Emma Barber

Rhetorical Analysis Essay

RCL 137

September 25^th, 2017

It is said that the beauty of the world lies in the diversity of its people. Unfortunately, acceptance of diversity and difference is not as widespread as a perfect world would hope. Today many of the challenges society faces revolve around those differences like race, religion, culture, etc. Acceptance is not a guarantee but rather something that has to be taught and embraced. Now more than ever do we see political expression being carried out through different types of media and art. People are speaking up and speaking out for what they believe in. Airbnb, a hospitality service company released a commercial titled “We Accept”. Their message is “no matter who you are, where you’re from, who you love, or who you worship, you belong.” This commercial was released in response to President Trump’s travel (Muslim) ban. Prior to this executive order, right before the inauguration, Shepard Fairey published a piece of art work titled “We the People”. Depicted is a Muslim woman with an American flag hijab with the words “We the People Are Greater Than Fear” written below. The woman who modeled for this piece is named Munria Ahmed. She is a Bangladeshi American whose face has been plastered on signs that protesters have carried through marches and demonstrations. She has become the face of the Trump resistance. Both pieces of media are in response to the hateful, fear instilling, rhetoric President Trump fuels his supporters with. And both of these pieces use similar rhetorical appeals to contrast hate and fear by fostering a sense of unity and inclusion and pushing the civic responsibility of acceptance onto its viewers.

To catch a person’s attention, you initially need to capture their eye. In Fairey’s piece the Muslim woman is red white and blue. These bright and patriotic colors immediately scream “America”.  Her hijab is an American flag and she catches your attention. The viewer knows that it is political because of the patriotism that is displayed as well as the words. Today there is so much prejudice towards women of color especially Muslim women and to have her represent America sets up this paradox that makes this piece so powerful. This image allows the viewer to address common stereotypes and politics. But most importantly it makes those who come in its path think. They have to think about what acceptance and fear mean for them in their own life. As an American citizen, you don’t have to be discriminated against for this to mean something and matter to you. These are values that people share and connect over and one of the easiest ways to do that is through art and media. To Ahmed this portrait says, “I am American just as you are,” and it is this portrait that gives American’s a visual of that.

It is almost ironic in the piece of art that the phrase “We the People” is used. The artist in a sense uses America’s own words against herself. There is emphasis on “we” because the woman pictured is a part of that “we” although those who feed into islamophobia and unacceptance would disagree. “Are greater than fear” is a direct hit against the Trump administration. “It’s really about making sure that people remember that ‘we the people’ means everyone, it means all the people,” Fairey said. “I think the campaigns were very divisive, more from one side than the other. But [it’s] just reminding people to find their common humanity, and look beyond maybe one narrow definition of what it means to be American,” Fairey said. These chosen words are so specific as they contradict and address the statements and rhetoric composed by him. Trump gained support throughout his campaign for making false claims and statements that ignited fear and discrimination. “We the People” is powerful because it shows the clarity and confidence in which these statements about America and the values it’s founded on are being made. Fairey is using his medium and words to relay a message to the American people as well as the president.

The response from people has exceeded expectations. “We the People” has now become a nonpartisan campaign dedicated to igniting a national dialogue about American identity and values through public art. This is in effort to combat the rising power of nationalism, bigotry, and intolerance in America. Their mission is to continue to present images that challenge mainstream world views and to “instigate dialogue that refills our country’s reserve of ideas and inspiration.” Shepard Fairey hopes that his audiences see themselves in his art. He says, “these are all people that could be someone we know, a friend, a child of a friend, a neighbor. That’s America. That’s us.”

In a time where hate and fear is distributed through careless violent and detrimental rhetoric, unity and acceptance is necessary to combat it. Rhetoric has power, especially attached to politics. To reach the American people and spread a message through different forms of media like art and television is to connect with them on a personal level and initiate dialogue and change. Both “We Accept” and “We the People” draw on rhetorical appeals that speak through imagery and diction providing a call to action as well as a medium to speak about the pressing issues that plague our country today. America is a country where people have the choice to be bystanders. It is possible that when there is outrage, oppression, wrong doing, and discrimination that people can luxuriously sit back and wait for someone else to deal with it. But what “We the People” asks Americans to do is to be involved. To create the conversation and open up their minds to understanding those that are different from them. This causes a chain reaction that makes the foundation of this country stronger. The reaction to both “We Accept” and “We the People” shows how much power individuals have when they choose to exercise their civic voice. Real change is made and it spreads like wildfire. Whomever these pieces reach will understand and agree that the beauty of the world really does lie in the diversity of its people and although it may not be a perfect world, acceptance of diversity and difference can make it better.