the lowest. In the modern era of social media, can the tool that older generations blame the most for our problems be what actually mobilizes young voters to vote? By comparing and contrasting the methods used in the ads by each side of the currently hotly controversial gun control debate, we can gauge how attuned to their audiences each side is, as well as the effectiveness of their propaganda.

Body:

• Intro to both artifacts and explain civic-ness of each
  • They take the two different sides of the gun control debate
  • one artifact directly pushes for youth voting, other is a bit more indirect about it
  • Both push in the direction of voting for the side of the debate the person aligns with
• Comparison of the two
  • Similar in the issue they address
  • Both push for “power to the people,” but in different directions
  • Social media platform
  • heavy pathos appeal
  • appeal to ethos and kairos
• Contrast of the two
  • Stylistic choices! One conveys message through a brightly colored, inviting design, while other is a dramatic, wistful video
  • One relates to the younger generation through its use of the hashtag (specifically, a popular, well known one) and its design, while the other is more broad
  • One directly encourages voting, other just activism and support of the NRA
  • One appeals more to pathos, other more ethos
• Ideologies that connect them
  • Politics! More specifically, the gun control debate, as well as the mobilization of young voters to vote in response to it!