- Introduction
- How many of you are registered to vote? Here’s the thing- in an ideal democratic system, your race, gender, sexuality, and religion wouldn’t matter. Unfortunately, this is far from true. Despite these shortcomings, there are certain things you do have control over in our flawed, imperfect system. You are entitled to that vote– one of millions, yes, but a vote all the same. It is not a gift. It is your right as a citizen- no, not only your right, but your duty. Many will say that you owe it to the ancestors who fought so hard for that vote. In truth, you owe it to yourself. You owe it to yourself to choose.
- Pull up image,then cheesy “You might even be voting for your life” transition line
- Body Part One
- Kairos
- Post Parkland school shooting, pushing voters to vote in the upcoming midterms
- #NeverAgain, school safety/pro-gun control movement
- US averages around one school shooting per week in 2018 as of May 2018 (Ahmed)
- Transition
- The reference to the #NeverAgain movement is intentional, as it directly hits home with the target audience- the youth.
- Body Part Two
- Audience!
- Seek to appeal to the youth- through pathos (#NeverAgain, reference to school shootings) and ethos (voting as a civic responsibility)
- Mobilize young voters!
- 46.1% of 18-29 year olds voted in the 2016 election, a growth from the 2012 election. Statistically the lowest bloc, but growing! (File)
- Transition
- With youth voter turnout statistically always being the lowest, are Laci Jordan’s appeals made in vain? Or is the use of social media to highlight issues that directly affect youth in ways never possible before the key to changing it?
- Body Part Three
- Social media
- #NeverAgain movement
- Reference the growth in voter turnout from 2012 to 2016 again
- Discuss how it’s the perfect time for change! Social media allows huge mobilization for causes- the national school walkout for example!
- Transition
- Is the new age of social media really the key to change, or will we allow our prejudices against it keep us from said change?
- Conclusion
- The methods by which Jordan relays her message are direct and powerful. She appeals strongly to pathos through her invocation of the #NeverAgain movement. Some may disagree with the direction of it, but few can find fault with its origin. The tragedies of school shootings are indisputably horrific and must be stopped. This ties in with her kairotic approach, as current tragedy often spurs mobilization. Jordan also invokes ethos through her appeal to civic responsibility, as it is our duty as American citizens to vote. She leads us to this question- can the use of social media truly be what mobilizes the youth? The answer is that yes, in theory it could be. But the question we must ask in turn is, will we let it be?
Works Cited:
Ahmed, Saeed, and Christina Walker. “There Has Been, on Average, 1 School Shooting Every Week This Year.” CNN, Cable News Network, 25 May 2018, www.cnn.com/2018/03/02/us/school-shootings-2018-list-trnd/index.html.
Burke, Sarah. “Artists Turned Parkland Survivors’ Rallying Cries Into Protest Signs.” Broadly, VICE, 16 Mar. 2018, broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/qvxdeq/march-for-our-lives-parkland-survivors-free-protest-signs-amplifier-foundation.
File, Thomas. “Voting in America: A Look at the 2016 Presidential Election.” Census Bureau QuickFacts, US Census Bureau, 10 May 2017, www.census.gov/newsroom/blogs/random-samplings/2017/05/voting_in_america.html.
As college students now, we really have to think about how to be civically engaged. Voting is one of the top things to do! Your outline clearly states the importance and impact just by voting, with substaintial examples that are Kairotic today. After reading your thoughtful outline, I expect you to give a clear and coherant speech next week!