Month: February 2021

Rhetoric used in politics has a big impact on the people and how they perceive different issues. It was most seen under Trump’s administration as he was considered a demagogue by American political rhetoric historian Jennifer Mercieca. A demagogue is “someone who seeks support by appealing to people’s desires and prejudices instead of using rational thinking.” Rhetoric can be a very powerful thing, for example; if we take a look back at the past four years and the tension that has arisen between the two political parties and Trump himself as he is considered one of the most controversial presidents we have ever had. Trump used his rhetoric to his advantage and it has paid off through his policies and regulations administered over his four period in office. However, Biden plans to eliminate Trump’s rhetoric that was sought to incite violence and hatred amongst some of the minority groups in America. 

After the four year period of the Trump Administration, Biden hopes to pursue a more inclusive and tolerant America. During the Trump Administration, himself and much of his cabinet used rhetoric that alienated and cast out much of the minority groups in America. In Biden’s few weeks in office he has made switches to some of the words that casted out the minority. Biden is switching some rhetoric used towards immigrants, Native Americans, and the LGBTQ and using words to describe them in a much more positive connotation; illegal aliens to noncitizens, Native Americans to Tribal People, and using pronouns when filling out personal forms on government websites. This change is in hope to rebrand America after the Trump administration. Trump’s administration used rhetoric that was anti-immigration, anti-science, and anti-gay rights. This provoked the Biden administration to take action and rename government websites, policies, and regulations that used this negative connotation. 

However, even as it seems that Biden is making a more “accepting” America he still is receiving backlash from the public. While some people have considered Biden’s plan for democracy uniting others have been considering it discriminating. This ideology is traced back to the polarization of Trump’s America which has seen the most conflict of almost any president in history. Trump’s use of language is what has ultimately been the significant factor in his presidency as it has the connotation of violence and hatred. His famous quote “Make America Great Again” exemplifies the idea of restoring America to the past where much of America’s history has been filled with conflict, hatred, and violence. This language is what has ultimately caused the split in ideology between Republicans and Democrats. However, Biden is working to unite America even if it may seem that we are split on opinions.

Even if much of the United States is in disagreement I do think President Biden is ultimately trying to resolve and reconnect the Americans that support Trump. I personally believe this is the right move towards a better America as it chooses to compromise instead of point fingers. Not only this but because of Biden’s move to be more welcoming to diversity and different groups it would encourage more opinions heard than previously seen in Trump’s presidency.

Biden seems to be creating a more welcoming and “warmer” America as he tries to use rhetorical significance to revamp America to the more inclusive like the Obama era. I say this because of the little cues in Trump’s vocabulary that create hostility that we’ve seen the past few years that have silenced much of the majority from being able to have a voice. Much of this silence is seen in the criminal justice system where Trump established a harsh system under the Department of Justice that was harsh, not secure, and inhumane in private prisons.  

Trump’s legacy in the criminal justice system continues to this day which is why Biden is now halting all contracts from the Department of Justice towards private prisons. Over Trump’s presidency he created a criminal justice system that discriminated against immigrants. Biden in response gave three orders on the racial justice system on the severity of discrimination on Native Americans and to prevent xenophobia on Asian Americans. One of Trump’s senior officials even believed that Trump was creating a dangerous America; 

 

A senior official told reporters on a conference call that racial tensions and xenophobia were exacerbated by the “offensive and dangerous” tone set by leadership in the Trump administration.

However it may seem, I do believe that Biden is trying to promote the commonwealth of the nation. While I will not disregard the accomplishments of Trump’s presidency he did seem to incite conflict and promote disagreement amongst different groups in the United States. 

That stated even as someone who leans towards Biden and the Democrats I still like to take a step back and look at the picture. Whichever way you look at it; President Biden correcting the United States or Biden ruining Trump’s legacy of America I think it’s important to understand that we as a nation cannot solely rely on the opinions of the president and base our ideology on whatever they say. 

We have to make our own decisions based on the news and information we collect as a whole, not just the political side we choose. This will help form a more rounded understanding of all situations that are present in the world today. Not only this but it will lead to a deliberation instead of an argument, much like what we see today. Deliberation, much of what we have learned in class, is more productive and a positive compromise to arguments that are taken from the left and right of politics. Deliberation would lead to more understanding of different groups that could ultimately benefit the community as a whole.  

 

https://www.npr.org/2021/01/19/958472423/how-president-trumps-rhetoric-has-affected-u-s-politics 

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/white-house-official-calls-trump-administrations-rhetoric-on-race-dangerous-as-biden-halts-doj-contracts-with-private-prisons/ar-BB1d79JP 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/24/us/politics/language-government-biden-trump.html

 

 

Taking a look back, the past two years have been pretty significant in how much I’ve learned about politics and the history of its role in the United States. Through taking AP government senior year of high school I’ve been more inclined and in tune with the political world around me and how it affects my everyday life. More recently, I’ve been spending most of my mornings reading The Washington Post or The New York times at the dinner table to catch up on daily news. One of the biggest topics that has caught my attention is the ideology of right-wing conservatives. 

The past few weeks have been eventful to say the least. Most of the gaze has been guided towards the capital as we look at the recovery of the attack and the turning of a new leaf as Joe Biden as our new president. However I intend to try and unpack and give my point of view on why the attack on the capital even occurred. As more information is being found and being released I am brought under the assumption that much of this aggressive rhetoric has been fed by Trump himself, Conservative groups, much of which were a part of the capital attack, and ring wing media. 

With so much bias in the media, what people want to believe it’s hard to write on an issue that can cause serious opposition. But I feel, from history and peers around me, that The New York Times is a neutral news source that does not take into account bias. The very thing that is ripping our country apart right now. The very thing that caused this capital attack we saw. As I’ve read over the articles to catch a glimpse at a fuller picture of the incentives that drove these “radicalist” to such extreme ends as to try and storm the capital, the biggest underlying event was the right-wing media and what they announce to the public. Glenn Beck, a radio show host stated on his radio show directed towards republican conservatives said “it is time to fight”. Glenn said this believing that votes had been counted illegally and that Biden cheated his way to presidency. Beck stated this anarcial opinion after Trump himself, the president at the time, stated that the election had been rigged.

However, no evidence suggests that illegal votes had been registered nor did Biden win using foul play. This is yet another example of how the use of the media has corrupted and almost “brainwashed” certain americans into believing such radical beliefs and unconstitutional behaviors. 

These behaviors can be traced back to conspiracy theories and fake news surrounding both parties of the government. However The New York Times along with accounts from interviewees from the right-wing suggests that Trump’s hard right-wing supporters consume these theories as actual reality leading them to have such drastic and biased opinions. Many of these right wing groups include the Proud Boys, Neo-Nazis, and the Three Percenters.

This closed minded and simple thinking is what I think is the leading issue in the polarization of our american nation. This goes for both parties as it seems we are in a perpetual war for values and rights we do not agree upon. We stay fighting to get our point across to the other side but it’s of no use as the other side just backlashes in disapproval. We need to change our thinking if we want to become a stronger nation as a whole.

It’s always difficult to relate to someone who you share “nothing” in value with, but it’s my understanding as a student that no matter the case, people can find reason if they just talk sensibly. The United States is in such a polarized state that we are doing more harm than good to ourselves. I have friends who’ve known each other since middle school who have turned on each other for having such separate political values. It’s in our best interest to try and put aside our differences and to focus on what we share in order to rebuild and unite after the attack on the capital and with a new president in office. 

Conflict will only weigh us down. It’s up to us, as a whole nation, to try and come together and create ideals that work for both sides that do not invigorate such malpractice as to create right-wing militia groups that believe violence is the answer.

I believe that these certain groups should be terminated from society. It’s my understanding that these groups are a huge threat to domestic violence and are no better than radical anarchists groups. These groups are dangerous and are fueled on federal theories. They put the community in danger and do nothing better than invigorate the ongoing fire of polarization. 

It should be those who put our public safety in jeopardy that are handled first. They are sometimes the reason people do not stand up or are afraid to speak their mind. The rest is up to us. We need to be able to identify common places and practices to understand that we aren’t that different from one another. Joe Biden stated this in his inauguration address and I’m going to end my blog with his words

 

To overcome these challenges — to restore the soul and to secure the future of America — requires more than words.

It requires that most elusive of things in a democracy:

Unity.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/07/us/names-of-rioters-capitol.html 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/10/business/media/conservative-talk-radio-capitol-riots.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/20/politics/joe-biden-speech-transcript/index.html